Interview with romance author Christine Young

Today's guest is doing a virtual book tour with Goddess Fish Promotions. Author Christine Young is here to talk about her new historical romance novel, her writing, and there are details below about several giveaways she has during her tour.

Bio:
Born in Medford, Oregon, novelist Christine Young has lived in Oregon all of her life. After graduating from Oregon State University with a BS in science, she spent another year at Southern Oregon State University working on her teaching certificate, and a few years later received her Master's degree in secondary education and counseling. Now the long, hot days of summer provide the perfect setting for creating romance. She sold her first book, Dakota's Bride, the summer of 1998 and her second book, My Angel to Kensington. She is the author of 10 published romance books and 2 novellas. Christine is a retired high school math teacher. Her teaching and writing careers have intertwined with raising three children. Christine's newest venture is the creation of Rogue Phoenix Press. Christine is the founder, editor, and co-owner with her husband. They live in Salem, Oregon.

Welcome, Christine. Please tell us about your current release.
Highland Honor is as rugged as the Scottish landscape. The main characters are filled with integrity and honor. Colin “Hawk” MacPherson falls in love with the daughter of his enemy. In their journey, they uncover half-truths and reevaluate what they know about the past. Callie sets out on a mission to prove her father’s innocence and Hawke has to battle lies and deceit to unravel previous misconceptions about Callie’s father. There is a love to survive eternity.

What inspired you to write this book?
My heritage is Scottish and I have loved to hear family stories of the highlands as well as the folklore. My great grandparents emigrated here in the early 1900s and I have family roots that still exist in Scotland. The Highland series has always been in my mind. I love the strength, integrity, and courage that abound in the history of the Scottish. The Highland series begins with Highland Honor, Hawke’s story. The second book is Highland Magic, Ian MacPherson’s tale and the third book features Lainie MacPherson.

What exciting story are you working on next?
I am working on a novella for an April Fools Anthology to be published by Rogue Phoenix Press. The working title is Sharks, but I don’t think it will keep this title. I’m also working on the edits for Highland Magic and Highland Song soon to be rereleased by Rogue Phoenix Press.

Please tell us a bit about your writing life.
My writing life has no consistency what so ever. I probably write only 2 to 3 days a week. The other days I spend promotion, editing, or writing blogs. I would love to be able to write 5 days a week. Although I’m retired, I do go back to the classroom to sub for my fellow math teachers at Stayton High School.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
When I picked up the phone one day and Kate Duffy from Kenisington introduced herself and asked if she could buy my book Dakota’s Bride. Then she offered me a two book contract and I was in heaven.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
No, I do not write full-time although I would like to. I find it difficult to sit at the computer for very long. I like to take long walks, run on the treadmill, and jazzercise. When I watch TV, I usually knit or cross-stitch. I used to draw portraits of my kids. Maybe I will take that up again with the grandkids. Sometimes I substitute and sometimes it is fun to go back into the classroom, but I’m always very happy when the day is finished and I can have some peace and quiet. Oh how I love quiet. I used to love it in the classroom when it was so quiet, you could hear the lights hum. But it was a little eerie too.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
If you mean while I am writing, then I would say lifting weights. I have some small 8 lb. hand weights which I lift when I’m searching for the right words.

If you mean in my manuscripts, then I would say that I always have a swimming scene of some sort. I grew up a competitive swimmer and coached a high school swim team for 13 years. Swimming is an integral part of my life one that has carried over to my writing. And one can have exquisite love scenes in the water. There is nothing more sensual than swimming nude.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I first wanted to be an Oceanographer. That notion went away real fast when I discovered I was much happier in art and writing classes than I was in math classes even though I eventually became a math teacher. Just a little contradiction in my life.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
I’ve shared a lot of things about myself. The Highland series is a wonderfully romantic series about brave Scottish Highlanders and the women they love.

Thank you for your time today, Christine.

Readers, Christine has a few prizes she's giving away during her virtual book tour.
* a $50.00 Amazon gift card to one randomly drawn commenter for the blog tour
* a Clan MacPherson book mark awarded at each stop to one randomly drawn commenter
* and an Antique Gold Double Thistle Broche for the blog host with the most comments

So, feel free to follow her blog tour and comment at stops. The more you comment, the more chances you and I have to win!

Interview with novelist Tom Mach

Today's guest, novelist Tom Mach is touring his mystery novel An Innocent Murdered with Goddess Fish Promotions.

Tom has a giveaway to a lucky commentor at the end of his virtual book tour. Details below.

Bio:
Tom Mach wrote two successful historical novels, Sissy! and All Parts Together, both of which have won rave reviews and were listed among the 150 best Kansas books in 2011. Sissy! won the J. Donald Coffin Memorial Book Award while All Parts Together was a viable entrant for the 2007 Pulitzer Prize Award. He also wrote a collection of short stories entitled Stories To Enjoy which received positive reviews. Tom’s other novels include: An Innocent Murdered, Advent, and Homer the Roamer.

His poetry collection, The Uni Verse, won the Nelson Poetry Book Award. In addition to several awards for his poetry, Writer’s Digest awarded him ninth place in a field of 3,000 entrants. He also has a popular blog for writers of both prose and verse.

Tom, welcome to Reviews and Interviews. Please tell me about yourself.
I wrote my first novel when I was 17, but had not taken up writing seriously until I was in my 30s. I published many magazine and newspaper articles, taught copywriting at a university, conducted writing workshops, was an editor of two publications, and won several awards for fiction and poetry. But more importantly, I like to write because I challenge myself with interesting ideas and fascinating characters and I enjoy, as I write, finding out how the story will end. My characters often come to life and they surprise me by what they do. As an example, I had a vision of a young 19th century lady named Jessica Radford and she became alive--so much so that after I wrote Sissy! featuring Jessica, a friend of mine asked me where Jessica was buried and I had to tell her I made her up.

Please tell me about your current release, An Innocent Murdered.
An Innocent Murdered is my first mystery novel, although I had published short story mysteries in Stories To Enjoy. In An Innocent Murdered, a priest is murdered and a female police officer named Jacinta is arrested for the crime. It looks like an open-and-shut case because of blood evidence, DNA, motive, opportunity, and a possible witness. But two other women look like they may have murdered the priest and the detective, slowly convinced that Jacinta is innocent, doesn’t find the real killer until he discovers something shocking in an abandoned cellar.

What inspired you to write this book?
I guess I got tired of people painting a whole group of society with the same brush. Yes, there have been many articles about instances of child abuse in the Catholic Church, yet the vast majority of priests have never molested a child. I wanted to write a novel where a priest is falsely accused of doing this and is murdered as a result. I also wanted to look at the perspectives of two people. One is an ex-nun who has given many years of her life to her religious dedication, yet is under the censure of sin if she attempts to have her first sexual experience. The other is a detective who has to hold back his anger when he comes across a suspect who murdered his high school sweetheart.

What exciting story are you working on next?
Actually, I have two novels I hope to come up with next year. One is a historical novel covering the 1865-1920 era while the other is a Christian suspense fiction. I’ve already had the historical novel critiqued and have some great comments on it. At this time I don’t feel comfortable discussing what each of these novels are about, but those who subscribe to my free blog, http://tommach.com, will be receiving advance information on both of them.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
The writing “bug” probably first hit me when I was a junior in high school. I had an inspiring English teacher who had us read portions of many of the classics, and I enjoyed reading so much I’d try to read a book a week while I was attending school. At that point I also wanted to see if it was possible for me to write a complete novel when I was seventeen. I accomplished that by writing a 372-page novel entitled The Boss’s Son. It wasn’t very good, but when I was a freshman in college and received an A paper from my English professor on a lengthy analysis of Moby Dick, I got inspired again. But it wasn’t until my mid-30s when I started getting articles published in major magazines like Woman’s Day, Jack and Jill, and Writer’s Digest that I discovered that I must have talent. I guess one doesn’t wake up one day and say “Hey, I’m a writer.” What happens instead is a slow progress in that area without consciously thinking about yourself as a writer.

Do you write full-time? If so, what’s your work day like?
I am not as disciplined a writer as some folks are. I tend to write when I’m inspired, although when I get caught up in a work that absorbs my interest, such as Advent, Sissy!, or All Parts Together, I find there are times where I can’t stop writing. I tell people that I write because I also want to know where my story is going. I should mention that I did write a novel in a month by entering the National Novel Writing Month challenge (www.nanowrimo.org) but I must tell you that I spent many months expanding and editing it. That novel happens to be the one we’re discussing today--An Innocent Murdered.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I’m not sure if this qualifies as a “quirk” but I find that when I’m in the middle of writing a novel the plot and the characters in that novel go with me everywhere. Recently, when I did the scene where Susan, (who used to be a nun named Sister Anne) finds herself alone with Matt Gunnison the detective in my novel. She has been a virgin for 46 years and knows virtually nothing about the male anatomy, yet she is curious about men and sex. I’ve agonized over drinking coffee, or taking a drive, or just doing routine chores about the house as how to do this gracefully. I felt I was Susan and that I felt deprived and curious, so how do I create a scene that doesn’t cater to a reader’s prurient interest yet brings out the conflict in that scene. How does Matt handle her quirky questions about sex? How does Susan handle her guilt, knowing in her mind that the church considers this a grievous sin?

My quirk is that I like to see a movie playing in my mind where I actually see and hear the characters and then go into their minds to sense how they feel about what they’re doing.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grow up?
One of the most memorable presents I received as a child was a small printing press--the kind where you had to put individual rubber pieces of letters into metal grooves and set those metal strips into a rotary cylinder. Rubber cutouts of caricatures had to be glued on these strips and the press had to be inked. I was so fascinated by this printing press that I attempted to do a neighborhood newspaper with it.

But as kid, I really didn’t think much of what I want to be when I grew up. I was like Tom Sawyer, having fun, enjoying life as a kid, and it was only later in high school that I gave it some thought. I ended up majoring in chemical engineering, then going into market research, then going into being an editor for Software Supermarket magazine and then for South Bay Accent magazine. Later, I became a copywriting instructor for a California university. After I retired I knew I wanted to be a writer, but I probably knew that years earlier but wasn’t conscious of it.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
I know it must be confusing for readers to determine which books they want to read. Therefore, I need to tell you how I may be different from many other authors. I tend to somehow weave in the subject of compassion in each of my novels--that is to say, although brutality and murder may appear in some of my plots, I balance that with other characters who show compassion toward others.

In An Innocent Murdered, for instance, Matt is a detective hired to solve the case of the murdered priest. But Matt shows compassion in more than once instance. With the ex-nun, he shows compassion for her naivety when it comes to understanding the sexual act, rather than make fun of her odd questions (such as “when you get aroused, do your testicles get aroused also?” or “can you still pee when your penis is rock hard?””

In another instance, Matt consoles a mother whose daughter has run away, apparently the murderer of another woman. He asks her where her daughter usually runs to when she’s in trouble. Yet in another scene, he weeps in church after he discovers who murdered an innocent 8-year-old child. Matt’s a great detective--but he has a heart. I have a website devoted to stories about compassion on www.TomMach.com

Thanks for being here today, Tom, and sharing a bit about yourself and your writing.

Readers, Tom is giving away a copy of his popular historical novel about the Lincoln assassination, All Parts Together, to a lucky commentor at the end of the virtual book tour. You can follow his tour and comment here and on other tour stops. The more you comment, the more chances you have to win.

Interview with paranormal YA author Emlyn Chand

Today's guest is paranormal young adult author Emlyn Chand. She's talking about her new novel Farsighted, her writing, and there are details below about a $50 Amazon gift certificate giveaway.

Bio:
Emlyn Chand is the president of Novel Publicity and a YA author. She loves to hear and tell stories and emerged from the womb with a fountain pen grasped firmly in her left hand (true story). Her first novel Farsighted released in late 2011 and is of the YA genre. Learn more about Emlyn at www.emlynchand.com or by connecting with her on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or GoodReads.

Welcome, Emlyn. Please tell us about your current release.
Farsighted tells the story of Alex Kosmitoras. Here’s my mini teaser: Alex Kosmitoras may be blind, but he can still “see” things others can’t. When his unwanted visions of the future begin to suggest that the girl he likes could be in danger, he has no choice but to take on destiny and demand it reconsider.

What inspired you to write this book?
Everything started with a single image—my face in these tacky oversized sunglasses reflecting out at me from the car’s side mirror. I was daydreaming while my husband drove us across Michigan for my sister’s wedding. Something about my image really struck me in an almost horrific way. I felt the glasses made me look blind, but found it so weird that there was still a clear image within them; it seemed so contradictory. At the time, my book club was reading The Odyssey, which features the blind Theban prophet, Tieresias. I started thinking about what it would be like to have non-visual visions of the future and began forming a modern Tieresias in my mind. Lo and behold, Alex Kosmitoras was born. I didn’t want him to be alone in his psychic subculture, so I found other characters with other powers to keep him company. Thank God for my poor fashion sense.

What exciting story are you working on next?
Farsighted is a 5-book series. Each book will be told from a different character’s point-of-view, so in book #2, we’ll actually be able to see what Grandon looks like! Next up is Open Heart. I hope to have that ready by the middle of next year.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I was born with a fountain pen grasped firmly in my left hand, at least that’s what my Twitter bio says. But seriously, I do believe writers are born into the craft—we haven’t got much choice, but it’s a great calling to have. As a child, I always had a story to tell. I also loved illustrating my own books and comics. I first became a writer writer when I began doing a book review column for the local paper. That taught me the importance of deadlines and letting the words flow out even when I had no idea what direction they’d take me in.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
Really, my day is quite simple. Wake up (usually anywhere from 2 AM to 6 AM depending on how much I need to get done). Work until 7 PM. Eat dinner with my husband. Either watch television or read a book until I fall asleep. Repeat on loop. When I’m actively writing (as opposed to editing or marketing my work), I like to write at least 1 1/2 hours first thing in the morning. I go to Biggby or Panera to get it done. The rest is devoted to my burgeoning business, Novel Publicity.

Hey, didn’t somebody important say, “far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing?” I don’t mind having to give-up the other parts of my life to pursue my work, because I love it. I know I’ll eventually need to achieve a better balance, but for now, I’m content to push the pedal to the metal.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I have character-specific food cravings when I’m deep in a writing spell. Isn’t that weird? Alex, the main character of Farsighted, really liked Taco Bell’s Nacho Bel Grande. ;-)

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was really little, I planned on being a zoo keeper. In elementary school, I was going to be a Disney animator. In high school, I was going to be a lawyer. And in my early years of college, I was going to be Ambassador to Russia. :-)

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Hi, readers! I hope you’ll enjoy reading Farsighted. My primary goal is to tell an interesting story that people will find entertaining and be glad they read. Secondly, I’d like to infuse contemporary Young Adult fiction with a bit more diversity and teach readers about the beauty of other cultures and other ways of life. I also hope that Farsighted is a book that leads to introspection—what would I do if put in Alex’s place? Did Alex ever have a choice or was this path his destiny? What would it be like to see the world the way he sees the world?

Thanks, Emlyn. This paranormal series sounds fascinating.

Readers, Emlyn is giving away a $50 Amazon.com gift certificate to one randomly drawn commenter during her virtual book tour. Feel free to comment here, and follow her tour and comment on other sites. The more comments, the better chance you have of winning.

Interview with short story writer and comic illustrator John Garrett

Today's guest is John Garrett. He's a short story writer and comic book illustrator and is doing a virtual book tour for his newest work.

John is giving away an e-copy of "How to Deal with Stupid Clowns Who Don't Know What the Hell They're Talking About!" at each blog stop. So comment here and at his other stops for a chance to win!

Welcome to Reviews and Interviews, John. Please tell us a bit about yourself.
I'm just a guy who likes to draw comics and write cool and funny stories. I'm 39 years old, live in the Milwaukee, WI area, and for the most part I prefer my food in sandwich form. That should about sum it up!

What do you enjoy most about writing short stories?
Since I both write short stories and draw comics I'll go ahead and blather about both here.

Short stories are fun for me because I get to create the world using only words, and I have a lot of room for those words. Although I also illustrate my short stories, most of the world building is done in the words on the page.

With comics it's somewhat reversed. I have a lot less space, but I'm literally drawing the whole scene and I can't rely on the words at all. In comics the motto is "show, don't tell". When you're drawing the story, you have to pretend that there won't be any words - if you can still tell what's going on, then you're telling the story right with your art.

Can you give us a little insight into a few of your short stories – perhaps some of your favorites?
Sure! My latest effort is called "How to Deal with Stupid Clowns who Don’t know what the Hell they’re talking about!" It's in the humor genre probably most similar to Scott Adams Dilbert stuff. It's a bit of a hybrid of comics and prose. It's a collection of life-lessons I've learned about dealing with some of the difficult people I've encountered along my journey through life. I'm far enough removed from it now that I can really see the funny in it, now.

Hopefully those people still dealing with these types of folks can get a laugh or two out of it to help them cope. Each lesson starts off with a comic illustrating the point of the chapter, and it leads you all the way through the book that way.

What genre are you inspired to write in the most? Why?
I'm a huge fan of Sci-fi and Fantasy stuff, and between the novels I've read and the TV shows/movies I've watched I decided I was going to try to get my own stories out.

It's funny, because I've ben drawing comics almost as soon as I could hold a pencil, but the writing was almost incidental to the art. When I would read comics, I would always think "I wish I could draw like this", but when I read a novel, I'd think "I wish I could write like this!"

What exciting story are you working on next?
Now that "Stupid Clowns" is out, I'm going to turn my attention back to my short story Fantasy series called "True Tales of the Soryan Order". I have a lot of material out there that essentially gets no attention because I've been busy doing a lot of drawing. I'm looking forward to breathing new life into it and getting it in front of people.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
It was only a few years ago when I decided to take a serious crack at writing my stories. I even sent off quite a few query letters, synopses, and first chapters to Literary Agents and Publishers. Although I didn't have any luck with them, I still decided I was going to do it, anyway. At that point I didn't realize it, but I had joined the ranks of legions of other aspiring writers out there.

How do you research markets for your work, perhaps as some advice for writers?
Well, the first thing I did was pick up a copy of the Writer's Market directory. I didn't get many leads from the book itself, but I signed up for their forums (http://community.writersdigest.com/) and just talking with and reading the trials and tribulations of the experienced authors as well as the noobs like myself was very informative. That forum lead me to a few other places where I could observe the process at work and see what others were up to (like http://webfictionguide.com/).

It's easier to see what's a scam and what's real when you can run it by people with experience. I also made a few good friends from there so it's definitely worth it to invest time in these forums.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
Hmmm, that's a good one. I really hope I have an interesting writing quirk but I don't know what it would be!

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
All I wanted to do was draw superheroes for Marvel Comics when I was a kid. I was sure that's what I was going to do. Turns out it's extremely difficult to get into that field. Now I've somewhat changed my mind about that. After reading more and learning more about the inner workings of the industry I don't think I'd care for that as my primary source of income. I'd much rather call my own shots and create my own stories my own way.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Yeah! "Stupid Clowns" is a labor of love for me. It's mostly humor, but also a bit of a self-help in there that can hopefully resonate with people and help them ride out the rough patches when dealing with difficult people in our lives.

Thanks all for reading and feel free to swing by my site for weekly comics and other stuff! Folks can check out the YouTube book trailer, too.

Also, I'm giving away an e-copy of "How to Deal with Stupid Clowns Who Don't Know What the Hell They're Talking About!" at each blog stop. So comment here and at my other stops for a chance to win!

Thanks for being here, John, and talking a bit about your writing and illustrating.

New interview with historical fiction author Grace Elliot

I'm happy to welcome Grace Elliot back to Reviews and Interviews. We first met her in May when she stopped by to talk about her debut historical romance novel. Now with a new novel out, titled Eulogy's Secret, she's here to tell us some more.

Bio:
Grace Elliot leads a double life as a veterinarian by day and author of historical romance by night. Grace works in a companion animal practice near London and is housekeeping staff to five moggies, two teenage sons, and a guinea pig. She turned to writing as an antidote to the stress of modern life and believes intelligent people have the greatest need to read romance!

Welcome back to Reviews and Interviews, Grace. Please tell us about your newest release.
Set in regency London, Eulogy’s Secret is a story of greed, prejudice and a stolen identity.

In the four weeks since her guardians’ death, Eulogy Foster has lost everything. Penniless and alone she seeks the help of her estranged brother, Lord Lucien Devlin. But Devlin throws Eulogy onto the streets and the mercy of a passing stranger, Jack Huntley. As Eulogy seeks the truth behind her birth, she is drawn into the world of art and artists, where her morals are challenged and all is deception.

Jack Huntley: bitter, cynical and betrayed in love. He believes women are devious, scheming, untrustworthy creatures - and when he rescues a naïve Miss from being raped, his life is about to change forever. As his attraction to Eulogy grows, caught in a deadlock with both denying their true feelings, events take a sinister turn as someone seeks to silence Eulogy….forever.

What inspired you to write this book?
I’m a writing addict and always looking for inspiration for the next story. Eulogy’s Secret came about after seeing a poster on the London Underground for a memorial concert at the Royal Albert Hall. One word on that poster stuck in my mind - “Eulogy” - and it struck me what an enigmatic name Eulogy would make for a character. I wondered what would lead a parent to call their child ‘Eulogy’ - perhaps the death of the mother in childbirth, or another and even more tragic circumstance….But to answer ‘why’ and find out what Eulogy’s secret is….you’ll have to read the book!

One of the themes explored in this book is that people are not always what they appear, and personal prejudice can blind you to the truth - be it good or bad. Although set in Georgian London with its strict social hierarchy, prejudice is alive and well in the 21st century and therefore a theme still pertinent today.

What’s the next writing project?
I’m hard at work at book two in The Huntley Trilogy (working title Hope’s Betrayal.) Each book features one of the three Huntley brothers and the hero in Hope’s Betrayal is the dashing naval captain, George Huntley. I know when the writing is going well when I dream about the characters - and even if I say so myself, Captain George Huntley is a humdinger of a man, whom I’m totally in love with. I can’t wait to finish writing this book so that I can unleash Captain Huntley on the world and spread the infatuation!

Hope’s Betrayal is going to be an action packed historical romance with smuggling skullduggery, treachery and of course….a love that brings Captain Huntley to his knees.

What is your biggest challenge when writing a new book? (or the biggest challenge with this book)
The biggest challenge to me is easily - time! Finding time to write in amongst going to work, being a taxi driver to my two sons, cleaning, cooking, ironing, and the million other things that a woman has to do, can be challenging in the extreme! That said, lack of time does focus the mind wonderfully and can be a great motivator. I’ve noticed that I can be at my least productive when I have all day - something to do, I suspect, with procrastination being a default setting.

If your novels require research – please talk about the process. Do you do the research first and then write, while you’re writing, after the novel is complete and you need to fill in the gaps?
Research is an organic process that involves constant growth. I always have a non-fiction (history) book on the go, alongside whatever novel I’m currently reading - this helps give me a broad sweep of knowledge for background, manners, etc.

The first draught of a novel involves writing at full pelt and underlining any passages that need checking for historical accuracy. I also have a special file for noting areas where research is needed, so as the second draught takes shape I know where the work has to be done. That said, I love research, and each novel has its own A4 notebook where I draw costumes and annotate them, sketch street plans for Georgian London and other such details that make the piece truly alive on the page.

What’s your writing space like? Do you have a particular spot to write where the muse is more active? Please tell us about it.
I write in a converted garage that is now our dining room. It’s a light and bright space with a window that takes up the width of the room. Beneath that window is an old leopard-print sofa which doubles as ‘my writing space.’

I work best here because it’s away from the distraction of TV and there’s plenty of room for Widget, one of my five cats, to snuggle against my leg. Widget helps my writing productivity no end because when I get up for a comfort break she will pinch the warm spot - so unless I want to risk one of her long suffering looks by moving her when I get back, it’s best to stay put for as long as possible.

What authors do you enjoy reading within or outside of your genre?
I read anything and everything, but my first love will always be historical romance. That said, having an ereader has broadened out my reading tastes because the price makes trying new authors less of a risk. I recently read The Hunger Games (because I’d heard good things…and they were cheap!) and loved them. I’m currently rediscovering some books I loved in the 80’s - the Poldark series by Winston Graham (anybody remember the TV series?) and I love discovering new and independent authors such as Rose Gordon (Regency romances) and Elizabeth Marshall (historical fantasy, reminiscent of Diane Gabaldon.)

Anything additional you want to share with the readers today?
Any of your readers who have visited my blog will recognize my fascination for historical trivia. This minor obsession has triggered a non-fiction book to be launched in December 2011.

Cat Pies is a compilation of light-hearted but interested articles about feline-related historical trivia - such as did the Victorian’s eat cat meat, who invented the cat flap, and what links cats to Jack the Ripper?

Well that’s me done. Thank you for reading and thanks especially to Lisa for hosting me today!

Buy links for my book include:
Smashwords
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Barnes and Noble

Thanks for stopping by again, Grace. Keep on writing!

Interview with author Ashley Dawn

Today at Reviews and Interviews is author Ashley Dawn to talk about her newest series novel Shadows of Pain as part of a virtual book tour.

Bio:
Author Ashley Dawn was born and raised in rural Arkansas where she developed her love for writing while helping in her parent's office. She graduated with an accounting degree from the University of Central Arkansas but is currently working as a legal assistant. Ashley has been writing professionally for the past eight years and has three published books. Her first book, Shadows From The Past, was originally published by Tate Publishing and is considered more of a traditionally published book while the second, Shadows of Suspicion, was published by self publication using AuthorHouse. She is currently working on multiple projects including a standalone mystery about a serial killer that remains untitled.

You can find out all about her current books and future releases on her website. Ashley also has a review blog to share her love of reading, Ashley’s Bookshelf, where she reads and reviews books of all genres. She and her family make their home in Texas.

Welcome to Reviews and Interviews, Ashley. Please tell us about your current release.
Shadows of Pain is the third in my Shadows series. All of my characters from earlier books flow in and out of the story line but it focuses on Kami Reynolds and Daniel Jenkins. Kami, an FBI agent and Daniel, and LAPD officer have been attracted since they met, but there have always been issues standing in their way. Now, with a killer after them, their issues resolved, it seems like the worst time for a relationship to start but maybe it is just perfect for them.

What inspired you to write this book?
I absolutely fell in love with Kami’s character in my first book, Shadows From the Past and Daniel always had more of a story to tell. The two of them have always fit together, but needed their own story. That is what Shadows of Pain has done, given the two of them their own story and continued the story of the whole Reiley and LAPD group.

What exciting story are you working on next?
I’m currently trying to focus on a new book that isn’t related to my Shadows Series. It is titled Right to Remanin?, at the moment anyway, and is about a nurse, Lisa, and an attorney, Pierce. They have a past, but when Lisa’s niece is threatened by a serial killer, she turns to him for help. They have to struggle to keep Kymm safe and themselves alive.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I guess I really considered myself a writer when I completed my first book, about eight years ago. Before that, I’d always dabbled in writing but had never focused on it as something I really wanted to do. When I started writing Shadows From the Past, it was like everything fit and writing became my passion. I absolutely love writing and sharing my thoughts!

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I only wish I could write full time. At the moment, I work as a legal assistant full time and am the mother of two little ones so most of my writing happens either late in the evening--like 1 a.m.--or on a weekend. If I can get the kids in bed and housework done, it is wonderful to spend the evening lost in my own world, if not, my husband is great about giving me time on the weekends when he is spending time with the kids. I don’t get a whole LOT of time to write but I do make the best of the time I do get!

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I would say that the most interesting quirk I have is the fact that I write down the whole story. I mean literally take a legal pad and pen and write down whatever story I’m working on. From there, I do type it up and edit etc after that but the only way I can make the story work for me is to sit down and hand write the whole thing!

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a vet. There were several things actually, a biologist, vet, zoo worker...pretty much anything that had to do with animals. I loved and still love all kinds of animals but the path to those jobs just didn’t work. For the vet, I was terrified of needles and that pretty much cut that out. Zoo worker and biologist just aren’t in demand because there are so many people who want that type of work and besides, that is when I fell in love with writing!

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Thank you for taking the time to stop by and get to know me a bit better :) and thank you, Lisa, for having me on your blog today!

It was my pleasure, Ashley. Thanks for being here.

Interview with novelist Daniel Shields

Today's guest at Reviews and Interviews is debut novelist Daniel D. Shields to talk about Shark & The Wolf: Predators and Prey.

Bio:
Daniel D. Shields was born and raised in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey. He is the youngest of eight children and draws a lot of his inspiration from his family and friends. He graduated from Ramapo College in Mahwah, New Jersey, in 1990 with degrees in both communications and theater. While at Ramapo, his play "Beware the Wind" was the first student production in the history of the college to have a full set production.

In 2006, Shields co-founded LiquidWick Pool Cues. LiquidWick is famous for its "Patented" LiquidWick True Stick 24oz Power Break Pool Cue which utilizes proprietary "phase shifting technology" to help add power to the pool player's break.

Shields taps into his passion for billiards by using the sport as the backdrop of Shark & The Wolf: Predators and Prey. He enjoys travel and adventure and spending time with his Yorkie named Charlie. His fondness for animals, especially Charlie, is a source of inspiration for his work. Shields currently resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico

Daniel, welcome to Reviews and Interviews. Please tell us about your current release.
Hi Lisa, thank you granting me this interview. Shark & The Wolf: Predators and Prey is an allegorical novel about the exploitation of animals for the mere purpose of human sustenance and entertainment. The book actually brings the billiards term “Pool Shark” to life. Shark, the main character, also happens to have one hell of a killer smile. The story takes place in a world where certain species of animals have evolved both intellectually and physically side by side with humans. In its own small way I like to think it gives a voice to the other species we share this planet with.

The book brings the reader on a wild journey from Africa, to Key West, Fiji, South America, and finally Las Vegas. I’ll be the first to admit that it does contain some graphic violence. And all I can say about that is, the world we live in is a violent place. The sub-title Predators and Prey says it all.

At the end of the day, my hope is that the reader can let themselves be swept up into the exotic world the story takes place in. If they do that, then they will be taken for a ride on the wild side! I’ve included a brief synopsis below.

Book Synopsis
In Las Vegas, Nevada, Shaw, billionaire casino magnate and self proclaimed world's greatest showman, nears completion on the massive Serengeti Resort & Casino. Its amphitheater, the largest man made structure ever built, seats 500,000 spectators and covers an enclosed area of 1.5 miles. The arena floor is being transformed into an authentic slice of African savanna for the show Predators and Prey which will savagely pit animal against animal in the bloodiest gladiatorial spectacle ever created for human entertainment.

In Key West, Florida, Shark, the world's only Great White pool playing shark, gets hustled by the evil animal slave trading hyena, Old Jack, who dupes Shark into believing his girlfriend, a hot fox named Vixen, is in Fiji and needs his help retrieving a treasure. Old Jack's real plan - lure Shark to Fiji, use him to retrieve the submerged treasure, and then capture Shark, and sell him to Shaw, for use as the star and main attraction in the world's most brutal show.

"Come One - Come All To See - The Only Great White Shark In Captivity."

Shark is forced to battle animals and his human captives before trying to rescue his girl and seeking revenge on those that have wronged him. Will he succeed?

Shark will stop at nothing to protect his friends in this exotic world where humans remain the dominate species and animals are forced to be their obedient servants. Sit back and enjoy the wild ride!

What inspired you to write this book?
In 2006, I co-founded a billiards company called LiquidWick Pool Cues. My two favorite animals have always been sharks and wolves. I came up with the idea to bring the billiards term “Pool Shark” to life and since every good action / adventure story needs the main character to have a buddy, it was easy for me to add in Wolf. The book started slow, but then the writing took on a life of its own. It took about two years to complete between edits and rewrites.

What exciting story are you working on next?
That is a tough question. I have about five books inside me that are battling for my attention. The one I think is a top contender is main stream fiction about the horse racing industry. But who knows, I also have some cool concepts for supernatural ghost stories.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
My mother always told me I had a certain way with words. I was a theater major in college and got hooked on playwriting. My first play “Beware The Wind” was produced by the school as a full set production. There is nothing more surreal than sitting in the back of theater listening to actors speak your words and a live audience reacting to them. I was very fortunate to have had that experience. Shark & The Wolf: Predators and Prey is my first full length novel.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I was writing full time when I wrote Shark & The Wolf: Predators and Prey. I’m now back working full time so it’s kind of hard to find the time to write. I found pre-planning blocks of time to dedicate to writing helps. But, you never know when inspiration will strike!

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I write quickly and spell check later. I have to give a lot of thanks to spell check and my editor William Greenleaf.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I had no clue to what I was going to do until college. My sixth grade teacher told my mother I lived in an imaginary world. Not much of a future in that unless you become a writer.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
If you take the time to read the book, then let me thank you in advance for your support. Readers can contact me directly with any questions at danshieldsauthor@gmail.com

Thanks for stopping by and talking a bit about your writing, Daniel.