Toi Thomas's Blog, page 101

ToiBox Blog Weekly Recap 9/7/13

Check out my Recent Posts links to see what I was up to last week.

I started out the week with Sample Sunday 10- Eternal Curse: Battleground chapter 2

I celebrated Labor Day.

I offered a bit of lit, fashion, and social commentary with Mira’s Closet: 9/2/13.

I added to my Character Files a biography of Michael.

I reviewed Embrace by Stacey Rouke.

I talked about a day in My Life and the end of Summer and then…

I interviewed author Andrew Hess.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: author, biography, blessings, blogging, books, character, culture, discussion, entertainment, fashion, geek, interviews, journal, life, likes, lists, reading, reviews, sample, wip

Andrew Hess Interview

The Eternal Curse Series Blog Presents an interview with author: Andrew Hess.

image provided by author

I grew up in Lindenhurst, NY and spent most of my life there with the exception of five years in the New Paltz Poughkeepsie area.  I studied Psychology for two years at New Paltz which has helped me understand character dynamics in strangers, friends, family members, and now characters within my stories.  Since then, I have been very passionate about my writing in hopes that it inspires others to become writers.

I’ve never heard of New Paltz; sounds quaint. Thanks, I always enjoy learning something new and I’m excited to see what kind of character insight you might be sharing with us today.

image provided by author

The Phoenix Blade: Project Justice is the start of a four part series.  It starts off with three friends that joke about getting rid of all the evil people in the world.  But like the old saying goes; be careful what you wish for.  In this case, the group gets a phone call from someone claiming to work for the US government; telling the group they have two options; be arrested for conspiracy and treason, or work covertly for a new branch of military within the government designed to eliminate high powered criminals.

What! That sounds crazy (in the best possible way). I’m in. Need more info.

So who’s starring is this 2 dimensional script read of The Phoenix Blade?

Andrew Lancaster is a college man in his early twenties.  He moved to Buffalo, NY to escape his father and nagging step-mother because of how easily they tried to replace his mother after her death; in which Andrew believed she was murdered.  He is determined to uncover the truth at all cost; which is difficult when each decision he makes impacts the lives of his best friend (Mike) and the woman he’s in love with (Lilly).

On top of everything else, you’ve thrown in some family drama. I love it. Sounds like you have a real page turner here. This is just the kind of book that does well in niche market and then expands.

Past, present, future, is there a rhyme or reason to your writing?

I am usually sitting up in my bed when I’m typing away on the computer.  It’s where I feel the most comfortable and have everything I need surrounding me.  Most of the time, I write with the TV on to provide just some background noise.  On occasion, I will turn on some music and keep it on shuffle just so the music is spontaneous.

I am working on a few other projects.  The first is writing a movie script for The Phoenix Blade.  Everyone tells me they can see it being a movie, so I wanted to try my hand at getting a producer to look at it.  I am also working on re-writing the second book in The Phoenix Blade series and putting together a detective series that takes place in the upstate New York area.

I type in bed too. It is very comfortable there. I don’t know about the background noise, but hey, if it works for you. Glad to know you’re pursuing a movie from this, I really think you have a shot.

What author(s) has most influenced your writing? Why or how? 

I tend to surprise people with this answer.  The first author that influenced my writing was James Patterson because of his attention to detail and gripping stories.  He’s had tremendous success with the Alex Cross books.  The second author was Edgar Allen Poe.  Poe had a unique grasp on exciting his readers with heart pounding thrillers.  The way he worded his stories and poems were unique and made the reader feel like they were there instead of just reading along.  I figured why not try to combine the two styles of writing into one.

Not a bad idea. If your work really is a combination of Patterson and Poe, I expect to be seeing more from you in no time. I too appreciate the way Poe pulls you into his work.

Whose brain are you just itching to scratch?

I would have to say Edgar Allen Poe.  I would love to know how he came up with such gripping heart pounding stories and to know his true meaning behind each of them.

I can’t image being able to talk to Edgar Allen Poe. It would seem surreal, but there would definitely be something there to gain from a literary point of view and also as a human creature of observation.

Who is so you and why?

For just my looks, I’ve been compared to Jack Osbourne and also Harry Potter.  The Harry Potter one I never understood.  I guess it’s because at the time I wore glasses every day.  The Jack Osborne one I see because of my style and the way my hair gets when I let it grow out too much.

People see what they want to see. In the comparative world in which we live, I think these comparisons are pretty good.

What’s your ideal reading spot for your next highly anticipated read?

This is difficult for me, because I don’t get to read too often.  When I do read, I like to curl up in bed, again with the TV on as background noise, and dive right into the book.  I prefer reading paperback because it’s easier to hold and read.  I tried ebooks, but use them mostly when traveling.  The books that I get really excited about are mysteries and thrillers because I always want to figure out who did what and why before reaching the end.

I know what you mean about mysteries and thrillers. For some reason I have more trouble figuring out “who done it” in books than in movies. I like that though. If I read a mystery and figure it out too early, I want my money back…my expectations aren’t so high with movies.

What was your favorite book or story, pre-teen years? 

Amazon.com

I would have to say Indian in the Cupboard.  It was something different and unique.  It was a story about a kid who put his toys in this apparently magical cupboard and brought them to life.  I think every kid that read it wished they had a magical cupboard at that time.

Ditto! I think I did everything imaginable, even praying, hoping my toys would come to life. So instead, I decided to stay a kid and have kept my toys around to play with whenever…

To see more of this interview, visit the Eternal Curse Series Blog. For more information about this author, Andrew Hess, please visit the links below.

Website: Andrew Hess

Blog: Writer’s Revolution, The Phoenix Exposition

Facebook(s): Andrew Hess, The Phoenix Blade

Twitter: @Iamphoenix1

Purchase links for The Phoenix Blade: Amazon

*Special offer* The Phoenix Blade will be available free on Kindle from Sept. 6 – Sept. 9, ’2013. Get your copy and spread the word.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: Interviews Tagged: author, books, character, ebook, fiction, geek, gratitude, interviews, life, links, movies, music, process, reading, try this, writing

A Day in My Life: Aug. ’13-End of Summer

8/31/2013

My sister and her husband started a tradition a while back that has become a bit of a social event amongst their circle of influence. It’s called the Love Jones Luau. It’s an end of the summer party that happens every year the Saturday of Labor Day weekend. Everyone brings something and people just gather around to chat, eat, play games, and more. For some reason, I’ve never been able to make it from the beginning to the end of one of these events, but I always have a good time regardless of how long I’m there.

Every day I word to be a more social person, so I’m truly grateful for events like this. Can’t wait for next year!

         

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: About Me Tagged: biography, family, holiday, life, social interaction, tradition

Review 17: Embrace by Stacey Rouke

Embrace (The Gryphon Series, book 2) by Stacey Rourke

I give this book a 5.

This second installment of the Gryphon Series was so good; I’m still kicking myself for taking so long to finish it and even longer to review it. I had to go back and refresh myself on the story because so much time had passed, but life happens and things don’t always work out the way you want, something the heroine of this story knows all too well.

Celeste is busy going to school, working a job, training and fighting demons, and being a loving family member. So why would romance even be on her mind? Maybe because she purred at a guy, yea. The underworld has a new leader and a new battle is starting. In the midst of this, apparently, romance is in the air and not just with her…Oh and she has a whole new set of powers that are driving her crazy as well as new “friends” to help or hurt her cause.

I like that this book started right where the other ended and didn’t waste a lot of time trying to catch the reader up on what happened in the first book. I get the feeling however, that even if I hadn’t read the first book, I would still have been entertained by this one.  I like the Garret family more and more. Even with all their powers they are still just an average family doing the best they can, but the battle with evil is beginning to take its toll in this tight-knit group. The punches, the laughs, and the tears keep on rolling in this series. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

See my review of book 1 in this series: The Conduit.

This review has been posted to GoodReads.

If you’d like to obtain a copy of this book, try these links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

 

Filed under: Reviews Tagged: books, character, contemporary fiction, demons, drama, ebook, family, fantasy, fiction, friends, humor, reading, reviews, romance, try this, war, YA

Character Files from the ToiBox 25: Michael- Bio

 

Biography:  Subject EC:B 5-Michael

Michael is just another human struggling to understand this world of mixed species and supernatural powers, but it all means a little more to him. Michael is the grandson of Leo and grows up to take on his responsibility of looking after the estate and finances of the late Abraham’s beneficiary.

Michael is born and raised in Whittletown and spends much of life tip-toeing the line of two worlds much like Tori does. The main difference between Michael and Tori’s experience growing up, is that Tori is actually apart of dual world while Michael can only see and experience bits and pieces of the world Tori lives in.

It doesn’t take long to learn that Michael adores Tori from a very early age, but she’s young and has so much more on her mind. There is a brief time in their collective youth when Michael, Tori, and Sheldon are able to be great friends and a comfort to one another as they all learn their places in this dual existence.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: Character Files, EC: Battleground Tagged: angels, character, demons, fiction, profile, spec-fic

Mira’s Closet: 9/2/13

Mira’s no fashionista, but she definitely has her own sense of style…

And now here’s an update on just that.

First an observation: Fashion is much more cultural then I realized. People all over the world are being influenced by others through the World Wide Web, but some traditions just never seem to fade away and I like it (most of the time). Not all stereotypes are bad, some are simply representative of a culture. Not all women in “the south” of the plains region of the U.S. have big hair, but a lot of them do. Not all black women (African American if care to be P.C.) where big hoop earrings, but a lot do. I personally adore my hoop earrings (of a modest size). Everyday fashion becomes more and more an artistic expression of one ‘s personality, culture, and out look on life. I love it.

Now here are some style tips from

my own personal fashion guru, trainer, and my physical inspiration for Mira.

From the Daily Dish 8-26-13 comfort, denim, accessorizing

images provided by Tori Jones

If you like this, be sure to stop by Tori’s Fashionplate to see what else she has to share and don’t be afraid to leave comments and ask questions.

For more on style and fashion check out:

Celebrity Trends at WhoWhatWear: http://www.whowhatwear.com/

Fashion Medley: http://thefashionmedley.com/ (content advisory)

A Beautiful Mess: http://www.abeautifulmess.com/

My Style Pinboard: http://pinterest.com/toinette_thomas/my-style/

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: Mira's Closet Tagged: accessorizing, comfort, culture, denim, fashion, life, links, try this

Happy Labor Day U.S.A.

Today we honor the laborers, or maybe the labors associations, or maybe the contributions of labor to the economic system…huh…well, at least I get to eat hot dogs and watch fireworks.

Seriously, I know why, as a nation, we started celebrating Labor Day, but in all honesty, it’s the mark of summer’s end now. I do make an effort the reflect on the true purpose of the holiday, but I’m so preoccupied with my last of summer vacation.

To everyone else in the world, I hope you’re having a wonderful day.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: holiday, life

Sample Sunday 10

Here is approximately 100 – 150 words from a randomly selected original piece for your enjoyment. These samples may include excerpts from my Eternal Curse Series, but will currently exclude excerpts from EC: Giovanni’s Angel. Please visit the ECS blog to read samples from that installment of the series.

Eternal Curse: Battleground chapter 2(wip)

By this time, Jack was an old man, but he was still very strong and fit. Standing six fit tall with a perfectly straight back, he looked like a stone cutout of an old military officer. Even with his grey hair and wrinkled skin he was quite a sight. He leaned over to my ear with his hand rested on my shoulder. “You say the word…I’ve got them all within my trajectory. I’ll take’em all out for you?” he reported.

I swiftly turned in front of him recognizing the sincerity of his tone and put out my hands to address him. “No, that won’t be necessary. You don’t need to take anyone out, but I’d love some help and moral support.” I tilted my head to one side making the most innocent face I could.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: EC: Battleground, Samples Tagged: angels, demons, family, fiction, spec-fic, war, wip

Spiritual Warfare by Dr. Sheila C. Carpenter

image provided by author

Title: Spiritual Warfare

Author: Dr. Sheila C. Carpenter

Publisher: Carpenter’s Press & Media, Inc.

Reading Level: Adult

Genre: Christian Fiction, Spiritual

Content Rating: PG

Formats:  Hardcover, Ebook

Pages: 274

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Blub provided by author

Four Midwestern families and a local congregation are about to embark in life-changing Spiritual Warfare. But are they spiritually and emotionally prepared for battle? God sends His head angel Ashshod to lead a host of angels to stop Satan from destroying His people. But Satan has plans of his own and sends Greed and his imps to kill and destroy whoever gets in the way. The angels must put on the whole armor of God to help protect all of God’s people if they want to stop Satan from getting the job done. Will good prevail? Or will the unthinkable happen? “Spiritual Warfare” is a thrilling page-turner that reminds us that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:12)

About The Author

Dr. Sheila C. Carpenter is the Executive Chief Officer of Carpenter’s Press & Media, Inc. a Christian company that spreads the Unadulterated Gospel of Jesus Christ through books, media and video games.

Dr. Carpenter provides Psychological Therapy services to inner-city youth and adults; she also serves as a mediator and rape counselor. She has studied in Egypt and done missionary work in Japan. Dr. Carpenter’s books include, Forgive Me, and she is the award winner of The Christian Walk: The Struggle to Remain On The Path.” – www.carpenterspress.com

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: Guest Posts Tagged: angels, author, books, demons, fiction, guest post, promotion, reading, try this, war

Count Your Blessings 03

Time

Does time really exist or is it simply a manifestation of man’s desire to calculate and control the world in which we live?…uuhhhh whatever.

I’m grateful for my clocks, my watches, my schedules, and my calendars. Time is on my side as long as I don’t waste it. I’m blessed to have a concept of time. I know I won’t live forever and though I don’t know when my time will be up, I grateful to have a concept that lets me plan ahead just in case.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: Blessings Tagged: blessings, gratitude, life, time