Toi Thomas's Blog, page 110

Review 14: A Kettle of Fish

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A Kettle of Fish is the right title for this book, for when 17 year-old Ailsa questions the unknowns of her past she steps into a bigger kettle of fish than she bargained for. Harsh and gritty, but at the same time lyrical, Ali Bacon’s story of a young girl searching for answers reveals the hidden consequences of people’s actions.
Those directly involved in Ailsa’s life withhold information and keep secrets. Though none wish to harm her, the repercussions for Ailsa are huge. Bacon shows that actions, perhaps intended to protect, ripple from the center to impact those on the periphery. Hurts multiply and grow when secrets are kept.
How is Ailsa to find her way when so much that impacts her life is a mystery? She’s a gutsy girl. Taking care of her ill mother, working her way through the intricacies of relationships, making life impacting decisions about her education and her future, and trying to solve the mysteries around her will have readers anxious for Aisla’s welfare and rooting for her.
The story is set in Scotland. North American readers will find some unfamiliar vocabulary. That doesn’t detract from the story. In fact I found it to be enriching.
~If you like what you see here, be sure to check out this selection. If you like Darlene’s review style, just imagine how much you’ll like her writing. Learn more about her and her writing at www.emandyves.com...Be sure to come back tomorrow to get a preview of Darlene Jones’s EMBRACED.

6 Sentence Sunday 22

This is a weekly meme hosted and originated by 6 Sentence Sunday. Eternal Curse: Giovanni’s Angel -6 sentences from chapter 23.
Just as Giovanni was lowering himself into the seat of his car, an immense shock overwhelmed his mind and overcame his entire body. A sharp pain shot straight through his right leg as he fell down to his knees, leaning halfway into the car. Giovanni thought to himself, “Something is terribly wrong!” as he struggled to stand up using the open car door as a crutch.
Painfully, Giovanni focused all his mental concentration on releasing himself from the physical paralysis he suffered, caused by the sensations of panic and loss that rushed into his mind. “It is Mira and so many others,” he thought again to himself. “They are all in so much pain…
To participate, pick six (6) sentences from anything you like (it can be from a Work in Progress (WiP), something you recently sold, something you hope to sell or even something already under contract and available for purchase – and don’t worry, Six Sentence Sunday is for published AND unpublished writers ). Then post them on your blog on Sunday. That’s all there is to it!
Posts are for bloggers only, but comments are open to all. Please post a link back to Six Sunday, the “anchor” site, to let people know where you heard about the idea. You are not required to list the week’s posters on your post…And don’t be afraid to share the love by adding the hashtag #sixsunday to your tweets about Six Sentence Sunday. You can follow the official Six Sentence Sunday twitter at: https://twitter.com/6_Sunday.
*The informative content listed above was taken directly from the 6 Sentence Sunday website with a few paraphrases for ease of viewing and reading. Please review their FAQs for more details.

6 Sentence Sunday 21

This is a weekly meme hosted and originated by 6 Sentence Sunday. Eternal Curse: Giovanni’s Angel -6 sentences from chapter 22.
Then he headed back to the kitchen, where Mira taught him how to make baked apples with crumbly topping.
Giovanni was quite surprised by how much fun he seemed to have learning to cook. He became somber for only a moment when he thought of Abraham, but then he realized that Abraham would have been happy for him. Mira laughed immensely watching Giovanni try to cut up small pieces of fruit and crush nuts with his large clumsy hands. She was tickled by the intensity in which Giovanni watched the oven timer in anticipation, to see if his baked apples came out as pretty as hers. He was a much better gardener than he was a cook, but Mira loved him for trying, and he loved her for wanting to teach him.
To participate, pick six (6) sentences from anything you like (it can be from a Work in Progress (WiP), something you recently sold, something you hope to sell or even something already under contract and available for purchase – and don’t worry, Six Sentence Sunday is for published AND unpublished writers ). Then post them on your blog on Sunday. That’s all there is to it!
Posts are for bloggers only, but comments are open to all. Please post a link back to Six Sunday, the “anchor” site, to let people know where you heard about the idea. You are not required to list the week’s posters on your post…And don’t be afraid to share the love by adding the hashtag #sixsunday to your tweets about Six Sentence Sunday. You can follow the official Six Sentence Sunday twitter at: https://twitter.com/6_Sunday.
*The informative content listed above was taken directly from the 6 Sentence Sunday website with a few paraphrases for ease of viewing and reading. Please review their FAQs for more details.

Interview 16: Karen Ingalls

Greetings humans, half-breeds, and everything in between. A while back, I had the pleasure to interview my new friend, Karen Ingalls. She is visiting the ECS as a guest and sharing loads of interesting insights into her work. Be sure to look around and see what she has to offer. Here are the results of our interview. A good time was truly had by all, and here’s how it went down.

Hi there Karen! It’s so awesome to have you here at the ECS Universe. Don’t worry about the darkness, your eyes will adjust.
 So tell me, who is Karen Ingalls?
I am a retired registered nurse, an aspiring writer, and a four-year ovarian cancer survivor. My hobbies are writing, gardening, golfing, and reading.  As a nurse I worked mainly in epilepsy and hospice. For over twenty years I had my own nursing service called Kare ‘N Touch, where I provided counseling, biofeedback, stress management, and therapeutic massage. I love to laugh, play games, and go into my world while I write my stories, blogs, and poetry.
You have done and been through so much in your life that I’m certain this will be a riveting interview. I am so looking forward to all that you have to share.
So whacha got for me today? My book Outshine: An Ovarian Cancer Memoir is about my personal, medical, and spiritual journey with this too often deadly disease. I share about the subtle or whispering symptoms, risk factors and statistics for this cancer. I also share about my struggles and triumphs; how humor, family and friends, nutrition, exercise, meditation, and my faith in God helped me to face this life-changing challenge. These are the same tools or methods I used to face other challenges in my life such as divorce, sexual abuse, alcoholic parents, and untimely deaths of significant people.
I can already tell that this is a very powerful book and not just because the content is so sensitive and tragic. More and more people every day are having to deal with some form of cancer in one way or another, myself included. A book like this is sometimes the one thing that makes a difference in that rough journey.
 So who’s starring is this 2 dimensional script read of Outshine…?
I am the star of the book! Yet, my co-stars (husband, family, friends, and even some strangers) are the real stars. They helped me to outshine this health challenge.
I really like this answer. You express so much humility, compassion, and wisdom in very few words. I can already sense the inspiration that surely follows the reading of this book.
 Past, present, future, is there a rhyme or reason to your writing? My favorite place to write is one of two coffee shops where I can drink chai tea, listen to The Canadian Tenors, Il Volo, or Il Divo with earphones, and enjoy the relaxing ambience. Unfortunately I do not do that as often as I would like. So, my second place is in my new home office where I enjoy a glass of iced tea, earphones, and looking out at the lake.  I keep a hand written chart of the chapters, the characters and a timeline, which I transfer to a spreadsheet. I have one completed novel that will go to my editor in January. My second novel is a prequel to the first and is one-third of the way done.
Comfy and concise, I like your style of writing. I think comfort is important when it comes to writing although there are those who believe that being too comfortable blocks creativity with complacency. I’ll be watching out to learn more about your novels to come.
What author(s) has most influenced your writing? Why or how? My two novels are historical biographies, so I am influenced by the writings of James Michener. I love his books and have read every one of them. Even though I have not taken any formal writing classes, I know what style of writing I like. I am not as descriptive of scenes as Mr. Michener was, but I do use a lot of conversation and try to have the characters’ emotions described so the reader can “feel” the character.
I must admit I haven’t read Michener, but I am familiar with his work. You are a true fan if you’ve read all his works; there are so many. I like descriptive writing when it adds to the story, but sometime too much description seems to take away from the message of a tale. I like that you consider your writing to be more conversational.
 Whose brain are you just itching to scratch?
The first person that comes to mind is Albert Schweitzer. I first began reading about him in the early 1950’s and I immediately felt a connection to him. I have read biographies and autobiographies, but would love to still just sit and converse with him. He was a fascinating man.
I don’t know much about Schweitzer other than he had some very strong ideas about Christianity and that he won a Nobel Prize. I guess this is good a time as any to find out more about him.
Who is so you and why? This was a difficult question to answer, but I finally decided on the character Mary from “It’s A Wonderful Life.” Like her, I love my husband unconditionally; I would not have cared that I would fall into the pool at the high school dance damaging my dress and hair style; I have always done everything I could to help and be supportive of my husband, family, and friends; I could see myself rallying friends and neighbors to contribute money as she did; and I have always been there for my children, even as adults with families of their own. Like her I tend to face problems or issues with calmness and strength, which is evident in my book Outshine: An Ovarian Cancer Memoir.
Is it wrong of me to think, “Aww! How sweet?” I think it’s great that you relate to such a wholesome character. Anyone who knows and appreciates that movie has a soft spot for Mary. She’s the wife and mother most women would want to be if the world were a much simpler place.
What’s your ideal reading spot for your next highly anticipated read? My big, overstuffed, and comfy chair with its footstool is my favorite chair for reading. I will have either a glass of iced tea or white wine (depending on the time of day), and total quiet. I prefer “real” books, but have succumbed to an e-book, because we have little space for books in our home, it without difficulty fits into my purse, it is lighter than many books, and easier to hold. I am anxious to read “Killing Kennedy” after reading “Killing Lincoln,” which was so interesting and well written.
On a slight and yet related tangent, isn’t is weird how Abraham Lincoln has become so popular lately? It almost sounds silly to say that he’s chic right now, but better him than some other undeserving pop icon ( For more on Lincoln’s fad status, check out : a review of Killing Lincoln the movie, the page for the award winning movie Lincoln , and even the page for the cultish Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter ).
Now that that’s out of my system, your chair does sound really comfy. Like you, I’ve come to embrace my e-reader for economic reasons, but I still enjoy paper books and even a audio now and then.
What was your favorite book or story, pre-teen years? A book about a horse called “Drinkers of the Wind.”As a teenager, it was Desiree, by Selinko. I just re-read it this past spring and loved it again.             
I’m familiar with Desiree, but I’ve never read it. Looking into its history has me intrigued, and I love the latest cover it has been released with. It’s clear that even early in your life that you had a love for history, biographies, and stories of strength…Now this is where the questions get a little kooky; are you ready?
Sure thing.
Alright then, here we go.
If you could only watch one movie for the rest of your life, what would it be? I LOVE the movie “Ordinary People.” The acting and directing is superb. Each time I see it, I get something else out of it. It is such a powerful story.
This is a good movie with a lot of emotion. I don’t know if I could watch it over and over again, but every person’s personality is different. I do think that What makes you geek out?
I love to play golf. I love being outside; the challenge to do better each time; my score is mine alone and not dependent on anyone else; and most golfers are friendly and honest. There are dress codes and rules of behavior that are enforced.

Golf, like many sports, is a game I just don’t get. I’m not very competitive when it comes to sports, so I guess that takes the fun of most of it. I go to the driving range sometimes just to hit the balls as hard and as far as I can, but that’s the extent of my golf play. I do watch it sometimes to calm my mind. I can definitely see how this is more of a mental sport than a physical one.
 So what’s testing your patience right now?
“Anna Karenina” was just released and I am anxious to see it. I hope it does justice to the book, which is a masterpiece.
This is a great story and with great stories, Hollywood always falls short, but sometimes they manage not to ruin it. I haven’t seen this yet, but I’ve heard good things…The truth is, even when Hollywood is on the right path and has all the best intentions, the movie is never as good as the book, but that doesn’t excuse as bad movie. I hope this is good too. It looks really good.
BTW- I love your answer. It’s simple and personal. It lets me and my readers get to know you better.
When the soundtrack of your life is playing in your head, what songs express your glee and what songs bring out your rage? I love the songs of Johnny Mathis, Nat King Cole, and any Joplin ragtime music. I also love the classics of Mozart, Beethoven, and Rachmaninoff. I do not like jazz, hard rock (Rolling Stones, etc), which do make me feel negative or angry. It is like listening to fingernails go down a blackboard.
Wow! I love this question and the array of answers I’ve gotten from it. There is no right or wrong answer here.
I must admit that you are the first, on this blog,  to turn a nose up at the Rolling Stones, but I can’t be hold a grudge on anyone who appreciates Nat King Cole and Mozart. To each his own, I always say. I’m a lover of all music, but you don’t have to be…
Thanks for letting me get to know you better in this way. I think music says a lot about a person: good, bad, and otherwise. 
What’s the most fun experience you’ve ever had, to date? Our trip to Costa Rica was wonderful. It was my 65thbirthday and I challenged myself to go zip-lining and white water rafting…FUN. In Costa Rica we were surrounded with kind people, great food, and beautiful scenery.
It sounds like that was a great trip. I hope to do some real traveling one day. I’m glad that you haven’t let life and obstacles get in the way of you living life and having fun.
 Remind me again how I was lucky enough to meet you?
I met you through the LinkedIn site, Book Marketing.
Every time I get to this answer it reminds that no matter how frustrated I get with technology sometimes, it’s good to have it. Without it, I wouldn’t have been able to meet all these wonderful author to experience and share their stories.
Not that you can see into the future, but in your opinion, what does the future hold?
I have genuine concerns about the future of this world, which I think is typical of each generation as it ages. I remember my grandparents expressing concern because how music, literature, politics, education, dress, etc. had changed since they raised their kids in the early 1900’s. Then when my parents were in their 70’s and 80’s they shared the same fears by saying, “I don’t know what this world is coming to.” There were too many drugs, wrong music, world dictators, poor education, seductive or classless attire, etc. Now, I find myself doing the same. I guess since we lived through whatever world and national problems relatively unscathed, we look back on those times with kinder memories. I pray daily for peace and goodwill in the world. I have a hard time understanding why people cannot live by the Golden Rule. I am a dreamer, of which I think the world needs more.
In 5 years I pray that my life will be much like it is now. I am healthy and active with a loving husband and family.
Ok humans, half-breeds, and everything in between, that’s all for today. Be sure to follow this blog to see who will be visiting next time. For more from Karen Ingalls, check out these great links:http://twitter.com/KarenIngalls1http://www.outshineovariancancer.comhttp://www.facebook.com/pages/Outshine-An-Ovarian-Cancer-Memoir/352268571461383http://www.linkin.com/pub/karen-ingalls/37/509/ba8http://goodreads.com/kareningalls http://www.outshineovariancancer.blogspot.com

~Karen Ingalls’s book  Outshine: An Ovarian Cancer Memoir will be available at a 40% discountfrom Wednesday March 6 thru Wednesday March 13. Visit BeaversPondBooks.com and type the word "Outshine" in the coupon box. Enjoy!

Guest Post 14: Karen Ingalls

 I traveled to the northern part of the U.S.A. to do a book reading/signing at a Barnes & Noble bookstore for Outshine: An Ovarian Cancer Memoir, and to seek future opportunities to spread the word about ovarian cancer. The audience consisted mainly of friends, but four strangers were there because of God’s plan or purpose. One woman read about the event in the newspaper, which had a two-sentence announcement. She was a 14year, Stage III or IV survivor. “When I was diagnosed, I didn’t think I’d see another Christmas.” We talked for a while then hugged each other knowing we were sisters doing what we could to help other women.
There was a woman in the front row sitting alone. Each time I looked in her direction, her eyes were on me and with a beautiful smile on her face. While I signed a book, I learned that she came to get information for her neighbor, who was recently diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Her neighbor did not feel well enough to come, so this young lady gave her neighbor the gifts of kindness, generosity, and time. God bless them both.
“Please sign my book for a dear friend who has ovarian cancer. She planned on coming herself, but was unable to,” were the words from a smiling elderly lady. When I handed a book to her I noticed a brace on her left wrist. I gently placed my hand on it, and she said, “Oh, my husband has Alzheimer’s and he….” I wrapped my arms around her and told her that she was an angel, because she helped people in need; her friend and her husband.
The third lady, named Jane, was in Barnes & Noble to buy some books to read on her trip to Ireland the next day. While she browsed the shelves, she heard my voice over the microphone, and being drawn to the subject she stood in the back and listened. She bought the last copy of my book at the store. She pulled a photograph out of her purse and said, “Here is a picture of me and my mother. She died 4 months ago from ovarian cancer.” Tears rolled down her cheeks and she shared how much she missed her mother. We were once two strangers, but now new friends. Just listening to her talk about her mother, my shoulder to cry on, and my arms around her appeared to be all she needed right then.
There is no doubt in my mind that God led each of these women to be at that particular bookstore that night and at that time. I will never be able to thank God enough for bringing them into my life. They each demonstrated different ways God works through each of us. Often we call it serendipity. Thank you, God.
~What another powerful message from a very special woman and author. To learn more about Karen Ingalls visit the following links:
http://twitter.com/KarenIngalls1http://www.outshineovariancancer.comhttp://www.facebook.com/pages/Outshine-An-Ovarian-Cancer-Memoir/352268571461383http://www.linkin.com/pub/karen-ingalls/37/509/ba8http://goodreads.com/kareningallshttp://www.outshineovariancancer.blogspot.com
Be sure to return tomorrow for more words of inspiration as I interview Karen Ingalls. You’ll have a chance to take advantage of a very special offer.
Karen Ingalls’s book  Outshine: An Ovarian Cancer Memoir will be available at a 40% discount from Wednesday March 6 thru Wednesday March 16. Visit BeaversPondBooks.com and type the word "Outshine" in the coupon box. Enjoy!
 

Guest Post 13: Karen Ingalls

I have incorporated writing and journaling into my daily life since I was a preteen. They were some of the things I found helpful when I faced sexual abuse, divorce, alcoholic parents, untimely deaths, and then my diagnosis of ovarian cancer. My journal became a book, Outshine: An Ovarian Cancer Memoir [Amazon link], once I realized there were so few books about this too often deadly disease. I wanted to offer women information and inspiration.

When I heard the words, “You have cancer,” I reacted with fear and anger, like most people probably do. Two days after hearing those fateful words, I began to tap into those resources that I have always used to not only live my daily life, but also to face the different challenges outlined above. I immediately began journaling on an almost daily basis; followed a diet highly recommended for cancer patients; practiced meditation daily; exercised; surrounded myself with positive thinking and humor; welcomed the love and support from family and friends; and most importantly, put my faith in God.
 I am a registered nurse, yet even I misunderstood the subtle or whispering symptoms I was experiencing. What post-menopausal woman does not have a bloating abdomen? How many women experience an urgency or frequency to urinate? Is that pain in my abdomen due to a strain, or pre-menstrual sign, constipation or gas, or is it actually due to the low back? Yes, these are some of the common symptoms in addition to spotting of blood, excessive fatigue, changes in appetite, and painful intercourse. The recommendation is that if these symptoms persist more than 2 weeks, the woman should seek medical evaluation; and surgery and treatment be done by a gynecologic-oncologist.

No one goes through life without facing some kind of challenge. The following are examples of typical challenges: serious illness, catastrophic financial loss, divorce, loss of employment, or death of a child or loved one. How does one face a life-changing event? I believe there are only two ways. One way, is to let the event win and the person “lives” in anger, jealousy, or hatred. Or, a person can truly live by turning the event into a positive, and there are many ways to do that. I believe that the real me, and the real you, can outshine cancer, divorce, death, or any challenge.
 The Minnesota Ovarian Cancer Alliance, Ovarian Cancer Alliance of Florida, and the “Bright Spots” group at Mayo Clinic have endorsed my book. Oncologists and an author of books on grief have provided either written or verbal positive reviews. I have received positive feedback via emails, cards, telephone calls and person-to-person meetings. After reading Outshine, a gentleman who has no connection with ovarian cancer recently stated that he has learned a lot and appreciated its deep message; survivors have expressed gratefulness; and families of those who have passed on shared how much they were helped.
 It may sound like a cliché, but a powerful lesson cancer taught me is that each day truly is a gift.  As Walt Whitman said, “To me, every hour of the day and night is an unspeakably perfect miracle.” I do try to live each day with dignity and love as if it were my last. It is amazing how much more beautiful life is since I heard “you have cancer,” because I know I have a finite time. That actually energizes and inspires me.
 My book, the presentations and beautiful people that have come into my life are some of the positive results of having had cancer. I like to think that my skill in writing is God’s gift to me, and the book Outshine: An Ovarian Cancer Memoir, is my gift to God.
 ~What a powerful message from a very special woman and author. To learn more about Karen Ingalls visit the following links:
http://twitter.com/KarenIngalls1http://www.outshineovariancancer.comhttp://www.facebook.com/pages/Outshine-An-Ovarian-Cancer-Memoir/352268571461383http://www.linkin.com/pub/karen-ingalls/37/509/ba8http://goodreads.com/kareningallshttp://www.outshineovariancancer.blogspot.com
Be sure to return tomorrow and Friday for more words of inspiration from Ingalls and have a chance to take advantage of a very special offer.

Karen Ingalls’s book  Outshine: An Ovarian Cancer Memoir will be available at a 40% discount from Wednesday March 6 thru Wednesday March 13. Visit BeaversPondBooks.com and type the word "Outshine" in the coupon box. Enjoy!

6 Sentence Sunday 20

This is a weekly meme hosted and originated by 6 Sentence Sunday. Eternal Curse: Giovanni’s Angel -6 sentences from chapter 21.
…There were several times throughout the service when Giovanni thought he heard the music of harps and violas playing in the rafters, even when there were no instruments around to be played.
Giovanni tried to think back to the last time he’d entered a church, but he couldn’t do it. Then he realized that he’d never actually been inside one before, even when Abraham and Sarah were married. Giovanni remembered waiting for them outside, because he didn’t want to be stared at by the guests at the ceremony. Giovanni remembered always being apprehensive about going near churches, since he feared that he was some kind of an evil monster. He always assumed that something bad would happen to him if he entered into a holy place, but he’d learned long ago that not all churches were holy.
To participate, pick six (6) sentences from anything you like (it can be from a Work in Progress (WiP), something you recently sold, something you hope to sell or even something already under contract and available for purchase – and don’t worry, Six Sentence Sunday is for published AND unpublished writers ). Then post them on your blog on Sunday. That’s all there is to it!
Posts are for bloggers only, but comments are open to all. Please post a link back to Six Sunday, the “anchor” site, to let people know where you heard about the idea. You are not required to list the week’s posters on your post…And don’t be afraid to share the love by adding the hashtag #sixsunday to your tweets about Six Sentence Sunday. You can follow the official Six Sentence Sunday twitter at: https://twitter.com/6_Sunday.
*The informative content listed above was taken directly from the 6 Sentence Sunday website with a few paraphrases for ease of viewing and reading. Please review their FAQs for more details.

Interview 15: Stefan Vucak

Greetings humans, half-breeds, and everything in between. A while back, I had the pleasure to interview my new friend, Stefan Vucak. He is visiting the ECS as a guest and sharing loads of interesting insights into his work. Be sure to look around and see what he has to offer. Here are the results of our interview. A good time was truly had by all, and here’s how it went down.
Hi there Stefan! It’s so awesome to have you here at the ECS Universe. Don’t worry about the darkness, your eyes will adjust.
 So tell me, who is Stefan Vucak?epic.org (former EPPIE awards)I am an award-winning author of seven techno sci-fi novels, including With Shadow and Thunder which was a 2002 EPPIE Award finalist. My Shadow Gods Saga books [In the Shadow of Death, book 1] have been highly acclaimed by critics. My recent release, Cry of Eagles , won the coveted 2011 Readers Favorite silver medal award. I leveraged a successful career in the Information Technology industry and applied that discipline to create realistic, highly believable storylines for my books. Born in Croatia, I now live in Melbourne, Australia.

How very accomplished you are; I’m impressed and eager to learn more about you and your work. It’s doesn’t hurt that I’m a fan of sci-fi, so I’m sure we’ll have loads to talk about.
So whacha got for me today?In All the Evils , a researcher in the Secret Vatican Archives uncovers a papyrus that claims Jesus was John the Baptist’s disciple and the second Messiah. To prevent the tractate from becoming public, seriously undermining church authority, the Vatican secret service engages an assassin to silence anyone who has knowledge of the papyrus. It is up to an FBI agent to unravel a series of murders and prevent the assassin from killing him.

 Now that sounds like a good story, and forgive me if I offend, but an awesome conspiracy theory! I love these kinds of story because they force you to really think about history, what we know, what we think we know, and what we choose to believe…And not for nothing, but controversy is always a good sell.
 So who’s starring is this 2 dimensional script read of All the Evils?
Father Garbaldi: Anthropologist working as a researcher in the Vatican Secret Archives, discoverer of the ancient papyrus.
Cardinal Belconi: Head of The Entity - Vatican’s Secret Service.
Tom Meecham: FBI Special Agent, assigned to track down The Entity assassin, and prevent further murders to keep the tractate out of public hands.
Bruce Wellard: FBI Assistant Director, Counterterrorism Division, an Opus Dei operative who helps plot Meecham’s murder.
Garry Strand, Special Agent in Charge for the Boston Division, helping Meecham track down the Vatican assassin.
Mark Price: Department of Homeland Security, an ex CIA operative, providing Meecham vital assistance enabling him to apprehend the assassin. Even your characters seem intense. I love the choice of names and the complexity of the character’s involvement. If this were a movie, I can’t begin to imagine the ensemble cast that would bring this story to life.
 Past, present, future, is there a rhyme or reason to your writing?
I always write into a notebook first before transcribing it into the computer where I edit, revise and edit some more. I tried writing directly into the computer, but it’s not the same. I must have the tactical feel of a pen - a clutch pencil actually - in my hand, scribbling away, trying to keep up with the torrent of words pouring from my mind. When it all clicks together and flows, I get a real buzz from the creative process that leaves me deeply satisfied. Of course, things don’t always run that smoothly, but I try not to dwell too much on those bits. Writing on paper allows me to fly and be imaginative. Once the stuff gets into the computer, I put on my editor hat and frown critically, looking for those grammar bloopers and story flaws, and I start chopping as necessary. That sometimes hurts, but the end result is more important than being wedded to an odd sentence or paragraph.
 I plan my work in detail. I guess that’s part of my training as an IT professional. I work out an initial story plot, define my characters, do the necessary research - and that can be a lot, especially with my contemporary novels - write a detailed story outline, then start writing the book itself. That’s the easy part. The slog comes during the editing phase, and that really never stops. What I do is write a segment, edit it, write some more, edit that, and at some stage, go over the whole thing again. Then I print out the whole mess and edit it on paper. Amazing what the eye can spot in print that it misses on the screen. When I reach the end of the book, I go through it on the computer, then print the manuscript and go over it again, perhaps three times. It can be a drag.
 There was never a time when I didn’t want to write. Even as a kid, clutching my first book, I was hooked. It didn’t seem all that hard - until I tried it myself. I’m glad my first efforts are safely buried in my drawer. But that’s the learning process. After having written eleven novels, my latest political drama Strike for Honor will be released by Solstice Publishing next April, that learning process is still going on. Mastering the craft never stops, and I would like to think I have learned a thing or two along the way. I started off writing science fiction, one of my passions, but after seven novels in the series - Shadow Gods - I thought I’d give myself a break and do some contemporary stuff. Perhaps that would help me get into the traditional publishing market. I’m still trying.
 I can appreciate your almost obsessive writing and editing ritual. I like that you are so passionate. I find myself to be a bit on edge when it comes to editing and even after I’ve gone through my whole story backwards line-by-line, I still pay my trusted editor to give the work and outside look.
What author(s) has most influenced your writing? Why or how?
Having been around for a while, a number of writers have influenced me. During my science fiction phase, two stand out: Roger Zelazny and Keith Laumer. When his writing was good and before he descended into sorcery and mysticism, Zelazny had an evocative, deceptively easy style that was a pleasure to read. Zelazny Google Seach
Keith Laumer had an irreverent, sardonic style that blasted my sensibilities and often amused me. Some of his stuff was terrible, but a lot was extremely entertaining. In the end, that was all that mattered. His writing style left an impression on me, as looking back, I find my main characters being slightly dismissive of authority and impudent, but still good at what they were doing.
Since my sci-fi days, I sampled writers from other genres, like techno thrillers. I like Stephen Coonts, at least his early works. After a couple of hundred books later, the techno thriller genre gave me a solid grounding into the workings of governments, spy agencies, the military, and war machinery of all kind. It was a good launching platform for my own contemporary novels.
I guess every author I came across must have left an impression, especially if I bought more than one of his works. They all talk to me from somewhere in my mind as I put my own words down on paper.
I find it difficult to truly follow the work of just on author and not because I’m easily bored. I find that there are so many authors I want to experience that I often settle for one, maybe two, of their works before moving one to someone else. That’s probably why my TBR is so long. It’s filled with all the unread works of author’s I’ve already sampled.
 Whose brain are you just itching to scratch?Google SearchComing back from the 2012 Miami Book Fair and participating in the Readers Favorite award ceremony, I bought a book by Sean Carroll, a theoretical physicist at CalTech.I’m into cosmology, nuclear physics and what makes the world go round. It’s like crunching on a crouton in a salad of fiction books. Anyway, it would pass away the long hours cooped up in an airplane.

After reading Brian Greene’sforay into string theory, multiple dimensions and parallel universes, latching on to Carroll was a no-brainer. Everyone looks on Einstein as a god, and his general and special theories of relativity were mind blowers, but he ignored quantum theory in his quest to come up with a grand unification theory and died an unfulfilled man. A lot has happened since then that he would be pressed to understand, and it is fun and intensely revealing to peek into the theoretical world cosmologists are opening.
Carroll is someone I would like to sit with over a glass of smooth bourbon and simply talk, clashing over ideas and sometimes outrageous propositions. That would be fun! Some of his ideas I find difficult to grasp, but they stretch the mind and provide a rich smorgasbord of material that can be put into one of my books somewhere in a galaxy far, far away...
I adore this answer. I can tell that you thought about this before, and instead of going with hype you’ve chosen heart. You want to spend time getting to know someone who not only shares your interests, but has already been an inspiration to you from afar.
Who is so you and why?AmazonThat’s a strange one, as I am not a single personality, but an amalgam of everything I accumulated during my life. Sometimes I find myself looking at the world from Mike’s point of view, a character in Robert Heinlein’s A Stranger in a Strange Land . People are funny, ridiculous ... and so dangerous. I often wonder why we are so mean to each other and why dominance over other men still governs what we do, whether politically, commercially or militarily. Scratch a modern human and you find a club wielding primitive. We really haven’t advanced all that much.

Another character I can easily relate to is Klatu in, The Day the Earth Stood Still [the movie, 1951, 2008]. He came to Earth to bring a warning, and found himself perplexed and overwhelmed by human behavio. Driving on the freeway to the city, watching the antics of fellow drivers trying to save that second from their trip time by weaving through traffic, or attempting to squeeze into an overcroweded train to hostile looks of passengers who don't want me there, often leaves me bemused wondering whether I am Alice and have fallen into some magical world that doesn't make sense. Watching the American Congress at work, it really doesn't make sense.

I’ve always had a soft spot for Klatu as well. The idea that he came to help a world that wasn’t ready to accept its fate and didn’t really want his help was so sad to me, especially considering it was the world I was currently living in. This is a strange world we live in.
What’s your ideal reading spot for your next highly anticipated read?AmazonArmed with a tumbler of Elijah Craig bourbon, ice clinking as I maneuver myself into the bedroom, I glance fondly at the paperback of The Ethos Effect by L.E. Modesitt Jr, and figure the rest of the evening will make up for the pain I had to endure reviewing an ebook eariler. I’ve read Ethos before, but I am drawn to it this evening, eager to lose myself in its pages.

Van Albert is a character I understand and Modesitt crafts him to perfection. Desoll, Van’s mentor, is an enigmatic personality: complex, full of contradictions and life drivers, like all of us. Van could be anyone, but he is not. He is rejected by a service he loves because of his skin color, and realizing the evil that service is about to unleash on the worlds, he decides to do something about it. It is an easy book to get lost in, and I do, with relish.

More often than not, my bedroom is my reading hole. Oh, I read in my living room and my study, but it is at night when the world around me has stopped rushing about and silence reigns, that I let myself go and indulge in a good book. It is a far, far better thing I do than staring at the TV watching CSI or some other mindless, brain-destroying crap.
 I find that as I get older I do watch less and less TV and read more. While I am and will probably always be a movie buff, it’s hard not to recognize that all the new movie ideas are coming straight from literature of some kind. The Ethos Effect definitely sounds like a new addition to my TBR list.
What was your favorite book or story, pre-teen years?
AmazonI remember like it was yesterday, attending my primary school on a weekend to see a puppet play. Somewhere along the way, I got sidetracked and found myself in a small room that served as the school library. On a desk was an open picture book of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea - and I was lost. Ever since then, Captain Nemo, the Nautilus, the fantastic forays under the sea and the battle with a giant octopus, colored my entry into reading. As you can guess, it was my indoctrination into science fiction, although I didn’t know it at the time.

What that book did was open my eyes to a universe I never knew existed, a magical world where I could be the characters I was reading, and experience adventures I never believed were possible. When I discovered the city library at the corner of the street where the school was - I walked by hundreds of times without noticing it - I was in heaven. Suddenly, classes in grammar, writing and composition took on a different meaning, and my desire to write unfurled like petals of a flower. I owe a lot to Jules Verne.
I must admit that 20,000 League Under the Sean has always held a special place in my heart as well. It wasn’t the book that opened up my world of wonder and love of reading and writing, but it certainly didn’t hurt. This is one of those stories that never gets old…Now this is where the questions get a little kooky; are you ready?
No problemo.
Alright then, here we go.
If you could only watch one movie for the rest of your life, what would it be? IMDBI have seen many fine movies across a landscape of genre, and a few horrible things, but one has to sample the bad to appreciate the good. Given that I would not be bored after a few thousand screenings, I could easily watch Avatar for a lifetime. That movie has done right what so many failed; bring a real story, and adventure to life, coupled with magical vistas and unbelievable backdrops. Some reviewers politicize and over-analyze the movie, forgetting that as a piece of visual art, it is unequalled.

Who cannot help being moved by the glowing night scenes, the flying sequences where Jake and Neytiri are soaring on their ikran, and the tragedy where Colonel Quaritch destroys the hometree. The accompanying music is truly magical and I am happy to lose myself in that world Cameron has created. 
To say that I’ve seen a lot of movies in my life would be a ridiculous understatement, so believe when I say that this movie was truly astonishing and worth seeing at least once in a lifetime. This movie has so many layers of wonder and beauty that it is hard to describe. In many ways, it is easier to say that it’s just a cool movie with great effects even if it is really more than that. Whether there is truth in the latest controversy and hype surrounding this film or not, I don’t care. The finished product will always be worth my time to stop and watch.
What makes you geek out?Machu Picchu Google SearchThat’s an easy one - travel! Since my first trip to the States, Mexico and Canada, many many years ago, I was bitten by the travel bug. Years later, I have stood in the shadow of the pyramids, gazed on Machu Picchu,stared with wonder at Everest, sailed a tall ship over the deeps, stood among the sands Arabia, walked with the Maasai in Kenya, and the desire to see everything never left me. It is not only the pull of strange lands, natural scenery and man’s marvels, but the craving to see other people and glimpse a little of their lives. And some of those lives are hard indeed. It puts into perspective the material richness of our Western existence, but it also highlights something we seem to have lost - family cohesion and a satisfaction with what you have without needing that third car or muscular bank account. Different social norms, I guess. I wouldn’t mind standing on an ice shelf in Antarctica, and that might happen one day.     

I dream of travel. Maybe one day I’ll have a chance to live it.
 So what’s testing your patience right now?
I am working on my eighth science fiction book, Guardians of Shadow, where Terrllss-rr confronts the Celi-Kran who have taken Teena, his loved one. It’s been a project that festered in my mind for a number of years now, but it took a back seat while I took time off to write four contemporary novels. After agonizing over the plot, in a rush of writing that surprised me, I got the outline in a week of solid effort. There is a tiny bit that I’m still stuck on, but it will resolve itself in the fullness of time. I simply could not leave Terr as he was in the last book of the series, boldly heading into Orieli space with Teena and his Wanderer brother Dharaklin, Death held in check, always ready to be unleashed. It will take a while to get done, but in between, there will be books to review and read - accompanied by that tumbler of whisky.
Writing a series can test your patience. After spending so much time with a character and its development, you’d think it would be easy to see what the future has in store for them. I know all too well what it’s like to want to do a character, I’ve already put so much into, justice and having a hard time doing so. I have big plans for my character Giovanni, I just hope I am able to execute them well.
When the soundtrack of your life is playing in your head, what songs express your glee and what songs bring out your rage?
Google SearchShowing my age here, I love the melodies and words of artists from the ’70s and the ’80s. They had something to say and said it well. I don’t know too much about today’s so-called singers and their half-naked gyrating bodies - sexuality barely suppressed. To me, that’s not art, although today’s teens clearly go for it. Michael Jackson sets my teeth on edge. I guess I’m just not switched into the modern cool scene. Give me someone like Neil Diamond, Abba, Shania Twain, Celine Dion, and I’m happy.  

I don’t know if it’s necessarily a question of being “cool” more than it is a question of understanding, tolerance, and open-mindedness. All the artist you’ve listed as being fans of have publicly praised Michael Jackson for his talent and contributions to the music industry- oh and he’s from the ‘70s and ‘80s. I’m not going to argue the sad state of modern pop music because there is nothing to dispute, but as a music lover, I seriously wonder if it is Michael Jackson, the crazy person you have issues with, or Michael Jackson the musical artist. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wished they were two different people…BTW, I love Neil Diamond!
What’s the most fun experience you’ve ever had, to date? AmazonIf I had to choose a really fun experience, sailing a tall ship from Auckland in NZ to Tahiti would be right up there. I was always fascinated with tall ships ever since I read C.S. Forester’s Hornblower books, I wondered what it would be like living on a windjammer. When an opportunity presented itself between jobs, I grabbed it. The ship was a brigantine, 110 long with a 23-foot beam. I and my fellow passengers were ‘crew’, supported by professionals, but we had to stand watches and work the ship, which included scraping and painting and cooking. At night, with the warm pacific water whispering at the bow, leaving blue-green phosphorescence in its wake, the blaze of stars arching overhead in overwhelming profusion, feeling the ship alive as I held the wheel, that was fun!

I never gotten into sailing much being land locked most of my life, but now that I live near the ocean the idea seems much more appealing. The closet I’ve come so far is kayaking, lol. One day I’ll surly graduate to a big girl sailing.
 Remind me again how I was lucky enough to meet you?
As always, marketing my books, the publisher left that chore to me. I am good at many things, and maybe I can even write a bit, but marketing in today’s Facebook and Twitter environment is a challenge. A challenge I am far from mastering, but necessity prods me along. Lots of people are there to tell me how I should go about it - for a fat fee. Looking into what they produce, it turns out I know more about the game than they do! It’s depressing. It’s also depressing to see a crappy book selling well when I can’t get mine moving. A bummer.
I came across you, Toinette, from LinkedIn. After hooking into several author/writer groups, I bumped into one of your posts and decided to look into it. Your professional approach to blogging is encouraging and I looked forward working with you.
Ah yes, online social media marketing- just the words themselves sound daunting. I guess that’s why I decided to start this author series. It’s just one little thing I can to do to show my appreciation to all the writers out there taking a stand and striving to fulfill their dreams of authorship.
Not that you can see into the future, but in your opinion, what does the future hold?
Given what is going on in the world today, life can appear depressing. I believe Europe is heading for a major upheaval and the breakup of the Eurozone is inevitable. There are too many social and economic differences between the members for the one size fits all monetary philosophy to work, something the Brussels bureaucrats don’t seem to appreciate. I see the United States captured by the partisan gridlock, where neither party is prepared to work for the benefit of the country, content to pursue unworkable policies that threaten ruin. The capture of the Republican party by the extreme right and the evangelical interests is of particular concern. Sometimes it’s not worth thinking about. They are all children who need a good spanking.
As for me, I guess life will be more of the same: writing, reading, editing, travel as much as my finances allow. I hope to break into the traditional publishing market one day, but my main driver is to share what I have written with others, regardless of the medium. My interests are changing as experiences and knowledge enrich me, and undoubtedly, that will be reflected in what I write. I have a few projects in mind and only time will tell which one of them I will decide to nourish.     
Ok humans, half-breeds, and everything in between, that’s all for today. Be sure to follow this blog to see who will be visiting next time. For more from Stefan Vucak, check out these great links:
www.stefanvucak.comhttp://store.solsticepublishing.com/stefan-vucak/http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/Twitter: @stefanvucak

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Guest Post 12: Stefan Vucak

How to Submit your Manuscript to a Publisher After slaving over the thing for months, you finally have that treasured opus finished and you want to rush it to every publisher on the horizon.
Wrong!
As an editor and book reviewer, some submissions that came across my desk made me cringe. And it is for one reason only: the author has failed to follow submission guidelines, and is an immediate turnoff. Your chances of getting that manuscript accepted will increase dramatically, quality of your work notwithstanding, if you follow the publisher’s guidelines. It is as simple as that. It might be simple, but I am constantly amazed how many authors overlook this basic fact.
Most common mistakes
The following points are not an absolute rule, as each publisher may have their own standard, but I found these useful. Okay, what are the most common mistakes and triggers for rejection?
Incorrect margins Embedding tags Using the Tab key to start a new paragraph Using the Enter key to center a chapter heading Using the Enter key to get to a new page for a chapter heading Using a double space between sentences Leaving double or multiple spaces at end of the last sentence in a paragraph Not using a spell checker Not using double spacing between lines Inconsistent text formatting
Why are they a problem
These days, publishers receive lots of submissions, and most end up in the slush pile for a variety of reasons, mostly because of bad writing, not necessarily because the story was bad. If he is a kindly soul, a submissions editor may overlook your setup mistakes - but I wouldn’t bet on it - and dive into evaluating the quality of your story. However, more generally than not, a sloppy presentation will invariably add to his slush pile regardless of how good your novel might be. Why? A submission that doesn’t follow the defined guidelines tells the editor the following about the author:
Did not bother reading the guidelines Did not bother following the guidelines Shows disdain for the guidelines Shows lack of discipline Raises questions about the quality of the submissionThe major problem with a sloppy submission, if the work is accepted, it adds enormously to the workload of the proofing editor, distracting from the primary task of technical editing of the manuscript. In such cases the work will be sent back to the author to fix these problems before further editing is done, which generates frustration, makes work for everybody, and delays publication. Moreover, the submission would have created a negative image in the editor’s mind and reduced the author’s chances of being accepted down the track.
What to do
It all begins with the author as part of starting that opus! All the setup mistakes I mentioned should have been eliminated during the writing and final proofreading before thinking about making a submission. Properly setting up and formatting the manuscript should be an automatic process for the author, part of being a disciplined professional, and cognizant of the fact that editors are also people who appreciate a properly structured submission and don’t enjoy having their time wasted.
Okay, let’s say you have done all these things and you are happy with your manuscript. Ready to submit, is it? Definitely not! Once you select a publisher, read his submission instructions! That really helps. Most publishers have similar submission requirements and formatting guidelines, but some have their own specific demands. Regardless of how onerous or unreasonable they might seem, if you want to get accepted by that publisher, it behooves you to follow their instructions - or don’t bother making a submission. It will save everyone concerned some angst.
Read the submission guidelines
All publisher websites will have a submissions icon. If they don’t, I would consider carefully before submitting to them. Within the submission page, the publisher will outline their requirements for making an initial query, sending the manuscript - either a sample or complete copy - and formatting instructions. Look for these instructions always, read them carefully and follow them! If your manuscript has been written that avoids mistakes I already mentioned, in most cases you will be ready to make that submission without having to do anything. But if the publisher asks for a specific format, comply! Remember, resistance is futile.
To learn more about Stefan, visit his:
Website: www.stefanvucak.com
Twitter: @stefanvucakFacebook: www.facebook.com/StefanVucak 
 

6 Sentence Sunday 19

This is a weekly meme hosted and originated by 6 Sentence Sunday. Eternal Curse: Giovanni’s Angel -6 sentences from chapter 20.
Then Giovanni told Mira that he was afraid to go near a cemetery. He learned that they were gateways of travel for those who wanted to enter the human realm. He learned from Seth’s memories that angels and demons could use the space between holy ground and the earth’s atmosphere to enter into the realm of man. Cemeteries are just one of the few spots where Heaven, Hell, and Earth collide.
Mira’s hands shook with fear and her pulse quickened. Giovanni realized he’d frightened her just as the train was coming to a stop.
To participate, pick six (6) sentences from anything you like (it can be from a Work in Progress (WiP), something you recently sold, something you hope to sell or even something already under contract and available for purchase – and don’t worry, Six Sentence Sunday is for published AND unpublished writers ). Then post them on your blog on Sunday. That’s all there is to it!
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*The informative content listed above was taken directly from the 6 Sentence Sunday website with a few paraphrases for ease of viewing and reading. Please review their FAQs for more details.