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Friday, January 30, 2009

Speed blogging with LK Hunsaker



Yvonne: Drinking her café mocha on my blog today is LK Hunsaker, a novelist whose books can best be described as literary romance or "mainstream romance with an artsy twist". Loraine, please tell us what that means.
Loraine: Hi Yvonne, and thanks so much for having me! Literary fiction is known to have a unique style as well as emphasizing social issues and deep relationship studies. I love classic literary fiction but it can get heavy to read. Category romance is generally light and casual, and I love that as well, so I combine the two. My novels are psychological and social/cultural based with deep charcterization, but they’re casual and light and easy to read, with touches of humor, plenty of romance, and upbeat endings. All of my novels deal with the arts in some form since I’m art obsessed, and my style has a unique feel.

Yvonne: That sounds exactly like my kind of book! Sell me your latest release.

Loraine: Rehearsal: The Highest Aim is the second in a series revolving around rock music in the 1970’s. Two musicians and a dancer feature in a love triangle of sorts while a young band climbs the dangerous ladder of the music world.

Yvonne: Do readers' opinions matter to you?

Loraine: Definitely! What are writers without readers? I wouldn’t change my genre or what I feel I need to write because of opinions, but I do listen in hopes of improving my work with each book, as well as for encouragement that I’m not wasting my time.

Yvonne: Who are you when you're not a writer?

Loraine: No one. *wink* Seriously, whatever else I’m doing, I’m always a writer. I’m a wife and mom, an artist, an amateur photographer, a more amateur gardener, a traveler as I can be, and I mess with the guitar and piano at times. I work as the network coordinator for a sand therapy center. I’m also a perpetual student and adore learning new things.

Yvonne: What surprising items would a customs officer find in your handbag?

Loraine: Hand sanitizer. A stack of my own bookmarks. I guess nothing else unusual. Pretty boring, isn’t it? Thanks again, Yvonne!

You can find Loraine on http://www.lkhunsaker.com/....

"Danger, Word Games!"


Here's a blog entry Facebook Style: Yvonne is glad her latest novelette is released by Red Rose Publishing in time for Valentine's Day: "Danger, Word Games!" (under the name Eve Summers).

Shameless plug: It's only 99c. Come on, you deserve it!
Buy Link: http://redrosepublishing.com/bookstore/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=155&products_id

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Speed-blogging with Ginger Simpson


(A word of explanation: speed-blogging is like speed-dating. In speed-dating, you get 5 minutes to get to know the other person. In speed-blogging, you get 5 questions to get to know a writer and her books. Ambitious? You bet!!!)

Yvonne: Drinking her Colorado Bulldog with us today is Ginger Simpson, a writer of of eight books and five novellas (all contracted). Ginger, please tell us about your latest release.
Ginger: My latest release is Amazing Grace, but my upcoming release is Sparta rose. I've waited four years for this one. Long story and not one to share on speed blogging. :)

Yvonne: Looks like you need to come back for a longer chat then.... Which of your own books is your favourite and why?
Ginger: I would have to say Sarah's Journey because I love the surprise ending and the heroine.

Yvonne: Ooo, I love surprise endings! I have to look it up. Now let's hear about Ginger the person. What's on your bedside table?
Ginger: Lamp, noise machine, bottled water, kleenex and a jar of Vicks.

Yvonne: Noise machine? No, wait, that's not one of the 5 questions! Here goes: You're going on a 2-week cruise on board a luxury ship. What are you packing?
Ginger: You must have me confused with someone else. Two many people disappearing overboard. I ain't goin'. :) I'm a landlubber.

Yvonne: LOL. What's the worst writing advice you've ever heard?
Ginger: Silly as it sounds, I don't think I've ever had any bad advice, just lots of opinions in critique groups, but I pick and choose the ones that make sense.

Yvonne: I hear you.


To see Ginger's books, have a look here: http://www.gingersimpson.com/ (check out the covers of Embezzled Love (Eppie finalist), Sarah's Journey, Sparta Rose, and Amazing Grace.) Don't forget Ginger's blog: http://mizging.blogspot.com/.


Happy reading!

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Little Boxes and Weeds

OK, so I'm addicted to Weeds (the TV series). The script is good, but the credits song is better. Every time I hear it, I remember the true meaning of life has nothing to do with external achievement.

Even my books matter less for that one magical minute.... :-)

Here is a fabulous version of the "Little boxes" song: http://tvondvd.groups.vox.com/library/audio/6a00cd970e4cda4cd500e398aa1c1e0005.html

Friday, January 16, 2009

James Bond (007) Quiz by David Snowdon


Two lucky readers will have a chance to win a copy of one of David Snowdon’s books. The first lucky winner will win a copy of, The Mind of a Genius and the runner-up will win a copy of, Too Young To Die.

1) How many James Bond films did Sean Connery appear in? Name each film and the year it was released.

2) Name three of the actors apart from Daniel Craig, who appeared in Casino Royale.

3) Name the first country in which Casino Royale was set.

4) Which film production company produced Casino Royale?


The first reader to respond with the correct answers (comment on this blog) will be declared the winner. And the second reader to respond with the correct answers will be the runner-up.

Interview with David Snowdon (The Mind of a Genius)


Q: Good to have you with us, David. Most people will have read the previous post, but in case they haven't, please make us want to read your book using 15 words....
A: When Scientist Malcolm Prince, completed his latest project, there were a lot of interested parties.

Q: Now 50 words
A: Special Agent, Jason Clay from the MI4 is hired to find a secret formula that was invented by famous British Scientist, Malcolm Prince. The only weak element in Clay’s strategy is Laura Prince, the beautiful wife of the scientist, who Clay has to seduce in order to obtain the formula.

Q: Tell us more about the world of espionage, what attracted you to it and how you went about researching it.
A: Espionage is the process of using spies to procure secret information. It involves spies, procuring secret information without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage usually involves locating the secret information, or locating the people, who know the information and might reveal it. In the dangerous world of espionage, only best spies survive. The British MI6 and the American CIA are good examples of modern espionage organizations.

The initial attraction for me was the classic James Bond films such as, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger and Diamonds Are Forever.


The James Bond 007, character was created by Ian Fleming in 1952, and has been featured in 22 James Bond films to date.

The initial research for, The Mind of a Genius was done in 1984 for another espionage thriller that I wrote at the time. At the time, I read a few newspaper articles. The most recent research was done by reading the newspapers, using the internet and keeping up to date with the current events.

Q: My own
murder mysteries have a very distinct sense of setting (South Africa). With the action in your book moving from London to Denmark to Hong Kong to Australia, is every setting unique and how does its uniqueness impact on the story? Could the part that takes place in Hong Kong have happened as easily in Alaska, say?
A: The settings that I used in The Mind of a Genius are not unique. The part set in Hong Kong could have been set in any other country. However, the descriptions of the places in each of the different countries are accurate, because I live in London, and have been to all of the other countries.

Q: Excerpt, cover and buy now links.
A:
Hong Kong China


Three hours later, and three drinks later, Steel and Claudia had had enough and decided to leave. But McGuigan, who seemed to be really enjoying himself wasn’t ready to leave, just yet.
“Don’t get drunk, Arnie,” said Lucas. “We have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow.”
“I never get drunk,” said McGuigan, who was in a merry kind of mood.
“So long, Arnie,” said Steel, as they moved away from the bar.
“Good night,” said McGuigan.
“Good night, Arnie,” said Claudia, as she followed Steel, and they fought their way through the crowd towards the entrance.
McGuigan sipped his beer and nodded in time to the music.
It had been a very long day for them. They had arrived in Hong Kong from London that afternoon. But McGuigan, who never suffered from jet lag was feeling fine.
I don’t know how you do it, Arnie, Steele had once said to him. When I get off a plane, I’m knackered. But you always seem to be fine.
Instinctively, McGuigan looked sideways. A pretty, Chinese girl wearing a tight-fitting, black dress that really showed off her nice curvy figure was standing beside him, and staring at him.
Their eyes met and the girl smiled at him. There was something about the girl that made McGuigan’s blood stir.
“Hey, baby,” said McGuigan, suddenly smiling at the girl. “How you doing?”
“I do fine,” said the girl, in a Chinese kind of accent.
“What’s your name?” said McGuigan, his green eyes glittering as he smiled at her.
“Leila,” said the girl.
“I’m Arnold McGuigan,” he said. “But you can call me Arnie, tonight.”
The girl smiled at him.
She thought he was very handsome, and she liked his American accent.
“Would you like a drink?” said McGuigan.
“I get drink,” said the girl, showing him the glass she was holding in her right hand.
The present track was the classic George Benson, Feel Like Making Love, and it was one of McGuigan’s favourites.
“Are you local?” said McGuigan.
“What?” said the girl, frowning at him.
“Where do you live?” said McGuigan, realizing that her English wasn’t very good.
“Mong Kok,” said the girl.
“You got a fast car, baby?” said McGuigan, as he continued to smile at her.
The girl smiled at him.
“I get fast car.”
“Come on, baby, let’s get out of here,” said McGuigan, leaving the rest of his drink on the bar, and moving through the crowd towards the exit.
The girl finished her drink, left the empty glass on the bar and followed him.



Website: http://www.the-mind-of-a-genius.com/

About the book:

The Mind of a Genius by David Snowdon
ISBN: 978-0-9552650-1-3
Publisher: Pentergen Books
Date of Publish: Nov 16, 2007
Pages: 288
S.R.P £6.99/ $13.56

Available from:

Waterstone’s Bookshops and Waterstone’s.com, Blackwells Bookshops and Blackwells.co.uk, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com and all good bookshops. and from the author at his website http://www.the-mind-of-a-genius.com/order.html

See reviews on Amazon.com

Q: Tell us one thing about your book that you haven’t told anyone.
A: I first got the idea for the plot in The Mind of a Genius in 1983.

Q: :-) Tell us about your previous book.
A: My previous book, Too Young To Die, was published in August 2006, and it’s a detective, murder mystery, set in London, Jamaica and Miami.
Private Investigator, Mike Heaton is hired by multi-billionaire, Ronald Patterson to find his daughter’s killer, four years after she was brutally murdered.

Website: http://www.too-young-to-die.com/

About the book:

Too Young To Die by David Snowdon
ISBN: 978-0-9552650-0-6
Publisher: Pentergen Books
Date of Publish: Aug 26, 2006
Pages: 288
S.R.P £6.99/$13.56


About David Snowdon -
British thriller writer, David Snowdon was born in London, and lives in London. He started writing in 1983, and wrote his first book, which hasn’t been published in 1984. His first published work, Too Young To die, was published in August 2006. And his second novel, The Mind of a Genius, was published in November 2007.

To learn more about David Snowdon and The Mind of a Genius, visit http://www.the-mind-of-a-genius.com/ and to learn more about his virtual tour in early 2009, http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2008/12/mind-of-genuis-by-david-snowdon.html

Post comments on any of the blog tour stops and be entered in a drawing for a copy of The Mind of a Genius.


Thanks, David!

The Formula That Could Change The World


The Mind of a Genius by David Snowdon
(The Formula That Could Change The World
)


Special Agent, Jason Clay from the MI4 is hired to find a secret formula that was invented by the famous British scientist, Malcolm Prince. The only weak element in Clay’s strategy to accomplish his mission is Laura Prince, the beautiful wife of the scientist, who Clay has to seduce in order to obtain the formula.

But the CIA, the Denmark Intelligence, the Australian Intelligence and many other very determined individuals are also after that formula, and can’t wait to get their hands on it. The competition is fierce, but who’s going to win?

The story develops as a travel through the world; with the action starting in London, then moving onto Copenhagen, Hong Kong and Australia.

Clay appears to be the right man for the job; extremely handsome and a natural charmer, nothing could be easier for him than seducing a beautiful woman in order to obtain a top secret.

For more information visit http://www.the-mind-of-a-genius.com/

About the book:
The Mind of a Genius by David Snowdon
ISBN: 978-0-9552650-1-3
Publisher: Pentergen Books
Pages: 288
S.R.P £6.99/ $13.56

Available from Waterstone’s, Blackwells, Amazon.co.uk Amazon.com and from the author at his website http://www.the-mind-of-a-genius.com/order.html

About David Snowdon -
British thriller writer, David Snowdon was born in London, and lives in London. He started writing in 1983, and wrote his first book, which hasn’t been published in 1984. His first published work, Too Young To die, was published in August 2006. And his second novel, The Mind of a Genius, was published in November 2007.

To learn more about David Snowdon and The Mind of a Genius, visit http://www.the-mind-of-a-genius.com/ and to learn more about his virtual tour in early 2009, http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2008/12/mind-of-genuis-by-david-snowdon.html

Post comments on any of the blog tour stops and be entered in a drawing for a copy of The Mind of a Genius.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

A Murder mystery e-dinner Is Announced

ANNOUNCING!
Murder at the Art Council Fundraiser

You have been invited to attend the dinner and silent auction of the South Lake Art Council. There are over forty guests at this event including these people : Dwayne Brown and Shannon Wallace (lovers of all things South Lake), Salvador Ramirez (police detective and supporter of the arts), the auctioneer David Getwell, a lady in a Dolce & Gabbana gown, the waiter Stan Blythe, the chef Melissa Peabody, the Arts Council president Mr. Austin Moon, and the Arts Council treasurer, Jane Getwell (she's the auctioneer's wife) YOU and over a lot of friends of ours (mostly writers, but everyone loves the arts!).

Go over to the long table at the back of the room and check out the art from Tom Johnson's private collection. This is what will be auctioned off for the fundraiser: vases, sculptures and paintings. Don't be long away from your seat though, they will be serving the first course soon!

Please email Kim Smith on pubd2b@yahoo.com for your next clue....