Saturday, February 25, 2017

INTERVIEW with Christopher Hansen and his co-authored book THE MAGICIAN'S WORKSHOP

1) I love Magicians, have you ever seen a famous Magician live? We saw David Copperfield years ago, it was fascinating! You created a whole world of them, was that difficult?

At first glance the Magicians in our book are not at all like magician’s like David Copperfield. All of the people in this world have the same magical ability. Everyone can create what we call projections. The magicians are the people who have the most talent with these magical abilities.  


2) What sort of research was needed to create the magical powers for each character?

The magic in our book is not like any kind of magic we know of. Thus we couldn’t do any traditional research on it. Instead we spent many hundreds, if not thousands, of hours creating this new magic for the book. We looked at it from every angle we could think of. We labored to figure out what could be done and what could not. We had to figure out what a world that was based on this magic looked like. 
Then, as we figured out the wide variety of magical powers possible in this world we could then start thinking about characters. We wanted to find the magical powers that were the right fit for each character. We tried to make these powers feel like they were a natural outgrowth of that character. 

3) Are there characters with more than one power?

Yes. Lots of them do. 

4) I love mountains you created the islands of O’Ceea are islands your favorite setting in life as well as writing?

Yes, exactly. I love islands and forests, thus you will find both in the book. (I also love mountains, but for some reason they don’t show up as much in my stories.) 

5) I like the idea of the conflict as Layauna desperately wants to create beautiful things with her magical powers, but all she can seem to do is make horrible, savage monsters. Is it easier to write the beautiful or the monstrous for you?

What a great question!
Monsters, for me, are easier. But, like Layauna, I want to create beautiful things. This is what another character, Talia, also wants to do, but she has a lot more success at it. Like Talia, this does not come easy for me. It requires a lot of hard work. 
Writing about the beautiful is difficult. It’s easy to lean upon cliches. The emotions need to be far more subtle. Beautiful things are more easily damaged. They also tend to be concocted out of a complex mixture of emotions that need to be formed to just the right taste.  
I do enjoy creating monsters though. There are relatively simple ways to create simplistic monsters, just add claws, sharp teeth, creepy masks, and fireballs. There is a fair amount of this sort of thing in the book. The hope is that it makes a nice contrast with the beautiful. We try to paint with both bright and dark colors. 

6) What is the best part of the writing process?

There are so many, but I will say it's the actual act of writing. To be more specific, one of my favorite things in life is when time disappears while I’m writing. Every so often I discover hours have passed as if they were minutes. In these times writing is effortless, and words flow without friction. 
A second is the ability to create worlds and characters and then to fall in love with them. 

7) What is the hardest part of the writing process?

There are so many things here as well. I will again say the actual act of writing. Finding the right string of words can be tough.

About the Books:

The Magician’s Workshop, Volume One

Authors: Christopher Hansen, J.R. Fehr
Published by: Wondertale, California
Publication Date: November 8, 2016
ISBN: 1-945353-11-2
ASIN: B01MQGHGBH
Genre: Coming of Age, Fantasy, Magic
Ages: 12 and up.
Length: 85,000 words / 290 pages


Book Links:

Synopsis:
Everyone in the islands of O’Ceea has a magical ability: whatever they imagine can be brought into existence. Whoever becomes a master over these powers is granted the title of magician and is given fame, power, riches, and glory. This volume of books follows the journey of a group of kids as they strive to rise to the top and become members of the Magician’s Workshop.

Layauna desperately wants to create beautiful things with her magical powers, but all she can seem to do is make horrible, savage monsters. For years she has tried to hide her creations, but when her power is at last discovered by a great magician, she realizes that what she’s tried to hide might actually be of tremendous value.

Kai just wants to use his powers to have fun and play with his friends. Unfortunately, nearly everyone on his island sees him as a bad influence, so he’s forced to meet them in secret. When one of the creatures they create gets out of control and starts flinging fireballs at their town, Kai is tempted to believe that he is as nefarious as people say. However, his prospects change when two mysterious visitors arrive, praising his ability and making extraordinary promises about his future.

Follow the adventures of Kai, Layauna, and a boatload of other characters as they struggle to grow up well in this fantastical world.



The Magician’s Workshop, Volume Two

Authors: Christopher Hansen, J.R. Fehr
Print Length: 273 pages
Publisher: Wondertale
Publication Date: November 22, 2016
ASIN: B01N988TW7
Genre: Coming of Age, Fantasy, Magic
Ages: 12 and up.


Book Links:


Synopsis:
Return to the world of The Magician’s Workshop: Where Dreams Become Reality.

In Volume Two, the Festival of Stars has finally arrived, and the Color Ceremony is about to commence. As children from all over the islands gather to stand before a puller, one question remains: who will have a Color, and who will be found void?

Rejoin your favorite characters as they step forward and receive a label that will have the power to dramatically alter the course of their lives forever.

About the Authors:

Christopher Hansen

The first glimmering Chris Hansen had that there was far more to reality than he had ever imagined occurred six days after his ninth birthday. “Christopher!” cried a wise, old sage. “Life is full of deep magic. Miraculous things happen all the time and all around us, if you know where to look for them.” Full of expectation and childlike optimism, Chris began searching for this magic, prepared to be surprised and amazed by it. And he was: he found Wonder! Now he’s chosen to write stories about it.




J.R. Fehr

When J.R. Fehr popped out of the womb, he knew there was more to the world than the four boring hospital walls that he was seeing. “Zango!” his newborn mind exclaimed as he saw people appear and disappear through a mysterious portal in the wall. As a child he found life wowtazzling, but as he grew older the cold water of reality hit him, and the magic he once knew vanished. After spending some wet and shivering years lost in a joyless wasteland, he once again began to see magic in the world. He writes because the Wonder of true life is far grander than anything he ever thought possible.




Contact the Authors:


Wednesday, February 22, 2017

The University of Corporeal & Ethereal Studies by Wolfgang Edwards


At the University of Corporeal & Ethereal Studies meddling with unknown powers can be dangerous work. Courses in arts and sciences experiment with supernatural forces to solve the mysteries of the universe, but when school projects go awry, the students may discover more than they would like to about the madness of the cosmic 'Beyond'. Eight interwoven stories follow students whose school work, social lives and inner demons crash together, leading to fantastic and horrible experiences, supernatural powers, and a fuller understanding of the dark depths of their world. Classes include subjects such as time travel, alchemy, oneironautics , psychedelic transformation, rogue automatons, cosmic ghosts, reality-warping crystals, and more. Inspired by many authors of science fiction, fantasy and horror, including H.P. Lovecraft, Edgar Allan Poe, J.K. Rowling, Neil Gaiman, William Gibson, Kurt Vonnegut and Isaac Asimov. Buy on Amazon / Nook / Book Baby Wolfgang Edwards was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1987. He has been an aspiring writer since he was a child and intends to keep writing the rest of his life.

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EXCERPT
        The cascade of rain gushed from the sky, a cyclopean waterfall. Tornado-strength wind shrieked, ripping at my clothes. Veins of white lightning cut closer through the darkness, rumbling thunder overtaking the wind.
            For a long, mad moment I knew nothing but the din of the storm. I temporarily parted ways with the corporeal world, glimpsing the void realm of pure, unfettered confusion Beyond.
            I was possessed by a daemon I had known all my life.
            No spiritual entity or higher being, no religious visitation or ghostly apparition – it was the dark, sable soul hidden in a secret pit, burrowed in my own heart. My morbid, passionate, macabre, lascivious side. The nyctophiliac who made love to the shadows of the night with gnawing teeth and tender hands. The creature that howled at the moon and raised a drink to toast Death. The artist who found poetry in the hollow eyes of a skull, whose very blood radiated creativity in the midst of a storm.
            That soul – subdued and smothered with schedules and chores, plans and rules – was free atop that grotesque lightning rod.
            Whether there is any form of fate to this world none can say for certain – though the results of my misadventures would prove there are indeed some things beyond scientific reckoning. Yet luck, at least, played a part that night. My provocation did not entice the daemon of the storm to descend upon me in my moment of madness. Before the devil of lightning had the chance to find me and accept my challenge, an unexpected change of heart swept over me from the most peculiar source.
            A lull in the thunder and bellowing wind brought silence to the storm. The splashing din of the rain faded so low that my ears picked up the faintest notes of something terribly alien to that dark and vicious scene; Music floated up from beneath my demented perch and with it, a wisp of sweet mastic. The haunting scent and sweet melody struck me so intensely that I nearly lost my grip upon the daemonic weathervane.
            In that instant the madness within me found some modicum of control, a marriage between Order and Chaos, a colossal flood funneled into a manageable river of roaring energy.
            Rather than wait for the storm to regain strength or for Death to find me – its once eager sacrifice – I hastily slipped and crawled back down to the ladder from whence I came, heading directly for the source of the quixotic music.
            With every rung the dark side of my heart built toward something like direction, focus.
            A violin’s sweet, sorrowful notes glowed out from where the mysterious blue light emanated in the belfry.
            Reentering the tower I took the door to the belfry and halted at a sight I shall never forget; a vision to change my life forever.


Wolfgang Edwards was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1987. He has been an aspiring writer since he was a child and intends to keep writing the rest of his life.

Monday, February 20, 2017

#MCVEganBooks

a-truly-inspired-novel2f-novella-written-seamingly-with-ease-and-versatility-this-is-an-easy-and-gripping-read-that-captured-me-throughout-a-much-better-book-than-i-thought-with-gre

5.0 out of 5 starsA Magnificent and Fun Read

on February 8, 2017

Format: Kindle Edition

I absolutely loved how the author wrote this story. This author has always had a unique style of writing and can reel in and capture her audience with her words on paper and this story is no different. This story was so much fun to read!! It was a magnificent mystery full of surprises, and a few giggles, that I didn't see coming, with a remarkable twist to it at the end. The characters were incredible and the story-line was just fantastic. I loved how we got to know the thoughts and feelings of each individual character that played a roll in Bruce's life. I also loved how each ex-wife was a different color in the sculptor's mind and how the death of Bruce brought the whole family together in the end. This was a great work of art and I can say that I believe that this author is a complete genius!! I highly recommend this story to all adults to enjoy!!

Saturday, February 18, 2017

CHARACTER INTERVIEW for YA book ~ Grow Up Messy! by PAROMITA COSWAMI

Title of the book :

 (A Hilarious Coming of Age Series Book1)

Author  : Paromita Goswami

Genre :  Middle School, Teen and YA


1) HOW OLD ARE YOU? 
I am five year old. But that’s just officially. Technically I consider myself almost nine years old. Most of my friends are older to me.

2) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TOY? 
I love playing outdoors with my friends. It’s more fun outside, climbing up the trees or go swimming in the river. But I also yearn for my Talking Doll which Ma will be getting for me soon.

3) WHAT MAKES YOU SO MESSY? 
I am not Messy. It is Raju who teases me by calling me that and I hate him for it. Now all my friends have started calling me Messy. I know I mess up work sometimes but not always.

4) CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA? 
Hmm..Can I have both?

5)FAVORITE FOOD? 
I love the langar Tadka Dal and Roti. And of course the tasty Panjiri Prasad which Panditji gives in the temple.

6) FAVORITE COLOR? 
I love blue. All the shades. Especially the clear blue sky in the morning.

 

The Blurb:
Childhood is considered to be the best time of one’s life. What if you get a chance to live it once more with a five-year-old?
Misry, a naughty five-year-old girl, lives with her parents in a B.S.F border outpost near Indo-Bangladesh border. But with no schools and friends she feels very lonely. She tries to befriend some local village kids. But they find her incompetent in their rural antics. They nickname her Messy as most of the time she messes up their plan. Can Misry really be a part of the gang?
Set in the early eighties, join Misry in the adventures of her life.

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Realistic Love Story by Susan Thatcher

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

In the spirit of being realistic, I chose to invite an author whose love story kicks off with the setting of sports; which was a very clever way to infuse sexual tension in the characters. I liked that it is a story of mature love, people who are aware of who they are, but who are flawed and make things interesting.

Here is one male reader's opinion, my review and a couple of questions answered by the author.

☆☆☆☆☆☆
Most guys probably aren't going to think to pick this book up and give it a read. Well, you'd be missing a great opportunity if you pass this one by! What Ms. Thatcher has done is breathe new life into an old topic - romance. The blending of sports, the legal profession and the love of a cherished pet, among many other elements, gives this story a great lift. The story starts off at, of all places, a softball game, yet Ms. Thatcher does not lack the skill to describe this game. We then shift to following the lives, and eventual romance of the two lead characters, Liz and Ty. We can empathize quite heavily with both of them, with their foibles and their scars they've carried through life. The imagery that describes the greater Boston area is superb. The story probably succeeds most frequently in presenting characters we really want to get to know - real people. There's no effort spared to give even the lesser characters some kind of personality. I was particularly amused following the exploits of Angie and her family. So don't pass up the opportunity to read an entertaining and well-crafted story. Looking forward to more good work from Ms. Thatcher!

☆☆☆☆☆☆ 5.0 out of 5 starsTrue love conquers all

Liz and Ty are complex adults. Their relationship deals with issues such as alcoholism, sexual abuse and cancer. A blend of lighthearted loving moments weaving together harsh realities in life.
Clever wit with the backdrop of sports and courtrooms. The secondary characters are a nice blend that compliments Liz and Tyrone' s journey through These Foolish Things.

Hi Susan and welcome to my blog. I read These Foolish Things and the sequel a few weeks ago and I have a few questions.

- Is Baseball/softball your favorite sport? I like how you opened the book and sexual tension with it.


Yes. I have been a Red Sox fan all my life and I played softball in high school and on a corporate team. I was not good, but I love the sport.


-I believe We all bear scars, your characters have very physical scars; i.e. Cancer and Alcoholism. Was it hard to deal with the subjects?

 In regard to scars: writing about these issues helped me process a lot of my experience. I come from a family with alcoholism. Some got help and others stayed in their denial. It's like growing up in a minefield.

-Do you think there is the ONE person out there for us, or the possibility of several potential great loves in our life?

The ONE v several: that question sparks almost as much controversy as the proper method for hanging toilet paper. I don't think there's a single answer to that.

Thank you very much for your perspective. It takes a lot of courage to tackle the issues you tackled in your writing and I love that you wrapped it all in a love story.








facebook   ~ @50tonormal ~ Amazon



“At Last” picks up where “These Foolish Things” leaves off. Elizabeth Gardner and Ty Hadley seem destined for “happily ever after,” but fate has challenges in store that could tear them apart. Is their love strong enough to survive?



Monday, February 13, 2017

CROSSING HEARTS Cross Creek series, book 1 by Kimberly Kincaid



Genre: Contemporary Romance


Hunter Cross has no regrets. Having left his football prospects behind the day he graduated high school, he’s happy to carry out his legacy on his family’s farm in the foothills of the Shenandoah. But when a shoulder injury puts him face-to-face with the high school sweetheart who abandoned town—and him—twelve years ago, Hunter’s simple life gets a lot more complicated.

Emerson Montgomery has secrets. Refusing to divulge why she left her job as a hotshot physical therapist for a pro football team, she struggles to readjust to life in the hometown she left behind. The more time she spends with Hunter, the more Emerson finds herself wanting to trust him with the diagnosis of MS that has turned her world upside down.

But revealing secrets comes with a price. Can Hunter and Emerson rekindle their past love? Or will the realities of the present—and the trust that goes with them—burn that bridge for good?

(The setup is that heroine Emerson has just come back to her hometown of Millhaven after twelve years and is working as a physical therapist)

"I’ve got a patient for you, so I thought I’d pop over to see if you have an opening today," Doc Sanders said.

Emerson thought of her schedule, complete with the tumbleweeds blowing through its wide- open spaces, and bit back the urge to laugh with both excitement and irony. “I’m sure I can fit someone in. What’s the injury?”

“Rotator cuff. X-rays and MRI are complete, and Dr. Norris, the orthopedist in Camden Valley, ordered PT. But the patient is local, so I figured if you could take him, it’d be a win-win.”

“Of course.” An odd sensation plucked up Emerson’s spine at the long-buried memory of a blue-eyed high school boy with his arm in a sling and a smile that could melt her like butter in a cast-iron skillet. “Um, my schedule is pretty flexible. What time did he want to come in?”

“Actually, he’s a little anxious to get started, so he came directly here from the ortho’s office . . .”

Doc Sanders turned toward the hallway leading to her waiting room, where a figure had appeared in the doorframe. Emerson blinked, trying to get her brain to reconcile the free-flowing confusion between the boy in her memory and the man standing in front of her. The gray-blue eyes were the same, although a tiny bit more weathered around the edges, and weirdly, the sling was also a match. But the person staring back at her was a man, with rough edges and sex appeal for days, full of hard angles and harder muscles under his jeans and T-shirt . . .

Hunter Cross.

Emerson stood with her feet anchored to the linoleum, unable to move or speak or even breathe. For the smallest scrap of a second, she tumbled back in time, her heart pounding so hard beneath her crisp white button-down that surely the traitorous thing would jump right out of her chest.

A blanket of stars littering the August sky . . . the warm weight of Hunter’s varsity jacket wrapped around her shoulders . . . the warmer fit of his mouth on hers as the breeze carried his whispers, full of hope . . . “Don’t go to New York. Stay with me, Em. Marry me and stay here in Millhaven where we’ll always have this, just you and me . . .”

“Emerson? What . . . what the hell are you doing here?”

The deeper, definitely more rugged-around-the-edges version of his voice tipped the scales of her realization all the way into the present. She needed to say something, she knew, she knew, but her mouth had gone so dry that she’d have better luck rocketing to the moon in a paper airplane right now.

“I work here,” Emerson finally managed, the truth of the words—of what they meant—delivering her back to reality with a hard snap. She hadn’t returned to Millhaven for a jaunt down memory lane. Hell, she’d only come back when her process of elimination had dead-ended in total despair. She was here for one thing, and one thing only. To bury herself in as much work as her body would allow.

Even if her first client probably hated her guts.







Kimberly Kincaid writes contemporary romance that splits the difference between sexy and sweet. When she's not sitting cross-legged in an ancient desk chair known as "The Pleather Bomber", she can be found practicing obscene amounts of yoga, whipping up anything from enchiladas to éclairs in her kitchen, or curled up with her nose in a book. Kimberly is a USA Today best-selling author and 2016 and 2015 RWA RITA finalist who lives (and writes!) by the mantra that food is love. She resides in Virginia with her wildly patient husband and their three daughters.

Saturday, February 11, 2017

BOOKS by Reese A. Stephens

reeseAStephens
Vengence Cover verticalVengeance (Book 1 in the Oak Grove Suspense Series)
When Dr. Shayla Thorn moves back to her home town of Oak Grove, she is determined that this will be a new start for her and her son. But when Dylan’s father insists on righting the wrongs of their past, she’s torn between what she knows is right and what her heart wants. But the one thing she never expected was for her life to be thrown into utter chaos.
Ryan Jacobs, former FBI agent and lead detective for Oak Grove and its surrounding areas, is determined to win Shayla’s heart and make up for the mistakes they made in the past. He won’t take no for an answer, but everything begins to unravel when he is called to the scene of a brutal crime almost identical to a slew of murders he solved long ago.
It doesn’t take long for the pair to give into what their hearts want, but when an old nemesis seeks revenge on Ryan, everyone's life is in danger. Will Ryan find the culprit in time to save the love of his life or will she fall victim to a vicious killer's vengeance?

Buy on Amazon. Available on Kindle Unlimited

Penance Cover Promo_0004_Front Vertical CoverPenance (Book 2 in the Oak Grove Suspense series)
Judson Hardenbergh's life was perfect, that is until tragedy changed the course of his life. When a fire claims his family, he gives up on everything. Will moving back to his home town of Oak Grove save him from himself or drive him into deeper despair?
For Ryan Jacobs, Oak Grove’s Chief of Police, it’s been smooth sailing since the abduction and murders that plagued the town, and almost cost him his family. Though Mathis is still at large, Ryan is confident that he’ll be able to catch him before he strikes again.
When one of Ryan’s high school friends, Judson Hardenbergh, is accused of murder, he must jump into action and determine if ‘Jud’ is capable of committing this horrible crime. What he finds is that this case is more complicated than he imagined and that penance comes in many forms.
Reese Stephens was born in the Appalachian Mountains, but was raised all over the East Coast. Since getting married Reese has settled adBBJBZjback into her Appalachian roots, and currently lives on a small farm with her husband and three children. She has a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Education, and is currently homeschooling her two school aged children. She considers herself a naturalist. She loves learning about and using natural remedies and essential oils to keep her family and herself healthy.
Writing was something Reese never thought much of, until she and her family went through several traumatic events. A friend advised her to keep a journal, but she just couldn’t put into words how she felt, so she turned to the world of creative writing. It didn’t take long for her to discover her passion there. Reese is currently working on publishing the first book in her Oak Grove Suspense series, Vengeance which will be out this fall. The second in the series, Penance, is expected to be released spring 2017. In addition to writing crime suspense she also writes paranormal romance. Her first story in this genre is called The Reluctant Prince, expected release is late 2017. You can, however, read the first few chapters of it on Wattpad or her Website for FREE. Social Media Contacts: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReeseAStephens/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ReeseAStephens Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reeseastephens/ Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/ReeseStephens Website: https://reeseastephens.com/

Clancy Tucker's Blog: 12 February 2017 - MOVING PICTURES

Clancy Tucker's Blog: 12 February 2017 - MOVING PICTURES: MOVING PICTURES G'day folks, Welcome to another batch of wonderful moving pictures. As always, cats feature big time. ...

AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH GIVEAWAY

AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH GIVEAWAY

Friday, February 10, 2017

INTERVIEW ~ KEY TO MY SOUL author PROBAL MAZUMDAR

Blurb:
When Siddharth, a lonely young man with a failed marriage gets a sudden phone-call from a mysterious person about his lost childhood lover, Hazel, and learns that she is battling for life, he is shaken to the core. He also learns that she had left certain letters for him fifteen years back that never reached him. It disturbs him so much that he rushes to the hospital in his old hometown. There he discovers an eclipsed past buried in time that is riddled with dangerous surprises, trauma, twists of fate, sacrifices that exemplify true love and the real reasons for the tragic end of their childhood love story. But will Hazel ever open her eyes to see him..."
Tour Dates: 9th to 11th February
Review Copy Format: Digital Formats

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Welcome

SleuthFest 2017

SleuthFest 2017
February 23 – 26, 2017
Embassy Suites by Hilton Boca Raton, 661 NW 53rd Street,
Boca Raton, Florida, 33487
Keynote – David Baldacci
Forensic Guest of Honor – Dr Vincent Di Maio
Sunday Guest of Honor – Jeff Lindsay
Publisher Guest of Honor – Neil Nyren

Guest Author – Reed Farrel Coleman
Guest Author – SJ Rozan
Guest Author – Jane Cleland
Guest Author – Jess Lourey
 Sponsored by the Florida Chapter of Mystery Writers of America 
A premier conference for writers and fans
Writing workshops, social events, and pitch sessions, including:
* Agent Appointments to pitch your finished work
* Critiques of your 10 page manuscript submission
* Forensic track with current forensic techniques & hands-on workshops
* Social events to mingle with agents, editors and your favorite authors
* Auction to purchase critiques of your work by bestselling authors
* Sessions on the craft of writing
* Sessions on marketing and promoting your work
* Practice your Pitch sessions with experienced authors

WALK-IN by T.L. HART





BOOK DESCRIPTION
Being rich makes coming back from the dead so much easier.
Dallas socialite Jennifer Strickland narrowly survives a harrowing car accident and returns to a home she doesn’t remember, friends she doesn’t recognize, and a husband she doesn’t like. Dreams of a mysterious raven-haired beauty send her to a psychiatrist who discovers Jennifer’s experience was nearer to death than she imagined.
Notorious gay rights activist Dr. Cotton Claymore was beaten and left for dead in an alleyway. Her body didn’t survive the trauma, but her spirit did—in the body of Jennifer Strickland.
Living as Jennifer, Cotton has to convince the two most important people in her life that she is back and find the person who murdered her—before they do it again.
* Required





Walk-In tour Banner