No Teachers Left Behind – Author Interview – HBF teacher

Paperback Writer is pleased to announce our author for today, Hopeful But Frustrated Teacher (HBF Teacher), author of the realistic fiction book, No Teachers Left Behind (2nd Avenue Publishing, 2009.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

HBF Teacher has been a public school Middle grades teacher for three years. Before that, HBF substitute taught for two years. HBF has also worked as a live-in nanny and an accounts payable representative.

Today when not nurturing young minds, HBF enjoys travel, photography, culinary arts, and the cinema. The Cohen Brothers and Tyler Perry are among her favorite artistic contributors.

You can find HBF Teacher online at http://www.noteachersleftbehind.info.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Explored through a series of poems, emails, and brief conversations, NO TEACHERS LEFT BEHIND is a fictional yet realistic look at the frustrations of middle school staff.

Hi HBF Teacher,

Welcome to Paperback Writer

PBW: Will you share with us how you came up with the idea for this book?

HBF: My own personal frustrations and disappointments as a middle school teacher led me to write this book.

PBW: Do you plan your stories first with an outline or does it come to you as write it?

HBF: Writing a story to me is like interacting with a force in which you have only minimal control. I always try to start with a plan in mind, but then the characters just become real. When this happens, they write their own stories, and I merely become a viewer in their lives.

PBW: Do you know the end of the story at the beginning?

HBF: I rarely know the ending of the story at the beginning. The characters decide their own endings.

PBW: Do you have a process for developing your characters?

HBF: There is no real process. For some weird reason, I tend to create names first, and then the characters develop. Sometimes they are huge exaggerations of people I have met in my lifetime, but not often.

PBW: It is said that authors write themselves into their characters. Is there any part of you in your characters and what they would be?

HBF: Yes I do believe that authors write themselves into their characters, and I am no exception to that. There is a part of me in most of my characters. In No Teachers Left Behind, I am definitely all of the teachers who want to make a difference yet feel that they can’t.

PBW: What is your most favorite part about this book?

HBF: I love all the humorous email conversations. Laughter is indeed the best medicine, and laughing helps me keep my job.

PBW: When in the process of writing your book did you begin to look for a publisher?

HBF: I always knew that I wanted to go with Createspace, a division of Amazon, because it was the quickest route to publication. No Teachers Left Behind is a story that I really feel people should read so I wanted to have my book published as quickly as possible.

PBW: What struggles have you had on the road to being published?

HBF: No struggles really because writing is one of my passions. The hardest parts, if any, are finding the time to write and then coming up with clever ideas to market the book. There are so many books published each day that you really have to find a way to make yours stand out, and this is necessary even before the book is actually published.

PBW: What has been the best part about being published?

HBF: The best part about being published is holding the first copy of your book in your hand. It means that you’ve completed what you’ve started, and that’s a wonderful feeling.

PBW: What do you want readers to remember and carry with them after reading your novel?

HBF: Remember that teachers are people too, and for the most part, we’re actually nice people who care about our students and want to see them become successful. No one has ever become a teacher because of greed and a desire to be adored by millions.

PBW: Do you have plans to write another book?

HBF: There’s always a story to tell, and I already have ideas for a sequel to No Teachers Left Behind. I also have plans to write a young adult novel.

PBW: Would you care to share with us how the virtual book tour experience with Pump Up Your Book Promotion has been for you?

HBF: I am really enjoying my experience with Pump Up Your Book Promotion. The people are wonderful to work with, and my name and my book title – well they are popping up everywhere on the web.

PBW: Where can readers find a copy of your book?

HBF: Readers can purchase a copy of my book at Amazon.com.

PBW: Do you have a website for readers to go to?

HBF: Readers can learn more about me and No Teachers Left Behind at http://www.noteachersleftbehind.info

Thank you, HBF Teacher for sharing your book and characters with us today. It has been a pleasure and I hope you have had a successful virtual book tour.

THE NO TEACHERS LEFT BEHIND VIRTUAL BLOG TOUR ‘09 officially begin on May 4th and will end on May 29th. You can visit HBF Teacher’s blog stops at www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com during the month of May to find out more about this great book and talented author!

Shattered Reality – Author Interview – Kimberly Cheryl

Join Kimberly Cheryl, author of the self-help sexual abuse book, Shattered Reality (CreateSpace, August ‘08), on her first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion!

Win Prizes:
As a special promotion for all our authors, Pump Up Your Book Promotion is giving away a FREE virtual book tour to a published author or a $50 Amazon gift certificate to those not published who comment on our authors’ blog stops.

About the Book:
A wonderful read for all parents, teachers, counselors…we need to open our eyes to child sexual assault and help put a stop to this silent epidemic. The sexual abuse of a child creates a devastating family crisis. Parents want to know what to do and say to help their child but they also want to know how to respond to and heal their own emotional turmoil. As a parent, you need to know it’s okay and natural to act with disbelief and denial. This is my story, a mother’s story, about the abuse of my daughter and my struggles to overcome. I thought I could trust my family members. I thought I knew and could trust the legal system. I was wrong. As a parent, I couldn’t find help for ME…what to expect on this journey with my daughter and her recovery. I didn’t know how much pain I would suffer as well. This is my story and my struggle toward recovery. Somehow, some way, I hope it gives you hope for your journey as well.

Hi Kimberly Cheryl!

Welcome to Paperback Writer.

PBW: Would you share with us how you came up with the idea for your book?

KC: Shattered Reality is the story of my families journey through the turmoil of child sexual assault. As a parent, and secondary survivor, I had a difficult time finding any books or resources to help me deal with the multiple, emotional feelings that affected my life after my daughter disclosed suffering years of sexual abuse at the hands of my uncle.

PBW: Was it a light bulb moment or something that you thought about for a very long time?

KC: It was a “light bulb” moment due to the situation affecting our lives.

PBW: How did you come up with the title?

KC: Shattered Reality describes the my inner feelings and turmoil.

PBW: How did you find an agent and publisher?

KC: Self-published

PBW: Who reads you work in progress?

KC: I have a host of patient and loving folks who have edited my books for me. They include my sister-in-law, my father, my husband and several wonderful friends. They have all encouraged and inspired me to keep writing.

PBW: Who made a difference in the book’s quality?

KC: I have had many amazing authors give me their feedback, suggestions and guidance in writing; how to enhance; how to expand and improve. Those people who have given me “opinions” have included such magnificent individuals as: Mrs. Judy Blume (aka: Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret – my favorite); Irene Watson (The Sitting Swing); J.F. Englert (A Dog About Town); and Margaret Jones, PhD (Not My Making). A sincere thank you to them all for their input and help with my writing skills, tone and content.

PBW: How long did it take you to complete the first draft?

KC: It took me about 8 months to finish the first draft and I have just rereleased a final, new version which is more indepth and includes more resources for the readers.

PBW: How long did it take from start to publication?

KC: It took me about a year to “get it right” – or so I hope. It was very grueling telling our story and was extremely time consuming putting together all of my notes which I kept on receipts in the car, “chicken scratch” on scrap paper by the bed done at 3 am when I awoke with an idea I wanted to save, and small pieces of events on the back side of the children’s old, graded homework papers they left laying around the house. Whenever an idea or thought hit me, I wrote it down. Eventually, I had to collect all of my thoughts and follow the time line of our journey’s events to make them into a book. I know it was all worth the effort.

PBW: Do you have any advice for new authors?

KC: If you have a story and want to write, don’t wait, take the opportunity to put your ideas and words onto paper and self publish or produce an e-book to start and go from there. You may find you have more skills than you thought possible. Just don’t get upset at the critics – there is one in every crowd and not everyone is going to love your writing, even the top Best Sellers have critics. Believe in yourself and go for it

Thank you, Kimberly Cheryl for stopping by Paperback Writer on your virtual book tour. I wish you continued success through the rest of you tour.

For more information please visit http://www.kimberlycheryl.com/

SHATTERED REALITY VIRTUAL BLOG TOUR ‘09 officially begin on March 2 and ends on March 31. You can visit Kimberly’s blog stops at http://www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/ in March to find out more about this great book and talented author

Book Review – Season of Sacrifice – Trist Pinkston

 

Book Review by Rebecca Camarena

 

Season of Sacrifice (a historical novel), by Tristi Pinkston

Published by Golden Wings Enterprises, 2008

ISBN: 978-0-9794340-1-3

  

 

Benjamin Perkins was a proud and determined young man who undertook a journey by ship to the United States to worship as he pleased and not be persecuted by others. He embarked on this journey with his family and his wife-to-be. When it could be considered enough to have finally settled in this great land of opportunity and free from religious persecution, Perkins was then called to lead a group of people or Saints, as they were called in the Mormon religion, across the state of Utah and colonize the area that would become known as Bluff. Making roads where nothing had been before, leading hundreds of Saints in faith and spirit on an exploration that was gruesome, difficult and could have ended in tragedy, Perkins always found the courage to continue.  However, it seemed that even this was not enough for one lifetime and he was still asked to do the hardest thing of all and that was to enter into a Polygamous marriage. With his choosing he decided on his wife’s sister to be his second wife.  Is there such a thing as living happily ever after with two wives who are sisters to make it even more difficult?

 

Author Tristi Pinkston has written a remarkable love story and brought to life the emotion and the spirit that these Saints carried within them. It is an amazing feat that drove these Saints onward and the hardships and sacrifices that were made daily to forge a new life for all the generations that were to follow. Tristi portrays spirit, love and respect that these two sisters shared and they were able to draw upon this to see them through the more difficult times. It is the same spirit, love and respect that strengthened the bonds of these two families in the happy times. I must admit I had a hard time reading about the Polygamous marriage, but Tristi has done an excellent job blending the story with sensitivity and respect and I found myself hoping the sisters would be able to work things out in the end.

 

 

 

 

The Sky’s Not Falling – Holly Fretwell

Today, at Paperback Writer we have children’s book author and natural resources policy expert, Holy Fretwell.  Holly is an adjunct professor at Montana State University, and is a research fellow at the Property and Environment Research Center.

You can visit her publisher’s website at http://www.worldahead.com/titles/sky.php.
atural resources policy expert, Holly Fretwell. 

THE SKY’S NOT FALLING SYNOPSIS:

School has started. Unfortunately, right along with it comes the usual indoctrination about the “threat” of global warming. Perhaps your kids are already saying…
“I’m scared that every time I ride in the car, I’m hurting polar bears and other animals.”“I’m afraid that people just like me are causing global warming.”“I’m afraid that my favorite outdoor places are going to disappear.”Holly Fretwell, adjunct professor at Montana State University, mom of 2, natural resources allocation expert and author of The Sky’s NOT Falling! Why It’s OK To Chill About Global Warming (ISBN 0976726947, Kids Ahead, for ages 8-12, September 2007) knows that kids are getting an earful in school about global warming. Unfortunately, all too much of that information is misleading or just plain wrong.The Sky’s NOT Falling! is the product of her concern not just for the environment, but for the millions of kids being handed an environmental bill of goods in class. As an educator, a mom and an optimist, Ms. Fretwell envisions a world that is wealthier, and so healthier for all. To get there, however, our kids need to become critical thinkers. And too much of what is passing for “truth” when it comes to the issue of global warming is anything but.

Holly’s tour is brought to you by Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tours.  

 

Featured Author Steven M. Reilly

Join young sports memoir author Steven M. Reilly, author of THE FAT LADY NEVER SINGS: HOW A HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM FOUND REDEMPTION ON THE BASEBALL DIAMOND, as he virtually tours the blogosphere in October on his first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tours!

Since 1976, Steve Reilly has coached baseball in Connecticut’s Lower Naugatuck Valley. He has coached Babe Ruth, Senior Babe Ruth and American Legion teams and has spent the last 20 years assisting high school coaches. He assisted at Derby High School from 1986-1995, assisted Emmett O’Brien Regional Vocational Technical School in 1996 and will be coaching in his 11th season at Seymour High School in the Spring of 2007. He continues to coach a summer Senior Babe Ruth team and fall league team in Derby.

A practicing Attorney since 1980, with an office in Oxford, Connecticut (http://www.getlawhelp.com/), Reilly and his wife, Suzanne, live in Seymour, Connecticut.

 A practicing Attorney since 1980, with an office in Oxford, Connecticut (http://www.getlawhelp.com/), Reilly and his wife, Suzanne, live in Seymour, Connecticut.

You can visit his website at http://www.thefatladyneversings.com

His book is available at www.amazon.com

Featured Author L. Diane Wolfe

                                                        Join young adult fiction author L. Diane Wolfe, author of MIKE: THE CIRCLE OF FRIENDS, BOOK IV (Author House, March 2007), as she virtually tours the blogosphere in October on her first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tours!

L. Diane Wolfe’s series, The Circle of Friends, focuses on the pursuit of dreams and the overcoming of obstacles. The stories intertwine as the characters learn that with belief and encouragement, they can achieve anything. Her latest in the series, “Mike: Book IV” follows one young man’s journey of forgiveness.

MIKE: THE CIRCLE OF FRIENDS SYNOPSIS:

Past mistakes can never be forgiven …

Mike Taylor is the epitome of stability. His family is proud of his academic and athletic achievements at Georgia Tech, and despite the temptations of college life, he has maintained his moral standards. Yet beneath the peaceful surface, Mike is consumed with guilt, fearing condemnation and rejection. A former girlfriend’s abortion and the intense love he feels for his roommate’s wife constantly remind Mike of his failures. Unable to forget and full of shame, he refuses to forgive himself. When Danielle enters his life, he realizes he can no longer hide the past. Will she be able to reach him or is Mike past the point of redemption?

Traveling the East Coast to promote her series, Wolfe sets herself on a heavy tour of extensive book signings and speaking engagements. The author averages over sixty appearances each year, maintains a website & blog for her series, and contributes articles for several other sites. She conducts seminars on publishing & promoting, goal setting and works with writer’s groups. Meant to inspire as well as entertain, Wolfe’s books have been described as “encouragement personified”.

You can visit her website at http://www.thecircleoffriends.net/.

MIKE: THE CIRCLE OF FRIENDS VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR ‘07 will officially began on October 1, 2007. If you would like to follow Diane as she talks about her book and to be eligible to win a free copy, visit http://www.virtualbooktours.authorsabode.com/. To be eligible to win free copies, watch for her tour stops on our virtual book tour blog at the link above and leave a comment on each of her blog stops. On Halloween night, October 31, we will announce the winners on this blog, so watch to see if you’re one of the lucky winners!

Diane’s virtual book tour is brought to you by Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tours at www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com.
 

Author Interview with Nadia Aiden

   Join us tomorrow here at Chitchat when we interview erotic romance author Nadia Aiden author of Enthralled: Candace & Ares: The Divine Series – Book One (iUniverse, Sept ‘07). This is Nadia’s first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion.

Strong willed and beautiful, Candace, Queen of the Amazonian planet Kush is used to fighting battles, giving orders and subservient men. From birth she is taught the art of war and that men are the enemy. What she hates more than a man is a domineering man!

With a body as powerful as a god’s, the heir to the Akkadian throne is far from subservient. A man of honor, Ares is all masculine dominance!

When war tears their planets apart the two are faced with entering into a marriage contract in order to save their kingdoms and their people. Forced into a marriage neither wants, at every turn the two warriors clash as they battle for dominance.

But what begins as a marriage of convenience quickly turns into something more as they fight their growing passion and hunger for each other. 

The ultimate challenge comes when they are forced to forsake their old beliefs for a chance at a future together. 

Can two fighting spirits learn the ultimate lesson of surrendering to their hearts?

You can find Nadia’s website at http://www.nadiaaiden.com

Author Interview with PG Forte

 PG Forte author of the erotic romance WAITING FOR THE BIG ONE  has stopped by Chitchat today to share with us her latest book LOVE FROM A TO Z  and her experience with virtual book tours  but, first a little about her book. 

 Love From A to Z is the sequel to Waiting for The Big One  and the focus is on the hero Zach, who played a small but pivotal part in book one.  In Waiting For The Big One the story of Gabby Brown, dog walker and aspiring actress. Gabby’s a Pisces—you’ll find that out right away—and she’s also somewhat Astrologically obsessed, so she relates everything to the stars. 

But, hey, this is LA! Stars of all types are just part of the mise en scene.

Like everyone else in Los Angeles, Gabby is waiting for The Big One…hence the title. What is the big one? Well, that depends on who you are. It might be the big break that makes you a star. It could be the big quake that will rock the city to its knees. But, in Gabby’s case, it’s something a little more…um, personal.

Gabby’s waiting for the Big O—the elusive, G-spot, ultra orgasm. She thinks she’s found the guy who’ll give it to her when she meets Zach, the super hot musician who’s just moved into her building.

Hi PG,

Welcome to Chitchat it’s very nice to have you here. Your initials PG that’s very strange for a first name. Why do you use initials versus a name?

Hi, Rebecca, it’s great to be here.  Hmm…the initial thing, huh? Well, I suppose, in part, it’s because my original name was sooo long–nineteen letters in total–that shortening it a little seemed like a good idea at the time. And, of course, I do have a small problem with going to extremes.  LOL!

Forte is my husband’s name, which I’ve been using ever since I figured out how much easier it is to go through life with a  five letter last name.  Call me lazy, I don’t mind. But, you know, I think I’m in good literary company including the likes of PG Wodehouse, CS Lewis, PL Travers, JK Rowling, JD Robb and, of course, the very excellent TL Schaefer who happens to be one of my critique partners…which I figure entitles me to bragging rights, at least.

 Have you found it’s easier or more difficult as an author and using initials versus a name?
 
I don’t know that it’s made much of a difference either way. Although I figure the fact that it is somewhat uncommon has to be a benefit.  I like to think it’s more memorable.  Which is not to say that my original last name isn’t memorable,  It is.  It’s just unpronounceable.  However, once I started writing erotic romance, that PG moniker became a little confusing for some people, which is when I came up with my tagline:  PG…it’s a name, not a rating!
I read that your critique partners dared you to write an erotic short story. Was this the basis for your book?
 
Yep, I was pushed and shoved into the genre and I really do thank them for that because I enjoy it so much!  That story became the first book in the LA Love Lessons series (available from Liquid Silver Books),  Waiting for the Big One.  My current release, Love From A to Z is kind of a sequel in that the hero, Zach, played a small but pivotal part in book one.  The third book, Let Me Count the Ways, (which, coincidentally, features the hero of book one, Derek, in yet another ’small but pivotal’ role) is actually something of a prequel…which I only figured out while I was writing it.  Up until then, I thought I was writing in chronological order.

What was your initial opinion about going on a virtual book tour?

Oh, I loved the concept!  Still do, of course. I write what a lot of people consider to be virtual books, after all, so why not a virtual book tour?

At the end of October you will have completed your second virtual tour with Pump Up. How have you benefited from these virtual tours?

Well, I hope I’ve attracted new readers and made some sales I might not have otherwise. But I think the real value is in helping me to get my name out there, making new contacts and, hopefully, piquing people’s interests.  If search engine results are anything to go by, the tours have already been a raging success, IMO.

Is this something you would recommend to other writers?
 
Absolutely. In fact, I already have.

Do you have any future stories that are waiting to be told?

Oh, yeah. Too many, I sometimes think. In fact I have an entire page on my website devoted to some of my many  works in progress:  http://www.pgforte.com/WIP.htm
Where can readers get a copy of your book?

Both Waiting for the Big One and Love From A to Z are available now from Liquid Silver Books: http://www.liquidsilverbooks.com/authors/pgforte.htm

Or at Fictionwise:  http://www.fictionwise.com/eBooks/AtlanticBridgeeBooks.htm

Information on when Let Me Count the Ways will be released (soon, very soon!!), as well as an excerpt, can be found on my website:  http://www.pgforte.com/CountExcerpt.htm
It was a pleasure hosting you at Chitchat. Thank you for stopping by.

Thank you, it’s been a great pleasure for me as well.                                        

PG Forte virtual book tour is brought to you by Pump Up Your Book Promotion.  If you are an author and would like to participate in a virtual book tour contact us here: http://pumpupyourbookpromotion.com

Author Interview Tomorrow with PG Forte

Join us tomorrow for our second author interview with PG Forte. Coincidentally, this is PG’s second virtual tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion.

PG is the author of Waiting For The Big One and Love From A to Z.

Her virtual book tour is brought to you by Pump Up Your Book Promotion, http://pumpupyourbookpromotion.com

Please join us tomorrow.

Author Interviews Coming To ChitChat

Chitchat and all that is pleased to announce our first author interview with Scott Zema on Friday, September 21, 2007.

Scott is the author of Three Steps to Investment Succes: Buying The Right Art, Antiques, and Collectibles. Scott is a long time professional art, antiques and collectibles appraiser, certified and highly experienced in the sale of art, antiques, and collectibles as well as their appraisal. Coincidentally, this is Scott’s first virtual book tour with Pump Up You Book Promotion Virtual Book Tours!

Pump Up Your Book Promotion is an online PR agency that host virtual book tour for authors. Dorothy Thompson is founder/CEo of Pump Up Your Book Promtion Virtual Book Tours. You can find her site at www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com

I look forward to everyone reading the interview on Friday.