Saturday, May 31, 2008

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

Saturday, May 17, 2008

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.


Wednesday, May 14, 2008

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

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/


Monday, May 12, 2008

Intuitive Products by Dyan Garris


Intuitive Cooking

Voice of the Angels Cookbook – Talk To Your Food! Intuitive Cooking by Dyan Garris


1 - How did you get interested in this topic?

The intuitive cookbook is one component of the spiritual toolbox I’ve been building. It’s an exercise in integrating mind, body, and spirit. Integration is a necessary step in manifesting.


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

I’m a spiritual counselor, clairvoyant, clairaudient, and clairsentient. In the toolbox are music and meditation CDs for relaxation, stress release, chakra balance, and help in sleeping, a deck of angel cards, a journal for use with the CDs, a journal for use with the angel cards, The Book of Daily Channeled Messages, and a mini book about entitlement. A free angel card reading is available at www.voiceoftheangels.com, as well as a free spiritual forum, free spiritual advice column, “Dear Dyan,” and free daily channeled message.


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

If you feel stuck and want to make some changes follow your intuition and it will lead you to exactly what you need to implement those changes.


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?

I’m not sure that many people are discussing intuitive cooking yet. However, if we begin to look at food from a different perspective than we currently do, discussions could get very interesting. Just as our relationship with money has become distorted, so has our relationship with food. The energy of these things resides in the root chakra. The root chakra is where many people have blocks to being able to manifest.


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

I have an entire toolbox of spiritual tools for anyone who is interested in learning to integrate mind, body, and spirit, and clearing energy blocks that prevent them from moving forward on the path.


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?

My products are for anyone who wants spiritual growth, positive change, and transformation. They are for anyone who feels stuck or lost. I’ve tried to make everything easy and enjoyable.


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

Fear is a huge stumbling block as well as ingrained belief systems and patterns that were learned in childhood.


8 - How would you suggest they can overcome that?

Anyone can overcome fear by simply being open to change and new perspectives. There is nothing to fear.


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

The biggest motivator for anything is the willingness to change.


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

Anyone who loves to cook and be creative is the perfect person for this information.


11 - Is there anything else you would like to share with us? Those questions are only slightly different from what I had and I'm going to add them as an alternative way to post for this blog :)

If we look at a completely messy room as a whole, it may seem to be a daunting task to straighten it up. However, if we clean one small area at a time, pretty soon we have the whole thing cleared up. Change and transformation do not have to be intimidating. Change can even be fun. Start small.

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
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/

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Do You Have a Product or Service You Want to Promote

This blog can now be used to promote books or other items or services. Read on for information and contact me with any questions.

To submit information for a specific product, service or topic - use these questions. You can feel free to replace the words "this topic" with the name of your product or service. I need you to answer the questions below and send the answers to me. This works best if you copy the questions into a document, answer the questions, save as a RTF (rich text file) and email them to me at nikki_leigh22939@yahoo.com. Please list "Start With the Facts" in the signature line. You can also send a picture of the product if you would like me to include it with your post. I look forward to learning more about you.


Topic to Discuss - ___________________
1 - How did you get interested in this topic?
2 - Tell us a bit about your background. What have you done in the past that relates to the topic?
3 - What advise would you give to someone who is interested in yourtopic?
4 - What do you see as the benefit to participating in groups andorganizations that discuss this topic? My first thought would be networkingopportunities and the chance for personal or business growth. What areyour reasons?
5 – What products do you offer would help a person who is interested inthis topic?
6 - Who is the ideal person for these products? If each person thatreads this was going to recommend these products to one person, what sortof person would they want to chose?
7 - What have you found to be the biggest stumbling block for peoplewho want to learn more about this topic?
8 - How would you suggest they can overcome that?
9 - What do you find is the biggest motivator to learn more about thistopic?
10 - Who is the “perfect” person to delve into this information?
11 - Is there anything else you would like to share with us? Those questions are only slightly different from what I had and I'mgoing to add them as an alternative way to post for this blog :)