Dispel the Mist – author interview – Marilyn Meredith

Happy Friday and thanks for stopping by Paperback Writer. If you haven’t seen our latest Thursday Thirteen, Thirteen Things to Know about Deputy Tempe Crabtree from the novel Dispel the Mist scroll down to below this post, but be sure to come back here and read the interview with the creator of Deputy Crabtree and find out how author Marilyn Meredith came up with the idea for her latest book.

About the Book:

A Tulare County Supervisor, with both Native American and Mexican roots, dies under suspicious circumstances. Because of Deputy Tempe Crabtree’s own ties to the Bear Creek Indian Reservation, she’s asked to help with the investigation. To complicate matters, besides the supervisor’s husband, several others had reason to want the woman dead.

Tempe has unsettling dreams, dreams that may predict the future and bring back memories of her grandmother’s stories about the legend of the Hairy Man. Once again, Tempe’s life is threatened and this time, she fears no one will come to her rescue in time.

Hi Marilyn,

Welcome to Paperback Writer

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

A: While I was researching information for the previous Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery concerning Big Foot, I came across information about the Hairy Man on the Internet. As it turned out the Hairy Man is our local Indians legend similar to Big Foot. In a place called Painted Rock, there are pictographs (paintings) of the Hairy Man is wife and a child. Of course I was curious and was invited by the local college’s anthropology class to go with them on a field trip to the Painted Rock. That’s all it took, I knew Tempe would indeed have an encounter with the Hairy Man which happens in this latest mystery, Dispel the Mist.

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

A: Though I don’t do what someone might call an outline, I take a lot of notes before I begin. I did my research about the Hairy Man then I had to figure out how he could be in a mystery that Tempe would have to solve. There are several sub-plots in the story as well as the murder mystery.

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

A: I have a vague idea how the book will end, though often it doesn’t work out quite like what I had in my head. As I’m writing more ideas arise and I just them down as I go along so I don’t forget. Sometimes I get ideas in the night and I definitely need to write them down or I won’t have a clue in the morning.

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

A: Because I’m writing a series, I have ongoing characters I know a lot about. However, the ones I need to develop are the murder victim and the people important to the victim including the suspects, and of course the murderer. I come up with the names, descriptions, individual characteristics and write them all down before I ever begin.

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

A: Because my heroine is much younger than I am and part Indian, which I’m not, the only part of me that is in her character is how she feels about things. I’m a woman, a wife, and a mother, so those are things about her that I can relate to and write about.

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

A: You can probably tell that I am crazy about the Hairy Man. I found legends about him that I’ve included in the book. There have been fairly recent sightings by credible people—just like with Big Foot. Do I believe there really is a Hairy Man? Why not.

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

A: Mundania Press has been publishing all my Deputy Tempe Crabtree mysteries so it was merely a matter of sending them a query and then the manuscript.

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

A: I’ve struggled mightily along the way. My first book was rejected nearly thirty times before finding a publisher. The editor who finally took it moved on to another publisher when I was ready to send in another book, and the new editor wasn’t interested. I’ve had two publishers die, been involved with three dishonest publishers, and had one publisher decide to give up the business.

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

A: When I’ve spent so much time writing a book, of course I want to have people read it. When a reader writes and tells me they loved the book, that makes it all worthwhile.

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

A: I hope that readers will like Tempe and understand her struggles as a female law enforcement officer in a male dominated profession—and the prejudice she faces as both a woman and an Indian. Tempe is as real to me as any of my relatives or friends and I hope she seems real to those who read about her.

Q: Do you have plans to write another book?

A: I already have another Tempe book finished and with the publisher. Because I write two series, the other is the Rocky Bluff P.D. series, I am always a year ahead and write two books a year.

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

A: I enjoy doing virtual book tours and have done several with Pump Up Your Book Promotion—the questions are fun to answer and of course I love talking about my book and my characters. I’ve always been well taken care of on these tours.

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

A: Dispel the Mist is both an e-book and a trade paperback. The book can be purchased directly from the publisher: http://www.mundaniapress.com or from any bookstore online or it can be ordered through your local bookstore.

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

A: My website is http://fictionforyou.com and my blog is http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com

Thank you, Marilyn Meredith 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.

About the Author:
Marilyn Meredith is the author of over twenty-five published novels, including the award winning Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series, the latest Dispel the Mist from Mundania Press. Under the name of F. M. Meredith she writes the Rocky Bluff P.D. crime series. No Sanctuary is the newest from Oak Tree Press.

She is a member of EPIC, four chapters of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, WOK, and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. She was an instructor for Writer’s Digest School for ten years, served as an instructor at the Maui Writer’s Retreat and many other writer’s conferences. She makes her home in Springville CA, much like Bear Creek where Deputy Tempe Crabtree lives. Visit her at http://fictionforyou.com

Thursday Thirteen – Thirteen Things to Know about Jonathan Quinn, main character in Shadow of Betrayal

Paperback Writer is pleased to introduce Brett Battles, author of Shadow of Betrayal in our first Thursday Thirteen. Jonathan Quinn is the main character in this suspense novel and the focus of our Thirteen Things to Know about Jonathan Quinn.

BIOBrett Battles lives in Los Angeles and is the author of two acclaimed novels in the Jonathan Quinn series: The Cleaner, which was nominated for a Barry Award for Best Thriller and a Shamus Award for Best First Novel, and The Deceived, which was nominated for a Barry Award for Best Thriller. He is at work on the fourth book in the series.

You can visit Brett Battles website at www.brettbattles.com.

BOOK SYNOPSISThe meeting place was carefully chosen: an abandoned church in rural Ireland just after dark. For Jonathan Quinn—a freelance operative and professional “cleaner”—the job was only to observe. If his cleanup skills were needed, it would mean things had gone horribly wrong. But an assassin hidden in a tree assured just that. And suddenly Quinn had four dead bodies to dispose of and one astounding clue—to a mystery that is about to spin wildly out of control.

Three jobs, no questions. That was the deal Quinn had struck with his client at the Office. Unfortunately for him, Ireland was just the first. Now Quinn, along with his colleague and girlfriend—the lethal Orlando—has a new assignment touched off by the killings in Ireland. Their quarry is a U.N. aide worker named Marion Dupuis who has suddenly disappeared from her assignment in war-torn Africa. When Quinn finally catches a glimpse of her, she quickly flees, frantic and scared. And not alone.

For Quinn the assignment has now changed. Find Marion Dupuis, and the child she is protecting, and keep them from harm. If it were only that easy.

Soon Quinn and Orlando find themselves in a bunker in the California hills, where Quinn will unearth a horrifying plot that is about to reach stage critical for a gathering of world leaders—and an act of terror more cunning, and more insidious, than anyone can guess.

Fast, smart, sleek, and stunning, Shadow of Betrayal is vintage Brett Battles: a gritty, gripping masterpiece of suspense, a thriller that makes the pulse pound—and stirs the heart as well.

13 Things about Jonathan Quinn
1. Quinn makes bodies vanish for a living, that’s why they call him the cleaner.
2. Though no one has created a ranking of his profession, he would be right at the top.
3. He hates cold weather. I mean REALLY hates it.
4. He was born in Warroad, Minnesota, but lives now in California.
5. He doesn’t like to shoot, but if it’s necessary, he will, and he seldom misses.
6. Before he became a cleaner, Quinn was a police officer in Phoenix,Arizona.
7. He would do anything for Orlando, his girlfriend and partner.
8. He was forced to kill the man who made him a cleaner, his mentor Durrie.
9. He hopes his own apprentice, Nate, never has to be in the position to kill him.
10. Though only in his mid-thirties, he has begun contemplating retirement.
11. He makes a lot of money per job.
12. If he was honest when asked what his biggest weakness was, he’d have to say it was a tie between his curiosity and his sense of honor. They would be his biggest assets, too.
13. If you ever want a body to disappear forever, Quinn’s your man.

Brett Battles lives in Los Angeles and is the author of two acclaimed novels in the Jonathan Quinn series: The Cleaner, which was nominated for a Barry Award for Best Thriller and a Shamus Award for Best First Novel, and The Deceived, which was nominated for a Barry Award for Best Thriller. He is at work on the fourth book in the series.

You can visit Brett Battles website.

Brett Battles virtual book tour is brought to you Pump Up Your Book Promotion.

The Depth of My Soul (I-Proclaim) – author interview – Balthazar Rodrigue Nzomono-Balenda

Paperback Writer welcomes our author for today, Balthazar Rodrigue Nzomono-Balenda, author of the book of poetry, The Depth of My Soul (I-Proclaim), on his first virtual book tour Pump Up Your Book Promotion. You can visit his website at www.ganymedeweb.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Balthazar Rodrigue Nzomono-Balenda ( August 29, 1981), known as Rodrigue or Balthazar is a French – born Danish author and he is originally from the Republic of the Congo. Balthazar was born in Oullins, which is a suburb in Lyon, in France and his parents were diplomats in South Africa, before he and his family moved to Denmark. His parents, André & Rose Nzomono-Balenda were diplomats under the mandate of the former Congolese president, Pascal Lissouba. In 1997,there was civil war in the Congo As presidential elections scheduled for July 1997 approached, tensions between the Lissouba and Sassou camps mounted. On June 5, President Lissouba’s government forces surrounded Sassou’s compound in Brazzaville and Sassou ordered members of his private militia (known as “Cobras”) to resist. Thus began a four-month conflict that destroyed or damaged much of Brazzaville and caused tens of thousands of civilian deaths.
Balthazar has written 2 books, “The Depth of My Soul” & “The Struggle of Power & The Fight for Survival”. He is a multimedia designer and a student at the Nordic Multimedia Academy ( NOMA). Balthazar identifies himself as a French – born Congolese because he is more connected with the Congo and France than Denmark. He speaks French, English, Lingala, Norwegian, Danish, partially German, Dutch and Afrikaans. Balthazar learns Chinese and Japanese in his spare time, he writes poems, he paints, he goes out and enjoys himself. Balthazar is also a member of the International Society of Poets, which runs poetry.com and he sometimes publishes poems at poetry.com. There will be more books from him this year.
You can visit his website at www.ganymedeweb.com.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
It is a book of poetry and in the book; I focus on injustices such as wars, corruption, war crimes, religious fundamentalism, child abuse, other types of abuse, torture, dictatorship, relationship problems etc. When I wrote this book, I was also inspired by the news I watch on CNN and other media. I have learned lots of things from CNN and I am so grateful to them for so many things. The goal of this book is to share my approach with my readers about the problems we face in this world and also to hear from them.

Change for our societies
Whether we like it or not these problems are real and I believe that everyone of us can make a change in our societies. Time after time, our leaders promise that those who stand behind war crimes will face justice, but when they are warned about the problems, they do not listen. I do wander if the national interests come above reaching out to people who are in pain and those who have been victims of torture and oppression.

Abuse
In the book, I also talk about child abuse because I was a victim of many types of abuse, when I was a young kid and I have not still overcome that pain. I have gone through reaction and insults and I thought religion was the answer to overcome such a horrible experience, but I was wrong. I was raised a Christian and I was a Christian myself and did what Christians do, but I realized that the bible is self contradicted and phony. And I realized that there was never a god who could save me. I can save myself and be a fighter for my life. The message, which I want to send to my readers, is that abusers are cowards and their goal is to find someone whom they can isolate and blame for their problems. To be honest with my readers, my abusive past is the root of my atheism and my hostility toward religion. I was also a victim of psychological abuse and the only I deal with it is by being a hard working person.

Freedom and justice
I focus on the fight for freedom, justice and peace and hope for our countries, especially in the situation where we are dealing with the financial crisis because hope is the engine of optimism. Freedom is important because in our Western societies, we enjoy so much freedom and we still need to support those who do have freedom because if we don’t help those who don’t have any freedom, then we’re giving dictators wings to fly. When they fly, they oppress their people and find ways to corrupt some multinational companies so that things can go their way. In order to fight religious fundamentalism, we have do discover why people become religious fanatics and we have to fight for separation between politics and religion. When you mix politics and religion, there are more problems. I have written poems about people like Mandela, Martin Luther King, Kevin Rudd and Miriam Makeba because they are icons of justice.

Poetry
I express myself through poetry because poetry goes beyond logic and I express my emotions about these circumstances. I have published my book at I – Proclaim publishing house, which is an imprint of Dorrance Publishing Company, America’s Leading Author Services Company Since 1920. The publishing house is situated in Pittsburgh PA.

INTERVIEW:

Hi Balthazar Rodrigue Nzomono-Balenda

Welcome to Paperback Writer.

Would you share with us how you came up with the idea for your book?
I get inspired by people like Christiane Amanpour, Martin Luther King, Kevin Rudd, Nelson Mandela, Miriam Makeba, Lumumba, Patt Condell, Mark Steyn etc. because they are great fighters for freedom, free speech, justice and they bring so much hope, even when things seem to be tough. Christiane Amanpour from CNN does a great job talking about the hardest subjetc of all, genocide. And I have learned so much from her, her team and the rest of CNN anchors as well. It is said that people perish because of the lack of knowledge. I decided to get inspiration from the following documents: Scream Bloody Murder and God’s Warriors because I want to share my approach and thoughts about why there are genocides and what impact does religion have when it comes to such evil acts. I heard about my country of origin, the Republic of the Congo go through civil wars because of political instability, just like in most of Africa. That is why I decided to write a book where I express myself through poetry. I am forever grateful to Christiane Amanpour because her documentaries have opened my eyes, even if I am chocked, you ask yourself why in the world as humans could choose to do such evil acts. And why don’t we learn from it?

Was it a light bulb moment or something that you thought about for a very long time?
Yes. Whether we like it or not these problems are real and I believe that everyone of us can make a change in our societies. Time after time, our leaders promise that those who stand behind war crimes will face justice, but when they are warned about the problems, they do not listen. I do wander if the national interests come above reaching out to people who are in pain and those who have been victims of torture and oppression.

How did you come up with the title?
The idea behind the title of my book is my passion from the inside out. Talking about these themes from the bottom of my hear with deep emotions
How did you find an agent and publisher?

I don’t have an agent, but I would consider to have, if there is one who is interested in me. I have something to offer, but I don’t know anyone who is an agent, believe me. I contacted several publishers, but I had to pay them before my book could get published. There is a publisher which does not publish and sell my book, so I had to pay and sell my books myself. I was down and I quitted because I was frustrated and I felt like I could not publish books because I had to pay publishers for it. When I found I-Proclaim, I was skeptic about their service, but I decided to overcome my skepticism and I discovered that their service is what I needed. I struggled with the documents of my book because they had to meet a certain number of inches from the top to the bottom and from left to right etc. I said to myself, I either had to make changes or see my book get published in a way that would not please the audience. When my first book was published, I was glad that I started to jump all the time. I-Proclaim gave me some guidelines about promoting my books and they sent me another document that I have to fill up and send back. I will do it soon. I struggled promoting my book and I had to keep finding ways to learn how. I promoted my book on Facebook, without any success. I promoted my book at www.dailybookshow.com and www.humanmade.info
I even went in many websites, where I could advert for free. I am still in the process of promoting my books and I believe I will make it through.

Who reads you work in progress?
For now, one person did. My family and friends are also interested in reading my books. I am still in the process of promotion.

Who made a difference in the book’s quality?
My publisher did and they have made sure that my book should be meet their standards before it gets published and they have helped with an opportunity to choose a book cover.

How long did it take you to complete the first draft?
It took me over 6 months and there were times where I just wanted to give up because I did not see any hope. I was really pessimistic.

How long did it take from start to publication?
It took me over 6 months to publish my first book. I had a hard time finding a publisher who will publish my book. I contacted several publishers, but I had to pay them before my book could get published. There is a publisher which does not publish and sell my book, so I had to pay and sell my books myself. I was down and I quitted because I was frustrated and I felt like I could not publish books because I had to pay publishers for it. When I found I-Proclaim, I was skeptic about their service, but I decided to overcome my skepticism and I discovered that their service is what I needed. I struggled with the documents of my book because they had to meet a certain number of inches from the top to the bottom and from left to right etc. I said to myself, I either had to make changes or see my book get published in a way that would not please the audience.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you dream about being an author, go for it and remember that it requires time and hard work. If you experience rejection from a publisher, keep on marching until you find the publisher who values your talents and works. Whether your book is published by a publisher or you are a self – published author, remember that it is your responsibility to promote your books to your audience. Promoting your book require a lot of hard work and if you just want to write you book to gain millions, you are setting yourself up for deception. Do it because you enjoy it and the rest will come after all. You have something to share with your audience and believe that your book can make a difference somehow in this world. Be original and follow your dreams and your heart. You can be anything you want to be, believe in yourself. Remember that it you has to do most of the work when you promote your book. At the bottom line, it’s all about the readers, not you. Think about what makes then happy and what makes them angry. The AIDA model is a helpful tool.

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

THE DEPTH OF MY SOUL VIRTUAL BLOG TOUR ‘09 officially began on April 1 and end on April 30. You can visit Balthazar’s blog stops at www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com in April to find out more about this talented author!

The Losing Game: Why You Can’t Beat Wall Street – Author Interview – T.E. Scott and Stephen Edds

 

Paperback Writer welcomes T.E. Scott and Stephen Edds, co-authors of the business/personal finance book, The Losing Game: Why You Can’t Beat Wall Street (Hidden Truth Publishing), as they virtually tour the blogosphere in April on their first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion!

 

About the Book:

T.E. Scott exposes the stock market and commodity markets for what they really are — brilliantly marketed rip-offs. The Losing Game simplifies a very complex system that Wall Street has designed to separate the masses from their money without accountability or prosecution. As a result of this design, they have tricked us into believing that the stock market and commodity markets are something they are not.

Wall Street is fleecing millions of Americans every day with brokerage houses, Congress and the media as willing accomplices. With their help, the American public is fooled into thinking that investing is safe and convinced that, if they’re smart and listen to the right people, they can accumulate wealth quickly. And when we fail, our tax money bails them out.

 

 

 

Welcome to Paperback Writer.

 

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

 

I kept seeing the little-guys get manipulated by Wall Street, and large publicly traded companies bully around private companies, and thought it was time for someone to expose the true nature of Wall Street. I decided about five years ago to write a book detailing how investing in Wall Street is a minus-sum game, and how Wall Street has marketed themselves as a safe risk for your retirement, as opposed to a rigged casino, which I believe without a doubt it is.

 

Since I’m not a writer by nature, and since Wall Street is such a complex system by their design, it took a while to get a coherent and easy-to-read version ready to print. With the help of Stephen Edds, who knew how to translate my vision onto the page, we were able to get the book published and released.

 

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

 

Well, I had this rolling around in my head for over 20 years, and kept investigating and thinking about how Wall Street was structured. I kept coming to the conclusion that Wall Street was not designed to help average Americans, and the entire system itself is shrouded in secrecy.

 

How did you come up with the title?

 

Well, the name was discussed and debated for a while with several variations of the same theme, but When Stephen Edds came up with the “snake eyes” dice idea for the cover, “The Losing Game” fit the concept the best.

 

How did you find an agent and publisher?

 

Well, we knew no agent or mainstream publisher was going to touch this topic, especially from a retired entrepreneur in Indiana. We decided to create our own publishing company and handle all of the distribution, printing and marketing ourselves.

 

Stephen Edds has been essential in facilitating the day-to-day operations of printing and promoting the book.  

 

Who reads your work in progress?

 

We had several family and friends read various drafts of the book in order to give us feedback on the flow and the readability of the copy.

 

Who made a difference in the book’s quality?

 

We were smart enough to bring in outside help, like 1106 Design and The Cadence Group to help with layout, design, book cover design, editing and securing distribution rights.

 

One thing I would certainly recommend is to use experts when it comes to book design, and don’t trust people who don’t have specific experience in the publishing field.

 

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

 

Before Stephen came on board, I had various drafts floating around for about five years, none of which I was satisfied with.

 

With Stephen’s help, we were able to get the first draft done in about seven months. The drafts undertook various changes, but the essential format remained.

 

How long did it take from start to publication?

 

From the moment Stephen came on board, it took about 10 months for the original version to come out. However, after three months, we decided to completely change the title and cover, and that process took an additional three months.

 

I come from a manufacturing background, and things move fast in our industry. I was not prepared for the “glacier pace” of the publishing industry. 

 

Do you have any advice for new authors?

 

The book publishing industry is unlike anything I have ever encountered. I would advise patience and a very good editor, because no matter how strong your book is, typos will kill the credibility of the book with a large group of people.

 

My other piece of advice is to self-publish and be ready to work your tail off to market and promote your book.

 

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

 

Thank you for the opportunity to appear on your blog. I wouldn’t be doing my job of I didn’t mention that “The Losing Game: Why You Can’t Beat Wall Street” is available at all major online outlets, including Amazon.com, and at major bookstores nationwide. If they don’t have it in stock, have them order it for you.

 

 

THE LOSING GAME VIRTUAL BLOG TOUR ‘09 will officially begin on April 1 and end on April 30. You can visit the authors’ blog stops at www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com in April to find out more about this talented author!

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 comments on our authors’ blog stops. More prizes will be announced as they become available.

Murder on The Down Low – Author Interview – Pamela Samuels Young

Join Pamela Samuels Young, author of the mystery novel, Murder on the Down Low (Goldman House Publishing, September ‘08), as she virtually tours the blogosphere in November 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 comments on our authors’ blog stops. More prizes will be announced as they become available. The winner(s) will be announced on December 31!

About the book:

A brazen killer is targeting some of L.A.’s most prominent citizens. The victims are all quintessential family men. Well-educated. Attractive. Successful. But appearances can be deceiving. When the baffling murders are linked to a high-profile lawsuit, a tenacious female detective soon exposes a scandalous tale of lust, lies and vengeance.

About the author:

Pamela Samuels Young is a practicing attorney and author of legal thrillers, “Murder on the Down Low”, and the Essence bestsellers, “Every Reasonable Doubt” and “In Firm Pursuit”. A desire to see female attorneys and African-American attorneys as main characters in today’s legal fiction prompted her to begin writing despite a busy legal career. Pamela is on the Board of Directors of the Southern California chapter of Mystery Writers of America and is a graduate of the University of Southern California, Northwestern University, and the University of California Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law. A former journalist, Pamela is a legal columnist for Global Woman magazine and served as legal consultant to the Showtime television series, Soul Food.

Pamela is married and lives in the Los Angeles area. She is a frequent speaker on the topics of writing and self-empowerment and loves visiting book club meetings.

Visit Pamela’s website at www.pamelasamuelsyoung.com 

Will you share with us how you came up with the idea for Murder on the Down Low?

 

Unlike with my other novels, I have a crystal clear recollection of exactly when and where the idea originated for Murder on the Down Low originated.  I was home sick with the flu, lying on the couch watching Oprah.  The guest was J.L. King, author of On the Down Low: A Journey into the Lives of Straight Men Who Sleep with Men.  As I listened to King discuss this secret world of men on the down low—guys who have sex with other men but insist that they’re not gay —I was completely stunned. 

 

My emotions went from shock to anger to fear.   These guys were married for Christ’s sake!  The next day, while driving to work, the premise for Murder on the Down Low popped into my head:   What if a string of rich, successful married men were being gunned down on the streets of L.A. and no one knew why?  And what if they all shared a dirty little secret?  In a matter of weeks, I had the book completely outlined and got to work writing.

 

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

I’m a serious outliner.  I begin with a story premise.  I will then spend anywhere from a few weeks to as long as three months outlining a book before I sit down to write.  I also mull over my story quite a bit.  I’m thinking about it in the shower, while I’m standing in line at the grocery store, during my 45-minute commute to work.  I can almost see each chapter as if it were a scene in a movie.  Only after I have a completed outline do I start writing.  And when I write, I go from page one to the last page without doing much editing.  For me, it’s psychologically motivating to complete that first draft, even if it’s so bad I’d never dare show it to anyone.  Once I have a first draft, then the real writing starts.  I revise, and revise and revise some more.  That process can last six months or more.   

 

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

Absolutely.  Though if a better ending comes along, I’ll go with the flow.

 

Do you have a process for developing your characters?

I’m fortunate that engaging characters just come to me.  I don’t write out character sketches or anything like that.  When I have an idea for a character, it’s as if I know who they are immediately. 

 

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

Though I don’t like to admit it, I guess there’s a lot of my main character, Vernetta Henderson, in me.  She’s smart, hard-working, loves her husband and tries to be superwoman, which can sometimes get her into trouble.

 

What is your most favorite part of this book?

My favorite part of Murder on the Down Low is the strong bond of friendship between the female characters. 

 

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

I waited until after I finished my first book, Every Reasonable Doubt,  to being looking for an agent.  I felt I’d have a better chance of success with a completed product.  I know lots of people who are writing a book.  I know only a few who have actually finished a book.

 

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

Just the general struggle of trying to get that elusive book deal.  “Making it” in the publishing world is based in large part on luck and timing.  But in the beginning, I should have spent more time mastering the writing craft.  Only after I began to study writing and story structure, did I learn how to write a novel that keeps readers engaged. When I receive an email from a reader who calls my books “page turners,” I feel great.  It’s a confirmation that all of my hard work was worth it.

 

What has been the best part about being published?

How great I’m treated by my fans!  At last count, I’ve attended close to 75 book clubs meetings.  I love doing them because these incredible women feed me, praise my books and practically adopt me.  Whenever I leave a book club meeting, I’m always so energized by the camaraderie and encouragement.

 

What do you want readers to remember and carry with them after reading Murder on the Down Low?

That life is a precious give and that we must take responsibility for our own lives.

 

Do you have plans to write another book?

My fourth legal thriller, Buying Time, should be ready to send off to my agent in early 2009.  It’s the tale of a recently disbarred lawyer who unwittingly finds himself embroiled in a murder scheme in which his clients are the victims.

 

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

It’s been great.  I reaching thousands of readers without ever leaving the house.  I receive Google Alerts every time my name is posted on a website.  I feel like I’m touring all over the world.

 

Where can readers find a copy of your book?

In bookstores, the internet and anyplace else books are sold.

 

Do you have a website for readers to go to?

You can find out more about me and read an excerpt of my novels at www.pamelasamuelsyoung.com.

 

Pamela Samuels Young is a practicing attorney and author of the legal thrillers, Murder on the Down Low, Every Reasonable Doubt and In Firm Pursuit.  You can find Pamela’s articles on writing at BizyMoms.com, where she is a featured fiction writing expert.  Visit Pamela’s website at www.pamelasamuelsyoung.com.

 

MURDER ON THE DOWN LOW VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR ‘08 officially began on December 1 and end on December 23. You can visit Pamela’s blog stops at http://www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/ in December to find out more about his latest book!

 

Perfect on Paper – Author Interview – Maria Murnane

Paperback Writer is joined today by Maria Murnane, author of the romantic comedy, Perfect on Paper (Wink’s Ink, February 2008), as she virtually tours the blogosphere in December and January 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 comments on our authors’ blog stops. More prizes will be announced as they become available. The winner(s) will be announced on December 31!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Maria Murnane is currently an independent business writer and works mostly with technology and financial services companies, but like the main character in her book, she used to work in sports PR. One day she quit her job and ended up in Argentina for a year, where she played semi-pro soccer and also wrote the first draft of what would eventually become “Perfect on Paper”. She has dedicated the book to any woman who has ever been on a really bad date or realized halfway through the workday that her skirt is on backwards.
Maria graduated with high honors in English and Spanish from UC Berkeley and received a master’s degree in integrated marketing communications from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. She lives in San Francisco and can be reached at maria@mariamurnane.com
Visit Maria’s website at http://www.mariamurnane.com/

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Anything can look perfect…on paper.

When her fiance calls off their wedding at the last minute, Waverly Bryson wonders if her life will ever turn out the way she though it would…or should. Her high-powered job in sports PR? Not so perfect. Her relationship with her dad? Far from it. Her perfect marriage? Enough said.

“Perfect on Paper” is a humorous tale of Waverly’s efforts to cobble the pieces of a broken yesterday into a brand new tomorrow. What does the future have in store for her? Will she finally find what she’s looking for?

Her dates? Cringe-inducing at times, definitely entertaining.

Her friends? Often amused, definitely supportive.

Her new crush? Possibly intrigued, definitely a catch.

The results? Hardly perfect, definitely just right.

 

The Interview

Hi Maria,
Welcome to Paperback Writer. Thank you for having me.

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

Maria Murnane: When we used to live in the same neighborhood, my good friend Alison and I would get together before work semi-regularly to go for a long walk, about an hour, which in the steep hills of San Francisco can be a great workout! Anyhow, we’d talk about everything under the sun and always referred to it as “free therapy”. A lot of the things we talked about on those walks were pretty funny, and eventually there was just so much material there that we started talking about trying to turn it all into a book about life as a single professional woman in San Francisco. I think part of me always thought it would be cool to write a book, but it was those walks with Alison that really got me thinking about doing it for real.

PBW: Do you plan your stories first with an outline or does it come to you as write it?
MM: When I first decided that I was going to write a book, I sat down and sketched out notes on what the main character would be like, who her friends would be, what her job would be , etc. Then I made some notes about other things I wanted to include in the book, including somehow weaving the greeting card idea into them, the infamous Brad Cantor character, funny bad dates, etc. Then I started making a brief outline for the plot, or at least the first part of the plot, because I honestly didn’t know where it was going to end up. But I knew enough about what I wanted to write to get me from about A to D (assuming an entire book was A to Z), so I just started writing and figured that I would figure it out as I went along.
Once I got going, the writing process was pretty regular. I was living in Argentina at the time and playing on a soccer team that took up most of my time during the day, so I would write for a couple hours every morning, and then a couple hours every evening. And in between I would jot down a lot of notes to myself on a little notepad. Many times I’d wake up in the middle of the night with an idea for something I wanted to include in the book, so I’d keep the notepad by my bed. I remember being on the bus when it hit me how I wanted to end the book, so I scribbled it down in another little notebook I had in my backpack, right there on the bus on the way to soccer practice. I think I was even standing up at the time.

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

MM: I knew in general, not with any detail at all. (See above)

PBW: Do you have a process for developing your characters?
MM: Not so much a process, more a style. I’ve realized how important it is for characters to show their personality through what they say, as opposed to telling the reader what a character’s personality is. As a writer, when you’re able to look at a line you’ve written and think “hmm, that doesn’t sound like something so and so would say,” then you know you’ve created a real character.

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?

MM: Oh yes, that would be Waverly (the main character). My friends all say that reading “Perfect on Paper” is like listening to me talk for 320 pages, so that should answer the question! I like to say that Waverly Bryson’s life is essentially my life—if my life were more exciting. Personality-wise we are very similar. For example, I tend to care too much about what other people think of me and of what I’m doing with my life, and I’m always making random observations like she does. I also tend to stick my foot in my mouth when I get nervous. But in other ways we are very different. My family situation is a good example of that—my parents are happily married and are extremely supportive of me, and I have two sisters and a brother who are awesome, as are their spouses and kids. Waverly missed out on the big family thing, but I felt it made the story more interesting to have her as an only child with a less-than-perfect relationship with her dad.

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

MM: Wow, love this question! I think it’s that there is so much of me and my life in the book—many of the funny things that happen to Waverly and her friends happened first in my real life, and it’s neat to see them as part of the story. I also put some small things in there just for fun. For example, the name of Waverly’s company is called KA Marketing. That’s short for “kick- ass marketing,” which is a total inside joke between me and Alison. A guy I once dated used to say that he had come up with a “kick-ass marketing plan” for his company, which made us cringe. So I put it in the book. And the whole scene about “dating disqualifiers” came from a time I had pizza with a soccer team I’d played for as a guest—and speaking of that team, it’s called the Rookies, which is also the name of the drink that dooms Waverly at the SuperShow. It was really fun putting little things like that in the book.

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

MM: After I finished the first draft, I came back from Argentina and was lucky enough to sign with an agent pretty quickly. She told me that she’d been waiting fora book like mine for years, and that mine was the funniest voice she’d heard in ages. She was pretty sure we’d get a two-book deal, so needless to say I was pretty exited. At that point it was all like a dream come true. I thought maybe I would even be on Oprah!
But when my agent shopped it to all the major publishing houses, the reply was pretty unanimous—no thanks. Apparently “chick lit” wasn’t selling well, so no one wanted to touch it unless it sounded really unique. And apparently mine didn’t.
Then my agent basically fired me. From Oprah to fired. Talk about an emotional roller coaster.
I cried for about three days, then spent about six months rewriting the book. Then I went to a writers conference and pitched it myself to four publishing houses and three agents, and they all said it sounded great and wanted to read it. So I was pretty excited again!
Then after a few more months I finally heard back from all of them with more or less the same story I’d heard the first time around: Great read. Great writing. Great dialogue, Great humor. Doesn’t stand out enough for us to gamble on though– sorry. In other words, no thanks.
I didn’t know what to do at that point, so for about six months I left the book sitting on my computer and started doing freelance writing for technology companies to start earning a decent living again. Then one day my dad (perhaps the nicest man on the planet) sat me down and handed me a book on self-publishing that he had read, along with a little plan he’d written for what I needed to do to publish on my own. He told me he loved my book and that I couldn’t let it go, so he was going to help me publish it myself. It nearly made me cry.
So I found a designer to do the interior and cover for me (www.authorsupport.com), got Alison and my other friends Somill and Christine to proofread the manuscript, wrote the back cover copy, had a family friend take my photo, and then finally submitted it all for publication to a “print-on-demand” company (Booksurge).
And now here we are! It’s been a long haul, and very difficult at times, but wonderful too because I truly have done it all on my own (with a LOT of help from my highly underpaid administrative assistant/PR rep, aka my dad). I remember telling my mom a couple years ago that if even ONE PERSON I wasn’t related to bought and enjoyed my book, it would make it all worth while. And now I’m getting emails pretty regularly from people I’ve never met telling me how much they loved my book. A couple months ago I saw a random girl at a café reading it—I seriously nearly had a heart attack.
So that is a very long answer to your question—I hope it wasn’t too long!
PBW: Not to long at all, in fact, I think it helps us to get to know you better as an author by elaborating on the process and your struggles on the road to being published.

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

MM: The response to my book so far has been amazing, so I am very hopeful that a publisher might pick it up. So if any of your readers out there who have enjoyed my book would like to help, here are three quick things they can do to help prove that there is an audience for my writing:
1) Write a review on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/098004250X
2) Become a fan on Facebook and write something on the wall (you can use the “share with friends” link here too if you want: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Perfect-on-Paper/26239620721
3) Post a comment on my Web site: http://mariamurnane.com/reader-comments/
Doing those three things would be fantastic—so thank you in advance to any of your readers who take a few minutes to help out!

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

MM: I hope readers enjoyed living Waverly’s world for a little while, and that the book made them laugh. I also hope they remember to tell their friends about it!

PBW: Do you have plans to write another book?

MM: A lot of people have asked me if I’m going to write a sequel—everyone seems to want to know what happens to Waverly! I would love to write another book, but it’s a ton of work, especially when you have to do all the marketing on your own– on top of the writing itself. So right now I’m focusing on trying to get “Perfect on Paper” picked up by a publisher. If your readers are interested in a sequel, please tell them to email me! I can be reached through my site at www.mariamurnane.com

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

MM: It’s been great! Fun way to reach a lot of potential readers, and everyone has been super nice.

PBW: Where can readers find a copy of your book?
MM: At www.mariamurnane.com or on Amazon. It’s also being sold at a few stores in San Francisco—they are listed on my Web site.
PBW: Do you have a website for readers to go to?
www.mariamurnane.com

Thank you, Maria 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 pleasure was mine. Thank you!

PERFECT ON PAPER VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR ‘08 officially begAn on December 1 and end on December 23. You can visit Maria’s blog stops at http://www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/ in December to find out more about her latest book!

When Life Stinks – Author Interview – Kelly Epperson

Join Kelly Epperson, author of the humor book, When Life Stinks, It’s Time to Wash the Gym Clothes at Paperback Writer as she continues on her virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion.

Excerpt:
The Message Is: “Look At My Butt”
They’re everywhere. I thought it was a passing fad, but this fashion statement is sticking around. Teenage girls wear sweat pants with words emblazoned across the rear end. No matter the word, “Cute,” “UCLA,” or “Pinch Me,” the real message is “look at my butt.”

I shake my head with envy. Do it while you can, girls.

My fashion consultants, my boys, tell me I could wear sweats like that. “BIG” or “WIDE LOAD” tickle their fancy. They think “Danger: Hazardous Gas” would be hilarious. I think “Made You Look” would be clever.

As women age, more words fit on the gluteus maximus. The classic, “Does this make my butt look fat?” could be popular. Depending upon my mood, I’d wear “Yeah, baby, I still got it,” or “Thanks! No one has checked out my butt since 8th grade.”

Mother-daughter sweats could become a trend. Daughter butt: CHEER. Mom butt: “Would you believe this butt used to fit into a cheerleader skirt?” Mess with minds by stating “Objects in sweat pants are smaller than they appear.” Just for fun, print in vertical letters: Cheek 2 Cheek.

Certain communities are banning billboards so I predict derriere advertising will be common in the future. Young girls can make bucks renting their rumps to Nike with a big swoosh on the tush. Your daughter could earn cash for college by plastering Heineken on her heinie. The Army could attract more recruits with “Be all you can be” brandished on All-American behinds.

It’s bumper stickers, plain and simple. My more mature bumper could work for Jell-o.™ See it wiggle; see it jiggle. Plastic surgeons could drum up business for lipo suction: 1-800-SUCK-FAT. Fitness clubs could do a dual campaign. Tight buns wear “Gold’s Gym.” Doughy buns wear “Gold’s Gym? Is that next to the donut shop?” Sort of the opposite of the old public service ad, “this is your brain/this is your brain on drugs.” This is your butt at Gold’s; this is your butt if you don’t go to Gold’s.

Certain songwriters think bigger is better regarding the backside. Their lyrics could result in size appropriate butt wear slogans. Small: “Bootylicious.” Medium: “I like big butts, and I cannot lie.” Large: “Fat bottom girls, you make the rockin’ world go round.”

“If you don’t use it, you lose it” does not apply to butts. If you don’t use it, you get a whole lot more of it. Sit on it and it will grow. My butt used to be a separate entity from my legs. Over time, they have merged into a new flesh I call the “bleg,” the combined area of drooping butt into upper leg.

I need a butt bra to lift and separate my butt from my leg, giving me back the fanny of my youth. Bleg be gone. Then I’ll wear words across the seat of my pants: “The butt stops here.”

Hi Kelly!

Welcome to Paperback Writer.

Thank you! I’m having fun so far.

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

I was hit on the head with an anvil, just like in the Roadrunner/Wile E. Coyote cartoons. Not really. When Life Stinks, It’s Time to Wash the Gym Clothes is a collection of my newspaper columns. Readers asked for a compilation in book form, so here it is. I LOVE my readers! I’ve been writing my weekly humor column since 2001, and it’s still a joy. To read every single column, you can visit my mom. She has them all in a scrapbook.

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

Not exactly a light bulb moment, more a slow, flickering candle. Every time a reader or an editor asked, “When you gonna give us a book?” I was flattered, but put it off. In addition to my column (which is a blast, but can’t support me), I freelance and ghostwrite. The first book I ever wrote is someone else’s, with her name on it. That’s bizarre. My ghostwriting career is booming, and I have now written several books, but I wanted a book that was ME. It’s fun to have a book that I can talk about and show people that I wrote, instead of being bound by confidentiality agreements.

How did you come up with the title?

“When life stinks, it’s time to wash the gym clothes” is a random line in a column I wrote about my two sons and laundry. One of my editors cracked up over it and mentioned it would make a good title for a book.

How did you find an agent and publisher?

I didn’t. I opted to self-publish. My target market was my regional readership. I didn’t “think big.” Now I am ready to face the nation! Bring me an agent and a big publisher! I heart New York!

Who reads your work in progress?

Umm, nobody. When I write books for other people, the managing editor and the client see the work in progress. My columns are short and sweet. Each essay is three pages. The entire book is a light, easy read. Have I mentioned that it makes a great gift?

Who made a difference in the book’s quality?

My invisible fairy godmother. My parents for proofreading. My printer Rich for his caring. My sons for telling me to go for it.

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

It took a couple months to select what columns would make the cut, typeset it, pick a cover, etc. The cover photo is some French guy hanging out laundry. When I snapped that picture, I had no idea that someday it would be a book cover.

Where can readers find your book? Barnes & Noble; Borders; amazon.com; and www.whenlifestinks.com.

Any bookstore can order it through Partners Book Distributors Inc. (Hi, Tes!)

Do you have website?

www.whenlifestinks.com and www.kellyepperson.com.
YouTube debut: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYRK5S0CgUo

Do you have plans for another book?

Yes! I have launched a joy network – sign up at www.whenlifestinks.com for free weekly happy mail. Next venture will be When Life Stinks, Find the Joy. Or perhaps When Life Stinks, Go to France. We recently lived in France for a year so that adventure produced tremendous fodder. Some of the essays in When Life Stinks, It’s Time to Wash the Gym Clothes are from the France year. Readers want more France. I do too. 

Do you have any advice for new authors?

You’ve heard it a million times, but you need to hear it a million and one: Never give up.

Be yourself. Don’t latch onto a trend. Follow your heart. One of my favorite quotes is on my bulletin board: “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go for that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

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

Thank you! (I can’t stop singing “Paperback Writer”!)

Win prizes!
WHEN LIFE STINKS VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR ‘08 officially begin on December 1 and end on December 23. You can visit Kelly’s blog stops at www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com in December to find out where she is appearing!

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 comments on our authors’ blog stops. More prizes will be announced as they become available. The winner(s) will be announced at the end of every month!

A Layman’s Guide to Managing Fear – Author Interview – Stan Popovich

Paperback Writer would like to introduce today’s author, Stan Popovich, author of A Layman’s Guide to Managing Fear Using Psychology, Christianity and Non Resistant Methods – an easy to read book that presents a general overview of techniques that are effective in managing persistent fears and anxieties. Stan is a public speaker who has also been interviewed on television and radio, in addition to, contributing valuable articles for the management of fears, anxiety, recovery, addiction, depression, stress and other mental health issues for a variety of websites.

Visit Stan’s website at www.managingfear.com/

About the book:

A Layman’s Guide to Managing Fear Using Psychology, Christianity and Non-Resistant Methods is an easy to read book that presents a general overview of techniques that are effective in managing persistent fears and anxieties

Stan has interviewed various professionals in the counseling field and has over 15 years of personal experience in dealing with fear and anxiety. Stan’s book addresses a wealth of successful techniques for the management of fear, anxiety, recovery, addiction, depression, stress and other mental health issues.

Hi Stan.

Welcome to Paperback Writer.

Would you share with us how you came up with the idea for your book?
I have struggled with fear and anxiety for over 15 years. I went to Penn State from 1990 to 1995 and I had a difficult time in managing my anxieties. In order to manage my fears, I kept notes on what worked and what didn’t work in dealing with my stresses. I would talk to professionals and read books and kept a record of all the techniques I used in managing fear. After college, I kept track of my experiences in dealing with anxiety and fear. Eventually I decided to see if I could get my notes published into a small book.

Was it a light bulb moment or something that you thought about for a very long time? Getting my notes published was a light bulb moment. I had all the information I needed to write a book however one day I decided I should see if I can get my notes published. I eventually found my publisher and eventually got my notes published into a small book.

How did you come up with the title? I came up with the title based on my notes and chapters in the book that I previously created.

How did you find an agent and publisher? I went online and contacted as many publishers as I could find. This took at least 6-7 months. It was difficult, however, I eventually found my publisher at Treble Heart Books

Who reads your work in progress? My publisher Lee Emory at Treble Heart Books and I worked together to getting my notes published into a book. This process took at least a year in revising my work in progress.

Who made a difference in the book’s quality? I came up with all of the concepts on the ways to help manage fear. My Publisher and I then transferred my notes into a published book. So it was a combination of me and my publisher.

How long did it take you to complete the first draft? I had my notes arranged into a small book. This took only a few months since I had all the information. From there it took one year with working with my publisher to get it into a published book.

How long did it take from start to publication? About 15 years.

Do you have any advice for new authors? It is very difficult to find a publisher. I recommend that you read books on how to get published and how to write a query letter. Next, contact every publisher you can find on the internet and elsewhere and be persistent. Make sure your book idea is unique compared on what is in the market now.

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

WIN PRIZES!
A LAYMAN’S GUIDE TO MANAGING FEAR VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR ‘08 officially begia on December 1st and end on December 23rd. You can visit Stan’s blog stops at www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/in December to find out more about his latest book!

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 comments on our authors’ blog stops. More prizes will be announced as they become available. The winner will be announced on December 23rd!
Labels: A Layman’s Guide to Managing Fear, December ‘08 Virtual Book Tours, Self-Help book, Stanley Popovich

Heart of Diamonds – Author Interview – Dave Donelson

Paperback Writer would like to introduce our author for today, Dave Donelson, author of the romantic thriller, Heart of Diamonds as he virtually tours the blogosphere promoting his book with Pump Up Your Book. For those readers who leave a comment 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 comments on our authors’ blog stops.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Dave Donelson’s career as a broadcaster, entrepreneur, and writer has taken him from the jungles of Australia’s Cape York Peninsula to the minarets of Riyadh. He’s climbed the spire of the Empire State Building, floated the Usumacinta River to the Mayan ruins at Piedras Negras in Guatemala, and photographed the tree-climbing lions and mountain gorillas of Uganda.
Dave’s inquisitive, active lifestyle finds its way into freelance writing and photographic assignments for magazines like Disney’s FamilyFun, Woodworker’s Journal, and Las Vegas Magazine. Closer to home he writes features for Westchester Magazine as well as a regular column on golf. He is a member of the prestigious Metropolitan Golf Writers Association.
His first novel, Hunting Elf, began as an audio book at www.huntingelf.com and was published as a trade paperback in 2006. K9 Perspective called it “…a delicious romp through the suburbs of New York.”
Dave’s first book was Creative Selling (Entrepreneur Press, 2000), a non-fiction prescriptive described by Brian Tracy as “…a terrific book on selling.” As a business journalist, he writes for The Christian Science Monitor, Family Business Magazine, and dozens of trade publications serving industries from the automotive aftermarket to sporting goods retailing.
Dave has a BA in Rhetoric and Public Address from Missouri Western State University. He serves as a Trustee for the Westchester Library System, a consortium of 38 public libraries serving Westchester County, NY. He lives in West Harrison, NY, with his wife, Nora, and an ever-changing roster of dogs and cats.
Visit www.davedonelson.com for a selection of Dave’s work. You’ll also find him on MySpace, Facebook, Gather, and Amazon.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Heart of Diamonds implicates an American televangelist, the President of the Congo, and the American White House in a diamond smuggling scheme that leads to U.S. military involvement in the Congo’s civil war. TV journalist Valerie Grey uncovers the conspiracy and tries to expose it before America is drawn fully into the endless war. Powerful forces—a ruthless mercenary, the Congolese army, and cold-blooded agents sent by the White House—try to stop her in a magnificent chase along crocodile-infested rivers, overland through raging gun battles, and into the sky in armed helicopters. A big romantic love triangle propels the main characters and adds depth to the book.
The intricate story opens as, passed over for a promotion in New York, Valerie Grey takes an assignment in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the brutal civil war is escalating and rebel assaults are increasing. After surviving an artillery attack in the capital, Valerie meets an American doctor who operates a small clinic in a remote part of the country. She learns that an American televangelist has recently bought the local diamond mine, once nationalized by the Congolese government.

Intrigued by the notion of a church running a diamond mine, Valerie and her crew travel to the distant village to investigate, she is appalled by the conditions endured by the mine workers. There is evidence of torture. They are forced to live in a virtual prison, with no freedom to visit their families. The missionary who oversees the mine is strangely unsympathetic to the plight of the workers, and that of the many orphaned children who survive only because of the small clinic in the village.

Her suspicions deepen when she sees the women of the village making small dolls out of scraps of cloth and stuffing them with a special “American filling.” Armed guards watch over the women. Each doll must be logged twice as it is completed. The level of security surrounding such trinkets is beyond her understanding. That is, until she discovers what is in the “American filling,” and where the dolls are sent.

When the US president announces that thirty thousand American troops will go to the Congo to protect American interests, Valerie knows she must tell the world what “interests” the president means.

The novel comes to its tragic climax as Valerie and her crew, the American doctor and several children desperately flee rebel soldiers, the diamond mine’s mercenaries and US agents sent to kill Valerie. Heart of Diamonds is a fast-paced thriller and heartbreaking romantic adventure set in one of the world’s most unfortunate countries.

Hi Dave,

Welcome to Paperback Writer

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

Dave Donelson: DD: Heart of Diamonds is a romantic thriller that was inspired by a real story. It began when I read a Time Magazine article about the bizarre avaricious relationship between the famous televangelist Pat Robertson and Mobutu Sese-Seko, the dictator who raped the Congo for more than thirty years. When I read that Pat Robertson owned a diamond mine Africa—probably worked by near-slave labor—I just had to write a book.

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

DD: I outline and plan my books in great detail, although they are revised extensively as I go along. I find I need a plan or I waste a lot of time day-dreaming.

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

DD: I couldn’t have written Heart of Diamonds without knowing how it was going to end. There are too many interrelated elements: a high concept plot about a diamond smuggling scheme that stretches from the Congo to the White House via a televangelist in Atlanta; a big romantic love triangle that includes the heroine, TV reporter Valerie Grey, her mentor David Powell, and altruistic doctor Jaime Talon. Then there is the heartbreaking perpetual humanitarian crisis in the Congo. If I didn’t know where the story was going from the beginning, I would have gotten lost writing it.

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

DD: Fully-developed characters are very important to Heart of Diamonds. I wrote complete bios for all the major characters and most of the minor ones before I even started outlining. Most of that material never made it into the book, but it helped me understand the characters and served as a reality check when it came to deciding how they would act and interact.

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?

DD: There is very little of “me” in my characters—at least not intentionally. There are bits and pieces of lots of other people in Heart of Diamonds, though. I know many professionals in the news business from my previous career in television, for example. And I met some really interesting people when I went to Africa to research the book.

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

DD: There is a scene just before the climax that I’m particularly proud of. It is where Valerie and Jaime discover a family that has just been massacred by rebels. It is not a pretty scene, but it is very realistic and reveals a lot about the characters and how they act in the world where they live.

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

DD: I didn’t begin looking for a publisher until Heart of Diamonds was completed. It is a debut novel, so it would have been impossible to sell it otherwise.

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

DD: Getting published takes an immense amount of perseverance. I queried over 200 agents before I made a deal directly with the publisher, Kunati Books.

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

DD: I have been able to use Heart of Diamonds to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis in the Congo. In the process, I have made many new friends who share my strong feelings about the endless war there where nearly six million people have died.

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

DD: Heart of Diamonds is fiction, but it reflects the reality of how unbridled greed feeds horrible brutality. The only way such evil can be defeated is when individuals like Valerie Grey stand up to it. I also hope my readers will become aware of the real effects of war on common people—the thousands of death from starvation, disease, and sheer despair of life without hope.

PBW: Do you have plans to write another book?

DD: Valerie Grey is the perfect protagonist for a series of romantic thrillers. In her next adventure, which I’ve already started, she takes on Central American drug lords and their gangs in the United States.

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

DD: The virtual book tour has been a lot of fun and Pump Up Your Book Promotion has been great to work with. Dorothy is very responsive and tends, I think, to under-promise and over-deliver.

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

DD: Heart of Diamonds is available at brick and mortar stores in the U.S. and Canada and at Amazon and other online retailers around the world.

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

DD: You can learn more about me, Heart of Diamonds, and the people of the Congo at www.heartofdiamonds.com. I also blog at many places including http://heartofdiamonds.blogspot.com.

Thank you, Dave, 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.

HEART OF DIAMONDS VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR ‘08 officially began on November 3 and end on November 26. You can visit Dave’s blog stops at www.virtualbooktoursforauthors.wordpress.com in November to find out more about his latest book!

Scattered Leaves – Author Interview – Richard Roach

Join Richard Roach, author of the suspense/mystery novel, Scattered Leaves (Multi-Media, September ‘08), as he virtually tours the blogosphere in November on his first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion!

About The Author:
Suspense/Mystery author Richard Roach was born in 1931 in Galveston, Texas. Short stories of his have been published in Man’s Story 2, Happy 2007, Vol. 20 and Bibliophilos 2006, Vol. 42. His first novel, Scattered Leaves, hit the book stores on September 1, ’08, and his second novel, Scattered Money, will be published in 2009. You can visit his website at www.richarderoach.com.

About the Book:
When Ben McCord comes home from a business trip to find his young wife raped and murdered, he starts out on a journey of death and destruction.

Clues lead him to a dark world of drugs and violence in action that spans Texas, Colorado, and the Mexican border. McCord hooks up with a beautiful doctor, who was also victimized by members of the same drug cartel, and together they track down the killers, surviving bloody confrontations, and ending with a suspenseful climax in the Big Thicket of Texas.

Hi Richard,

Welcome to Paperback Writer

Paperback Writer, (PBW): Will you share with us how you came up with the idea for this book?

Richard Roach: RR: Back in 1974 I had an overwhelming itch to write and my imagination supplied the first of many drafts of SCATTERED LEAVES.
PBW: Do you plan your stories first with an outline or does it come to you as write it?
RR: First, I get a rough idea of the beginning, afterwards it’s pretty much free-wheeling.

PBW: Do you know the end of the story at the beginning?
RR: Normally, no not exactly.

PBW: Do you have a process for developing your characters?
RR: Yes. I mold them to fit the story but this isn’t true of the protagonist. They come before the story begins.

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?
RR: No. It’s hard for me to imagine anyone could fit the characters they use in their stories.

PBW: What is your most favorite part about this book?
RR: The action scenes; particularly when PJ and Ben are working together getting the best of the bad guys.

PBW: When in the process of writing your book did you begin to look for a publisher?
RR: About twenty-six years after the first draft was complete.

PBW: What struggles have you had on the road to being published?
RR: The constant demand to write publisher after publisher with out any apparent sign of success drummed on my nerves like the throbbing of an abscessed tooth.

PBW: What has been the best part about being published?
RR: That’s a good question. I’ve been so busy writing, I haven’t thought about it. I believe I would say the finished product—the book itself. I had a wonderful editor that greased the pages of the final draft and made for easy reading.

PBW: What do you want readers to remember and carry with them after reading your novel?
RR: Remember to be careful, carry a weapon, be on the lookout at all times for bad guys, and support your local police. They need your help.

PBW: Do you have plans to write another book?
RR: I have three written in the SCATTERED series at this time and several others. Yes, I write all the time.

PBW: Would you care to share with us how the virtual book tour experience with Pump Up Your Book Promotion has been for you?
RR: I’m just starting, but I have high hopes.

PBW: Where can readers find a copy of your book?
RR: Amazon.com

PBW: Do you have a website for readers to go to?
RR: They can go to this website, www.richarderoach.com

Thank you, Richard 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.

It has been my pleasure.

SCATTERED LEAVES VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR ‘08 officially begin on November 3 and end on November 26. You can visit Richard’s blog stops at www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com in November to find out more about his latest book!

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 comments on our authors’ blog stops. More prizes will be announced as they become available. The winner(s) will be announced on November 30!