Starting in the 1950s but time-traveling through a parallel universe to the 21st century, my “Fifties Chix” series chronicles the adventures of five diverse girls – each having her own talisman and special talent needed to navigate in the new 21st-century world to find a way back home. Friendship, romance, mystery, fantasy and a bit of history mix together in this series for young teen girls.

The series’ first book, Travel to Tomorrow, is the start of the time-travel story about five mismatched high school classmates whose lives change forever after receiving an assignment from their teacher, Miss Boggs, asking them to predict what life will be like 55 years into the future. The morning after they are given the assignment, tomboy Beverly, studious Mary, artistic Ann, moody Maxine and high-spirited Judy find themselves transplanted a half a century into the future. Once they discover what the future holds, they wonder if they even want to go back home.

What inspired you to write this book?

I’ve always loved to tell stories, whether it’s through words or through painting and drawing. I was inspired to write the Fifties Chix series after first drawing the five different characters–one girl obsessed with Hollywood and the movies, one girl who is a tomboy who loves sports, another who is a homemaker who enjoys sewing and cooking, one girl who is concerned about social issues and a girl who is very artistic and loves to paint. I imagined how they would act and what they would think–and even how others would perceive them–if they were to be dropped right in present day straight from the 1950s.

Why did you select the 50s to write about?

The 1950s is considered by many to be a “golden era” in America that will never be seen again. America had come out of World War II and The Great Depression and people were starting to find success and prosperity. It was a time of hope and dreams. In many ways, there was a picture perfect image of the American Dream being lived out. At the same time, there were many issues like women’s rights and racial equality that were coming to a head. I thought it would be interesting to compare and contrast the 50s with present day because we all want to fit in–and the 1950s was so much about conformity; and we also all value individuality and uniqueness–which is such a focus today. I thought it would be fun to see how these characters in the Fifties Chix went on a quest to find their place within themselves, with each other as friends, and in society.

Who is the perfect reader for your book?

My ideal reader for the Fifties Chix series is a middle school girl who craves adventure, is intrigued by history and treasures the relationships in her life. She has an active imagination, wants to do the right thing, but has a rebellious streak at the same time. She doesn’t like to be told what to do because she wants to figure it out for herself. She tries to remember to value people for who they are on the inside, even thought the world is constantly shoving superficial standards at her. She wants to make a positive difference in the world, but she also just wants to day dream and have fun letting her mind meander!

Are you working on your next book? What can you tell us about it?

I’m currently working on the third book in the Fifties Chix series (“Third Time’s a Charm”) and without giving too much away, I’ll just say that three characters time travel to the Civil War era. I am having so much fun researching the 1860s! I never knew I would be getting such an education writing this series. I’m working on two other books (both first of series; my husband’s refrain is, “Can’t you just write a single title??” But I can’t help it, I love to read series, so I love to write series!). The second Fifties Chix book, “Keeping Secrets” is due out at the beginning of 2012.

Tell us something about yourself.

I’ve always loved creative writing. I used to entertain myself by writing stories and drawing pictures. I just came across a school assignment from third grade with vocabulary words. I used each word in a sentence and as a “bonus” illustrated every sentence. I did that constantly–I loved to create scenes (in more ways than one!). I looked to be a creative writing major in college, but got sidetracked with art and theater. Ironically, it was while working in the art gallery that I owned with my husband that I started writing stories based on characters I would sketch. It all came full circle!

My writing continues to take on new meaning for me; while it’s thoroughly enjoyable, it is also the vehicle for what I am passionate about. For example, I am heartened by the growing movement which is a rebellion against the superficial and hyper-sexualized portrayal of girls and women in the media. I am passionate about this cause that “redefines girlhood” and I champion “Good Books x Strong Girls” on my blog and in my books. So while I write fiction (that is fun and uplifting), I write with the intention of creating strong female characters that offer an alternative to the often discouraging and demoralizing portrayal of girls and women.

What obstacles did you encounter in getting this book published? How did you overcome them?

When I first started writing the first Fifties Chix book, I didn’t think too much about how I would publish it; like all of my writing projects, I’m compelled to write them because I love the concepts and characters. The further I got along in writing the story, though, the more I wanted to share it. I realized the quickest way to get it out to most people was to publish it on a blog. My husband set up a website using images of the Fifties Chix characters that I had sketched when first conceiving the concept. People subscribed to the blog posts and I posted sections of the story as I wrote them and included diary entries of the characters, which continues to be an integral part of the story. It was satisfying to immediately start building a community around the Fifties Chix by publishing to the web; the downside was that the posts weren’t professionally edited like my books are now! I try not to think about that aspect too much because it makes me cringe. I guess it wasn’t that bad because the original readers are still fans!

Do you have any writing rituals?

When I’m writing I can’t listen to music at all. Background noise is OK, but if there’s music, I’ll get too easily distracted. I also have to be chewing something. Unfortunately, sometimes my fingernails take the brunt of this, which is why having either gum or sunflower seeds on hand is essential! It’s taken me years to figure out (and not feel guilty) that my best time for writing is in the afternoon. No matter how early I get up in the morning, I just can’t get in a good writing zone until 2 or 3 in the afternoon. I’ve finally given up fighting it and now can have very productive writing sessions (followed usually by a late dinner which is cooked and served by my husband if I’m on a really good jag).

What is the best advice you could give other writers about writing or publishing?

I’m always thrilled to meet someone who says they are working on writing or publishing a book and I get emails constantly asking for advice, which I am happy to give. The publishing industry is undergoing huge changes right now and I forever remind myself and others that this means there are more opportunities than ever. A writer who is working to get published should be like a tree, rooted and grounded in the love of their writing, strong and always reaching out, but flexible when the big storms (rejection, unforeseen obstacles, etc) come. My mantra is “Keep going!” Though, I guess if we’re talking about being a tree, “Keep growing!” is more accurate! My favorite advice, which you hear from authors time and again, is to write what you want to read. I think this is really important because then you’re being authentic and continually refining your voice and message. When your writing is coming from a place of love, you’re assured of success.

Where can readers learn more about you and your book?

The Fifties Chix website at www.FiftiesChix.com has information about the characters in the series, an active fan club and even fun facts about the 1950s, including slang terms. Because I’m a word nerd, there’s also a wiki with supplemental ideas for learning, games, even cooking and entertaining: www.fiftieschix.wikispaces.com I blog regularly about things close to my heart: “Good Books x Strong Girls,” the writing and publishing process, creativity, and observations about life in general. I also have a very extensive FAQ page (with links to my popular ehow publishing videos) available for a resource for writers who are looking to be published or are just getting started with their book projects at www.AngelaSageLarsen.com. On Twitter: @AngLarsen and @50sChix. On Facebook: facebook.com/FiftiesChix

Nikita

The President of Iran sits down with a wealthy and powerful Russian appointed by a corrupt United Nations’ Secretary General to oversee attempts by Iran to develop nuclear arms. The topic they discuss is the brokerage by the Russian of 4,000 nuclear warheads, manufactured by the former Soviet Union and a perfect fit for Iran’s Shahab-3 ballistic missiles. These warheads are sitting in Russian warehouses and are being offered for sale by a rogue Russian official.

The same Russian broker orchestrates the actions of the President of the United States in lockstep with the Secretary General of the United Nations to execute a campaign of actions designed to create and maintain chaos in the world of international relations, a campaign to distract the world from the nuclear proliferation, taking place in the Middle East.

The ambitions of the Russian broker and his colleagues are focused on generating tens of billions of dollars in profits and the global consequences are of no interest to them.

The only way to stop the inevitable disaster is to stop the flow of the money.

Anna and Hugh Masterson, the sleuthing couple from the Anna & Hugh Masterson International Mystery Series, find themselves the unintentional gatekeepers in this horrific plot of unbridled nuclear proliferation and both are at risk of losing their lives under violent and very personal circumstances.

It is a saga that could be…but we pray will not!

Tell us something about yourself.

I was born in The Bronx, NY in the early days of WWII and attended Catholic schools through college, all boys from the sixth grade.

On graduating from Cardinal Hayes High School in 1956, I attended Manhattan College where I earned a BBA in accounting. After a tour of duty with the U.S. Army Artillery, I started my career in 1962, as an accountant with Haskins and Sells, one of the international accounting firms that were then referred to as the Big Eight.

By 1979, I had progressed through a career in finance and the use of technology in financial management to the position of Chief Financial Officer of Citibank’s Visa and MasterCard business.

In the first half of the 1980s, I oversaw, as Chief Executive Officer, the growth of a $459 Million regional mortgage company to a $7.5 Billion Federal Mortgage Bank, one of the largest in the country at that time.

In 1985, together with my wife Susan, a computer scientist, I founded a consulting firm specializing in technology-based solutions to processing and security issues in the Financial Services Industry. From 1985 through 2000, the firm serviced the largest financial organizations in the world, including, Barclays Bank, J.P. Morgan & Co., Citicorp, Merrill Lynch & Co., Credit Suisse, Prudential, Standard & Poor’s and ING Barings.

In the year 2000 two events that were to have a major impact occurred:
My wife left the company to pursue (successfully) a complete career reinvention as an actress, model and author and…
I won the bid on a long-term contract (six years) to reengineer the way the United Nations moves money and information globally.

The UN contract and my wife’s new career required us to be in New York City every day for long hours so we rented an apartment on East 46th Street.

During the six years of the contract, a scandal erupted at the UN surrounding the Oil for Food Program. This was a UN administered effort that permitted the embargoed Hussein run Iraq, isolated after the invasion of Kuwait and the first Iraq war, to sell oil to the world. The funds were to be used to buy food and medical supplies to provide the Iraqi people with the necessities of life, thereby reducing the impact on them of the embargo.

October 27, 2005, a committee headed by Paul Volker issued a report of the audit conducted into the corruption in the program. It was almost 700 pages but the real meat for me was in two sentences. “…the Government of Iraq sold $64.2 billion of oil to 248 companies. In turn, 3,614 companies sold $34.5 billion of humanitarian goods to Iraq.”

The difference between the income from oil sales and the outgo to buy humanitarian goods was 29.7 Billion Dollars. I was deeply involved in the movement of money by the UN and I couldn’t stop asking the question, “What happened to that $29,700,000,000?”

Sometime in the late fall of 2005 I was leaving my apartment building for work by way of the rear entrance through a small park on 45th Street. I was stopped by security personnel because a man had jumped out of the twentieth story of one of the buildings that like mine, bordered the park. When I looked out through the door I saw the body splattered in the park (20 stories is a long drop). However, more disturbing was the fact that on his way down a golden silk robe had been torn from his body and was caught in the branches of the forty-foot high trees that were all over the little park. As I walked to the front entrance of the building, I kept thinking to myself “Who the hell puts on a silk robe to jump out a window, I don’t think it was a suicide”.

Over the thirty years that I was in the consulting business, I traveled about 50% of the time and read an untold number of mysteries.

From that day in the fall of 2005, I knew that there was a great mystery in connecting those last two events, 29.7 billion bucks gone missing and a guy dropped out of his twentieth story apartment window.

The contract with the UN ended September 30, 2006 and on November 6, 2006, I decided to reinvent myself as a mystery writer and connect those two events with the workings of my imagination.

I have never looked back.

I was fortunate in that through my wife’s established associations in the media industry I was introduced to an experienced agent who, on reading my mystery had nothing but praise and promise. On meeting with three publishers, I came away with a great many trepidations about signing a contract with guys much bigger than me and with much deeper pockets when I could not pin them down as to what they were going to do to promote my book. Everything I heard and saw led me to believe that they interpreted their responsibility to begin and end with getting my book into about five hundred bookstores across the country and Amazon. They would look to me to provide most of the marketing and promotional horsepower. The line of all three when I questioned this issue was essentially, “Well after all you are an unknown; most of our promotional dollars goes to proven authors.”

I thanked them and decided to seek alternatives. I will add here that I received a great deal of encouragement from my agent. He felt that the publishing industry was on the cusp of its greatest upheaval and that they were about to experience the revolution of disintermediation that music experienced in the preceding ten years. It was late 2009.
~~~
It is now 2011 and here are the results of our (my wife joined me in this independent publishing endeavor) efforts:
We have independently published my first mystery Treachery In Turtle Bay, the sequel Treachery In Turtle Bay II and Look For The Hook (My wife, Susan Jane Bodell’s self help book).

All three are available in Trade Paperback on Amazon, on Barnes & Noble internet site, through Barnes & Noble stores, through hundreds of other bookstores (via Ingram\Lightning Source POD) and to Libraries via Baker & Taylor. In Kindle e-book format in the Amazon Kindle Store, e-Pub e-book format at the Barnes & Noble Internet Store, e-Pub e-book format from Google Editions.

We have sales every day from somewhere in the world. We market globally and our distribution partners provide global delivery.
We speak at libraries, book clubs, bookstores, spas and resorts. Susan also runs a program on Look for the Hook in rehabilitation centers.
On November 6, 2011, exactly five years to the day after writing my first paragraph of my first novel we published Nikita, the third novel of the Anna and Hugh Masterson Series.

What began as an attempt to write a simple mystery soon escalated into what has become the most exciting adventure of my career.

What inspired you to write this book?

The plot and original high-level outline was developed in late 2008 at about the same time as book two was being finalized.

I saw turmoil on the horizon given the US political climate in late 2008 and the rather 20th century eastern European rhetoric being a keystone of a campaign.

I also recognized the unfolding of seriously worrisome developments in the Middle East, developments that would dwarf the Iraq wars not only in the length and cost but also in the exploding effect on global security. Where there is smoke there is fire I thought and the makings of fertile ground for the sleuthing couple Anna & Hugh Masterson. Thus, book three of the Anna & Hugh Masterson International Mystery Series was conceived.

Over the three years the book has been in development it evolved; the intrigue and mystery grew more sinister, the political background took on the elements of satire, the commitment of the Mastersons to each other became more intense and the action follows the James Bond formula.

How did you choose the title?

It started out as ‘Treachery In Turtle Bay III – Nukes, Dollars, Diplomacy and the Sinister One’. Wow! That’s a mouthful.

I took an afternoon about six months before publishing and researched successful authors’ title conventions. One word, two maybe three, but that’s it. I then got the idea that since the series was named after the heroine and hero, the books should reflect the challenge more closely.

Nikita is the lead bad guy in this and the two prior books in the series. He has become Anna and Hugh Masterson’s Professor Moriarty. In this book, he takes his evil over the top.

The name was found!

What obstacles did you encounter in getting this book published?

None! Not because I became so well known or popular, but because we own the publisher.

In reciting my journey to writing and being published, I noted that we (my wife Susan and I) formed a publishing entity (imprint) Sprig Media Group and established relationships with facilitating organizations, Amazon CreateSpace; Kindle; Barnes & Noble Nook, Google e-books, etc. We never sought another publishing channel after we made that decision in 2009.

I did encounter the usual learning curve when seeking a publisher for the first book. Over 100 rejections and 3 ‘interested’.

How did you overcome them?

We learned the business, not the mechanics of making sure the books are available globally, that is now pretty easy with the upheaval in the publishing industry as a result of technology, but the ‘how to drive readers to our books’.

We believe in our books, mine as entertaining and Susan’s as informative and helpful to folk seeking a toolset to think positively in the face of adversity.

Each day we learn new ways to get that belief out to potential readers. Once we learn these new techniques we implement them.

How did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I didn’t until the age of 68 when circumstances gave me both the opportunity and created the need.

How did you get started?

I explained earlier how the idea for the first book developed. I did not think at the time that my days as a technology solutions consultant had come to an end, but I soon found out there just isn’t much demand for grey haired techies.

I realized about a year into the development of book one, if I wanted to continue being on the cutting edge of a business, it better be one in which age didn’t matter.

The evolution from author to publisher created that opportunity…in both phases of authorship/publishing.

The requirement (personal development and financially) to have a business I could stay in until I wanted to end it, not have it ended for me created the need.

I am grateful and happier than I have ever been.

Do you have any writing rituals?

I really never changed my work habits. I am intense and disciplined. This I believe is a backlash of an earlier period where I was …let’s just say neither intense nor disciplined.

Each day begins with a read through and editing for content of what was written the day before. Sometimes this results in completely scrapping what was written the day before.

It works for me, but is not for everyone.

While writing, from idea through publishing I work 8 to 10 hours a day on the project. Using Nikita as an example, I will now work 8 to 10 hours a day for a year on promoting it and our other books.

Sometime at the end of 2012, I shall start on the next book.

How do you come up with the names for your characters?

My books take place on an international landscape and have characters from around the world. If the character is Russian, I research Russian names (first and last) and create one that I like. It’s the same for each character.

The principals of the series Anna & Hugh Masterson are modeled loosely on my wife and I and the names came from family names.

Did you learn anything from writing and publishing this book? What?

I will have to expand on this question to include the series because the learning process is ongoing and I have learned a great deal. What I have learned relates to fiction and fiction that is seeking a commercially viable audience. I will list the top five in order of importance:

Write about what you know. You can research support, but not the basics of the plot.

Listen to, analyze and react constructively to criticism. My agent pointed out that my first book described in detail the contents of every meal where a scene took place. His words I will never forget. “You are a thin guy who eats very plain food, where the hell is this elaborate description of every meal coming from? Get rid of it.” I did and it has never found its way back into my ‘International Crime Thrillers’.

Outline your story, first broadly then in ever more granular detail. In complex mysteries at least, I find this a must. It will save you from scrapping an entire plot…and you will have a visual of the storyline when you finish.

In Nikita, three plot channels on a course to converge. They are made up of 65 scenes taking place in varied parts of the globe from The Cayman Islands, to Iran, to Russia, to Indonesia, to New York. The scenes are each set by an opening heading denoting place and time. (These replace chapter headings). The scenes are time sequential. It was complex to write, but my feedback says it is easy and fast to read and difficult to put down once you start.

From their mouths to God’s ears!

Understand who your target audience is and adjust your style to capture their interest. I particularly like a paragraph I wrote to describe in pre-release promotions of Nikita.

Over the three years the book has been in development it evolved; the intrigue and mystery grew more sinister, the political background took on the elements of satire, the commitment of the Mastersons to each other became more intense and the action follows the James Bond formula.

It evolved because we listened to my critics, good and bad, and my readers and evolved the style to meet what they would like to see. Each of those characteristics of Nikita is a result of analyzing feedback.

Edit, Edit, Edit, Edit and then edit again.

If you were doing it all over again, what would you do differently?

This may sound arrogant or ignorant, but nothing.

I believe very strongly that we are the sum total of our experiences. I could not have written earlier in my life, the ‘stars were not aligned correctly’. It had to happen when it happened and the way it happened.

What types of books do you like to read? Who are your favorite authors? Why?

Mysteries/Espionage
Cozy
Action
Adventure
Sleuth
Authors
Anna Katharine Green
Agatha Christie
PD James
Ellery Queen , (Actually Daniel Nathan and Emanuel Lepofsky)
Anne Perry
Tom Clancy
Why

Diverse styles, pace, plots and scene development. I learn from each, elements of successful writing.

Are you working on your next book? What can you tell us about it?

No. That will not start until the end of 2012. Current events will play a role in three alternative plots I am playing with for the Mastersons. All three are very different from each other.

What is the best advice you could give other writers about writing or publishing?

Define the objective of the writing; ego, fun, gain or agenda.

Commit enough time to permit the possibility of success.

Give the process three years minimum (full or part time) to make a decision if it is where you want to take your life.

Focus, order and discipline

Who is the perfect reader for your book?

A thinking adult
A global fan base

http://www.thebooknikita.com

My most recent book is called Hospice Tails. I was a hospice social worker from 6/2005 through 8/2011. During that time, I saw many beautiful, heart-wrenching, and sometimes downright funny moments between hospice patients and their pets. I started to record these moments in my journal. I think I always suspected I would write about them someday. In the end, I came up with the thirteen stories that had amazed and amused me the most and turned those stories into Hospice Tails.

Tell us something about yourself.

I was born and raised in Kansas, and I currently live in a suburb of Kansas City. I got my undergraduate major in psychology, took a few years off, and returned to school to get my MSW. I’ve been employed as an emergency room social worker, a social worker in a facility for people with dementia, and finally as a hospice social worker. During that whole time, though, I had been building a thriving freelance writing business on the side, and it got to the point where I was really holding down two fulltime jobs. I had to choose one of them and, although it was probably the hardest choice I’ve ever made, I chose writing.

What inspired you to write this book?

I was inspired by the love I saw between hospice patients and their pets. Pets can often reach out and comfort a patient when nothing else can. I’ve even seen times when the actions of a pet facilitated a long-needed conversation or brought comfort to the surviving family members.

How did you choose the title?

I think the best answer to that is not enough sleep, too much caffeine, and a writing buddy who loves puns. I was muddling around with ideas like “Hospice Pets,” “Hospice Patients and their Pets.” All of a sudden, she burst out laughing and said, “Hospice Tails.” The name stuck around while I was writing the different drafts, and in the end I had gotten so used to it that I didn’t want to change it.

What obstacles did you encounter in getting this book published? How did you overcome them?

The few agents and publishers I talked to said that they liked the book but didn’t know which genre to put it in. Humor? Pets? Caregiving? In the end, it was easier to publish Hospice Tails myself. I published through Booklocker and so far the results have been even better than I had hoped.

How did you know you wanted to be a writer? How did you get started?

I was fortunate enough to grow into a family that was crazy for books. My parents and older sisters read to me while I was still too young to understand a word they were saying, but I came to associate books with comfort. When I was about six years old, and had just started to write real words and sentences, my mother read me a story I hated because the main character died. My mom suggested that if I didn’t like the ending provided in the book, I should write my own. I wrote my favorite character back to life—very clumsily—and I’ve loved writing ever since.

Do you have any writing rituals?

Yes. I burn candles or incense while I write. I write for a block of fifty minutes and then stop, stretch, and spend the next ten minutes working on non-writing related chores. Although I check email briefly throughout the day to make sure I’m not missing an important message, my times set aside for handling email are 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM. Finally, about a half hour before I’m ready to sop, I clean up my desk and write down my plans for the next day. Blowing out my candle symbolizes that my day is done.

How do you come up with the names for your characters?

Sometimes, a name will just pop into my head, and that’s what I’ll go with. More frequently, I’ll hop online to census sites that list the most common names for a child born in any given year.

Did you learn anything from writing and publishing this book? What?

I tend to be a skeptical Type A personality who always wants all the loose ends tied up neatly at the end. In real life, that doesn’t happen often, so I had to be content with ending some of the stories by admitting I didn’t know why something had happened and what happened afterwards.

If you were doing it all over again, what would you do differently?

You know, I’m not sure on this one whether there is anything that I would do differently. Everything during the writing of Hospice Tails seemed to come together for the best. For instance, I would look back over my journals and find a story I’d forgotten over the years, or I’d talk to a friend who would remind me of a silly incident I’d described to her. Hospice Tails was supposed to be a small chapbook I could distribute to friends. Instead, it grew wings, expanded to over a hundred pages, and is (I hope) reaching a much larger audience.

What types of books do you like to read? Who are your favorite authors? Why?

Um…how long do you have? Seriously, I’ve got three full bookshelves and a space-challenged Kindle, not to mention a shelf of library books that I’ve checked out. As for authors, I enjoy Stephen King, Andrew Vachss, J.K. Rowling, Jonathan Kellerman, (the late) Saki, (the late) Marion Zimmer Bradley, Mercedes Lackey, Leslea Newman, Elaine Marie Alphin…and those are just my favorites in the fiction section. I also read a lot of books about goal-setting, time management, and running a small business.

Are you working on your next book? What can you tell us about it?

My next fiction book, “The Ghost of George Boleyn” will be the novel I work on in November during the National Novel Writing Month (nanowrimo.org). My next nonfiction book will be a ghost-written analysis of behavior in the workplace.

What is the best advice you could give other writers about writing or publishing?

There are five pieces of advice that I’d like to share: 1. Make time to write every day, even if it’s only five or ten minutes. Don’t let yourself off the hook if you don’t “feel” like writing; 2) Beware of job ads that pay much too little, require you to join a paid site in order to be hired, or who don’t list the terms of compensation upfront. Another time to run is if a potential employer tries to get you to write free samples for him or her. 3) Balance different aspects of your life. Don’t let writing take over fun with family and friends and the care you need to give yourself. 4) Steer clear of content mills. Ironically, I broke into writing doing jobs for content mills, but things have changed, and the mills are downsizing, paying less than ever, and setting stricter requirements than ever before. It was never a rosy picture, and I’m afraid it’s growing worse.

Who is the perfect reader for your book?

I think there are several different types of perfect readers for hospice tails. In that it has an upbeat, feel good tone, I think that people who enjoy the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” books might want to give Hospice Tails a try. I also hope the book reaches anyone involved with hospice, whether as a professional caregiver, a patient, or a family member. Finally, this is a great book for people who simply love animals and like to read about the positive effects of having a pet.

Where can readers learn more about you and your book?

Readers wanting to learn more about Hospice Tails and read an excerpt can visit my website at http://www.debrastang.net. Hospice Tails may be purchased on Amazon as a print book or on Kindle. It is also available through Barnes and Noble and Booklocker.

The Elephant Talks to God is a book of short stories where my Elephant takes his queries and comments directly to God. God not only listens (as God does to us all) but enters into conversation with the Elephant, answering his questions. The stories eventually ended because the Elephant began asking questions the author could not answer. This book is not typical of my novels, the first being a Fantasy set in World War Two and published on two continents, the second a Thriller leading to my first translated work.

Tell us about yourself.

I am from Atlantic Canada, where I have lived all my life. My mother was a British War Bride and my father came from United Empire Loyalist stock. The Estey ancestry goes back to medieval Italy and the House of D’Este. I am interested in, and directed by, all this heritage. I have been writing for over thirty years.

What inspired you to write this book?

My mother gave me an elephant figurine as part of a Christmas gift. While struggling for a subject for a short story, I looked around my room and stopped at the elephant. It was to be a one-off story. The Elephant (and God) had other ideas.

How did you choose the title?

I wanted the most straight-forward title of such a weighty character and subject matter.

How did you know you wanted to be a writer? How did you get started?

I had no interest in writing, books, reading or any of the arts until Grade Eleven. Within the space of a week (for no obvious reason – I say that God cuffed me on the back of the head) I started writing “funny” short articles. The first of them which I remember (and it may indeed be the first) was about a classroom pencil sharpener which chewed up my pencil. I would do one or two of these funny articles a month. They started to get published in the regional newspaper, The Daily Gleaner.

Do you have any writing rituals?

My writing rituals slide around and some disappear over the years. The bulk of my manuscripts are done long hand with a BIC black ink pen. I usually write in the morning. I use binders and write on alternate lines on both sides of the page. I do now write thriller/adventure books on the computer, for I find that medium enhances the speed of such stories.

How do you come up with the names for your characters?

When stuck for a character’s name, I go to a Gazetteer. Most of the time the character appears with name intact. I have three novel manuscripts where the central character has no name but just initials.

Did you learn anything from writing and publishing this book? What?

Every dayI write I learn something about writing. The Elephant showed me I can sustain humour.

If you were doing it all over again, what would you do differently?

I know what I should have done differently, but I doubt I would do it. I would have concentrated more on the career aspect, promotion and name recognition. But that might mean I would have written one less novel. Not worth the trade-off.

What types of books do you like to read? Who are your favorite authors? Why?

I prefer reading books where all the elements (character, plot, description, philosophy) blend seamlessly. Writers whom I enjoy who accomplish this are John le Carré, Thomas Mann, Thomas Hardy, Mavis Gallant, Alan Bennett, Robert Hass, Alice Munro, Saul Bellow.

Are you working on your next book? What can you tell us about it?

I am working on a thriller centred around NATO. Internet chicanery is at the core of the intricate plot. One central character is a guard/attack dog named Louie. His name came from a real dog I heard being called to in a dog park. Louie is a Cane Corso.

What is the best advice you could give other writers about writing or publishing?

*BEST* advice for a writer – write regularly. Work time into a schedule to make it possible to write a number of times a week – same time/same place if possible. Publishing venues are so broad these days that it is best to take a long time and study them all. Then chose an avenue that is comfortable (and understandable).

Who is the perfect reader for your book?

Perfection is over-rated. Enter my books and you won’t be disappointed.

Where can readers learn more about you and your book?

http://DaleEstey.com

Amazon.com

http://books.google.com/books/about/The_Elephant_Talks_to_God.html?id=Cj5sAAAACAAJ

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000411133160

http://twitter.com/#!/DaleEstey

Santa Fe Sundown… A young man is wrongly accused of murdering a state senator and sent to Yuma prison. After two years he inadvertently is released and tracks the man responsible for sending him there.

Tell us something about yourself.

I was born and raised on the Mississippi gulf coast (My first novel) Oath of Color is about that area from 1926-1956. I have since moved to Texas (1979) I now write Christian western novels. In my previous life I worked in the oil industry as a Corporate Quality control manager, retired early and traveled in an RV fulltime for fifteen years around Texas and the northwest. I have written and self published Winds of Freedom, Winds of the Rio Grande, Santa Fe Sundown.

What inspired you to write this book?

My desire to give something to the public not filled with cussing and porn.

How did you choose the title?

I never choose a title. They just show up while I am writing.

What obstacles did you encounter in getting this book published? How did you overcome them?

Publishers don’t open manuscripts mailed to them and I just recently found self publishing. What a God send! I have a domain website called booksbyguy.com

How did you know you wanted to be a writer? How did you get started?

Twelve years ago I was inspired to write about my home country and its problem with discrimination. I wrot and never got published all that time.

Do you have any writing rituals?

No rituals as such. I write almost every day unless I need to jump over a block!

How do you come up with the names for your characters?

Some are biblical, others just appear.

Did you learn anything from writing and publishing this book? What?

After the original manuscript is finished, the donkey work begins. Editing! editing………I also design and create my own covers.

If you were doing it all over again, what would you do differently?

Learn more about computers and what they can do.

What types of books do you like to read? Who are your favorite authors? Why?

Westerns…. Mostly Louis La Mour. Although i don’t read much since I began writing. I don’t want to copy someone elses style.

Are you working on your next book? What can you tell us about it?

Yes! Winds of Amarillo. Bringing all the character together from the previous three

What is the best advice you could give other writers about writing or publishing?

Just do it! Don’t let anyone tell you you can’t! I do suggest people who want to write do a lot of research.

Who is the perfect reader for your book?

Those who are interested in reading good , clean western. Something their children can read!

Where can readers learn more about you and your book?

Booksbyguy.com. At Amazon and on Kindle.

My most recent book is called Everyone’s Universe: A Guide to Accessible Astronomy Places (2011). It’s both an education and travel guide. The first part of the book shows educators how to make astronomy and the night sky more accessible to people through mobility access, non-visual access, non-hearing access and non-verbal communication access. The second part of the book is a friendly state-by-state travel guide to already accessible astronomy destinations such as planetariums and observatories. The theme of the book is that even if you have a disability, you can still actively participate in learning about the night sky.

Tell us something about yourself.

I was born and raised in Malden Massachusetts, a suburb just north of Boston, by a single parent and grandmother. I loved watching space-related programs and reading astronomy books as a child.

In 1984, during my senior year as an astronomy major in college, I started working part time in the Boston Museum of Science presenting planetarium shows. About a month later, group of blind students attended one of my planetarium shows. The program was pre-recorded and the manager told me to just help this group to find their seats. At the end of the show, I wondered what these students thought about their planetarium experience so I asked them. Their response changed my life. They told me “the show stunk” and walked away. From that moment, I vowed to find a way to make astronomy accessible to people who are blind. I began investigating ways to make touchable images and how to make the planetarium shows and topics in astronomy more accessible. This work led me to write my first book, Touch the Stars, which has touchable images and text in print and Braille. The Museum of Science published it in 1990 and it is now in its 4th edition and published by National Braille Press. This book led to several books with NASA: Touch the Universe: A NASA Braille Book of Astronomy (2002), Touch the Sun: A NASA Braille Book (2005) and Touch the Invisible Sky: A Multi-Wavelength Braille Book Featuring Tactile NASA Images (2007). I have also written a children’s book, The Little Moon Phase Book (2005) and designed tactile graphics for NASA exhibits.

What inspired you to write this new book?

Over the years, people would come up to me at conferences and write to me and say that they needed ideas to make astronomy more accessible to special needs groups. Or a person with a disability would write and ask for ideas on visiting observatories. I decided to combine these two themes into one book and expand beyond visual accessibility to include barriers faced by people who use wheel chairs, people who can’t hear and people who can’t communicate by speech. This book is different from my other five books because it does not have Braille and touchable images. It is available in large print, Kindle, EPub and Accessible PDF.

How did you choose the title?

I chose the title, Everyone’s Universe, because that’s how I feel personally. It really is everyone’s universe and there are strategies to remove barriers from access to telescopes and astronomy enrichment programs. I provide the blueprint and examples of places that have already made their facilities more accessible.

What obstacles did you encounter in getting this book published? How did you overcome them?
I had never worked with a book designer before but fortunately met one at my first meeting of the Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. He guided me step-by-step in details to self-publish my book, such as ISBN numbers and Library of Congress registration.

I also discovered that even if you create an accessible PDF version of your book (for people who read by listening to the computer), current book distribution software does not allow you to upload the book and maintain the accessibility features with security features. This required me to create individual CD copies of Everyone’s Universe to sell.

How did you know you wanted to be a writer? How did you get started?

I worked at the Boston Museum of Science Planetarium for 26 years. My work involved writing a variety of brochures, reports, and scripts. But it was that one experience with the group of blind students that got me really thinking…no one had made astronomy accessible before so I needed to do that!

Do you have any writing rituals?

When I have an idea at night, I write a note and put it in my shoe. Then I’m sure to find it the next morning!

Did you learn anything from writing and publishing this book? What?

I learned that there are a lot of things going on in the background when you have a publisher versus self-publishing. Having to do your own marketing takes a lot of time. I am passionate about making science accessible to people with disabilities and speaking on this topic. If I can help remove perceptual barriers between students by providing materials that can be used by all students (versus colorful slick book for sighted students and dull Braille book for blind students) this helps people see each other as equal peers.

What types of books do you like to read? Who are your favorite authors?

I read a variety of books including topics on business, travel and biographies. I enjoy reading the Little House on the Prairie stories, Anne of Green Gables, and the inspirational writings of’ Helen Keller. I’ve read many of Bill Bryson’s Travel Books – he is so funny!

What is the best advice you could give other writers about writing or publishing?

Join a writers group where you can learn new skills and pick up writing strategies. Work with an experienced book designer!

Who is the perfect reader for your book?

Everyone’s Universe is an important resource for science educators (teachers, museum/planetarium/observatory staff, and astronomy club members who offer star parties for the public). This book is also a great resource for people with disabilities and/or family members who are interested in natural science. W can make the universe more accessible together!

Where can readers learn more about you and your book?

To learn more about Everyone’s Universe and other books written by Noreen Grice, please visit You Can Do Astronomy homepage.

NATIONAL GUARD 101: A Handbook for Spouses

Since 9/11, virtually every unit of the National Guard—a force the size of the entire active Army—has served on active duty for one or more of the deployments at home or abroad. The last time that the entire National Guard had been mobilized was for World War II.

America’s 365,000+ National Guardsman, and their family members, live and work as civilians in 2,700 communities across the United States and territories. National Guard 101: A Handbook for Spouses is the only military lifestyle book written specifically for this unique audience.

The book covers practical topics such as: the History of the National Guard, Understanding Rank, and How Promotions Work as well as softer subjects such as Social Life in the Guard, Family Programs, and What to do if Your Spouse Is the Company Commander. National Guard 101: A Handbook for Spouses also covers the benefits and assistance resources available to Guard families and guides readers through the process of setting up a Personal Assistance League (PAL) to provide support during deployment.

Tell us something about yourself.

I am from Minnesota. I moved from Minneapolis to the Atlanta suburbs in 2001. My background is in marketing and business development. I have worked with architects and engineers for 20 years. When I’m not taking care of my family and writing for fun, I work from home as a technical proposal writer.

What inspired you to write this book?

I married my husband—a long time member of the Minnesota National Guard—in 2000. Although I had family members who had served in the military, I had zero experience with military protocol or culture. The only thing I knew about the National Guard, at that time, was “one weekend a month, two weeks in the summer.” After moving to Georgia in 2001 and my husband’s deployment to Guantanamo in 2002, I realized that although I had never considered myself one, I was, indeed, a military wife. I spent a lot of time Googling to find information to help me understand my role as a Guard spouse. I found that much of the information available was targeted toward Active duty spouses who lived on military bases and lived a completely different lifestyle. I felt there was a need for a book for National Guard spouses. So I wrote it!

There are millions and millions of books on the shelves but National Guard 101 is the only book written specifically for the 162,000 Guard spouses.

How did you choose the title?

The titles of both my books were “working titles” that I used in the original query letters and proposals. With both books, the publishers helped me with the subtitle. I am a big fan of calling things what they are versus trying to be to overly clever. Mission accomplished.

What obstacles did you encounter in getting this book published? How did you
overcome them?

Oh Lord–so many obstacles. The book is very niche. But the “niche” is a huge audience that is easy to target. Still, the publisher of my first book had to pass on National Guard 101 because it just didn’t fit in with their strategic place in the market. My agent found a smaller publisher that specialized in military and history titles. Unfortunately, the project was orphaned when the editor left. By that time, my agent had moved on from being an agent to editing and my new agent didn’t know if she could sell the project to her usual non-fiction editors. A few months later, a proponent of the project who worked for the National Guard Bureau approached me about publishing the book through their organization. Although she retired and I had to go back to the drawing board again, her feedback and enthusiasm provided the push I needed to persevere. I took a trip to my local Barnes and Noble and perused every military lifestyle book on the shelves. That’s where I found my publisher: Savas Beatie. When National Guard 101 finally hits the shelves this summer, it will have been five years since I sent the first query letter. Patience and persistence are key if you want to get a book published.

Do you have any writing rituals?

Writing is very much a side activity for me. I squeeze it in between work and family activities. That means that I can’t make excuses or wait to “be in the mood.” I make deadlines for myself to stay on track. I have a long-range plan of what major projects I want to complete every year. Some projects take years and years but I just keep moving forward. I also don’t write my chapters in order. I write the most interesting or “fun” content first and tackle the more difficult chapters last.

What types of books do you like to read? Who are your favorite authors?

I read a book a week, sometimes more. I enjoy everything from political biographies to Chick Lit. Jane Austen is my favorite author because she has such a pulse on how people are wired. People are both as charming and annoying today, as they were back in her day.

What is the best advice you could give other writers about writing or publishing?

One thing at a time. For non-fiction, after you come up with your concept, size up the competition. If you are confident that you have something new to say, start writing. You will need sample chapters (usually not the first chapter). Once you have outstanding sample chapters, write the book proposal. After the book proposal is done, write the query letter. Even if you have an agent, you should still write a query letter. You have to sell them first. Be patient. If you have a good idea—you will know immediately. No matter what “the rules” say, great ideas break through. If you have a hot query letter, don’t be surprised if you hear back from an agent—or agents/editors—immediately. You also need to know when to walk away from an idea. I’ve written two book proposals that didn’t materialize. Don’t get overly attached to your work. Sometimes it’s better just to move onward and upward.

Who is the perfect reader for your book?

Anyone who is dating, engaged to, or married to a National Guardsman. My hope is that the book will be bought in large quantities and distributed to Guard family members at conferences or military social occasions.

Where can readers learn more about you and your book?

www.marycorbett.com

Any Color but Beige: Living Life in Color is a memoir that chronicles my journey from a colorful childhood in Cleveland, Ohio and a predictable but secure suburban marriage – in other words a beige existence – to a crucial turning point when I initiated some major life changes in my quest to live my life in color.

Tell us something about yourself.

I grew up in Cleveland and trained to be a journalist. After college, I worked for many years in marketing communications for ad agencies and large N. American corporations. I used to write “commercially,” i.e. press releases, articles, speeches, strategies. And then 15 years ago I switched to sales to try something a little different. I began selling color for a living or rather color merchandising materials, i.e. paint chips and fan decks, to paint companies around the world. As a result I live a very colorful life, meeting interesting people and having amazing experiences, all of which is good material for my book or blog. So essentially I’ve come full circle but in a more creative way. I currently live in the cosmopolitan city of Montreal. That’s added a little French twist to my life.

What inspired you to write this book?

A dangerously handsome Italian man broke my heart during a brief sojourn in Italy. I started writing to gain perspective and clarify my thoughts. The thoughts became a blog that resonated with readers. After all, heartbreak is universal. The blog expanded into other areas of my life: dating, traveling, and learning new things by pushing the envelope and going outside my comfort zone. All of this eventually became the basis for my book.

How did you choose the title?

The title chose me. When I finished writing the book, I reflected on the story and I thought, “Well, my girl, your life has been anything but beige.” And that’s how I came up with the title.

What obstacles did you encounter in getting this book published? How did you overcome them?

I published the book myself. I wasn’t about to wait for someone to give me permission or acknowledge my efforts. The book is good. I know it and so I invested in it and by extension in myself.

How did you know you wanted to be a writer? How did you get started?

A favorite aunt bought me my first typewriter, a used Underwood, when I was ten years old. It was her thoughtful gift and a few encouraging words that first put the idea in my head that I might want to be a writer. I started by writing poetry.

Do you have any writing rituals?

I listen to movie scores; anything by the great Ennio Morricone puts me in “the zone” and lets me write without knowing I’m writing.

How do you come up with the names for your characters?

This is a memoir so I thought it was best to change the names but I did pick names that I liked and were evocative of each character’s nature.

What types of books do you like to read?

I love all kinds of books. I’m inspired by historical fiction and biographies. I escape reading good novels. I like popular science books because I never took much science in school. I read books on philosophy as means of understanding myself and others. I rely on friends’ recommendations when it comes to choosing books because like the T-shirt says, “So many books, so little time.”

Who are your favorite authors?

Shakespeare

Why?

He covers it all: comedy, tragedy, love stories, history. His plots are riveting, his characters are complex and his turn of a phrase is exquisite. “Oh God that I could be bounded in a nutshell and count myself king of infinite space were it not that I have bad dreams.” (Hamlet) No matter what my state of mind, I can always relate to one of his stories.

Are you working on your next book? What can you tell us about it?

Yes. Most people collect souvenirs when they travel, I collect other people stories The next book will be a collection of other people’s stories from around the world.

What is the best advice you could give other writers about writing or publishing?

If you can show up to work every day, you can show up and write every day. Pick a start time and an end time, sit down and write. There’s no way around it and alphabetizing your DVD collection is just another means of resistance. Butt in chair…hands on key board. Write.

Who is the perfect reader for your book?

Most people have two lives, the life they live and the life they want to live. This book is for those people. The book is like a map in the metro, “You are here” with a big red X. Now where to you want to go? This is book is for people who want to add a little or a lot of color to their lives. In the end, how they do it is up to them. We all chose our own path.

Where can readers learn more about you and your book?

Readers can learn more about my day to day adventures on my blog: The Café Girl Chronicles.

And they can purchase the book online at Amazon.com or their favorite local bookstore.

My most recent book is titled Flesh Wounds and is my first full length contemporary romance that is not paranormal in nature. I decided to step away from vampires and write a “falling for the boy next door” themed novel. This story touches many different aspects of real life issues such as depression, single parent homes and even alcoholism. Real problems shared my real people, brought to light in a fictitious setting with lots of romance.

Tell us something about yourself.

I am a small-town Texas girl, the mother of four teenagers. I still live within a few miles of my parents, family and even the very hospital where I was born. I was widowed a few years back and that event is probably the main reason why I decided to take a chance and do what I had always wanted to do…write.

I’m down to earth, often referring to myself as a “Koolaid” kind of girl.

I am nobody special and I don’t hold degrees in literature or anything one may expect of a multi-published author. Perhaps it could even be said that I was just lucky, unless you consider the dues I had to pay in order to get to where I am today. I’d say, I’m barely breaking even.

What inspired you to write this book?

My inspiration for this book was to create a hero or heroine that could be anyone, even the guy or girl next door. My usual genre is vampire romance, but the likelihood of someone finding true love with a vampire or other paranormal entity isn’t realistic, so I wanted to offer a romance that most definitely could be obtained by anyone anywhere.

Alcoholism, depression, drug addiction, and single parenting are facts of life and this story allowed me to bring those issues to the table and perhaps be seen in a different light with strong women and chivalrous men. Every day heroes, if you will.

Far too many people deal with these serious issues daily. And although Julia was at the end of her ordeal with depression when the story begins, it was important to show how easily a relapse could occur and how important a strong support system is.

This won’t be my last contemporary romance, but it may be the one to define the direction I take future stories.

How did you choose the title?

The title, Flesh Wounds, came very easily. The heroine, Julia Benson, bears a scar on her wrist where she had attempted suicide during a bout with depression while away at college. The idea that not all wounds are visible becomes apparent as you get to know her and her story and discover what drove her to such desperate measures.

How do you come up with the names for your characters?

Picking names for characters can be difficult. Taking into consideration the time period, location and genre plays a big part in that endeavor. I usually decide the ethnicity, age and geographical location of each character then research accordingly. For instance, I wouldn’t name a sexy vampire born in the seventeenth century, Brice or Rashawn, nor would I choose Julio for an Scottish Highlander. The names must be relevant to the character and everything surrounding them.

Most times a lot of factors come into play when naming characters, but sometimes, believe it or not, they’ve actually been known to name themselves.

If you were doing it all over again, what would you do differently?

If you’re asking about writing in general, the answer is easy. If I were to do it all over again, I would have taken writing or journalism classes as a young woman and started pursuing my writing career twenty tears earlier. All of that would have to be contingent on whether or not I would still have my kids though. If changing history meant not having them, then I wouldn’t change a single aspect of anything!

Are you working on your next book? What can you tell us about it?

Currently, I’m back to writing a vampire/paranormal romance to be released sometime next year.

I have one full length paranormal novel releasing in November and a contemporary Christmas novella due out in December.

2012 is already promising to be busy, so there’s no telling what I may be up to. Whatever it is though, you can bet I am making the most of it.

What is the best advice you could give other writers about writing or publishing?

The best advice I can offer anyone is to, first and foremost, develop tougher skin.

I recall a scene in the movie, “A League of Their Own”, where Tom Hanks’ character becomes overwhelmed by the emotional outbursts of the women he coached, and complained, “There’s no crying in baseball!”

Well, there can be lots of crying in the publishing industry. Rejection and criticism hurts like crazy and nothing can rip your heart out more than a bad review or not being able to find a home for your “baby.”

Stick with it and surround yourself with other authors and writers who understand how you feel and what you’re going through firsthand. Family and friends are wonderful, but even so, nobody can get you though a writing crisis like another writer. And finally, take every piece of advice to heart. What may seem insignificant today, may be just what you need to get you though tomorrow.

Where can readers learn more about you and your book?

“Flesh Wounds” can be found on my publisher’s site or on Amazon through the following links:
eXtasy Books:

More links leading to my hideouts may be found on my Blog, “Sealed with a Kiss”: http://robinbadillo.blogspot.com/

My most recent book is Prayers for Prodigals. It’s a book of Scripture-based prayers and meditations for the parents of prodigal kids.

When you’re the parent of a prodigal you know you need to pray, but you’re often so overwhelmed you don’t know where to begin.

Instead of telling you how to pray, Prayers for Prodigals encourages you to pray by taking you directly there and leading you in prayer.

Tell us something about yourself.

I’ve been writing since my 4th grade teacher discovered it was a great way to keep me out of trouble. It still does (sometimes). Today I’m a husband, father, pastor, author and beekeeper. But the writing doesn’t keep me out of trouble with the bees.

What inspired you to write this book?

I love my kids dearly. They’ve made some choices which have caused them real pain and difficulty, and I hate to see them go through it. This book is a “cry from the heart” for them, and an effort to bring the help only God can give into their lives. I was also inspired by an excellent book, For Prodigals and Those Who Love Them, by Ruth Bell Graham. That’s a “heart-cry” book as well, and it had a huge impact on me when my daughter was going through a difficult time.

How did you publish this book? Why did you decide on that publisher?

Discovery House is my publisher (dhp.org). They opened the door for my first book (The Lost Art of Praying Together), and I’m deeply grateful. They’re a wonderful team to work with.

How did you know you wanted to be a writer? How did you get started?

I wanted to write nonfiction Christian devotional books since I was about 15. Even at that age I read alot, and the reading had a profound impact on my life and faith.

What do you believe is the hardest part of writing?

Letting it go. Once I write something, I like to go back and re-craft it. It’s always good to edit, but I can be tempted to “overwrite.” When that happens, it loses freshness if you’re not careful. Sometimes, you just have to step away.

How do you do research for your books?

My first book, The Lost Art of Praying Together, came out of doctoral work in the area of church history. I love reading old books (at least a century old) and gaining insights from their lives, so different and yet so similar. I also love reading the Bible. In the quiet of those moments God seems to lead me down roads of discovery I would never find on my own.

Did you learn anything from writing this book? What?

I was amazed at how quickly this book came to me. I felt as if God was carrying me at times, making this a surprisingly easy book to write.

What are you reading now?

I just finished reading George Muller’s autobiography. Right now I’m reading Transforming Prayer by Daniel Henderson.

What types of books do you like to read? Who are your favorite authors? Why?

As mentioned, I love old books. Two of my favorites are The Valley of Vision, a collection of beautiful prayers, and also the 1797 edition of Olney Hymns, by John Newton (author of Amazing Grace) and British poet William Cowper. Their use of the English language soars and the content is inspiring and challenging–both are beautiful works.

Are you working on your next book? What can you tell us about it?

Yes, but it’s just in the proposal stage at the moment (so it’s a secret!). I can hardly wait to share it!

What is the best advice you could give other writers about writing or publishing?

Write from the heart, and from your personal experience.

What are you doing to promote your latest book?

Speaking, blogging and giving seminars on the vital importance of prayer. The book has also been blessed with some great endorsements, from Franklin Graham (himself a former prodigal), author Cheri Fuller, and Fern Nichols (founder of Moms In Touch International). I’ve also started a website called PrayersForProdigals.org where parents can share prayer requests for their kids.

Where can readers learn more about you and your book?

Please visit Discovery House Publishers at dhp.org, and my web and blogsite at JamesBanks.org.