C.A. Milson's Blog, page 209
September 6, 2015
Book Tour – Yell and Shout Cry and Pout by Peggy Kruger Tietz
Title: Yell and Shout Cry and Pout
Author: Peggy Kruger Tietz, Ph.D.
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 40
Genre: Children
Format: Paperback/Kindle/Nook
Yell and Shout, Cry and Pout: A Kid’s Guide to Feelings is an essential guidebook for adults in steering children through the confusing behaviors that emotions evoke. When you understand the purpose of emotions, behavior becomes understandable. Each of the eight emotions is clearly defined thorough vignettes and illustrations, keeping both adult and child captivated, thus creating an opportune time for discussion. By recognizing that all humans experience these emotions throughout their lives, the book provides a true sense of comfort. Emotions are not to be shunned, but rather embraced and explained to provide a positive development environment for all children.
More Information
Yell and Shout, Cry and Pout: A Kid’s Guide to Feelings is available at Amazon.
Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble.
About The Author
Dr. Peggy Kruger Tietz is a licensed psychologist and maintains a private practice in Austin, Texas. She sees a wide range of children with normal developmental problems as well as children who have experienced trauma. Her Ph.D is in developmental psychology from Bryn Mawr College. Before entering private practice Dr. Tietz treated children in multiple settings, such as family service agencies and foster care. Dr. Tietz, trained at the Family Institute of Philadelphia, and then taught there. She specializes in seeing children individually, as well as, with their families. She has advanced training in Play Therapy as well as being a certified practitioner of EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, for children and adults). She has conducted workshops on parenting, sibling relationships, and emotional literacy.
Her latest book is the nonfiction/psychoeducational book, Yell and Shout, Cry and Pout: A Kid’s Guide to Feelings.
Visit Peggy Kruger Tietz’s website.
Connect with Peggy on Facebook and Twitter.
Visit Peggy’s blog.
Filed under: Guest Authors Tagged: @PeggyKTietz, Peggy Kruger Tietz, Pump Up Your Book, PUYB, Yell and Shout Cry and Pout
September 4, 2015
Interview with… Gil Reavill
Interview With Gil Reavill. Author of 13 Stolen Girls.
Gil thanks for being my guest today. Tell us about you –
I grew up in the Midwest and came out of daily journalism to get into non-fiction, screenwriting and now crime fiction. I was lucky to have a screenplay I co-wrote get produced and released by Sony, a corrupt cop drama called Dirty, starring Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Clifton Collins, Jr. My latest crime novel, 13 Stolen Girls, is all enmeshed in the world of filmmaking. Hollywood has such heights and depths, that it’s the greatest, most surreal background for fiction ever.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
In the most reductive sense, a neurotransmitter called serotonin kicks in. That statement might be a little fatuous, but I’ve come around to a biologically determinate view of life. If Napoleon had a script for Prozac, he wouldn’t have invaded Russia. Our choices—should I get up or sleep in like a slug?—are influenced by forces beyond our control. A depressive might stay in bed all day. Is that a choice? Is he or she not “inspired” to get up? It’s just a question of the right level of brain salts, which is largely determined by genetics. No blame, no judgment. I know I look forward to sitting down in front of my computer with relish every day. I fucking leap out of bed. That’s just me. I work at home in a log cabin in the middle of the woods. No commute. I listen to the traffic reports with a sort of schadenfreude-style vicarious glee. How hard can it be to get up when I can look forward to that?
If you could hang out with one famous person for one day, who would it be and why?
There’s this guy named C.A. Milson… He probably is too busy to bother with a nobody like me, so I’d choose Janet Malcolm. She has a fiery intelligence, and such a no bullshit approach to life that I’d like to hang out with her to see if it might be contagious. My wife and I are both writers, and in our household, Janet Malcolm is a verb. To get “Janet Malcolmed” means you have been revealed as the fraud that you are.
What’s the story behind your latest book?
In the early years of the millennium I worked for a lad mag called Maxim. I did a series of four-thousand word true crime articles for them. The publisher called them “gritty reads.” One piece I worked on was about John Edward Robinson, the Kansas serial killer. The case haunted me forever afterwards. 13 Stolen Girls was to some extent a purgative. It helped get the case down on paper and out of my nightmares.
Tell us your writing process.
I write a lot in all sorts of styles. I do non-fiction, screenwriting, fiction, song lyrics, even a little drama. I usually have two or three projects going at once. Some time ago I stopped drinking and started writing. I figured that was a pretty good trade off. Usually I write with a set Mozart woodwind concerti going on. I work in four-hour blocks, one of them a day if I’m lucky, two if I am on fire, three if there’s a deadline hanging over my head. I try not to take my work too seriously. This Q&A will probably be late. I subscribe to the Douglas Adams view: “I love deadlines. I especially like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.”
Do you have any tips you can share for authors who want to get the word out about their book?
13 Stolen Girls is an e-book. I’m not sure if anyone has really found the sweet spot in promoting e-books. Random House’s e-book imprint, Alibi, does a wonderful job. They are why I connected up with this blog. But digital publishing is so new that it’s still something of a shakedown cruise. It’s like mass market was in the early days of a half century ago, with Pocket Books and other pioneers. No one knew if pulp fiction was going to fly. But it eventually soared. I think digital is a natural home for genre writing. People who read mysteries and romances read a lot of them. I don’t even take my own advice about promoting. I know the old-time singer Sophie Tucker was an early genius at marketing herself. She was tireless. Whenever she hit a town for a concert, she’d collect names. She took down everyone’s addresses, the newspaper guys, the hotel clerk, the goddamned kid who delivered flowers to her room. Then when she was going to have another concert in that town, she’d send them all postcards. “Hey, I’m going to be singing nearby soon, stop by and we’ll have another great time just like we had before.” She used to say “Friendship is box office.” But that line comes with a caveat. I’d caution writers promoting their work not to mistake their friends for their audience. It’s a sad fact that a lot of times your pals won’t buy your book, even at the bargain basement e-book price of ninety-nine cents. You have a circle of personal friends, but when marketing your book what you are aiming for is a community of readers. That’s two different things. They might overlap, but often they do not. Another piece of advice for writers: be nice to C.A. Milson and do a Q&A for his blog! :)
When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?
Early on. Sixth grade, I think. Poetry and song lyrics sucked me in. When I worked as a reporter, I became acquainted with writing as a less labored, cleaner, more uncluttered process. Do a story and move on to the next one. Don’t fuss, don’t look back. Later on, that helped me a lot with more creative work, like novelistic non-fiction and fiction.
Tell us about your main character:
All my characters are main! I remember a story about a screenwriter who went in to pitch a producer. He had like a dozen projects, he said. What’s your favorite? asked the producer. The screenwriter throws up his hands and said, They’re all my favorites! Layla Remington is my homegirl. I’ve gotten weary of detectives with substance abuse problems, with quirky psychological issues, or who are on the autistic spectrum in some way. I like the ideal of average. It’s probably a risky choice, but Layla doesn’t hit the bottle or put a spike in her veins, she doesn’t twitch or wash her hands obsessively. Those are my true heroes, the ones who simply put their heads down and do the work. I guess Layla resonates with people, since in her debut, 13 Hollywood Apes, she helped the book knock down a Thriller award nomination. Layla’s main defining feature is one of her environment. She’s a woman in a man’s world. I modeled her on a woman I met who for a long time was the only female homicide detective in the NYPD. The murder squad is still a masculine environment. It ain’t like it is in the movies.
What are you working on next?
I’m re-writing 13 Under the Wire, which is the third installment in the Layla Remington series. The plot takes us back in time to 2005, when Layla was a probie police officer just out of the academy. She has a ringside seat for a series of violent incidents in the family of a childhood friend. I’m really, really loving it. Layla always holds her card pretty close to her chest, but in Under the Wire she is intimately wrapped up with the victims in a way she hasn’t been in the first two books in the series. She’s in love, for one thing.
Do you have any special/extraordinary talents?
I smoke a mean brisket.
Who are your favorite authors?
Early on I became one of the many people whose life was twisted around by Raymond Chandler, Patricia Highsmith, Chester Himes, Dashiell Hammett, Daphne du Maurier, Jim Thompson and James M. Cain.
What do you like to do with your free time?
Hike, canoe, read, see live music, but mostly just fool around in the long-running circus that is New York City.
Tell us about your plans for upcoming books.
It looks like my writing partner and I have a screenplay going into production. I state that fact so confidently, but I know that in movie making you can’t believe anything until the lights in the theater go down and the images start to dance onscreen. This one gets at the truth of the Martin Luther King, Jr. assassination, which definitely did not happen according to the widely accepted storyline promoted by the government, the media and the history books.
Where can people find you on the web?
I have an author page on Good Reads, one on Amazon and a personal website.
Website: http://gilreavill.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gil.reavill
Twitter: https://twitter.com/greavill
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/99306.Gil_Reavill
Any final thoughts?
I actually collect actual final thoughts. “I’m going to the bathroom to read.”—Elvis. “This is no way to live!”—Groucho. “Codeine….Bourbon.”—Tallulah Bankhead. “Don’t let it end like this. Tell them I said something.”—Pancho Villa. “Surprise me.”—Bob Hope, when asked by his wife where he would like to be buried. “Let us cross over the river and rest under the shade of the trees.”—Stonewall Jackson. “Pity, pity, too late.”—Beethoven. “I’m losing it.” —Frank Sinatra. “No.” —Alexander Graham Bell. “Yeah.”— John Lennon. “Drink to me.”—Picasso. “Say good-bye to Jack.”—Marilyn Monroe. “This is absurd.”—Freud.
Filed under: Guest Authors, Interviews Tagged: 13 Stolen Girls, @greavill, author interview, Gil Reavill
Kindle Free Promo Days – Free to Good Home: collected short stories
Title: Free to Good Home
Author: Anne Kelleher
Publisher: Pond House Press
Publication Date: March 13, 2015
Blurb: They raise you, they love you and sooner or later, they drive you crazy. What if you could put your parents up for adoption when they do? FREE TO GOOD HOME is a whimsical look at this most provocative of what-if’s? This collection includes all four Celebrity Supernatural stories, as well as two more.
Free this weekend on Amazon Kindle.
About The Author
Born and raised at the South Jersey shore, Anne Kelleher has been writing from the time she could read. Her first novel, about a pair of pirate sisters who sailed the Carribean looking for love and adventure, was completed when she was in high school. Annie’s been looking for the same ever since, mostly recently on the shores of the Pacific in Kailua-Kona, HI.
Reflecting Annie’s own eclectic interests, her work ranges from historical romance (The Highwayman) to her contemporary series of celebrity supernatural short stories – most recently “Walking with Elvis.” Although her first love is sf/fantasy, Annie is most proud of her “David” series – How David Met Sarah and When David Was Surprised – which was inspired by her youngest brother, who has Down Syndrome. Written at an elementary reading level, the stories appeal not only to developmentally disabled adults, but to anyone who seeks to understand what it’s like to be differently-abled.
The mother of four, and the grandmother of two, Annie holds a BA from Johns Hopkins University.
Find Annie online at annekelleher.com or on Facebook at facebook.com/annekelleherauthor
Filed under: Guest Authors Tagged: ANNE KELLEHER, Free Ebook, Free to Good Home: collected short stories, Kindle free
September 3, 2015
Book Tour – 13 Stolen Girls by Gil Reavill
About the Book
Title: 13 Stolen Girls
Author: Gil Reavill
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Perfect for fans of Michael Connelly’s Bosch series, Gil Reavill’s gripping new Layla Remington thriller plunges readers beneath the glittering facade of Hollywood and into a terrifying underworld where beautiful women can
just . . . disappear.
Malibu is crumbling. A monster earthquake has just ripped apart some of the priciest real estate on the planet. In a bizarre twist, it has also exposed a grisly tableau buried for years beneath one particularly unstable hilltop: a steel barrel containing the mummified remains of Tarin Mistry, the beautiful starlet who went missing a decade ago. When Detective Investigator Layla Remington looks into that wretched metal coffin, she realizes she’s just landed the case of a lifetime.
But before Layla even strips off her latex gloves, a pair of hotshot LAPD detectives arrive on the scene and pull her off the investigation. Undeterred, Layla pursues her own line of inquiry, risking her badge and her life to track down Tarin’s murderer: from the rarified air of exclusive canyon communities to seedy sex clubs downtown, all the way to the secluded lair of one of Hollywood’s most powerful men. But while Tarin’s a cold case, her killer is poised to strike again–and, in Layla, this depraved sociopath has just found fresh prey.
Author Bio
Gil Reavill is a journalist, screenwriter, and playwright. Widely featured in magazines, Reavill is the author of a crime novel, Thirteen Hollywood Apes, nominated for a Thriller Award from International Thriller Writers. He has written two works of crime non-fiction: Mafia Summit: J. Edgar Hoover, the Kennedy Brothers, and the Meeting That Unmasked the Mob, and Aftermath, Inc.: Cleaning Up After CSI Goes Home. He also co-wrote the screenplay for the 2006 film Dirty, starring Cuba Gooding, Jr. He lives in New York with his wife, the author Jean Zimmerman, and their daughter.
Website: http://gilreavill.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gil.reavill
Twitter: https://twitter.com/greavill
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/99306.Gil_Reavill
Links
Penguin Random House: Penguin Random House
Amazon: Amazon
Barnes and Noble: B&N
iBooks: iBooks
Google play: Google Play
Books a Million: Books a Million
Kobo: Kobo
Filed under: Guest Authors Tagged: 13 Stolen Girls, @greavill, Enchanted book promotions, Gil Reavill
September 2, 2015
Book Tour – The Last War by Alex Davis
Title: The Last War
Author: Alex Davis
Genre: Science-Fiction
Born from the genius of the Animex, the aliens of the Noukari seek to gain a foothold on a savage planet. But the greatest danger to their existence lies within them – a powerful gift of telepathy.
As the tension grows between idolatry and admiration of their creators, and the Noukari come to understand the latent powers within their own minds, a species created for peace are about to succumb to brutal violence.
In a galaxy torn by conflict, will the first battle between the Noukari also be their last war?
“The Last War is a remarkable study of reason and faith, morality and practicality, pragmatism and idealism. With sharp, unfussy prose, Alex Davis draws the reader into an endearing nascent civilisation, and then takes it apart before our eyes. Unpredictable, challenging and rewarding.” Gav Thorpe, New York Times Bestselling author of Angels of Darkness Deliverance Lost.
Author Bio
Alex Davis is an author, editor, publisher, creative writing tutor and events organiser based in Derby. His debut novel, THE LAST WAR, is out in July from Tickety Boo Press and is the first in a science-fiction trilogy following the aliens of the Noukari. He is co-ordinator for Derby’s annual Edge-Lit event – running this year on the 11th July – and also part of the management committee for this year’s Derby Book Festival. He also runs Boo Books, Derby’s independent press, aiming to promote regional talent along internationally known authors. Their latest release is The Electric, available in paperback for the first time. For more information, visit http://boobooks.net/
Links
Ebook: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00YQICMHQ
Paperback: http://shop.ticketyboopress.co.uk/index.php
Book Excerpt
CHAPTER TWO EXCERPT
Outside the temple, whose two walls have grown to four, a proud and lyrical voice carries across the clearing. Beneath the spell of its powerful tones a loose congregation has gathered, without seats, without rows, without any location worthy of such worship.
No matter, the Re’Nuck thinks. All of that will come in time.
He does not allow this simple thought to interrupt the rhythm of his speech. He has become expert in such matters – the words of the Book seem to have ingrained themselves into his memories, written there as large as they are on the crinkled pages at his hut.
‘And the Noukari arrived, borne within the sacred vessels crafted by the gods themselves. But those simplest of lifeforms did not resemble us as we are today, yet by the powers and craftsmanship of the Animex, we were able to rise from the simplest of forms to something more. It was within sunups that we first came to walk, to think, to speak.’
Apius pauses, taking a look at the rapt faces before continuing.
‘We know all this to be fact. All of these things are burned into our common history, and live within our memories still. There is nothing I have said to be disputed. But the question that some still ask is what this truly means for our people. What interpretations can we offer for this event? In this respect we talk about the beginning of life, an act of creation beyond any we have encountered. We are their people, and Genem – and all of Noukaria – is every bit as much theirs as it as ours.’
The crowd nods thoughtfully. Apius has swiftly become used to these public appearances, and the necessary flourishes of the spiritual leader. The means to instil his belief, to communicate in the name of the gods.
‘No act of nature nor of building can do such a thing. It is clear that we were made by the hand of gods – gods called the Animex! There is no other conclusion, and in time all of those who have yet to accept will come to believe. Rest assured, those in denial shall soon worship with us. And they will share the word in a temple that surely even the gods cannot deny, a building so grand in scale that it would be worthy for a god to set foot within.’
Apius bows his head for a moment, allowing his newly-embroidered robe to billow around him. The new vestment has come with the title, and sets him apart from those who hang to his words.
‘That is all. Go with these words, and spread them in the streets and fields of Genem. Much has been done, but there is a longer road ahead.’
One by one the followers of Apius drift away, carrying eager conversations with them.
*******************************************************************************
INTERVIEW
Alex, thanks for being here today. Please tell us about you:
I’ve been involved in writing really actively over the last decade, some of which has of course been my own writing but also including event organisation, running my own small press, Boo Books, proofreading, copy-editing, mentoring and plenty more besides. It’s a pleasure to finally have my own book
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
In a practical sense, my daughter gets me out of bed every day. But beyond that I love being in the position I am and doing what I do – every single day it’s writers and writing, whether it’s gathering them together for an event, hopefully helping them along their way to publication or working on my own stuff.
If you could hang out with one famous person for one day, who would it be and why?
My two main interests beyond writing are really comedy and horror, so on those grounds it would either be Frankie Boyle, Patton Oswalt or Tom Six. I had the great pleasure of interviewing Tom at the UK premiere of Human Centipede 3 and he was a great guy.
What’s the story behind your latest book?
The Last War originally started life as a shared world novel written for an Australian publisher, who unfortunately went out of business between me writing the book and them publishing the book. So I was slightly left dangling with a project that I wasn’t quite sure what to do with, but having chatted with the editor he was happy for us to all try and get our work out as long as key names etc. were changed. So The Last War is now its own entity, and I’m delighted to be with Tickety Boo for this one – they’re a publisher really going places.
Tell us your writing process
I’m a great believer in simply cracking on, and I suppose an absolute non-believer in writers block. So for me it’s a matter of at least 1000 words per day, whether I feel vastly inspired or not. That way I can put together a first draft pretty quickly and leave me plenty of time to work on the editing process.
What advice can you share with other authors who want to get the word out about their book?
It’s a big job, so I suppose the first thing is to be prepared for as much work on promotion as there is writing, if not more! The other advice I’d give is just to give things a go – readings, workshops, panels, make yourself available for anything and everything. Even if you’re not talking directly about your book, they’re still really valuable opportunities.
When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?
Ever since I was tiny – in fact I can’t remember ever wanting to do anything else. My grandmother has stories from when I was four or five still kicking around.
Tell us about your main character:
There are a few in the book, but I suppose the real lead is Apius, who becomes the leader of a new religion and rather grows too much into the role of preacher. He’s a man of great belief, great conviction and great ambition. But he also has many opponents among his people, so the tension that grows from there is a key part of the story.
What are you working on next?
Book Two, what else? The Last Days is the second part of the Noukari Trilogy, and having had a couple of false starts I’m feeling on the right track with the latest plan and opening. I’ll be trying to keep the epic, formative feel of that first book but also adding in more from the universe more widely.
Do you have any special/extraordinary talents?
I’ve always been a dab hand with word games and anagrams. I was on the UK quiz show Countdown back when I was 15, and then invited back again when I was 16. I got beat both times but still watch now!
Who are your favorite authors?
For me I’ve always been a big fan of SF which has a more character-driven/human angle. I’m a big fan of Kate Wilhelm and DG Compton, but my two faves would be JG Ballard and Ray Bradbury. Bradbury in particular has always been a massive inspiration – his Martian Chronicles definitely fed into the thought process for The Last War.
What do you like to do with your free time?
Like I said, I’m big into comedy and particularly like the animated stuff – Adult Swim has kept me entertained for many years. I’m also big into my horror films, and like some of the more extreme stuff out there – things that push boundaries has always been really interesting to me. Besides that, I’m very partial to my sport, mainly football and horse racing but also golf and tennis.
Tell us about your plans for upcoming books.
The trilogy will be the main focus for a while yet, probably about the next year or so. Beyond that I have a couple of ideas for horror/thrillers that I’m excited to explore. I’ve also written a few short stories set in the world of the Noukari, so perhaps that’ll be something I can explore in the future.
Where can people find you on the web?
My website is at http://alexblogsabout.com, and if you fancy checking out the small press I run Boo Books is at http://boobooks.net/
Any final thoughts?
Thanks a lot for having me – I’m always happy to hear from people who’ve read the book, or anyone who enjoys this interview, so feel free to drop me a line at alexdavisevents@hotmail.co.uk
Filed under: Guest Authors Tagged: Alex Davis, author interview, Book Excerpt, book promotion tips, Enchanted book promotions, The Last War, writing tips
September 1, 2015
Kindle Free Promo – Protecting Donald Trump
Title: Protecting Donald Trump
Author: Anne Kelleher
Publisher: Pond House Press
Publication Date: August 23, 2015
When a candidate for the highest office in the land needs supernatural protection, a rag-tag misfit finds herself part of a security team who turn out to be a pack of werewolves. But that’s not the real surprise waiting for her to discover….
Protecting Donald Trump is FREE today on Kindle.
About The Author
Anne Kelleher sold her first novel, Daughter of Prophecy, to Warner Books as an inaugural release for its Aspect sf/fantasy line in 1993. Since then, Annie has written and published many more novels and short stories, including the critically acclaimed Shadowlands trilogy by Harlequin-Luna. In addition to Time-Warner and Harlequin, Annie has been published by Penguin-Putnam, as well as a boutique small press, and has been represented by three top agents, including Donald Maass.
Her novels are available internationally in four languages: Dutch, German, French, and Spanish. This past spring, Annie became a “hybrid” author with the recent independent release of her collection of short stories, Free to Good Home.
The same year Annie sold Daughter of Prophecy, she co-founded the Greater Lehigh Valley Writing Group (GLVWG) in Bethlehem, PA, where she was living at the time. In 1994, the organization held its first writing conference, The Write Stuff. GLVWG continues to flourish, and the annual conference is celebrating its twenty-third year, still drawing writers from all over, and agents and editors from both coasts.
Annie is an experienced conference speaker, writing coach and workshop facilitator. With her long-time knowledge of the publishing industry, and her ability to present her subject in an entertaining way, she is able to offer many topics of interest to writers at all levels. She has numerous successful clients who have gone on to publish in a wide range of genres.
Annie’s other career paths include Federal investigator, aerobics instructor, daycare provider, Executive Director, neighborhood mediator, corporate communications manager, interior decorator, and psychic medium. The latter accounts for why most of Annie’s work includes some aspect of the supernatural or paranormal.
Annie holds a BA from Johns Hopkins University. In addition, Annie has studied English literature and language at the University of Connecticut and Storytelling and Oral Traditions at The Graduate Institute. The mother of four, stepmom of two and grandmother of two, Annie now divides her time between Connecticut and Hawaii.
Connect with Annie online at www.annekelleher.net, or meet her on the Big Island in April, 2016: www.bigislandretreat2016.weebly.com.
Filed under: Guest Authors Tagged: ANNE KELLEHER, Daughter of Prophecy, Free Ebook, Kindle free, Protecting Donald Trump, Shadowlands trilogy
Book Tour – The Rockstar Remedy
Title: The Rockstar Remedy
Author: Dr. Gabrielle Francis with Stacy Baker Masand
Publisher: HarperCollins Wave
Pages: 330
Genre: Health and Wellness/Rock n Roll
Format: Paperback/Kindle/Nook
Known as the “Rock n’ Roll Doctor” to some of the most famous bands in the world, Dr. Gabrielle Francis shares her unique holistic prescription to achieving health and balance—even when you don’t live like a saint!
As a Holistic Doctor to the music industry’s elite, Dr. Francis has helped rock stars repair, recover, and refuel from the demanding schedules and occasional overindulgences that come along with the rock star lifestyle. Being overscheduled, sleep-deprived, overeating, drinking and managing physical and mental stressors aren’t lifestyle habits unique to the music industry; they are the same challenges faced by all of us, every day.
In The Rockstar Remedy, Dr. Francis shares her unique strategies designed to be incorporated into your hectic lifestyle. Her programs are customized to meet you where you are at, whether an experienced health enthusiast or a beginner. Completing the 21 day detox will give you a renewed sense of energy and enthusiasm for life, while looking and feeling your personal best. She explains how health is not a destination, but exists on a spectrum, and the simple act of making better choices every day—even if they’re not the best choices—helps us achieve balance in both mind and body. With tips for improving energy levels, easy food guidelines and a simple no-starvation detox, Dr. Francis offers a simple, effective plan for staying healthy and happy amid the chaos of our daily lives. Her popular “Harm Reduction Techniques” and “90/10 Rule” make it easy to celebrate life with occasional indulgences while maintaining good health. This is not a temporary fix; this program brings long-lasting, life-changing results.
Now you can reach for the stars too!
For More Information
The Rockstar Remedy is available at Amazon.
Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble.
_______________________________
EXCERPT
The year is 1984. I was fresh out of massage school… a ripe 19 years old. My cousin worked for Belkin productions, the company that promoted Rock Concerts in Cleveland. One day she called me and said, “ Cuz, such and such, the biggest name in rock n roll at the time, is coming to Cleveland and they want massages. I volunteered you.” I was in a state of shock, but gladly accepted the offer. Weirdly enough, I was not nervous or overly excited. I felt I would be great for the job.
I arrived at the coliseum with my massage table in check, but I was secretly looking forward to the massive parties back stage. To my dismay, the backstage seemed quite quiet. All the artists were in their private dressing rooms and keeping to themselves. I was taken to the catering hall and noticed that there was a completely organic and vegetarian spread. In those days this was very rare and unheard of. Whole Foods was not a household name. I also noticed there was not an ounce of alcohol backstage. The most intoxicating beverage I could find was Coca-Cola. Wives had taken the place of the groupies. The Myth was shattered!
The first artist I worked on was the Saxophone player. He had the spiritual name, given to him by his Guru, on the dressing room door instead of his real name. When I entered his dressing room, I felt I had entered a Temple. It was lit with candles, incense permeated the air, and a picture of his Guru stared at me throughout the entire massage. I worked with most of the band that night just doing massage to get them ready for the marathon show. There was a medical doctor backstage giving them B12 shots to boost their energy for the big performance. Each artist was so thoughtful and down to earth. I was taken by their humility and realness. It was an ego-free zone.
They put on a super 4-hour show that night. I watched from backstage and I could see what an amazing dynamic a rock concert was. The band gives energy to the audience. The audience gives love and more energy to the band. The band gets high on the energy from the crowd. And it seems like it can go of forever. The only thing that made the band come off the stage was the venue saying that they had to go.
I will never forget that night as I saw the power of music to elevate the energy of a theater to a higher vibration. It is no wonder that some people feel that going to a concert can be like a religious experience. I decided Rock’n’Roll would be one of my religions too! It would blend very well with my Catholic upbringing. Catholics revere saints. So, why not add a few like Jimi Hendrix, Patron Saint of the Wa Wa Pedal; Santana, the Archangel of Long Instrumental Grooves; Keith Richards, Holy Father of the Rhythm Guitar: and of course Our Lady Madonna.
After the show, that band asked me to tour with them as a massage therapist. I had to say no because I was very committed to the idea of finishing medical school.
I regretted that decision for a very long time. Luckily, I had the chance again almost 17 years later…
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About The Author
Dr. Gabrielle Francis has been practicing natural medicine for more than thirty years. She is a Naturopathic Doctor, Chiropractor, Acupuncturist, and Licensed Massage therapist. Dr. Francis currently practices in New York City as The Herban Alchemist. She also operates Backstage Alternative, which is her natural medicine road show that provides chiropractic, massage, acupuncture, nutrition and herbal remedies to performing artists on tour.
Dr. Francis received her formal medical training at National College of Chiropractic and at Bastyr University. She has extensive training in Alternative Cancer Therapies, Environmental Medicine, Functional Medicine, Mind-Body medicine, and Bio-Identical Hormone therapies. Following her formal medical education, Dr. Francis travelled extensively to various parts of the world studying medicine with indigenous healers in countries such as China, India, Thailand, Bali, Brazil, Morocco, Peru, Guatemala, Ecuador, Belize, Mexico, Egypt, and Mali.
Stacy Baker Masand is a health, fitness and lifestyle editor whose work has appeared in magazines such as In Style, Marie Claire, Self, Shape, Fitness, DuJour and Women’s Health. She’s co-author of New York Times bestseller Your Best Body Now. Stacy is currently developing projects for both small and big screen.
Their latest book is the health/wellness/rocknroll book, The Rockstar Remedy.
For More Information
Visit Dr. Gabrielle Francis’ website.
Connect with Gabrielle on Facebook and Twitter.
Find out more about Gabrielle at Goodreads.
Connect with Gabrielle on Instagram.
Visit Gabrielle’s blog.
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AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Gabrielle. Thanks for being here today. Tell our readers about you
My name is Dr. Gabrielle Francis. I am a doctor of all things natural: Chiropractic, Acupuncture, Naturopathic Medicine, and Massage. I have a holistic practice in NYC called The Herban Alchemist. I also work with Rock musicians on tour in a travelling natural medicine road show called Backstage Alternative.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
My organic coffee! And the fact that I am fortunate enough to meet amazing people every day on the journey of healing. On my days off, I am inspired to have an adventure.
If you could hang out with one famous person for one day, who would it be and why?
I have worked with famous people my whole life and realize that they are not so different than ordinary people. However, I have always wanted to meet Cher! People have been telling me that I look like her since I was 5 years old. Now, I am 50. I think it is time we met!
What’s the story behind your latest book?
The Rockstar Remedy was inspired by my 30 years experience of working backstage and on tour with some of the biggest Rock bands in the world. I learned a lot of strategies for keeping people healthy despite extreme lifestyles of excess and indulgence. I wanted to share these strategies of health in a fun and non-judgmental way as I recognize that many people want to be healthy but don’t want to give up the fun. The Rockstar Remedy is a complete health guide with sections on Detox, Food, Body, Mind and Spirit. I bring the message of health alive with my backstage stories and there are quotes and anecdotes from 80 Rockstars that were given exclusively for the book. It is basically a health book for people that love to celebrate!
Tell us your writing process
When I am writing medical information, I tend to imagine that I am speaking to patients in the office. I write like I am talking to them and try to make the medical information easy to understand. I like to use metaphors as I think sometimes people understand the concepts more.
When I am writing about my adventures….well, that is another story. The story comes to my mind when I am completely relaxed and usually in another country. The story will stay in my head until I get it on paper. It just downloads.
When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?
I have always been known to be a good storyteller. When I write about my stories on my newsletters, people respond with great enthusiasm and tell me that they feel like they are there with me. This made me realize that I perhaps have a gift at this art.
Tell us about your main character:
The Rockstar Remedy is a health book. The main character is the audience or person reading it. The reader will see that they live like Rockstars. They are taking on the adventure of getting healthy even when they aren’t living like saints. I am the messenger of the information. The Rockstars are the Ambassadors.
What are you working on next?
I am writing my travel stories in which I go to a foreign country and learn traditional medicines from the local indigenous healers. These are quite adventurous experiences. The book will be something of an Eat, Pray, Love meets Anthony Bourdain but with an Alternative Medicine theme.
Do you have any special/extraordinary talents?
I am very gifted as a natural healer. I started at a very young age and began the education in my teens. Some of the gifts, I was really born with. And much of it has come from years of study and practice. Alternative Medicine is an art that involves deep listening, compassion, intuition, knowledge, and skill.
Who are your favorite authors?
Dr. Christianne Northrup for medical books.
Deepak Chopra for spiritual wisdom.
Paulo Coehlo for novels.
What do you like to do with your free time?
I am always down for good live music. Any kind will do as long as it is good music. I have a beautiful garden on my roof in NYC and I spend lots of time working with my plants. I call them my babies. I love to travel and explore different cultures. But if I am not travelling, I am usually having some kind of adventure in NYC.
Tell us about your plans for upcoming books.
I am writing my travel stories in which I go to a foreign country and learn traditional medicines from the local indigenous healers. These are quite adventurous experiences. The book will be something of a Eat, Pray, Love meets Anthony Bourdain but with an Alternative Medicine theme.
Where can people find you on the web?
The Herban Alchemist.
www.TheHerbanAlchemist.com
The Rockstar Remedy.
www.TheRockstarRemedy.com
Any final thoughts?
Thank you for your interest!
Filed under: Guest Authors Tagged: @rockstarremedy, author interview, Book Excerpt, Dr. Gabrielle Francis, Pump Up Your Book, PUYB, Stacy Baker Masand, The Rockstar Remedy, Your Best Body Now
Book Tour – The Search for the Stone of Excalibur by Fiona Ingram
Title: The Search for the Stone of Excalibur
Author: Fiona Ingram
Publisher: Biblio Publishing
Pages: 376
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Format: Paperback/Kindle/Nook
Continuing the adventure that began in Egypt a few months prior in The Secret of the Sacred Scarab, cousins Adam and Justin Sinclair are hot on the trail of the second Stone of Power, one of seven ancient stones lost centuries ago. This stone might be embedded in the hilt of a newly discovered sword that archaeologists believe belonged to King Arthur: Excalibur. However, their long-standing enemy, Dr. Khalid, is following them as they travel to Scotland to investigate an old castle. Little do they know there is another deadly force, the Eaters of Poison, who have their own mission to complete. Time is running out as the confluence of the planets draws closer. Can Justin and Adam find the second Stone of Power and survive? And why did Aunt Isabel send a girl with them?
Join Justin and Adam as they search not only for the second Stone of Power, but also for the Scroll of the Ancients, a mysterious document that holds important clues to the Seven Stones of Power. As their adventure unfolds, they learn many things and face dangers that make even their perils in Egypt look tame. And how annoying for them that their tag-along companion, Kim, seems to have such good ideas when they are stumped. Book extras include some historical background on King Arthur, the Dark Ages, warfare and weaponry during Arthur’s time, and details on Excalibur. A fascinating peek into the life and times of the real King Arthur, perfect for young time travelers and budding archaeologists.
The Search for the Stone of Excalibur is available at Amazon.
Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble.
Find out the latest on the book at Facebook.
About The Author
Fiona Ingram was born and educated in South Africa, and has worked as a full-time journalist and editor. Her interest in ancient history, mystery, and legends, and her enjoyment of travel has resulted in the multi award winning The Secret of the Sacred Scarab, the first in her exciting children’s adventure series—Chronicles of the Stone. Fiona has just published the second book entitled The Search for the Stone of Excalibur, a treat for young King Arthur fans. She is busy with Book 3 entitled The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper.
Visit Fiona Ingram’s website.
Connect with Fiona on Facebook and Twitter.
Find out more about Fiona at Goodreads.
Visit Fiona’s blog.
Book Excerpt:
Adam shivered in the chilly air. It was hard to tell if it was early morning or late evening because the moon was still visible, a pale disc hanging in a dark gray sky. Ragged shreds of clouds scudded across the moon’s face, casting strange shadows on the ground in front of him. Mist floated around his ankles and swirled in soft eddies when he moved his feet. In front of him lay an open field, grayish green in the dim light. Farther away, he saw the mound of a huge hill. Adam got the feeling he had fallen through a hole in time—back to the Dark Ages, back to Arthur’s era.
He heard a faint howling noise in the distance. Wolves? Adam froze with fear. He desperately tried to remember whether there had still been wolves in England during the Dark Ages. There must have been because there was no other sound quite like the howl of a wolf. The hairs on his arms rose as he heard the howl again. Although he pinched himself to wake up, it was no good; he remained in the dream. At the sound of distant hoof beats, he shrank back against a large tree trunk. There was no time to run away because suddenly the drumming hooves were all around him. Then came the faint melancholy wail of a battle horn and the tinny sound of chinking metal. He could hear the crisp snap-snap of fluttering pennants and when he turned, he glimpsed banners waving among the trees. The surge of spectral riders halted and one man, seated on a white horse, appeared at the head of the cavalcade.
The eerie figure came closer, the horse lifting its feet carefully, clip-clopping right up to the trembling boy. The horse was huge, its trappings gleaming with pinpoints of metal rosettes, its long tail and mane hanging like ghostly cobwebs in the pale moonlight. The beast snorted and stamped restlessly. Adam saw the burnished glint of a helmet with a dragon-shaped crest topped by a red plume. Although the cheek pieces of the helmet obscured the man’s features, the shadowy figure was looking right at him. A red cloak swirled around the warrior’s body and, as the fabric swung aside, Adam saw the gleam of chain mail and the dark shape of a breastplate on the man’s chest. The warrior’s armor seemed more Roman than he expected. A banner flapped from the spear of a man behind the warrior: a red dragon on a white background. The warrior raised one arm, and a roar erupted as the sounds of cheering burst from what seemed to be thousands of throats. Although Adam heard strange words in another language, somehow he understood what the voices said.
“Hail the Pendragon!”
Adam was so close that he could have reached out and touched the rider. The spectral figure drew his sword from its scabbard and held it aloft. It seemed to Adam that he saw every detail with strangely magnified clarity. It was the same sword from the museum, but it looked so different now. The metal gleamed with a peculiar bluish sheen. Curious characters embossed the length of the blade. At the top, just under the crossguard, was a small circle with a seven-pointed star inside it. Sparkling gems decorated the hilt and pommel, with two dragons’ heads facing inward on the crossguard. The stone between the dragons’ open mouths glowed brilliant red. Suddenly, a fiery, almost blinding light shot from the stone, dazzling him. The white horse reared on its hindquarters. The radiant beam lit up the forest as the warrior whirled the blade around his head several times. Adam fell to his knees, shaking with a mixture of terror and excitement as he realized the second Stone of Power was embedded in the sword of Arthur. But the stone in the museum sword was nothing like this one.
Interview
Fiona, thanks for being my guest today. Tell us what inspires you to get out of bed each day?
There’s so much work to do, so much to write, so much to research … I even have problems sleeping in on a Sunday morning!
If you could hang out with one famous person for one day, who would it be and why?
I think British actor, author and all-round Very Interesting Person, Stephen Fry. He has a wonderful sense of humour and turn of phrase, and is just such a fascinating personality. (I hope he reads this!)
What’s the story behind your latest book?
The Search for the Stone of Excalibur is the second book in my Middle Grade adventure series, The Chronicles of the Stone. Continuing the adventure that began in Egypt a few months prior in The Secret of the Sacred Scarab, cousins Adam and Justin Sinclair are hot on the trail of the second Stone of Power, one of seven ancient stones lost centuries ago. This stone might be embedded in the hilt of a newly discovered sword that archaeologists believe belonged to King Arthur: Excalibur. However, their long-standing enemy, Dr. Khalid, is following them as they travel to Scotland to investigate an old castle. Little do they know there is another deadly force, the Eaters of Poison, who have their own mission to complete. Time is running out as the confluence of the planets draws closer. Can Justin and Adam find the second Stone of Power and survive? And why did their Aunt Isabel send a girl with them?
Tell us your writing process
For my middle grade adventure series it is rather a fixed process because while I was writing Book 1, I was already envisioning the following books in the series. So, since each location is already set, I plan the chain of events (lots of danger, mystery and intrigue!), research endlessly to make sure my historical, archaeological and geographical facts are correct, and start writing. I also write animal rescue which is much simpler, being basically the story of the rescued animal and how people can do more for animal rescue. I write Regency romances under a pseudonym (Arabella Sheraton) and these are really fun romantic romps, which are more spontaneous rather than planned.
When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?
I have always written, from the time during childhood when I wrote plays for my four brothers and me to act out for my ever patient and long suffering parents, to making up ghost stories to entertain my brothers and their friends, to writing comical poetry about family members or amusing events. I guess actually sitting down one day and writing a children’s book was inevitable.
Tell us about your main character:
My main characters have, by Book 2 in the series, become a trio. Adam is the reluctant hero, charged with being connected to all the ancient Stones of Power that drive the series; his cousin Justin is the brawn of the bunch; and Kim, a girl around the same age as the cousins, is the one with the most common sense and keeps the boys grounded. Between them they bring different perspectives to the quest which is fraught with lots of danger and excitement.
What are you working on next?
Book 3: The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper is at the editor. This is the third stage of the quest and takes the trio to Mexico where they crash land into the Mexican jungle on page one and are rescued by an uncontacted tribe. Very exciting!!
Do you have any special/extraordinary talents?
I can’t sing a note, and I struggle to learn dance steps, but I am an extremely good cook, and my desserts are delicious. My specialty is amazing home made ice cream made without using an ice cream maker (it can be done!).
Who are your favorite authors?
It’s hard to say. I read everything from the classics to thrillers and detective stories, to no holds barred adventure.
What do you like to do with your free time?
Free time? What’s that? When I do have time to spare, I love movies, reading, listening to music, being at home, and thinking about my next book/s or the characters…
Tell us about your plans for upcoming books.
I’m working on Book 4: The Cabal of the Ouroboros set in the catacombs of Paris, as well as developing the plot of my next Regency romance novel with a difference – a time travel, murder mystery this time. I am dying to write a murder mystery and this might just be the perfect opportunity.
Where can people find you on the web?
Please visit my social sites and follow my news!
Author Site: http://www.FionaIngram.com
Blog: http://fionaingramauthor.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/FionaRobyn
Any final thoughts?
Reading is the most wonderful experience for anyone, regardless of their age. If you are a parent, the best gift you can give your child is the gift of literacy. So make sure you follow your child’s reading interests and encourage them to read, read and read some more.
Filed under: Guest Authors Tagged: @FionaRobyn, author interview, Book Excerpt, Fiona Ingram, Pump Up Your Book, PUYB, virtual book tour
August 31, 2015
Book Tour – A Single Breath
Title: A Single Breath
Author: Amanda Apthorpe
Genre: Literary fiction
“Life’s beginning and its end hinged on a single breath as though the rest was conducted in its pause.”
When the first hate letter arrives in the days after her patient, Bonnie’s death, obstetrician Doctor Dana Cavanagh reads it with shaking hands before placing it next to the small news article of the court’s verdict: not guilty.
Hate letters continue to trickle in, but one stands out from the others—a cryptic message with a tiny marble stone, its origin—Kos, Greece, the birthplace of Hippocrates. She had once proudly sworn his oath, “I will give not deadly medicine.”
Accompanied by her sister Madeleine, Dana follows the mystery of the letter to Kos. The arrival of two more letters, and the strange appearances of a woman, beckon her to Italy and England. Despairing for her sanity, Dana persists in her crusade to come to terms with being implicated in the death of another.
Author Bio
Amanda Apthorpe is a Melbourne-based, Australian author of fiction and non-fiction. She studied at the University of Melbourne and holds a PhD and a Masters degree in creative writing, is a Master of science and a teacher with over twenty-five years experience. Amanda currently teaches in the Professional Writing and Editing program at the Centre for Adult Education, and is active in the international academic community of writing. She is published by Atlas Productions.
Links
Websites: http://amandaapthorpe.com
http://www.atlasproductions.com.au
Twitter: @AmandaApthorpe
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Amanda-Apthorpe/1401481590180532?fref=ts
Filed under: Guest Authors Tagged: @AmandaApthorpe, A Single Breath, Amanda Apthorpe, Enchanted book promotions
Book Tour – Guerilla by Mel Odom
Title: Guerilla
Author: Mel Odom
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Genre: Science Fiction
Format: Ecopy/Paperback
He’s behind enemy lines. But those lines are shifting beneath his feet.
In the jungles of Makaum, the Terran military is locked in a critical standoff over the planet’s resources with the hostile Phrenorians, even as both species maintain uneasy relations with the locals. Tensions could ignite at a moment’s notice. And Master Sergeant Frank Sage has just stumbled upon the spark plug.
Alongside trusted Makaum scouts, Sage is running recon on what is possibly an unsanctioned Phrenorian military base.Deep in the savage wilderness, Sage recognizes the renowned Phrenorian warrior arriving on-site: Zhoh GhiCemid. As Sage knows firsthand, Zhoh’s presence could mean trouble.
Meanwhile, a mysterious faction of Makaum insurgents breaks the fragile peace with a reckless attack on the Terran base. Before the situation devolves into chaos, Sage must learn to think like his adversaries—devious friends and deadly foes alike.
Buy Links
Amazon
B&N
Kobo
GooglePlay
Add to Goodreads.
Author Bio
Mel Odom is the bestselling author of Master Sergeant and many film and computer game tie-ins, including Forgotten Realms, Mack Bolan, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Angel. He won a prestigious Alex Award for his YA fantasy novel The Rover. He currently lives in Oklahoma.
Filed under: Guest Authors Tagged: @melodom, Guerilla, GUERILLA: The Makaum War: Book Two, Mel Odom, Pump Up Your Book, PUYB 
