Rebecca from The Cadence Group emailed me and asked if I would review this MG book, however, being so backlogged, I had to say no.  But, when I read the synopsis, I thought what a fun and interesting premise for a book and wanted to share it with all of you.  So today, the author, who is getting rave reviews for her debut book, is stopping by and telling us all about it.  Emily Edwards, welcome to the CMash blog!!

It’s a well-known fact that many girls love horses, and it’s almost as well recognized that when girls can’t be with horses they love to read books about them. Stories provide another way to feed their obsession—a healthy obsession, I would argue!—and a way to lose themselves in a horse-saturated situation that they might not otherwise experience. Having been a horse-crazy kid myself, I have a good idea of what makes an excellent horse book: namely, there should be as many details about horses in the story as possible, and for the events that happen to be horse-centric. That is, horses should not be peripheral or add-ons to the main plot lines. Girls who like horses are usually very knowledgeable about horses and they want accurate details in the books they read. It immediately undermines a story when a book claims to be about horses but the author shows him or herself to not be an expert. When I think of classics like The Black Stallion and Black Beauty, it’s obvious that the authors had an intimate knowledge of horses and this is partly why the books have remained favourites—because they knew what they were talking about. 

Readers also want original story lines, and the idea behind The Trouble with Being a Horse was a story I thought would be unlike what’s already out there as a story that would hold great appeal to girls with active imaginations! While retaining the classic theme of girl-horse bond I sought to make the book as different as I could: instead of being about boys, black horses, or wild stallions I chose to write about more familiar
characters—girls and geldings and mares. Apart from the outrageousness of Olivia turning into a horse, I wanted all the details about horses to be as accurate as possible. Part of what’s so enjoyable about reading horse books are the descriptions and I wanted to make sure the book had plenty. And although I didn’t intend for it to happen, the use of detail led to the book being slightly educational, in that when I was describing, for example, a canter pirouette, I was in essence giving instruction on how to do a canter pirouette. When I realized later that the book had a bit of an instructive nuance to it, I wasn’t overly surprised. After all, Black Beauty, one of the first horse books, was quite informative; it had been the author’s intention to educate her readers on how to treat horses. I think that my book, like many horse books, has this undercurrent of teaching simply because that’s what detailed descriptions are: they tell how something should be done. And detail is what I thought horse-crazy girls would enjoy.

The Trouble with Being a Horse is a middle-grade fiction novel about a girl who turns into a horse. Olivia is outraged when her parents forbid her to ride and she wishes she could run away and be with horses forever. But after falling off her favorite horse, Olivia is shocked to find out she has mysteriously changed into a horse!

As a girl in a horse’s body, Olivia must put her knowledge of horses to the test as she navigates this new and bizarre world. Struggling to communicate with both humans and horses, Olivia does her best to fit in. But when she can’t resist showing off how much she knows, her secret is in danger of being found out!

  As a girl in a horse’s body, Olivia must put her knowledge of horses to the test as she navigates this new and bizarre world. Struggling to communicate with both humans and horses, Olivia does her best to fit in. But when she can’t resist showing off how much she knows, her secret is in danger of being found out!

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When Rebecca from The Cadence Group contacted me to ask if I would like to host today’s author, there was no hesitation.  Especially when I read the synopsis of his book.  Even though my “boys” are now grown and are men and on their own, I felt that this is a book that should be on every one’s list, either for your own children, your grandchildren, and/or for anyone who knows someone with children.  So without further ado, please help me welcome today’s guest, Mr. C.D. Shelton.

He holds two Masters, one in Administration and the other in Biology.

He taught at Hollywood High School and was assistant Vice-Principal during his first ten years as an Educator.

He has taught Biology for the Los Angeles Community College District for over four decades. As a Biology Professor, he wrote and developed the Biology Curriculum for the Los Angeles Community Colleges for all the pre-med majors and non majors. He co-authored two laboratory manuals for the life science department on Physiology and for Anatomy.

C.D. Shelton’s interest have included aviation, tennis and golf to name just a few. He has a private pilots license, he was a certified tennis instructor for eight years. He is a father of three, grandfather of four, he lives in Orange County California with his wife and niece. He is currently writing his tenth novel.

We rise on school day mornings early enough for our niece to get herself together, get a bite to eat, collect her books and walk the short distance to her middle school. It would seem she would have enough time. So we think.

On more than one occasion, this past semester, we received a phone call from our niece requesting we bring a particular textbook to school for use in her Social Studies Class.

One incident of this sort would not generate any raised eyebrows, but the issue with the textbook was repeated several times. Even verbal reminders delivered at the front door, “Do you have all of the books you’ll need today?” was not enough to solve the problem.

We first started talking about RESPONSIBILITY, this last spring. The book episode with my niece was the stimulus that opened the discussion on “What are some fundamental character tools a kid needs to succeed, not just in school but also in life?”

That idea started the juices to flow and within a very short time the “Kid’s Guide,” was written.

I’m currently working on my tenth novel, four have been published. “A Kid’s Guide to being a Winner,” is my first non-fiction book.

The pivotal question would be, did the discussion on RESPONSIBILITY, alter the behavior of our niece? To answer that question, I called my niece to my desk and read this entire post to her. She squirmed around a bit and finally replied, “Yes, now what I do is go through a MENTAL CHECKLIST and decide if I have
everything.”

BINGO! For me, that was the perfect answer. The above was not my reply it came straight from Ashlee Taylor, my niece.

When Rebecca from The Cadence Group contacted me to ask if I would like to host today’s author, there was no hesitation.  Especially when I read the synopsis of his book.  Even though my “boys” are now grown and are men and on their own, I felt that this is a book that should be on every one’s list, either for your own children, your grandchildren, and/or for anyone who knows someone with children.  So without further ado, please help me welcome today’s guest, Mr. C.D. Shelton.

He holds two Masters, one in Administration and the other in Biology.

He taught at Hollywood High School and was assistant Vice-Principal during his first ten years as an Educator.

He has taught Biology for the Los Angeles Community College District for over four decades. As a Biology Professor, he wrote and developed the Biology Curriculum for the Los Angeles Community Colleges for all the pre-med majors and non majors. He co-authored two laboratory manuals for the life science department on Physiology and for Anatomy.

C.D. Shelton’s interest have included aviation, tennis and golf to name just a few. He has a private pilots license, he was a certified tennis instructor for eight years. He is a father of three, grandfather of four, he lives in Orange County California with his wife and niece. He is currently writing his tenth novel.

We rise on school day mornings early enough for our niece to get herself together, get a bite to eat, collect her books and walk the short distance to her middle school. It would seem she would have enough time. So we think.

On more than one occasion, this past semester, we received a phone call from our niece requesting we bring a particular textbook to school for use in her Social Studies Class.

One incident of this sort would not generate any raised eyebrows, but the issue with the textbook was repeated several times. Even verbal reminders delivered at the front door, “Do you have all of the books you’ll need today?” was not enough to solve the problem.

We first started talking about RESPONSIBILITY, this last spring. The book episode with my niece was the stimulus that opened the discussion on “What are some fundamental character tools a kid needs to succeed, not just in school but also in life?”

That idea started the juices to flow and within a very short time the “Kid’s Guide,” was written.

I’m currently working on my tenth novel, four have been published. “A Kid’s Guide to being a Winner,” is my first non-fiction book.

The pivotal question would be, did the discussion on RESPONSIBILITY, alter the behavior of our niece? To answer that question, I called my niece to my desk and read this entire post to her. She squirmed around a bit and finally replied, “Yes, now what I do is go through a MENTAL CHECKLIST and decide if I have
everything.”

BINGO! For me, that was the perfect answer. The above was not my reply it came straight from Ashlee Taylor, my niece.

Those of you who have been following my blog over the past few months, you know that I really enjoy giving independent authors, or as they are called “indie authors” a platform to showcase their work.  They put their heart and soul into writing their novels and just need somewhere to visit and speak about their novel.  The other thing you should know about me by now is how I feel about my followers and visitors and that is, you guys are the BEST.  I also know most of your likes and dislikes when it comes to what books you like to read.  So when I received a very gracious email from today’s guest and read the synopsis of her book, I instantly offered her a Guest Author showcase spot and booked her.  So please help me welcome Ms. Grace Elliot!

Now available from most eBook stores including Amazon, price $2.99.
To find out more visit http://graceelliot-author.blogspot.com/

If you could invite five people from history to a dinner party – who would they be?

Here are my choices.

As an author of historical romance, I have a fascination with history and characters from the past don’t come much bigger than King Henry VIII. Contemporary accounts indicate that Henry, as a young man at least, was a golden Adonis whom women adored, and yet he became such a monster – breaking up the monasteries, ordering the massacre of rebels, beheading wives…the list is almost endless. I’d love to know what motivated him:  arrogance or insecurity.

My second guest would be the legendary Italian lover, Casanova. Now this choice isn’t as superficial as it sounds because Casanova was truly a resourceful man who lived life to the full. When he was down and destitute, he always found a way back up. It was Casanova who had the idea for the first lottery….I imagine his lust for life was something to behold, and just for a short time, I’d like to bask in that energy.

Now to balance the male guests, let’s invite a man of imagination and foresight, a man who envisaged the future and wrote about it in such extraordinary books as ‘The War of the Worlds,’ ‘The Time Machine’ and ‘The Invisible Man’ – author H. G. Wells.   As a girl my father gave me H. G. Wells collected works and despite the intimidating thickness of the book, I couldn’t put it down. Here is a Victorian, writing about
technology not yet dreamt of and I imagine he and Casanova would get on like the proverbial house on fire.

My final two guests are both female. Let me introduce Lady Emma Hamilton (best known for being Admiral Nelson’s lover) and the scientist, Marie Curie.  And my reasons for meeting them? Emma Hamilton, like Casanova, was one of life’s survivors. Born into poverty, she rose from walking the streets to inspire artists with her beauty, captivated a Lord and became mistress to the celebrated hero of Trafalgar, Admiral Nelson. I’d love to witness first hand that indomitable spirit that drove her to rise far above her station in life.

And the physicist Marie Curie, who harnessed the properties of radioactive materials to develop the first x rays – why would I like to meet her? Well, to warn her of the dangers of radioactivity and tell her to use lead screens, in the hope of preventing the cancer that killed her.

SO WHO WOULD YOU INVITE?
PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW AND ONE LUCKY PERSON WILL BE CHOSEN AT RANDOM TO RECEIVE A $10 AMAZON EVOUCHER.

Celeste Armitage has a plan…and that plan doesn’t include marriage.  After deliberately humiliating a suitor, Celeste’s despairing parents exile her to thecountry. But once there she discovers a sketch book of daring nude studies and is shaken to find the artist is her hostess’s eldest son, Lord Ranulf Charing. This darkly cynical lord is exactly the sort of dissipated rogue she despises most…if only her blood didn’t heat at the thought of him…
Nothing is as it seems. Lord Ranulf’s life is a façade. Only he can save the Charing’s from disgrace as a blackmailer seeks to ruin his late brother’s reputation. But just asRanulf dares to open his heart to Celeste, the fury of his nemesis is unleashed… facing him with the stark choice between true love and family duty. However when Celeste guesses the truth behind his rejection, Ranulf underestimates her resolve to clear his name and in so doing places the woman he loves in mortal danger….

BUY LINKS.

Amazon.com $2.99
http://www.amazon.com/A-Dead-Mans-Debtebook/
dp/B0046REKBS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=A7B2F8DUJ88VZ&s=books&qid=1
293833253&sr=1-1

Solstice publishing.
http://www.solsticepublishing.com/products/A-Dead-Man%27s-Debt–
%252d%252d%252d-PDF.html

Smashwords.
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/26527

Fictionwise
http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b115169/A-Dead

Those of you who have been following my blog over the past few months, you know that I really enjoy giving independent authors, or as they are called “indie authors” a platform to showcase their work.  They put their heart and soul into writing their novels and just need somewhere to visit and speak about their novel.  The other thing you should know about me by now is how I feel about my followers and visitors and that is, you guys are the BEST.  I also know most of your likes and dislikes when it comes to what books you like to read.  So when I received a very gracious email from today’s guest and read the synopsis of her book, I instantly offered her a Guest Author showcase spot and booked her.  So please help me welcome Ms. Grace Elliot!

Now available from most eBook stores including Amazon, price $2.99.
To find out more visit http://graceelliot-author.blogspot.com/

If you could invite five people from history to a dinner party – who would they be?

Here are my choices.

As an author of historical romance, I have a fascination with history and characters from the past don’t come much bigger than King Henry VIII. Contemporary accounts indicate that Henry, as a young man at least, was a golden Adonis whom women adored, and yet he became such a monster – breaking up the monasteries, ordering the massacre of rebels, beheading wives…the list is almost endless. I’d love to know what motivated him:  arrogance or insecurity.

My second guest would be the legendary Italian lover, Casanova. Now this choice isn’t as superficial as it sounds because Casanova was truly a resourceful man who lived life to the full. When he was down and destitute, he always found a way back up. It was Casanova who had the idea for the first lottery….I imagine his lust for life was something to behold, and just for a short time, I’d like to bask in that energy.

Now to balance the male guests, let’s invite a man of imagination and foresight, a man who envisaged the future and wrote about it in such extraordinary books as ‘The War of the Worlds,’ ‘The Time Machine’ and ‘The Invisible Man’ – author H. G. Wells.   As a girl my father gave me H. G. Wells collected works and despite the intimidating thickness of the book, I couldn’t put it down. Here is a Victorian, writing about
technology not yet dreamt of and I imagine he and Casanova would get on like the proverbial house on fire.

My final two guests are both female. Let me introduce Lady Emma Hamilton (best known for being Admiral Nelson’s lover) and the scientist, Marie Curie.  And my reasons for meeting them? Emma Hamilton, like Casanova, was one of life’s survivors. Born into poverty, she rose from walking the streets to inspire artists with her beauty, captivated a Lord and became mistress to the celebrated hero of Trafalgar, Admiral Nelson. I’d love to witness first hand that indomitable spirit that drove her to rise far above her station in life.

And the physicist Marie Curie, who harnessed the properties of radioactive materials to develop the first x rays – why would I like to meet her? Well, to warn her of the dangers of radioactivity and tell her to use lead screens, in the hope of preventing the cancer that killed her.

SO WHO WOULD YOU INVITE?
PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW AND ONE LUCKY PERSON WILL BE CHOSEN AT RANDOM TO RECEIVE A $10 AMAZON EVOUCHER.

Celeste Armitage has a plan…and that plan doesn’t include marriage.  After deliberately humiliating a suitor, Celeste’s despairing parents exile her to thecountry. But once there she discovers a sketch book of daring nude studies and is shaken to find the artist is her hostess’s eldest son, Lord Ranulf Charing. This darkly cynical lord is exactly the sort of dissipated rogue she despises most…if only her blood didn’t heat at the thought of him…
Nothing is as it seems. Lord Ranulf’s life is a façade. Only he can save the Charing’s from disgrace as a blackmailer seeks to ruin his late brother’s reputation. But just asRanulf dares to open his heart to Celeste, the fury of his nemesis is unleashed… facing him with the stark choice between true love and family duty. However when Celeste guesses the truth behind his rejection, Ranulf underestimates her resolve to clear his name and in so doing places the woman he loves in mortal danger….

BUY LINKS.

Amazon.com $2.99
http://www.amazon.com/A-Dead-Mans-Debtebook/
dp/B0046REKBS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=A7B2F8DUJ88VZ&s=books&qid=1
293833253&sr=1-1

Solstice publishing.
http://www.solsticepublishing.com/products/A-Dead-Man%27s-Debt–
%252d%252d%252d-PDF.html

Smashwords.
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/26527

Fictionwise
http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b115169/A-Dead

If you follow my blog then you know that my favorite reads are thrillers, suspense, and mysteries.  So when I was contacted by Allison from JKS Communications if I would be interested in hosting today’s guest, I didn’t hesitate.  So please help me welcome A. J. Scudiere!!!

For A.J., texture reigns supreme. Whether it’s air or blood or virus, it can be felt and smelled. School is a privilege and two science degrees (a BA and MS) are mere pats on the back compared to the prize of knowledge. Teaching is something done for fun (and the illusion of a regular paycheck) and is rewarding at all levels, grade school through college. No stranger to awards and national recognition for outstanding work as a teacher, trainer and curriculum writer, like most true teachers, the real joy for A.J. is in the “oh!” – the moment when the student sees the connection and it all makes sense.

A.J. has lived in Florida and Los Angeles among a handful of other places.  Recent whims have brought the dark writer to Tennessee, where home is a deceptively normal looking neighborhood just outside Nashville.
You can visit A. J. Scudiere at her website, Facebook, and Twitter.

*Your thriller books have captivated readers from your debut as an author in 2008 with Resonance – where do you find the inspiration for the incredibly vivid details your share?
ANSWER: I find inspiration all kinds of places. Mostly, I tuck away details for years, waiting for the right character to use them with. My friends are really familiar with me asking “Can I put that in a book someday?” For Resonance, the last piece was an article I read from two Harvard geologists proposing this hot spot theory. As I read their idea and the evidence they had, all the characters and the story of Resonance just gelled. I almost immediately put down the article and started writing the opening scene.

*You are on the cutting edge of Audio Books, releasing not just words being read from the story you’ve written but an actual Audio Movie (www.AJsAudioMovies.com) with actors and sounds to accompany the book. Tell us a little about those.
ANSWER: AudioMovie credit goes almost entirely to Stefan Rudnicki and SkyBoat Road Productions. Stefan is a master at audiobooks and has so many awards. I remember talking to him and complaining about the number of audiobooks I’d listened to in which readers had barked like a dog or tried to imitate the sound of a shotgun being cocked. Stefan had been wanting to do an audiobook with multiple readers, but it takes an author who uses point of view the way that I do in order to make that kind of narrative.  Ultimately, the AudioMovie format is the only unabridged version of full cast reading with soundtrack and score. Stefan did such an amazing job making the background subtle, but really adding to the texture of the story. It’s like being in a movie theater with your eyes closed: you hear everything!

*Has being a female affected your career as a thriller writer? How so?
ANSWER: At this point, I don’t know that it does affect things. But initially, I was shocked by how many agents called me and were surprised to find out I was female.

*You’re a scientist. Is the science behind your novels true?
ANSWER: Obviously, what I write is fiction, but I do my research very carefully.  I hate when writers get details wrong – anyone who knows the material better than the author can have the story shake loose on them when they see something they know isn’t true or doesn’t work. For Resonance, I read tons of articles and applied everything I know from my masters degree in physiology. So, yes, the science there is real. Much of what happens at the beginning of the book that starts the polar reversal is actually happening in the world around us right now. And a lot of people predict that the earth’s magnetic poles will trade places soon, given the speed at which they are moving.

For Vengeance, I did much the same. Only this time I spent my time working with my black-belt friends and out at the gun range. I worked up to where I can shoot pretty accurately two handed. I’m sure if I practiced with Lee’s dedication, it would be more than possible to do what he does. As for the crimes Lee and Sin commit, I have to admit my family got a bit tired of me breaking into our house. So, everything there is plausible.  I don’t recommend it! But it can be done.

*What makes a good thriller in your opinion? Any favorite authors you follow?
ANSWER: A good Thriller has to have that can’t-put-it-down quality. You have to believe that if you turn the page you’ll get an answer to a burning question or a serious stand-off will be resolved. The best thriller writers do this by not dragging out the scenes, but by answering your questions. Only – as the reader starts to feel relief that the question has been answered – he realizes that he can’t put the book down because there’s another question, or something else has happened.  Thrillers also follow the laws of other books. 1] The writing itself should be high  quality. The turn of phrase should be easy to read and well crafted. 2] The plot should be solid: no gaping holes, no unmotivated actions that drive the plot forward. 3] And if you’re really good, your work can be read on multiple levels – it can be a breezy beach read that you enjoy, or you can take it into a literature class and dissect it, looking at the deeper questions the book raises.  I have a few authors that I love, but few hold up over time. I hate recycled plots, and books (or even movies) that bring back beloved characters only because they are beloved. They need a good story behind them! Some favorites are: Nabokov, Tim O’Brien, and Orson Scott Card.

*How do you express yourself outside of writing?
ANSWER: Aside from being really talkative? I’m a teacher, and I think both writing and teaching are similar. In both cases it’s my job to convey a story with clarity so the listener can understand. Whether that’s a story I made up or content about where each electron is most likely to be found in the subshells of an atom, it’s still something that has to be conveyed well.

*Your newest novel, God’s Eye (www.GodsEyeTheBook.com), releases October 2011.  What’s it about?
ANSWER: God’s Eye is the story of what happens when your world gets shaken and everything thing you think you knew is no longer true. Katharine has lived a golden life, she inherits her mother’s trust fund and has a guaranteed job at her father’s investment firm. Though she can’t say everything is right with her life, she believes nothing is wrong with it. But because of her malleability and willingness to accept things at face value, Katharine becomes the prize in a tug-of-war between an angel and a demon. Both appear to her as human and ask her to change her world; she’s in a situation where she’s forced to choose one side or the other. The problem is she can’t tell which man is the angel and which is the demon.  These are the bigger questions Katharine and all of us face: what is evil? Would you recognize it if you saw it? And how responsible are you for the ramifications of your actions, even the unintended ones?

*If you could be any of the characters in any of your books, who would you be and why?
ANSWER: That’s tough. There’s no ‘good’ guy in any of my books. Everyone, even the supernatural creatures aren’t purely one way or the other. And just like people, even the greats have flaws. I love Jillian’s ability to learn, even when it’s hard for her. I wish I had Jordan’s innate vision into people, and Carter’s irreverence and Becky’s peace.  But each of them has things they struggle with, too. I’d love to kick butt like Lee or Sin, but wouldn’t want to shoulder their burdens. I try to ‘do the right thing’ like Owen, but wouldn’t want to face his difficult decisions.  I think in the end, I’ll stick with being me. Besides, as me, I get to be each of them for a while!

Every soul he claims is another chance to advance.  Until he can walk among us, look like us, make us believe in him.  The only thing holding him back is . . .

The rules of the realm bind him from fighting on the demon’s terms. But this is his chance to steal something away from the demon, to steal the thing the demon wants most . . .

A woman who has been chosen.  Katharine is suddenly a pawn in a game where the rules and the stakes are beyond her comprehension.  She must take a side even though she can’t tell angel from demon.  And in the end, they will all be judged.

If you follow my blog then you know that my favorite reads are thrillers, suspense, and mysteries.  So when I was contacted by Allison from JKS Communications if I would be interested in hosting today’s guest, I didn’t hesitate.  So please help me welcome A. J. Scudiere!!!

For A.J., texture reigns supreme. Whether it’s air or blood or virus, it can be felt and smelled. School is a privilege and two science degrees (a BA and MS) are mere pats on the back compared to the prize of knowledge. Teaching is something done for fun (and the illusion of a regular paycheck) and is rewarding at all levels, grade school through college. No stranger to awards and national recognition for outstanding work as a teacher, trainer and curriculum writer, like most true teachers, the real joy for A.J. is in the “oh!” – the moment when the student sees the connection and it all makes sense.

A.J. has lived in Florida and Los Angeles among a handful of other places.  Recent whims have brought the dark writer to Tennessee, where home is a deceptively normal looking neighborhood just outside Nashville.
You can visit A. J. Scudiere at her website, Facebook, and Twitter.

*Your thriller books have captivated readers from your debut as an author in 2008 with Resonance – where do you find the inspiration for the incredibly vivid details your share?
ANSWER: I find inspiration all kinds of places. Mostly, I tuck away details for years, waiting for the right character to use them with. My friends are really familiar with me asking “Can I put that in a book someday?” For Resonance, the last piece was an article I read from two Harvard geologists proposing this hot spot theory. As I read their idea and the evidence they had, all the characters and the story of Resonance just gelled. I almost immediately put down the article and started writing the opening scene.

*You are on the cutting edge of Audio Books, releasing not just words being read from the story you’ve written but an actual Audio Movie (www.AJsAudioMovies.com) with actors and sounds to accompany the book. Tell us a little about those.
ANSWER: AudioMovie credit goes almost entirely to Stefan Rudnicki and SkyBoat Road Productions. Stefan is a master at audiobooks and has so many awards. I remember talking to him and complaining about the number of audiobooks I’d listened to in which readers had barked like a dog or tried to imitate the sound of a shotgun being cocked. Stefan had been wanting to do an audiobook with multiple readers, but it takes an author who uses point of view the way that I do in order to make that kind of narrative.  Ultimately, the AudioMovie format is the only unabridged version of full cast reading with soundtrack and score. Stefan did such an amazing job making the background subtle, but really adding to the texture of the story. It’s like being in a movie theater with your eyes closed: you hear everything!

*Has being a female affected your career as a thriller writer? How so?
ANSWER: At this point, I don’t know that it does affect things. But initially, I was shocked by how many agents called me and were surprised to find out I was female.

*You’re a scientist. Is the science behind your novels true?
ANSWER: Obviously, what I write is fiction, but I do my research very carefully.  I hate when writers get details wrong – anyone who knows the material better than the author can have the story shake loose on them when they see something they know isn’t true or doesn’t work. For Resonance, I read tons of articles and applied everything I know from my masters degree in physiology. So, yes, the science there is real. Much of what happens at the beginning of the book that starts the polar reversal is actually happening in the world around us right now. And a lot of people predict that the earth’s magnetic poles will trade places soon, given the speed at which they are moving.

For Vengeance, I did much the same. Only this time I spent my time working with my black-belt friends and out at the gun range. I worked up to where I can shoot pretty accurately two handed. I’m sure if I practiced with Lee’s dedication, it would be more than possible to do what he does. As for the crimes Lee and Sin commit, I have to admit my family got a bit tired of me breaking into our house. So, everything there is plausible.  I don’t recommend it! But it can be done.

*What makes a good thriller in your opinion? Any favorite authors you follow?
ANSWER: A good Thriller has to have that can’t-put-it-down quality. You have to believe that if you turn the page you’ll get an answer to a burning question or a serious stand-off will be resolved. The best thriller writers do this by not dragging out the scenes, but by answering your questions. Only – as the reader starts to feel relief that the question has been answered – he realizes that he can’t put the book down because there’s another question, or something else has happened.  Thrillers also follow the laws of other books. 1] The writing itself should be high  quality. The turn of phrase should be easy to read and well crafted. 2] The plot should be solid: no gaping holes, no unmotivated actions that drive the plot forward. 3] And if you’re really good, your work can be read on multiple levels – it can be a breezy beach read that you enjoy, or you can take it into a literature class and dissect it, looking at the deeper questions the book raises.  I have a few authors that I love, but few hold up over time. I hate recycled plots, and books (or even movies) that bring back beloved characters only because they are beloved. They need a good story behind them! Some favorites are: Nabokov, Tim O’Brien, and Orson Scott Card.

*How do you express yourself outside of writing?
ANSWER: Aside from being really talkative? I’m a teacher, and I think both writing and teaching are similar. In both cases it’s my job to convey a story with clarity so the listener can understand. Whether that’s a story I made up or content about where each electron is most likely to be found in the subshells of an atom, it’s still something that has to be conveyed well.

*Your newest novel, God’s Eye (www.GodsEyeTheBook.com), releases October 2011.  What’s it about?
ANSWER: God’s Eye is the story of what happens when your world gets shaken and everything thing you think you knew is no longer true. Katharine has lived a golden life, she inherits her mother’s trust fund and has a guaranteed job at her father’s investment firm. Though she can’t say everything is right with her life, she believes nothing is wrong with it. But because of her malleability and willingness to accept things at face value, Katharine becomes the prize in a tug-of-war between an angel and a demon. Both appear to her as human and ask her to change her world; she’s in a situation where she’s forced to choose one side or the other. The problem is she can’t tell which man is the angel and which is the demon.  These are the bigger questions Katharine and all of us face: what is evil? Would you recognize it if you saw it? And how responsible are you for the ramifications of your actions, even the unintended ones?

*If you could be any of the characters in any of your books, who would you be and why?
ANSWER: That’s tough. There’s no ‘good’ guy in any of my books. Everyone, even the supernatural creatures aren’t purely one way or the other. And just like people, even the greats have flaws. I love Jillian’s ability to learn, even when it’s hard for her. I wish I had Jordan’s innate vision into people, and Carter’s irreverence and Becky’s peace.  But each of them has things they struggle with, too. I’d love to kick butt like Lee or Sin, but wouldn’t want to shoulder their burdens. I try to ‘do the right thing’ like Owen, but wouldn’t want to face his difficult decisions.  I think in the end, I’ll stick with being me. Besides, as me, I get to be each of them for a while!

Every soul he claims is another chance to advance.  Until he can walk among us, look like us, make us believe in him.  The only thing holding him back is . . .

The rules of the realm bind him from fighting on the demon’s terms. But this is his chance to steal something away from the demon, to steal the thing the demon wants most . . .

A woman who has been chosen.  Katharine is suddenly a pawn in a game where the rules and the stakes are beyond her comprehension.  She must take a side even though she can’t tell angel from demon.  And in the end, they will all be judged.