Indie Author Angela Carlie

With the advent of the Internet and the ease of self-publishing, writers have discovered a viable new platform to present their work to potential readers. While that is good news for serious writers, the fact thousands of books are popping up every month creates a bit of a minefield for readers. For sadly, the harsh reality is independent e-publishing has also created the means for some real junk to be produced by people only interested in earning a few quick dollars at the readers' expense. As such, when a true talent emerges from the forest of new authors publishing their own work, I get excited. 

Angela Carlie is a dedicated and gifted writer of Young Adult (YA) and Middle Grade stories. Though this wife and mother enjoys creating fantasy worlds abounding with shape shifters, yellow dragons, wrestlers, and zombie kids ("Land of Corn Chips" and "Loramendi's Story") she also wrote "Dream Smashers," an unpretentious look at the difficulties youth face today, including a meth addicted mother, and the inner courage and strength each of us possesses. "Dream Smashers" is a love story, but it is also a tale of discovery and persevering and well worth reading. 

I first encountered Angela over a year ago when she was working on "Land of Corn Chips." In all honesty, I'm normally not a reader of YA. But Angela's ability to tell a story pulled me right in. I took an instant liking to her characters and their witty banter. So much so that a year later I followed up on our chance meeting to find out if "Land of Corn Chips" had been completed. I was elated to learn that it had, and I immediately purchased the book and read it in one sitting. 

A vegetarian and massage therapist, Angela enjoys kayaking, hiking, traveling, and just hanging out with her husband and son. Still, she is a believer in giving back. A portion of the proceeds from "Dream Smashers" go to Share of Vancouver, WA, a non-profit sheltering and feeding folks trying to get back on their feet. She is an advocate for the Indie Authors Relief Fund and contributor to the Indie Authors First Book Project which provides books to low income families.

http://angelacarlie.com/ 

Q) Independent publishing is risky. Why did you choose this route over traditional publishing?

A) Independent publishing was a scary thought for a long time. I tend to navigate toward the scary, though. To be honest, it only caused my heart to pound in my ears for about five minutes. My debut novel, Dream Smashers, was written to be read, and it wasn't being read while waiting to be noticed by the traditional publishing industry. It's now available for the entire world to read. That's why I decided to self-publish, and I haven't looked back. Of course I'd still totally consider traditional publishing, but for now, I'll keep on producing stories and publishing them for the world to read.

Q) Technically, you publish under Darkside Publishing, which is a small group of united YA authors. Why did you elect to write YA?

A) Creating teen characters allows the writer to explore a little more than with adult characters. The teen years are about discovery which allows for interesting and fun opportunities to create from. I love reading and writing this genre.

DarkSide Publishing offers an excellent selection of well written YA novels to choose from. For more information on our titles, check out the website at http://darksidepublishing.com 

Q) Do you foresee a day when you will expand to other genres?

A) I have written a few adult paranormal/horror fiction. Perhaps I'll publish some of them in the future.

Q) In an interview you mentioned how as a vegetarian you sometimes receive "hateful comments." What on earth do people find offensive about your choice of diet?

A) Ha! I have no clue. It totally cracks me up. One guy told me once that I'm a hypocrite and a plant hater. He said that plants have feelings too and that I was prejudice for choosing to kill plants over animals. Hilarious. What really got me was this guy was overweight, had high blood pressure, and was recovering from a stroke. He rarely ate vegetables. Go figure. I've decided to choose not to spend my time in arguments with such people and just walk away.

Q) A number of reviews have come from young adults who thoroughly enjoyed your work. How did it feel when you realized your stories had truly connected with your audience?

A) Great question. When reviews began to trickle in I was absolutely elated when they were positive. I'm sure most authors are. The first negative review was a bit hard, though, especially with my novel Dream Smashers because the negative reviews were coming from people who had never dealt with the types of people in this story. They didn't get it. So, to me, it was sad they wasted their time with this novel because I wrote it for people who have had to deal with addiction in loved ones.

After some time, positive reviews didn't give me the same feeling as in the beginning. Sure, they were great, but what I wanted to see was people understanding the story. I'm not going to complain about any positive review, but the ones that make my smile wider are from people who clearly understood Autumn's story and it showed in their review.

The best review was from a reviewer who went through a similar situation growing up as Autumn (the protagonist) did in Dream Smashers. She told me that she was so moved by the story that she hasn't been able to give the book justice (in her mind) with a review. Talk about making every single ounce of hard work put into publishing this novel well worth it.

Q) Any parting thoughts?

A) I'm getting ready to publishing my next novel, Loramendi's Story. It's the first book in a series called Lords of Shifters and should be available mid-August.

It was such a lovely surprise when I received your request for this interview. Thank you so much for taking the time to ask me about my work! I truly appreciate it and wish you and your readers well.

Romantic Suspense Author Jill Sorenson

Imagine being in a canoe on a silent, peaceful river, just you and your hired guide. A feathery breeze mixes the scent of pines and berries with your sun-warmed hair. Summer's heat embraces your skin. You close your eyes. The subtle, soft strokes of your escort's paddle caress a lulling rhythm to your ears. The beats intensify to pulsing thrusts. You open your eyes to discover the water's serenity now churns in a milky froth. Droplets wet your skin, your body quivers, excitement and a desire to experience the moment, to reach the climax of the raw energy surrounding you races through your core. You find you can't look away, though an ancient throbbing at the base of your skull demands you should. Then the chapter ends and on the next page Aunt Gert pours a cup of tea with a shot of vinegar to help you forget the woodsy musk of the handsome guide. Unless… 

…unless you are reading a book by a new breed of skilled authors who have bridged the gap between mainstream romance with its closed bedroom doors and the torn bodices of erotica. 

A handful of authors such as Jill Sorenson have melded the two long-divided territories of mainstream and erotica, and interwoven the aspect of physical pleasure and fulfillment into heroines and heroes previously destined to only wear a smile the morning after or the first page of the next chapter. This accomplishment takes a mastery of prose capable of seducing the reader without so much as a missed breath into scenes heretofore thought best kept hidden from view. 

A quiet homemaker, wife and mother of two daughters, former school teacher and San Diego resident Jill Sorenson (who never goes anywhere without a spiral notebook within reach) kicks down doors with her literary proficiency and command of language. But first and foremost to Jill is the story itself. She pens riveting tales of suspense filled with original and unique characters for both Harlequin and Bantam Dell. Her work has also appeared in Cosmopolitan magazine. 

Her latest novel, "The Edge of Night," finds a struggling single mother forced by conscience to stand against a crime-riddled neighborhood while taunted by a crazed killer. Simultaneously released "Stranded With Her Ex" pits two exes against their simmering passion and the betrayal that broke them apart. 

To see the future of romance doesn't require a crystal ball. A reader need only pick up a Jill Sorenson novel.

Jill's Web Site 

Q) What prompted you to break traditional boundaries and bring active physical exploration in to mainstream romance? 

A) First of all, thank you for thinking I'm ground-breaking! But the fact is that most mainstream romance novels have open-door love scenes. Romantic suspense authors like Linda Howard and Sandra Brown have been turning up the heat for decades. Pamela Clare and Lisa Marie Rice, more recent examples, also write steamy love scenes. 

I've always appreciated authors who keep it real and use frank language over flowery euphemisms, so I followed in their footsteps.

For me, sex is the ultimate expression of romantic love. I want to feel the passion between the characters and share it with my readers. Many romance fans, myself included, find it thrilling and satisfying to read about hot sex between loving partners. 

Q) You create names that correspond to your characters' attributes. Noah YOUNG - an inexperienced police officer. Ben FORTUNE - wealthy pro surfer. Daniela FLORES - a delicate flower. Why do you do this, and how difficult do you find it at times coming up with a suitable name? 

A) Those are the most literal examples of how my characters' names reflect their attributes. Most of the time I try to find something that just sounds right. Right now I'm working on a character named John Ledger, a sex crimes detective with a dark past.

I liked the "edge" in there. It can be difficult to find the perfect name but it's part of my wacky process.

Q) Behind a pen, you're fearless. What's a typical real-life day for you? 

A) Oh, thank you. My typical day starts at 4 or 5 a.m. I usually write for a few hours before the kids wake up. My girls keep me very busy, especially in the summer. I take my spiral notebook to swimming lessons, the beach, and the park. No matter how full my day is I always try to fit in exercise. I've recently started running. It works wonders to keep my stress levels down and energy up. 

My youngest starts Kindergarten this fall, so I'm looking forward to a quiet house at long last! 

Q) Within a number of your stories you incorporate Young Adult characters and themes, but have said you probably won't write a YA book. Why not? 

A) I don't have any plans to write YA, but who knows? I was a rebellious teenager and I enjoy channeling that for secondary storylines. Writing a full novel with teen characters might be too taxing for me emotionally. In romance, there is a guaranteed happy ending.

I'm not sure I could write a happy YA because I was not a happy teen. 

Q) You have stayed true to your love of contemporary suspense and not given in to the temptations to write the current trend of vampires and werewolves. What is about your chosen genre that instills such loyalty in you? 

A) I don't think it's a case of loyalty or temptation. I don't read much paranormal and have no interest in writing it at this time.

But I never say never. If I can't find success in romantic suspense, I will write something else. 

Q) Any parting thoughts? 

A) I have two new releases this fall with Harlequin, and another next year for Bantam Dell. All of my books are available in print and digital.

You can also request them at your local library.

Thank you!!

Author and Renaissance Man Robert Valdes-Rodriguez

Renaissance Man: A person whose expertise spans a significant number of different subject areas.

I would add to that definition the requirement of "gentleman," as then the term aptly applies to Robert Valdes-Rodriguez, or RVR as he has been called for the better part of his life.

The business community knows Robert as an entrepreneur and Wall Street executive unafraid to challenge himself as well as others. Where Robert stands apart from so many of us is not his ability to dream and establish goals, but to actually work toward achieving those goals and pursuing the dreams many of us will merely reflect on in later years, wishing we had taken the risk.

Yet, Robert's true passion is for living life. Married with four children his personal time includes the ocean, good wine, great ties, and giving back. To that end, each year his company, RVR, donates a portion of online sales to a new charity.

Robert decided to write a book titled "MEN: 10 Essential Skills."

While the topics he dwells on include tying a tie, playing poker, proposing a toast, and others, it was the last one that truly caught my attention and helps to define the character of Robert Valdes-Rodriguez – "Keep the Girl."

Yeah. "Keep the Girl." Men and women put so much time and effort in to winning each other, and then sometimes forget to put the same energy and passion in to keeping each other.

Passion is a simple word with infinite importance. When we lose our passion for living, we are subject to sitting on the sidelines watching the parade of life pass by.

And living life passionately defines the man known as RVR.
Robert's Web Site RVR Neckwear

Q) What prompted you to write "MEN: 10 Essential Skills"?

A) The idea came to me after many years of bantering with my brother and brothers-in-law during family reunions about the skills that men just need to know. We would never agree, so I always knew that a short list would serve as a fun topic for a book - and it would it give me the last word with them. The motivation to execute the idea started as a gift idea for the menswear stores around the country that carry RVR ties and pocket squares. When I surveyed a few of our best clients, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive, ultimately resulting in pre-orders to sell in their stores.

Q) Your company, RVR, provides neckwear designed by you. To what do you attribute this unique interest?

A) Throughout my 20+ years on Wall Street, I had a 'lucky' tie that I relied on for important client meetings and events. Now, as a designer, I have a unique insight into the customer that RVR Neckwear is serving. Our company identifies with professionals such as attorneys, bankers, television personalities and anyone who depends on an eye-catching tie with uncompromising quality as part of their lifestyle. In fact, if you were to ask our typical client what they love most about RVR ties, they would reply, "I get a compliment every time I wear one!"

Q) Truly passionate people generally had someone in their younger years as a role model encouraging and supporting them. Who filled that role in your life?

A) My father, for so many reasons. Firstly, he was always the most elegantly dressed man in the room. My father, an attorney in Cuba, emigrated to the U.S. in 1961. Leaving his worldly possessions behind and starting over in a new country, he taught me about taking risks to pursue one's goals. Watching him succeed with a new life insurance career, I learned about persistence and the balance between confidence and humility. Lastly, by the loving way he interacted with my mother or the kindness he showed to even a stranger in the elevator, I learned to treat everyone around me with respect.

Q) What primary values do you hope you and your wife instilled in your own
children?

A) Take charge of your own destiny. Learn from your mistakes. Work hard, play hard.

Q) What one life lesson do you hope readers carry with them from your book?

A) Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today.

Internationally Acclaimed Author Simon Corbin

London's Simon Corbin isn't just a prolific writer unashamedly pushing boundaries others might find intimidating, he's a man cognizant of the world and its beauty, as well as its pitfalls and dangers, and embraces and implants all of that awareness in his stories.

An intensely dedicated man, Corbin's literary voice is profound and resonates both through the halls of academia as well as his fiction novels. While a lecturer and teacher of journalism, Corbin also opted to teach adult literacy to bus drivers, providing a much needed service, which is still on-going. A journalist and copywriter, Corbin has provided his services to a wide array of clients, from newspapers and magazines, to government agencies and blue chip companies.

But it is writing fiction that truly frees Corbin's spirit and curious mind.

His tales traverse life from the retrospective and provocative "All Things Nice," the story of a man on the brink of forty who hopes to find his future by rediscovering his past, to the alienation of a punk rocker rebel and his pain-filled rites of passage in "Rude Boy," to his current chilling release, "Love, Gudrun Ensslin." The latter is a story of the vulnerability of our world to those able to seize upon our worst fears and manipulate those fears for personal gain. In Corbin's words, the story "warns of the dangers of both ideology-led violence and greed-fuelled exploitation."

Simon Corbin is a writer who employs many genres, but always leaves his readers entertained, and most of all, thinking.
Simon's Web Site

Q) You donate portions of the sales from your books to support charities. Many "talk" about helping others, but you have acted. What was the catalyst that pushed you into action?

A) I’ve long thought along the lines of: If you’re not actively involved in trying to make this world a better place then how do you sleep at night or look at yourself in the mirror? It’s an ethos that informs my writing – although I try hard not to make my books overtly preachy or sanctimonious (which would be patronising and, to some degree, inappropriate for works of art). I just happen to think it’s important that people are aware that every individual (no matter how impoverished or apparently disenfranchised they may seem) really can make a positive difference to improving the lot of everyone and everything around them – and that, furthermore, this is a choice they can make for themselves: a conscious choice between being mean-spirited or generous in spirit. I also think the higher up the food chain you find yourself, the greater the onus in terms of responsibility to others – hence, I believe governments, corporates and the (unimaginably) rich owe a duty of care to society at large (and not the converse – which sadly seems to be the global status quo nowadays). I don’t think there was a particular catalyst in my case – I’m just trying to find the most appropriate way for me to do what I can. In that regard, I think it makes sense for me to use some of the profits gained from writing (such as they are!) to help those organizations that are clearly instances of generosity of spirit in action. I aim to choose an organization to benefit from each novel that somehow relates thematically to the novel itself. Hence, Rude Boy supports a charity for London’s homeless young people - Centrepoint. Love, Gudrun Ensslin supports an animal welfare charity – CHAT (The Celia Hammond Animal Trust). The idea that we are common humanity (and, by extension, common animality) sharing this thing we call ‘existence’ (and that we should help and support each other) – is really the central theme of my novel Love, Gudrun Ensslin.

Q) You hold a firm and public appreciation of artists, such as William Foreman and Simon Gales. What draws you inside a painting or sculpture?

A) I used to draw cartoons and caricatures as a kid – the caricatures, in particular, got me into quite a lot of trouble during my school years! There was also a time when I briefly considered doing a Foundation degree in art and trying to become an artist. My mother worked as an artist’s agent and managed a succession of art galleries in London – so I was brought up surrounded by art and artists. When I began in journalism I wrote regular art reviews for What’s On In London (a now defunct rival to Time Out) for several years – touring the galleries and producing double page spreads on the BP Portrait Award, Paula Rego, Georg Baselitz, Bridget Riley and so on. William Foreman and Simon Gales are contemporary artists I met and admired. I wrote an introduction for a book on Foreman and I am very keen to promote Simon Gales’ astonishing current body of work to a wider audience – check it out amigos! And to answer the second part of your question(!): I look for a visceral emotional response to a work – an instinctive attraction. My all-time favourite artist is George Grosz – his bitingly satirical canvasses are the closest thing I have ever to seen to the sort of art I feel I would have produced if I had actually followed that path. As pure technicians I hugely admire Cranach, Durer and Caravaggio.

Q) Does your love of art ever transcend into your writing, and if so, how?

A) It has not done so in any overt way so far – but I wouldn’t rule it out in the future! However, it has actually happened the other way around – in that the afore-mentioned Simon Gales read my novel Love, Gudrun Ensslin and totally ‘got it’ in a way not every reader does. It could be that an artist’s sensibilities allow him (or her) to view a work of art (i.e. a novel) in a particular way. Whatever the explanation, Simon (Gales) posted a spot-on review of Love, Gudrun Ensslin on French Amazon that I hope to use in promoting the novel further. By the way, David, I must add that you have also totally grasped where I am coming from in my writing – and I thank you for the intro you have written to this Q&A section.

Q) While your stories may appear eclectic, the common thread is the spirit of the individual. What is it about people that so enthralls and fascinates you?

A) The principal focus for me is exploring the human condition – and the medium I have chosen is the novel. My first degree (at London University) was a BA (Hons) in Philosophy – and philosophical enquiry still absorbs me. Writing novels adds a layer of freedom and creativity beyond the codified strictures of philosophy (as an academic discipline) that is perfect for me (as someone who instinctively kicks against artificial boundaries). So, you’re right! Superficially each of my novels appears to be wholly different to its predecessor but each one in some way concerns the experience of being human – albeit in a variety of contexts. The plight of the individual is the focus precisely because the ‘human condition’, by its very nature, is necessarily subjective – we all go through life experiencing it from a unique perspective; how we might transcend that is fascinating to me and constantly plays out in my fiction.

Q) Describe the perfect morning of the perfect day for Simon Corbin.

A) At its simplest level (and this does happen quite often – UK weather notwithstanding!) – the sun is shining and I am off to play hours and hours of tennis! On a purely selfish level, I look forward to the day when I can wake up knowing I am earning my sole income from writing (and that it is sufficient to sustain my writing into the indefinite future). On a wider level, a perfect morning also involves knowing all is well with various family and friends. Finally, on the widest possible level, the most perfect morning ever will involve waking up to find that the real world has somehow become the ideal world – somehow the ‘goodies’ among us have finally won; there’s an end to hatred, injustice, cruelty, avarice, greed, warfare, murder, corruption, exploitation (etc!) – i.e. a real life Hollywood ending! One lives (and writes!) in hope!

Thriller Author Cat Connor

New Zealand's Cat Connor is the self-described mother of a "bunch of children" ranging from just in school to married. Needless to say, this lady is extremely busy with life in general. Yet, somehow, she has managed to author ten novels. However, it was the creation of the heroine, Special Agent Ellie Conway, that ultimately propelled Cat's work to the public's attention and peer recognition. "Killerbyte" was a finalist for the 2010 EPIC Award in the Mystery and/or Suspense category – a very respectable and noteworthy accomplishment.

"Killerbyte," a story of innocence in a chat room that results in murder, was inspired by reality. Yeah. You never know who is really on the other side of the monitor looking in at you.

In "Terrorbyte," the wise-cracking, psycho-prophetic Agent Conway returns to take on a killer using murder to camouflage his true agenda. Now, in "Exacerbyte," Cat's latest release, the special agent is taking on a new threat, seemingly even more intelligent, and thusly, more dangerous than the others Conway has faced. Due to this series' unquestioned success, a fourth book is in the works.

Cat Connor exploded out of the gate with a book that caught immediate attention and a devout following. She's only now coming in to her stride, and we can expect to see much more from this talented writer.
http://catconnor.wordpress.com/

Q) Why thrillers? What is it about this genre that attracts you?

A) I have always read thrillers and mysteries. As a teenager I read a lot of Ian Fleming, (among many others). James Bond was pretty damn cool (and he still is), but like most thriller protagonists, male. The older I grew the more I noticed a lack of thrillers with female protagonists. We were getting the raw end of the deal and being portrayed as weak and in need of rescue – or worse, strong female protags were bitchy, nasty, and quite unlikable. Where were the real women in thriller fiction that I could identify with? Well, there really weren’t any when I started writing to amuse friends and myself.

Funnily enough, I made no conscious decision to write thrillers. The decision was to write a book I wanted to read, period. My stories have a lot of action, high stakes, and are fast paced, because that’s what I enjoy, but I didn’t particularly have a genre in mind.

In fact, when I eventually wrote killerbyte I had no clue what genre it actually was. At various stages of the process, killerbyte had been labeled with many genre suggestions. I’d even been told it was a romance, which I didn’t see, at all! (Romance to me involved throbbing and heaving… I don’t do throbbing and heaving! I’m way more into killing and maiming.)

I’d been told that thrillers are plot driven and literary fiction was character driven. That was even more confusing! My books are both character and plot driven. The _Byte Series books are equally about Agent Conway and whatever plot line emerges.

Q) With your family and schedule, how do you in fact find any time to write?

A) Most of the battle is planting bum in seat and fingers on keyboard – once I do that, I actually have about 6 hours a day in which to write. Writing has always been something that fitted around life, but now that I have more uninterrupted time, I can write during the day and treat it a little more like a real job. Although, if I’m caught up in a scene – everything get’s pushed aside until I’m finished. So on those days I might be serving up canned spaghetti for dinner and writing late into the night! (And quite frankly, don’t expect me to have done the laundry, vacuumed, do dishes, or to dust when I’m working.)

If you really want to write you will find the time.

Q) How did it feel when you learned "Killerbyte," was a finalist, a true contender for an EPIC Award?

A) I learned killerbyte was a finalist for an EPIC award the same week that terrorbyte was released. It was a crazy week. I do believe there was a lot of shrieking and celebrating. If I recall rightly we celebrated with South African wine! There was a heady mix of was delight and surprise that my first novel was being so well received. It didn’t matter that we didn’t win, it was enough of a confidence boost to be a finalist!

Q) What is it about your heroine, Ellie Conway, that you believe has attracted fans?

A)The appeal with Ellie (in my opinion) is her realism. She’s not an airheaded bimbo who runs down the middle of the road when being chased by someone in a car. I used to see those women/girls in movies and grumble to myself, “you deserve to die, you are just too stupid to live!”

Ellie is smart, funny, and can hold her own in any given situation. She may not enjoy everything she does in her job. Every now and then it gets all too much, she’s been known to vomit when a confronted by a particularly gruesome crime scene but she won’t compromise the crime scene doing so. Ellie is tough enough to gain the respect of her team and human enough for us to still like and really want good things for her.

She isn’t perfect, but then who is?

And she is a whole lot of fun to write, which probably comes through in the text.

Q) Do you have any new characters on the horizon readers should be watching for, or any plans to expand into other genres?

A)I introduced two new characters in exacerbyte, which was a lot of fun. The idea of having a rock star character really amused me – you’ll get to see a little more of Rowan Grange in future books and it’s highly likely there will be other new characters coming in.

As for other genres, yes and no. I don’t think I’ll be straying too far from action filled fun and games that are thrillers, but I have a historic novel I’m working on (when I get time and the inclination). It’s more a historic thriller than anything. I also have a kiwi series I’m toying with, but think that will probably be classified thriller too.

The Humbling Genius of Dr. Ervin Laszlo

Hungarian Ervin Laszlo was a child prodigy on piano. But his creativity, vision, and insatiable appetite for exploration refused to be satisfied with stopping at internationally acclaimed virtuoso.


Today he is the holder of the highest degree of the Sorbonne (the State Doctorate), four honorary Ph.D.s and numerous awards and distinctions, including the 2001 Goi Peace Award (the Japanese Peace Prize) and the 2005 Assisi Mandir of Peace Prize. He has authored or contributed to more than 80 books and is a two-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee. A former professor of philosophy, systems theory, and futures studies in the U.S., Europe, and the Far East, Laszlo is founder and president of an international think tank (the Club of Budapest), as well as the General Evolution Research Group.

Now, he has elected to tell his story. But not as a remote personality at a podium, or a stranger in our midst. Laslo has penned "Simply Genius: And Other Tales from My Life" in the manner of an old friend sitting on our couch, a cup of lemon tea in his hand, saying, "Let me tell you where I've been the last seventy-nine years." And that in and of itself lends insight to the uncommon genius of Ervin Laszlo.

Laszlo's father was a shoe manufacturer - his mother played the piano. At age nine, Laszlo performed his first concert with the Budapest Symphony Orchestra. By age fifty-two, he participated in clandestine meetings behind the Iron Curtain to explore if it might be possible to identify an evolutionary path toward a better world should mankind destroy this one. Where many see a world filled with degradation, polarization, and disaster, Laszlo sees the possibilities of navigating our future toward humanism, ethics, and global sustainability.
Dr. Laszlo's Web Site

Q) As a boy in Hungary you enjoyed Apache Indians, candy, and suffered the same skinned knees as any other child. In fact, during your debut with the Budapest Symphony, the child you were was focused on whether a particular box of candy had arrived. When did you realize your life would not parallel other children?

A) I never realized it, certainly not as a child. I always thought of myself as "one of the boys" - playing soccer in the summer, ice hockey in the winter and bicycling all year 'round. I enjoyed listening to music - loved the phonograph I got for my 10th birthday and avidly collected the large and scratchy 78 rpm disks I would listen to over and over. My mother played the piano for me every morning and then I played the same pieces in turn - it was great fun. Then I went on with my life - a boy's life, like any other. That I also performed on the piano for others was just more fun. Great fun, in fact.

Q) What prompted you to write your story now?

A) Actually, friends and publishers prompted me, but I didn't want to do it. I said I am not interested in looking back, just forward - what has been, has been. But finally I agreed to write down the anecdote I would come up with when journalists would ask, "how did you shift from being a concert pianist to being an academic - a philosopher?" That is quite a story, and since I have told it quite a few times, I just sat down and wrote it out. It only took a few hours. Then my friends came back saying fine, but can you add how you met and married the Finnish girl who became your wife? That was another question I was often asked and I got used to giving an answer to it. So that took another half-day. To make one long story into several short stories, within three weeks I had a dozen "short-stories" on my laptop. And I began to enjoy myself. It was fun going back over the years and living myself into bygone and I thought long-forgotten times. They were as vivid as ever. For a day I would be an eighteen year old growing up and having romantic adventures in New York, then a thirty year old in Switzerland timorously seeing if he could make it as a budding scientist and philosopher. Or a fifty-five year old becoming an international civil servant and being privy to some of the backstage discussions at the UN that would shape the world (or so I thought). And so it went, until I had all twenty-two stories in hand and said, now basta - that's enough. I added some recollections of how I reconnected with my hometown Budapest over the years, and the book was born.

Q) During my research I encountered one of the obvious detractors of your work. Claims of extremism, a blatant hint at fascism, and the intent to create a one-world government abound. How do you maintain your composure against such inordinate criticism?

A) I have been called many things (though being a fascist and a one-world government advocate is frankly ridiculous) and I never really minded it - I remember Gandhi saying that when you innovate first you will be ignored, then denigrated, and then (with luck and perseverance) your ideas will be embraced as if we would have known them all along. Best is to get past the phase of being ignored. Fine then to become accepted even without being recognized for what one is accepted for. The main thing is to get the ideas across - that's what I had always wanted.

Q) Of all your accomplishments, professionally and personally, which is the one that continues to warm your heart?

A) What I most want and have always hoped for and appreciated is having loving people around me: my immediate family and close friends. I have that privilege, though I don't feel that I really deserve it. Perhaps I have been lucky. In any case, I thank my lucky stars for that.

Q) Throughout your life, it is music that seems to be the blood in your veins that fuels your passion, the drive to pursue your intuition, and your love of wisdom. Should all of us seek to identify a passion beyond the rote of routine?

A) I should say, yes, absolutely. Living for something is what makes life worth living. Having a vision, no matter how pedestrian or how pie in the sky. The ultimate hobby, the ultimate satisfaction, is to do something that you think is worthwhile. For me a day when I pursued my vision-hobby is a day well spent. Otherwise it seems like a day pretty well wasted.

Q) What message do you hope to leave with your readers?

A) Life is a great adventure. The adventure of finding out what it - I mean life - really is all about. And if you can have fun while looking for the answer, so much the better. I abhor being so serious about anything that the sense of adventure is lost, and there is no fun pursuing it. There is a well-known expression in German (which I have known as a child, since it has its equivalent in Hungarian) tierische Ernst, meaning "beastly seriousness." I have always disliked it, in myself even more than in others. I hope this comes through between the lines in all these "tales from my life."

Romance Author Lauren Fraser

Canadian Lauren Fraser was giving her two daughters the "follow your dreams" speech when she realized maybe she should follow her own advice. Today Lauren is a multi-published author with many more wonderful tales to come. Claiming a huge romantic heart and to be a sucker for happy endings, she naturally gravitated to romance as her writing interest and chosen genre.

Preferring tea, she has a cupboard filled with varying flavors. She's also a self-proclaimed chocoholic. But don't let her gentle persona fool you, she's an avid mixed martial arts fan and has broken off more than one conversation so she didn’t miss a single round of a bout. Lauren's also a lover of the outdoors and regularly goes camping, hiking, and kayaking with her husband and children.

Certainly, a number of Lauren's novels such as "Sex, Sin, and Surf" contain the jaw-droppingly handsome hero whose mere appearance on the page curls your toes in anticipation of his meeting the heroine. But Lauren also believes men with brains can be incredibly sexy. From that belief she penned the novel "The Geek Next Door," the story of a successful and powerful woman who discovers the fantasy she thought would only remain an intangible dream actually lives next door in a man who uses his mind to make her fantasies reality.

And while today's dating world may utilize the Internet to meet, Lauren still believes in what she calls the "Wowza!" moment when your gaze falls on that certain someone who sends your heart into cardiac arrest, and your mind to the clouds.

If you enjoy romance, love, and unforgettable characters and prose, you need to spend some time with a Lauren Fraser story.
Lauren's Web Site

Q) "Undercover Attraction," a story about a DEA agent, was your first published story. How nervous were you about how the readers would accept it?

A) First let me just say thank you so much for having me as a guest today. I'm really excited to be here. Now onto your question, how nervous was I? Goodness, nervous doesn't even begin to describe it, it was more like terrified, but then I am every time I have a book released. LOL

Q) Outwardly, you don't appear shy, yet you claim to be naturally introverted. How have you overcome that in order to communicate with readers, which I know you do regularly.

A) Well I have to admit it's a whole lot easier to get over my nerves when I don't have to do it face to face. Honestly a big part of being an author is getting your name out there so people actually know to look for your books, so even though it wasn't originally in my comfort zone, I put on my big girl panties and did it. Now that I have done several different promotional things it has gotten considerably easier, thank goodness. Although I admit, on social media stuff, I do still find it easier to comment on existing conversations rather than starting my own, but I'm trying to get better at that too. *grin*

Q) You worked in the child protection field for a number of years. Not an easy job at times. How has that experience influenced your writing?

A) I like to think it has made me more in tune with my characters and their conflicts. I'm always trying to figure out what shaped them into the people they are now, upbringing, experiences in the past, etc. all have a huge impact on how you handle various situations and I hope I create characters that have that depth to them.

Q) I know you to have a wicked and off the hip sense of humor. Your book "Aged to Perfection" offers a hint of the depth of your wit. Who do you attribute your humor to?

A) Hmm that's a tough question. Can't I just plead I was born with it? LOL I'm not really sure, but I'd probably have to give a lot of the credit to my grandpa. He had an amazing sense of humor and he used to make up these fantastic stories and in hindsight they were obviously fake but he was so good at spinning these tales and lacing in the real life humor of those situations that I always believed him. He also taught me the importance of being able to laugh at myself which I think helps. Other than that I have no idea.

Q) As a relative newcomer to being published, what advice would you have for those who have a story to tell but have yet to put pen to paper?

A) Umm... get your butt in the chair and write it. LOL I know that sounds a bit simple but it's true. It's really easy to put it off and not write, Life has a funny way of sidetracking you from your goals if you let it. You can always edit the story later and fix POV and punctuation etc. but you can't fix it if you don't write it. Honestly you learn soooo much just getting it down on the page. When I look back at the first things I've written I realize I've learned a lot through this process, but you can't see your growth if you don't have a starting point.

One Stitch at a Time: Author Marie Bostwick

Marie Bostwick is an award-winning New York Times and USA Today best-selling author, and so very much more.

Marie worked in the bean fields of Oregon, sang and danced in musical productions, acted in TV commercials, taught religion to deaf children, ran an event-planning business, directed a medical mission for the poor in Mexico, worked as the scheduler for a U.S. Senator, and directed women’s ministries, amongst other activities. She's also been married for nearly three decades and raised a family.

Throughout, Marie has enjoyed one pastime in particular – quilting. She still participates in quilting bees, though now she takes her favorite chair with her.

Her debut historical romance novel, "Fields of Gold," was quickly followed by "River's Edge." But it was her third novel, which, I believe, opened a door that Marie probably won't ever willingly walk back through. Continuing in the WWII era, Marie wrote "On Wings of the Morning." In this story, Marie enlisted her heroine in the Women Air Force Service Pilots. The heroine wasn't just empowered, but surrounded by other women possessing great internal strength and character. Marie's heroine had backbone, and a whole army of women standing beside her.

Marie carried this theme to her acclaimed Cobbled Court quilters series. The initial novel, "A Single Thread," introduced the ladies of New Bern, and how tragedy and conflict sewed the group of quilters into a sisterhood of solidarity.

Now, in the fourth title of this series, "Threading the Needle" due out May 31st, the sisterhood is confronted with the difficulties of economic downturn and the ensuing destruction hard times can bring to families. More than ever before the ladies will need each other in order to quilt a future from ragged remnants, one stitch at a time.

Marie's Web Site

Q) "Fields of Gold" took four years to write. Then you discovered publication comes with deadlines. How did you cope with learning you only had months to write a second novel?

A) After I stopped hyper-ventilating, I asked my agent to get me more time. Originally, my editor asked for a second book in four months. I knew I there was no way I could write a worthy successor to FIELDS OF GOLD in that amount of time - I still couldn't. Having to deliver a second novel that quickly would have been a deal breaker for me. After a bit of negotiation, we agreed on a one year deadline. It was challenging but doable. That's still about how long it takes me to write a full length novel.

Then and now, I cope with deadlines the same way - by saying no a lot.

I love writing; it is my calling in life. But writing is a jealous mistress. For me, responding to the call to write often means forgoing other opportunities and activities that I might enjoy, guarding my calendar carefully, prioritizing my career, family, and community responsibilities and relationships, and only saying yes to opportunities or requests which fit those priorities.

Q) Your faith in God is unshakeable as is your ministry, and while you instill divine faith in many of your characters, you choose not to "preach" to your readers when you very easily could. Has that decision ever drawn conflict within you?

A) Not really because I'm clear about my purpose in life. I'm not a preacher - I'm a storyteller. My books often integrate questions of faith and spiritual focus because faith is so tightly woven into my everyday life. I suppose it comes under the heading of "writing what you know".

But, the biggest reason I write about issues of faith is because I think that is one of the major questions each person has to wrestle with in life, at least at some point. I work very hard to write books that are relevant to what actual people are actually dealing with. If you're writing about a character as a whole person, someone with feelings, choices, and experiences that ring true, the picture would be incomplete without some examination of the characters spiritual beliefs and struggles. Not all my characters reach the same conclusions in this regard - some embrace faith, some reject it, and some remain undecided.

Q) You once said you become "a new person" when you begin a new story. What did you mean by that?
A) When I began writing in a serious way, I was a corporate wife and a mother with three children living at home. Then two. Then one. Now it's just me, an indifferent cat, a very spoiled Cavalier King Charles spaniel, and a husband who travels a lot. It seems that every year, the makeup of my family and my corresponding responsibilities change. That requires me to adjust my schedule and writing rituals accordingly.

This year, I became a grandmother and so, once again, I'm a new person. I don't have to squeeze my writing into those few hours between school bus pick ups and drop offs anymore, but being a grandmother will definitely mean an adjustment in my writing habits and schedules. Making time to cherish and help nurture my grandson is a priority for me. I love writing, but it isn't my first love. That distinction is reserved for my family.

Q) While filled with many stories, you initially chose WWII as the setting for your first novel. Why?

A) It's just such a fascinating time period. What other period of time so clearly exposed the most noble and most despicable, even depraved, aspects of human character? If you're writing a novel, that kind of conflict between good and evil is rich soil for growing stories.

At the moment, I'm enjoying writing my contemporary stories but I imagine that one day I'll write another historical novel. When I do, I'll likely set it in the period between the wars.

Q) In "A Thread of Truth" you took on the issue of domestic violence. Why did you choose so early in the series to tackle a subject many readers don't care for? It was a gutsy decision.

A) This might sound crazy, or perhaps naive, but I don't think it every occurred to me that readers might back away from the subject of domestic violence. In Ivy Peterman, the heroine of A THREAD OF TRUTH, I knew I had a character who was compelling, complex, believable, and had a story that was relevant and thought-provoking. Those are the essential elements of a good book and I trusted my readers would embrace that. Fortunately, my faith in them was not misplaced.

That being said, it was a difficult book to write and one that stretched me personally and professionally. I had to do a lot of research and talk to a lot of people to be able to understand how smart, kind, caring women find themselves in these situations and why it can be so hard for women to leave violent relationships. I learned a lot while writing A THREAD OF TRUTH and I think those who read it learned something too. The most important thing I learned about domestic violence is that if we just keep pretending that it isn't there or that it isn't happening in our neighborhood, it will continue to flourish.

New York Times Bestselling Author Nancy Bush

In 1975, single and carefree Nancy Bush dared a fortuneteller to read her palm. The verdict of the prophecy Nancy would have one child and become a writer? Ludicrous.

Today, with a husband, one daughter, and over forty novels to her credit, Nancy can still scoff. After all, the fortuneteller missed she'd become a proud grandmother and momma to a pug dog named The Binkster.

Nancy first began writing stories for young adults. Her works include five "Nancy Drew" mysteries under the penname Carolyn Keene. As Nicole Brooks she authored several "Days Of Our Lives" and "General Hospital" novels. She also worked for a time as a breakdown writer for the TV soap "All My Children." Contemporary romance readers may know Nancy as Natalie Bishop or Nancy Kelly.

Not content to be locked into one style of writing, Nancy successfully authored several historical romances such as "Scandal's Darling." Her sights set on new territory, she penned the acclaimed Jane Kelly mystery series starting with "Candy Apple Red."

Teaming up with sister and bestselling author Lisa Jackson, the duo wrote the hugely popular "Wicked Game," a thriller with a taste of the paranormal. Continuing her interest in thrillers, "Unseen" has shivered spines across the country and around the world. "Blind Spot" combined Nancy's love of mystery, romance, and thriller genres.

Nancy's latest offerings "Wicked Lies" (co-authored with Lisa Jackson) and "Hush" - due out, respectively, this June and July – are sure to once again keep readers turning the page.

Now, I have to be honest. Kensington Books sent me an advanced copy of "Wicked Lies." Oh, my. You don't want to miss this one.
http://www.nancybush.net/

Q) You hold a degree in Foods and Nutrition. What turned you from a career in that field to writing?

A) Motherhood. I was home with my 1-year-old daughter at the time and trying to figure out what to do with the rest of my life. I read an article in TIME Magazine about young mothers who were making a living writing romance novels. This was in (ahem) 1981. (Sheesh, I’ve been at this awhile!) I told my sister about the article and we sat down and wrote our first novel together, which was rejected all over the place. Deciding we wouldn’t listen to the advice of experts, we began writing separate novels and eventually each sold. Lo, these many years later we finally started writing together again, 2009’s "Wicked Game" and now 2011’s "Wicked Lies."

Q) With you and your sister having such amazing talent, is there a family member you attribute your literary gene to, or one who inspired you to pursue your dreams?

A) Everybody was a reader in my family, so that probably kicked off both of our interest. My sister was the one who dreamed of writing, but I was a science major and thought writing papers was a total pain. Still do. But I was a voracious reader. Lisa was kind of into the horse thing but I devoured mysteries, any I could get my hands on, and then thrillers.

Q) You once said the Jane Kelly mysteries is your favorite of all your work. Does that still hold true, and if so, when can Jane's fans look forward to another helping?

A) Jane Kelly and her exploits are still my absolute favorite books to write. They’re like the dessert at the end of the meal. I’m working on the fourth book. I really want to see it published, but I’ve taken a turn into thrillers and the audience has grown so fast that it kind of derailed my publishing plan for Jane! I really want to get back to the mystery series but I just don’t know when that’s going to happen yet.

Q) Holding the distinction of being a NYT Bestselling Author, does that distinction ever become a millstone pressuring you to repeat that achievement?

A) Not on your life. It’s like the best thing ever! Fans of my thrillers have put me there, and it’s one of the reasons I’m having trouble getting back to Jane, Dwayne and The Binkster. Not that I’m complaining!

Q) When it's time to step away from the keyboard and reconnect with your husband, what do the two of you do to rekindle your own romantic story?

A) You know that 1-year-old daughter I mentioned earlier? Well, she grew up and moved to California, got married and had two little girls of her own. What does it say about our romantic story that my husband and I make visiting her and playing grandparents to both of those two little girls our favorite vacation? Okay, we do get out of the Oregon rain, too, so maybe that counts. But after our vacation time with them, we tend to get on the airplane home and pass out before the plane’s even in the air. The combined energy level of a 1-year-old and a 3-year-old is awesome to behold. Our vacation from our vacation is being home with the DVR and saved episodes of MODERN FAMILY, HOUSE and THE GOOD WIFE!

Award-Winning Author Rick R Reed

Rick R. Reed, to the casual observer, appears to be an unassuming, polite, and sometimes shy man unobtrusively residing in Seattle, WA, with his life-partner and a Boston Terrier named Lily.

What lies beneath this man's calm exterior is a mind capable of producing unforgettable tales of horror, romance, and tragedy that have been compared to Stephen King, called "an established brand," won awards, and are constantly evolving. Each Rick R. Reed story takes the readers on a journey in which we may tremble, cry, laugh, swear we want to end, but yet, we will not close the book until the last word has been read.

Masterful prose provides settings and characters readers simply cannot get enough of. Rick's ability to cross and blur genre lines has enthralled readers around the world. His stories know no boundaries and courageously open doors some would rather remain closed. His settings may go from a penthouse to Mr. Leather night in an alley club; from characters trying to discover how they fit in a world they don't understand (Dignity Takes a Holiday) to the tragedy of sacrificing passion in order to know love (In the Blood).

His paranormal novel, "The Blue Moon Café" was named the 2010 Book of the Year by Rainbow Awards for Excellence. The dark and suspenseful "How I Met My Man" is currently receiving rave reviews.

Rick's voice is powerful, compassionate, and here to stay.
Website: http://www.rickrreed.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/RickRReed
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rickrreed
Blog http://rickrreedreality.blogspot.com/

Q) Originally, horror and suspense were the centerpieces for your stories. You are now branching out to intriguing tales of romance. What has inspired your shift in focus?

A) I think, as I've grown older and more settled in my life, I'm now more than ready to explore the vagaries of romantic relationships and how human beings interact with one another. I like to write about how people connect, what makes them long for connection, and what can get in the way of that connection. Those themes are timeless and universal. I especially like combining dark suspense with romance.

Q) You have worked as an advertising copywriter and as a movie critic in Chicago. Your entire life revolves around writing. What is it about the written word that has bound you to it so exclusively?

A) I have almost always written. I wrote short stories when I was a small child, a play in 4th grade, a novella in 5th that I read in serial installments to my class…writing is simply something that's constitutional with me, a part of me. I don't look at it as a job or a hobby, but who I am. It's what I do best…and so it's natural that it also plays a part in how I've always made my living.

Q) "Tales From the Sexual Underground" sent you on an odyssey in which you interviewed porn stars, prostitutes, self-proclaimed sex pigs, and delved into bizarre sexual practices. The stories are provocative and, at times, difficult to read. Why was this book so important to you?

A) The book evolved from a column I used to write for a Chicago weekly and many of the columns I wrote at the time are reproduced in the book with some explanatory manner. So are many short stories I wrote which revolve around people living on the sexual edge. I guess what fascinates me about the subject matter is what fascinates me about human behavior--what drives people and what sometimes compels them to do things that they know logically they should resist, but can't.

Q) In "Deadly Vision" you send out a clear message about the importance of a mother's bond with her children. That story was a bit of a departure for you. Why did you feel the need to tell it?

A) The story is not really a departure. It's a story of dark suspense about a reluctant psychic having visions into the murders of young girls in her small hometown. So I think it fits quite well into my canon. But the mother/child bond is central to the story thematically…probably because it was written as my own mother was dying from cancer.

Q) Obviously, you have to step away from the computer. What relaxes and reenergizes you?

A) I happen to live in the Pacific Northwest, which is beautiful and great for outdoor stuff like running, walking, and hiking, all of which I love to do. When I can't get outside, I go to the gym and work out with weights or on the treadmill or cross trainer. Aside from that I love to cook, read constantly, and enjoy movies and theater.

The Readers' Writers - 52nd Edition

Yes, indeed. Readers have been welcoming our little column into their lives for the journalistic equivalent of a year. Thank you. For without you, the readers, this column simply wouldn't exist. That's a fact. So, thank you again.

But for a column dedicated to authors and the readers who enjoy them to happen requires a lot of people behind the scenes. Eric Petermann, former editor of the (Freeport) Journal-Standard, first took interest in the concept of interviewing writers, not just doing book reviews. I'd wanted a way to thank authors Sam Reaves and Barbara Sheridan for their mentoring of my story writing. Eric saw potential for a continuing article, and quick as that The Readers' Writers was born.

GateHouse News Service liked what they saw, and a twice-a-month column became a weekly.

Jane Lethlean and Bethany Strunk now spearhead the nuts and bolts of ensuring timely publication, as well as keeping me in line – not always an easy job.

Then, of course, are the authors themselves. Wouldn't be much of a column if there wasn't anyone to interview. Fortunately, the majority of published authors and their agents and publicists (we can't forget those folks) are some of the kindest, warmest people you could spend time with. They really are, and over the last year we've badgered, I mean harangued, uhm… interviewed… fifty-one of them.

From Adrian Dodson, author of one book, to Robert J. Sawyer, one of the most award-winning authors ever, to Charlaine Harris, one of the most recognized authors of our time, writers have availed themselves to us in order to be introduced to you, the readers.

Yes. Basically, I'm just the middleman, the literary maitre d' providing you the best seat possible to a day in the life of our favorite writers. And I thank all of you, readers, writers, and newspaper staff across the country, for the opportunity.

So, what to do, who to interview for this particular edition?

One writer, nearly unknown, yet read weekly from coast-to-coast, hinted that he might be willing to consent. He's a bit of a grouch, hard to live with, and very stubborn. Still, for whatever reason, my wife's remained married to him for sixteen years. Apparently she likes long-term challenges.

His name's KevaD, though we know him better as David "DA" Kentner.

A former army medic, EOD specialist, police officer and police chief, auctioneer, furniture restorer, and antiques dealer, KevaD clearly can't hold a job. But he loves to write – about anything. When not at the keyboard, shoveling snow or mowing their five acres outside Freeport, IL, he's trying to explain to his wife SOAPnet and the Game network aren't the only channels on TV, and that pizza really is a required food group.

Q) "Sunday Awakening" isn't quite like other romantic suspense novels. Where did that story come from?

A) "Sunday Awakening" originated from a news story about a young woman kidnapped at an early age and discovered alive years later. At the same time, documentaries investigating sexual slavery were being aired on TV. I wondered what a contemporary woman raised in bondage would do, what obstacles she would be willing to risk her life to overcome, in order to find the family she's never known, and the life she never had.

My character Cheryl needed a man as strong and courageous as she is, and willing to give his life without hesitation in order to gain her trust – and she doesn't trust easily. Taylor Hughes was as necessary as oxygen, because, in the end, home really is where the heart is, and Cheryl deserved only the finest of hearts to call home.

Q) Where did the name "KevaD" come from?

A) I'd been writing and unsuccessfully submitting novels to agents and publishers for two years. Then I was welcomed into ERAuthors, a writers' critiquing group comprised of new, seasoned, and a couple of bestselling authors. Those folks explained I had a lot to learn. I was a willing student.

I critiqued a chapter for gay fiction author Ash Penn. She asked if I'd ever considered writing gay fiction. I said, no. She said I should, as she was impressed with what I'd suggested. I laughed. Ash insisted. I gulped.

My gay romantic comedy "Out of the Closet" became my first published novella, and continues to be my best selling story. Since I'd taken a step I'd never envisioned, I selected a pen name I felt appropriate – KevaD – Dave K through the looking glass.

Q) I hear you just won a national writing competition.

A) Yes, I did. Thanks for mentioning it.

My short story "The Caretaker" took 1st Place in Calliope magazine's (A Publication of The Writers' Specialized Interest Group (SIG) of American Mensa, Ltd.) 18th annual short fiction contest. The story will appear in their Summer Edition sometime after June.

I hope folks will take the time to read it. I'm obviously pretty proud of that story.

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Ladies and gentlemen, from my heart, thank you so very much for allowing me into your busy lives this past year, and I sincerely hope you will continue to enjoy what we do here.