Wednesday, August 10, 2011

New Release - The Last Rites by Yvonne Mason

 Yvonne's my girl and I love her to death. She just came out with a new title. The Last Rites. It's based on true events and just look at this cover! It's gorgeous. So I want to congratulate Yvonne on her newest release, and tell you all - go buy the book man! You Will Love It! :).  Seriously though, consider buying it. You really will love it :).

In the early summer of 1975 a badly decomposed female body was found on Ulrich Rd in Fort Pierce, Florida. The case was initally investigated as a Jane Doe. No one had reported her missing and the body was so badly decomposed it was hard to get an identification. She was finally identified as Pauline Metler age 33 years old. In early fall the case went cold.

In 1976 it was reopened when a prisoner had a case of conscience and wanted to unburden his soul.

This book is her story so that she will never be forgotten again.









I love the music with this video. It's just seems so fitting :).

The eldest of five children, Yvonne was born May 17, 1951 in Atlanta, Georgia. Raised in East Point, Georgia, she moved to Jackson County, Ga. until 2006 then moved to Port St. Lucie, Florida where she currently makes her home.
Lic
She holds an Associate's Degree in Criminal Justice, a Bounty Hunter and a Published Author.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

VBT Pit Stop with Debra Chapoton - Edge of Escape


Please welcome Debra Chapoton to our blog today. Debra is on tour with her book Edge of Escape. She won her tour with The Virtual Book Tour Cafe', and she is also our winner for the Heart of Eden short story contest. We are so happy to be chatting with Debra today, and we are also her last tour stop. Welcome Debra to my humble abode.

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



What inspired you to pen your first title?

A colleague of mine required his students to write a novel over the course of two semesters. He said that everybody had a novel in their heads. I thought that if teenagers could accomplish such a feat during the school year then I would give it a try on summer vacation. I was amazed at how much fun it was to create.



How long have you been writing?

I wrote my first novel THE SECRET IN THE HIDDEN CAVE in 2002 and have tried to complete a new novel annually.



What was the hardest part about writing this particular novel?

I based the main characters in EDGE OF ESCAPE on former students. It was hard to keep my mental image of them from invading the fictional characters’ personalities to the point where they would be recognized. You know that phrase on the copyright page that says “any similarity to people living or dead is purely coincidental”? Well, keeping it “coincidental” was the hardest part.



Have any dreams been realized as a result of your writing?

Absolutely. Holding a finished book in my hand is a dream come true. Leaving a legacy behind is another dream realized.



Is there a message in your novel you want readers to grasp?

I would love it if people would start to notice the “invisible” kids and at least acknowledge them and be kind to them. The main character in EDGE OF ESCAPE, Eddie, suffered a tragedy that contributed to his emotional impairment. If he had had friends to see him through those early years he would have turned out all right. Of course then there would not have been an obsession, an abduction or this novel.



Where do you hope to take your writing in the future?

I’m having fun trying different genres. My next novel will be a youthful romance, a first love type of story, laced with adventure and hard decisions. Then I want to finish a sci-fi story I set aside a few years ago. I also have the outline in my head for a fourth book in the Big Pine Lodge series as well as a sequel to A Tick in Time and some more scary stories like Bigfoot Day,Ninja Night. I have plenty of ideas, just not enough time.



What advice do you have for writers just starting out?

Writers that are starting out should take some English classes, study literature and really learn grammar. Read, read, read. Then write, write, write. You can always edit later.



Anything else you would like to share with us today?......

I just self-published CROSSING THE SCRIPTURES, a Bible study book that covers how the 66 books of the Bible correspond in incredible ways with the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The Bible is the ultimate treasure chest. Discovering the amazing connections between each book and the symbolism of its matching letter was totally fascinating.

Congratulations on publishing Crossing The Scriptures! It sounds like an amazing book for any age.
Emotionally impaired yet clever, Eddie obsesses over pretty Rebecca. He drugs her, abducts her and locks her away. She escapes, but that is part of his plan as he pretends to be her knight in shining armor. Will she accept his special devotion or reject his fragile love? Stalking gets a sympathetic twist in this story of fixation and fear. 

Edge of Escape Excerpt
Chapter 1
Mmm. Sleep. She took an involuntary sniff through her nose and made an audible sigh out her mouth, loud enough to pull her almost all the way up from the strangest dream. It was a soft nightmare, not scary but very unpleasant. Weird, the way dreams sometimes are. She rolled to her right and jerked herself completely awake. The room was pitch black but her eyes were wide and searching. Her left wrist seemed tethered to the side of the bed. She reached with her right hand and felt blindly from her wrist to a cold metal pole. She was handcuffed. Panicking, she rattled the pole and started to scream. The screams turned to grunts and groans as she struggled with the shackles. She paused to listen, holding her breath. Nothing. Still pitch black. There were faint sounds from somewhere. Far away expressway noises, a breeze through tall trees, closer crickets. But no house sounds, no refrigerator hum, no creaks, no ticking clock. She let out her breath and tried to calm herself. She was fully clothed but shoeless. Her watch was gone. She pulled her legs up under herself for leverage and started to stand, intending to rip her wrist restraint free of the metal. She placed the chain links in her left hand and grabbed the wrist metal with her right. She braced herself, tilted her head upwards, gritted her teeth and straightened her legs fast. Her head met an unexpectedly low ceiling hard enough to knock her back into the soft nightmare.

* * *


“Is she awake?” the nurse asked. A handsome man was hovering over the young woman’s bandaged body, continually checking the monitors and lightly kissing her cheeks, her right hand, and her forehead.


“She’s been moaning and her eyes fluttered once. I’ve been squeezing her hand but there’s no response.” He touched her face again, “Come on, Becca, wake up.”


The nurse scanned the chart again. Rebecca MacPherson, 18, unmarried. And what a hunk of man at her bedside. The nurse admired his devotion. He had not left her side in the 36 or so hours that the unconscious girl had lain there. Her injuries did not appear severe though her left wrist was bandaged. There was a lump on her forehead, which must have hurt, but the patient was unaware of pain and oblivious to her surroundings. The nurse checked the monitors and frowned. Rebecca should have awakened by now. She didn’t want the guy to worry any more than he already was so she smiled at him and gave him an encouraging thumbs up sign. “She’ll awake soon. Everything looks fine.”


She headed for the door and glanced back. Such a handsome young man, she thought. No matter the age, the good ones are always taken.


* * *


Rebecca was unconscious for only a few minutes but she had no way of knowing that. It was still pitch black in the low ceilinged room. This time she was more cautious. She felt around first with her feet and then with her free arm, stretching and twisting in order to get as clear an idea of her position as possible. All the way to the right she could feel the side of the bed. She could dangle her feet over the side and outwards three feet but could not feel anything solid. The top of the bed had a crib-like railing instead of a headboard and when she stuck her right arm through the slats there was no wall immediately behind it. She clicked her fingers in an effort to sense the space as if she had sonar abilities. She even squeezed her eyes tightly shut to concentrate on her hearing. She guessed that the wall was near, maybe a couple of feet away. She reached up and felt again the low ceiling. Rebecca was only 5 feet two inches tall and identifying ceiling textures was not on the list of things a short girl like her would do, but this felt like concrete, more like a basement floor than a ceiling. No wonder I knocked myself out, she thought, raising her fingers to her forehead. Whoa. She had a huge knot above her eyebrow, tender to the touch.


She continued her blind search, first feeling with her feet down the left side of the bed beneath the metal pole. There was a horizontal pole along the bottom of the mattress, then nothing. She couldn’t feel the floor. She placed both hands on the pole and lowered herself. Still no floor. She was dangling like a kid on a trapeze. She pressed one bare foot against the pole and made a 180-degree arc with the other. Her big toe grazed something hard and smooth. Glass, she thought, a window. She changed position and used her other foot, stretching harder and scraping with her toenail. A sliver of gray night bled through the blackened window. She continued to stretch and scrape until her muscles ached and her cuffed wrist bled.

Exhausted, she pulled her body back onto the mattress. She tilted her head toward the window and tried to think. The last thing she remembered was shopping with her friend, Sarah, and feeling a little nauseated from an ice cream drink. She was walking alone down a corridor to the restrooms when … what? Obviously I’ve been abducted, she thought. She had been suppressing this thought since the moment she awakened. Rebecca was stronger than her small frame indicated, physically and mentally. She was an iron-willed person, always wanting to be in control, and always the center of attention.

Her stomach growled and she realized she needed to go to the bathroom as well. She refused to acknowledge the chilling fear that was creeping up her spine and instead stared at the window, at the gray strips of light that were appearing to brighten. She worked the handcuffs along the pole and reached further but still nothing. She twisted until she could get her head over the bedside and then she vomited. Time to cry. The frustration and fear, the handcuffs and the darkness were overwhelming. Rebecca wept.


You can learn more about Debra and her books at http://edgeofescape.blogspot.com 

Debra Chapoton has taught kids of all ages in her main career as a teacher. She has a BA in Spanish and a Master of Arts degree in Teaching English. She started writing in 2002 and was surprised to find out that the characters quickly take over the action and dialogue in the stories.

Her first YA novel is Edge of Escape. The main character, Eddie, is brilliant yet emotionally impaired. He fixates on pretty and popular Rebecca. He abducts her then tries to be her rescuer as she escapes his traps. His fragile devotion reveals a delicate spirit that Rebecca can either accept or reject. Stalking and obsession get a sympathetic twist in this story of physical and psychological survival.

Chapoton has also written the Big Pine Lodge series for kids ages 8 – 12. These books follow the adventures of Missy and Kevin as they explore the lodge, the cemetery, the old ruins and especially the labyrinth of caves which run beneath the lake and mountain near Big Pine Lodge. They solve mysteries, confront danger and face off with teenage bullies or wild animals in The Secret in the Hidden Cave, Mystery’s Grave and Bullies and Bears.

Other chapter books she has authored are A Tick in Time, a fantasy adventure into a parallel universe, and Bigfoot Day, Ninja Night, a pair of spooky stories that kids love. She has recently published a non-fiction work, Crossing the Scriptures, which explores the amazing connections between the 66 books of the Bible as they align with the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. This Bible study reveals the intricate weaving of words and themes in books that are spaced at equal intervals.

   


    


Thank you so much for stopping in and chatting with us Debra. As always, it's amazing to learn more and more about you. Wishing you much success in the future!
Cheers,





Tuesday, August 2, 2011

5 Latte's for Hunting Human by Amanda E. Alvarez

Hunting HumanHunting Human by Amanda E. Alvarez

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


What can I say? I was enthralled with this title. Hunting Human is a must read for anyone that loves a good paranormal romance! The cover is gorgeous too!

Beth Williams leads a life of keeping to herself. She is working for Angie and loves the commotion that always arises when she is at the Cafe'. When Braden Edwards walks into her life, she isn't prepared for the whirlwind of events that are about to take place.

Beth finds herself forced to relive the death of her best friend, and becoming a werewolf when the brother of the man that turned her is seeking revenge for his brothers death at Beth's hands. Now she must face the demon within her and the ones that surround her. The problem is that she doesn't know how to shift without the pain. Once she realizes that Braden too is a wolf, they must learn to look past all the bad and trust each other if they are to defeat Markko and his Bolvek clan.

The question is, will love survive?

Alvarez did a wonderful job with Hunting Human. Not only does she put her own twist on this paranormal realm, it was a type of paranormal that I've not seen too often. I loved Beth, and just wanted to give her a hug and tell her it would be alright. Braden, WHEW, I want me a Braden. Who wouldn't? Then we have Chase. I think I could like him a bunch, maybe not at first, but he grew on my as the story went on. All in all, I loved all these characters, could easily relate to them, and found myself laughing a lot at Mom Edwards. She's a put her foot down and do as I say kind of gal and I loved it.

This was a fantastic read, fast paced and it will surely have you turning the pages to see how it all ends.















View all my reviews

4 Latte's for Web of Lies - My Life with a Narcissist by Sarah Tate

Web of Lies - My Life with a NarcissistWeb of Lies - My Life with a Narcissist by Sarah Tate

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Web of Lies - My Life with a Narcissist was an unbelievable read. The entire time I was reading, I wanted to reach in the pages and tell Sarah to get out now!

Moving to a new country, starting a new life, Sarah thought she was in for a brand new fresh start. After arriving to work, she meets Bill. Not instantly attracted to Bill, she can't help but to be swept up by his charm. He's writing her songs, taking her on extravagant getaways. She thought he was going to be her life and eventually she married him.

What she soon learned though, was lie after lie by Bill, things started to not add up. He was always on the lookout for his next big riches, not having work for months even years at a time. He was being sued for money every time Sarah turned around. She kept faith in Bill though, standing by his side knowing that he would provide.

Then came their first child. Bill doted on their daughter Lucy from the moment she was born. Sarah had no idea how to be a Mom, and was feeling a little distraught about it. Financially things didn't change though. Sarah was starting to worry she would not be able to feed her child, especially after the next one came.

Now Bill is working out of their basement in yet another new home, going to make his millions on the internet. More and more time he spends on the computer, and more and more he and Sarah drift apart. Depression sets in, and Bill's excuses are never ending.

Deciding writing her poetry would help, Sarah has Bill build her a website. It gets off the ground with a great start, members consistently joining. Now Bill is into this website, and is no longer working on his millions, but chatting online with people from Sarah's new poetry site.

Less and less time with the children, Sarah becomes agitated. In an effort to save their marriage, she tries to make it work with Bill, and romances him, thinking she is not doting on him enough and plans for another baby. While is excited about being a father again, what she soon finds out is that on his next "important" business trip, he is not alone.

This in turn causes Sarah to start investigating Bill's past. What she learns sickens her to no end and forces her mind to a decision...she will divorce this man.

This was such a moving story. The hardship and total ruins that this woman had to face was just astounding. It stands true that cycles always repeat, but Sarah had no idea what this man was doing to her. It's sad to know that their is a disease such as this out there and half the people don't even realize they have a problem. Much like addiction. Bill Tate took advantage of lonely souls, one right after another. When Sarah started questioning his every move, Bill knew it was time to move on.

Luckily Sarah got out before it ruined her. Bill's actions actually took the life of his poor wife before Sarah, and his lies never ceased to amaze. Kudos to Sarah for escaping her demise.



This is the updated cover.











View all my reviews

5 Latte's for Johnny Big Ears and the Feel Good Friend by John Paul Padilla

JOHNNY BIG-EARS, THE FEEL-GOOD FRIEND, Author Special Edition BookJOHNNY BIG-EARS, THE FEEL-GOOD FRIEND, Author Special Edition Book by John Paul Padilla

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Johnny Big Ears - The Feel Good Friend by John Paul Padilla

Reviewed by Daniel Dietz

Johnny Big Ears always had curly black hair and big ears. His first day of school he was so excited to start, and his mother cut his hair revealing his big ears. Johnny loved his new haircut and couldn't wait to get to school.

He arrives to school, meets his teacher and his day begins. He learns his alphabet, writes his name on the chalkboard, it's so fun to be at school.

Then it's time for recess. He's having fun, kicking a ball around when two kids start picking on him about his ears, "You're funny looking", "You have huge ears, I bet you could fly like a bird." As they continue picking on him, Johnny gets mad, but remembers what his mother told him about bullies and chooses to ignore them. They don't let up, following him around teasing him. Johnny can't take it any longer and finally runs away crying.

Finding a new spot, he starts kicking the ball around again, feeling very sad. A new kid comes up to him and says "Hi." His name is Charlie Freckles, and Charlie knows how Johnny feels because he too gets picked on because of his freckles. They begin playing together, and a new friendship is formed.

Recess is over and Johnny is sad because he doesn't want to stop playing with his new friend. Charlie and Johnny run side by side to go back into school and their friendship continues to grow.

At the end of the day, Johnny's mother comes to pick him up. Johnny tells her about his day, how he was teased and how he made a new friend. He asks his mother, "Am I special?" She answers him with, "Yes you are Johnny Big Ears, my sweet little man." She tells him that we should love people regardless of their actions, and very proud he didn't respond to the bullying, and rewards him with a pizza.

I think Padilla did a great job describing bullying in elementary school. It would be a fantastic book for teachers to share with their students, as well as parents to help kids learn about bullying, and how it can affect children.















View all my reviews

5 Latte's for Herphus and the importance of Aroooo by Robert Wheiler

Herphus and the importance of ArooooHerphus and the importance of Aroooo by Robert Wheiler

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Herphus and the Importance of AROOOO by Robert Wheiler



Reviewed by Daniel Dietz



Herphus is a girl bloodhound that just sits on her chain laying around all day. She's always lazy and feels the time has come to do something important. She chews the rope holding her to the yard and digs a hole under the fence.



She goes down the street, gets her foot stuck in bubble gum, trying to chew the gum off her foot she ends up getting her face stuck too. A boy comes to her aid helping to free her. Thankful, she continues on her way. She hears trained bloodhounds howling, and heads to the sound. She finds the bloodhounds tracking a lost boy, and they tell her to go away.



Their tracking device is the boys shoe. Herphus smells the shoe to get his scent. The bloodhounds lose the trail, but Herphus didn't. She locks on the scent, running past the trained hounds into the woods, howling like she's never howled before.



She meets other forest animals, and comes across a cave. Squirrels tell her that people that enter the cave never come out. She doesn't care as she's onto the boys scent and she enters cave. She sees a light and comes to the kidnapper and the boy. She growls at the kidnapper, her hound instincts taking over.



The police heard her growling and entered the cave. With the kidnapper frozen in place by Herphus, they arrest him and find the boy behind a boulder with his mouth taped and Herphus by his side. She's saved the day.



The police take her back to town with them to celebrate and Herphus gets a badge for her bravery. She becomes part of the Search and Rescue team, and her original owner gives the boy the option to keep her for the good she did.



Wheiler did an excellent job with this title. It's a great childrens mystery and would enthrall any child. I enjoyed this story and couldn't put it down until I was at the end.











View all my reviews

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

VBT Pit Stop & Giveaway with Robyn Bradley - Forgotten April


Please welcome Robyn Bradley author of Forgotten April. She is currently on tour with The Virtual Book Tour Cafe' and today she joins me on Nauset Beach in Orleans. Welcome Robyn and thank you so much for taking time to chat with me today.


Robyn Bradley is a Short Story Seductress and Novelist Ninja with an MFA in Creative Writing from Lesley University. Her work has appeared in FictionWeekly.com, Metal Scratches, The Breakwater Review, Writer's Digest, and The MetroWest Daily News, among other places. In 2007, she won a short story award for “A Touch of Charlotte.” Forgotten April is her first novel. When she's not writing or sleeping, Robyn enjoys watching Law & Order marathons, drinking margaritas, and determining how many degrees really separate her from George Clooney. Learn more at www.robynbradley.com.

BK: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
RB: I've known I wanted to be a writer ever since Mrs. Shea gave me four red stars on a short story I wrote in the fourth grade. The whole experience -- drafting the story (in pencil), finalizing the story (in pen), and sharing it with an "audience" of fellow fourth graders -- was magical from start to finish. I knew I wanted to do that for the rest of my life, although it took some time to get where I am today (and I took a few detours as well).

BK: What inspired this particular story?
RB: For me, like so many writers, it started out with a question. What if someone was given up for adoption at birth and when she finally finds her birth mother, decades later, mom can't reveal the "why" because she's suffering from Alzheimer's disease? I know people who've been adopted, and the question of "why" is one that haunts them. The story grew from there. In the book, Maggie is the person who had been given up for adoption. She's in her early fifties when she decides to find her birth mother, and when she does, she finds she has a half sister, April, as well as a birth mother suffering from Alzheimer's.
BK: Tell us a little bit about your main character April, and what was it like to write her story?
RB: April is a fighter. She's suffered many losses in her life -- the death of her father when she was only five and then the deaths of her husband and young son when she was in her twenties. When the story opens, April is also dealing with her mother's descent into Alzheimer's. But despite all this, April has hope, deep down. It's this hope that pulls her through. I think she's a character people will be able to relate to, because we've all heard the saying "life is what happens when you're busy making other plans." April knows some of this is out of her control. And despite all the heartache, she doesn't give up, and she eventually takes a chance on forging a relationship with her half sister, Maggie. I enjoyed getting into April's head, but I also enjoyed getting into the other three main characters' heads as well (the story is told in multiple first-person viewpoints), since this device showed April from different perspectives.


BK: Will we be seeing more of April?
RB: April's story feels "done" to me. But never say never, right? :)

BK: What have you learned about yourself as a result of becoming a published author?
RB: I've learned how valuable my day job as a self-employed marketing copywriter has been in helping me market my fiction. I've approached this publishing venture as a business, which I realize might make some fellow writers cringe. Writing is an art, but once the book or short story is finished (and I realize a story is never really "finished"), the writer has a choice: let it "be" and be satisfied with whatever happens. Or treat the book like a product and do everything in your power to get it out there to your audience. I've been self-employed for almost a decade, so starting up this second business wasn't as daunting as I sometimes hear it is for other writers. I know how to market (and I know it takes time, thus the "drudgery of marketing" that you'll hear about). I'm willing to take risks. And I'm not afraid of falling, or failing.

BK: What is a day in the writing life of Robyn Bradley consist of?
RB: My day starts with strong coffee and scratches behind Dorian Gray's ears (my cat). Then, I check email, my FB page, my Twitter account, Goodreads, and KindleBoards. I don't check sales, believe it or not, but I do check my rank on Amazon and on B&N and see if there are any new reviews. From there, I divide my day between writing, reading, marketing my books, and client work for my copywriting business.

BK: Do you have any writing quirks or must have's that you need to write?
RB: Coffee. Red Swedish fish for a treat. I prefer silence to music, although background noise (like what you find in a coffee shop) can be a nice change of pace. Otherwise, all I need is a computer (I'm not a longhand writer, mainly because my handwriting stinks).

BK: What do you hope your readers take away from your writing? Is there a hidden message?
RB: I want my readers to be entertained. I'm a storyteller first and foremost, and I love it when readers tell me they couldn't put the book down. If someone loses sleep because he or she is reading my book, I've done my job well. There are no hidden messages per se, but some threads are perhaps a little more subtle than other threads.

BK: What is one piece of advice that you have received that you always carry with you while you write?
RB: I like Stephen King's "write with the door closed, but revise with the door open" advice. The hardest part, for any of us, I think, is just getting it down. Don't censor. Don't judge. Turn off your inner critic. Write with the door closed and know it's you and only you right now. Be fearless in your drafts and know you can always go back later and change things.

BK: What can readers always expect from you, regardless of the covers of your books?
RB: Readers can expect a story -- I'm not looking to be cute or precious or to introduce a new form. I just want to tell stories, ones that make people laugh, cry, think, feel.

BK: Are you currently working on any projects now?
RB: My next novel, What Happened in Granite Creek, is coming out in October. I'm working on final revisions now as well as the marketing plan and cover art.
BK: Where can readers find you?
RB: I love connecting with readers! I'm proud of the community my readers have helped me create on my Facebook page, so if you're on FB, I hope you'll stop by and join in on the conversations: http://www.facebook.com/RobynBradleyWriter

I'm also on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/RobynBradley

My website has links to my blog and Goodreads: http://www.robynbradley.com



For April Sullivan-LaMonica, the last ten years have been hell: her husband and young son were killed in a car accident, and soon after, her mom descended into the darkness of Alzheimer’s. So when broadcast journalist Maggie Prescott shows up claiming to be April’s half sister and tries to capture their reunion on film, April outwardly regards Maggie with much suspicion. In reality, she’s simply afraid to grow close to someone again, only to have that person leave — or worse.

Maggie, meanwhile, is battling her own demons: figuring out why her biological mother gave her up, facing a secret she’s kept from the one man she’s loved all her life, and giving herself permission to follow the dream she’s had since she was a child.
Separated by nearly two decades and radically different life paths, April and Maggie must decide if pursuing their sisterhood is worth it…or even possible.
A story of loss, love, survival, and redemption, Forgotten April will speak to anyone who’s experienced the pains — and riches — of an unexpected friendship that emerges from family ties.













Thank you so much for chatting with me.
Thank you! :)

Giveaway

I'm happy to give away one paperback (mailed in US) and 5 ebooks (Mobi or ePub files).


Thank you so much Robyn. To enter, simply leave a comment for Robyn, telling her one life struggle you've overcome. Don't forget to leave your email address so we have a way to reach you should you win.

Extra Entries:
Follow Robyn on Facebook
Follow Robyn on Twitter
Follow Robyn on Goodreads

(you will have to visit her site to go to Goodreads)

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Monday, July 11, 2011

VBT Pit Stop with Chloe JonPaul - This Business of Children


Please help me welcome Chloe JonPaul today. She is a phenomenal woman which you will soon learn and is here today on tour with her new release, This Business of Children. Check this out...


Thank you for taking time to chat with us today Chloe. Please tell us a little about yourself......

As a teacher for 35 years, I taught every grade except kindergarten.  My teaching experience extended to Adult Ed in Maine and Maryland, high school English in a Maryland psychiatric facility, and to inmates in the Maryland state prison as well.

Teaching and writing have always been my passions.  I retired early from teaching and turned to writing full time when the death knell sounded on my creativity in the classroom.  We were being forced to “teach to the test” and that was something I refused to do.
  
Everything people read in my bio has been accomplished since the age of 50. I’ll simply share a few things I’ve accomplished since the age of 50.  Otherwise it would be too lengthy (smile). I have three published books since 2003: 2 non-fiction, 1 fiction I won the Title of Ms. Maryland Senior America 2003. In 1996, I was the recipient of the Fulbright Fellowship Seminars Abroad award to South Africa I was Lead facilitator for the Alternatives to Violence Project in prison and community workshops on conflict resolution for ten years I was State representative for the National Family Caregivers Association’s caregiver community action network 2006-2008 I have traveled to all 7 continents of the world –fulfilling a lifetime goal in 2005.

What inspired you to pen your first title?

My philosophy of life is: find a need and fill it.  I had been a caregiver to my parents and grandparents.  When I finally had to make the decision to place both my parents in a long term care facility,I began to see the problems other caregivers were facing so I took a survey to find out what they needed to know.  That information, along with my own personal experience, developed into a book.It subsequently took me across the U.S. giving workshops to family and professional caregivers.

How long have you been writing?

I have always loved to write – even as a young child but I never really thought about doing it seriously.  As an adult, I wrote occasional articles for small magazines and newspapers.I started writing my first book in 2002.  

What was the hardest part about writing this particular novel?

Perhaps the most hardest part was being able to get “inside the skin of the male characters – capturing their thoughts, words, and actions.

Have any dreams been realized as a result of your writing?

Yes!  When I look at those three books displayed on a bookshelf in my den, I can say I’m the author!  Don McCauley selected me for his book, 50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading.  I feel honored to have been selected.

Is there a message in your novel you want readers to grasp?

I think that Sandy Fivecoat, one of the people who wrote an endorsement for the book says it best:
This Business of Children is a gripping tale that should not be missed!  Whether you are a teacher, parent, policy leader, or interested citizen, this inside perspective, positioned in a realistic novel, is a must read! Sandy Fivecoat Founder, WeAreTeachers.com.

Where do you hope to take your writing in the future?

1. I would like to see This Business of Children made into a movie.
2. I would like to continue writing my personal memoirs.
3. I may decide to do something with the 2 manuscripts that are still lying around: The Untold Story of the Alphabet Alessandra Teresa Petrucci: The Little Girl with a  Long Name, Both stories require illustration.

What advice do you have for writer's just starting out?

My advice is simply this:
* Identify your target audience.
* Network with like-minded people.
* Prepare an outline of what you want to accomplish.
* Set a date for completion.
* Think POD: persistence,organized, determined

Anything else you would like to share with us today?......
I would love to hear from anyone of your readers.  They can visit my web site: www.chloejonpaul.com and drop me a note.



Chloe Jon Paul, M.Ed., is a retired educator and writer of several published articles and a previous book entitled "What Happens Next: A Family Guide to Nursing Home Visits" and More... 

Her many achievements since the age of 55 include: 
- Title of Ms. Maryland Senior America 2003  Recipient of the Fulbright Fellowship 
- Seminars Abroad award to South Africa, 1996
- Volunteer internship during the 2005 Maryland legislative session as a Legacy 
- Leadership Institute graduate Lead facilitator for the Alternatives to Violence Project in prison and community workshops on conflict resolution for ten years State representative for the National Family Caregivers Association's caregiver community action network 2006-2008 Advisory board member: MD, Healthcare Commission and the Interagency Commission for Aging Services: Maryland Dept. of Aging Hospice and homeless shelter volunteer Coordinator for the Good Samaritan Project at her church World traveler - all 7 continents.


Blurb:
“…because the story that claws at my brain and keeps me awake nights has to be told.”~ Vera Harriss

Vera Harriss Vera Harriss, Deidre Fletcher, Mark Pettingill, and Stu Martel are elementary school teachers in the fictional town of Blevins, Maine whose secret, private lives change dramatically as you read.

Vera, who is about to retire, vents her anger during a Board of Education meeting with a speech that brings the audience to its feet. Why does Deidre, an exceptional teacher, leave the job she loves to become a corporate trainer down South? Then there is Mark, the perennial job hunter looking for a corporate position with more prestige and pay but then turns down the perfect offer when it finally comes through. Stu, one of the most popular teachers in the school, struggles with a deep, dark secret that he can only share with Deidre. What causes Stu Vera Harriss, Dee Fletcher, Mark Pettingill, and Stu Martel are eager to share their intriguing secrets and entangled lives with you.






















5.0 out of 5 stars
 
Wonderful fun read!June 29, 2011
By 
Susan Fletcher (Henderson, NC United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: This Business of Children (Paperback)
This is a great book that I couldn't put down until the end, and then, I wanted it to continue. I got so wrapped up in the main characters' lives. I felt like I knew them personally. As a teacher of 27 years, this was a wonderful book that pinpoints many problems that teachers encounter in their daily lives, both at school and home. I really enjoyed this book, and I'm sure you will too. I was also impressed that the author answered my e-mail.


I just wanted to throw this review in to show that Chloe will answer your emails. She loves her fans and wants to hear from you. Leave her a comment today. Thank you so much for stopping in during your tour Chloe. I wish you much success in the future.

Thursday, June 30, 2011

GFP - PJ Jones is here with Romance Novel





PJ Jones began writing Romance Novel in the spring of 2009 when she was seriously ill, thinking that this book would be her last dying legacy for mankind. After you read this book, you will probably wonder if she was trying to seal her fate in hell. Who knows? But PJ Jones has conquered her illness and is much better now. But you probably don't care, as long as her writing is funny. PJ Jones is also an avid reader of real romance novels. So why does she poke fun of them? Consider it comic relief.

What inspired me to write ROMANCE NOVEL…by PJ Jones

First off, I’m an avid romance reader and not ashamed to admit it. So what would inspire me to write a parody of my favorite genre? My need to laugh and to make others laugh. It’s much cheaper than therapy and it doesn’t damage your kidneys like prescription pain killers, unless, of course, you end up laughing too hard, which, I am told, has happened to a number of my readers. And, by the way, didn’t you just love my previous long-winded run-on sentence preceded by an incomplete sentence? Laughing is also much easier than editing grammar, which I hate.  

It’s amazing how a writer can discover her funny bone when wallowing in self-pity. That’s how I discovered my twisted and crude sense of humor. Over two years ago, I was suffering from an unexplained health crisis, and since laughter has always been my best medicine, writing ROMANCE NOVEL was my source of therapy.

Is the tax collector banging on your door right now? Does your husband refuse to lower the toilet seat? Do you burn Granny’s famous casserole recipe every time you make it? If so, then you need some inspiration. You need to laugh.

Have you read ROMANCE NOVEL? If not, please don’t make me sick FLABIO on you. He’s carries a big and beefy grudge against anyone who doesn’t fawn over his virile body and macho moobs.  I guarantee, if you are currently lacking inspiration, FLABIO, DEADWARD, SMELLA and SNAKE just may find a way to tickle your funny bone.  PJ 







Smella Rosepetal must find a millionaire husband to finance her baby’s heart transplant. She flies home to her deputy father’s ranch in Pitchforks, Texas, where she falls in love with Deadward Forest, a wealthy environmentalist vampire. 

When a deranged murderer is on the loose in Pitchforks, killing romance heroines, Deadward assumes Smella would be safer without him. Smella turns to her childhood friend, Snake Long, for comfort. But Snake doesn’t have the money to save her baby, so Smella places herself in peril in a desperate hunt for a rich husband. 

Time is running out for Smella’s baby, and she must escape from the Australian Outback and face down Flabio, an overweight and disgruntled, aspiring cover model, plus enraged vampire wives and their homosexual, vampire, cowboy husbands, a jealous were-gerbil, James Bond, a drunk rodeo clown and Smella’s strange boyfriend who wants to drain her blood, yet is repulsed by her smell. 

   Snake,” Smella cooed while trailing her fingertip along his bulging biceps. “There’s something I need to ask you.”
His eyes widened, and he looked at her with a goofy, hopeful gleam in his eyes. “You want me to be the father of your illegitimate child?”
Don’t be silly.” She swatted his shoulder while rolling her eyes. “I was wondering if you knew anything about Deadward Forest.”
Snake winced, a gleam of anger flashing across his features. “Why do you want to know about pasty face?”
That’s not very nice, Snake,” she scolded. “Maybe he’s allergic to Vitamin D.”
Are you joking?” He spat. “Deadward is a bloodsucker, just like the rest of his family.”
Bloodsuckers? Really?” Smella perked, the visualization of heaping wads of money making her mouth water. “So that’s how he got rich. Do they handle personal injuries or divorces?”
Neither, Smella.” Snake shook his head, while jumping out of the truck and slamming the imaginary door. “You need to stay away from The Forests,” he raged, before sweeping Smella into a passionate embrace. “Let me take care of you and the little bastard,” he begged, his eyes turning dark, thunderous.
Mouth agape, Smella stared at Snake. His body was large, strong and warm. She could get lost in his liquid molten gaze. Oh, if only he was rich and white. But now was not the time to be distracted by secondary heroes. She needed a man who could save little Wally.
Do you have the money to pay for my baby’s heart surgery?” she rasped.
No,” he said on an exhale, as if his chest had been crushed with the admission.  
Then forget it, Snake!” Smella pushed away, trying hard to ignore her feelings for him as she bemoaned the fact that friendship sex would count as a strike against her virginity. “I’ve already made up my mind.” She spoke without conviction then bit hard on her knuckles in an effort to quell her raging sexual hormones.  
Besides,” she confessed, “even though I don’t know much about Deadward, I’m already irrevocably and unconditionally in love with him.”







Goddess Fish Partner

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

4 Cafe' Imperfect by L.E. Harvey

Picture
Imperfect by L.E. Harvey puts you right in the center of true love.

Carol and Alexandria met at a dance club after Carol took a night to the town with college roommate Marlene.

Hitting it off immediately,  we watch their relationship grow over the years.  As an interracial gay relationship,  these two face constant trials, but together they come out strong.

Even when Alex's family is unsure of what might become, Carol promises Alex's twin brother she will never hurt her.

When an illness strikes and Carol is not recovering near as quickly as she should,  Alex forces her to see a doctor.  Not wanting to upset her love,  she complies,  only to find out she has contracted AIDS from a blood transfusion she received when she was sick.

Now they must find out if Alex too has contracted this deadly virus.  Through the waiting and the fear,  the results come back.  Guilt ridden,  Byron,  Alex's twin brother blames Carol for Alex being sick and thinks she's broken her promise.

As they work through the news of being sick,  overcoming family disputes,  and now threats against their very being,  Carol and Alex must overcome the worst of all.  They must accept the possibility of death.

Harvey wrote a telling tale of an emotional ride.  Though nobody's life is perfect,  Carol can't help but to feel imperfect.  We watch as this love grows and flourishes even through tough times and you will surely feel the emotion portrayed.