Mike's Blog & Notes

Mondays With Mike: Sparkle Abbey and a New Mystery Series

2011-10-24T07:51:00.000-05:00

Mary Lee with Sparkle (l) and Anita with Abbey

PEOPLE WHO KNOW me know that I love animals so when I found two local writers authoring a new “Pampered Pets Mysteries” I had to find out more. The writers are Mary Lee Woods (Sparkle) and Anita Carte (Abbey) who write under the name … well, you guessed it … Sparkle Abbey. Their first book, Desperate Housedogs (how’s that for a title!) will be released next week, so please meet Sparkle and Abbey.

Mike: Welcome, both of you. First tell me a little bit about you as Sparkle Abbey then something about Mary Lee and Anita.

Sparkle Abbey: We write the Pampered Pets mystery series together as Sparkle Abbey. We're also friends and neighbors so you'll often find us writing at ML's dining room table or at our local Starbucks. We live in central Iowa, but if we could write anywhere, you would find us on the beach with our laptops and depending on the time of day either an iced tea or a margarita.

Here’s a little bit about each of us:

Mary Lee is an avid reader and supporter of public libraries. She lives in Central Iowa with her husband, Tim, and Sparkle, the rescue cat. In her day job she is the non-techie in the City of Des Moines IT Department. Any spare time she spends reading and enjoying her sons and daughter-in-laws, and four grandchildren.

In Anita’s day job, she works for a staffing company in sales and marketing. She also lives in Central Iowa with her husband and four children, son-in-law, grandchild and two rescue dogs, Abby and Chewy. Her family is glad all the years of “fending for yourself” dinners of spaghetti and frozen pizza have finally paid off even though they haven't stopped.

Mary Lee is President and Anita is Vice-President of Sisters in Crime – Iowa.

M: How did you decide to team up to write?

SA: We had belonged to the same critique for several years and had been writing and submitting separately. This was a concept we came up with together and so we decided to team up on the series.

M: And what are the mechanics of writing as a team?

SA: We’ve taken a unique approach to co-writing. The Pampered Pets Mystery Series features amateur sleuths who are cousins. Books 1 & 3 star Caro Lamont, a psychologist turned pet therapist, and books 2 & 4 star Melinda Langston, a dog boutique owner. We share the Laguna Beach setting and some quirky secondary characters. Also, the cousins have cameos in one another’s books. We work closely together on the outline and we frequently work across the table from one other.

M: How did you come up with the name “Sparkle Abby”?

SA: When our publisher asked us to choose a pen name we chose to use Sparkle Abbey because we liked the idea of combining the names of our two rescue pets - Sparkle (ML's cat) and Abbey (Anita’s dog). Our other choice was “Chewbacca Matisse” our other pets but Sparkle Abbey seemed a little catchier.

M: Have either of you written “solo”?

SA: We’ve both written solo for several years and have each won writing contests but this is the first fiction publication for either of us.

M: Can you tell me a little about your upcoming Pampered Pets mystery series? I understand the first book in the series Desperate Housedogs is being released the first of November. Can you give me a teaser on it? And the upcoming books in the series, Get Fluffy, Kitty, Kitty, Bang, Bang and Yip Tuck.

SA: Desperate Housedogs (Nov 1, 2011):

When Caro Lamont, former psychologist turned pet therapist makes a house call to help a client with his dogs, she expects frantic dogs, she expects a frantic dog owner, she even expects frantic neighbors. What Caro doesn’t expect is that two hours later her client is dead and she is knee deep in murder doo doo. Now with a killer on the loose, her best friend, Diana, in jail, and the police suspicious of her motives, Caro is chasing her tail, sniffing out a killer, and hoping the killer doesn’t find her first.

Get Fluffy (Early 2012):

Disgraced Texas beauty queen, Melinda (Mel) Langston owns Laguna Beach’s Bow Wow Boutique. Mona Michaels, Mel’s most despised client, owns a star dog, Fluffy, who's worth millions. When Mona is found whacked in the head with Fluffy’s Daytime Emmy, everyone wants Fluffy…except Mel. And someone won't stop at murder to get what they want. Secrets...Blackmail...Kidnapping... Mel is like a dog with a bone. But can she dig up the truth before the killer buries her.

Kitty, Kitty, Bang, Bang

When Caro's friend and neighbor, Kitty Bardot, is found gunned down on Pacific Coast Highway just minutes after leaving a star-studded holiday party at the posh Laguna Montage, the police are stumped. The popular Hollywood publicist was well-loved by not only her clients but everyone in the art community and the police seem ready to call Kitty a road rage casualty. But when Laguna art patrons begin contacting Caro with catty tidbits of information that hint at a scandal in Kitty's past, Caro is determined to get to the bottom of who shot Kitty.

Yip Tuck:

Laguna Beach's top plastic surgeon, Jack O'Doggle drops dead in front of the Mel’s shop the Bow Wow Boutique. The last person to see him alive was his blind date and Mel’s best friend…Darby. Mel and Darby put their amateur sleuth skills to the test once again as they expose the doctor's double life as a drag queen named “Jackie O” and the long list of performers who wanted top billing.

M: What started each of you writing?

ML: I started writing because I loved reading so much. Like many authors it seems like I’ve always written in one form or another, but it was really my love of mysteries that started me thinking I’d like to try my hand at writing one.

Anita: I love reading and storytelling. Even in my everyday life, when I’m recounting what happened throughout the day, it’s a story. In the 5th grade there was a class assignment to create a book, which had to include a story and a book cover. I still have that book. It’s bad, but I love it. After that I must have been bitten by the writing bug. I wrote poems, songs, and novels. But it wasn’t until 1998 that I started writing toward the goal of publication

M: What are your writing habits? In other words, do you write each day, morning, evening, etc.?

ML: I’d like to have more time to write. My life is very full and that’s a wonderful thing! However, with crazy busy family life and crazy busy work life, I find writing is mostly an evenings and weekend pursuit. I do try to write a little or plot a little everyday to keep my head in the story.

Anita: Since I work fulltime, I don’t always have large writing blocks. I write after work and on the weekends. I found I really can be creative while writing under a true deadline.

M: Do you have any special marketing plans or contests for Desperate Housedogs?

SA: We do have some special marking plans!

We will a guest at Joanna Campbell Slan’s Facebook Halloween Party sometime between 9:00 PM and midnight.

We’ll be hosting a “Yappy Hour” dog walk from 5:00 to 7:00 PM on November 11th in Des Moines’ Historic East Village which will benefit Raccoon Valley Animal Sanctuary and Rescue.

We also will be partnering with the ARL of Central Iowa on their “Raise Your Paw” auction for naming rights to feature a lucky bidder’s pet’s name in an upcoming Pampered Pets book.

M: Any hobbies, etc. for spare time?

SA: What spare time? LOL We both have very active family lives and so pretty much any time not spent working or writing is family time. If we had more time, we both love to travel. Maybe someday.

M: How can readers contact you?

SA: Readers can reach us through our website at www.sparkleabbey.com or via email at sparkleabbey@gmail.com Also, if readers are interested in other books featuring furry friends, we have a website that lists other mystery authors with pet-themed books at: www.petmysteries.com

Our books are available through your local bookseller or on Amazon or Barnes and Noble online; and all are available in e-format for Kindle or Nook.

M: Can you give us some information on the book launch for Desperate Housedogs?

SA: Yes, here it is:

The book launch will be November 1st at the Des Moines Public Library Downtown (1000 Grand) at 6:30 PM. We’ve partnered with the Animal Rescue League of Central Iowa for the launch and so they’ll also be on site with some information. We invite readers and writers to join us for a short talk, booksigning, and some giveaways. For those who live too far away to make the launch, we’re inviting those who would like to participate in a Desperate Housedogs “flash mob” where sometime on November 1, they visit Amazon or Barnes & Noble and check out what the book’s about and if they like what they see they - “Like” us.

M: I’d like to thank you both for taking the time to be with me today; good luck on the launch and the entire series.

SA: Thanks so much for inviting us! As you can tell, we’ve had a lot of fun writing the books and we’re pretty excited about the launch of the series.

Mondays With Mike: Novelist and Freelancer Angela Roe

2011-10-17T08:57:00.000-05:00

IN ONE OF my first writers groups I met Angela K. Roe. Angie was not only a good writer; she was an excellent editor and made numerous suggestions to my early manuscripts which contributed greatly to their success. She is a romance novelist, freelance writer, and a freelance photographer. She has a variety of published Ebooks and online articles based on topics as diverse as home improvement, ballroom dancing, fitness, marketing and research, computer programs and business associations. She also provides SEO copy to industry-leading Web content providers and is happily married to her best friend. She and her husband share five children, nine grandchildren, a dog and a fish and what she terms “a crazy rollercoaster of a life and we depend on each other to make through the laughter and the tears.”

Mike: Welcome to my blog and thanks for joining us today. First, can you tell me a little bit about your novels This Montana Man, and It was Snowing?

Angela: This Montana Man is a romance novel about a writer who rents a rundown house on the land of Jamie Overton so she can hide from a crazed stalker while she writes her next book. The romance doesn’t stay on the pages of her book, though and the stalker finds her in a small Montana town. See how the town rallies around her to keep her and her handsome landlord, Jamie, safe. It Was Snowing is a short story that shines a light on a marriage, during one of the most stressful times a marriage, can endure the loss of twins through miscarriage. This one is a personal story as it's a true recounting of what my husband and I went through in March of 1999.

M: And your other books: The Creeps, The Journey, and Carried Away?

A: The Creeps is a collection of short stories, all with a twist. There are 4 short stories that range from the murder of a pediatric nurse to a Halloween story about a bookstore that's a neighborhood favorite. The Journey is a single short story about what happens after you die, or at least my hope of what happens after you die. This is another one that's near my heart as I wrote it as a way to say goodbye when my grandmother passed away. Carried Away is a collection of short stories about the passengers on a cross-country train. When I see trains, I always wonder who is on them and why, what their stories are and where they're going so I wrote about them. It's an on-going series with another set to come out at the end of October.

I have another book under contract with Echelon Press entitled Stormy Encounters that's set to come out sometime in mid-2012. I'm thrilled to be under contract with it and I'm working with a terrific group of people.

M: How did you get published? In other words, what was your road to getting your books before the public?

A: I've listened to other authors whose experiences with traditional publishing were not positive or sometimes, even ethical. That combined with the lengthy time between acceptance and publication, led my husband and I to look into self-publishing. I'm fortunate to have a husband in the computer industry so he's very analytical and well-versed in formatting and other computer-speak processes. With a bit of time, he published my books.

M: What started you writing?

A: I've always been a writer. According to my mom, I wrote before I knew how to write and would tell stories to anyone who would listen. When I'd get upset as a child, I'd rewrite the reality of the situation to change the outcome. It was a pretty handy way to deal with two older brothers.

M: What are your writing habits? In other words, do you write each day, morning, evening, etc.?

A: For me personally, if I don't write every day, I lose interest in the story. Plus, I get distracted by day to day life and before I realize it, two years has passed and I'm still on page six. That being said, I'm also a deadline-driven person so being in a writer's group is a requirement. If I'm not held accountable by the expectation of presenting to a writer's group, I'm far more likely to get distracted.

M: Anything upcoming?

A: As I mentioned, Volume 2 of Carried Away is coming up at the end of this month and Stormy Encounters is due out mid-2012. I've got some collaborations planned with Stephen L. Brayton in the works and I'm also outlining the second in the Walkers Ridge series. This Montana Man is the first in that series.

M: Any hobbies, etc. for spare time?

A: We're very active in church and in the neighborhood so there isn't much spare time in our lives. My husband sings in just about every choir in the church and I am active in a couple of the women's groups. We love to spend time with the kids and the grandkids and of course, the entire house is filled with books. I can always find time to read a good book!

M: How can readers contact you?

A: Feel free to visit my website at www.angelakroe.com, my blog site, www.angelaroe.blogspot.com or they can email me at angela@angelakroe.com

My books are currently only available in ebook form so those who only buy ebooks are in good shape. Purchase my books on Smashwords, Barnes and Noble and Amazon.

M: Thank you for your time.

A: Thank you.

Wendy Delsol Spotlight in the Des Moines Register

2011-10-16T22:32:00.000-05:00

ONE OF MY writer friends, Wendy Delsol, was the subject of a feature in today’s Des Moines Register, which you can read here. Wendy’s new book, Frost, will be launched at a party at the Des Moines Library this Tuesday, October 18 at 6:30 p.m., during the library’s Author Talk and Reading program. The public is invited. Wendy is a member of our Published Authors Liaison group. You can read my interview with Wendy from last November here.

Mondays With Mike: Children's Author Rebecca Janni

2011-10-10T07:57:00.000-05:00

ONE OF THE local writing groups I meet with is made up of traditionally published authors, we call it Published Authors’ Liaison (PAL) and we even have a blog and a Facebook page. The group contains an eclectic group of writers which makes it so much fun. This week I’m pleased to have one of our PAL members, children’s author Rebecca Janni.

Mike: Thank you for taking the time to be with us today. Can we start with a little background about you?

Rebecca: I learned early on that biking was the best way to get around the neighborhood and reading was the best way to get around the world. On a bus ride home from school, I told a friend that I was working on a novel about a girl and her horse. I never finished the novel, but a horse of a different hoof shows up in Every Cowgirl Needs a Horse and Every Cowgirl Needs Dancing Boots, both published by Dutton Children's Books. I have two more picture books forthcoming and several projects on my desk. Today, I divide my time between volunteering, adjunct teaching, and writing -- all of which take a back seat to motherhood! I live in Iowa with my husband, four children, and a big-hearted dog named Mickey. I love to read and bike with my family, but not at the same time.

M: Can you tell me a little bit about the idea for your “every cowgirl” books?

R: My daughter – five years old at the time – had just learned how to ride her bike without training wheels. Riding was her new obsession. She came inside dressed from head to toe in her cowgirl finest, all out of breath and rosy-cheeked. “How's my bicycle cowgirl?” I asked, and I couldn't stop thinking about that character. Then, our family would go riding on the local bike trails, and I found myself telling the kids to “get back in the saddle” or “whoa!” On the longest rides, I even felt saddle sore!

M: What is the age range of your target audience?

R: 3-8 years old

M: What is different about writing for children than other forms of writing? Are there any special challenges you face?

R: I believe the best writing crosses genres. As an adult, I still love to read picture books and YA novels. And if I come across a breathtaking passage or something hysterically funny in an adult novel (something appropriate, mind you), I will share it my children right away.

But writing picture books does require an economy of words. It's a challenge that makes the stories stronger in the end. Like a poet, a picture book writer chooses every word carefully and leaves space for the illustrations to tell part of the story.

M: In a picture book, like yours, how is an illustrator chosen and how well do writers and illustrators work together?

R: In my experience, when a publishing house acquires a manuscript, they have an art director and an editorial team who choose the illustrator for the book. I couldn't be happier with the choices they made! Lynne Avril is a dream – an artist, a cowgirl, a musician and a lovely person. I think her artwork is the perfect fit for Nellie Sue's adventures. And Tracy Dockray, the illustrator for Jammy Dance – is amazing too. I'm still in awe of the movement in her artwork for Jammy Dance – these characters really do dance!

M: How do you market you books?

Rebecca and "fans" at a local B&N

R: I'm learning more about the marketing end of publishing from groups like PAL (Published Authors Liaison), SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators), DAWG (Des Moines Area Writers Group), and my own magical writing group, with authors Jan Blazanin, Eileen Boggess, and Sharelle Byars Moranville. And I try to say yes to as many events – online or in person – as I possibly can.

M: What started you writing?

R: I was very young. Reading, I guess. I loved getting lost in stories, loved traveling to other places and walking in so many shoes, loved the magic in words. I suppose I decided I wanted to try my hand at it, creating magic from words.

M: What are your writing habits? In other words, do you write each day, morning, evening, etc.?

R: I write when my youngest is at preschool or after the kids are in bed . . . in the cracks, whenever I can.

M: Anything upcoming?

R: Yes, Jammy Dance comes out February 14, with FSG and my third cowgirl book, Every Cowgirl Loves a Rodeo, comes out in May 2012 with Dial Books for Young Readers.

M: Any hobbies, etc. for spare time?

R: Besides horseback riding, I mean, bike riding? I enjoy hiking, traveling, singing, praying, reading, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.

M: How can readers contact you?

R: There's an “email me” button on my website, www.rebeccajanni.com.

M: Are any of your books available in ebook form?

R: I'm so glad you asked. Every Cowgirl Needs a Horse is available on the Nook and soon to be available on the I-Pad.

M: Thank you so much for taking time with us, and good luck with your upcoming releases.

R: Thank you, it was my pleasure.

First Monday Guest: Report on Bouchercon 2011

2011-10-03T07:46:00.000-05:00

Jerry (R) with Johathon King

By Jerry Hooten

THE WORLD’S LARGEST gathering of mystery writers (Bouchercon) was held in St. Louis, Missouri this year. The event took place in the Renaissance Hotel, one of the finest hotels in St. Louis. Guests of honor included, Robert Crais and Charlaine Harris as the American Guests of Honor, International was shared by Colin Cotterill and Val McDermid. The life Time Achievement Award went to Sara Paretsky. Fan Guests of Honor were Kate Stine and Brian Skupin. Toastmaster was Ridley Pearson. Over 1600 people attended.

The convention hotel has been sold out for over a year, as well as some of the closer alternative hotels. I arrived at the Peach Tree Drury Inn on Thursday and after checking in, drove the short distance to the convention. I was able to park close to the hotel and became friends with the parking attendant over the four days I parked there.

One of the first writers I met was Jonathon King, author of the Max Freeman series. I first met Jonathon when he won the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best First Novel by an American author for his book, The Blue Edge of Midnight.

Jonathon and I caught up with what was new with us and mutual friend, Michael Connelly. Jonathon was on the panel for “The challenges of writing your next book”, which I attended also.

I ran into a few Iowa authors too, notably, Max Allen Collins, his wife Barbara, and Shirley Damsgaard. I was able to sit in on their panels as well. All of the panels were interesting. Some I had to miss due to scheduling. It always happens that some that I would like to attend are scheduled at the same time.

I had just finished reading Steve Hamilton’s Lock Artist before going to Bouchercon. I ran into Steve just before the awards ceremony. I told him how much I enjoyed the story. Shortly after, he won an award for it. We met later, and he invited me to join him and his U.K. publisher and his agent in the lounge. I was just a little awed to be in such distinguished company!

I have attended quite a few Bouchercons. This was one of the best! Next year, it will be held in Cleveland, Ohio. I’ve worked in Cleveland and like the city. It has the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and there used to be an area called the Flats that was the entertainment center of the town. The hotel will be the Cleveland Marriott Renaissance. If you plan to attend, I’d highly recommend making your reservations now. More information is available about the hotel and the convention at: www.bouchercon2012.com

***

Jerry Hooten is the author of five mystery novels, his latest is Hunter, which is available in paper as well as e-book edition. You can check out his Amazon page here. You can also read my earlier interview with Jerry here. Jerry’s webpage is http://www.jerryhooten.com/

Mondays With Mike: Author Marlis Day

2011-09-26T06:36:00.000-05:00

TODAY I’D LIKE to welcome an old friend, Marlis Day. I met Marlis several years ago when I began attending mystery writing conferences. Since our first meeting, our paths have crossed all too infrequently, but I’ve watched her progress from a single book to now five novels in print. Marlis says she comes from a family of storytellers … but rather than me telling the story, let me have Marlis tell it.

Mike: Thank you for joining us today, Marlis. Why don’t you pick up the story from there.

Marlis: Thank you. I did come from a family of storytellers. My earliest memories are of my mother reading to my brothers and me. I’ve always loved books; first as a reader, then as a writer. I taught middle-school English for over 30 years and read to all my students. When my own children left for college and the nest was empty, I began writing; first articles for magazines, etc, then my first novel.

MM: You have written two series … how did that come about?

MD: My mystery series includes: Why Johnny Died (1999), Death of a Hoosier Schoolmaster (2002), and The Curriculum Murders (2004). I joined mystery organizations, went to conferences, and had a wonderful time meeting other mystery writers. However, when I retired from teaching in 2004, I truly missed the interaction with the young readers. I decided to write a set of middle-grade read-alouds, so I could visit schools and talk with children. Hence, The Secret of Bailey’s Chase (2008), and the sequel, Back to Bailey’s Chase (2011).

MM: With the two series, you have lead characters in each. Can you tell me a little bit about them? Let’s start with Grey Bailey, then Margo Brown.

MD: My most recent books are about Sparky and Grey Bailey, ten-yr-old cousins who now live together as sisters due to a tragedy. On the first day, they discover they have super powers, but only when they are together. Sparky is energetic, funny, and impulsive. Her cousin Grey is very polite, well-read, and calm. This duo can only use their “gift” for good and can never tell anyone or they will lose it. (A Gypsy sought them out and passed on this information.)

Margo Brown is a middle-school teacher who turns to sleuthing when one of her students dies at home, over the weekend, of an apparent accident. Margo finds clues in his writing journal that lead her to believe there was foul play. She enlists the help of her quirky colleague, Roxie, and the two seek justice for Johnny. Margo Brown is a wholesome, Midwestern, teacher, wife, and mother of two. In addition to sleuthing, she takes an active part in community activities and loves to cook.

MM: Can you give me a brief summary of their adventures?

MD: Margo and Roxie are something like Lucy and Ethel in their bumbling along, but they always get their man. In the first book, they find Johnny’s killer. In the second book, they dig into the past and solve a cold case of a teacher in their community. In book three, a student turned psycho, returns to town and begins stalking his former teachers.

Sparky and Grey solve mysteries (Nancy Drew style) and use a little magic when needed. They help clear the name of an innocent man, help the police find a cat burglar, find a kidnapped baby, warn swimmers of a shark nearby, expose a puppy mill, stop a bully, and bust a meth lab. Busy girls!

MM: Does each series appeal to a different group of readers? Or do you see an overlap between the fans of one and the other?

MD: Younger readers prefer the Bailey’s Chase novels, but adults seem to like them all. All the books are wholesome, set in the Midwest, include humor, and offer good role models to young readers.

MM: How do you develop your characters, and what is more important to you, the plot or the characterization? And, I suppose fair is fair: how do you develop your plots?

MD: All of my characters are created from combinations of people I have met. I see them in my mind as real people. I hear them talk and write It down. I find plot and characters equally important. Good characters need a good story. When you have both, the book writes itself. I get my plots from real life and from my imagination. I’ve always been a person who thought – what if? What if my dog suddenly talked to me? What if my bicycle could fly? What if one of my students died and I didn’t think it was an accident? What if I found a gun buried in my tomato patch and knew there was an unsolved murder on my property 50 years ago – might it be the murder weapon?

MM: What started you writing?

MD: I suppose listening to the stories my family shared. I knew if I didn’t write them down, they’d be lost forever. I enjoyed writing letters as a child, wrote for the school newspaper, wrote poems and stories for parties, plays for my classes. God gave me an unusual experience that I wrote about and sent to a Christian publisher. It appeared in church literature nationwide. I was hooked. I decided to write a mystery when I read Sue Grafton’s B is for Burglar. It was funny, short, and light. I thought: I can do this! Thus, Why Johnny Died was born. (I met Sue Grafton at the KY Book Fair and shared this story; she was most gracious.)

MM: What are your writing habits? In other words, do you write each day, morning, evening, etc.?

MD: When I’m writing a book, I’m obsessed. I think of nothing else until it is done. When I’m not at my computer, dialogue and plots are running through my head. I’m a terrible conversationalist at those times. I slow up when it comes to the rewriting and editing. I’m a morning person, so I usually start my day at my computer.

MM: Anything upcoming?

MD: I’m currently editing my first three books for reissue by my new publisher. I’m thrilled to have the chance to go back through them and make them better. Also, I blog and tweet, and answer emails daily. Not sure about any more books. I have five books and they keep my busy with promotions and marketing. I attend state reading conferences, book fairs, and visit schools when invited.

MM: Any hobbies, etc. for spare time?

MD: Oh my. I mentor a child at the local school every week. I volunteer at the local community center where I organize the annual dog show, haunted house, and summer reading program. I have five grandchildren and love to attend their school activities. Two live near me and spend a lot of time at my house. I walk, swim, read, teach a Sunday School class.

MM: How can readers contact you?

MD: I love to hear from readers and always answer their emails. You can reach me at marlisday@gmail.com or visit my website at www.marlisday.com

My books are available at amazon, on my website, at www.echelonpress.com, most Barnes and Nobles stores. My newest ones are ebooks and they all will be soon.

MM: Thank you, Marlis … good luck with your ebooks.

MD: Thank you, Mike.

Mondays With Mike: Author J. D. Webb

2011-09-20T16:41:00.003-05:00

OKAY, OKAY … I know this is a day late, but rather than call it Tuesdays with Mike, well … actually, I'm supposed to be on vacation this week. However, I did want to introduce you to my friend, J. D. Webb. J. D. has always had the writing bug, but needed to earn a living first. So, after four years active duty in the Air Force in the Philippines and Viet Nam in the 60s, he spent the next 25 years in the corporate world (think Dilbert), until his company eliminated his job and he I promoted himself to cobbler – owning a shoe repair business for eleven years. Finally retirement gave him the opportunity to lollygag and write novels; he has had four published so far and he is currently working on three others.

Mike: Thank you for joining us today, J. D. I think your latest book is Smudge, can you give us a short synopsis of it?

J. D. Yes, thank you, my latest book is Smudge: A small-town paralegal wipes a smudge off her ATM screen one night – it’s blood. Then she hears a moan coming from the alley next to her bank. Should she go help? No. But she does.

M: Can you give us a quick two sentence synopsis of Shepherd’s Pie and Her Name is Mommy? If I’m not mistaken they both have the same protagonist. And also Moon Over Chicago.

J: Shepherd’s Pie: Mike Shepherd, laid-back Chicago PI, encounters a self-proclaimed survivalist and decides to chase him for the reward. Ferlin Husky Lewis becomes incensed that this PI bozo wants to put him in jail, so he stalks Mike and many of Mike’s friends.

Her Name Is Mommy: Mike Shepherd spots a tot sitting alone on a bench in a busy Chicago mall at Christmastime. Mike and his fiancé talk to the little girl and discover her mother has been kidnapped from the mall. Mike’s quest is reunite the young girl with her mother.

M: As a writer, what is more important: Plot or Character?

J: Okay which came first the chicken or the egg? Same difference. You can’t have a good novel without a plot. It’s what drives the story. And all aspects of the plot must be resolved in the end. Characters are what holds us to the plot. If we don’t care about the protagonists and hate the antagonists you have a boring book. You have to have both to grab the reader and yank him/her along to the end. And the characters have to be believable. The good guy needs to be smart but still have weaknesses and the bad guy must be as smart or smarter. And my philosophy is that good always triumphs over evil; At least in my books.

M: What started you writing?

J: In high school I was thrown into a creative writing class as a result of some mischief I had perpetrated. I’d already loved books. When I wasn’t kicked out of the library I was there picking up a book to read. In creative writing class I had the idea: why can’t I write a book? Even though it took another forty-some years, I got the job done and continue to this day.

M: What are your writing habits? In other words, do you write each day, morning, evening, etc.?

J: Whenever I can. I have a dog with a very small bladder so I’m up at 5 am or so every day. I use that time to do the email, promotion type stuff, then I write till breakfast and at any time I can during the day. For the past year I’ve been full-time caregiver for my wife so my writing has suffered. I grab time where I can. It’s painful in many ways. My wife was my first editor and I miss that. I’m fortunate to have a marvelous writing group which meets each Tuesday night. Without them I’d be lost. I’m grammatically challenged and have these tangents I go off on sometimes that need to be expunged.

M: Do you have anything upcoming?

J: I’m about 20 % done with my next novel called Gulf Terror. What if the oilrig explosion in the Gulf was actually a suicide bombing mission by two terrorists? And what if one of them survived and is now loose in Louisiana planning another mission? Two Homeland Security agents are hot on his trail.

M: This may be a little “inside baseball” to some readers, but how do you market your books?

J: One of the drawbacks to being an author is marketing. Most of us are inept at marketing. I’m learning. I’m on the Internet daily promoting and talking about writing. I am the owner and moderator of the Publishing and Promoting Yahoo group with almost 1000 international members. We offer tips and techniques for promoting and publishing to authors, editors and publishers.

I visit my local libraries to give talks and hopefully get them to buy my books. Also I invite myself to local organization meetings to hawk my books. And just like one famous author I sell them from the trunk of my car. Although so far I’m not quite as successful.

M: Do you have any hobbies or spare time activities?

J: Nope. I gave up golf a few years ago when I was getting more distance from throwing my clubs than from hitting the ball. My wife and I used to travel but since her strokes that has ceased for a time. A caregiver has little time for hobbies. I still love to read but that’s not a hobby – it’s a necessity. I‘ve belonged to a book club for five years and love it. It has forced me to get out of my genre and discover the amazing abilities of many more authors.

M: How can readers contact you?

J: Here is my contact information: Email jdwebb99@yahoo.com and my website is www.jdwebb.com. I also have a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/#!/jdavewebb

M: And where can readers find your books?

J: Publishers www.wings-epress.com and www.lldreamspell.com or at Amazon.

Murder Most Holy to be released as e-book

2011-09-16T16:56:00.000-05:00

BREAKING NEWS: Murder Most Holy, my first book, which was originally published in 2006, will be re-released in trade paper and e-book form shortly. So for all those asking about a Kindle or Nook edition, be patient and keep watching for more information and links as soon as they become available. In the mean time, here is a short synopsis of the book:

When a young nun, the daughter of a despised newspaper publisher, is killed by a bomb planted in her dad's car, the state police are called to investigate and Detective Sergeant Jerome (Stan) Stankowski is assigned to the task. Unfortunately for Stan, the Attorney General's office sends it former star prosecutor, the now burned-out and persnickety Parker Noble, to assist. To Stan's dismay, the local officials assume that Parker, a Deputy Attorney General, is in charge of the operation. Intimidated by Parker, Stan tries to take charge, while silently wondering if his days as a detective are numbered.

Trying to regain control of the investigation, Stan utilizes the assistance of one of the dead nun's friends, the flirtatious Buffy Coyle, whose interest in Stan may be greater than her interest in helping the police. Complicating matters for Stan, Buffy has recently been fired from the newspaper by her friend's father.

Confusing investigators is the fact that the nun's visit was a surprise, known only to her family and a neighbor. To add to their troubles, the father suffers a seizure at the scene.

A mayor under attack by the paper, a police chief with a mysterious four-year gap in his resume, a contractor whose development was blocked by the publisher, a gay group angry at the newspaper for "outing" a gay teacher, and a man whose life was ruined by one newspaper photo, all become suspects in the effort to solve the crime.

First Monday Guest: Author Stephen L. Brayton

2011-09-05T08:35:00.000-05:00

SO, HERE I AM, almost seven months after the release of my first novel, Night Shadows, all set to celebrate the publication of my second book, Beta. I’m not going to denigrate the first book, because it was a special thing for me to see one of my projects come to fruition. However, I have to admit, Beta is a little extra special, because of the amount of time I spent writing it and the amount of time listening to critiques, doing edits and rewrites, polishing it up, changing and adding scenes. This was the first story I about which I became really serious. Years flew by where this story did nothing but sit and wait for countless rejections to come back, more critique, and rewriting.

Beta began as the second Mallory Petersen novel, the first, Alpha having been hurriedly written back when I had all these cute ideas I wanted to include. I barely knew what I was writing and certainly had no inkling about narrative flow, dialogue, description, and character development. I remember my first time reading it to the critique group and getting tactfully shot down. I didn’t understand how many wrong things there were to this story. So, I settled on bringing short stories to the group and Alpha soon took a back seat as I practiced and improved my writing craft.

Somewhere in the early part of the new century, the idea for Beta came to me and it hit me pretty strongly. I don’t recall it taking too much time to draw up an outline, throw in characters I had already developed from Alpha, and begin writing the story. I knew I had much more research to do for this story, so it took me a few years to complete. Then, as I said, came the second, third, and fourth drafts with several more to follow.

I thoroughly enjoyed writing this story. I felt good to give my heroine, Mallory Petersen, more depth, more emotion, and to write scenes I can go back and read today and still get choked up about the seriousness of the subject matter or still laugh at the humorous moments.

Night Shadows came soon after, but Beta still lurked nearby, waiting. Waiting for 2007 when it was pitched at a writers’ conference and summarily rejected by every agent. It waited two more years for Killer Nashville and in October of 2009, was picked up along with its shadow buddy by Echelon Press.

Two more years have passed and the time has come to see my hard work pay off. After a couple delays, Night Shadows was released in February and, again after a change of plans, Beta is scheduled to be published the first of October.

I find it also special to start my blog tour on Mike Manno’s site. I first met Mike in 2000, when he visited Oskaloosa promoting his first book at the local library. He introduced me to my first critique group and my path to publication began.

So, where do I go from here? Well, I have many stops throughout the blog-o-sphere in the next couple months including interviews on five blogtalkradio programs. Please visit my website (www.stephenbrayton.com) or blog (http://stephenlbrayton.blogspot.com) to see where I’ll be next.

However, followers of this site get the first chance to learn about Beta. Mallory Petersen is a Fourth Degree Black Belt and private investigator in Des Moines, Iowa. Her cases and clients tend to come from the nuttier side of life. However, when she is hired to find an eight year old kidnapped girl, her investigation reveals members of a child pornography ring. She follows a trail around the capital city and winds up in the Quad Cities, partnering with a handsome police detective.

Because of the subject matter, this is not a book for children. I temper the serious nature of the novel with humorous scenes, showing off Mallory’s martial arts skills and tendency to get involved with some quirky individuals.

I hope you’ll join me on my promotional tour and spread the word.

Oh, and what happed to Alpha? Well, I resurrected it, dusted it off, and did a few rewrites. I hope to have news of its progress very soon.

***

Readers might remember the interview I did with Stephen last February … if you’d like to see it again, follow this link.

Mondays With Mike: Business lessons from a Duck? Marketing expert Tom Porter

2011-08-29T09:12:00.001-05:00

OCCASIONALLY I FIND an author that’s not primarily a writer, but has something to say and manages – despite not being a writer – to successfully put it in book form. My interview this week is with Tom Porter, a Drake MBA grad who had an impressive career as director of marketing for the Iowa-based Brenton Banks before opening his own firm, Porter & Associates where he became a recognized authority on branding, marketing, and advertising. After selling that company he became vice president of marketing for Homesteaders Life and now runs the marketing consulting firm, Asset-Based Marketing. But as an author, what really caught my eye was the title of his book, All I Need to Know about Business I learned from a Duck/Business Lessons from Nature. Ducks and business? Okay, you got me on that.

Mike: Thank you for joining me today. Before I go to your book, tell me a little about your business. From what I can see you are a “business coach,” is that a fair description?

Tom: I’m reluctant to refer to myself as a coach primarily because I believe what I provide to my clients goes far beyond what most professional business coaches deliver. Instead of “coaching” I see my function and responsibility more along the lines of serving as a catalyst for change and for growth. I ran marathons for over 20 years mainly because I was interested in pushing the limits and boundaries that I had established for myself. What I have found is that business leaders have unconsciously established limiting beliefs about themselves and the organizations they are in charge of, so my job is to help bring those beliefs to a conscious level, and then facilitate a program and process of achieving their full potential.

M: Your company, Asset-Based Marketing, deals with branding and marketing. A quick observation indicates a subtle difference between the two, what is it?

T: Some people define marketing as a process of satisfying a target market’s needs, profitably. In accomplishing that goal a marketing professional has the “four Ps” as his or her tools: Product, place (channel of distribution), price and promotion (personal selling & advertising).

Branding is a strategy and its purpose is to differentiate a company or a product from competitors. Its goal is to “own” a word in the mind of the target audience. The essence of brand is “experience”, so brand is the emergent property of everything that is said, heard, read, written or seen. Ultimately, branding is a process of managing the target audience’s brand experiences.

M: As part of your business, I believe you publish a newsletter; how often does it come out and how can someone receive it?

T: I’m very disciplined in many areas of my life, however creating a newsletter on a regular basis is not one of those areas. I write an article if, in the process of working with one of my clients, an interesting topic comes up, or if I feel that old ideas and marketing “truths” need to be updated. For example, there’s an old adage that an unhappy customer will tell 10 people about the poor service they received. So I wrote a brief story about a musician whose guitar was broken while traveling on United Airlines. After a nine month fruitless claim process, David Carroll and his band, Sons of Maxwell, blew the lid off that rule by uploading a song onto YouTube that chronicled how his $3,500 Taylor guitar was broken. I went to YouTube this morning and as of 9:30 a.m. the video has received 10,789,975 views! Going back to your earlier question about branding, you now have a real-life example of how a “brand experience” can be direct and indirect (everything that is said, heard, read, written or seen) … and how important it is for companies to manage those experiences.

If anybody would like to receive my e-newsletter, they just need to simply provide me with their email address and I’d be happy to include them in the future.

M: Okay, let’s go to your book, All I Need to Know about Business I learned from a Duck/Business Lessons from Nature, first, can you tell me why you wrote it?

T: I wrote the book for a number of reasons; however the primary one was that I became disgusted with news stories about greed and corruption in the financial markets as well as some of the business practices I had personally witnessed over my career. So rather than sitting on the sidelines I thought I’d jump into the game and do whatever I could to improve business ethics. Writing a book seemed like a good idea.

To get my message seen and heard I recognized that I needed to pursue the topic in a completely different way than anybody else had taken. I also knew that I needed to keep my philosophies and solutions simple. So when the idea hit me of using elements of nature as a metaphor for best business practices I went with it.

M: Now, where did the idea of business lessons from a duck come from?

T: I owned an advertising agency for over 22 years, so I have firsthand knowledge about how difficult it is to get a target audience’s attention. For example, in 2008 over 560,000 books were published - approximately 11,000 of them were business books. So when you add in all the books that are already sitting on bookstore shelves to the number of new books published every year, the competition on the shelf and on websites is stiff. To stand out I created a funky title as well as a front cover design that is an eye grabber.

Another reason why I came up with the title is its true! There are a total of 88 business lessons in the book. I used a quote from Jacob Braude to illustrate a fundamental management principle in one of them: “People are like ducks … calm and unruffled on the surface but paddling like the devil underneath.”

For me that quote speaks to the fact that most people are insecure and unsure of themselves. Based upon my experience I believe a large percentage of today’s managers and supervisors attempt to exploit subordinates’ insecurities. What I hope readers learn from ducks is that the best business leaders understand that positive relationships are what truly drive success in business. And those relationships must be cultivated in an environment of mutual respect where employees feel they can grow personally, feel fulfilled and are able to measure how they are contributing to a common good. In essence, that’s the theme for my entire book and that’s all a supervisor really needs to know about business

M: Are there any other animals that we can learn from?

T: As I said earlier, there are a total of 88 business lessons in the book, but one of my favorites is something we can learn from honeybees because it could save small and medium-sized businesses across America millions of dollars. Honeybees do a waggle dance when they come back to the hive to communicate the direction and distance of food sources. Communication specialists refer to that as 1-way communication. The lesson we can learn is that a majority of email messages are actually 1-way messages that don’t require a response. But, because the sender doesn’t tell recipients that a response isn’t necessary, people waste literally thousands of hours composing them … and as they say, time is money. So if you want to improve the effectiveness of email within a company (and save money) include the following words in the subject line of your email message if it applies: No Reply Necessary. (I started doing this and reduced my volume of email by over 60 percent.)

By the way, recent studies show that a typical executive spends 1 ½ days (30%) out of a 5-day work week sorting, reading, filing, writing, sending and recovering from email messages. That means a company that is paying an executive $150,000 per year is spending $45,000 of that salary on email management!

M: I know a bit about the flood of e-mails…not only do I get a ton of them, but my wife is always complaining about being in e-mail jail at her office. But I digress… Let me go to your writing habits, do you write each day, morning, evening, etc.?

T: I really don’t consider myself to be a writer, and if you read my book you’ll probably agree with me. I DO feel that I have some copywriting skills and ability, but even those are mediocre. More often than not writing is painful for me, so quite honestly I don’t do a lot of it. Fortunately, and I can’t explain why, when I was writing my book I had a deep sense that it was being written through me, rather than by me. So the whole experience was actually fun and exhilarating.

I guess I only write when I feel like I have something of importance to say … and that doesn’t occur very often.

M: Many professionals in your position carry a speaking schedule. Can you tell me about yours?

T: I speak to all sorts of groups including breakfast clubs, service organizations, corporate and association meetings … I’ve even done some presentations for groups associated with sustainability and ecology. My message is centered on biomimicry, which is a new discipline that studies nature's best ideas and then imitates these designs and processes to solve human problems.

M: Tom, I’d like to thank you for being with us today. Before you go, how can readers contact you?

T: Thank you for having me. Here is my contact information:

Tom Porter

515-480-2345 (cell)

Tporter1493@msn.com

www.businesslessonsfromnature.com

www.assetbasedmarketing.com

Mondays With Mike: Author & Writing Coach Bill Sheridan

2011-08-22T07:55:00.000-05:00

I WANT TO stay local again this week and introduce to you a member of one of my writers’ groups. Bill Sheridan grew up in the little northeast town of Lawler, Iowa in the 1950s and went on to become an English and speech instructor at St. Edmond High in Fort Dodge. There he began to submit freelance articles to various newspapers and magazines and was often featured in the Des Moines Register and Fort Dodge Messenger, and even authored an article in the Writer’s Digest about how to freelance.

Upon his retirement as a trainer at two different Des Moines-based life insurance companies two years ago, he formed a company (Sheridan Writes, LLC) in which he helps folks from all over the country write books, articles, web page material, brochures, and speeches. “I find that there are people who have terrific stories to tell, but not necessarily the writing skills to make their work reader friendly,” he says.

Mike: Welcome, Bill, and thank you for taking part in my weekly blog. I think your latest book is "Depot Street Memories--The Lawler Stories." Can you give us a short synopsis of it?

Bill: The book is kind of a memoir of my growing up in Lawler. Approximately 20% of the chapters (almost considered essays) are pieces that have been published through the years. I write about the good and funny times and the sad times. My father took his own life when I was seven, leaving my 43-year-old mother with six kids, a failing meat locker business, and no life insurance. That was, obviously, a big deal in our lives and my siblings appreciated me going public with some of our struggles. Mostly, however, the stories and short and (am happy to report from various readers) fun and funny...like the time I set the only basketball record that’s still in effect after 50 years at Turkey Valley High School: getting four fouls in under a minute. As I say in the foreword, “The book does not really have a beginning or an end. At some point I will quit writing. That will be your cue to quit reading.”

M: You seem to have an eclectic body of work, so what started you writing?

B: My biggest influence was my high school English teacher, Josine McGreevey, who recognized my gift and encouraged me through the years. Even though she passed away 20 years ago, still hear her voice when I’m writing. Thanks to Mrs. Mac, I began in high school at age 17 and have not had the good sense to quit even now at age 67!

M: Your business, Sheridan Writes, LLC, is intriguing, how do you work with writers needing help … what services do you offer?

B: I give a free one-hour, no obligation consultation in which we discuss the potential client’s needs and wishes. Sometimes I offer to look at a small portion of their work so that I can make a judgment on the person’s writing skills. More than once I’ve been able to tell the writer that his/her skills are excellent and they don’t need me unless they want some editing or fine tuning. Thanks to the internet, Skype, and cell phones...I can work with anyone in the country. Occasionally, I have to do a completely rewrite of the work, but mostly it’s a matter of slicing and dicing. As you know, Mike, one of the biggest sins first-time authors commit is using 12 words when seven would do quite nicely. I have also ‘ghost written’ entire articles and my name seldom, if ever, shows up on the final product. I work either by the hour or by the job. It can be a challenge to figure out how much time a particular project will take, so at times I will put a ‘cap’ on what it will cost for me to ply my trade. Then I do my best to come under that target, but do not charge client if it does take me longer that projected.

M: Where do your clients come from?

B: In the two years since starting my company, virtually every client came as a referral. Many of them turn into repeat customers. In the corporate world I helped put on meetings with 500-1,000 people in attendance. We used a local meeting planner to help hire main platform speakers. She and I became great friends and she gave me a great idea several months before my retirement, “Why don’t you help speakers write books? Many of them are terrific on stage but don’t have the ability to express themselves well on paper. You could help them write books that they could sell after their speaking gig.” When I told her that it was a great idea, she lined me up with my first client and that mushroomed into many others. I’m having way too much fun for an old guy in my encore career.

M: What are your personal writing habits? In other words, do you write each day, morning, evening, etc.?

B: For a long time I made sure that I was writing in my home office every day. I’m a morning person, so that’s when creativity is at it’s peak for me. I understand that many of your readers are still in the 9-5 thing, so don’t have that luxury. My recommendation, however, is to somehow make it a habit to write frequently...if not daily. My writing schedule depends on two factors professionally: 1.) If I am working with a client, my personal writing comes in second. He/she is paying me and deserves my full attention; 2.) Since self-publishing ‘Depot Street Memories--The Lawler Stories,’ I have been doing a lot of speaking/reading gigs at service clubs, retirement centers, schools, and libraries.

M: Tell me about your speaking gigs, and do they sell many books?

B: In general, I try to keep them within a 20 miles radius of the Des Moines area. My biggest crowds, however, were in the NE Iowa area where it was not unusual to have 50-60 folks in attendance. Those were always good signing/selling experiences. On the other hand, I had one at the Ankeny library and told my wife later, “They had police there for crowd control, but neither one of the women bothered me!” The good news is that they both purchased a book, so I am able to frame it in such a way that, “Everyone in attendance bought a book that night in Ankeny.” I someone forget to mention the size of the crowd. Average attendance runs from 10-12 people.

Harley Man??

M: Do you have anything upcoming? Books, magazine articles, etc.

B: I continue to submit articles to the Register (most recently published was one about the passing of my childhood hero, Duke Snider of the Brooklyn Dodgers). The New Hampton Tribune is in the county seat town eight miles from Lawler and the editor and I have become good friends. He publishes most everything that I submit. I don’t charge him because I’m so grateful for the exposure they gave me (front page article with pix) when my book came out in February 2010. Also, every time I have a piece in there, someone buys a book from a gift shop in the area. I had one recently talking about how retirement doesn’t have to be boring if you plan for it, and another on how I would solve all of my pet peeves if the world made me king for a day. If I write another book, it will most likely be on Kindle or Nook as an e-book. No fuss, no, no mess, no cost.

M: Do you have any hobbies, etc. for your spare time?

B: I pretend to be a golfer, but could never be convicted in court of being one based on my scores. Those scores are like my weight, much higher than I would like them to be!

M: Since you are a “writing coach,” what advice would you give up and coming authors?

B: I can’t say enough about attending book clubs such as the one on the first Tuesday of the month at Beaverdale Bookstore. It’s a wonderful opportunity to mingle with other Iowa authors such as Jerry Hooten, Tony Powers, and Mike Manno. A wealth of information for zero cost. I also have signed up for a LinkedIn writing group.

My advice to authors: Contact libraries, service clubs, and retirement centers and offer to speak/read. Have a ‘hook.’ Mine is the importance of people preserving their own memories, even if only on a yellow pad, because when they are gone...so are their stories. I normally sell between zero-three books, but that it okay. You’ve given some joy for an hour. To me it’s almost a ministry.

M: Here is how you can contact Bill:

Website: www.sheridanwrites.com for printed copy (PayPal)

www.nook.com or www.kindle.com as an e-book

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Depot.Street.Memories?ref=ts

Work/cell: 515.669.4913

M: Bill, thank you for your time today.

B: You are welcome, it was my pleasure.

Mondays With Mike: Writers of the Lake

2011-08-15T06:44:00.000-05:00

L to R: Jordyn Meryl, Maggie Rivers, & C.Deanne Rowe

TRYING TO INTERVIEW three authors at the same time poses a bit of a problem, but I wanted to try it with my friends who have formed a very well received writing partnership, Writers of the Lake, which was formed by three friends (Maggie Rivers, C. Deanne Rowe and Jordyn Meryl) when they took a week long writing retreat together, staying at a friend’s lake house. They got along well and had a blast creating stories while there. It was only natural then for them to decide it would be fun to put those stories into a book, Blue Jeans and Stilettos. Besides Blue Jeans, they have each created their own impressive list of works. But rather than me try to tell you about them, let me have Maggie, C. Deane, and Jordyn tell you about themselves.

Mike: Welcome, ladies. Let’s start with introductions.

Maggie Rivers: I’ve been writing since I was knee high to a cockroach. I sold my first piece of writing when I was 21 to a parents’ magazine. I’m not sure why they thought I knew what I was talking about but apparently they did. Since then I have written a number of books. My books are listed below.

C. Deanne Rowe: I have always loved the power of words. How they could make you cry, laugh, or provoke all range of emotions. I wouldn’t be who I am without words. I learned to feel good listening to songs which filled my heart. I learned the meaning of love watching all the good romance movies. Of course, there was sex scattered through the pages of the paperbacks I hid from my parents. Words have always been my friend, my comfort, my teacher. It was only logical I would grow up and want to be an author, to spin a tale which would captivate readers. My life’s journey has taken me in this direction and I can only hope I don’t disappoint those who choose to follow.

Jordyn Meryl: By day under the guise of a passive, quiet, school librarian, books and kids are the passions which keep my mind fresh. But it is when the night muses visit me, my spirit rises up to wrap around the stories that float in my head. Land locked in the mid-west I dream of days on a white sandy beach with a laptop to write all my tales. Crossing many genres I spin chronicles of romance, paranormal and fantasy, for they are stories worth telling, even at the risk of revealing true feelings

Mike: Can you tell me a little bit about your books?

Writers of the Lake: As Writers of the Lake, our first but definitely not our last is Blue Jeans and Stilettos! Coming out on November 10 is Ms. Claus Wears Stilettos and then in February 2012 we have Venus in Stilettos. In June we will have another in the “stilettos” series and after that we’ll see what happens.

Maggie Rivers: As Maggie Rivers, I write hot, sexy, sizzling romances. On the other end of the scale, I write inspirational as Mary Freeman Boardman. In the middle of those two, I write mystery/suspense as Leeza McBride and I write non-fiction as Jamie Lee Coulter. And yes, I do have to ask myself each morning “Who am I today?”

You can read a bit of the Maggie style in Blue Jeans and Stilettos. For Mary it’s And Then There Was One; for Jamie Lee, try Who Took My Husband: Or How I Survived Living With A Drug Addict. Leeza will have a series coming out in 2012 entitled Death by a Rose; Death by a Daisy; and Death by an Orchid.

C. Deanne Rowe: I am working on a book, Cowboy Butts Drive Me Nuts, which I hope to have completed around the first of the year.

Jordyn Meryl: I am a storyteller. Stories come to me at night while I sleep, or float around in my head when I am awake. Committing the number one sin for a writer, I genre jump.

Mike: Let’s go to your latest group effort: Blue Jeans and Stilettos. I understand it is an anthology of three romance stories. Can you give us a short synopsis of each?

“It’s Better in the Dark” by C. Deanne Rowe:

Sofie Edwards was about to celebrate another birthday – single. She dreamed of adventure, but in reality liked to feel safe and secure, comfortable, for the moment, with her crush on a gorgeous employee of her favorite coffee shop, The Morning Brew. Sofie’s two closest friends find what they believe is the perfect birthday gift; dinner at a new restaurant, “It’s Better in the Dark.” Could they convince Sofie to take a chance at an adventure? Blindfolded and fed dinner in the dark by a perfect stranger, would Sofie enjoy the intrigue of sensual desires? This birthday could forever change her life if Sofie discovers It’s Better in the Dark.

“When Dreams Change” by Jordyn Meryl:

A small quaint Italian cafe on the shores of the Mediterranean was the dream for Jessica. Failing to realize her husband’s ambitions were another woman almost blew her plans apart. Stepping in as her bartender, Alejandro helps save her when he becomes not only her rescuer, but a man who brings out hidden feelings of desire. When her wayward husband returns, Jessica faces the decision of her future.

“Take A Chance On Love” by Maggie Rivers:

All Jennifer Sinclair wants is to feel safe and protected for a little while. The men she’s met so far only want one thing – sex. When handed an ad where you design your own sexual fantasy, she comes up with a plan. A fantasy with no sex, just strong male arms to hold her. Mention sex and her money must be refunded. Caleb Hollister, the island’s owner, must step in when an employee leaves him short one man to service a client, although sex with any of these jaded, aggressive women is not his thing. But when he sees Jennifer Sinclair, a girl from his past, his thoughts change and sex goes to the top of the list.

Mike: Okay, as writes there is a continuing debate about plot and character. What is more important to you: plot or character?

Maggie: I think they’re both equally important. You need to create well rounded characters your readers can fall in love with and still remember long after they’ve finished reading the book. But, you also need a great plot with lots of conflict to make those characters memorable.

Deanne: You have to have some idea for a plot but characters are what makes your story. They get you through the twists and turns of your story. Without good characters your story will stall out in the first few chapters. They carry your story to the end.

Jordyn: I'm not a plotter, however I feel the story has to be solid. I want people to love my characters. So I guess I think they both are important

Mike: What started each of you writing?

Maggie: I’m not sure if I have an answer to that. I can’t remember not writing. I’ve “written” long before I knew my ABC’s. Even before I entered First Grade, I’d make marks on paper and read my “stories” to my dolls.

Deanne: I have always loved reading a good book. It doesn’t matter what genre as long as the story keeps me hooked. I always wanted to believe I could write as well as some of my favorite authors. I don’t know if that is true, but I had to give it a shot.

Jordyn: The introduction of a laptop and spell check opened up a whole new world of writing for me.

Mike: What are your writing habits? In other words, do you write each day, morning, evening, etc.?

Maggie: You can usually find me at my computer around 2 A.M. My characters just won’t let me sleep beyond that. I write until around 6 or 7 a.m. and then it’s back to sleep for a couple of hours. I get up again and I write the rest of the day and sometimes into the evening.

Deanne: I normally write in the evenings and on the weekends since I work a full time job. But during the day my mind is always going back and forth on whatever story I am working on, plotting and planning. I make notes, send myself emails, anything I have available to keep from forgetting an idea I come up with.

Jordyn: Since I work in education, I had my summer off, so I could write whenever I wanted. I loved it. During the school year, I come home from work, pour a cold beer, prop up my feet, put on some music and start typing what has been going through my mind all day.

Mike: Anything upcoming?

Maggie

Writers of the Lake has another book coming out November 10 and everyone’s invited to the book launch party! The title of this one is Ms. Claus Wears Stilettos. Then for Valentine’s we have Venus in Stilettos. There will be a fourth in the stiletto series coming out in June 2012 also. After that we’ll have to see.

Maggie: I have several romances in the works which will be coming out next year and writing as Leeza McBride I will have several mysteries coming out, too.

Deanne: I am working on a book, Cowboy Butts Drive Me Nuts, which I hope to have completed around the first of the year.

Jordyn

Jordyn: I just finished a Christmas story for our second book. I have a paranormal that I want to finish on my own. Then a Valentine story for 2012. I love writing so having all these stories in front of me is fun.

Book Signings: Writers of the Lake will be autographing copies of Blue Jeans and Stillettos beginning at 1 p.m. on August 13 at Beaverdale Books in Beaverdale and beginning at 3 p.m. on August 20 at Pritchard’s Book in Southridge Mall. Both bookstores are in Des Moines, IA.

Also, November 10 is our book launch party for Ms. Claus Wears Stilettos and everyone is invited!

Mike: Do you have any hobbies, etc. for spare time?

Maggie: Spare time – what’s that? Writing under four different pseudonyms you expect me to have spare time! LOL! Actually I’m learning to play the hammered dulcimer and the mountain dulcimer. I love folk instruments and would love to be able to sit around and jam with folk musicians.

Deanne

Deanne: There’s not much spare time for hobbies. I am President of Two Rivers Romance Authors and belong to another writer’s group, Saturday Writers. I also have three grandchildren who I like to spend time with.

Jordyn: What spare time? LOL I love going to concerts. Spending time with family and friends. But mostly writing. Right now it is my life.

Mike: How can readers contact you?

E-mail:

Writers of the Lake: info@writersofthelake.com

Maggie: maggie@maggierivers.com

Deanne: cdeanne@cdeannerowe.com

Jordyn: jordyn.meryl@jordynmeryl.com

Two Rivers Romance Authors: info@tworiversromanceauthors.com

Snail mail:

Writers of the Lake, P.O. Box 17214, Des Moines, IA 50317

Maggie Rivers, P.O. Box 17053, Des Moines, IA 50317

Two Rivers Romance Authors, P.O. Box 17014, Des Moines, IA 50317

Websites:

http://www.writersofthelake.com

http://www.maggierivers.com

http://www.jordynmeryl.com

http://www.cdeannerowe.com

http://www.tworiversromanceauthors.com

You can email us, preorder our books, give us a review, or just say Hello. We love to hear from fans. All three of us are members of Two Rivers Romance Authors, so if you’re a writer or a wanna-be writer, come join us!

Mondays With Mike: Author Tony Powers

2011-08-08T06:32:00.000-05:00

TONY A. POWERS is an old friend who is a member of one of my writing groups. He grew up on a farm in Altoona, Iowa and attended Old Dowling High School (which I did, too) and Ellsworth Junior College where he lettered in football. He graduated from Indiana University with a B.A. in Radio & Television and worked nearly 20 years in broadcast news; 16 years at WHO Radio & TV in Des Moines in the 70's and 80's where he did basketball play by play for Iowa, Iowa State and Drake on WHO Radio. In the 90's he became a Veterans Employment Counselor for Iowa Workforce Development. He is a combat veteran winning the Bronze Star for Valor.

Mike: Tony, it is great to have you with us today, especially knowing that your computer crashed and you probably have a lot of other things to do. Your latest book, I beleive, is 1st & Dead which follows Murder on the Opinion Page. How did they come about?

Tony: 1st & Dead and Murder on the Opinion Page arose from my interest in writing letters to the editor over the last twenty years. First I wrote a self help book, Getting Published: A layman's guide to writing letters to the editor. In the book I coached readers on how to write an effective letter to the editor. The book included past letters that were published in the Des Moines Register and USA Today. I might add that it is very difficult to get a letter published in USA Today. They receive something like one thousand letters a week.

I've always read mystery novels and after reading one, I thought about writing a novel about people who disappeared after writing a letter to the editor. Murder on the Opinion Page was born with the main characters being Dan Kawowski, a police detective, and Jane Dockery, his intern studying criminology at Dixon University in Des Moines County, Colorado. Dockery by chance discovers that people have disappeared after their letter to the editor was published. They stumble onto an al Qaeda terror cell disguised as hog farmers who were kidnapping and murdering people who had written letters to the editor condemning al Qaeda, Osama, Saddam or any of its operatives. There's also a terrifying killer hog in the novel.

M: Your main characters are Dan Kawowski and Jane Dockery. Can you tell me a little about their relationship and how it has developed from book to book

T: Dan Kawowski and Jane Dockery had become heroes for terminating the al Qaeda cell. He is elected Des Moines County Sheriff and she becomes an FBI agent. But al-Qaeda plots revenge. They smuggle an assassination team into the U.S. with Kawowski one of the targets. It's in this novel, that I introduce a huge canine named Laddie. It turns out to be a real page turning thriller.

M: Do you have anything upcoming?

T: I'm going to start writing the third novel of the trilogy soon.

M: What are your writing habits … do you have a daily or weekly goal?

T: I usually try to write a chapter every day.

M: What started you writing?

T: My interest in writing really blossomed after I finished a 3-month writing course from Marshall J. Cook who retired as a writing professor at the University of Wisconsin. He is a published and accomplished author. He advised me to self publish because of the extreme time and difficulty it takes to find an agent and get your book accepted by a traditional publisher. I chose AuthorHouse a leader in the self publishing field. I felt they did an admirable job in publishing my first two mystery novels.

M: Where can we find your books?

T: You can find my novels on all the major book sites: Google, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble as well as at selected bookstores. I've done very well in Google eBooks I'm very proud of my novels and feel they stand up to even the traditional mystery novelists in quality.

M: Besides your third book in the thriller series, do you have any other writing goals?

T: One of my writing goals is to write a screenplay someday but first I have to learn how to do it!

M: Thanks, Tony … I’m posting some links to your books (and ebook editions).

Amazon The publisher

T: Thanks, Mike

First Monday With Robyn: Off to Abu Dhabi!

2011-08-01T06:53:00.000-05:00

By Robyn Gioia

Hello everyone. Or should I say goodbye?

I will be taking a hiatus on contributing to the blog. I am currently packing to go overseas where I'll be teaching in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The adventurer in me won out, so I’m off to live in an ancient culture with thousands of years of history.

I just came back from a going-away party thrown by my very talented teacher friends. They kept asking if I was excited. The answer was yes. And no. I’m excited to be part of a new adventure. And no at possibly messing up. Things are very different and there will be a learning curve. The last thing I want to do is insult someone without knowing it, or give false impressions. I know from living in England for three years that each culture is unique and that one country’s perception can be misunderstood by another. Only time will tell how successful I am.

My days will be filled with either boys or girls. Which one I’m teaching is not known yet. My quandary at this point is which teaching materials to take since I’m not sure of the grade level. At the elementary level that is huge. The young brain is growing exponentially in the early years and there is a large gap between the abilities of a second grader verses a fourth grader. A child in second grade is introduced to polygons in math, while a fourth grader is multiplying fractions, and learning how to find the surface area of a cube. What to take is a challenge, but one I’m excited about.

The UAE is a very interesting country. Some call it the Switzerland of the Middle East. They are forward thinking and very serious about education. The emirate has put a ten year educational initiative in place. The children will receive a bilingual education beginning in Kindergarten. I will be teaching math, science and language arts in English and the kids will take their other classes in Arabic. The goal is a world-class education.

I admit that I wasn’t that well informed about the region until researching this job opportunity. Abu Dhabi City is the richest city in the world. Dubai, another major city in the UAE, lies not too far up the Gulf coast. I’ve read that the fashion industry is beginning to rival London. Large world corporations are seeking out Dubai and Abu Dhabi City addresses. A Ferrari theme park in Abu Dhabi City is a grand attraction. Tourists from all over the world flock to the area. Camel racing is a million dollar sport.

Think about the other things around. The pyramids of Egypt aren’t far away, the Taj Mahal in India is within reach, Asia, Europe, and African are all in the neighborhood. It will take some major shifting of geological locations in my brain to comprehend the new opportunities.

I’ve dropped in a link presented at the 2010, World Expo. It is a fun and enticing introduction to Abu Dhabi. The music continues to play in my mind long after the video is finished. I love the music. If you are interested in learning more about the region, there are several excellent YouTube videos listed in the right column of the links page. For a country only 40 years old, they’ve grown into a world class country in an extraordinary amount of time. If you haven’t heard about the UAE, it is worth the time to learn. They are moving into the international spotlight.

Keep your eye out for my middle grade eBook, The Ghost, the Rat and Me. I hope to have it out by Christmas.

Well, take care and hopefully, we’ll chat later. Robyn

* * *

We’re going to miss Robyn, she has been a good friend and great addition to this blog. Robyn is a very talented and eclectic writer who has received many kudos for her work which ranges from children’s history books to young adult mysteries. Check out the interview I did with her last November and watch the blog, when Robyn’s new book is out, we’ll post it here. Robyn, thanks, God Bless, and do keep in touch!

Mondays With Mike: Ebook thriller author Tim Gilbert

2011-07-25T06:49:00.000-05:00

THIS WEEK WELCOME my friend Tim Gilbert. Tim and I go back at least ten years and share a passion for fiction writing. Tim lives near me in West Des Moines and is my annual companion to the great LoveIs Murder mystery conference each February in Chicago. Tim is married with 4 children and works in the finance industry. Although he is now a Midwesterner, he grew up in the Northeast, where both of his books (thrillers) are based, and is a graduate of Princeton University.

Mike: Welcome, Tim, to my blog. Can you first tell us a little about your books?

Tim: Thank you, yes, my first book, Damage Control, was ripped right out of the headlines of 2008 and the Bernie Madoff crisis. Drug cartels and financial scandals are a sign of our times even today in 2011. Damage Control is a subtle thriller (no car chases, big explosions), where a New Jersey doctor is faced with planning an escape from a Mexican drug cartel that is using his inside knowledge of a pharmaceutical drug trial to game the stock market. Overload is the sequel to Damage Control and is a little more violent.

M: You are doing something interesting as I can see; your first book is posted for a free download, and your second is available for purchase. What was the thought behind doing it that way?

T: I have seen other authors do this. I am trying to get people hooked on Damage Control so maybe they’ll spend a few bucks on Overload. You hate to give away product that is your baby, in essence, but that is sign of ebook times. There is a TON of free novel competition on the Amazon, iBooks, Nook, Smashword etc.

M: How easy (or difficult) is the marketing for books distributed that way?

T: You have be on either Twitter or Facebook and spend an hour a day at least building your fan base. It’s not easy, but marketing never is. Both sites have wonderful author groups, though, that are going through the same difficulties we all are.

M: We’ve had a lot of discussion here on e-books, especially by Robyn Gioia who writes here each First Monday. What do you think is their future?

T: They’re here to stay for good. Borders is being liquidated and Barnes & Noble isn’t far behind. eBook pricing starts under $3, though for 99.9% of authors. It so easy to get your ebook on Amazon, the number of authors out there has exploded tenfold or more in the past two years.

M: Let me direct you back to your novels. Can you give me a little background on your main characters?

T: In Damage Control the two main characters are Nick Johnson, a family doctor in New Jersey and his friend, Peter Hansen, who is a celebrity money manager. The two have a relationship mainly because their sons are best friends. When Peter allows a Mexican drug cartel to infiltrate his investment operations, Nick and Peter’s relationship become far more intimate and intense.

M: What started you writing?

T: I mainly started writing because I had this story in my head and I just had to put into words. Both novels took about 11 months to write.

M: What are your writing habits? In other words, do you write each day, morning, evening, etc.?

T: I write over lunch hour at work and in the evenings when the kids go to bed. Not a ton of time.

M: Anything upcoming? Do you have another sequel you are working on?

T: I am working on another thriller, this time a short story about a detective who is thrust into the middle of saving a business man with the sign of seven mark from the radical, centuries old religious group, Leucippus Zeno who intends to kill the business man.

M: Any hobbies, etc. for spare time?

T: Children sports and school activities eat up most of my spare time

M: How can readers contact you?

T: Twitter is the best way. “iamTimGilbert” is my id. I am also on Facebook.

M: How can readers get your books?

T: My two books are on Kindle, Smashwords, iBooks, and Nook.

M: Tim, thanks for dropping by today.

T. You’re welcome. Thank you, too.

The Phillies’ Biggest Acquisition Yet?

2011-07-22T10:32:00.000-05:00

Archbishop Chaput

THOSE WHO KNOW me know that I am a great Philadelphia Phillies fan (er…phan); my family is from Philly and I love baseball. What they may not have known is that one of my favorite clerics is Archbishop Charles J. Chaput , formerly of Denver but now the new Archbishop of Philadelphia. So naturally when I saw this photo it was to me the perfect marriage of heaven and earth! The Phillies have the best pitching staff in the major leagues, now they have it in more ways than one.

By the way, now that he is in Philadelphia, the good archbishop should soon be receiving a new “red hat” of his own. Now, on to the World Series!

Mondays Update: Wyndano’s Cloak now on Kindle

2011-07-21T00:06:00.000-05:00

A WEEK AGO my Monday interview was with award-winning author and psychologist A. R. Silverberry whose children’s book, Wyndano’s Cloak had won several dozen awards including the Benjamin Franklin Award Gold Medal for Juevenile/Young Adult Fiction. Wyndano’s Cloak was just released in Kindle and is available by clicking here.

Mondays With Mike: Mystery Author David Walker

2011-07-18T06:49:00.002-05:00

ONE OF THE great things about attending writers’ conferences is meeting great authors. One of the many authors I’ve met is David Walker, the author of eleven published mystery/suspense novels. He is a past president of the Midwest Chapter of Mystery Writers of America, and lives with his wife, Ellen, just north of Chicago. He has been a parish priest, an investigator for the Chicago Police Department, and a lawyer. Now he says, “I mostly sit around and do my best to think positive thoughts about the future of the planet. Oh...and I write nearly every day.” David also was kind enough to review my latest book, End of the Line, and gave me a “blurb” for the book cover.

Mike: Welcome David, I’m happy to have you here today. Can you tell me a little bit about the two series you write? And if you can, tell me how you got the “Wild Onion” name.

David: My “Wild Onion, Ltd.” series features a female private detective named Kirsten, and her husband, Dugan. The word "Chicago" is derived from a native American word for "wild onion,” and when Kirsten, a former Chicago police investigator, opened up her private detective agency she called it "Wild Onion, Ltd." Kirsten's husband, Dugan, is a former prosecutor, now a personal injury lawyer. He is not thrilled with the practice of law and finds himself drawn into her cases. Though he may feign a reluctance to help, Dugan is actually far more intrigued with Kirsten's work than with his own.

My “Mal Foley” series features Chicago private investigator Malachy P. Foley. Mal was once a lawyer, but lost his license when he refused to obey a court order to reveal what a client had told him. His license was suspended "until further order of Court" and, since he'll have to "demonstrate remorse for his misconduct" before he gets his license back, it is questionable whether he will ever practice law again. Mal has a mentor of sorts, "the Lady," an older woman who runs shelters for abused women and is something of a mystic.

M: I think your latest book is Too Many Clients, can you give us a short synopsis of it?

D: I love to talk about Too Many Clients, but it came out in 2010, and now I have a new book, The Towman’s Daughters. This one is the sixth in the Wild Onion, Ltd. series. It has just been released in Great Britain and will shortly be released in the U.S. (Actually, I just checked and found that The Towman’s Daughters is already available on Amazon. Oh, and I also see that it has garnered a great review from E.B. Loan, a novelist whose book reviews appear on numerous literary websites.)

The Towman’s Daughters opens with Dugan stumbling across a crime in progress. His Sir Galahad instincts kick in and he rescues the beautiful young Isobel Cho from an armed abductor…except she doesn’t seem all that happy to be saved. Soon Isobel goes missing, and it’s up to Kirsten and Dugan to find out what’s happened. Isobel’s father, a thuggish tow company owner, wants her to end her relationship with the son of a U.S. senator, and the senator herself wants that even more badly. But there are things afoot here beyond a romance between “star-cross’d lovers.” Things like greed and betrayal, politics and murder…and how far a father’s love for his daughters will drive him.

M: In addition to the two series, you have a stand alone, Saving Paulo, and an upcoming one, Bad Company. Can you tell us a bit about each?

D: lthough while writing Saving Paulo I hadn’t thought of it in quite this way, this book is actually a coming-of-age story. Three people—a young man going nowhere, a young woman with everything, and a self-proclaimed “seer”—are drawn together in a struggle to save a strange, silent little boy, Paulo, from murderous kidnappers. The story moves from the alleys of downtown Chicago, to the mansions of Lake Forest, to the depths of the Amazon jungle . . . and then back again.

As to Bad Company, I’ll hold off on that one because it’s in the process of revision.

M: As a writer, what is more important: Plot or Character?

D: I have often thought that this writing mysteries gig would be a hell of a lot easier if you didn’t have to have a plot. I find creating characters—especially quirky characters—much more fun. But since I don’t write “literary fiction,” I need a plot. So I try to apply the maxim that plot and characters are equally important and are, in fact, inseparable. “Plot” is simply what “characters” do. Of course you have to dream up tricky situations for characters to run into, but then you sit back and let them show you how they work their ways out (or don’t).

M: What started you writing?

D: I have never taken a writing class (beyond high school English), and have not attended any big-time writers' workshops. As a kid, though, I used to read "all the time." In high school I enjoyed writing the essays we were often required to write, and I was told by various English teachers that I was a good writer. One even suggested that I should write an article and get it published in a magazine. That seemed pretty outlandish, and I never seriously entertained the idea.

When I was a priest, of course, I wrote lots of sermons, did a lot of teaching, and read lots of mysteries. I also "moonlighted" as a free-lance writer for a nationally distributed "Sunday Bulletin" service. I wrote articles that were usually centered around the scripture readings used in the Sunday services.

When I left the priesthood I toyed with the idea of making a living writing. I had no money, though, and paying the rent seemed pretty important at the time, so I opted for a "real job." Meanwhile, I had (blindly and rather foolishly) enrolled in law school. I became a lawyer, and could never find any time or energy for writing. For relaxation, though, I read fiction, again mostly mysteries. After about a decade of practicing law I knew I had to change my career or lose my mind, so I became a part-time lawyer and started a mystery novel. I gradually eased the law out of my life entirely (practicing law, that is; I mostly still follow it).

M: Believe me, I know what being a lawyer can do to a person. Let me ask you about your writing habits. Do you write each day, morning, evening, etc.?

D: I am most definitely a morning person, and my ordinary procedure is to write every day (although I’m a little less compulsive than I used to be), and always in the mornings. I may rewrite in the afternoons or evenings, and these days marketing takes up a lot of post mid-day time.

M: Do you have anything upcoming?

D: In addition to a little revision of my stand-alone, Bad Company—which may soon be rechristened as Uninvited Company—I have started a new Wild Onion, Ltd. book.

M: Any hobbies, etc. for your spare time?

D: I am getting back to playing the piano (for personal consumption—mine—only) which I pretty much gave up when I first started writing. I also practice yoga just about every day, and promise my doctor twice a year that I will upgrade my cardio-vascular workout practices.

My wife and I have recently become “mentors” (“facilitators?” “helpers?” “life coaches?”) for a family of newly arrived (well, they’ve been here a year and a half now, I guess) refugees from Nepal. They are a husband, a wife, and two kids (now nine and four), and they arrived in Chicago with no possessions beyond a few clothes and a pressure cooker (don’t ask). They had no money, no job skills, virtually no English, and high hopes. This adventure has turned out to be great fun, a lot of work, and a significant time investment.

M: Thank you for joining us today.

Here is David’s contact information:

email: dvdjwlkr@sbcglobal.com

website: http://davidjwalker.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authordavidjwalker

Finally, Saving Paulo and Too Many Clients are available on Kindle and NOOKbooks; and The Towman’s Daughters soon will be.

Mondays With Mike: Children’s author A.R. Silverberry

2011-07-11T07:15:00.000-05:00

THIS WEEK PLEASE meet psychologist and children's author, A. R. Silverberry, who has been winning awards and praise for his fantasy novel, Wyndano's Cloak. The main character was described as, "An extraordinary heroine . . . captures the courage and sense of adventure that lies in the heart of all young girls." And Feathered Quill Review said the novel had, ". . . Constant suspense . . . impossible to put down. You’re going to be very tired in the morning!"

Mike: Welcome, we are glad to have you with us today. Let’s start off with Wyndano's Cloak, can you tell us a little about it?

A. R.: A sinister shapeshifter threatens to shatter Jen's world and the kingdom of Aerdem. But how? A knife in the dark? An attack from her legions? Or with dark arts and twisted creatures commanded with sinister cunning. Jen has one chance to stop them: With a magical cloak too dangerous to use.

M: Shapeshifting, that should get the kids interested. What ages is the book written for?

A: Children, ages nine and up, and adults who cherish fairy tales. One mom told me that her daughter read it three times in five weeks. It obviously struck a chord!

M: Wyndano's Cloak calls on readers to discover the magic within. What is that magic, and why is it important?

A: The environment and economy are just a few of the unprecedented challenges facing children today. As a psychologist, I've listened to the fears and longings young people express about their future. I wanted to write a story that helps them feel capable of facing our complex and sometimes frightening world. Wyndano's Cloak delivers a message of encouragement for young people to believe in themselves and trust the treasures they carry inside.

M: The book has three unlikely heroines. Why more than one?

A: One heroine wouldn't do it. I needed a wider canvas to make my statement, and I wanted to say it several ways. My main character, Jen, is vulnerable, but she has mythic qualities. Bit and Pet, on the other hand, are ordinary girls, making them easy to identify with. Readers believe they can triumph, too.

M: What has been your best experience as an author?

A: After I signed her book, I saw a little girl hug it in her arms as she walked out of the store. I'll always treasure that moment.

M: Wyndano’s Cloak has recently won some awards. Can you mention them?

A: The book has won a dozen awards, including the Benjamin Franklin Award Gold Medal for Juvenile/Young Adult Fiction, Books and Authors.net Book of the Year for Fairy Tale/Fantasy, and the Readers Favorite Gold medal for Preteen Fiction. It's also received awards for Interior and Cover Design. That was particularly gratifying; I wanted the book to be a keepsake.

M: You write under a pseudonym, is there a reason for that?

A: Most people don't know the name Frederick Faust, but if you've hung around the paperback section of the supermarket for the past fifty years (as I have!) you know the name Max Brand. Even if you haven't seen one of his book covers, it's clear he's writing westerns. I wanted to do something similar, and use a name that promised a world of fantasy and fairy-tale magic in the pages ahead.

M: What started you writing?

A: My family--filled with writers, actors, artists, and musicians-- nurtured my creative spirit and stimulated my imagination. At dinner, we had lively discussions about plays, films, stories, and the arts. When my parents put on makeup and costumes and the stage lights went on, the greatest magic in the world swept me away. I was fascinated at an early age when my father explained how to create a plot by throwing together characters with opposing motives. Before I was old enough to write, my mother and I stole away to a secret place where I dictated a story. Storytelling is in my blood!

M: In “real life” you are a psychologist. How has that helped you with your writing?

A: I'm empathic by nature, so psychology works well for my day job. Empathy also helps me step into my characters' shoes and really understand them. I find ideas everywhere, so I'd be lying if I said that the germ of a few things didn't spring from my work. But translating psychological theory into character traits could only be a starting place; otherwise, it would lead to two-dimensional characters. Freud got it right, when he said "Everywhere I go, I find a poet has been there before me."

M: What are your writing habits?

A: I try to write every morning, but I'm lucky if I can get in 4 – 5 days a week. Consistency is key. I was lucky with Wyndano's Cloak. Most of the first draft was written on Caltrain. The ride was 75 minutes one-way. The sounds of the train and the babble of commuters triggered the writing mode. As soon as I settled into my seat, everything faded, and I slipped into the world of Aerdem. The twenty-minute walk to work gave me time to think about lines of description or dialogue. Moving away from that train was the biggest blow to my writing!

M: Anything upcoming?

A: I'm incubating some ideas for a sequel to Wyndano's Cloak. Meanwhile, I'm working on something very different, an allegory set in a mythic past.

M: Is Wyndano's Cloak available in eBook?

A: Wyndano's Cloak is being released for Kindle. ePub and iBook formats will be out shortly, and will be announced on my website and eNewsletter.

M: How can readers contact you?

A: My email is on my website, http://www.arsilverberry.com.

M: Thank you very much, and good luck with Wyndano’s Cloak, and I’ll be sure to post something when it becomes available on Kindle.

A: You are welcome, thanks for having me.

Why did Casey Anthony Walk?

2011-07-06T09:15:00.000-05:00

AS A LAWYER and crime writer, I’ve been asked several times about my thoughts on the Casey Anthony trial. If you will permit me, I think the “not guilty” verdicts were the result of two things; one which is strictly legal, the other a matter contained in every murder mystery ever written.

First the legal matter. I think this is fairly simple: The prosecution over-charged the crime. The state would have you believe that Casey deliberately killed her daughter, Caylee. The evidence for that mainly being Casey’s lies and her actions after the child’s death, combined with a lot of circumstantial evidence involving duct tape, chloroform and the “smell” of death in Casey’s car. That’s asking for a lot from very little.

The second is motive. As Parker told Stan in Murder Most Holy, while motive is not a legal element of the crime, juries want to hear one. It was obvious from the evidence presented that Casey didn’t need to kill Caylee to live a life of parties and fun . . . she was already doing that. And if she wanted more freedom all she needed to do was to turn to her overly indulgent parents and they would have gladly cared for the little girl. The un-contradicted testimony was that Casey was not a bad mother. So why would she deliberately kill when that was so unnecessary?

Then what happened? I think the scenario that could have won the jury was a simple accident that went something like this: Casey used the chloroform to put Caylee to sleep and accidently overdosed her, then panicked. That was the “terrible accident that snowballed out of control.” The use of that theory, chloroform used to induce sleep, coupled with Casey’s failure report her child missing for so long, could easily support a charge of aggravated child abuse or manslaughter. It would have been simple and easily understood; not the convoluted story of suppositions that the state presented. Again, as Parker has more than once opined: The simplest story that answers all the questions is probably the right one.

Had that simple theory been the state’s theory, Casey Anthony could have been sentenced to a lot more time behind bars than the little more than “time served” that she’ll actually get. But then that’s just my opinion.

First Monday With Robyn: E-book Independence

2011-07-04T08:55:00.000-05:00

By Robyn Gioia

Happy 4^th of July America. May the coming year bring love, hope, and prosperity.

Something extraordinary happened this month in the world of writing. A monumental game changer. The most successful author in the world bypassed traditional publishing to open her own website. J. K. Rowling opened up the world of Pottermore. “Pottermore is a free website that builds an exciting online experience around the reading of the Harry Potter books.” It hasn’t even opened yet, and the chatter around the world is buzzing.

Rowling has bypassed Amazon’s Kindle, Barnes and Noble’s Nook, Smashwords, and all the other avenues available for eBooks buyers to offer her own readers the opportunity to purchase the Harry Potter series exclusively from Pottermore as eBooks. That’s right. No middle man. Imagine the collective gasp coming from the publishing world.

Think about it. Millions (possibly billions) of fans, flocking to a place out in cyberspace where the Harry Potter phenomena lives. When the website debuted over a week ago, it told fans to leave their email and Pottermore would let them know when the doors will officially open for business. There was one small problem. The website was instantly overwhelmed. A message popped up saying they had all the emails they could take and to come back later.

Then it occurred to me. What if Rowling decides to start another series? It would be an instant success. And now that she has her own website, she wouldn’t have to use a publishing house at all. Could it be possible that the majority of books will be eBooks in the near future and bookstores will be begging for paper books? Will other famous authors decide to open shop?

Already, eBooks have turned the picturebook into interactive editions through iPads and other mobile devices. A child can press the screen and it invites them to interact with an activity. Or they can go straight to an interactive app that teaches and stretches a child’s thinking.

One of my Facebook friends, Roxie Munro has been busy at work delivering cutting edge books for kids.

Roxie’s a-MAZE-ing VacationAdventure is a top app where kids will need to think, use all their observation and thinking skills to go through the 16 beautifully illustrated screens. All the illustrations are done by famous Roxie Munro, author and illustrator of 35 books for children (including Mazescapes; Amazement Park; The Inside-Outside Books of New York City (New York Times Best Illustrated Award)).

Makes me wonder what else is coming down the pike. It will be interesting to see what happens with Pottermore and the other ground breaking trends on the horizon. Are we witnessing the slow demise of the publisher? Is the internet doing to publishers what Amazon did to bookstores?

If you have a good idea, the time is now.

Happy reading.

A Mondays Update: Pope of the People CD & DVR Launch

2011-06-23T10:26:00.000-05:00

YOU MIGHT REMEMBER my friend Tom Quiner, the playwright author of The Pope of the People, a musical version of the life of Pope John Paul II. He was a featured author on one of my Mondays With Mike interviews on April 25. CDs and DVDs of The Pope of the People are now available for $16.95 each and Tom is hosting a launch party for this Saturday (June 25) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Divine Treasurers Bookstore, 5701 Hickman Road , Des Moines, Iowa. If you are in the area, stop by and check out the Polish treats that will be served.

Mondays With Mike: Modern Dickens Project Update

2011-06-20T06:21:00.000-05:00

SINCE LAST FALL, a panel of writers, working with the Iowa Arts Council, have been sponsoring a chapter by chapter mystery writing contest called the Modern Dickens project. I asked my and award-winning author Kali Van Baale for an update. Here is her reply:

We’re now open for entries for Chapter 9 until midnight of June 21st. We’re starting to wind down the contest--and the story--with only 4 chapters to go. The challenge for writers submitting at this point of the contest will be to start wrapping up plot points, answering unanswered questions, and tying up loose ends. But the great fun for writers entering at this point, is that they get to decide the fate of our characters and outcome of the story!

We’ve named 8 winners so far (with one winner submitting anonymously under a pseudonym) and didn’t pick a winner in April, as there were no submissions deemed suitable by the editorial panel. We held a public reading at the Des Moines Social Club last weekend, the first time we had all 7 winners and guest author John Domini together on the same stage, and each had the chance to talk about their contribution to the story and their process. There is a discussion thread about the MDP story between several of our authors on Facebook. Go to the Modern Dickens Project Facebook page and click on “discussion” in the left-hand box. Complete details about the MDP, submission guidelines, and the winning chapters (read for free!) are still available on our website: www.moderndickens.org.

Story Overview:

In the dome of the Capitol building, Stephanie Ketchum Acuto, or Stikka, receives a text message from her former lover, Emmy, whose wedding to another woman Stikka is in town to attend. THE DEVIL IS DONE WITH SINNING, DONE WITH EVERYTHING, ANDYOU’RE ALL AS GUILTY AS SHE. Stikka, a former MP who served in Iraq, immediately jogs to Emmy’s apartment in the East Village to confront her about the strange message. There, she finds the police and learns that Emmy has been shot and killed.

Kali Van Baale

A few hours later, eager to escape the stress and grief, Stikka accompanies her boyfriend, a third‐year law student at the University of Iowa, on a call to rural Iowa for the immigrant‐rights organization, Equal All, that he interns for. On the way, they learn that the Bosnian immigrant being held in Zephaniah is a suspect in Emmy’s murder. Once there, Saul and Stikka succeed in getting Semezdin Jelenik released, since they believe the hateful sheriff is just pulling a publicity stunt. Outside, they meet Semezdin’s beautiful daughter Sanita, who follows them on their way to pick up his car. On the road, Semezdin tells Saul and Stikka that he had met with Emmy on the morning of her death. Semezdin’s late son Enver had served with Emmy in Iraq, and Semezdin trusted her expertise in security. He confessed to her his fears that the building his construction crew was putting up was a front for Forcenet Sampson, a company that builds operating components for military contractors and government fighter jets.

The four reach the parking lot, and Semezdin, while walking toward his car, pushes the remote start. The car explodes. Semezdin is not seriously hurt, but the four realize that someone is trying to kill them. Afraid to return to Des Moines, they hide Sanita’s car in a remote barn and flee to a condo in Clear Lake owned by Saul’s friend. On the way there, Saul’s father Abe, a former Des Moines cop, calls to inform them that Stikka is a person of interest in Emmy’s murder and that there’s a warrant out for her gun, which she’s keeping at Abe’s house for the weekend. Later that night, Abe calls again to say that the police couldn’t find Emmy’s gun at the house. Saul and Emmy are confused and worried, and fall asleep watching a strange figure watching their house from across the road.

The next day, Saul, Stikka, Semezdin, and Sanita leave the condo to return to Des Moines, after learning that there’s a warrant out for Stikka’s arrest and that Nash Gilliam, an Equal All worker, found no evidence of an explosion in the construction parking lot. When they return to the barn where they hid Sanita’s car, they find Nash dead, hanging from his neck inside the barn door.

Stikka is arrested for Emmy’s murder and taken to a holding cell in Charles City. The murder weapon was identified as Stikka’s, and her fingerprints on it. Mitchell Stephens, Emmy’s fiancé’s lawyer, meets with a powerful but shady character named Harry, who directs him to join Stikka in Charles City and work as her lawyer as well. Meanwhile, Emmy’s brother, Richard Dundstadt III, the rebellious son of a wealthy insurance family, goes to a scheduled rendezvous in a hotel room and finds that Harry has left him a copy of an email from Emmy to Semezdin. Harry then poses as Richard and meets Semezdin at his hotel, threatening his daughter if he does not take over the work Enver was doing for them.

Stikka is transferred to the Polk County Jail, where she meets with her estranged father, an evangelical minister who begs her to renounce her sodomizing friends. While waiting for her mother to arrive, she reflects on her childhood and the beginning of her college romance with Tony Acuto, her late husband. Saul is called back to Iowa City to meet with the director of Equal All. Returning to his apartment, he finds Richard, an old friend from high school. Richard confesses that he insures drug‐running jets for his father’s company, but without his father’s knowledge. He also reveals that Emmy’s fiancé Dot was his girlfriend, and carrying his unborn child, before Emmy even met her. When the two women meet at Richard’s house, they spend the night together and Emmy convinces Dot to abort her baby. Richard is devastated by the abortion, and his anger and regret drive Dot into a relationship with Emmy. With Richard’s input, Saul begins to doubt his relationship with Stikka. Semezdin calls Richard, revealing that he had met with someone posing as Richard and asking to meet in person to talk.

First Monday With Robyn: Middle graders and the world of Fantasy

2011-06-06T08:23:00.000-05:00

by Robyn Gioia

Things are changing everywhere in the writing world. Including what kids are reading these days. I have been teaching literature since 1990. It has been mine, and many other teachers’ mission to bring the written word to life for our students. Because there are so many distractions out there, like sports, television, and video games, our job has been challenging. But do it we must.

In recent years, students have combed through my classroom bookshelves, looking for the latest books in a variety of genres. This year has been different. Unless it was assigned, a portion of them wouldn’t touch a book with a ten foot pole. It was too much effort. I heard one girl saying Harry Potter was her favorite series and when the real Harry Potter fans starting talking about the books, she had to admit she had never read them. She had only watched the movies.

Fortunately, I have the pleasure of teaching the advanced reading group. They on the other hand, are voracious readers. So much so, I had several parents throughout the year complaining their kids were reading late into the night, with the old flashlight under the sheets trick. I just nodded my head and said I would talk to them, but was really chuckling inside.

For our last book of the year, we took on Tom Sawyer. The vocabulary would send any academic to the dictionary. They did so well, they actually complained about the lack of new vocabulary words toward the end. As a reward, I told them they could partner up into literature groups and pick their own books. I would sit in on their conversations and grade them accordingly.

After teaming up into groups, they discussed what books to read. I made suggestions, but they were only interested in fantasy. Every single one of them. The more fantastic the fantasy world, the more they were interested. One of the groups pulled out a Nook and browsed the bookstore. From the description and the looks of the cover, they agreed to read The Emerald Diary, at over 400 pages. Just like that. Another group followed their lead.

When they met in their literature groups, I could barely hear in the room. The noise was deafening. They were so excited about the new worlds they were reading about, they talked over each other trying to give details and events. If someone could have bottled the energy in the room, our country’s fuel problems would be over. The kids weren’t able to talk fast enough to keep up with their enthusiasm.

I made the mistake of asking each group what the plot was about. They couldn’t tell me fast enough. I had to bow out politely after getting the gist of the story, because they were giving a blow by blow synopsis of every detail. I had to stand back and look at the excitement in the room. These kids were on fire!

As I reflect back on the year, I give credit to several things. Parents who model reading to their children, teachers who take their jobs seriously, and last, but not least, the army of hardworking authors who skillfully bring their imaginations to life. Well done to each and every one.

Now, I must get back to revisiing my own fantasy. Happy reading everyone.

Mondays With Mike: Sci-fi author Valerie Gaumont

2011-05-30T08:36:00.002-05:00

MEMORAL DAY WEEKEND is a day to reflect and remember, thus I thought it would be a great time to look up an old friend, Valerie Gaumont. Valerie was a member of the first writing group I belonged to in Des Moines. All things change, however, and our little group lost a talented writer when she moved on to bigger and better things. Valerie is now the author of two contemporary sci-fi novels – I’ll let her explain what that all means.

Mike: Valerie, thank you for joining us today. You have two books, Pilot and Storm Chaser. I believe Storm Chaser is the latest; can you give us a short synopsis of it?

Valerie: Storm Chaser is Book Two in the Channel Rider Series, Book One is Pilot. Both books fall into the category of Contemporary Sci-Fi which means they take place in today’s world with one or two changes.

M: Okay, let’s start with the first book, Pilot.

V: Pilot is the story of Elena Calabrese. She was once a Pilot of the Guild of Families which means she was born with the special ability to take sailing ships from earth’s oceans into space. The Guild of Families has, over the centuries, developed an intergalactic merchant network. One of their rules is that no one is to ever find out who they are and what they do. Elena left the Guild because she developed the affliction that seems to ground all of the best pilots in the guild called The Calling. In Pilot the law of secrecy is broken and Elena is brought back into the world of the Pilots and forced to walk a very thin line between the Guild of Families, with their Mafia-like tendencies, and the military. Along the way she also discovers that The Calling is not the affliction everyone seems to believe it to be but rather an evolution of abilities.

M: And your latest, Storm Chaser?

V: Storm Chaser is the second book in the Channel Rider Series. In this book Elena is still navigating between worlds and establishing a trading base on earth. She and her team are re-packaging out of this world (literally) goods and selling them on earth. The military has begun to develop their own ships but are still having issues with navigation. Elena also discovers that her new found abilities can lead her to open new channels; something no one thought could be done. Now formerly afflicted pilots are flocking to her to learn to control the calling and the council’s scariest leaders are starting to pay more attention to her than is comfortable.

Both books initially came out with Brown Street Press. Pilot is now an e-book on Smashwords and in a few weeks Storm Chaser will be out as an e-book as well. The third book in the Series, Alliance will only come out as an e-book in July. The reason being that the publishers of Brown Street were a very small indie publisher and with the current economy have decided to temporarily shut down. So I am now kind of on my own with this.

M: What was your road to publication?

V: Pilot initially started out as a blog. It was a bit of a writing exercise, to be honest. It was designed so that each post would be a chapter and that each chapter would be short enough that someone could read it over their lunch break, which is why Pilot’s chapters are rather short. Charles of Brown Street contacted me and asked if I would be interested in doing a book with Pilot. I was and I did. Storm Chaser was also published as a bog in the beginning, but as I was already thinking of a book at that point, the chapters became a little bit longer.

M: As a writer, what do you think is more important: Plot or Character?

V: I know everyone asks that and I have to say I always find it a little bit of a strange question. I suppose I am character driven.

Usually when I write it begins with the thought “Oh I wonder what would happen if someone developed this ability” or “How would you dispose of a dead body if you were a serial killer?” or I’ll see something and ask the why questions. “Why would a 50 year old woman go to an ATM on a Sunday afternoon wearing a pink prom dress?” That sort of thing, and the story will evolve from there. Magically people will appear and move through the scenario I’ve just created and then all of a sudden I’ll be thinking, okay to get the character from point A to point B they need to go into a hospital. So I’ll get the character to the hospital doors and then all of a sudden they will refuse to go into the hospital claiming that they are germaphobic, which will throw me for a loop and sometimes cause me to yell at the page (which is why it is best if I write alone).

All of a sudden I will start seeing the bottles of Purell and the super sized box of Ivory Soap in the linen closet and this will subtly change the scene and the plot. My germaphobic serial killer will react differently to the situations he is in and that will affect the plot.

Other times I will start with a character and try to see how they would react in certain situations. From this a plot will develop. Usually it is a what would happen if, or why would you do that situation and then the characters show up and make a mockery of all of my carefully laid plans. I actually had one character in a story who was just supposed to pass through and make a comment suddenly decide to hide something behind a false brick in a fireplace. It completely changed the plot. So I guess it is character driven. I have the plot like a framework and it gets adjusted as I go. It is a bit like building a car and then having someone buy it and take it to a detail shop for alterations.

I know that is a bit rambling and sounds a little nuts but no matter how interesting I find the plot until my characters wake up, it stays sort of flat.

M: What started you writing?

V: I suppose it was a combination of things. Partially it was that I have always had very vivid dreams. Sometimes I would wake up in the middle of the dream and want to know how it would turn out and so a story would start. Pilot actually came from a dream. In the dream I was standing on a ship in the middle of the ocean and slide from the ocean into the sky. Then of course I woke up and had to figure out the rest.

Other times it was because I would see something and want an explanation when there was none available, such as seeing the 50 year old woman at an ATM dressed in a pink prom dress on a Sunday morning. I did actually see her, but I didn’t know her and by the time I got near the ATM she was gone. I still wanted to know the story so I went home and wrote it.

M: What are your writing habits? In other words, do you write each day, morning, evening, etc.?

V: I try to write every day. Sometimes I will wake up with a bit of dream still lodged in my brain and I will jot it down along with some thoughts. Sometimes it stays there and other times I will start seeing bits of story around it and go into it there. When I am working on a story I will sit down with the idea of getting from point A to point B in my timeline. I usually will get from A to B but it is rarely a straight line. If it is a complex story then I will sometimes list out some of the things I want to actually cover between point A and point B. Kind of like road signs. Sometimes during the day I’ll see something that will spark an idea and I’ll jot it down and then work on it later that day.

M: Do you have anything upcoming?

V: Well Pilot and Storm Chaser are being released as e-books as a prelude to the third book Alliance, being released in July. I am currently writing on my blog the story Keeper of the Crossroads. That story is going to be winding down in the next few weeks and then I will sit down, edit, revise and possibly have that out hopefully in October.

M: You have an interesting job with the Louisiana Division of Historic Preservation. Can you tell us a little about what you do?

V: Actually I am no longer with them. I need to update actually. I was with the Main Street and Certified Local Government programs there and I worked with small communities to help preserve and put back into productive use their historic buildings. The job was amazing. I got to meet some wonderful people and do some amazing things. I left Louisiana in January of 2010 and took a job with the WY Main Street program. I did not stay there long however and decided to take some time off from working a regular job to just write. As wonderful as working with Main Street was it kept me on the road a lot and after years of writing in hotel rooms and between meetings I wanted to see what would happen if I just concentrated on writing for a while.

M: What sparked your interest in history?

V: Architecture actually. Most people don’t think about it but the buildings all around us tell the story of what people were thinking when the buildings were being built. They are physical reminders of different mindsets. We shape the buildings and then the buildings shape us. Also working with Main Street let me go inside some of these buildings in a different way. For example I visited a building that had been continually occupied since it was built in 1912; however, as time went on, less and less of the building was used. The upper floors were once a thriving office space with retail below. In the 1930s the company occupying the upper floors went belly up and the offices were just locked up. The retail spaces downstairs remained in use but the upper floors were blocked off. I was invited to tour the building as the new owner wanted to look at a new use for the upper floors. We went inside and it was as though that in the 1930s the office workers had just walked out taking only the important files with them. Desks were still in place, pencil holders still held pencils. It was an odd glimpse into one of the hidden spaces that we pass every day and pay no attention to. And of course, being me, I wanted to know more.

M: Besides your writing, do you have any hobbies, or any spare time activities?

V: I enjoy gardening and cooking. I of course do a lot of reading. Actually for the longest time work and writing took up most of my time. When I wasn’t doing one I was doing the other. I used to do black and white photography and would love to get back into that.

M: Thank you for being with us today. One final question, how can readers contact you?

V: Oh let me count the ways: There is Facebook (under my name of course or on the Page Pilot and the Channel Rider’s Series), Twitter (@valeriegaumont) or on my blog. And thank you!

Congratulations to Indy 500 Champ Dan Wheldon

2011-05-29T15:01:00.000-05:00

THREE YEARS AGO when Iowa was suffering from the effects of flooding, Dan Wheldon won the Iowa Indy 250 in Newton and donated his winner’s purse to Iowa flood relief. Today, Dan won the 100^th running of the Indianapolis 500. Congratulations, Dan, and thanks again for what you did for us back in the summer of 2008.

Mondays With Mike: Robert Bennett and the Blind Protagonist

2011-05-23T09:00:00.000-05:00

ROBERT BENNETT WRITES from a unique perspective; he has Spina Bifida, and writes books about a blind protagonist from his wheelchair. He describes himself as a social worker turned writer who lives in the house he grew up in with his mother, one of his brothers, two dogs and a turtle. Since I live with two dogs and a turtle, I liked him immediately!

He has a degree in criminal justice and masters in social work. “My lifelong focus has been a concern for the needs of society’s disenfranchised,” he says. He has written numerous articles on topics from sports to technology and from politics to social justice.

Mike: Welcome Robert. First, let’s start with Spina Bifida, most people don’t know much about it, can you describe the disease and what some of the limitations are? And how did you end up in a wheelchair?

Robert: Spina Bifida occurs when the fetus is growing in the womb and its spine doesn't form correctly (a neural tube defect). Some of the vertebrae (bones in the spine) don't close to make their normal ring shapes around the spinal cord. The opening that results causes one of three types of spina bifida: occulta: a tiny opening, usually causes mild or no symptoms; meningocele: a big enough opening so that some of the membrane surrounding the spinal cord sticks out through the opening; myelomeningocele: the most serious kind, in which some of the spinal cord itself sticks out through the opening in the spine.

I was born with the third form, though I was extremely fortunate that, up until my car accident in 1988, I suffered from very few symptoms. You see, the type of symptoms the person has depends on where along the spine the opening occurred, since that is where the spinal cord was injured. My lesion is very low down my spine, at my tailbone. The accident, though, exacerbated a previously unknown symptom, a tethered spinal cord. Before then, unbeknownst to anyone, the cord itself had been connected to the vertebrae by scar tissue. The jarring action of the accident caused the entire system to yank and eventually start dying.

I was in and out of the hospital a lot when I was quite young, but rarely since then and never related to this condition. I had trouble learning to walk and ride a bike as a child, but I did walk without aids (until the car accident) and I did ride a bike. My walking balance was never wonderful, but I managed it well. I never suffered from any mental challenges, though many others do.

M: How did that disability affect your writing?

R: While the Spina Bifida itself does not affect my writing, the loss of use of my legs as a result of my accident has helped me to understand not only disability but the process of grieving, loss, and adjustment associated with disability. Disability in general is what my writing has always been about. From the beginning of my writing career, 17 years ago, I’ve been trying to provide information, help, and encouragement to the disabled community. And, I’ve tried to help the able-bodied community to understand disabilities and the fact that the two groups are not as distinct or diverse as some would espouse.

M: Let me turn to your blind protagonist I referred to above; what have you learned and how difficult is it to write about a blind person?

R: Blind Traveler is/will be a series of novels. Individually, each of the first set of stories will explore the four remaining physical senses of the protagonist, a blind man. Contrary to what many people believe, those who lose the function of one sense do not somehow become “super” in the other senses. Instead, they learn how to become more reliant on the remaining senses. I learned a lot about the ways in which blind people live their lives by interviewing a large group of them. I paid attention to how they move through the world, how they define what they feel, taste and smell. I asked a lot of questions. To me, the job of an author isn’t writing what I know, but rather writing about what I can find out.

M: Can you give me a sentence or two about each of the books?

R: My first Blind Traveler book, Blind Traveler Down a Dark River, introduces my protagonist and shows that a person with a “disability” can not only function in the world, but thrive in it, achieving all of life’s goals and then some. Unfortunately, one day the GPS/virtual sound device he uses to navigate through his world falters. He becomes confused. He believes he is in one location. His device tells him he is in another. Attempting to orient himself, he literally stumbles onto the scene of a murder. The second book, Blind Traveler’s Blues, continues the life story of my protagonist. He meets a woman he thinks he might like to have a relationship with, but finds himself faced with a familiar, and deadly, challenge.

M: In addition to your books, I notice you have a long list of publication credits. Can you give me the highlights?

R: It’s hard to highlight anything in particular because I’ve been writing professionally for many years. I’ve been a freelance writer for all of that time. I’ve been a stringer for several disability-related magazines as well as one publication devoted to virtual reality technology. Though I’ve written on a wide variety of topics, my favorite is technology. I love fiddling with new devices and telling people how those devices can improve the quality of life. When asked, I don’t refer to myself as an advocate for disability-related issues, but through my writing I do intend to help improve lives. In that sense I’ve always considered that I still do social work, though on a much larger scale than when I was actually working in the field.

M: And about your blogs?

R: I do a fair bit of guest blogging, though I know I should be doing a lot more. I also have my own blog, The BlindTraveler’s Blog. I use it to flesh out ideas for my writing, and invite others to give me feedback.

M: I always like to ask this of my guest writers: How did you get started writing?

R: I got angry, seriously. I started writing shortly after my car accident in 1988. Within three years after that horrific event I lost the use of my legs, and started to notice how people treated me, and others with disabilities, differently. Now sitting in a wheelchair, I was literally seeing the world from a different angle, and didn’t like what I saw. Attitudinal bigotry. Paternalism. Architectural inaccessibility. My first publication was a series of articles applying Elisabeth Kubler-Ross’s stages of death and dying to the early effects on someone with a new disability. After that I started writing articles for a wide spectrum of mainstream magazines, trying to show readers that people with disabilities can do pretty much the same things as able-bodied folk.

M: How did you get your first book published?

R: Like all of us, I struggled to find a publisher for my first book. I scoured the internet for names and addresses of publishers. I talked to several people who I knew were writers and had things published. I went to a writer’s conference where I met with several publishers. I eventually bought a computer program which had an Agent and Publisher section with a list of names and addresses. The program allowed users to narrow their searches based on things like genre, word count and location. Eventually I went with a POD company (fortunately I did not have to shell out any cash for).

M: How do you market your books?

R: Much of it is through word of mouth. I talk to as many people as seem interested in either disability or mystery novels. I do guest blogs (like this one) where I either answer interview questions or write articles about some aspect of my work. I’ve done radio interviews as well as a local cable TV show. I also leave business cards with a description of my first book, all over the place, like on tables when I go out for dinner.

M: Where can we find your books and are any available in e-book format?

R: Blind Traveler Down a Dark River is available on paper through my publisher, Publish America, and in both paper and ebook on Amazon. The second book in the series, Blind Traveler’s Blues, is coming out, in ebook only, through Echelon Press. No exact publication date has been set.

M: What are your writing habits? In other words, do you write each day, morning, evening, etc.?

R: I don’t follow any particular rules. Generally speaking I’m not an outliner, though I have been known to jot down ideas, or record them into an app on my I-pod. I’m not someone who writes every day, or at a specific time of day, though I am thinking about my writing most of the time. I don’t like to start the actual writing until I have a pretty solid idea of the characters and plot in my head. Then I write like gangbusters! Before then, though, I scour the news and the newspaper for interesting locations and subjects. And, when I travel I take copious notes about the scenery and architecture to use in one of my stories.

M: Anything upcoming?

R: Without going into too much detail, my second novel is coming out, as well as a short story, about the early days of my protagonist. I’m also beginning to collect research material for my third Blind Traveler story.

M: Do you have any hobbies, or any spare time activities?

R: I read A LOT (currently a book about Obama, and an H.G Wells short story). I go to writing and photography seminars. I’m trying to learn to play my harmonica. I go to the movies. I play video games.

M: How can readers contact you?

R: Through my website, www.enablingwords.com, email at rbennett@enablingwords.com, or on Facebook.

M: Thank you very much for your time today.

R: Thank you for giving me this opportunity, Mike.