Armchair BEA 2013 - Genre Discussion - Non Fiction

I have to say that I am a big Non Fiction fan. Mainly because I love to read books now and then about certain interests and hobbies I have such as Gardening and Blogging, and I also love to get an insiders view of some celebrities or other famous figures by reading their biographies or memoirs.

Fiction is definitely a great genre to read if you want to escape for a while, but the fascination with Non Fiction is because of the fact that it is based on real life facts which in some instances can be even stranger than fiction!

One of the best Non Fiction books I think I have read has to be . For some reason this book has been one I have thought about again and again since reading it years ago as it absolutely fascinated me in some sections of the book. Seriously, this man should not still be alive but is somehow still going strong. That's what I mean about Non Fiction sometimes being stranger than Fiction. When you read about someone's real life and think 'Wow, how on earth did they live like that?'

I'd love to know what Non Fiction books have stayed with everyone else years after reading them?

Michelle

Author Spotlight & Interview - Lance Umenhofer

Recently I was lucky enough to interview Lance Umenhofer, author of 'And The Soft Wind Blows'.

Keep on reading to find out all about this great author, his love of sour candies and his new novella.

What was your inspiration behind writing ‘And The Soft Wind Blows’?

My main inspiration comes from the people I love who are in my life every day and who constantly interact with me.  I take little pieces from these people and place them into my characters and stories.  I’m constantly leeching off of people’s personality traits, their mannerisms, and life stories, and creating them into something new, a new person with an interesting story to tell, a new tale cobbled together from dozens of other stories, etc. 

Would you like to share one piece of advice you would give to other aspiring authors?

I would just tell them to follow their dreams, especially while they’re young.  Do what you want to do and find a way to get paid for it.  As I am a young author, I cannot tell you the kind of feeling I get with each purchase of my book.  It is invigorating and lets me know I’m doing what I’m supposed to.

If you weren't a writer, what else do you think you would you be doing instead?

Long before I became a writer, I wanted to be in a band, playing guitar, and possibly singing.  In fact, the reason I became a writer was because my early song lyrics soon turned into poetry, which then developed into prose.  So, I would probably be changing my guitar strings much more often and finding a niche in contemporary music (which is still not out of the cards).

Do you have one particular special ‘writing place’ or are you fortunate enough to be able to write anywhere?

I like to write outside, especially during humid, Tennessee summer nights, where I can smoke cigarettes and listen to the sounds of crickets, cicadas, and the wind, feeling the muggy air surround me while I fend off those malevolent mosquitos.  But if not there, I’m at my desk, or on the floor, or in a coffee shop.

Do you have a favourite scene in the novella (without giving the story away too much)?

My favourite scenes are the ones with Timmy and Alex riding in the car and sharing their polar opposite lives with each other.  (Well, Alex shares his.)  I love the dynamic between the forty year old, ignorant man and the much more worldly eighteen year old.  I think I like these scenes so much because I made Alex from a conglomeration of a lot of my friends, so writing it and reading it for me is almost like spending time with an old buddy.  Not to mention, Timmy’s constant desire to be like Alex (and later want to adopt him) is so comical and poignant to me.  He wishes for anything but his present reality, even if it’s turning into a young miscreant.

Do you have any pets?

Not currently, but I grew up with pugs.

What’s your favourite way to spend your spare time?

With friends, outside (especially now since it’s warm), playing frisbee and hacky-sack and enjoying their company.  There is no place better in my eyes.

What’s one thing that most people wouldn’t know about you?

I have an unsettling addiction to sour candies.  I crave them and don’t feel right going too long without eating them.  It’s bad.  I have to budget for them, and I will go shamelessly in eating entire bags in one sitting.

What’s one of the most surprising things you’ve learnt about yourself since writing?

I’ve definitely learned that I need writing in order to function properly.  Its therapeutic qualities are sometimes the only things that get me through.  Sometimes, I just need to write it all down before I can move on.  And the best part about it is, it works.  What started off as just a hobby, soon became who I was, what I defined myself with, and a lifelong companion through thick and thin.

Do you have any new works in the pipeline which you care to share any details about?

Yes!  My next book, entitled Party, is a creative nonfiction piece that chronicles one night and its happenings in the lives of college age kids, going on into the subsequent day.  Of course, the narrator finds himself at a large, house party (right here in Tennessee) and soon becomes thrown into the horrors of having to save people’s lives from a round of bad drugs.  The details get a little bit fuzzy about the previous night, and the rest of the novel is set during the next day where the narrator must piece everything together, not sure if his good friends made it out alive.

You can also visit my creative writing blog at: www.thehorrornamedgruffalo.blogspot.com


About The Book:

 Synopsis:
'Timmy Enosh is a peculiar, small man: fivethree, onehundredandfifteen pounds, and is a pharmacist in Ashton City, Tennessee.

He finds himself at fortythreeyearsold as his life starts to fall apart: his threehundred pound wife disappears, his romantic interest has lost interest and has gained hatred toward him, his coworkers harass him, customers verbally assault him, and he has the strange urge to adopt his foulmouthed, eighteenyearold coworker, Alex.

When things start to pile up, Timmy must find a way to deal: he turns to Alex to supply him with marijuana, starts sewing an elaborate Mr. Mistoffelees costume, finds solace in the wild, etc., etc., etc.

And the soft, constant wind of change blows him on, on, and on.'

Links:
Amazon

Armchair BEA 2013 - Genre Discussion - Classics

Well I'll be straight with you all and admit that I really am not a fan of the classics.

It's not for a lack of trying either, I've attempted to read some Jane Austen, Oscar Wilde, George Orwell (who did actually surprise me), plus all the usual classic titles they make you read at school (especially since I did related English, classic literature was ALL we focused on).

Unfortunately, classic literature just isn't me. I lose focus on the language used and usually just get plain bored with the slow storylines.

I don't know. Maybe I just haven't found the right 'Classic' book to really make me sit up a take notice. The problem is that there are just too many new books released all the time I want to read instead, as well as the huge backlog of older books I also already have, that I guess in a selfish way I don't want to waste my time going back and reading such old books.

I'm probably going to sound awful after this post but I wanted to be truthful. After all, discussions would never get anywhere really if everyone agreed all the time right??

What do you think about classic books? Is there that one 'Classic' that you think would change my mind??

Michelle

Armchair BEA 2013 - Introductions

Wow, I can't believe it has been a year already since the last Armchair BEA. Seriously, where does the time go?

Anyway, I'm going to make a huge effort to try and get a bit more involved in it this year and for starters is the usual introduction post so we can all get to know each other a little bit better.


1) Where in the world are you blogging from? Tell a random fact or something special about your current location. Feel free to share pictures. 

I blog from our humble three bedroom brick home on the NSW Central Coast, Australia. Usually I am sitting on our lounge in front of the TV blogging once our two year old goes to bed late at night.

2) Have you previously participated in Armchair BEA? What brought you back for another year? If you have not previously participated, what drew you to the event? 

I participated (albeit very sparingly) for the first time last year. I came back this year because I wanted to try and be a bit more of an active participant this time around. Also, I want to live vicariously through this event due to us never really having anything on a remotely similar scale to BEA here in Oz.

3) What are you currently reading, or what is your favourite book you have read so far in 2013?

I am currently reading three books at the moment as I've been a bit restless and have been enjoying chopping and changing from one to the other. These three books are:
and

4) Tell us one non-book-related thing that everyone reading your blog may not know about you.

I also run a beauty blog. When I had our son two years ago I went a little crazy at home while on maternity leave as I wasn't used to having nothing constructive to do. I started reading a lot of different blogs and always had a bit of a passion for beauty so decided to start my own beauty blog to pass some of the extra hours I suddenly had in a day. I didn't work up the nerve to start my book blog until almost a year later!

5) What is your favourite part about the book blogging community?

Easily the passion everyone just seems to have for books and reading and their willingness to talk forever on the subject. I have been a huge bookworm since as early as I can remember as I was an only child so spent a lot of time at home alone when I was younger with nothing to amuse me except my books. I don't have any friends or family who share the same passion for books that I have and got sick of my hubby getting a blank look on his face whenever I tried to tell him about a great book I was reading.  

Stephen King's 'Under The Dome' Readalong

So, it's no secret that I am a massive Stephen King fan and 'Under The Dome' is one of his books that I have been wanting to read for such a long time but haven't had the guts because it's over 1000 pages and I get a bit scared when books get that long.....

Anyway, I happened to come across this fun readalong hosted by Coffee and a Book Chick so that everyone has the chance to try and get this chunker of a book read before the mini-series starts on TV in the USA on June 24, 2013.

Being in Australia we will probably get the mini-series a little bit later than the USA, but I'm still excited to join in on this readalong anyway as a bit of extra motivation to try and conquer this huge book!

For those interested, here is the synopsis for Under the Dome (from Goodreads):

'On an entirely normal, beautiful fall day in Chester's Mill, Maine, the town is inexplicably and suddenly sealed off from the rest of the world by an invisible force field. Planes crash into it and fall from the sky in flaming wreckage, a gardener's hand is severed as "the dome" comes down on it, people running errands in the neighboring town are divided from their families, and cars explode on impact. No one can fathom what this barrier is, where it came from, and when -- or if -- it will go away.
Dale Barbara, Iraq vet and now a short-order cook, finds himself teamed with a few intrepid citizens -- town newspaper owner Julia Shumway, a physician's assistant at the hospital, a select-woman, and three brave kids. Against them stands Big Jim Rennie, a politician who will stop at nothing -- even murder -- to hold the reins of power, and his son, who is keeping a horrible secret in a dark pantry. But their main adversary is the Dome itself. Because time isn't just short. It's running out.'

Here are some suggested rules for the readalong as per the original sign-up post:

Do you need a blog to participate? No way. If you don't have a blog, you can either sign up in the comments on the sign-up post, or you can create a free account with either Goodreads, Shelfari, or LibraryThing and enter that information into the linky there. Any of those sites will make it easier for you to track your thoughts, or you can use a Twitter account to sign up. If you don't want to do any of those, but still want to participate, then you can post your thoughts in the comments for each of the mile-marker posts throughout the readalong.

Timeline: May 25 through July 27

How many posts? Who cares! It's informal. However, if you want a little structure, you can do a kick-off post now, then a middle-of-the-road post (halfway through the book) on June 24 (to celebrate the mini-series premiere even though we all probably won't watch it until we're done reading), and then a final sayonara post on July 27. Sound good?

Twitter-chat? Use the hashtag #domealong

Mini-series Twitter chat? After the readalong as we watch our DVR'd recordings of the show? Maybe?

And do anything you want in-between! Throw a "Stephen King, you are freakishly awesome" party, or do a screamfest movie marathon, or write a gushing post on the fall release of Dr. Sleep, the sequel to The Shining. Or, you can just post your glee on the fact that you've been a horrible blogger and reader in 2013 and this readalong is going to bring. you. back. Back, baby! Oh, maybe that's just me...

I have to admit a little secret..... I don't even own a copy of this book yet but am going to do some shopping today and I promise it will be in my hot little hands before I make it home this afternoon which means I will probably make a start on it tonight :-)

 

I can't wait to get some time to sit down and look over the Twitter #domealong hashtag and see what everyone else's thoughts are so far!

So, who else will be joining us??

Seventh Star Press Anthology Extravaganza Tour Spotlight & Giveaway! - Vampires Don't Sparkle! (Edited by Michael West)

I am super excited today to be part of this massive Anthology Tour Extravaganza for Seventh Star Press and am featuring one of the books that I just can't wait to read, 'Vampires Don't Sparkle', edited by Michael West.

Editor Bio

Michael West

Michael West is the critically-acclaimed author of The Wide Game, Cinema of Shadows, Spook House, Skull Full of Kisses, and the Legacy of the Gods series.  A member of the Horror Writers Association and Indiana Horror Writers, where he serves as President, West earned a degree in Telecommunications and Film Theory from Indiana University, and since that time, he has written a multitude of short stories, articles, and reviews for various on-line and print publications. He lives and works in the Indianapolis area with his wife, their two children, their bird, Rodan, their turtle, Gamera, and their dog, King Seesar.

His children are convinced that spirits move through the woods near their home.

Synopsis:

Vampires Don’t Sparkle! (editor Michael West): What would you do if you had unlimited power and eternal life?

Would you…go back to high school? Attend the same classes year after year, going through the pomp and circumstance of one graduation after another, until you found the perfect date to take to prom? Would you…spend your days moping and brooding, finding your only joy in a game of baseball on a stormy day? Or would you…do something else? Anything else?

The authors of this collection have a few ideas; some fanciful, some humorous, and some as dark as an endless night. Join us, and discover what it truly means to be “vampyre.”

Edited by Michael West
Foreword by Michael West

“A New Life” by J. F. Gonzalez
“What Once was Flesh” by Tim Waggoner
“The Darkton Circus Mystery” by Elizabeth Massie
“Robot Vampire” by R. J. Sullivan
“Beneath a Templar Cross” by Gord Rollo
“The Weapon of Memory” by Kyle S. Johnson
“The Excavation” by Stephen Zimmer
“Skraeling” by Joel A. Sutherland
“Dreams of Winter” by Bob Freeman
“Dracula’s Winkee: Bloodsucker Blues” by Gregory L. Hall
“I Fuck Your Sunshine” by Lucy A. Snyder
“A Soldier’s Story” by Maurice Broaddus
“Rattenkönig
” by Douglas F. Warrick
“Vampire Nation” by Jerry Gordon
“Curtain Call” by Gary A. Braunbeck

Amazon Links:

Softcover: http://www.amazon.com/Vampires-Dont-Sparkle-Michael-West/dp/1937929604

Kindle:  http://www.amazon.com/Vampires-Dont-Sparkle-ebook/dp/B00C2EYU0S

Social Media Links for Seventh Star Press

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/seventhstarpress

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/7thstarpress

Website:  http://www.seventhstarpress.com

Blog:  http://seventhstarpress.blogspot.com

Tour Wide Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Vampires Don’t Sparkle! Tour Segment:

May 16  MikesFilmTalk       Guest Post

May 17 Come Selahway With Me    Guest Post

May 18  A Girl and Her Kindle   Review

May 20  Laurie’s Paranormal Thoughts and Reviews   Interview

May 21   Kentucky Geek Girl   Interview

May 22 Strange Amusements   Promo/Spotlight

May 23  Book Den  Guest Post

May 24  Beagle Book Space  Promo/Spotlight

May 26 Armand Rosamilla, Horror Author   Review

May 27  Bookishly Me    Review

May 30  The Cabin Goddess Review

May 31  WTF Are You Reading?   Review

June 3  Book in the Bag   Review

June 4  The Dan O’Brien Project  Guest Post

June 7  Bee’s Knees Reviews   Review

June 11 Darlene’s Book Nook  Guest Post

June 16  Jess Resides Here   Top Ten’s List

June 17  The Witchy Contessa   Review

June 19  My Seryniti   Review

Full Tour Schedule:  All Segments Included

May 16     Jay Wilburn Blog          Guest Post       (Southern Haunts)

May 16  MikesFilmTalk       Guest Post   (Vampires Don’t Sparkle)

May 16    Armand Rosamilla, Horror Author     Guest Post (Perfect Flaw)

May 17     Laurie's Paranormal Thoughts and Reviews     Interview    (Southern Haunts)

May 17    Laurie’s Thoughts and Reviews     Interview   (Perfect Flaw)

May 17    Come Selahway With Me    Guest Post  (Vampires Don’t Sparkle)

May 17    The Dan O’Brien Project   Guest Post  (The End Was Not the End)

May 18     The Dan O’Brien Project     Promo-Spotlight  (Southern Haunts)

May 18   A Girl and Her Kindle   Review (Vampires Don’t Sparkle)

May 18   Ian’s Realm   Guest Post   (The End Was Not the End)

May 19   Angela Meadon Blog    Guest Post   (Perfect Flaw)

May 19   Strange Amusements    Review  (The End Was Not the End)

May 20     Book in the Bag          Review   (Southern Haunts)

May 20     The FlipSide of Julianne     Guest Post   (Guest Post)

May 20  Laurie’s Paranormal Thoughts and Reviews   Interview  (Vampires Don’t Sparkle)

May 21     Spellbound by Books     Excerpt  (Southern Haunts)

May 21  The Dan O’Brien Project   Guest Post  (Perfect Flaw)

May 21   Kentucky Geek Girl   Interview  (Vampires Don’t Sparkle)

May 22     Darlene’s Book Nook         Guest Post  (Southern Haunts)

May 22 Strange Amusements   Promo/Spotlight  (Vampires Don’t Sparkle)

May 22   Bookishly Me   Guest Post  (The End Was Not the End)

May 23    Workaday Reads   Guest Post  (Perfect Flaw)

May 23  Book Den  Guest Post  (Vampires Don’t Sparkle)

May 23  Laurie’s Thoughts and Reviews    Interview  (The End Was Not the End)

May 24   Books, Owls and Tea    Guest Post  (Perfect Flaw)

May 24  Beagle Book Space  Promo/Spotlight  (Vampires Don’t Sparkle)

May 24  I Read a Book Once   Review  (The End Was Not the End)

May 26     Kentucky Geek Girl     Interview  (Southern Haunts)

May 26 Armand Rosamilla, Horror Author   Review  (Vampires Don’t Sparkle)

May 27  Bookishly Me    Review  (Vampires Don’t Sparkle)

May 28  Spellbindings   Guest Post  (Writers Workshop of Science Fiction & Fantasy)

May 29 Darlene’s Book Nook   Guest Post  (The End Was Not the End)

May 29   Book in the Bag    Interview  (Writers Workshop of Science Fiction & Fantasy)

May 30    Darlene’s Book Nook      Guest Post  (Perfect Flaw)

May 30  The Cabin Goddess Review  (Vampires Don’t Sparkle)

May 31  WTF Are You Reading?   Review  (Vampires Don’t Sparkle)

May 31  Literary Meanderings   Interview (Writers Workshop of Science Fiction & Fantasy)

June 1      Babs Book Bistro     Excerpt  (Southern Haunts)

June 1  Readings Sunshine    Review  (Perfect Flaw)

June 1   The Witchy Contessa   Review  (The End Was Not the End)

June 1  Laurie’s Thoughts and Reviews   Interview  (Writers Workshop of Science Fiction & Fantasy)

June 2     Beagle Book Space  Promo-Spotlight  (Southern Haunts)

June 2  Kentucky Geek Girl   Promo-Spotlight  (Writers Workshop of Science Fiction & Fantasy)

June 3     Reading Away the Days   Review  (Southern Haunts) 

June 3  Book in the Bag   Review  (Vampires Don’t Sparkle)

June 3  Spellbindings       Guest Post   (The End Was Not the End)

June 3   The Witchy Contessa   Review  (Writers Workshop of Science Fiction & Fantasy)

June 4  Jess Resides Here    Guest Post   (Perfect Flaw)

June 4  The Dan O’Brien Project  Guest Post  (Vampires Don’t Sparkle)

June 5  Book Reviews and More    Review   (Perfect Flaw)

June 5  Once Upon a Time   Guest Post  (The End Was Not the End)

June 6  A Book Vacation     Guest Post  Perfect Flaw)

June 6    Beauty in Ruins   Review  (The End Was Not the End)

June 6  Come Selahway With Me   Interview  (Writers Workshop of Science Fiction & Fantasy)

June 7     Word to Dream s    Review  (Perfect Flaw)

June 7  Bee’s Knees Reviews   Review  (Vampires Don’t Sparkle)

June 7   I Read a Book Once  Review  (Writers Workshop of Science Fiction & Fantasy)

June 8   The Witchy Contessa   Review  (Perfect Flaw)

June 10   Spellbindings   Guest Post (Southern Haunts) 

June 10  WTF Are You Reading    Review  (Perfect Flaw)

June 11 Darlene’s Book Nook  Guest Post  (Vampires Don’t Sparkle)

June 12    Celticlady’s Reviews   Promo-Spotlight  (Southern Haunts) 

June 12  Bookishly Me    Review  (Perfect Flaw)

June 12  Library Girl Reads and Reviews   Guest Post  (The End Was Not the End)

June 13    The Witchy Contessa    Review  (Southern Haunts) 

June 13  Book Den  Guest Post  (Writers Workshop of Science Fiction & Fantasy)

June 14     Word to Dreams     Guest Post  (Southern Haunts) 

June 14  Sweet Southern Home  Guest Post  (Perfect Flaw)

June 15  Bee’s Knees Reviews   Review  (The End Was Not the End)

June 15  The Dan O’Brien Project   Promo-Spotlight  (Writers Workshop of Science Fiction & Fantasy)

June 16    I Smell Sheep    Guest Post  (Southern Haunts) 

June 16   SpecMusicMuse    Review and Interview  (Perfect Flaw)

June 16  Jess Resides Here   Top Ten’s List  (Vampires Don’t Sparkle)

June 16  Once Upon a Time   Promo-Spotlight   (Writers Workshop of Science Fiction & Fantasy)

June 17     Bookishly Me     Review  (Southern Haunts) 

June 17  Spellbindings   Guest Post   (Perfect Flaw)

June 17  The Witchy Contessa   Review  (Vampires Don’t Sparkle)

June 18  Recent Reads    Review  (Writers Workshop of Science Fiction & Fantasy)

June 19     Recent Reads     Review  (Southern Haunts) 

June 19  My Seryniti   Review  (Vampires Don’t Sparkle)

June 19   Come Selahway With Me   Guest Post  (The End Was Not the End)

Tour Spotlight - Dark Shala by Cathy Benedetto

About Cathy Benedetto:

Ms. Benedetto is a writer, artist and avid reader. Her love of science fiction and fantasy inspired her trilogy about the mystical race of warriors known as Shala. Her favorite authors, Anne McCaffrey, Robert Jordan, and Orson Scott Card, have spun stories that shifted Cathy’s imagination into high gear.

 

The former Vice Principal and education consultant, Cathy was also a five time softball All-American, and AAU basketball All-American. She was a member of the U.S. Women’s basketball team that played in the World University Games in Czechoslovakia and the Pan American Games in Canada. While coaching, she was published in the Women in Sports magazine and wrote a column for the Bellevue Journal American.

Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Cathy moved to Lexington, Kentucky in 2003. The former coach enjoys supporting the Kentucky Wildcats women’s basketball team, woodturning, lapidary arts, and loves fishing on her pontoon boat. A special joy is playing with David, Charlotte, Kendall, Lily, and Liz.

Dark Shala

Book Synopsis:

Vigilance reader! There are more battles, more strategies, more Shala and Fels and most of all more mysteries! Many questions about the Shala from The Eyes of Sandala have been answered and many new ones arise. The most pressing question being who are the Dark Shala and what is their place in the war? But the mysteries do not end there, as new characters bring new questions and new prophecies as well. The back and forth battles cause each side to make adjustments in strategy which lead to more suspense and a strong desire to find how the future will unfold.

The Eyes of Sandala

 

Book Synopsis:

Like the Navi on Pandora, the exotic warrior race called Shala dominates the continent of Sandala. Over seven feet tall and as strong as three men, the dark-skinned Shala share a life-long bond with wild felines. The fierce fighters are blessed with telepathic powers, and have eyes that radiate a kaleidoscope of colors.

The Shala live apart from the humans of Sandala, dwelling inside the crater of an extinct volcano. But when invaders appear, they must obey the prophecy and rise to defend the land. It will take all the cunning and guile of their young leader, Tahjeen Tier, to contend with assassination and betrayal, and a massive army poised to attack.

The King of the Fels

 

Book Synopsis:

In the exciting conclusion to the Shala Trilogy, Latiga is under siege, travel mirrors are lost, lovers have been torn apart by the ravages of war, and the King of the Fels is dying. These are the challenges that Tahjeen Tier, leader of the Shala, contends with as he confronts the King of the Fels to find out why he must sacrifice his own people to save the Sandalese. Is there something special about these particular humans? While Tahjeen demands answers, the Surmese invaders are poised to launch their own final two battles — one in the heartland’s frontier, home of the fels, and the other at Latiga, the capital of Palaton. As humans and Shala gather for the final battle, Tahjeen learns the truth about his unborn son.

Amazon Links for Books:

Link for Dark Shala

http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Shala-Cathy-Benedetto/dp/1613181167

 

Link for The Eyes of Sandala

http://www.amazon.com/Eyes-Sandala-Cathy-Benedetto/dp/1613181159

Link for The King of the Fels

http://www.amazon.com/King-Fels-Cathy-Benedetto/dp/1613181396


 

Tour Schedule and Activities

Tour Page URL:

http://www.tomorrowcomesmedia.com/cathy-benedetto-virtual-tour/

May 13  - Writings, Musings, and Other Such Nonsense - Guest Post

May 14 - Sheila Deeth - Interview

May 15 -Read 2 Review - Guest Post

May 17 - Breath of Life - Review

May 19 - Sapphyria’s Book Reviews - Promo/Spotlight

May 20 - Spellbindings - Character Interview

May 21 – SpecMusicMuse - Review

May 22 - Beagle Book Space - Promo/Spotlight

May 23 - Pandragon Dan -Review

May 26 - Azure Dwarf - Review

May 27 –JeanzBookReadNReview - Interview

May 29 - Crossroads Reviews - Review

May 31 - Angela Meadon -Interview

June 1 - The FlipSide of Julianne - Guest Post

June 4 - The Dan O’Brien Project - Promo-Excerpt

June 6 - Darlene’s Book Nook - Guest Post

June 8 - Mom Cat’s Book Blog - Character Post

June 11 - Kayla’s Reads and Reviews - Guest Post

June 12 - Recent Reads - Review

Tour Spotlight - Seasons of Death by Marlene Mitchell & Gary Yeagle

About Marlene Mitchell:

Originally from St. Louis, Marlene makes her home in Kentucky now. A mother and grandmother, Marlene has a wide range of interests including watercolor and oil painting, yet writing has always been her passion. That comes through loud and clear in her wonderful novels!

These novels reflect a genuine sincerity with very strong characters to which her readers can relate. To quote Marlene: “It took me a long time to start writing, but now I can’t stop. The stories just keep on coming.”

About Gary Yeagle:

Gary Yeagle was born and raised in Williamsport, Pa., the birthplace of Little League Baseball. He grew up living just down the street from the site of the very first Little League game, played in 1939.

He currently resides in Louisville, Kentucky, with his wife and four cats. He is the proud grandparent of three and is an active member of the Jeffersontown United Methodist Church. Gary is a Civil War buff, and enjoys swimming, spending time at the beach, model railroading, reading, and writing.

Seasons of Death
Book Synopsis:

In the fall of 1969 in the mountains of eastern Tennessee, a poor backwoods farmer and his wife were brutally shot and killed by four drunken hunters, along with their three dogs, horse and two fawns. The farmer’s two young sons managed to escape but were unable to identify the killers. Now decades later, the murders of the Pender family remain unsolved. In Townsend, Tennessee, in Blount County, someone has decided to take revenge.

Echoes of Death

Book Synopsis:

It’s springtime in the Smokies and despite the four murders of the previous year, tourists from every corner of the country have made the journey to Townsend, Tennessee. The hiking trails are packed, the restaurants are jammed, and the campsites are full. Vacation season is in full swing in the peaceful side of the Smokies.

But then… there is another murder.

Links:
Seasons of Death - Amazon
Echoes of Death - Amazon

Tour Schedule and Activities

Tour Page URL:

http://www.tomorrowcomesmedia.com/marlene-mitchell-and-gary-yeagle-virtual-tour/

May 15  - Bookishly Me - Promo/Spotlight

May 16 - Full Moon Bites - Interview

May 17 - Read 2 Review  - Excerpt

May 18 - Pick of the Literate - Review

May 19 - Beagle Book Space - Promo/Spotlight

May 20 - Sheila Deeth - Guest Post

May 22 - A Daydreamer’s Thoughts - Interview

May 25 - The FlipSide of Julianne - Excerpt

May 26 - CelticLady’s Review - Promo/Spotlight/Excerpt

June 1 - Mochas, Mysteries, and More - Guest Post

June 3 - Crossroads Reviews - Review

June 4 - Shelley’s Book Case - Review

June 5 - Darlene’s Book Nook - Character Interview

June 6 - Breath of Life - Review

June 6 - Babs Book Bistro - Promo/Spotlight/Excerpt

June 8 – JeanzBookReadNReview - Interview

June 10 - Bee’s Knees Reviews - Review

June 11 - Mary’s Cup of Tea - Review

June 12 - The Dan O’Brien Project - Excerpt-Promo

June 13 - Mom Cat’s Book Blog - Character Post

June 14 - Fictional Candy - Review

Tour Spotlight - Burning The Middle Ground by L. Andrew Cooper

About L. Andrew Cooper:

L. Andrew Cooper thinks the smartest people like horror, fantasy, and sci-fi. Early in life, he couldn’t handle the scary stuff–he’d sneak and watch horror films and then keep his parents up all night with his nightmares. In the third grade, he finally convinced his parents to let him read grownup horror novels: he started with Stephen King’s Firestarter, and by grade five, he was doing book reports on The Stand.

When his parents weren’t being kept up late by his nightmares, they worried that his fascination with horror fiction would keep him from experiencing more respectable culture. That all changed when he transitioned from his public high school in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia to uber-respectable Harvard University, where he studied English Literature. From there, he went on to get a Ph.D. in English from Princeton, turning his longstanding engagement with horror into a dissertation. The dissertation became the basis for his first book, Gothic Realities (2010). More recently, his obsession with horror movies turned into a book about one of his favorite directors, Dario Argento (2012). He also co-edited the textbook Monsters (2012), an attempt to infect others with the idea that scary things are worth people’s serious attention.

After living in Florida, South Carolina, Georgia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and California, Andrew now lives in Louisville, Kentucky, where he teaches at the University of Louisville and chairs the board of the Louisville Film Society, the city’s premiere movie-buff institution. _Burning the Middle Ground_ is his debut novel.

 

Burning the Middle Ground

Book Synopsis:

Burning the Middle Ground is a dark fantasy about small-town America that transforms readers’ fears about the country’s direction into a haunting tale of religious conspiracy and supernatural mind control. A character-driven sensibility like Stephen King’s and a flair for the bizarre like Bentley Little’s delivers as much appeal for dedicated fans of fantasy and horror as for mainstream readers looking for an exciting ride. Brian McCullough comes home from school and discovers that his ten-year-old sister Fran has murdered their parents. Five years later, a journalist, Ronald Glassner, finds Brian living at the same house in the small town of Kenning, Georgia. Planning a book on the McCullough Tragedy, Ronald stumbles into a struggle between Kenning’s First Church, run by the mysterious Reverend Michael Cox, and the New Church, run by the rebellious Jeanne Harper. At the same time, Kenning’s pets go berserk, and dead bodies, with the eyes and tongues removed from their heads, begin to appear.

Author Links in html:
Website and Blog 
Facebook 
Google+: landrew42
Twitter
Amazon

Tour Schedule and Activities

Tour Page URL:

http://www.tomorrowcomesmedia.com/l-andrew-cooper-virtual-tour/

May 8 - Read 2 Review  - Character Post

May 9  - readings Sunshine - Review

May 10 - Spellbindings  - Guest Post

May 11 - Beagle Book Space - Promo/Spotlight

May 12 - SpecMusicMuse - Review

May 14 - Workaday Reads -Guest Post

May 15 - The FlipSide of Julianne - Interview

May 16 - Once Upon a Time - Guest Post

May 17 - Sheila Deeth - Character Post

May 18 - Azure Dwarf - Review

May 19 - MikesFilmTalk - Review

May 20 - Laurie’s Thoughts and Reviews - Interview

May 21  - Beauty in Ruins - Review

May 24 - Book Den - Guest Post

May 25 - Come Selahway With Me - Excerpt

May 28 - The Dan O’Brien Project - Promo/Excerpt

May 31 - Armand Rosamilla, Horror Author - Guest Post

June 1   - Bee’s Knees Reviews- Review

June 3   - Rachel Tsoumbako - Review

June 4   - Fictional Candy - Excerpt

June 5   - I Smell Sheep - Guest Post

June 7   - Darlene’s Book Nook - Guest Post