FEATURED AUTHOR: THOMAS M.D. BROOKE

ABOUT THE BOOK

Rome AD 9

Augustus Caesar rules Imperial Rome at the height of its power, as the Roman Empire stretches across the known world. Cassius, son of one of her most powerful families, is the personification of Rome's imperial strength: wealthy, popular, a war hero with a decorated military career - none of Rome's fashionable parties are complete without him - except, he hides a secret.


After his nerve is broken in Germany, the thought of genuine armed combat is enough to send him into a cold sweat of fear and shame. But this doesn't dissuade him from living off a false reputation so he can continue a life of casual affairs, wine, and parties, as he is seduced by the many vices of Rome.


However his scandalous life is soon upset by a summons from the Emperor's wife. It ends his happy decadent life and returns him to Germany to assist the Roman legions in their greatest ever trial, and the events that will resound down in history, in the dark forests of the Teutoburg . . .

GUEST POST BY THOMAS BROOKE

Process of building a character

If you want to write a novel, you will need well rounded and believable characters to pull your readers along with the story. For readers to care what happens at the end of a book, you will need to forge a connection between them and your characters.

Different authors will have a variety of different approaches to constructing characters for their novels. Some will take a more ad-hoc approach, and develop them along the way. But for myself, if I am going to create realistic characters, it is important to map out their characteristics at the planning stage of a novel – after all, you wouldn’t start writing a book without knowing what your plot is going to be, so why should the characters be any different? They are just as vital to your novel so it is worthwhile spending some time on character development before you start writing. These are the stages I go through when putting my characters together – you can play around with the order, nothing here is set in stone.
Appearance: Okay, let’s start off with an easy one. I imagine you already have an idea in your mind’s eye what your character looks like, but try and describe him/her in writing now. This will make it easier later on, when you will need to describe them in the novel. Also include as many details as you can, such as colour of eyes, skin complexion, height, and timbre of voice. You might not need all these details for your novel, but it’s good to have them there now to help you imagine them in scenes later on.

Traits and oddities: This can be a limp, lisp, or a simple mannerism of your character, such as their general turn of phrase, or the particular way they might flick their hair, or any distinguishing trait. However, be warned, you don’t need to do this section for all your characters! Don’t give all your characters an odd mannerism for the sake of it, or your novel could end up becoming a very strange book indeed!

Strengths and weaknesses: A lot of authors are very good at the first part of this, and can reel off all their main characters strengths – good with a sword or gun, charming and funny, clever and quick-witted. What they are less good at is defining their weaknesses, but it is just as important to concentrate on this aspect as we are all flawed in someway. A large ego, a fear of confrontation, a tendency   to become maudlin when deep in their cups, or an inability to admit when they’re wrong, all can add depth to your character.  If you want to create somebody who appears realistic, you will need to spend just as much time on the darker side of their personality. It will also give your novel so much more scope to develop if you know both sides of their character.

For example, in my novel Roman Mask, I started off by highlighting my main characters weaknesses. Then as the story progresses, and he grows with the story, I could slowly draw more from the strengths of his personality. This means that you can see a progression in his personality, as he slowly recovers from the tragic events that put him in a lowly state.

This can easily work the other way round. For example, you could have a well-meaning politician who starts the book full of idealism and great ideas as his vision and intelligence gives him\her the desire to help people. Later on, their arrogance in thinking that only they are capable of doing the right thing can lead to them being corrupted by the power and prestige of their position. Either way it shows a progression as the character develops and is a useful tool.

Back-story: It is one thing to invent the type of character you need for your novel, but how did they get there?  For example, you may have constructed a taciturn male detective who excels at deductions and visualizing crime scenes, but what made him so adept at this skill? Was it something from his school years?  What was his family background?  Why did he become a detective? Was there a personal tragedy that led him down this path? The more detail you can add at this
stage, the more you will be able to relate to the character as a real person as you write your novel, as well as giving yourself an invaluable pool of information to draw upon when you need inspiration for a sub-plot. One point of warning however, remember that at this stage your readers will not know of this back-story yet as they won’t read the character profiles, so don’t forget to incorporate them into your novel at some point.

Overall impression: No matter how well you define your characters strengths and weaknesses, and their back-story, you will still need to remember why you created this character in the first place. For example, if you originally brought them into your novel to act as a light relief from the seriousness of your main character, you will need to make sure that you are sticking to this trait through your novel, and that they’re not just morphing into a lesser version of your main-lead. Of course your characters can develop in their own direction once you start writing, but be aware that if you originally wanted a cheerful, friendly character who laughs a lot, that you don’t forget this all together.

You may disagree with this entire process, that is completely your prerogative, but it’s good to at least know what works for you and what doesn’t. At the very least, have a method of your own that you use when you create a character. Characters are, for me, the bedrock of great writing, so they deserve as much time and effort you can give them.


Pictures from sheknows.com, imgur.com, cliparthut.com, samsabel.com, operationrainfall.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Thomas Brooke lives in London where he works in the exciting, and sometimes crazy, fashion world.

He is also a committed writer, and he spends as much time as he can in his beloved Northumbrian hills, where up until recently could be seen walking with his black Labrador Fergus, who sadly passed in January 2015. Fergus was a constant companion to the writing of the novel and prevented many writers’ tantrums.

As well as writing novels, he also writes a blog on both historical and fantasy genre novels. For more information on Thomas M D Brooke, visit www.thomasmdbrooke.com.


Connect with Thomas:
Website  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads

Buy the book:
Amazon US  |  Amazon UK  |  Apple iBooks  |  Barnes and Noble  |  Kobo

 

FEATURED AUTHOR: R. BREUER STEARNS

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Question invites readers to consider this premise:

If you could have the answer to one question, and only one question, what would you ask . . . and who would try to stop you from asking it?

To what extremes would they go?

The Question is a thriller that explores a new way of thinking, a method powerful enough to answer very complex questions . . . perhaps powerful enough to solve the universe's most fundamental mysteries . . . perhaps powerful enough to resolve religions' most beguiling unknowns.

The Question is an adventure story . . . fiction that you may wish, may believe, may know, is true. The narrative occurs in the present, with scenes in California, Washington, D.C., Paris, Shanghai, New York, and Afghanistan.
 
The story is aimed at high-school and older readers and contains some graphic violence and occasional sexual allusions. The plot is action-oriented with an element of scientific fantasy, similar to Jack Finney's "Time and Again." The prose is crisply written, professionally edited, and organized into movie-scene chapters.

The Question is ideal reading for anyone who is curious . . . for those who gaze into the cosmos at night and wonder . . . for those who look into the mirror and imagine . . . for those whose hearts beat faster when confronting the unknown . . . for readers who enjoy a fast paced, contemporary thriller that inspires them to think.

INTERVIEW WITH R. BREUER STEARNS

How did you get started writing and when did you become an “author?”
I started writing stories as a teenager. The term “author” sounds very highfalutin, perhaps worthy of significant readership applause. Right now, I consider myself a “writer” . . .  a person who tries to tell a story, convey a message, stimulate an emotional and cerebral response . . . using just the right word at just the right time.
 
What's your favorite thing about the writing process?
I enjoy knowing that  readers’ “get” my work. I try to give readers intense feelings and thoughts . . . and am tremendously gratified and appreciative when my words reward readers for reading my words.

How long is your to-be-read list?
Very long . . . and growing. I do not read fiction when I am writing fiction because I do not want another author’s “voice” to infiltrate, inadvertently, my own. My To-Read List is comprised mostly of biographies, history, and science-related books.

You have a day job . . . how do you find time to write?
Writing is a compulsion. I write when I feel or think that I have something worth writing. I type on my computer . . . or write on scraps of paper, occasionally on napkins . . .   Sometimes, a concept or snippet bubbles up so quickly that I hurry to write it down before I forget it. Other times, I will think and think about an idea or concept and fail to find the right words or the right flow. Writing is sometimes very easy and sometimes excruciatingly difficult.

If you could only watch one television station for a year, what would it be?
Animal Planet . . . or a channel focused on Science and Nature.

How do you feel about Facebook? 
Facebook is brilliant, conceptually and technologically. It is a wonderful communications and marketing tool because it is simple to use and addictive.

What scares you the most?
Intolerance combined with ignorance. In today’s world, a minuscule number of people with access to highly destructive weaponry can do tremendous harm. My biggest fear is that an intolerant and ignorant few people destroy or injure many innocent lives.

If you had a swear jar, would it be full?
No.  But, it would be a very large jar.

Great answer! What's your favorite treat for movie night?
Popcorn with real butter and salt.

What’s one of your favorite quotes?
Mark Twain (paraphrased): It's not what you don’t know that hurts you . . . it’s what you know for sure . . . that just isn’t true.

Who would you invite to a dinner party if you could invite anyone in the world?
I would invite Abraham Lincoln to have dinner with my family and closest friends.

What is your favorite movie?
Any of these movies: Big, Field of Dreams, The Producers (original version), E.T.

Do you sweat the small stuff?
Yes, particularly in writing. Nuance, details . . . the right word . . . are important.  Inattentiveness to the “small stuff” almost always results in problems with the “big stuff.”

How long is your to-do list?
Long, eternally long. Curiosity produces long to-do lists.


Lightning round:

Cake or frosting? Frosting
Laptop or desktop? Laptop
Chevy Chase or Bill Murray? Chevy Chase
Emailing or texting? Emailing
Indoors or outdoors? Outdoors
Tea: sweet or unsweet? Unsweet
Plane, train, or automobile? Plane

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

R. Breuer Stearns is an investor and author.

Mr. Stearns graduated from Phillips Academy, Andover (1970), Harvard University (AB, 1974), University of Chicago (MBA, 1977), and DePaul University College of Law (JD, 1979). He rapidly ascended on Wall Street in the 1980’s, serving as Managing Director, Mergers & Acquisitions at Lehman Brothers and Head of Investment Banking (North America) at UBS Securities. While living in New York, he founded “Terrific Teachers, Inc.,” a foundation dedicated to identifying and rewarding the best of the best of the city’s public high school teachers.

Shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Mr. Stearns launched a private investment bank in the former Soviet Union. He spent the early 1990’s seeking to marry emerging science, primarily emanating from Russia’s Defense sector, with Western capital.  During this period, Mr. Stearns made a small fortune, albeit from a larger one. The venture provided a remarkable lesson in hubris, a tremendous reservoir of internal strength, and first-hand source material for Mr. Stearns’ first book, Winning Smart After Losing Big (Encounter Books, Beijing University Press).

Subsequently, Mr. Stearns served as Chief Financial Officer of The Dial Corporation, Chief Financial Officer of Columbia/HCA Corporation, Chief Financial Officer of PacifiCare, Inc., President and Chief Operating Officer of Vascular Genetics, Inc., and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Quepasa Corporation (QPSA:Amex).

Mr. Stearns is a Founder of VestaPoint Capital LLC, a family of investment funds focused on real estate development. He lives in Arizona with his wife, two dogs, two cats, and a horse. He travels extensively and is intensely curious.

Buy the book:
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FEATURED AUTHOR: ERIC YATES

ABOUT THE BOOK

In the history of Britain there is a shortage of Second World War stories detailing the lives of ordinary families living in poverty, the children’s games and the black market profiteering that history has forgotten.

The story of young Eric and John is here to set the record straight. Two boys growing up in the midst of rationing, with a flair for mischief and a sense of humour history will never see again – what could happen? Quite a lot, apparently, if the exciting family life of Eric and John is anything to go by. Telling of their family life in war torn Birmingham where poverty was rife, Eric’s account is full of wit and the kind of humour history should remember. From the infamous Bread Pudding Incident to the charming children’s games like ‘Penny on the Brick,' you will find laughter and warm memories of time spent in an age before computers, when children had to entertain themselves. Yet there is poignancy here, too, as Eric and John find themselves swept up in the greater tide of war as evacuees, made to travel to the country with no chance of looking back . . .

EXCERPT FROM EPITAPH TO 'NICKLE ECK'

Chapter 4  ‘Grandad’s Hodge’

One Saturday morning in 1943, when we were living in Dalston Road, Acocks Green, John became patriotic.

“We must help the War effort,” he declared.

I looked for the nearest exit, which was an essential element in my survival plans whenever John had an ‘IDEA!’ (He thought in capital letters).

“Urgh, how?” I should have known better; I should have quietly left home and taken up botany.

John looked me up and down – which didn’t take long.

“You’re very small because you haven’t got any brains,” he concluded.

I knew that any retort would only confirm his diagnosis, so I kept quiet.

“We need to make something to sell to buy National Savings Certificates,” John expounded.
“But what can we make?” I queried, timorously.

“Submarines,” John replied.

“But won’t that wake The Babby?” I asked.

“The Babby” was Fred, our first wartime brother, who weighed just over a massive 12lbs following an heroically long birth at home. The midwife commented each day of the long waiting period that the Babby was late. It seemed to me that it had probably forgotten the due date, not having a diary to refer to. Just after Fred was born, the midwife brought him downstairs, sat me in a chair, and carefully put him on my lap; it felt like being smothered by a large fragrant dog.

This, then, was the infant in his pram in the hallway, sleeping off several pints of full-cream milk with sugar added to match his gigantic appetite. Wartime babies qualified for extra rations which John and I helped to consume. John said that Fred couldn’t eat meat or bread, so we were helping him out by eating for him; I hope he was grateful for our gesture as in adult life he became a JP with an MBE.

John glared at me again, so that my small stature shrank even more, and continued.

“Toy submarines – you Granite Swede; we will make a mould out of Plaster-of-Paris and fill it with molten lead,” he explained, as if to a child, and triumphantly produced one of our few toys - a small metal submarine which had a flat bottom.

Plaster-of-Paris was well known and often used to reinforce makeshift splints at First Aid depots during enemy bombing raids. We could easily acquire some from these unguarded First Aid centres. Who’d ever pinch items to be used for the injured? We would – and did! John explained that most of it was wasted anyway, as it was broken off when the casualties reached hospital.

Lead was a different matter. I wisely didn’t ask about obtaining this material, as I had visions of crawling over the church roof hauling off pieces of guttering – pretending to be a gargoyle if anyone noticed me.

“Idea!” John said, ominously.

“Oh, no!” I wailed, racing to the kitchen door.

But John was too quick for me. He dragged me back and grabbed me firmly by the back of the neck as he stared into my eyes like a giant snake, while I awaited the bite of his forked tongue.

“Tennis,” he said.

I relaxed. “That’s alright,” I thought. John released my head.

“It’s a game,” I said.

“Not the game, boiled brain,” John thundered, “the line markings.”

Very confused, but willingly, I followed John as he collected a claw hammer from Dad’s toolbox and strode to a nearby park, which had a semi-derelict tennis court as most of the players were serving in the Armed Forces. I had the job of stripping the lead as I was small enough to squeeze through the rotting fence. We surveyed the scene, John pointed to the old markings and, sure enough, they consisted of thin strips of lead. He handed me the hammer and told me to strip up a yard or so of the base line, while he kept watch.
“Won’t they miss it?” I asked nervously.

“They probably did when it was there,” said John, enigmatically. “Now shurrup and yank.”
I pulled up a section and we carried the weighty piece home. John cut several chunks off with a chisel and put them into a cast iron pot with a lip, originally used for melting wood glue in the garage.

We returned to the kitchen, where we mixed the plaster in a tin and pressed the toy submarine upside down into it.

While waiting for the plaster to set, we put the pot of lead on to the largest burner on the stove to melt, which it soon did – giving off great clouds of smoking fumes. We hurriedly opened the kitchen door and windows, and turned the burner down to ‘simmer.’ The house would not be habitable for several days, but that’s a different story . . .

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Eric did two years' National Service as an Army Education Officer in Cyprus, and seven years with the Kenyan Police in East Africa where, as a Customs & Excise Investigation Officer, he swam in shark-infested waters looking for hidden contraband. Whilst living in Africa, he joined the National Theatre of Nairobi where he performed in Shakespeare, the Classics and drama.

For almost 20 years he worked for Bass Charrington, controlling licensed premises throughout the Midlands, and also for Mitchells & Butlers in Birmingham, during which time he was with the Hall Green Little Theatre and became a stalwart member of the Blossomfield Club in Solihull, where for many years he performed, directed and was co-writer of original musical comedies produced and performed there.

At one time a presenter for BBC Radio Birmingham, Eric spent ten years with the Monitoring Section of the BBC World Service in Berkshire, becoming well-known locally for his acting talent, especially mimicry and humour, winning numerous awards over the years.

Eric was married twice and met his second wife in Henley-on-Thames, when she directed him in J.B. Priestley's When We Are Married. At that time he was semi-retired working as a warden at Windsor Castle, where he endeared himself to his colleagues but was often reprimanded for displaying his unique brand of humour to the general public.

Retiring to Devon in 2001, Eric enjoyed boat restoration, brewing very strong cider, cultivating rare trees and plants and reading. He began writing his stories in 2004 - and also began tales from his adult life, regrettably unfinished. He and his wife performed in Salcombe, where he is celebrated in the South Hams for his performance in the famous music hall sketch 'Dinner for One' (YouTube - Dinner for One, Eric).

His final memorable performance was at the 2011 Dartmouth Drama Festival, five months before he died, where he brought the house down in the two miming sketches from Michael Frayn's Alarms & Excursions, directed by his wife. His expertise was as sharp as ever and, as always, he received tumultuous applause.

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FEATURED AUTHOR: WAVERLY CURTIS

ABOUT THE BOOK

“Savvy sleuths come in small packages…”

Pepe, aspiring P.I. Geri Sullivan’s muy clever Chihuahua, has stopped talking. But why now, with Geri’s best friend Brad missing and her ditzy sister in grave danger? Geri’s lost without Pepe’s dogged detective work, especially when a client of Brad’s expires under very murky circumstances.

Luckily, Pepe turns out to be an excelente blogger, and his nose for clues soon has the detective duo chasing down leads. But they’ll have to put a bite on crime quickly, because danger’s afoot – and it’s making tracks in their direction . . .

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Waverly Curtis is the joint pseudonym for mystery writing team Wavery Fitzgerald and Curtis Colbert.

Curt Colbert is the author of the Jake Rossiter and Miss Jenkins mysteries, a series of hardboiled, private detective novels set in 1940’s Seattle. The first book, Rat City, was nominated for a Shamus Award in 2001. A Seattle native, Curt is also a poet and an avid history buff. He is the editor of Seattle Noir, a collection of crime stories published in 2009. He was a judge for the Edgars in 2008 and is a member of the Mystery Writers of America. Curt and his wife, Stephanie, live in a Seattle suburb under the thrall of their cat, Esmeralda.

Waverly Fitzgerald is the author of three historical romances set in Victorian London under the name of Nancy Fitzgerald. Ever since her first novel was published in 1981, she has been teaching writing classes for adults at various venues including the UCLA Writers Program, the University of Washington Extension, and regional conferences. She currently teaches at and works for Richard Hugo House, the literary arts center in Seattle. Waverly also writes non-fiction, and has published a book called Slow Time: Recovering the Natural Rhythms of Life. She lives in an apartment in the heart of Seattle with her daughter, Shaw, and Shaw’s Chihuahua, Pepe.

Waverly and Curt met in a writing class in the late 1980s and have been working together ever since. Curt took Waverly’s novel writing class while he was writing his first novel. Waverly was his writing coach while he wrote his trio of historical mysteries set in Seattle. For about a year, they worked on twin novels in which Waverly’s protagonist, a female P.I. appeared as a sidekick in Curt’s novel about a hard-boiled Vietnam vet and vice versa. When Curt came up with the idea of a mystery featuring a talking Chihuahua named Pepe, Waverly asked if she could help and the collaboration began.

Pepe is an eight-year old Chihuahua, adopted by Waverly’s daughter Shaw, when he was a puppy. He likes stuffed toys, especially if they  squeak. He hates the rain, which is unfortunate since he lives in Seattle. Like his namesake character, he hates being dressed up and thinks he is much bigger than he is. Unlike his namesake, he has a sweet disposition and doesn’t talk much, but he does have his own Facebook page.

Curt loves to start chapters; Waverly finishes them. Curt loves to elaborate and Waverly likes to edit. Curt’s humor is broader while Waverly’s humor is more situational. Together they are an unstoppable mystery novel writing team. Visit them on Facebook on at www.thepepenovels.com.

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FEATURED AUTHOR: NANCY G. WEST

ABOUT THE BOOK

Aggie, fast approaching the big 40, returns to college to learn about the genetic effects of aging. She’s thrilled by what she discovers. But when she finds a dead academic, becomes prime suspect and is on target to become next campus corpse, she gets a crash course in staying alive.

INTERVIEW WITH NANCY G. WEST

Nancy, how did you get started writing and when did you become an “author?”
When I was seven years old, my mother and I wrote poems to each other on special occasions. The poetry was awful, but I learned if you wrote something, people paid attention. In high school, Library Journal Pegasus published my poem, a feat I ranked (I’m embarrassed to admit) lower than cheerleading.

Since journalists were underpaid and English majors sold lingerie, I studied General Business at the University of Texas (Austin and Houston), slogged through mind-numbing courses and earned a BBA. Fortunately, I took a creative writing course, started writing  magazine articles and became a pitifully-paid author.

What's your favorite thing about the writing process?
Dreaming up Aggie’s predicaments when she stumbles upon a crime: Where will she be? What characters will she meet? How will she track down clues? How will her dogged determination to investigate affect her dicey relationship with Detective Sam? Can she get out of this mess?

How long is your to-be-read list?
About twenty books. I want to read the first mystery in every series published by Henery Press, books by candidates running for president, plays by Lillian Hellmann, books people recommend or that I read about, award winning and nominated mysteries, and new books on the craft of writing.

Can you share some of your marketing strategies with us?
I give away an Aggie Mundeen mystery occasionally on my website, Facebook, Goodreads or to bloggers for their readers. And I tweet.

If you could only watch one television program for a year, what would it be?
I can whittle it to three: Blue Bloods, Rizzoli & Isles, and Downton Abbey.
All these have good plots, but it’s emphasis on characters that make them great. That’s what I strive for in my books.

How often do you tweet?
A couple times a day.

For what would you like to be remembered?
Being a good wife and mother who loved to learn and worked hard to write mysteries with humor and romance that readers enjoy.

What five things would you never want to live without?
A loving family, writing and other writers, music, humor, and steak. Cheese, wine, chocolate . . .

If you had a swear jar, would it be full?
Almost empty.

Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
Both. I’m not shy about meeting and talking with people, but I need time alone, too.

What's your relationship with your TV remote?
Where is it?

What's your favorite treat for movie night?
Popcorn and PJ’s.

What is the most daring thing you've done?
Sail through trees hanging from a zip line in Costa Rica.

What is the stupidest thing you've ever done?
Sail through trees hanging from a zip line in Costa Rica.

I cannot believe how often those two answers go hand in hand! What choices in life would you like to have a redo on?
I’d major in English literature and journalism, start writing sooner and leave accounting and statistics to somebody else.

What would your main character say about you?
Lots of things. See “How Aggie Popped into Nancy’s Head.”  

What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to write?
Smart, But Dead. Aggie returns to school to study genetics. I had to understand it, translate scientific jargon into English and weave it into the mystery.

Where is your favorite library, and what do you love about it?
Thomas Jefferson’s Library at the University of Virginia. The architecture is beautiful, inside and out, and reflects Jefferson’s genius.

The Main Reading Room at the Library of Congress in Washington is awe inspiring.

How many hours of sleep do you get a night?
Six or seven.

Do you have some favorite books?
To Kill a Mockingbird, All the Light We Cannot See, The Nightingale.
Do you sweat the small stuff?
Not usually. There’s no time.

If you had to choose a cliché about life, what would it be?
Be optimistic, be thankful, enjoy people, relish the humor.

What are you working on now?
Aggie Mundeen’s next mysterious fiasco, which will be out in 2016.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nancy slogged through boring business courses in college but fortunately took a course in creative writing. She started writing magazine articles, returned to school to study English literature and began writing the suspense novel, Nine Days To Evil. As she was about to finish it, a funny thing happened: supporting character Aggie Mundeen demanded that she write about her. Aggie’s first caper, Fit To Be Dead, was Lefty Award Finalist for Best Humorous Mystery. Dang Near Dead followed, and Smart, But Dead was just released. Writing is a lot more fun than accounting.

Connect with Nancy:
Website  |  Blog  |  Facebook  | Twitter  |  Goodreads  |  LinkedIn 

FEATURED AUTHOR: BREIGH FORSTNER

ABOUT THE BOOK

This is a story about a girl discovering and experiencing life for the first time. 
Bryn Schaefler grew up rich. Her parents expected the best out of her, picked her boyfriend for her, and groomed her to be the next trophy wife fresh out of high school.


But when they discover she wants to pursue music instead of following in her mothers footsteps, they wanted to hear nothing about it. 


That was when Bryn left for good.


By chance, she auditioned for main stream rock band Everlasting. Never in a million years did she think she would make it. 


Cale Pelton knew it was his fault for the band scrambling around to find a new guitarist. Once he saw Bryn audition, he knew he had to have her. Not just in the band, but in his mind, body and soul.


INTERVIEW WITH BREIGH FORSTNER

Breigh, how did you get started writing?
I’ve been writing ever since I was younger, I would say I was 12 when I started? I was big into horror movies so I wrote a short horror story that was actually kind of decent at the time, and I wish I would have kept it!

What's your favorite thing about the writing process?
Writing the very last chapter and typing “The End!”

What books do you currently have published?
I have 3 books in my Straight from the Heart series, which were originally self-published, but will be re-published by Booktrope.

If you could only watch one television station for a year, what would it be?
Hmm . . . that’s tough. I would have to say Lifetime for the heck of it.

How often do you tweet?
A few times a week. It’s not my main source of communication to my readers and other authors/bloggers, but I do like to use it.

How do you feel about Facebook?
I’m addicted, I can’t lie. I am on Facebook every night after my kids are in bed, even when I’m supposed to be writing.

YouTube is . . .  Fantastic! I put together a playlist of some of my favorite songs for when I’m writing that suit the books and characters I’m writing.


What do you love about where you live?
Port Huron is right along the water, and I live about five minutes away from the Blue Water Bridge, which connects Michigan to Canada. I love walking along the boardwalk every once in a while, seeing how beautiful the lake water is.


Do you write every day?
Yes I try to. Even if it’s 1,000 or only a couple of hundred, I get as much writing as I can in.

Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
Introvert for sure. I’m a very shy, quiet person, and I like to keep a lot of things to myself.

What's your favorite treat for movie night?
Buttery popcorn!

What is the most daring thing you've done?
Got a tattoo on each of my wrists and died my hair black within one weekend.


What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to write?
The hardest thing I’ve had to write about is another idea that I am working on right now and it has to do with a very tough topic (abortion). The topic hits me at home and is a very sensitive subject to me. 


Where is your favorite library, and what do you love about it?
I haven’t  been to that many libraries (sadly!) but my favorite one is the one that is in my hometown: St. Clair County Community College
.


What’s the worst thing someone has said about your writing? How did you deal with it?
The worst thing (that I know of) was someone said my book was written like a 14-year-old’s writing, completely unrealistic. It was hard for me to take, but I took the criticism and just continued to work on my books and my writing.


What's your relationship with your cell phone?
It’s glued to my side. . . haha. I’m on it way too much more often then I should be, I consider it a lifeline sometimes. 


How many hours of sleep do you get a night?
I try to get about 7, maybe 8 hours of sleep. It depends on how late I stay up at night.


Do you have a favorite book?
It’s a tossup between Collide and Pulse by Gail McHugh, or The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden by Jessica Sorensen.


How about a favorite book that was turned into a movie? Did the movie stink?
The Harry Potter Series. I never got into the last 2 movies, but the rest of them were amazing, and of course I loved the books.


Do you sweat the small stuff?
I’m a big stresser and a worrywart. I try not to sweat the small stuff, but I’m one of those people that doesn’t like to make mistakes and likes to make people happy.


What are you working on now? I’m working on the fourth book in the Straight from the Heart Series, called Trusting My Heart. I also have a few other WIP’s I’m working with but Trusting My Heart is my main focus.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Breigh currently lives with her two daughters and fiancée in Southeast Michigan, north of Detroit, just minutes from the Blue Water Bridge. She works during the day, but at night she’s a writing machine. Author of the Straight from the Heart Series, she loves to write about female leads and rockers, adding a heavy musical influence to her books.


Connect with Breigh:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  
Goodreads 

FEATURED AUTHOR: JAMES MOUSHON

A 6-PACK of MYSTERIES FOR THE HOLIDAYS 

Operation Alpha Dog released November 23, 2015, now only 99 cents on Amazon

A 6-pack of Jonathon Stone Mystery Short Stories by James Moushon 
Mystery, Murder, Intrigue, and Espionage

ABOUT THE BOOK  

Again we catch up with CIA Agent Jonathon Stone in a collection of his latest adventures. We follow Jonathon as he moves from trying to catch gun runners to solving a terrorist plot in the Los Angeles Harbor to an assassination in Palm Springs to stopping a NSA leak of information.

The collection includes a 6-pack of Jonathon Stone short stories. As always, Jonathon’s ops include a lot of mystery, lots of espionage, some thrilling events and suspense. Being a CIA agent working domestically has its unique situations, and Stone seems to take advantage of them.

Operation Hidden Truth

A plea bargain turns deadly and a known gun runner is the primary suspect. Jonathon Stone becomes involved with the FBI to try to catch the elusive terrorist. With espionage and government secrets in play, the DHS suddenly becomes a problem. Jonathon needs to be on top of his game for this op.

Operation Misdirection

A female CIA agent is found dead in a motel in Long Beach and her husband, a Long Beach detective, quickly becomes the prime suspect. Jonathon Stone is given the task of investigating the murder of one of his own. His findings reveal the dead agent’s unscheduled trips to the Middle East, a cover up by the FBI and espionage.

Operation Adrift

An empty cargo ship suddenly appears in the LA Harbor. Problem: apparently there are no passengers or crew. Jonathon Stone finds out that the ship was abandoned at sea and the CIA had been tracking the vessel from the Far East. The op seems to be stalled until Jonathon gets information from an unexpected source which leads him to a terrorist plot on American soil.

Operation Red Dragon
Jonathon Stone’s plans for a quiet gambling experience is interrupted by the sighting of a known gun for hire from Mexico. A casual weekend in the desert for Jonathon changes into an apparent assassination plot. With the FBI and the Secret Service involved, Jonathon tries to apprehend the elusive hit man before he can do damage.

Operation Runaway

NSA information leaked by a spy sends Jonathon Stone and his fellow agent, Chuck Chun to Hawaii to stop the flow of information. Is our suspect a whistleblower or is it espionage? Their assignment: neutralize and stop the flow of information. At a luau in Paradise, they get help from an unlikely source before Jonathon and Chuck can complete their mission.

Operation Deadline

A hit and run death of a man on the CIA’s watch list sends Jonathon Stone on another op. This time he teams with FBI Agent Jodi Shannon. They quickly find out it was a planned murder and the victim was part of an investigative reporter’s study of a Middle Eastern student group. Then, a second murder with a similar MO occurs and Jonathon is sent in a different direction.

EXCERPT FROM OPERATION ALPHA DOG

Prologue

My name is Jonathon Stone. Like a lot of single, All-American men I enjoy gambling and drinking and the ladies.

I am a writer for the Real Sportsman Magazine. At one time our offices were located in downtown Long Beach, CA. On the main floor was a complete magazine group with secretaries and a writing staff that produced a monthly magazine.

Being a writer is a realistic, workable cover because I am, in reality, a Special Agent for the CIA. I am assigned to the west coast based – Far East Operation Center located in San Francisco.

In the basement of that office building was a full blown CIA operation with a security setup and computer center.

About a year ago, our cover was blown and the staff was scattered to the wind. My boss, Russ Evans, changed my status to At Large and kept me in the Long Beach, CA area. Actually, Belmont Shore, if you want to be more specific.

I am what my fellow agents call an Asset On Call. I may show up anywhere in the world.
As a footnote, we also handle the Domestic Operation - Terrorism (DOT) division. It was formed to handle terrorist threats inside the U.S. after DHS took control of intelligence.
This group is not on the Company’s organization chart.

Jonathon Stone

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

James Moushon is a mystery writer and a published writer in the electronic document field.



Starting over 15 years ago, he helped lead the startup of the electronic forms industry in the creation, conversion, and usage of electronic forms by supplying that industry with a continuing source of published literature, software products, and training seminars. 

In 2003, Moushon changed his focus to ebooks and their development. 

He is the author of the Jonathon Stone Mystery Novels. He has published three books: Black Mountain Secrets, Game of Fire and Operation Alpha Dog, a collection of short stories featuring Jonathon Stone.



He is currently wearing two hats. He is a mystery writer and a book publishing blogger.


HBS Author's Spotlight is intended to help authors get exposure in the book publishing industry. He has interviewed and showcased over 450 authors to date.



HBS Mystery Reader's Circle provides information about the latest novels and what is coming next from a collection of bestselling and outstanding authors in the mystery, thrillers, historical fiction, and crime genre.



eBook Author's Corner is a collection of author advice and studies including marketing, social media, and other major topics created to help writers in today's ever changing world of book publishing.



He has spent the majority of his adult life developing computer systems and thinking about writing mysteries.



James's website is: www.jamesmoushon.com



To contact him, e-mail: james.moushon@gmail.com

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