Cold Coffee Press's Blog: Cold Coffee Press , page 2

Soldier Boy by Glen Carter

Soldier Boy by Glen CarterLightning splits a savage night, and in the arms of a priest, a mysterious woman dies while giving birth. The infant survives and as a boy is haunted by visions of soldiers and war and blood-soaked betrayal. As a man, even with his strange talent for beating the slots, he chooses to dwell among the legions of mole people beneath the Las Vegas Strip. A bizarre confrontation sets him on a journey to discover who he once was and what was robbed from him.

Samuel Bolt has come home, to a place he’s never been. To a lover he’s never known. And to a powerful enemy who will stop at nothing to send a dead soldier back to his grave.

Cold Coffee Review: Excellent writing by Author Glen Carter.

The gripping story opens with a woman making her way to an American shelter, in hopes of giving birth in the arms of forgiveness. With nowhere else to turn, she walks toward the door. I quote “A pain suddenly split her abdomen, and it took all her strength just to stand. She dropped the small case and clutched her stomach as another contraction took her to her knees. Phantom gunshots rattled through her. She hugged the dirt, tasted it, wanted to claw her way into the earth’s crust.”

The infant survives, but not without consequences. As a young boy, he is haunted by visions. Visions of unknown places, war, soldiers and blood. I found the boy’s visions troubling and curious at the same time.

I quote, “The cockpits were dark, and with their night-vision goggles, the pilots appeared as alien invaders. The lead checked his outboard shoulder. Satisfied, he nudged the cyclic, and both choppers banked steeply over Iraqi territory.”

As a man, he lived in the shadows, on the edge of the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada. I quote, “Samuel Bolt’s pockets were stuffed with money. Wads of it. Folded and rolled, in twenties and fifties. It had weight, and if you looked closely, there were bulges at the front of his jeans. He was not feeling cocksure, and there was no swagger in his walk. He was a nobody, his face shadowed within a thrift shop hoodie, trying to stay invisible.”

Afraid to say too much, I leave you with this and invite you to read Soldier Boy, Bolt couldn’t move. The sand was deep, and he was in it to his knees. He tugged free a boot for another impossible step and then sank again, deeper this time. A storm of grit stung his eyes. It took everything he had to pull himself forward. To the tree and the squirming bundle at its base. The baby was covered in blood, its fat little arms reaching out to him. The face of an angel bathed in the flash of lightning. Bolt stooped low and placed both hands around the trembling flesh. Suddenly, the child began to scream. Scream so pitifully that Bolt had to cover his ears. The infant tumbled out of his hands and was swallowed by a whirlpool of sand. In a second, it was gone. Flames burst from the tree, forcing Bolt backwards. Away from the nightmare, to his bed in Harbour Rock.”

I love the author’s characters, story and his quote, “I’m a believer in things. It’s my default position, unless they can be proven not to be. As humans, we are sadly limited in our understanding beyond the horizons of existence. Do I believe in reincarnation? Prove to me that it doesn’t exist.

As an award-winning journalist, author Glen Carter worked most of his life in a high-pressure news environment. His experiences in research and fact driven stories has motivated him to apply his story telling craft to fiction, like this book titled Soldier Boy and Last Witness.

I encourage you to read Soldier Boy, understanding that it is adult content and adult language. I purchased this book from Kindle and this review was posted on September 29, 2018.

Genre: Literature, Fiction

Product Details:
File Size: 812 KB
Print Length: 391 Pages
Publisher: Flanker Press (September 5, 2018)
Publication Date: September 5, 2018
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B07HCQ4J6N

Genre: Literature, Fiction

Product Details: File Size: 812 KB Print Length: 391 Pages Publisher: Flanker Press (September 5, 2018) Publication Date: September 5, 2018 Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC Language: English ASIN: B07HCQ4J6N

Kindle https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HCQ4J6N/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

************************
Last Witness by Glen Carter
A mysterious letter has reached retired FBI agent Frank Malloy. A letter bearing a name from a lifetime ago, from a woman who claims she saw what really happened on the day John F. Kennedy died in Dallas. Many were there to film the president, but Helena Storozhenko snapped a photo on November 22, 1963, that would have changed everything. Then she vanished.

Until now.

From her death bed in Odessa, the Babushka Lady provides a piece of evidence that will send Malloy and network television host Jack Doyle on a desperate search for the truth. has summoned Malloy and finally reveals what she witnessed in Dealey Plaza.

Malloy and Doyle need each other to solve a decades-old mystery, and to stop an assassin who is driven by the same evil which changed the world so tragically – so long ago. It all comes down to one place, one time, and one bullet as they race to prevent history from repeating itself – more than fifty years after a president was brutally slain – and Helena Storozhenko was The Last Witness.

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Literature, Fiction

Product Details: File Size: 1388 KB Print Length: 256 Pages Publisher: Breakwater Books Ltd. (October 11, 2013) Publication Date: October 11, 2013 Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC Language: English ASIN: B00GXEZSLS

Amazon Customer Review: A novel that reads like non-fiction! December 30, 2013 Format: Kindle Edition "We've been told a lot about the murder of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, but we were not told everything. In the decades since that tragic day, America has had its share of fact and fiction, myths and misinformation. The truth is, the JFK story continues to be written...." The quote above is from LAST WITNESS- which is a novel mind you-but the quote is true in my mind nonetheless. (taken from an on-air news broadcast written into the story) It begins in a way that has your head spinning- Guatemala, New England, NY, Havana....the list goes on. Characters, locations, and intricate intrigue. And as the book progresses, all becomes a woven fabric of pages. My eyes popped open, got teary, and ultimately got tired from just staying up too late to keep turning pages. 4 thumbs up from myself and my husband!

Amazon Customer Reviews: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GXEZSLS/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1#customerReviews

Amazon Print https://www.amazon.com/Last-Witness-Glen-Carter/dp/1550814435/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Kindle https://www.amazon.com/Last-Witness-Glen-Carter-ebook/dp/B00GXEZSLS/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=



************************
Cold Coffee Press Spotlight Interview With Author Glen Carter

Glen Carter is an award-winning journalist who has spent more than thirty-five years in the high-pressure world of television news. He has covered everything from national politics and crime to world leaders and deadly disasters. He is now applying his story-telling craft and decades of fact-driven writing to the flight of fiction.
His debut novel, Angels of Maradona, was published in 2008 by Breakwater Books. Last Witness was released in the fall of 2013. Glen's latest offering is Soldier Boy, published September 2018 by Flankerpress.com, a novel of reincarnation, redemption and revenge.

Interview:

What makes you proud to be a writer from Canada)? Newfoundland and Labrador are known for its abundance of successful authors. We live in a place where story telling is part of our culture. It is celebrated and nurtured.

What or who inspired you to become a writer? My father was a talented story teller, politician and author. I spent many hours listening to his tales and learned to appreciate the art of storytelling from him.

When did you begin writing with the intention of becoming published? I began to write for the love of words. My first novel was published in 2008. That was the bonus.

What has been your most rewarding experience with your writing and publishing journey? The acknowledgment by readers that they've enjoyed my novels is the most rewarding experience of my writing and publishing journey.

How many published books do you have? Three published novels, so far.

Please introduce your genre and why you prefer to write in that genre? I prefer to write in the suspense thriller genre, because of the constructs, tools and fundamentals that are part of this style of storytelling.

Please list the title of your book you want featured and promoted? Soldier Boy

What do you like to do when you are not writing? Trying to live a good life, full of friends, and family.

What one positive piece of advice would you give to other authors? Adopt a disciplined writing schedule. Produce each day.

Amazon Author’s Page Link: https://www.amazon.com/Glen-Carter/e/B00MSIAD7C

Facebook Page Links: https://www.facebook.com/IamGlenCarter?lst=100005602843207%3A100000115693593%3A1537986071 https://www.facebook.com/Glen-Carter-Last-Witness-675885462440867/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GlenCarterNTV

Cold Coffee Press: http://www.coldcoffeepress.com/glen-carter/

Authors Keys To Success Program: http://www.coldcoffeepress.com/keys-program-for-authors/

Path To Truth: The Ray Stanton Story by Pastor Ray Stanton

Path To Truth: The Ray Stanton Story by Pastor Ray Stanton
Path to Truth is one of the most honest, funny and heartwarming stories of one man’s journey toward a relationship with God.

Ray Stanton was raised in a poor farming family in Indiana.  He always felt the presence of God in his life, though he never really had a relationship with him.  His family never really went to church and he, being the oldest of seven kids had to work on the farm from an early age.
When he was eight-years-old, Ray had his first encounter with God in a snowy hayfield.  There were many other times when God protected Ray, but it wasn’t until he was twenty-seven years old and thought he couldn’t go on.  He was about to pull the trigger when God spoke to him.
This book isn’t a preachy book, it isn’t a “what you should do” book, it is one man’s story.  Pastor Stanton has traveled all over the world spreading the gospel and sharing his story with others.  It is his wish that this book be an inspiration to you in your walk with God.
Brian Dawson – Mr. Editor says “I feel this book has huge potential!  It was funny, sweet, moving and inspirational!  I couldn’t stop laughing about the hotel room scene.  I love the flow of the book and how he puts details in, but not so much that he loses the reader in those details.”
Genre: Nonfiction
Cold Coffee Review: I love reading memoirs and enjoyed reading Path To Truth: The Ray Stanton Story. Some of his experiences brought a smile to my face, as I too grew up in rural, small-town America where children have the freedom to roam. I would be willing to bet that one or more of his short life experiences will draw you back into your own memories of childhood, teen years and young adulthood.
The author begins with his first childhood memory, living in a small camper, trailer on the edge of a field. From there he takes us on a journey to The Opal Parker Place, The Miscarriage, The Tractor, The Kehrt Farm, The Move, The New Shoes, New Farm / New School, A Little Down Time on the Farm, The Measles / Chicken Pox / Mumps, The Skunk, The Lost Horse, Another Sibling, Milk Cows, Falling off the Tractor: My First Encounter with God, The Meeting in the Hay Field, Things Start to Change, A New Brother, The Ice Trip Down River, The Stanton’s Get Guns, Putting Hay in the Barn, Hunting to Survive, Hauling Corn, A Horse of Our Own Acting like Men, The Farm Sells, The New School, The Cows, We’re In the Money, The Creek and Learning to Swim, The Old German Lady, The Bull, Football Practice, Summer Break is Too Short, Dave’s Family Moves, Dad Has a Heart Attack, The New Place in Town, The New School in Town, A Business Enterprise, The Fish Fry, Granddad Intervenes, The Harley, Summers Spent Talking to God, My First Car, DeMolay, Dad Gets a Motor, I Will Graduate, Married Life, Selling Insurance, Pickled Eggs, Burgers and Beer, The Blizzard of ’77, and Studying the Rich Folk.
I share the author’s story headings inside this memoir, because I believe after reading the titles, you will find something of interest that you would like to read. I have a couple of favorites. Growing up where I could roam freely on foot and travel great distances on my bike, I remember exploring everything in hopes of finding hidden treasures. The author’s story ‘Were In The Money’ was extremely interesting.
I enjoyed getting to know this author and I enjoyed some of the photos that he shared in this book. I found his ‘Studying the Rich Folk’ enlightening. His title ‘Path To Truth’ is a good fit, because he searched for and found truth. God spoke to Ray at age 27, when he was holding a gun to his throat. This book is a testimony to God’s goodness and saving grace.

 

Amazon Customer Reviewshttps://www.amazon.com/Path-Truth-Ray-Stanton-Story/dp/1530672635/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1535735462&sr=8-1#customerReviews  

Print Purchase Link On Pen It Website https://www.penitpublications.com/product-page/path-to-truth-the-ray-stanton-story  

Amazon Printhttps://www.amazon.com/Path-Truth-Ray-Stanton-Story/dp/1530672635/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1535735462&sr=8-1  

Kindlehttps://www.amazon.com/Path-Truth-Ray-Stanton-Story-ebook/dp/B01DCN0M0Y/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1535735462&sr=8-1  

Barnes and Noblehttps://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/path-to-truth-ray-stanton/1123901362?ean=9781530672639

************************
Adoration Prayer by Pastor Ray Stanton

Adoration Prayer is a highly anticipated book from Pastor Ray Stanton. With the turmoil going on in the world today, Pastor Stanton believes that more than ever, the church must come closer to God. We need a great revival to take place. The way to revive and refresh the church, is through Adoration Prayer. Now is the time; today is that day. As I begin this book, I can feel the anointing flowing through me. 2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven; and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

Genre: Nonfiction, Christian, Devotional

 

Print Purchase Link On Pen It Website https://www.penitpublications.com/product-page/adoration-prayer-by-pastor-ray-stanton  

Amazon Printhttps://www.amazon.com/Adoration-Prayer-Pastor-Ray-Stanton/dp/1948390477/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1535735745&sr=1-1  

Kindlehttps://www.amazon.com/Adoration-Prayer-Pastor-Ray-Stanton-ebook/dp/B07BZKCNSS/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1535735745&sr=1-1

************************
Adoration Prayer Devotional / Journal by Pastor Ray Stanton

I have written this Devotional/Journal to help you begin your journey into Adoration Prayer. I hope that the scriptures and references in this book encourage you to start your prayer time reflecting on who God is, first. We need to know that He is more than we can ever possibly comprehend. What is God? He is All in All. He is all things to all men and more. As you reflect on these pages and begin to journal what God gives you during your prayers, I believe adoring Him will come as naturally to you, as it does to me. How great it is for us to have the opportunity to praise and worship our Creator. I have designed this book to journal your thoughts about what God speaks to your heart as you pray. I find that He reveals things to me and I need to write them down, so I can look back on them later. They give me a renewed surge of spiritual energy. I pray that you will be as Blessed, as I have been through your time of Prayer. Pastor Ray

Genre: Nonfiction, Christian, Devotional  

Print Purchase Link On Pen It Website https://www.penitpublications.com/product-page/adoration-prayer-devotional-journal-by-pastor-ray-stanton  

Amazon Paperback https://www.amazon.com/Adoration-Prayer-Devotional-Journal-Stanton/dp/1948390523/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1535741131&sr=1-2

************************
Waynesville, Indiana: Mother's Day, Murder and Mayhem by Ray and Debi Stanton
Waynesville, Indiana, a small suburb of Columbus, Indiana, was the scene of four gruesome murders on May 11, 2013. The 911 call came in a little after 10:30 p.m. “There’s blood everywhere,” Daniel told the 911 operator. “I just walked in and there’s two, I have two bodies here, and I think they have both been shot. There’s blood everywhere.” Daniel gave the 911 operator his location. He explained to him, “There might be three, because I can’t find my mom either.” He told the operator that the house looked like it had been ransacked. “There was a fight here.” Daniel said. Katheryn Burton was shot and stabbed four times. Each of the other victims: Aaron Cross, Tommy Smith and Shawn Burton were shot at least twice. Samuel Sallee has been convicted and sentenced to 4 consecutive life sentences for the brutal murders that changed one young man’s life forever. The next day was Mother’s Day! “That guy killed my whole family,” said Daniel Burton, the son of Katheryn Burton. “I think I’ve earned a front-row seat to watch him die. I’d lump him together with Hitler, because I can’t think of anyone else who is that evil. “Daniel Burton: “The Trial was my family’s story. This is mine.”

Genre: Nonfiction  

Print Purchase Link On Pen It Website https://www.penitpublications.com/product-page/waynesville-indiana-mother-s-day-murder-and-mayhem-by-ray-and-debi-stanton  

Amazon Soft Cover Print https://www.amazon.com/Waynesville-Indiana-Mothers-Murder-Mayhem/dp/1975797477/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1535735936&sr=8-1  

Amazon Hard Cover Print https://www.amazon.com/Waynesville-Indiana-Mothers-Murder-Mayhem/dp/069296536X/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1535735936&sr=8-1  

Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/waynesville-indiana-ray-debi-stanton/1127191714?ean=9781975797478
 
************************

 
 Cold Coffee Press Spotlight Interview With Pastor Ray Stanton
Pastor Ray Stanton was raised in a poor farming family in Indiana. He always felt the presence of God in his life, though he never really had a relationship with him. His family rarely, if ever, went to church and he, being the oldest of seven kids had to work on the farm from an early age.
When he was eight-years-old, Ray had his first encounter with God in a snowy hayfield. There were many other times when God protected Ray, but it wasn’t until he was twenty-seven years old and thought he couldn’t go on that he accepted Christ after nearly committing suicide. He was about to pull the trigger when God spoke to him.
Pastor Stanton has traveled all over the world spreading the gospel and sharing his story with others. It is his wish that this book be an inspiration to you in your walk with God. 2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven; and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
It is his hope that you will experience the love of God and continue to grow in your relationship with God. God Bless and Keep You!

Interview:  
What makes you proud to be a writer from (South Central Indiana)? South Central Indiana has always been a part of me. It is what makes me, me.  
What or who inspired you to become a writer? As an avid reader I read everything I could get my hands on as a young boy. So, I would have to say all of the authors who came before me. Samuel Clemens has a special place for me though.  
Did your environment or upbringing play a major role in your writing and did you use it to your advantage? Absolutely as I stated earlier it made me who I am. Parts of my environment and upbringing are used in all of my books.  
When did you begin writing with the intention of becoming published? From the age of nine or ten when I started writing for school. It was always my intent to be published.  
What has been your most rewarding experience with your writing and publishing journey? Some inmates wrote me letters about how reading ‘Path To Truth’ has changed their lives.  
How many published books do you have? I have written four books of my own and my wife Debi and I co-wrote a fifth.  
Please introduce your genre and why you prefer to write in that genre? I write non-fiction because I’m a history buff and I believe life is very interesting.  
Please list the title of your book you want featured and promoted? Path To Truth: The Ray Stanton Story.  
What do you like to do when you are not writing? I enjoy spending time with family and traveling with my lovely wife Debi. Fishing is another hobby.  
What one positive piece of advice would you give to other authors? I would tell authors to write about things they are passionate about. When you have that idea and you really feel it write it down. When finished send it to us at Pen It Publications.  
Who is your favorite author and why? I would have to say Samuel Clemens. He was an amazing story teller.  
Professional Website
https://www.penitpublications.com/  
You Tube Book Video Links
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2g6nnxdYDyk&feature=youtu.be  
Authors Keys To Successhttp://www.coldcoffeepress.com

Apollo's Raven (Curse of Clansmen and Kings Book 1) by Linnea Tanner

Apollo's Raven (Curse of Clansmen and Kings Book 1) by Linnea Tanner
A Celtic warrior princess is torn between her forbidden love for the enemy and duty to her people.
AWARD-WINNING APOLLO’S RAVEN sweeps you into an epic Celtic tale of forbidden love, mythological adventure, and political intrigue in Ancient Rome and Britannia. In 24 AD British kings hand-picked by Rome to rule are fighting each other for power. King Amren’s former queen, a powerful Druid, has cast a curse that Blood Wolf and the Raven will rise and destroy him. The king’s daughter, Catrin, learns to her dismay that she is the Raven and her banished half-brother is Blood Wolf. Trained as a warrior, Catrin must find a way to break the curse, but she is torn between her forbidden love for her father’s enemy, Marcellus, and loyalty to her people. She must summon the magic of the Ancient Druids to alter the dark prophecy that threatens the fates of everyone in her kingdom.
Will Catrin overcome and eradicate the ancient curse. Will she be able to embrace her forbidden love for Marcellus? Will she cease the war between Blood Wolf and King Amren and save her kingdom?
Cold Coffee Review: Interesting story. Travel back to a time in 24 AD where strong Celtic women find themselves influencing Clansmen, Kings and Queens. This ancient time is set in Rome and on the Southeast Coast of Britannia where fantasy, mythology, medieval practices, politics, religion, Celtic culture, the Roman Empire, and forbidden romance bring about this fictional tale tailored by well researched history, archaeological evidence supported with a cast of fictional and non-fictional characters artfully woven in by skilled writer Linnea Tanner. The story begins with Princess Catrin, her horse and her raven spirit guide observing ships, possible war ships in the distance. Advice from her father “know your enemies better than your friends” along with her spirit guide and ancient powers will help Catrin through the perils that await.
I invite you into this epic tale where “Alone in Mor’s candlelit bedchamber, Catrin shifted restlessly under her blankets. Not having to share the bed with her sister, because Mor was gone most of the night with Belinus, she thought slumber would come easy. Yet an ominous fire lingered inside her and foreboding thoughts crackled through her mind about what her father had said at the familymeeting during the festivities. When he announced that Mor must be prepared to wed Cunobelin’s son after he renegotiated a matrimonial agreement, she wilted like a flower denied water. The burden of keeping Mor’s secret about Belinus weighed heavily on Catrin’s conscience. If Cunobelin found out, it could unravel the tenuous negotiations for peace between the powerful tribal kingdoms.
More troubling, her father instructed her on ways she could beguile Marcellus into revealing Roman’s schemes for their kingdom. Her stomach tossed with conflicting emotions about the striking Roman. How could she carry out her father’s directive when this young man made her heart race every time he gazed at her?”
Apollo’s Raven is a fast-paced, intriguing story with characters, situations and mystical threads sparked my interest and kept me turning the page of this award-winning book. I pre-ordered Dagger's Destiny (Curse of Clansmen and Kings-Book 2) so I will not miss a thing as the story continues. I purchased Apollo’s Raven from Kindle and this review was completed on August 20, 2018.
Genre: Fiction, Historical, Fantasy, Epic
Amazon Reviews
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GBHVZY7#customerReviews
Soft Cover
https://www.amazon.com/Apollos-Raven-Linnea-Tanner/dp/0998230006/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Hardcover
https://www.amazon.com/Apollos-Raven-Linnea-Tanner/dp/0998230014/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Audio Book
https://www.amazon.com/Apollos-Raven/dp/B0714JCD7T/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Apollos-Raven-Curse-Clansmen-Kings-ebook/dp/B07GBHVZY7/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Barnes and Noble Nook
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/apollos-raven-linnea-d-tanner/1125792731
Google Play
https://books.google.com/books/about/Apollo_s_Raven.html?id=7ll0AQAACAAJ
Itunes
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/apollos-raven/id1424570213
Kobo
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/apollo-s-raven-1

************************

Cold Coffee Press Spotlight Interview With Author Linnea TannerAward-winning Linnea Tanner weaves Celtic tales of love, magic, adventure, betrayal and intrigue into historical fiction set in Ancient Rome and Britannia. Since childhood, she has passionately read about ancient civilizations and mythology which held women in higher esteem. Of particular interest are the enigmatic Celts who were reputed as fierce warriors and mystical Druids.Depending on the time of day and season of the year, you will find her exploring and researching ancient and medieval history, mythology and archaeology to support her writing. As the author of the APOLLO’S RAVEN series, she has extensively researched and traveled to sites described within each book.A native of Colorado, Linnea attended the University of Colorado and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry. She lives in Windsor with her husband and has two children and six grandchildren.Interview:What makes you proud to be a writer from (Colorado)? I’m proud to be a writer from Colorado where several authors call home. There are several writers’ organizations that provide additional education and support for aspiring authors. I’m a proud member of the Historical Novel Society, Northern Colorado Writers, Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, and Pikes Peak Writers.What or who inspired you to become a writer? As a young girl growing up in the 1950s in Colorado, I was inspired by myths, legends, and historical accounts of powerful women warriors, sorceresses, and goddesses. In third grade, when my friends were reading Nancy Drew mysteries, I was devouring books on Greek and Nordic mythology. By eighth grade, I was reading adult historical fiction classics such as The Egyptian, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, and Ben-Hur. These novels swept me into other bigger than life worlds. This is when I began creating characters which I would use later in my books. Did your environment or upbringing play a major role in your writing and did you use it to your advantage?My mother, who was widowed in her thirty’s and had to raise five children, emphasized education and supplied our household with a variety of books. She allowed me the freedom to explore my world without placing any stereotypical restrictions on me. The ability to open your mind to other viewpoints and possibilities is critical in the creative process. When did you begin writing with the intention of becoming published? After my semi-retirement in 2010, I completed my first draft of one of the books in the historical fantasy series, Apollo’s Raven . Ever since, I continued to hone my craftsmanship and learn more about the publishing world by joining writers’ organizations and taking workshops.  What has been your most rewarding experience with your writing process? The most rewarding experience in the writing process is the creative process of conjuring characters and general plot to a story. It gives me great pleasure to weave a story together that transforms in unexpected and delightful ways.What has been your most rewarding experience in your publishing journey? One of the greatest pleasures I’ve experienced is getting to know other authors through social media and writers’ groups. Many successful independent authors graciously support and promote each other. I’ve met fellow authors throughout the world through social media.How many published books do you have? Book 1: Apollo’s Raven in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series is published. Book 2: Dagger’s Destinywill be released on September 26.Please tell us the titles and the genre of each? Apollo’s Raven ; Genre: Historical Fiction/Fantasy; Fantasy Historical Dagger’s Destiny ; Genre: Historical Fiction/Fantasy; Fantasy HistoricalDo you come up with your title(s) before or after you write the manuscript? After I wrote my first manuscript, I changed the title from The Sword and the Raven to Apollo’s Raven.Please list any awards that you have won: Silver Medalist 2018 eLit Award Fantasy/Science Fiction; Bronze Medal 2017 Global Ebook Award Fantasy/Historical; 2017 New Apple Awards: Official Selection for Historical Fiction and Cross Genre; Literary Titan Gold Book Award.Which book title would you like featured in this interview? Apollo’s Raven and Dagger’s DestinyWhat was your inspiration, spark or light bulb moment that inspired you to write the book (one book) that you are seeking promotion for? Book 1: Apollo’s Raven and Book 2: Dagger’s Destiny in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series is inspired by the legacy of Cleopatra and Mark Antony but with a Celtic Twist. The female protagonist is inspired by the historically-based Celtic warrior queen, Boudica, who united the Britons to rebel against the Romans in 60 AD. It is my hope that modern women can draw on the rich traditions of the ancient Celtic culture where women owned property and could become rulers and Druids. These women fought in battles just like the men to maintain the integrity and protection of their society.What one positive piece of advice would you give to other authors? Follow your dream and never give up.Who is your favorite author and why? I’ve had the fortune of taking workshops and meeting Diana Gabaldon, author of the Outlander Series. One of the reasons I admire her is she writes true to her heart and graciously shares her vast knowledge and experience. Please List Links To Any ‘You Tube Videos’ That Promote Your Book(S):
https://youtu.be/zJzqMvsNQ8EAmazon Author’s Page
https://www.amazon.com/Linnea-Tanner/e/B01N6YEM04
Author's Website
http://linneatanner.com
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/apollosraven
Twitter
https://twitter.com/linneatanner
Google+
https://plus.google.com/u/0/114576568667814788324
Cold Coffee Press
http://www.coldcoffeepress.com/linnea-tanner/
Authors Keys To Success
http://www.coldcoffeepress.com
 

Lara's Journal: A Sizzling, Psychological Suspense (Hidden Motives Book 2) by A. Gavazzoni

Lara's Journal: A Sizzling, Psychological Suspense (Hidden Motives Book 2) by A. Gavazzoni
Simone Bennet is on a long vacation, trying to heal from the trauma she suffered at the hands of a serial-killer kidnapper. After looking death in the face, she tries to develop a new outlook on life—live in the moment!
Carl, the charming lawyer, is back, asking once more for Simone’s help, this time in analyzing Lara’s journals, which were discovered by her siblings after her death. In her own words, Lara divulges all her secrets, and reveals a dramatic world of betrayal, passion, and the most unusual sexual behaviors, exposing the beautiful architect’s troubled life.
As Simone tries to deal with the contents of Lara's haunting diaries, one of her patients gets himself into a bit of legal trouble, forcing Simone to return early from her vacation. Although she's happy to be back on her home turf, she finds herself surrounded by a whole new set of problems.
A killer is out there, and this time, he seems to be after the people Simone cares about most. Suddenly, people around her are dying, a stalker/admirer keeps showing up at all the wrong times, and Simone’s dear friend Edward has a new girlfriend—forcing Simone to analyze her feelings for him and her attraction to Carl.
Cold Coffee Review: Lara's Journal by A. Gavazzoni is a continuing story begun in book one titled Behind The Door. Those of us following this series know it is a sizzling psychological, erotic romance, suspense thriller that will keep you turning the page.
In book two, Simone is still struggling with Post Traumatic Stress disorder while continuing to treat her patients that suffer from sexual behavior disorders. While in book one, the reader was privy to Mark’s journal, in book two we swing back and forth from Simone’s life and clinal practice to looking over her shoulder to read about Laura’s life through her writings as Laura opens with this: “They say everyone has a story to tell, and I suppose that’s probably true, but some people’s stories are more bizarre than others. I would like to tell you mine. If I had to choose a genre for my life story, I’d have to pick erotica…maybe a little romance…with a healthy dose of horror thrown in for good measure… It’s definitely not a fairy tale, although I did have a fairy godmother, of sorts…but more on that later.”
Conflicted between her own life, her patients and Laura’s Journal that seem to have a hold on her, Simone would put the diary down only to ask questions, sleep, dream. Get work done and return to the journal throughout the day until exhaustion forced her sleep. When reading Simone would lose track of time like readers with a great suspense thriller. Her psychology driven thought process caused her to question: “Madness, how old was that girl? How could she ever lead a normal sex life when all she had learned was wrong, depraved, and twisted? 
Simone remembered Lara’s words from one of Mark’s diaries: “I was forged!” That was the word—the girl had been through hell and damnation, and all her values were corrupted. She hadn’t had any moral standards. Then again, her entire life had been based on what Arthur had told her was correct, so how could she?”
For a stimulating read and insight into sexual dysfunction, I invite you to purchase both Behind The Door and Lara’s Journal before moving on to the third book in this series titled The Brilliant Game.  I purchased this book from Kindle on July 30, 2018 and this review posted on July 29, 2018.
Genre: Literature, Fiction, Erotica, Mystery Thriller, Psychological Suspense
Amazon Customer Reviews
https://www.amazon.com/Laras-Journal-Sizzling-Psychological-Suspense-ebook/dp/B01NCWNHUG/ref=la_B01IAEII24_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1494365314&sr=1-2#customerReviews
Amazon Print
https://www.amazon.com/Laras-Journal-Sizzling-Psychological-Suspense/dp/1520643462/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1494365314&sr=1-2
Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Laras-Journal-Sizzling-Psychological-Suspense-ebook/dp/B01NCWNHUG/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1494365314&sr=1-2
************************   Behind The Door: A Sizzling, Psychological Suspense
(Hidden Motives Book 1) by A. Gavazzoni
When Lara dies at the hands of a Manhattan lawyer during a sex game, his defense attorney, Carl, hires Simone, a psychiatrist, professor and author of books on sexual behavior to help him buttress his argument that Lara’s death was accidental. 
To help his defense, Carl’s client has written a detailed account of his steamy, year-long relationship with Lara. Carl gives the text to Simone for analysis. While evaluating the presumed killer’s writing, Simone continues to receive psychiatric patients with sexual disorders and unusual fantasies, and to research strange sexual behavior for her next book. 
Meanwhile, Simone’s clinical partner, friend and research colleague, Edward, is working with the police to capture a serial killer who is torturing and killing women. From hot and unusual sex and interesting psychiatric patients, to the swing houses of New York and Paris, this fast-paced page-turner is a blend of mystery, suspense, humor, romance and erotica.
Cold Coffee Review: Behind The Door is book one in Author A. Gavazzoni’s ‘Hidden Motives’ series. This book is a “sizzling psychological suspense” thriller with both erotic romance structured in an adult theme with strong language.
Descriptive writing, strong characters and interesting life situations kept me engaged throughout the thirty chapters. Interesting plot that continually keeps the reader on his or her toes as the story switches between ‘Present Day-Simone’ and ‘Mark’s Journal’.
Simone, an attractive, intelligent and dedicated psychiatrist, author and professor with a large client list of both men and women suffering with sexual behavioral issues such as paraphilia and hipoxiphilia. Maybe you, as with me, before I read this book don’t really know what paraphilia and hipoxiphilia is. Both of these represent sexual behavior that involves fantasy and controlled strangulation with consenting partners.
Life steps up a beat for Simone when Carl, a Manhattan defense attorney hires her in a murder trial. If reading ‘Mark’s Journal’ isn’t enough stimulation for Simone, her “clinical partner, friend and research colleague, Edward, is working with the police to capture a serial killer who is torturing and killing women”.
I would like to share a quote with you from chapter three ‘Present Day-Simone’ to whet your appetite for the read.
“Addiction to adrenalin. The woman warned right at the start that she had a pathology. Her addiction could have been the result of any number of causes.  Normally, some kind of disorder brings it on. The addict seeks intense thrills, sometimes danger. The worst part is that such people have little sense of real danger. They don’t wish for death but they don’t fear it either.
Maybe Carl was right. Lara hadn’t been murdered; her death had been an accident. Accidents happen to people with that kind of problem. What could have been Lara’s pathology? Then there was Mark, a man apparently with his feet on the ground who was drawn to the flame. Many men like him are attracted to psychopaths. But he was rash. And maybe Lara wasn’t psychopathic. It was hard to diagnose with so few pages. But a shrink’s mind can’t read something without diagnosing it. Maybe the whole tale was made up.”
If you have an adventurous mind, I recommend this stimulating read. The story is told well enough that it might end up on the silver screen on day. If you enjoy this book, I encourage you to purchase the next book in the sequel titled ‘Lara’s Journal’.
I (Theodocia McLean) endorse ‘Behind The Door’ by A. Gavazzoni as the genre I might have missed. Maybe murder, maybe a mutual sexual consent that took an unexpected turn? I will leave you with the task of answering this question and follow the trail of a serial killer at the same time. I purchased this book on May 10, 2017 and the review was completed on May 12, 2017.
Genre: Literature, Fiction, Erotica, Mystery Thriller, Psychological Suspense
Amazon Customer Reviews
https://www.amazon.com/Behind-Door-Sizzling-Psychological-Suspense-ebook/dp/B01N4LR2HL/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8#customerReviews
Amazon Print
https://www.amazon.com/Behind-Door-Sizzling-Psychological-Suspense/dp/1520386176/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Behind-Door-Sizzling-Psychological-Suspense-ebook/dp/B01N4LR2HL/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
************************  The Brilliant Game (Hidden Motives Book 3) by A. Gavazzoni  Psychiatrist Simone Bennet feels like a pawn on a chessboard—as if some invisible, master chess player is toying with her life and the lives of the people she loves and cares for.
A series of horrific events—several murders and Simone being tortured at the hands of a serial killer—culminate in the kidnapping of her daughter and have turned Simone’s life upside down.
Struggling to stay afloat in the middle of a sea of chaos, Simone continues to receive her psychiatric patients and do more work for the New York attorney, Carl, while local police, the FBI, and Edward—Simone’s boyfriend, best friend, and business partner—are working hard to locate her child.
Simone is analyzing another set of Lara’s journals, and she becomes dragged into a vortex of sex addiction, suffering, and Lara’s struggle for some kind of balance in her life, while Simone battles an inner fight against her mixed feelings for the enigmatic lawyer.
Filled with twists and turns, this final book in the Hidden Motives trilogy reveals a deranged, steamy, and disturbingly brilliant game of sex, murder, and mystery and chronicles a woman’s conflict between love and reason.
Fasten your seat belts before you embark on this roller coaster and prepare for the most unpredictable end.
Genre: Literature, Fiction, Erotica, Mystery Thriller, Psychological Suspense
Amazon Reviews
https://www.amazon.com/Brilliant-Game-Hidden-Motives-Book-ebook/dp/B07B61NSQN/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8#customerReviews
Amazon Print
https://www.amazon.com/Brilliant-Game-Hidden-Motives/dp/1986338754/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Brilliant-Game-Hidden-Motives-Book-ebook/dp/B07B61NSQN/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
************************

Cold Coffee Press Spotlight Interview With Author A. Gavazzoni
A. Gavazzoni is a Brazilian author. She just won The Golden Book Award- Readers Choice for her first novel Behind The Door.
Adriana is a lawyer, a former professor of law and a writer of novels and legal books, but she is also a voracious reader.
She speaks four languages: English, French, Portuguese and Spanish. When she is not practicing law or writing, she enjoys many interests and is a very active person. She loves to dance (Tango) and workout.
She loves to travel, loves good wine, and has been studying astrology for fifteen years. She paints and loves to cook.
She has two poodles -Gaia and Juno -and loves all animals. She is an aunt of four nieces who enjoy to paint and cook alongside their aunt. She lives in Brazil and is in the process of writing her next novel.
Adriana invites readers to visit her website/blog anytime for updates of upcoming books and events. http://www.agavazzoni.com
Interview:
What makes you proud to be a writer from Brazil? Brazil is a blend of cultures, religions, colors and freedom that inspired me to write novels based on all kinds of subjects, from psychiatry to sex, with no bias and no judgments.
What or who inspired you to become a writer? My legal career, the necessity to tell my clients’ stories for judges made me a story teller but also my passion for books, I’m a voracious reader and I love a good story. I believe my love for books inspired me to write.
Did your environment or upbringing play a major role in your writing and did you use it to your advantage? My upbringing was great, my parents always gave me a lot of freedom to do things my way, they were always very supportive of my decisions and that helps a lot when you decide to start a different career like writing. To have a supportive family allows me to fly.
When did you begin writing with the intention of becoming published? Two years ago, but I have been writing since I was a kid.
What has been your most rewarding experience with your writing process? To be able to do what I love most in life, tell stories.
What has been your most rewarding experience in your publishing journey? Publishing brought new and wonderful friends among writers and readers to my life, people from all corners of the world. That’s the best in my opinion, to have friends.
How many published books do you have? Four. A legal book published in Brazil and Three Novels.
Please list the titles of all your books: Behind The Door, Lara's Journal and The Brilliant Game.
Please tell us the genre of each of your books. Both are Psychological and erotic thrillers.
Do you come up with your title(s) before or after you write the manuscript? The first one I was in the middle when the name came to me and the second one I knew from the beginning. Now I'm in the process of writing a new novel and I don't have a title in mind yet.
Please introduce your genre and why you prefer to write in that genre? My genre is a blend of psychological and erotic thrillers. I’m a huge fan of mysteries and thrillers, because I love to be surprised. I love the unpredictable, so thrillers are my genre.  I wanted my novel to have all right ingredients like Passion, mystery, unpredictability, love and drama that only psychological and erotic thrillers can have.
What one positive piece of advice would you give to other authors? If you want to be an author, start writing for yourself and don’t mind about pleasing people, think about writing for your own pleasure and you will have a masterpiece.
Who is your favorite author and why? So many marvelous writers inspired me…to start with, the classical ones, such as Emily Bronte, Stendhal, Dumas, Saad Marquis, Margaret Mitchell…and modern ones, such as Morris West, Marc Levy, Tom Clancy, Dan Brown, John Grisham, and Colleen McCullough…but I could list a hundred here…the poems of Alisson Matos—a Brazilian writer, and poetry from Baudelaire to Allan Poe.
Amazon Author's Page
https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01IAEII24
Professional Website Link
http://www.agavazzoni.com
Professional Blog Link
http://www.agavazzoni.com/blog
Face Book Page Link
https://www.facebook.com/A-Gavazzoni-513404948849469/
Twitter Link: @a_gavazzoni
 Google Plus Link: A. Gavazzoni
Cold Coffee Press
http://www.coldcoffeepress.com/a-gavazzoni/
Authors Keys To Success
http://www.coldcoffeepress.com

The Mystery Of The Lost Avenger (Book Four) - by Linda Maria Frank

 The Mystery Of The Lost Avenger (Book Four) - by Linda Maria Frank
The wreckage of a World War II plane is found in the mountains of Appalachia. It mysteriously crashed in 1943 on its way to a naval base. Inside the plane is a note, written by Annie Tillery’s great-grandmother, Charlotte, who was in love with a fighter pilot. Young Charlotte tested the planes and flew them to naval bases; her fiancé flew the planes in battle.
While investigating the crash site, NCIS finds the note in the plane, which they trace to Charlotte and then to her surviving family members, Annie and her mother Carol. The mystery begins. Why did the plane crash, and what does Charlottes note mean? Annie and her mother decide to dig into Great-Grandmothers past by way of the aged family attic.
There, they find love letters written by Charlotte and her Navy pilot fiancé. There is a code to be broken in those letters and The Mystery of the Lost Avenger to be solved. As they explore, Annie suspects Charlottes ghost is reaching out to tell her something, but what? She enlists the help of her boyfriend, newly licensed pilot Ty Egan, but Annie feels she may be the key to her great-grandmothers top-secret life.
Cold Coffee Review: Good news for all Annie Tillery Mystery Followers. The Mystery Of The Lost Avenger (book 4) is finally here. This book educates young minds using this fictional mystery that involves NCIS investigating the crash site of a World War II plane.
Turns out the pilot was Annie Tillery’s great-grandmother Charlotte who was a test pilot for Grumman and actually flew in battle. Annie, her mother Carol are intrigued by Charlotte’s note and decide to dig through the old family attic to see what they can find out about this mysterious family member. What they discover in the attic only adds to the mystery and soon Annie suspects that Charlotte’s ghost is reaching out to them from beyond the grave with an important message.
Annie’s decides to get her boyfriend Ty Egan who happens to be a pilot involved. Here is their conversation.
“Ty, you won’t believe what Mom has been telling me about a mystery concerning my great-grandmother. Mom, this is your story, and maybe Ty can see something we don’t. Can you fill him in on the details, so far? I’m just hearing this story for the first time, too.”
“Well, let me start with . . .” She shuffled the papers in her lap. “Here’s the letter we received from the Department of the Navy. And here’s a copy of a note we found in the plane. The note is written on some sort of a company form with and identification number on it. The number belonged to Charlotte, my grandmother.”
“I also have a letter from the Naval Crime Investigation Service about the condition of the plane where they found the note, and the pilot they found in the wreckage. There are skeletonized remains of a person whose identity they are trying to confirm. They know who flew the plane when it went missing, but they must confirm that it is that person. It is a woman.”
Mom added a new thought, “You know, it’s ironic. Charlotte did die in a plane crash many years later. She continued to fly recreationally after the war. When I went to Maryland to see if there was any record of her time at Grumman, I found these letters in the house where Charlotte spent her last years.”
Students and young adults of all ages will enjoy The Mystery Of The Lost Avenger. Although a series each book is unique and stands alone with no need to read in a particular sequence.
I endorse The Mystery Of The Lost Avenger and all the books in the Annie Tillery Mysteries by Linda Maria Frank. I purchased this book from Kindle. The review was completed on June 24, 2016.
************
Extra Amazon Customer Reviews:
A timely and cautionary tale about the sad effects of alcoholism and drug addiction is nicely woven.The Mystery of the Lost Avenger is a well-paced murder mystery which keeps your attention throughout. It is laced with historical references and modern scientific knowledge used in forensics today. The women characters are portrayed as strong and important individuals, and even the ghost is impressive! A timely and cautionary tale about the sad effects of alcoholism and drug addiction is nicely woven in. Add a touch of romance between the two young adult protagonists and you have a well-rounded and entertaining story.By Adrienne A. Drake on August 27, 2017Format: Paperback
************
This Book Grabs You Right to the End.The Mystery of the Lost Avenger is a page-turning mystery/ghost story with elements of women's history and the dynamic pair of Annie Tillery and Tyler Egan. The story goes back and forth between the present and WWII's 1943 as the team investigates an Avenger fighter bomber that crashed in 1943, was found in the present, and traced to Annie's family through a note left in the plane by Annie's great grandmother.Solving the mystery of why the plane crashed takes Annie, Ty, and Annie's mother, Carol, back to great grandmother, Charlotte's, world of wartime plane production and sabotage.I enjoyed the mixture of mystery, history, forensic science and romance that made me rush from the end of one chapter to the next. Only self-control kept me from peeking into the end of the book to see what happened.This page-turner is a perfect example of a book that one you pick it up, you can't put it down. I'm hooked on Annie and Ty and will try the other three Annie Tillery mysteries.By Jack Bilello on February 21, 2018Format: Kindle Edition
************
Intrigue and History
A note inside a plane, a stack of letters and a Latin Dictionary discovered in an attic make for the underpinnings of this suspenseful teen novel. Interesting facts and flying lore give the narrative an authentic feel. The spy/mystery element of the story is well rounded, told in the alternating voices of Charlotte and her Aunt Annie, putting the reader there and heightening the reading experience.By Reba on September 9, 2016Format: Kindle Edition
************
Well told mystery story.Annie Tillery is the "millennial’s Nancy Drew". The author has a way of making sure her mysteries have a personal feel.The stories are well paced. The target audience are tweens and teens but adults who love mysteries will also enjoy this series.By Trish on January 7, 2018Format: Kindle Edition
************
Genre: Teen, Young Adult, Action, Adventure, Children's
Amazon Reviews
https://www.amazon.com/Mystery-Avenger-Linda-Maria-Frank-ebook/dp/B0794TWW5Y/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=#customerReviews
Amazon Printhttps://www.amazon.com/Mystery-Avenger-Linda-Maria-Frank/dp/1480831697/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Mystery-Avenger-Linda-Maria-Frank-ebook/dp/B0794TWW5Y/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Audio Book
https://www.amazon.com/Mystery-Lost-Avenger/dp/B01MXFAMGR/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
************************
Secrets In The Fairy Chimneys (Book Three) - by Linda Maria Frank
Amateur sleuth Annie Tillery has been warned to stay away from Nevshehir, Turkey, where she is heading to meet her boyfriend, Ty Egan, and Cedric Zeeks, Ty’s best friend. Intent on helping the two excavate an archeological site where they hope to link human remains to the first African ancestors, Annie does her best to shakes her foreboding feelings as her plane lands in Istanbul and she prepares to embark on her next adventure.
But when a stranger claims he is there to pick her up and then disappears once he sees Ty, Annie is immediately thrown back into worry mode—especially after Ty tells her there is unexplained tension surrounding the dig and she receives a threatening note at the hotel. Still, as the three head to Nevshehir, Annie is buoyed by the excitement surrounding ancient Turkey and the possibility of uncovering secrets. The dig is plagued by accidents and theft, however, and the three friends, assisted by the head archeologist’s twins, must search the ancient city of Istanbul and the caves of fantastic Cappadocia to find who is sabotaging their work.
In this young adult thriller, detective Annie Tillery must once again walk on a dangerous path in an attempt to unravel a complicated mystery and solve the secrets in the fairy chimneys.
Cold Coffee Review: Annie Tillery Mysterys book three ‘Secrets In The Fairy Chimneys’ can be summed up as Indiana Jones meets Nancy Drew with the skills and precision of CSI. A mystery unfolds amidst a mix of ancient history and modern innovation, in an ageless Eastern country where time moves at a camel’s pace.
Dedicated research by author Linda Maria Frank leaves no stone unturned while great description text transports the reader to the streets of Turkey with it mosques and minarets, towers and modern buildings. One of my favorite quotes from the book is “Water droplets plunked into the pool from the vaulted ceiling. After the heat of the bazaar and the street chase, it was deliciously cool. Ornate columns with carved capitals supported the ceiling. The bases were decorated with animal and human figures. There were a few visitors, but the enormity of the space muffled their conversations.”
Strong characters with great dialog brings us to dusty archeological site in one of the oldest towns in human history called Catalhoyuk. Nothing can explain it better than this quote: “We were in a valley of shapes I couldn’t believe were not made by humans, humans with a fabulous imagination. Conical formations called fairy chimneys in various sizes spread away from us in every direction. The color of bleached bones, they sat majestically among the gray-green brush and white claylike soil. The air shimmered from the heat. I could smell the odor of clay mixed with a faint herbal scent that must have come from the brush.”
Cosponsors from Vermont University are looking for a DNA connection between residents of Catalhoyuk and our original nomadic ancestors in Africa. Annie Tillery and her team go to work excavating this archeological site with all its inherit dangers and a mystery brings out the detective in Annie.
From the spell of an Ouija board to a magical balloon ride in the sky nothing is lost as this time and space makes all their senses come alive with amazing black and white graphics that bring the main characters to life.
Students and young adults of all ages will enjoy Annie Tillery Mysteries. Although a series each book is unique and stands alone with no need to read in a particular sequence.
I endorse ‘Secrets In The Fairy Chimneys’ and the Annie Tillery Mysteries by Linda Maria Frank. We received a PDF version of this book for review. Review completion date February 5, 2015.
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery
Amazon Customer Reviews
https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Fairy-Chimneys-Linda-Maria-ebook/dp/B0793SYPKW/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=#customerReviews
Amazon Print
https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Fairy-Chimneys-Linda-Frank/dp/1480805572/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Fairy-Chimneys-Linda-Maria-ebook/dp/B0793SYPKW/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Audio Book
https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-in-the-Fairy-Chimneys/dp/B00NIYBU0Y/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
************************  Girl With Pencil, Drawing (Book Two) – by Linda Maria Frank
Seventeen-year-old amateur detective Annie Tillery is at it again.
After she wins a series of art lessons at a prestigious art gallery, Annie shows up for her first lesson to find her instructor, Francesca Gabrielli, in a volatile argument with John DiCristiani, the art gallery's director. He is demanding that she illegally copy art masterpieces. Unwittingly, Annie is about to be drawn into the illicit, treacherous, and unpredictable world of art forgery. When DiCristiani is found murdered in cold blood, Francesca becomes the prime suspect.
She calls upon Annie to help solve the crime along with her NYPD detective aunt, Jill Tillery. They must brave the dangers of an international art fraud ring in an attempt to clear Francesca's name. They discover that the key to solving the case revolves around a mysterious brownstone in Brooklyn whose inhabitants present tantalizing and elusive clues. As Annie and company attempt to stay one step ahead of DiCristiani's murderer, they escape one deadly trap after another. The stakes are high in the glamorous yet dangerous world of illegal art trafficking. Annie must solve the crime to save her life and that of her friends.
Cold Coffee Review: Annie Tillery Mysterys book two Girl with Pencil, Drawing is a spectacular read for students and young adults of all ages. Each book in the Annie Tiller Mystery Series is unique and stands alone with no need to read in a particular sequence.
The story line in ‘Girl with Pencil, Drawing’ by Author Linda Maria Frank draws the young reader into an adventure where young Annie Tillery goes for her first art lesson at a prestigious Art Gallery. With youthful exuberance and an eagerness to advance her drawing skills Annie arrives early. When she enters the studio, she overhears a heated argument between two people who turn out to be her Art Instructor Francesca Gabrielli and the Art Gallery Director John DiCristiani.
Annie’s empathy for others and her sleuth personally draws her into a murder mystery when John DiCristiani turns up dead and Francesca Gabrielli is the prime suspect, Annie enlists the help of her Aunt Jill who is a NYPD Detective to help clear her new-found friend and art mentor’s name.
With strong characters, flowing dialog and layers of mystery, soon everyone is caught up in a real who-dun-it that involves a long list of suspects and hidden clues. Twists and turns with all the dangers that come into play when an International Art Fraud has been perpetrated.
I invite you to go beyond this headline: “Manhattan Business-Man Found Slain in Chelsea. John DiCristiani, a wealthy business man, whose financial interests reached as far as Hong Kong and Istanbul, was found shot to death in his posh apartment overlooking the Hudson River. Mr. DiCristiani’s body was found by an employee from his Soho gallery. The police questioned the employee, Ms. Francesca Gabrielli, at headquarters, but subsequently released her. Police would only confide that the murder weapon was found at the scene and that all other leads were being investigated. Mr. DiCristiani is survived by a son, Mark, twenty-five, a law student at New York University.”
Learn the ins and out of the art world that include how scientists tests for authenticity in original paintings by world renown artist like Renoir and the lucrative forgeries that make this underworld as treacherous as any international mob association.
Follow the clues, wait for the DNA evidence and sift through the ashes left by an arsonist. Inspire a young reader to discover the innate detective skills of Annie Tillery who is fast becoming the next Nancy Drew. This series should be placed on our schools’ summer reading list.
I endorse ‘Girl with Pencil, Drawing’ and the Annie Tillery Mysteries by Linda Maria Frank. We received a PDF version of this book for review. Review completion date March 24, 2015.
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery
Amazon Customer Reviews
https://www.amazon.com/Pencil-Drawing-Linda-Maria-Frank-ebook/dp/B0792KLHLV/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=#customerReviews
Amazon Print
https://www.amazon.com/Pencil-Drawing-Linda-Maria-Frank/dp/1491711175/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Pencil-Drawing-Linda-Maria-Frank-ebook/dp/B0792KLHLV/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Audio Book
https://www.amazon.com/Girl-With-Pencil-Drawing/dp/B00DQ5C34M/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
************************
The Madonna Ghost (Book One) – by Linda Maria Frank
Seventeen-year-old Annie Tillery and her Aunt Jill set off for Long Island's Fire Island for a vacation of surf, sun, and sailing. Annie is happy to leave behind the stress of her relationship with her parents.
Aunt Jill, who is an NYPD detective, is mixing her vacation with a case she must keep secret from Annie, who is suspicious nevertheless. Annie finds romance and intrigue when she meets Ty Egan, the nephew of their host on the island. They find themselves in the middle of an eerie adventure when she and Ty investigate the tragic and perplexing story of a local ghost.
Annie becomes increasingly uneasy and the investigation turns sinister when Aunt Jill goes missing, the ghost appears, and the troublesome neighbors in the cottage next door become hostile. When they find one of Aunt Jill's special earrings on the neighbor's porch, they begin to wonder what she was doing there.
Will they find Aunt Jill before it's too late?
In the breathless conclusion to their investigation, Annie and Ty narrowly escape death solving the mystery of The Madonna Ghost.
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery
Amazon Customer Reviews
https://www.amazon.com/Madonna-Ghost-Linda-Maria-Frank-ebook/dp/B0792L6KHG/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=#customerReviews
Amazon Print
https://www.amazon.com/Madonna-Ghost-Annie-Tillery-Mystery/dp/1440190747/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Madonna-Ghost-Linda-Maria-Frank-ebook/dp/B0792L6KHG/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Audio Book
https://www.amazon.com/Madonna-Ghost-Annie-Tillery-Mystery/dp/B00C54C6W4/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
************************
Making A Mystery With Annie Tillery: The Madonna Ghost
(With Enhanced Interactive Material) - by Linda Maria Frank
In addition to the first Annie Tillery Mystery, this book contains an insight into how the author wrote the book. These are materials pertaining to writing style, character development and research, as well as ideas for additional activities such as lesson plans for teachers, and discussion questions. Follow the writer's journey toward producing a page-turning adventure with history, mystery and science. "The Madonna Ghost" which is the basis for this exploration into the writer's journey is described as follows. How lucky can you get? A vacation at a beach brings Annie Tillery a ghost story and a boyfriend. But what is the ghost hiding, and will Ty Egan and Annie Tillery discover the secrets of the Madonna Ghost, and the menacing neighbors who seem linked to her?
Amazon Print
https://www.amazon.com/Making-Mystery-Annie-Tillery-Madonna/dp/0998971405/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Making-Mystery-Annie-Tillery-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B07DD7T43W/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
************************ Cold Coffee Press Spotlight Interview With Author Linda Maria Frank
Bio for Author, Linda Maria Frank: With the introduction of the Annie Tillery Mysteries, Linda Maria Frank has been launching her career as author. Inspired by a childhood passion for Nancy Drew mysteries and the popular television series, CSI, she successfully married an appealing heroine (Annie Tillery) with gripping story plots to create a new fiction series. The Madonna Ghost, Girl with Pencil, Drawing and Secrets in the Fairy Chimneys and The Mystery of the Lost Avenger will have you turning pages, fascinated by the background stories and forensic science that make these books a must read for mystery fans.
Frank’s first love was teaching science, her assignments ranging from Middle School to graduate level courses at Hofstra and Adelphi Universities. It was the forensic science courses that gave her the story lines for her heroine, Annie, who is based on a composite of former students.
Frank also produces “The Writer’s Dream”, a local access TV show, interviewing authors about their craft.
Currently she belongs to Long Island Authors Group and Long Island Children’s Writers and Illustrators where she assists in creating school book fairs and other book events.
She lectures on Topics in Forensic Science, as well as doing workshops on Mystery Writing for 5th grade to high school.
Interview:
What makes you proud to be a writer from greater NYC? I learned that being a good storyteller was a good teaching technique. In my mystery series I have been able to weave some good tales using the history of my native Long Island, including not only historical facts but science as well. One reviewer claims that I can really “sneak in those facts”.
What or who inspired you to become a writer? I wanted to use my story telling skills in a way that could reach out to a broader audience.
When did you begin writing with the intention of becoming published?In 2009. The first two books were written when I took a writing course. I really didn’t know how to write a book, so I took a course in novel writing. My mentor said they were good, but it would take time to get them traditionally published. I put them aside. When self-publishing became a recognized entity, I decided to publish, picked a company, and in 2010 had my first published book.
What has been your most rewarding experience with your writing process? Doing book fairs and lectures where book purchasers seem excited to read the book, or who have read one and really want the next one.
How many published books do you have? Five
Please list the titles of all your books: The Madonna Ghost, Girl with Pencil, Drawing, Secrets in the Fairy Chimneys, The Mystery of the Lost Avenger, Making a Mystery with Annie Tillery: The Madonna Ghost.
Please introduce your main genre and why you prefer to write in that genre? Mystery. It’s exciting. I can use my expertise in forensic science. The genre lends itself to exciting setting. I like to set the stage for some hair-raising and thrilling passages. I especially like my main characters, Annie Tillery and Tyler Egan. It’s fun solving the mysteries through their personae.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not writing? My garden gives me great pleasure in the warmer months. In winter I enjoy cross country skiing.
What one positive piece of advice would you give to other authors? Learn to make the Internet you best friend and most useful tool for research, and for marketing ideas.
Who is your favorite author and why?  Steven King. He is a master at roping you into unlikely plots with his ability to create suspense and sympathetic characters.
Additional Questions or Information (Given by Author):As stated in my bio, I produce and mostly host a local access TV show, seen also on YouTube, The Writer’s Dream. I interview authors, and if you watch the show, you can glean some very good tips.
Book Awards: Young Adults/Teen: Linda Maria Frank, New York
https://wnbnetworkwest.com/WnbAuthorsShowTopFemale-results.html
Amazon Author’s Page
https://www.amazon.com/default/e/B004XD6AOK/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0?redirectedFromKindleDbs=true
Professional Website
http://www.lindamariafrank.com/
Professional Blog (newsletters)
http://lindamariafrank.com/my-blog/newsletters/
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/AnnieTilleryMysteries/
Twitter:@annietillery123
Google+:Linda Maria Frank
Producer Of The Writer’s Dream
http://http://www.youtube.com/user/lindamariafrank
Cold Coffee Press
http://www.coldcoffeepress.com/linda-maria-frank/Author Keys Program
http://www.coldcoffeepress.com

Figs, Vines and Roses - by Joy M. Lilley

Figs, Vines and Roses - by Joy M. Lilley
Joy M. Lilley’s first novel 'Figs, Vines and Roses' tells a moving tale of love and loss at the turn of the nineteenth century.
In 1888 eight-year-old Issy Merryweather has a comfortable family life in Cobnut Hall, Derby. Sharing carefree summers with her brother Clarence, beloved dog Molly and cherished grandma Ella, Issy enjoys the freedom of childhood innocence. But as she comes of age a move to Kent changes her life forever.
When Issy meets Terence she is enraptured by him and despite his humble background an inseparable bond is formed in secret. But, it’s a secret which Issy will never escape after a heartbreaking turn in events…
Genre: Love, Romance, Fiction, Family Saga
Amazon Special Customer Review: Exceptionally well written, about a family in the 1800s, exciting, charismatic, immaculate detailed informative story!!
This story is an exciting period story, set in the late 1800s about a well-off family, there is Agnes & Ralph, two rather stoic parents, their son Clarence, and their daughter Isabella (Issy). Most of this is Issy relating the story, which I found heart-warming and one part in particular when she was remembering specific games they played as children, made me smile as I too had played the same games as a child.
It is a kind of coming-of-age tale, exceedingly well written, full of historical information with splendid attention to detail throughout the book.
Colorful characters, and the insight into the differences between well-off children and poor children, how the parents did not want their children mixing with each other. The children sneaking to meet each other to enjoy playing and having fun together. Rich kids tended to be snooty and aloof, so Izzy and her brother preferred to play with the poor kids, who were much more fun, more mischievous too.
The author has written an excellent book, with such finesse and attention to detail, which is very impressive.
In keeping with those times, Agnes and Ralph are very religious, and after the birth of both children, Agnes feels that her duty is done, and sex is off the menu. This, of course, leads to clandestine meetings between Ralph and one of his employees named Rose. Here we get a bit of romance thrown in but it does appear in other parts when the children's grandmother recounts her youth and her romantic liaisons.
Issy is a very kind, caring and giving person, she likes to help others, it's just her nature, where her brother Clarence is more inclined to look out for himself, he likes to be number 1.
The story has a lot of twists, turns, and surprises. It grips you from the start, those who love historical things will love this, but those who do not will not be put off the story as it is expertly placed within the story so much so that everything is believable and realistic. You almost feel transported back in time.
Reviewed by Lilian Flesher on 24 April 2015

Verified Purchase: Format: Kindle: 5.0 out of 5 Stars
Amazon Review Link
https://www.amazon.com/Figs-Vines-Roses-Joy-Lilley-ebook/dp/B00HEM84G4/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8#customerReviews
Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Figs-Vines-Roses-Joy-Lilley-ebook/dp/B00HEM84G4/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

************************



The Liberty Bodice - by Joy M. Lilley
Gloria Harris is born in Market Harborough in the United Kingdom, in 1922. She spends the first few years of life living with her parents and grandfather. Her siblings, an older sister and twin brothers, also share the household. The relationship between Gloria and her mother is strained much of the time.
The early days of her life are spent in considerable poverty, so much so that Gloria and her sister are sent away to Northern Ireland to be with their aunt and uncle, who are more affluent than their parents, due to the improving circumstances for the farming community in Ireland. Her aunt and uncle have a smallholding and keep a few animals and poultry that provide them with eggs and milk: the land produces enough fresh vegetables for themselves and for sale at the local market. Gloria and her sister Ann are made to work hard during this time, helping out on the farm and with the household chores. Their aunt and uncle have no children and are not particularly kind to the girls. The sisters have to stay in Ireland much longer than they had been led to believe they would, and it is several years before they come home.
On their return to Market Harborough they discover that their brothers have both been in considerable trouble, one having made a girl pregnant and the other having stolen from his employer. Gloria realises that these circumstances were part of the reason why the girls had to stay away for so long.
At the age of sixteen Gloria is sent to France on a student exchange, where she stays in Nancy with the well-to-do family of Chantelle Valvoire, whom she befriends. Gloria has a penchant for languages and these talents are vastly enhanced during this period, when she speaks almost exclusively in French. She also loses her virginity to a dashing Frenchman and is terrified of pregnancy, but after she returns home, to her great relief, the putative pregnancy comes to an end. As a result of this experience she vows to have nothing more to do with men until she is older. This resolve soon weakens when she meets Geoffrey, a school teacher from London whom she encounters on the journey back from France. Once home, Gloria practices her love of languages in some form or another on most days, regularly enjoying conversing with her sister’s Dutch boyfriend, who helps and encourage her linguistic achievements. He teaches French and German at the school she attended.
The Second World War begins and Gloria does her bit for the war effort by working on the land after leaving school. But she is restless, anxious to play a much more active role in fighting for her country. After hearing an appeal from the Home Office for foreign language experts to work abroad, she finds out all she can about joining the Special Operations Executive (SOE). After some considerable time, she secures an interview to join what became known as ‘Churchill’s secret army: the S.O.E. Her family are horrified at what their youngest daughter is letting herself in for and try their best to dissuade her, unsuccessfully.
After going through the rigid and arduous training to become an S.O.E. officer, she is sent into occupied France, where she is involved in a number of successful missions. Eventually she is captured by the Gestapo and sent to Fresnes prison in Paris, then on to the notorious Dachau Concentration Camp. In both places she is treated appallingly, being starved and tortured, and to avoid the likelihood of her inevitable death, she hatches a plan of escape. After doing so she has many trials and tribulations, after which she finally meets the brave Résistance leader and accomplished navigator, Sabien. He acts as guide for Gloria and some other stragglers through war-torn France and helps them back to England. Her feelings for him gradually turn from hate to love and they marry on the journey home. Sabien is subsequently summoned to the Normandy beaches to do vital Resistance tasks, and they part company until sometime later, when all hell is let loose.
Genre: Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction, Contemporary Fiction
Amazon Print
https://www.amazon.com/Liberty-Bodice-Mrs-Joy-Lilley/dp/1983590460/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Kindlehttps://www.amazon.com/Liberty-Bodice-Joy-M-Lilley-ebook/dp/B07B1KVNBB/ref=mt_kindle?_encoding=UTF8&me=&qid=
************************


Cold Coffee Press Spotlight Interview With Author Joy M. Lilley
Author Bio: Hello, My name is Joy Gerken, pen name Joy M. Lilley.
I write/blog [joymlilley.blogspot.ca] and was a trained nurse, all my working life, until I retired in 2015.My first novel is 'Figs, Vines and Roses' a tale of love and loss at the turn of the nineteenth century.
My second novel is called 'The Liberty Bodice'. This is a completely different genre to the first novel and follows the trials and tribulations of a young girl working for the Special Operations Executive [S.O.E.] in W.W.2.
You can also find my short story 'Lost and Found' published in Liphar short stories Vol 1. [Liphar short stories} by Liphar magazine.
In 2016 my novella 'Times pendulum swings again' was published. This tells of a hospital romance that starts well, until the truth about the surgical registrar admitting to his nurse girlfriend that he is married with two sons back home in Nepal.
I am hoping to release my forth publication 'Strawberry moon' a crime, mystery set in the Dordogne, France.
Interview:
What makes you proud to be a writer? I am proud to write as it feeds my eternally active imagination.
What or who inspired you to become a writer? I joined a book reading club. This in turn encouraged my reading. Always wanting to write but having little opportunity previously because of an exhausting full-time job. Since retiring I now feel more fulfilled and happy.
When did you begin writing with the intention of becoming published?Following retirement from a long nursing career, I wrote avidly thus resulting in three published novels.
What has been your most rewarding experience with your writing and publishing process? Having been traditionally published by two publishing houses.
How many published books do you have? Three.
Please list the titles of all your books: Figs, Vines and Roses, The Liberty Bodice and Times Pendulum Swings Again.
Please introduce your main genre and why you prefer to write in that genre?I don’t have a preference and the three stories written are all in a different genre.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not writing? Being a part of a large family with Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren. Travelling and being a voice over artist.
What one positive piece of advice would you give to other authors?Never, ever give up. Listen to wise advice on what works and what doesn’t work in producing the written word.
Who is your favorite author and why? Several, I enjoy everything I have read from Rose Tremain. She writes in the same fashion as I see the world. I admire the works of Patrick Gale. He writes exquisitely from the heart and the books I have read of his have inspired me and of course, the lengthy works of John Steinbeck. I could not put his Grapes of Wrath down.
Additional Questions or Information (Given by Author): I am a retire trained nurse, having worked for almost 50 years in the profession. I love the life I now have with time to read and write. I also spend a considerable amount of my time doing voice over works and have V. O’D a few children's stories, some of which I have also written.
Amazon Author’s Page
https://www.amazon.com/default/e/B0093KKWGA/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1531581411&sr=1-2-ent&redirectedFromKindleDbs=true
Professional Website
http://www.joymlilley.wordpress.com
Professional Blog Linkshttp://www.Joymlilley.blogspot.ca
http://www.Joythewritersway.blogspot.com
http://www.joymlilley.com
Facebookhttp://www.facebook.com/joy.gerken.9
Twitter:@joygerken
Google+:Joygerken@google.com
Cold Coffee Press Author’s Page
http://www.coldcoffeepress.com/joy-m-lilley/
We read, review, endorse and promote books from every publisher.
http://www.coldcoffeepress.com

The Lost Years Of Billy Battles (Finding Billy Battles Trilogy Book 3) by Ronald E. Yates

The Lost Years Of Billy Battles
(Finding Billy Battles Trilogy Book 3) by Ronald E. Yates
Where in the world is Billy Battles?
As Book Three of the Finding Billy Battles trilogy begins we know where Billy is. He is in Chicago with his wife, the former Baroness Katharina von Schreiber living a sedate and comfortable life after years of adventure and tragedy. That changes with a single telephone call that yanks Billy and Katharina back into a life of havoc and peril.
Persuaded by a powerful old friend to go undercover for the U.S. government the two find themselves in Mexico during the height of the violent 1910-1920 revolution. There they encounter assorted German spies, Mexican revolutionaries, devious political operatives, and other malefactors. Caught in the middle of the 1914 American invasion of Veracruz, they must find a way out while keeping their real identities secret.
Later on, disaster strikes. It is a tragedy Billy is all too familiar with and one that will send him plummeting into a chasm of despair and agony. Then, Billy vanishes leaving family and friends to wonder what happened to him. Where is he? Is he dead or alive? What provoked his disappearance? In Book 3 of the Finding Billy Battles Trilogy, those questions are answered, and the mystery behind Billy’s disappearance is ultimately revealed.
Cold Coffee Review: Saying goodbye to an old friend is always hard and that is how I feel as the “Finding Billy Battles Trilogy” comes to a close with book three titled “The Lost Years of Billy Battles”.  The fictional Ted Sayles has done a remarkable job reading and producing this trilogy from more than a dozen journals written by his great grandfather Billy Battles. It is the historical significance woven skillfully within the element of fiction that makes this trilogy a must read for history buffs and fans of action and adventure novels.
After years of travel, relationships with foreign governments, wars of American making and wars forced upon us, not to mention the Chinese and Malay pirates; Billy and Katharina finally enjoy a few peaceful years where Billy is an editor for the Chicago Record-Herald and Katharina a successful author. It is inevitable that this serene period wouldn’t last forever. One phone call to go undercover will find them “caught in the middle of the 1914 American invasion of Veracruz”.
Just when danger subsides, I found myself holding my breath when the unthinkable happens. “Katharina wasn’t the one the five men were after. It was me. But when they couldn’t find me, they decided to take Katharina to use as bait. That was the first revelation. Next was who the men were. The man who had dragged Katharina out of the house was Mason Bledsoe, son of Nate Bledsoe, the man I had killed in 1889 on my family’s homestead in Western Kansas. When I heard the name, my knees buckled and my heart raced for a moment.” It was the ransom note that made Billy’s heart sink.
Of all the dangers Billy and Katharina had been exposed to in their life together, how will this one match up? When Billy is nowhere to be found, what reason will be uncovered? How will Billy Battle close the final chapter in his journal? Will Ted Sayles effort to canonize the legacy of his Great Grandfather Billy Battle live on for future generations?
There is no doubt in my mind that Author Ronald E. Yates’ extensive historical research, skilled character development and impeccable story telling has brought the reader to a successful conclusion in this thought provoking trilogy. I invite you to read the entire “Finding Billy Battles Trilogy” as it portrays, as much a glimpse into history, as it does into one man’s life.
I, Theodocia McLean, endorse The Lost Years Of Billy Battles (Finding Billy Battles Trilogy Book 3) by Ronald Yates as a final testimony to the life and times of Billy Battle. I purchased this book in Kindle format. This review was completed on June 26, 2018.
Genre: Historical Fiction, French, Action & Adventure
Amazon Reviews
https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Years-Billy-Battles-Finding-ebook/dp/B07DLLTZ7B/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1529611407&sr=1-1&dpID=51oIKhxbZeL&preST=_SY445_QL70_&dpSrc=srch#customerReviews
Amazon Print On Demand
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1545632812/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1529611663&sr=1-1
Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Years-Billy-Battles-Finding-ebook/dp/B07DLLTZ7B/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1529611663&sr=1-1&dpID=51oIKhxbZeL&preST=_SY445_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
************************
The Improbable Journeys of Billy Battles
(Finding Billy Battles Trilogy Book 2) by Ronald E. Yates

Billy Battles is definitely not in Kansas anymore.  
As Book 2 of the Finding Billy Battles trilogy opens, Billy is far from his Kansas roots and his improbable journeys are just starting. 
The year is 1894 and Billy is aboard the S S China sailing to the inscrutable Far East. Trouble is not far behind. He has met a mysterious and possibly dangerous German Baroness. He has locked horns with malevolent agents of the German government and battled ferocious Chinese and Malay pirates in the South China Sea. 
Later, he is embroiled in the bloody anti-French insurgency in Indochina–which quite possibly makes him the first American combatant in a country that eventually will become Vietnam. Then, in the Philippines, he is thrust into the Spanish-American War and the brutal anti-American insurgency that follows. But Billy’s troubles are only beginning. 
As the 19th century ends and the 20th century begins, he finds himself entangled with political opportunists, spies, revolutionaries, and an assortment of vindictive and dubious characters of both sexes. How will Billy handle those people and the challenges they present? The answers are just ahead.
One Special Book Review: You can't help but be intrigued and fascinated by the intrepid, larger-than-life protagonist in Ronald Yates' entertaining and thoughtful second book of his Finding Billy Battles trilogy. This time, you see how Billy's tumultuous life begins to impact him in middle age as he seeks his next adventures to distract him from past grief and guilt. Yates has an effective way of revealing interesting details of exotic places during historic periods--this time primarily in the Orient of the late 19th and early 20th centuries--while weaving in a fascinating tale of a man in perpetual motion. One can't help but find interesting parallels at Yates' deft hand between Billy's unrest and that of French Indochina and the Philippines during a time of conflict and pushback over European colonization. Ray Elliott, Author of, With the Silent Knowledge, Iwo Blasted Again, and Wild Hands Toward the Sky
Awards:
Three Pulitzer Prize nominations by the Chicago Tribune
The Peter Lisagor Award from the Society of Professional Journalists
The Inter-American Press Association Tom Wallace Award for coverage of South America
Three Edward Scott Beck Awards for international reporting.
Genre: historical fiction, action and adventure
Cold Coffee Review: The Improbable Journeys of Billy Battles is the sequel to Finding Billy Battles. I jumped right into this book without reading the first in this trilogy and found it to be a compelling story based on fact and expanded by narrative fiction.
Ted Sayles who is the great-grandson of Billy Battles inherits Billy’s journals and while writing this trilogy he stays very true to the language of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. While this book opens in 1894 with William (Billy) Battles heading for the Orient aboard the SS China it covers his time in the Far East, Latin America, and Europe.
It is aboard the SS China that Billy meets German Baroness Katharina von Schreiber. She is gorgeous and regal, far out of reach of a Kansas scribbler (journalist). Since you have probably read the book’s description I wrestle with what to share with you from this amazing story and journey that Billy Battles is about to embark on. So I have decided to quote this passage to whet your appetite. I quote:
“Katharina’s cabin was a bit larger than mine was, and like mine, its walls were covered with dark mahogany panels. In addition to the two overstuffed chairs and writing table, she also had a small dining table. That is where we settled, she on one side and me on the other.“I’m sorry, I have nothing to offer you to drink.” Then she paused, stood up, and walked to her wardrobe where she produced a tear-shaped bottle of Glenglassaugh single malt Scotch whiskey and two heavy cut crystal glasses. “Except for this.”She returned and placed the glasses on the table in front of us. “May I?” she asked, and then uncorking the bottle, she poured two fingers in each glass. “This was my late husband’s favorite.”I shuddered imperceptibly at that remark but pulled the glass toward me anyway. Images of Katharina pushing Baron von Schreiber over a cliff or poisoning him with arsenic-laced Wiener schnitzel flooded my mind.I forced those macabre thoughts out of my mind by focusing on the rich amber hue of the whiskey as I uneasily swirled the glass around and around in front of me.What was I doing? I found myself thinking. Why was I in Katharina Schreiber’s cabin about to drink expensive single malt Scotch whiskey with a woman who had just admitted she had killed, but not murdered, her husband?”
Murder, mystery, intrigue, people, places and events that were intended to divert Billy’s attention from his past soon gets him embroiled in Katharina’s past, with the German government, not to mention Chinese and Malay pirates. Later on he finds himself perhaps the first American to be involved in the Anti-French insurgency in Indochina which will later be called Vietnam and involve America. War will not end there as he is forced into the Spanish-American War while in the Philippines.
Just as life takes many unexpected turns for Billy Battles so will your desire to keep turning the pages of this book to find out what is it about Billy Battles that causes him to try to escape his past, endure his new reality and find measured peace as he heads into the twilight of his life.
I invite you to read The Improbable Journeys of Billy Battles as it is a journey worth your time. Be sure to read Finding Billy Battles (book one in this trilogy) while waiting for the author to write the final book in this amazing trilogy.
Author Ronald E. Yates life experience as a foreign correspondent for the Chicago Tribune in Japan, China, Southeast Asia, and Central and South America gives him the authority with which he writes. It is important to point out he won “three Pulitzer Prize nominations and several other awards, including the Peter Lisagor Award from the Society of Professional Journalists; The Inter-American Press Association Award for coverage of South America; and three Edward Scott Beck Awards for international reporting. He is a graduate of the William Allen White School of Journalism at the University of Kansas. He lives in Murrieta, California.”
I, Theodocia McLean, endorse The Improbable Journeys of Billy Battles (Trilogy Book Two) by Ronald E. Yates. Ronald E. Yates is the author of the Finding Billy Battles (book one in this trilogy) and The Kikkoman Chronicles: A Global Company with A Japanese Soul, Aboard The Tokyo Express: A Foreign Correspondent's Journey Through Japan as well as three journalism textbooks: The Journalist's Handbook, International Reporting and Foreign Correspondents, and Business and Financial Reporting in a global Economy. I purchased this book from Kindle. This review was completed on June 17, 2016.
Amazon Customer Reviews
https://www.amazon.com/Improbable-Journeys-Billy-Battles-Finding-ebook/dp/B01GWH0CDO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466175522&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Improbable+Journeys+of+Billy+Battles+%28Trilogy+Book+Two%29+by+Ronald+E.+Yates#customerReviews
Amazon Hard Cover Purchase Link
http://www.amazon.com/Improbable-Journeys-Billy-Battles-Finding/dp/1514490137/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&linkCode=ll1&tag=colcofpre-20&linkId=d4e6cb3278e6c2231e5d6a53b57cf2a2
Amazon Soft Cover Print Purchase Link
http://www.amazon.com/Improbable-Journeys-Billy-Battles/dp/1514490129/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=colcofpre-20&linkId=eec81999476219d72553985f929879b9
Kindle Purchase Link
https://www.amazon.com/Improbable-Journeys-Billy-Battles-Finding-ebook/dp/B01GKU3P28/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&linkCode=ll1&tag=colcofpre-20&linkId=4254fdc156200d43995d6021dbf86e2d
 

************************
Finding Billy Battles
(Finding Billy Battles Trilogy Book 1) by Ronald E. Yates

When a great-grandson inherits two aging trunks and a stack of meticulously detailed journals penned by his great-grandfather, he sets out to fulfill his great-grandfather's last request: to tell the story of an incredible life replete with adventure, violence, and tragedy. The great-grandfather's name is Billy Battles--a man often trapped and overwhelmed by circumstances beyond his control. 
For much of his 100-year-long life Billy is a man missing and largely unknown to his descendants. His great-grandson is about to change that. As he works his way through the aging journals and the other possessions he finds in the battered trunks he uncovers the truth about his mysterious great-grandfather--a man whose deeds and misdeeds propelled him on an extraordinary and perilous journey from the untamed American West to the inscrutable Far East, Latin America and Europe.
As he flips through the pages of the handwritten journals he learns of Billy's surprising connections to the Spanish-American War, French Indochina, and revolutions in Mexico and other Latin American countries. But most of all he learns that in finding Billy Battles he has also found a long lost and astonishing link to the past. 
One Special Book Review:
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Historical Fiction Amazon Verified Purchase Review
Most of my relatives are normal, boring people. They have interesting anecdotes and some cool experiences, but overall there is nothing that will make me sit back and listen to them for hours on end. Billy Battles is nothing like these people.
Apparently taken partially from a real-life person, this tale is told through the great grandson of Billy Battles reading through the personal journals of his life as a young man, exploring the world and discovering himself.
Having studied history, the research involved in this book is striking and very thorough. The language, the details, the people and cultures, are very true to life, and I have to take my hat off to Ronald Yates. Yet the book doesn’t just rest on being factual. Through the journals, I got a very close look at Billy, and the people he met, which humanized several actual historical characters, without taking any undue liberties to make them fit a certain mold.
I read this book in a day and half the night, and I don’t regret the lost sleep. 
Reviewed by Dan Clarke
Genre: historical fiction, action and adventure
Amazon Customer Reviews
http://www.amazon.com/Finding-Billy-Battles-Transgression-Redemption/dp/1493130315/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Amazon Hard Cover Purchase Link
http://www.amazon.com/Finding-Billy-Battles-Transgression-Redemption/dp/1493130315/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&linkCode=ll1&tag=colcofpre-20&linkId=29958d6621107063ca8c4310fef7436f
Amazon Soft Cover Print Purchase Link
http://www.amazon.com/Finding-Billy-Battles-Transgression-Redemption/dp/1494854449/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=&ref_=tmm_pap_swatch_0&sr=&linkCode=ll1&tag=colcofpre-20&linkId=b49847f8a47318032c8b66d565ebdbf6
Kindle Purchase Link
https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Billy-Battles-Transgression-Redemption-ebook/dp/B01LBTOMYS/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

************************
Enjoy The Trilogy Kindle Gift SetFinding Billy Battles (Finding Billy Battles Trilogy Book 1) by Ronald E. YatesThe Improbable Journeys of Billy Battles (Finding Billy Battles Trilogy Book 2) by Ronald E. YatesThe Lost Years Of Billy Battles (Finding Billy Battles Trilogy Book 3) by Ronald Yates Kindle
************************
The Kikkoman Chronicles by Ronald E. Yates
Combining ancient craftsmanship with modern technology and marketing innovations, Japan's Kikkoman Corporation has quietly become a $2 billion market leader. This book tells the fascinating story of how Kikkoman changed the course of international marketing, shrewdly adapting to 20th-century realities while never turning its back on centuries of tradition.

Genre: Business, Marketing,  

Amazon Hard Cover Print Purchase Linkhttp://www.amazon.com/Kikkoman-Chronicles-Global-Company-Japanese/dp/0071347364/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=colcofpre-20&linkId=023c21f75695afa335c6965dbb2687f4

************************
  Cold Coffee Press Spotlight Interview With Author Ronald E. Yates
Ronald E. Yates is an award-winning author of historical fiction and action/adventure novels, including the popular and highly-acclaimed Finding Billy Battles trilogy. His extraordinarily accurate books have captivated fans around the world who applaud his ability to blend fact and fiction.

Ron is a former foreign correspondent for the Chicago Tribune and Professor Emeritus of Journalism at the University of Illinois where he was also the Dean of the College of Media.

His award-winning book, "The Improbable Journeys of Billy Battles," is the second in his Finding Billy Battles trilogy of novels and was published in June 2016. The first book in the trilogy, "Finding Billy Battles," was published in 2014. His latest book is entitled The Lost Years of Billy Battles. It is book #3 of the trilogy and will be released in May 2018.

Ron has been a presenting author at the Kansas Book Festival and the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, among other venues. He is also the author of The Kikkoman Chronicles: A Global Company with A Japanese Soul, published by McGraw-Hill. Other books include Aboard the Tokyo Express: A Foreign Correspondent's Journey through Japan, a collection of columns translated into Japanese, as well as three journalism textbooks: The Journalist's Handbook, International Reporting and Foreign Correspondents, and Business and Financial Reporting in a Global Economy.

Before leaving the world of professional journalism where he toiled 27 years, Ron lived and worked in Japan, Southeast Asia, and both Central and South America where he covered several history-making events including the fall of South Vietnam and Cambodia; the Tiananmen Square massacre in Beijing; and wars and revolutions in Afghanistan, the Philippines, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala, among other places.

His work as a war correspondent resulted in several awards, including the Inter-American Press Association's Tom Wallace Award for coverage of Central and South America; the Peter Lisagor Award from the Society of Professional Journalists; three Edward Scott Beck Awards for International Reporting, and three Pulitzer nominations.

Ron is a proud graduate of the William Allen White School of Journalism at the University of Kansas and a veteran of the U.S. Army where he served in the Army Security Agency.  

Interview:  

What makes you proud to be a writer from Kansas? I grew up in Kansas and graduated from the University of Kansas. I set the first book of my Finding Billy Battles trilogy in Kansas—a state steeped in old west history, where the “buffalo roam and the sky is not cloudy all day.”  

What or who inspired you to become a writer? When I was in the fifth or sixth grade I had a teacher (Mrs. Gooch) who encouraged me to write. She insisted I had the gift of the storyteller. My mother also bought me books and took me often to the library--a place that I found magical and magnetic. She often read to me and I could "see" the story unfolding before me. When I could read myself, I began to devour everything I could get my hands on. Reading took me places I could not, as a boy, otherwise go. As I used to tell my journalism students at the University of Illinois, if you want to write well, read well.  

Did your environment or upbringing play a major role in your writing and did you use it to your advantage? I certainly used my upbringing on a Kansas farm to my advantage in Book 1 of my trilogy. I used to listen to my relatives talk—they used some wonderful Kansas vernacular that I have incorporated in my books. I also have used the Kansas terrain and environment in Book 1.  

When did you begin writing with the intention of becoming published? Of course, as a journalist, I wrote thousands of stories from all over the world and reached an audience of millions. I wrote magazine stories, editorials, opinion pieces and news stories. So, I guess that means I was published some 30 years ago. I did a corporate profile of the Japanese company, Kikkoman in 1998. That book (The Kikkoman Chronicles) was published by McGraw-Hill. I also wrote three journalism textbooks in the late 1990s and early 2000s. My trilogy of novels (Finding Billy Battles) had been bubbling up inside me since the late 1990s. When I left the University of Illinois and moved to southern California I suddenly had time to devote to putting the trilogy together.  

What has been your most rewarding experience with your writing process? Writing, whether fiction or non-fiction is storytelling. I love telling stories. The difference with fiction is that I am not limited only by facts. I can take the story and my characters anywhere I want to and in so doing, I can take readers with me on those journeys. However, the books in this series rely heavily on real events and are, therefore, meticulously researched.  

What has been your most rewarding experience in your publishing journey? I have enjoyed meeting readers at book festivals and fairs and talking to them about writing, a subject I taught at the University of Illinois. Reaching a broad array of readers, connecting with other published authors, and listening to people comment and critique my work has been very rewarding also. As a writer you should never stop listening or learning.  

How many published books do you have? Currently, I have eight published books, three of which are journalism textbooks, two are fiction and one is non-fiction. I also have published a book of my translated newspaper and magazine columns in Japan.  

Please list the titles of all your books: Finding Billy Battles: An Account of Peril, Transgression and RedemptionThe Improbable Journeys of Billy Battles (Finding Billy Battles Trilogy Book 2) The Lost Years Of Billy Battles (Finding Billy Battles Trilogy Book 1)The Kikkoman ChroniclesThe Reporter’s HandbookInternational Reporting and Foreign CorrespondentsBusiness & Financial Reporting in a Global EconomyAboard the Tokyo Express (a collection of columns translated into Japanese)  

Do you come up with your title(s) before or after you write the manuscript? In almost every case, the titles simmer and stew while I am writing the book. Then, when I am almost finished, I usually “see” the title.  

Please introduce your genre and why you prefer to write in that genre? The books of the Finding Billy Battles trilogy belong to a couple of genres. The most dominant one is probably historical fiction, but both contain action and adventure. I love recreating the past for my readers—either through descriptive scenes or via language. The trilogy begins in the 19th century when our language, the vernacular, and expressions used were quite different from the English we use today. Being true to the language of the time is just as important in creating an authentic setting of a book or story as the architecture, technology or modes of transportation. Taking your readers on a journey to the past with your characters is one of the great joys of storytelling.  

What was your inspiration, spark or light bulb moment that inspired you to write the book (one book) that you are seeking promotion for? Because my second book is part of a trilogy, I would have to say I got the idea for this story a long time ago when I was interviewing a 98-year-old Spanish-American War veteran on the veranda of the Wadsworth Old Soldiers home in Leavenworth, Kansas. I was a summer intern from the University of Kansas working for the Kansas City Star and I was given the assignment to talk to this man. He regaled me with some of the most amazing stories I had ever heard about his time in the Philippines as part of the 20th Kansas Volunteer infantry. I never forgot that interview and, if you read Book 1 of the trilogy, you can see how I used that experience to get my trilogy started.  

What one positive piece of advice would you give to other authors? Try to write as much as you can from your own experiences. They are real and uncontrived and if you incorporate those experiences in your fiction, your work will have a truthful ring to it. Beyond that, KEEP AT IT! Don't let anybody (editors, agents, etc.) discourage you. At the same time, be willing to accept constructive criticism from those who have experience as authors, editors, agents, etc. Notice I said CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. Some people criticize just to be criticizing--or to be malicious. You must believe in yourself, your work, your vision, and your story. If you don't, who will?  

Who is your favorite author and why? It is really difficult to point to just one favorite author. As a journalist, I really liked Hemingway. I also really enjoyed Evelyn Waugh. So those two are at the top, as is John Steinbeck, Mark Twain.  

Additional Q and A’s provided by Ron Yates: What do you think makes a good story? A good story needs a strong plot and even stronger characters. Otherwise, it falls flat. The writer needs to be above all, a good storyteller. If you build a good story, THEY WILL COME, to paraphrase “Field of Dreams.” Make readers care about your protagonist. Make readers empathize, cry, and laugh with them. At the same time, keep them off balance. Don't be predictable and don't be afraid to do terrible things to your favorite characters. Have you ever known anybody who has sailed through life without some turmoil, some pain, some suffering? I haven't.  

If your book became a movie, who would be your first choice to play the lead roles? Clint Eastwood as the elderly Billy Battles; Clive Owen as the middle-aged Billy Battles and Ashton Kutcher as the young Billy Battles. I would pick Saffron Burrows for Billy's first love, Mallie McNab and Famke Janssen for the widow Katharina Schreiber who Billy meets on the boat to the Far East. (Why these choices? These folks are all tall, like me. Billy is 6'3" and Mallie is about 5'10," as is the statuesque widow Schreiber).  

Do any of your characters have qualities/characteristics that are similar to yourself? I think Billy Battles and I are a lot alike. I mean, aren't most novels a bit autobiographical? He is a restless sort. He enjoys traveling, going to new places and experiencing new things. Like Billy, I couldn't wait to get away from Kansas (though I love the place dearly). And, like Billy, I am a happy wanderer. How else could I have survived and thrived as a foreign correspondent for 25 years? We are both journalists. At the same time, he is a dependable guy who is loyal to his friends and to those he chooses to keep close to him. Above all, Billy respects two traits in people: Honesty and Kindness. We are alike in that way.  

How do you develop your plots and your characters? Do you use any set formula? I write from the seat of my pants. I don't outline my books and I don't write down plot scenarios. I just start writing and see where the story and my characters lead me. It's a lot like life itself. We may have a goal in mind, but the route to it is often strewn with obstacles, surprises, and sometimes tragedy. I usually write 3,000 or 4,000 words a day and I edit as I go. In other words, I may write a few paragraphs and then rewrite them within a few minutes of creating them. I don't really write what I would call a “First Draft.” When I finish writing a book it is finished. I may go back and make a few tweaks with the plot here and there or alter a little dialogue or some action by a character, but there is no second or third draft. I know some authors who will write a first draft and put it away for weeks or months and then go back and look at it with fresh eyes. Alternatively, they may send it out to professional "beta readers" or "critiquers." Those strategies may work for some people. They don't work for me. I guess it's my journalistic training: see it, report it, organize it, write it and then move on to the next story.  

If your publisher offered to fly you anywhere in the world to do research on an upcoming book, where would you most likely want to go? Back to Vietnam, Cambodia and The Philippines--three countries I worked in as correspondent in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, and three countries where Billy Battles is going to wind up living during the 1890s. While I know a lot about those places, having lived and worked in them, I would love to dig deeper into their colonial periods and learn more about life during that era.  

Is being a writer a curse or a gift? It is a wonderful gift if you allow the process to come to you and don't force it. However, don't let anybody tell you it is not damned hard work. It is. The joy of writing for me is telling a good story. I don't care about imparting a "message." Nor do I care about creating any hidden "meanings" that some literature professor will hold forth about in a writing class when I am no longer around to rebut him/her. I just want to tell a good story. That, to me, is the ultimate goal of writing. The curse is that writing can take over your life, isolate you from family and friends, and turn you into a kind of sophistic recluse if you are not careful. Writers need to take breaks from working. If they don't I believe they run the risk of becoming stale, self-absorbed, and misanthropic.  

What challenges have you had in regards to your writing life? When I was a working journalist for the Chicago Tribune and then a Dean and Professor of journalism at the University of Illinois, I could never find large enough blocks of time to write consistently. Writing requires HUGE amounts of time and long periods of seclusion--things most of us don't have. Therefore, time to write was always my greatest challenge. Now that I am no longer administering a college, teaching or working full-time as a journalist I am blessed to have a lot more time to write than I ever thought I would have.  

When did you first start and when did you finish your book? I started the first book in the Finding Billy Battles trilogy in 2010, but I wasn't consistent in working on it. I really buckled down in the spring of 2013 and probably wrote 60% of it in about five months. I started Book #2 in the trilogy in December 2014 and finished in May 2016. What does your protagonist think of you? 

Would he/she want to hang out with you? I think Billy Battles and I would be good friends. We are both journalists and we both like going to new places and experiencing new challenges. In addition, we both enjoy a good cold beer after a long hard day.  

How do you market your book? What avenues work best? I am still learning how to use the vast universe of social media to market my book. In addition to Amazon and Barnes & Noble, of course, my book is on Goodreads, Smashwords, Google Books, Createspace, NetGalley, Independent Book Publishers Association, as well as the Historical Novel Society, my blog, my author page on Facebook and http://www.ronaldyatesbooks.com/  

What has been the toughest criticism of your book so far? Most of the critical comments have been minor. A few people found the 19th Century Kansas vernacular my characters use in Book #1 an annoyance. Book #2 has very little of that because Billy Battles is now in Asia and Europe. A handful of people said they didn't like the fact that the book is part of a trilogy because now they have to wait for Book #2. I like THAT kind of criticism.  

What has been the best compliment? There have been several, but I will list just four here. You can find these and other reviews on the book's Amazon page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001KHDVZI/-/e/B00KQAYMA8/ "This is easily the best work of fiction I have read in some time." "There is something about this book that is almost impossible to explain, but it takes it from being a *good* book to a GREAT one." "Move over Elmore Leonard and Pete Dexter--there's a new deputy sheriff in town." "Ever have a book that takes over your days and nights - that's what Finding Billy Battles did for me."  

Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination? That's tricky. I call my work "Faction," because it is both fact and fiction. Some of the events in the book--especially those dealing with real people, did happen. Was my character directly involved in them? No. However, members of my family were native Kansans and some of the experiences I write about did happen. Of course, I have woven some of my own experiences into the story line also.  

What was the scariest moment of your life? There have been several. One was during the evacuation of Saigon in 1975. The last day was chaos incarnate. Russian made 122mm rockets were slamming into buildings, 130mm mortars were hitting Tan Son Nhut airport, and the U.S. Embassy was surrounded by frantic South Vietnamese desperate to get out of the country because they had worked for the American military or some U.S. agency. The city was in full panic mode. Several of us made our way to the sprawling Defense Attaché Office building at Tan Son Nhut and we were finally evacuated by a U.S. Marine CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopter. It was a relief until the door gunner told me later aboard the U.S.S. Okinawa that the pilot apparently had to drop a flare to misdirect a SAM-7 (surface to air missile). Another was during the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre when several Chinese students and I were pinned down near the square for 30 minutes or so by Chinese soldiers shooting in our direction. Several students near me were wounded and we were helping them get to a doctor's house nearby so he could treat them. I was convinced I was going to wind up dead in the square. Then suddenly the shooting stopped and I was able to get my Red and White bicycle that I had chained to a lamppost and peddle like crazy for the Jinhua Hotel where I was staying and from where I was filing my stories to the Tribune. Yet another memorable moment was during the revolution in El Salvador when two German correspondents and I were stopped in our car near the town of Suchitoto by Communist guerillas. They put cloth bags put over our heads and forced us to kneel alongside the road. We were sure we were going to be executed. However, suddenly the "jefe" (leader) showed up and set us free. "Don't kill journalists--unless they are armed," he yelled at his troops. I was greatly relieved that I had left the Model 1911 Colt.45 pistol I had purchased a few days earlier back in the hotel in San Salvador. I believe it is still there. Ahhh yes, the life of a foreign correspondent...never a dull moment. Nevertheless, I still believe I had the best job in the world and I wouldn't trade my career for anything.  

What books have most influenced your life? Scoop, by Evelyn Waugh; The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck; The Quiet American, Graham Greene; The Jewel in the Crown, Paul Scott; Kim, Rudyard Kipling; Huckleberry Finn, Samuel Clemons (Mark Twain); A Passage to India, E.M. Forster; Sister Carrie, Theodore Dreiser; The Naked and the Dead, Norman Mailer.  

What do you do to unwind and relax? What else? I read. I find reading a good book helps me escape from my own writing, which I need to do on occasion.  

What is your favorite line from a book? I have a couple and they are both from Evelyn Waugh: “Feather-footed through the plashy fen passes the questing vole." It is a line from Waugh's book Scoop written by nature writer William Boot for the London Daily Beast just before he is mistaken for a famous foreign correspondent and sent off to the fictional African country of Ishmaelia to cover a war. AND from Waugh's book, Vile Bodies comes this great line: “I know very few young people, but it seems to me that they are all possessed with an almost fatal hunger for permanence.”

If it were mandatory for everyone to read three books, what books would you suggest? Huckleberry Finn; Grapes of Wrath; Sister Carrie. Not only are these classics, they are wonderful stories about the human spirit, its resiliency and strength, and its deficiencies and weaknesses.

Amazon Author’s Pagehttp://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001KHDVZI/-/e/B00KQAYMA8/  

Professional Websitehttp://ronaldyatesbooks.com/  

Professional Bloghttp://ronaldyatesbooks.com/category/foreign-correspondent/  

Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/Ronald-E-Yates-Books-688075584557417/  

Twitterhttps://twitter.com/jhawker69  

Google+https://plus.google.com/u/0/+RonYates/about?cfem=1  

Cold Coffee Presshttp://www.coldcoffeepress.com/ronald-e-yates/  

We read, review, endorse and promote books from every publisher.http://www.coldcoffeepress.com

Dead To Writes (Laura & Gerry Mystery Book 7) by Karen Vaughan

 
Natalie Fisher committed suicide after an author stole her work and published it as her own. Two years later, her best friend Terri is found dead in her hotel room. Are the two deaths connected? Laura Fitz and Detective Gibbons are on the case to trap a ruthless author trying to get away with murder!  

Cold Coffee Review: Whether you have been following the Laura & Gerry Mystery series, or you are jumping into book seven in the series like myself, you will enjoy the read.

Sit back in your favorite beach chair, relax with lemonade in hand, and follow Laura Fitz and Detective Gibbons as they try to unravel the mystery of why Terri Carter is the second author to die. Best not to drink wine and eat dark chocolate while reading this very active, short, easy to read, suspenseful mystery. Keep reading and you will learn why….

Chapter one opens in November 2015 with Natalie Fisher frantically searching for her flash drive which holds her finished manuscript. If data has ever gone missing on your PC, you can relate to her dilemma. For an author who has just invested their life into a manuscript, traumatic is an understatement. This is the beginning of more than one mystery that will keep you turning the page.

Question remains, is theft of a manuscript worth committing suicide over?

With a full cast of well-developed characters that could live in a home town near you, each with their part to play in this believable story line that could end up on the TV show ID Discovery.

Laura’s eccentric neighbor Myrna might hold an important key in the case. Human emotions run deep surrounding envy, thief, suicide, sabotage, revenge and possible plausible deniability.

I invite you to join Detective Gibbons at the Convention Centre for the Writers' Symposium. He is there to talk to the authors and follow through on some alibis. This will be a challenge as the authors are still in shock over “Such a brilliant candle in the literary world snuffed way too soon!”

I, Theodocia Mclean, endorse Dead To Writes (Laura & Gerry Mystery Book 7) by Karen Vaughan. I invite you the pick up the whole Laura & Gerry Mystery series for you reading enjoyment. I purchased this book in Kindle. This review was completed on June 23, 2018.

Genre: Mystery Thriller, Suspense  

Amazon Customer Reviewshttps://www.amazon.com/Dead-Writes-Laura-Gerry-Mystery-ebook/dp/B07CJNG5P4/ref=la_B004PRN7ZO_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1529425042&sr=1-6#customerReviews  

Amazon Printhttps://www.amazon.com/Dead-Writes-Laura-Gerry-Mystery/dp/1717244823/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1529425042&sr=1-6  

Kindlehttps://www.amazon.com/Dead-Writes-Laura-Gerry-Mystery-ebook/dp/B07CJNG5P4/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1529425042&sr=1-6

************************
 
Things are really starting to heat up in the Fitz family. Gerry’s cousin and best buddy is left for dead after a beating. When the thugs responsible find out he didn’t die, the game is on to keep Pete safe until he has to testify. After finding a body on a mountain trail in cottage country Laura helps a local police officer solve the crime while waiting for the birth of her first baby.

Genre: Mystery Thriller, Suspense  

Amazon Customer Reviewshttps://www.amazon.com/LEFT-DEAD-LAURA-GERRY-MYSTERIES-ebook/dp/B01ELZA2JS/ref=la_B004PRN7ZO_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1529426956&sr=1-4#customerReviews  

Kindlehttps://www.amazon.com/LEFT-DEAD-LAURA-GERRY-MYSTERIES-ebook/dp/B01ELZA2JS/ref=la_B004PRN7ZO_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1529426956&sr=1-4
************************
 
After Graduating from the Crime scene investigator course, Laura and Gerry escape for some quality time in Jamaica. As usual, things are not going according to Hoyle for Cookie the corpse magnet as another murder takes place. The victim was obnoxious and not widely admired by his fellow vacationers but what did Donovan Mitchell do to deserve death?

Genre: Mystery Thriller, Suspense  

Amazon Customer Reviewshttps://www.amazon.com/JAMAICA-DEAD-LAURA-GERRY-Book-ebook/dp/B0110L1HWM/ref=la_B004PRN7ZO_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1529427129&sr=1-3#customerReviews  

Kindlehttps://www.amazon.com/JAMAICA-DEAD-LAURA-GERRY-Book-ebook/dp/B0110L1HWM/ref=la_B004PRN7ZO_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1529427129&sr=1-3
************************
 
Laura and Gerry are at it again: They're trying to stay ahead of a swinging killer with a deadly aim. Laura also does battle with a bitchy tenant and a lecherous school janitor. When a body falls out of the sky and lands in a dumpster the case adds up to murder.

Genre: Mystery Thriller, Suspense  

Amazon Customer Reviewshttps://www.amazon.com/Dead-Dont-Swing-Laura-Gerry/dp/1546399038/ref=la_B004PRN7ZO_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1529426505&sr=1-7#customerReviews  

Amazon Printhttps://www.amazon.com/Dead-Dont-Swing-Laura-Gerry/dp/1546399038/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1529426505&sr=1-7  

Kindlehttps://www.amazon.com/Dead-Dont-Swing-Laura-Gerry-ebook/dp/B072DZCB2D/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1529426505&sr=1-7

************************
 

The honeymoon of Laura and Gerry Fitz is off to a fast-paced yet deadly start when they arrive in Florida. There is a maniac behind the wheel who needs to win at all costs. When he wins, life is great but when he loses he is Driven To Kill! The first victim off the starting line is Laura's ex-husband Lou, and she is taking it personally. Mix in a creepy cop and some unexpected surprises and you have a race for your life. Who will win and who will wipe out?...

Genre: Mystery Thriller, Suspense  

Amazon Customer Reviewshttps://www.amazon.com/DAYTONA-DEAD-LAURA-GERRY-MYSTERIES-ebook/dp/B07D918NX7/ref=la_B004PRN7ZO_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1529425605&sr=1-9#customerReviews  

Amazon Printhttps://www.amazon.com/Daytona-Dead-Karen-H-Vaughan/dp/1460211340/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1529425605&sr=1-9  

Kindlehttps://www.amazon.com/DAYTONA-DEAD-LAURA-GERRY-MYSTERIES-ebook/dp/B07D918NX7/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1529425605&sr=1-9

************************    
Take one beautiful vindictive woman.... she’s 1-part bimbo and 2 parts lethal gangsta- gun moll.Watch her try and hold onto her 84-year-old husband by having his octogenarian paramour knocked off. Sometimes greed and jealousy lead to the last resort ......Murder!! Laura, Gerry and Gibbons try to stop her from also killing her husband, without getting themselves knocked off in the process!...

Genre: Mystery Thriller, Suspense  

Amazon Customer Reviewshttps://www.amazon.com/OVER-DEAD-BODY-Karen-Vaughan/dp/1770676813/ref=la_B004PRN7ZO_1_10?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1529425836&sr=1-10#customerReviews  

Amazon Printhttps://www.amazon.com/OVER-DEAD-BODY-Karen-Vaughan/dp/1770676813/ref=la_B004PRN7ZO_1_10?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1529425836&sr=1-10

************************
 
Laura Hamilton, wakes up one morning only to find out a dead body inside her apartment. It was, after all, her ex-coworker, “Velcro” Hodges, a debt collector who was known to leech on his prey until the debt is already paid in full. But why was he dropped insider Laura’s room? Now someone wants Laura to be dead. As the plot thickens, Laura tries to find out on who could possibly want her next to be in cold blood. Lead Detective Inspector Jeff Gibbons helps her, tracking any leads he gets, but that doesn’t seem to help solve the puzzle.

Genre: Mystery Thriller, Suspense  

Amazon Customer Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Dead-arrival-LAURA-GERRY-Book-ebook/dp/B007PVHRC6/ref=la_B004PRN7ZO_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1529427280&sr=1-5#customerReviews  

Amazon Print https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Arrival-Karen-Vaughan/dp/1425114253/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1529427280&sr=1-5  

Kindle https://www.amazon.com/Dead-arrival-LAURA-GERRY-Book-ebook/dp/B007PVHRC6/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1529427280&sr=1-5

 


************************  
Stand-up comic Dave Feener has a great rapport with his audience, so when his body is found maliciously stabbed a short distance away from The Laff Attak where he's just performed, there seems to be no real motive for the brutal murder. A serial killer who does not think local comics are funny has just begun his rampage. Constables Mike Borneo and Lissa Cassway along with detective Vince Vetters are racing to find the killer before he claims another victim. Was Feener just in the wrong place at the wrong time? Left with his wedding ring and his wallet, Feener's body isn't even cold when the killer strikes again-this time stabbing Phil Vetters, a comic known for his redneck shtick and the brother of detective Vince Vetters. Just as Vince vows revenge, the killer makes a fateful mistake when he stabs another comic and does not ensure his victim is dead before he leaves the crime scene. The killer is a sicko, but not an idiot. He's right under everyone's noses and the anticipation of a righteous kill is all just part of the fun. Only time will tell if the killer will have the last laugh.

Genre: Mystery Thriller, Suspense,  

Amazon Customer Reviewshttps://www.amazon.com/DEAD-COMIC-STANDING-Karen-Vaughan-ebook/dp/B07DCDB7PK/ref=la_B004PRN7ZO_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1529425423&sr=1-8#customerReviews  

Amazon Printhttps://www.amazon.com/Dead-Comic-Standing-Karen-Vaughan/dp/1426924003/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1529425423&sr=1-8  

Kindlehttps://www.amazon.com/DEAD-COMIC-STANDING-Karen-Vaughan-ebook/dp/B07DCDB7PK/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1529425423&sr=1-8

************************
 

On a cold November night, a man is dead and his sister is looking for answers. Jeff Gibbons is on the scene to get the answers Rhonnie needs. Get ready for a wild ride and some romance.

Genre: Romance, Mystery, Suspense, Police Procedurals  

Amazon Customer Reviewshttps://www.amazon.com/PLAYING-DEAD-JEFF-GIBBONS-EXPERIENCE-ebook/dp/B078R8HM3K/ref=la_B004PRN7ZO_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1529425999&sr=1-1#customerReviews  

Kindlehttps://www.amazon.com/PLAYING-DEAD-JEFF-GIBBONS-EXPERIENCE-ebook/dp/B078R8HM3K/ref=la_B004PRN7ZO_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1529425999&sr=1-1

************************
 

Nigel Holmes is a British Police Officer sent to Toronto after a witness was brutally murdered on his watch. Kristen Sherlock is a Detective who was framed for drug possession and is being harassed by a dirty cop bent on ruining her. Nigel is politically incorrect and swears like a trucker. Kristen is a by-the-book Police Officer. Can they work together without driving each other nuts before her stalker hurts Kristen? Nigel, Kristen and her former partner, Craig, work to bring the stalker down.

Genre: Humor, Satire, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense  

Amazon Customer Reviewshttps://www.amazon.com/Holmes-America-Sherlock-mystery-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B01LFUF85K/ref=la_B004PRN7ZO_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1529426703&sr=1-2#customerReviews  

Kindlehttps://www.amazon.com/Holmes-America-Sherlock-mystery-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B01LFUF85K/ref=la_B004PRN7ZO_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1529426703&sr=1-2

************************
Cold Coffee Press Spotlight Interview With Author Karen Vaughan
 
Karen Vaughan lives in Peterborough, Ontario with her husband Jim and a cat named JJ who has plenty of catitude! Karen started her literary journey in 2005 when she was home on sick leave and was tired of staring at the four walls or twiddling her thumbs. An idea for what would become “Dead On Arrival” popped in to her head and the feisty 30 something character Laura wouldn't leave her alone til her story was written. Laura took a break from pestering the poor author so she could write a free-standing novel “Dead Comic Standing, Soon Laura was on the campaign to get Karen back to what would become the Laura and Gerry series. It now has 7 books, the latest being “Dead To Writes”. Karen is the proud mom of one, step-mom of 4 grown kids, and 2 grandchildren. While not writing her fingers to the bone she hosts “Writer’s Round Table’ and an online radio show the second Tuesday of each month. She is also a partner with Viv Drewa in “Owl & Puzzycat Promotions” promoting independent authors. Karen is also a stand-up comedian who does her routine for local talent nights. She also loves reading, crafts and drawing.  

Interview:  

What makes you proud to be a writer from (Peterborough, Ontario)? I live in Peterborough and I love my city and there is quite the community of local writers here. My “NaNoWriMo” group started a critique group that meets during the month of November and September -May.  

What or who inspired you to become a writer? My mom has always supported anything artistic and loves the poetry I wrote when I was younger. She was a constructive critiquer of my stories and encouraged my hobby. Unfortunately, she passed on before my first book was finished.  

Did your environment or upbringing play a major role in your writing and did you use it to your advantage? Not really but I do write about everyday people –middle class. I have featured some 1% ers as characters in my books but not as main characters.  

When did you begin writing with the intention of becoming published? I have always written stories or poetry since childhood mainly to entertain myself. It was just and still is a hobby and I wanted to publish a book as a bucket list item.  

What has been your most rewarding experience with your writing and publishing journey? I think meeting so many like-minded people who are supportive of each other. It’s never a competition with my online writing friends. I have learned a lot about writing and publishing and have gotten to know what to avoid and what things to pursue.  

How many published books do you have? Ten  

Please introduce your genre and why you prefer to write in that genre? I mostly write mysteries as I was always reading them. Most of them are comedic. I have also dabbled in romantic suspense but none of those are published yet.  

What do you like to do when you are not writing? I am a voracious reader but I also love to draw and do needle point.  

What one positive piece of advice would you give to other authors? Do not let anyone discourage you from following your passion. Also, reviews are nice but it’s ultimately what you think of your work that’s most important .

Who is your favorite author and why? I love the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich because her characters are relatable. Stephanie is quirky and a real person with issues and phobias.  

Amazon Author’s Page Linkhttps://www.amazon.com/Karen-Vaughan/e/B004PRN7ZO/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1  

Professional Bloghttps://karenwritesmurder.com/2018/06/17/an-owl-helps-joe-leverette-solve-the-murders-of-several-people-midnight-owl-by-viv-drewa/  

Professional Website http://www.karenwritesmurder.com  

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Karenvaughansbooks/  

Twitter https://twitter.com/karenvwrites  

Google+ https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KarenVaughanwriteratlarge  

Cold Coffee Press http://www.coldcoffeepress.com/karen-vaughan/  

We read, review, endorse and promote books from every publisher. http://www.coldcoffeepress.com

Saving Paludis by Clayton Graham

Saving Paludis - by Clayton Graham
When interstellar war threatens, three strangers must band together to save their world ...

Police agent Stefan Lattanzis never expected his planet to become a battlefield, nor Earth for that matter. But when scientists from Paludis share a technological breakthrough with Earth authorities, peace escalates to the brink of war in a hurry. It doesn't help that the local aliens have a dangerous and mystifying agenda of their own. Meanwhile, a desperate human cult has its own plans to exploit the powerful new technology...

To keep his home world alive, Stefan must team with two strangers, a botanist and a mysterious seer. As embattled factions vie for control of the universe, the trio must trust in each other to keep the new technology from ripping time and space apart.

Saving Paludis is an electrifying sci-fi thrill-ride. If you like futuristic technology, alien political intrigue, and high-octane, paranormal action, then you'll love Clayton Graham's interstellar adventure!

Buy Saving Paludis to protect the universe today!

From the Author: Latest novel 'Saving Paludis' is light years away from debut novel 'Milijun', but it occupies the same fascinating space between Science Fiction and the paranormal. The planet Paludis sits in the Pisces constellation, on the frontier of human exploration. It is a verdant planet, a beautiful planet. It has also been scarred by wars of colonization.

Human invaders control the planet and have done so for hundreds of years. Paludis is the planet's Earth name; the indigenous population call their home Musk.

The Muskans are now restricted to a remote peninsula in the north-east of the main continent. Humans have taught the aliens their language and some of their ways, but the Muskans prefer the traditions of their ancestors. Or do they?

So what can go wrong? Well, quite a lot actually.

'Saving Paludis' is not just an interstellar war novel. It reflects human nature in all its extremes: hate, jealousy, control, love and sacrifice. And what about the aliens - do they share these traits? In some ways yes, in others no. They are, after all, alien. But retribution is high on their agenda; an overwhelming desire to regain their planet. Quite how they attempt to do that must remain a secret!

I invite you to enter deep space, use the Einstein-Rosen bridges, and touch down on Paludis. Join Stefan and his friends to help save their world. You'll love it!

Cold Coffee Review: If you think the book cover is intriguing, wait until you begin reading “Saving Paludis” by Clayton Graham. The author has shared two very interesting maps at the beginning of the book to help readers get a sense of this fertile planet called “Musk” by its inhabitants, and “Paludis” by Earth. Paludis is in the Pisces Constellation which is 143 light years from Earth.

The story begins in AD 3898 and we find that Earth invaders have taught the colonized population of Paludis their language and some of their customs. After Paludis scientists share a powerful new technology with Earth, it doesn’t take long for mysterious factions to exploit the technology and the planet moves to the brink of war. The race is on to save Paludis.

With believable characters, and story telling that brings your imagination to the edge of space and time, Saving Paludis tells of strange cultures and traditions, alien politics, and cult-like paranormal phenomena. You cannot help but keep turning the pages of this fast-paced interstellar adventure. From a woman’s point of view, here is a glimpse into the story.

“Rain was falling in a steady drizzle as Selma turned into the road that led to her domicile. It was not yet fully dark and the final vestiges of sunlight creeping through a solitary hole in the clouds had turned the aluminium domes of the dwellings to a blood red. The roadway, smooth and black and shiny, snaked like a ribbon through the glistening streetscape and dark, low clouds threatened to crush the buildings beneath their ponderous weight.
Strangely, she’d encountered few individuals as she walked through the streets and, like on the drive south, very little traffic. It was as if a giant hand had been placed over the mouth of Kentucky, stifling its usual raucous behaviour. Selma assumed most people were indoors and she wondered if a storm was approaching.
She stopped outside her home, unable to resist a glance back to that part of the road where she had been abducted by Serpentine. Serpentine! Where was he now? She palmed the switch, pressed the code buttons in the right sequence and her door slid open. Entering, Selma turned on the light and the door closed behind her. The rain suddenly increased in ferocity, and she heard its rattling on the dome of the house.”

I invite you to read “Saving Paludis” as it is a reminder of human nature, whether here on Earth, or on the planets that we might colonize in the future, or even invade while aliens struggle to save their own world.

I, Theodocia McLean, endorse “Saving Paludis” by Clayton Graham as a suspenseful, full length, Science Fiction novel. I purchased this book from Kindle on June 8, 2018 and this review was completed on June 13, 2018.

Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Colonization, First Contact

Amazon Reviews
https://www.amazon.com/Saving-Paludis/dp/B07CZBTKZX/ref=cm_cr_othr_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8#customerReviews

Amazon Print
https://www.amazon.com/Saving-Paludis-Clayton-Graham/dp/0994495625/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Saving-Paludis-Clayton-Graham-ebook/dp/B07CZBTKZX/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

************************
 
Silently In The Night - by Clayton Graham
A collection of tantalizing tales with more twists than braided hair:

Mystery, murder and mayhem – plus a moment of romance.

Sympathize with a doomed husband and connect with an altruistic robot. Explore an isolated Scottish isle and touch down on a far-flung asteroid.

From the light-hearted to the darkest depths of the human psyche. They’re all there in this smorgasbord of short stories to keep you guessing at every turn. From the author of Milijun and Saving Paludis.

Buy ‘Silently in the Night’ and discover new worlds today!

Cold Coffee Review: For those of us who enjoyed The Twilight Zone, Silently in the Night by Clayton Graham is just as thrilling. This book is a collection of tales where ordinary men and women are confronted with the unexpected.

I love each story and will return to read them again. One story titled Watering Down, sticks out in my mind. It centers on the calicivirus, which can cause upper respiratory infections and oral disease in cats. Probably because I am a cat lover, or because I have memories of the Dustin Hoffman 1995 film titled Outbreak, Watering Down made such an interesting and unexpected tale.

I suspect, everyone who reads Silently in the Night will come away with one or more favorites. If you enjoy science fiction and mysteries that make your heart stands still when aliens, artificial intelligence, death, the unexplained or unexpected interact with your reality; Silently in the Night should be top of your reading list.

I am fortunate to have read Author Clayton Graham’s science fiction debut novel titled Milijun. When aliens kidnap Laura’s child, it’s going to take a lot more than a mother’s love to get him back.
I am looking forward to his upcoming release of Saving Paludis where “Nobody thought Paludis would become a battlefield, nor Earth for that matter, but in the darkest of times a glimmer of light can shine, resolute spirits can triumph over brutality and the strangest of strangers can become friends.”

I, Theodocia McLean, endorse and encourage you to read Silently in the Night by Clayton Graham. I purchased this book from Kindle. This review was completed on February 7, 2018.

Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy, First Contact, Alien Invasion

Customer Reviews
https://www.amazon.com/Silently-Night-Clayton-Graham-ebook/dp/B078VL5VSH/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8#customerReviews

Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Silently-Night-Clayton-Graham-ebook/dp/B078VL5VSH/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

************************
 
Milijun - by Clayton Graham
It is Australia in 2179.

On a moonlit Nullarbor night, Laura Sinclair and son, Jason, witness aliens descend to Earth. The extraterrestrials endeavour to form a symbiotic relationship with humankind, and Jason is chosen as a genetic link in a bizarre trial involving the impregnation of human females with hybrid embryos and exploration of spiritual compatibility.

Laura crosses swords with Major General Sebastian Ord from the Australian Defence Force, Eucla and Uriel, the enigmatic head of Milijun, a reclusive research facility in the outback. Following a disastrous armed attempt to capture aliens at Cocklebiddy Cave and a fierce confrontation at Eucla, Jason is abducted by an alien swarm.

What follows tests the resolve of Laura to the core. Caught in a relentless web of frightening new technologies and alien mystery, spurred by the undying love of her son, she gains a strength of character she never thought possible.

All she has to do is save herself, Jason and several women and unborn children from the scheming plans of man and alien alike …

Some would call Laura a reluctant heroine, but she is a heroine, nonetheless.

How It Came to Be: Milijun actually started as a short story. The birth of the alien RNasia occurred in the short story, and when they decided to wing their way to Earth I knew it could not end there. They seemed to want their universal journey to be worth something; they wanted their mission fulfilled. So, I decided to oblige them.

The book is about more than an alien incursion into the Australian outback. It asks questions about our place in the universe, or multiverses (as we are now led to believe may be a possibility).
The novel explores the relationship between a mother and son. How far can it be stretched before the links break? How far would a mother go to save her son? Would she be prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice, or undertake actions she would never have deemed possible prior to the alien incursion?

Above all, Milijun explores the question what would mankind do when faced with an intelligence it cannot understand? It's a good question, for it may happen someday. We are not currently prepared, of course, we are light years away from understanding how we should behave in such a circumstance. Milijun challenges our mindsets through the eyes of a mother and son, and as such is perhaps more powerful and meaningful than if that challenge was through the eyes of the United Nations or the President of the United States.

In the end, Milijun probably asks more questions than it answers. But it does raise the questions. We cannot relax on Earth forever, ignorant of our cosmic surroundings, idling our time away, creating a mirage of prosperity, which appears to create an equally ferocious misery.

Writing Milijun was a labour of love. It was not easy, but neither was it hard. Science Fiction is a love of mine, has been since I was a teenager, escaping to new worlds in the back streets of Stockport, England, where I grew up as a child. Halcyon days, when education and school milk were free, and summers were real summers. We didn't have much, but we had enough.

Milijun my debut novel, and for me the realization of a dream.

Cold Coffee Review: Mankind has always had a fascination with extraterrestrials which dates from ice-age cave walls, ancient Egyptian carvings all the way to Milijun by Clayton Graham.

This well written novel explores our deepest darkest fears that as a planet we are not ready for an alien incursion, in fact we pretend our intellect can save us. However, in Australia 2179 AD main character Laura Sinclair is faced with the unimaginable when she and her son Jason witness aliens descending to earth.

It is earth’s exploration and mining on the lunar surface that begins the conflict that ultimately results in the alien incursion into the Australian outback. Laura and her son Jason are faced with alien-driven technology that severely tests a mother’s love and resolve to protect her offspring at whatever cost.
It is my intent to share a quote to show you the author’s writing style without spoiling the story. “It was almost 6:30 pm when Laura came across what would later be called the Rawlinna nest. The sun was dropping in the western sky as she staggered wearily to the top of a modest incline and surveyed the collection of old aluminum shacks spread out before her.

She dropped to the ground, partly to avoid detection but also from sheer fatigue. Her face was covered with sweat and there were several dirt marks down both cheeks where she had attempted to clear bothersome flies from her face. Closing her eyes briefly, she sat in silence, not wanting to act in haste but acutely aware that time was crucial. Earlier, she had made a brief stop to drink water from the choppa’s emergency rations but now felt the need for more. She quenched her thirst then nibbled at a foul-tasting energy bar as she thought through her next move.”

I invite you to the Australia outback where things are not as you might imagine.

Milijun is a striking name for this novel. I dare you to find its meaning. It is an Australian aboriginal word which also has a Serb-Croatian context.

I, Theodocia McLean, endorses Milijun a science fiction debut novel by Clayton Graham. I purchased this book from Kindle. The review was completed on April 9, 2016.

Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy

Amazon Print Purchase Link
http://www.amazon.com/milijun-Clayton-Graham/dp/0994495609/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1459776305&sr=8-1&linkCode=ll1&tag=colcofpre-20&linkId=134ac1ffb449a92cffd668fbe3ed8dd3

Kindle Purchase Link
http://www.amazon.com/milijun-Clayton-Graham-ebook/dp/B01A4XY0UI/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1459776305&sr=8-1&linkCode=ll1&tag=colcofpre-20&linkId=8289b3263200388999e725e7651f67ee


************************
 
 Cold Coffee Press Spotlight Interview with Author Clayton Graham
As a youngster growing up in the cobbled streets of Stockport, UK, Clayton Graham read a lot of Science Fiction. He loved the ‘old school’ masters such as HG Wells, Jules Verne, Isaac Asimov and John Wyndham. As he left those formative years behind, he penned short stories when he could find a rare quiet moment amidst life’s usual distractions.

He settled in Victoria, Australia, in 1982. A retired aerospace engineer who worked in structural design and research, Clayton has always had an interest in Science Fiction and where it places humankind within a universe we are only just starting to understand.

Clayton loves animals, including well behaved pets, and all the natural world, and is a member of Australian Geographic.

Combining future science with the paranormal is his passion. Milijun, his first novel, was published in 2016. Second novel, Saving Paludis, was published in June 2018. They are light years from each other, but share the future adventures of mankind in an expansive universe as a common theme. Between the novels, short story anthology ‘Silently in the Night’ was released as an eBook on Amazon.

Interview:

What makes you proud to be a writer from Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia? As an aerospace engineer I have worked in the UK, USA and Australia and been lucky enough to visit France, Germany, and Indonesia through the auspices of work. We finally settled in Melbourne, Australia [I was thirty-nine years old] and eventually retired on the Mornington Peninsula. The Peninsula is where my family is, and where we relax among the beaches and wineries. It is pleasant, not too crowded outside the holiday seasons, and well looked after by its residents.

What or who inspired you to become a writer? I have written since my early twenties, on and off, and always loved science fiction. The works of HG Wells, Isaac Asimov and John Wyndham enthralled me. They were an escape from the backstreets of Stockport, UK, where I grew up.

Did your environment or upbringing play a major role in your writing and did you use it to your advantage? I’m from a 'working class' family in the UK. Cobbled streets, fish and chips, bread and dripping, after World War 2. Reading was no doubt an escape into different worlds. Not sure if it was an advantage but I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth.

When did you begin writing with the intention of becoming published? Hard to say exactly, but probably around ten years ago when retirement was approaching.

What has been your most rewarding experience with your writing process? That's an easy one. Just self-publishing my first novel 'Milijun'. I am now in the process of repeating that experience with additional works.

What has been your most rewarding experience in your publishing journey? Considering how difficult it is for a self-publishing author to get reviews - just getting decent reviews and positive comments from readers. I hope it continues.

How many published books do you have? Three, as ‘Saving Paludis’ has just been released.

Please list the titles of all your books: ‘Milijun’, ‘Silently in the Night’ and ‘Saving Paludis’.

Do you come up with your title(s) before or after you write the manuscript? Around half way through. I usually have three or four alternatives before I finally decide – I like to get feedback from readers, too.

Please introduce your genre and why you prefer to write in that genre? My genre is primarily Science Fiction, though not the really hard Star Wars type. I love writing about different worlds and how people would live and interact within them. It's an escape, but it's also an infinite universe, so anything is possible.

What was your inspiration, spark or light bulb moment that inspired you to write the book (one book) that you are seeking promotion for? ‘Milijun’ started as a short story. That short story is published in Silently In The Night. From there several short stories ensued, some science fiction, some mystery, some paranormal and even a bit of romance. I find that the characters in the book control the story, where it goes, what happens, how it ends.

What one positive piece of advice would you give to other authors? Write what you want, when you want. It doesn't matter if you never use it. Always keep it.

Who is your favorite author and why? Dean Koontz. A master at making the paranormal believable.

Amazon Author’s Page
http://www.amazon.com/Clayton-Graham/e/B01A6J728C/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1

Professional Website
http://claytongraham.com.au/

Professional Blog
http://claytongraham.com.au/feed/


Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard?al_user=52968236-clayton-graham&utm_medium=email&utm_source=grant_author

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/claytongrahamauthor/

Twitter
https://twitter.com/CGrahamSciFi

Cold Coffee Press
http://www.coldcoffeepress.com/clayton-graham/

We read, review, endorse and promote books from every publisher.
http://www.coldcoffeepress.com

Life In The Hollywood Lane - by Ann Crawford

Life In The Hollywood Lane - by Ann Crawford
Quirky, heart-opening, funny, poignant, up, down, and everywhere in between--that's life and that's Life In The Hollywood Lane.

Trish, an LA actor, is bereft with guilt after her best friend commits suicide. Glamorous yet tough-as-nails Hollywood is Trish's backdrop and a reflection of her life as she stumbles on through an actor's life of casting calls and premieres, rejection and acceptance. Slowly Trish releases the idea of how her life should be and embraces the messy, flawed, yet stunningly beautiful truth of how it is. Trish's humorous resilience and acceptance lead to transformation, surrender, and ultimately love. Author Ann Crawford's trademark optimism for life and love shine through in this inspiring story that reminds us all that no matter what the question, love is always the answer.

Life In The Hollywood Lane is chockablock with LOL and aha moments. Also, know any folks who've been chasing a long-held dream? Do them a favor and gift them this book!

Cold Coffee Review:  “Life In The Hollywood Lane” is a woman’s fictional (chick-lit) where the story-line depicts the journey of a young woman who goes to Hollywood to make it big. As someone who has never even visited Hollywood, I found this story very interesting, heartwarming, funny, and sad as a friendship ends with a tragedy.

Many young girls feel like Trish (main character) as they compare themselves to others and think of themselves as the ugly duckling. Most young girls would give an eye tooth for Trish’s beautiful curly red hair and warm glow of freckles. Not Trish. When Trish left her Wisconsin hometown, she left behind the good, the bad, and even her loss.

Striking out on her own, Trish soon met Cyndi at an audition and the two became the best of friends. Trish saw Cyndi as the beauty she longed to be. Trish didn’t realize that underneath the beauty comes same life experiences, situations and emotions, as both girls chase their own Hollywood dreams.

Author Ann Crawford writes this unique story, while educating her readers on “Life In Hollywood Lane.” As I read, I believed that Ann was writing from some of her own life experience. Ann Crawford is an award-wining documentary filmmaker. She has traveled the globe and I can see these experiences woven ever so slightly into the story.

I love Trish’s story and Ann’s writing style. I believe each reader will come away with something of their own. For example, I never thought about the color orange as a universal color. Let me quote the main character Trish (LA Actress) from the chapter titled “Fifty Shades of Orange.”

“October is always orange. No matter where I am in the world—at least in the Northern Hemisphere—October comes in orange. Wisconsin is a pumpkin orange. Bordeaux, France, is a soft orange. Northern California is a gentle orange. Florida is a bold orange. Russia, China, Japan—they’re all their own oranges.
How did I get lucky enough to travel to so many places? Well, without much makeup and with brown or blonde hair color, I can look a whole range of oddball characters, from a crack addict to a hillbilly to a psych-ward patient to a prostitute. So, I actually get a lot of work as unknown, unmemorable characters. I’m the loud, ugly, angry woman in the crowd behind a lynching (ugh!) or a burning at the stake (ugh!). It’s a good thing I can look so unmemorable because I can keep getting roles like this.”

It seems to me that going to Hollywood is much like playing a lottery. You might win big, you might win here and there, or you might lose, but you will learn something from the experience.

If you enjoy stories where girls reach for the stars, overcome life’s situations and excel beyond their imagination, this book is a good fit for you. What were your dreams in your youth, or what are your dreams today? Are you willing to strike out on your own like Trish, to broaden your horizon?

I, Theodocia McLean endorse “Life In Hollywood Lane” by Ann Crawford as a story filled with optimism, inspiration, and coming full circle to end with love. I purchased this book from Kindle on June 4, 2018.  This review was completed on June 6, 2018.

Genre: Literature & Fiction, Chick Lit, Women's Fiction, Humor, Satire, Friendship

Amazon Customer Reviews
https://www.amazon.com/Life-Hollywood-Lane-Ann-Crawford/dp/0982169027/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1527975437&sr=1-1#customerReviews

Amazon Print
https://www.amazon.com/Life-Hollywood-Lane-Ann-Crawford/dp/0982169027/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1527975437&sr=1-1

Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Life-Hollywood-Lane-Ann-Crawford-ebook/dp/B07D9D5QRG/ref=la_B00GMPORX8_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1527975437&sr=1-1

************************ 
Spellweaver - by Ann Crawford
Delve into the mystical, magical world of Catriona, an ordinary woman who chose to be extraordinary. She dared to live a radiant life as a healer in sixteenth-century Scotland, a time ravaged by fear. A Wiccan gifted with the ability to awaken the hearts of those still sleeping, she is known as the Spellweaver. "Mesmerizing!" -- Amazon review.

Genre:  Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Occult, Metaphysical, Visionary

Amazon Customer Reviews
https://www.amazon.com/Spellweaver-Ann-Crawford-ebook/dp/B071DQMYX7/ref=la_B00GMPORX8_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1527975861&sr=1-4#customerReviews

Amazon Print
https://www.amazon.com/Spellweaver-Ann-Crawford/dp/1545306699/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1527975861&sr=1-4

Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Spellweaver-Ann-Crawford-ebook/dp/B071DQMYX7/ref=la_B00GMPORX8_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1527975861&sr=1-4

************************ 
Visioning: Creating The Life Of Our Dreams and
A World That Works For Us All - by Ann Crawford
“[Visioning] speaks to our hearts, mind, and spirit with a delightful, lyrical, and wise guidance to help us shift from the separated to the divine self that we really are.” ~Barbara Marx Hubbard.

We can create the life of our wildest dreams, a life that serves ourselves and humanity, the life we were born to live. Do you have a great dream but it never gets beyond the dreaming stage? Are you being called to do great work but are frustrated that it’s not happening? Visioning shows you that yes, it’s really true – you are being called to fulfill yourself and better the world at the same time. And you can. By mastering the art of visioning, you can live your dreams.

LEARN: How to use the power of the Law to create what you want; the five steps of affirmative prayer; the six steps of visioning; how to strengthen your commitment to your vision; how to set your intention; how to create sacred covenants. Our soul yearns for expression. It’s time to soar.

Genre: Non-Fiction, Self-Help, Success

Amazon Print
https://www.amazon.com/Visioning-Creating-Dreams-World-Works/dp/1492704873/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1527976068&sr=1-2

Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Visioning-Creating-Life-Dreams-World-Works-ebook/dp/B00GDXRAOW/ref=la_B00GMPORX8_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1527976068&sr=1-2

************************

Mary's Message: The Story Of Mary Magdalene
and Yeshua ben Yosef - by Ann Crawford
"My name is Mary. I come from Magdala. Well, actually, I come from a lot more than Magdala, but the time I walked on Earth, the time you heard about, I was born in Magdala. I come from a much greater place than that, however, and so do you." Travel through the ages and hear reflections on love, life, and one of the greatest stories of all time from one of the most amazing women of all time. Mary Magdalene offers us insight into her life with Yeshua (Jesus) and gives her perspective on the events that occurred then and on up to our present day. Mary and Yeshua were very special, as we all are very special. They were very awake beings - very aware of the connection of all life and the divinity within...but these attributes are available to us all. Through the lyrical, poetic, passionate, sometimes funny, always heart-centered unfolding of her story, Mary reminds us how to access these qualities to create a beautiful life for each one of us and all of us...the life she and Yeshua lived.

Genre: Fiction, Metaphysical, Visionary

Amazon Customer Reviews
https://www.amazon.com/Marys-Message-Story-Magdalene-Yeshua-ebook/dp/B00GDOODMI/ref=la_B00GMPORX8_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1527976263&sr=1-3#customerReviews

Amazon Print
https://www.amazon.com/Marys-Message-Story-Magdalene-Yeshua/dp/1492704997/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1527976263&sr=1-3

Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Marys-Message-Story-Magdalene-Yeshua-ebook/dp/B00GDOODMI/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1527976263&sr=1-3

Audio Book
https://www.amazon.com/Marys-Message-Story-Magdalene-Yeshua/dp/B074CL6G6F/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1527976263&sr=1-3

************************

Angels On Overtime - by Ann Crawford
A fun, clever romantic comedy that delivers as many "aha's" as it does laughs, goes as deep as it goes high. As a spiritual newcomer or sage master, you'll find yourself laughing your way to love and enlightenment.

What if life isn't as random as you might think? What if there’s a reason for .... well .... everything? And just when you think you know what’s going on, you find out that there’s way more to the story. Waaaaaaaay more. These wild and wonderful angels and their even more wild and wonderful humans can help you awaken, see the big picture, and live from your higher consciousness.

ANGELS is based on New Thought, metaphysics, and the law of attraction as well as on the work of such teachers as Michael Bernard Beckwith, Wayne Dyer, Deepak Chopra, Louise Hay, Jean Houston, Ernest Holmes, Neale Donald Walsch, Jim Self, and Rhonda Byrne (THE SECRET).

"Bluntly put, this is the funniest, most enjoyable, and most delightfully irreverent spiritual novel I’ve ever read. I couldn’t stop laughing...." ~Mark Waldman, neuroscientist.

"I LOVE THIS BOOK. Such a quick, fun read -- you won’t even realize you’ve been enlightened!" ~Diane Bishop, Editor, SCIENCE OF MIND Magazine

Genre:  Fiction, Metaphysical, Visionary

Amazon Customer Reviews
https://www.amazon.com/Angels-Overtime-Ann-Crawford-ebook/dp/B00G5S0PO2/ref=la_B00GMPORX8_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1527976542&sr=1-5#customerReviews

Amazon Print
https://www.amazon.com/Angels-Overtime-Ann-Crawford/dp/1492272566/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1527976542&sr=1-5

Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Angels-Overtime-Ann-Crawford-ebook/dp/B00G5S0PO2/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1527976542&sr=1-5

Audio Book
https://www.amazon.com/Angels-on-Overtime/dp/B01N58XMOW/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1527976542&sr=1-5

************************ 
Cold Coffee Press Spotlight Interview With Author Ann Crawford
Ann Crawford believes in love at first sight, that good always prevails, and that we're here for those wild wonderful way-out-there visions of ours to come alive.

Ann has lived "oh, all over," and right now there's a view of Colorado's Rocky Mountains out the window. When she's not circumnavigating the globe (65 countries and counting, plus all 50 states), communing with sea critters on the ocean floor (in her scuba gear), or climbing every mountain (on the back of her husband's motorcycle), or flying planes (at least as a student pilot for now), you can find her writing.

Ann is the author of the newly released romcom/chick lit LIFE IN THE HOLLYWOOD LANE, mystical SPELLWEAVER about a woman during the witch hunts in Scotland in 1597, the hilarious ANGELS ON OVERTIME, the deep MARY'S MESSAGE (about Mary Magdalene), and reach-for-the-stars VISIONING. Ann's life-affirming books weave tales of love and intrigue that take readers on mystical journeys. Her characters live radiant lives touched by magic, an ability Ann believes we all have.

Ann is also an award-winning documentary filmmaker. Her first movie was about a group of vets returning to Viet Nam to perform humanitarian work, give something back to the people, return to their Areas of Operation, and heal their wounds of war. Her second movie involved traveling around the world and interviewing people from all walks of life—heads of state, street kids, academics, artists.... the folks of this world—on how they envisioned creating world peace. The website for this movie won numerous awards. Ann is also an award-winning humanitarian.

Ann would be delighted to speak or do a book reading for your group or book club. Please contact her through her website, http://www.anncrawford.net

Interview:

What makes you proud to be a writer from (Colorado, USA)? I have lived from one ocean white with foam, to the other ocean white with foam, to the prairie, and now to the mountain…. a little backwards from the song, but it’s certainly been an interesting journey. In between I’ve traveled through 65+ countries and counting, as well as all 50 states. I consider myself a writer of the world, and I’m so proud to be that. I bring all the amazing, beautiful people I’ve met and all the amazing, beautiful places I’ve been into my storytelling.

On top of that, I’m just plain proud to be a writer! I love taking ideas and thoughts and creating full stories that never existed before. My characters take on lives of their own and give me hits of inspiration in the shower, in the car (it can get very crowded in both places, LOL).

Did your environment or upbringing play a major role in your writing and did you use it to your advantage? My mom was very sick during my childhood, but she would read to me as often as she felt up to it. Those were extremely special, magical moments to me. I grew up in New York State, and we’d sometimes take trips to New York City to visit, among many other places, the hallowed halls of…Barnes and Noble! We visited the hallowed halls of museums, Radio City Music Hall, and the like, too, of course. Books were a highly revered item in our household, though, and that cloth Barnes and Noble bag was like one that held gold, secrets of life, and magic.

I’ve been writing since I could hold a pen. I’ve always loved, loved, loved books, and grew up figuring that I would write them one day. I always wanted to share the joy, wisdom, and connection that I felt in books with readers of my books. My mom wanted to be a writer, too, but her sickness didn’t allow for it. She died when I was a teenager. I was the editor of my high school newspaper and started college as an English major…but over my college years, I slipped away from writing and journalism. When I was 23 I took a profound, life-changing grief workshop and…

When did you begin writing with the intention of becoming published? …got the idea for my first book. I found an agent who loved it but wasn’t able to sell it. This was way before the easier, online access we have now. I got involved with film-making for a while (I’m an award-winning filmmaker), and then returned to writing.

What has been your most rewarding experience with your writing and publishing journey? My favorite part of being an author is hearing from readers who let me know how much my books have touched them.

How many published books do you have? Five with another on the way.

Please introduce your genre and why you prefer to write in that genre? I usually write spiritual books, which go into the category of visionary/metaphysical fiction. Life in the Hollywood Lane is my first regular/contemporary fiction book, but it still has a spiritual slant. The next one is like that, too. Spirituality is a huge part of my life and who I am…

What do you like to do when you are not writing? I love so many things! My top six loves are to travel, fly planes (as a student pilot, for now), explore ocean floors (in my scuba gear), meditate, watch movies, and…read.

What one positive piece of advice would you give to other authors? Hang in there! Let us hear what you have to say! It might not be your first, second, or tenth book that makes a splash, but it’ll happen. Also, writers mostly just want to write, but marketing is a vital part of letting us hear what you have to say. I recommend a book called Your Super Sticky Buzz Book Marketing Plan from mywordpublishing.com (they don’t pay me to say this). Some day you might have a big publisher pick you up or be able to hire a PR company to do your marketing, but this is a great resource in the meantime.

Who is your favorite author and why? Ohhhhh, can I please name two? I like them for pretty much the same reason. My favorite authors are Dan Brown and Kathleen McGowan. I love how they challenge what’s been accepted as history and status quo thinking and then put important messages into riveting storylines. I’m also so impressed with the amount of research they (and many other writers) do.

Please add any additional questions and answers that you think readers would like to know. As an award-winning documentary filmmaker, the film that won the award was about Viet Nam vets going back there to do humanitarian work and visit their areas of operation, and in the process hopefully heal their wounds of war.

Amazon Author’s Page
https://www.amazon.com/Ann-Crawford/e/B00GMPORX8/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1527975432&sr=1-1

Professional Website
http://www.anncrawford.net

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/anncrawfordauthorspeaker/

Twitter
https://twitter.com/ann_crawford1

Google+
https://plus.google.com/u/0/+AnnCrawfordAuthor

Cold Coffee Press
http://www.coldcoffeepress.com/ann-crawford/

We read, review, endorse and promote books from every publisher.
http://www.coldcoffeepress.com