Dan Romain - The Quaker State Affair - Guest Post

About the Book

What happens when “some day” finally arrives?

A mysterious explosion in Taiwan. Nuclear secrets stolen from Los Alamos. China’s manifest destiny at hand.

In the near future, America and China go head-to-head in a battle of technological bluffs, setting in motion a chain of events that could lead to skyrocketing oil prices, the end of the dollar, the American way of life, and the republic itself. The only man who might have an answer in the midst of the international crisis is Patrick “Mac” McDaniels, a world-renowned physicist who wants nothing to do with the government. Has he been conducting revolutionary energy research in secret? And if so, will McDaniels be America’s salvation—or its ruin?

Guest Post

When writing The Quaker State Affair, I realized that Americans have grown numb from all the buzz killing news thrust upon them every day. All of us are suffering from chronic media "TMI." As a result, we’ve become desensitized at precisely that moment in time when our perspectives need to be challenged.

So, I endeavored to write this book to be an enjoyable read notwithstanding the fact that all hell breaks loose. And, from the various books reviews we’ve enjoyed, I guess that I managed to do just that. I hope you enjoy the book and I’d love to hear from you.

The world revolves around the drill bit and yet, man has passed the point where we pump more black, unctuous goo (oil) today than we did yesterday. This comes at a time when our oil appetite continues to grow exponentially. Just imagine 1.3 billion Chinese with average incomes in 2035 equal to American incomes today (fact).

The problem is that oil is priced in US dollars and those greenbacks are losing their buying power at an unparalleled rate. Meanwhile, a worldwide movement is afoot to replace the US dollar as the sole currency used to purchase oil. When, not if, that occurs, life as we know it will turn to pooh. This book is about such a moment in time, sans the buzz kill, of course.

Compounding the geopolitical problem is an emerging China with serious structural and cultural issues that they will not be able to suppress for much longer. Their economy is riddled with corruption, unofficially high levels of inflation and political unrest arising out of the enlightenment of its people. Socio-economic tensions in China are real. Its rural population is depopulating at a time when Chinese need evermore from those migrating farmers. Pollution in China is out of control. They thirst for oil. Their imports are growing faster than their exports. The overall trade surplus of China has fallen 34 percent since 2009. America, China’s favorite buyer, is dead, flat, irritably broke. That’s a problem if your job is to centrally plan the world’s second largest economy.

Amidst all the turmoil, China is amassing a naval armada unequaled in man’s history. It uniforms over one million men and trains them at a pre-war frenzy. For what?

If one could construct a financial balance sheet to depict the world’s economic “net worth”, that image would paint a dire picture. The world’s sovereign paper-based currencies and the countries that print them are bankrupt. The corresponding Credit Default Swap redemptions would collapse the financial systems if that realization ever took hold. This, then, is a tale about all such things coming to a point in time when a seemingly harmless event pushes the inevitable into motion and sets upon the landscape a hundred years of backdrop that unfolds "overnight." It’s a story of intrigue, tragedy and hope.

***

The Quaker State Affair can be purchased at:
Amazon
Barnes&Noble.com
MyBookOrders.com

Hardcover
Publisher: Two Harbors Press
Price: $22.95
ISBN: 9781937293406
Pages: 375
Release: November 1, 2011


About the Author

Dan Romain is a nationally recognized business consultant who built one of the most successful insurance firms in the country. A graduate of the University of Washington with a bachelor’s degree in economics and a member of the Omicron Delta Epsilon International Economics Society, he currently resides in Seattle, Washington, with his wife, Lori, their two children, Danielle and Brian, and their black Labrador, Kona. He has been widely credited as one of the few who accurately predicted the economic melt down.

http://www.thequakerstateaffair.com/

The Kingdom on the Edge Of Reality by Gahan Hanmer Spotlight

About the Book

Sometimes it's funny how fast things can change, and sometimes it's not...

Welcome to Albert Keane's beautifully designed medieval kingdom nestled in a completely isolated river valley in the Canadian wilderness. Peaceful, happy, and prosperous, it takes nothing from the modern world, not so much as a single clock.

There is a castle, of course, and a monastery. There is even a pitch dark, rat-infested dungeon - because you simply have to have one if you are trying to rule a feudal kingdom!

Farmers work the land, artisans ply their trades, monks keep school and visit the sick, and nobody (well, almost nobody) misses the modern world at all.

So why has Jack Darcey - actor, wanderer, ex-competitive fencer - been tricked and seduced into paying a visit? And why hasn't anyone told him that the only way to leave is a perilous trek across hundreds of miles of trackless wilderness without a compass or a map?

Because a tide of fear and violence is rising from the twisted ambitions of one of King Albert's nobles, and Albert's fortune teller believes that Jack could turn the tide - if he lives long enough ...

***

The Kingdom on the Edge of Reality can be purchased at: MyBookOrders.com

eBook
Kindle - $7.99
Nook - $7.99
MyBookOrders.com - $7.99

Print
Publisher: Two Harbors Press
Price: $22.95 hardcover
$14.95 paperback
ISBN: 9781937293642
Pages: 360
Release: April 2, 2012

About the Author

Gahan Hanmer enjoyed a colorful career in the theater as actor, director, designer and technician, and also wandered extensively searching for love, happiness and truth. He unintentionally became a grown-up raising two beloved daughters and now lives in the high chaparral desert of California.

In describing his book, Hanmer says, "The Kingdom on the Edge of Reality has the shape of a fantasy (small kingdom set aside in time and space, saintly king, evil duke, prophecy, unlikely hero), the book is about a real kingdom set up in the present day by a wealthy eccentric in the Canadian wilderness; there is no magic, no bizarre weapons or fantastic creatures. Everything that takes place is the story is possible and plausible. It's not a fantasy. Among other things its a serious book about the human predicament and lies across several genres, or maybe falls through the cracks between several genres, and that's what makes it unique."

http://www.thekingdomontheedgeofreality.com/

Jennifer Malone Wright - The Vampire Hunter's Daughter - Author Interview

Author Interview

1. Who is the plot based around?
The plot in The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter is based around a 14/15 year old girl named Chloe Kalistrate. Chloe witnesses her mother murdered by vampires and is rescued by vampire hunters, only to discover that she is descended from the vampire hunter lines.

2. What is the main idea of the plot?
The Main idea of the plot is that Chloe wants to kill the vampires responsible for her mother’s death. So, she goes to live with the vampire hunters. Soon, she discovers the man responsible for her mother’s murder is her father.

3. When does the plot take place?
In real time, I haven’t specified a year or anything.

4. Where does the plot take place?
Again, I didn’t specify where the cities around them are, but I’ve created a fictional town, a gated community of vampire hunter’s, where they are born and raised, and train to kill vampires. But, it’s like any other town otherwise.

5. Why did the plot develop the way it did?
I just write. I’m a pantzer, I didn’t do a whole lot of planning ahead. It just happens for me. But, I did know what direction I wanted to take. I did this because I wanted to integrate a little bit of mythology in with the vampires. I also developed it so that Chloe would build new relationships after losing her mother, losing everything. I wanted her to become part of the vampire hunting community and maintain her mission of finding her father.

6. How did you come up with the idea for the plot?
This idea started as the idea of a school teacher who was a vampire hunter by night. But, I started to write it and then realized that this lady needed a back story. So, I created the back story for her and Chloe was born. I found that I loved writing from the perspective of a teenage girl who suddenly found out that she was a hunter and needed to train herself to be a killer. So I just kept writing the storyline.

About the Book

Fourteen-year-old Chloe witnesses her mother’s murder at the hands of a vampire. Before the vampire can kidnap her, there is an unexpected rescue by a group of vampire hunters. Overwhelmed by the feeling of safety, Chloe passes out and they whisk her away to their small community.

When Chloe wakes, she comes face to face with the only other living relative, besides her mother, whom she has ever met: her grandfather. Chloe’s mother kept her hidden from the family; now, Chloe tries to unveil the family secrets.

Through her grandfather, she learns her mother was a vampire hunter. In fact, her entire family is descended from the powerful bloodlines of vampire hunters. Chloe agrees to join the family she has never known for one reason only: Chloe vows to kill the vampire responsible for her mother’s murder.

With vengeance in her soul, Chloe is even more determined to follow through on her vow when she discovers the true identity of her enemy and how he is connected to her.

The Vampire Hunter's Daughter is a short story series, parts 1-4 are available and parts 5 and 6 are releasing very soon.

The Vampire Hunter's Daughter: Part 1:  Free
The Vampire Hunter's Daughter: Part 2:  $0.99
The Vampire Hunter's Daughter: Part 3:  $0.99
The Vampire Hunter's Daughter: Part 4:  $0.99
The Vampire Hunter's Daughter: Collector's Edition:  $1.75 (parts 1-3)

About the Author

Jennifer Malone Wright is an author of the paranormal; her works include The Birth of Jaiden and The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter series. She resides in the beautiful mountains of northern Idaho with her husband and five children. Between the craziness of taking care of her children, whose ages range from fifteen all the way down to one year, and being a homemaker, Jennifer has little time left for herself. The time she does have left, usually leading far into the night, is spent working on freelance work or her beloved fiction.

When she grew up, Jennifer always had her nose in a book. She has been writing stories and poems since grade school. This love of the written word and her strong interest in the paranormal is what has led to her first novel The Birth of Jaiden.

In addition to being a mother and homemaker, Jennifer is also a very proud military wife. Moving around the country for the last eleven years has made her a bit of a nomad and she finds it difficult to be in one place for too long.

Connect with Jennifer:
Amazon 
Facebook 
Goodreads
Twitter
Website

Lada Ray - Gold Train - Author Interview

Author Interview

1. Who is the plot based around?

When international journalist, wife and mom, Jade Snow, travels to Russia, she plans to reconnect with the country of her ancestors and investigate the tantalizing mystery of the Gold Train. What she doesn’t know is that she is about to land in the midst of a deadly conspiracy threatening to change the fate of one of the world’s most powerful nations, and that she is destined to meet a mysterious stranger, Alexei, who will change her life forever.

2. What is the main idea of the plot?

The story of the great robbery and disappearance of the entire Gold Reserve of the Russian Empire during the 1918 Russian Civil War is based on true historic events. But the world’s largest treasure is about to resurface. And it is about to be used to shift the global balance of power. The result could be devastating not only for the country of Russia, but also for the entire world. When Jade’s only Russian friend gets brutally murdered, it is up to Jade to stop the deadly conspiracy. But to do so, she must chose between her worst friends and best enemies, and the future of the world just might depend on her choice!

3. When does the plot take place?

The dramatic beginning, depicting the great Gold Train robbery, takes place in 1918. Then the story fast forwards to October, 2011, when Jade Snow prepares to leave to Russia. The actual story of the conspiracy and the race to find the gold takes place practically in real time, in November – December, 2011.

4. Where does the plot take place?

Protagonist, Jade Snow, resides on the Upper West Side in New York City. But most of the action in the book takes place in Russia, namely among the historic monuments, streets and palaces of Moscow and St. Petersburg, the oligarch’s mansion, FSB Headquarters (former KGB), old monastery, as well as on Russian trains and beautiful Russian Metro.

5. How did you come up with the idea for the plot?

When I first heard the story of the disappearance of the Russian Empire’s Gold Reserve, I immediately knew, it was my story to write. I carefully watched a very informative documentary shown on a Russian TV network and imagined what would happen if…

At that time, I already created the character of Jade Snow, a brilliant, intuitive, sexy and adventurous international journalist, who had mastered to perfection the art of being at the wrong place at the right time. I published my debut novel, STEPFORD USA, Jade Snow International Adventures Prequel, set in a sleepy little town hiding a terrible secret. It was logical that Jade would want to visit Russia next, the country of her ancestors. Of course, as with Jade’s other adventures, she got much more than she bargained for. But that’s what makes for a great story.

And so, Jade Snow adventures continue! There are many more mysteries to solve, conspiracies to uncover and wrongs to right. There is also much happiness to find.

Dear reader, I hope you’ll join me for the future Jade Snow adventures!

The next Jade Snow adventure, DRAGON GATE, will take her to the mystical lands of Asia. I am also working on THE EARTH SHIFTER, new YA fantasy/thriller, set in Russia, USA and China. Both books are to be released in 2012.

Thank you very much, Carol, for a wonderful interview. I enjoyed exploring the GOLD TRAIN plot with you!  

About the Book

This story is based on true historic events.

1918, Russian Civil War. The entire Gold Reserve of the Russian Empire vanishes without a trace. But what if it's about to resurface? And what if it's about to be used to shift the global balance of power?

Today: The world's largest treasure; dangerous adventure; forbidden passion, defying time and space; conspiracy that threatens to plunge the country into darkness.

International journalist, wife and mom, Jade Snow, travels to Russia to reconnect with the country of her ancestors and investigate tantalizing mystery of the Gold Train. What she doesn’t know is that she is about to land in the midst of a deadly conspiracy threatening to change the fate of one of the world’s most powerful nations, and that she is destined to meet a mysterious stranger who will change her life forever.

As her only Russian friend gets murdered, Jade finds herself embroiled in a net of intrigue, glamour and alien ideals on these strange and unfamiliar shores. On top of that, she becomes more popular than she’d ever bargained for. So popular, in fact, that it could be hazardous to her health. And she deals with this dangerous and unwanted popularity in a way that is guaranteed to surprise even the most seasoned reader.

Refusing to be a pawn in a struggle of forces beyond her control, Jade must choose between her worst friends and best enemies… and the future of the world just might depend on her choice!

Genre: Spy thriller, historic mystery, action/ adventure, suspense with an element of otherworldly romance.

Pages: 232 – print version. Size: 9x6 in.

Release: eBook – 12/18/11. Paperback – 4/22/12

PROMOTIONS:

For a limited time on Amazon (starting on 4/21):

Buy GOLD TRAIN paperback for $9.99 (reg. $14.95)

Buy Gold Train ebook for just $0.99 (reg. $3.99)

Own all three Jade Snow ebooks for just $1.98. Gold Train and Stepford USA - $0.99 each, Green Desert – FREE!

More information about these Promotions, as well as Giveaways and the Gold Train Blog Tour: http://ladaray.wordpress.com/blog-tours/

Check out other cool stops along the Gold Train Paperback Launch Blog Tour – not your usual tour! It includes lots of interesting interviews, reviews, as well as special features, including: JADE SNOW: Savior or Seductress; Fact and Fiction in Gold Train; and a rare, candid conversation with Jason Sullivan of Different Outcomes Blog about the Russian royalty and 1918 Civil War, my childhood memories riding Russian trains, and what it was like growing up in the Soviet Union. There will also be some rare and exclusive pictures. Don’t miss these very special events!

Buy Links:

Amazon US  (Paperback and eBook)
Amazon UK   DE   FR   ES   IT  (Paperback and eBook)
Barnes & Noble  (eBook)
Smashwords   (eBook)
Kobo  (eBook)
Sony  (eBook)

I am inviting you to check out the entertaining posts on Lada Ray Blog with lots of beautiful and rare photos. It’s Russia, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Russian trains and gorgeous, one-of-a-kind Russian Metro, like you’ve never seen them before! It’s also about Jade Snow and Gold Train:

GOLD TRAIN Magical Setting: Moscow, Russia

Amazing Russian Metro

The World of Russian Trains and My Childhood Memories

GOLD TRAIN: Meet Jade Snow, heroine of the Jade Snow International Adventure Series

GOLD TRAIN: Who is this mysterious Alexei?

Tsars, Oligarchs and Imperial Treasure: St. Petersburg, Russia

About the Author

I've loved all the varied and exotic things I've done in life, but writing is by far my biggest love affair and most exciting adventure. Can't wait to share it... See you on pages of my books!

Lada Ray is a writer, internationally certified feng shui master practitioner, world traveler, linguist, financial consultant & investor, nature/animal lover and spirituality & metaphysics researcher.

Born in Russia, Lada always wanted to write cool stories, which she'd been imagining in her head ever since she can remember. Instead, she listened to her well-meaning parents and started her life in a more traditional way (for her, that is.)

Lada holds a Master's Degree in comparative linguistics (graduated summa cum laude,) is fluent in several languages and has traveled to over twenty six countries (she stopped counting after 26) in Europe, Asia, North and South America, as well as Africa. She had worked in Havana, Cuba as an interpreter for the Russian educational exchange delegations, including a couple of interviews with the man himself - Fidel Castro.

In the USA, she published articles in the Hartford Courant & taught Russian on cable TV. Then, something inexplicable possessed her to work as a financial consultant for AIG and Smith Barney/Citigroup.

But later, she came back to her senses and quit the corporate world to pursue her dreams. She traveled to Asia to study with the revered Hong Kong Masters of Feng Shui and obtained her International Master's Certification (graduated first in class) with Lillian Too, world-renowned feng shui author and teacher. For years, Lada operated an extensive feng shui website and blog – a hit with fans, both locally and worldwide - and authored over thirty articles on feng shui and spirituality for her own website, as well as for the World of Feng Shui and other international publications. At the same time, she taught her proprietary feng shui courses and did public speaking.

Lada imagines her stories in bustling New York City and beautifully serene Catskill Mountains, where she lives with her family and gorgeous calico cat Lily. 

Lada Ray is the author of:
~GOLD TRAIN, gripping mystery/thriller set in Russia and based on true historic events (Jade Snow Russia Adventure)   
~STEPFORD USA, a small town psychological mystery/thriller (Jade Snow Prequel) 
~Green Desert, a riveting story set in Iraq (A Jade Snow Novella) 
Coming in 2012:   
~The Earth Shifter, new YA fantasy/thriller, set in Russia (Moscow & Siberia,) US, China and other mythical locales of this surreal Blue Planet   
~Dragon Gate, next Jade Snow Adventure, set in Asia

Connect with Lada:

Blog Tour and Giveaway info

Author Website

Blog

Twitter

Goodreads

YouTube

Facebook

Susan Spence - A Story of the West - Author Interview

Author Interview

1. Who is the plot based around?
The plot is based around a cowboy named Matt Daly and his family.

2. What is the main idea of the plot?
The main idea of the plot is about Matt trying to survive devastating events in his life. This is brought about by how far some will go to destroy other lives to get what they want.

3. When does the plot take place?
The story takes during the open range ranching era of the 1880s. The early day cowboys and ranchers were the first to settle the grasslands of the northern prairies during this time.

4. Where does the plot take place?
The story takes place mainly on the prairie of eastern Montana before it became a state, but also in Wyoming and other western states. This entire area attracted cattle speculators who fattened steers on the abundant grass before sending them to eastern markets.

5. Why did the plot develop the way it did?
I first came up with the pivotal moment in Matt’s life and then wrote the story around that event.

6. How did you come up with the idea for the plot?
The idea for the plot just came to me. The first scene I thought of was when he made a decision about whether he wanted to continue living. After that I had to imagine how he got to that point, plus what then happened to his family.


About the Book

Spending summers trailing herds of longhorns north from Texas, Matt Daly and his father eventually arrive in Montana Territory in the 1880s. They realize immediately this where they want to make their home. There are few people living on the frontier at this time and the two are determined to build a ranch running cattle on the fertile grasslands.

Once the transcontinental railroad was completed it became much easier for people to head west, and many did, leaving the populated east behind. Lavina Lavold stepped off the train in Miles City and immediately caught Matt’s eye. She had ridden out with her family looking for adventure. When she meets Matt and falls in love, she decides she would like nothing more than to share his life on the isolated prairie.

There are other men however, also determined to build their own cattle empires. When a ruthless neighbor attempts to take control of the land they claimed as their own, Matt and his father have no choice but to defend their family and home. Although the land is still owned by the federal government, there is little law on the rough frontier to manage the threatening range war.

Price: $19.95 paperback, $3.95 ebook
Pages: 277
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: June 2009
Buy Links: Amazon, Barnes&Noble.com, Smashwords


About the Author

Susan Spence has always been intrigued with life in the west in the 1880s. She researched historical accounts and first-person narratives as she prepared to write A Story of the West. A lifelong resident of the west, she currently lives in Montana on an old sheep shearing station that she shares with lots of furry critters, some domestic and others wild. This is her first novel, and she is busy working on a sequel due out in late spring.

Connect with Susan
Web Site

Kim Antieau - Her Frozen Wild - Author Interview

Author Interview

1. Who is the plot based around?
Ursula Smith, a Portland-based archeologist who was raised by her grandmother when her mother disappeared in Siberia when Ursula was a child.

2. What is the main idea of the plot?
A group of scientists unearth a frozen mummy in Siberia that turns out to have Ursula’s DNA. When she goes to Russia to try and figure out how that is possible, she meets a mysterious Russian who tells her she is fated to save the shape-changing People.

3. When does the plot take place?
It takes place in various time periods. It begins in the early years of the 20th century. A lot of it takes place at the end of the 20th century. Ursula goes back and forth through time. She lives in 18th century Siberia and in Siberia 2,500 years ago, too.

4. Where does the plot take place?
Most of it takes place in Siberia, although some of it takes place in Portland, too.

5. Why did the plot develop the way it did?
Hmmm. I’m not sure how to answer this question. When I get an idea for a book, it feels as though the main character comes and tells me her story. In many ways, it feels as though I’m taking dictation. This was the adventure Ursula had, and I wrote it down the way she told me!

6. How did you come up with the idea for the plot?
The story unfolded after I read an article in National Geographic about an “ice maiden” found in a grave in Siberia.

Book Summary

Scientists in the Altai in Siberia uncover the 2,500 year old frozen mummy of a tattooed priestess or shaman. This mummy has the same mtDNA (mitochondrial DNA) as American archaeologist Ursula Smith whose mother disappeared in Siberia 30 years earlier. Ursula travels from the U.S. to Siberia to unravel the mystery of the “lady” and meets Sergei Ivanovich Polyakov, a Russian doctor who graciously invites her into his home. After they become lovers, she discovers he has the same tattoos on his body as the tattooed lady. He tells a disbelieving Ursula that they have met before and she is destined to save the ancient People, considered as devils by some and shape-changing gods by others. A shaman takes Ursula to one of the sacred timeless caves where Ursula’s mother supposedly disappeared. When Ursula allows the shaman to tattoo her, she is thrown back in time where she must unlock the mystery of the People and their link to her past in order to save them and Sergei—even if it costs her her life.

price: print: $16.99, e-book: $6.99
number of pages: 372
genre: adventure, mainstream, fantasy, science fiction
publisher: Green Snake Publishing
release date: January 2012
buy links: Print, Kindle, Barnes&Noble.com, Smashwords

About the Author

Kim Antieau has written many novels, short stories, poems, and essays. Her work has appeared in numerous publications, both in print and online, including The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Asimov’s SF, The Clinton Street Quarterly, The Journal of Mythic Arts, EarthFirst!, Alternet, Sage Woman, and Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine. She was the founder, editor, and publisher of Daughters of Nyx: A Magazine of Goddess Stories, Mythmaking, and Fairy Tales. Her work has twice been short-listed for the Tiptree Award, and has appeared in many Best of the Year anthologies. Critics have admired her “literary fearlessness” and her vivid language and imagination. She has had nine novels published. Her first novel, The Jigsaw Woman, is a modern classic of feminist literature. Kim lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, writer Mario Milosevic.

Connect with Kim
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
LibraryThing

Kenny Scudero - Comfortably Awkward - Author Interview

Author Interview

1. Who is the plot based around?
The plot is based around Albert Ferenzo, a young college graduate who is looking for a job. He becomes discouraged by the job market and learns to hate the corporate lifestyle which he thought he would have.

2. What is the main idea of the plot?
The main idea of the plot is basically Albert Ferenzo’s journey and transformation. He wants to be rich and successful, but the only way to do so is to get a job and start at the bottom of a company just like everyone else. This wasn’t enough for Albert so he decides he wants to do things for himself and stop caring about rules or consequences. The story takes the reader on a ride and the ending brings everything together.

3. When does the plot take place?
The plot takes place during modern times. It goes hand-in-hand with the bad economy we are currently accustomed to and with the tough job market. This has a lot to do with the main idea of the plot because the book is based off of my own experiences trying to find a job in the year 2011.

4. Where does the plot take place?
It takes place in a fictional suburb of New York City called Statenville and it also takes place in New York City as we know it today.

5. Why did the plot develop the way it did?
I had the main ideas and thoughts in my mind for the book but it wasn’t until I was in the process of actually writing it that I saw the plot start to develop. As I got deeper and deeper into the book, I realized where I wanted to go with the plot and how I wanted to end the story. I do that with most of my writing and it works great for me. All I need is a few ideas and I can see where the writing takes me.

6. How did you come up with the idea for the plot?
I couldn’t find a job in my own life and that’s when I began writing. The book started out as my own personal thoughts against corporate America but then I was able to create a character and a fake story which contained some of my thoughts, feelings and emotions.


About the Book

For Albert Ferenzo, life is a series of ironic events that may or may not have a reason behind them. While struggling to find a niche for himself, Albert blames the corporate world for hindering his dream of making money and living a prosperous life. After playing the good guy his entire life, Albert decides that the only way to get ahead in the world is to be the bad guy. Albert questions his own fate as he drives himself to insanity in an effort to find happiness. The destinies of Albert and everyone around him intertwine as he finally realizes what life is all about or at least, he thinks he does in this revolt against normality.

Price: Paperback $ 12.95, Kindle $ 3.95
Pages: 268
Genre: Humorous Fiction
Publisher: CreateSpace
Release Date: January 9, 2012
Buy Links: CreateSpace, Amazon


About the Author

"Comfortably Awkward" is Kenny Scudero's debut self-published novel. He is a twenty-two year old author from New York City who looks forward to a bright future in writing. Kenny recently graduated from St. John's University where he majored in Sport Management. At St. John's, Kenny was Sports Editor for the University newspaper. He is currently working on his second novel which will be out in the fall of 2012.

Connect with Kenny
Website
Facebook
Twitter

Happy Book Birthday to SPECTRAL

Celebrate Spectral's April 10th release day, by following the kick-off to the blog tour or purchasing a copy at these links:

Kindle - $2.99
Nook - $4.95
Google - $3.79
Smashwords - $4.99
PDF - $4.95

LM Preston - Explorer X-Beta - Author Interview

Author Interview

1. Who is the plot based around?
In Explorer X-Beta the plot is focused on the main character's, Aadi's struggle to stay true to the promise he made to himself - that he wouldn't become the monster he was created to be. But his biggest enemy is his body and the urges that the alien DNA within him won't let him forget.

2. What is the main idea of the plot?
The plot explores a young person's ability to fight against their genetics, their environment and even themselves to stay true to themselves to be in control of their outcome and to accept themselves in spite of it.

3. When does the plot take place?
The plot takes place in the future about 100 years beyond our current time and place.

4. Where does the plot take place?
The story takes place on a faraway planet in a distant galaxy. A planet of pure ice, with illuminated frozen surfaces and barbaric creatures.

5. Why did the plot develop the way it did?
This is the second book in my Explorer X series which is based on eight kids who were genetically altered to morph into the species of any planet then conquer them.

6. How did you come up with the idea for the plot?
The idea for the Explorer X series came out of a bet from my husband to create a sci-fi story for our son. Which was fed by my technical background and youthful spirit.


About the Book

Barely escaping their captors, Aadi and Eirena are determined to save their dying friend. After their final confrontation with the species that tortured them, they've changed-unfortunately, not for the better. The changes caused by a terrible experiment force Aadi to accept the possibility that he may never be fit to go home, and that holding onto his sanity, or leading his friends to safety will end in failure and may rip his friendship with Eirena apart, forever. Time is slipping away and the possibility of losing his friend is not an option, but the foe that awaits them may be worse than the one they left.

Genre: Middle Grade Science Fiction
Pages: 268
Release: April 1, 2012
Publisher: Phenomenal One Press
Formats: Paperback, ebook
Price: $11.99 paperback, $0.99 ebook
Buy Links: Amazon, Kindle


About the Author

LM Preston was born and raised in Washington, DC. An avid reader, she loved to create poetry and short stories as a young girl. With a thirst for knowledge, she attended college at Bowie State University, and worked in the IT field as a techie and educator for over sixteen years. She started writing science fiction with the encouragement of her husband, who was a Sci-Fi buff, and her four kids. Her first published novel, Explorer X - Alpha, was the beginning of her obsessive desire to write and create stories of young people who overcome unbelievable odds. She loves to write while on the porch watching her kids play or when she is traveling, which is another passion that encouraged her writing.

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Book Trailer

Tour Schedule

April 8th: Mariah @ A Readers Adventure

8th: The Plot Thickens (Interview Only)

9th: Angie @ My Four Monkeys

10th: Glenda @ Book Reader's Heaven

11th: Krystal @ Live To Read

12th: Nicole @ Purple Peguin Reviews

13th: Shelia @ Shelia Deeth

14th: Luke @ Digital Science Ficiton

15th: Andrea @ So Many Books, So Little Time

16th: Stormi @ Books, Movies, Reviews. Oh my! (Guest Post Only)

17th: Dee @ Book Zone

Happy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway Hop

Congratulations to our winner!
Shayna Gier
reviews [at] shaynagier [dot] com

Enter to win the latest young adult ebook release from Tribute Books.

1) Add Jolene Perry's upcoming May 2012 release, Knee Deep, to your Goodreads to-read list. Click here for the direct link.
2) Leave a comment with your email address.

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Night Sky
by Jolene Perry

After losing Sarah, the friend he’s loved, to some other guy, Jameson meets Sky. Her Native American roots, fluid movements, and need for brutal honesty become addictive fast. This is good. Jameson needs distraction – his dad leaves for another woman, his mom’s walking around like a zombie, and Sarah’s new boyfriend can’t keep his hands off of her.

As he spends time with Sky and learns about her village, her totems, and her friends with drums - she's way more than distraction. Jameson's falling for her fast.

But Sky’s need for honesty somehow doesn’t extend to her life story – and Jameson just may need more than his new girl to keep him distracted from the disaster of his senior year.

http://night-sky-book.com/