France Book Tours brings French author David Khara here today to talk about his novel, The Bleiberg Project, an espionage thriller, first published in French by Le French Book, Inc. and adapted into English by blockbuster movie translator Simon John. The Bleiberg Project won the Blue Moon prize for best thriller and has sold over 100,000 copies already. It is being made into a movie.
About the book:
Are Hitler’s atrocities really over? Find out in this adrenaline-pumping ride to save the world from a conspiracy straight out of the darkest hours of history.
1942, Poland. The head of the SS meets secretly with a scientist in charge of a major Third Reich project.
Present day. After another late night with yet another woman whose name he doesn’t remember, self-pitying golden boy trader Jay Novacek learns that his long-lost father has died, precipitating events that lead him to board a plane to Zurich. He’s got a Nazi medallion in his pocket, a hot CIA bodyguard next to him, and a clearly dangerous Mossad agent on his tail. What was his father investigating? Why was his mother assassinated? Why are unknown sides fighting over him with automatic weapons? Far from his posh apartment, he races to save the world from a horrific conspiracy. Can it be stopped?
Praise for The Bleiberg Project
“Fascinating, written with a sharp style, shock value and a lot of humor.” – Serge Perraud, http://www.lelitteraire.com.”
“Impossible to put down.” – France Inter
Interview with David Khara
David, which character did you most enjoy writing?Jeremy is by far the most enjoyable character I’ve ever written. Getting into his head was pretty fun since he has a very unique, desperate sense of humor. Also, I enjoyed starting off with him as he’s stuck in a deep depression with low self-esteem leading him to care for no one, including himself, and then, slowly, step by step, bringing him back to life as he meets Jacky and Eytan.
Are any of your characters inspired by real people? Actually, all my characters existed in real life; at least in both the way they think and behave. But they do not come out of one person, but several. Nobody around me is safe, since I constantly listen to people, and study their personalities in order to feed my characters. Eytan is the only one who was been inspired by one person, surprisingly a woman named Simone Lagrange who was arrested by the Gestapo, tortured, deported to the death camps and survived. She played a key role in Klaus Barbie’s arrest and trial in the 1980s. She’s an impressive woman of great strength, with an amazing energy. The kind of person we all have something to learn from.
Are you like any of your characters?My writing is not about me; it never is, and never will be. The real thing is that I use every experience or feeling I’ve been through to feed my characters should it prove relevant. I do this just to get the right emotion at the right time, no more than this. With this premise, you’ll find a little bit of me in almost every character in the book. I do share Jeremy’s weird sense of humor and Eytan’s capacity to go on, whatever happens to him.
If you could be one of your characters, which one would you choose?Ten years ago I would have answered Eytan without an hesitation. Now, as I grow older, I’d probably chose Bernard Dean since he stays in the shadow, watching Jeremy and trying to help him without taking any credits for it. In many ways, I regret what happens to Bernard in the book, it’s a character that deserved to be developed. Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.
Chapter 37 is by far the most important chapter in the book since it depicts the deportation of the hero and his family. Everything starts in this heartbreaking chapter, and writing it was emotional. Though, I’ll go for the Epilogue, since it reveals that the hero Jeremy believes to be dead is not, thus delivering a message of hope and happiness. And God knows how badly our world needs hope and happiness nowadays…
What song would you pick to go with your book?
Since I write with my headphones on, listening to a selected play list depending on the chapter or the character I’m working on, I already have a theme for The Bleiberg Project. Eytan’s character was born with Aerosmith’s “Living on the Edge.” Not just the music, but the lyrics too, were an inspiration for his mood and own story. Should the movie be shot, I’d love this song to be played on the ending credits.
You get to decide who would read your audiobook. Who would you choose? There are so many great English-speaking actresses and actors that choosing seems impossible. I could still name a few: Ian McKellen, Clancy Brown, Peter Dinklage, Charles Dance, Cate Blanchett, and that’s just a start. This list could go on endlessly! Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?I need to be home, alone, far from the world and any distractions. Since I work with no written plot or notes, I need to stay totally focused. The character, the story and its twists exist in my mind and no thing must distract me while I’m putting them on the paper. Writing is a ritual: In my garden, my old laptop on the table, coffee on my right side, cigarettes and ashtray on my left side, headphones on.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?I fell in love with Manhattan the first I went there. I was 16, and from this day on, I’ve always dreamed of living there, and (do not ask me why, I can’t tell) I’ve known I would end my life there. It’s pretty surprising because I’m a rather rational man. Also, I do not usually like big cities, but there, I feel free. I feel like I’m home. Apart from The Shiro Project (the second in the Consortium series), Manhattan has always appeared in my books, being a central character in my other series Dawn’s Early Lights (Les vestiges de l’aube in French).
What are you working on now?I’m currently working on the second book in the Dawn’s Early Lights series. For now this series is only in French. I’m also working on a historical thriller series for teenagers. I’ll be busy for quite a few years to come.
Sounds like it. I hope you'll come back when your next book is released.
French author David Khara, a former journalist, top-level athlete, and entrepreneur, is a full-time writer. Khara wrote his first novel—a vampire thriller—in 2010, before starting his thriller series. The first in the series, The Bleiberg Project, was an instant success in France, catapulting Khara into the ranks of the country's top thriller writers.
I'm happy to have best-selling author, Edward Vilga, here today to talk about his newest book, Downward Dog, published by Diversion Books. Edward sat down for an interview and also was kind enough to write a guest post for us. You'll love it. Read on...
About the book:
Downward Dog by Edward Vilga is a fun, sexy, chick lit/contemporary novel with shades of Schooled and The Nanny Diaries meets yoga. Praised by Chip Conley (Founder of Joie de Vivre Hotels and author of Peak and Emotional Equations) as “not only a sexy/funny page turner, it also shares the emotional journey of one Bad Boy’s transformation and romantic redemption.” Simon Doonan, author of Beautiful People, Gay Men Don’t Get Fat, and the upcoming fashion memoir The Asylum describes Edward as, “What Karl Lagerfeld is to fashion, Edward Vilga is to yoga.
Interview with Edward Vilga
Edward, how long have you been writing, and how did you start?
Forever. I knew I wanted to be a writer even before junior high school when I chose the middle name “Paul” for my confirmation just because he was the most successful and prolific writer in the New Testament. (I’m not kidding.)
I love that. How did you come up with the title Downward Dog?
It sprang into my mind the moment I thought of the character –– a Bad Boy yoga teacher in NYC –– and I knew it was instantly exactly right. Do you have another job outside of writing?
Although the book was inspired by my life as a yoga teacher, I no longer teach that many private students or public classes (just a few on Skype and occasional workshops). I do, however, deeply enjoy working with about a dozen people (mostly authors) as a consultant on their creative projects. I’ve found all my various experiences combine to help me an inspiring Creative Guru and I love it. (www.EdwardVilga.com/creative)
How would you describe your book in five words?
Funny, Sexy, “can’t-put-down,” Ironic, & Moving
Um, Edward...maybe I'm being picky, but that's seven words...oh, I'll let it slide. How did you create the plot for this book?
On a gazillion index cards and outlines, and practicing telling the narrative aloud as though it were a story told to a friend.
Are you like any of your characters?
I’m constantly asked if the main character is me and/or how much he’s based on me. We’re both yoga teacher in NYC who enjoyed great and sudden successes. And we both were from blue collar families, and went to Yale, and are extremely handsome (let’s be honest!) and have had more than our share of misadventures.
There are some key differences –– he’s a decade younger and a bit of a womanizer, and although I love going out at night, he wants to be a nightlife czar, and I never have.
His voice, however, is extremely similar to my own, as is his sense of humor and irony. Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.
I love the ending which is an annoying answer because I can’t speak that much about it. Nonetheless, I feel it bookends the book perfectly and that the transformation feels real and earned and, for me, honest and moving.
What song would you pick to go with your book?
I had a whole playlist for the book. It ranged from Marvin Gaye’s “Got To Give It Up” for the nightlife, to the Balanescu Quartet’s “Waltz” for the yoga movement (which we used in the book trailer), to sad songs that reminded me of his lost love, and others lifted directly from yoga classes I’ve taught and taken. How long is your to-be-read pile?
Near infinite.
I hear you. Okay, you get to decide who would read your audiobook. Who would you choose?
I’d like to read it but I’d like to sound like Alan Rickman. Yet since the book’s been optioned by Hollywood for the movies, I’m assuming that the lead actor will read it and I know he will be brilliant.
That's great. I hate you. You know I'm totally kidding...congratulations. Seriously. Do you have a routine for writing?
I wish I did! I am both supremely disciplined and incredibly lazy. Each project seems to have its own demands and trajectory and schedule. Maybe my life would be a lot easier if I were somehow able to say, “I write for X hours or X pages a day,” but it just never works out that way for me.
Where’s home for you?
After more than a decade in downtown New York city, for the last few years I have been roving. Right now, I have storage in 4 cities, I’m living in a fifth city, and my only permanent address is a P.O. Box. The only constant is my dog. This is all very ironic because I am deeply home-oriented.
Now, however, I live, more or less, like a yoga assassin.
Tell us one weird thing, one nice thing, and one fact about where you live.
WEIRD: I’m staying for the summer in a friend’s Naples, Florida condo and living like a rich Golden Girl in a gated community. My dog and I may take in 2 roommates in order to learn life lessons. (I’m the Sophia, if you’re wondering).
I'd be Rose. sigh.
NICE: I have a spectacular view of the ocean and my dog loves swimming in it with me nearly every day.
FACT: (And this could also be considered weird) Last week, I downloaded Cecilia Bartoli’s genius album “Sospiri” of castrati arias in Naples, Florida, only to read the linear notes to learn that Naples, Italy was the center of castrati creation.
If you could only keep one book, what would it be?
My diary.
To paraphrase Oscar Wilde, I always want to have something sensational to read.
Ha! What are you working on now?
Another novel and a new play. Shameless plug: join my mailing list to stay in touch –– only 1 email every month or so because I know you’re busy –– since there’s a lot more ahead!
Will do, Edward. And please come back when your next book is released.
Watch the book trailer!
Guest Post from Edward Vilga
SADLY, I WASN’T WEARING A STOPWATCH
The most frequent question I’m asked since the publication of my novel Downward Dog is “How much of this really happened?” and the answer is “I’ll never tell.”
The second most frequent question I’m asked is is “How long did it take you to write it?”
I really do wish I had a good answer for that, but I just don’t.
I vividly remember the moment I had the inspiration for the novel. I was on the phone with a friend discussing some adventure related to my emerging life in the yoga world. It was, in fact, before I’d even completed teacher training. I was, quite simply, a fledging yoga junkie.
Nonetheless, the basic idea for the main character was born –– an NYC Bad Boy who finds himself a fish out of water ... actually, more a wolf amongst sheep –– in the yoga world.
I was intrigued with the inherent conflict in the character’s passion for both yoga and also the excitement of nightlife and its inherent pleasures of wine, women, and song. I hadn’t read or seen that story anywhere and I wanted to tell it.
The idea was dormant for a while as I actually became a yoga teacher myself, something I had never planned on doing. I found the right teacher who spoke directly and powerfully to me, and when I had a bit of downtime (read “unemployment”), I plunged into the teacher training program mostly as a way of deepening my own practice.
A friend asked me to donate a lesson for a charity auction and I did. I was shocked when the couple who bought the lesson completed their session and then whipped out a checkbook, wanting to buy a package of ten. I had no idea what to charge since I hadn’t really considered that possibility at all, but somehow we struck a deal.
I finished teacher training and on graduation night was immediately offered a class at my center. Again, it's something I hadn’t planned on, but just felt right, and in fact, delightful to start teaching. The next thing I knew, I was suddenly gainfully employed and teaching scores of classes and private students all over New York City.
Looking back, I remember half-thinking “this is great material” whenever something particularly wild or interesting or unusual met me on my yoga journey.
Around this time I remember finishing a short novella that received several extraordinarily glowing rejection letters passed on by my agent.
And then I wrote Yoga in Bed (easy stretches you could do in bed) which became a bestseller, got me on lots of TV shows like REGIS, and was translated into a dozen languages.
Inspired, I wrote another book about accessible yoga –– Yoga for Suits –– and made DVDs for both projects.
Somewhere in between all of this I drafted Downward Dog, mostly writing in spurts on Saturday nights after I returned home from teaching my now-packed 5pm class. I’d write for a few hours, print out the pages, and visit my local tavern to read them over. In a good week, I’d manage to do this 2 or 3 evenings. Since I often had 7 am clients and had to be reasonably coherent and couldn’t be my night owl self.
Somewhere during this period, I also co-created and directed a solo-show starring the brilliant Leslie Lewis Sword that’s toured six continents, and although I do remember the first rehearsal in my loft space and the endless standing ovations her performance garners, I’m not sure where and when I worked on the novel during all this time.
In fact, the only reason I know that I was indeed working on the novel while the play was in production, is because I created a visual collage based on it and gave it to Leslie during our opening weekend.
I do, however, remember the moment when my former agent told me that the material was not for her. The email arrived as my assistants were delivering a poster I’d designed of the book cover as a Creative Visualization exercise (forgive me, but I am a yoga teacher, after all). The real cover now is 1,000 times better, but at the moment, it was beyond obvious that this agent wasn’t sharing the vision AT ALL.
And I remember getting the new agent who had some succinct and highly intelligent suggestions for a re-write which I embarked upon with great enthusiasm.
Then that agent (#2) suggested I explore self-publishing another short book first before going out with Downward Dog, which was incredibly inspiring, frustrating, and ultimately educational all at once.
Around this time, I left my NYC loft of a decade for warmer climates, and after a brief stint in LA (the city and I were just NOT getting along), pre-moving to San Francisco, I set up a bucket list lunch with a long-ago friend, an incredibly successful casting director named Sarah Finn. (She’s cast small films you probably haven’t heard of like the IRON MAN SERIES, and THE AVENGERS, and the Oscar-Winning CRASH.)
Sarah offered to help with some movie ideas I had for the novel, and generously offered to read it first. Astonishingly, she fell in love with the material and wanted to option the novel for film for herself as a producer. I was ecstatic (of course), and realized that this was typical of how my life was unfolding in its own, unpredictable manner: my novel had been optioned by Hollywood before being published.
Mysteriously, Agent #2 chose that moment to jump ship, perhaps related to leaving one agency and joining another and “redefining her list” –– whatever that means –– but to this day, I have no idea why anyone would abandon a project AS it’s being embraced by Hollywood Heavies.
Anyway ...
I then began to adapt my own novel into a screenplay while searching for someone to represent it to publishers. Along came Agent #3 –– someone I’d known from over a decade ago –– who proved to be its true champion.
So now that I’ve shared all this, what do you think is the answer to the question, “How long did it take you write Downward Dog?”
I wish –– like with my attorney –– that my time were billable at an hourly rate so I’d know for sure how many moment I spent writing it. (Although do all the brooding moments savoring a scotch count, I wonder?)
Do I say succinctly, “Over a ten year period, while completing lots of other work.”
Or do I just say, “About 9 months” –– that seems a reasonable answer, right? And parallel to the birth process, too.
Basically, I am in search of a witty answer akin to Tom Stoppard’s who, when asked “What’s ‘Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead’ about?” replied, “It’s about to make me rich.”
Let the record show I’m thoroughly open to any suggestions for similarly wise and witty responses to this question –– and I promise to attribute you without fail should you supply one after reading Downward Dog.
Just keep me posted on your progress.
About the Author:
Edward has had seven books published (many of which involve his yoga practice) and written and directed two feature films.
His novel Downward Dog –– the adventures of a bad boy yoga instructor –– was published in June 2013 by Diversion Books.
Edward Vilga’s last yoga book and DVD, YOGA IN BED, hit #1 on Amazon.com for all of wellness after he appeared on Regis & Kelly and CBS’ Early Show and after his book was featured in People Magazine. In addition, Yoga in Bed has been positively reviewed in over 40 publications and translated into more than a dozen languages.
Downward Dog is on Goodreads. Don’t forget to add it to your to-read shelf!
Edward Vilga is a Playful Provocateur who creates breakthrough experiences in Books, Body, and Soul.
He writes books, film, and theater –– making a little art on the side.
* * * * *
Edward has had seven books published (many of which involve his yoga practice) and written and directed two feature films.
His novel DOWNWARD DOG –– the adventures of a bad boy yoga instructor –– will be published in June 2013 by Diversion Books.
Edward Vilga’s last yoga book and DVD, YOGA IN BED, hit #1 on
Amazon.com for all of wellness after he appeared on REGIS & KELLY
and CBS’ EARLY SHOW and after his book was featured in PEOPLE Magazine.
In addition, YOGA IN BED has been positively reviewed in over 40
publications and translated into more than a dozen languages. MIRACLE IN RWANDA,
the play he directed and co-created with performer Leslie Lewis Sword,
is currently touring the world. With more than 150 performances over 6
continents, the show has earned rave reviews and won numerous awards.
Prior to this, Vilga produced the Obie-winning MY LEFT BREAST by Susan Miller.
He also wrote and directed the feature film DEAD BROKE
(Warner Brothers DVD, 2006) that stars Paul Sorvino, John Glover, Tony
Roberts, Jill Hennessy, and Justin Theroux. It has won several best
direct-to-dvd awards and opened the New York Stories/Anjelica Film
Festival.
Inspired by his writing projects, Edward Vilga also creates visual art.
After a sold out show of his visual art in NYC, an 8 page magazine profile, a short documentary portrait
by An Films, and a nomination by GLAAD as Best Emerging Artist, in
April 2010 Vilga was honored as the first Los Angeles emerging artist
chosen by the KiptonART Foundation for a studio event.
In October of 2010, the Antebellum Gallery in Los Angeles (“The only
fetish gallery in America, perhaps the world”) exhibited his SYMMETRY
installation which explores obsession and voyeurism.
In 2011, Vilga’s painting/performance piece was the finale of the Duo
Multicultural Art Center’s Holiday Happening where he created a canvas
in real time. A video documenting this event can be seen HERE.
From January 4th through March 31st, 2013, his art was on display at the Cavallo Point Gallery.
Edward Vilga is a Yale graduate.
- See more at: http://www.edwardvilga.com/bio/authorized-bio/#sthash.iSRVZzqq.dpuf
Edward Vilga is a Playful Provocateur who creates breakthrough experiences in Books, Body, and Soul.
He writes books, film, and theater –– making a little art on the side.
* * * * *
Edward has had seven books published (many of which involve his yoga practice) and written and directed two feature films.
His novel DOWNWARD DOG –– the adventures of a bad boy yoga instructor –– will be published in June 2013 by Diversion Books.
Edward Vilga’s last yoga book and DVD, YOGA IN BED, hit #1 on
Amazon.com for all of wellness after he appeared on REGIS & KELLY
and CBS’ EARLY SHOW and after his book was featured in PEOPLE Magazine.
In addition, YOGA IN BED has been positively reviewed in over 40
publications and translated into more than a dozen languages. MIRACLE IN RWANDA,
the play he directed and co-created with performer Leslie Lewis Sword,
is currently touring the world. With more than 150 performances over 6
continents, the show has earned rave reviews and won numerous awards.
Prior to this, Vilga produced the Obie-winning MY LEFT BREAST by Susan Miller.
He also wrote and directed the feature film DEAD BROKE
(Warner Brothers DVD, 2006) that stars Paul Sorvino, John Glover, Tony
Roberts, Jill Hennessy, and Justin Theroux. It has won several best
direct-to-dvd awards and opened the New York Stories/Anjelica Film
Festival.
Inspired by his writing projects, Edward Vilga also creates visual art.
After a sold out show of his visual art in NYC, an 8 page magazine profile, a short documentary portrait
by An Films, and a nomination by GLAAD as Best Emerging Artist, in
April 2010 Vilga was honored as the first Los Angeles emerging artist
chosen by the KiptonART Foundation for a studio event.
In October of 2010, the Antebellum Gallery in Los Angeles (“The only
fetish gallery in America, perhaps the world”) exhibited his SYMMETRY
installation which explores obsession and voyeurism.
In 2011, Vilga’s painting/performance piece was the finale of the Duo
Multicultural Art Center’s Holiday Happening where he created a canvas
in real time. A video documenting this event can be seen HERE.
From January 4th through March 31st, 2013, his art was on display at the Cavallo Point Gallery.
Edward Vilga is a Yale graduate.
- See more at: http://www.edwardvilga.com/bio/authorized-bio/#sthash.iSRVZzqq.dpuf
Edward Vilga is a Playful Provocateur who creates breakthrough experiences in Books, Body, and Soul.
He writes books, film, and theater –– making a little art on the side.
* * * * *
Edward has had seven books published (many of which involve his yoga practice) and written and directed two feature films.
His novel DOWNWARD DOG –– the adventures of a bad boy yoga instructor –– will be published in June 2013 by Diversion Books.
Edward Vilga’s last yoga book and DVD, YOGA IN BED, hit #1 on
Amazon.com for all of wellness after he appeared on REGIS & KELLY
and CBS’ EARLY SHOW and after his book was featured in PEOPLE Magazine.
In addition, YOGA IN BED has been positively reviewed in over 40
publications and translated into more than a dozen languages. MIRACLE IN RWANDA,
the play he directed and co-created with performer Leslie Lewis Sword,
is currently touring the world. With more than 150 performances over 6
continents, the show has earned rave reviews and won numerous awards.
Prior to this, Vilga produced the Obie-winning MY LEFT BREAST by Susan Miller.
He also wrote and directed the feature film DEAD BROKE
(Warner Brothers DVD, 2006) that stars Paul Sorvino, John Glover, Tony
Roberts, Jill Hennessy, and Justin Theroux. It has won several best
direct-to-dvd awards and opened the New York Stories/Anjelica Film
Festival.
Inspired by his writing projects, Edward Vilga also creates visual art.
After a sold out show of his visual art in NYC, an 8 page magazine profile, a short documentary portrait
by An Films, and a nomination by GLAAD as Best Emerging Artist, in
April 2010 Vilga was honored as the first Los Angeles emerging artist
chosen by the KiptonART Foundation for a studio event.
In October of 2010, the Antebellum Gallery in Los Angeles (“The only
fetish gallery in America, perhaps the world”) exhibited his SYMMETRY
installation which explores obsession and voyeurism.
In 2011, Vilga’s painting/performance piece was the finale of the Duo
Multicultural Art Center’s Holiday Happening where he created a canvas
in real time. A video documenting this event can be seen HERE.
From January 4th through March 31st, 2013, his art was on display at the Cavallo Point Gallery.
Edward Vilga is a Yale graduate.
- See more at: http://www.edwardvilga.com/bio/authorized-bio/#sthash.iSRVZzqq.dpuf
We were not destined to live the mundane, dry,
"rat-in-the-cage-on-the-spinning-wheel" life. Adventure is such a core
essential need to human beings. If there is no adventure, then we just
sit in stagnant waters. The only place you will find the living,
rushing, mighty waterfall is in the adventure of being consumed with
Grace, the central core element to everyone's life. The key is to tap
into it and allow it to make your life epic and worthwhile.
Interview with Destiny Rose
Destiny, how long have you been writing, and how did you start?
I have always been able to turn a phrase, I wrote several papers in middle school and high school where people started noticing that I had a knack for it, but the part that my teachers didn’t like that is that repeated myself and talked in circles when I wrote. 10 years went by and I didn’t do anything with it.
Then, in the summer of 2012, someone commented on my Facebook page...and how they loved my status updates, and how it gripped them with the way I wrote. And they said, “You NEED to write!” I dismissed it with a bunch of excuses! “No way, I can’t write! Whenever I write anything past four sentences, it DIES! Gosh! I can’t do this! I’m not trying, I am a horrible writer. It goes nowhere.”
A month later, another lady told me the same thing after I had spontaneously written in her notebook a message from the Spirit...it was spot on for her, and it touched her deeply. This different lady said again, “YOU NEED TO WRITE!” I said the same excuse out loud to her... “It DIES after 4 sentences!!!!!” And in the middle of me blurting out in stupidity, I heard a gentle voice in my heart, “Who said you had to change your writing style to become a famous author?”
Time stood still.
Time and chance came together to produce that serendipitous moment...which exploded with destiny. And I had an “ah-hah” moment! I already have a ton of material for a book! I write witty little phrases all the time!
And thus my book was conceived. I read my own book and cry... and I help from my own book because I didn’t write it! Really, I didn’t! I knew it came from a Divine Influence.
Why did you decide to write The Man of Grace?
I want people to see the Man
of Grace for who He really is. A lot of stuff has been written about
which and they have diminished the power of what He really carries...and
it’s all through GRACE!
What will others learn from reading your book?
They will see the power of Grace...and what it can do in their lives.
Who is your favorite author?
C.S. Lewis
What do you like best about writing? What’s your least favorite thing?
I love all of it, because I love writing quotes...and what I do is I accumulate quotes for about a year before I compile them together...I am already getting a collection of quotes for my second book. The quotes come from my own personal journey which changes my life first so that I can turn around and change others with it!
How did you come up with the title of your book?
I knew I wanted to say "Man of Grace”...because I had been calling Jesus that for a year...and then the Embrace part HIT me out of nowhere one day at the beginning.
Do you have another job outside of writing?
I am in the health field. I help people by selling alkaline water machines. Our bodies are so acidic that it is a breeding ground for disease, but when people drink anti-oxidant, micro-clustered alkaline water, we bring our bodies back into balance so that the body can heal itself. I look at this water as the Grace of God in physical form, because so many problems go away on it. Please contact me if interested. How would you describe your book in a tweet? (140 characters or less.)
Exposing the Wild, Heroic side of Jesus...Embrace, the MAN OF GRACE!!!!”
Do you outline, write by the seat of your pants, or let your characters tell you what to write?
I write down all the quotes I get when I get inspired from the Spirit.
How did your cover art come about?
I designed the whole cover. My adopted grandpa in his 70s made me that swing, I hired a professional photographer, and took 400 pictures. After the photo shoot, Papa Charlie took the swing down since it was on the side of a major road...Quite a few cars drove by slowly to see what was going on!
And I was in school for Graphics Design at the time, so I designed the typography. It was epic!
Tell us a book you’re an evangelist for.
Destined to Reign, by Joseph Prince. This is the “Bible” of how to live by Grace!!!!
What do you do to market your book?
I have a website, and I hosted it on several international sites, Amazon, BN, and the National Association for Professional Women.
What song would you pick to go with your book?
Audio Machine: Eternal Flame, and Sol Invictus How do you handle criticism of your work?
People who criticize my work are so stiff and beat up emotionally and act like they are half dead and have a hard time receiving Grace to live a full life, so I honestly have compassion on them! Tell us about where you live.
I live in an apartment (with vaulted ceilings, big thing for me) on the third floor by myself. I feel like it is my lofty palace on the top of a high hill...I feel like a princess/queen!
Do you ever get writer’s block? What do you do when it happens?
Yes, I got writers block while I was in the middle of actually organizing and publishing my book...now that it’s done, the flow is back...and that’s because I am getting ideas for my second book. When you are caught up in one book, it’s hard to write more for another. Is there anything in particular that you do to help the writing flow? Music?
MUSIC!!! YES!!!!! I write monologues set to music...the message is driven home much stronger with epic orchestra music in the background. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Telling people about anti-oxidant, micro-clustered, alkaline water!
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
In the JUNGLE! Swinging from vines in the trees like Jane and Tarzan!
What is your favorite book?
The Chronicles of Narnia Series... I see the Man of Grace in it!
If you could take a trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?
The bucket list of the countries I want to go to is HUGE! ALL OVER!
What are you working on now?
A book about how God is FOR us, not against us... and the premise and setting is in a spiritual “kitchen”... you’ll see when it comes out! I don’t want to give out the surprise!!!
Embrace the Man of Grace Excerpts:
“Grace as the ability to dissipate every agitating situation and transform it into peaceful bliss!”
“Mankind
as a whole divides decisions based on right verses wrong, good verses
bad. A much better way to live is to determine whether a decision
produces life or death in your heart and soul!”
“The Man of Grace has
this incredible ability to seep into every closed-off, bitter chamber
of your heart, and make it come free and alive again!”
About the author:
“I see and expose the epic, heroic, wild side of
Jesus.” Destiny is an inspirational speaker, she believes in the power
of witty phraseology to strike the gracious truth into people’s heart,
causing them to come alive and have their whole life changed for the
good. She currently lives in the Midwest part of the USA, and enjoys,
painting, ballroom dancing, and working out.
Welcome to the fourth day of the Cerulean Dreams blog tour. It will run until July 24th and will feature excerpts, new author interviews each day, and a video blog by the author. But first, here is the obligatory blurb about the novel to settle you into this dystopian world:
Orion, the last city of men. Deep within the desert, a secret lay waiting. Young women found dead in the street. A corporation that controls the sleep of a populace that never sees the light of day. Alexander Marlowe seeks to unravel the mysteries of Orion as he helps a young girl, Dana, flee the city. The closer they come to the truth, the greater the danger that hunts them. Follow them as they search beyond the boundaries of everything they have ever known for answers.
A few questions for the author:
Do you ever experience writer’s block?
From a behavior analysis point of view, I simply remove the antecedent. This is a fancy way of saying I eliminate the possibility of experiencing writer’s block by always having multiple projects to work on, whether it is a another piece of short fiction, a consultation job, blogging, etc.
Do you work with an outline, or just write?
A little of both. I find a living outline to be very useful for the way I write. I will have important ideas and plot points that I want to make sure find a place within the book, but I often deviate as my imagination takes over.
Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?
Herbert, Hugo, and Hemmingway probably had the most direct influence on types of books I like to write, as well as my attitude toward writing in general. Orwell and Bradbury helped to cultivate a love of dystopian science fiction and Lovecraft, as well as King, helped to foster a love of all things horror.
Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?
My first book was a space opera that I went the traditional route with. I queried agents and publishers in the early 2000s, right before the vanity press boom that claimed the careers of many writers. It was a relatively lukewarm experience that I am not particularly interested in re-visiting. Needless to say, it was an important learning experience.
Here be an excerpt for your enjoyment:
Chapter IV
The doors opened without incident. The lobby looked far more alive than Cedars Tower. Tenants bustled about. Their voices rose, talking about this and that. About Marlowe no doubt, if his paranoid mind had its way.
The pair seemed conspicuous immediately.
Their clothes were dirtied. Their faces were pensive, watchful as they scanned the crowd gathered in the lobby. For a moment, Marlowe could swear that they stopped and looked at him collectively, each of them thinking the same thing: that’s him.
There he is: criminal, terrorist.
“Monsieur,” called the manager. His bristling walk and crimson suit were both polished.
Marlowe looked at him, his face haggard. “What?”
The manager was apprehensive, his hands clenching and posture stiffening. Undoubtedly, Marlowe had answered harsher than the man had anticipated. “We are very much abuzz here, monsieur. There have been OrionCorps all about.”
A pencil-thin moustache and placid features were set upon an unscrupulous face. Marlowe looked at him for a long moment, uncertain if he was more repulsive than the strange transient apparitions that beleaguered him.
“Right, OrionCorps,” said Marlowe dreamily. Dana nudged him hard, giving Marlowe a hard stare. The manager followed her gaze back to the rough mug of Marlowe. “OrionCorps, exactly. I’m Lieutenant Gales,” he started, flashing the badge he had taken from the lieutenant upstairs. He felt a fog lift from his mind for a moment. “I was in pursuit of the suspect. He is in the building.”
The manager looked shocked.
“This building, monsieur?”
Marlowe felt strange, he walked the line between wanting to laugh hysterically at the little man or smack him across the room. He settled on maintaining the lawful air. “Precisely, I was in pursuit of the suspect,” said Marlowe and then looking at Dana, he grabbed her roughly. “Then I noticed that he had accosted this young girl here and I stopped to help her. I didn’t see where he went.”
The manager looked concerned. He grabbed her hand lightly as he spoke. “I am so sorry, madam. That must have been harrowing for you.”
Dana glanced at Marlowe and then nodded slowly.
“Frightening.”
Marlowe cleared his throat, adjusting his weapon. “I am going to bring this girl in, but I have instructed OrionCorps that the suspect is in this building. You can confirm this when they arrive. Tell them Lieutenant Gales has brought a witness back to headquarters. Can you do that for me, sir?”
The manager nodded, almost gleefully. He was enthralled to be of assistance. “Of course monsieur, it would be my pleasure. Suspect in building. Lieutenant Gales took a female witness downtown. Understood, monsieur.”
Marlowe smiled and moved Dana forward, not bothering to turn around to watch the manager. He could hear the little man delegating to bellhops and other tower staff to search the area and assume security precautions.
As they moved through the gathered crowd, Marlowe was sure not to nudge anyone too hard or draw attention. Marlowe reminded himself that it was nothing short of a miracle that the manager had not realized who he was.
As they pushed through the ornate double doors of the plaza, the open air was alive with the sounds of OrionCorps vehicles. The wailing sound of justice was ever-present. Marlowe breathed out, as if he had been holding his breath. “That was close, Dana. That man obviously hadn’t been on his visor lately, otherwise we would’ve been dead in the water.”
The wailing grew closer and Marlowe turned up his collar, hiding his face as a squadron of OrionCorps poured into the building. Dana watched them with a child-like awe, but Marlowe turned her attention back with a rough tug on her arm.
“Do you think that will keep them occupied for long?”
“Long enough, hopefully just long enough,” echoed Marlowe as he turned the next corner, dragging them down a flight of dirty stairs into the rail station. The station was dark like in Messiah district. Distant, flickering lights were in desperate need of service. They stalked out of the darkness, disappearing for a moment in the light, though only to return into the shadows once more.
Marlowe pressed forward, trying not to gawk at the frightful apparitions. He felt a mesmerizing quality from them that trapped you in their gaze.
That was someplace he did not wish to be.
The station was modern, electronic fixings and long runner boards changed from one advertisement to the next. Marlowe had begun to feel that it was not safe. The world seemed to be talking to him at all times: whispering, not loud enough to drown out the living world, but just enough that he knew it was there.
“Where are we going?” Dana asked, her little frame stopping to draw Marlowe’s attention. Her small face had smudges of dirt, black soot that seemed out of place on her almost pristine features.
Warmth passed over his face.
At first, it was comfortable. But as the warmth grew, with it came dead eyes and pale features. Marlowe realized that the phantoms were now walking through him as they pleased. The dead had no regard for the living. “We are going to take the light rail back to my place,” he began.
“They will be waiting there for you,” she cut him off.
Marlowe ran his hands through his hair, sighing exasperatedly. “Right. Of course, they will be. That is the first place they are going to look…” he trailed off and then jumped as one of the strange phantoms walked right through Dana. For a moment, it was a strange mutated creature that was part beauty and part horror.
“We need to leave Orion,” she spoke.
Marlowe looked at the girl seriously. “You keep saying that like it’s an option. We’ll die if we leave the city. We can’t survive in the desert. Anyone who walks beyond these walls dies in that desert. We’ll have to think of something else.”
“We are dead if we stay here.”
“Very astute answer. Not at all helpful, but very clever. I realize that we are dead if we stay. We are dead if we leave the city, but that doesn’t mean I am going to go off gallivanting into a sweltering sandstorm because you like the heat.”
The sound of the approaching light rail was a high-pitched whistle. They both looked up, watching as the bleached steel tube rocketed into the station, the windows and passengers a blur.
“When the doors open, get on and keep moving from rail car to rail car until we find an empty one. If we can stay away from people long enough, I can figure something out,” he spoke in a low voice.
Grunting, he scratched at his right forearm. His fingers dug at his flesh through the heavy cloth of his trench. The doors of the rail opened with a grinding squeal. Dana stepped through without hesitation, her blonde hair bouncing against her shoulders. The interior was cloaked in a scattered darkness, much like everything else about Orion.
She turned toward him, her eyes sparkling. He couldn’t remember if her eyes had been green before. Hadn’t they been blue? “We can’t ride the rail for long. They will look for us on it,” she stated matter-of-factly.
Marlowe nodded. Swallowing, his throat was barren and salty. “There aren’t a lot of places we can hide in Orion. We will just have to keep on the move. We will take turns sleeping.”
Marlowe placed one foot on the dirty steel of the rail and the other stayed on the ground. He watched the ground with interest. It had moved. The vibration was slight, as if a wave had passed across the ground. “I think something might be very, very wrong,” he whispered.
Dana looked at him coldly, her arms crossed. “Worse than everything that is chasing us?” she asked sarcastically.
Marlowe lifted his foot. A section of the concrete moved with it, a webbed imprint that was a perfect match of his foot. His face slipped to a grimace as he watched the ground bubble, pieces of it popping and sending liquid splatters against the side of the rail.
“I think the ground is melting,” he muttered.
He placed his other foot on the ground of the light rail. The surge of steel and power as the rail started forward rocked Marlowe’s balance, forcing him to grab a hold of one of the poles that ran from ceiling to floor. They were cold to the touch. He lifted his foot––the webbing of sloshing concrete had dissipated.
“Could have sworn….”
Dana looked out the wide windows of the rail. Her reflection was that of a beautiful stranger: bright blonde hair and gray eyes. Hadn’t they been green? Her sigh was announced with the pout of her small lips. “It is worse when you sleep. The Lurking watches us, haunting our every step, waiting for us to lower our defenses, let up,” she spoke.
Marlowe watched the girl. “Why are they after you?”
“The truth.”
Marlowe waved his hand dismissively.
“There must be more to it than that.”
She remained silent, her thin arms hugging herself. Marlowe pulled himself forward with the light rail pole, looking at the next car. “We should keep moving from car to car, keep in motion.”
She nodded. Eyes glassy, her little body moved out ahead of Marlowe. Moving through the hunched figures of other commuters who muttered to themselves via their visors, he watched them as they passed. Most didn’t take the time to acknowledge their passing, except one.
“Marlowe.” Her voice felt like a cold spike.
A man had her around the waist. She wiggled against him, trying desperately to find a way to pull herself loose. Marlowe drew his weapon. The man watched, his intense eyes looking from the girl to Marlowe. The blade was sharp. The glinting edge was tight against her throat.
“Let the girl go,” Marlowe growled.
He took a step forward.
The man pulled Dana up, the blade touching her skin, crimson melting into ivory. His teeth gleamed. Some were sharpened to razor points. His face distorted. What had been pale skin was now moldy like old bread. Teeth were decayed, yellow and blackened from lack of care. The cackle that erupted from the man was otherworldly.
“The pretty one is mine now,” he crooned.
Fingers were long and slender.
Nails dirtied and cracked.
Marlowe blinked.
The very act was heavy.
He shot once, twice. The first round caught the man in the throat. Greenish blood spilled in a fine arc. Dana fell away. Her shriek fell on his deaf ears. The second shot exploded through the man’s chest.
Dana watched as Marlowe loomed over the man, his wide eyes glazed as he emptied the chamber. Each shot made the man jump, his body lifting from the ground as if pushed from beneath.
“I think he is dead,” she whispered.
Marlowe continued to pull the trigger. The man’s face was a haunting smile, blackened lips and bleeding gums forever frozen. The world around him seemed silent. The click of his weapon, Dana’s words, all of it was a silent symphony.
Then the voices returned.
Low whispering that at first climbed and climbed until there was a raging cacophony of screams that were indiscernible from one another. He looked at Dana, her lips moving, but the words were lost to him.
It came slowly, half of the message lost.
“…leave.”
He looked at her strangely. “What?” he asked, splatters of the man’s blood plastered across his chest.
Her eyes pleaded.
“We should leave, get off of the train.”
He nodded, licking his lips again. The world had refocused. “News certainly does travel fast, this kind more so than most. Not often you have a dead demon on a train.”
It was Dana’s turn to look at him oddly. He moved around her, reloading his weapon and aiming at the metal doors. The force of the round charred the steel in a perfect circle.
The screech of the train frightened the passengers.
As the doors opened, Dana jumped through, Marlowe following. Many of the onlookers disengaged their visors. They watched as the blood-soaked Marlowe and an angel of a young woman departed the train and fell into the murky tunnel. Marlowe watched the walls, looking for the crawling figures. Immediately, he regretted diving so blithely into the darkness when there were things that wished to speak to him from the shadows.
Bio: A psychologist, author, editor, philosopher, martial artist, and skeptic, he has published several novels and currently has many in print, including: The End of the World Playlist, Bitten, The Journey, The Ocean and the Hourglass, The Path of the Fallen, The Portent, and Cerulean Dreams. Follow him on Twitter (@AuthorDanOBrien) or visit his blog http://thedanobrienproject.blogspot.com. He recently started a consultation business. You can find more information about it here: http://www.amalgamconsulting.com/.
All you have to do is comment on a post during the tour. Two randomly drawn commenters will be awarded either a physical or digital copy of Cerulean Dreams. Visit http://thedanobrienproject.blogspot.com/ and follow the blog for a chance to win a Kindle Fire!
Joel Savage, author of Overseas Chronicle-The Rome and Amsterdam Experience, and he's here today with Virtualbookworm Publishing to talk about the book and writing in general.
Sidebar: I used Grammarly to grammar check this post, because a Grammar Nazi can never be too careful.
About the book:
The Roman Catholic priests continuously abused the young boys they had provided accommodation and in Amsterdam the liberal laws on drugs have destroyed a lot of people that there are walking dead on the streets.
In Amsterdam, the police successfully have impounded hundreds of kilos of
drugs which are brought into the country through the airport Schipol, yet marijuana and other harmful drugs find their way into the coffee-shops for customers. Where do those drugs come from? Who is controlling it? The government, the army, the police, or the Queen?
Interview with Joel Savage
Joel, how long have you been writing, and how did you start?
I have been writing since I was a teenager. I grew up in environment where I witnessed the experiences of those dying in desperation, and it deepened my understanding and knowledge to start writing books inspired by true events.
What do you like best about writing?
Writing has been my passion. It may be a hereditary thing since my father was a journalist and writer.
What’s your least favorite thing?
I don’t have any least favorite thing but I feel restless when a particular book I’m working on is left uncompleted.
Do you have another job outside of writing?
Yes, when I am not behind my desk, I work as a cleaner or sometimes as a forklift driver to support my family.
How did you create the plot for this book?
I was aware of the subject I wanted to write about and since it falls in the genre of non-fiction, I made the book very interesting to read, letting the reader feel that he or she is witnessing firsthand. Do you outline, write by the seat of your pants, or let your characters tell you what to write?
Having the story in mind, I just plan the outline and the story continues as the book is inspired by true events.
Did you have any say in your cover art?
I love being creative and adventurous. I therefore design the cover illustration of every book I have written.
What books have you read more than once or want to read again?
I write little feature articles on my blog relating to my books before they are published.
Joel, tell us about your favorite scene in the book.
When I was invited by the police in Amsterdam for my documents, I went without any idea that I was going to be arrested and thrown behind bars. The police told me “We knew that woman more than you; she takes money from foreigners under the pretext of helping them.” I couldn’t say anything.
What song would you pick to go with your book?
I don’t have any song which suits my case but I remember that time the African-American musician, R Kelly’s lyrics, “I believe I can fly” supported me spiritually through faith to survive.
Who are your favorite authors?
Norman Vincent Peale, Aminatta Forna, Jeffery Archer and Ryszard Kapucinski.
What are your favorite books as a child, as a teenager, and as an adult?
Books inspired by true events.
Which author would you most like to invite to dinner, and what would you fix him?
Harrison Ford. I will first ask him what he likes best.
Do you have a routine for writing? Do you work better at night, in the afternoon, or in the morning?
I write when time is available. It can be morning, evening and even at midnight. Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?
At home at night. Do you ever get writer’s block? What do you do when it happens?
At the moment I haven’t experienced any writer’s block because I’m still working on other scripts.
What’s one of your favorite quotes?
“Whatever happens to me benefits me, because it educates me morally and spiritually.” What three books have you read recently and would recommend?
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?Australia
If you could take a trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?
United States of America
What are you working on now?
My new script The Passion of Reggae and African Music.
Joel Answers the Dirty Dozen:
1. Name one thing you couldn’t live without.
The Holy Bible
2. If you could only keep one book,what would it be?
The Power of Positive Thinking
3. Your last meal would be...
Last meal wouldn’t taste well. I prefer to request the Bible.
4. Would you rather work in a library or a bookstore?
I prefer any of them because both are the best way to increase your knowledge and
interact with people.
5. You won the lottery.What’s the first thing you would buy?
A house.
6. Would you rather be stranded on a deserted island or the North Pole? Both aren’t a good experience if one finds himself in any of the two. I will
therefore pray for this never to occur.
7. You’re given the day off, and you can do anything but write. What would you do?
I will still use that precious time to write. 8. You’re driven to a private plane and told it will take you anywhere your want to go. Where would it be?
A place I haven’t visited yet, United States of America. 9. You can be any fictional character for one day. Who would you be?
Sammy Davis Jr. 10. Where would your dream office be?
A place where business thrives with friendly people.
11. If you could do only one, would you rather read or write?
Write.
12. One of your main characters has to die. Which one would you kill off?
That’s a hard decision. I am happy I’m not working on anything like that at the
moment.
About the author:
Joel Savage was born in the central region of
Ghana, Cape Coast, on January 19, 1957. He attended the Ebenezer
Secondary School and Accra High School in Accra, Ghana. He later studied
at the Ghana Institute of Journalism. Joel was a freelance writer for
the Daily Graphic, Ghanaian Times and the Weekly Spectator. He became a
naturalized citizen of Sierra Leone in 1985 and of Belgium in 2008. He
is an accredited, card-holding member of the Flemish Journalists’
Association and lives in Antwerp, Belgium, with his wife and three
children.
A heartfelt plea to look into the death of a world-famous vintner goes hand in hand with the opportunity to attend an exclusive gourmet event in British Columbia’s stunning wine country. How can overindulgent foodie and criminologist Cait Morgan resist?
Sure that the award-winning owner of a family-run vineyard was murdered, Cait shares her findings with Bud Anderson, a retired homicide cop. But he is convinced that the woman took her own life, whatever her grief-stricken sister might say. That is, until death strikes once again, in the neat rows of grapevines that clamber up the banks of magnificent Lake Okanagan.
Uncovering obsessions that might have fuelled murderous thoughts among the victim’s wacky neighbours is a start, but as Cait unravels the clues, she realizes that more lives are at stake. Can she think, and act, quickly enough to thwart the killer?
The Corpse with the Golden Nose is the second book in the Cait Morgan Mysteries, a classic whodunit series featuring the eccentric Professor Cait Morgan.
Guest Post by Cathy Ace
Judge a Book By Its Cover?
We’ve all heard the saying, “You shouldn’t judge a book by its cover,” right? And yet we still do . . . or do we? If we don’t, then all books could be put on sale with just the title and author’s name in bold black lettering, nothing more. So what’s the purpose of a book cover—other than to protect the pages within?
When I’m browsing the bookstore—bricks or clicks—or the library, I always head for the FICTION section and, within it, the MYSTERIES. When I get there, I start at authors beginning with “A” (I’m really hoping you do too!) and have at it. The vast majority of the books are presented spine-on, even in bookstores. That means that the first thing that has to catch my eye is the title, or the author. Maybe you, like me, know certain authors’ names, and dwell on the titles available, or, if a person’s work isn’t known to you, it’s their titles that’ll tickle your interest. It’s only once I make a small commitment and pull the book from the shelf that the cover design can get to work on me.
I’ll be honest and tell you now that I have put books back onto the shelf because a) the cover didn’t appeal to me and b) I still took the time to read the cover notes, and I didn’t think, at that point, that the book would be my cup of tea. So I do try to not let just the cover put me off a book. If I don’t like it, I try to get past it—but I’m then in a frame of mind where the cover notes have to work even harder to win me over. I have chosen to read books with what I think of as dreadful covers, so it’s not an insurmountable obstacle.
However, if the cover is something that appeals to me, I’m already in a more receptive mood when I read the notes, and that means I’m more likely to open the book and check out some more about it . . . an important step in the selection process. Of course there are some books with very appealing covers that I’ve put back on the shelf, because the book didn’t seem to be for me, so it doesn’t make book selection a sure fire thing.
On balance, as an author, I’d rather err on the side of caution, so I work with a wonderful designer named Pete, who’s employed by my publisher, to try to come up with a cover that’s not only appealing, but resonates with something of the atmosphere that the book conveys. I don’t think it should merely be appealing—I think that it should give the reader a real insight into what sort of book you can expect it to contain.
From the outset of my relationship with my publisher, TouchWood Editions, they knew that I had planned a series of at least nine Cait Morgan Mysteries. What sets each one apart from the others is their location—Cait gets about a bit you know!—so we decided that the cover art for the books would be location/setting orientated. Cait’s first Mystery, The Corpse
With the Silver Tongue, takes place in Nice in the south of France, so beauty shots of the location weren’t difficult to come by . . . but finding one that didn’t look like a travel brochure were more challenging. The exact location for the first murder is an apartment in a Belle Époque building overlooking the glittering Baie des Anges, so Pete found a super side-shot of the iconic Negresco Hotel on the Promenade des Anglais, which he cropped perfectly. With the French flag fluttering atop the magnificent pink dome, and a wonderful ageing technique applied to the photograph, giving it some gravitas, I felt he’d really captured the mood of a carefree city by the sea, that hides its secrets under layers of complex history. I also think that the typeface he’s chosen for the titles is reminiscent of “The Golden Age” of mysteries, without imitating, or aping it—which is exactly what I’m trying to achieve with my work.
The Corpse With the Golden Nose is set in British Columbia’s wine country, surrounding Lake Okanagan, so, again, it wasn’t tough to find glorious photographs of such a naturally beautiful environment. This time the challenge was to find something that showed off the vineyards, but with a clearly identifiable section of lake in play as well . . . since both elements are critical to the setting. Once again, Pete found the perfect shot, and, using his wonderful ageing technique again, he’s given the naturally golden glow of the valley an extra shot of oomph! I think the cover is truly beautiful.
Both covers have made me very happy. I think they both speak to what the reader can expect within the book, as well as being very attractive pieces in their own right. Of course I hope that potential readers, and those who’ve reached the end of the books, agree. They also FEEL great in the hand—so hats off to the printers and finishers for that: how a book feels is very important to me, and they have a delightfully cool, smooth, matte finish to them, which I like in the hand (oh dear, I’m stroking one as I type!).
Now we’re working on the cover of my third Cait Morgan Mystery, The Corpse With the Emerald Thumb, which will be published in the spring of 2014. It’s set on the Pacific coast of Mexico in a small municipality which has a resort along the beachfront and tequila-producing agave plantations in the hills. Again, there are a lot of photographs available of this naturally beautiful area, it’s just a matter of finding the right one. If Pete’s track record is anything to go by—he’ll do it again.
So, whether you’re one of those who does, or one of those who doesn’t, judge a book by its cover, please know that this author, for one, tries to make sure that her books are presented to you with the best possible cover for each book. All I can hope is that you like the title enough to pull the book from the shelf; that you like the cover enough to read a little; that you like the snippet you read to buy or borrow the book . . . and that you enjoy each book so much that you head out actively looking for the next one!
About Cathy Ace:
Welsh Canadian mystery author Cathy Ace is the creator of the Cait Morgan Mysteries, which include The Corpse with the Silver Tongue and The Corpse with the Golden Nose. Born, raised, and educated in Wales, Cathy enjoyed a successful career in marketing and training across Europe, before immigrating to Vancouver, Canada, where she taught on MBA and undergraduate marketing programs at various universities. Her eclectic tastes in art, music, food, and drink have been developed during her decades of extensive travel, which she continues whenever possible. Now a full-time author, Cathy’s short stories have appeared in multiple anthologies, as well as on BBC Radio 4. She and her husband are keen gardeners, who enjoy being helped out around their acreage by their green-pawed Labradors.
Tour Participants:
July 18 – A Blue Million Books: Guest Post
July 19 – Melina’s Book Blog: Review & Guest Post
July 20 – Kaisy Daisy’s Corner: Review & Giveaway
July 21 – Cozy Up With Kathy: Interview
July 22 – THE SELF-TAUGHT COOK: Review
July 23 – Storeybook Reviews: Review & Giveaway
July 24 – readalot blog: Review & Giveaway
July 26 – Books-n-Kisses: Review & Interview
July 28 – Brooke Blogs-Review, Guest Post, & Giveaway
July 29 – Mochas, Mysteries and More - Guest Post
July 30 – Escape With Dollycas-Guest Post & Review
July 31 – rantin’ ravin’ and reading: Review & Interview
August 1 – The Bookwyrm’s Hoard: Interview
August 2 – Socrates’ Book Review Blog: Review
