Feathered Quill Book Reviews

Barnes and Noble - What's Up???

2012-02-03T12:03:00.002-05:00

With all the hubbub about Amazon, you might think that some of us reviewers are rooting for Barnes&Noble to succeed and give them a run for their money. And we are - sorta. You see, we're hopeful that B&N will welcome reviewers to their site, and help us, and them, build a readership. And they are - sorta.

B&N has never been very friendly to small press/self-published books/authors. Amazon jumped on that boat early on and grabbed that market. For self-published authors, all one has to do is join "Amazon Advantage" and bingo, you can start selling your book on Amazon. B&N? Not so simple. Books had to be submitted to a self-publishing review section, where the book would be critiqued and, if you could prove that sales would be good, they might decide to carry your title. More than likely, a self-pub author was left waiting and waiting and waiting for a reply. Not sure why they did this other than, perhaps they didn't have a warehouse large enough to hold all those self-published books. And/or, maybe they miscalculated the sales from these books. Amazon certainly made a nice little profit off of them.

Amazon has left B&N in the dust in so many marketing areas that you have to wonder, what's up? Does B&N not have a marketing department? Or a lackluster website development team? Take their "widgets." You know, the images anyone can add to their website that leads directly to that product's buy page on Amazon, or B&N. Again, Amazon jumped on this early and quickly and made it easy for people to use. B&N? Well, they have widgets but how many websites do you visit that use them? I haven't seen any.

Recently, I was posting reviews to B&N and two of them wouldn't go through. (Yet another klunky, poorly developed website service - can we say "formatting, please"???!!! How about some paragraph formatting!!! But I digress....) Anyway, both gave error messages, saying the content violated their terms (guessing inappropriate language, although there was nothing in the reviews that was "inappropriate." One was for a children's book!). Problem #1 - it doesn't tell you what the problem is/what we did to violate their terms. Problem #2 - there is no way to edit/remove/delete/re-post the review. It's there, with a message telling me to fix it and then it can be posted but there's no way to fix it. Really, B&N? Really? One of these reviews was for a children's book. Hmmmm.... can't figure that one out. The other? A suspense novel - maybe the mention of a tv show in that review violated their terms. I don't have a clue.

So on January 23rd I tried to get through to somebody at B&N to fix this problem. I used their real-time customer support "chatroom" where you type back and forth. Within a few back and forths, it was obvious that "Mandy" was in India. Oh, joy, here we go. What should have been a brief, few minute conversation took over 20 minutes. I was put on hold several times, and it took "Mandy" ten minutes just to understand what my problem was. Twenty minutes later, I was told that my problem was due to a "technical problem" that they were working on. Geeze, thanks for wasting 20 minutes of my time!

As of today, the "technical problem" has not been resolve. I can't get into those reviews to re-post/fix, I've had other reviews go ker-blingy too and I'm frustrated. Come on, B&N, I'm rooting for you but if these problems continue, you'll lose my support.

Books-A-Million Joins B&N

2012-02-03T11:34:00.000-05:00

Yea! Yes, I'm happy. Companies are standing up to Amazon and their ridiculous assumption that brick and mortar stores will carry Amazon imprint's books. Books-A-Million just announced that, like Barnes & Noble, they will not carry Amazon Publishing titles. Good for you!

Amazon and B&N Duke It Out

2012-02-02T12:06:00.000-05:00

If you've been following the slow, or not so slow, takeover by Amazon of the publishing world, then you already know that Amazon is now a "publisher," with several genres covered under its imprint AmazonEncore. While they can sell books published under their imprint on their site, they've discovered that distribution through traditional channels has been a challenge. It seems that, gee, book stores that have closed at an alarming rate in large part because of Amazon, don't want to carry their books (with a few exceptions here and there). Now Barnes&Noble has announced that they, too, won't be carrying these books. I say, "good for your B&N!" Some people seem surprised and think this is a bad decision, but I say it's good. We need at least one competitor to Amazon, one that can hold their own. Amazon has held the advantage for too long and has been pushing too many people/companies around. While I'm not sure if B&N will survive (see tomorrow's post on their blunders), I am hopeful.

Oh, and did you hear that Arizona has just filed a "10-k" tax report requesting that Amazon pay $53 million in back taxes? Add this to the Texas battle for sales tax. There have been several such as Amazon vs. New York in which, the judge decided in NY's favor. Meanwhile, other states are so eager for Amazon's business, that when Amazon announces plans to build a huge warehouse in their state, the legislators agree to terms not to charge sales tax. Really? And how is that fair to other businesses???

It will be interesting to see how this all pans out. Glad I'm watching for the sidelines! What's your opinion?

Designing Your Own Book?

2012-02-01T11:32:00.003-05:00

Here's a great article for self-publishers to help them understand the technicalities of book design and font usage/typeface fonts: BOOK DESIGN

Author Interview with John Dahlgren

2012-01-31T18:52:00.005-05:00

Today we're talking with John Dahlgren, author of The Tides of Avarice: A Sagaria Legend

FQ: Your biography says that you were inspired to write by the Nordic sagas and mythologies you heard as a child. Are there any other authors in particular who have influenced your writing or ideals?

Well, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S Lewis, Lewis Carroll, Robert Louis Stevenson and Jack London among many authors had a significant impact on me when I was younger. So I guess they may have influenced me in one way or another.

FQ: Did you find the transition from psychology and the pharmaceutical industry to writing fiction to be a difficult one? Do you have any advice for people interested in making a similar transition in their lives?

Don’t give up the day job! No but seriously, if one really wants to be a writer then they should not let anything or anybody stop them. If you really love to do something you’ll always find the time. The regular jobs we do, we need it to pay the mortgage, food etc. First make sure that you can make a living on your writing before switching over to it completely. For me the transition was a smooth one. Psychologists deal with the subconscious and dreams of the normal functioning brain. I’m in the marketing division of the pharmaceutical company, so there’s a lot of fantasizing going on there as well. Perhaps not pirates but…

FQ: I really want to ask if Mrs. Pickleberry was based on your own mother-in-law, but I’m not sure you want to answer that, lest you be hit with a rolling pin. So I’ll just ask, are there any characters in the book that are based on people that you know?

Well, my single mother and my wife both resemble the character, Viola Pickleberry and also, wait for it…my mother in-law (don’t tell her that and she really does have a rolling pin). They all have shown the strong side, perseverance and courage of women who during difficult times conquered the problems without succumbing to them. They are the real heroes of this book.

FQ: I loved how you used the different types of animals for characters. Were the animals meant to represent different races, different stereotypes in general, or were they just for fun?

Writing an anthropomorphic story like this is very rewarding. There’s a limitless or boundless feeling and one also gets to see our world from a different viewpoint. Of course, there are certain rules even for fantasy books which I learned during my years at Oxford. Of course my favorite book as a child was The Wind in Willows. The use of different animals was necessary in order to show their distinctive mentality and habits and also have a necessary diversity.

FQ: The lemmings were a great choice of animal for the type of people you depict the citizens of Foxglove to be - bound by religious doctrine, totally unwilling to question it or to think for themselves. Have you lived among people with this kind of mindset in your own life?

Thank you for your kind words. I was wondering what creature would suit this story best and be the protagonist or hero. Lemmings have been a bit underused and I wanted to play about the general opinion that they are sort of a mindless living herd of rodents, jumping into a river or ocean and just keep on going without really thinking first and see where they are going or what the consequences will be. This is not necessary true in real life about lemmings but I’ve used it as a base for this story. I also went quite a lot to the natural history museum and compared stuffed animals like foxes and lemmings, badgers, mice, ocelots etc. To see their correct size. But as it is a fantasy story, I’ve not been one hundred percent accurate to the sizing of everything. But this book wouldn’t have worked so well if the villain was a wolf for example. I also had to dwell into marine topics and went to Stockholm to study a very well preserved ship from the 17th century. I wrote down what I saw and annoyed the guide with too many questions. So there was a fair amount of research. Of course you can scoop many things out from the internet, which I also did, but some things you have to see and touch for yourself. I’ve also tried to re-introduce the Victorian fairy tale writing style slightly. I think it was suitable to do so. Victorian novels tend to be idealized portraits of difficult lives in which hard work, perseverance, love and luck win out in the end, virtue would be rewarded and evil-doers are suitably punished. When you live in a world where criminals and corrupted politicians get away with anything and even get rewarded and the people of good will and decency gets no recognition or are even punished when they speak out, I thought it was suitable to show that it doesn’t have to be that way. At least not in Sagaria. And if it can happen there maybe it can happen here as well. I think in this particular case, I was influenced by reading and hearing about how greed rules the earth. The greed for power and money. I’m not talking about what we need to have for a comfortable lifestyle but something beyond that: when everything is never enough. I think that was the main spark to write this novel. And also the question: are we living in a lemming society (metaphorically speaking)? Where we blindly follow what our leaders are telling us or what the media says? Or do we sometimes stop and think for ourselves?

FQ: As a scientist, have you had the same difficulties as Sylvester, such as being discouraged from thinking for yourself or expressing individuality?

No, not really. My father who was a biochemist strongly encouraged fiction/fantasy reading. He once met Albert Einstein at a seminar. Einstein told the famous phrase “If you want your child to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent read them more fairy tales.” And he was as we know relatively intelligent. But I have encountered parents that strongly disapprove of fantasy books thinking they’re having some destroying impact on real life. And that one should not escape from reality. Very sad to see that in this age. Jules Verne, the French Author, wrote a fantasy book about traveling to the moon in 1865 and we all know what happened in 1969. So we have conquered outer space but not until those visionaries or “daydreamers” had conquered inner pace and that’s where the true blue prints of future existences are born : in our minds and through fantasy.

FQ: Captain Rustbane is one of the best villains I’ve come across in a long time. I loved his transition from a heartless murderer to the victim of an indifferent society, and was surprised by how much I liked and sympathized with him by the end of the story. Did your background in psychology help you in writing him?

Yes, it did help me. He one of my favorites too and one of the most challenging characters I’ve ever written. The shifts of mood and the complexity of his character might be considered as signs of schizophrenia. But that’s not entirely true. He is an example of what an neglected, and abused child can grow up to be. Hence, the little fox cub at the end with the same background as Rustbane but instead of abuse he receives love instead. I’ve left the ending open for the reader to decide who that fox really is.

FQ: Your book is dedicated in part to your godson Axel. Were there lessons and ideas in the book that you particularly wanted to express to him or to children and young adults in general?

Yes, it’s dedicated to my son William and also to my godson. It will take a couple of years before they are ready to read it. I hope by then, that they’ll learn a little about courage, integrity, decency and of course putting the video games aside for a moment and pick up a fantasy book and read happily ever after…

To learn more about The Tides of Avarice: A Sagaria Legend please read the review at: Feathered Quill Book Reviews.

Book Giveaway - Last Chance!

2012-01-31T13:41:00.000-05:00

Today is the last chance you have to try your luck at winning our monthly book giveaway. Win a copy of Rainforest Animals by visiting our Book Giveaway page on our website, Feathered Quill Book Reviews. Good luck!

Monday Morning Introductions

2012-01-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

Check out the books that came in this week for review. Reviews will be posted soon to our review site, Feathered Quill Book Reviews.

Helen of Troy by Tess Collins Helen of Troy is a quirky and lively retelling of the classic Greek legend in small-town America. Helen Ramsey and her good-old-boy husband, Rudy, fight like caged roosters. When their bachelor neighbor becomes Helen's confidant, rumors spread and sides square off until the entire town joins the ruckus. After Helen is kidnapped by her would-be lover, Rudy resorts to a clever Trojan Horse stratagem, and Helen wages a war worthy of a goddess. But will even that be enough to triumph over the gossip of a small-town Cassandra?

International Affairs by Davis Thanjan

The Persian Room Presents: An Oral History of New York's Most Magical Night Spot by Patty Farmer Ever since Patty Farmer was a little girl, she dreamed of living at the Plaza—just like Eloise of storybook fame. Decades later, she realized that dream when she moved into an apartment on the eighth floor of the famed hotel and became more passionate than ever about immersing herself in its history. She soon discovered that one of the most magical places within the Plaza now exists only in memory: the nightclub known as the Persian Room. For more than forty years, from 1934 to 1975, the Persian Room was the place to be in New York City. An unparalleled array of performers graced its stage—everyone from the incomparable Hildegarde and Kay Thompson to Julie Wilson, Andy Williams, Lainie Kazan, and Michelle Lee. And, though more than three decades have passed since the final ovation, there are many from both sides of the footlights who remember this extravagant nightclub with great fondness.

Twice as Good: The story of William Powell and Clearview, the only golf course designed, built, and owned by an African-American by Richard Michelson To nine-year-old Willie Powell, there was no prettier sight than the smooth grass lawns of Edgewater Golf Cource. He had been so eager to see them that he'd run seven miles to where the course was situated outside of town. But his elation didn't last. When he asked two golfers if they'd teach him the game, one man responded by saying, 'Son, didn't anyone ever tell you that your kind is not welcome here? In the 1920's there was no place for Willie, or any black person, on a golf cource. It was a game for white people only, at least in America. But his enthusiasm for golf and his belief in what he knew to be right drove Willie Powell to change that, and to change minds.

The Apple Tree's Discovery by Peninnah Schram and Rachayl Eckstein Davis A little apple tree in a forest of oaks begs God for stars like those glimmering on the branches of the great oak trees beside her. As the seasons pass, she learns to appreciate her own gifts and realizes that it’s possible to find a star in each of us.

Barnyard Purim by Kelly Terwilliger Purim is a topsy-turvy time, even on the farm. The animals decide to stage a Purim play, and Chicken assigns the parts. Blushing Duck is Queen Esther, Silly Horse is Ahashuerus, and Bearded Goat is Mordechai. But when they try to transform Shy Little Sheep into mean-looking Haman, something unexpected happens.

The Survivors: Point of Origin by Amanda Havard The winter is upon us. The Survivors are in chaos. The war is coming. One year ago, Sadie Matthau was living among humans, existing as one of them. But now she wakes each morning in a house in the Survivors City, listening to the invocations and insults of her family members as they cope with their new future. A war. Rogue abandoners turned monsters. Sadie and the icy Winters living in their midst, bringing the outside world in. The Survivors: Point of Origin is Sadie s quest to save her family. But can she find what she is looking for when she can barely stomach the Winters wintry demeanor and finds herself distracted by Cole Hardwick s warm heart? Will she be able to uncover her family s history even as the elders grip tightens around her throat? In an action packed ride full of magic and misery, terror and triumph, Sadie Matthau seeks the Survivors beginning just in time to face her end.

Christmas Kindles Not Getting Used

2012-01-29T14:41:00.004-05:00

While it was apparently one of the most popular Christmas presents of 2011, a recent surgery found that roughly 1 in 5 who received a Kindle for Christmas still hasn't used it. Those who received an iPad however, which by the way, retails for more, were far more likely to have uploaded books and used the device. More details = The Telegraph.

Just Not A Good Day for Amazon

2012-01-27T11:35:00.002-05:00

Fresh on the heels of the NPR article on Amazon's predatory practices, is one from the NYTimes about all the bogus reviews posted to Amazon. If you have time, read some of the comments, it's pretty interesting.

For $2 a Star, an Online Retailer Gets 5-Star Product Reviews

Amazon Making More Fans - NOT

2012-01-27T09:30:00.000-05:00

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you know I'm no fan of Amazon. I've posted numerous articles, links, etc., showing just how horrible they are to deal with - from a publisher's, bookseller's, or librarian's, point of view. Customers luv 'um so until that changes, Amazon will flourish. Now, tho, even NPR has gotten into the action with a new article on Amazon's predatory practices.

Ellen Feld – Niche Marketing Your Children’s Book

2012-01-26T15:33:00.001-05:00

On January 19th, 2012 Susan Violante and Victor R. Volkman spoke with award-winning children’s author, marketing expert, and entrepreneur Ellen Feld about how to target-market your children”s books. Her first book, Blackjack: Dreaming of a Morgan Horse, went on to win a coveted “Children’s Choices” award, co-sponsored by The International Reading Association and The Children’s Book Council. The book was then picked up by an international toy company and packaged with a toy horse made to resemble Blackjack, the star of the series. Blackjack continues to sell well and to date has sold over 30,000 copies. Ellen shared her lessons learned and hard won experience with us on a variety of topics including:

on-line advertising: where/when it works/doesn’t work
Selling at regional events, shows, and other public venues outside the bookstore
Why you need to think in terms of a series
Importance of author selling/marketing, the personal touch
Book signings – what works, what to have at your booth
Finding and keeping an illustrator
Cultivating your reputation as an expert
The importance of professional help with your project.

Ellen Feld with Annie

Award-winning author Ellen Feld began writing about horses more than twenty years ago. Her first writing jobs were for horse magazines. At first, she wrote for small, regional publications, but within a few short years her work began to appear regularly in large, national publications. Her articles have appeared in publications such as The Morgan Horse, Stable Management, Equestrian, Young Rider, Just About Horses, Horsemen’s Yankee Pedlar, Tri-State Horse, and The Appaloosa Journal.One day, back in 2001, while waiting for her next assignment to come in, Ellen wrote a short story about a Morgan Horse. Several of her friends encouraged her to expand on the story and try writing a book. That short story became the first chapter of “Blackjack: Dreaming of a Morgan Horse.”

There's Still Time!

2012-01-24T22:47:00.000-05:00

What are ya waiting for???!!! There's still time to enter our Monthly book contest. You could win - no obligation, no hidden shipping fees, no nothing, nada, nope - a brand new copy of Rainforest Animals. You can read a review on our site and it only takes a few seconds to enter. Can you type your name, email and mailing address? Then you can enter. Just go to our Win A Book! page and come on, enter!

No, he's not a rainforest animal, but I just luv the duck!

Social Media – a Marketing Tool to be Taken Seriously

2012-01-24T08:57:00.002-05:00

Expert Shares Tips to Gauge Whether
Your Business is Taking the Wrong Approach
By: Marsha Freidman

I remember when the Internet first gained prominence and it became apparent that having a website was essential for any commercial enterprise.

Back then, web designers were not plentiful and few people thought to hire a professional to create a site. They felt that ANY web presence was better than none at all and they found people they knew who were “into the whole Internet thing”to help them.

As a PR professional, when I saw a website that didn’t represent people well or looked amateurish, I’d ask who created it. Invariably, I’d get answers like, “My nephew did it,” or “I bought Web Design for Dummies and did it myself,” or “My son has a friend who just graduated with a degree in computer science.” While those days have passed for Web sites, I’m afraid I am seeing the same thing happen with regard to social media.

As social media has become an integral element of all mainstream media,some people regard it the same way they used to regard websites – as a good addition to their marketing tactics, but not so essential that they need to approach it with a professional sensibility. As with any marketing outreach, social media done badly will actually set a person back rather than move him forward.

Here are some tips for people to gauge whether they’re taking the right approach or heading down the wrong path:

• My Daughter Does That For Me – If your daughter is a college graduate with a broad-based education that includes a degree in mass communications, I’d say you may be on the right track. However, if she’s 18 and her primary qualification is that she has Twitter and Facebook accounts, I’d say you need to reevaluate your choice of marketing personnel here. Just because she’s your daughter and can use Facebook and Twitter, doesn’t mean she has the skills necessary to market a business using social media.

• I Hired a College Intern – While college students may be part of the social media generation, it doesn’t automatically qualify them to do social media for you. Unlike traditional media, which is a communication to a broad audience, social media is one-to-one marketing outreach. You are communicating directly to individuals and anyone who has ever posted an opinion in an Internet forum knows the online audience is not to be trifled with. Understand that your reputation is on the line. With the variety of questions and comments you will receive, it is critical that they’re handled with care and professionalism to avoid any repercussions to your name and brand. A social media marketing professional is an astute communicator who ensures each time the right tone, caring and message is delivered for maximum return and keeps your audience engaged. This dynamic is crucial for the success of the program.

• I Got 11 New Followers on Twitter This Week – Of course, building followers is important, but you’ll never make a social media campaign work with the onesy-twosy approach.For myself, my company and our social media clients, we have a monthly benchmark for building followers. Now, this benchmark is not a gross number, but a net figure after we have weeded out spammers, chronic friend adders, and marriage proposals from men in foreign countries, and yes, I’ve gotten a few of those.

At the end of the day, social media is serious business. Done right, it can create a base of thousands of followers. Done wrong, it wastes time and energy and, most important, gives people the impression that social media marketing isn’t important. In fact, it has become one of the most critical and fundamental components for any marketing strategy, which every company needs to put in place.

About Marsha Friedman

Marsha Friedman is a 21-year veteran of the public relations industry and a sought after national public speaker on the power of publicity. She is the founder and CEO of EMSI Public Relations (www.GuaranteedNationalPR.com), a national firm that provides PR strategy, promotion and publicity services to corporations, entertainers, authors and professional firms. Marsha is also the author of the book, Celebritize Yourself: The 3-Step Method to Increase Your Visibility and Explode Your Business. When she is not running her business, she has Cherish the Children, a non-profit foundation that helps under-privileged local foster children.

Monday Morning Introductions

2012-01-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

Here's a sample of the books that came in for review this week. Check them out and then stop by our review site in a few weeks to read the reviews. Not sure about that site? It's Feathered Quill Book Reviews!

Dark is the Sky by Jessica Chambers It's been twelve years since Olivia and Joel Cameron last invited the family to spend the weekend at their country home; a visit that ended in tragedy. Scott, Joel's outrageously sexy youngest brother, was found dead. The repercussions have torn the family apart. Olivia's sister Violet has persuaded her to host a reunion so that they can finally lay their ghosts to rest. However, there are some secrets too destructive to remain hidden, and Violet, still grieving for the man she loved, is determined to uncover the truth. As the web of hostility and deceit begins to unravel, family ties are tested to the limit.

Kings of Colorado by David Hilton William Sheppard had never ventured beyond his Chicago neighborhood until, at thirteen, he was sent away to the Swope Ranch Boys’ Reformatory, hundreds of miles from home, for stabbing his abusive father in the chest with a pocketknife. Buried deep in the Colorado mountains, Swope is shrouded in legend and defined by one prevailing rumor: that the boys who go in never come out the same. Despite the lack of fences or gates, the boundaries are clear: prisoners are days from civilization, there exists only one accessible road—except in the wintertime, when it’s buried under feet upon feet of snow, and anyone attempting escape will be shot down without hesitation in the shadow of the peaks. At 13,000 feet above sea level, the mountains aren’t forgiving, and neither are the guards.

I Just Can't Take It Anymore!: Encouragement When Life Gets You Down by Anthony DeStefano By pairing a thoughtful story line with amusing full-color photographs of children, bestselling author Anthony DeStefano succeeds in delivering a lighthearted look at the age-old question, “why me?” Through photos, especially chosen to bring out a smile, and carefully crafted sentiment, Anthony shares his delightful sense of humor, lifts the reader’s spirit, and plants a firm message of hope and encouragement.

The Donkey That No One Could Ride by Anthony DeStefano Bestselling author Anthony DeStefano begins his creative telling of the beloved Bible story of Christ’s triumphant entry by introducing the young donkey who has yet to realize his important mission. The lowly creature believes he can do nothing noble, but that’s before he meets the Master...Then Jesus said to the donkey, “It’s time that you knew About the great thing That you’re destined to do...”He hears the sad donkey cry, “Just leave me alone and cast me aside. I’m just a poor donkey that no one can ride.”Richard Cowdrey’s colorful illustrations pair beautifully with Anthony’s charming rhymes. Together, they bring this timeless story of the donkey who carries Jesus into Jerusalem to a joyful finish. While especially appropriate as an Easter gift, this year-round story is for all time and for young and old alike.

Diary of a Mad Fat Girl by Stephanie McAfee Graciela "Ace" Jones is mad-mad at her best friend Lilly who cancels their annual trip to Panama City for mysterious reasons; at her boss Catherine for "riding her ass like a fat lady on a Rascal scooter;" at her friend Chloe's abusive husband; and especially at Mason McKenzie, the love of her life, who has shown up with a marriage proposal three years too late. Ace is never mad, though, at her near-constant companion, an adorable chiweenie dog named Buster Loo. Ace's anger begins to dissipate as she takes matters into her own hands to take down Chloe's philandering husband-and to get to the bottom of a multitude of other scandals plaguing Bugtussle, Mississippi. Then, she starts to realize that maybe Mason deserves a second chance after all.

The Golden Hour by Margaret Wurtele In this stunning debut set in the summer of 1944 in Tuscany, Giovanna Bellini, the daughter of a wealthy aristocrat and vineyard owner, has just turned seventeen and is on the cusp of adulthood. War bears down on her peaceful little village after the Italians sign a separate peace with the Allies-transforming the Germans into an occupying army. But when her brother joins the Resistance, he asks Giovanna to hide a badly wounded fighter who is Jewish. As she nurses him back to health, she falls helplessly in love with the brave and humble Marco, who comes from as ancient and noble an Italian family as she does. They pledge their love, and then must fight a real battle against the Nazis who become more desperate and cruel as the Allies close in on them...

Cat Calls by Jeanne Adlon Thirty-five years ago, Jeanne Adlon became New York City s first full-time cat sitter, and since then, she has done it all. Jeanne has dodged tarantulas, served up kosher cat meals, and fed pampered felines in Waterford crystal goblets. Cat Calls recounts Jeanne s experiences, from adventures with quirky cats to the challenges faced by a woman who s determined to reach her clients despite blinding winter storms. But since Jeanne Adlon is no ordinary cat sitter, Cat Calls offers far more than tales of the cat. Over years of devoting herself to feline needs, Jeanne has become a recognized expert on cat care, so along with coauthor Susan Logan, Cat Fancy editor and fellow cat expert, Jeanne designed each of Cat Calls chapters to focus on important issues for cat owners, including adopting new pets, feeding your cat, coping with litter box problems, and much more. Charming anecdotes about Jeanne s furry clients add examples of cat-care strategies that work.

Morgan Horses are My Favorite by Elaine Landau Do you like horses? Then you'll love learning all about the Morgan horse. Morgan horses are fast and strong, and they have a rich and captivating history. Did you know that the breed was named after a schoolteacher? Or that Morgan horses helped to settle the West? Learn more about Morgans in this fun and fascinating book!

Quarter Horses are My Favorite! by Elaine Landau Do you like horses? Then you'll love learning all about the American quarter horse. American quarter horses are nimble and well-built. Did you know that these horses are famous for their calm and gentle natures? Or that police officers who work on horseback often choose American quarter horses? Learn more about Quarter horses in this fun and fascinating book!

Illegal Books Available For Free

2012-01-18T10:22:00.004-05:00

This is rather scary - authors/publishers - be careful and be diligent - you never know where your book(s) might end up!

Illegal Books Available For Free On Google’s Android Market

Dozens of commercial book collections, including the entire Harry Potter series, have been downloaded for free from Google’s official Android Market after being uploaded by an unauthorized publisher. Read the rest of the article here.

Author Interview with Fadi Hattendorf

2012-01-17T21:34:00.002-05:00

Today we're talking with Fadi Hattendorf, author of What is Love? Perspectives on Love

FQ: What are your feelings about the ever-growing popularity of internet dating?

The ever-growing popularity of internet dating shows how far we have come, although we still have a long way to go. It shows how independent we are at the same time dependent on the internet. I think online dating can be fun but I don’t know how serious it can be and how long it can last. Online dating can an easy way to find someone worldwide and chat with so many singles. Those singles may not be singles after all and/or may be in complete different profiles. The best impression someone can get may be an unrealistic opinion of the other.

FQ: Do you think relationships are based on “doing what you’ve seen?” (i.e., if a person comes from a loving household that had grandparents, parents, even siblings with happy marriages - do you have more of a shot at having one of your own?)

Generally speaking, if a person comes from a loving household that had grandparents, parents, even siblings with happy marriages that person can be in a similar household and happiness. It can be contagious just like smile. For example, if parents use bad words around a child, that child may use them without knowing the meaning and believes it is okay to use those words when it is not.

FQ: Single parenting is very real in this country and has been since the 1980’s. In many ways, it is the “chosen” method for some women who don’t want a man in their lives. Do you have any feelings about this particular issue? Such as, should all women get married, or stay in a ‘bad’ situation in order to raise children?

Marriage is not necessary for everyone. I don’t think anyone should be forced to stay married or marry for the sake of someone or something. Though, the reality can be different.Sometimes you are better off alone than living with someone who continuously hurts you, uses you and disrespects you. Each of us is a precious human being. There is a better person waiting for you at the next corner.

While it is good to have both parents to raise a child, a single parent can do a wonderful job as well. If one parent is abusive or careless, the child may be in better hands with one parent.

FQ: Is it truly possible to rebuild trust once someone has proven themselves to be a liar or manipulator, as some of your stories show?

It really depends on many factors such as the behind the scene of the action that lead to the person to become a liar or manipulator. On the one hand, if it is becoming a habit, then it is difficult to rebuilt trust. We shouldn’t be taken for granted. On the other hand, someone can try to rebuild the trust but ultimately is depends on the people involved and the level of the damage. It should be possible to have faith and hope in each other again.

FQ: The top cause of divorce (stats given by Divorce Solutions as well as the ABA) is money. Do you believe that there is a way to work around finances destroying a marriage that is, otherwise, just fine?

I believe two people can work around finances unless they have married for the money. Money is not everything in live. Money alone won’t buy you happiness. However, if one person is spending and the other is saving or if one person is working and the other is spending then this can be a source of dissatisfaction and frustration.

FQ: In your opinion, why is it that such a large percentage of women feel they have to (not need to, or want to) get married? Are we, as a people, just too in love with love?

I think it is a natural instinct in women. How many girls do you see playing with dolls versus cars? We are pressured by family members, relatives and even the society. A wedding is a dream of many girls. Women tend to have the need of wanting a solid family. Some women feel incomplete without marriage, others feel validated by it. We see marriage as a mean of sharing, loving and a wonderful companionship. We want some assurance of a future with someone. We still believe that we have to marry first and then have a child.

FQ: The section on cultural love was extremely interesting. With the prejudices that still exist in this world, is it even possible to overlook a factor that is as big as religion when picking a mate?

I would hope so because we are getting more tolerant. But I don’t know if religion can be completely overlook when picking a mate. There are various reasons. We want to avoid conflicts such as: I’m going to this church, you are going to a different one. I pray to God this way, you the other way. While I’m fasting, you are eating all day long. How about the kids? Which way should they choose? However, this depends on the religion and the part of the world the we live in.

Thank you for your wonderful questions and your interest in reading the book.

Fadi Hattendorf

To learn more about What is Love? Perspectives on Love please read the review at: Feathered Quill Book Reviews.

Monday Morning Introductions

2012-01-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

Check out the books that came in this week for review. Stop by our review site, Feathered Quill Book Reviews, in a few weeks to read the reviews.

The Kingdom of Mine by Gary Edwards In this timeless and delightfully illustrated tale, a young king—thinking he owns everything in his kingdom, including the wild animals, birds, and clouds—means well but acts impulsively, nearly destroying the land he loves. The story imparts lessons ranging from the importance of sharing to the dangers of the uncontrolled exercise of power, portraying how a king’s plans to accomplish his short-term goals cause damage he never anticipated.

The Armadillo Book by Bill Bryant The armadillo, a slow, dull-witted, dirt-eating creature resembling a prehistoric rodent, has firmly established itself in the folklore of the South and Southwest. Despite its lemming-like compulsion for self-destruction, the armadillo survives in large numbers and, as this volume duly records, continues to impose its presence on modern society.

Left for Dead by J.A. Jance Ali Reynolds investigates two shocking cases of victims brutally left for dead in New York Times bestselling J.A. Jance’s latest mystery-thriller. When Santa Cruz County deputy sheriff Jose Reyes, Ali’s classmate from the Arizona Police Academy, is gunned down and left to die, he is at first assumed to be an innocent victim of the drug wars escalating across the border. But the crime scene investigation shows there’s much more to it than that, and soon he and his pregnant wife, Teresa, both fall under suspicion of wrongdoing.Ali owes Reyes a debt of gratitude for the help he gave her years earlier when she was dealing with a troubled friend. When she’s summoned to his bedside at Physicians Medical Center in Tucson, it’s impossible for her to turn away. And knowing Reyes as well as she does, Ali finds it hard to believe that he’s become mixed up in the drug trade, despite evidence to the contrary. Upon arriving at the hospital, Ali finds that her good friend, Sister Anselm, is there, too—working as a patient advocate on behalf of another seriously injured victim, an unidentified young woman presumed to be an illegal border crosser, who was raped and savagely beaten.Ali becomes determined to seek justice in both cases and secure safety for both victims. Together with Sister Anselm and a conscientious officer who won’t let the case drop despite pressure from above, Ali digs for clues to find the true culprits.

The Rebel Wife by Taylor Polities Augusta Branson was born into antebellum Southern nobility during a time of wealth and prosperity, but now all that is gone, and she is left standing in the ashes of a broken civilization. When her scalawag husband dies suddenly of a mysterious blood plague, she must fend for herself and her young son. Slowly she begins to wake to the reality of her new life: her social standing is stained by her marriage; she is alone and unprotected in a community that is being destroyed by racial prejudice and violence; the fortune she thought she would inherit does not exist; and the deadly blood fever is spreading fast. Nothing is as she believed, everyone she knows is hiding something, and Augusta needs someone to trust. Somehow she must find the truth amid her own illusions about the past and the courage to cross the boundaries of hate, so strong, dangerous, and very close to home.

Secrets of the Lost Summer by Carla Neggers A wave of hope carries Olivia Frost back to her small New England hometown nestled in the beautiful Swift River Valley. She's transforming a historic home into an idyllic getaway. Picturesque and perfect, if only the absentee owner will fix up the eyesore next door. Dylan McCaffrey's ramshackle house is an inheritance he never counted on. It also holds the key to a generations-old lost treasure he can't resist…any more than he can resist his new neighbor. Against this breathtaking landscape, Dylan and Olivia pursue long-buried secrets and discover a mystery wrapped in a love story…past and present.

Gopher to the Rescue by Terry Jennings The animals living in the forest are surprised when a mountain suddenly explodes, covering the land in gritty warm ash and rocks that make it unlivable for many plants and animals. Gopher survives in his underground burrow and gets to work, digging through the ash, and mixing it into the soil below. He works hard every day, and slowly some of the plants and animals return to the area. Will the forest ever be the same? Scientists spent years observing how life returned to the mountain following the eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980.

The Great Divide by Suzanne Slade Animals, like people, enjoy spending time with their friends and family. Many groups of animals have their own unique names. Did you know group of gorillas is a called a band? And a bunch of billy goats is a tribe? Following in the footsteps of Multiply on the Fly (multiplication), the award-winning What s New at the Zoo? (addition) and What s the Difference? (subtraction), this rhythmic, fun-to-read-aloud book introduces children to division as they conquer bands, tribes, mobs and more.

Home in the Cave by Janet Halfmann Baby Bat loves his cave home and never wants to leave it. While practicing flapping his wings one night, he falls, and Pluribus Packrat rescues him. They then explore the deepest, darkest corners of the cave where they meet amazing animals animals that don t need eyes to see or colors to hide from enemies. Baby Bat learns how important bats are to the cave habitat and how other cave-living critters rely on them for food. Will Baby Bat finally venture out of the cave to help the other animals?

The Penguin Lady by Carol Cole Penelope Parker lives with penguins! Short ones, tall ones; young and old the penguins are from all over the Southern Hemisphere including some that live near the equator! Do the penguin antics prove too much for her to handle? Children count and then compare and contrast the different penguin species as they learn geography.

Three Little Beavers by Jean Diehl Beatrix the beaver longs to be good at something. Her brother Bevan is an expert at repairing the lodge with mud and twigs. Her sister Beverly is a superb swimmer and underwater gymnast. What makes Beatrix stand out? One day, she runs away by swimming up the creek and finds some fresh garden plants to eat, and yummy trees to gnaw. When her siblings set off to find her, all Three Little Beavers wind up trapped! It takes some simple engineering on the part of the humans who set the traps, and Beatrix s discovery of her special talents, for the people and beavers to finally find a way to live in harmony.

Author Interview with Bill Raney

2012-01-14T19:18:00.005-05:00

Today we're talking with Bill Raney, author of Letters to Zerky: A Father’s Legacy to a Lost Son…and a Road Trip Around the World

FQ: I would like to say that I was beyond ecstatic to read this book. My young daughter and I took our own journey when she was very young, and although it was only through the U.S., the deep meaning and beautiful words you offer in this novel brought back many amazing memories.

When my wife and I returned from our VW bus trip around the world, we would tell people about our marvelous adventure, much of which had been in the Middle East, For example, we would tell them about the time we were surrounded by soldiers with guns, near Mt. Ararat in Anatolia, and about the time Zerky almost got kidnapped in Iran, and about what Iran's Capitol, Tehran, was like. Most of our friends had no idea where these places were. Nor did they know the difference between Iran and Tehran, Iran and Iraq, or between Pakistan and Afghanistan, let alone Baluchistan. But by 1987, when I came across my old letters, I realized our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan had changed all that. People had a hunger to learn something about these places. So I started thinking about turning these letters into a book. And then in 2009, they finally were a book.

FQ: I must say that I love JoAnne. From her love of animals to her way of “heading toward the oldest part of the city” wherever you went she was fascinating. Could you expand on what the most amazing site was to explore, as far as historical significance?

Probably Ghazni in Afghanistan, once the seat of an empire where Mahamud of Ghazni's hoards of horsemen had come thundering over the Khyber Pass and down into India to lay waste to the cities below. The medieval European history of Andorra was also fascinating.

FQ: I am a huge lover of the history of Greece. I know that this was not one of the places you found very interesting, so I was wondering if you ever did return and ‘take another look?”

No, our problem there was that Greece was where we made our decision to cross over the Bosporus and go to Iran, which made us impatient to get on our way and out of Greece. Greece is country to travel around leisurely, with plenty of time to investigate its many nooks, crannies and marvelous history.

FQ: When you speak about the Middle Eastern nations back in the 1960’s, there is so much happiness and light. Considering how the world has changed, would you want to return to places such as Afghanistan or Iran, or to remember them as they were when you were there?

I would love to return to Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Unfortunately, the latter two are now war zones, and Iran may be soon becoming one too.

FQ: Are there other “Bill Raney” works that readers should be aware of? I know you have a great deal of information at your site waltzingaroundtheworld.com. Is this where all readers should go to know more?

On my website at www.letterstozerky.com, under Other Writings I have posted a few snatches from the new book I am now working on, In Search of a Lost Penny, the story of my little sister who disappeared into the night when I was a child, No one would ever tell me what had happened to her. Until she tracked me down.

FQ: Do you have a ‘favorite’ place? I know that may be an impossible question to answer, but you speak about Andorra so vividly that I wondered if that was the village you most remember?

Andorra is an actual country, one steeped in a history of border wars between Spain and France. Joanne and I had once talked about going there to retire someday, but this could never happen because of her untimely death. However the urge to retire there someday had never left me, so in 1994, when I sold the Nickelodeon, I took my new wife Nancy there to retire. We were shocked at how commercial it had become, and how much its beautiful little Capitol had changed for the worse. So we quickly headed for the Picos of Europa in the gorgeous Liebana region in Northern Spain, where we lived for six months in the village of Potes.

FQ: JoAnne loved her movies. I know you are an art theatre aficionado. Could you speak a bit about that and The Nickelodeon?

JoAnne and I had to finally terminate our thirteen-month long trip around the world for two reasons: because Zerky was growing up and needed a more stable environment, and because our money was running out and I needed a job. The solution to both these problems was for us to go back to California, where I soon came across a business opportunity in Santa Cruz, where I started the Nickelodeon Theatre, which is still going strong today. Like JoAnne's little "THE MOVIE" had been in San Francisco, the Nickelodeon was and still is an art theatre which back then meant mostly foreign language subtitled films. That way we got to go traveling all over the world again.

FQ: On a personal note, I must ask, what was Spielberg Castle like, or even Dachau? Places that once held so much pain? Were they more touristy, or still representative of the past?

Spielberg Castle, with all its dungeons and torture devices, was being used by the Communist government back then as a tourist attraction to make money, and also as a propaganda device to help along its puppet government, which the Russians had set up in Czechoslovakia shortly after World War II. Dachau, on the other hand had been truly a horror chamber during World War II when the Nazis were exterminating the Jews and the gypsies. Interestingly, most of the tourists Joanne and I and Zerky found there (Tarzan had to wait out in the car) were Jews, some of whom and some of their families had once been slated to be burned in the ovens there. It seems like to revisit your past is sometimes the best way to get away from it.

FQ: What is one place you never saw that you wish you would have seen? Is Mount Ararat still the one?

Well, we did see plenty of Mt. Ararat, from down below, but we truly wanted to transit the legendary Burma Road into China. Unfortunately the Assam link to it had been taken over by the jungle, so we had to settle for shipping our WB bus back to San Francisco and taking an airplane to Thailand and Hong Kong, from where we too a ship back to the real world of San Francisco. Tibet and Papua New Guinea and Africa had to wait.

To learn more about Letters to Zerky: A Father’s Legacy to a Lost Son…and a Road Trip Around the World please read the review at: Feathered Quill Book Reviews.

Know Your Award Programs

2012-01-13T18:04:00.000-05:00

There are oodles of award programs today, offering all sorts of "national" awards to help promote your book. I've mentioned before that it's worth looking into nominating your book for several awards. BUT, and it's a BIG BUT, know the program/research the program before sending along your hard earned money. And yes, most of these awards require a "nominating fee." Paying a fee does not mean the program is bogus, indeed, many well-known programs charge hefty fees. For example, the very prestigious 'Children's Choices' Awards, co-sponsored by The International Reading Association and The Children's Book Council was charging $300/book for nominations from publishers who were not members a few years back (I don't know what they charge now). But I can tell you from personal experience that that $300 was worth every penny when I won as the sales that came after winning were substantial.

What prompted me to write this post? I just received an email from a relatively new award program (I think this is the second year it's been offered). I'd already received a "Nominate Your Book Now!" email. This email was actually looking for judges. Huh? You mean you've got an award program, are soliciting submissions (and money!) and don't have enough judges??? Apparently, if you can read, you're qualified to judge. The instructions said, in part, "Just select your favorite category and you will get XXX to read and evaluate" (I removed the text that would identify this program.) Do you really want to send your hard earned money, and your book, to Bubba Smith, who may have never reviewed/judged a book before in his life? Not me. I've seen too many of these contests where the placings are bizarre to say the least. I've also reviewed quite a few books that won Bubba's Award - or one similar - and have to wonder how that book ever won an award.

So, nominate your book, but before you nominate, research!!! See what others have to say. Ask about such awards, search out the winners and get a feel for the sort of books that win. You can also check out the websites of the award programs. No website? No way, run away! I know one well-known award, but NOT well-respected, that gives EVERY book an award. Check their website and you'll catch on quickly. Lots and lots of winners, and hey, they match all the books that were nominated. Wow, that's something to be proud of, huh?

Author Interview with Oleg Novinkov

2012-01-11T21:20:00.000-05:00

Today we're talking with Oleg Novinkov, author of Afghan Boomerang

FQ: The fact that you were a Surgeon working in the combat zone of the Soviet-Afghan war put you on the front lines where you saw much suffering. How were you able to separate your work and the feelings that you had for these brave souls who you saved with your skills and, on the other hand, the enemy who inflicted the pain that they were going through?

We had to deal with the wounded and dead almost every day. Probably that is why my heart became somehow callous from the vast range of normal human emotions; I had only duty left.

FQ: I can see that you are extremely interested in comparing the two wars: Soviet-Afghan and United States-Afghan. Can you elaborate on some of the differences and also the things that were similar?

Some of similarities: Afghan terrain is still the same – harsh; lack of knowledge about Afghanistan history, people, religion, and rules; the Durand Line – a source of tribal territory conflicts; Afghani’s reaction to any occupier of their land – no tolerance of any invader; Afghanistan always was a historical cemetery for empires – and still open for the next empire; and finally the negative role of Pakistan for countries occupying Afghanistan.

Some of differences: USSR was invited by the Afghan Government to help Afghans to stabilize the internal situation; the USA invaded Afghanistan because of some terrorists – bad people in the eyes of the US – were hiding in Afghanistan; the USSR fought in Afghanistan against militants who were supported, trained, and financed by developed, wealthy countries; USA fights in Afghanistan as a part of the international coalition against the talibs who are fighting the occupiers for freedom of their country; during the Soviet stay in Afghanistan, the narcotraffic was minimal, during US presence in Afghanistan – skyrocketing narcotraffic; the Soviets provided huge – free of charge – help to Afghans, the USA provides help to Afghans based on pragmatic and geopolitical interests.

FQ: It is obvious that Afghanistan does not believe in Democracy and that apparently has not changed. Do you feel that no matter who comes into conflict with their government, they cannot change their attitude?

The long history of Afghanistan shows that it has been impossible to implant alternative ideologies in the Afghan culture such as previously attempted by the British and Soviets when they were in Afghanistan. Democracy, as understood in western countries, has been unacceptable to the Afghans.

FQ: You mentioned the film Charlie Wilson’s War many times in your book. It wasn’t a very sought after film in the United States if I recall. Do you feel that no matter what the media puts out there, that it is largely fiction instead of fact?

There is always another point of view available about the Soviet-Afghan War, which may be not as nice and neat as one told in Charlie Wilson’s War. Many stories distributed by western mass media attempt to neatly package the news, ignoring the horrors of war. It is a pity that not all people educate themselves on the facts and analyze events. Politics dictates its own terms but the results often breed ludicrous double standards in media. The movie appealed to the people who choose to believe that this womanizing, alcoholic congressman could initiate and lead an effort that would easily defeat a tremendous, slow-moving superpower – the USSR and its well trained and equipped military.

FQ: You mentioned that the United States took many actions to harm the USSR in the Soviet-Afghan war. Do you believe that there are really “innocents” when it comes to war?

No. In war, especially during combat, all the participants discard their cultural, civilized characteristics; they forget about good manners, courtesy, and respect. Life for them turns into a constant barrage of moments of survival in inhuman conditions. The ethics of a wolf pack dominate. There is one simple choice either they kill us or we kill them.

FQ: Speaking of films...have you ever seen or heard of the film Wag the Dog? That was an old movie that said and did the same things that were done in Charlie Wilson’s War but, was much more entertaining and entirely a work of fiction. Unlike Charlie Wilson's War, it was quite popular at the time. Do you feel that Americans only want to see such fictionalized entertainment?

I have heard about this 1997 movie, but did not watch it. In that movie, the war in Albania occurred, but in real life – perhaps, due to B. Clinton’s sexual scandal – the bombing of Yugoslavia happened – why not switch gears from a shameful subject to something what can be breaking news for a while – like war in Europe? Due to the new era in information technology, people want everything and now. Lev Tolstoy’s type of literature is already a history for the majority of people, including Americans. Nowadays people need more entertainment and movies deliver that, rather than deep thinking about the subject.

To learn more about Afghan Boomerang please read the review at: Feathered Quill Book Reviews.

Happy Meals and Books

2012-01-11T11:35:00.000-05:00

I think this is so cool - not sure why, really, but still.... McDonalds is going to be giving away millions of copies of the book "War Horse" in their happy meals. Let's get those kids reading! Here's the full story.

Monday Morning Introductions

2012-01-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the New Year and welcome to the first of 2012's "Monday Morning Introductions"! Here's a sampling of the books that came in for review over the last week. Check them out and then stop by Feathered Quill Book Reviews in a few weeks to read the reviews...

Promised Valley Rebellion by Ron Fritsch Prehistoric farmers inhabit a fertile river valley they believe their gods promised them in return for their good behavior and obedience. Their enemies, hunters roaming the mostly barren hills beyond the mountains enclosing the valley, believe their gods gave it to them. When the farmers’ king refuses to allow the marriage of the coming-of-age prince to the daughter of the farmer who saved the king’s life in the last war with the hunters, her brother decides he has to help his sister and the prince, his boyhood friend, correct the flagrant injustice. That decision leads them and their youthful allies into a rebellion against the king and his officials, who rule the kingdom from their bluff-top town. Promised Valley Rebellion is the first of four Promised Valley novels asking whether civilization and history, with their countless heaven-sanctioned wars and genocides, could’ve begun differently.

Promised Valley War by Ron Fritsch In Promised Valley War, the individuals among two prehistoric peoples most curious about their “eternal” enemies, and most willing to treat them as their equals, nevertheless set the stage for what they’ve feared more than anything else: another horrifying war. Promised Valley War is the second in Ron Fritsch’s Promised Valley four-novel series, in which prehistoric farmers inhabit a fertile river valley they believe their gods promised them in return for their good behavior and obedience. Their enemies, hunters roaming the mostly barren hills beyond the mountains enclosing the valley, believe their gods gave it to them.

The Tides of Avarice by John Dahlgren Sylvester Lemmington used to read about cannibals, impenetrable jungles, lethal carnivores, mysterious fortune-tellers, voodoo magic, cutthroat pirates, shipwrecks, mutinies, spaceships and much else in his books, but he never thought he'd encounter them for real. Can Sylvester save his sweetheart, Viola, her tough-as-nails mom, and the other friends he's acquired along the way? Can he find his long-lost father, rescue his hometown of Foxglove from the murderous rule of its ruthless mayor, and discover true happiness? Oh, did we mention that Sylvester has mistakenly received the most sought after treasure map ever? This means he also has to escape from the cruelest and craziest pirate captain who ever sailed the seas of Sagaria--the horrifying Cap'n Terrigan Rustbane who will stop at nothing to get his map back. A map that leads to a treasure beyond the wildest dreams of avarice...It's kind of a tall order. But then, Sylvester is a librarian...and a lemming.

The Rocky Road to Romance by Janet Evanovich When the delightful, daffy Dog Lady of station WZZZ offered to take on the temporary job of traffic reporter, Steve Crow tried to think of reasons to turn Daisy Adams down! Perhaps he knew that sharing the close quarters of a car with her for hours would give the handsome program director no room to resist her quirky charms. He always favored low slung sports cars and high heeled women, but that was before he fell for a free spirit who caught crooks by accident, loved old people and pets, and had just too many jobs! Loving Daisy turned Steve's life upside down, especially once he adopted Bob, a huge dog masquerading as a couch potato...

Rainforest Animals Slithering snakes, exotic birds, playful monkeys, fierce tigers -- all of these animals call the rainforest home. Get ready for an up-close visit with some of the world's most amazing and rare creatures, as this colorful collection of photos takes you on a tour of the world's lush rainforests teeming with life.Animals from all over the world star in the bright and irresistable Snapshot Picture Library series. Gorgeous photography, ranging from dramatic to laugh-out-loud funny, will engage readers of any age, while young readers will particularly delight in the lively, easy-to-read, playful text.

Author Interview with Richard A. Johnson

2012-01-06T23:13:00.000-05:00

Today we're talking with Richard A. Johnson, author of Field of Our Fathers: An Illustrated History of Fenway Park

FQ: First, can you tell us a little about the title, Field of Our Fathers? The significance and why you chose that as your book's title.

I figured that most of the competing titles would be something like, Fenway 100, or A Centennial History of Fenway Park, etc. and I wanted a title that would both give the bookshelf life beyond the centennial and convey the nostalgic nature of the park. I also wanted to make sure readers knew this was not just another history of the Red Sox.

FQ: There's a tremendous amount of research that has gone into this book. How long did you work on this project and where did you do find so many nuggets of history related to Fenway?

From the time I signed a contract it was roughly a year and a half of work but honestly it drew upon my nearly four decades as a writer and historian as well as my hundreds of trips to Fenway as a fan.
I have also been a collector of baseball publications and Fenway related artifacts for many years. It was nice to finally have a platform from which I could share them with readers.

Most of the research for this book was done in the micro-text department of the main branch of the Boston Public Library at Copley Square. That facility is nothing less than an "Alladin's Cave" of primary source material drawn from Boston's many daily newspapers. Three generations ago Boston boasted of seven daily papers as well as niche publications like the Afro-American Boston Guardian. All of these as well as newspapers and publications I discovered online were of help to me.
However, sometimes you simply get lucky and such was the case roughly a year ago when an old neighbor from my childhood home of Worcester, Mass called me at my office and wanted me to see some scrapbooks he acquired at an estate sale.

These turned out to be the scrapbooks and financial records of the famed Pare Marquette sports teams affiliated with a Knight of Columbus lodge in South Boston. Not only did Babe Ruth remain a director of the Pere Marquettes long after his sale to the NY Yankees but the team divided it's football games between Braves Field and Fenway Park.

Their story represented one of the breakthroughs for my book as I found evidence the team not only was a major financial supporter of local church related charities such as the Columbus Day Nursery but also was the bellewether for the NFL's arrival in Boston as they played the NFL Champion New York Giants at Fenway in November 1927. The Pere Marquette charitable efforts came more than a decade before the Catholic Worker Movement supported similar endeavors and their game with the Giants would form the basis of a nice Hollywood script.

I am great believer of the old adage that hard work begets luck and such was the case with the appearance of these invaluble scrapbooks from my buddy Moose Savage. I also had several similar experiences with locating items on EBay that helped me tell the story of America's oldest big league ballpark.

FQ: Was it hard deciding what to include/what not to include? Were there things you had to leave out due to space considerations?

Oh yes, there were several events that could have received more space such as FDR's final campaign speech in November 1944. I'd have loved to include the entire speech but I ran out of room. I tried to focus on the history most folks didn't know (including me until I began work in earnest) about Fenway such as the many boxing & wrestling, matches, collegiate & high school football, concerts and the like.

FQ: Would you give our readers a sneak peak at some of your favorite, lesser known tidbits about Fenway?

Here are a few...
*The national high school football championship games played between Everett (Ma) High School and Oak Park (Il) High School in 1912 and 1914. The '12 game was the first significant non-baseball event held at Fenway and the '14 game was an 80-0 win by Everett in a season in which they outscored their opponent's by anaggregate score of 600-0.
*The arrival of the three circus elephants purchased by the children of Boston for $6,700 comprisedof contributions of nickels and dimes from 70,000 kids. Fenway was the venue where an overflow crowd of 50,000 kids and their parents welcomed the elephants to Boston amidst marching bands, politicians, jugglers, and clowns.
*The June 5, 1915 baseball/lacrosse doubleheader featuring the Red Sox versus the White Sox and the Boston Lacrosse Club versus the New York Lacrosse A.A. in the nightcap. The Red Sox won 4-2 and the Boston Lacrosse Club won by a score of 9-2.
*The Pere Marquette vs New York Giants football game in November 1927 that served as an "audition" forBoston's entry to the NFL.
*Glasgow Rangers 2-2 draw with the Boston Wonder Workers of the American Soccer league before a crowd of 10,000.
*On September 6, 1932 World Lightweight Champion Kid Chocolate defeats Steve Smith in a 10 round decision in one of the many bouts fought by black boxers at Fenway during the 20's and 30's.
*In 1932 alone there were 47 high school football games played at the park.
*The park was home to pro football's Redskins (NFL, 33-36), Shamrocks (original AFL,36-37), minor league Bears ('40), Yanks (NFL, 44-48) as well as the Patriots (Afl 63-68). Among the collegiate football teams that played "home" games at Fenway were Dartmouth, Tufts, Boston College, and Boston University.
*The Harlem Globetrotters played at Fenway in 1954 and 1955.
*The Boston Jazz Festival showcased such greats as Dizzy Gillispie and Ray Charles in 1959 and the 1973 Newport Jazz Festival was moved to Fenway where such stars as Stevie Wonder performed.
*Presidential candidates Barry Goldwater and Eugene McCarthy spoke to large crowds in 1964 and 1968 respectively.
*Soccer icon Pele and his club team, Santos FC, dazzle Boston fans as they score a 7-1 win over the hometown Boston Beacons in the lone season at Fenway Park.
*The park's centennial celebration begins with a series of high school and collegiate hockey games featuring men's and women's teams from across New England.

FQ: Okay, you talk about both Boston University and Boston College in your book so I have to ask, BU or BC? (This is a trick question - I have a child attending one of these schools).

BU..Several relatives are proud Terriers. No Eagles as yet.

FQ: On a related, but more serious note, there's chatter on the internet about having the 2012 Beanpot Tournament held at Fenway to commemorate the Park's anniversary. Any chance of this, or is it too late? What about 2013?

I think both are complete non-starters as the Beanpot is a Garden treasure.

FQ: I absolutely love the reproduced ticket stubs that are included in the book. Where did you find the originals?

Many I collected over the years and a couple were from The Sports Museum.

FQ: Fenway is not just another ball park for those of us living in New England. Is it the history behind the park that attracts us and makes us such obsessive supporters of the park or is there something more magical about those "eight acres of...centrally located but soggy land"?

Fenway is the field and park, not just of our fathers but of our mothers, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, grandparents and friends. It binds us with our childhood and the precious history ofthe many teams and performers who've called it home. It has to be the most beloved piece of real estate in New England and the oldest and most storied ballpark in America.

To learn more about Field of Our Fathers: An Illustrated History of Fenway Park please read the review at: Feathered Quill Book Reviews.

Author Interview with Brenda Faye Collie

2012-01-04T18:01:00.000-05:00

Today we're talking with Brenda Faye Collie, author of Almost A Senior

FQ: While some might find the setting and family circumstances for Almost A Senior not very “happy,” it was, however, very realistic and surprisingly quite upbeat. Was this intentional?

Yes, it was intentional. I wanted to write a realistic story about a loving family.

FQ: Loresha is a very strong young woman, providing a good role model for teens trying to find their way. Is the character of Loresha based on anybody?

Loresha is a fictitious character, but some of the things that happen to her are taken from bits and pieces of real people in my life.

FQ: The relationship Loresha had with her brother Jason was very touching. They fought but they obviously loved each other. So often books just give us siblings who fight and don’t seem to care for each other. Do you feel this relationship was important to Loresha as she found her way in the world?

The relationship between Loresha and her brother I hoped would be seen as loving and positive. Despite being on probation he is the oldest and a role model for Loresha. He is also a high school graduate.

FQ: Loresha does make some bad decisions. Do you think readers will relate to what she’s going through, with friends, drugs, pushy boyfriends?

I hope readers will relate. I feel many young people face these choices. Perhaps in some way Loresha will help them make the right decisions.

FQ: What do you hope teens reading this story will walk away with? What message do you want to bring to your readers?

The message I want to bring to young readers is “reach for the stars.” They can become whatever they want to in life. I hope Loresha is an inspiration to young readers.

FQ: Jason’s final career choice was a bit surprising. Was this to show that it’s okay to be different?

Yes I hope the young reader through Jason and even Loresha learns to be proud of who you are. It’s alright to be different.

FQ: Any chance we’ll see a follow-up book with Loresha in her senior year in high school? Or perhaps heading off to college?

Yes, Almost a Senior is the first installment of a trilogy. In the second novel, College Freshman 101, we find Loresha in her first semester of college and the third novel, Look Out World, Here I Come, follows Loresha after college graduation.

Thank you Ellen for some great questions and your interest in our books.Brenda Collie, Scott Martin.
If anyone wants to buy a copy of this book now we have a few left from our marketing press run at $7.99 plus $2.39 for shipping and handling. Send correspondence to: Scott Martin, Daylight Books, 671 W. 193rd St. #4J, New York, NY 10040

To learn more about Almost A Senior please read the review at: Feathered Quill Book Reviews.

Do You Hash???

2012-01-03T12:07:00.001-05:00

If you have a Twitter account, do you use (or even know about) "hashtags"? A hashtag (the pound sign #) is used in Twitter to mark popular words, or keywords, in your "tweet." That way, if somebody is searching for that topic, your hashtag will lead the way. It'll help followers find you/your Twitter account. Here's a helpful article about the process: What Are Hashtags?

New Year - New Look

2012-01-01T11:03:00.000-05:00

Thought I'd freshen up the site for the new year. How do you like it? Now I've just gotta get used to the new page/editing templates that "Blogger" made recently. Why do I always click "update" and then regret the changes??? Argh!!!!

Hope you had an awesome New Year celebration!!!

Taking a Break

2011-12-22T11:03:00.000-05:00

We're taking a short break to enjoy the holidays - we'll be back in early January to share more great author interviews, book reviews, and news from the publishing world. Stay tuned! Meanwhile....

Happy Hanukkah!

Merry Christmas!

Happy New Year!!!

Total Beginners Guide To Selling Books Online

2011-12-20T13:52:00.001-05:00

Guest post by Isabella Woods of Wiki-Bee.com

Got a pen? Of course you have. Take this down in your Moleskine notebook, and commit it to memory. These strategies are free, and can be done from the comfort of your own home. In your pajamas if you like (on the Internet, no one knows you’re not dressed.) And believe me, some of this stuff you will be doing in bed, in the supermarket, on your nights out. Because you want to sell your book all over the world, don’t you? There’s a time difference to consider.

In the immortal words of the teacher from Fame "Fame costs. And right here’s where you start paying. In sweat.” So true. But you’ve written a book, so you’re no stranger to hard work. In some ways, that was the easy bit. You now need to sell it, which isn’t easy at all. But it’s not impossible, and some people have a huge amount of success selling this way, and as Darcie Chan showed, end up getting more revenue through private sales than via a publisher. Even well-known published authors do a great deal of their own selling these days, so don’t think there is anything lowly about hitting the keyboard like this. You may not have queues forming for a book signing yet, but then not many authors do, on the whole. A great number of them are hoofing round literary events, tweeting and showcasing and writing articles to get their latest book sold. You are in good company. You’re an author too, you just can’t boast an advance. But you may end up the winner in the long run. Read on.

You need to start spreading the word online, and no-one else is going to do it for you. Here are six things a total beginner can do today to get up and running.

Get a Facebook Fan Page
This is essential. There are 520 million people on Facebook, and that’s a lot of potential customers. Regard it as your free personal shop front. From here you can link through to your blog, your website, and your Twitter Account. You can see statistics about who is visiting your page, and target them more effectively as a result. You can build up a fan-base, and appear miraculously in the timeline of Foyles, or Simon & Schuster saying something authoritative, witty and pertinent. It can get you noticed there, and tweak another contributor’s interest. Top Facebook tips:

Make your book jacket your avatar picture.
You will need to get 25 people to click on ‘Like’ to make it an official ‘Fan Page’ with its own webpage address, so get friends and family to start you off.
Update your page regularly with new content, but not so often that people get irritated with seeing you in their timeline.
Post interesting things on your Facebook page that your ‘fans’ might like. Read the papers and post the things you find relevant and interesting. The chances are they will too.

Set up a Twitter account

This is a great way to get your book noticed on the Internet. Some people take a while to get the hang of how it works, but once you ‘get it’ you’ll be hooked. Here’s how it works: just imagine a great big conversation going on out in cyberspace, which you can be part of. It’s a big party, which you have to mingle at. You can listen to others interesting conversations, try and join their conversations, or repeat what they’ve said if you think your readers will be interested in it. If that sounds a bit tricky to start with, just have your own conversation, and wait for people to hear you say ‘dragons’, or ‘romantic fiction’ or whatever your book is about, and wander over to listen. You have 146 characters to use for each tweet. It’s like Haiku. Some people are brilliant at it, and you can’t resist following the link the tweet because of how they’ve expressed themselves. You’re a writer, have fun with words! Top Twitter Tips:

Subjects are flagged up to others by means of a # - hashtag. So if you want everyone who is interested in spy novels to see you, make sure you use a hashtag in front of your subject. For example, you might start off by tweeting something basic like:

“New #spy novel published today – check out www.facebook.coldwarspy.com”
Obviously, that’s very basic. You can be far more creative with your tweets, but it gives you the idea of how to use a hashtag correctly.

‘Follow’ people whose conversation you think might be useful or interesting to listen to. If you have written a spy novel follow Bond fans, (search ‘Bond’) or your favorite bestselling spy novelists. They might say something you think your readers will find interesting, which you could repeat (‘retweet’) or they might – if you are very lucky – ‘retweet’ you! If they do that, and they are very famous with lots of followers, then it could be the break you need. All their followers will read your comment, and that could be thousands of people. You can see why celebrities get badgered to retweet things. It’s not cool to ask, just just have to hope, and engage and you may get lucky.
Eventually you will get your own following of readers. You can post links to articles, reviews of your book, or go for the hard sell. It is up to you. Look at how others in your genre market themselves, see who they ‘follow’, and copy.

Start a Blog

A Blog is just a simple way of making your own website for nothing. If you are very broke it’s a great way to start. If you have a gmail account, you can just sign right up. Think of a title, chose a template and start telling the world about your amazing book. Keep posting articles, extracts, interviews and pictures. Look around to see who is blogging on the same subject. As if you can do a guest post (an article of about 500-700 words) to promote your book. Or ask if they would like to review it. If you want some income you can choose to put advertisements on the blog, or you can leave it pristine and clear. The choice is yours.

Communication is the Key to Sales
The sky is the limit with online marketing. Never stop trying to create a buzz about your book. You have to be the pushy parent, even if it is not in your nature. Be friendly, thank people for ‘following’ or buying your book, be generous with your time. Always answer questions. Get people to like you and what you say.

Sign up for any site that will allow you a free profile, update your Google profile with your book cover, keep your Amazon page professional, write to journalists and ask for a review…anything. Just keep working at it, and one day…who knows. There might be queues outside a bookshop somewhere for you.

If that doesn’t happen though, don’t be disheartened. It’s a fantastic achievement to have written a book and sold even a few. Be proud of yourself. Be proud of your book and never stop writing.

The Amazon Workaround

2011-12-19T13:55:00.000-05:00

I've been suggesting to friends / self-publishers recently that they not put all their dependence on Amazon for sales. While that's where many customers want to shop, not all shop there. Look for diverse markets. Here's a great article from Publisher's Weekly on the topic.

The best way to blunt the e-tailer’s clout is to support a diverse marketplace
By Jim Milliot

Fear that Amazon will come to dominate the bookselling market is nothing new in the publishing industry. But last week, as booksellers continued to decry the company’s price check app (which could be used to access prices on booksellers’ sideline items, like toys and DVDs) and as information about Amazon’s aggressive demands to publishers regarding co-op and retail discounts surfaced (PW Daily, “Is Amazon Pushing Publishers to Brink on Terms, Co-op?” Dec. 15), some insiders began suggesting that the time had come to actively explore ways to lessen publishers’ dependence on the e-tailer. With this in mind, PW asked a number of people in the industry what the best course of action would be. The consensus was that developing and supporting initiatives that would create a more level the playing field would be the best approach to ensure a diverse marketplace.

Read the rest of the article here.

Monday Morning Introductions

2011-12-19T09:34:00.000-05:00

Here's a sample of the books that came in for review this week. Check them out and then stop by our review site, Feathered Quill Book Reviews, in a few weeks to check out the reviews.

Letters to Zerky: A Father's Legacy to a Lost Son . . . and a Road Trip Around the World by Bill Raney Both a memoir and a memorial, these collected letters and diary entries recount one family’s adventurous journey in 1967 attempting to drive around the world in a VW bus. Not intended as a book at the time of the writing, the intimate and poignant story details the family’s travels through Europe, the Middle East, and into Asia, challenging preconceptions about different cultures and illuminating how one-year-old Zerky had a magical effect on everyone they met along the way. The book features maps and pictures of the trek yet is more than just a travelogue; Zerky and his mother died shortly after the trip and this narrative serves as tribute to their lives.

Letters to Zerky: DVD

The Crown by Nancy Bilyeau Joanna Stafford, a Dominican nun, learns that her favorite cousin has been condemned by Henry VIII to be burned at the stake. Defying the sacred rule of enclosure, Joanna leaves the priory to stand at her cousin’s side. Arrested for interfering with the king’s justice, Joanna, along with her father, is sent to the Tower of London. The ruthless Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, takes terrifying steps to force Joanna to agree to spy for him: to save her father’s life she must find an ancient relic—a crown so powerful, it may hold the ability to end the Reformation. Accompanied by two monks, Joanna returns home to Dartford Priory and searches in secret for this long-lost piece of history worn by the Saxon King Athelstan in 937 during the historic battle that first united Britain.

Almost a Senior by Brenda Faye Collie This a fast moving story with great characters about a girl who is a Junior in a fictitious Harlem High School. The book tells the reader what Loresha must do once she is elected president of the student body.

It's a Big World, Little Pig by Kristi Yamaguchi Poppy, the adorable, persistent, dreaming-big pig, has a new adventure in store for her: the World Games ice-skating championship in Paris! Poppy is nervous about meeting so many new people, in a new place. But, ever courageous and supported by her family (Emma, too!), Poppy embarks upon this exciting adventure head-on! Poppy begins to realize that although these animals look different, act different, and are from different places, they are all the same at heart. We all smile in the same language!

Peep in the Deep: A Sea Creature Counting Book by Richard Miller Smith Beneath was a peaceful, quiet place when barely a peep gave way to something in the deep. Your child will love learning their numbers with this bright, and colorful book. Watch the ever growing number of sea creatures chase their former group across the pages 'til the last but not least! Each spread displays each group and number in a large, easy-to-read typeface.

Readers Returning to Book Stores???

2011-12-14T13:44:00.000-05:00

E-Books, Shmee-Books: Readers Return to the Stores

By JULIE BOSMAN

Facing economic gloom and competition from cheap e-readers, brick-and-mortar booksellers entered this holiday season with the humblest of expectations. For the rest of this NYTimes article on shoppers' trends this Christmas season, follow the link.

The Future of Publishing

2011-12-14T09:01:00.000-05:00

By Jon Bard

I recently had a very enlightening discussion with Jane Friedman, a University of Cincinnati professor and author of The Future of Publishing: Enigma Variations. Jane’s the former Publisher of Writer’s Digest and author of Beginning Writer’s Answer Book. And with more than 135,000 Twitter followers, she’s among the most influential thought leaders in publishing today. To Read the rest of this article, go to the Children's Book Insider website.

Opportunity Knocks for the Independent Bookstore

2011-12-13T13:32:00.002-05:00

Borders Closing, Community-Building and"Shop Local" Movement Give a Boost

First there were the bookstore chains, then Amazon, then digital books, all seeming to threaten the very existence of the brick-and-mortar bookstore. Yet, in the wake of the recent closing of the Borders bookstore chain, a new surge of independent booksellers is rising, seemingly against all odds.

Just before Thanksgiving, Paz & Associates, a bookstore training & consulting group, helped open Mitzi's Main Street Books, an independent bookstore in Rapid City, South Dakota. The owner, Ray Hillenbrand, opened the store as part of a new Main Street Square, which was developed to rejuvenate the area and make it more of a destination. "The opening of Mitzi's bookstore shows how entrepreneurs and developers now regard an indie bookstore as a 'must have' in rebuilding their town centers," Donna Paz Kaufman observed. "Consumer surveys consistently show that locally-owned independent bookstores are one of the most desirable businesses," she continued.

The Staff at Mitzi's

"It's not just the closing of Borders that is fueling the resurgence of independent bookstores," says Oren Teicher, CEO of the American Booksellers Association, "but a more complex array of factors including the growing national acceptance of the "shop local" movement; an extraordinary level of innovative and creative entrepreneurship; a sophisticated use of social networking; easier access to Small Business Administration loans; a willingness to adapt to changing retail trends including selling both print and digital books online; and, most importantly, continuing to be an unmatched source of credible information about books and authors."

"We are a gathering place for the community," says Kiona Gross, who left a job at CNN to open The Curious Cup, a children's bookstore in the seaside town of Carpinteria, California. Gross organized a 'shop local' day in her store on November 26, part of the American Express Small Business Saturday campaign that successfully highlighted the general public's awareness of the importance of local merchants across the country. "We strive to be community-centered. We sell tickets for the local theater, we hold chamber luncheons, and meditation classes. We are all about the community."

"Not a day passes that someone doesn't come in to say how happy they are that we're here, says Janet Geddis of the Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia which opened in September. "Loud cheers, applause, and even a teary-eyed thank you show how much people in Athens have embraced Avid Bookshop and have led us to a stronger start than I'd ever imagined," Geddis added.

Nikki Furrer, a former lawyer, opened Pudd'nhead Books in Webster Groves, MO in 2008. It was named the 2010 Riverfront Times Best Indie Bookstore in St. Louis and the 2010 St. Louis Magazine A-List and "Most Amusing Bookstore" in the St. Louis area. Furrer, a believer in indies and shopping locally, was also instrumental in developing the St. Louis Independent Booksellers Alliance. "My family has all started businesses themselves, so I knew that opening a bookstore was going to be a lot of work for not a lot of money, and it would be that way for years. But I also knew that the work would be worth it. The rewards are feeling like my work makes a real difference, watching kids and adults alike grow into readers."

"What indie booksellers can do that gives them a competitive edge over any online retailer or big-box store is to create a comfortable atmosphere that is inviting and facilitates interaction and events that contribute to the life of the community," suggests Ted Baylis, owner of the leading bookcase manufacturer, Franklin Fixtures. "Add to this an online presence, social networking, and the ability to sell everything, including competitively priced e-books on their websites, and you really have a winning combination. The future is Clicks & Bricks, to have the deep resources that come with an online sales capability plus the ability to create both virtual communities and physical gathering places that are local in nature and where store staff, customers and special guests can share their knowledge and experiences."

"With inventory that is hand-picked to suit the needs of its local customers and events that bring the community together, a locally-owned bookstore can provide a special sense of place." says Donna Paz Kaufman, of Paz & Associates, who runs a five-day bookselling school for booksellers in training. "Now is an excellent time to open an independent bookstore. The demise of Borders has created both demand and opportunity for an all-new variation of an old-fashioned independent bookstore -- small, cozy places with a sense of community and neighborhood that creates local connections."

Photo credits: Donna Paz Kaufman

Author Interview with Henry Mosquera

2011-12-12T19:31:00.001-05:00

Today we're talking with Henry Mosquera, author of Sleeper's Run

FQ: Your book, Sleeper's Run, is fantastic. It's a mystery to me, speaking as the parent of an author, why good writers, like yourself, have to self-publish. In this economy, the Big Six don't seem to want to take on new authors. How was your experience in the world of self-publishing?

Thank you so much. I’m always elated when people enjoy my work. To be honest, how and why the industry chooses the works they publish is a mystery to me as well. The obvious answer seems to be current trends. I’m sure if I were writing about vampires or zombies, with the tween demographic in mind, I’d have a better chance of getting published. A few years back, it was cryptic, conspiracy mysteries that had their day in the sun. As we stand today, political thrillers have been largely relegated to established authors. Apparently, the industry thinks there’s no room for new blood in this genre. It seems to me that publishers have taken a passive position towards their business. They wait to see what hits and then they flood the market with it. When people get tired of it, they move on to the next thing. The days of publishing houses investing in a writer’s potential are long gone. It’s all about large, quick returns now.

My experience in self-publishing has been interesting, if not eye opening. I received 183 rejection letters from literary agents. After over three years of work researching, writing and polishing my work with editors, I found myself with two choices: either quit or do it myself. I love the creative control and the freedom of self-publishing. The downside is that you essentially have to run your own company and that takes away a lot of time and resources from writing. The book is only 10% of the work; the rest is all about selling it. When I’m asked, “What are you working on now?” the answer is “selling my novel.” Then again, if I had gone through a publishing house, I’d have to do all the promotion work anyway for less than 10% of my book’s returns.

Author Henry Mosquera

FQ: The genre of Mystery/Thriller is a personal favorite of mine. You did a great job describing everything this poor man went through. Are you planning any others in this genre?

Thank you, that’s very kind of you. I’m partial to thrillers as well, but I do want to dwell in other genres. Maybe something that requires less research. I have a couple of novels in the pipeline, but right now, everything is taking a backseat to selling Sleeper’s Run. I probably won’t be going back to thrillers for a while.

FQ: You must have had to do ample research on PTSD and brain washing techniques. Did you visit any of the places talked about in your book?

I researched the novel extensively. The knowledge of post-traumatic stress disorder came primarily from talking to people who have dealt with it. Since I’m an unknown author, I thought it disrespectful to directly interview people regarding this issue. We’re talking about something very serious and to make someone open up about this for a novel didn’t sit well with me. So, I learned about it from the periphery. Talking to the friends of those affected, reading about it and watching documentaries on PTSD. The problem with post-traumatic stress disorder in the military is that it’s the veritable elephant in the room. It’s there, but nobody wants to talk about it. We have a generation of soldiers returning home with this malady and little has been done to solve it. There is a great documentary called Wartorn 1861-2010 that talks about the very real and ignored issue of PTSD in soldiers.

For the brainwashing techniques, I started my research when I watched a documentary about the CIA secret experiments using LSD, psychic drive, hypnosis, etc. to program people. Some of these experiments involved using unwitting Americans. This blew me away, so I started digging deeper and found some fascinating items regarding mind control. Some of the modern elements like the hypothetical use the drug Propofol to induce selective amnesia, and the rudimentary possibility of mind reading technology through the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), really fired up my imagination.

To me, the plausibility of brainwashing isn’t as important as the issues it represents in the book: black budgets, operations lacking congressional oversight or accountability (black ops), interventionist policies, an ends-justify-the-means mentality, corruption, greed, and the denial of human or citizen rights; I can go on. That’s what’s really important and extremely relevant about the novel. Sleeper’s Run is one of those stories that can be fun and entertaining, but it can also stimulate very interesting conversations. It all depends on the reader.

FQ: I am a huge fan of Inglourious Basterds too and also a fan of books written about World War II and during that time frame. Have you thought about heading into this area? If you do, I'd surely be interested.

Not as novel. Although, it’s quite an interesting time. I loved The Eagle Has Landed. That mixture of history and fantasy is right up my alley. I had an idea for a comic book dealing with WWII and also an unrelated screenplay, but no books. You never know, though. I might bump into something that captivates my imagination and a book might ensue.

FQ: So many novels have been written about the War on Terror. How did you come about writing this stellar novel, using this theme and still making it new and so readable?

That’s a good question. Maybe because it doesn’t really deal with the War on Terror per se and more with elements that relate to it directly: the mentality behind it, certain stands on how geopolitics are conducted, questions on patriotism and ethics, collateral damage (which is not limited to the battlefield) and the impact of the war in our society and the world at large. After all, Sleeper’s Run is a work of fiction based on non-fiction sources. It’s sort of genre fiction with literary fiction aspirations.

Also, I come from a different country and I’ve been influenced by different cultures. That sets me apart right from the get go. I tend to see things in broader terms. A lot of political thrillers read like a mainstream comic book. They have a one-sided point of view and are ethnically homogenous; nothing is questioned and everything seems to be justified. The characters are divided into good guys and bad guys, and they only exist to serve the plot. Sleeper’s Run is a departure from all of that.

FQ: I usually ask about pets but, you already answered that question in your bio. Anyone who has animals is OK in my book. However, I'm glad you put your wife first. Did your wife have any input in the writing of this novel?

The book’s dedication says it all. She has been my greatest supporter from day one, but she was also my harshest critic. My wife wanted me to do the best I could and would not settle for less. She knew my aim was to be as accurate and as realistic as fiction will allow me to be, so she was very critical of what ended up on the page. You can easily say she was the first editor I worked with on the book. She’s an amazing writer, but has no interest in pursuing it despite my repeated efforts to change her mind. It’s really a shame. I don’t think watching me going through my trials and tribulations in self-publishing has helped much either.

It may sound cliché, but writing is a very lonely process, and if you self-publish it’s literally you vs. the world; having someone by your side who loves and believes in you makes a huge difference.

To learn more about Sleeper's Run please read the review at: Feathered Quill Book Reviews.

Monday Morning Introductions

2011-12-12T06:56:00.001-05:00

Here's a selection of the books that came in for review this week. Check 'um out and stop by our review site, Feathered Quill Book Reviews, in a few weeks to read the reviews.

Such Wicked Friends: A Sandy Reid Mystery by Rod Hoisington In the third of an exciting new series, Sandy Reid runs into a problem of the dead kind and soon the police want her to butt out, the State Attorney wants her disbarred, and the killer wants her dead. Not the best situation for a brand new lawyer who's trying to live down a reputation for being sassy and reckless. Fresh from passing the Florida bar exam she stumbles over a potential client--shot between the eyes. Sandy believes the murdered woman is asking her to find the killer. How else to explain the mysterious spot of blood Sandy later discovers on her own hand? That drop of blood changes everything.

Oath of Office by Michael Palmer When Dr. John Merriman goes on a shooting spree at the office, his business partner, staff, and two patients are killed in the bloodbath. Then Meacham turns the gun on himself. The blame falls on Dr. Lou Welcome. Welcome worked with Merriman years before as a counselor after John's medical license had been revoked for drug addiction. Lou knew that John was an excellent doctor and deserved to be practicing medicine and fought hard for his license to berestored.. After hearing the news of the violent outburst, Lou is in shock like everyone else, but mostly he's incredulous. And when he begins to look into it further, the terrifying evidence he finds takes him down a path to an unspeakable conspiracy that seems to lead directly to the White House and those in the highest positions of power.

Field of Our Fathers: An Illustrated History of Fenway Park by Richard A. Johnson The definitive, illustrated history of Fenway Park, this comprehensive volume captures the momentous occasions of America's most beloved ballpark. Featuring posters, ticket stubs, and fan memorabilia, this history contains firsthand accounts of the many baseball and nonbaseball events that have helped characterize the park since the days of Tris Speaker and Babe Ruth. The book celebrates the teams, the fans, and the quirks of Fenway Park as it nears its centennial in 2012.

One Moment, One Morning by Sarah Rayner The Brighton to London line. The 7:44 am train. Cars packed with commuters. One woman occupies her time observing the people around her. Opposite, a girl puts on her make-up. Across the aisle, a husband strokes his wife’s hand. Further along, another woman flicks through a glossy magazine. Then, abruptly, everything changes: a man collapses, the train is stopped, and an ambulance is called.
For at least three passengers on the 7:44 on that particular morning, life will never be the same again. There’s Lou, in an adjacent seat, who witnesses events first hand. Anna, who’s sitting further up the train, impatient to get to work. And Karen, the man’s wife. Telling the story of the week following that fateful train journey, One Moment, One Morning is a stunning novel about love and loss, about family and – above all– friendship. A stark reminder that, sometimes, one moment is all it takes to shatter everything. Yet it also reminds us that somehow, despite it all, life can and does go on.

The Betrayals of Grim's Peak by Sean Quirk Augustus Tomlin is found floating face-down in the waters just off the Florida coast when he is just a year old. He spends most of his young life trying to overcome a paralyzing fear of water, and when his adoptive parents bring back to the Keys from his home state of Arizona at age fourteen, his life changes forever after a ferocious attack by several nightmarish creatures waiting for him in a cove, and a daring rescue by a girl riding a massive sea creature that resembles a dragon. Not long after that Augie is introduced to the magical world of Grim's Peak where underwater lakes, trimsticks and wimballs, cryptoquariums, and water arches are the order of the day. Augie is immersed in this new world and must make new friends, learn how to co-exist with the sometimes unfriendly plants, adverse underwater weather conditions, and amazing creatures like the hippocamp, which is a creature of legend said to be half-horse half-fish; all the while trying to figure out who his parents were; who is trying to kill him; and what his connection is to the town's founding fathers whose centuries old secrets threaten to throw the residents of this amazing world into complete chaos...

The Nightmare: A Mystery with Mary Wollstonecraft by Nancy Means Wright Rebel with Many Causes Dismissed from her governess post in Ireland, Mary Wollstonecraft lands on her feet in London. After the 1792 publication of her ground-breaking Vindication of the Rights of Woman she gains entrée to a circle of celebrated artists and intellectuals. But Mary falls into obsession and infatuation with painter Henry Fuseli after his hauntingly erotic masterpiece The Nightmare is stolen. When a young artist is wrongfully accused and imprisoned, and a bluestocking friend is strangled, Mary's passionate nature does not allow her to stand aside. Her quest for the truth will lead her into personal notoriety, a trip to a madhouse, and confrontations with more than one possible murderer.

The Nightmare: A Mystery with Mary Wollstonecraft by Nancy Means Wright Rebel with Many Causes Dismissed from her governess post in Ireland, Mary Wollstonecraft lands on her feet in London. After the 1792 publication of her ground-breaking Vindication of the Rights of Woman she gains entrée to a circle of celebrated artists and intellectuals. But Mary falls into obsession and infatuation with painter Henry Fuseli after his hauntingly erotic masterpiece The Nightmare is stolen. When a young artist is wrongfully accused and imprisoned, and a bluestocking friend is strangled, Mary's passionate nature does not allow her to stand aside. Her quest for the truth will lead her into personal notoriety, a trip to a madhouse, and confrontations with more than one possible murderer.

How I Became a Best-Selling Author

2011-12-10T17:59:00.000-05:00

Here's a Wall Street Journal article detailing how a self-published author sold 400,000 (!) copies of her debut novel. Yow-za! We should all be so lucky!

Every Bookcase Should Have a Secret Door!

2011-12-10T17:34:00.002-05:00

How cool is this? Make a secret door for your bookcase! Follow the link for details:

Secret Door...

American Booksellers Association Open Letter to Amazon

2011-12-09T13:33:00.000-05:00

In response to Amazon's new price check app, ABA CEO Oren Teicher wrote an open letter to Jeff Bezos with his thoughts. You can read the letter here.

Amazon's New App Angers Many

2011-12-09T08:17:00.000-05:00

As if independent bookstores don't have enough to deal with, trying to compete with Amazon, the giant online retailer has just introduced a new app that will make it even harder to compete. The free price check app allows readers to scan a book in a store and then price check it against Amazon AND get a 5% discount (up to $5.) for doing so. So, take advantage of a bookstore, shop their products, see, touch, scan through the books you want before buying from Amazon. The Retail Industry Leaders Association is leading the charge against this new app, saying,

“Amazon’s aggressive promotion of its Price Check App shows the lengths they are willing to go to exploit this tax loophole, and is a stark reminder of why Congress needs to act to protect retailers on Main Street. A failure to act is an implicit endorsement of a subsidy of Amazon, a subsidy that distorts the free market and puts jobs on Main Street at risk,” - Katherine Lugar, Executive Vice President of Public Affairs (Read the rest of the press release here)

Whether or not Amazon is stopped (doubtful at this point), it does appear that this action will help push the collection of sales tax for internet sales into the realm of reality.

Justice Department Confirms E-Book Pricing Probe

2011-12-08T15:20:00.000-05:00

There's been a lot of talk lately about pricing of electronic books and whether there was collusion to prevent discount prices by some publishers and ebook device holders. Yesterday, the Justice Department confirmed a probe to look into allegations. Here's a blurb from the Wall Street Journal on the probe.

Monday Morning Introductions

2011-12-05T09:04:00.000-05:00

Another week - another interesting selection of books. Here's a sample of what came in during the past week. Stop by Feathered Quill Book Reviews soon to read the reviews.

A Life Lived Ridiculously by Dr. Annabelle R. Charbit When a girl with obsessive compulsive disorder falls in love with a sociopath, she must fight for her sanity and her life. Maxine's brain is stuck. Everything around her feels wrong and the only way to fix it is to check, double-check, rearrange and count everything. What Maxine can't fix though is her parents' constant nagging over the absence of a husband. A humiliation that is further compounded when her younger brother runs off with Miss Perfect. Then she meets Sam, a smooth-talking charmer with the weight of the world on his shoulders, and enough terminal diseases to wipe out a small village. Maxine decides that Sam is her salvation, never mind that his life is more complex than a Greek tragedy, and others are urging her to get away from him. The problem is that Sam has Maxine under his spell. Will Maxine escape from Sam before it's too late?

What is Love? Perspectives on Love by Fadi Hattendorf What Is Love? Perspectives On Love offers a look at the meaning and application of “I love you” as well as whether or not, these words ever come off as sincere as we want them to. “What Is Love? Perspectives On Love” contains fictional stories to explain one of the most complicated feelings human beings will ever come to know. These real life based stories demonstrate how people find love in one another, and why some begin to search for it again right after they have found it. We often say, “I love you.” We experience love with our parents, our friends, our significant others and many other people. “What Is Love? Perspectives On Love” introduces the many hats love wears in our lives. Every chapter of the book is uniquely detailed. Through these stories, you may discover others’ love lives, learn from them and perhaps even put them to use in your own relationships.

Afghan Boomerang by Dr. Oleg Novinkov Former Soviet officer details his time in 1980s Afghan war to highlight dangers of America’s current war “Afghan Boomerang” - winner of NABE Pinnacle Book Achievement Award (November 2011) by Dr. Oleg Novinkov details the dangerous consequences of having foreign troops occupy Afghanistan using the experiences of the former USSR HOUSTON – Dr. Oleg Novinkov’s “Afghan Boomerang” (ISBN 1439274517) details his years as a Soviet Air Force flight surgeon stationed in Afghanistan in the 1980s. Considering the current war in Afghanistan, he finds it better than ever to share his experiences and thoughts on international relations. Novinkov explains what it was like to live in the middle of combat during the Afghan war of the 1980s. He compares and contrasts the previous war to the current situation in Afghanistan, showing that he feels the United States didn’t use history as a learning tool. The author states that when the United States engaged in the current war with Afghanistan, they did not consider the Soviet’s experience nearly three decades ago. The author brings up these points to ask a terrifying question: Will the results of the U.S.’s war in Afghanistan boomerang and have many of the same outcomes as the Soviet’s war, such as a complete collapse of the country? Novinkov shares his thoughts about historical events in involved countries, including the U.S., Russia, Iraq and Pakistan, to lead readers beyond what the media portrays. “I had the opportunity to return to Afghanistan 30 years after serving in the Soviet-Afghan War,” Novinkov says. “I show how things have changed and how they have remained the same. I share personal experiences to help readers, especially U.S. audiences, understand the world situation and the effects of war.” Novinkov believes that his book will move those who really want to understand the events in Afghanistan, but from a different perspective than the mainstream media portrays. He hopes that readers learn the dangers of sending foreign forces into Afghanistan through an historical perspective. Since Novinkov has lived in both socialist and capitalist countries with opposing views on many issues, he took the liberty of expressing his thoughts about politics and prominent politicians.

The Faces of Angels by Lucretia Grindle On a sweltering day in Florence, art student and newlywed Mary Warren wandered into a shady tunnel of trees. Within minutes, she was brutally attacked and her husband murdered. And within months the killer was identified, caught, and dead. It’s now two years later, and Mary has returned to Florence at the invitation of her lover – a relationship that predates what she insists on calling the “accident.” Crumbling and beautiful, Florence is eternally compelling. But more and more, what Mary sees is not the glories of the city, but its dark underside – specifically, one dead young woman after another. She also can’t help seeing a terrifying pattern: Either this is a copycat killer, or her husband’s murderer is still on the loose.

Axis Sally: The American Voice of Nazi Germany by Richard Lucas One of the most notorious Americans of the twentieth century was a failed Broadway actress turned radio announcer named Mildred Gillars (1900-1988), better known to American GIs as "Axis Sally." Despite the richness of her life story, there has never been a full-length biography of the ambitious, star-struck Ohio girl who evolved into a reviled disseminator of Nazi propaganda. At the outbreak of war in September 1939, Mildred had been living in Germany for five years. Hoping to marry, she chose to remain in the Nazi-run state even as the last Americans departed for home. In 1940, she was hired by the German overseas radio, where she evolved from a simple disc jockey and announcer to a master propagandist. Under the tutelage of her married lover, Max Otto Koischwicz, Gillars became the personification of Nazi propaganda to the American GI. Spicing her broadcasts with music, Mildred used her soothing voice to taunt Allied troops about the supposed infidelities of their wives and girlfriends back home, as well as the horrible deaths they were likely to meet on the battlefield. Supported by German military intelligence, she was able to convey personal greetings to individual US units, creating an eerie foreboding among troops who realized the Germans knew who and where they were.

The Thorn & the Blossom: A two-sided love story by Theodora Goss One enchanting romance. Two lovers keeping secrets. And a uniquely crafted book that binds their stories forever. When Evelyn Morgan walked into the village bookstore, she didn’t know she would meet the love of her life. When Brendan Thorne handed her a medieval romance, he didn’t know it would change the course of his future. It was almost as if they were the cursed lovers in the old book itself...The Thorn and the Blossom is a remarkable literary artifact: You can open the book in either direction to decide whether you’ll first read Brendan’s, or Evelyn’s account of the mysterious love affair. Choose a side, read it like a regular novel—and when you get to the end, you’ll find yourself at a whole new beginning.

Penguin Sees Dark Clouds After Strong Christmas

2011-12-02T14:10:00.000-05:00

Interesting article about this year's sales performance and what John Markinson, Penguin's Chief Executive, forecasts for next year. Read here.

A new place to sell your e-books!

2011-12-02T11:32:00.000-05:00

There's going to be a new guy in town - a new place to sell your e-books. Set to release to beta testing in about 6 weeks, Bilbary hopes to give Amazon and B&N.com some stiff competition. Good news for publishers who will have another option for selling their ebooks. Check out Bilbary's site for more info.

Publishers warm to e-books on their own terms

2011-12-02T11:27:00.000-05:00

Interesting article about e-book trends and the more or less flop of "extras" added to digital books.

http://news.yahoo.com/publishers-warm-e-books-own-terms-145743176.html

2011 DIY BOOK FESTIVAL CALL FOR ENTRIES

2011-11-30T14:32:00.000-05:00

Note that Feathered Quill Book Reviews has no connection to this award competition. Posting the information here does not mean we endorse or have any knowledge of the competition. We post it to get word out and ask that authors do their own research about each and every competition.

LOS ANGELES _ The 2011 DIY Book Festival has issued a call for entries to its tenth annual competition honoring independent book authors and publishers.
The 2011 DIY Book Festival will consider entries in cookbooks, science fiction, non-fiction, fiction, biography/autobiography, children's books, teenage, how-to, audio/spoken word, photography, art, comics, 'zines, fan fiction, poetry and e-books published on or after Jan. 1, 2007.
All entries must be in English and have been self-published or issued by an independent publishing house.
*** Please note that authors with iUniverse, Infinity Publishing and other print-on-demand outlets are eligible for the DIY competition.
Entry forms are available online at www.diyconvention.com or can be faxed on request.
Our grand prize for the 2011 DIYBF Author of the Year is $1500 cash and a flight to Los Angeles for our gala awards ceremony at the Roosevelt Hotel, home of the first Oscars, in March, 2012. The event is part of the 11th annual DIY Convention: Do It Yourself in Film, Music & Books.
Submitted works will be judged by a panel of publishing industry experts using the following criteria:
1) General excellence and the author's passion for telling a good story.
2) The unique use of guerilla marketing tactics to reach a wider audience. This includes innovative marketing, merchandising, publicity tactics and other unique methods of reaching an independent audience.
ENTRIES: Please classify your book and enter it in the following categories. Multiple entries must be accompanied by a separate fee for each book.
1) General Non-fiction
2) General Fiction
3) Children's books
4) How-to
5) E-books (word or .pdf file acceptable)
6) Comics
7) 'zines
8) Photography
9) Fan Fiction
10) Poetry
11) Art
12) Teenage
13) Biography/Autobiography
14) Audio/spoken word
15) Best Published/Unpublished Short Story (all manuscripts welcome)
16) Cookbooks
17) Science Fiction
In addition to honoring the top selections in the above categories, The DIY Book Festival will award the following chosen from submissions:
1) DIY Author of the Year-Honors the outstanding book of the competition.
2) DIY Book Design of the Year - Honors outstanding and innovative design.
3) DIY Independent Publisher of the Year - Honors the top publisher based on materials displaying excellence in marketing and promotional materials, as determined by our judges.
FESTIVAL RULES: DIY Book Festival submissions cannot be returned. Each entry must contain the official entry form, including your e-mail address and contact telephone number. All shipping and handling costs must be borne by entrants.
NOTIFICATION AND DEADLINES: We will notify each entry of the receipt of their package via e-mail and will announce the winning entries on our web site (www.diyconvention.com). Because of the anticipated high volume of entries, we can only respond to e-mail inquiries.
Deadline submissions in each category must be postmarked by the close of business on January 25, 2012. Winners in each category will be notified by e-mail shortly after the final entry deadline. Please note that judges read and consider submissions on an ongoing basis, comparing early entries with later submissions at our meetings.
TO ENTER: Entry forms are available online at www.diyconvention.com or may be faxed/e-mailed to you. Look on the right hand side of the page and click on the red "register" button underneath "2011 DIY Book Festival." Please contact our office for fax requests. Applications must be accompanied by a non-refundable entry fee via check, money order or PayPal online payment of $50 in U.S. dollars for each submission. Multiple submissions are permitted but each entry must be accompanied by a separate form and entry fee.
Entry fee checks should be made payable to JM Northern Media LLC. We're sorry, but entries must be mailed and cannot be delivered in person or by messenger services to the JM Northern Media offices.
Entry packages should include one copy of the book; any relevant marketing material; your official entry form or a copy; and the entry fee or receipt. Entries should be mailed to:
JM Northern Media LLC
attn: DIY Book Festival
7095 Hollywood Boulevard
Suite 864
Hollywood, CA 90028-0893
Phone: 323-665-8080
AWARDS: Winners of the 2011 DIY Book Festival will be honored at a gala ceremony held in Los Angeles. You do not need to be present to accept your award or accompanying prizes.
# # #

Amazon.com Review Removal - Recap and Update

2011-11-29T13:55:00.000-05:00

You've likely read our comments about Amazon and what has happened with their heavy-handed removal of reviews posted by sites such as Feathered Quill. While we've been trying to work with other sites, most seemed to have given up from the start, stating Amazon is just too big to fight. Only a few sites were interested in continuing the fight and soon, it was down to just two sites, Feathered Quill and ReaderViews. Kudos to RV site owner Irene Watson for "fighting the fight" and having the best interests of her authors at heart. Alas, with just two sites willing to continue, it seems like we'll have to concentrate our energies on more useful things such as posting great reviews to our site. We have begun to post our reviews to BlogCritics.org, a good review site with a high SEO. We hope this will bring added exposure to our authors' books.

Here are Irene's comments on the whole Amazon mess (posted with permission):

I've been giving updates for the past year on the aspect of Amazon.com removing reviews and banning reviewers from posting. At first it seems it was just review sites like us but then it flowed over to removing reviews from individual reviews unrelated to any site or blog. There is no consistency except a stock email that says "you violated the guidelines" but the specific violation is never disclosed by Amazon.com.

We became victims of the removal/banning in May but after many communications back and forth we were reinstated and promised it would never happen again. Several months later, against their own word, Amazon.com removed/banned us. To this date we haven't been able to find out exactly why they did this and why they didn't stand behind their own word.

In the meantime, to my knowledge, 15 other sites have been banned. The surprising one is Midwest Book Review; one of the oldest and most respected review sites. I noted a review on one of my books is by MBR is still there, yet, when attempting to view them all a window comes up saying the reviews aren't available and the profile page is empty, the same as Reader Views'. I know at one point Amazon.com removed at least 10,000 reviews posted by MBR. We had about 7500 removed.

Several months ago I contacted the other sites I knew were banned to see if they want to band together and attempt to deal with Amazon or go to the media. Eight out of the 15 responded, two saying they aren't interested at all, 6 responded indicating they are on board, and the rest I didn't hear from. I assume there was no interest. One of the reviewers set up a Yahoo group so that we could communicate. Each one was invited but in the end only 4 reviewers joined the group. We did hear from several others that had ideas of what "you should do" but neither was interested in spearheading the idea.

During this same time many authors contacted Amazon.com but either got a stock email that basically said nothing or didn't get a response at all. Some even contacted the media and their legislators. But, I don't think there is enough impact because most of the reviewers declined to contact their author/publisher list, explain the occurrence and ask them to make a noise. The support, or concern, just doesn't seem to be there, either from other reviewers or authors/publishers. For example, Jim from Midwest Book Review posted on a self-publishing group that his reviews were removed and banned. I chimed in explaining what had happened to many others and asked for support from the group. A group "mom" rejected my post.

One author volunteered to create a FaceBook page and Twitter account titled Occupying Amazon. I, along with several other reviewers (I think,) let our list know but in the end only 16 "liked" the FaceBook page. In the meantime FaceBook removed the account and Twitter is removing the hash marks.

Personally, I'm exhausted in working diligently on attempting to get reinstated again or moving toward being noticed by the media or legislators of unfair treatment. In the end it seems like only one other reviewer and I are left to deal with the issue but I'm sure that if we were successful the others would be extremely happy and we may get a thank you...maybe. I'm not sure if it is worth it at this point. I've spent many hours dealing with this issue and several thousand dollars to pay staff to repost the reviews when we were reinstated the first time and then removed again.

Authors do have an option of posting an excerpt under Editorial Reviews through their Author Central account and those that have done so are happy. Some even said those seem to have more impact than the reader reviews, especially when they come from unknown people with pen names like "poop-doop" or "anonymous." (Yes, those are for real!) Credibility in the end becomes important and Editorial Reviews offer credibility.

For us, not being able to post the reviews on Amazon.com hasn't been an issue as orders continue to come in. I know that some of the reviewers are suffering because they aren't asked to review books and they feel this is a direct result of not being able to post the reviews on Amazon.com. This is sad because it's just another indication where a huge corporation can push out a small business owner in a click of a mouse.

Why we are removed/banned is still a mystery, especially when Amazon.com continues to favor some reviewers that don't adhere to their guidelines, those that show signs of being a fake, for e.g. reviewing in the realm of 70 books per week (This is humanly impossible even for a speed-reader.), those that ask for huge charitable donations in exchange for a review or those that charge for reviews. My personal assumption is that review services like ours are in direct competition with Amazon.com for obtaining reviews since they are now offering outrageously expensive reviews through their own CreateSpace program.

So...what next? I really don't know because two or three people can't do it alone, and yet represent a whole gamut of others with great expectations that we can make changes. I do sincerely appreciate those of you that took the time to contact Amazon.com, write to your legislators, join the FaceBook page, sign up for Twitter, and give moral support to me. I thank you profusely.

At this point, if an occasion arises, I will make noise but I am refocusing to business at hand in creating more ways to support the authors, especially those that don't get noticed otherwise because they are self-published, use self-publishing firms, or published by a small press and are on constrained budgets. In other words, I'm "movin' on."

Sincerely,
Irene

PS - be on a lookout for a "new" publicity package we will offer in the New Year. Susan, my assistant, has been diligently working on it and it will be ready to launch soon.

Monday Morning Introductions

2011-11-28T07:22:00.000-05:00

Here's what came in for review this week. Check them out and then stop by our site soon to read the reviews. Visit Feathered Quill Book Reviews.

Sleeper's Run War on Terror veteran, Eric Caine, is found wandering the streets of Miami with no memory of the car accident that left him there. Alone and suffering from PTSD, Eric is on a one-way road to self-destruction. Then a chance meeting at a bar begins a series of events that helps Eric start anew. When his new job relocates him to Venezuela–the land of his childhood–things, however, take an ominous turn as a catastrophic event threatens the stability of the country. Now Eric must escape an elite team of CIA assassins as he tries to uncover an international conspiracy in which nothing is what it seems.

Catch and Release A botched drug raid took her father’s life when she was 7. On her 13th birthday she witnessed her mother’s murder. Alone in the world, Jennifer Blade sets out to even the score. At 33, enmeshed in a game that knows no rules, she is about to fulfill her quest when everything unravels. Fleeing for her life, she heads to the mountains of upstate New York, where she unexpectedly finds new reason to live. Steve Sanders, a 38-year-old psychologist with a predictable life, is on a fishing trip in the mountains. Little does he know that all vacations are not created equal. Within 24 hours, they catch a few trout, have a passionate affair, shoot and kill a man, are involved in two gun battles, receive wounds, and end up in Miami, Florida. All this, and as Steve says, they still have six days of vacation left. Their relationship touches long-buried feelings in Jennifer, and shatters the mundane existence suffocating Steve. Catch and Release, a romance/suspense novel, is the story of two lives from vastly different backgrounds, drawn together by fate and a common love of the great outdoors. The crossing of Jennifer’s and Steve’s paths releases an explosion of love, passion, adventure, and ultimately a reason for a shared journey.

Tall, Dark & Determined Welcome to Hope Falls where three enterprising young females are accepting applications for husbands-for-hire. With one woman already snagged, Lacey Lyman is one of only two remaining. No one really catches her eye until a handsome hunter arrives. Will Lacey find a way to bag her prey? Determined to investigate why Hope Falls’s mine collapsed, Chase Dunstan poses as a potential husband and a hunter, giving him the perfect excuse to poke around inside and outside of town. If only he could get the chatterbox Lacey Lyman off his trail. Can he keep his cover while solving the mystery of the mine?

The Good Father As the Chief of Rheumatology at Columbia Presbyterian, Dr. Paul Allen's specialty is diagnosing patients with conflicting symptoms, patients other doctors have given up on. He lives a contented life in Westport with his second wife and their twin sons—hard won after a failed marriage earlier in his career that produced a son named Daniel. In the harrowing opening scene of this provocative and affecting novel, Dr. Allen is home with his family when a televised news report announces that the Democratic candidate for president has been shot at a rally, and Daniel is caught on video as the assassin.

Everneath Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath. Now she’s returned—to her old life, her family, her boyfriend—before she’s banished back to the underworld . . . this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can’t find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists. Nikki longs to spend these precious months forgetting the Everneath and trying to reconnect with her boyfriend, Jack, the person most devastated by her disappearance—and the one person she loves more than anything. But there’s just one problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who enticed her to the Everneath in the first place, has followed Nikki home. Cole wants to take over the throne in the underworld and is convinced Nikki is the key to making it happen. And he’ll do whatever it takes to bring her back, this time as his queen. As Nikki’s time on the Surface draws to a close and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she is forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole’s queen.

Beyonders: A world Without Heroes The magic begins again as bestselling author Brandon Mull brings his newest blockbuster-ready fantasy series directly to Aladdin!
Jason Walker lives a predictable life: going to school, playing baseball, volunteering at the local zoo—until one day he falls through a tunnel near the hippo tank and ends up in a new, utterly foreign world. In Lyrian, the people dress differently, behave differently, and all live in fear of their malicious Emperor, Surroth. But in Jason’s search for a way home, he learns of a magical, ancient word that could destroy the terrifying Surroth. With his accidental knowledge of one of the word’s six syllables, Jason finds himself in great danger and must embark on an epic quest to discover the remaining syllables and take down his powerful new enemy. Jason and his companion, Rachel—a fellow Beyonder who also arrived in Lyrian suddenly and without understanding why—must face challenges to their bodies, minds, and hearts and encounter places and people they can barely believe are real. In a world with no heroes, and no hope, Jason finds himself faced with the prospect of becoming the hero he never imagined he could be.

Every Other Day Every other day, Kali D'Angelo is a normal sixteen-year-old girl. She goes to public high school. She attends pep rallies. She's human. And then every day in between . . . She's something else entirely. Though she still looks like herself, every twenty-four hours predatory instincts take over and Kali becomes a feared demon-hunter with the undeniable urge to hunt, trap, and kill zombies, hellhounds, and other supernatural creatures. Kali has no idea why she is the way she is, but she gives in to instinct anyway. Even though the government considers it environmental terrorism.

A Discovery of Witches In a sparkling debut, A Discovery of Witches became the "it" book of early 2011, bringing Deborah Harkness into the spotlight and galvanizing fans around the world. In this tale of passion and obsession, Diana Bishop, a young scholar and the descendant of witches, discovers a long-lost and enchanted alchemical manuscript deep in Oxford's Bodleian Library. Its reappearance summons a fantastical underworld, which she navigates with her leading man, vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont. Harkness has created a universe to rival those of Anne Rice, Diana Gabaldon, and Elizabeth Kostova, and she adds a scholar's depth to this riveting story of magic and suspense.

Oops: Public backs web blocking in Google-funded poll

2011-11-27T07:52:00.000-05:00

Analysis Talk about an inconvenient fact. A survey into US attitudes to internet piracy shows strong public support for blocking access to websites guilty of serial copyright infringement. No fewer than 58 per cent support the idea of ISPs blocking the pirate sites, and 36 per cent disagree with this. Of the respondents, 61 per cent want sites like Facebook to take more action to screen for infringing material.

For the rest of this article, follow the link to "The Register."

Why Might A Publisher Pull Its E-Books From Libraries?

2011-11-26T17:49:00.000-05:00

Following yesterday’s news that Penguin, citing security concerns, is pulling its new e-books from libraries—and making none of them available for library lending through Kindle—many are wondering why the publisher would do such a thing. (Penguin and Random House had been the only two “big six” publishers to offer unfettered access to e-books through libraries; now Random House is alone in doing so.)

To read the rest of this very interesting article, please follow the link to the article.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2011-11-22T20:33:00.000-05:00

We're taking a few days off to celebrate Thanksgiving with our family and friends. Have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving and we'll "talk" soon. Oh, and enjoy a good book while you're at it!!!

Monday Morning Introductions

2011-11-21T08:23:00.000-05:00

CHECK OUT THE BOOKS THAT CAME IN FOR REVIEW DURING THE LAST WEEK. REVIEWS WILL BE POSTED SOON TO OUR REVIEW SITE, FEATHERED QUILL BOOK REVIEWS.

Fission First they tried to deny her. Then they tried to destroy her. But she survived to discover nuclear fission and spark the race for the atomic bomb. Imagine if you would, a story of greed and betrayal, intrigue and danger, war and destruction, the slaughter of the innocents on a biblical scale and the collapse of empire. And imagine at the centre of it all one little woman, brilliant but shy, victimized but resolute, and ultimately vindicated. What a story that would make! Well, you don't have to imagine it, because that is the Lise Meitner story. And I didn't have to invent any of it . . . it's all true.

The Smile of the Cat The young adults of the planet Kansas face a crisis that threatens the happiness of many in their peaceful world… "She screamed the air from her lungs, gasped, and screamed again, repeating herself until the pain became so great it took her voice. As her mind began to cloud-over, she heard the Storyteller speak... Juliet held tightly to Maryan’s presence inside her mind, as she was led to a quiet place where there was no pain; she took comfort in the belief that because her baby was inside her, he was with her in this peaceful place, and was safe." … and memories of abuse while in a Zaiuni breeding program threaten the possibility of physical love… "'I’ve heard things,' Tairun said, 'Harvesters, when they have been drinking, are prone to speak of experiences they’ve had.' 'Harvesters, when they’ve been drinking, are prone to do things to Zaiuni men. Or did, back in those Dark Days,' Damon spoke, regaining his composure." Fourth in the series that began with "The Storyteller", "The Smile of the Cat" is a story of love, loss, compassion and the power to heal.

Dangerous Ambition Born in the 1890s on opposite sides of the Atlantic, friends for more than forty years, Dorothy Thompson and Rebecca West lived strikingly parallel lives that placed them at the center of the social and historical upheavals of the twentieth century. In Dangerous Ambition, Susan Hertog chronicles the separate but intertwined journeys of these two remarkable women writers, who achieved unprecedented fame and influence at tremendous personal cost.

Defending Jacob Andy Barber has been an assistant district attorney in his suburban Massachusetts county for more than twenty years. He is respected in his community, tenacious in the courtroom, and happy at home with his wife, Laurie, and son, Jacob. But when a shocking crime shatters their New England town, Andy is blindsided by what happens next: His fourteen-year-old son is charged with the murder of a fellow student. Every parental instinct Andy has rallies to protect his boy. Jacob insists that he is innocent, and Andy believes him. Andy must. He’s his father. But as damning facts and shocking revelations surface, as a marriage threatens to crumble and the trial intensifies, as the crisis reveals how little a father knows about his son, Andy will face a trial of his own—between loyalty and justice, between truth and allegation, between a past he’s tried to bury and a future he cannot conceive.

RingGoRound 1 Ring..2 Women..100 Years Set in Europe, mainly Amsterdam and Italy, RingGoRound tells a double tale. Two compassionate women, living a hundred years apart, are connected by an antique ring. Their lives reverberate and echo each other. The fascinating men attracted to them weave intrigue, glamour, mystery, cruelty and love into the suspenseful web. Marlene of long ago tells her secrets through the voice or the ring to relay her story to modern-day Marieke. The book's theme is ruled by true affection and the will to give as well as receive undying love.

Thorns on Roses A private investigator launches a vendetta to find and destroy the Thorns on Roses gang. Tom Jeffries, a PI in Broward County, Florida, is a man with a past-ex-Special Forces, ex-Dallas cop. But mostly, he's a man driven by a thirst for justice. His brand of justice. When a seventeen-year-old girl, the stepdaughter of Tom's best friend, Charlie Rogers, dies in the midst of a brutal gang rape, Tom vows to avenge her death. Following a well laid out plan, Jeffries methodically stalks the gang. As he eliminates them one by one, the police get closer to connecting him with the disappearances. Rushing will invite catastrophe, but Tom cannot wait...

3 Tips on How to Find Your Perfect Reading Glasses

2011-11-16T15:05:00.000-05:00

Here's a wonderful guest post on selecting reading glasses, which many of us, er, older readers will find useful. Thanks to Stacie Grissom of Reading Glasses Shopper for writing such a useful article.

I've always been a lifelong glasses-wearer, but it wasn't until a few years ago when they started to bother me. The summer before I left for college, something in my eyes just switched and it was impossible for me to wear my contacts anymore. My eyes itched and burned and I couldn't bear to wear anything other than my glasses. At first I was a little bummed. I know the bookish and nerdy stereotypes that people associate with the bespectacled portion of the population and I didn't want to be categorized like that. (Even if I have read all the Harry Potter books at least 5 times and always completed the summer reading challenge at my local library.) :)

Recently, my mom has had a bit of trouble with her vision as well. After countless experiences in the grocery store where she would hold up an product and ask, "What's this say?" I finally convinced her that she needed some help in the vision department. Between my personal experience with glasses, helping my mom find reading glasses, and my day job as a writer for Reading Glasses Shopper, I feel as though I have a few glasses tips up my sleeve.

1. Find a pair of glasses that you love. Your glasses have to fit your personality for you to love them. I have had some glasses in the past that I liked alright, but I didn't love them. Now I have clear classes and I think they are the best. Glasses are something that you could potentially wear every day. Choose a good pair.

(My clear glasses and I.)

Tip 2: Choose glasses in colors that look good on you.
Because you wear glasses on y our face, (not to point out the obvious or anything) you should really think about the colors that look good against your skin tone and choose glasses that are flattering. Ehow has a really great article on finding your skin tone season so that you can make sure you don’t wear a pair of glasses that make you seem pale or washed out.

3. Figure out which strength of reading glasses you need.
Contrary to what you might think, you do not have to go to the eye doctor to figure out your reading glasses prescription. You can if you'd like, but there is a much easier way to figure out reading glasses’ prescriptions with this print-out diopter chart. These charts are also in drugstores if you want to try on reading glasses there to figure out if you need 1.25 glasses or 3.00 glasses.

I hope this helps! :)

Stacie Grissom is a writer for Reading Glasses Shopper where she writes about everything from how to fix your reading glasses to reading glasses myths. In her spare time, Stacie loves to read, write for her DIY craft blog, and play with her yellow Labrador, Bridget.

Amazon's Lending Library

2011-11-15T11:55:00.000-05:00

There are a lot of people unhappy with Amazon's latest move - it's highly touted "Lending Library." The "Big Six" publishers have refused to go along with this program which, in large part, appears to be a giveaway to Amazon's customers. What benefit does the publisher get? Not a lot. The latest group to voice their distaste is the Author's Guild. They've posted a great article about the mess on their site. Read and learn more!

Author Interview with A.H. Cameron Strother

2011-11-14T21:21:00.000-05:00

Today we're talking with A.H. Cameron Strother, author of Cheers to Life: True to Myself

FQ: What made you want to write this book? Do you believe in this world, as it is today, that inspiration is what is truly missing?

I wrote Cheers to Life – True to Myself because I believe it’s very important to be comfortable with self and to trust our inner voice. The book explores the concept that when we can’t find inspiration from others, it’s because it is actually within our own heart. When I wrote Cheers to Life – True to Myself, my goal was to intimately explore the topic of what it means to savor life’s journey by being true to self. This is an evolution that each of us must explore – and sometimes the journey is very lonely. In a world where uncertainty has become the norm, Cheers to Life – True to Myself encourages readers to engage in inner dialogue, to pause and make peace with the past, and move forward to a brighter future with positive energy.

Author A.H. Cameron Strother

Often we are consumed with so many multi-tasking activities that we don’t take time to celebrate life’s priceless moments. Life’s emergencies take over and we become victimized by a routine of fixing yet another crisis. In Cheers to Life – True to Myself, I remind readers that we are indeed in charge of our own destiny. The affirmations and passages in Cheers to Life – True to Myself encourages readers to hear their own voice above all of society’s noise, and to embrace this unique sound because once you clearly hear your own voice, it will open the door to inner peace.

FQ: I know you received a Master of Arts degree, is your “message” - meditation and really concentrating on self-worth - a major mission of yours?

Yes, I agree with that statement. I earned M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in the field of Business. I earned both while working full time and as a doctoral candidate, I juggled work hours, marriage, raising children, and pets. My message is that we must turn thoughts into actions. We must be willing to make sacrifices to achieve goals. Obstacles should be managed as temporary detours – not permanent roadblocks. The decision to enforce positive change involves deep levels of commitment and fortitude. It’s about making a personal commitment to being the person you are destined to be – and not allowing anyone to stand in the way of your accomplishments. Cheers to Life – True to Myself challenges readers to follow through on aspirations and goals, so they are empowered to live a life of purpose.

FQ: There was a brief mention of your manufacturing company operating in the gourmet coffee industry. Can you tell readers a little more about that?

In my career, I have worked for a number of large corporations and I’ve always been employed in the manufacturing sector. My coffee company, TruBlend Café (www.trublendcafe.com) is a distribution company that my husband and I started after a trip to Costa Rica where we met several growers and coffee farm owners. TruBlend Café sells gourmet quality Arabica coffees from various parts of the world: Ethiopia, Colombia, Zimbabwe, Brazil, Australia, and Costa Rica – to name a few. Most of our coffees are roasted in South Carolina and this includes the African coffees. For current offerings and to stay updated, please check our website www.trublendcafe.com. (Editor's note: Cheers to Life: True to Myself is also listed on the TruBlend Café site at: www.trublendcafe.com/Inspirational.)

FQ: Can you tell us a bit about your time at Eastside High School? I am aware that this school was portrayed in a movie and was introduced to the public in a slightly “bad” way.

I was raised in Paterson, New Jersey and was enrolled in the public school system. I graduated from Eastside High School (EHS). Eastside High School is located in the inner city of Paterson and as a result, many resources are not as readily available as they are in more suburban areas. The school became famous when Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. distributed a biographical film (1989) that was based on true events at EHS. The film was “Lean on Me” and suddenly EHS was cast on the world stage as a dysfunctional educational institution. Because I am a product of Eastside High School, I must say that my urban experiences helped to mold me to become the person I am today. I beg to question, if I graduated from a different high school or a different environment, would I be as passionate as I am today?

Memories of Eastside High will always be a motivating force in my life. In the introduction of Cheers to Life – True to Myself, I reflected on a defining moment of my teen years: When my high school guidance counselor told me that my future would not require a college education. As a 14-year old, I didn’t fully understand the enormity of the counselor’s comments; however her words burned in my youthful mind. As an adult, I still think about the impact and volatility of those words. Through the passages in Cheers to Life – True to Myself, I send a strong message that despite what the world places in your corner, you must always have confidence in yourself. Yes, some will doubt your abilities. Be well advised because you must remember that you are in charge of your destiny. Your challenge is to stay focused. Choose to move forward. It is your decision.

FQ: Is inspirational writing something that you will be doing more of in the future?

Yes, I plan to release more inspirational titles as eBook and traditional print books. I enjoy writing and many people can relate to my passages, meditations, and daily affirmations. My books are designed to be ideal for people of all age groups – as young as teen-agers to those that are senior citizens. Because inspiration is universal, the book’s designs are very neutral. Likewise, the colors are not feminine, nor masculine. Cheers to Life – True to Myself was designed in a manner that would appeal to a wide range of people.

FQ: Encouragement in this very harsh world is hard to find. What with the war, the economy, jobless rates - there isn’t a great deal to CHEER about for many people. Can you tell us what motivates you or helps you to stay so positive and optimistic?

"Smokey-Blue" - one of the author's cats

All of us endure periods where we struggle to be positive or optimistic. The problem occurs when we are unable to detach from negativity; when we become so consumed by problems that we begin to lose our own identity. Sometimes we are surrounded by so much adversity that we forget that we have received the gift of “life,” and this life – this experience should be cherished. Life is priceless and when we disconnect from material things, we can start the journey to healing the inner heart. By focusing on what truly brings inner contentment, you will be sustained because you will find peace.

FQ: This book’s mission is a very real and much-needed one. Have you any interest to move forward into holding seminars or public speaking events that would bring your “voice” to the masses?

I look forward to participating in speaking engagements and I also have an interest in working with smaller groups – just simply sharing information and expounding on different ideas. My belief is that we can learn more from others if we simply allow ourselves to be open to the experience; if we are willing to remove barriers and stereotypes that we’ve grown up with. Quite frankly, sometimes we create barriers where none should exist.

To learn more about Cheers to Life: True to Myself please read the review at: Feathered Quill Book Reviews.

Reviewer's Tip - Who is Your Publisher/Printer?

2011-11-14T11:05:00.000-05:00

This is really a marketing tip, not a reviewing tip, but what the heck, I'll put it under our regular column name.

I've just returned from a 3-day book signing at a large (100,000 people over 4 days) annual event. I attend every year and have a regular following there - which is always nice. I sell a LOT of books. I'm not bragging, but rather making a point. The reason I mention this is because I've done my homework and found events that are targeted to my reading audience. While at this signing, I had two authors visit me at my booth, authors who had been sent to me by people who knew me/knew of my success.

These two authors had both self-published but were not enjoying robust sales. The reason? Both needed to study their market/niche to get a better feel for where to sell their books, but more importantly, both books were priced too high. And the reason they were priced high? Both authors had used AuthorHouse to print their books. This vanity (or subsidy) press is not a true printer but rather a "publisher" with a very high cost to book ratio. One author didn't understand the difference between "Publisher" and "Printer" while the other was simply anxious to learn how I printed my books so inexpensively (compared to her). She thought it was a secret, that these inexpensive printers were hidden from self-publishers. Her 80 page book cost her $10/book to print! Gulp! How on earth can you sell these books and a) get anyone to pay what you have to sell them for and b) make anything remotely resembling a profit?

I gave both authors a quick lesson on how to find "real" book printers, how to get a quote, what sort of print runs they needed to get the price down and sent them on their way. Hopefully their next books/print runs will do much better. The lesson? Do you homework BEFORE you print your book!

Monday Morning Introductions

2011-11-07T07:15:00.000-05:00

Here's a sample of the books that came in for review this week. Check them out!

Arcadia

Arizona: Way Out West & Wacky Highlights of Arizona's history are punctuated with true but gross, humorous, interesting and wacky stories and facts about the Grand Canyon State. Readers learn: What Geronimo and yawning have in common. Why sleeping in wet sheets didn t mean you had a nighttime accident. What a glass eye has to do with Phoenix being Arizona s state capital How many teachers it would take standing head-to-toe to go from the bottom to the top of the Grand Canyon. Which Arizona city got its name by accident and much, much more! But it takes more than amusing writing and fascinating facts to keep children's attention, so the AZ WOWW award-winning creative team added word searches, crossword puzzles, coloring pages, recipes, crafts and more to the mix.

Inside the Jewish Bakery: Recipes and Memories from the Golden Age of Jewish Baking More than a collection of recipes, Inside the Jewish Bakery chronicles the history and traditions as well as the distinctive baked goods of Ashkenazic Jewry in Eastern Europe and America. Drawing on sources as diverse as the Talmud, Sholom Aleichem and the yizkor books that memorialize communities destroyed in the Holocaust, the authors have crafted an engaging edible history that endows their recipes with a powerful sense of time and place.

Green Eggs and Ham!

2011-11-03T19:19:00.001-04:00

There's an upcoming auction event that is providing the public the opportunity to bid on 3 original drawings from the one and only Dr. Seuss. The winner of this package will receive original drawings of “A Few Green Eggs and Ham for You,” “Cat in the Hat,” and “One Old Fish.”

This package is up for grabs thanks to The Moyer Foundation and their Dream Catchers event on November 11, 2011. Throughout this event The Moyer Foundation will auction off once in a lifetime ‘dreams’ which are catered towards those seeking exclusive opportunities in sports, travel and entertainment. Although the event is physically taking place in New York City, Dr. Seuss enthusiasts across the country can bid for the items online through charitybuzz.com/auctions/themoyerfoundation.

Charitybuzz.com will be open for people to place their bids, bid increments, and maximum bids until noon on the day of the event. At the event that evening, a representative from charitybuzz.com will participate in the live auction on behalf of the online bidders.

Another opportunity art fan will appreciate is up for auction in The Moyer Foundation’s Super Silent Auction. The auction is offering original artwork of “Snoopy” and “Chuck on the Mound” from Charles Schulz (all artwork signed by Charles Schulz). The Super Silent Auction items are available online prior to the event at their maximum bid price. (http://www.moyerfoundation.org/events/event_dreamcatchers.aspx)

Dr. Seuss Original Artwork
With 46 published children’s books, it’s hard to not grow up or be influenced by the creative and imaginative writer, poet and cartoonist Dr. Seuss. His most celebrated bookings including; Green Eggs and Ham, The Cat in the Hat, One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, Horton Hears a Who and How the Grinch Stole Christmas, have been recreated into television specials, feature films, and Broadway musicals—allowing the joy and lessons from his books to continue through the generations. Taking home three (3) original and one-of-a-kind Dr. Seuss drawings will forever capture the brilliance and imagination of these cherished stories.

Dream Includes:
•Dr. Seuss "A Few Green Eggs and Ham for you" original marker drawing on paper
•Dr. Seuss "Cat in the Hat" original pencil and crayon drawing on paper
•Dr. Seuss "One Old Fish" original black marker drawing on paper

Super Silent Auction item –

Charles Schulz Original Artwork
Charles Schulz "Snoopy" original black in drawing on paper. Charles Schulz "Churck on the Mound" original character pencil drawing on paper. All artwork signed by Charles Schulz.

Value: $ 4,400

Winter Wonderland

2011-10-31T15:02:00.000-04:00

Totally off topic, but wow! Here in Massachusetts, we got slammed with snow over the weekend. First, on Thursday, we got about 3 inches of the white stuff. And it DIDN'T melt!!! Then Saturday afternoon, it began to snow, snow, snow. We were at the last horse show of the season and it was the first time I've ever heard the organist play "Let It Snow" during a show. Eee-gads - it came down heavy! Our usual 50 minute ride home from the show took 2 hours. There were cars off the road everywhere. The power went out a few hours later and as of now (Monday afternoon), it's still not on. Fortunately, we have two big generators for our property so we're all set. Others around us are not so lucky. Lines at gas stations (those that are actually open) are loooooong. Power lines are down everywhere. The grocery store was on generator power, with about 50% of their lights off, food going bad fast. What an odd situation here in New England. Here's hoping you're in a warmer, less snow-infested place.

It's in the 40s today so hopefully the snow will melt soon. Just in time for winter to start in earnest.

This is after Thursday's light snow. Add 2 feet on top of this!

Monday Morning Introductions

2011-10-31T14:54:00.000-04:00

Check out the great selection of books that came in for review this week! Reviews will be posted to our site, Feathered Quill, shortly.

A Slave in the White House Paul Jennings was born into slavery on the plantation of James and Dolley Madison in Virginia, later becoming part of the Madison household staff at the White House. Once finally emancipated by Senator Daniel Webster later in life, he would give an aged and impoverished Dolley Madison, his former owner, money from his own pocket, write the first White House memoir, and see his sons fight with the Union Army in the Civil War. He died a free man in northwest Washington at 75. Based on correspondence, legal documents, and journal entries rarely seen before, this amazing portrait of the times reveals the mores and attitudes toward slavery of the nineteenth century, and sheds new light on famous characters such as James Madison, who believed the white and black populations could not coexist as equals; French General Lafayette who was appalled by this idea; Dolley Madison, who ruthlessly sold Paul after her husband's death; and many other since forgotten slaves, abolitionists, and civil right activists.

The Door to Far-Myst: The Adventures of Rupert Starbright Rupert Dullz isn't very happy. His grandmother's coffus is getting worse, school is boring and there's nothing to do on his days off but rake up endless piles of leaves. Everything in Graysland is, well, gray, and every day is just like the one before it, and the one before that. That is, until a strangely dressed man named Pie O'Sky swoops out of nowhere in his multicolored bagoon and offers a special reward to whoever can open his mysterious door. When Rupert succeeds, he's thrilled when Pie O'Sky carries him beyond it to the brilliantly colored land of Far-Myst. Adventure calls, and Rupert discovers a wonderful world full of something he's never heard of before--imagination. But Far-Myst is in danger, and it may be that only Rupert has the power to save it. Is he the one whose imagination is powerful enough to stop the evil that is destroying the beautiful world beyond the door?

The Thorn and the Blossom: A Two-Sided Love Story One enchanting romance. Two lovers keeping secrets. And a uniquely crafted book that binds their stories forever. When Evelyn Morgan walked into the village bookstore, she didn’t know she would meet the love of her life. When Brendan Thorne handed her a medieval romance, he didn’t know it would change the course of his future. It was almost as if they were the cursed lovers in the old book itself...

More Thoughts on Amazon & Reviews

2011-10-28T19:10:00.003-04:00

Here's a site that has interesting information on Amazon and their review policies.

The Big River Review.com

Amazon Customer Service

2011-10-27T15:26:00.006-04:00

This has been circling around the web...

It is nice to put a face to a voice.

We've all talked to this guy...At Last....A Picture of Him.

Mujibar was trying to get a job in India with Amazon’s tech center, which is co-located with Microsoft’s tech center.

The Personnel Manager said, 'Mujibar, you have passed all the tests, except one. Unless you pass it , you cannot qualify for this job.'

Mujibar said, 'I am ready.'

The manager said, 'Make a sentence using the words Yellow, Pink, and Green .'

Mujibar thought for a few minutes and said, 'Mister manager, I am ready.'

The manager said, 'Go ahead.'

Mujibar said, 'The telephone goes green, green,
and I pink it up, and say, Yellow, this is Mujibar.'

Mujibar now works at the Amazon call center.

No doubt you have spoken to him.

Amazon Removes Reviews, Then Breaks Their Own Rules

2011-10-25T10:48:00.005-04:00

Earlier this year, Amazon, for reasons only known to them, revamped their review guidelines. Once they did that, they began removing reviews at a rapid rate, closing accounts of many very good, legitimate review sites. We at Feathered Quill watched as those around us were removed from Amazon and then one day, we too, received the form letter, signed by a first name, last initial no-name at Amazon saying we'd violated their review guidelines and our reviews were removed. I have been silent about this for several months but have come to realize that with Amazon's blatant disregard for their own rules, I can be silent no longer.

Here's the no-name form letter we received:

>>Hello,

We found your reviews to be in violation of our guidelines and have removed them. For more information, see our Conditions of Use:

http://www.amazon.com/review/guidelines/review-guidelines.html

Because of these violations, we’ve removed your reviewing privileges from your account.

Thanks for your understanding in this matter.

Best regards,

Betsy J.
Amazon.com
Your feedback is helping us build Earth's Most Customer-Centric Company.
http://www.amazon.com/your-account

When I replied to the email, I got this annoying response:

>>We didn't receive the e-mail message below because it was directed to an e-mail address that can't accept incoming messages.

Wow, what are they hiding from? First, no real names are used, then no ability to reply to their emails? But don't forget - "Your feedback is helping us build Earth's Most Customer-Centric Company."

Authors who contacted Amazon directly about their missing reviews (posted by FQ) were told that they (Amazon) didn't know why the reviews were removed and that FQ must have removed them. Really? Either one department at Amazon doesn't know what another department is doing, or they're out and out lying. Which is it, Amazon?

When Amazon first changed their review guidelines (I'm not sure how many times they changed them, I know of at least two times this year), they added a stipulation that reviews that were paid for were not to be posted. Amazon apparently believes that if reviews are paid for, they are somehow suspect. Afterall, how can one give an honest review if they are receiving money in exchange for a review? I would argue that many sites do just that and this helps small publishers, self-publishers, and others who would otherwise be overlooked, a chance to get noticed.

So, apparently this is the rule that we've violated. My first question to Amazon is - why didn't you grandfather in reviews that were posted BEFORE your rule change??? At the very least, you could have maintained some sense of credibility by doing this (and angered a lot less authors!).

Okay, so it's Amazon's site, they can make the rules. I can accept that. But if they're enforcing these rules, then they need to enforce them universally, to ALL their reviewers. Spend a little time at their site and it's easy to find loads of reviewers who don't play by the rules. Here's a Forbes article about a top reviewer (I believe he's now in the top ten) who openly admits to taking money for his reviews. When this was pointed out to Amazon, they said they'd have the reviewer remove mention of taking money for reviews from his profile. What happened to the "you've violated our rules/your reviews are gone" action they've taken on others? Guess Amazon plays favorites.

Getting back to the subject of paid reviews, I maintain that it is possible to get an honest paid review. And, it seems that Amazon agrees, but only if it benefits them. Yes, Amazon is PROMOTING PAID REVIEWS! And yes, I was shouting. Check out the links below - understand that CreateSpace is an Amazon owned company:

https://www.createspace.com/Services/ClarionReview.jsp

https://www.createspace.com/Services/KirkusIndieReview.jsp

I'm guessing that Amazon has reached some sort of agreement (read $$$) with Kirkus & Clarion, otherwise they wouldn't be promoting these paid review packages on their site. And check out the price of a review! Oh, but if you go through Amazon to purchase the review you'll get a discount. Hmmmm.... seems to me Amazon thinks it's okay to pay for a review. While it's not clear if they get posted to Amazon, they are still promoting paid reviews. Oh, and did I mention that "KirkusIndieReview" is not the same as Kirkus? It seems that they separate the self-pub/paid reviews from the free/main-stream reviews. They'll take your money but don't believe your book deserves the same attention as those published by the big boys.

Want more? Check out this NYTimes Article, that in part, tells about a freelance writer who was paid $10/review by Amazon:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/20/technology/finding-fake-reviews-online.html

There's also a long list of Amazon controversies on Wikipedia which include this gem:

>>By June 2011, Amazon itself had moved into the publishing business and begun to solicit positive reviews from established authors in exchange for increased promotion of their own books and upcoming projects.^[44]

Finally, there's also a little thing called the FTC which Amazon seems to ignore, particularly FTC Guideline 16 CFR Part 255 (effective December 1, 2009). This little rule (but come on, Amazon doesn't play by the rules, they ignore them) basically says any product (and this includes books) received in exchange for a review, is considered payment for the review. Therefore, an author/publisher/publicist can't get a "free" review unless the reviewer purchased the book or received it as a gift. So all those reviewers who are sent free products/books by publishers to review on Amazon are violating this FTC rule AND being paid, in the eyes of the Government. Shouldn't you ban them too, Amazon?

We made sure our site was in compliance with this FTC rule, and added an FTC statement to the bottom of every page on our site. Amazon has a large group of "special" reviewers known as "Vine Reviewers" (FQ was once a Vine reviewer). These reviewers get products free in exchange for reviews on a regular basis (typically two newsletters are sent each month, for a total of four free products - books, food, electronics, pretty much anything available on Amazon.) The company producing/promoting the product pays a fee to Amazon for the privelage of having their product reviewed. Where are the FTC notations on these reviews????

This doesn't even touch on the issue of authors posting reviews of their own books, friends posting reviews (and it's frequently obvious that they haven't even read the book), those who post reviews for sites under their own accounts/names to avoid using the site's name, the public relations companies that hire (pay for) reviewers to post (check out that Wikipedia article), and the list goes on. The only way I see Amazon dealing with this is to only allow reviews by people who purchased THAT product directly FROM Amazon. But then what would they do with Harriet Klausner??? By the way, if you need a laugh, here's a great blog dedicated to her:

The Harriet Klausner Appreciation Society

Can you tell that I'm angry? Yes, I am! This hurts us, it hurts Amazon, and most importantly, it hurts the authors who are simply trying to promote their books. If you're angry too, here are the addresses at Amazon to email:

jeff@amazon.com (Jeff Bezos)

He is the CEO of Amazon - you obviously won't get Bezos but I've been told by a former employee of Amazon that these letters do get noticed.

community-help@amazon.com

This is the main customer service email address - maybe if we flood them with emails they'll get the idea.

Monday Morning Introductions

2011-10-24T15:54:00.000-04:00

Here's what came in for review this week. Check out the great selection and then stop by Feathered Quill in a few weeks to read the reviews.

Red, White, and Boom Special Agent Jeb Foster and the Rapid Intervention Team he leads are recruited to help the Russians retrieve 500 tons of stolen weapons-grade nuclear material. Although the United States and other countries were assisting the Russians to secure these stockpiles, many were known to be vulnerable. When Jeb learns that not one, but multiple thefts have taken place from supposedly secure locations, he and the team go to secret cities where few outsiders have ever set foot. Sabotage leaves him stranded in the Arctic wilderness, and as time is running short, Jeb fears the thieves will escape Russia with the stolen nuclear material. The body count of those who could have provided valuable information steadily mounts, making his task all the more difficult. He knows that if the stolen material passes into the hands of the terrorists, who likely contracted for its theft, it will be for the sole purpose of delivering a devastating blow to several major American cities.

Marcel Marceau: Master of Mime

Ari the Engineer and the Hanukkah Mishap

Nathan Blows Out the Hanukkah Candles

Author Interview with Helena P. Schrader

2011-10-17T20:45:00.000-04:00

Today we're talking with Helena P. Schrader, author of Leonidas of Sparta: A Peerless Peer

FQ: The research for this series must have taken forever. Do you find Ancient History intriguing?

I do indeed. I think what fascinates me most is how relevant it still is. I remember, for example, reading an ancient writer complain about how youth "nowadays" are not well educated and are all rude. Or, more important: the treatment and status of Athenian women was appallingly similar to the treatment of women in Saudi Arabia today. When we see that certain aspects of human behavior have not changed in 2,500 years, I believe, we can assess what is happening in our own age more effectively. We can separate the impact of fashion and technology from fundamental human characteristics and focus on the essence of human nature.

Leonidas

FQ: You seem to have a great liking for Greek/Spartan history. What sparked your interest in this subject?

Good question! It was learning about the comparatively high status of Spartan women compared to women in the rest of the Greece. Athenian women lived in a viciously misogynous society, while Spartan women did not. But popular literature about Sparta focused on Sparta as a militaristic society in which youth were subjected to institutionalized pederasty. Now, psychologists can tell you that the victims of pederasty grow up to be misogynous men, which would have fit perfectly for Athens, but singularly and emphatically did not describe Sparta. So there was an obvious and serious disconnect between the historical record and the popular image of Sparta on this one point. This made me want to learn more about Sparta. The more I researched, the more I realized that the entire popular image of Sparta was seriously distorted. I was particularly lucky to run across works by the Dutch archeologist Conrad M. Stibbe very early in my research. His brilliant book Das Andere Sparta focused on the archaic period and meticuloulsy documented the high level of Spartan artistic achievement, its sculpture, bronze-works, architecture and music. Ancient societies weren't static, you know. Sparta existed as an independent city-state for roughly 700 years. I soon realized that modern perceptions of Sparta were largely formed by images and information that originated with Sparta's enemies and dated from the period of Sparta's decline, even from the Roman period, when Sparta was decadent and corrupted. On top of that there were all these myths and cartoon-like exaggerations of Spartan society. I'm a bit of a radical, or maybe I simply have a quixotic nature; I like fighting against misrepresentations and inaccuracies, so I started writing books that would depict Sparta as it was in its age of glory, the 6th century BC. I based my depictions of Sparta on serious academic literature, the archeological record, and -- this is most important -- on Herodotus, Xenophon, and Pausanias.

Lacadaemon

FQ: Have you traveled to the areas that you write about?

Absolutely! I find it very difficult to write about places I have not been. As soon as I started to research ancient Sparta, I travelled to the Peloponnese. What a mind-bending experience! It was as much the trip to the region that was once ancient Lacedaemon as the research that made me completely revise my own pre-conceived ideas about Sparta. Lacedaemon is not at all harsh, bleak or infertile. It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited. (And don't forget I'm a Foreign Service Officer; I have lived in Japan, Brazil, England, Germany, Norway, and Nigeria. I've travelled to South Africa, Egypt, across Latin America and througout Europe.) I have walked across fields in Lacedaemon and counted 33 different types of blooming wild-flowers within 500 paces. You can look through the palm trees up to snow-capped peaks. Drinking water gushes out of the mountain springs and cascades over the limestone beds of creeks. In short, Lacedaemon is and was beautiful and fertile -- as ancient historians well knew. The Spartans were surrounded by beauty and had everything necessary for wealth in an ancient society. I'm convinced this had an impact on their mentality and life-style. Anyone interested in what Sparta would have looked like in the age of Leonidas can check my blog SpartaReconsidered.blogspot.com on which I've posted several entries about the natural wealth and beauty of Lacedaemon. I've also published an article on what Sparta would have looked like in the academic journal Sparta: Journal of Ancient Spartan and Greek History.

FQ: Do you have other hobbies that brought you to writing historical/fiction?

Taygetos

I trace my interest in history and historical fiction to a visit to the Colossium in Rome at the age of four. My mother and sisters were taking the proper tour, but assuming a four-year-old would get bored, my father took me around himself. He said, "This is where they fed the Christians to the lions." My four-year-old imagination was instantly piqued. I looked around at everything with wide-eyed fascination, trying to image just where the Christians had hid and where the lions had lurked. Ever since, whenever I visit a historical site I try to picture the people living/working/fighting there. I was fortunate to live in England while still a teenager, and that, of course, gave me many, many opportunities to visit different kinds of fascinating and significant historical venues. English Heritage does an absolutely splendid job of providing excellent, accurate information and yet making historical sites come to life with tournaments, costumed narrators, opportunities to wear armor or handle medieval swords etc. etc. Visiting historical sites made me imagine life in other periods -- and that led automatically to making up stories set in these places and then writing those stories down. Meanwhile, I studied history, earning my PhD with a biographical dissertation on General Friedrich Olbricht, the originator of the Valkyrie plot against Hitler. As a historian, historical accuracy is as important to me as a good, compelling story.

FQ: I always ask this question. Do you have any pets? Do they keep you company while you write?

I dearly wish I had pets. However, as a Foreign Service Officer, moving every two to three years, my husband and I felt it would be unfair to the pets -- and on some assignments dangerous for them as well. The very hardest part of joining the Foreign Service was selling my 10 year old Chestnut gelding, Wapiti. I hope to have at least a cat and a dog when I retire (to Lacedaemon, by the way.)

FQ: I am an eager reader of WWII history. I find that you have written numerous books in that genre. What made you interested enough to write these novels?

I remember stumbling upon a reference to the German Resistance to Hitler while I was getting a Masters Degree in Diplomacy and International Commerce at the Patterson School, University of Kentucky. I had been raised on stories of the Danish Resistance (my grandfather was Danish) and I was flabbergasted to learn there had been a German Resistance. I asked my professor about it, and he pointed me to several good books on the topic. It fascinated me so much -- this idea of fighting not a foreign invader but your own government out of ethical and moral conviction -- that I read all I could in English. But that wasn't very much, so I went to Germany to learn German. There I met several survivors and relatives of the German Resistance who encouraged me to write about the German Resistance for the American audience. Meanwhile, however, I enrolled in the PhD program at the University of Hamburg, and earned my PhD with a ground-breaking dissertation on General Friedrich Olbricht. (Olbricht was an opponent of Hitler before he came to power, and involved in plots to remove him from 1938 onwards. He developed Valkyrie as a coup instrument in early 1942. He recruited Stauffenberg for the military resistance in 1943, and he was the first man to be executed on July 20, 1944. My dissertation was published in German by the renouned German academic publisher Bouvier Verlag in 1993, a second edition came out in 1994. I wrote an English biography of Olbricht, published by Haynes Publishing in the UK, 2009.)

FQ: I would love to read An Obsolete Honor. I don’t know how I missed it. Could you tell us a little about the research for this book?

Author Helena P. Schrader

The research for An Obsolete Honor and for my dissertation were closely intermingled. I was working on both at the same time. I conducted literally hundreds of interviews with survivors of Nazi Germany including Nina Countess Stauffenberg, the widow of Claus Stauffenberg (made famous by Tom Cruise's film, Valkyrie), Ludwig Baron von Hammerstein, Philipp Baron von Boeselager, Axel Baron von dem Bussche -- one of the would-be assassins -- and many more. The novel draws on all these real stories and roughly ten years of research which included reading personal memoirs and letters as well as the Gestaop transcripts of torture. It is fiction because I amalgamated and pruned and merged individual accounts to create a coherent story, but the book is authentic. No historical figure portrayed in the novel is every anyplace he could not have been, nor does he/she say anything at odds with the historical record. The manuscript was edited, by the way, by Baroness von Hammerstein, a survivor of the period and wife of one of the minor figures in the military resistance.

For all that, if you will allow me, I'd like to note that I personally believe my best work is my Battle of Britain novel. This was first published in 2008 under the title Chasing the Wind. By chance it fell into the hands one of the few surviving RAF aces of the Battle, Wing Commander Bob Doe. A few weeks later, I received a hand-written letter in which he said my novel was "the best book ever" on the Battle of Britain and that it "got it smack on the way it was for us fighter pilots." As a historian, no compliment could have been greater, and it is because of this endorsement that I strongly recommend Chasing the Wind -- or the newly released Kindle edition under the title Where Eagles Never Flew to any readers interested in World War Two.

Thank you for the opportunity to share these experiences and thoughts with your readers.

To learn more about Leonidas of Sparta: A Peerless Peer please read the review at: Feathered Quill Book Reviews.

Monday Morning Introductions

2011-10-17T10:47:00.000-04:00

Here's a sample of the books that came in for review this week. Check them out and then stop by our review site in a few weeks to read the reviews.

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The Twelve Days of Christmas - in Texas, That Is Told with a Texas twang, this tale features a dozen icons of the Lone Star state. Clever rhymes count down the days of Christmas, revealing such surprise gifts as silver spurs, oil wells, and armadillos. Festive illustrations fill the pages of this western romp.

The Christmas Cats In a house trimmed with holly, two sisters make preparations for their Christmas party. But sadly their assortment of cats cannot attend. So when the guests arrive, upstairs they must go! The banished cats squirm as they smell the aroma of baked treats and hear the crackle of fire, and they don't want to miss another minute of this festive fete. When the restless felines break loose and crash the party below, chaotic hilarity ensues.

Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm This book brings together approximately two dozen of the most beloved of the classic Grimm fairy tales, including all the classics, such as Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Hansel and Gretel in an all-new translation specially commissioned for this publication. Containing a painstakingly-researched selection of artwork by some of the most famous illustrators from the 1850s to the 1950s—including Golden Age legend Kay Nielsen, beloved bestselling author Wanda Gág (of "Millions of Cats," 1928), British darlings Walter Crane and Arthur Rackham, and giants of nineteenth century German illustration Hermann Vogel, Otto Speckter, and Viktor Paul Mohn—this compilation also includes beautiful silhouettes culled from original publications from the 1920s that run throughout the entire layout. For adults and children alike, this collection brings to life the magic of fairy tales and their illustrations.

Cloudburst Since being taken in by wealthy Mrs. Jordan March and living in her exquisite home like a daughter, Sasha Porter’s traumatic past—destitute on the streets, and the shattering accident that killed her mother—seems like a fading nightmare. Beautiful and sophisticated, as bold and daring as her “sister,” Kiera March, Sasha still keeps her mother’s wise words close to her heart: never fully trust anyone. Inside her privileged new world, it’s advice that will prove more precious than gold.. . . CAN ANYTHING STOP THE DOWNPOUR?Against the wishes of Jordan’s husband, Donald, Sasha attracts the attention of Duane Banks, a shy, handsome athlete, and maneuvers her way into his heart. But Duane’s hidden torment soon explodes in a horrific tragedy that pulls Sasha into a flood of guilt and despair. And when someone she thought she could trust targets her vulnerability, Sasha recalls her mother’s warnings—and a violent storm of dark deceptions and shocking family secrets is unleashed. Will she sink or swim?

Mr. Darcy, Vampyre

Author Interview with Barbara Ardinger

2011-10-15T15:08:00.000-04:00

Today we're talking with Barbara Ardinger, author of Secret Lives

FQ: The characters are so funny, at times, among the beauty of what they’re saying and doing. Are any of the characters specifically based on you and/or your friends?

Before anything else—many thanks for your lovely review. As an author yourself, you know how gratifying it is when a reader gets your work.

There are tiny bits of me and nearly everyone I know in the characters of Secret Lives. I suspect that I am most like the Goddesses two “thoughty” devotees, Cairo and Brooke, but I think there must be some of me in Bertha, too. I’ve been a bit of a rebel all my life. Brooke grew up in St. Louis, so did I, she and some other characters went to college at Southeast Missouri State in Cape Girardeau, where I earned my B.S. and M.A. Though the university changed the name of the team and mascot some years ago, I renamed the school Sagamore State after the old mascot, “Chief Sagamore.” Brooke’s avoidance behavior in Chapter 19 echoes things I did in a similar circumstance. The story about the trip to the Ozarks in the VW bug is true—we stopped in a small town and they didn’t know where to put the gas in the car. Other characters contain hints of people I know, and some of the people mentioned (especially in the chapters about Jacoba’s breast cancer) are real people, some with their names changed. Frances J. Swift thinks and talks like every corporate memo I ever read (and I’ve read a lot of corporate-speak). I think it’s this verisimilitude that makes the characters seem so real.

FQ: There are many who see the hideous treatment that our beloved family members are receiving in retirement homes. Is this a subject you would really like people to ‘get’ when they read this novel?

It certainly is. I have known people—most of them elderly women like Sarah—who were sold out of their houses and parked in shabby places like the Towers. For a few months while I was writing Secret Lives, I was a companion to an 82-year-old woman with Alzheimer’s. She and I made a good team: she was talking to invisible people and I was watching and listening to invisible people. After my grandfather’s death, my grandmother lived with her two living daughters—a month here, a month there, a month back again. Sophie echoes my grandmother when she says she never knew where to call home. (Gramma finally found a place in a senior citizens’ village near St. Louis.) Hannah’s nightmares about the floors falling out of her mother’s house are taken directly from nightmares I had after my grandfather died. I have also seen physicians give very poor care to old women, though that is—thank Goddess!—changing today.

Twenty years ago, elderly women were still at the bottom of the social totem pole. The metaphysical Great Chain of Life, which was a popular paradigm during the 18th and 19th centuries went sort of like this—mud (earth), women, noble animals (the lion), men, angels, God. Well, we neopagans and witches are very grounded. Our religion is an earth-based religion. It’s said we worship the ground we walk on. I was also present several times when we constructed a labyrinth on the beach at Laguna Beach; Cairo’s story is a true one.

FQ: You speak about various areas of study such as, numerology, astrology, and even the Theosophical Society. Are you a researcher on these particular subjects? Or, studied them in college?

I read a lot. I’ve studied these topics and more. My numerology teacher at the time I started writing Secret Lives (1990) was a French woman born in Egypt whose accent made Maurice Chevalier sound like Walter Cronkite. (Does anyone recognize these two men’s names?) I spent several years as a member of Edgar Cayce’s association and even got a sweet kiss on the cheek from one of Cayce’s sons, who was an elderly man. I’ve tried to learn astrology, but I just don’t speak the language. Thankfully, I have a dozen friends who are experts and explain things to me. I have read much of the early New Thought literature (written around the turn of the 20th century and earlier) and much of the literature of the late 19th-century Occult Revival of Europe. Bits and pieces of all these things are given in the novel. Rev. Donnathea is an entirely admirable mainstream metaphysical teacher. I’m sure we’ve all met teachers like Rev. Debbee and students like Gwennie.

And I’ve known some very thoughtful Theosophists who would read my version of the transmigration of souls and laugh out loud. Theosophy posits the theory that life—a soul—arises in the mineral kingdom, moves to the vegetable, then to the animal, next to the human, then ascends to the angelic realm. I write in the FREE READER’S GUIDE on my website that Madame Blavatsky, the circle’s familiar, was born in the fluorite mine and moved to a mugwort bush. (These are both associated with mental power.) Next she was a Russian bear (the real-life occultist was born in Russia,) then she was the famous occultist and author. Next she became the cat in my novel. People might think she’s going backwards, but we need to remember that catus felis, the domestic cat, is the highest form of life on the planet. After her nine lives as a cat, Madame Blavatsky will start climbing up the nine levels of the angelic hierarchy. Yes—this is nonsense. But that’s the point of parody!

FQ: Being allowed to “make the choice you want to make for yourself” where death is concerned presents a scenes which are truly beautiful. Do you believe that this should be an option for all?

I believe that a person facing death should not be kept “heroically” alive with tubes and drugs and machines. If it’s time to go, then a person should be allowed to have a dignified death. I learned this as an AIDS volunteer and when some close friends died. This is why our women celebrate Sarah’s life and create sacred space for her to make her choice. They don’t do anything to encourage her or discourage her.

I also think I accept the fact of reincarnation, though I’m not totally sure. I’ve had spontaneous views of a couple of my earlier lives and believe them; at the same time, I do NOT believe that I was Cleopatra in an earlier life, which I was told because I wrote my doctoral dissertation about her. And two of my boyfriends were Caesar and Antony?? I think not! I’m very curious to know what happens when someone who dies “wakes up” in another realm, but even though I love the movie Ghost, nobody really trustworthy has come back to tell us.

FQ: The debates that arise from your novel such as God versus Goddess and The Church versus other religions are extremely strong. Can you offer readers a bit of information about these tough subjects, and how you feel about these debates that still go on?

As I—and many other neopagans—see it, the Goddess is the grandmother of God. The basic situation shown in the prologue is accurate and true. People were living in an egalitarian civilization in Old Europe when Indo-European horsemen arrived from the Caucasus Mountains and the Russian steppes bringing their sky, solar, storm gods with them. This is documented in the work of Marija Gimbutas and others. Lucia Birnbaum, another respected scholar, writes that the earliest people walked out of eastern Africa before 50,000 BCE taking their “black mothers” (black ancestral goddesses) with them. They turned left to populate Asia and went north and turned left to populate Europe.

We neopagans are not out to do battle with other religions. We do not proselytize, we do not seek converts, we do not preach to the masses. There are, of course, a few fundamentalist pagans who will have nothing to do with the standard-brand religions, but I’ve never heard of any neopagan jihadists or evangelists. I keep hoping we’re working up to a critical mass and that we’ll bring more lovingkindness to the planet. That’s why I write about pagan festivals and gods and goddesses in my last nonfiction book, Pagan Every Day, where I also write about Christian saints, Jewish holidays, Muslim prophets and events, Mormon history, Black Islam, and holidays from the Eastern religions.

FQ: I was very proud to see that all characters are given their voice in this novel. From witches to horrific doctors to the subject of lesbianism - this really feels like a novel promoting choice in everything. Is this a correct statement?

Yes. Choice based on intelligent observation and clear thought is a good thing. We have free will and e can make life choices. But we always need to consider the unintended consequences of any choices we make.

FQ: When your shaman is resting on her staff, the picture of many women and men resting on their canes in their elder years pops into mind - reminding me that this is the generation with the power, intelligence, and history that we should be honoring and not tossing into homes. Are you an advocate for senior citizens?

A formal advocate? No. But I’ve met many elderly people and listened to their stories. I’ve spent time in “old folks’ homes” and modeled the Towers on several of them. I also believe Santayana when he says that if we don’t remember history we’ll be condemned to repeat it. I read the newspaper in the morning and watch the news on TV, and I keep thinking the U.S. is heading in the same direction as some earlier fallen empires. We need to listen to our wise elders. Of course, some of our elderly people are not wise, so it’s a matter of distinguishing between those who know history and those who don’t, those who are wise and those who are demented. It would be good if we could keep the latter out of government.

FQ: Do you hope that the next generation comes to realize that they are being handed down the power to fight the evil that seems to be becoming more and more rampant every day?

I don’t like to use a word like “evil.” There’s a lot that’s lousy in the world—all we have to do is watch Eyewitless News to see big and little wars and gangs and crime. There are gangs in Long Beach. The scene that opens Chapter 1 echoes threats that women get all the time. My hope for the younger generation is that they learn to kind to other people and learn to make choices that are useful and helpful to themselves and other people. But our kids have a lot of awful history to overcome.

FQ: Who do you believe are some of the strongest women from history? I know that you mention Hypatia - THE librarian (my favorite) - is she among the toughest? And, do you believe that strong women will continue to be ‘taken-down’ even after all this time?

The list given in Chapter 25 names a lot of my heras. (“Hera” is the feminine form of “hero.”) The women are identified in the FREE READER’S GUIDE on my website. Cleopatra of Egypt was the subject of my doctoral dissertation. Zenobia was a Syrian queen who led a failed revolt against the Roman Empire. Hypatia really died as described. Pope Joan may have been real. Eleanor of Aquitaine was married to and imprisoned by Henry II. Tamara was the “king” of Georgia in the Caucasus at the end of the 12th century. Everyone knows about Joan of Arc. Queen Jinga Mbandi was an Angolan queen who tried to drive the Portuguese out of her land. Harriet Tubman was an African American humanitarian who used the Underground Railroad to take slaves out of the South and worked for women’s rights after the end of the Civil War. Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz was a Mexican nun and poet. Clara Schumann was the sister of Robert Schumann and is believed to have written much of the music he took credit for. Isadora Duncan is said to be the creator of modern dance. Hildegard of Bingen and Dame Julian of Norwich were medieval Christian nuns and mystics. St. Theresa was a Spanish nun, mystic, saint, and reformer of the Carmelite Order. Mother Theresa was an Albanian Catholic nun and founder of the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India. Simone Weil was a French philosopher and social activist who is said to have starved herself to death in sympathy with the inmates of the Nazi concentration camps. Susan Griffin is the author of Woman and Nature (1979), a beautiful and important early feminist work. My intention with this list was to name women who have been overlooked in most of the history books.

FQ: I have to know… I love Madame Blavatsky - who is the cat based on?

The cat is sui generis, one in herself. For purposes of the plot, I wanted a powerful, smart-alecky character, but why did this character have to be human? A talking cat, along with the magic, is part of the magical realism of the novel. I also thought about the familiars that witches have traditionally lived with. She looks like one of my earlier cats, but none of my cats have ever spoken English. She’s a realistic feline because I live with two Maine coon cats (Schroedinger and Heisenberg) and observed their behavior as I wrote. But my cats don’t dance the lambada or sing songs from Marx Brothers movies, either.

FQ: On a personal note: I read in your Author’s Note that acquisitions departments over time have said to you that no one will want to read about crones, goddesses, and magic - I truly believe that you will prove them all wrong in 2011.

Many thanks. Twenty years ago, no one was the least bit interested in senior citizens, especially not in old women. As the boomers begin to retire, however, “old age” is increasingly important. Just look at the ads on TV—“cures” for menopause, Viagra ads, ads for retirement villages. We can also look at some recent history. Jessica Tandy won her Oscar at the age of 89. The Golden Girls was a popular TV show. Older actors like Chloris Leachman and others are still working. In the U.S. Congress, many of our female senators and representatives, like Nancy Pelosi, might be of retirement age, but they’re not nearly ready to retire. Two of our three female Supreme Court justices are nearly old enough to be crones (Sotomayor is 57, Kagan is 51, Ginsburg is 78), but they’re smart and active. The door of respect of older women is open a tiny crack now. I’m hoping to give it a shove and open it wider.

To learn more about Secret Lives please read the review at: Feathered Quill Book Reviews.

Is Facebook Tracking YOU?

2011-10-14T09:44:00.001-04:00

There's been a lot of articles recently about how Facebook is using its data to track you/your interests/your, well, your "everything." If you promote books or other things on Facebook, you should be aware of their data retrieval efforts. There was an article in Time last week about how this data gathering is changing what FB is. Here's another article on just what the folks at FB are doing. Take a minute to read and if nothing else, be aware, next time you post to FB. Facebook Can Track Web Browsing Without Cookies

iSquare Update

2011-10-13T15:07:00.000-04:00

Several weeks ago I posted a blurb about the iSquare, a new app that allows users to take credit cards via their phones, ipads, etc. I had used it a few times and found it to be quite good. Well, I recently had a multiple-day book signing and had LOTS of chances to use the iSquare. Here is what I found:

Overall, it still rocks!
The app does take a bit of getting used to. Perhaps partially due to nerves, the first few transactions were a little clunky.
If at all possible, use an ipad rather than an iphone. Using the phone requires a bit more squinting of the eyes, and doesn't offer all of the features available for the ipad. For example, with the ipad, you have the option of entering the total sale amount (which is what you do on the phone) or of entering each product, along with an image of said product, and then the price, which you entered when you set up your account, comes up automatically. Also, the screen where the customer has to sign is MUCH larger.
Customers, for the most part, LOVED this app and thought it was very cool. Some were genuinely excited.
Most decided not to have a receipt sent to their email/cell phone which I thought was odd. Perhaps they thought I'd then track them, add them to my mailing list, etc. I don't know.
While the app worked quite well, there were several times when it locked up. I actually had a couple sales I couldn't get to go through. It wasn't that the credit cards were bad, but rather, "can't get an internet connection." Perhaps, since it was a large/busy venue, too many vendors were trying to use the wi-fi?
There was one time where the reader stopped working on my ipad. It worked on my iphone, but not my ipad. No idea what was wrong. I thought the reader had gone bad but the next day it worked fine (and yes, it was pushed in all the way!).
Money was transferred into my account very quickly. In addition, I received an email confirmation of each transaction, with a link for further information. Clicking on the link sent me to a page with detailed info. included a google map pinpointing where the transaction too place. Too cool.
Overall, the isquare still rocks!

Monday Morning Introductions

2011-10-10T10:51:00.001-04:00

Here's a sample of the books that came in for review

during the last several days:

Mr. Darcy, Vampyre

Mosquito A pesky mosquito gets his due. Mosquito is a nuisance to all the animals as he buzzes about the forest. With fun word play, including rhyme, alliteration, and onomatopoeia, each critter expresses its annoyance with him. Finally, Mosquito bothers the wrong neighbor, who ends the insect's career as resident pest. A list of mosquito facts appears at the end of this humorous children's story.

Blue Frog: The Legend of Chocolate A long, long time ago, the Sun God spent his days enjoying a very special secret treat: rich, dark cacao. Unlike the Wind God, the Sun God did not want to share this heavenly food with the creatures of the Earth. One day, the Wind God transformed himself into the Rana Azul, or Blue Frog, and he taught the children of the Earth where to find the secret cacao beans through song. A recipe for hot chocolate and a sprinkling of Spanish words and phrases enhance this intricately illustrated foodie fable.

Curious Critters Photographer David FitzSimmons turns his camera on a variety of animals common throughout North America. CURIOUS CRITTERS presents stunning images of everyday animals, including a red flat bark beetle, an Eastern spiny softshell turtle, a spotted salamander, and many other intriguing creatures. Each Curious Critter is photographed against a white backdrop, showcasing the animal's colors, textures, and shapes with precision and clarity. Along with each photo is an entertaining and educational vignette, told from the critter's perspective: a bush katydid explains her bubblegum-pink color, a poetic opossum opines upon her often-shortened name, and a far-from-modest black swallowtail butterfly lets readers in on her secret for avoiding predators. Young boys and girls will delight in these colorful critters and their tales

Amazon's Famous or Infamous Customer Service

2011-10-05T21:30:00.001-04:00

Think you're having a bad day? Try dealing with Amazon's customer service! If you have ever tried to have a coherent phone conversation (or via email - with Amazon's frequent use of form letters, staff signing with first name/last initial only - do they really exist because you'll never email the same person twice), you know the true meaning of frustration. Here's a blog post we found about a horrifying experience one woman had with Amazon's customer support.

Monday Morning Introductions

2011-10-03T11:22:00.002-04:00

Here's a look at the books that came in for review this week. Check them out and then stop by our site in a few weeks to read the reviews.

The Importance of Being Ernie: From My Three Sons to Mad Men, a Hollywood Survivor Tells All

Ghost Files In this hair-raising omnibus, Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson, founders of The Atlantic Paranormal Society (T.A.P.S.), reveal the memorable and spine-tingling cases featured in their smash-hit collections, Ghost Hunting and Seeking Spirits. From their never-seen-on-television adventures as budding paranormal investigators to the behind-the-scenes accounts of heart-pounding supernatural encounters featured on their popular show, these fascinating and frightening real life tales will keep you up at night!

Curious Critters Photographer David FitzSimmons turns his camera on a variety of animals common throughout North America. CURIOUS CRITTERS presents stunning images of everyday animals, including a red flat bark beetle, an Eastern spiny softshell turtle, a spotted salamander, and many other intriguing creatures. Each Curious Critter is photographed against a white backdrop, showcasing the animal's colors, textures, and shapes with precision and clarity. Along with each photo is an entertaining and educational vignette, told from the critter's perspective: a bush katydid explains her bubblegum-pink color, a poetic opossum opines upon her often-shortened name, and a far-from-modest black swallowtail butterfly lets readers in on her secret for avoiding predators.

Froggy Boots Go With Everything Froggy Boots Go With Everything is a sturdy board book that celebrates a boy s inseparable love for his froggy boots. Simple phrases and colorful illustrations follow the boy through many activities in which his froggy boots become the prop that drives his imaginative play. The boy is accompanied throughout the book by a little frog friend who always finds his way into the scene. Adults will recognize activities from their own homes or get new ideas for playtime fun while reliving some favorite childhood memories with nostalgic appreciation. An easy Can you find... game at the end brings children back again and again while teaching important recognition skills.

The Space Between Daphne is the half-demon, half-fallen angel daughter of Lucifer and Lilith. Life for her is an endless expanse of time, until her brother Obie is kidnapped - and Daphne realizes she may be partially responsible. Determined to find him, Daphne travels from her home in Pandemonium to the vast streets of Earth, where everything is colder and more terrifying. With the help of the human boy she believes was the last person to see her brother alive, Daphne glimpses into his dreams, discovering clues to Obie's whereabouts. As she delves deeper into her demonic powers, she must navigate the jealousies and alliances of the violent archangels who stand in her way. But she also discovers, unexpectedly, what it means to love and be human in a world where human is the hardest thing to be.

Ghost Files In this hair-raising omnibus, Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson, founders of The Atlantic Paranormal Society (T.A.P.S.), reveal the memorable and spine-tingling cases featured in their smash-hit collections, Ghost Hunting and Seeking Spirits. From their never-seen-on-television adventures as budding paranormal investigators to the behind-the-scenes accounts of heart-pounding supernatural encounters featured on their popular show, these fascinating and frightening real life tales will keep you up at night!

Ghost Trackers For fifteen years, Amber, Drew, and Trevor have barely been able to recall—let alone explain—what happened the terrifying night they decided to explore the old, abandoned Lowry House. According to local legend, the house was cursed by a dark past and inhabited by evil. It burst into flames on the night of their visit, leaving the friends traumatized and nearly dead with only vague memories of the frightening events they had witnessed inside. Now, on the eve of their high school reunion, they have gathered to reopen their investigation and figure out, once and for all, what took place that fateful night . . . before the supernatural entity they escaped threatens to overtake them again.

Eclipse of the Jacguar The MacGregor family heads to the warm waters of Mexico and Central America in this latest installment in the series. When two of the kids are kidnapped by a thief, the family must come to the rescue.

Author Interview with Nikolai Grozni

2011-10-01T21:42:00.000-04:00

Today we're talking with Nikolai Grozni, author of Wunderkind

FQ: Konstantin is fantastic - a truly mesmerizing literary character. I would assume that Konstantin and his life is loosely based on your own experiences?

Yes, the character of Konstantin is based to a large extent on my own experience at the Sofia Music School. Perhaps I’m a writer without any imagination: I always end up writing about myself!

FQ: Is this, in a way an autobiography - a way to work through the feelings and experiences you had to go through?

I knew that one day I’d have to write this book even while I was still at the music school. For many years I kept putting this project off, convincing myself that I wasn’t ready, that it’s too much to talk about these things. When I finally got down to writing it, I told myself that this was going to be a healing process and that I needed to address all the anger that’s been brewing in me for years. Unfortunately, the process of writing this book turned out to be incredibly traumatic.

FQ: I know you were a musical prodigy. Can you tell readers a little about your background - performances you played, and how piano playing came about in your own life?

I started playing when I was still in daycare. My mother had played the piano for many years before becoming a doctor and she owned a beautiful old German piano. I remember leaving daycare early to go to ear-training classes. At seven, I was accepted to the Music School. At nine I auditioned to travel to Italy and play at an international piano competition. I ended up winning the competition and continued to perform and take part in competitions until I was kicked out of the Music School at age seventeen.

FQ: Now, you are a native of Sofia, Bulgaria - the country focused upon in the book. Can you tell our readers what that situation was like? How you lived behind the Iron Curtain?

Bulgaria had one of the harshest—if not the harshest—authoritarian regimes among all the Eastern bloc countries. Dissidents were sent regularly to concentration camps or imprisoned. It was like being in a virtual reality nightmare where most people thought everything was real, while those who knew the truth were too afraid to say it. I remember going to school one morning when I was ten and seeing a huge red paint graffiti on the school wall which said, "Todor Zhivkov is a murderer!" Todor Zhivkov was the country's dictator whose name and image was so ubiquitous you couldn’t open a door or a window without meeting his sick stare. When I read the graffiti I felt as if a large chunk of the virtual reality dome had disintegrated and there had appeared an opening large enough for all of us to go through and escape into the real world. But no one wanted to escape. Students and teachers refused to read or even look at the sign—which was promptly washed off before the end of first period. When, sometime later, I learned through friends the name of the boy who had painted the graffiti, I thought of him as god. I couldn’t believe that someone would have the guts to do something like that.

FQ: Can you also tell our readers how you left Bulgaria, and what life was like once you were not ruled over by communism?

When I arrived in the United States, shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall, I had to grow up a second time so that I can function in a society where people had many choices and were free to think and be inspired. Just sitting in Boston Public Library on Boylston Street was enough for me: there were books on everything you could imagine. Nothing was off limits. Nothing was forbidden. In a sense Boston is my home town. It’s where I grew up emotionally and as a person.

FQ: I read in your bio that you lived in the Catacombs in Bulgaria. Can you explain what this location is?

The Catacombs were a vast network of underground tunnels and passageways where a lot of society’s outcasts lived year-round. I was first brought there by a friend and quickly found many kindred spirits.

FQ: And am I right in saying that you no longer play the piano? Is your focus now literary only?

I still play the piano, only now I play it for myself, to experience music.

To learn more about Wunderkind please read the review at: Feathered Quill Book Reviews.

Interview with author Amy Lignor

2011-09-28T21:33:00.002-04:00

Today we're talking with Amy Lignor, author of Tallent & Lowery: 13

FQ: Leah Tallent is a great character. With her total dedication to libraries, I have to ask – is she, even remotely, based on YOU?

Oh, yes. Not the looks, however. She’s way better off in that department (LOL). But when it comes to sarcasm and witty banter, she definitely gets those jokes and gifts from her creator. Libraries, as well, are definitely my thing. Some women like high heels, some like television, some like hot guys in the movies, I have always wanted only one thing - to live inside the New York Public Library and never have to leave.

My mother, THE most fantastic woman on earth, is a career librarian. I don’t remember a time when Mom didn’t have a book in her hand. She taught my sister and I that books were the essence of humanity. Laughter, realism, heroes, damsels, action, adventure, horror - writers could bring everything into your world and you could learn something all at the same time. Books increase your intelligence and feed that huge imagination I have. And being able to walk up those stairs of the NYPL between Patience and Fortitude for a book signing would be the greatest gift I could ever be given.

FQ: Is Gareth Lowery every woman’s dream date? Does he have any flaws other than his obsession with finding the entrance to Heaven?

Well, yes. But Gareth can be a real pain, too. In the book he certainly stands for the handsome, smart, James Bond meets Indiana Jones meets 24 guy, but he also has that pompous side where he does believe he could get any woman with that smile of his. But he meets his match with Leah. She can see through all that ‘stuff’ and becomes the perfect partner for him. I think that’s what makes the romance ‘simmer’ and then finally erupt in this book, because these are two people who are the perfect balance for one another. He’s also FAR too trustworthy. Whereas Leah trusts absolutely no one, Gareth seems to be way too easily ‘swayed’ - that’s another reason why he needs her because she can always see any serpent in her garden. And he has the belief and faith, whereas Leah only believes in books and herself. So he teaches her a few things, as well - even though, of course, she has to be right.

FQ: Where did the idea for 13 come from? Had it been swirling around in your head for a while?

Oddly enough, it came from a very boring day at work where a colleague and I were so caught up that we had nothing more to do (which never happened). She was reading her horoscope off the computer, and as I looked at the screen, there was a mention of the 13th sign and a name, ‘Aleister Crowley.’ From then on, I was on a serious mission to put together a puzzle that fans would love as much as The DaVinci Code, and add a little more heart and soul to it.

FQ: I loved the use of real places to search for the missing orbs. Why did you decide to go with “real” vs. imaginary?

There are so many tremendous locations in this world, and the history they all have is so immense that it’s far more believable to create my mysteries; that amazing ‘link’ that leads the reader down an unknown path. Fantasy locations wouldn’t have worked because this book is, in essence, based on history and very REAL things that happened - even though they are little-known facts. Some of the most amazing comments I’ve received is that readers are running to Google after reading the book and looking these places up to see if I was kidding...and I wasn’t.

FQ: My favorite “real” place was Winchester’s mansion. The history around the estate and its owner, Sarah was fascinating - and, yes, I did look her/the house up on the internet. Have you ever been to the mansion?

Not yet. And I SO want to walk those halls. I purchased videos, books, spoke with people about their experiences there, and was completely and utterly amazed and intrigued by the back-story of the Winchester House. I knew a little background on it beforehand, and I focused on the house because I knew Sarah Winchester was more than a little obsessed with the number 13. She had 13 bedrooms, 13 hooks in all her closets, 13 drains in her sink, 13 panes in some of the windows - and knowing that Aleister Crowley actually did visit San Jose during that time period made me wonder if he actually could’ve been the one to start all this. I do hope that this book gives the Winchester House even more publicity, because that is truly one of the grandest mysteries and coolest places in America.

FQ: There is also a lot of history behind each and every place/person that Leah and Gareth search for. Did you have to do a lot of research when writing the book?

Again, I give all the credit to my mother, bringing me up with a book in my hand. I have actually studied archaeology and history my whole life, and I love mysterious legends, locations, and historical people. That background gave me a really good start for all of these books to be written. And, like Leah, I LOVE research. The one other thing Leah and I have in common is the fact that I feel like my brain is a card catalogue some days. When someone asks me a historical question, I can usually find it in there. If not, Google can certainly fill in the blanks!

Patience - one of NY Public Library's Lions

FQ: There’s also a bit of Astrology in this book. Do you read your horoscope on a daily basis?

Actually, I was never really into the whole horoscope thing, but I LOVE astrology. I love the beginnings of astrology back in Ptolemy’s day, and was extremely interested about the 13th sign and how it was actually something that the Pope decided to erase, for reasons that are in the book. Not to mention, the 13th sign was used for the AMA logo and other things over time.

FQ: Since this is the first of a planned 7 book series, would you give our readers a little peek into what they can expect in subsequent books?

In the next - The Sapphire Storm - (which is my mother’s favorite) Leah’s whole life is opened up to reader’s - from where she lived to meeting her slightly odd family members. A journey takes Leah and Gareth to England where an old mystery surrounding Shakespeare leads them to Pergamon, as well as other locales, and an old monastery that was actually the site of a little known event that will have readers absolutely stunned. And, of course, the man on the text messages in 13 is revealed. The third involves Greece and a strange mystery that unfolds in the basement of an old Athenian temple; book four is based on a treasure that Hitler once sought - and FOUND - that hardly anyone knows about but is true; book five is a thrill ride that goes from America to the depths of Knossos Palace; book six is based a great deal in Russia and surrounds an object that is almost completely unknown by the world that Faberge made for the evil Rasputin; and book seven is a huge conclusion that ties up all the stand alone stories and will bring readers back to the steps of that amazing library. I have worked for years on these puzzles, making sure that they could stand alone, yet also flow as one series that would awe and captivate readers (which I hope it does).

FQ: Donovan Barker is one man the world would be better off without. But alas, I suspect he may reappear in future books. Yes?

Let’s just say that this is not an ordinary series, so expecting the unexpected is really the way to go here. Even though Donovan Barker might seem bad, he’s actually not the ‘bad guy.’ There are many introduced, and the man texting Donovan on that phone in 13 will prove to be a much larger adversary.

To learn more about Tallent & Lowery: 13 please read the review at: Feathered Quill Book Reviews.

Monday Morning Introductions

2011-09-26T11:58:00.000-04:00

Here's a sample of books that came in for review at Feathered Quill this week. Check them out and then head on over to our site to read the reviews in a few weeks.

Leonidas of Sparta: A Peerless Peer Sparta at the start of the fifth century BC is in crisis. The Argives are attacking Sparta's vulnerable island of Kythera, but King Cleomenes is more interested in meddling in Athenian affairs. His co-monarch, King Demaratus, opposes Cleomenes' ambitions, and soon the kings are at each other's throats. Exploiting this internal conflict, Corinth launches a challenge to Spartan control of the Peloponnesian League, while across the Aegean Sea, the Greek cities of Ionia are in rebellion against Persia -- and pleading for Spartan aid. King Cleomenes' youngest half-brother Leonidas has only just attained citizenship. He has no reason to expect that this revolt will shape his destiny. At twenty-one, Leonidas is just an ordinary ranker in the Spartan army, less interested in high politics than putting his private life in order. He needs to find reliable tenants to restore his ruined estate, and, most important, to find the right woman to be his bride. Meanwhile, his niece Gorgo is growing up. Not particularly pretty, she is, nevertheless, precocious and courageous -- qualities that get her into trouble more than once. This is the story of both Leonidas and Gorgo in the years before Leonidas becomes king of Sparta and before the first Persian invasion of Greece sets Leonidas on the road to Thermopylae.

Paths to Divinity: Volume 1 An archaeologist gone mad describes the unearthed secrets that drove him to insanity. The tables turn on a 'tender-hearted' serial killer who truly loves his victims. A mortally wounded German soldier contemplates the futility of war and love lost in the company of a tennis-obsessed Grim Reaper. A slain Spartan king is awakened by The Furies and finds his vengeance. A little girl stumbles upon a mythical garden and finds within herself the world's salvation. Paths to Divinity offers tales grotesque and wonderful from the mind of author Joseph DiCristofano. Open this tome, and savor a journey filled with horror, magic, fear, and hope. Escape the trappings of normalcy and embrace your imagination.

Anything Ken and Melissa are at the dawn of a magnificent life together. A passionate romance has led them to the doorstep of marriage. While searching for the perfect wedding present for Melissa, Ken stumbles into a mysterious shop. There, he is given an extraordinary opportunity – to look in on Melissa when she was a girl. Ken has always wished he could have known Melissa from the day she was born and this seems like an incredible blessing. Until he discovers a terrible secret in Melissa's past, one so awful she has found it impossible to mention to him. Now Ken has another extraordinary opportunity. He can go back in time and change the horrible event that has left an indelible mark on Melissa. He can free her of this burden – but doing so could change things so completely that they might never meet. Ken has repeatedly told Melissa that he would do anything for her. But would he truly do anything?

Wax: Pearl Harbor Changed Everything Inspired by the lives of actual "Rosies," this novel follows three young women as they take industry jobs during WWII and as they break their mothers' molds when the war is over.

Red-Robed Priestess

2011-09-23T21:05:00.001-04:00

Red-Robed Priestess: a novel (Fourth volume of the Maeve Chronicles)

There’s a famous statue of the famous Iceni queen Boadicea (spelled Boudica in the novel) at Westminster Pier in London. This great Celtic queen, who died in 60 or 61 CE, fought nearly all her life against Roman war machine. Before she died, she was made to watch as her two young daughters were raped by Roman legionaries and then she was flogged. History is awful enough, but when these scenes are rendered in Elizabeth Cunningham’s matchless prose, they will break your heart.

To read the rest of the review, head on over to our review site, Feathered Quill Book Reviews.