Author Spotlight with Dorothy Day

I had an interesting interview with Dorothy Day, a family therapist and retired teacher.
She is the author of the book, Memories of the Sharecropper's Family: Includes an Ainsworth History.

Tell us about yourself.

I am almost 68 years old, and getting introspective or just wanting to make sure my grandchildren and future generations know I occupied a place and made a small difference.
I devoted over 25 years to teaching marvelous students the joys of language and then now 22 years as a marriage and family therapist, some years overlapping.
My husband Charles and I, and our Bitza (term for mixed parentage dog, coined by Clare McIntosh) Lady live a pretty quiet life in rural Mississippi in the sunny and humid South (USA).
I was chaired as a result of a late onset muscular dystrophy, searched for a new purpose as I rolled through life, and have finally settled on writing.
I have been creative, imaginative, loving language for years, but a slow typist.
Several years ago I threw out the clutter of a couple of feet high notebooks and journals I had amassed over the years.
No regrets.
I am a different person now.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Like most of us, I assume, there was that little germ within that kept telling me I could write.
If I didn’t have so many papers to grade, preparations to make, people to entertain—so much busyness and so many excuses!
I wrote during the first ten minutes of class with my students.
I wrote according to prompts from a writing group.
But I did not become author/writer until I quit playing and started writing.
I was hesitant to say that I am a writer, but I am a teller of stories.

What inspired you to become a writer?

Death—the death of a career, the death of independence by new inability to drive, the death of a beloved older brother who had kept the family stories alive through his tales.
For Joe and Mike and Bill and Gene, I started retelling the stories as best as I knew them.
I interviewed siblings to get their memories of our family and our struggles and our celebrations, and our successes in leaving poverty far behind us.
I wanted others to know the richness of our lives.

Do you have a specific writing style?

My writing style is the folksy, storytelling style.

What books have most influenced your life

Books that have influenced me— To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my all-time favorites; Atticus Finch is the fantasy father I wanted.
There have been so many authors that I have loved.
I have read eclectically—literary fiction, thrillers, mysteries, nonfiction, Shakespeare, Milton, Donne, Thomas Grey.
We had few reading materials when I was young, and I read the Bible, Readers’ Digest, and the daily news.

Are your writings based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

If someone reads my memoir/family history and gets to chapter 13, she or he will discover the family Bluebeard murderer that I am writing about in my novel A Taste for Death. So I take real events and flesh them into something new. I am discovering how difficult it is to keep so much information on track. I am thankful that I was reared by a sharecropper so I can depict those Depression-era times of Mississippi farmers who wanted more and was willing to sacrifice to get more.
Unfortunately, his desire led to his willingness to sacrifice family members.
Yet, I am not a dark and foreboding person, so hopefully, there will be a redemptive message.


Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?

I reach out for information to other authors and delight in making connections with them. Janet Taylor-Perry has answered so many of my questions about self-publishing and has pushed me toward promotion and marketing; Charlie Spillers needs to belong to this group; his account of years as secret agent in Mississippi and Louisiana are thriller-worthy memoir—he tells a story of two women whose story I want to purloin; he also answers my questions.
Phyllis F. McManus tells a good story, is encouraging, and we have talked on the phone several states apart.
I have found out with my dependencies as the youngest in a family of eight that writers share eagerly.
We all want our voices to be heard.
My college English teacher, Edna Earle Crews, has mentored many writers and has helped me ever since I left her class fifty years ago; she is a poet.
Holly Lisle’s, Janice Hardy’s, Lakin’s websites, thenextbigwriter.com, my college roommates have also influenced me.
Cassie Select is the author I sought to impress, and she said very nice things about my WIP.
Ian Sutherland has also been kind to answer questions, as well as Wesley Banks.


What book are you reading now?

I have finished Paz Ellis’s book and will soon post a review.
I have waiting for me when I get a certain amount of work done Greg Iles’s new book.
It is purchased, signed, and is a great motivator to catch up to my writing plan.

If you were not a writer what else would you like to do?

I have travelled some, but if life were more accessible, I would go in an RV to every state, find interesting people, and tell their stories—oops, back to writing again!
Career-wise, I believe God has so ordained and ordered my steps that past background has prepared me to be a writer.
I have sold toys, Tupperware, makeup, encyclopedias, appliances, and furniture.
I have slung food, cafeteria style and worked a soda fountain and gift shop.
I have worked in libraries.
I worked as a home daycare provider, kindergarten teacher, taught grades 6 through 12.
I have been a college liaison counselor for Job Corps and taught college prep classes.
I have been a social worker, mental health center counselor, case manager for the Baptist Children’s Village.
I have been a public speaker in the area of family life.
Those were my jobs, but my life was working for my family as wife, mother, mother-in-law, daughter, daughter-in-law, and grandmother.

Connect with Dorothy on Facebook

You can purchase her book on Amazon

Author Spotlight with Raquel Fletcher

Raquel Fletcher is a television reporter and world traveller, who lives in Quebec.
She’s a dog lover, Saskatchewan Roughriders fan, and a member of the Real Lives Team - a sub-group of Books Go Social.
Raquel is the author of The Year I Turned 25: A Memoir About Sex, Anxiety, and a Dog Named She-Devil.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I am a TV reporter, photographer, and blogger living in Quebec City, Canada.
I was born and raised on the prairies (cheering for the Roughriders) and love to travel all over the globe.

When and why did you begin writing?

I began keeping a diary at six years old.
That turned into a hobby, which turned into a genuine desire to become a writer.
I’m still working on that.


When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I consider myself a journalist first and foremost, and then a storyteller.
Writing is just the medium.

What inspired you to write your first book?

I kept a blog for a year (yearoftheselfieblog.com) where I took daily selfies in an attempt to bring self-reflection back en vogue.
The response was amazing – and readers encouraged me to turn the blog into a book.


Do you have a specific writing style?

I like to write in first person present, but I’m still experimenting with my style.

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

In my memoir, I hope for people to get a better understanding of the collective woman experience in North America and reflect on the link that has to women’s mental health.

Are your writings based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

I write about my own life because as a journalist I am always asking people to tell me the most personal things about themselves.
My blog and my book is a way to give back.

What books have most influenced your life?

Aleta Dey, by Marion Francis Beynon, changed the way I felt about literature and memoir.
Nausea, by Jean-Paul Sartre, is another novel I loosely based my own book on.

What book are you reading now?

I’m currently reading fellow Quebec writer, Louise Penny’s Bury Your Dead that takes place around an English-Language library in Quebec City.

Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?

I am always interested in learning about journalists who’ve written books, but I love Canadian literature in general.

What are your current projects?

I’m currently working on expanding my blog to include more stories of self-reflection, mental health and women’s experiences.

Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

Having a blog first was the first step to doing more with my personal writing projects.

Do you see writing as a career?

Right now it’s a beloved hobby.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

That’s a good question. I don’t think so.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

It’s sometimes challenging to write about a personal situation in a way I’m convinced will foster understanding among readers who haven’t experienced the same thing.
That’s my number one struggle.

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

I don’t have a favourite author – I love always discovering new authors and new work.

Who designed the covers?
I actually designed the cover of my book.
It was the idea of the cover that propelled the concept for the book.

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

The hardest part was my knowing when it was done, and when I was finally satisfied with the last draft.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Don’t be afraid of what other people will think about you or your work.
You are an artist and that means people won’t necessarily get it, but some people will.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Thank you for reading and supporting and being so kind to me!
I was writing on the internet long before I was writing in books and I never had the negative backlash that is out there.
So thank you!

What makes you laugh/cry?
Sad movies and books will make me cry.
My family, especially my sister always make me laugh.

Other than writing do you have any hobbies?

I have a million hobbies, which is why I need writing to keep my head straight.
I am a naturally curious person and love trying out new things.
Right now I’m into acro-yoga, learning guitar and enjoying events that are going on in Quebec City.

What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?

I have always been obsessed with Pretty Little Liars.

Favorite foods / Colors/ Music

My favourite food is anything Italian! I like country music.

If you were not a writer what else would you like to do?

In another life, I would be a ballerina.

Connect with Raquel Fletcher on:
Facebook
Twitter
Amazon

Author Spotlight on Rich Israel

It was indeed a pleasure to interview Rich Israel of Colorado.
I must mention that the name Rich Israel is not a name you can easily forget.
Rich is one of the newest members of the Real Lives team, a sub-group of Books Go Social.
I visited Colorado some years ago and have very fond memories of that place.


Tell us a little about yourself

I grew up in Sacramento and attended the University of California, Davis, where I initially studied engineering, then transferred to biological sciences because of my love for nature.
After graduating, I worked for the entomology department at the university for a year, then dropped out and embarked on many of the adventures described in my writings.
In the early 1970s, I coauthored the first back-to-the-land book for my generation—Homesteaders Handbook—and went on to study natural medicine. In 1991, I released The Natural Pharmacy Product Guide, which remained on the Nutri-Books Top 10 List of Health Books for four months.
I’m currently working on Trippin’, the second book in my Hippie Adventurer series. I live with my wife, Doris, in Boulder, Colorado.


What inspired you to write your first book?

In the early 1970s, my girlfriend and I were living in the country.
We searched high and low for information on how to plant a garden, raise livestock, cure olives, make wine, and do a host of other tasks.
When we couldn’t find anything, I realized a guide was needed for the back-to-the-land movement, sparking my first book, Homesteaders Handbook.

I wrote my recently released book, Groovin because the ’60s were a free, exciting time for me.
I collected a number of unique, humorous stories and found that people enjoyed them.

You can find plenty of books on the history of that period, but I wanted to offer a sense of what it was like to live during those transformative years.
I also wanted my daughter to understand some of the events that had shaped me.


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

Follow your heart and do all you can to live your life to the fullest.
Honesty and integrity are your greatest assets.


Are your writings based on someone you know or events in your own life?

All my stories are based on my true experiences, though a few may be hard to believe.
I am fortunate to possess a remarkable memory of the late sixties.

What are your current projects?

I’m working on a sequel to Groovin’ called Trippin’: Road, Rails, and Mountain Trails, scheduled for release in the fall of 2017.
Here’s a synopsis:
In book 2 of his Hippie Adventurer Series, Rich takes us on another wild ride during the 1960s as he and Charlie, his faithful canine companion, hitchhike, hop freights, work in an Alaskan gold mining camp, and manage a Sacramento Valley cattle ranch.
Together with his off-the-wall friends, he explores altered states, sentiments, and perspectives while freestyling through life with passion and enthusiasm.
And, just like in his first book, Groovin’, Rich’s powerful, heart-on-his-sleeve thirst for love, propels him into one unexpected situation after another.

Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

My publisher and editor, Sandra Jonas, of SandraJonasPublishing.com.

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

I love any author who has the ability to paint vivid pictures with their words, allowing their readers to immerse themselves in every scene and know fascinating characters on an emotional level.
There are countless great authors, but Raymond Chandler, Harper Lee, Mario Puzo, Nelson DeMille, and David Balducci come to mind.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

If you have an idea for a story, write it down.
If you think of details for that story, write them down.
You can always piece things together and refine your writing later.
Persistence and attention to detail can create works you can be proud to release.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

My readers are the reason I write.
If I can’t entertain them and hopefully give them more than a few belly laughs, then what’s the point?
Nothing is more fulfilling than having people tell me they’ve enjoyed my stories.
Also, if you appreciate an author’s work, put a review on Amazon and Goodreads because it helps get the word out.

What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?

I’ve always loved Westerns, having been raised on Roy Rogers, Bonanza, and Rawhide.
Their influence led to my pipe-dream-induced, month-long, hippie horse trip through the Rocky Mountain wilderness, documented in Groovin’.
I recently viewed the movie Unbranded, which reignited fond memories of my incredible adventure.

Do you have a specific writing style?

In the ’60s, I was a free-wheeling spirit with a firm moral compass.
When writing Groovin’, I found I needed to be in touch with my heart to accurately communicate my emotions and humor from that time of my life.


Contact Rich Israel at the following:

Website

Blog

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Amazon Author Page

Author Spotlight on Hannah Howe, Best-Selling Author of the Sam Smith Mystery Series.

It was a pleasure for me to interview Hannah Howe,international and best-selling author of the Sam Smith Mystery Series.
Sam's Song, book one in the series, reached number one on the amazon.com private detective chart and the top twenty in ten other countries).

Stardust, the story of one woman's dream and hopes for the future. is the tenth book in the Sam Smith Mystery Series.

Tell us a little about yourself

My name is Hannah Howe.
I live in Glamorgan, Wales with my long-term partner and our two children.

When and why did you begin writing?

I began writing at school when my teacher asked me to write the school play.
I was around nine or ten at the time and I've been writing ever since.
I write because it comes naturally to me. For as long as I can remember, writing has been an essential part of my day.

What inspired you to write your first book?

I actually wrote six novels before I published Sam's Song.
Those novels remain unpublished and I regard them as my apprenticeship.
The inspiration for Sam's Song arrived when I decided to write about a female private detective.
I love mystery fiction so it seemed natural to write about my own detective.

Do you have a specific writing style?

I do.
My natural writing style is similar to Robert B Parker's, by that I mean I'm a minimalist writer - I don't go in for long, descriptive passages. Instead, I prefer short sentences.
I think this style suits the private detective novel in general.

What books have most influenced your life most? a mentor?

A turning point for me was reading Robert B Parker's Promised Land.
As I read the story I realized several things: that the story was similar to ideas I'd been developing, that my writing style was similar to Mr. Parker's and that this was the moment to take my writing seriously.

What are your current projects?

At the moment, I'm editing Mind Games, book eleven in the Sam Smith Mystery Series, while collaborating with my narrator on Secrets and Lies, book six, for our audio book.

I'm also researching the background for Digging in the Dirt, book twelve in my series.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Write about what you know and what you believe in.
Be true to yourself.

Other than writing do you have any hobbies?

I love music, especially the music of the 1960s and 1970s, playing chess and researching my family history.

What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?

I love the classic movies and TV shows of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, especially the mystery and detective shows.
My favourites include a movie called Laura, Dog Day Afternoon and The Third Man.
With TV my favourites include The Rockford Files, Colombo and MASH.

Favorite foods

Like Sam, my narrator, I'm a vegetarian, so I love salads and potato-based meals.
One of my characters, Faye, is a domestic goddess when it comes to preparing cakes and trifles.
When I was pregnant with my eldest I had a craving for trifle and it is still one of my favourite sweets.

Please visit and feel free to contact Hannah about her books at her Website
and on Facebook

Author Spotlight on Kelly Artieri

Today I had the pleasure of interviewing one of the newest members of the Real Lives Team, a sub-group of Books Go Social.
Kelly Artieri lives with her family in western New York.
Pets have always been an important part of her life.
Though not a dog professional, she welcomes them into her home as family members, most recently with her deaf Dalmatian.

Bio

Hi! I am Kelly Artieri.
I think the first paragraph of the book is as much my biography as any other words I could offer.
My name is Kelly.
I own a Dalmatian named Vinnie.
Vinnie is deaf.
Vinnie has made a spot in my heart and changed my life forever.
I am not a veterinarian, nor a dog trainer or any kind of animal professional.
I am just a normal, using that term loosely, just an average Joe who loves dogs and welcomes them into my life.
When faced with the decision to accept a special needs dog into my home, I made the statement, “how hard can it be if you love them lots.”

Tell us about your book

My book shares the heartwarming true story of my life with a bilaterally deaf Dalmatian.
Learning to communicate without hearing can be a challenge.
While learning to navigate the soundless world around him, Vinnie's responses to his training were alternatively heartwarming and hilarious.
A Spot in My Heart is a story of overcoming obstacles and never giving up.


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

Everyone deserves a chance to live a life filled with love and acceptance.


When and why did you begin writing?

I wrote this book quite by accident, but now embrace it as an amazing legacy for the dog who taught me to live and love in his world.
After losing Vinnie, all the people who helped us along our path asked that I find a way to share our experiences and research, to tell Vinnie’s story.
I began journaling my notes as a therapeutic exercise, and before I realized it, I had created a manuscript.


Do you have a specific writing style?

I am a story teller.
I write like I talk, directly to the reader, and I speak from the heart with a tad of smart ass all mixed in.
Take that and mix in a topic that I am passionate about and you have A Spot In My Heart.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

The people who motivated me are just folks like me who love animals.
They helped us a great deal and continue to help others.
My message along with theirs is that these not so perfect animals are not “throw-away” animals to be disposed of because of their imperfections. They are meant to be loved and I found that I learned as much as I taught.

Other than writing do you have any hobbies?

I am a medical illustrator by degree, but currently, am working in IT.
I live on beautiful Lake Ontario with my husband and daughter.
I enjoy boating and spending time with family and friends.
I have been blessed with amazing people in my life both with two legs and four.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I now enjoy sharing my family’s story at book signings meeting new people who enjoy listening and discussing.
One of the most humbling things I have experienced through all of this is being called an author!
What an amazing experience it has been and I am finding that I have a written voice that I want people to hear.


NB

This is Kelly's first book, but she has a creative voice and an amazing story to tell.


Connect with Kelly at:


Facebook Author Page

Twitter

Buy her Book at Amazon

Author Spotlight with Jeffrey Von Glahn

I had an amazing interview with a psychotherapist, Jeffrey Von Glahn. He is a member of the Real Lives Team, a sub-group of Books Go Social.

Tell us a little about yourself

When I was about 14 or 15, I wanted to study the Mind. I wasn’t all that sure what the “Mind” was, but it sounded fascinating. At that time, though, I thought that only psychiatrists did that and that you had to be a genius to be one. Since I didn’t consider myself a genius, nor did anyone else seem to think so, I ditched that idea. After getting an undergraduate degree in physics, I decided I wanted to study human nature instead of physical nature. So I switched to psychology and became a therapist. Best decision I ever made. If I believed in reincarnation, I would want to come back as one. It’s been more exciting than I ever imagined.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

(I’ve changed this question to: When did you first consider that you might be a writer?) When I was in high school, once in a while I received high praise from teachers about an essay I had written. At the time, I couldn’t understand why they said that, in part, because in all subjects I was an average student. The key seemed to be if I found the stated theme of the essay interesting enough, creative impulses I didn’t know I had started operating on their own. I was also aware that I would never have thought of that particular topic on my own.

What inspired you to write your first book?

My only book is Jessica: The autobiography of an infant.

The story was so unique it had to be told. Since I was her therapist, the one who had a front-row seat and saw it all, who else could write it. Besides, there were about 200 hours of audio recordings to listen to. It took me 20 years to write the book, and it took the first eight for me to realize, aided by rejection letters from agents, that even though it’s a true story it has to be written in the style of fiction; i.e.; the appeal is to the reader’s emotions.

Do you have a specific writing style?

Interesting question; not sure I know how to answer it. Here’s what I seem to focus on. I try to have the next sentence clarify further whatever was hinted at in the last sentence and/or needed to be more fully explained. That it is not a formula for how to write fast. It is how to describe/ capture in words, a person’s experiencing. From my many years as a therapist, I’m quite good at sensing what a person is experiencing; i.e., what’s there but not being said.

What are your current projects?

At present, I’m focused on straightening out the theory and practice of psychotherapy. I concluded – though I’m certainly not the only one – that after 120 years it still doesn’t understand itself. Guess what? My major reason for thinking that is because it has yet to understand the client’s experiencing well enough. I seem to be finally getting recognition. I’ve been invited to submit a chapter for a book that’s about “re-envisioning” the theory and practice of psychotherapy.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

In writing for the public; i.e., in the style of fiction, the greatest challenge is how to provide just enough detail to engage the reader’s mind. The human mind is happiest when it has information to process. It tends to shut down, however, when too much info is provided, as in “telling,” though in school that of course is necessary. I think it was Hemingway who said something like: Writing is very easy. All you have to do is to cross out the right words.

Who designed the covers?

The cover was designed by iUniverse, based on my suggestion. Fortunately, I own the rights to it.

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

My client’s basic problem was internal. As a friend of mine said, “Too bad she wasn’t an axe murderess.” In her words, she didn’t have a “me.” She made her way through life by doing whatever she sensed was expected of her. When asked a question that had “you” in it, she always gave an answer she hoped would end the conversation. Every time I arrived at a better description of her internal experiencing, I had to go back and re-write all previous descriptions. In her therapy, she discovered that as a newborn her mother’s hurried behavior and not too gentle handling made her feel that the needing, wanting part of her was dangerous. So at the time, her survival instincts said, “Stay away from it!”

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Try to never miss an opportunity to re-read, especially before going to sleep. Your brain will thank you the next time you sit down to write for giving it info to work on during the night. Also, when I’m feeling ambivalent about writing and not sure if I need a break or my mind is rebelling at another attempt at a passage that I’m struggling with, I sit in my writing chair, place my fingertips on the keyboard, and often find that if my brain could speak, it would say, “About time you did that!

What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?

Nature/science/human interest programs. Rarely go to the theater, unless it’s a film like Lincoln or Hidden Figures.


Connect with Jeffrey at Twitter

You can buy Jeffrey's book at the link below.

Amazon link

Author Spotlight with Sarah Stuart: Author of the Royal Command Book Series

How often does one get the opportunity to interview an award-winning author like Sarah Stuart?
The pleasure was all mine today.
Sarah has a wide mix of interests which are reflected in her sizzling romantic suspense novels, royalties from which, she donates to animal conservation and rescue charities worldwide.
Not only is she a talented author, but she is generous too.

Tell us a little about yourself

I have a lot of interests and I’ve been very lucky to be able to follow them.
Theatre, music, travel, history and wildlife conservation probably seem an odd mix, but they do come together in the one thing I love most: writing.
I was thrilled when my first two novels, Dangerous Liaisons, and Illicit Passion, began winning awards.

It increased sales and the amount of royalties: I donate 100% to animal conservation and rescue charities worldwide.

Do you have a specific writing style?

I do. I never use dialogue tags.
I think actions that identify the speaker drive the story forward, and that seems confirmed by the number of reviewers who use “fast-paced”.

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

Yes. Hunting for sport or financial gain is deplorable.
I demonstrate it with Lizzie, the heroine of Dangerous Liaisons; she grew up on a shooting estate and her parents took a financial gamble to change to a wildlife reserve.
Kinloch House, the hotel on the estate, is a setting to some degree throughout the Royal Command series.

What book are you reading now?

On Distant Shores by Rebecca Bryn.
It’s part of a trilogy called “For Their Country’s Good”.

What are your current projects?

Writing book four of what was supposed to be the Royal Command Trilogy.
Several reviewers and dozens of Goodreads fans have asked for “just one more”.
The title is Sweet Temptation.

Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

All my Facebook friends.
I’ve actually met very few of them but I find they rally around when I need them, and I do my best to reciprocate.

Do you see writing as a career?

No. I teach Adult Literacy.
Most of my students are very bright: they got bored with school, played truant, and now regret it.
A few simply want to be able to write a shopping list.
They are ashamed to admit that they are poor readers and virtually can’t write at all: the toughest step for them is coming for help.
I feel very honoured by their trust. (For them, it’s free; it’s funded by a Further Education College.

What makes you laugh/cry?

Courage, shown by others, makes me cry, they are so brave.
Unplanned moments make me laugh, like when one of my dogs crept up behind a very grand lady, hopelessly overdressed for a walk on a country trail, and stuck his cold nose on the back of her leg.
She shrieked, and I, temporarily, only owned one dog: the one that didn’t do it.

Other than writing do you have any hobbies?

I’ve always had dogs, trained for Obedience Competition, and I owe the ones who enjoy the limelight a lot.
The handler of a dog onstage, playing Sandy in the musical, Annie, for example, must be backstage for every rehearsal and every performance.
It made writing realistic showbiz characters and settings possible.


What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?

I hate television with its endless adverts, and I never go the cinema.
I do have a collection of DVDs as diverse as the twelve Fawlty Towers programmes to films like The Sound of Music and my all-time favourite, Goodnight Mr. Tom.

Connect with Sarah at

Twitter

Goodreads

View her Books

viewbook.at/DangerousLiaisons
viewbook.at/ILLICITPASSION
viewBook.at/DynastyofDeceit

Author Spotlight on Peter H. Green

Today I interviewed PETER H. GREEN, a writer, architect, and city planner with an impressive background.
Peter is a member of the Real Lives Team, a sub-group of Books Go Social.
He told an interesting story about why he became a writer.


Short Bio
PETER H. GREEN, a writer, architect, and city planner, found his father’s 400 World War II letters, his humorous war stories, his mother’s writings and his family’s funny doings too good a tale to keep to himself, so he launched a second career as a writer.
His first book recounted the often hilarious antics and serious achievements of his father's World War II adventure, Dad’s War with the United States Marines, Seaboard Press, 2005.
It was reissued as Ben’s War with the U. S. Marines in 2014 by Greenskills Press.
His first novel, Crimes of Design, a Patrick MacKenna mystery, an intrigue of murder and sabotage set in St. Louis during the highest flood of record, which first appeared in 2012 from L&L Dreamspell, was republished, along with the second in this series, Fatal Designs, by Greenskills Press in Spring, 2014.
He lives in St. Louis with his wife Connie, has two married daughters and three very young grandchildren.
The story of the last pet his family owned, “The Night We Ruined the Dog,” can be found on his website.


1. What inspired you to become a writer?

It started with my parents, a homemaker and an ex-Marine, both writers and publicists, a grandfather who was a construction contractor and me, an architect that has seen plenty, and who just loves to tell stories.
My dad did a lot of writing for his radio and ad agency jobs, and Mom had always wanted to be a writer and never went through with it.
They had always said I had the ability to be a writer, and I’d always wanted to but needed to earn a living.
In a way, I felt I owed it to them and to myself to finish what they started.
And in my profession, my favorite activity was always describing the projects and getting people excited about hiring our team.
I gravitated toward the marketing side of the business, writing proposals, reports, and publicity for my firms.
This resulted in millions of words cascading from my pen and then from my computer screen over the years.
That’s a lot of writing practice when you think about it.

2. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

Other than some early expressions as a child, and some early interest but few thoughts of a writing career, it all started with a college class reunion.
The bravest of our classmates tried to answer the provocative question: What are you going to do with the last third of your life?
The prospect of all that time of relative ease stretching ahead of us beckoned like an unexplored continent.
On that reunion trip, my wife and I also visited Mary Oates, one of her college classmates, a writer and editor herself, in Andover, Mass.
I happened to mention that I spent the summer of 1945, when I turned six, just up the coast with my mother, sister, aunt and her family in a rented seaside house at Annisquam, while Dad was off to war.
Two days later she drove us to Gloucester and we found the very seaside cottage where we’d stayed that summer.
That night, over much wine and good seafood, we were reminiscing about wartime problems, like coastal blackouts and rationing, when Mary blurted, “Peter, you’ve got to do it—write your dad’s story!”
I said, “Gosh, I can— I’ve got Dad’s letters!”
In the basement was an old cardboard box my mom had given me with 400 of my father’s World War II letters, which she had saved in their postmarked envelopes.
Adding to these, his humorous war stories, my mother’s writings and my family’s often hilarious doings, I realized I had a story too good to keep to myself.
I decided to launch a second career as a writer.
After years of architectural work, report preparation, promotional copywriting and proposal writing for my design firms, I went back to Washington University to study creative writing with such accomplished authors as Catherine Rankovic, Robert Earleywine and Rick Skwiot, resulting in the release in 2005 of my biographical memoir on the hilarious antics and serious achievements of my father’s World War II adventure, Dad's War with the United States Marines, James A. Rock & Co., Seaboard Press (Florence, SC), reissued in 2014 as Ben’s War with the U. S. Marines.

3. What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?

My biography and family memoir, Dad’s War with the United States Marines, was just handed to me, from the letters and other family lore I had at my fingertips.
Why I write mysteries is kind of a mystery to me. But I can tell you this:
Both my parents were avid readers, especially of mysteries, a habit that fueled their interest in writing and life in general.
They loved clever plots, like Roald Dahl’s “Lamb to the Slaughter.”
A good mystery was always passed around the family with Mom’s urging to “read it right away.”
One time she gave me a mystery-thriller called Loophole, about an architect who was so broke he planned a bank robbery—and got away with it. Whenever we were in a hotel room, Dad was fascinated with how a murderer could defeat the locks through the connecting doors to the adjacent room and leave undetected.
When Mom died, she left a bookcase bursting with mysteries—she shamed me.
I guess I felt that I’d been too busy earning a living and was way behind on my reading.
Besides the recent reads on her shelves, she had read every mystery writer out there—including Mary Roberts Rinehart, Raymond Chandler, Ernie Pyle, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, John S. MacDonald and William Macdonald.

4. Where did the inspiration for your books come from?

My choice of architecture as a career was a matter of interest and aptitude, but it also had something to do with finding a “practical” way to earn a living.
And for a long career, I have designed buildings, planned development sites and promoted my firm.
On that journey through the world of design and construction I’ve met real estate developers, bureaucrats, politicians, office rivals–all human, mind you, many of them honorable and even noble–but with a few bad apples that undo the hard work of all the good folks just trying to make life a little better for the rest of us.
Throughout my career I saw enough close calls, suspicious acts and outright skullduggery to wonder, what if?
In a way, I wished I could have been taller, more handsome, more heroic than I was.
In second-guessing my life, I wondered what would have happened if, instead of becoming the cautious, conservative person that life teaches most of us to be, I wondered, what if I had taken more risks, been braver, more outspoken and more confrontational than I was?
So I created someone who was all of these things, even though he is a perfectionist, far from perfect—with a weakness for beautiful women—architect Patrick MacKenna.

In Crimes of Design, he discovers the body of the staunchest advocate for his controversial flood-protected dream project in the site’s storm water pumping station during a record flood in St. Louis. He is forced to become an amateur sleuth to save his career, his family. and his very life.
Before the first chapter of the book is over, he’s in all kinds of trouble.
I wanted to see what would happen if my main character was larger than life, the kind of person who, when challenged to the breaking point, did what had to be done.


. How long did it take you to put your first book, the World War II biography story together?

Ben’s War with the U. S. Marines was a five-year effort, requiring historical research to set my father’s story in context, going through eighteen drafts. Although I’d been pondering a second volume for a decade, Radio: One Woman’s Family in War and Pieces, came together in less than three years.

. Can you share a little about your latest biography with us?

Radio: One Woman’s Family in War and Pieces, by Alice H. Green and Peter H. Green
This eyewitness account of World War II social history weaves women's progress since the Great Depression, the Golden Years of Radio, women’s heroic role in the war and the postwar housing shortage into one woman's humorous and poignant autobiography of her family struggles and her attempts to fulfill her creative dreams., richly illustrated with 50 historical photographs and sketches.
This was the book my mother always wanted to write.
She started it several times. but somehow life always got in the way.


What has surprised you the most about the whole process of getting your book on the market?

I’m constantly amazed by how long it takes to write, revise and perfect a book and how large a team of beta readers, fellow authors, publishers and news media I’ve had to enlist to help me with this project.
While writing’s creative cycle begins as a solitary pursuit, it’s not complete until it has been launched by a big group of players and shared by a large audience.
It seems it takes a village to raise a novel.

Now that your book has hit the stores, describe how you feel in one sentence?

I’m thrilled that our story is being well-received by those who have read it, but I’m anxious about how well I’ll be able to communicate my enthusiasm for this story to the wider world of readers.



Would you like to share what the reviewers are saying about your book?

Here’s my favourite so far:
Rating 4.5 for humor and a true story that needs to be told.
“He loved me, he treasured me, and he pampered me—and then he left me for the Marines.”… “He finally had to admit….that I was his equal.” —Alice Green
This is a wonderful gift book. Alice Green’s writing is fresh and at times laugh-aloud funny, parts of it reminiscent of Cheaper by the Dozen. Thorton Wilder instructed Alice in creative writing.
I recommend this book to all readers who enjoy a good laugh.
The section “We Bought a Crooked House” was hilarious.
Co-written by Alice and her son Peter, I enjoyed snippets about the history of radio, radio advertising, and the home front before, during, and after WW II.
Throughout the book, Alice endured her share of problems.
She was born at a time when women totally acquiesced to their spouse’s wishes, a time when women did not have the vote.
During WW II, Alice raised two youngsters while dealing with rationing and a reduced income.
Her ordeal can be compared to being hand-fed through the wringer of her new electric washing machine. She emerged changed and stronger.
This book will appeal to readers who love the true story of a woman of Irish Catholic heritage, a product of Chicago, as she was strengthened by trial and tribulation.
Alice progressed from a shy wallflower to a woman who supervised countless volunteers for the American Red Cross.
I intend to buy a copy of this book for a dear aunt.—Paula B., Amazon reviewer


How many books have you written?

Four, although the first, entitled Dad’s War with the United States Marines, 2005, was improved and reissued as Ben’s War with the U. S. Marines in 2014. Those now in print are:

Crimes of Design, A Patrick MacKenna Mystery, 2012, 2014
Fatal Designs, A Patrick MacKenna Mystery, 2015
Ben’s War with the U. S. Marines, 2005, 2015
Radio: One Woman’s Family in War and Pieces, 2016



What do you like to do for fun when you’re not writing?

My wife and I enjoy visiting our daughters’ families in Houston, I like swimming and golf, We attend theater, art galleries, concerts and the Missouri Botanical Garden, enjoying St. Louis’s rich cultural stew.



Connect with Peter H. Green on

Facebook
Linked In: Peter H. Green
Twitter
Website
Blog
Email: writerpeter@peterhgreen.com

Author Spotlight on Rebecca Long Howard

Today I had the pleasure of interviewing another talented author, Rebecca Long Howard, from the Real Lives Team, a sub-group of Books Go Social.
She is a survivor of a great disaster in her country and has written a remarkable true story about it.

Tell us a little about yourself

Rebecca is a writer and a tornado survivor, but God has involved her in other roles where she, also, receives more than she gives.
She is a mother, daughter, sister, grandmother, and friend.
She is a middle-aged silly girl, an animal rescuer, and a very active member of the human race.
She is addicted to coffee, nicotine, words (both her own and the writings of others), and studying whichever random subject strikes her fancy. Rebecca is made entirely of flaws, stitched together with good intentions and the grace of God.

When and why did you begin writing?

I wrote my first little story when I was around five, “The Turtle Who Thought She Was A Lion”, and Aesop and Rudyard Kipling are probably still rolling over in their respective graves.
I've written constantly since then, but I never really told anyone about it.
I was not raised around creative people, and the fact that writing has always been as natural and essential as breathing did not seem a valuable trait in a world where making a living was the ultimate priority.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

The Day After the End of the World has been in existence for almost a year, and I am still wrapping my mind around identifying as a Writer. “I'm no Writer. I just write.”
A few months ago, a friend asked if I would do some writing for her nonprofit.
I responded, “I'd love to help, of course. But, um, don't you know any writers?”
She laughed and laughed.

What inspired you to write your first book?

Trauma-induced writer's block, actually.
I have always used fiction and essays as a way to privately deal with life events.
I think with my pen.
After a tornado destroyed my neighborhood, I developed panic attacks.
Creative writing, of any kind, was a trigger for over two years.
The act of writing, which had always been my way to figuratively breathe suddenly caused a physical inability to breathe.
And, frankly, it pissed me off.
So, pushing slowly through the panic and symptoms of PTSD, I began writing about the tornado.
It took about three years.

The Day After the End of the World became therapy, a way for me to say goodbye to who I had been, to understand the fundamentally changed person I had become, and to face the disastrous catalyst in between.
I was editing a dear friend's book, and I accidentally emailed her the wrong file.
She told me that “People need to read this story.”
I said, “Absolutely not!”
She talked about compassionate people who just don't know what a disaster is from the inside. And, she talked about those who do know how grief feels, but who also need to know that they are not alone, that there is hope.
That got to me.
The following Spring, I unleashed my story on an unsuspecting public.
I can write again, and I am busy making up for lost time.
As for the girl who was a little ashamed to admit that she could never grow up and quit making up stories, well, in a way, that girl died in a tornado.

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

Hope. There is always hope.

What book are you reading now?

Mist Falcon by Ryan J. Doughan. How Not To Write A Novel by Howard Mittelmark. Radio: One Woman's Family in War & Pieces by Alice H. Green & Peter H. Green.
And, beta-reading the next installment of the Brain Child series by Alan Garrett.

What are your current projects?

A short novel that serves as a practice run, as I haven't written any fiction for six years.
Also in progress, a lovely little historical fiction.
I'm writing pieces for nonprofits and ministries and filling journal upon journal with thoughts on all kinds of subjects.
I'm writing, again.
I'm writing. I'm writing. (deep sigh of relief)

Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

Other writers have been simply amazing. I have been warmly welcomed into the Tribe. And, I'm staying.


What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Publishing took most of the courage I had available in my personal arsenal.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

It's your story. Write it. Write the heck out of it.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Hang in there, loves. It gets better. Not just my story, but yours.

If you were not a writer what else would you like to do?

Nothing. I'm good, here.

Connect with Rebecca on Facebook and Twitter

Buy her book at Amazon

"The book chronicles her journey through loss, reality and restoration... Howard's honesty with God and her struggles with her own emotions are recorded without varnish." - Bettie Marlowe, Cleveland Daily Banner

Author Spotlight with Cheryl Evans

Bio

Wife, mother, friend and best-selling author Cheryl B. Evans was born and raised in Canada.
She has been happily married to her husband for more than twenty-three years and together they have raised two wonderful children, one of whom is transgender.
In her spare time, Cheryl is an avid reader of non-fiction books and when she isn't writing or reading, she enjoys painting on canvas with acrylics.

She even shared 50 Fun Facts about herself which can be found here:
Fifty Fun Facts
Cheryl B. Evans is the author's pen name.
It is used in order to protect her family and specifically her son Jordan who she writes about in her emotional parenting memoir 'I Promised Not to Tell'.
It is the author's personal desire that the book leaves a positive mark on the world helping others to better understand transgender people.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I wish I could tell you that I always wanted to write, that since I was a little girl it was in me to be a great writer.
The fact is that simply is not true.
Yes, one of my favorite pastimes is reading.
I have a home library full of non-fiction books but writing one of my own was not something I had ever planned to do.
It took something rather extraordinary to happen to bring me to a place when I wanted to write, rather I needed to write.
Some call it a trigger, but it was my motivation, my inspiration.
It was the day my youngest daughter told me the thing she needed most in the world was to be a boy.
The impact that statement had on me was surreal.
I began to document every step of our family’s journey for the days, months and years that followed until without even realizing it I had become a writer.
The end result of all my writing was the book that I wished I had available to me when our story first began.
While penning our story I allowed the pages to be filled with the most intimate and deeply personal details of what was happening to our family, believing my eyes would be the only eyes to ever see it.
Towards the end, I became acutely aware of the hardships many transgender people face and the families that are unwilling to accept a loved one who has come out as transgender.
There was a need for others to know our story existed, a need to know they were not alone.
The families turning their children away simply for being who they are needed support and guidance.
They needed to be shown an example of unconditional love and a way to acceptance.
The book I had written needed to be shared, to be published and with my son’s permission, it was.

While I became an author by chance, it was not without purpose.
My writing helped me, it healed me and now I pray it can help to heal others.

Do you have a specific writing style?

Yes. I would say that my writing style is very casual and conversational.
I speak from the heart and am deeply honest in my writing.
I do not write to impress but rather to connect with my reader on a personal level so they can feel like they are experiencing things along with me.


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

The main goal of my book I Promised Not to Tell was to educate everyone on what being transgender really means.
To humanize transgender people and help other people going through a similar situation to know they are not alone.

What are your current projects?

I am currently working on my second book which I hope will be out later this year.
While the book itself is coming along nicely, it remains without a title.
If anyone would like to offer their suggestions on that I have set up a blog post with more details about the book and an offer to help me title it. This is the BLOG LINK

Do you see writing as a career?

I am not sure.
My first book was well received as I hope my second one will be also but, only time will tell.
Let's just say I am not ruling it out at this point.

What book are you reading now?

As usual, my current reading list is full of non-fiction books.
Here are three I am currently reading: Who, Why, How... Are You? by Mertha M Nyamande, Pride by Dr. Ronald Holt and 5 Minute Marketing For Authors by Barb Asselin.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Thank you! Sincerely, I want to thank each and every one of them.
I appreciate that through picking up my book they have decided to come along side our family on a deeply personal journey and I hope in the end they feel it was well worth their time and attention.

Connect with Cheryl Evans at:

Website
Facebook
Twitter
Amazon
Goodreads
Barnes and Nobles

Cheryl's book received a five-star review and five-star seal from Readers Favorite.

Author Spotlight with Ann Marie Mershon

Today I am chatting with Ann Marie Mershon, a former English Teacher from Minneapolis.
Her Memoir on living in Turkey has 55 reviews on Amazon.
Now, that is impressive!

Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m a retired English teacher, adventurer, and writer (duh!).
I was raised in a Minneapolis suburb and moved to the wilderness of northern Minnesota as soon as I could.
I’m energized by nature and try to ski, hike, bike, kayak or swim every day.
I decided to take up writing when I took a career development course as a part of a counseling degree.
I realized that I was ignoring the creative part of myself and decided that writing would blend well with my teaching career.
I also wanted to write for young people—I love kids.
I wrote a newspaper column about health, travel, and fitness for five years as well as publishing a number of articles for both local and national publications.
I’ve published three books to date, a children’s historical novel, a walking tour guide for Istanbul, and a memoir about my years in Turkey.

What inspired you to write your first book?

I was taking a course in writing for children at the Grand Marais Art Colony, and I’d just read a short family history written by a neighbor.
It touched me deeply and I decided to ask her permission to write a children’s book based on her family’s emigration to Minnesota.
That was the beginning of a treasured connection with Eleanor and her family.
Sadly, she died before Britta’s Journey was published.

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

My memoir, You must only to love them, is an account of my years teaching high school in Istanbul.

I wrote the book because I wanted people to see and feel the warmth of the Turkish people and their Muslim culture.
It breaks my heart that so many people are afraid of Muslims when it is one of the most gentle faiths in the world.

Are your writings based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

My years in Turkey changed my life, particularly my perspective on America and its place in the world.
All of the events in the book are true, and though I’ve changed a few names, all the characters in the book are people who touched my life.
I’m only sorry I had to leave so many out; the first version of my memoir was far too long, so I had to revise out a lot of precious friends.

What are your current projects?

I’m working on a sequel to Britta’s Journey, continuing Eleanor’s family saga to Minnesota.
In the first book, I only got them from Finland to Ellis Island.

I was amazed at how that book wrote itself even though I had a clear outline.
Historical fiction is great fun to write.
I also have a half-finished version of my time in Turkey viewed through my little dog’s eyes. Libby was my sidekick and toured much of Turkey with me. Her favorite part of Turkey was the cats, which are much more fun to chase than chipmunks.

Do you see writing as a career?

I guess I see writing as a passion more than a career.
I’ve been doing it for years, and I get up early every morning to get in a few hours of writing.
I enjoy both writing and revision, but I HATE marketing, as I imagine most writers do.
I’m trying, though, and maybe this year my income will exceed my expenses. Who knows? I have to admit, my writing business has been a great tax write-off, and it’s brought income for the past fifteen years. Not much, though, and certainly not enough to live on.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

I doubt there’s any writer who would say their work was perfect.
I think I was happiest with my tour guide, because it was cut-and-dried factual stuff.

At a workshop once a writer said, “You know you’re done with a book when you can’t bear to look at it another time.”
Revision is a continuing process, and it’s hard to stop and say, “Enough!”
My memoir is not perfect, but it’s done.
There’s a lot I’d love to improve on, but it was time to move on.

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

My favorite book in the world is To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee.
I taught that book to ninth graders for years, and I read it aloud a few times.
It’s a book with passion, depth, humor, and a strong message.
Harper developed interesting and believable characters, and her empathetic treatment of all the characters in the book deeply touched me. I have yet to enjoy a book (or a writer) more.

Who designed your covers?

I had a friend design the cover of Britta’s Journey, and I chose the photo for the cover of Istanbul’s Bazaar District, though the publisher had an artist do the final cover design.
I put together the main design of my memoir, which I self-published through Amazon.
I asked my son, a graphic designer, for advice on the design, and he improved the graphics for me.
So basically, I had input on all three covers but had help from professionals as well.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

I wrote a YA novel in a year and submitted it to two publishers, who rejected it.
I was totally discouraged.
I learned two important lessons from that experience:
1.Read, read, read and write, write, write.
Also take advantage of every workshop, seminar, and course that you can. I continue to attend workshops regularly. They’re both educational and motivating.

2. Don’t let rejection slips discourage you.
I could wallpaper my office with all the rejection notices I’ve received, but I soldiered on.
I’m not alone.
There is no end of writers, both famous and inconsequential, who have received scores—no, hundreds of rejection letters.
Hang in there! Katharine Stockett was rejected by 60 agents before one finally agreed to represent The Help, which subsequently spent 100 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.

Connect With Ann Marie on her Website

Turkey blog

Writing blog

Twitter

facebook

Facebook writer page

Author Spotlight with Brenda Mohammed

Short Bio

Brenda, a multi-genre author, lives on the beautiful tropical island of Trinidad in the Caribbean.
A former Bank Manager and Insurance Professional, she turned to writing after she retired from the corporate world.
Brenda loves to travel. She has written sixteen books to date: six memoirs, one children's book, four short story collections, and a horror
series of five books.


When choosing a name for your characters, what do you consider about them that determines what you finally call them?

I think about the role I have planned for my characters before I name them.
For instance, in one of my books, Revenge of Zeeka – A Trilogy, I introduced a female robot and named her Miranda.
One reviewer could not help but refer to her in his review.“The highlight is Miranda (oh, Miranda!), whose presence gives a lot of weight and realism to the futuristic theme and setting of 2036.”

Did you have a collection in mind when you were writing them?

I wrote four collections of short stories. “Heart- Warming Tales,” “Stories People Love,” “Revenge of Zeeka – A Trilogy,”
and "Zeeka Chronicles."
At first I wrote several stories as kindle short reads, but later on, I put all the stories into the above books.


How did you choose which stories to include and in what order?

The first collection, “Heart-Warming Tales,” are four stories based on real life events.

One reviewer had this to say about the book,“Heart Warming Tales is a short book of stories with intriguing plots and pleasant characters. Although each story is set within the real world, there seems to be a fantastical quality to each. The style of the writing is satisfyingly simple and easy to follow.”

The second collection, “Stories People Love” contains four short stories of crime, adventure, and love.

A reviewer referred to this book as “a collection of stories all connected by the common theme of hope.”
Another said, "This is a neat and extremely readable collection and shows an author who is able to write fiction and non-fiction elements seamlessly. It's not an easy combination and yet the author pulls it off admirably."
The third collection, “Revenge of Zeeka – A Trilogy,” was only released on 4th May 2016.

The story, which is set in the year 2036, was told in three parts, which are also available as Kindle short reads.
The book received a five-star review and five-star seal from Readers favorite in September 2016.
I thought of ending the series at that point, but Zeeka got into my head and I wrote two more books making the number of books in the series five.
That is why, I published Zeeka Chronicles, the fourth collection of short stories.

The series is all about Zeeka, and his intent on revenge for something that occurred twenty years before.

Do you have a “reader” in mind when you write stories?

I write for both young adults and mature audiences.


What do you do to get book reviews? What is the best review you ever got?

I depend on purchasers of my books to do reviews, but that does not always happen.
I had several Free promotions on Amazon Kindle Publishing and had thousands of downloads, but I received no reviews from these promotions.
I received Five Star reviews for most of my books from verified purchasers, and it is hard to say which is the best review I ever got.
However, I do like this review for Zeeka Chronicles as I found it quite perky.

"5.0 out of 5.0 stars

Teens and up will adore this book
By Amazon Reviewer
March 9, 2017
Format: Paperback
I was thrilled to receive my advance copy of this book because it contains all five Zeeka stories, which are among my favorite spooky reads.
This series is about the havoc the sinister Zeeka and his Zombies unleashed on a little island in the Caribbean and the impact on people who live there.
The darker side of humanity is explored with unforeseeable plot twists taking the reader down a sometimes grisly path.
Thankfully, there is light at the end of the tunnel and I eventually emerged with feelings of redemption and satisfaction.
Future tech is highlighted throughout the series making me desire one of the book's robot helpers who does dishes and kicks butt too."

What does the word “story” mean to you?

A story is an account of real or fictitious events.
The plot and characters must be appealing to readers.
When I write, I bear this in mind.


Have any of your books won any awards?

"I am Cancer Free: A Memoir' won the McGrath House Publishing Award in the Category Non-Fiction in November 2016.
The book also received a five-star review and five-star seal from Readers Favorite in February 2017.

My Life as a Banker: A Life worth Living was voted second in Bio/Memoirs in the Metamorph Publishing Summer Indie Book Awards in September 2016.

Retirement is Fun: A New Chapter was also a Nominee in the Metamorph Publishing Summer Indie Book Awards in September 2016.

Would you like to share something with your Readers and Fans?

I want to encourage my readers and fans to continue to read my books and do reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.
Your reviews help me to be a better writer.
Please follow me on Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and visit My website atAllAuthor page for continuous updates.
Without readers, there is no point in my writing.
I need every one of you.
I do not only promote my books.
I promote those of other authors as well.
You will read reviews and post of books by other popular authors when you visit my Facebook Author page.
I have started a new Facebook Page for Video Book Trailers. Please visit and like it.

Use the Contact Form at my Website to get in touch with me.
AllAuthor page