Featured Author: Michael O'Gara

I'm happy to have my blogger buddy, Michael O'Gara, back today to talk about his novel, Ambassador Death. Michael was here in September to talk about The Happenstance Marshall, and he's hosted me on his blog to promote Murder & Mayhem. Well, not to promote murder and mayhem, but to promote my book, Murder & Mayhem in Goose Pimple Junction. (Yes, that's what they call a shameless plug.) I'm happy to have him here to today to talk about his latest book.

Interview with Michael

Welcome back, Michael! When was Ambassador Death published?

It was published by Heartland Indie Publishing LLC on February 20, 2013.

Would you tell me about the book, including its genre and what
 it’s about?
The book is a thriller. It’s about a former spy, Cassandra Crossing. Cassandra is beginning to feel like the bishop on the President’s chess board. She is moved around to keep the country’s enemies in check. Cassandra is no longer an unknown intelligence operative. Now she's a celebrity and hero after a very public assignment protecting the southern border.

This time Cassandra is being assigned to foreign soil and to a very dangerous job. She will be a very public target for those who would sabotage her vital mission to help keep a continent at peace.  It is a job she is uniquely qualified for by heritage, experience and training.  To complete her mission, the first order of business will be survival. She will also unexpectedly have to deal with something new; a serious romantic interest.  It is an assignment that will require the balance of a tight rope walker, the wisdom of Solomon, the courage of a hero, and unusual diplomacy. It is a unique challenge for an unusual woman.

This is the second book in the Cassandra Crossing Assignments series and the follow-up to Crossing Cassandra.

How long have you been writing and how did you start?
I started writing in early 2011, so it’s been about two years.  I started writing just because it came so naturally to me, and I enjoy it so much. I joke that I daydream in Technicolor and the stories in the books I write are just feature-length daydream stories. I guess at heart I’m just a creative story teller. There is no trick to starting a writing career. I just started writing and twelve books later I’m still at it.

Wow. Twelve books in two years. That's amazing. What do you like best about writing?

I like the process of creating a good story full of interesting people, an intriguing plot or mystery, different places, and in the case of a series, character growth over time.

What’s your least favorite thing?

My least favorite thing is the patience required during the editing period. The book has to sit for a while and go through a number of edits before it is ready to publish.

How did you come up with the title of the book?

Oh that’s a surprise one needs to read the book to discover. 

What a hook! How did you create the plot for this book?

Like all of my books, it happened organically. What I mean by that is I start writing with a general idea and no outline. It’s creativity run amuck within an organized mind. In other words, I can’t explain the process, I just know it works. I do keep a spreadsheet of characters and such as the plots and character relationships can get quite complex.

Did you have any say in your cover art?

Good or bad, I have to take responsibility for the covers. I have designed the covers of all my books, though I have some help with the photography for the backgrounds of some of the books. My wife and a dear friend have donated photos for use on my covers. I use Photoshop and another photo program to create the designs.

I think they're great. When you start a new book, do you know what the entire cast will be?

No way. Too many interesting things can happen in the process that require the addition of characters. 

Do you have any secrets on how to name your characters?

Usually I just pull a name out of “thin air” that seems to fit the nature of the character. Sometimes if I’m stuck for a name I’ll pull one at random out of a phone book.

Are any of your characters inspired by real people?

No.  I don’t know people like those I write about. They are strictly creatures of my imagination.

Are you like any of your characters?

I’m not like the heroes and heroines of my books. That’s the fun of writing. I can create these characters from scratch.

What are you working on now?

I’m presently working on three books at the same time. One is a romance, one is an action thriller, and the other is a fantasy. The romance novel is the only one close to being finished.

I can't wait to read it! Come back when it's out, and tell us about it.

About the author:

I’m a full time author. I “love” to write, and for me it is like breathing; necessary for my  well-being. It is a pleasant and constructive addiction being a story teller. I consider myself foremost just that; a story-teller.

My goal is to write books that entertain with stories that readers are “so into” that they don’t want to put the book or e-reader down. I write mostly mystery, thriller and historical fiction novels, but who knows what I’ll write about next. I don’t. I guess that’s just how it works for me. My imagination will just grab an idea and away I go.

My wife Ronda and I live in Missouri. We are both graduates of Fontbonne University in St. Louis where I earned Master of Fine Arts, Master of Arts, and Master of Business Administration degrees. Now if someone thinks I'm an "idjit" at least I can say I'm an "edumacated idjit." 

You can take excerpts of my books for a “test drive” on Amazon by using the “look inside” feature or downloading an excerpt on Smashwords. I have nine novels published to date with three more scheduled for release in the near future.

My novels are available either in print or for all the major eBook reader formats at most of the major online vendors. 


Connect with Michael:
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Amazon / Smashwords / Barnes and Noble

Leti Del Mar Guest Post

Leti Del Mar is the Indie author of the romantic suspense novel, The Inadvertent Thief. She is a biology and algebra teacher who loves to travel with her husband and daughter. Her love of museums is the basis for her debut novel. In The Inadvertent Thief, Vivien Flowers specializes in protecting fine art and her highly structured world comes to a halt when two very special paintings are stolen.  In her fierce determination to get them back, Vivien learns how to become a thief.  This romantic suspense follows Vivien’s journey from Los Angeles to Paris as she learns about trust, love and the brilliance she is capable of.

For an interview with Leti, click here.

An Indie Author Is Like A Fiddler On The Roof

As I am attempting to market and promote my current novel (The Inadvertent Thief), write its sequel, start a Sci-Fi Young Adult novel, blog, and remind my husband and daughter that I am still alive and kicking, I realize that I am preforming a very precarious balancing act much like a fiddler on a roof.  So I am taking a moment to reflect on this much loved musical in search of answers.


1.    Lehyam! To Life! This is a journey and a long one at that.  Celebrate the milestones whatever they are.  Just finish a first draft?  Go out to dinner! Found someone to help you edit?  Take them out to dinner! Score your first blog follower? Splurge on the venti size of your favorite coffee.  Receive a 5 star review? Hello happy hour! So when things are looking up, take a moment to say, “Lehyam!”

2.    Do You Love Me?  If your family and friends have to ask, you’re doing something wrong. Make sure they know they are the priority and they will continue to support you on your journey. Your book/blog/project will come and go but your family and friends are going to stick around a whole lot longer if you are nice to them now.  

3.    If I Were a Rich Man: I had that dream of being discovered by a publisher and poof! I’m a New York Times bestselling author.  When I saw that there was no mass herd of publishers at my door begging to share my work with the world, I decided to self-publish and have never once regretted it. It is hard work but entirely worth the effort.

4.    Tradition!  As Tvye discovered, some traditions are meant to be broken.  In the end, you have to make your own way. Maybe there is a traditional way to go about writing and marketing your work while having a real life. Maybe. I plan on finding out what works for me and not being afraid to change my mind.

Connect with Leti:

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The Inadvertent Thief is available for FREE download now at:
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And soon at:
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Meet Leo From The Life List

News Flash! November 7 and 8 are two free download days for The Life List on amazon.com.

Today we meet Leo from Chrissy Anderson’s The Life List. He’s a tall, sexy, brilliant investment banker with a temper and a guarded heart. Leo was one of three adopted children whose parents couldn’t afford to send him to college. He knows he’s of German, Irish, and Native American descent and wants to be somebody. He worked full-time in a blue collar job while attending private college in the Bay Area. He is bluntly honest, knows who he is, and you never have to guess with Leo. He wears his heart on his sleeve, is a loyal friend until you burn him, and is fiercely protective and jealous. His quick-temper and territorial nature combine to be his biggest draw and his biggest flaw. If Leo is not hard at work, he can be found drinking beer or working out at the gym while obsessing about Chrissy – the first and only woman he’s ever truly loved.

Hello, Leo. Thanks for taking a few minutes to talk to us. Did you ever think that your life would end up being in a book?
Not at all. I’m a very private person, and I don’t like a lot of drama, but it just so happens that I fell in love with a woman who is the complete opposite of me, and that’s how I ended up as one of the main characters in Chrissy Anderson’s real life love story, The Life List. I hope to God I’m around by the time she writes the final chapter of the last book in The List Trilogy, The Hope List, because that’s how much I love that woman.

(Swoon) Are you for real? Well, ahem, I guess that would be a yes and a no. Anyway, tell us about your favorite scene in the book.
Hands down, it’s the make out scene from the night I met Chrissy at Buckley’s. I thought for sure she was going to let me get out of that car without a kiss. She was definitely interested in me, but I got a sense that she was afraid of something. Little did I know just how HUGE that something was! Anyway, her words really tried to persuade me to exit the car without making a move, but when she kept talking and talking as a way to keep me from exiting, that’s when I knew there would be a kiss. The scene really happened in real life, and she did an amazing job of recapturing the intensity of it in that chapter.

Wow. I need a glass of sweet tea to cool off that scene in my head. While I’m getting that, tell us what impression you make on people when they first meet you? How about after they've known you for a while?
I’ve been told, mostly by Chrissy, that I can come off as a real asshole. I’m not at all though, I’m just guarded. I like to get a good feel for the person I’m first meeting before I jump in and give them my life story. I’m a good judge of character, and I know pretty quickly if you’re someone I want to let into my world. If you are, then watch out, because I have a very dark sense of humor, and I tell it like it is. We’ll have a good time together if you can be real. I hate phonies, namedroppers, and people that are hell bent on showcasing their careers or how much money they make. If you’ve known me for a while, I’m pretty sure you’d say I’m one of the most reliable and trustworthy people you’ve ever met.

Do you have any brothers? Oh, never mind. What's the worst thing that's happened in your life? What did you learn from it?
Oh, man…If you asked me that before Chrissy started the sequel, The Unexpected List, I would’ve said finding out it she was dragging her feet on getting a divorce. Finding out she was married didn’t bother me half as much as she feared it would. I was already crazy in love with her, and I thought, “Hey, she’ll be divorced in eight months tops, and we can start our lives together.” When I realized it wasn’t going to work out that way, I flipped out.

But, like I said, that shitty stuff was before something even shittier happens in The Unexpected List. Unfortunately, I’m not allowed to reveal what that shitty thing is right now because the book isn’t out yet, and I’ll spoil it! Let’s just say my world gets turned upside down, and I potentially lose one of the most important people in my life. From the experience that Chrissy wrote for me, I’ve learned not to take one single day of my life for granted and more importantly, not one single person I love.

Whoa. Does The Life List come with pictures? I’m sure readers would love to see if you look as good as you sound. What’s the best trait your author has given you? What’s the worst?
Integrity means everything to me. I try to live my life with truth, honor, and respect, and I think Chrissy did an excellent job of making those things integral characteristics of Leo. At times in The Life List I’m forced to go outside of my integrity comfort zone. Especially when I found out Chrissy was married, and she had lied to me so many times. But, I had fallen in love with parts of her that trumped those less than attractive things, and I found myself forgiving her for things I’d NEVER forgive other people for.

Chrissy also gave me a lot of anger. I’m not saying I’m not an angry person, because I can be when it’s deserved. But, the anger she gave me in The Life List made even me flinch sometimes! I’ve been told that my character gets quite angry again in The Unexpected List. Makes me wonder what Chrissy does next!

I can’t wait to find out. Well, Leo, Chrissy says that’s all the questions I can ask. Feel free to come back anytime, though. You sound like a keeper. Readers, if you missed my interview with Chrissy herself, scroll down and take a look. And I hope you'll come back on Wednesday for an excerpt from the book.

About the author:
Chrissy Anderson is the author of The Life List and the people, their quirks, and the major events of her story are derived from personal life events. She sees bits and pieces of her checkered past in almost every woman she encounters, and she wants to help them, tell them they’re NOT crazy. Chrissy’s choices were stupid and sometimes sleazy, but, unfortunately, not all too uncommon.

Chrissy currently lives in Portland, Oregon, with the love of her life and her beautiful daughter. A former fashion executive, she is now a writer, wife, and mother, who spends her life doing exactly what she always wanted, doting on those she loves.
 

Excerpt from Power of the Pen

Rico Lamoureux is a young American author living in the Philippines. Power of the Pen is his autobiography. For a full interview with Rico, click here.

Ten years ago Rico Lamoureux left behind everything he ever knew and headed for the other side of the world in the name of love. Never could he have imagined what lay ahead.

Faced with overwhelming obstacles under Third World conditions, he refused to return home without his soul mate and therefore remains among the harsh environment he describes as “the complete opposite of the Land of Opportunity.”

With so many years having passed, Rico’s unwavering American spirit has kept him going strong, now using his passion for storytelling to pave the way towards a better future.

“I’m writing my way back home, one pen stroke at a time.”

And now, an excerpt from Rico's Power of the Pen:

Mom’s belt was becoming more and more frequent, especially since Child Protective Services were no longer checking in on us. And not just our bare butts, but sometimes our arms and legs too. She was heavy set, and didn’t really control her strikes since they came out of anger. So they were much too hard. Add to that hard slaps to the face and the barrage of verbal abuse and it gets to the point where hate is truly developed. You feel so helpless because there’s nothing you can really do, or at least that’s what we thought. It’s an unbearable feeling of being trapped. You’re completely under this person’s control, with no physical chance of being able to defend yourself. You feel so lost because you know there’s no way to avoid it. It’s coming and there’s nothing you can do about it. Then after the physical pain, you feel so frustrated. Wishing you could somehow get back at them. Who knows what the source of the poison was going off inside that brain of hers!

She’s always been the type of person where when she gets mad at one person, or thing, she gets mad at everybody around her. Such a trait truly disgusts me and shows nothing more than extreme lazy and weak mindedness. There’s no excuse for it, and to this day I refuse to tolerate it.

Unfortunately, we didn’t have a choice back then. There’s nothing more I wanted in this world at the time than to defend myself against her. To somehow return the pain. Well, as I said, you’re pretty much stuck with no options. So I did the only thing I could think of…

While I was still in her womb, my mother started a baby book for me. A collection of poems, letters to me, and song lyrics, including that oldie but goodie, Angel Baby. A song she said always reminded her of me.

One night I was lying in bed drenched in tears after receiving her wrath. I devised a plan to get back at her...

The next morning I left my backpack open. Right before I left for school I quickly put that baby book in my bag, zipped it up, and headed out the door. My heart was beating a mile a minute!

A few blocks from the apartment complex I saw the trash can that was pictured in my mind the night before. I took out my baby book and as I walked past the trash I tossed it inside.

Half of me felt guilt, the other half, redemption. It was an act done out of desperation more than anything else. I was only nine and a half years old, yet part of my innocence was lost with that baby book.

Mom never did find out what happened to it.

Connect with Rico:
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Excerpt from Inzared, Queen Of The Elephant Riders

1843

Bertha Maude Anderson. Never liked my given name. Don’t it sound like some old maiden aunt no one ever heard about until someone pulls a family tree out of a tattered Bible and all of a sudden there she is? Ma said I was scatterbrained. Mayhap she was right, if it’s any indication of the way my life turned out.

We lived a hardscrabble life on our little farm in the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina. Was rightly called hillbillies, a term we was all proud of. Soon as our shovel struck a bit of black soil to plant the early crops we’d hit rock and when the rains come it washed away all the young plants. Or the animals mowed them down. Rabbits and deer was the worst. Come out at night and make short work of the new sprouts. Pa worked tirelessly trying to stay one step ahead. Many a night I’d wake to the sound of his old twelve-gauge as he took aim at the marauding foxes that threatened our chicken coop full of laying hens. Eggs was the main source of income we had back then.

Guess I did fair-to-middling in the looks department. Short, about 4 foot 10 inches, I learned early on to hold my own. My long wavy black hair I inherited from Ma’s Irish side of the family, and my crooked teeth from Pa’s. Was my eyes that stood out, or so everyone told me. Amber, with tiny flecks of green that flashed when I got mad, as I was wont to do. I tried to keep my temper under wraps and act like Ma. She always managed to put people in their place with a withering look and a firm word. Sometimes it worked for me and sometimes not. I didn’t really care one way or the other.

Ma and Pa always favored Ezra, my brother. Never did bother me much, though. Was older than me by eighteen months and the boy Ma and Pa had prayed for. Steadfast and calm, Ezra stuck right to Pa like glue. I wasn’t never jealous – he was the big brother every girl wants. Tall, nearly six feet, like Pa. Same black hair as me, but a lot more handsome. More than once he took a licking for me, like the time I told Ma I didn’t know how all the eggs I had gathered got broke. When he come in the house and saw me in tears, Ma’s firm voice commanding me to get a willow switch, Ezra told Ma he was teasing and lobbed a clod of dirt at me.

“She ducked and dropped the basket and all the eggs broke.” He hung his head. “I’m real sorry, Ma,” he whispered. 

About the book:

Bertha Maude Anderson was born in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. Raised on a small farm, she lives a hard life far-removed from everything she craved. Misunderstood by her parents, her only confidante her brother Ezra, Bertha yearns for excitement. A Gypsy circus comes to town and her world changes forever.

Coaxed into joining the Romanoff Brothers Circus, Bertha’s name is changed to INZARED, Queen of the Elephant Riders. She learns to ride Cecil, the elephant, and the two forge an unbreakable bond. Inzared falls in love, learns to co-exist with the Gypsies, solves a mystery and grows into a woman, all the while searching for the life she has always dreamed of.

About the author:

L. Leander is an e-book author, freelancer and songwriter. She writes for Yahoo! Content and does guest posts on author blogs and groups. As a child L. Leander dreamed of running away to join the circus. Instead, she grew up to write about it, bringing the magic alive for all who read her work. 

Ms. Leander currently resides between Wisconsin and Mexico. INZARED, Queen of the Elephant Riders is the first book in a series about a Gypsy wagon circus in pre-Civil War America.

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