Featured Author: Elvie Dell

Elvie Dell is here today to talk about her non-fiction novel, All About Me – A Journey to the Inside, for youth to adults, published by Virtualbookworm Publishing. 

About the book:

This is a book that is for born-again Christian believers who find themselves frustrated and confused with internal battles and silently ask themselves, “What’s wrong with me? Everyone else seems to have it all together.” The key word is seems! There is a rest for God’s people!

II Corinthians 5:17 tells us that if we are in Christ, we are a new creature, old things have passed away and all things have become new. If you’re still struggling with a lot of “old” in you, this may be the insight you long for.

Being saved doesn’t mean an instant personality make-over. The new creature this scripture refers to is our spirit man. We are a 3-part being: spirit, soul, and body. Gaining a better understanding of ourselves and learning to differentiate between the three helps bring us peace.

As people begin to recognize where their struggles really lie, and how to hear from their spirits, they find peace in the knowledge of what’s normal and common to us all as part of the human experience. Learning to walk out this new found freedom is a fascinating journey. We can rest in the assurance that God has a good plan for our lives.

Interview with Elvie

How long have you been writing, and how did you start?
About seven to eight years, just piddling around with writing but nothing too serious.  This is my first publication. My kids and husband used to tell me, “You should write a book,” but I didn’t really think I had the time or the know-how. Then one day I felt impressed to write about THIS one topic, so I enrolled in a correspondence writing course to learn what I could, and to finish what I felt was a divine assignment.

What do you like best about writing?

I like the creativity. Especially with fiction, you can control the way things go and you can just make it up as you go. Non-fiction is much more difficult for me.

What’s your least favorite thing about writing? 

Research.

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

I had a baby book as a child (one of those albums moms document their kids’ growth in).  It was a book that was “all about me.”  This piece is “All About Me” too, but in three different realms rather than just your physical growth and change.

Do you have another job outside of writing?

We have a family business, and I stay busy helping with the bookwork and administrative end of that.

How would you describe your book in a tweet? (140 characters or less.)

This book is for born-again Christian believers who find themselves frustrated and confused with internal battles and silently ask themselves, “What’s wrong with me?

Why did you decide to write this book?

I had been learning a lot about the different aspects of man (spirit, soul, and body) from many different sources and how to differentiate between the three.  When we don’t understand how we’re made, it can be quite frustrating. I also heard a teaching about “your assignment” (something specific God created you to do). Among other things, I felt like part of my assignment in life was to write this book—-to take these teachings and put them in book form, simply written so that even a child could understand. So I guess this is just the result of obeying the promptings of my heart. And hoping that others can benefit as well.

What will others learn from reading your book? 

Understand first, that this is a book for born-again believers. Without that foundation, it probably will not make sense. Hopefully they’ll learn that the things they are experiencing and the frustrations they face (even as believers) are common to us all. (We often think that once we get saved, life should just fall into place and that’s not always the case—we still have things to deal with—-like our nature and our flesh.) I hope they learn to differentiate between the different dimensions that make up a person (spirit, soul, and body) and find peace in being who God created by learning to allow the right aspect of their being to have the ultimate authority in their life. That is, learning to listen to your spirit and requiring your soul and your flesh to line up. Then you’re in position to fulfill whatever assignment God has for your life. It’s always a path of peace and great joy. It should come naturally to you and be something you enjoy, because you were made for that purpose.

Do you outline or write by the seat of your pants?

I had an idea of how it was supposed to be laid out. The outline was something I had to come up with after-the-fact to make sure it flowed.

Did you have any say in your cover art?

Yes. I knew it was supposed to have a lot of color; but I asked my artist to see what she got in her spirit as far as the design, and we were both in agreement.  That was a neat process. 

What do you think of it?

I love it.  It’s colorful, it has a message, it makes you think, and it’s appealing. My son told me that if the cover isn’t just right, people aren’t going to pick it up—-that the cover is a huge draw for the younger audience. I think it hits the mark. 

Tell us about the artist.

I actually did an acknowledgment page in the front of the book about her. She is gifted in prophetic art and that’s what I was looking for. She’s a personal friend, and I trust her walk with the Lord and the gifts in her.

Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.

I like peeking into the three different dimension of who you are—-the chapters on spirit, soul, and body, because it’s written from the voice of each—-the spirit has its own voice, likewise the soul and the body and each one reflects a slightly different personality.

What song would you pick to go with your book?

No idea…

Who are your favorite authors?

C.S. Lewis, Donna VanLiere, Jan Karon, William Paul Young, Frank Peretti, Beverly Cleary, Barbara Park, Stan & Jan Berenstain, and of course Dr. Seuss!

What are your favorite books?

a) as a child: all the Ramona books by Beveryly Cleary, Amelia Bedelia, Curious George and Dr. Seuss books.

b) as a teenager: All Quiet on the Western Front-—I remember reading this in high school, though I don’t remember much about it except that at the time I thought it was a good book. Most of my reading as a teenage was required reading. I went through a time when I simply did not like to read.

c) as an adult: As an adult, I started picking up children’s books again. I didn’t enjoy reading that much, but once I had kids, I wanted to make sure they enjoyed it. So I began to read to them—-A LOT—-and in the process I began to love it myself. I rediscovered my favorite books as a child and new authors such as Barbara Park (Junie B. Jones series).  We read the Chronicles of Narnia series. My own personal reading favorites included The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti, the Mitford series by Jan Karon, The Left Behind series by Jerry Jenkins and Tim LaHaye, The Shack by William Paul Young, all of Donna VanLiere’s books, and the Cape Light series by Thomas Kincaid and Katherine Spencer.

Which author would you most like to invite to dinner, and what would you fix?
That’s a toss up.  Probably either C.S. Lewis (because he’s so deep—-I’d enjoy just listening to what he had to say) or Beverly Cleary. She was just fun reading and knew what it felt like to be and think like a kid—-she just seemed to understand everybody.

What book are you currently reading and in what format (e-book/paperback/hardcover)?

A Time to Advance by Chuck Pierce--paperback


Do you have a routine for writing?

Only when it hits me. Then I better get it down on paper.

Do you work better at night, in the afternoon, or in the morning?

Whenever it starts to flow, which can be at any time. I prefer mornings but that’s not always the case.

Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?

At home at my computer.

Where’s home for you?

Texas.

Do you ever get writer’s block?

Yes. 

What do you do when it happens? 

Walk away and do something else. If it’s not happening, it’s just not happening.

Is there anything in particular that you do to help the writing flow?

No. It’s not something I can force. It usually comes by inspiration. I have to really have a lot of quiet.

What’s one of your favorite quotes?

Eleanor Roosevelt: “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” 
And my dad:  “Where there’s water, there’s a hole.”

What three books have you read recently and would recommend?

This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

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

I enjoy reading, cooking, gardening, being outside, and hanging out with my family.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Right where I’m at! I think America is the greatest and most desirable place to live. I love to travel and visit other places when I can, but there’s truly no place like home.

If you could take a trip anywhere in the world, where would you go? (Don’t worry about the money. Your publisher is paying.)

I’d love to see Israel.

What are you working on now?

I have a couple of children’s manuscripts that have been in the works for a while...just fun and whimsical reading and not a lot of thinking required. Sometimes our brain needs a break—-both for the writer and the reader.

To read an excerpt of All About Me: A Journey To The Inside, go here.

About the author:

Elvie Dell is a free spirit, a freelance writer and poet (and a few other things that don’t pertain to writing). She loves to read, watch Lucy re-runs, cook, travel when she can, garden (on a very small scale), fish with her sons, shop and explore with her daughters, craft with her grandkids, just hang out with her husband...and read Dr. Seuss!  She’s intrigued by the very young and the very old and the simplicity of life.

Elvie has four grown children, and three grandchildren. She lives in Texas with her husband, two dogs and six chickens. For more about Elvie and her books, go to her website.   

Buy the book on Amazon

Featured Author: Will Macmillan Jones

I'm happy to have Will Macmillan Jones here today to talk about his soon-to-be-released fantasy novel, Bass Instinct, the fourth outing for The Banned Underground series.

About the book:

Dai the Drinking Dragon has been kidnapped by the Dark Lord for nefarious purposes, and by his Receptionist for even less reputable reasons.  Without their bass player, The Banned Underground are now in deep trouble with their Record label.  They have to produce the recordings for an album, and someone has stolen the tapes from the last gig.  Can they make some more recordings, or will Freya, the renegade dwarf bass player, distract the boys whilst the Dark Lord’s evil schemes come to fruition?

The Dark Lord has found some Thugs to help him in his latest plan to invade the Dwarf Mansion, but they have other things on their minds.  Like looting and pillaging the locals, and it’s all going wrong again.

Will record-producing Adam set his Ants on The Banned?  Or will it all come good in the end?  Time is Tight on this one for The Banned Underground.

Interview with Will

How long have you been writing, and how did you start, Will?

I’ve always been interested in writing, I think. I was lucky enough to have an English teacher at school who encouraged all of his class to write, and I enjoyed it at school.  Then I wrote my first book in my twenties. And awful rubbish it was as well. But it formed the basis (after a lot of reworking!) of the first book I had published, The Amulet Of Kings - the first in The Banned Underground series.  I’ve been lucky enough to be signed by  Safkhet Publishing to write a series of eight of these comic fantasy books for them.  Which I think means that they like the books.

I'd say so! That's great. How do you come up with the titles?

Titles are a treat to play with for me. I love messing around with ideas centered on the story I’m creating, and then finding a suitable short title. Two or three words work best for me, and are easier to repeat when marketing!

Tell me about it. What was I thinking when I titled my book Murder & Mayhem in Goose Pimple Junction? But I digress. Do you have another job besides writing?

I’ve been self-employed in tax and accounting for thirty years now. And horribly dull it is too. But it has provided me with a huge base of characters to use in my books...

How do you create your plots?

I fall between the two stools of ‘plotting’ and ‘pantsing,’ really. I start by imagining the basis of the story, and then build that into a series of checkpoints. I insist my characters meet the checkpoints, but a lot of the time I leave it entirely up to them to get there on their own. And sometimes, they all fly away on a tangent, and I have to alter my careful plan to accommodate what they want to do.

Some characters do have that annoying talent of ruining a writer's plans sometimes. How do you market your book?

My favourite way is actually to sell the books inside bookshops at signings. Some authors hate doing that, but I love engaging with the readers. As signings inside Waterstones are much less easy to come by these days, I do a lot of online marketing too.

How do you get to know your characters?

They muscle in on my dreams and daydreams, and force their way into whatever I’m writing.  Freya, for example, the ‘bad girl/rock chick’ in Bass Instinct first appeared in the previous book in a bit part, and we got on so well that she got a much bigger role in book four. Can I leave her out in the future? I’m not sure, but I would certainly not rule out another appearance. The same for Ricky Vander. I’ll say little about him, so as not to spoil the surprise. But I think he’s coming back, too.

Which character do you most enjoy writing?

That just has to be Grizelda the witch. I’m not brave enough to tell you who she is based on...but she only has to appear and the scenes take off. Many of the other characters take off too. They can run away, of course, whilst I can’t.

You can run, but you can't hide, right? What would your characters say about you?

Oh dear. Grizelda threatened to turn me into a frog.

Yikes!

The Banned Underground took me out drinking, then dropped me back home insensible and naked.

I hate when that happens!

The Dark Coven came past one evening and magically bricked up my front door.

Now, that was just mean-spirited.

The only one who isn’t consistently rude to me is Freya. So if I get to go to a desert island, she’s my choice. Just don’t tell the others...

Mum's the word. Are any of your characters inspired by real people?

They all are. I’ve met everyone of them in real life, although some of course are composites. But an attitude here, a mannerism there, a behavioural trait...and some of the minor characters are actually friends of mine who have begged for a cameo, suitably disguised of course!

Your favourite scene?

It comes down to a choice of two:

In the first scene, The Banned Underground are playing on stage, when –to Jumping Jack Flash – their guitarist is blown across the stage by some feedback, and smashes apart the mystical Throne of The King Under The Mountain.

Oops.

The other scene is also in The Mystic Accountants. The Banned have just recruited their fist bass player, a drunken welsh dragon called Dai. Dai has been to fetch his Fender Bass guitar, and on the way back, he meets the RAF…

“Pen-bre Firing Range, this is Victor Kilo One Six, inbound from RAF Valley.”
“Victor Kilo, this is Pen-bre range.  Go ahead.”
“Pen-bre Range, Victor Kilo is a training flight, inbound for a strike mission, five minutes to run from the east, height 800 feet.”
“Victor Kilo, Pen-bre Range.  Radar contact acquired.  Your strike clearance is approved. Be aware of local traffic in your 10 oclock, same height.”
“Pen-brE Range, stricke clearance copied.  Looking for the traffic..AND WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?  ARMING WEAPONS SYSTEMS!”
“Victor Kilo, are you visual on the traffic? Can you identify?”
“IT’S A RED DRAGON, CARRYING A BASS GUITAR!”
“Victor Kilo One Six, Pen-bre Range. Your strike clearance is cancelled. Disarm weapons systems and return to base immediately.”

What song would you pick to go with your book?

Music runs throughout my books.  Well, writing about a blues and rock n roll band, that’s a given, isn’t it? Every scene has its own theme or music, and it’s always rock and blues.

Who are your favourite authors?

Well, obviously I’m going to say Tolkein, as a fantasy writer. But I do read quite widely, and like a lot of different things. I’ve been reading The Dresden Files recently, by Jim Butcher, and inevitably I read the comic writers: Pratchett, Holt, Rankin. One of my favourite authors is Richard Bach, who writes about flying and life. Jonathon Livingston Seagull and Illusions will always be on my bookcase. As will Roger Zelazny’s Lord of Light.
What are you reading right now?

One of the greats: Ray Bradbury. Something Wicked This Way Comes. It’s a paperback, because I don’t think I could afford a hardback copy, which is what I’d prefer. I don’t own an e-reader of any sort.

How do you handle criticism of your work?

With silence, as far as the writer of the comments is concerned. That, for me is the only proper response. Then I think about what has been said, and take what I can from it for the future.

Do you have a routine for writing?

No, I don’t really. I’m lucky, because I work from home and so my laptop – and the current WIP - are always available to me. I can just write whenever the mood takes me. 

About the author:

Will Macmillan Jones live in Wales, a lovely green, verdant land with a rich cultural heritage.  He does his best to support this heritage by drinking the local beer and shouting loud encouragement whenever International Rugby is on the TV.  A fifty-something lover of blues, rock and jazz he has just fulfilled a lifetime ambition by filling an entire wall of his home office with (full) bookcases.

His major comic fantasy series, released by Safkhet Publishing, can be found at:
www.thebannedunderground.com and information on his other work and stuff in general at:
www.willmacmillanjones.com and www.willmacmillanjones.wordpress.com

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Featured Author: The Time Trading Guru Robert Renaud

We don't have many non-fiction authors on A Blue Million Books, but I'm happy to be talking with non-fiction author Robert Renaud today. Robert explains his new book, The Time Trading Guru, shows people how to embrace the time trading principles of time, flexibility, and money, and the DREAM process to take life breaks and to become personally fulfilled. His first book, The Red Tape Chronicles, is a compilation of his cartoon strip, The Bureaucrats, the red tape comic strip about life in the service.

 

About the book:

If you want to escape the workplace and live life again then The Time Trading Guru is for you. Embrace the time trading principles of time, flexibility, and money, and trade that “work” and wasted time into “value” time by leveraging life breaks to live life to the fullest.

Robert, how did you get the idea for this book?

It really is a by-product of the challenges I’ve had in my life. I learned to take control and steer my own course.

How long have you been writing?

Well over 20 years, but mostly in business writing.

Did you have a nine to five job before you decided to write a book?

I still have a nine to five, but I use it more wisely and take advantage of time trading to live life to the fullest.

What will readers learn from The Time Trading Guru?

People will learn to manage their perceptions and take the time to live life today and to become personally fulfilled in the process.

Explain time trading, please.

Absolutely, The Time Trading Guru is about using the levers of life: time, flexibility, and money and the DREAM process that provides steps to goal setting, to take life breaks. By following this blueprint you stop postponing your life to some time in the future and begin to live life today.

What makes you a time trading guru?

A guru simply means “teacher” and this is precisely what I do in my book and on my blog www.timetradingguru.com where I muse about living life now and not some time in the future.

How long did it take you to write The Time Trading Guru?

I’ve had the ideas for quite a few years, but when I actually put pen to paper it took me about 4 months to write the book.

Do you think it’s possible to be a dreamer and a realist?

Absolutely, if you don’t have dreams, you’ll never aspire to be more than you are, but at the same time you need to be realistic about the how to achieve things. Don’t compromise the things that mean the most along way.

How would you describe your book in a tweet? (140 characters or less.)

Use the time trading formula to live life to the fullest.

Who is your target audience?

This book is directed primarily at workers. Millions of readers world-wide would be interested in The Time Trading Guru because everyone is looking for a way to gain a better quality and balance in their life without having to sacrifice what they already have. The simple time trading formula is attractive because it takes what most of us already know and makes one a master at pulling the levers of life: time, flexibility, and money to reach his dreams.

What is your favorite genre to read?

I like non-fiction in general because I like to learn new things.

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

I like to draw - it allows me to be completely free.

Name one thing you couldn’t live without.

A cup of tea in the morning.

Do you have any regrets?

None, I wouldn’t be where I am today without all the good and bad experiences along the way.

About the author:

Robert Renaud is a life enthusiast, pragmatic career man, spirited dreamer. He has lived his dreams, from dancing with a princess, living as a millionaire in Ecuador, to being a cartoonist. He’s a dedicated family man who leverages time trading to live life to its fullest and becoming personally fulfilled in the process.




Connect with Robert:
Website / Facebook / Goodreads / Twitter / Amazon

Interview with Tonya Kappes's June Heal

Tonya Kappes's cozy mystery, A Charming Wish, was released by MagiCal Press on March 11. I'm delighted to have Tonya's main character, June Heal, here today for an interview. But first...

About the character:

June Heal is a homeopathic curest who discovers she has magical powers when she relocates her flea market homeopathic cure shop, A Charming Cure, to the magical town of Whispering Falls, Kentucky.

About the book:

"Tonya Kappes' A Magical Cure Series, charmed me until the end!" ~ Cozy Mystery Book Reviews

Bubble, Bubble. . .

It seems shop owner and newly appointed Whispering Falls Village President June Heal has it all: Beauty, wits, bewitching powers...Sheriff Oscar Park. Life is good. Because life in Whispering Falls is magical.

Cures and Trouble. . .

But when a member of the community is found dead on the steps of A Charming Cure, June's homeopathic cure shop, and her fingerprints show up at the scenes of local robberies, she is kicked off the village council and her powers fall under scrutiny. Until it's uncovered who is wreaking havoc on the town...June's magic is suspended.

Magic Stirs. . .

With the help of a rather obnoxious genie and Mr. Prince Charming, June's Fairy-God cat, June is determined to figure out who is framing her. Time is of the essence when it becomes clear that the true villain is trying to get rid of her...permanently!

And Trouble Doubles. . .

Oscar Park will do anything to protect June even if that means giving up all of his magical powers. . .or worse, his life.

Interview with June:

June, how did you first meet Tonya?

There was a vacancy in her head, so I just sort of moved on in. She told me that she didn’t like witches. . .

Want to dish about her?

I concoct my best homeopathic cures in the middle of the night, my cauldron seems to work best during those hours, and Tonya is always awake with this little notebook in her hand. She never sleeps! I bet if she would give up one of her three pots of coffee she drinks a day, she might get a little shut eye. I left a message with the Sand Man to drop Tonya visit.

Did you ever think that your life would end up being in a book?

Never! I’m just a small town Kentucky girl.

Yay! Kentucky! I wonder if Whispering Falls is close to Louisville. Tell us about your favorite scene in the book, June.

Tonya continues to write about my life, so in the third novel, A Charming Wish, she started with my story when I found out that I had a genie bottle in my shop. . .with a genie living in it!

Did you have a hard time convincing your author to write any particular scenes for you?

Yes! Tonya always wants to write my story her way or the way she thinks I should live my life, but I keep telling her NO! It’s my life, and I can live it how I want to. Sometimes she does have some good ideas with new potions.

What do you like to do when you are not being actively read somewhere?
I love spending time with my fairy-god cat, Mr. Prince Charming and my boyfriend, Oscar Park. Hanging out with my friends that live in Whispering Falls is a lot of fun too.

Tell the truth. What do you think of your fellow characters?

I absolutely adore them! Each of them have a special magical talent that is disguised by their store front. I love how they interact with their clients. Shandra owns A Cleansing Spirit Spa. Her clients think they are getting a manicure, but Shandra is really reading their palm. All of Whispering Falls is like that!



What's the worst thing that's happened in your life?

What did you learn from it? I lost both of my parents at a young age. It has been a hard long road learning all the ropes of life without their guidance. I’ve learned to trust my intuition. It hasn’t failed me yet!



Tell us about your best friends.

Mr. Prince Charming is my fairy-god cat who showed up on my door step with a turtle charm hanging on his collar on my tenth birthday. I’ve always wanted a charm bracelet! I knew we were going to be fast friends. He has never left my side and I’m twenty-five.
Madame Torres is my snarky crystal ball. Even though she is a pain in the rear sometimes and we argue, she always has my best interest at heart.

How do you feel about your life right now? What, if anything, would you like to change?
There are a lot of changes that only Tonya and I know about. I’m not sure if those changes are good or bad. I guess we will have to wait and see.

What aspect of your author’s writing style do you like best?

I love how she adds humor to my life of chaos. I don’t think my life is funny, but she writes it in a way that makes readers laugh out loud.

If your story were a movie, who would play you?

I adore Mandy Moore. I think she would make a great me!

Describe the town where you live.

MAGICAL! Whispering Falls is settled in the foothills of Kentucky, surrounded by beautiful mountainous limestone and Kentucky bluegrass. The town is filled with quaint shops. Each shop has a gorgeous ornamental gate that leads you into magical store with special powers. When a tourist comes to our small town, they can’t wait to come back.

Describe an average day in your life.

I have to have my coffee first thing in the morning. Then Mr. Prince Charming and I go to my shop, A Charming Cure, and start working on new homeopathic cures. When a client comes in, I rely on my intuition to what is the root of their ailment, and then I make them the perfect cure. After work, I tend to spend some alone time with my boyfriend. Lately, I’ve been in a little pickle. Someone was found dead on the steps of my shop. Needless to say. . .someone is framing me for murder! Any free time I have, I’m trying to figure out who wants me gone.

Will you encourage your author to write a sequel?

She is on the third novel. I think she has six in mind. 

Super! Please come back when the next one is out!

 

About the author:

Tonya Kappes is an Amazon Movers and Shakers, and self-published International bestselling author. She writes humorous cozy mystery and women’s fiction that involves quirky characters in quirky situations.

Splitsville.com, the first novel in the Olivia Davis Mystery series, is a double finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards in the Mystery and Humorous Categories. Carpe Bead ‘em is a the winner in Amazon’s eFestival of Words in the Women’s Fiction Category.

She travels to various writers groups giving workshops on marketing and promoting no matter where you are in your career, and in self-publishing.

Become a member of Tonya’s STREET TEAM! It’s a gathering place of readers who love Tonya Kappes novels, and Tonya gives away monthly prizes! To sign up for Tonya’s STREET TEAM, newsletter, view book trailer, and upcoming news, check out Tonya’s website, http://tonyakappes.blogspot.com/.

Connect with Tonya:
Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Website / Blog


Buy the book:
Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Featured Author: Kim Boykin

I'm happy to have Kim Boykin here today to talk about her just released novel, The Wisdom of Hair. The chick lit book, published by Berkley Books, has been touted by NYT bestselling novelist and author of Ocean Beach, Wendy Wax, as, "A lovely, engaging novel...witty and eloquent." In addition to an interview with Kim, we're treated with a guest post and a book excerpt.

About the book:

"The problem with cutting your own hair is that once you start, you just keep cutting, trying to fix it, and the truth is, some things can never be fixed. The day of my daddy's funeral, I cut my bangs until they were the length of those little paintbrushes that come with dime-store watercolor sets. I was nine years old. People asked me why I did it, but I was too young then to know I was changing my hair because I wanted to change my life."

In 1983, on her nineteenth birthday, Zora Adams finally says goodbye to her alcoholic mother and their tiny town in the mountains of South Carolina. Living with a woman who dresses like Judy Garland and brings home a different man each night is not a pretty existence, and Zora is ready for life to be beautiful.

With the help of a beloved teacher, she moves to a coastal town and enrolls in the Davenport School of Beauty. Under the tutelage of Mrs. Cathcart, she learns the art of fixing hair, and becomes fast friends with the lively Sara Jane Farquhar, a natural hair stylist. She also falls hard for handsome young widower Winston Sawyer, who is drowning his grief in bourbon. She couldn't save Mama, but maybe she can save him.

As Zora practices finger waves, updos, and spit curls, she also comes to learn that few things are permanent in this life--except real love, lasting friendship, and, ultimately... forgiveness.

Interview with Kim Boykin 

Welcome, Kim! I love the title of your book. How did you come up with it?

I was at a pitch conference in New York and the editor who eventually bought my book that was titled Separate Ways at the time said, “Yeah, but what’s the book really about?” I told her it’s about the wisdom of hair, that women change their hair to change their lives and she said, “THAT’S your title.” And she was right.

Do you have another job outside of writing?

Nope. I spend most days writing in my pajamas. I admire those folks who hold down a job or have little kids and write. They are probably way more organized than I am, which isn’t hard.


Do you outline, write by the seat of your pants, or let your characters tell you what to write?

I never use an outline and have little to know idea of where the story’s going when I start out. I just listen to the voices as they carry me along. I’m not ashamed to say I do hear voices and would be devastated if I didn’t. When my characters get stuck or something’s not making sense, I stop and figure things out, but for the most part, I just put my people in a box and see what they do.

Did you have any say in your cover art?
The only real say I had was with the first proof I saw. The background was steel gray, the hair dryer was red, and there was hardly any of the woman’s face showing. I complained that it didn’t look at all like the story inside, and they made it gorgeous, purples and green, more of the model’s pretty face. I LOVE IT!

I do too! Which character did you most enjoy writing?

Without a doubt-Sara Jane Farquhar. She’s a big gorgeous woman with a mouth on her and the best friend a girl could wish for. Heck, even I wish I had a Sara Jane Farquhar in my stable of friends.

I’m constantly on the lookout for new names. How do you name your characters?

Interesting question. Initially, her name was Shirley, a good sturdy Appalachian mountain name, but I thought I needed a sexier name and Zora came to me. I have a book of names I look up the meanings of names to see if they’re on target with their characters and lo and behold, Zora means “the light of the dawn.” It’s a fitting name since The Wisdom of Hair is a coming of age story.
  
What book are you currently reading and in what format (e-book/paperback/hardcover)?
For all the indie bookstore fans, I’m ashamed to say that I’ve tried, but I have a really hard time reading “real books” these days. I’m a Kindle girl so far because I read faster and way more with an eReader. I’m writing a romance now, so that’s what I’ve been reading. Too many titles to mention. Everything from Sylvia Day’s Crossfire series to Brenda Novak’s Whiskey Creek Series, to Why We Never Danced the Charleston by Harlan Greene, and everything in between.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Right down the road on a little island called the Isle of Palms near Charleston, South Carolina. Conde Naste travel magazine proclaimed Charleston the number one tourist destination in the world, and of course the US. We have a vacation home there and it gets harder and harder to leave each visit. Phenomenal weather, food, and people. Y’all come!

What are you working on now?
A love story set in the Charleston Lowcountry during 1952. It’s loads of fun to write.

 

Kim's Guest Post

FINDING YOUR DREAMS AT BETTY'S BEAUTY SALON
by Kim Boykin

I was born in the ’50′s in a time when women were encouraged to stay home and dream for their husbands and their children, for anybody but themselves. Somewhere in all that, my mom decided she wanted to go to beauty school.

To this day, even at 81 Mom is still gorgeous and has always enjoyed the latest styles and fashions. Working at the Bomb Plant (we’ll save this topic for a later blog) and with three daughters, my dad thought he should save every penny rather than opening his wallet which would certainly have resulted in financial ruin. Mom was a resourceful woman. She figured out how to whip up the latest styles, but in a time where women had their hair washed and set once a week, and by set I mean girded in lacquer so that it was like a pretty plastic helmet, she was stumped. She wanted to learn how to fix her hair, and with my older sisters nearing college age, she wanted to be able to send us to college, something my dad wasn’t totally on board with at the time.

Out of all this, Betty’s Beauty Salon came to be in a shabby little row of buildings on Main Street, New Ellenton, South Carolina. Mom worked hard and worked her way into a nicer building, and while the digs changed significantly, one thing NEVER changed. Women came to her shop to find themselves, to nurture themselves, something that wasn’t at all en vogue like it is today, and to find their dreams.

Maybe they were drawn there because it was a safe place to be yourself, to speak your mind, to share your joys and your sorrows. Aside from a phenomenal haircut, great color, or a scalp massage that often had her clients purring, I believe they were drawn to Mom’s dream itself. Whether it was her or the dryers and shampoo bowls or the building with the little wooden sign over the door, Betty’s Beauty Salon represented a dream that one brave woman dare to dream; and it actually came TRUE! And isn’t that what we all want? At least once?

I’ve got my dream, it’s 292 pages long and debuted 3/5/13. My wish for you is that you find yours, and if you haven’t found it yet, answer the call to find it, even in the most unassuming places.

Excerpt from The Wisdom of Hair

According to the brochure, beauty school was supposed to be The Beginning of an Exciting Career That Will Last a Lifetime. But the first thing that caught my eye when I walked through the front door of the Davenport School of Beauty was a sign on slick white poster board posted by the cash register.  A bubble over a pair of legs said, NO MORE THAN THREE ABOVE THE KNEE. Looking down at my uniform, I didn’t need a ruler to tell me that I was out of line. 

I pulled at the sides of my uniform, trying to lengthen the hem like a lot of the other students. I could just picture us all after school let out, sitting around our respective homes with scissors, big red tomato pin cushions, and spools of white thread scattered about, undoing our hemlines.

Nobody looked anything like the proud confident blonde on the cover of the brochure, except for one girl.  She was the only one not worrying with her dress. Hers was an inch or two below the knee and had a sassy little slit up the back. From the neck up, she looked like a movie star, and the way she carried herself made you forget that she could probably afford to lose fifty or sixty pounds.

As attendance was called, we were supposed to introduce ourselves. Some of the girls stammered or giggled.  My own voice came out just above a whisper, but the big girl spoke in a deep, sexy drawl with a proud confidence that every single girl in the room coveted. We looked at Sara Jane Farquhar in awe, and there wasn’t a single soul in that room, even our instructor, who didn’t want to be her.

“Now, ladies, I am Mrs. Cathcart, your instructor here at the Davenport School of Beauty. I’d like to welcome you, the winter class of 1983.” She paused, waiting for us to applaud ourselves. When we didn’t, she did, and we all joined in. “As students, you’ll learn the art of fixing hair over the next six months. Along with the latest fashion trends, you will master vital skills like pin curls and finger waves. And though perms and color will be your bread and butter, if you can learn to do an upsweep, you can make a fortune these days.”   

“Class, if you can give a woman a good hairdo, she will crawl to you on her deathbed for you to fix her hair.  A woman whose hair has been properly colored is a customer for life. Let me assure all of you, there is great honor in making a woman in your charge look and feel beautiful. This is indeed one of life’s highest callings.”

We stood there applauding for all we were worth, completely mesmerized by Mrs. Cathcart’s address to the Class of 1983. I looked around the room. There were twenty-three of us. One girl was crying. Later on, when she dropped out, Mrs. Cathcart would say she was called elsewhere.    

After the applause ended, Mrs. Cathcart led us past the area with all of the dryers and shampoo bowls to a large room in the back that was both storage room and our classroom. Each workstation had a faceless mannequin head with glossy black hair.  All of them were identical, except one or two looked newer than the others. 

Most everyone leafed through the blue clothbound textbook at each station, except for the crying girl. She ran her hand over the top of Cosmetology Today and started to cry again. She bawled at the drop of a hat, everyday. I think it must have had something to do with her being pregnant, although I don’t think she knew she was at the time.

Sara Jane Farquhar leafed through her book, and then shoved it onto the little shelf under the top of her workstation. She looked at Mrs. Cathcart like she already knew it cover to cover and was ready to go to work. Mrs. Cathcart gave Sara Jane a dirty look and told everyone to open her texts to page one.
 
All of Mrs. Cathcart’s lessons were drawn out on the back of old maps, the kind teachers pull down like window shades.  They were old and yellow and torn in a couple of places, but when she pointed her yardstick to Cosmetology, an Introduction and started teaching, it was clear that she was a very good teacher.

I was the only one who took notes; I may have been the only girl there who knew how to take notes. Mrs. Cathcart liked that. She smiled and nodded at me every time I recognized something important and wrote it down. She went on for at least two hours before she told us we could have a break. There was a rush for the Coke machine, which by the time I got there only took exact change. 

“You need dimes?”

I looked up and saw Sara Jane Farquhar smiling at me with a Coca-Cola in her hand.

“Thanks.” I handed her my quarter, but she gave it right back.
 
“Keep it. I always have change.”

“Thanks. I’m Zora.” 

“I’m Sara Jane Farquhar,” she said, the way Marilyn Monroe might have introduced herself. Sara Jane wasn’t putting on; that was just the way she talked. “So what do you think about all this?”

“I’m excited and a little nervous, how about you?”

A group of girls were huddled together listening to a bony girl with a bad perm mimic Mrs. Cathcart’s speech to us. All of them kept cutting their eyes around to make sure she didn’t come around the corner and catch them.

“They shouldn’t be making fun of her,” I said.

Sara Jane nodded. “The joke’s on them. Everything Mrs. Carthcart said was right.”

“She’s sweet, but don’t you think she’s a little overly dramatic?”

“Maybe, but women come to a stylist because they want to feel beautiful. Even if it’s just for that one hour they sit in your chair, even if their hair looks like hell the next morning. For an hour, they had the undivided attention of someone focused on making them beautiful. They don’t get that in real life unless they give it to themselves, and a lot of women just seem to give up on that.” Sara Jane took a swig of her Coke. “But I don’t have to tell you that. You’ve been to a stylist; you know what I’m talking about.”

I nodded, and hoped she couldn’t see my embarrassment. I’d never been to a beauty salon; never had anybody cut my hair but Mama and Nana. I didn’t have a clue as to what she was talking about, but I believed every word Sara Jane Farquhar said.

“So, where do you live?”

“Just off Main in a little apartment on Beckett Street.”

“You’re lucky to have your own place. I live with my parents.”

Mama had embarrassed me so many times when prospective friends came over, the thought of inviting someone like Sara Jane Farquhar to my apartment made me nauseous. But after two days in Davenport, I was lonely, and gawking over Winston Sawyer hadn’t helped any.
“Do you want to come over today--after class?”

“Sure.” Sara Jane smiled, and pushed one of her perfectly bleached blonde tresses off of her face. “That would be fun.”

I explained the arrangement I had with the owner and she said that was fine by her. She would keep me company while I cooked. She also showed me how to pour salted peanuts into my Coke bottle during one of our breaks. She said it was a good, quick snack because you could eat and drink at the same time. The salty and sweet tasted good to me, but I almost choked the first time I tried it. 

It’s funny how neither of us ever really said anything about being best friends that day, the way you might on the first day of grade school, but after two fifteen-minute breaks and a lunch together, we just were.

About the author:

Kim Boykin learned about women and their hair in her mother’s beauty shop in a tiny South Carolina town. She loves to write stories about strong Southern women and is an accomplished public speaker. She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband, three dogs, and 126 rose bushes.




Website / Facebook / Twitter / Blog / Goodreads / 

Amazon


  

Featured Author: Michael O'Gara

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

Interview with Michael

Welcome back, Michael! When was Ambassador Death published?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What’s your least favorite thing?

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

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

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

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

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

Did you have any say in your cover art?

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

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

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

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

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

Are any of your characters inspired by real people?

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

Are you like any of your characters?

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

What are you working on now?

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

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

About the author:

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

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

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

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

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


Connect with Michael:
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Guest Post by Alan Brenham

About the book:

Price of Justice is a story about loss, revenge and second chances. This thriller follows a widowed police detective, Jason Scarsdale who, while trying to raise a young daughter while solving two murders, unwittingly befriends a grieving mother secretly bent on murderous revenge, drawing him into a web of malice that teaches him the value of breaking the rules. Then, when he thought things couldn't get any worse, they did.

Alan Brenham's interview with Price of Justice's Dani Mueller

In my novel, Price of Justice, I created an anti-hero named Dani Mueller. Today, she has graciously agreed to an interview about her role in Price of Justice. 

Brenham: Good afternoon, Dani. Forgive me, do you mind if I address you as Dani or would you prefer Ms. Mueller?



Dani: Dani ist in Ordnung.



Brenham: Umm, our readers are English-speakers and may not understand German. So, if you wouldn’t mind.



Dani:  I’m sorry. Dani is fine.



Brenham:  You were born in Germany, right?



Dani:  Yes, I lived in Garmisch-Partenkirchen until I married an American Air Force officer.



Brenham:  Exactly where is Garmisch-Partenkirchen?



Dani:  South of Munich right by the Germany-Austria border.



Brenham:  Let’s talk about you. How would you describe yourself in two words?



Dani: Resourceful and spirited. Except after Parnell . . .



Brenham: Okay, in Price of Justice, you had quite a rough time . . . 



Dani: Yes, no thanks to you.



Brenham: Well, I had to create conflict and suspense so readers would find the book interesting.



Dani: I understand that but you didn’t have to make it that rough. You did some pretty awful things to me. Taking my daughter, the Burtons stalking me, and . . .



Brenham:  Wait, Dani. Let’s not tell the readers the story or else they won’t see the need to buy the book. I did do some really nice things to you too.



Dani: Yeah, well, you did introduce me to Jason and his little daughter, Shannon. I just love her. Thank you for that. But you . . .



Brenham: Now, now. Don’t tell the story. Did you know a few readers posted reviews saying they really liked you in Price of Justice?



Dani: They actually said that? Aw, that was so sweet of them.



Brenham:  So what did you think of Austin, Texas?



Dani: Next to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Austin is a beautiful city except for the summer heat. 


Brenham:  Now, in Price of Justice, you moved to Austin from Sacramento, California?



Dani:  Yes, to get away from the Burtons. 



Brenham:  See, another nice thing I did for you.



Dani:  Oh really? Those nice things seemed to have had a way of turning into some really terrible things.



Brenham: Would you like to be a heroine in the sequel?



Dani: That depends. What are you going to do to me?



Brenham:  Actually, at this point, I’m not sure. But if you don’t want the job, I could team Jason and his daughter up with someone else.



Dani: Don’t you dare. But I know you’ll do whatever you want, and I’ll just have to endure it.



Brenham: Well, I’ll try to be nicer to you in the next novel. 



Dani:  I’d appreciate it.



Brenham:  What’s one thing you’d like to have happen to you in the next novel?



Dani:  Oh, that’s easy. Become Jason’s wife.



Brenham:  Okay, our time is up. I want to thank you for stopping by. Is there anything you’d like to say to the readers?



Dani: Yes, except for the rough times, I really loved being a heroine in Price of Justice.

Alan Brenham's interview with Price of Justice's Jason Scarsdale

In my novel, Price of Justice, I created a protagonist named Jason Scarsdale and gave him a job as a detective with the Austin Police Department. Today he has agreed to an interview about his role in Price of Justice.                           



Brenham: Good afternoon, Detective. From your accent, I’m assuming you were born and raised in Texas. Did I guess that correctly?



Scarsdale:  Yes, I was born in Midland, Texas, and grew up in Ft. Worth.



Brenham: Do you enjoy working for the Austin Police Department?



Scarsdale: It has its moments.



Brenham: Meaning what, exactly? That you want to work somewhere else?



Scarsdale: Not necessarily. You won’t beat the pay plus the APD people, the rank and file officers and sergeants . . . and some of the civilians, they are first-rate.



Brenham: And the higher ranking members are not?



Scarsdale: There are a few upper echelon supervisors who are class acts. I don’t want to go beyond that if you don’t mind.



Brenham: Sure. So if you did go somewhere else to work, where would it be?



Scarsdale: Texas Rangers would be great but, now, one has to be a trooper for a number of years before applying for Ranger. So the FBI would be my choice. They have investigative responsibility for a long list of crimes, plus some are posted overseas.



Brenham: How would you describe yourself in two or three words?



Scarsdale: Intelligent and a good father. Oh, sorry, that's five words.



Brenham: Ah yes, father. What was it like having a five-year old daughter to raise on your own?



Scarsdale: After I got to know her better . . . I wasted those first five years of her life being anything but a good father . . . she’s a handful. So much fun to be around. She has more questions about things than any two detectives combined . . . and she's a very considerate young lady. 



Brenham: Speaking of ladies, did you enjoy working with Dani Mueller?



Scarsdale: Dani was a very special lady. She definitely had her own agenda and yes, I most definitely enjoyed working with and getting to know her. I just wish things had ended differently in Price of Justice. But, you’re the one calling the shots.



Brenham: Would it make you feel better if I told you a sequel to Price of Justice is in the works?



Scarsdale: Yes, it would. I’d like to make one request . . . for Shannon's sake. She needs a mother-figure. Her overwhelming preference is Dani. Do you think you could see your way to doing that? 



Brenham: I won’t promise but in the same breath, I won’t say no either. Getting back to the interview, did you know a few readers posted reviews saying they really liked you in Price of Justice?



Scarsdale: Really? Then the dye is cast . . . you have to publish a sequel soon.



Brenham:  I’m working on it but I have another novel to finish first.



Scarsdale: Making someone else's life difficult? Who’s the unlucky person?



Brenham: Detective Matt Brady. He’s with a smaller department  . . . Temple, Texas. I believe you’re familiar with that department.



Scarsdale: Yes, I am, and I know you don’t want me to go into any details so . . . what’s the title?



Brenham:  The title is Cornered. 



Scarsdale: What’s the story line for Brady?



Brenham: Missing persons. Now, back to Price of Justice, do you want to work sex crimes again?



Scarsdale:  Hell no. I like working homicides.



Brenham:  Would you like to be teamed up with Dani again?



Scarsdale:  Does a cat have a tail? But the bottom line is you’ll do whatever you want and Dani, Shannon and I won’t have a choice.



Brenham:  What’s one thing you’d like to have happen to you in the next novel?



Scarsdale: Catch the bad guys quickly and spend the rest of the time with Shannon at Disney World . . . with Dani too, if that’s in the cards or should I say manuscript.



Brenham:  Okay, our time is up. I want to thank you for stopping by. Is there anything you’d like to say to the readers?



Scarsdale: Yes, I paid a high price in your novel, and I’m glad it’s finished. Hope to see y'all again when the sequel comes out.

About the author:

Alan Brenham is the pseudonym of Alan Behr, an author and attorney living in the Austin, Texas area.

His education includes a bachelor's degree from Texas A&I University and a Juris Doctor degree from Baylor University School of Law.

Alan worked as a law enforcement officer at the municipal, county and federal levels. His work-related travels include several European and Middle Eastern countries. He even lived in Berlin, Germany for two years while working for the Department of Defense.

From 1987 to 2009, he practiced law as a prosecutor and later as a defense attorney. After retiring from a legal career with the State of Texas, he began writing crime fiction novels.

Alan married Dr. Lillian Infantino, a retired US Army officer and, together they've traveled to Alaska, Central and South America, and almost every island in the Caribbean.

Connect with Alan:
Website / Facebook / Twitter / Amazon