Poppet's Master of Umbra and Giveaway

She's one of the coolest author chicks around and she's finally doing a tour to launch her latest novel, Master of Umbra. Yes, I'm talking about Poppet. Now, if you haven't heard of her or read her books, you're in for a real treat. Poppet writes the most awesome books - some are super scary (yep, she scared the living daylights outta me when I first read her), some are just downright spooky, and some are well... let's just say not quite appropriate for youngsters ;). But if you're looking for a brilliantly written piece of writing, then Poppet's your girl. My favourite books of hers are the YA series which includes Scarlet Vamporium. I totally fell in love with them!
I'm really excited about her latest offering, and you could be in with a chance to win a kindle copy right here! Just scroll down and enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway!

Title: Master of Umbra by Poppet
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Deliah is in grave danger, running for her life from a man who needs her dead, when serendipity plants her in the path of the Master of Umbra.
Inducted into the mysterious Eagle clan of the Scottish highlands, Deliah is torn between her fate and destiny when kin clash for her affections. Falling for the scandalous villain who heads the Berserkers of the Hebrides, her fragile hope is snuffed out early by revelation and impending war.
The only mantra she can cling to is the one uttered in heartfelt promise; that love comes back.
Because that's what love does.
Amazon US
Amazon UK

Excerpt:
“What do you want?” he snaps, in that impatient drawl.
“Er... I can't get confrontational in the dark,” I mumble, losing courage.
“I bet you're plenty confrontational in the dark.” Gripping my arm in the 'master is not pleased' grind, he marches me deeper into the darkness, muttering, “Dressed like that only reinforces the image.”
“What's wrong with the way I'm dressed?” I argue, wishing he'd slow down already.
He laughs, and it's cold, “Sweetie, it looks like you're either going to put me over your knee, or beg me to put you over mine.”
“Oh go get knotted–”
“Did you leave any beer in the vat when you finished sucking it dry? Ulfhednar head is white and frothy, just the way you like it.”
“I did not–”
“You're more baked than clay and you're going to be just as dehydrated come sunup. What the hell were you thinking?” he chastises, hauling me into a grotto ready to raise the dead. Candles and steam haunt the room like old lovers getting nostalgic.
“What the hell was I thinking?” Now you've done it mister twat. “I was thinking you require trepanning so you can deflate your fucking ego.”
He turns to scowl down at me, his chest embroidered with white scars which map bridges over his extreme musculature. I'm trying very hard not to gawk, but bleedin' heck, he looks like an action man who grew up on a uranium farm, except of course for the tortured gaze he pegs me with when he folds his arms and bursts veins out in wild rivulets. They ridge in the flickering candlelight, shadowing his bulk with a net of strength.
What was he doing here exactly, in just his baggies?
Fuck! Was he expecting his date to show up and I walked in where I'm not welcome?

Links to Poppet:
Facebook
Goodreads
Twitter
Website
Blog
Pinterest
 a Rafflecopter giveaway

EXPAT EXPERIENCES Guest post by Jill Pennington

Recently I met the most amazing fellow Yorkshire lass online. Her name is Jill Pennington and she is a single mum living in Italy with her three children. She has quite a story to tell... in fact she has written a book about her experiences, entitled The Diary of a Single Parent Abroad. I was so impressed by her tale that I asked her to write a guest post. So, here it is... over to you Jill! 
Suzy

On my return to Italy from the UK, the lovely people who work for Ryanair decided my bag was far too big to fit on their plane and told me I would have to pay a £40 fee. I had only £12.50 in cash and a substantial supply of Cadburys chocolate, which I was not prepared to negotiate with. Weighed in at 9.8 kilos (the case not the Cadburys) so was within my weight limit but apparently too bulky.

After the initial panic, I started emptying my luggage, inhaling bars of chocolate and stuffing my lovely new M&S smalls in my already overstuffed pockets. Resembling something across between a scarecrow and a Michelin man as I added extra cardigans and jumpers. I was by now, sweating like a fat lass, in the 30 degrees heat of a normal British summer.
But I would not be beaten, and eventually made it to the plane tightly clutching my last few quid. Then me and everybody else on the flight repacked our cases and wondered what the flip that was all about.
I survived the flight and walked to Pisa train station with my heavy bag, managed to catch the right train and got off at right stop. I had the biggest fattest smile on my face as I danced down the road to my car. I just love coming home. I put my key in the ignition - Nothing, niente! So back up hill I wearily trudged to train station, no longer dancing or smiling.
Saturday is the local mechanics day off, but the man at the bar with one leg and a stick told me he had some jump leads. So he hobbled down to my car along with my other new best friend and we attached the leads. Unfortunately the Selotape that held the leads together was a little less sticky than it had been when it was first attached 25 years earlier, so we roped in a couple more pensioners and tried to push/jump it instead - still nothing.
At this point my very own collection of Tuscan pensioners decided that it wasn't the battery at all and it must have an empty petrol tank. I calmly explained in my 'fluent' Italian that the dashboard lights were not fuelled by petrol and as they were not functioning that it must in fact be the battery. So impressed that a mere female could know such a thing, they re-grouped and produced another set of jump leads. A glimmer of hope... but no the Fiat Panda on offer was reluctant to share. Just as the assembled pensioners had started the head scratching routine (that’s when you know things are really bad) a 'proper' car pulled up and attached his bumper to mine. (Not much damage!) Within minutes I had a live engine, and wanted to be on my way but Johnny one-leg thought I might want to give him a lift home. Bumper Humper saw my look of desperation and rescued me a second time, so I was off up the mountain and down the other side for a pizza and a glass of 'Pinot Grigio'
Extract from ‘The diary of a single parent abroad’/Jill Pennington.
Ebook here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/diary-single-parent-abroad-ebook/dp/B00871I0XS/
Paperback here: http://www.feedaread.com/books/The-diary-of-a-single-parent-abroad-9781781765456.aspx
Facebook blog: http://www.facebook.com/TheDiaryOfASingleParentAbroad
Twitter: Jillipen

Author (and book cover designer) Interview: Emma Michaels

I am absolutely DELIGHTED to have the wonderful author Emma Michaels with me today. Not only is Emma a FAB author, but she is also an AMAZING book cover designer who did the most FANTASTIC job re-designing my covers for The Raven Saga!!

I noticed that you're having a mega Tour for Owlet next month. Can tell us a little about the book and the tour?
Yes, thanks to my amazing publisher Tribute Books there is going to be a 101 spot blog tour with short exerts from the novel featured on each stop along with an amazing giveaway! Here is the blurb:

Somewhere between falling and flying… there is a girl.
Iris has a secret. She lost her memory eight years ago and never told a living soul. After an asthma attack one night she finds out that her dreams of a strange house on a snowy island may be a memory resurfacing but the more she learns about the past the more she realizes the life she has been living is a lie. As the façade her father built starts to crumble around her she will have to decide which means more to her; the truth or her life.

What inspired you to write Owlet?
There are so many moments that had to come together to give me the courage to write Owlet. When I was about ten, I was sitting in my grandmother’s bed and so sick I could hardly move. She didn’t know what to do to help me beyond filling me up with food and liquids so she brought me a YA book. I fell in love with it and read the rest of the series that day and all of the authors’ novels within about three days. But while I was reading, there was something that ate away at me a little bit and made me sad. The main character managed to run for five days to reach the man she loved in time to save him. I had asthma. I could never even run to the end of my block without doubling over and needing my inhaler. It hurt to know that if it came down to a life or death situation my health issues could hurt my chances of saving someone I love. As I grew up I realized, no they wouldn’t; there is always another way. I really started to wish there were a book out there with an asthmatic lead character who could show that to the world. So finally, I wrote one. I got tired of waiting and wanted it so desperately. I can’t regret it because writing Owlet helped me grow as more than just an author, it helped me grow as a person.

Is Owlet one of a series? 
Yes, book two is titled Eyrie and will be coming out October 2013 and the final novel in the trilogy will be titled Stryx.

If Owlet was made into a movie, who would you like to play the main characters? 

Photo credit: RavenU via photo pin cc 

Terrence Mann would make the perfect Nathaniel (Iris grandfather) and Summer Glau for Diana are really the only two I am perfectly sure of. I would love Iris to be played by someone unknown just so that the face would be synonymous with her specifically.

What made you want to become an author?
I don’t think there was an “I want to be an author” kind of moment really. It was more filling up crazy amounts of notebooks and my now fiancé asking me what I really wanted to do with my life. I admitted to him what I had never admitted to anyone and he told me to go for it, that even if I only wrote a book and he was the only person to get to read it he still felt it would be a great idea because it was what I wanted to do. So I did!

You're also a super brilliant awesome book cover designer (I know this folks, because Emma very kindly did the most amazing new covers for The Raven Saga), how did you get into designing covers?
I had a budget of $25 for the cover of my first novel and started out my hunt for the perfect artist. Of course no one is willing to work for only $25, it would be near impossible to even get anything back from it. So my publisher and I found a designer willing to do the base design and I built off of it. I realized as I worked on it that it was really something I was enjoying and as I got the opportunity to work on more book covers I slowly started learning more and more until finally I decided to make it official and became the cover artist for a publisher I adore. From there, it’s history.

What do you think makes a really good book cover?
Unique concepts and appropriate use of space. You need to know where the focus should be and there are so many ways to accomplish bringing the focus in on one point but I have noticed a lot of covers lately where the title and author name really don’t stand out as much as they should and I feel like, while the art is important it is ultimately about making sure the novel catches the eye of the reader and is the type of cover where you will easily be able to read the title and associate the image with it. A cover doesn’t make or break a novel but it can really help it catch the attention of readers who are just browsing.

Name one of your all-time favourite book covers?

Ohhh hard one. I have a terrible memory span so I would have to go with my current favorite which is The Flame of Olympus (Pegasus). I saw it in the store and stopped dead in my tracks to stare at it for a few minutes.

What genre of books do you love creating covers for?
Anything Young Adult though especially YA fantasy or paranormal.

Name one book that made you think 'wow'? Why did it have such an effect on you?
The Fault in our Stars. A friend told me I had to read it and sent me a copy and once I did… just WOW. It is simply phenomenal.

Who, or what, inspires you?
I find inspiration in so many different places and forms but I think the main thing that inspires me is core emotions. Those moments that change a person’s life and where you really realize what you are made of. It is part of why I am such a huge fan of Severus Snape, Alanna from in the Hand of the Goddess and Paksonarian from an Elizabeth Moon series. I had a few of those moments and I feel like they are really what I draw on when I am writing certain scenes.

Where is your favourite place to write?
I write just about anywhere. I love being at a desk though and I don’t currently have one. <3

What is your favourite movie that was based on a book?
Okay, so a lot of Harry Potter lovers are going to throw tomatoes at me for this but Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2. Like many readers I enjoy the books more than the movies simply because those books capture your heart and mind every moment you are reading them and immerse you in this magical world. The reason I love that movie is because while it doesn’t exactly hold true to the book, it brings it all back to me. I remember all of the details of the book and the movie and they come together. It is an epic finale that was bitter sweet because already the book series had been finished and now, the movies are as well.

Who is your favourite author (s) and why?
I have so many. There are the authors I love because of getting to know them personally and the authors I love because their books have really taken hold on my heart. My current favorite is John Green after reading The Fault in Our Stars. That book is brilliant.

If you could have a dinner party with any authors from any time in history, who would you choose and why?
I would be so worried about being disillusioned about certain authors that I would have to go with someone… wait. I just came up with the perfect answer. I can’t believe I never thought of it before. Solomon, Peter and John from the bible. Talk about an interesting dinner party.

Tell us a random fact about yourself.
I love Doctor Who and consider myself a proud nerd.

Tell us something interesting about the area where you live.
The island that inspired the ‘sand dollar’ in Owlet is very close to where I live!

Author Website: www.EmmaMichaels.com
Buy Links: http://www.amazon.com/Emma-Michaels/e/B004FVEL1E/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1313195938&sr=8-1
Owlet – New series - Coming this October 13th!
Blog Link: http://OurBooksOurVoice.Blogspot.com
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/emma.michaels.90
Twitter: http://twitter.com/EmmaMichaels
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4104941.Emma_Michaels

Thank you so much for having me Suzy! I loved the questions and always have such a blast talking to you! <3
It's an absolute pleasure, Emma! And ditto to that!! <3

Q&A with author Tom Elliott

Name one book that made you think 'wow'? Why did it have such an effect on you?

“Grapes of Wrath” hands down. John Steinbeck’s characters brought to life a sad chapter in the lives of the Americans affected by circumstances they could not control – the “dust bowl.” His narratives of the 1930s – economic distress of families, prejudice (against the “okies”), people displaced from the land dear to them and forced on the road - ring true today in modern America. I grew up in the Florida Everglades winter farming region, where the lives of the migrant workers parallel the plight of the Joad family of “Grapes.” The great Edward R. Murrow drew this parallel in spectacular fashion with his “Harvest of Shame” telecast on CBS-TV.

Who is your favourite author and why?
Daniel Silva. His stories of Gabriel Allon, an assassin for the Israeli Mossad intelligence service, weave fiction and historical fact into incredible action narratives. And his description of the European settings in which Allon principally operates puts you there by Gabriel’s side as he dispatches the bad guys. Interestingly, this skilled assassin’s day job is as an expert restorer of classic works of art – Van Gogh, Titian, etc. – which adds further texture to the stories.

Name one of your all-time favourite book covers?
Northern Lights by Nora Roberts. The view of a small, red single-engine airplane against a huge mountain captures the grandeur of Alaska. But maybe my selection is influenced by the fact I am a private pilot who would love to fly those routes but cannot because I am no longer medically certified to fly.

If you could have a dinner party with any authors from any time in history, who would you choose and why?
Steinbeck (see above), Daniel Silva, Nelson DeMille, David Baldacci, and John Grisham, because I love their novels.

Who, or what, inspires you?
Authors who write with skill and insight.

Where is your favourite place to write?
In my home office, but my computer goes on the road with me.

What is your favourite film that was based on a book?
The Bourne Identity, starring Matt Damon. Wonderful acting and an engaging story line. Based on a novel by the great late Robert Ludlam.

What is your book about?

The setting is the winter-farming region of the Florida Everglades on the eastern short of the great Lake Okeechobee. This is a little-known area of Florida, even for those who live nearby on Florida’s Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Charles Lockhart, Chief of Police of the small town of Lakepoint in that Everglades area during the mid-1950s, embarks on a relentless search to solve a 10-year-old crime in which two prominent young men of the community were killed. The case is based on an actual double murder in the Everglades that remains unsolved to this day. In unraveling the case, the Chief reveals the distinctive deep-south culture of a part of Florida that is starkly different from the glamorous societies on both coasts only a short distance away. As the he moves to solve the crime, the Chief must also deal with the murder of a black man, something not considered significant in the segregated society of the time. The plot takes twists and turns through the Everglades, the “gold coast,” the State Capital, and the Big Cypress swamp. The solution to both crimes brings the Chief into searing conflict with the community’s leaders and townspeople. The novel introduces numerous unique characters, including the rugged “Glades pioneers” and Billy Coyote, a Seminole Indian and friend of Chief Lockhart’s since they were teenagers.

If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the main characters?

Chris Cooper would be ideal as Chief Lockhart.

Tell us a random fact about yourself.
I spent 40 years as a communications official for Fortune 500 companies. My most interesting assignment was conducting the media relations for RCA’s role in the space program, including the Apollo 11 moon landing.

Tell us something interesting about the area where you live.
My area of Connecticut is both a major ”bedroom community” for the commuters who work in New York City and a significant business center in its own right. At one time, the region ranked third in the number of corporate headquarters located in the U.S, but that might have changed given all the mergers that have occurred.


Ebook or paperback?
Lakepoint is available in paperback from Amazon.com and also in Amazon’s Kindle e-book.

Favourite food?
Being a southerner, barbeque of any kind – beef, pork or chicken.

Sporty or couch potato?
I work out every day, tend our garden, and spend the rest of the time writing so I’m definitely not a couch potato.

Cook or be cooked for?
Cooked for by my wife, Kay, a superb cook, except when we’re having barbeque.

Link to your website:
www.elliottauthor.com

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, Tom! You certainly have an interesting background!

Q&A with author Ben Manning

A very warm welcome to author Ben Manning...

Name one book that made you think 'wow'? Why did it have such an effect on you?
I Claudius by Robert Graves
I read it when I was 14 and later saw the BBC adaptation. It is just an incredible account – along with “Claudius the God” - and was both imaginative, dramatic, quiet original and thrilling in its frank portrayal of the worst aspects in human nature. I also think it was and still is a brave piece of work.

Who is your favourite author and why?
Roald Dahl as an author and Samuel Taylor Coleridge as a poet.
Dahl always fascinated me with his short stories for “Tales of the unexpected” on the TV from “someone like you” and “kiss kiss” – but what im most impressed by is that he could write, horror, humour –in a book like “my uncle Oswald” and for children with stories like “Charlie and the chocolate factory”. I think he understood the way people think – in terms of how children feel and react and also the very adult world of intrigue, where there is always a moral twist. A tribute I wrote to both him and Coleridge is at the Roald Dahl museum here in the UK.

Name one of your all-time favourite book covers?
“Marilyn” by Norman Mailer

If you could have a dinner party with any authors from any time in history, who would you choose and why?
George Orwell – I would like his views on the internet, the political and sociological world in 2011.
ST Coleridge – I would love to know his theories on the universe and life in general, as well as the subconscious and life after death.
Aldous Huxley – I would ask whether he thinks “Brave new World” is anything like how we have become.
Charles Dickens – I would love to ask how he got his idea for “A Christmas Carol”.
Edgar Allen Poe – I would ask where he derived his influences and his writing process- and how his ideas came to him.
Mary Shelley – I’d like to ask her about Coleridge’s influence and her inspiration for Frankenstein.

Who, or what, inspires you?
I am inspired by artists who are different and unique. I like to be gripped by something I feel is different to drive me to write.

Where is your favourite place to write?
I like to write at home in the living room, alone – usually at night.

What is your favourite film that was based on a book?
Blade Runner (Philip K Dick)

What is your your book about?

I have written the first novel to deal with the Nazi's , UFO's and vril Norse mythology – it is called -The Vril Codex. It is the first in a series called “The Vril Chronicles”.








If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the main characters?

Rufus Sewell as Bob.
Bill Nighy as WarwickRomola Garai as Jane



Tell us a random fact about yourself.
I work at the home of the poet Coleridge and have lectured about him.

Tell us something interesting about the area where you live.
The Quantocks was England’s first designated area of outstanding natural beauty – even though the biggest new nuclear power station Hinkley Point C, sadly is going to be built there.

Winter or summer? Summer
Ebook or paperback? Paperback
Favourite food? Italian
Sporty or couch potato? Both!
Cook or be cooked for? Cooked for!
Links to your website, blog, etc:
http://vrilcodex.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Vril-Codex/151342004886833
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Vril-Codex-Fanpage/192024584186066
Twitter - "@TheVrilCodex"

Suzy on camera

I'm getting better... just a little bit... at creating videos (I think!). This time I talk about the history of The Raven Saga, what inspired me, what it's about, etc.

Yes, in case you're wondering, I'm sitting in the bathroom (good light) but fear not, I'm sitting on the floor not on the toilet!

Sadly, no appearances by Hermione the cat this time... just the faint sound of a house alarm in the neighbourhood. Hope you enjoy it!

Q&A with author Joseph Valentinet​ti

A very warm welcome to I Am Diving author Joseph Valentinetti...

Name one book that made you think 'wow'? Why did it have such an effect on you?
The Sleep Walkers by Arthur Koestler. It’s an older book but it pointed how ideas are discovered or learned, then lost again, then re-discovered or re-learned. Like the ancient Egyptian process for welding precious metals. We find these pieces but can’t figure how they did it. Maybe the pyramids are the same thing, we just can’t figure it out no matter how smart we think we are. So maybe we’re not so smart after all and maybe progress isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Who is your favourite author and why?
My favorite author is always the one I’m reading right now. Amanda Forman’s A World On Fire. I hate to admit it, because it the last thing I want to believe about readers of my books, but I seldom notice an author’s name unless I’ve read several things by that person then I’ll realize this seems familiar, and, then I’ll start to notice the author. Usually I just browse by book jacket.

Name one of your all-time favourite book covers?
For fun, The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy. For beauty and style, the Deco motifs from the 30’s and 40’s like the Zelda Popkin mysteries.

If you could have a dinner party with any authors from any time in history, who would you choose and why?
The writers I admire I don’t think I’d want to meet in person. I like them as part and parcel of their work. I like my heroes from a distance, untarnished, So for a dinner party I’d like contemporaries of my own caliber, scotch and a long winding night.

Who, or what, inspires you?
Ideas. My novels are based in ideas with character built around the theme. It usually happens that I read something, like the letter cited below and the story springs to mind, usually in its complete form. Then it’s just a matter of paperwork, the worst part of writing, by the way.

Where is your favourite place to write? 
Several places. That’s why I get so little done. I like to write outdoors or at the library but when the ideas start coming I feel distracted by the very surroundings that were inspiring a moment ago. That’s when I retreat to a quiet room and the sensual depravation that provides.

What is your favourite film that was based on a book?
The Maltese Falcon. They were smart enough to stick very close to the book, right down to dialogue. What a compliment that must have been for Dashiell Hammett.

What is your book about? 

The story is a fiction based on fact. Letter date: August 12, 1963. Notarized and mailed/receipted August 12, 1963
To: Hon. John Connally, Governor of Texas.
From: A Field Engineer on the Thresher project.
Dear Governor;
A plot is underway to assassinate you. As former Secretary of the Navy you are well aware of the Submarine Thresher disaster, and how Bendix used fraudulent pressure/depth curves on equipment designed and built by Bendix for submarines of the Thresher class.
An organization…Justice For The Crew Of The Thresher is being formed.
Sir, I beg you, if you do visit Dallas and ride in an open car, please do not allow your loved ones to ride in an open car with you. If a sniper’s bullet, meant for you, was fired from a high powered rifle by one of these disgruntled former service men…
The letter’s author was questioned in August 1963 by Naval Intelligence, The FBI and postal authorities. The FBI and the other investigative agencies, failed to file a report concerning this and later failed to inform the Warren Commission.
In November of 1963 Governor Connally was shot and the president of the United States was assassinated. They were riding in an open car. They were shot by a disgruntled ex-serviceman with a high powered rifle.

If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the main characters? 

Robert Downey Jr. and Cate Blanchett. They’re the right age and temperament. I would pick Alec Baldwin and Julianne Moore but production takes so long.



Tell us a random fact about yourself.
I trained dogs in the military. I gave the service three years and, through the GI Bill, they gave me an education. Best deal I ever made.

Tell us something interesting about the area where you live.
When I step out the front door there are the mountains, shooting 6000 feet into the air. On a good day in the fall the clouds shroud their shoulders, in the winter the snow paints the passes.

Winter or summer?
Favourite food? Non poisonous.
Cook or be cooked for? Cook. I like to make my own pastrami or an Osso Bucco. I’ve also tried pickles and other things but I must admit I don’t always stick with things long enough, I get bored if things are too easy.

Link to your website, blog or both: www.valentinetti.com

Ebook on Smashwords http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/valentinetti
Paperback and ebook at my site www.valentinetti.com
http://twitter.com/#!/valentinetti
blog http://www.valentinetti.com/viewre-views/

My very first vlog!

Okay... it's been a long time coming. I've been toying with the idea for weeks and weeks but my confidence failed me... until now! I've taken the advice of all the social marketing gurus out there and I've started to vlog. Here is my first... it's just an introduction. There will be more. But I just wanted you to get to know me a little better.
(the cat's name is Hermione and the little dog is Luna!)

Choosing your escape by John Nelson

When we pick up a work of fiction and start turning pages, we hope to begin a journey. A good novel will hook us right away and transport us there quickly. We choose a genre like a holiday destination. Some may pick up a romance novel because they wish to escape to a romantic fantasy world and they select the heat index of a novel based on the level of titillation they desire.
My “holiday” destination is often the dystopian genre. I read to escape, be entertained, and mentally stimulated. I want a book to make me pause, think and reflect. What I look for in a good dystopia is that I can see my own society reflected back in the pages. I like cautionary tales that show us the road signs that may lead us (in reality) to a place we may not want to go. George Orwell was a master at crafting a cautionary dystopia tale. We could reflect upon our own society as he took us to an imaginary world. 

My first published novel, Against Nature, was inspired by Orwell, Aldous Huxley, and Sinclair Lewis’s It Can’t Happen Here. But it was also inspired by the world around me in post- 9/11 America. The newspapers were filled with frightening headlines about torture, secret prisons, domestic spying, and suspension of habeas corpus. I also became alarmed by the rise of politicians who espouse a Social Darwinist philosophy and were finding their way to high government positions. I thought we weren’t too far away from descending into a dystopian society and it inspired me to write Against Nature.
Fact can make good fiction! I used headlines of past events and added in a little imaginative fiction to create a modern dystopia. Most dystopia fictions start off in the post-apocalyptic world and give the reader hints about how they got there. In Against Nature I take the reader from the here and now and we head into a dystopian world together.
My catalyst is a global pandemic; a disease without a cure. The disease is neither virus nor bacteria and all known treatment regimens have failed. One radical scientist, Serena Salus contends it’s an extraterrestrial organism introduced to earth in the wound of a now deceased astronaut. The government asserts it’s a genetically engineered microbe created on earth by enemies of freedom. Serena discovers an experimental vaccine, but also learns of the government’s plan to distribute it based on one’s future labor value to the stock exchange. Serena comes in conflict with powerful forces that will stop at nothing to control her vaccine; considered the world’s most valuable commodity.
Serena’s suspenseful journey across pandemic America makes us wonder if such a landscape could exist during a catastrophic pandemic. That’s what I love about the dystopian genre. It transports us to a fantasy world, but we can still see our own society reflected back in the rearview mirror.
John Nelson is the author of the e-book dystopian thriller Against Nature. The novel is available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple iBooks, OmniLit or from the publisher: Wild Child Publishing. You can email him at: againstnature@hotmail.com

December Moon is OUT NOW

It's official! December Moon is NOW AVAILABLE!! I'm so excited!!
It's been a busy few months, getting it finished, edited, proofread, re-edited, etc, etc, etc... and then of course the formatting which takes a little while, but it's now done and dusted and December Moon is available for sale on Amazon and Smashwords.
It's just a snip at $0.99, so why not go and check it out? You won't be disappointed... it's full of action, a little romance and lots of supernatural elements. It was great fun to write and I hope you'll enjoy reading it too!
December Moon by Suzy Turner on Amazon US
December Moon by Suzy Turner on Amazon UK
December Moon by Suzy Turner on Smashwords

Heck Yeah! E-Covers That Sell by Rebecca Forster

A very warm welcome to my guest today. Author of the best selling Witness series, Rebecca Forster, who writes about the importance of good ebook covers.

This probably won’t come as a surprise, but ‘pretty’ sells. So does intriguing, shocking, soothing and sexy. That’s why I spent the last three weeks sweating over cover designs for my backlist - all of which I hope you'll be downloading to your E-reader of choice someday. But today the topic is E-covers.*
Why, you may wonder, did this exercise in cover design create such angst? After all, nobody will run their thumb over the richly embossed type, check the weight of the stock or touch it in a bookstore. This isn’t a ‘real’ cover on a ‘real’ book and that is exactly the point. These covers are more important than a paper cover because they will live on in perpetuity.
In this new publishing reality, authors who have backlists and don’t own the rights to their covers must now become designers; indie authors who have never had the benefit of seeing their work transformed into a visual face a daunting task of identifying the soul of their books. Unlike paper, an E-cover's impact will be farther reaching than any of us can even imagine.
In the old days an author might reproduce their cover image on bookmarks and mugs. In this brave new world, E-covers pop up as thumbnails on Facebook, Linked-In and other social media posts. They are broadcast to readers of blogs and reviewers who promote your work. An E-cover makes a statement on your own website. An E-book cover is brought up full-size and full color on most readers. An E-cover sets the tone for your book in a way that a paper cover never could because you – the author – have designed it and that is the truly exquisite bottom line.**

The first and second drafts of Rebecca's books, Malice and Privileged Secrets

I must confess, initially I was like a young soldier rushing into war without realizing how important the battle was. I lucked out with my thriller covers but my women’s fiction looked amateurish, weak and unmemorable. I studied E-covers of books I admired and those on the top seller lists and understood that a first draft cover was no better than a first draft manuscript – both needed revision. I kicked everything up a notch: visuals, color, and content.
The new covers now reflect the theme of each book or are evocative of the mood of that work. With the romances and women’s fiction in particular I tried to limit the use of full-on portrait photography in order not to inhibit the romantic reader’s imagination. For me, blocking and color worked for the romances. For other authors, flowers and pastels might be the key to success. For my thrillers, I decided to go darker with ominous and/or graphic images. Though there are no hard and fast rules, here are some guidelines that worked for me:

• Clean is better than fussy
• People (especially parts of people) are intriguing***
• Experimenting is good. Odd colors and disparate type faces can work together and create drama
• The covers should reflect the tone of the book
• Slugs should be tight and to the point
• Spend a little money on stock photos (I use ‘small’).
• Plug in image search words that aren’t obvious.
• Use PowerPoint portrait setting for your design. The pixel height and width will be perfect for uploading to Amazon, PubIt! and Smashwords.

So, Heck Yeah! Get on top of the covers. Your E-career will thank you for it.

*Check out all my covers at http://www.rebeccaforster.com
**Even if you had a designer, they worked at your direction. Own that cover!
***See The Reckless Ones – my favorite partial body shot

Thanks for this priceless advice, Rebecca!

Guest post by Sue Warhaftig & Beverly Butler

Sue Warhaftig (left) and Beverly Butler

Thank you Suzy for asking me to be a guest blogger for your website. You have asked me to write about the “inspiration” behind Meant To Be.

Gigantic levels of inspiration come from my friends and family. I am blessed to be surrounded by creative, interesting people, who gain enjoyment and pleasure from developing an idea, piece of art or a story for others to enjoy.
Mom is a painter. All my life she has made art for herself and others. I noticed that she doesn’t talk about creating…she just does it any moment that she can. I’m inspired by the happiness that she experiences from her art.
My sister is an artist. Many hours of the day she’s a lawyer. But, along the way she found a passion in glass bead making and the teaching of this art. After several classes and the addition of jewelry making equipment, her creativity started to flow and she could not be stopped. She is a well-respected teacher and artist, and has recently finished her 2nd book on glass bead making. I’m inspired by the love and appreciation her students have for her. She enriches their lives.
Beverly, my co writer of Meant To Be woke up one day and wrote a play (OK, maybe it was longer than a day). It was a fantastic story and became a fabulous performance! She brought pleasure to the audiences that came to witness her tale. From concept to stage performance, she just executed the project. I’m inspired by her fearless action of doing something because it was there to attempt. .
These types of people, who aren’t afraid of exploring, reaching, growing, and then jumping into a project to do something that speaks to them, inspired me to co-write Meant To Be. I had a story to tell, it swirled around my head until I was empowered to put it down on paper. I want to inspire others that they too can complete a project that they set out to finish.
Like Judith (the main character in our story) coming of middle-age, these examples should teach you what is Meant To Be.
What inspires you?
Sue Warhaftig & Beverly Butler

Its a pleasure to have you both here on the blog, Sue & Beverly!

Readers interested in Meant To Be should read my review. Just click on Book Reviews at the top of the page.

Q&A with author Abbi Glines

A very warm welcome to Breathe author Abbi Glines...

Have you ever read a book that made you think 'wow'? If so, what book was it and why did it have such an effect on you?
Yes, Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. I am a big fan of the “happily ever after” feel good stories. However, I believe everyone should read Before I Fall, especially teenagers. It makes you think “what if this were my last day?” Would you act the way you’re acting. Would you take for granted friendships? Would you hold grudges? It is extremely eye opening. One of the best YA books I have read to date.

Who is your favorite author and why?
This question makes me smile. I have so many favorite authors. However, if given the chance to meet only one of them it would be J.K. Rowling. I’m still awaiting my Hogwarts letter. I stop for owls and I could live at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter located in Universal Studios and be quite happy for the rest of my life.

Who, or what, inspires you?
Music. The lyrics in songs cause my imagination to go into over drive. I can hear one line to a song and have an entire story working itself out in my head because of one tiny idea.

Where is your favorite place to write? 

The beach or sitting out on a pier over Mobile Bay. I am surrounded by bodies of water where
I live. I have yet to write a story where the Gulf of Mexico wasn’t involved.

What is your book about?
Breathe is about a young girl, who hasn’t been handed an easy path in life, finding herself immersed in the private world of America’s favorite teenage rock star. Sadie has a pregnant irresponsible single mom who relies on her to fix all their problems. Jax Stone is the golden boy of the music industry who has escaped for the summer to the coastal southern town of Sea Breeze, Alabama. Jax knows Sadie will never fit into the life he leads but he can’t seem to stay away from her. When his fame splashes their “summer fling” all over the media, Jax leaves in hopes of saving Sadie from the harsh spotlight. Broken hearted Sadie’s life spirals out of control. However, she holds the rock star’s heart in her hands and he soon realizes without Sadie he can’t breathe.

What is your favorite film that was based on a book?
Pride and Prejudice, the one with Keira Knightley. I have MANY favorite books that have been made into movies but I tend to not like the movie after having read the book. The 2005 release of Pride and Prejudice, however, didn’t let me down.

If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the main characters?

HA! I love this question. No one has asked me this yet but I so have the answer!
Sadie - Emilie de Ravin (this one was suggested by a reader. I thought it was spot on)
Jax - Chace Crawford
Marcus - Alex Pettyfer
Jessica - Reese Witherspoon (not only does she have the look she has the accent)

Tell us a random fact about yourself.
I’m obsessed with thrift stores. Like totally addicted. Don’t get me wrong, I am by no means a hoarder. I actually haul bags off to the Goodwill monthly. I just like searching through stuff to find that one awesome deal. For example: sleeveless Under Armour shirts (my son goes through these like crazy during football season) for $1. Or the time I found a Vera Bradley backpack in great shape for $5. Getting stuff cheap gives me a crazy high.

Tell us something interesting about the area where you live.
We are the home of the Jubilee. A Jubilee is the name used locally for a natural phenomenon that occurs sporadically on the shores of the Mobile Bay. During a jubilee massive amounts of fish literally leap out of the water and onto the shore. There is no warning. It just happens. Although similar events have been reported in other bodies of water, Mobile Bay is the only place where the regular appearance of this phenomenon has been documented. When you get a call in the middle of the night around here you have to be ready to grab your containers and run to catch a load.

I 'met' Abbi through my other blog http://yatrailerpark.blogspot.com, I was so moved by her book trailer that it almost brought tears to my eyes!

Q&A with author Leanne Beattie

A very warm welcome to Cage of Bone author, Leanne Beattie...

Have you ever read a book that made you think 'wow'? If so, what book was it and why did it have such an effect on you?
That would be Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. It is a great example of the interior life of a teen as she goes through a traumatic time. It also showed the effect of stigmatism in high school—what happens when you don’t follow “the rules” and people hate you for it.

Who is your favourite author and why?
It’s hard to pick just one, so I won’t. I love Laurie Halse Anderson and John Green for their ability to capture the essence of teens so well. I also read anything by Alice Hoffman because she creates such beautiful imagery and adds magic to every story. The Ice Queen was amazing.

Who, or what, inspires you?
I am very influenced by music and get a lot of ideas from lyrics. Cage of Bone grew out of a phrase from the Jann Arden song Will You Remember Me? Whenever I need inspiration I go to my local bookstore and roam the aisles for an hour or so. Simply being surrounded by all those words, picking up books and seeing what’s new in the market makes me want to run home and start writing again.

 Where is your favourite place to write?
I need to be completely alone to write so I go to my bedroom and shut the door. I can listen to music while I write but I can’t concentrate if the TV is on.

What is your book about?
Cage of Bone is a young adult novel about a 16 year-old girl, Ronnie Campbell, as she tries to cope with her sister’s suicide. It’s an emotional story because Ronnie is very confused about the death. Her sister was the quintessential “golden girl” in high school: popular, smart and going places, so her suicide leaves Ronnie struggling to find answers. On top of everything, Ronnie’s parents are getting divorced and her father is starting a new family with another woman, so Ronnie feels abandoned and pushed aside. At an age when other kids are dating and going to parties, Ronnie is facing some pretty heavy burdens.
Once I had the basic story idea, I got an image of a girl who seems tough on the outside but is really hurting. Her toughness is all a façade. I think a lot of people can relate to that, that everybody is suffering in some way. Griffin McNay, her love interest, is the ideal boy for Ronnie: cute, creative and understanding. He shows her there is more to life than what she is experiencing right now. Her best friend, Danielle, accepts Ronnie as she is, flaws and all, and has great faith in her.

What is your favourite film that was based on a book?
I love The English Patient, based on the book by Michael Ondaatje. It has such sweeping cinematography and great actors. Ralph Fiennes is one of my favourites.

 If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the main characters? 

I had a cover of Teen Vogue posted above my desk while I was writing Cage of Bone because the model looked exactly how I had envisioned Ronnie. I found out later the model was Taylor Momsen (centre), an actress and singer. I would go with her or Dakota Fanning (left). I think Dakota would be able to pull off Ronnie’s bravado and sarcasm and Matt Dallas (right) from Kyle XY would be a perfect Griffin.


Tell us a random fact about yourself.
If I weren’t a writer I’d be a lawyer, someone who fights for the rights of women around the world. I am very passionate about improving the lives of women in developing countries.

To learn more about Leanne Beattie and her book, Cage of Bone, visit https://leanneardellebeattie.wordpress.com/

Guest Editor Ashley Kay

First I want to thank Suzy for having me as a guest. I have never done a guest blog before, so I am a virgin at this. I am not one for talking about myself really, never have been. So, I will start somewhere simple. My name is Ashley Kay, or A.L. Kay. A.L. Kay is my pen name for any and all stories I write. I am twenty-four years old, a mother of two girls, and a wife for five and a half years. I am also a college student, psychology major. I love my life, though at times I wish things would slow down, as I am sure many of you would like also. I love animals, just thought I would throw that in for you all. Oh, did I mention I am also an awesome unintentional flirt? Thought I would also throw that in there, (my recently new client, Margaret, told me to, hehe).
I began writing at the age of twelve. I wrote my first story, a children’s story. Sadly I had written it on my father’s laptop on an airplane, on our way to Germany. Well, my father’s computer ended up crashing months later, and being twelve years old, I didn’t know to back it up. I had shown it to one person, my English teacher. She told me it was really good, and that I actually might have a knack for writing. I never wrote a story again until I was about nineteen years old. I never finished it. I became ill with permanent writer’s block, hehe. Same thing happened with another story I began. Then, at 23 I started a short story called “Nightmares” that has ended up being published by Vamptasy Publishing. “Nightmares” is about a girl, Kristi, and dreams she begins having. What do they mean? Will they come true? Will she survive? Those are questions even she asks, and more. Though the more questions that are answered, the more new questions arise.
I stared working on the second installment of “Nightmares”, but then I realized something. I recently took the story back, because there seemed to be more to the story than I ever knew. I revised “Nightmares” and it is back up! Though, this is just the beginning of the story. The full length book will be titled “Kamela” when it is finished. For those that have bought, and read “Nightmares”, I am happy that it has gotten great reviews so far and people really seemed to enjoy it. I am hoping they, and others, will like the full story when I am finished with it. “Nightmares is available here http://www.vamptasypublishing.co.uk/#/nightmares/4552851092
Since I was young, my father always edited anything I said and wrote. This rubbed off on me, of course. I began doing that to others; to my friends, and even to strangers. I edited my friend’s papers, and even what they said in an instant message to others. I never was upset about editing my friend’s things, I actually enjoyed it. This added to my passion. I love editing, and working with people. I love getting to know my clients and their stories, aka babies. After working for a publishing company, that I did not care for how they were running their business and treating their authors, I started my own editing business; Ashley’s Freelance Editing http://freelance.mcconnell05.com. I love my clients, new and returning. I never get tired of them needing to ask me questions, or contacting me for whatever reason. My editing company is first in line, after my school and kids. My writing is mostly on the back burner. I only write when I get a chance to, or when I am taking a break from other things.
I want to thank Suzy again for having me. I did not know I could actually write five-hundred words about myself, let alone over that. Thank you all for reading, and being interested in little ole me.

Always a pleasure, Ashley!

Q&A with author Belinda Kroll

A warm welcome to Belinda Kroll, author of the superb novel, Haunting Miss Trentwood.

Have you ever read a book that made you think 'wow'? If so, what book was it and why did it have such an effect on you?
Brandon Sanderson's Elantris had that effect on me, as well as his next book, Warbreaker. He has winding plots with multiple subplots that all tie together in a final, satisfying climax. I'm jealous of his ability to do so, and am always inspired after reading one of his books.

Who is your favourite author and why?
My comfort author is Jane Austen. Yes, I have a comfort author, the way some people have comfort ice cream. She once wrote that her pen wouldn't dwell on guilt and misery, and I'm happy she decided that. Sometimes you just need an escape. Other than Austen, I'm really starting to like Candace Camp. Her heroines are spunky, have great wit and the conversational battles with the heroes rarely fail to make me chuckle aloud. I also like how she always manages to throw in a little mystery, so the hero and heroine have the opportunity to get past their differences in order to solve a crime/problem/question.

Who, or what, inspires you?
Historical events; usually I read an article about something that happened in the past, and I begin to wonder what it must have felt like to be there. For instance, Haunting Miss Trentwood began with me wondering what it must have been like to celebrate Queen Victoria's golden jubilee. The last monarch to be on the throne for 50yrs had been Elizabeth I, so people went NUTS. By the final draft, the jubilee was a small part in the plot, so I think I might still like to revisit the event more fully.

Where is your favourite place to write?
In my journal, cozied up on a couch, preferably with a cup of tea and someone interesting to glance at from across the room when I get stuck.

What is your book about?
Haunting Miss Trentwood is a gothic Victorian romance about a Mary Trentwood, a young woman who is dealing with father knowing best... even after death. His ghost begins to haunt her the day of his funeral, and matters only become more complicated when a scarred lawyer appears on her front doorstep claiming he has traced a blackmailer to her house.

What is your favourite film that was based on a book?
I love the Romola Garai version of Jane Austen's Emma. When I read the book, Emma annoyed me so much, which was so different from the Gwyneth Paltrow version! But Romola plays the effervescent busybody so well that she made me love the flawed character.

If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the main characters?

This is a tough question! I think I would want Anne Hathaway to play Mary. It would be interesting to see her play a frustrated, yet somewhat subdued, role. 

I want Christopher Plummer to play the ghost, Mr Trentwood. He would be perfect at delivering the snark and fatherly bossiness of the character. 

Hartwell, the lawyer, would be Jake Gyllenhaal with a facial scar (YES PLEASE). 

Mary's aunt, Mrs Durham, would be Melissa McCarthy.

Tell us a random fact about yourself.

I attend a weekly three hour dance where I lindy hop, charleston, balboa and swing dance. I love that I get to perform dances that were popular from the 1920s - 1940s.

Lindy hop, charleston, balboa and swing dancing sounds like an awful lot of fun, Belinda... I'd love to try something like that! 

After reading Haunting Miss Trentwood, I wholeheartedly have to agree on your chosen actors!

Q&A with author Aimee Friedmann

A very warm welcome to Sea Change author Aimee Friedmann...

Have you ever read a book that made you think 'wow'? If so, what book was it and why did it have such an effect on you?
So many books 'wow' me that it would take up a whole OTHER book to list them all! I recently finished THE HELP by Kathryn Stockett, which I loved--it's gorgeously written, compulsively readable, gutsy, and wise. In terms of kidlit, a book that threw me for a loop a couple of years ago was WHEN YOU REACH ME by Rebecca Stead, which is one of those magically complex, how'd-she-do-that? books that is at once totally intimidating and wonderfully inspiring.

Who is your favourite author and why?
I love pretty much anything Michael Chabon writes--his language is always so rich, and his worlds so intricate yet heartfelt. I'm also a big Ann M. Martin fan--the BABY-SITTERS CLUB books shaped me when I was growing up, as both a young woman and a young writer.

Who, or what, inspires you?
Movies, bookstores, a good meal, author readings, brisk walks through Central Park, plays, coffee, my family's stories.

Where is your favourite place to write?
In a little European-style cafe about 10 blocks from my apartment. The seats are comfy, the music is never too loud, their iced coffees are refreshing, and they have Crumbs cupcakes. Need I say more?

What is your book about?
My most recent novel is SEA CHANGE, a summer love story set on a mysterious island off the coast of Georgia. On this island, we meet Miranda, a level-headed girl who's just visiting for a while, and Leo, the gorgeous local boy who sweeps her off her feet...and may be hiding a magical secret.

What is your favourite film that was based on a book?
THE PRINCESS BRIDE! An endlessly quotable movie...and also a great read.

If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the main characters?

Someone recently told me that Hunter Parrish or Lucas Till would make a great Leo I absolutely agree. Miranda might be a little tougher to cast--would love to know if readers have any suggestions!

Tell us a random fact about yourself.
I have a mild addiction to Gummi-Bears, particularly the Bissinger brand (Pomegranate White Tea is the best!). I go through bags of them like crazy, ESPECIALLY when writing!

Tell us something interesting about the area where you live.
I live a short walk from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which is a great destination in New York City. In the summer, they open up the museum's roof, where they'll have sculptures on display and serve frosty drinks and ice cream. I love to go up there on a warm afternoon with friends and watch the sunset.

Contact Aimee via her website: www.aimeefriedmanbooks.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/aimeefriedman
Facebook: www.facebook.com/aimeefriedman

Thanks, Aimee! Wonderful interview... I'm very envious of being able to pop down to Central park whenever you want to!

Q&A with author Elliot Grace

A warm welcome to my guest today, Elliot Grace....

Have you ever read a book that made you think 'wow'? If so, what book was it and why did it have such an effect on you?
Shortly out of high school, while bumbling along with half-finished manuscripts and a stack of rejection letters that could have been measured with a yard stick, I found a novel at the library that grabbed me by the shoulders and refused to let go until I managed to read the thing twice before the book's return date. The story was called Fade by Robert Cormier. It's the story of a thirteen year old boy who discovers the ability to turn invisible, to fade from eyesight. At this point, Cormier's novel could have traveled along a very predictable path, a teenager with the power of invisibility starts sneaking into homes, watching ladies undress, playing pranks on his teachers and the bullies at school, the usual mixed bag associated with that particular gift. Instead, young Paul Moreaux, the boy who can fade, embarks on a course most unexpected for someone his age, seeing friends and family for whom they really are, and figuring out what kind of person he is as well. The story was so well written, with Cormier's voice as the perfect antidote to Paul's foreboding journey, that it caused me to not only re-focus my own writing practices, but to get my life together while time permitted. Life's simply too short to blindly stumble along. I'm known locally as a addict for the written word, always spotted with a book under my arm, in search of a place to rest my backside and score some reading time. Fade is the only book I've ever read more than once.

Who is your favourite author and why?
Choosing just one would probably take me a week's worth of head-scratching to decide on, and by that time I've no doubt that my list would still be a half page in length. A few writers who come to mind, depending on what genre I'm reading at the moment...John Sandford, who's Prey series has withstood the test of time, Terry Brooks, who's sci-fi novels I enjoyed as a teen, Robert Cormier, (see above :) Joe Hill, yeah, King's son definitely knows how to weave a spooky yarn, and David Wroblewski. If you haven't read The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, you have my condolences :)

Who, or what, inspires you?
I knew at an early age that my best stories, the one's I'm most passionate about, are based around a middle grade to young adult audience, (although my editor insists that Charm should be shelved in the adult section at Wal-Mart. It's an ongoing controversy.) Added to it the fact that my wife and I are licensed foster parents, taking in as many as four or five troubled and often homeless kids at any one time, propels me to write what is most important: our future, and those who will someday be in charge. Telling their stories, horrors experienced through the eyes of our youth, is where inspiration can spark like an ember, and fester into a story worth reading.

Where is your favourite place to write?
It's not so much where, but more of a timing issue. I've found that when the urge to write something becomes too great to ignore, the scenery could be the shoreline at Pawly's Island, or at a cluttered work station scooted into the back corner of an aging factory. Pushing a lead pencil over crinkled tablet paper with machinery roaring overhead like mystic beasts from a Tolkien novel. And yes, I've done both. When an idea comes along, something worth remembering, the place is irrelevant. It's the "when" and the "how" that must be dealt with. If given an option however, I'd take my boring office at home, on a quiet Sunday morning, thoughts running rampant.

What is your book about?
South of Charm is the story of ten year old Danny Kaufman, a mama's boy forced into dealing with his mother's ongoing battle with paranoid schizophrenia. A youngster who's been dealt a very real, very adult twist of fate, and the life lessons he learns, or refuses to acknowledge, along the way. It's the story of a boy with a secret. A ten year old with a gift. A talent capable of stirring an entire town into a frenzy. And for those who've read it, and often send inquiries to my inbox on the subject, there's a cat. An interesting orange tabby, getting up there in years...and I'll leave it at that :)

What is your favourite film that was based on a book?
Love this question! One that comes to mind is A Time To Kill, by John Grisham. In my opinion, it falls into a short list of Hollywood flicks that actually managed to capture the raw soul from the written version that is so often left behind on the editing floor whenever novels are selected for Cinema Ten. This was a great story, followed by an unforgettable movie.

If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the main characters?
It's every writer's fantasy...seeing their work on the big screen, and hoping that Hollywood doesn't screw it up! Whenever I conjure up the thought, (which is often :) I picture a roughed up, somber-looking Viggo Mortenson as Danny's father. Sandra Bullock fits the role of Sheryl Kaufman like a hand in a glove. And as for Danny and his younger sister, Katie...I'd suggest a talent search, awarding the main character to some kid that no one outside of their family and friends have ever laid eyes on. Then, if the movie's a hit, no matter what future roles he'll accept over the years, he'll always be known as that kid from South of Charm. Danny Whats-His-Name.

Tell us a random fact about yourself.
I'm not the first writer in my family. W.Dale Cramer, author of Sutter's Cross, Bad Ground, and Levi's Will, is my aunt's cousin. He lives in Georgia, but we manage to keep in touch.

Tell us something interesting about the area where you live.
I'm originally from Florida's Gulf Coast, but actually grew up in central Ohio. Currently we live in a modest cape cod near Ashland, Ohio, where it's common practice to find oneself traveling along behind an Amish buggy on an otherwise busy state route. In time, when our kids move on, and my wife and I find ourselves alone in a house built for the rigors of a family, we plan on returning to the Gulf, where my heart remains.

Thanks, Elliot... fantastic answers!

For more information about Elliot and his book, visit http://www.woosterbook.com/additional/southcharm.html