Interview with YA suspense author Liza O'Connor

Liza O’Connor is here to tell us a bit about her new YA suspense novel Saving Casey.

Liza will award a $25 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. A random commenter at this blog stop will receive tattoos like Casey’s on a jpg picture supplied by winner. For more chances to win other gifts (different gifts offered at different stops), visit Liza's other tour stops and leave comments.

Bio:

Liza lives in Denville, NJ with her dog, Jess. They hike in fabulous woods every day, rain or shine, sleet, or snow. Having an adventurous nature, she learned to fly small Cessnas in NJ, hang-glide in New Zealand, kayak in Pennsylvania, ski in New York, scuba dive with great white sharks in Australia, dig up dinosaur bones in Montana, sky dive in Indiana, and raft a class four river in Tasmania. She’s an avid gardener, amateur photographer, and dabbler in watercolors and graphic arts. Yet through her entire life, her first love has and always will be writing novels. She loves to create interesting characters, set them loose, and scribe what happens.

Welcome, Liza. Please tell us about your current release.

Having been diagnosed with cancer, Cass Goldman decides to opt out of any futile medical care and end her life. While she has some thoughts on afterlife, she never expects to reincarnate into the body of a seventeen-year-old girl named Casey Davidson.

When she awakens in a hospital, Cass discovers two disturbing facts: One, she is now inside the body of a troubled teenager, and two, the former owner of this body committed suicide, but only Cass knows that. Everyone else believes Casey has survived, but suffered a complete memory loss. Cass has two choices: to take on Casey’s life and turn it around, or to confess the truth about her reincarnation and end up in a mental asylum. Given this second chance to life, Cass decides to take on the future life of Casey—the frightening ghoul-faced teen with short, black, spiky hair.

Every person around Cass has an ulterior motive and discovering the truth of Old Casey’s life is more complicated than the “new math” she is forced to learn in school. In addition, Cass has to contend with raging teenage hormones and the prior crimes of Old Casey, which she might not remember, but everyone else certainly does. However, her biggest frustration concerns her feelings for her father’s rugged security specialist who sees her only as a teenager and doesn’t want to explore the mutual attraction between them.

As determined as Cass is to turn this life around, Old Casey’s enemies are just as determined to end her life. She has no idea whom she can trust, but she knows she’ll never survive going it alone.

What inspired you to write this book?

When watching my friends teens struggle, I wondered if they were simply deaf to parental advice or our life experiences can’t help them with their problems. So I took an 80-year-old woman, full of life experience, and dumped her in the body of troubled seventeen-year-old teen to see if life experience helps. Turns out she struggles as much as the prior teen.

Excerpt:

Upon settling down on the toilet, Cass noticed the floor to ceiling mirror facing her and screamed at the sight of the creature within it. Short black hair spouted about its head, black circles surrounded both eyes and fell like triangular knives down the cheeks. Black lips, stretched in horror as if in a nightmare. Pulling up her pants, she moved closer to the mirror.

She was a ghoul, an honest to God ghoul!

The door crashed open and her father stared at her, fear and panic clear in his eyes.

She touched her face. “Please tell me these aren’t permanent.”

His panic remained a second longer as her words filtered into his brain and then he pulled her into his arms. “Don’t worry, we will get them removed—if you want to…”

“If? Oh, I definitely want them removed,” she said.

How can I turn around my life if I look like the walking dead from a low-grade monster movie?

What exciting story are you working on next?

Actually, I’m working on three wonderful stories.

Worst Week Ever is a New Adult humorous sweet romance between a middle-class young woman and her billionaire boss. The story covers a week of non-stop disasters and misunderstandings.

The Ghostlover is a New Adult double sweet romance that begins with a tangled mess requiring a lascivious ancestral ghost to intervene before the family line ends forever.

And

Déjà Vu Déjà Adore. A paranormal romance in which only in death can love blossom.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Long before I should have. However, thinking I was a writer, meant I kept honing my profession, and eventually reality met up with my early delusions.

Do you write full-time?

For the last eight years, I have been writing full-time. Since I became published in 2012, my days are scheduled by the hour to ensure I get everything done. In the morning, I hike with my dog Jess. The rest of my day is split between Email, Marketing, Blogging, Promoting and Writing. In the afternoon my dog and I take an hour walk. Then I’ll work on various publishing/writing objectives until midnight.

Since as writers, we sit an excessive amount of the day, it is vital to get daily exercise. So make sure that gets in your schedule.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

My stories are unpredictable. Truth is, sometimes, I don’t even know where they are going. My muse is mysterious and creative.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I think like most children, I was all over the place with careers. I remember wishing to be an actress, a musician, a singer, a lawyer, and a veterinarian. So when I grew up, I ended up working on Wall Street for the meanest man in the entire world.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Never take a job with anyone commonly referred to as the meanest man in the world. Life is too short to be daily tortured. But if you do, be warned, they will throw things when you finally come to your senses and quit. So wear a helmet if you resign in person. Honestly, if I had to do it over again, I’d slip a note under the door and run like hell.

If you would like to have a tattoo imprinted on a picture of yourself, then leave a comment saying TATTOO MY FACE PLEASE and your e-mail address. I will select one lucky person to imprint tats and let you know.

And a special note: Saving Casey will be reduced from $5.99 to $2.99 for the duration of the tour (March 5th-April 11th) at Amazon, B&N, DP/Bono, ARe, Coffee Time Romance, BookStrand, and Smashwords.

Liza's Blog and Website | Facebook | Twitter

Bono Books | Amazon  | Barnes and Noble

Dadspirations: The 1st 100 Days of Fatherhood by Pete Densmore

Dadspirations:

The 1^st 100 Days of Fatherhood

by Pete Densmore

About The Author:

Father of two, Pete Densmore doesn’t consider himself an expert in parenthood by any means. He makes the same number of mistakes as every other parent and doesn’t have any fancy combination of letters after his name. Densmore believes that anyone can be an inspired dad as long as he wants to put the time, effort and heart into becoming one.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

About The Book:

Genre: Parenting | Inspirational | Fatherhood

Publisher: DADspirations

Released: August 1, 2012

Paperback: 176 pages Language: English ISBN-10: 061566363X ISBN-13: 978-0615663630 Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.4 x 8 inches Amazon Price (Paperback): $13.95 Amazon Price (Kindle ): $7.99

Book Description:

DADspirations: The 1st 100 Days of Fatherhood is a fast-reading, humorous book which includes an actionable checklist of essential ideas to help inspire dads to become the best father they can be. In short, this book offers a strategy for the expecting/new father focusing on 35 weekly ideas that Dad can do for himself, his wife and his newborn. A few of these ideas, which Densmore refers to as DADspirations, include:

• Develop a baby birth time capsule, which captures all of the precious moments from a day you're likely to forget.
• Send your loving wife to the spa, which secures for you an afternoon of introducing Bob Ross and Kung Fu to your baby.
• Build a toy box, which gives you the perfect excuse to spend an entire day alone in the garage with power tools and beer.
• Make up a holiday, which affords time for infant and grandma to bond, and gives you and your wife time for nookie.

Testimonials

 

GoodReads Reviews (3 out of 3 reviews)

1. Josee Phillip, December 10, 2012: Thank you for Goodreads and to the author for providing me a free copy of this wonderful book. I read this book along with one of my good male friends who is expecting a baby girl. This book is fun and realistic and makes a future dad "as ready as can be" to take upon this terrific challenge. I ended up giving him the copy of he book; he can always learn something new.
2. Jennifer Dilks, December 13, 2012: Hilarious! This book should be required reading for all new dads. And those who aren't "new"...there's always room for improvement, right? A comical outlook on the first 100 days of fatherhood, with enough sentimental touch that moms will enjoy reading also. A light-hearted, quick read that would be a perfect gift for the father-to-be. I'm so thankful to have received this book as a Goodreads first-reads giveaway...but I'm passing it along to a friend (a new dad!).
3. Lacey Gordon, December 16, 2012: I won this book through the GOODREADS GIVEAWAYS and it was a win that I am glad I won. I did read this book but I mostly won it for my husband. I want to give it to him when we start our family. I know he'll enjoy it as much as me. Great book!
4. Sandra Slack, January 28, 2013: This book surpassed all my expectations.I wanted it to give to my grandson who is currently "expecting".This is an ideal "Daddy" gift, to be given during the pregnancy so he can learn his role in the launching of Missy or Junior.Best, would be the expectant parents reading this aloud to each other in the weeks before the actual arrival of the adored bundle of noise, needs and nocturnal disregard, so soon to dominate the household.It is obvious the "Daddy" who wrote this book loves his children and managed to keep his sense of humor through it all.

  Amazon Reviews (3 out of 10 reviews)  

1. Best Book for Dads!!! November 5, 2012: An excellent an awesome book!!! Written by a DAD. Great advice, easy to read, funny and smart, I totally recommend this book to first time Dads. It would help you and entertain you a lot while the first months of your baby. 5 STARS!!
2. Makes the perfect gift for your buddy who's about to be a dad! October 15, 2012: This book couldn't be more perfect for that buddy of yours who's about to be a dad. Filled with awesome ideas and great tips to make those first couple of months easier on you and mom.
3. First hand Creativity and Confidence October 14, 2012: Lets be honest, as exciting and miraculous the birth of a child can be for a father, it is an experience that can challenge ones confidence. That is where the book Dadspirations steps in. This first hand account of fatherhood will help calm your nerves, keep you laughing, spark your creativity and give you the confidence you are looking for. It gives you ideas on how to keep daddy, mommy, and baby supported and happy. What a great gift for all the soon-to-be dads in your life or a new perspective for those who already have children.

Excerpt:   

Daddy Letter For My Daughter

On the day Marie was born, I was a mess. We had a false labor the previous day, I had to give a client presenta-tion at work that morning, and our babysitter for Henry bailed on us, causing a last minute scramble. When Marie is old enough, I will share with her the excite-ment, the anxiety and the fear that was bottled up inside me the day she was born. Every dad is a complete wreck that day, whether he admits or not. After all, you are in a dimly lit, cold hospital room, surrounded by strang-ers, while your wife is in pain for hours on end, you feel helpless to make her feel better, and all while the best experience in the world is going to happen at any moment.

Looking back on that day, I want my daughter to know that her dad was swearing like a sailor as he fought un-precedented traffic at 9:00 p.m. on the way to the hospital; that her dad nearly missed her birth because he was in the parking lot transferring her brother’s car seat to grandpa’s car; and that her dad stole a piece of pizza from the hospital floor’s community refrigerator. (Give me a break; I hadn’t eaten in twelve hours.) And, above 14 PETE DENSMORE all, there are three things I want her to know that I was thinking when I first held her in my arms: boy that pizza was good; how do I make sure she ends up with a good guy like Daddy; and how do I make sure she knows that being smart is cool. These are the types of thoughts, feelings and ideas I will share with my little girl so that she can understand her OCD father a little bit better.

Giveaway:

Beautiful Baby Tower Gift Set - An adorable tower with a large variety of gifts for the new baby. Open to US/Canada. International choice of Paypal Cash or Amazon Gift Card for same value. ($39.95 Value)

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Interview with historical fiction author Lane Heymont

Today’s guest is stopping by as he makes his way along a virtual book tour. Lane Heymont tells us a little bit about himself and his historical novel, The Freedman and the Pharaoh's Staff.

Lane will be giving away 2 specially signed paperback copies of his novel to lucky winners during his tour. You can enter using the form below the interview.

Bio:

Lane Heymont was born in Pennsylvania. He has been a lifelong reader and writer.

He earned a BA in Liberal Arts with a focus on literature and history. He also holds a double minor in psychology and business. After college, Lane turned his focus back to writing. He has several short stories published and his debut novel, The Freedman and the Pharaoh’s staff from Sunbury Press is available at all major retailers.

Welcome, Lane. Please tell us about your current release.

The Freedman and the Pharaoh’s Staff is a historical novel set in Reconstruction-era Louisiana that bends the boundaries between science-fiction, fantasy, and American history.

Jeb, a former slave, rescues his brother-in-law Crispus from the Ku Klux Klan, pulling him into a world of Creole Voodoo, hatred, time travel, and redemption. The two brothers-in-law set out to stop Verdiss and his Klan followers from using the Pharaoh’s Staff, a magical artifact from ancient Egypt. Soon, Jeb and Crispus learn Verdiss’ diabolical plan and discover that he serves an evil far more insidious than himself. In the end, Jeb and Crispus must stop an entire people from eradication and each find redemption for his own past sins.

What inspired you to write this book?

An African-American literature class I took in undergrad.

Excerpt:

Allenville flashed in Jeb’s head. Bodies burning, people tortured and brutalized in the streets. Somehow he felt the same thoughts in Fallon. The way his slender hand tightened around his when he’d said the word. He imagined hatred blistering inside the boy. Maybe the need for a father blinded him. Thank the Lawd–that ain’t the case no more…I hope.

“Jeb. Fallon. This way. I found a mambo a few blocks away on Laurel Street.” Crispus’s voice broke through the crowd.

“Come on!” Fallon pulled Jeb through the throng of people. Crispus’s voice always sounded just beyond them, amidst the night madness of Baton Rouge. “Wait!”

“Where’d he go?” Jeb tugged on Fallon’s hand, pushing aside a doughy man.

“He took a right down Nacadian Road. Wait, Crispus!” The hideous ensemble of vendors, farriers, knackers, and other merchants crying out their goods seemed to drown out the boy’s call.

One moment, mayhem wracked the market, the next it fell silent. Fallon stopped, so Jeb did. He couldn’t move, the herd seemed to stop stampeding. Footfalls echoed in the street. The crowd spread. Then came the heavy clacks of soldier’s boots on the flagstones. A band of men, too many to tell. But Jeb knew them by the procession’s cadence–Confederate soldiers. Men clad in gray uniforms marching through Baton Rouge. No doubt, they’d be Klansmen too. Shouts of jubilation spread like wildfire among the townspeople.

“Kill them carpetbaggers!” came a woman’s elegant voice.

“Long live the general!”

“The South shall rise again!” shouted a boy.

Jeb felt the panic in Fallon’s hand, his heartbeat racing as he pulled him away. “What general? I know that cadence like I know my field.” Jeb focused on dodging whatever lay in his way, stumbling over garbage and bumping into people.

Fallon stammered over his words, “Not–not–nothing. Nathan Bedford Forrest?” He gasped, tightening his grip on Jeb.

Somehow Jeb overcame his instincts, keeping his head bowed. Not daring to look up in fear that monster of a man would see him. Though blind, Jeb saw Forrest clad in the gray Confederate officer’s uniform, adorned with medals. He’d seen photos of him. Tall, in his fifties, a receding hairline and a curly mane of black hair. A well-kept goatee tinged gray like his uniform.

I can end it all. Fight through the crowd. A single shot to the head. To hell with being blind, I can do it. For a moment Jeb meant it, caressing his pistol. It’d be easy. Instead, he listened to the Ku Klux Klan founder, savior of the white race, and ender of Reconstruction, parade along the street. Celebrated by a throng of who knew how many people. They were closer now, close enough for Jeb to count them. Four guards following him. Plus Forrest, that’s five. Six shot pistol. Just enough for one miss. He gripped his pistol. It didn’t matter that the crowd loved Forrest, even cheered him on. Six rounds is enough. Jeb edged his pistol free from its holster.

What exciting story are you working on next?

Right now, I'm working on a literary novel called Scattering Stars, in which a convicted killer returns home to try to mend his relationship with his sister and nephew, while trying to deal with the guilt of what he may or may not have done.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I was always a writer, but a published writer when my short story “The Lost Continent” was published in Innsmouth Magazine.

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 do write full-time, though I do some extra work on the side.

My day usually consists of writing! I'm up early, relax for a little to let the creative juices gear up and then hit the laptop.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I slouch in my chair. I don't know if anyone else does it, but it's so comfortable!

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

An author. Cliché, I know.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Before trying to enter the business, do your research. It's as complicated as any other business. Unless you're already "famous" no one is going to hand you a book deal (usually). Research how publishing works, how agents work, the difference between a wholesaler and distributor. You'd be surprised how people couldn't tell you!

Also, I'd like to thank Lisa for letting come on answer these great questions. Thanks so much!

My pleasure, Lane. It’s been nice to meet you. Happy touring!

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Virtual book blast stop for "Russian Dolls" by Cristelle Comby

Today is a virtual book blast stop for Russian Dolls by Cristelle Comby. 

She'll be awarding a lucky commentor with a signed copy of the novel during the tour. To be entered for a chance to win, leave an e-mail address with your comment below. And for more chances to win, visit other tour stops today and leave comments.

BLURB:

Alexandra Neve is a student at University College London whose world suddenly falls apart. When her best friend jumps from the university’s rooftop, she can’t stop herself from asking, ‘Why?’ The police rule her friend’s death a suicide and for them the case is closed — so whom can she turn to for help?

Sometimes the person you need the most is the one you least expect to find, and in this case it’s none other than Ashford Egan, a blind middle-aged history professor, who’s more willing than most to listen to what she has to say.

Neve and Egan are as different as they come. She’s restless, careless at times, and fearless when the need arises, while he’s almost the complete opposite: a deep thinker with an analytical mind, a highly rational and collected individual.

As they enter the violent world of the Russian mafia, they must overcome their differences and learn to work together. It’s their only chance if they want to survive.

EXCERPT:

Life, death. Two concepts, two words.

You don’t think about them unless you’re forced to. You take the first for granted and try to forget the second.

You get on with your life, worry about meaningless things and you simply stop thinking about death, even though you see it every day on the telly, in the papers you read.

So long as it’s happening to others, you continue to go on with this comforting lie that says it’s never going to happen to you. The Reaper won’t come anywhere near you — until the day he does.

It could be a car crash, it could be a stroke. Or it could be your best friend jumping from the rooftop of the university you both attend. And suddenly you remember that death is very real and there’s no way of knowing who is going to be called next. You’re forced to face the frailty of life and accept your own mortality.

My best friend recently passed away and I almost died twice myself in the past couple of weeks. My name is Alexandra Neve. I’m a student who used to live in a reassuring bubble. It burst, and now I finally see the world for what it truly is.

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Cristelle Comby was born and raised in the French-speaking area of Switzerland, somewhere between Geneva and Lausanne, where she still resides.

Thanks to her insatiable thirst for American and British action films and television dramas, her English is fluent.

She attributes to her origins her ever-peaceful nature and her undying love for chocolate. She has a passion for art, which also includes an interest in drawing and acting.

Russian Dolls is her first new-adult novel, and she’s hard at work on the next titles in the series.

Find out more at www.cristelle-comby.com

Virtual excerpt tour stop for Secrets of an Aztec Temple by Paty Jager

Today is a virtual book excerpt tour stop for Paty Jager's novel Secrets of an Aztec Temple.

Paty will be awarding a $5 Amazon e-gift card at each blog for every twenty people who leave a comment and a $25 Amazon card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. 

We need 20 people to comment today to increase the chances of one of you winning a $5 Amazon gift card! And anyone who comments (and leaves an e-mail address so they can be contacted) has a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card. And if you want to increase your chances of winning, visit other tour stops and comment there.

Bio:

Award winning author Paty Jager is a member of national and local writing organizations. She not only writes the western lifestyle she lives it. With thirteen books and a short story published, she is venturing into the new world of self-publishing ebooks. Her contemporary Western, Perfectly Good Nanny won the 2008 Eppie for Best Contemporary Romance, Spirit of the Mountain, a historical paranormal set among the Nez Perce, placed 1st in the paranormal category of the Lories Best Published Book Contest, and Spirit of the Lake was a finalist in the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence.

Blurb from Secrets of an Aztec Temple:

Revenge is not always sweet…

Isabella Mumphrey can’t leave a puzzle alone. This time she attempts to use her anthropology knowledge to uncover who is stealing priceless artifacts from an Aztec Temple in Mexico City. The discovery will certainly prove her worth to the World Intelligence Agency. 

Tino Costantine is in Mexico City, too. He has infiltrated a drug lord’s organization to find enough evidence to not only prove the man’s illegal activities, but to bring him down for numerous deaths. Namely those of Tino’s family.

But when the love of his life, Isabella, strolls into his enemy’s home, Tino’s challenged by the choice of saving her or fulfilling his revenge.

Excerpt from Secrets of an Aztec Temple:

Garza watched her intently and steepled his fingers under his chin. “I was thinking you could move into my house, keep my wife company, and show her how to catalog my discoveries.”

Trepidation trickled down her spine and her stomach lurched. There was no way she’d become locked in the house of a drug dealer.

“I’m here on a grant. I can’t squander my time by working only for you. I’ll come over around noon and will work with your wife, but I’ll not stay in your home.” Her voice remained calm and firm.

His pleasant demeanor started to darken.

“I think that is a very workable situation, Paolo. I know Dr. Mumphrey is on a deadline for her paper, and I am sure you would not want her to lose her funding.”

“I can pay you three times as much as your government is willing to pay you.” Garza shifted in his chair, giving her his full-on glare.

“That may be so, but I still have many years I want to work for the university and if I take money from you and not write my paper, I’ll lose my tenure. I’ve worked too hard and sacrificed too much to allow greed to shove me into anonymity in anthropology circles.” Isabella glared back at him. As much as he scared her, she would not get herself locked up in his compound nor compromise a career she’d set her sights on at seven years of age.

Ways to learn more about Paty:
Her blog | Her website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

New interview with mystery author Robert B. Lowe

Today’s guest is mystery author Robert B. Lowe. This is the first of many virtual tour stops as he travels and talks about his newest novel Divine Fury – An Enzo Lee Mystery Thriller (book 2 in a series). 

Robert visited here last year to talk about the first novel in this series, the best-selling Project Moses which reached the Amazon Top 20 Mysteries list and was a finalist in the Best Indie Books of 2012 competition hosted by the Kindle Book Review. You can read that interview here. 

Robert will be giving away a $25 Amazon gift card to a lucky commentor during his tour, so if you'd like a chance to win, make sure to leave an e-mail address with your comment below. And to increase your chances of winning, visit other tour stops and leave comments there.

Bio:

Robert B. Lowe is a Pulitzer-prize winning author whose fiction is based in San Francisco, his adopted home.

His past experiences – a 12-year career in investigative journalism and a Harvard Law School degree – enable him to write gripping mystery thrillers in both the legal and journalistic fields. Lowe draws his inspiration from John Grisham, Dick Francis and Lee Child and adds his own San Francisco twist. Readers will enjoy his references to the city’s landmarks such as Chinatown, North Beach and Pacific Heights and the Bay area’s foodie culture.

Divine Fury is Lowe’s second novel. It continues the adventures of Enzo Lee, a jaded journalist rehabilitating his career as a feature writer in San Francisco who stumbles into scandals and criminal conspiracies that require his investigative expertise to unravel.

Welcome, Robert. Please tell us about your current release, Divine Fury.

Candidate Andrew Harper was a college basketball star, a crusading prosecutor and a beloved Congressman. He is also openly gay. When the San Francisco politician gets the inside track to become California’s next governor, it sends shockwaves through the political and religious establishment.

Reporter Enzo Lee is cajoled into leaving his comfortable niche covering fluffy features for the San Francisco News to cover the historic campaign. A series of campaign events are mysteriously and dangerously disrupted. A key endorsement is scuttled at the last minute. An earlier murder takes on new significance when it is linked to a Watergate-style break-in involving computer spying.

But, finding the culprits behind political sabotage and high-tech hacking take a back seat when it’s discovered that a troubled war veteran armed with guns and explosives has begun a violent journey from small-town Montana to the City by the Bay.

When Lee becomes a target himself he must dodge attempts on his own life while trying to expose the conspiracy and, with the help of police allies, foil an assassination plot. 

Divine Fury is the newly released second book in the Enzo Lee series from Pulitzer Prize-winning author Robert B. Lowe. The series was kicked off by the best-selling Project Moses, the bioterroism thriller that made the Amazon Top 20 Mysteries list and was a finalist in the Best Indie Books of 2012 competition.

What inspired you to write this book?

This is the second book in a mystery thriller series centered on Enzo Lee, a newspaper reporter working in San Francisco.

I wanted to focus on aspects of the city and the flourishing of the gay community here since the 60s and role that it has played in gay rights is an important part of San Francisco’s story. More openly gay and lesbian politicians are being elected, but the election of a chief executive of a state – particularly one as large and influential as California – has yet to occur.

It seemed plausible to me that the right gay or lesbian candidate could do well in the San Francisco area and become positioned to compete for the governor’s office. A backlash seemed equally plausible and I thought that premise – together with a fiction writer’s imagination – could form the basis for a good story.

Excerpt:

“The music continued. They were letting Harper have a long victory dance before he started speaking. To the sway of bodies and bouncing of signs, Walberg started to thread his way toward the middle and closer, always closer, to the platform and the self-assured politician who was front and center.

He wasn’t thinking about the bomb in the backpack now. He was close to the front with only three layers of people between him and the edge of the crowd held in place by the half-circle of police. This is how he preferred it. He wanted to see Harper’s face when he shot him. That was the instant he craved.

The crowd was pressing in. He could feel the pressure from behind as people inched closer to the front as the masses in back continued trying to push forward. He could see the police, now with their sticks at chest level fighting to hold their perimeter. They were straining. They weren’t trying to hurt anyone but he could see they were determined not to give up any ground.

All Walberg needed was two seconds, enough time to steady his right hand with his left without getting jostled and squeeze. He thought he would have that. He could see the faces and eyes of the cops moving all over. They were stressed. The music, the crowd, the signs…all the chaos would hide what he was doing for a crucial second or two.

Walberg had his right hand in the pocket of the jacket. His fingers found the Beretta and he could feel the safety with his thumb. He flicked it off while he kept his eyes focused on Harper and struggled to keep his face in a relaxed half-smile.”

What exciting story are you working on next?

I am working on the third book in the Enzo Lee series. It’s another mystery thriller that focuses on the pharmaceutical industry.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I was a newspaper reporter myself for 12 years out of college. The job entailed a lot of elements but the bottom line was putting your stories into the newspaper for its readers. Through that process, I came to think of myself as a writer and became comfortable with the idea of writing for an audience.

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 consider my ‘job’ at present to be writing books and marketing them. When I am in writing mode, I try to be at my computer in Word by 9 am and produce words until lunch. After lunch, I try to get in a couple more hours at least. I’m also editing the past few days work while I do this. And, there are stretches where I need to work at more of an overhaul level – patching holes, making things consistent, fixing one problem or another. I have a concept of the type of books I want to write at present. Those are basically full length novels in the mystery, suspense, thriller genres. Aside from occasional blog posts and interviews like this one, I don’t produce a lot of ancillary material right now. I’m trying to lay down a certain body of work. So, when I’m not actually writing, I’m always working through possible book ideas in my head – whether it’s an entire plot, a style of book – say, maybe a psychological thriller – or smaller questions such as how might a relationship evolve from one book to the next.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I’m a bit of a foodie and I enjoy having a lot of that in my books. I think readers enjoy it as well. The other aspect readers comment on is my descriptions. Some people enjoy the details and find the sights, sounds and smells of the settings a major plus. Others get impatient and find it slogging to get to the action.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I think I went from baseball star to president of the U.S.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

On the way to being a full time writer, I was a journalist, a lawyer and a Silicon Valley entrepreneur. On one hand, I missed a lot of writing time when I could have improved my craft. On the other, I had a lot of experiences that I can mine for material. I like to feel that my stories are grounded in how things really work.

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Thanks, Robert. Readers, remember, Robert will be giving away a $25 Amazon gift card to a lucky commentor during his tour, so if you'd like a chance to win, make sure to leave an e-mail address with your comment below. And to increase your chances of winning, visit other tour stops and leave comments there.

Review sound bytes: 

“Gripping…with an adrenaline-filled climax combined with compelling characters.” – Kirkus Reviews

“A fascinating and fast-paced mystery/thriller. It is a thought provoking and extremely captivating story." – Kindle Book Review

Virtual book blast tour stop for Love in Provence by William Auch

Today is a virtual book blast for Love in Provence by William Auch and this blog is just one of many stops. There's a $25 Amazon gift card available to a lucky commentor, too! 

Leave an e-mail address with a comment below to be entered for a chance to win. And to better your chances of winning, visit and comment at other tour stops today.

Bio:

William Auch is a physician residing in Sacramento, California. When not seeing patients, he writes, studies French, and travels the world.

Blurb:

When John Martin is forced to sell his tech company, he decides to take a six-month vacation to the south of France.

When he meets Madame Garcin, her daughter Sophie, and her granddaughter Isabelle, his life is changed forever. What began as a long vacation becomes a journey of self-discovery marked by love, loss, and tragedy.

He is molded by this family of three generations of women, tempered by tragedy themselves, in ways that he could never have imagined.

Excerpt:

It seemed to John that the next three weeks could not go by fast enough. He was energized and quickly got back into the routine of jogging along the Embarcadero. It was a Sunday morning and John had made it all the way to the Marina Green, which was farther than the length of his usual run.

The green was filled with joggers, mothers pushing strollers, and the sailors heading for the yacht harbor. The sky was bright blue and cloudless, and a stiff breeze blew into the harbor from the other side of the Golden Gate. John stopped in the middle of the green to catch his breath and looked up to see a sky full of kites. There were large ones, small ones, one that looked like a dragon, and another which resembled a bird, all in a kaleidoscope of colors that were enhanced by the sun from above. They all danced in the wind, some darting side to side, and others diving toward each other as if to demonstrate who owned the skies. Some would descend to the ground then dart back up into the sky again.

Off to one side was a small girl with a pony tail, who ran across the grass as though she were about to lift off like a bird. Behind her she towed a small red kite, which stubbornly refused to become airborne despite her best attempts to launch it. Each time the kite plunged to the grass she would tighten the string again and make another run at it, only to have the kite rise about ten feet, then plummet to the grass. She tried over and over again with such determination, John wondered how long she had been at it. After each failed attempt she would look over at her mother who was keeping an eye on her from a distance, then the girl would continue with more determination than the previous attempt. John thought about Isabelle and how much he missed her. He could not wait to see her. He could imagine Isabelle when she was young, pulling on the kite string with the same determination as the little girl.

John walked over to her mother sitting on the grass and asked with a smile, “Do you mind if I give her a hand?”

Her mother raised her eyebrows at first and studied John from top to bottom, but then a smile slowly crept onto her face. “Sure, why not?”

Buy link:

Amazon