Mia Darien's Blog, page 18

Cover Reveal! “Prophecy of Solstice’s End” by Diantha Jones

Because apparently she just can’t stay away, we once again welcome Diantha Jones! …at least sort of. We welcome a cover and excerpt from the third book in the Oracle of Delphi series, due out later this year.

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Prophecy of Solstice’s End, Oracle of Delphi #3

Summer Solstice is here. Let the games begin.

Nothing but lies (some of them her own) and deceit have brought Chloe to Olympus for the Solstice Olympic Games. As the Oracle and the special guest of the King of Myth, Chloe becomes immersed in a life of unfathomable luxury, taunting history, and overwhelming excitement. Though scheming and untrustworthy, the gods remain on their best behavior as the tension and anticipation builds around the outcome of the Quest of the Twelve Labors, the deadliest competition of the Games. All seems well on the celestial front…until athletes start turning up dead and a philosopher missing for months returns with a most terrifying story…

But that’s not all.

As Strafford confronts his troubled past and more is learned about the Great Unknown Prophecy, Chloe grows close to another, setting off a chain of events that will bring her face-to-face with a truth that will rock both of her worlds to their core.

And it’ll all happen before Solstice’s end…

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And for an excerpt…

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I was jus’ thinkin, wan, tha’ I’ve been really good to you.”

She rolled her eyes. “Conceited, much?”

“I don’t mean in my duties. Tha’s a given. I mean with my behavior. I’ve been really good.” Strafford’s expression darkened, but not in the way that foretold he was about to kill something. In the way that made her entire body flush with nervous, excited heat.

“So what are you saying?” she breathed, resisting the urge to fan herself.

“I’m sayin, Red, tha’ I don’t think I want to be a good boy anymore.”

Oh my… “You’ve never really been a good boy, you know.”

He scoffed. “I’ve been a bloody role model of propriety.” And he didn’t look particularly proud of that.

“You grabbed my butt once in Spritewood. I tried to walk away from you, and you pulled me back and just…grabbed it.”

“Aye, and I don’t regret it for a moment.” The smile he wore made that perfectly clear. “But tha’s been the extent of my naughty boy behavior, wan.”

She realized, besides the mind-blowing kisses and sexy looks, he hadn’t really tried to take things any further. From the look in his smokey gray eyes, he planned to cross that line. Soon.

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I’m definitely looking forward to it! Thanks for letting us have a peak, Diantha!

Ten Questions with… Carmen Stefanescu

I’m happy to welcome back Carmen Stefanescu, to answer Ten Questions!

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Carmen Stefanescu Author Photo

Author Bio: Carmen Ştefănescu was born in Romania, the native country of the infamous vampire Count Dracula, but where, for about 50 years of communist dictatorship, just speaking about God, faith, reincarnation or paranormal phenomena could have led someone to great trouble – the psychiatric hospital if not to prison.

English teacher in her native country and mother of two daughters, Carmen Ştefănescu survived the grim years of oppression, by escaping in a parallel world that of the books.

She has dreamt all her life to become a writer, but many of the things she wrote during those years remained just drawer projects. The fall of the Ceauşescu’s regime in 1989 and the opening of the country to the world meant a new beginning for her. She started publishing.

Author Site: http://shadowspastmystery.blogspot.ro/

You can find her book, Shadows of the Past, at Wild Child Publishing, Amazon and Barnes & Noble!

About the Writer

1. What five words describe you?

Patience, determination, tenacity, hard working, willingness to learn.

2. What was the first story you ever wrote? I mean the really bad one we all have that you’re trying to hide in the back of closet now that you’re published?

I can’ t really remember. It was such a long time ago. When I was a student at the University in Bucharest, Romania. It was something about an accident and escaped convicts.

3. What inspires you?

Hevia’s music.

4. What distracts you?

Noise.

5. What’s your favorite story? This can be specific, as in a particular book or even story-driven movie, or general, like “I’m a sucker for a hero looking for redemption story.”

I have many favorite stories. It’s difficult to nominate only one, yet, I think Stephen King’s IT is on the first place.

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Carmen Stefanescu Cover Art

About the Writing

1. Tell us about your currently available titles.

Shadows of the Past, a paranormal romance.

2. What’s your favorite part about writing these stories?

The moment I write two words: The End

3. What would your characters say about you? Be honest!

They would complain that I make them suffer too much, and they would like to see me in their place.

4. Who would play your favorite character if they made a movie of their story?

Jordana Spiro, the leading character in The Mob Doctor series. I think she is fit to play Genevieve’s part. Emily Van Camp as Anne and Madeleine Stowe as the Abbess.

5. Do you have any projects currently in the works you want to talk about?

Yes, I have actually. It’s something linked to Vlad the Imapaler’s life. Another paranormal. A historical one. So again, the Middle Ages, but this time in Romania. There are so many books on him, written by foreigners who focus on the “vampire” idea, and I think it’s time for one of his country people to show what historical, political and social circumstances led to his being nicknamed Dracula.

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Thank you for being with us today, Carmen, and good luck with your writing!

“Cameron’s Law” is Now Available in Audio!

It’s been a bit of a process, but I’m very excited to be able to announce that the audiobook of Cameron’s Law is now available! The wonderful Erica L. Risberg, of Voices by Erica, lent her talents to bring Sadie and all the folks of Adelheid to life!

You can find it at Amazon, and it will soon be available from iTunes!

I asked Ms. Risberg if she would write a guest post about being a story narrator and she kindly agreed. I will now share it with you all to celebrate the release of the audiobook! Enjoy!

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Mia Darien invited me as a guest blogger. My name is Erica Risberg. I was given the pleasure of being the narrator of her book “Cameron’s Law: The Adelheid Series.” She asked me to write about voiceovers and then audiobooks.

So, I thought I’d provide a little background about myself first. I am the product of two exceptional teachers and storytellers. I am also mildly dyslexic. Since I was young, I’ve been drawn to learning by listening. My parents not only read to me a lot, but also provided different voices for each character. By the time I was four, I had developed my own repertoire of voices, and have had a lifelong passion to use them to tell stories with, but didn’t really know how to get into the voiceover business.

Several false leads, a stint as a radio announcer, and a trajectory that lead me into the academic world for a while pulled me away from my first passion for a long time. In 2009, I found a website: www.voiceacting.com, hosted by James Alberger and Penny Abshire. James wrote a book called “The Art of Voice Acting,” which I promptly purchased and read. I also started attending monthly calls they offered.

From there, I head a voice coach named Marc Cashman, who I decided I would like to work with. I subsequently met him at Voice 2010 – a voiceover conference held in LA, swallowed my fears, and asked him if he would be my coach. A year of intensive weekly sessions taught me a myriad of skills: breath control, how to read a script; which words to emphasize; how to interpret copy; how to discern the backstory of the character whom I was providing a voice for; my vocal range; where to place my tongue for different vocal effects; and countless other techniques.

Part two of the process was recording my demos. In the 21st century, there are so many types of specialties; it’s easy to be overwhelmed by what to focus on. The standards are commercial and narration, which showcase 5-6 different pieces of work (truncated) to showcase vocal ranges and styles. Marc determined when I was ready to record mine (as any good coach will), and then produced my standards. Other demos include: medical narration, audiobooks, animation, video game, and e-learning.

Every voiceover talent develops a niche for their voice – where the talent is most comfortable working in. One of my niches is audiobooks, which I can trace back to my childhood.

Producing an audiobook is unlike any other type of audio. It is akin to a marathon. I was a long-distance swimmer, so pacing is something I understand well. With any audiobook, the narrator needs to become familiar not only with the text, but the characters that they’re going to give voices to. Making them consistent is essential, but it is challenging. Without going into too many details, every time a new character is introduced, I place a marker with that character’s name in the recording I’m making, so I can reference it if the character doesn’t show up for a few chapters.

Knowing one’s limitations is important. I’ve found that I can safely record up to four chapters a day with breaks and a teapot full of Throat Coat. I’ve also found that rehearsing each chapter 3-4 times out loud minimizes my editing time and helps me with anything I might stumble over on a first attempt.

The process of editing is the most challenging aspect of producing an audiobook. It requires a great deal of attention, as well as an ear for catching what we call “mouth noises” – glitches and sounds you don’t hear in normal conversation, but which the microphone picks up very well. If I don’t like how I read a passage, I’ll read it a few times in the booth, then edit it later. By doing that, I have to listen to the recording to determine which take I think is the best, and edit the other ones out. If I’ve recorded a character’s voice or lines incorrectly, I rerecord it in a new file, then insert that into the existing chapter and adjust the sound levels to match it. Suffice to say, it is a long process.

That said though, there isn’t anything in the world of voiceovers that feels quite as rewarding as completing an audiobook. Especially when the author provides a great storyline and vivid characters, as Mia did.

I hope that I’ve given a little insight into voiceovers and audiobooks. If you’d like to hear my demos, you can find them at www.voicesbyerica.com. Thanks!

Character Interview: Carmen Stefanescu & Genevieve from “Shadows of the Past”

I’m pleased to welcome to my blog today, Carmen Stefanescu! I actually had the pleasure of being a pre-release/early reader for this very book, Shadows of the Past, so I’m happy that it’s now out and available and I can invite Carmen and Genevieve to join us today. Welcome to you both!

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Mia: What is the name of the book where we’ll find you? Can you tell us a little about it?

Genevieve: Shadows of the Past is my home. It’s a paranormal romance with elements of horror. It seems my mother, I mean my author, Carmen Stefanescu is fond of this genre.

Mia: Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you fit into the story? What should we know about you?

Genevieve: I am Genevieve, an ordinary girl, living in an ordinary village, in Medieval England. However, everything that happens to me along my life is not at all ordinary. Misfortune stays glued to me and it reflects on those who love or protect me, too. Life is not easy and when, at last I think I found the love of my life…. Well, but I am not going to tell you about it. Read the book and you’ll find out all about it.

Mia: What do you think of the author? Be honest. We won’t tell.

Genevieve: I had a hard time persuading her to tell my story in detail in a novel. She’d already written a ballad about me and Andrew but I kept pestering her to write our story in detail. It appears I managed it.

Mia: How do you feel about the story you’re in?

Genevieve: I like the fact that the truth comes out to light, and my name is cleared of all the lies the hateful Abbess spread about me.

Mia: Do you like being a character in the book?

Genevieve: Absolutely! It gives me the opportunity to reveal what really happened to me.

Mia: How do you see your future? Without giving anything away about the story, naturally.

Genevieve: If you read the book you’ll meet me in present-day England, too.

Mia: What do you know about your author’s plans? Can we expect to see you in any future stories?

Genevieve: I’m not sure. She says that only if my story is successful she’ll write a sequel.

Mia: Let’s say they make a movie about this book. Who do you want to play you, and why?

Genevieve: I’ve talked to my author and she says Jordana Spiro, my author watches playing the leading part in The Mob’s Doctor, is the best actress to impersonate me. Jordana is fragile in appearance, looks like a kindhearted person ready to help those next to her, yet she’s determined and brave.

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Author Bio: Carmen Ştefănescu was born in Romania, the native country of the infamous vampire Count Dracula, but where, for about 50 years of communist dictatorship, just speaking about God, faith, reincarnation or paranormal phenomena could have led someone to great trouble – the psychiatric hospital if not to prison.

English teacher in her native country and mother of two daughters, Carmen Ştefănescu survived the grim years of oppression, by escaping in a parallel world that of the books.

She has dreamt all her life to become a writer, but many of the things she wrote during those years remained just drawer projects. The fall of the Ceauşescu’s regime in 1989 and the opening of the country to the world meant a new beginning for her. She started publishing.

Author Site: http://shadowspastmystery.blogspot.ro/

Buy Link: Wild Child Publishing

Buy Link: Amazon

Buy Link: Barnes & Noble

Ten Questions with… Gregory “Herro” Raymond & Laz Matech

Please welcome back Gregory “Herro” Raymond and Laz Matech! (Can you just imagine how many times I’ve had to type that now? That’s a… fingersful? Anyways…) In truth, I’m not entirely sure which one is answering the questions here, but hell, welcome to you both and readers can make a good guess.

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Author Bio: Gregory “Herro” Raymond grew up in New Jersey until graduating from high school. After that, he lived in Florida for four years where he attended college, earning a degree in graphic design and fine arts. He then came up with the concept for “Kinetic,” in 2003, where it went by a different name. He spent the next several years building the story of “Kinetic.”

Upon completing college he moved back to New Jersey to be around friends and family. There he landed a job in optometry and selling cars to make ends meet. That is where he first met Laz Matech. The two became good friends, and together revamped “Kinetic,” into the powerhouse, nail-biting novel it is today.

Laz Matech has lived his life in New Jersey, mostly in a small town known as South River. He always found writing interesting but not the reading side of literature as much. He attended a Vocational and Technical school for High School where he studied carpentry and cabinet making.

After High School he decided not to attend college, or pursue his talents in the carpentry field, but kept busy with several part-time jobs before getting into the car industry where he sold vehicles alongside Gregory “Herro” Raymond. The two spent the next two years rigorously coming together to co-write the action-pack romance, “Kinetic.”

Author Site: http://www.kineticalliance.com

You can find their book… Well, everywhere, apparently. “We have really flooded the internet; I think we’re on at least thirty different social media sites. To stay up-to-date check out http://www.facebook.com/KineticAlliance and https://twitter.com/AllianceKinetic but we’re also on instagram, tumblr, deviantart, fictionpress, youtube, shelfari, goodreads, kickstarter, Wikipedia, linkedin, reddit, stumbleupon, freado, smashwords, wattpad, maniacreaders, and so much more.”

About the Writer

1. What five words describe you?

Dreamer, Analytical, Driven, Vengeful, Empathetic

2. What was the first story you ever wrote? I mean the really bad one we all have that you’re trying to hide in the back of closet now that you’re published?

I think I’ve written some X-Men fanfics as a child, but I can hardly remember them. I’ve been working on “Kinetic” for almost a decade now, so needless to say it’s come a long way from the dribble it originally was.

3. What inspires you?

I draw inspiration from so many sources, it could be a scene from a movie that I thought came out really well, or a song that really tugged on the ol’ heart strings. I just never know what is going to get me in the mood to write, but the one thing I can say is that I do it all for my family. I’ll push myself to the brink of destruction for them with no regrets or hesitation.

4. What distracts you?

The Internet for sure. It is my muse, and the bane of my existence at the same time. Without it, my story would not be as good as it is now, but I spend countless hours distracted, just looking at funny pictures and clips.

5. What’s your favorite story? This can be specific, as in a particular book or even story-driven movie, or general, like “I’m a sucker for a hero looking for redemption story.”

I really enjoy stories where the ending doesn’t go the way you’d expect. For example everyone wants a happy ending, but I really appreciate when a storyteller says, “Damn that!” and gives us something truly unexpected. I also really like superhero stories where the hero will risk it all to save someone, even their life if that’s what it takes.

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About the Writing

1. Tell us about your currently available titles.

Currently we just have “Kinetic: The First Alliance” published, but at the very minimum there are going to be two more books released under the Kinetic title, so stay tuned for that. We’re thinking the next one might be titled “Kinetic: Insurrection” but we haven’t finalized it yet.

2. What’s your favorite part about writing these stories?

Without a doubt it’s getting to hang out with my co-author who has become a close friend of mine, and also wondering what the characters would do in real life situations. He and I have debates about their course of action as if they truly exist. It’s pretty funny to us.

3. What would your characters say about you? Be honest!

Alex would probably agree with my high sense of justice, but like most people he would say I’m over analytical and live inside my head too much.

4. Who would play your favorite character if they made a movie of their story?

Alexander Carter/Voltaic Cloud – Logan Lerman

Dimitri Williams/Seismic Earth – Michael B. Jordan (actor, not athlete)

Cassandra Daye/ Effervescent Rain – Emma Stone

Christian Mercado/Irascible Flame – Mario Maurer

Tori Hannon/ Whisking Wind – Hayden Panettiere

5. Do you have any projects currently in the works you want to talk about?

Yes! The book itself is geared more to be visually captivating so we are working with a very talented screen writer, so when we meet with a few movie directors in the summer we have something noteworthy to show them. We also have trailers in the works, along with a close friend of mine who does make-up special effects and wants to bring our characters to life so keep an eye out for that. Lastly book 2 of the kinetic series will be written soon!

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Thanks to you both, or one of you, for being here and good luck with your stories!

Connecticut, Tragedy & Crime Fiction

“The West Wing” – ‘Twenty Hours in America’

[This is a clip on YouTube from one of my favorite shows. All of it won't make sense if you haven't seen the entire episode, but I'm posting it for the president's speech at 1:55. It's worth listening to and reflects a lot on this moment. Judging from some of the comments, I'm not the only one who thinks so.]

I live in Connecticut, but on the other side of the state from Sandy Hook. Still, it’s a small state. Like so many, I’ve seen the news from Friday with total heartbreak and horror. It has been surreal to know that this happened in the state I grew up in; the state I attended public elementary school in.

My own child is just a year or two younger than the kids in kindergarten there in Sandy Hook. Friday saw more than the usual number of hugs.

I turned off the news and I’m wary of social media, because I can’t allow myself to become immersed in the tragedy. I need to remember and be a part of the life around me. The weight of the shooting is enough to bear down those not intimately connected. It has been enough to bear down on the entire country.

There has been much talk of the victims and the murderer, of the roles of gun control, mental health, and the media in creating heroes of evil-doers and forgetting the victims. I am not here the discuss or debate these points, but when speaking of sensationalistic media, I can’t help but think of entertainment media and that I write crime fiction. Do even we have a role in that? That’s harder to say.

I will confess my fascination with the criminal justice process, and the psychology of both victim and criminal. Yet if I am unable to handle the news, how can I immerse myself in the world of crime to write about it?

It is an exercise in my fascination, but beyond that, I am in control of the worlds I create. I can — and do — decide that nothing happens to children in my stories; I choose what the crimes are, and if we catch and punish the bad guys. It is the same for readers: the safe suspense; a way to exercise fascination and curiosity in a controlled place, where we read the works of authors we know and trust.

For authors, and for me, it is a way to control things in a world I create to combat living in a terrifying world I have no power over. I don’t know if this means I inadvertently do what the media does, but I know for me that it’s a type of catharsis. And perhaps the only outlet I’ll have to try to explain or understand or deal with the sort of senseless tragedy we saw this past week.

Character Interview: Gregory “Herro” Raymond/Laz Matech & Alex from “Kinetic: The First Alliance”

Hello! Today we welcome Alex from Kinetic: The First Alliance, by Gregory “Herro” Raymond and Laz Matech! Welcome to all of you!

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Mia: What is the name of the book where we’ll find you? Can you tell us a little about it?

Alex: The name of the book is called, “Kinetic: The First Alliance,” and to sum it up it is a story about all the craziness and chaos that follows after I am visited by an alien one night. She tells me that we have to find others like me with powers to fight some evil, invading race of aliens that wants revenge on them.

Mia: Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you fit into the story? What should we know about you?

Alex: Trying to stay as modest as possible, I guess you could say I’m the hero or main character of the story, but I’m sure Tori would say otherwise. As for things you should know about me? Well damn… I was never good at this kind of stuff. I’ll put it like this, these friends that I’ve made over the past few months that stand beside me and fight for our species are practically family to me, and I’ll die before I let anyone hurt them. This much I swear to you.

Mia: What do you think of the author? Be honest. We won’t tell.

Alex: Nice enough guy I reckon, but at times it feels like the engine’s runnin’ but ain’t nobody driving.

Mia: How do you feel about the story you’re in?

Alex: Honestly… I’m scared. We didn’t even start this war, but we might have to die for it? Just ain’t right.

Mia: Do you like being a character in the book?

Alex: I’m not much for spotlight, but it does serve a purpose. If we don’t make it out of this thing alive, it’s important people know what happened to us and what we died fighting for, especially for the sake of our families.

Mia: How do you see your future? Without giving anything away about the story, naturally.

Alex: I see me going home, and Grandpa Henry is there waiting for me in the doorway. I introduce him to Cassie, we sit down and we tell him about the insane adventures we’ve been on. I still believe it can happen.

Mia: What do you know about your author’s plans? Can we expect to see you in any future stories?

Alex: After the violence and death I’ve witnessed in the first book, I’d say someone making it through all three installments is rarer than hen’s teeth, but here’s hoping I get to talk with you again Mia.

Mia: Let’s say they make a movie about this book. Who do you want to play you, and why?

Alex: Well Hell’s bells, I’m not sure really. My grandfather always told me just because a chicken has wings doesn’t mean it can fly. I’ll the fans of the book decide if I’m attractive or not. Cassie should be played by Emma Stone though, she’s finer than frog hair.

* * *

Author Bio: Gregory “Herro” Raymond grew up in New Jersey until graduating from high school. After that, he lived in Florida for four years where he attended college, earning a degree in graphic design and fine arts. He then came up with the concept for “Kinetic,” in 2003, where it went by a different name. He spent the next several years building the story of “Kinetic.”

Upon completing college he moved back to New Jersey to be around friends and family. There he landed a job in optometry and selling cars to make ends meet. That is where he first met Laz Matech. The two became good friends, and together revamped “Kinetic,” into the powerhouse, nail-biting novel it is today.

Laz Matech has lived his life in New Jersey, mostly in a small town known as South River. He always found writing interesting but not the reading side of literature as much. He attended a Vocational and Technical school for High School where he studied carpentry and cabinet making.

After High School he decided not to attend college, or pursue his talents in the carpentry field, but kept busy with several part-time jobs before getting into the car industry where he sold vehicles alongside Gregory “Herro” Raymond. The two spent the next two years rigorously coming together to co-write the action-pack romance, “Kinetic.”

Author Site: http://www.kineticalliance.com

Ten Questions with… Thomas Sewell

Everyone should remember Sewell, who joined us last Thursday along with John from Sharper Security. Now we welcome him back to answer Ten Questions with Mia!

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Author Bio: Thomas Sewell grew up in southern California. He plays, coaches and referees soccer. When he was 13 years old, he graduated from high school and started taking computer electronics courses in college. He was already 6 ft. tall, so no one seemed to notice he was a little young. He had to bum rides to school because he was too young for a driver’s license.

Thomas has always been an autodidact with a variety of hobbies and interests, especially economics, military history and the law. He spent some time working in Reston and McLean, Virginia, but only officially worked for the government as a security contractor. Thomas has performed technology and security work for several fortune 500 companies, most recently Wells Fargo Bank.

Along the way, he’s founded a private security company, an Internet Service Provider and a K-8 Charter School. He’s served as the National Secretary and been a multi-state founder for the Republican Liberty Caucus. He’s read over ten thousand books. He currently resides south of Phoenix, Arizona, just past the Reservation. Look for the place with the autocab wreckage.

Author Site: http://SharperSecurity.com

You can find his book at Amazon, in digital and in print!

About the Writer

1. What five words describe you?

Autodidact, Forceful, Sympathizing, Arrogant, Nice

2. What was the first story you ever wrote? I mean the really bad one we all have that you’re trying to hide in the back of closet now that you’re published?

When I was a kid, oh probably 11 or 12, I wrote a long science fiction story about a world with giants that I justified as physically possible because in a many worlds interpretation, every world exists, therefore somewhere out there is a world with just the right gravity, etc… to make giants feasible.

3. What inspires you?

My wife. Reading other author’s writing stories. Reading about the world, economics, history.

4. What distracts you?

Watching reality shows on TV. Reading about the world, economics, history. 

5. What’s your favorite story? This can be specific, as in a particular book or even story-driven movie, or general, like “I’m a sucker for a hero looking for redemption story.”

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. I have probably hundreds of favorite books, but I love the story of how Edmond uses society for well-earned revenge and the sense of justice it evokes.

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About the Writing

1. Tell us about your currently available titles.

Sharper Security: A Sovereign Security Company Novel was recently released and a prequel short story to it, Hitchhiking Killer For Hire will hit Amazon by the first week in December. The primary character in both is Sam Harper, who runs a private security company in a chaotic future.

2. What’s your favorite part about writing these stories?

Seeing how they turn out. I always have a good idea of what’s going to happen at the beginning and the end, but all the detail of the plot twists and character changes in the middle comes out in the writing process.

3. What would your characters say about you? Be honest!

Evie would hate my fashion sense. Pierre would think I was a genius. Sam would call me a Poseur who wants to be him, but isn’t, quite. John would want to hang out with me, as long as it was outside.

4. Who would play your favorite character if they made a movie of their story?

I’d love to see Sean Connery or Harrison Ford as Sam, although they’re both getting a bit long in the tooth for an action role.

5. Do you have any projects currently in the works you want to talk about?

The next book in the Sharper Security series starts with a beating and ends with a bang. It’s too early to give many details.

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Thanks for joining us again, Thomas, and good luck with your stories!

Character Interview: Thomas Sewell & John from “Sharper Security”

Today’s special guest is Thomas Sewell and John, from Sharper Security!

* * *

Mia: What is the name of the book where we’ll find you? Can you tell us a little about it?

John: Sharper Security: A Sovereign Security Company Novel

It’s set a few decades in the future, after America has split into regional groups and factions. Technically, it’s science fiction because of the setting, but it has a lot of mystery, suspense and action/adventure thriller elements to it. The focus of the plot is Evie, retiring as an anti-terrorist detective sergeant in Britain and moving to the Arizona Zone. She is assaulted by an unknown attacker from her past and turns to Sam Harper, founder of Sharper Security, to protect her and figure out who is behind the attacks. The identity of her attacker leads to special forces style conflict and legal maneuvers between additional sovereign security companies like Agence de Sécurité and Policía La Raza.

Mia: Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you fit into the story? What should we know about you?

John: My name is John “Wild Horse” Parkur. I grew up the son of a Tribal Judge on the Gila River Reservation just south of Phoenix, and then did a stint in the Marines, mostly in the Pacific. Left the U.S. Marine Corp after a couple of my buddies were killed on a training patrol I was leading. Sam ended up with me after I’d been drinking and managed the tactical acquisition of an autocab. He gave me a job and a chance for a fresh start when he hired me as Evie’s personal bodyguard.

Mia: What do you think of the author? Be honest. We won’t tell.

John: He’s a good enough guy in general, but I wish he wouldn’t always leave me stuck or trapped somewhere and having to use the restroom. Everything always seems to happen to me when I’m on the way to hit the head.

Mia: How do you feel about the story you’re in?

John: I’m happy to have a job protecting Evie and watching Sam’s back, but I might do a few things differently if I knew how Evie really was from the beginning.

Mia: Do you like being a character in the book?

John: It’s a job. I like it better than what happened to my Great, Great Uncle Ira H. Hayes and it beats being unemployed and in debt.

Mia: How do you see your future? Without giving anything away about the story, naturally.

John: I see a love interest coming on soon, someone I can be instrumental in rescuing from evil kidnappers.

Mia: What do you know about your author’s plans? Can we expect to see you in any future stories?

John: I’m sure I’ll be a part of Sharper Security for a long time to come. I’ve become one of Sam’s trusted lieutenants and I’m growing into the role of an officer and a gentleman. I’ll feature as a main character in the current trilogy, at least.

Mia: Let’s say they make a movie about this book. Who do you want to play you, and why?

John: I could see Gregory Cruz playing me, but he’d have to grow the ponytail out a bit more.

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Author Bio: Thomas Sewell grew up in southern California. He plays, coaches and referees soccer. When he was 13 years old, he graduated from high school and started taking computer electronics courses in college. He was already 6 ft. tall, so no one seemed to notice he was a little young. He had to bum rides to school because he was too young for a driver’s license.

Thomas has always been an autodidact with a variety of hobbies and interests, especially economics, military history and the law. He spent some time working in Reston and McLean, Virginia, but only officially worked for the government as a security contractor. Thomas has performed technology and security work for several fortune 500 companies, most recently Wells Fargo Bank.

Along the way, he’s founded a private security company, an Internet Service Provider and a K-8 Charter School. He’s served as the National Secretary and been a multi-state founder for the Republican Liberty Caucus. He’s read over ten thousand books. He currently resides south of Phoenix, Arizona, just past the Reservation. Look for the place with the autocab wreckage.

Author Site: http://SharperSecurity.com

Buy Link: Amazon

Buy Link: Amazon (Print)

Blog Hop: The Next Big Thing

Thanks to Tessa Stokes for tagging me to be one of the authors in this blog hop, and giving me a chance to share with folks what I’m working on now!

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Q: What is the working title of your next book?

I’m working on two simultaneously. One is called the Kel’tara Trilogy, and the first book is “Kel’tara: Outsider,” and the other is “Written All over Her.”

Q: Where did the idea come from for the book?

“Kel’tara: Outsider” is me finally tackling epic fantasy, because I’ve always loved the genre. It was where my love of adult fiction started, with authors like Piers Anthony and Terry Brooks, and it’s what I started writing. But that was the bad stuff that I can’t bear the idea of reading any more. I then went off into other genres and became too intimidated to go back to epic fantasy, but now I’ve returned. The ideas are an amalgamation of themes I’ve loved in what I’ve read and ideas from years of online role-playing games; the geeking out.

“Written All over Her” is the fourth book in my Adelheid series, and it follows Detective Nykk Marlowe, who is terribly scarred. Her book finally reveals her story to the reader. It is a more classic police procedural, so it takes one of the tried and true routes of a case that reminds her of her past. But I like to think that her past is different enough to make it interesting. The kernel of the idea for her came after reading Chelsea Cain’s “Heartsick.”

Q: What genre does your book fall under?

As I mentioned, “Kel’tara: Outsider” is epic/high fantasy — swords and sorcery. “Written All over Her” is paranormal suspense.

Q: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

There are too many in “Kel’tara: Outsider” to name, I think. I have five main characters, and many secondary.

In “Written All over Her,” I see Sarah Carter as Nykk. Vance Johnston is Dominic Purcell, while I don’t have a clear actor in mind for Jackson Lang, but Posey Kai is — and I feel silly even saying it, but… — Posey Kai is a “realistic” version of the anime character Sailor Neptune. *lol*

Q: What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

“Kel’tara: Outsider” — A five hundred year old prophecy is about to link two worlds to heal one.

“Written All over Her” — You’re about to find out how Nykk Marlowe got those scars.

Q: Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

My Adelheid series is self-published, and I imagine I will self-publish Kel’tara as well.

Q: How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

I haven’t finished them yet. Unfortunately, life has taken many turns in this latter quarter of the year, so they are taking longer than average.

Q: What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Well, I don’t dare qualify myself as good as the big authors I read as a kid. More modern authors with comparable stories to Kel’tara would be Jeffrey Poole and G. David Walker, while Adelheid… I have yet to read any indie authors similar, but the world built in the series began after reading Laurell K. Hamilton’s early Anita Blake stuff.

Q: Who or What inspired you to write this book?

A very big piece of “Kel’tara: Outsider” was actually inspired by the song “The Promise” by Within Temptation, and some ideas of my husband’s. “Written All over Her” doesn’t have specific inspiration I can recall, aside from what I already wrote.

Q: What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

I think anyone who has read any of the earlier Adelheid books will be interested in “Written All over Her” because we’ll be in the same town, learning things about previously secondary characters, but getting to revisit previously seen characters too.

There are no original ideas any more, but I still like to think that I present the “earth people in magical world” with some fresh ideas in “Kel’tara: Outsider.” I think I have managed to create some emotionally charged characters and a world set-up/danger that isn’t too much like many other stories in the genre.

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Next week, check out these other awesome authors!

Delancey Stewart ~*~ Dariel Raye ~*~ Kaitlyn Deann ~*~ Steve Thomas