Fractured Angel by Ken Williams

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How would you go about trying to help your daughter who, suffering her first psychotic break at fifteen, is chased by her wounded mind to the streets of Santa Barbara? That is the dilemma that Lynne Swanson faces. Out of her element, and definitely out of her comfort zone for this professional woman, she is forced to seek the help of Kerry Wilson, a social worker for the homeless. Unfortunately for her, Kerry is a rough-necked loner that has no inclination to hold the hand of a woman who he feels is out for a lark at the expense of his homeless clients. The harsh and deadly realities of the streets in one of the wealthiest cities in the world and an attempt to close a homeless shelter just as winter sets in produces a dramatic race against time with the life of Lynne’s daughter in the balance.
Praise for Fractured Angel:

Format: Kindle Edition

California is portrayed as some kind of paradise where everyone and everything is perfect, the reality is somewhat different to this Hollywood creation. Fractured Angels is all about the homeless in Santa Barbara, particularly a mother and daughter pair who are just trying to survive. Williams is a Santa Barbara author so this is a deeply personal writing and this really comes through in the book, you can really tell this is something he really, deeply cares about. After reading the book you will care about it too.

All too often the disparity between the haves and have not’s is swept under the carpet and hidden away. This disparity is oh so clear as people at the very bottom of the ladder are fighting for survival, not metaphorically, but literally, survival in what is one of America’s (and by extension, the world’s) most affluent areas. The characters are beautifully written; you really come to feel for them and want to actively help them out. I find it somewhat repulsive that there are people starving and living in the streets while not so far away there are folks with so much excess it is unbelievable.

The book is very well written and if you are interested in books about the homeless specifically or books about poverty in the western world, then you will love this. 5 stars and highly recommended from me.

Format: Kindle Edition

This book was AMAZING! [Ken Williams] tells the inside story of working with the homeless in the backyard of the rich and famous. In [Fractured Angel] he draws on his own experiences to create a fictionalized account of a social worker, a mother, and a fifteen year old runaway all trying to cope with their demons. [Williams] has a way with storytelling and the empathy he shows for all his characters shows through in his words.
Where you can find Fractured Angel:
http://www.amazon.com/Fractured-Angel-Ken-Williams/dp/0991180763/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1456162007&sr=8-1&keywords=fractured+angel+by+ken+williams
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fractured-angel-ken-williams/1119916882?ean=9780991180769
http://sakura-publishing.com/product/fractured-angel/
Interview with Ken:
1.     Tell me about your book and why you decided to write it.
FRACTURED ANGEL is the story of Lynne Swanson, mother, professional, middle class who is forced to visit the world of the homeless in Santa Barbara CA when her fifteen year old daughter, suffering her first psychotic break runs there.  To access this alien world she is forced to seek the help of Kyle Wilson, a social worker for the homeless.  Their interaction: mistrustful at first and eventually romantic drives the story as does the shock of the often brutal world Lynne’s daughter now finds herself trapped in.  With the approach of the cold and wet winter, known as the “killing season” amongst those who serve the homeless the search takes a desperate and dramatic turn.
 
The seeds of this story was planted several years ago when a man from Silicon Valley was told by the police that if anyone in Santa Barbara could help him find his daughter, who had run there after suffering a psychotic break it was Ken Williams.  The clashing life styles of this man and myself stood in stark contrast that day we met.  He was refined and his clothes and mannerism spoke of wealth.  The two of us would never have interacted in our respective worlds—except his daughter, with a wounded mind was somewhere out there who needed help.  The sadness in his eyes, his being humbled with the need to seek that help from me was etched on his face.  But the love of his daughter trumped all.  He gave me a picture that day of his daughter.  It was torn in half to protect the identity of other family members.  I have that photo to this day.  And sadly I have met many other parents looking for their mentally ill sons and daughters living on Santa Barbara’s cold and unforgiving streets.
 
2.     What is your favorite genre to write and why?
I have written in literary fiction, urban fantasy and currently speculative fiction.  Each one has its owns challenges and pluses.  The novel I am working on currently is speculative fiction and I find that intellectually stimulating.
 
3.     What do you hope to accomplish as an author?
I look to the writings of John Steinbeck, Upton Sinclair and Harriet Beecher Stowe—Uncle Tom’s Cabin as leaders in how novels can change reality.  President Abraham Lincoln is rumored to have said to Harriet Beecher Stowe when he met her: “So you're the little woman who wrote the book that made this great war!”  In my small way I hope to be part of a wave that will challenge how people view the poor, the mentally ill and especially the homeless and help end this national disgrace.
 
4.     What would you like your readers to know about you?
Even from darkness light can emanate.  My worldview and perhaps my sensitivity to injustice were born in conflict.  My time served in Vietnam during the war had a profound impact on me, including having a novel I read while recuperating on a hospital ship setting my life’s course of working with the mentally ill.  (I Never Promised You A Rose Garden). Then the streets, their brutality and the beauty of those who have nothing yet try to help someone in even worse dire straights taught me humility and well as humanity and how to keep things in perspective.  We are not able to avoid pain.  The only “free” choice we have is how we react to it.  We can fall victim to racism, sexism, blaming the “other,” or use our intellect and heart to make things better.
 
5.     Do you have any works in progress?  What are they?  
Since FRACTURED ANGEL I have completed two novels. HOMELESSNESS, A COMBAT VETERAN, MENTAL ILLNESNSS, A LOVE STORY is in fact a love story between a Marine combat veteran of Afghanistan and a mentally ill Vietnamese-American.  The backdrop is an abandoned warehouse taken over by the homeless.  GAIA’S REVOLT takes place twenty years in the future when global warming is having devastating consequences in California and throughout the world.  It is a story of how the fabric of our society is brutalized by those events.  Unending wars for natural resources, racial strafe, growing poverty of the middle class and rampant homelessness of the poor.  Sort of reads like today’s headlines doesn’t it?
 
6.     If you could have one wish granted, what would it be?
Interesting question… Perhaps that we quit fearing the “other.” That we simply see everyone as equal in our collective struggle to bring dignity and meaning to our lives.  Then again there is that brutal war in Syria.  Suffer the poor children. Why?
Author Bio:
For over thirty years Ken Williams worked for the homeless in one of the wealthiest cities in America: Santa Barbara. His clients included the mentally ill, alcoholic/drug addicts, war veterans, the infirmed, people with AIDS, the neglected, survivors of sexual violence and the aged. During that time he also battled the prejudices and fears directed against these new lepers. He was instrumental in establishing homeless shelters, soup kitchens, halfway houses and other client centered services. His most cherished project was Casa Rosa a recovery home and rescue for pregnant homeless women who were battling addiction or mental illness, and Maritza’s Cocina, a children’s soup kitchen. He won many awards for these efforts including being recognized as Public Citizen of the Year for California by the National Association of Social Workers. He also won the 2010 Civil Rights Award by the Santa Barbara Chapter of the A.C.L.U. He used these experiences to write novels, screenplays and columns for local media outlets.
Where you can find Ken:
http://kenwilliams-writer.com/
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22774590-fractured-angel?from_search=true&search_version=service
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1365099038

The Improbable Wonders of Moojie Littleman by Robin Gregory

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Moojie Littleman is not just another disabled orphan with extraterrestrial friends, he is not just a kid who falls into a series of magical, mystical adventures involving love and family and watermelons. He is, above all, the most unlikely and powerful hero ever known. Moral allegory, magical realism, and lyrical prose, "The Improbable Wonders of Moojie Littleman" tells the story of a disabled boy who is sent to St. Isidore's Fainting Goat Dairy, where determination to "belong" stirs up trouble and leads to a surprising destiny--if only he can survive one last terrifying trial.

Awards for The Improbable Wonders Of Moojie Littleman:

Literary Classics Int'l Book of the Year 2016, Best First Middle Grade, Gold & Pre-teen Fantasy, Gold Mom's Choice, Best Books 2016, YA Fantasy, Gold Library Journal, Self-e, Indie California Book Collection 2016, Curated Pick IPPY, Book of the Year 2016, Cover Design ~ Fiction, Gold International Book Awards, Book of the Year 2016, YA Fiction, Finalist Rave Reviews Book Club, President's Pick 2016 Foreword Reviews' INDIEFAB Awards, Book of the Year 2015, YA, Finalist; Cover design, Gold Gelett Burgess Children's Book Award 2015, Fantasy, Gold Kirkus Reviews, Best Indie Books of the Month, December 2015 Kirkus Reviews, Best Indie Books of the Year 2015, current long list

Where you can find The Improbable Wonders Of Moojie Littleman:

https://www.amazon.com/Improbable-Wonders-Moojie-Littleman/dp/1942545002/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473322777&sr=8-1&keywords=the+adventures+of+moojie+littleman

Interview with Robin:

1. What prompted you to write this book?

For most of my life, I’ve been drawn to the unseen, primary forces of life and the universe, and in discovering my relationship to them. At first, I did this through art. It was only later that I discovered writing. Both mediums have been a way to put what I’ve learned from life experience, spiritual study, and practice into coherence.

2. Is there anything autobiographical in your story?

My son inspired MOOJIE LITTLEMAN. Actually, I’ve had a pretty interesting life, beginning with being one of eight children in a pretty messed up family. This led to a lot of heartache, loneliness, and feelings of “not belonging.” I spent many years searching for spiritual answers, but the healing of these wounds really began when my husband and I adopted a baby with special needs. In spite of his difficulties, our son is the most kindhearted, courageous, and bright boy I have ever known. He has been teaching me so much. Especially, he is teaching me not to judge people by appearances, and to forgive others for hurting me. I wanted to put some of his life lessons together with mine to make a story that would inspire anybody who is dealing with difficulties and challenges.

3. Do you have any works in progress?

Right now, I am working on the audio book of MOOJIE LITTLEMAN. After auditioning readers worldwide, I, and my beta group, chose an incredible reader, James Stephens of London. We are on Chapter 4. It will be released Spring of 2016 through ACX, an Amazon company. I’m excited to know that the audience for the book will include folks who have challenges that prevent them from reading.

4. What do you hope to accomplish as a writer?

What a great question! I want to do my part to provide solace, laughter, and inspiration to readers. To help others recognize a greater sense of their divine nature. What starts with the imagination can flower into recognition and manifestation. Each of us is destined to awaken from material beliefs, and actually experience heaven on earth. As Moojie’s story points out—as Jesus, Buddha, Muhammed, Rumi, Kierkegaard, de Chardin, Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King, Jr., Amma, our present pope, and many more great leaders have taught—true change begins with love and compassion.

5. If you could have one wish granted, what would it be?

When I look back at my life one day, I would like to feel that I learned to put my limited sense of “self” behind, and helped others do the same, that we rose together out of the tomb of fear and fulfilled our greatest potentials.

6. If you could give me one piece of advice about life, what would it be?

Learn to be quiet. Avoid busyness, for it delays awakening. Liberation from suffering begins with silencing old beliefs, patterns, reactions, and allowing the divine pattern to surface.

“You do not need to leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen. Do not even listen, simply wait, be quiet still and solitary. The world will freely offer itself to you to be unmasked, it has no choice, it will roll in ecstasy at your feet.”—Franz Kafka

Thank you, dear Bright Souls.

Where you can find Robin:

http://www.madmysticaljourney.com/

http://facebook.com/RobinGregoryAuthor

http://www.amazon.com/author/r.s.gregory

Twitter @ tweety_robin

Letting Go by Emily Medlock!

Feel Life 2

At twenty-three years old, Sophie Tyler had always lived, what some would call, a normal life. Growing up in a small Mississippi town, she was popular and beautiful. With plenty of friends and a loving family. Simply breezing through life with nothing to stand in her way. That is, until a tragic accident occurred, leaving her in a position she never thought she would be. Can she now repair her broken life and fill the seemingly bottomless pit in her ever-aching heart? Faced with racism, unwanted religion, new responsibilities, and grief, Sophie must learn to triumph over her hurdles and put her trust in the exact place she's been hiding from.

Review:

Format: Paperback Verified Purchase

With a heartbreaking and riveting first chapter, I was hooked from the beginning. I immediately connected with Sophie and felt whatever she was feeling. I laughed and cried with her. The characters were all real and unforgettable and the twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat, but the real gift from this story was learning what "letting go" really means and seeing what happened in my life when I did it. Can't wait for more books in this series!
Where you can find Letting Go:
Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Letting-Go-Springdale-Trilogy-Book/dp/152365712X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1456674840&sr=8-1&keywords=letting+go+emily+medlock
Createspace:  https://www.createspace.com/6017004
Interview with Emily:
 

1.  Tell me about your book and why you decided to write it.

A lot of the subjects in this book I have always felt very strongly about. But, for me, I don't sit and think of something to write about. In my mind and in my heart, my characters are real, I just record their stories, not create them.

2.  What is your favorite genre to read?  Who are some of your favorite authors?

I love reading in general, but I have to say that my favorite genre is Christian fiction (particularly romance).
My favorite author is easily Janette Oke. A few others include Beverly Lewis, Tracie Peterson, Chautona Havig, and Lynn Austin. I could go on for hours, because it's hardly fair to compare or pick only a few.

3.  Do you have any works in progress?  What are they?

I do. I'm currently working on the second book in my trilogy, the first I already have published. I'm also writing a medieval fantasy and a historical fiction.

4.  What do you hope to accomplish as an author?

I just want to share what is in my heart and my mind with the world. Even if that involves a bit of controversy, if I touch just one life positively, then it will be 100% worth it.

5.  What would you like your readers to know about you?

I just love writing and I love reading. I'm me and I'm happy with everyone being themself.

6.  If you could give me one piece of advice about life, what would it be?

Be yourself (there's only one you) and accept yourself as well as others, do what you know or feel is right, give and live life fully, and above all, love!
Where you can find Emily:
Facebook:  https://m.facebook.com/phoenix101593/
Amazon:  amazon.com/author/emilymedlock

Escape From Palmar by Joseph J. Miccolis!

 

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Kodus has lived a boring life in Stronghaven, sheltered from the world and isolated from any social interaction. This is until he meets a girl who leads him to adventure into Estonia. His life in Stronghaven was forced by his parents only for protection. His mother and father were the king and queen of Dagmarth, a beautiful planet considered the center of all galaxies, until a savage enemy led a surprise attack that nearly obliterated it. Some Dagmarthians found safety on the planet Palmar, where his parents hid for years before coming back to our own world.

It was a new prophecy told on Palmar that encouraged one last hope for winning the ongoing war and restoring Dagmarth to freedom and peace. But, every promising future comes with a cost. Dagmarth must convince one extraordinary boy to become its bright-shining hero. His name will be Kodus Solaris Hemsley.

All of Dagmarth will realize the hard part is not protecting Kodus, but convincing the boy to fight for them and all planets on its side. He will discover magical powers and skills that outmatch any warrior. It will be his destiny to be the hero for all – the hero of a new generation of freedom and peace. A quest that begins with an escape from Palmar and depends on Kodus accepting the truth and his destiny.

Reviews:

Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase

This book was a mix of prophecy and a strangely entertaining style of storytelling which reminded me in concept of Enders Game at times. I thought it was both original in come it and execution - I enjoyed what felt like an almost religious feel to the prophecy as I personally haven't seen that before - this was a fast and entertaining read! I'm sure this author will be one to watch. Check it out!

Awesome book. The story pulls you in and you won't be able to put the book down. It's a great sci-fi story and I eagerly await the sequel.Published 2 months ago by Paul

Where you can find Dagmarth:  Escape From Palmar:

https://www.amazon.com/Dagmarth-Escape-Joseph-J-Miccolis-ebook/dp/B01GWON93C/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1472885816&sr=1-1&keywords=escape+from+palmar+joseph+miccolis

Interview with Joseph:

Where you can find Joseph:
https://www.facebook.com/josephjmiccolis
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Zimrah, Dream Singer by Susan Valles!

Zimrah Dream Singer by Susan Valles

In the land of ancient Israel, in the days just before the miracles of Jesus the Christ began, there lived an orphan girl named Zimrah. A foreigner and slave with no knowledge of who she is or where she is from, Zimrah has many demons to overcome.

Living among people that fear and reject her because of her foreign features and uncommon grey eyes, she finds shelter in the last Jewish house in a City of Refuge only to find her master suffers demons of his own. She soon discovers that the dark spirits who have tormented her all her life, can not only be battled, but defeated when she begins to heed the gentle Voice speaking to her in her dreams…the Voice that teaches her to sing.

Who is this Voice? Will she dare to hope in the Light it offers? Can the promises hidden in the songs with words she remembers from the ancient texts of her childhood, really be speaking of a future different from the past she has always known?

Reviews:

Gripping! Wonderful story! Great teaching tool for anyone yearning to embrace God's truth. Only put it down to sleep!

Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase

Zimrah, Dream Singer blessed me immensely, and continues to bless me. I did not want it to end. The story beautifully weaves scripture throughout. Through the experiences of Zimrah, I was able to gain a deeper level of understanding about the spiritual war that is waged against us and how God protects and prepares us, and He sees us through. While the story is powerful, I think applying it to my own life and experiences has helped me to rest in HIS goodness and His love, and to even experience His presence in a deeper way. It has helped me to see the power in not only hearing but listening & obeying His voice. It has challenged me in my walk with the Lord, and given me even more courage in my faith. My favorite quote from Zimrah, "Eventually I climbed out of the small place, the prison of my fear, and He taught me to soar high with Him where the air is clear and the songs are full of life and freedom. I still have so much to learn but He is teaching me." I can't wait to read book 2!
Where you can find Zimrah, Dream Singer:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017ZEYD0G/ref=cm_sw_su_dp
Interview with Susan:
1.  Tell me about your book and why you decided to write it.
Writing this book was not a conscious decision. I didn’t wake up one day and say, “I’m going to write a book.” It was more like a desire that I had, for as long as I can remember, but didn’t think I could ever actually do it. Being a believer in Jesus, I knew the verses that say that He wants to give us our desires, fulfill our dreams, but I had given up on my desire to write a book. It was buried deep, surrounded by the fear that I could not write well enough, and did not have what it takes to finish a novel. But God does not forget any of our dreams. I literally woke up one morning in September of 2014 with the first lines of the book in my mind. I am a songwriter and am used to keeping my laptop beside my bed, so I got up and wrote down what I was hearing. Then I heard some more and wrote some more. Nine months later it was finished. The fictional character of Zimrah and her story emerged out of my life experiences, how God taught me that He was real and that He loved me...through song. Like Zimrah, His love freed me from my fears.
2.  Is there a certain genre you prefer to write?  Why?
This is a story set in a specific time in history, but it came more out of my love for the stories and people of the Bible than trying to write a genre. It is also filled with what some may call fantasy, the idea of a spiritual dimension that exists alongside this one, where darkness and light battle for human souls. This is both fascinating and exciting to me! So you could say I prefer to write Historical Fantasy because those are the two things that I am the most passionate about.
3.  Do you have any works in progress?  What are they?
 
I am currently working on the second book in the Zimrah Series (called “Zimrah, Dream Walker”), and on recording the songs that are in Dream Singer. Some of my readers have asked to hear the songs that are so much a part of Zimrah’s journey, and I am thrilled to let them!
4.  What would you like your readers to know about you?
I am a mother of four (from teens to toddlers) and was homeschooling two of them, as well as running a music ministry while I wrote this book. That was when God saw fit to give me the passion to write this story, not when my life was slow or when all my kids were out of the house! 
5.  What do you hope to accomplish as an author?
If I can help people to understand God differently, I would be a happy woman! He is not at all what I grew up believing. He’s not angry or vengeful. He is just the opposite. There is so much more going on around us than we can see with our eyes. If my books help people to shift their thinking even just a little, I would call that success.
6.  If you could give me one piece of advice about life, what would it be?
In the Bible, God spoke most often to people when they were sleeping, through dreams. So…pay attention to what you’re dreaming. The answers to your prayers may be hiding there.
Where you can find Susan:

Review: Paintings: A Collection Of Lyrical Tales by Kelley Lee McDonald

  Paintings cover by Kelley McDonald

Paintings is a collection of poems and images I put together to portray a particular period of time. In my early thirties I became focused on two questions, "Who am I, and how do I want to proceed through life."

This project reflects that early contemplation. Compiling this work was liberating yet also confusing because revelations and knowledge, mistakes and ignorance converged all at once. At times, it was difficult to discern which direction I was moving in, but I've come to know there is great treasure everywhere, from the terrible to the terrific.

It has taken me 55 years to fully understand I will never reach a quiet precipice while on this planet. I have learned through my own experiences how important it is to know myself so I can nurture and continue to shape that truth from within. I'm so grateful a train of thought was ushered in to provide a place for me to return to in order to remain faithful and fruitful during hard times, but by no means, has this information permitted me to rest.

Everyday, I must decide all over again to be kind, thoughtful, and tolerant of others while forgiving myself as I repeatedly fail at this very exercise.

In short, these writings are about my desire to be better and to reach higher for the balance between body, mind, and spirit.

Paintings consists of 38 poems with 38 accompanying images. Each writing has a reflection of its own. Some relate to moments of great joy, yet others reveal a forlorn sadness while searching for the right path ahead. A few of the poems simply express the beauty of nature that surrounds us.

These are some of my life's paintings, I hope you enjoy them.

My Rating:  4 Stars!

This is a heartfelt book of poetry written about the meaning of life and insights it presents to us in the concept of life lessons.  The author did a wonderful job speaking of the things she has pondered upon during her journey here thus far.

If you are looking for a book that will inspire and uplift, this is a great one to invest in!  It would make an excellent gift for a friend or loved one.  A perfect addition to a morning cup of coffee or tea!

It paints a beautiful picture in words and art just as the title suggests!

Where you can find Paintings:  A Collection Of Lyrical Tales:

https://www.amazon.com/Paintings-Collection-Kelley-Lee-McDonald/dp/0985951222/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1471939344&sr=8-1&keywords=paintings+by+kelley+mcdonald

Also available at Apple iBooks

Interview with Kelley:

1. Please tell me about your book and why you decided to write it.
“Paintings” is a collection of poems I wrote many years ago. In 2012 I decided to put images alongside these short tales in order to produce a book. The poems cover a wide range of experiences that include success, failure, wonder and despair.
In my 30s I began to experience for the first time, prolonged moments of genuine happiness. It was through that first glimmer of light a profound sense of joy began to make a permanent home within me. So I would have to say, because of my own experience with inspiration, I was compelled to write about my life lessons.
I have come to respect how very different we all are, and it’s because of our unique backgrounds, experiences and individual decisions that we journey through life beside each other, yet separately. However, it’s through our emotions that we connect deeply with one another to diminish the space between us. It’s within that shared place I want to contribute something.
2. What do you hope to accomplish as an author?
I’d like to be helpful through my words.
3. What would you like your readers to know about you?
I used to think I wanted to be identified as a good writer and receive a pat on the back for my skill in bringing an idea forward.
Yet because I’ve chosen to write about emotional subjects, I now know the real value comes from allowing others to privately recognize something universal about themselves which leaves me, the writer behind.
It is here I would say the struggle, has at times, been strongest because it’s taken much contemplation to understand a feeling of pride won’t sustain me. Within the process of creating and sharing, I continue to be shown if I successfully leave my ego out of the work then I’m fed with joy, and a sense of connection fills my spirit.
4. Do you have any works in progress? What are they?
Yes. I have many files of writings that I intend to format into future collections. These more recent “papers” as I like to call them, have taken a departure from the poetry genre to assume a more direct voice.
As with the poems in Paintings, these works are central to an experience, decision, or train of thought connected to my emotional base.
I’m also working on my autobiography. I have been lucky enough to live an unusually diversified life, and I believe there is good treasure to be shared by way of the many peaks and valleys I’ve come through.
5. If you could have one wish granted, what would it be?
I want to fulfill my purpose in life. I believe that my writing figures into this concept very strongly, but it’s not enough to simply write about subjects that range from sadness and pain to forgiveness, kindness and tolerance. I have to blend with a higher standard through my daily practices.
If I can tip my inner proclivities in favor of words of light and minimize the hold that anger, fear and confusion have over me, then I’ve done well.
6. Do you have any other creative outlets? If so, what are they?
Yes, I have many! I enjoy rendering digital art, photography, home design and making jewelry boxes.
I particularly enjoy the simple aspects of taking care of the home I share with my partner, Ben. I find much pleasure in adding a special touch to our private world, whether it’s by applying a faux finish to the living room walls or simply cleaning the kitchen. I try to be mindful with every task I take on because that’s where the joy is.
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Review: Bravo and Elphie by Hagit R. Oron & Or Oron

Bravo and Elphie cover

Bravo, Elphie’s new pet, is stuck on top of the red slide. Elphie never climbs the red slide. It's so high, its goes all the way into the sky. But now he needs to embrace himself and gather up his courage to rescue Bravo. Good thing he never leaves the house without his cape! Join Elphie and Bravo on this colorful bittersweet adventure.

My Rating:  4 Stars!

This is a cute picture book about a young elephant and his pet rat going on an adventure in the park.  The pet rat is a little braver than Elphie and climbs to the top of the slide.  But when he is too afraid to slide down, Elphie has to conquer his fear of heights and go get his pet Bravo. They end up sliding down together and Elphie is amazed at how easy it was.

The moral of this book is a good one:  don't be afraid to address your fears!  A wonderful concept for young children to grasp which is easily conveyed in this story line.

This is a fun book that kids would enjoy, complete with cute, colorful pictures to add to the experience!

Where you can find Bravo and Elphie:

https://www.amazon.com/Bravo-Elphie-Elphies-books-Book-ebook/dp/B01I24M2J2/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1470561740&sr=1-1&keywords=bravo+and+elphie#nav-subnav

 

Spotlight: The Sleeping Town by F.A.R.

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It all began the day Michael Walker woke up and everyone else didn't. Powerful forces are at work, and the small town of Redfield might not survive it. As the uncanny becomes commonplace and truth remains elusive, Michael struggles to discern between friend and foe. Should he fail, not only will his head become a stranger to his neck, but the rest of the town might soon follow his fate.

Reviews:

Format: Kindle Edition

I really liked The Sleeping Town. I really liked this book’s take on magic. I won’t get into it too much because it’s kind of special to the book and I don’t want to ruin anything. Suffice it to say, I thought it was pretty original. That really helped me get into this book. So many books just have a generic view on magic and the like, so when you come across something that’s a little different, it’s easy to get caught up in. There are a lot of things in the book that I really liked, but I don’t want to mention because they were just kind of special to the book itself and I don’t want to ruin anything.

Even though I didn’t say much, I did really enjoy this book and recommend it for anyone looking for something a little different.

By ALY on November 27, 2015

Format: Kindle Edition

This book was interesting. The description sure does not give much away. But I liked the book. Michael has his struggles for sure but the book kept me on my toes. I was always wondering what would happen next. I think a good first book. * I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
Interview with F.A.R.:
1.  Please tell me about your book and why you decided to write it.
The Sleeping Town is my first book. It is the story of Michael Walker as he wakes up and finds he is the only one in the entire town who did. The book can roughly be divided in two parts. The first part is Michael trying to figure things out and finding himself increasingly out of his depth. The second part is after he identifies the supernatural force at work and tries to do something about it... and finds himself increasingly out of his depth.
I decided to write it, because I have been coming up with ideas for stories since I read my first book. I kept thinking about what I would have liked to see happening and how I would done certain things. Eventually, I got brave enough to sit down and actually write one of those ideas. The Sleeping Town is the result of that.
2.  Do you have any works in progress?  What are they?
As a matter of fact, I do. Just a few days ago I finished the first (very rough) draft of my next book, Devils of Black and Gold. It is a darker tale when compared to The Sleeping Townbut I had fun writing it. It features a guy who thinks he might be a werewolf, a series of bizarre murders, and a cop who is definitely not getting paid enough. Additionally, I am about to start working on the sequel to The Sleeping Town later in October.
3.  What would you like your readers to know about you?
Seeing as how I'm using an obvious Pen name it would be easier to think about things I don't want readers to know about me, but here it goes. I'm Latino, F.A.R. are my actual initials, and I like to use the kitchen. I'm not saying I am any good at it, but I do like cooking every now and then.
4.  If you could meet one celebrity, who would it be and why?
Tough question. There are so many I would like to meet, but if I had to pick just one... James Spader. Stargate, Boston Legal, The Blacklist, Age of Ultron. How can I not be a huge fan?
5.  Favorites:  color, food, acitivity, place?
I have always been a fan of orange as far as colors go. My favorite food is Fettuccine Alfredo. My favorite activity (other than writing) is swimming. Whether it is in a beach or pool, I love it all the same. My favorite place is a nice park in the middle of autumn.
6.  If you could give me one piece of advice about life, what would it be?
Well, it is a bit presumptuous of me to be giving out life advice, but if I had to give one it would probably be something like, "Go for it!"
I spend a lot of time thinking,"I want to write a book." Years if I have to be honest. During that time I got very little book-writing done. One day I got fed up with that. I started writing every single day and didn't stop until I had a book, If there is something you want to do, you can't just think about it. You need to bring that thought into action.
Where you can find The Sleeping Town:
https://www.amazon.com/Sleeping-Town-F-R-ebook/dp/B014CBA48A/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1470526248&sr=8-3&keywords=the+sleeping+town#nav-subnav
Where you can find F.A.R.:
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/FarBooks

Spotlight: Elemental Kingdoms by Peter and Lauren Arvo

ElementalKingdomsBook1 - Email File

Once there were many kingdoms of myth and legend, but six stood apart from the rest. They may have lost their origins, but they still possessed their elemental abilities of creation as well as destruction. Their rule was about to be threatened by an unseen group, who have waited patiently to make their move.

A group of powerful royal blooded teenagers are about to experience the time of their lives, but also have their lives turned upside-down. They will have to go beyond what they thought possible, stretching their skills, friendship, courage, love, and powers to the breaking point.

Reviews:

Woodsman's review

Jan 19, 2016
really liked it
Read from January 10 to 18, 2016


This book was a wonderful read, beautifully illustrated, with a lot of twists and even a cliff hanger ending. I am recently retired and decided to get either a science fiction, or fantasy book, that looked interesting to read in the evenings. I decided upon Elemental Kindoms, even though this book was probably more geared toward the younger audience, I enjoyed it very much and am looking forward to getting and reading the next installment in the series.

I am also impressed, by the fact, the book was written by a father and daughter team.

By A Customer on January 13, 2016

Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase

This book is a well written action adventure story. The story will be of most interest to pre-teens and teens, as most of the main characters are teenagers. The authors have inserted into the story some interesting trivia information.
Interview with Peter and Lauren:
 
1.  Tell my why you decided to write you book.  Explain the process of father/daughter collaboration.

Peter: Lauren developed many great characters and plot ideas over several years that she kept talking to us about and eventually we convinced her to share these with others in the form of a book. As far as the collaboration goes, she has a laptop next to my computer, and we worked out the remaining details together.

Lauren:
 I loved roleplaying and coming up with stories to entertain myself and other people and eventually I decided to write a book about those stories.
2.  Is there any autobiographical content in the story?

Peter: I don't believe that there is any autobiographical content, at least for me. I became involved late in the process, so most characters already existed.

Lauren:
 Some of the characters were based on different people I knew and the character Hope in particular was originally based on me. There isn’t any other content really that is autobiographical.
3.  Do you have any works in progress?  If so, what are they?

Peter: Yes, book two, Elemental Kingdoms: Grand Deception, is nearly completed. The writing and editing is done. All that is left is the illustrations.

Lauren: We are discussing book three and working out the details since book two is mostly complete.
4.  What do you hope to accomplish as an author?

Peter: My most important goal is to support Lauren. As for the book, hopefully the book series will entertain people with its great characters and complex plot and super detailed maps. Most people probably don't realize that there are fourteen maps in the back of book one that Lauren and I hand drew (the maps are based on an actual ancient map). Most of the things in the book series have a basis in real legends and lore. Even the names were derived from different languages (some are a bit of a riddle), which we felt contributes to a better fantasy story.

Lauren: I hope to reach as many people with these books as possible and it inspires them, and let them know that even though you may be young you can accomplish great things if you put your mind to it. I also hope these books make people happy and entertain them.
5.  Who are some of your favorite authors and why?

Peter: After childhood I've only read technical, historical, or research books, so my favorite authors would be people like Nicola Tesla's (famous inventor), Enoch, Moses, Paul (contributors to important ancient texts), Linus Pauling (famous researcher who won the Nobel Prize twice, promoter of vitamin C in curing many ailments, and peace activist).

Lauren: There has never been an author that I liked all of their work, so I can’t say that I have a favorite author in particular.
6.  If you could have one wish granted, what would it be?

Peter: This is really tough question, since I think most people believe they know what they want most in life, but if/when they get it, they don't want it anymore. With this in mind, I would probably wish that everyone in the world would be able to clearly see the best choices to make in life (that would result in the best positive outcome for themselves and everyone else).

Lauren: There really isn’t anything I want so badly that I would wish for myself, I would probably wish for the world to be at peace and everyone to be happy.
 
Where you can find Elemental Kingdoms:
https://www.amazon.com/Elemental-Kingdoms-Darkness-Lauren-Arvo-ebook/dp/B01A2U20CS/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=#nav-subnav
Where you can find Peter and Lauren:
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ElementalKingdomsBooks/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Peter_LaurenEKS
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/elementalkingdoms/
Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/EK_Series/
Website:  http://www.elementalkingdomsseries.com/

Zen Queen by Kirsty McManus

Enjoy humor?  Then you'll want to take a peek at this book! Zen Queen by Kirsty McManus

Jess Harper’s personal life is a mess.

She hasn’t had a haircut since 2006 and she doesn’t have time to find better friends than the self-centred associates she’s had since University.

And instead of searching for love, she’s settled for ‘friends with benefits’ status with one of her buddies. Yet none of that matters, because professionally she’s living the dream, and has just scored a highly coveted assignment in Japan with the promise of a promotion on her return.

But when she arrives in Japan, instead of the smooth integration she anticipated, Jess finds herself wrongfully fired, abandoned and broke in a country where she doesn’t speak the language.

Now she must rebuild her life and clear her name. But the friendly locals and allure of the ex-pat lifestyle soon have her reconsidering her priorities and challenging her views on climbing the corporate ladder. With a new job as an English teacher and the temptation of her cute (but already attached) roommate, Jess discovers that although life doesn't always turn out as planned, maybe that's not such a bad thing.

Introducing Kirsty:

Zen Queen was inspired by a year I spent in Japan in 2004 / 2005. I taught conversational English at a school in Osaka, and it was one of the most fun and crazy jobs I’ve ever had. But because teachers were discouraged from socialising with students outside of class, I didn’t get a chance to learn much Japanese. As a result, I found myself at the international bookstore every weekend, buying a LOT of books. This was around the height of chick-lit’s popularity, so I was reading everything I could find by Sophie Kinsella, Marian Keyes, Jill Mansell and Jane Green.

 At some point, it occurred to me that Japan would be the perfect location to set a chick-lit novel. Also, I had been keeping a blog on Yahoo’s Geocities (Wordpress and Facebook hadn’t taken off yet) - and all my friends said they loved reading the entries. I even had friends of friends say they enjoyed following my adventures.

So Zen Queen was born (although it took six years to arrive in a publishable form!). I tried to incorporate all the wacky experiences and places I visited while living in Japan into a fictional story featuring a slightly impulsive protagonist. I really wanted to showcase what life is like as an ex-pat – from going out drinking and singing karaoke on the weekends, to exploring the cultural attractions in every city, to the tight bonds you form with other Westerners, despite their home countries being on the other side of the world.

 The book has recently seen a resurgence in popularity now that I’ve released my latest novel Saved by the Celebutante. The two books are unrelated, but are both in the same zany style and feature a main character who goes on an adventure-filled journey.

 Where you can find Zen Queen:

https://www.amazon.com/Zen-Queen-Kirsty-McManus-ebook/dp/B006PNS9KE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469084054&sr=8-1&keywords=zen+queen+kirsty+mcmanus

Where you can find Kirsty:

Kirsty’s Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Kirsty-McManus/e/B006QCN6AW

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/MissKM

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kirstymcmanusauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bachelorfanoz (this is for the Bachelor recap blog I also run)

Author website: http://www.kirstymcmanus.com.au

Spotlight & Interview: The Dam Is Coming by Fred A Brede!

THE DAM IS COMING

“The Dam is Coming” is a fictional history novel about the largest wood-pile dams in the world, built in 1890, located just 12 miles north of Saint Croix Falls, Wisconsin on the scenic Saint Croix River. The story is told by Paul C. Wellington a twelve years old growing up a mile from Never’s Dam in what is today Wild River State Park. With his friend Paul, they give a firsthand account of the Nevers Dam construction that finally tamed the wild Saint Croix River and how the lumber was delivered to the saw mills. Join Paul and Peter as they watch this historic Never’s Dam become the most talked about, man made structure ever built on the upper Sent Croix River, and forever will be part of the history of the Saint Croix River Valley.

Interview with Fred:

1.  Tell me about “The Dam is Coming” and why you decided to write it.
Local history on the Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway between Minnesota and Wisconsin has always been a passion of mine. Since I love both fiction and youthful adventures I placed Paul, a curious 12 year old boy growing up with his pioneer family watching the loggers in 1889 coming in and building the world’s largest logging dam across an untamable river. “The Dam is Coming” helps me explain to the public one of the most spectacular construction projects ever attempted on the historic Saint Croix River. Most people don’t know it ever existed. Someone had to tell the story and I did so in the form of a fictional history novel.
2.  What do you hope to accomplish as an author?
    
Nationally I want to be a noted “Romantic Author” and Destiny Whispers Publishing LLC has given me that opportunity with Romantic Western Adventures, “Letters from the Heart” was the first with a sequel out in February, 2016. A Third novel “Flyaway Love” will be scheduled for the summer of 2016.
    
Locally I want to be recognized as an author knowledgeable of Northern Wisconsin with its rich history in logging, the Saint Croix River, the glaciers that formed this region. This was the “Wild West” before the Wild West was the Wild West. Not much has been written nationally to bring Wisconsin onto the national stage. Many of my 15 self-published novels take place in Wisconsin.  Wisconsin is much more than dairy farms, cheese or the Green Bay Packers. The forest of northern Wisconsin built the cities like St. Louis, Minneapolis and Kansas City. All that lumber came through the gates of “Nevers Dam” which was an engineering marvel at the time. No electricity in homes, all manual labor but a lot of family unity. 
 
Thirdly I teach classes on how to self-publish using
CreateSpace and their free options. All my self-published titles cost me nothing but for printing. There are thousands of aspiring authors in this new age of Amazon and Kindle that want to get published but don’t know how. I can save them a lot of time and money and have been very successful in presenting programs that can get anyone self-published.
 
3.  Who/what inspires you to write?
 
I have a need to keep my mind active and working on several projects at the same time. Multiple plots, sub-plots, characters and scenes. It’s a thrill to see the finished product and the creative process at work. I want to keep challenging myself and moving forward, never stopping. There is so much history that can be explained through stories or novels and as long as I am at it, why not though is some passion and romance turning them into love stories.  I have a quote I use to explain my writings.
     “Sometimes love follows you. Through thick and thin, over streams and through time. True love will find a way. Keep faith that somewhere, someone is looking for you, all you have to do is slow down and let them catch up.”
Author Fred A Brede
Sharing my experiences with my family who have inspired me. I pride myself on raising my two boy and one lovely daughter along with my wife. Many of the interactions, adventures and experiences my characters have come from time I spent teaching and allowing them to grow up. They are the best family anyone could have.
 
Wanting to share my experiences with my readers is a driving force. I want to leave my reader with hope a future that is positive in a world that seems to be coming apart. I want them to remember what it was like when they were younger and exploring the world for the first time. My romance novels is just the next step in finding out what the world has to offer and my romance books always end with them living happily ever after.
 
4.  Do you have any works in progress?  What are they?
 
Besides “Letters from the Heart with Destiny Whispers Publishing and my self-published books, I Just released “Inheritance of Love A Wisconsin Romance”.
For future release, “Stagecoach of Desire” and “Three signs of love”.
 
I am currently researching for, “Sunrise Landing” about a youth leader with five boys canoeing down the St. Croix River in modern times and discover the modern day ghost town of Sunrise. (A real location) A Story teller relates historical events with local characters that lived at various rime in the history of the area that revealed themselves to the boys who are convinced the ghosts are real.
      
5. If you could have one wish granted, what would it be?
 
I wish I could have had the luxury to start writing years ago. My employer through physiological testing identified my talents as a story teller but I used it to communicate with prospects and customers. It’s only after retiring that I had the time to start writing. Years ago they didn’t have the technology to help the writer like computers and spell check.  I wish Windows 10 had come out twenty years ago.
 
6.  What would you like your readers to know about you?
I love both history and romance. Some of my stories are contemporary romance, some historical fiction and some a combination of the two. I write only wholesome adventures meant for a general audience. I even have my wife read over my stories before publishing. If it passes her muster it goes to print.
 
My working years after college at the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay I worked in banking, insurance, as a stock broker, leasing, student loans, retirement planning and investments. What I enjoyed most was spending time in the outdoors and with my boys hunting and fishing. Now I get to live these adventures all over again in my stories and make some up as I go along.
Where you can find The Dam Is Coming:
https://www.amazon.com/Dam-Coming-Nevers-Project-Glacial-ebook/dp/B01AYKYXNU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468831669&sr=8-1&keywords=the+dam+is+coming+fred+brede
Where you can find Fred:
fredabrede@aol.com

Introducing Hair Power by Piers Anthony!

Enjoy this entertaining interview with Piers Anthony!  Guaranteed to lift your spirits! HairPower_smaller Piers Anthony

Terminal cancer patient, Quiti, walks into an abandoned building planning on taking her life. Instead, she encounters a telepathic ball of hair that insists it is an alien seeking to facilitate diplomatic communication on Earth. Quiti assumes it is all a hallucination conjured up by her brain tumor. Because of this assumption, when she saves the alien’s life and it insists on doing Quiti a favor in return, she only asks for her hair back. She soon discovers, however, that the creature’s gift extends much further than her new locks that can change color with a thought. As her powers grow and her deadly illness goes into remission, Quiti quickly realizes that there are those that would want to use her for her abilities and is forced to leave behind everything that she knew. Will this blessing curse her to a life on the run, or does the mysterious hairball have more in store for her? Piers Anthony, critically acclaimed author of the New York Times bestselling Xanth series, brings together humor and adventure in this original story of loyalty, friendship, extraordinary powers, and hair. Dreaming Big Publications

Interview with Piers:

Tell us about your latest book.

Hair Power is a novella about a girl with terminal brain cancer who helps an alien hairball, who rewards her with hair that not only replaces her own lost hair, but cures her cancer and makes her something of a super woman. In time that hair is six feet long and she wears it like a cloak. That’s only the beginning.

Tell us a little about some of the others who contributed to your book, such as cover designer or editor.

I have to default on that, as I don’t know them.

Who are your favorite authors?

If I lost my memory and had my choice of reading matter, I hope my favorite would be Piers Anthony. I try to write what I would like to read. As for other authors, I have admired many in the Science Fiction and Fantasy fields, from Robert A Heinlein on down. I am also an admirer of the plays of George Bernard Shaw, and not just because he was a vegetarian.

What advice do you have for other writers?

Publishing is changing so much now that much of what I might say would become dated about ten minutes after I wrote it. So I’ll just say read and study the genre you are in, keep writing and improving, and may the world go well with thee.

What's the best thing about being a writer?

For me the best thing is getting to exercise my imagination and being independent. I can’t be fired for someone else’s mistakes.

What’s the hardest thing about being a writer?

It used to be dealing with publishers, who were like insensitive robots interested only in money, regardless what they claimed. But the old order is passing and the new publishers I am dealing with are generally more compatible. Some of them even like good fiction. So now the hardest thing is facing the prospect of my declining ability with advancing age. I’m not capable of simply letting it go and retiring. So when I no longer write well, I hope I am the first, not the last to know it.

Where can people find out more about you and your writing?

My web site is www.hipiers.com where I have a monthly column, commenting on whatever is on my mind, and background information on my titles. I have also written two autobiographical books: Bio of an Ogre and How Precious Was That While.

How long did it take you to write your book?

Three Weeks for this 35,000 word novella. It moved well, and I am an efficient writer.

Did you learn anything from writing your book that was unexpected?

I don’t think so. I had worked it out pretty well before I started writing. I’ve always loved long hair on a woman, so this was easy imagination.

Where can a reader purchase your book?

From wherever the publisher puts it.

What are you doing to market the book?

Precious little. I’m a writer, not a marketer.

Who inspires you?

The world inspires me.

How do you research your books?

There wasn’t any real research for Hair Power. I generally try to stay within the boundaries of what I know. When I do need to research, I buy books on the subject.

Do you have another work in progress? Tell us about it.

I am working on the sequel, Hair Suite, wherein there is competition with Cyborg aliens in very attractive human form. Until the two cultures have to unite against a third.

Have you written other books? Where can readers purchase them?

I have written about 175 other books. Readers can find many of them listed on Amazon. Many readers like my Xanth fantasy series, which now number 42 novels, not all in print yet.

Where you can find Hair Power:

https://www.amazon.com/Hair-Power-Piers-Anthony/dp/1534919147/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468715975&sr=8-1&keywords=hair+power+piers+anthony

Designing Your Own Book Cover by Kari Anders

Designing Your Own Book Cover: How to Select The Right Image

In Elements of a Book Cover that Sells, I talk about creating a cover that speaks directly to your audience by using the idea of a Single Story. In the following post, I expand on this idea by giving helpful tips on finding the base layer for your cover: the image.

Your image should convey the mood of your story. If you’ve written a fun-loving, silly, woman’s novel, your cover might be an illustration of a lady in heels with a pink background. If your book explores the story of a missing woman, it might have a dark background with a woman running away. If it’s a love story, readers will expect a couple holding hands or kissing on the cover. All these components convey the mood of the book and attract your audience.

If the mood is not evident, you will miss potential readers. When readers go searching for a new book, they usually know what type of book they want to read. If nothing else, they know what types of book they have enjoyed in the past. They will be attracted to images that remind them of another book they’ve read. This relationship connects the reader to an emotion they felt while reading that book. For instance, I had recently finished Where’d You Go Bernadette and was looking for a new read. I saw the novel How to Write a Novel, with its blue cover and illustrations and bought it. Why? It reminded me of Bernadette. That’s it. I wasn’t even looking for a book like Bernadette;I just subconscious equated the cover of Bernadette with a book I like.

Often authors spend energy on trying to get their cover image to be unique, and to stand out from the crowd. While really, they should have been doing the opposite.

You may have noticed that in all of the examples at the beginning of this article, I suggest having images of people on the cover (the woman in pink heels, the couple kissing, etc.). As an author, you may be tempted to steer away from covers that give away too much detail that you’d rather let the reader imagine. One of the reasons I believe readers like books over their film adaptations, is because they get to bring the scene to life using their own imagination. The same applies to the characters in a book. Giving too much detail away can take away this experience from the readers. So why do I suggest books with images of people? Simply, they sell better.

You many see that some covers don’t have the full person or even just avoid their faces on the cover.  You might see only a woman's legs or feet, or you might see her face below the nose.  This allows your readers to still create the characters using their own imagination while still creating a book cover that sells.

The other advantage of showing only a part of a character is that it allows you to simplify your cover.  If you are trying to convey too much information to your readers, it will be busy and overwhelming and distract them from absorbing the story's mood.  Remember, you want to sell them a single story.  Don't try to input double meanings or symbols that the reader will only understand once they've read the book.  Symbolism is for your writing.  You aren't trying to sell them on your cleverness with a book cover.

To convey the mood, keep it simple and focus on a single story.  You want to be obvious with your images but not necessarily literal.  You don't want readers to have to guess or search for what your cover is about.  But at the same time, it doesn't need to be a specific scene from your story to convey the mood, and being too literal can destroy the intrigue you want to create.

Here’s a test: Once you have selected an image, forget your story. Can you create a powerful title on the picture alone?  Does that title do your book justice?  If not, keep looking.

The most common place authors and designers find images for book covers is stock images sites.  There are hundreds of thousands of images to choose from, and they are usually between $10 and $25 per image.   With a stock image from Shutterstock.com or iStock.com, you can sell between 250,000 and 500,000 books before you have to worry about purchasing additional licensing.  There are also sites you can find free stock images, but make sure you read and fully understand the terms of copyright before using an image from one of these sites. DO NOT use an unlicensed image from a Google images search, even if you don't think you are going to sell very many books, as this will most certainly earn you a letter from an attorney asking you to remove it at the least and a lawsuit at the worst.

The advantages of using stock images are selection, price, and availability.  To find an image for a previous post, I used the search terms "girl in front of a ship" and found 42 pages of results.  That's a pretty specific request.  Also, stock image sites are also regularly updating their inventory, and they tag images by a number of categories, including model.  So if you find a model that you like, but the image isn't quite right, you can find other photos with the same model.  This is very useful for a book series.

A drawback to using stock imaging is uniqueness. Stock sites will sell an image in finite number of times, meaning that even though your typography and location of the photo might be unique, another author might end up with the same image on their cover.  Professional publishing houses will spend thousands hiring a photographer and models to get unique images for their covers.  However, this isn't a possibility for most self-published authors.  On freeebookcovers.com, I am building a collection of non-stock images from local photographers I've worked with over the years.   Check back soon for the launch of Original Images, and happy writing!

BlogGraphic

Kari Anders is a book cover designer who works mostly with self-published authors and small publishing houses. She worked in freelance design for six years before attending graduate school, and now teaches design and runs freeebookcovers.com. All of Kari's covers are designed as CreateSpace Wraps for only $75, with the eBook version included for free. Her site specializes in Pre-Made Book Covers, but she also does interior design and custom covers.

 

~Review: Great Grandma's Gifts by Marianne Jones and Karen Reinikka~

Great Grandma's Gifts book cover

Arlene is a little girl who loves to make things. She begins by making presents for her doll, Maggie. As she grows up, she moves on to creating gifts for her own children and grandchildren. This is a lovely story that is designed to help children see a different side of the elders in their lives and understand that they were once children, too.

My Rating:  3 Stars!

This was a simple story.  It spoke of the love between children, parents and grandparents.  It also explained to the children reading the story that everyone starts out young and then ages and carries on family traditions.  It was a quietly told story that would be perfect for "wind down" times with small kids.

The illustrations are cute but I wished to see a bit more color and detail.  The story itself could have used a little more action and imagination in my opinion, but still a nice book overall.

Where you can find Great Grandma's Gifts:

http://www.amazon.com/Great-Grandmas-Gifts-Marianne-Jones/dp/1522758704/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1462858383&sr=1-1&keywords=great+grandma%27s+gifts

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/great-grandmas-gifts-marianne-jones/1117359437?ean=9781522758709

Where you can find Marianne:

http://mariannejones.net/

~Review: Just: A sign of the times by Katie Lewington~

Just A sign of the times cover A light hearted collection of poems in lessons of love, depression and relationships while also exploring the stories of strangers in words.

My Rating:  4 Stars!

This was an interesting, heartfelt collection of poems about life, love and depression.  The author has an interesting voice and perspective...that of a life of hardships and difficult relationships.  These poems are written about things that we can all relate to as hardship is no stranger to all of our life circumstances.

I enjoyed the author's presentation.  It was down to earth and gritty.  It was easy to relate to her work.

If you love poetry, give this book a read.  You won't be sorry you did.

Where you can find Just:  A sign of the times:

https://www.amazon.com/Just-sign-times-katie-lewington-ebook/dp/B00YJ34LBI?ie=UTF8&keywords=just%20a%20sign%20of%20the%20times&qid=1462607400&ref_=sr_1_2&sr=8-2

Where you can find Katie:

https://katiecreativewriterblog.wordpress.com/

Interview with Katie:

 

~Review: Yetunde: An Ode To My Mother by Segilola Salami~

Yetunde book cover Follow Yetunde as she narrates her mother's ode to her grandmother. It is the Yoruba praise poetry for a mother known as Oriki Iya

This is a short story dedicated to past, present and future mothers.

A perfect mother's day present

The book is mostly in English and any Yoruba words are translated, so everyone can enjoy the book fully.

My Review:  4 Stars!

This is a delightful tale told by baby Yetunde as her mother speaks to her about her grandmother. It is a tale in Yoruba praise poetry, a unique perspective of an interesting cultural story.  The tale expounds on the strength of a mother's love for her children, a truth which spans cultures and time.

This is a short book but an interesting read.  If you'd like to give a unique gift for Mother's Day, this would be an excellent one!

Where you can find Yetunde:

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B019Y93BL2/ref=nosim?tag=segilsalam-20&linkCode=sb1&camp=212353&creative=380549

Barnes and Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/yetunde-segilola-salami/1123187693?ean=2940152794342

Where you can find Segilola:

http://www.segilolasalami.co.uk/

 

~Review: The Red Wraith by Nick Wisseman~

The Red Wraith cover

Magic awakens in Early America. The Red Wraith is born. On the eve of the Harvest Ceremony, Naysin, a child of the Lepane nation, manifests powers of a dual deity forever torn in two by light and darkness. Cast into exile by his clan for being a spawn of human and spirit, Naysin is lost in a world of change as pale men from the sea arrive to plunder the riches of the Earth. Guided only by the devious facets of his spirit father, Naysin has no choice but to master his powers to survive the destruction of his people.

And so the legend of the Red Wraith begins. For Naysin, it is a path of darkness and death that will take him from one end of the land to the other and down into the depths of infamy. The New World will know him as the indigenous monster who kills in the name of vengeance, but that’s not who he wants to be. And when he encounters a group of fellow magic-users, Naysin realizes he may yet have a chance to set everything right.

My Rating:  4 Stars!

This book was written about a young Indian man named Naysin who was the offspring of human and spirit.  Having been branded and exiled from his people, Naysin was forced to strike out on his own and contend with the dueling powers inside himself as he searched for the meaning of his existence.  This was the story of Naysin's awakening to a higher calling and predestined life purpose.

The Red Wraith was a fantasy book with some history woven into it.  The writer expounded on the main character's plight and developed the story around his situation.  Therefore, it had huge doses of fiction and fantasy...which is a good thing because I love both!

If you are also a fantasy fanatic, this one's definitely for you!

Where you can find The Red Wraith:

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Red-Wraith-Nick-Wisseman-ebook/dp/B013O6RQCG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1461741168&sr=8-1&keywords=the+red+wraith

Barnes and Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-red-wraith-nick-wisseman/1123535405?ean=2940157718268

Where you can find Nick:

Website:  http://www.nickwisseman.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/nicholas.wisseman

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/nickwisseman

Interview with Nick:

1.  Please tell me a little about your book and why you decided to write it.

The Red Wraith is a historical fantasy set in Early America. The protagonist is a Native American who becomes the focus for magic’s reentry into the world.

The original inspiration was just an image: several people climbing a steep hill, atop which waited a lone magician. (My first draft had this scene as the prologue, but during the editing process, the encounter was moved to a later point which made more sense in the story.)

When I started outlining, though, I realized I wanted to inject some historical elements—at the time, I was getting my Master’s in U.S. History and wading through a lot of academic texts. Charles Mann’s 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus was one of the most striking (and readable): it explores the true consequences of disease for Native Americans after Europeans arrived in the “New World.” Mann’s not alone in framing that impact in apocalyptic terms, but his account was the first to make me think about what it would have felt like from an indigenous perspective. (Side note: I don’t pretend to speak for Native Americans, past or present. But as an author, unless you only want to “write what you know”—which for me, would be white, Midwestern males, a.k.a. boring—you’ve got to project a bit. And as long as my characters are plausible, in that I can imagine at least one person realistically looking/thinking/acting like them given the conceits of my story, I’m okay with it.)

From there, I did some additional research, picked a real-life location for the steep hill (Monk’s Mound, a giant earthen pyramid near St. Louis and the impetus for some dumb luck I had when I was on an archaeological dig in college), and started writing.

2.  What do you hope to accomplish through the publishing of your story?

Primarily, I hope anyone who reads the book enjoys the time they invested in it. But it’d also be great if some readers found the historical elements interesting enough to investigate on their own.

3.  If you could meet one famous person, who would it be and why?

Oh, man—I bet pretty much everyone starts by answering this with “It’s hard to pick just one.” But let’s keep it topical and go with Jacqueline Carey. Her Kushiel’s Legacy series is a masterpiece of historical fantasy, and one of the main reasons I got into the genre.

4.  What would you like your readers to know about you?

I moonlight (daylight?) as a barn hand. My wife loves horses, so about six years back, we moved to rural Michigan and found a property with 11.5 acres. Now we have four horses and lots of farm chores. They get me away from my desk, though, and completing a manual task gives me a satisfaction I can’t get from typing up a digital document.

So overall, it’s pretty great

5.  What is your favorite food, color, place, activity?

Sushi, blue, Vancouver, and (assuming I’m not allowed to say writing) playing basketball.

6.  If you could give me one piece of advice about life, what would it be?

Finish what you start. (It doesn’t always apply—sometimes you really do have to cut your losses. But if something’s still worth doing, then do it.)

~Review: Weeds In Nana's Garden by Kathryn Harrison~

final cover_mar22 2016

A young girl and her Nana hold a special bond that blooms in the surroundings of Nana's magical garden. Then one day, the girl finds many weeds in the garden. She soon discovers that her beloved Nana has Alzheimer's Disease; an illness that affects an adult brain with tangles that get in the way of thoughts, kind of like how weeds get in the way of flowers. As time passes, the weeds grow thicker and her Nana declines, but the girl accepts the difficult changes with love, and learns to take-over as the magical garden's caregiver. Extending from the experience of caring for her mother, artist Kathryn Harrison has created this poignant story with rich illustrations to candidly explore dementia diseases, while demonstrating the power of love. It is a journey that will cultivate understanding and touch your heart.

My Rating:  4 Stars!

This is a sweet, touching story about a young girl who loves her Nana very much.  Sadly, her Nana is affected by Alzheimer's and she slowly becomes sicker over the course of several years. This picture book speaks of how Alzheimer's changes a person and how it is painful for loved ones to watch the disease progress.  

Weeds In Nana's Garden has wonderful illustrations and a heartfelt story line.  The author has dedicated this book to support the Alzheimer Society of Canada.  The last pages are filled with questions about Alzheimer's as asked by children.  Answers are given in understandable terms.

This book is a visual delight as well as a touching story.  I highly recommend it to younger children and their parents as a way to explain the disease known as Alzheimer's.

Where you can find Weeds In Nana's Garden:

http://weedsinnanasgarden.com

http://www.amazon.com/Weeds-Nanas-Garden-Alzheimers-dementias/dp/0994946708/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1460123405&sr=1-1&keywords=weeds+in+nana%27s+garden

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/weeds-in-nanas-garden-kathryn-harrison/1123572984?ean=9780994946706

https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/weeds-in-nanas-garden-a/9780994946706-item.html?ikwid=weeds+in+nana%27s+garden&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0

Where you can find Kathryn:

https://www.facebook.com/kathryn.harrison.338

https://www.instagram.com/kathryn.harrison.art/

https://www.pinterest.com/flipturnpublish/

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29662910-weeds-in-nana-s-garden

 

~Spotlight: The Girl From Berlin by Ellie Midwood~

The Girl from Berlin OTHER SITES

This is a diary of Annalise Meissner, a young German Jew with long time ago falsified papers, living a carefree life in pre-war Berlin. A talented ballerina, she comes from a wealthy family and at first doesn’t want to concern herself with the changes her country starts undergoing under the new Nazi regime. However, when the oppressions against the Jewish population begin, she realizes that she can’t be a silent bystander and swears to help her people in any way possible. She falls in love and gets married to her father's longtime friend, Standartenführer Heinrich Friedmann, who even though he works for SD – the Reich Secret Service – seems to share her views, and soon Annalise learns why. Her new husband turns out to be a counterintelligence agent working for the US government, and together they start a dangerous game against the sinister Gestapo, trying to save as many lives as they can and not to compromise themselves. But it's not only the persecuted people Annalise wants to save; she meets the leader of the Austrian SS Gruppenführer Ernst Kaltenbrunner who everyone seems to fear, but for some reason Annalise isn't intimidated by the Chief of the Austrian Gestapo and doesn't believe the rumors about his brutality. Gruppenführer Kaltenbrunner isn't hiding the fact that he would love to get this beautiful girl as his mistress, but Annalise, despite the mutual attraction, stays faithful to her beloved husband. However, the risky game she’s playing will soon change everything…

Reviews:

“THE GIRL FROM BERLIN is a beautiful story about a young ballerina in pre-war Berlin. It is about love, triumph over tyranny, and the extent to which humanity will go to defeat oppression.
Written in diary-like style, the story follows Annalise Meissner, a young German Jew, through the dark years leading up and into WWII. Historical accounts such as the 'Night of Broken Glass' and the wholesale persecution of the Jewish population are accurately portrayed and well-researched.
This is a finely-written novel that does not disappoint. I found myself turning pages late into the night. Ellie Midwood masterfully paints with words, pulling the reader in deeper with each page and each chapter, and keeping the suspense high throughout.” (Frank Scozzari, bestselling author of "From Afar”)
             *                              *                                   *                                 *
“First off, no one writes Anti heroes they way Ellie does. A story of a perfectly ordinary couple in perfectly ordinary surroundings. As perfectly ordinary as it gets when one of you is Jewish and the other one is working for the other Government under the pretext of serving the fuhrer, while in Berlin in the 1940's.
I was hooked into the story before even the prologue could end. I was literally on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next, wanting more and at the same time cringing at discovering what 'more' had to offer.
The characters are properly developed and know their purpose and role in driving the story forward. The dialogues are cleverly crafted and give the readers enough bait to keep them desperately trying to catch it.
This is the second book of Ellie's that I've read and i can see how much and how well she has grown as a writer. Well done! I can't wait to read the next book in the series.” (Aarohi Brar, bestselling author of "Pluviophile”)
Where you can find The Girl From Berlin:
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Girl-Berlin-War-Criminals-Widow-ebook/dp/B018L3WM6C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1461129935&sr=8-1&keywords=the+girl+from+berlin
Barnes and Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-girl-from-berlin-ellie-midwood/1122700202?ean=9781517353063
Where you can find Ellie:

~Review: The Oui Trip by David O'Neill~

The Oui Trip cover

It’s been a tough year for Bob and Joan Younghusband. Bob’s been made redundant from his plumbing sales job selling loos and lock nuts, and just as they’re about to get away from it all, Joan loses her beloved father, too. Deciding the sunny climes of the Med are just what they need, the Younghusbands head for France in their hired camper. But every dream has its price, and this one comes with Joan’s alcoholic stepmother who throws the ultimate spanner in the works. Then there’s the shocking revelation when Bob and Joan stay with old friends that could rock their relationship to the core… and turn their dream trip into the holiday from hell. Tailed by an inspector of the French Police Nationale and a Glaswegian gangster by the unlikely name of Stephan, Bob and Joan have to find a way out of their home-made nightmare… or it won’t just be their plans for a relaxing break that go down the toilet. Murder, mayhem, sex, gangsters and badly spoken French, this dark comedy has it all.

My Rating:  4 Stars!

This is a silly book with serious undertones.  A story of a vacation gone very wrong, Bob and Joan head off after Joan's father's funeral in an attempt to re-ignite their marriage.  What they delve into is a nightmare of death, destruction and mayhem when they become intertwined with a dangerous killer and a drug smuggling operation.

Complete with police interrogation and humor ranging from slapstick to macabre, this story is intriguing enough to cause the reader to keep turning the pages to see what will happen next. The plot is well thought out and the characters are well developed.  The author did a very good job of making the story line realistic.

A great book for those of you that enjoy a funny crime story!

Where you can find The Oui Trip:

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Oui-Trip-David-ONeill/dp/0993266738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1460699626&sr=8-1&keywords=the+oui+trip+david+o+neill

Barnes and Noble;  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-oui-trip-david-oneill/1122576738?ean=2940152111590

Where you can find David:

Website:  www.berryoneill.uk

Interview with David:

1.  What prompted you to write your book?

I've been writing for many years now, but mainly in the SciFi and Fantasy genre.  It was after a few glasses of wine with a good friend and his wife that the idea for the plot was hatched, with all the ups and downs of the characters arriving in my head fully formed - and there wasn't a spaceship or magical sword in sight.  I sat on the idea for a while, letting it bubble and stew in the background as I worked on other things, but it kept coming back to me like a puppy wanting to be fed.  And, with every thought the idea got, it did indeed get fed until there was nothing I could do except admit that it needed to be written.  So I sat down and plotted the book out, putting everything else on hold while I did, and by some sort of magic that even to this day I can't comprehend, it became a book.  The characters took on a life of their own, their dialogue and interplay with the other cast members invading my mind and I could hear them talk all the time, like loud lodgers in an adjoining room within my mind.  The only way to quieten them was to commit their conversations to paper which I suppose I did with glee, the writing process for this book happening so naturally that I almost didn't notice it.  I suppose, without descending into cliché, that when the muse hits you there is nothing you can do except let it take you over and make you a puppet for what it wants.

2.  What genre of books do you enjoy reading?  Who are some of your favorite authors?

As I've already alluded above, my reading genre is dominated with SciFi, and sometimes a bit of Fantasy.  I have a list of authors that I turn to for my otherworldly fix as long as your arm, but if I had to produce a brief summary it would have to include: Neal Asher, Peter F. Hamilton, Iain M. Banks, Alastair Reynolds and Greg Bear to name a but a few.  I am almost ashamed to not mention the classic authors like Heinlein, Asimov,E.E. Doc Smith, Larry Niven et al, but I don't want to turn this into list that rambles on forever.  If I can take a moment to concentrate on the Fantasy side, I would have to mention Terry Pratchett, Philip Pullman, J.K. Rowling, Clive Barker and Neil Gaiman, with again a blush of shame for not mentioning many other authors, like J.R.R. Tolkein, Moorcock, Terry Brooks and so on.  I could go on for ages, looking through my book collection and pulling out names that need an honourable mention, but I won't.


3.  Do you have any works in progress?  If so, please tell me about them.

I have many works in progress, I am happy to say. I am just finishing off a fantasy novel, The Gates of Hell,  set in both Saxon times and in the present where Hell wants the Earth destroyed.  It is down to a group of four very different individuals, from then and now, to stop this happening.  This book is getting the final edit as I type this, so should be out soon.  I am also plotting the sequel to The Oui Trip because there are a few unanswered questions that need to be addressed, and, I'll be fair with you, the character's voices are starting to clamour once again, so I can see this being moved up the priority list.  I have a few SciFi action/adventure novels on the go too, which I return to whenever I get a chance, which isn't easy with all the other stories jostling for attention in my head.

 

4.  Where would you go on a dream vacation?  Who would you bring with you?

 

This is an easy one: France.  I love the country, the food, the wine, the laid back way of life.  You also get some pretty good weather the further south you go, which to someone living in England and used to the ever changeable vagaries of the weather here, is always an attraction in its own right.  Who would I bring?  Again, another easy one: my children.  We've been over to France a few times on vacation and they loved it.


5.  What would you like your readers to know about you?

 

I think I have the same needs and desires of pretty much anyone, if I'm going to be honest.  I love my children and grandchildren, and would love to find that 'right' person share my life with.  I love cooking, Italian being a personal favourite, and I am a keen musician, playing an odd assortment of instruments, but all with a minimum of competence.  I read a lot, write a lot and smile more than I frown.  Not much more that I can say, really.

6.  If you could give me one piece of advice about life, what would it be?

 

Again, that's an easy one: Don't be afraid to love.  Love yourself, love others, love life.  You'll be surprised how quickly you get it back, whether it's in the company of friends, or in the smile of a grandchild.  And when it is given back to you, it tastes so much sweeter.