Tag: author tips

Interview with Author Bryon Cahill

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn InterviewsLeave a comment

Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?



Most authors will tell you they’ve been writing all their life. They’ll say, “I’ve been writing since I could hold a pen.” Well, technically, that’s probably true, if you count a few illegible scribbles. And I suppose I have been illegibly scribbling since way back when, too. But the better response would be that I really started writing in High School. I wrote unspeakably bad poetry for years and a great number of horrendous stories.

I majored in Writing at Marist College. That’s where I wrote my first novel. It was more trite garbage that will never see the light of day. Many more amateur, unpublishable books followed for years until I Am Marcus Fox came around. This was the first real, substantial thing I’ve been excited to share and put my own name behind.

What inspired you to write your book?

Honestly? My protagonist inspired me. He blasted his high-octane life into my head and poured himself onto my page. He grabbed me by the ears and demanded, “Listen! My story is electric! Write me!” What choice did I have? I fleshed him out and before I knew what hit me, Marcus was in charge, writing his own story. It was some next-level stuff. The man insisted on being a modern day Paul Bunyan braggart. But it’s hard to take anything he says without a heaping pile of salt grains. As much as I was honored to tell his tale, I still wonder who he might truly be, beneath it all.

What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

Fiction is stranger than truth. That’s sort of become my motto and I’ve been flaunting it all over the place. That’s not an entirely well thought out message, though. One major theme in the book that Marcus tries to grasp from time to time is: Can a person ever really know another? What goes on inside our heads? No one really knows but us. And sometimes, not even we are sure of our own thoughts and perceptions of the world. Indeed, it if left untidy, our minds can become quite messy.

What drew you into this particular genre?

Again, I have to give all credit to Marcus. I never intended to write his story but when he insisted that his life was brimming with action and adventure, I was compelled to explore it. As for the psychological thriller part of the literary mashup, I discovered along the way that my protagonist was either a) the world’s greatest bullsh*t artist or b) a couple zebras short of a dazzle. And if it was the latter, I was going to have to do a lot of research on native Zambian animal tribes.

If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

There are plenty of characters in Marcus’ story who support him (or antagonize him). Some I would love to have a beer with and others I’d rather observe from a safe distance. But I think I’d most like to sit down with Marcus’ adopted father, Shumbuto. I’d ask him why he’s so sure of himself and his beliefs. Where does his blind faith come from and does he find it to be a strength or a weakness? Though most assuredly, he would give a non-answer, because he is a lovable, strong hearted, brilliant nincompoop.

What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

I’m still working on this one, Anthony. I have a Facebook and Twitter presence where I post my oh-so-wordy, sometimes witty bloggys, and do whatever all else it is people do on social media.

What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out?

If you’re self-publishing, research everything you can before pushing the button. When you think you know it all, start over, re-read. Find new sources. Absorb more. And then when you finally do publish, you’ll probably do a lot of things wrong. Learn from them. That’s what I’m doing now. I’m learning the business. Yes, it is a business. As a writer, you probably only want to be creative. Of course there’s oodles of room for that but you have to wear all the other hats as well. There is an incredible learning curve. Maybe some day I’ll be off it but not anytime soon.

What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

I am currently drafting Book 2 in my Lost Identity series (I Am Marcus Fox was Book 1). I haven’t really advertised the series notion anywhere else. People don’t want to hear that you have a Book 2 coming out until Book 2 is actually written and has itself a pub date. Readers get burned all the time by writers who start a series with good intentions but then fall off the face of the earth. I have no intention of going anywhere. That said, who said anything about a Book 2? Wasn’t me. Bloody rumors.

I also should have a Middle Grade novel being released later this year and possibly the first book in a Young Adult series in early 2020. If you’d like to follow my progress, you can do so by signing up for my e-newsletter on my website at http://www.bryoncahill.com. There’s a free gift in it for you, if you do! Spoiler alert: It’s a short story about how Marcus Fox’s parents met each other.

Thanks for reading!

Fiction is stranger than truth.

(See! I use that line everywhere.)

I AM MARCUS FOX REVIEW

About the Author

Bryon Cahill is an author for all ages. A Stay-At-Home Dad by day and night, he writes by proverbial candlelight in the wee strange hours of morning. REPORT THIS AD

In the past, Bryon was an award-winning writer and editor of literary publications for teens. His stories, influenced by phantasmagorical classics such as Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, do often steer off-course, alighting on the wings of the fantastical.

When not writing or Dadding, Bryon dreams of sleeping sheep. He summers, winters, springs, and falls with his loving family along the sunny beaches of the Jersey Shore.

I Am Marcus Fox is Bryon’s debut novel for adult readers. It will be available for human consumption on May 7, 2019. 

Novels steeped in magical realism for young adult and middle grade readers are forthcoming, as is more fiction for adults.

Website & Blog: www.bryoncahill.com

Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/author/bryoncahill

Twitter: www.twitter.com/shakabry

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BryonCahillAuthor

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/shakabry

Interview with Author J.J. Angel

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn Interviews1 Comment

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

Hello everyone!

My name is J.J. Angel and from in “the Boot of the South”, “the Sportsman’s Paradise” of the United States, aka Louisiana. I’ve been here all my life and I’m still here, now living in the state’s capital, Baton Rouge, for several years. I majored in Entertainment Technology (Film) and Digital Arts but surprisingly not Creative Writing. My first published title was, “Voices from the Bayou: Baton Rouge Student tackle Racism, Police Brutality and the Historic Flood”. It was an anthology of stories written by college students caught in the calamity of all these events within a single year. My specific piece titled, “Still Water Runs Deep,” is a deep rooted tale about my physical struggle as a flood victim blended with my own inner struggles drowning me within. The book is on Amazon and my particular piece is located in the flood chapters near the end. You’ll see J.J. Angel in there.

I started writing when I was still in early grade school. I used to be into drawing before I turned to writing. I get that from my mother who was an exceptional artist. My pen name is a part of her real name, Angela. My first and middle initial begin with the letter, “J”. So this is how I got into writing. I’m a small guy. I’ve always been little. That means as a kid I got teased a lot for not being as outgoing or athletic as the other boys. I wasn’t into sports at all. I stayed in the library during recess but outside that I used to be teased about everything. So what did I do? I started drawing stick figures but these were no ordinary stick figures. These were superhero stick figures. The kind who could fight off any bully and save the world! Somewhere down the road I started to create stories for these characters in my trusty notebook. The stories were episodic spanning ten pages back and front (20 pages an episode) using pen and paper. I think I had about four or five tablets. Each were a different color and represented a different arc of the series. I did this for a few years until I finished Jr. High. I felt writing stories like that were for little kids and since I was in High School, it was time to do “adult things”.  I dropped novel writing in favor of poetry because all the cool kids were writing poetry. I was such a follower during that time of my life. I did not want to be that oddball loser but ended up being the oddball loser who writes poetry. I even remember my Biology teacher asking what I wanted to do when I graduated. I told her I wanted to be a writer and she told me I was living a pipe dream. I kept my writing ability a secret in fear of being judged and when my senior year came, my writing dreams were over.

2) What inspired you to write your book?

What inspired me? Myself. I’m not being egotistical or anything. It had been seven years since I wrote a single damn thing. That was a weird period of my life but that’s another story for another book. Anyways, one day while I was moving I found an old box. Before I threw it away I decided to look through it and guess what I found? One of my old Lost Fighter tablets from grade school. It was a bit worn but the stories were still there in glorious ink. I stopped what I was doing and decided to read through it after all these years. My God! I had run-on sentences as long as anacondas. However, there was something else there. I had a great imagination and whole lot of heart. This is what I loved to do. This is what I really wanted to do. Take people on my visual journey and inspire them to do the same. What happened to the kid who had a big imagination and so much hope? I had given up on him. I was afraid of the ridicule for being a boring useless writer. It was me being bullied again. How can I create such fantastical superheroes or noble warriors who stand against the forces of evil when I can’t even stand against my own self-doubt? That was moment I realized what I had been running from and what I needed to do. That was the first day I picked up my laptop and pressed NEW DOCUMENT in Word.

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

Oh Lord. Well, I was telling my writing colleagues Potentia is a deep story under all the science fantasy lip gloss it has on. I want readers to look at it with an open heart and mind. Potentia is Latin. It means force, power or political authority. There are points in the book where I play around with that meaning. I like the idea of hope and believing in yourself, even when things look opposite of that. Karissa, Rupert, and Amare have periods of courage despite the odds they are up against. Even though she was injured, Karissa still made herself continue to the other side. She doesn’t just give up and fall down waiting for her attacker. She keeps on going and the crystal reacts to that emotion! Same for Rupert and Amare. These young adults are going up against supreme cosmic entities who could rip them to pieces. These are my main “bullies” (for now…*wink*) of the Universe. Despite this, Rupert and Amare show great courage at times. First, you need to believe in yourself. Second, you need to search deep within yourself. Third, you need to find that spark. Last, you need to bring that spark to life. 

When the story says the boys discovered Potentia, it’s saying they discovered the power (authority) residing deep within them and once they accepted it and believed in it, they could create something spectacular. Something powerful enough to repel the invasive shadow-like creatures trying to eclipse them.

I want readers to not only note the hopeful and brave moments, but see the themes of  acceptance. This book has a lot of diversity in it. Rupert is German-American and Amare is African-American. They have a tight knit friendship despite their racial backgrounds and physical differences. I want readers to see the strong levels of friendship here. They are like brothers. A strong brotherhood. Teamwork does make the dream work! Even Ya’asha is confused by how the two boys can fuse powers together so easily. We humans know how it’s done though! Plus one for humankind! There is also an LGBT character mentioned in the story. So I try to be as inclusive as possible.

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

I have a really big imagination! I’ve said that too many time now. I love the unknown and space is full of it. Even so, there were still some other experiences that brought me into this genre, both real and fictional. In fiction, I loved R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps series as a kid. It’s what got me into horror fiction for young adults. I’m a big fan of Ridley Scott as well. I love his movies, Alien and Legend. Legend was a dark fantasy and is one of my all-time favorite films still to this day. There is something magical about that movie that fueled my imagination as a kid.

Now for the realistic side. As a child, I know two instances where I thought I saw dark figures or shadow people. They scared the hell out of me but made me interested in the paranormal/supernatural. Speculative Fiction is a beautiful genre and Science Fantasy has the power to captivate the entire world. I love it!

5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

I was originally going to pick Ya’asha for this but he’s too much of a smart-ass to sit down and answer questions cooperatively so I think I’ll go with Karissa. “How does it feel going from a character that dies in Chapter 4 of the original draft to one of the central protagonists in the final draft?”  

I want to see if she will glare at me. Perhaps, death might have been more desirable than what’s she going through currently? I also like cats and she hates them.

6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

I want to say it’s a tie between Facebook and Instagram. Thought, I think Instagram is more on the visual side of Potentia. Facebook might be one since I started with it, but Instagram is catching up since I put way more content on it now. My Twitter isn’t too hot right now but hopefully people will look in my direction and be like, “This little guy has created a story that has many layers beneath it. I’ve read it and found some things from incorporating many systems of beliefs within it.You have to be an active protagonist while reading and search for hidden meanings.” (Hint: One of the characters wakes up after a nightmare and sees 5:55 on the clock.  (According to numerology, this combination means huge changes are on the way! And boy are they! *grins*)

7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

KEEP WRITING! DO NOT GIVE UP! BELIEVE IN YOURSELF! FIND THAT SPARK! ALWAYS HAVE YOUR FAVORITE SNACK FOOD CLOSE BY! YOU’LL THANK ME LATER FOR THE LAST ONE.

8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

I’m currently going over Potentia The Shadows sequels, Tales of Potentia: the Awakening and Tales of Potentia: The Clash. First drafts are complete for both of these. I have two or three more after those. Legacy, Rebirth and War.

Stepping outside the world of Potenita, I’m working on a fantasy story called, “Arabian Rhapsody”. It’s supposed to be a novella but I have too much going on with the mythological monsters, faeries and other things. It’s getting a little stuffy right now. We’ll see how that one develops.

I have a horror I’m working on which is turning out to be a creature-feature splatter-fest. Screams!!

I also have a chapbook on Amazon called, “Poetic Vibrations”. You can check that out as well.

Well, that’s it for me, for now.

Thanks for reading and I hope you all have a wonderful day!

TALES OF POTENTIA REVIEW

About the Author

J.J. Angel, also know by his other pseudonym J.J. Angelus, is an energetic, humorous, but equally focused creative author who enjoys immersing his ideas and creating imaginary worlds within the realms of science fiction, fantasy, and some horror. He is a former Entertainment Tech Film Major of Baton Rouge Community College and a recipient of the Unsung Hero Award for his contribution towards the anthology, “Voices from the Bayou”, with emotional and thought provoking narrative, “Still Water Runs Deep”. 

When he isn’t writing, JJ enjoys creature features, evening walks by the river, poetry, volunteering, and digital art and animation.

Website:  https://www.talesofpotentia.com

Facebook: Facebook profile

Instagram (regular): @powerthenovel

Instagram (Music): @jjs_soundscapes

Twitter: @powerthenovel

Interview with Author D. Elizabeth Ayers

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn InterviewsLeave a comment

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

Well, I was a lonely kid, and like most lonely kids growing up in the 70s and 80s, I read a lot and watched a disgusting amount of television and movies. So, my mind was always focused on how stories unfold. I also had geeky, well-educated parents who knew things about storytelling and myth. They would point out things like foreshadowing and symbolism in stories that made me incredibly curious to find out more. Strangely, I started off my creative life in the theatre and did a lot of acting from the age of twelve to the age of about thirty. Even though I might not ever act again, the theatre gave me a great background in character development and scene building.

2) What inspired you to write your book?

I was in England in 2003 and one of the places I visited was Bath. In the circus, (I’ve attached a link to a Wikipedia image for your reference), there is a beautiful grassy area and a very small copse of trees. Apparently, the architect who designed it believed Bath was the center of druid activity and designed the King’s Circus with the measurements of Stonehenge in mind. After visiting the Jane Austen House in the morning, I had a little picnic snack under those trees and I communed with the trees and, I think, druids. I conceptualized a ghost story that involved a body snatching element. This initial idea took a little time to marinate, and I wrote some ideas out that never came to be. Ultimately, it became This Pale Mortal Shell.

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

There are two takeaways I hope will come across. The first being, don’t take anything for granted. It can be snatched away from you at any moment, and even if you get a second chance, you might still lose it. Live in the moment and make the most of what you’ve got! The second is, I hope readers understand my view on right action, especially when you’re using magic. I’m afraid to say too much here without spoiling it for future readers, but I’ll always advise people to be careful with the power they yield!

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

 One thing was that when I was a kid, there was not a lot in the way of kids’ books and there was absolutely no YA, so I had read everything there was to read by the time I was ten, and I graduated to adult fiction. I think my mom was just glad that I was reading voraciously, so she didn’t monitor the material much. I started reading a lot of ghost stories and Edgar Allen Poe. Then I graduated to Stephen King when I was about eleven. I guess you could say I was kind of a dark kid. There were also things happening in my personal life that drew me to the paranormal and magic. In addition, I was the kind of kid who often paired off my plush toys and dolls because I didn’t want anyone to be alone, so I guess I was a romantic kid as well. I started reading paranormal romance a lot after I had the idea for This Pale Mortal Shell just to get a sense of what was out there, and I absolutely fell in love with the genre. Up until then, I had only experimented with historical fiction/romance.

5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

I’m actually really having a hard time answering that one because there will be major spoilers! So, I don’t know if you have a protocol for dealing with that. The character that was probably the hardest to write is represented in three different characters in the story. The Young Rocker, the Goddess, and the Omnipresent Voice in Tristan’s limbo are all representatives of what I like to call the Universal Consciousness and boy do I have some questions for that one! One would be “Do people really get what’s coming to them, good or bad?” “Does everything really happen for a reason?” is another question. I like to believe that the answer to both of those questions is yes, but I’m often uncertain when really crappy things happen to undeserving people and vice versa. I won’t get all political as a writer yet, but I think you all can imagine what I mean.

6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

To be honest, I’m still feeling my way around the social media world. I’m what some people might call a digital immigrant, which is a person who uses technology but wasn’t born into it. I have been playing around with the biggies, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, but I’m also working on my profiles on Goodreads and Amazon. At the moment, I’m getting a lot more feedback/connections on Twitter, and I like it a lot. I do sometimes hate being limited to 280 characters, though!

7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

First and foremost, you must do two things pretty much every day, even you only spend an hour a day doing them: Read and write! And persevere! Not many writers are amazing right out of the gate. I think Mark Twain was one of the few, so be ready to kill your darlings and take the hard feedback when you get it. But also, stick to your guns if you really believe you are right and it’s not just your ego talking. You should also believe that you can get better every day and tell the story that people want to read if you keep working at it.

8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

I’m so glad you asked! I have the first in a series coming out this fall. The series is called The Selkie Chronicles, and the first of the series is called Only Skin Deep.

Here’s a little teaser for that series:

The selkie. Those hot-blooded, sea-dwelling creatures on which the phrase “love ‘em and leave ‘em” was coined. Unfortunately, in the twenty-first century, they’re not so focused on the seduction of unwitting but oh-so-willing humans even though it sure is fun once in a while. These days, they spend more time building up their own societies and domains and living within the constraints of their politics. Very few people even remember they exist, and a select few humans have been chosen for mutually beneficial partnerships to protect the selkie race from discovery. Occasionally, these relationships have tragic outcomes, but every once upon a time, the right human and the right selkie can set each other free.

And the blurb for the first of the series:

Sloane’s finally met her tall, dark, and handsome. The only problem is, sometimes he’s chubby, spotty, and smells of herring. But hey, nobody’s perfect, right?

Sloane is a disowned heiress turned waitress living in a small seaside town in west Scotland. Llyr is a selkie prince living in a kingdom thousands of feet under the sea and hundreds of miles away. It seems unlikely that the two could even meet let alone fall in love. But when she inadvertently calls him, he is able to take human form and journey to the surface.

Sloane and Llyr must battle disapproving fathers, wicked stepmothers and other deadly enemies to make their relationship work. Along the way they discover secret treasure, unravel the truth about the past, and overcome the sins of a father and a mother. Against all odds, they find a way to bridge the gap between humans and selkies, and together they break the ancient curse which threatens to keep them apart.

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/d.elizabeth.ayers/?modal=admin_todo_tour

https://www.instagram.com/delizabethayers/https://twitter.com/DElizabethAyer1

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19119504.D_Elizabeth_Ayers

And I also have a YouTube channel though it’s pretty thin at the moment. I like to have soundtracks for my novels which are in the playlists I have there. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC60_6pemqWIY3unPyAGgaTQ?view_as=subscriber

Interview with Author Rina Z. Neiman

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn Blog Tours, InterviewsLeave a comment

Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

I’ve worked in music, fashion, high tech, and retail. Writing has always been an element of my professional career.


What inspired you to write your book?

My mother’s life inspired this book, and the understanding that her story was so deeply intertwined with the establishment of the State of Israel. Sadly, she died when I was eleven years old, and I was too young to know what questions to ask. Following my father’s death years later, I discovered her photographs and documents, most of which I had never seen before. Under pictures of best friends and boyfriends, whose names we’d never know (or how they affected her), I found an illustrated sketch book by her brother. Avraham was the uncle we never met, but knew was her best friend. The book tells the story of a trip they took to the Galilee in 1947. For the first time, I had an inside view into the most significant relationship in my mother’s life, and an intimate portrait of her as a 17-year-old. I wanted to tell not only her story, but the story of the Sabra generation, the first generation of modern-day Israelis.

What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

  • We are from our birthplace.
  • The importance of family and community.
  • War is about losing loved ones.
  • Resilience in the face of adversity is key to survival.
  • What led to the establishment of the State of Israel. The events in Europe during WWII had repercussions that affected the whole world.
  • A portrait of the unique Sabra generation.
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What drew you into this particular genre?

I began this project as a straight biography, but quickly found it was not possible to corroborate particular facts about my mother’s life. It also became clear that there was a broader story to tell about the time period and her generation. I’ve always found historical fiction compelling to read, and love that it can transport you to a different time and place.  

What I like about writing an historical fiction novel is that there is a timeline of events that I was able to follow. I could intertwine those events in ways that I knew, or had to imagine, affected my mother. Here’s an example: While researching the time (1940s), and place (Tel Aviv), I came across an incident that happened in 1941 that I never knew about. My mother never spoke about it, and it wasn’t mentioned in most of the histories of Tel Aviv. Shortly after the Italians entered WWII, an squadron of Italian planes dropped bombs on my mother’s neighborhood killing 137 people. Even though I didn’t know how it affected my mother, it became clear to me that this was a scene that I had to write. What would it be like to be a 12-year-old girl caught in such a frightening event?

What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

Facebook and Instagram for now, and I’m working on my Twitter presence. With my WOW blog tour, I can see how effective the world of book blogs can be.

What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

  • Take classes in writing. Learn the craft.
  • Create a timeline with an outline. That’s your path.
  • Find a writing group.
  • Write THE END. Are you sure? Better check it one more time…
  • Polish your final piece.

Self-marketing is part of the publishing world now. The best way to create interest in your story is to find like-minded people, and promote to those you are connected with. Network with other writers, writing groups and organizations that may have an interest in your work.

What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

I have two projects that I’m currently outlining. There is a sequel to Born Under Fire that follows Shula in Manhattan in the 1950s, and her work at the first Israeli consulate in New York. And, because it’s based on my mother, the highs are high and the lows are devastating.

The second is a music-centered novel that takes place in New York in the early 1970s.

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bORN UNDER FIRE REVIEW
GUEST BLOG POST BY RINA Z. NEIMAN

About the Author

Rina Z. Neiman is a writer, event producer and public relations professional. Born Under Fire is based on the true story of her mother, Shulamit Dubno Neiman, a Sabra, a musician and one of the first generation of modern-day Israelis. Rina lives in Marin County, California with her husband and son. This is her first novel.REPORT THIS AD

You may find out more about the author and her book by visiting the website https://www.bornunderfire.com/. Also, you may find her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

— Blog Tour Dates

May 20th @ The Muffin

What goes better in the morning than a muffin! So, grab your coffee and join us today as we celebrate the launch of Rina Z. Neiman’s book Born Under Fire. Read an interview with the author and enter to win a copy of the book.

http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/REPORT THIS AD

May 21st @ Karen Brown Tyson Blog

Make sure you stop by Karen’s blog today where you can read Rina Z. Neiman’s guest post about how to manage time and distractions during the book writing process. If you are writing a book – or thinking about writing one – this one is a post you don’t want to miss!

https://karenbrowntyson.com/blog/

May 22nd @ Coffee with Lacey

Grab some coffee and visit Lacey’s blog today where you can read her review about Rina Z. Neiman’s book Born Under Fire.

https://coffeewithlacey.com/

May 23rd @ Coffee with Lacey

Stop by Lacey’s blog again where you can read the author Rina Z. Neiman’s guest post about why researching primary sources is so effective.

https://coffeewithlacey.com/

May 23rd @ Bri’s Book Nook

Looking for a new book? Make sure to stop by Bri’s Book Nook and find out why you need to add Rina Z. Neiman’s book Born Under Fire to your reading list.

https://brisbooknook.com/

May 24th @ One Sister’s Journey

Today is a can’t miss review by Lisa over at One Sister’s Journey blog. She’s sharing her thoughts about Rina Z. Neiman’s historical fiction book Born Under Fire.REPORT THIS AD

https://www.lisambuske.com/

May 26th @ Reading Whale

You won’t want to miss today’s stop at the blog Reading Whale where you can read this Rina Z. Neiman’s guest post about when you can finally start writing your book after all that research.

https://readingwhale.com/

May 27th @ The Burgeoning Bookshelf

Fill your bookshelf with good books! Stop by Veronica’s blog and read author Rina Z. Neiman’s guest post about writing biographical fiction and when to dramatize real events.

https://theburgeoningbookshelf.blogspot.com/

May 28th @ Helen Hollick’s World of Books

Join Helen Hollick’s Tuesday Talk over at her blog and read Rina Z. Neiman’s guest post about how videos can reinforce your historical novel.

https://www.helenhollick.net/

May 28th @ Book Collab Blog

Make sure you stop by Morgan’s blog Book Collab where you can find out what she has to say about Rina Z. Neiman’s historical fiction book Born Under Fire.

https://morganbray15.wixsite.com/mysite

May 29th @ Author Anthony Avina’s Blog

If you love historical fiction, make sure you visit Anthony Avina’s blog today where he features author Rina Z. Neiman’s blog post about how she researched her historical fiction novel Born Under Fire. You won’t want to miss this!REPORT THIS AD

https://authoranthonyavinablog.wordpress.com/

May 31st @ Jess Reading Blog

Are you interested in writing history for young adults? If you are, you will absolutely want to visit Jess’ blog today where author Rina Z. Neiman talks about writing history for young adults and what grabs them and what loses them.

https://jessbookishlife.wordpress.com/

June 1st @ The World of My Imagination

Come by Nicole’s blog today where you can read her review of Rina Z. Neiman’s book Born Under Fire and enter to win a copy of the book.

http://theworldofmyimagination.blogspot.com

June 2nd @ Author Anthony Avina’s Blog

Can’t resist a good book? Visit author Anthony Avina’s blog today when he reviews Rina Z. Neiman’s incredible historical fiction book Born Under Fire.

https://authoranthonyavinablog.wordpress.com/

June 3rd @ Beverley A. Baird’s Blog

Looking for your next great read? Make sure you stop by Bev’s blog today and catch her opinion on this fascinating historical fiction novel Born Under Fire.

https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/

June 4th @ Amanda Diaries

Today’s stop is at Amanda’s blog where you can read what she thinks about Rina Z. Neiman’s historical fiction book Born Under Fire. REPORT THIS AD

https://amandalsanders1989.wordpress.com/

June 5th @ The Frugalista Mom

Visit Rozelyn’s blog today where you can not only read her review of Born Under Fire but also enter to win a copy of the book!

https://thefrugalistamom.com/

June 7th @ Bookworm Blog

Feeling bookish today? Make sure you stop by Anjanette’s Bookworm blog where you can read her thoughts about Rina Z. Neiman’s powerful historical fiction book Born Under Fire plus read an interview with the author.

https://bookworm66.wordpress.com/

June 8th @ Jessica’s Reading Room

Today’s tour stop is a fantastic guest post written by author Rina Z. Neiman about how to make stories interactive. A must-read for all the writers out there!

http://jessicasreadingroom.com/

June 9th @ Jess Bookish Life

Need a new book in your life? Stop by Jess’ blog today where she shares her opinion about the historical fiction book Born Under Fire.

https://jessbookishlife.wordpress.com/

June 10th @ Beverley A. Baird’s Blog

Are you doing research for your novel? Make sure you visit Bev’s blog today where author Rina Z. Neiman is talking about top 5 ways to research secondary sources.REPORT THIS AD

https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/

June 12th @ Author Anthony Avina’s Blog

Get to know author Rina Z. Neiman at today’s stop over at author Anthony Avina’s blog where he interviews the author.

https://authoranthonyavinablog.wordpress.com/

June 14th @ Bookworm Blog

Visit Anjanette’s blog today and read a guest post by the author who talks about making your story interactive and why adding music is so effective.

https://bookworm66.wordpress.com/

Visit Wendi’s blog at Strength 4 Spouses where you can read Rina Z. Neiman’s guest post about the importance of writing during deployment.

June 15th @ Strength 4 Spouses

Welcome to Strength 4 Spouses Blog!

June 17th @ 12 Books

Visit Louise’s blog over at 12 Books and find out her thoughts about Rina Z. Neiman’s book Born Under Fire.

June 19th @ Inquiry and Beyond

Join Kathy on Instagram and on her blog PYP in Paradise as she reviews and features Rina Z. Neiman’s book Born Under Fire.

https://www.instagram.com/InquiryandBeyond/

http://pypinparadise.blogspot.com/

June 21st @ Choices Blog

Interviewing someone for your book? Make sure you visit Madeline Sharples’ blog today where Rina Z. Neiman talks about how to conduct interviews with people who are (and who are not) willing to talk with you.

http://madelinesharples.com/

June 23rd @ Strength 4 Spouses Blog

Need a new book? Make sure you stop by Wendi’s blog where she reviews Born Under Fire by Rina Z. Neiman.

Welcome to Strength 4 Spouses Blog!

Interview with Author Sean Robbins

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

1- Tell us a little bit about yourself. 

“Who am I? I am Spiderman.”

Well, not really, but this should tell you all you need to know about me and my writing style.

I’m a huge Marvel (plus Game of Thrones, Star Trek AND Star Wars) fan, which shows since my novel is loaded with pop culture references. If you are a sci-fi fan (I assume that you are, otherwise what are you doing here?) you will enjoy them tremendously. I even went full Deadpool in my first draft and broke the fourth wall multiple times, until my editor told it was distracting and kept taking her out of the moment. Shame. Those fourth-wall breaks were hilarious. Still, I can guarantee a few laugh-out-loud moments. Case in point: The “good” aliens in my novel are a race of pranksters, whose main goal in life is pulling other people’s legs (They have four legs, hence the slight change in the idiom). My favorite author is Jim Butcher (The Dresden Files), which is probably how I ended up writing in a first-person POV with the same light-hearted, funny tone as he does. The fact that my MC’s name is Jim is purely coincidental though.

I am a university/college level English teacher, and including Canada, I have lived and worked in five different countries. I have met people from all around the world. Plus, my parents are from a different background, and so is my wife. As a result, diversity has become a major theme in my novel. My characters look like the bridge crew from Star Trek. One of my female characters even impersonated Uhura once, albeit posthumously.

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2) What inspired you to write your book?

I have got purely obsessional OCD. What this means is a thought enters my mind—usually something negative—and doesn’t leave. I end up having to think about it 5000 times a day, and once this starts, my life is ruined for a week, two weeks, a month, or six months. I’d tried a lot of different ways to get rid of this problem: therapy, medication, meditation… Nothing ever worked, until I read an article that said the people who had this problem had an overly active imagination, and it would help if they channeled it into something productive, like writing.

I’d always wanted to be a writer. This is literally a childhood dream, one of those you give up when you grow up. I had the story of The Crimson Deathbringer in my mind for years (even started writing it and stopped a few times). When I read that article, I was going through a tough time in my marriage (fighting with your wife is no fun, even for sane people), and my mind had gone into its life-destroying over-drive, so I told myself, “Well, you’ve tried everything else, let’s give this a shot.”

And then a miracle happened.

My mind put the same energy it used to put into producing BS and making my life miserable into coming up with stories. Ideas would come to me fast and furious, and I had to stop whatever I was doing several times a day to write them down. I’ve been OCD-free since then (I know, I sound like a recovering alcoholic). When TCD (cool, eh?) was finished, it took my out-of-control brain half a day to plan my second novel, which is about a nerdy scientist and a sexy female mercenary who use a time machine to defeat an alien invasion.

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

To be perfectly honest, I’m not trying to send a message. All I want is to entertain my readers. If they are so absorbed in my story that they forget about real life and its problems (and hopefully laugh a few times) my job is done. That said, being a Star Trek fan, I hope my book presents the same themes of optimism and diversity as OST does.

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

I think I was 9 when I watched the first Star Wars movie, and I never looked back. I’ve been a big sci-fi/space opera fan ever since, so it’s only natural that I write the same genre.  

5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

I’d love to ask Jim how he manages to shrug off the most terrible things a human might suffer using nothing but humor!

6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

My publisher, Creativia, has a FB page called Creativia Street Team. Members of this group helped a lot.

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7) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

Besides the one mentioned in question 2, I’ve started planning for TCD’s sequels.

Twitter is @seanrobins300
https://seanrobins73.wixsite.com/website

The Crimson Deathbringer review

Interview with Author Zachary Ryan

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn Interviews, reviewsLeave a comment

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

I’ve been writing little stories since I was little. I then started writing poetry at 15. I wrote and completed my first novel at 17. I’m the type of person that always wants to be writing because if I’m not, then I feel like I’m the noun of the word writer instead of verb. I feel like a fake. I also create my own deadlines because I like to get distracted very easily. I’m twenty-nine, I currently live in Chicago with my boyfriend. I’m the general manager of a bar, and yes, my true love is Jameson. 

2) What inspired you to write your book?

I had been writing these depressing. coming-of-age books for five years, and I just wanted to write a good ole fashion bitch book. I love the idea of scandal, backstabbing, and lying. it’s probably why I won biggest gossip in high school. 

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

I think to not care what people think about you, and not to rely on your mask you show the world too much. I think life truly begins for anyone when they are their true selves. It happened to me when I came out at 23. 

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

I think high school is interesting time period. People think it’s the end all be all for them. I look back at high school, I loved my time there, but it wasn’t my ground breaking moment. High School is supposed to be happy memories, not define you as a human. 

5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

I think Danielle. I think she’s the only one that to me is interesting. I feel like some of the other characters make stupid choices, and I’m like why. Danielle makes mistakes, but she owns them. She’s also a ruthless girl, and I feel like she would be fun to have a conversation with. I think I would ask her if she regretted anything she did in the whole book series. 

6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

I would like to say Instagram, but I feel that’s a lie. I get likes on likes. I don’t think people are ready to read my stuff. I think social media isn’t a great place to get readers, or maybe it’s just me. I feel my sales haven’t changed when I post anything. 

7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

I think you need to be delusional obsessed with your book, but be open to take criticism. I think it’s sad when you’re not passionate about your novel. You have to annoy your friends with it. You need to be willing for criticism because that’s how you grow. That’s how you’re able to make this book you’re in love with better. 

8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

I just finished another coming-of-age novel. I’ll be editing that soon, but I’ll be actually writing a spinoff series to The High School Queens trilogy. You’re the first person I’ve told. I don’t think my publisher knows yet, either. 

High School Queens Trilogy #1
High School Queens trilogy #2

About the Author

Zachary Ryan grew up in a black-and-white box in Maryland, before moving to Chicago to start a new life. There, he found that he was accepted for his misfit status—and learned that it’s perfectly normal to spend your twenties feeling lost and confused.

After a disastrous sexual encounter, Ryan stumbled on a group of true friends, or “soul cluster,” that he connected with. Through his writing, he hopes to help other broken souls out there find comfort amid the chaos.

https://zacharyryanbooks.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Zacharyryanbooks/

Author Interview with Mariano Pavanello

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn InterviewsLeave a comment

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing and your overall profession?

  • I was born in Venice (Italy) and precisely in Murano, the island of the glass-blowers. I had a classical education and studied Latin and Ancient Greek literatures but I specialized in Anthropology and did a lot of fieldwork from 1973 to 2013 in sub-Saharan African countries (Burkina Faso, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Somalia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe); in my long experience I was struck by the amount of physical work that women carry out all over the world while reproducing the human society delivering and raising children. I taught 36 years in the Universities and wrote 14 books (of which 4 in English and 1 in French), and more than one hundred papers published in collective books or in international journals (of which 16 in English and 8 in French).
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2) What inspired you to write your book?

  • I was inspired by the need to show that if mankind succeeded in dominating the planet, this is due to women who lent their time to men. The occasional source of inspiration was David Graeber’s book “Debt: the last 5000 years” that ignores the role of women during the previous 50,000 years.

3) What message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

  • I hope readers will appreciate my effort to explain how humans (Homo sapiens) succeeded in history thanks to the work of women, and hope they will grasp that human success was not due simply to the technological progress, but to an intelligent and efficient mode of articulating of the two main labour forces (male hunting and female gathering) during the 99% of their life on earth.  

4) What drew you into this particular subject?

  • In 1993  I was engaged in an analysis of the foraging (hunting-gathering) economies and discovered that the work of the gathering women was everywhere less time-consuming and energetically more productive than the work of the hunting men. My analysis was concerning only the contemporary and marginalized foraging societies. My exercise was aimed at finding out the conditions by which human societies enter into a transition from a purely foraging economy to an economy based on agricultural production (cultivation and breeding). At that time, I published a book in Italian on this subject.

5) You go over in great detail many examples and historical references to make your argument, but in your opinion and for readers looking to delve into your book, what is one of the single biggest pieces of evidence or events in our world’s history to you that women are responsible for many of the advancements of human history?

  • The time women allowed men to enjoy in order to let them spend the necessary time for dealing with the complex tasks of hunting. This is the most ancient and the most surprising form of financement. Therefore, I agree with the statement that “women financed male dominance”.

6) With so much of our society built upon a male dominant perspective, why do you think women have such a hard time earning the respect and recognition for their contributions to society?

  • Failing to acknowledge the role of women, and still trying to keep them in a subordinate status, not to speak about frequent violence against women, is a crime against humanity. Nonetheless, in many countries or regions women are often accomplices with cultural trends that are against their complete equality, which makes it difficult the fight of women even in the most developed countries. 

7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors or researchers out there?

  • I hope that the best suggestion is to speak always words of truth in support of humanity.  

8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

  • Probably a couple of books are in preparation on my desk: one on my experience as anthropologist, and another one on my birthplace and its history.   
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The Gender of debt review

About the Author

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Mariano Pavanello taught Social Anthropology and Africanistics in the Universities of Pisa and Rome “La Sapienza”, where he was Head of the Department of History, Cultures, and Religions. His extensive experience among the Nzema of Ghana was his main ethnological fieldwork that he concluded with the creation of the “Kwame Nkrumah Museum of the Nzema Culture and History” in the premises of the eighteenth-century Fort Apollonia in Beyin, Ghana. He has published a number of books, including Sistemi umani (1992), Le società acquisitive e i fondamenti razionali dello scambio (1993), Il formicaleone e la rana (2000), Perspectives on African Witchcraft (2017), and La papaye empoisonnée. Essais sur la société Akan des Nzema (2017).

Buy the Book:

https://www.cambridgescholars.com/the-gender-of-debt

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https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mariano_Pavanello

https://uniroma1.academia.edu/MarianoPavanello

SSRN at: http://ssrn.com/author=2374528

ORCID: 0000-0003-4314-5958  

Interview with Author Bernard Schaffer

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn InterviewsLeave a comment

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

     I’ve written for as long as I could remember. It probably comes from a deeply embedded love of story. At some point you want the story to keep going, or to have different ideas about a story that you want to explore on your own. From there, you find your own stories to tell. 

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2) What inspired you to write your book series?

     I spent six years as an indie author and publisher. There’s a lot of freedom in that. I explored whatever genre I felt like. Eventually it felt like I’d achieved everything I could as an indie author and I wanted to try my hand at traditional mainstream publishing. 

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your books?

     Honestly I don’t write to spread messages or themes. There is no hidden agenda in my work. That being said, any good piece of art can be enjoyed on multiple levels. The casual reader will be entertained by a good story. The ones who want to go deeper will find more to it. I’ve always been a fan of layers and subtext, but that is not for me to point out. They will find it if they look. 

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

     It’s my wheelhouse. I’m a twenty-year police officer and still a full-time detective. This genre allows me to focus on writing without having to stop and look up certain procedures or terms or do research like I would in others. The background information is baked into my brain. It opens the track up wide. 

5) If you could sit down with any character in your book series, what would you ask them and why?

     I already know what they’d say. They say it in my head. Anything I don’t know is something I’m waiting to find out later. 

6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

     Any of the normal sites will do. It’s all in your approach. I keep it casual and post the things I enjoy. I’m not trying to gain new readers via social media. If people read my work and enjoy it enough to seek me out on social media, I’m glad to get to know them. I hope they like hearing about boxing and Star Wars, because that’s pretty much what I talk about on there. 

7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

     The basic advice is fairly simple. Real authors finish. I see too many aspiring writers pining over unfinished manuscripts. Too many workshopping first chapters. Too many worried about agents and publishers and everything that isn’t important yet. Finish your book. Set it aside. Rewrite the entire thing. Have it edited by someone who doesn’t mind hurting you. Make it something worthy of standing on the bookshelves next to the people you admire. Until you finish and have a completed book, you haven’t done it. If you haven’t done it, forget everything else and go do it. Once you’ve done it, go do it again. 

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8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

    THE THIEF OF ALL LIGHT paperback arrives this summer. Then, AN UNSETTLED GRAVE, the second Santero and Rein book, comes out July 2019 in hardcover, audio and eBook. BLOOD ANGEL comes out the summer of 2020. What I’m working on now will come out sometime after that. In the traditional world, books are published a year or so after they’ve been written. It gives me plenty of time to plan for the future. 

About the Author

Bernard Schaffer is the author of the Santero and Rein Thriller Series from Kensington Publications. 

Prior to that, he published multiple titles in a variety of genres as an independent author. Schaffer is the father of two children and a full-time police detective in Southeastern PA.

Visit him @BernardSchaffer or www.bernardschaffer.com.

THE THIEF OF ALL LIGHT: A Santero and Rein Thriller 1 (Available Now)AN

UNSETTLED GRAVE: A Santero and Rein Thriller 2 (Summer 2019, Available for Pre-Order)

BLOOD ANGEL: A Santero and Rein Thriller 3 (Summer, 2020)

Social Media Links

Bernard Schaffer’s Facebook Author Page

Bernard Schaffer’s Goodreads Page

Bernard Schaffer’s BookBub Page

Website: www.BernardSchaffer.com

Instagram @BernardSchaffer

Twitter: @BernardSchaffer

Interview with Author Julia L.F. Goldstein

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn InterviewsLeave a comment

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. At what point did you decide to pursue writing about your field of study?

I started my career as a process development engineer in the semiconductor manufacturing industry, designing better ways to connect computer chips to circuit boards. As an engineer, I gravitated toward writing the articles for publication in trade magazines and the reports for projects. I began my writing career with Advanced Packaging Magazine, a publication in which I had published contributed articles. My current business, JLFG Communications, focuses on writing technical marketing content for corporate websites, but I still occasionally write articles for trade and business magazines. It’s nice to keep a toe in journalism and not only write anonymous content.

2) What inspired you to write your book?

My initial inspiration was a desire to shift my client base toward companies involved in sustainable manufacturing and renewable energy. I figured that writing a book on the topic would give me credibility that would help me get a foot in the door. Clients I’ve been working with for years will trust me with projects outside my proven fields of expertise, but potential clients often want to see experience writing for their specific industry.

As I delved into the research, my fascination with the subject matter and interactions with the enthusiastic business professionals I interviewed inspired me to continue. I knew that I needed to get this book out into the world.

3) What do you hope readers will take away from your book above all else?

I want readers to understand that the challenges of reducing waste in manufacturing are complex, but many smart business leaders are developing creative solutions and progress is being made. We shouldn’t be complacent, but neither should we be discouraged. I want readers to commit to at least one action at work or at home that allows them to be part of the solution.

4) What drew you into this particular field of study?

I’ve been fascinated by engineered materials ever since I took an introductory materials science course in college, but I didn’t always consider the environmental impact of all the amazing materials that engineers were inventing. In recent years, I’ve thought more about these issues and the responsibility of manufacturers to their employees, customers, and the communities in which they operate. The more I learned about companies embracing the triple bottom line—profit, people, planet—the more I became convinced that I should write a book focused on the materials aspect of sustainability.

5) What is the number one thing you would recommend for a manufacturing company just starting out in their business?

Fledgling manufacturing companies contemplating the shift from prototypes to volume production face many hurdles. I urge them to consider the environmental footprint of their manufacturing process when evaluating their entire supply chain. If they want to be eco-friendly, that needs to extend to every component or ingredient in their products, every vendor they choose, where they manufacture their products, and how they ship products to customers. Making smart decisions up front can save money in the long run and build trust with customers.

6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

I’ve gotten traction with both Facebook and LinkedIn. I made my book launch an event on Facebook and invited all my local Seattle-area friends. My multiple posts about the book got the attention of many friends in the San Francisco Bay Area, where I lived for 20 years, and many of them are now on my mailing list. When my LinkedIn contacts shared my post about the book launch, it expanded my reach to hundreds of people I’ve never met. In the long run, I believe that LinkedIn will be more helpful in reaching a business audience.

7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

Join a writing group that meets in person, in addition to participating in online groups. Writing is a solitary activity, but just being in the company of other writers can inspire you to achieve your goals. For nonfiction authors, the Nonfiction Authors Association has a wealth of information on its website, including links to its weekly teleseminars, plus chapters in many cities that hold monthly meetings. Whether you’re wondering what type of editing your book will need or trying to decide between submitting a proposal to agents or self-publishing, experienced authors can help point you in the right direction.

8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

In the short term, I’m focused on marketing Material Value. Simply writing a book that people want to read isn’t enough. It’s an author’s responsibility to let potential readers know that the book exists. I am, however, gathering ideas for my next book. It will also address materials and sustainability but focused on the textile and fashion industries. A surprisingly large number of companies are producing fabrics made from recycled plastic water bottles.

Read my review of julia’s book here!

About the Author:

Julia L F Goldstein holds a PhD in materials science and started her career as an engineer before migrating to journalism in 2001. She now writes white papers and other technical marketing content for companies manufacturing a wide variety of products. Julia is active in her local writing community and leads the Seattle chapter of the Nonfiction Authors Association. When she’s not writing, she enjoys playing flute and piccolo and participating in triathlons.

Connect with Julia:

 juliagoldsteinauthor.com

twitter.com/jlfgoldstein

linkedin.com/in/juliagoldstein