Kitty Honeycutt/Morrigan Austin's Blog, page 2
November 26, 2012
Guest Post for Author Gary Reilly
Q&A with Running Meter Press, publishers of
[image error]
What made Gary Reilly’s work special?
A high level of clean, polished prose. Whether writing the 10 “Murph” novels or one of his other fiction projects, including noir-ish mysteries or mainstream literary fiction, Gary wrote with a beautiful style that was simultaneously accessible and deep. His characters are exceedingly human and recognizable.
Why did you decide to publish his works posthumously?
For a man who produced 20 novels and was exceedingly productive with his computer keyboard, he was terse and to-the-point when he wrote his will. Just three sentences long, the third sentence gave permission for Mike Keefe and Mark Stevens to publish his works. Both Mike and Mark had encouraged him for years to do more to network and seek publication while he was alive, but Gary generally preferred to spend time writing another book than networking and sending out queries to literary agents or publishers. The “decision” was really a no-brainer. Both Mike and Mark have read Gary’s works and know they deserve to see the light of day. The reaction to The Asphalt Warrior, including a number 3 ranking on The Denver Post best-seller list and many fine critical reviews, support Mike and Mark’s confidence in the quality of Gary’s works.
How would you describe Gary?
Thoughtful, smart, funny, warm, genuine, insightful, entertaining, grounded and unpretentious. He loved animals and he loved children. He had a huge, open heart and he loved a good story.
What led to the development of the ‘Murph’ character?
In the 1990’s, when American Online was a powerful player in the early days of the Internet, Mike Keefe and Gary developed the character of Murph as an offbeat advice columnist. The cab driver who dispensed quirky, world-weary, funny advice to his “fares” generated nearly 1 million words of dialogue based on questions from virtual passengers. Murph had a large following on AOL and Gary, unbeknownst to Mike, started churning out novels based on the same “Murph” point of view.
What’s special about the Murph character?
Murph has two goals in life. First, he wants to earn only enough money to keep his Bohemian life afloat. Second, he wants to avoid getting involved in the lives of his fares. But, like any human being, life intrudes. He finds himself getting entangled in the lives of his passengers and, in trying to do the “right” thing, ends up in a variety of messy but hilarious situations. The undercurrents of Murph’s life deal with the frustrations of being a struggling novelist so, as Murph recounts his adventures, there are ongoing references to classic literature, films and filmmakers and television shows. Murph enjoys being alone—but lives in the city. He sees himself as a recluse but enjoys the company of others.
Did Gary try to find a publisher?
Rarely. He would occasionally send out a query, here and there. It was never a very organized or sustained effort.
Why do you think Gary didn’t work harder at getting published?
Hard to say. He really had a dream of one of the big publishers latching on to his work and couldn’t find a way to lower his sights a bit to a mid-size or independent publisher. But the “why” is a very hard question to answer.
How has Murph been received now that the first volume is out?
A terrific response. Best-seller list on The Denver Post, lots of great word-of-mouth in Denver and via social media some strong response among cab drivers, particularly in London. The head buyer at The Tattered Cover reports that the book sales continue to be strong months after the debut.
What happens to Murph in future adventures?
Murph believes he may have assisted in the suicide of a mysterious nihilist. He gets entangled in a hippie cult in the foothills near Boulder, reluctantly reunites with family at Christmas, wrestles with his immortal soul over a hundred-dollar bill and jousts with Denver homicide detectives who are getting sick of dealing with him. He wrangles with devil worshippers, gambler, hot shots on the make and poor students in a tailspin. And, as always, Murph tries to maintain his precarious balance on the edge.
Murph is a struggling writer too – is Murph an alter ego for Gary?
In many ways, yes...though let’s hope none of what happens to Murph ever happened to Gary, especially the murder investigations.
"Ticket to Hollywood" Synopsis:
In Ticket to Hollywood, the second of 11 comic novels about Denver cab driver Brendan Murphy, a.k.a “Murph,” a young woman on the way to a showing of The Great Gatsby leaves her purse behind in Murph’s Rocky Mountain Taxi Cab #127—and then goes missing. Murph finds himself confronted by police and loses his job. He becomes entangled with filmmakers and makes his way to Los Angeles in search of the lost woman and in desperate need to restore his reputation and regain normalcy, which in Murph’s case means doing as little as possible.
Ticket to Hollywood follows the June 2012 debut of The Asphalt Warrior. The first volume of Murph’s adventures rose to No. 3 on The Denver Post best-seller list.
Praise for Gary Reilly
Asphalt Warrior rose to No. 3 on the Denver Area Best Sellers List
“Gary Reilly never cared that much about getting his work published. Fortunately for us, his friends did. Reilly is a master wordsmith. Asphalt Warrior is enjoyable fare.”
- Mike McClanahan, The Denver Post
“an intriguing and interesting read”
- David Millward, Taxitalk Book Review
“Gary Reilly is the kind of writer who leaves you smiling at the sheer pleasure of his word choices. The Asphalt Warrior is a fun-filled read, and you can’t help rooting for the book’s taxi driving hero.
If Murph doesn’t win your heart, it can’t be won.”
- Mark Graham, Co-Author of The Natanz Directive from St. Martin’s Press
“The Asphalt Warrior is one of those rare books that a reader really should savor, line by line, taking time to enjoy the intelligence, sarcasm and dry wit of the main character, Murph. I found Murph to be laugh-out-loud and consistently funny, yet life-smart and grudgingly loveable. The book left me anxious to get my hands on the next in the Murph series.”
- Kathy Lynn Harris, Author of Blue Straggler, an Amazon #1 bestseller in comic fiction
“Gary Reilly’s Asphalt Warrior is the tale of Brendan “Murph” Murphy, a Denver Cabdriver of dead-pan hilarity and near heroic stoicism. His inevitable involvement with a fare’s problems provides us with a highly entertaining read, throughout which Gary Reilly proves himself to be not just a gifted stylist, but a kind of Jedi Master of the understated.”
- Fred Haefle, Montana Freelance Writer & Author
POSTUMOUSLY PUBLISHED AUTHOR BECOMES BEST-SELLER
[image error]
Second book of comedic taxicab series releases this December from Running Meter Press
DENVER, CO – October 2012 – Published once in 1979 – a short story in a Pushcart Prize winning anthology – Gary Reilly went underground to produce, prodigiously, 20 novels over 32 years. But it was three simple lines that brought his vast collection of Vietnam-era stories, dark suspense thrillers, sci-fi books and comic novels to light.
After a two-year struggle with colon cancer, Reilly passed away in 2011, leaving only a short will relinquishing the rights to publish his works to friends Mike Keefe, a retired political cartoonist and Pulitzer Prize winner, and Mark Stevens, a former journalist and acclaimed author in Colorado. The duo has justly honored their talented comrade by bringing Reilly’s books to publication through Running Meter Press and Big Earth Publishing.
Reilly’s Ticket to Hollywood hits bookshelves Dec. 3, following the summer 2012 debut of The Asphalt Warrior, which rose to No. 3 on The Denver Post best-seller list. A packed crowd celebrated the launch of the first volume of the taxicab series at the famed Tattered Cover bookstore.
In Ticket to Hollywood, the second of 11 comic novels based on cab driver Brendan Murphy, a.k.a “Murph,” a young woman on the way to a showing of The Great Gatsby leaves her purse behind in Murph’s Rocky Mountain Taxi Cab #127—and then goes missing. Murph finds himself confronted by police and loses his job. He becomes entangled with filmmakers and makes his way to Los Angeles in search of the lost woman and in desperate need to restore his reputation and regain normalcy, which in Murph’s case means doing as little as possible.
“Gary Reilly never cared that much about getting his work published. Fortunately for us, his friends did,” raves Denver Post reviewer Mike McClanahan who goes on to call the late author “a master wordsmith.”
The Natanz Directive co-author Mark Graham says, “Gary Reilly is the kind of writer who leaves you smiling at the sheer pleasure of his word choices.”
Blue Straggler author Kathy Lynn Harris encourages readers to “savor” Reilly’s work, “line by line, taking time to enjoy the intelligence, sarcasm and dry wit of the main character, Murph. I found Murph to be laugh-out-loud and consistently funny, yet life-smart and grudgingly loveable.”
Reilly was born in Arkansas City, Kansas and moved with his family of seven brothers and sisters to Denver. He served two years in the army, including a tour in Vietnam as a military policeman, and later majored in English at Colorado State University with continued studies at the Denver campus of the University of Colorado. After publishing his short story The Biography Man and writing as an AOL comic advice columnist in the 1990s, Reilly turned to novels. His dedication to writing did not include self-promotion. Instead of seeking agents and publishers, he focused on his craft, writing and rewriting, polishing to perfection. Proceeds from his book sales benefit Reilly’s longtime partner, Sherry.
GARY REILLY AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
[image error]
Gary Reilly was a writer.
Simply stated, that was the essence of the man.
Born in Arkansas City, Kansas he spent his early years in Kansas and Colorado in a large Irish-Catholic family of seven brothers and sisters. The family moved to Denver where Gary attended parochial high school, graduating in 1967.
He served two years in the army, including a tour in Vietnam as a military policeman.
After discharge, Gary majored in English at Colorado State University and continued studies at the Denver campus of the University of Colorado.
All along, his overarching ambition was to write fiction. And he did, prodigiously. His first published short story, The Biography Man, was included in the Pushcart Prize Award anthology in 1979.
Later he turned to novels, several based on his army experiences. While he wrote both serious and genre fiction, his greatest invention was the character, Murph, a likable, bohemian Denver cab driver. Starting with The Asphalt Warrior, Gary cranked out eleven Murph novels.
His dedication to writing did not include self-promotion. Instead of seeking agents and publishers, he focused on his craft, writing and rewriting, polishing to perfection. He wrote well over twenty novels before he thought he was ready to make his work public.
Unfortunately, he passed away in March 2011, before he could realize that dream.
Friends and family remember Gary as a fun-loving, generous soul who always had time for other writers, helping them shape their work, getting it ready for print.
Now, through Running Meter Press and Big Earth Publishing in Boulder, Colorado, Gary’s fiction is finally coming to bookstores in Colorado and across the nation.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT GARY VISIT THE SITES BELOW:
Website: http://theasphaltwarrior.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Asphalt_Warrior
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theasphaltwa...
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/sho.....
[image error]
What made Gary Reilly’s work special?
A high level of clean, polished prose. Whether writing the 10 “Murph” novels or one of his other fiction projects, including noir-ish mysteries or mainstream literary fiction, Gary wrote with a beautiful style that was simultaneously accessible and deep. His characters are exceedingly human and recognizable.
Why did you decide to publish his works posthumously?
For a man who produced 20 novels and was exceedingly productive with his computer keyboard, he was terse and to-the-point when he wrote his will. Just three sentences long, the third sentence gave permission for Mike Keefe and Mark Stevens to publish his works. Both Mike and Mark had encouraged him for years to do more to network and seek publication while he was alive, but Gary generally preferred to spend time writing another book than networking and sending out queries to literary agents or publishers. The “decision” was really a no-brainer. Both Mike and Mark have read Gary’s works and know they deserve to see the light of day. The reaction to The Asphalt Warrior, including a number 3 ranking on The Denver Post best-seller list and many fine critical reviews, support Mike and Mark’s confidence in the quality of Gary’s works.
How would you describe Gary?
Thoughtful, smart, funny, warm, genuine, insightful, entertaining, grounded and unpretentious. He loved animals and he loved children. He had a huge, open heart and he loved a good story.
What led to the development of the ‘Murph’ character?
In the 1990’s, when American Online was a powerful player in the early days of the Internet, Mike Keefe and Gary developed the character of Murph as an offbeat advice columnist. The cab driver who dispensed quirky, world-weary, funny advice to his “fares” generated nearly 1 million words of dialogue based on questions from virtual passengers. Murph had a large following on AOL and Gary, unbeknownst to Mike, started churning out novels based on the same “Murph” point of view.
What’s special about the Murph character?
Murph has two goals in life. First, he wants to earn only enough money to keep his Bohemian life afloat. Second, he wants to avoid getting involved in the lives of his fares. But, like any human being, life intrudes. He finds himself getting entangled in the lives of his passengers and, in trying to do the “right” thing, ends up in a variety of messy but hilarious situations. The undercurrents of Murph’s life deal with the frustrations of being a struggling novelist so, as Murph recounts his adventures, there are ongoing references to classic literature, films and filmmakers and television shows. Murph enjoys being alone—but lives in the city. He sees himself as a recluse but enjoys the company of others.
Did Gary try to find a publisher?
Rarely. He would occasionally send out a query, here and there. It was never a very organized or sustained effort.
Why do you think Gary didn’t work harder at getting published?
Hard to say. He really had a dream of one of the big publishers latching on to his work and couldn’t find a way to lower his sights a bit to a mid-size or independent publisher. But the “why” is a very hard question to answer.
How has Murph been received now that the first volume is out?
A terrific response. Best-seller list on The Denver Post, lots of great word-of-mouth in Denver and via social media some strong response among cab drivers, particularly in London. The head buyer at The Tattered Cover reports that the book sales continue to be strong months after the debut.
What happens to Murph in future adventures?
Murph believes he may have assisted in the suicide of a mysterious nihilist. He gets entangled in a hippie cult in the foothills near Boulder, reluctantly reunites with family at Christmas, wrestles with his immortal soul over a hundred-dollar bill and jousts with Denver homicide detectives who are getting sick of dealing with him. He wrangles with devil worshippers, gambler, hot shots on the make and poor students in a tailspin. And, as always, Murph tries to maintain his precarious balance on the edge.
Murph is a struggling writer too – is Murph an alter ego for Gary?
In many ways, yes...though let’s hope none of what happens to Murph ever happened to Gary, especially the murder investigations.
"Ticket to Hollywood" Synopsis:
In Ticket to Hollywood, the second of 11 comic novels about Denver cab driver Brendan Murphy, a.k.a “Murph,” a young woman on the way to a showing of The Great Gatsby leaves her purse behind in Murph’s Rocky Mountain Taxi Cab #127—and then goes missing. Murph finds himself confronted by police and loses his job. He becomes entangled with filmmakers and makes his way to Los Angeles in search of the lost woman and in desperate need to restore his reputation and regain normalcy, which in Murph’s case means doing as little as possible.
Ticket to Hollywood follows the June 2012 debut of The Asphalt Warrior. The first volume of Murph’s adventures rose to No. 3 on The Denver Post best-seller list.
Praise for Gary Reilly
Asphalt Warrior rose to No. 3 on the Denver Area Best Sellers List
“Gary Reilly never cared that much about getting his work published. Fortunately for us, his friends did. Reilly is a master wordsmith. Asphalt Warrior is enjoyable fare.”
- Mike McClanahan, The Denver Post
“an intriguing and interesting read”
- David Millward, Taxitalk Book Review
“Gary Reilly is the kind of writer who leaves you smiling at the sheer pleasure of his word choices. The Asphalt Warrior is a fun-filled read, and you can’t help rooting for the book’s taxi driving hero.
If Murph doesn’t win your heart, it can’t be won.”
- Mark Graham, Co-Author of The Natanz Directive from St. Martin’s Press
“The Asphalt Warrior is one of those rare books that a reader really should savor, line by line, taking time to enjoy the intelligence, sarcasm and dry wit of the main character, Murph. I found Murph to be laugh-out-loud and consistently funny, yet life-smart and grudgingly loveable. The book left me anxious to get my hands on the next in the Murph series.”
- Kathy Lynn Harris, Author of Blue Straggler, an Amazon #1 bestseller in comic fiction
“Gary Reilly’s Asphalt Warrior is the tale of Brendan “Murph” Murphy, a Denver Cabdriver of dead-pan hilarity and near heroic stoicism. His inevitable involvement with a fare’s problems provides us with a highly entertaining read, throughout which Gary Reilly proves himself to be not just a gifted stylist, but a kind of Jedi Master of the understated.”
- Fred Haefle, Montana Freelance Writer & Author
POSTUMOUSLY PUBLISHED AUTHOR BECOMES BEST-SELLER
[image error]
Second book of comedic taxicab series releases this December from Running Meter Press
DENVER, CO – October 2012 – Published once in 1979 – a short story in a Pushcart Prize winning anthology – Gary Reilly went underground to produce, prodigiously, 20 novels over 32 years. But it was three simple lines that brought his vast collection of Vietnam-era stories, dark suspense thrillers, sci-fi books and comic novels to light.
After a two-year struggle with colon cancer, Reilly passed away in 2011, leaving only a short will relinquishing the rights to publish his works to friends Mike Keefe, a retired political cartoonist and Pulitzer Prize winner, and Mark Stevens, a former journalist and acclaimed author in Colorado. The duo has justly honored their talented comrade by bringing Reilly’s books to publication through Running Meter Press and Big Earth Publishing.
Reilly’s Ticket to Hollywood hits bookshelves Dec. 3, following the summer 2012 debut of The Asphalt Warrior, which rose to No. 3 on The Denver Post best-seller list. A packed crowd celebrated the launch of the first volume of the taxicab series at the famed Tattered Cover bookstore.
In Ticket to Hollywood, the second of 11 comic novels based on cab driver Brendan Murphy, a.k.a “Murph,” a young woman on the way to a showing of The Great Gatsby leaves her purse behind in Murph’s Rocky Mountain Taxi Cab #127—and then goes missing. Murph finds himself confronted by police and loses his job. He becomes entangled with filmmakers and makes his way to Los Angeles in search of the lost woman and in desperate need to restore his reputation and regain normalcy, which in Murph’s case means doing as little as possible.
“Gary Reilly never cared that much about getting his work published. Fortunately for us, his friends did,” raves Denver Post reviewer Mike McClanahan who goes on to call the late author “a master wordsmith.”
The Natanz Directive co-author Mark Graham says, “Gary Reilly is the kind of writer who leaves you smiling at the sheer pleasure of his word choices.”
Blue Straggler author Kathy Lynn Harris encourages readers to “savor” Reilly’s work, “line by line, taking time to enjoy the intelligence, sarcasm and dry wit of the main character, Murph. I found Murph to be laugh-out-loud and consistently funny, yet life-smart and grudgingly loveable.”
Reilly was born in Arkansas City, Kansas and moved with his family of seven brothers and sisters to Denver. He served two years in the army, including a tour in Vietnam as a military policeman, and later majored in English at Colorado State University with continued studies at the Denver campus of the University of Colorado. After publishing his short story The Biography Man and writing as an AOL comic advice columnist in the 1990s, Reilly turned to novels. His dedication to writing did not include self-promotion. Instead of seeking agents and publishers, he focused on his craft, writing and rewriting, polishing to perfection. Proceeds from his book sales benefit Reilly’s longtime partner, Sherry.
GARY REILLY AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
[image error]
Gary Reilly was a writer.
Simply stated, that was the essence of the man.
Born in Arkansas City, Kansas he spent his early years in Kansas and Colorado in a large Irish-Catholic family of seven brothers and sisters. The family moved to Denver where Gary attended parochial high school, graduating in 1967.
He served two years in the army, including a tour in Vietnam as a military policeman.
After discharge, Gary majored in English at Colorado State University and continued studies at the Denver campus of the University of Colorado.
All along, his overarching ambition was to write fiction. And he did, prodigiously. His first published short story, The Biography Man, was included in the Pushcart Prize Award anthology in 1979.
Later he turned to novels, several based on his army experiences. While he wrote both serious and genre fiction, his greatest invention was the character, Murph, a likable, bohemian Denver cab driver. Starting with The Asphalt Warrior, Gary cranked out eleven Murph novels.
His dedication to writing did not include self-promotion. Instead of seeking agents and publishers, he focused on his craft, writing and rewriting, polishing to perfection. He wrote well over twenty novels before he thought he was ready to make his work public.
Unfortunately, he passed away in March 2011, before he could realize that dream.
Friends and family remember Gary as a fun-loving, generous soul who always had time for other writers, helping them shape their work, getting it ready for print.
Now, through Running Meter Press and Big Earth Publishing in Boulder, Colorado, Gary’s fiction is finally coming to bookstores in Colorado and across the nation.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT GARY VISIT THE SITES BELOW:
Website: http://theasphaltwarrior.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Asphalt_Warrior
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theasphaltwa...
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/sho.....
November 25, 2012
GMTA Cyber Monday Sale!
GMTA Publishing is stretching Cyber Monday through Tuesday! All GMTA Publishing titles will be only $2.99!
Get them while you can, original prices will resume on Wednesday morning. Titles available are linked below:
“Illuminate-Alive, She Cried” by Jamie Haden
US LINK: http://tiny.cc/c1vcow
UK LINK: http://tiny.cc/51vcow
JP LINK: http://tiny.cc/62vcow
“Queen Emily’s Enchanted Kingdom (Litterbug) & (Sugarland)” by Lee-Ann Graff-Vinson
Sugarland
US LINK: http://tiny.cc/a6vcow
UK LINK: http://tiny.cc/v6vcow
JP LINK: http://tiny.cc/h7vcow
Litterbug
US LINK: http://tiny.cc/2awcow
UK LINK: http://tiny.cc/hbwcow
JP LINK: http://tiny.cc/5bwcow
“iFeel” by Marissa Carmel
US LINK: http://tiny.cc/ydwcow
UK LINK: http://tiny.cc/eewcow
JP LINK: http://tiny.cc/wewcow
“The Godling Chronicles (The Sword of Truth & Of Gods and Elves)” by Brian D. Anderson
The Sword of Truth
US LINK: http://tiny.cc/4gwcow
UK LINK: http://tiny.cc/khwcow
JP LINK: http://tiny.cc/yhwcow
Of Gods and Elves
USLINK: http://tiny.cc/xjwcow
UK LINK: http://tiny.cc/bkwcow
JP LINK: http://tiny.cc/ukwcow
“Unlucky Dip” by Kate Tenbeth
US LINK: http://tiny.cc/amwcow
UK LINK: http://tiny.cc/omwcow
JP LINK: http://tiny.cc/4mwcow
“The Spirit Archer & Campaign of the Gods” by Mike Evers
The Spirit Archer
US LINK: http://tiny.cc/wowcow
UK LINK: http://tiny.cc/apwcow
JP LINK: http://tiny.cc/lpwcow
Campaign of the Gods
US LINK: http://tiny.cc/arwcow
UK LINK: http://tiny.cc/qrwcow
JP LINK: http://tiny.cc/5rwcow
“Buried Pasts & Ain’t Finished Yet” by George Stratford
Buried Past
US LINK: http://tiny.cc/auwcow
UK LINK: http://tiny.cc/luwcow
JP LINK: http://tiny.cc/6uwcow
Ain’t Finished Yet
US LINK: http://tiny.cc/fwwcow
UK LINK: http://tiny.cc/swwcow
JP LINK: http://tiny.cc/8wwcow
“Alfred, A Timber Wolf’s Tale” by Randall L. Emery
US LINK: http://tiny.cc/30wcow
UK LINK: http://tiny.cc/g1wcow
JP LINK: http://tiny.cc/z1wcow
“Dogs Forever & Follow That Dream” by Dawn Colclasure
Dogs Forever
US LINK: http://tiny.cc/t3wcow
UK LINK: http://tiny.cc/53wcow
JP LINK: http://tiny.cc/j4wcow
Follow That Dream
US LINK: http://tiny.cc/g6wcow
UK LINK: http://tiny.cc/45wcow
JP LINK: http://tiny.cc/r5wcow
“Once Upon a Castle” by Alan S. Blood
US LINK: http://tiny.cc/l7wcow
UK LINK: http://tiny.cc/07wcow
JP LINK: http://tiny.cc/c8wcow
“Bardo” by Chris McKenna
US LINK: http://tiny.cc/68wcow
UK LINK: http://tiny.cc/i9wcow
JP LINK: http://tiny.cc/w9wcow
Get them while you can, original prices will resume on Wednesday morning. Titles available are linked below:
“Illuminate-Alive, She Cried” by Jamie Haden
US LINK: http://tiny.cc/c1vcow
UK LINK: http://tiny.cc/51vcow
JP LINK: http://tiny.cc/62vcow
“Queen Emily’s Enchanted Kingdom (Litterbug) & (Sugarland)” by Lee-Ann Graff-Vinson
Sugarland
US LINK: http://tiny.cc/a6vcow
UK LINK: http://tiny.cc/v6vcow
JP LINK: http://tiny.cc/h7vcow
Litterbug
US LINK: http://tiny.cc/2awcow
UK LINK: http://tiny.cc/hbwcow
JP LINK: http://tiny.cc/5bwcow
“iFeel” by Marissa Carmel
US LINK: http://tiny.cc/ydwcow
UK LINK: http://tiny.cc/eewcow
JP LINK: http://tiny.cc/wewcow
“The Godling Chronicles (The Sword of Truth & Of Gods and Elves)” by Brian D. Anderson
The Sword of Truth
US LINK: http://tiny.cc/4gwcow
UK LINK: http://tiny.cc/khwcow
JP LINK: http://tiny.cc/yhwcow
Of Gods and Elves
USLINK: http://tiny.cc/xjwcow
UK LINK: http://tiny.cc/bkwcow
JP LINK: http://tiny.cc/ukwcow
“Unlucky Dip” by Kate Tenbeth
US LINK: http://tiny.cc/amwcow
UK LINK: http://tiny.cc/omwcow
JP LINK: http://tiny.cc/4mwcow
“The Spirit Archer & Campaign of the Gods” by Mike Evers
The Spirit Archer
US LINK: http://tiny.cc/wowcow
UK LINK: http://tiny.cc/apwcow
JP LINK: http://tiny.cc/lpwcow
Campaign of the Gods
US LINK: http://tiny.cc/arwcow
UK LINK: http://tiny.cc/qrwcow
JP LINK: http://tiny.cc/5rwcow
“Buried Pasts & Ain’t Finished Yet” by George Stratford
Buried Past
US LINK: http://tiny.cc/auwcow
UK LINK: http://tiny.cc/luwcow
JP LINK: http://tiny.cc/6uwcow
Ain’t Finished Yet
US LINK: http://tiny.cc/fwwcow
UK LINK: http://tiny.cc/swwcow
JP LINK: http://tiny.cc/8wwcow
“Alfred, A Timber Wolf’s Tale” by Randall L. Emery
US LINK: http://tiny.cc/30wcow
UK LINK: http://tiny.cc/g1wcow
JP LINK: http://tiny.cc/z1wcow
“Dogs Forever & Follow That Dream” by Dawn Colclasure
Dogs Forever
US LINK: http://tiny.cc/t3wcow
UK LINK: http://tiny.cc/53wcow
JP LINK: http://tiny.cc/j4wcow
Follow That Dream
US LINK: http://tiny.cc/g6wcow
UK LINK: http://tiny.cc/45wcow
JP LINK: http://tiny.cc/r5wcow
“Once Upon a Castle” by Alan S. Blood
US LINK: http://tiny.cc/l7wcow
UK LINK: http://tiny.cc/07wcow
JP LINK: http://tiny.cc/c8wcow
“Bardo” by Chris McKenna
US LINK: http://tiny.cc/68wcow
UK LINK: http://tiny.cc/i9wcow
JP LINK: http://tiny.cc/w9wcow
November 10, 2012
Guest Post with Author, Matt Cavallo
The Story Behind, 'The Dog Story'
[image error]
The Dog Story is the story of my 2005 Multiple Sclerosis (MS) diagnosis. The story is a narrative non-fiction account which starts when I got out of bed one morning and couldn’t walk. What happened to me next was a real life human drama of going through the hospital, being diagnosed with a chronic illness and the depression which ensued.
As I lay in my hospital bed being poked, prodded and subjected to a variety of medical exams, I started becoming overwhelmed with fears of my own mortality. One of my major fears that existed at the time was that I was not going to be able to have children. I was only twenty eight years old and the MS had impacted more than just my walking ability. I was completely non-functional from the waist down. This was a demoralizing blow to my psyche as the prospect of not being able to have the family life that my wife and I had always planned was fast becoming a reality.
My wife and I had planned for what we deemed a normal, white picket fence life together. We both worked hard, bought a little ranch house and planned on starting a family soon. This all changed when I was admitted to the hospital and became diagnosed with MS. We knew at this moment that nothing was guaranteed and the dreams we worked so hard for were in jeopardy.
Through treatment and extensive rehab, I did finally regain functionality from the waist down. Two years later, my wife gave birth to our first child, Mason. Being able to have a child was something that I took for granted when I first got married. While we were blessed to conceive Mason, we never forgot the struggle that we went through during, The Dog Story.
I wrote this book, in part, so that my children could better understand their mom and dad. If my condition progresses, I wanted them to be able to read an account of what their parents went through and how the experience strengthened our relationship. I also wanted them to learn that we were just normal people with normal faults and that it is ok not to be perfect in every situation. The Dog Story explores some of the toughest emotions a person or couple can experience with humor and honesty. I want my kids to know that whatever the situation, if they stay strong and positive that good things can come from the worst of times.
While one of the reasons I wrote The Dog Story was for my kids, I also wrote the book to give hope to others that are experiencing similar issues starting a family, and not just due to an illness. Intimacy and family relationships are underlying themes throughout the book and two of the most common issues reported by MS patients. In being open and honest about these issues during my diagnosis, I hope to show other patients and spouses that there can be a light at the end of the tunnel. I think that most of us enter marriage with the ideals of starting a family and living happily ever after, but life doesn’t always work out as planned. The Dog Story gives readers the message that although your course in life may change unexpectedly, don’t ever give up on your dreams. With courage, hope and love you can overcome any obstacle.
Book Synopsis:>
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At the age of twenty-eight years old with a promising career in real estate development, Matt Cavallo got out of bed on May 18, 2005 and stumbled. Overnight, he went from a fully-functioning, healthy man to someone who was numb from the waist down and unable to walk.
After consulting his doctor, he was sent to a neurologist who immediately admitted him to the hospital. What would happen to Matt over the next four weeks would redefine all that was important in life. At the end of this four-week period, he would learn that he has the chronic neurodegenerative condition – Multiple Sclerosis.
This book chronicles Matt’s journey of being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and his struggle to not only regain his physical health, but also to regain the inner strength needed to fight this chronic illness. It is a story of hope, love, healing and finding man’s best friend. Matt is sharing his story in hopes of raising awareness of this devastating illness.
A portion of the proceeds from this book will be donated to support MS research and charities.
About the Author:
At age twenty-eight, Matt Cavallo was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Seemingly over night he went from a fully-functioning, healthy man to someone who was numb from the waist down and unable to walk. His story of being diagnosed and overcoming the physical and emotional challenges associated with having a chronic disease can be read in his memoir, The Dog Story: A Journey into a New Life with Multiple Sclerosis.
As a result of his diagnosis, Matt has dedicated his life and career to healthcare and the fight against MS. Matt delivers motivational patient experience lectures all over the country for a variety of MS patient events, as well as inspiring organizational presentations for companies using his story as a platform. Matt has appeared in a MS yoga DVD that is free for MS patients, is active with MS charities, and appeared in The Future of MS documentary about for the MS Cure Fund. His story has been featured in the Boston Globe, and he writes a popular blog on his website as a resource for MS patients.
Matt’s dedication to healthcare led him to work at a Neuroscience Clinic, helping patients like himself every day before taking his current position training clinicians on how to use medical software in order to improve the patient experience. He also recently finished his Master of Science in Health Care Informatics from Arizona State University. Most importantly, however, Matt is the proud father of Mason and Colby, the loving husband to his wife, Jocelyn, and the best friend to his dog, Teddy. Originally from the Boston suburbs, Matt currently works and lives with his family in Chandler, Arizona.
Connect with Matt:
Website: www.mattcavallo.com
Twitter: @MattCavallo
Facebook: The Dog Story
Goodreads: Matt Cavallo
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The Dog Story is the story of my 2005 Multiple Sclerosis (MS) diagnosis. The story is a narrative non-fiction account which starts when I got out of bed one morning and couldn’t walk. What happened to me next was a real life human drama of going through the hospital, being diagnosed with a chronic illness and the depression which ensued.
As I lay in my hospital bed being poked, prodded and subjected to a variety of medical exams, I started becoming overwhelmed with fears of my own mortality. One of my major fears that existed at the time was that I was not going to be able to have children. I was only twenty eight years old and the MS had impacted more than just my walking ability. I was completely non-functional from the waist down. This was a demoralizing blow to my psyche as the prospect of not being able to have the family life that my wife and I had always planned was fast becoming a reality.
My wife and I had planned for what we deemed a normal, white picket fence life together. We both worked hard, bought a little ranch house and planned on starting a family soon. This all changed when I was admitted to the hospital and became diagnosed with MS. We knew at this moment that nothing was guaranteed and the dreams we worked so hard for were in jeopardy.
Through treatment and extensive rehab, I did finally regain functionality from the waist down. Two years later, my wife gave birth to our first child, Mason. Being able to have a child was something that I took for granted when I first got married. While we were blessed to conceive Mason, we never forgot the struggle that we went through during, The Dog Story.
I wrote this book, in part, so that my children could better understand their mom and dad. If my condition progresses, I wanted them to be able to read an account of what their parents went through and how the experience strengthened our relationship. I also wanted them to learn that we were just normal people with normal faults and that it is ok not to be perfect in every situation. The Dog Story explores some of the toughest emotions a person or couple can experience with humor and honesty. I want my kids to know that whatever the situation, if they stay strong and positive that good things can come from the worst of times.
While one of the reasons I wrote The Dog Story was for my kids, I also wrote the book to give hope to others that are experiencing similar issues starting a family, and not just due to an illness. Intimacy and family relationships are underlying themes throughout the book and two of the most common issues reported by MS patients. In being open and honest about these issues during my diagnosis, I hope to show other patients and spouses that there can be a light at the end of the tunnel. I think that most of us enter marriage with the ideals of starting a family and living happily ever after, but life doesn’t always work out as planned. The Dog Story gives readers the message that although your course in life may change unexpectedly, don’t ever give up on your dreams. With courage, hope and love you can overcome any obstacle.
Book Synopsis:>
[image error]
At the age of twenty-eight years old with a promising career in real estate development, Matt Cavallo got out of bed on May 18, 2005 and stumbled. Overnight, he went from a fully-functioning, healthy man to someone who was numb from the waist down and unable to walk.
After consulting his doctor, he was sent to a neurologist who immediately admitted him to the hospital. What would happen to Matt over the next four weeks would redefine all that was important in life. At the end of this four-week period, he would learn that he has the chronic neurodegenerative condition – Multiple Sclerosis.
This book chronicles Matt’s journey of being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and his struggle to not only regain his physical health, but also to regain the inner strength needed to fight this chronic illness. It is a story of hope, love, healing and finding man’s best friend. Matt is sharing his story in hopes of raising awareness of this devastating illness.
A portion of the proceeds from this book will be donated to support MS research and charities.
About the Author:
At age twenty-eight, Matt Cavallo was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Seemingly over night he went from a fully-functioning, healthy man to someone who was numb from the waist down and unable to walk. His story of being diagnosed and overcoming the physical and emotional challenges associated with having a chronic disease can be read in his memoir, The Dog Story: A Journey into a New Life with Multiple Sclerosis.
As a result of his diagnosis, Matt has dedicated his life and career to healthcare and the fight against MS. Matt delivers motivational patient experience lectures all over the country for a variety of MS patient events, as well as inspiring organizational presentations for companies using his story as a platform. Matt has appeared in a MS yoga DVD that is free for MS patients, is active with MS charities, and appeared in The Future of MS documentary about for the MS Cure Fund. His story has been featured in the Boston Globe, and he writes a popular blog on his website as a resource for MS patients.
Matt’s dedication to healthcare led him to work at a Neuroscience Clinic, helping patients like himself every day before taking his current position training clinicians on how to use medical software in order to improve the patient experience. He also recently finished his Master of Science in Health Care Informatics from Arizona State University. Most importantly, however, Matt is the proud father of Mason and Colby, the loving husband to his wife, Jocelyn, and the best friend to his dog, Teddy. Originally from the Boston suburbs, Matt currently works and lives with his family in Chandler, Arizona.
Connect with Matt:
Website: www.mattcavallo.com
Twitter: @MattCavallo
Facebook: The Dog Story
Goodreads: Matt Cavallo
November 9, 2012
Guest Post with Author, Udi Aharoni
Udi Aharoni, Author of "Zuto"
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I started writing “Zuto” back in 2008, aiming to create a unique mix of science and fantasy. I wanted my book to be a fun, gripping adventure taking place in a fantasy world full of strange sceneries, surprising creatures, and magical devices. But my imagined fantasy world had a unique trait: it is actually real, in a way.
I happen to be familiar with a world that exists in real life, which is truly strange, surprising, and in some aspects quite magical: the inside of a computer. Sure, there have been a lot of books, movies, and TV shows about this world, but none of them, to my taste, presented it the way it really is. I wanted to do it differently, and I had some new ideas how to do it.
I know computers very well. Starting in the eighties, I was in the first generation of kids that enjoyed the PC revolution. When I grew up I spent some time in the computer games industry, and later received a diploma from a prestigious Israeli university. In the past nine years I’ve been with IBM research. When I started writing Zuto, I used all my skill, all my experience, and all my imagination, to bring the internal world of a computer to life in colorful, fun, but realistic way.
I steered clear of all computer-world related clichés. None of my book’s characters wield a light-saber. None of them fight to the death in battles that look like a computer game. My version of the internal world of the computer doesn’t host spaceships, smart-phones, or computers (the thought that a computer has smaller computers inside it is really silly, when you think about it).
Instead my book is packed full with picturesque sceneries that truly reflect how various hardware components work, and personified software that act quite realistically. The story itself is a one minute long (possibly the shortest book ever!) description of malware attack, and how the computer defenses react to it (Zuto, while being a computer virus, is not the attacker. He’s a small, buggy virus caught in the cross-fire).
I also threw in some “Easter eggs”: a bit of computer-pros lingo, and inside jokes of the industry. I gave some of them away in the book’s “Zutopedia” appendix, which explains the truth behind the story (but I kept some hidden. They are Easter eggs, after all).
Since the Hebrew version of the book was published in 2009 I received enthusiastic responses, and the book won some notable achievements. I hope the 2012 release of the English version will succeed as well. I’m frequently asked about a sequel, but the muse for another episode of Zuto’s adventure has not yet arrived. Currently, my spare time is spent on an older passion: animated, scientific visualizations (see for example http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxENKl..., about quick sort). I very much hope to find the inspiration for a second book afterwards.
Synopsis:
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Zuto: The Adventures of a Computer Virus takes place inside a strange, little known world: a personal computer, the perfect setting for a fast-paced, funny, one-minute-long story.
Zuto, a smart, sneaky computer virus, leads a happy life in his secret hiding place: the Recycle Bin. There, among heaps of junk full of surprising treasures, he plans his tricks. Everything changes when a far more malicious program invades the computer . . . and threatens to end all life in it. Together with his Recycle Bin friends—outdated, buggy programs—Zuto sets off to save his world.
The book’s colorful and imaginative metaphors offer an insightful glimpse inside a computer. An appendix, the ‘Zutopedia,’ explains the truth behind the story: how malware works, what’s the role of firewalls, binary numbers, Easter eggs, IP addresses, and many more.
Author Bio:
Udi Aharoni is a software engineer and Maching Learning expert with IBM Research. He holds an M.A. in Computer Science.
He published short, original scientific videos on his YouTube channel “udiprod,” which has over a million views, before writing his acclaimed children’s book Zuto: The Adventures of a Computer Virus (Rimonim, August 2009).
Aharoni’s debut published first in Hebrew and was voted one of the nation’s favorite books for ages 9-12 in the Israeli Ministry of Education’s “Book Parade.” The English version followed in August 2012.
The computer whiz visits classrooms – both in person and via webcam – for discussions and lessons surrounding his educational book.
Contact Info:
Website: www.zutopedia.com/
Twitter: @Udi256
Facebook: Zuto11
Goodreads: Udi Aharoni
[image error]
I started writing “Zuto” back in 2008, aiming to create a unique mix of science and fantasy. I wanted my book to be a fun, gripping adventure taking place in a fantasy world full of strange sceneries, surprising creatures, and magical devices. But my imagined fantasy world had a unique trait: it is actually real, in a way.
I happen to be familiar with a world that exists in real life, which is truly strange, surprising, and in some aspects quite magical: the inside of a computer. Sure, there have been a lot of books, movies, and TV shows about this world, but none of them, to my taste, presented it the way it really is. I wanted to do it differently, and I had some new ideas how to do it.
I know computers very well. Starting in the eighties, I was in the first generation of kids that enjoyed the PC revolution. When I grew up I spent some time in the computer games industry, and later received a diploma from a prestigious Israeli university. In the past nine years I’ve been with IBM research. When I started writing Zuto, I used all my skill, all my experience, and all my imagination, to bring the internal world of a computer to life in colorful, fun, but realistic way.
I steered clear of all computer-world related clichés. None of my book’s characters wield a light-saber. None of them fight to the death in battles that look like a computer game. My version of the internal world of the computer doesn’t host spaceships, smart-phones, or computers (the thought that a computer has smaller computers inside it is really silly, when you think about it).
Instead my book is packed full with picturesque sceneries that truly reflect how various hardware components work, and personified software that act quite realistically. The story itself is a one minute long (possibly the shortest book ever!) description of malware attack, and how the computer defenses react to it (Zuto, while being a computer virus, is not the attacker. He’s a small, buggy virus caught in the cross-fire).
I also threw in some “Easter eggs”: a bit of computer-pros lingo, and inside jokes of the industry. I gave some of them away in the book’s “Zutopedia” appendix, which explains the truth behind the story (but I kept some hidden. They are Easter eggs, after all).
Since the Hebrew version of the book was published in 2009 I received enthusiastic responses, and the book won some notable achievements. I hope the 2012 release of the English version will succeed as well. I’m frequently asked about a sequel, but the muse for another episode of Zuto’s adventure has not yet arrived. Currently, my spare time is spent on an older passion: animated, scientific visualizations (see for example http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxENKl..., about quick sort). I very much hope to find the inspiration for a second book afterwards.
Synopsis:
[image error]
Zuto: The Adventures of a Computer Virus takes place inside a strange, little known world: a personal computer, the perfect setting for a fast-paced, funny, one-minute-long story.
Zuto, a smart, sneaky computer virus, leads a happy life in his secret hiding place: the Recycle Bin. There, among heaps of junk full of surprising treasures, he plans his tricks. Everything changes when a far more malicious program invades the computer . . . and threatens to end all life in it. Together with his Recycle Bin friends—outdated, buggy programs—Zuto sets off to save his world.
The book’s colorful and imaginative metaphors offer an insightful glimpse inside a computer. An appendix, the ‘Zutopedia,’ explains the truth behind the story: how malware works, what’s the role of firewalls, binary numbers, Easter eggs, IP addresses, and many more.
Author Bio:
Udi Aharoni is a software engineer and Maching Learning expert with IBM Research. He holds an M.A. in Computer Science.
He published short, original scientific videos on his YouTube channel “udiprod,” which has over a million views, before writing his acclaimed children’s book Zuto: The Adventures of a Computer Virus (Rimonim, August 2009).
Aharoni’s debut published first in Hebrew and was voted one of the nation’s favorite books for ages 9-12 in the Israeli Ministry of Education’s “Book Parade.” The English version followed in August 2012.
The computer whiz visits classrooms – both in person and via webcam – for discussions and lessons surrounding his educational book.
Contact Info:
Website: www.zutopedia.com/
Twitter: @Udi256
Facebook: Zuto11
Goodreads: Udi Aharoni
November 8, 2012
GUEST POST WITH AUTHOR, CHRIS MORTON
Young Couple Sitting at the Bus Stop
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We’re at the bus stop, on our way to Asda. Soon we’ll be lugging back carrier bags filled with various white and green (economy priced) packs. Reduced pasties, beans, frozen ready meals, out of date bread, scones, biscuits, pasta, canned tomatoes and the like. We can usually spend about twelve to fifteen pounds a week on food. Then there’s the bus ticket, rent, milk from the ninety-nine pence shop, and Sheila will get one thing from Primark: something new to wear to keep her spirits up. As for me, a weekly ration of tobacco is enough to keep me going. Tea and coffee are nicked from work. Sugar and ketchup is readily available from the various cafes and pubs we sit in to keep out of the cold (the electricity bill for our bed-sit hits us hard enough without adding extra central heating to the mix).
My boss has promised me more hours soon. We’re not in debt any more, and Sheila has just started selling cakes at a market stool on Saturdays; so things are looking up in some respects. This is what I keep telling myself anyway.
Sheila however is a bit more concerned (to put it lightly). Especially after last week’s interview at the bank, which is what we’re arguing about now. She wants a house you see. Nothing too fancy. A one bedroom would be enough. And I know how much she needs a real home, somewhere to call her own. But the thought of it makes me sick inside with worry. Even with living in the bed-sit and being so careful with money we’re only saving about two-hundred pounds a month; a deposit’s gonna be ten thousand at the bare minimum.
The guy at the bank kept writing out sums for us over and over again. The confusing thing was that each time the figures and percentages were different. “The upshot of it all,” he said finally, “is that you’re not the sort of people we want to be lending money to.”
Or words to this effect, at least. Sheila sat there most likely thinking, “Where do we go from here?”
“Where do we go from here?!” she’s still asking me. I tell her we simply need more time to save more money. Once we have enough for a deposit and I’ve been in my job for longer (touch wood I can keep it) we should be in a better position to apply for a mortgage.
Although the truth of it is, the sickness in my stomach rises up once again as I think about the financial responsibility involved in looking after my own property. There’d be no phoning the landlord over a blocked sink or faulty connection in the wiring. I wonder how much plumbers and electricians cost these days.
Feeling angry I tell Sheila she should stop complaining and go get a cleaning job if it’s more money she wants. She replies that she doesn’t want a bloody cleaning job. What she wants is a baby. Somewhere to live that’d be suitable for starting a family. Where we wouldn’t have to routinely scrape mould off the walls; and lie awake on a futon, listening to the midnight arguments from the couple next door: Their screams of frustration, and then the moaning of ecstasy as they’re making up once again.
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Chris Morton is the author of the indie novel English Slacker. You can find more stories on his blog: flashfictionandotherstories.blogspot.com
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We’re at the bus stop, on our way to Asda. Soon we’ll be lugging back carrier bags filled with various white and green (economy priced) packs. Reduced pasties, beans, frozen ready meals, out of date bread, scones, biscuits, pasta, canned tomatoes and the like. We can usually spend about twelve to fifteen pounds a week on food. Then there’s the bus ticket, rent, milk from the ninety-nine pence shop, and Sheila will get one thing from Primark: something new to wear to keep her spirits up. As for me, a weekly ration of tobacco is enough to keep me going. Tea and coffee are nicked from work. Sugar and ketchup is readily available from the various cafes and pubs we sit in to keep out of the cold (the electricity bill for our bed-sit hits us hard enough without adding extra central heating to the mix).
My boss has promised me more hours soon. We’re not in debt any more, and Sheila has just started selling cakes at a market stool on Saturdays; so things are looking up in some respects. This is what I keep telling myself anyway.
Sheila however is a bit more concerned (to put it lightly). Especially after last week’s interview at the bank, which is what we’re arguing about now. She wants a house you see. Nothing too fancy. A one bedroom would be enough. And I know how much she needs a real home, somewhere to call her own. But the thought of it makes me sick inside with worry. Even with living in the bed-sit and being so careful with money we’re only saving about two-hundred pounds a month; a deposit’s gonna be ten thousand at the bare minimum.
The guy at the bank kept writing out sums for us over and over again. The confusing thing was that each time the figures and percentages were different. “The upshot of it all,” he said finally, “is that you’re not the sort of people we want to be lending money to.”
Or words to this effect, at least. Sheila sat there most likely thinking, “Where do we go from here?”
“Where do we go from here?!” she’s still asking me. I tell her we simply need more time to save more money. Once we have enough for a deposit and I’ve been in my job for longer (touch wood I can keep it) we should be in a better position to apply for a mortgage.
Although the truth of it is, the sickness in my stomach rises up once again as I think about the financial responsibility involved in looking after my own property. There’d be no phoning the landlord over a blocked sink or faulty connection in the wiring. I wonder how much plumbers and electricians cost these days.
Feeling angry I tell Sheila she should stop complaining and go get a cleaning job if it’s more money she wants. She replies that she doesn’t want a bloody cleaning job. What she wants is a baby. Somewhere to live that’d be suitable for starting a family. Where we wouldn’t have to routinely scrape mould off the walls; and lie awake on a futon, listening to the midnight arguments from the couple next door: Their screams of frustration, and then the moaning of ecstasy as they’re making up once again.
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Chris Morton is the author of the indie novel English Slacker. You can find more stories on his blog: flashfictionandotherstories.blogspot.com
November 6, 2012
GUEST POST WITH AUTHOR, JENNY TWIST
>ALL IN THE MIND
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Years ago I read about an old people’s home where they did the experiment of making their environment like that of their youth. I can’t remember where I read this or what they were attempting to prove, but I do remember that one surprising result was that the subjects’ hair darkened.
I’ve had the idea lurking at the back of my mind ever since. What if you carried the experiment to its logical conclusion?
Last year I entered Nanowrimo for the first time (a competition to write a novel in a month) and this was the idea that resurfaced when I sat down at my computer. I have never written so fast and furiously in my life before. The story just poured onto the page.
I kept coming across gaps in my knowledge but followed Stephen King’s advice and just carried on writing, intending to deal with all that later. When I picked it up again a few weeks later and got down to seriously working on it I found I had to do a lot of research on the Second World War. I knew a fair bit already from reading and television documentaries, as well as from the experiences of my own parents, but I needed to know things like what branded goods they used, how the rationing system worked, etc.
I also realised, when one of my characters suddenly got completely out of hand and decided to return to India, that I was woefully ignorant of Indian culture. I knew some from reading, and I had studied a lot of Indian history at university, but I had no idea whether my knowledge would suffice for modern day India. The problem with something like that is you don’t know what it is you don’t know. I did not realise, for example, that a Hindu would be unlikely to understand Urdu. So I appealed on Twitter for experts on Hindu culture to read and correct it. I had four responses and checked all their comments with Google. Thank you, you wonderful people. You’ve saved me a lot of embarrassment. And thank God for Google. It’s saved me weeks of work.
My dear friend, Caroline, read the proofs when she was staying with me and suggested the idea for a cover. She painted the beautiful hands. They belong to her mother, Anne Ritson, to whom the book is dedicated. The photograph is of my own mother, May Thornton, who was a nurse at the end of the Second World War.
So, to a large extent, this book is the product of friendship.
Here are some of the things other authors have to say about it:
“Jenny Twist is an enormously talented story-weaver who just goes on getting better. Fans of the wonderful novel, ‘Domingo’s Angel’ will not be disappointed with this latest offering from her. It’s a sweet and haunting feel-good story which will immerse you totally in its fictional world and leave you feeling deeply satisfied. Absolutely recommended.”
Lynette Sofras
“All in the Mind will take you on a mind trip, one from which you won't want to return. As always, Jenny Twist's fiction is an addictive treat that's tightly woven to draw the readers in and keep them there.”
Su Halfwerk
“This book moved me more than any other in recent memory, not because it was sad, although some scenes were very tragic, but because of the depth of emotion I felt for the characters, and the lasting love they share. . I dare anyone to read this book and not be moved to tears of joy.”
Tara Fox Hall
Excerpt
Tilly was dreaming.
It was VE Day and they were dancing in the streets. All the lights were lit. She kept looking at them, not quite believing it.
She was dancing with Johnny, her head against his chest, exhilarated by his closeness and the knowledge that the war was over.
It was so real, the dream. She could feel the rough fabric of his greatcoat against her cheek, smell its particular aroma of damp wool and tobacco.
She felt the dream slipping away and tried to hold on to it, but it escaped her grasp and shifted seamlessly into memory.
They had danced late into the night. Long after the gates to the nurses' home were locked. Eventually, exhausted and intoxicated with the euphoria of the crowd, they had walked back to the nurses' home and he had given her a leg up to climb the wall.
And as she sat at the top of the wall, one leg on each side, getting ready to swing over to the other side, he had grasped her by the ankle and said, “Will you marry me, Tilly? As soon as I'm demobbed.”
She looked down at his face, illuminated by the one street lamp in the lane, one lock of hair hanging over his forehead, his expression earnest and pleading.
She said the first thing that came into her head. “You're supposed to get down on one knee.”
“OK,” he said, with a grin, and dropped down on one knee. Did he know? Did he know then what her answer would be?
“Tilly”... he began in a loud, theatrical voice.
“No, get up,” she whispered urgently. “Someone might hear.”
“Who cares? What are they going to do – sack you?”
She smiled back at him in the lamplight. “You fool!”
And she pulled her leg out of his grasp and dropped gracefully down to the grass on the other side.
“Well?” His head appeared over the top of the wall. “Will you?”
“Yes,” she whispered back to him. Then she picked up the skirts of her uniform and ran across the lawn towards the darkened building.
As she ran, she heard someone whistling the Wedding March, the sound fading as he reached the end of the lane and turned into the street.
http://www.melange-books.com/author.....
BIO
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Jenny Twist was born in York and brought up in the West Yorkshire mill town of Heckmondwike, the eldest grandchild of a huge extended family.
She left school at fifteen and went to work in an asbestos factory. After working in various jobs, including bacon-packer and escapologist’s assistant, she returned to full-time education and did a BA in history at Manchester and post-graduate studies at Oxford.
She stayed in Oxford working as a recruitment consultant for many years and it was there that she met and married her husband, Vic.
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In 2001 they retired and moved to Southern Spain where they live with their rather eccentric dog and cat. Her first book, Take One At Bedtime, was published in April 2011 and the second, Domingo’s Angel, was published in July 2011. Her novella, Doppelganger, was published in the anthology Curious Hearts in July 2011, Uncle Vernon, was published in Spellbound, in November 2011, Jamey and the Alien and Uncle Albert’s Christmas were published in Warm Christmas Wishes in December 2011, Mantequero was published in the anthology Winter Wonders in December 2011 and Away With the Fairies, her first self-published story, in September 2012.
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Her new anthology, with Tara Fox Hall, Bedtime Shadows, a collection of spooky, speculative and romance stories, was published 24th September 2012.
Her new novel, All in the Mind, about an old woman who mysteriously begins to get younger, will be published 29th October 2012.
You can find out more about Jenny here:
Website: https://sites.google.com/site/jennytw...
Amazon: amazon.com/author/jennytwist
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jenn.....
Goodreads Blog: http://www.goodreads.com/author/sho.....
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/JennyTwist1
Email: casahoya@gmail.com
Acclaimed Authors, Jenny Twist and Tara Fox Hall, Release New Anthology
Tara Fox Hall and Jenny Twist launched their anthology of speculative fiction, Bedtime Shadows, on the 24th September. The book has already received high praise from other authors and is said to rival the short stories of M. R. James, Philip K Dick and even Stephen King.
The two writers became friends when they both contributed to the highly-acclaimed anthology, Spellbound 2011, issued by Melange Books in October last year.
“I was so proud to be in that anthology,” says Jenny, whose own anthology, Take One At Bedtime, was chosen as Editor's Pick when it came out in April of the same year. “I thought every single one of the stories in it was interesting and well-written and the authors were all such fun to work with.”
“I was excited to make the jump from short horror stories to longer works,” added Tara, whose flash fiction and short stories have appeared online at Deadman’s Tome, Flashes in the Dark, Ghastly Door, The Halloween Alliance, Black Petals, SNM Horror Magazine, Dark Eclipse, Cemetery Moon, The Copperfield Review, and Microhorror. “I’d just published my first paranormal romance e-novella, and was anxious to be in a print book. Spellbound 2011 introduced me to some wonderful authors, some of whom have become very good friends.”
The two writers could not have come from more different backgrounds. Jenny was born in England and worked at many different jobs including bacon-packer and escapologist's assistant before returning to full-time education at the age of 28 and doing 2 history degrees at Manchester and Oxford. Eleven years ago she retired to Spain. “I feel like I'm finally getting on with my real life,” she says. “I always wanted to write and now I'm finally doing it!”
Tara was born in the United States, earned her bachelor’s degree in Mathematics with a double minor in science at the State University of New York at Binghamton, and is currently an OSHA-certified safety and health inspector at a metal fabrication shop. In addition to speculative fiction, Tara Fox Hall’s writing credits include nonfiction, action-adventure, and contemporary and historical paranormal romance. She is the author of the paranormal action-adventure Lash series and the vampire romantic suspense Promise Me series. “I love that my stories resonate with people,” she says. “That they can lose themselves in my stories means I’ve done my job.”
“We chose Bedtime Shadows as the title,” Jenny says, “to reflect my anthology, Take One At Bedtime and Tara's Just Shadows. We are very proud to have an introduction by the illustrious horror writer, T. Fox Dunham (no relation to Tara) and we have been very lucky to have some excellent authors give us advance reviews."
The book is a mixture of horror, speculative fiction and romance – stories of ghosts and vampires, future dystopias, travel through different dimensions, a holiday romance that changes everything, and a new twist on an ancient myth.
Here is what other authors have to say about it.
“I recommend this collection without any reservations” - Herbert Grosshans.
“Together these two authors will strap you to your chair and lock your attention to the magic they weave.” - Su Halfwerk
“They know how to write stories that entertain and involve their readers. Someday I think we may identify them with authors like Shirley Jackson, Stephen King and HP Lovecraft.” - John Mecom
“This literary progeny of authors Jenny Twist and Tara Fox Hall was a joy to read for a couple of reasons. There’s a nice variety of stories ranging from dramatic to speculative to downright gruesome.” - Mysti Parker
"Daily-living captured and stylistically rendered with a 'twist' of macabre lurking behind each provocative tale...BEDTIME SHADOWS delivers a punch -- watch out for the unexpected."
~ Douglas Wickard
BLURB
[image error]
The Man With No Face– Jenny Twist
All her life Deborah has been haunted by the memory of a couple locked in a deadly embrace. She thinks the woman may be the mother that abandoned her but she cannot see the man's face. Who is he?
All That Remains – Tara Fox Hall
This thrilling sequel to The Origin of Fear (Spellbound 2011) takes us back to Latham's Landing. Will Tina and Sandra survive their encounter with the ghosts that inhabit the haunted isle?
The Children of Hope – Jenny Twist
It is 1963 and Ginny is unmarried and pregnant. Her parents consign her to one of the infamous Mother and Baby Homes which are little more than prisons and workhouses. Will she be able to escape before they come to take her baby away?
The Bull-Dancer – Jenny Twist
The twelve chosen bull-dancers are sailing out of the harbour under a black sail, bound for Crete and the deadly Minotaur, while a mother looks on in anger.
Take the Chance– Tara Fox Hall
A young girl growing up in post-apocalyptic America is determined that she and her sister will survive – whatever it takes!
A Victorian Dolls' House– Jenny Twist
When Violet sees the dolls' house in the antique shop she has to have it. But the Delacorte House is no ordinary dolls' house – and it is definitely not a toy!
Heart's Bells– Tara Fox Hall
Theo and Casey are in love, but so many things stand in their way. They suffer separation and heartbreak but still remain true – until something happens to Theo that changes everything.
Doppelganger– Jenny Twis
When Christine wakes up in a sumptuous white room with silken hangings, she assumes she is in heaven. But she soon finds out she is not in heaven. And before too long she begins to wonder if she is even still Christine.
Voices– Jenny Twis
Olivia and Aidan are telepathic twins. Olivia is used to hearing Aidan in her head, but she is terrified when she hears a new and sinister voice.
Return to Me – Tara Fox Hall
Determined to find the source of the nightly creaking she alone can hear, Sam Reading discovers Harrison Benning, a ghost who becomes corporeal for one night of the year; the summer solstice. Their warm friendship soon becomes powerful love that lasts through decades, tragedies, and even beyond death.
Catch Me If You Can– Jenny Twis
Willy prowls the streets at night, listening to all the sounds of the old town. But does he have a more sinister purpose?
Shades of Grey– Tara Fox Hall
Throughout history there has always been a Seer making sure that the world follows its proper course, keeping the world in balance. Yet when the old Seer prepares to hand over the burden to his apprentice Tim, he realizes too late that Tim has his own ideas of how things should go
BEDTIME SHADOWS will be released by Melange Books in September 2012
http://www.melange-books.com/
Tara Fox Hall
[image error]
Website: www.tarafoxhall.com
Email: tarafoxhallATgmailDOTcom
Tara's Blog: http://www.goodreads.com/author/sho.....
Tara's Facebook Page:
www.facebook.com/pages/Tara-Fox-Hal.....
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/TerrorFoxHall
For info on my recently published work, Lash, click here: http://www.amazon.com/Lash-ebook/dp/B...
For info on my recently published work, Just Shadows, click here: http://www.amazon.com/Just-Shadows-.....
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Years ago I read about an old people’s home where they did the experiment of making their environment like that of their youth. I can’t remember where I read this or what they were attempting to prove, but I do remember that one surprising result was that the subjects’ hair darkened.
I’ve had the idea lurking at the back of my mind ever since. What if you carried the experiment to its logical conclusion?
Last year I entered Nanowrimo for the first time (a competition to write a novel in a month) and this was the idea that resurfaced when I sat down at my computer. I have never written so fast and furiously in my life before. The story just poured onto the page.
I kept coming across gaps in my knowledge but followed Stephen King’s advice and just carried on writing, intending to deal with all that later. When I picked it up again a few weeks later and got down to seriously working on it I found I had to do a lot of research on the Second World War. I knew a fair bit already from reading and television documentaries, as well as from the experiences of my own parents, but I needed to know things like what branded goods they used, how the rationing system worked, etc.
I also realised, when one of my characters suddenly got completely out of hand and decided to return to India, that I was woefully ignorant of Indian culture. I knew some from reading, and I had studied a lot of Indian history at university, but I had no idea whether my knowledge would suffice for modern day India. The problem with something like that is you don’t know what it is you don’t know. I did not realise, for example, that a Hindu would be unlikely to understand Urdu. So I appealed on Twitter for experts on Hindu culture to read and correct it. I had four responses and checked all their comments with Google. Thank you, you wonderful people. You’ve saved me a lot of embarrassment. And thank God for Google. It’s saved me weeks of work.
My dear friend, Caroline, read the proofs when she was staying with me and suggested the idea for a cover. She painted the beautiful hands. They belong to her mother, Anne Ritson, to whom the book is dedicated. The photograph is of my own mother, May Thornton, who was a nurse at the end of the Second World War.
So, to a large extent, this book is the product of friendship.
Here are some of the things other authors have to say about it:
“Jenny Twist is an enormously talented story-weaver who just goes on getting better. Fans of the wonderful novel, ‘Domingo’s Angel’ will not be disappointed with this latest offering from her. It’s a sweet and haunting feel-good story which will immerse you totally in its fictional world and leave you feeling deeply satisfied. Absolutely recommended.”
Lynette Sofras
“All in the Mind will take you on a mind trip, one from which you won't want to return. As always, Jenny Twist's fiction is an addictive treat that's tightly woven to draw the readers in and keep them there.”
Su Halfwerk
“This book moved me more than any other in recent memory, not because it was sad, although some scenes were very tragic, but because of the depth of emotion I felt for the characters, and the lasting love they share. . I dare anyone to read this book and not be moved to tears of joy.”
Tara Fox Hall
Excerpt
Tilly was dreaming.
It was VE Day and they were dancing in the streets. All the lights were lit. She kept looking at them, not quite believing it.
She was dancing with Johnny, her head against his chest, exhilarated by his closeness and the knowledge that the war was over.
It was so real, the dream. She could feel the rough fabric of his greatcoat against her cheek, smell its particular aroma of damp wool and tobacco.
She felt the dream slipping away and tried to hold on to it, but it escaped her grasp and shifted seamlessly into memory.
They had danced late into the night. Long after the gates to the nurses' home were locked. Eventually, exhausted and intoxicated with the euphoria of the crowd, they had walked back to the nurses' home and he had given her a leg up to climb the wall.
And as she sat at the top of the wall, one leg on each side, getting ready to swing over to the other side, he had grasped her by the ankle and said, “Will you marry me, Tilly? As soon as I'm demobbed.”
She looked down at his face, illuminated by the one street lamp in the lane, one lock of hair hanging over his forehead, his expression earnest and pleading.
She said the first thing that came into her head. “You're supposed to get down on one knee.”
“OK,” he said, with a grin, and dropped down on one knee. Did he know? Did he know then what her answer would be?
“Tilly”... he began in a loud, theatrical voice.
“No, get up,” she whispered urgently. “Someone might hear.”
“Who cares? What are they going to do – sack you?”
She smiled back at him in the lamplight. “You fool!”
And she pulled her leg out of his grasp and dropped gracefully down to the grass on the other side.
“Well?” His head appeared over the top of the wall. “Will you?”
“Yes,” she whispered back to him. Then she picked up the skirts of her uniform and ran across the lawn towards the darkened building.
As she ran, she heard someone whistling the Wedding March, the sound fading as he reached the end of the lane and turned into the street.
http://www.melange-books.com/author.....
BIO
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Jenny Twist was born in York and brought up in the West Yorkshire mill town of Heckmondwike, the eldest grandchild of a huge extended family.
She left school at fifteen and went to work in an asbestos factory. After working in various jobs, including bacon-packer and escapologist’s assistant, she returned to full-time education and did a BA in history at Manchester and post-graduate studies at Oxford.
She stayed in Oxford working as a recruitment consultant for many years and it was there that she met and married her husband, Vic.
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In 2001 they retired and moved to Southern Spain where they live with their rather eccentric dog and cat. Her first book, Take One At Bedtime, was published in April 2011 and the second, Domingo’s Angel, was published in July 2011. Her novella, Doppelganger, was published in the anthology Curious Hearts in July 2011, Uncle Vernon, was published in Spellbound, in November 2011, Jamey and the Alien and Uncle Albert’s Christmas were published in Warm Christmas Wishes in December 2011, Mantequero was published in the anthology Winter Wonders in December 2011 and Away With the Fairies, her first self-published story, in September 2012.
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Her new anthology, with Tara Fox Hall, Bedtime Shadows, a collection of spooky, speculative and romance stories, was published 24th September 2012.
Her new novel, All in the Mind, about an old woman who mysteriously begins to get younger, will be published 29th October 2012.
You can find out more about Jenny here:
Website: https://sites.google.com/site/jennytw...
Amazon: amazon.com/author/jennytwist
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jenn.....
Goodreads Blog: http://www.goodreads.com/author/sho.....
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/JennyTwist1
Email: casahoya@gmail.com
Acclaimed Authors, Jenny Twist and Tara Fox Hall, Release New Anthology
Tara Fox Hall and Jenny Twist launched their anthology of speculative fiction, Bedtime Shadows, on the 24th September. The book has already received high praise from other authors and is said to rival the short stories of M. R. James, Philip K Dick and even Stephen King.
The two writers became friends when they both contributed to the highly-acclaimed anthology, Spellbound 2011, issued by Melange Books in October last year.
“I was so proud to be in that anthology,” says Jenny, whose own anthology, Take One At Bedtime, was chosen as Editor's Pick when it came out in April of the same year. “I thought every single one of the stories in it was interesting and well-written and the authors were all such fun to work with.”
“I was excited to make the jump from short horror stories to longer works,” added Tara, whose flash fiction and short stories have appeared online at Deadman’s Tome, Flashes in the Dark, Ghastly Door, The Halloween Alliance, Black Petals, SNM Horror Magazine, Dark Eclipse, Cemetery Moon, The Copperfield Review, and Microhorror. “I’d just published my first paranormal romance e-novella, and was anxious to be in a print book. Spellbound 2011 introduced me to some wonderful authors, some of whom have become very good friends.”
The two writers could not have come from more different backgrounds. Jenny was born in England and worked at many different jobs including bacon-packer and escapologist's assistant before returning to full-time education at the age of 28 and doing 2 history degrees at Manchester and Oxford. Eleven years ago she retired to Spain. “I feel like I'm finally getting on with my real life,” she says. “I always wanted to write and now I'm finally doing it!”
Tara was born in the United States, earned her bachelor’s degree in Mathematics with a double minor in science at the State University of New York at Binghamton, and is currently an OSHA-certified safety and health inspector at a metal fabrication shop. In addition to speculative fiction, Tara Fox Hall’s writing credits include nonfiction, action-adventure, and contemporary and historical paranormal romance. She is the author of the paranormal action-adventure Lash series and the vampire romantic suspense Promise Me series. “I love that my stories resonate with people,” she says. “That they can lose themselves in my stories means I’ve done my job.”
“We chose Bedtime Shadows as the title,” Jenny says, “to reflect my anthology, Take One At Bedtime and Tara's Just Shadows. We are very proud to have an introduction by the illustrious horror writer, T. Fox Dunham (no relation to Tara) and we have been very lucky to have some excellent authors give us advance reviews."
The book is a mixture of horror, speculative fiction and romance – stories of ghosts and vampires, future dystopias, travel through different dimensions, a holiday romance that changes everything, and a new twist on an ancient myth.
Here is what other authors have to say about it.
“I recommend this collection without any reservations” - Herbert Grosshans.
“Together these two authors will strap you to your chair and lock your attention to the magic they weave.” - Su Halfwerk
“They know how to write stories that entertain and involve their readers. Someday I think we may identify them with authors like Shirley Jackson, Stephen King and HP Lovecraft.” - John Mecom
“This literary progeny of authors Jenny Twist and Tara Fox Hall was a joy to read for a couple of reasons. There’s a nice variety of stories ranging from dramatic to speculative to downright gruesome.” - Mysti Parker
"Daily-living captured and stylistically rendered with a 'twist' of macabre lurking behind each provocative tale...BEDTIME SHADOWS delivers a punch -- watch out for the unexpected."
~ Douglas Wickard
BLURB
[image error]
The Man With No Face– Jenny Twist
All her life Deborah has been haunted by the memory of a couple locked in a deadly embrace. She thinks the woman may be the mother that abandoned her but she cannot see the man's face. Who is he?
All That Remains – Tara Fox Hall
This thrilling sequel to The Origin of Fear (Spellbound 2011) takes us back to Latham's Landing. Will Tina and Sandra survive their encounter with the ghosts that inhabit the haunted isle?
The Children of Hope – Jenny Twist
It is 1963 and Ginny is unmarried and pregnant. Her parents consign her to one of the infamous Mother and Baby Homes which are little more than prisons and workhouses. Will she be able to escape before they come to take her baby away?
The Bull-Dancer – Jenny Twist
The twelve chosen bull-dancers are sailing out of the harbour under a black sail, bound for Crete and the deadly Minotaur, while a mother looks on in anger.
Take the Chance– Tara Fox Hall
A young girl growing up in post-apocalyptic America is determined that she and her sister will survive – whatever it takes!
A Victorian Dolls' House– Jenny Twist
When Violet sees the dolls' house in the antique shop she has to have it. But the Delacorte House is no ordinary dolls' house – and it is definitely not a toy!
Heart's Bells– Tara Fox Hall
Theo and Casey are in love, but so many things stand in their way. They suffer separation and heartbreak but still remain true – until something happens to Theo that changes everything.
Doppelganger– Jenny Twis
When Christine wakes up in a sumptuous white room with silken hangings, she assumes she is in heaven. But she soon finds out she is not in heaven. And before too long she begins to wonder if she is even still Christine.
Voices– Jenny Twis
Olivia and Aidan are telepathic twins. Olivia is used to hearing Aidan in her head, but she is terrified when she hears a new and sinister voice.
Return to Me – Tara Fox Hall
Determined to find the source of the nightly creaking she alone can hear, Sam Reading discovers Harrison Benning, a ghost who becomes corporeal for one night of the year; the summer solstice. Their warm friendship soon becomes powerful love that lasts through decades, tragedies, and even beyond death.
Catch Me If You Can– Jenny Twis
Willy prowls the streets at night, listening to all the sounds of the old town. But does he have a more sinister purpose?
Shades of Grey– Tara Fox Hall
Throughout history there has always been a Seer making sure that the world follows its proper course, keeping the world in balance. Yet when the old Seer prepares to hand over the burden to his apprentice Tim, he realizes too late that Tim has his own ideas of how things should go
BEDTIME SHADOWS will be released by Melange Books in September 2012
http://www.melange-books.com/
Tara Fox Hall
[image error]
Website: www.tarafoxhall.com
Email: tarafoxhallATgmailDOTcom
Tara's Blog: http://www.goodreads.com/author/sho.....
Tara's Facebook Page:
www.facebook.com/pages/Tara-Fox-Hal.....
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/TerrorFoxHall
For info on my recently published work, Lash, click here: http://www.amazon.com/Lash-ebook/dp/B...
For info on my recently published work, Just Shadows, click here: http://www.amazon.com/Just-Shadows-.....
November 4, 2012
GUEST POST WITH AUTHOR, AMY LIGNOR
An Angel/Warrior Team Arrive in America
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Ellis Island is the place where our angel/warrior team once again ‘find’ each other for adventure number two…and what an amazing place it was.
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Emily is one of the people stepping off that boat. On a hideous ride where some got so ill they had to return home and never set foot in the land of opportunity, Emily was surrounded by people who went from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other; happy and excited, knowing that they would make their mark in America, or depressed, angry and practically mad with disease, wondering if they would make it at all.
When our angel steps onto this ‘welcoming’ land, she immediately faces some truly heartbreaking incidents as she slowly walks up the lines toward a young man behind a desk whose job it is to check her in and offer her the chance at a brand new life. That young man is another immigrant who was lucky just a little while before, when he walked off the boat with his father, was accepted into the country and brought into the home of a very kind, wealthy man. He works at the Island to give back to others for the good luck he received. Even though he had to watch a man in a white coat write a letter on his father’s forehead in chalk - a letter that had him sent home on the next available boat to never be seen again - Mathew had found a home on America’s shores.
You are talking about a very frightening moment for a great many people; you are also talking about a building that, to some, looked a lot like the monument of Alcatraz. There were rules you had to abide by and an interview you had to pass in order to make it through the Island and out the other side where New York City waited. Support, friendship, help - these were key to a family’s survival…and some stories did not turn out well.
The ‘golden doors’ were opened to the immigrants and without that - without America standing up and placing that ‘Lady’ in the harbor with her torch that was the statue that still stands for the pride and honor we have in this country, we would’ve missed out on a great many who brought amazement to one and all.
From the magic of Harry Houdini who stepped off the boat in 1914 (who Emily has the pleasure to see later on) to Theodore Roosevelt who stepped off on the Island and went on to become the President of the nation that accepted him to Charlie Chaplin, Albert Einstein - even the much beloved Disney World would not have existed without the Island, seeing as that Walt stepped off the boat in 1919 and began a career that has brought the most entertainment and amazement for children and adults. These incredible imaginations, pioneering spirits - these people gave America a huge gift - and we can all be thankful that we had the ability to welcome them into the fold.
So as you watch Emily and Matthew - two immigrants who were given a chance in America - remember how honored we have all been by the arrivals of the good, hard workers who made this country what it is today. And…who knew? Among the pioneers and intellects and entertainment gurus came an angel and a warrior who touched lives in ways that no one could possibly have dreamed of.
Until Next Time, Everybody,
Amy
Gilded Wings Twitter hashtag:
#GildedWings
Gilded Wings Goodreads page:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/.....
Until Next Time Goodreads page:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/.....
The Angel Chronicles web site:
http://www.the-angel-chronicles.com
The Angel Chronicles Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The...
Amy Lignor's Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/alignor
Amy Lignor's Twitter:
https://twitter.com/#!/HelloWritersAmy
Amy Lignor's Website:
http://www.thewritecompanion.com/
Amy Lignor's Blog:
http://hellowriters.wordpress.com/
Amy Lignor's GoodReads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
Tribute Books website:
http://www.tribute-books.com
Tribute Books Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Archb.....
Tribute Books Twitter:
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Gilded Wings Summary
The Beloved Angel-Warrior Team from Until Next Time Returns!
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When Matt and Emily are sent on their second mission they have no idea how truly dark human nature can become...
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Emily never wanted to face humans again. With the heartache that went on down below, she’s still trying to figure out how to save souls that don’t deserve saving. The only one she wants to see again is Jason - the young man she fell in love with who became the soulmate she simply can’t forget...
Matt was trained to protect and defend the souls down below. Longing to feel the heartfelt emotions that come from being human, Matt wants nothing more than to have just one life - one chance - to live and love the girl of his dreams...
The powerful team find themselves in a brand new century, living in the Gilded Age of New York City. Emily takes over the body of Anya, a young Russian girl who arrives on Ellis Island after a hideous tragedy. There she meets up with a strangely familiar young man by the name of Drew Parrish, who helps Anya survive in an unknown world of luxury, snobbery and…obsession.
What Anya’s inner angel doesn’t know is that the soul she loves is also back. This time around Jason goes by the name of Max Carrow. Once a quiet and kind boy, he’s now part of the ‘Four Hundred Club,’ and wants nothing more than to be among the most admired as he climbs the shaky ladder of society’s elite.
As two worlds merge, Emily and Matt struggle under the weight of their “Gilded Wings.” Not only will they have to figure out who they should fight to save, but they must also face a romantic choice that could destroy them both.
Amy Lignor's Bio:
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Amy Lignor began her career at Grey House Publishing in northwest Connecticut where she was the Editor-in-Chief of numerous educational and business directories.
Now she is a published author of several works of fiction. The Billy the Kid historical The Heart of a Legend;the thriller, Mind Made; and the adventure novel, Tallent & Lowery 13.
She is also the owner of The Write Companion, a company that offers help and support to writers through a full range of editorial services from proofreading and copyediting to ghostwriting and research. As the daughter of a research librarian, she is also an active book reviewer.
Currently, she lives with her daughter, mother and a rambunctious German Shepherd named Reuben, in the beautiful state of New Mexico.
eBook
ISBN: 9780985792220
ISBN: 9781301335541
Pages: 275
Release: November 1, 2012
Gilded Wings: The Angel Chronicles, Book 2 buy links:
Kindle buy link - $2.99
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0.....
Nook buy link - $4.95
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/gil.....
iBookstore buy link - $4.99
http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id567...
Smashwords buy link - $4.99
https://www.smashwords.com/books/vi.....
PDF buy link - $4.95
https://www.payloadz.com/go/sip?id=18...
Until Next Time: The Angel Chronicles, Book 1 buy links:
Kindle buy link - $2.99
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0.....
Nook buy link - $4.95
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin.....
iBookstore buy link - $4.99
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin.....
Smashwords buy link - $4.99
https://www.smashwords.com/books/vi.....
PDF buy link - $4.95
https://www.payloadz.com/go/sip?id=15...
Until Next Time: The Angel Chronicles, Book 1 Summary
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How does a girl choose between the one who steals her heart and the one who owns her soul?
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Matt and Emily were created for a specific job. Raised and trained as the ultimate angel/warrior team, they are sent down to save, defend, judge and forgive, depending on the 'life' they've been assigned. What they don't realize is that the power of human emotions, such as love, anger, passion and fear can take over even the best of souls, causing them to make mistakes and follow paths that lead to confusion and heartache.
When the reason for their training is finally revealed, the angel/warrior team find themselves thrust into a world they know nothing about. Matt takes over the life of Daniel, a young man with a great deal of baggage. Emily becomes Liz, a girl living in a remote village who relies on nothing more than her own strength to survive. A violent storm erupts one night, and framed in the window of Liz's establishment is a frightening face. Let in by the soul of a Good Samaritan, the two visitors bring with them a past full of secrets that could literally change an angel's path and a warrior's plans.
From murder to redemption, this angel/warrior team must find a way to keep the faith they have in each other in a world that's ripping them apart.
[image error]
[image error]
Ellis Island is the place where our angel/warrior team once again ‘find’ each other for adventure number two…and what an amazing place it was.
[image error]
Emily is one of the people stepping off that boat. On a hideous ride where some got so ill they had to return home and never set foot in the land of opportunity, Emily was surrounded by people who went from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other; happy and excited, knowing that they would make their mark in America, or depressed, angry and practically mad with disease, wondering if they would make it at all.
When our angel steps onto this ‘welcoming’ land, she immediately faces some truly heartbreaking incidents as she slowly walks up the lines toward a young man behind a desk whose job it is to check her in and offer her the chance at a brand new life. That young man is another immigrant who was lucky just a little while before, when he walked off the boat with his father, was accepted into the country and brought into the home of a very kind, wealthy man. He works at the Island to give back to others for the good luck he received. Even though he had to watch a man in a white coat write a letter on his father’s forehead in chalk - a letter that had him sent home on the next available boat to never be seen again - Mathew had found a home on America’s shores.
You are talking about a very frightening moment for a great many people; you are also talking about a building that, to some, looked a lot like the monument of Alcatraz. There were rules you had to abide by and an interview you had to pass in order to make it through the Island and out the other side where New York City waited. Support, friendship, help - these were key to a family’s survival…and some stories did not turn out well.
The ‘golden doors’ were opened to the immigrants and without that - without America standing up and placing that ‘Lady’ in the harbor with her torch that was the statue that still stands for the pride and honor we have in this country, we would’ve missed out on a great many who brought amazement to one and all.
From the magic of Harry Houdini who stepped off the boat in 1914 (who Emily has the pleasure to see later on) to Theodore Roosevelt who stepped off on the Island and went on to become the President of the nation that accepted him to Charlie Chaplin, Albert Einstein - even the much beloved Disney World would not have existed without the Island, seeing as that Walt stepped off the boat in 1919 and began a career that has brought the most entertainment and amazement for children and adults. These incredible imaginations, pioneering spirits - these people gave America a huge gift - and we can all be thankful that we had the ability to welcome them into the fold.
So as you watch Emily and Matthew - two immigrants who were given a chance in America - remember how honored we have all been by the arrivals of the good, hard workers who made this country what it is today. And…who knew? Among the pioneers and intellects and entertainment gurus came an angel and a warrior who touched lives in ways that no one could possibly have dreamed of.
Until Next Time, Everybody,
Amy
Gilded Wings Twitter hashtag:
#GildedWings
Gilded Wings Goodreads page:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/.....
Until Next Time Goodreads page:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/.....
The Angel Chronicles web site:
http://www.the-angel-chronicles.com
The Angel Chronicles Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The...
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Gilded Wings Summary
The Beloved Angel-Warrior Team from Until Next Time Returns!
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When Matt and Emily are sent on their second mission they have no idea how truly dark human nature can become...
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Emily never wanted to face humans again. With the heartache that went on down below, she’s still trying to figure out how to save souls that don’t deserve saving. The only one she wants to see again is Jason - the young man she fell in love with who became the soulmate she simply can’t forget...
Matt was trained to protect and defend the souls down below. Longing to feel the heartfelt emotions that come from being human, Matt wants nothing more than to have just one life - one chance - to live and love the girl of his dreams...
The powerful team find themselves in a brand new century, living in the Gilded Age of New York City. Emily takes over the body of Anya, a young Russian girl who arrives on Ellis Island after a hideous tragedy. There she meets up with a strangely familiar young man by the name of Drew Parrish, who helps Anya survive in an unknown world of luxury, snobbery and…obsession.
What Anya’s inner angel doesn’t know is that the soul she loves is also back. This time around Jason goes by the name of Max Carrow. Once a quiet and kind boy, he’s now part of the ‘Four Hundred Club,’ and wants nothing more than to be among the most admired as he climbs the shaky ladder of society’s elite.
As two worlds merge, Emily and Matt struggle under the weight of their “Gilded Wings.” Not only will they have to figure out who they should fight to save, but they must also face a romantic choice that could destroy them both.
Amy Lignor's Bio:
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Amy Lignor began her career at Grey House Publishing in northwest Connecticut where she was the Editor-in-Chief of numerous educational and business directories.
Now she is a published author of several works of fiction. The Billy the Kid historical The Heart of a Legend;the thriller, Mind Made; and the adventure novel, Tallent & Lowery 13.
She is also the owner of The Write Companion, a company that offers help and support to writers through a full range of editorial services from proofreading and copyediting to ghostwriting and research. As the daughter of a research librarian, she is also an active book reviewer.
Currently, she lives with her daughter, mother and a rambunctious German Shepherd named Reuben, in the beautiful state of New Mexico.
eBook
ISBN: 9780985792220
ISBN: 9781301335541
Pages: 275
Release: November 1, 2012
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Until Next Time: The Angel Chronicles, Book 1 buy links:
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PDF buy link - $4.95
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Until Next Time: The Angel Chronicles, Book 1 Summary
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How does a girl choose between the one who steals her heart and the one who owns her soul?
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Matt and Emily were created for a specific job. Raised and trained as the ultimate angel/warrior team, they are sent down to save, defend, judge and forgive, depending on the 'life' they've been assigned. What they don't realize is that the power of human emotions, such as love, anger, passion and fear can take over even the best of souls, causing them to make mistakes and follow paths that lead to confusion and heartache.
When the reason for their training is finally revealed, the angel/warrior team find themselves thrust into a world they know nothing about. Matt takes over the life of Daniel, a young man with a great deal of baggage. Emily becomes Liz, a girl living in a remote village who relies on nothing more than her own strength to survive. A violent storm erupts one night, and framed in the window of Liz's establishment is a frightening face. Let in by the soul of a Good Samaritan, the two visitors bring with them a past full of secrets that could literally change an angel's path and a warrior's plans.
From murder to redemption, this angel/warrior team must find a way to keep the faith they have in each other in a world that's ripping them apart.
November 2, 2012
GUEST POST WITH AUTHOR, EMILY COLIN
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My decision to write a novel was, in many ways, a leap of faith.
This is not to say that I didn’t put a great deal of work into it. In fact, quite the contrary holds true. I wrote, and I revised, and then I revised some more. Then, fortified by the feedback of an editor whose work I trusted implicitly—the gifted writer and instructor, Caroline Leavitt—I revised anew. But the essential decision to step away from my job at a youth arts nonprofit and devote myself to the chancy craft of novel-writing—that was the leap.
When I was a child, I wrote all the time. The same held true through high school. But somewhere in the middle of my college career, I became discouraged by the hasty words of a creative writing teacher, and that, as they say, was that.
Oh, I didn’t stop writing. But instead of stories, I wrote other things: grants, marketing pieces, articles for local magazines. Nothing, in short, that held my heart. And I told myself that this was the way it needed to be, at least for now.
Then one day, years down the road, someone at the arts nonprofit where I worked made an offhand comment. I can’t remember the specifics now, but the gist is still perfectly clear: They thought of me as an arts administrator, not an artist.
I didn’t realize it then, but the die had been cast.
I had three choices, as I saw it: accept their verdict, which hadn’t been meant unkindly, merely as a statement of fact; sulk; or prove them wrong.
That night I went home and made a commitment to building up my freelance editing and writing career, so that I’d have the ability to step away from my day job. I spent some time doing just that, and when I could support myself, I committed to writing the book that became The Memory Thief. I gave myself a year.
Mind you, I had no idea whether I could write a novel. More than that, I had no idea what I was doing. Rather than starting at the beginning and crafting the book in order, from A to Z, I wrote only those scenes that inspired me, terrified that otherwise I’d become overwhelmed and give up. But I never did, even when the right words were hard to come by and my characters’ motives elusive. It felt like my mind had been cooped up for years and I’d finally given it permission to roam free, to travel where it would. The words came and I let them, with a most peculiar sense of inevitable momentum. It was exhilarating, it was frightening, and it was, in a word, right.
The novel was done in nine months, copious research and all. I spent four months doing the first set of revisions, and revised a great deal more during the nine months that I spent searching for the agent—Felicia Eth—who would finally find The Memory Thief a home. And when it was all said and done, I realized that—somewhat inexplicably for a city girl—I’d written a book about high-altitude mountaineering, about love and loss, ghosts and mysteries.
I didn’t question my choice of subject matter when I was writing and revising, save to chastise myself for choosing something I knew so little about, a topic that required so much research on my part. But when the book came out and I began connecting with readers, their first question was often the same: Why mountaineering?
I had a flip answer for this, a surface answer. But when I delved a little deeper, I realized that The Memory Thief was really about following your dreams, no matter how much they might frighten you and no matter how great their power to break your heart. I hadn’t written about mountaineering at all—or rather, I had, but primarily as a metaphor—for a challenge issued by the self and answered the same way. I’d intended only to craft a work of fiction; but sitting in my office, holding the finished manuscript in my hands, I realized that I’d written my story into these pages—that, unseen and unbidden, my characters’ leap of faith had also been my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK
[image error]
In Emily Colin’s exquisite debut novel THE MEMORY THIEF (Ballantine Trade Paperback Original; On-Sale August 21, 2012) one man’s vow to his wife sparks a remarkable journey that tests the pull of memory and reaffirms the bonds of love.
Deftly weaving together two strands of plot, THE MEMORY THIEF spins an unforgettable tale of love lost and found. Though she has lived with her husband Aidan’s adventure-seeking tendencies for the entirety of their relationship, Maddie has particularly strong reservations when Aidan tells her of his plans to summit Alaska’s Mount McKinley. When she eventually gives in to him, Aidan promises her, “I will come back to you.” Yet, late one night, she receives shocking news: Aidan has died in an avalanche. Confronted with grief, newfound single parenthood, and the realization that J.C., Aidan’s climbing partner and best friend, has been in love with her for years, Maddie must swim through her swirling emotions in a quest for understanding.
Across the country, Nicholas Sullivan awakes from a motorcycle accident. Unable to remember any part of his life to this point, he finds that his dreams are haunted by images of a beautiful woman and a young boy. Feeling as though these mysterious people may hold the answers to his own problems, Nicholas is driven to find them. Nicholas’s journey leads him to great discoveries—which not only change his life, but Maddie’s, too.
Poignant, yet ultimately triumphant, THE MEMORY THIEF is a unique and compelling love story that marks Emily Colin as a young author to watch.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
[image error]
EMILY COLIN is the Associate Director of the DREAMS Center For Arts Education, a nationally award-winning nonprofit dedicated to building creative, committed citizens through high-quality arts programming. Prior to DREAMS, she served as Editor-in-Chief of Coastal Carolina Press, and co-founder of Carolina Women’s Partnership. She also works closely with the North Carolina Arts Council. In Though Colin is not a mountain climber—she’s actually afraid of heights—she spent innumerable hours doing research for THE MEMORY THIEF: shadowing Outward Bound instructors as they scaled cliffs in Colorado’s Rifle Canyon, conducting reconnaissance missions in an indoor rock-climbing gym closer to home, and speaking with alpinists who took on Alaska’s Mt. McKinley—and lost. For more information, please visit the author’s website at www.emilycolin.com.
My decision to write a novel was, in many ways, a leap of faith.
This is not to say that I didn’t put a great deal of work into it. In fact, quite the contrary holds true. I wrote, and I revised, and then I revised some more. Then, fortified by the feedback of an editor whose work I trusted implicitly—the gifted writer and instructor, Caroline Leavitt—I revised anew. But the essential decision to step away from my job at a youth arts nonprofit and devote myself to the chancy craft of novel-writing—that was the leap.
When I was a child, I wrote all the time. The same held true through high school. But somewhere in the middle of my college career, I became discouraged by the hasty words of a creative writing teacher, and that, as they say, was that.
Oh, I didn’t stop writing. But instead of stories, I wrote other things: grants, marketing pieces, articles for local magazines. Nothing, in short, that held my heart. And I told myself that this was the way it needed to be, at least for now.
Then one day, years down the road, someone at the arts nonprofit where I worked made an offhand comment. I can’t remember the specifics now, but the gist is still perfectly clear: They thought of me as an arts administrator, not an artist.
I didn’t realize it then, but the die had been cast.
I had three choices, as I saw it: accept their verdict, which hadn’t been meant unkindly, merely as a statement of fact; sulk; or prove them wrong.
That night I went home and made a commitment to building up my freelance editing and writing career, so that I’d have the ability to step away from my day job. I spent some time doing just that, and when I could support myself, I committed to writing the book that became The Memory Thief. I gave myself a year.
Mind you, I had no idea whether I could write a novel. More than that, I had no idea what I was doing. Rather than starting at the beginning and crafting the book in order, from A to Z, I wrote only those scenes that inspired me, terrified that otherwise I’d become overwhelmed and give up. But I never did, even when the right words were hard to come by and my characters’ motives elusive. It felt like my mind had been cooped up for years and I’d finally given it permission to roam free, to travel where it would. The words came and I let them, with a most peculiar sense of inevitable momentum. It was exhilarating, it was frightening, and it was, in a word, right.
The novel was done in nine months, copious research and all. I spent four months doing the first set of revisions, and revised a great deal more during the nine months that I spent searching for the agent—Felicia Eth—who would finally find The Memory Thief a home. And when it was all said and done, I realized that—somewhat inexplicably for a city girl—I’d written a book about high-altitude mountaineering, about love and loss, ghosts and mysteries.
I didn’t question my choice of subject matter when I was writing and revising, save to chastise myself for choosing something I knew so little about, a topic that required so much research on my part. But when the book came out and I began connecting with readers, their first question was often the same: Why mountaineering?
I had a flip answer for this, a surface answer. But when I delved a little deeper, I realized that The Memory Thief was really about following your dreams, no matter how much they might frighten you and no matter how great their power to break your heart. I hadn’t written about mountaineering at all—or rather, I had, but primarily as a metaphor—for a challenge issued by the self and answered the same way. I’d intended only to craft a work of fiction; but sitting in my office, holding the finished manuscript in my hands, I realized that I’d written my story into these pages—that, unseen and unbidden, my characters’ leap of faith had also been my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK
[image error]
In Emily Colin’s exquisite debut novel THE MEMORY THIEF (Ballantine Trade Paperback Original; On-Sale August 21, 2012) one man’s vow to his wife sparks a remarkable journey that tests the pull of memory and reaffirms the bonds of love.
Deftly weaving together two strands of plot, THE MEMORY THIEF spins an unforgettable tale of love lost and found. Though she has lived with her husband Aidan’s adventure-seeking tendencies for the entirety of their relationship, Maddie has particularly strong reservations when Aidan tells her of his plans to summit Alaska’s Mount McKinley. When she eventually gives in to him, Aidan promises her, “I will come back to you.” Yet, late one night, she receives shocking news: Aidan has died in an avalanche. Confronted with grief, newfound single parenthood, and the realization that J.C., Aidan’s climbing partner and best friend, has been in love with her for years, Maddie must swim through her swirling emotions in a quest for understanding.
Across the country, Nicholas Sullivan awakes from a motorcycle accident. Unable to remember any part of his life to this point, he finds that his dreams are haunted by images of a beautiful woman and a young boy. Feeling as though these mysterious people may hold the answers to his own problems, Nicholas is driven to find them. Nicholas’s journey leads him to great discoveries—which not only change his life, but Maddie’s, too.
Poignant, yet ultimately triumphant, THE MEMORY THIEF is a unique and compelling love story that marks Emily Colin as a young author to watch.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
[image error]
EMILY COLIN is the Associate Director of the DREAMS Center For Arts Education, a nationally award-winning nonprofit dedicated to building creative, committed citizens through high-quality arts programming. Prior to DREAMS, she served as Editor-in-Chief of Coastal Carolina Press, and co-founder of Carolina Women’s Partnership. She also works closely with the North Carolina Arts Council. In Though Colin is not a mountain climber—she’s actually afraid of heights—she spent innumerable hours doing research for THE MEMORY THIEF: shadowing Outward Bound instructors as they scaled cliffs in Colorado’s Rifle Canyon, conducting reconnaissance missions in an indoor rock-climbing gym closer to home, and speaking with alpinists who took on Alaska’s Mt. McKinley—and lost. For more information, please visit the author’s website at www.emilycolin.com.
November 1, 2012
GUEST POST WITH AUTHOR, TONY HUBBARD
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What Greek philosopher Hesiod espoused 2,700 years ago remains as true today as it did those many hundreds of years ago.
He said, “Observe due measure, for right timing is in all things the most important factor.”
In writing a novel, as in life, timing is everything.
It was 1994 when I first began writing my debut novel, centered on the premise of a possessed pre-teen boy named Joshua.
Now in 2012, my debut novel, A Demon Lies Within, which tells the story of a nine-year-old boy named Joshua, will be published.
Eighteen years from conception to realization. To some, that would seem like an extraordinary length of time to spend writing a book. But recently in going through the writing and publishing process I’ve realized it makes more sense for this novel to be published in 2012, rather than the mid-1990s.
In 1994, Lexus/Nexus was the big research aid in college libraries. Al Gore’s internet for consumption by society at large was still a year or two away. Through the writing of third iteration of the novel, which began in 2010, I relied heavily on Google searches and Wikipedia to research much of the information that appears in the novel.
Not only has the internet aided in the writing of my novel but it has assisted greatly in the marketing to this point.
A Demon Lies Within has been listed on Netgalley for two months prior to its November 13 launch date.
It was there where Stephen Ormsby, a writer and book reviewer from Australia first saw the book. He was intrigued by the book title and cover image so he read it. He enjoyed A Demon Lies Within so much that led to him posting a five-star review of my book on his blog. After he shared his blog review on Facebook, I noticed that one of his friends ‘liked’ his post. Seeing this, I friend requested her.
Turns out that Joni Lynn Firestone, of Michigan, is a writer as well, her passion is horror fiction, in addition to running a design company. After talking with Joni Lynn, her company is designing/producing the promotional materials for A Demon Lies Within. Now friends with Stephen and Joni Lynn, I see they are friends with international best-selling author Ashley Fontainne, who is from Arkansas. Hoping Ashley notices that we have Stephen and Joni in common as Facebook friends, I friend request her. After she accepts my request I ask if she would read A Demon Lies Within and give a recommendation to use in promoting my book. Reading A Demon Lies Within, she likes my book and has also given it a five-star review.
A writer from Massachusetts has his novel placed on Netgalley for some pre-release exposure and the novel virtually travels to Australia, heads to Michigan before landing in Arkansas. This is a trip that more than likely would not have occurred in the mid-1990’s and has lead to two pre-release five-star reviews and the identification of a top-rate design company to handle the creation of the marketing/promotional materials.
The other large element in play with my novel in 2012 is the ability to get my novel out to the masses through self-publishing. It’s a growing industry and avenue for many writers coming into greater acceptance by the publishing community at this time. That was far from the case 18 years ago.
Ideally, I would have liked to have finished my debut novel in a much shorter timeframe but my attempts in 1994 and in 2000 weren’t at the right time. The proper time for A Demon Lies Within to be released is right now.
See, timing is everything.
TONY HUBBARD
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
[image error]
Tony Hubbard grew up like most boys in Massachusetts during the 1980’s, wanting to emulate basketball star Larry Bird and one day play for the Boston Celtics. Quickly realizing that a future as a professional athlete was something he would not achieve, he did the next best thing – became a sportswriter. As a long-time sportswriter, Tony covered high school, collegiate and professional sports, most notably covering the death of Boston Celtics’ star Reggie Lewis for The Patriot Ledger.
Growing up and reading the works of Edgar Allan Poe and Stephen King, he one day aspired to publish a novel in the horror genre as his ‘writing heroes’ were famous for. After many years away from writing, leaving his professional writing career behind to make a move into the production and advertising side of the publishing business, Tony makes a return with his debut novel. Eighteen years in the making, A Demon Lies Within, releases November 2012 from Two Harbors Press.
A follower of Greek Mythology, he sees himself in the same vein as the Greek God Dionysus, the Greek God of wine, parties/festivals, madness and merriment. Dionysus not only represents the intoxicating power of wine, but also its social and beneficial influences. According to Tony, we should strive to be like Dionysus.
Massachusetts born and bred, Tony has lived all across the state throughout his life. Today he is settled in Dracut with his wife and son.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS AUTHOR
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ADemonLiesWi...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TonyHub
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/sho.....
"A DEMON LIES WITHIN" SYNOPSIS
[image error]
The powers of hell that lie within are very real…
Following his murder, Andrew McMurray finds himself transported to the depths of hell. There he is indoctrinated as an apprentice to a demon master, Sonneillon. Exposing Andrew to the dark reaches of his evil powers, Sonneillon demonstrates a demons’ ability to posses, torment and control the thoughts and actions of the living. Andrew’s ultimate goal following his apprenticeship? Revenge on his wife, Katelyn and young son, Joshua, both of whom he holds responsible for his murder.
As Katelyn rebuilds her life, following her husbands’ death, she meets Michael Gordon, a recent escapee from Corporate America, who has his own troubled, tragic past. As their relationship grows, they realize they share something more than their burgeoning love for one another — the powers of hell have deeply impacted their pasts. Evil continues to insinuate itself into the pair’s lives, bringing with it haunting and unspeakable horrors.
Andrew’s plan of revenge begins to materialize once he inhabits Joshua, having him act out in often violent and disturbing ways. With possession of Joshua’s mind and body complete, will hell’s ultimate evil goals come to pass, or can the local priest of a small Maine town exorcize Father from Son? At stake, doom-laden repercussions for all involved…and perhaps the world as a whole.
What Greek philosopher Hesiod espoused 2,700 years ago remains as true today as it did those many hundreds of years ago.
He said, “Observe due measure, for right timing is in all things the most important factor.”
In writing a novel, as in life, timing is everything.
It was 1994 when I first began writing my debut novel, centered on the premise of a possessed pre-teen boy named Joshua.
Now in 2012, my debut novel, A Demon Lies Within, which tells the story of a nine-year-old boy named Joshua, will be published.
Eighteen years from conception to realization. To some, that would seem like an extraordinary length of time to spend writing a book. But recently in going through the writing and publishing process I’ve realized it makes more sense for this novel to be published in 2012, rather than the mid-1990s.
In 1994, Lexus/Nexus was the big research aid in college libraries. Al Gore’s internet for consumption by society at large was still a year or two away. Through the writing of third iteration of the novel, which began in 2010, I relied heavily on Google searches and Wikipedia to research much of the information that appears in the novel.
Not only has the internet aided in the writing of my novel but it has assisted greatly in the marketing to this point.
A Demon Lies Within has been listed on Netgalley for two months prior to its November 13 launch date.
It was there where Stephen Ormsby, a writer and book reviewer from Australia first saw the book. He was intrigued by the book title and cover image so he read it. He enjoyed A Demon Lies Within so much that led to him posting a five-star review of my book on his blog. After he shared his blog review on Facebook, I noticed that one of his friends ‘liked’ his post. Seeing this, I friend requested her.
Turns out that Joni Lynn Firestone, of Michigan, is a writer as well, her passion is horror fiction, in addition to running a design company. After talking with Joni Lynn, her company is designing/producing the promotional materials for A Demon Lies Within. Now friends with Stephen and Joni Lynn, I see they are friends with international best-selling author Ashley Fontainne, who is from Arkansas. Hoping Ashley notices that we have Stephen and Joni in common as Facebook friends, I friend request her. After she accepts my request I ask if she would read A Demon Lies Within and give a recommendation to use in promoting my book. Reading A Demon Lies Within, she likes my book and has also given it a five-star review.
A writer from Massachusetts has his novel placed on Netgalley for some pre-release exposure and the novel virtually travels to Australia, heads to Michigan before landing in Arkansas. This is a trip that more than likely would not have occurred in the mid-1990’s and has lead to two pre-release five-star reviews and the identification of a top-rate design company to handle the creation of the marketing/promotional materials.
The other large element in play with my novel in 2012 is the ability to get my novel out to the masses through self-publishing. It’s a growing industry and avenue for many writers coming into greater acceptance by the publishing community at this time. That was far from the case 18 years ago.
Ideally, I would have liked to have finished my debut novel in a much shorter timeframe but my attempts in 1994 and in 2000 weren’t at the right time. The proper time for A Demon Lies Within to be released is right now.
See, timing is everything.
TONY HUBBARD
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
[image error]
Tony Hubbard grew up like most boys in Massachusetts during the 1980’s, wanting to emulate basketball star Larry Bird and one day play for the Boston Celtics. Quickly realizing that a future as a professional athlete was something he would not achieve, he did the next best thing – became a sportswriter. As a long-time sportswriter, Tony covered high school, collegiate and professional sports, most notably covering the death of Boston Celtics’ star Reggie Lewis for The Patriot Ledger.
Growing up and reading the works of Edgar Allan Poe and Stephen King, he one day aspired to publish a novel in the horror genre as his ‘writing heroes’ were famous for. After many years away from writing, leaving his professional writing career behind to make a move into the production and advertising side of the publishing business, Tony makes a return with his debut novel. Eighteen years in the making, A Demon Lies Within, releases November 2012 from Two Harbors Press.
A follower of Greek Mythology, he sees himself in the same vein as the Greek God Dionysus, the Greek God of wine, parties/festivals, madness and merriment. Dionysus not only represents the intoxicating power of wine, but also its social and beneficial influences. According to Tony, we should strive to be like Dionysus.
Massachusetts born and bred, Tony has lived all across the state throughout his life. Today he is settled in Dracut with his wife and son.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS AUTHOR
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ADemonLiesWi...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TonyHub
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/sho.....
"A DEMON LIES WITHIN" SYNOPSIS
[image error]
The powers of hell that lie within are very real…
Following his murder, Andrew McMurray finds himself transported to the depths of hell. There he is indoctrinated as an apprentice to a demon master, Sonneillon. Exposing Andrew to the dark reaches of his evil powers, Sonneillon demonstrates a demons’ ability to posses, torment and control the thoughts and actions of the living. Andrew’s ultimate goal following his apprenticeship? Revenge on his wife, Katelyn and young son, Joshua, both of whom he holds responsible for his murder.
As Katelyn rebuilds her life, following her husbands’ death, she meets Michael Gordon, a recent escapee from Corporate America, who has his own troubled, tragic past. As their relationship grows, they realize they share something more than their burgeoning love for one another — the powers of hell have deeply impacted their pasts. Evil continues to insinuate itself into the pair’s lives, bringing with it haunting and unspeakable horrors.
Andrew’s plan of revenge begins to materialize once he inhabits Joshua, having him act out in often violent and disturbing ways. With possession of Joshua’s mind and body complete, will hell’s ultimate evil goals come to pass, or can the local priest of a small Maine town exorcize Father from Son? At stake, doom-laden repercussions for all involved…and perhaps the world as a whole.
October 29, 2012
GUEST POST WITH AUTHOR, H. DAVID BLALOCK (SEVENTH STAR PRESS)
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Synopsis of Traitor Angel:
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In Traitor Angel, the second book of the Angelkiller Triad, the war between The Army of Light and The Enemy continues behind the scenes. Unknown to the general population, the battle for control of humanity is heating up.
[image error]
Jonah Mason, called Angelkiller, faces more than one decision. His Army resistance cell is wounded physically and emotionally, on the brink of falling apart. The mysterious allies calling themselves Knights are pressuring him to abandon his people. Meanwhile, the world outside draws closer to Armageddon.
[image error]
As Mason and his friends pursue their campaign against Dorian Azrael's global megacorporation, Andlat Enterprises, the stakes get higher with each desperate foray into the enemy's computers. They are fated to lose one of their number and gain an unlikely ally, but any advantage they gain could be fleeting at best.
If they fail, it could mean the end of The Army and all resistance to the forces of Darkness.
About the Author:
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H. David Blalock has been writing speculative fiction for nearly 40 years. His work has appeared in print and online in over three dozen publications, spanning every format from short stories to novels, non-fiction articles to screenplays. He is also editor of _parABnormal Digest_ for Sam's Dot Publishing. To find out more visit his website at www.thrankeep.com.
Synopsis of Traitor Angel:
[image error]
In Traitor Angel, the second book of the Angelkiller Triad, the war between The Army of Light and The Enemy continues behind the scenes. Unknown to the general population, the battle for control of humanity is heating up.
[image error]
Jonah Mason, called Angelkiller, faces more than one decision. His Army resistance cell is wounded physically and emotionally, on the brink of falling apart. The mysterious allies calling themselves Knights are pressuring him to abandon his people. Meanwhile, the world outside draws closer to Armageddon.
[image error]
As Mason and his friends pursue their campaign against Dorian Azrael's global megacorporation, Andlat Enterprises, the stakes get higher with each desperate foray into the enemy's computers. They are fated to lose one of their number and gain an unlikely ally, but any advantage they gain could be fleeting at best.
If they fail, it could mean the end of The Army and all resistance to the forces of Darkness.
About the Author:
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H. David Blalock has been writing speculative fiction for nearly 40 years. His work has appeared in print and online in over three dozen publications, spanning every format from short stories to novels, non-fiction articles to screenplays. He is also editor of _parABnormal Digest_ for Sam's Dot Publishing. To find out more visit his website at www.thrankeep.com.
