Meglena Ivanova's Blog, page 4

“Modern Teaching through Mastering Social Media” by Jessica Freeman

Jessica Freemen Passionate Journalist Lives in Sydney, Australia

Hi everyone, today I am very happy to present an amazing article by Jessica Freemen called
“Modern Teaching through Mastering Social Media”. 

Jessica Freeman is a professional journalist and a freelance content writer at the company Australian Writings, that provides essay writing services for students. She enjoys writing on the topics of education, success and career developments. You can follow her on Facebook and Google+.

Today Jessica will share with all of us some of her tips and ideas on social media and how to use it! Enjoy!!!

MOMENT TO SHARE with Will Pollock

Giveaway Embed Code: a Rafflecopter giveaway!!!

Hi All, Please say hello to Will Pollock. He is the author of the “Leaving Tricot”!!! In this interview Will agreed to share with all of us a bit of his soul as a writer and more… Happy reading![image error][image error][image error]

Will Pollock

Hi Will, tell me a little about yourself and your background? What were you like at school? Were you good at English? What are your ambitions for your writing career?

I’m a freelance multimedia journalist, artist and photographer based in Midtown Atlanta. I have a Masters in Journalism from Northwestern and I’m obsessed with good storytelling. A dog lover, art curator, humorist, blogger, activist and sports fan, I try to take on projects that make a difference in people’s lives.

I always had a fondness for English, but because of my undiagnosed dyslexia I had a hard time with reading comprehension. I was a shy kid, too, so I was always reticent to raise my hand. I’ve since overcome that and then some.

I’d like to continue writing books that inspire people, and continue contributing to magazines (which is my bread-and-butter and speaks to my work history). I always like to think big. I’d also like to continue to break down the consensus idea that eBooks are somehow less important or less impactful than tree books.

Which writers inspire you?

I’m a big fan of well-reported news everywhere, and I’m a voracious reader and viewer of things that keep me informed and allow me to form coherent, reasoned opinions. I call myself a “seeker and maker of non-consensus news” for a reason—and I write my own weekly humor and pop-culture blog called CrankyYank.com (in support of my book projects). I’m inspired by writers like Rolling Stone’s Matt Taibbi and humorists like Stephanie Miller and Bill Maher. Humor is a great way to convey and absorb information, so I always try to weave that in whenever I can.

In general, though, I gravitate to non-fiction as both a writer and a reader. I enjoy foreign affairs and anything pertaining to metaphysics (some of which appears in “Leaving Triscuit”). Right now I’m reading “The Tenth Insight”, the sequel to The Celestine Prophecy.

What was your life like before becoming an author?

My background is actually in magazine editorial. I started as associate editor of a retail real estate trade magazine and I’e always been fascinated by the way magazines are produced. My master’s degree from The Medill School of Journalism was focused on magazines, too. This was all before I became a published author, but it’s a passion that continues to present day.

Which comes first – the character’s story or the idea for the novel?

The idea/concept/title/headline, in 98% of my writings, comes first. It’s my guiding principal; the subject that I defend throughout the rest of the project.

When did you decide to become a writer?

This is a fascinating question and difficult to answer because, in some ways, I feel that I’ve always *been a writer. When I was very young, I apparently wrote thank-you notes to relatives that caused them to call my mother to compliment me on my writing abilities. So it’s hard to ascribe a time when I said “gosh, I want to be a writer!”

Back in college I took a creative writing class as a freshman, and it was through that class and professor that I knew it was my destiny.

Why do you write?

My writing is my catharsis. I write to make a difference. I write because I want people to look at things in a new way. I feel a deep obligation to be a disruptor, to challenge myths, and writing is the best way to do those things.

So, what have you written?

Both of my books published so far are mission-based projects designed to help people reach for just that “little bit more” in their lives. Pizza for Good, my first book published by Agate Digital in 2014, is a blueprint on how to use America’s favorite food to fundraise for worthy causes. It’s actually a hybrid: a cookbook, a storybook, a jokebook and a reporter’s notebook. I’m really proud of that project because it brings pizza back to a local level, and encourages dirt-to-table practices. PFG also has won two awards in recent publishing competitions, which is great.

“Leaving Triscuit” is my second book and stays with the same theme of helping/inspiring people to see their animals as the exceptionally gifted creatures they are. Every dog and cat is different; but just because they don’t have the gift of speech like we do doesn’t mean they don’t comprehend what’s going on around them. I want to bust that consensus idea that they are subservient, silent participants in our lives. I hope the book does just that.

Where people can buy or see them? 

Both titles are available everywhere: Amazon, GoodReads, B&N, etc. Pizza for Good also is available on my publisher’s website. I also maintain websites and twitter accounts for both:

Pizza for Good: pizzaforgood.net / twitter, instagram and facebook: PizzaForGood
Leaving Triscuit: leavingtriscuit.com / twitter & facebook: LeavingTriscuit

What sparked the idea for your book?

When I was embarking on a 2.5 week trip to Ireland and, when faced with the stress of leaving my dog, Triscuit, I was deeply affected by it. Affected to the point where she was physically ill and I felt incredible dread and worry. I promised myself I’d take on a project that helps people who face the same dilemma. I’ve found it’s a very common experience for parents of fur babies.

The resulting book, “Leaving Triscuit: Conscious Departures, Happy Homecomings,” is an expansive look at the process of leaving and returning—with tips, comments and deeply resonant thoughts from four different animal-communication and human psychology experts. The core concept is picture imaging: where you lean in to metaphysical and real-world tools to calm yourself and your pet so that you can enjoy time away and not worry. “Leaving Triscuit” tracks all parts of the trip and how to put these solutions into action.

How do you market your book?  

In addition to this blog tour, I try to post to the FB page and the book blog regularly. I also write a weekly news and pop-culture blog that has links and ads on it for people to click on so they can go buy the book. So I do a bunch of cross promotion.

Do you have any advice for other authors on how to market their books? What do you do to get book reviews?

I wish I had the foolproof answer! Just keep putting yourself out there in the ways I mentioned before. I find a weekly blog to be a good way to keep your writing sharp and to get eyeballs on you and your project. Everything I do these days is to help in building my author platform, and all authors should do the same in my opinion.

I’ve done everything from direct asks to promotions and many other items, but when it comes to reviews I find that it redounds to the folks reading to take the step to review.

What advice do you have for someone who would like to become a published writer?

Keep at it, and write some every day. Be tenacious. Be a disruptor and challenge orthodoxy. Keep your contacts and previous work colleagues close because you never know when you might work with each other again, or when you might call on them for advice, a new connection or a story/book idea. Be a voracious reader—particularly in the area(s) you’d like to focus on. Practice your pitches to editors, agents or whomever and remember that pitches need to be deeply researched; they are a direct reflection of your ability to tackle a subject. If your pitches shine, that tells the recipient that you’re a capable writer.

Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven’t included?

You’ve been so thorough! I’ve nothing to add.

How can readers discover more about you and your work?

“Leaving Triscuit” (leavingtriscuit.com)
“Pizza for Good” (pizzaforgood.net)
CrankyYank: Writing. Culture. Sideways. (news blog / crankyyank.com)
Personal blog: Will Pollock / Always tell stories (willpollock.com)
ARTvision Atlanta (charity art website / artvisionatl.org)
Facebook: @willpollock
Twitter: @bywillpollock / @pizzaforgood / @leavingtriscuit
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/wpollock
Pinterest: @willpollock
Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/29RBJ8z
Pizza for Good: http://amzn.to/1Io2cH2
Leaving Triscuit: http://bit.ly/trskyy

It was a great privilege for me to get to interview Will Pollock, who has inspired me in many different ways. Thank you Will!!! Good Luck with everything!

Excerpt: Learning to Stutter by Sherm Davis

Welcome to my tour stop of “Learning to Stutter” by Sherm Davis, presented by Elite Book Tours.  
To follow the full tour, please visit here.


LEARNING TO STUTTER IS FREE ON JULY 4, 5 AND 6!
BUY NOW @ AMAZON!

Kenneth Kocher seems to have it all – a good heart, a sense of humor, decent looks, and lots of money. What he doesn’t have is something most of us take for granted – freedom of speech. Kenneth lives with a severe stutter which has wreaked havoc with his life since childhood.

After much embarrassment, pain and soul-searching, Kenneth realizes that to free his inner self he must accept the fact that he cannot be cured, and that he must learn to stutter with grace. Along the way he meets another stutterer and a young widow who are both dealing with the stumbling blocks in their own lives.

Using an experimental syntax to portray the neurological component of the syndrome, the novel gives the reader a unique view of stuttering from the inside out.

Amazon | Createspace
PRAISES FOR “LEARNING TO STUTTER”

This is an extraordinary book. It’s the inside dope on stuttering. And if one person was born to tell the story, it’s David Sherman. And does he have a story to tell. The plot is consummate, the writing proficient, the pacing skillful, with a clarity of detail that renders it very realistic. After awhile, I found myself caring about all the characters, even (or particularly) the minor ones, oftentimes because they reminded me of myself, and were therefore incredible familiar. It is a reflection of the author’s versatility –as educator, in math and Language Arts, as musician and writer –and diversity –Jewish, New York born and bred, having resided all over the world –that some parts of the writing even speak to the Oriental in me. As each of the characters, stuttering and non-, go about their lives, problem-solving, adapting, you cannot help but see the parables at a universal level. Resonant, poignant, and ultimately elucidatory, this book get an A+ from me.

—- Ling T., Guatemala

In addition to those who struggle with dysfluency and their friends and family, I highly recommend this novel to educators and speech pathologists to ensure their understanding of the multi-faceted impact that this neurological syndrome can have on one’s identity.

—- Shari Mayerson, MS, CCC-SLP

EXCERPT FROM “LEARNING TO STUTTER”

Why is the name so difficult? Perhaps because there is no way to reach into the verbal bag of tricks which every person who stutters carries with him in a desperate attempt to seem normal. Word substitution (the favorite of all stutterers who block more on certain sounds than others) is impossible when the name is fixed and finite. Linking the end of one sound to the start of another to increase fluidity is impossible also, because the name begins with a specific sound, and most stuttering occurs on the initial syllable of a word.

But the great author, unaware of Kenneth Kocher’s internal trauma, was in a hurry, and only scribbled his name and gave a cursory nod before moving on to the next person in line. It was only as he was walking away that KK realized that he was fixating on his own name, and hadn’t said a single word to one of his personal heroes.
On the heels of this humiliation, he still had one more errand to run, and it was better to get it over with early in the day. When he entered the toy and game store, he really didn’t know what he was looking for. He walked up and down the aisles of the small shop, but couldn’t find anything that struck his fancy. Finally the shopkeeper, a jovial man in his fifties, horseshoe bald with a red pate and dramatic waxed moustache like the character from Monopoly, came over and played the part.
“What are you looking for, son?”
“A gift for my six-year-old nephew,” was the sentence that formed itself with perfect clarity, sonority and resonance in his brain. But just after the sentence was formed, he scanned ahead and found a stutter reflex embedded in the /g/ in gift. Automatically, he sought to substitute a synonym, but in this case he couldn’t even substitute the word present, because the /p/ was his nemesis, the hardest sound in the lexicon and one to be avoided at almost any cost. So he got past the opening vowel and then hit the hard /g/ like an electric fence. His larynx locked and he started pushing against it with brute force, but it wouldn’t budge. His face and neck started twitching, and his left eye was blinking out of control. The harder he pushed, the harder he jerked and twitched.
Finally he caught hold of himself and let go of his breath. Inhaling anew, he substituted one sound for another. “^Ssssssomething fffffor mmmmy nephew.” It was stilted and spasmodic, but got the point across, more or less.
He could see the surprise in the storekeeper’s face, but he was used to seeing this. All his life, he had been watching people try to figure out how to respond to his twisted speaking voice.
“Well,” the man said, maintaining an amiable front, “what is your nephew like?”
The second interaction of the day, and it wasn’t going well, either. He was floundering in a neurological rut, and he couldn’t make it stop. His larynx slammed shut on its own accord, his left arm shot into the air like it was connected to an invisible string, and the muscles in his face and neck began quivering under the strain. He pulled himself together and responded slowly, too slowly, “^~I…. ^d-d-don’t know. I nnnnnever see him.”
“Hmm,” the shopkeeper tugged at his moustache. “That makes it a bit more difficult, but I’m sure we have something. Are you looking for something educational, mechanical, sports-oriented, or just plain fun?”
He shrugged his shoulders. “Sssomething he ‡can ^g-grow into.”
The paunchy man nodded sagely from behind his suspenders and his bowtie. “I’ve got just the thing,” he said, and went into the back roozm. The shopkeeper returned with a magnetic construction set, simple enough for a young boy but advanced enough for his father to enjoy as well, and handed him the box. “What do you think?”
KK nodded his appreciation and gave a thumbs-up, too taut to say anything. On other days, he might have made the effort to ask the man to gift-wrap the box, but when a day began like this, every word was precious.
“This is a gift for a nephew who lives far away?” the man deduced. “Would you like me to wrap it for you?”
Exhaling a sigh of relief for the man’s telepathy and compassion, KK nodded his head and handed him a credit card. Walking out of that toy store, he was unable to even thank the man. Cursing himself and vowing to never shop in a store again for as long as he lived – he’d shop online instead – he stuffed the gift in his backpack and started power walking through the streets.

OTHER BOOKS FROM SHERM DAVI

This bilingual English/Spanish collection contains pieces ranging from flash fiction to folktale. Set in New York, New & Old Mexico, Guatemala, Italy, and the future, eight morsels of Zap Fiction lead off the collction, and five longer stories close it out. The Spanish translations, the product of a team of professionals, are as true to the original English as possible.
Buy NOW @ Amazon | Createspace
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
David Howard Sherman Davis is a writer, musician and international educator who has taught in five countries on four continents. Born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised on Long Island, he currently lives by Lake Atitlán in Guatemala. His journalism and fiction have appeared in the United States, Canada, Guatemala, and online.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud

 

MOMENT TO SHARE WITH Andrew Rickert

Hi all today I am very happy to share with you the amazing “Walton 2016” by Andrew Rickert!!!

​•​Tell me a little about yourself and your background? What were you like at school? Were you good at English? What are your ambitions for your writing career?

 I was born in Alexandria, Virginia but grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. I attended the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas, where I studied History. Much of my professional experience has been as a coach, whether it be swimming, martial arts, or personal training. I was also a competitive Mixed Martial Arts fighter and powerlifter, but ultimately decided that getting hit in the head wasn’t good in the long run. Along with coaching, I worked as a pizza delivery driver and night club bouncer for 7 years.

My experiences during that time inspired me to write my first book, titled Delivery Up: Memoirs of a Pizza Guy. History writing rarely rewards, and often punishes flare and creativity, so it took me many years to truly appreciate writing. I started pleasure writing about my experiences as a coach, lifter, and fighter; but truly fell in love with the craft while describing my experiences as I traveled across Southeast Asia. 

My goal as a writer is to just be able to keep creating, and ideally have more people read those creations along the way. I love being able to take the “what if’s?” in my brain and turn them into writing, I intend to keep doing that.

​•​Which writers inspire you? It might sound cliché, but discovering Kurt Vonegut was a huge impact for me. His writing style is very rebellious, and doesn’t fall under the normal rules/laws of writing. For someone like a stubborn person what wants to write how I want to write, he was a breath of fresh air. 

​•​What was your life like before becoming an author? 

It had its ups and downs, to say the least (as it still does). I had my passions, but very little in the sense of a creative outlet. I had this constant flow of ideas for stories I wanted to flesh out, but never really thought that I could really make it work. Finally finding that outlet was quite the revelation. Seeing those random ideas turn to words, my words no less, it was intoxicating to say the least.

​•​Which comes first – the character’s story or the idea for the novel? 

The story always seems to come alive for me before the characters do. I need to create the world they live in first before I can really imagine their place in it. I have ideas for their roles and how much impact they will have, but often I like to surprise myself where I can go with character’s as I write about them. 

​•​When did you decide to become a writer? 

It was my mom saying “you should write that book you’ve always talked about.” I had just recently quit a job I absolutely hated, and needed something to do while looking for other jobs. I had delivered pizza throughout college and as an extra job after, and always thought it was worth writing about. It wasn’t just about the job, which has it’s fare share of stories, but the feelings I and many others have when working a job like that. No one does it because they love it, they do it because they have to. And often because of that they become stuck to it much longer than they would like. So I started writing my delivery story. I had no idea how important that decision was going to be at the time.

​•​Why do you write?

​It makes me feel good. It’s as simple as that. I love building the story and watching the ideas in my head slowly take form and become permanent. 

​•​So, what have you written? 

Walton 2016 is my first published work. I am still deciding if I want to continue pursuing traditional publishing or self-publish Delivery Up, and have started work on my next book. 

​•​Where people can buy or see them?

Readers can find Walton 2016 on Amazon at http://amzn.to/1Stc7Az There will be a free promotion on June 2nd. 

​•​Give me an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special?

Walton is very unapologetically inspired by Donald Trump, the most hated and loved man in modern American history. Without delving too far into the political side of things, I view the man as a threat to our country. The character Walton himself is quite ridiculous, but at times it was startling just how easy it was to write his part. And to be honest, it was quite fun. 

​•​What sparked the idea for your book?

If you read this in 2016, the inspirations are obvious. If you read this interview in 2040, then I am very curious as to how everything has turned out. But really, the inspirations for the story besides the obvious were Charlie Chaplins “The Great Dictator”, one of the greatest political satire films ever made. Chaplin used his strongest medium to convey the dangers of Adolf Hitler. I’m not calling Trump Hitler, but I’m not saying he’s not a terrifying prospect for POTUS. Dr. Strangelove was also a big inspiration, as it was also a satire highlighting the dangers of rash decisions.

​•​How do you market your book? 

As a new author, I am still experimenting with marketing strategies. I’ve used Twitter, Facebook, and different promotional services with mixed success. As any new author (and every author at some point) knows, it ain’t easy! 

​•​Do you have any advice for other authors on how to market their books? What do you do to get book reviews?

Ha, I wish I could offer marketing advice! As for reviews, take advantage of your social currency if you have it. Obviously you want honest reviews, but it is going to be easier to get people who actually know you exist to read your writing than it is complete strangers. For me, I am “lucky” enough in the sense that people either love or hate the story. The 1 star reviews are kind of fun, too.

​•​Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven’t included?

I hope you enjoy the story! If not…like I said, it’s a love-hate type thing. I understand!

​•​How can readers discover more about you and your work?

​•​Blog: https://andyrickert1.wordpress.com/

​•​Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AndrewRickertAuthor/

​•​Twitter: @andytriestweets

​•​Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Andrew-Rickert/e/B01EJVNY6C/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

​•​Book Links: (* American, UK, etc.)- https://www.amazon.com/Walton-2016-Andrew-Rickert-ebook/dp/B01EINYMQC?ie=UTF8&ref_=asap_bc 

Thank you Andrew Rickert for the awesome answers!!! I wish tou all the best in you author journey!!!  

The Belial Stone by R.D. Brady – All Night Reading

Read my Book Review today, but first, a preview:

Title: The Belial Stone  

Author: R.D. Brady  

Genre: Archaeologists  

Publisher: Three Dog Publishing  

Release Date: June 14, 2013  

Format: Kindle Unlimited  

Pages: 424  

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Belial-Stone-1/dp/0989517918/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1463863740&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Belial+Stone 

Book Summary
Professor Delaney McPhearson’s life is turned upside down when her best friend, archaeologist Drew Masters, is found dead. Before she can deal with the heartbreaking loss, she is viciously attacked in her home by a man with inhuman fighting abilities.

Former Navy SEAL and head of security for a global think tank, Jake Rogan drops everything when he hears his foster brother, Tom Jeffries, has gone missing. There seem to be no clues, no information about his whereabouts. He has just vanished. But Jake won’t rest until he finds him.

Laney and Jake join forces when they learn that the fates of their loved ones are intertwined. And somehow all the danger that dogs their steps, revolves around an eccentric archaeologist’s controversial work on Gobekli Tepe, and the search for an ancient source of power.

Their personal quest soon becomes a race to protect humanity’s very existence. But how can they defeat a foe who has been planning his moves for millennia?

To save mankind, Laney and Jake know they must succeed. But to succeed, they must live long enough to fight.


Book Review
I picked this book up on Amazon because it reminded me of the books written by James Rollins or Dan Brown, two of my favorite authors. I really enjoyed this book. It’s a fast paced tale combining ancient civilizations, stones of power, follen angels, super humans and myths…my favorite things. The characters were deep, but not so deep that the story didn’t move along. It was perfectly paced and perfectly descriptive all in one book. And having just finished it, I’m glad because it’s been almost a 16-hours of reading and now I really need lots of sleep…[image error]
Anyway, the book have very intriguing plot. The story is quite exciting, and most definitely qualifies as an “edge of your seat thriller,” but is also quite complex and lovable. I love the tie between science fiction / real world history / and conspiracy theories, was hooked on each chapter. The storyline is based on good and evil. As a fan of fallen angel “history,” I thoroughly enjoyed this suspenseful story line.
The Belial Stone has mystical properties and powers. There are several factions at work in this easy to follow story. The way the book brought together fallen angels, ancient archeology, the Book of Enoch and Edgar Cayce was very interesting. Not many authors can do that anymore. I have researched some of the places and objects described in the book and have been fascinated by things and places I knew nothing about.
Believable, multi dimensional and diverse characters with realistic dialogue. I love the strength in Laney, who is all the more believable in her fragility. Along the way she meets Jake whose foster brother is missing and Jake whom Jake is searching for. Together they come across a conspiracy that includes fallen angels and a dirty politician.  I was glad to see Patrick the priest as a strong, compassionate, caring person who could handle weapons and challenges as well as comforting those in need (Laney). There is no time nor energy to grieve after the loss of a loved ones and Patrick and Laney have been through a lot.
Looking forward to read more about Henry’s originals and the Chandler Group!
This is a stand-alone story with a satisfactory ending. A great book that seems like a natural for a screenplay.
I’m looking forward to the next book in the series which is The Belial Library. 

The Belial Series in Order:

1. The Belial Stone

2. The Belial Library

3. The Belial Ring

4. Recruit: A Belial Series Novella

5. The Belial Children

6. The Belial Origins

7. The Belial Search

8. The Belial Guard

9. The Belial Warrior (coming Fall 2016)

Book Excerpt – Busy, Stressed and Food Obsessed by Lisa Lewtan

Welcome to the blog tour of “Busy, Stressed, and Food Obsessed” by Lisa Lewtan.  The full schedule for the tour can be found here.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

When stress comes knocking, we eat. When we’re celebrating, we eat. When we’re happy, sad, angry, bored, or relaxed, we eat. Whether we feel good about our bodies or loathe what we see in the mirror, we eat. And often, we hate ourselves for it.

Diets don’t work. “No pain, no gain” tactics are emotionally and physically draining and ineffective, and they often employ shame and guilt—two excellent motivators for comfort eating.

Food is the ultimate double-crosser. It provides pleasure and pain in equal measure, but unlike people, you can’t break up with food. Instead, you need to change how you think and relate to food so you reap the positives without letting it drive you to distraction.

Healthy living strategist and personal coach Lisa Lewtan has the answer: an honest exploration of your relationship with food. Through mindfulness exercises and self-examination, you’ll learn to identify the chemical and emotional triggers that encourage you to eat and how to live a life where food strengthens, rather than weakens.

Busy, Stressed, and Food Obsessed! offers a chance to transform your frenemy into a true friend. You deserve a healthy and delicious relationship with the food you eat.

“A rich and powerful book which provides a roadmap to understanding yourself and your body.” — Christine Schuster, President & CEO, Emerson Hospital

“A simple, readable format that is a valuable tool for anyone who is eager to do the work to transform their life!” —Marcy Balter, Board Chair, Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health

“Hairy Tales” by Clifford James Hayes – EXCERPT

Welcome to my tour stop for “Hairy Tales” by Clifford James Hayes.  
Please refer the tour page for the full list of bloggers who are participating in this tour

Name: Hairy Tales: A Collection of Stories for Naughty Boys and Girls
Author: Clifford James Hayes


Release Date: February 19, 201
Genre: Children’s
Paperback: 148 pages
ISBN-10: 1530133785
ISBN-13: 978-1530133789
Buy @ Amazon

Fans of quirky humour will love these Hairy Tales! Eleven different stories full of rhymes, morals and wit – or just plain silliness and absurdity! Great fun for children and adults alike.

Join The Ugly Mermaid on her amazing undersea quest to discover why she’s so hideous, and find out why Veronica the Velociraptor has such very bad teeth! Discover Aubrey’s Smelly Adventure in the Land of Bernards, and learn that it can be cool to be different in Shipwreck’d Sarah and the Silly-Looking Pirates! Are you brave enough to meet the hideous, toad-fearing Grandma Grunt … and what dreadful fate awaits Horrid Horatia, the fearsome lady-slug? Baron Tuskogee pays a terrible price for his greed in The Walrus Story, stinky old Podge the pig revolts in more ways than one, and the dreaded Lurgatron threatens to take over the world!

All this (and a great deal more!) can be found in Hairy Tales! New, revised edition.

EXCERPT


GRANDMA GRUNT …

When you think of grandmas, you probably think of nice, scented old ladies – the kind of doddery old dears who drink endless cups of tea and spoil their grandchildren with sugary, stodgy home-made cakes. Your grannie is there to make you feel safe, warm and all gooey inside.
Grannies have cuddly, nursey mannerisms and a slightly bonkers too-old-to-care approach to life; they allow their grandchildren to get away with all manner of slightly naughty acts and misdemeanors. Eating too much cake? Breaking a china plate? Going to bed without cleaning your teeth? Such naughtiness may NEVER be allowed at home, but a grannie will usually find childish hijinks, tomfoolery and slovenliness to be quite acceptable when you stay at her place.
All this talk of sweet old dears gurgling tea and baking bad-for-you sugary cakes may possibly remind you of enjoyable visits to your OWN grandmother – and as a consequence it may give you soft, fluffy memories of never being scolded, of endlessly eating candy until you felt queasy and of always being well looked after.
Unfortunately, these were NOT the memories of Edgar and Wilhelmina Grunt. The grandmother of Edgar and Wilhelmina Grunt was NOT a nice, scented old lady. The grandmother of Edgar and Wilhelmina Grunt was SOMETHING ELSE ENTIRELY.
The grandmother of Edgar and Wilhelmina Grunt did not make sugary cakes, nor dish out too much candy. The grandmother of Edgar and Wilhelmina Grunt did NOT make you feel warm and squishy inside.
Imagine a grandma with a strong, lingering, rotten-vegetably smell – the kind of putrid stench that made you cough up a little bit of sick every time you got downwind of her! Imagine a grandma who spoke words so rude even a foul-mouthed football hooligan would be too embarrassed to repeat them. Imagine a grandma that liked to encourage spiders and other creepy-crawly things to live in every nook and cranny of her dilapidated, unclean home, and who fed her grandchildren food off plates that had never been washed in over forty years. Imagine a grandma with a mountain-range of lumps over every inch of exposed flesh, and with hairy moles on her skin that looked like baby tarantulas! Not to mention the coarse, bristly hair that grew in the strangest of places (even out of the gums between her blackened teeth)!
NOW you’re getting a picture of Edgar and Wilhelmina Grunt’s grandmother. To top it all, their grandmother was quite mad. An absolute fruitcake, in fact. Her favourite book was THE FROGS OF WAR – a woeful tale about pond-life taking over the world. Grandma Grunt was CONVINCED the book was a prophecy – and that one day the world would be taken over by frogs, toads, newts and salamanders. She read the bleak, miserable book again and again and again to her terrified grandchildren, filling their heads with images of the frog wars to come …
 
Soldier toads, and frogs of war,
Built for fighting, blood and gore.
Hop o’er land, break down your door,
Take it all, then take some more!
We’re the toads and frogs of war,
Croak and ribit, belch and roar!
 
She called the book ‘The Froggy Scriptures’, and read terrifying chapters of it to Edgar and Wilhelmina every time they came to stay. Once satisfied she’d scared the living daylights out of her grandchildren, Grandma Grunt made them eat ‘GROT’ – a grey, semi-liquid concoction of her own design. Part-porridge, part-soup, and part whatever-was-found-in-the-backyard. Anything unfortunate enough to be slow and easy to catch often went into her vat of Grot – she had a particular fancy for snails and slugs, and even squeezed the ‘juice’ out of a dead seagull once, in order to add it to the putrid gruel.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Clifford James Hayes is an occasional author and independent publisher, and has to date written and illustrated over a dozen books in different genres (childrens’ tales, historical fantasy, comedic science fiction and biographical). His ‘day job’ is running his graphic design business (www.hayesdesign.co.uk) where his specialism is the design of books and cd/albums. Inspirations for his books include Roald Dahl, Monty Python, Rik Mayall, Spike Milligan and (most importantly) the mad outpourings of his young daughter, Poppy, to whom all his books are dedicated. For more info please get in touch via http://www.hayesdesign.co.uk.

A MOMENT TO SHARE WITH John Darryl Winston

Welcome to my Author INTERVIEW with John Darryl Winston, the author of the amazing book called IA: Initiate.

This interview is part of a tour that runs from March 21 to 25.

Please refer the tour page for the full list of bloggers who are participating in this tour.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Tell me a little about yourself and your background? What were you like at school? Were you good at English? What are your ambitions for your writing career?

I am the proverbial jack-of-all-trades, aiming for master author. I was an athlete in high school, baseball being my best sport, joined the Army straight out of high school as a saxophone player (was a musician in high school, too). After 3 years serving our country, I formed a band known as Kiara and did the local circuit. We put out our own records in Detroit, which were successful enough to bring my group to the attention of record mogul Clive Davis and Arista Records (Whitney Houston’s label) where we signed a recording contract. Our first 3 singles on our debut album made it to the top ten on Billboard, and one, a duet with Shanice Wilson made it all the way to number one. We recorded 2 albums with Arista and a 3rd with Polygram.

 

After music, I became a public school teacher and founded the Winston Institute of Arts, a non-profit fine and performing arts organization that serviced at risks children in the metropolitan Detroit area.

I was not a good student through high school and would’ve probably been targeted as having ADHD today (my parents had their own special brand of medication that worked wonders on me). If it wasn’t music or sports, I wasn’t interested, and that includes reading and writing, so no, I was no good at English.

John’s Website

My ambitions for my writing career are simple. It’s my third career after music and teaching and my last one.

It suits me, and I want to get my books into the hands and my stories into hearts of souls, who like me, who long for something that challenges, sparks, and exercises their imagination.

 

Which writers inspire you

Stephen King inspires me because of the realism in his stories. He’s scary. J.K. Rowling inspires me because of the road she’s traveled and her ability to world-build. She’s thebest. And John Edgar Wideman inspires me because I think can feel his pain as a writer, as a human. We are kindred spirits.

What was your life like before becoming an author?

Before becoming a writer, I was the typical super ambitious guy trying to find his way in the circle with no direction. All I knew was that I wanted to be of service, spending all my time teaching, singing, playing instruments and sports, helping kids do the same. That was and still is me only add writing/author to that mix.

Which comes first – the character’s story or the idea for the novel?

I’d have to go the chicken or the egg analogy on this one. To be honest, in the IA series, I don’t know which came first, Naz’s story or the idea for the novel. I can’t separate them. They are one and the same. It’s like when people ask me are my stories character-driven or plot-based. Again it’s hard to separate the two, kind of like destiny. Are we shaping destiny or confined to it? I know what I want to happen in my story, IA, but sometimes Naz and Meri don’t cooperate.

When did you decide to become a writer?

John’s Tweeter Page

I’ve always been a writer as longs I can remember, first like a West African griot I would tell stories and never write anything down, then I would put my stories into songs, from there it was stage and screenplays (Cinema is my true love) and finally the novel form came to life for me about five years ago.

Why do you write?

I just wrote a blog on why I write, but I’ll condense it here and say I write for people who want stories that are real but push the envelope beyond reality and challenge the mind. I write for people like me who are missing something the current body of fiction or science fiction doesn’t reveal. I write because I like being connected to the creator and the creative process because I, too, am a creator, and I write because it’s fun … sometimes.

So, what have you written?

Hmmm … what have I written? I’ve written over 500 songs, 2 screenplays, 3 stage plays, 2 and a half novels (Halfway done with IA: Union), an article for a sports journal, and countless unpublished short stories.

Where people can buy or see them?

You can find my songs on various artist, Gerald Levert, Gerald Alston, Jordan Hill, Kiara, etc. My sports article is out of print, and IA: Initiate and B.O.S.S. are available on Amazon and my website, johndarrylwinston.com as well as giveaways on Goodreads.

Give me an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special?

Naz is an average kid, having the same characteristics as most kids. The rub comes in the choices he makes, which begins to define him as the story progresses, and he doesn’t always make what some feel are the right choices … or does he? He has developed the abilities of telepathy and telekinesis, but doesn’t know how to control these powers. He’s also good at chess, basketball, and a few other things … don’t wanna give it all away, right?

What sparked the idea for your book?

I wanted to created a hero that was real and flawed, that people, especially kids not only dreamed about but aspired to be like. I wanted to create a story, book, and hero/superhero that called others to action, to find the hero/superhero within.

How do you market your book?

I market my books anyway I can, social media, of course, and I just hired a professional book publicity firm. Let’s see how that goes. I use word of mouth, which I’m absolutely horrible at, your prototype introverted writer, but I’m working at that, determined to break out of my shell for the good of the author in me. One writer told me he carries books around with him with a goal to sell at least five a day. I thought wow, what a great idea. But I can’t do that. I take that back. I’m going to start today, “buy” any means necessary.

Name: IA: Initiate
Author: John Darryl Winston

Publisher: Purple Ash Press

ReleaseDate: April 19, 2014

Genre: Science Fiction

Buy @ Amazon

Do you have any advice for other authors on how to market their books? What do you do to get book reviews?

My advice to authors is to first determine what they want out of publishing their book. If it’s just to see their book in print and have it available for their friends and family, they are fortunate and their vehicle is called Createspace at virtually no cost. But if they want awareness on a larger scale, they need to understand what they’re up against and the amount of energy required. It’s not as easy leaving no stone left unturned because there are many stones that are a waste of time and will have you spinning your wheels. It requires research, some trial and error, and a healthy dose of social media. It requires constant re-evaluation and re-adjustment of a well-organized plan and a high tolerance for failure … indeed failure should be looked at as a friend, a friend you can trust that tells you exactly what you did wrong. Specifically, befriend other authors and engage all your readers. If you’re going to respond to reviews only respond to the positive ones with words of gratitude, and never, ever give up.

As far as reviews. The easiest way to get reviews is to give people a copy of your book and ask them to review it. To be honest that doesn’t usually work. You can trade reviews with other authors, but there’s a loss of credibility there not to mention Amazon frowns on the practice and will snatch those reviews off their site with the quickness. Also there are a lot of scam authors out there that will say they’re going to review your book if you review theirs, and when you do, they never return the favor so beware. Here’s an idea. Join Goodreads, become a part of the community, join a group or two, read, read, read, which you should be doing anyway and review all those books, and let Karma do it’s work. That’s what’s worked for me.

What advice do you have for someone who would like to become a published writer?

Read and write as much as possible, become involvedin a writing community (Goodreads is a good place to start), and develop a platform on social media.

Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven’t included?

Please contribute to our Kickstarter … pretty please.

How can readers discover more about you and your work?

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon Author Page | Goodreads 

Book Summary 

IA: Initiate is origin story and a hero’s journey that follows thirteen-year-old orphan Naz Andersen and his nine-year-old sister, Meri. They live in a present day alternate Detroit/Chicago-like city known as the Exclave where they are surrounded by poverty, gang violence threatens every corner, and drug dealers rule the streets. Naz thinks he is ordinary except that he hears voices, has nightmares, and walks in his sleep.

The most important thing in the world to Naz is protecting Meri and getting her out of the Exclave and into the prestigious International Academy. But Naz has a secret, one that he is oblivious to, and only Meri knows. When Naz becomes the target of a notorious street gang he begins to discover the voices in his head, the nightmares, and sleepwalking are actually telekinesis and telepathy at play, a gift from his father of whom he has no memory.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

John Darryl Winston

John Darryl Winston is a recording artist, turned educator, turned author. He dates his love of storytelling back to reading the bible with his father and sisters and later when he first saw Superman The Movie as an 11th grader in his high school auditorium. He got the idea for his debut series while piloted a Boys’ Read program as a Detroit Public School teacher. He is the founder of the Adopt an Author program, which has as its mission to create an atmosphere where boys and girls learn to love reading and writing.

He has written songs with and for Grammy winner David Foster and record mogul Clive Davis. He has been a recording artist on Arista and Polygram records, and has written and/or produced songs for Gerald Levert, Jordan Hill, Gerald Alston, and many others.

He’s a graduate of the Recording Institute of Detroit, The Motion Picture Institute of Michigan, and Wayne State University. He has his MA in Creative Writing from Wilkes University and will be graduating, June 2016 with his MFA in Creative Writing from Wilkes. He lives in Detroit with daughter, Marquette and plans to buy an African Grey Parrot when he conquers his irrational fear of birds and name him or her Tony or Toni.

Website | Facebook | Twitter
John is offering ecopies of IA: Initiate to the 5 winners of the below Rafflecopter.
GIVEAWAY

 

 

The Power of kid’s Imagination . . . Book by Matt Williams and Elizabeth Collyer

My book review … :)  

Compelling, heartrending story of boy and his many dreams. He is wondering how he supposed to know which job is right for him, especially when they are so manny things that he wants to do when he grows up. The story reminded me of a time in my childhood when I imagined being able to do so many things.

Matt Williams and Elizabeth Collyer are slowly but surely creating the perfect picture book for young children. Matt’s inventive rhyming text is perfectly matched by Elizabeth Collyer’s character-filled illustrations. The book is beautifully written, the dreams are thrilling and although some of the it are very possible, they are still very interesting. Every page oozes warmth and humor. There is a special hidden message among the words, which says that all jobs are important

This is a gorgeous bedtime story, or anytime story. And I’m already looking forward to recommend this book to all my friends and readers with kids. I believe that this is a great gift for a Birthday or other kid’s holiday! I am sure that this book it will inspire avery kid to share his/hers favorite dreams.

Title: When I Grow Uo
Author: Matt Williams
Illustrator: Elizabeth Collyer
Publisher: Vivid Publishing
Publication Date: November, 2014
Paperback: 32 pages
ISBN: 978-1-925209-33-4
For ages: 5+
Type: Picture Book
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/When-Grow-Up-Matt-Williams/dp/1925209334/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457404420&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=When+I+Grow+Uo++Author%3A+Matt+Williams 

A MOMENT TO SHARE with Marie Lavender

It’s not really a secret that I have a soft spot for books and their authors, but a great storytellers like Marie Lavender are definitely a particular weakness of mine.

Everyone, please welcome Marie Lavender to my interview section and feel free to comment after the interview. :) She will share with us some insides on her process and her inspirations. Hope that everyone will enjoy this interview.  :)

So Marie, tell me a little about yourself and your background? What were you like at school? Were you good at English? What are your ambitions for your writing career? Which writers inspire you? 

I live in the Midwest with my family and three cats. I’ve been writing for over twenty years, really since the age of nine. I would have to say that in school, I was a fairly average student, but English was one of my favorite subjects. I majored in Creative Writing in college. I was a much better student there for some reason. LOL.

My writing ambitions? I’m looking forward to writing and publishing the Witches of Moon-haven Series, a group of six books about a coven of witches. It will be historical romance/fantasy series. Another future ambition is that I’d like to see one of my books in a major bookstore someday, but with the prevalence of eBooks, I may have to adjust that dream a bit. We’ll see.

Some writers who inspire me are Nora Roberts, Kris Tualla, Chloe Neill and J.R. Ward.

What was your life like before becoming an author? 

Ah, it was pretty normal, I suppose. I juggled writing part-time while taking on various jobs, and spending time with my family.

Which comes first? The character’s story or the idea for the novel? 

It depends on the book. Some of them start as general ideas, while others begin in the midst of a scene, with dialogue or as the character is developing. But, either way, that crumb has enormous potential.

When did you decide to become a writer?

I was a child, about the age of nine when I decided I wanted to be a ‘novelist’, as I put it then. Stories played out in my head, and it just seemed natural to write them all down.

Why do you write?

Marie Lavender’s Website

I write because I can’t imagine doing anything else as a career. When I’m in the middle of writing a story, the scene is playing out in my head and the characters are really coming to life, it’s hard to describe it but nothing else will ever bring me that kind of freedom. This is what I’m meant to do; I just know it in my gut.

So, what have you written?

I’ve written all kinds of stories, but I have published 22 books in the genres of historical romance, contemporary romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, fantasy, mystery/thriller, literary fiction and poetry.

Where can people buy or see them?

Marie Lavender’s Goodreads Page

Most of my books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, via my publisher Solstice Publishing, CreateSpace and through Smashwords. And they can add my books to their TBR lists on Goodreads.

A few of Marie Lavender’s Books

Give me an insight into your main character of your last book. What does he/she do that is so special?

Dana Nelson is an independent woman, a lawyer just in town for a business trip. But during the trip, she doesn’t expect to run into her ex. What really makes her character is how she deals with this surprise and the way she confronts how she still feels about Vincent.

What sparked the idea for your books? 

Tough question. I guess they all come from different places, either from my experiences or something I genuinely wanted to write about. Other book ideas come virtually out of nowhere, it seems, until I really start digging into who a character is. At that point, the character is real to me, no longer just a figment of my imagination.

How do you market your books?

I do whatever I can to spread the word about my books, from promotion via blog interviews, guest posts or radio interview, ads on book sites, sending ARCs to professional reviewers, connecting with new readers in author events, and running occasional giveaways of my books.

Do you have any advice for other authors on how to market their books?

Don’t be afraid to try something new, and definitely don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. You never know if a certain marketing technique will really result in big success. But, you can’t know unless you at least try.

What do you do to get book reviews?

I usually submit ARCs to professional reviewers or book bloggers. If they’re interested, they’ll review the book. For the rest of my reviews, those are left by my readers.

What advice do you have for someone who wants to become a published writer?

Up front, know that it’s a lot of hard work, and a heartbreaking journey at times. So, if you’re going to do it, establish WHY you’re getting into in the first place. Be sure you absolutely love writing, that you’ve fallen in love with your characters and your story, and you believe that this is what you’re meant to do. If you’re getting into it to get rich, be prepared for disappointment, or at least for it to take a very long time to get there. Any creative endeavor is not a get-rich-quick scheme, but should be pursued with passion, dedication, and determination. Persistence and perseverance are good traits to have. A lot of writers give up too early.

Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven’t included?

Marie Lavender’s Twitter Page

I have several series’ books out right now that readers might want to take a look at! Some of them are the Heiresses in Love Series, the Magick Series and the Blood at First Sight Series.

How can readers discover more about you and your work?

A good place is my website, or more specifically the ‘my books’ page, which lists everything I’ve ever published. Readers can also follow my three blogs, or find me on Facebook, Twitter, or Google+. They can follow my Amazon author page as well, for updates on book releases. Another good source is to subscribe to my monthly newsletter, where readers can get exclusive news on anything involving me or my books!

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon Author Page | Smash words | Goodreads | Blog Spot 1 | Blog Spot 2 

​It was a great privilege for me to get to interview Marie Lavender, who has inspired me in many different ways. Thank you Marie!!! Good Luck with everything!