Book-A-Week Challenge Interview with author Joyce Scarbrough

This week we had the pleasure of reading SYMMETRY by Joyce Scarbrough. Today we are interviewing Joyce about her book, her writing, and herself.

Please join me in welcoming Joyce by leaving her a comment or another question.

A little background about Joyce before we get started:
As an intelligent Southern woman, Joyce Sterling Scarbrough is weary of seeing herself and her peers portrayed in books and movies as either post-antebellum debutantes or slack-jawed yokels, so all her heroines are smart, unpretentious women who refuse to be anyone but themselves. Joyce writes full time and does freelance editing. In addition to her three published novels, she has four short stories featured in upcoming anthologies from L&L Dreamspell. Joyce has lived in Alabama all her life, she's the mother of three gifted children and has been married for 26 years to the love of her life.

You can read samples of all her work on her pages at Authors Den: http://tinyurl.com/yafjyty

On with the Interview!

What motivated you to write this book?
Like 8 million people in the U.S. and 40 million worldwide, I have a nervous system disorder called trichotillomania (TTM), which is compulsive hair pulling. I wanted to create a fictional character with TTM who would be a positive role model for the millions of people who suffer with the disorder so much more than I do, some of whom think they're the only ones who do it and don't even know that what they do has a name. The reason I decided to write a novel featuring TTM instead of a non-fiction book is because I hope to raise awareness in the general public and the woefully uninformed medical community who often refer people to psychiatrists when they go to them about TTM. It's not a mental illness and isn't caused by abuse or trauma, otherwise I wouldn't have it.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Actually, there are two. For readers with TTM: you are not defective, damaged or mentally ill, and you are worthy of love and respect. For everyone else: I hope you gain some empathy for the millions of people like my heroine, Jess. Teach your children not to make fun of their peers who may have missing hair, eyebrows or eyelashes. You wouldn't let them laugh at a cancer patient, would you?

Are the experiences in the novel based on someone you know or events in your life?
Obviously, Jess's experiences with TTM are based on mine. It's not a major problem for her both because she has so much hair and because she learns to manage it by using Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Habit Reversal Training. However, the relationship issues she deals with in the story are completely fictional, although her infuriating husband does resemble mine at times! And her cultured, domineering, Southern Belle of a mother is an amalgamation of many women I've known like that, but NOT my own mother!

Who is your favorite character in the book?
That's like asking me who is my favorite child! All my characters are real people to me, and they sometimes rewrite their storylines too. Many times I've created a character who was originally intended to be only the unlikable antagonist, then I begin to feel sorry for them when I discover what's in their background that made them so bad, and they end up almost turning into a protagonist!

How did you come up with the title for your books?
For TRUE BLUE FOREVER, the title came to me as I was writing the last line in one of the four original poems included in the story. For DIFFERENT ROADS, it was inspired by a line from the song “What Might Have Been” by Little Texas. For SYMMETRY, the title has a dual meaning: symmetry is very important to someone with TTM because things that are uneven or imbalanced trigger the state in our nervous systems that cause us to pull (my personal theory but supported by some research!) And my heroine is searching for balance or symmetry to her life—in her marriage, her career, and her relationship with her mother.

Who or what has influenced your writing, and in what way?
I was thinking about this the other day and realized how much the characters in my favorite books had influenced my own novels without me even realizing it until now. Like the epic loves in FOREVER AMBER and GONE WITH THE WIND, all my books feature couples whose love will never die despite all the obstacles they encounter. My heroines are all strong women like Amber and Scarlett, but most especially Jaycee in DIFFERENT ROADS—she's a hellion who couldn’t care less about public opinion and who loves her man with the force of a tempest. Inspired by the unrequited love that Laurie has for Jo in LITTLE WOMEN, I gave the heroine in TRUE BLUE FOREVER a best friend who will always love her. And all my heroes are fearless, macho men who usually fight with my heroines as passionately as they make love to them.

How do you get inspired to write your romantic scenes?
That's easy—I live them every day! My kids learned long ago to overlook their parents' frequent PDAs (public displays of affection, not Palm Pilots!) When my son was about 13 and in a hurry to leave one day, he told me to stop being so “moniscuous” by kissing his dad goodbye. He said I was promiscuous but only with one man, hence I was “moniscuous.” Other than that, I'm always inspired by music. I have a special playlist on my computer called “Songs To Write By.”

How does your family feel about your book or writing venture in general?
My husband is my first reader and reads everything as I write it—but not over my shoulder and not until I tell him he can! He even lets me watch him read so I can see which parts make him laugh or react in other ways.

Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members?
My best friend and fellow writer, Lee Ann Ward, is a gift that God sent to me. Not only does she love my books, it’s so important to have someone who understands what you're going through and can empathize and commiserate with you about this crazy publishing world. We console each other over the rejections and celebrate together over the triumphs. I even wrote her a fantasy romance short story to cheer her up one time. I thank God for her every day!

What is your guilty pleasure?
I like to watch boy band videos on YouTube. Love me some Backstreet Boys, Nsync and 98 Degrees!

What are your current projects?
I'm about three-quarters done with a coming-of-age novel titled SHADES OF BLUE that my critique group partners have said reminds them of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. I can't tell you how flattered I am to even be mentioned n the same breath as a book like that. I'm also writing a YA paranormal novel that I like to describe as DEXTER meets BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER. No vampires, just a smart-mouthed dead girl with a penance to pay.

One last question. Were you the model for SYMMETRY'S cover?
No, that's actually my step-daughter, Tonya Goodson. She has curly auburn hair like Jess, and I love her big, beautiful brown eyes!

Thank you Joyce for taking the time to visit with us and to share your wonderful story. Best of luck and looking forward to reading more of your books!

Book-A-Week Challenge is reading Symmetry

by Joyce Scarbrough

Mark your calendars to not only read Symmetry but to return here on Sunday, December 13 when I'll post an interview with Joyce. Find out more about Joyce, her books, and ask her some questions.

Until then enjoy the story and checkout her blog at http://joycescarbrough.blogspot.com/

Book Info:
Paperback: 214 pages
Publisher: L & L Dreamspell (November 6, 2009)
ISBN-13: 978-1603181464

Book Blurb:

Jessica Cassady must reevaluate her marriage while also dealing with the realization that her hair pulling is more than just a nervous habit. When her husband Lee attends a sportswriters’ convention and Jessica calls his hotel room, another woman answers the phone. He swears things aren’t what they seem, but she insists he move out while she decides whether or not to forgive him. With the increased stress of the separation, Jessica’s hair pulling escalates and she realizes she might have a physical condition called trichotillomania. As if she doesn’t already have enough to deal with, her domineering mother shows up for a surprise visit. Jess tries to avoid her mother’s disapproval by attempting to conceal her marital problems. While Lee works to win Jess back, things grow complicated when she runs into Noah Hamilton, a sweet, unassuming history teacher from her past. Jess’s interest in Noah makes her think that maybe—as her best friend Deb loves to tell her—she needs to forego the beefcake brigade and give the sensitive type a try. Conflict escalates when Lee realizes just how much he’s lost in losing his wife. Sparks fly as these two polar opposites on the testosterone scale compete for Jess’s affection. Will she find her emotional center, decide which man is right for her, and finally achieve the symmetry she craves in every aspect of her life?

Book-A-Week Challenge is reading Unhallowed Ground

Heather Graham is one of my favorite authors. I don't think there has been a book that I have not enjoyed. I like her series of paranormal stories that revolve around the Adam Harrison agency. Enjoy the read!

Book Info:
Pub. Date: September 2009
Publisher: Mira
Format: Mass Market Paperback, 368pp
ISBN-13: 9780778326762

Book Blurb:

When Sarah McKinley is finally able to buy and restore the historic Florida mansion that she has always loved, she dismisses the horror stories of past residents vanishing and a long-dead housekeeper who practiced black magic. Then, in the midst of renovations, she makes a grim discovery. Hidden within the walls of Sarah's dream house are the remains of dozens of bodies—some dating back over a century.

The door to the past is blown wide open when Caleb Anderson, a private investigator, shows up at the mansion. He believes several current missing-persons cases are linked to the house and its dark past. Working together to find the connection and stop a contemporary killer, Sarah and Caleb are compelled to research the history of the haunted house, growing closer to each other even as the solution to the murders eludes them.

But there is one who knows the truth…a spirit who follows every move they make. Soon Caleb begins to fear that if he can't stay a step ahead, he could lose Sarah to a killer with an ability to transcend time in a quest for blood and sacrifice.

Book-A-Week Challenge Interview with author Pauline B Jones

This week, we had the pleasure of reading The Last Enemy by Pauline B Jones. Pauline graciously agreed to do an interview with me to post on the blog and to respond to questions.

Even if you did not have a chance to read The Last Enemy, feel free to ask Pauline a question.

Now on with the interview:

1. What motivated you to write this book?

I started this book way back when the internet was just beginning to move into the mainstream. It fascinated me that I could “meet” people that I didn’t actually know. I had to take their word for who and what they were, how they looked, no way to know if they were really male or female. Then I saw The Fugitive and got interested in US Marshals Service and the story started to come to a boil. The theme of not really knowing people, virtual or real, threads through the story—though I didn’t know that until it was finished.

2. What are your current projects?

I just finished and turned in Girl Gone Nova, a follow up story to my Project Enterprise series set in the Garradian Universe. Then I started working on a short story for our next chapter anthology, except the story turned into a novella, so now I’m working on it as a standalone—and the next chapter in my Project Enterprise series. It’s also got some steampunk mixed in, which is making it a lot of fun to work on. It’s also a novella in search of a title. Usually titles aren’t that hard for me, but the title I wanted has been chosen by two books releasing next year. Sigh.

3. How do you come up with your story ideas and your characters?

I get story ideas in weird ways. Sometimes a character will come to me and I’ll have to write a story for him or her. Sometimes I get the idea first and then have to find people for the story. The Key is unique for me. I got hooked on Stargate Atlantis and got this story idea for an episode. It kept getting in the way of me writing a book, so I thought, I’ll just write it down and get it out of the way. Well, 100 pages later, I realized I had a character in need of a story. I had nothing but this woman with special abilities. And she required a science fiction world, something I’d never done before. I tried everywhere I could think of to situate her in the “real” world and she would have none of it. So I followed her lead and ended up with a huge science fiction romance novel.

One thing I do when I finish a book is to interview myself about writing that book. I call it my Behind the Book interviews. I have a little fun with them, but they also keep details fresh that I might otherwise forget. Here’s the link to my interview about The Last Enemy:
http://www.paulinebjones.com/LEBHB.htm

4. What genre are you most comfortable writing?

I get the most buzz from writing suspense and/or action-adventure. Not sure what that says about me. LOL! I’ve tried writing straight romance and can keep from killing anyone or blowing anything up if the story is short, but past about fifteen pages, stuff starts to happen. I also enjoy adding humor. For me, humor is the leavening of life, so it’s natural for me to filter it into my writing. While I’ve written what I’d call suspense from the beginning, my writing has been edging toward action/adventure for some time. When I look back and I can see it more and more, so that’s where I am right now. I call it action/adventure, but my books always have a romance element. I’m told that The Key is science fiction romance or space opera. For me, space is a setting, just as Denver was the setting for The Last Enemy. Both settings had to be, they are as essential to the plots as the characters, but through all my books there is peril, romance and action. (That’s where I got my website tag line: The Perils of Pauline—is the unifying theme of all my books.)

5. How did you come up with the title for your book(s)?

I got the title for The Last Enemy from a quote:

“Death is the last enemy: once we've got past that I think everything will be alright.”
Alice Thomas Ellis

It really suits the story, because my character has survivor guilt issues.

6. How much of the novel is realistic?

All of my books are completely realistic. Really. Okay, so maybe the time travel and the space travel aren’t exactly true yet, but they could be.

Seriously, I try to make my characters feel real. If readers believe in the people, then they will believe in the story. I once had this reader busting my chops about a small detail in Out of Time. I was like, dude, you’re fussing about where the guys go to the bathroom on a B-17, but have no trouble with travel through time? It’s fiction. So basically I made it all up.

7. If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything?

I wouldn’t. I’ve enjoyed writing my books, have loved what I’ve learned from each one. Sometimes people ask me why I don’t publish with a larger publisher, like one in New York. The short answer is: they didn’t like what I like to write. That meant one of us had to change and we’re both determined not to budge.

I feel blessed to find a publisher who likes me and my writing as is (other than the edits of course). I have to spend so much time with a book that it’s just not possible for me to do anything but write what I want. While this is a business for me, I would not spend this much time doing something that didn’t bring me joy.

8. If your book was made into a movie who do you picture playing the part of the hero and heroine?
9.
Matt would be played by Tommy Lee Jones (well, a younger one) and Sandra Bulluck for Dani?

10. When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When I made my first sale: a short story to a children’s magazine. I didn’t start telling people I was a writer, though, until my first novel, Pig in a Park, was published.

11. Who is your favorite character in the book?

Well, Dani, I guess, though I loved writing Matt, too. I liked Dani a lot because she had courage and a sense of humor and she was real. She reacted to events the way a real woman would and didn’t use any extraordinary powers to overcome evil. She is like the women I’ve known through the years, woman who face hard things with a sense of humor and determination.

12. What is your favorite way to take a break from writing?

I like to put a movie into the dvd player, curl up with a bowl of popcorn, chilled Jr. Mints and a Diet Dr. Pepper and let the world go by. The movie can be a romantic comedy or an action –adventure. I also have this secret love of critter features or disasters flicks. I’m drawn to Tremors, Lake Placid and any movie that will mean an end to life on Earth as we know it. I have no explanation for it, though I suspect it is hereditary. I once caught my mom watching some earthquake flick, mini-series. Sorry to out you, Mom, but it is long standing tradition to blame our parents for stuff, and well, you were watching it.

Author website: http://www.paulinebjones.com

While you're there checkout Pauline's book The Key, An Independent Publisher Book Awards Bronze Medal Winner. http://www.paulinebjones.com/thekey.htm

Book-A-Week Challenge is reading The Last Enemy

This week, we have the pleasure of reading The Last Enemy by Pauline B Jones.

A US Marshall and a romance author against a killer...what is there not to love?

Enjoy the book and then join me and Pauline back here on Sunday, November 22 to learn more about Pauline, her books, and what else she has for us to read.

Blurb:

Thriller/Suspense: Two men need her. One needs her dead. Betrayed by those who were supposed to protect her, romance author Dani Gwynne is plotting her own survival, working against time, terror and her fear of heights in the mile high city of Denver. Deputy U.S. Marshal Matthew Kirby is the lonesome lawman in charge of finding Dani. Hunting is what the Marshals do best and Matt is their top tracker, but even he hasn't been able to close the law and disorder gap with an elusive killer who's never missed his mark. Until now...

Paperback: 260 pages
Publisher: Hard Shell Word Factory
ISBN-13: 978-0759903951

Author website: http://www.paulinebjones.com

Book-A-Week Challenge Reading Sin & Vengeance by CJ West

In honor of the wine/mystery event taking place Friday, November 13th, I thought it would be a great idea to read Sin & Vengeance.

Why?

First, because it is authored by CJ West, one of the participating authors in the wine/mystery event.
Second, because the story revolves around a winery.

Book Info:

Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: 22 West Books (October 20, 2005)
ISBN-13: 978-0976778806
Read a chapter online: http://www.22wb.com/books.htm

Blurb:

When his knee shatters on the playing field, Charlie Marston is plunged into turmoil. The fallen college superstar joins the family winemaking business, but working alongside his parents is not the future he had planned. He escapes work whenever he can and soon finds a new friend named Randy Black. Randy is part stunt-pilot, part Casanova, and part drunken Pied Piper. Randy introduces Charlie to Deirdre Deudon, the provocative wife of a French farmer. They come together in an ill-conceived stunt that explodes into consequences that chase Charlie and Randy back home to Massachusetts and change Deirdre's life forever. The after-effects of this tragic mistake bind the three of them together and threaten everything they hold dear.

I hope you enjoy the mystery!

Book-A-Week Challenge Reading Simple Genius by David Baldacci

This week in the Book-A-Week Challenge, we are reading Simple Genius by David Baldacci.
David happens to be one of my favorite writers, in particular, his Camel Club series. Simple Genius is not in his Camel Club series, but his series with former Secret Service agents Sean King and Michelle Maxwell.

Who doesn't like a strong, intelligent guy who cares about his partner? Of course, I love a heroine who can hold her own and stand up for others. These two make a terrific team! Plus, there are some technologies in this book that sound intriguing.

Blurb:

David Baldacci's much-loved protagonists Sean King and Michelle Maxwell are having trouble adjusting to life in the wake of the terrible events that drove them to the brink in HOUR GAME. Dogged by hidden demons from her past, then almost killed in a barroom brawl, Michelle agrees to try therapy at a mental-health facility, where she simultaneously busts a ring of drug-dealers. Sean, hoping to right their shared career in the private security sector, accepts an offer to investigate a mysterious death at a scientific think tank called Babbage Town, located suspiciously close to the CIA's most infamous yet covert training camp—"The Farm". In Babbage Town, the security is tight as the world's great geniuses race to invent technologies powerful enough to conquer the most sophisticated microprocessor. Michelle soon joins Sean, and before long both find themselves pawns in a terrifying game whose elusive players cite threats to national security as justification for their most heinous crimes.

Book-A-Week Challenge Reading 13 1/2 by Nevada Barr

This week we are reading a psychological thriller written by Nevada Barr. I have read most if not all of Ms. Barr's Anna Pigeon mystery series and enjoy those very much so it's a real treat to read something that diverges from her series. I hope you'll joing me in reading her latest book and tell us what you think.

Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Vanguard Press (October 6, 2009)
ISBN-13: 978-1593155537

Purchase:
Amazon
B&N

Blurb:

In 1971, the state of Minnesota was rocked by the “Butcher Boy” incident, as coverage of a family brutally murdered by one of their own swept across newspapers and television screens nationwide.
Now, in present-day New Orleans, Polly Deschamps finds herself at yet another lonely crossroads in her life. No stranger to tragedy, Polly was a runaway at the age of fifteen, escaping a nightmarish Mississippi childhood.

Lonely, that is, until she encounters architect Marshall Marchand. Polly is immediately smitten. She finds him attractive, charming, and intelligent. Marshall, a lifelong bachelor, spends most of his time with his brother Danny. When Polly’s two young daughters from her previous marriage are likewise taken with Marshall, she marries him. However, as Polly begins to settle into her new life, she becomes uneasy about her husband’s increasing dark moods, fearing that Danny may be influencing Marshall in ways she cannot understand.

But what of the ominous prediction by a New Orleans tarot card reader, who proclaims that Polly will murder her husband? What, if any, is the Marchands’ connection to the infamous “Butcher Boy” multiple homicide? And could Marshall and his eccentric brother be keeping a dark secret from Polly, one that will shatter the happiness she has forever prayed for?

To find out more about Nevada Barr and her other books, please visit her website at www.nevadabarr.com

Happy Reading!

Who Moved My Cheese? discussion and interpretation

This week as part of the Book-A-Week Challenge, I read Who Moved My Cheese? No offense, but this would not be a story I did not pick up voluntarily, but was a book one of the writers in my group gave me and insisted I read several months ago.

I honestly had thought I had no need to read such a book. I mean, for those of you who do not know me very well, I am an agent of change, a woman who takes the bull by the horns and head-butts him right between the eyes.

Most the time.

Before I tell you too much, let me give you a quick synopsis or my take on this short story. Who Moved My Cheese? is a story about change and how we do and/or can/should deal with it. The author, Spencer Johnson, M.D., uses the tale of two mice named Sniff and Scurry along with two tiny people named Hem and Haw in a maze searching for their cheese. The author uses the analogy of ‘rats in a maze’ as a way of demonstrating the various ways people (you and me) deal with change and our search for what we want.

Like you can’t tell by the names of the characters what their personalities are going to be and how we handle change and fear.

In a nutshell, it comes down to this:

• Change happens (sometimes you expect it and sometimes you don’t)
• Anticipate change (learning to anticipate change makes it easier and quicker to deal with it)
• Adapt to change quickly (since it is bound to happen, the sooner you adjust, the better off you will be)
• Change (you yourself may need to change)
• Enjoy change (be flexible, go with it, and take that bull by the horns and laugh at it)

Here is the key question: What would you do if you weren’t afraid?

You see, it is that fear of change, the unknown that holds us in place, stagnate, a place where we no longer belong.

Example: Let’s say you want to be a published author. One day you wake up and light dawns on that marble head of yours and you say, “I want to be a writer.”

What questions immediately jump into your head?

Unfortunately, the first questions are usually the negative ones. “What if I fail?” “What if no one likes my work?” Or, you don’t even ask the negative, you jump right into the, “There’s no way I can be an author, it’s just a pipe dream.”
Instead, you should ask, “What will I need to succeed?” Or better yet, “Will this endeavor make me happy?”

Biggest Mistake: We don’t notice the need for change when something once worked.

Just because something once worked does not mean that it will continue to be successful. Keep in mind all the businesses that have gone out of business or dropped off your radar because they refused to move with technology. Today we are experiencing this by the truckloads. Look at all the print publishing organizations.

Newspapers, magazines, book publishers, are going down the tubes because they did not want to admit that they had to change. Obviously that is not the reason for all the recent failures, but I would guess it is for the majority.

If we remember that change happens, that it is inevitable, then we can be flexible and aware enough to embrace change when we see the writing on the wall and hopefully before.

In Relationships: Let go of behavior that is the cause of the bad relationship.

This is where you have to get that giant mirror, open your eyes wide, take a good look at yourself and decide what you contribute to a poor relationship. If you say nothing, go get one of those carnival mirrors and try again.

Sounds kind of hokey, but I personally can attest to this one. I’m an enabler, or I was. What that means is that I enable people to maintain their bad habits. How? By letting him/her continue the bad habit because I want them to be happy at the expense of my own happiness. My feelings were never as important as anyone else’s because the placid smoothness of a relationship was easier than fighting for what I wanted.

This is an extremely unhealthy way to live. I know.

The hard part of this was realizing that it was ‘my fault’. I would never, could never have a happy, healthy relationship until I recognized my behavior and changed it. You have to imagine a fiercely independent woman (this is how all my friends and relatives describe me) unable to go for what she wanted if it caused someone else to be dissatisfied.

Now that you know all of this, how do you go after your cheese? What is the next step?

The answer is simple or so it seems. Paint a picture of what you want in your mind and go for it.

Yes, there will be struggles. Yes, people (friends, family, even acquaintances) will doubt you, question you, even think you are nuts at various times. If you are lucky, there will be someone in your corner with those red and purple pom-poms cheering you on, but if you have the doubting-Thomases, do not give up. Ask yourself, “Are you doing this for them or you?”

Keep your eye on the prize or in this case the image in your head of what you will achieve.

I can even attest to this. Even as a kid I knew to visualize what I wanted, see it, play it out in my head, and BAM! There it was. Did it just happen? No. But because I saw it, wanted it, I made it happen.

Case in point, I am a published author. I wanted it. I found out what I needed to succeed, and went after it.

Ah, but remember, that cheese moves. Don’t sit back on your laurels and say, “Hey! I did what I set out to do and now I’m done.” Uh-uh! That’s when your goal/dream must shift, move. Don’t let someone else move your cheese. You move it!

My apologies if this was a little lengthy, but I wanted to share with you my take on Who Moved My Cheese? and that as skeptical as I was in reading the story, it did make me reflect on what I already knew and what I need to still do.

I encourage you to share your own experiences, thoughts, comments. And maybe, just maybe, I will share with you a very personal poem I wrote and amazingly was published that gives you the demonstration of how I moved my cheese.

Book-A-Week-Challenge reading Who Moved My Cheese

A few months back at a NHRWA writers group meeting, we all brought in books to donate to the Bow Library in Bow, NH. Before we gave the enormous amounts of books over to the wonderful librarians, we had an opportunity to go through each other's books and see if there was something we wanted to take for our own.

Yeah, I know, that defeats the purpose of cleaning out your own library, but you never know what little gem you might find in somebody else's "already read pile".

Anyway, I was just sitting there and one of the other writers, I won't name names, handed me the book, Who Moved My Cheese. I looked at her and thought she was nuts. Well, she is, but she told me in no uncertain terms that I had to read the book.

"Fine," I mumbled and took the book. Well, it has sat on my coffee table for long enough. This week we read Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson, MD for this week's Book-A-Week Challenge.

At the end of the week, on Sunday, instead of an author interview, let's have a Q&A and see what you thought of and got out of this book. I know I'm interested to see why my friend was so adamant about shoving this book at me. :-)

I'll see you next Sunday, October 11, to have a book chat. In the meantime, happy reading!

Pub. Date: January 1998
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Format: Hardcover, 96pp
ISBN-13: 9780399144462

Purchase: B&N
Amazon

Blurb: Who Moved My Cheese? is the story of four characters living in a "Maze" who face unexpected change when they discover their "Cheese" has disappeared. Sniff and Scurry, who are mice, and Hem and Haw, little people the size of mice, each adapt to change in their "Maze" differently. In fact, one doesn't adapt at all...

This timeless allegory reveals profound truths to individuals and organizations dealing with change. We each live in a "Maze", a metaphor for the companies or organizations we work with, the communities we live in, the families we love places where we look for the things we want in life, "Cheese". It may be an enjoyable career, loving relationships, wealth, or spiritual peace of mind. With time and experience, one character eventually succeeds and even prospers from the change in his "Maze".In an effort to share what he has learned along the way, he records his personal discoveries on the maze walls, the "Handwriting on the Wall". Likewise, when we begin to see the "writing on the wall", we discover the simplicity and necessity of adapting to change.

Book-A-Week Challenge Reading "President Lincoln's Secret" by Steven Wilson

This week in our Book-A-Week Challenge we are reading "President Lincoln's Secret" by Steven Wilson



Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation
Pub. Date: July 2009
ISBN-13: 9780758232144
320pp

Purchase from: Amazon or B&N

Blurb: It is 1863, the year of Gettysburg and Vicksburg, when a nation savagely tears at its soul. At the center of the carnage stands the calm, enigmatic figure of President Abraham Lincoln. In this extraordinary thriller, Lincoln sends his most trusted agent to turn the course of the War...

Twelve miles from Wilmington, Delaware, a heavily guarded ammunition dump has exploded—and lit up the night sky for miles around. On a newly christened ironclad in the Potomac, Lincoln meets with Colonel Fitz Dunaway and his beautiful, brilliant wife Asia. Fitz has already been wounded in service to the President. Now, the Union is imperiled as never before . . . and the President needs Fitz's skills more than ever. In the clandestine world where more than espionage is kept secret, a killer makes his first move on Lincoln's man. It is then that Fitz and Asia confront a cabal of traitors and spies, sufferers and sinners who are all guarding the most terrifying threat of all...

Find out more about Steven Wilson by visiting his website at http://stevenwilsonbooks.com/index01.htm.

Book-A-Week Challenge Interview with Elizabeth Eagan-Cox, author of "A Ghost from the Shadows"

We're interviewing Elizabeth Eagan-Cox, author of this week's Book-A-Week Challenge "A Ghost from the Shadows"



Elizabeth will drop in today to answer any questions you have on her book(s) and how she writes her stories so leave her a comment.

More information can be found about Elizabeth Eagan-Cox on her website at http://www.elizabetheagancox.net/.

Interview:

Thank you for joining us, Elizabeth, and for sharing your story.

What motivated you to write this novel series?

I have written non-fiction my entire life. I have been a columnist and I have two published books on California history, written in a style called narrative non-fiction, or popular history. I was tired of non-fiction and the market for this genre was getting soft. Very soft. But I yearned to incorporate my passion for California’s more intriguing aspects of history into a plot. So, I took what I know best, California history, and combined it with fiction to create a paranormal mystery series. The plot for each of my novels takes place in present-day time, but historical facts help to create the cold-case files of unsolved mysteries… to which there is some quirky present-day tie-in.

California history is fascinating and it spans nearly five hundred years since the first colonial expedition by European powers. Every aspect of culture is represented in its history, at one time or another… for me this is an incredible tapestry to draw inspiration from.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

Agatha Christie, she is the iconic queen of cozy mystery novels. I love the way her writing presents the simple, yet profound down-to-earth study of human nature. Big city or small village, human nature remains the same, and so do the many crimes of humanity.

What are your current projects?

I am tying up loose ends for book 3 in my Shannon Delaney Paranormal Mystery series. Book 3 is called A Ghost Meets an Angel. I will hand it in to my editor before I leave to go on my annual Halloween vacation this year. And speaking of Halloween, I was asked to guest write for the Museum of the Macabre’s Haunted History blog. I wrote a two-part article on Celtic Halloween Traditions and it will be on the Museum of the Macabre’s Web site on Octber 30 & 31. Oh, and I have quite a few media appearances scheduled between now and the end of November. All this information, with links is at: www.ElizabethEaganCox.net

What makes your stories unique?

I combine a true cozy mystery genre with the elements of the paranormal. Simply stated, I have a few ghosts as characters and they are treated as characters, not as novelties. Plus, the lead character, a young woman named Shannon Delaney has her own emerging paranormal energy, and she is not too sure about it. Shannon’s intuitive talent to speak to the past is a surprise to her, she must learn to live with it and utilize it to solve cold case mystery files. I rely heavily on my own ancestry in this regard, using cultural beliefs of my Celtic traditions.

I should clarify what a true cozy is…just so readers understand. In the cozy genre there is never graphic or explicit horror, violence, sex and language. The crime, which is the mystery, has already taken place, the readers discover it at the same time the cast of characters stumble upon it. The settings are small, usually a village, a campus or a particular neighborhood. The plot focus is on character and mystery development and solving the mystery with intelligence gained through sleuthing… good detective work. Jokingly, but true, I have told people you can set any one of my books down and never be afraid of whom might pick it up!

Another aspect that is different, I do weave a great deal of popular history into the plot and the publisher has agreed to allow me a chapter or two worth of page space to have Author’s Notes at the back. I did this because I hate it when I am reading a book, am curious about something mentioned in it and then I set the book aside to get Online to research what I wasn’t sure about! I don’t want to leave my readers scratching their heads about a clue, so I have notes in the back that explain lesser-known aspects of history and clues.

How do you come up with your story ideas and your characters?

I dream them. All of my plots are based on my knowledge and experience with California and American history. Sometimes the little seed of a story is formed from some out of the ordinary influences.

For instance, in Book 2: A Ghost From the Shadows… well I had in my mind a song from long ago that I heard on the radio and, wow! I always loved that song! The song is “Conquistador” by Procol Harem… so go get Online and listen to the song… you’ll get an idea of what inspired book 2. Having grown up in southern California, the song spoke to me.

Then, Book 1: A Ghost of a Chance, was inspired by the mansion that is on the book’s front cover. It is a real home, called The Morey Mansion Bed & Breakfast Inn in Redlands, California and I have been in it many times over the years. Officially dubbed as “America’s Favorite Victorian” I always had it in mind as the perfect setting for a ghost story. Though, in truth, I do not believe that The Morey Mansion is haunted. Another mansion, one that is in San Diego was an inspiration for the story as well. That one, I do believe is haunted. It is the Villa Montezuma. And Book 1 got its start from a short story I wrote and sold to a British magazine. I decided to take the plunge and to write a novel, I knew that the short story was the stepping stone to the novel. The story was called “Thin Air” and the only recognizable part of it is in the first two chapters of book 1.

And for Book 3: A Ghost Meets an Angel, I was inspired by two older songs: “Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts”, sung by Joan Baez, written by Bob Dylan and “Ride Like the Wind” by Christopher Cross.

When do you find you are the most creative or write the most?

On a yearly calendar I actively write March through September. I take a vacation in October and that has been my goal, to have a book ready to turn in by the time I go on vacation. I come back from vacation and spend the next several months (until March) doing background research for the next novel.

On a daily basis, when I am actively writing, that would be March through September, I take care of business communication in the early morning, often in my robe and bunny slippers and then I get dressed for the day and take a quick coffee break. After that, I go back to tip-tapping on the keyboard at about 10 in the morning and finish up around two or three in the afternoon. I then take another break, usually my meal of the day. In the late afternoon, I check e-mail communication and do more correspondence. I work 4-day weeks, 10 to 12 hours each day and I write two chapters a week. On my off days, I may still be working, but not on the novel. This often includes media interviews and appearances. I find having a structured schedule for the creative writing part of what I do to be comforting… amid the chaos in the world, I can shut out the noise and create my own world, at least for a few hours at a time!

What genre are you most comfortable writing?

Cozy Mystery…and as corny as this sounds… I hold myself accountable for the potential influences of what I write. I like the idea that I can talk about what I write with anyone and anywhere, including in my church. I’m not criticizing the writers of other genres… but no way could I write in a genre that I could not sign my real name to and feel comfortable talking about it in all social arenas.

What are you reading now?

I’m in the process of preliminary research for the yet untitled book 4 in my series. I’m digging into the Online data base called the Newspaper Archive, it is a subscription data bank and is a primary source for study. Newspapers going back into the 1700s up to present day are in this database, from all over the world.

What is your favorite way to take a break from writing?

For short breaks on a daily basis, I go for walks in the rural countryside where I live. My dog, Corley is in charge of these breaks, she lets me know when we have been working too hard!

For actual days off, I do a great deal of genealogical study. I used to teach genealogy classes. As a member of one of the oldest lineage societies in the U.S…. Daughters of the American Revolution…(yes, that D.A.R.) I have learned the most stringent guidelines for finding evidential proof of ancestry. I am the first in my family to connect each and every generation in direct lineage, back to a Revolutionary War Patriot of the 1700s. I now have four Patriots documented. By no means is my story unique…there are many, many people out there with similar lineage waiting to be discovered.

Discovering ancestors and coming to terms with their incredible hardships gives me an overwhelming sense of pride in their accomplishments and a great deal of determination to go forward with my own dreams. This is a topic very close to my heart, you see, I have always felt that my creative talents were inherited, and in fact, in the Celtic culture this inherent and intangible talent is called Blood Memory. It is an Intuitive Intelligence passed on to us very much in the same manner that physical characteristics are inherited. By no means is the concept of Blood Memory unique to the Celtic culture…though in my experience we, in the Celtic culture, are perhaps, more open to talking about it.

Many years ago one of my siblings asked me why I am so driven, so passionate about writing. My answer: I write to quiet the whispers of our ancestors.

When I found my ancestors, I found my ghosts and I discovered that many aspects of being human transcend death, especially the love we have for those in our lives.

Why paranormal? Have you had any real-life paranormal experiences?

I first thought of my concept as supernatural, I was not familiar with the term “Paranormal.” My publisher is the one who described my books as paranormal and it was from this description that I learned what I had always thought of, as supernatural is now called paranormal.

Why paranormal? Not sure, really. I just never considered writing fiction without having a ghost or two in the story. As far as real-life paranormal experiences…yes that is what I would call what has happened in my life on a few occasions. Though, I do not usually go into much detail about them. I will say this… I believe in ghosts as ‘spirit visitations’ and as people, who in their earth-bound life are likely to be how they are in their spectral existence. In other words… (Addressing the readers) that grandparent who was so much a favorite person in your life… well they love you and guide you in their afterlife to the best that their spectral existence will allow. Perhaps a foreign concept to some people, but I do believe that our soul’s emotions are so strong that love transcends death.

In many ways, my Celtic cultural beliefs support this and for readers who may be wondering…my faith is not in objection to it. I am Anglican Catholic, known as Episcopal in the USA. I’m a member of Trintiy Parish in Redlands, California.

Why ghosts?

Why not ghosts? After what I answered above, I hope it is clear that I believe we have an afterlife and in that afterlife we have some spectral wiggle room. Having ghosts in my story and treating them as real characters, as opposed to novelties, also helps me to weave the threads of history into the plots.

Tell us your latest news?

I have numerous appearances scheduled between now and the end of November, most are in radio on the Internet, so it is easy and free to tune in to the radio programs and ask me questions. Please do so, my schedule and easy links to the radio programs are on my web site: http://www.elizabetheagancox.net/

Book-A-Week Challenge Reading "A Ghost from the Shadows" by Elizabeth Eagan-Cox

This week in our Book-A-Week Challenge we are reading "A Ghost from the Shadows" by Elizabeth Eagan-Cox



Elizabeth will be here on Sunday, September 27, 2009 for an interview and to respond to your questions or comments. Mark the date, read the book, and return here Sunday to ask Elizabeth questions and give her feedback.
More information can be found about Elizabeth Eagan-Cox on her website at http://www.elizabetheagancox.net/.

Paperback: 232 pages
Publisher: Write Words, Inc. (June 4, 2009)
ISBN-10: 1594317224
ISBN-13: 978-1594317224

Purchase from: Amazon

Blurb: Talented publicity writer Shannon Delaney rebounds from a failed romance and takes refuge in an assignment at 1920's-era Magic Manor Dinner Theater on California's Catalina Island, Avalon resort. Assured of quiet surroundings as the only lodger at the renovation-in-process Magic Manor, Shannon soon discovers she is not alone! Portentous events, haunting clues and spectral visitations draw Shannon into separate, yet interwoven, mysteries: The hunt for nineteenth-century pirate treasure, and a decade-old tragic death that reeks of dark intentions. Avalon, fabled as Hollywood's getaway, is ideal as A Ghost From the Shadows location and for Shannon's continuing adventures as she builds her career and strengthens her intuitive powers to speak to the past. Returning characters include: Alex Blackthorne, Aunt Dora, Francisco Zavala, Zach Zavala and Shannon's personal spirit guide: Eric Blackthorne, master magician from the 1800s.

Book-A-Week Challenge Reading "Losers Live Longer" by Russell Atwood

This week in our Book-A-Week Challenge we are reading "Losers Live Longer" by Russell Atwood



Publisher: Dorchester Publishing Company, Incorporated
Pub. Date: August 2009
ISBN-13: 9780843961218
256pp

Purchase from Amazon or B&N

Blurb: The death of legendary private eye George Rowell looked like an accident—but searching for the truth behind it will put down-and-out East Village detective Payton Sherwood on the corpse-littered trail of a runaway investment scam artist, a drug-addicted reality TV star—and the bewitching beauty whose appearance set it all in motion...

About the author: Russell Atwood is a former managing editor of ELLERY QUEEN'S MYSTERY MAGAZINE. He's written for BIOGRAPHY and A&E MONTHLY magazines. He has been an NYC resident since 1991. His first Payton Sherwood mystery story appeared in EQMM. His first novel, EAST OF A, was published by Ballantine Books. His new Payton Sherwood mystery novel, LOSERS LIVE LONGER,is published by Hard Case Crime Books (09/09).

Find out more about the author at his website at www.loserslivelonger.com.

Book-A-Week Challenge Reading "Outcast" by Joan Johnston

Book-A-Week Challenger is reading "Outcast" by Joan Johnston


Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Mira (June 30, 2009)
ISBN-10: 0778325741
ISBN-13: 978-0778325741
Purchase from Amazon
Purchase from B&N

I love books with military types, Washington intrigue, and a little romance. I am very much looking forward to reading this book.

Blurb: Society bachelor and former army sniper Ben Benedict moves between two worlds—from high-society Washington to the mean city streets, from tuxedos to Glocks. His powerful Virginia family wants him out of harm's way, but Ben stays on the job, determined to make amends for a past that haunts him.

Dr. Anna Schuster is fighting demons of her own when she crosses paths with Agent Benedict. The two become adversaries—and lovers—as they search for an Al Qaeda operative bent on revenge.

Ben must fight against time—and his own darkness—to rescue millions of innocents and the woman he loves from a virulent bioweapon in the hands of a dangerous enemy.

Book-A-Week Challenge Interview with Kristin Callender

Book-A-Week Challenge Interview with Kristin Callender author of "The Truth Lies in the Dark"

If you didn't have a chance to read it you can pick up a copy of Kristin's book at Amazon.

Paperback: 188 pages
Publisher: BluewaterPress LLC
ISBN-10: 1604520140
ISBN-13: 978-1604520149

Find out more about Kristin Callender at her blog http://kcsbooks.blogspot.com

In the meantime, check out Kristin's interview below, and leave her a comment or question.

When and why did you begin writing?

I have always been drawn to writing, but never thought of it as a career option for me until I was an adult. I shouldn't admit this but I was not the most motivated student in school. Writing was the one area that came easy to me. It was a great outlet for my over active imagination. I played with the idea of writing a book for a long time and when Nick and Amanda's story (The Truth Lies in the Dark) came to me I knew I had to sit down and give writing an honest try.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I had a hard time considering myself a writer. It wasn't until I had my first book published that I felt worthy of the title. Now I see it completely different. You are a writer from the moment you pick up a pen, or pull up a keyboard, and bring an idea to life. I tell people now that I will continue to be a writer, whether I become a published author again is up to the editor :)

What genre are you most comfortable writing?

I am still trying different styles and genres to see which fits me best. Picture me in a dressing room asking my husband, "Does this cozy mystery make my butt look big?" No, seriously I loved writing mystery and have a few more ideas and am now finishing a contemporary romance. So far I have been letting the stories choose me. If they yell out loud enough I write them. I imagine that eventually I will find my niche, but in the mean time I am enjoying the variety.

Who came up with the book cover for your book? Why?

My teenage son, Michael actually did the cover for The Truth Lies in the Dark. He painted a picture of New York City at night for a high school Art class and friends of mine suggested that it would make a great cover. I cropped it and sent to my publisher and they agreed. I didn't realize until later how rare it is to have so much control over the cover choice. I love that I get to share this with my son.

If your book was made into a movie who do you picture playing the part of the hero and heroine?

The Truth Lies in the Dark could be made into a Lifetime movie. A film producer loved the story and will be pitching to cable executives. I will hopefully be able to come back and tell you who was actually chosen to play the parts of Nick and Amanda. I have just extended the end date for a contest promoting this event. Stop by and leave a comment. The amount of comments received determines the amount of prizes offered. http://kcscontests.blogspot.com

What is your favorite way to take a break from writing?

Some days the writing takes over and I find it hard to break away for anything; food, phone calls, even the kids. Then there are days when you just don't feel it. Those days I love taking a walk with my music to clear my head, or I pick up a good book. Then there is always Twitter, which provides some comic relief and helpful writing advice.

What are your current projects?

As I shared earlier, I am finishing up a contemporary romance. I also have a few other stories started that I hope to get back to and of course new ones are always popping up. I would also love to try some children's books too. It is harder now to find time to sit and write. There is so much about marketing, promoting, and networking to learn. Juggling these new hats, along with work, family and friend commitments has been a challenge. I give a lot of credit to authors like you, who have found a way to do it all and have time for a Book-a-week challenge.

Thanks for stopping by for my interview and thank you Denise for doing this. It was a lot of fun. Good luck on your future Book-a-week challenges. I'll be back to check them out.

~ Kristin Callender : )

http://kcsbooks.blogspot.com
http://kcscontests.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/KCBOOKS

Reminder - Author Interview with Kristin Callender

Wanted to remind you of Sunday's Book-A-Week Challenge Interview with Kristin Callender author of "The Truth Lies in the Dark"


Kristin will be here to tell us how she started writing and what she's working on, and answer whatever questions we send her way.

Join us Sunday, September 6 to learn about the author of The Truth Lies in the Dark.

If you haven't had a chance to read it you can pick up a copy of Kristin's book at Amazon.

Paperback: 188 pages
Publisher: BluewaterPress LLC
ISBN-10: 1604520140
ISBN-13: 978-1604520149

Find out more about Kristin Callender at her blog http://kcsbooks.blogspot.com

See you Sunday!

Book-A-Week Challenge Reading "The Truth Lies in the Dark" by Kristin Callender

This week's Book-A-Week Challenge is reading "The Truth Lies in the Dark" by Kristin Callender

To pick up a copy of the book go to Amazon.

Paperback: 188 pages
Publisher: BluewaterPress LLC
ISBN-10: 1604520140
ISBN-13: 978-1604520149

Join us here on Sunday, September 6 when I post an interview with Kristin. In the meantime, enjoy the story!

Blurb: What if you found out that everything you thought you knew was a lie? That the people you loved and trusted kept a life changing secret from you? These are a few of the questions Amanda Martineau must answer in The Truth Lies in the Dark. As a child Amanda survived a plane crash that killed her parents and left her with no memory of her life before the accident. Raised by her grandparents, she only knows what they have told her about her past and her family. But her reoccurring nightmares tell her something different. They leave her feeling like a stranger in her own mind. Then an unfinished letter written by her grandfather thrusts her deeper into confusion. A business trip with her husband Nick quickly turns into a personal journey to expose the secret of her past. As she searches for answers she only finds more questions. Who can she trust? Who is there to help her and who is there to make sure that the truth remains...in the dark?

Let's talk Finger Lickin' Fifteen

Last week we read "Finger Lickin' Fifteen" by Janet Evanovich as our Book-A-Week Challenge.

Since we did not have an opportunity to interview Janet, I thought we could have a book discussion. I will throw a few questions out about the book, feel free to answer and also share your thoughts on the book, even ask your own questions.


How did chef Stanley Chipotle die? What did you think of that?


What disaster do Lula and Grandma Mazur get into this time?


What is happening with Ranger that Stephanie goes to do some work for him again?


Was anyone else disappointed that Stephanie and Ranger did not 'get it on'?


Speaking of which, who would you want to be with? The dark and deadly and oh so sexy Ranger? Or the tough as nails, sports watchin' cop Morelli?

Book-A-Week Challenge Reading "Hot Pursuit" by Suzanne Brockmann

This week the Book-A-Week Challenge is reading "Hot Pursuit" by Suzanne Brockmann

To find out more about Suzanne and her books, check her website at www.suzannebrockmann.com.

For those of you who may not have a read a book by Suzanne Brockmann, her Troubleshooter series is a great place to start. The stories are mixed with engaging characters, tons of action, and dialogue that will keep you reading and wanting more. I am looking forward to this story.

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Pub. Date: July 2009
ISBN-13: 9780345501578
Pages: 416pp
Series: Troubleshooters Series, #15

Buy: B&N
Amazon

Blurb: Alyssa Locke is no stranger to dealing with danger. As team leader of the nation's number one personal security company, Troubleshooters, Inc., she's seen more than her share of action, survived plenty of close calls, and holds her own with the best of them--and against the worst of them. Guarding lives is her game, and no one plays it better. But her toughest challenge will be protecting herself from a serial killer she’s been after for years -- known only as “The Dentist” -- who is determined to make her his ultimate trophy.

The assignment was supposed to be an easy one: teach self-defense techniques to a newly-elected New York State Assemblywoman and her chief of staff, after a political controversy generates a blizzard of hate mail – including some death threats -- from hotheads and cranks. But as soon as she mobilizes in New York City with her squad of moonlighting Navy SEALs, Alyssa begins butting heads with the hard-case cop who thinks they’re chasing shadows.

Until they discover a dead body. And then another. Now Alyssa really has her hands full --.bodyguarding two independent, busy women, managing a murder investigation, and trying to find time for her husband, Troubleshooters operative Sam Starrett, and their infant son. Meanwhile, it wouldn't be a Troubleshooters operation without romantic sparks and heated rivalries--and any time the SEALs of Team Sixteen are involved, there are plenty of both.

But then, in the middle of investigating a suspect, Alyssa is ambushed, and suddenly finds herself imprisoned by The Dentist. Now cut off from everyone she loves and relies on, Alyssa must call upon all of her strength and skill to survive this final confrontation with the sadistic monster, and trust that her Troubleshooter teammates, led by her beloved Sam, will reach her before it’s too late.