WELCOME LEIGH RUSSELL

LEIGH RUSSELL

Leigh Russell studied at the University of Kent, gaining a Masters degree in English. For many years a secondary school English teacher, she is a creative writing tutor for adults. She is married, has two daughters, and lives in North West London. Her first novel, Cut Short, was shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey New Blood Dagger Award in 2010. This was followed by Road Closed, Dead End, Death Bed, Stop Dead and Fatal Act, in the Detective Inspector Geraldine Steel series. Cold Sacrifice is the first title in a spin off series featuring Geraldine Steel’s sergeant, Ian Peterson.
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Q&A with Leigh Russell

 Do you draw from personal experiences and/or current events?
I never use personal experience or current events as my inspiration. My stories are complete flights of imagination. All my stories begin with a ‘What if…?’ question. What if a character hears a noise in the night and discovers a stranger in the house? What if someone arrived at work one day and discovered a dead body in the office? What if a bus driver found a corpse on his bus at the end of the route?

Do you start with the conclusion and plot in reverse or start from the beginning and see where the story line brings you?
When you write a story you take your reader on a journey. I always know where the story begins, and where it will end, but the route evolves as I write. I have my ‘ten second elevator pitch’, but ideas occur to me as the plot and characters develop.

Your routine when writing?  Any idiosyncrasies?
I have no routine, but am rarely creative in the mornings. My brain is never fully alert until the afternoon. To begin with I wrote everything long hand and then typed it up, but I have learned to create directly onto the screen and rarely hand write now. Wherever I go, my iPad goes too, so I write wherever I am.

Is writing your full time job?  If not, may I ask what you do by day?
I am fortunate that I earn my living writing fiction. Since my spin off series launched last year, I am now delivering two novels a year to my publisher. For many years a teacher, I still do some classes, but this year will stop teaching altogether, as I no longer have enough time to do anything but write. I will continue to run occasional writing retreats for adults, one of which takes place on a beautiful Greek island every summer. It’s glorious, and a very inspiring place to work.

Who are some of your favorite authors?
A tricky question because there are so many! In the crime genre I’ll mention just three because they are also fans of my work and have been generous with their praise of my books: Lee Child, Jeffery Deaver and Peter James. Outside my own genre I enjoy Dickens, Edith Wharton, F Scott Fitzgerald, Kazuo Ishiguru, John Steinbeck, Harper Lee… to name just a very few.

What are you reading now?
At the moment I am too busy writing to have time for reading (shameful admission!) but I do have a huge list of books waiting to be read!

Are you working on your next novel?  Can you tell us a little about it?
I am always working on a novel! The sixth Geraldine Steel novel has just been published in the UK, Fatal Act, along with the first in the Ian Peterson spin off series,Cold Sacrifice. The manuscript for the second Ian Peterson novel is with my editor, and I’m currently busy writing the seventh Geraldine Steel novel. Both of these will be published in the UK this year, and hopefully in the US as well, where my existing novels are coming out every month. Writing two books year keeps me busy!

Fun questions:
Your novel will be a movie.  Who would you cast?
This is a very tricky question… an actor who is hugely talented, famous and very popular so that lots of people will go and see the film!

Manuscript/Notes: hand written or keyboard?
Keyboard.

Favorite leisure activity/hobby?
Dare I say writing? It doesn’t feel like ‘work’.

Favorite meal?
Home made pizza.

Thank you for interviewing me here, and I hope you enjoy the Geraldine Steel and Ian Peterson series.

ABOUT THE BOOK

When headmistress Abigail Kirby’s corpse is discovered in the woods, police are shocked to learn that her tongue was cut out while she lay dying. Then, shortly after a witness comes forward, he is blinded and murdered. With mangled dead bodies appearing at an alarmingly increasing rate, Detective Inspector Geraldine Steel is in a race against time to find the killer before he claims his next victim….

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BOOK DETAILS:

Genre: Mystery & Detective; Women Sleuths
Published by: Witness Impulse
Publication Date: 1/28/2014
Number of Pages: 384
ISBN: 9780062325631
Series: DI Geraldine Steel #3, Stand Alone

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DISCLAIMER
I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
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WELCOME ALESIA and MICHAEL MATSON

MICHAEL and ALESIA MATSON

Michael  and  Alesia  have  been  married,  loving,  fighting,  and  writing  together  for  20  years. They  live  together  with  their  two  goofy  dogs  and  a  spastic  cat  in  Northern  California.

Author, needlework enthusiast, aspiring Buddha, RPGer, gardener, tech-geeky, herbalist, pirate. Married to Michael, her co-author, for 21 years. Two grown sons, two goofy dogs, one eccentric cat. Writes for her own entertainment, and hopefully yours.
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Michael wrote his first book at age 12. A 24 page masterpiece hand typed onto letter paper folded in half with a construction paper cover — hand illustrated, of course — the tome was none-the-less a best seller in the family. Since then he’s been an airman; a commercial fisherman, the third generation to go to sea in his family; a lobbyist; truck driver; counselor and minister; and general contractor. All the while, writing has remained an important creative outlet and a cornerstone of his marriage to his equally literally gifted wife. Having retired from his construction firm, he now writes and publishes full time from his home in Northern California.
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GUEST POST

The  first  questions  we  get  asked  are  usually  “how  can  you  write  with  the  person  you’re  living with,  every  day?  How  are  you  even  still  married?”  There’s  a  bit  of  disbelief  that  a  husband  and wife  team  can  function  professionally  as  well  domestically,  and  for  good  reasons:  You’re  going  to sleep  next  to  the  person  with  whom  you  just  spent  an  hour  arguing  plot  developments.  The  rent is  overdue.  The  car  just  broke  down.  The  kids  have  the  flu,  the  last  chapter  you  wrote  is  crap  -­ and  you  know  you’ve  got  to  get  up  the  next  morning  and  try  again.  Life.  It  just  keeps  happening, whether  you  want  it  to  or  not.

Well,  one  answer  is  that  we  keep  all  the  knives  locked  away  during  working  hours.

Seriously,  as  a  couple  we  are  polar  opposites.  Alesia  is  the  extrovert,  Michael  the  introvert. Alesia’s  strengths  are  emotional  and  intuitive,  Michael’s  are  intellectual  and  logical.  Alesia  writes in  snarled  bursts  of  words  that  she  straightens  out  later.  Michael  edits  as  he  writes.  Alesia  wants poetry  and  flow  and  music  in  the  prose.  Michael  prefers  wordy,  legalistic  prose.  For  Alesia,  the world  is  right  if  it  feels  right.  For  Michael,  the  fantasy  world  must  make  logical  sense  or  it  drives him  crazy.  (No  guarantees  inferred  or  implied  that  his  logic  makes  sense  to  anyone  else.)  We problem  solve  in  completely  different  ways  -­  and  when  we  clash,  it’s  usually  spectacular.

But  so  is  the  makeup  sex.

We  don’t  really  have  any  easy  explanations  for  how  we  do  what  we  do  as  a  married  couple.  We fight  a  lot.  We  scream,  storm  off,  write  angry  emails.  We  also  spend  hours  at  our  keyboards, pulling  love  and  lies  and  trust  and  danger  out  of  our  imaginations  to  weave  these  stories together.  It’s  not  easy  -­  insert  tired  maxims  about  hard  things  being  worth  it  all,  here.  But  when  a thing  is  important  to  you,  you  keep  finding  new  ways  to  navigate  through  the  minefields,  whether you’re  writing  a  book  or  raising  a  family.  Or  both.  One  of  our  strengths  as  a  couple  turned  out  to be  that  we  never  quit  on  each  other,  on  ourselves,  or  on  our  characters.  That  always  keeps  us coming  back  to  the  computers,  to  our  stories,  and  to  each  other.

It’s  fair  to  say  that  our  work/marriage  paradox  is  a  work  in  progress.  We’ve  learned  a  bit  about how  to  disagree  and  still  go  to  bed  together  at  night.  In  the  end,  we  hope  our  readers  enjoy  the results  of  it  as  much  as  we  do.

ABOUT THE BOOK

A con turned cop. An urchin turned lady. Two webs of lies. An epic love. Sir Vincent Sultaire is the Raven, rakehell, playboy, con, serving a term of indenture for the crimes of burglary and extortion. His lover, Lady Angelique Blakesly, seems to be a wealthy, widowed baronness and devout member of the conservative Guardian Paladin church. But Angel’s careful poise and reserve conceal the Iris, one of Fernwall’s most successful high-stakes burglars; and beneath the collar of Raven’s indenture, he’s playing the cops and the cons for fun and profit. Their deceptions intersect explosively after the brilliantly executed theft of the priceless Tôrg-Dernäd. Sir Vincent is put in charge of the investigation, a thief set to catch a thief. Angelique, beholden to forces beyond her control, is desperate to stop him. Will Raven discover the truth? And will it be enough to set Angel free before their lies destroy them both?

BOOK DETAILS:

Series: The Raven & The Iris
Paperback: 418 pages
Publisher: Metaphor Publications
Publication Date: November 26, 2013
ISBN-10: 097541075X
ISBN-13: 978-0975410752

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WELCOME BACK JON FOYT

JON FOYT

Striving for new heights on the literary landscape, along with his late wife Lois, Jon Foyt began writing novels 20 years ago, following careers in radio, commercial banking, and real estate. He holds a degree in journalism and an MBA from Stanford and a second masters degree in historic preservation from the University of Georgia. Jon is 81 years old, an octogenarian prostate cancer survivor, a marathon runner (60 completed), hiker, and political columnist. He currently resides in a large active adult retirement community near San Francisco. Jon Foyt is the successful author of 11 fiction books.
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ABOUT THE BOOK

Things are not quite what they seem at Sunset Gardens, an active adult retirement community in California. The directors of the Homeowner’s Association has been handling money in questionable ways, there’s secret meetings occurring at The Silent Front, a former speakeasy, and an influential resident recently committed suicide. Reporter Willy Herbst, approaching retirement, is curious about what’s going on in the neighboring community “over the hill.” He and his eager intern, Sally Saginaw, team up to investigate. Their discoveries are surprising…

Time to Retire is filled with mystery, romance, and adventure, as Willy and Sally explore the lifestyles of aging retirees.

“A gripping narrative that reads like a mystery, entertaining and thought-provoking.” – Doug Hergert, columnist and author of Nothing in Paris and Can’t Get It In France

“A realistic description of a retirement community. Living in such a place, I recognize the foibles of members, the clubs, and the Board as vivid and humorous. Holds your interest… an enjoyable read that I recommend.” – Samuel P. Oliner, author of Altruism, Intergroup Apology, Forgiveness and Reconciliation, and The Nature of Good and Evil

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BOOK DETAILS:

Genre: Mystery, Romance
Paperback: 276 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Publication Date: October 13, 2013
ISBN-10: 1480075698
ISBN-13: 978-1480075696

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WELCOME MIKE SMART

MIKE SMART

Mike Smart has spent over 30 years in the IT industry. Gatekeeper draws on his firsthand experiences witnessing the remarkable acceleration of our dependency upon computer software and systems. In doing so, he highlights many of the issues in the IT industry that have been overlooked. Smart is based in West Sussex and is already working on his second novel The Platinum Solution which is set in South Africa following the death of Nelson Mandela.
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Q&A with Mike Smart

Do you draw from personal experiences and/or current events?
A mixture, I have been fortunate that I have travelled pretty extensively either for pleasure or business and this has provided me with a lot of interesting perspective when one “looks back” at the UK or other countries such as the USA.  Understandably people see themselves very differently in many cases than how they are perceived from afar.  I also take a great deal of interest in current events and look to bring current themes into my work.  Gatekeeper for example is a great story in its own right but at the same time sets out to highlight the very real problems we all face with data privacy and our total reliance on IT to support us in our everyday lives.

Do you start with the conclusion and plot in reverse or start from the beginning and see where the story line brings you?
Before I start on a book I see an overall picture that I am setting out to describe, so when I know where I am beginning, know what the outcome will be and then in a short punchy style link the front and back with hopefully a good story in between

Your routine when writing?  Any idiosyncrasies?
I write quickly and in a highly focused manner, normally between 20.00 and 01.00 – I have a day job so am not able to focus all my attentions on writing.

Is writing your full time job?  If not, may I ask what you do by day?
It would be lovely to write all the time but unfortunately to date the income generated doesn’t fund the expenses of an extended family.  My background is in the IT industry with a focus on Sales & Marketing and M&A work – so the bulk of my time is spent acting as a management consultant assisting large multi-nationals or smaller entities build and develop their businesses.

Who are some of your favorite authors?
Ian Fleming, Tolkien, Dan Brown, Geoffrey Archer, Robert Ludlum – enjoy a good story, preferably delivered with pace

What are you reading now?
Jet by Russell Blake – according to one of the people who read Gatekeeper we apparently have similar no nonsense punchy styles.  Am halfway through and would tend to agree

Are you working on your next novel?  Can you tell us a little about it?
Gatekeeper is the first in the “Max Thatcher Series” the 2^nd The Platinum Solution – it’s about a neo fascist group that is prepared at all cost to return South Africa to apartheid.  I started writing the book before Mandela died as I suspect there will be a power vacuum in South Africa much as there was when Tito died in Yugoslavia.  There the loss of a world statesman capable of keeping everybody in line resulted in the most recent well publicised Balkan War, south Africa could easily go the same way and the story I’ve written depicts one potential way things might go.  A third book is now also underway but not for sharing right now!

Your novel will be a movie.  Who would you cast?
The lead character Max Thatcher would be Ben Affleck, the lead baddie Jack Hunter would bee perfect for a younger Jack Nicholson

Manuscript/Notes: hand written or keyboard?
keyboard

Favorite leisure activity/hobby?
Fly fishing, golf and travel

Favorite meal?
Top class Italian food

ABOUT THE BOOK

When a psychotic business man inadvertently creates a computer virus that causes destruction across the world, the UK government finds itself at loggerheads with MI6 and chaos ensues, in this fast-paced, debut thriller.

Businessman Jack Hunter runs a booming software business. Unbeknown to his millions of clients, he is stealing their private and corporate information using a secretive programme called Gatekeeper. When one of his inner sanctum contacts an investigative journalist, Serena Thatcher, in the hope of exposing Jack and taking over his business empire, Jack retaliates by kidnapping Serena and shipping her across to the Dominican Republic on a super yacht. Events take a catastrophic turn when Jack releases the latest version of Gatekeeper, which he has built using Artificial Intelligence (AI) software, without having fully tested it, and therefore blissfully unaware of the dangerous repercussions that are to follow.

To prevent detection, the software effectively hides itself, causing a virus to break out and corrupt the software on any host environment. IT systems begin to fail everywhere the Gatekeeper is installed; traffic control software, banking systems and stock markets begin to crash spontaneously and anarchy starts to stir as the UK government fails to stop the virus from spreading.

Dubious of both the government and MI6, Serena Thatcher’s ex-special forces brother Max takes matters into his own hands, and enlists the help of Jack’s ex-wife, Clare Pryce, a Cambridge professor specialising in AI software. A high-octane chase from Monaco to the Dominican Republic leads them to Jack, who is protected by his evil henchman Sergi, a former member of the Serbian special forces. Things come to an explosive climax after the Royal Navy are forced to step in. Who will make it out alive? Who is responsible for trying to destroy Jack’s business? And what are the Americans’ ulterior motives for getting involved at the final hour?

Gatekeeper is the fast-paced thriller from debut novelist Mike Smart. Highly topical and engaging throughout, Smart explores a world where the infringement of personal and corporate data and privacy is commonplace and insidious. Smart proves that it is entirely feasible for an individual to steal personal data and the novel examines the flaws of living in such a connected world, where inserting code into a global network can result in catastrophic permutations. An action-packed narrative, a heady blend of Ian Fleming and Dan Brown, explores the terrifying effects of one man’s corruption of an apparently harmless piece of computer software.

BOOK DETAILS:

Series: Max Thatcher Series
Paperback: 268 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1 edition
Publication Date: October 9, 2013
ISBN-10: 1492905860
ISBN-13: 978-1492905868

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WELCOME GRAHAM WOOD

GRAHAM WOOD

Graham Wood was born and raised in Manchester and currently lives in Timperley, Altrincham. He works freelance, coordinating large global IT outsourcing contracts for clients of Efficio Consulting. Many of the characters in the book are based on idiosyncrasies he has encountered throughout his life and the ideas for the book have been developing over many years. Wood is already working on the second book due to be released later next year.
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Q&A with Graham Wood

On Writing and Reading:
Do you draw from personal experiences and/or current events?
Yes, is the short answer to both parts of the question. Taking the first part of the question first, I feel it is important for any fictional writer to draw upon a mix of inspiration, life experiences and elements of individual characters and personal attributes they have noticed. For me this brings the individuality of the author into the storyline. In relation to the current events element of the question, this is harder to do for science fiction but I have incorporated more general themes of dictator oppression, rebelling against adversity, energy concerns and extent we rely on our communication structures. In the second book there is more concern on population growth, immigration and differences in culture.

Do you start with the conclusion and plot in reverse or start from the beginning and see where the story line brings you?
Zein started with an idea of a different world close to but apart from Earth. This then transformed into a land, unseen to our eyes due to greater alien technological advances, in the sky above Earth. Therefore, I very much start with the idea, threat and struggle facing our heroes and heroines, though once I have established this I do jump to the conclusion i.e. where is this leading me? The old adage, whether you’re writing an essay for an exam or a novel is to have a beginning, middle and end. The rest simply falls into place. For me it’s beginning, the end and then back to the middle. That is how my brain is wired!

Your routine when writing? Any idiosyncrasies?
The reason I have not managed to publish a book until now is due to the extent life is just so busy, always interrupting what you really want to do. The wonderful merry-go-round of family life, bringing up the kids, and acting as a taxi service does not lend to quiet downtime to concoct your first novel. To break the mould I wake up at 5am in the morning and walk out, usually in my pyjamas and fleece and sit in the hut at the bottom of my garden. The hut has heat and power and is very secluded with just birds for company. No phones, no kids asking for lifts and no one knocking on the door or dog barking. Bliss.

This is how I pull together the structure and chapters. I write one or two chapters and then through the day, when the noise starts again, I develop the story whilst doing my errands or walking the dog. I then critique the chapters when I can. The next morning I am up again at 5am and the next couple of chapters are completed. I found that I could write a 90,000 word novel in four months whilst still working my day job.

Is writing your full time job? If not, may I ask what you do by day?
No, it is not my full time job. I am a freelance IT Procurement Consultant specialising in outsourcing. I enjoy working for myself and the type of work I do is demanding and usually away from home. There is an element of flexibility and I do sometimes work at home which allows time to write and then work. I should say that I do not see writing as work but more of a hobby and pastime. My dream is that within the next five years, when I have completed the nine books I have planned for the Zein Chronicles, writing will become my full time career.

Who are some of your favorite authors?
I have no fixed genres or authors that I follow as I read all types of books. However my inspiration was Tolkein and I have recently enjoyed reading Suzanne Collins (The Hunger Games trilogy) and George RR Martin (Game of Thrones). If you took a look at my bookcase there are many books from Grisham, James Clavell, Tom Clancy, Robert Ludlum, David Baldacci to name just a few.

What are you reading now?
I am reading Lee Childs – The Enemy, a Jack Reacher book.

Are you working on your next novel? Can you tell us a little about it?
Yes I am and making very good progress. The second book is nearly all about Zein the planet. The first Joint Human and Zeinonian Task Force set off on a quest to see if there are any survivors back on Zein. The book introduces new, exciting characters as well as the key surviving individuals from the first book. The struggle between good and evil continues and relationship issues between the companions hots up considerably. The book is full of epic fights, new worlds and a growing menace back on Earth. One thing I will promise is that in every Zein book I write the opening chapter will have a battle to remember!

Fun questions:
Your novel will be a movie. Who would you cast?
Good question.Both Kabel and Tyson are tall, good looking guys in early twenties so I would probably have Rob Pattinson as Tyson and Liam Hemsworth as Kabel. Zylar needs to look mean without trying so Christian Bale is the right actor for that role. For the female leads – Jennifer Lawrence for the spiky Gemma, Rachel Hurd-Ward for the fiery Evelyn and Emilia Clarke from the Game of Throne as the beautiful Amelia.

Manuscript/Notes: hand written or keyboard?
Keyboard. Tried the hand written notes and I am a notoriously messy writer, couldn’t read my notes….

Favorite leisure activity/hobby?
Golf, although I am a beginner. As I am over six feet and reasonably strong I can hit the ball far but not always in the direction I want it to go. I do love walking my cross breed dog, Mitzy.

Favorite meal?
Food, I love food, all food. My favourite has to be a toss-up between a good madras curry or a Lebanese meal with many starters.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Inspired by recent events in his personal life, debut author releases first novel in an epic sci-fi trilogy, in which two races must form an uneasy allegiance in order to shield the Universe from total destruction. ”

One hundred years ago, fleeing terror in their homeland, The Zein Expeditionary Force arrived in a new galaxy, where they found planet Earth and its rich supply of the extraordinary and rare raw material zinithium. They also found Earth to be inhabited by humans: an aggressive race similar in appearance to their own, but technologically inferior. The indigenous species were too numerous to conquer, yet too engrossed in their own wars to make peace with. Instead of joining with the humans, the Zeinonians settled in four quadrants in the skies above Earth, masking their presence with their advanced alien technology. For decades they lived peacefully, mining the precious zinithium, awaiting a time when the human wars would cease, and the two might live side by side, in harmony.

One hundred years later and peace continues to allude the Earth. The Zeinonians must now face their own uprising, as the evil Zylar leads a powerful sectarian rebel army against the remaining protected quadrant, to once and for all take control of the Zein Earth Colony. Zylar’s plan is to invade and conquer Earth and plunder the precious zinithium to aid his empirical ambitions across the entire known Universe. Only one Zeinonian can prevent a devastating interplanetary war; young Kabel Blackstone, destined to be one of the most powerful Zeinonians to have ever lived. Following the mysterious ‘Ancient Prophecy’, Kabel travels to Earth where he forms a small band of unlikely human companions. Amongst them is Tyson Mountford, who has recently started to experience disturbing new powers and abilities; signs that he could be the key to the Ancient Prophecy. Kabel and Tyson, two strangers from different worlds, must join forces to overcome the tyrannical forces that threaten their lives, their families, and the future of their races. If they fail, Zylar will stop at nothing to destroy their home planets on his mission to dominate the Universe.

Zein is the fast-paced sci-fi thriller charting an epic battle of good against evil, as an alien species allies with the human race to fight dark forces, both on Earth and in the skies above it. While aimed at a young adult audience, Zein explores pertinent themes of romance, friendship, and adversity which will undoubtedly resonate with many adults too. Author Graham Wood has long wanted to become a novelist, but it wasn’t until summer 2012 that he finally decided to pursue his dream. When his daughter Becky was just fourteen-years-old, she was diagnosed with a potentially fatal congenital condition with a previously undetected major heart defect and underwent open heart-surgery. Astonishingly, Becky diagnosed her own heart defect in a school biology lesson, when her friends were trying to find a pulse on her left-hand side, but couldn’t; a subsequent enquiry with her GP concluded with terrifying heart surgery at Alder Hey Childrens Hospital in Liverpool. Witnessing his daughter face this fearful challenge had a profound effect on Graham Wood, who, inspired by Becky’s bravery, realized life is too short and too precious to be wasted. During many sleepless nights at Becky’s bedside in hospital during her recovery, Wood began formulating the book in order to take his mind off the distress of seeing his daughter so ill. In January 2013 he began to write and after only four months, the first installment of the Zein trilogy was complete. The family are deeply indebted to Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust and Ronald McDonald House, and will be donating 50% of the book’s profits for the next three years to the two charities.

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WELCOME BACK FRANCES FYFIELD

FRANCES FYFIELD

“I grew up in rural Derbyshire, but my adult life has been spent mostly in London, with long intervals in Norfolk and Deal, all inspiring places. I was educated mostly in convent schools; then studied English and went on to qualify as a solicitor, working for what is now the Crown Prosecution Service, thus learning a bit about murder at second hand. Years later, writing became the real vocation, although the law and its ramifications still haunt me and inform many of my novels. I’m a novelist, short story writer for magazines and radio, sometime Radio 4 contributor, (Front Row, Quote Unquote, Night Waves,) and presenter of Tales from the Stave. When I’m not working (which is as often as possible), I can be found in the nearest junk/charity shop or auction, looking for the kind of paintings which enhance my life. Otherwise, with a bit of luck, I’m relaxing by the sea with a bottle of wine and a friend or two.”-Frances Fyfield
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ABOUT THE BOOK

Pip Carlton is a devoted husband and a highly respected pharmacist, cherished by his loyal customers. When his wife dies in her sleep, with no apparent cause, he is distraught. Comforted by his caring assistant, Pip ignores the rumors about Margaret’s death, relieved that the police seem to have moved on.

But Prosecutor Helen West refuses to believe that Margaret simply slipped into her final slumber. As she probes deeper into the affairs of the neighborhood, she uncovers a viper’s nest of twisted passion, jealous rage, and lethal addictions.

As a sudden act of violence erupts, shaking the community, one lone man, armed with strange love potions, prepares to murder again…

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BOOK DETAILS:

Genre: Crime Fiction
Published by: Witness Impulse
Publication Date: 1/21/2014
Number of Pages: 276
ISBN: 9780062303967

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DISCLAIMER
I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
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WELCOME JOE SCHWARTZ

JOE SCHWARTZ

Joe Schwartz is shining a spotlight on the Midwest with stories that are nothing less than remarkable. His dark, gritty, visceral transgressive style is like a sharp punch to the gut, always leaving the reader breathless and wanting more. His previous collections, Joe’s Black T-Shirt: Short Stories About St. Louis and The Games Men Play, have captivated short story enthusiasts. With his original voice, each story strives to be different from the last, constantly examining the world through the eyes of malcontents, degenerates, sadists, and the disaffected. The Veiled Prophet of St. Louis exposes itself through the ancient art of divinity called Tarot. As the playing cards are dealt the stories reveal the horror and the glory that is commonly overlooked and dismissed as ordinary life.
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ABOUT THE BOOK

Jacob Miller is angry with himself, the world, and God. Life seems so unfair, so cruel, that he can’t imagine why anyone even tries. After having a nervous breakdown, selling his business, filing for bankruptcy, having a baby, and finding out he owes over twenty grand in taxes, he is hardly happy to be alive.

In the span of a year, Jacob will discover three very important things about life. Things can always be worse. There really is a God. And if you wait long enough anything can change.

A Season Without Rain explores that gray area between poverty and middle class life, the struggling underclass for whom there are no advocates. A powerful story told in a modern, everyday voice that will entrench readers in Jacob Miller’s black world of anger, hate, resentment, lies, and violence.

A Season Without Rain is Joe Schwartz’s first novel. His previous short story collections Joe’s Black T-Shirt, The Games Men Play, and The Veiled Prophet of St. Louis have been acclaimed vulgar as Bukowski and visceral as Carver. Joe lives and works in St. Louis happily writing stories exclusively about the Gateway City.

BOOK DETAILS:

Paperback: 348 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Publication Date: November 13, 2013
ISBN-10: 1493513397
ISBN-13: 978-1493513390

PURCHASE LINKS:

            

DISCLAIMER
I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
ADDENDUM
I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am an IndieBound affiliate. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.

WELCOME KIMBERLY PALMER

KIMBERLY PALMER

Kimberly Palmer is the author of the new book, “The Economy of You: Discover Your Inner Entrepreneur and Recession-Proof Your Life,” and senior money editor for U.S. News & World Report, where she writes the popular Alpha Consumer blog. In addition, she is the creator of Palmer’s Planners, her own line of digital financial guides and money organizers for major life events and goals. You can connect with her at bykimberlypalmer.com.
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ABOUT THE BOOK

Don’t wait around for your job to disappear….Take back your financial future!

The biggest trend in business is the microbusiness! Handcrafted jewelry, artisanal eats, life coaching, app development, you name it—entrepreneurial side ventures are everywhere. Weary of pink-slip anxiety and the endless money squeeze, millions of people are taking the leap. They’re adding to their incomes and creating safety nets in case the ax falls at work. In the process, they’re unlocking their creativity and finding a sense of fulfillment they never dreamed possible.

Financial columnist Kimberly Palmer illuminates the everyday faces behind this growing movement, starting with her own journey. Recognizing that journalism offers little job security these days—and with a baby to provide for—she decided to develop a series of financial planners. This supplemental business was soon providing a reliable income stream.

The Economy of You recounts story after story of people who—like Kimberly—are liberating themselves from financial strain. A deli employee who makes custom cakes at night. An instrument repairman who sells voice-overs on his website. A videographer who started a profitable publishing house on the side. Interwoven in the profiles are concrete guidelines for readers looking to launch rewarding businesses of their own, including:

• Tips for figuring out the ideal side gig

• Ideas for keeping start up costs low

• Advice on juggling a fledgling enterprise and a full-time job

• Strategies for finding your “tribe” and building a social network

• Branding and marketing basics that bring results

• When and what to offer for free

• And much more

Companies guarantee nothing but today’s wages. It’s up to YOU to build stability by becoming a money-making engine. It’s empowering, gratifying, and easy to do with The Economy of You.

BOOK DETAILS:

Publisher: AMACOM
Publication date: January 16, 2014
Page Count: 256
ISBN: 978014432730 (hardcover)

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