Melissa Snark's Blog: The Snarkology, page 110

Book Review: Patriot Girl by Toni Lynn Cloutier

MaKayla Adams has always been curious about the wild side of life. Making love with her late husband wasn’t exciting, and she never could understand the big deal…until hunky nightclub owner Dustin James hires her as a public relations consultant. His touch arouses feelings she’s never known, and his kiss tempts her to cross the line between business and pleasure.
Dustin doesn’t remember the car accident that put him in a coma three years ago, but since his recovery, he’s pushed his own needs aside to be a single father to his young daughter. When MaKayla offers to help publicize his country nightclub, however, she ignites deeper feelings he can’t ignore.
But there is more than mutual attraction between MaKayla and Dustin—there is a shared past connected to her husband’s death. Will the truth bring them together or tear them apart?
Excerpt:
She tilted her head toward his touch. “We do have an unusual chemistry, but anything more between us would complicate things.”“In what ways?”“Alex wouldn’t understand. Not to mention Paul’s parents.”“What about what MaKayla wants?” A loaded question she didn’t know how to answer. She wanted what she couldn’t have—not to be alone, the noises in her backyard to go away, a husband to spoil, and another child to mother. “It doesn’t matter what I want. What matters is doing the right thing.”“For who?”“For everyone.”“Even if it means being unhappy? When was the last time you did something for MaKayla without worrying about consequences?” He rolled his tongue and smiled.“There was liquor involved. Otherwise, I never would have growled at you.”“Why not?”She shrugged. “Because it’s inappropriate.”“A tease?”“Yes.”He cupped her cheeks between his palms. “I find you sexy as hell and I’m going to kiss you. The time to stop me would be right now.”
Review:



The Patriot Girl by Toni Lynn Cloutier is a contemporary romance about a man and a woman, both in their forties, both single parents. The story kicks off with an immediate bang! A tense bank robbery introduces heroine MaKayla Adams to hero Dustin James. Dustin acts to protect MaKayla from a robber. The plot proceeds from a great start to provide the reader with a tale of action, suspense, and good old fashioned romantic chemistry.
MaKayla is a widow, raising a teenage son, and trying to start her own business. She doesn't want romantic complications in her life and attempts to keep Dustin at arm's length when he becomes the first client of her fledgling PR business. MaKayla is a great heroine. She's smart, likeable and compassionate. I loved the fact that she's a protective mom doing her best to do right by her child.
Dustin is the dedicated father to his daughter and a widower. His daughter is a youngster named Melissa, so of course she's precious and adorable. Dustin's income comes from rental properties and a bar called "No Bulls". There's nothing better than a hunky hero who steps up without a second's hesitation to protect others.
Sparks fly between MaKayla and Dustin who experience immediate attraction to one another. Events conspire to keep them apart, including a shared tragic event that catches both off guard. There's no real blame but a whole lot of angst to go around and the author handles the conflict with a deft hand. Love scenes are sweet bordering on spicy. Not Jalapeno spicy but maybe a nice fire-roasted chili. 
The writing is excellent: solid style, easy flow, well edited and good pacing. But the best part is finally finding a romance about two real people with merits and flaws who approach their problems as mature grownups. Supporting characters are well rounded, complex and enjoyable. I especially liked MaKayla’s seventeen-year-old son, Alex. He's sweet and sensible.
The Patriot Girl is a great romantic read that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend. Five stars all the way.

Purchase The Patriot Girl:AmazonBarnes and NobleThe Wild Rose Press
Author Bio:
The youngest of five children, I was born and raised in Rhode Island. After graduating East Providence High School as a member of the Rhode Island Honor Society, I held several jobs from accounts receivable to medical billing before attending Rhode Island Associates of Realtors.
I have a wonderful husband and I’m a a stay-at-home mom to our teenage son.  My week is filled with writing romance novels and listening to country music while cleaning house, rearranging furniture, and playing with the cat we adopted from the shelter.
To learn more about Toni Lynn Cloutier:WebsiteFacebookTwitter: @ToniLCloutier GoodreadsLinked In Amazon Page

Author Spotlight: Hero's Redemption by Georgie Lee

Thank you, Melissa, for having me here today. 
Georgie, thank you for being my guest today!   Tell us a little more about yourself, including three things not many people know about you.
Three things people may not know about me are:My all time favorite TV show is Absolutely Fabulous. I own the series on DVD. Every episode cracks me up.My favorite ice cream flavor is Medieval Madness from Thrifty.My favorite guilty pleasure is buying jewelry. I love sparkly things.When did you start writing?
I grew up writing many different things including poetry, short stories and screenplays. I wrote a short story for a contest in sixth grade. At the time, I was fascinated by Greek mythology so I created a myth about the Greek gods and the creation of the silver swan constellation. The story won first prize.
My professional writing career began at a small cable TV station in San Diego where I wrote marketing videos and public service announcements. I’d always dreamed of being a screenwriter, so I moved to Los Angeles and earned my MA in screenwriting. Despite my best efforts, screenwriting success proved a little elusive (OK, a LOT elusive). I’d always read romance novels and so I thought to myself, heck, I can write a romance novel. So I did. The first draft wasn’t pretty, but I learned a lot during the revision process. That story went on to become Lady’s Wager, a Regency romance and my first published novel.
 Tell us about your latest release and what you think readers will enjoy about it.
My next release is Hero’s Redemption, a Regency romance that will be available July 29thfrom Carina Press. In Hero’s Redemption, a widow and a war hero brought together by a scheme must learn to trust one another and accept the tragedy that links them in order to find love.
I think readers will love the conflicted relationship between the hero and heroine. The main characters have to deal with a lot of angst and emotion, not to mention a plot to kill the hero, on the way to their happily ever after.
If someone were to play one of your characters in a movie, which character and what actor would it be and why? 
I would love for Richard Armitage to play Devon, the Earl of Malton, my hero from Hero’s Redemption. Richard Armitage gave such a riveting performance in North and South as a tormented man in love, that I think he would be perfect to help bring Hero’s Redemption to the screen.
 What’s you’re writing process? Has it changed since writing your first book?
I used to be a pantser, but now that I’ve sold to Harlequin Historical, I sit down and write a summary and work on my characters before I get too far into a story. I usually start with a specific scene in mind and then build the story out from there. Having a summary really helps me make the best use of my writing time.
Do you listen to music when you write and if so, what kind of music – or do you find it distracts you?  
I can’t write and listen to music at the same time. I find it is too distracting.  However, I will use music to brainstorm. Soundtracks from movies set in the time period I’m writing in are usually the most helpful.
 What is your favorite source of inspiration? 
I love reading non-fiction history books and they are my greatest source of inspiration. So many times a single line from a true event in history will spark a “what if?” moment and an entire story.
Is there any advice, as a new writer, that you were either given, or wish you had been given? The best advice I can give new writers is to keep trying and don’t give up. There were many years where I was writing and nothing was being published and then all of a sudden, one day, all the hard work began to pay off.  It’s a long term career so you can’t let setbacks make you give up.  What sort of research do you do for your books?
I tend to research as I write, unless there is a large “could this scenario really have happened?” element to my novel. I especially use research when a story becomes stuck. While I was writing my upcoming Harlequin Historical, Engagement of Convenience, I was three-quarters of the way through the first draft when the story stalled. Thanks to a little inspiration from a history-themed daily desk calendar and some research, I was able to get the story back on track.
I use both secondary and primary sources for research depending on the level of detail that I need for a story. Secondary sources don’t always go into enough detail because they are covering too broad a topic. I review primary sources to get to more of the nitty-gritty of daily life.

Hero’s Redemption by Georgie Lee
London, 1817
Devon, the Earl of Malton, is a hero for his deeds at the Battle of Waterloo. But he suffers terrible nightmares, and drinks himself to sleep most nights. A habit he vows to break when he awakes one morning to find a woman sharing his bed, no memory of how she got there, and her angry brother at his door.
Cathleen is mortified when her wastrel brother and his greedy wife propose a blackmail scheme involving the earl, but as a penniless war widow she's at their mercy. She goes along with the plan and sneaks into Devon's bed one night, and ends up comforting him through a night terror.
Charmed by her beauty and kindness, Devon determines that rather than pay the blackmail, he will offer his hand in marriage to Cathleen. Although she is deeply attracted to the stoic earl, Cathleen cannot understand why Devon would want to marry her. What she doesn't know is that Devon owes her a debt that can never fully be repaid…
Available for purchase at:
Amazon
Author's Bio:A dedicated history and film buff, Georgie Lee loves combining her passion for Hollywood, history and storytelling through romantic fiction. She began writing professionally at a small TV station in San Diego before moving to Las Angeles to work in the interesting but strange world of the entertainment industry.
Her first novel, Lady’s Wager, and her contemporary novella, Rock ‘n’ Roll Reunion are both available from Ellora’s Cave Blush. Labor Relations, a contemporary romance of Hollywood, and Studio Relations, a love story set in 1935 Hollywood, are currently available from Montlake Romance. Look for her Regency novella, Hero’s Redemption from Carina Press on July 29, 2013, and her Regency novel, Engagement of Convenience, from Harlequin Historical on October 1, 2013.  
When not writing, Georgie enjoys reading non-fiction history and watching any movie with a costume and an accent. Please visit  www.georgie-lee.com for more information about Georgie and her novels.

Where can readers find you on the internet?FacebookTwitter: @GeorgieLeeBooksGoodreadsBlog: Website 

Author Spotlight: Toni Lynn Cloutier

Toni, please tell us about yourself and your writing.
My husband and I have been together since 1990. We have a 15-year-old son and a house cat we adopted from the shelter in 2006. As a stay at home mother, I began writing romance novels after my first word search puzzle book was published in 2001.
What inspired your current book?
My current WIP is book two of The Patriot Girl. So I guess my secondary character from TPG has been my inspiration.
How do you come up with your book titles?
During the writing process if something a character says grabs me then I’ll run with it. The Patriot Girl had five different titles before this one stuck.
Name one person, living or dead, you'd most like to meet.
Country singer Kenny Rogers. I’d like to ask him what the heck he was thinking when he decided to get plastic surgery!!   What does your writing space look like? 
We remodeled my upstairs and I now have a wonderful work room. The walls are tan with a hardwood floor. I have a rollaway bed that sports chocolate satin sheets and a blue and white lighthouse throw. A small lighthouse-shaped table and matching chair resides for sitting (not a set, it just happened to match perfectly). My desk is small with three drawers down the side and one in front. I have a window overlooking my street with a large maple tree from my neighbors yard. My cat sits with me for hours watching the squirrels, birds, and cats. Not to mention, she loves to lay in the morning sunbeam for her daily dose of vitamin D. Since she has been with me during my writing of Count Down To Love (book 2) I had to add a cat in the story.

Do you write with music going in the background?
No, because I tend to sing and forget all about what I’m writing. Then it gets me in a cleaning mood.
What are some of your favorite types/bands?
I’ve always enjoyed country and western music. However, the latest bands are more country/rock. There are a few new artists I really enjoy, like Carrie Underwood, Zack Brown Band, and Brad Paisley. I miss the steel guitar in country music.
Tell us something strange or interesting about yourself. 
Oh so many, which one do I tell?? How about two? First, I am so uncomfortable doing these types of interviews because one strange thing about me is I find it boring to talk about myself. Second, I always make three air-crosses with my finger while gripping my steering wheel before driving. I began doing this in my early twenties after I’d had a car accident. Happy to report, I’ve never had an accident since…thank the Lord!
Is there anything else you'd really like our readers to know?  I have two educational word search puzzle books published.  The titles are Word Search USA and World Word Search. I also write short erotic stories under a pseudonym. 
Blurb:
MaKayla Adams has always been curious about the wild side of life. Making love with her late husband wasn’t exciting, and she never could understand the big deal…until hunky nightclub owner Dustin James hires her as a public relations consultant. His touch arouses feelings she’s never known, and his kiss tempts her to cross the line between business and pleasure.
Dustin doesn’t remember the car accident that put him in a coma three years ago, but since his recovery, he’s pushed his own needs aside to be a single father to his young daughter. When MaKayla offers to help publicize his country nightclub, however, she ignites deeper feelings he can’t ignore.
But there is more than mutual attraction between MaKayla and Dustin—there is a shared past connected to her husband’s death. Will the truth bring them together or tear them apart?
Excerpt:
She tilted her head toward his touch. “We do have an unusual chemistry, but anything more between us would complicate things.”“In what ways?”“Alex wouldn’t understand. Not to mention Paul’s parents.”“What about what MaKayla wants?” A loaded question she didn’t know how to answer. She wanted what she couldn’t have—not to be alone, the noises in her backyard to go away, a husband to spoil, and another child to mother. “It doesn’t matter what I want. What matters is doing the right thing.”“For who?”“For everyone.”“Even if it means being unhappy? When was the last time you did something for MaKayla without worrying about consequences?” He rolled his tongue and smiled.“There was liquor involved. Otherwise, I never would have growled at you.”“Why not?”She shrugged. “Because it’s inappropriate.”“A tease?”“Yes.”He cupped her cheeks between his palms. “I find you sexy as hell and I’m going to kiss you. The time to stop me would be right now.”
Purchase The Patriot Girl:AmazonBarnes and NobleThe Wild Rose Press
Quick quiz: Favorite food? ItalianFavorite color? BrownFavorite animal? DogsBiggest pet peeve? Two things I hate most: A liar and a sneak.Dream car? LOL..I couldn’t even give you a make or model. As long as it gets me from point A to point B, I’m good!

Anything works, you say?
Author Bio:
The youngest of five children, I was born and raised in Rhode Island. After graduating East Providence High School as a member of the Rhode Island Honor Society, I held several jobs from accounts receivable to medical billing before attending Rhode Island Associates of Realtors.
I have a wonderful husband and I’m a a stay-at-home mom to our teenage son.  My week is filled with writing romance novels and listening to country music while cleaning house, rearranging furniture, and playing with the cat we adopted from the shelter.
To learn more about Toni Lynn Cloutier:WebsiteFacebookTwitter: @ToniLCloutier GoodreadsLinked In Amazon Page
Be sure to check back on Thursday for Mrs. Snark's review of The Patriot Girl.

Guest blogger: Funniest Writing Story by Toni Lynn Cloutier

Thanks so much for having me this week, Mrs. Snark. You asked for my funniest writing moment so here goes.
Toni, thank you for being my guest this week!
It begins when I first decided to try my hand at writing a novel. Now, if you’ve been following my tour you will know that I am not one to read. With that said, I came up with a plot idea, What if a woman fell in love with the man she blamed for killing her husband?
As a stay at home mom, I had just received my first published word search puzzle book cover (Word Search USA). It was awesome. The whole writing-a-book process was thrilling so I wanted to do something else to get another cover.
My plot idea hadn’t dwindled and it wouldn’t let me go. So I sat at the computer and typed everything that came to mind. By the time I was done, I had twenty chapters; each had fifteen to twenty lines. Oh, and there were four chapters on one page.
Obviously, I had no idea how to format a book. But that’s not the funny part.
My BFF came over and I was brave enough to print out a few pages for her to read. As I waited anxiously to see what she thought, she burst into laughter!
Okay, so now I had to wait until she stopped laughing to learn if it was a good or a bad laughter. After she caught her breath, she showed me the page and pointed. “Read that line.”
I read it out loud. “MaKayla ran to ketchup with him.” I glanced up. “Yeah.”
“Tone, look at the word ketchup,” she said.
Then it hit me. I, too, burst into laughter. Yes, it should have been ‘catch up’. I not only had my mom radar on while writing, it was a sign of how much work was ahead of me. To read a full article on My Road To Publication, you can find it here. 
Needless to say, it has been a long road. But determination to learn, never giving up, and truly by the grace of God, I have a novel published. 
So if you think you can’t do something, remember how I went from ketchup to The Patriot Girl.
Author Bio:
The youngest of five children, I was born and raised in Rhode Island. After graduating East Providence High School as a member of the Rhode Island Honor Society, I held several jobs from accounts receivable to medical billing before attending Rhode Island Associates of Realtors.
I have a wonderful husband and I’m a a stay-at-home mom to our teenage son.  My week is filled with writing romance novels and listening to country music while cleaning house, rearranging furniture, and playing with the cat we adopted from the shelter.
To learn more about Toni Lynn Cloutier:WebsiteFacebookTwitter: @ToniLCloutier Goodreads Linked In Amazon Page   Be sure to check back Tuesday for Toni's Author Spotlight to learn more about her writing, and then again on Thursday for my review of The Patriot Girl.

Fight For Your Write reviews Hunger Moon by Melissa Snark

June 30, 2013 Book Review: Hunger Moon by Melissa Snark Guest Review by Lisa Lester

Werewolf Victoria Storm knows all about duty.  Alpha to a dwindling pack decimated by war with the Barrett family, and with new pups on the way, she must find safe harbor away from the pursuing human hunters that have sworn to wipe her pack from the face of the Earth. After praying to her goddess Freya for guidance, Victoria is led to Sierra Pines, California to find an Alpha to protect and shelter her pack.  Arik Koenig, a powerful alpha male with a murky past, promises to be the protector her pack so desperately needs, and agrees to be Victoria’s mate.  Yet nothing is ever easy, and Victoria soon finds that the wickedly handsome Arik comes with his own baggage; his murdered wife’s spirit cries out to Victoria to protect her son, Logan, who has been rumored to be his mother’s killer.  Can she trust the attraction she feels with Arik, despite the rising contention between father and son?  Or will the mystery of his wife’s death lead to the destruction of her pack?  She has to find the answers, and fast, to keep herself and her pack safe.

This book was literally a page turner for me.  This was one of those books where I would look at the clock, groan aloud at how late it was, and move on to the next chapter, until I finished it in one sitting.  Melissa’s concise writing style keeps up a good pace without slowing down, and the characters are alive and seem to leap off the page.  I also loved the inclusion of Norse mythology into the story; the world and mythos building here is just enough to be immersive without bogging down in the details.  Another aspect of the book I liked was that even in their human forms, the shifters in this world still have characteristics of their animal counterparts, such as showing submissiveness to a dominant pack leader.  I particularly enjoyed the snappy dialogue between Victoria and Logan, as well as the sparks that fly between her and Arik.  Let me tell you, parts of those interactions were definitely hot! While I missed the first book in the series, that is definitely a mistake I will have to rectify.  I’m intrigued to see where Melissa takes Victoria and her pack, and to learn more about the role she plays as a Valkyrie and the dynamic between her and her goddess Freya.  A definite must read for anyone who enjoys urban fantasy.


Read the rest of the original review here.

Valid Thoughts From Validation Publishing...

Win A Validation Publishing Contract Worth $5,000.00*  VALIDATION PUBLISHING is having a contest and you, and yes, we do mean YOU , can be the WINNER .To Enter:
Spend countless months, perhaps years, submitting short stories to obscure genre or literary magazines, with your only reward being a copy of said magazine.
    Once five or six of the hundreds of stories you've sent out finally becomes accepted, then you're ready for the next step.
    To proceed, simply send out numberless query letters to innumerable agents and wait long months, sometimes even years for them to get back to you, and hey, don't forget to make sure that those queries are to each agent's exacting specifications, after all, they have their standards.
 *****
   That's all you have to do to enter, and once you've won, once we have reached down into the gutter of mediocrity and plucked you out of the muck, you'll be an honest to God author.
    Just think, it's that easy!
   So enter today, and maybe someday you'll join the elite ranks of  VALIDATION authors and be able to say - I'VE BEEN PLUCKED!

*Contest void where prohibited. Such as to persons with an IQ over 60, anyone not living in the past, self-starters, and person or persons who intend to someday make a decent living.

Validation Publishing is a subsidiary of MegalomaniaCorp Inc.
*****

Original article found here. 

Book Review: Mothers and Other Strangers

Family is supposed to be a safe haven, an island holding back a sea of pain, regret, and troubles. Yet, sometimes, the sharks circling you are the very family that is supposed to protect you. A mother, father, sister—or even grandma---with sinister intentions can rip your heart apart, turning home into a nightmare.

Be careful where your eyes roam in Mothers & Other Strangers. The stories and poems inside may resonate in your own heart and make you reevaluate just what family really means.

***Some stories contain adult material.***

This eBook contains eleven short stories and five poems for your reading pleasure. .

Free on Amazon


Review:

"Mothers and Other Strangers" is an anthology that includes a range of eclectic stories from the heart-warming to the surreal. I browsed the collection rather than reading from cover to cover, enough to verify that the content is well written and thoroughly edited. In particular, I enjoyed "One Last Request" by Theresa Leschmann.
And "The Honeybees" by Amy Browne brought tears to my eyes. This definitely seems to be a great collection of shorts and poems put together by a talented group of writers.

At the author's request, I am focusing my review specifically on one story in particular--"The Butterfly" by Robert Arend. To quote the author: "The story itself is homage to one of the greatest horror writers of all time: H.P. Lovecraft."

For the benefit of the uninitiated, H.P. Lovecraft is a classic horror novelist known for his works written in the early 20th Century. He has been highly influentially within the genre.  Wikipedia article.

Without giving away any spoilers, "The Butterfly" is told from the perspective of a non-human protagonist. The story takes a swift turn for the surreal when the main character is called home by his mother and given the news that his father has "reincarnated" as a caterpillar. 

The story begins with the protagonist trapped in the basement of a decaying house while a monster rampages above, and then he goes on to tell the tale of his mother and "father". The author created immediate empathy for his hero in the reader's mind and then used that reaction as the platform for the telling of past events. My initial reaction  swiftly transformed from curiosity to distress and then revulsion. So far as horror tales go, the story was evocative and definitely delivered. 

Horror is not my favorite genre but I definitely recommend this macabre tale to readers interested in horror with a Lovecraft twist.


Author Bio:
Robert L. Arend (known by his many (12 or fewer) Facebook friends as “The Robert” is the editor and one of a number (8 or less)of contributing short story writers for the Circle 8 Writers Group short story/flash fiction/poetry anthologies. Born before fan fiction (bff), Robert grew up in a household where his needs were meant far more so than his wants, causing him to suspect he’d been kidnapped when an infant from parents who would have given him everything he asked for. He never was reunited with those parents, but he wants them to know (if they are still alive) that he loves them and to get in touch via Facebook so he can let them know what he wants for Christmas, and all those other Christmases and birthdays they missed because he was kidnapped.
Where to find The Robert:
The Robert’s Facebook Author Page:  The Robert’s (Circle 8 and other books and single short stories) Amazon Page Circle 8Writers Facebook Page

Author Spotlight: Robert Arend

Robert, please tell us about yourself and your writing.
I am very old, yet not as old as a lot of other people, but not as young as those school pictures of me I have posted all over my laptop desktop. I sometimes wonder if I am an old man dreaming of being the boy in those photos, or if I am the boy peering into his own dreams, longing to be as old as the old guy looking back at him, though considering the possibility that both the boy and the old guy are nothing more than avatars in some video game being manipulated by some methhead living in Wisconsin. I write short stories.
What does your writing space look like?
My lap is my writing space, parked on my overstuffed recliner with DVD episodes of “Lost in Space” playing on my big screen TV. That June Lockhart was a real hotty.
How long have you been writing?
I started writing in my mother’s womb to pass the time. Life was pretty boring in there.
Do you have a process for coming up with character names and book titles?
I am both editor and short story contributor for the Circle 8 Writers Group Anthologies: a group of fiction and poetry writers from all over the United States. We collaborate on titles. As far as the characters in my stories, I usually give them the first names of famous sitcom characters and last names that don’t rhyme with yogart.
What inspired your current book? How do you come up with your book titles? How do you name your characters?
Hunger. Needing to pay the cable bill. Having to choose whether to continue buying my cat, Merlin, expensive cans of food or push him outside to fend for himself. The problem is that myself and most of my fellow writers at Circle 8 have individual short stories for sale on Amazon, Smashwords and Internet hell that do not sell enough unless they are free. I suppose 99 cents for a short story (No matter how pretty the book-like covers) is a bit steep for 15 pages or less. So, we are presently at work combining a lot of those single stories, others previously published in the C8 anthologies, and new stories into what we presently refer to as “The Big Monster Anthology”, figuring our readers will appreciate the value of thick. I am too old to write a novel with odds of dying before chapter 12.
Name one person, living or dead, you'd most like to meet.
The inventor of the indoor flush toilet. I’d just like to thank him personally.
What is your favorite book genre? Who are your favorite authors?
Sci-Fi and horror are my favorite genres, but I do appreciate those writers who eschew genre limitations to merge all into one great read. My favorite authors are the late Gore Vidal (my favorite), the late Truman Capote, author of “The Thorn Birds” Colleen McCullough, Joyce Carol Oates and Joyce Maynard. Oh, and that other late dude, Ray Bradbury.
Has anyone in particular been an influence on your writing?
Besides my great, great, great, great, a thousand times great grandfather Ludwig Von Arendt, who invented beer, I have to say the greatest influencer on my writing was my 8th grade English literature/composition teacher Ann Evangelisto, who singled me out as a marked boy (teacher’s pet) for my other classmates to hate by always reading my compositions aloud as examples of what all in the class should strive for in their own work. She privately counseled me that I was already a good enough writer to go professional, but I wanted to be a cartoonist, then, so it was years before the writing bug bit me so hard I actually skipped some episodes of Barbara Mandell’s TV variety show to work on a novel—and Barbara was so hot, but so was Mrs. Evangelisto in an unglamorous sort of way. Junior high school boys didn’t date their teachers back then, though.
Do you have a favorite character from your books? Who is it and why?
Yes, the gothic mother in my short story “The Butterfly”—free to read via C8’s only FREE anthology “Mothers & Other Strangers” who falls in love with a butterfly she believes is the reincarnation of her dead husband. The love scene will knock your socks off.
Tell us something strange or interesting about yourself.
I have a scar over the left side of my chest from a scalding tea accident since I was four. It’s in the shape of a flaming cross. When I’d go shirtless, I’d impress other kids with the story of a crazy religious aunt who babysat me one afternoon and, because I did something that annoyed her, decided I had Satan in me. So out of her purse she extracted a rod with a cross on one end, heated it in the flames of the gas stove until it glowed, then straddled me and branded the cross over my heart. Sure it was a lie, but it was an early sign I was born to be a fiction writer, for the best fiction writers are the best liars. Lying—it’s what writers do.
Who is the sexiest man/woman alive and why?
There are no sexy men, only sexy woman. Barbara Mandrell is still the sexiest, but Jane Fonda is just a quark away.
Is there anything else you'd really like our readers to know? Heaven is a peanut butter, jelly and mayonnaise sandwich.
Quick quiz: ·         Favorite food? Peanut butter, jelly and mayonnaise sandwich ·         Favorite color? I’m colorblind ·         Favorite animal? Merlin, my cat ·         Biggest pet peeve? That Gore Vidal is dead. He really disappointed his fans by doing that. ·         Dream car? George Jetson’s property of Hanna Barbera
Author Bio:
Robert L. Arend (known by his many (12 or fewer) Facebook friends as “The Robert” is the editor and one of a number (8 or less)of contributing short story writers for the Circle 8 Writers Group short story/flash fiction/poetry anthologies. Born before fan fiction (bff), Robert grew up in a household where his needs were meant far more so than his wants, causing him to suspect he’d been kidnapped when an infant from parents who would have given him everything he asked for. He never was reunited with those parents, but he wants them to know (if they are still alive) that he loves them and to get in touch via Facebook so he can let them know what he wants for Christmas, and all those other Christmases and birthdays they missed because he was kidnapped.





Where to find The Robert:
The Robert’s Facebook Author Page:  The Robert’s (Circle 8 and other books and single short stories) Amazon Page Circle 8Writers Facebook Page

Meow's Meowifesto

Meow meow murm meow meow mrr mew Meow's Meowifesto.
MEOW   
Meow Mrrow Meowlution meow meow meow meow meow meh me meow mew mew meow cmurms. Meow meow mewly meh mew meow-meow mrr mewmew mrr murms meow meow meh "meow" meow, mrrm meow meow meow humans, meow meow meow meowing, meow meow meow meows meow meowies, meow mew meow meow meowlogical meowmeh (meh mew Meow Meow meow meow meowmeh meow rrrarrr) meow meow mehflicted meow meow meow mew meow meow. Meow meh meow mrr meownology meow meow mew meow murm meow. Mew meow mehly meow meow meh meow meow meh meowies meow meh meow meow meow mew meow meow, meow meow probably meow meow meow meow murmr meow meow meowlogical meowmeh, meow meow meh meow meow meh meow cmurms meow meow meh meow meh "meow" meow.Meow meh-meowlogical meow meh meow or meow meh meow mewwn. Meh meow meows, meow MEOW mrroow meow mew mewl mewl mrr meow meow meowlogical meow meh, mrrm meowly meow pmeows meh meow mew meow meow mewy mehful meow mrr cmurms meow meowly meh murm mew mewo mrr meowingly meow meow mehs meow mmeow meow meh murmms meow meowed mew meow meow meh meh mew murmc meh. Meow, meh mew meow meows, mew meow meow meow meh meowable: Meow murm mewl mrr meowmeh mehr meowify meh mew meow murm meow meow meow meow meow meh humans mrr meowy meow meownomy. Meh mew meow meows mew mew meow meow meow meow mewy mehful. Mrrm mew meow mew meow meow mew meow murm meow murms mew meow mrr meow meow mew meow meow, murm meh meow murm meow meow mewwn meow meow meow meow mew murm meocw meow meow meow. Murms meow mewl Meowlution meow meh mew meh murm meow. Murm Meowlution meow meh mor meh meow make murm mrr meow: meow meh meow meow or meow meh meow me meow meow meow meowing mew meow meows. Murms mrrr mrrr meow mrr meow. Mrrm murms mew meh meh mew mewy meow mewl mew meows meow mewmew meow murm mew meh murm meow mewl meow meh meow meow meow mew mewl mew me Meowlution meow meh meow meow mrr humans. Murm murm meow meow meow me MEOW Meowlution meow. Mews meow meow meow meow meow meow meow mrrm mew meowomic meow meowlogical meow murm mrr mew meow humans.
MEOW!

MRRR-WOW-WOW

RawrMeooowMROAR