Iowa Author Fair this Sunday

I will be one of many, many authors taking part in the Iowa Authors Fair this Sunday (Oct. 28) – part of the WOW! Wonder of Words Festival! – at Capital Square in Downtown Des Moines.  We will be signing our books from 1 to 5 p.m.  If you are free, stop by and say “hello” and maybe buy a book or two.

Monday With Mike: Romance author Maggie Rivers

 

THE FOURTH OF the other authors at our Friday’s book signing at Chololaterie Stam is Maggie Rivers who I would say is the “ring leader” of the signing. Maggie was born and raised in Alabama and started developing her writing career at an early age by first making squiggles on paper that only she understood but were a story to her. Later she would use her brother’s typewriter to hunt and peck out stories. She sold my first piece of writing in her early twenties to a parent’s magazine.

Here is how she tells the rest of her story”

“After graduating from high school, I joined the U.S. Air Force to see the world. I served my entire time in Texas as a nurse (so much for seeing the world). While there, I did attend college, majoring in Journalism and Elementary Education. After leaving the Air Force, I moved to Tennessee where I met my present husband. I have a handsome son and two grandchildren (a boy and a girl). We moved to Iowa which is now our home. After moving to Iowa, I again attended college, majoring in Photography and Criminal Justice.

“I love writing. It's actually hard work. You have to connect your "tushy" to a chair in front of a computer (typewriter, or whatever it is you use) for hours. My friend and fellow romance author, Emma Robuck, e-mails the word "BICHOK" to me during the day which means "butt in chair, hands on keyboard". Writing is a solitary job. You can go for days without seeing anybody. You get lost in

the world you're creating, talking with the people you create. I guess it's like pretend play, except I'm pretending to be a type of God, creating my own universe and throwing whatever disasters at my characters I can think up. Believe me, I can think up some pretty great disasters, too.

“In addition to writing, I am also an award-winning photographer and specialize in nature and wildlife photography. My love of photography developed in my early years as well. I started out by making my pets (8 beagle hounds, one German shepherd, one squirrel monkey and a half dozen cats) sit still long enough for me to take black and white photos of them. After high school, I furthered my photographic studies while serving in the U.S. Air Force. Since then, I have attended the Rocky Mountain School of Photography's Nature Photography Workshop Series at Wildeyes in Kalispell, Montana, and graduated from the "Beginning Nature Photography Course" and the "Advanced Nature Photography Course" taught by Joe and Mary Ann McDonald at Hoot Hollow in McClure, Pennsylvania. I have continued my photographic studies by completing college level courses in photography and by attending photographic workshops and seminars held by such well-known nature photographers as John Shaw, John and Barbara Gerlach, Harry June, Rick Hobbs and Ty Smedes. I am a field contributor to Nature Photographer magazine and a member of the North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA). I have won numerous awards and was selected to participate in the "Faces of Iowa" project which was exhibited at the Des Moines Art Center before traveling around the State of Iowa.”

Maggie has co-authored the books in the Stilettos series with Deanne Rowe. Maggie’s web page is http://maggierivers.com.

Plus, there’s one more little “secret” that Maggie and I share … but you’ll have to come to the book signing to find out!

 

Remember, 4-7 p.m. Friday, October 12, Chololaterie Stam, 2814 Ingersoll, Des Moines. Maggie, Deanne, Ann Morris, James Seloover and me … make it a date!

Mondays With Mike: Romance Author C. Deanne Rowe

  THIS WEEK IS the third in the series about the other four authors who will be joning me Friday October 12 at Chololaterie Stam, 2814 Ingersoll, Des Moines from 4-7 p.m. C. Deanne Rowe is a prolific writer who has co-authored a number of books in the Stilettos Series: Mrs. Clause Wears Stilettos, Venus in Stilettos, and Stilettos (Flip Flops) in the Sand.

 

   Here is waht Deanne says about how she got involved in writing: "Growing up in Oklahoma I was always the dreamer. . . . I learned when I was young it was easier for me to put my feelings down on paper than to express them in spoken form.  I started writing poetry and short stories to help express those feelings.

 

   "After thousands of thrips to the bookstore and many writing related books later I finally got up the nerve to register for a romance writing class through our local school system.

 

   "I joined a local writing group, which has since dissolved.  Several of us stayed together and formed our own group called Saturday Writers.  I became a member of Romance Writers of America, Iowa Romance Novelists and Two Rivers Romance Authors.  I also belong to a group of women named Plotters Anonymous and a Critique group where I believe I have learned the most to further my writing career."

  
   Her latest book is Cowboy Temptation -- Colt and Cassy.  It is about a woman who returns to her family's farm to care for her ailing grandfather. When her grandfather is murdered, she discovers evidence that leads her to believe that a trusted farmhand may be responsible and she has to balance her feelings for the farmhand with the evidence that shows him to be guilty.

 

   You can check out Deanne's website at http://www.cdeannerowe.com.

 

   Deanne will join authors Maggie Rivers, Ann Morris, James Selover and me at Chololaterie Stam October 12.  We'll be signing our books and I'll have my two murder mysteries, Murder Most Holy and End of the Line.

Mondays With Mike: Ann Morris bilingual children's author

  THIS WEEK'S MONDAYS with Mike features a second author who will be joining me at the  5 Author book signing Friday October 12, at Chololaterie Stam, 2814 Ingersoll, Des Moines – from 4 to 7 p.m. She is Ann Morris and writes bilingual children’s picture books.

  Ann is an Iowa native who writes from the heart and relates experiences with her young son, nieces and nephews, grandchildren, and imagination. She writes a Spanish version of her books, as she knows they may be used as children's picture books as well as incentive reading for Language Learners. She is bilingual and has multicultural interests. She has a passion for unity and diversity.

  Mommy and Mikel Go for a Walk / Mikel y Mami dan un Paseo is based on a true story held in Ann’s heart for over a decade. Mikel is her son, now an adult. The spirit and the events of the story are true. This book is dedicated to Mikel, her first inspiration.

  She is working on a second book Flowers and Butterflies / Flores y Mariposas also in both English and Spanish.

  She is currently she is a self employed Bilingual Children's Author and Spanish Language Consultant.  She attended Wartburg College; Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain and Humboldt High School. She has a website at http://annmorrisauthorsite.com/.

  Ann will be joining me and fellow authors, James Seloover, Maggie Rivers and C. Deanne Rowe at Chololaterie Stam on October 12.  I will have both of my murder mysteries, Murder Most Holy and End of the Line available for sale (discounted).

 

Mondays With Mike: Author James Seloover

           OKAY, OKAY, I’M temporarily (perhaps permanently) bringing back Mondays with Mike to introduce you to the authors who will be joining me  Friday October 12, at
Chololaterie Stam, 2814 Ingersoll, Des Moines – from 4 to 7 p.m. The first author is James Seloover and here is a bit of a bio for him:

            He was raised in northwest Oregon, and graduated from Knappa High in Knappa, Oregon

   

         Realizing that he was stagnating in the lowest professional ranks of a part-time pot-washer, he enlisted and spent four few years with the Air Force in the field of electronics maintenance, four more in college earning a BS in Businees Administration, then on to the world of mid-management in retail for an excruciating amount of time. Then it was on to Spokane Community college to learn web development and to the Oregon Department of Forestry, and finally with the Department of Administrative Services in Des Moines. He had a short stint as a long-haul flat-bed truck driver in the western states between retail and Spokane Community College.

 

           Convinced of the fortunes to be had in the literary field, James wrote A Bed of Needles. Riding the crest of the ripple of Needles', success, he squandered scant time and is well into the next book, tentatively titled, Never Say Always, due for completion in 2012.

     

       The story in A Bed of Needles is of two teenagers who became involved in a sexual relationship and believed they could handle it. The could not. They both made mistakes and both suffered. Both suffered abuse, the girl's from the family she grew up in. The boy's from the girl. Their entire relationship occurred during their short time together in high school and time the boy was in the military. He joined the military because of the marriage and their circumstances.

            The book, dealing with domestic abuse while the main character is enlisted in the Air Force, coencides with both "Domestic Abuse Month," approaching in October, and with Veterans Day in early November.  There is violence, sex, and adult language. It is not a book for minors. It does have its humorous parts.

            James’ web site is http://jamesseloover.com.

            Don’t forget: Friday October 12 at Chololaterie Stam, 2814 Ingersoll, Des Moines – from 4 to 7 p.m.  Hope to see you then and I’ll have copies (discounted) of my two murder mysteries, Murder Most Holy and End of the Line.

            Next week: more authors!

Chocolate, books and authors



Five author book signing!

 

 

 

SAVE THE DATE

October 12, 2012
Chololaterie Stam, 2814 Ingersoll, Des Moines
From 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Five authors, book signings and chocolate!

Watch this page for more information

 

New interview of ME up

OKAY, OKAY, I’VE been out of the loop a bit lately.  My work at the church increased significantly when my pastor became ill and later died, had a busy Christmas season after which I developed some type of near pneumonia that took my voice for about three weeks.  Then, just as things were getting back to normal, a big death in my family: my mother died.

Anyway, now that things are starting to get back to normal (again), I’m getting back into the writing grove.  My two works in progress are my third Parker Noble murder mystery, and something a bit different for me: the story about a little girl who sees a vision in a churchyard.

I’m also getting busy getting my first book, Murder Most Holy, ready for e-book distribution.  Hope to get more regular interviews back up.

And, speaking of interviews, check out the one I gave to the Writers of the Lake.  This just went up on their website: http://www.writersofthelake.com/dock.html.  Take a look and let me know what you think, and check out their great web site while you are there.

PS – In addition to everything else, I’m becoming a radio “star.” More about that later.