Life is But a Dream by Brian James - Interview & Giveaway

Welcome to Author Brian James

I've written numerous children's books, including the Pirate School series and the Catkid series. I'm also the author of several novels: Pure Sunshine; Tomorrow, Maybe; Perfect World; Dirty Liar; Thief; Zombie Blondes; The Heights. 

Links:
http://brianjamestheauthor.blogspot.com/
https://twitter.com/#!/literaryoutlaw

Interview:
If you could travel in a Time Machine would you go back to the past or into the future? 
This isn't even a choice for me...I'd travel way into the future. I've always felt in some way I belong more to the future than the present. My childhood dreams always revolved around the distant future. Besides, we already know what happened in the past...I'm more curious about what's next.

Can you see yourself in any of your characters? 
I see myself in pretty much all of them. I think that's true for most writers. Characters, even ones extremely different than you, are still somewhat based on aspects of yourself. I'm also kind of a 'method' writer. So even when the characters are unlike me, I find myself becoming like them in order to get into their heads.

What is one book everyone should read? 
I don't know if there is any one book that is right for everyone, but there are books that should be read by more people. One such book is called "The Demon Flower" by Jo Imog. This is a book certainly not for everyone, it's truly disturbing, but absolutely engrossing and wonderful. I try to read ever few years and it's one of my all time favorites. Sadly, it only had one printing in English.

If you could jump in to a book, and live in that world.. which would it be? 
I would love to live in Redwall Abbey with the mice and voles and badgers. I suppose even some of the Long Patrol could hang around, as long as they don't cause too much trouble with those thumping paws of theirs.

Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published. 
Definitely hearing from fans about how a book has impacted them is an amazing feeling. Writing is something done in isolation, and it's easy to forget that anyone ever reads what you write. To discover that those words are not only read, but have meaning to total strangers is a remarkable experience.

What is your dream cast for your book?
I think Elle Fanning would be amazing as Sabrina from Life is But a Dream, just look at her work in Phoebe in Wonderland and I'm sure she could pull it off.

What is your favorite Quote? 
“The true writer has nothing to say. What counts is the way he says it.” ― Alain Robbe-Grillet

If you could have a signed copy of any novel what would it be and why? 
A first edition of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland signed by Lewis Carroll. He was the first author who I truly admired and that book has been a huge inspiration for me. There is a subtle Alice connection in Life is But a Dream and the title actually comes from a quote by him that appears in the front of the book.

How do you react to a bad review?
It depends. A well-written bad review can be just as rewarding as a good review. I'd be lying if I said I've never learned anything from a bad review. They can be very insightful and show you things in your writing that you may not have considered before. However, a poorly written bad review, or one that turns into a personal attack, can be hard to take. You put yourself out there as a writer, sharing your most intimate thoughts and feelings...it's upsetting when those are trashed in a public forum.

What is you favorite way to spend a rainy day? 
I love rainy days. If it were up to me, it could rain pretty much every day of the year. I love to write on rainy days. I find the grey atmosphere ideal for imaginative construction.

Coke or Pepsi? 
Pepsi with a passion. If I'm in a restaurant and order Pepsi and the waiter asks, "Coke, ok?" I always answer with "Sprite." I can't drink Coke. It's horrible. Always go with the choice of a new generation.

Life is But a Dream

Sabrina, an artist, is diagnosed with schizophrenia, and her parents check her into the Wellness Center. There she meets Alec, who is convinced it's the world that's crazy, not the two of them. They are meant to be together; they are special. But when Alec starts to convince Sabrina that her treatment will wipe out everything that makes her creative, she worries that she'll lose hold of her dreams and herself. Should she listen to her doctor? her decision may have fatal consequences. 
Brian James calls Life is But a Dream "the most intense book I've written. Bringing this unique character to life and seeing the world through her eyes, with all its beauty and confusion, was an immense challenge that I hope is just as rewarding to read as it was to write." Intense--yes. Unforgettable--definitely.

  Giveaway Details
1 Hardcover copy of Life is But a Dream
Open to US only
Ends 4/24/12 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Go Team #Abnegation #DivergentNation - Insurgent ARC Giveaway

HarperTeen has put together a great Blogger Event! 50 Bloggers have been selected to lead their factions to victory. I received a wonderful surprise today - An ARC of Insurgent and an assignment to help lead Team Abnegation!

Members of the Abnegation faction put the common good above all other concerns, and the needs of others above themselves. They bring their selfless outlook to politics and make for great leaders.

I have been assigned to help lead the ABNEGATION faction to victory. Here is how you can help. Simply visit this link: http://bit.ly/choose_abnegation.

To help promote Team Abnegation were giving away my ARC of Insurgent.

You can enter once per day between now and April 22nd!  The rafflecopter is being posted on a couple different sites so you can enter each day on any participating site.

Help promote Team ABNEGATION for your chance to win!

Giveaway Details
ARC of Insurgent
Open to US only
Ends 4/22/12

Any help promoting Team Abnegation is appreciated.  Be sure to always use this link as it is the only thing that counts in the challenge: http://bit.ly/choose_abnegation

You can even grab the shared rafflecotper form for this ARC giveaway and put up a post on your site!  http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/MGEwMDk2ODM4YmEyM2MyMzNmNmEwNjhkYWFjNGMwOjEzMQ==/
  a Rafflecopter giveaway Click to Pin on Pinterest:

Source: iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com via Inspired on Pinterest

I Am Abnegation #DivergentNation

UPS just dropped a package off at my door! I am one of 10 bloggers choosen to lead ABNEGATION! So excited to be part of this event!

Check it out! http://bit.ly/abnegationfaction

I invite you to join in on the fun & games and support Team Abnegation!

Exclusive FEAR secrets Video with Michael Grant

Hooray! Michael Grant recorded 3 extra special videos, each of which reveals a secret about FEAR: A GONE NOVEL.

Thanks to everyone who clicked through to see the sneak peek of Fear: A Gone Novel I Am A Reader, Not A Writer won the right to post an exclusive video clip.

So here it is: FEAR secrets from Michael Grant:

Despite the hunger, despite the lies, even despite the plague, the kids of Perdido Beach are determined to survive. Creeping into the tenuous new existence they've built, though, is perhaps the worst incarnation yet of the enemy known as the Darkness: fear. 

If you haven't done so yet enter to win a Kindle copy of Book #1 in the Gone series. The giveaway ends tomorrow at midnight!

In the blink of an eye.
Everyone disappears.
Gone.
Everyone except for the young. Teens. Middle schoolers. Toddlers. But not a single adult. No teachers, no cops, no doctors, no parents. Gone, too, are the phones, internet, and television. There is no way to get help.
Hunger threatens. Bullies rule. A sinister creature lurks. Animals are mutating. And the teens themselves are changing, developing new talents—unimaginable, dangerous, deadly powers—that grow stronger by the day.
It's a terrifying new world. Sides are being chosen and war is imminent.
The first in a breathtaking saga about teens battling each other and their darkest selves, gone is a page-turning thriller that will make you look at the world in a whole new way.

If you missed the FEAR sneak peek you can still check it out here : http://bit.ly/GSQMLN

To enter simply visit the link above and then fill out the rafflecopter form.  Ends 3/31/12.  Open to anyone who can receive and read a Kindle ebook.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

"Ask Frank" Blog Tour & Book Giveaway

Welcome to Author Frank Peretti

With more than 15 million novels in print, Frank Peretti is nothing short of a publishing phenomenon and has been called “America’s hottest Christian novelist.” The Oath (Word Publishing 1995), sold more than half a million copies within the first six months of release. The Visitation (Word Publishing 1999), was #1 on the CBA Fiction Bestseller list for four months. Born in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada in 1951, Frank is a natural storyteller who, as a youngster in Seattle, regularly gathered the neighborhood children for animated storytelling sessions, drew comics, and tapped out stories on his mother’s portable typewriter.
His journey toward becoming a writer had its side trips. After graduating from high school, he began playing banjo with a local bluegrass group, then worked as a musician and odd-job man for a small recording studio.
Shortly after he and his wife Barbara were married in 1972, Frank toured with a pop band and then a modest Christian music ministry.  He later studied English, screen writing and film at UCLA before spending five years helping his father pastor a small Assembly of God church in the Seattle area. During those five years he labored at night, on weekends, any chance he got, to write his first novel, This Present Darkness, the book that would catapult him into the public eye – eventually. Numerous publishers rejected the novel and Frank gave up his pastoring position to work in construction and odd jobs to make ends meet. Even after Crossway Books published This Present Darkness in 1986, the novel sat on store shelves largely unnoticed.
Two years later, Frank was working at a local ski factory when word-of- mouth enthusiasm finally lifted This Present Darkness onto a tidal wave of interest in spiritual warfare. The book appeared on Bookstore Journal’s bestseller list every month for more than eight years. His two spiritual warfare novels, This Present Darkness (1986) and Piercing the Darkness (1989), captivated readers, together selling more than 3.5 million copies. The Oath was awarded the 1996 Gold Medallion Award for best fiction.
For kids, Frank wrote The Cooper Kids Adventure Series (Crossway and Tommy Nelson), which remains a best-selling series for children with sales exceeding 1 million copies. In August 2000, Peretti released the hilarious children’s audiocassette series titled Wild and Wacky Totally True Bible Stories, reprising his role as Mr. Henry, the offbeat substitute Sunday School teacher found in two Visual Bible for Kids videos. In 2000, Frank released his first-ever non-fiction book, The Wounded Spirit, in which he deals with the problem of bullying.
In all, including his current work, Illusion, Frank has written nineteen books of various size for various ages.
Frank and Barbara live a simple life in rural Idaho. He leads worship at their church, Barbara paints in watercolor, and they enjoy being with their close friends.

Website: http://frankperetti.com/

Interview:

Did you model any of your characters after anyone in particular?

I suppose I did, whether knowingly or not. I often begin with a real person when I begin to create a character because right away the character has depth and realness. I can say that the concept for Mandy began with a real girl I happened to see in a talent show shortly before I began writing Illusion. Her routine was absolutely hilarious and her big eyed smile, reminiscent of Carol Channing, reached clear to the back row. Whenever I wrote about Mandy, especially Mandy performing, I envisioned that girl.

What is your favorite scene in Illusion and why do you love it?

Illusion has several very emotional scenes that move me and it’s hard to pick just one as a favorite.

I love the birthday scene because of the exquisite tension between Dane and Mandy, the longing for- and the avoidance of love at one and the same time. I love the restaurant scene in which Mandy is suffering from multiple realities all crashing in on her at once ... and then encounters someone from her past who changes the whole direction of her life. I love the scene in which Dane and Mandy finally meet and talk with each other because of the cat-and-mouse game they have to play in the dialogue. I love the crushing midpoint scene in which a waltz turns to tragedy ... Well, I could go on, but I won’t.  Don’t want to spoil the story for anybody.

What was the inspiration behind Illusion?

As with all of my stories, there is no single source or spark of inspiration.  Every story comes together like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle spilled out on a table. Lots of little ideas float around looking for partners, and then they connect, and then they find other pieces, and ideas lead to other ideas, and before long I start to see a story appearing.

How did the title for Illusion come about?

Choosing the title for this book was a collaborative process between me, the publishers, the marketing people, the art department … wow, you want to talk about more than enough cooks in the kitchen! I was hoping we could come up with a title that had more than one word just because there seems to be such an obsession these days with one-word titles, but Illusion seems to be the most functional title we could come up with.  It took us a long time going through a lot of choices to find it, and I guess it turned out to be the title that gave us the most bang for the buck.  It addresses the fact that Dane and Mandy are illusionists, but on a deeper level it addresses a major dramatic thread of the story, that of Dane and Mandy trying to figure out what is real and what isn’t. Even the cover of the book speaks to the content of the story: a mysterious girl, her face turned away from us so that we don’t know who she is, accompanied by doves, about to step through a curtain to go on stage. All of these are strong thematic elements from the story.

Describe Illusion in five words or less.

Love. Separation. Longing. Quest. Reunion.

On March 6, 2012, Howard Books released Frank Perett's Illusion, his first new novel in seven years. In the first two weeks of its release it climbed onto the New York Times Bestseller list. With more than 15 million novels in print, Frank Peretti is nothing short of a publishing phenomenon and has been called “America’s hottest Christian novelist.” He is the author of bestselling novels This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness as well as sixteen other novels. 

From March 26 to April 4, 2012, nine authors, pastors, book reviewers and bloggers will post answers to questions they've asked Frank Peretti through the "Ask Frank"  Blog Tour. The questions will range from those about Frank's writing process and inspiration to why it has been seven years since his last major novel to what kind of coffee he likes to drink. All will be compelling posts to inspire and educate you. 
Visit the Blog Tour Page: http://askfrankblogtour.weebly.com/index.html

Illusion

Dane and Mandy, a popular magic act for forty years, are tragically separated by a car wreck that claims Mandy’s life—or so everyone thinks. Even as Dane mourns and tries to rebuild his life without her, Mandy, supposedly dead, awakes in the present as the nineteen-year-old she was in 1970. Distraught and disoriented in what to her is the future, she is confined to a mental ward until she discovers a magical ability to pass invisibly through time and space to escape. Alone in a strange world, she uses her mysterious powers to eke out a living, performing magic on the streets and in a quaint coffee shop.
Hoping to discover an exciting new talent, Dane ventures into the coffee shop and is transfixed by the magic he sees, illusions that even he, a seasoned professional, cannot explain. But more than anything, he is emotionally devastated by this teenager who has never met him, doesn’t know him, is certainly not in love with him, but is in every respect identical to the young beauty he first met and married some forty years earlier.
They begin a furtive relationship as mentor and protégée, but even as Dane tries to sort out who she really is and she tries to understand why she is drawn to him, they are watched by secretive interests who not only possess the answers to Mandy’s powers and misplacement in time but also the roguish ability to decide what will become of her.

Giveaway Details
1 copy of Illusions
Open to US only
Ends 4/12/12 a Rafflecopter giveaway

2nd Annual Midsummer's Eve Giveaway Hop Sign Ups

The 2nd Annual Midsummer's Eve Giveaway Hop will take place from June 20th to 26th
Thanks to Uniquely Moi Books for co-hosting.


Each participating blog will host their own giveaway. There is no requirement on the minimum or maximum value of your giveaway. It's up to you to decide. You can giveaway anything you would like as long as it is family friendly. It does not have to be a book or gift card but should be something a reader, author or blogger would enjoy. 




* Both your blog and your giveaway must be family friendly * (No steamy covers/images or erotica)

Please keep your giveaway simple - No more than 5 possible entries per person.
(1 mandatory & up to 4 optional)



To participate please add your blog to the linky with your shipping info in parenthesis following your blog name: (Int) (US/Can) (US) 

Charity Hopping Around the World - LDS Philanthropies + Amazon.com Gift Card

Welcome to the Charity Hopping Around the World Giveaway Hop

March 30th to April 4th

Hosted by:
I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
Reading Away the Days
Reading a Little Bit of Everything

Purpose: To promote a charity that you support.

Without a doubt my favorite charity is LDS Philanthropies/Latter-day Saint Charities!






Latter-day Saint Charities helps people become self-reliant and improve their quality of life through initiatives such as clean water, health, and food production. Latter-day Saint Charities also relieves suffering by providing life sustaining support during emergencies.


Humanitarian Aid Fund
When a disaster occurs, Latter-day Saint Charities sends food, clothing, medical supplies, and other emergency relief assistance to help victims with urgent needs. Advance planning, extensive storage of essential items, and an extensive worldwide network of volunteers, allow a swift response when disaster strikes. These volunteers, working cooperatively with other relief agencies, help ensure that 100 percent of all donations are distributed directly to those in need.

Clean Water
Working with local community leaders, Latter-day Saint Charities (Humanitarian Services) provides access to clean water with wells and other water systems where no such service is available.

Volunteers from the village provide labor to install and maintain the wells to ensure their long-term operation. Local contractors are employed, and a local site supervisor is appointed to ensure the work is performed as agreed. Each village establishes a water committee to oversee the maintenance of the facilities.

Involving the community helps local people feel an ownership of the project, an important cultural consideration in the long-term use and proper maintenance of the water supply.

Humanitarian Food Production
Millions of children eat one meal a day because they don’t have enough food. LDS Charities helps families reduce disease related to malnutrition and increase productivity and self-sufficiency with home food production and nutrition training


Neonatal Resuscitation Training
Our volunteer medical teams provide resuscitation training and equipment to doctors and their assistants in countries where newborn mortality is high. These newly trained medical personnel in turn train other doctors and medical personnel. As a result, thousands of newborn lives are saved. Each project team may work with up to 15 organizations in one country per project. These organizations may include pediatrician associations, midwife organizations, hospitals and clinics, and other community health organizations. Each facility is provided with simple equipment that is used in the resuscitation process.



Mobility (wheelchairs, artificial legs, etc)
Latter-day Saint Charities (Humanitarian Services), working in partnership with local organizations that serve the disabled, distributes about 40,000 wheelchairs each year in 70 countries. Those who have witnessed a disabled person receiving a wheelchair for the first time report that the joy and tears of gratitude shown by the recipient are often overwhelming.



Vision Treatment Training
Our response to the enormous problem of preventable/reversible blindness is to train local, qualified medical personnel to perform eye surgeries and provide equipment that is essential to the procedure. Working with local, established medical facilities in developing nations, Latter-day Saint Charities organizes training seminars led by certified ophthalmologists who volunteer their time as trainers. Ultimately, those trained are able to serve hundreds or even thousands of patients over time. Each year we carry out training projects in about ten developing countries.



Thanks for taking a minute to learn more about LDS Philanthropies/Latter-day Saint Charites!

LINKS:

Website: http://www.ldsphilanthropies.org/humanitarian-services/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/LDS-Philanthropies/74853031436
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/LDSPhilanthropies


GIVEAWAY

$10 Amazon.com Gift Card
1 entry per person
Open to anyone who can receive and use and amazon.com egift card.


a Rafflecopter giveaway


100 Blogs are each Spotlighting their favorite charity & offering a giveaway. This hop officially starts at midnight tonight so plan to come back tomorrow to see the featured charities and enter the giveaways.

May Kindle Fire Giveaway - Sponsor Sign Ups

The spots for the April Kindle Fire Giveaway filled up fast so I am going to organize another Kindle Fire giveaway to take place in May for those who missed out on the chance to be part of the April giveaway.

25 Blogs will each contribute towards 1 Great Prize which will be a Kindle Fire & an amazon.com gift card.

25 blog will be accepted on a first come, first served basis.  Payment must be received to secure a spot on the rafflecopter.

Minimum Requirements to participate and claim a spot on the rafflecopter:

• You must have an established blog that focuses mainly on books.
• You must already have a minimum of 500 followers or fans on either Facebook or Twitter.
• Your blog must be family friendly and free of steamy book covers or images.

Giveaway will be set up similar to how this one was:
http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/p/kindle-fire-giveaway.html

Email me (toobusyreading at gmail dot com) with Kindle Giveaway in the subject line for details if you want more information about this giveaway event.

2012 Debut Author Giveaway Hop Sign Ups

2012 Debut Author Giveaway Hop

Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & The Non Reluctant Reader

June 7th to 13th

Featuring books released in 2012 by Debut Authors

Hop Rules

• You can feature a book from any genre that was written for any age group as long as it is "family friendly" (no erotica, steamy covers, etc.).
• The book must be from a debut (first time) author.
• The book must have been published for the first time in 2012. (January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012).
• It can be a printed copy or an Ebook.
• You may feature just one book or multiple books that meet this criteria.  You may have just one winner or multiple winners.
• No gift cards.
• There can only be 4 possible entries per person.  1 mandatory entry and up to 3 optional entries. 
• The Hop Image and Linky must be part of your post.
• Your post must be live by 12:01 AM EST on Thursday June 7th.  Plan to put your post up anytime after noon EST on Wednesday, June 6th.

To sign up to host a giveaway add your blog to the linky with your shipping info in parenthesis after your blog name.

Kindle Ebook Deals - FREE & Cheap

I love Jennifer Laurens - 2 of her books are free today & tomorrow!



FREE:



.99 Cent Ebooks valid Thursday Only




Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts.  So whether you are shopping for books, movies, clothes, games, electronics, music, food or any of the myriad of other things amazon sells, simply use my affiliate link to shop. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site. My Affiliate Link: http://www.amazon.com/?tag=iaarnaw-20.

Book Bloggers & Authors on Pinterest

I finally took the plunge and started to use Pinterest... I know, I know ANOTHER social media site? Seriously how many do we possibly need? Honestly at least one more... Pinterest is a lot of fun!



Mandy from the Well Read Wife is going to be doing a guest post on this blog about Book Blogging and Pinterest very soon.

Mandy maintains the Directory of Book Bloggers using Pinterest: http://www.wellreadwife.com/2012/01/26/directory-of-book-bloggers-on-pinterest/

Email Mandy at wellreadwife@gmail.com if you are a book blogger who would like to be added to the Book Blogger Pinterest Directory.

If you are not yet on pinterest check it out! http://pinterest.com/toobusyreading/

Book Review: Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey

Title: Jekel Loves Hyde
Author: Beth Fantaskey
Series: None
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books
Released: May 3,2010
Website: http://bethfantaskey.com/


Book Summary:

Jill Jekel has always obeyed her parents rules; especially the one about never opening the mysterious, old box in her father's office. But when her dad is murdered, and her college savings disappear, she's tempted to peek inside, as the contents might be the key to a lucrative chemistry scholarship.

To improve her odds, Jill enlists the help of gorgeous, brooding Tristen Hyde, who has his own dark secrets locked away. As the team of Jekel and Hyde, they recreate experiments based on the classic novel, hoping not only to win a prize, but to save Tristen's sanity. Maybe his life. But Jill's accidental taste of a formula unleashes her darkest nature and compels her to risk everything, even Tristen's love just for the thrill of being . . . bad.

I'd read some mixed reviews on Jekel Loves Hyde but I'd really enjoyed Beth Fantaskey's book Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side so I decided I'd give this one a try.

Jekel Loves Hyde was very different from Jessica Rules. If you are looking for more of the snarky, arrogant, irresistible Lucius found in Jessica Rules you'll be disappointed. Tristen is a completely different type of guy. If you don't expect him to be like Lucius and give him a chance you'll probably end up pleased with him.

I think Beth is a great writer.  Her stories keep my attention and are enjoyable to read.  There were twists and turns that I didn't see coming and I flew through this book in a couple of sittings.  It contains a good mix of romance, adventure and mystery.

Rating: 3.5 Stars - Good Book!

Content: Some language including a half dozen uses of the F word, talk of sex, some crude comments.

Source: Library

Undertow by Callie Kingston: Author Interview & Book Giveaway

Welcome to Author Callie Kingston

Callie Kingston lives in the Pacific Northwest with an assortment of furry creatures, including her husband. She holds a masters degree in psychology. When not writing, she likes to explore the outdoors, especially the forests and beaches along the Oregon coast. She also enjoys a great cup of cappuccino, which happily is easily found in her part of the world.

Links:
Website: http://www.calliekingston.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/calliekingston
Undertow: http://undertow-the-novel.blogspot.com/

Interview:
If you could travel in a Time Machine would you go back to the past or into the future?
The future. We know what happened in the past, but the future is like a blank page, full of infinite possibility.

Night owl, or early bird?
Definitely night owl. There’s something exciting about being awake after the world has gone to sleep.

Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book.
A contemporary novel rather than a paranormal romance, Undertow is a powerful story which sweeps the reader into an abyss with Marissa before lifting her up in a triumph of hope over adversity.

Any other books in the works?
Beta readers are currently previewing Upstaged, a contemporary YA novel about a girl with big dreams and bigger secrets. I also have a new work-in-progress, a paranormal suspense novel about three teens racing to save their families from disaster. Several other projects are beckoning from the wings.

If you could be one of the Greek Gods, which would it be and why?
Athena, Goddess of wisdom, justice, and courage, because face it -- life takes all that and more. Plus, who doesn’t want to be able to kick butt in a toga?

What's your favorite season/weather?
Autumn. I love the vibrant colors and hint of chill in the air.

What TV show/movie/book do you watch/read that you'd be embarrassed to admit?
The Bachelor. Oops, I just admitted that, didn’t I?

Write a Haiku about your book
Under reckless waves
Marissa seeks her saviour.
Strength inside revealed.

In your wildest dreams, which author would you love to co-author a book with?
Libba Bray. If I had half as much fun writing a book with her as I did reading Beauty Queens or Going Bovine, I’d need cheek transplants from laughing so hard.

Sweet or Salty?
Sweet

Undertow

Marissa is nearly eighteen and can't wait to leave behind her traumatic past. With long time boyfriend Drake, she thinks she has her future all figured out--until she discovers his betrayal. She flees to a desolate beach on the wild Oregon coast hoping to escape her pain, where, overcome with emotional and physical exhaustion, she dozes off beside a log. When the first icy waves strike her, it is too late: a rogue wave drags her out to sea.
Somehow she survives, and now each night she dreams of a creature who rescues her. Determined to discover the truth, her obsession deepens until she once again risks her life in the frigid ocean. Will the creature Marissa seeks save her? Will she be lost forever in the eddies of her mind, or will Jim, her new boyfriend, keep her from drowning in the abyss?
Undertow is a contemporary novel in which a young woman finds a terrible choice thrust upon her: overcome the pain in her past and the dangers which lurk in her mind, or succumb to these and be lost forever inside a beautiful dream.

Giveaway Details
1 printed copy of Undertow (signed copy available to US, unsigned Internationally)
1 ebook of Undertow
Open Internationally
Ends 4/22/12

Frances - Paperback
Cindy -Ebook


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Got Great Giveaways 3/28

Got Great Giveaways is a weekly feature hosted here on I Am A Reader, Not A Writer.  This feature will be posted each week on Wednesday.

I love book giveaways.  Enter enough book giveaways and you are going to win them.  Just be sure to follow the giveaway entry rules so you have a valid entry and don't get disqualified.

To win a giveaway you've got to be able to find it and enter it.  Thus I created Got Great Giveaways!  If you are hosting a giveaway on your blog or come across a great giveaway you want to share please link it up here.

Got Great Giveaways? Book Giveaway Link Up Rules:
Giveaways must be book related (books, gift cards to stores that sell books, swag, etc.)
Please do not link up to Blog Hop Giveaways that are hosted on this site.
Link directly to your giveaway post.
Please include as much info as possible such as the genre, book title & ending date of your giveaway, shipping info, etc.

Example: Young Adult - In The Forests of Night by Kersten Hamilton ends 3/28 (US)

Many of the giveaways from Last Week's Got Great Giveaways are still open: http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/2012/03/got-great-giveaways-book-giveaway-linky.html

You are welcome to grab the code for this linky and add it to your site, just be sure to mention it is for book related giveaways only so it doesn't get spammed with unrelated giveaways.
BOOK & BOOK RELATED GIVEAWAYS ONLY - others will be deleted.



Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts.  So whether you are shopping for books, movies, clothes, games, electronics, music, food or any of the myriad of other things amazon sells, simply use my affiliate link to shop. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site. My Affiliate Link: http://www.amazon.com/?tag=iaarnaw-20.

My Favorite Reads Giveaway Hop Sign Ups

Sign Ups for the My Favorite Reads Giveaway Hop
Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Rachelle's Writing Spot
June 1st - 6th

Hop Rules:

• You must host a giveaway on your site, you are responsible for obtaining a prize for giveaway and taking care of the shipping charges.
• You must giveaway one or more of your favorite reads - favorite read of all time, favorite read so far this year, a book by a favorite author, your favorite classic or favorite young adult book, etc.  You may allow your winner to choose from a list of your favorites.
• Your giveaway post must include the hop image & linky (or links to the host's sites if you can't get the linky to work).
• Please only 1 mandatory entry, all others must be optional. Keep it Simple!  NO LONG LIST OF THINGS FOR PEOPLE TO DO TO ENTER.
• Your post must be live by 12:01 EST on June 1st or you will be deleted from the linky.  Your post can go up anytime after noon EST on May 31st.
• The giveaway must be specifically for this hop and can only run from noon on May 31st until midnight on June 6th.  Please do not close your giveaway early. It is fine to wait until the morning of June 7th to close your giveaway and choose a winner.
• Both your site & your giveaway must be family friendly - no erotica, 18+ sites or steamy covers or images.

To sign up to host a giveaway add your blog to the linky with your shipping info in parenthesis following your blog name. (US) (US/Can) (Int)

Author Interview: Act III by Richard Romanus

Welcome to Actor & Author Richard Romanus

Born and raised in Vermont and Connecticut Richard Romanus (1943) attended Xavier
University and received a BS in Philosophy... Born and raised in Vermont and Connecticut Richard Romanus (1943) attended Xavier
University and received a BS in Philosophy. He then attended the University of Connecticut Law School for a year, after which he left school to pursue a career as an actor. He studied at the famous Actor’s Studio with Lee Strassberg and his first major role came as the character “Michael” in Martin Scorcese’s classic film Mean Streets. In the years that followed Richard Romanus performed in numerous stage productions, films and television shows. In addition to his acting, Richard Romanus is credited with the composer on several films. Together with his wife, Anthea Sylbert, he also wrote and produced Giving Up the Ghost in 1998 and If You Believe in 1999, for which they were nominated for a Writers Guild of America award for Best Original Screenplay.
Since the end of 2001 Richard and Anthea have been living in Skiathos, Greece.

Links:
Act III: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005HQYD2I
Chrysalis: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005KQ20TI
Richard Romanus on IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0739087/

If you could travel in a Time Machine would you go back to the past or into the future?
Into the future. I already know about the past.

If you could invite any 5 people to dinner who would you choose?
Leonardo DaVinci, Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein, W.C. Fields, and my father, who was a dentist, because he would never have believed I could have assembled such a group.

If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you want with you?
A picture of my wife and son, a machete, and a few yards of mosquito netting.

What is one book everyone should read?
Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations. It may inspire them to read the authors’ works.

If you could have any superpower what would you choose?
Flight.

Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book.
It’s funny, touching, thoughtful, and informative.

Any other books in the works? Goals for future projects?
My novel, Chrysalis, a love story set in Greece during WWII and the ensuing Civil War, is came out shortly after Act III. I am currently working on a series of short stories entitled, Sketches of Skiathos, about Skiathos Island and its inhabitants.

What inspired you to want to become a writer?
I have been writing as far back as I can remember. I wrote my first song at 3 years old.

Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published.
Standing in line at the Skiathos Post Office, I was approached by a man several places ahead of me who had been waiting half an hour to mail a letter to me. He was born in Skiathos and now lives in Thessaloniki and told me that whenever he missed Skiathos he would read the stories of Skiathos by Alexandros Papadiamantis. He was writing about the Skiathos of a hundred years ago, however, whereas my book , ACT III, was about his Skiathos, and he wanted to thank me for it.

What was your favorite book when you were a child/teen?
When I was a child I enjoyed a series of adventure books about a boy named Tom Swift.

What's one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors?
Tell the truth.

If you could choose only one time period and place to live, when and where would you live and why?
I would choose to live in the present on the island of Skiathos. It has a foot in two worlds, old and new Greece. I can get smoked salmon and decaf espresso in the markets and still have to stop on the road to let a goat herd pass.

If you could be one of the Greek Gods, which would it be and why?
Zeus. Why be anyone lesser?

What is your favorite Quote?
“To thine own self be true.”

How did you know you should become an author?
A celebrated screenwriter, Alvin Sargent, who was ordinarily very shy, approached me after I delivered a eulogy for a friend of mine and said to me “You may not know it, but you’re a writer.” Afterwards, whenever I saw him, he would ask me if I was writing, and that I “should write every day”. I finally believed him and began to write seriously.

Who are your favorite authors of all time?
Charles Dickens, Honore Balzac, and Marcel Proust.

Can you see yourself in any of your characters?
ACT III is a memoir, so I am central to the book. Chrysalis has several characters which are inspired by aspects of myself, including the protagonist, a seventeen year old girl who has a severe myopia which we share.

What's the best advice anyone has ever given you?
Make each thing you do a prayer.

Act III

A successful Hollywood couple decides that if life is structured like a movie, then why shouldn’t the last act be spent indulging themselves in the hopes of realizing any leftover dreams? So the couple sells their house, pack up all of their belongings, and together with their large black standard poodle, Guido, and twenty-two boxes start their last act by deciding to go merrily on their way to no place in particular until they find paradise.
Their first stop is Skiathos Island, Greece. What ensues is a comedy where these two Hollywood types are forced to deal with the Byzantine labyrinth of Greek bureaucracy, the peculiar Hellenic version of time, and a complete host of new challenges such as the neighbours’ goats who insist on eating their newly planted English roses.
In the process the couple learns to appreciate and treasure the innocence and the generosity of the people of this small island and learn things about themselves that they had long forgotten in the pace and glitz of Hollywood. Paradise indeed.

Chrysalis

Chrysalis tells the story of seventeen year old Maria Christina Triantafyllou, who lives in Metsovo, a small mountain village in Greece, where women are judged according to their physical strength. Tall, thin, gangly, and extremely myopic, Maria Christina lives in the shadow of her sister, who is considered a goddess in the village. Less evident is Maria Christina’s adoration for her sister’s husband, the handsome and accomplished village doctor.

Fate intervenes when Maria Christina’s dull life is abruptly interrupted by the onslaught of the Second World War and the overlapping Greek Civil War. Being the only western gate into the country, her village becomes a strategic location in both wars, which forces her to emerge from her cocoon and into the center of the turmoil. The crisis affects the fate of three generations, all of whom experience the peril of those years in different ways, changing not only the community and Maria Christina’s destiny, but also redefining the role of women in society.

Streamline by Jennifer Lane - Author Interview & Ebook Giveaway

Welcome to Author Jennifer Lane

People fascinate the psychologist/author (psycho author) known as Jennifer Lane. Her therapy clients talk to her all day long about their dreams and secrets, and her characters tell her their stories at night. Jen delights in peeling away the layers to scrutinize their psyches and emotions. But please rest assured, dear reader, she isn’t psychoanalyzing you right now. She’s already got too many voices in her head!

Stories of redemption interest Jen the most, especially the healing power of love and empathy. She is the author of the Conduct Series—romantic suspense for adult readers—and is currently at work on the third and final installment: On Best Behavior. Streamline is her first foray into writing for young adults, but she’s found this sort of writing even more fun. A former college swimmer, Jen was able to put a lot of her own experiences into this book.

Whether writing or reading, Jen loves stories that make her laugh and cry. In her spare time she enjoys exercising, attending book club, and hanging out with her sisters and their families in Chicago and Hilton Head.

Links
Twitter: http://twitter.com/JenLanebooks
Website: http://www.jenniferlanebooks.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000988881829

Interview:
What movie and/or book are you looking forward to this year?
I'm very eager for The Hunger Games movie *squeals*, and I'm curious about Insurgent (the sequel to Divergent).

If you were a super hero what would your kryptonite be?
Warm chocolate-chip cookies. They're my downfall every time!

Is there a song you could list as the theme song for your book or any of your characters?
Music definitely inspires my writing, and one song that makes me think of Leo--the hero from Streamline--is "Stronger" by Kanye West. (N-n-now that that don't kill me / Can only make me stronger). And Ben Folds Five's "Gracie Girl" reminds me of the relationship between Audrey and her father.

Can you see yourself in any of your characters?
Definitely. There's a minor character in Streamline named Elaine, who's Audrey's best friend. Elaine is a successful swimmer but she's a big, muscular girl who doesn't have much luck in the romance department. She's the side kick to her gay teammate Alex. All of this I can relate to! And my protagonist in The Conduct Series is a psychologist like I am, so there are some similarities between Sophie Taylor and me.

What is your favorite Quote?
"Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it."--Charles Swindoll (check out my other favorite quotes at http://pinterest.com/jenlanebooks/quotes/)

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?
The beach. Anywhere. There's something spiritual about the beach, and I love swimming miles in the ocean.

Cats or Dogs?
I have a plus-sized cat named Izzie, and I like to travel with ease, so I have to go with cats. But my sister just adopted the cutest puppy ever, which made me reconsider getting a dog.

Spontaneity or Planning Ahead?
I'm absolutely a planner. I don't know if you're familiar with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, but I'm a strong "J"--I plan the HELL out of life. It's great I have more spontaneous friends who get me out of my rut. Pharmaceuticals also help when I get anxious from trying to plan every friggin detail.

Favorite sport?
Though I love volleyball (and I played it three years in college), it's obvious my favorite sport is swimming. I started swimming competitively year-round at age eight, continued in high school and college, and still swim a couple of miles twice a week with friends. In Streamline, when Dr. Ina asks Leo what he likes about swimming, he replies:

“So much. It’s an individual sport. It’s all on me — the victories, the defeats. I love how hard it is…Not everyone’s willing to wake up before zero-five-hundred, and only the strongest can make it. It’s also cool how soothing and refreshing the water is. It’s like another world where you can’t hear a thing; you’re just alone in your thoughts. And to swim fast, you can’t fight the water. You have to flow with it, feel it, surrender to it.”

Streamline

Seems like Leo Scott has it all: looks, brains, and athletic talent. He’s captain of his high school swim team with a bright future in college and beyond. But Leo has secrets. His mother’s crippling car accident has devastated his family and left Leo to deal with his father’s abuse, battered and alone.

Leo’s girlfriend Audrey Rose is poised for her own share of success. As one of Florida’s top high school swimmers, Audrey dreams of college swimming stardom. But there’s an obstacle to her glorious rise to the top. Her number-one supporter--her father--is in prison for murder.

Part murder mystery, part tale of young love in a military family, this gripping story takes readers on a journey from Pensacola to Annapolis. Leo and Audrey must band together to rise above the adversity they encounter and find their true selves in the process. When everything’s on the line . . . streamline.

Ebook Giveaway
I have 1 ebook of Streamline for Giveaway on this blog.
Open Internationally
Ends 4/21/12


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Streamline Launch Party
Giveaway ends March 28th


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