Silk Palace by Colin Harvey

Who causes friction in the story?

The plotters and the Royal Family that they’re plotting against – pretty much everyone is rubbing up against one another and getting up each other’s noses!

Do you prefer bad guys or bad gals?

Oh, bad girls every time! Oh, sorry, are we talking about writing here? Being serious, I don’t see any difference between the two. I’ll use bad guys or girls as the occasion arises.

How do you use your bad guys?

Often to provide a mirror to the hero, to highlight a view of him or her that we wouldn’t otherwise get.

Do you enjoy writing the bad guys or do you find it difficult?

I find it quite difficult, but I hope that I’m getting better at it. My first baddie was almost a mustache-twirling villain, but as I’ve gone along I’ve tried more and more to portray them as flawed, or as ordinary people who make bad choices.

Whether you enjoy writing them or hate writing them, we'd like to know why you feel that way?

Because one-dimensional villains are basically Hollywood ; they reduce the challenge to the hero, which reduces the effect of his or her victory. Without sacrifice, the victory is meaningless.

Who is your favorite bad guy in any of your books? Which bad guy and which book are they in?

Arial from The Silk Palace; his only real sin is to be over-ambitious, and to think that he can control an elemental force. But that lack of sin doesn’t mask the terrible consequences of what he does.

Who is your favorite fictional bad guy -- that's not in your books?

Alfred Bester’s Gulliver Foyle, from The Stars My Destination (I grew up knowing it as Tiger! Tiger!) – the ultimate anti-hero.

Please provide your website link.

http://www.geocities.com/colin_harvey/TheSilkPalace.html

What is the link to buy your book?

In the USA ; http://www.amazon.com/Silk-Palace-Colin-Harvey/dp/1934041424/ref=sr_1_1/103-3811783-1271041?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193587154&sr=1-1

In the UK ; http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silk-Palace-Colin-Harvey/dp/1934041424/ref=sr_1_1/203-2993755-7182356?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193586998&sr=8-1

Or electronically: http://www.fictionwise.com/eBooks/eBook51966.htm?cached

Nimrod Rising with Stephen Bradley

1 - Tell us a bit about your book. - Nimrod Rising is a book that seeks to answer where the terrorist scourge that currently plagues the world came from. The premise of the book is that the evil hitting the world is more than just a political phenomenon. I paint the picture that starts actually more than 4000 years ago when the first organized Satan worshipper, Nimrod, the first king of Babylon, is born resulting from a pact made with Lucifer by Nimrod's father Cush. The material used for this is all true historical facts. I spent 12 years researching this novel and was able to find several ancient texts such as the Book of Adam and Eve, the Cave of Treasures and the Book of Enoch. Of course, the actual events in Nimrod Rising are fiction, based on prophecies from the Bible and extra-biblical materials. Whether one is a believer in such things and future events said to be awaiting the world, the story is riveting and exciting and will touch the reader in so many different ways. I consider it a book of hope and faith in the midst of evil so pervasive that there is no where to turn but to the divine. As I say on the back of the book, ride the storm of Nimrod Rising.

2 - Tell us about the best friend - gender, age, appearance, how they came to be with the hero or heroine and anything else we need to know about them. - The Heroine is difficult to choose since there are three major female characters. The first two are Sally Michael, Shepard's mother. She was kidnapped as a believer in God and forced to have Manassa Dormin's child. She is really such a strong character and strong in faith.

Also, there is Elif Michael (Karaoglu) the Turkish wife of Shepard Michael who worked for Manassa Dormin but finds faith and turns her life and family around. She too is large in meaning in the story.

Yet, I have to say that the most powerful figure in the story is the six year old child of Shepard and Elif, Jesse. She possesses the powers of her daddy and grandfather, but the heart of the child shines through so powerfully how she reaches out to the grandfather and finds the miniscule residue of humanity left in Manassa Dormin. She can bring tears to the reader's eyes and truly wins the day through the wisdom of a child.

3 - Who does the "best friend" help in the book? - My main hero of the novel has to be the character, Shepard Michael. Shepard is the son of Manassa Dormin who is the villain in the story. He is abused and used by his father to bring about the final destruction, but he remembers the principles that his mother, Sally Michael, taught him and resists his natural inclination for evil. I think we can all relate to him in that we have all had to resist doing wrong, and the wrong has often been an easier decision for us than the good. He is a really powerful figure in the story and very profound in his outlook.

4 - Does the best friend have a specific purpose in the book? - Sure, he is the one who will either stop Manassa Dormin or open the door to complete power for the forces of darkness. He is a young, somewhat confused and very smart man who is torn terribly by forces inside his mind. He loves his daughter and wants his wife back and is ready to lay down his life to save them. He is vital to the story of Nimrod Rising.

5 - How does your hero or heroine feel about the best friend? - Shepard and his daughter Jesse both have special gifts and are both sought out by evil, but even from afar, Shepard is able to save his little girl and Jesse has tremendous love for her daddy.

6 - How would your hero or heroine handle their problems or difficulties with the best friend? - Jesse confronts so many problems and sees her daddy being torn in two directions and reminds him as only a father's little girl can, with tender innocence. They are close and depend greatly on each other.

7 - Are there problems between the best friend and your main characters? - Only stresses of the moment and fear of losing each other. Nimrod Rising truly demonstrates a lovely relationship between a father and his daughter.

8 - Do you see the best friend ever having their own story? - I can imagine anything, so perhaps.

9 - Was the best friend inspired by anyone you know? - Well, Shepard is a good man, touched by evil and tempted by it. He has undergone a tremendous amount of abuse from his evil father, Manassa Dormin, but his faith and his mother Sally has helped him continue. Yet, his love for his little girl Jesse and his wife Elif truly pushes him forward into correct decision, but the rest I'll just let you read. I can't say any one person inspired his character, but I will say, he represents someone I'd like to be like, not that I am at all, but would like to be.

10 - Is there anything else about the best friend that we need to know? Feel free to share. - The two other very important characters in Nimrod Rising are Mike Wakely and Gabriel. Mike Wakely is an archeologist who knew Dormin in Pakistan where they both were missionaries at the beginning of the book. Mike plays a vital role as the brains of the opposition against Dormin and is British. He is witty and smart and has a large role in part two of the novel. Gabriel is the founder of the movement called the MESSE, Messianic Servants of Elyon. He is a quiet soldier who shows lots of courage and intelligence and devotion to God and country.
11 - Please provide your website link. - www.stevenbradley.net

12 - What is the link to buy your book?

publishamerica.com

amazon.com
booksamillion.com
powells.com
bordersstores.com
barnesandnoble.com
copperfields.booksense.com

Stephen invites you to visit him in January at www.inspiredauthor.com/promotion. He will be available all month to talk with you about his books.

Blog Tours - What Would You Like to Know

I'm doing a tele-seminar next week about blog tours and I would love input from you all.

There are many things to discuss about blog tours and I worked out some initial questions to get people thinking - they are:

Discover Ways to Promote Your Book on a Virtual Blog Tour to Gain Greater Visibility and Sales

• What are the benefits of doing a blog tour?

• Should you promote your book in a blog tour?

• Should fiction and non fiction books be promoted differently in a blog tour?

• Should you organize your own blog tour?

• Why hire a publicist to organize your tour?

• If you hire a publicist, will you still need to work on the tour?

• Can you use a blog tour to promote anything besides books?

• Is there a new option in book blog tours?

But, now I need to create a couple of handouts and I'd love your input. Is there any specific info about blog tours that any of you think would be most helpful? Some folks here have done tours, some have hosted touring authors and I bet some of you have thought about doing a tour. So, since many of the people here are authors, I figured it would be a great place to pose the question. What information would you suggest I offer in handouts? Thank you all for your thoughts. There will be plenty of blog tour info coming very soon .

Nikki Leigh

PS - The answer to the last question is - most definitely. Stay tuned for much more information about that option - SOON. Or, contact me to be added to the mailing list - nikki_leigh22939@yahoo.com with Mailing List in the subject line.

"The Second Line" by Sheryl Nantus

Tell us about your heroine --- the female lead in your book.

What's her name?

Jacklyn Amanda St. George (Jackie for short!)

Why did you pick that name?

It's classy and she's a classy broad. Can I say broad?

Give us a brief description of how she looks.

Young redhead with an attitude - jeans, torn combat jacket or leather jacket to get around; doesn't dress up. Ever.

Is there anything unusual about her appearance?

She looks very normal - which is good when you're a corporate spy!

Who does she love? Why?

No one yet... but there's someone on the horizon!

Does this person love her?

Maybe... there's a chance!

Tell us about her family.

Mother passed away from cancer; father... well, you'll have to read the book to find out. She's alone in the world.

Where is she from?

Toronto, Canada! (Parkdale, for the Canucks who know of where I speak!)

Does her hometown affect her behavior, thoughts and attitude?

She loves her city and knows it inside and out - she loves the bars, the nightlife as well as the businesses she has to break into.

What does she want out of life?

Inner peace. Which is hard to get.

What's her biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.)

Ah... can't say. In book!

Did you write more than one story about her?

Just the one book so far... but there's always a chance for more!

How would she describe you?

A fellow Canuck who should really get out more.

Is there anything else about your heroine that we need to know? Feel free to share.

Jackie's a self-made woman - a corporate spy who knows how to get what her clients want and how to make good money. She has money to burn, but doesn't show off. She loves her steak.

Please provide your website link.

www.sherylnantus.com

What is the link to buy your book?

www.mundania.com

www.sherylnantus.com

HOW TO SUBMIT

For anyone who would like to share information about one of the male characters from their book, this is what I need from you.

Copy the interview questions below into a new file, answer each question from the character's point of view and save the file as an RTF file. Once the interview is complete, send the file and a jpg of the cover art to nikki_leigh22939@yahoo.com. I schedule these interviews as I get them. Let's find out more about the man in your book...

1. What is the name of the book where we would meet you? What genre is it?
2. Who wrote the book?
3. What do you think of the author? You can tell us the truth.
4. Tell us a little about yourself. How would you describe your appearance? That's more than just really cute or drop dead gorgeous. Give us enough detail to get a clear idea of how you look.
5. What character are you in the book? Are you the hero, the best friend, the side kick, the hero and heroine's child or someone else?
6. Is there a specific reason why you're in the story? Don't give us any story spoilers, but you can share some teasers if you want.
7. What time period do you live in?
8. Where are you from?
9. Do you live in the same place now?
10. Tell us about your hometown and your current home.
11. Tell us how your hometown or your current home effects you, the things you do and how you feel about life?
12. What special skills or abilities do you have?
13. How do those affect your part in the story?
14. Are you happy with the story?
15. Do you have some ideas that the author should consider about the story? You can share them with us. We're all friends here.
16. Tell us about your past. Can you share one really good experience and/or one really bad experience? I know that bad experience can be tough, but it would tell us more about what you've been through.
17. Who is the most important person in your life? Tell us about them.
18. Is that person in the story we're talking about?
19. How does that person impact you and your life?
20. Do you have any children?
21. If you do, tell us about them. If you don't have any children, you can tell us why not - but, only if you want to tell us.
22. What do you see in your future?
23. Do you think your author is going to write another story about you? Or, are you part of a series?
24. Do you like being a character in a book?
25. If someone ever decides to make a movie based on your story, who should play you in the movie and why?

Its been great to talk with you. If you want to tell us anything else, feel free. Also, tell us about a website where we can learn more about you and where we can buy the book. If you have a picture of yourself, feel free to send it.

HOW TO SUBMIT

For anyone who would like to share information about one of the female characters from their book, this is what I need from you.

Copy the interview questions below into a new file, answer each question from the character's point of view and save the file as an RTF file. Once the interview is complete, send the file and a jpg of the cover art to nikki_leigh22939@yahoo.com. I schedule these interviews as I get them. Let's find out more about the woman in your book...

1. What is the name of the book where we would meet you? What genre is it?
2. Who wrote the book?
3. What do you think of the author? You can tell us the truth.
4. Tell us a little about yourself. How would you describe your appearance? That's more than just really cute or drop dead gorgeous. Give us enough detail to get a clear idea of how you look.
5. What character are you in the book? Are you the hero, the best friend, the side kick, the hero and heroine's child or someone else?
6. Is there a specific reason why you're in the story? Don't give us any story spoilers, but you can share some teasers if you want.
7. What time period do you live in?
8. Where are you from?
9. Do you live in the same place now?
10. Tell us about your hometown and your current home.
11. Tell us how your hometown or your current home effects you, the things you do and how you feel about life?
12. What special skills or abilities do you have?
13. How do those affect your part in the story?
14. Are you happy with the story?
15. Do you have some ideas that the author should consider about the story? You can share them with us. We're all friends here.
16. Tell us about your past. Can you share one really good experience and/or one really bad experience? I know that bad experience can be tough, but it would tell us more about what you've been through.
17. Who is the most important person in your life? Tell us about them.
18. Is that person in the story we're talking about?
19. How does that person impact you and your life?
20. Do you have any children?
21. If you do, tell us about them. If you don't have any children, you can tell us why not - but, only if you want to tell us.
22. What do you see in your future?
23. Do you think your author is going to write another story about you? Or, are you part of a series?
24. Do you like being a character in a book?
25. If someone ever decides to make a movie based on your story, who should play you in the movie and why?

Its been great to talk with you. If you want to tell us anything else, feel free. Also, tell us about a website where we can learn more about you and where we can buy the book. If you have a picture of yourself, feel free to send it.

Late Night Sessions

1 - Tell us a bit about your book.

‘Late Night Sessions’ is a novel about love, healing and good music. It’s set around the West Midlands folk scene.

2 - Tell us about the best friend - gender, age, appearance, how they came to be with the hero or heroine and anything else we need to know about them.

Kirsten is a small, pixie woman, a very self possessed individual in her early twenties when we encounter her. She first meets Vicky, the heroine, through college. Kirsten advertises for someone to go to a folk festival with and Vicky responds. They hit it off almost instantly and end up as flat mates.

3 - Who does the "best friend" help in the book?

Kirsten helps Vicky intentionally when she can, but also creates a situation that forces the heroine to grown and develop.

4 - Does the best friend have a specific purpose in the book?

She’s a lot more than just a plot device and in terms of the story’s emotional content, she’s very significant indeed.

5 - How does your hero or heroine feel about the best friend?

There are unresolved things between Vicky and Kirsten, but Vicky’s emotions are predominantly love, and profound grief.

6 - How would your hero or heroine handle their problems or difficulties with the best friend?

Kirsten is an honorable person, but a touch bloody minded. She is seldom very tolerant of Vicky’s dithering and uncertainty, and not afraid to say the things Vicky needs to be told.

7 - Are there problems between the best friend and your main characters?

Only in that Kirsten is already dead when the story begins.

8 - Do you see the best friend ever having their own story?

No. Her story is fully played out within this book.

9 - Was the best friend inspired by anyone you know?

Yes. A very beautiful druid friend of mine announced some years ago that she didn’t know how long she had to live. Thankfully she’s still here, but I have borrowed a little from her in creating this character. Kirsten exists partly as a response to that shocking news and partly due to the loss of friends and family members in recent years.

10 - Is there anything else about the best friend that we need to know? Feel free to share.

Kirsten is an active druid, the first such character I’ve written.

11 - Please provide your website link. http://bryncolvin.mysite.orange.co.uk

12 - What is the link to buy your book?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Late-Night-Sessions/dp/1934446076/ref=sr_1_1/202-6559455-6676664?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1191227563&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Late-Night-Sessions-Bryn-Colvin/dp/1934446076/ref=tag_dpp_lp_edpp_ttl_in/105-8048599-4428442?ie=UTF8&qid=1191227046&sr=8-8

Late Night Sessions

What's her name?

Vicky

Why did you pick that name?

She’s named after Vicki Williams, a favourite folk singer of mine. My Vicky is a folk enthusiast living in the Midlands, and a flautist, while Vicki Williams is a singer songwriter from Wales who gigs with her husband Trefor – so aside from the folk connection they don’t have much in common.

Give us a brief description of how she looks.

Vicky isn’t a great beauty, but is pretty in her own way. She’s on the tall side of average height, with curly, reddish brown hair that falls to her shoulders. Grief has taken a toll on her, and at the outset of the book, she looks gaunt and weary. Despite her relative youth (26) you can tell from her eyes that she’s been through a lot. Slow to smile, and prone to fits of deep melancholy, Vicky isn’t an approachable young woman, but when she plays her flute, you can see something of the joy and passion she had before everything went tragically wrong.

Is there anything unusual about her appearance? Aside from the marks of sorrow and hard experience, Vicky looks quite unremarkable. She is a typical, bright twenty something young woman, with jeans, doc martin boots and skimpy tops.

Who does she love? Why? Vicky’s life used to centre around her flatmate and best friend, Kirsten. Death has not destroyed her attachment, but she needs to move on. Her affections are engaged by Dan – a much older folk musician who has his own difficult past to contend with.

Does this person love her? Initially, Vicky has no idea what to make of Dan – he seems interested, but his personality is full of contradictions and he reveals little about himself. He isn’t an easy person to trust, and it takes Vicky quite a while to determine how he feels about her.

Tell us about her family. Vicky grew up in Malvern – a small town on the edge of the Malvern hills, in the UK Midlands. Her mother is an unpredictable matriarch, her father is laid back to the point of seldom bothering to communicate. Vicky has a younger sister, with whom she is on good terms, and a large extended family of aunts, uncles and cousins who all live in the same area. Although they are nice enough people, Vicky seldom knows how to relate to them.

Where is she from?

Malvern is an old town spread along the side of some very big hills. It’s a spa town, with a reputation for health giving mineral waters. Vicky grew up hankering after city life, and greater possibility. Having gone to Birmingham University for her degree, she stayed on in the city, only to find that wasn’t what she wanted either. Being the sort of person who can feel isolated anywhere, she’s never really found her place in the world.

Does her hometown affect her behaviour, thoughts and attitude? Vicky has struck out on her own, moving away from her hometown and trying to find her own ways of doing things. She rejects a lot of her parents’ attitudes, but is affected by the small town values she acquired growing up.

What does she want out of life? At the outset of the novel, Vicky has no idea what she wants. She isn’t happy with her job, she doesn’t like the city and has let a lot of her friendships falter. She’s single, but not really looking for love. Still trying to get to grips with her recent bereavement, she can’t yet plan for the future. Only when she knows herself a little better will she be able to figure out what she wants.

What's her biggest secret? Vicky still talks to Kirsten, even though the other girl is some months dead. Sometimes Kirsten seems to answer her, but this isn’t something Vicky feels able to share with most of the people in her life.

Did you write more than one story about her?

Vicky has the lead role in ‘Late Night Sessions’ but also turns up as bit part in the book I’m currently working on – ‘Hazel Arden’ which is also set in the Midlands.

How would she describe you? I’m very likely someone Vicky would enjoy jamming with as her flute playing would compliment me singing and playing the bouzouki. She would describe me as a fellow folky, and a druid like her friend Kirsten. I am the sort of person she could sit up late talking with, and would get along well enough with her eccentric older man.


Is there anything else about your heroine that we need to know? Feel free to share.

Vicky is on a challenging journey, one that will bring insights, self awareness and hope. It takes her a while to discover her own strength.

Please provide your website link. http://bryncolvin.mysite.orange.co.uk

What is the link to buy your book?

Late Night Sessions

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Late-Night-Sessions/dp/1934446076/ref=sr_1_1/202-6559455-6676664?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1191227563&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Late-Night-Sessions-Bryn-Colvin/dp/1934446076/ref=tag_dpp_lp_edpp_ttl_in/105-8048599-4428442?ie=UTF8&qid=1191227046&sr=8-8

Finding Funboy by Matt Golec

What's his name? Why did you pick that name?
The main character in the novel “Finding Funboy” is
named August (Gus) Frank III. Gus has a link with the
past through his shared name, yet he goes by ‘Gus’ to
show that he’s also choosing his own path.


Give us a brief description of how he looks. Is
there anything unusual about his appearance?
Gus is an almost-out-of-college journalist, and he
(somewhat reluctantly) compares himself more to Dustin
Hoffman rather than Robert Redford in the movie “All
the President’s Men.”


Who does he love? Why?
As a young, unattached fellow, Gus finds himself
moving closer to friends and away from family -- a
fairly normal part of growing up, but still an
important transition that can be confusing.


Does this person love him?
Gus has loyal, longtime friends who care deeply for
him, although some of those ties are stressed, tested
and transformed by the events that take place in the
book.


Tell us about his family. Are they important to
him?
Gus’ family provides a solid emotional base for him to
stand on. However, as Gus and his brother grow up and
out of the house, their family’s day-to-day influence
wanes as Gus feels his way toward coming into his own.



Where is he from? Does his hometown affect his
behavior, thoughts and attitude?
Gus is from Portland, Maine, a small coastal city
where he’s lived all his life. Although he likes where
he’s from, Gus is beginning to realize that if he
really wants to move into adulthood, he may have to
leave the familiar setting of Portland behind, at
least for a while.


What does he want out of life?
Gus wants to be a reporter, following in the
journalistic footsteps of his father. But because his
dad runs the town’s daily paper, Gus knows he should
probably work at another paper where he can practice
journalism -- and occasionally screw up -- without
worrying about his father looking over his shoulder.



What's his biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't
a spoiler in the story.)
Gus has always had a bit of a crush on his best
friend’s girlfriend, and while it’s not exactly a
closely held secret, these feelings end up coloring
the choices Gus makes in “Finding Funboy.”


Did you write more than one story about him?
No -- as much as I like this character, I think I’ve
told his big story.


How would he describe you?
The older I get, the more I think Gus would describe
me as his father.


Is there anything else about your hero that we need
to know? Feel free to share.
What I really enjoyed about this character was his
growth. It’s the choices he makes and the actions he
takes -- some for the better, some for the worse --
that help form the core of his maturing self.


Please provide your website link.
www.mattgolec.com


What is the link to buy your book?
www.booksforabuck.com/mystery/mys_07/finding_funboy.html
or
www.amazon.com/Finding-Funboy-Matt-Golec/dp/1602150575

Conor and the Crossworlds by Kevin Gerard

What's his name?

Conor Jameson

Why did you pick that name?

I picked Conor because of Conor Larkin in Leon Uris' book Trinity. Jameson, well, you know.

Give us a brief description of how he looks.

He's a ten year old boy wearing his pajamas while traveling to different worlds. A good, Irish looking boy, blonde hair and freckles.

Is there anything unusual about his appearance?

Well, he is riding on the back of a 3000 pound flying cougar who can speak and wield magical powers.

Who does he love? Why?

He loves his Uncle Jake, who he recently lost to a heart attack. Uncle Jake was his best friend, and when he dies, Conor's life is shattered.

Does this person love him?

Uncle Jake loved Conor deeply, as he did with all of his nieces and nephews.

Tell us about his family. Are they important to him?

Very much so. His mother and father take excellent care of him. His family has three cats, and he has a big sister that loves to pick on him. Most of all, though, he loved his Uncle Jake more than anything.

Where is he from?

He lives in Northern California, at the foot of the Redwood Highway.

Does his hometown affect his behavior, thoughts and attitude?

Maybe somewhat. He's pretty much a normal ten year old. He likes to play video games, ride bikes and play in the forest.

What does he want out of life?

In the beginning of the story, he wants his Uncle back more than anything else.

What's his biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.)

He's not who he thinks he is, but he won't find that out until deep into the fourth book of the series.

Did you write more than one story about him?

Yes, his story encompasses five books.

How would he describe you?

A fun guy, but a little too driven sometimes.

Is there anything else about your hero that we need to know? Feel free to share.

Conor is a good person. His parents raised him well. He is a good boy with sound principles, and good values and morals.

Please provide your website link.

http://www.conorandthecrossworlds.com

What is the link to buy your book?

There are links on my home page to Amazon, Borders, and B&N.

It was wonderful to meet him. Thank you for bringing him to meet us.

Judgment Fire by Marilyn Meredith

Tell us about your heroine --- the female lead in your book.

What's her name? Deputy Tempe Crabtree, the Tempe is short for Temperance.

Why did you pick that name?
Tempe Crabtree was my great-grandmother's name. I never met her, but she was a strong and valiant woman who lived an exciting life. I wrote about her in an historical family saga called Two Ways West. The name seemed perfect for my heroine who is also strong, valiant and lives and exciting life.

Give us a brief description of how she looks.
Tempe is about 5'8" with long, black hair she usually wears in a single braid. When she's working she fastens the braid up with a barrette. Her Native American heritage also shows in her facial bone structure and her coloring. She looks a lot like my daughter-in-law who is part Indian and beautiful.

Is there anything unusual about her appearance? She has blue eyes, which is surprising to many.

Who does she love? Why? She loves her husband, Hutch, who is the minister of the local church. They've not been married long--both had previous spouses who died. Though they love each other deeply, at times they have problems because of Tempe's use of the spiritual side of her heritage.

Does this person love her? Hutch loves her as much as she loves him though he worries about the danger she often finds herself in--both physically and spiritually.

Tell us about her family. She has one son, Blair. He is now in college taking fire science courses. He figure predominately in the book I'm now writing.

Where is she from? She was born and raised in Bear Creek where she is now the resident Deputy.

Does her hometown affect her behavior, thoughts and attitude?
Though she's a quarter Indian, she ignored that part of her life for many years. In Bear Creek, everyone knows her and she knows everyone. As a Native American she is treated much better now than she was growing up.

What does she want out of life? Tempe biggest desire is to have a long and loving life with Hutch. But she also wants to keep the peace in Bear Creek.

What's her biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.) I don't think she has any secrets except when she does something that she knows will upset her husband.

Did you write more than one story about her? Oh, my yes, I've written a whole series about Tempe, seven books in all. The latest is Judgment Fire which brings up some painful memories for Tempe.

How would she describe you? If Tempe wasn't a product of my imagination and was the resident Deputy here, she probably wouldn't know me at all, since I don't get speeding tickets or cause problems in town.

Is there anything else about your heroine that we need to know? Feel free to share. In every book, Tempe does something that upsets her husband but enables her to learn something which helps her solve a murder.

Please provide your website link.
http://fictionforyou.com

What is the link to buy your book?
Judgment Fire and Calling the Dead, the latest in the series, can be purchased from http://www.mundania.com or ordered from any bookstore.

It was wonderful to meet her. Thank you for bringing her to meet us

The Dowry Bride by Shobhan Bantwal

The heroine of my debut book, THE DOWRY BRIDE, is a twenty-one year old bride. She’s smart but naïve at the beginning of the story. She learns one or two tough lessons in living as the story progresses.

What's her name?Megha.

Why did you pick that name?In Sanskrit, Megha means “cloud.” The reason I picked the name is because she feels her parents named her Megha since she cast a shadow over them rather late in their lives, when they were older and already had two girls. She was an unexpected baby. Besides, a girl in many Indian families is considered a burden, and hence a shadow or dark cloud.

Give us a brief description of how she looks.She’s tall, rather thin, with big brown eyes, a full mouth, and long hair that reaches her waist. She wears it in a single braid. She wears saris at all times because of the culture she’s raised in.

Is there anything unusual about her appearance?No particularly unusual, other than the fact that she’s taller than the average Indian woman.

Who does she love? Why?In the beginning she doesn’t love anyone, including the arranged marriage husband she’s been forced to marry. But later in the story, she falls in love with the man who shields her from her evil mother-in-law. She loves him (Kiran) because he has all the wonderful qualities she admires in a man – loyalty, bravery, and mostly, a kind and generous heart.

Does this person love her?Yes. He has always been in love with her, even when she was married to another man, but has never mentioned it to her because in an old-fashioned culture it is wrong to have anything to do with a married woman. Besides her husband is his own cousin. He can’t hurt his own family by declaring his feelings.

Tell us about her family.Megha’s father is retired and not in good health, which makes him cantankerous. Her mother is still quite young and beautiful, but she’s timid and totally under her husband’s thumb, so she can’t help Megha when she’s clearly in trouble. Megha’s two older sisters are well-settled in comfortable marriages even while Megha is a little girl because of the difference in their ages.

Where is she from?She is born and raised in Palgaum, a small (fictitious) town in southwestern India. She is also married to a man in the same town.

Does her hometown affect her behavior, thoughts and attitude?Yes, very much so. When she runs from her in-laws and her husband after she discovers their plot to kill her, she has no place to go, precisely because it is a small town and she will be easily found. Also later, when she and Kiran fall in love, she’s afraid to surrender to the sentiment because in a conservative town they will be discovered and bring shame upon their respective families. Her thoughts and behavior are directly affected by the small town atmosphere she’s been raised in.

What does she want out of life?
Most of all, she wants to be independent and have a career, and at the same time she wants a caring man in her life, marriage and family.

What's her biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.)
She doesn’t really have one, until later, when she falls in love with her husband’s cousin.

Did you write more than one story about her?No. THE DOWRY BRIDE is the first and only story about Megha.

How would she describe you?She’d probably consider me a woman who’s too outspoken and too forward for her tastes. But she would probably envy my courage to do what I please, something she hasn’t learned to do.

Is there anything else about your heroine that we need to know? Feel free to share.Megha is good with words and has always dreamt about being a journalist. Her father won’t hear of her pursuing a career because in his old-fashioned world, women don’t need to work. They have to depend on their husbands for support. And Megha abhors the thought of being dependent on a man. But in her world she has no choice but to obey her father.

Please provide your website link.http://www.shobhanbantwal.com

What is the link to buy your book?http://tinyurl.com/24dlec

It was wonderful to meet her. Thank you for bringing her to meet us.Thank you for inviting me to share my heroine with you and your readers. I enjoyed creating Megha and love talking about her. This is the first time someone has specifically asked me so many interesting questions about her and her alone. I appreciate it.

One Smooth Stone by Marcia Lee Laycock

Okay -- its time to tell us about that hunky hero in your book.

What's his name? He goes by Alex Donnelly but discovers he was born with another name

Why did you pick that name? I've always liked the name Alex. Donnelly seemed to fit him.

Give us a brief description of how he looks. He's average height, black hair and grey eyes. He tends to slouch a lot.

Is there anything unusual about his appearance? He has a white scar extending from the bottom tip of his left ear to his shoulder.

Who does he love? he slowly falls in love with a paralegal he meets when he returns to the city.
Why? He sees something in her he has been searching for all his life - peace.

Does this person love him? Yes, though she resists it at first

Tell us about his family. Are they important to him? Extremely, but he has never known them. He was raised in foster homes.

Where is he from? Born in Seattle, WA, but has lived most of his life in Vancouver Canada

Does his hometown affect his behavior, thoughts and attitude? No. He left it when a baby.

What does he want out of life? Peace and a sense of belonging.

What's his biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.) Something happened in one of the foster homes he lived in. He feels a lot of shame because of it.

Did you write more than one story about him? I'm about to start book 2.

How would he describe you?
Hmm - interesting question. He'd probably describe me as someone who will someday make a good grandmother.

Is there anything else about your hero that we need to know? Feel free to share.
He has a lot of internal conflict that keeps running into the external circumstances in his life. He thinks he has a way out, but finds he has just run right back to where he started.

Please provide your website link.
www.vinemarc.com

What is the link to buy your book?
www.castlequaybooks.com

It was wonderful to meet him. Thank you for bringing him to meet us. By the way, do you have a picture of him that you'd like to share?
You can catch a glimpse of him on my website - click on the cover to view the trailer

Marcia Lee Laycock
Author of One Smooth Stone
No matter how far you run, God will find you; no matter what you have done, God will forgive you.
www.vinemarc.com
www.marcialaycock.blogspot.com

The Last Free Men - by Jack Everett & David Coles

1 - Tell us a bit about your book.

The Last Free Men ...

“We, the last men on earth, the last of the free, have been shielded till

today by the very remoteness and the seclusion for which we are famed ...

But today the boundary of Britain is exposed; beyond us lies no nation,

nothing but waves and rocks and the Romans.”

from Calgacus' address to his army at the battle of Mons Graupius.

...Tacitus.

During the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius in the 2nd Century AD, Rome's Ninth Legion was sent to Hadrian's Wall in northwest Britain to quell an insurrection that threatened the Empire's hold on the region. They were never heard from again. Historians have speculated for centuries about what might have happened to the mighty Ninth Legion -- here is one intriguing possibility.

THE LAST FREE MEN is the story of Marcus Gettorix, son of a Roman general and a British woman living in the northwest frontier of Rome's mighty empire (modern-day Scotland). During a battle, Marcus is wrongly assumed to have murdered his commandant. He is sentenced to work in the mines and escapes, the Druids use Marcus as a figurehead and fan the flames of resentment into an insurrection that joins British and Scottish tribes against the Romans. Now allied with the Druids, Marcus lures the ambitious Roman general in charge of the Ninth Legion into a deadly trap destined to create one of history's greatest mysteries.

2 - Tell us about the best friend - gender, age, appearance, how they came to be with the hero or heroine and anything else we need to know about them.

Marcus' best friend is the Centurion, Emelius Karrus, a hard-bitten career officer in the Roman Army who has taken the younger man under his wing. Karrus joined the Roman Army in his teens, signing up for the minimum tour of duty of 25 years. His career progressed; he is now one of the primi ordines, the Legion's five top centurions, the men that the Legions rely upon. Emelius' family is the army; it is not unlikely that there might be some paternal feelings in the relationship.

3 - Who does the "best friend" help in the book?

Emelius helps Marcus. When Marcus is unbelievably found guilty of murdering his commandant, Emelius uses the fact of Marcus' father being a senator, to persuade the military court to commute the usual death sentence to life imprisonment.

4 - Does the best friend have a specific purpose in the book?

Emelius and Marcus end up on opposite sides of the campaign which leads to the destruction of the Ninth Legion. The two personalities lead the reader through the reasons and preparations for this conflict from both viewpoints.

5 - How does your hero or heroine feel about the best friend?

Marcus feels admiration towards Emelius, some one to rely on; this changes to a reluctant respect after their split.

6 - How would your hero or heroine handle their problems or difficulties with the best friend?

Plain speaking and honesty would straighten out most difficulties and problems. Agreement to disagree would handle those problems that could not be settled.

7 - Are there problems between the best friend and your main characters?

There certainly are - more on Emelius' side than Marcus because Marcus' apparent murder of the commandant was so unbelievable and out of character. Only after the younger man's sentencing and escape do the facts become known by which time, Marcus has already changed sides and become a worry to the Roman command.

8 - Do you see the best friend ever having their own story?

It's a possibility. Emelius as we, the authors, know him is a charismatic figure. He is intelligent, capable and a real person with enough gaps in his history to create a highly paced story around.

9 - Was the best friend inspired by anyone you know?

He was inspired by the idealistic figure of the best of modern British Regimental Sergeant Majors - the officers who hold the whole thing together.

10 - Is there anything else about the best friend that we need to know? Feel free to share.

The thing about Emelius is that he is that person everybody looks up to, whom everyone asks advice from. The Roman Army didn't retire their best soldiers - officers or legionaries - at 40 years of age. Emelius and his contemporary centurions were the backbone of the military, the most respected part of the Roman war machine.

11 - Please provide your website link.

http://www.davidBColes.co.uk

http://www.JackLEverett.me.uk

12 - What is the link to buy your book?

http://www.virtualtales.com/StoryProducts~tn~Last+Free+Men.html

Friday House by D K Gaston

From the novel: The Friday House by D. K. Gaston

Tell us about your heroine – the female lead in your book

She is a Special Agent with the FBI. She recently returned from a six month long medical leave. After surviving a brutal attack she has become clairvoyant. Before her visions appear, she suffers from a severe headache.

What’s her name?

Jamaica Kurtz

Why did you pick that name?

I wanted something that was a little different. I also wanted a name that would stand out. I’ve always liked visiting Jamaica and thought it would be a cool name for a character.

Give us a brief description of how she looks.

Dark caramel complexion

Shoulder length mop-thick black hair

Almond shaped eyes

Unique amber eyes almost like the color of a peach

Who does she love? Why?

She meets a New York homicide detective Raymond Kilgore and she is starting to fall in love with him. They met under dangerous circumstances and bonded as they worked together to resolve the stories conflict.

Does this person love her?

He’s falling in love with Jamaica. She is unlike any woman he has ever met.

Tell us about her family

Jamaica’s parents are alive though they have a strained relationship with her. Her parents are scientists and wanted Jamaica to follow in their footsteps. When she earned several scholarships and picked a college and curriculum that her parents did not approve of, they cut her off.

Her father is American; her mother British. Jamaica has duel citizenships.

Where is she from?

Jamaica was born in Los Angeles (or so she believes).

Does her hometown affect her behavior, thoughts and attitude?

It was not so much her hometown but more of her living conditions at home. Groomed to become a doctor by her parents, she was deprived a lot of things other children have experiences. She was home schooled until she went off to college. Her friends (they few she had) was handpicked by her parents.

When she went off to college, she developed a sense of humor, made friends and began to experience life late in life. It affected her dealings with men and she never maintained a relationship for longer than a couple of months.

What does she want out of life?

She surviving her attack and gaining her clairvoyant abilities, all Jamaica has wanted was to be normal again.

What’s her biggest secret?

Her clairvoyant ability and she also blames herself for the death of her partner.

Did you write more than one story about her?

Jamaica first appeared in my first novel XIII as a minor character. It was in that novel she is attacked and put into a coma.

How would she describe you?

She would describe me as a big teddy bear. (But don’t tell my wife.)

Finding Funboy by Matt Golec

Tell us a bit about your book.
"Finding Funboy" is the story of a young, not-quite-out-of-college journalist who tries to find a missing childhood friend. What starts as a simple favor quickly turns complicated, as the narrator's search for Funboy changes forever the way he sees his friend -- and himself.

Call it a pulp detective novel crossed with a coming-of-age story, or "The Big Sleep" meets "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" (apologies to Bogart and Broderick).

Tell us about the best friend - gender, age, appearance, how they came to be with the hero or heroine and anything else we need to know about them.
The best friend is Funboy of the book’s title, and he and the main character have known each other since childhood. I have a few friends that go back that far, and I think there’s a special quality about friendships that span our entire lives. Those friends met you before you learned grown-up manners and societal expectations, and in many ways they know the ‘real’ you better than anyone outside your family.

Does the best friend have a specific purpose in the book?
Funboy -- the best friend -- represents the past for the main character as he struggles with coming into his own as an adult.

How does your hero or heroine feel about the best friend? Are there problems between the best friend and your main characters?
The main character definitely feels conflicted about this best friend. The first time we hear about Funboy, he’s made off with the main character’s bicycle -- unasked, as his style. The main character loves this guy like a brother, but as they’ve gotten older, Funboy’s irresponsible, devil-may-care nature has begun to cast a shadow on their friendship. As the main character searches for Funboy, these conflicts come to represent the main character’s sometimes rocky path in coming of age.

How would your hero or heroine handle their problems or difficulties with the best friend?
In a normal situation, they’d probably shout it out or knock each other around before ending up laughing at themselves -- they’re young guys, after all. But “Finding Funboy” covers a time that’s anything but normal, and the way the main character learns how to step into adulthood while integrating aspects of his childhood -- especially his best friend, Funboy -- is the heart of the book.

Do you see the best friend ever having their own story?
No -- as much as I like these characters, I think I’ve told their stories.

Was the best friend inspired by anyone you know?
Funboy is a mix of a bunch of people I knew -- a little bit from here, a little bit from there, and a little bit out of my own head. I don’t think it’s wise to drop a real person whole cloth into a fiction story -- real people deserve their privacy, of course, but it can also be difficult to get your characters to do what you want them to do if they’re too heavily based on real people.

Is there anything else about the best friend that we need to know? Feel free to share.
While long-time friends can be great rocks of stability as we go through the twists and turns of getting older, they can also hold a person back if they fail to grow up, or if they grow in an incompatible direction. Funboy is the focus of the main character’s attempts to grapple with this contradiction.

Please provide your website link.
www.mattgolec.com

What is the link to buy your book?
www.booksforabuck.com/mystery/mys_07/finding_funboy.htmlor www.lulu.com/content/1041286

The Draconis and the Stallion by Laura Elliott

Tell us about your heroine --- the female lead in your book.

She has red eyes, flame resistant skin, a spiked tail, and she can breathe fire. Need I say more?

Wing is a sentinel – a border guardian between the human and Draconis world. That’s her people, the Draconis. They are the evolved descendents of dragons, forced to live in an alternate dimension to escape the centuries of butchery by humans.

It’s her job to keep the species separate to prevent more violence, and maybe someday, help pave the way to unite the two.

What's her name?

Codename is Wing, real name is Annie – but don’t tell anyone. She only lets people she trusts know her real name.

Why did you pick that name?

Wing sometimes imagines she can fly, the feel of wind in her face, the current underneath her, just like her ancestors. The only problem is that evolution took care of the wings, but it didn’t take away the desire to soar.

Give us a brief description of how she looks.

She looks human, for the most part. Her facial features have a reptilian look, almost predatory. It helps her intimidate humans. She’s wiry and athletic – she has to be to do her job, as a border guardian. Chasing demons and escaped psychopaths is a great workout.

She has a long, whip-like tail with dozens of tiny spikes (it’s hell on the bed sheets). When Wing goes out in public, she wears long trench coats and wraps her tail around her waist, spikes out of course.

Is there anything unusual about her appearance?

You could say that. Her spiked tail is her best weapon, and her red eyes glow when she’s aroused.

Who does she love? Why?

She loves a human warrior who goes by the codename Stallion. She makes quite a few jokes at his expense for having such a crappy codename. He’s the first person to accept her as she is and not try to put her in a freak show or sell her to a research study. Plus, he makes one heck of a partner when it comes to catching the bad guys.

Does this person love her?

You bet he does. He’s never seen anything like her and that’s saying a lot. He’s a demon hunter. They met on a case of mistaken identity.

Tell us about her family.

She comes from a long line of border guardians, trained from birth to take her parents place as soldier and sentinel. She’s never actually lived in the realm of her people, the Draconis. She was born and raised among humans but never found acceptance among them.

Where is she from?
America. The FBI puts up with her existence because she keeps the bad things out of this dimension. And she pays her taxes.

Does her hometown affect her behavior, thoughts and attitude?

Not really. She likes humans, likes living on Earth but she’s never felt like she had a home. She walks among them in hiding, never able to show her true nature out of fear for her life. All she really wants is acceptance, maybe even love.

What does she want out of life?

A place to call home, love, and family. She might be able to breathe fire but in the end, she’s not all that different from the rest of us.

What's her biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.)

Her biggest secret – she’s afraid to spend the rest of her life alone, alienated from the world.

Did you write more than one story about her?

Not yet, more of her adventures will come soon.

How would she describe you?

As her torturer. I put her through hell, making her run for days on end with only scraps to eat, driven to catch demons and child-killers.

Is there anything else about your heroine that we need to know? Feel free to share.
She loves to watch Oprah.

Please provide your website link.

http://laelliott.com

http://www.myspace.com/lauraelliott1

What is the link to buy your book?
http://www.eternalpress.com.au/

It was wonderful to meet her. Thank you for bringing her to meet us.

"Ladies of Class"

What's his name? Chief Inspector Detective Richard Hayward

Why did you pick that name? As I am not the Author, that is hard to answer. Mum probably picked that name as she related a lot of her writings to some aspect of her life.

Give us a brief description of how he looks. Richard is tall, slim with dark hair. His face can change quite dramatically. He has a serious air that determines his position in the force. But the twinkle in his eye reveals his remarkable sense of humour that can take over, not always at the most appropriate time.

Is there anything unusual about his appearance? Not really. At the beginning of the story Richard is recovering from a broke bone in his leg. So he probably is not walking quite normally.

Who does he love? Why? Richard loves his wife Kate and of course his mother who is one of the characters throughout the story. Richard adores Kate, his first love. Kate is absent until the end of the story but she is always on Richard's mind. One can understand his devotion to Kate as events progress. Even feel his sense of loss that Kate is not with him to share his happiness for his promotion and move to their new home.

Does this person love him? Richard really believes that Kate loves him, however, at times there is a hint of doubt in his mind. As Kate entries the story towards the end, one really does get the felling for the depth of love towards Richard.

Tell us about his family. Are they important to him? Ella, Richard's mother plays an important part in Richard's life at the moment. In Kate's absence, Ella has taken care of Richard after his accident. She is assisting Richard in setting up his new home after his promotion and move to Burshill. At first Richard didn't feel the need for his mother to be doing so much. However, when he is called back to duty before his convalescence is up, to investigate the murders, he then sees the value and importance of all that his mother is doing.

Where is he from? Richard is originally from London, England.

Does his hometown affect his behavior, thoughts and attitude? Richard's background as a big town policeman and his reputation for 'getting the gangster', preceded him to the small town of Burshill. But he really does not act like a 'big time cop'. In some ways, even though his is probably the youngest officer to get his promotion, he is quite unassuming and at times, humble.

What does he want out of life? Probably the thing Richard wants most is for Kate and himself to enjoy a quiet life in their new home town and do his job well He was never really happy with all the fame and attention he was receiving in London.

What's his biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.) Richard does not really appear to have any secrets, unless his somewhat unusual methods of 'catching the villain’' could be considered a secret.

Did you write more than one story about him? Yes, Mum did write another Detective Richard Hayward murder mystery book.

How would he describe you? I think Richard would describe Mum as a very private woman who was never without a book or pen in her hand. Avidly reading or furiously writing.

Is there anything else about your hero that we need to know? Feel free to share. Richard was able to combine his thoroughness of investigation and questioning with diplomacy. Which added to his successes.

Please provide your website link. http://marjo-mumswritings. blogspot.com

What is the link to buy your book? www.vrpublishing.com

It was wonderful to meet him. Thank you for bringing him to meet us. By the way, do you have a picture of him that you'd like to share? No pictures unfortunately.

Fated Love by Darcy McKenna

Tell us about your heroine --- the female lead in your book.

What's her name? Sarah Cameron

Why did you pick that name? This will sound crazy, but the character told me what her name was. I’d been leaning toward Emily, but when I changed it to Sarah everything just started jelling.

Give us a brief description of how she looks. She’s five feet tall with long strawberry blonde curly hair and electric blue eyes.

Is there anything unusual about her appearance? She looks almost exactly like the long lost girlfriend of the hero of the story.

Who does she love? Why? She loves Jake Riordan. At the moment of their first meeting Sarah felt she’d met her soul mate, but she has some issues she has to get past before she can make that leap to truly loving him.

Does this person love her? Yes. Very much. But Jake has to get past his issues with his long lost girlfriend who Sarah resembles so much.

Tell us about her family. Sarah’s family died prior to the beginning of the book. Her mother, father and sister were killed in an automobile accident a year prior to the time frame in the book. The loss of her family made Sarah very leery of giving her heart to anyone again because she never wanted to feel that kind of pain again.

Where is she from? Memphis, Tennessee

Does her hometown affect her behavior, thoughts and attitude? She’s very much a Southern girl.

What does she want out of life? She wants to become a well know artist and (deep down) to find that one perfect man to love her.

What's her biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.) Her fear of loving anyone.

Did you write more than one story about her? No. This is the first story about Sarah.

How would she describe you? Hm. Probably as an obsessive reader who needs to get out more.

Is there anything else about your heroine that we need to know? Feel free to share.

Please provide your website link. www.darcymckenna.com

What is the link to buy your book? www.thewildrosepress.com

It was wonderful to meet her. Thank you for bringing her to meet us.

Dominic by Hazel Statham

1 - Tell us a bit about your book.
‘Dominic’

London 1775 Dominic Blake, Earl of Vale, is a young man of privilege and breeding whose world is turned upside-down by Jack, a beautiful young girl in boys’ clothing whom he finds sheltering on his doorstep after fleeing an attack by her abusive brother.

Despite leaving his protection, Jack is once more destined to enter Dominic’s life when, injured in a horse race, Dominic is forced to rusticate to his father’s estate and again meets Jack in her boyish guise. In turn, she becomes his pupil and his love.

Despite danger and misunderstandings, this is the story of their unconventional and delightful courtship.

2 - Tell us about the best friend - gender, age, appearance, how they came to be with the hero or heroine and anything else we need to know about them.

Lord Wroxham is Dominic’s friend and companion on the town. As young Georgian men do, they taste all the pleasures offered by life in London.

3 - Who does the "best friend" help in the book?

Eventually, Wroxham is more of a hindrance than a help, causing what appears an irreparable rift between the hero and heroine.

4 - Does the best friend have a specific purpose in the book?

It would have been hoped that he would have aided the couple, but he had an agenda all of his own and instead set about overthrowing his friend.

5 - How does your hero or heroine feel about the best friend?

Initially, Dominic is quite happy to share his life with his friend, but when jealousy rears its ugly head, his opinion soon changes.

6 - How would your hero or heroine handle their problems or difficulties with the best friend?

They both handle their problem in a different way.

7 - Are there problems between the best friend and your main characters?
There certainly are!

8 - Do you see the best friend ever having their own story?

No! He would definitely not make a good hero!

9 - Was the best friend inspired by anyone you know?

No – he’s just a figment of my imagination.

10 - Is there anything else about the best friend that we need to know? Feel free to share.

He’s secretly jealous of Dominic and begrudges his popularity.

11 - Please provide your website link.

www.hazel-statham.co.uk

12 - What is the link to buy your book?

www.amazon.com/Dominic-Hazel-Statham/dp/1597058009/ref=sr_11_1/104-9549334-9146335?ie=UTF8&qid=1186157065&sr=11-1
www.wings-press.com

Each person that posts a comment for Hazel will be entered in a drawing to win a free copy of her book at the end of September.

Runaway Hearts by Terry L. White

Tell us about your heroine --- the female lead in your book.: The heroine in my book is a real historical figure, a woman who was born a slave, helped take her family and friends North to freedom, a nurse and spy for the Union Army during the Civil War.

What's her name? Harriet Tubman, also known as Hat or Hattie, and Araminta as a child.

Why did you pick that name? Harriet Tubman was her real name.

Give us a brief description of how she looks. Harriet was a frail, wiry black woman.

Is there anything unusual about her appearance? No.

Who does she love? Why? Harriet loves Freedom. She had a husband but he stole her money and ran around with other women. His name was Tubman, but that is all he gave her.

Does this person love her? No.

Tell us about her family. Harriet’s family are all slaves. Her father runs a sawmill and she helps him.

Where is she from? Bucktown, in Dorchester County on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

Does her hometown affect her behavior, thoughts and attitude? Her home town is part of a state divided on the question of slavery. Itinerant preachers tell the slaves that running away is stealing the master’s property, but the slaves know the Quakers and others will help them if they can get away from their home farm and avoid the patrollers.

What does she want out of life? Freedom.

What's her biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.)

Did you write more than one story about her? No.

How would she describe you? Harriet would call me an old white woman. I don’t know if she would like me.

Is there anything else about your heroine that we need to know? Feel free to share. Harriet stopped at nothing to achieve freedom for her people and herself. Harriet Tubman founded what historians call the Underground Railroad.

Please provide your website link. http://www.terrylwhite.com

What is the link to buy your book? www.ebooksonthe.net or Amazon.com

It was wonderful to meet her. Thank you for bringing her to meet us.

The TRUTH, I'm 10, I'm Smart and I Know Everything! by Dr Barbara Holstein

Tell us about your heroine --- the female lead in your book. The heroine in THE TRUTH, I'm Ten, I'm Smart and I Know Everything! is a ten-year old girl. She is funny, wise, honest and she really does know the truth about most things.

What's her name? Her name is never mentioned in the book, which is her diary over a two year period.

Why did you pick that name? Not giving her a name makes it easy to identify with her. She is really all of us -once, when we were young.

Give us a brief description of how she looks. She has light brown hair and hazel eyes. She is certain that she would be very pretty if she could wear make-up. Her mother won't let her. She has a space between her two front teeth.

Is there anything unusual about her appearance? No-except that she is growing fast and keeps getting taller while the boy she is in love with keeps getting shorter.

Who does she love? Why? She loves Paul. She doesn't know why. When he came to her classroom as a new student she just felt her heart turn over in her body and she couldn't stop the most amazing feelings from overwhelming her.

Does this person love her? No. He isn't aware of her passions.

Tell us about her family. She has one younger brother. They have a house. Her parents fight a lot and that upsets her. Sometimes they all have fun together, like going on mystery rides. She hates some of her cousins cause they tease her.

Where is she from? Somewhere out there in Middle America.

Does her hometown affect her behavior, thoughts and attitude? Yes. For example, it is safe and she can take the bus downtown all by herself and shop in the stores.

What does she want out of life? She wants to marry Paul. She wants to have her deepest questions answered. She wants to hold on to herself!

What's her biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.) I can't tell but it has to do with a locket she receives from her aunt.

Did you write more than one story about her? Yes, she will be my heroine in the sequel to the first book.

How would she describe you? A nice, smart woman who took the time to really understand her.

Is there anything else about your heroine that we need to know? Feel free to share. She loves Nancy Drew.

Please provide your website link. www.enchantedself.com

What is the link to buy your book? http://www.enchantedself.com/shop/
It was wonderful to meet her. Thank you for bringing her to meet us.



Post a comment for Dr Barbara Holstein in September and be entered in a drawing for a free copy of The TRUTH !

Only Moments by Nick Oliva

Tell us about your heroine --- the female lead in your book.

What's her name?Angela Vander

Why did you pick that name?She is named aptly because she acts as an angel in the climax of the book. Her last name was originally Vanderhausen of royal Dutch descent, but was shortened to "Americanize" the family name.

Give us a brief description of how she looks.
She was a Scorpio-Virgo-rising, of Dutch stock, and her ancestors were of royal origin. Two hundred and seventy-five years ago, they had become more than wealthy, being one of the first families to begin plying the business of slave trading in the original colonies. There was very little of the Vanderhausen’s fortune remaining by the time she was born.

I gave her a light complexion, which amplified the freckles on her face and body. She used to go through liquid sun shield like water, due to the human-induced ozone depletion, and the added moisturizing elements of the shield kept her skin smooth and wrinkle-free. She barely looked in her thirties, when she was actually in her mid-forties. Of course, her physical aging had a lot to do with her gene history more than anything else, but the shield certainly helped.


Is there anything unusual about her appearance?She has beautiful red hair and green eyes that captured you immediately when you were in her presence. It gave her the aura of a goddess.

What is her drive, her motivation?She is a virtuoso violinist driven to perfection by forces deep within her subconscious. Her brother died at an early age and another secret in her past causes her to seek love from the outside as she is very insecure and difficult to get along with anyone including Chris her lover, husband, best friend, and musical partner. She hides behind her talent in her own world of fantasy to shield herself from reality. Chris touches her soul as he is so down to earth and naturally tolerant of her moodiness and spurts of anger and she falls madly in love with him, as he her.

Does Chris really love her?Unconditionally without question. They love each other for different reasons and as Chris reveals later in the novel, they loved each other for what "they were not."
To quote Chris:
........Angela, don’t you think I’ve known who you are and who you are not? In all the years we’ve been together, don’t you realize that I’ve always counted on you being the person that you aren’t?” She cleared her nose and wiped off the tears.

“I don’t understand,” she replied. “The person that I’m not?”

“Think about it. We have struggled for years and not always been happy with each other. We’ve each had common goals and relied upon each other to achieve them. We pushed each other, we’ve insulted each other, and we’ve been through very difficult times. We never once faced the fact that alone we were incapable of doing it. We treasured each other because of the things we were not. We imagined. We took the chance, regardless of our fears. You are not the perfect wife, and I am not the perfect husband, musician, or person; but we loved each other for things that we could never quantify. We believed. We had blind faith in each other. I have let you down and you have let me down. The issue today is whether you want to be afraid with me or without me. If you love me, I don’t think you have to contemplate for long.”

Tell us about her family.
Her mother and father are both musicians. Her mother is a pianist and teacher, her father is a high school teacher and gave up being a trumpeter many years earlier to support the family. They are both proud of their daughter but Angela and her father have a natural competitiveness that drives them to argue constantly. Her father is envious of her ability to be able to take her art to levels he could have only dreamed for, but he loves her unconditionally. Her mother constantly intervenes and becomes a referee between them at times.

Where is she from?Venice Beach, California

Does her hometown affect her behavior, thoughts and attitude?It is the late sixties, the height of the hippie age and women's movement and she is independent and a dominant force. She embodies the emergence of females from that era and will not be told that she is to be a child-bearer and housewife, and takes her own path to capture success on her terms.

What does she want out of life?She seeks perfection in her music, and doesn't realize that it is not attainable. She spends her entire life pursuing it, only to fall short of her expections. She discounts her successes and doesn't realize how great she really is and that is due to the things that happened to her in her childhood that have driven her to greatness and ultimately brings her downfall. It is her denial of human imperfection that causes the conflicts within.

How would she describe you?A neurotic driving determined force that seeks perfection while knowing there is no such thing. LOL! Everyone thinks that I modeled Chris the male lead after me, and although Angela is a fictional character based in fantasy, I relate more to her than to Chris.

Is there anything else about your heroine that we need to know? Feel free to share.
First and foremost this a love story that shows unlimited devotion even after one mate dies. When we open up the first chapter, we already know Chris' wife is long gone and he has suffered greatly. The depression he allows himself to stay in for so long, changes as he begins to recount the past-though involuntary. The setting of the future, it's technology and the human nature that rarely changes though the ages is exposed during the exposition. The real fun begins when we go back to his youth.

One of the messages of this book was to show that regardless of the age, future, past, or present-the needs and wants of the human heart can never be replaced by technology. The other aspect was to show that regardless that these two people were together twenty-four hours a day and experiencing everything together, they grew apart because of the flaws that each had and those flaws prove to be what made them great as well. Great art comes from imperfection and like the ying and yang, there is always danger in beauty be it the cliffs of Big Sur and rocks below, the infatuation of human beauty, or the spiritual dogma entrenched by centuries of emotional manipulation.

"They believed without question, without doubt."

That is quite a lot to write into a romance novel, but it is what life is all about if one wants to take the time to understand it's meaning and one's place in it.

Chris is every woman's dream. A man so incredibly devoted that no other woman could ever take the place of his wife and soul mate Angela. A man so patient and understanding, gifted and tolerant of her mood swings and temper. He understood her every move and motivation and their music echoed the love that they both shared. They both gave each other confidence and the ability to dream their dream together. Angela's pure determination is what makes them the best they can be, and at the same time causes all of the heartache.

There are many other obvious and hidden messages within this "road of life" novel but it's main message is live life to it's fullest everyday! Don't expect life to treat you kindly and the "road" will be bumpy with potholes and dangerous curves, but it will take you places you have never been as long as you stay on it and that is the important part. Stay on it! Don't give up no matter what. Death is over-rated and the other side is an eternity. I know. I was there. Stay awhile and let time heal and be good to yourself and as the love of Chris' life tells him to remember that "Love is all there is. Never lose that gift."

Please provide your website link.www.onlymomentsbook.com

What is the link to buy your book?
Amazon or go to www.onlymomentsbook.com

It was wonderful to meet her. Thank you for bringing her to meet us.

The TRUTH, I'm 10, I'm Smart and I Know Everything! by Dr Barbara Holstein

Okay -- its time to tell us about that hunky hero in your book. The hero on THE TRUTH, I'm Ten, I'm Smart and I Know Everything! is anything but hunky. However, he is handsome, at least in the eyes of his beholder, who is 'the girl' who writes my book.

What's his name? His name is Paul Fein

Why did you pick that name? Truthfully, and this is a secret, I was in love with a boy named Paul when I was in the fourth grade. Shhh. Don't tell anyone!

Give us a brief description of how he looks.He has brown hair and deep brown eyes. He looks very smart and he is very smart. He keeps getting shorter, as 'the girl' gets taller.

Is there anything unusual about his appearance? No

Who does he love? Why? Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to love my heroine. She wants desperately for him to love her, but he seems preoccupied with just being a kid. Darn it!

Does this person love him? Yes, 'the girl' is desperately and deeply in love with him.

Tell us about his family. Are they important to him? They are nice but unimportant.

Where is he from? The same town that 'the girl' is from-somewhere out there in middle America.

Does his hometown affect his behavior, thoughts and attitude? No

What does he want out of life? To be a 10 and then 11 year old boy.

What's his biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.) If only my girl knew! She hungers to know more.

Did you write more than one story about him? No-he will have a minor part in the sequel to this book.

How would he describe you? A grown-up lady who writes stories.

Is there anything else about your hero that we need to know? Feel free to share. It is agonizing to have unreturned love!

Please provide your website link. www.enchantedself.com

What is the link to buy your book? http://www.enchantedself.com/shop/

It was wonderful to meet him. Thank you for bringing him to meet us. By the way, do you have a picture of him that you'd like to share? I wish I did. I have to ask 'the girl' if she has one!

Post a comment for Dr Barbara and you will be entered in a drawing for a free copy of The TRUTH. Its that simple to have a chance to win!