Character Interveiw: Sarah Anderson from A Whisper to a Scream

BB: Tell us your name and a little bit about yourself.

SA: Hi, my name is Sarah Anderson. Alex, please stop it. Mommy is trying to do an interview. Sorry. He forgets the family room is not an appropriate place to kick a soccer ball around. Alex! That’s two. One more and you’re in time out. I’m a stay-at-home mother of two boys. I live in Naperville, Illinois, with my kids and husband, Tom.

BB: What role do you play in your book?

SA: I guess you could say I’m the co-star, if A Whisper to a Scream were a movie.

BB: How did you meet your author?

SA: Well, this is pretty odd. I popped into her head while she was taking a shower. I guess she had this vision of a mom trying to grocery shop with a toddler who was throwing things out of the cart. Yup, that’s me.

BB: Do you get along with your author?

SA: She is harmless enough. It is pretty weird to have someone watch you and take notes, though. It felt sort of like being on a reality show, only there were no cameras. Just this omnipresent, short, fat woman in on all of my conversations. I was freaking out until Annie told me the same chick was following her around as well. No, Nicky. I cannot help you with your spelling homework. I am busy, honey. I’m sorry. What was I going to say? Oh well. It went right out of my head. Next question?

BB: Is this your first role in a publication?

SA: Yes.

BB: Do you plan on returning in other books?

SA: I would like to. I hear Karen is writing the story of another member of the Classics Book Club. Catherine, the actress. She played Audrey, the country wench in As You Like It, when we went on our book club field trip. If there are any book club scenes, I will be there, unless Tom is out of town yet again.

BB: Do you like how you were written?

SA: Not at first. I mean, who likes having a huge magnifying mirror thrust in your face?

BB: What is the most interesting thing that happened to you in this book?

SA: I got to go to Boston for a long weekend when Tom was working there. I wish it would have been Hawaii, but you take what you can, right?

BB: Who is your favorite character in your book, besides yourself? Why?

SA: Well, I love my family very much, but I think my favorite is my new best friend Annie Jacobs. She is an amazing woman. I don’t know if I would have the strength to endure all she did. Okay, that’s three. Time out, Alex. And stop nagging me, Nick. I am almost done, then I can give you your spelling test.

BB: Is there anything we should know about you that we haven't been told in your book?

SA: I’m secretly British aristocracy and have a country home waiting for me in Derbyshire, complete with a full house staff and (breaks into hysterical laughter)...I can’t even get the words out with out laughing...in my dreams.

BB: How do you feel about the way your story ended?

SA: I wish it ended differently, but it is what it is. That’s life, right?

BB: Thanks for your time Sarah, and thank you Nicky and Alex for letting your mommy talk to us. To learn more about Sarah Anderson, check out A Whisper to a Scream by Karen Wojcik Berner.

Book Description: Ovulation detectors. Hormone surges. Anxiety-ridden dreams. This is the world in which Annie Jacobs is thrust when she and her husband John receive a diagnosis of unexplained infertility. A 37-year old PR executive, Annie has wanted to be a mother since she first cuddled her Baby Tenderlove at age five. She is dreading another Christmas of relatives asking when they will be hearing the pitter patter of little feet, and Uncle Joe slapping John on the back, telling him to relax and take a cruise. Lots of people get pregnant on vacation, you know. Across town, stay-at-home mom of two, Sarah Anderson, attempts grocery shopping with a toddler intent on hurling items from the cart at passersby. She notices a box of rice heading straight for a gray-haired head. Leaping across the aisle, Sarah grabs it, saving the woman from certain doom, or at least a minor head injury. Little Alex screams at being thwarted. The unknowing octogenarian shakes her head and admonishes Sarah for not knowing how to keep her child quiet in public. "A Whisper to a Scream" is the story of two women on opposite ends of the child-bearing spectrum who come to realize the grass is not necessarily greener on the other side of the fence. A vivid portrayal of contemporary marriage and its problems, the novel speaks to a longing in all of us, a yearning that might start as a vague notion, but eventually grows into an unbearable, vociferous cry.

An Interview with Imogen Rose's Editor, Sue Bernstein

Sue is a typical Gemini – she craves novelty and variety and gets bored easily. These traits have served Sue well, leading her to try her hand at many fields. Sue has been an editor at a publishing company in Manhattan, a personal caterer, corporate risk manager and attorney for the last 20-something years. Sue’s passion for all things from the house of Hermès led her fortuitously to meet another avid Hermès fan, Imogen Rose, back in 2006. Imogen and Sue’s friendship was instantaneous and their professional collaboration a true pleasure. Sue lives in NJ with her husband, son and two very large cats.

How did you get involved with editing Faustine?

Imogen Rose has been a dear friend of mine for about five years. When she began writing her first novel, Portal, she asked me if I would help edit the book, since I had done editing professionally a long time ago. It was my pleasure to help! I love Imogen’s imagination and sense of adventure. Since Portal, I’ve helped Imogen edit Equilibrium, Quantum andFaustine.

How long did the editing process take?

It normally takes me 10 pages an hour to edit a novel the first time through. Then, time permitting, it only takes another couple of hours to do another pass through the book.

How does Faustine compare with Imogen’s other series, the Portal Chronicles?

Imogen’s strength is her ability to understand her characters and then flesh out those characters on the written page. Both Portal and Faustine are character-driven stories, which allow Imogen to do what she does best. However, they are different in that Faustine takes us into the world of the paranormal in ways that Portal does not. Editing Faustine, I was fascinated to learn so much about this dark world that lives in Imogen’s imagination!

What are some of your favorite YA reads, other than Imogen’s books?

I am a huge fan of Neil Gaiman. His M is for Magic (a collection of short stories) and Odd and the Frost Giants are just such examples of Neil’s YA writing. I also adore his work for adults. A few years back, I read Anansi Boys while waiting for a delayed flight and have been a fan ever since.

If you could work with any other author, who would it be?

Definitely Neil Gaiman. If you haven’t read any of his work, I highly recommend starting with Anansi Boys. You will immediately get the “flavor” of Neil’s work – he is a true genius.

33 A.D. by David McAfee

Jerusalem, 33 A.D. The vampires of the era have long sought to gain a foothold into Israel, but the faith of the local Jewish population has held them in check for centuries.
When one of their own betrays them to follow a strange young rabbi from Galilee, the elders of the vampire race dispatch Theron, a nine hundred year old assassin, to kill them both.
The rabbi's name is Jesus. Killing him should be easy.

BONUS MATERIAL!
For a limited time, the following excerpts are included with the Kindle version of this book:

Excerpt from TORMENT, by Jeremy Bishop
Excerpt from BENEATH, by Jeremy Robinson

About The Author: David McAfee is the author of the vampire novels 33 A.D. and Saying Goodbye to the Sun as well as the horror novel, GRUBS. His next horror novel, The Gallows Tree, is scheduled to be released in October 2010. David is currently working on another vampire novel, BAIT, after which he will begin working on the oft-asked for sequel to 33 A.D.
David lives in Knoxville, TN with his wife, daughter, and a small army of loyal but dysfunctional pets. As of this writing, he and his wife are expecting their first child together, who will no doubt grow to be just as deranged as the rest of the McAfee clan.
God help us all.

Dawn's Review: The plot is interesting. Vampires in the time of Jesus. So I was intrigued. Though the story was not entirely what I was expecting, I was not dissapointed. Although we know the history of Christ and how his story ended, throughout the book you feel as though there can be some kind of change; some way the story could end differently. You know this isn't going to happen, but the story was so well written, it kept me going; kept the hope that something good would come of it. What we got was a self-awareness, perhaps even redemption for the characters involved. The story makes the reader stop and think, and that's what a good story does. I really enjoyed this one. I look forward to reading the continuation of this story!

More Freebies!

Click on a book to be taken to its Amazon page.

Character Interview: Dace from Nexus Point

BB: Tell us your name and a little bit about yourself

Dace: Dace. Just Dace. Nothing else. I graduated from the Patrol Academy on Eruus a few months before everything happened. I've got my pilot's license and an assistant engineer rating. Pretty impressive for an orphan from Tivor. Yes, I'm from Tivor, the most backwards planet in the Empire. I only got out because of Patrol survivor benefits. My dad was Patrol, though I never met him. My mother died in the food riots when I was small. My name? I changed it as soon as I got off Tivor. I'm trying to forget I ever set foot there. It was not a pleasant childhood.

BB: What role do you play in your book?

Dace: It's my story, the way I told it to the Patrol officers interrogating me afterwards. Well, mostly. I glossed over some of the more personal bits in the official report. This version has almost too much personal information. You really don't need to know how I felt or what I thought about Dadilan or the people there, but this Jaleta Clegg person wouldn't let me alone until I told her.

BB: How did you meet your author?

Dace: Jaleta Clegg walked in my ship one day, said she was a storyteller. She followed me around for weeks. She wouldn't let me alone until I told her what happened. She's a pest.

BB: Do you get along with your author?

Dace: I'd be happier if she'd go away. Like I said, you don't need to know what goes on in my head or how I feel, especially about Tayvis. *blushes* I didn't say that. Erase it.

BB: Is this your first role in a publication?

Dace: Nexus Point is the first book. Jaleta Clegg wanted the whole story. So I finally gave it to her. All of it. I think it's eleven volumes. I'm glad its over, to tell the truth. I'm still curious to see if she glassed over anything unpleasant or changed it to be more salacious. Like those vidcasts that make everything sound so much worse than they really are. She has a flair for the dramatic.

BB: Do you plan on returning in other books?

Dace: Ten more books to go, then maybe I can go back to being a nobody again. It's easier to trade and travel when no one recognizes you. When your face is over all the vids, people can't help but notice you. It's a lot harder to do anything.

BB: Do you like how you were written?

Dace: I hate how she wrote me. She makes me sound so incompetent. How would you act if you were suddenly dumped into a world with no technology? I didn't speak the language, I knew nothing about the culture. And then there were the drug smugglers. It was a mess on Dadilan. I had no idea what was happening or who to trust.

BB: What is the most interesting thing that happened to you in this book?

Dace: Most interesting? How about least dangerous? I spent the whole time on Dadilan running away from people and trying to stay alive. I did have a great conversation about god and religion with Roland. He's a monk with the Order of Myrln. They're the ones on Dadilan trying to keep technology alive. They didn't do very well, but two thousand years is a long time to keep something functioning when you don't have the knowledge or culture to fix it when it breaks. His collection of artifacts from "the time of the landing" was fascinating. I would have loved to spend more time there with Roland. Except it all burned down in the fight.

BB: Who is your favorite character in your book, besides yourself? Why?

Dace: *blushes* Favorite in what way? I hope I meet Roland again some day. And Sergeant Clay. He understood the way authority should work. I could learn a lot from Tisa, even if she is from a primitive village on Dadilan. Her sister, Librette, though, she had nothing holding her ears apart. I hope she's happy with her Patrol husband on Dadilan. He did promise to take care of her. Don't look at me that way. Yes, I admit, I fell for Commander Malcolm Tayvis. Big, tough Patrol Enforcer, he was everything I thought I detested. But he was nice to me. No one had ever been nice to me that way before. How could I not fall in love with him? Yes, he did threaten to shoot me. And drown me. But he didn't know if he could trust me. Not until later.

BB: Is there anything we should know about you that we haven't been told in your book?

Dace: Me? I'm a no one, not important to anyone, except myself. I'm not very good at lying. I found who I was on Dadilan. Good and bad. I also realized how lonely my life was.

BB: How do you feel about the way your story ended?

Dace: Jaleta Clegg left too much unresolved. She said she'd answer the questions in a later volume. She did record what happened on Dadilan, though. It did end that way, much as I wish it ended differently. I still want to know what happened to the people there. Jaleta said she'd interview those people and write their stories, too.

One word of advice, don't read this book. It's my story and I don't want you knowing what's in my head. I don't want you to suffer Dadilan's culture, or lack thereof. You really shouldn't meet Shomies Pardui or Leran Sovalis, they're both evil all the way through. Avoid them and any mention of the drug shara. You'll have a more boring life, yes, but you'll be safer.

BB: Thank you for your time Dace. As much as we'd like to accomodate you, you've left us hanging and we'll HAVE to read the book. Sorry. For more information on Dace, check out Nexus Point by Jaleta Clegg.

Book Description: Dace's wants are simple - a trading ship and the freedom to fly where she chooses. But on her first trip, her crew betrays her, her ship explodes, and she finds herself stranded on Dadilan, a planet locked in a feudal age. Survival is hard enough when you have no technology or resources. It's even harder when you have drug smugglers hunting you. Dadilan is the source of shara, a drug that enhances psychic abilities, a commodity so rare and precious people will kill for it. Trapped between rival smugglers and the Patrol undercover investigation, Dace has one hope of rescue: convincing Tayvis, the undercover agent, she's an innocent bystander. But those don't exist on Dadilan. No one lands without authorization, unless they are smuggling. Her ignorance may cost her life.

One Dollar Wednesdays - 5/18/11

This collection features twenty short stories from humorous thriller writer J.A. Konrath. Included are a few hardboiled tales, some noir, some parody and satire, a few straight-out comedy pieces, and a few stories that didn't fit into Konrath's other two collections, Horror Stories and Jack Daniels Stories.

The twenty stories include:

The Big Guys - Flash fiction, winner of the Derringer Award.

A Fistful of Cozy - A satire of the mystery cozy genre.

Cleansing - An ancient crime of biblical proportions.

Lying Eyes - Solve it yourself, given the clues.

Perfect Plan - Another solve it yourself. Don't you remember One Minute Mysteries and Encyclopedia Brown?

Piece of Cake - Another solve it yourself, originally featured in Woman's World.

Animal Attraction - Solve it yourself.

Urgent Reply Needed - A cautionary tale about dealing with spammers.

Blaine’s Deal - A parody of hardboiled noir.

Light Drizzle - A light-hearted send-up of hitman stories.

An Archaeologist’s Story - How digging up old bones leads to fresh corpses.

Don’t Press That Button! - An essay about the gadgets in the James Bond universe, and which you need to buy.

Piranha Pool - A writer seeking criticism pays the ultimate price.

A Newbie’s Guide to Thrillerfest - Never been to a mystery conference? Here's the in-depth dirt.

Inspector Oxnard - He's either brilliant, or too stupid to breathe.

One Night Only - A sports fan ends up in jail, all for the love of the game.

Could Stephanie Plum Car Really Get Car Insurance? - An essay about Janet Evanovich's famous character.

Cozy or Hardboiled? - Take the test to find out which type of book you're reading.

Addiction - What's the worst drug you can get hung up on?

Weigh To Go - A humor column about health clubs.

Connor lives in a town full of shape-changing monsters. The town secret is that everyone in Camden Bay, Oregon, has the ability to shape-change into some kind of animal. Everyone that is, except for Connor. He is twelve years old and still doesn't know what he will be when grows up. Will he become an eagle or a snake? He can only watch others sprout feathers and tails and imagine the possibilities. The rest of his classmates have all gone through the change and now they are wondering if perhaps Connor is a mundane: a normal person who can't become anything at all, and who must be exiled.

A mildly scary book for those who are young at heart by award-winning author B. V. Larson.






The English Lake District is a haven of tranquility, a place for hill walkers, mountain climbers and those in search of solitude. But when the rains arrive it becomes a desolate landscape where malevolence rises up from the depths and death is not far behind. It has struck before and this time it has to be stopped.

From the imaginations of four authors working as one comes a menace that is Mostly Human.

The Extended Version has bonus short stories from each of the four authors.

Sixteen year-old, Skyla Messenger is a dead girl walking.

When her newly remarried mother moves the family to Paragon Island, to a house that is rumored to be haunted, Skyla finds refuge in Logan Oliver, a boy who shares her unique ability to read minds.

Skyla discovers Logan holds the answers to the questions she’s been looking for, but Logan’s reluctance to give her the knowledge she desires leaves her believing Logan has a few secrets of his own.

Skyla’s bloodlines may just be connected to the most powerful angelic beings that roam the earth, and the more she knows, the more danger she seems to be in.

Suddenly an entire faction of earthbound angels wants her dead, at least she still has Logan, or does she?

College sophomore Bryn Dawson is a self-proclaimed poster child for normal. However, the day William Hayward enters her life, normalcy is the last thing Bryn will be able to count on if she wants to be with him. Too mysterious and appealing to be good for a girl, Bryn feels drawn to him in a way that seems out of her control—as if fate is orchestrating it.

Despite every red flag and warning siren going off in her head telling her not to, Bryn falls hard for William, knowing he’s categorically different from anyone she’s ever met. She never imagined how right she was. When William takes her deeper into the rabbit hole of his world, Bryn must decide just how much she is willing to sacrifice to be with him, knowing no matter what, fate always finds a way to have the last laugh.

Spinning a new twist on star-crossed lovers, Eternal Eden will put Bryn through a gauntlet of turmoil, challenging her to find the power within herself to become the heroine in her own story.

Some say that dreams are the doorway to the soul. Willow Haywood is no stranger to that doorway. Each night she shares a blissful, silent dream with a stunning blue-eyed boy. With each new moon she is haunted by a painful nightmare shared with a different boy, who’s always hidden by the shadows.
In her waking hours she must battle her sixth sense. The one that allows her to feel others emotions as if they were her own. This insight is exhausting and frustrating causing her to draw inward, only trusting her family and few close friends. Oddly, this sense also attracts ghostly images that seem to appear out of nowhere. With a touch, they take her to wherever they may be, allowing her to change their emotion. This alone would cause most to go insane, but Willow filters her aggression by painting, capturing the emotion she changed.
One August night a nightmare came days after the new moon. In this dream the shadowed boy marked her wrist with star, leaving her father no choice but to share a family secret that would tie all of the odd attributes of Willow’s life together. Now, she has no choice but to outrun the fate that is closing in around her.
In an attempt to lure her, the shadowed figure captures her closest friends. In order to save them, she must weave through broken myths, half truths, and the undeniable power of the Zodiac. With each step she takes Willow comes to realize that she has lived before, her path is one that she chose, and this trial is simply the beginning.

Guest post by Liz Borino, Author of Expectations

Favorite Part of Being an Author

What is your favorite part of being an author? I just asked a friend this question and thought I’d answer it for all of you. Let’s see, is it needing to borrow money all time? No, probably not. That’s less than fun. How about eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for two meals a day? The weight loss was fantastic…but no. Is it editing until you bleed? Actually, yes, that’s part of it. I know I’m in the minority here, but I absolutely love editing my own work. I’m sorry, I should clarify. I love editing my work after I get over the ‘how dare anyone tell me there’s something wrong with my baby’ feeling.

Editing allows my vision for my story to emerge. For the writers who hate editing, think of it this way: have you ever said something in the heat of the moment? I mean something that may have ended a relationship or got you a failing grade. Those weren’t the outcomes you wanted. In writing, the rough draft is the moment of regret and editing is your do-over. We can all use a do-over every now and again, right?

That vision I talked about, it’s pretty important. It is, in fact, the majority of the reason I get up to write. Every scene I write is there to emotionally engage the audience. If Chris and Matt are having an argument, I’d hate to have my readers laughing. When Chris and Aiden are making love, I wouldn’t want people to become angry. Unless…well you know…

So, back to the original question: What’s my favorite part of being an author? I love having the ability to make people really feel things with my words. I believe stories have a binding power. They’re something we can all relate to. When a writer does an outstanding job with their characters, you feel exactly what they’re feeling, be it love, desire, or heartbreak. I’d be thrilled it if readers came away questioning what they believed. Or maybe, my books reaffirmed how they already felt. Hopefully, my readers become almost as engaged with my books as I am.
I invite you to read my books and share in my vision. Get to know my boys and see if they don’t challenge you. Thank you.

Liz Borino is the debut author of Expectations and its sequel, What Money Can’t Buy published by Lazy Day. Throughout her education, including a Bachelor’s Degree from Hofstra University, she’s kept her stories to herself, but this only child is all grown up and wants to share them with the world. Her roots are in Bethlehem, Pa, but she loves to experience new cultures. As fun as that is, Liz likes nothing better than curling up at home with a good book or her work in progress.

Expectations blurb: Expectations depicts the struggle between what we desire for ourselves and our familial obligations. The struggle is personified by Chris and Matt Taylor, identical twins, who are trying to win their overbearing father’s approval and acquire their trust funds. Love, money, and desire collide as Matt and Chris decide what’s really important to them. Amazon http://amzn.to/gBh9M3

What Money Can’t Buy blurb: What Money Can’t Buy, the sequel to Expectations, finds the two couples, Chris and Aiden and Matt and Carley, eagerly anticipating parenthood. However, their personal struggles continue. Though Matt overcame his dependency on alcohol, new temptations present themselves. And with Carley on bed rest, these temptations put a greater strain on their relationship. Chris continues to deal with issues regarding his father. These issues increase with greater proximity. When tragedy strikes, the best and worst in everyone is revealed. Can they stick together, or will their reactions tear them apart?

Character Interview: Clinton Buchanan from The Legend of Sasquatch

BB: Tell us your name and a little bit about yourself.

CB: My name is Clinton Buchanan. That’s “Buck Hannon,” not “Bew Cannon.” You may call me Clint or Sasquatch. You probably thought that the book was about a big, hairy forest creature, but no—it’s about me. I’m big, but I’m not very hairy and don’t live in the forest. I’d like to meet that other Sasquatch, though. He might be able to give me a run for my money in a fight. No one else presents much of a challenge.

BB: What role do you play in your book?

CB: Well, I’m the hero, of course! I’m big and strong, and I can kick anyone’s tail. I’m good-looking, and I’m smart and funny, too. No one else could carry this story. I mean, there are some great guys and gals in this book, but I clearly stand above the rest, figuratively and literally.

BB: How did you meet your author?

CB: Don’t tell anyone, but we’re kind of related. I could tell you more, but then I’d have to kill you.

BB: Do you get along with your author?

CB: Sure, most of the time we get along great. I’ve only had to slap him around a couple times.

BB: Is this your first role in a publication?

CB: Yes, and I think I did a great job for a virgin. You’ll probably be seeing lots of me for a while, assuming ol’ Will doesn’t get a wild hair and decide to kill me off or something. If I get a notion he’s even thinking of something like that, we’ll just have to have us a little come-to-Jesus meeting. He’s a pretty big dude, but he’s old and gimped up. He knows I can take him.

BB: Do you plan on returning in other books?

CB: Yes, and hopefully pretty soon, maybe before the summer is out. Word has it that Will has finished the writing, but he’s apparently bogged down with the edits. I’ve offered to help, but he doesn’t take criticism well.

BB: Do you like how you were written?

CB: Well, I think that Will could have made me a little better-looking, bigger, and smarter, and I’d like to have a little more action in the sack. About the only thing he got right is the ego. That’s pretty much spot-on, but overall, I guess I can’t complain too much. At least I was the baddest dude in the book.

BB: What is the most interesting thing that happened to you in this book?

CB: Well, let’s see. I got to ride a motorcycle really fast. I got shot. I got stabbed. Someone tried to separate my head from my shoulders with a Louisville Slugger, and I had some really great sex with a beautiful multiracial gal. Which is most interesting to you?

BB: Who is your favorite character in your book, besides yourself? Why?

CB: I can’t pick only one. My favorite characters are my parents, Lucy and Doug. I can’t tell you why, or I’ll start to cry and blow my image as the toughest dude on the planet. There are a lot of great characters, though. The characters drive the story, and if you’re someone who loves great characters, you owe it to yourself to get acquainted with my family and friends.

BB: Is there anything we should know about you that we haven't been told in your book?

CB: My middle name is Beauregard. I’m not joking, so quit laughing or I’ll slap you silly.

BB: How do you feel about the way your story ended?

CB: Frankly, I thought it kind of sucked, but I can’t say more without spoilers. You’ll just have to read it and find out for yourself why I say that.

BB: Thanks for your time. I promise we will read your story as long as you promise not to slap us silly. For more information on Clinton Buchanan, check out The Legend of Sasquatch by William T. Prince.

Book Description: In this action-packed character novel, Sasquatch is not the mythical creature rumored to haunt the forests of North America. He is a young Texan named Clint Buchanan (pronounced "Buck Hannon") who prowls the streets of Dallas in the late 1970s. Clint seems to have it all--size, strength, intelligence, personality, looks, and any woman he wants. Unfortunately a combination of bad choices and bad luck has tragic results. Join this behemoth as he faces the life-changing and character-defining events of his late adolescence with a colorful supporting cast that includes devoted buddies Milton, Tom, and Hulk.

FREE on Kindle - 5/11/11

Check out the latest books offered for free on Amazon Kindle.
(prices are subject to change, so please check that the price is still at zero before one-clicking)

There are a ton of free books coming out today, so I thought I would post our free Friday post today instead of Friday so you guys can take advantage of all the new books. Since there are so many, I'm just posting the pics with the links. You will have to click on them to read the descriptions! I will add more as they become available!