Don A. Martinez's Blog

DENNY YOUNGBLOOD IS THE AUTHOR OF AN ANGEL BOX, A THRILLER.

 A native Texan, Denny Youngblood currently resides in Longview,
Texas with his  beautiful wife Alice. He earned his Eagle Scout award at age 16
and later went  on to serve his country in the United States Air Force. His
earned Ph.D in  Psychology has helped him create and pen several novels,
short stories, and  non-fiction works. In his spare time, he enjoys drawing and
painting western art  and is also an accomplished musician.  His wife,
children, and grandchildren  make his life complete.

TERESA RICHENBERGER: WELCOME DENNY, IT'S SO NICE TO TALK TO YOU TODAY!

DENNY YOUNGBLOOD: GLAD TO BE HERE, TERESA.

TR: In your book, would you say that the story line is just about catching an escaped killer from prison? Can you tell the readers more about the story line?

DY: The Angel Box story line far exceeds the adventures of catching an escaped Texas prisoner. This particular prisoner, more evil and cunning than ever, becomes an unwitting pawn in an unusual relationship. In Cellie's quest to wreak havoc and mayhem on a family, one family member, Harrison Thurston, a 12 year old boy with Down's syndrome, becomes involved with Cellie in a most unorthodox manner. Harrison is gifted with the ability to get inside Cellie's mind and play him like a chess game.

TR: How and where did you get the materials and information to write your book? Your characters and the towns?

DY: The setting for An Angel Box came from the small community I grew up in. Laverne, Oklahoma is a thriving, vibrant community filled with some very interesting people. It is in a rural atmosphere that Harrison and sister Abigail confront evil as has never been accomplished. The characters, prison setting, rural setting, and other materials came from extensive research and experience.

TR: Who would enjoy this book the most and why?

DY: Readers who would enjoy this fiction tale include those who love mystery, intrigue, suspense, and hard-core thrillers. The villain in this book is bad-to-the-bone awful. Authors cannot have a believable villain who does nice things. Cellie talks the talk and walks the walk. The hero is unusual, interesting, and quite a character on his own. Readers would enjoy the intensity of this thriller, and how it moves the story along at a heart-stopping pace. Best of all, the reader will find the ending to be a complete surprise. Only at the very end is the Angel Box revealed and its purpose.

TR: Does the book take the reader inside the prison wall where the killer lived? Could you give us a little sample of what it would be like?

DY: The reader is taken inside a real Texas prison and allowed to see details the public is unaware of. It is in this setting that we see, feel, hear, and smell the inmates, the walls, the corridors, the day-to-day life of a real prison instead of the make-believe prison world other authors depict.

TR: On the back cover of your book, you talked about it takes a killer to save people from a killer. Could you give the readers a little more on this?

DY: Sometimes, it does take a killer to take down a killer. When Harrison was twelve years old, he accidently killed his mother. It was from this memory that drives the little boy to deal with the mad man, Cellie.

TR: IS there a HERO in your book and if so, can you share some of that?

DY: There are actually several heroes in An Angel Box. Harrison could easily be deemed a loveable hero. So could his sister, Abigail, the matronly sheriff, and several other lively characters. It takes more than one hero to bring down, Cellie. Even then, life dictates that even a hero's best efforts leave them wanting more.

Such is An Angel Box. It will bring the readers to tears, laughter, despising Cellie, rooting for the good guys, and a genuine sense of accomplishment in this fast-paced page turner.

TR: Thank you so much, Author Denny Youngblood for sharing with us about An Angel Box. Where can we buy your book?

DY: It's been a pleasure, Teresa. You can find my book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and ask for it in any bookstore.

Hello to all the fantastic followers of Desert Coyote Productions! We have started doing a ‘round-robin’ of interviews with DCP authors, and today, it truly is my pleasure to be speaking with Teresa Stephens Richenberger. Her book, “Sold to the  Highest Bidder”, has received a lot of notoriety. Welcome, Teresa, and congratulations on your book’s success.

JFB: The fact that you have put your life story in print probably had a big impact in many ways. Can you share some of that?

TSR:  One of the biggest impacts that my book has had is that it lets people know there is always HOPE and to never give up on yourself or others. So many mothers have come to me and thanked me for renewing their faith for their children. At times, they’ve wanted to give up on their kids.

JFB: Did you decide on the title for your book? If not, how did that develop?

TSR:  The title of the book came about, first because I was sold to the things in the  world, and secondly, because I was sold to the Highest Bidder of all, Jesus Christ. He paid the highest price for me - a price no human man could ever pay.  
JFB: I totally agree with you, Teresa, and how fortunate for us Christ was the propitiation for our sins.

JFB: "Through My Eyes" by Quarterback Tim Tebow has been called a Christian memoir book. Is that how you categorize "Sold to the Highest Bidder"?

TSR: Yes and no. My book tells my story about me coming to Christ, but my book also reaches the
secular readers as well. It will grip your heart.

JFB: You've been at a myriad of functions since the book debuted, including the 700 Club and Seeds TV. Can you give our readers an introduction to your work and tell us more about other places where you've spoken?

 TSR : I have spoken to inmates at the prison and shared to women that are in women’s shelter and homes. I have also spoken at Texas Tech University and several Christian universities, as well. I will share to 5 women or 500 women …wherever God opens a door.

JFB: In another interview I read, you stated, 'you couldn't keep up with the game your life was playing'. That's pretty tough words. What exactly did it mean?

TSR: The true reference is to the lies that I was living. The fantasyland I had created was
not real life. The drugs and alcohol was a way to stay numb to what my life had
become.
JFB: Well praise the Lord, because looking at you today, that is so hard to visualize. 
 
JFB: In your words, it took several years to 'totally sell out to God'. How did that finally come about?

TSR:  I had to be completely broken and understand I could not do it by myself; I needed a higher  power (God) to help me. 
 
JFB: Also being a Christian and a believer, I know what it means to live under grace every day. Your journey presents such inspiration to so many. It was a tremendous challenge to turn your life around as your have done. Please share how it happened.

TSR:  I was not an overnight success. It took a couple of years for me to turn my life around, even  after I accepted Jesus as my Savior. I had to fight every single day to choose to do the right thing. I kept going to church. Then, I got a couple of accountability partners who would hold me accountable. I learned scriptures from the Bible and would say them aloud. I had to start believing God’s word over
mine, or my friends, that His word was the truth about me.

JFB: The axiom "write what you know" seems to hold true here. What complex barriers were encountered while traveling back through such a dark and traumatic past?

TSR:  I realized how lost and broken I really was. I would take time out from writing and actually cry out to God thanking Him for rescuing me. It reminded me of what I had come though and that God’s grace and mercy was always there for me.

JFB: Obviously, you've acquired a considerable, loyal 'fan base'. So many appreciate and admire this dynamic testimony. Other than God, who has been the greatest champion to facilitate the publishing of your work?

TSR:   Desert Coyote, because I had no clue how to get my book out there or set things up. Don A.  Martinez has been wonderful with all his help.
JFB: Yes ma’am, all of us as DCP authors are indebted to Don, as well as his wife, Stacey. They both are amazingly talented in their own respects.

JFB: There's quite a lot of scripture quoted among the pages, but I'm curious as to which verses had the most influence as a lifeline to bring you to the place you are today?

TSR: II Timothy: “I do not have a spirit of fear, but power, love, and a sound mind.” I live on this  scripture, even today.
JFB:I agree, those are prodigious words for all us to draw from.

JFB: Teresa, thank you for giving us some insight to your life's horrific ordeal and your journey through to God's love and light. Is there anything further you'd like to share?
 
TRS: That if you have faith, just the size of a mustard seed. God can, and will, take that little seed and make a mighty tree! Never lose hope. I encourage you to read my story, “Sold to the Highest Bidder!” You can get it at Amazon books, and or Ebooks, Barnes & Noble, and of course on Kindle and Nook.

 It is also available on my website: www.teresarichenberger.com

 Ask for it at your favorite bookstores because they can also order it for you.

 Also, you can find me on Goodreads.com or Facebook as Teresa Richenberger.


Sold to the Highest
Bidder is on CBN.com ,
CBN online, and YouTube.


If you are wrangling with life and its
difficulties, I encourage everyone to check out this great novel, as well as
keep up with this fantastic author because she is definitely going places
sharing her story and the Good News of
salvation!


 

Jeannie Faulkner Barber was born and raised in Marshall, Texas. Writing has been one of two passions in her life, the other being drag racing: she drives her own racecar. She met her husband Monte at the track. She is an Officer of the East Texas Writers Association. She currently lives in Kilgore, Texas with Monte. They have three sons and nine grandchildren.

Jeannie was the third author to see print from Desert Coyote Productions and has had involvement with three books through DCP: her debut novel Scent of Double Deception  (with co-author Ann Alan), a solo mystery Taste of Fire  about a female firefighter, and the fantasy epic Destiny Never Sleeps: Quest of the Two Queens (with Bernadette Thompson Martin).

She has been published online, as well as in an anthology through her writer's group.

It is my pleasure to welcome Jeannie to this interview.

Don A. Martinez: I like to start off interviews by asking people to tell us something folks may not know about themselves. There's an extended bio for both yourself and Bernadette in Destiny Never Sleeps , but maybe is there anything that might have been left out of that little blurb, a little quirk that sparks your writing or your creative motor?

Jeannie Faulkner Barber: The human-interest side of the whole writing relationship is that we have never met face to face - yet. Not only did a dynamic fantasy novel develop, but an extraordinary honest and true friendship. We think so much alike that often times the same word, comment, or idea comes out in unison. When we write together, the taks becomes more joyful than just a creative mission, and we spend alot of time laughing.

DAM: The three books you've put out through DCP have been quite varied in subject, nature, and tone. Scent  had a dark, foreboding feel, with all of the multiple identities and lies; Taste of Fire  showed a lot of danger, both of the disastrous and human kind; and then you have Destiny , which goes into classical epic fantasy. Is there anything that feels difficult about switching between all of these kinds of stories?

JFB: There was a distinct variance with the first two novels even though suspense and mystery mold both plots. However, with Destiny , Bernadette's creativity and gregarious imagination made it an easy and fun transition.

DAM: Can you tell us a little bit about your writing habits? When you have a burning story in you, how do you go about getting that out of your head and onto paper?

JFB: I'm more inspired and creative on rainy days, but when an idea comes, regardless of place, time or weather, it's as though the scene plays forth like a panoramic movie in my head. the trick is to type as fast as I can, especially when my characters appear to have a mind of their own. It's truly a gift from God...like how do you explain being able to walk or speak? It just comes naturally.

DAM : What do you use to trigger your imagination?

JFB: Anything and everything. A single word can spark a complete graphic scenario, which ultimately can lead to chapter after chapter.

DAM: Let's talk about what your read for yourself. Are there any recent books you've read, not necessarily from the DCP catalog, that you'd recommend?

JFB: Reading gave way to the inspiration to write. I recently finished Implosion by my great author friend Fran Riedemann and now am into Ten-Gallon War by John Eisenberg. This story recants a roller coaster of events between two Texas owned NFL teams, the Dallas Cowboys and the Dallas Texans (who became the Kansas City Chiefs.) I must say though, when I'm writing, there isn't much time to read...gotta have priorities.

One I haven't read, but tops my list is The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold, which is the story of a young girl who, after being raped and murdered, watches from her personal Heaven as family and friends struggle to move on while she comes to terms with her own death. It received much critical praise and was an instant bestseller. I've always  had aspirations of writing a novel in first person - a difficult task if done efficiently.

DAM: Who do you consider to be an influence on your writing? It's hard not to notice that your middle name is "Faulkner," would you consider William Faulkner among your influences?

JFB: Most definitely! His novels are works of art and renowned classics. I'm humbled to be a relative of such great talent.

DAM: This might be a bit of a philosophical question, but I'm going to ask it anyway. A lot of folks have various reasons why they write, whether it's because they have a passion for their story or an overactive imagination. Why do you write?

JFB: A little bit of both, of course my 'other' passion is drag racing. I have a need for speed.

DAM: What are your future plans in terms of writing?

JFB: God gave me a grand new scheme and story which I'm keeping under wraps for the present time.

DAM: I've heard scuttlebutt about sequels to Destiny, would you care to elaborate?

JFB: SInce writing with Bernie is as easy as breathing air, Volume 2 and 3 are already underway.

DAM: To get to your other life's passion, what's your greatest memory on the racetrack?

JFB: Although winning many trophies and crossing that finish line first, especially in San Antonio, Texas for Super Chevy, is a monstrous thrill, my greatest moment was laying eyes upon my future, and now present, husband, Monte Barber. He's my biggest fan and supporter of all my endeavors.

DAM: Well, this has been a great interview, and I want to thank you, Jeannie, for taking the time to answer my questions. Before we end it, though, could you let the folks reading know all the places where we can find your presence on the Web?

JFB: This has been fun and definitely a pleasure, Don. You can find all of my works on Amazon, Kindle, and Barnes and Noble.

Welcome to my Amazon Author Page.

My Facebook Fan Page

Destiny's website

My Personal Website

And my Blog The Pen Temptress

I'd like to add a huge 'thank you' for the magnificent job you do as my editor and publisher at Desert Coyote Productions, as well as your talented and creative wife, Stacey.

DAM: Thank you once again, Jeannie

Congratulations go out this morning to the following five lucky winners, who will be receiving signed copies of Infernal Eighteen, the fourth Phantom Squadron novel. They were the five that rose to the top out of the 505 total entrants at Goodreads.

Congratulations to:

Frosina Belevska, Auckland, Totaravale, New Zealand
Cassy McKenna, Blackalls Park, New South Wales, Australia
Karolina Joyce, Borris, County Carlow, Ireland
Alexandra Marta, Ineu, Arad, Romania
Robin Thompson, Estacada, Oregon

Your books are on their way this morning. Congratulations again!

For those of you who entered and didn't win, either in this giveaway or the e-book giveaways on the Blog Tour, there's still hope! You still have a couple of opportunities to score Phantom Squadron for free!

1: Go here and enter the Great Phantom Squadron Trivia Contest, for your chance to win autographed book sets, merchandise, and e-books. This is also your chance to get an inside track on next year's final volume in the series! This contest runs through May 16th.

2: Go here and check out the Hidden-In-Plain-Sight Ranch Codebreaker Challenge, which is ongoing.

The widgets are all over the site, and they'll all confirm this, but just to let everyone know ...
The drawing for 5 signed copies of Infernal Eighteen happens TONIGHT AT MIDNIGHT PST!

February 15th, 2013 is an auspicious day.

Today, Infernal Eighteen goes worldwide. You can pick up your copy at fine booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, AbeBooks, Powells, Alibris, and othe retailers. E-book editions are also available for Kindle, Nook, and all formats serviced by Smashwords.

To celebrate the release of this book, there's several giveaways going on right now. There's our Goodreads giveaway, which you can enter now through February 28th, for one signed paperback. There's also e-book giveaways on stops we've made on the Infernal Eighteen blog tour: two e-books each are up for grabs at the Reviewing Shelf (ends TODAY!) and at Second Book to the Right (ends on Monday, February 18th).

Then there's the big enchilada, our BIGGEST CONTEST EVER. It's not quite a giveaway, though, for a prize this big you'll have to work for it. Go to the page linked in the above line, and enter the giveaway either via e-mail or on the form at the bottom of the page, along with your answers to the trivia quiz on the page. We'll tabulate up the answers, and based on how many questions are answered correctly, we'll determine our winners. The prizes are huge:
* The grand prize winner (most correct answers) will receive the ENTIRE Phantom Squadron series in paperback, autographed and personalized, including the final book when it's released.
* The second-place winner (second-most correct answers) will receive a piece of Phantom Squadron merchandise from DCP's Zazzle store, of their choice, personalized if that's an option.
* The third-place winner (third-most correct answers) will receive the ENTIRE Phantom Squadron series in e-book format, including the final book when it's released.

Follow the links above

The son of two 20 year navy vets, Don A. Martinez spent much of his formative years around the Pacific Rim before settling in the continental U.S., first in Michigan and New York before eventually landing in Texas.

He has been writing all of his life, getting his start in elementary school as a two-time Young Authors selection in Oak Harbor, Washington.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in writing and a Master of Arts degree in English from Buffalo State College (SUNY-College at Buffalo), where he wrote his thesis on application of mythic storytelling techniques to the modern media.

Currently, he lives with his wife Stacey, new daughter Kahlan, and four cats in Texas; where he is a college English instructor.

Professor, author of 4 novels, publisher of Desert Coyote Productions, new father - welcome!

LYNN -  Don, you are a busy man! After writing 4 novels, what advice do you give other authors who may consider writing a series?

DON - Before you even think about starting to write, have at least an idea of where you want the series to go, and a general path of how to get there. Also, be prepared to spend a lot of time...and I mean A LOT of time...keeping your continuity straight, because one historical hiccup where you misinterpret a past event from one of your previous books will be jumped on quicker than you can imagine. You need to be prepared to face all of that before starting your own series.

LYNN - Your characters have various super natural powers that are helpful to them, and they also show emotions. What traits do they have that readers can relate to?

DON - It seems to be the human side of the characters that appeals to the people the most. These aren't just comic-book or role-playing-game archetype characters...they have distinct personalities, flaws, problems, and unique solutions to those problems. As an example, a recent review of Dinetah Dragon said that Ariel is the "soul" of the team because she feels her emotions the deepest, which appealed to the reviewer a great deal, mainly because she could relate to the human side of the character, as opposed to stopping at the dragon side. Responses like that, to me as a creative individual, are the most rewarding.

LYNN - As a college professor, you must have an amusing story to share. What funny incident have you experienced?

DON - Many times, the stories that seem funny in one context just seem depressing in another. I can say that I've had some unique things happen in my classes. For instance, a student one time lost credit on a paper because they plagiarized their own paper from the previous semester, simply changing minor details, but keeping the structure and much of the language identical. Another time, during a midterm exam a student veered way off the beaten path with their response to a question about Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, taking the time to write their own little story about a woman looking at a bird in a cage while they're imprisoned in their room, which was basically taking the Angelou title as a writing prompt.

LYNN - Your thesis on applying mythic storytelling techniques to the modern world is intriguing. Tell us about it.

DON - It's pretty much as simple as that. I took several pop culture properties from 1992 forward and compared them to mythic patterns presented by Joseph Campbell (the ever-popular monomyth) and Robert Jewitt and John Shelton Lawrence )the "American monomyth" common to superhero comics). You'd be surprised how much these patterns appear in varied media; over the course of the thesis I looked at such diverse sources as children's literature (His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman), sci-fi movies (District 9), and Japanese anime television series (One Piece), finding the mythic pattern in all of them. An unintended side effect, though, is now I can't watch a movie without looking for the benchmarks of the monomyths.

LYNN - What stands out in your mind that a reader has said about one of your books?

DON - I think the things that stand out are the words used to describe Dinetah Dragon, probably because it's more intimate and heartfelt than what people expect from fantasy. I found the quote from the aforementioned review...she described Ariel as "The one who seems to feel the deepest, empathizes the most, and brings emotions (good and bad ones) deepest into her." I've also heard from at least two readers who list Gabe Francis among their favorite characters in the series, which is quite an accomplishment since Gabe is kind of designed to be deeply mysterious and stay out of the way of the action at all costs. I found that interesting, actually, that folks like the character who intentionally avoids action in a fantasy novel.

LYNN - As a recent father, what tasks have you mastered in caring for your new baby?

DON - We figured out the diapering thing right off the bat, and the sleep patterns eventually came once we discovered the wondrous invention that is Velcro swaddle blankets. It also helps that Kahlan is turning into a really cool little girl, and showing a personality that tends to have "fearlessness" as its hallmark. That's troublesome for us, since she has a tendency to knock herself around trying new things ("Oh don't worry, it's just my head, nothing important!"), but I'd rather she be a courageous kid than a coward like I tended to be as a child.

LYNN - Your workload is tremendous, Don. What do you enjoy in your role as publisher?

DON - There's a certain satisfaction to the happiness authors show when they receive their proof copies, and realize their words are going to be in an honest-to-God book. That I can brighten my authors' day by making up their books to their specifications, getting word out on the releases, posting giveaways, and just all in all giving a helping hand is extremely satisfying.

LYNN - I am an animal lover, myself. What are the names of your cats? Do you have a favorite cat? If so, why?

DON - Our cats' names are themed. The two we brought to Texas from our previous home in New York came from the shelter with the names Lilo and Stitch; when we took two more black cats into our household that adopted us when we moved into tour home, we  named them Leroy and Cobra Bubbles. As it happens, recently a fifth cat (orange tabby) has started hanging around our back deck and looking in our windows, and we've taken to calling him Reuben. (You kind of have to be a Disney buff to get the connection in the names.) As far as a favorite cat, they're all like children to us, but probably it would have to be Lilo because she's the one who's taken to being almost a "third parent" to Kahlan, and gets along with her the best.

LYNN - 2013 is still new. What are your goals for this year?

DON - To help as many students pass as I can, successfully release Phantom Squadron #4, maybe get into grad school, and be the best daddy to Kahlan and husband to Stacey I can possibly be.

LYNN - Please list your website and links for everyone to locate you, your books, and your publishing company. I have thoroughly enjoyed our interview!

DON - Thank you, too, Lynn!!

Don's books are available here at Desert Coyote Productions, at the Official Phantom Squadron Site, and on Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords.

Connect with Don on Twitter (@Desert_Coyote13), at Facebook (Don A. Martinez, Fantasy Author), and on Goodreads.

We quietly opened up a new Goodreads giveaway on Friday, which coincides with the start of the Infernal Eighteen Blog Tour, but the widgets are all around the site.

DCP will be giving away five signed copies of Infernal Eighteen, the newest Phantom Squadron novel by Don A. Martinez, to five lucky winners worldwide. In addition, keep your eyes on this space for a special big-time giveaway on the tour's last day and the book's release date, February 15th ... for bigger stakes than just signed copies of one book.

To get in on our Goodreads giveaway, enter at goodreads.com by February 28th ... just 24 days to get in on the action!

Congratulations go out to these lucky five entrants in DCP's Goodreads giveaway. They will be receiving a personalized autographed copy of Lynn Hobbs' River Town, the second book in the Running Forward series.

Emi Pierce, Napa, California
Raymond Gordon, Sarnia, Ontario, Canada
Angie Adair, Georgetown, Illinois
Cynthia Arcand, Bellingham, Massachusetts
Samantha Griffis, Gillette, Wyoming

Congratulations to all the winners, and thanks to all 400+ entrants in the giveaway!

If you like ... nay love ... good Christian suspense, you need to get over to Goodreads now. There's nine days left on DCP's current giveaway on the second book of the Running Forward series by Lynn Hobbs, River Town. At present, your chances are good at getting one of the five signed copies of the book because there's only 95 entrants. Get your entry in now!