Riley Amos Westbrook's Blog, page 110
August 15, 2015
Cruisin’ through books with Aly cause Books make life worth living! #RileyAmosReviews the slacker edition part 1!
So, in all actuallity, I’ve had a few days worth of reviews pile on me x D Guess that’s what happens when you stay off the computer to care of life. Anyways, they’re incoming now, you guys should check these books out!
The Bones Will Speak by Carrie Stuart Parks
I loved this book. This book was great and had me on the edge of my seat. I think I will look into more books from this author. I love the way this book caught my attention right away and kept it. This book was very hard to put down and I loved the characters and the serial killer story line very much. * I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review* 5/5
Filed under: Riley Amos Reviews, Support Indie Authors Tagged: Book Review
August 14, 2015
Brain to Books Blog Tour Mark Fine
Fast Facts
Author: Mark Fine
Genre: Romance / Suspense / Historical Drama
Books: The Zebra Affaire: An Apartheid Love Story from The Sub-Saharan Saga
Official Site
Bio
Mark Fine was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. He has made the United States his home since 1979, living in New York, Minneapolis, and Los Angeles.
For four decades he has worked alongside world famous recording artists. He eventually launched his own award-winning record label, Hammer & Lace, with a mandate to produce benefit albums in support of such causes as breast cancer awareness, at-risk children, and wildlife conservation.
For these philanthropic initiatives Mark was voted by Variety magazine as the “Music Executive with 20/20 Vision.” He has also contributed articles to entertainment industry publications, and conducted public speaking engagements at multimedia events.
Now he resides in the South Bay, where he lives with his two sons, his “significant other” and Charlie, a neighborhood dog that drops in from time to time. There he wrote the historic romance novel, The Zebra Affaire. Set in apartheid South Africa, Mark brings an insider’s perspective to the gripping account of a bi-racial couple’s forbidden love.
Accomplishments
Finalist. BGS Best Book 2015 Award, Dublin, Ireland
Blurb
Apartheid, South Africa
In the spring of 1976 matters of the heart are strictly controlled by racist doctrines. In that toxic mix of segregation and tribal mistrust, an unlikely union between a black man from Malawi and a white woman—an Afrikaner—shocks the nation unaccustomed to such a public affair. All sides across the color divide are represented in the interracial couple’s painful journey in an unaccepting world.The lovers find themselves in the crosshairs of the racist regime’s cold-blooded enforcer, Mal Zander, who will stop at nothing to crush their union and future hopes for a colorblind nation.
The intimate and emotional love story of Elsa and Stanwell is exposed for all to see under the harsh glare of television, newly introduced. In a narrative that’s intense—vividly authentic, and thought provoking—the reader will witness Elsa and Stanwell’s desperate fight to remain together—as the apartheid nation waged a deadly struggle for liberation…and eventual redemption in the guise of prisoner #46664, Nelson Mandela.
Review
Buy for Kindle
Buy the paperback
Read an Excerpt
He needed to make it right. Elsa had misunderstood him. She believed he’d rejected their child and made a mockery of their love. It upset Stanwell that she wouldn’t accept his explanation that he was preoccupied by a cruel government stalking them. And that his immediate concern was for her safety, leaving him little room to truly grasp her good tidings.
So he returned to the way of his people, and prepared for Elsa a love letter—made from primitive colored beads.
Stanwell carefully harvested the beads from a family heirloom, a ceremonial loincloth of his mother’s that she in turn had inherited from her mayi. His mother had thrust the rolled leather apron into his grasp as he set to leave Malawi for the City of Gold, and, with tears in her eyes, had wished him the blessings of his ancestors.
His message to Elsa would not be in words, but in colors. Stanwell patiently threaded tiny antique beads into a delicate necklace of such intricate design it belied his rugged, workman-like hands.
The beaded chain was predominantly yellow—the color of corn touched by the sun—and signified fertility and wealth. Hanging from the center was the rectangular “love letter”—a chevron of black and white beads trimmed with red and pink. The charcoal-black beads pledged marriage, the ivory white beads promised spiritual love, and the red beads—juicy-red like pomegranate seeds—vowed strong, physical love. But the single tier of pink beads, the color of Elsa’s lips, was the most significant; these shiny little beads declared Stanwell’s commitment to the birth of their child.
⧑⧒
Elsa accepted the uniquely crafted peace offering. She was touched by his handiwork, and the effort and thought he’d put into its creation. Happy tears rolled down her cheeks as Stanwell gently described the significance of each colored bead. At the moment he placed the necklace around her neck, Elsa’s hand reached up for his, and then she turned to face him. Stanwell cupped her face in his hands—a bas-relief in ebony and alabaster—and held her close. No longer doubting his intent, Elsa raised her lips to his. Tenderly they kissed their sorrows away.
Impetuously Stanwell knelt at Elsa’s feet. He placed his lips on her belly and kissed it. Then on his knees he began an earnest conversation with her tummy, whispering away in his mother tongue.
Elsa had never heard him speak the language of his people before. “What were you saying to our child?” she asked.
Stanwell first touched his fingers to his lips and then to hers. “Hush, I was speaking to our son,” he said.
“A son! How do you know it’s a boy?”
“I know,” he said quietly.
Elsa saw the conviction in Stanwell’s face; there was no doubt. She then knew it to be true. A trill of excitement coursed through her body. For the first time it was real; in her belly, created by their love, was their son. A boy destined to become a unique individual, a manifestation of the union of two great heritages, with skin a beautiful coffee hue. Such a child would be incapable of bigotry and tribalism.
“How could the white half of him hate his black half, or vice versa?” Elsa said softly to Stanwell. “He will be our wonderful gift to Africa.”
As they gently affirmed their belief in each other, all was still except for music that filtered into the room from somewhere in the backyard. It was mesmerizing. The melody and rhythm remained steadfast, yet as the minutes passed, evocative layers of complexity were added. Both Elsa and Stanwell were fond of the recording, and knew it by the name “Mannenburg.”
But the anguished cry of the saxophone soaring over the hypnotic strains of the keyboard meant something else, something hopeful for Elsa and Stanwell. This plaintive masterpiece by Dollar Brand was the birth of a wonderful new sound called Cape Jazz—a fusion of American jazz and local Marabi music from the District Six township—another unconventional, yet fruitful meld of two musical forms and cultural traditions.
⧑⧒
It was dark—probably after midnight. Stanwell was already in motion. Something had alerted him, something rustling by the window. Then the barking started.
Elsa woke. “What is it?” she asked.
“It’s Leo. He’s barking outside our window.”
“Ridgebacks don’t really bark. Something must be wrong.”
Stanwell, about to lunge through the door, stopped in his tracks. A fusillade of snarls and growls had replaced the barking; then a volley of frantic curses, “Jy’s ‘n dood hond ! Jy is ‘n duiwel !”[You’re a dead dog! You are the devil!], filled the night, followed by pounding footsteps and a thud as a body made hard contact with the fence, then he heard the desperate night caller scramble to safety.
Stanwell opened the door. A proud Leo—panting, salivating—stood with a trophy in his jaw. It was the ripped back pocket from a now tattered pair of jeans.
At daybreak, among the churn of muddied footprints they discovered an overstuffed man’s wallet. Inside was the firearm license and driver’s license of a certain Ulrich van Zyl. Elsa and Stanwell recognized the face; it was “Thick,” one of the monsters who’d attempted to rape Elsa in the elevator.
Crass reality had forever invaded their discreet oasis. It was a chilling development. Stanwell hugged Elsa to his chest. Mal Zander’s stooges were closing in. Yet still Stanwell couldn’t bring himself to tell Elsa about his clash with the Security Branch operative. And he hoped he would never have to do so.
Interview with Mark Fine
Angela B. Chrysler: I want to take a moment to welcome Mark Fine, author of THE ZEBRA AFFAIRE available on Amazon: http://bit.ly/ZebraAffaireKindle
Thank you so much for speaking with me, Mark. Please take a moment to tell us about your book. Tell us, how did you come up with the idea for your book?
Mark Fine: Thank you Angela for chatting with me. Though they don’t realize it, I would have to credit my two sons. I have this belief that if a people don’t know their history, they are destined to be forever lost. It was important to me that my sons learned about their African roots from their father; but my personal story isn’t that interesting. So I chose to couch the story from the perspective of far more intriguing characters, that of Elsa (who’s white) and Stanwell (who is black) and their daring romance of the no-no kind. The cruel dynamics of the love-struck couple’s story under the racist regime of then South Africa is all theirs, but the place and time that I inserted them is very much mine.
ABC: Stories always require some form of research. What kind of research did you do for your book?
MF: Besides reference works and letting my fingers stroll through the universe that’s Google, I went on safari. In capturing the romance and exotic location for The Zebra Affaire, I had the privilege of viewing many wild creatures in their natural habitats—a life-affirming experience that I strongly suggest for others. Being in the bush, tracking game (with camera, and not firearm) is not a bookish, academic pursuit, which was a welcome change. The composite of the senses are vital to telling a story that’s authentic. And as the climax of the book is resolved in the African bushveld, what better place to begin the writing process.
ABC: Which scene or chapter was the hardest for you to write?
MF: It’s less about a specific scene, than the challenge of ensuring the reader understood the arcane nature of South Africa’s apartheid rules. Without the reader truly appreciating the jeopardy Elsa and Stanwell faced in that turbulent society, the novel would not have the impact it deserved. So, instead of footnotes or endnotes—both devices that pull the reader away from the narrative, I created what critics have favorably called “anywhere notes.” These I inserted within the context of the story. In the wonderful reviews Zebra has received, these “anywhere notes” have been applauded. Readers now better understand the societal construct of the time, and Elsa and Stanwell’s story became more meaningful, touching and emotional.
ABC: Please describe your favorite scene or chapter in your book and tell us why it’s your favorite?
MF: The challenge was to set the stage for this unlikely union; a white woman and black man falling in love, at great personal risk, in a bigoted apartheid world. I don’t wish to reveal too much, but emergency events surrounding a catastrophe was the vehicle I used. Without a solid foundation to establish their relationship, and at the same time reveal the cruelty of apartheid, well, the novel would not have succeeded so handsomely. Fortunately this establishing scene worked, and as such it has become my favorite.
ABC: Which of your characters, do you relate to the most (or) who is your favorite character and why?
MF: The patriarch in the book, a character known by the initials DGF is certainly my favorite. He holds moral authority, decency and strength in an unkind world. Certainly flawed, but he represents all the honorable and kind people of South Africa who tried to make life easier for discriminated majority. He understood that bigotry was dehumanizing, and worked to make a difference. I’d like to believe that DGF is a reflection of my personal sensibilities.
ABC: I once read that every author is simply a compilation of his/her favorite authors. Which authors have done the most to influence your writing and why?
MF: Always enjoyed substantial books that both entertained and informed. It was such a pleasant way to learn. Without a doubt Herman Wouk, Leon Uris, Ken Follett, and South African authors Wilbur Smith, Andre Brink shaped me. I’d like to add Alan Furst to that list. He’s my current favorite.
ABC: “Story” has always been the center of all human cultures. We need it. We seek it out. We invent it. What does “story” mean to you?
MF: Of course, “story” takes me back to being a child, and the best moments were being read to. I was fortunate that my granny owned a private library in Johannesburg, and she shared with me her joy of the printed page. So many stories, and so many rich memories preserved in my mind.
ABC: Tells us about your next project.
MF: The Zebra Affaire is set in 1976 South Africa. I’m considering remaining in sub-Saharan Africa, and setting my next novel, The Hyena Affaire in 1978 Rhodesia (now known as Zimbabwe). I’m in the process of developing the outline, character profiles, and continuing research. Though my books are set back in time, and on a continent many are unfamiliar; the themes are relevant today, considering the tribal turmoil in the Middle East, as an example.
ABC: Where can we find you and your book?
MF: The Zebra Affaire is available in both paperback and Kindle editions. It can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes & Nobles and other fine retailers. For convenience the Amazon link for the Paperback is: http://bit.ly/ZebraAffaireNovel and the Kindle: http://bit.ly/ZebraAffaireKindle
ABC: Thank you again, so much for speaking with me.
MF: You are welcome, Angela. I enjoyed discussing my work with you.
Connect with Mark Fine
Official Website
Fine Books
Mark’s Blog
Facebook
Readers Circle
Twitter
See the Brain to Books Blog Tour Giveaways with Lu!
A Brain to Books Production
Filed under: Riley Amos Reviews, Support Indie Authors Tagged: Blog Tour, Brain to Books, SupportIndieAuthors
Author: Mark Fine
Genre: Romance / Suspense / Historical Drama
Books: The Zebra Affaire: An Apartheid Love Story from The Sub-Saharan Saga
Official Site
Bio
Mark Fine was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. He has made the United States his home since 1979, living in New York, Minneapolis, and Los Angeles.
For four decades he has worked alongside world famous recording artists. He eventually launched his own award-winning record label, Hammer & Lace, with a mandate to produce benefit albums in support of such causes as breast cancer awareness, at-risk children, and wildlife conservation.
For these philanthropic initiatives Mark was voted by Variety magazine as the “Music Executive with 20/20 Vision.” He has also contributed articles to entertainment industry publications, and conducted public speaking engagements at multimedia events.
Now he resides in the South Bay, where he lives with his two sons, his “significant other” and Charlie, a neighborhood dog that drops in from time to time. There he wrote the historic romance novel, The Zebra Affaire. Set in apartheid South Africa, Mark brings an insider’s perspective to the gripping account of a bi-racial couple’s forbidden love.
Accomplishments
Finalist. BGS Best Book 2015 Award, Dublin, Ireland
Blurb
Apartheid, South AfricaIn the spring of 1976 matters of the heart are strictly controlled by racist doctrines. In that toxic mix of segregation and tribal mistrust, an unlikely union between a black man from Malawi and a white woman—an Afrikaner—shocks the nation unaccustomed to such a public affair. All sides across the color divide are represented in the interracial couple’s painful journey in an unaccepting world.The lovers find themselves in the crosshairs of the racist regime’s cold-blooded enforcer, Mal Zander, who will stop at nothing to crush their union and future hopes for a colorblind nation.
The intimate and emotional love story of Elsa and Stanwell is exposed for all to see under the harsh glare of television, newly introduced. In a narrative that’s intense—vividly authentic, and thought provoking—the reader will witness Elsa and Stanwell’s desperate fight to remain together—as the apartheid nation waged a deadly struggle for liberation…and eventual redemption in the guise of prisoner #46664, Nelson Mandela.
Review
Dazzling and Brilliant! http://www.amazon.com/review/R26LR2TICO13AA/
It is not often a book as intensely dazzling as “The Zebra Affaire” by Mark Fine comes along. A forbidden love story takes place against the dramatic background of 1970’s South Africa and apartheid. Fine draws you into the story cautiously, laying the groundwork for the eventual affair between Elsa and Stanwell. By gently educating the reader with the background of the conflicts in South Africa, awareness of the difficulties faced by the star crossed lovers is enhanced. This is more than a racial segregation issue; there is a deeper issue brewing in South Africa. Tribal conflicts cause significant damage to a country beset by violence and political unrest.
As the love of Elsa and Stanwell grows deeper and more intense they are assisted by some to strengthen their bond. While segregation forbids open encouragement of their union, friends support them quietly. But the strict Afrikaner regime stands against them if not publicly at least in a behind closed doors attack on their union. While they flaunt their affair the government seems to stand in stunned silence as the world looks on. But the fanatics behind the scenes are both appalled and disgusted by their obvious sexual relationship and strive to expose and punish them for breaking hundreds years old laws.
With vibrant descriptions of both the beauty and ugliness of South Africa the story weaves its way to an intense climax. Waiting for the resolution of the love affair the reader will also wait for the resolution of apartheid. Knowing the eventual outcome of South African politics and the rise of Nelson Mandela it is easy to anticipate the same result for Stanwell and Elsa.
I highly recommend this lush and beautifully written story. Fine’s use of words is akin to an artist’s use of the palette; this is not a black and white story, this is a rainbow story with the rich colors of lives in turmoil. In a word, it is brilliant. If I could rate it higher I would do so.
Buy for Kindle
Buy the paperback
Read an Excerpt
He needed to make it right. Elsa had misunderstood him. She believed he’d rejected their child and made a mockery of their love. It upset Stanwell that she wouldn’t accept his explanation that he was preoccupied by a cruel government stalking them. And that his immediate concern was for her safety, leaving him little room to truly grasp her good tidings.
So he returned to the way of his people, and prepared for Elsa a love letter—made from primitive colored beads.
Stanwell carefully harvested the beads from a family heirloom, a ceremonial loincloth of his mother’s that she in turn had inherited from her mayi. His mother had thrust the rolled leather apron into his grasp as he set to leave Malawi for the City of Gold, and, with tears in her eyes, had wished him the blessings of his ancestors.
His message to Elsa would not be in words, but in colors. Stanwell patiently threaded tiny antique beads into a delicate necklace of such intricate design it belied his rugged, workman-like hands.
The beaded chain was predominantly yellow—the color of corn touched by the sun—and signified fertility and wealth. Hanging from the center was the rectangular “love letter”—a chevron of black and white beads trimmed with red and pink. The charcoal-black beads pledged marriage, the ivory white beads promised spiritual love, and the red beads—juicy-red like pomegranate seeds—vowed strong, physical love. But the single tier of pink beads, the color of Elsa’s lips, was the most significant; these shiny little beads declared Stanwell’s commitment to the birth of their child.
⧑⧒
Elsa accepted the uniquely crafted peace offering. She was touched by his handiwork, and the effort and thought he’d put into its creation. Happy tears rolled down her cheeks as Stanwell gently described the significance of each colored bead. At the moment he placed the necklace around her neck, Elsa’s hand reached up for his, and then she turned to face him. Stanwell cupped her face in his hands—a bas-relief in ebony and alabaster—and held her close. No longer doubting his intent, Elsa raised her lips to his. Tenderly they kissed their sorrows away.
Impetuously Stanwell knelt at Elsa’s feet. He placed his lips on her belly and kissed it. Then on his knees he began an earnest conversation with her tummy, whispering away in his mother tongue.
Elsa had never heard him speak the language of his people before. “What were you saying to our child?” she asked.
Stanwell first touched his fingers to his lips and then to hers. “Hush, I was speaking to our son,” he said.
“A son! How do you know it’s a boy?”
“I know,” he said quietly.
Elsa saw the conviction in Stanwell’s face; there was no doubt. She then knew it to be true. A trill of excitement coursed through her body. For the first time it was real; in her belly, created by their love, was their son. A boy destined to become a unique individual, a manifestation of the union of two great heritages, with skin a beautiful coffee hue. Such a child would be incapable of bigotry and tribalism.
“How could the white half of him hate his black half, or vice versa?” Elsa said softly to Stanwell. “He will be our wonderful gift to Africa.”
As they gently affirmed their belief in each other, all was still except for music that filtered into the room from somewhere in the backyard. It was mesmerizing. The melody and rhythm remained steadfast, yet as the minutes passed, evocative layers of complexity were added. Both Elsa and Stanwell were fond of the recording, and knew it by the name “Mannenburg.”
But the anguished cry of the saxophone soaring over the hypnotic strains of the keyboard meant something else, something hopeful for Elsa and Stanwell. This plaintive masterpiece by Dollar Brand was the birth of a wonderful new sound called Cape Jazz—a fusion of American jazz and local Marabi music from the District Six township—another unconventional, yet fruitful meld of two musical forms and cultural traditions.
⧑⧒
It was dark—probably after midnight. Stanwell was already in motion. Something had alerted him, something rustling by the window. Then the barking started.
Elsa woke. “What is it?” she asked.
“It’s Leo. He’s barking outside our window.”
“Ridgebacks don’t really bark. Something must be wrong.”
Stanwell, about to lunge through the door, stopped in his tracks. A fusillade of snarls and growls had replaced the barking; then a volley of frantic curses, “Jy’s ‘n dood hond ! Jy is ‘n duiwel !”[You’re a dead dog! You are the devil!], filled the night, followed by pounding footsteps and a thud as a body made hard contact with the fence, then he heard the desperate night caller scramble to safety.
Stanwell opened the door. A proud Leo—panting, salivating—stood with a trophy in his jaw. It was the ripped back pocket from a now tattered pair of jeans.
At daybreak, among the churn of muddied footprints they discovered an overstuffed man’s wallet. Inside was the firearm license and driver’s license of a certain Ulrich van Zyl. Elsa and Stanwell recognized the face; it was “Thick,” one of the monsters who’d attempted to rape Elsa in the elevator.
Crass reality had forever invaded their discreet oasis. It was a chilling development. Stanwell hugged Elsa to his chest. Mal Zander’s stooges were closing in. Yet still Stanwell couldn’t bring himself to tell Elsa about his clash with the Security Branch operative. And he hoped he would never have to do so.
Interview with Mark Fine
Angela B. Chrysler: I want to take a moment to welcome Mark Fine, author of THE ZEBRA AFFAIRE available on Amazon: http://bit.ly/ZebraAffaireKindle
Thank you so much for speaking with me, Mark. Please take a moment to tell us about your book. Tell us, how did you come up with the idea for your book?
Mark Fine: Thank you Angela for chatting with me. Though they don’t realize it, I would have to credit my two sons. I have this belief that if a people don’t know their history, they are destined to be forever lost. It was important to me that my sons learned about their African roots from their father; but my personal story isn’t that interesting. So I chose to couch the story from the perspective of far more intriguing characters, that of Elsa (who’s white) and Stanwell (who is black) and their daring romance of the no-no kind. The cruel dynamics of the love-struck couple’s story under the racist regime of then South Africa is all theirs, but the place and time that I inserted them is very much mine.
ABC: Stories always require some form of research. What kind of research did you do for your book?
MF: Besides reference works and letting my fingers stroll through the universe that’s Google, I went on safari. In capturing the romance and exotic location for The Zebra Affaire, I had the privilege of viewing many wild creatures in their natural habitats—a life-affirming experience that I strongly suggest for others. Being in the bush, tracking game (with camera, and not firearm) is not a bookish, academic pursuit, which was a welcome change. The composite of the senses are vital to telling a story that’s authentic. And as the climax of the book is resolved in the African bushveld, what better place to begin the writing process.
ABC: Which scene or chapter was the hardest for you to write?
MF: It’s less about a specific scene, than the challenge of ensuring the reader understood the arcane nature of South Africa’s apartheid rules. Without the reader truly appreciating the jeopardy Elsa and Stanwell faced in that turbulent society, the novel would not have the impact it deserved. So, instead of footnotes or endnotes—both devices that pull the reader away from the narrative, I created what critics have favorably called “anywhere notes.” These I inserted within the context of the story. In the wonderful reviews Zebra has received, these “anywhere notes” have been applauded. Readers now better understand the societal construct of the time, and Elsa and Stanwell’s story became more meaningful, touching and emotional.
ABC: Please describe your favorite scene or chapter in your book and tell us why it’s your favorite?
MF: The challenge was to set the stage for this unlikely union; a white woman and black man falling in love, at great personal risk, in a bigoted apartheid world. I don’t wish to reveal too much, but emergency events surrounding a catastrophe was the vehicle I used. Without a solid foundation to establish their relationship, and at the same time reveal the cruelty of apartheid, well, the novel would not have succeeded so handsomely. Fortunately this establishing scene worked, and as such it has become my favorite.
ABC: Which of your characters, do you relate to the most (or) who is your favorite character and why?
MF: The patriarch in the book, a character known by the initials DGF is certainly my favorite. He holds moral authority, decency and strength in an unkind world. Certainly flawed, but he represents all the honorable and kind people of South Africa who tried to make life easier for discriminated majority. He understood that bigotry was dehumanizing, and worked to make a difference. I’d like to believe that DGF is a reflection of my personal sensibilities.
ABC: I once read that every author is simply a compilation of his/her favorite authors. Which authors have done the most to influence your writing and why?
MF: Always enjoyed substantial books that both entertained and informed. It was such a pleasant way to learn. Without a doubt Herman Wouk, Leon Uris, Ken Follett, and South African authors Wilbur Smith, Andre Brink shaped me. I’d like to add Alan Furst to that list. He’s my current favorite.
ABC: “Story” has always been the center of all human cultures. We need it. We seek it out. We invent it. What does “story” mean to you?
MF: Of course, “story” takes me back to being a child, and the best moments were being read to. I was fortunate that my granny owned a private library in Johannesburg, and she shared with me her joy of the printed page. So many stories, and so many rich memories preserved in my mind.
ABC: Tells us about your next project.
MF: The Zebra Affaire is set in 1976 South Africa. I’m considering remaining in sub-Saharan Africa, and setting my next novel, The Hyena Affaire in 1978 Rhodesia (now known as Zimbabwe). I’m in the process of developing the outline, character profiles, and continuing research. Though my books are set back in time, and on a continent many are unfamiliar; the themes are relevant today, considering the tribal turmoil in the Middle East, as an example.
ABC: Where can we find you and your book?
MF: The Zebra Affaire is available in both paperback and Kindle editions. It can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes & Nobles and other fine retailers. For convenience the Amazon link for the Paperback is: http://bit.ly/ZebraAffaireNovel and the Kindle: http://bit.ly/ZebraAffaireKindle
ABC: Thank you again, so much for speaking with me.
MF: You are welcome, Angela. I enjoyed discussing my work with you.
Connect with Mark Fine
Official Website
Fine Books
Mark’s Blog
Readers Circle
See the Brain to Books Blog Tour Giveaways with Lu!
A Brain to Books Production
Filed under: Riley Amos Reviews, Support Indie Authors Tagged: Blog Tour, Brain to Books, SupportIndieAuthors
Brain to Books Blog Tour Kevin Zdrill
Brain to Books Blog Tour
Fast Fact
Author: Kevin Zdrill
Genre: Contemporary adult comedy romance
Books: The Ukrainian In Me
Official Site
Bio
Kevin Zdrill discovered the power of story telling at the age of 11. After dusting off a manual typewriter from the closet of his parent’s home, he began creating short, comedic skits for his friends to read. Their laughter at these unadorned stories sparked an enthusiasm to continue exploring human behavior and relationships.
Kevin Zdrill is a Manitoba-based author employed in the field of mental health and crisis intervention. His comedy fiction series, including No Kiss Good-Night and Boom Chicka Wah Wah, captures the heartfelt misadventures of dating and relationships. His third book, Crazy, Mixed-Up World, explores the ramifications of the collision of life, love, and betrayal.
Blurb
When thirty-year-old independent web designer Larissa Androshchuk separates from her husband after nine months, one day, and a morning, she blames it on the Ukrainian curse that has dogged her family for generations; she believes that all
Androshchuks are destined to fail at whatever they do.
Larissa moves back to her former room in the basement of her parents’ Manitoba house, where she starts posting a blog venting her fears and frustrations. In spite of her uncertain and possibly ill-fated future, she is determined to break free of the
family shackles. Larissa embarks on a complete makeover as a prelude to a triumphant return to the dating scene, turning for help to her best friend, Bernadette; her Internet-savvy cousin Garth; her middle-aged diva aunt Tina; and her ninety-one-year-old pierogi-making baba. But the men she encounters turn out to be even more damaged than her ego. Meanwhile, Larissa’s father unabashedly takes to restoring the tarp covered twenty-year old Chrysler in the backyard to ensure her stay in their house will be short-lived, making her life even more uncomfortable.
When an unexpected opportunity presents itself, Larissa sees this as her last shot to take control and leap free from her fate. But can she escape the curse long enough to turn her life around?
Excerpt
I flopped down on my bed, not caring … what effect the towel was going to have on my hair. Let it become a rat’s nest, I thought. There was no one to impress anymore. Fingers wouldn’t be running through it with passion—not that I’d ever had that kind of passion from my ex, but I always fantasized it could happen at any moment.
Did I really believe that was possible? I took a deep breath and moved my gaze around the room slowly, taking in wallpaper so familiar I knew where every mismatched seam was. Besides the obvious conclusion—this room needed a serious makeover—my observations hammered home the fact that this was the last place in my life I needed to be for any reason. Heck, I needed a makeover more than this damn room did.
Sweet Jesus, I was thirty years old and starting from scratch. I had no job; no money; no higher education; no car, because I didn’t have a driver’s license; and now no husband.
I shivered, although I wasn’t cold anymore. I still couldn’t believe it. At thirty years old, I didn’t have the ability to live anywhere but in the basement of my parents’ home, in my former bedroom. It sucked so bad that it hurt to breathe.
The Ukrainian curse had finally caught up with me. My entire family tree suffered from it, and I was the latest victim.
Buy the Book
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Book Depository
McNally Robinson
Abebooks
See the Brain to Books Blog Tour Giveaways with Lu!
A Brain to Books Production
Filed under: Riley Amos Reviews, Support Indie Authors Tagged: Blog Tour, Brain to Books, SupportIndieAuthors
Fast Fact
Author: Kevin Zdrill
Genre: Contemporary adult comedy romance
Books: The Ukrainian In Me
Official Site
Bio
Kevin Zdrill discovered the power of story telling at the age of 11. After dusting off a manual typewriter from the closet of his parent’s home, he began creating short, comedic skits for his friends to read. Their laughter at these unadorned stories sparked an enthusiasm to continue exploring human behavior and relationships.“I’m always looking for the characters within my books to have natural flaws. I find it speaks to their desperate nature in humorous and earnest settings. It’s important for the reader to relate and bond to the characters and to care about the chain of events that occur.”
Kevin Zdrill is a Manitoba-based author employed in the field of mental health and crisis intervention. His comedy fiction series, including No Kiss Good-Night and Boom Chicka Wah Wah, captures the heartfelt misadventures of dating and relationships. His third book, Crazy, Mixed-Up World, explores the ramifications of the collision of life, love, and betrayal.
Blurb
When thirty-year-old independent web designer Larissa Androshchuk separates from her husband after nine months, one day, and a morning, she blames it on the Ukrainian curse that has dogged her family for generations; she believes that allAndroshchuks are destined to fail at whatever they do.
Larissa moves back to her former room in the basement of her parents’ Manitoba house, where she starts posting a blog venting her fears and frustrations. In spite of her uncertain and possibly ill-fated future, she is determined to break free of the
family shackles. Larissa embarks on a complete makeover as a prelude to a triumphant return to the dating scene, turning for help to her best friend, Bernadette; her Internet-savvy cousin Garth; her middle-aged diva aunt Tina; and her ninety-one-year-old pierogi-making baba. But the men she encounters turn out to be even more damaged than her ego. Meanwhile, Larissa’s father unabashedly takes to restoring the tarp covered twenty-year old Chrysler in the backyard to ensure her stay in their house will be short-lived, making her life even more uncomfortable.
When an unexpected opportunity presents itself, Larissa sees this as her last shot to take control and leap free from her fate. But can she escape the curse long enough to turn her life around?
Excerpt
I flopped down on my bed, not caring … what effect the towel was going to have on my hair. Let it become a rat’s nest, I thought. There was no one to impress anymore. Fingers wouldn’t be running through it with passion—not that I’d ever had that kind of passion from my ex, but I always fantasized it could happen at any moment.
Did I really believe that was possible? I took a deep breath and moved my gaze around the room slowly, taking in wallpaper so familiar I knew where every mismatched seam was. Besides the obvious conclusion—this room needed a serious makeover—my observations hammered home the fact that this was the last place in my life I needed to be for any reason. Heck, I needed a makeover more than this damn room did.
Sweet Jesus, I was thirty years old and starting from scratch. I had no job; no money; no higher education; no car, because I didn’t have a driver’s license; and now no husband.
I shivered, although I wasn’t cold anymore. I still couldn’t believe it. At thirty years old, I didn’t have the ability to live anywhere but in the basement of my parents’ home, in my former bedroom. It sucked so bad that it hurt to breathe.
The Ukrainian curse had finally caught up with me. My entire family tree suffered from it, and I was the latest victim.
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Filed under: Riley Amos Reviews, Support Indie Authors Tagged: Blog Tour, Brain to Books, SupportIndieAuthors
Brain to Books Blog Tour Adrea Raine
Brain to Books Blog Tour Andrea McKenzie Raine
Fast Facts:
Author: Andrea McKenzie Raine
Genre: Literary fiction
Book: Turnstiles
Bio
Andrea McKenzie Raine was born in Smithers, BC and grew up in Victoria, BC where she still resides. She was enrolled in the Creative Writing program and earned a B.A. in English Literature at the University of Victoria in 2000, and completed a post-degree Public Relations certificate program. She has attended the successful Planet Earth Poetry reading series (formerly known as Mocambopo) in Victoria, BC since 1997, and participated in the Glenairley writing retreats led by Canadian poet and novelist Patrick Lane in Sooke, BC. In 2005, she published her first book of poetry, titled A Mother’s String, through Ekstasis Editions. Her poetry has also appeared in Mocambo Nights, Canadian Literature journal, Quills, Borderlines anthology (Ascent Aspirations magazine), Tempus anthology (Rubicon Press), Poems from Planet Earth (Leaf Press), Tongues of Fire anthology, and several Glenairley chapbooks edited by Patrick Lane (Leaf Press). She has also written book reviews and articles for local magazines, celebrating the work of her peers. Andrea lives with her husband and two young sons and, by day, is employed as a correspondence writer for the provincial government. Turnstiles is her debut novel published by Inkwater Press.
Blurb
Martin Sourdough is a homeless person who has chosen to turn his back on the corporate, material world; Willis Hancocks Jr. is a barrister, an alcoholic philanderer, and a misogynist; and Evelyn (aka Yvonne) is a prostitute. Turnstiles speaks to these social problems through the smaller scope of each character’s individual trials. There is a struggle that exists between the need to serve one’s own needs and the expectation to participate in the larger social scheme. Martin and Willis are both trying to fit into the world, but on their own terms. They are naïve, searching for an Eden-like state of being. Through a broader experience of personal fortune, misfortune, travel, and social interactions, they each learn to accept their path and take control of their own destinies.
Review
https://www.goodreads.com/videos/81593-book-trailer-for-turnstiles
Excerpt
The room was filled with light when Evelyn awoke. She thought she had just rested her eyes for a few minutes, and remembered the weight of her eyelids forcing her back into dreams that seemed to entangle her. She awoke with a start to find no other presence in the room, no shadow leaking from the adjoining bathroom door, left ajar, no sound of his shoes or running water. The blinds flapped nervously as the summer air drifted into the room, like a lone bird’s wing that couldn’t take flight. She felt a mild panic.
“Marty?” she whispered in a barely audible voice. She was afraid to crack this silence, and to only have the silence returned. She gathered the sheets around her, slowly moved from the bed, and peered cautiously out of the blinds to see what the day’s clouds might bring. She already knew it was a turning day. She vaguely hoped to see him standing on the sidewalk, waiting for her; to see him look up and acknowledge her face peering down, and wave frantically at her to join him, but she only saw an old woman pushing an overloaded shopping cart down the street. The shopping cart seemed to be filled with all of her worldly possessions. Evelyn saw herself in this woman. Only, she wasn’t sure what items would fill her own shopping cart. These solitary people who wandered the earth seemed to carry with them the material remnants of a previous life; tangible memories of who they used to be. Evelyn carried her memories, too, but she couldn’t put them in a shopping cart, except perhaps a few torn dresses. She would have to put herself in a shopping cart. And then there was the little girl she tried so desperately to escape from—there would have to be room for her.
The old woman suddenly stopped her cart and peered upwards at the hotel windows. She put her hand over her forehead as a visor to block out the sun. Evelyn wanted to move back from the window, but something made her continue looking down at the woman. She wondered if the woman saw her from this height. Could she have detected her own misery through the cheap window glass and distance that separated them? Perhaps this was her daily routine, to wander the streets with her life in a basket and peer up at the apartments and hotels, dreaming about entering such a building and having her own four walls, a bed and a mirror, even though she may never look at her own reflection, and having a set of blinds to block out the rest of the world. Evelyn’s finger slipped and she let the blind snap shut.
Soon after, Evelyn was standing on the same sidewalk, clutching a small bag she had hastily thrown together, after ten uninterrupted minutes of staring at her own image in the mirror, wondering why she had been abandoned and if it were really a bad thing. She had stood naked in the mirror, covering her breasts with her arms, hugging herself for comfort and self-realization. She wanted to smash the mirror, but she restrained herself because she did not want to break anything else. Maybe she had anticipated this. To wake up with only herself… she had not done so in years. She quietly gathered her clothes, and the small bundle of money Marty had left for her on the corner of the bed, and deftly left the room.
The day was cool, and the air was foreign on her skin; a small, teasing breeze that made her small, protective hairs stand up. She held her elbows, standing on the sidewalk. The man at the front desk had given her a kind, fatherly look when she checked out.
“You don’t need him, mademoiselle,” he said. Then nodded reassuringly, by way of saying that was all that needed to be said. She didn’t answer. She didn’t believe him, yet. She lifted one corner of her mouth, and went out. She didn’t call a taxi; instead, she began walking in the sunshine, with her heels dipping in the shallow cracks in the cement. She felt as though she was learning to walk; her legs were thin and unsteady, as she held her chest in. She was afraid everything might fall out, loose, onto the pavement; a cartoon vision of her ribs breaking and her vital organs, even her eyes, falling out, and her kneeling on the ground, mortified, and people walking by and watching. The thought made her hold her elbows and close her eyes tighter, to keep everything in. She had asked the man in the hotel where she was. A small French village outside Paris called Carrières-sur-Seine. She blinked. They had travelled nearly all the way back to their starting point. She thought she could hide here for a while, but she didn’t know how she could manage. Marty had left her money, but it felt greasy in her hand. She had not begun to forgive him, and the money was linked to a part of him she didn’t know or trust. She didn’t care about the money; she never had money before. She had also never been entirely alone before. She was trapped again. Screw him, she thought, not sure of which him she meant. Every man that thought they had her, or decided for her who she was or what was best. They didn’t have her, now. As she walked through the quaint, sunny village, trying to calm her thoughts and decide what to do, she noticed the old woman with the shopping cart coming towards her. She must have looped around again. This was her village, her home. Everyone needed a landmark, a center. As the woman came closer, Evelyn noticed she was not old. She looked haggard, but no older than her mid-forties. Her hair boasted long grey streaks, partly tied back off her tired, weathered face. Her eyes were large and had seen too much. She didn’t see Evelyn, and was about to jostle past her with her life in her cart, until Evelyn spoke, “Excuse moi.” The woman stopped as though a stone wall had suddenly been thrown up in front of her cart wheels, and slowly looked up at the jittery, younger woman standing in the street. Evelyn reached into her bag and took out the money. She pulled a few large francs out of the wad in her hand, and gave the rest to the woman. “Find shelter,” she said. She knew the woman could find a new life, if she wished for it. It would take more than money, but it could be done. The woman grabbed the money in both hands, clearly not sure what to do next. She nodded at Evelyn, her face pale, her eyes moist and her lips twitching. “Pour quoi?” she finally said, in a voice that seemed to have not been used for years. Evelyn shrugged and smiled, “please find shelter,” she repeated, and began to walk away from the older woman with her heart pumping, feeling less helpless. The village was another respite; prettier, and not so remote. She hadn’t kept much of Marty’s money, but she had enough to make a decision. She headed toward the train station. She was going back to Paris. She wasn’t going to be afraid anymore.
Connect with Raine
Official Website
Facebook
Twitter
Blog
Google+
Goodreads
Buy the Books
Buy on Amazon
Inkwater Press
Filed under: Support Indie Authors Tagged: Blog Tour, Brain to Books, SupportIndieAuthors
Fast Facts:
Author: Andrea McKenzie Raine
Genre: Literary fiction
Book: Turnstiles
Bio
Andrea McKenzie Raine was born in Smithers, BC and grew up in Victoria, BC where she still resides. She was enrolled in the Creative Writing program and earned a B.A. in English Literature at the University of Victoria in 2000, and completed a post-degree Public Relations certificate program. She has attended the successful Planet Earth Poetry reading series (formerly known as Mocambopo) in Victoria, BC since 1997, and participated in the Glenairley writing retreats led by Canadian poet and novelist Patrick Lane in Sooke, BC. In 2005, she published her first book of poetry, titled A Mother’s String, through Ekstasis Editions. Her poetry has also appeared in Mocambo Nights, Canadian Literature journal, Quills, Borderlines anthology (Ascent Aspirations magazine), Tempus anthology (Rubicon Press), Poems from Planet Earth (Leaf Press), Tongues of Fire anthology, and several Glenairley chapbooks edited by Patrick Lane (Leaf Press). She has also written book reviews and articles for local magazines, celebrating the work of her peers. Andrea lives with her husband and two young sons and, by day, is employed as a correspondence writer for the provincial government. Turnstiles is her debut novel published by Inkwater Press.Blurb
Martin Sourdough is a homeless person who has chosen to turn his back on the corporate, material world; Willis Hancocks Jr. is a barrister, an alcoholic philanderer, and a misogynist; and Evelyn (aka Yvonne) is a prostitute. Turnstiles speaks to these social problems through the smaller scope of each character’s individual trials. There is a struggle that exists between the need to serve one’s own needs and the expectation to participate in the larger social scheme. Martin and Willis are both trying to fit into the world, but on their own terms. They are naïve, searching for an Eden-like state of being. Through a broader experience of personal fortune, misfortune, travel, and social interactions, they each learn to accept their path and take control of their own destinies.Review
Turnstiles by Andrea McKenzie Raine is another book where there is no proper storyline, instead it follows the trails of three individual’s lives, who are indeed psychologically flawed and those flaws of theirs is what constructs the narrative of this book.
I’d like to thank the author for giving me the opportunity to read and review her book.
This Canadian author’s story-telling is so awesome that from the very beginning you feel yourself getting pulled into the character’s dark lives. First is Marty who is homeless and aimless simultaneously, next is Willis who is wealthy barrister and misogynistic and last is, Evelyn who is forced away into the flesh-trade. The way these three characters cross their paths is brilliant yet twisted.
The whole flow of the book is something very mesmerizing and from the very first instant, the characters are able to touch your mind and soul. Their pain, grief, darkness, danger, and emotions are so well written by the author, that you feel like you somehow know these characters personally. The prose is very articulate in nature and the author is quite a skilled one, certainly knows how to deliver the twists at the right moments thus making the plot more gripping. The author has a deep psychological grip on her characters, which are portrayed as multifaceted, flawed and sympathetic human beings, all achingly vulnerable, all wracked by fear, need and guilt.
Well you definitely read this book to understand deeply about the characters and as to how they change and enlighten us our minds with their mistakes and decisions. I can’t say more about the characters since I would not stop myself from revealing certain twists. Although the book’s pace is quite slow, and requires a lot of your attention to get into the core of the book, still it’s highly recommended for all human beings who want to look at their lives more differently.- Original review available here
https://www.goodreads.com/videos/81593-book-trailer-for-turnstiles
Excerpt
The room was filled with light when Evelyn awoke. She thought she had just rested her eyes for a few minutes, and remembered the weight of her eyelids forcing her back into dreams that seemed to entangle her. She awoke with a start to find no other presence in the room, no shadow leaking from the adjoining bathroom door, left ajar, no sound of his shoes or running water. The blinds flapped nervously as the summer air drifted into the room, like a lone bird’s wing that couldn’t take flight. She felt a mild panic.
“Marty?” she whispered in a barely audible voice. She was afraid to crack this silence, and to only have the silence returned. She gathered the sheets around her, slowly moved from the bed, and peered cautiously out of the blinds to see what the day’s clouds might bring. She already knew it was a turning day. She vaguely hoped to see him standing on the sidewalk, waiting for her; to see him look up and acknowledge her face peering down, and wave frantically at her to join him, but she only saw an old woman pushing an overloaded shopping cart down the street. The shopping cart seemed to be filled with all of her worldly possessions. Evelyn saw herself in this woman. Only, she wasn’t sure what items would fill her own shopping cart. These solitary people who wandered the earth seemed to carry with them the material remnants of a previous life; tangible memories of who they used to be. Evelyn carried her memories, too, but she couldn’t put them in a shopping cart, except perhaps a few torn dresses. She would have to put herself in a shopping cart. And then there was the little girl she tried so desperately to escape from—there would have to be room for her.
The old woman suddenly stopped her cart and peered upwards at the hotel windows. She put her hand over her forehead as a visor to block out the sun. Evelyn wanted to move back from the window, but something made her continue looking down at the woman. She wondered if the woman saw her from this height. Could she have detected her own misery through the cheap window glass and distance that separated them? Perhaps this was her daily routine, to wander the streets with her life in a basket and peer up at the apartments and hotels, dreaming about entering such a building and having her own four walls, a bed and a mirror, even though she may never look at her own reflection, and having a set of blinds to block out the rest of the world. Evelyn’s finger slipped and she let the blind snap shut.
Soon after, Evelyn was standing on the same sidewalk, clutching a small bag she had hastily thrown together, after ten uninterrupted minutes of staring at her own image in the mirror, wondering why she had been abandoned and if it were really a bad thing. She had stood naked in the mirror, covering her breasts with her arms, hugging herself for comfort and self-realization. She wanted to smash the mirror, but she restrained herself because she did not want to break anything else. Maybe she had anticipated this. To wake up with only herself… she had not done so in years. She quietly gathered her clothes, and the small bundle of money Marty had left for her on the corner of the bed, and deftly left the room.
The day was cool, and the air was foreign on her skin; a small, teasing breeze that made her small, protective hairs stand up. She held her elbows, standing on the sidewalk. The man at the front desk had given her a kind, fatherly look when she checked out.
“You don’t need him, mademoiselle,” he said. Then nodded reassuringly, by way of saying that was all that needed to be said. She didn’t answer. She didn’t believe him, yet. She lifted one corner of her mouth, and went out. She didn’t call a taxi; instead, she began walking in the sunshine, with her heels dipping in the shallow cracks in the cement. She felt as though she was learning to walk; her legs were thin and unsteady, as she held her chest in. She was afraid everything might fall out, loose, onto the pavement; a cartoon vision of her ribs breaking and her vital organs, even her eyes, falling out, and her kneeling on the ground, mortified, and people walking by and watching. The thought made her hold her elbows and close her eyes tighter, to keep everything in. She had asked the man in the hotel where she was. A small French village outside Paris called Carrières-sur-Seine. She blinked. They had travelled nearly all the way back to their starting point. She thought she could hide here for a while, but she didn’t know how she could manage. Marty had left her money, but it felt greasy in her hand. She had not begun to forgive him, and the money was linked to a part of him she didn’t know or trust. She didn’t care about the money; she never had money before. She had also never been entirely alone before. She was trapped again. Screw him, she thought, not sure of which him she meant. Every man that thought they had her, or decided for her who she was or what was best. They didn’t have her, now. As she walked through the quaint, sunny village, trying to calm her thoughts and decide what to do, she noticed the old woman with the shopping cart coming towards her. She must have looped around again. This was her village, her home. Everyone needed a landmark, a center. As the woman came closer, Evelyn noticed she was not old. She looked haggard, but no older than her mid-forties. Her hair boasted long grey streaks, partly tied back off her tired, weathered face. Her eyes were large and had seen too much. She didn’t see Evelyn, and was about to jostle past her with her life in her cart, until Evelyn spoke, “Excuse moi.” The woman stopped as though a stone wall had suddenly been thrown up in front of her cart wheels, and slowly looked up at the jittery, younger woman standing in the street. Evelyn reached into her bag and took out the money. She pulled a few large francs out of the wad in her hand, and gave the rest to the woman. “Find shelter,” she said. She knew the woman could find a new life, if she wished for it. It would take more than money, but it could be done. The woman grabbed the money in both hands, clearly not sure what to do next. She nodded at Evelyn, her face pale, her eyes moist and her lips twitching. “Pour quoi?” she finally said, in a voice that seemed to have not been used for years. Evelyn shrugged and smiled, “please find shelter,” she repeated, and began to walk away from the older woman with her heart pumping, feeling less helpless. The village was another respite; prettier, and not so remote. She hadn’t kept much of Marty’s money, but she had enough to make a decision. She headed toward the train station. She was going back to Paris. She wasn’t going to be afraid anymore.
Connect with Raine
Official Website
Blog
Google+
Goodreads
Buy the Books
Buy on Amazon
Inkwater Press
Filed under: Support Indie Authors Tagged: Blog Tour, Brain to Books, SupportIndieAuthors
August 13, 2015
Brain to Books Blog Tour Maggie Kelley
Brain to Books Blog Tour
Fast Facts
Author: Maggie Kelley
Genre: Romance, Romantic Comedy
Books:
Breaking the Bachelor (Book #1 of The Smart Cupid Series from Entangled Lovestruck)
Unexpectedly His (New Release from The Smart Cupid Series!)
Official Site
Bio
After ten years of survival, aka working, in Hollywood, this former actress and current author of sexy contemporary romance is living happily-ever-after in Pittsburgh with her longtime sweetie, and their two punky kids. When not carpooling to birthday parties or testing her gourmet cooking skills by throwing a frozen pizza into the oven, Maggie daydreams about sneaking off to the Vegas or Napa, or even just the movies. A love of red wine, Italian food, and music round out her list of life’s greatest joys. Oh, and Tuesday night karaoke, totally underrated fun.
Accomplishments
Maggie Kelly is a professional actress
Blurb for Unexpectedly His
A match made in Manhattan…
By-the-book Marianne McBride wants to prove she’s more than a computer geek in a pair of horn-rimmed glasses. But how did she end up hiding in a cake, waiting to sing “Happy Birthday” to Nick Wright, a sexy and arrogant serial-dater? Not exactly part of her plan. Especially when she finds herself kissing the birthday boy, and then running like hell…
Nick falls for no woman. No strings, no commitments, and no relationships. Not even with the sweetly curvaceous bombshell from his birthday. But then he’s hit by a bombshell of his own. He needs to find the perfect faux fiancée, or kiss his key to the executive washroom goodbye. Fortunately, his matchmaker sister has the perfect girl in mind.
Now Nick and Marianne have to pretend they’re in love for six weeks. No dating. No sex. And definitely no acting on the wickedly-hot chemistry that could ruin everything…
Blurb for Breaking the Bachelor
Goaded by her competition, matchmaker Jane Wright makes a very public
bet that she can find the “perfect” match for Manhattan’s hottest
confirmed bachelor—sexy-as-sin bartender Charlie Goodman. Unfortunately, Charlie is also Jane’s ex-lover, a man she broke up with on a cocktail napkin. With her company on the line, Jane has no choice but to convince the man of her most impractical dreams to dive back into the dating pool.
Charlie doesn’t want to see Jane’s business fail. He just wants a little
revenge. Determined to prove to Jane that chemistry always beats
compatibility algorithms, he plans to drive her crazy with desire…then
walk away. And his plan is working. A little too well, actually. Because
even as Jane scrambles to calculate Charlie’s best match, the heat
building between combusts. But Charlie’s been so busy outsmarting Cupid
that he hasn’t noticed he’s the naughty cherub’s next target…
Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars “Trifecta of funny, smart and sexy.”
Official Site of Maggie Kelley
@kelley_maggie
Facebook
Buy from Amazon
Buy from Entangles Publishing
See the Brain to Books Blog Tour Giveaways with Lu!
A Brain to Books Production
Filed under: Riley Amos Reviews, Support Indie Authors Tagged: Blog Tour, Brain to Books, SupportIndieAuthors
Fast Facts
Author: Maggie Kelley
Genre: Romance, Romantic Comedy
Books:
Breaking the Bachelor (Book #1 of The Smart Cupid Series from Entangled Lovestruck)
Unexpectedly His (New Release from The Smart Cupid Series!)
Official Site
Bio
After ten years of survival, aka working, in Hollywood, this former actress and current author of sexy contemporary romance is living happily-ever-after in Pittsburgh with her longtime sweetie, and their two punky kids. When not carpooling to birthday parties or testing her gourmet cooking skills by throwing a frozen pizza into the oven, Maggie daydreams about sneaking off to the Vegas or Napa, or even just the movies. A love of red wine, Italian food, and music round out her list of life’s greatest joys. Oh, and Tuesday night karaoke, totally underrated fun.Accomplishments
Maggie Kelly is a professional actress
Blurb for Unexpectedly His
A match made in Manhattan…By-the-book Marianne McBride wants to prove she’s more than a computer geek in a pair of horn-rimmed glasses. But how did she end up hiding in a cake, waiting to sing “Happy Birthday” to Nick Wright, a sexy and arrogant serial-dater? Not exactly part of her plan. Especially when she finds herself kissing the birthday boy, and then running like hell…
Nick falls for no woman. No strings, no commitments, and no relationships. Not even with the sweetly curvaceous bombshell from his birthday. But then he’s hit by a bombshell of his own. He needs to find the perfect faux fiancée, or kiss his key to the executive washroom goodbye. Fortunately, his matchmaker sister has the perfect girl in mind.
Now Nick and Marianne have to pretend they’re in love for six weeks. No dating. No sex. And definitely no acting on the wickedly-hot chemistry that could ruin everything…
Blurb for Breaking the Bachelor
Goaded by her competition, matchmaker Jane Wright makes a very publicbet that she can find the “perfect” match for Manhattan’s hottest
confirmed bachelor—sexy-as-sin bartender Charlie Goodman. Unfortunately, Charlie is also Jane’s ex-lover, a man she broke up with on a cocktail napkin. With her company on the line, Jane has no choice but to convince the man of her most impractical dreams to dive back into the dating pool.
Charlie doesn’t want to see Jane’s business fail. He just wants a little
revenge. Determined to prove to Jane that chemistry always beats
compatibility algorithms, he plans to drive her crazy with desire…then
walk away. And his plan is working. A little too well, actually. Because
even as Jane scrambles to calculate Charlie’s best match, the heat
building between combusts. But Charlie’s been so busy outsmarting Cupid
that he hasn’t noticed he’s the naughty cherub’s next target…
Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars “Trifecta of funny, smart and sexy.”
Official Site of Maggie Kelley
@kelley_maggie
Buy from Amazon
Buy from Entangles Publishing
See the Brain to Books Blog Tour Giveaways with Lu!
A Brain to Books Production
Filed under: Riley Amos Reviews, Support Indie Authors Tagged: Blog Tour, Brain to Books, SupportIndieAuthors
Brain to Books Blog Tour Andrea McKenzie Raine
Brain to Books Blog Tour
Fast Facts:
Author: Andrea McKenzie Raine
Genre: Literary fiction
Book: Turnstiles
Official Website
Bio
Andrea McKenzie Raine was born in Smithers, BC and grew up in Victoria, BC where she still resides. She was enrolled in the Creative Writing program and earned a B.A. in English Literature at the University of Victoria in 2000, and completed a post-degree Public Relations certificate program. She has attended the successful Planet Earth Poetry reading series (formerly known as Mocambopo) in Victoria, BC since 1997, and participated in the Glenairley writing retreats led by Canadian poet and novelist Patrick Lane in Sooke, BC. In 2005, she published her first book of poetry, titled A Mother’s String, through Ekstasis Editions. Her poetry has also appeared in Mocambo Nights, Canadian Literature journal, Quills, Borderlines anthology (Ascent Aspirations magazine), Tempus anthology (Rubicon Press), Poems from Planet Earth (Leaf Press), Tongues of Fire anthology, and several Glenairley chapbooks edited by Patrick Lane (Leaf Press). She has also written book reviews and articles for local magazines, celebrating the work of her peers. Andrea lives with her husband and two young sons and, by day, is employed as a correspondence writer for the provincial government. Turnstiles is her debut novel published by Inkwater Press.
Blurb
Martin Sourdough is a homeless person who has chosen to turn his back on the corporate, material world; Willis Hancocks Jr. is a barrister, an alcoholic philanderer, and a misogynist; and Evelyn (aka Yvonne) is a prostitute. Turnstiles speaks to these social problems through the smaller scope of each character’s individual trials. There is a struggle that exists between the need to serve one’s own needs and the expectation to participate in the larger social scheme. Martin and Willis are both trying to fit into the world, but on their own terms. They are naïve, searching for an Eden-like state of being. Through a broader experience of personal fortune, misfortune, travel, and social interactions, they each learn to accept their path and take control of their own destinies.
Review
https://www.goodreads.com/videos/81593-book-trailer-for-turnstiles
Excerpt
The room was filled with light when Evelyn awoke. She thought she had just rested her eyes for a few minutes, and remembered the weight of her eyelids forcing her back into dreams that seemed to entangle her. She awoke with a start to find no other presence in the room, no shadow leaking from the adjoining bathroom door, left ajar, no sound of his shoes or running water. The blinds flapped nervously as the summer air drifted into the room, like a lone bird’s wing that couldn’t take flight. She felt a mild panic.
“Marty?” she whispered in a barely audible voice. She was afraid to crack this silence, and to only have the silence returned. She gathered the sheets around her, slowly moved from the bed, and peered cautiously out of the blinds to see what the day’s clouds might bring. She already knew it was a turning day. She vaguely hoped to see him standing on the sidewalk, waiting for her; to see him look up and acknowledge her face peering down, and wave frantically at her to join him, but she only saw an old woman pushing an overloaded shopping cart down the street. The shopping cart seemed to be filled with all of her worldly possessions. Evelyn saw herself in this woman. Only, she wasn’t sure what items would fill her own shopping cart. These solitary people who wandered the earth seemed to carry with them the material remnants of a previous life; tangible memories of who they used to be. Evelyn carried her memories, too, but she couldn’t put them in a shopping cart, except perhaps a few torn dresses. She would have to put herself in a shopping cart. And then there was the little girl she tried so desperately to escape from—there would have to be room for her.
The old woman suddenly stopped her cart and peered upwards at the hotel windows. She put her hand over her forehead as a visor to block out the sun. Evelyn wanted to move back from the window, but something made her continue looking down at the woman. She wondered if the woman saw her from this height. Could she have detected her own misery through the cheap window glass and distance that separated them? Perhaps this was her daily routine, to wander the streets with her life in a basket and peer up at the apartments and hotels, dreaming about entering such a building and having her own four walls, a bed and a mirror, even though she may never look at her own reflection, and having a set of blinds to block out the rest of the world. Evelyn’s finger slipped and she let the blind snap shut.
Soon after, Evelyn was standing on the same sidewalk, clutching a small bag she had hastily thrown together, after ten uninterrupted minutes of staring at her own image in the mirror, wondering why she had been abandoned and if it were really a bad thing. She had stood naked in the mirror, covering her breasts with her arms, hugging herself for comfort and self-realization. She wanted to smash the mirror, but she restrained herself because she did not want to break anything else. Maybe she had anticipated this. To wake up with only herself… she had not done so in years. She quietly gathered her clothes, and the small bundle of money Marty had left for her on the corner of the bed, and deftly left the room.
The day was cool, and the air was foreign on her skin; a small, teasing breeze that made her small, protective hairs stand up. She held her elbows, standing on the sidewalk. The man at the front desk had given her a kind, fatherly look when she checked out.
“You don’t need him, mademoiselle,” he said. Then nodded reassuringly, by way of saying that was all that needed to be said. She didn’t answer. She didn’t believe him, yet. She lifted one corner of her mouth, and went out. She didn’t call a taxi; instead, she began walking in the sunshine, with her heels dipping in the shallow cracks in the cement. She felt as though she was learning to walk; her legs were thin and unsteady, as she held her chest in. She was afraid everything might fall out, loose, onto the pavement; a cartoon vision of her ribs breaking and her vital organs, even her eyes, falling out, and her kneeling on the ground, mortified, and people walking by and watching. The thought made her hold her elbows and close her eyes tighter, to keep everything in. She had asked the man in the hotel where she was. A small French village outside Paris called Carrières-sur-Seine. She blinked. They had travelled nearly all the way back to their starting point. She thought she could hide here for a while, but she didn’t know how she could manage. Marty had left her money, but it felt greasy in her hand. She had not begun to forgive him, and the money was linked to a part of him she didn’t know or trust. She didn’t care about the money; she never had money before. She had also never been entirely alone before. She was trapped again. Screw him, she thought, not sure of which him she meant. Every man that thought they had her, or decided for her who she was or what was best. They didn’t have her, now. As she walked through the quaint, sunny village, trying to calm her thoughts and decide what to do, she noticed the old woman with the shopping cart coming towards her. She must have looped around again. This was her village, her home. Everyone needed a landmark, a center. As the woman came closer, Evelyn noticed she was not old. She looked haggard, but no older than her mid-forties. Her hair boasted long grey streaks, partly tied back off her tired, weathered face. Her eyes were large and had seen too much. She didn’t see Evelyn, and was about to jostle past her with her life in her cart, until Evelyn spoke, “Excuse moi.” The woman stopped as though a stone wall had suddenly been thrown up in front of her cart wheels, and slowly looked up at the jittery, younger woman standing in the street. Evelyn reached into her bag and took out the money. She pulled a few large francs out of the wad in her hand, and gave the rest to the woman. “Find shelter,” she said. She knew the woman could find a new life, if she wished for it. It would take more than money, but it could be done. The woman grabbed the money in both hands, clearly not sure what to do next. She nodded at Evelyn, her face pale, her eyes moist and her lips twitching. “Pour quoi?” she finally said, in a voice that seemed to have not been used for years. Evelyn shrugged and smiled, “please find shelter,” she repeated, and began to walk away from the older woman with her heart pumping, feeling less helpless. The village was another respite; prettier, and not so remote. She hadn’t kept much of Marty’s money, but she had enough to make a decision. She headed toward the train station. She was going back to Paris. She wasn’t going to be afraid anymore.
Connect with Raine
Official Website
Facebook
Twitter
Blog
Google+
Goodreads
Buy the Books
Buy on Amazon
Inkwater Press
See the Brain to Books Blog Tour Giveaways with Lu!
A Brain to Books Production
Filed under: Riley Amos Reviews, Support Indie Authors Tagged: Blog Tour, Brain to Books, SupportIndieAuthors
Fast Facts:
Author: Andrea McKenzie Raine
Genre: Literary fiction
Book: Turnstiles
Official Website
Bio
Andrea McKenzie Raine was born in Smithers, BC and grew up in Victoria, BC where she still resides. She was enrolled in the Creative Writing program and earned a B.A. in English Literature at the University of Victoria in 2000, and completed a post-degree Public Relations certificate program. She has attended the successful Planet Earth Poetry reading series (formerly known as Mocambopo) in Victoria, BC since 1997, and participated in the Glenairley writing retreats led by Canadian poet and novelist Patrick Lane in Sooke, BC. In 2005, she published her first book of poetry, titled A Mother’s String, through Ekstasis Editions. Her poetry has also appeared in Mocambo Nights, Canadian Literature journal, Quills, Borderlines anthology (Ascent Aspirations magazine), Tempus anthology (Rubicon Press), Poems from Planet Earth (Leaf Press), Tongues of Fire anthology, and several Glenairley chapbooks edited by Patrick Lane (Leaf Press). She has also written book reviews and articles for local magazines, celebrating the work of her peers. Andrea lives with her husband and two young sons and, by day, is employed as a correspondence writer for the provincial government. Turnstiles is her debut novel published by Inkwater Press.Blurb
Martin Sourdough is a homeless person who has chosen to turn his back on the corporate, material world; Willis Hancocks Jr. is a barrister, an alcoholic philanderer, and a misogynist; and Evelyn (aka Yvonne) is a prostitute. Turnstiles speaks to these social problems through the smaller scope of each character’s individual trials. There is a struggle that exists between the need to serve one’s own needs and the expectation to participate in the larger social scheme. Martin and Willis are both trying to fit into the world, but on their own terms. They are naïve, searching for an Eden-like state of being. Through a broader experience of personal fortune, misfortune, travel, and social interactions, they each learn to accept their path and take control of their own destinies.Review
Turnstiles by Andrea McKenzie Raine is another book where there is no proper storyline, instead it follows the trails of three individual’s lives, who are indeed psychologically flawed and those flaws of theirs is what constructs the narrative of this book.
I’d like to thank the author for giving me the opportunity to read and review her book.
This Canadian author’s story-telling is so awesome that from the very beginning you feel yourself getting pulled into the character’s dark lives. First is Marty who is homeless and aimless simultaneously, next is Willis who is wealthy barrister and misogynistic and last is, Evelyn who is forced away into the flesh-trade. The way these three characters cross their paths is brilliant yet twisted.
The whole flow of the book is something very mesmerizing and from the very first instant, the characters are able to touch your mind and soul. Their pain, grief, darkness, danger, and emotions are so well written by the author, that you feel like you somehow know these characters personally. The prose is very articulate in nature and the author is quite a skilled one, certainly knows how to deliver the twists at the right moments thus making the plot more gripping. The author has a deep psychological grip on her characters, which are portrayed as multifaceted, flawed and sympathetic human beings, all achingly vulnerable, all wracked by fear, need and guilt.
Well you definitely read this book to understand deeply about the characters and as to how they change and enlighten us our minds with their mistakes and decisions. I can’t say more about the characters since I would not stop myself from revealing certain twists. Although the book’s pace is quite slow, and requires a lot of your attention to get into the core of the book, still it’s highly recommended for all human beings who want to look at their lives more differently.- Original review available here
https://www.goodreads.com/videos/81593-book-trailer-for-turnstiles
Excerpt
The room was filled with light when Evelyn awoke. She thought she had just rested her eyes for a few minutes, and remembered the weight of her eyelids forcing her back into dreams that seemed to entangle her. She awoke with a start to find no other presence in the room, no shadow leaking from the adjoining bathroom door, left ajar, no sound of his shoes or running water. The blinds flapped nervously as the summer air drifted into the room, like a lone bird’s wing that couldn’t take flight. She felt a mild panic.
“Marty?” she whispered in a barely audible voice. She was afraid to crack this silence, and to only have the silence returned. She gathered the sheets around her, slowly moved from the bed, and peered cautiously out of the blinds to see what the day’s clouds might bring. She already knew it was a turning day. She vaguely hoped to see him standing on the sidewalk, waiting for her; to see him look up and acknowledge her face peering down, and wave frantically at her to join him, but she only saw an old woman pushing an overloaded shopping cart down the street. The shopping cart seemed to be filled with all of her worldly possessions. Evelyn saw herself in this woman. Only, she wasn’t sure what items would fill her own shopping cart. These solitary people who wandered the earth seemed to carry with them the material remnants of a previous life; tangible memories of who they used to be. Evelyn carried her memories, too, but she couldn’t put them in a shopping cart, except perhaps a few torn dresses. She would have to put herself in a shopping cart. And then there was the little girl she tried so desperately to escape from—there would have to be room for her.
The old woman suddenly stopped her cart and peered upwards at the hotel windows. She put her hand over her forehead as a visor to block out the sun. Evelyn wanted to move back from the window, but something made her continue looking down at the woman. She wondered if the woman saw her from this height. Could she have detected her own misery through the cheap window glass and distance that separated them? Perhaps this was her daily routine, to wander the streets with her life in a basket and peer up at the apartments and hotels, dreaming about entering such a building and having her own four walls, a bed and a mirror, even though she may never look at her own reflection, and having a set of blinds to block out the rest of the world. Evelyn’s finger slipped and she let the blind snap shut.
Soon after, Evelyn was standing on the same sidewalk, clutching a small bag she had hastily thrown together, after ten uninterrupted minutes of staring at her own image in the mirror, wondering why she had been abandoned and if it were really a bad thing. She had stood naked in the mirror, covering her breasts with her arms, hugging herself for comfort and self-realization. She wanted to smash the mirror, but she restrained herself because she did not want to break anything else. Maybe she had anticipated this. To wake up with only herself… she had not done so in years. She quietly gathered her clothes, and the small bundle of money Marty had left for her on the corner of the bed, and deftly left the room.
The day was cool, and the air was foreign on her skin; a small, teasing breeze that made her small, protective hairs stand up. She held her elbows, standing on the sidewalk. The man at the front desk had given her a kind, fatherly look when she checked out.
“You don’t need him, mademoiselle,” he said. Then nodded reassuringly, by way of saying that was all that needed to be said. She didn’t answer. She didn’t believe him, yet. She lifted one corner of her mouth, and went out. She didn’t call a taxi; instead, she began walking in the sunshine, with her heels dipping in the shallow cracks in the cement. She felt as though she was learning to walk; her legs were thin and unsteady, as she held her chest in. She was afraid everything might fall out, loose, onto the pavement; a cartoon vision of her ribs breaking and her vital organs, even her eyes, falling out, and her kneeling on the ground, mortified, and people walking by and watching. The thought made her hold her elbows and close her eyes tighter, to keep everything in. She had asked the man in the hotel where she was. A small French village outside Paris called Carrières-sur-Seine. She blinked. They had travelled nearly all the way back to their starting point. She thought she could hide here for a while, but she didn’t know how she could manage. Marty had left her money, but it felt greasy in her hand. She had not begun to forgive him, and the money was linked to a part of him she didn’t know or trust. She didn’t care about the money; she never had money before. She had also never been entirely alone before. She was trapped again. Screw him, she thought, not sure of which him she meant. Every man that thought they had her, or decided for her who she was or what was best. They didn’t have her, now. As she walked through the quaint, sunny village, trying to calm her thoughts and decide what to do, she noticed the old woman with the shopping cart coming towards her. She must have looped around again. This was her village, her home. Everyone needed a landmark, a center. As the woman came closer, Evelyn noticed she was not old. She looked haggard, but no older than her mid-forties. Her hair boasted long grey streaks, partly tied back off her tired, weathered face. Her eyes were large and had seen too much. She didn’t see Evelyn, and was about to jostle past her with her life in her cart, until Evelyn spoke, “Excuse moi.” The woman stopped as though a stone wall had suddenly been thrown up in front of her cart wheels, and slowly looked up at the jittery, younger woman standing in the street. Evelyn reached into her bag and took out the money. She pulled a few large francs out of the wad in her hand, and gave the rest to the woman. “Find shelter,” she said. She knew the woman could find a new life, if she wished for it. It would take more than money, but it could be done. The woman grabbed the money in both hands, clearly not sure what to do next. She nodded at Evelyn, her face pale, her eyes moist and her lips twitching. “Pour quoi?” she finally said, in a voice that seemed to have not been used for years. Evelyn shrugged and smiled, “please find shelter,” she repeated, and began to walk away from the older woman with her heart pumping, feeling less helpless. The village was another respite; prettier, and not so remote. She hadn’t kept much of Marty’s money, but she had enough to make a decision. She headed toward the train station. She was going back to Paris. She wasn’t going to be afraid anymore.
Connect with Raine
Official Website
Blog
Google+
Goodreads
Buy the Books
Buy on Amazon
Inkwater Press
See the Brain to Books Blog Tour Giveaways with Lu!
A Brain to Books Production
Filed under: Riley Amos Reviews, Support Indie Authors Tagged: Blog Tour, Brain to Books, SupportIndieAuthors
Brain to Books Blog Tour Josh de Lioncourt
Brain to Books Blog Tour
Fast Facts
Author: Josh de Lioncourt
Genres: Epic Fantasy/YA/NA
Book: Haven Lost (Book #1 of the The Dragon’s Brood Cycle series)
Official Website
Bio
Josh de Lioncourt was born and raised in California and enjoys writing projects in a wide variety of fields, including fiction, music, software, blogging, and tech articles. As a blind enthusiast of Apple products, he has written on Apple accessibility for Macworld and Maccessibility. He hosts or participates regularly on several podcasts in various genres, and writes and records music with Molly, his other half. Josh enjoys the works of Stephen King, the music of George Michael, Masters of the Universe, and Los Angeles Kings hockey.
Accomplishments
As a blind technology enthusiast, I try to raise awareness of accessibility options and issues for visually impaired users, with an emphasis on Apple products. I host the Maccessibility Round Table Podcast to that end, as well as Masters Cast, a podcast devoted to the fandom of Masters of the Universe.
Blurb
Sixteen-year-old Emily Haven, heroine of the girls’ hockey team at Lindsey High, has spent her young life keeping two secrets: her rapidly deteriorating home life and the seemingly supernatural power that makes her a star on the ice. When she begins seeing visions of a lost and ragged boy reflected in mirrors and shop windows, a series of events unfolds that tears her from twenty-first century Minneapolis and leaves her stranded in another world with horrors to rival those she has left behind. Lost amidst creatures of fantasy and legend, she is forced to confront the demons of both her past and future to unravel the riddle of the mysterious boy and embark upon a journey to uncover long forgotten histories and the dark, cloaked figure in the shadows behind them all. Caught between opposing forces of a war she does not understand, Emily must find new strength within herself and, above all, the will to remember her friends.
Book Review
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LRe4rv76J0
Read an excerpt
She fell to her knees in front of the mirror, unable to tear her eyes away from the strange boy with the pony-tail and the torn and ragged clothes. She could see every minute detail of his attire, from the thick red and black thread that had been used to mend his jeans and jacket, to the filth and tarnish on the old-fashioned fastenings.
He reached out toward her, and as he did, her own reflection in the mirror winked out. Only his face stared out of the dusty glass. His eyes were full of hope and sadness, and seemed the eyes of a much younger child. Those eyes spoke of suffering and loss, and Emily’s heart called out in recognition. She thought she saw the flicker of flames behind the boy, and then she was reaching out to him as well.
Their fingers met. She clasped his in her own, feeling their warm, rough reality, and wanting to give comfort as much as receive it. Such a simple action. Such a mundane, human gesture. And with that ordinary decision made, two worlds changed forever.
“Yes,” she whispered, and watched as the breath of that word fogged the glass between them, spreading until it filled the world with a cloudy, white mist.
Links
Series site: http://DragonsBrood.net
Series FaceBook: http://facebook.com/DragonsBrood
Author blog: http://lioncourt.com
Author twitter: http://twitter.com/Lioncourt
Human interest story of how I lost my vision as a child, and how the kind people at an animation studio helped me through that time:
Paperback: http://lionl.ink/hlpaperback
Kindle: http://hlkindle
iBooks: http://lionl.ink/hlibooks
Nook: http://lionl.ink/hlnook
Kobo: http://lionl.ink/hlkobo
See the Brain to Books Blog Tour Giveaways with Lu!
A Brain to Books Production
Filed under: Riley Amos Reviews, Support Indie Authors Tagged: Blog Tour, Brain to Books, SupportIndieAuthors
Fast Facts
Author: Josh de Lioncourt
Genres: Epic Fantasy/YA/NA
Book: Haven Lost (Book #1 of the The Dragon’s Brood Cycle series)
Official Website
Bio
Josh de Lioncourt was born and raised in California and enjoys writing projects in a wide variety of fields, including fiction, music, software, blogging, and tech articles. As a blind enthusiast of Apple products, he has written on Apple accessibility for Macworld and Maccessibility. He hosts or participates regularly on several podcasts in various genres, and writes and records music with Molly, his other half. Josh enjoys the works of Stephen King, the music of George Michael, Masters of the Universe, and Los Angeles Kings hockey.Accomplishments
As a blind technology enthusiast, I try to raise awareness of accessibility options and issues for visually impaired users, with an emphasis on Apple products. I host the Maccessibility Round Table Podcast to that end, as well as Masters Cast, a podcast devoted to the fandom of Masters of the Universe.
Blurb
Legends never die; they just go into hiding …
Sixteen-year-old Emily Haven, heroine of the girls’ hockey team at Lindsey High, has spent her young life keeping two secrets: her rapidly deteriorating home life and the seemingly supernatural power that makes her a star on the ice. When she begins seeing visions of a lost and ragged boy reflected in mirrors and shop windows, a series of events unfolds that tears her from twenty-first century Minneapolis and leaves her stranded in another world with horrors to rival those she has left behind. Lost amidst creatures of fantasy and legend, she is forced to confront the demons of both her past and future to unravel the riddle of the mysterious boy and embark upon a journey to uncover long forgotten histories and the dark, cloaked figure in the shadows behind them all. Caught between opposing forces of a war she does not understand, Emily must find new strength within herself and, above all, the will to remember her friends.Book Review
Emily is a high school hockey star in Minneapolis with an extremely dysfunctional family life. For the most part, she is a typical teenager, except for her strange ability to know when and where another player on the ice is going to move. One day it all changes when she starts seeing the reflection of a boy in mirrors and windows and, when she gets home, she finds her mother dead of a drug overdose. She runs away and when she awakes she is in another land, another time, another world? Haven Lost is the tale of Emily’s discovery of what is important to her and her life in this strange place. She makes friends, decides without any prior knowledge of people who is good and who is evil, and sets out on a quest she doesn’t understand. Along the way she picks up a best friend in Celine, a ward in Michael, and someone who just might become more than a friend in the future, Corbbmacc. Together they travel the land, looking for the answers that they need to understand what is going on. Josh de Lioncourt has done a wonderful job of mixing history, fantasy, and magic together into a tale that is compelling and exciting.
Haven Lost is set to be the first book in a series titled The Dragon’s Brood Cycle. This first book sets the story up very well; you have a grand adventure, and it is not a short adventure either. It takes time to tell, yet the story never seems to get bogged down or drag; it is always moving along and begging you to turn the next page and keep going. The answers always seem to be on the next page. Josh de Lioncourt is a wonderful storyteller in that he is able to keep your attention and have you guessing the entire book. I never saw the reveal from the last three pages coming until I got to them, and that is not usually the case with most books. This book and series has the potential to sky-rocket into the forefront of youth and teen reading, possibly becoming the next Harry Potter series.
—Michelle Randall, Readers’ Favorite
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LRe4rv76J0
Read an excerpt
She fell to her knees in front of the mirror, unable to tear her eyes away from the strange boy with the pony-tail and the torn and ragged clothes. She could see every minute detail of his attire, from the thick red and black thread that had been used to mend his jeans and jacket, to the filth and tarnish on the old-fashioned fastenings.
He reached out toward her, and as he did, her own reflection in the mirror winked out. Only his face stared out of the dusty glass. His eyes were full of hope and sadness, and seemed the eyes of a much younger child. Those eyes spoke of suffering and loss, and Emily’s heart called out in recognition. She thought she saw the flicker of flames behind the boy, and then she was reaching out to him as well.
Their fingers met. She clasped his in her own, feeling their warm, rough reality, and wanting to give comfort as much as receive it. Such a simple action. Such a mundane, human gesture. And with that ordinary decision made, two worlds changed forever.
“Yes,” she whispered, and watched as the breath of that word fogged the glass between them, spreading until it filled the world with a cloudy, white mist.
Links
Series site: http://DragonsBrood.net
Series FaceBook: http://facebook.com/DragonsBrood
Author blog: http://lioncourt.com
Author twitter: http://twitter.com/Lioncourt
Human interest story of how I lost my vision as a child, and how the kind people at an animation studio helped me through that time:
Paperback: http://lionl.ink/hlpaperback
Kindle: http://hlkindle
iBooks: http://lionl.ink/hlibooks
Nook: http://lionl.ink/hlnook
Kobo: http://lionl.ink/hlkobo
See the Brain to Books Blog Tour Giveaways with Lu!
A Brain to Books Production
Filed under: Riley Amos Reviews, Support Indie Authors Tagged: Blog Tour, Brain to Books, SupportIndieAuthors
Brain to Books Blog Tour Josh De Lioncourt
Brain to Books Blog Tour Josh de Lioncourt
Fast Facts:
Author: Josh de Lioncourt
Genres: Epic Fantasy/YA/NA
Book(s):
The Dragon’s Brood Cycle series
Haven Lost
Official Website
Bio
Josh de Lioncourt was born and raised in California and enjoys writing projects in a wide variety of fields, including fiction, music, software, blogging, and tech articles. As a blind enthusiast of Apple products, he has written on Apple accessibility for Macworld and Maccessibility. He hosts or participates regularly on several podcasts in various genres, and writes and records music with Molly, his other half. Josh enjoys the works of Stephen King, the music of George Michael, Masters of the Universe, and Los Angeles Kings hockey.
Accomplishments
As a blind technology enthusiast, I try to raise awareness of accessibility options and issues for visually impaired users, with an emphasis on Apple products. I host the Maccessibility Round Table Podcast to that end, as well as Masters Cast, a podcast devoted to the fandom of Masters of the Universe.
Blurb
Sixteen-year-old Emily Haven, heroine of the girls’ hockey team at Lindsey High, has spent her young life keeping two secrets: her rapidly deteriorating home life and the seemingly supernatural power that makes her a star on the ice. When she begins seeing visions of a lost and ragged boy reflected in mirrors and shop windows, a series of events unfolds that tears her from twenty-first century Minneapolis and leaves her stranded in another world with horrors to rival those she has left behind. Lost amidst creatures of fantasy and legend, she is forced to confront the demons of both her past and future to unravel the riddle of the mysterious boy and embark upon a journey to uncover long forgotten histories and the dark, cloaked figure in the shadows behind them all. Caught between opposing forces of a war she does not understand, Emily must find new strength within herself and, above all, the will to remember her friends.
Book Review
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LRe4rv76J0
Read an excerpt
She fell to her knees in front of the mirror, unable to tear her eyes away from the strange boy with the pony-tail and the torn and ragged clothes. She could see every minute detail of his attire, from the thick red and black thread that had been used to mend his jeans and jacket, to the filth and tarnish on the old-fashioned fastenings.
He reached out toward her, and as he did, her own reflection in the mirror winked out. Only his face stared out of the dusty glass. His eyes were full of hope and sadness, and seemed the eyes of a much younger child. Those eyes spoke of suffering and loss, and Emily’s heart called out in recognition. She thought she saw the flicker of flames behind the boy, and then she was reaching out to him as well.
Their fingers met. She clasped his in her own, feeling their warm, rough reality, and wanting to give comfort as much as receive it. Such a simple action. Such a mundane, human gesture. And with that ordinary decision made, two worlds changed forever.
“Yes,” she whispered, and watched as the breath of that word fogged the glass between them, spreading until it filled the world with a cloudy, white mist.
Links
Series site: http://DragonsBrood.net
Series FaceBook: http://facebook.com/DragonsBrood
Author blog: http://lioncourt.com
Author twitter: http://twitter.com/Lioncourt
Human interest story of how I lost my vision as a child, and how the kind people at an animation studio helped me through that time:
Paperback: http://lionl.ink/hlpaperback
Kindle: http://hlkindle
iBooks: http://lionl.ink/hlibooks
Nook: http://lionl.ink/hlnook
Kobo: http://lionl.ink/hlkobo
Filed under: Riley Amos Reviews, Support Indie Authors Tagged: Blog Tour, Brain to Books, Support Indie Authors
Fast Facts:
Author: Josh de LioncourtGenres: Epic Fantasy/YA/NA
Book(s):
The Dragon’s Brood Cycle series
Haven Lost
Official Website
Bio
Josh de Lioncourt was born and raised in California and enjoys writing projects in a wide variety of fields, including fiction, music, software, blogging, and tech articles. As a blind enthusiast of Apple products, he has written on Apple accessibility for Macworld and Maccessibility. He hosts or participates regularly on several podcasts in various genres, and writes and records music with Molly, his other half. Josh enjoys the works of Stephen King, the music of George Michael, Masters of the Universe, and Los Angeles Kings hockey.
Accomplishments
As a blind technology enthusiast, I try to raise awareness of accessibility options and issues for visually impaired users, with an emphasis on Apple products. I host the Maccessibility Round Table Podcast to that end, as well as Masters Cast, a podcast devoted to the fandom of Masters of the Universe.
Blurb
Legends never die; they just go into hiding …
Sixteen-year-old Emily Haven, heroine of the girls’ hockey team at Lindsey High, has spent her young life keeping two secrets: her rapidly deteriorating home life and the seemingly supernatural power that makes her a star on the ice. When she begins seeing visions of a lost and ragged boy reflected in mirrors and shop windows, a series of events unfolds that tears her from twenty-first century Minneapolis and leaves her stranded in another world with horrors to rival those she has left behind. Lost amidst creatures of fantasy and legend, she is forced to confront the demons of both her past and future to unravel the riddle of the mysterious boy and embark upon a journey to uncover long forgotten histories and the dark, cloaked figure in the shadows behind them all. Caught between opposing forces of a war she does not understand, Emily must find new strength within herself and, above all, the will to remember her friends.Book Review
Emily is a high school hockey star in Minneapolis with an extremely dysfunctional family life. For the most part, she is a typical teenager, except for her strange ability to know when and where another player on the ice is going to move. One day it all changes when she starts seeing the reflection of a boy in mirrors and windows and, when she gets home, she finds her mother dead of a drug overdose. She runs away and when she awakes she is in another land, another time, another world? Haven Lost is the tale of Emily’s discovery of what is important to her and her life in this strange place. She makes friends, decides without any prior knowledge of people who is good and who is evil, and sets out on a quest she doesn’t understand. Along the way she picks up a best friend in Celine, a ward in Michael, and someone who just might become more than a friend in the future, Corbbmacc. Together they travel the land, looking for the answers that they need to understand what is going on. Josh de Lioncourt has done a wonderful job of mixing history, fantasy, and magic together into a tale that is compelling and exciting.
Haven Lost is set to be the first book in a series titled The Dragon’s Brood Cycle. This first book sets the story up very well; you have a grand adventure, and it is not a short adventure either. It takes time to tell, yet the story never seems to get bogged down or drag; it is always moving along and begging you to turn the next page and keep going. The answers always seem to be on the next page. Josh de Lioncourt is a wonderful storyteller in that he is able to keep your attention and have you guessing the entire book. I never saw the reveal from the last three pages coming until I got to them, and that is not usually the case with most books. This book and series has the potential to sky-rocket into the forefront of youth and teen reading, possibly becoming the next Harry Potter series.
—Michelle Randall, Readers’ Favorite
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LRe4rv76J0
Read an excerpt
She fell to her knees in front of the mirror, unable to tear her eyes away from the strange boy with the pony-tail and the torn and ragged clothes. She could see every minute detail of his attire, from the thick red and black thread that had been used to mend his jeans and jacket, to the filth and tarnish on the old-fashioned fastenings.
He reached out toward her, and as he did, her own reflection in the mirror winked out. Only his face stared out of the dusty glass. His eyes were full of hope and sadness, and seemed the eyes of a much younger child. Those eyes spoke of suffering and loss, and Emily’s heart called out in recognition. She thought she saw the flicker of flames behind the boy, and then she was reaching out to him as well.
Their fingers met. She clasped his in her own, feeling their warm, rough reality, and wanting to give comfort as much as receive it. Such a simple action. Such a mundane, human gesture. And with that ordinary decision made, two worlds changed forever.
“Yes,” she whispered, and watched as the breath of that word fogged the glass between them, spreading until it filled the world with a cloudy, white mist.
Links
Series site: http://DragonsBrood.net
Series FaceBook: http://facebook.com/DragonsBrood
Author blog: http://lioncourt.com
Author twitter: http://twitter.com/Lioncourt
Human interest story of how I lost my vision as a child, and how the kind people at an animation studio helped me through that time:
Paperback: http://lionl.ink/hlpaperback
Kindle: http://hlkindle
iBooks: http://lionl.ink/hlibooks
Nook: http://lionl.ink/hlnook
Kobo: http://lionl.ink/hlkobo
Filed under: Riley Amos Reviews, Support Indie Authors Tagged: Blog Tour, Brain to Books, Support Indie Authors
August 12, 2015
Brain to Books Blog Tour! Shameless Self Promotion edition! And Setting the Date for the Dog Days of Summer Sale!
Brain to Books Blog Tour
Fast Facts:
Author: Riley Amos Westbrook and Sara Lynn Westbrook
Genre: High Fantasy
Book: The False Titanbringer from the Breath of the Titans Series
Official Site
Bio
Riley is an ex-CNA who found himself unable to do the job he loved. Injured, out of work, and stumbling through life, he happened to start writing down his thoughts. Once that happened, he fell in love and has been writing since.
Accomplishments
I try to be very active in my community. I have a couple segments on my blog especially for authors. There’s the #RileyAmosReviews segment, where either I or one of the wonderful ladies on the blog reads your book and gives you an honest review. Be warned, OUR REVIEWS ARE HONEST!
I also do author spotlights under the #SupportIndieAuthors segment. Here you can answer a few questions, give us a short blurb, and let us get to know you as an author.
And last, I’m a moderator in the #SupportIndieAuthors board on Goodreads. We discuss a million different things related to writing, publishing, promoting, and everything in between. The only real rule? Be excellent to each other! There’s enough places that will tear you down as an author, we try to steer completely clear of that.
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/154447-support-for-indie-authors
Blurb for The False Titanbringer
A story that centers around a half elf, half dragon boy who just turned 16, named Lovonian. The story begins with Lov and his uncle Nord taking their annual hunting trip. On their return to Elvenhom, they find that the city’s population has been slaughtered by an army of Titans, except for those taken as slaves, when they see the collection of ears that were chopped off. With Amon dead and his mother captured, Lov and Nord begin their quest to find his mother by seeking out Nord’s old friend Jaxon. After acquiring weapons and knowledge of their enemy, they set out to rescue Lov’s mother with the help of a fairy sent by Lov’s grandfather. From there, they encounter all kinds of adventures and creatures, while in desperate pursuit.
Book Reviews for The False Titanbringer
On Feb 07, 2015, Alysia rated The False Titanbringer 5 of 5 star
Excerpt
Chapter One
The forest floor started to shake. Elven scouts clutched the trees, feeling tremors traveling up the trunks, turning to report to their superiors. Guardians of the forest roused from their perches and began scouting throughout the trees, trying to find the source of all the noise caused by what sounded like a small army. They searched a wide expanse of forest as small twigs and leaves brushed and clung to them on their shoulders and backs, until they spied dark metallic figures on the ground between the trunks. They climbed down, seeing the bright swirls, runes, and geometric patterns carved into them. It appeared the Titans approached, and the Guardians knew they had nothing to fear from them, the constructs were trusted protectors.
The elves slid down the trees, going so fast that they seemed to drop effortlessly. They caught themselves on the bark, breaking their fall feet before hitting the ground. Dark cloaks billowed around, then floated back down to perfectly camouflage them with the forest. As the Titans drew closer to the elves, they slowed to a stop and one turned and faced where an elder elf stood against a tree listening to a few scouts, blending into the brown bark.
Sanche stepped forward from amongst his scouts, pulling his hood down. His hair was the color of leaves dead on the ground, a soft brownish white, and his skin was as pale as the moonlight. “Greetings, Titans, an honor to help you. What is it the elves may do to serve you today? The Guardians are at your service.”
The Titans stood there not answering, not moving. To the head elf, it seemed as if they were absorbing the feel of the atmosphere, doing as he and the other Guardians would do to find anything out of place around them. Unusual behavior for a titan, but then again, this was only his fifth time meeting one. Still something felt off. The Titans were usually responsive and courteous.
Finally the constructs silently moved, but not towards the elves. They turned and stared at each other, right where the eyes would be if they carried any meat inside their suits of armor. Sanche had never told anyone, but knowing those suits were empty always made him uneasy. He knew the Titans were responsible for saving his race from the orc incursion during the Greatmothers’ March, but he could never shake the nervous feeling they gave him.
Continue reading here!
Guess here is a good spot to tell you guys about the DOG DAYS OF SUMMER Sale! August 21-23rd we have several authors doing giveaways of their titles, or offering severe discounts at just 99c for a book. Just about anything and everything will be covered in this all encompassing giveaway! Be sure to keep an eye out so you can get your self a free book!
Filed under: Riley Amos Reviews, Support Indie Authors Tagged: Blog Tour, Brain to Books, SupportIndieAuthors
Fast Facts:
Author: Riley Amos Westbrook and Sara Lynn Westbrook
Genre: High Fantasy
Book: The False Titanbringer from the Breath of the Titans Series
Official Site
Bio
Riley is an ex-CNA who found himself unable to do the job he loved. Injured, out of work, and stumbling through life, he happened to start writing down his thoughts. Once that happened, he fell in love and has been writing since.
Sara is Riley’s companion. She doesn’t understand the persistent need to write that her husband has, but she is a good wife who loves her husband. She supports him by making sure the drivel that leaves his mouth isn’t completely full of idiocy.
Accomplishments
I try to be very active in my community. I have a couple segments on my blog especially for authors. There’s the #RileyAmosReviews segment, where either I or one of the wonderful ladies on the blog reads your book and gives you an honest review. Be warned, OUR REVIEWS ARE HONEST!
I also do author spotlights under the #SupportIndieAuthors segment. Here you can answer a few questions, give us a short blurb, and let us get to know you as an author.
And last, I’m a moderator in the #SupportIndieAuthors board on Goodreads. We discuss a million different things related to writing, publishing, promoting, and everything in between. The only real rule? Be excellent to each other! There’s enough places that will tear you down as an author, we try to steer completely clear of that.
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/154447-support-for-indie-authors
Blurb for The False Titanbringer
A story that centers around a half elf, half dragon boy who just turned 16, named Lovonian. The story begins with Lov and his uncle Nord taking their annual hunting trip. On their return to Elvenhom, they find that the city’s population has been slaughtered by an army of Titans, except for those taken as slaves, when they see the collection of ears that were chopped off. With Amon dead and his mother captured, Lov and Nord begin their quest to find his mother by seeking out Nord’s old friend Jaxon. After acquiring weapons and knowledge of their enemy, they set out to rescue Lov’s mother with the help of a fairy sent by Lov’s grandfather. From there, they encounter all kinds of adventures and creatures, while in desperate pursuit.
Book Reviews for The False Titanbringer
On Feb 07, 2015, Alysia rated The False Titanbringer 5 of 5 star
This book was great from beginning to end. I really enjoyed the idea of a 16 year old half dragon. I really like books with dragons in them. The story was very engaging and compelling. * I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
Excerpt
Chapter One
The forest floor started to shake. Elven scouts clutched the trees, feeling tremors traveling up the trunks, turning to report to their superiors. Guardians of the forest roused from their perches and began scouting throughout the trees, trying to find the source of all the noise caused by what sounded like a small army. They searched a wide expanse of forest as small twigs and leaves brushed and clung to them on their shoulders and backs, until they spied dark metallic figures on the ground between the trunks. They climbed down, seeing the bright swirls, runes, and geometric patterns carved into them. It appeared the Titans approached, and the Guardians knew they had nothing to fear from them, the constructs were trusted protectors.
The elves slid down the trees, going so fast that they seemed to drop effortlessly. They caught themselves on the bark, breaking their fall feet before hitting the ground. Dark cloaks billowed around, then floated back down to perfectly camouflage them with the forest. As the Titans drew closer to the elves, they slowed to a stop and one turned and faced where an elder elf stood against a tree listening to a few scouts, blending into the brown bark.
Sanche stepped forward from amongst his scouts, pulling his hood down. His hair was the color of leaves dead on the ground, a soft brownish white, and his skin was as pale as the moonlight. “Greetings, Titans, an honor to help you. What is it the elves may do to serve you today? The Guardians are at your service.”
The Titans stood there not answering, not moving. To the head elf, it seemed as if they were absorbing the feel of the atmosphere, doing as he and the other Guardians would do to find anything out of place around them. Unusual behavior for a titan, but then again, this was only his fifth time meeting one. Still something felt off. The Titans were usually responsive and courteous.
Finally the constructs silently moved, but not towards the elves. They turned and stared at each other, right where the eyes would be if they carried any meat inside their suits of armor. Sanche had never told anyone, but knowing those suits were empty always made him uneasy. He knew the Titans were responsible for saving his race from the orc incursion during the Greatmothers’ March, but he could never shake the nervous feeling they gave him.
Continue reading here!
Guess here is a good spot to tell you guys about the DOG DAYS OF SUMMER Sale! August 21-23rd we have several authors doing giveaways of their titles, or offering severe discounts at just 99c for a book. Just about anything and everything will be covered in this all encompassing giveaway! Be sure to keep an eye out so you can get your self a free book!
Filed under: Riley Amos Reviews, Support Indie Authors Tagged: Blog Tour, Brain to Books, SupportIndieAuthors
Brain to Books Blog Tour Gary M Nelson
Brain to Books Blog Tour
Fast Facts:
Author: Gary M Nelson
Genre: Children’s fiction, Primary Education (ages 9-12)
Book: The Amazing Science Fair Project (Book #3 of the Project Kids Adventure Series)
Official Site
Bio
Gary is passionate about sharing knowledge and making Project Management concepts more accessible, particularly to new and aspiring Project Managers (of all ages). Said another way, he likes to tell stories to help convey complex concepts in a way that helps the concepts “stick”. Who says learning shouldn’t be fun?
Gary is also a Project Manager who has worked in the Telecom, Student Information Systems, Local Government and Healthcare sectors since 1989. His international experience includes projects in New Zealand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the US and Canada.
Gary is the author of four project management books, and father of three boys.
Accomplishments
Gary is a long-term volunteer for both Scouting and the Project Management Institute (PMI). He has combined his love of writing, working with children and teaching practical life skills and distilled them into his books. He has partnered with the PMI Educational Foundation (PIMef,www.pmief.org) to help make his children’s books (the Project Kids Adventures Series) available for low-to-no-cost for school programs.
Book Blurb
Amanda was terrified. Sure, she and her friends had built a huge tree house and an awesome haunted house together – but now she was in way over her head. Those projects had been for fun – but this one was going to be
marked
! She and her lab partners had to do a class project for the School Science Fair – but they had absolutely no idea where to start or even what to do. Had they finally met their match?
Meanwhile, the boys have big problems of their own, and the outcome of their project could mean life or death! OK, maybe not actual death, but they could end up cold, wet and hungry, and with no electronics…for a whole weekend!
Join the Project Kids in their third big adventure as they come together to unravel the mysteries of Mice, Men…and Marshmallows.
Book Reviews from the adults
Written by Isabelina Jorge, PMP – PMI Portugal Chapter
Written by Jannell Cajote, Phillipines
Written by Agnieszka Krogulec, PMI Poland Chapter
Written by Giorgio Bensa, PMP – Membership Director, PMI Northern Italy Chapter – PMI Volunteer of the year (2012) for creating the “Project in Bloom” contest.
Reviews from our Younger Readers!
Written by Sofia Triana, Age 10 – 5th grade
Written by Bastian Cajote, Age 7
Written by Oliver & Jack Hogg – Age 9/Year 5
Interview with Gary Nelson
Angela B. Chrysler: I want to take a moment to welcome Gary Nelson, author of the Project Kids Adventures series of books, which includes The Ultimate Tree House Project , The Scariest Haunted House Project – Ever! and The Amazing Science Fair Project , which was released earlier this year. All three books are available on Amazon.
ABC: Thank you so much for speaking with me, Gary. Please take a moment to tell us about your book.
Gary: Thank you for having me on the blog tour, Angela. Today I’d like to talk a bit about the Project Kids Adventure series – and about the latest book, The Amazing Science Fair Project. The first thing I will admit is that these are actually Project Management books – but definitely nowhere close to traditional textbooks. All of the books in the series are first and foremost enjoyable stories – 220-240 page novels, actually – written for kids between the ages of 8-12 (or 30+).
People have used stories to convey important lessons and messages for thousands of years; the difference with these books is in the choice of lesson or topic. The books follow eight primary/middle-school aged children as they work together through a variety of projects and challenges. Every kid wants to build a tree house, for example – I mean, who doesn’t? Or, perhaps a haunted house – most kids like scary things like that. So in the first two books, that is exactly what they do – or almost.
Most kids (and, frankly many adults) jump into whatever task they have at hand, eager to achieve the end result as quickly as possible. The problem, of course, is that it does not always work out that well – you may run out of materials, realize you don’t know how to do some part of it, or suddenly find it is too difficult, and put it in the ‘too hard basket’ for someday-later, or simply give up. The exuberance of youth fades over time, and I think that part of it can be attributed to trying – and failing – at too many things, then giving up and never trying some things again.
In some sense, these books try to combat that decay of enthusiasm, by providing a supporting framework for learning how to tackle challenges – any challenge – by breaking it down into smaller, less scary pieces. They also stress the importance of working together in teams to get things done, as you can support each other and get more done together than you could on your own.
The books demonstrate what happens when you fail to do simple things like planning, but they also show what good things happen when you take some time at the beginning to get things laid out and work together. This not only makes you more likely to succeed, you will also enjoy the journey a whole lot more as well.
In the first book, the boys jump into building a tree house, boots and all – and immediately run into obstacles. When one of the boy’s sister offers to help, she is of course refused (being ‘just a girl’), which triggers a whole chain of events as the girls go on to build their own tree house – a bettertree house, built easier and faster than the boys – with a little help from Dad. As a project manager, he teaches them some simple lessons around what projects are, and how to do them, which the girls embrace and tailor for themselves. Later in the book, the boys are drawn into the whole ‘project’ thing, and together they create something marvelous – a five level, nine platform tree house.
The children carry the lessons with them through each successive story, with a few extra bits of parental tips and guidance as needed – but for the most part, the kids become quite competent at tackling each new project on their own, and dealing with the many set-backs they encounter.
The Amazing Science Fair Project is a bit of a departure from the first two books, in that the first two projects were principally for fun – and the Science Fair Project, of course, is marked. They have to come to grips with delivering to external expectations, which ultimately affects their term grade. Now who wouldn’t find that stressful?
However, working together through a number of challenges, the project kids manage to pull it off, with a decent mark to boot.
ABC: How did you come up with the idea for your book?
Gary: Shortly after I had published my first book (for adults), Gazza’s Guide to Practical Project Management, I was talking with someone about it at a conference. The book was different from most other project management books in that it conveyed the principal concepts of running a project, from start to finish, through a series of stories.
The person I was speaking with said that sounded like an interesting approach, and suggested (tongue in cheek) that my next book be one for children. In fact, they were quite specific – it needed to be written for upper primary/middle school children, around ages 9-12. The person I was speaking with was from the Project Management Institute Educational Foundation, and they said there was nothing at all available in that age range (worldwide), although there was a reasonable amount of materials focused at the High school level, and just one picture book for Kindergarten/Grade 1 students.
Having three boys at home, the youngest of which were 9 and 10 at the time, I considered the challenge, and after discussing it with them, decided to give it a go. But first I needed to come up with an approach, and of course the topics. After much deliberation, I settled on the ‘novel’ approach, rather than something that could only be used in a classroom setting. The children would go through a series of fun adventures and challenges, but they would be gradually introduced to using Project Management concepts in a more natural, organic way. So the lessons in the stories are not ‘in your face’, they fit in well with the flow of the characters and the story line. Yes, there are terms, definitions, and some pictures and diagrams to support that – but only in a couple of chapters per book. The rest of the stories simply having the children getting on and using what they have learned, to get their projects done, usually better and faster than they would have otherwise – or let them tackle challenges they would previously have thought were too big to tackle.
The process of creating the first book was quite daunting, having never before written for children, and having not attempted writing dialogue since University. However, with my two in-house experts / junior editors, it was a great bonding experience and family project that also turned into a great book. The other books in the series have followed in a similar fashion, bouncing around ideas on what would be an interesting topic that would engage children, and yet be familiar to them as well. The topic for the first book was a toss-up between a Tree House and a Haunted House, and my kids voted unanimously- so The Ultimate Tree House Project was written first, followed by The Scariest Haunted House Project – Ever! The Amazing Science Fair Project was inspired by the reality that these types of projects start happening in middle school, and the book would be a fun way to introduce them, while providing some guidance around how to do one successfully.
The artwork is another story – all of the interior and cover art has been created by a family friend – Mathew Frauenstein, a very talented artist who was just 15 years old when he started working on The Ultimate Tree House. We have a great working relationship in the production of the books; somehow he manages to take my ramblings and crude sketches and then transform them into great chapter and cover art that is exactly what is needed, with relatively few revisions. It is a rare talent to be able to do that, and I am very lucky to be working with him.
ABC: Stories always require some form of research. What kind of research did you do for your book?
Gary: The stories draw from two main areas – my experience as a project manager, and my experience in dealing with children (and being one myself, of course – just a few years ago).
On the project management side, I am a certified Project Management Professional through the Project Management Institute. The common framework for projects encompassed by such texts as the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®) is reflected in the stories, but of course adapted to a suitable language and level for children.
On writing from the perspective of children (eight of them), most of that is based on my personal observations of how children talk and behave. Before I had my own children, I was a Scout leader for nearly 11 years, and those youth ranged from 10-14 years old. Since then, of course, I have had my own children, and with the two youngest now aged 11 and 13, I am once again a Scout leader working with children in this age range. The characters in the book start out at age 10 and 11, which in my opinion is a great age to start working on projects. When they reach that age, they are starting to engage in critical thinking, reflecting on their plans, actions and consequences, and are generally quite capable young persons.
I was regularly amazed in my first time round as a Scout leader by how competent and capable the Scouts actually were – when provided with challenges, some structure, and the encouragement to grow, they generally met and often exceeded our expectations.
ABC: Which scene or chapter was the hardest for you to write?
Gary: Ah – a tough one. In The Amazing Science Fair Project, I guess the most difficult chapter was What’s The Big Idea? This was one of the key ‘lesson’ chapters, and it is always a challenge to try and make sure you get the lesson parts written with just the right balance of fun and information. That is probably why I leave the guts of those particular chapters to later on, and focus on the flow of the story through the first full draft. Then I come back and wrestle with how best to fit the lesson in, and what to leave out. For some reason it was a bit harder in this book than in the others – perhaps because the children in the story already have been through it a couple times, but for a reader picking up the books in random order, you still have to cover the basics enough so it makes sense.
ABC: Please describe your favorite scene or chapter in your book and tell us why it’s your favorite?
Gary: This is a much easier one to answer. In The Amazing Science Fair Project, my favorite chapter is Wet Shoes, and Everything Else. The boys go through an experience that is actually based on a real-life camp when I was a leader many years ago. Boy Scouts is about being prepared, right? So of course you pack extra clothes – just in case. On this camp, one boy manages to go through all of his extra-extra spare clothes in under half an hour, and ends up confined to his tent until they can get dried off. In this case, the real-life story was so ridiculous, it couldn’t help but find its way into the book in some form.
ABC: Which of your characters do you relate to the most (or) who is your favorite character and why?
Gary: With eight principal characters (four boys and four girls), it’s not simple to pick just one. The way they each approach things reflects different aspects of my own thinking, I suppose, but at different times and in different conditions.
However, I would have to say that I relate most to Amanda, who is the de facto ‘leader’ of the group most of the time. She has her own sets of challenges and self-doubt, but somehow manages to get everyone working together to produce a good result. I think that many project managers must also approach their projects in a similar way – you know what needs to be done, you know that you are being looked upon to do it, but you may not always know how to get there. Over-confidence is not something that works well on projects. Optimism is essential, but you need to maintain a realistic awareness that every day is a juggling act that could go either way. Amanda faces similar challenges, so I think that is why I most strongly relate to her.
Tim might be a close second – he’s the analytical thinker, but I think first choice would still have to be Amanda.
ABC: I once read that every author is simply a compilation of his/her favorite authors. Which authors have done the most to influence your writing and why?
Gary: For many years I read mainly science fiction, though in the past decade or so I have branched out into other genres. I grew up on the writing styles of Isaac Asimov, Larry Niven, Greg Bear and Kim Stanley Robinson, to name a few. However, the kids’ books are much more reality-based – there is nothing ‘science fiction’ about them. Also, the kids’ books are primarily dialogue (vs descriptive passages), as kids tend to talk a lot, as you may have noticed. I’m not sure who I would attribute that to, as that is quite different from most of the reading I have done. As for the rest of my writing outside of the dialogue, I suppose I strive for economy in my writing – saying more with less and making sure only the words that are needed are left – and I think Niven and Robinson both had some influence in that.
ABC: “Story” has always been the center of all human cultures. We need it. We seek it out. We invent it. What does “story” mean to you?
Gary: I think that “story” is a way to connect people together – families, friends, communities and wider groups. We like stories that we can identify with – see parts of ourselves in and compare values, perhaps see ourselves as one of the characters, or just a third-party observer. Stories that don’t have that element tend to be seen as “boring” and don’t stick – and they fade out of memory.
Stories can be a method for teaching and learning, of course – for example, the oral histories passed down from generation to generation about “how things work”, “why we are here” and “where the best places are to get food”. There is a tremendous amount of written story that teaches, of course – but the principle is still the same.
Another way of looking at a story is a way of passing on part of ourselves, so that we are remembered, I suppose – that is, if we are creating the story. We are all part players in a multitude of stories every day, your story and mine and hundreds of others constantly intersecting and diverging in some master script – however not many of those stories get written down. Sure, not everything is worthy of remembrance through writing, like what you had for lunch on Tuesday, but the big things, the important things, somehow find a way into common stories that we can all share and identify with. I think that is partly why movies are still so popular, even in this age of social media and everyone broadcasting their own “story”. For the most part the stories in the movies have been well crafted, draw you in and let you feel engaged and part of the story, at least for a couple hours. The bigger part of the sharing happens afterward, when you reflect on the stories with your friends and colleagues.
Simply put, stories bind us together.
ABC: Tells us about your next project.
Gary: I am currently half way through writing book four in the Project Kids Adventures series, which is titled ‘The Valentine’s Day Project Disaster’. As you can imagine, with a title like that there will be plenty of opportunities for complex story lines when you have a lot of children involved. In fact, the book has the project kids engaging with the entire school as they try to organize the Valentine’s Day school dance, which had been a complete flop the year before. The children learn a lot about relationships (not just the Valentine’s kind), and how to develop skills that will help them influence the masses – for good, of course. Where the first three books were a bit more focused on the practical ‘hard skills’ of projects, like planning, budgeting and so on, this book brings on their biggest challenge, and the greatest opportunity for growth. This book will have all the planning and other stuff too, of course – you can’t have a project without that – but the primary focus will be on the soft skills, which in reality is the hardest part of managing any project. The ‘hard skills’ are easy to learn, and the ‘soft skills’ can be very, very hard.
I expect the project kids will rise to the challenge, but we will all have to wait and see, as it’s only half written so far. At this point, I expect the Valentine’s Day Project Disaster will be released in either December 2015 or early January 2016, but it is available for pre-purchase now.
I am also very excited to announce that all three of the Project Kids Adventures books are now being translated into Portuguese.
ABC: Where can we find you and your book?
Gary: I have several websites – www.gazzasguides.com, which covers all of the books at a high level, and www.projectkidsadventures.com, which is entirely dedicated to the series of children’s books, and includes basic project lessons and free resources for parents, children and teachers.
The books are available on Amazon, in both paperback and Kindle eBook. The books are also available through many other online retailers in both paperback and a range of eBook formats.
My blog, which is more for older (adult) project managers, is www.gazzascorner.com, with the companion podcast (Gazza’s Corner Podcast) also available on iTunes.
The series and books also have dedicated facebook and Google+ pages, which can be accessed from the main websites. The twitter handle is @ProjectKidsAdv. My page onabout.me/garymnelson links all the social stuff together.
ABC: Thank you again, so much for speaking with me.
Gary: Thank you Angela, and good luck with the rest of the blog tour.
ABC: Thank you, Gary :) I appreciate it!
Connect with Gary
About.me: http://about.me/garymnelson
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/garymnelson/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garymnelsonpmp
Facebook (Gazza’s Guides): https://www.facebook.com/gazzasguides
Facebook (Project Kids Adventures): https://www.facebook.com/projectkidsadventures
Facebook (The Amazing Science Fair Project book) https://www.facebook.com/theamazingsciencefairproject
Google+ (Gazza’s Guides): https://plus.google.com/+Gazzasguides/posts
Google+ (Project Kids Adventures): https://plus.google.com/+Projectkidsadventures/posts
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/gazzasguides
Twitter (main) @Gazzaconsulting
Twitter (Gazza’s Guides) @GazzasGuides
Twitter (Project Kids Adventures) @ProjectKidsAdv
Gazza’s Corner Blog: www.gazzascorner.com
Gazza’s Corner Podcast: podcast.gazzascorner.com
Buy Gary’s Books
http://www.amazon.com/The-Amazing-Science-Fair-Project/dp/1502518082
http://www.amazon.com/Amazing-Science-Fair-Project-Adventures-ebook/dp/B00V22CRLU
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/539655
Gary is giving away a free eBook of The Amazing Science Fair Project during the Blog Tour!
Simply click here and enter the Code: SZ32R
Visit Lu for more Brain to Books Blog Tour Giveaways!
Another Giveaway link!
A Brain to Books Production
Filed under: Riley Amos Reviews, Support Indie Authors Tagged: Blog Tour, Brain to Books, SupportIndieAuthors
Fast Facts:
Author: Gary M Nelson
Genre: Children’s fiction, Primary Education (ages 9-12)
Book: The Amazing Science Fair Project (Book #3 of the Project Kids Adventure Series)
Official Site
Bio
Gary is passionate about sharing knowledge and making Project Management concepts more accessible, particularly to new and aspiring Project Managers (of all ages). Said another way, he likes to tell stories to help convey complex concepts in a way that helps the concepts “stick”. Who says learning shouldn’t be fun?Gary is also a Project Manager who has worked in the Telecom, Student Information Systems, Local Government and Healthcare sectors since 1989. His international experience includes projects in New Zealand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the US and Canada.
Gary is the author of four project management books, and father of three boys.
Accomplishments
Gary is a long-term volunteer for both Scouting and the Project Management Institute (PMI). He has combined his love of writing, working with children and teaching practical life skills and distilled them into his books. He has partnered with the PMI Educational Foundation (PIMef,www.pmief.org) to help make his children’s books (the Project Kids Adventures Series) available for low-to-no-cost for school programs.
Book Blurb
Amanda was terrified. Sure, she and her friends had built a huge tree house and an awesome haunted house together – but now she was in way over her head. Those projects had been for fun – but this one was going to be
marked
! She and her lab partners had to do a class project for the School Science Fair – but they had absolutely no idea where to start or even what to do. Had they finally met their match?Meanwhile, the boys have big problems of their own, and the outcome of their project could mean life or death! OK, maybe not actual death, but they could end up cold, wet and hungry, and with no electronics…for a whole weekend!
Join the Project Kids in their third big adventure as they come together to unravel the mysteries of Mice, Men…and Marshmallows.
Book Reviews from the adults
Written by Isabelina Jorge, PMP – PMI Portugal Chapter
“Gary develops another children’s story in a very fluid, visual, fun and conversational way, while showing us how the concepts and essential skills of project management can be easily and effectively applied in school or daily life projects.
It is not only an excellent reading book but also a good reference and tool for teachers and parents to convey to their children the universal language of project management.
A must-read book for children, teachers, schools and …project managers, to be promoted in PMI school initiatives.”
Written by Jannell Cajote, Phillipines
“Such an amazing read! The kids are funny, smart, organized, yet they still act like kids. This should be a recommended reading in school because it inspires the young readers to value good grades and to exert true effort in their studies.”
Written by Agnieszka Krogulec, PMI Poland Chapter
“This is a captivating children’s story which presents how to plan and execute a project in order to achieve success using basic project management concepts. I would recommend it to anyone, both children and adults, who are interested in learning about project management as a useful life skill.”
Written by Giorgio Bensa, PMP – Membership Director, PMI Northern Italy Chapter – PMI Volunteer of the year (2012) for creating the “Project in Bloom” contest.
“THIS BOOK IS GREAT for young people (by age or at heart), and is a fresh story with plenty of easy-to-understand hints about project management. If you are new to projects, you will learn a lot following Amanda and their friends while also having a lot of fun!
If you are already in the world of projects, you will learn something new and see what you do as a Project Manager from a very different perspective.”
Reviews from our Younger Readers!
Written by Sofia Triana, Age 10 – 5th grade
“This book is outstanding! It teaches us kids that we can make a project out of literally everything we do. I enjoyed reading the book, and can’t wait for the next one.”
Written by Bastian Cajote, Age 7
“It’s a cool book. Ben is my favorite.”
Written by Oliver & Jack Hogg – Age 9/Year 5
“We loved this book – especially the boys’ idea of putting a mouse in the girls’ maze. We can’t wait for the Valentine’s Day Project Disaster to come out.”
Interview with Gary Nelson
Angela B. Chrysler: I want to take a moment to welcome Gary Nelson, author of the Project Kids Adventures series of books, which includes The Ultimate Tree House Project , The Scariest Haunted House Project – Ever! and The Amazing Science Fair Project , which was released earlier this year. All three books are available on Amazon.
ABC: Thank you so much for speaking with me, Gary. Please take a moment to tell us about your book.
Gary: Thank you for having me on the blog tour, Angela. Today I’d like to talk a bit about the Project Kids Adventure series – and about the latest book, The Amazing Science Fair Project. The first thing I will admit is that these are actually Project Management books – but definitely nowhere close to traditional textbooks. All of the books in the series are first and foremost enjoyable stories – 220-240 page novels, actually – written for kids between the ages of 8-12 (or 30+).
People have used stories to convey important lessons and messages for thousands of years; the difference with these books is in the choice of lesson or topic. The books follow eight primary/middle-school aged children as they work together through a variety of projects and challenges. Every kid wants to build a tree house, for example – I mean, who doesn’t? Or, perhaps a haunted house – most kids like scary things like that. So in the first two books, that is exactly what they do – or almost.
Most kids (and, frankly many adults) jump into whatever task they have at hand, eager to achieve the end result as quickly as possible. The problem, of course, is that it does not always work out that well – you may run out of materials, realize you don’t know how to do some part of it, or suddenly find it is too difficult, and put it in the ‘too hard basket’ for someday-later, or simply give up. The exuberance of youth fades over time, and I think that part of it can be attributed to trying – and failing – at too many things, then giving up and never trying some things again.
In some sense, these books try to combat that decay of enthusiasm, by providing a supporting framework for learning how to tackle challenges – any challenge – by breaking it down into smaller, less scary pieces. They also stress the importance of working together in teams to get things done, as you can support each other and get more done together than you could on your own.
The books demonstrate what happens when you fail to do simple things like planning, but they also show what good things happen when you take some time at the beginning to get things laid out and work together. This not only makes you more likely to succeed, you will also enjoy the journey a whole lot more as well.
In the first book, the boys jump into building a tree house, boots and all – and immediately run into obstacles. When one of the boy’s sister offers to help, she is of course refused (being ‘just a girl’), which triggers a whole chain of events as the girls go on to build their own tree house – a bettertree house, built easier and faster than the boys – with a little help from Dad. As a project manager, he teaches them some simple lessons around what projects are, and how to do them, which the girls embrace and tailor for themselves. Later in the book, the boys are drawn into the whole ‘project’ thing, and together they create something marvelous – a five level, nine platform tree house.
The children carry the lessons with them through each successive story, with a few extra bits of parental tips and guidance as needed – but for the most part, the kids become quite competent at tackling each new project on their own, and dealing with the many set-backs they encounter.
The Amazing Science Fair Project is a bit of a departure from the first two books, in that the first two projects were principally for fun – and the Science Fair Project, of course, is marked. They have to come to grips with delivering to external expectations, which ultimately affects their term grade. Now who wouldn’t find that stressful?
However, working together through a number of challenges, the project kids manage to pull it off, with a decent mark to boot.
ABC: How did you come up with the idea for your book?
Gary: Shortly after I had published my first book (for adults), Gazza’s Guide to Practical Project Management, I was talking with someone about it at a conference. The book was different from most other project management books in that it conveyed the principal concepts of running a project, from start to finish, through a series of stories.
The person I was speaking with said that sounded like an interesting approach, and suggested (tongue in cheek) that my next book be one for children. In fact, they were quite specific – it needed to be written for upper primary/middle school children, around ages 9-12. The person I was speaking with was from the Project Management Institute Educational Foundation, and they said there was nothing at all available in that age range (worldwide), although there was a reasonable amount of materials focused at the High school level, and just one picture book for Kindergarten/Grade 1 students.
Having three boys at home, the youngest of which were 9 and 10 at the time, I considered the challenge, and after discussing it with them, decided to give it a go. But first I needed to come up with an approach, and of course the topics. After much deliberation, I settled on the ‘novel’ approach, rather than something that could only be used in a classroom setting. The children would go through a series of fun adventures and challenges, but they would be gradually introduced to using Project Management concepts in a more natural, organic way. So the lessons in the stories are not ‘in your face’, they fit in well with the flow of the characters and the story line. Yes, there are terms, definitions, and some pictures and diagrams to support that – but only in a couple of chapters per book. The rest of the stories simply having the children getting on and using what they have learned, to get their projects done, usually better and faster than they would have otherwise – or let them tackle challenges they would previously have thought were too big to tackle.
The process of creating the first book was quite daunting, having never before written for children, and having not attempted writing dialogue since University. However, with my two in-house experts / junior editors, it was a great bonding experience and family project that also turned into a great book. The other books in the series have followed in a similar fashion, bouncing around ideas on what would be an interesting topic that would engage children, and yet be familiar to them as well. The topic for the first book was a toss-up between a Tree House and a Haunted House, and my kids voted unanimously- so The Ultimate Tree House Project was written first, followed by The Scariest Haunted House Project – Ever! The Amazing Science Fair Project was inspired by the reality that these types of projects start happening in middle school, and the book would be a fun way to introduce them, while providing some guidance around how to do one successfully.
The artwork is another story – all of the interior and cover art has been created by a family friend – Mathew Frauenstein, a very talented artist who was just 15 years old when he started working on The Ultimate Tree House. We have a great working relationship in the production of the books; somehow he manages to take my ramblings and crude sketches and then transform them into great chapter and cover art that is exactly what is needed, with relatively few revisions. It is a rare talent to be able to do that, and I am very lucky to be working with him.
ABC: Stories always require some form of research. What kind of research did you do for your book?
Gary: The stories draw from two main areas – my experience as a project manager, and my experience in dealing with children (and being one myself, of course – just a few years ago).
On the project management side, I am a certified Project Management Professional through the Project Management Institute. The common framework for projects encompassed by such texts as the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®) is reflected in the stories, but of course adapted to a suitable language and level for children.
On writing from the perspective of children (eight of them), most of that is based on my personal observations of how children talk and behave. Before I had my own children, I was a Scout leader for nearly 11 years, and those youth ranged from 10-14 years old. Since then, of course, I have had my own children, and with the two youngest now aged 11 and 13, I am once again a Scout leader working with children in this age range. The characters in the book start out at age 10 and 11, which in my opinion is a great age to start working on projects. When they reach that age, they are starting to engage in critical thinking, reflecting on their plans, actions and consequences, and are generally quite capable young persons.
I was regularly amazed in my first time round as a Scout leader by how competent and capable the Scouts actually were – when provided with challenges, some structure, and the encouragement to grow, they generally met and often exceeded our expectations.
ABC: Which scene or chapter was the hardest for you to write?
Gary: Ah – a tough one. In The Amazing Science Fair Project, I guess the most difficult chapter was What’s The Big Idea? This was one of the key ‘lesson’ chapters, and it is always a challenge to try and make sure you get the lesson parts written with just the right balance of fun and information. That is probably why I leave the guts of those particular chapters to later on, and focus on the flow of the story through the first full draft. Then I come back and wrestle with how best to fit the lesson in, and what to leave out. For some reason it was a bit harder in this book than in the others – perhaps because the children in the story already have been through it a couple times, but for a reader picking up the books in random order, you still have to cover the basics enough so it makes sense.
ABC: Please describe your favorite scene or chapter in your book and tell us why it’s your favorite?
Gary: This is a much easier one to answer. In The Amazing Science Fair Project, my favorite chapter is Wet Shoes, and Everything Else. The boys go through an experience that is actually based on a real-life camp when I was a leader many years ago. Boy Scouts is about being prepared, right? So of course you pack extra clothes – just in case. On this camp, one boy manages to go through all of his extra-extra spare clothes in under half an hour, and ends up confined to his tent until they can get dried off. In this case, the real-life story was so ridiculous, it couldn’t help but find its way into the book in some form.
ABC: Which of your characters do you relate to the most (or) who is your favorite character and why?
Gary: With eight principal characters (four boys and four girls), it’s not simple to pick just one. The way they each approach things reflects different aspects of my own thinking, I suppose, but at different times and in different conditions.
However, I would have to say that I relate most to Amanda, who is the de facto ‘leader’ of the group most of the time. She has her own sets of challenges and self-doubt, but somehow manages to get everyone working together to produce a good result. I think that many project managers must also approach their projects in a similar way – you know what needs to be done, you know that you are being looked upon to do it, but you may not always know how to get there. Over-confidence is not something that works well on projects. Optimism is essential, but you need to maintain a realistic awareness that every day is a juggling act that could go either way. Amanda faces similar challenges, so I think that is why I most strongly relate to her.
Tim might be a close second – he’s the analytical thinker, but I think first choice would still have to be Amanda.
ABC: I once read that every author is simply a compilation of his/her favorite authors. Which authors have done the most to influence your writing and why?
Gary: For many years I read mainly science fiction, though in the past decade or so I have branched out into other genres. I grew up on the writing styles of Isaac Asimov, Larry Niven, Greg Bear and Kim Stanley Robinson, to name a few. However, the kids’ books are much more reality-based – there is nothing ‘science fiction’ about them. Also, the kids’ books are primarily dialogue (vs descriptive passages), as kids tend to talk a lot, as you may have noticed. I’m not sure who I would attribute that to, as that is quite different from most of the reading I have done. As for the rest of my writing outside of the dialogue, I suppose I strive for economy in my writing – saying more with less and making sure only the words that are needed are left – and I think Niven and Robinson both had some influence in that.
ABC: “Story” has always been the center of all human cultures. We need it. We seek it out. We invent it. What does “story” mean to you?
Gary: I think that “story” is a way to connect people together – families, friends, communities and wider groups. We like stories that we can identify with – see parts of ourselves in and compare values, perhaps see ourselves as one of the characters, or just a third-party observer. Stories that don’t have that element tend to be seen as “boring” and don’t stick – and they fade out of memory.
Stories can be a method for teaching and learning, of course – for example, the oral histories passed down from generation to generation about “how things work”, “why we are here” and “where the best places are to get food”. There is a tremendous amount of written story that teaches, of course – but the principle is still the same.
Another way of looking at a story is a way of passing on part of ourselves, so that we are remembered, I suppose – that is, if we are creating the story. We are all part players in a multitude of stories every day, your story and mine and hundreds of others constantly intersecting and diverging in some master script – however not many of those stories get written down. Sure, not everything is worthy of remembrance through writing, like what you had for lunch on Tuesday, but the big things, the important things, somehow find a way into common stories that we can all share and identify with. I think that is partly why movies are still so popular, even in this age of social media and everyone broadcasting their own “story”. For the most part the stories in the movies have been well crafted, draw you in and let you feel engaged and part of the story, at least for a couple hours. The bigger part of the sharing happens afterward, when you reflect on the stories with your friends and colleagues.
Simply put, stories bind us together.
ABC: Tells us about your next project.
Gary: I am currently half way through writing book four in the Project Kids Adventures series, which is titled ‘The Valentine’s Day Project Disaster’. As you can imagine, with a title like that there will be plenty of opportunities for complex story lines when you have a lot of children involved. In fact, the book has the project kids engaging with the entire school as they try to organize the Valentine’s Day school dance, which had been a complete flop the year before. The children learn a lot about relationships (not just the Valentine’s kind), and how to develop skills that will help them influence the masses – for good, of course. Where the first three books were a bit more focused on the practical ‘hard skills’ of projects, like planning, budgeting and so on, this book brings on their biggest challenge, and the greatest opportunity for growth. This book will have all the planning and other stuff too, of course – you can’t have a project without that – but the primary focus will be on the soft skills, which in reality is the hardest part of managing any project. The ‘hard skills’ are easy to learn, and the ‘soft skills’ can be very, very hard.
I expect the project kids will rise to the challenge, but we will all have to wait and see, as it’s only half written so far. At this point, I expect the Valentine’s Day Project Disaster will be released in either December 2015 or early January 2016, but it is available for pre-purchase now.
I am also very excited to announce that all three of the Project Kids Adventures books are now being translated into Portuguese.
ABC: Where can we find you and your book?
Gary: I have several websites – www.gazzasguides.com, which covers all of the books at a high level, and www.projectkidsadventures.com, which is entirely dedicated to the series of children’s books, and includes basic project lessons and free resources for parents, children and teachers.
The books are available on Amazon, in both paperback and Kindle eBook. The books are also available through many other online retailers in both paperback and a range of eBook formats.
My blog, which is more for older (adult) project managers, is www.gazzascorner.com, with the companion podcast (Gazza’s Corner Podcast) also available on iTunes.
The series and books also have dedicated facebook and Google+ pages, which can be accessed from the main websites. The twitter handle is @ProjectKidsAdv. My page onabout.me/garymnelson links all the social stuff together.
ABC: Thank you again, so much for speaking with me.
Gary: Thank you Angela, and good luck with the rest of the blog tour.
ABC: Thank you, Gary :) I appreciate it!
Connect with Gary
About.me: http://about.me/garymnelson
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/garymnelson/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garymnelsonpmp
Facebook (Gazza’s Guides): https://www.facebook.com/gazzasguides
Facebook (Project Kids Adventures): https://www.facebook.com/projectkidsadventures
Facebook (The Amazing Science Fair Project book) https://www.facebook.com/theamazingsciencefairproject
Google+ (Gazza’s Guides): https://plus.google.com/+Gazzasguides/posts
Google+ (Project Kids Adventures): https://plus.google.com/+Projectkidsadventures/posts
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/gazzasguides
Twitter (main) @Gazzaconsulting
Twitter (Gazza’s Guides) @GazzasGuides
Twitter (Project Kids Adventures) @ProjectKidsAdv
Gazza’s Corner Blog: www.gazzascorner.com
Gazza’s Corner Podcast: podcast.gazzascorner.com
Buy Gary’s Books
http://www.amazon.com/The-Amazing-Science-Fair-Project/dp/1502518082
http://www.amazon.com/Amazing-Science-Fair-Project-Adventures-ebook/dp/B00V22CRLU
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/539655
Gary is giving away a free eBook of The Amazing Science Fair Project during the Blog Tour!
Simply click here and enter the Code: SZ32R
Visit Lu for more Brain to Books Blog Tour Giveaways!
Another Giveaway link!
A Brain to Books Production
Filed under: Riley Amos Reviews, Support Indie Authors Tagged: Blog Tour, Brain to Books, SupportIndieAuthors
