Meglena Ivanova's Blog, page 7

A moment to share with Sarah Wathen

Hi everyone, today I am very happy to post this interview, because one of the characters of Sarah��Wathen’s book name is Meg and my friends call me Meg as well, which makes her book even more interesting for me. :)��Sarah��Wathen is the author of��The Tramp (The Bound Chronicles, #1).��She��is a storyteller by trade and a painter at heart. Sarah was trained in Classical Painting at the University of Central Florida, then completed graduate studies in Fine Art at Parson���s School of Design in New York City. Her first step into the world of independent publishing was as an illustrator, and Sarah quickly realized she wanted to write her own books rather than illustrate other���s. That reinvention came as no surprise to family and friends, who remember her as a child always ready to turn a tale. Hours spent under the backyard stairs with her sister���dreaming up imaginary friends with outlandish names like Afisha and Pekins, and designing social networks called the Plant Club and the Tutu Group���were recorded and illustrated, too. Copies still exist under lock and key! Sarah currently resides in Florida and runs the indie label, LayerCake Productions.

Sarah Wathen

Hi Sarah, thank you for participating in my MOMENT TO SHARE interviews section.

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 loved school, all the way from Kindergarten to Master���s Degree, and I was almost a straight-A student. It���s funny, because I had been working as an artist for over ten years before I started writing. I thought friends and family would think it was weird for me to just change careers abruptly, until I talked to one of my oldest friends whom I met when I was nine-years-old. She thought the transition from artist to author was a perfect full circle, and she reminded me of how much I loved to write and tell stories as a kid. Then I remembered that English was always my forte���I just never thought it was a viable career choice for some reason. I guess I had always heard about how hard it was for authors to get published, but Kindle and social media changed everything. I���m so lucky to be living and writing during this indie author zeitgeist!

Which writers inspire you?

The first writer that comes to mind when I think of inspiring books is Arundhati Roy, who wrote The God of Small Things. That book is pure artistry and she achieves the kind of literary perfection that I don���t even hope to approach. The story is beautiful, honest, and true���it���s also so painful that I���m not sure I can recommend it in good conscience. But beauty is like that sometimes.

What was your life like before becoming an author?

I loved painting and I always will. But for me, after grad school and having to slosh through the New York art scene, most of the joy of art making was extinguished. I was forced to keep going, because I had thrown so much of my life and money at becoming a professional artist. I was trapped and stuck, and pretty unhappy about it. Rediscovering my passion for writing set me free.

Which comes first – the character’s story or the idea for the novel? What sparked the idea for your book?

The idea, the situational climax, comes first. That���s how I began writing and it just worked for me. When I decided to write full-time, I knew I wanted to write fiction. But, I had been writing non-fiction for so long (tons of art theory and criticism in grad school, plus tutorials while I was teaching design), and I didn���t know where to start. My husband Bill, who I call ���the idea guy,��� came up with a handful of story possibilities that he had always thought would make a great book. The one I liked best was partly taken from real life; one of his co-workers was hosting an Italian foreign exchange student, and she lived in a small mountain town in Tennessee. That, together with Bill���s own imagination formed ���the situation��� that is the climax scene of The Tramp. So, Bill provided that one, key scene, and then I built the fictitious town of Shirley and all the people that live there, to make that scene happen.

When did you decide to become a writer?

When I was twenty-six, I was in a terrible car accident that left a lot of residual damage���physical and emotional. As a way of working through my issues, a few years ago I decided to write a memoire about the experience of healing. I wrote in first person, present tense, and I revisited every second that I could remember from the moments before and after the actual crash (I was unconscious for hours). It was important that my story be accurate, so I described every sensation, fear, and pain in detail, from all the hospitals, surgeries, and drug-laden months of recovery. When Bill read it, he told me, ���You know your art is pretty good, but you���re ten times a better writer than you are a painter.��� I was freaked out at first���artist was how I had thought of myself for so many years. That���s who I was. That���s what I did. But when Bill asked me if making art really made me happy anymore (he suspected it didn���t and he was right), he asked the question that changed my life: ���Well, why not just decide to do something else?��� Why not indeed.

Why do you write?

Writing is just another art form for me. I write for the same reason that I painted: because I have to or I���ll go crazy. When I was painting a lot, I would see designs and forms and colors everywhere that I just had to mix together and put down on paper or canvas. I���d constantly be pulling interesting imagery out of everything that I saw. Now that I���m writing all the time, my characters are alive in my mind. They are constantly talking, interacting and moving around in the world with me. I simply must write the stories down to get them out of my head! Plus, the feeling of creating worlds with words is super fun.

So, what have you written?

The Tramp is the first book in a four-book series called The Bound Chronicles. The second book, The Glamour, is already underway.

I also have an offshoot novel, Catchpenny, due for release in July. There just isn���t enough room in one book���or even in one long, epic story���to tell it all. After working through several drafts of The Tramp (and while I was waiting on my editor again), I just wanted to write a simple romance. That���s where Catchpenny came in. One of the characters in The Tramp is pissed off at her son, Tristan: he dumps his long-term girlfriend and asks Meg Shannon, the town ���sure thing,��� to the Homecoming dance. Rumor has it, he just wants to get laid. Although the Homecoming dance is an important event in The Tramp, Tristan and Meg are side characters. Meg is only mentioned and never actually makes an appearance. But I thought, ���Well, what is Meg really like? What about Tristan, who seems like a total jerk in The Tramp? What happens between them? What if all the nasty rumors are totally wrong?��� Catchpenny is the story of Tristan and Meg. It started out as a short little romance, but it has blossomed into a full-length coming of age novel. It will be released serially, in six parts (one part each month), in between book one and book two of The Bound Chronicles. I had so much fun with Catchpenny that I plan to extract a couple minor characters from The Glamour and do the same thing again next year!��

Before I started writing fiction, I was illustrating literary works from the public domain. The first thing that I published under my indie label, LayerCake Productions, LLC, was an illustrated edition of ���Song of Solomon.��� I included a foreword text detailing my research and explaining my process in creating the imagery. Here���s a link to the book: http://amzn.to/1Bk9Ujs And here���s a link to the illustrations: http://bit.ly/1wlWsLL

I also love to blog���either to write about writing, discuss art, explain processes, and especially to review the work of other indie authors: www.sarahwathen.com

Where people can buy or see them?

The Tramp can be pre-ordered in print and ebook format: http://amzn.to/1vCfurF

Read excerpts on my blog: http://bit.ly/1MnCSCQ

Don���t miss the Rafflecopter give-away:

I���m giving away the following gifts to one winner of the Rafflecopter.

Signed print copy of the book + Kindle download
MP3 download of The��Tramp��theme song, “Bound Hearts”
Cover art T-shirt

A Rafflecopter giveaway!!!

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

Candy Vale is a teenaged girl in a small mountain town who doesn���t think there is much special about her at all. She���s not too popular, not so beautiful, and hasn���t really found her niche in a highly talented, musical family. It���s hard for her to believe that the alluring new stranger in town, Sam, is nearly as into her as she is into him. But when Sam insists Candy has the same eyes���black, fathomless eyes��� as the exotic woman in a three-hundred-year-old painting, she can���t help but take note. After digging around in her grandma���s old photo albums, she finds the link to a disturbing family history. Candy���s about to discover that she���s the mainline back to a woman who has haunted Shirley Valley for centuries.

How do you market your book? Do you have any advice for other authors on how to market their books?

Well, this is the first for me, so we���ll see how well I���m doing when The Tramp goes on sale! But mostly, I���m trying to connect as much as I can with other authors, readers, and book lovers. I love to tweet and share on Facebook and Tumblr, and of course anytime I write on my blog I blast it around. One of the most important things to me when I post anything is to include beautiful imagery. Eye candy is what I notice first, and I���ve found that the better the art is, the more clicks I get. Art is so much a part of my stories and my life, that it���s an integral part of my marketing.

What do you do to get book reviews?

So far, I���ve been the one reviewing instead of being reviewed, but now that I���ve finalized the last draft and format of my book, it���s ready for the world. Let���s hope I���ve built up some good karma in all the indie book reviews that I���ve been doing, because I���ve been paying it forward! Even if I don���t get tit for tat, though, I���ve really enjoyed reading and reviewing indie books. There is nothing like reading a book so good it becomes a part of you, then being able to talk about it with the author. I���ve met some amazing people that way.

Sarah Weather’s Twitter!
@SWathen_Author

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

If you want to write, just pick up your pen and get started. The only way you get better at it is to write, revise, edit, then repeat. Do not skip the editing process, as expensive and downright grueling as it is. It���s necessary and it helps you become a better writer every time you do it. Let me restate that: do not skip the editing process. I have begun reading too many promising novels that I���ve ended up wanting to throw against the wall for lack of editing. For a reader, it���s just insulting. For a writer, it���s shooting yourself in the foot before you even get off the starting block.

Sarah Wathen’s Website!
Storyteller. World Builder.

Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven���t included?��

My book has a theme song! Listen to it, it���s fabulous! Actually, The Tramp has a full length musical soundtrack album, written and composed by the band Her Last Boyfriend. Check out a sample here: http://bit.ly/1ELTcL1 Music and art is at the heart of all my stories, and I highly encourage readers to listen to The Tramp Soundtrack when it���s released in April. It���s more than just awesome alternative rock���it���s a concept album that follows the story from beginning to end, with lyrics and instrumentation specifically designed for the characters. Also, look for my video trailer for The Bound Chronicles later this year���there will be plenty of art to see! Make sure to follow my blog on WordPress, www.sarahwathen.com, because I���ll be posting artwork that is featured in The Tramp, as well as music links, playlists, and YouTube links to videos I used in my research for the book.

How can readers discover more about you and your work?

Goodreads ��|�� Amazon ��|�� Twitter��|��Blog��|��Facebook��| Tumblr | Pinterest��| Website��

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

Scott D. Southard and his NEW BOOK – Permanent Spring Showers

Hi, everyone.����I am a book lover and a book hoarder like a lot of you out there.

“To write means more than putting pretty words on a page;

the act of writing is to share a part of your soul with the world.”

With this words I want to truly say thank you to��The Writing of Scott D. Southard��for the amazing gift he sent me a few weeks ago, his new book – Permanent Spring Showers.

Tell us a little about yourself?

Scott D. Southard

My name is Scott D. Southard, I���m the author of the novel A Jane Austen Daydream, and most recently Permanent Spring Showers. I���ve always been obsessed with writing and books. When I look back at my childhood, my years and summers were not marked by big baseball games or events; for me, it was always about the book I devoured that year.

The summer of Sherlock Holmes, the summer of Shakespeare.

I went on to study writing at Aquinas College, Michigan State University and, finally, at the University of Southern California.

Today, when my focus is not on my own books, I do the book reviews for my local NPR station. which feels in a way like giving back to the artform I love. I also have a blog that I really dig doing. It is called ���The Musings and Artful Blunders of Scott D. Southard��� at sdsouthard.com. You can learn more about my novels, my philosophy about writing, and pretty much my opinion about everything under the sun there. I hope will check it out.

When did you began to write and why?

Same of Scott’s books!

Let���s start with the spark. That moment when a dream or a simple playful question grows into the possibility of so much more. From a teenager on, I cannot really remember a time when I wasn���t playing with one quirky idea or another. That spark is always wild fun for me.

What truly inspired me to write (and still inspires me today) was the idea of doing something unique on the page. In other words, I didn���t want to just tell a story, I wanted to surprise.

That surprise could be anything from a twist a reader might not expect, to finding a new way to tell a story. It���s one of��the reasons all of my books are very different from each other and why I am always testing myself as storyteller. So, it could be said, that if someone picks up one of my books (no matter which one) that should expect something new���. At least, if I did my job right.

Your favorite book when you were young and/or your favorite book now?

This always changes for me.

I can say that an important book for me when I was a child was The Lord of the Rings (and yes, I see it as all one book) by J.R.R. Tolkien.�� The reason why is not because I see it as perfect (It isn���t, e.g., Tom Bombadil), more for the pure escapism I felt upon reading it for the first time. I lost days just laying on my parents��� couch devouring it. I would love to imagine that my books could have the same power for my readers.

I always get a lot of inspiration from other writers and their books, and what is my current favorite usually relates to what I am creating at the time, be it books by Vonnegut or Dickens or Austen.

The most recent book I���ve read and loved was Etta and Otto and Russell and James by Emma Hooper. Check it out!

What is the name of your new book? Tell us more about the characters and the story?��

Scott’s new book!

My new novel is entitled Permanent Spring Showers and the story begins with an affair.

Book Description – Professor Rebecca Stanley-Wilson discovers that her husband had an affair (and with one of her own students!). He tells her this news while she is preparing to leave for a literary convention. While at the event (and after way too many drinks) she has one of her own. Problematic for her, her affair was with one of the great up and coming painters of his generation. That evening of passion would inspire one of the great works of American art.

Permanent Spring Showers is the story of that painting and all of the people connected with it. There is humor, romance, and a lot of twists, all building to one very surprising Memorial Day.

How do you go about promoting your work?

It���s always a battle. The world of books is a very congested market with new works published every day. You can go on Twitter at any minute and read the tweets of fellow writers begging people to just give their work a chance.

We���ve all been there. And it is a very steep mountain to climb. There are no easy answers, and luck does play a part (a big part actually).

Permanent Spring Showers was published by 5 Prince Books, which means I get to work with their marketing people on promoting the work.�� For me, I have my blog, my Twitter and my Facebook page. I also sometimes give readings or present on writing. I will never turn down a chance to find new readers for my stories.

I like to say that I have earned every reader I have had. Hopefully, they will come back again and again (and maybe bring a friend).

How do you think electronic books have changed things?

Honestly, I feel limited by eBooks.

The thing is I like the idea of experimenting with how to present a story. A great example of this is in my novel Maximilian Standforth and the Case of the Dangerous Dare. It is a faux-period mystery, with some big questions about reality.�� At one point reality is broken, and I���m not sure if it truly conveys the shock in eBook format as it does when you turn the dreaded page. And now every time I get one of my more creative ideas, I have to wonder about how it will work on a device or screen. Argh!

Yet if it brings people to my stories, I can���t complain. And really this is not an issue with Permanent Spring Showers or A Jane Austen Daydream. They are fine on devices. Read away!

Where do you see yourself in 10 years? ��

I would love to say a full-time author. That has always been the dream. But, realistically, with the congested market we live in, I don���t know how possible that is without a fairy godmother waving a wand. (Sorry, I have a daughter who is obsessed with Disney���s Cinderella.)

So, I hope to still be coming up with ideas and writing new books for my readers to check out���

Oh, heck��� No, I will be rocking the New York Times Bestseller list and friends with J.K. Rowling. Watch out world!

Something close to your heart?��

Music has always been a big piece of inspiration for me as an author. Sometimes I can���t write without the right music or song on. They help me find the right mood.

I can���t imagine not writing without music around me. So in a way, a CD or a song is never just a CD or song for me.

Other people love The Beatles (everyone loves them, right?), but for me they are collaborators. So are Miles Davis, OK Go, Damien Rice, Belle and Sebastian, and many others. For Permanent Spring Showers it was all about the music of Fiona Apple (especially her last album The Idler Wheel���).

So as a writer, it comes back to the soundtrack that drives my creativity. The music under my words.

You can FIND Scott:

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

MY REVIEW OF Permanent Spring Showers by Scott D Southard:

The author have a strong clear style and huge talent. He wrote a clever and very romantic novel, that it will surprise you through the last word. Humor, warmth, love, wisdom, revenge, betrayal, lust, and desire fill the pages. The plots are interesting, thoughtful and very engaging. Southward’s book includes themes about live honestly and authentically; how to make our own decisions and accept responsibility for them; how to develop our talents and gifts; how to find our passion and purpose; and how to cultivate an open heart and mind, all taking place in some very unique situations. Each situation walks the line between reality and fantasy. The characters are distinct and their flaws believable, the gender issues are handled with grace and subtlety���. Their conversations and thoughts are filled with humor, expansive love, wisdom and clarity. You will probably experience a world view that is very different than the one you hold now about art and marriage. You will be given access to a world of permanent freedom, love, wellbeing, unity and peace with this inspirational book.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book even when I had to re-read some of the pages. I try to guess the big master plan during reading but of the end I was truly surprised.

A little bit about the story���

Professor Rebecca Stanley-Wilson is very passionate about her teaching career and her book. When she forgets her copies of her book at her cheating husband��� car she feels devastated. Left without books, with shoddy assistant and heartbroken, she sees Vince as her very own prince. Vince’s character is “one of the greatest upcoming painters of his generation” as the author describes it. Very charming, very handsome and very talented, Vince becomes obsessed of Rebeca. He sees her as his inspiration and he needs her more then he cares for her as a love partner…

A few more characters are mixed in the main story. All of them are unique and described so well. I could honestly find some of their mind-dilemmas to be so close to what I was feeling in similar situations.

I look forward to reading Scott���s next novel. :)


P.S. What is your opinion about the story? :)

THE LEGEND OF THE MOONSTONE by MEGLENA IVANOVA

Goodreads ��|�� Amazon ��|�� Twitter��|��Blog��|��Facebook��| Google + | Website

��LEGEND OF THE MOONSTONE: SACRED STONES COLECTION – BOOK 1 by Meglena Ivanova
Detailed Summary:

THE LEGEND OF THE MOONSTONE, a vibrant fiction-adventure, tells the story of a powerful stone which is part of the ancient Sacred Stone, called the Moonstone. Professor Stransky is adventurer and dreamer who sets off on an epic quest through magical, mythical and wondrous worlds in order to rescue the Moonstone and defend our planet. In this adventure he and his crew of two very special and extraordinary students are about to fight for their own lives and for the lives of all of humanity against the Upper Souls (evil and destructive creatures, who wanted to become immortal and conquer the universe).

Product Details:


File Size: 569 KB
Print Length: 165 pages
Publisher: Meglena Ivanova; 2 edition (November 24, 2014)
Sold by:�� Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00Q3ZWAX6
Category: Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Mythology & Folk Tales > Fairy Tales > Action & Adventure > Science Fiction & Fantasy

After his participation in a top secret project, the famous teller of legends and myths, Professor of Mineralogy, Bernard Stransky, receives a present like no other ��� an enormous, glittering, gem. Little does he know that this legendary stone will bring with it a world of mystery and danger. The stone seems to hold strange powers beyond mere beauty, perhaps even a prophecy that travels with it. The sparkling Moonstone belongs to Professor Stransky, but he isn���t the stone���s real master. Part of the hidden heart of the mystery planet, the gem is the subject of an intense worldwide search by Upper Souls whose ultimate duty is to find and restore the stone to its rightful place. According to their beliefs, the special and powerful stone, belongs to them and their families. That���s not quite true! The Uppers wants to possess the Moonstone only because they think they are the Better part of their tribe. They are ready to do whatever it takes them to possess the stone and for them only that matters!

Who is the real master of the precious sacred gem?
Can the stone be found and returned to its rightful masters in time to stop the mysterious forces that threaten to destroyed our human planet?
What is the real purpose of the stone?
Who is involved in the legendary prophecy and who is going to pay a incredible price because the fight for possession of the Moonstone?
Who Are the rest of the Sacred Stones, What are They and Where are They Hidden?
Why one human professor is willing to be involved in this supernatural maelstrom of myths and legends?
What is his role and why he is so important, you can learn by reading The Legend of The Moonstone?
This classic tale of mystery and intrigue has long delighted readers seeking the truth about the legendary Moonstone.




” THE LEGEND OF THE MOONSTONE is an adventure where different dimensions merge and beings from different worlds interact, morals clash. It has unexpected turns and strong moral statements. If someone likes a trans-dimensional thriller she or he should read this adventure, it is a story for children in heart of all ages . . . “��— Ye��rgos C. Awgern��s

A moment to share with Michael McCormick

Hi everyone, today I am very happy to post this interview.��Michael McCormick is the author of Across The Pond. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps just out of high school at the age of 17. Soon after, he found himself in battle in the jungles and rice paddies of Vietnam. He was nearly killed on several occasions, but managed to survive and return home at age 19. After the war, Michael earned his B.A. in psychology and his M.A. in clinical psychology. He lives in Oakland, California with his wife Gina. You can contact him at:��mikemccormick49 @ ymail.com.

Hi Michael,��Tell me a little about yourself and your background?

I am originally from Ohio, USA. I am a former United States Marine and I have a Master���s degree in clinical psychology.

What��were��you��like��in��school?

I didn���t��like��school��much.

Where��you��good at English?

No.

Which writers inspire��you?

Hemingway, Steinbeck.

What was your life��like��before becoming an author? ��

Pretty much the same as it is now.

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

Across The Pond by Michael McCormick

In my case, the idea came first.

When did��you��decide to become a writer?

Soon after I returned from the Vietnam War, I knew I wanted to write about what I had experienced.

Why do��you��write?

I have stories I want to tell. ;)

What have��you��written?

Across The Pond by Michael McCormick

One novella, some poetry and a few short stories.

Where can people buy them?

My novella is on Amazon, Kindle and Barnes & Noble. My poems and short stories are out of print.

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

My main character is a composite of several people I knew or know today. There is a lot of myself in the character. He earned the Silver Star Medal, this nation���s 3rd highest military award for gallantry.

What sparked the idea for your book?

Michael During War!

The Vietnam War and the way Vietnam veterans��were��treated upon their return home.

How do��you��market your book?

I try to use several different platforms.

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

Diversify.

What do��you��do to get book reviews?

Some paid promotion.

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

Michael’s Website!

Self-Publish on Kindle.

Is there anything else��you��would��like��to add that I haven���t included?

Yes, the next time America goes to War, we should make very certain that we take good care of our returning warriors.

How can readers discover more about��you��and your work?

Goodreads | Amazon | Twitter��| Blog | Facebook

GIVEAWAYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!! :) :) :)��

The author is giving away a paperback copy of

“ACROSS THE POND”

to one winner of the Rafflecopter.

* * *��A Rafflecopter Giveaway!!!��* * *

A moment to share with Val Silver

Hi everyone, I am so please to share with you Val Sliver‘s interview. She believe that “there are many paths to wellness and that all healing is self-healing.” At her website she��provides holistic wellness information and techniques to heal your soul and body.

Hi Val, thank you for agreeing to participate in this interview.

Val Silver

Tell me a little about yourself and your background? What were you like at school? Were you good at English?

I have had the good fortune to live in different parts of the US and three years in Germany. It was wonderful visiting several European countries and experiencing their culture firsthand.

My early childhood was spent in Brooklyn, NY. I have many happy memories of holidays and visits with our close knit, and often loud extended family. Brooklyn is also where we had our first dogs. Missy the poodle was followed by several German Shepherds who we showed and trained. My family���s love of dogs led us to move to a property with a boarding kennel. I learned a lot about dogs from that experience.

English is my native language and I enjoyed studying literature. Learning grammar was more boring, but I���m thankful for having an eighth grade English teacher who made sure we knew exactly where and how to use each punctuation mark. That has served me well in my writing as a student and writer.

What are your ambitions for your writing career? Why do you write?

Val Silver’s Website!

My ambition is to use my writing to influence and encourage others to take better care of themselves and the non-human beings we share the earth with. I write to help others heal and have well-being of body and soul. My book is a fundraiser for dog shelters and rescue, so it is my dream that it raise money for facilities that care for homeless dogs (and other animals).

Which writers inspire you?

As a teen, my favorite author was Henry David Thoreau. I loved his philosophy and connection with nature, which is very important to me.���� Writers who write with the purpose of bringing positive energy, truth, wisdom and healing to the reader are those who inspire me.

What was your life like before becoming an author?

Rescue me

Life was pretty much the same as it is now except that I am more well-known and have received some publicity thanks to being on radio shows and winning awards for Rescue Me.

When did you decide to become a writer? What have you written?

I don���t know that being a writer was ever something I decided. I���ve written as long as I���ve known how. I remember writing two short fiction stories as a very young child. After that it was mostly diary or journal writing. Several years ago I began writing on-line articles about health and well-being. Today I have a holistic healing website, my book, Rescue Me, and an animal advocacy blog. Writing has become a very important part of my life over the last few years. It���s how I express myself best.

Where people can buy or see them?

Meet the Author!

Rescue Me is available at on-line booksellers including amazon.com – http://www.amazon.com /dp/B00GLF5HQK/. Readers can order an autographed copy of Rescue Me and find its sister books at http://tapinfinity.com/rescue-me-books.
Readers are invited to download the free companion guide, Be a Hero for Animals at http://tapinfinity.com/hero
Readers are also invited to visit my��Website, holistic-mindbody-healing.com for leading edge information about healing and wellness, and to join the free Members Area for a free ecourse , downloadable ebooks, and more.


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

Rescue Me is a collection of 12 stories by 10 contributors. Each story is about a special dog. These rescued and adopted dogs made us better in so many ways. They taught us about healing, faith, standing up for those in need, and trusting in the power of love.

What sparked the idea for your book?

As I was perusing on-line sites for a dog it became painfully obvious that there were thousands of dogs waiting for a home. Many were killed because their time was up. It was also painfully obvious that those working the hardest to save these dogs were doing so with not enough money or help. The idea for Rescue Me was born from a desire to raise awareness and sensitivity to the needs of these animals, and funds to help care for them.

How do you market your book?

Social Media is our main venue. We also participate in radio and blog interviews, on-line fundraisers, and live events such as shelter fundraisers. Since I am a first time author I entered three contests for publicity and social proof. I am very happy to say that Rescue Me placed in each of those award contests.

2014 Reader���s Favorite International Book Awards ��� Silver Medal in Nonfiction Animals
2014 US Best Book Awards ��� Finalist in Nonfiction Animals
2015 DogWriters of America Maxwell Winner in Human – Canine Bond category and the ProPlan Presidents Award-Best in Show.


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

Be persistent, don���t give up. Collaborate and network with other authors. Find a marketing method that works best for you and stick with it.

What do you do to get book reviews?

At the 2014 #ReadersFavorite Award Ceremony in #Miami with Val Silver’s fellow award-winning authors. #books – Gisela Hausmann, Debra Gaynor and more!

Some reviews come organically through sales (yay!). When someone writes to tell me they love the book I ask them to post a review. I have also asked reviewers and readers to write a review.

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

Write for the love of writing and the subject you want to write about. Being passionate about your story or your topic will sustain you through the process and the marketing that goes with being an author. If your book has a benefit for readers, be sure to use that information in your marketing.

Anything else you want to tell me?

Thank you for the interview Meglena! It���s been a pleasure.

How can readers discover more about you and your work?


Website: http://www.holistic-mindbody-healing.com
Blog: http://tapinfinity.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook .com/rescuemetales, www.facebook.com/holisticmindbodyhealing
Twitter:@ValSilver
Lnkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=66429056
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/valsilver1
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Val-Silver/e/B00GLSBLCG
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/valsilver��

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

Amazing Gift Ideas for Any Occasions!!!

 

FindGiftIdeas Website!

Loving Art and Chasing Dreams…
I was searching in Internet for something unique to surprise my husband for Valentine���s Day. After checking a few websites I clicked on Easy.com and I found out about this beautiful GIFT Shop – FineGiftIdeas. I start reading more about the products and the people who made it. I was pleasantly surprised how gorgeous those gifts looked. The frames, the original paintings and the customized gifts immediately catch my eyes. I have always been huge fan of handmade items, original gifts and artists who pursuits their dreams and create amazing things. Is clearly for me that the two owners are very creative and I have enjoyed their original gifts. I highly recommend their souvenirs and personalized gifts to anyone who is looking for for something unique and handmade. You can find present for any occasion.

Unique Products!!!

Anyway, I ordered Custom Single Coaster. My order came in great condition and on the expected delivery date. The item is with very good quality and since is Custom Made is kind of unique, exactly what I was looking for. This is my first order from FineGiftIdeas and definatly it won���t be the last one.
I’m curious to see the new products and eager to spread the news about this site to all my friends and followers on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

Hope you will enjoy this GIFT Shop as much as I did…
WHO wants to SHOOOOOPPPP???? :):):)

Scott D. Southard’s NEW BOOK – Permanent Spring Showers!!!

Me with Scott’s NEW book!!!

Permanent Spring Showers, the new novel by Scott D. Southard author of A Jane Austen Daydream, has just been released! Published by 5 Prince Books, Permanent Spring Showers is a work of literary fiction. Here is the back cover description of the new book:

Professor Rebecca Stanley-Wilson is having a very bad season. Her husband has just admitted to having an affair. And it was with one of her students.

Blame it on a desire for revenge (or way too much alcohol), she then has had one of her own. Unfortunately for her, her affair was with one of the great upcoming painters of his generation. The ramifications of that one torrid evening will not only be felt across her life but over the entire art world.

Sexy, funny, and very surprising, Permanent Spring Showers is the tale of one very memorable springtime and how it impacts a group of unique artists and dreamers. From the writer who is creating a new literary movement (through outright manipulation), to the hopeful Olympian with the failing marriage, to the romantic wondering what he did wrong to drive his love from him, each tale walks the line between reality and fantasy. And waiting at the end of the line is a very important painting��� and possibly the revolver used in the Lincoln Assassination.

Permanent Spring Showers can be found on most online booksellers in both print and e-Book. Check it out on Amazon here!!!

You can learn more (and read a first review and an excerpt) on this page!!!

*** INTERVIEW with Scott would be post it soon! ***

The ACT of FORGIVENESS / DAY of FORGIVENESS!

Bulgaria marks Sunday of Forgiveness

22 February 2015 | Sunday

Sofia!!!��Bulgarian Orthodox Church marks Sunday of Forgiveness (or Cheesefare Sunday) February 22, 2015. The day is also commonly referred to in Bulgaria as Sirni Zagovezni. Sirni Zagovezni is the first Sunday before Lent and is celebrated seven weeks before Easter. Other names of the religious holiday in Bulgaria are Siropusna Nedelya, Proshka, Sornitsa. Sirni Zagovezni is the last day on which dairy products are eaten before the beginning of the Great Lent. People in Bulgaria traditionally eat white halva, which is made of sugar and nuts. The ritual of ���hamkane��� is performed, in which a piece of white sugar or a boiled egg is attached to a string tied to the ceiling of a room and all the children in a certain home have to catch it, using only their mouths.

The most important ritual on this day is to ask for forgiveness.

The evening of this feast is spent with close relatives and friends. Until dinner time the custom for ���forgiveness��� has to be completed ��� the younger kiss hands of the older people, asking and receiving forgiveness for their mistakes and insults during the year.

On Sunday all eparchies with the Bulgarian Orthodox Church will perform solemn masses in the morning and solemn evening masses, too.

Forgiveness can be easier said than done. But we must if we want to feel good and enjoy our life. We can’t control the behavior of others, this I know.

I think the hardest and most important part of forgiving is acceptance. We often hold on to the pain and hurt because somewhere we do not accept the reality in front of us, and in a weird sort of way the pain becomes a distraction that keeps us from facing the reality.

Once we have accepted things for what they are, we have already taken a step towards forgiveness. It allows us to truly feel the pain and release it.

Where loved ones are concerned, we do need to look at the part we play, and forgive ourselves for that, no matter how big or small. I believe we cannot forgive others until we have the ability to forgive ourselves. And this could be as simple as forgiving ourselves for allowing ourselves to be hurt. Also, if we do love the person and truly want a chance of a continued relationship, then holding on to the past destroys the future possibilities.

For me, it is about acceptance, acknowledgement, expression and release of feelings and emotions, setting boundaries (not expectations) and a desire to move on, whatever the outcome might be. To forgive we have to be prepared to let go, and when that happens all things are possible.

“Yo will find that it is Necessary to let things go;��

Simply��for the reason�� that they are Heavy.”

Today is the day u forgive yourself.

Forgive yourself for doubting yourself.

Forgive yourself for not putting yourself first.

It���s not being selfish to make yourself a priority.

Forgive you so you can forgive others.

There is power in forgiveness.

Forgive yourself for not embracing the power you always had.

A moment to share with Chris Niebauer

Hi everyone, I am pleased to present the Cognitive Neuroscience Professor and Author of The Neurotic’s Guide to Avoiding Enlightenment: How the Left-Brain Plays Unending Games of Self-Improvement, Dr.��Chris Niebauer.��

Chris Niebauer

Hi Chris, thank you for agreeing to participate in this 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?

Most of my childhood and early adulthood was spent being a guitarist, and playing music was my only passion. I graduated high school with a solid C average and was not a very good student. Then, for still unknown reasons, I had an epiphany to get a Ph.D. in psychology. This was very strange as my family didn���t value education, and it would have been fine if I never attended college let alone finish a doctoral degree. I was, and still am terrible in English. I write with the right side of my brain. This is great if you are a poet, but terrible if you need to use grammar, which is a function of the left side of the brain. When my daughter was about seven we were all in the car helping her practice for a spelling test and after I misspelled a word I told her ���Well, there are many ways that you can spell a word��� and my wife gave me a look like ���No���there isn���t, what is wrong with you?��� When I write, I have a hard time using any rules and could easily be ���diagnosed��� with dyslexia. Of course this is a drawback if my life was a spelling contest, but I think people are more interested in how creative you can be with ideas rather than getting all the rules correct. I know my work is under the non-fiction category, but I like to think of it as poetry. Even after getting a really good editor and proofreader I left some ���errors��� because I felt it reflected who I am as a writer.

Which writers inspire you?

Simple things inspire me, like things that we don���t think too much about. Kids and how they will be so honest and spontaneous. Once my daughter asked my then very young son how much two plus two equals���and he said, ���The water���, this resulted in a whole chapter. Another time, my son and I were playing with a blanket. He would keep putting one end in my hands but then wanted me to try to pull it away from him. He did this over and over. I found it a good metaphor for what we do as adults. We are still playing these same sorts of games but we are all serious about it now.

What was your life like before becoming an author?��

Chris Niebauer’s Website page!

I���ve always been a writer of sorts since I���m a college professor. I have written countless lectures and a few scientific articles, but my first book was something different. It reflected what I think of as experiences beyond the categorical mind. The categorical mind is that rational part of thinking that puts the world into separate groups and doesn���t feel the connection of all the parts we call life. As a poet once put it ���alone and afraid in a world I never made.��� This captures how many people feel these days. I believe this sense of disconnection is just a function of the thinking brain but when it slows down, then���we feel connected like we belong to the world. I have always had these experiences before writing about them. Being a college professor has allowed me to practice taking complex ideas and presenting them in a simple way. I can use that practice to present some of these experiences of connection to people in a way that I hope is easy to relate to.

When did you decide to become a writer?

Chris Niebauer’s Goodreads Page!

My scientific writing was more of what I would call ���work��� with only a few exceptions. There are a couple of lines in my published scientific articles that I got a line or two of what I think of as poetry of the right brain into the article. Then I was sick for a week and couldn���t sleep. I was up all night at the computer and my first book just came out. As a kid, as far back as I could remember I always wrote poetry. I lost most of these but feel of being a poet has stayed with me.

Why do you write?

Writing is therapy for me. It is cheaper and you don���t have to shower. If I ���get out of sorts��� it is always because I haven���t been writing. Of course, this is a catch 22 because one cannot just force a good writing session but it just seems that when I write, my world works out better and when my world is working out well, I���m usually writing.

So, what have you written?

I have a number of scientific articles that are of limited interest to people without a particular background in the left and right sides of the brain. My first book and my second, which is in progress, are probably the only works that some normal person would, I hope, find interesting. I tried to put all the neuroscience in a way that anyone who is curious who they are���should be interested in it. I also started a blog, which is also great therapy but seems to be to a slow start.

Where can people buy or see them?

Amazon seems to be the place I sell the most books and mostly it is the kindle version. I also seem to sell more on the UK version of amazon for some reason and my book is ranked higher there than in the US.

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

I am in the process of this but I have learned a lot in the last year. My main strategy for reviews is to find reviewers for similar books and just email them a request. So far, that has worked out pretty well.

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

Chris Niebauer’s Twitter Page!

I wouldn���t think too much about the writing. It happens or it doesn���t. But be a good editor and don���t get too attached to all of your writing. I had chapters that just didn���t feel right so, in the end, it was best to just let them go.

How can readers discover more about you and your work?


Paperback: http://amzn.com/1478700432
Kindle: http://amzn.com/B00J2I7Z8G
Blog:���� http://www.worriedbuddha.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chris.niebauer
Twitter: https://twitter.com/worriedBuddha
Amazon Author Page:��http://www.amazon.com/Chris-Niebauer-PhD/e/B00JBKM9WC/ref=cm_pdp_mf_mp
Goodreads:��https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21483790-the-neurotic-s-guide-to-avoiding-enlightenment

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

HAVE YOU WROTE YOUR BEST BOOK? 6 AUTHORS SHARE THEIR STORIES ABOUT WRITING THEIR BOOKS!!!

#BOOKS #AUTHORS #INTERVIEWS��

Throughout all areas of the entertainment

industry, writers are needed to develop

compelling stories that captivate audiences.

Highly developed plots and characters can

keep viewers engaged for hours, and the

greatest narratives leave a lasting

impression.

Take a look at those incredible 6 authors. In the next few paragraphs they will share their expirience on to HOW TO WRITE YOUR BEST BOOK!

1. Jerome Jay Isip; 2. Seth Mullins; 3. Spiros Gratsias; 4. Avraham Anouchi; 5. Dr. Hank Seitz; 6.��Gary Smith.��

So, what have you written?

1. Jerome Jay Isip

I have only written 1 book so far (10 Stacks To Success)��and am currently working on my next book. I do have a blog that I write on occasionally, I should actually start writing on it more (http://jayisip1.wordpress.com/). The idea came from my experiences in life and how I created my own personal success. I am still young and always learning but I feel I have been through a lot of shit, and wanted to share with others on how I crated the qualities that made me successful in my own eyes. So I narrowed it down to 10 segments which I believe will help anyone develop the attributes to create their own personal success. Many, Many people in my area would always ask me, ���How do you do it?��� or ���Can I sit down and talk with you��� So I wrote a book with all the information to share with others. That���s why I dedicated this book to my home town���

On my first day of the book release, I was awarded Amazon�����#1 Hot New Feature�����in the Sales/Selling category. During my KDP select program I was awarded ���#1Non-Fiction, #1 Self-Help, #1 Motivational, #1 Sales & Selling, #1 Marketing & Sales, #1 Business &Money, #8 Kindle Store, #8 Kindle E-book���. So it hasn���t been too shabby��� You can read more here!!!

2. Seth Mullins

����

A lifelong love of music and artistic expression, for one thing. I used to be addicted to the biographies (and the various myths that grew up around them) of artistic visionaries throughout history. So I spun the core of the novel around a young artist both brilliant and (seemingly) doomed. I wanted to explore the question of whether or not he could be ���saved���. Could he somehow keep his vision intact and yet still enjoy a balanced and fulfilling earthly life? Could he sidestep the ���live fast, die young��� credo and clich�� of rock���n���roll?��You can read more��here!!!

3. Spiros�� Gratis

���The C Enigma�����is my first published work.

Reading the biography of Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, the head of the German secret service during WWII was the fundamental inspiration for The C ENIGMA. His amazing personal fight against the dark evil that Hitler���s Nazism represented compelled me to try to understand this man as best as possible. My research identified other actual heroes who gave their lives for freedom and compelled me to tell their story but furthermore to explore the premise that each and every one of us has the personal responsibility to fight for freedom, justice, and the forces of good. An individual���s actions can have a drastic impact on the outcome of any battle, war, or campaign.��You can read more��here!!!

4.��Avraham Anouchi

�����Igeret Hamassoret���, a memoir in Hebrew,�����������The Legacy���, a memoir in English,�����The Hidden Scroll���, a historical novel,�����From Timna to Mars���, a space mission thriller.�� ���� ����

The idea of writing a novel on space missions in search of rare-earth metals was an unexpected one. After the publication of��The Hidden Scroll, my archaeological and historical novel, I was writing another historical novel when two articles attracted my attention. One was on the forecasted depletion of special metals designated as rare-earth elements. The other was on the potential of space mining. Engrossed with a new idea, I placed the first ten chapters of my yet-to-be-written historical creation in a bottom drawer of my desk and started to gather material for a new fictional work about searching for rare elements on an asteroid or a planet.��You can read more��here!!!

5. Dr. Hank Seitz

���� ��

The idea for my book was sparked by knowing that i had a path that could lead to anyone and everyone’s desires. I wanted to share the good news. You can read more��here!!!

6.��Gary Smith

����

I have written two weekly blogs, one on personal development and one on business success, for the past five years. I���ve also been a guest blogger on several websites, including YourPayHub.com. I���ve published three books. Writing takes time, it takes focus, and it takes project management skills if you are going to produce a worthwhile product.��I write to share my knowledge and experience and to help develop the next generation of personal and business leaders in the world.��You can read more��here!!!

If you like their insides or you have your own thoughts to share, please write them, so we can all learn from you and begin writing. I personally think that everybody can find something good, interesting and meaningful to write about. :)