Kindred Spirits by Marilyn Meredith

1 - How did you get interested in the topic that’s featured in your book?

In Kindred Spirits, the latest in the Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series, Tempe visits Crescent City where she becomes friends with a murder victim’s sister and a good friend. Both these women are Tolowa.

I made a visit to Crescent City several years ago where I met a fascinating Tolowa woman who told me a lot about the Tolowa people’s history and their legends. I’d never heard of the Tolowa before. What I learned is the entire Tolowa nation was nearly wiped out through vicious attacks on the men, women and children. Though information about the Tolowa is not the main thrust of the story, much is added as flavor.

2 - Tell us a bit about your background. What have you done in the past that relates to your book and that topic?

Primarily, I am a writer. This is the eighth book in the series and my heroine, Tempe Crabtree, is a Yanduchi, part of the Tule River Indians. The more I’ve written about her, the more I’ve learned about the Native Americans who live on the Tule River Reservation near me–and I’ve renamed the Bear Creek Indian Reservation in my books.

As a writer, I’ve been invited to speak to the local college’s anthropology class and I’ve gone on a field trip with this class to places on the reservation that aren’t known to the general public. One thing I always remind everyone is, I borrow a lot from our local native people and the reservation, but primarily, I’m writing fiction.

I’ve done a lot of research about our local Indians and I have tremendous respect for their spirit and determination despite the hardships and prejudice they’ve been subjected to through the years. And I’m excited about their generosity to the community now that their casino and other businesses have become successful.

3 - What advise would you give to someone who is interested in your topic?

Anyone who writers about Native Americans needs to be respectful and do enough research to present an honest picture.

4 - What do you see as the benefit to participating in groups and organizations? My first thought would be networking opportunities and the chance for personal and business growth. What are your reasons?

I belong to many groups and organizations. I am a member and serve on the board of the Public Safety Writers Association and have gained much knowledge about law enforcement and the people who have chosen this profession because of this membership. I have several fans of both my Deputy Tempe Crabtree series and my Rocky Bluff P.D. series in this group.

I am a member of four chapters of Sisters in Crime, my local San Joaquin chapter, Central Coast chapter, the L.A. chapter, and the Internet chapter–of which I’m the president. I’m also a member of Mystery Writers of America, Epic, and Writers of Kern. All of these organizations have listserves which offer a lot of ongoing helpful information. Of course there are all kinds of networking and promotional opportunities. I also attend various conventions and conferences sponsored by these groups. I’ve made life-long friends with members of all these organizations.

5 - Who is the ideal person to read your book? If each person that reads this was going to recommend your book to one person, what sort of person would they want to choose?

First, the ideal person to read Kindred Spirits should be someone who loves mysteries and especially mysteries with a Native American flavor. If someone is looking for a fast moving story with plenty of excitement, they should like my books.

6 - What do you think ignites a person’s creativity?

For an author, it could be almost anything. Meeting Junie Mattice and listening to her stories about the Tolowa people living in and around Crescent City certainly ignited my imagination and I wanted to find a way for Tempe to visit Crescent City and mingle with some Tolowa women with the same sort of dynamic personality as Junie’

7 - What have you found to be the biggest stumbling block for people who want to start writing?

Too many people I run into who want to write will tell you the whole story of what they want to write and have yet to put down a single word. Also, a person who wants to write needs to be a reader–reading the kind of books he or she wants to write.

8 - How would you suggest they can overcome that?

The reading part is easy, go to the library and check out the kind of books similar to what they want to write and read, read, read. Pay attention to how the story is constructed, what makes a chapter, how the dialogue moves the story along, how the writing is balanced between action, dialogue and narrative. Take notes. Go to a writers conference. Take notes. Start writing. Write, write, write. When you’re done, rewrite.

9 - What do you find is the biggest motivator for people to succeed? Is it money, security, desire for fame or something else?

I don’t know about others, but I do know if money was my primary motivator I would have given up long ago. My primary motivator is finding out what my heroine is going to do next. I have to write–I can’t imagine life without writing.

10 - Who is the “perfect” person to read your book?

Anyone who likes a good mystery and wants to be entertained.

11 - Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

I’d like to thank you for doing this, Nikki, for all of us authors. Marilyn http://fictionforyou.com

Purple Snowflake Marketing – How to Make Your Book Stand Out in a Crowd

Purple Snowflake Marketing – How to Make Your Book Stand Out in a Crowd (2007; Dave & Lillian Brummet)

1 - How did you get interested in the topic that’s featured in your book?

Lillian: Actually, you might laugh at this, but we were so inundated with questions via email or through forums on marketing and managing a career in writing that we were often called "marketing gurus" and I’ve even been given the title of the “pink bunny” because our marketing endeavors just keep going, and going… J It was around this time that I was feeling like a good portion of my time was spent simply responding to the questions by others and realized that an e-book based on our personal marketing plan would be perfect for everyone involved.

2 - Tell us a bit about your background. What have you done in the past that relates to your book and that topic?

Lillian: The Purple Snowflake Marketing book is really a compilation of knowledge that Dave and I obtained through over 12 years of hands on experience as writers and business owners, tips we learned through writing courses, forums and conversations with others who write as a career. Dave and I have participated in numerous business courses which focused on organization, methodology and marketing. The e-book relays all of this information in a condensed format for the reader’s convenience.

3 - What advise would you give to someone who is interested in your topic?

Lillian: Few people realize the work that is involved in running a business. Those that do, know that you are putting in much more office time after the typical 8-hour day is over because of all the paper work, record keeping and book keeping duties. Having a career in writing is exactly the same - you are self-employed. So you must balance the office chores, marketing and communications with writing the next project. Sometimes this brings some conflict with others, we find they are assuming we have the time for this or that, when it is really quite the opposite. Or perhaps we have conflict with ourselves, because so many things around the home or family are allowed to take precedence. So I guess the best advice I could give anyone is to have self-discipline and create a balanced plan.

4 - What do you see as the benefit to participating in groups and organizations? My first thought would be networking opportunities and the chance for personal and business growth. What are your reasons?

Lillian: Authors, poets and storytellers are online doing research, gathering resources, garnering contacts and selling their wares – and that is our focus group for Purple Snowflake Marketing. As such, our marketing plan includes ample use of networking sites and writer’s groups to reach new contacts in this field. Writer’s groups or resource sites (e-newsletters & e-zines) are great places to consider for advertising if you are trying to reach this group.

5 - Who is the ideal person to read your book? If each person that reads this was going to recommend your book to one person, what sort of person would they want to chose?

Lillian: Well, this book is really a reference guide for self-marketing authors who want to be noticed in a snowstorm of writers – like a purple snowflake in a snowstorm. With 19 chapters and more than 500 resources in the 21 Appendices, this e-book is a means for authors to design an effective marketing plan and utilize frugal promotional tools with the click of their mouse. Whether it is utilized by order of chapters or randomly at the reader’s discretion the book is a marketing plan in itself. In fact, Purple Snowflake Marketing provides reassurance to authors along with ample advice for avoiding pit-falls and setting a comfortable pace for marketing endeavors. Writers within most genres will find this inspiring book an essential component for marketing their book in a way that suits their unique situation.

6 - What do you think ignites a person’s creativity?

Lillian: When it comes to a marketing plan, creativity is the key to survival. Just how do you plan to sell that particular project? Why is it so special among the thousands, or perhaps hundreds, of books or articles within that genre? How can you reach the intended audience, grab their attention and hold it? That is where creativity comes in.

7 - What have you found to be the biggest stumbling block for people who want to start writing?

Lillian: Sadly there is a real misconception in the world of writing that the author is taken care of, and just relaxes once the book is written. In fact people feel writers have a leisure life – which is, of course, far from the truth. 80% of a writer’s life is spent dealing with various aspects of marketing their wares. While that number might seem shocking, it is very true. The rest of the time they have to balance record keeping and writing the next project and dealing with finding a publisher or magazine for that new piece and so on. Writers do not have a 9-5 schedule with weekends, mornings and evenings free. Like most people who are self-employed, they write or market whenever the gigs come and in-between all of this, they have to balance the rest of their life such as family, spouses, household duties and, let’s not forget, taking care of themselves too! Sometimes it feels like a never-ending balancing act and a lot of people just are not prepared for that when they delve into writing. The only thing I can offer in the way of advice for this is simply to do your research, find a balance and be disciplined enough to keep that balance.

8 - What do you find is the biggest motivator for people to succeed? Is it money, security, desire for fame or something else?

Lillian: I think for most people their motivation is money and security, honestly. But there are a growing number of writers who write because they really do believe in the message they are trying to relay to their readers. For us, that message is that the individual truly has value, that they can make a real and measurable positive impact on the planet and their communities, and that the past can be both embraced and released. Passion is the one thing that will sell you, and your book, to your audience.

9 - Who is the “perfect” person to read your book?

Lillian: Authors, poets, freelancers and storytellers who want to reduce the number of rejections they receive, who want to learn how to save money and get noticed in a positive way will certainly benefit from this book.

11 - Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

Lillian: Yes, definitely! Purple Snowflake Marketing is so well received that our publisher will be releasing a second edition in late 2008 with new information and a larger appendix section that offers an additional 200 marketing opportunities with a click of a mouse. Keep an eye on our blog or on the publishers site for more information (www.twilighttimesbooks.com) Also, I would love for your readers to visit Dave and I at: www.brummet.ca There people will find our free newsletter and blog, a long list of free resources for greening the office, the home and eco-crafts for families. They can also find more information about all the things my husband and I do, including our 3 non-fiction books and our 2 radio shows. I think your readers would be very interested in one of those radio shows in particular – Authors Read, because on this show offers authors, storytellers and poets a chance to read from their published work for 10-12 minutes. There is nothing like hearing a story told the way the writer intended it to be read… straight from the writer's lips is even better!

Gurutej Starts With the Facts

1 - How did you get interested in this topic? Weaving my way into Yoga:

By Gurutej Kaur Khalsa

Yes, I finally made it to somewhere warm and I could feel my life warming up. I loved looking up at these mountains and breathing this dry air. Wow! We did it! My best friend, Ann and I actually talked our parents into letting us go to school out of state. I have no idea how since it cost more money and I was one of 6 kids soon three of us would be in college, no scholarships on the horizon. Here I was in Tucson Arizona far away from Missouri and here we were our first week being asked to dinner at some guy’s apartment. I can’t take credit for this. He was probably 5’2” and my friend Ann was my height 5’9” and outweighed him by 50lbs. Don’t get me wrong she was beautiful and really fun but could have definitely crushed him. We went to dinner cause we were in a new environment and knew no one, oh except this other boy/man she had a huge crush on, who was the reason she got me to come here to Tucson with her.

Yes, back to the dinner. Little non descript college apartment but this boy/man was having so much fun cooking that it was great to watch. I only cooked out of necessity. Well the food paid off, it was scrumptious. Then

He said, “I’m a vegetarian and this was a vegetarian dinner.” I said, “What does that mean?” He explained that it meant he didn’t use any meat products. I was overjoyed. I felt that I had been let in on a quantum secret. I had never liked meat and always had to have mine charred. Deliriously I asked, “You mean you don’t have to eat meat?” He laughed and I became a vegetarian on the spot. He figured with a conversion like that he would press onward. He took me to another room and showed me that he did yoga. He practiced with a book. I loved the concept of the yoga poses but doing it from a book just didn’t grab me the way the vegetarian thing had. So we put the word out for a class, a yoga class. Had anyone heard of one? No, but we were all on alert to the possibility.

This was the same semester that I was taking speech class and I needed to give a speech on something I didn’t know anything about but was interested in so I choose Yoga. At that time there were almost no books on yoga except ancient manuscripts in the library so that is where I planted myself. I gave the speech complete with poses including wrapping my legs behind my head which I didn’t think was the least bit unusual and had 12 people come up to me afterwards asking where they could do this yoga thing. I had to confess that I didn’t know but this was an expanded group to be on the look out for yoga. We all agreed to let each other know if we saw anything. This was in December now move to May and in runs a friend and says. “There’s yoga in the park wanna go?” We just jumped up and took off for the park. These were the days that nobody knew what yoga attire was nor mats you just did it and learned to bring a towel or blanket. That showed that you had been to class before. This is not important what was important is that we got really high. I really fell in love. No need to do drugs this was the real stuff, the breathing, the chanting, and the poses, all of it together. Our teacher chanted like an angel, I was transported on that piece of grass in a Tucson Arizona park I knew what yoga meant before I ever knew what the word meant. I had the experience. One class and I was hooked. My students now ask me “How often should I come.” I always laugh because we just knew the answer was every day at least once a day not how many times a week but a day. I was home. This was what I was being called to experience. The breath of fire oh my God was it great. I felt clear, happy, and high. Follow this with chanting and who wanted drugs when you had the real thing. I didn’t think of teaching then but my teacher, Yogi Bhajan had us teaching early. He would say, in those days, not now, “You have had three more classes then most of the people in the class so share what you know.” You want to learn something read it you want to know something write it you want to master something teach it so teach we did soon and it was a love affair. I got it and it got me.

2 - Tell us a bit about your background. What have you done in the past that relates to the topic? Check out my bio but been doing this for 40 years. A yogic community in Canada for 17 years, I have taught everyone from Celebs will send you some names if you want to businesses to children and teen. I have done women’s retreats for years and taught all over the world.

3 - What advice would you give to someone who is interested in your topic? What you get will be so much more than you bargained for.

4 - What do you see as the benefit to participating in groups and organizations that discuss this topic? My first thought would be networking opportunities and the chance for personal or business growth. What are your reasons? That would be it.

5 – What products do you offer would help a person who is interested in this topic? DVD’s Chakra Pillows to connect heal and relax and the great flip charts which you will be getting in the next couple weeks. These must go on tour as well that is where all these exercises come from.

6 - Who is the ideal person for these products? Women looking for more and all those that are connected to them. If each person that reads this was going to recommend these products to one person, what sort of person would they want to chose?

7 - What have you found to be the biggest stumbling block for people who want to learn more about this topic? It is difficult to come by if they find us then …. I want to eliminate that stress and give it to them easy.

8 - How would you suggest they can overcome that? Go to my web site and find the product right there.

9 - What do you find is the biggest motivator to learn more about this topic? The stress in peoples lives today makes what I have imperative unless you have just had a lobotomy.

10 - Who is the “perfect” person to delve into this information? Women of all ages because they are the ones making the changes necessary for the coming times

11 - Is there anything else you would like to share with us? Oh lots, but you will be getting it in many other forms. Blessings

For much more information about Gurutej, her Yoga DVDs and her work, visit her websites, www.gurutej.com and www.theenergygurus.com. Information about each of her DVDs is located here - http://www.gurutej.com/store_dvd_soon.html

You can learn much more about her tour and see the full schedule at http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2008/10/gurutej-presents-4-kundaini-yoga-dvds.html

Towards Understanding by Lillian Brummet

Towards Understanding – a collection of 120 nonfiction poems (2005; Lillian Brummet)

1 - How did you get interested in the topic that’s featured in your book?
Lillian: Poetry was a healing tool for me that I used to crawl out of my own personal hell. You see, after growing up in an unstable, troubled and abusive home and never really experiencing the joy of a father, I found myself on my own when I was just under 14. I was angry, scared and determined to thrive despite it all. Poetry was key in the journey from just getting by to growing into myself, learning to move in with myself and reach some form of understanding about the past – but also about my value as an individual… the reason why I live and breathe today. So that is what Towards Understanding represents – I selected 120 poems and placed them in chronological order so readers can follow along on this journey.

2 - Tell us a bit about your background. What have you done in the past that relates to your book and that topic?
Lillian: Well, the pen and I have always had an intimate relationship. It was not necessarily taught to me by outside influences, although I did go to school like everyone else. It just seemed to be so natural to me, and I’ve always enjoyed it. Friends, who had read some of my poetry, began encouraging me to save it. So I did. Little scraps in shoeboxes under the bed. Then I began writing them out and storing them in photobooks, believe it or not… with little drawings that I had kept over the years. In the late ‘80’s, I became brave enough to enter a contest, and my writing career really began then – I suppose, though I didn’t start writing as a career until 1999.

3 - What advise would you give to someone who is interested in your topic?
Lillian: Write because your pen compels you to do so – not because you feel you should write about this or that. When your head pounds and words flow down the arm and into the pen… write, write, write. It does not matter if the item is ever published. You never know who you might influence long after you are gone because of something you wrote once. Family will have a better insight into the person you are because of the writings you do today. There are so many reasons to write, if not for your own sanity… then for the pure joy of it. Don’t worry about being educated in this or that – just do it.

4 - What do you see as the benefit to participating in groups and organizations? My first thought would be networking opportunities and the chance for personal and business growth. What are your reasons?
Lillian: The best place to reach readers now-a-days is on the Internet and this is where authors, storytellers and poets need to spend their time in both building name recognition, but also in interacting with potential readers and selling themselves first. As such, joining networking organizations is a great way to begin this journey, but it is only one step in many that writers will need to take. Too many writers find themselves chatting away in various networking sites and spending way too much time interacting online. Balance is the key.

5 - Who is the ideal person to read your book? If each person that reads this was going to recommend your book to one person, what sort of person would they want to chose?
Lillian: Towards Understanding was written to speak to those who struggle with self-identity and for the people who are trying to give them support they need to get through this stage in their life journey.

6 - What do you think ignites a person’s creativity?
Lillian: There is only one word that I can think of – Passion.

7 - What have you found to be the biggest stumbling block for people who want to start writing?
Lillian: The inner critic is the harshest barrier to overcome… that little voice that says your work is not good enough, that the story has been told before so how could anyone want to read your book?. This is the voice that says you’ll never have the courage to approach a publisher, the media, an agent, or whatever the fear is. Sometimes we write with absolutely no intention of publishing it and making it available to the public – and that is okay too. Lack of support can also be another barrier, but if we have enough passion, if we really crave this – no one’s nay-saying can keep the pen out of our hands. Others find time is their constraint; but even parents with full time jobs that have a passion for writing will set the alarm early to get their words on paper. There really is no barrier if the passion is there – except one, sometimes it is not the right time for us to do that project. We can embrace that, and make a note to come back to that project at a later date.

9 - What do you find is the biggest motivator for people to succeed? Is it money, security, desire for fame or something else?
Lillian: I think for most people their motivation is money and security, honestly. But there are a growing number of writers who write because they really do believe in the message they are trying to relay to their readers. For us, that message is that the individual truly has value, that they can make a real and measurable positive impact on the planet and their communities, and that the past can be both embraced and released.

10 - Who is the “perfect” person to read your book?
Lillian: People who want to really feel a real-life journey of survival, of breaking the chains of inner demons, finding value and purpose in life and growing towards understanding of their inner selves.

11 - Is there anything else you would like to share with us?
Lillian: I would love for your readers to visit me at: www.brummet.ca There people will find our free newsletter and blog, a long list of free resources for greening the office, the home and eco-crafts for families. They can also find more information about all the things my husband and I do, including our 3 non-fiction books and our 2 radio shows.

Start with the Facts About The Girl Who Fell

How did you get interested in the topic that’s featured in your book?

Music is a big part of my life – I’ve played various instruments since childhood. Working with other musicians was a major inspiration. Loss of memory, along with other mental phenomena have interested me since I minored in psychology at college.

Tell us a bit about your background. What have you done in the past that relates to your book and that topic?

I’m glad to say I have no first-hand experience of memory loss! Aside from the musical influences, this is very much an imaginary tale and bears very little resemblance to my own life.

What advise would you give to someone who is interested in your topic?

Fantasy, music, mental chaos, mystery... if you like this sort of thing you could do a lot worse than read one of my books.

What do you see as the benefit to participating in groups and organizations? My first thought would be networking opportunities and the chance for personal and business growth. What are your reasons?

Most of my inspiration comes from people I meet. The various groups I am in have given me opportunities to connect with some truly amazing people.

Who is the ideal person to read your book? If each person that reads this was going to recommend your book to one person, what sort of person would they want to chose?

People who like fantasy but don’t want another epic adventure with an unpronounceable barbarian hero on a quest to find a magical sword and kill the ultimate evil. My fantasy work is NOT epic, it’s about strange and wonderful people encountering strange and wonderful things. And terrible things. Plots, mysteries, adventures and magic all on a very human scale.

What do you think ignites a person’s creativity?

For me, all of life is an interplay between what I experience and what I imagine. In Druidry, there’s a concept called ‘awen’ – a free flowing force of inspiration that you can just reach out and engage with.

What have you found to be the biggest stumbling block for people who want to start writing?

Having enough ideas. Plenty of people have ‘an idea for a book’. The trouble is, an idea will give you a short story. For a novel, you need dozens of good ideas that all mesh together into a coherent whole.

How would you suggest they can overcome that?

Either write short stories – which is a good way to develop your skills anyway, or wait, gather more ideas, do more research, plan more and then write.

What do you find is the biggest motivator for people to succeed? Is it money, security, desire for fame or something else?

I can’t speak for anyone else here, but for me its the desire to move and inspire others that keeps me writing.

Who is the “perfect” person to read your book?

My ideal reader for this one would be the lad who most inspired me, but he just doesn’t read all that much, sadly.

Shiva's Arms by Cheryl Snell

1 - How did you get interested in the topic that’s featured in your book?

When I married my Indian husband, I became fascinated by the dynamics of the Indian “joint-family.” Since an ocean separated me from my new in-laws, I thought I’d explore the “what ifs” in fiction. So I pitted Alice, an American “unsuitable” bride, against Shiva, a traditional Indian mother-in-law and the namesake of a god.

2 - Tell us a bit about your background. What have you done in the past that relates to your book and that topic?

I come from a background of classical music and poetry. Each discipline feeds the other, and feed, in turn, the transition from image to scene that a novel demands. As far as subject matter goes, I was the child of immigrants, and the romance surrounding their struggles resonated with me, and gave me a frame of reference for my husband’s own emotional statelessness.

Although the set-up of Shiva’s Arms is drawn from my life—American girl finds Brahmin boy with seventeen opinionated relatives-- I am not Alice. She has my hair and my fashion sense, but her character is influenced by my fictional universe and the demands it makes on her. Even a true story is held hostage to memory and interpretation. When fictional truth wins over nostalgia, the story finds its own voice. I am not Alice, but I know her very well.

3 - What advise would you give to someone who is interested in your topic?

Read and listen. The Indian diaspora has given rise to many works of fiction that examine the question of divided loyalties. Lahiri, Desai, Divakaruni are all drawn to the stories of immigrant families thrashing in their domestic seas. It’s such a brave act, to move to a strange land. But here’s the thing-- when a person is part of two cultures, what part of the self goes, and what stays?

4 - What do you see as the benefit to participating in groups and organizations? My first thought would be networking opportunities and the chance for personal and business growth. What are your reasons?

There is a wonderful sense of community in a writer’s group, the chance to learn about the craft itself, the business of writing, and the chance to encourage growth in others. Online workshops have the extra advantage of semi-anonymity. It’s easier to tell the hard truths about someone’s writing if you don’t have cues in their expression or body language to influence your opinion.

5 - Who is the ideal person to read your book? If each person that reads this was going to recommend your book to one person, what sort of person would they want to chose?

Anyone interested in cultural cross-pollination; anyone who relishes musical language; anyone who ever had a mother-in-law.

6 - What do you think ignites a person’s creativity?

Reading widely and deeply, noticing details, developing empathy.

7 - What have you found to be the biggest stumbling block for people who want to start writing?

They try to carve out enough of the ideal chunk of time. There is no such thing.

8 - How would you suggest they can overcome that?

Try to write every day. Routine may seem uninspiring, but you want to be at your desk if inspiration happens to strike! Think about what you’re writing when you’re doing other things—plot the next scene while you’re doing dishes, etc. Stay connected to your project, in other words. Leave your physical writing in the middle of a sentence. It will help jumpstart the next session.

9 - What do you find is the biggest motivator for people to succeed? Is it money, security, desire for fame or something else?

Fantasies about money, security, fame don’t really help a person take the necessary one step after another to learn their craft, and build a success. I remember a sad story about a gifted new writer who submitted her first story to The New Yorker and was rejected. Her friends tried to shore her up by pointing out the many excellent lit journals in the world, but she said, “I had my heart set on The New Yorker,” and promptly quit writing.

10 - Who is the “perfect” person to read your book?

I’m hoping South Indians will enjoy the inside jokes and cultural references. The recipes in the companion booklet, too.

A reader who learns how to understand an “other” through this story would be just about perfect.

11 - Is there anything else you would like to share with us?
One reader asked me how I can write about the ‘other’. I can write about this community because I do not truly belong to it. Being a perpetual outsider, standing in the doorway, is a good place to eavesdrop. I’ll leave you with a bit of Mr. Faulkner’s wisdom: "I never know what I think about something until I read what I've written on it."

Start With the Facts for Todd Rhoad's New Book

1 - How did you get interested in the topic that’s featured in your book?

When I saw my friends struggling to achieve their desired career success, no matter what they tried (e.g. hard work, advanced college degrees).

2 - Tell us a bit about your background. What have you done in the past that relates to your book and that topic?

Todd Rhoad’s expertise is drawn from twenty years of experience as an engineer struggling to climb the corporate ladder through government, private, public, profit and non-profit organizations. Thinking education alone would be sufficient to climb the ladder, Todd obtained both a Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering and Business Administration. He has worked in numerous industries from consumer products to high technology research and development while serving in roles from engineer to finally reaching the managerial ranks. He is currently a Managing Director at Bt Consulting in Austin, TX. With over 30 publications in journals, books and conferences, he is a frequent speaker and presenter at high schools, colleges and conferences.

3 - What advise would you give to someone who is interested in your topic?

It’s a constant battle against global forces now. Staying ahead of the career game requires a lot of work and networking.

4 - What do you see as the benefit to participating in groups and organizations? My first thought would be networking opportunities and the chance for personal and business growth. What are your reasons?

I teach a team-based approach to career success. I truly believe greater things are accomplished by the many, not the few.

5 - Who is the ideal person to read your book? If each person that reads this was going to recommend your book to one person, what sort of person would they want to chose?
The ideal person is the young professional seeking to make his mark in the world. Not having been trained or educated on what the corporate world is really like or how the corporate landscape is changing, they’ll struggle to understand it. The book will teach them a great way to capture success without worrying about competition or the endless barrage of organizational restructuring.

6 - What do you think ignites a person’s creativity?

A simple idea. That’s exactly what was developed with the Blitz Approach. I saw a problem, came up with an idea that could resolve it and then took 3 years to prove it.

7 - What have you found to be the biggest stumbling block for people who want to start writing?

Knowing how.

8 - How would you suggest they can overcome that?

Just write. Get all your ideas down on paper. Then, get help make it read better. Learn from others.

9 - What do you find is the biggest motivator for people to succeed? Is it money, security, desire for fame or something else?

It’s not one thing. As a need gets filled, it becomes something else. As we grow and change, so does the brass ring.

10 - Who is the “perfect” person to read your book?

Anyone who wants more success in their career but can’t seem to get it.

11 - Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

The purpose behind publishing this book is to provide the many young professionals entering the business world a realistic view of how business is done and what they can expect to encounter. It will also help those individuals that display the skills and talents needed to progress up the ladder but somehow never seem to get the opportunity. The blitz method will hopefully convince readers they can put significant control of their career in their own hands despite the numerous forces that hold them back.

The approach presented will be from an insider’s point of view. The concepts are current and relevant to situations individuals will face in today’s business world. Typically strategies for career advancement are presented from academics or consultants. These authors typically work with individuals at the higher levels of the organization that are considerably removed from the trials and tribulations in climbing the ladder. This book presents the story from the soldier who just stepped off the field of battle when the echo of the bombs, the smell of the powder and the heat from the wounds are still fresh in his mind.

Start with the Facts About Mirella Patzer & Bloodstone Castle

Mirella Patzer visits with us and we're going to dig into some of the details about her latest book Bloodstone Castle.

1. How did you get interested in the topic that’s featured in your book?

Because I’m first generation Italian Canadian, I’ve always been interested in my roots and in Italian folklore and superstitions. I am also passionate about history, especially the medieval era. I love to tell stories about strong historical women. So I put my passions together and came up with Bloodstone Castle.

2. Tell us a bit about your background. What have you done in the past that relates to your book and that topic?

I have travelled to Italy several times in my life and I am always fascinated with its many castles, easy accessibility to the sea, and warm climate. It is only natural that I wrote a story about some fictional characters in a land I love so much. I have done extensive research into the medieval times, specifically the 10^th century in order to write a family saga trilogy about Otto the Great and his family.

3. What advice would you give to someone who is interested in your topic?

If you have a strong interest or passion, then by all means you must pursue it. One can gain expertise in almost anything as long as you are willing to do the work and keep honing and practicing what you learn. In my case, I have extensively researched the 10^th century and honed my writing skills through the years. If you set your mind to it, you can achieve.

4. What do you see as the benefit to participating in groups and organizations?

I am a strong proponent of critique groups for authors. Friends and family are okay to share your books with, however, they are not experts or trained as writers. All authors are blind to their own work. So when you work with other authors and help each other perfect their manuscripts through line and content edits, you will produce a far superior product than an author who works in isolation. I run a very successful on-line critique group for historical fiction at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Historical-Fiction-Writers-Critique-Group/

5. Who is the ideal person to read your book? If each person that reads this was going to recommend your book to one person, what sort of person would they want to chose?

I recommend my novel to both men and women who love a suspenseful tale told with a sprinkling of love and adventure which is a little on the dark side.

6. What do you think ignites a person’s creativity?

Creativity can arise from any source. It could come from people watching, or emotion, or a picture, or from one’s own life. When a small thought enters into your mind, don’t push it aside. Instead, examine the thought, expand upon it, let it take you where it wants to go. Then you can realize its full potential. And do not be afraid to push forward to make it real.

7. What have you found to be the biggest stumbling block for people who want to start writing?

The biggest stumbling block for aspiring writers is that they think about it but never actually sit down to do it. To write, one must write. Even if you think you can’t, only by writing will you achieve. So just do it!

Then you must immerse yourself in the writing world. Join authors groups on-line and in person. This is necessary to pull us out of our isolating work and learn about the industry and opportunities that exist.

8. How would you suggest they can overcome that?

Start small. If you write one page a day, you will have the first draft of a novel completed in less than a year. Then it will take several more months of self-editing to polish it. Think big, but take baby steps. That is the secret.

9. What do you find is the biggest motivator for people to succeed? Is it money, security, desire for fame or something else?

Money is most definitely a motivator but not a major one. I think it is the desire to succeed or the desire to be recognized and acknowledged as human beings that drives us.

10. Who is the “perfect” person to read your book?

I wrote my book for pure escape. For those who work hard every day or who have stress in their lives. My novel can sweep you away into another place and time and I hope it can help you forget your troubles for a few hours. I have sold my book to both men and women and both sexes seem to enjoy it.

11 - Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

I am currently working on another Italian Medieval romance entitled Orphan of the Olive Tree. Also, I’m working on the Ottonian family saga – the first book in the series will be called A Crimson Mantle. I hope to see them on the shelves in two years.

The Complete Tour Schedule – http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2008/05/mirella-patzer-virtual-book-tour.html

During the tour, we encourage people to visit each tour stop shown on the schedule. Each comment on any of the tour stops is an entry in the book giveaway. Several copies of Bloodstone Castle will be given away at the end of the month. One will be given to the “best” comment, one for the “most unique and relevant” question. In addition, the blog host where the winning comments were posted will also win a copy of the book. So, visit Mirella, learn more about Bloodstone Castle and post comments. Mirella looks forward to getting to know her readers.

Russell Vassallo Gives Us the Facts

1. How did you get interested in the topic that's featured in your book?

A: As a child I was plagued with bronchial asthma. Each winter I spent months in bed, coughing, struggling to breathe. I didn't have much company but, when I was well enough, my dad would bring my Pomeranian, Palsy, up to see me

It was eight years before I actually got outside to play with friends. I lost so much time in school I was always inside either coughing or learning. The boys on my block weren't so nice when I tried to join in. Only stray animals seemed to offer me any comfort or friendship. I always had an intense love of animals so when I retired, we began adopting and rescuing animals. When I contracted colon cancer, my drive to be back with my animals fueled not only my will to live, but my animal stories as well.

My first book, Tears and Tales, is really about letting go. I had lost several animals by the time I knew about my colon cancer. Our dog, Nikki, died on the very morning I went in for emergency surgery. I just could not stop grieving for her. I had a lot of time to be depressed sitting in bed recovering. I guess it reminded me of my childhood. . If anyone reads The Cardinal, one of the stories in my first book, they'll understand that my animal friends helped me through a very bad period in my life. The story resonates because it seemed like a message from my animal friend that came from beyond the grave. Who says they aren't waiting?

2. Tell us a bit about your background. What have you done in the past that relates to your book and the topic?

A: I guess I've done a little bit of everything. By the time I was eleven, I was self-supporting selling firecrackers to the rich kids on the hill. I worked in a bakery for a number of years and spent twenty-five years practicing law. I think the urge to write was always with me, but I needed to earn a living. I did have pets, though, a wonderful Dobe named Saber and several of her offspring.

Throughout the years, I wrote short stories for many of my school friends who just couldn't get the hang of writing. As a lawyer, of course, I was always writing affidavits and briefs. I tried a writing course but learned that writing is one of the toughest professions to earn a living at so I pretty well stuck to law. None of this dealt with animals but there always seemed to be an animal in my life somewhere. I just cannot think of a time when I did not have an animal in my life. I'm comfortable around them. Still, I don't want to be labeled as a writer of animal stories. My stories use animals as metaphors, symbols of the ability to struggle against the tide and succeed.

3. What advice would you give to someone who is interested in your topic?

A: That's a tough question to answer. I don't have a particular topic. Tears and Tales was pretty much about the animals in my life, past and present. The Horse with the Golden Mane was animal related, but it dealt with people and relationships.

My third book, due out in July or August, is Streetwise: Mafia Memoirs and that is hardly an animal book, though some people quip it's about two-legged animals.

If I had to give someone advice on any topic, I'd say to write from the heart. Then, go back and write from the head. Put the two of them together and then learn how to market and sell your own work. This works for any topic. If you are writing about animals, talk to animal owners and pet lovers. The stories are endless. One of mine made it into the Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse Magazine.

4. What do you see as the benefit to participating in groups and organizations? My first thought would be networking opportunities and the chance for personal and business growth. What are your reasons?

A: My wife is the joiner. I am not. I see a benefit to networking and participating in group discussions, but I prefer to work alone. If I do good work, others, in or out of a group, will tell me that. I am not knocking working in groups. I think they are great for those who need support and encouragement. They're a good way to learn about upcoming events, new techniques, new markets, but I have this loner-attitude that I have to succeed on my own. Since I've been doing that from age eleven, it's something that has worked for me. Still, I enjoy helping others. I don't know how much marketing material I have sent out of here to help fledgling writers or those entering the marketing phase of writing.

The disadvantage to working with writer groups is that the wrong group can be very destructive to the creative process. Everyone wants to write something his or her own way. I had to fire my second editor because she insisted on rewriting my material. And she was a professional who should have known better.

Now I do use people with marketing experience to network my books on the Internet. My wife does a truly great job of promoting us online. I don't know how successful that is because it's practically impossible to trace a sale or an order to a particular internet source. We link with anyone we can, but because I am a true klutz at using the internet, my wife has a hands-off policy where I am concerned. By that, I mean she wants my hands off her computer. Well, I can't blame her. I single-handedly managed to violate some rule about bulk mailings and AOL cancelled our privilege. I was only trying to send eight people the same document. Somehow it expanded to eight hundred and sixty four.

My strongest point is talking. If I can gather a group of people around me, I'll sell books. We went on a seven day tour and in the first two stops we sold one-hundred nineteen books. The advantage, of course, is that I know where and how my books sold. Many authors simply sit and wait for people to look at their books. Virginia and I openly and politely solicit with objects that attract attention long enough for you to start talking.

“Do you know anyone who loves animals?” is my favorite person stopper.

5. Who is the ideal person to read your book? If each person that reads this was going to recommend your book to one person, what sort of person would they want to choose?

A: Tears and Tales has had a wide appeal to women and children. It's a book with a lot of emotion. Children love the animal part of the stories whereas women see the sensitivity of a man and wife struggling to stay a family. Because of that appeal it's won three awards.

The Horse with the Golden Mane is resonating well with adolescents, women and over-forty males. It's also won three awards. Anyone who loves adventure, romance or people will enjoy Horse. We recently went to a gun show in Louisville and sold a fair number of books and a goodly amount were to men.

6. What do you think ignites a person's creativity?

A: The ability to immerse yourself in a situation just as an actor immerses himself in a role. He or she is no longer the same person. They become the character. When I write about animals, I become that animal. I inherit its senses, sight, sound, smell. I experience the same emotions the animal experiences. One famous critic wrote of my work that only Jack London could see inside an animal well enough to write about it. Another judge in the same contest told me I had a fantastic ability to see inside an animal. Go figure what appeals to subjective judges.

What ignites it may simply be a random thought that builds into something. For example, when I wrote the final story in The Horse with the Golden Mane, what inspired it was my wife's habit of slipping out of bed so quietly it's almost ghost-like. That inspired me to write about a man who . . . well, I'm not going to tell you that. You'll have to buy the book and see what I did with that random thought.

7. What have you found to be the biggest stumbling block for people who want to start writing?

A: Lack of knowledge. They have to learn writing techniques, grammar and that kind of thing and then they have to learn about an industry that has been operating for thousands of years . . . without them. If you want to make money at writing become a person who promises much to the aspiring writer, but for God's sake, don't become a writer.

8. How would you suggest they overcome that?

A: Go to the experts. People like Dan Poynter, John Kremer. Learn what you are in for before you ever set a single word on paper. Monitor every ad that seems to have appeal. What are you really getting for your money? How can you judge the results? Then select the market you want to reach, the amount of budget you have to reach them, the resources at your disposal. There is a lot of advice out there, some good, some bad. Experience will teach you some of it, but caution can prevent mistakes.

If you think some big publisher is going to risk money on you as opposed to someone with a name, take up golf or billiards. Don't write!

9. What do you find is the biggest motivator for people to succeed? Is it money, security, desire for fame or something else?

A: I think it's the desire to be recognized. Just about the time I'm ready to give up writing, someone comes along and tells me what a wonderful writer I am; or how much they enjoyed my story, so-and-so. We all need praise. Some of us more than others. I don't think I could handle fame. And very few make money at writing so it's not money. No, I think people write because they simply cannot not write.

I'll be driving along and a thought strikes me. I've got to jot it down and get to my computer (non-internet) and start writing. After a hundred edits, I sit back and tell myself that it's good. Then, others tell me the same thing. It doesn't seem to matter then that it cost me money to actually sell my book. It's just not something I can put aside. I have to write, like it or not. And once you've published that book, you need for others to read it and only then are you satisfied.

10: Who is the “perfect” person to read your book?

A: There isn't any “perfect” person to read my books. They have wide and general appeal to all readers. If I had to pick one type of person, I'd say it would have to be someone who enjoys an emotional story and who can accept that not every story has a happy ending. It would also have to be someone who believes there is some kind of existence after death. So all my animals are still with me . . . in my books . . . in my thoughts . . . in my hopes that they are waiting for me just over the horizon.

11. Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

A: Yes. Whatever knowledge I have acquired in the three years since I wrote my first book, I'd share with anyone who takes the time to write and ask. Only one man's opinion, and it cost me nearly twenty thousand dollars to learn, but I'm willing to answer questions from anyone with a sincere interest in learning. And, I'm willing to learn from anyone who can teach me.

I'd also like to share some laughter because I thought I'd write a wonderful collection of inspiring short stories and some publisher would just snap them up.

Even I am still laughing at that one. Write because it pleases you to do something truly worthwhile. Write because you feel something for it. Write because you cry when you finish and you have nothing more to do with your character. Write mostly because it is “you.”

Russell A Vassallo

www.krazyduck.com

www.maneofgold.com

KRAZY DUCK PRODUCTIONS

Russell A. Vassallo, Author

Box 105, Danville, KY 40423

606-787-2571 fax 606-787-8207

www.krazyduck.com Russ@ krazyduck.co

SInbad's Last Voyage by Toni Sweeeney

1 - How did you get interested in the topic that’s featured in your book?

I've always liked adventure stories and movies, as well as SF and fantasy.

2 - Tell us a bit about your background. What have you done in the past that relates to your book and that topic?

I've certainly never been to another planet, or had a husband arrested for being a spy or anything like what happens to Andi! The only things we have in common are our physical descriptions and the fact that we live in California. I was born in the South, lived there the first 30 years of my life, moved to Nebraska with my son in 1975, lived knee-deep in snow for 25 years, and then lit out for sunny Orange County. I have a major in Art, English, and Drama, and was a dancer for 13 years, as well as acting in college drama productions. I think those two facts helped me write my books.

3 - What advise would you give to someone who is interested in your topic?

Enjoy it!

4 - What do you see as the benefit to participating in groups and organizations? My first thought would be networking opportunities and the chance for personal and business growth. What are your reasons?

Those things do help. Participating also gives one a chance to share ideas, and seek inspiration and assistance in writing, especially if when having problems with a chapter or subject matter.

5 - Who is the ideal person to read your book? If each person that reads this was going to recommend your book to one person, what sort of person would they want to chose?

I think anyone who likes science fiction--a Sci-Fi Channel devotee--with a little romance thrown in, will like this book.

6 - What do you think ignites a person’s creativity?

For me, it's seeing or hearing something that I can't get out of my head...a phrase, an idea. I have a rule--if I think about it, and it comes back into my mind three times, I know I have to write about it.

7 - What have you found to be the biggest stumbling block for people who want to start writing?

Thinking that after writing a novel--and editing it, and refining it, and proofing it--that they're just going to send it off and--wham!--it's going to be accepted somewhere immediately.

8 - How would you suggest they can overcome that?

Acknowledge that it may take numerous failures and numerous rejections before anything is accepted anywhere. What you consider your best work may not be the one to actually be published first. Someone you think is trivial and ridiculous may be what catches the publisher's fancy.

9 - What do you find is the biggest motivator for people to succeed? Is it money, security, desire for fame or something else?

For me, it was to earn approval. To have people see that I could accomplish something. I also wanted to share my stories because I thought other people would enjoy them, too. For others--I'd imagine it's either for fame or money, not necessarily in that order.

10 - Who is the “perfect” person to read your book?

Someone who likes a romantic adventure with fantasy elements.

Music and Meditation CD series by Dyan Garris

Music and Meditation CDs by Dyan Garris

1 - How did you get interested in this topic?

The music and meditation series is for relaxation, Automatic Chakra Balance,™ help in sleeping, and vibrational attunement of mind, body, and spirit. It’s part of my larger body of work which basically is automatic energy shift. I’ve been playing the piano since I was four years old. I also am a violinist. My music was recently #1 on Music Choice’s Soundscapes cable TV channel and has been nominated for several New Age Reporter Lifestyle Awards. Everything in the body of work started with a guided meditation “A Healing Journey” in 1993. From there came my deck of angel cards, which are all scenes from the guided meditation. “A Healing Journey Guided Fantasy” is the last track on my first CD in the series.

2 - Tell us a bit about your background. What have you done in the past that relates to the topic.

I’m clairvoyant, clairaudient, and clairsentient. In addition, I’m also what is known as a voice recognition psychic and trance channel. This means that I can help clients via telephone, which is how I conducted my readings throughout my career. I retired from private readings to focus on building the spiritual toolbox that Spirit and I are almost finished building.

For many years I taught classes on how to balance the energy field and clear the chakras. As part of those classes, mediation was taught as well. Music was used in the classes as a way of clearing and balancing. Methods of integrating the mind, body, and spirit were implemented too. Integration is a necessary part of learning to manifest.

I write the Daily Channeled Message which posts on my website. There is a free spiritual forum there, with live chat and free psychic and online angel card readings, as well as a free spiritual advice column, “Dear Dyan.” My latest book Money and Manifesting teaches why the law of attraction and the power of positive thinking are not enough for effective manifesting, and exactly what to do about it. I also am the author of The Book of Daily Channeled Messages, Voice of the Angels Cookbook – Talk To Your Food! Intuitive Cooking and Fish Tale of Woe – Lost at Sea.

3 - What advice would you give to someone who is interested in your music and meditation series?

Even though the series gets progressively higher in vibration and in musical elements, I suggest that everyone start with whatever CD their intuition guides them to use. That’s why I purposefully did not number them. If one listens to their intuition they will know which CDs will benefit them the most.

4 - What do you see as the benefit to participating in groups and organizations that discuss this topic? My first thought would be networking opportunities and the chance for personal or business growth. What are your reasons?

Participating in groups and organizations is always helpful because you get the benefit of many points of view. Participation may keep you from staying stuck on your own perspective. It’s always good to learn and grow.

5 – What products do you offer would help a person who is interested in this topic?

In addition to offering the CD series as individual CDs, I also offer them together in the Meditation Basket. The basket comes with a lot of other helpful items, such as Reiki charged candles and a genuine Tibetan meditation crystal. I also offer the option of adding several other products to the basket. It’s a really good value.

6 - Who is the ideal person for these products? If each person that reads this was going to recommend these products to one person, what sort of person would they want to chose?

These products are ideal for anyone that loves music. They’re ideal for anyone who doesn’t know how to meditate, but they’re also a refreshing change of pace for the experienced student of meditation. They are really interesting journeys and the music and meditations are designed for automatic shift. I don’t believe anyone else is doing such a thing. All a person really has to do is listen. They are also integrative healing. I tried to take the perception of “work” out of it.

7 - What have you found to be the biggest stumbling block for people who want to learn more about this topic?

The biggest stumbling block is simply making a determination to change and shift. Meditation, change, growth, and transformation are often seen as “work.” It doesn’t have to be so.

8 - How would you suggest they can overcome that?

Try it for yourself and see what happens.

9 - What do you find is the biggest motivator to learn more about this topic?

The biggest motivation is that this works. If someone is really stuck and going around and around in their life, this will help. And it isn’t expensive and time consuming. And it helps people.

10 - Who is the “perfect” person to delve into this information?

Anyone who truly wants to move forward is the perfect person for this.

11 - Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

You can listen to free music samples and meditation samples on my website www.voiceoftheangels.com. I also have a downloadble MP3 store there. You can hear some songs in their entirety at www.myspace.com/voiceoftheangels. I offer a lot of free things on my site because I simply want to help people move forward and I get tired of so many things being all hype. When you’re ready, come begin your own “healing journey.”

SPECIAL NOTE

Each person who posts a comment on any or all of the blog tour spots will be entered in a random drawing for a copy of Dyan Garris’ CD – Release. In addition – the blog owner that hosted the winning commenter will also win a free copy of Release. Share your thoughts and comments with Dyan. She will check in throughout the day to answer questions. You’ll learn more and you have a chance to win a CD.

Dyan is offering a FREE teleclass for anyone who has read Money and Manifesting - if you haven't already read the book, visit Dyan's website to order a copy - www.voiceoftheangels.com. For full details about the class, visit this page http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2008/05/begin-your-personal-healing-journey.html

For more information about Dyan Garris and her virtual tour, check the schedule at http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2008/04/dyan-garris-may-schedule.html and http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2008/04/dyan-garris-may-blog-tour.html.

Her website is full of great details about all of the items within her “toolbox” and there are many special features. She provides the tools you need to have a full and happy life – http://www.voiceoftheangels.com/ and it’s not as hard to achieve as you think. Visit Dyan’s Amazon profile for links to many of her products - http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/AYREZNHQDLRFM/