Author L. R. W. Lee Releases Andy Smithson: Venom of the Serpent’s Cunning, Book 2

The wait is over! Book Two of this highly-rated fantasy series is now available in Kindle eBook and paperback at Amazon.

Venom of the Serpent’s Cunning is the continuation of L. R. W. Lee’s well-received debut novel Blast of the Dragon’s Fury and the next offering in this seven-book Andy Smithson allegorical, fantasy, adventure series for middle graders.

In Venom of the Serpent’s Cunning, Lee continues to weave a tale of mystery and intrigue as the main character, Andy Smithson, who is now 11-years-old, returns to Oomaldee to retrieve the second ingredient needed to break a 500-year-old curse enacted to punish the current ruler for murdering his older sister when she was 15. Not one to forgive easily, Imogenia’s spirit is bent on thwarting Andy to preserve the curse and naively aligns herself with the evil, scheming Abbadon. 

Things go from bad to worse when a creature Abaddon conjures from the darkest magic steals the Stone of Athanasia, the source of the ruler’s immortality, causing the king and his wizard, Mermin, to fall gravely ill. Andy is forced to choose between retrieving the stone to save those he loves or obediently going after the second ingredient. What will he chose? Will he be able to save the King and Mermin?

You won’t want to miss the non-stop action, drama and thrills on this adventure that is Andy Smithson: Venom of the Serpent’s Cunning, Book 2.

Book Three, Disgrace of the Unicorn’s Honor is due out Fall 2014.

Reviews:

“This series has everything a kid could want, action, adventure, magic, excitement and mystery!” - Erik Weibel, This Kid Reviews Books (Erik is 12)

"LRW Lee has constructed a wonderful world full of adventure, daring deeds, and remarkable action tempered with the right dose of humor. This wildly addictive series will entertain middle grade students, who, like I, will anxiously await the release of book three." - Sue Morris, Kid Lit Reviews

“There is a strong good versus evil theme underscoring the plot making it a clean story with no bad language but lots of exciting action and suspense. If you adore fantasy books with a medieval theme including knights and dragons, this story definitely fits that bill.” - Wayne S. Walker, Home School Book Reviews

Buy Book 2 – Amazon Paper: http://amzn.to/1eHKa4Q
Amazon Kindle: http://amzn.to/1j6sEKP
All other eBook versions: http://bit.ly/KlCycx

Book 1

Amazon Paper: http://amzn.to/17pu0ut

FREE eBook (all versions): http://bit.ly/Lk6yH5

If you have not yet had the opportunity to experience the Andy Smithson series, L. R. W. Lee has launched the serialized podcast of Blast of the Dragon’s Fury, Book 1 which is available for free at:

iTunes store - http://bit.ly/1l8u5YP

Author’s website - http://www.lrwlee.com/#!podcasts/c18hh

And there’s more! As part of L. R. W. Lee’s book launch tour, you have the opportunity to win 9 fantasy adventure ebooks from highly acclaimed authors. To enter go to the author’s website at http://www.lrwlee.com/#!giveaway/chq4.

For a full schedule of Venom of the Serpent’s Cunning, Book 2 launch tour stops: http://www.lrwlee.com/#!media/c1big

For more about author L. R. W. Lee: http://www.independentauthornetwork.com/l-r-w-lee.html

Lia London: The IAN Interview

Lia London began her writing career composing on-demand scripts for non-profit educational and religious organizations.  In 2011, she published her first novel, and has since then published four more books.  She hosts a book blog called Clean Indie Reads dedicated to bringing “Flinch-Free Fiction” to readers who are just discovering the independent author movement.  Many authors featured there also collaborate in marketing through a Facebook group of the same name.  London also has a writing coach blog which, until recently, also hosted collaborative fiction projects.  She enjoys spending time with her family, practicing taekwondo, and—of course—reading indie books.

IAN. Please tell us about your latest book.

LL. THE GYPSY PEARL, released December 6^th, 2013, debuted at the top of the Amazon Best-Seller list for “Children’s Action & Adventure Sci-Fi”.  Caz has spent her whole life on an interplanetary city station.  More than anything, she longs to explore the planets below her.  When one of her bursts of temper results in a sentence on the Surface of Caren, she sees the punishment as an adventure.  But an encounter with gypsies and their strange pet changes her destiny forever.  She is no longer just in search of some fun.  She is on a dangerous quest to seek out three worlds, three gifts, and three powers.  Finding them means finding interplanetary peace—and finding herself.

IAN. Is The Gypsy Pearl published in print, e-book or both?    
LL. It is currently only available in Kindle, but the paperback version will be out my March 2014 (along with the paperback versions of all my books).

IAN. Where can we go to buy The Gypsy Pearl?
LL. At Amazon http://amzn.to/1crKdRb

IAN. What inspired you to write The Gypsy Pearl?

LL. I actually dreamed the entire premise of the story, except that in my dream it was the more historical version of gypsies in a horse-drawn caravan instead of being set in outer space.  I woke up and told my son about it.  “Sounds like a good book idea, Mom!”  Boom.  When a member of the target audience speaks, I write.

IAN. Did you use an outline or do you just wing the first draft?  

LL.  Both.  I had the overall arc of the story with some key points defined, but the chapters came piecemeal based on input from my collaborative fiction website.  When participation died out, I retook the reins, switched out the POV from 3^rd person to 1^st person, and opted to break the story into a trilogy instead of a long stand-alone.

IAN. What do you hope your readers come away with after reading The Gypsy Pearl?
LL. A feeling that everyone can fit if we just make room.  There are many different cultures and belief systems, but they don’t have to be at odds with each other if we can look at a bigger picture.

IAN. How much of the book is realistic?    

LL. The space science is probably a little sketchy, but the people are real.  My key characters should resonate with readers as having genuine motives and personalities.  That’s always what matters most to me: the characters.

IAN. If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor? 
LL. He’s gone now, I believe, but John Christopher.  He’s a sci-fi/fantasy author from England most famous for his White Mountains Trilogy.  He had great depth and world building skills.

IAN. Are there any new authors that have caught your interest?
LL. Michelle Isenhoff, author of Song of the Mountain and The Quill Pen, and Elise Stokes, author of the Cassidy Jones Adventures series are two that captured my reader’s heart this year.  They are both very gifted in their respective genres.  I also think Ford Forkum has a great talent for satire with his Alien Invasion of the Zombie Apocalypse short story.  All three are indies.

IAN. Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.
LL. The members of my Clean Indie Reads group on Facebook were fantastic.  Some acted as beta readers, others helped swarm Twitter with promos or gave me cover design feedback.  They are great and talented cheerleaders.

IAN. Do you see writing as a career?       

LL. Oh, if only… I’d love that, but I’m not banking on it.  Like most writers I know, I do it because I can’t sleep at night if I don’t get the story down “on paper”.

IAN. Who designed the cover(s)?   
LL. I did.  The model on the front was a girl from my daughter’s taekwondo class.  She looked perfect for the part of Caz, so I asked her if I could take her picture and use it.  A few hours of putzing with PicMonkey resulted in the covers for the whole trilogy.

IAN. What was the hardest part of writing The Gypsy Pearl?     
LL. Caz has to experience life on a planet for the first time. Because of that, basic things like wind, dirt, or sunlight are freaky experiences for her.  The real trick was trying to explain the Surface life from her perspective in such a way that the reader could recognize each new thing as something familiar.  I wanted the readers to feel the newness she felt even when they were commonplace things like stairs, bugs, or rain.

IAN. Do you have any advice for other writers?   
LL. Don’t be afraid (or too stubborn) to revise your manuscript many, many times.  Editing is so much more than proofreading.  It’s choosing better verbs, and slicing the blah blah blah.  It’s catching those overused phrases and crafting that image just right.

IAN. Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?      
LL. You have it in you to do great things, even if that hasn’t been your track record so far.  Keep looking for the ways you can make the best impact in the lives of others, not always the flashiest, but the most enduring for good.

IAN. Tell us about your next book or a work in progress. Is it a sequel or a stand-alone?  

LL. The next book in line is the sequel to The Gypsy Pearl.  Book 2: Craggy will see Caz on a new, much less hospitable planet.  The feel will be much like the lawless days of the Wild West, except set in arid mountain tops.  Caz will have to disguise herself as a young mining boy as she searches out timberline trees to extract a special syrup.  Along the way, she will discover what freedom means something different to different people, and she’ll have to reconcile her own conflicting opinions before she can rise to lead others.

Author Liam Muir Releases The Consultant, a gripping Scottish Mob Thriller

On behalf of ORB Press Books, Liam Muir and Pubshelf, we invite you to the virtual book launch for Liam Muir's first novel, The Consultant, on December 20th, 2013. Click on the link below for details.  There will be giveaways as well as the long awaited availability of the book for sale.  

https://www.facebook.com/events/335746829896766/?ref=22&source=1

If you are not on Facebook and can't make the party but want to buy a hard copy or the Kindle version ahead of the North American release, which will take place in a few weeks, go to http://liammuirauthor.com/ or www.OrbPressBooks.com and click BUY to go to the Amazon e-store. It will be in select stores in the new year.

It's an exciting page turner and will make a great Christmas gift to put on someone's brand new Kindle.  

--I look forward to your valued readership. Liam Muir

Award-Winning Author M.R. Mathias Releases Saint Elm’s Deep – The Legend of Vanx Malic, Book 3

The wait is over! Book Three of this highly-rated fantasy series is now available in Kindle eBook and paperback at Amazon.

Saint Elm’s Deep is the latest offering in the best-selling Legend of Vanx Malic series. Books One and Two reached the top of the Amazon Fantasy/Mythology bestsellers list shortly after they were released.

In Saint Elm’s Deep, Mathias continues to develop his main character Vanx, a half-zythian bard. After finding a map on a grueling hunt, Vanx and his new companions travel deep into the Bitterpeaks. There they search for the fabled Hoar witch's palace in a hidden valley of the treacherous and magical Lurr Forest.

The story expands as we explore Vanx's past and the future of this unlikely group of heroes. The journey and the strange creatures they encounter along the way make this an epic fantasy you won’t want to miss. Action, drama, thrills, and a barrel-keg full of adventure await readers in Saint Elm's Deep, The Legend of Vanx Malic, Book Three.

M. R. Mathias is the author of the international bestselling Wardstone Trilogy, the Locus Poll-nominated Dragoneer Saga fantasy series, and the Crimzon and Clover Short Story Collection. He is also the author of the award-winning horror thriller The Butcher’s Boy under the pen name Michael R. Mathias.

Book Four, That Frigid Fargin Witch is due January 8, 2014, and Book Five is scheduled for a June 2014 release.

Reviews:

“Once again Mathias has created another exciting masterpiece of a novel with the familiar captivating style that we have grown to expect.” –A “Top 500” Amazon Reviewer on The Legend of Vanx Malic

“We get a deep look at Vanx’s father Captain Saint Elm here, and the characters around Vanx are superbly drawn, complete with depth, emotions, and problems all their own. Especially, the Hoar witch.” -Digital Wizard

"The author's style is individual, but it has the flavor of a Tolkien novel, or possibly Robert Jordan. I must say that Vanx is quite a likeable rogue, and the way that the story begins certainly grabs the reader, pulling them into the story whether they like it or not." -Kindle Review

“I would recommend anyone who loves fantasy books to read this as you will be swept into this world!” -Avid Reader Reviews

Buy Book 3 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F9IK6U2

Pre Order Book Four - That Frigid Fargin Witch http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GP3KX9O

Sherrie Lowe: The IAN Interview

I think I can now call myself an indie author. I have sold both paperback and ebook copies of my books for which I’ve received royalties so I presume that means I’m on my way. I’d always dabbled with writing starting with children’s poetry books when I was in my 30s but only seriously when I became ill with M.E/C.F.S in 1995 and I was forced to resign from my job as learning support assistant in a mainstream high school. I was heartbroken. Writing has kept me sane throughout the loneliness and isolation that comes with any illness and it is my hope that one day it will give me my life back – or at least half of it!  -Sherrie Lowe

IAN. Please tell us about your latest book:

SL. ANGEL BREATHS is my latest publication. It is a story which links life on earth with life in the realm of the angels. Angelique has been robbed of ever having a life with her earthly family and of walking the earthly path with her soulmate. Instead she watches over them from her position in a higher realm.

Had she lived she would have had a comfortable life, her parents having reasonably well paid jobs, both with prospects. What is heartbreakingly lacking in their life though is a family. Her soulmate by contrast is the son of a homeless drug addict and his start in life is a lot more difficult. Although they haven’t met on the earth plane their souls are connected and each is aware of the other as they run parallel in their complimentary realms. 

IAN. Is Angel Breaths published in print, e-book or both?

SL. Both

  

IAN. Where can we go to buy Angel Breaths?

SL. Amazon.co.UK

IAN. What inspired you to write the book?

SL. ANGEL BREATHS was inspired by a news item on abortion laws which asked the question, ‘At what point does a baby have a soul?’ It made me wonder that if it was as early as an embryo, how would that soul feel it if were to be aborted or miscarried?

IAN. Did you use an outline or do you just wing the first draft?

SL. I usually have a rough idea of where I’m going but my stories evolve often into something quite different to what I’d originally planned.

IAN. How much of the book is realistic?

SL. I’d say about half and half. As no-one has ever truly passed into the afterlife and then returned we cannot know what it is like, we can only form our ideas by what we read, see and experience. I have had experiences with it as I write about in my memoir SHADOW ACROSS THE SUN and my interest in it stems from them. This is my own perception.

IAN. What book are you reading now?

SL. The Clairvoyant’s Handbook by A.L.Hale. I don’t wish to hone my psychic skills specifically I am just fascinated by the afterlife, a fact which I think is reflected in several of my books.

IAN. Are there any new authors that have caught your interest?

SL. Since becoming an indie author myself I have read many other indies and in truth I have found some of them to be far superior to some traditionally published authors. These are the ones that come to mind: Maureen Turner, Bev Spicer, David P. Perlmutter, Terry Tyler, Brooklyn Hudson, Peggy A. Edelheit, Geoffrey West.

IAN. Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

SL. FeedARead.com

IAN. Do you see writing as a career?

SL. I’d like to. I was forced to give up the career in education that I’d trained for because of my health. Writing is something I can do at my own pace and I’d love nothing more than for it to earn me a living.

IAN. Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

SL. I have lots of favourite authors and have been influenced by many but to choose one of them I’d say Frank McCourt for his memoir Angela’s Ashes. I was struck by his honesty and humour, even in the most difficult times of his life.

IAN. Who designed the cover(s)?

SL. An artist friend from my creative writing group called Mary Bennett paints original watercolour paintings for my covers.

IAN. Do you have any advice for other writers?

SL. The advice I’d give to other writers is to keep at it. The advent of the ebook has given authors the opportunity to achieve what they aimed for when they wrote that first word, to have it read.

IAN. Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

SL. To my readers I want to say a huge thank you. I am humbled that you have spent your hard earned money to buy my books. I really hope that I haven’t disappointed you and that if you’ve enjoyed one of my stories that you will try another title.

IAN. What were the challenges (research, literary, psychological, and logistical) in bringing it to life? 

SL. My main challenge is always my health. The writing aspect I enjoy but if I were well enough I’d love to go out physically to do my research as I did with FREE FLIGHT, that was a wonderful experience. Since discovering FeedARead.com who have published my paperbacks and KDP for the ebooks it has taken the pressure off that massive challenge of getting published. All I need now is that lucky break to sell millions!

IAN. Tell us about your next book or a work in progress. Is it a sequel or a stand-alone?

SL.The book I am working on at the moment is a sequel to my memoir. I’m thinking that the title will be JUST TWO MIRACLES but that could change. I’d had an idea to do it but it was friends and family who’d read the first book who encouraged me to make a start. Although it is essentially for friends and family I think that many people will relate to my life experiences. Lots of us go through the same joys and troubles but we all react differently. I’ve found by writing both fiction and non-fiction that even in the darkest hours there is humour.

Author M. R. Mathias announces the release of The Legend of Vanx Malic Book Three: Saint Elm’s Deep

Once again Mathias has created another exciting masterpiece of a novel with the familiar captivating style that we have grown to expect. A Top 500 Amazon Reviewer on The Legend of Vanx Malic

Enjoy The Legend of Vanx Malic series with this huge Kindle giveaway of Books One AND Two from Oct 1 - 5 

M. R. Mathias is the author of the international bestselling “Wardsone Trilogy,” the Locus Poll nominated “Dragoneer Saga,” fantasy series, and the “Crimzon and Clover Short Story Collection.” He is also the author of the award-winning horror thriller “The Butcher’s Boy” under the pen name Michael R. Mathias.

“Saint Elm’s Deep” is Mathias’ latest entry in the highly-rated fantasy series, “The Legend of Vanx Malic.” Book One of the series made it to #1 in the Amazon Fantasy/Mythology bestsellers list in May 2013 and Book Two has been as high as #3 on that same list.

In “Saint Elm’s Deep,” our hero, a half-zythian bard named Vanx, is being drawn to places from his father’s infamous past. After helping Darbon get over the loss of his first love, and finding a map on a grueling hunt, Vanx and his new companions decide to travel deep into the Bitterpeaks. There they hope to find the fabled Hoar witch's palace in a hidden valley of the treacherous and magical Lurr Forest.

The story broadens, as we delve into Vanx's past and the future of as-unlikely-a-group of heroes as you will ever find. The journey, and the strange creatures they encounter along the way, makes this a fantasy adventure that you just don’t want to miss. Action and adventure, drama and thrills, and a barrel-keg full of adventure await readers in Saint Elm's Deep, the third installment of M. R. Mathias’ The Legend of Vanx Malic.

“We get a deep look at Vanx’s father Captain Saint Elm here, and the characters around Vanx are superbly drawn, complete with depth, emotions, and problems all their own. Especially, the Hoar witch” -  Digital Wizard.

And even better news, from October 1^st through the 5^th 2013, everyone can get The Legend of Vanx Malic Book One “Through the Wildwood” and Book Two “Dragon Isle” FREE in the Amazon Kindle Store here:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009A0Q5D2   If you don’t have a Kindle, just get the free Kindle reading app for your phone, PC, or tablet. Then get the books. It is that easy.

“Saint Elm’s Deep – The Legend of Vanx Malic Book Three,” is available for pre-order online at Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F9IK6U2  and will officially release November 20^th 2013.

REVIEW COPIES AND INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE www.mrmathias.com 

Book Review: Hidden Footprints of Unity by Raja Arasa Ratnam

Hidden Footprints of Unity

by Raja Arasa Ratnam

Reviewed by Cynthia Collins for the US Review of Books

"The bottom line is tolerance and fair treatment by all, to all, irrespective of origins, language, religion."

This book describes the conflicts and unity of different religions as they, and the people who practice them, search for a common ground in Australian culture. It focuses on the spiritual aspect of what was White Australia during British rule. It can either be read as self-contained or in conjunction with Ratnam's previous books, Musings at Death's Door and The Dance of Destiny, that deal with the prejudices of language, race, politics, and employment during the same time period.

Ratnam grew up in British Malaya (now Malaysia and Singapore). His environment embodied multi-ethnic, multicultural, and multi-religious tolerance. That changed when he moved to Australia at the age of 19 in 1948. He watched the country change from "white" British rule to one where the different races, languages, and religions are celebrated as a part of the variety of cultures. He goes into a lot of detail of discussing the various religions of the world as well as the beliefs of psychics and scientists. He questions the obvious and not so obvious, and wonders if those who condemn other religions are hiding their own fears of insecurity.

This is a well-written book and recommended for anyone studying comparative religion, sociology, Australian history, civil rights, and ethnic cultures of Australia. It would be appropriate for high school and college students, civil rights and religious leaders, and historians. The author uses a quote from Hippocrates made 2,500 years ago to make his point. "There is one common flow, one common breathing. All things are in sympathy."

RECOMMENDED by the USR  

Tayo Emmanuel: The IAN Interview

My name is Omotayo Utomi although I’ve authored my novel as Tayo Emmanuel. I like to believe I mean different things to different people – wife, mother, poet, writer, counsellor and analyst. My corporate working experience covers Corporate Communications, Marketing, Events Management, Customer Care and Business Analysis. I’m educated up to Master’s Degree and I have a Writing Certificate from the City University London. My world view is greatly influenced by my Christian faith and in my spare time, I volunteer for non-profit organisations; training, counselling and writing. I currently maintain a relationship column in Mentor Magazine and a blogging platform at www.rel8ing.co.uk

IAN. Please tell us about your latest book

T.E.  My latest book is my debut novel called A Bouquet of Dilemma. It’s a story about the love lives of two friends, Tobi and Maggie. But it focuses more on Tobi as the main protagonist - an undergraduate from a conservative family whose first experience of love is with Richard, a playboy from a relatively errant family. They both met at Maggie’s party and Tobi was totally besotted with Richard. Despite being warned by her friends, she starts dating Richard after her mind-blowing birthday treat. Ironically, Richard stays faithful and even gets engaged to Tobi before travelling abroad. The eventuality happened when Tobi gets a mysterious letter advising her to move on with her life, without Richard. To help her recover, Maggie suggests having a fling with Oba who had been wooing her for over a year. A week to Maggie’s wedding and on the eve of Oba proposing to Tobi, Richard shows up asking for forgiveness. The dilemma for Tobi is to make a choice between ‘charming, unpredictable Richard who spins her life inside out’ and ‘reliable, gentle Oba who was supposed to be just a distraction’. It’s an intense battle between her heart and her mind.

IAN. Is your book published in print, e-book or both?

T.E.  A Bouquet of Dilemma is in both print and electronic formats. 

Jumia 

Amazon

Kobo

Createspace

Smashwords

IAN. What inspired you to write A Bouquet of Dilemma?

T.E. The starting point is that I am usually inspired to draw morals and learning points from life experiences, based on the belief that someone somewhere can always learn from an event. I’ve been a relationship counsellor and that makes me privy to a lot of issues about love and life. A Bouquet of Dilemma was inspired by the true life story of a lady whose first experience of love was with a guy that eventually jilted her so he could afford a better life abroad. A sneak into her life portrays different views and perceptions about defining love and finding happiness.

IAN. Did you use an outline or do you just wing the first draft?

T.E.  Yes, I use an outline, but the outline is a guide to put together my thoughts and see the end of the book before I start. But as the story unfolds, the outline is somewhat overtaken and consumed by the flow.

IAN. How did you come up with the title?

T.E.  A Bouquet of Dilemma came in a flash and I stuck with it. Before then, I had toyed with other titles and I wasn’t quite satisfied because I wanted a unique title that would be catchy and stand out from other titles. And that is based on an experience I once had on Amazon, when I was looking for a book and the title search brought up over five different books with the same title.

IAN. What do you hope your readers come away with after reading A Bouquet of Dilemma?

T.E.  Incidentally, African writers usually write to communicate morals or values. I want my readers to come to an understanding that nothing is cast in stone when it comes to love and life. People change, circumstances change, motivations change and history can be re-written by a simple choice to stay or to walk away. Maggie, the sub-protagonist in A Bouquet of Dilemma had to deal with tribal stereotyping and I want people to see how fitting individuals into pre-defined boxes doesn’t work in love situations.

IAN. How much of the book is realistic?

T.E. For me, the purpose of fiction writing, especially romance is to turn the ‘imaginary’ into the ‘reality’ by creating a plausible and believable story from scraps, otherwise it becomes a memoir. I was happy when one of my readers said, “That happened to me. I was like Tobi some years ago.” To that extent, the book is realistic, but it takes from a lot of unrelated events which I combined with real and historical events in the setting.

IAN. Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

T.E.  A Bouquet of Dilemma is based on life experiences of diverse people.

IAN. How is A Bouquet of Dilemma different from others in your genre?T.E.  A Bouquet of Dilemma is in the Contemporary Romance Fiction and New Adult genre and the only way I can say it is different is that it’s original. Every original work of art has a distinct signature and I believe that no two voices are alike in the writing world. Yes, it is a story about two regular but diverse young ladies, but I haven’t read anything like it. And like I would say, maybe it’s because I haven’t read much. It focuses on the transition of a girl into womanhood from a Nigerian perspective. The book is also an expose on politics and the value systems in Nigeria as it affects relationships and aspirations of young adults. One of the recurring comments I’ve heard from non-Nigerian readers is that the novel has opened Nigeria to them in a new interesting light.

IAN. What books have most influenced your life most?

T.E. Kola Onadipe’s The Adventures of Souza and Akinwunmi Ishola’s Oleku taught me to enjoy African stories as a child. Wole Soyinka’s Trial of Brother Jero taught me to love satires, Shakespeare’s Julius Ceaser taught me to love plays and verses, Harold Robbins’ 79 Park Avenue and Jojo Moye’s  Me Before You have shown me how fiction should be written.

IAN. Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

T.E.  Apart from family, the entity that has supported me most is actually my  writing group called the Angel Writing Group. The group was started after we completed the writing course at City University, it’s a small support group where we critique one another’s work and share knowledge on everything related to writing.

IAN. Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

T.E.  Up till now, I always feel more comfortable expressing myself writing than talking. I developed a reading culture early in life. In secondary school one of my best subjects was literature, from where I started playing with words and writing poems. I read a numeric course in university, so I forgot writing until I started working and we started an official lifestyle magazine. Over time, I started contributing articles here and there in magazines. I've also worked in Corporate Communications which entails a lot of creative writing. Sometimes in 2010, I decided to compile some of my works and have it published as an anthology of short stories and poetry. Feedback from that spurred me to continue writing.

IAN. What was the hardest part of writing A Bouquet of Dilemma?

T.E.  The hardest part of writing my book was when I developed a mental block and didn’t have any inspiration to write. There was a time I set the book apart for almost four months because the pieces weren’t fitting together.

IAN. Tell us about your next book or a work in progress. Is it a sequel or a stand-alone?

T.E.  My work in progress is a stand-alone novel about a couple who are disenchanted in their marriage and struggling with infertility and infidelity.

Claudia Burgoa: The IAN Interview

Claudia Burgoa lives in Colorado with her family and three dogs. Two beagles who believe they are human, and a bichon who thinks she's a beagle. While managing life, she works as a CFO at a small IT Company. She's a dreamer who enjoys music, laughter and a good story.

IAN. Please tell us about Where Life Takes You

C.B. Becca Trent lived her childhood next to a cruel woman—her mom—who lived to torment and neglect her. During her high school years, her mother married; bringing home not only a new husband, but a step sister her same age.

The latter took over her Mom’s role—making Becca’s life miserable. Including stealing Ian—Becca’s best friend and boyfriend—Lisa treated her worse than her mother had for the previous fifteen years. A couple of years later, things ended up in tragedy.

Becca buried that part of her life in the deep corners of her psyche, but that only work during the days when the nightmares didn’t come back to haunt her. Her best friend, Dan gives her that family love she always lacked. Everything was close to perfect, until everything and everyone from her past came back. Now, she’s trying to figure out how to survive and keep that bond which seems now to be held together by a thread.

IAN. Did you use an outline or do you just wing the first draft?

C.B. I just wing for the first draft. My stories start with an idea and the first words are a scene… any scene. From there I start sculpting it.

IAN. How long did it take to write the Where Life Takes You?

C.B. Between three and four months.

IAN. How much of the book is realistic?

C.B. A big part, after all, it is contemporary. The struggle Becca goes through, trying to overcome everything she buried from her teen-years is something that unfortunately, a lot of women go through. 

IAN. Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

C.B. Yes, some of them, rather not specify which. But a few are mine and some friends who sadly no longer live among us.

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

C.B. Modern, I’d say it’s a tie between Sophie Kinsella, Meg Cabot and Nora Roberts.

Classic… I’d like to think that throughout the years I have learned from Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Cervantes, Wilde, Asimov, Dickens and Austin. Let’s not forget Shakespeare, who wrote about Italy without ever visiting the country.

IAN. What book are you reading now?

C.B. I just finished: The book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler

IAN. Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

C.B. My friends, and also my social media friends. Members of Facebook I met five years ago and now from twitter, the community of indie authors is amazingly supportive. Not only with my writing, but on a personal level too.

IAN. Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

C.B. Young age, like Becca, my life wasn’t pleasant and I learned to survive and drift away by reading stories. Not too long after, I began to create my own reality. A happier one.

IAN. Who designed the cover for Where Life Takes You?

C.B. Danielle Fine did the cover of my eBook, and based on it Steve Caresser designed the print version.

IAN. What was the hardest part of writing Where Life Takes You?

C.B. Editing, my first experience doing so wasn’t gentle. But I think my first editor taught me a few valuable lessons and brought out more from me to the book that I was willing to share or deliver.

IAN. Did you learn anything from writing Where Life Takes You and what was it?

C.B. Yes, the biggest one was not to shy away and bring your best game to the keyboard… also proof it before publishing!

IAN. Tell us about your next book or a work in progress. Is it a sequel or a stand-alone?

C.B. Currently I’m working on the sequel of Where Life Takes You and finished writing Getting by, the first book of the Knight Brother’s series.

IAN. Do you have any advice for other writers?

C.B. Write, write, write and keep writing, don’t give up. Also read, read and why not, read after you finished writing. Don’t give up. Have I mentioned you should proof it before publishing the book?

Where Life Takes You is available in trade paperback and Kindle eBook at 

Amazon/kindle      Amazon/print

 

Deadly Storm - A Kelli Storm Novel by Kenneth Hoss

Police Procedural
 
Detective Kelli Storm and her partner, Eric Ryder, are called to the scene of an apparent suicide only to discover that the victim was a Russian hit man and Kelli was to be his next target.

The trail from the body leads the two Detectives to the underbelly of Brighton Beach, and the Russian Brotherhood that rule there. During the course of their investigation, Kelli discovers a link between them and a powerful Colombian Cartel, the same Cartel she thought had been shut down with the death of its leader.

When the FBI and DEA take an interest in the case, they forge a plan to break up the international drug ring. As they delve deeper, the Cartel and Brotherhood become bolder and they both want Kelli dead. To make matters worse, after an ill-conceived tryst, it’s all she can do to keep her professional and personal lives separate.

        

Deadly Storm - A Kelli Storm Novel is FREE for Amazon/kindle 
August 10 and 11