VOICE IN THE DARK

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Mystery Fiction Monthly Ezine -- The Voice in the DarkIssue No. 51, April/May/June 2009

Co-Editor: Anne K. Edwards
marbob00@earthlink.net
http://www.Mysteryfiction.net
Reviews and Other Stuff Blog
http://authorsandreviews.blogspot.com
Co-Editor: Mayra Calvani
MGCalvani@hotmail.com
http://www.Mayracalvani.com
Slippery Book Review Blog
http://slipperybookreview.wordpress.com
Pets and Their Authors Blogs
http://www.petsandauthors.blogspot.com

By subscription only. You are receiving this newsletter because you requested a subscription. To unsubscribe, send an email to marbob00@earthlink.net with your email address.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Voice in the Dark will continue to be open to well written, interesting submissions having to do with writing, publishing, and promotion of books. In addition to a subscription list, Voice in the Dark is posted each month on http://www.Mysteryfiction.net. If interested contact Anne K. Edwards at marbob00@earthlink.net with "Voice Submission" in your subject line.

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The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing by Mayra Calvani and Anne K. Edwards won the gold in the Writing category of the ForeWord Book of the Year Awards.

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NOTE: Recommend visiting the site of the Southern Review to get the latest on Amazon and other publishing news. http://www.anvilpub.net/southern_review_of_books.htm

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NOTE: Books We Love is hosting another great contest for readers. Visit http://www.bookswelove.net and enter. Lots of prizes. Meet new authors and new reads. Visit Jude's Alter-Ego at http://www.judeatkins.com.Visit http://bookblogs.ning.com/group/authorsandbooksweloveThe Books We Love Blog for more fun

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If you are interested in reviewing books, contact simegen@simegen.com. They are looking for qualified reviewers.

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Attention Authors: Deadline August 1, 2009Registration for The Muse Online Conference has begun:http://www.freewebs.com/themuseonlinewritersconference

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Amazon will no longer let reviewers add their book titles in signature line of reviews.

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Google Book Settlement
http://www.googlebooksettlement.com

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Editor's Note
Featured Interviews
--Gabrielle Faust, Author
--Christine Rose, Author
--Sybil Baker Author
--Misa Ramirez, Author
--Pamela James, Author
New Books Published
Gladiator's Arena--by Mayra Calvani
Short Fiction
--I'm Waiting to be born by Anne K. Edwards
Articles
--Promoting and Marketing Your Book by J. A. Husinger
Bits and Pieces
Sanctuary -- Columnist Mayra Calvani
Whodunit? -- Columnist Billie A. Williams
Pam's Pen -- Columnist Pamela James
Seedlings -- Aaron Paul Lazar
This & That -- Columnist Dana Reed
The Writing Life -- Quarterly and Guest Column
Reviews
Events
Resources

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Editor's Note

  If you are an author, published on the Internet or by a small press, you will find change is a constant here. New publishers join the list of online publishers while some of the older ones are absorbed by others or cease to publish. One of the problems involving authors when a publisher no longer functions is the rights to their books. Who owns them? For how long? One should have this item spelled out in the contract. If dealing with a new company, perhaps you should ask the publisher to include a clear paragraph on this matter returning all rights to the author if the company ceases publication. One might say that if a company ceases to publish the book due to closing, then this is a breach of contract and thus renders the contract cancelled. I don't know what the answer is to this problem that is faced by both authors and publishers and they should consider it when signing that contract.
  One other item authors and publishers need to consider in contracts is republishing a book that has seen publication previously and is submitted and accepted by a new publisher. It is only fair to the reader to let them know they may have previously read the book under another title or by another publisher. If the reader isn't told and they find themselves buying a book they've previously read and no note is made in the book, they may not return to that publishers site or buy other books by that author for fear of a repetition.

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Interviews

Meet Gabrielle Faust, Author
Interview by Mayra Calvani

Q. Why don’t you begin by telling us a little about yourself?
A. I am the author of the vampire series ETERNAL VIGILANCE. I am also an author of horror, dark fantasy and science fiction short fiction, as well as an entertainment journalist for the horror and science fiction industries. My work, as both an author and illustrator, has appeared in publications such as The Lightning Journal, GUD Magazine, Doorways Magazine, The Open Vein, Darkened Horizons, Ladies of Horror and The Bloodied Quill, as well as the websites Fear Zone, SCI FI Wire and Fatally Yours. My poetry has been published in two collections, thus far, entitled BEFORE ICARUS, AFTER ACHILLES and CROSSROADS. I am currently at work on the third installment of the ETERNAL VIGILANCE series, a screenplay adaptation and graphic novel.

Q. When did you decide you wanted to become an author?
A. The passion writing runs thick in my family’s blood. When I was a small child my grandparents on my father’s side, who were both poets and playwrights, began to encourage my creative writing pursuits. I have been enamored with writing for my entire life; novels, short stories, poetry…it was all completely entrancing to me. However, it was about five years ago when I realized that becoming a published author was what I was truly meant to do with my life. It was then that I began focusing my creative energies entirely upon that single pursuit.

Q. Were you an avid reader as a child? What type of books did you enjoy reading?
A. Yes, I was an avid reader. When I was very little I would read pretty much anything my parents handed to me. In elementary school is when I began to delve deep into the horror genre. I would steal my mother’s copies of Dean Koontz and Stephen King novels and read them during recess. It was in elementary school that my mother also introduced me to the world of vampire literature, giving to me her copies of Interview with the Vampire and The Vampire Lestat. I was also heavily into fantasy and science fiction and consumed every novel by Marion Zimmer Bradley, Storm Constantine, C.S. Lewis, William Gibson and Katherine Kerr that I could get my hands on.

Q. Tell us a bit about your latest book, and what inspired you to write such a story.
A. My latest novel is the second installment of the ETERNAL VIGILANCE series entitled, THE DEATH OF ILLUSIONS. Here is the synopsis:

“In the year 2111 Tynan Llywelyn, the forsaken philosophical leader of the Immortal vampire race, awoke after a century’s sleep to a world decimated by war. Drawn into a new societal structure bitterly divided between ancient magic and a cruel new technology known as the Chronous, Tynan has found himself at the heart of an epic battle to bring down the Tyst Empire, a merciless international dictatorship. The Tyst crave more than global domination; they desire true Immortality and have made a pact with an ancient vampiric god called the Vicinus who has promised them eternal life in exchange for freeing him from his otherworldly prison. Tynan would have liked nothing more than to simply turn his back on the war, but his vampire Elders and the Phuree, a cunning human rebel uprising, had other plans in store for him. He was not only to join in the fight, but he was to be the vampire to take down the Tyst Empire and bring the Vicinus to his knees. A year later, struggling against the ironclad orders of his Elders and his own vicious moral demons, Tynan has relented and agreed to complete the mission the Phuree and Immortals have devised for him. Amidst a crumbling Immortal legacy and a divided human world suffocating from fear and bloodshed, he will lead the way towards the front lines of a war against a colossal empire he has barely begun to comprehend and a primordial force hell-bent on destroying the world. Tynan can only pray now that the Immortals and Phuree have chosen in him wisely.”

&nsp; In the first ETERNAL VIGILANCE book the reader was introduced to the main cast of characters and the overall plotline of the series. Book 2 dives deep into the heart of the action and Tynan’s growing involvement with the Phuree’s plot to overthrow the Tyst Empire and bring a halt to their designs to resurrect a vampiric god known as the Vicinus.

Q. Did your book require a lot of research?
A. Actually, yes. The entire series has taken quite a bit of research and it seems that, with each novel, the necessary research is growing. With the first novel it was primarily the backgrounds of the vampire characters; I wanted my characters to be as believable as possible and, thus, their histories, at times spanning centuries, needed to be as accurate as possible. With the second novel I found myself researching engineering, nanotechnology, biomechanics and quantum physics in a much higher degree than I had ever delved into before. I consulted with many of my engineer and programmer friends to get their opinions on the technology I was building in my novels in order to make sure that it would be as believable and embraceable by the science fiction and dark fantasy communities as my characters were. With the third novel, which I am in the process of writing at the moment, I am finding myself doing quite a bit of research on war and the evolution of civilizations. It is always an interesting proces.

Q.What was your goal when writing this book?
A. My goal was to, in a way, reinvent the vampire genre in a way that had not been approached before. I was tired of seeing the same plotlines developed in the vampire genre and was longing to create a series which would take a fresh look at the lore and legend of vampires and place them in a unique, but fully believable setting. I also wanted to create a series which vampire enthusiasts and science fiction lovers alike could embrace and fall in love with. Hopefully, I have achieved this.

Q. What type of writer are you—the one who experiences before writing, like Hemingway, or the one who mostly daydreams and fantasizes?
A. I would say that it is 50/50 for me. Obviously, because my novels are horror/science fiction, and set in a futuristic setting, there is a great degree of daydreaming and pure imagination that goes into the creation of the story. However, the characters and their personal emotional or moral struggles are all based, in some way, on either personal experiences or observations of other people whom I have crossed paths with over the years.

Q. Do you get along with your muse? What do you do to placate her when she refuses to inspire you?
A. I have a love-hate relationship with my muse and at times I think he might actually have a split personality. On the good days he is a genuine gift, but then there are those days when we are at each other’s throats constantly. However, usually a nice glass of wine or whiskey will placate him enough to make him more easily persuaded for whatever project I am working on at the time.

Q. What is the best writing advice you’ve ever received?
A. The best writing advice would have to be to learn how to “kill your darlings”. This means that you have to become comfortable enough with the editing process to realize that sometimes the pieces of your writing that you are absolutely in love with might fall victim to the almighty red pen. You have to be at peace with this and realize that editors are there to make your work stronger. It’s a hard lesson to learn, sometimes even excruciatingly painful, but one which is absolutely necessary if you are going to make it as a published author.

Q. As an author, what is your greatest reward?
A. I would have to say that the greatest reward as an author comes when I hear the feedback from my readers and realize that they are living in the world I have spent so many hours of my life creating. When I read their emails, when I talk to them at book signings and hear how they have fallen in love with my characters and are passionately embracing their struggles in a way I had only dreamed of as the author, I realize that my vision is coming to life. I can ask for nothing else.

Q. Do you have a website/blog where readers may learn more about you and your work?
A. http://www.gabriellefaust.com

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Meet Christine Rose, Author
Interview by Mayra Calvani

  Christine Rose is an author, artist, and filmmaker. She has produced two documentary films and has credits on IMDB.com. The first film enjoyed a theatrical premiere in Paris and a considerable amount of international press. In addition, she has had articles appear in several magazines, including MovieMaker Magazine and IndieSlate Magazine discussing her career as an independent filmmaker. She's the author of the middle grade novel, Rowan of the Wood, a Finalist for the 2008 National Best Books Award in the Young Adult Fiction category.

Q. Thanks for this interview, Christine. Who is your target audience?
A. When asked that question at events, my husband quips, "9-99"! We have a 12-year-old protagonist who's possessed by a 1400 year old wizard (aged about 40), so it's truly a crossover book. The content is appropriate for all ages, and the reading level starts around 9 years old. That said, we've had someone as young as 4 read it! That's one advanced reader! At the same time, many, many adults have enjoyed Rowan of the Wood as well! There is a wonderful tragic love story mixed with ancient Celtic lore all woven into a modern-day, magical adventure tale.

Q. What type of writer are you—the one who experiences before writing, like Hemingway, or the one who mostly daydreams and fantasizes?
A. A little of both. I definitely write from actual experiences, especially feelings. It's how I work through some emotional things, especially hard things like betrayal and feelings of worthlessness, or existential thought. If I'm hurting or stressed, I find it helpful to work through it by giving it to my characters. It makes their experiences very real.

Q. Agatha Christie got her best ideas while eating green apples in the bathtub. Steven Spielberg says he gets his best ideas while driving on the highway. When do you get your best ideas and why do you think this is?
A. Some of my best ideas come to me just as I'm about to fall asleep, which can be rather annoying! I then have to get up and write them down. I can't just keep a notebook by the bed because I would forget to look at it the next day. The notes have to be by the computer, because that's where I live most of the time. I think I get these ideas just as I'm about to fall asleep because I'm the most relaxed then. I often kid my husband that I don't know how to relax, which isn't far from the truth. I'm rather a workaholic, and I think it's learned behavior from being self-employed for so long. There are so many different hats you have to wear on any given day. Author is just one of them.

Q. From the moment you conceived the idea for the story, to the published book, how long did it take?
A. From concept to publication was 3 years. And it's going to be nearly as long for the sequel! But the writing part is taking much longer for the sequel, Witch on the Water, whereas the publishing part (finding a publisher, revising, etc) was longer for Rowan of the Wood. We've been working on the sequel already for 1.5 years. It should be published later this year, though. Hopefully, we'll cut off another year in the process for the third book!

Q. Do you write non-stop until you have a first draft, or do you edit as you move along?
A. I certainly write the first draft before doing any editing. The story flow moves better that way for us. After I complete the first draft, I hand it over to my husband/co-author who takes it, alters it, and introduces sub-plots for the second draft. I take it back over for the third, and so on. After the fourth or fifth draft, we sit down and read it cover to cover together, looking for continuity problems, etc. Then the fine editing begins! It's a long process to say the least.

Q. They say authors have immensely fragile egos… How would you handle negative criticism or a negative review?
A. Although I'm very sensitive as a person, I have an uncharacteristic thicker skin for as a professional. Sure, a negative review might sting a bit, but it passes quickly. So far for Rowan of the Wood, the positive reviews far outweigh the negative ones, so I keep that in mind. During the revision process, however, is where I see the biggest difference. I can take pretty rough criticism and suggestions before the book is published (or query letter is sent), because it's still a learning process. Every new critique is a new opportunity to learn and grow and improve my craft. Even negative reviews. I welcome any and all feedback, especially if it's constructive.

Q. Have you ever suffered from writer’s block? What seems to work for unleashing your creativity?
A. Believe it or not. Writing. My degrees are in English Literature (BA/MA), so I've written and read a lot. But I never truly got it until I wrote this novel. I used to sit in front of a blank screen, trying to figure out a way to begin my novel (or screenplay or short story), but I finally got it. You don't have to write the beginning first. You can write the beginning last! That's the beauty of the revision process! So when I don't know what to write… I just start writing anyway because it can always be revised later. The most important thing is to keep writing.

Q. What is the best writing advice you’ve ever received?
A. My big writing moment of clarity came when I read Stephen King's On Writing. In this book, he describes a writing technique that I had not tried, and it worked well for me. He instructed to fully develop your characters first. Create them. Who they are. What they say. What they wear. What they like/dislike, etc. Create them into people first, and then put them in a situation. Your characters will take you through because you know them. You know how they will respond in that situation. That's the technique I use now, and it worked well for me. It took me from being a writer to being a published author.

Q. Do you have a website/blog where readers may learn more about you and your work?
A. Oh. You shouldn't have asked that! I'm ALL OVER the web!

My website – from Apr 6-17, we're running a contest to win $100 B&N gift card and more great prizes. Visit our blog for more informationhttp://www.rowanofthewood.com – New secret message every Wed. Download the decoder card here, watch videos, and more information about the book!
Twitter. I'm a Twitterholic! This Friday (4/10), I'm running at #tweet4loan marathon on Twitter. Our banker said she'd give us a loan for our summer Geekalicious Grand Book Tour if we could sell 300 books in a day. Please stop by and help us reach our goal!
You Tube – 2 new videos every week from the tour
BlogTV - Live every Monday at 1pm CST and from book signings!
BlogTalkRadio – Every Wed. at 5pm CST
GoodReads – We currently have a Q&A discussion group going on Goodreads! Join us!
There's more, but I'll stop there for now.

Q. Do you have another book on the works? Would you like to tell readers about your current or future projects?
A. Rowan of the Wood is the first book in a series of five. The sequel Witch on the Water is due out later this year. The third, late 2010, and the next two in 2011 and 2012.

Q. As an author, what is your greatest reward?
A. Having a reader tell me how much they loved my book, especially the ones who tell me they were up until 4am finishing it because they couldn't put it down.

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Meet Sybil Baker, Author
Interview by Mayra Calvani

  Sybil Baker spent twelve years teaching in South Korea prior to accepting a position as an assistant professor of English at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga after earning her MFA in Writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. During her extensive travels throughout Asia, she became increasingly interested in the allure and alienation of American travelers and expatriates, and this has heavily influenced her writing. Her fiction and essays have appeared in numerous journals, including Upstreet, The Bitter Oleander, Paper Street, and Alehouse. Her essay on American expatriate literature appeared in AWP’s The Writer’s Chronicle in September 2005. Her website can be found at http://www.sybilbaker.com.

Q. Thanks for being my guest today, Sybil. It's a pleasure to have you here. Why don't you start by telling us a little about yourself and how you started writing?
A. Well, I actually started writing stories when I first learned to write in the first grade. I’ve been writing creatively ever since.
  I started The Life Plan in late fall 2004. I was living in Seoul, South Korea, and wanted to write a comic novel that took place in Thailand and chronicled a couple’s marriage in crisis. I finished the first draft about a year later.

Q. What was inspiration for your novel, The Life Plan?
A. From 2003-2005, I was a student in Vermont College’s MFA program. In spring 2004, I told my adviser Patricia Henley that I was recently divorced, and she suggested I write about it. I agreed with her but was afraid I was too close to the subject and that whatever I wrote would be a bitter, self-involved pity party. I used to write humor columns when I was an undergraduate at Virginia Tech, so I thought that if I made the character different from me and wrote with humor I might have the distance to pull the story off.
  At that point I’d been living in South Korea for about nine years and had traveled around Asia extensively. I’d always loved Thailand and thought it would be a great place to set a novel.

Q. Tell us a bit about the plot and about the protagonist.
A. I think the best way to learn about The Life Plan is to watch the book trailer.
  If I have to describe the plot of the Life Plan in ten words or fewer I say the plot is Bridget Jones meets Eat, Pray, Love. Here’s the longer version.
  Kat, a lawyer in DC, is a woman with a Life Plan—written and documented so that nothing will go wrong. When Kat’s husband Dan enrolls for a course in Thailand to study massage, Kat is compelled to go with him to save the marriage. Soon Kat finds herself not only fighting for her marriage, but her career and reputation as well. Yet when Kat has a chance to regain all that she has lost, she finally questions her own reasons for pursuing her rigid life plan.
  Kat is like a lot of women I’ve met. She’s twenty-nine and facing the pressure of trying to have “it all”—career, family, marriage—by the time she’s thirty five. When she first arrives in Thailand she’s a cross between the stereotypical ugly American and the innocent abroad, a la Daisy Miller. Kat’s physical journey through Thailand mirrors her emotional journey of trying to accept that life does not always go according to plan.

Q. I understand the novel is written in the first person. You also worked as a humor columnist before. Was it easier to find your voice in first person because of your column writing background?
A. That’s a great question. I chose to write this novel in the first person because I thought it was important to tell the story in Kat’s voice. I wanted to make it clear that the impressions and reactions to Thailand are Kat’s and not an “objective” commentary. I thought that writing in first person would make it easier for me to keep a comic tone in the novel as well. So yes, I think writing a humor column helped me access that comic voice—one I hadn’t used in my writing for almost twenty years.

Q. Who is the target audience for your book?
A. The target audience is women in their 20s-30s who are interested in reading comic novels about strong complex female characters living in the modern world. People who are interested in reading about different countries, travel fiction, and global fiction would also be interested in The Life Plan.
  Because the novel poses so many questions that are relevant to women today, I think The Life Plan would be great for book clubs as well. I’m working on posting reading group questions on my website, and I can meet with clubs in person (if they’re club is within driving distance) or via Skype.
  That said, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the number of men who have told me they loved the book. That unexpected response has been great.

Q. You've traveled extensively around the world. How have your travels influenced your writing?
A. I think even more than traveling, living out of the country for twelve years influenced my themes and outlook in my writing. Even though I visited the States frequently, Asia felt more like home and the U.S. like the foreign country. Because I lived abroad for so long, I hope I can place my stories and themes within a more global context than if I’d not traveled or moved abroad. The novel I’ve almost finished takes place in the States, but after I finish it I plan to return to writing about Americans in other countries.

Q. What are your writing habits like? Are you disciplined?
A. More than disciplined, I’m busy! My writing habits depend on the time of year. Because I teach at a university, I can write a lot during the summer and on breaks when I’m not teaching. There are also periods in the semester when I can get a lot of writing done, but there are other times when I have to let it go. I try make writing goals like, I’ll finish chapter x by Friday, or I plan to have a draft finished by the end of x. Right now I’m planning on revising the novel I’m working on by the end of April so that I can give it to a few friends to read and comment on while I’m traveling in South Africa in May. When I get back in June I’ll start notes for a new novel and work on some essays.

Q. What are you working on now?
A. The novel’s working title is “Replay.” Like The Life Plan, Replay is a comic novel and the main character, Stacy lives in Washington DC. Unlike Kat from The Life Plan, Stacy has artistic ambitions and doesn’t have much of a Life Plan at all.
  Here’s the synopsis: Thirty-four-year old Stacy Mullins is stuck artistically, romantically, and professionally. After her father suddenly dies leaving his daughters in debt, Stacy moves from city to suburbs to be a temporary nanny to her sister’s children. When her college ex and now successful screenwriter, Ben Logan unexpectedly shows up in her life, Stacy falls for Ben all over again. While her own life continues to fall apart, Stacy must decide if undoing the mistakes of her past is the only way to move forward with her future.

Q. Is there anything else you'd like to tell our readers?
A. If you read The Life Plan or are interested in reading the book for your book club, please get in touch with me, I’d love to hear from you. And please leave a review at Amazon, Goodreads or other sites. Spread the word—every reader’s voice counts!

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Meet Misa Ramirez, Author
Interview by Mayra Calvani

  My guest today is Misa Ramirez, author of Living the Vida Lola. Misa’s work combines elements of humor, romance and mystery. In this interview, she talks about her inspiration for the novel, her busy schedule, and her future projects.

Q. Thanks for being here today, Misa. After reading your book, I was surprised to find out that you're not Latina by birth, but by marriage. How did you come to identify so well with Latinas?
A. I am thrilled that you feel I did justice to the Mexican culture and to Latinas! In a lot of ways, I do feel that Lola Cruz is my 'alter ego' if I were a Latina. I think it comes from being so involved with my husband's family for so long. We've been married for 19 years. Various members of his family have lived with us at different times, including his parents. They have always been a dynamic family with so many strong personalities, yet their culture has always been a subtle part of who they are and how they live. That's what I wanted to capture through the characters in my book. Not every Latino's experience is the same. Not everyone thinks the same, has the same sensibility of cultural values or expectations, but they each embody some elements of the culture. I really wanted to have Lola be an American who was also Latina. I wanted her to balance all the different parts of who she is, all the while being true to herself. I think my approach, and being "Latina by marriage" made me super aware of not falling into stereotypes, as well. None of my husband's family are 'stereotypical' Latinos. They are all complex, multi-cultural individuals and I've learned so much from them. I love the culture and my husband and wanted to write something that in some way represented who my children are on some level, as well.

Q. When did you start writing? Do you have another job besides writing?
A. I wrote in college, but got a little more serious when I first started teaching middle school. But then I had children and writing took a backseat. I came at it again after my 5th baby was born and I needed an outlet. I'd had the good fortune of having a children's book published and kept working toward getting another one published. But the magic wasn't happening. I was writing to prompts and Lola was born. Her family came next, and pretty soon the whole book was pouring out of me.  Of course, then I went back and rewrote it SO many times, working in more character development and adding plot points. I also went back to teaching which left little time for writing. But I persevered, landed the most awesome agent ever, and Living the Vida Lola was published by St. Martin's Minotaur! Now I'm writing full-time, dabbling in some part time teaching, and loving my new career.

Q. What compelled you to write Lola's story?
A. Like I mentioned above, I really wanted to tell a story about someone like my own children. I wanted to capture the bi-cultural aspects of my husband. And I wanted to write a fun, sassy, strong, smart woman who wasn't afraid to go after what she wanted most of all--a career as a writer--oh, no! That's me!--a career as a detective.
  I love Lola and her family. They really are real to me!

Q. Describe to us a regular writing day in Misa Ramirez's life. Are you a disciplined writer?
A. Unfortunately, I'm not disciplined enough. Since our recent move to Texas from California, I've jumped int some community work. It's taking more of my time than I'd anticipated! But I'm definitely the type of person who will just keep working. In fact, I probably work better under little pressure.
  The typical day: Wake up; wake up children (6 year old takes 15 minutes minimum to get out of bed!); supervise the kids' breakfast and drink coffee (me, not the kids); make their lunches if they are running late, or supervise their lunch-making if they're not (I believe in teaching them how to do things for themselves!); take them all to school, go for a walk (or do yoga on Thursdays); come home, clean up, chores (never-ending), and go into office to begin working (this is assuming there is nothing child-related or community-activist related on the calendar for the day); write, drink more coffee, tea, or water, eat something carby (argh!); pick up kids from school; help with homework, check email and do miscellaneous tasks on the kitchen laptop computer as time allows; do sports, piano, guitar lesson runs, dinner, reading to kids, playtime (if there's time); bed for the kids; watch a recorded or Netflix show if one is available, read, or back to the computer. Next day begin again.
  More detail than you wanted, right?!

Q. What's on the horizon?
A. Book 2 in the Lola Cruz Mystery Series is in production. I believe it will be released in winter 2010. No date yet, and no title yet! Beyond that, I have books 3 and 4 in the works, a proposal for another series--this one about a curandera, am working on a middle grade proposal, and am doing some freelancing. I also am a columnist at http://www.romancingtheblog.com, and co-operate http://chasingheroes.com a very cool website all about hero archetypes (and heroine archetypes) and so much more. Always something in the works!

Q. Anything else you'd like to tell readers?
A. Thank you for having me, Mayra! And thanks to those of you who've read Living the Vida Lola. It's hit the local (Dallas-Fort Worth area) bestseller's list and I'm thrilled that so many people are loving Lola!
  Visit my website at http://misaramirez.com for contest information and more.

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Meet Pamela James
Interview by Anne K. Edwards

Q. What do you find most rewarding about having written a story, article, or book?
A. The readers who give me feedback on my books.

Q. How did you happen to become an author?
A. I grew up cutting my teeth on Nancy Drew Mysteries and I really loved watching mysteries on t.v. it just seemed natural that I would write mysteries.Q. Would you like to talk about your career or future plans?
A. Right now I am writing a women's fiction book that has a light mystery title: SUNFLOWERS I am also writing a new cozy series involving a haunted hotel and it's called ONE LITTLE MURDER.

Q. Have you favorite authors who have influenced your work?
A. YES--Carolyn Hart, Agatha Christie, and Jill Churchill are the authors whose work really made an impact.

Q. Do you have a website for readers to visit?
A. http://www.mayhemandmagic.com

Q. Where is your work available?
A. Publish America B&N online and Amazon.

Q. Are you currently working on a project?
A. Yes two as a matter of fact (See above)
Q. Would you like to tell the readers anything about yourself?
A. I've written four mysteries, as a hobby I love to cross stitch, watch black and white movies and I'm a grandmother.

Q. How do you prepare to start a new book? Do you write every day?
A. I write Monday-Friday and I do character sketches on notecards, plot the book, do chapter by chapter plot points, create my setting and back story. Various other things before I actually begin chapter one.

Q. What is your favorite way to begin a project? Do you do an outline? Or start with a plot or characters first?
A. Start with plot and character.

Q. What impels or inspires you to write?
A. Characters inspire me to write.

Q. How do you set about developing characters?
A. Sometimes a character comes to me or I brainstorm with a friend and then I play the what-if game and I also layer my character start simple with birthdate move on to past, present and give them traits,mannerisms, a name and background.

Q. How did you happen to develop your blog? Do you recommend them to writers for reaching readers?
A. I am recent to blogs for writers and readers but my friend Terri and I have one on blogger that is titled mayhemandmagic2.

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New Books Published

Riders of the Seven Hills
by Lad Moore
Publisher BeWwrite Books
http://BeWritebooks.com
ISBN: 978-1-906609-02-3
$14.99

A series of yarns of East Texas and the Far East by a natural-born story teller.

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The Writer's Journey Journal
by Tony Burton
http://www.thegenreview.com
ISBN: 13: 978-1-60364-009-1
http://www.wolfmont.com/wjj/wjj.html

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THE GLADIATOR'S ARENA
by Mayra Calvani

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Short Fiction

I'm Waiting to be Born
by Anne K. Edwards
  Well you may ask, what I mean. The answer is that I'm standing in a long line of fiction characters whose tale hasn't been told yet. Their stories haven't come to light or else the author chosen to tell their tale hasn't recognized the task given to them.
  To be born, we must get into the mind of a writer first and that is not always easy. There seems to be a lot of us trying to get in at the same time and it creates a traffic jam of sorts. Legs and arms flailing as we try shoving our way forward and shouting at the author, "Here I am. Hear me. Tell my story."
  Some of us are lost in the melee and simply vanish like smoke on the wind. Others of us are pushed into crevices of the writer's mind for later examination and ofter are forgotten. We find them in their crevices, a mere shadow of their former robust selves.
  They might be salvaged if the author takes the time to hear their tale, but often they have lost the original pull and are pushed back into their crevices to wait until they are completely forgotten and then they too vanish from sight.
  But for those of us still in line, waiting, the chance that we might be heard and chosen, holds us like a tryout for American Idol draws would-be stars. We all want that moment to shine, to be.
  The sad fact is that too often we don't have a story until the author sees us. Some are lucky and born with a tale, but many of us are chosen because we fit into a role already made and that becomes our story.
  But I am one of the lucky ones, I have a story and will leap fully grown into light when the author and I meet. I will then begin talking as fast I can to hold the author's attention, to fascinate until she or he is forced to tell my story.
  It is then I look forward to meeting my public. It awaits...

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Articles

Promoting and Marketing Your Book
by J.A. Husinger, author of Axe of Iron

  You have poured your heart and soul into writing your book. It has been the dominate passion of your life; otherwise you would not have a manuscript to hold. Now what?
  I will assume that your manuscript is a first draft. Before you can send out query letters telling the world of the birth of the great American novel, your work needs editing. I do not mean having a friend, an English teacher, your boss, or any other layman read your manuscript, no, I mean that you must engage the services of a professional editor. Thus begins the process of polishing your manuscript until it is the best it can be. This process can involve numerous corrections and rewrites. The time and expense involved varies with the quality of the work. One hundred thousand words will cost in the neighborhood of $2000.00, or more, by the time you get it right.
  Believe it or not, writing your book is only the beginning. With a final draft of your manuscript in hand, it is time to query. Famous people query with a proposal before writing the book. I will assume that you are not yet famous. As an author, you cannot deal directly with one of the large publishing houses, so your next challenge is to interest a literary agent in your work. If you find a literary agent, your relationship will be contractual. Do nothing with anyone without a contract. Fully understand your part of the contract before signing or hire an attorney versed in literary contracts to help you understand. There are numerous listings of literary agents on the Internet. Research each agent for their submission guidelines, select those receptive to your genre, be certain that they are accepting submissions, submit only what they require, and never send an unsolicited manuscript, they will not read it. Your literary agent will handle your contractual relationship with a publisher; they are your agent acting in your behalf.
  If you are fortunate enough to become a published author through the literary agent/publisher/reader sequence of progression, congratulations, you have hit the big time. Your publisher will handle all the details of composition/format, cover design, printing/binding, fulfillment/marketing, and warehouse/distribution, leaving you free to crank out books. You will have little or no input regarding any of the production aspects of your book, nor will you retain any rights other than copyright. The publisher will own the ISBN and all future negotiations for anything concerning that work will be through, or with the permission of, the publisher.
  Okay, you have spent a year submitting to literary agents without results. If you have not completely lost interest in publishing your work, you are left with publishing it yourself, e.g. self-publishing or becoming an independent publisher. A self-published author has hired a publishing company to publish a book, surrendering all rights save copyright. An independent publisher has formed a small company and gone through the process from copyright to a finished book ready for the market. That author owns all rights to the book because often the author and the publishing company are one and the same. Books are produced and marketed by an independent publisher working closely with a large full service book production facility such as BookMasters, Ashland, OH, where everything is done in house.
  Regardless of the method used to publish your work yourself, you will be responsible for promotion and marketing. In working with an organization such as BookMasters, you will already have a leg up as they handle some of the initial marketing through their own marketing department. Getting the word out before and after the publication date is vital to your sales success. You must have a website and/or a blog that calls attention to your book and ultimately leads a visitor to your order page. If you do not want to handle book sales from your garage, then your website order page will link your customers to your distributor or other points of sale that you have set up. In this way, someone else will take care of the myriad details of the warehousing/distribution of your work.
  Solicit professional book reviewers. Do not send them a book until you have queried them first. Be the consummate professional insofar as your contacts with reviewers. Always include a cover letter with your book that includes a short synopsis and your expectations as the author. Reviews are important and they can restore your bruised and battered ego when you read what someone else has to say about your work. Their reviews look good on your website and provide potential customers for your next book a sales closer as they read your book cover’s ad copy.
  I have found that conventional print and display advertising on websites is only minimally successful. The mission here is to get your name and that of your book out to as many sites on the Internet as possible. Hire professional people to do this for you, e.g. PumpUpYourBook promotions. Additionally, Amazon is one of the most effective and important book sales tools out there. When you have your book listed with them be sure that you also use their ‘Look Inside the Book’ program. Ditto for Google Book Search. Going through the submission process with Internet book promotion and sales sites is time consuming, but the rewards outweigh this expenditure.
  Local booksellers such as Barnes and Noble and Borders do everything possible to arrange and facilitate book-signing events for local authors. So, be certain you contact the individual store’s book manager to set one up for you. They provide a display table and chairs, posters, and a newspaper announcement of the event, and it is all free. In addition, they will order a supply of your books to stock your book-signing. Not a bad deal, I think.
  If you do not have letterhead stationery, design some, including the envelope. Remember, you are trying to sell a product, be professional in all of your contacts. Edit religiously, use spell check. Everything that you write is a reflection on you personally, so do it right the first time because the one chance is usually all you will get. And oh, good luck to you.

J. A. Hunsinger–Author, Vinland Publishing, LLC,
http://www.vinlandpublishing.com
©2009 Jerry A. Hunsinger, All Rights Reserved

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
J. A. Hunsinger lives in Colorado, USA, with his wife Phyllis. The first novel of his character-driven, historical fiction series, Axe of Iron: The Settlers, represents his first serious effort to craft the story of a lifelong interest in the Viking Age—especially as it pertains to Norse exploration west of Iceland—and extensive research and archaeological site visitations as an amateur historian. He has tied the discovery of many of the Norse artifacts found on this continent to places and events portrayed in his novels.
  Much of his adult life has been associated with commercial aviation, both in and out of the cockpit. As an Engineering Technical Writer for Honeywell Commercial Flight Systems Group, Phoenix, AZ, he authored two comprehensive pilots’ manuals on aircraft computer guidance systems and several supplemental aircraft radar manuals. His manuals were published and distributed worldwide to airline operators by Honeywell Engineering, Phoenix, AZ. He also published an article, Flight Into Danger, in Flying Magazine, (August 2002).
  Historical Novel Society, American Institute of Archaeology, Canadian Archaeology Association, and IBPA-Independent Book Publishers Association, are among the fraternal and trade organizations in which he holds membership.
  You can visit his website athttp://www.vinlandpublishing.com and his blog at http://www.vinlandpublishing.blogspot.com

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Bits and Pieces

Baker & Taylor is making the news as rumors hint at financial problems. Their distribution business has dropped significantly.

Amazon.com is closing 3 distribution centers by end of May. Munster, Ind., Red Rock, Nev. and Chambersburg, PA.

Barnes and Noble has acquired Fictionwise.com and will make it part of their business while it will continue to operate as in the past.

Vanity Press owner Author Solutions owns AuthorHouse, iUniverse, and Xlibris has purchased Trafford Pub. in Canada.

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SANCTUARY -- By Mayra Calvani

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WHODUNIT? -- By Billie A. Williams

WHAT AGE SHOULD MY SLEUTH BE?
By Billie A. Williams

  Agatha Christie was an older woman quite set in her ways, Jessica Fletcher was another young older woman, Kaye Scarpetta is quite near forty, I would assume. What age should your sleuth be?
  Agatha, Jessica, or Kaye have nothing over on Nancy Drew when it comes to being a fitting accidental sleuth. She started out as a fourteen year old, but in revisions and later volumes she is eighteen. As a writer this is significant because your YA readers want to read about characters at least their age, if not older. Pets, friends, foils, helpers and even boy friends play as significantly in YA novels as in any other stories.
  It used to be a typical Nancy Drew type story would be 25 Chapters with plenty of description of characters and setting. The new generation of readers with a shorter attention span, is catered to with shorter books, 20 chapters, shorter chapters usually no more than a few pages and the action has been beefed up. More intense for our action oriented teens. They have no time for Jude Devereaux -like scenery and ambience building.
  What began in the 1930’s with "The Secret of the Old Clock, in Volume 1" now constitutes over 500 books that any youngster with the slightest inkling of mystery and intrigue in their mind will devour. Many a mystery writer attributes her love of the genre to the first cherished volume of a Nancy Drew Mystery. If you want to write for the YA crowd you can’t go wrong by studying the classic works in this series.
  If you choose to write for this age group be aware it is not a simple task. This age group is very discerning, with high expectations. A book needs to compete with video games and cell phones. We live in a fast food, fast travel (jets etc. hardly anyone walks. It’s bikes, scooter, 4-wheeler, or some other speedy mode of travel) fast communication (Internet, cell phones, mp3 players, and more) time period.
  If you want to build a following look at the market. Assess the expectations of your reader by reading some of what’s out there. Compare what you see to Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, the classics, and you’ll be well on your way. A sleuth that will keep your young readers engaged and word of mouth spreading news of the good reads to their peers, like a cold virus - good news travels fast.

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PAM'S PEN -- By Pamela James

KILLER HAIR

  In the world of fashion and beauty there is always someone who is having a bad hair day. However, last weekend I watched a funny cozy movie titled Killer Hair, the movie is based on Ellen Berryum's book Killer Hair. It featured a wonderful cast and Lacey Smithsonian's character was played by Alicia Silverstone. I think Alicia has found her niche because it's been a long time since I have nejoyed a movie as much as this fun-to-die lifetime movie.
  I know Hostile Makeover is playing this Sunday which is based on Ellen's series and I plan to tune in and hope that it will be just as funny and fluffy as Killer Hair. If you watch the movie and if you haven't read the book, please, by all means read the books in this mystery series. They are A Crime of Fashio Mysteries. Funny, witty, a plot that is well woven and these would make great summer beach book mysteries.
  Washington, D.C. is the backdrop and makes a wonderful melting pot of colorful characters. Lacey is a fashion columnist who wants a shot at real news stories. I'm rooting for her and I hope you will too, and it's a great way to enjoy Washington, D. C. from the comfort of your armchair to the television.
  I'll say this much, you don't want a bad haircut on your send-off through eternity. For me, Killer Hair makes the cut!

Pamela James
Author of The Crossed Stitcher

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SEEDLINGS -- Aaron Paul Lazar

Title: A Spark of Heavenly Fire
Author: Pat Bertram
Publisher: Second Wind Publishing
Publisher's Address: 931-B South Main Street, Box 145,
Kernersville, NC 27284
ISBN number: 978-1-935171-23-2
Price: $18.00
Publisher phone number and/or website address:
http://www.secondwindpublishing.com

Review by Aaron Paul Lazar
Author of the LeGarde Mystery Series
http://legardemysteries.com  Who says you can’t squeeze romance into a thriller? And while you’re at it, how about weaving in a deeply moving story about human redemption?
  Author Pat Bertram says you can. And she’ll convince you before you can say chimera - the lethal combination of virus, bacterium, fungus, and human genes that causes the rapid spread of the “red death,” a bio-engineered weapon threatening the entire state of Colorado.
  Kate Cummings is trying to deal with the loss of her husband, who drove his car off a mountain after a long battle with Multiple Sclerosis. She passes by his bedroom without daring to enter, and slogs through life in a solemn daze, feeling guilty for every time she waited a few extra minutes to answer his summons, or for each time she became angry. His loss haunts her, and although her work at the Bowers Medical Clinic is fulfilling, it can’t heal the hole in her heart.
  When a jogger stumbles into Kate with red eyes blazing, he vomits blood on her and dies instantly. A rash of similar deaths follows, decimating the state. Orange paint markers on front doors - signifying a “red death” in the marked homes - begin to appear with frightening regularity. Panicked parents discard their red-eyed children, fearful of contagion.
  Enter Greg Pullman, reporter for the Denver News, who’s engaged to the ditzy beauty, Pippi O’Brien, local TV weather girl. But when he bumps into Kate after Pippi heads for the border in search of safety, things change. Together, Kate and Greg investigate and unearth the shocking source of the horror that has shut down their state and caused a rogue wing of the military to terrorize Colorado’s remaining citizens. Basic human amenities - so often taken for granted - become grounds for murder. And the streets are no longer safe to walk unescorted.
  In addition to a killer story line, smooth writing, and phenomenal characterization, this page turning thriller features fine examples of charity through glimpses into Kate’s huge heart. The remarkable heroine opens her home to survivors who are homeless and hungry. Soon, partnered with a destitute woman named Dee, Kate’s home becomes a refuge for survivors. And in the midst of the massive deaths, terror, and horror, Kate finds salvation.
  The tension in A Spark of Heavenly Fire is electric. Taut suspense pulls you along at a rapid pace. This reader was up way past his bedtime three nights in a row. And yes, it was that good.

Aaron Paul Lazar writes to soothe his soul. The author of LeGarde Mysteries and Moore Mysteries enjoys the Genesee Valley countryside in upstate New York, where his characters embrace life, play with their dogs and grandkids, grow sumptuous gardens, and chase bad guys. Visit his websites at http://www.legardemysteries.com and http://www.mooremysteries.com and watch for his upcoming release, MAZURKA, coming in 2009.

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THE WRITING LIFE
(Quarterly and Guest Column)

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Reviews

Contests

Notice

  Current plans are for publication of an anthology in trade paperback in 2010 and then publication of an annual anthology thereafter. The anthology may contain a few stories previously published in FMAM as well as new short stories and novellas. Past issues of FMAM are currently available. http://twilighttimesbooks.com/fmam
  We will open to submissions for the anthology July 15, 2009. Pays a flat rate based on word count (to be determined). If sales go over 2000 copies, then royalties will be paid in addition to the initial payment. Check the web site in April for more info. http://www.fmam.biz
  We need a catchy title for the anthology and perhaps a series name as well. I am uncertain if we will include illos for each of the stories. I have to say the last two years of FMAM in print looked really great. Might consider something similar for the anthology -- with fewer ads. Feel free to make suggestions. This is a work in progress, so to speak.
  The FMAM web site is active and updated each month with columns, articles and book reviews. http://www.fmam.biz
  Also, Twilight Times Books and Paladin Timeless Books are open to submissions from Feb. 15th to Mar. 5th 2009. Twilight Times Books is on the MWA list of approved publishers.http://twilighttimesbooks.com/subs.html

Events

Resources

http://www.readerviews.com site for reviews

Pets and Their Authors http://petsandauthors.blogspot.com

Latino Books Examiner http://www.examiner.com/x-6309-Latino-Books-Examiner

Global Talk Radio http://www.globaltalkradio.com

Subscriptions to this ezine are Free. Please pass this on to friends you think would enjoy it.

Copyright (c) 2005 Mary Emmons All Rights Reserved

Mystery Fiction Monthly Ezine -- The Voice in the DarkIssue No. 50, February-March 2009

Co-Editor: Anne K. Edwards
marbob00@earthlink.net
http://www.Mysteryfiction.net
Co-Editor: Mayra Calvani
MGCalvani@hotmail.com
http://www.Mayracalvani.com
Slippery Book Review Blog
http://slipperybookreview.wordpress.com
Publisher: Eva Almeida

By subscription only. You are receiving this newsletter because you requested a subscription. To unsubscribe, send an email to marbob00@earthlink.net with your email address.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Voice in the Dark will continue to be open to well written, interesting submissions having to do with writing, publishing, and promotion of books. In addition to a subscription list, Voice in the Dark is posted each month on http://www.Mysteryfiction.net. If interested contact Anne K. Edwards at marbob00@earthlink.net with "Voice Submission" in your subject line.

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The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing is a finalist in ForeWord Book of the Year Awards. http://www.forewordmagazine.com/botya/print2k8.aspx (Twilight Times Books has four finalists this year)

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Barnes & Noble Inc has acquired e-book seller Fictionwise to expand its presence in digital world. http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/05/fictionwise-acquired-by-barnes-noble/ From Twilight Times Books

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NOTE: Recommend visiting the site of the Southern Review to get the latest on Amazon and other publishing news. http://www.anvilpub.net/southern_review_of_books.htm

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NOTE: Books We Love is hosting another great contest for readers. Visit http://www.bookswelove.net and enter. Lots of prizes. Meet new authors and new reads. Visit Jude's Alter-Ego at http://www.judeatkins.com

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If you are interested in reviewing books, contact simegen@simegen.com. They are looking for qualified reviewers.

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Author and reviewer Mayra Calvani now has a new blog, Pets and Their Authors http://www.petsandauthors.blogspot.com Get the lowdown on your favorite authors... straight from their pets' mouths!

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Jean Henry Mead invited Marta Stephens to answer some interview questions which she has posted on her blog, Mysterious People, today. She’s going to feature an short article Marta wrote intended to help aspiring authors. You’ll find the interview and the article here: http://mysteriouspeople.blogspot.com/2009/03/conversation-with-marta-stephens.html .
Also, Marta has posted another short story on Sam Harper Crime Scene blog: http://www.samharpercrimescene.blogspot.com .

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NOTICE TO AUTHORS:

When you submit to the US Copyright Office for copyright registration, there is a bit of information that is not made obvious to the author. If you use a print form and send a photocopy of your unpublished manuscript, be aware of two things: (1) It can take over 16 months or more to get your copyright if you use the mail system--they do have an ebook submission system now which is cheaper and faster than 16 months-and they say it works. (2) If you submit either ecopy or a photocopy, you will also be required to send two print copies to the Acquisitions Office of the copyright office for the Library of Congress. (If you send in published copies (2) with your application for copyright, these copies will fulfill the demand deposit requirement--that is the name they use for the copies required. (I can vouch this is true information as this is a current situation I have just gone through. My copyright application is going on 15 months and not received yet. I was told several times that the delay was due to the receipt of a large volume of mail daily at the copyright office, but my application never seemed to move upward, only the delay lengthened. So keep an eye on your copyright applications. (Anne K. Edwards)

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Editor's Note
Featured Interviews
--Meet Mayra Calvani, Author, Editor, Blogger
--Meet Lewie Francisco, picture book artist
--Meet Lad Moore, Author
--Meet Jo Ann Hernandez, Author
--Meet A. F. Stewart, Author
--Meet Robert Shlasko, Author
--Meet C. M. Albrecht, Author
Gladiator's Arena--by Mayra Calvani
Short Fiction
Articles
--Baggage by Anne K. Edwards
--Do Virtual Book Tours Sell Books by Dorothy Thompson
Whodunit? -- Columnist Billie A. Williams
Pam's Pen -- Columnist Pamela James
Seedlings -- Aaron Paul Lazar
This & That -- Columnist Dana Reed
The Writing Life -- Quarterly and Guest Column
Reviews
Events
Resources

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Editor's Note

Nothing is free. That is something we writers need to remember. And every day proof of that surfaces on the Internet. The latest was Facebook changing its terms of service to lay claim of ownership to all you publish on your facebook page. (At this time, Facebook has retreated on this issue because of the uproar.) Beware you don't post any thing on these sites you may want to keep for later use. Other sites have done similar things and find it doesn't work. Generally speaking, once something is posted on a website it can and often is used by others without notifying the originator. It usually isn't worth pursuing the person doing the lifting since it is already available to others to read for free. Anyone using such material should credit the writer or site in the reuse. And remember a claim of ownership by a site hosting a community like Facebook might also include very personal information and pictures.
  One problem these sites have in holding onto their claims of ownership is that the material may have been posted elsewhere BEFORE it was posted on their site and I don't think they could prove retroactive ownership. I don't know of any site that has pursued such claims if material has been reused, but it would give them the right to use it as they want if such claims were upheld.
  So please give thought to what you post on any site before you post.

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Interviews

Meet Mayra Calvani, author, editor, blogger
Interview by Anne K. Edwards

Mayra, thank you for taking the time to let our readers know more about you and your work.

Q. You have several children's books out. Would you tell us about them? How did you get interested in writing for children?
A. I have two children's picture books out, but I have several more coming out later this year and the next.
  The Magic Violin is set in 19th century Europe and is about a little girl who runs into trouble learning Vivaldi's "Winter". However, with a magic dose of self trust, she makes her dreams come true.
  Crash is about a little boy and his first puppy, and how he learns to care for it as well as to find the perfect name for it. It teaches children about the responsibilities that come with the ownership of a new pet.
  Cover arts, blurbs and trailers of these books can be viewed on my children's book website http://mayrassecretbookcase.com .
  I started writing for children about three years ago and since then haven't looked back. I love writing for children. It's a colorful, fresh world of words. I don't recall what actually made me take the first step, but once I did, I was hooked.

Q. What is your favorite genre for writing? Why?
A. I love paranormal, strange novels with lots of dark atmosphere, but I also love children's picture books. At the moment, these are my two favorite genres. Each of these genres is a very different world. It's fun and even therapeutic having to switch from one to the other.
Q. You have written in a variety of genres. Do you plan to continue this trend?
A. Yes, I do. I couldn't write in only one genre. Different things inspire me and as a creative person I follow that inspiration. It's always exciting to see where my muse will take me.
Q. You also translate some of your children's books into Spanish. Where are they available? How did you start doing this? What titles have you done?
A. I have been translating stories and excerpts from my novels for publication in a Puerto Rican newspaper for years. I've also helped other authors with Spanish translations. It was not until last year, however, that I decided to translate my children's books. A Spanish version of Crash and The Magic Violin will be released in the near future.

Q. What projects are you working on presently?
A. Do you have the whole afternoon? LOL... I'm afraid I have too many works in progress to count, but right now my top priorities are editing a completed YA manuscript and trying to finish another YA novel.

Q. You've taken the NaNoWriMo challenge. Do you recommend it for beginning or experienced authors? How did you do? Would you like to tell us anything about the experience?
A. I took the challenge three times but won only twice. On the third try I had to quit the first week. I was doing a virtual book tour at the same time and the stress was too high. NaNoWriMo is an exciting, amazing experience and I would recommend both aspiring and experienced authors take the challenge. It is a lesson in shutting down your inner critic. You'll drink lots of coffee, you'll have to send housework to the devil, and you'll be exhausted and exhilarated from all the pounding on the keyboard for 30 whole days. But if you win, you'll feel like you climbed the Everest.

Q. What is your favorite of the books you've written to date?
A. My favorite is my supernatural thriller, Dark Lullaby. It is a dark, bizarre tale.

Q. Would you like to tell the readers anything about yourself?
A. Writing is my life, but I'm always struggling with procrastination and trying to be more disciplined. I love reading, playing the violin, and spending time with my dog and with my family. I love watching old movies and series.

Q. You have some blogs. What are they about and what are the urls so readers may visit them?
A. I love blogging and have several blogs. Mainly, I keep them for posting my reviews and author interviews.

The Dark Phantom Review http://thedarkphantom.wordpress.com
Mayra's Secret Bookcase http://mayrassecretbookcase.blogspot.com
Pets and Their Authors http://petsandauthors.blogspot.com
Violin and Books http://violinandbooks.wordpress.com
Book Talk Corner http://booktalkcorner.today.com

Q. Do you have a website where readers may learn more about you and your work?
A. I have two: http://www.MayraCalvani.com
http://MayrasSecretBookcase.com (children's books).

Q. Do you have websites for your individual books? Or individual blogs for them?
A. I recently set up two blogs to serve as "little websites" for my individual books:

The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing (with Anne K. Edwards http://slipperybookreview.workpress.com
Sunstruck http://sunstruckthenovel.blogspot.com

Q. You have several books featuring a musical instrument--the violin. Is this your favorite instrument? Do you play a musical instrument?
A. Yes, I have 3 books featuring the violin. The Magic Violin, already published by Guardian Angel Publishing, two more children's picture books, and a middle-grade novel. These last three will also be published by Guardian Angel in the near future.
  My daughter and I both play the violin, though I'm pretty new at it--well, I've been playing for 5 years. I love playing and listening to the violin. It has been enormously stimulating and inspiring for my muse. I keep my violin handy on the table while I write. When I get stuck, I take a break and play. It relaxes me and helps me get back to my writing. I have a blog focusing on violin novels. http://violinandbooks.wordpress.com

Q. You have a nonfiction book published. Can you tell us something about it? Will you do others in the nonfiction field as well?
A. The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing which I co-authored with Anne K. Edwards teaches how to write honest, objective, professional book reviews. But the book is not only aimed at beginner reviewers. Here is a short blurb:

The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing was written not only with the aspiring reviewer in mind, but for the established reviewer who needs a bit of refreshing and also for anybody--be they author, publisher, reader, bookseller, librarian or publicist--who wants to become more informed about the value, purpose and effectiveness of reviews.

  Writing this book with Anne was a great experience. Readers may find more about the book at http://slipperybookreview.wordpress.com
  I'm currently in the process of writing two nonfiction books for children.

Thanks for this opportunity, Anne!

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Meet Lewie A. Francisco, Artist for Children's Books
Interview by Anne K. Edwards

Q. What do you find most rewarding about being an artist of children's books?
A. I would say having my art work enjoyed and viewed from all parts of the world.

Q. How did you happen to become an artist in this field?
A. From the beginning, I've loved to draw and paint, and finally had the chance to illustrate a children's story, which I always wanted to do. (Jeremy and the Dragon)

Q. Would you like to talk about your painting or future plans?
A. I mostly paint what comes to mind, or should say what I have to put down on canvas or paper, and cannot rest until I've accomplished the work.

Q. Do you have a website for readers to visit?
A. Not at this time.

Q. Are you currently working on a project?
A. Always have something in the making. Current project would be a landscape of the historical area I live near.

Q. How do you prepare to start a new painting? Do you paint every day?
A. Starting a painting would be the idea, then sketching it roughly on the canvas or paper.

Q. What is your favorite way to begin a project?
A. My favorite is to have an idea that will not go away from thought until I finish it.

Q. What impels or inspires you to paint? What is your favorite subject matter?
A. Not really sure what inspires me to paint, could be a certain object, or landscape that catches my eye.

Q. Can an author contact you about working on a children's book? What would be the best way?
A. Yes, contact me at lewie_42@yahoo.com.

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Meet Lad Moore, Author
Interview by Anne K. Edwards
Q. What do you find most rewarding about having written a story, article or book?
A. There is a profound sense of completion. Completion of the soul and of the mind. It's like giving away something you cherish deeply so that others may enjoy it. Sharing is a reward like no other. When someone says, "He is a gifted writer," I take the word 'gift" to heart.

Q. How did you happen to become an author?
A. Innocently. I suppose in school the 'written and spoken word' was always intriguing. There was something inside me that wanted to be released. In high school I dabbled in poetry and once won a prestigious literary award bestowed annually by the English Department. As I rose from my chair on the stage at assembly, it was my English teachers I first thanked. Those beginnings had me eventually seeking a first minor in English in pursuing my BS degree. It remained within me to write. I simply followed those tugs.

Q. Would you like to talk about your career or future plans?
A. As I write this, I am polishing the galley proofs for my third collection of short stories, "Riders of the Seven Hills." Like my two previous collections, the tales are mostly true, and the setting is the deep woods of East Texas and the mysteries of Caddo Lake. It was in this area of Texas I grew up. I was influenced by the characters I met, the legends I read and heard about around campfires, and my own experiences. The title is based on a geographical oddity in this area known as the "Seven Hills." Local belief is that our area is charmed by the comparison to the seven hills of old Rome. Certainly, these hills are the fountainhead of many stories, real and fable. I am one of the "riders"...one who traversed the very ground the characters were part of. In that sense, the Rider is just the roving reporter. The subtitle "Tales of Red Clay and Blue Denim," describes what you find in the book.
  This book will be published in May 2009. Already I am beginning work on a fourth volume. It seems as though the more I write, the more experiences surface and spill into my keyboard. I suppose I will continue writing until I run out of truth.

Q. Have you favorite authors who have influenced your work?
A. I was influenced by Twain early on. I favor O'Connor's work, and Hemingway. I enjoy writers like Pat Conroy. Earthy work, with blue denim characters--great imagery and metaphor. In those works I am hypnotized...no, mesmerized. I take on the characters. The characters become me. They even creep into my dreams at night.

Q. Do you have a website for readers to visit?
A. I continually post at my blog, http://laddiemoore.blogspot.com .
  Also, I have several dozen pieces that have been posted and archived on the website, East Texas Towns Online http://easttexastowns.com/siteMOL/MainPage2.cfm You would need to access the "archives" key and then query my name.

Q. Where is your work available?
A. Aside from the venues mentioned above, I am published on many websites. One can type in my name and the will be offered up to browse. I have two published books, "Tailwind" and "Odie Dodie," available from BeWrite Books and, of course, Amazon.com and other online booksellers.

Q. Would you like to tell the readers anything about yourself?
A. I am retired after 35 years in Corporate life. I bought a small farm near the historic steamboat town of Jefferson, TX, where writing and farm chores seem to balance my energies. Jefferson is a noted inland port upriver from Caddo Lake, which originally carried boat traffic up the Red River from the sea ports. This historical setting was home to my youth and is again, today.
  I have been blessed with a rare life. As a child, I traveled the world on a tramp steamer under the tuteledge of a Russian Prince. (He claimed to be exiled.) I had an aviator soldier of fortune father and a rigid and stern Cantonese stepmother who I called "Stepmother Gruel" (when she was out of earshot.) I traveled with a circus for a time. I attended a military school where they promised, "Send us the boy and we'll return you the man." (They meant every word of it.) These exploits are the foundation and source of my writing. They amount to a bounty. I am privileged to have had these experiences from which to draw on.

Q. How do you prepare to start a new book? Do you write every day?
A. Since my venue is short stories, I work on them individually, writing for the most part every day. It typically has taken me 12-18 months to complete a collection of 20-30 tales. For the most part, the stories have a similar theme, and are closer to being chapters than unaffiliated stories.

Q. What is your favorite way to begin a project. Do you do an outline? Or start with a plot or characters first?
A. I must admit to not having a plan. The stories surface almost impulsively...something makes them 'pop up.' I then begin to write non stop, just like a dam had broken, until I complete it. Only then do I go back and weave it into a properly flowing piece. Many times, I have come to dead stops and stories are just abandoned. Something inside tells me it is not 'working.' Those pieces find their way into the black hole we call the "delete" box. I suppose they are out in cyber space somewhere just drifting around like space junk. I have rarely ever tried to resuscitate one.

Q. How do you set about developing characters?
A. This is the easiest part since the vast majority of my characters are real people. All my life I have been a quiet student of people. I shut up and let them be themselves. I catalog what I witness in my brain. I find people fascinating, although I am not a social person. I am more reclusive than I wish, but I have an affinity for understanding people and their character. I just repeat what I witness. It has never been complicated for me to do.

Q. How did you happen to develop your blog if you have one? Do you recommend them to writers for reaching readers?
A. I feel that a blog or website is imperative. One has to showcase his/her work. Descriptions cannot replace true story lines. They are like salesman's samples. I say that not as a gimmick to stimulate book sales, but as I first stated, to share my work. I have never been concerned about sales. I can't even tell you my earnings from writing. Commerce is not my purpose in the financial sense. I honor a reader's unsolicited feedback a hundred times more than I treasure their purchase price.

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Meet Jo Ann Hernandez, Author
Interview by Mayra Calvani

My guest today is Jo Ann Hernandez, author of the young adult novel, The Throwaway Piece. In this fascinating, candid interview, Hernandez talks about how she started writing, the obstacles she had to face and overcome, her state of mind during the creative process and what she finds most difficult when writing.
  Thanks for this interview, Jo.

Q. Why don't you begin by telling us a little about yourself.
A. I grew up in San Antonio, TX and attended 12 years of Catholic school that I am still recovering from I married and moved to Vermont and lived there for 23 years. I was married for ten and raised my two boys for the next 13. Then at 43, I left my sons, my cat, my house and moved to San Francisco where I knew no one to earn my Master's in Creative Writing. I earned my degree, published my first book, and was accepted by a prominent New York agent and became homeless at the same time. I was homeless for six years then I was sick for 8 years. Now I am, more or less, up on my feet and finally home in San Antonio, TX, and writing again. Feels Great!!!!

Q. Then did you decide you wanted to become an author?
A. I didn't decide to become an author. It was decided for me. I thought writing was fun and too easy to be considered one's life work. I joined a women's artis group and they are the ones that convinced me that the universe needed my voice. Who me? What did I have to say? Now, as you will see, I can't shut up.

Q. Do you have another job besides writing?
A. No. I've been fired from all seven secretarial jobs I had.

Q. Tell us a bit about your latest book, and what inspired you to write such a story.
A. The Throwaway Piece is a story of a foster kid who doesn't believe she has an impact on the world around her. Yet she changes the lives for the better of everyone who enters her life.
  I was a foster mom for 8 years. My girls would tell me things about the places they had lived. Those episodes became the "Rules", Jewel speaks at the beginning of each chapter. Like make sure you know where the toilet paper is before you go.

Q. How would you describe your creative process while writing this book? Was it stream-of-consciousness writing, or did you first write an outline?
A. I have only outlined a book once and that was for a competition. Usually the book is read into my head from a Higher Power or the universe or angels or something. I hear the story in my head chapter by chapter. Sometimes I feel like I am taking dictation. Anyway that was how my first two books were written. Now things are changing and I'm not sure how I write anymore. That's good and scary.

Q. Did your book require a lot of research?
A. Not yet. Just observation. Watching people be people.
  I believe that everyone of us want three things: one, to be loved and lovable, two, to belong to a family, to a person, to a group, somewhere that they're glad to see you, three, to have a voice, the power that a voice gives you. That when you say stop, they stop.

Q. Who is your target audience?
A. You would think young people, but my publisher needed to fill a hole in their catalog for YA fiction and that is where I was put. I've been a YA author ever since. I write for people. People who want to be loved.

Q. What will the reader learn after reading your book?
A. This is a trick question, right? I received a letter from a young lady and she wrote about how my book impacted her life. I was deeply touched. There was one point that she said the scene in your book taught me how to handle bad times and when Jewel did that she was trying to help; I read and reread that section in the letter. I am mystified and amazed. I wrote that? When? I didn't know I was that deeply insightful. Haha.
  I read a lot of reviews while in graduate school. Most reviewers will say that the author was keenly aware of the message hidden under the phrases, or the meaning of life flowed on the pages. I believe that the author is reading this review, thinking, I wrote that. Guess, I'll have to point that out in my next book reading.
  If I have to come up with a tagline: Everyone impacts the world in some way. You may not notice, you may not be aware of it, yet you, your essence, your life changes the world. Hope you make it to the good.
  Something like the movie This Wonderful Life.

Q. What would the world be like if you weren't in it?
A. The next door neighbor who had never spoken to you since you moved in, plugs in her coffee pot when you leave to work, feeling all is well in the world because you are functioning after that bad thing that happened to you. Yeah!

Q. What type of writer are you; the one who experiences before writing, like Hemingway, or the one who mostly daydreams and fantasizes?
A. I am a hermit. All I do is sit in front of the computer for days on days, seeing no one. I tell you I don't have a life. The only dream I have is of becoming a nationally known writer. And if that is a fantasy, don't tell me.

Q. What do you do to placate your muse when she refuses to inspire you?
A. I cry. I worry that I've lost my ability to write. I contemplate death because there is no living without writing. I turn off the computer. I'm a mess.

Q. From the moment you conceived the idea for the story, to the published book, how long did it take?
A. Oh my. That question had different answers for different books and I believe for different authors. My first book, White Bread Competition, a collection of short stories I wrote in graduate school; I had classroom deadlines for different stories. I finished the book in less than a year, then sent each story out to magazines to be published and win contests. then I chased down anyone who would take my manuscript to their editors. I had a published book within two years of moving to San Francisco.
  The Throwaway Piece I wrote in 8 weeks for a novel class I was taking. Because I knew it was that good and I wasn't ready to admit I could write that well, I joined a critique group and worked on it for a few years. Then I became ill so it sat around for a while. Then I won first prize at the Chicano/Latino Literary Prize at the University of California at Irvine and a publishing contract came with the award. Technically that book took 10 years.

Q. Describe your working environment.
A. Any place I can plug my computer and my lamp into. I've been homeless and each time I could stay for a while, I'd buy a $50 computer desk, stick it into a corner by the bathroom, or the door to the garage or place the computer on the dining room table in the middle of everyone coming and going. Got to be I could pack my computer into the car in ten minutes flat. I had it so all the cords were plugged into one giant surge protector and I just unhooked from the tower, twisted the cords around the surge protector and packed it that way. When I found my next place to roost for a while, I'd pull it out, plug the cord into the wall then plug the rest into my computer and get working. Now I'm settled for a while and I am in between the double bed and the dresser on the way to the bathroom. When the toilet runs, I feel like I am outside by a babbling brook and it aids in my writing!!!!!
  When I had a boyfriend, so many ages ago, I can hardly remember, he asked me if he couldn't find a nice place for us to live, would I still want to be with him. I told him he could find a hollowed out log on the ground, as long as it had an electrical outlet to plug my computer into. That pretty much sums it up for me.

Q. What type of scenes give you the most trouble to write?
A. Ah! Description. I read another author and I can spot how bad some do description and others are magicians in how they evoke a strong sense of place. I blame the fact that I can't smell for why I can't write description. Ha ha.
  I have to add that I am lousy in grammar and can't spell myway out of a wet paper bag. I have the Bermuda Triangle in my brain where grammar is stored. I have hired an ESL (English as Second Language) tutor in grammar and learned. I learn from the editors that work on my pages. But once I get past tense, I'm lost. I can't place a correct dash to save my life. Participles and future tenses, someone else has to fix for me. In the early eighties, I had a choice. I could write or take a lot of time to learn grammar. I decided I could make someone rich, correcting my writing. Think of it as aiding humanity!!!

Q. Do you write non-stop until you have a first draft, or do you edit as you move along?
A. I write until I finish. However, if I have someone to edit my work, I'll send him or her my pages.Like right now, that I am entering competitions and contests and I have a good editor, I am sending him my pages as I write them.

Q. They say writers have immensely fragile egos. How would you handle negative criticism or a negative review?
A. Cry a lot. Become depressed. Not! Actually I am quite confident in my ability to write. If I receive a negative review,as I did when I was sending out short stories, I figured that the editor's spouse probably told them "no" the night before and they were still angry about it and I arrived first on their desk the next morning. I once received two rejections;one said that I needed to end the short story about five pages earlier, the second rejection read that I needed to extend the same short story five more pages to achieve a more dramatic ending. Once I sent out a story under a man's name and one magazine wrote me back that as a man, I didn't have any idea of what women really like to read about themselves. Rejections? Just a Bad Hair Day for someone else.

Q. As a writer, what scares you the most?
A. Not being able to write. I used to be afraid that I was crazy. Now that it has been confirmed, the only thing that scares me is losing my ability to write.

Q. When writing, what themes do you feel passionate about?
A. Women's stories. I write a lot about racism and incest. I have this false hope that my books can eradicate these two issues. Mostly I write about women finding their power.

Q. Are you a disciplined writer?
A. Heck, no!

Q. How do you divide your time between taking care of a home and children, and writing? Do you plan your writing sessions in advance?
A. Plan? Not hardly. If I have a sick kid, there goes my planned time. I learned to anchor myself to the keyboard at the point I am in the story. I deal with whatever crisis occurred then I go back to the keyboard, put my fingers over the keys, take a deep breath and get back wo where I was before the recent tragedy.

Q. When it comes to writing, are you an early bird or a night owl?
A. I wrote my first manuscript at 4 each morning before the kids woke up and I had to go to work. Now I can write whenever I want.

Q. Do you have an agent? How was your experience in searching for one?
A. I had an agent for a few years then she quit. Now I am searching again. Rough. Really rough. It's as bad as interviewing for a job. Your self-esteem takes a beating. Yet the available information tells you that without an agent you're up the creek. What to do?
  Also the expense of postage and making copies and all that, is sometimes for me a choice between eating or sending my first chapter out. And that's why I am a fragile skeleton frame of a person. Not!!!! Actually anyone who knows me, knows that I will post first. My writing is my all to me. This is my career, my life, my destiny, and my Plan A. I've never had a Plan B. Never.

Q. Do you have any unusual writing quirks?
A. My mind! And the obvious fact that I don't know how to write short answers.

Q. What is your opinion about critique groups? What words of advice would you offer a novice writer who is joining one? Do you think the wrong critique group can crush a fledgling writer?
A. Critique groups are vital. Once in one group where I did one chapter of someone's book then that person owed me one crit.I worked hard doing everyone I could. I didn't have a life. With one of my manuscripts, seven people were critiquing my manuscript because I was submitting it to a competition. The seventh person noticed that I had "bothers", when I meant "brothers".No one else picked up on it. Whew!
  Can a critique groupcrush you? Youhave to have guts to be in this business. Also, if a critique group is that negative and mean, they are a sorry lot that are jealous that you are a better writer than they are and they are finding anything wrong with your writing to make themselves feel better about their lousy writing.See? I never take it personal.

Q. Technically speaking, what do you have to struggle with the most when writing? How do you tackle it?
A. Description. I write the whole book first. Action, dialogue, plot. Then I go back and put clothes on my characters. I make sure there is a doorway where they walked through. This makes for more rewrites than maybe I need to do, but when I write I only see the action. Everything else comes later. Also writing description takes more energy than writing the other stuff. The other stuff, action, dialogue, plot, just flow out. Description is my constipation.

Q. Who are your favorite authors? Any favorite books?
A. Authors who link details in their story, Holes by Louis Scafer. Everything he mentions in the first chapter is connected to something by the end of the book. Every single thing. Can you imagine how his mind must work? Does he make a chart? Does he write on a sketch pad or on the wall so he doesn't leave anything out? Authors who write like that I find amazing.
  Ceremony by Leslie Maron Silko is a complex and beautiful book. This is the only book I have read twice. I read it on my own and then for a class. My classmate and I compared our notes and it was like we had read two different books. Her impressions of the same story were totally different than mine. Then on page 180-181, there is a beautifully writtenlove scene. Not one nasty, yet poetic and flowing. She is great metaphors. I love metaphors. Just love them.

Q. What is the best writing advice you've even received?
A. My novel writing teacher in graduate school, who didn't like women, told me that I was going to be one of this country's great writers or crash and burn. Now that I've crashed and burned, I'mwaiting to be discovered!!!!
  The right answer of course is keepwriting. Don't quit. Believe in yourself and stuff like that.
  What I have found that makes a difference to me is: Girlfriends. (Of course, also a boyfriend or a spouse.) Have a support system in place. If your parents don't believe inwhat you are doing or don't understand, fine. Get out there and find other writers or other creative persons, like artists,and hang with them. Their parents have told them the same thing.Yet they'll understand why you'll go without food to send your query. They sympathize with the 100th rejection from an agent and never tell you to quit. They'll be your audience at your first book reading when no one else shows up. Why do you think this blogging and social networking is working so great? You can rant or rave. You can even sound whiny and everyone will respond with a stiff upper lip vote of confidence, grateful that you don't live close to them1 Now if I had a good voice, here is where I would go into singing purple Barney's song. Give me a kiss and a hug. Be my friend and say I love you.

Q. Do you have a website/blog where readers may learn more about you and your work?
A. http://bronzeword.wordpress.com Blog is my blog to promote writers. I also use it to announce my stuff, but lately there hasn't been much of my stuff to announce. I am doing for others what I want done for me. Isn't that the Golden Rule? If you have an article or a boast, email me and I'll post it for you. You'd do the same for me, right?

Q. Do you have another book in the works? Would you like to tell readers about your current or future projects?
A. I have two projects going on at the moment. I am editing and finish writing a memoir of incest victims I have interviewed. I am telling their story as one person's memoir. Now get this! In second person I'm sorry. I even collected quotes from accomplished writers how-to books that scorn second person. But that is how I heard the words in my head. I had no choice. Also, the story is light. No heavy-duty anguish, graphic violence or anything like that. Just the practical way that a person had to endure through the abuse. A kind of - I thought this was the way everyon lived.You hear that a lot. This book is called The Future Forgotten. When you can't remember the past.
  Also I am writing another YA book. I like to switch stereotypes. This book is about a young man who is considered a wimp in school and is harassed by the BMOC. At the end, it is the BMOC who brings a gun to school and threatens everyone and it is the wimp who stops him. This book is called Good in the Head because I read this line in a book. I guess you live in your head more than any place else. If your head is in a good place, it doesn't matter quite as much if the rest of you isn't. Also John, the main protagonist, wears a mid-calf leather coat all the time. Everyone wonders why. The teachers, the principal, the students all want to know why does he wear that coaat all the time, all day long, everywhere. In the last chapter, a friend he made during the book finally asks him why does he wear the coat. John explains, "When I was in my last school, they made fun of me. So I figured if I wore the coat,no one would notice and maake fun of me. I don't know why I get oners all the time.

Q. As an author, what is your greatest reward?
A. Being able to dedicaate my book to my sons. And to guilt trip them in the hopes that one day they will add Hernandez to their last name.

Q. Anything else you'd like to say about yourself or your work?
A. As you can tell, I don't have a formula or routine. I am oranized and disoranized. I seek friendships. I desire to live off my writing and all that implies. But most of all, I am a writer. It is what I do and what I am. And I am good at what I do.

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Meet A. F. Stewart, author
Interview by Mayra Calvani

Our guest is fantasy author A. F. Stewart. Her book, Chronicles of the Undead, tells the story of three generations of one family and their dark connection to the realm of vampires. Visit the author's blog at http://www.squidoo.com/undeadchronicles/

Q. Thanks for this interview. Why don't you begin by telling us a little about yourself?
A. Well, I'm a writer of fantasy stories and poetry primarily, and I publish my books independently. I'm still a novice at this whole business and it has definitely been an education trying to learn it from scratch. I think I'm finally getting the hang of it, through I'm a single woman from Canada and live on the east coast of the country, in Nova Scotia. I'm a self-professed sci-fi/fantasy geek, action movie buff, and a fan of comic ooks. I like to draw and paint, mostly landscapes, as a hobby. My other hobby is collecting comics, sword replicas and movie collectibles.

Q. When did you decide you wanted to become an author?
A. I've always written poems and stories, but I actually would have preferred to be an artist. Alas, my artistic talent did not extend far enough, so I went with my other creative outlet. I wrote my first book several years ago (an opus of King Arthur, still badly in need of editing), and have been attempting to pursue the career of an author ever since.

Q. Tell us a bit about your latest book, and what inspired you to write such a story.
A. My latest book, Chronicles of the Undead, is a bit of a departure for me as it is in the horror genre, rather than fantasy. I have written the occasional horror short story, but never tried writing the genre in a book.
  Chronicles is a noella, a classic vampire tale set in 18th and 19th century London, written entirely as diary entries with no dialogue. The book exposes the secrets of Samuel Harrington, his son Edmund and Edmund's daughter, Charlotte, as they deal with the tempting influence of the vampires who infiltrate their lives. Chronicles of the undead is an intimate portrayal of family, weakness, the lure of evil, and how one selfish act can have horrific consequences.
  I was inspired to write the book because I wanted to explore the original aspect of the vampire, one of a predatory evil. The romantic, dreamy portrayal of vampires seems to be the prevalent one these days, but I think their evil nature is far more fascinating.

Q. How would you describe your creative process while writing this book? Was it stream-of-consciousness writing, or did you first write an outline?
A. I had to do a lot of planning with this book, but I didn't use outlines, as is my usual practice. It was more of a free form channeling of my characters, writing diary entries as I was inspired. The biggest struggle I had was writing the character of Edmund Harrington, he just wouldn't behave, I had to change his plotline three times before it finally worked.

Q. Did your book require a lot of research?
A. Yes. I had to research vampire folklore and mythology for the background of my villains, and then I had to do extensive research on the customs of 18th and 19th century London. I had to explore the city layout of the time, the history of the London coffeehouse, the when and where of historic events, and the social structure of two centuries. The strangest thing I had to check were the diary dates, to ensure the entries didn't contradict with holidays or Sundays.

Q. Who is your target audience?
A. Chronicles of the Undead would probably appeal most to readers who like classic horror or paranormal dark fantasy. The rest of my writing is aimed at people who like a good tale of fantasy and magic.

Q. Do you get along with your muse? What do you do to placate her when she refuses to inspire you?
A. My muse generally tends to be most annoying, popping ideas into my head any time of the day. If she ever refused to inspire me, it might be a nice vacation.

Q. Do you write non-stop until you have a first draft, or do you edit as you move along?
A. I generally don't write the first draft of a book in order, but skip around from chapter to chapter. I usually start with the beginning, and then I might write the ending, or a key plot point, editing as needed until the draft is finished. Then I start on the power edits, ruthlessly cutting anything that doesn't work and polishing the prose.

Q. What type of scenes give you the most trouble to write?
A. Romance scenes. I am the most self-critical when I write those scenes, probably because I don't use my romance writing skills very often. I'm more comfortable killing off my characters than letting them live happily ever after.

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Meet Robert Shlasko, Author
Interview by Mayra Calvani

The children's book, Molly and the Sword, tells of a young girl who, with the help of a mysterious horseman, overcomes obstacles on the road to success as a violinist. It has garnered rave reviews from music and education magazines.

Q. I understand this is your first book.
A. Yes, but I've been a writer all my working life -- science, international trade, business, speeches...pretty much any sort of writing where I could make a living.

Q. Anything for children?
A. Some -- when my own children were young. Fiction and non-fiction. For example, my articles on chess appeared in a leading children's magazine.

Q. So where did the idea for Molly and the Sword come from?
A. It started as an incident that had happened to my mother in the first World War. I moved the story back about a century. Then, to advance the plot, I added the violin since that was the instrument my son played. Curiously, after the book came out, I met a woman who told of a similar incident that happened to her grandmother.

Q. Art imitating life and life imitating art.
A. That's what I tell the students when I read in the schools.

Q. Do you visit schools often?
A. Every chance I get. I've read in private and public schools, at a Montresorri school, at a United Nations school. In two weeks I'm returning for my third visit to an elementary school in a multi-ethnic section of Queens, New York.

Q. What ages are the students?
A. I've read in everything from the first to the fifth grade. As you can imagine, the discussions get a lot more sophisticated in the upper grades. But each level brings its own questions and its own pleasures for me. I say the book's for ages 7-12 -- although I know that's a large range.

Q. Yes, I read one reviewer who even stretched that age range a bit.
A. Both up and down. In fact, I get letters from adults who respond to the story. A 25-year-old violinist in the Iraqi National Symphony wrote that she uses the book as a defense against stage fright. And I've received notes from adult men who've admitted to shedding tears at the emotions raised in the story. Yet there's nothing depressing or frightening in the plot. I find it surprising that if anything, fathers seem to react more emotionally than anyone to the story.

Q. Yet the book is dedicated to "brave girls".
A. Yes, but boys really respond to it, too. One fourth-grade boy who'd come from India wrote that he would "tell my sisters to be brave like Molly". And at another school reading, a third-grade boy handed me a piece of garnet he'd collected with his father and ran off before I could give it back. As you can imagine, the dedication to girls raises lots of discussions during my school visits.

Q. What other subjects do the children raise in the schools?
A. I'm usually with a group of students for about an hour. After I've read, I let the children move the discussion in any direction they want. It varies widely. The major themes in the book are having confidence in yourself, how courage shows itself in many ways not just in fighting, and the idea that enemies can become friends. About that last point, I try to tie it to how they relate to schoolmates they may not get along with. And in almost every session something unexpected comes up.

Q. Such as?
A. Well, at the very beginning of the book I mention that Molly's mother was pregnant. At a Montressori school in South Carolina a young girl wanted to know what happened to the baby. I reassured her that mother and child were doing well. Whatever the questions, we managed to touch on their own writing and its importance to their futures.

Q. So you do discuss writing per se?
A. Absolutely. It often comes up in the context of having confidence in yourself. I tell of writers they've read who had the courage to go on even after receiving one rejection after another. Of course, that applies to musicians too.

Q. I notice you have many of the letters, from all over the world, on your website: http://www.janeandstreet.com.
A. Yes, plus items on education, violins and music in general. In fact, this interview may push me into updating the site with fresh items sitting on my desk. Not every letter gets on the site. For example I haven't yet posted a wonderful letter from a 10-year-old girl in Canada who asked why Molly's violin didn't have a chin rest like hers did.

Q. That sounds like a good question.
A. Indeed. I explained that before my artist started working on the ook, I checked with an expert on violins at the music department of the Metropolitan Museum of Art here in New York. He sent me an article on the invention of the chin rest in the early 1800s. So we felt comfortable leaving it out of the illustrations. This research led to more information on music history, and into women in that history, which finds its way onto the website and into my class readings.

Q. Do you play an instrument?
A. Alas, no--thus far! But two of my grandchildren play the violin and one plays the cello. and all play the piano.

Q. Whether you play or not, your book is in many performing arts centers.
A. Fortunately, yes. I dropped it off at a concert hall gift store in New York and it just spread out from there. It's at the gift shops of Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center in Washington, the Boston Symphony, the San Francisco Symphony and so on all across the country.

Q. How about retail outlets?
A. Music stores carry it and it's available on order from the bookstores and the usual suspects--Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other websites. But as a first time author/publisher, I made many early mistakes that hurt distribution--especially with the general bookstores.

Q. As opposed to music bookstores?
A. Exactly. But as you pointed out in your terrific review, the book is not just for violinists or other musicians, it's for all children. That's what I aimed for when I started writing the book. And the reaction in the classrooms confirms this.

Q. Yet limited distribution must have hurt your income.
A. Indeed. In fact, last year a girl asked if I arrived at her school in my limousine. I guess they all know of J.K. Rowlings. But I had to tell the class that I arrived by subway and, in fact, don't own a car. Still, putting out the book has been a great experience--especially the ineractions with schools, the music world, publishing and parents all over the world.

Q. Finally, do you have other writing projects in the works?
A. A painful question. Actually, I have a number of manuscripts, another children's book, an adult mystery, a play and a teenage adventure story--all waiting for final editing. Again, your interview may push me into action.

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Meet C. M. Albrecht, Author
Interview by Anne K. Edwards

Q. What do you find most rewarding about having written a story, article or book?
A. I think the most rewarding aspect of having written something is when I feel I've succeeded in writing what I'm trying to say in a, hopefully, interesting way.

Q. How did you happen to become an author?
A. I didn't choose to write. Writing chose me. As a child I showed early promise as an artist and until adulthood I always thought I'd become some sort of artist, a painter, cartoonist, something..but as time went on I got sidetracked and eventually that idea faded away. But I felt the urge to express myself, and tried my hand occasionally as short stories or little articles without much success. One day I began to get the germ of a novel. The more I thought about it, the better it sounded and finally I began writing it. It took a while but finally it got published and by that time I had already written another obok, and then another and another. They still keep coming.

Q. Would you like to talk about your career or future plans?
A. I don't really have any particular plans. I just enjoy writing, and of course, I really enjoy seeing my stuff in print. Finding a publisher means that a "professional person" puts the stamp of approval on what I write, therefore reassuring me that I'm not completely delusional.
  Meanwhile, I've tried my hand at screenplays and have written a few. One is in development and another is under consideration, so although the odds are about the same as winning the lottery, I'm hoping. It would be thrilling to see one of my stories on the silver screen.

Q. Have you favorite authors who have influenced your work?
A. There are so many. I've read widely and almost indiscriminately. But probably the greatest influence has come from writers like Ambler, Greene, Remarque, Chandler, Thompson, Woolrich, Hammett, James M. Cain, and others who write in a rather conversational style. (Just me talkin' to you, kid.) However, I like Fowles and his likes, too.

Q. Do you have a website for readers to visit?
A. Yes. http://www.crimespace.ning.com or http://www.cmalbrecht.ning.com (More crime there than in East L.A.)

Q. Where is your work available?
A. I believe it's available at most ebook outlets: Amazon, Fictionwise, Target and so on, as well as from the publisher sites. These can be found on my websites.

Q. Are you currently working on a project?
A. Actually, I have three novels in various stages of production, but I don't work on all three every day. Inspiration comes at unusual moments. One day its' one book and the next--or the day after, it'll be another.

Q. How do you prepare to start a new book? Do you write every day?
A. It all depends. Sometimes it starts with a title that sticks to me and eventually something comes of it. At others a character may intrigue me. I don't usually take many notes at first. Just let things swim around in my head until they begin to take form. Often, of course, nothing comes of it, but at other times it just keeps nagging at me until I get busy and begin putting it on (electronic) paper. Unfortunately, I suffer from some sort of depression a lot of the time and don't have the discipline to sit down and write every day, but I wish I did. I read once that when clarinetist Benny Goodman signed a Hollywood contract, he had a clause in it permitting him four hours of practice every day. And some famous musician said taht if he missed one day of practice, he noticed. If he missed two days his wife noticed and if he missed three days, his audience noticed. There's certainly a word or two to the wise in there.

Q. What impels or inspires you to write?
A. As far as I've been able to figure out, it's simply a need. Before I began writing seriously, and before I had a computer, I constantly wrote longwinded letters to friends. I just enjoyed putting my thoughts on paper. I'm sure my friends appreciated that!

Q. How do you set about developing characters?
A. It's hard to say. Frequently it starts, I think, with a trait, and then perhaps another. I admit that friends, family and acquaintances are all fair game. Often their idiosyncracies turn up in my tales. The eponymous Marta in Marta's Place is based somewhat on a real person, a woman I actually worked for as a kid. None of the stuff in the book really happened, but having worked for a few months while listening to a foul-mouthed woman's suggestive remarks gave me the initial nspiration. I thought I'd like to build on that.

Q. How did you happen to develop your blog? Do you recommend them to writers for reaching readers?
A. So far I don't have a blog. I'm not sure about all that. I'm going to look into it, because it may be a good venue for self-expression.
  For readers who are still strulggling to get published, I'd remind them that it takes a long time for most writers. Keep telling yourself that this is a big country and somewhere out there you and some editor will eventually connect. I feel that a lot of getting published is clicking with the right editor at the right time, so be patient. Very patient.

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THE GLADIATOR'S ARENA
by Mayra Calvani

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Short Fiction

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Articles

Baggage
by Anne K. Edwards

  We all know what the phrase 'a character's baggage' refers to--or we should as most of us give our characters some sort of 'baggage' to drag around with them as they try to make their way through some problem we've given them.
  Some types of baggage are way over used--such as the policeman who is a drunk and divorced and about to lose his home, his lovelife, and his pension. Usually this character is a man (or woman) of late middle years and life weary. Another type of baggage is a widow or widower who can't let go of the past and get on with their lives. A third is a single parent who must care for a child and for some reason, has had to move into to unfamiliar surroundings and try to establish a new life. There are many types of 'baggage', some good and some not so good.
  Each type of baggage is different for each character or at least, it should be. However, the policeman (or ex-policeman) with the drinking problem has become prevalent in mysteries, thrillers and suspense tales. That makes for stereotypical tales because the character's problems must affect the plot or else they have no reason to be in the book.
  For instance an ex-policeman with a drinking problem might miss appointments, lose a suspect when tracking them, and so on.
  So why do we make our heroes out of an alcoholic? Why not make them out of a man who isn't a drinker? Why not a man who has simply seen too much of the world and wants out of his job, but could lose his pension?
  Do readers identify with alcoholics who keep making excuses for themselves, expect others to clean up after them, expect others to forgive their lapses, and so on? How many alcoholics do you know who were or are policemen? In general, one must look at the traits that would let a person become an alcoholic. What is the reason for the drinking that would make it acceptable to the reader, invoking their sympathy?
  Would you sympathize or identify with a man whose wife left him for another man and he turned to drink? Or how about a woman who has lost her rich husband and takes to drink? Or perhaps the character suffers the loss of a child? Or do they simply drift into drinking too much by way of "relaxing" after a hard day? What arouses your sympathy?
  When an author creates such a character, or any other with 'baggage', they are asking the reader to invite that character into their homes and lives at least for a period of time. Does the author craft a plot that is strong enough to justify this character's 'baggage" or was it simply created to give them a background and a weakness?
  Do all protagonists need a weakness to drag around behind them? As an author you need to be sure it is necessary and not just because someone in a creative writing or novel writing class told you it is.
  Ask youself how would the story read if the character didn't have a child to care for, especially a sickly child that makes calls on her/his time at any moment. If you are writing a mystery, is it realistic for an amateur sleuth, for instance, to have to haul her sickly child around with her in a car while she investigates and perhaps foists him off on someone in an office to care for while she asks questions? Could the mother of a sickly child really be an amateur sleuth?
  Or do we burden our characters with guilt for every bad thing that happens to people they know? Is it realistic for a man/woman to feel guilty for enjoying a good meal while their friend can't because they got into a fist fight and got hit in the face--a fight that had no connection to the character? Should a character feel guilty for staying slim while some friend overeats and gains thirty pounds. Is it someone's fault because a friend loses a boy/girlfriend?
  'Baggage' should enhance the story and impact it. For instance, if a single woman/man has a sickly child, this should be used to show they are a good, loving parent or not; are considerate of how many times they 'dump' the child onto someone else while they go sleuthing--perhaps offering payment or a return favor, etc. If the character is an alcoholic, perhaps they could be shown making a serious effort to stop or doing something to get past the problem. A policeman or sleuth or P.I. cannot function with a painful hangover, or constantly needing a reinforcing drink or suffers blackouts, or just spends half of their time passed out on a sofa.  The author must ask themselves if they'd want to read a book with long descriptions of drinking bouts and coming out of the following stupors and hangovers. How much is too much? Or would you want to stop in the middle of a mystery with the single mother amateur sleuth having to rush home and care for her sickly child or try to find a sitter so she can go sleuthing or carry said child around with her while asking questions or hunting clues. Would she really be able to concentrate on the case or would her first concern be her child?
  Thus, an author needs to consider the traits and background impact on the story as well as on the character. We need to try making them fresh and interesting to the reader to keep them reading and perhaps ready to buy our other books.

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Do Virtual Book Tours Sell Books
by Dorothy Thompson

  There has been an interesting conversation over at Book Market Ning Social Network concerning virtual book tours. An author was interested in finding out whether virtual book tours worked well as marketing tools and whether they really sold books.
  I'm sure everyone else was wondering the very same thing.
  We get the same question at Pump Up Your Book Promotion. Authors are very interested in whether their promotional dollars will be spent in a good place and I can certainly understand that.
  If you are like one of those authors, let me explain what I tell them. Virtual book tours are but one vehicle to sell books, but if you choose this method to publicize your book, it's money well spent as it will greatly increase your online presence, thus making it more available to people who search for your book online using your key search words.
  It's not rocket science, but it is a formula you must use.
  So, how does this add up to book sales?
  Don't bother emailing the author because they aren't going to know exactly unless they are self-published. If they are not self-published, there are five ways they can at least take a stab at it:

1. Amazon Rankings

  Amazon is the world's largest book store and goes by a ranking system. According to the people who think they have solved the mystery of how books are selling there, it operates by putting a ranking number in your book description. The lower the number, the better the book is selling.
  If your book dips in rankings, it is assumed you have sold a book. If it does not climb quickly during the next few days, you can safely assume that the book is still selling. If it takes a nosedive under the 100,000 mark and continues to stay there or even dip lower, you can safely assume you are selling more than a few books. Stick around the #1 spot and you are really doing well as far as sales are concerned.
  But, there's no real way in telling exactly how many books are being sold and why your rankings are what they are but you can use that guide as a good ball park guess. I've had authors tell me their books moved during the tour, but no one can safely assume it was because of the tour or any other type of promotion they may be doing at the same time. But, a ball park guess is better than no guess at all.

2. Ingrams

  Of course, if your book is not distributed through Ingrams, this won't do you a bit of good, but there is a number you can call and their automated system will be able to tell you how many books were sold on a certain date. The number is 615-213-6803.
  The problem with this method, though, is that not all the sales may be reported at the time of your call because it could take more time for the sale to get into the Ingram system. This is a fun thing to use and you could get quite obsessive over it, but it's also not a sure-fire way to tell just how many books were sold during your tour unless you wait for weeks afterwards and call. And, then, it's still a ballpark guess as to whether it was because of your tour or not.

3. Word of Mouth

  Another surefire way of knowing if your books sold during your tour is for someone you know to tell you they bought one of your books in that time span. If your Amazon rankings have moved about this time, you can assume that this might have been why, but there's no way of knowing this to be a fact or not. And, again, word of mouth is simply word of mouth.

4. Royalty Checks

  Of all the ways of telling if you have sold books that we have discussed thus far, your royalty check is your best bet. ONLY, if Amazon or any of the other online bookstores have sent their money to the publisher. I knew I sold books through Amazon (word of mouth) during one pay period, but my sales were not reported on my royalty check. Seems it takes Amazon a while to deliver.

5. Publisher

  Perhaps the best method of knowing if you have sold books is to ask your publisher to keep an eye out for sales during this time. However, this method can only work if all sales were reported during this time and your publisher has an account with BookScan http://www.bookscan.com.
  This is perhaps the ONLY surefire way you are going to know if you sold books during a certain time frame. It is quite expensive to have an account at BookScan, but some publishers feel it's well worth the expense.

  Bottom line is, the next time someone asks if virtual book tours sell books, check with your publisher to see if they have an account at BookScan, because any other way of telling is not going to tell the whole story.
  Virtual book tours are just like any other promotional opportunity for the author; only, it's probably the best way to hit your audience on a global scale. Besides, virtual book tours are perpetual. Long after your tour is over, it still keeps going and going because as long as the tour host keeps your appearance in their archives, it will continue to bring in those book sales to those online consumers who use the search engines to find what they need.

About the author: Dorothy Thompson is CEO/Founder of Pump Up Your Book Promotion, an innovative public relations firm specializing in online book promotion. Sign up for their FREE newsletter at http://www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com

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WHODUNIT? -- By Billie A. Williams

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PAM'S PEN -- By Pamela James

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SEEDLINGS -- Aaron Paul Lazar

Title: Avenging AngelAuthor: Kim Smith
Publisher: Red Rose Publishing
Publisher Addresses: Red Rose Publishing, 12065 Woodhull Rd., Forestport , NY 13338
ISBN number: 978-1-60435-276-4
Price: $5.99
Publisher website: http://www.redrosepublishing.com
Review by Aaron Paul Lazar

  A great read doesn't have to be fancy, full of literary allusions or deep musings. Nor does it need a ritzy setting, plots that twist your brain into a pretzel, or elite protagonists.
  What a great read does need is a story that moves, characters who linger in your mind, and a voice that calls you back to its pages. Avenging Angel by Kim Smith accomplished all three.
  Smith has written a suspenseful cozy mystery set in the south in a small lazy town. Shannon Wallace, a spunky, smart, and all-American young woman, is at the brink of disaster. Dumped by her beau, fired from her job, and plunged into the middle of a killer nightmare, Shannon's pluck and smarts carry her forward in a tidal wave of terror that will get your heart pumping in this delightful page turner.
  When Shannon's boyfriend is murdered hours after he breaks up with her, she discovers their private video collection is missing. Problem is, the star of the intimate show is Shannon, and she'll do everything in her power to retrieve the embarrassing disks.
  The author knows how to write. But best of all, she knows how to write like she talks. It's not easy to accomplish, as most debut authors tend to fall into the trap of using words that sound good but don't fit, or making a sentence far more complex than it needs to be. Smith's simple, straightforward, and quite endearing style is what drives Avenging Angel forward, with hints of colorful Southern dialect and engaging dialogue. That said, there are select moments of literary prose that shine, as in the following excerpt:

"August in the Mid-South is like summer in the tropics. The crepe myrtles bloom in fuchsia and pink, and old people perch like lazy flies on white wicker swings and cane chairs. In every neighborhood, folded fans gently wave at the heat, and everyone talks about the weather. No one moves too much, or too fast, thanks to the humidity, which turns the still air into a sauna-like atmosphere even before daybreak. The firmest hair spray is reduced to damp stickiness, the best-laid plans are set-aside until evening, and the most even-tempered person will contemplate murdering their friend."

  By contrast, take a look at this wonderfully simple, yet engaging, segment:

"My dreams were a mish mash of colors and snippets from my life. I saw myself as a child, orphaned. I relived the pain that accompanied it until it nearly drowned me and woke with tears on my face. The birds of summer played somewhere outside the window and all the sounds of nature seemed intensified as though reassuring me I was still alive."

  As much as I enjoyed the plot line-straightforward, tense, great suspense-it was the relationships between Shannon, Dwayne, Salvatore, her elderly aunts, and the broad cast of suspects that sold me.
  I was most pleased that Shannon didn't fall into the arms of the handsome local detective, because that would have made the work too predictable, trite, or Lifetime Movie-ish. No, Shannon held her own, wasn't pushed around by the cops, and survived numerous attacks by a very frightening assailant. This woman-while she does show very real emotions that ring true-won't be bullied by anyone. And when Dwayne helps her buy and learn to use a handgun, it may be the key to her survival.
  Smith, "a true blue southern gal who was raised on black-eyed peas and cornbread," promises sequels to her captivating world. See more at her website, http://www.mkimsmith.com.

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THE WRITING LIFE
(Quarterly and Guest Column)

For all works published in the United States under copyright protection, section 407 of the copyright law (17 U.S.C.) obligates the owner of the copyright or of the exclusive right of publication/distribution in the work to make the required deposit within THREE MONTHS after the date of publication. The Register of Copyrights may, however, make written claim for the required copies at any time after publication. The obligation to deposit published works under copyright protection exists whether or not copyright registration is sought.
  Send two complete copies of the best edition. Failure to comply will make you liable to the following penalties prescribed by the copyright law: (1) a fine of up to $250 per work, and (2) the total retail price of the copies demanded. Willful and repeated failure to comply could incur an additional fine of $2,500.
  If you send two copies of the published work with the application for copyright by mail with check, those two copies will take care of the demand for deposit copies.
  See Circular 7D under Circulars and Brochures at http://www.copyright.gov for additional information.
  Send the two copies to Copyright Acquisitions Division, US Copyright Office, Library of Congress, 101 Independence Avenue, SE, Washington DC 20559-6000.

(This information is from the Copyright Office.)

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Reviews

Sunstruck
by Mayra Calvani
Zumaya Publications
Release date: February 2009
Print ISBN: 978-1-934841-18-1
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-934841-19-8
Parody/Satire/Women's Fiction

  The talented author, Mayra Calvani, gives the reader a treat as she raises the curtain on the world of Daniella, a young woman in search of a purpose for being as she mixes with a delightful cast of characters who, while they may not provide her wish answers, do provide the reader with a great deal of insight into human nature as might be seen looking at the world through rose colored glasses with broken lenses.
  Using what this reader would call sideways thinking, the author provides insightful glimpses into human nature. Beware of smug assumptions that what you find on the surface is what is being said. A tale of change told with laughter touched with lost innocence, Sunstruck will seep into your mind and stay with you long after you've finished the book. -Anne K. Edwards, author of The Last to Fall

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Only Mortals Can be Heroes: A True Story About Drug Addiction
by David J. Weaver
Atlas Books
ISBN: 0-9770916-0-0
Copyright 2005
Hard Cover, 200 pages, $23.95
Reviewed by Mayra Calvani

  This book is the true story of Adam, a teenage boy who fell to drugs when he was only twelve years old.
  Told from the point of view of Adam himself, this is an important, frightening account of how young people and their families can be destroyed both emotionally and physically because of drug addiction.
  Most of all, the story is about the power of drugs and the way they take control of someone's will.
  "Even though my resolve to change my life was firm, at some level deep in my being sensed a weakness, as if the conscious part of me were being overtaken by a sinister subconscious force.
  Adam first started taking drugs during the seventh and eighth grades. By the time he was twelve, he was already smoking marijuana and drinking beer. This, of course, led to stronger drugs soon enough, and by the time Adam was in his freshman year of high school, he was already experimenting with LSD, Ecstasy, cocaine, heroin, Ritalin, crystal meth, speed balls, pain pills, downers, uppers and "everything-in-between".
  "With friends around for support, I would do whatever drug was put in front of me. Nothing frightened me."
  What is really scary about this book is seeing all Adam does in order to support his addiction: lying, stealing, getting himself almost beaten to death, and going to jail. Yet nothing stops him; nothing is stronger than his desire for drugs no matter what his mind and his heart tell him to do.
  "When you're an addict, every waking moment and half your sleeping moments are occupied with just one thought--how I can get money for dope."
  Everything else loses its importance: families, moms and dads, brother and sisters, best friends, everything becomes meaningless except the driving desire for the next high.
  Another aspect of this story that is disturbing is the fact that Adam has a loving, caring family, step parents and a brother that love him, making the reader wonder, what has made this kid fallinto drugs? Try not fitting with your peers and falling into the wrong crowds.
  I found the writing well suited for this book. It projects the voice of our teenage addict, at times with a certain subtle callousness that will leave readers cold. Though the book is from the point of view of Adam, it is in fact written by his father. The tale takes the reader from tbe beginning of Adam's addiction to the time he reaches his late teens and is put into a hospital. The author leaves us with a glimmer of hope at the end.
  Only Mortals Can Be Heroes is a real story that offers an important message to teenagers. I would make this book required reading at schools for the secondary and high school levels. It is also important reading for parents of teenage kids. The phrase "Do you know where your kid is right now?" is not so well known for nothing.

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Molly and the Sword
by Robert Shlasko
Illustrated by Donna Diamond
Jane and Street Publishers
http://www.janeandstreet.com
ISBN: 978-0-9745077-4-3
Hardcover, 32 pages, $15.95
Ages 7-12
Reviewed by Mayra Calvani

  Molly and the Sword is a lovely, historical picture book story about a young girl violinist who has a moment of doubt as she is about to play in a grand concert hall.
  The story begins with Molly as a little girl, singing in their home's yard while her mother works in their vegetable garden. From early on, she loves music. Then something horrible comes to what used to be their peaceful village: War.
  With her mother pregnant and no water to drink, their situation becomes desperate. It is then that Molly decides to do something about it. In spite of the danger, she ventures into the next village in search of water. There, she is captured by the enemy, who take her for a spy. That is, until a handsome enemy officer saves her life and grants her freedom. Thus, Molly, unharmed, goes back to her family.
  Time passes and the war is over. One day, Molly is captivated by a clown playing the violin in a passing circus. When her birthday arrives, her father exchanges his most valuable grandfather clock for a violin, and brings it to Molly as a gift.
  It is the 19th century, when few girls had the courage to become musicians because of prejudice. But Molly loves her violin and, more than anything, she wishes to play well and become a great violinist. Day after day, she works hard at her lessons. Then a wonderful opportunity comes her way, but on the day she is to perform in a famous concert hall, her courage falters and she's overcome with fear. Will she succeed? Will she make her family and teacher proud?
  Then Molly remembers that moment of bravery she experienced years ago. Will this give her the courage she needs to play on stage? And who is the handsome stranger sitting in the audience? Could it be the officer who once saved her life?
  This is a charming picture book with a nice traditional feel to it. It is actually an illustrated chapter book, as the story is separated by very short chapters, each about 3 pages long. The prose flows like soft music, suiting well the theme and the violin element. The author puts forth an important message for all children, especially violin students, about self-esteem, courage, and the need to work hard in order to achieve our dreams. The fourteen illustrations, realistic in style and done in soft pastel colors, add to the quiet tone and complement the story beautifully. I'd especially recommend this book to music teachers and to parents of children who play the violin. Having said that, this isn't a book just for young violinists, but one which will make a nice addition to any home, class, or library shelf.

About the author: Robert Shlasko is a writer and editor whose work has taken him on assignments from Sweden to Samoa. In addition, his fiction and nonfiction have appeared in leading children's magazines. Although he has not mastered a musical instrument (thus far), others in his family play the violin, the cello and the piano. The author enjoys listening to them all.

About the Illustrator: Donna Diamond is a graduate of the High School of Music and Art in New York City and of Boston University School of Fine and Applied Art. She has illustrated over 50 books for children and lives in New York City with her daughter.

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Happy Hour at Casa Dracula
By Marta Acosta
Pocket Star
1416531602
Vampire/Chick-Lit
Reviewed by Mayra Calvani

  With a title like that, you know a book has got to be darkly humorous. In this the first book in the Casa Dracula series, Latino author Marta Acosta introduces us to her opinionated, feisty yet delightfully naïve heroine, Milagro de los Santos, and her new breed of friendly vampires.
  Told in first person from Milagro’s point of view, our tale begins as our heroine attends a book party in honor of her arrogant, snob ex-boyfriend Sebastian. It is there that she meets a mysteriously handsome stranger by the name of Oswald. Sparks go off almost immediately. Later that night, in his hotel room, they accidentally kiss and exchange blood… an event that has serious consequences for Milagro, who soon begins feeling sick. Transformed into her new nature, she is persuaded to move into a grand estate—Casa Dracula—inhabited by a group of rich, eccentric vampires who insist they must take care of her until she is well and fully understands her new ‘illness’.
  At the same time, the estate and its vampires are in danger of annihilation by a secret group of vampire hunters who dream of destroying them. Interlaced with this are Milagro’s various relationships with the different members of Casa Dracula.
  Happy Hour at Casa Dracula is an entertaining, upbeat, sassy novel driven forth by one very individualistic heroine. I’d say the strength of this novel, more than the plot and the rest of the characters, is the heroine. Yes, Milagro is sometimes witty and her sharp humor will make you laugh out, but there’s also a naïve, scatterbrained, ‘lost’ quality about her that is quite endearing and that probably has to do with her awful relationship with her mother, who has never in her life understood her and who is mentioned offhanded throughout the story. In a way, she roams the world like a little waif, trying to find her true home among her various romantic relationships. No doubt Milagro will frustrate many of her female readers; I know I felt like shaking her at times, but this is part of who she is and these flaws make her more genuine as a character.
  The sexy scenes are handled with taste and there’s really very little graphicness at all in the book. This is a fun book to enjoy on those long summer afternoons. If you like humor, vampires, and a sprinkled of Latino flavor, I’d recommend you give this one a try.

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Silenced Cry
by Marta Stephens
Bewrite Books
Detective/Mystery
Paperback
Review by Mayra Calvani, http://www.mayracalvani.com

  If you like mystery novels with rich plots that dig into the past, then you’ll enjoy Silenced Cry by Marta Stephens.
  During a routine pick-up for questioning, Detective Sam Harper loses his partner and friend, Gillies. Harper is confused and distraught by the event, which happens under suspicious circumstances. Soon afterwards he’s called to solve a murder case like none he’s been involved before: the homicide of an infant. In a rundown building that’s about to be demolished, trapped behind a wall, they find the skeletal remains of an newborn baby. To make matters worse, the murder seems to have taken place not recently but over a decade ago, making the investigation a lot harder.
  As Detective Harper begins to investigate, a line of suspects slowly emerges. The detective must moved back in time in order to uncover the terrible events which let to the infant’s demise. Soon he’s pulled into a vortex of drugs, corruption, rape and murder as other members of the police force become suspects. At the same time, someone wants the case close and the building demolished as soon as possible, someone who doesn’t want Harper opening the door to the past.
  Who murdered the infant? Is the murder only a small part of a much larger set of crimes which have been kept secret all these years? Is Harper ready to face the truth and come to terms with the results of his own investigation?
  Silenced Cry is deftly crafted and an impressive first novel. The pace moves steadily without being too quick nor too slow, allowing the reader to savor each stage of the investigation. The dialogue is sharp and natural and the prose focuses on the action without letting unnecessary details and description get in the way. The police procedurals read realistically, giving the impression that the author either knows well about the subject or did a fair amount of research. For me, this was not a thriller that read at a fast pace, but a ‘gourmet’ mystery that I enjoyed at every stage of the story. Sam Harper is a likable character, but I would say that this is a plot-driven novel more than a character-driven one. Our detective protagonist is sympathetic, but there were times when, for me, he got lost in the midst of the plot. I feel he would have stood out more given stronger, more sharply defined characteristics or quirks. This is an observation more than a criticism, as it didn’t lessen by desire to keep on reading. The secondary characters are quite realistic as well, especially some of the suspects–though I don’t dare say more for fear of giving away spoilers.
  Marta Stephens is a mystery author to watch out for. I will be soon reviewing the second book in the series, The Devil Can Wait, and I have to say I’m very much looking forward to it. If you enjoy an intelligently crafted detective story, I recommend you give this one a try.

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Subscriptions to this ezine are Free. Please pass this on to friends you think would enjoy it.
Copyright (c) 2005 Mary Emmons All Rights Reserved

Mystery Fiction Monthly Ezine -- The Voice in the DarkIssue No. 49, January 2009br>
Co-Editor: Anne K. Edwards
marbob00@earthlink.net
http://www.Mysteryfiction.net
Co-Editor: Mayra Calvani
MGCalvani@hotmail.com
http://www.Mayracalvani.com
Slippery Book Review Blog
http://slipperybookreview.wordpress.com
Publisher: Eva Almeida

By subscription only. You are receiving this newsletter because you requested a subscription. To unsubscribe, send an email to marbob00@earthlink.net with your email address.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Voice in the Dark will continue to be open to well written, interesting submissions having to do with writing, publishing, and promotion of books. In addition to a subscription list, Voice in the Dark is posted each month on http://www.Mysteryfiction.net. If interested contact Anne K. Edwards at marbob00@earthlink.net with "Voice Submission" in your subject line.

If you are running a contest, radio or online interview or other events such as book release and want it announced, send the information to Voice in the Dark at marbob00@earthlink.net. Be sure to include "Events Information for Voice in the Dark" in the subject line of your email.

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NOTE: Recommend visiting the site of the Southern Review to get the latest on publishing news. http://www.anvilpub.net/southern_review_of_books.htm

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NOTE: Books We Love is hosting another great contest for readers. Visit http://www.bookswelove.net and enter. Lots of prizes. Meet new authors and new reads. Visit Jude's Alter-Ego at http://www.judeatkins.com

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Marta Stephens announces Sam Harper Crime Scene blog at http://samharpercrimescene.blogspot.com Drop in for a visit

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If you are interested in reviewing books, contact simegen@simegen.com. They are looking for qualified reviewers.

Visit Prededitors and Editors http://anotherealm.com

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Visit http://www.whohub.com/annekedwards for an interview. See other authors listed there.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Editor's Note
Fictional Character Interview
Featured Interviews
--Meet John R. Lindermuth, Author
--Judi Clark, Founder-- Mostlyfiction.com
Book Excerpt --
Gladiator's Arena--by Mayra Calvani
Short Fiction
--Do Angels Cry by Anne K. Edwards
Articles
--What Are Character Blogs?
--Letting Your Illustrator Into Your Storyline
Sanctuary -- Columnist Mayra Calvani
Whodunit? -- Columnist Billie A. Williams
Pam's Pen -- Columnist Pamela James
Seedlings -- Aaron Paul Lazar
This & That -- Columnist Dana Reed
The Writing Life -- Quarterly and Guest Column
Reviews
Events
Resources

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Editor's Note

Authors remember to check your books on Google Books for excerpts or whole book available to read. I notice they do list places to buy books as well as other information on them and authors. This exposure could be a good thing if it doesn't infringe on our copyrights. Be sure to read the terms of the settlement yet to be approved. As it is understood by Voice editors, Google needs permission of copyright holder to print an excerpt.

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Interviews

Meet John R. Lindermuth, Author
Interview by Anne K. Edwards

Q. What do you find most rewarding about having written a story, article or book?
A. There's satisfaction in simply having completed the process. But I think the most rewarding thing is to have a reader tell me it gave them enjoyment or opened up a new way of seeing things.

Q. How did you happen to become an author?
A. It was a natural progression. I was an early reader. My father had a good library and encouraged me to read what was available. My grandfather was a grand storyteller. Health problems forced him to early retirement. As the only grandson, I spent a lot of time in his company, listening to his tales. Eventually, I began trying to create my own stories. I started sending short stories to magazines when I was in high school--though I received advice and even encouragement from a few kind editors, it was much longer until anything was accepted. I had a talent for drawing early on and envisioned a career in the art field with writing on the side. When I was drafted, the Army decided I had the makings of a journalist and provided training. After my military service, I worked as a reporter and editor until retiring in 2000. In the interim, I published articles and some short stories in a variety of magazines, but novels were still mainly practice. My first published novel "Schlussel's Woman," a historical mystery, was accepted ay an epublisher who went belly-up shortly after. Frustrated, I brought it out in 2003 with iUniverse.

Q. Would you like to talk about your career or future plans?
A. Would you like to talk about your career or future plans? I’d like to just keep on writing as long as I can or as long as people are willing to publish/read me. I’ve now done three novels in the Sticks Hetrick mystery series with Whiskey Creek Press—Something In Common, Cruel Cuts and Corruption’s Child. WCP is a small, family-friendly firm and they’ve been great to work with. In April, they’ll be bringing out Watch The Hour, a new historical novel set in the turbulent 1870s in Pennsylvania’s anthracite coal region. This is the longest and most complex novel I’ve done and I’m excited about it. I also did “The Accidental Spy,” a historical novel, with Lachesis Publishing, a new Canadian firm.

Q. Have you favorite authors who have influenced your work?
A. As mentioned, my dad had a good library. I devoured everything—from Shakespeare, Dickens, Poe and the Brontes to Conan Doyle, Jack London, Robert Louis Stevenson., Zane Grey and Edgar Rice Burroughs. I remain a voracious reader and keep finding new favorites. I suppose they’ve all influenced me in one way or another. Some personal favorites in the literary area include Peter Matthiessen, John Fowles, Nabokov and Jim Harrison. In the mystery field I admire people like Ruth Rendell, Elizabeth George, James Lee Burke, Charles Williford, Elmore Leonard, Harlan Coben, many others.

Q. Do you have a website for readers to visit?
A. I am in the process of having a pro develop a new site. I do have sites at http://jlind11.tripod.com, http://www.myspace.com/jlind11 and http://www.authorsden.com/johnrichardlindermuth

Q. Where is your work available?
A. My books are available in print and electronic format from my publishers, Whiskey Creek Press, http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com, Lachesis Publishing, http://www.lachesispublishing.com, on Amazon, from Fictionwise, other on-line book dealers and several local independent bookstores.

Q. Are you currently working on a project?
A. Always. Currently I’m dividing my time between another still-untitled Hetrick mystery, another stand-alone mystery and a western novel.

Q. Would you like to tell the readers anything about yourself?
A. I enjoy spending time with my children and my four grandsons. I like to get out and walk, especially in the woods and mountains around my home. I still draw, but not as much as I used to. And, of course, I read constantly. My grandson Ethan tells people there isn’t a room in my house without books. I also spend three days a week as librarian of my county historical society, where I help patrons with historical research and genealogy. Frankly I’d like to have another 10 or 12 hours in every day.

Q. How do you prepare to start a new book? Do you write every day?
A. I try and write something every day. Life sometimes gets in the way but it's like dieting or exercising--you can't let excuses gain the upper hand or the battle is lost. Even if it's no more than a few paragraphs, it's important to keep up the flow.

Q. What is your favorite way to begin a project? Do you do an outline? Or start with a plot or characters first?
A. I’m not a big outliner. I may jot a few notes on an index card and do some character sketches. But I like to be surprised. If I know too much at the outset I tend to get bored. My characters seem to have wills of their own. As John Fowles said about writing The French Lieutenant’s Woman, he saw a woman standing at the end of the quay and she led him into the story.

Q. What impels or inspires you to write?
A. Curiosity. I see a person on the street, hear a comment, read an article in the newspaper—something of this nature prompts me to imagine an outcome.

Q. How do you set about developing characters?
A. Sometimes I think they truly have wills of their own. Initially they’re built on the foundation of people I’ve known or observed, probably parts of myself or something I’ve read. Then they just seem to take off on their own.

Q. How did you happen to develop your blog? Do you recommend them to writers for reaching readers?
A. I have a blog at myspace which feeds to the one on my Amazon profile. I think a blog is an excellent way to communicate with readers and potential readers. You can offer excerpts and short stories to give people a sample of your writing and also provide news for those who might be interested.

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Corruption's Child (June 2008), Whiskey Creek Press
The Accidental Spy (July 2008), Lachesis Publishing
Cruel Cuts (Nov. 2007), Whiskey Creek Press
Something In Common (June 2007), Whiskey Creek Press
St. Hubert's Stag (2004), iUniverse
Schlussel's Woman (2003), Author's Choice Press
Twin Stars, short story, Amazon Shorts
Trees and Memories, short story, Amazon Shorts
Thin Ice, short story, Amazon Shorts
http://jlind11.tripod.com for reviews and sample chapters

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Meet Judi Clark, Founder--Mostlyfiction.com
Interview by Mayra Calvani

Started in 1998, http://www.mostlyficton.com is an online review site with about 16 staff reviewers who review an average of 20 books a month. On thing that is of interest to authors, is that each review is linked to the author's website and includes the author's complete biography with links to Amazon.
  If you'd like to become a reviewer for MostlyFiction.com, please read the http://www.mostlyfiction.com/submitbook.htm#here guidelines. In this interview, founder Judi Clark talks about the challenges of maintaining a review site and also discusses various aspects of reviewing, among other things.

Q. Please tell us about your book review site. How and when did it get started?
A. MostlyFiction.com was started about ten years ago. I decided to teach myself how to build web pages, so it started as an HTML exercise. I had just sent a friend an extensive list of recently read books each with a paragraph about the book. It seemed like a good thing to stick on a web page. As I made my way through the HTML exercises, I expanded the list into individual author pages (researching the authors and books turned out to be fun) and placed the pages on virtual bookshelves. Amazon.com had recently started the associates program and it seemed like a good fit; family and friends agreed it was convenient. Shortly after I signed up with Amazon.com (and got my letter from Jeff Bezos!) I decided to rename my site to MostlyFiction.com. I also found myself writing better reviews, so much so that I started to attract the attention of publicists, publishers and authors.
  I was amazed that I was getting free books just because I decided to pursue this hobby. Of course, it opened up soul searching questions on whether or not I should accept the books (yes, but no promises) and if I was obligated to review if I did accept them (no). Thus, early on I had to establish answers to these questions. Meanwhile, the site did accomplish my main goal. I landed a new job, though the job itself had nothing to do with building websites. Just the fact that I had the site going proved something, I guess. It also helped to land subsequent jobs, of which web skills came in handy. I did not bring in other reviewers until 2002. I was nervous because I wanted to keep the site's voice (i.e., my voice), yet I wanted to cover more books. So I had to find a way to convey what I wanted others to write in a review. I suppose that at heart I am a control freak (not all those who live and work with me are saying) and it was a bit hard opening up to other styles and thoughts. But I'm glad I tried it because I have made some great friends and have learned so much working with other people and accepting their review suggestions and styles. I've been lucky that most of our reviewers are better writers than I am. And for those that are not, I have learned that I have a passion for editing.

Q. What makes MostlyFiction.com stand out among so many other online review sites?
A. Good Question! Do we stand out? I think we have good reviewers and I feel that we try to go a little deeper with our reviews. I hope that we convey how much we love to read. There are many good review sites out there, which I am glad about because it says people are reading.
  MostlyFiction.com is a bit unique in that we link to other sites from our review page. Every author page has a Bookmarks section in which I add links to interviews, reading guides and other people's reviews. Most sites do not do this because they don't want the traffic leaving their site. Of course, I don't want people to leave MostlyFiction.com either but I like helping people learn more about the author or book. I also include a complete bibliography for each author (with links to amazon.com). So it is more than just reading a review, it is sharing an enthusiasm for the author. This is the format that I settled on when I started the site and I have maintained it ever since. I do it for selfish reasons, I love learning about the authors and reading other people's reviews as much as our own. I just hope that MF visitors get as much out of these links as I do.
  I should also mention that since all our reviewers are volunteers and I maintain the site in my spare time, you can trust that we are just making recommendations and have no hidden agendas. We love discovering new authors, we love reading new books by our favorite authors and we love writing our reviews. I hope that when people visit our site that this is what they take away as well as few good reading suggestions.

Q. What is the most challenging aspect of running a review site?
A. Mainly, having enough time to do everything that I want to do with it, settling for doing what I can.
  A good challenge is matching books to reviewers. Unfortunately, I do not have the time to write reviews much any more so this means when i read a book I want reviewed, I search around to see who I think will do a good job with the book. Since reading and reviewing is subjective, I need to find someone who will pretty much see the book the same way I do. Usually, I am rewarded with a better review than I think I would have written. But, there are times when I pass the book on, read the submitted review and realize that the review hardly touches on any of the aspects that I thought they should and moreover, they say more negative than positive. Do I still post the review? Another side of the same problem is when a submitted review seems shallow, especially in comparison to other reviews out there. I'm torn between publishing the review (with some edits) to get the word out because I want to recommend the book or to not post it at all because the writing is not up to par with my expectations for the site.
  Running this website is an interesting form of management because every contact is a virtual relationship. Communications is 100% email. Of course, it doesn't have to be this way, I could talk to reviewers on the phone--but this style suits me and my limited time and has not failed me yet. The only downside is that every once and a while a reviewer falls off the face of the virtual earth and I have no idea what happened to them. Fortunately, this haunting event is rare. And I hope the explanation, if I ever learn it, is far more mundane than my imagination would have it.

Q. How many books do you review a month?
A. I try to post at least twenty reviews a month, but when I fall short it has more to do with my real job work schedule than the number of reviews available to post. Fortunately, I never run out of reviews. Considering the number of books that are published in a month, to review 200 books a year is just a drop in the literary bucket. I try to mention new releases and forthcoming books for authors who are already featured on the website and for authors who are getting industry buzz, but again, this usually proves to be a more ambitious project than I have time for. My priority is to post book reviews, thus everything else takes a back seat. Despite never catching up, I would still take on more reviewers if their writing style warranted it.

Q. How many staff reviewers do you have?
A. Currently, we have sixteen volunteer reviewers for MostlyFiction.com. Some frequently contribute, others are more sporadic. I manage the group very loosely because I understand that people get busy in their lives and can't always commit to a deadline. But I do have some guidelines to help people stick to their commitments. Regardless, it is a big time commitment to say that you want to be a regular reviewer. If someone just wants free books, I recommend that they visit their local library.

Q. From the start I have been amazed that people want to review for no pay, except maybe a free book. What motivates them?
A. For some it is a stepping stone to getting a job writing. Others are already writing books and reviewing is both a way to study other people's writing and to get their name out there. Many of the reviewers, especially the more prolific ones, are top Amazon.com reviewers. For them, MostlyFiction.com gives them an opportunity to write longer, more in depth reviews or if not that, at least a chance for the review to stay. I never take down a review/author page, and every reviewer has a list of the books that they have reviewed on the site if they need to send a link of their reviews. And finally, some people have discovered that reviewing does let them enjoy reading more.

Q. Are you currently recruiting more reviewers? If so, what are your guidelines?
A. We always need more reviewers. Those interested in reviewing are requested to complete a http://mostlyfiction.com/submitbook.htm#here questionnaire that helps me learn about their reading interests. I also request that they submit an audition review. I prefer the audition review to be written for MostlyFiction.com because I think every site has something different that they are looking for in a review. And I want to know if this reviewer gets what MostlyFiction.com is about.

Q. How should an author contact you about a review request? Do you review ebooks as well?
A. We have information on our website on how to submit requests for book reviews. But I don't want to give false hope. I am overloaded with book requests and do not get back to the majority of people who are good enough to take the time to send an email with all the perquisite information. I feel bad about this but I just do not have enough reviewers to cover all the books that need to be reviewed. But anyone who wants to try me, then just follow the submission guidelines. I guess it is like the lottery because I do accept some of these books for review.

Q. How do you select the books you review?
A. I let the reviewers select the books that they want to review. MostlyFiction.com exists to recommend books, therefore, it makes sense for the reviewers to want to read the books that they review. When I receive unsolicited books, I post the ones that I am interested in having reviewed on a TBR (to be reviewed) page. Reviewers can then claim any of these books. I also make suggestions to reviewers to help them discover some authors that they might not have read before. It is my job to know which books will appeal to which reviewers. I also request books from publishers on behalf of the reviewers. Many of the reviewers also visit their local library (some even work in libraries) and get their books this way and yes, we do buy books as well. I try to keep track of who is reviewing which book on the TBR page. Overall, there are enough books that we do not have too many conflicts and the reviewers often work out conflicts amongst themselves. And when they can, I publish multiple reviews of the same book since it usually means the book is really worth recommending.

Q. How do you determine which reviews to post on your site?
A. The books laydown or release date is the first criteria. We never publish ahead of the laydown date, but if a review is ready on the day it releases then I try to post it. Anyway, recently released books get priority. Though I do mix in the older books because I need to be fair to all reviewers and some prefer to review books that have been out for awhile. I do say that a good book doesn't go out of style, so older books are just as welcome, especially if the review is well written. I stress a little bit making sure that I'm being fair to all reviewers. Since the books that we read range from prize winning literature to sleuths and mysteries, and even some nonfiction, I try to mix it up.
  The final criteria is the time factor. If I don't have much time, then I choose a review of a book that already has an author page so that I only have to refresh the bibliography and bookmark links when I post the review. If I have sufficient time, I will tackle one of the more prolific writers since I know the research will take longer. The well written review always has a better chance of getting published. Reviews that need a lot of editing sometimes never make it since by the time I can do the edit, the review is often no longer freshly written and it is too late to ask the reviewer to rewrite it.

Q. Do you think there's a lot of facile praise among many online review sites? What is your policy when it comes to negative reviews?
A. I tell reviewers that they must finish a book to review it. If they don't like a book, then let me know, but move on and find a book that they like. (Life is too short and we absolutely do not have time to read every book so be choosy!) On the other hand, if they finish a book and by the last page decide that they do not like the book yet feel obligated to write a review to warn others away from it or to just want to air their disappointment, then I recommend that they tell the reader why they were compelled to finish the book (i.e. what is good about the book) and then say why the book disappointed.
  When I am choosing the next review to post, I find that I tend to skip over the negative reviews that don't meet this criteria and go for the ones in which the reviewer is recommending the book. However, when it is a well written review, then I do willingly post it, even if it is a negative review. If I read the book and agree with the reviewer's comments, then I am more apt to post the negative review.
  I basically believe that reading is subjective and one reviewer's experience does not reflect all reader's experience. I like a review that lets me decide if I will like the book, whether I agree or disagree with the reviewer's opinion of the book.
  Do I think there is a lot of facile praise out there? Not among the bloggers and the ordinary people that like to write reviews. Because MostlyFiction.com links to other site reviews, I do read reviews from a lot of different sites. Certainly, we all know that the Amazon.com system breeds friends of the authors and sometimes I and the other reviewers are fooled. But most people are sincere about their comments and reviews. Or maybe, I just have learned how to avoid the unhelpful reviews.

Q. There was a lot of controversy last year between print publication reviewers and online bloggers. In your opinion, what defines a legitimate reviewer?
A. Getting paid and having deadlines seems like criteria that makes one a legitimate reviewer. Or maybe that's just a professional which probably can be considered the same as legitimate. I love it when MostlyFiction.com is quoted in book blurbs and by other sites. It doesn't happen often enough, but somehow that makes me feel out site is more legitimate. So by that criteria, I'd say popularity does lend itself to legitimacy as well. Although we have some very fine writing on MostlyFiction.com, I think most people would classify us as talented amateurs.

Q. What is your stand on paid reviews?
A. I assume by paid reviews you mean that the newspaper, website or blogsite is paying the writer for a review that they asked them to write and not the publisher paying for the review at the newspaper, website or blogsite. If so, then I think that people who get paid to write reviews have generally earned the right to be compensated. I like to read both professional and amateur reviews when I'm trying to decide on a book. I never think, oh that person got paid so they must have had to say that. A well written review will always tell you what works and does not work in a book. Even if someone is writing a fluff review, the writer knows how to get a didn't like message out. Again, I think reading is subjective, so I don't think it matters if someone is paid. A well written review is helpful regardless.
  I think it would be cool if I could pay our reviewers.

Q. What about reviewers or review sites that charge authors and publishers for a review?
A. Interesting concept, but I would not do this; I think it would change MostlyFiction.com's purpose. First, it seems that you would have to guarantee a large enough audience that you could ensure that the author or publisher was getting their money's worth from this stealth form of advertising. The reviewers would then be required to write the review even if they hated the book, turning a passion into a job. And, finally, you get into the ethical problem of whether or not to write an honest review. One of my first jobs out of college was to write puff articles on seacoast restaurants that bought advertising from the newspaper. As I say, there is always a way to write a review to get your honest opinion out (describing the tacky decor worked in one instance) but it still left me with a queasiness that eventually made me decide that the job wasn't for me. So I think that ethically, I wouldn't be up for charging; if I wanted to make more money I'd be more honest and sell ad space. Of course, this also makes me wonder whose reviews can be trusted if this is common practice. I feel so naive!

Q. Do you think it's okay for reviewers to resell the books they review?
A. Yes. Though most people I know (including myself) like to hold onto the good books so it is not really an issue. Selling books online doesn't actually make money, but it does pay for shipping the book to the new owner. Also, selling books to brick and mortar bookstores is usually for credit and it often takes three to five books to get enough credit to buy one book (and even then you have to pay some cash). Selling books is usually more of a way to manage the book piles that are getting out of control in the house. For me, I have found that it is much easier to just gather up the books and drop them off at my local library, as I suspect is true for most people who are getting ten or more unsolicited books a week.
  Advance review copies (ARCs) are not supposed to be sold and I do not know of any bookstores that will take these. It is a complete mystery to me as to how someone rids themselves of an ARC for money. That said, I have purchased ARCs in used bookstores. The fact only further exacerbates the mystery.
  Anyway, my agreement with the reviewers is that when I send them a book it is theirs to keep as it is the only pay that I can give them. They can do anything that they want with it, which means they can add it to their bookshelf, donate it to the library, sell it or leave it for someone to find by chance at the laundromat.
  When everyone has an e-reader and ARCs and review copies are sent via email, then we will not have to worry about managing our paper books. I think this will be a sad day for me, but a happy day for my husband.
Q. What are the most common mistakes amateur reviewers make?
A. Writing a book report instead of a book review is one thing. But there is also a lot of careless bad writing. Some people do not rewrite and reorganize. They seem to think that the way the words fall out of their heads is perfectly good. They just rattle off their thoughts.
  Also, people need to think about what they read. Answer questions like, how does the title relate to the book, if there is an unusual chapter structure, how does this affect the book. In other words, answer questions on how, s well as what, and who, and when. I am always surprised when a reviewer does not mention a thing about where the story is located. If the location is not important, well that is something worth mentioning too but location is often intricately a part of a book. If the reviewer does not like a character, does that make the book good or bad? More readable or less readable. Do you relate to this character to be able to enjoy the book? If there is a structural issue, think about how it affects the book, assume that the author chose to do this on purpose, then consider the purpose and its affect on reading the book. No review should just jump to a conclusion that it is faulty without an exploration of the author's motives. Does the chosen point of view help or hurt the story's purpose. Usually exploring these deeper questions results in a better reading of the book and better review writing.

Q. With so many major newspapers getting rid of their book review sections, how do you see the future of online review sites?
A. It's an interesting question because I think you have to look at which books get reviewed by the newspapers and how these books are chosen. With approximately 10,000 novels published each year, it is impossible to cover all new fiction no matter how many review outlets there are. So these newspaper reviews become legitimate filters that help direct our attention to a few worthy books; though I strongly suspect that the chosen books are first filtered by Publishers Weekly and Kirkus Reviews. So ultimately the question is, if newspapers stop being a cog in the publishing industry publicity, then what? And what do the paid book reviewers do for a living in the future?
  No matter the intention, every book review is publicity. I don't care what my reasons were for starting MostlyFiction.com, this site quickly became part of the PR cycle. It's the nature of the beast. If all newspapers were to decide to drop book reviewing from their budgets, then some of the existing, or maybe some new websites, will rise up and fill the gap to filter and promote. The publishers need book reviews. Some sites are already more legitimate than others. These sites will probably have an even larger offering of advance review copies. Maybe we will recognize the new legitimate by the number of books they review at laydown date, as long as the reviews offer quality writing. It is hard for me to imagine that hasty quick Amazon.com blurb reviews will do the trick. Maybe, the sites that become new legitimate, will initially emulate the print world (or derive from the print world since most major newspapers print their books reviews online so why wouldn't they continue doing this?) But with 175,000 new books published every year it is hard to imagine that this structure could last long. Moreover, as ereaders become more common and publishers will be able to push out review copies for less money, maybe the whole model will break apart.
  If this happens, I just want it known that I will accept any unemployed book reviewers as volunteers at MostlyFiction.com.

Q. Do you keep the author's feelings in mind when you review?
A. I think about the fact that someone put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and has written a complete book. Thus, they deserve respect because this is not something that I will ever accomplish. I prefer that our reviewers be the good reader and give the book a chance. However, if the book is just not enjoyable, then leave it be. Hopefully, someone else will find more pleasure in the book and they can write a fair review.

Q. Have you received aggressive responses from authors or publishers because of a negative review? If yes, how do you handle it?
A. Yes, back in 2003. One of our reviewers followed my guidelines and said what she liked about a certain book and what she did not like about it. In her opinion the author had done a writerly trick at the end of te book and just ruined it for her. Up to that point, she enjoyed it quite a bit, but she could not recommend the book because of this flaw. The book was published by a small independent and they needed our review to generate some publicity. Naturally, they were appalled when they saw what was posted. I had not read the book myself and felt a bit helpless as I considered what to do - stick up for my reviewer or persuade her to soften her review. When I looked around at other reviews, we seemed to be the only site to pick up on this flaw. But then, there were only a few reviews and those sites were smaller than ours with more fluffy reviews. I had more discussion with the reviewer to just make sure she wasn't being a sloppy reader. Despite thinking she was probably right in her assessment, I still decided to pull the review and post just the excerpt instead. Without reading the book myself, I didn't think I should keep the review posted. And since the book didn't interest me enough to read it, I figured taking the review down was the moral answer to the dilemma.
  Since the reviewer involved in this incident has just published her first book, I'm tempted to revisit this issue with her and see what she now thinks about how I handled this situation.
  That incident helped me solidify my rules for bad reviews. And I haven't had anything as strong or nasty as that incident since.
  Though I did have one author who decided her self-published book was terrible and asked me to remove any mention of the book because she didn't want to be associated with it. It was too bad because the book wasn't all that bad.
  I also had one author ask me to cut words out of a review that I had written because he felt that I had given away too much of the story. I did change it but I don't think I made the right decision because I do not think that I gave away too much. But I was young then. Now I would simply tell him that no remembers the review itself, only whether or not the book sounded interesting enough to read the book and I would have left my review alone.
  Kooky reader comments is another thing. Lots of these over the years, usually threatening to boycott the site for one reason or the other.

Q. What does your site offer readers?
A. Reading suggestions. Although we read a lot of new books, because that is fun, we also read not so recently published books. We hope that we are like a friend that recommends a good book. Some you want to try. Others, you are glad that you know about them mainly because you know it is NOT one that you will want to read. It is hard to imagine that you would visit MostlyFiction.com and not find a good book to read.

Q. What promotional opportunities does your site offer authors?
A. None outside the obvious; that every review is publicity. If we really want to call attention to a book, then we might do an interview or a book giveaway. For a few years, I went crazy with book raffles; so much so that it started to feel more like we were just pushing anything and everything. We tried to review the books that we gave away, but it didn't always work out. Worse, I'd realize that we were about to raffle a book that no one was that crazy about. So now I'm only doing book giveaways for books that we truly want to promote. Of course, since several of our former reviewers are publishing books this year; we will promote those! Nepotism reigns supreme in the publishing world.

Q. What is the most rewarding aspect of being a reviewer?
A. Reviewing slows you down and lets you really, really read the book. When you know that you are going to write a review, you do read more carefully because you do not want to make false statements in your review. Often the process of writing a review lets you see the book more clearly and sometimes you like a book even more when you finish the review than when you started writing because reviewing makes you a better reader.
  Another reward is discovering new authors. I cannot imagine my reading life with having become involved with reviewing and reviewers. I am a better person for this experience. Moreover, the fact that I get do research on the authors for the bookmarks section and the bibliography section has offered further enrichment. I really hope that this experience is passed on to all our site visitors.

Q. Is there anything else you would like to say about you or MostlyFiction.com?
A. Simply put, we love to read and we love to tell you about good books. It would be great if more people were to discover MostlyFiction.com because I think our reviewers deserve a larger audience. I don't expect us to ever become one of the big legitimate sites but we should be a place you come back to on a regular basis just to make sure you don't miss any good reads.

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THE GLADIATOR'S ARENA
by Mayra Calvani

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Short Fiction

Do Angels Cry?
by Anne K. Edwards

  It didn't make any sense. Four-year-old Zina Thomas was gone, lost to her family. And why? Because of a malformed heart. No one was to blame, but still it happened.
  Zina was one of the sweetest natured kids I ever knew and I only met her twice, the day she was born and the day she died.
  Her mother and father had tried so very hard to have a child and when Zina was born they were overflowing with joy. That is, until Dr. Liden told them about her condition. He said he didn't think she'd live to be two.
  But Zina fooled them and grew. She was pale like a china doll and very fine boned, but the joy of being alive shone in her eyes.
  Seth and Betty Thomas will have another child soon and it will be healthy. It won't replace Zina in their hearts but will have a spot all its own, full of love and care.
  When she left her body, Zina saw me waiting nearby. She wanted to go back to her mommy and daddy and it was my job to tell her why that couldn't be. I told her that she'd see them later.
  She was very accepting and let me lead her into the light where her grandmother waited. It won't be long before Zina earns her wings and joins our band of caregivers who watch over souls as they try to make sense of their world.
  And to answer the question I asked at the beginning, yes, angels do cry. I wept for Zina's lost opportunities and her parents' sorrow and my own.
  The myth that the soul gives up its human attachments and emotions when it leaves the body doesn't make any sense. An angel is one who has learned caring and love and forgiveness in human form and carries these things into the next life whether as a human again or remaining in the hereafter to serve a higher cause. I passed that test after seventeen lifetimes on earth but Zina learned it all in one.
  She will always know joy and be there to comfort me when I cry.

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Articles

What Are Character Blogs?
by Dorothy Thompson

  For those who aren’t familiar with character blogs and what it entails, let me try to help clear up that confusion and tell you why not only are they fun, but they can help your readers get more into your book before they even buy it.
  Character blogs are simply blogs in which you do the typing but your character gives you the voice (and believe me, they do).
  Just in case you have no idea where to start, here are a few helpful tips on how you can get your character blog up and running today:

Pick a character you want to use for this blog. Usually the author chooses the main character but that’s not always the case. In my own case, I chose the character I thought would be more fun and was out of the ordinary - a ghost. Henri the ghost was actually a background character but I thought I’d finally give him the voice he deserved. As it turned out, it was a wise choice and he got a great following.

Decide whether you want your character to come into the present day time (great for books who are historical) or you want to keep him/her in the same time frame as the book. There’s two ways you can go about it which will take some thinking. If you keep him/her in the same time frame as the book, you can carry on from where the book left off and it could result in an idea for a sequel (happened to me). If you put him/her in the present day time frame and your book is set in the 18th century for example, think of how fun that would be to bring your character into the present. But you’ve got to weigh both positions and decide which would be more fun for you because you’re going to have to be the one to come up with blog post ideas for your character.

If you want to go incognito with this character, you must sign him/her up to a new account and not as an extension to your present account (at Blogger for example) because your profile will come up in the sidebar unless you know how to remove it. What I did with Henri’s blog is give him a gmail address and set his blog up in his name. This way I could comment on other blogs without my profile or picture coming up. Imagine the surprise when people would check for comments on their blogs and a ghost would come up. That’s what I’m talking about - having fun and thrills with your character blog. No way did they know it was me until they kinda figured it out with the book cover splattered all over the place, but throughout the whole blogging process, people never questioned that it was me or my co-authors because Henri became so believable.

Set up some kind of feed on your blog because you’re eventually going to get a huge fan base if you do it right.

Include everyone who comments in your blogroll. I started doing this from the get go and what happened was, they in turn added Henri to theirs. If they had a Blogger account, they would see when Henri updated and would scurry on over to see what he was up to.

Don’t make the mistake of naming your blog the same name as your book. It confuses people. Remember, this is your character’s blog, not yours (the book cover should be prominently displayed in the sidebar and the character’s profile will be right there explaining that this is his blog so there shouldn’t be any confusion).

As for content, where should you start? Begin by introducing the blog in the character’s voice. Don’t bombard readers with excerpts (save that for your book blog) and reviews and promo for your book and that’s going to make people say “boooring!” and turn them away. Immediately try to draw them into your character’s life and do not try anything that makes the reader think you’re trying to sell them your book.

Make your character interactive. Go into blogs of the same genre and leave comments. This is how I built up a fan base for Henri. Don’t leave it up to others to find you (a big mistake for new blogs). Advertise, sure, but the single solitary most important way to get people over to your blog and love your blog enough to stick around is to go into other peoples’ blogs and comment. Works better than anything else you can do.

Since this is your character’s world and his/her blog, you’ve got to give this character some quirks. Keeping him in character, have him/her do things he didn’t do in the book. Have him travel. Have him visit long lost loves. Have her pick up on new interests, new love lives, new experiences. All the experiences you will write about for your character does not have to stick within the theme of your blog, but the personality of your character does. In my book, Henri was quite a lady’s man. When he started blogging, people got into his escapades trying to keep Juicy (his love interest) at bay and developing new interests (although Juicy still held his heart as much as he tried to deny it).

Something else that would be fun to do with your character is put him in the news. What’s the latest news happening? We have a new President being elected in another week or so, have your character attend the inauguration. Not only would this be fun, but the search engines would pick up your blog post for those key search words.

Bringing it back to reality, if you get a great book review and want your character to blog it, that’s great, but keep it in the storyline.

And that’s another thing. Have your blog read like a story. Have one event mesh into another with ease. You want this to seem like a serial and everyone knows how popular serials are.

Blogging your characters is so much fun and quite a release for the author who is on deadlines. Don’t not start a book blog because you think it’s going to be work; it’s not really. The great thing about character blogs is that sometimes these blogs develop into new ideas for the authors which in turn develops into new books!

If you are blogging your character, leave me a link in the comment section below. I am setting up a page with nothing but character blog links and that’s more promotion for you and your character!

Hope this helps!

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Letting Your Illustrator into Your Storyline
by Linda Thieman

  When I first approached an illustrator to do five illustrations for Katie & Kimble: A Ghost Story, a chapter book for ages 7 to 10, the illustrator suggested I add a nasty neighbor boy to the story who could make fun of Katie and taunt her. That was my first indication that said illustrator was not getting the gist of my little story of love, healing and empowerment. I decided to wait for the right illustrator to come along.

  One day, when I was online on an alternative health group, there was a request for information from a woman named Kim. Kim, Mrs. Kim Tharp, as it turned out, was a nurse who was also interested in alternative health and healing. I sent her the information and a friendship was born. But we both had a secret that we dared not share. She was a talented artist who dreamed of doing illustrations professionally, and I was a children’s book author, carefully guarding my precious little healing stories and desperately in need of an illustrator who would understand what I was trying to do.
  After several months, Kim read the first book and decided to join me. Katie & Kimble: A Ghost Story is the story of an almost-nine-year-old girl, Katie, who moves into an old house out in the country with her family. Katie immediately begins to suspect that a friendly ghost is living there, too. Katie plays detective to find out who the ghost is and she learns that her name is Kimble, the ghost of a ten-year-old girl. The two meet, and Katie and Kimble then set off to try to discover what happened to Kimble’s mother.
  As Kim and I worked together on Katie & Kimble: A Ghost Story, we spent a lot of time getting the look down. I tried to convey to Kim what I wanted each picture to portray and where it would be located in the book. We spent much of that first collaboration getting to know each other’s style and process.
  By the time we started doing the illustrations for the second book, Katie & Kimble: The Magic Wish, we had all the basics down. I hadn’t given much thought to the illustrations for the second book, so Kim had a lot more freedom and input in that book. I’d say, for example, “I need a picture for chapter four and I’d like the picture to include Katie’s mom.” Then Kim ran with it and just blew me away, each time, with what she came up with. The illustrations are so moving. They tug at the heart strings of every human being who has ever longed for a mother, and by my calculation, that’s just about everyone, no matter your age.
  But Kim surprised me even more after I thought we were finished with the book. In the second book, Katie & Kimble: The Magic Wish, Katie and Kimble find a coupon for a magic wish in a box of Magic Wishes cereal. They can wish for anything, but the wish will only be good for two days. After much discussion, Katie and Kimble decide to wish that Kimble could be human for two days. The wish works and Kimble fully embraces her humanity, going enthusiastically overboard in eating and riding a bike, and is largely accepted into Katie’s family, for at that point, she’s impossible to hide or explain away.
  When the two days come to an end, Kimble disappears and Katie and her family are devastated. Kimble thinks she will come back in ghostly form, but since this has never happened before, no one really knows for sure.
  At this point near the end of the story, I reached a transition. The dark, rainy, gloomy atmosphere that mimicked Katie’s mood was about to change with the dawn of a new day. So I asked Kim to draw a picture of the old oak tree out in the backyard with the sun coming up over the horizon.
  I got my picture all right, but unbeknownst to me, Kim had decided to add an empty swing hanging from the tree. As often as the big old oak tree was used as a setting, nowhere in either book was a swing mentioned. But that image of the empty swing was so powerful, so compelling, so representative of the loneliness everyone felt at Kimble’s absence, that I decided to revise the book.
  I thought that adding a swinging scene would be perfect in two ways. First, it would be one more humorous way to show Kimble going hog-wild with glee, adding swinging to eating and riding a bike. Second, I thought it would be an excellent way to extend Mr. Russell’s environmental consciousness. So I did some research on how to put a swing in a tree without using nails and without harming the tree, something Katie’s dad would be excited about and would be very glad to do for the girls.
  I feel truly blessed to be able to work with an illustrator who genuinely understands the emotional and healing components in the Katie & Kimble books. At this level, in the early chapter books, young readers still need pictures and the pictures enhance the story immensely.
  Children’s book author Linda Thieman writes the Katie & Kimble: A Ghost Story chapter book series for ages 7 to 10, and runs the Katie & Kimble blog. http://www.katieandkimbleblog.com. She is a former English language teacher who has created a set of reading skills activity packets and classroom materials that teachers and homeschoolers can download free of charge from the Katie & Kimble blog. These materials are guided by the national standards set for third grade reading and language skills. Linda lives in Sioux City, Iowa. She hopes to publish Katie & Kimble: The Golden Door in 2009.

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SANCTUARY -- By Mayra Calvani
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WHODUNIT? -- By Billie A. Williams

Explore New Possibilities in the New Year
by Billie A. Williams (C) 2009

Happy and prosperous New Year to you all!

  With a brand new year wide open to begin again, perhaps exploring new ideas for your villains on anti-heroes, sleuths and supporting characters could be traipsing across your mind.
  I've taken my sleuth for one of my stories to a realm somewhere between reality and that third plane--between reality and fantasy. Some might call it a surreal place, others a possibility. You may like to consider exploring something new.
  Angeni (A paranormal, multi-cultural, Romantic Suspense) is the lead character/heroine/protagonist in a book by the same name (January 2009 Red Rose Publishing). She is a shape shifter. Is this plausible? Are vampires? I guess it depends on where you are, your ancestry, your willingness to suspend belief or believe anything is possible. And of course it also depends on the skill of the author rendering the tale to make you able to accept it.
  I chose to believe Angeni could shift into a spider, a black widow spider, to be exact. No weak helpless female as that creature, but maybe quite inconspicuous when she wants to be.
  In another book, I explore a Bermuda Triangle type island in the middle of Lake Superior. If you are scientific and you explore the coordinates of the area of the Bermuda Triangle and move due north (or nearly so) you will see a very interesting set of corresponding numbers about the center of Lake Superior. So Lake Superior became (at least in my story) the new Bermuda Triangle.
  Spider Island (January 2009 Bookstrand) (I know I am hooked on the very fascinating and amazing world of the spider. Amazing creatures). Anyway, in this book Lady Belize, the antagonist, believes in spider powers to entrap. Huge spider webs hang in the jungle-like foliage of her island. They trap her victims. Cocoons wrap them and preserve them until she needs them. However, she believes she is a vampire. She uses all these perceived powers to create an island where women rule. She is up against an ordinary woman who owns and operates an art gallery. Our accidental sleuth is drawn into the story via an invitation to a gala affair of one of her artist clients, a friend. She doesn't need to believe in Lady Belize or any of the hocus pocus of the scenario she finds herself in. She only needs to be strong enough and clever enough to figure a way out for herself and the people she cares about.
  Your antagonist should always be an equal match for your protagonist. It lends itself to a better story by making it harder for your sleuth, you protagonist to win. Conflict is story. A strong hero needs an equally capable antagonist.

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PAM'S PEN -- By Pamela James

HAPPY NEW YEAR......

  My column today will be about how I keep track of what books I have read. For me the answer is a book journal and I keep track monthly. This worked great for 2007 and then in 2008 I started using my library more and because I ran most books clear to the end of the return time, well I often forgot to jot down what books I had read and returned. That is until I came up with a little tighter system. That was when I checked the books out I came right home and wrote the title and the author down in my book journal. This seemed to work better as a system than the other way (my memory isn't what it used to be) and this did help because of another problem. I checked out a few books more than once thinking I hadn't read them but when I returned found that I had not only read them but the book more than once. In other words I became a repeat offender. What did I do you ask? I made a list just like a to-do shopping list and when I went to the library even to just browse I took my list with me. This worked like a charm and library is also very good about interlibrary loan so it also helped that if they didn't have the book most of the time they could get the book from another library.
  As I become older I am learning better ways to stay on top of my lack of memory. When it comes to my writing I should just buy stock in the sticky memo company and I don't go anywhere without my to-do list. More to the point I've even started making a to-do writing list and chore list around the house. The key is don't rip off the page, put the list maker on the frig door where you can see it and then just cross through what you have finished. I use a to do listmaker in the office and keep it right on my desk so that each assignment or plot point can be crossed through. Makes for better time management during my writing hours. This took me most of 2008 to figure out.
  Now my question is what system works for you? I also have note cards at the ready with character names and sketches, not to mention background and minor character assets and flaws. I use plot points for each chapter and sometimes I might add or take away as I go along but at least I have something down I can start from and this works on many levels. Ans outline is not my thing but a story line with plot points works better for me.
  I wish you many good cozies to read and in 2009 I hope my book/s will be one of them. I also wish all of our authors great success with their books and series as we start another year.

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SEEDLINGS -- Aaron Paul Lazar

The Layoffs

I can't help it.

  My eyes sweep around the conference room, taking in engineers, technicians, and secretaries who sit at their tables and sip coffee, pretending to pay attention to the speaker. The topic on "Image Quality Trends in the Printing Industry" is interesting-to me, at least-but my mind won’t stay focused.
  About fifty people are scattered in rows, facing forward toward the projection screen. Folks I’ve known and worked with for almost three decades.
  I can’t stop the tide of questions that buzz my brain like a swarm of angry mud hornets.
  Which of us will be gone in two weeks? To whom will I have to say goodbye? Maybe all of them, if I’m affected. Will they stare at me with expressions of sympathy when I burst out of the boss’s office with a big thick "involuntary termination" package?
  How will I react if I’m cut?
  Will I hold it in and smile and try to make my boss feel better? I know it has to be hell for him. He’s the epitome of a good family man and great leader. This whole thing is killing him; you can see the pain in his eyes each time he speaks to us.
  Or will I choke up and flee? God, I hope not. I pray I’m more of a man than that.
  No matter what happens, it won’t be easy. We’ve suffered nineteen layoffs in the past twenty-seven years. I’ve sat at my desk, waiting for the axe to drop, waiting to find out which friends won’t be coming back, or if it will be me this time. Good friends. Real friends. Guys whose hands I’ve squeezed at their children’s funerals. Men whose wives had died of cancer. Babies have been born whose lives I’ve followed. Kids. Grandkids. Friends who’d had heart attacks and with whom I’d become exercise buddies to keep them safe. I even played matchmaker for the first and only time in my life to connect two wonderful folks who’d lost their spouses. And it worked. And they’re happy and together now. And then there are the pals who shared my love of writing. No more writing lunches with them, where we share our latest work or talk about writing skills or themes or characters.
  Gone. Vanished. Poof.
  I know they aren’t really gone. We can still see each other outside of work. We email. We try to stay in touch. But it’s hard. And often they need to move out of state for work.
  I meet the eyes of someone across the room with the same thoughts dark in their eyes.
  Will it be me this time?
  I sip the last of my Tazo mint tea, hoping for one more swallow to ease the tightness in my throat. There’s only a drop left.
  Will I survive? Will we lose our home, the place we’d settled and raised our kids and grandsons for over 23 years? And what about our expensive prescriptions? How will we afford them? Maybe we’ll end up moving in with my daughter. Squeezing all of our lives into one teensy tiny room.
  I think about that for a while. It might not be so bad.
  Spurts of nervous adrenaline course through me. I cast my eyes around the group again, counting by threes. Rumors of thirty percent cuts have been spreading, and the boss said he thought the rumors were pretty close. One two three. Cut. One two three. Cut. One two three. Me.
  Discarded. Tossed to the wind, as if I hadn’t killed myself for this job. This job I’ve really loved for twenty-seven long years. This job that’s paid the bills, kept us warm, put a roof over our heads, and put my kids through college. When the grandkids needed extra winter boots and leggings, I could always squeeze just a little more out to provide for them. When my wife fell and broke numerous bones, I’ve been able to help her get healed. We could afford the health care, barely. Even though the cost was shared by my employer, but it was cheap compared to most plans.
  Another thought lurches through me.
  Health care. Oh, God. What if I don’t find another job right away? There’s no way we could afford it if I don’t.
  The newscasts are full of sad stories about people who can’t find work. "There are no jobs," is repeated again and again in the hallways. The thoughts race through my mind, and I try to take a deep breath.
  A voice inside me makes me take notice.
  Stop it. Just stop it! You’re doing what you tell everyone NOT to do. Focus on what you have and stop panicking about something you don’t even know is going to happen, for God’s sake!
 &nbap;I force myself to relax and start taking my own advice.
  I have a wife and family I adore, who love me back.
  I’m able to stand and walk. I can breathe. I can think, love, cook, write, stand in the sun in my garden.
  I’m not undergoing cancer treatments.
  God doesn’t throw more at us than we can handle. Right?
  After the meeting, I counsel a friend who slumped even deeper than me. I repeat all that the voice inside told me. Always the positive guy. Always the helper. Always looking at the glass half full. That’s me.
  I speak softly to my friend. "When the Lord closes a door, he opens a window. There are untold possibilities out there, opportunities you’ve never imagined. Just waiting for you. It could be wonderful!"
  Now I just have to start believing it. There is life after Kodak, so I’m told. Maybe I’m about to find out.

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THE WRITING LIFE
(Quarterly and Guest Column)

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Reviews

Nothing Stops Noah
by Shari Lyle-Soffe
Illustrated by Kevin Scott Collier
Guardian Angel Publishing
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-935137-20-7
Print ISBN: 978-1-935137-19-1
Children's Picture Book
4-8 Year Olds
Reviewed by Mayra Calvani
  Nothing Stops Noah is an adorable children’s book that young children will enjoy reading again and again.
  Noah is a little but very determined boy. He wants to buy his mom a gift, but he doesn't have any money. So he decides to call his grandpa, who owns a pet shop. Grandpa offers him a job: Noah must count the rawhide bones (no problem, since he can count to ten!) and feed the pets in their cages. Nothing too difficult...that is, until something goes wrong and the pet shop turns into havoc as the mice, puppies, kittens and other pets get free. but no adversity stops Noah--in fact, nothing stops Noah! Clever boy that he is, he comes up with various ways to restore order and earn his money.
  Having reviewed all books by this author, I must say this one is different than her earlier works. In this book, the text is much shorter and as a consequence there's an illustration on every page, whereas before the stories were longer with less artwork. In this book, the prose is very tight, making each word count. The illustrations by Kevin Scott Collier are wacky and amusing, perfectly complementing the story, and ones that children will take pleasure in looking at for a long time. Though whimsical, the book carries an important message, empowering youngsters to act with purpose toward their goals.
  Nothing Stops Noah is a winner!

Author’s website: http://www.sharilyle-soffe.com
Author’s blog: http://www.nothingstopsnoah.blogspot.com

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Title: An Unconventional Murder
Author: Keith L. Levinson
Publisher: Uncial Press
ISBN: 978-1-60174-064-9
Genre: Mystery

  If you have ever attended a writers conference you will immediately identify with the characters in this fun read. Pity the people trapped in a hotel with a Colorado blizzard blowing snow in faster than it can be removed from the roads.
  Its annoying to everyone, especially Arthur Upton, President of the Colorado Fiction Writers Association, to find the blizzard has caused delays all around and prevented some speakers from attending. Moreover, he is highly irritated to learn an agent he detests is taking the place of one in a panel and for agents appointments with hopeful writers.
  Once the conference gets under way, rumor starts that a dummy has been set up as a body in one of the rooms for a mystery contest. Arthur knows no contest is planned and checks on the dummy. He is shocked to find a body instead and the body is dressed in clothes belonging to members of the group.
  Since no police can get to the scene, one of the speakers, a local policeman must take charge of the investigation and do his best. Arthur tries to help, but learns he is also one of the suspects as the investigation gets underway.
  This well told tale takes you into the inner workings of a conference and behind the scenes of a murder investigation with lots of clues, red herrings, and tension. This is one story that makes the reader feel like they're part of it. You'll be looking over your shoulder to see if the killer is sneaking up on you as you hurry down deserted hotel hallways to your room or try to locate the next session you want to attend. An exciting and suspenseful time is had by all.
  I'm pleased to recommend this to any mystery fan as well worth the time and a very satisfying read. The convention is like no other you'll ever attend yet is like those you have attended.
  Enjoy. I sure did.

by Anne K. Edwards

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Press Releases

BronzeWord’s Blog
One Place for All Things Writer
Jo Ann Hernández – BronzeWord1@yahoo.com

Please visit: http://bronzeword.wordpress.com

  Does anyone know the name of the star in the original movie: “The Blog.” Post it on the contact page.
  BronzeWord’s Blog is a new entry in the field of Latino news. The blog offers writers information on publishing news especially with an impact on Latinos/as, Latino/a book awards, Latino/a author’s new releases, agents and editors views and needs, writing techniques, contests guidelines and conferences information and marketing and promotional strategies. BronzeWord is passionate about helping Latinos/as maximize their writing potential. Articles will be provided to relevant writing news and to inspire and assist you to achieve your writing goals this year.
  BronzeWord’s Blog invites guest bloggers to submit articles in categories pertinent to the publishing industry. Guest bloggers are welcome to announce new services or opportunities for Latino/a authors and writers.
  BronzeWord’s Blog invites new writers to ask questions, seek guidance, and announce their victories, no matter how small or how big. Young Adults are invited to make comments, ask questions and be published. They can post their poetry and short stories. Also names of magazines and online publishers are provided where Young Adults can post their writing, so they can see themselves in print. I want young people to see they have a voice and the ability to broadcast that voice to the world before somebody puts them into vocational training.
  BronzeWord’s Blog invites published authors to talk about their experience, their marketing plans, ask for helping in getting word out on their books, and anything that would make their book life a more prosperous venue.
  BronzeWord’s Blog main goal is to provide the one place any Latino/a can come to for full coverage of the Latino/a book world and publishing industry. Soon free books will be given away.
  BronzeWord’s Blog is run by award-winning author, Jo Ann Hernandez. Her two books, The Throwaway Piece (2007, Arte Público Press) won first place and White Bread Competition (1997, Arte Público Press) won second place at the Chicano/Latino Literary Prize contest at the University of California, Irvine.
  Ms.. Hernández hopes to make BronzeWord’s Blog the one stop information site for all things in writing.
RSS feed and email subscriptions are provided.

Events

Resources

http://www.cbiclubhouse.com Children's Book site

Subscriptions to this ezine are Free. Please pass this on to friends you think would enjoy it.
Copyright (c) 2005 Mary Emmons All Rights Reserved

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Merry Christmas, Season's Greetings, Happy Holidays To All, and a Happy New Year

Mystery Fiction Monthly Ezine -- The Voice in the DarkIssue No. 48, December 2008

Co-Editor: Anne K. Edwards
marbob00@earthlink.net
http://www.Mysteryfiction.net
Co-Editor: Mayra Calvani
MGCalvani@hotmail.com
http://www.Mayracalvani.com
Slippery Book Review Blog
http://slipperybookreview.wordpress.com
Publisher: Eva Almeida

By subscription only. You are receiving this newsletter because you requested a subscription. To unsubscribe, send an email to marbob00@earthlink.net with your email address.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Voice in the Dark will continue to be open to well written, interesting submissions having to do with writing, publishing, and promotion of books. In addition to a subscription list, Voice in the Dark is posted each month on http://www.Mysteryfiction.net. If interested contact Anne K. Edwards at marbob00@earthlink.net with "Voice Submission" in your subject line.

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NOTE: Recommend visiting the site of the Southern Review to get the latest on Amazon and other publishing news. http://www.anvilpub.net/southern_review_of_books.htm

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NOTE: Books We Love is hosting another great contest for readers. Visit http://www.bookswelove.net and enter. Lots of prizes. Meet new authors and new reads. Visit Jude's Alter-Ego at http://www.judeatkins.com

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If you are interested in reviewing books, contact simegen@simegen.com. They are looking for qualified reviewers.

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NOTE:

  Crash the Puppy (my fictional, children's picture book character) is a columnist for Keep on Wagging, the new newsletter of Max the Golden Retriever, the super popular doggy blogger.
  If you love dogs, especially golden retrievers, and would like to subscribe to Keep on Wagging, visit: http://maxthegoldenretriever.com/golden-retriever-newsletter
  You will find Crash's column in each issue.
  Max the Golden Retriever also has a shop with many gifts ideas for those golden retriever enthusiasts.
  Crash is honored to be a columnist for the famous Max! Thank you, Max!
  To learn more about Crash, visit the publisher's page at: http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/crash.htm 50% of author royalties will be donated to Almost Heaven Golden Retriever Rescue and Sanctuary.

--Mayra Calvani

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Editor's Note
Fictional Character Interview
Featured Interviews
--Meet Mayra Calvani, Author
--Meet Janet Elaine Smith, Author
Book Excerpt --
Gladiator's Arena--by Mayra Calvani
Short Fiction
--The Feast of Calamity by Lad Moore
--Christmas with the CAV by John R. Lindermuth
Articles
--Everything You Always Wanted To Know About The Publishing Biz But Were Afraid to Ask by Louisa Burton
--Don't Give Up by Pamela Samuels
--The Stuff That Makes Characters Jump Off The Page by Marta Stephens
Sanctuary -- Columnist Mayra Calvani
Whodunit? -- Columnist Billie A. Williams
Seedlings -- Aaron Paul Lazar
This & That -- Columnist Dana Reed
The Writing Life -- Quarterly and Guest Column
Reviews
Events
Resources

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Editor's Note

  What are your Christmas memories? Or do you celebrate another holiday at this same time? What are the mainstays of your holiday? Are you encouraged to love others, to share, to remember your friends and family members who are gone? Do you shop like a mad person, trying to remember everyone's size and color preferences, musical and reading tastes? Do you bake until you hate the thought of food? Have you started packing ro that long trip home or a special vacation? Do you wait with bated breath to see what you'll receive--hoping for one of the latest gadgets or new clothes?
  Is your home decorated early and lavishly or do you like the spare style with only a tree and perhaps a wreath on the door? Do your children go about holding quiet discussions about what they want or ask for help with a letter to that guy in the famous red suit? Do they worry that he won't make it down the chimney or will find them if you've moved lately?
  What memories does the holiday bring back? Do recall with joy your own childhood and the anticipation of what was under the tree with your name on it? Did your family spend the day watching parades or listening to holiday music? Did friends visit? Did you go visiting or make that evening trek in the cold to church to celebrate the birth of your Savior?
  Are you one of those selfless people who spends the day helping the less fortunate, visiting shut ins, caroling along the streets, or delivering hot meals to those living on the streets? Do you work so those who celebrate the holiday can be home with family?
  However you spend your holiday season, the editors of The Voice in the Dark wish you Joy and Happiness, a lightening of the burdens you carry, and a lovely New Year. Bless you all!!!

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Interviews

Meet Mayra Calvani, Author
Interview by Dorothy Thompson
http://www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com

Q. Thank you for this interview, Mayra. Can you tell us a little about yourself and how long you've been writing?
A. I'm a Puerto Rico native, multi-genre author who loves to dabble into horror, suspense, paranormal, fantasy, satire, and nonfiction, from adults to young adults to children's picture books. I have a BA in Creative Writing and have lived in various countries, an experience that has deeply influenced my writing. I'm also a book reviewer and interviewer for Blogcritics and my own blogs, Mayra's Secret Bookcase >a href="http://www.mayrassecretbookcase.blogspot.com">http://www.mayrassecretbookcase.blogspot.com and The Dark Phantom Review http://www.thedarkphantom.wordpress.com.
  I've been writing since I was about twelve--short stories, and novellas which were passed around the class during lesson time, and plays that were produced for the end of the school shows. This was pretty much at secondary school level. I wrote my first novel during my sophomore year of high school. Needless to say, that never got published! Back then, I was influenced by Barbara Cartland and Agatha Christie, my two biggest 'mentors' during my early teens. I read their novels ravenously. I had the entire Christie collection of books translated into Spanish. I continued writing through college and it was then that I began writing seriously for small literary magazines. Those days I mostly wrote short fiction of the literary type. My tastes turned more eclectic and I became a big fan of Tama Janowitz, Robert Penn Warren, and Kate Chopin. Warren's amazing novel, The Cave, as well as Chopin's The Awakening, were revelations to me. It was later in my mid-twenties that I began to concentrate on writing novels, but it wasn't until I was in my mid-thirties that I published my first book--which actually was the fourth book I wrote. So if you count those first attempts in middle school, I've been writing for almost thirty years.

Q. Do you write full time?
A. Yes, I do, though I wish I were more of a disciplined writer. Being able to make your own schedule has its disadvantages, as I often get distracted by housework and other family-related errands. My house is often messy, but I've come to realize that a messy house is part of the life of a wife/mother/author. There are those times when you have to choose between doing laundry and writing that chapter, and if you're serious about writing, you better choose that chapter!

Q. Was there anyone in your life that you can give credit to helping pave the way?
A. My mother has always been unconditionally there for me, no matter what.

Q. What is your favorite book at the present?
A. The Awakening by Kate Chopin. I have read it countless times and never tire of it.Q. If you could trade places with one author who you have admired over the years, who would it be and why?
A. That would have to be Anne Rice. I discovered her books when I turned thirty and she became a major influence. The Vampire Lestat changed the way I looked at writing. Rice's vampire books mix commercial appeal with lyrical, insightful writing that I thought only existed in literary works. I fell in love with her dark, poetic style, her rich, baroque descriptions and with all the history and philosophy she always interlaces in her fiction. Sadly, her last books are nowhere near as good as her first works.
  Why would I want to trade places? I read she once got a twenty-million advance for a three-book deal! But I'd trade places with her only in a literary level and not in a personal level. Rice is an author who has suffered deeply. She lost her five-year-old daughter to leukemia (the result which was Interview with the Vampire) and, needless to say, I would never like to go through that, not even for all the millions in the world!

Q. Can you tell us a little about your latest book?
A. My latest book, co-authored with Anne K. Edwards, is The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing.
  A few years ago, I woke up in the middle of the night and 'heard' a voice in my head say, 'You have to write a book on how to write book reviews'. Afterwards, I immediately started writing down topics and preparing an outline. I also invited my author friend Anne K. Edwards to collaborate. This was a great decision because we complemented each other and she was able to come up with ideas I had not thought of before. It was a great experience working with Anne.
  We wrote The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing not only with the aspiring reviewer in mind, but for the established reviewer who needs a bit of refreshing and also for anybody--be they author, publisher, reader, bookseller, librarian or publicist--who wants to become more informed about the value, purpose and effectiveness of reviews.
  The book came out in June and already there are two universities using it as a textbook for book reviewing writing courses. I'm also proud to mention that the book was a National Best Books Award Finalist in the Writing & Publishing category.
  For a list of contents, excerpt and reviews, readers may visit http://www.slipperybookreview.wordpress.com

Q. What was the inspiration behind your book? Why did you feel a need to write it?
A. I started reviewing books about ten years ago, and I soon fell in love with the craft of reviewing. Getting free review copies was only part of it. However, in the beginning, I made my fair share of mistakes, especially falling prey to 'facile praise,' There were no books available to use as guides. At the same time, with the rise and growing popularity of the online review sites, I noticed there were a lot of new reviewers out there making all sorts of amateurish mistakes: some left out the evaluations, others gave away spoilers, others praised poorly written books, others wrote without clarity or even good spelling and grammar. Then, as I mentioned earlier, I 'heard' that voice in the middle of the night--my subconscious telling me to do something about it, to write a much-needed book on how to write honest, thoughtful, professional book reviews.

Q. What kind of research did you have to conduct to write your book?
A. We spent half a year conducting several polls and interviewing dozens of authors, reviewers, booksellers, librarians, publicists, and publishers on various aspects of book reviewing. We also did a poll with a hundred readers to find out the extent of the impact and influence of reviews. Mostly though, Anne and I wrote the book based on our own experiences as reviewers.

Q. What message are you trying to convey with this book?
A. The message I'd like to convey is that as reviewers, whether aspiring or experienced, we have a responsibility to the readers, a responsibility to write honest, thoughtful, clear, well-written reviews. I hope The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing will help reviewers of all levels achieve just that.

Q. Where do you get ideas to write your books?
A. Mostly from daydreaming, especially while I drive, walk, or do any type of routine work like washing dishes or brushing my teeth. My mind is always working, coming up with different scenarios, characters, settings. Voices in the head is the 'curse' of the writer.

Q. How do you deal with rejection?
A. Easy: I don't. I just ignore it. Fortunately for me, I'm very self-motivated.

Q. Do you write mainly by day or by night?
A. I'm definitely a morning bird. That's when my mind is fresher, clearer. My hubby goes to work and my kids to school and I stay with those 'voices in my head' in the quiet of my home, with my golden retriever posed at my feet while I pound on the keyboard. I admire those writers who can write from morning till evening. I can't. I start about 9am and by the time it's midday, my brain feels pretty tired. Then I switch to emailing, promoting and other stuff. Evenings and weekends are for my family. An exception to this is November. That's when I do the National Novel Writing Month (Nanowrimo) and then I write on and off at odd times of the day, seven days a week during the whole month.

Q. Do you ever get writer's block and what do you do when that happens?
A. I often do get writer's block. Inside my head there's a constant conflict between my inner censor and my inner writer. I continually have to order my censor to shut up and leave me alone. Taking a long walk helps. The best tactic, of course, is to plunge ahead and write no matter what the censor says. The more I stay away from writing, the harder it is getting back to it. Writing on a daily basis is the best medicine against writer's block. I tell myself, 'Leap, and the net will appear.'

Q. Can you tell us a little about the publisher who published your book? How have they been to work with?
A. My publisher is Twilight Times Books. In only a few years this company has grown from a small electronic publisher to a fully traditional mid-size publisher. The staff is extremely professional and Lida Quillen, the publisher, has been amazing to work with. I would whole-heartedly recommend this publisher to any author.

Q. Do you blog? If so, what can you tell my readers about the advantages of blogging as a useful tool in book promotion?
A. I mostly use my blogs to post reviews and author interviews. I also include the occasional book related announcement of one of my books, but I don't post personal or opinion pieces as many bloggers do. I find that many bloggers out there write stuff without substance, like what they did on a particular day. I don't have that much free time! But I do have the book covers, blurbs, and purchase links of my books on the sidebar for visitors to see. If you have a good looking blog that has interesting and informative material and that is clear and easy to navigate, you can use it as a fool for book promotion, but it's time consuming to keep the material fresh and to keep it coming at least once a week. When readers visit your blog, chances are they may check out your books (which of course are attractively displayed on the sidebar!) and sales may result.

Q. How do you deal with a bad review?
A. Bad reviews can hurt an author's ego, but they are, after all, one person's opinion. I once heard an author say, "If I never receive a bad review, it means not enough people are reading my book." These wise words are very true!

Q. Thank you for this interview, Mayra! Do you have any final words you'd like to share with my readers?
A. I'd like to cordially invite readers to visit my websites and blogs http://www.MayraCalvani.com, http://www.slipperybookreview.wordpress.com, and (children's fiction). I also keep two blogs where I regularly post reviews and author interviews. http://www.mayrassecretbookcase.blogspot.com and http://www.thedarkphantom.wordpress.com

Thanks for the interview, Dorothy. I enjoyed answering your questions!

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Meet Janet Elaine Smith, Author
Interview by Anne K. Edwards

Q. What do you find most rewarding about having written a story, article or book?
A. Oh, my, that's hard to answer. Is it getting to know my characters? They become such good friends by the time I finish a story or a book. Or is it the sense of accomplishment of typing the words "The End" after it is done? Each completed book says "You can do it!" That feels so good. Or maybe it is hearing from a reader who says something I wrote has made her life a little better, even if it is just that it made her smile or laugh a little.

Q. How did you happen to become an author?
A. My husband and I were missionaries in Venezuela for 9 years, a long time ago. When we returned to the US, I wanted to write the experiences we had had there so I wouldn't forget them. I had always loved to read. I owe my parents for that. They were both voracious readers and they encouraged us to read from the time we were very young. By the time I finished the book on Venezuela, I had fallen in love with the whole process of writing. I had no idea how hard it would be to get published. While I was waiting for that evasive 'open door' for my books, I found a niche writing for magazines. I still write for several of them every issue. I don't enjoy the non-fiction writing for magazines nearly as much as I do the fun of the fictional books, but I have learned a lot from all of the research the magazine writing requires. Also, some of these 'real life adventures' can turn into some great novel ideas.

Q. Would you like to talk about your career or future plans?
A. When I started writing, nearly 30 years ago, I didn't think about it as a career. Now, I know that if an author is to succeed they have to consider it as a serious job. It is so much more than just simply putting words on a sheet of paper or a computer screen though. There is the research, the formulating of the plot, getting acquainted with the characters so they seem like real people to the readers, then the writing, the editing, and finally the marketing so it can become at least somewhat successful. If you don't market your books, there really isn't any point in writing, unless you just enjoy doing it and don't care if anybody else ever reads them or not.

Q. Have you favorite authors who have influenced your work?
A. That is another hard question, because there are so many. I love reading in different genres, so I like writing that way too. I think it would be very boring to always write the same kind of books. Mary Higgins Clark has been very encouraging to me for many years. John Grisham has written about my life, so he has proven to me that I have things that are worth writing about. In fact, I even have a 'John Grisham and Me' page on my website at http://www.janetelainesmith.com . Billie Williams and I got acquainted in some online writing groups and we became like sisters. When my husband of 42 years died in January of this year, she rescued me by inviting me to move into the house next to her and her husband Tom in northern Wisconsin. I love the area, the people, and I owe her a lot. And she is a fantastic writer. I love reading her books, although we write very differently. Deb Stover and her "READ" Yahoo group have all been wonderful friends and I adore her books. I constantly discover new authors who have such great talent. Many of the new, lesser known ones have far more creativity than many of the "New York Times best-sellers." S.K. Hamilton's book The Kahills of Willow Walk is a perfect example of that. So is Barry Yeltsin's Scarecrow in Gray, which I just finished reading. And Alice Duncan has finally gotten a new "Daisy Gumm" book out, and she is such fun! I've been reading Alice's books for well over 20 years,, and I've never met an Alice Duncan book I didn't love. And Kristie Leigh Maguire and I formed an online friendship quite a few years ago, and when she started Star Publish LLC, she invited me to bring my books along to Star. I hesitated, but through a lot of unforeseen circumstances, the time was right, and they have been wonderful to work with. I am also their Marketing Director now. As my mother would have said, "Who'da thunk it?" I knew nothing about marketing, but I find it really quite enjoyable now that I've gotten my feet wet. In fact, I have a book out with marketing tips, called Promo Paks: Nearly Free Marketing for Authors.

Q. Do you have a website for readers to visit?
A. Yes, I have several of them, actually. My main site is at http://www.janetelainesmith.com. I have one that just has my books on it (including a 1st chapter excerpt of each of my 19 books) at http://janetelainesmithstarbooks.tripod.com. Some of my characters have gotten so pushy that they have insisted on having a website of their own. Patrick and Grace of the Patrick and Grace Mysteries, can be found at http://crumbycapers.tripod.com and Monday Knight is located at http://meetmondayknight.tripod.com . She has even started a correspondence with one of the US senators lately! I figure most politicians live in a dream world anyway, and don't really know what everyday life is like, so I have not told him she's a fictional character.

Q. Where is your work available?
A. All of my books can be ordered through most online bookstores, and they are almost always on discount at Amazon.com. Also, they are on many bookshelves across the country, both chains and independent bookstores. If they aren't there, they can be ordered. If you go to my Starbooks site listed above, there is a link that will take you to a place where you can order them just by clicking on the covers.

Q. Are you currently working on a project?
A. I'm always working on a project. I have a new book that just came out called Hi, Daddy! It is a contemporary/humorous romance that takes the term "extended family" to new limits. I just finished writing Madison Rock Mistress, a historical set on Lake Pepin, which is just a wide spot in the Mississippi River on the Minnesota-Wisconsin border. I am working now on a non-fiction book on genealogy. I have taught genealogy fo 16 years, and will be doing so again after the first of the year. Several of my books (the historicals) have been outgrowths of my genealogical research. I enjoy combining real people with "make believe" ones. I have heard from people who insist that they have known some of the fictional characters. I love it when that happens. I have tons of books in my head and I am always "working" on them in my head, but I don't technically work on more than one at a time.

Q. Would you like to tell the readers anything about yourself?
A. Oh, goodness. So many people know so much about me, I feel like my life is an open book. I guess for one thing, I hope that my books can inspire, as well as entertain my readers. My brother-in-law once made a letterhead up for me. He had my 'jobs' running all down one whole side of the page. It included things like 'genealogist, author, mom, wife, baker, pianist, organist, accordionist, missionary, social worker, public speaker...' I don't remember what all else he had on there. At the very bottom he wrote, "Jill of many trades, mistress of not many." It was funny, but he pretty well had me pegged. I thrive with people around me, but too much alone time gets me melancholy. I know, that comes as a shock to some people. They think I laugh all the time, even to myself. Well, if you give me a good book, that might be true. Or a good movie on TV. When I read a book, even one of my own, if it makes me laugh and cry, depending on the circumstances, I consider it a success.
  I am blessed with three really good kids, had a pretty good marriage for 42 years, and that's a lot more than many people get, and I have a ton of really great friends. As long as I have them, I can get through most anything.
  This year has been a bit of a strain, since I lost my husband in January, but all in ll, I've made it through. Shortly before he died he told me, "I feel bad that you havehad to take care of me for so long and you didn't get to do so many things you wanted to. I hope you will get to do them." I feel like he gave me his permission to have a good life, and it's working. I think he's smiling down at me, probably shaking his head in wonder and thinking that he didn't know what he was saying!

Q. How do you prepare to start a new book? Do you write every day?
A. I work on it in my head for a long time before I actually sit down at the computer to start on a new book. I use filing cards and write down interesting things about each of the main characters, and some of the minor ones--if they pop up ahead of time. I have the general idea of the plot. If it is a historical, I use a timeline to itemize the events of that ers, then on the other side of the line, I write in the events of the characters' lives. That works much better for me than outlining. Once I get started on the actual writing, my characters often lead me astray. They think they are the bosses! I know a book is really "working" when I dream about it.
  I write something every day. I wish it was on my books, but a lot of times it is on magazine articles that I'm on assignment for. The magazines, unfortunately, make more money for me than my books do. Maybe one day that will reverse itself. My books are selling quite well, but I have to work at that (the marketing) every day. Once I actually get started on a book, though, it is easier to stick to it until it's finished.

Q. What is your favorite way to begin a project? Do you do an outline? Or start with a plot or characters first?
A. I guess I already answered that above.

Q. What impels or inspires you to write?
A. People. I love watching people, no matter where I am. Life is full of so many interesting characters and such funny things that happen that I can't imagine writers who say they can't figure out what to write about. For instance, my book A Christmas Dream started from what looked like a 'normal' family at McDonald's. Many of my books have started from things that I have run across in my genealogy research. My Dear Phebe (a young adult Civil War book) started with some letters a little 10-year-old girl got from her uncle.

Q. How do you set about developing characters?
A. When I am preparing to start a new book I carry a little notebook in my purse or pocket. When I see somebody doing something that I think one of my characters would do, I jot it down. The same thing with something interesting in a person's appearance. I go around the house talking to them. Sometimes they even answer me! LOL! I try to imagine what they would do if they were in a certain circumstance I see people in. Like a couple is sitting in the park and they are arguing, what would my characters do? Would they go interfere? Would they move over close enough so they could hear them? Or would they be the ones who were arguing?

Q. How did you happen to get into your radio shoe? Do you enjoy interviewing writers? Can authors contact you for an interview? If so, how would they do this?
A. Lillian Cauldwell, the owner and producer of Passionate Internet Voices Radio approached me and asked me if I would like to host a show. Actually, to start with, I did two shows. One is "Marketing for Fun and Profit," and the other one was a Spanish program. I just don't have enough hours in my day to do everything I want to. I still do the Marketing Show every week. Maybe one day I will get back to the Spanish one. It was fun. "Marketing for Fun and Profit" airs live every Thursday at 8 p.m. ET. You can get it at http://internetvoicesradio.com. It is also archived, so you can listen to it for 3 months after the initial airing.
  I love meeting and interviewing the authors. It is fun not only to hear about their books, but to bounce around ideas on how to market their books. Sometimes people come up with some real unique approaches to marketing, and other times they are looking for suggestions and answers.
  Yes, I'm always looking for interesting new authors to interview. They can contact me to request an interview at PIVTRprograms@yahoo.com . They should send me a link to their website and a very short description of their book and a brief bio. It's not hard at all. They don't even have to get dressed up. Like I tell people, I look so much better on the radio than I do on TV!

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THE GLADIATOR'S ARENA
by Mayra Calvani

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Short Fiction

The Feast of Calamity
by Lad Moore

In the beginning, all we wanted to do was thank the nice Indians.

  Norman Rockwell had a way of portraying not only what was, but what he thought should be. The "should be" was how I always viewed those chummy families that were the Ward Cleavers and the Ozzie Nelsons of the world. In reality, I knew better tan to believe that people sat around Thanksgiving dinner in the Perfect Americana roles depicted by those television families. I really doubted that Dad had on that sweater from last Christmas, or that Mom actually wore high heels and earrings while preparing giblet gravy. I also doubted that anyone owned a dining table that could seat twenty-vive. True reality was one average-sized grown-up's table and two or more kid's card tables. I also doubted that Theodore "Beaver" Cleaver actually said grace with any comfort while dad stood poised over a once-free now-lifeless bird, shining saber in hand. And I knew that Grandpa did not smell like sweet pipe tobacco. He smelled like moth balls.
  The syrupy scenes didn't stop there. The TV stories would always include some good deed, some drippy kindness. Maybe it would be Beaver bringing a tramp home to share the fare. Or perhaps it would be Ozzie dropping a C-note in a Salvation Army kettle. But worst of all was Ricky Nelson capping off the big dinner with a solo of his top ten hits.
  All the while is brother Dave sat in the easy chair beaming a big smile to conceal his raging jealousy. We were further coached by TV that the rightful end to such a day would be the gentle assembly of the complete family in the living room, tubbing on suspenders and loosening their belts a couple of notches to brave the second round of pie and coffee yet to come. If truth were permitted and manners forsaken, anyone offering yet more pie would have been shot.
  All these doubts were honed by actual calamities I had witnessed at our own family Thanksgivings over the years. I describe holiday pandemonium as "calamity" for the fireworks that were always going off in my brain when twenty people were discussing thirty subjects at once. Admittedly, in all my life there was only one real calamity, the time our black sheep uncle "Boomer" got drunk on moonshine and began a squabble with his brother-in-law Norborn-something about the 1929 Yankees being compared to the current edition of the Houston Astros. In the heated exchange of stats, Boomer rose from his chair abruptly. His sizeable paunch caught the edge of the Thanksgiving table, causing it to rise thirty degrees from plane. The center table leaf fell out and plates and platters began a rapid skid south as would pucks on a cruise ship shuffleboard deck. Like an open laundry chute, everything fell through the hole where the leaf had been, landing in a heap amidst the death screams of the women-folk. My grandfather, trying to put a favorable spin on things, loudly proclaimed:

"Well, it all gets mixed together in our bellies anyway."

  In what was less than festive finality, my grandmother called the police to cart Boomer away. She would pay his fine the next day and send him back to El Paso on the Trailways bus. He would be back for Christmas.
  And there was that time when Uncle SB cut off a sliver of his thumb while slicing the cranberry sauce. Because of the complimentary color of the sauce, he didn't notice it until everyone had already loaded their plates. "Best not to say anything," he later told me privately.
  Once Aunt Callie was asked to deliver the Thanksgiving prayer. She began by giving thanks to Jim and Tammy Bakker, followed by all officials and staff of the PTL Club by name in alphabetical order. I opened one eye as she approached the middle of the alphabet, and saw that everyone else had one eye open as well, and that SB had already consumed most of one drumstick. By the time she reached the letter "S", everyone was eating. Thankfully, no one worked at PTL in the QQ, X. or Z sections.
  Network television always tried to ruin the day. They would start by airing four or five parades, using TV celebrities dressed in layers of fur like they were reporting from Antarctica. Following that miserable four hours, they never once managed to offer us a decent football game. It was usually the sad Detroit Lions playing the lifeless Cowboys, and neither team won. Sportscaster John Madden always trotted out a turkey with eight drumsticks to present to the team who actually took the field. One network tried hosting the Texas and Texas A&M rivalry game. Then in sympathy, it was realized that no Aggie lineman should be asked to forego a heavy meal and the series was pushed to the weekend.
  Russian Roulette being more predictable than it should be, Thanksgiving will be held at my house this year. The crowd is supposed to arrive as the Macy's Parade starts. I have a hangman's noose tied to the ceiling fan in the den.
  My cue will be the sound of the doorbell.

****************

Story (c) Copyright 2008 by the author, Lad Moore. All rights reserved.
The author's two books of short stories, "Tailwind" and "Odie Dodie" are available at: Amazon.com, Books a Million, and Barnes and Noble. Book copies personally signed by the author may be obtained at bookstand prices by contacting him directly at pogo@shreve.net .>br?A third short story collection, "Riders of the Seven Hills" will be released to booksellers in early 2009.

***************

Christmas with the CAV
by John R. Lindermuth

  Hooker drew up a chair and grimly seated himself opposite his friend Private Lee. "Christmas brings out the best and worst in men, according to their circumstances," Hooker said, leaning across the desk and pointing a stubby finger in Lee's face. "And ours couldn't be worse."
  Leaning back in his chair, Lee cradled his head on his palms and reflected. He didn't think things were quite as bad as Hooker made out. This was in the time when the 1st Cavalry Division still flanked the DMZ in Korea, eyeball-to-eyeball with an arrogant enemy, and that was not a pleasant situation. Yet, Lee knew, soldiers will complain--wherever they're stationed, whatever their duty. It was as natural as wearing a uniform, walking guard or awaiting the next pass. And the approach of the holidays was providing a few unexpected, welcome breaks from the normal routine. The General's wife, who apparently considered herself their surrogate mother, had sent each man in the Division a Christmas or Chanukah card, a task requiring no small amount of time. Despite the derision it prompted from many, Lee was touched by the personal gesture.
  Christmas trees and decorations had sprouted in the offices and barracks and even the cannons of the tanks eternally pointed toward the enemy up on the line were festooned with garlands and wreaths. "Care" packages arrived daily from back home and the mess hall had promised a holiday dinner with all the trimmings. The Division wasn't putting out a paper for Christmas or New Years so, except for the possibility of pulling guard or an enemy invasion, they had no duties to speak of for a week. Lee was basically a lazy young man and the mere idea of no work produced in him a state of euphoria.
  Then there was the matter of Pappy's party.
  Still, Lee missed his girl and family. "It could be better," he agreed.
  "You got any money?" Hooker asked now, coming around to the real point of his visit.
  "Pay day's another week off. I spent everything for Christmas presents."
  Hanging his head, Hooker lit a cigarette and exhaled a miasma of blue smoke that drifted like fog across the desk. "Do you think Pappy has any money?"
  Lee waved a hand irritably at the smoke. "Of course, he does. Pappy always has money. But, remember, it'll cost you double if he gives it to you."
  "That burns me. Somebody should report him."
  Lee laughed. "To who? The Lieutenant's his partner and the Major's counting short-time. Besides, who else has money to loan out?"
  "I wish I was a sergeant."
  Lee laughed again. "You still wouldn't have any money, Hook. You blow it all on booze and gals."
  Hooker shrugged. "What else is there to do in this God-forsaken country? Do you think he'll give me a loan?"
  "Don't ask me. How's your credit? What do you need it for anyway?"
  Hooker hung his head again. "I forgot to buy a present for somebody. Where is he, anyway?"
  Lee jabbed thumb over his shoulder toward the office behind them. "Him and Davey and Sam are in with the Major."
  "What are they up to?"
  "Wrangling a pass for you, me lads," came a voice from behind them. Sergeant Mike "Pappy" Yeager strode toward them, grinning like an appetite-satisfied terrier. Lt. Alfred "Davey" Crockett and Cpl. Sam Thatcher followed close behind.
  "Passes?" Hooker and Lee said together.
  "Right. Passes. We're off to the village."
  "Now?" Hooker asked.
  "In the daytime?" Lee added.
  Pappy nodded. "Immigi-ately."
  "On a mission of mercy," Davey Crockett put in.
  "Mercy?"
  "Right," Crockett said. "I've delegated my able associate here to take the squad down to the ville and liberate the booze for our party."
  "Booze from the ville...in the daytime?" Lee asked.
  "Right," Pappy told them, his sharp eyes glittering with amusement. "I've arranged with your namesake, Mamasan Lee, to acquire a quantity of good old American sauce--scotch, bourbon, vodka," he said, ticking them off on his fingers. "All at a most reasonable price."
  "American booze...from the village?" Lee said, starry-eyed.
  "In the daytime?" Hooker said again. "How we gonna get it past the MPs?"
  "I've reconnoitered the area," Sam said, "and our good friend, Chavez, is on duty at the gate. Since he's invited to the party, he's not going to be inquisitive and foul things up."
  "We're really gonna have a party and you and Davey are paying for everything?" Lee asked Pappy.
  "You might say it's a Christmas present for our loyal customers."
  Lee and Hooker exchanged doubtful glances. Pappy was a most mercenary man. For him to do something without consideration of profit was highly uncharacteristic. They wondered if there was a hidden catch. The men regarded Pappy with ambivalence. He was their NCO in charge, editor of the Division newspaper they worked on. If the General's wife was their mother, he was indubitably their father. He could be a merciless taskmaster when he wanted production and a gouge when they needed a loan, yet, at the same time, he was always available and ready with sensible advice when a man had a problem or needed encouragement. And he wangled them privileges unheard of in other units. From Davey, who by virtue of rank, should have been the leader turned to Pappy for direction.
  "And the Major knows about all this?" Lee asked, incredulous.
  "The Major is a good scout," Davey said.
  "And," Pappy added, "in exchange for a bottle of scotch, he continues to see, hear and speak no evil. Let's be off."
  "You coming too, Davey?" Hooker asked?
  "To the ville? As an officer and gentleman, such conduct..."
  "No, man. I meant to the party.">br?  Davey traded a pained look with Pappy. "Consort with enlisted men? I am obliged to raise cups with my fellow officers and gentlemen at the BOQ." Then, he smiled. "Of course, you idiot. As soon as those snobs are snookered enough for me to sneak out, I'll be there."
  Pappy thumbed his hawk nose at Davey. "We salute you, sire. I shall now take leave to escort my valiant squad 'crost the frozen fields to accomplish our assigned mission."
  With a wild bellow of laughter, Davey cuffed him. "Be off, you oafs. And don't drink any on the way back."
  It had snowed a little overnight and the straw-roofed houses of the village sat like mushrooms in a field of white below them as they ambled down th hill toward the gate.
  Passing clusters of other soldiers, some working on vehicles or walking guard, doing mess hall chores, policing the area and additional tasks, Lee reflected on how lucky he was to be on the Cavalier staff. They were an elite group, despised by a few, tolerated by others and envied by all. Ambitious officers, conscious of how stories and photos detailing their accomplishments brought recognition and abetted advancement, granted him privileges unknown to other soldiers. And, because they didn't flaunt their advantages and were gregarious, decidedly unmilitary and likable young men, and Pappy employed his wheeling and dealing to provide opportunities for all, they were admired and respected by other less fortunate enlisted men. Holding his head erect, thrusting his shoulders back, Lee doubled his pace to catch up to Pappy, suddenly very proud to be a member of this unit doing its part in defending Freedom's Frontier.
  Chavez winked, knowingly, and waved as they passed through the gate and headed into the village.
  The village had a look of poverty, though it was probably wealthier than most because of its proximity to the military camp. The twenty or so houses and stores, restaurants and bars comprising the village were jammed together, helter-skelter, on both sides of a narrow muddy track. The air which had been brisk and clean up on the hill was polluted now with an effluvium of moldering straw, stale food smell, human stench and the excrement of chickens, dogs and oxen that ranged freely through the village. Old men sat or stood in huddles, talking and smoking, women cooked, washed clothes and gossiped near the hootches, and everywhere roamed children--boys in black school uniforms and caps that made them resemble miniature policemen and girls like little dolls in frayed but clean and bright-colored gowns.
  Flashing her familiar, gold-toothed smile as they entered the Starlight Club, Mamasan Lee immediately put a record on the turnstile. "Sho-jo-ji," a Japanese folk song that had become Pappy's theme in the village.
  Sho, Sho, Sho-jo-ji,
  Sho-jo-ji, No-ni-wa-wa,
  Tsun, tsun, tsu-ki-yo-da,
  Minadete-ko, koi, koi!
  Giggling, a trio of girls who had been smoking and smacking gum in boredom around the charcoal stove clustered around them, clapping their hands and singing the chorus, "Koi, koi, koi, koi, koi, minadete koi, koi, koi!" Beaming, Pappy strode to the bar, joining the girls on the second chorus of the song which told of Tanuki-san, the badger, beating his belly like a drum in the moonlight, calling on his friends to join him and enjoy the wonders of the night.
  Mamasan sat up a round of beers, big bottles of the domestic OB brand, dark and yeasty, and the girls cuddled up to the boys, laughing and talking. Mamasan put on an American record and Thatcher took one of the girls in his arms and whirled out on the dance floor.
  More music, dancing and laughter followed and all were in a merry mood when Mamasan finally produced a wooden crate containing the object of their mission. Pappy opened the crate and made a quick inventory before paying Mamasan.
  "Holy Hannah!" Hooker said, eying the array of bottles with avarice. "I've never seen such stuff. I'll bet the officers don't even get stuff this good. Where'd she get it, Pappy?"
  Mamasan beamed with pride as her accomplishment and the wad of money she was stuffing into her bodice as Pappy explained, "anything you want is available on the black market, provided you have the shekels to pay for it. Yours is not to reason whence it came, but to heft one end of the crate whilst Lee takes the other. And be careful, lads. I don't want any lost."
  "Why you taking booze away?" Mamasan asked, frowning. "You no having party here?"
  "No, my love. This is for a special migook holiday party on post. A Christmas party."
  "Korean peoples having Christmas, too."
  "I know, and a very merry one to you, madam."
  "You no wanting girls? Girls too much liking party."
  "Of that I'm well aware and their company is always a pleasure. But, alas, not this time. Inform the girls I, personally, will select number-one presents for each and all from the PX. They will be delivered in due time by one of my able associates. Until then, adieu."
  They left Mamasan shaking her head in bewilderment but, happily, recounting her money.
  "No girls?" Hooker asked outside. "What kind of party we gonna have with no girls?"
  "I didn't say there would be no girls," Pappy said, smiling mysteriously. "I said these particular girls weren't invited. This is a special occasion and our party will be graced by the presence of a bevy of young ladies of the ARC."
  "Donut Dollies! You gotta be kidding. They always go to the BOQ party," Hooker said.

  "Not this time," Pappy told hiim, smiling again. "I decided it was time the Red Cross provided enlisted men with a little more than coffee, donuts and cigarettes."
  "How'd you arrange that?"
  "Let's just say some choice words were whispered in proper circles."
  "What words? What circles?" Lee asked.
  "I'm not at liberty to say at present," Pappy answered, another mysterious smile flickering over his lips. Steepling his hands before him, gazing skyward, he added, "You might say there was a bit of Divine intervention."
  Ultimately, the great party day arrived and the staff and other invited GIs gathered at Pappy's quarters. "Hey, what gives? Isn't the party here?" Hooker asked as Pappy locked the door of his hootch.
  "The party is later. First, we're going to church."
  "Church? What're we going there fore?" Lee asked.
  "I hain't been in church since I got here," Hooker said.
  "Good enough reason for going," said Pappy, who despite his many failings went to church faithfully every Sunday. Many thought it hypocritical, others assumed it was somehow connected with his ceaseless business activities, but none dared question him about it. "Since we wouldn't have Christmas without Christ, I think it's not only appropriate but imperative we go and thank Him for it."
  "But I'm a Buddhist," Thatcher protested.
  "The Lord isn't prejudiced. The chapel's open to all," Pappy said, turning on his heel and starting off.
  There was a bit more grumbling but finally they followed. After all, Pappy had the booze locked up. There wouldn't be a party without him, so they saw no alternative but to humor him. They entered the chapel and went through the motions--except for Thatcher who stubbornly remained outside, acting as doorman and greeting all arrivals with a cheery "Om-padme-om."
  Their chagrin increased after the service when Pappy led them to the chaplain's office instead of his hootch. The furniture had been pushed to the sides and a great Christmas tree, hung with bright balls and garlands of popcorn, stood in the center of the room. A table along one wall held trays of sandwiches, cakes and cookies and other sweets, a large bowl of punch and several cases of soft drinks. Another table was laden with stacks of gaily-wrapped presents.>br?  The GIs exchanged shocked stares. "What do you think, guys?" asked Pappy, who stood grinning in their midst.
  "We're gonna have our party here?" Lee asked?
  "Good evening, boys," said Father Flanagan, the chaplain, who was followed in by Davey Crockett, laden with more presents. "Nice seeing you all in church," Father added.
  "Donut Dollies and a priest?" Thatcher said, scratching his head.
  "Yeah, and where's the booze?" Hooker asked.
  "All your questions will be answered post haste," Pappy said, consulting his watch. "Now, excuse me a moment, gentlemen," and he disappeared into a back room.
  The silence that followed and hung over the room for long moments like a hovering hawk was broken by the sound of vehicles arriving and the voices of many small children. The door popped open and the Donut Dollies burst in, bearing more gifts and food and accompanied by a troupe of children and Miss Oh, the young and attractive directress of the county orphanage.
  The GIs had barely recovered from this surprise when a bugle blared from behind them. Swinging around, they were confronted by the sight of Pappy, decked out in a horsehair papasan hat, dark glasses and a scarlet kimono embroidered with gaudy golden dragons. "I couldn't find a Santa Claus suit," he explained with a shrug and a boyish grin. "Come on, girls," he yelled, "get the kids some food and Santa Hot-apogee will give them presents and tell them all about Tiny Tim-yah and Scroogehot-apogee, Bah, Humbugasayah!"
  There was no time for questions then as the girls, herding the shy, affection-starved children ahead of them, swooped in on the GIs. No explanations were necessary. Time passed without notice. There was talking and laughing and singing in several languages and tears fell without shame as the Americans saw the children eating sweets and guzzling pop and opening presents of dolls and toys and other things they'd never seen in such bounteous supply.
  Later, Lee and Hooker found Pappy, seated on the floor with Miss Oh by his side, surrounded by a group of beaming children, all of them singing a Christmas carol. "What do you think of my party, guys?" he asked as the song ended.
  "Great," Lee said, kneeling beside him. "Even without the booze."
  "Yeah," Hooker agreed. "Whatever happened to the booze, anyway?"
  "He sold it to the officers to raise money for this party," Davey Crockett said, coming up to them with Father Flanagan.
  "No kidding? Well, if a dry party can give you this kind of jolt, I'm all for it," Hooker said.
  Pappy smiled. "It does feel good, doesn't it? We all do a lot of drinking over here and it's because we're trying to forget where we are and what we face if Charlie decides to come back South. But it doesn't work. We're still here and he still might come and all we have the next day is a lousy hangover. There's no profit in that. I thought this might be a better investment."
  "No denying that," Lee said, hugging a little girl who snuggled up next to him with her new doll.
  "I wish I could say my sermons accomplished this," Father Flanagan said, a wistful tone in his voice as he gazed at Pappy. "Why don't you tell them everything, Michael?"
  "Aah," Pappy muttered, hanging his head and blushing behind the dark glasses.
  "Maybe it was your sermons, Father," Lee ventured.
  "No. I'm afraid not. Michael started coming to chapel because of a deal he made me."
  "Deal? What deal?" Lee and Hooker asked.
  "Tell them, Michael. Or we will. They have a right to know," Davey said. "After all, they're major contributors."
  "Aah."
  "Or do you want all the credit for yourself?" Davey prodded.
  The head shot up, the glasses were swept off and his eyes flashed. "Hey! I didn't do it for no credit. Besides, you guys helped. I couldn't have done it without you."
  "And them," Davey said, gesturing around the room at the other GIs. "Father and I only helped a little compared to them."
  "Hey, for cripe's sake...oops, sorry, Father. I mean, what are you guys talking about?" Hooker asked.
  Placing a hand on Pappy's arm, gazing at him warmly, Miss Oh said, "Michael has been helping the orphanage for months. We would have had to send the children away long ago if it had not been for him. And you."
  "Us?" Lee said.
  Pappy faced them. "Except for a little operating capital, the payback on your loans goes directly to the orphanage. It's never enough. The building's a mess. The furnace is worn out and the roof leaks. But we manage to keep the kids fed and clothed and reasonably happy."
  "Well, why didn't you just ask us to donate instead of making us think you were a Shylock?" Lee asked.
  "Would you have given as much as you do in paying double on your loans?" Father asked. "Of course, you wouldn't. I know you mean well but, let's face it, GIs never have any money. That was the beauty of Michael's scheme."
  "But how'd you get involved in this in the first place, Pappy?" Hooker asked.
  "I saw Miss Oh in the village one day. I didn't know who she was. But you know me. I'll follow a beautiful lady anywhere. When I got out there...well, I'm just a sucker for little kids."
  He came to me and we got our heads together to see what we could do," Davey said. "I suggested talking to Father and he made a deal with Pappy. Come to church and I'll do what I can to help the project."
  "And he has. Clothes from back home, food from the mess hall, medical supplies. And him and Davey kept me from getting in trouble for loan-sharking and other scams. Actually, it's been a group effort from Day One."
  "Well, what do you know about that? Christmas with the Cav hain't so bad after all, is it, Hook?" Lee said.
  "Yeah. Except for one thing."
  "Oh? What's that?"
  "You know that loan I wanted before?"
  "Yeah."
  "Well, Pappy turned me down. Said I owed too much already."
  "So?"
  "So you'll have to wait till payday for your Christmas present," Hooker told him.

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Articles

The following article first appeared in the December 2008 issue of ShoreLines, newsletter for the Long Island Romance Writers. Permission to forward or reprint, with proper credits, granted.

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About the Publishing Biz But Were Afraid to Ask
by Louisa Burton

  Authors wear two hats, that of the artist and that of the business person. Most of us don’t like that second hat one little bit. We don’t like the look or feel of it. It never seems to fit quite right. Most of all, it’s just so freakin’ tacky. Tacky and scary. Dollar signs. Decimal points. Numbers. If we could look at numbers without getting the shakes, would there have been that vexatiously ignominious—that downright opprobrious—two-hundred point gap between our math SATs and our verbal SATs?
  The big problem for most of us when we finally—Hallelujah!—score that first contract with a book publisher (the focus of this article is on print rather than electronic publication) is that we find ourselves hurled headfirst into an industry we know very little about. They shove a twenty-page contract under your nose and say sign all three copies and send it back, and you say, “Um... What’s the human translation of all this pub-speak, anyway?” And it’s not just jargon. There are business conventions that are unique to the publishing industry. It’s a really good idea, even if you already have an agent, to have a passing acquaintance with these conventions before The Call actually comes.
  We working writers are in the enviable position of being sole proprietors of our own creative businesses; we make something that another company manufactures and sells. More specifically, we produce a written product in which we own the various rights of reproduction, derivation, translation, and so forth, those rights as a whole being known as our copyright. When we go to contract with a book publisher, we’re licensing certain of those rights—those specified in the contract—to the publisher in return for remuneration in the form of royalties.
  The operative phrase in that sentence is “in return for remuneration.” The publisher pays us for the right to publish our book. We never, never, never pay the publisher. A real publisher will never ask you for a cent. Ever. If you pay a vanity press to “publish” your book, you’re forking over enough money for them to manufacture it, unedited, and make a profit without actually offering it to the public, which is the very definition of “publication.” It’s worth noting that vanity “publication” is not the same as self-publication, a legitimate process in which the author acts as his or her own publisher. For more excellent information on the scams to which aspiring authors are susceptible, go to Writer Beware http://www.sfwa.org/beware.
  Royalties. Royalties are a percentage of the cover price of every book of yours that’s sold. For example, if the price on your book jacket is $25 and your royalties are 10%, you get $2.50 for every book sold. That’s the simple definition, but of course nothing’s ever that simple.
  Royalty rate. First of all, what royalty percentage are you likely to get? That generally depends on which format your publisher chooses for your book. The three standard formats are:

  Hardcover. You’ll get 10% or more up to a certain number of copies, after which the rate will escalate.
  Trade paperback. These are the oversized paperbacks that usually sell in the $10-$15 range. The standard starting royalty (before escalation) is 7.5%.
  Mass market paperback, the small ones that fit the racks in mass market outlets like grocery stores and airports. A typical starting royalty would be 6% or 8%.

  The Advance. When you go to contract, you’ll be paid an advance right up front, regardless of whether you’re selling on the basis of a proposal or a completed manuscript. It could be $2,000 or $2 million, depending on the book and your publisher’s plans for it. (The advances for first sales of most mass market genre novels are in the $5,000 to $10,000 range per book, more for books deemed “bigger.”) This isn’t separate from your royalties; it’s actually an advance against royalties, which means you don’t start receiving royalty payments until you’ve “earned out” your advance.
  Here’s how it works. When your book hits the shelves and starts selling, your publisher starts running a tally of how much you’re earning, based on your royalty rate. Let’s say you’re getting 10% of a $25 book, and your advance was $50,000. At $2.50 per book, you’d have to sell 20,000 books to earn out that $50,000. Once you’ve done so, every book sold represents $2.50 that must be paid to you, usually semiannually.
  Did I say nothing is ever simple? Unfortunately, some of that money is going to be held back for a while, because the bookstores and other retail outlets get to return to the publisher any books that don’t sell (or in the case of paperbacks, the stripped covers). The royalties that are held back are called “reserves against returns,” and we hate them.
  It would be great if the advance were paid in one nice lump sum upon signing the contract, but alas, it’s generally broken down into several separate payments, such as half on signing and half on acceptance of the completed ms., or 1/3 on signing, 1/3 on acceptance, and 1/3 on publication.
  Most book contracts are for two or three books, with each book having its own advance amount. For example, if you sell a finished book, the publisher might include a book #2, which they’ll green-light based on a proposal you send in after book #1 is accepted.
  Paying back the advance. Is it yours to keep, or could they ask for it back? Happily, it’s yours to keep unless you do something truly dumb, like not handing in the book, or handing in one that’s completely unacceptable and refusing to fix it. So go ahead and sign that mortgage. Or buy that Whopper, depending on the deal.
  Standard Contract Clauses. A publishing contract is written by the publisher’s lawyers for the sole benefit of the publisher. As with any legal contract, if you want what you’re entitled to, you’re best off having it negotiated by a professional who knows about that particular type of contract. If you don’t have a literary agent, I would advise hiring the services of a literary attorney.
  A sampling of the clauses you can expect to find in your contract (some of which are negotiable and some of which are not) include:

  The rights you’re granting to the publisher and the territories in which they may exploit those rights.
  When you’re required to turn in the completed manuscript, and in what form (hard copy, electronic, etc).
  Your obligation to provide an acceptable manuscript, and to edit it if it’s deemed unacceptable.
  The publisher’s obligation to publish it within a certain time period and in a certain format.
  Indemnity and insurance provisions in the event of legal actions.
  Your warranties as regards the originality and legality of your book’s content.
  What name you want the publisher to copyright the book in. (They generally register the copyright for you—in your name—with the Library of Congress.)
  Their right of first refusal of your next project, or your next similar project (the “option clause.”)
  Under what conditions the book will be declared out of print and the rights reverted to you.
  And of course, how much you are to be paid, in terms of advance and royalties, and how often. Each of the rights you’re assigning to the publisher has its own rate of payment. The primary edition of the book is the one being manufactured and marketed by the publisher you’re going to contract with, and this is the edition I was referring to when I discussed royalty rates above. Payment for the “subsidiary rights,” in which the publisher grants a license to a third party, are often represented as a “split,” with the author and the publisher sharing in the proceeds. Paperback rights might be split 50/50, foreign translation 75/25 (in your favor), and so forth. Subsidiary rights can be a substantial source of future income for the author and the publisher, especially if the publisher aggressively solicits those rights. There’s nothing like getting a fat check in the mail for the Russian rights to a book you sold twelve years ago. Other subsidiary rights, besides reprint and foreign, include:

Direct to consumer
Book Club
Electronic
Performance (as in movie options; we can always dream)
Audio
Anthology
Condensation
Serialization
Braille
Merchandising (I’ve always wanted an action figure)
Syndication

  That’s about it, although things being what they are, the one piece of information you really did want to know about the publishing biz is probably the one I didn’t cover. Never fear. There are lots of books out there that will tell you far more than you ever wanted to know. There’s also a good deal of information on the ‘Net, but beware; some of it is alarmingly wrong. I mean, just plain, no-two-ways-about-it wrong. You’re best off “polling” the sites that seem most authoritative.

Good luck!

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This article is part of the FictionCraft series written by Louisa Burton, aka Patricia Ryan and P.B. Ryan. Her 28 novels and novellas have been published in over 20 countries and won numerous awards. More information about her erotic romance series and additional articles are available at http://www.louisaburton.com

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Don't Give Up
by Pamela Samuels

  You’ve been working on your novel for months, maybe even years, and lately you feel more discouraged than ever. Perhaps it’s the disappointment of not having finished the book yet. Maybe you don’t know where to go next with your story. Or it’s possible that you’re just physically and emotional drained from all the time and effort you’ve poured into this dream. I’ve been there!
  Each time I fall into the writing dumps, I wonder if I’ll ever dig myself out. Fortunately, I always do. You’ve put too much time into this venture. Now is not the time to give up.
   Here are my top five tips for re-energizing yourself when you feel like giving up.

1. Read Inspirational Stories About Writing and Writers
Take a writing break and read about other successful writers who weathered the storm. Here are two excellent books to get you started:
Knit Together: Discovery God’s Pattern for Your Life by Debbie Macomber.
This book was such an inspiration to me. Macomber, a best selling writer with more than 100 million books in print, openly shares her story of writing rejection. Once you read about her writing journey, you’ll close the book anxious to get back to your own novel.
Rotten Reviews & Rejections, edited by Bill Henderson and Andre Bernard. This book shares the rejection letters and stinging reviews received by many successful and prolific writers, from Stephen King to Upton Sinclair to James Joyce and more. You’ll scratch your head at the discouraging rejection letters these wonderful writers received. They didn’t give up, and you shouldn’t either.

2. Don’t Strive for Perfect Prose
Many new writers think that everything that flows from their computer must be golden. Hence, if they write a few pages which doesn’t sound worthy of a Pulitzer, they’re disappointed. Forget about writing a perfect first draft. The most important part of writing is rewriting. Just concentrate on finishing a first draft. Then revise until you’re pleased with the final product.

3. Set a Writing Goal
Make a commitment to write a set number of pages per week. Can you commit to writing 10 or 15 pages per week? Or maybe committing to write three hours a day or three days a week works better for you. Whatever goal you set, make sure it’s realistic. Start out small and once you get into the flow of things, increase the goal. And if you fall short one week, don’t beat yourself up. There’s always next week.

4. Start a Writer’s Group
Put the word out that you’re looking to start a writer’s group. Tell friends, family members and colleagues that you’re looking for three or four serious writers who would like to build a supportive writing environment for themselves and other writers. You’ll probably have a lot of interest in the beginning, but only the serious writers will be around for the long haul. Establish a regular meeting time (at least once a month) and require at least two members to produce work for the group to critique each month.

5. Think About Your Story
Most people assume that if you’re not putting words on paper, then you’re not “writing.” I don’t feel that way. The next time you’re taking a long walk, standing in a grocery store line, or stuck in traffic, use the time to mull over your story. Think about your characters or your plot. Imagine your protagonist having a conversation. Think about how you might describe a room. Challenge yourself to invent a predicament that creates conflict for your character. If you come up with some great ideas, don’t forget to write them down.

Hang in there!

Pamela Samuels Young is a practicing attorney and author of the legal thrillers, Murder on the Down Low, Every Reasonable Doubt and In Firm Pursuit. You can find Pamela’s articles on writing at BizyMoms.com, where she is a featured fiction writing expert.

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The Stuff That Makes Characters Jump Up the Page
by Marta Stephens

  Characterization is one aspect of writing that many authors struggle with at one time or another. So where do you start? Let’s say you’ve determined who your character is, what he or she looks like, now take it a step further — find a way to make the character as real for the reader as the person standing next to you.
  Description gives the reader information about a character’s physical appearance such as height, eye/hair color, and disposition.

Example:

Mary, the slender brunette on the third seat of the bus, looked distraught.

A better way to describe a Mary is through her actions and dialogue. Both of these methods will give the reader a more vivid image of the Mary than description alone. Add description to action and dialogue and the character has the potential to jump off the page.

Example:

Mary raised a slender, shaky finger to her eyes. Tears moistened the strand of dark hair that fell onto her face. She leaned her head against the window and stared at nothing. The world was passing her by as quickly as the ramshackle buildings that blurred past her - no one knew her pain, no one cared.“You okay back there?” The driver asked.
She didn’t look up or answer. What was the point? In less than an hour’s time, it would all be over.

  Now we can see a minute into Mary’s state of mind. We see her crying, something is weighing heavily on her mind, she feels alone, and whatever is going through her thoughts will be resolved one way or another in less than an hour. Is this enough to make the reader care and turn the page? A story may have a killer plot, but the manner in which a character is portrayed and developed will have a greater impact on the reader’s reaction to the story than anything else. If a character is weak, will anyone care if he drives his car off the cliff?
  How often have we read reviews that indicated the reader couldn’t “fall in love” with the character? Is it necessary to fall in love with Mary’s character to sympathize with her? The word “love” might be a bit strong in this sense. Perhaps a better word is “connect” because I do want to care what happens to her, why it happened, and hopefully see her resolve her problems in a positive, uplifting manner.
  As a writer, my goal is to draw the reader in and get him or her to connect emotionally with the character(s) and the story. The choice then is between describing a character or allowing the reader to see, hear, and feel the character’s persona.
  Every writer has read or heard someone say, “show” don’t “tell.” That same principle applies to characterization. When we “tell” the reader what a character looks or acts like, we involve the reader intellectually (they have to think about what is being communicated). When we “show,” we involve the reader emotionally by giving him or her something to relate to from a personal experience. An image or feeling from that experience will immediately flash across the reader’s mind.
  In other words, the character has to hit a nerve with the reader on a very basic level –touch the reader emotionally so the reader can connect with them and that usually includes letting the reader see the character’s flaws. What’s more important though is that the reader has to be able to see the character grow and overcomes those problems.
  Maybe what that reviewer, editor or agent means by needing to “fall in love with the character” is the desire to see a small part of him- or herself in a particular character. First they have to know the character thoroughly and next be able to identify with him or her. When the reader is able to identify with a character’s plight, problem, weaknesses, strengths, etc., he or she will sympathize with character and will want to follow them through the rest of the book.
  Description, action, and dialogue are effective methods used to create characterization. How a writer uses and combines them is a matter of style largely determined by the needs of the story.

© Marta Stephens 2008, all rights reserved

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About the author: Marta Stephens is a native of Argentina who has made Indiana her home since the age of four. This mild-manner lady turned to crime with the publication of the first in her Sam Harper Crime Mystery series, SILENCED CRY (2007) which went on to receive honorable mention at the 2008 New York Book Festival and top ten in the 2007 Preditors & Editors Reader Poll. The second book in the Harper series, THE DEVIL CAN WAIT, will be released by BeWrite Books (UK) on November 3, 2008.
  Stephens holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism/Public Relations from Ball State University (IN) where she is employed in human resources. She is a member of Sisters in Crime International, Sisters in Crime Speed City Indiana Chapter, and the Midwest Writer’s Workshop.
  Stephens believes learning is a life-long adventure. Aside from her writing, she is trained in graphic and web design. She co-designed the award-winning book cover of her debut novel, SILENCED CRY with friend Scott Parkison (IN), created the book trailer, and designed/administers her website, http://www.martastephens-author.com, her personal blog, http://mstephens-musings.blogspot.com, and the authors’ blog, MURDER BY 4 http://murderby4.blogspot.com.
  Stephens lives with her husband, daughter (22), and son (20). She enjoys oil paintings, gardening, the family’s pet Boston Bulls and mini Daschunds, and shared moments with family and friends.

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SANCTUARY -- By Mayra Calvani

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WHODUNIT? -- By Billie A. Williams

The Grinch—Scrooge—Ghost Music of Vaudeville

Whodunit?

Holidays! Everywhere you look another author has a Christmas book released. Why not you?

  Can’t you just imagine ways to slip a Grinch or a Scrooge into your plot? Let the dreams of Christmas’ past fuel the plot. Especially today, your villain downsizes, sells off, or closes an enterprise just before Christmas. No severance package, no warning, nothing but a pink slip for the loyal worker. What recourse is there for a family with a mortgage, car payments, hospital and doctor bills to pay?
  What could soften the hard heart of your Grinch besides a bailout? What can your sleuth manage to do to save the day?
  A mystery doesn’t have to be about murder, but, if the employer in this case, the Grinch was over a barrel because of threats made against his family buy THE FAMILY currently operating in the market he represents, could your sleuth find a way to save the day by Christmas?
  There are as many twists and happy endings to this plot as you can conceive. You are limited only by your imagination and you could have a new Christmas story in time for next year.
  In my book Ghost Music of Vaudeville, Piano Man, Rudy Poncigrau, is in a battle to save more than just the theater he has been connected to for years. His friends are destined to become homeless. A treasured icon of performers and theater goers is about to come tumbling down. The Keith Theatre holds many memories, but a vengeful vendetta of crime family lieutenant Damien Callistrari is about to crumble those memories.
  Young Tommy Forrester solicits help from his temporary foster mom, Charlie Wolfe, to help save his friend the Piano Man’s dream. Miracles still happen, especially at Christmas, but will it be enough?
  It depends on how big the guns they pull out are. In this case, it depends on the draw for their last performance, “The Last Hurrah,” and the name Bette Midler is their secret weapon, as well as, perhaps, a belief in miracles. It is Christmas after all.

Billie A Williams
http://www.billiewilliams.com
Ghost Music of Vaudeville
ISBN 978-1-59705-310-5 (electronic)
978-1-59705-728-8 (print)
http://www.wings-press.com

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SEEDLINGS -- Aaron Paul Lazar

  Rejection. Oh, how it stings. Most of us have been through it - plenty. Seeking jobs, college admissions, love, or publication for our books. It hurts. Destroys our self-image. For a while, anyway. And it tears at the thin fabric in which we cocoon with our fragile writer's ego, protecting the inner belief that our work is valid.
  A new writer recently emailed me after receiving a flurry of rejections from big agents. With a crushed spirit, she wrote:

"It makes no sense to me. If someone has written a book that is a good read, then why in the world would it not be recognized, published and read? The only answer that makes any sense is that it's not a particularly good read after all."

  Alas, if it were only that simple. Let's step back and take a look at the situation.
  You wrote a book. Your instincts tell you it's darned good. You envision an agent or publisher recognizing this and sweeping you up in their arms to share with the world. You dream of financial success, recognition, and that sweet validation that makes you feel you're a "real" writer.
  That elusive dream haunts just about every new writer I've ever known. Then, after years of toiling, burning the midnight or early morning oil, sweating and suffering and bleeding onto the pages - most realize, in time, that they'd better not quit their day jobs.
  If every "good" book were accepted and published, we'd need a great deal more space to store and sell them. I've read that bookstores today stock only 2-3% of the published books in the world. Imagine all the "real" books that don't end up on their shelves? Now imagine all the good books that never get published. It's mind-boggling.
  There are enormous quantities of books submitted annually to publishers, and only a relative handful of agents and editors to scan through the 0.05% that are accepted for the slush pile. They often receive hundreds of submissions per day. Imagine reading 100 emails every single day from authors who want to be heard? It wouldn't be hard to feel jaded in short order.
  Publishers and agents have cut down their staffs, because of the economy, and it's probably even harder for them to get through the slush piles now, with the fear of job loss if their next pick doesn't bring in some cash.
  There are plenty of horrible books submitted each year, too. But there are also hundreds, if not thousands, of very good books out there. Yours may be one of them. (If it isn't, keep on working on your skills until it is!)
  Are you in this boat? Have you had your books summarily dismissed by the powers that be, over and over again?
  Have you hired or courted superb writers to help you perfect your story? Have you scoured your book dozens of times for typos or inconsistencies? Have you researched the heck out of every point that needs confirmation? Have you assured that your dialog is crisp and believable? Have you hacked away at unnecessary adverbs and adjectives? Have you just plain told the story in the same voice you use to speak? And your book has still been rejected?
  If not, count your lucky stars, for you are among one of the very few who got picked up at the starting gate. If so, let me share something with you.
  Rejections may have nothing to do with the quality or value of your book. Most often, they have to do with the market, and what's "hot" this season. It could be the mood of the agent or editor who's reading your stuff, or the fact that your book slides between genres. Maybe it features young adults, but doesn't follow someone's blueprint for what a YA book needs to contain. Maybe it's absolutely perfect for a publisher, but they've already filled the slot for your genre on their list this year. Maybe the first level editor falls in love with your book, but her boss doesn't. Or you get all the way to the top of this year's short list, only to be told you didn't make the cut.
  Sound familiar?
  If you don't get picked up in the first five years by high profile agents or publishers, I recommend seeking a high quality small press. It's not easy to get into their world, either. But you don't usually need an agent, and they can provide a nurturing home for you, as well as help you get your books out to the public.
  And let me tell you friends, it's that public, those lovely readers, who will provide the validation you've sought for so long. When the first person (who isn't family or friends) comes up to you and gushes over your characters, or when you receive that unsolicited email from a stranger who NEEDS your next book or "they'll just die," or that lady who's been staring at you with stars in her eyes finally approaches you in the grocery store and says she wants to marry your lead character... that's when the validation just washes through your writer's soul. It's even better than the glowing reviews. Trust me.
  So, the publishing game is tough. But it's not hopeless. There is still a place for us in this intensely competitive world. Acceptance by a high profile firm does not necessarily equate to a good book, just as rejection doesn't always equate to a bad book. Just look at the bestsellers out there. Some are quite odious, filled with plot holes, flat characters, and poor editing.
  So, why bother?
  Even with staggering odds in today's market, every year several "newcomers" are "discovered" and offered lucrative contracts. It does happen. We hear about it all the time. The next "hot" book will be discovered any day now. And it could be yours.
  My final bit of advice is this:

  If you are a passionate writer, you need to write independent of what agent represents you, how many times your work has been rejected, what publisher has thumbed their nose at you, how many readers you have or don't have, how many books you have published or not published.
  Okay. Group hug.
  Now just keep writing. And remember to write like the wind!

Aaron

Aaron Paul Lazar writes to soothe his soul. The author of LeGarde Mysteries and Moore Mysteries savors the countryside in the Genesee Valley in upstate New York, where his characters embrace life, play with their dogs and grandkids, grow sumptuous gardens, and chase bad guys. Visit his websites at http://www.legardemysteries.com, http://www.mooremysteries.com and watch for the fourth book in the LeGarde series, MAZURKA, coming in January 2009 from Twilight Times Books http://www.twilighttimesbooks.com

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THE WRITING LIFE
(Quarterly and Guest Column)

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Reviews

WOOF -- Women Only Over 50
by Mary Cunningham

  Your hair is getting white, you're losing muscle tone, you wish gravity didn't exist so wrinkles wouldn't take hold of your face, menopause is finally kicking in--really kicking in. Is it the end, or the beginning of great things to come?
  Authors Diana Black, Mary Cunningham, and Melinda Richarz Bailey share their experiences--sometimes sad, sometimes joyful, sometimes funny--about their road 'downhill' -- or is it really--to middle age. They also share their dreams and realizations about life and what it really means to be 50.
  This book is a combination of short personal essays, poems, and witty quotes that will touch your heart and enlighten your mind about the aging process. At the end of each chapter the authors invite readers to write their own experiences and thoughts, so you may want to have a pencil or pen in hand as you read.
  Bad hair days, chocolate (and expanding waistlines!), dogs, the menopause (flashing!), being a woman, cell phones, and computers are some of the topics covered in the book. Take a look at this short segment on the powers of chocolate:

Seriously, how could something so rich and luscious;
something that can make most grown WOOFers lie,
cheat
and steal; something that can, with one delicious,
melt-in-your-mouth morsel bring a menopawsal, endorphin deprived, raving lunatic back from the brink of insanity;
be had for you?

Oh, don't pretend you don't know what we're talking about. Who hasn't searched underneath the sofa cushions in January for a stray piece of Halloween candy?

  And of course, every WOOFer over 50 must have a WOOFer name. In the book, DIana Black is "d.d. dawg', Mary Cunningham is 'Milkbone', and Melinda Richarz Bailey is 'Mad Dog'. Towards the end there is a list of names with their behavioral characteristics, so you can choose the one that best suits the WOOFer in you.
  This is a light, humorous, entertaining, and certainly uplifting read. I finished reading it in two hours. Many of the segments are hilarious and made me laugh out loud--and mind you, I'm not 50 yet. This little book would make a great Christmas or birthday gift to anyone who loves a good laugh, but especially to those WOOFers over 50.
  For those interested, the authors have formed a club for WOOFers: http://www.woofersclub.com. And there's also a blog: http://www.woofersclub.blogspot.com

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Title: A Lumberjack Christmas ...Revisited
By: Janet Elaine Smith
Publisher: Star Publish
ISBN: 978-1-932993-59-2
Genre: Historical Romance/Romance

  Martha Tinker, recently orphaned and alone in the world, decides to answer an ad for a wife and travels to the rugged lumber camp to meet her groom-to-be. Unfortunately, she arrives only to learn he is dead. She now must decide what to do next.
  The last stage of her journey to Sawbill Landing is in the company of a doctor new to the area also. He has been summoned to treat men who have fallen victim to a mysterious disease.
  Martha must overcome her antagonism toward the doctor as they share a horse. On reaching Sawbill Landing Martha finds strength in her faith and hopes for the best.

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  The second part of this family saga deals with Martha's descendents, mainly her namesake, Martha who is facing a family crisis. She is left confused and lonely as her parents try to fix their lives.
  Santa puts in an appearance, a hospitalized grandmother who has lost her memory, and a trip to a magic tree prove there is magic at Christmas.
  I'm very pleased to recommend this Christmas tale to any romantic. There is a feeling of hope on every page and joy lurks always on the next page. You'll find these people realistic and this tale one you will remember every Christmas hereafter. Enjoy. I sure did.
Anne K. Edwards

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Title: A Christmas Dream
by Janet Elaine Smith
Publisher: Star Publish LLC
ISBN: 978-1-932993-58-5
Genre: Romance

  Widowed way too early, Susan Quincey was a single mom with a great son, mortgage and car that wouldn't run one cold winter night after work. Luckily, her boss happened by to help.
  Even after four years of mourning, Susan felt guilty for being even a little attracted to another many. She was afraid she'd forget her first love. And that her boss Kevin Dockter was so nice and handsome added to the confusion she suffered.
  That Kevin got on so well with her son Jeremy showed her what her son was missing in his life. A daddy figure and Kevin was perfect for the role.
  I'm pleased to recommend A Christmas Dream by talented author Janet Elaine Smith to any reader who enjoys a story with love, warmth and hope, a story that will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy. This is a bok you will remember with pleasure after meeting the realistic characters who will seem like instant friends.
  Enjoy. I sure did.
Anne K. Edwards

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Title: Anna Mae Mysteries, The Golden Treasure
by L. S. Cauldwell
Publisher: Star Publish
ISBN: 978-1932993-98-1
Genre: Paranormal Mystery

  A fun combination of a child conjurer, unexpected visits from haints, lost gold, spirit possession, and the search for gold is on. Three children follow the trail of lost Confederate gold and four adults follow them to keep them safe.
  If you like tales out of the ordinary with lots of action and lots of fun, you will enjoy this story of two African American children and their Hispanic friend when Anna Mae starts getting clues and visits from what can only be called weird beings in the form of a disembodied fist, laughter, invisible beings that open and close doors for her--all leading her to a particular goal.
  When the school burns down is the perfect time to follow the clues and see where they lead. The question of who set the school on fire points a finger at Anna Mae.
  A fun read told from the viewpoint of the child who is the recipient of attention from strange quarters, some of which will make you laugh while enjoying Anna Mae's adventures. Recommended for anyone who enjoys paranormals, children, and adults who believe in the kids for a change. A lighthearted look at the weird mixed with the darkness of common prejudices of our times that find their ways into the minds of kids who use them against others. It is this that keeps our feet on the ground, making us aware of the lesson to be learned while being thoroughly entertained.
Enjoy. I did.
Anne K. Edwards

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Contests

Events

Resources

Subscriptions to this ezine are Free. Please pass this on to friends you think would enjoy it.
Copyright (c) 2005 Mary Emmons All Rights Reserved

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Mystery Fiction Monthly Ezine -- The Voice in the DarkIssue No. 47, November 2008

Co-Editor: Anne K. Edwards
marbob00@earthlink.net
http://www.Mysteryfiction.net
Co-Editor: Mayra Calvani
MGCalvani@hotmail.com
http://www.Mayracalvani.com
Slippery Book Review Blog http://slipperybookreview.wordpress.com
Reviews and Other Stuff Blog http://authorsandreviews.blogspot.com
Publisher: Eva Almeida

By subscription only. You are receiving this newsletter because you requested a subscription. To unsubscribe, send an email to marbob00@earthlink.net with your email address.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

This issue of Voice in the Dark is dedicated to Wanda C. Keesey who was as good a friend as it is possible for one to be. She encouraged all new writers she met to keep writing and shared her hard-won knowledge of this writing business freely. All who knew her will remember her with love. She passed on November 16, 2008, but her voice will continue to be heard through those of us she helped. We are her legacy. To know more about her visit http://www.wandakeesey.com

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The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing by Mayra Calvani and Anne K. Edwards has placed as a finalist in the USA Books competition and it is also being used as a college text by English Professors.

Mayra's Virtual Book Tour

November 6th - Karen L. Syed’s The Life of a Publisher - Interview
November 8th - Mary Cunningham’s Cynthia’s Attic Blog - Guest Post
November 10th - Char’s Book Reviews and Writing Tips - Review
November 12th - Cheryl Malandrinos’, The Book Connection - Guest Post
November 14th - Morgan Mandel’s, All I Have to Say - Spotlight
November 17th - Aaron Lazaar, Murder By 4 - Interview
November 17th - Lillie Amman’s A Writer’s Words, An Editor’s Eye- Review
November 20th - UNWRITER Ron Berry - Review
November 23rd - Blogcritics - Interview
November 27 - Helen Ginger’s Straight from Hel - Guest Post
November 27-30 - Joyce A. Anthony’s Blog - Interview, Guest Post, Spotlight
November 28 - Emma Larkins’s Blog - Interview

Tags: anne k edwards, book review blog, book reviews, mayra calvani, reviews, the Slippery art of book reviewing, virtual book tours

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The Voice in the Dark will continue to be open to well written, interesting submissions having to do with writing, publishing, and promotion of books. In addition to a subscription list, Voice in the Dark is posted each month on http://www.Mysteryfiction.net. If interested contact Anne K. Edwards at marbob00@earthlink.net with "Voice Submission" in your subject line.

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NOTE: Recommend visiting the site of the Southern Review to get the latest on Amazon and other publishing news.
http://www.anvilpub.net/southern_review_of_books.htm

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NOTE: Books We Love is hosting another great contest for readers. Visit http://www.bookswelove.net and enter. Lots of prizes. Meet new authors and new reads. Visit Jude's Alter-Ego at http://www.judeatkins.com

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If you are interested in reviewing books, contact simegen@simegen.com. They are looking for qualified reviewers.

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Attention Authors and Copyright holders. The following information is something you definitely need to check out. Google is in the process of digitizing books to make them available online. To what purpose is not clear to this writer. But many copyrighted books of recent publication are appearing without permission among the collections they are posting to be read for free. You should check them out. If you decide to ask them to remove it or let the books remain, I make no recommendation either way. Information included here:

Google Book Search.
http://books.google.com. Search for your name or book title. You may request that it be removed but there is no guarantee it will be.

If there is only a synopsis, most likely Google has not copied the text of your book. If you are able to read your book, then you may be covered under the recent settlement.
http://www.authorsguild.org/advocacy/articles/settlement-resources.html

Be aware you need to check periodically as they are continuing to add books. These are said to come from library collections they are digitizing. Other articles:

What Does the Google Book Search Settlement Mean for the Industry? By Peter Beisser
http://www.bookbusinessmag.com/article/what-does-google-gook-search-settlement-mean-industry-400520_1.html

Google Book Search Settlement: A Reader's Guide
Legal Analysis by Fred von Lohmann
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/10/google-books-settlement-readers-guide

FAQs
http://www.authorsguild.org/advocacy/articles/settlement-resources.html

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Editor's Note
Fictional Character Interview
-- Meet Sam Harper by Marta Stephens
Featured Interviews
-- Meet C. S. Thompson, Author
-- Meet Micqui Miller, Author
-- Meet Rose des Rochers, Founder of Todays Woman.net
-- Meet Michele Scott, Author
-- Meet Mary Cunningham, Author
Gladiator's Arena--by Mayra Calvani
Short Fiction
-- Getting High by Lad Moore
Articles
-- Writing Memoirs by Angus Munro
Sanctuary -- Columnist Mayra Calvani
Whodunit? -- Columnist Billie A. Williams
Seedlings -- Aaron Paul Lazar
This & That -- Columnist Dana Reed
The Writing Life -- Quarterly and Guest Column
Reviews
Events
Resources

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Editor's Note

  A question. How important is the art of writing? In the structure of the edifice we call civilization, where is writing placed?
  From the time man first drew lines in the dirt to express an idea or record something, this form of communication has grown and changed. It has replaced oral traditions in recording our history, it enables musicians to develop a standard form for their art, plays and religious tracts are produced, the newspaper , magazine and books. Plans for the future, political speeches, laws, documents of the many forms of government in the world, medical research, expanded mathematics was only possible once man learned to write to express his ideas, and so on. Writing is the basis for what mankind is today. It has enabled to standardize laws and language, spreads new ideas and lets us 'see' what we are thinking and enables us to organize our thoughts.
  Don't agree? Do you watch television, listen to music, read, write letters to family and friends or use the newer forms of communication, drive a car? Do you work for a living? How do you know your paycheck is correct? All require writing and reading which go hand in hand.
  How do you know what goes on in your world? The newscasts or newspapers? The written word is important here. How do you know how to operate your cell phone or computer or other new electronic gizmo? Some form of instruction in writing--right?
  How much schooling would we get without writing? Would we have all the inventions of today without writing?
  Any paper you sign with something other than an X means you can at least write your name and hopefully understand what you've signed.
  It seems that writing or the written word is one of the most important building blocks in our world. It has evolved along with civilization, going from pictograph to printed words to longhand to the speedier forms of typing on the multitude of keyboards.
  Will the written word ever become obsolete? It is possible. They are working on machines today that communicate directly with the human brain to produce words on a screen. If this succeeds, will we lose our hard-won ability to write or will this be a further evolution in writing?

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Interviews

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Fictional Character Interview

Interview with Homicide Detective Sam Harper of The Sam Harper Crime Mystery Series
By Kim Smith

Kim: Detective Harper-
Sam: My friends call me, Sam.

Kim: Sam, thank you for agreeing to let me interview you. I know you’re on a tight schedule. Let’s start with you, shall we? Tell us a little about yourself.
Sam: Not much to tell. Home is Litchfield, Massachusetts, a small rural community just north of Chandler. I wasn’t real fond of it at the time. Dad was a city detective in Chandler, a thirty minute drive from the house. He knew what life was like in the city and didn’t want any part of it. He wanted a place where my brother Paul and I could grow up without looking over our shoulders and where he could come home and forget about things. When I was a kid, I thought he was being selfish; I know where he’s coming from now. Anyway, my dad still owns the house I grew up in. I go home every chance I get. Sometimes it’s the only place I can think.

Kim: I understand you went to Crompton College there in Chandler. Did you go with the intent of becoming a law enforcement officer?
Sam: What kid knows what he wants when he’s 17? Guess being a police officer was always in the back of my mind, but I wasn’t ready for it then. The truth of the matter is, I went to college on a music scholarship. My mother taught band and orchestra at the high school for as long as I can remember-been playing the piano since I was five. When I got into Crompton, I didn’t have a clue what to do with the rest of my life. I knew it wasn’t going to have anything to do with music though. I entered the police academy a couple of years after graduation, almost ten years to the day.

Kim: You say you weren’t ready at 17. What changed?
Sam: Society, the justice system, me--everything. I’d hear Dad come home and talk about some of his cases; the tough ones they couldn’t crack. There were more than one night the old man didn’t sleep. I was cocky enough to think I could do better. I found out real fast that nothing good ever comes easy.

Kim: You mentioned earlier that you guessed being a police officer was always in the back of your mind. I read in your bio on your site about the death of a young schoolmate. Did that incident really have an impact on your decision to become a detective?
Sam: I’ve never been able to get that day out of my mind. Cute little girl. Used to drive past our bus stop every day and wave. One morning, she rode her bike by as usual-never made to school. A few days later, one of the neighbors found her battered body near a creek that ran through his farm. There were no witnesses. No one heard her scream. It was as if she had vanished. Dad was one of the investigating officers. He knew her parents well and the investigation damn near tore him apart.

Kim: Was her murderer ever caught?
Sam: No. Her case is still open. Twenty years later and I’ve never stopped thinking about her killer.

Kim: You’d like to get your hands on her case, wouldn’t you?
Sam: You bet. But those old ones are the cases we work on in between the current ones.

Kim: Yes, your current cases. So tell me. What’s a day in the life of a detective like?
Sam: A good day in Homicide is the day we make an arrest; when all the pieces come together and they point straight to the killer.

Kim: And a bad day?
Sam: Every minute until we make the arrest.

Kim: But ... what about you?
Sam: What about me?

Kim: How do you handle being on call 24/7?
Sam: Homicide is exhausting and rewarding all at the same time. Some days are better than others My day is supposed to start at seven in the morning, I run all day and try to end it at five.

Kim: "Try?"
Sam: The cases dictate our schedule.

Kim: How so?
Sam: We never know what we’ll be up against. We go into homes most people don’t want to drive by in broad daylight. We knock on doors without knowing who’s hiding behind them. It could be a felon pointing a weapon or a weeping child. It’s all about timing. A minute lost pushes the case an inch further into the cold case stack. So we watch the clock. The sooner we can get to the scene of the crime, talk with witnesses, and check for evidence, the better our chances are of solving the case.

Kim: And that’s when you catch the killer?
Sam: No. All that just to find a potential suspect.

Kim: I know you have a partner, Dave Mann. But wouldn’t it be easier to work alone?
Sam: We’re a team. Besides Dave, my three most trusted colleagues are medical examiners Jack Fowler and Yolanda Cruz. The other is Carter Graves, head of Forensics; nerdy looking guy, smart as a whip and always right. I’d be nothing without them. When I’m not on the streets, I’m consulting with one of them.

Kim: And after hours? What do you do to relax?
Sam: Life outside the force doesn’t happen often. The only thing waiting for me at home at the end of the day is a tall Scotch and soda and the six o’clock news that lets me rehash my day. I eat frozen dinners-sometimes I’ll watch an old film-a Bogart or Edward G. Eventually I crash on the couch. A few hours later I do it all over again.

Kim: You seem to have everything going for you. Are you ever frightened?
Sam: Sure. Loss of integrity scares the hell out of me. In myself, my partner, the system. I’m nothing without it.

Kim: And anger? What’s the one thing that angers you most?
Sam: The immense disregard for life. Indifference -- an apathetical point of view. No law or consequence will stop a person who doesn’t care.

Kim: And when it’s over, how hard is it to recover from a crime scene?
Sam: It depends. I’m immersed in death, day in and day out. After a while you get used to it. So you tell yourself to be careful, don’t get desensitized. But you can’t help it. You have to look beyond the gore to do the job.

Kim: Are some cases harder to work than others?
Sam: Seeing kids in the morgue is never easy. I’m not talking about the thugs that roam the streets. I’m talking about the innocent. The babies, the grade school kids that are unwanted at birth, get in some low-life’s way, and are tossed out like yesterday’s garbage. The guys on the force, the ones with families think about their kids. I’ve seen some of them cry when they didn’t think anyone was watching.

Kim: What about you? What do you think about?
Sam: I keep wondering if it’s fair to bring a child into this world, into a society as corrupt as ours.

Kim: Have you found an answer?
(There’s a pause.)
Sam: Change has to start somewhere.

Kim: Clearly your job has had an impact on you. Can you talk about it?
Sam: I’m conscious of time. I’m thirty-two and don’t know if I’ll see thirty-three. That’s what the job does to a guy. I’m trained to defend myself and others. I don’t worry about getting killed, but it is a reality. You never know. So I try to take time for the things that are important to me-my family and friends, because in the end that’s all that matters.

Kim: That leads me to my next question. I hope this isn’t too personal, but is there someone special in your life?
Sam: Sure. (He smiles for the first time.) There are a million possibilities. I’ll let you know the minute I meet her. (He looks at his watch.)

Kim: I know ... you’re busy, but one more thing before you go. Can we use your name to get out of a jam?
Sam: He smiles again and raises his glance to me for only a moment. Only if it’s legal.

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Interviews

Meet C. S. Thompson, Author
Interview by Anne K. Edwards

Q. What do you find most rewarding about having written a story, article or book?
A. I feel driven to write about particular topics or to tell particular stories. The feeling is one of having a mission I have to carry out. The most rewarding aspect of finishing a book is simply the feeling that I've fulfilled my mission.

Q. How did you happen to become an author?
A. My mother, Lani Thompson, is a fantasy author, and I've always been a voracious reader. At age 13 I started to write, imitating the Romanticist poets such as William Blake. Later on I developed an interest in fiction, especially classic pulp stories from the Weird Tales/Black Mask era.

Q. Would you like to talk about your career or future plans?
A. I hope to find a publisher for the rest of the Noctiviganti Saga- two out of the seven novels in the series have been published so far.

Q. Have you favorite authors who have influenced your work?
A. In the area of crime fiction: Raymond Chandler and Andrew Vachss. In the area of horror: Clive Barker. In the area of fantasy: Neil Gaiman.

Q. Do you have a website for readers to visit?
A. http://www.noctiviganti.com

Q. Where is your work available?
A. "A Season of Strange Dreams" and "And Then the Night" are available through BeWrite Books. "Ghost Shadows" is available from Wildside Press.

Q. Are you currently working on a project?
A. I'm currently working on a very large project, which could best be described as philosophical and mystical speculation.

Q. Would you like to tell the readers anything about yourself?
A. I live on Peaks Island in Maine, with my wife Cicely and my daughter Leila. I teach historical fencing in Portland, Maine.

Q. How do you prepare to start a new book? Do you write every day?
A. I write for between 2-6 per day, and often work to a set goal of 1000 words per day. I prepare to start a new book by making myself receptive to receiving the first line. Once that happens, I'm off and running.

Q. What is your favorite way to begin a project? Do you do an outline? Or start with a plot or characters first?
A. I use only very simple outlines, and never develop plot or characters extensively before beginning. I try to be guided by the story itself, as if tuning in to a radio signal.

Q. What impels or inspires you to write?
A. The conviction that this is my vocation and my intended purpose in this world.

Q. How do you set about developing characters?
A. Some of them are based on people I've met; others simply develop as the story is told.

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Meet Micqui Miller, Author
Interview by Anne K. Edwards

Q. What do you find most rewarding about having written a story, article or book?
A. Writing is my passion. I’ve written a few short stories, many, many articles, but I love the novel the most because it allows me to create rich characters with far more depth than a short stories and plots and subplots that are intricate and compelling.
  My greatest reward is typing THE END. Unfortunately that’s followed by a few days (or weeks) of separation anxiety. That was especially true after I finished Morning Star, which is the book of my heart.

Q. How did you happen to become an author?
A. I think it was destined. I started writing long before I knew how to print or write cursive. Bless my sister’s heart—she’d write down the stories I’d tell her in exchange for my doing some of her easier chores. Guess you could say she made me what I am today!

Q. What impels or inspires you to write?
A. Many times I’ll dream about a character or an event and when I awaken know it’s meant to be my next project. One of my works in progress is a novella entitled Heather in the Mist. I dreamed both the characters and the story, and it’s flowing like magic. That’s when writing’s more satisfying than chocolate, fine wine, or …

Q. Are you currently working on a project?
A. I’ve spun off the lead characters from my romantic suspense novel Sweet Caroline into the Caroline Spring Mystery Series. Sweet Caroline has been adapted for the screen by Hollywood producer/screenwriter Dan Guardino, who also wrote the screenplay for Morning Star. I plan three books for the mystery series but will do more if the first three sell well. I absolutely adore the two main characters, Mick and Caroline. They’re kind of a cross between Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Nick and Norah Charles from the old movie series, The Thin Man—fun, adventure, murder and mayhem, along with a satisfying dollop of romance and passion.

Q. What is your favorite way to begin a project? Do you do an outline? Or start with a plot or characters?
A. I’m definitely NOT a “pantster”. I hold long written conversations with my characters before I ever write a word. I make sure I know who they are, how they’ll react to situations and each other, who has a better sense of humor, and if there will be that necessary spark of passion between them. Then I do an outline that may be 50 to 60 pages, or what’s probably the first draft. I divide those pages into scenes, and when I begin writing the book, it’s like have a dress pattern. I just have to cut out each pattern piece (chapter) and sew them together. Caroline and Mick are such fun together, they fill the pages with little help from me. I want to make sure that comes through in the series, too.

Q. How do you prepare to start a new book. Do you write every day?
A. A writer must write every day, even if it’s only 10 or 20 words. And I’d bet most writers would agree that once they start, they can’t stop at 10 or 20. The biggest challenge is writing that first word. We can think of so many ways to avoid it, even taking on tasks we abhor just to keep from facing a blank screen. But after word one, the screen, with the help of our fingers (or a mic if the author dictates), takes on a life of its own and the story pours out.
  If you have to force yourself or wring out the story one syllable at a time, you’re writing the wrong book.

Q. Where is your work available?
A. Morning Star is my only book in current release. In it, Liz O’Hara, a widow and mother of two teens, is forced to face her secret past when it is thrust before her on national television. Set amid a backdrop of danger and intrigue, the tumult of the 70s pitted against the realities of the 90s, Morning Star is a life-affirming story of love — the love of a mother for her child, a man for a woman, and the triumph of good over evil. Published by Cerridwen Press, it is available in some bookstores, through Amazon and Barnes & Noble.com and can, of course, be ordered through the publisher’s website: http://www.cerridwenpress.com.< /a>
  I also have a limited supply of Sweet Caroline, and my first novel, Holly in the Morning, available to order through my website: http://www.micquimiller.com.
  Readers can also visit the website for The Calla Lily Inn, that plays a role in Sweet Caroline and the mystery series, and download free cookbooks written by the Inn’s staff. The recipes have been taste-tested by living humans although the Inn exists only in cyberspace. That website is: http://www.callalilyinn.com.

Q. Any advice for writers just starting out?
A. Write what you love, not what’s popular right now. Read as much in your chosen genre as you have time for, and learn your craft. There’s nothing worse than a manuscript with fabulous characters and a great plot but one that’s fraught with errors. Contrary to what you may think, editors are not there to correct your grammar, spelling, syntax. Write lean, rich dialogue, and narrative that sparkles. No one ever gets it right the first time, so plan on a re-write or two or ten. But most of all, write what’s in your heart—publication will follow. And even if you never submit it for publication, you’ve accomplished something millions of people only dream about and never attempt. Good luck, and we’ll see you in print!

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Interview with Rose desRochers, Founder of Todays-Woman.net
Interview by Mayra Calvani

Rose DesRochers is the founder of Today's Woman, a site catering to writers–both men and women–of all levels and genres, including poetry. The site features articles, stories and interviews and also publishes press releases. It also has a forum for writers to share ideas and promote their work. In this interview, DesRochers talks about what makes her site special.

Q. Why don't you begin by telling us a little about yourself? Are you also a writer?
A. Yes, I am. I have been writing poetry for 20 + years. I am also a freelance writer. I have written several articles and essays.

Q. How did Todays-Woman.net get started?
A. In the beginning Today's Woman was going to be a woman's portal. I changed my mind and decided it would be a friendship community for both men and women. Some of the first members joined and started submitting their writing. It took on a writing theme of its own, so we began to gear the site more towards writers. Today it is a full fledge writing community.

Q. Who is your audience?
A. Our audience is writers of all genes, but a higher percentage are poets.

Q. What does your site offer readers and writers?
A. Today's Woman Writing Community has a useful selection of services including author interviews, regular columns, interactive forums, and a place for writers to share their work for critique by their peers. We have monthly writing contest that spark member’s creativity and we have a variety of writing lessons submitted by experience writers to help writers. We also offer a full directory of links to literacy resources, famous poets, online book store, and an area in our forums of calls for submission and writing contests. We also offer our visitors and members a writers warning section that keeps them up to date about various poetry contests and publishers to avoid.

Q. How do you become a member?
A. All you need to do is register. Potential writers must be 18 to join. You have a choice between a free account or a premium account.

Q. Are your members mostly women?
A. Funny you would ask that. The name gives the impression that the site is only for women, but we have an equal number of male members. Sometimes we have more male members posting that women. Our webmaster is male, our co-admin is male and even our moderator is male. What would you know this month's writer of the month is also male. Maybe we should change the name to Today's Man?
Q. What types of promotional opportunities do you offer in your site?
A. Today's Woman Writing Community offers writers the chance to be recognized as writer of the month. In addition any writer can submit a link to their website to our link directory. For a small fee authors can advertise their book on our website.

Q. What types of articles and stories do you accept for publication?
A. We are interested in seeing well-written articles on writing, self-help, humor, motivation, true stories and other articles that might be of interest to our loyal readers. Members who join can submit any story, except erotica, to our story board.

Q. What is the hardest task in running such a site? The most rewarding aspect?
A. Administrating Today’s Woman has been a wonderful experience for me. Not only have I made some wonderful friends, but I have grown in my own writing.

Q. Is there anything else you'd like to tell our readers?
A. Todays-Woman.net has been a team effort. The site not only belongs to me, but the members. I’m very lucky to have a supportive family and the kind of members, friends, and staff who are willing to devote so much time and energy to helping all writers fulfill their goals.

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Meet Michele Scott, Author
Interview by Mayra Calvani

It is my pleasure to introduce you to Michele Scott. Michele is a graduate of the University of Southern California, where she studied journalism before dedicating herself to writing fiction. She's the author of the Wine Lover's Mystery Series and the Equine Mysteries Series. She writes children's fiction under a pseudonym, M.K. Scott, and she's here today to talk about her mid-grade children's fantasy, Zamora's Ultimate Challenge.

Q. Thanks for this interview, Michelle. Why don't you begin by telling us a little about yourself?
A. I'm obviously a writer. I'm a mom with three kids (ages 7-17). Writing has been a passion of mine since I was a kid. My other passion is horses. My daughter and I have horses and we ride at least four days a week. I spend my days writing and my afternoons riding. I love to cook. I'm a bit on the silly side, which annoys my kids or makes them laugh (depending on their mood). I enjoy being around family and friends, and having a day once in a while to catch up on my reading--another passion.

Q. When did you decide you wanted to become an author?
A. I knew when I was about nine years old that I wanted to be a writer. I have never wavered from that decision.

Q. Do you have another job besides writing?
A. As I mentioned, I am a mom, so to me that in itself is a full time job. I used to work in wine sales, but as my deadlines grew closer together with each book, I had to quit my day job and focus solely on my writing.

Q. Were you an avid reader as a child? What type of books did you enjoy reading?
A. I most definitely was an avid reader as a kid. I read everything I could. My favorites were Nancy Drew, Black Stallion series, The Narnia Chronicles and I loved A Wrinkle in Time.

Q. Tell us a bit about your latest book, and what inspired you to write such a story.
A. My new book Zamora’s Ultimate Challenge was inspired by my kids. I actually wrote the first version of this book eight years ago while pregnant with my youngest. At the time, I was not published and had been writing thrillers. The doctor put me on bed rest, and I found that I could not do the research I typically did when writing a thriller. I decided that I wanted to write a book for my own children, and that was Zamora’s Ultimate Challenge. I never tried to sell the book because that was never my initial intent. I met Karen Syed (the publisher at echelon press) and we got to talking. She was looking for a book who featured a boy protagonist. I told her about my book and she asked to see it. At the time, I honestly did not expect anything to come of it. Obviously, I was wrong.

Q. How would you describe your creative process while writing this book? Was it stream-of-consciousness writing, or did you first write an outline?
A. Typically I do write from an outline. This is one of two books that I have not used an outline.

Q. Did your book require a lot of research?
A. No. This book is pure fun and comes straight from the imagination.

Q. What was your goal when writing this book?
A. To have my kids read it and learn something positive from it.

Q. Who is your target audience?
A. I’d like to think that everyone is a target audience for a book like this, but if I have to narrow it down, then depending on a child’s reading level, this book is a fit for kids 7-11 (not the store).

Q. What will the reader learn after reading your book?
A. There are some basic spiritual themes in this book (not religious). I think they are presented in a fun, fantastical way that hopefully will get parents, teachers and children talking about goals, the power of positive thinking and the understanding that virtually nothing is impossible if you put your heart and soul into it.

Q. What type of writer are you—the one who experiences before writing, like Hemingway, or the one who mostly daydreams and fantasizes?
A. Both. I daydream and fantasize, but I have also incorporated many of my own personal experiences in some way into my books.

Q. Agatha Christie got her best ideas while eating green apples in the bathtub. Steven Spielberg says he gets his best ideas while driving on the highway. When do you get your best ideas and why do you think this is?
A. My ideas come at various times—cooking, driving, and in the shower. I suppose this is because my mind never leaves me the heck alone. I have been known to get up from the dinner table to write something down, and come back twenty minutes later. My family has pretty much gotten used to this. It’s just one of mom’s quirks.

Q. Do you get along with your muse? What do you do to placate her when she refuses to inspire you?
A. We get along well. When she refuses to cooperate, I take her for a walk. It tends to work.

Q. From the moment you conceived the idea for the story, to the published book, how long did it take?
A. I write a book about every four months. This book took me about six months. I was pregnant, so sleep got in the way (and eating for two).

Q. Describe your working environment.
A. It varies. There is a computer in my room that I work on. A laptop that I move from the kitchen table to Starbucks or Pannera, or to my parents’ house when I can’t think at home because the laundry and dirty dishes have piled up, and are calling my name.

Q. What type of scenes give you the most trouble to write?
A. I love to write dialogue, so I think writing out narrative with gorgeous prose and description is really tough.Q. Do you write non-stop until you have a first draft, or do you edit as you move along?
A. I write a first draft all the way through, then go back and edit.

Q. They say authors have immensely fragile egos… How would you handle negative criticism or a negative review?
A. I curse the reviewer and their children and their children’s children! Just kidding. You have to be tough in this business. Not everyone is going to like everything that you write. I try not to read negative reviews if I can help it. I have my own beliefs behind negative reviews—“if you have nothing nice to say, then don’t say anything.” Everyone has a right to their opinion, but it’s just that, and just because I don’t like a book doesn’t mean I have to review it. Someone else will likely love it. As a writer, I know what goes into this process --blood, sweat and tears. Most of us are lucky if we can pay the bills from our writing, making what we do as writers our passion. To insult someone’s dream is hurtful and painful. However, writers have to understand that it is part of the business and a tough skin is needed.

Q. As a writer, what scares you the most?
A. That people will hate what I write.

Q. When writing, what themes do you feel passionate about?
A. Love, justice, humanity, and family.

Q. Are you a disciplined writer?
A. Yes.Q. How do you divide your time between taking care of a home and children, and writing? Do you plan your writing sessions in advance?
A. I get the kids off by 8:00, come home and check e-mails while I eat breakfast, write until noon and have lunch, check e-mails again, and then write until 2:30, pick up my youngest and we go riding, come home and fix dinner, check everyone’s homework, feed animals and get ready to go to bed and start all over the following day. I don’t plan out my writing sessions in advance, but I always know that I will be writing no later than 9:00 a.m., and I will accept no less than ten pages a session.

Q. When it comes to writing, are you an early bird, or a night owl?
A. An early bird.

Q. Do you have an agent? How was your experience in searching for one?
A. I do have an agent. It is a difficult process, and I recommend Jeff Herman’s Guide. Study it, send out only what they ask for and then keep on writing. It took me twelve years to get an agent and sell a book.

Q. Do you have any unusual writing quirks?
A. Hang on—I am deferring to family members. Okay, they say that I laugh while I’m writing and that I talk out loud. I don’t think that’s a quirk.

Q. What is your opinion about critique groups? What words of advice would you offer a novice writer who is joining one? Do you think the wrong critique group can ‘crush’ a fledgling writer?
A. Critique groups can be good if they are honest and as long as there are at least a couple of writers who are ahead of you in the game. Critique groups should never ever be mean or personal, and they also shouldn’t be flowery and sugar coat the work if it needs help. There are nice ways to tell someone that the book isn’t working. For a novice writer, remember to take everything with a grain of salt. Listen, don’t take what is said to heart, let it sit within you for a few days, then take a look at what the group said. If at that time, you see their point, then make the changes. If you still think they are full of it, keep it as is. Remember, you are the writer, so you get the last word. I do think critique groups can ‘crush’ a fledgling writer. I almost had that experience twenty years ago as a newbie. The leader was harsh on my beyond what is acceptable. Other writers tried to console me and I almost gave up. However, if you’re a real writer and this your passion, then people can say what they will, and you may take it to heart for some time, but you will eventually find your way back. Once a writer, always a writer.

Q. Have you ever suffered from writer’s block? What seems to work for unleashing your creativity?
A. I have not suffered this particular ailment. I have been accinated against it. However, if I feel it trying to ‘get’ me, I go for a walk.

Q. Technically speaking, what do you have to struggle the most when writing? How do you tackle it?
A. Time. I wish I had more time to write more books. I am not sure how to handle this as I do need sleep.

Q. How was your experience in looking for a publisher? What words of advice would you offer those novice authors who are in search of one?
A. My agent found the publisher. I recommend that novice authors query agents when they feel they are ready.

Q. What type of book promotion seems to work the best for you?
A. If I knew I would be on The Times list. Word of mouth still sells books better than anything else. I do a culmination of things. I have a website, newsletter, myspace, blogs, etc. Viral marketing is important in the age of The Internet. I also tell anyone and everyone from people on planes, to waiting for their car at the car wash, to waiting to be seated in a restaurant about my books.

Q. What is(are) your favorite book/author(s)? Why?
A. This question is always so hard for me. I can never give one answer. I love so many different authors and books. I am a book whore. I probably spend more money on books than I do writing them. I read every night before bed and I pretty much enjoy almost every book I read. I’ll tell you what I am reading now and I can say that I am enjoying them: One Fifth Avenue by Candace Bushnell, The Shack by William P. Young, and The Writing Class by Jincy Willet. I read three to four books at a time. I think I have A.D.D.

Q. What is the best writing advice you’ve ever received?
A. Bum Glue by Bryce Courtenay (The Power of One). Bryce likes to say, “Glue your bum to the chair and write.”

Q. Do you have a website/blog where readers may learn more about you and your work?
A. Please visit my website at http://www.michelescott.com. Readers can read excerpts from all of my books, enter contests, and learn a bit about my writing process.

Q. Do you have another book on the works? Would you like to tell readers about your current or future projects?
A. I am currently finishing up a women’s fiction novel that is about women and their friendships with one another as well as the relationships between mothers and their children. I don’t want to jinx it, so that’s all I can say. My next mystery Corked by Cabernet will be out in February under Michele Scott.

Q. As an author, what is your greatest reward?
A. When I receive an e-mail from a reader telling me that they love one of my books, or characters. That makes what I do worth every second.

Q. Anything else you’d like to say about yourself or your work?
A. Buy it. I have three kids to put through college. Joking aside—writing is what I do, it’s what I love and I would love to have you read my work and drop me a line.

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Meet Mary Cunningham, Author
Interview by Mayra Calvani

Mary Cunningham is the author of the popular 'Cynthia's Attic' tween fantasy/time-travel series. She's also the co-author of the soon-to-be-released book, WOOF: Women Only Over 50, an uplifting collection of personal anecdotes and poems about how it feels and what it means to be a woman in her fifties. Mary lives in the beautiful mountains of West Georgia and is a member of The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, The Georgia Reading Association, and the Carrollton Creative Writers Club.

Q. Who came up with the idea for the WOOF book?
A. Oh, my goodness! It's been so long ago, the story has gotten muddled. (They say the memory is the first to to!) but I'll do my best. Co-writer, Diana, and her friend Carol were discussing the "joys" of reaching the half-century milestone. Their commiserating and laughter resulted in the idea to form a club/support group of friends who are still puppies at heart, beginning with themselves, another friend, Dot, and me. Melinda soon joined the ranks.
  The WOOFers Club soon led to the book. The first edition of WOOF: Women Only Over Fifty was published in 2000. An updated, (translation: BETTER!) edition will be published Dec. 1, 2008 by Echelon Press. The book has been a complete collaboration with Diana Black, Melinda Richarz Bailey, and me.

Q. How was it writing a book with two other authors? Would you do it again?
A. There were some rough patches on our first go-round several years ago...imagine three 'divas' trying to write a book together! But we learned tons from that experience! The new and improved WOOF has been a total pleasure. We had a purpose. To make this book the best it could be, and to reach women who are creeping up on Fifty, or have already stumbled over the line and need a good laugh.

Q. What was the best part about writing this book?
A. The best part, for me, was writing stories and poems from personal experience, and realizing that being fifty doesn't have to be depressing. It can actually be funny, and more importantly, freeing! I've gotten beyond worrying about what other people think of me, and I hope readers will ge the same message and learn to howl at the aging process.

Q. Your WOOFer name is 'Milkbone'. Why and what's behind the names?
A. The acronym for 'Women Only Over Fifty' is WOOF. We use canine terms and analogies in stories and chapter titles, such as, Are We Barking Up the Wrong Tree? Purebred Potpourri and Over Fifty Tailwaggers. In the process, the natural evolution was to give ourselves dog names. Diana is d.d. dawg, Melinda is Mad Dog and my name, Milkbone, comes from one of my favorite expressions. It's a dog-eat-dog world and I'm wearing milkbone underwear.

Q. What's all the fuss about the WOOFers Club? Who can join and what do they do?
A. The club is for anyone wishing to join a sisterhood for the ever-inreasing number of women approaching or over Fifty. We have our own e-mail address: GreatDames@woofersclub.com where women can choose and register a WOOF name of their choice and also vent frustrations, tell their own funny story, or submit poems. We're also planning to run contests in the near future.
  WOOF also has its own blog. Tell us about this. What do WOOFers blog about?
  Oh, I love the blog! We not only write posts about our own over-fifty experiences--good and not so good--we invite all women to be guest bloggers. For instance, we've had an over-fifty woman relay her experience with TaeKwondo, and we're so open-minded, we even posted a blog about a special cat, Dewey Readmore Books. So, gotta story to tell? E-mail us at GreatDames@woofersclub.com. We will be choosing one or two guest bloggers each month.

Q. I hear you've done a few signings already, before the official release of the book. What has been the response from the public so far?
A. Overwhelmingly positive. We love it when women buy the books for themselves, or read a poem or story and say "That's me!" Letting women know they're not alone is our prime objective...well, that and selling books, of course.

Q. Is there anything else you'd like to tell our readers?
A. No map to guide you through the "joys" of middle age? Join three witty, savvy, resourceful women as we chart our own course. Yep! You're invited!
  As you romp through issues of expanding waistlines, deepening wrinkles, empty nests and muddled memories, we promise you'll find good things to bark about!

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THE GLADIATOR'S ARENA
by Mayra Calvani

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Short Fiction

Getting High
by Lad Moore

Before such ‘trips’ became artificial.

  I grew up on "North Side," a reference to the neighborhoods north of Grand Avenue and beyond the Texas and Pacific Railroad tracks in Marshall, Texas. People said "our kind" were poor, and called us "Northsiders." They said we were from the "shoe box neighborhoods" because our houses resembled uniform rows of sameness. In contrast, "Southsiders" had the fairy-tale houses that dotted areas like Washington Place and Henley-Perry Drive. Here were quaint homes-chalets and bungalows having distinctly varied architecture and amenities that set them apart from the rest of the town. In Washington Place there were homes built entirely of rare petrified wood. Many had stucco alcoves with little statues and plaster carvings. Others had European-style roofs-some clay tile and some with expensive faux-tile roofs made of metal. Mailboxes were forged of iron and had hand-painted ceramic insets depicting fox-hunting scenes. In the winter the owners decorated for Christmas with a flair that had the rest of Marshall driving past in caravans of awe. It was a 1950’s version of The Wonderland Tour.
  &My visits to South Side were seldom, and not by invite. Our family didn’t mingle with Southsiders unless we needed to hire a lawyer or see a doctor. When we were flush with gasoline after payday, we often rode through their neighborhoods and hung our heads out the car window to try and breathe in the wealth. Packards and Cadillacs sat glistening in pea-gravel driveways-I didn’t see any Henry J’s like ours. In backyards I could see brick barbecue pits with forged metal hoods. To the side would be brightly-painted triple-swing sets with Jungle Jims. I bet the kids there shot Roman candles all year long.
  North Side boys were late getting bicycles. We didn’t start with a small one and graduate through four or five sizes up to 28-inches. We started with the 28-incher, always second-hand, and had to use a washtub as a step to mount it. For the next few years there would be no way to make it all the way up onto the seat. Burlap sacks wrapped around the top-tube and tied in place with a stocking had to do. Sometimes we had to add wooden blocks to the petals to reach them. If we fell during our ride, we used curbs or stumps as assists to remount. If there were no curbs, we pushed the bike all the way back to the washtub.
  Bikes aside, my favorite activity was climbing. I climbed everything. I sat on top of my garage until the red tin roof got too hot to manage through blue jean cutoffs. I walked the length of my house on the asphalt ridge cap like a circus high wire performer, arms spread out for balance and effect. I climbed the huge sweetgum tree and tossed its burrs toward a coffee can I had positioned on the storm sewer cover below. One point for each basket. At night, that same perch had me shooting burrs with a slingshot toward the Baptist College girls who passed beneath the streetlight. If one hit the mark, they cried out "Bats!" and fled screaming into the night.
  At my uncle’s farm in Overton there was a working windmill. Its tail fin spelled the word "Aeromotor" in faded letters. I could climb the cross braces as easy as I could a ladder. So could my uncle’s bird dog Wilbur, a skinny old farm hound that regularly joined me at the crow’s nest platform halfway up. He climbed down like he climbed up. His toes splayed out like a fan to steady himself on the metal angles. Sure footed as a goat, Wilbur was wasted in Overton. He could have easily made sway with John Ringling North.
  I admit to having some climbing fears. Sometimes hackles of hair on the back of my neck would stiffen like those wild bristles on a used-up paintbrush. My palms revealed the same lingering cold sensation as when gripping the neck of a soda bottle to hoist it out of its ice cooler. Climbing meant put one hand on the next rung or brace and keep moving. A rule emerged: Never stop, and never ever look down.
  The rest at the end of the climb was always interrupted by that dreaded fear of the trip back down. "How did I actually get up here?" Sometimes I would swear that some strategically-vital tree limbs had somehow been removed since I last used them. Climbing down was like having forgotten every good move, like being out of body. I would repeatedly swipe my palms down the legs of my jeans to dry them. One hand then the other. Carefully position each foothold. Footholds on the way down were much more calculated than those of the brisk ascent. The last step was more of a leap-skipping one or two levels. The only means to quickly end the fear was to hasten that happy jolt when feet met earth.
  At night, a group of other climbers joined me downtown to scale the rows of buildings like today’s Spiderman. There were streets where one building nearly touched another and we could traverse an entire block on rooftops. Pigeons scattered like grey apparitions against black canvas as we disturbed their rest. Oddly, we often found empty beer cans and bottles up there. We glanced around nervously. We weren’t the only visitors.
  Nader’s Store had several rooftop skylights. Each had a pane that could be opened for emergency ventilation. I opened one, its rusty hinges squealing for oil. In the dimmed store lights I could see rows of shoes on display shelves far below. I dropped a handful of roof gravel down the vent for the discomfort of those trying on shoes tomorrow. I wondered what Nader must have thought. I bet he wrote the shoe company a letter.
  Sam Houston School had a metal fire escape that was a chute with a section of covered tunnel stretching down several stories. I climbed it backwards many times on weekends just for the joy of a wax-papered ride back down.
  Of all climbs, the cone-topped water tower known simply as The Standpipe was the cosmos of fear and danger. To fall would be to careen off the hill into the pit that Marshall Pottery used as a dump for sharp pieces of broken pots. Standpipe therefore stood as did Everest-a magnet to the dauntless climber-knowing that such a fall would add severed arms and legs to mere broken bones. But many had done it before me. "MHS Seniors ‘55" and "I Love Carol" were emblazoned on the tank’s sides along with the initials of many heroic conquerors. The city water department didn’t even clean the writing off. Standpipe legend was allowed to advertise.
  Standpipe must be scaled at night to maximize both drama and covert act. Even so, it would not be uncommon for the odd patrol car to come by, dobbing its spotlight on the tower frame and catwalk. My friend Troy would stay below both as watchman and cheerleader. He was also assigned to remove the body if called upon.
  I began my climb with a kiss planted on the tower’s massive water pipe-a climber’s bid for good luck. I had a can of spray paint tied to my belt. I chose red, the high school color. I had bought the paint two weeks earlier, fearing that the hardware store man would alert the police to such a purchase and Standpipe would be placed on a prolonged stakeout. The News Messenger headline would read:

"Alert Clerk Foils Latest Standpipe Attempt. Climber Sent to Reform School"

  Seven or eight feet into the climb, one had to navigate past a barbed-wire barrier-sort of a Maginot Line installed to deter the weak and easily discouraged. The wires had been spread apart enough times that they had become spacious, and I easily passed between them. Troy gave me my first cheer but I didn’t look down. The ladder welds had broken in a few places and the sides quivered more than I liked. In a few spots it wobbled enough to clank, triggering a "Shhh!" from Troy below.
  I brushed away a bird’s nest and dirt and debris fell on my face and into my eyes. I locked my leg through the back side of the rung and clamped the toe of my shoe on the next rung below. That allowed me the necessary insurance to free one arm and wipe my eyes on my sleeve. I blinked over and over. Irritant tears began to well and soon a muddy stream stained my face.
  Soon I reached the pinnacle-a catwalk that encircled the tank like a mechanical garter belt. I crawled from the access hole onto the flat surface and lay still. I could see Troy sitting on the grass with his flashlight illuminating his face. He said something I couldn’t understand. I continued to lay there and catch my breath. My chest heaved up and down enough that it felt like pushups. I turned onto my side. Gripping the braces on the catwalk, I slowly stood upright. My fingers clung to the rail as though fused to the metal.
  A twinkling panorama stretched out before me. I let go the rail long enough to wipe my eyes with my shirttail, removing the last of the bird’s nest. To the south I could see a bright red haze-it was the glow of the rooftop neon letters spelling Hotel Marshall. In the distance to both the left and right blinked twin radio towers. One was KMHT. The other one? Maybe Wiley College had a station. The towers’ red pulses were ironically timed to the pace of my breathing. At the ten-o-clock position I could see the alternating green and white flares of the Marshall Airport beacon. Directly in front I could make out the shiny dome of the old courthouse. Farther right at four-o-clock was a cluster of lights knitted closely together. Baptist College?
  Above me unfurled a mosquito net of stars-brighter than any other time I had looked into the heavens. Was I just closer to them? While looking up I saw a blank spot on the tank’s east side. As high as I could reach I painted my initials there, followed by the date. Then I noticed something curious. Some of the painting was well above mine-reminding me of six-foot-four Raymond Craig. Raymond played varsity basketball and could hurl himself off the rim like Tarzan from a vine. Even Ray couldn’t reach that far up. It had to mean just one thing. Certain others before me had stood on top of the catwalk handrail to paint! I regretted having already put my mark there-others might see mine as less legitimate. I contemplated a re-do but only briefly-a return of neck hair like a Mohawk and palms like ice blocks quickly tamed my zeal. To seal this welcome rush of good sense, I let the can of paint fall to the ground.
  "Dang! You dropped your paint!" Said Troy. "No way can I throw it up that far."
  "Deed is already done." I said. Another cheer from Troy.
  I made my way back to the firm red clay. My legs were trembling like I imagined an earthquake might cause. I felt weak all over. Not from the climb, but from an ebb of fear flowing out of me.
  The next day Troy and I rode over to Standpipe. I felt the chills of pride and opened a wide smile meant solely for me. My initials were more prominent than I had hoped. Troy beamed at me like I was a brother just home from the war. It was a look that mixed awe with respect.
  Our neighborhood slowly changed. First the T&P railroad shops were razed. Then the old East Avenue Viaduct was toppled by an over-height railcar crane. The Standpipe Tower outlasted almost everything until a few years ago when the city tore it down for no reason whatsoever.
  We had lost another of our monuments to the legitimacy and honor of North Side. There are damn few left.

Story © Copyright 2008 by the author, Lad Moore. All rights reserved.

The author’s two books of short stories, "Tailwind" and "Odie Dodie" are available at

Amazon.Com, Books-a-Million, and Barnes and Noble. Book copies personally signed by the author may be obtained at bookstand prices by contacting him directly at pogo@shreve.net

The author’s third short story collection, "Riders of the Seven Hills" will be released to booksellers in early 2009.

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Articles

Writing Memoirs", by Angus Munro

  My book titled, A Full House – But Empty, was published the latter part of 2007.
  The title would tend to believe this is a book of contradiction? It is not really; however, I shall explain it later. In the business world, writing has been one of my most treasured tasks. I have always enjoyed letter writing, preparing and updating Standard Practice Manuals and writing special project reports, newsletters, etc. Occasionally, I would write an exceptionally good report or letter and I would leave a duplicate copy on my desk to reread the following day. To me it was a sense of accomplishment and very fulfilling. The equivalency of receiving a good review or report card. I particularly love the printed word. On many occasions, I received many compliments on my writing skills, based on my letters, reports and procedural manuals – it was to me a very modest but fulfilling experience. Particularly, as I started in the business world as a grade-school dropout with an overall personal rating of “F” as in failure!
  After completing thirty-nine years in hospital administration in California and Alaska, I retired in 2003. It was very challenging transition for this divorced man with no children, who was a very dedicated and productive workaholic, finally having to throw in the towel. And to complicate matters, I was ironically an avid tennis bum – the other end of the spectrum that carried negative connotations. Some combination – being a workaholic and tennis bum; however, both aggregately require boundless energy. And besides that, the last several years, I lived a hundred and thirty miles from my work and only returned home on the weekends.
  Upon retirement – with plenty of free time on my hands, I found myself becoming very reflective, especially during my daily morning and evening walks. I particularly found myself reminiscing about my childhood and growing up years in Vancouver, British Columbia. I was born during the Great Depression. My father was from a prosperous farming family in the Province of Saskatchewan. When he married, his father leased farmland for him to get established. When he received the proceeds from his first wheat crop, a wild poker game was ensuing at the local grain elevator. My father, to put it mildly, had more than a penchant for playing poker. When leaving the poker game – he also left all of the proceeds from his entire wheat crop – thus, arriving home with one can of strawberry jam that he sheepishly presented to my mother. His father, a hardworking and very conservative man was outraged regarding that poker incident. My father decided to move on elsewhere.
  He and my mother and sister, Laura shortly thereafter, moved to Vancouver. The Great Depression started and it was difficult for my father in seeking employment in Vancouver and being a farm boy – classified in the city as unskilled labor. He could only obtain sporadic employment. His father passed away very suddenly during this difficult period and he left his entire estate to his younger son. As the Depression deepened, my father returned home to see if his brother could offer some financial assistance. He received absolutely nothing from his brother.
  Empty-handed and disheartened, he returned to Vancouver unexpectedly one evening and found my mother in bed with some cheater. The cheater jumped out of the nearest window and my mother was instructed to leave by the front door. Thus, my father became a single parent to Laura, 6 Angus, 3 and Marjorie, an infant. Fortunately, the Provincial Government Social Services immediately provided my father with housekeeping and child rearing services daily to help lessen his load. We had two wonderful ladies – alternately taking turns providing those services.
  At age 7, we moved with another family, the Ingleharts. A father with five children, also originally from a farming family and he having had similar marital problems. It became a great union and we rented a large frame house with an adjacent lot and with vast railroad meadowlands overlooking the front of our home. It was in Vancouver, but sort of in a semi-rural setting. We had goats, chickens and apple trees and the rest of the property – including the adjacent lot was developed as an extended kitchen garden growing a variety of vegetables. We lived together for four wonderful years. During that period the Great Depression ended and WWII started in 1939 as Canada, being a Dominion of the United Kingdom, entered the war at the same time.
  At age 11, our families parted. I was relegated to being chief cook and bottle washer.
  My father, during the war years was often working two full time jobs. However, on the weekends, my father a partygoer and poker player, had one or the other, and in either case, usually lasting all night. I was assigned to the aftermath – the clean up. (In view of that setting thus, the title of my book, A Full House – poker games and parties, But Empty – referring to my insular existence living in this setting.) At age 13, I was falsely blamed for an incident that took place in the seventh grade. It was never resolved so my response was to play sick as often as possible and I refused to study thereafter. No vindication – no resolution. I had to repeat the seventh grade and just – bowed out thereafter.
  At age 17, this grade-school dropout was tossing lumber ends off of a conveyer belt in a sawmill – a total dead-ended job. A theological student from the University of British Columbia came to our home to attend a party with some of my father’s friends from his pub club. George, the student, and I became very good friends. One evening he stopped by and delivered a Dutch uncle speech. He instructed me to get off of my ass and get moving. He suggested that I immediately enroll at a local high school and take evening classes in both typing and accounting to obtain some basic skills. Further, he suggested that I seek a white-collar entrance position in a company that would offer future advancement. I responded by saying that I was a failure with no education nor had any other basic skills. He countered by saying that he was certain that I had above average intelligence and to move ahead in a positive manner. He opened the door and I did exactly what he suggested.
  It was a very productive but long and difficult road – sometimes filled with trepidation, but this grade-school dropout became very successful. During my career in both Canada and the USA, I spent nine years in the petroleum industry. My last employer, Richfield Oil was scheduling me for a junior executive position in their home office. I decided to make a career change and spent the next thirty-nine years successfully in hospital administration in both California and Alaska. I was a director with staffing complements of fifty-five to seventy employees.
  Because of my great love for preparing written documentation, I decided I could try and creatively utilize that basic skill. Initially, as I had mentioned earlier, I particularly loved those years with the Inglehart family and during my walks after retiring I was constantly reminiscing about my ‘ Waltonesque’ like childhood. I have two great nephews and at that time they were both within the ages of 7 and 11 the exact age range of me during the Inglehart years. I decided to write a story about my childhood for my great nephews to share those experiences. When I completed the draft, I was having breakfast with my nephew, Paul (our lad’s father) who had read my material and suggested that I simply carry on and write a complete autobiography. Thus, this was the beginning of my book, A Full House – But Empty.
  Fortunately, I have been blessed with a wonderful and detailed memory. As I sat at my computer writing my story, I actually seemed to reenter my world of yesterdays. I could really sense our rented frame house, our family members, our activities, gardens, goats, chickens and the surrounding areas. I was able to methodically put all of those memories in their proper and/or appropriate place. Each day, I would review the prior two or three paragraphs as a precursor and than continue my story. I really enjoyed writing about my childhood and youthful years. It was all simply sharing those earlier years and covering ongoing events. Frankly, the entire exercise was a piece of cake. My thoughts poured out ebulliently and thankfully in precise orderly tandem.
  When writing about my life after the Dutch uncle speech it required a different approach and standard. I was hopeful that I could successfully share my climbing up the vocational ladder starting from the bottom rung. I wanted to convey a positive message relating to my experiences in the work scene and socially – in that setting and elsewhere. In other words, aside from elevating my positions, I wanted to demonstrate growth factors in relating to people and different circumstances and to address some interesting points.
  My father, had been an outside foreman for a large oil and coal company. He was greatly respected by both the office staff and his outside employees and many attended our parties. If was evident to me that they all adorned him for his absolute dedication to the organization and fulfilling all of his responsibilities with alacrity. While I was tossing wood off of a conveyer belt – in the evenings after dinner at the kitchen table he would explain how he addressed difficult and complicated situations relating to employees and/or work issues. These turned out to be great quiet and productive moments for me. During these sessions, I never questioned nor refuted any of his opinions or his course of action taken in individual situations. The proof was in the pudding – all of his co-workers and/or associates admired and respected him. He always said to me, “ Always do the right thing, regardless of the circumstances or outcome!” Amen! While I appear to many to be an outgoing and friendly person, I am actually quite conservatively private. I rarely, if ever discussed my past experiences with my contemporaries. When I started writing, I realized that I had to reopen closed doors that contained both happy and sad experiences and address them equally along this path. In the process, on numerous occasions, while writing, I wondered do I really want to do this project. I decided to go either 100% or nothing. I decided on the former!
  In the writing process, I received the following, words of advice from a New York City, literary agent who was also a writer. She stated, “Writing successfully is having the reader be so engrossed with your story that that person can hardly wait to get to the next page!”

--Angus Munro

Angus' new memoir, A Full House - But Empty, is the gripping story of young Angus' life growing up in the Depression years based on the positive lessons he had learned from his father during their somewhat traumatic and hectic years together.

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SANCTUARY -- By Mayra Calvani

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WHODUNIT? -- By Billie A. Williams

Writing The Whodunnit, How to Start?
by Billie A. Williams (c) 2008

  Over the years, we see so many patients die that the scene loses its power to shock us," that is the real life physician voice of Tess Gemitsen medical thriller author.
  She began her writing career testing the waters of romantic suspense novels. Things that she thought were exciting, things that intrigued her like international espionage, things that involved women in jeopardy. "It didn't occur to me that readers might hunger to know abou the world of hospitals and doctors--the very workd I just happened to work in everyday." she said in a segment of the book Writing Mysteries, Edited by Sue Grafton with Jan Burke and Barry Zeman.
  As writer's we need to trust our everyday life and jobs to deliver our perfect novel. As readers we relate to things that are about us in a surrogate sort of way. We all go to doctors, we all know stories of misdiagnosis or mind boggling strains of diseases that someehow refuse to be treated by normal methods, or surgical-- "Ooops, we left a clamp in there," kind of scenarios. We own the story when it's familiar to us in some way.
  As a writer of the mystery genre, we need to find our sleuth from our life as well as our antagonist. Believably, imperfect and complex people who...should be your motto. A flawed hero, or a villain with a part of him/her that creates a modicum of sympathy, at least, for him/her. Neither hero nor villain should be perfectly perfect or totally evil.
  That way whodunnit, how and why they did it will always have a ring of truth to the reader. It could have happened to me, hooks your reader. Then, you reel them in one page at a time, net them and bring them ashore.
  Our life can be what we know or what we have a passion to lear, so that we may render it authentically, with authority and expertise for our readers.
  Ann Rule, herself an accidental sleuth, says in order to write true crime stories, one must be a self-starter, and not only a writer but also a detective. Researching crimes, figuring out how to elicit information that seems impossible to get, asking people about pain and horror they would rather forget and asking detectives and prosecutors to share their investigations and feelings with you so that you may get a clearer picture of what it is you are writing about.
  When asked how she could write about true crimes without feeling like she was profiting from another person's misery to a psychiatrist, Ann Rule heard this bit of advice. "Half the people in the world make a living from the other half's problems, firefighters, police officers, doctors, morticians, insurance sales people..."
  To write it without knowing, you must research and study to make the information truly your own. Then you can write that next best seller as your reader falls under your spell when you show her whodunnit and how.

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SEEDLINGS -- Aaron Paul Lazar

Title: The Devil Can Wait
Author: Marta Stephens
Publisher: BeWrite Books
Publisher's Address: 32 Bryn Road South,Wigan, Lancaster, WN4 8QR
ISBN number: 978-1-905202-86-7
Price: $
Publisher phone number and/or website address: http://www.bewrite.net
The Devil Can Wait
by Marta Stephens
Review by Aaron Paul Lazar
Author of the LeGarde Mystery Series
http://www.legardemysteries.com

  Looking for a deliciously convoluted tale that will twist its way through your brain and keep you up late into the night? Look no further, for Marta Stephens has just released the second book in the Sam Harper crime mystery series, The Devil Can Wait.
  Stephens’ debut novel, Silenced Cry, was addictive, propelling readers into the action from page one and corkscrewing through a wild ride of corruption and abuse. Unlike many "seconds" in a series, The Devil Can Wait does not disappoint, and expands Detective Sam Harper’s world from the fictitious seaside town of Chandler, Massachusetts to the steamy jungles of Columbia and through shocking revelations in the Vatican itself.
  A dark history precedes the bitter tale of a cursed black pearl ring, whose protectors and seekers have killed to keep its secrets for centuries. Now, just months before the planets align in what is believed to be the sign of a long awaited prophecy, the ring lands in Harper’s back yard, triggering villainy and murder. Murders, that is. Four boys wash ashore the icy Chandler beaches, and Harper’s up to his eyeballs in corpses with few leads and increasing pressure from his captain and the press.
  As if multiple seaside murders aren’t enough to drive an already sleep-deprived police force to the brink of exhaustion, a sleazy pawnshop owner and elderly history professor are found dead within days. Is spunky local journalist, Jennie Blake, tied to these murders? If so, what’s she trying to hide? And why can’t Sam stop thinking about the gorgeous brunette in spite of his best intentions?
  Stephens has skillfully detailed police procedures in a realistic fashion, a task not easy for one who hasn’t worked a real life police investigation. But on top of this, the author has woven intriguing subplots with a love entanglement that thrusts the story forward to its climatic end. The sexual tension between Harper and reporter Jennie Blake is natural and sublime - adding icing to this already delectable confection of supernatural elements, grisly murders, and the stoic talent and courage of one very likeable cop. Don’t take my word for it - buy it and read it today.
  Stephen’s has hinted at a third in the Sam Harper series. We’ll wait with bated breath, in anticipation of her next taut thriller.

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Aaron Paul Lazar writes to soothe his soul. The author of LeGarde Mysteries and Moore Mysteries savors the countryside in the Genesee Valley in upstate New York, where his characters embrace life, play with their dogs and grandkids, grow sumptuous gardens, and chase bad guys. Visit his websites at http://www.legardemysteries.com and http://www.mooremysteries.com and watch for the fourth book in the LeGarde series, MAZURKA, coming in fall 2008 from Twilight Times Books http://www.twilighttimesbooks.com.
  Double Forté is the founding book of the LeGarde Mystery series and was released in November, 2004. Upstaged followed in October, 2005. His third, Tremolo: cry of the loon, was released via Twilight Times Books in November 2007. Mr. Lazar is currently working on his thirteenth book, The Aviary. The first book of his paranormal mystery series, Moore Mysteries, will be released in early 2008, along with Mazurka, the next book in the LeGarde mystery series. He is a regular columnist for FMAM (Futures Mystery Anthology Magazine), Mysteryfiction.net and has been published in Great Mystery and Suspense magazine and the Absolute Write Newsletter. Contact him at: aaron.lazar@yahoo.com, visit his blog at http://murderby4.blogspot.com, http://aaronlazar.blogspot.com, or stop by his websites at http://www.legardemysteries.com, and http://www.mooremysteries.com.

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THE WRITING LIFE
(Quarterly and Guest Column)

Be aware of recent developments regarding Google Book Search.

Go to the following url: http://books.google.com

And then search for your name or book title. If there is only a synopsis, then most likely Google has not copied the text of your book.

If you are able to read your book, then you may be covered under the recent settlement.
http://www.authorsguild.org/advocacy/articles/settlement-resources.html

Does this settlement mean any company can publish our books without permission online or elsewhere even if we were not a party to the settlement or suit? If so, what good is the copyright protection if anyone can convert intellectual property to their own purpose and thereby use it without permission or compensation. Does this mean we might sell only one copy only to have it given away for free to the reading public? Does it mean that a court or other government entity has the right to grant the use of our work without our permission or agreement, thereby putting our work in the public domain without just compensation? And if the said company says it will pay for each reading, how do you know how many times they will collect or actually charge for the reading? This could mean any research you do on your own time, original ideas, and the like will be lost to you to the advantage of any large company that wishes to take it or any person who might wish to use it without permission.

Question: What of the rumored effort by large companies to remove the use of class action suits by average citizens who dare challenge just such conversions of rights of their property to force said citizen to individually sue, being sure they won't be able to afford the suit to regain rights to their property taken without permission or for any other purpose? Can or will this happen?

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Reviews

WOOF - Women Only Over 50
By Mary Cunningham
Echelon Press
ISBN-13: 9781590806067
Review by Mayra Calvani
  Your hair is getting white, you’re losing muscle tone, you wish gravity didn’t exist so wrinkles wouldn’t take hold of your face, menopause is finally kicking in—really kicking in. Is it the end, or the beginning of great things to come?
  Authors Diana Black, Mary Cunningham, and Melinda Richarz Bailey share their experiences--sometimes sad, sometimes joyful, sometimes funny--about their road ‘downhill’… or is it really—to middle age. They also share their dreams and realizations about life and what it really means to be 50.
  This book is a combination of short personal essays, poems, and witty quotes that will touch your heart and enlighten your mind about the aging process. At the end of each chapter the authors invite readers to write their own experiences and thoughts, so you may want to have a pencil or pen in hand as you read.
  Bad hair days, chocolate (and expanding waistlines!), dogs, the menopause (flashing!), being a woman, cell phones and computers are some of the topics covered in the book. Take a look at this short segment on the powers of chocolate:

Seriously, how could something so rich and luscious;
something that can make most grown WOOFers lie, cheat
and steal; something that can, with one delicious, melt-in-your-mouth morsel bring a menopawsal, endorphin
deprived, raving lunatic back from the brink of insanity;
be bad for you?
Oh, don't pretend you don't know what we're talking
about. Who hasn't searched underneath the sofa cushions
in January for a stray piece of Halloween candy?

And of course, every WOOFer over 50 must have a WooFer name. In the book, Diana Black is ‘d. d. dawg’, Mary Cunnigham is ‘Milkbone’, and Melinda Richarz Bailey is ‘Mad Dog’. Towards the end there is a list of names with their behavioral characteristics, so you can choose the one that best suits the WOOFer in you.
  This is a light, humorous, entertaining, and certainly uplifting read. I finished reading it in two hours. Many of the segments are hilarious and made me laugh out loud—and mind you, I’m not 50 yet. This little book would make a great Christmas or birthday gift to anyone who loves a good laugh, but especially to those Woofers over 50.

For those interested, the authors have formed a club for WOOFers:
http://www.woofersclub.com
And there’s also a blog: http://www.woofersclub.blogspot.com

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My Doggie Says
by Fred M. Haney
ISBN: 978-0-9785515-0-6
Review by Mayra Calvani
  Are you tuned with your dog? Enough to understand the signals and messages it sends you everyday? How well do you communicate with your canine companion?
  In My Doggie Says, the author pays a tribute to his beloved dog, Jamie, a golden retriever who never stops sending him messages with his eyes, expressions, barks, and physical behavior.
  Of course, all dogs sends us messages and 'talk' to us, but not all dog owners are tuned enough to their dogs to perceive or understand these messages.
  The author took photographs of Jamie in different situations, capturing Jamie's body language during four years, then he set to the task of writing about them, the result which is this book.
  Writen with humor and warmth, this is an award-winning book that will be enjoyed by all dog lovers, especially owners of golden retrievers. It might even help you build a warmer, closer relationship with your doggie and inspire you to become a better 'listener'.

Note: My Doggie Says is an Indie Excellence Award Winner (pet books category).
Visit the author's website at http://www.mydoggiesays.com

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Don't Wait for The Devil Can Wait
by Marta Stephens
Review by Harry Hughes, author of "The Bait Shack"
  Literarily speaking, the murder mystery genre has been excavated so thoroughly that one wonders how any author, emerging or seasoned, might find a way to put new spin on the unrepentant dastards who commit crimes, and the noir characters, some pensive and some quick with the snappy one-liners, who solve them. How do writers distinguish themselves in a seemingly saturated market?
  Ask Marta Stephens. With a website that highlights her own works http://www.martastephens-author.com and another http://murderby4.blogspot.com that welcomes new authors to her world of perps, molls and gumshoes, Marta knows how to put a fresh face on old caricatures. Her second novel, THE DEVIL CAN WAIT, proves that there still exists much yellow-taped, cordoned off territory to be explored.
  Detective Sam Harper, the protagonist in Stephens’s first novel (SILENCED CRY) of the Chandler Police Department in Massachusetts, is summoned out of bed on a freezing morning before sunrise to view a floater by the bay, the third tattooed teenaged male to wash ashore in as many weeks, each murdered by different means; bludgeoning, strangulation, and now this, a throat rendered open by what appears to be knife-play. Sure, there seems to be a link among the deaths but where are the clues? At this point, there are none.
  And so begins Harper’s search for a serial killer. This kind of assignment is routine stuff to him, but in no way is he prepared for the journey that leads to the crime’s resolution. And here is where THE DEVIL CAN WAIT parts company with other novels of this genus. From a small city in Massachusetts, we are suddenly transported to Mitu, an equatorial republic of Colombia, South America, where we are introduced to Alejandro, badly beaten as a consequence of skimming drugs from a dealer named Lorenzo. Alejandro’s mother, Anita Salas tends his wounds while he ponders her fate. She is wanted by the military for the alleged murder of three priests from a local church who regarded her as a witch and devil worshiper. More worrisome, is her possession of an inscribed, black pearl ring believed to be prophetic and that is coveted by Lorenzo the drug dealer . . . and others.
  The body count increases. We eventually meet Chandler Times reporter Jennifer Blake who receives a phone call from her former Professor of Anthropology, Gaylord Mittendorf. Apparently, he possesses some inside scoop about the origins of a certain black pearl ring in South America that is drawing attention of individuals not of the legitimate auction variety.
  Where does all of this lead us? To the Vatican and a mesmerizing, centuries-long history of a corrupt and perverse papacy tied to the black pearl ring and ultimately to the serial killer whose handiwork we were introduced to at the book’s start. Where is Sam Harper and how is he linking these seemingly disparate events to the story’s exciting closure? You will just have to be patient until THE DEVIL CAN WAIT is in your hands.
  Marta Stephens’s keen knowledge of forensics and her use of crisp dialogue and descriptive locales allow her to peek over the heads of other mystery writers in this overcrowded field. As Harper stands above the teenaged corpse, we can feel icy wind blowing over a snow-covered, New England beach. Alejandro struggles to sustain consciousness while a thug chauffeurs him through the jungle to his mother’s house, and we smell the jungle canopy steaming with rainfall and palpate our own face as Stephens describes Alejandro’s multiple head wounds. And finally, Sam Harper is not the caricature of a wise guy, fast-talking urbane dick but is instead a believable police detective rife with character flaws and a doggedly determined persona. THE DEVIL CAN WAIT is a perfectly paced, 5-star read from beginning to end.

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