Guest Post with Author David LeRoy - The Siren of Paris

Today we welcome author David LeRoy to BK Walker Books Etc. David is currently on virtual book tour with his debut novel, The Siren of Paris. You can view his tour schedule at Promo 101 Promotional Services.

Welcome David! The floor is yours :).

From David LeRoy

The Full Monty Author

You may recall that recently Sue Grafton got into a huge kettle of hot water when she had some less than flattering things to say about Self-Published authors in an interview for a blog in Kentucky. http://louisvilleky.com/2012/08/louisville-author-spotlight-welcomes-sue-grafton/

 It spread like fire through the tight community of Indie authors once it was picked up and reposted on The Passive Voice blog.  Soon she was redacting and explaining herself like crazy.  Within the interview, she also stated that people who write in coffee shops are exhibitionists, but I never got an apology.   :)

She is right, because I write in coffee shops and that is exactly what I am doing.  I am seeing others, and being seen by them on a consistent basis.  I am in full view -- not really full Monty, but you get the idea.

Back in early August, I sold a copy of my book to one of my coffee shop friends.  Unknownst to me, her husband is the host of an all male book club.  A week later, she bought six copies of my book from the trunk of my car outside Starbucks.  But then, there was a problem.  The all male book club only wanted to read non-fiction, and my book is historical fiction.  No problem as I explained to her that the vast majority of the book is historically accurate and follows history closely.  All of this conversation, of course, took place in line at Starbucks in front of other customers who were probably listening.  She put her foot down and insisted they read the book. They did, and they enjoyed it. 

On October 11^th, I am sitting down to dinner with this club to discuss The Siren of Paris. They have even offered to buy me dinner, and I intend to bring out some of the original documents I used to create the story when I was in the research phase.   

Now, had I not been at Starbucks, and not had the time to talk with this person, whom, this entire opportunity would not have materialized.  A blog tour organizer is well worth the investment;  however, there is no way I could say to them, “get me a gig at this book club.” This is not something I can buy, but only be invited to, if chosen. 

Word of mouth marketing is the golden goose dream of every author; however, manifesting this sort of phenomena takes a concerted effort and requires lots of on the ground, direct public interaction. It is also nearly impossible to control; therefore, you must always be prepared. 

“Oh, you wrote a book, what is it about?” somebody asks.

Develop a quick elevator pitch for your book.  Be ready to tell a summary right off the bat without missing a beat between the pitch and your food order.  Here is my pitch.  

“It is about a young man who returns to Paris before the war and falls in love with the wrong kind of woman, because she becomes a collaborator, and he is too blind to see it….Tall, No whip Mocha please, and I will take the cheese Danish … and so you see, he gets a hard lesson in both life and love.”

Of course Sue is sitting on my right shoulder calling me an immodest exhibitionist.  Seth Godin is on the left shoulder jumping up and down for joy. 

Now, so far I have sold two full boxes of my book out of the trunk of my car.  Some I sell, and others I have had to mail off for reviews.  However, this is 60 physical books, usually signed and dedicated, going out to people who have requested them.  I was referred to a group that does public readings, and I was the featured reader for 45 minutes.  I sold four copies, and one resulted in a positive review.  I sold a few books, while on a camping trip, to people with whom I was chatting.  One of the people was very familiar with some of the historical details of the book. 

This “immodest behavior” adds up with time and will not result in an arrest.  Last night my chiropractor asked me if I had done much recently, in town, with the book, and I thought for a second and said, “Not really.”  But in reality, that is not true.  I have been doing a lot to be seen, as an author, yet I just have not given it much thought because I am not speaking to a crowd at the local book store, and I am not on T.V.  The reason he asked is because someone recognized me in his office and connected me to the book. 

This is not a sure fire bet to sell thousands upon thousands of books.  I have no idea how you will climb your way to the top of the Amazon ranking for your selected category.  It certainly is not an overnight solution from which you can see results next weekend.  But, it is the one of the most powerful marketing tools I know.  Word of mouth takes its time, but once it takes off, it is impossible to stop. 

Don’t believe me? So, how did all those cat videos go viral on YouTube?

Thanks for the great post David! 

About David LeRoy:

A Native of California, David received a BA in Philosophy and Religion at Point Loma Nazarene College in San Diego. The degree served him well while selling women’s shoes, waiting tables, or working odd jobs after college until settling in the field of telecommunications, where he has worked for the past 18 years. Early on, he demonstrated artistic abilities. For many years, David marketed a line of fine art photographic prints through various galleries and retail outlets.

In the past few years, his focus has shifted to painting and drawing, which included the development of a children’s e-book in the Apple Itunes store under “David Tribble” title “Lord of the Scribes.”

After returning from a European arts study program, he became interested in the history behind the French Resistance during World War Two. Writing fiction has become his latest way to explore philosophical, moral and emotional issues of life.The Siren of Paris is his first novel.

For more information about this novel visit http://www.thesirenofparis.com/.

In German occupied Paris, a group of unlikely people join in collaboration to smuggle Allied airman south to Spain. One of those intrepid heroes happens to be American. The Siren of Paris, the debut work of historical fiction by David LeRoy, tells a searing story of love, betrayal, forgiveness, and war that brings to vivid life the shimmering City of Lights during its darkest hours during World War II.

The story starts in 1939, when Marc Tolbert, the French-born son of a prominent American family, takes off for Paris to follow his dream of becoming an artist. Marc’s life soon sparkles in the ex-pat scene in Paris. His new friend Dora introduces him to a circle that includes the famous Sylvia Beach, owner of the bookstore Shakespeare & Company; and he accepts a job with William Bullitt, US ambassador to France. At art school, he finds himself further enchanted by the alluring model Marie.

Marc’s Parisian reverie, however, is soon clouded over by the increasing threat from Germany. As Americans scramble to escape Paris, he finds himself trapped by the war, and nearly meets his fate on the disastrous day of June 17, 1940, aboard the RMS Lancastria. Upon returning to Paris, his fate grows more troubled still, as he smuggles Allied airman through the American Hospital to the Paris Resistance underground, until a profound betrayal leads him into the hands of the Gestapo and onto Buchenwald.

Rigorously researched and vibrant in historical detail, The Siren of Paris reimagines one of history’s most turbulent times through the prism of an American abroad in Europe’s most harrowing days. Poignant, gripping, and thought-provoking, The Siren of Paris mines the human dilemma of revenge versus forgiveness, and vividly captures the conflicted state of survival.

Author: In writing his first novel, The Siren of Paris, David LeRoy drew upon his longtime interest in philosophy, the visual arts, myth, storytelling, psychology, and Ocean Liner travel. During a visit to France to study art in the fall of 2012, LeRoy was increasingly intrigued by the French Resistance, particularly when his research revealed the role of Americans in the Resistance, as well as the limited means of escape from Europe as the war escalated. LeRoy holds a bachelor of arts in philosophy and religion.

Read More

VBTC Tour: Interview & Giveaway with Hazel West - On A Foreign Field

I spend a good bit of my time writing historical fiction about brave men and women who have graced the pages of history, trying to bring more light to their legacies so readers of all ages will enjoy them. My favorite things to do are writing, obviously, listening to and playing Irish and Scottish folk music, practicing with all eras and types of historical weaponry, drinking GOOD COFFEE, and reading good books. I currently live in Florida.

Author Link: Character Purgatory -  http://hazelwest.blogspot.com/

BK: Please tell us a little about yourself...

Well, first of all, I'm a writer *laughs* and an avid reader, and history buff. I also really love coffee, chocolate, and cream puffs. When I'm not writing or reading, I enjoy listening to or playing music (folk mostly, stuff that's not just old, it's nearly ancient) or sketching. I also like to make jewelry, practice historical fighting techniques, that sort of thing. I'm a very eclectic person. I also have a bad habit of talking to myself, which I'm sure is very amusing to other people who I pay very little attention to when I'm in my own little writer's corner of the world.

BK: Please tell us a little about your book....

"On a Foreign Field" is what I hope comes across as a meaningful story about loyalty and camaraderie. The hero, Reeve, is a young English knight who has never been able to live up to his father's expectations, but chooses to follow his heart and fight for England as he always wanted to do. However in his first pitched battle, he is wounded, left for dead on the field by his comrades and captured by William Wallace's army, by one man in particular named Gavin, who plays a large role in the story. After the incident, he turns bitter as a wounded prisoner surrounded by the enemy but at the same time, he cannot help but notice that the Scots have everything he ever wanted and thought he had: friends like brothers, and undying loyalty to their commander, who, even through his bitterness, Reeve sees as someone who might very well be worthy of their devotion. He eventually finds himself faced with the difficult decision of whether he wishes to go back to England, the people who left him for dead, or whether to join Wallace and fight against his country, thus committing treason and forgetting the oath he swore as a knight to his king.

BK: What inspired you to pen this particular novel?

Several things inspired this novel. It had been an idea I was toying with for a while born of my love for "what if" kind of novels. I have never read a Wallace novel told from the point of view of an Englishman, and I love stories that show different view points, so I had the idea to write a story about, 'what if an Englishman was captured by Wallace's men' and 'where would that lead?" I didn't really have much of a story line beyond that to begin with, and even after that, I thought it was just going to be a story about Reeve and Wallace and a growing respect between them, but then I started thinking up other characters. I wanted to explore different personalities of people, and also a darker more accurate look into wartime and what it and trauma can do to people. I wanted to write a "real" approach to what life really would have been like for soldiers back in the 1200s, and my characters are flawed like real people. That does not mean that this is literary fiction--I promise, without giving too much away, that this book does have a good ending!

Truthfully, my real inspiration for this novel was Rosemary Sutcliff. Her books have been a huge inspiration to me, and the way she writes brotherly relationships between "sword brothers" as she terms them, is beautiful, and something that is truly lost in todays' fiction. I wanted to write something with characters like that, and I think that that was truly what inspired me to write the end result of "On a Foreign Field".

BK: When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I really started writing when I was about ten, though I was making up stories long before that. My first finished novel, I wrote when I was fourteen and first started studying Scottish history. I was just simply so fascinated by the stories that I really wanted to write my own novel about it, and thus I wrote a story about the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745--if you don't know it, you might know Bonnie Prince Charlie ;-) but the twist was that I changed all the characters into animals.(And the secret's out!) My writing has definitely gotten much better since then, *laughs* but I've not stopped writing since, nor do I think I could even if I wanted to!

BK: How do you keep your story flowing?

Well, that depends. Some stories just flow. I wrote "On a Foreign Field" in a little over a month, though I had written probably about a quarter of the book in random scenes before hand. When I wrote "Ballad of the Highwayman" however, that one had to be coaxed a little more. Typically, if it's a matter of plot, then I will mull that over, make some charts and write lists of things that may or may not work. I also like to read historical accounts about the time periods I'm writing about because they always inspire me, and I might come up with something totally different and even better than I had before! Usually though, I will read books that are like my own. Alexandre Dumas and Louis L'Amour were huge inspirations for me when writing "Ballad of the Highwayman". Watching movies is good too, and sometimes just free writing will make something appear.

BK: Do you ever run into writer's block, and if so, what do you do to get past it?

I'm not really a believer in writer's block, I just think there are certain times when writers are less prolific than others ;-) But when I do get stuck, I might just have to do some of the things listed above, or start to work on something else. It's very hard to work on one story when you have characters from another nagging at you. I truthfully have so many story ideas that I am rarely at a loss for anything to write. And at the times I don't feel like writing, I read for a while, and usually I will find my muse again.

BK: What is your writing process like? Do you have any quirks, or must-haves to write?

Well, first off, I won't write until the sun goes down ;-) But that's because it's usually too noisy in my house due to younger siblings to really concentrate at any other time. Plus I think better at night. Usually just sitting down and starting is the hard part for me, but once I do that I can write for hours. I like to have a good supply of coffee and snacks when I write like Pringles, cherry sours, Nerds, and occasionally Reese's peanut butter cups. I usually listen to music too, something that will set the scene for my book. I have different folders on itunes for battle music, quiet stuff, ect. But when it comes to editing/formatting, I always listen to Gaelic Storm or other peppy Irish music.

BK: Where do you hope your books/writing will be in the future?

Well, I think every author hopes to be a little bit famous *laughs* ;-) But I truthfully do not write for the money. I would still write even if no one read my stuff besides my mom and grandma, but I hope to have a following because I love to interact with fans and other writers. So even if I never get on NY Times' Bestseller's List I won't care as long as I have a few loyal fans who truly enjoy my books. You can all be assured that I will be writing many more in the future!

BK: What do you hope readers will take away from your books?

I hope they will take away the feeling I have when finishing a good story. In the case of "On a Foreign Field" I hope readers see my attempts to show what brotherly love and camaraderie really are. It's something lost in fiction today, and I love reading stories about men who share a common bond and are like brothers despite the fact that they are not related or even from the same countries. It sounds cheesy putting it that way, but that's how I feel about it, and I truly hope, especially for teen readers of my novel, that it might make you a little bit stronger. I remember reading books that did that for me as a young teen and I think I always truly wanted to write a story like that. I hope I have achieved that in "On a Foreign Field". But apart from that, I hope it is also a good story, and a good adventure as all my books are.

BK: What is one piece of advice you received that you carry with you in your writing?

Probably to never stop writing, and in the course of editing, always check everything twice! There's so many things I've learned over the years that I truthfully don't remember where I got them from or when I picked them up. I'm still of the opinion that experience is the best teacher.

BK: What is one piece of advice you would give to new and aspiring writers?

Don't stop writing! No matter what anyone says. Also write what you love. Don't write what you THINK people want to read, write what YOU want to read. If you do that, then every story will be written with meaning and to your best ability. And while you can ignore mean slanders to your story, always listen to constructive criticism, especially if it comes from an experienced writer. It might just help you become a better writer yourself so get people you can trust to give you an honest opinion to read your stories.

BK: Are you currently working on any new projects? What can we expect from you in the future?

I am currently working on two books right now. One is a Victorian Steampunk mystery (if you go to my blog, you will find that I have created a Facebook page for my main character). My other work in progress is a novel about Romans and Britons called "By Blood and by Bond" . It follows the stories of a Roman centurion and a Celtic chieftain's son who are thrown together under bad circumstances. It's got gladiators, angst, corrupt politicians, and one pretty, but smart, girl as well who turns the tables in the whole story ;-). I have also written the first of three backstories for this book, "To Save a Life" that will be published on Smashwords probably during the course of this tour. I'm not sure which one of these novels will be done first, but I plan to have another book out by Christmas.

BK: Where can readers find you?

My blog, first and foremost: http://hazelwest.blogspot.com

I'm also on Goodreads and Smashwords and have recently gotten an account on Wattpad, and you can find all of these pages on my blog in my link list. Feel free to drop me a message any time if you have questions about my books, or just want to say hi, I'd love to hear from you =)

Thank you so much for taking time to chat with me today. It's been a pleasure having you and I wish you much success in the future.

Thanks for having me, BK!

Sir Reeve Montgomery is an Englishman born and bred, proud of his heritage and the right to serve his country fighting against the Scottish rebels. But when the tide is turned unexpectedly during the Battle of Stirling Bridge, he is wounded by an English arrow, left for dead by his comrades, and taken captive by Wallace's army. Wounded, and alone on a foreign field, he knows he should expect nothing but torture and death at the hands of the Scottish rebels who are known to be complete savages. But as he comes to know this tight brotherhood better, and sees Wallace's utter devotion to his men and the cause of freedom, Reeve begins to wonder whether the English are right to oppress them. Faced with these troubling thoughts, Reeve must decide whether he will stay true to his king, or join this brotherhood of freedom fighters, thus turning his back on everything he has ever known or believed in. This new novel by Hazel West is a thought-provoking, heartfelt read about the true meaning of loyalty and brotherhood.

Genre: YA Historical

Release Date: July 25, 2012

Publisher: CreateSpace

Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/On-Foreign-Field-Hazel-West/dp/1477493441

Link to Tour on Main Site: http://www.virtualbooktourcafe.com/3/post/2012/07/on-a-foreign-fielda-story-of-loyalty-and-brotherhood-by-hazel-west.html

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Goodreads Book Giveaway

On a Foreign Field

by Hazel B. West

Giveaway ends October 03, 2012.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Excerpt:

Chapter 1   —   Updated Jul 17, 2012   —  

It was in a spilt second that Reeve realized how desperate their situation was now. They had been cut off from the rest of their army with no hope of them being able to find a ford in the river to cross in time. Their numbers were now mostly equal to the Scots and Reeve hoped they would have the sense to stand and fight as one instead of scatter and make it easier to be picked off by the enemy. Men could train for years to hold a formation, but one never knew how they would react when faced with the real enemy.

The Scots had charged at them in two columns, trapping the English in the middle. The archers released their deadly rain and arrows found targets as they fell onto the opposing army. Reeve and his companions spurred their horses on immediately, knowing that to stand still was to die. Reeve swung his sword from its sheath and urged his horse forward at the charging Scotsmen, swinging the blade in a flashing arch and shouting out a war cry of his own. There was a huge clash that sounded as the two armies met head on. Reeve was immediately separated from Harold and Gerard in the mess. A lot of the knights realized too late that they had been led into a marsh and their horses were sinking in the muck, weighed down by armor. Reeve hoped neither of his friends were caught in the mire to be easy prey for the Scots. He wanted to go back and look for them, but he knew how foolish that was in a battle. You looked ahead, only at your enemy and you killed and killed again until it was done; only then could you spare the time to look for lost comrades.

He hacked left and right with his sword, catching a spear wielded by a screaming Scotsman on his shield with enough strength behind it to bruise his shoulder. He gritted his teeth against the pain as he stabbed downward with his blade and took the man through the chest. He felt hands grip his tabard from behind and he spun just fast enough to stop the man from hauling him from his saddle where he would be sure to meet a grisly end at the point of the long broadsword the man carried. He jerked his sword pommel-first into the man’s head and his attacker fell back instantly.

Reeve suddenly caught a movement out of the corner of his eye and he turned with his sword swinging up for a blow but the man who had been there was already gone. Then his horse lurched under him and whinnied in pain, rearing up before it bolted.

Reeve was flung from the back of the beast, realizing that he had been victim to one of the Scottish dirkers; lithe, fast men, who ran around the field, ducking underneath horses and jabbing their bellies with their dirks to make them throw their riders. Reeve was flung onto the boggy ground, hauling himself up with difficulty in his heavy armor. He quickly un-buckled the plates that covered his shoulders and the greaves protecting his legs. There was no need for them now on the ground; they would only hamper him, and if he was going to have to swim the river...

He quickly looked around at the warriors and knights who were rushing past. He caught sight of a fearsome Scotsman running toward him, his giant claymore upraised. Reeve stood his ground and met the man head on, ducking under the great sword and swinging a blow to the man’s legs. The Scotsman leapt to one side and with a wild yell, swept his heavy sword at Reeve.

The knight flung himself to the ground and rolled just in time, coming up several feet away only to be struck from behind by an arrow. He staggered forward as it drove into his side, cutting through the chain mail and the padded tabard under it to his flesh. He gasped at the sudden pain and subconsciously thought in one of those oddly perceptive moments in a time of danger, that it was one of their own armor-piercing arrows. He looked back up at the Scotsman who had been fighting him. The man was sneering now, raising his sword for the final strike. Reeve got his sword up just in time, but the man swung lower than he had judged, and the tip kept going, cutting deeply into Reeve’s thigh. The Englishman gave one last wild yell as he lunged forward with his sword and stabbed the Scotsman through the middle, his leg giving out at the last minute so that he fell headlong into the boggy ground.

He hauled himself up again, breathing heavily from the pain. He could feel himself weakening from blood loss and he knew he had to get out of there soon before he was killed; perhaps find a horse to ride. He suddenly looked up at another knight, recognizing the tabard he wore.

“Gerard!” he cried and his friend looked over at him before he ran to his side. He too had lost his horse, it seemed. Reeve ripped a piece off of his tabard to tie around his leg wound, trying to get to his feet. His leg had no strength, however, and every move he took jostled the arrow in him, making him groan and clench his teeth.

“Reeve! You’re wounded,” Gerard said, getting an arm under his shoulder and hauling him to his feet. “Come on, they’ve called the retreat! There’s nothing we can do. Cressingham’s been killed and the Scots have us trapped. We have to go now!”

Reeve barely heard what he was saying as he was keeping all his mind on just putting one foot in front of the other. Gerard hauled him away as well as he could.

“Come on, Reeve, just a little farther,” he said. “Come on, I’m not dying here today!”


          Reeve tried to pick up the pace, but he fell again, his wounded right leg was bleeding profusely and the arrow still sticking from him twisted and dug deeper as it was pressed against Gerard’s side where he leaned against him. Reeve cried out in pain and crumpled on the ground. Gerard cursed and tried to haul him to his feet again. Reeve looked behind him, panting, and saw that a group of Scots were coming toward them. Gerard saw them too and looked down at Reeve, fear clearly written on his face.

“Get up! Get up!” he screamed. “They’ll kill us!”

“I can’t,” Reeve told him weakly. “Make a stand with me, we might be able to hold them off.” Somehow, he realized, he had still managed to hold onto his sword. He made an honest effort to get to his feet and he swore he would fight to his last breath.


          Gerard looked back again and then started to back away, dropping Reeve’s arm from his grasp. “I can’t, I’m sorry.”


“Where are you going?” Reeve asked him, trying to haul himself to his feet again with the aid of his sword.

“I’m sorry Reeve. Elizabeth—I—I can’t leave her. I’m sorry.” And just like that he sprinted across the field with the retreating knights and Reeve was left stunned, not knowing what to think. When he got his voice back he finally screamed after him.

“You coward! You leave your comrade on the field?! Coward!”

“Look what we have here!”


Reeve spun around as hands grabbed him and hauled him up and he found himself looking into the wild face of a dark-haired Scotsman. He struggled to get out of the man’s grasp, but his sword was knocked disdainfully from his hand and he was too weak to fight them single-handedly with only his fists. The man struck him across the face and he fell into a puddle, sprawling out on his back. The Scots laughed as he was hauled upright again, gasping in pain as the arrow dug deeper.

“A knight is good for a ransom, I’m thinking. Perhaps we shall take him back to camp and we might get some money out of him.”


“He’s no  worth it, Gavin. He’s damaged goods,” said another man.

“Well, he can always be our camp tràill. Someone needs to do the mending and wash the dishes.”

Reeve struggled up again but the man’s foot was on his chest and he was grinning down at him.

“Don’t bother yerself,” he said in mock pity. “You have no strength left. You should rest.”

“I have all the strength I need,” Reeve spat then gritted his teeth with a bitten off scream as the man nudged the broken-off arrow shaft sticking from his side.

“I think you might do better with a little rest,” the Scotsman told him in a mock kind voice. “Sleep tight, Sassenach.”

The last thing Reeve saw was the hilt of a sword coming toward his face before he blacked out.

Read More

VBTC Pit Stop - Chatting with M.C.V. Egan author of The Bridge of Deaths

Welcome to BK Walker Books Etc. I'm so happy you could join me today at the Sea Cafe' in South Beach Miami, where we are sitting outside enjoying the warm beautiful day. Ms. Egan will also be having a giveaway each week so be sure to check that out below!

The Bridge of Deaths by M.C.V. Egan

BK: Please tell us a little about yourself...

My name is Maria Catalina Vergara Egan. I am originally from Mexico City, Mexico where I spent only part of my childhood. I grew up in the Washington D.C. suburbs, Studied in Lyons, France for two years and lived in Sweden for five years (failed marriage of my youth) I have lived in various parts of the US and settled here in South Florida in 1990. I am married and have a teenage son. Aside from writing and reading I enjoy many hobbies; Astrology, Origami, Arts and Crafts, Cooking, walking in beautiful places, going to the cinema and just all around enjoying life. I also absolutely love to travel; I love car trips, train rides, ships, airplanes.

BK: Please tell us a little about your book....

The Bridge of Deaths is based on the true story of my maternal grandfather's death. He was a Bio-Chemical engineer and worked for Standard Oil of New Jersey in the 1930s. He died in Denmark in 1939 at the brink of WWII and the information given to my family in a nut shell and exact quote was "...of course inquiries have been made.....it will remain one of those mysteries that cannot be solved" (you can see the full letter on my website).

I researched the story through a wide variety of sources, traditional and non-traditional and so The Bridge of Deaths is a cross-genre; Historical (with over 200 documented footnotes), Paranormal (information and assistance from four psychics, a Peruvian shaman and two past life regression therapists), Romance the story is told through the experience and research of a young couple in modern day London from the moment they meet and as their love grows into... well, for that you have to read the book! Mystery because the very nature of the true events are an un-solved mystery.

BK: What inspired you to pen this particular novel?

I would say an interest and desire to get to know who my grandfather was and why he died, but those who know me say it was an obsession with a man who died 20 years before I was born.

BK: When did you first consider yourself a writer?

At a very early age, as I always wrote letters and stories. I just always assumed I would be many other things, and then write about them.

BK: How do you keep your story flowing?

As history can be a tedious matter for us all...I created Bill and Maggie and Catalina. I also needed to protect the anonymity of the "real" Bill and detach from the story personally. By weaving fictional characters trying to resolve the phobias and nightmares created by the past life experience, I gave the reader a sense of purpose in following the thread of the story, as the story flowed Bill and Maggie became very real to me.

I also created an obsessed woman Catalina with no real life to speak of other than this quest to solve the mystery of her grandfather's death. I have been very pleasantly surprised to have had readers and reviewers that like Catalina, I did have a reviewer who hated her and called her a bore, which I could absolutely understand as I tried to give her a limited and lonely existence.

The true story in and of itself is very interesting and full of complicated real-life characters.

BK: Do you ever run into writer's block, and if so, what do you do to get past it?

I am a guest once a month on a site called simple Clockwork where I give writing tips and one of my first posts there was about writer's Block. I use many different ways and I am sure I will discover new ways in the future. I am a firm believer that there is more than one way to approach things and more than one way to solve a problem. My favorite way is to walk it out, long walks to inspire me. I cannot help but laugh, I have gained weight so I guess I have not been too blocked lately!

BK: What is your writing process like? Do you have any quirks, or must-haves to write?

I love bulletin boards to help me visualize the story and know where I am heading. Images of what I am writing about, sometimes I create the images myself and books on the subject I am writing.

BK: Where do you hope your books/writing will be in the future?

I have BIG dreams and wishes, and they are fueled not only by a desire and conviction in what I am doing but also by all the psychics predicting amazing success. As absurd as that may sound many other predictions over which I had absolutely no control in life have come true, so I do hold extremely high expectations, after all 'Dreaming doesn't cost anything.'

BK: What do you hope readers will take away from your books?

In an entertaining way knowledge. I love reading the various reviews that say I became aware of historical events that many of my generation are unaware of, or I had one young reviewer who wrote that it made her want to follow up and learn more about certain events. The book I am working on now is far less documented and yet I do hope it will add to people’s knowledge and excite curiosity about history. That being said I have also had a strong response into the past-life angle.

Knowledge about anything as trivial as it may seem, for the book I am working on now I am using as one of my references The Complete Idiot's guide to Crystals!

BK: What is one piece of advice you received that you carry with you in your writing?

It came from several sources but the one that impacted me the most was Bill Traylor a 90+ year old man that put together a Lockheed Electra 10A at the New England Air Museum, a piece of advice for writing as well as for anything else that is important in life. DO NOT GIVE UP!

BK: What is one piece of advice you would give to new and aspiring writers?

I believe that the most discouraging thing is the idea that everything has been said and written, but I believe every writer should remember that their voice is unique and that as such nothing has been written in their wonderful, unique and special voice.

BK: Are you currently working on any new projects? What can we expect from you in the future?

Yes I am, I am working with a very interesting co-author who also happens to be a clairvoyant and channels messages and painting, Jolie DeMarco. We are working on a short novel called 4covert2overt and we should be finished I am guessing by the fall of 2012.

BK: Where can readers find you?

Well thanks to this wonderful virtual tour for the next six weeks virtually EVERYWHERE. I have a website http://www.thebridgeofdeaths.com and it has a contact form where people should feel free to ask any questions or request pdf. Copies of the book in exchange for honest reviews.

Thank you so much for taking time to chat with me today. It's been a pleasure having you and I wish you much success in the future.

Thank you BK it is an absolute pleasure to meet you.

M.C.V. Egan is the pen name chosen by Maria Catalina Egan the author of The Bridge of Deaths. Catalina was born in Mexico City, Mexico in 1959, one of eight children. From a very young age she became obsessed with the story of her maternal Grandfather, Cesar Agustin Castillo, mostly the story of how he died. She only spent her childhood in Mexico. Her father became an employee of The World Bank in Washington D.C.

From the early 1970s at the age of 12 she moved with her entire family to the United States. She was already fluent in Southern English as she had spent one school year in the town of Pineville, Louisiana with her grandparents. There she won the English award; ironically being the only one who had English as a second language in her class. In the D.C. suburbs she attended various private Catholic schools and graduated from Winston Churchill HS in Potomac, Maryland in 1977. She attended Montgomery Community College, where she changed majors every semester. She also studied in Lyons, France at the Catholic University for two years. In 1981, due to an impulsive young marriage to a Viking ( The Swedish kind, not the football player kind) Catalina moved to Sweden where she resided for five years and taught at a language school for Swedish, Danish, and Finnish businesspeople. She returned to the USA where she has been living ever since. She is fluent in Spanish, English, French and Swedish.

Mrs. Egan has worked for various companies and holds an Insurance license for the State of Florida. Not her favorite field but involves very nice folks and makes money!

Maria Catalina Egan is married and has one son, who together with their five pound Chihuahua makes her feel like a fulltime mother. Although she would not call herself an Astrologer she has taken many classes and taught a few beginner classes in Astrology. This is one of her many past times when she is not writing or researching.

She celebrated her 52^nd birthday on July 2^nd 2011 and gave herself self-publishing The Bridge of Deaths as a gift; she never submitted it to anyone prior to this decision and has enjoyed the very positive feedback.

The Bridge of Deaths is a love story and a mystery. Fictional characters travel through the world of past life regressions and information acquired from psychics as well as archives and historical sources to solve "One of those mysteries that never get solved" is based on true events and real people, it is the culmination of 18 years of sifting through sources in Denmark, England and the United States, it finds a way to help the reader feel that he /she is also sifting through data and forming their own conclusions. The journey takes the reader to well-known and little known events leading up to the Second World War, both in Europe and America. The journey also takes the reader to the possibility of finding oneself in this lifetime by exploring past lives.

M.C.V. Egan will be giving away one signed print each week to one lucky commenter that follows and comments on her tour. You can follow her tour HERE for more chances to win and Good Luck!

Read More