Kathleen Patel's Blog, page 5

Review~Let Sleeping Dogs Lie by Tami Kidd

This book brought back fond memories of the writings of the late Maeve Binchy, one of my favorite authors. She always portrayed women confronting adversity and overcoming their obstacles. 
The protagonist in Let Sleeping Dogs Lie is. Mara Byrne. Her world is idyllic. A successful author, happily married to the love of her life, who could ask for anything more?
In a heartbeat, Mara goes from living the perfect life to having that life shattered and then crushed at her feet. Her beloved husband of thirty years is taken from her. His sudden death is too much for Mara. Devastated, she is plunged into a dark emotional abyss, barely able to function.
As she struggles with her grief, she is dealt another shocking blow. Locked away in a safety deposit box, she discovers a love letter from another woman. She had never suspected her husband of infidelity.  They were best friends; soul mates. Nothing made sense anymore.
As her grief transitions to anger, Mara vows to find the truth, starting with the other woman. She had no idea that this would start a chain of events that would put her life in danger.
Will she survive?
Will she ever find happiness and closure?
Is it possible to find love after you lose your soul mate? 

Find the book here

It's still a beautiful world

If you watch the news or read the paper, you can’t avoid the ugliness and negativity that we are fed each and every day. It’s a steady diet of pessimism. Record breaking unemployment, wars, terrorism, and poison in our food, poverty, pedophiles running rampant, the economic crisis and other unthinkable atrocities. When you throw in the political rhetoric, brimming with smear campaigns, many of us are left feeling a bit confused, frustrated and even hopeless.

Some become nostalgic, thinking back on better times. Some become melancholy, yearning for the simpler days. They share stories of how people didn't have to lock their doors and children could roam the neighborhood without fear...
The good old days...
It’s enough to make you think the world is going to hell in a handbag! At the very least, it doesn’t promote a very positive outlook.

However, it takes a Historian to put this in perspective. My dear friend Patrick Duignan, who is a history teacher, gave me a wake up call.  In these times of uncertainty, I believe that this is an important message. It’s a reminder that the world is still a beautiful place. I wanted to share it with my readers and Patrick was kind enough to recap:
“I want to make sure that you know that it is not just my original idea though.  It is what historians refer to as the "Myth of the Golden Age".  I don't have the quotes in front of me, but the one that stuck with the most is one particular author who said, "There's no one here but us chickens."  In other words there have always been heroes and there have always been villains.  Every age has always looked back to the "good old days" when everyone was moral and virtuous and crime and poverty did not exist.  The problem is when you look at what people were saying back in the "good old days", some of them were always complaining about how things were so much better back in their granddad's time.  And their granddad was saying the same.  There are authors from the glory days of the Roman Empire and Ancient Greece who spend most of their time lamenting the decline of their societies.  On average, people today are no worse than they have ever been and they might possibly be a tiny bit better if you look at statistics.  Not to say that everything is always equal, there have been some places and times that were unquestionably worse, but some of those WERE what people today call the "good old days".  For example, during the Victorian era, there was poverty and despair in slums that make modern day "ghettoes" look tame by comparison.”
In closing, I will leave you with some words of wisdom from another brilliant scholar.
 “And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all its shams, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful.

Strive to be happy.”
From The Desiderata ~ Max Ehrmann: “

Photo available here

Review~The Magic in the Receiver debut novel by Paul Dillon

I love a book that can transport me to another world, a faraway, exotic and beautiful place. As I read this book, I fell in love the picturesque Greek island of Kefalonia.  I could hear the waves pounding on the beach and smell the aroma of the Bougainvillea that painted the island with swaths of vivid color. 
There are two stories being told simultaneously.  Elena is a young Greek-American woman visiting the land of her father.  She is at a crossroads in her life, facing some serious decisions.
Then there is the story of her ancestors, who were victim to the horrendous earthquake of 1953.  The only survivors were her father, aunt and uncle. The haunting memories are described so vividly you can feel the earth rumble.
Although they have moved on and lived lives that are rich in love and family, the emotional turmoil  from the earthquake stay close to the surface.
A mystical ceremonial ritual brings the family, with most of the island together in a pilgrimage of sorts.  This ends in giving the survivors a kind of closure and peace.
But Elena cannot find peace.  She finds herself with more questions than answers.  There are so many possibilities. She is completely enchanted by the island and can see herself settling in to the Kefalonian lifestyle permanently.  
The insistent calls from her impatient fiancé’ start to feel smothering.  His controlling manner seems to be pushing her into the arms of another, However, his demands that she return to Boston are forcing her to make a decision sooner rather than later.
She is intrigued by a local artist who seems to feed her hunger for an artistic outlet.  He’s married, mysterious, sexy and a little bit scary.  When he asks her to model for him, she is intrigued.
Then there is Ben, the rich American who seems to be chasing his own demons. He’s charismatic and knows exactly how to get what he wants.  His attraction quickly approaches obsession.
Elena wonders about fate.  Does everything happen for a reason?

I wonder if Elena will make it back to Boston safely.
Maybe she will live happily ever after in Kefalonia.
I don’t know if it is meant to be. 
There is something ominous in the air…

Buy the book here
Paul Dillon's website

 

Interview with the fascinating, incredible author, Charles Dougherty

K- Thank you so much for joining us, Bud.  I absolutely loved ‘The Lost Tourist Franchise’ and I can’t wait to read your other books!

The book was very intriguing. (read my review here) With so much detail on the Washington DC area, I wondered if any of this was based on real life experience.  How did you research for this book, and was there any personal inspiration for this story?

B:  My wife and I lived in the D.C. area for many years, so I had plenty of time to absorb the detail.  I spent much of my working life selling – ideas as well as tangible things.  Living where we did, I often encountered street hustlers, and I came to realize that they, too, were selling.  I’m not talking about the dysfunctional folks; I feel sorry for them.  I’m talking about the ones who worked hard for their handouts, and I think that they realized that they had a valuable commodity to offer in exchange for the contributions they received.  Sometimes they offered information or items of nominal value, but more often, they offered the contributor the opportunity to feel good for having helped someone less fortunate.
K: The story could be perceived in a couple of different ways.  I guess it all depends on whether you are a “glass half full” or “glass half empty” type.   Where do you find yourself? 
B:  I’m the one that drank the top half of the glass, most likely.  I’m definitely a glass half-full type.
K:  (Laughing) That’s a good way to be, Bud.You lead a life that most people only dream of, sailing the world.  I am just fascinated; I think about books that I have read about life on the sea, like Moby Dick, Treasure Island & Robinson Crusoe.  I wish you would set up a webcam!

Can you describe your writing style?  What is a typical day in the life of Bud Dougherty… starting with the time you wake up, meals, beverages, everything in between & bedtime.
B:  There’s a YouTube trailer for some of my books here– not quite a webcam, but you can spend two minutes in the islands, if you’d like.
Living on the boat, we’re fairly close to nature; I get up with the sun and enjoy coffee out on deck.  Our meals are dependent on where we are; different things are better on different islands, but local fruits and vegetables are prominent in our diet as is fish – either fresh or salt-cured.   Chickens are always under foot in the islands; we joke that all the chicken is free-range chicken where we live.  Both of us like street food.  In the islands that takes the place of fast food.  It may be healthier, too, but it’s often not attractive to the squeamish palate.  I write for several hours a day, most days.   We spend most of our time at anchor in various places; when we’re actively sailing from one place to another, I don’t have much time for writing, but that’s only about 15 percent of the time.  
Maintaining and sailing a cruising sailboat is time consuming; a boat like ours requires more time to maintain than a house.  The difference is that when we tire of the neighborhood, we just sail away.  Things that seem ordinary to shore-bound people (dirt dwellers, they’re called, in our circle) can take us an inordinate amount of time.  Grocery shopping in the islands takes at least a day a week – we’re doing it on foot or by minibus, and there are few supermarkets, so we spend a lot of time going from one small shop to another, looking for things that would be found in a few minutes at a typical American supermarket.   Most islands have interesting open air markets, as well.
I wrote a nonfiction book, Dungda de Islan’ (patois for ‘Down in the Islands’) about our voyage to the Caribbean and the first year or so in the islands.  We also keep a sailing blog that describes our life afloat.
K: Funny you should mention it, I just started reading Dungda de Islan’ and it’s hard to put down.  I’m mesmerized and will definitely be writing about it. I saw the YouTube trailer and it makes me want to leave for the Caribbean- right now!

If ‘The Lost Tourist Franchise’ was made into a movie, who would you like to see cast in the roles? 
B: I’m at a disadvantage here, because we don’t see television and only rarely watch movies, but recalling actors from my previous life, I can’t think of any that fit.  I would see this film as an opportunity for someone to hit the streets of Washington with a video camera and find cast members from real life.
K: That’s a great idea- get the real flavor.

I like to engage my guests in a little game I the “writing exercise” I give you a scene and you rewrite it in your own fabulous style.  Are up for it?
B:  Sure.  It’s what I do.
K: Okay, here is your scene:Anil sat quietly in the dark room, staring down into the amber liquid in the glass he held in his hand. He quickly swallowed the whiskey, in one gulp. Then he screamed out filthy obscenities, while he hurled the glass to the floor. He grimaced as a large glass shard bounced up and lodged in his bare ankle. He reached down and grabbed the glass shard, and pushed it deeply in to his skin, and then pulled the shard through his leg, all the way up to his knee.  "Arrrrrrrrrrrrrr!"He screamed out in pain and then grabbed the glass shard and threw it back on the floor. He didn't notice the blood gushing down his leg and pooling on the floor. He felt a little better now. He had discovered that cutting himself seemed to calm him down. Sometimes he became so irate and agitated it took more than just a few cuts. It was starting to escalate. Like a drug, he needed more and more. The month before he was not able to soothe himself until he had sliced off his pinky finger
B: Anil’s anger filled the room; his fury was nearly all-consuming.  Nearly, but not quite – there was a small corner of his being given over to frustration.  The object of his anger was beyond his reach; he couldn’t strike at the one who had provoked him.  He could feel the throbbing in his temple, palpable evidence that he was losing control.  Stymied, he turned inward to that corner of frustration and began to pick at it, the way he had picked at the scabs on his childhood scrapes.He could never react quickly enough when he was provoked; he backed down from every confrontation.  Only later, in his painful solitude, did he contemplate the things that he should have done to his antagonist, the things that he imagined a real man would have done.  But he was always too late.  For a long time, the target for his retribution had been his own self-worth.  At this stage, though, his psyche was so sheathed in protective scar tissue that his only relief was physical; he could still feel physical pain.  Cutting validated his existence; the absence of the pinky on his left hand reminded him that he could still feel.He looked up at the mirror, disgusted with what he saw.  Smashing the glass with his maimed hand, he picked through the glittering shards, looking for a suitable one, one that would grant him relief from his suffering.
K: That was incredible!  Your descriptive prose was so deep; it’s the first glimpse of the “real” Anil.  Thank you so much.  It was great having you here. .  I hope you’ll come back and chat about Dungda de Islan’ and please ask your lovely wife, Leslie if she’d like to join us.  I’ll make sure I serve pain au chocolat : ))
Can you please tell us what’s coming up and where we can find you on the web?
B: I just released Bluewater Voodoo, the third book in my Bluewater Thriller series, and I’m working on ideas for the next book.  I think I’ll leave the Bluewater Thrillers for a while; after three books in a row with the same characters, I want to develop some new ones.  I’ll definitely go back to the series; I’ve enjoyed it. But I don’t want to get stale.  I’d like to come back to those characters with a fresh look.
You can find me on the web at www.clrdougherty.com.  My writer’s blog is there, as well as information about my books.  I mentioned the sailing blog – that’s at Voyage of the Play Actor.  I have an author’s page on Facebook here, and I’m on Twitter @clrdougherty.  Email is welcome at clrd@clrdougherty.com. Thanks for having me here – it was a pleasure to visit.

Devils Mountain Review, Interview & Writing Exercise!

Caroline Collins married the love of her life.  Bobby Connelly was perfect for her.  It was like a fairytale, right up to the rehearsal dinner.  That’s when things started to get ugly. 
The arrival of Bobby’s beautiful mother, Mary, sparked some old memories…or were they old “wives tales”? Caroline’s mother, Nellie, suddenly began spouting superstitions, accusing Mary of having made a pact with the devil. Apparently Nellie and Mary had grown up in the same mountain society in Ireland.  Nellie tried to warn Caroline of the danger.
Caroline brushed off her mother’s warnings and the wedding took place.  Her mother was never the same. In fact, Nellie even moved out of state, creating more distance from the couple.
Life was wonderful for the newlyweds until they faced the devastating news that Caroline could not conceive a child.  She saw the finest specialists in Manhattan. They all agreed she would never get pregnant. Caroline was distraught. She would do anything to get pregnant…anything. She quickly spiraled into a black depression.
Bobby only wanted happiness for Caroline.  He couldn’t watch her slip away.  He knew there was only one answer.
The newlyweds decided to take a trip back to Ireland. A change of scenery would do them good.  Life on the mountain was like entering another world.  There was something very frightening, and yet there was so much beauty and pleasure to be had.  Most importantly, Bobby was able to get Mary’s promise that she would arrange for Caroline to become pregnant.  However, she insisted that Caroline could only have one baby... no more.  That was the deal.
Caroline conceived on the mountain.
The couple returned to Manhattan and life continued happily for the family of three. With the addition of their lovely baby boy, it appears that their family is complete.  Caroline felt differently.  She feels a strong desire for another child and she unknowingly makes her own deal with the devil-. the Slanaintheoir. Once the deal is done, life will never be the same.  There are a series of ugly events that lead to Carolinas return to the mountain. 
Because of Caroline’s actions, Mary must try to stop the chain of events that will end in horror for an innocent girl.  She blames Caroline and makes no secret of it.  Caroline had inadvertently given Slanaintheoir even more power. He now held more lives in his hands and his diabolical plans would ruin lives for centuries.  
Will Mary be able to bargain with Slanaintheoir?  Is it too late?
You’ll have to visit Devil's Mountain to find the answers.
Interview with Bernadette Walsh
K- Thank you so much for joining us, Bernadette.  I absolutely loved ‘Devil’s Mountain’ and I can’t wait to read the sequels!
The book was very intriguing.  With much of the story based in Ireland, one has to wonder how much of this “Irish Folklore” is or perhaps based on something closer to reality.  How did you research for this book, and was there any personal inspiration for this story?
B:  I didn’t really do much research at all. In terms of the locale, DEVIL’S MOUNTAIN is set in both New York City and a fictional town in the southwest of Ireland. I am a native New Yorker and have lived and worked in Manhattan. My mother is from Limerick, Ireland and my parents used to have a holiday home on a mountain in Ireland. I would fly from the high pressure-cooker of Manhattan to this remote otherworldly place and would feel almost transformed. When I was thinking of a location for my magical mountain I of course based it on my parent’s mountain home. With DEVIL’S MOUNTAIN I was able to include the setting of two places that I love.
I did incorporate a few things from Irish mythology. I mention in several places in the book a Hawthorne tree. Hawthorne trees are believed to be sacred to faeries and bad luck is thought to befall anyone who cuts one down. I also did some research on the plants that grow in Ireland and are believed to have supernatural protective properties and I included those plants in the garden that surrounds Mary’s cottage. In terms of the Irish words, I used an online English to Irish translator. I am sure I completely messed up the grammar, but I sprinkled the Irish words sparingly because I just wanted to give a flavor.
And that was pretty much it in terms of research for DEVIL’S MOUNTAIN, the rest of the story came exclusively from my very twisted brain. For the next two books in the series I incorporated more elements of witchcraft and the only research I did there was reading some books and attending the New York Witches festival which was held here on Long Island last fall, and believe me that was a total trip!
K: I know what you mean about that “otherworldly” feeling.  I feel that when I visit my mother’s birthplace in Mayo, on the West coast of Ireland. Since you are fellow Irishwoman I have to ask:  Do you believe in the fairies & such?   Are any of your scenes are based on real experiences?
B: I am a New Yorker, born and bred. My Irish born husband would be horrified to hear anyone call his Yank wife an Irishwoman!! But I am Irish-American and am very proud of my Irish heritage. I would say that the only scene in DEVIL’S MOUNTAIN based on a real experience was the opening wedding scene which I based on my own wedding. Luckily, there were no family witches or faeries at my wedding, at least none that I know of :)

K:  (Laughing) You’re right, my Irish born readers would have probably called me on that “Irishwoman” bit.  
There were no witches of faeries at your wedding.  That you know of…
You lead a busy life as an attorney and author; can you describe your writing style?  What is a typical day in the life of Bernadette Walsh?
B: I don’t want to bore your readers by describing my typical work day. Let’s just say I get up at 5AM and it goes downhill after that :)  In terms of my writing process, I usually spend a month or two just thinking about my book. I try to enter the head of my main character. I do a lot of my thinking during my daily commute on the Long Island Rail Road, staring out the window. Once I have a feel for my characters, I then put pen to paper, or rather fingers to the keyboard. During the work week I have at most twenty minutes to write at night after my family goes to bed. Before I sit down, I always have a very specific goal for the scene I am about to write (i.e. at the end of this scene Character X has to accomplish Y). I sneak an hour here and there for writing, and as a result need to be very disciplined and get the most out of my writing time. I don’t have the luxury of writing just to see where things go.
My writing tends to be very concise. I am not sure whether that is because of my legal background or my limited available writing time. The result is I tend to write short. My first two books were around 60K with my latest novella being under 30K. Because I write so short, that has limited my publishing options. Fortunately, I have been able to place my work with two fine e-publishers, Lyrical Press and Echelon Press.
K:  I think the shorter books appeal to people in this day and age.  With the hectic schedules and busy lives, reading a book is many times a luxury. 
If this book was made into a movie, who would you like to see cast in the roles?
B: I could definitely see Angeline Jolie playing one of the witches, but I see my witches as curvy and womanly so Angelina would need to eat a sandwich to prepare for the role!
K: Funny you mention Angeline Jolie.  As I read the book, I could see her playing Mary.  And I agree, she definitely needs to eat a sandwich or two : )  
I like to engage my guests in a little game I the “writing exercise” I give you a scene and you rewrite it in your own fabulous style.  Are up for it?
B: Sure!!! To date I only write in the first person and I only write from the perspective of female characters, so I will need to change Anil to Anilla.
K: Okay, here is your scene:
Anil sat quietly in the dark room, staring down into the amber liquid in the glass he held in his hand. He quickly swallowed the whiskey, in one gulp. Then he screamed out filthy obscenities, while he hurled the glass to the floor. He grimaced as a large glass shard bounced up and lodged in his bare ankle. He reached down and grabbed the glass shard, and pushed it deeply in to his skin, and then pulled the shard through his leg, all the way up to his knee.  "Arrrrrrrrrrrrrr!"He screamed out in pain and then grabbed the glass shard and threw it back on the floor. He didn't notice the blood gushing down his leg and pooling on the floor. He felt a little better now. He had discovered that cutting himself seemed to calm him down. Sometimes he became so irate and agitated it took more than just a few cuts. It was starting to escalate. Like a drug, he needed more and more. The month before he was not able to soothe himself until he had sliced off his pinky finger
B: OK, here I go!In the bedroom’s low light, I could barely make out the amber liquid in the tumbler I gripped in my hand. Whiskey, Danny’s $200 whiskey. Well fuck him, I thought as I gulped it down. The whiskey burned my throat and brought tears to my eyes. I poured myself another glass and soon made it disappear. I lifted the bottle to pour myself a third, but it was empty. I drank a bottle of $200 whisky and I could still hear Danny’s oh-so-sympathetic voice echo in my head. “I’m so sorry, Anilla. You know how special I think you are, but my parents introduced me to Maura, and I don’t know, it was love at first sight.” Special? I wasn’t feeling very special at the moment. Danny O’Donnell and Maura Connelly. A pair made in Irish-American heaven. Mrs. O’Donnell must be ecstatic that red-haired Maura will be her future daughter-in-law rather than dark-haired me. Exotic, Danny had called me that first night we spent together. He stroked my black hair, kissed my dark skin and told me that he was always attracted to “exotic” girls.Well, not anymore.Damn him! I threw the whiskey bottle with such force that the bottle shattered. A shard of its green glass lodged in my thigh. I watched the blood spurt from my wound and felt oddly numb. I reached down to pull it out but for some reason pushed it in hoping to feel something, anything. But still I was numb, so I pulled the glass out. Pain. I wanted to feel enough pain to obliterate Danny’s voice in my head.“You’re so beautiful,” he said that first night. I stabbed my thigh with the glass, and drew a D. Beautiful, the pain was beautiful.
K:  I love it- fabulous twist!  This is the first time someone wrote from the perspective of a female character.  Brilliant.
Thank you so much.  It was great having you here.  Can you please tell us what’s coming up and where we can find you on the web? 
B: Book Two in the Devlin Legacy, DEVIL’S SHORE, will be released by Lyrical Press in December and the third book, DEVIL’S DAUGHTER is expected to be released in early 2013. I am currently working on THE DEVLIN WITCH. I had originally intended the Devlin Legacy to be a trilogy, but those Irish witches still have me under their spell so I am writing a full length stand-alone book that incorporates some of the characters from Book Three. I’m about a quarter of the way through the first draft, so not exactly sure where I will wind up.
Thanks so much for hosting me today!
K: Thank you, Bernadette. It was a pleasure having you.  I can’t wait to read the future books.  I hope you’ll come back and we can celebrate the launch of Devil’s Shore.
Here are some places you can find Bernadette on the web:
http://bernadettewalsh.comhttps://twitter.com/#!/BWalshWriterhttp://www.facebook.com/pages/Bernadette-Walsh-Author/196567653686807http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5321197.Bernadette_Walsh

Review~The Lost Tourist Franchise by Charles Dougherty

I really enjoyed this book. I love that it was short enough to read in one sitting, yet it was rich in descriptive detail & intrigue.  It kept me engaged beginning to end. It also kept me wondering… 
Donald is a likable character; a young soldier who has had his share of hard luck. He’s been kicked around some, but has retained a certain innocence and integrity.
Then there is Luther, he seems to be in the right place at the right time.  I like Luther. He's a self-made man. He's worked hard to become a successful business owner.  He was there for Donald, and he took him under his wing, offering Donald the chance for financial independence.
Luther is a good man…or is he?
You and Donald may have your suspicions, but you want to give Luther the benefit of the doubt.  Yet there are those darn red flags...
***************************************************************

Mr. Dougherty is not only a talented writer, but he leads a fascinating life.  He and his wife have been sailing the world for the past twelve years. He's been writing incredible books from their nautical residence. According to Mr. Dougherty:
"If the idea of life afloat interests you, be sure to visit our sailing blog,Voyage of the Play Actor, where you find information about our sailing adventures."


You can find his books here
Website
Facebook
Twitter

How to Prepare for a Facebook Launch Party

Famous author, Diane Rapp has graciously agreed to share her wisdom and experience in launching her latest book, 'Dragon Defense'. This is book three in the 'Howl of the Wolf' series. Here is her story:
Several people who participated in my recent DRAGON DEFENSE launch party asked me to describe what I did to prepare for the party.  Since my science fiction novel was set on another world, I needed to create pictures to introduce people to the planet Drako and my dragons.  The following suggestions apply to any type of book.
One month before the party:
1.               Decide on the “theme” for the party and take pictures of food and drink that might be served at a real launch party.  My food was Tex Mex, so I took photos during a real party I attended.  The people at that party thought it was fun and got interested in attending the FB launch.2.               Take or find pictures that represent characters or scenes in your book.  I visited Shutterstock.com and bought background pictures, pictures of dragons, a picture of a lizard man, and pictures of pretty girls.
3.               Modify your pictures to fit your book.  I used Photoshop Elements 10 to change the pictures (you can download a 30 day free trial from Adobe).  I deleted backgrounds around my characters, and altered hair, eye color, and added wild colors to the dragon wings.  It took a bit of practice, watching help videos, and trial/error to get it right.  Give yourself plenty of time if you’ve never done photo editing before and save the finished pictures into a file for the party. 



4.               Write descriptions that might go with your pictures and save them into a word processing file for later cut/paste.


5.               Tweet about the upcoming party.  Make friends on Facebook, Goodreads, and Twitter.  Take a genuine interest in what other people are doing and join in conversations.  Everyone who followed me on Twitter or FB was invited to “like” my author’s page and attend the upcoming party.  Some of them did.
Arrange for guest blogs and interviews:
1.               Line up several bloggers willing to post character interviews, reviews, or guest blogs and take time to write these blogs.  I wrote one blog about my writing process, three character interviews, and one blog to announce the launch of the book and invite people to the party.2.               Get advance reviews of your book by sending volunteers copies well in advance.  The reviews help promote your book during and after the party.
Invite guests to the party on Facebook:
1.               I scheduled my party for a full week.  This was too long as interest waned after the first couple of days.  People still looked at my pictures during the rest of the week but I got fewer comments.2.               When you schedule an event, you can invite guests on your main FB account.  Click on invite guests and then click on the name of each person to send them an invitation.  Make sure to describe the party in the invitation.3.               Tell people how to disable the notifications if they don’t want to get constant e-mails.  You may need to tell people again during the party if they complain about too many e-mails.  (Click on the little star at the top right of the page and on the pull down menu click turn off notifications.)4.               On the day the party starts post a description of the party and the page link on every FB group that you belong to.  Ask people to drop by and have fun.  IF you have a contest going, invite them to enter and tell them how.5.               Post a blog about your party, contest, and book launch on your own website.  If you’re a member of Goodreads invite people to the party using your Facebook page as an address.  Post your blog on Goodreads too.6.               Tweet!  Make sure your Facebook page sends tweets every time you post something.  This gets people to drop into the site out of curiosity and some come back.
During the party:
1.               Be prepared to check in on the party often to answer questions and make comments.  Post new pictures periodically (not all at once) with your comments on both your author’s page and the party event page.  I don’t know why the party can’t be run from your author’s page alone but the invites on FB take people to a new party page.  It’s easy to copy and paste.  You’ll get more people looking if you post on both pages.2.               I changed the banner on my author’s page every day and posted a comment that related to the banner photo.  I also posted the same picture on the party page with the description.  This keeps the party fun and keeps people interested. 3.               Run a word game to keep the party fun.  Using the title of my book DRAGON DEFENSE, I asked people to make as many four letter or more words from the letters.  Since my wolves are modeled after my German Shepherd Dog, I scheduled another game.  I posted my dog breed and the next person had to use the last letter of the name to post another until we ran out of possibilities.  These gave keep people involved. 4.               The pictures I posted were a great success and garnered most comments.  I posted pictures of wine, margaritas, Tex Mex food and pizza.  The pictures of scenes and characters got people talking about the book.  Over a hundred views of each picture occurred, although not everyone made a comment.
Results:
1.               The goal of your launch party is to introduce your book.  Don’t expect hundreds of sales unless you’ve already got people waiting in line to buy them.  I got 1405 views on the Facebook pages during the party.  If the average return was 5 times, 281 different people learned about the book.  It was a good start.  2.               I sold a few copies of the new book but I also sold my other books.  I held a contest on my website for a poster of my cover and the winner was very happy.  You might get more people to your website by giving away large dollar gift cards.  Set your goals for exposure and follow up next month with other promotions.


Thank you, Diane, This is valuable information that will help countless authors. Thank you so much.
Here's where you can find Diane and her awesome books:
Diane's WebsiteFacebookauthor’s pageTwitterGoodreads E-mail

Two Graves~ review & disturbing writing exercise with D.A. Graystone

‘Two Graves’ is an incredibly well written novel. Once I started reading, I was hooked. The storyline is profound, with a captivating subplot. 
This book will keep you on your toes. The tension builds from the first page. The depth of the characters deepens your experience. The players are complex and may remind you of people that you actually know.
You will cringe as you live through the killer’s memories of torment and suffering. The abusive childhood created a rage so intense-it produced a serial killer. You may try to put yourself in his shoes; try to understand his motivation. You may not like the feelings this evokes.
Your mind will race as the tension builds and the storylines meld. What is the connection with the serial killer and the mafia? Is the Kesle Police Department tied up with the mafia? Corruption is in the air.  
How will it end?
“Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.”  
Interview
K-
Thanks so much for joining us for an interview today, Derek. I was captivated with your book, ‘Two Graves’. It was intense, with some brutal murder scenes. I hope it sends out a message to all bullies.
 Being a Reiki Master and a Wiccan, I would guess that your personal beliefs lean more toward the peaceful & harmonious. Was there any personal inspiration for the story?
D-
Very true, I believe in peaceful resolutions to conflicts but I am also a realist in knowing that is not always possible, especially with bullies. Much of the inspiration for the novel came from past experiences. Yes, I was bullied when I was younger. I was in the Audio Visual club (this was the 70s before computers), I got straight A’s, was always the “good” kid in class, in other words, a total geek. I hung around with geeks and I even played the violin. (No, not the flute but then the violin didn’t ‘fit’ in the novel.) I might as well have had a target on my back.
I was saved by my one talent of being a fast runner. Both because it got me away from the bullies but it also got me accepted by the jocks, some of the worst bullies out there. I was the anomaly, a geek jock. But for that one talent, and the confidence it gave me, I would most likely have been a target all my life. And now that I have children, I see the trends still continuing and have even gotten worse. My son is bullied and,regardless of the new sensitivity toward bullying, I feel just as helpless as I did when I was his age.
And that helplessness combined with my current confidence is what drove the creation of my killer. In the aftermath of a bullying, I had thoughts of ‘I shouldhave said this’, ‘I should have done this’. Now, what if a chronic victim could suddenly turn those thoughts into ‘I can fight back and give them even worse than they gave me’. Fighting back but to a degree that for most of us, hopefully, would only be fantasy.
K-
I understand that pain, firsthand.  I wish more kids could find a constructive way to fight back.  Unfortunately, more often than not, it seems to happen like it does in your book.  When the victim is terrorized to a certain degree it simply pushes them over the edge.  Every time you hear of a tragic massacre in a school, the perpetrators were victims of  bullying. It's just heartbreaking.  
On a lighter note, if ‘Two Graves’ is made into a movie, who would you like to see cast in the roles?
D-
Interesting you should say that. Every book I write, I have pictures of my characters pinned up on the wall, often times just pictures of people I see but often actors. And you have to remember that it can take years to write the book and sometimes my choices age themselves out of running. I did see George Clooney as Mann and originally Julianne Moore as Dani. However, I could see Poppy Montgomery in the part Dani with no problem at all. Joaquin Phoenix was always the killer, although he would have to put on some pounds. I have also promised my 88 year old father that he can have a walk on part.
K-
I love George Clooney as Mann.  Poppy would be great- and now she even has the red hair, like Dani. Maybe your father could play the role of a veteran cop that they call in to consult with on the case. I would have never thought of Joaquin Phoenix, but if he put on a few pounds, yes, I can see it!
Please share with us, what is your writing ritual? Where do you like to write?  How often? Do you schedule time or wait for inspiration?
D-
I write as often and whenever I can. With my schedule, that might mean at 5 in the morning or 12 at night or anywhere in between. My preference for location is a house we go to in Exuma, Bahamas. Otherwise, I do most of my writing in my basement office that the previous owners used for a storage room. The writer in me considers it warm and cozy, with convenient access to everything in the room – doesn’t that sound better than hot, cramped and crowded. Whenever the Canadian weather allows it, I also write in my back yard around the pool.
My method is to plot and plan the entire book. I also have detailed character sketches and back stories for my characters before I start. More often than not, much of the backstory doesn’t even get into the book but it is always in the back of my mind, giving motivation to the characters. Then, after I transfer all my notes to index cards, I just start writing at the beginning and to until it ends. I also set up a schedule of X number of words a day that invariably is overly ambitious and never achieved.
K-
I like the idea a the detailed character sketches and back stories.  I think I read somewhere that Steven King does something similar. I’m going to try that technique.
Balance seems to be an issue that most authors grapple with. You have a wife, four daughters, one son, and three granddaughters. How do you balance your personal life with your writing and the promotional aspect of writing?
D-
I have to change my bio again since one of my daughters got married and I inherited two more granddaughters. And then we have one more coming this summer. Balance? I don’t know a fledgling Indie author who isn’t an expert juggler. Strangely, it always seems to be the writing that suffers if you are not diligent in getting at it. For me, the real secret is not having to rely on the muse to tickle my creativity. I force myself to just sit down and writing something, often complete trash but usually with some nugget I can salvage. And although I just finished saying I write from the beginning to the end, my mood might dictate what I write that day. I will occasionally skip to a scene with my killer if I have had a particularly bad day. I also usually have three or four projects on the go at any one time.
But the real saving grace for me?  In Yvette, I have the most understanding wife in the world. She supports me, even if she doesn’t understand why I feel it necessary to edit the same book over and over and over. This allows me the time and energy to work (guilt free) on the various activities associated with writing and promoting.
K-
Congrats on your two new granddaughters and also for the baby who is on the way. What a blessing.
I agree that the support of your spouse means everything.  Thank you, Yvette- the world needs more of Derek’s books : )
It sounds like  writing a murder scene could be very therapeutic. I can see that:
A bad day at work, a troublesome boss that has you all stressed out… And then, a few minutes after you get home…he gets what he’s got coming!
I have a ritual. I like to do a “writing exercise” with the authors that I interview. I give them a scene and then ask them to re-write the scene in their own special style. Are you game?
D-
Yes.
K-Okay- here you go:
Anil sat quietly in the dark room, staring down into the amber liquid in the glass he held in his hand. He quickly swallowed the whiskey, in one gulp. Then he screamed out filthy obscenities, while he hurled the glass to the floor. He grimaced as a large glass shard bounced up and lodged in his bare ankle. He reached down and grabbed the glass shard, and pushed it deeply in to his skin, and then pulled the shard through his leg, all the way up to his knee.  "Arrrrrrrrrrrrrr!"He screamed out in pain and then grabbed the glass shard and threw it back on the floor. He didn't notice the blood gushing down his leg and pooling on the floor. He felt a little better now. He had discovered that cutting himself seemed to calm him down. Sometimes he became so irate and agitated it took more than just a few cuts. It was starting to escalate. Like a drug, he needed more and more. The month before he was not able to soothe himself until he had sliced off his pinky finger.
D-

This was fun! However, you might notice that my characters are usually more proactive, less prone to self-infliction and more prone to blaming others for their problems – and then taking it out of them.

Anil sat staring at the old style computer monitor, absently swirling the amber liquid in the Glencairn glass, not even noticing the enticing aroma of the whiskey. He couldn’t take his eyes off the damn screen and the smiling couple on the Facebook update. Now that she was with that smiling sack of skin, Anil knew he was forgotten, ignored. Nonexistent.
“You bitch,” he said in a low voice.
Downing his drink in a single gulp, he weighed the heavy glass in his hand. Pulling back, he threw it, exploding the monitor in a cascade of sparks and smoke, obliterating the happy couple on the screen.
Looking down, he saw a shard of the monitor in his forearm. He studied the sharp glass, watching the blood well out. In a slow, deliberate motion, he pulled the thin glass along his arm, fascinated as the already scarred skin parted and blood dripped down his arm. He felt no pain. There was a time, before he met her, when cutting himself was the only way he felt alive. The pain allowed him to feel something, anything. Now, there was only the hollowness since she deserted him. Now, even the pain was just a dull sensation – like his entire world without her.
Cutting himself had no effect.
But cutting her?
He pulled the thin glass from his arm and watched a single drop of blood fall onto his desk. What would he feel if he was to pull this across that smiling face of hers? Would he finally begin to feel again asHe remembered her status update and smiled. So, she was getting engaged?
How would she wear that big sparking diamond if she didn’t have a ring finger?
K-
Wow!  I did not see that coming!  That was an excellent twist to what I had expected.  I knew it would be spectacular. Thank you.
Do you have any upcoming events or book promotions?
D-
Thirteen Great Indie Authors and myself are participating in the Stock Up For Summer event, a free giveaway of our books June 14-16th. My other novel, The Schliemann Legacy, will be free those days. You can get more information about the event and some incredible authors at http://www.greatindieauthors.com(a work in progress).
K-
That sounds really exciting.  I will be checking that out.
Derek, thank you so much for joining us. It was wonderful chatting with you. Where can people find you and your work on the web?
D-
I welcome all fans, stalkers and people who just have too much time on their hands while surfing the web…Web Site: http://www.dagraystone.comFacebook http://www.facebook.com/dagraystoneTwitter: http://twitter.com/dagraystoneAmazon: http://www.amazon.com/D.A.-Graystone/e/B005A3XTEG/ref=sr_tc_ep?qid=1336869210

Dragon Defense~character interview

Interview between Felesia and Kathleen


F:  It’s so nice to meet you Kathleen! Diane shared your novel Hiren’s Magical Adventure with us, and Marra really enjoyed hearing about the tiger. Wait! I must tell Marra what we’re talking about. 
Marra:  Bfff—Yeowl.
K: It’s lovely meeting you & Marra.  I’m so glad Marra liked the story. She is much bigger than I imagined.  (looking cautiously at Marra, who flicks her tail and stretches out her long graceful paws ) She seems as though she’s trying to tell me something…or maybe she’s hungry?
F: (laughing) Marra says she’d like to meet your tiger and see who’s bigger.  Marra is the largest panther on Drako and can’t believe a tiger could grow larger on Earth.  I won’t tell her that tigers are really larger than panthers if you don’t.
K: No, that secret is safe with me.  Marra is very big and beautiful.  But… she seems annoyed… (nervously glancing at Marra)
F:  (Marra butts Felesia with her head and rubs against her leg.) Marra gets impatient when humans talk too much. She’d rather hunt.
K: Oh… is that dangerous…for me?
F:  Hold my hand and I’ll help you share her mind.  Don’t be afraid.  She had a big meal before you arrived.  See?  Inside her mind we look at a couple of scrawny humans staring back at us.  Yes.  I feel my tail twitching and my claws digging into the grass.  Marra is like a giant housecat who likes to stretch and drag her claws through the turf.  I’m sure the grass will grow back when the dark moon comes out tonight.
K: I could feel my tail!  That was a strange experience. Well, I’m not afraid anymore. Whew!
Felesia, don’t you usually travel with a Mongoose?
F:  Yes.  Killer is sleeping inside my pack.  I’ll let him out.  (There’s loud chattering from the small mongoose.)  He’s asking if you have fresh snake in your picnic basket.  It’s his favorite food, but he’ll take a piece of raw fish. 
K: Oh, sorry, I didn’t know.  I do have some sushi, would he like some?
F:  Sushi?  He’ll give it a try.  (She giggles as the mongoose strips the rice away from the fish and chatters for more.)  I’m sorry about the mess, he usually cleans up tidbits. 
K: I also brought this salmon flavored cat food, in case Marra was hungry. We wouldn’t want Marra to get hungry!
F:  A can of salmon would be fine, but we won’t tell him it’s really cat food.
K: I see that you and Killer are very close.  How did this relationship come about?
F:  I found Killer tied to a post in a Gypsies’ camp.  They were using him for a snake show at the carnival.  He’d catch a snake in no time, but the handler yanked him away before he could kill it.  He was very unhappy, so we raided the camp and set him free.    
K: That was so nice of you.  I don’t like when people try to use animals for entertainment purposes. Oh, my goodness, what was that?
F:  (Keening sounds come from a branch above their heads.)  Arrow wants me to tell you that she was instrumental in Killer’s rescue.  Arrow kept the Gypsies busy trying to capture a “prized hawk” and they didn’t notice me sneak into the camp.  Later Arrow and I enjoyed letting them chase us through the woods.  I’d duck behind a tree and she’d fly out, making it appear I changed into a bird.  Gypsies spread a rumor that I was a shape-shifter, hoping someone could capture me and sell me to the carnival.  That was before Flash arrived to protect us.
K: That sounds daring! You and Arrow took a lot of chances!  How do Killer and Flash get along?
F:  Killer and Flash are best friends.  When Flash was just hatched, Killer brought snakes for her to eat.
K: Oh, that’s so sweet! Does Killer like to fly on Flash’s back?
F: No, Killer doesn’t enjoy flying.  He hides inside my pack until we’re safely on the ground.  Would you like to meet Flash?  (wind whips their hair as the dragon lands.)
K: Nice to meet you, Flash.  My goodness you certainly know how to make an entrance. You are a beautiful Dragon.
F:  Flash never met a human from Earth before.  She asks if it’s more fun flying inside an airplane than riding on a dragon’s back.  Her friend Sparkle would love to give you a ride if you stay on Drako a few more days.  Sparkle is sitting on the top of that cliff.  She’s the one with streaks of color radiating through her wings in a more flamboyant color pattern than the other dragons. 
K: I’ve never had the pleasure of riding on a dragon’s back.  It sounds a bit scary… I have a fear of heights… but it does sound like fun! Why does Sparkle keep changing colors?
F:  Colors ripple through a dragon’s wings and I see the meaning inside my mind.  The dragons have a complicated color vocabulary but we’re learning to speak with them. 
K: That’s fascinating. So are you able to communicate?
F:  My new friends, Shariel and Brandon, are training Shariel’s siblings to fly on dragons.  Shariel speaks mentally with the dragons and has the power of mind control.  That power enables her to share messages with Brandon, who is headblind.  He plans to flash colored lights from a ship to speak with dragons.
K: That’s brilliant.  So many exciting things going on her on Drako.  I heard that there are plans for a royal wedding.  Is that true?
F:  Jordan and I plan to marry, but the Institute threatens to destroy Drako if my father and Dr. Alexander don’t surrender.  We can’t allow that to happen.  Our dragon air force is the key to Donovan’s secret defense strategy.  Please don’t tell the Earthlings from the Institute about the dragon defense.
K: I would never tell the Earthlings anything to harm you or your family.  I will do anything I can to help you. 
F:  I’d better leave.  The dragons must practice flying in formation.  Yesterday they bumped into each other and had to catch their riders before the humans hit the ground.  The dragons thought it was a fun new game but their riders objected to the free fall. 
K: Oh, of course, I understand.  Felesia, Perhaps I should delay my ride with Sparkle until they get the hang of it… (fear of flying renewed)
Thank you so much for joining me for the picnic.  It was so nice meeting all of you.
F:  Ask Diane to send us your next book about a tiger.  Marra loves those stories better than mushy romances.  Of course Marra also enjoys a good ghost story.  Bye.
K: I will.  Bye!
Buy Dragon Defense hereDiane's WebsiteFacebook author’s pageTwitterGoodreadsE-mail

Zeke- review of riveting new book by the incredible Wodke Hawkinson

This was a gripping story.  I was truly unable to put the book down.  The story introduces you to Sue, a sheltered and very naïve young lady.  She’s experienced quite a bit of rejection and bullying in her young life and it’s left her quite insecure and fragile.
Along comes Zeke.  It’s apparent that he’s up to no good right from the start.  He’s got everything he needs to play on the emotions of a lonely young soul.  His good looks and charm can win over even more sophisticated, older women.  He’s very good at giving women what they want.  His looks and sexual prowess work as his initial bait.
He knows exactly how to manipulate Sue.  First, with an innocent friendship that is the start of the training/brainwashing.  Zeke becomes her only friend.   He keeps Sue at a distance, while she longs for him.  He knows that his little peck on the cheek is bringing about explosions of yearning and desire.  When it fits in his plan, they become intimate.  Sue reveals her most painful memories in private pillow talk.  Zeke uses this information as tools and weapons to manipulate Sue, with the ability to inflict the most excruciating pain and humiliation.
He is quick to punish Sue if she steps out of line.  At first it was just emotional abuse.  It’s all part of the training.  Sue is confused.  She loves Zeke. She can’t believe that she is worthy to have him.  She justifies all the little red flags.
You may find yourself yelling at Sue.  “Sue!  He’s a bad guy- run from him as fast as you can!” But Sue is already brainwashed.
Zeke convinces and tricks Sue into countless situations that are degrading and sick.  It escalates and soon it’s apparent that Zeke is even more evil than you could imagine.  When Sue finally realizes this, Zeke makes sure that she cannot leave him.
This book will stay with you for days.  Pass it on to all the single women in your life.  This should serve as a warning.  There are many “Zeke’s” out there, just waiting…
Buy Zeke here
Learn more about Wodke Hawkinson here
Follow them on Twitter here