Jennifer Malone Wright's Blog, page 17

Getting Back to Normal…Whatever That Is

So, I don’t know if any of you noticed, but my website was down for a bit. I hadn’t been making any new posts on the old one because we were having some issues and I cannot begin to explain any of these issues. It has to do with moving the domain name and hosts and servers and a bunch of other stuff I don’t know anything about. All I can say on the matter is YAY!! For Farah Evers and her hubby for helping me out. By helping me out, I mean doing everything. I am now hosted through Evers Hosting. if you need to move your website or start one, I highly recommend them cause they performed miracles with my website last month.

So, all in all, I’m still working on the website…there is a lot to do on it still, but it’s here. And, if you look to the right there is a subscribe button. You should subscribe so that you don’t miss any of my awesome posts!

Ok, onto more updating. The kids are going back to school soon! YAY again! Quiet time for mom. This also is double good for me to work because the two smallest ones are now in pre-school. I have finally been able to pull in enough money to put them in for three days a week. This is good because I will have quiet time for writing.

Oh, about the writing… all I can say is that I’m working on it. There isn’t much I can do when I’m swamped with things to do for the kids, housework, marketing, emails, ect… I also decided to retire from the book tour business. I just wasn’t getting any writing done and it was too time consuming considering what I have to do for my family.

What else is happening. I will be having several blog tours running through the next few months. They will all have pretty hefty giveaway prizes for Amazon gift cards, so check them out. The first is already in Swing and it is with Bewitching Book Tours, Then There is Parajunkee Tours and Sizzling PR.  These will be linked but the banners will be off to the side too. Please check them out and share, share, share!

Another really, really cool thing going on is the Traveling Vlog, this is a weekly posting that happens on Fridays. Either Willow Cross, KB Miller, JH Glaze or myself make the video blog and it rotates. By Friday I should have a schedule up with the vlog rotation and also the past vlogs. Friday is my turn, but you have got to see this weeks over at KB Miller’s blog.There is always a giveaway that is connected to these vlogs too, so make sure to check that out. Last month was a 50 dollar amazon gift card, this month is a fall gift basket.

And, yet another giveaway is our monthly contests we are running! Last month was back to school best. And this next month is going to be a character contest. To see the details you can check it out here. This months giveaway is in transition right now so the details arent up right this second but they will be soon.

Another fun thing you can do is to go listen to us, me, Willow, JH Glaze and KB Miller talk with Marsha Cook on A Good Story is a Good Story. You will laugh so hard. We listened to it afterward and it was hilarious! Check it out!

Well guys, I think that is it for today. I have a few topics I’ll be posting pretty soon. So look forward to that. Don’t forget to subscribe and enter all the giveaways. Thank so much for all your support you guys!

Jenn~

Posted for your enjoyment is one of the cool pics I took of the blue moon…that wasn‘t really blue at all.

The Birth of Jaiden (The Jaiden Series)

Long ago, a prophecy was foreseen. A child would be born, a child who held the power to destroy the world. Now, it is up to Alexander Lucas, a one-hundred-year vampire, to keep the baby girl safe from his arch enemy Malcolm.

In order to save her, Alexander must raise the child as his own. Will he be able to resist his vampire tendencies to care for a human baby? With the help of the wisest of the supernatural, an organization called The Great council, Alexander must face many battles to ensure the safety of this very special child.

The Birth of Jaiden is a full length novel filled with action, suspense and even a love story. Be sure to check out out on Amazon, B&N, Smashwords, Apple, Kobo, and Sony.

The Second book in the Jaiden Series, The Rise of Jaiden, is in the works. So you can look forward to more in this series. The Birth of Jaiden is available in Print and Ebook. See the EStore on this site to purchase signed copies.

Tales from Fandom Fest 2012, see Julie Kagawa and Robin Hobb holding my book!

I spent the weekend at Fandom Fest Convention at the Galt House in Louisville KY.

The weekend was amazing, I met so many wonderful authors, artists and actors. I was in literary heaven most of the weekend. It was super nice to finally get to meet many of my fellow authors I have known from online, it felt like I was visiting family.

There were a few highlights where I had to try very hard not to go fan girl though. One is this first pic of me with Robin Hobb and Julie Kagawa! Look really close cause they are holding my books in their hands and I’m holding theirs. Of course I got autographed copies and they happily accepted autographed copies of my books! This was an incredible moment for me as an author who looks up to these authors.

I met up with some of my closest online author friends A. Jacob Sweeny, author of Pulse of Heroes and JH Glaze author of The Spirit Box. AJ and I just so happened to have our table next to JH Glaze so ended up being even more awesome! The only not awesome part was the 105 degree weather so I looked like crap in all my pics.

 

 

 During the convention I spent time participating on the literary panels and working at the table AJ and I shared. But, I couldn’t get through this convention without going and having a little fun. I ended up getting my photos taken with some celebrities, I will post those pics below, as well as all the other photos from the convention. In addition to Julie and Robin, I got to meet and got signed books by other best selling authors like Richard Kadrey and Angie Fox!

I have to say, this was my first big event like that, and I WILL be doing more of them. It was amazing.

Enjoy the photos and feel free to leave comments!!

Luv

Jenn

Author Interview with John and Toni Rakestraw

Hello Readers, sorry it’s been a bit before a new interview came up. My whole family got sick with the flu…yuck. I’m not going to go into that right now because we have another awesome interview to get on with!

Today we have John and Toni Rakestraw who have written a book together called Titanic Deception, which launched April 15th! You can check out their book at Amazon.com.

Congrats John and Toni!

Here is the synopsis of their book…

Michael Kearney works for a large Wall Street firm. He overhears a story about why the Titanic really sunk, and decides to look into it more himself. He reads his great-grandmother’s diary, which tells her tale of surviving the wreck. He finds some corroboration of the story and creates a blog to share the findings with the world. He is contacted by Soft Kitty, an ex-CIA conspiracy theorist, who tells him he’d better stop or he’ll put himself in danger. Michael teams up with Soft Kitty, and together they take on Michael’s boss, who actually runs a company that fixes things for the rich and powerful. Afraid of being exposed, his boss, Douglas Chandler, goes after Michael in any way he can to get ahold of the diary. Michael finds his routine life completely turned on its ear as he tries to evade capture and certain death while keeping the diary safe.

The story wends its way from 1912 to present day, weaving the stories of Alice, Michael’s great-grandmother, and Michael together. Both find love, and must do what they can to protect it in the face of great odds they never imagined.

And now the interview!

Do you prefer YA or Adult?

We like to read both types. For example, we read many YA books out loud to the family; it’s fun to share a book this way, and we’ve been doing it for years. Some of our favorites have been the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling and the Percy Jackson and Kane Chronicles series by Rick Riordan.

What is your opinion on Indie publishers versus Self publishing?

Authors have a plethora of choices now, so they can choose what fits them best. Some do best self-publishing, while others prefer small indie publishers or going for a contract with the big publishers. We don’t think the author’s choice reflects on the quality of their work… just what works best for them. We’re self-publishing; first of all because it lets us use the launch date we wanted, but mostly because it puts us in charge of all aspects of our book.

How did you get started?

This is where we say we’ve been writing ever since we could pick up a pencil, right? I think we should answer this one individually.

Toni: I started writing stories in elementary school, and I had a couple of poems accepted into anthologies, but I didn’t write a lot until a few years ago, when I took a job ghostwriting web content. I burned out on that in a few years. I started playing around with a few ideas in my head and got a short story published in an anthology at the end of 2011. Our current book started as a project for NaNoWriMo. I admit I struggled with it; thank goodness John was there to help me work through all the tangles that got in my way. This is our debut book.

John: I came to the game later in life… I had a reading problem in grade school; I have great comprehension, I just couldn’t read all the words. I would quickly look at a piece and get the idea. But, if you had me read it out loud to you… well, it wasn’t pleasant. I got help in fourth grade by a wonderful reading teacher. By sixth grade, I was reading at a high school level. At that moment, I started to read Uncle Tom’s Cabin, this was my first novel. I had read comic books, short stories… but this was my first venture into the REAL book section in the library. My world was about to change. I had such vivid movies come to life in my head. People and places formed out of thin air. They became so real to me, as if they were my friends and family. I got to the end of the story and tears came to my eyes… not because how this wonderful story ended, it ended beautifully. I was sad that it was over. I would never see or hear any more about these new friends. I went back to the library, asking if there was more to this story. Was this all there was? The lady at the desk sadly looked me in the eyes and said… “No, that is all there is for that story.” She then got up and walked around that desk and turned me around, so that I could see the rest of the library. She stood behind me and said these magical words, “Right now, on all those shelves, are more worlds, friends and family, just waiting for YOU. They’ve been sitting there in anticipation… knowing one day you would come looking for them. Go, a lifetime awaits you.”

Because of my early issues and dyslexia, my writing skills sucked. I lost those years where that gets cemented into your head. Writing was a chore; I would panic at the idea of writing. Then a magical thing came into my life, computers with word processors. In 1989, I was introduced to an Apple IIe in college for the first time. You could write and save it on a floppy disk. No more crossing out stuff, no more tearing the pages out of a note book and throwing it away. You could just write, put all your thoughts down, and then go back and edit later! Over the next 20 years, Toni taught me how to believe in my writing and learn all those rules of grammar that I ran from before. Plus, I have a world class editor in the house, my wife,Toni, and her protégé, our oldest son, Callum, to keep me in line. The next step was writing a book.

Give us a sample of your work.

Sylvia was finishing her shift at the park in the food tent. She wrapped up the last of the leftovers and put them on the cart to be transported back to the storage facility. She grabbed a wet sponge and wiped down all the tables.

“Good night, Sylvia,” Marilyn called as she ducked out of the tent. Sylvia sighed. Looked like she’d be the one taking the cart back to storage. Again. She put the sponge away and washed her hands. She reached into her pocket and pulled her gloves out. The air was getting nippy; she didn’t want her fingers to get too cold. The soft wool felt good on her hands. She pulled her hat onto her head, then grabbed the cart and pushed it out of the tent.

A few people waved at her as she passed by on her way to the park entrance. She stopped for a moment to push a stray curl out of her eyes. The wind was picking up tonight. The bare branches danced above her. It was going to be a cold night. The sky was clear and a couple stars twinkled down, crystal clear in the chilly air. As she pushed the cart out of the park entrance, she found herself thinking back to the millions of stars she had enjoyed as a kid when she lived in Nebraska. These city lights just didn’t allow them to show like she remembered them. Behind her, unnoticed, Ferguson trailed in the shadows.

She turned the corner, still lost in thought. She saw a movement out of the corner of her eye and the cart crashed onto its side, food spilling everywhere. Suddenly she was in the dark and she felt hands lifting her bodily up and tossing her onto a padded seat. A body slid in next to her and a car door slammed. Her heart beat wildly as she tried to make sense of the past few seconds. She heard a shout outside the car, then the sound of hands banging on the window. Was that Jim’s voice? What was he doing here? He’d left the food tent before she had. The window whirred as it lowered.

“What are you doing?” Ferguson shouted. “I wasn’t told about this! Where are you taking her?”

“Looks like you’re left out in the cold, buddy,” a voice next to her said, then she heard two shots erupt from the seat beside her. After a few moments, the window closed. Outside the car, Jim Ferguson toppled to the sidewalk. Blood pooled beneath his head as his eyes stared sightlessly at the sky. An item clattered to the ground beside him, rolling into the pool of blood.

Do you think that the future is ebook or print?

Toni: Probably ebooks, but I hope print never goes out of style.

John: Paperbacks, hardcover books and unbound tomes are flawless amusement. They are a great way to cure boredom. You have no batteries, cords, ear buds; they are easy on the eyes, you can get hours of enjoyment from them, and best of all, there are no commercials! They are some of the best movies I have watched in the theatre of my mind. I didn’t have to wait in huge lines and buy overpriced treats. I can pick up a book anytime and be transported to an alien world, or run through the streets of London with Holmes and Watson. I have had the great pleasure to be entertained beyond my wildest dreams, all from the words that have been placed on simple paper.

I can see ebooks being the new norm… but, in the last 30 years, I’ve seen the storage of electronic data go through many different media. There has been cassette tapes, 5-1/4 and 3-1/2 inch floppies, hard drives, optical drives, CDs, DVDs, memory sticks, SD cards, thumb drives and now Flash drives for netbooks.

In that same amount time, I have bought hundreds of paper books; just in the last few weeks I purchased new paper books. These same paper books have been around for hundreds of years and they need no new media reader. AlI you need to do is learn to read. They can be opened by anyone and enjoyed by all.

That is the differance of books and handwritten media. They are almost timeless. Our instant e-books and photos are limited by their technology short comings and short life span.

Have blog tours helped you reach more fans?

We haven’t done too many blogs yet, but we are happily anticipating that we may reach some new readers this way.

Do you prefer technical or free style writing?

I just like to write. I love when scenes begin to unfold beneath my fingers. Not so much when I have to pull them out, kicking and screaming. I have done lots of technical writing, and while it gets the job done, I prefer to just let it flow.

Dream place to live and why?

Toni: I would love to live in the UK someday. I love the rugged coastline and beautiful scenery. Instead, I get my dose of the UK from British television. Both John and I have ancestral roots in Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales.

John: I thought by this time we would have flying cars and weekend golf trips to Mars… since that hasn’t happened, the UK fits wonderfully with my laidback style.

Where can we find your page/address?

Our author site is Rakestraw Reads (http://rakestrawreads.com). We also have our editorial site, Rakestraw Book Design (http://rakestrawbookdesign.com). On Facebook, we have a page dedicated to Titanic Deception: http://www.facebook.com/TitanicDeception

facebook or google+? Who wins in your book?

Toni: This is where we part company. I love Facebook, and I’m learning to appreciate Twitter. John has loved Google+ since the beginning, and he really makes it work.

John: I like Google+ and Twitter for business, and Facebook is for my friends and family.

Best books you have read.

Toni’s faves: All the Harry Potter books. They entranced me completely. Others that remain in my library for repeated reading include The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley and The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher.

John’s faves: Rogue’s Curse by Jason Beymer, any book by Harry Harrison, love Clive Cussler, Shakespeare, all the writers that I have interviewed and of course the list that Toni mentioned.

Who does your cover art? Do you design it yourself?

Toni: Our daughter, Morwenna Rakestraw, designed our cover art. We helped pick out the stock images, but it is her artistry that blended them all together to create the cover for Titanic Deception. She found the right font and the best way to display the title so it is easily read at any size, yet still fits the story.

We got the cover printed and framed to hang on our wall. May be a bit silly, but it’s wonderful to be able to admire her work whenever we walk by.

John: I think that the artist who did our cover is magnificent and everyone should hire her! I’m also talking as a proud father, which makes no difference when it comes to how wonderful she is as an artist.

Are you on goodreads? If so, please share your page address and has it helped you reach more fans?

Here is Toni’s Goodreads page: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/48...

To be honest, I’m still figuring Goodreads out. If any readers have tips to share, I’d love to hear them!

How do you feel about all the bookstores starting to close? Do you think that it is just the corporate ones in trouble? Or do you feel that the small/independent ones are in danger too?

Toni: It makes me sad that bookstores are closing; we have spent many enjoyable hours browsing through them before making our final choices. We’ve lost both small and large bookstores in our community. I think the independent bookstores that are most successful are the ones that make an effort to make a niche for themselves. Maybe they host a lot of book signings, provide entertainment and readings, or make room for local writers’ groups. I hope that independent bookstores would be open to hosting signings with more indie writers as small publishers and self-publishing becomes the norm.

John: I too hate to see any business close. Bookstores hold a special place in my life, especially indie bookstores. That is where I, as a teenager, found people who played D & D and many different boardgames, and who had the same love of books as me! These wonderful shops in the 1970′s and 1980′s were our social media hubs. It’s a shame that the geeks who started these wonderful stores gave birth to the geeks who moved their customers to the internet and closed them down. Amazon is wonderful for writers; we have gained a distribution channel for indie authors and publishers. We can start writing a book in November and publish it by April. But, at the same time we have lost our local bookstore.

The hard part is… how many of these indie bookstores really support local indie writers? Did they stock their books? Did they open their doors to the self-published authors out there? I know they only have so much space for books, and the readers want the best sellers, which sell, whereas an unknown writer is a risk. Special markets can bring you customers, but named authors sell books. Plus, when you can buy books at a great price online, the selection is huge, shelf space isn’t an issue online and you can buy 24/7 every day of the year. It is hard to compete with that. I truly hope, as Toni has written, that the indie can find their niche.

Interview with Miro The Dragon

Today we have a special interview with Miro the Dragon.

Miro the Dragon was written by Theresa Berg, here is a bit about the author before our interview with Miro.

Theresa Berg is a bilingual writer, born in Germany but home only in her heart and her fantasy. From the moment she was able to string words together, she was lost to the written words. At the tender age of five, she started her journey to become an avid reader and writer, ignoring all boundaries of age and language. Miro is her first children’s book character. His adventures started in a quiet hotel room in an even quieter town in the midst of Germany back in 2009. Since then, Theresa has seen him grow into more than just a mere fable for children; he became a living being with heart and soul who chose to stay at her side. ‘Whenever I write a new story about Miro, it is as if he sits on my shoulder and tells me what happened; I only need to write it down,’ she says about her unusual relationship with the little red dragon.

And now onto the interview…

1. 5 words to perfectly describe you.

Tiny, red, afraid, curious, friendly.

2. Any shout outs to people who have helped you along the way?

First of all, I want to thank Lizzy and Botsch, my friends who have helped me on my way to become a real dragon. And then, I also want to thank Theresa, who wrote down my stories, Saoirse, who translated them, and Svenja, who made those beautiful illustrations for the book.

3. How did you get started?

Well, it all began when my teacher sent me to the humans’ world to overcome my fears….

4. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Uh…that’s a difficult question. I guess I will still be living in my cozy cave, and will still go to dragon school. Hopefully, I will have seen Lizzy a few more times, and will still be best friends with Botsch.

5. Any websites you would like to share? Your own? or one that has helped you as an artist?

Oh, I’m allowed to share my homepage here? This is awesome, thank you so much! It’s http://mirodrakonia.wordpress.com, and it is written in both German and English, so that really all of my fans can read it.

6. Any causes you are passionate about ? You can include a website address if you like.

I really think bullying is bad. I mean, we are all children, and we all face enough problems as it is, right? We should help each other, like Botsch and Lizzy helped me, instead of pointing at others and making fun of them.

7. If you could go back in time and meet one person who would it be and why?

I think I would like to meet my dad, ask him if he was so afraid at first too. Maybe get some advice from him for the future.

8. If you always spoke with your heart what one thing would you say to us?

Find the right friends and stick with them, since they will always be there for you when you need help.

9. Are you clumsy or graceful?

Um…I guess I’m a bit clumsy. However, I have learnt to fly quite well, so maybe I will manage to look graceful in the air soon…?

10. Dream place to live and why?

Drakonia, in my cozy little cave. It is where I live and where I grew up. I know every stone in my little cave, and the view is just amazing.

11. Who does your cover art? Do you design it yourself?

My cover and the interior illustrations were designed by Svenja, a wonderful and really nice young artist. I like her a lot! Thanks, Svenja! You can find some of her illustrations here: http://svenjaliv.daportfolio.com/

By Miro the Dragon, Drakonia

You can find Miro the Dragon here

print: http://www.amazon.com/Miro-Dragon-The...

ebook: http://www.amazon.com/Miro-the-Dragon...

Website: http://mirodrakonia.wordpress.com

Author Interview with Catherine Mackenzie

Welcome to another awesome author interview! This time we are visiting with Catherine A. Mackenzie, or Cathy as some call her. Let’s see what Cathy has been up to and get on with her interview!

1. When did you start writing?

I started writing with a vengeance early in 2010 (although it really began with poetry in 2007 after the birth of my granddaughters). When my husband and I wintered in Mexico the winter of 2009/2010, I took two writing classes. Shortly afterwards, I discovered several writers forums and my new life as a writer took off. I enjoyed writing many years ago when I was a teenager, and my high school teachers told me to continue writing, but, of course, I did not. I regret that, as I feel I’ve wasted many years when I could have been perhaps writing the world’s next great masterpiece (ha ha ha). Now I spend too much time writing, trying to make up for lost time!

2. What inspired you to do it?

The births of my first two grandchildren, both girls, born three weeks apart in August/September 2007, filled me with such awe and wonder (as sappy as that sounds!) that I wrote each of them a personalized, lengthy poem. It seemed once I wrote those first two poems, I couldn’t stop. Getting back into poetry wasn’t something I had planned, it just happened. Before long, I had written numerous poems dealing with grandmothers and children, some of which I later self-published in the book, To Love a Grandmother, in 2009. That same year, in 2009, my sister-in-law provided the inspiration for my spiritual poems, Poems of Inspiration and Love. Since then, I’ve continued composing more poems. Later, I decided I wanted to write more than poetry and began writing short stories and essays.

3. Do you find that it is hard to get people excited about what you do?

Yes, I think it is hard. If I mention an acceptance, whether it be a poem or a short story, to my family, they acknowledge it, but I don’t think they realize how important it is to me. Sometimes they think I’m bragging or fishing for compliments, which I’m not; I just get excited, like a little kid with forbidden candy. Some of my friends, however, say what a great writer I am and love my stories, but I’m not so sure they’re totally unprejudiced. Unless one is a writer, I don’t think one realizes how fulfilling it is to have someone purchase your work or want to print it. It is very rewarding.

4. What projects have you done?

Thus far, I’ve self-published two books of poetry (as mentioned above), which can be found on Smashwords. I have numerous unpublished poems, short stories and essays that I hope to publish. I also write Haiku and am compiling a book of Haiku, as well. I’m also writing a novel and compiling three longer short stories (which aren’t quite finished) into a novella.

5. Any new projects coming up?

Twenty-four of my best short stories have just been professionally edited, and I am now compiling them into two anthologies, which should be up for sale on Smashwords very shortly. The titles are: Lovers and Other Strangers and Love, With a Slice of Lemon. The first book borders on the macabre. The second book contains stories of love, but with a bit of a twist.

6. Do you have a website/blog?

Yes, I do. I set it up last year. A website was something I thought I’d never want. Now, I love it, and I enjoy speaking my mind on the blog page on my site.

As well, I can keep everyone updated as to all my publications on the “Writing Credits” page. Not to brag, but I’ve accomplished all that within two years, and I’m still amazed that I’ve become a real published author (and not just a self-published one).

7. Do you find it hard to share your work with others?

Yes. Sometimes, I honestly don’t know if my work is good or bad, and I’ll ask someone for an opinion. My family say I fish for compliments, but that’s untrue. I don’t want someone to tell me my writings are good if they’re not. Of course, I like to receive praise, but truthfully, I don’t want a lie, not when it comes to my writing. I want my best work out there, and I’d be embarrassed if I published a story or a poem that was bad, although, of course, everyone is entitled to their own opinions and not everyone will like everything one writes. So, of course, I don’t expect everyone to like everything I’ve written.

Poetry is a hard sell, I think, so I haven’t sold as many copies of my poetry books as I would have liked. However, I haven’t promoted my books either, so I can’t complain too much. I find it extremely hard to promote myself and my books. I don’t want to force people to buy my work, yet I want to get my books out there. It’s difficult.

8. My favourite quote:

“Careful, or you’ll end up in my novel.” I’m in love with that!

9. What are your habits when you sit down to create? Do you have to be in a certain room? outside?

We have an office in our house where I have a great workspace. I usually have the radio on, especially during the day. I also need my caffeine fix: diet Coke.

10. 5 words to perfectly describe you:

grandmotherly, honest, trustworthy, caring, fearful (That “grandmother” word pops up everywhere in my life and my writings. I never ever thought I’d be bragging about being a grandmother. You can read why on the “My Grandchildren” section of my website.)

11. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I would love to have a bestselling novel out there! Who wouldn’t! At the very least, I’d like to have my three novels completed, as well as more compilations of my poetry and short stories.

12. Will you ever stop creating? and have you ever had a moment that you felt like quitting and why?

I probably have writer’s block more than anyone in the entire world. I have to be in the “mood” to write, and if I’m down or feeling out of sorts, I just can’t produce. I have all the time in the world to write, but I don’t use my time effectively, only because my brain shuts down, not that I waste time. I hate to waste time, especially when I’m in the last chapters of my life. It’s those times I think I’m not cut out to be a writer and that I should be doing something more constructive with my life, like sewing or painting, things that can be seen and held instead of words hidden away in my computer. Sometimes I wonder if something unexpected happens to me, what will happen to my work? Will anyone find it? Will anyone care? But, no, I don’t think I’ll ever stop creating.

13. Do you think that the future is ebook or print?

I think print books will always be around, but for sure the ebook will take over. It already has, hasn’t it? That’s sad. I like to hold something in my hand, something concrete that is always “there.” It is most discouraging to me when one of my writings has been accepted and the only book published is an e-book. How do you show off an e-book? It’s crazy to take out my Kobo and say, “Hey, my story (or poem) is in here?” And what happens when the e-reader breaks down, for whatever reason? Then one’s e-library is gone, until the e-reader is repaired or a new one is purchased and the books are uploaded again. Don’t get me wrong – I love my Kobo, It is one of the best purchases I’ve ever made, but I use it solely for travelling. I read “real” books at home.

14. Dream place to live and why?

Well, we have a second home in Mexico where we spend part of the winter, so I guess that’s my dream place for the present.

15. Who does your cover art? Do you design it yourself?

Thus far, I’ve designed my own covers, but that will probably change once I become rich and famous (only kidding!!). I paint, as well (another inspiration from my grandchildren), and someday I’d like to use my paintings on my covers.

Bio: Catherine A. MacKenzie: Cathy enjoys writing poems, short stories and essays, some of which appear online and in various anthologies, including those published by Chicken Soup for the Soul, Dancing with Bear Publishing, Rebel Ink Press and Twin Trinity Media. Her works have also appeared in such publications as Sasee Magazine, Magnapoets, and Still Point Arts Quarterly. Along with additional short stories and poetry, she is working on a novel. She has self-published two books of poetry and has a couple of anthologies of short stories in the works. Cathy also paints, pastels being her favourite medium and her grandchildren her favourite subjects. Cathy lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, with her husband, and they winter in Ajijic, Mexico, where several of her works have appeared in local publications. Contact Cathy at writingwicket@gmail.com. Check out her website at www.writingwicket.wordpress.com.

Links to books:

To Love a Grandmother: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...

Blurb: All women will enjoy this book – especially mothers and grandmothers – and anyone who has a grandmother or wants to be a grandmother. The 100 poems in this book are about mothering and grandmothers, about babies and children. Some of the poems are long, some short; some are happy, some sad; some are rhyming, some free-verse. Anyone who treasures a grandmother will appreciate this book. 17,893 words. $2.99

Poems of Inspiration and Love: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...

Blurb: This is a collection of 38 easy-to-read inspirational and spiritual poems. Some are one-verse poems; some are longer. They would be enjoyed by believers and non-believers. 4,644 words. $0.99

Website: www.writingwicket.wordpress.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/GrannyMacKenzie

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...

linkedIn: http://ca.linkedin.com/pub/catherine-...

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/author/catheri...

Time for Death by Christie Silvers: Tour Kickoff

Today we are kicking off The Time for Death blog tour with a review and giveaway for a set of all three books in the Liz Baker series in print!

Blurb for Time for Death by Christie Silvers

Liz Baker, a 32 year old small town bar owner, thought it would be a normal evening of sex in a cemetery with her longtime beau, until she spotted someone in the distance, and all normality in her world ceased to exist.

After several murders in her small town of Tremmel Crossing, Georgia, Liz comes to the realization that the murderer is coming after her, and he’s more dangerous than any human could possibly be.

With the help of her dead mother, bar bouncer, and cemetery lover, Liz learns that the murdering vampire was sent by her biological father to claim her as his own. Only then does she discover her real parentage and underlying special powers.

However, the vampire sent to claim her has powers of his own, most importantly the power to control her mind, emotions and desires. She wants him, needs him, her entire body aches for him, but she soon finds out that she must fight back to save the lives of her friends and loved ones. Only death will release her from Marcus’s powerful hold, but who will die first?

My Review:

Time for Death was an awesome read right from the start. I loved this book and will definitely be buying the second one. Liz Baker is a great character, she is honest and strong, and has a filthy mouth. lol. I liked it that Liz had a potty mouth, it showed her character perfectly and also showed us that Christie Silvers does not hold back with her writing. Omg, I hate spoilers and anything I say about this book is going to give away something. Ok, this book is about Liz Baker, who is suddenly being stalked by a vampire. She feels close to him, maybe even loves him, but knows he’s evil. There are many other factors that play into Liz’s story and I can’t say what they are. But, this read is sexy, thrilling and action packed from start to finish. It’s funny, because I actually think I could talk about this book a lot and I feel like this review is in adequate because I can’t really say more. So go read it so we can talk about it!

Author Bio for Christie Silvers

Christie Silvers is a wife, mother, and writer of urban fantasy with a touch of naughtiness. Creatures that go bump in the night inspire her. From time to time those creatures turn to the saucy side of things and that’s when Christie dabbles in the paranormal erotic side of writing. She never knows what the characters will do until they’re already doing it, which makes for some interesting late night writing sessions.

Christie lives in north Georgia with her husband of forever, three daughters, four dogs, nine chickens, and numerous outside cats. Aside from reading, writing, laundry, rushing her children to a variety of school functions and trying not to have a panic attack while teaching her 15 year old to drive, Christie spends her spare time wondering when she’ll actually have spare time to spare.

Buy Links

Time for Death: http://www.amazon.com/Time-Death-Bake...

Kill Me Next Week: http://www.amazon.com/Kill-Next-Week-...

Killer Intentions: http://www.amazon.com/Killer-Intentio...

Stalker Links

Website: http://www.christiesilvers.com

Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/authorchristi...

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/christiesilvers

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/christiesilvers/

GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/christiesilvers

News From Dead Mule Swamp Tour Stop

Originally published on 6/13/2012

Today our post is for the News From Dead Mule Swamp tour. If you like mysteries of any kind, I highly recommend this book. Joan H. Young knows how to write believable, very real characters. Read my review below.

Blurb for News From Dead Mule Swamp by Joan H. Young

Anastasia Raven is running from the pain of a failed marriage, and hopes to hide from the world in an old farmhouse she has purchased at the edge of Dead Mule Swamp. When a hundred-year-old newspaper she finds inside a wall is stolen by Cliff Sorenson, and then Cliff disappears, Ana is convinced that the paper holds the key to the mystery. But what old news could be important enough to put Cliff in danger?

My Review:

News from Dead Mule Swamp is a really cozy, small town mystery. I love, love, love books about small towns. I live have lived almost all my life in small towns and it’s awesome when an author can grasp the reality of what small town life is really like. Anyway, this book is more of a novella, it’s short, but so worth the read. I don’t read enough mysteries so it was refreshing to get my hands on a good one. I liked Ana’s back story, the failed marriage and her running off to hide in the country. It gives us a good idea of what her character might be like. We also get to meet several of the town’s people, I have a feeling we may be getting to know some of them a little bit better in the future. My favorite character was Cora Baker. Ana meets Cora when she is looking for a copy of the newspaper and discovers that Cora literally has a museum in her barn. Cora, obsessed with the history since she was a child, sounds like someone I could hang out with. I liked her because when I read mysteries, I don’t trust anyone…you know, they could be the killer. But, Cora I knew I could trust and she believed Ana from the get go, when everyone else told her she was chasing after stuff that wasn’t there. Anyhow, I can’t really say much more…because it’s a mystery! Seriously, I don’t want to say anything that will give it away, but I did want to do a review and let you guys know that you won’t be disappointed if you pick up this book!

Author Bio for Joan H. Young

Joan H. Young has been writing stories about the outdoors since the age of 7, when “The Adventures of Skippy the Field Mouse” made its debut. The work survives, but is best left in the box with crayon drawings of squirrels and pressed leaves.

“The Family Christmas,” a seasonal poem made it as far as the local newspaper when she was 12, proving that the serious child was already harboring an evil sense of humor.

As an adult, Joan has made a career of proving that she can bumble through life without ever deciding what to be when she grows up. She began with a degree in Communication Arts with an emphasis on theater. Realizing that drama, for her, was like whiskey to an alcoholic, she left a possible career in stage management for a driven man and 10,000 teenagers. (What was she thinking?) A few years later the couple had legally adopted one of the teens, and two younger children, but were still feeding most of the stray 10,000 teenagers as well. No time there for writing anything except grocery lists, and a journal of the wild ride!

In 1986, still longing for a career in sciences, she went back to school, taking higher math and chemistry in hopes of being accepted into the University of Michigan graduate program. From 1992-1995 she lived in Ann Arbor, and did receive a Masters in Environmental Engineering, cleverly getting U of M to pay for it too! Meanwhile, the writing bug still squirmed, and Joan worked hard at collecting rejection slips from a nice series of reputable magazines and publishers. Also during this time slot she began hiking the North Country Trail (NCT), the longest foot path in the United States.

Now armed with an “advanced degree” she returned home and attempted to establish a reputation as a wetland specialist. Well, she was one, but she wasn’t very good at marketing herself, and when offered a job as a web site manager, that became the next career. Essays about her hikes on the NCT demanded to be written, and friends urged her to publish.

In 2005, /North Country Cache/ made its debut for the 25th Anniversary of the North Country Trail. Since then, more and more of her time has been spent writing. If only more and more money came from that endeavor, it could be called a career!

Recently, she has begun writing more fiction, including several award-winning short stories soon to be published by Twin Trinity Media, and the Anastasia Raven mystery series.

Young has enjoyed the out-of-doors her entire life. Highlights of her outdoor adventures include Girl Scouting, which provided yearly training in camp skills, the opportunity to engage in a 10-day canoe trip, and numerous short backpacking excursions. She was selected to attend the 1965 Senior Scout Roundup in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, an international event to which 10,000 girls were invited. She has ridden a bicycle from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean in 1986, and on August 3, 2010 became the first woman to complete the North Country National Scenic Trail on foot. Her mileage totaled 4395 miles.

Buy Links

Smashwords

http://www.smashwords.com/profile/vie...

Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001K8UBU0

Stalker Links

personal blog: http://myqualityday.blogspot.com

author blog: http://joanofshark.com

book website: http://www.booksleavingfootprints.com

FB: facebook.com/jhyshark

Twitter: sharkbytes

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...

The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter Series

The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter: Part I

Fourteen-year-old Chloe witnesses her mother’s murder at the hands of a vampire. Before the vampire can kidnap her, there is an unexpected rescue by a group of vampire hunters. Overwhelmed by the feeling of safety, Chloe passes out and they whisk her away to their small community.

When Chloe wakes, she comes face to face with the only other living relative, besides her mother, whom she has ever met: her grandfather. Chloe’s mother kept her hidden from the family; now, Chloe tries to unveil the family secrets.

Through her grandfather, she learns her mother was a vampire hunter. In fact, her entire family is descended from the powerful bloodlines of vampire hunters. Chloe agrees to join the family she has never known for one reason only: Chloe vows to kill the vampire responsible for her mother’s murder.

With vengeance in her soul, Chloe is even more determined to follow through on her vow when she discovers the true identity of her enemy and how he is connected to her

The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter is the first in a series of short stories by Jennifer Malone Wright.

 

The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter: Part II

In the second installment of The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter, Chloe Kallistrate’s life has been turned upside down. After witnessing the vampire attack that left her mother dead, she’s adopted by her grandfather into a community of vampire hunters. Although she is directly descended from ancient, powerful vampire hunters, the rigorous training schedule begins to break her down. All she wants, all she has ever wanted, is to be a normal teen.

Chloe finds renewed motivation from an unexpected encounter with a fledgling vampire, the first she has seen since her mother’s death. Staring into the glowing red eyes of the vampire, Chloe freezes, forgetting all her training. After the vampire is vanquished by her friend and mentor, Drew, Chloe resolves to train harder, to be the best, and to kill the vampire who had her mother killed. Finally mourning her mother, Chloe allows her revenge to drive her, accepting that her life will never be normal.

 

The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter: Part III

In the third installment of The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter, Chloe Kallistrate’s first Christmas without her mother is difficult. As part of the grieving process she visits her mother’s grave for the first time and there, she is visited by Sostrate, the immortal demi-god from whom she is descended.

As she comes of age, Chloe is changing and developing the gifts unique to her heritage. She discovers a new power she must learn to use and control, as if being a teenager wasn’t difficult enough. During this emotionally chaotic time in her life, the community is attacked, her grandfather injured and hunters are killed. After almost losing her only remaining family, Chloe questions whether her continued presence in the community will sacrifice everyone she has come to care about.

 

The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter: Part IV

In the fourth installment of The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter, Chloe and the other vampire hunters are suffering the aftermath of the vampire attack on their community. Many hunters were injured, and loved ones were murdered. More than that, there is a loss of security and peace since the hunters’ safe haven was breached and invaded. Chloe and Drew struggle just to get along and understand each other without Luke there to guide them.

During this period of uncertainty, Chloe and Drew both try to live a normal life as teenagers by going to the New Year’s bash, she with Gavin and Drew with Christina, Chloe’s recent rival. Chloe is, once again, reminded that nothing is ‘normal’ in her life any more, when she begin to show signs she’s developing supernatural gifts from her father’s bloodline, too.

The bash does little to lift her feelings of guilt and responsibility for the attack on the community, because she knows it’s her presence there that caused the vampires to attack the hunters. This attack nearly took the life of her only remaining family member from her mother’s side. She doesn’t want to put anyone else she loves at risk.

Before she has time to put any plans into action, a surprise phone call from someone unexpected sets the wheels in motion. Chloe now knows what she must do…

The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter: Part V

In the fifth installment of The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter, Chloe has been forced to make her decision to leave the community earlier than anticipated. To keep her family safe, she leaves with the vampire Trevor, who she had previously discovered was her father and the man responsible for her mother’s murder.

Chloe is now in an entirely new element. She is not surrounded by vampire hunters anymore, but living with one of those which vampire hunters strive to kill. Living with Trevor, Chloe’s only human contact is the housekeeper and the tutor Trevor hired to teach her.

After nearly a year of being a prisoner in Trevor’s home, Chloe begins to believe it may not be so bad. That is, until she discovers Trevor’s true intentions for her, the terrible plan he put into motion before she was even born.

 

The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter: Part VI

The sixth installment of The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter begins right where the fifth part left off, with Chloe and her friends running for their lives as they escape the dungeons below Trevor’s home. Chloe lights their way through the darkness, but they emerge into a bloody battle with her vampire nemesis and his minions.

Even though Chloe has a battle on her hands, she is still a teenager and thinking about teenager things, like which of the handsome hunter boys she will choose.

This installment will leave you wanting more as Chloe and the other vampire hunter’s take their final stand with Trevor. Who will walk away alive, who will die, and where will they go from there?

 

The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter: The Complete Collection

This special edition of The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter contains parts I-VI, the complete collection. Fourteen-year-old Chloe witnesses her mother’s murder at the hands of a vampire. Before the vampire can kidnap her, there is an unexpected rescue by a group of vampire hunters.

Overwhelmed by the feeling of safety, Chloe passes out and they whisk her away to their small community. When Chloe wakes, she comes face to face with the only other living relative, besides her mother, whom she has ever met: her grandfather. Chloe’s mother kept her hidden from the family; now, Chloe tries to unveil the family secrets.

Through her grandfather, she learns her mother was a vampire hunter. In fact, her entire family is descended from the powerful bloodlines of vampire hunters. Chloe agrees to join the family she has never known for one reason only: Chloe vows to kill the vampire responsible for her mother’s murder. With vengeance in her soul, Chloe is even more determined to follow through on her vow when she discovers the true identity of her enemy and how he is connected to her.

Experience the world of vampires hunter’s, vampires and mythology with Chloe in this exciting series.

 

Find The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter Series on

Amazon/ Barnes & Noble/ Sony/ Apple/ Smashwords/ Kobo

To Purchase Signed Paperback copies of The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter go to the E-store on this website.

The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter, part 1 (Kindle)

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