Featured Author: Jacqueline Lynch

I'm happy to feature another cozy mystery today. This one is Cadmium Yellow, Blood Red, by Jacqueline Lynch.

About the book:  

A post-World War II “cozy” mystery about a museum heist, a missing child, a murder, a recent ex-con and an even more recent widow. In Hartford, Connecticut, 1949, Juliet Van Allen, a museum administrator, discovers that her artist husband is having an affair with another woman. Elmer Vartanian, recently released from prison for a museum robbery, is coerced into helping scout the museum for a heist by a gang that has kidnapped his daughter. Juliet’s husband is found murdered. Elmer signs on as her alibi in exchange for something he wants. Together, dogged by the scandal-monger newsman, the shrewd police detective, and scrutinized by the even more judgmental eye of Hartford’s elite, the rich widow and the ex-con try to outrun them all in a 1948 Lincoln Cosmopolitan, in world where Modern Art meets old-fashioned murder.

Interview with Jacqueline Lynch:

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

I wrote as a child for fun, but I started getting paid for my work over thirty years ago in high school when I wrote for the local weekly newspaper. Over the years, I worked a succession of assignments as a staff newspaper/magazine writer/editor, and later freelance. Later I branched out into plays and novels.

How did you create the plot for this book? 

Like most novels, it starts out when you’re innocently washing the dishes or weeding the garden and suddenly a thought pops into your head: What if? What if an art museum heist was interrupted by the heiress to a fortune whose artist husband was just murdered? You rinse the plate and take it from there.

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

It depends on what I’m writing. I work on a number of projects simultaneously, which include non-fiction historical writing, as well as plays. For those two, detailed outlining is a must. For this cozy mystery series, I outline very lightly and then most of it is seat of the pants writing.

Did you have any say in your cover art?

Since this series is self-published, I have total control over the art, but I relinquish that to a wonderful artist named Casey Koester, who comes up with terrific designs in the vector graphic style. I wanted something distinctive, and something to reflect on not only the art world of the story, but to bring to mind those great old 1940s pulp novel covers—with a modern twist. I love her covers, and I can’t wait to see the next one.

Have you ever bought any books just for the cover?

I don’t think I’ve ever brought any book just for the cover, but a great cover certainly makes you examine the book more closely. 

What do you do to market your book? 

I’ve posted information on my two blogs: Another Old Movie Blog, and New England Travels, Facebook, Twitter, sold paperback copies at book signings. I’ve also delivered talks to historical societies, women’s clubs, and libraries on my books. I’ve recently started a Pinterest page specifically dedicated to the Double V Mystery series. Cadmium Yellow, Blood Red is the first book in this series, and on this page you can see images of the locations where the stories take place in New England, and you can even get a look at Juliet’s car, a Lincoln Cosmopolitan in some really swell old illustrated advertisements.  I’m also looking forward to connecting with new readers through your blog.

Do you have imaginary friends? When do they talk to you?

I used to have an imaginary friend when I was a child, but we weren’t really best friends; he was just my colleague. We would solve crimes together. He was my stupid sidekick. I needed to have an imaginary stupid sidekick because I didn’t know any real people who were stupider than me. He had a wife and two children: a boy and a girl. They were all pretty homely. But nice, simple people. They lived in a trailer and ate Twinkies for supper, and sometimes they’d have me over for dinner. But that was a long time ago. I never hear from him anymore. I think he retired to Florida. You’d think he’d send a postcard, or one of those family newsletters on the holidays. 

When you start a new book, do you know what the entire cast will be? 

I always think I know who the entire cast will be, but then after a chapter or two new people come through the door. There’s not much you can do but welcome them and get them something to eat.

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

The two principal characters, partners in the stories, are Juliet and Elmer. I like both names for their irony. “Juliet” represents something innocent, yet precocious, a romantic ideal unattainable for us—mainly because Shakespeare killed his Juliet. My Juliet is also precious, not really innocent—she’s pretty street savvy for a ladylike heiress, but she is romantically unattainable for Elmer. At least for now.

Elmer is a cool, street-smart, ex-con who could be a romantic hero except for that name.  That’s what I love about it. It doesn’t really fit him. Cool guys are always given cool names in books. Elmer’s got this funny name to live down.

What song would you pick to go with your book? 

"I’m a Fool to Want You," sung by Jennie Smith. Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Peggy Lee and others all covered the song, but Jennie Smith’s version is the one I hear for this book.  I was thinking about the plot of the book one day while in the car, it was raining – a good Film Noir pelting of rain – and this song was playing on my car CD player. 

Which author would you most like to invite to dinner?

I’d like to invite Jane Austen to an American Thanksgiving dinner because I’d love her conversation, and because I’d love to see her put it in her next book, which I’m pretty sure she would. You can come over, too. Bring pie.

Ooh, I love pie! What book are you currently reading and in what format (e-book/paperback/hardcover)?

I’m reading Chain of Fools by Trav S.D. in paperback. It’s a history of silent comedy stars that I will review on my blogs. He’s a terrific writer, and I’m a fan of his blog, especially his tales of vaudeville days.



Name one thing you couldn’t live without.

Peanut butter.

Would you rather work in a library or a bookstore? 

I worked in a library part-time when I was a teenager and I enjoyed it very much.  Bookstores are libraries are still my favorite places.

You won the lottery. What’s the first thing you would buy?

Milk. I just noticed I’m out.

Do you ever get writer’s block?

Not really. I work on so many projects simultaneously, that if I get stuck on one, I just tinker with another project for a while and bring that along. Or I clean the bathroom. 

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

I like to watch old movies. But then I end up blogging about them on Another Old Movie Blog, so I guess that’s out. I like to travel, but if it’s travel in New England, it ends up on my New England Travels blog. A lot of what I do ends up in writing somewhere along the way. It’s how I digest thoughts and experiences.

What are you working on now?

Dismount and Murder, the third book in the Double V Mystery series, and a nonfiction book on a 19th century sculptor and bronze founder, and another historical novel. I’m also trying to finish a two-act comedy play that’s lying around here somewhere. Double V, incidentally, comes from Juliet’s and Elmer’s surnames: Van Allen and Vartanian.

Thank you very much for the opportunity to visit your blog and chat. I like what you’ve done with the place.


Thank you so much! It's been a pleasure having you here. Stop by again soon! And bring Elmer and Juliet.

Except from Cadmium Yellow, Blood Red

“The last spring of the 1940s.”

Juliet said it out loud this time, with equal parts anticipation and regret. Drumming slender white-gloved fingers on the steering wheel as she waited for the light to turn green, giving it her warmest smile as a thank you, she made a left-hand turn onto Asylum Street.

Past the fashionable Bond Hotel, she stomped her brake hard, with heart-pounding, if momentary, panic on discovering the large and dirty tailgate of the Hampden Ale truck in front of her. “You Get More Out of Hampden.”

Stopping just in time, nearly getting more out of Hampden than she wanted, she chuckled a mea culpa at the motto when the flow of traffic resumed, given a reprieve by still being alive.

Juliet sometimes looked for signposts in her life, more supernatural than what was normally found on beer truck advertising or cooperative traffic lights, and invented them when they were not really there. Only dimly aware of this trait, she would have balked had someone accused her of needing some existential hand-holding. Proud and somewhat vain about her independent streak, nevertheless a vague sense of being imprisoned gnawed at her lately.

Perhaps it was her approaching thirtieth birthday, though Juliet told herself she did not care.

Making love on her free afternoon was all she cared about right now.

She left the car for the parking attendant and shot a glance at the upper floor of the apartment building. Kurt was not expecting her, but she knew he preferred surprises.
Hartford, Connecticut breathed easy, in its own self-superior way, and the sun-warmed sidewalk, flecked with the reddish droppings of buds from the maple trees with their tentative crop of tiny new leaves, seemed to indicate that the winter landscape had all been a mirage.

The trees in front of their apartment house were something that she would have painted. But Kurt would dismiss the idea, with derisive laughter, as a Norman Rockwell Saturday Evening Post cover, and move onto deeper subjects in his conversation and in his art. Juliet entered the apartment house lobby. Mr. Percy, the desk manager with the paunch and the jet-black dyed fringe of hair around his bald head said good afternoon. She would have painted Mr. Percy, too, if only for the novelty of his dyed fringe of hair. When she joked about it to Kurt, he suggested with his own peculiar effortless sarcasm that she ask Mr. Percy to model for her nude.

Mr. Percy looked up at her smiling, as if pleasantly surprised, on cue. Juliet stifled a chuckle, invariably reminded of Kurt’s nude remark, which is all she thought of now whenever she saw Mr. Percy.

The officious desk manager, unaware of her comic fantasies, certainly was surprised, for she usually worked until at least six, sometimes later. It was only four o'clock. Juliet considered announcing she had come home early to make love with her husband, but Mr. Percy was just too easy to fluster. She wondered, with what Kurt might say was disingenuous flippancy, if it mightn’t kill him.

Juliet took the elevator to the fourth floor apartment. The elevator operator, a tall, thin, young black man about twenty named Tommy also gave her a somewhat smile of unexpected pleasure. She wondered if this was indicative of a very well-trained and polite staff or if she really had been so hidebound in her habits. And if anybody, actually, could be that pleased to see her. She hoped Kurt would be.

“Did you take your car off the blocks, yet, Tommy?”

He caught her eye with a conspirator’s look.

“This weekend. I can’t wait.”

“I’m surprised you’ve been stalling. Winter’s got to be over by now.”

“You can stop teasing me. I needed a tire.”

Tommy brought her to her floor. When the doors opened, he wished her a good afternoon.
“Thank you, Tommy.” Her footsteps echoed in the empty hall, and she touched the key to the keyhole.

She opened the door quietly, with no shouts of greeting. Surprising him was one thing, disturbing his work was another.

Juliet hoped that Kurt was continuing with the series on the Modern Woman. She put her keys in her purse and placed her purse down on the credenza against the wall, above which there was a mirror here in the alcove before the living room. A half wall with a wrought iron railing, which always made the person looking through the balusters seem as if he were in prison, separated the alcove from the living room. She turned and looked into the mirror to remove her hat, a soft, small peach-colored cap that matched her suit and clung to the crown of her light brown hair. She lifted her arms to reach for the hatpin with her right hand and hold her hat with her left, when her eyes were diverted by the flickered reflection of activity in the living room behind her.

She became only then just aware of a low muffled voice or more like a series of human noises. Lowering her arms slowly, pivoting with a gracefulness as if it had been rehearsed, Juliet looked through the thin, ironwork balustrade into the living room.

She noticed for the first time that the furniture was pushed aside. The two couches were pulled away from each other and the coffee table had been moved against one of them, leaving a large clear area in front of the fireplace. She gripped the wrought iron bars like a prisoner in jail, stood on tiptoe and pulled herself up a couple inches and looked down over one of the couches. Of the two naked people vigorously making love on a blanket on the living room floor, she could recognize Kurt, but not the woman whose face was hidden.

About the author: 

Jacqueline T. Lynch’s novels are available as ebooks and in print. Several of her plays have been published and produced around the U.S., Canada, and one of which, Child’s Play, was translated into Dutch and performed several times in the Netherlands. Her drama One Good Turn premiered as a winner of the 2011 Northern Kentucky University Y.E.S. Festival. Her one-act comedy In Memory of Trixie Gazelle was chosen as a winner in the 2010 Nor’Eastern Playwright’s Showcase of the Vermont Actors’ Repertory Theatre in Rutland, Vermont. She has published articles and short fiction in regional and national publications, including the anthology 60 Seconds to Shine: 161 Monologues from Literature (Smith & Kraus, 2007), North & South, Civil War Magazine, History Magazine. She writes Another Old Movie Blog and New England Travels blog. A native New Englander, she lives in Massachusetts.


Connect with Jacqueline:
Website | Another Old Movie Blog | New England Travels Blog | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter |

Buy the book:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Pinterest and Pinterest Specifically for the Double V Mysteries – here you can see images and locations that are mentioned in my mystery novels (including what a Lincoln Cosmopolitan looks like)

Featured Author: Dan O'Brien

Welcome to the fourth day of The Path of the Fallen blog tour. It will run until July 8th and will feature excerpts, new author interviews each day, character interviews, and a casting call by the author. But first, here is the obligatory blurb about the novel to settle you into this sprawling fantasy world:

Set against the backdrop of the tundra and a world desperate for hope, the journey of a young man, E'Malkai, will come to define a realm that has been broken by an evil that does not sleep. A bitter betrayal, and the inception of a war that will consume the world, forces E'Malkai to confront the past and undertake a pilgrimage that is his birthright. Follow him on his journey and be transformed. 

Interview with Dan O'Brien:

Are the names of the characters in your novels important? 

Depends on the book really. Sometimes they are very important, sometimes I pull them out of thin air. Once a character has a name though, I can very rarely change it. A character’s name becomes quite real once it is assigned. 

What about the titles of your novels? 

They can be important, though they are usually just pithy one-liners or the usage of one word to describe an entire feeling. 

Are there any occupational hazards to being a novelist? 

Yelling at a computer screen, excessive coffee, lack of sleep: that’s what comes to mind immediately. 

What's your favorite fruit? 

Alas, it was once a tie between bananas and mangoes, but I am now allergic to both of those. It would probably be blackberries or blueberries at this point. Perhaps even a melon of some kind. Let me get back to you on that.

An excerpt for your enjoyment:

ⱷ

The Shaman

Deep beneath the sands of the Desert of the Forgotten there was a cavern. This crevice was one of thousands upon thousands that burrowed deep below the surface of Terra. Within this place lay the domain of the entity known to the humans as the Shaman. 

His true name was Ti’ere’yuernen. 

An old word that meant, in as close a translation as was possible, the beginning without an end and the end that was born of the beginning in the tongue of those that claimed Terra when it was still covered in shadow, and the Light had not yet graced the surface. 

In the first of times, during the Last Age of the Shadow and the First Coming of the Light, the Believer had not yet come to walk the world. There were not yet humans, only the legions of the dark that reveled in every corner of Terra. 

Since the Coming of the Light there had been nine Creators, each held the power of the Believer and was imbued with the essence of creation. Yet, of those nine, only two had been successful in wielding the power for longer than a moment. One such being had been Malkai Armen, a child born of the tundra. He had no mother, no father, and no childhood. As a child he walked from the cold into the arms of the Fallen, as if it were providence. 

As he matured and aged, it was obvious that he was no more a mortal man than the tundra a beach. So he searched for the power of the earth, the energy harnessed from the very essence of the Light––the gift of Terra. 

This was long after the coming of the Intelligence and the creation of Culouth, though Malkai knew of neither. He used his power to seal away a home for the Fallen, create a sanctuary beneath the ice. 

And he did so, harnessing the power of the Believer for the length of five hundred and forty-seven days to the minute before it engulfed him. The energy was returned to the earth, and his life was taken with it. Two generations later, his grandson Ryan walked away with the very same power. It corrupted him as no other before him, and this taint allowed him to walk with the power of the shadow for the past seventeen years. 

An orb rested at the center of the cave. The iridescent flowing energies faded to black as the man who sat cross-legged before it opened his calm gray eyes. His eyelids fluttered as he breathed out. He pushed himself to his feet, throwing a damp fabric over the orb with a snap of his wrist. 

“Incorrigible human,” muttered the Shaman. 

As he stretched his arms out, the ornate beads on both wrists knocked against each other in a rhythmic pattern. There were walls of shimmering energy all around him. He walked through one, his voice carrying as he did.

His words were like a song. “You shall not long use the powers of the Believer in service of the shadow. There is another who will take your place, the true heir to the throne of the Light.”

He continued to mumble as the energy consumed him. His words were drowned out, leaving the cavern silent and empty. There was no one left to perceive the solitude of the keeper of the power of the Believer.

About the author: 

A psychologist, author, editor, philosopher, martial artist, and skeptic, he has published several novels and currently has many in print, including: The End of the World Playlist, Bitten, The Journey, The Ocean and the Hourglass, The Path of the Fallen, The Portent, and Cerulean Dreams. He recently started a consultation business, Amalgam Consulting.

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Bitten (US) | End of the World Playlist (US) | Cerulean Dreams (US) | The Journey (US)|

The Path of the Fallen (US) | The Twins of Devonshire (US) | The End of the World Playlist (UK) | Bitten (UK) | Cerulean Dreams (UK) | The Journey (UK) | The Path of the Fallen (UK) 

Would you like to win a copy of The Path of the Fallen?

All you have to do is comment on a post during the tour. Two randomly drawn commenters will be awarded either a physical or digital copy of The Path of the Fallen.

Visit http://thedanobrienproject.blogspot.com/ and follow the blog for a chance to win a Kindle Fire!

Featured Author: Fletcher Groves

Fletcher Groves is the author of the non-fiction business book, The Pipeline: A Picture of Homebuilding Production, published by Virtualbookworm.com.

About the book:

The Pipeline creates a visual image of homebuilding production from a systems standpoint, connecting the underlying production principles and disciplines to the measures that operating performance and economic outcomes hold in common, and making the compelling argument for the velocity side of ROA as the path to sustainable competitive separation.  

Interview with Fletcher Groves:

Fletcher, how long have you been writing, and how did you start? 

I have written almost my entire business career, but this is the first book I have ever published.

Why did you decide to write The Pipeline? 

It started out as a narrative for a specific client, which I recommended crafting as a dialog on homebuilding production, rather than a more straight-forward narrative.  The client eventually opted for the straight narrative, but allowed me to retain the IP for The Pipeline as a business book in a dialog/story format.

What will others learn from reading your book? 

Literally, there has never been this in-depth a study of production principles for this industry vertical. Pascal Dennis, who wrote the foreword for The Pipeline, remarked that – from a production management standpoint – the homebuilding industry is currently where the automobile industry was a hundred years ago.

A lot of this material will be completely new to executives in this industry.

What do you like best about writing? 

I like it as a means of transferring knowledge, and a creative expression.

What’s your least favorite thing?

There is nothing I dislike about it.

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

The image I was trying to create about a production system was simply a pipeline;  therefore, the title.

Do you have another job outside of writing? 

Yes, absolutely. I am a senior consultant with the management consulting firm SAI Consulting, Inc. 

What books have you read more than once or want to read again?

I have an extensive business library, and I have repeatedly referred to portions of those books; the only books I have completely read more than once were novels like Wind from the Carolinas, A Land Remembered, and then a number of books designed for daily reading.

Who are your favorite authors? 

In the preface, I list the authors who influenced my thinking. From a business book standpoint, from the standpoint of using dialog to get business points across, the most influential author for me has been Eli Goldratt (The Goal, Critical Chain, etc.).

What do you do to market your book? 

I have used SAI’s Escape from Averageness weblog to post excerpts, going back to well before the book was published. Those posts are almost always used as updates on five or six industry-specific LinkedIn groups.

This is a non-fiction book, so there aren't characters per se. But are you like anyone in the book?

The character known as the intrepid, results-based consultant (always identified by the full description of the position, and never as anyone else) is my pseudonym, patterned after the personality of our oldest daughter, Henley. Using a pseudonym in this book allowed me to be in the story, but not have it be about me.

All of these characters I have encountered on different consulting engagements; some of them are typical. In the way she presents, argues, and explains – everything but gender – the intrepid, results-based consultant is very close to who I am.

How do you handle criticism of your work? 

Matter-of-factly.

Where’s home for you?  

Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. A case of working where you live, not living where you work.

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

Principles are immutable, but virtually all of this book comes from actual experiences with clients in business.

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

Play golf.

About the author:

Fletcher Groves, III has more than 30 years’ experience in commercial banking, in residential real estate sales, development, and construction, and in management consulting. He has owned and managed his own development and award-winning homebuilding companies, as well as worked for Arthur Rutenberg Homes.

For the most part, Fletch focuses his efforts in the homebuilding industry on the velocity side of ROA, on efforts to obtain measurable improvements in operating performance and business outcomes for builder clients, centered on business process management, but including issues related to strategic planning, organizational structure, financial management, executive vetting, productivity, production systems, process workflow, and performance measurement and compensation.

He is responsible for strategic partner relationships with iGrafx (division of Corel that provides a complete suite of process applications) and LEAN Pathways.  He is an author, blogger, content expert and frequent speaker at IBS and other homebuilding conferences.  He has been instrumental in the production of Reference Point®, SAI’s periodical survey of contemporary management issues, conducted among C-level executives within the homebuilding industry.


Website | Blog | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Featured Author: Trey Copeland

I'm happy to be talking to Trey Copeland, the author of Known Afterlife, Volume 1 of The Provider Trilogy, a  Speculative Fiction novel with equal parts sci-fi & fantasy.

About the book:

Stalling and Steffor inhabit different worlds, yet they are connected. With the fate of both realities in the balance, they each navigate knife-edged paths between utter darkness and universal salvation, paths that bring them to the same mind-bending dilemma. Do we have a moral obligation to pursue enlightenment at any cost? 

Antium is a world ruled by an ancient and merciless theocracy. The pervasive grip of stratification and elitism paralyze man's ability to grow, to dream, to aspire for a better existence. Armed with the motive, the technology and the capital means, Stalling Alterian stands ready to impose transcendence upon a stagnant society. Can Stalling and his cadre of gifted conspirators complete a technological miracle before the noose pulls tight? 

Meanwhile, Steffor wages an all together different battle to save his utopian world- an arboreal planet known as The Provider. As a Guardian of The Provider’s Citizens, Steffor exists to protect against an ancient and once believed vanquished enemy. With the very nature of reality at stake, can he salvage the bedrock mysticism that defines him? 

The two adrenaline-fueled narratives form the parallel tracks of a roller coaster that tosses the reader back and forth from a futuristic world of nearly recognizable technology and timeless corruption to an exotic fantasyland of magic, mythical beasts and romance beset by world-changing events, all while racing towards an inevitable if unimaginable collision.

Interview with Trey Copeland:

Trey, how long have you been writing, and how did you start?

I have been writing fiction for about five years now. For me, the decision to write was less about conscious choice and more about imposed call to adventure. Prior to that juncture, I had relegated my muse to a means of combating insomnia: imagining worlds, characters and stories until sleep finally conquered an over-active mind. A string of dramatic events occurred in my life over a short time period that motivated me to capture these ideas on paper. Despite this new-found compulsion, my confidence as a writer was far from high. So, in tandem with my nightly ritual of dumping ideas onto paper, I read several “how to” books (Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott and On Teaching and Writing Fiction by Wallace Stegner being two of my favorites). Soon after, I found the courage to start writing and set out upon my new journey with mule-like determination. Outline soon emerged from brain-dump, sentences formed into paragraphs, paragraphs became chapters. One piece at a time, the giant puzzle took shape.

What do you like best about writing?

Writing does not come easy for me, it is a true labor of love. Storytelling, by comparison, comes natural. The best part about writing is when I have tapped into that vein of imagination, mined the story therein, and made it come alive on the page.

What’s your least favorite thing?

My least favorite aspect of writing is whenever I have to wage battle with my inner critic. Writing can be a lonely occupation and my inner critic never seems to miss an opportunity to instill doubt.

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

The title for the book did not emerge until well after completing the first draft of the manuscript but, in hindsight, choosing the title was one of the easiest steps in the process. The title captures the essence of the book’s spiritual themes, directly addressing the open-ended question that started it all: “If the mysteries of the divine Universe were revealed and quantified for all to see and experience, how would our world change as we know it?”

How did you create the plot for this book?

Personal frustration with and a genuine desire to eradicate human ignorance created the plot for Known Afterlife. Not ignorance in and of itself, our journey almost ensures all of us remain ignorant relative to our growth. No, ignorance imposed and propagated by a narrow yet influential few spawned the plot of Known Afterlife. What happens when a technological miracle wipes out mass ignorance overnight and in doing so, destroys the primary tool leveraged for thousands of years to rule and oppress the masses?

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

I am big outliner. Before writing the first sentence, I had all three books mapped out in an outline consisting of 75,000+ words. The writing software I use enables me to break the outline from overview, to ideas, events, locations, characters, references, etc to the eventual transition of chapters and overarching trilogy. I’d be lost without it.

Tell us a book you’re an evangelist for.

If I were ever evangelical about a book, it would be Journey of Souls, by Michael Newton.  For a myriad of reasons, this book was a personal game-changer. That prefaced, I do not recommend it to everyone; the subject matter of life between lives and reincarnation does not resonate with everyone. 

Are any of your characters inspired by real people? Who?

Typically, my characters reflect strong personality traits of people in my life, be it family, friends, co-workers, or business partners. I am drawn towards people strong in their convictions, whether I share them or not. Good or bad, our convictions define us and reveal ones true character.

Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.

Great question, one I have pondered many times. Every time, despite having an intimate connection with so many different scenes, I come back to the scene of Steffor’s father retelling the story of the maiden trek across the Constunkeen Prairie Bough. The scene practically mugged my imagination, demanding its birth. It was the first piece of writing to silence my inner critic, if only for a moment. More importantly, the scene became a key pivot point towards the climax and in many ways the book’s foundation.  

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

A Short History of Nearly Everything, by Bill Bryson, in hardback.

Is there anything in particular that you do to help the writing flow?
Meditation prior to writing is a tried and true practice for me. In addition, I listen to a variety of entrainment programs while writing that aid in the creative process. 

11.    What are you working on now?
Volume 2 of the Provider Trilogy (the title is a work in progress). I am pleased with my progress and anticipate completing the first draft soon.

Excerpt from Known Afterlife
(from Chapter 11):

A strapping ten year old, already bigger and stronger than many young adults, Steffor's station in life remained undetermined.

The kuwani season was at its peak and yet another long day of harvesting the exotic fruit had ended. The fruit's sweet aroma mixed with pungent sweat, each steeped into weathered smocks and worn breeches, hung thick in the air, trapped by the canopy of colossal leaves overhead.

Steffor and his father wended a narrow branch as thoughts of a warm meal and peaceful sleep crept in, motivating weary bodies to forge toward home. Dozens of harvest Shifters—their family, neighbors and closest friends—each worn to the bone and exhausted from the day's labor, joined their commute along adjacent leafstalks; gratification with the day's work was displayed on every face and bent back.

By nightfall, the multitude of stalks had merged into one branch, herding them together to form a loose line, two to six abreast. The deep canopy thinned to reveal the sky full of early evening stars and the rise of Ginllats. The day's harvest hovered a few hundred feet above, packed into a large freight car suspended by thick haulage vines. The cylindrical satellite, its silhouette accentuated by the moon's bright green illumination, trudged along in silence, casting a long shadow over their trail.

Having left for home prior to the car, it had finally caught up with them and was slowly pulling ahead. The young Steffor watched the car pass by, making its way toward Razum City. He visualized the burly vine Shifters, their naked trunks glistening from the coordinated and strenuous movements, tirelessly shifting the elongated vines over miles of prairie bough. Hours of labor later, they would deliver the car filled with thousands of kuwani to market that would in turn disperse it around the world.

They watched the car whisper by overhead, shameless pride displayed across his father's weathered face, Steffor, grimed head to toe and reeking, content with the day but restless in the spirit.

"Why did you and mother choose to settle Maseriah?" Steffor asked as he turned his attention back toward the trail.

"Maseriah chose us, not the other way around." The ardent glint in his father's eyes, so familiar whenever he spoke of higher powers, stifled Steffor's chortle at the thought of a place having the ability to choose anything, much less a Citizen. Instead, he nodded as if understanding and arched his brow with respect, imploring his father to elaborate.

Taking a long moment to ensure his son devoted all his attention to what he said next, his father continued his story. "Your mother and I had been partnered for less than a year. We were contributing as novice Shifters, our raw skills relegated to the mundane but important: I, maintenance of Razum's plethora of decks, stairways and ramps; your mother, her budding gift for food put to use as preservative Shifter at the Market. We were active, honing our craft and staying patient. When the call of the Provider came, we were prepared to follow without hesitation."

"The sign came from the Mysticnet when our minds were flooded with the images of a young Guardian named Maseriah, safely returning home after being lost and presumed dead for over six months. His disappearance was big news and his return even bigger. Your mother and I were instantly mesmerized by his tale."

"Maseriah had discovered an uncharted branch while surveying the Constunkeen prairie bough, the very branch we travel today." His father spread his arms wide, turning side to side, to emphasize the novelty. "The branch had avoided detection over the years due to how it jutted strait down before spreading outward to mingle just below the bifurcated branches located at the bough's end. His keen Guardian eye followed the camouflaged branch for miles and was elated to discover a thriving complex of unique flora. Being the young and confident Guardian he was, and a fine Dive competitor to boot, Maseriah chose his path and leaped toward history."

"Looking back at it, he admits to not giving much thought to how he would return. The impulse to explore had overwhelmed him and he was now acting on instinct. Nor did he give much thought to the perilous act of getting down to the secluded branch." By the tone of his voice and spark in his eye, Steffor sensed his father admired the young Guardian's temerity. "Maseriah's point of entry was a low cliff found midway in the expansive fork and the path he chose was no less intricate or harrowing than a championship dive chute."
"Starting with a thousand foot free fall into a copse of stalks and leaves, Maseriah punched his way through leaf and stem, forming a Source sphere at the last second on a stalk not a half mile from where we stand, no wider then you are long." Steffor had seen the images and from his young point of view, the success of Maseriah's dive was nothing short of a miracle.

"Safely on the branch, Maseriah set to exploring. True, our branch displayed many unique and unseen growth patterns and foliage but after several days, fear began to grip the young Guardian as his search for food, water and a means to return to the prairie bough came up short. By the twenty-eighth day, exhausted, his provisions gone for over a week, Maseriah lay sprawled on his stomach, lost in the catacomb of stalks and began to prepare himself to join the Provider."

Somaht, their village Mystic, had shown this story to Steffor dozens of times, both with and separate of Maseriah's in-person narration. His father knew this, sitting in on most of the communal recitations, and yet told the story as if for the first time. Out of respect and partially because he had learned to be patient whenever he asked his father a question, he chose not to point out this obvious fact.


About the author:
Born in 1969, Trey Copeland was hooked on science fiction the moment he watched his first Star Trek episode (a rerun of "The Enemy Within"). Trey folded in a love for fantasy upon discovering Dungeons & Dragons during his early teen years. Since, he has stoked his passion for speculative fiction with the greats: J.R.R. Tolkien, Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, Douglas Adams, Frank Herbert, Tad Williams, Terry Brooks, David Eddings, L. Ron Hubbard, C.S. Lewis, Piers Anthony, Terry Goodkind and many more. The works Trey admires most entertain while sharing a vision.

The primary inspiration for Trey's writing comes from the belief that the purpose to life is to learn and grow from individual and shared experiences. If he can communicate that deceptively simple pillar of faith while entertaining, if he can move a reader to "what if?" explorations of their own than he has achieved his aim as an author.

Born in Central Virginia, Trey currently resides in North Carolina with his loving, supportive and patient wife, where they both do their best to prioritize raising their three boys.

Website | Blog | Goodreads | Twitter | Amazon

Book Blast: I'm Not Crazy, I'm On Lupron

According to CDC, infertility effects 11% of women in the US. Author Stacey Rourke shares her own journey in her new book, I'm Not Crazy, I'm on Lupron. This book is very personal for me, as I am a contributor to the "Morsels of Hope" section.

Basal body temperatures. Hormone injections. Invasive procedures - that leave no room for modesty. Tips on “effective positions” from well-meaning grandparents. 

When the natural way fails to work these are all added to the so called “fun” process of making a baby. Walk this rocky path to motherhood with author Stacey Rourke as she openly and honestly shares every good, bad, and awkward step of her three-year long journey. Using humor to break through the perils of infertility, she gives the lowdown on all the strange, embarrassing, and heartbreaking aspects. Stacey guides us through an unforgettable path that ends with a kid on each hip and hope for all those suffering with infertility. 

BONUS MATERIAL: “Morsels of Hope”

Success Stories from Infertility Survivors

Buy I'm Not Crazy, I'm on Lupron: A Journey Through Infertility at Amazon and B&N

If you are facing your own struggles, Stacey wants you to know you aren't alone.

Chat with Stacey Rourke

Wednesday, July 3 at 11:00 am eastern

Twitter: #Infertility

Enter the giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more information about infertility visit these sites:

Resolve: The National Infertility Association - www.resolve.org

International Council on Infertility Information – www.inciid.org

American Fertility Assoc. -  www.theafa.org

Disclosure: A GWR Publicity event paid for by Anchor Group Publishing. Giveaway is sponsored by the author who is responsible for the delivery of prizes. A Blue Million Books received no compensation for this post.

Featured Author: Suzie Tullett

Little White Lies and Butterflies is Suzie Tullett's contemporary romance novel, published by Safkhet Publishing, due to be released on August 1. She's here to tell us about the book and give us a sneak peek.

About the book:

A child of the nineties, Lydia Livingston is different. The last thing she’s ever wanted is to be superwoman; she knows first-hand that ‘having it all’ isn’t everything it’s cracked up to be. As far as she’s concerned, when it comes to job versus family, it’s a definite case of one or the other. And whilst most women her age have spent years climbing the corporate ladder, she’s made a career out of bagging her perfect man. At almost thirty and still single, Lydia wonders if she’d made the right choice all those years ago. And realising the time has come to take stock, she goes against her family’s wishes and banishes herself off to a distant land—all in the hope of finding a new direction.

At least that’s the plan.

But Lydia Livingston isn’t just different, she’s misunderstood. A fact she knows all too well. So when the totally unsuitable Sam comes along, she decides to tell a little white lie, re- inventing herself as a professional chef – not exactly the best new identity to come up with for a woman who can’t even cook. Of course, the last thing she expects is for him to find out the truth and start blackmailing her. Let alone find herself roped into catering for a local wedding. But with things going from bad to worse, her madder than mad family also turn up in something of a surprise visit, intent on celebrating a birthday she’s no intentions of celebrating!

Interview with Suzie Tullett:

Suzie, how long have you been writing, and how did you start?

I started writing years ago when I did a Master’s Degree in Television & Radio Scriptwriting. Through this, I was lucky enough to be chosen by the BBC for their New Writers’ Initiative, which led to opportunity to write for their drama series Doctors. But because I’ve always loved prose, it seemed only natural that one day I’d move into novel writing too. So here I am, doing exactly that.

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

When Lydia Livingston tells a little white lie events start to snowball. Suddenly she’s in way over her head & forced to deal with the ensuing hilarious consequences.

Or for those who prefer their tweets short and sweet:       
When you’re digging yourself into a hole, stop digging!

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

Writing by the seat of my pants would be way too scary, so I always outline. That’s not to say I rigidly stick to any plan though; characters very often have a way of surprising their authors by wanting to go off in a different direction. So outlines do tend to change.

Tell us a book you’re an evangelist for.

Dead Run by Erica Spindler. I wouldn’t normally read thrillers, but I’d run out of books whilst on holiday one year and this one was left lying around. I was gripped from the very first page right through to the last and I’ve been recommending it to anyone who’ll listen ever since.

Have you ever bought any books just for the cover?

A cover is definitely what first attracts me to a book; it’s what makes me pick it up in the first place. But I can’t say I’d buy simply because of the images on the cover alone. I always look at the blurb too, to see if the story is something I’d actually enjoy reading.

Which character did you most enjoy writing?

Ooh, that’s a hard question to answer. Lydia was fantastic to write. Because of her personality, every time she finds herself in yet another dilemma, instead of getting herself out of it she just keeps making things worse. And I love how Sam is able to use these predicaments to his own advantage – the relationship between the two of them is hilarious. Then there’s Lydia’s family, plus the Fatolitis...Of course, when you read the book, you’ll understand why I’m finding it hard to choose.

What would your main character say about you?

I’m not sure what they’d say ‘about’ me, but I’d like to think they’d thank me for telling their story.


With which of your characters would you most like to be stuck on a deserted island?

All of them for one reason or another!

What five real people would you most like to be stuck on an island with?

That’s easy – my husband, two sons, daughter-in-law and soon to come along grandson. Everyone’s so busy we don’t get as much time together as I’d like, so for us all to be marooned together would be fantastic.

Where’s home for you?

Up until recently I’d been spending a lot of time out in Greece. The landscape there is absolutely stunning and the culture and history of the place fascinating. It provided a great setting for Little White Lies and Butterflies, and when I wasn’t writing, I have to say my down time wasn’t half bad either. I’ve since learned I’m going to be a grandmother though (I know, I’m way too young!) so for now I’m back in the UK until little Elijah Gabriel makes his appearance. As much as I love Greece, it’s a little too far away now our family is growing.

Would you rather work in a library or a bookstore?

When it comes to all things literary, I can be an absolute chatterbox. I love talking to readers, not just about my books but about any book. I couldn’t do this in a library because I’d have to keep quiet. So I’d definitely rather work in a bookstore.

What’s one of your favorite quotes?

“I think therefore I am.”

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

If a publisher is paying I’d book myself on a round the world trip and go everywhere! All in the name of research, of course.

What are you working on now?

I’m currently working on my next novel - another laugh out loud, romantic comedy.

Excerpt from
Little White Lies and Butterflies:

Following the incident at the beach, I had been hoping to avoid any future
contact with Sam the Climber, yet here he was, larger than life. Not that I
was sure which had bothered me the most-the football in the face, or the
slightly unnerving eye contact. Neither of which I wanted to experience ever
again and I wondered if I should just get up and leave while the going was
good. But my drink still hadn't arrived and the last thing I wanted to do
was look rude in of front Efthimeos. I had to think of something else and
quick.

Grabbing my book from my bag, I opened it up and used it to shield my face.
This should do it! However, just to make sure I began sinking lower and
lower into my seat, until I was horizontal to the point I was almost on the
floor. Now he'll never notice me.

I wondered if I should take a peek just to check on his whereabouts. But
before I got the chance, a drink landing on the table in front of me caught
my eye instead. It wasn't the simple glass of Coke I'd originally ordered, I
further noticed, but some fancy, fandangle cocktail.

I stared at the umbrellas, the tinsel and the cherries on sticks, not even
daring to look up.

Please let it be Efthimeos. Please let it be Efthimeos. I thought, finally
plucking up the courage. Lifting my gaze I realised that unless my host had
undergone some sort of superfast extreme makeover in the last few minutes,
the game was up.

'There you go,' said Sam, indicating to the heavily adorned concoction. 'Not
just my apology, but as requested, the most expensive drink on the menu.'

I put my book down and began the difficult task of hauling myself up into a
more vertical alignment. 'I didn't request it,' I replied ungratefully. 'In
fact, if I remember rightly, I said such a purchase wasn't necessary.'

My unwanted guest just carried on standing there, for some reason refusing
to see this as his cue to leave-choosing instead to raise an eyebrow. He
nodded to the drink. 'Well,' he asked. 'Aren't you going to at least try
it?'

I considered his request for a moment, deciding it was a small price to pay
if it meant getting rid of the man. And, duly picking up the glass and
locating the straw from among all the flora and fauna, I took a long hard
draw. 'Jesus, Mary and Joseph!' I spluttered, all at once choking and
coughing. 'What the hell's in it? Meths?'

Sam laughed. 'A bit of everything,' he said. He plonked his beer down on the
table and took a seat, uninvited.

'Well excuse me if I don't share your amusement,' I replied, realising that
was the second time that day he'd tried to kill me. 'And I don't remember
asking you to join me either.'

There was something of a twinkle in his eye and thanks to his air of
confidence I could see that he was one of those men used to getting his own
way when it came to members of the opposite sex. However, I'd met his type
before and knew there was no way he'd ever come across the likes of me. Such
a sparkle might've been enough to make any other girl go weak at the knees,
but unlike theirs, my kneecaps were made of sterner stuff.

About the author:

Born and raised in Lancashire, Suzie Tullett has worn many hats in life: from office work to teaching, from managing an advice center to being an outreach worker for Women’s Aid. She’s achieved a Bachelor’s and a Master’s and works with the BBC as a scriptwriter—all while raising her family. Ultimately, she wants to leave scriptwriting behind and write full-time. She says “it’s fair to say my working life has given me the chance to get to know all kinds of people, from all kinds of backgrounds; a definite asset for anyone looking to write for a living.”


Connect with Suzie:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon

Cover Reveal for White Lies and Butterflies

I'm happy to join Safkhet Publishing and author Suzie Tullett in the cover reveal for Suzie's laugh out loud contemporary romance, Little White Lies and Butterflies, to be released August 1. Drum roll please...

About the book:

A child of the nineties, Lydia Livingston is different. The last thing she’s ever wanted is to be superwoman; she knows first-hand that ‘having it all’ isn’t everything it’s cracked up to be. As far as she’s concerned, when it comes to job versus family, it’s a definite case of one or the other. And whilst most women her age have spent years climbing the corporate ladder, she’s made a career out of bagging her perfect man. At almost thirty and still single, Lydia wonders if she’d made the right choice all those years ago. And realising the time has come to take stock, she goes against her family’s wishes and banishes herself off to a distant land—all in the hope of finding a new direction.
At least that’s the plan.

But Lydia Livingston isn’t just different, she’s misunderstood. A fact she knows all too well. So when the totally unsuitable Sam comes along, she decides to tell a little white lie, re-inventing herself as a professional chef – not exactly the best new identity to come up with for a woman who can’t even cook. Of course, the last thing she expects is for him to find out the truth and start blackmailing her. Let alone find herself roped into catering for a local wedding. But with things going from bad to worse, her madder than mad family also turn up in something of a surprise visit, intent on celebrating a birthday she’s no intentions of celebrating!

What reviewers are saying:

"A fun holiday read."
"Strong, down to earth, identifiable characters."
"Unique aspects – unlike most books in this genre, the 
characters here don’t live in cities like London or work 
in advertising ."
"Controversy – some might say Lydia is going against 
the modern day feminist grain, but one could also argue she’s asserting her feminist right to choose."

About the author:

Born and raised in Lancashire, Suzie Tullett has worn many hats in life: from office work to teaching, from managing an advice center to being an outreach worker for Women’s Aid. She’s achieved a Bachelor’s and a Master’s and works with the BBC as a scriptwriter—all while raising her family. Ultimately, she wants to leave scriptwriting behind and write full-time. She says “it’s fair to say my working life has given me the chance to get to know all kinds of people, from all kinds of backgrounds; a definite asset for anyone looking to write for a living.”

Check back on June 29 for an interview with Suzie.

Connect with Suzie:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter |Goodreads | Amazon