Author Interview: V Frank Asaro - The Tortoise Shell Code

Today I'm chatting with V Frank Asaro, author of The Tortoise Shell Code and Universal Co-opetition. This is one of many stops on his virtual tour with Pump Up Your Book. Be sure to check out the complete list of tour stops to find out more about the author and the books.

About the Author:

For forty years V Frank Asaro, J.D., was a gun-slinging litigation lawyer. To escape the combat, he wrote for pleasure on the side, but kept the manuscripts in a drawer. Often he would switch to composing music and writing lyrics, and inventing, too- all to take a break. Disk jockeys across the U.S. played his albums, recorded by world-class guitarist Peter Sprague and his group, with Frank occasionally sitting in. For a time he had played professionally. The inventions also happened at this time –part of the continuing quest for sanctuary. He holds several patents. But the triumph he most would like to share is his inventive contribution to products liability law –Greenman v. Yuba Power Products. He made that as a young lawyer-clerk with the California Court of Appeal. The concept was expanded by the Supreme Court of California, and is now taught in every law school in the English speaking world, including the European Union. He reached the highest lawyer peer review rating by secret ballot, published by Martindale Hubbell, was named Whose Who in American Jurisprudence, and in Who’s Who in the World.

Find out more at http://universalcoopetition.com/

What are these two related books about?

The Tortoise Shell Code is a high-seas legal/crime thriller, with romance, fisticuffs, prison breakouts, revolution, all with a philosophical twist – that of co-opetition.

Universal Co-opetition is a non-fiction work. It explains the axiom that we can better resolve issues and problems if we cooperate while we compete. I mean by that: we synthesize the behaviors of cooperating and competing into one dynamic. For example when we compete in business we’d better do it ethically or customers will evaporate.

Who is the intended audience?

The audience would be pretty broad from the standpoint of those seeking inhalation of pure entertainment, but I would hope the deep thinkers out there would grasp and appreciate the universal application of the theory of co-opetition. Throughout the book I seed the story with concepts from my non-fiction work Universal Co-opetition. What’s wrong with employing the techniques of Orwell, Ayn Rand, and Huxley et al? Never could I rise to their stratosphere, but one shouldn’t shirk from the inspiration they gave.

Why did you choose to write a crime thriller?

The Tortoise Shell Code novelized the concept of my non-fiction work Universal Co-opetition. I felt that a high-seas crime/legal thriller is the way to it.

What was your experience with publication? Did self-doubt creep in at any point?

Early editors of publishing houses liked the concept of Universal Co-opetition, but did not have the courage to take a shot at it. Many years later some of my followers and others adopted the concept to business theory. It exploded from there. I find it now cited in the search engines by a hundred different authors. No. I never experienced self-doubts, only frustration because of delay getting out the concept.

Where do you write?

I write at home in my studio where I enjoy sculpting phrases on my word processor. From there, it’s a short drive to the coffee shop discussions or to the back yard pool – I am in Southern California, you see.

How did you prepare yourself for writing these books?

I attended workshops on writing, read how-to books and combined those with my personal adventure experiences and those of friends and acquaintances. As a child, I have to admit, I was a book worm. Getting to high school and beyond, I gravitated to athletics – wrestling, track, cross-country, sailing, horsemanship, snow skiing, scuba diver, but always a book worm.

Who is your publisher and how did you get accepted by them? And did you pitch your book yourself or go through an agent?

I pitched my book myself and was fortunate that the publisher, Bettie Youngs Books and her top editor Mark Clements, actually read it. Their enthusiasm pleasantly surprised me.

If you could give one book promotion tip to new authors, what would that be?

If you know what you have is good, somehow let the readers know that. Persevere.

What are you working on now?

I’d like to have The Tortoise Shell Code made into a movie. Other than that I have a few manuscripts about regression in time and ghosts. One set in Alaska and California and one sent in Europe and California.

About the Book:

Off the coast of Southern California, the Sea Diva, a tuna boat, sinks. Members of the crew are missing and what happened remains a mystery. Anthony Darren, a renowned and wealthy lawyer at the top of his game, knows the boat’s owner and soon becomes involved in the case. As the case goes to trial, a missing crew member is believed to be at fault, but new evidence comes to light and the finger of guilt points in a completely unan­ticipated direction.

Now Anthony must pull together all his resources to find the truth in what has happened and free a wrongly accused man—as well as untangle himself. Fighting despair, he finds that the recent events have called much larger issues into question. As he struggles to right this terrible wrong, Anthony makes new and enlightening dis­coveries in his own life-long battle for personal and global justice.

Buy The Tortoise Shell Code in eBook or Paperback (affiliate links)

Note: All opinions presented in book and product reviews are my own. Opinions presented in posts authored by others reflect the view of the author only and not necessarily my view or opinion. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Amazon and Book Depository links are affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.

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Through These Veins by Anne Marie Ruff - Interview

Today I would like to welcome author Anne Marie Ruff to the blog. I have a copy of her book, Through These Veins, sitting in my TBR pile but she also generously offered to stop by for an interview and to give one of my lucky readers a copy of her book.

 About the Book:

In the coffee-growing highlands of Ethiopia, an Italian scientist on a plant collecting expedition discovers a local medicine man dispensing an apparent cure for AIDS. As the medicine man’s teenage daughter reveals the plants behind the cure, their lives become irrevocably intertwined. Through These Veins weaves together the dramatically different worlds of traditional healing, U.S. government funded AIDS research, and the pharmaceutical industry in an intensely personal, fast-paced tale of scientific intrigue and love, with both devastating and hopeful effect.

All profits from the sale of this book will be distributed to the Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines of Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders and the Institute of Biodiversity Conservation in Ethiopia.

Available in Paperback and eBook

Author Interview:

1. How did you transition from reporting on AIDS research to writing a novel about it?

I worked for many years as a journalist, both in the U.S. and internationally. But I find that I have grown jaded, fatigued, disillusioned with the incessant stream of news. I am interested in the longer story arc, the slower movements of society and culture that drive the daily churn of news like a massive gear in the machine of history.

I didn’t set out to write fiction, which seems so contrary to the “just the facts ma’am” axiom we associate with journalism. My intention was to shine a light on unreported or under-reported environmental stories. The medical reporting I did was not really my passion, as much as a byproduct of living in Bangkok; a hub for HIV/AIDS research and activism.

After a year of telling gloom and doom stories about the destruction of forests, or coral reefs, or traditional agricultural varieties, I felt like even I was becoming desensitized to my deeply held belief that our collective health is inextricably linked to the health of our environment.

Then I meet Stefano Padulosi -- more about that below, and I felt that I had a fictional story that I needed to tell.

Here is how the novel’s story opens: In the coffee-growing highlands of Ethiopia, an Italian scientist on a plant collecting expedition discovers a local medicine man dispensing an apparent cure for AIDS.

The specifics of this particular situation are fiction. But the story that unfurls from this fiction is studded with facts, real scientists, and events mirroring real life situations. I gathered my sources and research for this novel at first unknowingly, while I worked as a journalist based in Bangkok, Thailand and then in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Later, once I had the idea for a novel, I sought out more research for the novel, under the guise of journalism.

2. Tell us about someone you met in your travels.

When, in the course of my reporting, I met a charismatic Italian scientist who approached plant collecting and conservation as if it were an adventure worthy of Indiana Jones. I had a shazaam moment. He ignited an idea for a new approach, a fictional story centered on a character like him. He could carry readers around the world, and inspire in others the passion he felt for the richness of life on the planet. He could articulate the imperative to conserve it for the health and well being of this and future generations.

I am grateful for that conference in Malaysia and the chance meeting with Stefano, for it allowed me to marry my different reporting interests and use everything I learned and more in a novel way. So facts support my fiction, and hopefully, my fiction will serve the facts.

3. What are you currently reading? What has been your favorite book so far this year?

I am reading The Mirage by Matt Ruff. I have to admit I picked it up because I was intrigued that we share the same last name, and he certainly looks from his author photo as though we could be kin. The book is centered on the idea that a mirage has transposed the world into a sort of mirror image with fundamentalist Christians having orchestrated an incredible terrorist attack in Baghdad, flying planes into two towers on November 9th, 2011. The ensuing aftermath as the global superpower, The United Arab States, invades the backward states on the North American continent is a fascinating prism through which to view current events.

The best book I have read this year is Red Earth and Pouring Rain by Vikram Chandra. Almost defies explanation in its scope.

4. Outside of reading, writing, and traveling what hobbies do you enjoy?

I have husband, two children, four chickens, dozens of fruit trees and a vegetable garden. I guess you could say living things are my hobby these days.

5. Do you have more novels planned? Can you share anything about what you are currently writing?

At the moment I am almost finished with the first draft of a new novel. The one line synopsis: an American woman marries a Pakistani man, a man who subsequently commits a terrorist act. The story delves into some searing questions about identity and loyalty, justice and revenge. While the book is by no means autobiographical, I am drawing on my own experience of a cross-cultural marriage (I married a Sikh man from India) and a familiarity with Islamic culture which I developed during three years I spent living in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates which hosts a large Pakistani population. I write every morning on the bus on the way to my office and expect to have a first draft completed in the fall.

About the Author:

Anne Marie Ruff has reported on AIDS research, drug development, biodiversity conservation, and agriculture from Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and East Africa. Her work has been broadcast by National Public Radio, Public Radio International, the British Broadcasting Corporation, and PBS TV. Her articles have appeared in Time, Christian Science Monitor, and Saveur among other publications. Through These Veins is Anne Marie's first novel.

Please visit www.annemarieruff.com to learn more about the book and Anne Marie.

Connect with Anne Marie Ruff on Facebook and Twitter.

The Giveaway

This giveaway is sponsored by Anne Marie Ruff. One winner will receive either a paperback copy (US/CAN only) or an eBook copy (International) of Through These Veins. Please use the Rafflecopter form below to enter. Library Girl Reads & Reviews is not responsible for the delivery of prizes.

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Note: All opinions presented in book and product reviews are my own. Opinions presented in posts authored by others reflect the view of the author only and not necessarily my view or opinion. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Amazon and Book Depository links are affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.

Author Interview: Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar, Love Comes Later

Today I am pleased to interview Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar, author of Love Comes Later and From Dunes to Dior. Keep reading to learn how you can win huge prizes as part of this blog tour, including a Kindle Fire, $550 in Amazon gift cards, 5 autographed copies of Love Comes Later, and 5 copies of its companion, From Dunes to Dior.

1. Love Comes Later tells the story of Abdulla’s arranged marriage to his cousin Hind. Neither is excited about the prospect—Abdulla because he is still recovering from the untimely death of his former wife and unborn child; Hind because she is a thoroughly modern girl who does not appreciate the prospect of being anyone’s second option. How did the inspiration for this story surface, particularly for the characters of Abdulla and Hind?

In conversations with people in Qatar, expat or Qatari, the subject of love inevitably came up. For women, the main issue involved the small pool of people they felt they had to choose from. My surprise and revelation came, however, when my male friends expressed similar sentiments. We often think men have all the power in male-dominated societies but from these discussions I began to realize how society limits both male and female aspirations with universal social expectations like marriage. The story began to form there: what would make a man unlikely to marry? And why? What would he do in order to keep his freedom?

2. You met your husband in Qatar although you are both American-raised and come from Asian heritage (you South Indian, and your husband of Laotian descent). How did the two of you meet? This sounds like such a magical love story!

We met at work, believe it or not, and at first the entire possibility of forging a lasting bond with someone I’d just met seemed as foreign to me as the desert landscape outside. I had my mind set on my career and wasn’t looking for a relationship; people were throwing dire warnings my way not to take anything starting overseas very seriously. But over time, I was impressed by the strength of my husband’s character and realized, despite the naysayers, I had never met anyone else like him. The desert is a great place to find out what someone is really about because you can’t rely on the busyness of life at home--work, family, friends--to hide behind. It’s just you, in a foreign setting, and that can be like a pressure cooker for most expats. What’s inside eventually comes out. Lucky for me, I listened to my gut, and six years of marriage later, I’m more and more grateful.

3. In Love Comes Later, how do the characters of Hind, Fatima, and Luluwa embody the modern Qatari (or Arab) woman?

They’re each their own personalities and have characteristics of different parts of Qatari society. Each of them occupies a space that demonstrates the changes in society as increasingly Qatar become open to the rest of the world. While Fatima was live, she was probably the most conservative of the three, which makes sense because she is also the oldest. She wanted to get married, and though she had a job outside the home, was much more excited about the birth of her first child. Hind has been allowed to study abroad without a family member, and during the story that causes her to become increasingly liberal-minded. Luluwa is very young at the time of this story, and she represents those in the next generation, who have even more choices facing them about tradition and society.

The Arabian Gulf is different from the Middle East, partly because of the oil revenues that drive the economy, but also because of the gender segregation that is very visible and preserved by the local community. While the female characters may have a lot in common with other Muslim women from the Arab world in terms of personal aspirations, their circumstances and context are unique to Qatar.

4. Based on your experiences, what is the one thing you believe Westerners would be the most surprised to learn about the city of Doha?

You can make relationships here that will last for a lifetime a lot more easily than you can at home. Part of the reason is that we are all in the same boat--expats and locals alike--everyone is searching for ways to make contribute to the rapid growth and development of the nation so that means you are engaged in meaningful work. Most people here are interested in cultural exchange and open about the world in general around them. This, plus the fact that the country is such a melting pot means that you and your children (if you have any) are more likely to have friends of different faiths and nationalities than many other places in the world.

5. What made you decide to relocate to Doha in particular, and what has motivated you to stay for so long (7 years)? Do you plan to move back to the U.S. one day, or might you set-up your permanent homestead in Qatar?

I don’t know of anywhere else that is investing as much in education as the Arabian Gulf at the present moment in time. I came to work at an American university, took some time to consult at the national university, and then worked for a newly established publishing company. They were all fairly big name organizations in their own right and the ability to contribute significantly on the programmatic level as I’ve done at a fairly young age would be difficult to replicate anywhere else.

Sorry, my academic side took over for a second! I am a scholar and this is a wonderful place to have the resources--perhaps most importantly time--to work on research and writing. And because I am a writer, I can’t remember another place I’ve lived that has so inspired me with subject matter--unless it was inside my own head as a teenage immigrant.

We agree in our house that we’ll stay as long as we’re having fun. And that doesn’t seem likely to change any time soon.

6. In your memoir From Dunes to Dior, you note that your American upbringing combined with your South Indian heritage, doctoral education, and femininity mean you’re a rather unique mixture of social identities in Qatar. How hard is it for you to reconcile all these sides of yourself while trying to fit in to this new society and take pride in all that makes you you?

Depends on the context; when I’m in traffic, it’s not unusual for me to return stares from men elbowing each other to have a look at me driving while they’re sitting in buses going back to their accommodation. In the classroom some students are taken aback for the first few sessions but eventually I grow on them. In instances where I have one on one interaction--or people hear my Western accent--I don’t have that much difficulty. It’s when I’m in places where judgments are made by skin color--the mall or first time meetings--that I have slightly more difficulty but in general these smooth out over time.

7. You’ve published six ebooks within the space of a year. How on earth do you manage to be so productive? Do you plan to keep this pace up, or are you just sprinting to get started?

I had the luxury of a backlist of manuscripts that had been politely declined by a number of agents over the years. Each time I stalled, I would go on and write another. I decided to give all of them a home on e-readers as a way of reaching readers. I have two more to go as part of the original list of 8. And of course there are ideas for new stories that keep coming up--even the possibilities of two more books with characters from Love Comes Later--but I think I’ll take a more relaxed approach after December!

8. You chose to pursue indie publishing even though your PhD in English Literature would make you a prime candidate for the traditional publishing model? Why indie, and if given the choice to do it all over again, would you still choose this path?

I came to indie publishing because I put a lot of time and effort into my academic books and no one--not even my mother--ever read them. That’s a long time for them to just waste away in the library. I kept hearing the indie drumbeat at conferences I attended and decided these manuscripts that weren’t being picked up didn’t need to be rejected 60 times in order to make it into the hands of readers. I don’t regret going indie. I wish I had done it sooner in the sense that it would have been fun to work on a single book, release it, and then start another book, instead of this wild and creative space I’m in right now where I’m revising one book, researching for another, and promoting others.

9. As a writer, what is the message you are trying to get out to the world? Who are you trying to reach, and what do you want to tell them? Are your books more entertainment/ informational driven, or is there a deeper resonance you are trying to achieve?

I want to take readers to places they’d like to go but can’t physically get to because of time or financial considerations. A book is the oldest form of technology we have, and though we’ve put them on tablets and found ways to make them enticing through video or graphics, we haven’t actually changed what a book does which is transport us to worlds other than our own. I want my stories to capture the essence and wonder of storytelling for the reader who will enter a world unfamiliar and yet see something of him/herself in the characters, dilemmas, and settings.

10. What can readers expect next from MohaDoha?

I am working on other titles… the very next one is a coming of age story, set in the U.S., told from the perspective of a young female protagonist, Sita, who we’ll root for to grow up into an empowered woman despite those who have other plans for her life.

I love interacting with readers. The more feedback I get, the better content I feel that I create. So the door is open--tell me what you loved or what was confusing--and I’ll keep you posted on the release date for An Unlikely Goddess!

As part of this special promotional extravaganza sponsored by Novel Publicity, the price of the Love Comes Later eBook edition is just 99 cents this week--and so is the price of its companion, From Dunes to Dior. What’s more, by purchasing either of these fantastic books at an incredibly low price, you can enter to win many awesome prizes. The prizes include a Kindle Fire, $550 in Amazon gift cards, and 5 autographed copies of each book.

All the info you need to win one of these amazing prizes is RIGHT HERE. Remember, winning is as easy as clicking a button or leaving a blog comment--easy to enter; easy to win!

To win the prizes:

1. Purchase your copy of Love Comes Later for just 99 cents
2. Purchase your copy of From Dunes to Dior for just 99 cents
3. Enter the Rafflecopter contest on Novel Publicity
4. Visit today’s featured social media event

About Love Comes Later: What if pursuing your happiness also meant your best friend's disgrace? In Love Comes Later Sangita, Abdulla and Hind must chose between loyalty and love, traditional values and a future they each long to explore. Get it on Amazon.

About From Dunes to Dior: I moved East, back towards my roots, only to discover how much of the West I brought with me. From Dunes to Dior is the story of my life as an expat South Asian woman in the heart of the Middle East. Get it on Amazon.

About the Author: Six eBooks ago, Mohana joined the e-book revolution and now she dreams in plot lines. Visit Mohana on her website, Twitter, Facebook, or GoodReads.

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Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Bookstore links are generally affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.

Related articles

• Love Comes Later | Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar
• A Review of Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar's Love Comes Later

Author Interview with Terri Clark - Hollyweird

photo courtesy of Terri Clark

I am so excited to welcome my friend Terri Clark to the blog today. Terri and I used to work together at the library when I lived in Colorado. She does amazing work with the teenagers there and has lots of fun doing it. Terri tried writing romance novels for a while but finally found a home writing books for young adults. Terri's sense of fun, quick wit, and love of pop culture come through strongly in her books as does her interest in the supernatural. Terri is one busy lady so I'm so glad that she had some time to answer a few interview questions. Be sure to keep reading because Terri has generously offered up two copies of Hollyweird for my readers.

1. I know you are a huge fan of the TV show Supernatural and that it provided some of the inspiration for Hollyweird. What is it about that particular show that draws you in and encourages you to do more than just watch each week?

It's smartly written. I love the paranormal lore, the overall story and character arcs and especially the humor. Plus, the relationship between the brothers is something, as a viewer, I've become very invested in. The writers make you care about these characters. You know their psychic wounds, their greatest strengths, the things that make them act goofy or cause them to be impetuous. Plus I adore the biting wit in their dialogue. I guess the real question is "what's not to love?"

2. You work with teens at the library and write for a young adult audience. What do you like best about working with this age group? How do the teens inspire your writing?

I adore working with teens. They're so bright, enthusiastic, unfiltered, funny, loyal, genius and inspiring. I'm very blessed because not only do their inspire my writing and characters, they inspire me to want to be a better person every day.

3. You are one busy lady with family, work, workshops/conferences, and writing! How do you keep things in balance and find the time to do it all?

I don't. LOL. It's very hard to balance it all and I struggle on a daily basis, but writing is my real passion and so I have to make that a priority.

4. What is the best advice you can give new writers on finding and working with an agent?

Try to see or meet agents in person at conferences because you get a real sense of who they are, what matters to them, what they're looking for and how they work. It can be very hard to pick an agent from Writer's Market or Queryagent.com because they're just words on paper. If you can't see them personally at least speak to them at length on the phone so you have a real sense of whether or not you click. I've had an agent in mind before and after seeing them speak at a conference decided they weren't for me. This is a professional relationship and you don't want to go into it blindly. Imagine if you only read about a guy on the internet and then married him without ever meeting. You might get lucky, but probably not. Don't find an agent the same way. :)

Terri's Official Bio: Terri Clark feels blessed to demonstrate her passion for young adult fiction as both a teen librarian and author in Colorado. Since she was a little girl she’s been fascinated with the paranormal, so it’s little wonder she's a real life ghost huntress and her stories dabble in the dark and different. Her latest book, Hollyweird, is about two teen girls who realize their favorite TV star is actually the son of Satan. You can also read Terri’s essay, Crime of Fashion, in the Hunger Games related anthology The Girl Who Was On Fire from Pop Smart books. Please visit Terri online at www.TerriClarkBooks.com, www.facebook.com/terriclarkbooks and twitter.com/terriclarkbooks.

About Hollyweird: Aly King is about to fall for the fallen

My best friend, Des, and I totally freaked when we won the contest to meet THE Dakota Danvers in Hollywood. But now we’re finding out he’s SO not the angel everyone believes him to be. In fact, Dakota is the son of Satan, wreaking havoc on Hollywood and creating an evil army hellbent on world domination.

Lucky for us, Dakota’s super-cute personal assistant, Jameson, is a fallen angel trying to get his wings back, and he’s working undercover to squash his demon boss’s plan. If Jameson hadn’t taken me under his wing I’d be in serious trouble, because I’m a total newb when it comes to conquering evil. But, truth be told, that sexy angel’s got me all aflutter and may be one temptation I can’t resist.

Enter to Win a Copy

Terri has offered to send two of my readers a copy of Hollyweird. Please enter using the Rafflecopter form below. If you are reading this post via email or a feed reader, you will need to visit the blog to enter.

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Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Bookstore links are generally affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.

Related articles

• Hollyweird by Terri Clark (Review)
• Bestsellers' Sandbox - Traditional or Indie?

Author Interview: Phil Jourdan - Praise of Motherhood

Please welcome Phil Jourdan, author of the touching memoir, Praise of Motherhood. Then read on to learn how you can win huge prizes as part of this blog tour, including $500 in Amazon gift cards and 5 autographed copies of the book.

1. Who was your mother?

Hey, perhaps the obvious thing is that she was the single greatest person in my life--a woman who set everything aside to help me when I went through a few rocky years, a lover of animals and nature, a professor of mathematics and computer science who worked because she needed something to do…

She was that lady who'd bring clothes out to the homeless people in the streets when it was cold. She spoke Portuguese, French, English, and Russian fluently. She took people into her life and made them stronger, happier. She drove very carefully.

She was one person among many to die from something as trivial and terrible as an aneurysm; just one out of all the people who died on November 11th, 2009, for no reason, and without saying goodbye to any of us.

And, now, she's the subject of my book.

2. Who are you?

I'm a bearded, forever-anxious guy in his mid-twenties living in the UK. I'm working on a PhD in Literature and Religion. I have a band, I run a press, I write articles for various publications, and I pace around a lot when I talk about things that interest me.

3. Why did you write Praise of Motherhood?

Because I couldn't bear the idea that my mother's death might be just another sad event in the lives of a few people. I wanted my mother to be remembered somehow — not just by those who knew her, but by those who could end up wishing they had known her.

It's not easy losing a parent, and I wanted to write my way out of some dark places. To focus on the good things. To remember with gratitude the way she did everything she could to make her children feel okay.

4. Were you a mama's boy?

Of course, I was. She was worth the teasing from my young classmates. I loved her even when I was furiously angry with her.

5. When were you furiously angry?

From the age of 14 to 16, I was so psychologically unstable that I had to leave school for a while to stay in a private clinic and "recover" — which means they pumped me full of medication and made me sleep for a few weeks. This happened twice. My mother's support was crucial back then, because I was a mess. I hallucinated, I was paranoid, and I wanted to die. Of course, like any screwed up kid, I took it out on my mom.

I'd get so angry that I couldn't breathe. Everything seemed to hurt me--physically and emotionally. Because I trusted my mother so much, I took her for granted, too. I knew she wouldn't abandon me if I broke down or lashed out. She was a saint about my outbursts.

6. Is that what Praise of Motherhood is about?

In part. What you'll find in Praise of Motherhood is a series of short chapters on various ways I related to my mother. Let me be clear that it's not a book about mothers in general. It's a memoir about my relationship with my mother, before and after her death. It deals with my weird adolescence, then it moves on to questions about her private life that I'll never be able to answer, and then it turns toward fiction. I imagine a world in which mother didn't die on that day. I try to reconstruct conversations I had with her and my father. Then I end the book because I could go on forever and I think it's best to be brief.

7. What was it like to show the book to your family?

It was less terrible than I'd anticipated. My great fear was that someone might object to the way I'd written it. It's not "conventional" — there's a scene in which I imagine my mother breaking into pieces and my sister and I have to tape her back together before she accuses me of having killed her. That scene worried me: what if my sister hated it?

I'm happy to say it all went well. My sister found that chapter moving, and my grandparents each expressed their support. My father, who hadn't been married to my mother for over a decade, was equally moved and helped me through the various drafts.

8. Is everything you write in Praise of Motherhood true?

If you read it, you'll see that some of it is obviously fiction. I don't think the right distinction here is between fiction and nonfiction; it's between truthfulness and untruthfulness. The book is certainly truthful: if I make things up, as in the chapter where I imagine what my mother's "secret life" as an occasional spy might have been like, it's to show what I think about when I wonder about her as a private person. I paint myself pretty much as I was back then: irritable, self-involved, afraid. I paint my mother just as she was: patient, terrified of losing her child, and often helpless but willing to do anything.

The events that I depict in the more "conventional" chapters are true. The dialogue is obviously not going to represent exactly what was said, but the spirit of the past is contained within it.

9. Who is this book for?

It's for people who have lost someone they loved and want to know how someone else handled their pain.

It's for parents who need a reminder that their children can and will end up appreciating all the sacrifices, all the patience, all the secret suffering.

And it's for anyone who is interested in teenage depression, psychosis and anxiety, and wants to read a memoir about how those conditions affect family relationships.

10. What's next?

A novel that begins with a mother's funeral… and then goes in a totally new direction. I started it just as I was wrapping up Praise of Motherhood, and I was ready to let go of those memories for a while, but the image of my mother's coffin going into the earth has stayed with me so vividly that I had to begin a work of fiction with it. But beyond that, it's an entirely different thing.

As part of this special promotional extravaganza sponsored by Novel Publicity, the price of the Praise of Motherhood eBook edition is just 99 cents this week. What’s more, by purchasing this fantastic book at an incredibly low price, you can enter to win many awesome prizes. The prizes include $500 in Amazon gift cards and 5 autographed copies of the book.

All the info you need to win one of these amazing prizes is RIGHT HERE. Remember, winning is as easy as clicking a button or leaving a blog comment--easy to enter; easy to win!

To win the prizes:

1. Purchase your copy of Praise of Motherhood for just 99 cents
2. Enter the Rafflecopter contest on Novel Publicity
3. Visit today’s featured social media event

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the book: Praise of Motherhood is a son's tribute to the woman who not only gave him life, but helped him live: through various psychotic breakdowns, tumultuous teenage years, and years of feeling out of place in the world. Get it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

About the author: Phil Jourdan fronts the lit-rock band Paris and the Hiltons, runs the fiction press Perfect Edge Books, and occasionally works on a PhD. Visit Phil on his blog, music site, Twitter, Facebook, or GoodReads.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Bookstore links are generally affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.

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• Black Hippie Chick receives a visit from Phil Jourdan, author of Praise of Motherhood

Guest Post - Cynthia Roberts, Romance Author

Today romance author Cynthia Roberts is joining us to talk about her upcoming book, Wind Warrior, and how she got started writing.

Hello everyone. Like all of you, I lived and breathed reading romances … it filled many long, lonely evenings when my husband worked nights in law enforcement and I was raising our children Jason and Alyssa (now 31 and 29). It proved my constant companion later when my “Cinderella” marriage of twenty-five years came to an unexpected end. There is a quote I heard once I can’t remember verbatim but goes somewhat like … “There is no greater loss than a love once known.”

I’m a true believer that when tragedy strikes and you’re standing at the edge of a fathomless abyss and all you see is darkness looking back at you, faith lies in knowing one of two things will happen. You can either let fear consume you, roll up into a ball and waste away or, you can take a leap of faith and learn how to soar like an eagle.

I’ve always had a passion for writing from that very moment a Crayola was placed in my hand and throughout my career in marketing, public relations and sales writing creatively came easy. When my marriage ended at the age of 45, life as I knew it was never the same. It was a time of unrest, uncertainty, losing friends and family and financial ruin because I also found myself jobless which continued nearly two years.

Wind Warrior became my salvation. One evening I sat in front of the computer and decided to write instead of read and figured all I could do was fail. It proved my therapy back then but not quite up to par to win the favor of publishers. I received so many rejections I could have wallpapered a small room in my house and almost gave up on my dream. That is, until I realized it just wasn’t my time. I needed to live through and get beyond the pain in my own life before I could transform that experience into the kind of passion and emotion I wanted my readers to feel personally through my writing.

I chose to write an historical Indian romance because the first fiction I ever read was a novel from Cassie Edward’s Savage series and instantly became hungry to read more. I tracked down every one of those babies; let me tell you, until I read them all. However, every one I read from that point on was based on a Plains tribe. I wanted to focus on a tribe indigenous to my area and decided to write a series based on the tribes that make up the Iroquois League of Nations here on the east coast. Their warriors were the fiercest ever known to strike terror in the hearts of early settlers from Pennsylvania to Canada. They were referred to as "People of the Longhouse" because their families lived together in wooden structures upward of 40 feet long. They were an extremely powerful nation that was sadly torn apart by the American Revolution. I fell in love with the simplistic beauty of their culture and folklore. We could learn so much from our Native American brothers and the reverent love and respect they have for everything that is natural and of this earth. They knew how to live in balance with plants, animals and the natural elements ... never taking more than what was needed to sustain their people and way of life.

Wind Warrior will officially be released on June 15th and available now for purchase through Tate’s website. It is my heartfelt hope readers will find it as enthralling to read as it was for me to research and bring to life. Book #2 Captive Heart is finished and expected to be released the end of this year.

Now that the writer in me has been unleashed … look out world! If I can leave my beautiful five grandchildren any legacy, it will be the strength, conviction and passion put into every story I bring to life. Please stay tuned for future projects which will include a series introducing contemporary shape shifters and two mainstream romance thrillers entitled Pawn For Malice and The Keeper’s Watch.

Wind Warrior
Tate Publishing
ISBN 978-1-61663-162-8

Link to purchase from Tate before June 15 http://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=978-1-61663-162-8

Available at Amazon and all other venues on June 15th

http://www.romanceauthorcynthiaroberts.com

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Q & A with Emma Hox

This week I am celebrating the release of Longbourn's Unexpected Matchmaker by Emma Hox.  For a complete description of the book, along with a chance to win your own copy, please visit my giveaway post.  I also have a post with some interesting facts about Jane Austen.  Now that you know a bit about the book and the author of the book that inspired it, I'd like to introduce you to the author, Emma Hox.  Thank you to Marissa from JKS Communications for providing this Q & A.

When did you realize you wanted to be an author?

For close to 5 years I had heard about this book called “Confessions of Fitzwilliam Darcy” by Mary Street. It was out of print and IMPOSSIBLE to find. I searched high and low for the book absolutely everywhere in the world. I even found it in Scotland and Switzerland; however they said that they could not ship the book to the USA no matter how much I begged and pleaded.

One day I came across a little shop in the basement of a Chicago building that had the book. I could never be happier than the day the package arrived. I opened it up and instantly sat down to read (that was before I had kids). I devoured that book in one sitting and have since read it multiple times. Then the reprint came out and I was one of the first in line to purchase it.

Reading that book gave me the idea that I would enjoy writing my own “Pride and Prejudice” story. It took me a few years to get the confidence to begin, but once I did, I could not stop.

What do you love most about Jane Austen and her style of writing?

The wholesome love story that is believable. The things that happen in her novels can truly happen, therefore they give readers confidence that good triumphs over evil and true love conquers all.
You can still feel the love and passion of the characters, yet it is readable without making a grown, married woman blush.

Most of all, there is a character everyone can relate to. If you are lively and witty Elizabeth Bennet is your girl. If you always want your friends around you, want all of the gossip and occasionally offend, Emma is your girl. If you are shy, steadfast, stalwart, but rely too much on the opinions of others, you might be an Anne Elliot. I could take any woman and show them the strengths and weakness of each and every Jane Austen Character and help them see how they themselves can be as lovely as any character.

Each and every one of us have faults, and Jane Austen gives her characters faults, just like real people, making them someone we can emulate and strive to be worth of our own prideful Mr. Darcy even if we are prejudice at first.

What is it about Mr. Bennet that inspired you to write Longbourn's Unexpected Matchmaker?

The first time I read “Pride and Prejudice” in 8th grade, I wondered how the witty and lovely Elizabeth Bennet could have such an indolent mother and father.

The second time I read the book, I just stopped reading Mr. Bennet as he was and made him who I always thought he should be.

After talking with other women who had the same view I had about Mr. Bennet, I decided to create him. I always figured he would be more engaging and take an active interest in the suitors for his daughters. He would want to question them and know that they would provide for his daughters. He would want them to be safe, protected and not demeaned in any way.

I also considered that he would have known from the beginning that the estate was entailed. As all the daughters came in succession, what father would ignore that and not try to provide for them. Certainly not one who was thought to be witty and educated. Why not make the estate prosper under his management and after 20 plus years have a little nest egg set aside. Even the poorest person can save something if they truly want to, and I have always imagined that he would want to.

You have captured the voice of the period. How did you do that?

Because I love it. If I could get away with it, I would speak as they speak in my everyday conversations. But to be honest, most people think I am weird when I slip into the speech of the era.

As they say with everything, “practice makes perfect.” I am by no means perfect, but I sure try to make it authentic, because that is what I like to read.

What advice could you give to other authors wanting to start out?

Make the decision that you want to do it and then no matter what, just do it. Nothing can stop you except your own self-doubt.

What is your life like outside the literary world? Hobbies and other passions?

I am an extremely happy working mother of two very energetic sons, ages 2 and 5. My passion, and that of my husband and sons, is sailing. We spend every available weekend in the summer at the lake on one of our two sailboats. We have a goal of living on a boat, instead of a traditional house. My favorite place to write is sitting on the bow of the boat in the shade of the jib while my kids nap and husband swims. There is nothing more relaxing than that.

I enjoy learning new things, and once I get it in my head to learn something, I do not stop until I am a master. I recently learned how to can, dehydrate and freeze food for year-round use. This past summer I spent tons of time storing fruits and vegetables, and in the cold months our family ate great.

Lastly, I love to read. I read everything I can get my hands on, although I prefer regency and Victorian era books. Especially those by Jane Austen, Jane Eyre and Georgette Hyer. I really enjoy a few of the authors that write Jane Austen adaptations, especially Mary Street and Pamela Aiden.


Are you working on a sequel or any other books?

Yes. I prefer to focus on not only the hero and heroine of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth, but also on the minor characters, specifically the parents. I am currently writing a story called “The Truth About Mrs. Bennet.”

This story will center on the eccentric, but loving Bennet mother. Why is it that her nerves bother her as they do? What is it about the entail that Mrs. Bennet will not allow herself to understand? Why is it such a passion for her to marry off her daughters? Does she truly believe her daughters should only marry for wealth and consequence or does she have a sensitivity for love, perhaps a love that has been missing in her own insensitive marriage?

Mrs. Bennet has a unique talent, although only mentioned and not dwelled upon extensively.

I am also writing a novel entitled “Third Life’s A Charm.” It is a coming-of-age-and-into-love novel based in Washington State, where I live, using an entirely fictional storyline and characters.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Stephanie Saldana radio interview

New Hampshire Public Radio has a wonderful interview with Stephanie Saldana, author of The Bread of Angels.  On the same page, they also have a slide show narrated by Stephanie.  It was interesting to hear her voice after reading such an intimate story and a fantastic opportunity to hear a bit more about her experience in the Middle East and her reasons for writing the book.

I greatly enjoyed The Bread of Angels and did a complete review of the book on February 4, 2010.  I was quite surprised to see a link to this review on the NHPR page!

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.