July 6, 2015 by Effrosyni Moschoudi

Interview with Tamara Gill, author of time travel romances

Today, I am pleased to present to you Tamara Gill, a lovely author whom I invited to my blog to talk about her work that includes historical and time travel romances. Here is a small sample, and you’ll be pleased to know one of them is FREE right now!

One small mistake in the past will change everything about her future…

Archaeologist Sarah Baxter just broke one of the biggest rules of time travel: leaving a piece of 21st century equipment in 19th century Regency England. Unfortunately, when she goes back to retrieve it, she makes an even bigger mess of things—resulting in the death of an English Earl. Now his brother is not only out for revenge, but he also has Sarah’s device. Which means an entirely different approach is needed. It doesn’t occur to the new Earl of Earnston that his charming acquaintance is responsible for his brother’s death. He is merely swept away by a passion that threatens his very reputation. Yet he gets the distinct impression that Miss Baxter is hiding something from him. Now Sarah must find a way to steal back her device, hide the truth about the earl’s brother and—most importantly— not fall in love…

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Unlucky in love, Maddie St. Clair hides behind an antique store and her mudlarking hobby. That is until she finds a medieval ring that throws her back to 1102 Cumberland and into the life of Lady Madeline Vincent, heiress to Norman lands and about to be married to an autocratic Baron, William Dowell, nine hundred years her senior.

Lord William Dowell protects his own. Usually, from his closest neighbor and long standing foe the Baron of Aimecourt. Forced to marry his dead enemy’s daughter, Lady Madeline, by King’s decree, he hides his growing respect for his wife behind a wanton mistress. Yet when Madeline’s life is threatened, William’s loyalty to his kin is tested by the astonishing desire that flares between them. Not to mention the love that Madeline ignites that would last an eternity. If fate will allow…

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FREE! FREE! FREE! Grab your copy today!

Chloe, beautiful and privileged daughter of a powerful god, literally has the world at her feet. Until she falls in love with a Scottish druid. Her enraged father sentences her to an endless cycle of birth and death; each life spent yearning for a man she no longer knows or remembers. Scottish druid, Cian McKay searches the world for his long lost love, only to have her appear at the local pub in his highland hometown. Cian must win Chloe’s heart again but without the ability to tell her who she is. Back in the place where she first loved Cian and fell from grace, Chloe’s memory haunts her with images that could not possibly be true. She must find the truth and the only way is a confrontation with the Deity who banished her a thousand years before – her father, Zeus.

VISIT AMAZON – FREE!

Hello Tamara and welcome to my blog!

Hi Fros, it’s very exciting to be here!

My first question is about your medieval time travel romance, Defiant Surrender. What was the inspiration behind it?

I was inspired to write Defiant Surrender a few years after visiting England, London in particular, where I learned of mudlarks, which are people who used to search for items in the Thames at low tide to sell for food etc. People now do it to find historical items. Mudlarks just intrigued me, enough so that I wrote a book where my heroine is one.

Tamara, I must say, you just hooked me on the story! What was the first thing you ever wrote and how old were you then?

Thinking back, I used to write small plays and have my friends at school act them out in the drama room and show it off to other students and teachers. That’s my first account of writing. I didn’t pick it up again until after my second child was born and I was on maternity leave.

What other writing have you done? Anything else published?

I write time travel, regency and paranormal (mythological) romance and have an array of books / novellas published.

Any hobbies or interests that you enjoy in your spare time?

I like to garden mostly. I have three small children, so I read at night after I’ve had my word count down for the day. I can’t sleep without getting a little reading in. I used to like to travel, but I’m not a big fan of flying, and so, that’s gone by the way side.

Do you see yourself in any of your characters, or do any of them have traits you wish you had?

I suppose it’s inevitable that I’m in my characters somewhere, but sometimes they do things that frustrate me, and I’m left shaking my head at them (*laughs*).

Oh, I know the feeling! What are you working on at the moment? Tell us a little about your current project(s).

I’m working on a Regency series for Entangled Published which will be out next year. I’m also working on a Scottish time travel series for my agent. It’s all go, very busy, and a lot of fun.

Which are your favorite authors, and what do you love about them?

I have a few. Eloisa James, Anna Campbell, Stephanie Laurens, but there are so many more that I love. I read widely too, and I adore Karen Marie Moning. Oh, this is a hard question. They’re all fabulous.

What genres do you read mostly, and what are you reading now?

I’m reading Iced by Karen Marie Moning. I read mostly historical romance, but I also read paranormal, erotic, shape shifters, contemporary, you name it, I have it on my kindle.

Do you have any advice for other indie authors?

Don’t be afraid to get out there and publish. I have stories that I couldn’t sell, Defiant Surrender is one of them, and it’s gone on to be very popular with readers. Have it professionally edited, formatted and covered correctly to suit your market and get it out there.

If you could choose another profession, what would that be?

Archaeologist. Hands. Down.

Thank you for our interview, Tamara! It’s been wonderful to have you.

Thank you for the invitation, Fros.

Tamara is an Australian author who grew up in an old mining town in country South Australia, where her love of history was founded. So much so, she made her darling husband travel to the UK for their honeymoon, where she dragged him from one historical monument and castle to another.

A mother of three, her two little gentleman’s in the making, a future Lady (she hopes) and a part-time job keep her busy in the real world, but whenever she gets a moment’s peace she loves to write romance novels in an array of genres, including regency, medieval and paranormal.

Tamara loves hearing from readers and writers alike. You can contact her through her website, and sign up to follow her blog or newsletter.

Visit Tamara’s Amazon page

Visit Tamara’s Website

Subscribe to Tamara’s newsletter

Join Tamara’s Street Team on Facebook

Other links:

https://www.facebook.com/tamara.gill.author

https://twitter.com/Tamara_Gill

https://www.goodreads.com/TamaraGill

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June 29, 2015 by Effrosyni Moschoudi

An interview with Pat Zick, author of the Florida Fiction Series

Hello peeps! Today, I am thrilled to welcome author Pat Zick for a chat. I met Pat in our writer’s group, eNovel Authors at Work. Recently, she interviewed me on her blog, and so, today, I am pleased to repay her wonderful hospitality. Pat’s brought along some delightful snapshots to show us, but first, take a look at the array of her stunning book covers:

Behind the Bar is Book Two in the Behind the Love Trilogy. This contemporary romance goes back to Victory, Florida, as Dean and Leah from Behind the Altar say their vows.

Susie and Reggie return to the Behind the Love Trilogy as the main characters in this romance. Susie and Reggie have been together since high school. When they watch good friends Dean and Leah find happiness, they both know something in their relationship must change. Susie believes that means marriage; she didn’t expect it to be Reggie deciding they needed a break from one another. While on break, a handsome publisher comes back to Victory to sweep Susie off her feet, while the voluptuous Sally Jean works her charms on Reggie. Meanwhile, the Victory Tavern owned by Reggie grows into a star attraction for the town. Dean and Leah help, and Susie’s sister Lisa returns home and provides Susie some much needed answers to the questions about their father. Reggie nearly loses everything in a bet that jeopardizes the Tavern. Secrets revealed bring more questions. When Reggie realizes Susie is the woman he loves, Susie must decide if she can ever trust him again. Before either of them can move forward to a life together, they must realize their past does not define them.

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Caroline Carlisle loved Simon from the moment she first laid eyes on him when she was nine years old. Unfortunately, he married her older sister, and thus set a southern family on a collision course with its past. After the death of her sister that makes Simon a widow, the two finally marry and attempt to make a family with Simon’s daughter Jodi. Jodi has other ideas, and they don’t include welcoming a new step-mother who also happens to be her aunt. As Caroline starts to report on the oil spill threatening the sea turtles on Florida’s Panhandle beaches, she begins to uncover the secret of her own mother’s past, which includes her brother’s suicide and a teenage pregnancy. With Caroline’s sharpened reporter skills, she digs until she brings all the secrets to light, including her own.

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Forbidden loves, deceptions, and murder threaten to destroy nature and families in a saga stretching from the 1760s to the present day.

Join Locka and Mali as they lead their tribe of Timucuans away from the Spanish near St. Augustine in 1760 and settle into a new life in the Everglades alongside the Calusa Indians. Their progeny grow up in the Everglades, attempting to keep their bloodlines pure.

By 2010, Mangrove Mike, Joey Cosmos, and Rob Zodiac live among the white people and learn that the human connection transcends the fear of extinction of their people. Barbara Evans in the Everglades and Emily Booth in St. Augustine are the glue as the different cultures combine forces to fight a conglomerate of international interests.

It’s a dangerous journey as this oddly matched group attempts to halt the destruction of the natural world they treasure. Cultural boundaries established centuries ago are erased as love and nature seek the balance lost during the battle for power and control of the last of the Florida frontier.

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Drive Route 66 with four women seeking adventure on the road.

Live from the Road takes the reader on an often humorous, yet harrowing, journey as Meg Newton and Sally Sutton seek a change in the mundane routine of their lives. Joined by their daughters, they set off on a journey of salvation enhanced by the glories of the Mother Road. Along the way, they are joined by a Chicago bluesman, a Pakistani liquor storeowner from Illinois, a Marine from Missouri, a gun-toting momma from Oklahoma, and a motel clerk from New Mexico. Death, divorce, and deception help to reveal the inner journey taking place under the blazing desert sun as a Route 66 motel owner reads the Bhagavad-Gita and an eagle provides the sign they’ve all been seeking. Enlightenment comes tiptoeing in at dawn in a Tucumcari laundromat, while singing karaoke at a bar in Gallup, New Mexico, and during dinner at the Roadkill Cafe in Seligman, Arizona. The trip isn’t always easy as laughter turns to tears and back again. However, the four women’s lives will never be the same after the road leads them to their hearts – the true destination for these road warriors.

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Hello Pat and welcome to my blog!

Hi Frossie, thank you for inviting me!

Choose one of your books and tell us, what inspired you to write it.

I’ll chose Trails in the Sand because it was inspired by real life events. During BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill, I served as a public relations director for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. I handled the media for the sea turtle nest relocation project that took place during the summer of 2010 as oil threatened Florida’s Panhandle beaches. At the same time, I was beginning a new relationship with a lost love from thirty-five years ago and was in the process of moving to Pittsburgh. Two weeks prior to the oil spill, twenty-nine miners were killed in a coal mine explosion in West Virginia, just a few hours from where I was moving. It all fell into place to write about the oil spill, the coal mine disaster, and a family facing their own disaster. Trails in the Sand explores the themes of redemption and restoration.

Sounds like an intriguing read! What other writing have you done?

I’ve dabbled in different types of writing. My first professional gigs came as a journalist for newspapers and magazines in Florida. I wrote political, investigative, and human interest articles. I wrote a weekly column and feature articles. Then I expanded by starting my own newspaper with my ex-husband. When we sold the paper, I became editor-in-chief over two magazines and continued writing columns, investigative pieces, and feature articles. All the while, I wrote fiction, publishing three novels traditionally from 2000-2006. When I left my public relations job with the Fish and Wildlife folks, I decided the time had come to write my fiction full time. In 2012, I published my first novel, Live from the Road, as an indie author. Since then, I’ve published seven novels—either contemporary or romantic fiction–along with three nonfiction books.

Wow, your writing journey has been amazing. And I am astounded that you published seven novels so quickly. Well done! Any hobbies or interests that you enjoy in your spare time?

My husband and I enjoy outdoor activities. We have a small boat that we love to take out for weekend cruises. We also kayak and golf. My husband is an avid and prolific gardener, and I’m the chief preserver of the food he grows. I’ve also become a decent brewer of beer in the past few years. And when I’m not busy with any of those activities, I read. I wish had more time for all the great books I’ve loaded on my Kindle.

Goodness me, where do you find the time? I am so impressed. And what a lovely photo! You’re so lucky to be able to escape from it all like that. Pat, a little bird told me you’re a docent in a botanical garden. Is that true?

Oh yes, it’s the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh. Here is a photo of me there, giving a tour!

Oh wow, the gardens look fantastic. What are you working on at the moment? Tell us a little about your current project(s).

I started writing contemporary new adult romances last year as a new challenge to my skill sets. I’ve since published two romances, Behind the Altar and Behind the Bar. I’m currently working on Third Base, a novella about baseball and love. I’m going to start another online class of Romance in a Month soon and plan to write another novella. This one, Minty’s Kiss, is for Christmas with a sweet cat named Minty at the forefront of the love story. Both of these projects will be a part of box sets with other authors. Then I have two other novels in various stages, waiting for me to come and rescue them. Both of these will go back to my roots of what someone once called “eco-journalism” in fiction.

Big plans! Good luck to you, and you just hooked me on the Christmas kitty story. Do you have any advice for other indie authors?

My advice is fairly simple: Write. Be flexible. Write. Persevere. And lastly, write.

Emphasis on “persevere”, as every savvy entrepreneur knows. Good advice, Pat! What do you enjoy the most as an indie author that you imagine you wouldn’t if you were traditionally published? If you had a choice would you still go indie?

I enjoy the independence of making my own decisions on when, how, and what I publish. I love the royalties I receive. I’ve gone both routes. My traditional publishing experience was with small publishers. I also had an agent for about a year. I’ll take the indie route any day and don’t even consider going with a traditional publisher these days. I know that every month I’ll have money deposited into my bank account from my book sales, and while I have to pay a percentage of sales to the online retailers I use, that percentage is much fairer than with traditional publishers. I also have a choice on what I charge for my books. When I was published traditionally, the prices were set so high for the paperbacks that I was embarrassed by it.

Being an author involves a lot of sitting around. What do you do for exercise?

That’s so true! It’s a dilemma. I have to push myself up out of my chair. I belong to a gym and do some form of work out every day. I attend dance classes twice a week, and I practice Tai Chi three times a week. Right now I’m in a class where I’m learning a Tai Chi routine with a sword. Not only do I move through these classes, but it gets me out into the world so I can socialize. Being a full time writer is an isolated occupation, so I need the push myself out into the world sometimes.

Oh Pat, I am in awe of you! Only if I cloned myself I’d manage all these activities. Good for you! Last question: how would you like to be remembered?

I want to be remembered as a person who lived by her convictions. I want one of my friends to stand at my celebration of life after I’m gone and say, “I loved this woman. She made me laugh, and she made me think. And then she made me drink. Let’s raise a glass of red wine in remembrance of one fine broad who sure knew how to live, laugh, and love.”

That’s lovely, Pat. Thank you so much for your time. I must say, you’ve inspired me with all you just shared. Many thanks!

Aw, thank you, Frossie. I really enjoyed our chat, and I’m grateful for the opportunity.

P.C. Zick describes herself as “a storyteller no matter what I write.” And she writes in a variety of genres, including romance, contemporary fiction, and nonfiction. She’s won various awards for her essays, columns, editorials, articles, and fiction.

Many of her novels contain stories of Florida and its people and environment, which she credits as giving her a rich base for her storytelling. “Florida’s quirky and abundant wildlife – both human and animal – supply my fiction with tales almost too weird to be believable.”

Her fiction contains the elements most dear to her heart, ranging from love to the environment. All of her novels contain elements of romance with strong female characters and descriptive settings. She believes in living lightly upon this earth with love, laughter, and passion, and through her fiction she imparts this philosophy in an entertaining manner with an obvious love for her characters, plot, and themes.

Visit Pat’s Amazon page

Visit Pat’s website

Visit Pat’s blog

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June 22, 2015 by Effrosyni Moschoudi

An interview with Yvonne Payne, author of Kritsotopoula

Yvonne Payne is one of my most avid supporters on Twitter. Nowadays, I have a better chance at reciprocating for her lovely support, since she has recently launched her debut novel, Kritsotopoula. The book tells the story of a real, local legend in the village of Kritsa in Crete. Check out the synopsis below for more info and then stick around to hear all about the lovely Yvonne!

Throughout her childhood exploits, the feisty daughter, Rodanthe, of Kritsa’s pappas (priest), yearns for her father’s approval without appreciating his efforts to keep her safe under Ottoman oppression.

Years later, the ruling Pasha orders Rodanthe’s kidnap intent on making her his wife. Determined not to yield, Rodanthe tricks the Pasha, and then flees to the mountains dressed as a young man. After joining rebels as Spanomanolis (Beardless Manolis), she draws on her unusual experiences and rare education to maintain her disguise throughout daring raids.

Now, honored as Kritsotopoula (Girl of Kritsa), villagers celebrate Rodanthe’s exploits annually in front of a poignant stone carving. This monument portrays the moment in 1823 when brave Rodanthe’s secret was exposed – a point mirrored as this story culminates with a twist.

Infused with myths and local flavour this historical adventure gives insight to customs that still shape many lives in Kritsa today.

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Hello Yvonne, and welcome to my blog!

Hi Fros, great to be here!

What has inspired you to write Kritsotopoula?

My husband and I soon discovered that just around the corner from our small Cretan village house was the family home of Kritsa’s most famous daughter, Rodanthe, who lived under Ottoman oppression in the early 1800s. A Pasha (local ruler) lusted after Rodanthe and ordered her kidnap, intent on making her his wife. He’d not reckoned on Rodanthe’s anger or her resourcefulness, so after tricking the Pasha she escaped to the mountains to join rebel forces disguised as a young man. Now known by the honorific title of Kritsotopoula meaning Girl of Kritsa, villagers commemorate her exploits annually in front of an amazing stone relief carved by British sculptor and Kritsa resident, Nigel Ratcliffe.

While watching Nigel bring his carving to life, I realized there was no text in English to explain why this girl was so important to the village. I investigated the life and times of Rodanthe, intending to write a pamphlet for the many tourists who visit Kritsa each summer. I had fantastic support from my husband, Alan, during my research as it involved walking in mountains, visiting specific villages, plus spending time in museums and monasteries. As my writing grew into a draft novel I cast Rodanthe in the role of a temporary donkey drover, and to bring it to life we experienced donkey riding. I was delighted with how much Alan enjoyed it.

However, most intriguing was the lack of facts! The focus of my imagination was the puzzle of how this village lass maintained her male disguise to fight alongside rebels in such a manner that Kritsa folk revere her memory to this day. The result is my novel, Kritsotopoula, Girl of Kritsa.

So, is your book a work of fiction?

My book is fiction although the story behind my novel is undoubtedly true. When I researched the legend I found some conflicting information and lots of gaps that left plenty of room for my imagination. The story of Kritsotopoula, is so well known in Kritsa that I made sure to include all the key points, and worked in as much historically true information of those times as I could. However, I cheerfully admit to inventing situations too!

What are you working on at the moment? Tell us a little about your current project(s).

I have made halting progress on a sequel, Rodanthe’s Gift. It’s another adventure to follow the next string of bloody events of the Cretan rebellion. Even while I work on this, I can’t get out of my mind the fact that our local museum in Agios Nikolaos has some remarkable finds from Kritsa that cry out for a story! Recently I heard some amazing recollections of life in Kritsa during WWII, and a story called Spirit of Rodanthe is starting to form. Whatever I write about, one thing is for sure: the setting will always be Kritsa, and that is why the tag line for my blog is ‘Kritsa, at the heart of it all’.

Choose a male and a female character from your book and tell us which actor/actress you’d wish to play them in a film adaptation.

Right from the start Captain Kazanis, a larger than life leader of the Cretan rebels, had a huge stature and booming voice based on British actor, Brian Blessed. Brian’s too old for the part now, so I think Ray Winstone as a hard man with a well-hidden soft centre would be excellent, although I nearly opted for Hagrid!

I can imagine the lovely Greek actress Ekaterina Botziou in the lead role of Rodanthe. However, if my dream director, Theodore Papadoulakis (director of the award winning Cretan TV series The Island), is in charge, he’ll cast whomever he thinks is ideal.

Tell us about your website/blog. What will readers find there?

As I mentioned earlier, my website has Kritsa at its heart, so I intend to develop it as a resource for people interested in our village rather than focus solely on my book(s).

Talking of books, there are a huge number set in Crete and Greece, both reference books and novels. From my experience, these books have such a following it’s almost a genre in its own right. In light of this, I’m in the process of setting up a page on my website called My Greek Bookshelf where I’ll review books I’ve enjoyed. I’m experimenting with the idea of my Rodanthe interviewing characters from some of these books. Time to ask you a question Effrosyni – Can you think of a character from one of your Greek based stories who’d volunteer for an interview?

Sure, just take your pick, Yvonne, and I’ll make sure they make an appearance (*smiles*). Thanks! Now, tell us, what do you enjoy the most as an indie author that you imagine you wouldn’t if you were traditionally published? If you had a choice would you still go indie?

I like being in control! Once I reached the stage where I admitted to myself that yes, I was writing a book, my thoughts turned to marketing. In a crowded marketplace, I could see that my story had a potential niche selling to two groups of people. The first are those who love Greece, and the second are those tourists who visit Kritsa, often as part of an organized tour, who’d like to buy a souvenir. I reach out to the first group via social media, and gaining shelf space in a central Kritsa shop has provided opportunity to reach souvenir hunters.

As a result, I decided not to spend time trying to get an agent to facilitate a traditional publishing deal but used SilverWood Books, a very experienced assisted publishing resource, to help me bring the book to life. I’m especially delighted with the cover design as it has many elements to appeal to local tourists.

Obviously if my book caught the attention of an agent, I’d be happy to explore the options. However, I’m not investing time on something that statistics and common sense tell me probably wouldn’t happen when I can make good use of that time.

Is there something you like to do to get the creative juices flowing?

I work out most of my story long before I sit ready to type. Scenes and whole chunks of dialogue come to me while I’m out walking in the mountains, sitting in a village kafenion or lounging on a beach. Where some people like to take photos, I capture moments of scenery, or events in words and then weave them into the story.

Here’s a photo of me getting to know a very chatty parrot who entices customers into a seaside café. Yes, it’s in the story!

Oh, that’s delightful! Thanks for showing us this photo, Yvonne! Last question: what are the things in your life that you’re most grateful for?

People often say ‘Oh you’re so lucky to live in Crete’. However, we made our own luck by taking a decision to live our life differently, mainly because we’ve seen how fleeting life can be. We make compromises to enjoy our dual life because we can’t ‘have it all,’ so we’ve reduced time and money spent on things that many other people deem important. However, Alan and I are most grateful for our good health so that we continue to enjoy everything that Crete has to offer. Eventually money or health will run out and in that event, we’ll look back and reminisce on an amazing phase of our lives.

That’s a wonderful answer, Yvonne. And I believe it’s your sense of gratitude that will prolong the blessings of money and health for you. I also think you’re very wise to say it’s not about luck but about choice. Not many people realize they have the power to change their lives, if only they decide. Thank you for this lovely chat, Yvonne, and best of luck with Kritsotopoula!

Thank you for inviting me, Fros! I appreciate it.

Yvonne Payne enjoys a dual life between Wiltshire, UK and Kritsa, a village on the Greek island of Crete. Since 2001, short-term Human Resources (HR) contracts funded long breaks in the sun that inspired her to write creatively instead of redundancy letters.

Not put off by the fact that secondary school streaming meant English literature classes did not feature on Yvonne’s timetable, despite her being an avid reader, she wrote her own eagerly awaited, hand written serialized stories for classmates. Leaving school at sixteen Yvonne worked in retailing, a move that eventually led to her writing company newsletters and training materials to launch her successful HR career.

As a regular contributor to Crete-related forums, which included sharing children’s stories based on observations of Cretan village life, Yvonne finally decided to write a novel, and after several false starts, realized that her adopted village had all the necessary ingredients, Ottoman oppression, kidnap, revenge, cunning escapades, and a legendary heroine. Yvonne combined research into the life and times of the early Cretan rebellion against ruling Turks, with her firsthand experience of local food, customs, and mountain hiking to publish her first novel, Kritsotopoula, Girl of Kritsa.

Visit Yvonne’s Amazon page

Visit Yvonne’s Website/blog

Like Yvonne’s Facebook page

Connect with Yvonne on Twitter

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June 17, 2015 by Effrosyni Moschoudi

Discover The Lady of the Pier trilogy

Today, I am pleased to announce that I am launching The Flow on June 26. This is book 2 in my trilogy, The Lady of the Pier. If you are pining for a beach holiday and looking for a read that’s the next best thing, then this trilogy is perfect for the job. What’s more, now, you can drift in your mind to a Greek paradise at a minimal cost!

The Ebb is currently only 99c and The Flow is on preorder for 99c too, but only for a limited time!

What is The Lady of the Pier trilogy about?

The Lady of the Pier trilogy tells the stories of Sofia and Laura – two girls from two different worlds who have a mysterious connection. In book 1, although similar in some ways, the two stories are seemingly unrelated. In book 2, they begin to merge and in the concluding volume, The Storm, they become one story. I recommend to start reading from book 1. The Storm is in the editing stage and will be published in December 2015.

For free excerpts, visit http://effrosyniwrites.com/books/

Book 1

LOVE WILL GO ON FOREVER, SEEKING A SECOND CHANCE.

BRIGHTON, 1937

Dreaming of wealth and happiness, Laura Mayfield arrives in Brighton to pursue a new life. She falls for Christian Searle, a happy-go-lucky stagehand at the West Pier theatre, but when she’s offered a chance to perform there, her love for him is put to the test. Charles Willard, a wealthy aristocrat, is fascinated by her and pursues her relentlessly. Will Laura choose love… or money?

CORFU, 1987

On a long holiday with her grandparents, Sofia Aspioti meets Danny Markson, a charming flirt who makes her laugh. Although she tries to keep him at arm’s length, worried that village gossip will get back to her strict family, she falls desperately in love. That’s when strange dreams about Brighton’s West Pier and a woman dressed in black begin to haunt her. Who is this grieving woman? And how is her lament related to Sofia’s feelings for Danny?

Only 99c on Amazon!

Book 2

She won’t find peace until she finds redemption.

But it’ll take more than love; it’ll take two worlds, to merge into one.

BRIGHTON 1938

Laura and Christian enjoy a blissful summer, while Charles watches from a distance, waiting for the right time to intervene. This time, he’s prepared to do something truly vile as to leave nothing to chance. WWII breaks out, and Laura does her best to settle in a new life, having paid a terrible price. Will she find happiness at last, or will the past continue to haunt her?

CORFU 1988

Sofia arrives in Vassilaki brokenhearted over Danny. Just as a new boy comes into her life, the strange dreams start anew. Now in Brighton, she meets Danny again, but he blows hot and cold. When she sees a female apparition on the West Pier, she finds out the locals call her ‘The Lady of the Pier’. Is this the woman in her dreams and why is Sofia the only one who can see her?

Official launch date: June 26, 2015

Available on preorder – only 99c for a limited time on Amazon!

Book3

The concluding part of the trilogy, The Storm, is currently in the editing stage.

It will be released in December 2015.

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June 15, 2015 by Effrosyni Moschoudi

Hot new book: Pandora’s Prophecy by Julie Ryan

Are you dreaming of a summer holiday? How about a combination of mystery and romance? Today, I have a great recommendation for you: Pandora’s Prophecy by Julie Ryan. Check this out:

‘Pandora’s Prophecy’ is the third in the Greek Island Mystery series but can be read as a standalone, although some characters from the previous books do make an appearance.

Lisa and Mark are going through a rough patch. Vicky is seventeen and has just discovered that the man she thought was her father really isn’t. Ruth is getting over her husband’s betrayal after nearly twenty-five years of marriage. On the surface they have nothing in common except that they are all staying in the same hotel on a Greek island. As they each come into contact with the mysterious Pandora, their lives will change forever. Bodies begin to pile up as a serial killer is on the loose, who might just be targeting the hotel. The island’s Police Chief, Christos Pavlides, tries to solve the puzzle but he has problems of his own to resolve. It seems that the local celebrity author is the one who holds the key.

Find Pandora’s Prophecy on Amazon.com

About the author

Julie Ryan was born and brought up in a mining village near Barnsley in South Yorkshire. She graduated with a BA (hons) in French Language and Literature from Hull University. Since then she has lived and worked as a Teacher of English as a Foreign Language in France, Greece, Poland and Thailand. She now lives in rural Gloucestershire with her husband, son and two cats, a rescue cat and a dippy cat with half a tail. She is so passionate about books that her collection is now threatening to outgrow her house, much to her husband’s annoyance, as she can’t bear to get rid of any! They have been attempting to renovate their home for the last ten years.

She is the author of three novels set in Greece: Jenna’s Journey, Sophia’s Secret and Pandora’s Prophecy. She considers Greece to be her spiritual home and visits as often as she can. This series was inspired by her desire to return to Crete although there is a strong pull to revisit the Cyclades too.

Visit Julie’s Amazon page

Visit Julie’s Blog, All Things Bookie

Visit Julie’s Blog, Julie’s World of Books

Connect with Julie on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/julieryan18

Connect with Julie on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Julieryanauthor

Discover all the books in the Greek Island Mystery Series…

When Jenna decides on a whim to go to Greece, she’s trying to escape her failing marriage. Will Greg let her go so easily though? Can she make a new future for herself and how did she get involved in an antiques smuggling ring? Is fellow holidaymaker Tom all he seems and will it be happy ever after with Nikos? It’s not until twenty-five years later that some of the questions are finally answered.

Find Jenna’s Journey on Amazon.com

or copy and paste this link in your browser for your local Amazon store: MyBook.to/Jennasjourney

This is the second book in the Greek Island Mystery series. Although each book is intended to be read as a standalone, some of the characters from the first book, ‘Jennas’s Journey’, do make an appearance. Kat has never understood why she was sent at the age of seven from Greece to live in England with her Aunt Tigi. When she receives an email from her grandmother, the first contact in over twenty years, informing her of her mother’s death, she knows this could be her last chance to find out the truth. Little by little she finds out the shocking facts as her grandmother opens her heart. It seems everyone has a secret to tell, not only her grandmother, as Manoli, her school friend, also harbours a guilty secret. Then there’s a twenty year old mystery to solve as well as a murder and what happened to the missing Church treasure?

Find Sophia’s Secret on Amazon.com

or copy and paste this link in your browser for your local Amazon store: MyBook.to/Sophiassecret

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June 15, 2015 by Effrosyni Moschoudi

An interview with Myron Stenzel

Today, I am pleased to welcome Myron Stenzel, an engineer from Kansas who enjoys writing as a hobby; he sees it as a way to inspire others. I thought this was a noble way to approach writing and so, I invited him to my blog to talk about this more extensively. He is a diverse writer too, as you will see below!

She smiled the whole time knowing that she had saved the next dance…

Visit Amazon now

When he finished, the waves washed away a message that he offered to the heavens and the ocean. “I believe in God and the sea, believe in me.” As the two walked up the beach towards the house, you could almost hear the waves say the words Jim gave the ocean to keep forever.

Chances. We all have taken them in our lives. For Jim Harris, he has taken the biggest chance of all. Giving up everything to chase a career. The one thing that he didn’t count on was that the chance he was taking would lead him to what he needed most in life, the true love of a woman. Keep the Light is a story of family, friendship, true love, and taking that chance. Author Myron Stenzel invites you to take a chance by reading this story of true love. In the end, you will look inside your own self and envision your dreams and passions, and you will forever keep the true meaning of life in your heart-love.

Visit Amazon now

Hello Myron and welcome to my blog!

Thank you for inviting me, Fros!

What has inspired you to write Keep the Light?

Keep the Light was based off of some old notes I found late in 2012. I had written these notes back in 2000. It was neat finding these going through some of my old documents while cleaning out the basement. Seeing these inspired me to finally sit down and try my hand at writing. It has always been a dream of mine to have a book published. I was amazed that I could produce a 160 page book from 4 sheets of paper. Yes, Keep the Light may not be a 300 page book; however, one will take away so many of life’s meanings from the two poems and my simple words of belief, faith and determination.

What other writing have you done? Anything else published?

My children’s story, Save the Next Dance, was recently published nationwide in February this year. I wrote this for my nine year old daughter. She takes dance lessons throughout the year, and I wanted to write a book about the love of dance and the commitment to family.

I am currently in the editing process of my 3^rd book, “Legend of the Wild Stallion”, which will be published late in 2015. This is a paranormal western mystery novel geared to intrigue a reader’s imagination.

Wow, you’re a diverse writer, Myron!

Yes, I want to be a diverse writer as to cater to as many readers as possible and to inspire them.

Any hobbies or interests that you enjoy in your spare time?

I am a huge baseball fan. I love the game and enjoy it at every level. I’m a big time KC Royals fan. I do not fish as much as I’d like to due to having a full time job, family and, of course, writing to do when I get the chance. I went fishing one time last year, and that was on the beach in Clearwater, Florida. That was amazing. Lack of rain in the area has hurt our farm ponds and rivers. I also like to get on the bike and exercise when time allows.

What are you working on at the moment? Tell us a little about your current project(s).

I am currently in the editing stage for my 3^rd book, “Legend of the Wild Stallion”. I also like to write poetry. When I’m inspired, I like to “pen a poem” and share it with people on my social sites in the hopes of inspiring someone (*smiles*)

Which are your favorite authors, and what do you love about them?

I am a fan of Jules Verne due to the amazing imagination he possessed for the time period in which he lived and wrote. “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” is my favorite novel.

What genres do you read mostly, and what are you reading now?

Unfortunately, I do not have a lot of time for reading due to my full time job and family obligations. I am a history and geography fan. I like reading about history, and stories about the ocean and sea life.

Do you have any advice for other indie authors?

Only you can make it happen. You possess the “power of the pen”. Write and fight for what you believe in. Being published almost didn’t happen, but it did due to my perseverance and prayers. Most (and I included) may never make it big as a writer, and that is fine. Treat it as a hobby and when your book is published, do not look at how many books are sold or signed. Look at your book in your hands and treat it as a trophy of your own personal success. Never give up!

Tell us about your website/blog. What will readers find there?

They will find inspiration in my poems and “writing ramblings” I post on my Goodreads blog and on my Facebook page. I’d love for your readers to join me. I’d be honored to inspire them in some way.

If you could choose another profession, what would that be?

My dream job would be to own a fishing boat on the ocean, taking people out on fishing trips and catching big fish. Being out on the water and fishing every day. Yes, I may be land locked in the Midwest; however, the ocean has always intrigued me.

What are the things in your life that you’re most grateful for?

My nine year old daughter. Being a father is the greatest gift any man could ever dream of.

How would you like to be remembered?

One who worked hard for what he has received in life. Always the fun loving humorous guy who would put a smile on his face, trying to inspire others to be the best they can be.

Thank you for this interview, Myron, and best of luck with your launch later this year.

Thank you for this opportunity, Fros.

Myron Stenzel was born and raised in the small Western Kansas town of Ness City. His career path has been in the engineering design field which he studied and graduated in 1998 from NWKTC in Goodland, KS. He also received his Associates Degree in Engineering Technology from Colby Community College in Colby Community College in Colby, KS in 1998. Although his studies and professional career have been in drafting and design, Myron has always possessed the power of writing. He found his niche for writing while in college and over the years he has favored the art of writing poetry and short stories.

Myron believes inspiration comes in many forms and in many ways throughout one’s life. He believes that the “power of the pen” allows him to express life’s true meanings. His belief is there is no topic he cannot write about if he is truly inspired. Myron believes God has allowed him to pursue a passion for writing and he feels blessed every day to be published and to be able to share his vision with all who wants to be inspired.

Visit Myron’s Amazon page

Visit Myron’s Website

Visit Myron’s Goodreads Blog

Visit Myron’s Facebook page

Connect with Myron on Twitter

Have you enjoyed this post on EffrosyniWrites? Follow us by email or RSS feed (see right sidebar) and miss no more posts! You can also sign up to Effrosyni’s newsletter as to keep up to date with her new releases & book promotions (FREE & $0.99)

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June 10, 2015 by Effrosyni Moschoudi

Valuable resources and tips for your promo

With my KCD promo for The Ebb completed, I feel ready now to concentrate on the big launch of The Flow. Still, as pleased as I am for the completion of my little project that’s been running for the past month, the results weren’t as good as I expected.

The Ebb got only 72 downloads during the promo, as well as 6 borrows.

Not much in terms of revenue as you realize, but at least, the book went up in the ranks one thing fantastic:

Best ranks it hit:

#10,530 Paid in Kindle Store

    #9 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Teen & Young Adult > Romance > Historical
    #25 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Literary Fiction > British & Irish
    #43 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Historical Fiction > Women’s Fiction

Other than that, I also got this amazing lucky break, where Robert Pattinson fans got a whiff of my trilogy, just because I said in an interview that I’d like to cast Rob as the hero in the books. I talk about my weird week with that, here. I believe it granted me a few downloads on the last day of my promo, not to mention, new Twitter followers who now send me RPatz images just to brighten my day.

Anyhoo…

To plan this promo as best as I could, I started working on it a month in advance, preparing no less than five interviews, submitting to dozens of sites and booking paid ads as well. But KCD’s are not as easy as FREE promos; everyone knows that. So instead of whining, I gave myself a pat in the back and told myself I’ll do better next time.

Today, I am not here to lament about my bad ROI – I am here to share with you three resources that I hope you will find useful: the first one is a list of sites where authors can submit their books at no cost, whether they run a KCD or a FREE promo. The second one is a list of Facebook pages/groups for your promos and the third is my personal tasklist that I follow for all my promos. I have always been highly organized so making lists comes naturally to me. Other than the sense of achievement I get when I cross tasks out, it also helps even more to write things down these days, as my memory is not what it used to be!

A. THE LIST OF SITES

I have been promising my blog followers to share this list for a while now, but I am a perfectionist, and wanted to get it just right. Also, I kept coming across new lists here and there. It took me just over a year to create this one list, and although it’s not significantly beneficial for KCD promos, it is very useful when you give out your book for FREE. I ran FREE promos for both my books last year, without paying a single dime for ads and still got thousands of downloads just by working this list. Get your copy of it right here. I wish you good luck with it!

Download also the list of Facebook pages/groups here.

B. THE TASKLIST

I divide this in three parts: Before, during, and after the promo:

BEFORE THE PROMO

Start working on the list of sites I gave you one month in advance.
For paid ads, give priority to Bookbub, Booksends and EreaderNewsToday, then book any others around those.
Email: office@askdavid.com of the site AskDavid.com and request an email with 10 links free of charge. These 10 links will grant you 10 free tweets to their thousands of followers.
Optional: Consider joining a cross-promotion group via Beezeebooks.com. Email Mike Smith at mike@beezeebooks.com and ask him to be registered for this. Very sparsely, he will send you a one-liner to post on Twitter and Facebook. Just copy paste. That’s it. In return, when you have a free or KCD promo, just email Mike, and he’ll get the people in your group to post for you too. It costs nothing and as I said, it won’t take much of your time.
Ask a bunch of your author friends to blog about your promo or to tweet about it. It is thoughtful to send them the content ready (for the blog or the tweets). Always offer reciprocation or do something that’s helpful to them. If you prefer to hire a company to organize your book tour, I recommend Book Partners in Crime Promotions.
If you have given your book to any readers and their review on Amazon is pending, ask them to download your book during a FREE promo. This way, when they post the review, it will show as ‘verified purchase’.
If you have ample time on your hands, you can run a Thunderclap. After all, every little helps. Join this Facebook group to get 100 supporters in a couple of days. I warn you though, you’ll have to dedicate a few hours supporting others first before you can also reap the benefits. If you’re pressed for time, don’t bother with Thunderclap. I’d do it for a new launch, but not sure if it’s more of a time waster than a substantial help with promos.
Add a Goodreads event to inform people of the promo.
Prepare the text for the tweets and Facebook posts you’ll be issuing during the promo. Use a scheduling service to schedule the tweets so that they go out every couple of hours (I choose a 3-hour interval). For the scheduling service, consider Socialoomph, Hootsuite or Pluggio. Choose about 10 different tweets and run them in a queue on a loop during your promo days. Use any of these hashtags depending on your type of promo: #free #freebie #freebook #freeEbook #freekindle #free4kindle #kindlepromo #sharethefree #99c #99cents #99centkindle. Also, use author-related hashtags that’ll get you retweets. Examples: #ASMSG #IAN1 #IARTG #BYNR

DURING THE PROMO

Post about your promo on your blog. Share the link on the social media. Make this your pinned tweet too.
Go to your blog’s or site’s dashboard and change the header to add an image or a text informing your visitors of your promo. I use headers that I create on the site Canva. You can also use it to make Facebook & Twitter banners and a lot more. It is free, and very easy to use. Below you can see the blog header I created on Canva for my last KCD promo. I used the ‘Blog Title’ option on Canva to create it. I also pinned it on Twitter and Facebook.

Start issuing tweets and Facebook posts about your promo 24/7. Or, if you don’t want to schedule them, at least remember to issue a few manually throughout the day.
Submit to the sites on the list I gave you (some accept submissions once the promo is underway and not before). Also start submitting on the Facebook pages/groups you’ll find on that list.
Keep track of the blog posts your author friends issue for you. Make sure to comment and share on the social media. Say thank you, including to any visitors or friends of theirs who comment or share.
Every night during your promo, around 11pm to midnight EST when things tend to peak, you need to check the Amazon rank for your book. Go to your book product page to find it. If you get to number 1 in any category which means your book will gain bestseller status, make sure to do a screen print at once. Then, use a basic program like Windows Paintbrush to paste it, then crop it and save it for your records. Examples:

AFTER THE PROMO

Go to the queue of tweets you had set up, amend them all by taking out the hashtags and put in these: #amazonprime #kindleunlimited. Tweet those a couple of days after your promo ends. This is a way to take advantage of your book’s temporary high rank. Now that it has good visibility, tweeting with these hashtags will get you borrows. Obviously, the more you will have advertized your book during promo and the more downloads you will have had, the more borrows and proper sales you’ll be getting at this point. Tip: If you run your promo to finish at the exact end of a month, you’ll get more borrows after. This is because many subscribers choose books to borrow in the very beginning of each calendar month.
Remove the header from your site/blog, pin something else on Twitter, change back your Facebook and Twitter headers if you had updated them also for the promo.
Blog about the results of your promo and share your insights. Pay it forward. It’s good to share information. I’ve just done it for you, and it feels great!

I hope you’ll find my resources and various tips useful! Go on, leave a comment and chip in with your own ideas, any tips, anything that you have found useful during promo. Let us all benefit from it!

UPDATE: For an updated and enriched tasklist, download this version right here!

For more author tips and resources, make sure to check out my page FOR AUTHORS on this site!

Author, valuable resources and tips for your promo #bookpromo #ASMSG #IARTG Share on X

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June 10, 2015 by Effrosyni Moschoudi

Book Review: Cherubim by Amy Vansant

I read this book without having read the first volume first, and I was concerned it wouldn’t make much sense to me, as a result. However, it turned out it can be read as a standalone, and I have enjoyed it immensely. Amy Vansant’s humor is wicked and her characters’ dialogue had me howling all the time. There is a series of strange creatures in the book, both angelic and human, and all of them added fascination and enthusiasm to my reading experience. There is hilarity, but also shocking cruelty in the interactions between this motley crew of characters, but it all works remarkably well to make up a story that stays with you and leaves you thirsty for more. I was astounded by how much I enjoyed this book, because I don’t normally enjoy stories containing dark characters or violence, but somehow the author found the perfect balance as to not let this bother even someone like me. This book has made me a fan of Amy Vansant’s work, and I intend to read more from this author.

My rating:

5 stars

Delightful and memorable!

Do you enjoy reading about dark angelic characters, powerful archangels, or thrilling stories of the battle between good and evil? Give this gem a chance – you’ll be glad you did! The humor alone will compensate you!

Find it now on Amazon

June 8, 2015 by Effrosyni Moschoudi

Interview with Jamie Jo Hoang

Today, I am thrilled to present to you the lovely Jamie Jo Hoang. Her debut novel tells the inspiring story of a young woman who is going blind. But instead of letting this defeat her, she embarks on a life adventure, traveling around the world. Are you hooked? I know I was when I read about it! Here’s the cover of this awesome story. Check it out and then join me as to hear all about Jamie’s real life travel experiences, too!

Hailed as “One of the best technical painters of our time” by an L.A. Times critic, 27-year-old Aubrey Johnson is finally gaining traction with her work. But as she weaves through what should be a celebration of her art, a single nagging echo of her doctor’s words refuses to stay silent—there is no cure. In less than eight weeks Aubrey is going blind.

Traveling on a one-way ticket around the world with childhood friend Jeff Anderson, Aubrey is in complete denial. But a blindfolded game of tasting foreign foods in China jolts her into confronting the reality of her situation. So begins her quest.

In this adult coming-of-age story, Aubrey struggles to make sense of her crippling diagnosis. But on her journey she finds a deeper understanding of herself and her life—sometimes fragmented and complex, but always with relentless truth.

VISIT AMAZON

Hello Jamie and welcome to my blog!

Thank you for inviting me, Fros!

I must say, Blue Sun, Yellow Sky sounds truly intriguing. What has inspired you to write it?

I had just come off the heels of reading Cheryl Strayed’s WILD and Elizabeth Gilbert’s EAT, PRAY, LOVE when I came across an article about a Dutch painter who was going blind. After reading it, I started researching other blind artists, became inspired by their work, and BLUE SUN, YELLOW SKY emerged. Our ability to adapt and overcome is what makes this story universal; you don’t have to be blind to empathize with Aubrey’s dilemma of having to reinvent her identity as an artist.

What was the first thing you ever wrote and how old were you then?

The first thing I ever wrote that I took seriously was my college entrance essay. In high school I was your stereotypical geek who did better in math and science than English, but for my entrance exam I wrote about my first trip to Vietnam, my parents’ homeland. I came face to face with poverty I had never seen before and realized that had my parents not made that fateful decision to flee, that was the life I had been destined to live. I knew then it was my responsibility to take full advantage of my situation. I was 10 years old at the time, and reflecting on that journey 8 years later for my college essay I first realized I had stories inside myself. You can imagine my parents’ disappointment when I went from Pre-med to Film School, but I think they’ve come around now.

Any hobbies or interests that you enjoy in your spare time?

I love to travel and I’m a bit of a thrill-seeker. When I was 24, I piggybacked on my friend Eric’s trip to Peru and caught the travel bug. So when I’m home I spend a lot of time surfing Google maps. There is so much beauty in the world, both natural and man-made, and I want to see it all. That’s probably why I was so drawn to the Seven Wonders of the World for BLUE SUN, YELLOW SKY. I live pretty modestly so most of my money is spent on travel. This is a map of the Maldives, off the coast of Sri Lanka, and it’s #1 on my bucket list. I’m also a certified scuba diver; there is serenity under water that I find incredibly peaceful. The photo below is of me diving in Bonaire with Dive Instructor William Wang. Ultimately, my motto in life is simply to try every thing once.

Wow, stunning photos! Do you see yourself in any of your characters, or do any of them have traits you wish you had?

The character in the book that is most modeled after me is actually Jeff. I used my experience dealing with heartbreak to develop who he was, but my friends who read the book tell me they hear more of me in Aubrey. As for traits I’d love to have, I’d want Aubrey’s skill as a painter–I myself draw pretty awful stick figures. To this day, the greatest compliment I ever got was from a reader; her dad is a painter and he said I described the world the way an artist would see it. She was my favorite person for a week.

What are you working on at the moment? Tell us a little about your current project(s).

I have a couple of ideas I’m fleshing out at the moment. One is a YA book about an unlikely and surprising friendship, and the other is a fictional account of my family’s history during the Vietnam War. The former has similar themes of personal growth as BLUE SUN, YELLOW SKY, and the latter is a lifelong passion project that has been years in the making.

What genres do you read mostly, and what are you reading now?

I don’t really have a particular genre. I prefer realistic fiction but will read everything from John Green’s THE FAULT IN OUR STARS to Junot Diaz’s THE BRIEF AND WONDEROUS LIFE OF OSCAR WAO. Right now I’m reading two books: 30 FIRST DATES by Stacie Wiedower and PREPARATION FOR THE NEXT LIFE by Atticus Lish.

Do you have any advice for other indie authors?

Get creative with your marketing. Go back through your Rolodex of people and get all of the help you can. Get involved in your book community–it takes a while, but visit your local bookstores with your book and ask them to consider adding it to their collection. I find that bringing your book with you and taking a picture of how well it fits next to other books of its genre helps! Word of mouth is still the best form of advertising so having your community back you will help build a strong readership foundation. Plus, having a strong network of readers will help soften the blow when those inevitable 1-star reviews suddenly appear.

Tell us about your website/blog. What will readers find there?

HeyJamie.com is my personal blog where I talk about my travels as well as my journey into self-publishing. When I first started as an indie author I was completely lost. I started writing posts about the things I learned so that I’d have a rubric for next time, but also to help fellow indie authors avoid some of the mistakes I made early on (like submitting to the wrong places or not submitting early enough to certain high-profile reviewers).

Being an author involves a lot of sitting around. What do you do for exercise?

I am a hiker. I hate the gym – not because I don’t like exercise but because I feel like it’s inhumane to walk/run for 3 miles and never actually go anywhere. When I was in Peru, I actually made the same trek Aubrey did in the book, hiking 42 km to Machu Picchu, and it solidified my love of hiking (see picture below). I also take really long walks. I use the walking time to catch up with friends on the phone, killing two birds with one stone.

Beware: four days hiking in Peru will turn your hair orange! The dazed look in my eye is exhaustion…it’s a long hike but I made it!

Well done, Jamie! Is there something you like to do to get the creative juices flowing when you write?

With BLUE SUN, YELLOW SKY, I spent a lot of time in museums getting inspired by paintings from all eras. In general, I do my best writing in coffee shops. The atmosphere is quiet enough for me to write but also offers the chance to watch people, which helps me to come up with character traits or physical descriptions. My Houston dog, Jilly (she’s not technically mine but I frequently kidnap her from my friends for play dates), was the inspiration for Aubrey’s childhood dog. I’d take her on walks when I had writer’s block and think about my story while she explored. She was the perfect companion – she kept up a good pace and was more interested in the smell of other dogs’ pee than chitchat. It helps that she’s a literary dog.

She’s a cutie! Well, Jamie, it was wonderful to have you today! Thank you, and good luck with your writing!

Same to you, Fros. Thank you for this opportunity to talk about my work.

Jamie Jo Hoang is the author of BLUE SUN, YELLOW SKY. Her driver’s license says she lives in Los Angeles, but she tries to escape to foreign lands as often as possible. She is a writer, thinker, explorer, lover of tea, certified advanced diver, and never far from an ocean. She blogs about her life and travels at: www.heyjamie.com.

Visit Jamie’s Blog

Visit Jamie’s Amazon Page

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June 1, 2015 by Effrosyni Moschoudi

An interview with Florence Osmund

Today I am pleased to welcome another wonderful author from my writers’ group, eNovel Authors at Work. Florence made me jealous. When you see the view she enjoys daily from her window, you’ll know why. I wish I were her cat, actually! Florence’s acclaimed literary fiction novel, Red Clover, is currently FREE! This means she came here today, like a proper Greek bearing gifts for all. Stick around, why don’t you?

FREE! (Till June 4th)

Imagine feeling like an outsider. Now imagine feeling like an outsider in your own family.
The troubled son of a callous father and socialite mother determines his own meaning of success after learning shocking family secrets that cause him to rethink who he is and where heʼs going. In Lee Winekoop’s reinvention of himself he discovers that lifeʾs bitter circumstances can actually give rise to meaningful consequences.

GET YOUR FREE COPY NOW! (Till June 4th!)

Newlyweds Marie Marchetti and her husband Richard have the perfect life together. Or at least it seems until Marie discovers his involvement with people and activities that make her run for her life. Fate draws her to Atchison, Kansas, where she rents a coach house apartment tucked away behind a three-story Victorian home that she believes is a safe refuge and perfect place to start over. Richard isn’t about to let her go so easily and continues to seduce her into his world, yet it is the discovery of her real father and his surprising heritage that changes Marie’s life more than Richard ever could.

VISIT AMAZON NOW

Twenty-four-year-old Marie Marchetti has just experienced a life-altering revelation—the identity of her real father. As she packs for her first visit with him and his family, she wonders how her life is about to change, how they will receive her, and what she will learn about her own identity. A lot happens as a result of Marie’s Thanksgiving visit, and in her search for peace and truth in her life, she quickly learns that disparate lives can converge and interact in profound and surprising ways. But ironically the most consequential outcome of her visit unexpectedly grows out of an encounter with a twelve-year-old girl named Rachael.

VISIT AMAZON NOW

Things that happen to you in the past can mold you into someone you’re not.
After recovering from the shock of her parents perishing in a tragic accident, Grace Lindroth discovers clues in their attic that cause her to believe the people she called Mom and Dad her whole life may not have been her real parents. In her search for the truth, Grace encounters people whose actions cause her to be distrustful of just about everyone, making her mission that much more difficult but heightening her determination to uncover what she believes is essential for her to go on with her life.

VISIT AMAZON NOW

Hi Florence and welcome to my blog!

Hello Fros, thank you for the invitation.

I should tell you, Florence, I am very impressed by your wonderful array of books. And what stunning covers!

Thank you very much.

Tell us, do you see yourself in any of your characters, or do any of them have traits you wish you had?

I believe all fictional characters fall into one of three categories to some degree: those who have traits similar to the author’s; those who have traits the author wishes he had; or those with traits the author is glad he doesn’t have. So the way I see it, the author’s fingerprints are all over their characters in one way or another.

I strive to craft believable characters with whom readers can connect. Maybe they can relate to their flaws, their morals, or their fears. Or maybe they can relate to a character because they know someone like that. I’ll admit many of my characters have a trait or two similar to my own, some of which I proudly own and some not so much. But I never do it intentionally—it just happens as the characters evolve in my head.

What are you working on at the moment? Tell us a little about your current project(s).

I refer to my current project as Book #5—an appropriate title will eventually come to me. It’s about a young man who, when confronted by his desperate father seeking help from him, is forced to choose between a strong familial bond and bitter childhood memories.

Gosh, I am hooked already! Which are your favorite authors, and what do you love about them?

I really like Dennis Lehane’s ability to craft unique stories that have complexities and plot twists that keep readers turning the pages. I also like and admire Nicholas Sparks’ ability to develop touching story lines. If an author makes me cry, he’s good.

I’ve only read Mystic River by Lehane and it was riveting. I don’t often cry reading books. The one I remember vividly that made blub was P.S. I Love You by Cecilia Ahern. It broke my heart, actually. Tell us about your website/blog. What will readers find there?

I have two websites—one for readers and one for writers. On http://www.florenceosmundbooks.com readers will find the synopsis and first chapter of each of my books. For my latest novel Regarding Anna I include some fun photos of fans reading the book.

On this website http://www.novelelements.com I offer substantial advice and reference materials for authors—especially new and aspiring authors. There they will find ways to hone their writing skills, tips on promoting and marketing their books, self-publishing strategies, ways to build an author platform, advice on working with editors, ways to spot a scam, and much more.

That’s genius, Florence, having one for authors and one for readers. And they both sound wonderful! What do you enjoy the most as an indie author that you imagine you wouldn’t if you were traditionally published? If you had a choice would you still go indie?

When I was ready to publish my first book, self-publishing was frowned upon in the industry, and authors ran the risk of incurring a damaging stigma if they chose that method of getting published. So when I couldn’t get a traditional publisher to notice me, I was apprehensive about going the self-publishing route. But I went that route anyway, and looking back, it was a smart decision because fortunately things have changed. While there are some definite advantages to being traditionally published, I like the higher royalties and control I have over my work that comes with being self-published. If a publisher approached me today wanting to represent me and my books, I’d likely decline.

Describe your workstation. Are there any favorite objects you have there for inspiration?

I am fortunate to live in a highrise overlooking Monroe Harbor and Navy Pier on the shore of Lake Michigan. My desk sits in a bay window that allows a great view of the boats and water on one side and the Chicago skyline on the other. I find it all very inspirational.

Oh, my goodness! How do you get any writing done? And most importantly, do you have a spare couch? (*laughs*) Where do you get story ideas?

For years while I was working for large corporations in a variety of traditional positions, I thought about writing novels after retiring. Thought about it, dreamed about it—I knew that was what I wanted to do. So whenever I had an idea about a story line, an interesting scene, or compelling dialogue, I wrote it down on any scrap of paper that was handy and then dropped it into a shoebox I had tucked away in a closet. Those ‘shoebox’ ideas evolved from observing and listening to people in a variety of places—at work, on the street, on TV, in the movies, at family get-togethers, and some from my own personal experiences.

When it came time to start writing, I retrieved those hundreds of scraps of papers, categorized them, and put them into piles. When I had finished, three distinct stories had emerged. I used one for my first novel and its sequel, and the two remaining ones eventually morphed into my third and fourth books.

Again, genius springs to mind! Well done, Florence. One last question: what has been the most important lesson you’ve learned so far in life the hard way?

I’m not sure if this is the hardest lesson I’ve ever learned, but it is certainly one of the most important, and that is to be true to and honest with yourself. Once you’ve learned to do that, life is so much easier.

That is the perfect advice for anyone looking to find peace inside, I am sure. Before we wrap this up, I told people I want to be your cat. Do you want to show them that picture you showed me earlier?

Sure!

Now, people, can you see my point? Luckiest cat in the whole wide world! Thank you so much for being here with us today, Florence!

Thank you for this opportunity, Fros, and I hope your readers will download Red Clover while the FREE offer lasts!

After a successful career in corporate America, three-time indieBRAG honoree Florence Osmund retired to write novels. “I like to craft stories that contain thought-provoking plots and characters with depth and complexity—particularly ones that challenge readers to survey their own values,” Osmund states.

What others are saying about Osmund’s books:

“Florence Osmund is a brilliant wordsmith who paints such a rounded picture of each character that the reader feels he is in the book with them.”

—Charles Bray, Founder of INDIETRIBE.com

Florence lives in the great city of Chicago, with her seventeen-year-old-cat Miska, where she continues to write novels.

Visit Florence’s Amazon Page

Visit Florence’s Author Website

Visit Florence’s Book Website

Email Florence at: info@florenceosmund.com

FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/FlorenceOsmundBooks

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/FlorenceOsmund

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/florenceosmund

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/8800692-florence-osmund

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Welcome to Effrosyni Writes

This is the website of Greek author, Effrosyni Moschoudi. Go to the 'FREE STUFF' page on the menu to get her FREE books! Also, her travel guide to Moraitika and Messonghi in Corfu and the Greek recipes are unmissable if you love all things Greek!

self-published author

Interview with Tamara Gill, author of time travel romances

Today, I am pleased to present to you Tamara Gill, a lovely author whom I invited to my blog to talk about her work that includes historical and time travel romances. Here is a small sample, and you’ll be pleased to know one of them is FREE right now!

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An interview with Pat Zick, author of the Florida Fiction Series

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An interview with Yvonne Payne, author of Kritsotopoula

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Discover The Lady of the Pier trilogy

The Ebb is currently only 99c and The Flow is on preorder for 99c too, but only for a limited time!

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Hot new book: Pandora’s Prophecy by Julie Ryan

Are you dreaming of a summer holiday? How about a combination of mystery and romance? Today, I have a great recommendation for you: Pandora’s Prophecy by Julie Ryan. Check this out:

‘Pandora’s Prophecy’ is the third in the Greek Island Mystery series but can be read as a standalone, although some characters from the previous books do make an appearance.

About the author

Discover all the books in the Greek Island Mystery Series…

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An interview with Myron Stenzel

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Book Review: Cherubim by Amy Vansant

Interview with Jamie Jo Hoang

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An interview with Florence Osmund

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Interested to read more from this author? Head over to Effrosyni’s Blog, where you’ll find awesome tips for authors, interviews, book reviews, travel articles and even Greek recipes!