Introducing Lisa Lickel!

Intro:

This month I’m interviewing ACFW author Lisa Lickel. If you don’t recognize the name now, you soon will :)

Cindy:

Welcome to Writer’s Block and I am so happy you are here this month. As you may or may not know, I try to research the person I’m interviewing first to make it as personal as I can. Hopefully, I ask questions never asked before. My main objective is to enlighten my numerous readers to all the wonderful books out on the market now, old and upcoming. I’m thrilled to be able to talk to so many authors as I, too, learn so much from them.

So, now that you know you’re my next “victim”, enlighten myself and my many readers on whom, exactly, Lisa Lickel is - not Lisa the author, but Lisa the “person”. ie: family, children, pets, goals, etc. We want to know who the author is when she’s not writing. We will cover the author part next :)

Lisa:

Thank you so much for hosting me, Cindy. I’m honored to be your victim of the month. I research my interviewees, too, but being on the other end is…um, a bit unnerving. I’m really kind of dull. Since I stopped working for other people (I used to be a church secretary and when the angels “sin” ned in the Christmas bulletin one year, I knew I needed some cushion between me and my typos) I haven’t been venturing out wreaking havoc at the PTA and town board quite as much, although some people still quiver when they see me coming.

I hail from a long line of farmers and teachers. I’m the daughter of History and English teachers, married a high school science teacher and birthed a high school English teacher. My husband and I live in a very old house, and have two sons, now grown and married. Andy is a campus staffer with Intervarsity Christian Fellowship and going to seminary and Kyle is working on it at the moment, having taught a year and worked at a church camp for a year.

I’m not a pet person, although I have a huge collection of dragons that fortunately don’t need to be fed or let out. I got a kick out of creating Carranza for the mystery series, but with allergies, that’s as close as I get. High-handed cat even got his own interview at petsandauthors.blogspot.com. My goal is to earn as much through writing as I did at my part time jobs. Ahem. Some day that might even happen. When I’m not writing, I live in the past with all kinds of historical societies, doing research or putting on programs. Right now—well, when the snow leaves—we’re working on restoring a township cemetery. I love it. Such stories.

Cindy:

You have two wonderful published books and one to release mid February! Congratulations! What is Meander Scar about, and I’d really like you to focus on your choice of titles as we cover your books.

Lisa:

Well, thank you. Meander Scar is one of those stories where a lot of thoughts came together. I chewed on the concept of why hardly anyone has an issue with older men and younger women in relationships, but not the other way around. So many cinema personalities have gotten away with it: Mary Tyler Moore, Susan Sarandon, rats—the woman who played Caroline Ingalls - oh, yeah, Michael Learned. I just wanted to test the waters with the concept. Um, didn’t go over too well with the CBA markets or either of the agents I had. To go on with the story idea, you hear how, every year, people vanish? What happens to them? How does the loss, the not knowing, affect their families.

So, Meander Scar is the story of Ann Ballard, whose husband went missing while on a business trip. Years later, a young man who once lived next door shows up and offers to help her put the whole matter to rest, since her mother-in-law fought to keep from having her son legally declared dead. Mark, who’s now a lawyer, is more than nice…he confesses to a life-long love. Now what? Can Ann possibly even consider a relationship with someone else after all this time? Especially one who’s quite a bit younger? And what will her son say? When she’s finally ready to move on, she learns the truth of her husband’s disappearance. Her life took a really big meander.

Cindy:

Your first book, the Gold Standard, what’s it about?

Lisa:

The Gold Standard is a contemporary cozy mystery, a light-hearted romantic story about a young orphaned school teacher whose closest living relative is found dead on her farm. Judy, certain her aunt was murdered, spends the summer on the farm trying to figure out who would have done it and why. And does the man who farms the property next door have anything to do with it? When Judy learns there is a lost treasure buried somewhere on the farm, she races to learn whether her aunt died to keep the secret before the killer gets to it first.

Cindy:

And Healing Grace?

Lisa:

Healing Grace is still a story of my heart. It was the second book I ever wrote while I was waiting for the contest results of the Christian Writer’s Guild’s Operation: First Novel. My brother called one evening to ask about some family history with illnesses, for he had come down with a troubling problem. Took a while for him to be diagnosed with an infection that affected his nervous system. I had been thinking about how people interpret the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and how they manifest themselves today. I know there are major controversies surrounding that issue, but I went ahead and built a community of people who practice the gifts, sort of like a throw-back group of people.

Grace has a gift, you can probably guess what it is from the title, and when her world caves in, she thinks God has abandoned her and she runs—right into the arms of someone who desperately needs her gift. Only she’s afraid to risk using it. Where does my brother come in? When I researched his symptoms, I also came across a great disease to give Ted, the male protagonist. I hope to continue telling more of Grace’s home community story someday. My brother and his family shared a lot of their life in Michigan with me, for that’s where Healing Grace takes place.

Cindy:

I’m always curious about how an author comes up with a story or title for a book. Which do you do first, story idea, or title around a possible story idea?

Lisa:

If you’ve been in this business much you know that the publisher has the final word—generally—on titles. Sometimes my stories and my titles go hand in hand when they hatch. I thought “meander scar” would make a great book title long before I wrote professionally. I learned the term in either high school or college geography. A meander is the bend a river or stream takes when it hits a hard place. The river turns in on itself and eventually meets the main course. The meander is then abandoned, first as a small lake, then a swampy area, then dried, but always visible as a scar. I love the idea of comparing relationships to natural phenomenon. I knew I wanted to write about unusual relationships when I finally started to write.

In Meander Scar, both Ann and Mark’s lives hit hard places. The line from the publisher: “Love can heal even the deepest scars” fits the idea well. I had a different title all ready to go, though, when publishers, agents and many readers weren’t sold with my original choice. Healing Grace has multiple levels of meaning, as well and it evolved naturally. For the mystery—I didn’t think my first choice, based on the supporting Bible verse, would make it, and they asked for a new one very shortly before publication. Not my best effort, although I was really tickled to have my daughter-in-law help pick it out. Authors should research how often and in what context their ideal title has been used already before settling on one.

Cindy:

Before obtaining a contract with a traditional publisher and joining the ACFW, did you have any other books previously submitted elsewhere and if so, what went wrong?

Lisa:

In high school I wrote a story about how bees help fertilize plants, pictures and all. I sent it to one of those companies that offers to tell you how good of a writer you are, and I was stunned they wanted to publish it. For a price. I was so naïve.

Cindy:

When you finish a book, what is your main goal in regards to the potential readers? ie: What do you hope they get from the story?

Lisa:

My tag line is Living Our Faith Out Loud. Fiction is generally meant to entertain, and that’s what I hope to do—make the reader not sorry he or she spent the time and money on my book. I hope to give them an honest-to-goodness thrill ride with the story, and make it one they’re not embarrassed to leave on the coffee table or have their teen-aged kids read. Hopefully, they’ll want to tell their friends about it. If the reader wants to delve a little deeper into the back story with me, I’m delighted to do that, too.

Cindy:

How did you first decide to start writing books? What or who, influenced that decision?

Lisa:

While I was working at that church and had a few dollars to spare, I bought a subscription to Today’s Christian Woman, now sadly out of print. That was the year Jerry Jenkins used his money from his Left Behind series to buy the Christian Writer’s Guild, and I saw an ad. I was drawn to enroll in the online course and started selling articles before I finished.

Cindy:

After the release this month, what’s next on your agenda for us?

Lisa:

I hope to convince publishers to buy more stories. I have a couple circulating, one about a woman who wants to control her own fate when her cancer returns, and one about a bachelor missionary and a young businesswoman who think they have their lives all planned out until God interferes. And several others in the hopper.

Cindy:

Does your family or church influence any of the ideas for a book or characters in a book you write?

Lisa:

The family, not so much. Honestly. My first unsold-and-in-need-of-an-edit book series, which I still have hopes for—it made the top ten in an Operation: First Novel contest—is a year in the life of a typical congregation, focusing on a few families at a time. It’s about how we all influence each other, and I people-watched and collected stories – still do, for a long time. So, while being in church settings has influenced the story, you won’t find the people of my church as specific characters.

Cindy:

How do you feel about this new trend towards self-publishing as opposed to vanity publishers, who charge to publish you, and traditional publishers, whom you submit your ideas to and hope they’ll want more and eventually, contract your idea?

Lisa:

There’s only so much shelf space. But electronic storage ups the offering, yes? Vanity presses have met their match and I think will fade. Why pay someone when you don’t have to? But self-publishers should still strive to put out the best product possible. I certainly don’t begrudge anyone who’s been trying to get a contract, then turns around and chooses the self-pub route.

I’ve seen it all—from the woman at my first writer’s convention who went around with a desperately vacant look (painful, truly), who just had to be published in Guideposts or else. The man who refused to change his story for a publisher and chose self-publishing when he could have had that contract. The people, myself included with Healing Grace, who choose independent (but traditional) publishers and get a less-than-perfect product. Plenty of famous authors go the self-pub route. Both Mark Twain and Charles Dickens started out that way. Yes, there’s snobbery involved—but we all need a champion, and only you know your audience. If you’re happy seeing your book in print and you sell it to your friends and family, that’s plenty good enough. I may end up self-publishing my children’s historical series. It has local appeal, and that’s where I’ll market it.

Cindy:

Where can readers learn more about you and the books you have available?

Lisa:

You can visit my website, http://lisalickel.com, or find me on Facebook where I have a fan page, Goodreads, Shoutlife or my blog, http://livingourfaithoutloud.blogspot.com. Everyone can read the first chapter of each of my books on my website. They are available on line at the usual retailers and publisher’s sites, and can be ordered in any local bookstore. Healing Grace and Meander Scar are also available in e-book format and Kindle.

Cindy:

Can readers contact you with questions or requests for signed copies of your books?

Lisa:

Absolutely. Send me a message anytime. My contact information and my schedule are on my website, or use lisalickel@netzero.net.

Cindy:

What has been the toughest hurdle to conquer in your quest for publication?

Lisa:

The same as anyone who isn’t an overnight sensation with some highly visible current issue and a hotline to a publisher’s ear: getting recognized and accepted. I’ve had a couple of agents that didn’t work out. I still have to query and research the markets and do publicity. It’s time consuming and frustrating, but also a kick when I meet fun new people and get to do interviews like this.

Cindy:

What’s in the works for us now to look forward to?

Lisa:

I’m currently recording a series of comedic radio soap operas I wrote, based on the producer’s idea, which appeal to my quirky side. They will be out on podcast this fall, we hope, at www.freequincyradio.podomatic.com. I also have a monthly, or so, column at Favorite PASTimes, http://favoritepastimes.blogspot.com. I just joined the Afictionado book reviewers team for the monthly ACFW on-line magazine, so I hope you’ll all tune in there.

Cindy:

Is there any other information you’d like to express to the readers that I may not have touched base upon during this interview?

Lisa:

You’ve been wonderfully gracious, Cindy. I have reader discussion guides for all of my books on my website and at Goodreads. There are also some recipes from The Gold Standard on my website. I’m delighted to meet, either in person or on conference call with any book clubs. I also am happy to meet with your writing group for writer’s workshops either in person or e-mail sessions.

Thank you so much for a lovely chat.

Cindy:

Lisa, I’ve so enjoyed this interview with you and I’m excited about your books. Thank you so much for this time to get to know you and your writing better.

Meet Richie O'Brien - Owner of The EBook Sale and RealTime Publishing

Cindy: Welcome, Richie! Thank you for allowing this interview today. Let’s start off with a little background information. You live in Ireland! Briefly give a little history on your life there – i.e.: family, children, pets

Richie: Hi Cindy, I’m delighted to be talking to you today. Well, I hail from a parish called Fethard and Killusty, located in Co. Tipperary, Ireland. I feel I’ve been lucky to come from such a beautiful part of the country (and world)… greeted with a view of Slievenamon (which translates into English as ‘Mountain of the Women’) and the River Anner, from my bedroom window each morning. I grew up on a dairy farm with my three sisters and one brother. My mom died when I was nine, so Dad had it tough, but I’d like to think he did a good job.

I managed to get a job as an electronic technician straight after earning a diploma from CIT (Carlow Institute of Technology) and so I moved to Limerick city… where I still live today. That was 15 years ago, and in the mean time I studied further to get an electronics degree from Limerick University, I met my wife, Tara, and we now have three fantastic children: Adam is 13, Ava is 6 and Daragh just turned 4 this week. So life is busy and lots of fun. I still play a little Rugby; Adam plays soccer for his county and Ava is beginning ballet and swimming. Daragh has enough on his plate re-decorating the house every chance he gets.

I have always loved dogs. We had several Labradors at home growing up so with my move to the city, a smaller breed made more sense for indoor living… so we have a King Charles and a Cocker Spaniel. The kids love them.

I did a little cycling a few years ago and was involved in a charity cycle from Portland (Oregon) to New York back in ’98. It was in aid of Paul Newman’s (Hole in the Wall Camp) charity. I took the lazy option and drove the support car, but it was a fantastic adventure… 3,200 miles of mostly US countryside - pretty cool!

Cindy: You began your publishing venture with The E Book Sale. What prompted you to go into the publishing business?

Richie: Well, the latter half of the ‘90’s saw the internet take off. The amount of sites online began to grow exponentially to give the everyday person a mass of information at their fingertips. Really sharp-minded people saw a missive potential to harness the power of the web and with a little marketing could gain financial freedom. Well, I was not one of those people however it intrigued me to know how it all worked, i.e. how do you build a website, how do you get good and unique content and how do you generate traffic?

I was always into reading books and even though eBooks were available back in 2000/2001, there were not many eBook stores… so to create an eBook store made sense to me. As I pottered about with html code and a $5 hosted GoDaddy web account in an attempt to create my first site, I also had to think about where to get eBooks to sell in the site! I found out that this was one the tough parts in the whole process, i.e. how to get fresh, new and unique eBook titles to sell to a public that was starting to embrace the digital reading experience. So I got onto to author/writer/publisher forums and researched a little, and made my presence be known. Slowly, I started to get some interest and I began working with a few authors to get their work out to the masses. And it has evolved from there to where we are now.

By the way, the other tough part of the cyber-world survival is generating and delivering traffic, i.e. customers, to the eBook store.

Cindy: Can you tell us a little bit about The EBook Sale?

Richie: Well, TheEbookSale Publishing is an Irish based publishing company specializing in Book/eBook Publishing and Promotion. We pride ourselves in working with our authors on a one-to-one basis and are always just on call or email away. We specialize in providing the public with quality Fiction and Non-Fiction novels and stories in multiple eBook formats as well as the traditional print format. Our distribution model also includes utilizing well-known sites and stores such as: Google Book Search, Mobipocket, Fictionwise, All Romance eBooks, Amazon plus all the other main online eBook stores, along with Ingram, Baker & Taylor, Barnes & Noble, Borders, Books a Million, Waterstones and Amazon for paperbacks. Our site includes an 'Author Members Area'. Once signed up, the Author has access to easy-to-use features such as a file uploader and sales report pages.

Our services are tailored to suit the needs of today’s authors. Through research, development and affiliating with industry experts like All Books Reviews, Lightning Source and more recently with Books In Sync, we now appreciate the fundamental needs of the Author and the necessary services that a publisher must provide. And the best part, the cost is considerably lower than you’re likely to find elsewhere. The service we provide include: paperback publishing and distribution, eBook publishing and distribution, book reviews, manuscript editing, cover design, author websites and press release distribution.

Cindy: And now you’ve added print publishing as well, with Real Time Publishing. How did that come about?

Richie: Yes, Cindy, I touched in this above, but in 2008, I decided to give the authors I worked with the possibility to make their titles available in traditional print format as well... so in the last 18 months, we have published about 35 paperbacks.

One may ask why bother? With the growth in popularity or eBooks, why take what seems like a step backwards? Good question, because the reality is that the popularity of eBooks has exceeded that of the print version. Recently Amazon reported more eBooks sales than book sales for the first time ever and the IPDF (international digital publishing forum) see an even greater rise in global eBook sales for 2010/11.

Before the traditional book lovers stop reading and unsubscribe… don’t worry, there will always be a market for print books; there will always be people who just cannot read from a pc, dedicated eBook reader or Smartphone and there will always be authors who want to hold onto the printed page… and while there is, I will be here to serve them.

Cindy: Do you have any particular requirements authors must meet to get their books published through your companies in either electronic or print format?

Richie: Like any business, I must have a solid foundation or before too long, it will all crumble. TheEbookSale imprint and RealTime imprint must be recognized as publishers of quality. Therefore, we have standards.

I was very lucky to join forces with a lady called Shirley A. Roe and her “Allbooks Review” company. Shirley is an author herself and runs a top class, book review site. Every manuscript I receive is assessed and reviewed by Shirley’s team… and after some post review analysis, we decide to proceed or perhaps feedback suggestions to help the author reach their goal.

So to answer your question… the requirements are contained in the words and pages of the manuscript.

Sure, when the initial assessment is passed, we have formatting, layout and cover requirements but let’s not bore you with that stuff right now.

Cindy: For those services, in what ways do you help promote the authors and their books?

Richie: I have a blog, myspace, facebook and twitter accounts which I use the spread the word. I compile press releases just after a title is published and submit to over 60 PR sites. I can create author websites, which enable the author to promote their own work. I also have acquired many contacts to help the marketing/promotion process (note, these services are not free). I make authors aware of book contests, writer contests etc and am happy to help them to get signed up. Indirectly, I help author to promote their titles by providing books to them as pretty much print cost. I have a newsletter that helps to showcase newly released titles.

Promotion is the key to sales. You might have the best book in the world, but unless you get the word out there to the people on the street, you will fail to make more than a handful of sales. More and more nowadays, authors are taking it onto themselves to market and promote via book signings, radio/tv interviews, blog tours, etc, and I think this trend will continue.

Cindy: Are you an author, too?

Richie: No. I have authored some technical papers but that doesn’t count. I don’t know how the heck ye guys do it!

Cindy: Where can authors read up to learn more about your publishing business? i.e.: websites, blogs

Richie: Pretty much all the info you need can be found here: www.theebooksale.com/authors. You’ll also see a link to my blog, store and a whole bunch of other pages there also. I am currently working on a mobile version of the store (i.e. for iPhones, smartphones) so that should open another distribution channel that will massive in the years ahead… you will be able to find it here from February 1st: www.theebooksale.com.

Cindy: Since you are in Ireland, will books by authors in the United States also appear for sale there?

Richie: Yes, they sure will. My print partner, Lightning Source, is the biggest POD company in the world and their distribution channels reach far and wide.

Cindy: Is there any other information you’d like to pass on to the readers that I may not have covered in this interview?

Richie: I think you nailed everything Cindy. I am always available via email (Richie@theebooksale.com) so if any of your readers have any questions, they can email me directly.

Cindy: Richie, I’d like to thank you again for this wonderful opportunity to interview you and learn more about you and your publishing services.

Richie: You are welcome Cindy… the pleasure was all mine. Take care.

Post Card Give-a-Way Winner!

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Coming this month - Richie O'Brien!

Check out TheEBookSale.com to find out more about Richie and his publishing services! It's not just about E-Books anymore!

Then watch this blog closely this month for his informative interview all the way from Ireland!

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ENTER TODAY!!!

Amanda Abizaid!

Cindy: Amanda, you were born Amanda Jo Abizaid in Beirut, Lebanon and your family moved to the States when you were nine. But, you’ve been singing and playing musical instruments since long before that. What instruments do you play?

Amanda: I started piano when I was 5 years old, flute when I was in forth grade and guitar 4 years ago. I have been singing since I was very little-singing with my sisters-and then took voice lessons all my life.

Cindy: And you’re also a songwriter, so do you compose your own music as well then?

Amanda: Yes I do. I usually write my own songs and sometimes I collaborate with other songwriting friends, depending on the song that I am feeling. I have been writing songs for the last 8 years, but always wrote in my diary all my life, not realizing I was a songwriter.

Cindy: You also have 4 elder sisters who sing as well. Do you ever perform together?

Amanda: We used to perform in Lebanon when I was little, and through elementary school to friends and little events. This is how I learned to sing harmonies.

Cindy: Do you and your family still have family in Lebanon and do you ever get to travel to see them?

Amanda: I do still have family in Lebanon and I have not been there in 20 years to visit, but hope that I can very soon in the future.

Cindy: I see you’ve also studied Drama? Wow, you are one talented lady. Are you or have you considered a career on film, as well then?

Amanda: Yes. I used to do a lot of commercials for South America when I lived in Miami, FL, and then came to LA and met my husband. I am currently starring in his short film, "Facing The Lion", (movie trailer http://www.amandaabizaid.com/movie.html) a supernatural thriller - love story, Directed/Written/Edited by Joe Plonsky and Executive Producer Scott Spiegel (Evil Dead 2, Hostel). We do collaborate together with his films and my music. My song, "Facing The Lion" (The Great Plan Vol. II) and "Timeless", (The Great Plan Vol. 1) are both in and written for the film.

Cindy: You’ve released 5 albums: Undivided - 2007, The Great Plan Vol. 1&2 - 2007, In The Loop - 2008 and Lebanon - 2008. Are there any new releases in the works?

Amanda: Undivided was just a two song CD which is out of stock now. Those two songs are now on the CD called, "In The Loop" 2009, The Great Plan Vol. I-2004, Lebanon-2005, The Great Plan Vol. II- 2006. I am working on new songs for an upcoming CD. The styles vary. The philosophy behind it is to bring sounds from the East and West together in song. I am getting back to my roots and writing different types of stories and dealing with different issues now in my life.

Cindy: But your music releases aren’t your only accomplishments. You’ve also been the voice behind some hit TV show themes, such as Charmed, Smallville, and my favorite, The 4400 (A Place In Time), and also Odd Girl Out (Lifetime Network) and Dreams in Ashes, plus performed with some really well known talent as well. Were you excited to land these opportunities and what might we hope to “hear” from you next—TV shows, movies, etc?

Amanda: I was very lucky to have all the songs I have sang for on TV. I was very excited when I got these opportunities. This is not easy to do and it just came to me. I was at the right place at the right time. The 4400 was a blessing for sure. I have placed some of my own songs in films, two theme songs and one recently in a Lebanese short film—a love story. That song is a new release called "Iza Aktar", "If I Could Only"—a poem written by my father that I translated and put to music. It is in Arabic and English and will be released on the next CD. I do have plans for TV/Film placement, for sure, and can only hope for my success with that, with my songs this time around. I am a very visual writer, so it is really fun for me to watch a show or movie, and hear my music story in the background. That's what I love about writing songs.

Cindy: You recently finished a coast-to-coast tour and I really enjoyed your newsletters keeping us all updated on how much fun you girls were having! For my readers, where can they go to learn more about you, your music, upcoming appearances and of course, sign up for your newsletter?

Amanda: My tour was a blast and the best way to get on my newsletter and be a fan is to sign up on my website at http://www.amandaabizaid.com.

You can purchase my music at CDbaby.com or Earbuzz.com, Amazon.com, i-tunes, Rhapsody for CD's and digital downloads. I have radio play on the internet at jango.com and womensradio.com, and other stations you will find online.

I have a show with LA Woman Summer Tour friend, Stephanie Erdel, December 10th to recap our tour and play in LA. This will be recorded live and then sold on the internet soon after for the holidays.

Cindy: Do you have another tour in the works now?

Amanda: Right now I am focusing on song placement for TV/Film and writing/recording the next CD and looking for an investor who might be interested in my message of peace and inspiration through my songs. I really would like to go to Asia and Europe next year if I can. My goal is to travel the world. for sure.

Cindy: You’ve accomplished many wonderful goals so far, once again proving this is such a great country! Do you have any new goals you’d like to share with us?

Amanda: This is a great country where you really can live your dreams and accomplish whatever you put your mind to. This is such a beautiful thing. I really want to inspire people to be happy with my music and I have a dream of reaching people and children less fortunate around the world to play for them so they can have hope to do what ever their dreams are. It's important to be determined in whatever you do and through that, you can accomplish anything.

Cindy: Your albums are available in music stores and also online stores, including Amazon. Where else can we find your music to add to our own personal libraries?

Amanda: My website of course, Amoeba Music and stores across the U.S.; my website has all the store locations listed; MySpace, Facebook; my IMDB page (industry information resume) has a listing of all the TV shows and Films that the songs are on so you can rent them from the video store.

Cindy: Amanda, I would like to thank you so much for taking the time for this interview with me and my Writer’s Block fans. Is there anything else you would like to add that I may not have touched base on?

Amanda: My new songs are focused on bringing the sounds of the east and west together in song and music with the hope of inspiring peace and happiness. This is a big part of my musical direction now and why I want to travel the world and have more song placements so that this message will hopefully be portrayed in a musical way visually and by meeting new people everywhere.

Cindy: Again thank you and I hope you have a wonderful Christmas this year with your hubby, family and friends. You rock, girlfriend! And I’ve added your albums to my Christmas list this year! (I had to throw that in there, you know—just in case Santa is reading this, too—wink, wink)

Amanda: Thank you very much for asking me to be interviewed. I am very appreciative and excited to read your review and to be able to have the opportunity to have new people and fans in my music life.

Of course, send me your address and I will talk to Santa. ☺ We are very close. Big smiles to you and your family. Thank you very much, Cindy.

Amber Rigby Grosjean

Cindy: Hi Amber and thank you for allowing this interview. We're not strangers, but I see you've released two new works since we previously spoke. Briefly describe Stolen Identity and Spawn of the Curse:

Amber: Stolen Identity is a story of murder, jealousy, and revenge. Two identical twin brothers; raised by 2 different women-one by birth mother and one by an abusive adopted mother. After both mothers pass away, the adopted brother sets out to find his real family but finds more than he bargains for.

Spawn of the Curse is the sequel to Cursed Blood and extends the storyline. It shows how far a mother will go to save her own child. And of course, there’s a twist. Will this mother sacrifice her own life to do so?

Cindy: Is Horror the only genre you write in or have you tried your skills in other areas?

Amber: I love keeping an open mind so I write in many genres lol. So far I have Horror with supernatural romance (Cursed Blood), Erotica Thriller (Stolen Identity), Horror (Spawn of the Curse) and Fantasy (Peterson Estate) which is coming soon. I have other books in romance, science fiction, and mystery that aren’t published yet.

Cindy: You began writing at age eleven. What inspired you at such a young age to want to write?

Amber: I don’t even know what it was at the time. I was going home with my grandparents and my sister and I had brought paper, pens, and crayons to draw during the trip because it was a couple hundred miles. As I stared out the window, something pulled me to grab the paper and start writing a story. It’s been pen in hand ever since and with no regrets. It chose me.

Cindy: Your school studies were more in the area of Journalism. What prompted you to write books instead of news?

Amber: I knew studying Journalism would teach me to write under pressure. Plus by studying it, I thought it would open the doors to other writing venues. I knew I was a novelist but if I got a job writing for the paper, it would give me experience and I’d still do something I loved and that was writing.

Cindy: What (or who) inspires you the most to write a particular story and do your stories derive from your own life in any way?

Amber: Each story has different inspirations. I really do have an open mind and I listen to it 100% of the time lol. And I do put my life in my writing, we all do somewhat. Cursed Blood was probably the biggest of the books with my life front and center. Writing that book opened my eyes even more to my life and really helped me face a few things about who I was.

Cindy: Where can we find your newest book?

Amber: Spawn of the Curse is only on Amazon at this time

Cindy: How did the plot develop?

Amber: I just let the characters lead the way. They were the ones telling the story, not me lol. The idea of the story itself came from a nightmare and it woke me up (first time that happened). I looked over at Billy (my hubby) and smiled knowing I was safe. I wrote down what I remembered and went back to sleep. For a year, this book went into planning stages, outlines, etc. I wanted to try something different since I wasn’t published yet. Once I started writing, it just came out. In one month, I was finished. When it was published and people began reading it, many people wanted more, hence the sequel was born. All I did was extend the story and then the baby was kidnapped making it even more interesting.

Cindy: What do you find to be the most difficult task in completing a story?

Amber: The editing itself is a pain. I’m still learning. I become emotionally attached to my work so it’s really hard to see the errors. I think Peterson Estate was the worse because it was the first book I ever finished and has been with me the longest. But reading the acceptance letter is so worth the pain of editing!

Cindy: What marketing methods seem to have worked out best for you?

Amber: Well, I am still trying new things. Because finances are low, there are a lot of things I can’t do but want to. That means sales aren’t where they should be lol. Word of mouth so far is the best and most fun. Then there are social networks online, which I participate in a lot.

Cindy: Where can we learn more about you?

Amber:

Between my website

http://www.argrosjean.com

and blog

http://amberrigbygrosjean.blogspot.com

Hank Phillippi Ryan!

*At the end of this interview, you'll learn how to enter for your chance at some give-a-ways from Hank!

Welcome to Writer's Block, Hank! I've been looking forward to interviewing you ever since reading your first novel, Prime Time. Of course, I've since read Face Time and Air Time, and I'm currently reading...you guessed it, Drive Time! Okay, so we've established I'm a big fan. Now, let's see if we can't learn a little more about you for my readers and fans.

Cindy: They say to "write what you know". Your Charlotte McNally series is about an investigative reporter, always looking for that award-winning story. So you are definitely an expert on the subject matter. Has your own reporting career helped you in coming up with the story ideas for your series?

Hank: Well, thanks so much for the kind words! And sure-I've wired myself with hidden cameras, confronted corrupt politicians and chased down criminals…so making Charlotte McNally my alter-ego makes sense. After 30 years as a reporter (!) I've learned there's always another fabulous story to track down.

I don't use real stories that I've covered, but I certainly call on my experience and experiences to make the mysteries authentic. I know what the inside of a prison looks and smells like and how the district attorney handles a news conference, how someone behaves when they're lying. I've been in car chases and courtrooms and crime scenes...and I know how to get a breaking news story on instantly and live, even when the wind is blowing and the rain is pouring down. And when you read the books, you can be sure it's often been-there done that!

Write what you know? Sure. But Stephen King says: write what you fear. And that's exactly what I do.

Cindy: I'm going to be adding my reviews to this interview, (newsletter version only - see Reviews by Cindy to read the reviews online) but can you briefly describe each story for the readers, beginning with Prime Time?

Hank: PRIME TIME introduces Charlotte McNally-she's an investigative reporter for a Boston TV station-she's smart, successful and savvy-but she's married to her job in television., and wonders what will happen when the camera doesn't love her anymore. She finds the story she hopes will save her career--and it's such a diabolical and workable scheme you'll wonder why someone hasn't tried it! Trust me--you'll never look at the annoying Spam on your computer the same way! (Right, Cindy?)

FACE TIME is about eyewitness identification-- and how we do (or don't) really recognize people and what a deadly difference that can make. Charlie thinks she had explosive new evidence that can free an innocent woman from a life sentence for murder-but why does the woman keep confessing?

Also in FACE TIME-Charlie's coming to terms with her mother-and perhaps a step-daughter (My editor cried at the end of FACE TIME-she said it was such a mother/daughter love story-and the first time she's ever cried in a murder mystery!)

AIR TIME-Well, have you ever wondered where those knock-off designer purses come from ? And who's selling them right under the noses of law enforcement? This is a story I covered for real-and as a mystery author, I started wondering, what if….and came up with another truly workable criminal scheme! When I talked to the FBI about it...they had to admit it would work! And again-I tried to take a very common occurrence-lost luggage-and give it a sinister twist. Like the others, it's fast-paced, exciting-people tell me they miss their stops on the subway because they can't bear to look up from the page!

DRIVE TIME is about secrets-and Charlie realizes it IS possible to know too much. Charlie's latest coop-an expose of a dangerous car scam, complete with stakeouts, high speed chases and hidden camera footage, is ratings gold. But soon Charlie's personal and professional lives are on a collision course-her fiancé is privy to inside info about deadly threats at an elite private school. And soon-he's under suspicion. I love the end of DRIVE TIME...I get goose bumps whenever I think of it!

THE CHARLOTTE McNALLY SERIES

Cindy: After Drive Time, will there be more in the McNally series or do you have something new in the works for you and if so, what?

Hank: We'll see! Id love to write SHOW TIME and EQUAL TIME-but it's all about what readers want. And I have two other great (!) standalone ideas that I'm working on right now.

Cindy: Charlotte is a real go-getter and nothing will stop her from getting her story. I've just got to ask - Is she anything like the author who created her?

Hank: Ah, well, hmm. When my husband talks about Charlie, he calls her "you." As in: when "you" catch the bad guys, or when you get held at gunpoint. She's younger than I am, and funnier. But we're both very driven journalists.

Cindy: I really love the Franklin character in the series. Who would you say may have triggered his character's "birth" in your series?

Hank: Such a good question! Franklin just-appeared. Every investigative reporter has a producer, who works with them on a pretty equal basis. I've had dozens of them over my career. But there's been no one who is like Franklin! I love him, too, and I'd love to know where he came from. But I have no idea.

Cindy: With your busy schedule and the need to meet deadlines, how do you ever find the time to sit down and write novels?

Hank: (Laughing.) Yeah, it's amazingly tough. Sleep was the first to go, then exercise. Then cooking-we eat a lot of carry-out salmon from Whole Foods…and luckily my husband is very patient and incredibly supportive. I haven't taken a vacation for maybe five years. We rarely go to movies or have dinner parties anymore-every spare moment is spent with book things. I adore it-and I think it's worth it! (I hope I'm right.)

Cindy: Have you always enjoyed writing or could this just be considered another "arm" in your long length of investigative credits?

Hank: Oh, I've always wanted to be a mystery author, ever since I can remember. But until I come up with the plot for PRIME TIME-which I adore-I just didn't have a good idea for a book. (May be the timing was wrong. Things happen when they're supposed to, don't you think?) But as a TV reporter I've written stories almost every day for 30 years.

Cindy: Are you planning on continuing both your 9-5 job and your writing career, or will you be giving up the reporting to be able to write full time; or is that even an option you've considered?
Hank: That's the question of the century. I'll let you know.

Cindy: The process from manuscript to print, and especially obtaining a well respected publisher, is a difficult mountain to climb for most new authors. What steps were involved in getting your work into print and were you ever rejected?

Hank: Rejected? Ha. Of course, over and over and over. I'll admit I thought it would be easier than it was. I'll admit I thought my years as a reporter would make a difference. You know what I heard? There's a sort of bias against reporters-a la "Oh, those reporters always think they can write fiction".

But I did what most everyone does. I worked like mad on my manuscript, then worked like mad on revision. I worked on a query letter that I thought was wonderful, and sent it to many agents. Say-10. And got 10 rejections. Everyone was saying no.

I changed the query letter to be more plot-oriented, and suddenly everyone was saying yes.

When I chose an agent, we began the sale process, which was another amazingly educational experience. The original PRIME TIME was a bit lighter than the final product, and I am incredibly grateful to my editor (now with MIRA) for that, and for her terrific guidance for the other Charlotte McNally mysteries.

I've worked with an editor, of course, in television for all these years, so I already knew the joys of working with another person who is invested in making a project be the best it can be. I've learned that sometimes-wait for it-someone else might have a great idea! : And that's incredibly wonderful when we have the same goals.

Cindy: Wow, 26 Emmys! And ten Edward R. Murrow Awards to boot! Amazing career achievements. Congrats, Hank! Of these, which was the most rewarding for you and why?

Hank: You know, when I look at that shelf of Emmys in my study, I'm still proud-and I love the first one (Which is for a report on the poorest county in Georgia) just as much as I love the newest one (which is for an investigation into jury selection). Each one of those statues represents a secret we uncovered, or an activity that someone wanted to keep hidden.

They are all a result of incredibly hard work and some sacrifices, I might add, as well as some luck and timing, and devotion to journalism. And-fun. It's terrifically rewarding to dig up something new-and to make some changes in the world.

We've had several new laws passed as a result of our stories; we've gotten peoples’ homes out of foreclosure, and recovered literally millions of dollars in consumer refunds and restitution.

So - that's a good day’s work. And a wonderful career.

Cindy: Journalistic writing and novel writing are two very different kinds of writing. Do you ever find it difficult to switch from one mode to the other?

Hank: Ah, great question. And interesting answer: No.

At first, I truly wondered if I could switch from absolute non-fiction, where I cannot make a mistake or get one fact wrong-to absolute fiction, where everything would come out of my imagination.

But then I realized writing for TV and writing for mystery fiction are very similar-it's all about telling a good story. The story is everything.

And then: it's looking for compelling characters. And important conflict. Tracking down clues and following leads. Hoping the good guys win and the bad guys get what's coming to them. You're searching for a fair and satisfying ending. And, in the end, you're hoping for justice, an even to change the world.

That's what I try to do in TV, and that's what I try to do in mysteries.

It's just in TV? You can't make stuff up.

Cindy: You chose to write this series in first person and you've added a new twist to murders and mysteries by splicing in some humor along the way. Any chance you are also "humorous" when you're not in front of the camera? (wink)

Hank: Ah, well, blushing here. People say I'm funny. And, actually, that's one of the things that surprises people about me. On television, I'm pretty-tough. Asking the hard questions. And not often smiling.

So when people meet me and I'm not so hard-edged, they're surprised. People have called my speeches more like stand-up comedy. I'm sure that's not quite true.

And thanks for thinking the books are funny. I know I should say something hilarious now-I just can't think of anything.

Cindy: Where can the readers learn more about you and your books and where are your books available for purchase?

Hank: Oh, please - come to my website:

http://www.HankPhillippiRyan.com

It's newly revamped with all the info about DRIVE TIME and it also has my brand new short story "On the House" which was just published. (Take a look and see what you think.)

I'd love to hear from readers!

I mean-what should happen to Charlie? To Franklin? And Penny? What if Charlie got a job offer in a bigger market? What if someone gets pregnant? What if someone is suspected of murder? All that could happen...

Cindy: And what if someone wants a signed copy by the author?

Hank: Lovely! And you can get signed books with free shipping and a marvelous tote bag by ordering from the wonderful Mystery Lovers Bookstore. (it's a Chico bag-so it's a full-sized shopping bag that scrunches up into a little pouch. It's fantastic!)

Here's a link:

http://www.mysterylovers.com/index.php?target=products&product_id=54072

Cindy: Thank you so much for your valuable time in allowing me this opportunity to interview you, Hank. Is there anything you would like to add that I may have forgotten to touch base with?

Hank: Well-this just in-DRIVE TIME, (the newest book in the series which comes out February 1) just got a starred review in Library Journal! (You know how fantastic that is.)

Just a snippet, if I may be so bold:

"Buckle up and prepare for a wild ride...Ryan once again channels her Emmy-winning investigative reporting expertise to craft a realistic and compelling mystery, full of hairpin turns and dangerous intersections at breakneck speed. Verdict: Placing Ryan in the same league as Lisa Scottoline...her latest book catapults the reader into the fast lane and doesn't relent until the story careens to a stop. New readers will speed to get her earlier books, and diehard fans will hope for another installment."

(I must say-that's quite a joy to read! Thank you, Library Journal!)

Cindy: Hank, you have a great Christmas with your family and friends and I'll be working on the review for "Drive Time" soon!

Hank: What a treat! And you have a wonderful holiday season too-I'm so grateful for your support and enthusiasm-and for your original and thought-provoking questions!

*And hey--I have five copies of a special Chapter One of DRIVE TIME pamphlet! Let's give them away to lucky commenters. And I've also got two ARCs of PRIME TIME-and let's give those as prizes, too! (U.S. and Canada only, please!) Just leave a comment-and we'll draw winners at random.

Cindy: You read right, folks! Hank has also since added 2 copies of Quarry, an anthology on sale now! into the give-a-way, so please leave your comments for your chance to win a free copy! Turn the page - I’ve included information on Hank’s short story contribution in Quarry and also some information taken from her website, "About Hank..."

About Hank...

Here's what most people don't know: As a result of a summer job at the Dairy Queen, I can make an ice cream cone with a curl on the top. I was vice-president of the Midwest chapter of the National Beatles Fan Club, and figured I would one day marry George. Or Paul. Or John. When I was ten, my career ambition was to be Nancy Drew.

But that's not how it turned out. Yet.

Right now, I'm on the air at Boston's NBC affiliate, where I've been working to break big stories for the past 22 years. So far, so good. Along with my 26 EMMYs, I've won dozens of other regional, national and international honors for what the news releases call my "hard-hitting investigations." I'm also proud of my 10 or so Edward R. Murrow Awards for reporting and writing, my top award from the National Association of Science Writers, and my prestigious Investigative Reporters and Editors Award. I'm also proud that my consumer investigative reporting has changed laws and changed lives.

PRIME TIME is actually not my first encounter with publishing. That was in 1969, when my best friend and I got summer jobs as proofreaders, and wound up reading the entire Indiana Code of Laws out loud. Including punctuation.

Since then, I've been a radio reporter, a legislative aide in the United States Senate, and in a two-year stint in Rolling Stone Magazine's Washington Bureau, worked on the political column "Capitol Chatter" and organized presidential campaign coverage for Hunter S. Thompson.

I began my TV career in 1975, anchoring and reporting the news for TV stations in Indianapolis and then Atlanta. I've battled my way through hurricanes, floods and blizzards, wired myself with hidden cameras, chased criminals and confronted corrupt politicians-as well as covering national political conventions, the NBA playoffs and the Super Bowl; and interviewing newsmakers from Prince Charles to President Jimmy Carter to Warren Beatty to Muhammad Ali.

I grew up in the Indianapolis area, and some of my family is still there. After a complicated high school career, (which included the Honor Society, detention, a stint as a majorette (oh, yes) and being voted 'Most Original,') I went to Western College for Women in Oxford, Ohio. There I majored in Shakespeare, which was in the school's catalogue, and in 'independent reading and listening to rock and roll records,' which was not a course the school knew it was offering. Sometimes I even attended classes. I also studied abroad at the International School in Hamburg, Germany.

Outside Channel 7? I'm on the Board of Directors of New England Sisters in Crime, and also of the New England Chapter of Mystery Writers of America. I'm also vice-president of the board of the Lyric Stage of Boston, a professional theater company. There, I founded the Lyric's "First Curtain" program, which we created to provide the full theater experience for underprivileged students. In fact, through our fundraising and promotional efforts, First Curtain has already provided hundreds of free tickets and theater education scholarships.

I live in the Boston area with my husband, a nationally renowned civil rights and criminal defense attorney. As you can imagine, it's pretty handy to have a legal expert on call at all hours.

Interview with Best-Selling author Alyson Noel!

Interview with Alyson Noel. Original link can be found HERE


Interview with Alyson Noel!

I am proud to present my first guest, Alyson Noel. Her upcoming release SHADOWLAND will hit stores on Tuesday, November 17th! Be sure to pick up a copy. If you haven't already started to read The Immortal series, you're missing out!

Martha: Welcome, Alyson! Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. It is an honor to have you as my first guest. Let's start with the first question.

What made you start writing books?

Alyson: The moment I finished reading Judy Blume’s ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT’S ME, MARGARET back in sixth grade, I knew I wanted to be a writer too. I’d always been an avid reader, but Judy Blume’s books were the first I’d read that addressed the kind of issues I could relate to, and I knew someday I wanted to write like that too.So I started writing really dreadful poetry in junior high, and short stories in high school, but mostly I just talked about writing until the tragic events of 9/11 when I was working as a flight attendant in New York City and thought a career change might be in order! That’s when I dusted off a short story I’d written long ago, and turned it into what ultimately became my debut novel, FAKING 19.

Martha: Please tell us about your latest book SHADOWLAND.

Alyson: At the start of SHADOWLAND Damen and Ever travel to Summerland in search of an antidote to reverse a powerful poison that turns their touch lethal. But instead of the cure they seek, they find something far more sinister: the truth about their existence and the fate lying in wait of an immortal’s soul.

As Damen fights to save them from the Shadowland, Ever turns to magick, hoping to break Damen’s curse. Along the way she encounters the mysterious Jude Knight, and finds herself drawn to him in a way that will test her love for Damen like never before . . .

Martha: Do you believe in crossing over?

Alyson: I do believe that some sort of energy survives long after the body is gone, yes.

Martha: Would you mind sharing your experience when your first book was accepted?

Alyson: Well, my route to publishing wasn’t the usual one, and the truth is, in the beginning I was so incredibly green and naïve I didn’t query any agents, I just went straight to the publishers and received a slew of rejection letters in return. Though the good news was that most of them said they’d love to see it again if I was willing to revise. So I set out to do just that, enrolling in an online writing class to try to figure out what I was doing wrong, and it was through a fellow student in that class that I met my first agent, who told me to read STORY by Robert Mckee to get a handle on some of my structure problems, and then revise my manuscript accordingly. So I took the next three weeks to do just that, then I sent it back to him, he signed me, and a few months after it went out on submission I was offered a two-book deal with St. Martin’s Press, and I’ve been writing for them ever since!

Martha: Where do you get the inspiration from for your books?

Alyson: I steal from my own life all of the time. Like Alex, the protagonist in my debut novel, FAKING 19, I was pretty lost my senior year of high school too. Like Rio in ART GEEKS AND PROM QUEENS, I know what it’s like to be the new girl in school and have all the other girls instantly hate you. Like Hailey in FLY ME TO THE MOON, I was also a NYC based flight attendant. Like Colby in CRUEL SUMMER, I lived on a Greek island for several years. And like Ever in THE IMMORTALS series, I know what it’s like to lose the people you love and to question the meaning of everything.

Martha: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

Alyson: This is a really tough business, if I’d had any idea what I was getting into I may not have tried! That said, writers write, it’s what we do, and in the end, perseverance is key. Rejections are a given, the one thing you can count on. And even after you’re published they still come in from Hollywood, foreign publishers, reviewers etc, so it’s important to learn early on to not take them personal and to just keep on keeping on—it’s the only way. And never forget it only takes one “Yes!” to get you where you want to go!

Martha: Where can readers find out more about you and your writing?

Alyson:

They can find me on my websites:http://www.alysonnoel.com/http://www.immortalsseries.com/

Myblogs:http://www.alysonnoel.com/blog.htmlhttp://teenfictioncafe.blogspot.com/http://www.livingyourfive.com/My

Myspace:http://www.myspace.com/alysonnoel

My Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/ImmortalsSeries

Martha: Anything else you'd like to add?
Alyson: Thanks for the interview!!!

Interview with Martha Ramirez

Come by and visit HERE for an interview with Martha Ramirez.