Author: mel

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Indie Author Spotlight…Michael Meyer

Indie Authors Spotlight is a weekly meme that will be held on every SATURDAY in the month. It is hosted by Beckie @Bittersweet Enchantment & CYP @A Bookalicious Story.
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This week’s spotlighted author is Michael Meyer…
About the Author: I have resided in and have visited many places in the world, all of which have contributed in some way to my own published writing. I have literally traveled throughout the world, on numerous occasions. I have lived in Finland, Germany, Thailand, SaudiArabia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, on the island of St. Croix, where DEADLY EYES is set. I gained the wanderlust to see the world, to experience other cultures, at an early age, and this desire has never left me. If anything, it has only gained in intensity as I have aged. I try to travel internationally at least once a year. In the interim, I spend lots of time traveling around both my home state of California and other nearby states.
I spent my early years in the small town of Lone Pine, California, the home of almost every western movie, in addition to a wide variety of other genres, made in the 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s. In fact, Hollywood still films parts of big-time movies there today. My dad, the town’s lifeguard at the time, personally knew John Wayne, Lloyd Bridges, and Lee Marvin, all of whom came to the town’s pool, the Memorial Plunge, at times to cool off after a hectic day of working in the sun. I was even an extra in a movie filmed there in 1957, MONOLITH MONSTERS, a B-cult favorite even today. I was ten years old at the time. Even though I resided in a small town hours from the big city, I was exposed to the excitement of action and heroes at a formative age, and, thus, my interest in writing novels of suspense such as DEADLY EYES was born.
As a recent retiree from a forty-year career as a professor of writing, I now live in Southern California wine country with my wife, Kitty, and our two other cats.
WHAT MOTIVATES ME AS A WRITER?  

Writing is a lonely avocation, just my trusty computer at my side, as I work hard to create people, places, and plots that other people might enjoy reading. Marketing one’s own writing is an extremely lonely business. Unlike having a traditional publisher and all of its clout behind me, I have only myself, and I am a writer, not a salesperson. I find it difficult to toot my own horn, though I know that it is essential in order to get word of the very existence of my work out to the reading public. So what keeps me going? The writing, of course, gives me a lot of enjoyment. I am actually like a reader as I write. I never quite know how things will turn out in the end, not only of the book itself, but also in specific scenes. I thoroughly enjoy working with words, stringing them together in a creative way. Language has always fascinated me. Can you goose a goose? Does a house burn up or burn down? If you are going to come visit me, are you coming or going? Why would you want to swipe your card at a cash register if you already own the card? There is a huge difference between snap to and snap at. The list can go on and on. I love to play with words as I write, and this can be seen in DEADLY EYES.

Marketing my own work, however, is a completely different ballgame. I am a good writer, but I lack a lot in the area of salesmanship. I do seek out as many reviewers, interviewers, and bloggers as I can, and I am very thankful for all of these people, but every hour I spend tooting my own horn could be spent creating, my real forte. So what keeps me plugging away at my lonely avocation of writing? The answer is found in the wonderful reactions that readers have to my work. Their excitement serves to push me forward. I like people, and it makes me happy to see that they, in turn, like what I have created. Here are a few random lines from posted reviews of DEADLY EYES on my Amazon author’s site as examples of what I mean:

“The ride is fast and furious and the outcome will leave you blindsided….I recommend Deadly Eyes to all readers for its fast paced action coupled with the mesmerizing and intense suspense.” – Marilou George, THE KINDLE BOOK REVIEW

“Michael Meyer has done it again, weaving a fascinating tale of murder and intrigue in the tropical paradise of St. Croix that will keep you turning the page to the very end.” – Nick Russell, author of BIG LAKE

” Michael Meyer has another hit on his hands with ‘Deadly Eyes’…. This is another 5-star book by a 5-star writer….  If you have never read Michael Meyer, do yourself a favor and pick up this book or all of his books, you won’t be disappointed.” – D Everetti, author of PUNISHING A GOOD DEED

I think you can see what I mean. It is pretty heady stuff, the type of thing that helps me keep the faith as an Indie writer, a person who is not very good at tooting his own horn but thrills when it is tooted by his readers.

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Synopsis

James Cuffy, better known as Cuff, is living in paradise with his girlfriend, on the small Caribbean island of St. Croix, where the sky is as blue as Cuff’s eyes, the ocean as pretty as Rosie’s cheeks, where the gentle lapping of the waves is a lullaby, and the swaying of the palm trees is a dance. The sandy beaches are as white as sugar, and the horizon is a world away. St. Croix indeed is paradise, the perfect place for living, laughing, and loving.

But the sandy beaches and the turquoise sea can provide no cover from the deadly eyes of the unknown stalker pursuing Cuff. Murder leads to murder as he attempts to untangle the terrible web in which he has suddenly become entangled. The twists and turns are relentless, the roads of the fast action leading in all directions, but time is running out, and Cuff, his faithful Rosie at his side, knows it.

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Want to know more? Check out the links!

TRAILER: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWLBtVDUdC4

BOOK LINK: http://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Eyes-ebook/dp/B007IO3O22/ref=lp_B005E7M8CW_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335801699&sr=1-1

Amazon author’s site: http://www.amazon.com/Michael-Meyer/e/B005E7M8CW/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Goodreads author: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/674626.Mike_Meyer

Facebook writers’s site: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelMeyersWritingLife/app_191387770912394

Pinterest writer’s site: http://pinterest.com/temmike/#

 


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Interview with…Stephen Herfst

Author Stephen Herfst returns to the blog today for a ‘proper’ interview – let’s say “Hello!” 🙂

Hi Stephen, welcome back to Aside from Writing, thanks for joining us for an interview. So can you tell us a little about yourself, how you came to be an author?

Thank you for taking the time to read and review my book – I am always happy when someone reads and enjoys my story.

Well, I had an interesting childhood, having lived in Germany, South Africa, Holland, England and Australia. Each place I travelled to has in some way contributed to what I am today. I work in IT as a software engineer and, although you wouldn’t think it is very creative, it has put me in good stead. My inspiration to become an author came to me when I was reflecting on what I really wanted to do. It all began when I remembered the sports articles I wrote for my company’s soccer team and how they were well received. From there, I decided that I would work at becoming a successful author (still working on it).

We recently read and reviewed your book Zed (click here to see the review). It’s an interesting take on the zombie genre – what made you want to write this story?

Having watched an episode or two of The Walking Dead, and being bored to tears, I decided that the zombie genre needed a change. And that was how Zed came to be.

I wanted a story that would twist the traditional zombie genre and gave a different perspective to the well-worn stumbled path set out by George Romero. I wanted something that was humorous, funny and not gory – it was challenge to me to write a story that would appeal to the general public as well as the die-hard zombie fans.

What do you find are the best parts of being a writer?

The best part is being able to write the stories that you want to see or read. Being able to write your vision for a story and change things until you are one-hundred-percent happy is wonderful. It definitely appeals to my OCD!

 

And the worst…?

Translating your thoughts into a coherent and entertaining story can be quite harrowing! Even though I only took about a month to write the first book, it felt like a long time. I cannot visualize writing one story for a year or more – I think I would go insane!

What aspects of your ‘normal’ life or ‘day job’ do you find has helped you in your writing?

I find being able to divide my mind into a logical path and a creative path helps me. I have separated each path and I think clearer, I imagine better, my writing flows better. There is nothing quite like approaching a problem scientifically to gain a creative solution, strange as that may be.

 

What’s an ideal day for you – and how do you fit your writing into that?

An ideal day for me is to listen to good music while watching TV and writing while my laptop rests precariously on my lap. My writing environment is quite organic and I believe that my writing reflects that as well.

Any advice for people who have an interest in creative writing?

I would definitely recommend starting a blog, writing a novel without understanding the rules and being willing to say ‘I am wrong’ and being willing to go back on your hard-written writing and delete. The ‘I am wrong’ bit is the hardest part to do, let me tell you!

So – what else do you have planned for 2012?

I plan to write the remaining two books over the next six months (or less) – I have started writing the second book and it is going well. The story arch is better realized than the first and the new characters I am/will introduce are working well within the world I have created.

 

Random Questions:

If you could be a character from any book – who would it be and why?

I would love to be Paul Atreides from Dune (by Frank Herbert). Where he changes from a young prince into the messiah controls the spice thanks, in part, to his evolution into the Kwisatz Haderach. It is a very heavy book but a wonderful tale.

 

Favourite fictional world – where would you live?

I would love to live in Xanth by Piers Anthony. I think his world would be lovely to work through all the challenges and experience all the cheesy puns first hand while I am on a quest to Save the Princess (like a good hero should).

 

Best super-evil baddie?

Even though Smeagol isn’t really a baddie, I would have to pick him – I always found him creepy. The things that weren’t written about him painted him far more eerily than he the way he ever was shown in The Lord of the Ring films.

 

Thank-you for taking time to talk to us today!

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The story revolves around a teenage girl’s promises to save Zed from the human hordes.

Zed is not your typical zombie. He is cursed with the affliction of thought … although he tries to make the best of a bad situation. The goals for his unrest are simple: to improve his stride, to taste a lightly-seared pork loin once again and avoid Activists at all costs.

His life was predictable, controlled and good until chaos crashed the party. In just one day his world is destroyed and his ability to survive is tested. Would he be able to get through this in one piece? And would he somehow be able to survive the unstoppable force that goes by the name of Chase?

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Want to know more? Check out the links!

Goodreads Author Page

Author Blog

Zed at Smashwords

Zed at Amazon.com


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Mel’s Thinking…How important is proof-reading?

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Here’s a silly little something for your Wednesday (or ‘hump’ day, which I took completely the wrong way the first time I heard that phrase).

Whenever you find yourself pouring over your own writing, with your eyes blurring and wondering if all this detailed re-writing is worth it, just remember the mistakes people made below and steel yourself to the job at hand 🙂  

From Fortune Magazine via HumorMatters.com:

  1. “Finished eighth in my class of ten.”
  2. “Received a plague for Salesperson of the Year.”
  3. “Reason for leaving last job: maturity leave.”
  4. “Failed bar exam with relatively high grades.”
  5. “Am a perfectionist and rarely if if ever forget details.”
  6. “It’s best for employers that I not work with people.”
  7. “Let’s meet, so you can ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ over my experience.”
  8. “I have an excellent track record, although I am not a horse.”
  9. “You will want me to be Head Honcho in no time.”
  10. “I have become completely paranoid, trusting completely no one and  absolutely nothing.”
  11. “Personal interests: donating blood. Fourteen gallons so far.”
  12. “Marital status: often. Children: various.”
  13. “I am loyal to my employer at all costs..Please feel free to respond to my  resume on my office voice mail.”
  14. “Instrumental in ruining entire operation for a Midwest chain  store.”

Read more at: http://jobmob.co.il/blog/funniest-resume-mistakes/#ixzz1yKBc2BAN

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Guest Post…From Sketch to Chapter

From Sketch to Chapter: an Illustrator at Work

For me, getting to work with Carolyn Arcabascio was a dream come true. On The Moon Coin, we worked from a master list of scene options, with Carolyn picking out scenes she liked and making sketches. For the prologue, Carolyn drafted three options. All three were great, but two in particular were spectacular. I first went with option 3 (one of my scene suggestions). I think we spent more time on this sketch and subsequent color drawing than on any other piece. But it never seemed right. At the eleventh hour, I asked Carolyn how hard she’d hit me if I suggested scrapping the thing and instead going with the pinky promise scene you see below (one of her scene suggestions).  Carolyn responded: “There would be no hitting involved!” and told me it wouldn’t be a problem. You sure can’t ask for better than that.

From the Prologue: Bedtime Tales

Richard: Did you make all these sketches in the same location, Carolyn?

Carolyn: Yes, I do all of my work at a drafting table that’s situated in a little nook of my apartment in Acton, Massachusetts. There’s a bookshelf to my right and a wall of “inspiration” to my left, where I hang prints of other artists’ and illustrators’ work. On either side of my drafting table are drawers of supplies, and stacks of sketchbooks and old paintings. The drafting table faces a window overlooking a quiet street and the woods beyond it.

From Chapter Two: A Coin of the Realm

Richard: Do you use models when you’re sketching?

Carolyn: I use a combination of models and photo references. If I need to work out the nuances of a character’s posture and really understand the perspective of it, I’ll ask whatever friend or family member is handy to pose for a sketch. Often, I’ll get into the position myself or mimic the facial expression I want to portray in order to get the feel of it. And sometimes, if there’s a character being portrayed multiple times across scenes, I’ll make a rough model of their head out of clay so I’ll have it to refer to.

From Chapter Four: To Barreth

Richard: When drawing fantastical creatures, do you use bits and pieces of real animals for inspiration, or have you actually seen a wirtle and you’re just not telling us? 😉

Carolyn: No wirtles native to Massachusetts, fortunately! When figuring out the look of fantastical creatures, I use photo references of different animals to understand the way the anatomy might work, and then combine features as I see fit and as the story calls for. To understand the wirtle’s legs and paws, for example, I referred to a series of photographs of show dogs leaping over hurdles. The severely arched, scruffy back was influenced by photos of hyenas on the prowl. The bone-structure of the face ended up being something of a cross between a cow and a warthog, and I wanted the snout to be bare—kind of gross and raw-looking. Add it all up and, voila! We have a wirtle.

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Thank you Richard for sharing this interesting and unique post with us today! 

For more information on the author and the book, as always…check out the links!

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The Moon Coin, by Richard Due, is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the iBookstore for $2.99.

❍

Copyright © 2011 by Richard Due. All rights reserved.

Gibbering Gnome Press, A Division of Ingenious Inventions Run Amok, Ink™

The Moon Realm™

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Indie Author Spotlight…Richard Due

Indie Authors Spotlight is a weekly meme that will be held on every SATURDAY in the month.
It is hosted by Beckie @Bittersweet Enchantment & CYP @A Bookalicious Story.
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This week’s spotlighted author on Aside from Writing is Richard Due…
“Tales, unlike stories, never lie. You see, a tale is an account of things in their due order, often divulged secretly, or as gossip. Would you like to hear one?” —Lord Autumn
Uncle Ebb was so good at telling his tales of the Moon Realm that sometimes it sounded like he’d been there himself. As children, Lily and Jasper listened raptly to his bedtime tales of a place where nine moons swirled around one another, each inhabited by strange and wondrous beings: magical lunamancers; undersea merfolk; wise birds; winged dragons; and Lily’s favorite, the heroic, leonine Rinn.
There was only one rule: don’t tell a soul.
But now, years later, Uncle Ebb is missing. Lily has learned the secret behind the tales, and soon Jasper will too. But there’s one big problem. You see, something terrible has happened in the Moon Realm. . . .
Featuring twenty-two stunning full-color illustrations by Carolyn Arcabascio.
Volume One of the fantasy adventure series The Moon Realm.
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Want to know more? Check out the links!
Buying Links:
Amazon (Kindle & Kindle Fire): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005JFMKB8
iTunes iBookstore (iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch): http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/richard-due/id462821815?mt=11
Author and Illustrator Bio:
Richard Due (pronounced “Dewey”) first imagined the Moon Realm while telling bedtime tales to his children. He makes his home in Southern Maryland, where he and his wife have owned and operated Second Looks Books since 1991. The Moon Coin is the first novel in the Moon Realm series. Visit TheMoonRealm.com for more information.
Author Image:
Carolyn Arcabascio hails from Massachusetts, where she lives and works as an illustrator while pursuing her lifelong exploration of words, images, and the magical places where they meet. Visit her website at www.carolynarcabascio.com
Illustrator Image:
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Q&A on The Moon Coin
1. Your book sounds like a genre-bending read – where did your inspiration for it come from?
The Moon Coin is, at its core, traditional epic fantasy, such as The Chronicles of Narnia or the Lord of the Rings. But each moon in the Moon Realm brings something very different. The first two books in the series center around the moons Barreth and Dain. Barreth is inhabited with the Rinn, which are creatures a little larger than Earth’s draft horses, only the Rinn are more lion-like. Whereas Dain is a moon inhabited by people not unlike us, only with magic, albeit a faded, weak magic. The next two books in the series take place mostly on the Moon Dik Dek, which is a mer-world, covered by ocean, and the moon Mintar, which is encased with an unnatural snow and inhabited by giants.
Having these different moons gives me wonderful challenges. There is always something new coming around the next moon. There’s even one moon, the inhabitant of which are secretive about everything, which is pure steampunk. I can’t wait to get working on that one.
As for the origin of the story, I was racking my brain one night, trying to tell my daughter a new bedtime tale. I was exhausted, physically and mentally, and kept stumbling into that wonderland between dreams and sleep. My daughter kept elbowing me: “Wake up, Daddy, you’re not making any sense!” But I kept drifting off. And then, all in one jolt, I brought back with me The Moon Realm. About nine books worth.
2. Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book.
If you love being immersed in intoxicating new worlds, weaving through story lines full of narrative puzzles, meeting invigorating characters, and enjoy nail-biting reveals, then my book is definitely for you—because it’s got all that and more.
3. Any other books in the works? Goals for future projects?
The Moon Coin is the first book in the Moon Realm Series. Book two, The Dragondain, is written, edited, and currently with the illustrator, Carolyn Arcabascio, for preliminary sketchwork. The eBook will be out the first week of September, and a paperbound version will follow a month or so later. I’m really excited about getting book two out into the world, because I write these books in pairs. The Moon Coin is part one, The Dragondain is part two. Writing the ending to a book two is always going to be easy because book twos will always have a really big finish. I pretty much just have to keep my fingers on the keyboard and hope my head doesn’t explode from the excitement. Writing the endings to part ones is far trickier. I work very, very hard to make sure the reader gets a satisfying end to those. My beta-readers played a significant role in getting the ending of The Moon Coin just right.
4. What inspired you to want to become a writer?
I have to write. I’ve found that I’m really only happy, only really at peace, when I’m trying to balance a narrative juggernaut in my brain. If I try and clear my mind, empty my thoughts, relax, let go—that’s when the tension and anxiety builds. I need a health dose of mayhem ricocheting through my head into order to chill out. I always have. Writing is the only salve I’ve found.
5. What’s one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors?
Read the genre you want to write until your eyeballs fall out. Then put them back in and read some more. Repeat.
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Indie Author Spotlight…Tyler Mills

Indie Authors Spotlight is a weekly meme that will be held on every SATURDAY in the month. It is hosted by Beckie @Bittersweet Enchantment & CYP @A Bookalicious Story.
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This week’s spotlighted author is G. Tyler Mills…
About the Author – I was born in Charleston, South Carolina and grew up in north Alabama. I’m a graduate of the University of North Alabama. I’m married to an amazing wife. We share out little boy and two great dogs.
About the Book – I began to write this novel when my wife and I found out we would be having our first child. I had wanted to write for some time, but I wanted something driven by a compelling emotion. I discovered the feelings gained when having a child can be an overwhelming joy and I knew this was an emotion I wanted to guide my character. The feelings I immediately felt would cause me to do anything for this child and I knew it was a something that many have felt. I chose this relationship to be the motivation for the actions of my protagonist.
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Charles is an average man. He has a loving family and is solid in his own beliefs. But his faith is soon tested with the loss of his son and Charles becomes a man driven by the need for answers. He needs to know what happened to his child and is prepared to do anything to find out. As simple actions by multiple individuals begin to unfold, a tragedy is formed and Charles is caught in the middle. Throughout it all he knows he is not alone. He knows God is with him. As Charles begins to see signs of what he believes to be the truth behind his son’s disappearance, he’s unsure if these come from God or if they are just coincidences. Is it his vengeance that propels him or is he just doing God’s plan? His faith will either see him through this catastrophe or cause him to lose all he has left.

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Want to know more? Check out the links!

gtylermills.com

twitter.com/gtylermills


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Interview with…Loukia Borell

Today we’re pleased to be hosting an interview with author of Raping Aphrodite, Loukia Borell…let’s find out what she has to say!
Welcome to Aside from Writing, can you tell us a little about yourself and your book?
My name is Loukia Borrell. I am a native of Toledo, Ohio, but my family moved to Virginia Beach when I was eight. After graduating from Elon University with a journalism degree, I was a newspaper reporter for about 20 years. I am married and have three children. “Raping Aphrodite” is my debut novel. The book has two story lines. The first is about Tash and Christian Colgate, a married couple with a very intense, passionate history. They finally get together after a long separation, but when they agree to an exhibition of artifacts from Cyprus for their art gallery, they open the door on Tash’s secret past, something that poses a new threat to their relationship. The second story line is about a Peace Corps worker who escapes a hostage situation in Cyprus and walks to get help for the rest of her group. Toward the end of the novel, both story lines come together.    
How did you come up with the idea for your book? 
In the fall of 2009, my oldest daughter had to write a short story for English class. She was supposed to place a fictional character into a real period in history, like World War II, the Civil War or whatever. She chose to put her fictional character in Cyprus, when the Mediterranean island was invaded and divided by Turkey in 1974. My parents, her grandparents, are from Cyprus and we had a lot of relatives still living there in 1974, when the island was invaded. My maternal grandparents were killed and just about all our other relatives were refugees. I was impressed by her decision to explore the events in Cyprus and decided to give it a try. A year later, I had 75,000 words.
What do you consider to be the biggest influences on your writing? 
My personal experiences with other people, losing family members, my close relationship to my husband, my travels, working different jobs in various cities and meeting people. All of those things have shaped my thinking and made me the person I am today. I think my writing reflects those influences. 
Have you always wanted to be a writer? 
I think I gravitated toward writing in high school, because I made better grades in English, so it was a natural progression in college and after.
What’s your favourite aspect of being an author? 
I like controlling my characters and figuring out what they will do next. I also enjoy creating scenarios and dropping myself into their world to hang out with them. Of course, I am thrilled when someone has told me they saw this story I did, or read that. It is a cool way to reach people. 
And the most challenging aspects?
Finding the time to get things done and working through periods when I don’t feel motivated to write.
What’s coming up next for you? Are you working on something at the moment?
I am still doing interviews like these, and have begun to think more about the prequel to Raping Aphrodite, which I hope to begin later this year.

Now for the ‘Random Questions’…If you could be a character from any book – who would it be and why? 
Golly, am I supposed to say Scarlett O’Hara? I think I would like to be Wilhelmina Murray from Bram Stoker’s Dracula. To be obssessed by a vampire and swept away. 
Favourite fictional world – where would you live? 
This is hard. I tend to want to be in real places, like a small, historic town with cobblestone streets and terraces with blooming flowers, or a small cottage in the mountains, overlooking valleys. I don’t see myself in a fictional world, but if your readers can pick one they think I would like, based on what I have told them about myself, I will pick my favorite and send them a copy of Raping Aphrodite. Let’s do it! That sounds like a great challenge – post a comment on this post with your idea for Loukia and she can pick a winner at the end of the week! Get your thinking caps on! 🙂
Best super-evil book baddie? 
Tom Ripley from Patricia Highsmith’s novels. He is the neighbor you don’t want. A very bad guy who kills inconvenient people, but cultured enough to fool you into thinking otherwise.
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Thank-you for taking time to talk to us today!
 Thanks for having me as a guest!
I can be found on Book Blogs, Goodreads, and on Twitter @LoukiaBorrell.

 
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Guest Review…Morning Star

Today’s guest reviewer is Annie K. Johnson – here she talks about Morning Star by Desiree Finkbeiner.

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Morning Star is the first book in the Ethos series written by Desiree Finkbeiner.

The story begins with Brianna (Bree) Armstrong, a college student, having suffered some very serious injuries being tended to by a paramedic, then later, a doctor at the hospital. She had been nearly scalped and her neck broken, but somehow these wounds healed up almost instantly. Strangely enough, the doctors find a cocktail of opiates and narcotics in her system, though Bree hadn’t put them there herself, not that she remembered anyway. To make matters weirder, she finds a gigantic dead purple dragonfly at home. The next day, she and her friends at school see another followed shortly by a handsome stranger. Intrigued yet?

The story follows Bree as she discovers that she is not like everyone else. The handsome stranger is Kalen, from the fantasy world of Ethos, which is where the strange purple dragonflies are from as well. One of the most overlooked details in a book is the difference in culture. Most authors don’t account for anything like this, but Finkbeiner has the main character experience some culture shock as she adjusts to life in Ethos. Those little details add to the overall value of the story, making it more real for the reader.

There is also the element of romance between Kalen and Brianna, though the book is not primarily a romance novel. There is more action and adventure than romance, but the author strives to create a book that creates a story that includes the entire range of experiences and emotions a person feels. The spiritual element of the book as well as the idea of balance is a very important one to the characters and to the plot. Even the way the author describes the villain, Ellette, with a compelling back story and the depth of description to the same degree that the main characters were given finishes this picture of a complete world.

There are some old-fashioned things in this book that may make you roll your eyes like abstaining from sex until marriage, old-fashioned chivalry, those sorts of things. It’s nothing unusually shocking, and is likely something that will only add to the appeal to the targeted audience of adult women and young women.

Overall, the book flows very well and has a very consistent story. You won’t see anything more than maybe a couple of typos here and there, but nothing that  detracts from the story.

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About the Book

It started with a mushroom, from another world… never before touched by a human hand, until Brianna… but life continued as normal… until a near fatal accident almost a decade later, reveals to Brianna… she’s… different…

Unexplained lab results, unusually fast healing, and recent sightings of Jurassic sized dragonflies… What is happening to her?

When a peculiar man delivers her from a violent assault, she becomes enchanted by his heroism and inhuman abilities. Her rescuer, Kalen, is sworn to protect the powerful secret she has yet to realize, from an ancient foe with evil designs…

With the secret exposed, our world is no longer safe. Kalen takes Brianna to Ethos, his home, unprepared for what happens next… An ancient prophecy unfolds and they must make make a choice… Give into their forbidden love, or sacrifice their heart’s desire for a chance to save their worlds.

Buy it on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Morning-Star-Ethos-ebook/dp/B007PSUV2W

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About the Author

Desiree Finkbeiner attained a bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design from Missouri Southern State University (2006) with a heavy background in business, marketing, music and fine art– She was heavily involved in campus affairs and served actively in several committees focusing on campus entertainment and events.

She performed with musical acts/bands in rock and electronic genres, released seven studio albums, performed in 11 states and has written hundreds of songs. Her band, Carbon Star, was a finalist for VH1’s “Bands on the Run” reality TV show in 2000. Then she performed with Pointy Teeth until finally leaving the music industry for the quiet life.

She had a scholarship for acting in college though she was not a theater major. Although she no longer performs or focuses on musical/performing arts, she has chosen to shift her talents to other areas that are more conducive to raising a family.

Continuing education is a constant adventure for Desiree with topics of interest ranging from civil and corporate law, history, political conspiracy, homeopathic medicine and spiritual healing. She prefers to read non-fiction, especially on topics that educate and broaden her perspectives on controversial issues.

Desiree has been a successful business owner since the age of 16 and currently operates an extreme sports store with her husband. Running a family business affords her the opportunity to focus on art, writing, and spending time with her family.

She hates television and chose to stop watching at age 14 when it became clear to her how precious time was. She’d rather spend her time creating and accomplishing her aspirations than waste time viewing TV or engaging in other time-wasting activities.

With thousands of completed art works in her archives, most of which appear in private collections worldwide, Desiree hopes to focus more on publishing, marketing and licensing her work so she can leave a legacy behind.

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Guest Post…In Appreciation of Writers

Author Jane Li joins us today with a guest post in appreciation of writers…
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In Appreciation of Writers
(that includes you Bloggers and Reviewers, and pretty much anybody who posts anything publicly)
I’ve been spoiled by good books.
Because I’ve read good books, I expect every piece of writing to be well-written.  I want them to hook me in the first paragraph and keep me hooked.  Most readers expect that now, which means a lot get tossed without a second thought.
And then I realized something: everybody on this planet has something valuable to say; sometimes they just don’t say it in a way that makes my eyes light up.  Now that I’ve actually written and published a book of my own, I’ve become much more respectful and appreciative of the work and time authors put into their books, not to mention the love.  I’m suddenly sensitive of how other people’s opinions of my writing can have a huge impact on my self-esteem.  So I’ve developed an attitude of appreciation for what I read.
Now, good writing isn’t necessarily one with the well-crafted prose, engaging storyline, or even the best insights (although those qualities definitely make good writing).  Good writing to me is something that resonates with my feelings and experiences, one that makes me think on the bigger lessons in life, or a composition that shifts my viewpoint to one of better understanding and compassion toward others.  Yeah, I know, that’s still a high standard, and a very personal one.  But now I look for the gold, and say all the good I can of every piece I come across.  If I don’t like it, then I’ll leave it to someone who does.
Much appreciation and gratitude to every writer courageous enough to let others read their words and comment on them.
Hugs and Blessings,
Jane Li
author of Barakel and Nissa
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Want to know more? Check out the links! 
Click here to go to Amazon for the paperback and click here for the Kindle version
Visit my Website at http://www.janeliauthor.com/
“Like” my book on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter @JLauthor
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Indie Author Spotlight…Julie Rainey

Indie Authors Spotlight is a weekly meme that will be held on every SATURDAY in the month. It is hosted by Beckie @Bittersweet Enchantment & CYP @A Bookalicious Story.
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This week’s spotlighted author is Julie Rainey…
About the Author: This is me, a full time mom and part time novelist. Lover of rock music, science, space and the vast unknown that awaits us in the universe. I have a wonderful husband and two beautiful children who support me immensely. I live in rural Missouri near a town no one has ever heard of, unless you’re studying to be an engineer and love to drink on St. Pats, then you know where Rolla is.  Actually I think the college once held the record for most alcohol consumed in one evening. My favorite author and book series has to be Orson Scott Card and the Ender Wiggins Saga. Second favorite is Gregory Maguire and Wicked, awesome writing. Science fictionhas been a love of mine for some time, almost as long as my love of reading.
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 Eighteen years after two caring strangers decide to take her in, Anne must face the harsh reality that everything in her life has been a complete and utter fabrication. With the help of her friend and Protector, she sets out on a journey back home, to planet she never even knew existed. Will she be able to defeat the terrifying evil that awaits her and uncover the truth about what’s really happening there before it’s too late?

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Want to know more? Check out the links!

Where to Buy: http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Princess-Journey-Home-ebook/dp/B007ODWT2S/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Author Websites: http://jraineylostprincess.weebly.com   and    www.facebook.com/lostpricess