C.J. Ives Lopez's Blog, page 11

The Garden Gnome by Jeff McIntyre

The Garden Gnome by Jeff McIntyre is a Crime and Mystery Science Fiction book, and we had the pleasure of speaking with the author for our blog. Check out this fantastic author and follow them for more amazing stories.

Jeff McIntyre was introduced to science fiction and fantasy with a three-book collection of A Wrinkle In Time, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe when he was eight, but his love of the genres took off in high school when he was introduced to The Foundation and The Hobbit.

He has been an avid gamer his entire life. Video games, role-playing games, and tabletop wargaming. The list of games he’s played is very, very long. His day job is Telecommunications, and The Garden Gnome is his first novel. He resides in Omaha, Nebraska, with his lovely wife Deb and 185 lbs of a furry dork named Magni and Zeus. They’re Hovawarts… Look it up.

When did you start writing?

January 2020. I had ideas for stories for several years, but it wasn’t until the height of covid that I decided to put up or shut up. I wrote ten chapters and decided they didn’t entirely suck, so maybe I should give this a shot.

What was it like growing up?

I grew up on a farm in rural Nebraska. Went to school in a small local town, and I was a nerd. It wasn’t hard, but it wasn’t easy being a sci-fi/fantasy gamer nerd.

How was your early life?

I worked several dead-end jobs in my late teens and early twenties. A couple of them allowed me to read… a lot. I discovered sci-fi and fantasy before I was a teenager, and loved them all through high school.

What has been the biggest influence in your career?

Definitely my wife. I had no idea if I would be any good at writing, so I kept it secret from her until I had written ten chapters. I handed them to her, and she gave me the wifely ‘what have you been up to’ look and then started to read. When she finished reading, all she said was “when do I get to read more.” That was all the encouragement I needed.

Tell us about your newest release.

The Garden Gnome is a contemporary fantasy with a streak of sci-fi, a side of mythology, and a pinch of Arthurian legend. It tells the story of magic returning to our familiar modern world and a family caught between an ancient conspiracy and a powerful and mysterious influence.

https://jeff-mcintyre.com/Which book of yours would you call your favorite child?

The Garden Gnome is my first novel, so it will always have a special place in my heart, but right now, I’m pretty excited about a short story I’m writing for people who sign up for my newsletter. I’m writing about the titular gnome’s origins, which didn’t fit well into the book.

What inspired you to write this book?

It started with the simple question: What if magic came to the modern world, and what would its ramifications be?

What are you usually found doing when you’re not writing?

Working a full-time job. Taking care of my wife and our two fur babies, Zeus and Magni. Gaming, video games, board games, role-playing games, and war games. And, of course, reading. I just finished Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, and I’m currently reading Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson.

What does your writing space look like?

I work from home and am in IT, so I have a three-monitor setup. My office is filled with all kinds of nerdy stuff. Books, knick-knacks, art. I also have a toy miniature screaming goat on my desk. It’s the best.

If you wrote your autobiography, what would you name it?

Nerd, Dork, Geek, Gamer, Engineer, Author

How long did it take to write your novel, and what was your process?

From first words to self-publication was about eighteen months. I’m a plotter. I gave a lot of attention to my outline, and it really helped me get through the slog of writing the middle. I also kept myself disciplined. I used writing the ending to reward myself for completing the middle. In fifteen months, it took me to write the first draft and about three months to write the first third. It took about eleven months to write the middle third and about three weeks to write the last third. The middle marathon is real.

Favorite reads?

Dune and The Wheel of Time. I’ve read Dune at least a dozen times, and while I have a long, complicated history with the Wheel of Time, I’ve read the entire series approximately two and a half times.

Do you have any book recommendations?

I read the Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee not too long ago, and I would highly highly recommend it.

What’s your next big project?

I’m working on book two of the Theory of Magic series. Tentatively called The M Word. It will continue to explore magic, inserting itself into the modern world and the complications that it brings. I also have ideas for three books after that. We’ll see where we go from there.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

You have a choice. You can write for yourself and maybe your friends and family. In which case, don’t worry about whether or not you’ll ever make any money. If however, you want to find success as an author be prepared to turn into a marketing machine. It is far harder to find an audience to find and read your book than it ever will be to write it. It doesn’t matter if you get a traditional publishing deal or if you self-publish. Marketing will be your biggest challenge. So be prepared.

Follow Jeff

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https://www.facebook.com/people/Jeff-...

@Jeff_M_McIntyre

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Listen, The chronicles of Araceli by Josephine Wrightson

Listen, The chronicles of Araceli by Josephine Wrightson is a Science Fiction Romance, and we had the pleasure of speaking with the author for our blog. Check out this fantastic author and follow them for more amazing stories.

Living in north Devon in a beautiful rural cottage with her family, hubby, and two girls, there is much inspiration all around Josephine. There are rolling green hills and forests, but she is doubly lucky to have beautiful beaches and the tumultuous coastline near too. So many tales to tell and plenty of inspiration all around her.

Josephine has been writing for more years than she cares to admit. Lol. She started in her early 20s and read anything and everything before then. However, as with many of us, life got in the way, and encouragement was lacking, so her ambition got shelved, or more to the point, packed into a case.

After a strange couple of years, with the help and encouragement of a great husband and children, who Josephine admits to being her very own ‘hero, ‘ decided to pick it up again, with renewed vigor and determination, as life is very often too short. Being an indie publisher became her goal. And this is where she sits now, having written and published 16 Fantasy books. Josephine much prefers Fantasy romance, as you can let your imagination run wild within fantasy. But Josephine also admits to having learned from many brilliant writers who have offered advice.

She has delved into different genres under the umbrella of Fantasy Romance, admitting she is addicted to Romance and all its sauciness. Listen, the Chronicles of Araceli … was the first that Josephine published.

When did you start writing?

Wow, that’s a question. In my early 20’s, many years ago

https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B07RL7SLGQWhat was it like growing up?

Lol, too long ago for me to remember, lol. I had a good childhood

How was your early life?

Great.

https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B07RL7SLGQWhat has been the biggest influence in your career?

Other supportive authors and mainly my amazing family

Tell us about your newest release.

D’aire, A stand-alone set in a whole new world. Dragon’s! And I’m loving it.

Would you want a better life? Evie did. Her life, body, and soul were hanging by a thread. Nothing had turned out as she had imagined when she was younger. When a stranger, who she quickly dismissed as a crackpot, asked her if she wanted more from her life? It all changed. What started well and like a dream soon changed, and the nightmare began. Yet, before the good comes the bad. Where her life would go now was anyone’s guess. Fated mates ripped apart before they even met. Could both survive to fulfill the Goddess’s wish? In a land of folklore, fairy tales, and magic, could they survive? Would both have the power of the God’s to get them through? Because their journey would be alone.

https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B07RL7SLGQWhich book of yours would you call your favorite child?

I do not think I have a favourite, I love them all.

What inspired you to write this book?

Inspiration comes from all sorts of places and all around me.

https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B07RL7SLGQWhat are you usually found doing when you’re not writing?

Looking after the family and walking.

What does your writing space look like?

A snuggly blanket, and my iPad. I have a beautiful desk, but I only use my desktop for my final edits.

https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B07RL7SLGQIf you wrote your autobiography, what would you name it?

What next?

How long did it take to write your novel, and what was your process?

I’m quite a prolific writer. The first I wrote when I got back into writing was the longest. That maybe took a year. But usually, I’m able to write them in approximately 3 months.

https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B07RL7SLGQFavorite reads?

Oo wow. I love the lord of the rings. Harry Potter, but I’m really into the smutty romance, so many brilliant indie authors write.

Do you have any book recommendations?

Too many, of which are all indie authors. Sara Louisa and her Liv the trilogy. Beth Worsdell Earths Angels trilogy. Beth Hildenbrand and Cain. Libby J and her bloodline series. L.v. Lane, V.T Bonds. Jade Thorn and her Rh series, of magic and contempt. The list is endless.

https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B07RL7SLGQWhat’s your next big project?

I have to bring my ongoing series to a conclusion

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Do not give up. Writing is the easiest bit. Marketing is hard, but you are not alone.

https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B07RL7SLGQFollow Josephine

https://www.facebook.com/josephine.wr...

https://www.tiktok.com/@darkfantasyre...

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Friend of The Devil

Friend of The Devil by James Irving

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I must be upfront that I haven’t read the first three books in the series.

Having said that, I am extremely happy to say that the way James has written these books, you can read them stand-alone.

I can also tell you that once you have read one, you will want to read them all.

The characters are fully developed with personalities you can’t get enough of. The storylines could be ripped out of the headlines and are full of intrigue and mystery.

I found myself putting down things I needed to get done to find out the next line or paragraph in the book.

While I can’t say I’ve lived in this world, I can see it being played out on a television screen, and I want more.

I had the pleasure of interviewing the author twice, and I’m quite excited for his fifth book to come out.

Josh Proctor may have some scrupulous friends, but their relationships and lives are fascinating.



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Skulduggery by Paul Rushworth-Brown

Skulduggery by Paul Rushworth-Brown is a historical fiction with a love story intertwined with the harsh landscape, and we had the pleasure of speaking with the author for our blog. Check out this fantastic author and follow them for more amazing stories.

When did you start writing?

2019

What was it like growing up?

Difficult because mum and dad were separated. A dysfunctional childhood mostly

How was your early life?

I played football (soccer) which was my escape.

What has been your biggest influence in your career?

Successful people who continue to strive for success and Charles Dickens

Tell us about your newest release.

Red Winter Journey is not just a novel about the English Civil War but about a family full of complex secrets and a father’s love for his son. A historic journey of twists, turns, and adventure with a dash of spirited passion. Modern writers usually don’t know what it was like to live in the past, but Rushworth-Brown has done this with great skill in this accomplished, atmospheric, and thoughtful novel.

https://amzn.to/3vRFWoIWhich book of yours would you call your favorite child?

Dream of Courage is to be released in November 2023

What inspired you to write this book?

A great love of history that is unknown

What are you usually found doing when you’re not writing?

Taking my dog Freda for a walk

What does your writing space look like?

Three monitors, shelves of books very tidy.

If you wrote your autobiography, what would you name it?

An a Pauling Story

How long did it take to write your novel, and what was your process?

One year. No process or planning. Just write.

Favorite reads?

Anything Charles Dickens

Do you have any book recommendations?

Skulduggery and Red Winter Journey

What’s your next big project?

The Ten Pound Tourist is due for release in November 2024

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Keep smiling

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https://bit.ly/3Yt6lWL

https://amzn.to/3vRFWoI

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Mother of Pearl by Blanka H. Madow

Mother of Pearl by Blanka H. Madow is book one in the Precious Stones series, and we had the pleasure of speaking with the author for our blog. Check out this fantastic author and follow them for more amazing stories.

Blanka H. Madow was born and raised in Zagreb, Croatia. Growing up, she was an avid reader of fantasy novels, inspiring her to write her own stories. Her debut novel, Mother of Pearl, is the first in a Precious Stones series. When she is not writing, she is still reading now in a smaller town. Blanka writes New Adult Fantasy – perfect for escapists.

When did you start writing?

Since I can remember, but only two years ago, I started writing with a bigger purpose than my personal fun.

What was it like growing up?

I was always an anxious child, ready to crawl into a book and away from people. That didn’t change much when I grew up.

How was your early life?

It was filled with love from my family and my wild imaginary friends.

What has been your biggest influence in your career?

My daughter. It’s magical how much energy a child can take and at the same time give to you.

Tell us about your newest release.

My newest release would be my second book in the Precious Stones series, Eye of Hawk. I’m publishing my third book, Honeycomb of Coral, in a few weeks. All of them are coming out so fast that I consider them one book because it is one fantasy story. The Precious Stones series is a new adult fantasy about broken girls growing angry. The transition from a weak person to a strong one is something I write about often and can be found in all of my stories.

Which book of yours would you call your favorite child?

That is something that changes with every new book I’m writing. Anytime a new story forms from my writing, it becomes my favorite and is soon replaced by another. Currently, I’m writing a duology and the first book is my favorite child right now until it grows into a published book.

What inspired you to write this book?

Buddy reading became my inspiration for many stories. Discussing my views of why I liked and didn’t like other stories made me realize what I wanted to read.

What are you usually found doing when you’re not writing?

I’m rewatching comfort series or playing games with my family.

What does your writing space look like?

It changes with my mood, but mostly it’s the black hole I call my corner of the couch filled with pillows and blankets, even in summer while a thunderstorm plays on the tv.

If you wrote your autobiography, what would you name it?

Boring life and exciting mind of Blanka

11. How long did it take to write your novel, and what was your process?

Writing comes quickly to me as a pantser, but editing takes a while. I wrote Mother of Pearl in two weeks, but it took 9 months to edit it.

https://www.blankahmadow.com/Favorite reads?

Currently, the Plated Prosoners series by Raven Kennedy and anything from Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti

Do you have any book recommendations?

I recommend reading something you think you wouldn’t like every once in a while. You might be surprised.

What’s your next big project?

The duology I’m working on currently is my baby. I’m very excited to see where these characters will go and how they will grow.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Don’t overthink it, and it’s not that scary.

Follow Blanka:

https://www.blankahmadow.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

https://www.instagram.com/blankahmadow/

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Mage’s Maze by Jared Millican

Mage’s Maze by Jared Millican is a mystery action adventure, and we had the pleasure of speaking with the author for our blog. Check out this fantastic author and follow them for more amazing stories.

Hiya! My name is Jared Millican, and I Love to write. A couple of years ago, I got an idea for a novel, so I decided to give it the old college try, and it was wonderful. As a child, I was diagnosed with ADHD and dyscalculia, although they didn’t know much about it. I grew up a while ago in a time we call the 80s. I also had a severe learning disability in English. I was and am a terrible speller and, of course, math Yikes let’s never speak about it again!

I spent most of my school years bouncing in and out of special education classes but never got the help I needed. While I struggled with most subjects in school, I always excelled at reading. I loved reading as a child, even forbidden books. As a kid, I grew up in Alabama “Que” Dantes Inferno, Paradiso, and the other divine comedy!

As a D- student at best, the school system had very little hope, and was told to get a trade because I was good with my hands. It was a different time in the 80s. After high school, I got a job and went to Junior college and then a four-year college attending Jacksonville state university for graphic design with a minor in English. To say I struggled would be an understatement. Anywho, in my last semester, my wife found out we were having twins, so I left college 12 hours short and hustled to provide.

Six years later, I had my idea for a book and set about writing it all down. Encouraged by family and friends after I finished it, I decided to get it published. Well, that went over like a lead balloon “Rejection City,” so I self-published and sold a few. Then I wrote another book, and it sold a few. I’m currently working on several novels, children’s books, short stories and poetry collections, and even a few movie scripts! I also have one finished play about to get its first stage reading. I believe it’s never too late to embrace your dreams and make them a reality. I may not be the best-selling author, but I am happy and think you can be too.

TLDR; I am a Spaz that loves to write things; I had some learning problems I overcame!

When did you start writing?

Eight years ago

What was it like growing up?

Growing up in the 80s in the south was both fun and tough. I spent a lot of time by myself and with a core group of friends. I was a terrible student, but as I said in my bio, I loved to read comics, novels, and anything.

How was your early life?

I have two amazing parents. Not everyone is that lucky, but they have supported me through some tough spots and are a godsend! My early life was great, aside from the school aspect of it. Did I say before that I disliked school lol?

What has been your biggest influence in your career?

Short answer? My father. He taught me to work hard and, if I wasn’t good at something, to not give up. I didn’t have to be perfect, but I did have to give it the ole college try! You know how to get to Carnegie hall, son!! Practice, Practice, Practice! I can still hear those words!

Tell us about your newest release.

My latest book “Emerald City Confident” Is a pulp detective novel set in the land of OZ. I got the idea one night as I was flipping back and forth between the Wizzard of Oz and The Maltese Falcon, two awesome classic movies. Written in the vein of the old tired gumshoe, the main character Walter Diggs is thrown into a whirlwind of murder and mayhem! “When Dorothy Gale, the mayor of the emerald city and wealthy socialite’s daughter, has been murdered most spectacularly. The case is dropped in the lap of Walter Diggs, a former palace guard turned private dick. He is foisted into the investigation to uncover what the tin men couldn’t find. What he does find will shake Oz to its very core. Drugs, sex, murder, corruption, and deception. The dark side of Oz you never knew about but always wanted to.” Take this fantastical journey through Oz with a cast of misfits and ne’er-do-wells. Walter Diggs leaves a trail of destruction, sarcasm, and mayhem wherever he goes, but this case might be the breaking point for him and everyone around him.

https://www.amazon.com/Emerald-City-Confidential-Death-wears/dp/B09PHBWSYXWhich book of yours would you call your favorite child?

If your asking which of the books I have written is my favorite. It would be crooked. It’s a picture book that I wrote for my kids. I got the idea from a poem by Tom Waits! I did that one out of pure love for my kids, which turned out great. If you want a free listen, I even turned it into a little video on youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lxxq...

What inspired you to write this book?

I’ve always written even though I was no good at it. This idea came to me one day on my way to work, and it just stuck in my craw and wouldn’t go away. I had to put it down to get it out, and it kept growing!

What are you usually found doing when you’re not writing?

Fixing things! My wife often jokes that I could fix anything given enough time and the right tools. I’m handy for sure, but that is usually what I’m doing!

What does your writing space look like?

In my basement, I have a nice old desk that was my father’s, three monitors, and a comfy chair, all surrounded by my little collection of toys I have procured over the years that line my bookshelves. My wife calls it the Dungeon! I call it my little cubby hole of imagination!

If you wrote your autobiography, what would you name it?

One-click at a time! Stop turning that damn channel and pick one!

How long did it take to write your novel, and what was your process?

Three years on the first one and two on the second! My process is messy and comes in spurts! I get very little free time as I have a full-time job and a family with kids. I sneak away at night when everyone is asleep, pound away on my keyboard, and try to forget about the day. I recommend the no sleep, though.

Favorite reads?

Oh man, this is a tough one! The hobbit was the first book my dad got me to read in the fantasy Genre! But my favorite book would most likely be Have Spacesuit will Travel! By Robert A. Heinlein but man, it would be a close tie between that and the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. By Douglas Adams! Or anything by Robert Saprin, Terry Pratchett, or Neil Gaiman. Oh, and not to forget anyone, my friend and author C.T Phipps!

Do you have any book recommendations?

Check out my Friend and author, C.T. Phipps; his writing is hilarious!

What’s your next big project?

I am working on three novels, The Seqeul to Mage’s Maze and Emerald City. The Diggs Detective novels are so much fun. The next one is “Alice Is Missing,” Based on Alice in Wonderland, and another follow-up to that one is “All the Kings Men,” where an important fantasy land dignitary is murdered. That one is going to be a doozie! And “The Dragons Tears,” the Follow up to “Mage’s Maze,” I hope to have that one out in the middle of this year!

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Don’t give up! You can Do it! If someone like me can overcome it and get it in print, you have no worries. In the words of my favorite Z-grade celebrity Kevin Smith! Remember: It costs nothing to encourage an artist, and the potential benefits are staggering. A pat on the back to an artist now could one day result in your favorite film, the cartoon you love to get stoned watching, or the song that saves your life. Discourage an artist, and you get absolutely nothing in return, ever.” ? Kevin Smith, Tough Shit: Life Advice from a Fat, Lazy Slob Who Did Good

Follow Jared:

https://www.facebook.com/MagesMaze

More of Jared’s Books

“Mage’s Maze”

“Emerald City Confidential”

“Crooked”

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Dark Obsessions by Delphine McClelland

Dark Obsessions by Delphine McClelland is an award-winning book, and we had the pleasure of speaking with the author for our blog. Check out this fantastic author and follow them for more amazing stories.

Delphine McClellad was born in Statesville, North Carolina, where she graduated from Statesville Senior High School. After graduating from high school, she took her dreams and passions to Knoxville, Tennessee, where she attended and graduated from The University of Tennessee with a degree in Anthropology. Her career path was set until life happened, and on a co-worker’s advice, she channeled her passion for reading and funneled it into writing her first novel, Dark Obsessions. When she is not writing, Delphine is known to be spending time with family and friends watching the Vol play on Saturday and the Cowboys play on Sunday. She is a member of Throne of Grace Church. For more about Delphine, check out her website at www.delphinemcclelland.com.

When did you start writing?

I started writing Dark Obsessions in 2018 while working at the Nascar Hall of Fame. At the time, I would have never thought I would ever write a book, and had I not been working at the hall of fame, Dark Obsessions may have never existed.

What was it like growing up?

Growing up for me was great. I was a very curious child, and I was lucky to have family around me that allowed me and my crazy imagination to grow and run wild. My wild imagination and obsession with vampires at an early age were the sparks that helped create Dark Obsessions

How was your early life?

My early life was good. Like most people, there were ups and downs, highs and lows. Life was life, and it helped shape the person and creative thinker that I am today

What has been your biggest influence in your career?

I am new to writing, and I would say that my biggest influence has been my family and friends. Their encouragement has been the best, and why I finished Dark Obsessions when I tried and tried to shelve it for good. My nephew’s belief that I am rich simply because I have a book makes me want to make him proud of his auntie.

Tell us about your newest release?

Dark Obsessions is a Dark Adult Paranormal Romance Novel about a 300-year-old vampire named Kairo who loves torture and refers to his victims as his little mice. Skylar is obsessed with everything about the supernatural world and even has dreams of what it would be like to be a vampire. When her world collides with Kairo’s, they are forever changed, and their lives will never be the same. Dark Obsessions looks at how the power of love can change even the darkest of hearts

Which book of yours would you call your favorite child?

While it is not finished yet, I would say the sequel to Dark Obsessions because it focuses on how two alpha personalities compromise and come together to form one powerful unit.

What inspired you to write this book?

John Voldstad played the other brother Darryl in Newhart. Without him and his push Dark Obsessions may have never existed.

What are you usually found doing when you’re not writing?

Watching t.v. I am a huge Tennessee Vols fan and Dallas Cowboys fan.

What does your writing space look like?

I don’t have a typical writing space. I mostly write in my room on a small writing table. I wrote all of Dark Obsessions sitting on my bed with my computer on top of the board game’s perfection, and don’t break the ice.

10. If you wrote your autobiography, what would you name it?

Strangely Beautiful: The Life of Delphine McClelland

How long did it take to write your novel, and what was your process?

It took me about 4 to write Dark Obsessions. While writing this book, I became obsessed with writing and sat in front of my computer all day long and wrote until I was out of ideas or creative juice.

12. Favorite reads?

The Touched Saga by Elisa S. Amore, and paranormal romance

Do you have any book recommendations?

Sadly I don’t, as I have not read anything new while I was working on my book

What’s your next big project?

Working on the sequel of Dark Obsessions and planning two spin-offs with two additional characters in the book.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

I would say that if you have a dream to write or even feel you have a book in you, sit down and try writing. You never know where the creative will take you once you open up to it.

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Abstraction by Sam Weis

Abstraction by Sam Weis is Debuting on March 1st, and we had the pleasure of speaking with the author for our blog and will interview her next week. Here are the details of our conversation.

Sam Weis is a noted abstract painter, author, 12-string guitarist/recording artist, and an award-winning songwriter. 

 After writing five recordings of original music and lyrics, she thought it was time to write something that did not rhyme every other line, and she has a published novel titled ABSTRACTION. It’s a quirky story about paintings, artists, and the mysterious power of art.

Sam has lived and painted in Eastern Iowa, Seattle, Washington’s Kitsap Peninsula, and Islamorada in the Florida Keys.

1. When did you start writing?

When I was about nine

2. What was it like growing up?

Delightfully solitary with lots of farm animals and wild animals. A great extended family.

3. How was your early life?

Safe and supportive.

4. What has been the biggest influence in your career?

My older brother taught me to read when I was three, and my family encouraged me to be endlessly curious.

5. Tell us about your newest release?

I am also a painter, so logically, this book is about a painter. Or rather, her paintings.

6. Which book of yours would you call your favorite child?

This is my first book.

7. What inspired you to write this book?

I was working on an idea for a completely different book when this one honestly appeared in a dream, nearly fully realized. Of course, it took two and a half years to make it real.

8. What are you usually found doing when you’re not writing?

I’m a painter. I am also a songwriter and 12-string guitarist (been playing guitar since age 7). I also play golf and try to figure out ways to avoid snowy weather.

9. What does your writing space look like?

It is wherever I am. I have traveled a lot, playing music, so I have gotten used to writing wherever I happen to be. Abstraction was written in the office of my Kitsap County, WA house. Also, in a tiny travel trailer in a state park on Puget Sound. In numerous restaurants. And in a dear little rental place on a canal in Key Largo, FL (later destroyed by Hurricane Irma).

10. If you wrote your autobiography, what would you name it?

The title would have to be What The Hell Is Going On Here

11. How long did it take to write your novel, and what was your process?

It took 2-1/2 years, then a few more months for editing and rewrites. My process was to simply write. Then ride my bike, go kayaking, or play golf. I do things to clear my mind. Then return to the writing. I’m too wiggly to sit for more than a couple of hours at a shot.

12. Favorite reads?

Everything by Kurt Vonnegut, Annie Proulx. John Irving’s A Prayer For Owen Meany. Dean Koontz writes beautiful sentences and scares the willies out of me.

Going After Cacciato by Tim O’Brien. Do we have enough space for this list?

13. Do you have any book recommendations?

Finding Beauty In A Broken World by Terry Tempest Williams. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand (because so many apparently intelligent people seem afraid of it). Everything by Hakan Nesser.

14. What’s your next big project?

Getting Abstraction into as many reader’s hands as possible. Then getting back to work on the new idea.

15. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Don’t be afraid to make a hash of it. That’s what the delete button is for, the eraser or a match. Just write.

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Shades of Love Release Day

Today is Shades of Love Release Day, and Someone needs to Pinch Me!

Shades of Love by Zaria Knight

I am so eager for the Shades of Love Release Day of this book. After a year of working with these authors and writing my story, I am screaming with excitement and love to the universe. Writing within a multicultural and interracial world is amazing because that is our world. Sending a HUGE shoutout to our fearless leader Zaria Knight because this wouldn’t be possible without her. Read her books, she epitomizes multicultural and interracial worlds and shows what Shades of Love truly is. These authors freely share their stories and demonstrate how love transcends boundaries. We hope to spread love worldwide and create a place we see in our books and hearts. God bless everyone everywhere.

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Reviews are already hitting the presses.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60198640-shades-of-love

Shades of Summer by CJ Ives Lopez: by Ally Doby(Schleicher)
This is a short story told in first person POV. It’s a quick read that gives you a tease into the coming series that CJ is working on for next year.

Shelly and Esteban had a whirlwind romance for the summer. I felt bad for Shelly that she had her heart broken by her boyfriend but the chemistry between her and Esteban overpowered that. When circumstances arise and Esteban finds himself having to leave her, he promises that their paths will cross again.

I’m excited to see how their lives progress after their whirlwind and what they accomplished after their paths cross again.

I received an advanced readers copy from StoryOrigin and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Read more over on GoodReads

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Kane’s Reckoning

Kane’s Reckoning by J.R. Byers

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Oh, sweet baby Kane Blackwood. I vividly picture him in my head, and I need to go live in Scotland until I find him, LOL. Let me tell you that I turned 1000 shades of Sunday with this book.

I shed a tear, and not because I was sad by any means. The bedroom scenes had me so emotional I cried. Like, was I in bed with this man? No, but it sure felt like he was speaking the words to me. This author is good at finding ways to make the readers feel every single emotion of the characters. You will get lost inside this book. This series is good, really good.

A storyline that can bridge a gap from the 1700s to the modern-day yet feel fluid is not easy, but somehow the author can do that. An author who can make you feel the emotions to the point of your heart fluttering out of your chest and tears rolling down your eyes without you realizing it’s happening is rare. Hold onto this one, folks.

I’ve already asked to be an ARC or Beta reader for the rest of her books because I have no patience and need more. The characters are real, and I need them in my brain. LOL.



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DISCLAIMER: Book reviews are what help authors get noticed. CJ reviews books independently based on what she enjoys reading. The Authors Porch does not charge for book reviews and will never request compensation for CJ’s review. CJ does not solicit reviews nor accept review requests from any inbox. CJ’s reviews are solely at the discretion of her reading endeavors.

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