Live Chat/Interview with YA sci-fi/fantasy author Simon Rose 6/6/10

The Writer's Chatroom presents Simon Rose.

WHEN?

Sunday, June 6, 2010

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 Phyllis A. Wilson about anthology Many Paths, Many Feet

Phyllis, welcome to Reviews and Interviews. You're the driving force behind a new anthology call Many Paths, Many Feet, as well as a contributor with twelve other women.

Please tell us about Many Paths, Many Feet: An Anthology of Women's Stories.
Many Paths, Many Feet is an anthology of women’s stories written by 13 authors located in various locations in the US. There are 25 stories and poems, some are fiction and some are non-fiction. This book centers on four areas: reflection, unity, praise and inspiration...it will take you on a powerful journey of challenges and discovery!

How did the project come about?
I had written a non-fiction book and during the process thought to myself that everyone has a story. So I approached women that I knew about doing an anthology.

You mention it’s the first of a series. Can you tell us about what is coming in the future?
We may be looking to continue the journey with another anthology in the next year or two.

Do you write full-time?
I do write full-time now...but previously I worked full-time as a recruiter and have always wanted to write and get published.

When and why did you begin writing?
I used to write as a child in my diary and have done journaling off and on. I really began to focus on writing in June 2009.

Did you learn anything from creating the anthology? What was it?
Yes, I learned that managing a project of this magnitude requires creative leadership to engage people of various levels. That being said, I also learned that helping people realize their dreams is such a rewarding experience.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
Growing up I wanted to be a mother! I think it is the most important job one can have and I wanted to contribute to the upbringing of successful, well-rounded adults. I have three adult children now and one granddaughter.

Phyllis, thank you for your time. It's been a pleasure learning about you and the anthology.

To learn more about Phyllis, Many Paths, Many Feet, and the women behind the anthology, please visit their Web site. They can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.

Interview with author Tisha Morris - Feng Shui Blog Tour

Today I welcome Tisha Morris to Reviews and Interviews. Tisha is a certified life coach, feng shui consultant, energy healer, and author. Her passion is healing spaces by blending traditional feng shui techniques and interior design aesthetics with healing energy. In doing so, not only does the space undergo a transformation, but all those who occupy and encounter the space as well.

Tisha, welcome to Reviews and Interviews as part of your virtual book tour for 27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home.

Please tell us about your current release.
The title is 27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home. It is inspired by a Chinese proverb that says, “If you want to change your life, move 27 things in your home.” This proverb speaks to the power of just how interrelated our energy is with the energy of our home.

I selected the 27 things that I have seen make the most impact on either me or my clients, ranging from aspects of de-cluttering to traditional feng shui techniques. The 27 things are arranged in a logical order for someone who feels overwhelmed and doesn’t know where to begin with improving their home. That being said, anyone can pick up the book, flip to a page, and jump in.

What inspired you to write this book?
For my very first Feng Shui workshop, I prepared endlessly and provided my participants with tons of great information and inspiration. At the very end, one woman raised her hand and said, “What should we do first?” I thought that was such a great question and it became the cornerstone of my future workshops and then the inspiration for this book. Many of us are overwhelmed with where to begin. I wanted this book to be an easy, logical, and organized way to understand such a right-brain concept to apply it in their home without being overwhelmed.

What kind of research do you do to make your book realistic?
The information in my book came together through a hodgepodge of resources – from my experiences with clients to my background in interior design and knowledge of feng shui. I do reference several of my favorite feng shui authors as well. Like most people in service-related businesses, you learn more from your clients than anyone. I have therefore used several of my clients’ stories as examples in the book.

Did anything in the writing of this book come as a surprise to you?
I had been working on a different feng shui book for years and then out of nowhere 27 Things manifested. So many times we put a lot of energy into something. It comes back to us, but in a completely different form and even better than we could have imagined. With 27 Things, it was so effortless that I don’t really even remember writing it. I do remember becoming quite a fixture at my local coffee shop. Then six months later when I picked up the advanced copy to read it, I thought, “Wow, this is really good.”

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was in 8th grade, I wanted to be a writer. I later decided that becoming an attorney would be the best way to give me writing credentials while making a decent living. What I didn’t plan on was . . . not liking the practice of law. So for the ten years following my first law job, I went on a self-discovery journey -- from interior design school to teaching yoga -- to figure out what I really wanted to do from my heart instead of my head. Now those ten years have come full circle, resulting in all aspects of myself – the attorney, the interior designer, the energy healer, and the author – coming together as part of my life purpose.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Honestly, I’m not sure that I consider myself a writer even now. I think of myself as a healer and use books as one of my mediums in which to reach people. We all have different strengths through which we express ourselves and to reach an audience. For me, and at least for now, it is through the written word.

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?
Writing provides a great mix to my typical work day. I tend to get bored easily so my typical day usually involves a blend of seeing clients, blogging, graphic design, networking, and meditation. I wish I could say that I have a structured writing time, but being a moody Cancer, the weather seems to dictate my writing schedule more than anything else. Unless, of course, there is a deadline looming!

Thank you so much for your time. Best wishes with your book and thank you for talking about feng shui.

Tisha is based in Nashville, TN with most of her services available in-person or distance at www.tishamorris.com

Tisha's next blog tour stop is tomorrow at The Wheel of Life Podcast with Shelagh Jones

Interview with author Denise Verrico - BK Walker Books virtual book tour

Welcome, Readers, to Reviews and Interviews' interview with another author from BK Walker Books, Authors Promoting Authors virtual book tour. Here is a listing
of the full schedule.

Hello Denise!

Please tell us about your current release.
Cara Mia, Book One of the Immortyl Revolution is an urban fantasy with sci fi elements. The heroine, Mia and her lover, Kurt, are vampires who are locked up in a lab in California. She tells Dr. Joe Ansari, a neuroscientist, the tale of her fifty-year struggle to survive as a modern woman in a culture where she is regarded a mere chattel to her master. In Mia’s world, she isn’t free to come and go as she chooses, much less be with the man she wants. Only when her master casts her out, some years later, does she gain the independence and love she yearns for. When a would-be oppressor crosses Mia’s path, she kills him and finds herself in possession of scientific data that could cost her life.

What inspired you to write this book?
I’m a big fan of Anne Rice, and I’ve read a lot of her books. After reading one of them, I actually had a dream about a female vampire. When I set out to write this novel, fifteen years back, I had no idea of what the story would be about. I also had no idea how popular vampires would become. I had this idea for a character, which became Mia, the heroine. At that time, I’d only seen females in minor roles or portrayed as victims in vampire stories. I wanted to write a story that really dealt with the unique challenges a woman might face as a vampire. How would she deal with not being able to have children? What would her place be in vampire hierarchy? What would her relationships and love affairs with other vampires be like?

Anne Rice influenced me a lot, but I soon realized that I had to be true to my own rather irreverent voice and vision. So, I set out to create an entirely new world. Since I’m a fan of science and sci fi, I decided to give my vampires a biological basis. That being said, I still needed a story. I was reading a lot about biotechnology. A question occurred to me. What would happen if someone could harness a vampire’s immortality? Someone would want to profit from it. Others might want to exploit their super-strength for military means. Rival factions might compete to corner this market. Still others might find this sacrilegious.

Then I hit upon an idea of different social classes within the Immortyl hierarchy. This led to the idea of Mia and Kurt becoming rebels who stole secrets from their masters to prevent them from using this power for evil purposes.

What kind of research do you do to make your novels realistic?
For this one, I read up on science, the Civil War, Vikings, The Holocaust, and the playwright, Henrik Ibsen. Ibsen’s play, The Master Builder is an underlying thematic element.

Did anything in the writing of the current book come as a surprise to you?
It’s my first novel, and I was surprised how much a character can change the story from what I’d originally imagined. That character was Kurt. His story begged to be told. Twilight of the Gods, book two, deals with his rise to lead the revolution, seen through Mia’s eyes. Kurt is so innately decent, and the injustice of Immortyl culture preys upon him. I love the fact that he’s small and slight, not the typical alpha male hero, yet he’s intellectually strong and resourceful. He casts a spell over those who choose to follow him. Book Two will be released this fall.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
When my first play was chosen for production in a play festival in New York.

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?
During the school year, I work as an instructional aide to a child with special needs, and I do part-time marketing gigs. I’m pretty disciplined. Instead of watching TV in the evening, I write. I tend to do a lot of my creative process in the summer months, because I work a lot of fairs and festivals. It’s kind of slow most of the day. It gives my imagination a lot of time to run wild. On my days off, I’ll write seven or eight hours at a stretch. I tend to do more revising and editing during the winter months.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I ride roller coasters, the bigger, the faster, the more inversions the better. My favorites are Millennium Force, The Raptor, Top Thrill Dragster, The Beast, El Toro, Nitro, The Dominator, Gryphon and The Incredible Hulk. My husband, son, and I travel around the Midwest and East Coast on summer weekends to ride. We haven’t done any west of the Mississippi yet. We currently live in Ohio, and we have a lot of top coasters here.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
Everything has to sound right to me. Because of my theatre background, I suppose. I read everything I’ve just written, out loud, including accents.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned while creating your newest book?
I like writing from a male POV. Joe Ansari is a third person, POV in parts of Cara Mia. I originally had a lot more of him. In my third novel, I write in the first person POV of another male character.

I’ve always been a bit of a tomboy and most of my friends are guys. I’m not really a girly-girl. But, there’s some romance in my stories amid the adventure and intrigue. I like a balance of different elements, just like in life.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A marine biologist, veterinarian, or jockey.

Anything else you’d like to share with the audience?
I’m appearing this weekend at Marcon, in Columbus, Ohio. I’ll be doing panels, a reading from Twilight of the Gods, and an autograph session.

My book is available in trade paperback through the Amazon, Borders, and Barnes and Noble Web sites. It’s also in Kindle and multi-format e-book at Fictionwise. You can get signed copies through links to my Web store on my blog and Web site. It’s carried at some bookstores. If your local store doesn’t carry it, they can order it for you.

You can friend me on Facebook at Immortyl Revolution and follow me on Twitter.


Readers - leave a comment to be entered into a drawing to win one of several gifts from promoter of this VBT, BK Walker. Gifts include: a $25 Visa Gift Card, book light,a free-of-charge virtual book tour, or one writing package which includes a journal, pen, book light, and book marker.

My next guest for the tour is June 1 - Debbie Patten

Live chat/Interview with thriller author Brett Battles - 5/30/10

The Writer's Chatroom presents Brett Battles.

WHEN?


Sunday, May 30, 2010

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 poet Cendrine Marrouat

Today I'd like to welcome poet Cendrine Marrouat to Reviews and Interviews.

Born in France, Cendrine is a poet, published author, spoken word artist, translator, and aspiring photographer residing in Canada. She writes for Examiner.com, WAGTi Radio, and WAGTi Media Group. Before Five Years and Counting, she published four other poetry collections and authored a spoken word album. She is currently working on a second CD. Cendrine is the founder of www.soulpoetrysite.com and www.creativeramblings.com. She has a deep passion for educating and inspiring her fellow human beings.

Cendrine, welcome!

Please tell us about your newest release, a book of poetry titled Five Years and Counting: A Journey into the Mind of Soul Poetry.
Five Years and Counting is my fifth collection. It is a book about poetry as a reflection of the human mind and a testimony of the kind of growth anybody can experience if they understand that life is what they make of it. It may be painful at times, but overall, it is extremely beautiful.

At the beginning of this year, I decided to regroup five years of my poetry in one collection. I arranged the pieces according to what I believe are life's most important stages: birth and childhood, teenage years, adulthood, and elevation. The last stage represents man’s understanding and realization of the ultimate fulfilment in life.

The book will be officially released in a few months. For more information, people can refer to the books's Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/fiveyearsandcounting.

How do you select poems to be part of a collection?
I do not really select poems. I always start with a title. And as most of my pieces all fall into the same category, spirituality, they are usually relevant to the title and theme of the book. So it is really easy to incorporate them into any collection I want to write.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I think it was only a year or two ago. Before that, a lot of people frowned and laughed and it bothered me. Then, I stopped paying attention. As a result, writing became a healthy and spiritual experience in the purest sense of the word.

What inspired you to write your first book?
Five years ago, when I started writing, my goal was just to share my poetry through my website (http://www.soulpoetrysite.com). However, a lot of readers encouraged me to make a book. Still, I was not really sure of what I wanted to do.

At the end of August 2005, my mother committed suicide. She had attempted to take her life several times already, so I had prepared myself for the worst. As a result, I was able to grieve in a very healthy way and also fast. Death became an important topic to me.

One night, I sat in front of my computer and started writing my first book: Short Poetry for Those Who Fear Death. I really wanted to use my experience to help people overcome the fear they have and offer a positive vision of what I believe is a logical continuation of life. After all, it is not because we do not know what happens in the hereafter that we can draw definite conclusions.

Did you learn anything from writing your current book? If so what was it?
The first part of Five Years and Counting is a translation of the French book that I published in 2006. Going through this particular process really forced me to think differently. The entire book helped me put things in perspective and dive back into questions left unanswered. So I can say that I learnt a lot about myself. I gained a better understanding of my role as a human being.

Do you have any advice for other poets?
A lot of people are “scared” of poetry because they were forced to study it in school. At that time, they did not have the choice to discover it on their own terms. So, poets must understand that their mission is to help readers to reconnect with poetry.

Poets should always pour their heart, mind, and soul into what they do. They must have their own voice and never copy or compare themselves with others. Also, they should always use tools such as dictionaries in order to check their typos, even if they only want to share on a blog or a website. Quality is a very important factor. And finally, the language they use should be accessible so that readers can relate to the message.

In my career, I have heard many poets complain that they are tired of not being taken seriously. I actually did my share until I understood Mahatma Gandhi’s famous quote: “You must be the change you want to see in the world.” Too many poets have not done enough research or taken the time to find effective ways to promote themselves. It is very easy to write and publish a book nowadays. Marketing it is quite another matter. Basically, it all boils down to hard (and smart) work, patience, positivism, and a professional attitude.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I am a very slow writer. It takes me weeks and sometimes months to pen anything. And I cannot start a poem without a title.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
The other day, I was telling a friend that I have been living the life of which I dreamed as a child. I remember wanting to be many things when I was little. I wanted to change lives. And I believe that it is exactly what I do now.

Cendrine, thank you for visiting Reviews and Interviews. I definitely fall into the category of being afraid of poetry - forced to read and discuss in high school and college. I have written a bit of my own, and enjoy find poets whose prose strikes me.

Interview with paranormal author Katie Salidas for BK Walker Books virtual book tour

Continuing to host the BK Walker Books Authors Promoting Authors virtual blog tour, today we have paranormal author, Katie Salidas.

Welcome, Katie!

Please tell us about your current release.
Immortalis Carpe Noctem follows Alyssa as she struggles to come to terms with a terrifying new reality. Mugged and left bleeding to death she is saved by the most unlikely of characters, a vampire. Becoming a vampire isn’t as easy as movies have made it. Alyssa has a hard time with the change and fights to hold on to her humanity.

What inspired you to write this book?
Is it too cliché to say I got the idea from a dream? I know many authors say this, but it is true. The original concept for the idea came from a dream. I was, essentially, Alyssa, having my life turned upside down after a terrible accident. The idea of really focusing on the transformation was one I couldn’t give up. Questions kept popping into my head. How would you deal with being turned into a vampire? How would you deal with drinking blood? How would you deal with never seeing your friends or family again? The answers came as the story progressed.

What exciting story are you working on next?
Immortalis Carpe Noctem is the first book in this series. Hunters & Prey is the next in line and continues to follow Alyssa as she fumbles through immortality. Here is the official blurb:

When Alyssa was turned she was told she could never again see her mortal friends. She was resigned to this fate, until a chance run in with Santino Vitale, thought to be dead, causes her to rely on a mortal friend for protection, trusting that no hunter would attack in public.

By doing so she has broken vampire law and finds out that divulging vampire secrets harms everyone involved. Because of her actions, she's now drawn her friend into the struggle between vampires and hunters, a fact that has her clan calling for punishment.

But there are bigger dangers looming on the horizon, more pressing than a mere mortal’s knowledge of vampires. The Acta Sanctorum is ready to attack again. It will take everyone, working together and an unlikely truce, to fight against the newest threat, the Frenzy Soldiers.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I think it was after I finished the 10th draft of Immortalis. Writing had taken over. I ate, breathed, and dreamed of writing. How could I not call myself a writer after that? lol.

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 treat writing like a full time job. A night job if you will. I’m a nocturnal creature by nature, like my vampires. I tend to do much of my actual writing a night. I need a certain type of quiet to write. Family takes up my day and once the house is quiet and the munchkin and the hubby are all tucked into bed, I go to work. I’ve been known to be up until the very wee hours of the morning working on my various stories.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
Not sure how interesting it is, but I almost always have music on when I write. Music helps me, set the mood. For example, if I am writing a sexy love scene, I need music that “feels” sexy. If I am writing an action scene, I need fast paced music with a strong beat.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Oddly enough, I wanted to be a veterinarian. I had never considered writing as a career. Sure I loved to write stories, but I figured that was a secondary thing. The fates saw otherwise and writing became my primary focus. I still love animals though. You’ll be happy to know no animals were harmed in the making of my stories.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
I love to interact with my fellow writers and fans. I welcome everyone to please drop by my facebook page and say, hi. I am there regularly, asking random questions, and posting snippets of current and upcoming work. You can also find out about any current promotions and giveaways there as well.

If you are interested in a copy of Immortalis Carpe Noctem, please stop by the Web site. You can also visit my blog.

Thank you for your time today and I wish you well on the blog tour!

Leave a comment to be entered into a drawing to win one of several gifts from promoter of this VBT, BK Walker. Gifts include: a $25 Visa Gift Card, book light,a free-of-charge virtual book tour, or one writing package which includes a journal, pen, book light, and book marker.

My next guest for the tour is May 26, Denise Verrico