FEATURED AUTHOR: ELIZABETH PENNEY

ABOUT THE BOOK

Welcome to the first in the Apron Shop mystery series by Elizabeth Penney, set in the quaint village of Blueberry Cove, Maine where an expert seamstress turned amateur sleuth is getting measured for murder . . .

Iris Buckley is sew ready for a change. After the death of her beloved grandfather, Iris decides to stay in her Maine hometown to help out her widowed grandmother, Anne—and bring her online hand-made apron designs to real-time retail life. Her and Anne’s shop, Ruffles & Bows, is set to include all the latest and vintage linen fashions, a studio for sewing groups and classes, and a friendly orange cat. The only thing that they were not planning to have on the property? A skeleton in the basement

Anne recognizes the remains of an old friend, and when a second body shows up in the apron shop—this time their corrupt landlord, whom Anne had been feuding with for decades—she becomes a prime suspect. Now, it’s up to Iris to help clear her name. Enlisting the help of her old high-school crush Ian Stewart who, like certain fabrics, has only gotten better-looking with age and her plucky BFF Madison Morris, Iris must piece together an investigation to find out who the real killer is. . .and find a way to keep her brand-new business from being scrapped in the process.

Book Details:


Title: Hems And Homicide


Author’s name: Elizabeth Penney


Genre: cozy mystery; amateur sleuth, traditional mystery


Series: The Apron Shop Series, book 1


Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, December 31, 2019


Page count: 288
 pages

On tour with: Great Escapes Book Tours


LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT WITH ELIZABETH PENNEY

A few of your favorite things: my favorite things include my library of books, most of which are research volumes I use while writing. I also collect old children’s books I love, and vintage New Hampshire memorabilia, including publications. Then there’s the kitchen, where I have the old KitchenAid mixer my mother gave me. It still works and I use it to bake bread.  But what would I grab in case of fire? The Mother’s Day artwork my daughters made, residing in a glass cabinet along with more “valuable” items, and paintings by my late father.
Things you need to throw out: my list is very short, since we basically purged during our move back home to New Hampshire. I do have a crate full of printed pages from drafts. It’s threatening to take over the office so I’d better empty it soon.

Things you love about writing: I’m in creative heaven while noodling new plot ideas and also while drafting a book. I love being immersed in my story-world when everything flows.
Things you hate about writing: it’s the left-brain activities I chafe at doing. Outlining, incredibly useful when writing a mystery, is very painful for me. Editing, too, I regard as a chore. That’s why I strive to write pretty clean first drafts.

Things you love about where you live: we’re back in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, which is remote, rural and gorgeous. I love that we have family here, that we live in a small town where help is only a phone call away.
Things that make you want to move: the same things that led me to move to Georgia in 2008 (we returned in 2016): bad winter weather and icy roads, the lack of music venues, restaurant variety, and bookstores.

Favorite music: as in my reading, I’m pretty eclectic in my tastes. I like classical, baroque, swing, jazz, blues, rock and roll, and some country.
Music that make your ears bleed: heavy metal rock is more of an assault than music, in my opinion.

Favorite beverage: coffee, especially the brand we brew, special ordered (yes we’re picky) from Louisiana. Rich, dark, and smooth. I think I’ll go make another pot, using the commercial Bunn coffeemaker we found second-hand. It makes the best coffee.
Something that gives you a pickle face: any herb tea that tastes like sticks brewed in tepid hot water. 


Things you always put in your books: my passions include history, especially domestic history, art, antiques, architecture, gardening, and literature, and often these elements appear in my books. For example, the Apron Shop Series is the perfect showcase for domestic history related to vintage aprons. Maine has a lot of beautiful old homes, and I like to include those too. 

Things you never put in your books: violence against children or animals or kidnapped girls who are abused. I don’t read about those things and I won’t write about them.

Favorite places you’ve been: besides Maine, which is where I grew up and a setting I love writing about, I would say Barga, Italy, in Tuscany. My artisan great-grandfather emigrated from there in the late 1800s, and once I saw how picturesque it is, I wanted to visit. Barga is a medieval village perched on top of a mountain, with narrow cobblestone streets and red-tiled rooftops. I’d love to go back sometime. 

Places you never want to go to again: I’m not a fan of gritty urban areas. I need green space and fresh air and room to move.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Elizabeth Penney is an author, entrepreneur, and local food advocate living in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. In addition to writing full-time, she operates a small farm. Elements that often appear in her novels include vintage summer cottages, past/present mysteries, and the arts. She is represented by the fabulous Elizabeth Bewley at Sterling Lord Literistic.

Elizabeth's writing credits include over twenty mysteries, short stories, and hundreds of business articles. A former consultant and nonprofit executive, she holds a BS and an MBA. She's also written screenplays with her musician husband.

She loves walking in the woods, kayaking on quiet ponds, trying new recipes, and feeding family and friends.



Connect with Elizabeth:
Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads


Buy the book:

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble

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FEATURED AUTHOR: HEATHER WEIDNER

ABOUT THE BOOK

Private investigator, Delanie Fitzgerald, and her computer hacker partner, Duncan Reynolds, are back for more sleuthing in Glitter, Glam and Contraband. In this fast-paced mystery, the Falcon Investigations team is hired to find out who is stealing from the talent at a local drag show. Delanie gets more than she bargains for and a few makeup tips in the process. Meanwhile, a mysterious sound in the ceiling of her office vexes Delanie. She uses her sleuthing skills to track down the source and uncover a creepy contraband operation.

Glitter, Glam, and Contraband features a strong female sleuth with a knack for getting herself in and out of humorous situations like helping sleezy strip club owner, Chaz Smith on his quest to become Richmond’s next mayor, tracking down missing reptiles, and uncovering hidden valuables from a 100-year-old crime with a Poe connection.

BOOK DETAILS:

Title: Glitter, Glam, and Contraband

Author: Heather Weidner

Genre: cozy mystery

Series: Delanie Fitzgerald Mystery, book 3

Publisher: Sandpiper Productions (November 19, 2019)

Print length: 240 pages

 On tour with: Great Escapes Book Tours


IFs ANDs OR WHATs INTERVIEW WITH HEATHER WEIDNER

IFs


If you could meet any author for coffee, who would you like to meet and what would you talk about?
I would love to have coffee with Agatha Christie, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Mildred A. Wirt (one of the ghostwriters for the Nancy Drew mysteries). I would love to talk mysteries with them. I’d also want to know where they got their inspirations.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where in the world would it be?
I’ve always lived in Virginia. I think I would like to live and write on a beach. I love to visit tropical islands, but I would want to live on a beach in the continental US. 




ANDs


5 things you need in order to write:
    •    my computer
    •    playlists
    •    chocolate
    •    caffeine
and
    •    the internet (I do a lot of research, and I get distracted with dog and cat videos.)

5 things you love about writing:
    •    the creativity
    •    plotting
    •    researching
    •    interacting with readers at events and social media
and
    •    all the opportunities that I’ve had because I’m a writer.

5 things you love about where you live (Richmond, Virginia):
    •    the history
    •    beaches
    •    mountains
    •    culture
and
    •    the southern hospitality.

5 things you never want to run out of:
    •    Coca Cola
    •    chocolate
    •    popcorn
    •    WiFi
and
    •    dog treats (My two Jack Russells are my writing partners, and they live for dog treats.)

5 favorite foods:  
    •    chocolate
    •    pizza
    •    popcorn
    •    shrimp
and
    •    French fries.


5 things you always put in your books:
    •    dogs
    •    mysteries
    •    strong female sleuth
    •    places in Virginia
and
    •    quirky characters.

5 favorite authors:
It’s hard to limit the list to five:
    •    Lee Child
    •    John Grisham
    •    David Baldacci
    •    Lisa Scottoline
and
    •     Janet Evanovich.

5 things that drive you crazy:

    •    people who take the last of something and don’t replace it
    •    people who leave grocery carts in parking spaces
    •    bad drivers
    •    rude people
and
    •     telemarketers.

5 people you consider as heroes:
    •    first responders (police, fire, EMTs, dispatchers)
    •    nurses
    •    teachers
    •    military personnel
and
    •    emergency room staff.

WHATs

What’s your all-time favorite place?
Maui.


What’s your all-time favorite movie? 

The Wizard of Oz.


What’s your all-time favorite library? 

The Library of Virginia in Richmond.


What’s your favorite/most visited Internet site?

Google – It’s great for research.



What’s your favorite time of day?

Early morning.


What’s your all-time favorite picture of yourself?
My three writer friends (Fiona Quinn, Tina Glasneck, and Rosemary Shomaker) went with me to Godfrey’s in Richmond for their Sunday brunch and drag show for research for this book. This is one of my favorite author adventure photos.

What’s your favorite meal?

Pizza.



What’s your favorite dessert? 

Anything chocolate.


What’s your favorite beverage? 

Coca Cola or Dr Pepper.


What’s your favorite thing to do when there’s nothing to do?

I always like to read.


What’s your favorite movie snack? 

Popcorn.


What’s your favorite color?

Red.



What is the wallpaper on your computer’s desktop? 

A picture of my two Jack Russell Terriers.



What do you collect? 

Books, Wizard of Oz items, postcards. I also have shelves of things people have given me since I’ve been a writer. It’s quite a collection of pens, pins, patches, stickers, glasses, mugs, and cards.



What book are you currently working on?

I am working on a new cozy series set in Charlottesville, Virginia. I also write novellas for the Mutt Mysteries (dog-themed mysteries). My story, “The Fast and the Furious” will be out in March.

What’s your latest recommendation for:
Food: White Chocolate Dipped Oreos (These are my favorite during the holidays.)
Music: Hootie and the Blowfish just came out with a new album. I can’t wait to listen to it. I love all kinds of music, and it’s always on when I’m writing or editing.
Movie: I love 80s classics. Everyone should see The Breakfast Club and Ferris Bueller.
Book: There are so many. I’ve enjoyed mysteries and thrillers by Amy Reade, K. L. Murphy, Sherry Harris, Maya Corrigan, and Louise Penny lately.
TV:  I don’t watch that much TV any more, but I love Stumptown.
Netflix/Amazon Prime: I love Stranger Things, Longmire, The Five, and Father Brown.
Miscellaneous: I have a pair of Jacks who share my office and help with the writing. The brother (Riley) and sister (Disney) are Jack Russell Terriers who live for treats and chasing squirrels.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Glitter, Glam, and Contraband is Heather Weidner’s third novel in the Delanie Fitzgerald series. Her short stories appear in the Virginia is for Mysteries series, 50 Shades of Cabernet, and Deadly Southern Charm. Her novellas appear in The Mutt Mysteries series. She is a member of Sisters in Crime – Central Virginia, Guppies, International Thriller Writers, and James River Writers.

Originally from Virginia Beach, Heather has been a mystery fan since Scooby-Doo and Nancy Drew. She lives in Central Virginia with her husband and a pair of Jack Russell terriers.

Heather earned her BA in English from Virginia Wesleyan University and her MA in American literature from the University of Richmond. Through the years, she has been a technical writer, editor, college professor, software tester, and IT manager.

Connect with Heather:
Website  |   Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads  |  Amazon 

Buy the book:

Amazon  |  Apple Books   |   Barnes and Noble   |   BookBub   |   Kobo   |   Scribd 

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FEATURED AUTHOR: J.C. KENNEY

ABOUT THE BOOK

Murder hits the stacks when literary agent Allie Cobb investigates a fatality in the local library . . .  



Allie Cobb returns home from a book conference armed with hugs for her cat and her boyfriend, and dreams of a long, hot bath. She’s also getting ready to take the plunge by hiring an intern for her expanding literary agency. But it’s one for the books when Allie finds the town’s librarian—and her longtime role model—seconds away from death on the library floor.
 


Who would want to poison Vicky Napier—one of Rushing Creek’s most beloved citizens—on the eve of her retirement? But it seems there were toxic people in her life, like the handyman with an obsessive crush, and a wood carver with a hair-trigger temper. The list of suspects includes Allie’s boyfriend, Brent, who’s in the running to take over as town librarian. Avenging her friend’s murder could be a trap as she goes up against a killer determined to write Allie’s epitaph . . .

Book Details:

Title: A Mysterious Mix Up

Author: J.C. Kenney

Genre: cozy mystery

Series: The Allie Cobb Mysteries, book 3

Publisher: Lyrical Press (January 7, 2020)

Print length: 189 pages
On tour with: Great Escapes Book Tours




IFs ANDs OR WHATs INTERVIEW WITH J.C. KENNEY

IFs


If you could talk to someone (living), who would it be and what would you ask them?

Oh man, there are so many people I’d love to visit. I think it would be really cool to talk to Elon Musk. Between SpaceX, Tesla, and his other ventures, it would be fascinating to spend time with someone who not only dreams big but puts those dreams into action.

If you could talk to someone (dead), who would it be and what would you ask them?
My dad died when I was 16. As the youngest of eight kids, I never got to know him. Nor did he get to know me, I think. He was only 57 when he died, yet he fought in the Pacific in World War II, went to college, raised a family, witness a man walk on the moon, and so much more. It would be nice to just hang out and have a drink with him.

If you could live in any time period which would it be?
I wouldn’t mind checking out life a hundred years from now. I like to think it would pretty amazing technologically.

If you could time travel for an infinite period of time, where would you go?
I’d tour the Caribbean. I’d start at Bermuda and work my way south through the Virgin Islands and all points in between to Trinidad and Tobago. From there, I’d go west through Aruba and Jamaica to the Cayman Islands. After a stop in Havana, I’d wind up the tour in The Bahamas, before returning to the States via the Florida Keys.

If you could be anything besides a writer, what would it be?
I’d love to be a songwriter. I think is it an incredible gift to be able to tell a story or something similar than bring about an emotional response in three minutes. Either that or a musician. When I was in high school, I was a virtuoso at air guitar, but that’s the limit of my talents. My younger son is a trombone player studying music education. His musical ability astounds me.

If you had to do community service, what would you choose?
I’m a regular platelet donor, so I’m happy to be able to help folks who need platelets for surgery. Over the years, I’ve donated almost reached 20-gallon donor status.


If you could meet any author for coffee, who would you like to meet and what would you talk about?
I’d love to meet Agatha Christie, so I could ask her about the craft of writing whodunnits. She will always be the Queen of Mystery and to have a chance to spend time with her and soak in her brilliance would be incredible.


If you could live anywhere in the world, where in the world would it be?
Australia be cool. The thought of exploring an entire continent is really exciting. Plus, I’m a big fan of Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, so it would be so much fun to visit the home of the series. 




ANDs


5 favorite possessions:

    •    my laptop
    •    my Kindle Paperwhite
    •    my collector’s edition of the Lord of the Rings
    •    my music collection
and
    •    a striped quilt my sister made for me.

5 things you love about writing:
    •    meeting other authors
    •    being able to make stuff up
    •    having my characters surprise me
    •    hearing from readers that they’ve enjoyed my stories
and
    •    learning so many interesting things through my writing research.

5 things you love about where you live:
    •    the colorful leaves of autumn
    •    I’m only fifteen minutes from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
    •    the vibrant cultural districts of Broad Ripple Mass Ave.
and
    •    Fountain Square—my family is nearby and it’s the home of Kurt Vonnegut.

5 things you never want to run out of:   
    •    caffeine
    •    popcorn
    •    chocolate
    •    story ideas
and
    •    more caffeine.

5 favorite foods:
    •    Arroz con Pollo
    •    pizza
    •    chili
    •    a juicy cheeseburger
and
    •    oatmeal.

5 favorite places you’ve been:
    •    New York City
    •    Yellowstone National Park
    •    The Bob Marley Birthplace in Jamaica
    •    Wrigley Field
and
    •    EPCOT at Disney World.

5 living people you’d like to invite to dinner:  
    •    Barack Obama
    •    Jimmy Buffett
    •    Malala Yousafzai
    •    Anson Mount
and
    •    Grace Potter.

5 favorite things to do:  
    •    reading
    •    attending concerts
    •    going to musicals and stage plays
    •    snuggling with my kitty, Maria
and
    •    watching Murdoch Mysteries.

WHATs

What’s your all-time favorite memory?
The day I got married to my lovely wife Nancy. We had such a great time that day. The day before had been hot, humid and stress filled. On our wedding day, the weather was perfect, the ceremony went off without a hitch, and the reception was a blast. The best day ever!

What’s your all-time favorite movie?
Field of Dreams. I can almost quote it line by line. The soliloquy delivered by James Earl Jones’ character Terrence Mann about baseball and its importance throughout American history gets me every time.

What’s your all-time favorite author?
There are so many amazing authors I’ve had the pleasure of reading. If I had to pick one, it would be Terry Pratchett. I’ve read every one of his Discworld books, over forty, and loved them all! As a mystery writer, I also adore Agatha Christie, the Grand Dame of the genre.

What’s your biggest pet peeve?
People who talk in movie theaters. Please, folks, be considerate of others.

What’s the loveliest sight you’ve ever seen?
The Grand Canyon was a breathtaking sight to behold. She sheer size of it, along with the almost infinite variety of colors make describing it sufficiently impossible.

What’s your favorite time of day?
I really like bedtime. Work is over, the day is done, and it’s time to unwind with a book. I read every night before turning off the light. All too often, I end up staying up way too late because I’m so engrossed in the story. LOL

What’s your favorite song?
It’s hard for me to so with a single song because there are so many amazing tunes of almost infinite variety. A few of my all-time include:
“One” by U2. I love the song’s message of unity and love for one another despite our differences. After 9/11, the depth of the lyrics took on a whole new message.
“He Went to Paris” by Jimmy Buffett. The ability to tell the story of a lifetime with such nuance and beauty, all in the span of three minutes, is staggering. I’m awestruck every time I listen to it.
“Maybe” by Ingrid Michaelson. When I was writing my first novel, I couldn’t figure out how I wanted to end it. Then one day, I was listening to this song, and the perfect ending came to me. I will forever be in Ingrid’s debt for that inspiration.
Last, but not least, “Our House” by Madness. The sheer joy of this song makes me smile every time. It’s so much fun and, as the youngest of eight, reminds me of life growing up in a busy household.

What’s your favorite vacation spot?
The gulf coast of Florida. I love the soft, sandy beaches, the blue skies, and the warm temps.

What’s your favorite beverage?
Lady Grey tea. It tastes wonderful, with a hint of citrus, and it wakes me up in the morning.

What’s your favorite ice cream?
I’m a vanilla guy. I love it by itself, and you can add so many fun things to it!

What’s your favorite thing to do when there’s nothing to do?
I really enjoy watching mysteries on Acorn TV. It’s so much fun watching shows from all around the world. Thanks to Acorn, I’ve seen shows from Great Britain, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.

What’s your favorite quote?
“If you have the power of wonderment, you are forever young.” It’s a quote from naturalist and author Sigurd Olsen. It reminds me the world’s an amazing place and to take time to bask in it.

What’s your favorite candy bar?
Baby Ruth. OMG, between the chocolate and the peanuts, it is so good!

What’s your favorite movie snack?
Popcorn. It’s not a complete movie experience without a box of popcorn.

What’s your favorite social media site?
I’m a Twitter person. It has its faults, but overall, I like that I can get my news, follow my favorite people, and enjoy cat memes.

What’s your favorite color?
I love green, especially the darker shades, like Kelly and Forest. To me, it’s such a calming color.
 

What movie genre do you prefer?
My favorite is sci-fi. I’m a Star Trek fan. You can’t go wrong with a good thriller, though.


What book are you currently working on?
I’m writing the first draft of book 4 in The Allie Cobb Mysteries. It’s tentatively called A Frightful Find. If things go as planned, it will arrive early next year!


What’s your latest recommendation for:
Food:
Due to a wheat allergy, I have to be on a gluten-free diet. Recently, I’ve become a fan of cauliflower crusts for pizza. They’re light, taste good, and I can tell myself I’m getting another veggie in my diet! Lol

Music:
Grace Potter’s latest album, Daylight, is fabulous. It’s stripped down to the essentials without an overproduced track to be found. Grace’s songwriting and powerhouse vocals are on fire. It’s great to have the first new music from her in four years!

Movie:
Knives Out. This film is so much fun! As a mystery writer, I adore the way it salutes traditional mysteries while telling a contemporary story. And it’s so funny. This is a can’t miss in my book.

Book:
I’m currently reading Lori Rader-Day’s The Lucky One. It’s a fabulous mystery with incredibly believable characters. Lori is an absolute master of storytelling.

Audiobook:
I don’t listen to audiobooks often, but I adored As You Wish. It’s a memoir by Cary Elwes recounting his time making The Princess Bride. He narrates the book, which made me laugh, cry, and feel everything in between. It’s a book that leaves you feeling good.

TV:
I think Jordan Peele’s adaptation of The Twilight Zone is fantastic. It captures the sense of wonder of the original while standing on its own two contemporary legs.

OTHER BOOKS BY J.C. KENNEY

A Literal Mess, Allie Cobb Mysteries book 1
A Genuine Fix, Allie Cobb Mysteries book 2

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  J.C. Kenney grew up in a household filled with books by legends Agatha Christie and Lilian Jackson Braun, among many others, so it was no surprise when he found himself writing mystery stories. When he's not writing, you can find him following IndyCar racing or listening to music. He lives in Indianapolis with his wife, two kiddos, and a cat who is the inspiration for Ursula in the Allie Cobb Mysteries.


Connect with the author:
Website  |  Blog  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads  |  Amazon

Buy the book:
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Kobo  |  Apple  |  Google

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FEATURED AUTHOR: TONY DiGEROLAMO

ABOUT THE BOOKS

The Pineys: Book 1:  My Cousin, The Piney

From the creator of the Jersey Devil comic book comes a story about four cousins cursed by their ancestors, brought together by destiny and trying to keep South Jersey from going to Hell.



In 1732, Mother Leeds gave birth to the infamous Jersey Devil, which has roamed the Pine Barrens ever since.



Or so the story goes . . .

The truth is, Mother Leeds was a witch and opened the portals to Hell unleashing hundreds of devils into woods. But the villagers next door in Abe’s Hat noticed and formed a secret hunting society to track down the fiends and send them back to the Abyss. Their descendants continue the Hunt in secret to this day.



So grab your pork roll, put on your Piney Power hat and join the hunt, because the Galloway cousins are coming to save you whether you like it or not.

The Pineys: Book 2:  Witch Piney Are You?

For centuries, the South Jersey Pine Barrens has been the home of not just the Jersey Devil, but the witches of legend and lore. When the devil-hunting Galloway clan is confronted by a coven of old crones, all Hell breaks out—literally.



In the next gun-toting episode of the Pineys, we reveal the origins of Hemingway's undead mother, who and what the Witch Boy is and we burn down part of the Pine Barrens (which pretty much happens every year in South Jersey). Shelly goes to college, Milton and Lewis go to work and Hemingway engages in his, er, uh, "hobby".



So down a pint of blueberries, load up your silver bullets and get ready for the Hunt because while devils are hard to kill, witches don't die!



From the creator of the Jersey Devil comic book comes a story of four cousins brought together by destiny, cursed by their ancestors and trying to keep South Jersey from going to Hell.

The Pineys:  Book 3:  The Third Grade Piney

Before he was the world's greatest hunter, Hemingway Galloway was a rambunctious third grader in Abe's Hat Elementary. A devil that lived in an old well by the school lured children to their doom, but the Galloway cousins thought they killed it Forty years later and Hemingway is a substitute teacher at the school. When the hunter starts reliving his nightmare from the past, he soon realizes something dark still lives in the old well.


And when cousins Lewis and Milton take a trip to South Philly, Lewis must confront his own past in the form of mobster debts and his dead father.

So grab yourself a deep-fried pizza turnover, load up your silver bullets and get ready for the most intense Piney adventure yet!



From the creator of the Jersey Devil comic book, comes a story about four cousins, cursed by their ancestors, brought together by destiny and trying to keep South Jersey from going to Hell.

Wokeistan: A Novel

President Trump has just been inaugurated for the second time. The students at Upstate College are not happy. Led by one charismatic person of color, of African, Indigenous, Pan Asian descent who is a differently-abled Muslim-Atheist, they obliterate the college experience forever.



Wokeistan (co-written by Christian Beranek) is a satire: Politics, media, corporations, feminism and the relationships between men and women. In a world where anyone to the right of Fidel Castro is considered a fascist, one college professor will try to save his school.



Read this book before it’s banned, because nothing escapes Wokeistan.

LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT WITH TONY DiGEROLAMO 


A few of your favorite things: currently, it’s my computer and the accessories I’ve added to make YouTube videos.

Things you need to throw out: there’s an old fence in my backyard that I am slowly throwing out a few pieces at a time.

Things you need in order to write: iced tea, the computer, music and/or silence.

Things that hamper your writing: everything else.

Things you love about writing: I like creating worlds and exploring them in my head and on the written page. I like the idea of transferring thoughts from my brain to the reader. I like the feeling of discovering something about a character, even though it’s only in my head.

Things you hate about writing: nothing really. Just wish I made slightly more money on it.

Easiest thing about being a writer: coming up with new ideas. I am a font of creativeness.

Hardest thing about being a writer: for me, it’s always been the money.

Things you love about where you live: it’s a small town and just a few doors down from The Whitman-Stafford House where Walt Whitman summered.

Things that make you want to move: probably the taxes.

Proudest moment: I guess it was when I could finally present a book that I wrote about Italian heritage called F*ck You, I’m Italian: Why Italians Are Awesome to my dad, who I dedicated it to.

Most embarrassing moment: did you ever shit yourself on a camping trip? Yeah, me neither.

Things you never want to run out of: money, iced tea, new restaurants.

Things you wish you’d never bought: I try to live with no regrets. Whatever it was, I’m sure it was small.

Words that describe you: odd, relentless, positive, positively charming, hilarious, handsome and too much.

Words that describe you but you wish they didn’t: fat, old.

Favorite foods: sushi, potato chips, iced tea, cheesesteak hoagies, pizza, stromboli, General Tso’s chicken, and many more. Bit of a foodie.

Things that make you want to throw up: asparagas.

Favorite song: “Sabotage” by the Beastie Boys
.
Music that make your ears bleed: bad country music.

Favorite beverage: iced tea.

Something that gives you a pickle face: most alcohol.

Favorite smell: garlic.

Something that makes you hold your nose: shit.

Something you’re really good at: annoying people with my comedy.

Something you’re really bad at: trying to explain later it was a joke.

Something you wish you could do: time travel.

Something you wish you’d never learned to do: use dating apps.

Something you like to do: play video games.

Something you wish you’d never done: got married.

People you consider as heroes: George Washington, Hunter S. Thompson, Mark Twain.

People with a big L on their foreheads: anyone that treats Twitter as being even remotely serious.



Last best thing you ate: Stromboli.

Last thing you regret eating: Chipotle.

Things you’d walk a mile for: a burrito served by a waitress in a bikini, who sits on my lap and feeds me that and an iced tea.

Things that make you want to run screaming from the room: someone who calls themselves “woke” unironically.


Things you always put in your books: a lot of myself.

Things you never put in your books: hypocrisy.

Things to say to an author: Can I buy a copy of your book?

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book:  Can I give you suggestions for your next book?

Favorite places you’ve been: Toronto, Dragon Con, Old Atlantic City.

Places you never want to go to again: Los Angeles.

Favorite things to do: write, play video games, watch TV.

Things you’d run through a fire wearing gasoline pants to get out of doing: going to a wedding.

Things that make you happy: my dog, days off, hits on my website, sales on my books, and subscribers to my YouTube videos.

Things that drive you crazy: oh, just the worry of my own mistakes I suppose.

Biggest lie you’ve ever told: guess I told myself marriage would be a good idea.

A lie you wish you’d told: I wish I had told my first wife the wrong address for our first date.

Best thing you’ve ever done: I quit my day job to write comics after my car accident.

Biggest mistake: getting married.

Most daring thing you’ve ever done: that is an incredibly sleazy story which I’ll keep to myself.

Something you chickened out from doing: I tend not to like heights or skiing. I’m not afraid, I just don’t think the risk is worth the reward.

The last thing you did for the first time: tried Ethiopian food
.
Something you’ll never do again: that’s an incredibly sleazy story which I’ll keep to myself.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tony DiGerolamo is a New Jersey screenwriter, novelist, comic book writer, game designer and comedian. He is best known for his work on The Simpsons and Bart Simpson comic books. He has also been a joke writer for Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, a scriptwriter for Space Ghost: Coast to Coast and a blogger for Comedy Central’s Indecision website. He has written the screenplays including Mafioso: The Father, The Son starring Leo Rossi. His novels, Fix in Overtime and The Undercover Dragon are available through Padwolf Publishing. After publishing his own comic books (Jersey Devil, The Travelers and The Fix) with SJRP, he eventually got a publishing deal with Kenzer & Company. Kenzer published The Travelers. Tony also wrote Everknights (another Kenzer comic book), as well as the Hacklopedia of Beasts (Volumes 1 thru 8) and Slaughterhouse Indigo (an adventure for the Hackmaster RPG). He also adapted Mark Twain's Personal Reflections of Joan of Arc for Campfire.  Performing in the Philly comedy scene for over ten years, Tony performed and directed such improv groups as Next Line Improv, The Cabal, The Ninjas and Bulletproof Giraffe.

Besides writing for various comedy websites, he had a long running comics review column in Knights of the Dinner Table magazine. He was the marketing director for comics publisher, Silent Devil. He is creator of Tony DiGerolamo’s Complete Mafia for d20, creator/biographer for the online webcomic, Super Frat, the co-creator of the Webcomic Factory and writer for the over two dozen webcomics on the Webcomic Factory site including Lester Crenshaw is Dead, Miserable Comedians and Weird Biker Tales.  Look for his book, F*ck You, I’m Italian: Why We Italians Are Awesome, from Ulysses Press.  He recently finished a political satire, Wokeistan: A Novel, with Christian Beranek.  His current project is a comedy/horror novella series about the hunters of the Jersey Devil called The Pineys.




Connect with Tony:
Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads  |  Brighteon Channel  |  Bitchute Channel  |  YouTube Channel



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FEATURED AUTHOR: SHELLIE BOWDOIN

ABOUT THE BOOK

Does God really care about your weight? He cares a lot, but not in the way you might think.

Galatians 5:11 says, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free."

Actually, God is not concerned with how much you weigh. Author, Shellie Bowdoin discovered that even when her thoughts and attention were consumed by her outer appearance, God was primarily interested in the condition of her heart. She found that God was most concerned when the "weight" of her weight robbed her from living out the joy and freedom that Jesus secured for her, once and for all, on the cross.

The Find Your Weigh: Walk In Freedom Bible Study Guide is a companion guide for the book, Find Your Weigh by Shellie Bowdoin. This 9-Session Bible Study is designed to reveal many of the common misconceptions we have about food and to show you how to implement God's word and His promises to yield lasting change.

Free video content is available for use with each of the nine Bible study sessions.

This study helps you integrate the spiritual and physical aspects of weight loss by offering biblical weight-loss strategies to renew your mind and transform your thinking about food. God can speak strength into your weakness and temptation with food.

You will learn that God's Word does speak directly to your need; that you can approach food with confidence and that God really does care about your weight... Why? Because you care about it! And, He wants to speak into your life in an authentic, personal way.

Suggestion: The study guide discusses principles and practices from Find Your Weigh and study participants are asked to refer to book pages in each session. For this reason, the study guide is best used with a print version of the book for the best user experience.

Book Details:  

Title: Find Your Weigh

Author’s name: Shellie Bowdoin

Genre: health & fitness, Christian, non-fiction 

Published: Source Publishing, January 6, 2020

Page count: 239 pages

LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT WITH SHELLIE BOWDOIN

Something you’re really good at: I am really good at grabbing the bull by the horns and trying something myself, if I want it badly enough. And, that’s what I’ve done with a lot of elements of this book.

Something you’re really bad at: I really don’t like asking someone else to do things for me. This whole book-writing thing has been a real growth experience for me, because there are just things you’ve got to ask others to help you with. 


Something you wish you could do: I really wish I could actually understand all the code that it takes to make a website run. When things go wrong, I can just feel the wash of anxiety because I know I am out of my league to fix it if there’s not a button marked, “Fix Here.”
Something you wish you’d never learned to do: Sometimes, I wish I wasn’t an editor . . . that I was ignorant of active and passive voice and the correct uses of the there, they’re, and their. It could really free me up from the inner editor voice.

People you consider as heroes: I have immense admiration for people who own up to their mistakes, their difficult upbringings or unfair circumstance and just chose to do better.

People with a big L on their foreheads: I lack patience for people who wholeheartedly believe something just because someone else told them to. I am not a big fan of the celebrity culture and the growing penchant for opinions. It’s not enough for someone to say something; instead, you’ve got “experts” telling people what to believe about what the person just said and what he/she really meant by what they said . . . ???



Things you always put in your books: I always try to leave the reader with a sense of hopefulness. Today’s choices fashion tomorrow’s reality, so I encourage my readers to make them great ones.
Things you never put in your books: I never want to come off like I have all the answers they will ever need. Only God holds the answers to every question.

Favorite places you’ve been: I have lived most of the last two and half decades in Asia, so I have seen some pretty fabulous things. You can’t beat the sunset in Boracay, Philippines and authentic Thai food is out of this world!
Places you never want to go to again: I would love it if I never had to step foot into another jet for a 13+ hour pan-Pacific flight! But, I know this is the stuff of dreams, so I just wear comfy clothing and hope for an empty seat beside me.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Shellie Bowdoin is a writer and speaker with a graduate degree in ministry/counseling. She also writes at her website: The FABulous Journey; encouraging women to make good choices and live fulfilling, God-inspired lives. She’s a southern gal through and through, but she’s lived and served as a missionary for over half of her life in Asia; picking up two additional languages along the way. Shellie, and her husband Sam, have two grown kids, Jay and Mary Kate.

Connect with Shellie:
Website  |  Blog  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads

Buy the book:
Amazon

Very Merry

FEATURED AUTHORS: BRENT PARROTT & BRYAN RENFRO

ABOUT THE BOOK

In 1960, on the front lawn of an elementary school in North East Dallas, a tradition was born. A group of seventh-grade boys captured the free time before Thanksgiving dinner to engage in a game of touch football. It was a good day to play. So good, in fact, that the game would resume each year at the same time in the same place.


The last game was held on November 26, 2009, marking 50 years of the Reilly Thanksgiving Invitational. You are invited to celebrate the RTI’s 60-year mark with us on Thanksgiving 2019 as we release our book, The Reilly Thanksgiving Invitational Story.


Book Details:

Title: The Reilly Thanksgiving Invitational Story


Authors: Brent Parrott, Bryan Renfro


Genre: non-fiction, memoir 


Published: November 14, 2019


Print length: 410 pages

LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT WITH BRENT PARROTT & BRYAN RENFRO

A few of your favorite things:

Brent: spending time with my grandkids, traveling, my work, working out, being with friends and family.
Bryan: building relationships, weekend getaways, Bible study, sports.

Things you need to throw out:

Brent: not sure of the question, but I pretty much throw out things I don’t need.
Bryan: too many tools!


Things you need in order to write:

Brent: comfort and silence and the internet and my PC.
Bryan: time only.

Things that hamper your writing:

Brent: work, not enough hours in the day, normal distractions.
Bryan: forcing it into a time slot; an impending appointment
.

Things you love about writing:

Brent: the creative process, the rush when your on a role, a finished perfection
Bryan: getting it right the first draft

Things you hate about writing:

Brent: writer’s paralysis, brain fog, loss for the right word or sentence.
Bryan: getting it wrong the first time, second, third, fourth…..

Easiest thing about being a writer:

Brent: again, getting on a roll and it just flows.
Bryan: getting the ideas out and on the page
.

Hardest thing about being a writer:

Brent: not sure but critiques can be hell.
Bryan: self expectations, discouragement; using the proper words, creating metaphor
.

Things you love about where you live:

Brent: born and raised in Dallas, close to family and lots of friends.
Bryan: I live in the house I grew up in, so little change.

Things that make you want to move:

Brent : weather, traffic.
Bryan: August and September.


Things you never want to run out of:

Brent: family, friends, toilet paper.
Bryan: relationships, health, faith, golf balls.

Things you wish you’d never bought:

Brent: couple of timeshares, a 1972 Audi.
Bryan: a swimming pool installation, a motorcycle.


Words that describe you:

Brent: my wife says I’m sarcastic, but I claim I’m creatively sharp and witty; a devoted husband, father and friend; competitive but fair.
Bryan: loyal, diligent, creative, sensitive.

Words that describe you but you wish they didn’t:

Brent: always having to be right; sarcastic; argumentative.
Bryan: too competitive, poor storyteller, poor listener.

Favorite foods:

Brent: a good steak; Mexican food; breakfast food.
Bryan: Pad Tai, enchiladas, cheeseburgers, salad.

Things that make you want to throw up: 

Brent: politics; all the hate; beets.
Bryan: politics, financial advisors, afternoon television.

Favorite music or song:

Brent: love my music which is immense.
Bryan: “Blue Eyes Cryin’ in the Rain.”

Music that make your ears bleed:

Brent: most rap and most heavy metal.
Bryan: rap, warbly vocals, Christmas music after the second week.

Favorite beverage:

Brent: iced tea and beer.
Bryan: Dr Pepper, iced tea, water.


Something that gives you a pickle face:

Brent: my wife’s comments sometimes; political analysts.

Favorite smell:

Brent: my wife’s aroma; fresh baked bread.
Bryan: mown grass on the golf course.


Something that makes you hold your nose:

Brent: some bathroom smells; brussels sprouts.

Something you’re really good at:

Brent: I think I’m good at making my point; swimming; being creative; my work whatever it is.
Bryan: maintaining relationships; Bible study; furniture building and repair.


Something you’re really bad at:

Brent: skiing, drawing, showing my feelings.
Bryan: coming prepared, research, remembering.

Something you wish you could do:

Brent: travel more, fly a plane, turn back time.
Bryan: write books that challenge and inspire; run as fast and as far as I used to; plumbing and electrical repairs.

Something you wish you’d never learned to do:

Brent: not sure of this question; I love to learn.
Bryan: say, “Yes, of course I will help you with that.”

Something you like to do:

Brent: workout, time with family and friends, work, get a good night’s sleep.
Bryan: church, relationships, garage sales, wood working projects.


Something you wish you’d never done:

Brent: married my first wife; not taking early school years more serious.
Bryan: I still wince at actions or words I did or said many years ago.



Last best thing you ate:

Brent: a protein shake.
Bryan: a bowl of my wife’s chili on a cold grey day.


Last thing you regret eating:

Brent: old enough to know what not to eat.
Bryan: my promise to help.


Things you’d walk a mile for:

Brent: glad I can walk a mile, so I’d walk a mile to anything I needed to walk a mile to.
Bryan: a two-hour travel time for an important fifteen minute conversation.

Things that make you want to run screaming from the room:

Brent: never would go screaming from the room I’d just leave before it got that bad.
Bryan: my dog threw-up on the sofa.

Things you always put in your books:

Brent: another question not sure what to say, I guess my name and a title.
Bryan: attempts at wisdom, humor, and truth but they never make the conversation.


Things you never put in your books:

Brent: not sure, how bout self-promotion
Bryan: though I try yet always fail, I never achieve wisdom, humor, and truth.


Things to say to an author:

Brent: a successful author or a struggling author? What’s the secret to your success; don’t give up, keep writing if you love it.
Bryan: “How do you write dialogue?”


Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book:

Brent: Brent Parrott would be a great name for your next victim you kill off in your next book.
Bryan: in no manner worthy of Lonesome Dove.

Favorite places you’ve been:

Brent: Carmel, California; Italy; Costa Rica.
Bryan: a remote cabin in Montana on honeymoon. “Let’s go again, Babes!” 


Places you never want to go to again:

Brent: India.
Bryan: U. S. Army.

People you’d like to invite to dinner:

Brent: any of my good friends; Donald Trump and Nancy Pelosi – I could make it work.
Bryan: my house, my table could not accommodate all the deceased friends and family members that I wish I could enjoy one last time.


People you’d cancel dinner on:

Brent: Trump and Pelosi if they did not agree with the agenda.

Favorite things to do:

Brent: watch a great movie, a great sporting event; exercise; and time with the grandkids.
Bryan: working wood in my shop; watching my wife at an antique mall; hearing my daughter and granddaughters laugh till it hurts; hearing my wife pray; having lunch with old friends; a DYI project that went well; bringing a good bible study lesson on Sunday mornings;  a good day on the golf course; reading.


Things you’d run through a fire wearing gasoline pants to get out of doing:

Brent: literally I’d never do that, figuratively getting my hands dirty; doing this questionnaire again. Editor’s note: the instructions advised not to answer every question!
Bryan: a Christmas party.


Things that make you happy:

Brent: life.
Bryan: getting out of running through a fire wearing gasoline pants; old cars, old airplanes, old friends; a good morning devotional time; a weekend getaway with surprisingly good food, accommodations, and activities; coffee in the den with my wife.


Things that drive you crazy:

Brent: life and sometimes my wife.
Bryan: being no longer able to make simple repairs on an automobile.


Proudest moment:

Brent: when my daughter and when my grandkids were born.
Bryan: watching my children achieve what they perceive as goals.


Most embarrassing moment:

Brent: really don’t get embarrassed, I just roll with it; although I was really embarrassed at my first date when my dad had to tell me to walk her to the door.

Biggest lie you’ve ever told:

Brent: not answering for self-incrimination reasons
Bryan: that I am intelligent, honest, and fearless.


A lie you wish you’d told:

Brent: that I couldn’t afford those timeshares.
Bryan: “I wish I could help you with that but . . .”

Best thing you’ve ever done:

Bryan: respond to God’s calling in my life to trust/receive/believe in Jesus Christ.  


Biggest mistake:

Brent: I’ve learned from my mistakes, so no regrets.
Bryan: Going my own way instead of following God’s leading.

Most daring thing you’ve ever done:

Brent: too many to tell.
Bryan: embraced Brent Parrott as a friend.


Something you chickened out from doing:

Brent: riding out a hurricane in Miami.
Bryan: at one time in my life I thought there was no dare I wouldn’t own but then I sat in the first row at a rodeo and watched bull riding.


The last thing you did for the first time:

Brent: write this book with Bryan.


Something you’ll never do again:

Brent: buy a timeshare; get married.
Bryan: spend so much time answering a questionnaire.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brent Parrott is a writer, former technology executive and teacher, and currently serves as Board Chairman for the charter schools of Pioneer Technology & Arts Academy. With his life-long friend, Bryan Renfro, he is co-author of The Reilly Thanksgiving Invitational Story, a memoir about a group of friends who kept an annual touch football game going for 50 straight years.



He is also the author of two new books scheduled for publication in 2020, Jackpot: The Summer of ’69 and What Would You Do? What Would You Not Do? Brent and his wife Robyn (that’s right, two bird names) spend as much time as possible with their daughter Brynn, son-in-law Jacob, and two amazing grandsons. He has always lived, worked, and played in Dallas, Texas.



Bryan Renfro graduated in 1970 from the University of Texas at Arlington and was drafted into the Army the following year during the Vietnam war. He was the editor and sports writer for Sound Off, the base’s newspaper in Fort Meade, Maryland. His work life followed an untraditional path for the times as he experienced a mix of endeavors through the years, including the furniture importing business.



For five decades, he served as the organizer and “Commissioner” of an annual Thanksgiving touch football game in Dallas, Texas. Known locally as the Turkey Bowl, Bryan chronicled his experiences in the book, The Reilly Thanksgiving Invitational Story, with co-author Brent Parrott. The 400-page memoir was published for the game’s 60th anniversary in 2019. Today, Bryan lives in Dallas with his wife LaDonna and enjoys bible study, photography, his woodshop, and nurturing long-time friendships.



Connect with the authors:

Website  |  Facebook  |  Goodreads  


Buy the book:


Amazon