Review of Hashtagged by Kimberly Hix Trant

One by one, we substitute tweets and Instagrams for human contact while something watches, guiding us deeper into isolation while it shapes a new future for humanity with each new hashtag.

To Maddy Smith, a strange box offers one last puzzle from her father. What lies within is a mystery. Try as Maddy might, the box will not open.

Seeking the help of her father’s friends, the enigmatic Dinner Club, Maddy travels across the United States, receiving new clues with each meeting. As she draws closer to solving the puzzle, she discovers that her father had a secret plan for her—training her to fight against artificial intelligence.  

Together with Jagger, her occasional lover, Maddy follows the clues to a campground just

outside of Roswell, New Mexico.  What awaits her will determine whether humans control

artificial intelligence or IT controls us.

My Rating:  4 stars!

Hashtagged is a novel about artificial intelligence and the possibilities of how it could end up affecting the future. This is a story about Maddy, the daughter of a "computer whiz" who finds herself in a mystery regarding the work her father was consumed in his entire life. When he is found dead, she is forced into finding the answers to what happened....and finds herself in a situation much more involved than she had ever bargained for!

This book is the first in a series. It starts out a bit slowly, which is necessary for background information. By the middle of the book, the story line picks up its pace and you are soon swept away by the intrigue that Maddy is involved in. Time travel, robots that are much too human and villains that strive to take over the world are just a handful of problems Maddy, her father and their lifetime friends must tackle.  What makes it interesting is that Maddy's father and friends were the main players in creating the artificial intelligence in the first place!  By the end of the book, they are greatly regretting what they've done and trying to take preventative future measures!

This book does keep the reader interested. If you are into computers and technology, you'll love this book. The characters are well developed and the plot is too. You will probably find yourself wondering if this could really happen some day. It is definitely a scary possibility.......

Hashtagged is available for purchase at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Where you can find Kim:

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/khixtrant

Twitter:  @khtrant

LinkedIn:  http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=5292926&trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile

Cooperation Versus Competition...Which Is Better?

Ever since I was young, I disliked the idea of competition. It seemed unnatural to me: the concept of all for one and one for all. If competition was the way of life, why then did nature live in harmony and cooperation? Trees depending on air and grass depending on soil. Animals depending on plant and tree life for shelter and man depending on earth for everything he/she needs. The only thing I could see in the form of competition was man and animals killing to eat. Otherwise, life relies on itself to survive.

Therefore, I began to think about the strength of cooperation. I came up with many reasons why cooperation is critical in survival. One reason is the fact that there is strength in numbers. No matter what you're discussing, if there are numbers of people involved, there will be much greater strength in the process and outcome. If one man stands alone and another is surrounded by a group of dedicated followers, which man will thrive more easily? Of course the man with the group! Even nature thrives in groups with lone stragglers falling easily to disaster.

Another reason why cooperation is critical is that the whole is never greater than the sum of its parts. The more hands involved in a situation, the more the outcome is determined to succeed. That is why animals hunt in packs and why people live in cities and towns. There is strength in numbers as well as more safety for the most part.

The third reason I'll share tonight about the strength of cooperation is the fact of diversity being involved in cooperative efforts. People bring their own talents and knowledge into a cooperative situation. Everyone has their own perspective and opinion, causing greater ingenuity to be brought to the cooperative circumstance.

When the unfortunate situation arises where people aren't willing to cooperate, I have found the root cause to be fear. And fear does definitely prove to be a snare. So it is my humble opinion that cooperation brings much goodness and wealth of information to the table. It brings future possibility of greatness to a situation.

I look forward to cooperating with many people in my efforts....not only in my writing, but also in my personal life. Cooperation mirrors the natural world and just seems to be the most probable way of future success and happiness..for everyone involved!  In marriages, families, as well as businesses, cooperation is key!  Cooperation brings Heaven a little closer to home!

~Spotlight: The Centurion Chronicles by J.M. Garlock~

The year is 58 BC. Centurion First Class Sextius Baculus, a 10-year, battle hardened army veteran is attending his sister's wedding in Rome when he receives word that Julius Caesar's army is mobilizing on the northern frontier near the France-Switzerland border to repel an anticipated invasion by expansonistic Gauls. Joined by his new orderly Marcus, the Centurion races north to join his unit, the 10th Legion, Caesar's favorite. Fueled by political ambition and accompanied by his aide Quintus Caesar also speeds north. AT a changing station Caesar is attacked by deserters. The Centurion arrives and saves his life. In April Caesar fortifies Geneva where a prolonged, fierce battle is fought and eventually won by the Romans who thwart the numerically superior but tactically ignorant Gallic advance. Caesar continues his methodical advance into Gaul defeating one brave but unorganized tribe after the other. ALways outnumbered but never outgeneraled he engages in a series of set piece battles. In June there is combat at the Saone River and in July a decisive victory is won at Bibacte. The Centurion fights to keep himself and his orderly alive, recounting the battles vividly. We also get Caesar's perspective of the same events as they unfold with calculating regularity. The army goes deep into Germany. The Centurion gets drunk and blurts out to Caesar that he knows why Caesar is making war. It is no longer to protect Rome but to strengthen Caesar's own position against the other members of the ruling triumvirate in Rome. Fearing the Centurion will spread dissent and weaken morals Caesar uses him as bait in order to lure the Ariovistus-led Germans into a decisive battle at the Rhine River near Besncon in September. Captured, tortured and cricifies the Centurion is convinced he is doomed, especially when the defeated Germans drag him toward the river. If they manage to get him into Germany he will become a slave. Caesar rescues him at the last minute, repaying the debt he owes the Centurion."

Warning: This series is addictive

By Gregory Smith on August 18, 2015

Format: Kindle Edition

If you loved HBO's Rome and Starz's Spartacus, you're going to love this. This is a well-researched tale of army life under Caesar. You see it from the point of the centurion and Caesar, it's really entertaining, it has a lot of violence (which I love). I only get pissed off when the writer stops himself from mentioning some atrocities. For example, he'll say the barbarians committed horrible atrocities on the Roman dead, but he doesn't mention which. However, I've read the entire series, and in spite of spelling mistakes and punctuation errors, it's well-worth it.

5.0 out of 5 starsVery Good Story of The Roman Legions

ByJoe Corsoon April 29, 2013

Format: Kindle Edition

I decided to give the books I read a while ago the reviews they deserve and even though I have read them I keep them on my iPad as a reminder to leave a review. I read as many books about the Roman Legions as possible. Most of the authors have done their research and the books for the most part are well written, and this book is no exception. Centurian first class Sextius Baculus is called away from his leave to return to his unit because he was informed that Caesar is preparing for war. As he rushes to join his unit he stops at a way station just in time to find Caesar being attacked by deserters and he saves Caesar's life thus forming a bond with the great general. The portrayal of Caesar seems to be right on the money. I read his commentaries and this book captures his personality and shows him as the brilliant strategist he was. If you enjoy books about the Roman Legions and/or Caesar, then you won't go wrong reading this book especially since it's priced right.

Interview with J.M.:

1.  What prompted you to write your series?

I had the idea years ago & had an offer from a publisher who didn’t want to give me an advance, only a percentage of the royalties. I knew that never works out. Authors rarely see any money so I passed. Years later I did some research & discovered there were only a few people writing in my particular genre unlike the hundreds if not thousands who write in more popular genres. I read portions of their books & concluded there might be room for me because there were fewer competitors & I knew I could write just as well as they could.

2.  What is your favorite genre to read and why?

I think that as we evolve & mature as people & writers our tastes evolve with us & perhaps get more refined. I have eclectic tastes & interests. Here’s a brief sampling: for mysteries you can’t go wrong with James M. Can, Raymond Chandler, Ross MacDonald (real name Kenneth Millar, a Canadian), George V. Higgins, Maj Sjowall/Per Wahloo, Jo Nesbo, Henning Mankell & Stieg Larsson. Some of my favorite authors that I read & reread are Louis-Ferdinand Celine, Andre Malraux, & Par Lagerkvist. Some of my favorite books are “Before the Deluge: A Portrait of Berlin in the 1920s” & “City of Nets: A Portrait of Hollywood in the 1940s” both by Otto Friedrich, “Everything is Cinema: The Working Life of Jean-Luc Godard” by Richard Brody (the definitive book on Godard by the way) & the rather prosaically titled “Chet Baker: His Life & Music” by Jeroen de Valk (also the definitive book on Baker who like myself is, or rather was because he’s dead, an autodidact & a Capricorn).

3.  What inspires you to write?

This question is harder than it looks. Inspiration can only take you so far. As we know writing is damn hard work. There are almost constant distractions in various forms we have to overcome, our concentration levels are high & after a while we get worn out but somehow have to find the energy to push through. I write because it gives me freedom. I can never be fired. I’m my own boss & have a healthy fear of failure. With the advent of the Internet I could be answering these questions from Costa Rica, Berlin or anywhere & that’s fantastic. After I finish a book I’m mentally exhausted but at the same time a vacuum has been created & I have a need to fill that vacuum so I start another book after about 1 – 2 weeks. Or to answer the question another way, as James Boswell said in “The Life of Samuel Johnson,” “No man but a blockhead, ever wrote except for money.”

4.  What are your favorites-food, color, activity, place?

Favorite Food: Seafood. If it swims I’ll eat it. Color: Scarlet red (on cars & front doors), Daffodil yellow because it signifies a new beginning & Ultramarine & Royal blue because they are rich & go with just about everything. Activity: I love to camp. For some odd reason I sleep well in a tent. I also love nature & discovering things (owls fly silently. It has something to do with their feathers & Screech owls really do screech). I am also afflicted with the male sports gene specifically the New York Ranger (ice hockey) mutation for which there is no known cure. I also watch international, multi-stage bike races (Tour de France, Gyro d’ Italia etc.), Premier League football (it’s not a dull as one would think) & Formula 1 racing because it is the ultimate expression in automotive technology. I’m also a cineaste. Places: The UK because it’s the most civilized country in the world & swamps because they’re primordial & I’ve written about, worked with & know a lot about alligators. I absolutely love them & am fascinated with & by them on a lot of different levels for a lot of fairly complicated reasons.

5.  What do you want your readers to remember about you?

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” – 2 Timothy IV.

6.  Do you have any works in progress?  What are they?

I am currently working on the 7^th book in “The Centurion Chronicles” series. Only 5 are live. I like to keep ahead. The research is brutal because for the most part I have to be historically accurate & all of the proper & place names are in Latin which I don’t speak. There are also a lot of moving parts in terms of how my main & supporting characters interact with each other & the situations I put them in.

7.  If you could give one piece of advice about life, what would it be?

Follow your heart & have courage because dreams do come true.

Where you can find J.M.:

Author Website: http://www.actionmysteries.com

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7234330.J_M_Garlock

https://www.facebook.com/people/Jm-Garlock/100004505105870

Review of The Dead Game by Susanne Leist

Book 1 in Series

Can you feel your heart beating? Is it beating too fast? Do you feel trapped? This is because you are. You're standing in a pool of water, in the basement of End House, wearing your party clothes. But there is no party, no host and no guests. The door behind you locks shut. The only way is forward, through the falling cages with their sharp edges, ready to ensnare their next victim. Circular saws begin to descend, looking for heads to slice off.

Meanwhile, Linda is upstairs with the rest of her friends being pursued by creatures through revolving rooms. Or are they illusions? What should she do?

Run!

The owner of End House takes no prisoners.

The Dead Game has begun.

My Review: 3 Stars

The Dead Game is a horror/paranormal story about a sleepy Florida town named Oasis. In Oasis, a deadly force of vampire activity overwhelms the tourists and younger inhabitants of the town.

Linda is one of the newer inhabitants....along with a handful of her friends. They soon learn there are treacherous secrets in Oasis....secrets that threaten their lives. After attending a party at End House, the scariest house in town, the secrets begin to unravel piece by piece. Linda and her friends find themselves in the midst of a dangerous plot; a plot schemed by wayward vampires.

The Dead Game started out very strong. There were many captivating scenes and quite a bit of interesting imagery. However, from the middle of the book onward, character development was somewhat lacking, which left the book a bit short on reader interest. The plot needed a touch more explanation and organization to add depth to the story as well.

Overall, it was intriguing as the book had some new, interesting twists on the "vampire scene", but because of the concerns stated above, I had to rate this book a bit lower than I normally would have.

If you enjoy vampires and new twists on vampirism, you would probably enjoy reading this book.

~Spotlight: The Conspiracy of Silence by Augustine Sam~

 

The conscience of a town steeped in sexism, vanity and hypocrisy is pricked by the brutal murder of a mysterious woman in a park in Los Angeles. But the shock is transformed into a steamy, seductive scandal when the body turns out to be that of Susan Whitaker, the flamboyant wife of the governor of California. Soon, a dazzlingly intricate shuffle of volatile links leads the police to the delicate theory of secret lover/blackmailer, and to the indictment of Benjamin Carlton, Hollywood’s most influential black celebrity. Then curious things begin to happen when Carlton’s ambitious girlfriend, Rita Spencer suddenly unearths the shocking secret that Susan Whitaker did not, in fact, exist. She little realizes however that her discovery of this colossal fraud is a mere curtain raiser to a chilling world of ugly skeletons dating back to the assassination of a U.S. senator in a Washington hotel sauna, skeletons connected to riveting sex scandals in high places, skeletons the FBI and political kingmakers will kill for…

1.  What prompted you to write your book? My passion for storytelling obviously. I grew up in a town steeped in tradition and storytelling and from a very young age I was enthralled by folktales. When I was a kid I used to spend the evenings listening to stories from older folks, some of which were historical sagas that really fascinated me. But I think what prompted me to start writing in general was my first literature textbook in school, which, coincidentally, was a novel set in the port city where I grew up. It was the story of a weird, one-eyed man who spent his days and nights at the harbor contriving different kinds of mischief that captivated the local population. I had seen him at the harbor a few times when I was a kid, so reading about him in the literature textbook triggered my fascination with storytelling and gave me a whole new insight into how the written word can actually capture reality.

2.  What genre do you enjoy writing the most and why? I love poetry a lot; it galvanizes me and humbles me at the same time. But as far creative writing goes, I enjoy writing thrillers the most. It's a gritty, rousing, and fast-paced genre that helps the author simulate the reader’s moods by providing the sudden rush of excitement and exhilaration that eventually drive the narrative. What makes it enjoyable for me is that the thriller genre, by its nature, does not only spawn surprise but a high level of anticipation and ultra-heightened expectation as well.

3.  What celebrity would you like to meet and why? No one particularly if by celebrity we are limited to movie stars and musicians. But I wouldn't mind running into Umberto Eco (author of "The Name of the Rose") for a chat about literature.

4.  What would you like your readers to know about you? There isn't much to know really, just what my bio says about me. Specifically though, I'd want readers to pay attention, not only to the story, but to the style as well because that, sometimes, makes a difference in literature.

5.  Favorites:  food, color, place, activity? My favorite food is an Italian dish called Spaghetti alla Carbonara. My favorite color is black and my favorite place is Norway. I have more than one favorite activity, the main ones, of course, are writing and travelling, mainly to marvel at ancient architecture.

6.  If you could give me one piece of advice about life, what would it be? It'd be an Oscar Wilde quote: "Be yourself; everyone else is already taken."

Where you can find Augustine:

Author’s website: http://goo.gl/A5jRnj

Twitter: http://goo.gl/Yzan2G

Facebook: http://goo.gl/W7W1Ta

Google Plus: http://goo.gl/yruj3D

Goodreads: http://goo.gl/NjAxV9

Book Trailer: https://goo.gl/wZ4F3g

Where you can find The Conspiracy  of Silence:

 Amazon: http://goo.gl/osU1VZ

Barnes & Noble: http://goo.gl/N6WXJ4

Delicious Pumpkin Seeds

After the fun of carving pumpkins, what do you do with all of those seeds? Wait!  Don't throw them out! Here is a very simple yet delicious recipe for baking them! This recipe is so easy to make that it's almost a crime to throw those seeds away! (Can you tell that I love them?)

What you need: Pumpkin seeds Water 1/2 c. salt seasoned salt to taste Pam spray

First, separate the seeds from the pumpkin fruit. After you have separated them, place them in a bowl and cover them with water. Then add approximately 1/2 c. salt and stir it into the soaking seeds.

Allow the seeds to soak for 24-48 hours. I like to soak them for 48 hours because the seeds are softer and not so tough when cooked.

After soaking, simply pour the water out and spray a baking sheet with Pam spray. Spread the pumpkin seeds out on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with seasoned salt.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. When preheated, pop the pumpkin seeds in the oven for 3-4 minutes. Take them out and turn them with a spatula. Pop them back into the over for another 3-4 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and lightly sprinkle another layer of seasoned salt over the seeds. Voila! You now have a delicious, healthy snack in minutes!

Kids love to make these seeds. Create a family tradition each year after carving your pumpkins! It's a great, inexpensive way to connect with your children and grandchildren!

Spotlight : Naked Tao by Robert Grant

Grant Li is a young Louisville attorney who is on top of the world, but his life is about to change.  Following his greatest courtroom victory for Pathogen, a pharmaceutical giant, Grant discovers his client is hiding an amazing medicine from the world.  Not only does it cure everything, it produces optimal health.  Even more astounding, his client has developed a bio-weapon and intends to use it against innocent people.  Grant sets out to stop them at all costs and along the way has a chance meeting with a lost love, Ginny Bardough.

Ginny left Louisville for college and didn’t look back until ten years later. She is forced to return in order to land bestselling author, Padma Ganesha, as the keynote speaker for her company-sponsored conference, “Ideas to Change the World”.  On the trip back home she runs into Grant at a wild party and the sparks begin to fly over their completely different views about love and sex.  Their problems grow when Grant is accused of a murder and Ginny disappears. Where is Ginny?  Will Grant avoid prison?  Can Pathogen be stopped?  Will Grant and Ginny overcome their relationship issues enough to build the amazing life they both hunger for?

Interview with Robert:

1.  What prompted you to write your book?

As long as I can remember, I wanted to be a writer.  Like many young people who are called to a creative life, I had to contend with well-meaning friends and family members who discouraged it.  While I have spent most of my career as a successful attorney, I never forgot my
dream.  In the meantime, I pursued many other interests and was fortunate enough to have some amazing adventures.  One of those interests was martial arts.  I spent many years studying and teaching Chinese Internal Martial Arts.  Before his death, I promised my teacher
I would someday write that book I always wanted to write and began to develop a story idea that pitted a young lawyer/martial artist against a powerful pharmaceutical company in a conflict over a miracle cure.  The hero wants to ensure the cure is freely available to everyone, but powerful enemies want to suppress it.

2.  Do your life philosophies coincide with the philosophies of your book?

Yes, my book provides a platform to discuss Taoist ideas about a well-lived life.  Taoism is the philosophical underpinning of Chinese Internal Martial Arts.  In a nutshell, it suggests strategies that help people live an authentic life and to minimize the harmful effects of well-meaning, but counterproductive advice from others.

3.  What genre of books do you like to read and why?

Over the years, my reading preferences have spanned many genres of books, but these days I read more thrillers than anything.    A good thriller builds suspense by revealing both the hero’s flaws and the overwhelming odds against her.  The stakes are high and she must overcome her flaws to succeed.  Becoming a better person in the face of what seems to be insurmountable challenges is what makes a person a hero.  I enjoy rooting for her.

4.  What are your hobbies and interests?

My wife and I love the outdoors, so we spend as much time as possible filling our senses with nature.  We are avid backpackers, motorcyclists, and kayakers.

5.  What would you like your readers to know about you?

I’m just a regular guy who likes to live large, so things don’t stay on my bucket list very long.  I’ll choose an adventure any day over a material possession.

6.  Favorites:  food, color, place, activity?

As long as I can remember I have loved the color red.  When I was a kid, my mother would have to chase me down on laundry day to get her hands on my favorite red shirt.  It never seemed to matter to me that I had been wearing it for days and it was filthy.

I love spinach and would eat it every meal if my wife didn’t revolt.

The woods are my favorite place. The instant I step on the trail anything weighing me down just falls away.  It is the best medicine I know of.

My favorite activity is story telling.  There’s nothing like a well-told story to bring us together.

7.  If you could give one piece of advice about life, what would it be?

I find the more I tend to my own life and allow others to tend to theirs, the happier we are.

Where you can find Robert:

www.NakedTao.com
http://www.facebook.com/AuthorRobertWGrant
https://www.google.com/+RobertGrantNakedTao
https://twitter.com/nakedtao
https://www.goodreads.com/goodreadscomRobertGrant

Review of Catnip 3: Revolution by J. S. Frankel

My rating:  4 stars!

Catnip 3:   Revolution is the third book in a series.  The story is a fantasy adventure about genetic engineering gone wrong!  Anastasia and Harry, two genetically engineered subjects, find themselves in the midst of a political controversy involving wayward scientists and unethical doctors who have decided to use their knowledge in hideous ways in an attempt to bring glory to themselves.  It is up to Anastasia and Harry to put an end to the madness:  an undertaking which involves mystery, death and mayhem!

Catnip 3:  Revolution is a very interesting story.  The plot is well conceived and the characters are very well developed.  Although it is a fantasy, the book is well constructed and the reader soon gets swept away by the story line.

If you enjoy fantasy, intrigue, a touch of romance and mystery, this book is for you!  It captivates the imagination and whets the imaginative juices of the reader!

Interview with J.S. Frankel:

1.  What made you decide to start writing?

I don't know, really. I got into writing very late, in my late forties. My older son was around thirteen at the time and he mentioned a cartoon he'd seen on television, something about walking trees, and that night I had a dream and eventually that became The Tower, my first novel. It isn't my best work, but it is my first, and that got me started.

2. How did you become interested in writing your genre(s)?

I've always been interested in science fiction and fantasy, ever since I was small. It has continued to this day and I like it because I can let my mind wander and dream up possibilities. Let the fantastic rule the day! That's what I try to do in every novel, start out with the mundane and then toss in the fantastic.

3. What are your favorite books to read and why?

I read a variety of novels, mainly sci-fi and fantasy, but also historical and biographical. They all give me insights into the human condition.

4.  What are your favorites?  (food, colors, activities, places)

Okay, for food, give me pizza and pasta, and sushi! I live in Japan and I love sushi as long as it's fresh.

Colors--anything dark. I don't go in for brightness.

Activities? If I have any free time from writing and work (I'm an ESL teacher) I watch movies or play baseballl with my sons.

Places--I love Guam and would like to go back there for a visit if my finances improve. I just got back from a brief visit with my family to Kochi Prefecture. (We live in Osaka). We explored the castle, the beach, and saw a number of interesting sights. It was a short trip, but it was fun.

5.  What is one thing you want your readers to remember about you?

Ha, will they remember me? I hope so! All right, if they're going to remember me for anything, perhaps it will be for the positive tone I bring to my novels. Yes, there's action and blood and death. Yes, there is loss...but in the end I always manage to add in a note of hope. Hope is all we've got. If we give that up, we have nothing.

6.  If you could give me one piece of advice, what would it be?

If you're a writer, start and don't stop. As a person, be true to yourself, your loved ones, give each day everything you've got. At the end of the day, go to bed satisfied that you've done your best.

You can find Catnip 3:  Revolution here:

http://www.devinedestinies.com/Revolution/

http://www.amazon.com/Revolution-Catnip-Book-J-S-Frankel-ebook/dp/B0137ZIH6S/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1440481027&sr=1-1&keywords=Catnip+3%3A+revolution

Connect with J.S. here:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007640056961

Twitter:  @JessSFrankel

Spotlight: The Heir by Lynne Stringer

Synopsis: Sarah hates the prestigious high school she attends. Most of the other students ignore her. The only good thing about school is the presence of Dan Bradfield, the boy she adores. Dan is the heir to his father's multinational computer company, but he is dating Sarah's best friend, Jillian. When tragedy strikes, Dan is the one who is there for Sarah, but she can't shake the feeling there is something strange about him. Is he protecting her from something? Is there something going on that she doesn't know about? And did she really see a monster in the bushes? Sarah is desperate to uncover the truth, but it could take her to another galaxy, and change everything she believes about who she is. Will it bring Dan and Sarah closer together or tear them apart? The Heir is the first book in the Verindon Trilogy.

Current Reviews: I really enjoyed The Heir. It was well-plotted with good foreshadowing (but without making it obvious), good characters, and an ending that was both satisfying in the way it completed the current story, but left me wanting more. And unlike many current YA novels, it's clean. – Iola (Amazon)

I can't say enough good things about it! It was intriguing and fast paced. The first page had me hooked. I couldn't put the book down, and I can't wait for the next one! – Elizabeth McKinney (Amazon)

It made me shed tears and smile and that's the awesome part about a good book. It took me 5 hours to read it because I couldn’t put it down and I'm going to reread it today :) – Schuller (Amazon)

Author Interview: 1. What made you decide to start writing? I started writing stories when I was eight years old. Back then, they weren't too long but I was intrigued by the idea of telling stories like the ones in the books I loved. When I was a teenager I bought a typewriter and started novelizing movies and episodes of TV shows for the fun of it. This furthered my love for it and later developed into writing full-length, original novels. My time as a journalist also honed my writing skills.

2. What is your favorite genre to write about and why? I like the young adult genre because there's something intriguing about that stage in a person's life. I tend to mix it, though, with science fiction or fantasy because I like things that get away from our every day world. Sprinkle that with a dash of romance, and I couldn't be happier!

3. What books do you like to read and why? Mostly YA, science fiction or fantasy but also some historical novels. I always like a book to have a bit of romance too.

4. What inspires you to write? I'm inspired by the stories other people tell, whether it's orally, in books, movies or TV shows. I love stories in any form.

5. Favorites: your favorite food, color, activity, place? My favorite food would have to be chocolate. Blue is my favorite color, and I also enjoy going for walks with my family, reading (surprise, surprise!) and I love going to the mountains or the beach.

6. What would you like your readers to remember about you? I'd like them to remember me for the interesting characters I created and that those characters made them think.

7. If you could give me one piece of advice, what would it be? If you're a writer, then I'd advise you to keep writing. The more you write the better you'll become. Also, listen to your professional editor. Also, don't give up. If you're a reader I'd advise you to leave reviews on the books you love at as many sites as you can. Nothing delights an author more than hearing that someone loves their book. It's also the best form of advertising a writer can get.

Where you can find Lynne:

Lynne's website:
www.lynnestringer.com

Lynne's Verindon page:
www.lynnestringer.com/verindon

Lynne's Amazon author page:

http://www.amazon.com/Lynne-Stringer/e/B00BT60S1K

Lynne's Goodreads author page:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7007776.Lynne_Stringer

Lynne's Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/lynnestringer.author

Lynne's Twitter handle: @TheHeirNovel

The Good, The Bad And...The Hysterical?

Henrietta was having a trying day, to say the least. Her day started when her alarm clock went off....30 minutes late!

"Oh, dear Lord!" She jumped out of bed, her heart racing as she rifled through her closet, grabbing the first thing she could find. Throwing it on, she jumped into a pair of black pumps. (They do go with anything, right?)

Racing out to the kitchen, she fumbled with the coffee maker and spilled water all over the floor.

I don't have time for this! Forget the coffee! I'll get some at the office!

She grabbed her purse and her briefcase and ran out to the garage.  Jumping in her car, she peeled out of the driveway after barely escaping ripping the garage door off the hinges.  Without thinking, she shut the garage door and flew down the street fifteen miles over the speed limit.

If I'm late again, my boss is going to have my head!

She drove onto the on ramp and floored it on the highway.  Soon she heard a siren and saw flashing red and blue lights in her rear view mirror.

Oh my God, you have got to be kidding me!  Now I'm going to be at least a half hour late!

She pulled to the side of the highway and watched the patrol officer walk to her car.

"Driver's license and registration,"  he said flatly.  "Do you know how fast you were going?"  He looked inside the car and then stared at her sarcastically.

"Uh..I..ah...not really, sir,"  she stammered.

Oh my God.  My boss is going to kill me.

"Well, you were going twenty miles over the speed limit, ma'am.  Any excuse as to why this happened?"  The officer stated in a monotone.

"I'm late for work..."  Henrietta began.

"Well, ma'am, I hardly think that being late for work is an exceptional reason for putting your life and the lives of others at risk,"  the office stated, his face expressionless.

"Yes, sir.  Sorry...sir,"  Henrietta babbled, tears pricking at her eyes.  She handed him her license and registration.

"I will be a moment,"  the officer told her as he walked back to his car.

All because my alarm went off late.  Oh, God.  I hope I don't lose my license.  Then I'll get it for driving with a revoked license!  

She nervously glanced back at the squad car.  Finally, the officer got out and walked back over to her.

"Being late to work is no reason to put lives in danger.  At any rate, I've decided to only cite you for speeding ten miles per hour over the speed limit.  Here is your ticket.  If you wish to fight it, go to the scheduled hearing on the top of the ticket.  Otherwise, send in your fine before the court date or you may have a warrant out for your arrest."  He stared at her.  "Any questions?"

"No, sir, thanks..."

"Very well.  Have a good day, ma'am,"  he said flatly.

He walked back to his car and she took off...going the speed limit.  She glanced at the ticket.

Two hundred fifty dollars?  Is he out of his freakin' mind?

Tears stung at her eyes again.

I should just call in sick.  If this is any indication of how this day is going to go, I don't want to go to work anyway.

Realizing she had to pay a two hundred and fifty dollar ticket, she decided to bite the bullet and show up to work late.

What's the worst that could happen?

She drove to work...going the speed limit...and when she got there, her boss called her into his office.

"Henrietta, this is the third time this month that you've shown up late.  Any excuse this time?"

"Yes, sir.  I got pulled over by a cop.  And I got a ticket."

"For what?"  he said sarcastically.

"For speeding, sir,"  she droned, feeling like a two year old that had just spilled grape juice on a white carpet.

"Hmmm.  For speeding,"  her boss nodded.  "Alright.  Well, I'm writing you up for being late again."

"But sir..."

"Henrietta, you are over an hour late.  Apparently you were late before you even got pulled over.  How far away do you live?  Twenty minutes?"  He stated dryly.

"Uh..yes.."

"Okay then.  Don't let it happen again.  If you get written up one more time you'll be fired."  He opened his desk.

She stared at him.

"Is there something else, Henrietta?"  he looked over at her.

"No, sir.  Nothing."  She turned and walked out of his office.

She made her way to her office...a small room at the end of the hall.  She stepped inside, shut the door and went to her chair and collapsed into it.  She stretched back and took a deep breath of air.

 Okay.  Now things are going to calm down.  This will end up being a good day.

"Miss Wilkins?"  the secretary spoke on the intercom.  "Call.  Line four."

"Put it through."

She picked up the phone.  "What the Hell is going on with your stupid company?  I spoke to a guy down in customer service and got transferred three times and then I got disconnected and I had to call back.  I don't even know who the Hell you are but I need to get this situation taken care of...."

Henrietta set the phone down on her desk and started to laugh hysterically.  Tears flowed down her cheeks because she began to laugh so hard.

When it rains it pours!  Thank you Jesus for giving me a sense of humor!  At least I still have it!  Don't ever let me lose it, either!

After a few moments, she picked the phone back up.  The other end was quiet.  A few seconds later, she heard the same irritated voice.  "Hello?  Are you there?'

Sighing deeply, she answered.  "Yes."  A fit of hysterics threatened to hit again as the person on the other end of the line started screaming.

"Yup.  That's the stuff of life,"  she thought to herself.  The good, the bad and ...the hysterical!

She set the phone down again as another laughing fit took her by storm.

Review of Demon's Ink by Kimbra Kasch

Demon's Ink is an interesting tale about supernatural encounters and spiritual ramifications. The reader journeys down corridors of religious implications as he/she joins with the main characters of this book..

If you enjoy paranormal writing, you'll enjoy Demon's Ink. The story line is suitably gripping and is deserving of a 4 star rating. The only reason why I rated it 3 stars is because there are some formatting issues which need to be addressed. However, the plot is well constructed and the characters are easy to believe and identify with.

Further interest is generated into the story by the author's use of biblical quotes and symbols making Demon's Ink suitably compelling and thought provoking. A great read for the upcoming season of Halloween!

Interview with Kimbra:

1.      What prompted you to write this book?

I loved Stephen King’s Needful Things and the idea of a Demon taking up shop in town, where people buy needless objects that end up costing them more than their lives. And with so many people getting tattoos nowadays. . . I thought I could put a new twist on an old tale.

2.      What is your favorite genre to write?

Romance is the easiest for me to write but I love to read horror. But then maybe romance and horror go hand-in-hand ;D

 3.      What are your favorites:  

Color:   Blue

Food:   Could I say coffee…? No. That’s not a food. So, I’ll say chocolate.

Activity:   Reading/writing and maybe running.

Place:   Portland, Oregon

4.      What would you like your readers to know about you?

I grew up in a family with 9 kids and 1 t.v. so I spent my afternoons reading. Maybe not having much when I was growing up, brought me more as a grownup.

5.      Do you have any works in progress?

Yes.

6.      What are they?

I just sold a romantic thriller to Clean Reads and now I’m working on a historical horror. 

7.      If you could give one piece of advice about life to your readers, what would it be?

Set goals in life and then don’t let anything get in your way…not even yourself.

You can find Kimbra here:

http://www.kimbrakasch.com

 Goodreads

Amazon Author Page

Facebook

 Twitter

Pinterest

Kimbra's books are available at:

 AMAZON, NOOK, iBook, and Kobo

If Only Things Had Been Different

He sat in the back of the room.  There were people shuffling about around him but he sat in his seat quietly ignoring them.

If only things had been different.

He remembered being in a boat with his dad.  He sat quietly, his fishing rod in the water.

 I wish a fish would bite.  

The water lapped peacefully around the boat.  His father sat at the other end, a cap covering his head.

"You have to be quiet.  Otherwise you'll scare the fish away,"  his father had told him before they left.

So he stayed very quiet.  And his father didn't talk.  Not when they were fishing or any other time either.

He stared at the other boats dotted around the lake.

 I wonder if they sit in silence too.

Of the handful of times that he'd been fishing with his dad, he had only caught a small number of fish.

Does it really matter if you talk?  It doesn't seem to matter when I'm fishing.

His dad reeled in his line and re cast it out on the water.

Thirty minutes later, his dad looked at him and said,  "We're not having very good luck.  Do you want to stay here longer or should we go?"

"Let's stay a little longer,"  he said.

 Let's talk a while.

Another fisherman drove past in his boat.

"Having any luck?"  he yelled.

"No,"  his dad shook his head.

"Try the southern part of the lake.  I just caught a few over there,"  the fisherman said.

"Thanks.  I might,"  dad yelled back as the fisherman continued on his way.

"Do you want to go to the southern part of the lake?"  his dad asked him.

He shrugged.  "If you want to."

"Let's just come back another time.  I'm getting sun burnt."

He looked around the room.  People were talking in hushed tones.  Some were crying.  He stood up and walked to his father's coffin.

I wish things were different.  I wish we would've talked a while. 

A tear slipped down his cheek as he walked over to join his family.

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Review: Rarity from the Hollow by Robert Eggleton

 

Synopsis:  Lacy Dawn is a true daughter of Appalachia , and then some. She lives in a hollow with her worn-out mom, her Iraq War disabled dad, and her mutt Brownie, a dog who's very skilled at laying fiber optic cable. Lacy Dawn's android boyfriend has come to the hollow with a mission. His equipment includes infomercial videos of Earth's earliest proto-humans from millennia ago. He was sent by the Manager of the Mall on planet Shptiludrp (Shop 'till You Drop): he must recruit Lacy Dawn to save the Universe in exchange for the designation of Earth as a planet which is eligible for continued existence within a universal economic structure that exploits underdeveloped planets for their mineral content. Lacy Dawn’s magic enables her to save the universe, Earth, and, most importantly, her own family.

My Review:

Rarity from the Hollow dives into the trenches of the human condition and explores dark societal issues such as sexual abuse and psychological problems.

While not for the faint of heart, Rarity from the Hollow is peppered with satire to lighten the tone of the story. This story is intended for adult reading as it has frequent reference to sexual situations. However, the author of this book has written with a tone of sarcasm and wit that will appeal to those who have dealt with the “trenches” in society...those who can relate to the hardships of the human condition and accept them for their true nature.

Rarity from the Hollow is well written. The author has truly come to understand and reference many problems found in society. If one reads this book with a semi serious nature, one will come to understand the mindset of those who have suffered greatly from the addressed societal traumas in the storyline. Abuse in the life of those who have suffered almost becomes an accepted, every day way of living. Rarity from the Hollow expounds on this fact.

Rarity from the Hollow was written to help children who have been abused. I commend the author and wish him all the best in his endeavors. His book is interesting with its mix of science fiction, fantasy and satire.

Interview with Robert:

1. What prompted you to write your book? In the 8th grade, I won the school’s short story contest. “God Sent” was about a semi truck driver so consumed with theological debate that he caused a terrible accident. I began to dream of becoming a rich and famous author. As it often does, life got in the way. I worked and went to school, never finishing any more stories that I’d started, until recently when I incorporated some of those unfinished stories into Rarity from the Hollow.

I recently retired as a children’s psychotherapist for our local mental health center. It was an intensive day program Most of the kids in the program, like myself as a child, had been traumatized, some having experienced extreme sexual abuse. One day at work in 2006 it all clicked together and the Lacy Dawn Adventures project was born – an empowered female protagonist beating the evil forces that victimize and exploit others to get anything and everything that they want. Rarity from the Hollow is the first full-length adventure in a prospective series.

While my protagonist is a composite character based on real-life kids that I’ve met over the years while working in children’s services, one little girl was especially inspiring. Her name is Lacy Dawn. Rather than focusing on her victimization, she spoke of dreams – finding a loving family that respected her physically and spiritually. She inspired me to make my own dream come true -- to write fiction -- and I haven’t stopped writing since I first met her that day during a group therapy session. That little girl, unknowingly, prompted me to write Rarity from the Hollow.

2. What message do you hope to get across to the reader?

There are many messages in Rarity from the Hollow, everything that I have ever written and will write. That’s why I think of my writing as social science fiction – that’s what it’s all about. But that doesn’t mean the messages will be interpreted by one reader the same as interpreted by another. I don’t write or want to read anything that is “preachy.” Heck, I don’t even think that religious literature, like the pamphlets that one finds on the floors of public toilet stalls, should be so preachy. I wouldn’t want to touch such content, even if it would have been delivered under more sanitary conditions. I want to write about important issues that one person may think support a particular position but the next reader finds the opposite. I don’t have the answers to the most important questions and challenges that humans face.

The narrative of Rarity from the Hollow addressed social issues: poverty, domestic violence, child maltreatment, local and intergalactic economics, mental health concerns – including PTSD experienced by Veterans and the medicinal use of marijuana for treatment of Bipolar Disorder, Capitalism, and touched on the role of Jesus: “Jesus is everybody’s friend, not just humans.” These messages do not advocate for anything specific. In my opinion, it is critical that such messages be in every piece of literature, even comics and erotica, but each of us have to find truths within our own hearts and minds.

One of my personal truths is that enough is not being done to prevent child abuse / exploitation in the world. Author proceeds from the Lacy Dawn Adventures project, from sales of Rarity from the Hollow, have been donated to Children’s Home Society of West Virginia: http://www.childhswv.org/

3. What are your favorite things to do in your spare time?

Since I don’t have very much money in the personal budget for recreation, I’m so fortunate that my favorite things to do in my spare time are very cheap. I enjoy writing. I enjoy reading. I read and write in all genres, except extremely technical nonfiction. Every scene that I closed when writing Rarity from the Hollow was a thrill, and, all in all, that adds up to one heck of a lot of fun times that were shared with friends and family.

I enjoy video games, but I try to stay away from them because I’m easily addicted, and I hate that feeling – addiction. I enjoy vegetable gardening, but I never could get into flower gardening, probably because flowers don’t taste good – after all that work, they just wilt. I enjoy a good movie, but it has gotten so expensive that I get bummed out if the movie sucks. “Lacy Dawn Goes to the Movies” was the name of one of the chapters in Rarity from the Hollow. It was a documentary about her role during human evolution toward development of savior attributes, but she really wanted to go to the movies to see her first Harry Potter film, like the other kids at her school were talking about.

In a nutshell, and I could go on, I enjoy life and will be disappointed when mine runs out, unless there is something better on the other side.

4. Do you have any other works in progress?

I always have several works in progress at the same time. Since I’ve recently retired, the difference is that I’ve become productive. Instead of ideas, partially developed and then abandoned because life has always seemed so complicated, I’m reaching closure on a ton of older half-baked stories. A new short story just got rejected by a major science fiction magazine, so I’ve got some work to do on it, especially since I agree that it was prematurely submitted.

Ivy, my next novel, is almost ready for professional editing. I’m holding off, trying to build name recognition before I submit it to the publisher for consideration. My dream with respect to writing fiction is to get to the place where I no longer need to request book reviews, but instead book reviewers ask the publisher for a copy of my work to review. I’m hopeful that I’ll get to that place with Rarity from the Hollow and then have the release of Ivy perfectly timed so that I can concentrate on writing instead of promotions.

5. What would you like your readers to know about you?

The main thing that I want readers to know about me is that I’m giving this writing gig my best shot. I’ve worked very long hours, sometimes with little sleep, to tell people about the existence of Rarity from the Hollow. The actual writing part about being a Writer is a piece of cake. It’s the self-promotion that is a killer.

6. If you could give one piece of advice about life in general, what would it be?

My one piece of advice about life is general is to always do the right thing because in the end, one way or another, I believe that it will always turn out alright. Of course, each of us has to determine in our own hearts what the “right thing” means.

Where you can find Robert:

http://www.lacydawnadventures.com https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13603677-rarity-from-the-hollow https://www.facebook.com/robert.eggleton2 https://twitter.com/roberteggleton2

Where you can purchase Rarity from the Hollow:

http://www.amazon.com/Rarity-Hollow-Robert-Eggleton-ebook/dp/B007JDI508

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rarity-Hollow-Robert-Eggleton-ebook/dp/B007JDI508

http://www.doghornpublishing.com/wordpress/books/rarity-from-the-hollow 

It Ran Out In Front Of Me

I was driving home late one night.  There was a light mist across the road and I was lost in thought.  Suddenly, to my left, I saw a streak emerge in the mist and stop about fifty feet in front of my vehicle.  I slammed on my brakes, skidding to a half.  The animal, a deer, stood in the mist in front of me and stared into my headlights.  Then, spooked, it took off like a shot into the darkness on the right.

As the shock of what had happened enveloped me, I realized what had gone through my mind as the deer stopped in front of me.

I'm going to hit that thing.  It's going to smash up my car.  I hope I don't get hurt.

Then I remembered a story I had heard about a man who was riding with his fiancee in his car when he hit a deer and it went up over the hood of the car and through the windshield.  It decapitated the man on its way through the back window of the car.

Life is fleeting.  You never know when you'll take your last breath.

I'm sure that man had no idea he was about to die.  I'm sure his fiancee didn't know either.  It was just another drive toward home until the fatal crash turned both of their worlds upside down and inside out...and ended one life completely.

What do you think of when you have a "near miss"?  When something unexpected happens and has the potential to change your life permanently?  I know what I think of.  My loved ones.  And whether or not I'm achieving my destined life path.

Through heartache and pain, I've learned that those are the only things that really matter. When the subject of life comes down to the "nitty gritty", what else possibly can be more important than loved ones and accomplishing your destiny?

That's what I think of when I'm saved from an accident.  Or trauma.  Or the loss of someone dear.  The world goes on with its issues and demands, but most of all of that is pointless.  It is your dear ones and your destiny that will come to haunt you if you fail to really live.  So make a choice to really live, because that's all that really matters.

Spotlight: Opium Warfare by Justin Bienvenue

~Available September 25!~

Synopsis: It’s 1920. The city of Shanghai has been invaded by the drug trade. The drug trafficking and usage of opium have taken the city by storm. While the looks of the city seem calm, deep within there is a secret and nobody realizes that the small hidden drug world is about to get bigger..much bigger. The underground world that was once hush- hush is now slowly making it’s way to the surface to corrupt the public. However only a few are aware of it, for the rest it shall cause an uproar making some frantic and some in awe. Soon the drug is seen all around the city and it seems that getting one’s hands on it has become a problem so much so that it causes an all out epidemic. One that no one will see coming or seemingly be able to stop..

One of the few people aware of all this is Ryu Tsang, a local dock worker who grew up admiring the city for all it’s glamour. When strange things start happening Ryu takes notice. While at first he brushes off the first few encounters he can’t help but shake the fact that something bigger is unfolding. Shin Shaojin believes the city will be better off embracing such change. He has a vision of Shanghai’s future. One that involves his business to bloom and offer endless possibilities to all that are accepting. Will the city overcome the dark cloud that is the drug trade or will it be taken in and become the change that Shin Shaojin believes it can be?

Interview with Justin:

1. What prompted you to write your current novel? I had the title picked out and done before anything. For some reason the words Opium Warfare just sounded cool to me and I thought it would make a great title for a book. I would like to say something distinct prompted me to write it but to be honest it was rather random and spontaneous. I knew I wanted to write another novel and since I had a name a unique name so then the brainstorming and story ideas began soon after. 2. What is your favorite genre to write and why? Poetry and Horror. I enjoy writing Poetry because it really gives me a way to express myself and tell a story in a very different way. I can write my feelings and turn them into something or use my imagination and put it into a rhyme or more diverse way. I enjoy Horror because it’s one of the most popular genres so I know people will enjoy it. There are countless stories and movies of horror and people love to get scared and I enjoy the idea of giving people a reason to be scared. Also with poetry and horror there are so many inspirations that one can’t help but want to take a crack at writing within the genres. 3. What inspires you? I take inspiration from everything. I take in what I hear and see around me. My emotions and what I may be feeling at a particular time. Whether I’m outside on a walk or watching television I take things and they bring me inspiration. As I stated above when it comes to a more direct source, poets and authors like Edgar Allan Poe, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, Rod Serling, those people among more have inspired me. Their works and classics have inspired me to try new genres and new ways of writing. 4. What are your favorites: food, color, activity, place? Favorite Food: Chicken Parmesan Favorite Color: Green Favorite Activity: Video and Board Games(though soon to be watching Football) Favorite Place: Anywhere but cooped up in my house all day 5. What do you hope your readers will remember about you? My creativeness and wanting to be unique. I like to try and write about things or write in a way that most people don’t. Everyone wants to be themselves and be original but with me I want my writing to stand out and do that for me. For someone to say while he reminds me of so and so his work is truly unique and quite creative. 6. If you could give one piece of advice about life, what would it be? Live it as you wish to live it and live it to the fullest of your being. It seems days go by way too fast at times so make the most of what you can.

Where you can find Justin:

Website: http://jbienvenue.webs.com/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ThePlasmaticWriter Twitter: @JustinBienvenue Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/justinbienvenue/opium-warfare/

Feeling Alone

I am convinced that feeling alone is one of the hardest things to deal with as a human being. We were created for love and fellowship. When we don't have those things in a genuine way, it tears at our inner beings. Isolation is a desperate feeling; hopelessness is even worse.

We constantly crave a companion; someone we can bear our heart and soul to who loves us unconditionally. We crave a hug that reaches our pain and takes it away. If we are left alone for too long we even begin to go crazy and imagine things.

I used to wonder why. What is so important about someone who is there and who believes what we say? Why is friendship and compassion so necessary to the human condition?

It's actually quite simple. Because we were made to need it as a necessity in life. We were created to bond in love and have a purpose for living. We were created to be one with God and His creation.

That is why nature is so soothing. It was created for us. That is why love is so healing. It too was created for us. It is an inherent need woven into the fabric of our hearts; a compelling drive and desire to be accepted.

It is really quite simple. Simply profound. With understanding and discernment, we can achieve our truest and highest calling, which always involves love. Never has hate achieved those purposes. Hate tears apart and brings pain and corruption. Love builds up and brings healing and wholeness...purity too.

Love makes the world a better place. It cares and it shares. It holds goodness and mercy. I wish that for everyone reading this blog. May you find the peace, joy, healing and mercy that only love can bring. Because it is essential to a life well lived.

Namaste!

Evanthia's Gift by Effie Kammenou

In the year 1956, Anastacia Fotopoulos finds herself pregnant and betrayed, fleeing from a bad marriage. With the love and support of her dear friends Stavros and Soula Papadakis, Ana is able to face the challenges of single motherhood. Left with emotional wounds, she resists her growing affection for Alexandros Giannakos, an old acquaintance. But his persistence and unconditional love for Ana and her child is eventually rewarded and his love is returned. In a misguided, but well-intentioned effort to protect the ones they love, both Ana and Alex keep secrets - ones that could threaten the delicate balance of their family.

The story continues in the 1970’s as Dean and Demi Papadakis, and Sophia Giannakos attempt to negotiate between two cultures. Now Greek-American teenagers, Sophia and Dean, who have shared a special connection since childhood, become lovers. Sophia is shattered when Dean rebels against the pressure his father places on him to uphold his Greek heritage and hides his feelings for her. When he pulls away from his family, culture and ultimately his love for her, Sophia is left with no choice but to find a life different from the one she’d hoped for.

EVANTHIA’S GIFT is a multigenerational love story spanning fifty years and crossing two continents, chronicling the lives that unify two families.

Interview with Effie:

1. What made you decide to become an author?

There is no simple answer o the question as to why I decided to become an author. Let me start by revealing that I am a very young fifty-eight year old woman. I attended Hofstra University and graduated with a Degree in Theater Arts. In many of my classes we analyzed plays line by line, or were assigned to write our own original dialogue. Years later, I wrote a few children’s plays for the church Christmas pageants, and another for my daughter’s elementary school class.

My day job over the last thirty-five years has not been in a creative field, but I’ve always found a way to fill that void. Either by working on the children’s plays, getting involved in some type of craft or by cooking and baking. Without realizing it, I ended up running a small side business, making decorative cookie favors for special occasions. I made them for my daughter’s class, and before I knew it, people were ordering them from me. I started writing a food blog a few years ago, sharing not only my recipes, but also the traditions behind the food. Most of the recipes were handed down from my grandmother to my mother and now to me.

When my mother got terminally ill with pancreatic cancer, the memories of growing up with the foods from our Greek heritage became even more important to preserve, as well as the recipes she now entrusted in my hands.

I’d always had a story in my head. I would sometimes daydream, and being the actress that I was, create scenes in my head, and develop characters. I thought that someday I might write it all down, but I wasn’t sure where to start. Then my mother passed away. I started to write in order to work through my grief. I came up with a character that was inspired by her. It was a way for me to honor her, and the heritage she cherished. I combined the story that I’d developed over the years with the one I created inspired by my mother. The result was a beautiful love story and family saga.

2. What is your favorite genre to write about and why?

My favorite genre to write about is women’s fiction/romance. Not the sappy fluff romance, but the genre where you really understand the characters. I like to learn something new when I read. A new culture, or religion. An industry I had no experience with. Maybe an understanding of a mental or physical affliction. Evanthia’s Gift is rooted in Greek heritage and history. To understand these characters, you must understand their customs and the struggle their people endured in their homeland. But ultimately, it’s what I love most – a love story.

3. Tell us what books you enjoy reading and why?

My tastes in books are very eclectic. I am just as likely to read East of Eden or any Jane Austen novel (I’ve read Pride and Prejudice many times), as I am to read Twilight or an erotic fiction. I love trilogies, mainly because I hate the idea of giving up my book friends. Nora Roberts and Jude Deveraux are masters at the love story trilogy. But I must say Sylvain Reynard has captured my attention to the point of obsession. His use of language, his knowledge of art and literature and his sense of romance are unsurpassed. The latest book I’ve read is darker, sadder, and in no way a love story. The Goldfinch took me on an unexpected journey.

4. What are your favorite foods, color, activities and places?

My favorite food is something most people will not be familiar with. It’s an aged and spiced, thinly sliced meat called bastruma. I mainly buy it at the holidays at the Greek grocery store. I am a cheesaholic. I always say, “Give me cheese and bastruma and I could live on those two things for the rest of my life.”

My favorite color depends on what I’m using the color for. I love to wear white. Several of my friends have made fun of me, commenting that my whole closet has nothing but white clothing for the summer. The walls in my home are mostly sage green. If I had a summer home I would decorate it in Caribbean blue and white.

I love to dance. I met my husband at a disco back in the 70’s. He asked me to dance. We still do the hustle on occasion. My children were competitive dancers in contemporary and jazz, and I loved watching them on stage. I miss that. They also played tennis in college. Our whole family plays. I try to play, that is. I cannot live up to the standard and skill of the rest of my family. But it is the only sport I watch and the only one I attempt to play. I also like to swim.

In the summer, I spend a good part of the time on the East End of Long Island. I live relatively close to the Hamptons, and I enjoy going to lunch and shopping there with my daughters. There are over fifty wineries on the East End, mostly on the North Fork, and each year I explore new ones. I write feature article and restaurant reviews for Boating Times Long Island Magazine, so I am always on the lookout for the next great place to dine. My other favorite place is, don’t laugh, Disneyworld. Our family visits Disney like other people travel to the next town. We have annual passes, and quite honestly, the plane ride takes the same amount of time as my husband’s commute into NYC. The EPCOT Food and wine Festival is one of our favorite events to attend.

5. What inspires you to write?

As I mentioned, my mother’s death inspired me to write Evanthia’s Gift. When you read it, you will understand whom she was. Although the book is not her biography, the essence of her shines through – her love, her strength and her determination.

My need to be creative inspires me to write. Whether I’m cooking, acting, or writing, I crave the creative process, and the ability to express myself.

6. What would you like your readers to remember about you?

I would like people to remember that I have a deep soul and that I feel emotions strongly. I want to be remembered as a kind person, who was always willing to help people as much as they have reached out and helped me. I want to be remembered as a good mother, daughter, sister and friend. And of course, I would like for them to think, she wrote that book that I can’t get out of my head.

7. If you could give me one piece of advice, what would it be?

Just one piece of advice? That’s a tough one. I’ve leaned so much in the last three years during this process. Let’s see…Maybe, when you get down on yourself and think all this work and nothing will come of it. That no one will like it, and what am I putting myself through this for….When you say that to yourself, remember that you are doing it for your satisfaction. That you finished it and gave it your full effort. You did something meaningful, something that enhanced and possibly transformed your life. And sometimes that’s all you need.

Visit Effie here:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/effiekammenou Twitter: https://twitter.com/EffieKammenou Effie's Food Blog: https://cheffieskitchen.wordpress.com/

You can buy Evanthia's Gift here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0692471839/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_CwX3vb1KS8FQ3

The Little Big Things

When she cleaned her house, she always decorated the table with flowers. Then she would go and put a single flower in a vase in the bathroom for added effect. Her house was her sanctuary and she was determined to make it a happy one.

Whenever the days were long, she would come home and sit and gaze at her flowers. They filled her with life and hope and determination. Sometimes she wondered how something so small could bring changes so large to a home or a heart. But then, she knew, the small things in life often did.

Like the time that her daughter burst in the house after school, excitedly running up to her. Her eyes glittering like diamonds, she held out a drawing that she had made in art class. "I did it for you, mommy! Just for you!" Her daughter smiled, wiggling expectantly back and forth, barely able to contain herself.

When she looked at the picture, what she beheld was more beautiful than anything Picasso himself could have conjured up. "I love it, sweetie! It's beautiful!"

The hugs and kisses that ensued were more "little" life pleasantries that swelled her heart to a gigantic size. Nothing could compare to the hugs and kisses of her child, the happiness engulfing them like a soft, fuzzy blanket.

She would then find a frame and hang the picture in a prevalent part of the house; a constant reminder of her child's love and creativity. Her house was filled with many of those very creations.

She also remembered when she was having a particularly bad day. She was at the store and was buying groceries. When it came time to pay for them, she rifled through her wallet looking nervously for the correct amount that was due. No matter how hard she tried, she kept coming up with the bleak realization that she didn't have enough.

A feeling of desperation filled her and eyes eyes began to tear up. "Why does this have to happen on the worst days?" she asked herself, tears stinging at the back of her eyes.

"I've got it," the man behind her said, a big smile consuming his face. "It's only ten dollars."

Feeling as though she had just won the lottery, she looked over at the man, feeling her tears begin to flow.

"It's okay. Don't worry about it," he smiled even more. "Really."

"Thank you so much! Thank you!" she exclaimed several times. She smiled back, trying to display her gratefulness. She wanted to run over and hug him but was too shy to do so. Instead he smiled even more.

"It's my pleasure! I can see you're having a bad day. I just want to brighten it for you! I'm glad I was able to!"

She sat back, gazing at the colorful flowers.  They filled her with hope.  And wasn't that what everyone needs?  A little hope?  She realized that the little things were the hope builders, the heart repairers.

And those were the things that meant the most. Those were the things that were remembered. Those were the little things that were really the big things. The little big things were the most important pieces in life's journey!

My Review Of 'The Bird With The Broken Wing' by DL Richardson

Guardian angel Rachael finds herself trapped in Purgatory with Ben Taylor, a young soldier with a secret that's driving him insane. Desperate to see him ascend into Heaven she breaks the rules about becoming involved and keeping her identity a secret. Her risky decision to stay in Purgatory to help Ben seems a good plan. Except they've been stuck for ten years already and Ben is no closer to ascending. The unexpected appearance of a feisty teenager, Jet Jones, throws Rachael's wings into a tailspin. The instant attraction between Jet and Ben means the angel's work is getting ignored. And without her help, Ben's soul will be trapped and she will have failed in her mission. But Jet's appearance also brings a chilling revelation. Maybe Ben's soul isn't the only one that needs saving.

We all love a good book. A good book takes us on a journey to another realm...and this is the case with DL Richardson's book The Bird With The Broken Wing.

Although the plot line of this book takes place in purgatory, DL Richardson makes the plot and characters easy to believe and credible. The reader finds themselves looking in on the main characters of the story as they reason out why they have been put in a strange place and where they happen to be. It is a story that will build up empathy about life and its meaning.

The Bird With The Broken Wing is an engaging story about the possibilities of the after life--about love and forgiveness and coming to terms with the things that happen within the fabric of life's journey.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading paranormal or spiritual material.

Interview with DL:

1.  How did you become interested in writing?

I used to be a singer/songwriter/musician so I've always loved music, art, reading, creative writing, all forms of art and literature really. I was playing in a band when I realized that while I loved music, it wasn't what I wanted to do forever. I sat down and thought about what it was I wanted to do forever and the idea to write novels came to me. I was reading Dean Koontz and Stephen King novels at the time and I was impressed with the number of books they had published and I decided that I wanted to write many, many,  many books. I've never given up on this idea so it must have been the right decision for me.

2.  What genre(s) do you write and what do you like about writing that genre(s)?

I write fantasy. I guess my influences, Dean Koontz, Stephen King and Anne Rice, have really impacted the genres I write. The strange thing is that I read a lot of contemporary fiction too, and that's why I like to blend the two styles, and not just write about paranormal creatures. My books feature true life characters in true life situations and I use fantasy settings to explore the issues of teen suicide, post traumatic stress disorder, teen pregnancy, organ donations, video game addiction etc.

3.  What is your favorite book and why?

I'd have to say The Outsiders by S E Hinton because I read it in school and it blew me away. As a teenager I thought (as most teenagers do) that I was alone in the world and nobody understood me. And then I read this book, which was written by a young writer who just said all the right things in a book. It kick started my love of reading which eventually turned to a love of writing as well, because I too wanted to write young adult fiction novels that connected with the reader and left them thinking they weren't alone in the world.

4.  Some more favorites:  colors, foods, places, activities?

COLOR - My favorite color is mid tone grey, don't ask me why!   I just love the harmony it represents when I see it. Perhaps because it sits in the middle.   Who knows?

FOODS - My favorite foods would be pastries. I can't walk into a bakery and NOT buy something yummy to eat.

PLACES - My favorite place to be, chill out,  is home!  Dorothy got it right when she said "There's no place like home!"  My favorite place to feel loved is with my family. My favorite place to sit and contemplate life is on a quiet beach or in an empty field. My favorite place to have a laugh is with friends in a restaurant or bar. My favorite place to get a good night's sleep is camping. My favorite place to connect with other people is at writer's events.

ACTIVITIES - I like to play my piano and guitar, walk the dog, go camping, write and read!  (Of course)!  I love to go skiing and I'm booked to ski in Canada next February so I'm super excited about that.

5.  What inspires you to write and why?

I don't know that anything inspires me, but I know I have this burning need to write and if it were banned I would find a way to write under a blanket with a flashlight and paper and notepad. It's just something I have to do. And I'll see this journey through until the end.

6.  What do you want your readers to remember about you?

That I told them a great and beautiful story and maybe I brightened their world and gave them the courage to keep going.

7.  If you could give me one piece of advice, what would it be?

The piece of advice I give to everyone who goes out there are chases dreams is, "Do it, but remember that nobody asked you to."  The reason I say this is people can get quite negative when they don't get the validation they expect when they do something. I see it on Facebook, I hear it in their voices. You should do it because you have a burning desire to do it, not to seek fame and glory. Be happy, be at peace, and everything will fall into place. And if nobody stands up and cheers you on, why should you expect them to?   You're doing what you want to do, not what they asked you to do.

Where you can find DL:

Website

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Reviews/Posts

Watch for reviews and posts here.