Interview with debut novelist Andy Holloman

My second guest of the new year is writer Andy Holloman to talk about his debut novel, Shades of Gray. He has a giveaway to a lucky commentor during his virtual book tour. Details below.

Bio:
Writer Andy Holloman has been scribbling stories since a young age. (According to reliable sources.) Shades of Gray is his first published novel and grew out of his experiences as a travel agency owner many moons ago. He was fascinated with the true story of a client of the business that was murdered.

He is the father of three and happily married for 20 years. A graduate of UNC-CH, he lives in the Raleigh, NC area and is busy carpooling, keeping his wife happy, and attending his kids sporting events. He loves the great outdoors in NC, is an avid reader, and a social media goofball. Most evenings, he can be found tapping on his well-worn keyboard as he "births" his next novel.


Welcome to Reviews and Interviews, Andy. What inspired you to write this book?
Many moons ago, I was the owner of a group of Travel Agencies (3 offices) in the Raleigh/Durham area. Sometime in the late 1990s, one of my sales people clued me in regarding a client of hers that appeared to be purchasing airline tickets in an unusual (but legal) fashion. My staff person speculated that this client may be doing something illegal. Not too long after this, we became aware that this client was found dead of a gunshot wound in her burned out home in Durham, NC. The news about her death indicated that she was a suspected drug dealer. After 9/11, my company suffered, as did the entire industry, and a story “seed” planted itself in my brain and continued to grow – “What lengths would a desperate business owner go to in order to save his/her company.”

What exciting story are you working on next?
I am in the very early stages of punching out a new novel that I would describe as an “Irving-esque romp through the 1990s as seen through the eyes of two Irish twins who come of age in the US during the rise of the internet.” Title is TBD.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I found it easy to consider myself a writer when I joined a writers group around 2004 in the Cary, NC area.

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?
Like most writers, I have a day job as a residential mortgage lender and my life is rather full with my family life and my day job. I find that I can typically fit in about 5-7 hours per week of writing, mostly between 9pm and 11pm and on the weekends.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
Hmm, I can’t say that I have any interesting writing quirks. But I can assure you that I’m going to try to develop a few!! Maybe I could do something interesting like switch to doing all my writing on an old electric typewriter? Nope, I’d be lost if I had to write without my “spell checker”! (*wink*)

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
My ambitions as a child were all about being a professional athlete. First and foremost, I wanted to play in the NBA. If that didn’t work out, then I would have settled for major league baseball!!

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
I truly, truly love readers. Hands down the most delightful aspect of publishing my book has been the interactions with readers and prospective readers. Getting a book published is a long, long road as is SELLING books. Even though I’m just at the beginning of my publishing journey, I know that my long term success will be in the hands of my readers. I delight in the way in which Social Media sites (Twitter and Facebook) allow me to interact with readers and I pledge to everyone who reads my book to do everything within my power to respond to your questions, comments, and suggestions. THANKS SO MUCH !!!!!!!! KEEP ON READING !!!!!

Thanks, Andy. Best of luck with your writing.

Readers, leave a comment with your e-mail for the chance to win a free e-copy of Shades of Gray.

Interview with science fiction novelist Brian Young

Today's guest is sci-fi novelist Brian Young. He's touring his novel Blood Veins with Goddess Fish Promotions AND has a great giveaway during his tour. Details are below about the giveaway.

Bio:
Brian was born in Salem, Oregon and currently resides in Eugene, Oregon with his wife and daughter. He graduated from the University of Oregon with a BA in English. He squeezes in time for writing in the early hours of the morning and during lunch breaks at work.

Welcome to Reviews and Interviews, Brian, please tell us about your current release.
Blood Veins is a science fiction novel about a young prince thrust into kingship after his father and older brother are killed. Prince Alexander is tasked with freeing his occupied homeland from the mysterious invading forces of the Dolus, a task which he has difficult focusing on because of his obsession with finding out how his father and brother died. Mysterious assassins, underworld savages and renegade Dolus survivors stand between him and the answers he seeks. What he finds along his journey will shatter his perceptions and lead to unknown perils he isn’t ready to face.

What inspired you to write this book?
I have always enjoyed reading and given a lot of thought to writing. One thing I struggled with was concentration and I would find myself daydreaming and making up stories in my head. One day I just decided to write an idea down. It was a rescue scene that I had kept thinking about over and over again. It is actually the first chapter of Blood Veins and once I wrote it down, my writing took off.

What exciting story are you working on next?
I am working on a sequel for Blood Veins. I didn’t plan to make it a series, but the story just kept growing and I found that I had too much to tell for it to fit in just one novel.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I considered myself a writer when everything started to really get moving for my publication of Blood Veins. I had never given it much thought but once I started to promote it and people started to share their excitement for the release I realized other people were going to be reading my work. Before this it was just for me but now that others are going to enjoy it is very exciting.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your workday like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I do not write full time. I am a banker for Sterling Savings Bank. Finding time to write is a real struggle. I use to write in the mornings before I would go to work but I have a two-year-old daughter and I find that I would rather spend most of my free time with her. By the time she is asleep she usually has exhausted me to the point that I can’t do anything requiring higher thought process. I can’t imagine ever having as much energy as a two-year-old! Now the only time I really have to write is on my lunch breaks at work. It is the only uninterrupted hour of time I have during the day.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I’m not sure how interesting it is, but it is probably quite funny to see me writing at work. We have a break room that is probably the size of a small walk-in closet and a tiny little chair. I’m a fairly large person so I sit hunched over in this small room on this small chair typing on my tiny iPad. One of my hands is as big as the screen so you can imagine how difficult it was to get used to typing on it. Another thing is I don’t really plan out my work. I have heard all sorts of different ways that people plan out their novels from outlines to scenes on flash cards, but that doesn’t really work for me. It makes me feel restricted. When I’m writing I have a general idea of where I want to go, but so many new ideas come up as I’m writing that I often end up doing something completely different from what I originally planned. A good example is the group of assassins in Blood Veins. I was more than halfway finished with the novel before they occurred to me and it was a lot of fun going back through the novel to find different ways to add them in.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I spent too much time playing when I was a kid and even as a teenager. One of my problems in school was I never thought about what I wanted to do when I was “grown up.” I loved playing football in high school and would have like to do that at least in college. Right now I love being a husband and a father and wouldn’t give that up for anything.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Just thank you for taking the time to read this blog. If you decide to pick up Blood Veins, and I hope you will, I believe you will enjoy it. It is a science fiction novel but more than that as well. It is a coming of age story with a little bit for everyone; action, humor and great characters. Thanks again.

You're quite welcome. Thanks for sharing some of your day with us.

Readers, Brian is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card to one randomly selected commenter during the tour, so you'll want to comment here and at other blog stops. The more you comment, the increase your chances of winning.

Interview with author Jimmy "J.D." Gordon

Today's guest is author Jimmy "J.D." Gordon. He's just starting a virtual book tour for his novel Dartboard.

Bio:
Firefighter and paramedic-turned-author Jimmy (J.D.) Gordon was born and raised in Chicago where he developed a taste for the finer things that the Windy City has to offer - pan pizza, live blues, and the Cubs. Jimmy loves spending time in the Florida Keys and the Caribbean. He now lives with his wife and children in Glen Ellyn, a suburb of Chicago.

Jimmy basically dropped into the world of literature, literally. After falling off a train and breaking his knee, Jimmy had to spend quite a bit of time recuperating. While visiting the firehouse his peers asked what he planned to with all that time away. This is when Jimmy said the words that he now claims to have changed his life.

"I should write a book."

Despite some skepticism from his peers ("You don't even use punctuation on your run reports!"), he completed a novel, Island Bound, and made it a point to use punctuation throughout.

After another injury, sustained on the job, prematurely ended his career, Gordon decided to try writing full-time

Welcome to Reviews and Interviews, Jimmy. Please tell us about your current release, Dartboard.
This story was best described by a fellow named Paul Kemprecos. He is one of co-writers for Clive Cussler. The story is mix between Carl Hiassen and Treasure Island. The story is an action adventure set in the Caribbean. It’s centered around the information leading to the location of, of course, buried treasure, which fell into the hands of museum curator at the Field Museum in Chicago, who then passed that information and a boat, along to a family member of his. The story lays out how several different parties, from a nutty museum assistant, to a crazy peg-legged pirate try to get their hands on the gold. They all end up on one small island in the middle nowhere to shoot it out.

What inspired you to write this book?
Honestly, I don’t do inspirations. I was ready to start another book. I had just finished three books centered on one character, a guy named Eddie Gilbert. It was a trilogy, again, set in the Caribbean. I wanted to stick with the tropical flavor but move along to a new character, so Dartboard was born, along with Jimmy Quigley, the main character.

What exciting story are you working on next?
Well, I’ve just finished up a story titled "Field of Screams." It’s the sequel to an earlier story I titled "Kritterkreep." In addition to writing adventure stories for adults I also write paranormal stories for middle school kids, ages 9 to 12. So, I’m at the point where I am deciding what to write next. I’ll either go with another adventure story or the next kids book. If it's the adventure story, I’m still floating ideas around in my head. If it’s the next kid’s book, that will be titled The Pumpkin Jamboree and the Legend of Stumpy Scout.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Oh my gosh, I’ll have to let you know when the day comes. I’ve written seven novels now, I even wrote for a newspaper for a while. I still don’t consider myself a real writer. I’m not sure why. I just feel like a guy who types.

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’m a parent first. My injury with the fire department really changed my life. My wife, honestly, had always been the real bread winner. I was hurt in the line duty so I was pensioned off, meaning I still receive some sort of compensation. Though getting hurt sucked it did leave me with the time to take care of my kids while my wife works. I’m a mister mom and proud of it. I start my day off getting the kids together and ready for school. I drop them off, then I go off to the fitness center to keep the injury in check with exercise and stretching and so on. Then the rest of the day is spent writing. Until I pick the kids up. Once everyone settles down and goes to bed, I’m back on the computer to the writing. So, much of my day is spent typing away.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
Um, I like writing with a martini sitting next me, in the next seat of course, right……

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
That changed on a monthly basis, I wanted to be a soldier, I wanted to fly a helicopter, I wanted to be a marine biologist, I wanted to be a realtor and that continued into my adult life. Maybe that’s why writing fiction seems to be working out? If I feel like something, I just add it the story.

Thanks for stopping by, Jimmy.

Folks, if you'd like to learn more about Jimmy and his writing, you can follow his tour.

Interview with humorous author Rachel Thomas aka RachelintheOC

Today's guest is Rachel Thomas who is doing a virtual book tour with VBT Cafe for her book The Mancode: Exposed.

Welcome, Rachel, please tell us a little about yourself.
I'm a published author, social media consultant, cofounder Indie Book Collective, wife, & mum.

Please tell us about your current release.
The Mancode: Exposed a humorous collection of essays about men, women, love, sex, and of course, chocolate #der. I broke it up into four sections: Anatomy & Physiology, Chocolate Confessions, Coitus & Communications, and finally, DNA & Stereotypes. The reader can really start at any point, though if hungry, I suggest saving chocolate for dessert.

What inspired you to write this book?
I had written my first book, A Walk In The Snark and released it in January of this year. It hit #1 (over fifteen times) on the Humor/Motherhood Kindle list and the Mancode essays in particular seemed to strike a nerve with people -- some positive, some quite negative. That type of controversy is gold to a writer! So I focused on that theme in particular and the essay topics came quite easily. I've also been married nineteen years -- I've got daily examples of new material.

I'm also very active in social media, with a blog, Facebook, Goodreads, and particularly Twitter, with over 11,000 followers. It's a wonderful free market research tool and men are quite verbal with their feedback. I love it!

What exciting story are you working on next?
In all fairness, women are complicated creatures. Most men will agree that while they are pretty simple, chicks can be darn hard to figure out. We say one thing and mean another. Where's the playbook? Should they have taken Advanced Placement Female in high school? (Yea, probably).

So I'm working now on Chickspeak: Uncovered, a humorous though hopefully helpful take on what we gals mean for example, by "I'm fine," cause we're like, so not.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I started writing at age ten. My minor in college was Journalism, only because they didn't offer it as a major. After a detour into a training, sales and marketing career for many years that I didn't really enjoy, I began writing seriously in 2008. I look back now though and am extraordinarily grateful for my background because it helps me understand clearly the marketing and sales aspect of book promotion.

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?
That's a loaded question! I get my two children off to school and then immediately hit my desk. I don't clean up, don't even look at my kitchen (except to visit Joey the Coffeemaker -- "How you doin?") and head straight to the computer.

As cofounder of the Indie Book Collective, I have responsibilities there. I run the Twitter stream for the IBC, my own stream, and several others as well. My goal is to write at least two essays per day. I'm also working on an anthology piece for Valentine's Day. And I have my own social media clients.

Of course, at some point I have to exit my cave to eat, clean up, and interact with the husband and kids when they come home from school. I don't cook (I burn), so that helps quite a bit time-wise.

Luckily, I'm also kind of a late bird. I write more after everyone is crashed.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I don't write before coffee. I don't write without music. I keep the shades drawn. My family calls me a bat.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A writer! I knew in kindergarten that I would live in New York City and be a writer. I did live in New York City for a few years, but at the time, I was a pharmaceutical trainer. Meh. At least I made it.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
I'm proudly self-published, but I work very hard to insure that the product I put out is top quality. I hire an editor AND a proofreader. I draw stick people so I hire a graphic artist. I hate formatting (writer here!) which is like math to me, so I hire someone to do that also. I'm not rich, but I do feel it's worth the investment for the quality. When people see your quality, they'll buy it and tell their friends.

I'm happy to chat with anyone interested in pursuing this path. In fact, I contributed an essay to Our Indie Experience available on Amazon for only 99cents, a look at the good, the bad, and the realistic of eleven self-published authors.

Thanks for being here today, Rachel. Your humor shines through. :)

Readers, check out other tour dates and stops for Rachel and leave a comment here and there to let her know you're laughing.

Live chat/interview with C. Hope Clark - 12/18/11

The Writer's Chatroom presents C. Hope Clark, creator of Funds for Writers, author, and speaker.

WHEN?

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Eastern USA Time.....7-9 PM

Not sure what time that is wherever in the world you are? http://www.worldtimeserver.com

WHERE?

The Writers Chatroom at: http://www.writerschatroom.com/Enter.htm

Scroll down to the Java box. It may take a moment to load. Type in the name you wish to be known by, and click Login. No password needed.

Please note: The chatroom is only open for regularly scheduled chats.

Interview with author Tracey Cramer-Kelly

Today's guest author is Tracey Cramer-Kelley. She's touring her newest novel, True Surrender, with Goddess Fish Promotions.

Tracey is giving away a Fallen Soldier T-Shirt to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Details are below.

Welcome, Tracey. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
My work fuses writing, music, and visual imagery and includes novels, short stories, essays and music videos. My first novel, Last Chance Rescue, was a Finalist in the Romance category of the Next Generation Indie Book Awards. My second, True Surrender, has a companion full-length music video, "The Rose (Surrender Version)."

My writing draws from my experience as an Army Reserve paramedic and exposure to helicopter medivac. I obtained my helicopter pilot license in 2001. My husband and I own a motorcycle accessories business and live in small-town Minnesota with our children (son, 8, and daughter, 4).

Please tell us about your current release.
When Major Aaron Bricewick is rescued from Afghanistan terrorists, he thinks the worst is over. But his personal journey is just beginning...

The first surprise is the amputation of one of his legs. The second is the woman he left behind, now a widow with a 4-year-old son - and his new prosthetist (artificial limb maker).

He vows that losing his leg won't derail his career. But maintaining his outward appearance as a got-it-together officer becomes increasingly difficult as he faces one personal demon after another - and sees his career aspirations slipping away. And though he has no intention of expanding his life to include a woman, his heart has other ideas - and he finds himself questioning the very foundation of his personal beliefs.

When violence - and unexpected redemption - touch his life again, Aaron must make a stand. Which will he choose: duty or love?

What inspired you to write this book?
My writing is heavily influenced by the time I spent in the military and by the medical training I received there. Much of my writing explores the experiences our military personnel have lived through but find hard to explain in the context of everyday life, as well as the inherent struggle in their personal relationships.

What exciting story are you working on next?
I think there is another novel working its way through my subconscious. I also have a couple of erotica short stories I may actually finish. I'm even exploring more projects that fuse writing with music and visual imagery.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
There were two defining moments.

The first: holding the “draft copy” of my first novel, Last Chance Rescue. I was in awe. I caressed the cover; I kept opening the front flap to look at my name inside. The hundreds of hours, the agonizing over edits, and the painstaking care I’d taken in the details of the book and its presentation (cover, layout, etc.) were suddenly all worth it. (Never mind that no one had seen it yet!)

The second: being named as a Finalist in the 2009 Indie Awards. I had struggled with getting the word out about Last Chance Rescue—the requisite “self promotion” doesn’t come naturally. But here was someone else (not just me) saying the book was good! It was validation in its truest sense, and came at a pivotal time.

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?
Unfortunately, I do not get to write every day. My real job (the one that pays the bills) is running the business my husband and I own, Leader Motorcycle, and it’s very busy in spring and summer (luckily I enjoy it!).

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
A fun twist to my writing is that characters in my novels are intertwined. For instance, hero of True Surrender, Aaron Bricewick, was briefly married when he was younger. His wife? None other than Jessie Van Dyke, the heroine of my first novel, Last Chance Rescue.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
For a long time I wanted to be a veterinarian. By the time I went to college, the goal was to be a physical therapist.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
With the launch of True Surrender, I also introduced my first full-length video, titled "The Rose (Surrender Version)." It's my own arrangement of Bette Midler's classic, but with a more upbeat rhythm and a bluesy feel. It contains scenes from True Surrender enacted by actors (who did a phenomenal job). I loved this entire process and I’d like to do more of this type of project.

For more details about The Making of a Music Video, check out my blog posts, and watch the video.

The song is available for download on CDBaby.com and iTunes, and with some luck the video will soon be as well.

People can find me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter, too.

Thank you for being here today, Tracey.

Readers, Tracey is giving away a Fallen Soldier T-shirt (red, size TBD) to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. I encourage you to check out the tour dates and locations and comment. The more you comment, the better your chance of winning.

Interview with inspirational writer David Knight

David Knight is just starting a virtual blog tour with VBT Cafe for his book, I Am I, and Reviews and Interviews is his first official stop. Check out his other tour stops and dates.

Bio:
David Knight was born into his current physical embodiment in 1964. He is married to Caroline and they live with their adopted cats Toby, Treacle, Spiky, and Missy in the UK. In growing up he describes himself as a Mr. Average or like a 'Joe Bloggs'. Whilst earning a living in various types of work, (this ranged from HM Forces, Financial Services, a Care Assistant and also self-employment) his search for fulfilment changed from the exterior and without to the interior and within.

Spiritual education gained a greater momentum and at the age of 21 a more urgent sense of dedication as well as a new realization had set in. New evidence of and from God, were soon revealed through his life experiences. With the aid of Spirit guides and beings from the ethereal planes, the foundations were laid for all who wished to develop and experience their Hearts flame of love and light and to embark upon a unique opportunity for all soul's in this lifetime.

Welcome, David, please tell us about your current release.
Hi Lisa, I Am I: The In-Dweller of Your Heart is a book that I hope people can use as a reference and guide to lean upon and utilize throughout their lives. All life and love should actually be simplicity itself and yet we –as human beings- complicate them both so much by listening more to our minds and desires through our senses… rather than our own truth in our hearts.

So, over a period of time I felt humbly blessed to receive 52 Inner-dictations- as such they were lessons and messages containing spiritual guidance and education from my own heart’s connection to God, (the source, Spirit, or whichever name feels true to each person) so that all can understand their true purpose and goal of their soul. No matter what color, race, or whatever faith or religion one currently follows one can actually realize that Love is everything and everything is love. The book encourages each and every single person to find their own truth through their own heart where bliss, peace love and light reign supreme.

Here is the synopsis:

I Am I: The In-Dweller of Your Heart is a stepping stone for all who embark upon their own quest for ‘Spiritual’ education and guidance. Even if you are comfortable with your own faith and religion, it can help you to explore new interpretations and issues on a personal or global scale.

David Knight has received and transcribed these passages of text in a process known as ‘Inner Dictation’. He describes this as writing from within the connection of his heart where peace, bliss, love, and light reign supreme.

God’s wisdom and teachings are laid out before you so you can simply choose and read whenever or whatever your heart needs or desires. I Am I entrusts that you will dip your toes into these guidelines, principles and simple directions, then dive headfirst into the waters of your own Divine essence.

These books will form the threads of life’s new tapestry, each spun into 52 lessons from, to and through our own hearts and souls. They are like a father, mother, brother, sister, husband, wife, partner or personal friend who knows you better than you can ever know ‘yourself’.

What inspired you to write this book?
Over the years, many strange and wonderful things happened to me both physically and also in dream state and meditation. When I first started to ‘open’ up my heart, a lot of psychic experiences occurred…including many pre-cognitions (foreseeing future events) and proof of life after death. As such and through my own faith, I had the inbuilt need to want to help guide people upon their own journey. Over time, spiritual gifts started to materialize in my life such as healing, clairaudience and the ability to write through channeling and inner dictation. Once I started putting pen to paper I knew that I would eventually put 7 books together…to help guide, heal and shine the light for many others to see their own truth ‘within’

What exciting story are you working on next?
Well, the sequel to I Am I: The In-Dweller of the Heart is three quarters complete…after which the may be a third to make it a trilogy. I also would like to complete a compilation of many poems and inspirational / spiritual text to form a smaller book called A Pocket Full of God. Eventually I’ll put together the collection of my dreams / visions into ‘The Pre-Cognition Files’. So the next few years will be very busy!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Some may state that you’re not a writer unless you’re being paid for it... as if remuneration somehow confirms the status of being a ‘professional writer’ as such. Others will state too that if one writes a novella, that it’s not a real book unless it has over 200-250 pages. Everything is just opinions and so for me it’s what you feel inside that actually counts. Primarily you must write for yourself…exterior success (or lack of it) is secondary.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
Mmmm…I guess it’s the symbolism in the text. Many people comment about how the description and guidance of say nature, images, scenarios, and scenes reflect upon ones own feelings which then mirrors ad shines the truth to each individual.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Crikey, interesting question. I could put a twist on that and say…. Happy! LOL Ha ha

I think when I was really small I wanted to be a pilot. Perhaps that really was a dream as I am not much bigger than a hobbit and am not too great with heights ha ha.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Yes, please…just want to say thanks for taking the time to read the interview. A lot of times in life we often judge things and their worth by how much something costs. Again it’s that ‘monkey’ mind of ours dictating and implying that you can only see the future from judging the past. Whether you buy this book or any other, whatever experience comes into your life … if it resonates within your heart let it flow to, through, and from you.

Many thanks, Lisa.

You're welcome, David. Thanks for being here to talk about your book and your writing a little bit.