Friday, July 29, 2016

Authors To Watch: Ian Lewis, author of 'Godspeed, Carry My Bullet'



Ian Lewis prefers not to be bound by a particular genre. Though the inspiration for his work varies, it often finds roots in something he dreamt. He strives for a gritty realism and maintains an interest in the humanity of his characters. His hope is that readers find themselves haunted by his stories in the sense that the narrative sticks with them long after they've finished reading, leaving them with a subtle restlessness for more. Mr. Lewis is the author of The Camaro Murders, Lady in Flames, and Power in the Hands of One, all novellas. His first full length novel, Godspeed, Carry My Bullet, was released in April of 2016. He has been writing since 2002.

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Bobby Clyne has nothing to lose. Two illegitimate governments have taken the place of the fallen United States: The Directorate in the East and the United States Valiant in the West. And he's just learned that a man who once terrorized his family as a low-ranking member of the Military Police is set to become the Grand Marshall of the Ohio Region. Armed with his father's Dragunov sniper rifle, Bobby embarks on a mission of revenge with consequences far more reaching than his personal vendetta.

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Tell us a little about yourself.

By day, I work for a software company, but that just pays the bills. I have a compulsion to write, and every scrap of free time I get, I’m writing. I would write full-time I could. I’ve released three novellas since 2009: The Camaro Murders, Lady in Flames, and Power in the Hands of One. My first novel, Godspeed, Carry My Bullet, was released this year. The novellas are all available through Untreed Reads whereas the novel is my first attempt at self-publishing. 

Give us a brief overview of your previous releases.

The Camaro Murders is sort of a murder mystery with a supernatural twist. It’s told from four different first-person points of view, one from beyond the grave. The narrative is told out of order from a chronology point of view, but in the order that the reader should read it. It was once compared to Faulkner’s “As I Lay Dying.” I don’t know whether that’s a compliment—there are many fans of that book, but I couldn’t get through it myself. At any rate, I wrote this one for selfish reasons. I wanted to write something that I thought I’d find engaging as a reader. Sure, I wanted others to like it just as much as me, but I never thought it would get picked up because it was so unorthodox. It’s still probably my favorite thing I’ve written.

Lady in Flames sees the return of the Driver, the ghostly character introduced in The Camaro Murders. This story is once again told from multiple first-person points of view, but it’s told in order this time, and the narrative exhibits more of a storytelling quality, I think. The Driver finds himself mixed up in the desperation of a small, economically depressed town. His sense of self-righteousness causes him to intervene in the lives of the people in the town whom he deems as “good.” It’s sort of a character development study in the sense that it lays the groundwork for what will become the Driver’s “besetting sin” in future books.

Power in the Hands of One was written to pay homage to shows like Voltron and the Big O. I started out with a simple idea: write a giant robot story. As fantastic as that sounds, my tendency to keep things down-to-earth prompted me to place the story in present day and keep as much of it as I could grounded in a semblance of current technology. The pace of this story was ratcheted up so that right from the beginning, you’re flying through it. An interesting side note: as I began to examine Troy (the main character) and his motives, the story turned into a subtle commentary on moral relativism. The idea was that no one really believes that right and wrong are relative. As William Lane Craig aptly points out, no one would bother reading the back of the Aspirin bottle if that were the case. When pressed, nearly everyone will admit to some sort of absolute. This becomes evident when Troy, after much protestation, relents and gets involved in the struggle between the story’s two antagonists: a right-wing extremist group and the scientific elite.

Can you tell us about your most recent release?

Godspeed, Carry My Bullet is part thriller, part action/adventure story. It’s the first of a two-book series that follows an alternate history. The premise is that the recession of 2008 gets so bad that the United States sees full economic collapse. Banks fail, infrastructure is disrupted, riots and looting ensue, and government officials are assassinated. Fast forward to 2013 where the book begins, and the reader sees the government has split into the Directorate in the East and the United States Valiant in the West. The narrative follows several different points of view: a would-be assassin nursing wounds from the past, a nomadic survivalist trying to forge his own path, a single mother struggling amidst financial distress, a novice undercover operative working to restore Constitutional government, and an itinerant preacher turned vigilante tracking a predator who has kidnapped a young girl. Their stories interweave in unexpected ways and keep the reader turning the page. Stylistically, it’s a departure from my previous work in that it’s a bit more accessible and mass-market. I didn’t do anything experimental with the format like I did with The Camaro Murders. Though I wouldn’t describe it as formulaic genre fiction either—I think the characters are stronger than what you’d get in a run-of-the-mill thriller.

Of all your characters, which one is your favorite? Why?

I like the Driver the best (The Camaro Murders and Lady in Flames). He’s brooding and introspective, and very much a loner. I think he feels like no one really understands him, and that it’s up to him to do something about the evil he sees day in and day out. Anyone who’s honest with themselves would likely identify with him because his weakness and failures are all rooted in his noble intentions. There’s often something there in the beginning that starts out as good, but gets twisted and corrupted and made to serve our selfish impulses—some gift we’ve been given that we use the wrong way.

What projects are you currently working on?

I’m currently writing the sequel to Godspeed, Carry My Bullet. If all goes well, it will be available in 2018. Just this year I started doing some ghost writing for a new Science Fiction series. This slows down the writing process for my own stuff, but keeps me creative and prolific. I also have a completed (albeit short) novel that will stand as the third entry in the loose series that features the Driver from The Camaro Murders and Lady in Flames. I hope to release that in 2017.

What advice would you offer to new or aspiring authors?

First and foremost, I would suggest he or she join a critique group. This has been the single most helpful thing I’ve done as an author. Active participation in such a group not only helps improve your writing, but it serves as motivation to keep writing because you’re surrounded by like-minded individuals.

I would also recommend outlining one’s novel before starting to write. You can get away with pure organic story development with short stories, but anything of length will greatly benefit from an outline. It doesn’t have to be anything that involved either. Writing a paragraph for each chapter will suffice. Not only does an outline keep you on track with the plot and character development, but it gets you over the hump of the first few chapters. I don’t know how many aspiring writers have told me that they sat down to write a novel and either couldn’t get past the first few chapters, or found that their idea only filled the first fifty pages.

Thursday, July 28, 2016

On the Spotlight: WRITE TO DIE, a legal thriller by Charles Rosenberg

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WRITE TO DIE, Charles Rosenberg’s blockbuster legal thriller is set against the backdrop of Hollywood’s entertainment industry, and marks the debut of a new series. Write to Die introduces protagonist Rory Calburton, a former Deputy DA turned entertainment lawyer who is swept up in the trial of a lifetime when murder hits the heart of the movie business.
A sensational tale informed by Charles Rosenberg’s decades-long legal career, Write to Die sizzles. With its seemingly ripped-from-the-headlines storyline, exhilarating plot, and pulse-pounding action, Write to Die heralds the advent of an outstanding new mystery series. Resplendent with realistic courtroom drama, richly drawn characters that spring to life within the novel’s pages, and an insider’s view of the inner workings of Hollywood, Write to Die is to die for.
About Write to Die
Hollywood’s latest blockbuster is all set to premiere—until a faded superstar claims the script was stolen from her. To defend the studio, in steps the Harold Firm, one of Los Angeles’s top entertainment litigation firms and as much a part of the glamorous scene as the studios themselves. As a newly minted partner, it’s Rory Calburton’s case, and his career, to win or lose. But the seemingly tame civil trial turns lethal when Rory stumbles upon the strangled body of his client’s general counsel. And the ties that bind in Hollywood constrict even tighter when the founder of the Harold Firm is implicated in the murder. Rory is certain the plagiarism and murder cases are somehow connected, and with the help of new associate Sarah Gold—who’s just finished clerking for the chief justice—he’s determined to get answers. Will finding out who really wrote the script lead them to the mastermind of the real-life murder?
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About Charles Rosenberg
Charles (“Chuck”) Rosenberg is a Harvard Law School-trained lawyer who has been a partner in a large, international law firm and, simultaneously, an adjunct law professor who has taught numerous law school courses, from copyright to criminal procedure. He received his undergraduate degree from Antioch College and has served as the credited legal script consultant to TV’s The Paper ChaseL.A LawThe Practice and Boston Legal, a full-time on-air legal analyst for E! Television’s O. J. Simpson criminal and civil trial coverage, and a former board member of the Taos Film Festival. He is author of the bestselling Robert Tarza legal-thriller trilogy: Death on a High FloorLong Knives and Paris Ransom, and The Trial of O.J.: How to Watch the Trial and Understand What’s Really Going On, a trial watcher’s guide to the O.J. Simpson trial. Chuck practices law in the Los Angeles area, where he lives with his wife. He is currently at work on the second book in the To Die series. Visitwww.charlesrosenbergauthor.com for more information.
Publication Date:  July 26, 2016
Category:   Mystery/Thriller
Formats:  Trade Paper, ISBN:  978- 1503937611, $15.95,  Kindle, $3.99
Page Count:   498 (approximately)
Publisher:   Thomas & Mercer
Publicity Contact:  Maryglenn McCombs  (615) 297-9875 maryglenn@maryglenn.com

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Book Feature: Suppose by D.J. Adamson

Title: SUPPOSE
Author: D.J. Adamson
Publisher: Horatio Press
Pages: 334
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
What did he want to know about me?”

“If you were still alive.”

Connivers, murder, and the international shipment of drugs unites the local PDs and the Federal Government, and drags Lillian into a hailstorm of manipulation and danger, whereby she is given two choices: Join? Or die trying?

For More Information

  • SUPPOSE is available at Amazon.
  • Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.

Book Excerpt:

Real things started happening. No more ducking my head. No more playing the blame-game. That’s the problem being sober and taking life on without a drink in my hand. Don’t get me wrong. My drinking is not an excuse for who I’m not. But my NOT drinking is the only way I’ll find out who I was before taking that first drink.

It was time for me to start doing sober what I always said I’d do drunk.

All eyes were on me; mine are wide open.



About the Author


Award Winner at the Midwest Book Festival and Nominated for a Clue Award in Suspense, DJ Adamson is the author of the Lillian Dove Mystery series and the mystery/science fiction trilogy Deviation. Author, instructor, she is also Vice President for the Central Coast Sisters in Crime and Membership Director for Sisters in Crime, Los Angeles. She is an active member of Mystery Writers of America.

Her latest book is the mystery/suspense, SUPPOSE.

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Book Feature: Unloved Again by Elan Golomb

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Inside the Book:

Unloved Again

Title: Unloved Again 
Author: Elan Golomb 
Publisher: iUniverse 
Genre: Psychology 
Format: Ebook/Paperback

Love can be hell. It is not an accident which moves us to love the wrong person or to hate the right one, over and over again.

Most of us remain unaware of how to escape this perpetual cycle of bad relationships.

 • Do you continually fall for the wrong person?
 • Do you find yourself driving the right person away?
 • Do your relationships quickly switch from blissful to tortured?
 • Do you criticize unreasonably or find yourself being criticized disproportionally?

 In Unloved Again, Dr. Elan Golomb identifies the crux of emotional and psychological problems which underlie love's repeated failures. Only in addressing these deep-seated issues can one escape the dance of romantic folly. With this book you will uncover the secret to enjoying a happy and lasting love life.
Meet the Author:
Elan Golomb earned her doctorate in clinical psychology and her certificate in psychoanalysis and psychotherapy from New York University. She has been in private practice in New York since 1972. She is also the author of Trapped in the Mirror: Adult Children of Narcissistic Parents in Their Struggle for Self.

The Pirates Cycle Series Book Blast!


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We are happy to be hosting Chris Gerrib's The Pirates Cycle Series Book Blast today! Leave a comment and you could win a complete set of his books!


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About the Series:

Title: The Pirates Cycle Series
Author: Chris Gerrib
Publisher: Cincinnatus Press
Genre: Science Fiction

When eighteen-year-old Janet Pilgrim’s boyfriend was killed in a training accident at the space academy, she thought she was going to be thrown out. Instead, she soon found herself shipping out as a junior astronaut on the forty-year old spacecraft Windy City bound for Mars.

But freighters and passenger ships aren’t the only craft plying the spaceways. When the Windy City is attacked by pirates on the way to Mars, Janet finds herself in more danger than she could ever have imagined.

The Pirates Cycle series is available at Amazon.

Book Excerpt:

A very solid clunk on the outer bulkhead awoke me from my after-watch nap.  This was immediately followed by the general alarm.  The ship’s Voice was reporting all sorts of problems, and as I rolled out of my rack the lights flickered off, and a second later about half of them came on again.  As I listened to the Voice, I heard three alarms, any one of which was serious.  First I heard a “loss of communication” alarm, then a “ reactor coolant leak #2 radiator” and finally a loss of pressure alarm for the #3 greenhouse.
The reactor coolant leak scared me the most.   Our reactor was a pebble-bed unit, so it couldn’t melt.  But if it got too hot, it would automatically shut down.  No reactor meant no propulsion which meant we’d sail past Mars and out of the Solar System.  Some uncounted tens of thousands of years later some unknown alien would find our bones.  Maybe.
I jumped into a pair of coveralls and raced to the greenhouse.  Everything seemed to be in slow motion, but it was really only a few seconds before I was at the pressure door to the greenhouse.  As I looked in through the observation port, still struggling though sleep and shock, I couldn’t understand at first what I was seeing.  Maybe I didn’t want to understand.
Practically all the plants had been sucked out of the compartment, and what few remained had been sucked clean of leaves.  A couple of the water sprays were running, and the water coming out was boiling and freezing at the same time.  I looked shipdown towards the outer hull.  Something had cut a gouge almost the entire length of the compartment, slicing through the twin hulls like a hot knife through butter.  There were scorch marks along the edges of the gash, which must have immediately vented the compartment to space.
A flash of red caught my eye.  I blinked and saw Kate, drifting lifelessly against the far bulkhead.  I stared at her in disbelief.  There was a red streak of blood down her face from her nose, and her hair was matted with blood, whether from her ears or a skull wound I couldn’t tell.  There was nothing I could do.  I only hoped that she had passed out quickly from the loss of pressure.  I pounded on the hatch for a minute, out of frustration more then anything else. 
“Kate, where are you?”  Alex said, his voice booming out of the announcing system.
I picked up the nearest ship’s phone and dialed the pilothouse.  Ken answered.  “Kate was trapped in #3 greenhouse.  The aft bulkhead and hatch holding.”  It took me a minute to notice that there was no answer.  “Ken, status?”
“You’d better get up to the pilothouse fast, Janet.”

About the Author
  
Chris Gerrib admits to being a bit obsessed with Mars, but in a healthy way.  Chris still has a day job as the IT director at a Chicago-area bank, and holds degrees in history and business from the University of Illinois and Southern Illinois University.  He also served in the US Navy during the First Gulf War, and can proudly report that not one Iraqi MiG bombed Jacksonville, Florida while he was in the service.  In his copious free time, Chris is a past President of and currently active in his local Rotary club.  His three-novel series set on Mars, The Pirate Cycle, is being reissued by Cincinnatus Press.

You can visit Chris Gerrib’s website at http://privatemarsrocket.net/

Giveaway

Chris Gerrib is giving away one complete paperback set of The Pirates Cycle (3 books) and two complete ebook sets!

Terms & Conditions:
  • By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
  • One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive one paperback set and two winners will be chosen to receive one of two ebook sets.
  • This giveaway begins July 5 and ends on July 29.
  • Winners will be contacted via email on July 30.
  • Winner has 48 hours to reply.
Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!




 

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Dana K. Ray's A Second Chance Book Blast! Win $10 Amazon Gift Card!


We're happy to be hosting Dana K. Ray's A SECOND CHANCE Book Blast today!  Enter to win $10 Amazon Gift Card below!
About the Book:

Title: A Second Chance
Author: Dana K. Ray
Publisher: eLectio Publishing
Pages: 352
Genre: YA/New Adult/Inspirational
A past she can’t forget…

Raven will do just about anything to forget a horrific event from the past that still haunts her. Forced to attend church because of a promise she made at a party, she is immediately attracted to the young, handsome preacher but is unconvinced of his promises of a better life.

A future he refuses to accept…

Matthew has everything planned out until Raven walks into his church and turns his life upside down. Repulsed by her lifestyle, yet fascinated by her beauty and charm, he finds himself drawn to her by a force he can’t explain.

Raven and Mathew’s unlikely friendship leads them through escalating troubled waters that threaten to doom their growing relationship. Will they survive to learn valuable lessons of grace, forgiveness and love?

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Book Excerpt:
Raven staggered into her bedroom and fell on the bed. Darkness pressed into her on every side. A shard of light sliced through the room. She tried to focus on the ceiling, but the room spun around her. She slid to the edge of the bed until one foot lay flat on the floor. It was supposed to stop the spinning. It didn’t.
Oh, God. If You keep me from puking, I swear, I’ll never drink again.
It was an empty promise, as deceiving as the alcohol. The numbness was too short. All too quickly, she’d end up in the same position, praying the same stupid prayer, talking to a God she didn’t know.
Teresa appeared. Raven smiled and reached out to her best friend. Teresa came closer. Her face was white and her lips were blue. Raven’s smile faded as terror filled her.
“I’m sorry,” Raven whispered and blinked away the tears, then gave her head a gentle shake to rid herself of the ghost. Wrong move. Teresa vanished like a vapor, but her stomach churned in protest. She looked back at the ceiling, pushed the thoughts of Teresa out of her mind, and focused on not puking.
Teresa was back with a vengeance, haunting her this time, calling to her...
“Raven.”
Raven rolled on her side and pulled the pillow over her head to muffle the girl’s voice. The shrink said the memories would fade. They didn’t.
“Raven.”
Startled, she sat up and tried to focus on something. Her heart pounded as hard as her head did. She must’ve been dreaming.
“Raven.” There was pounding. “Get the door,” her sister yelled.
Raven turned. Hailey stood in the doorway of her room. Is it morning? Did I sleep? Am I still buzzed or hung over? She sat motionless for a moment. Her head throbbed. Cotton mouth. I’m hung over.
“The door?” Raven asked, but Hailey had already disappeared.
Raven crawled across the bed, peeked out the window, and looked down at the front porch. Travis, the preacher boy, pounded on the door again.
“I’ll kill him.” The doorbell shrilled through the house, intensifying the pounding in her head.



About the Author

Dana K. Ray has been writing gutsy, true to life stories since she became a teenager. She and her husband reside in the Midwest with their four children and four dogs. She loves writing, mochas and Oreo’s. A Second Chance is her first published novel. Absolution, the first in the Luciano Series, is scheduled to be published in July, 2017. Dana loves to connect with her readers and other aspiring authors at www.danakray.com.

For More Information


Giveaway

Dana K. Ray is giving away a $10 Gift Card!


Terms & Conditions:
  • By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
  • One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive $10 Amazon Gift Certificate
  • This giveaway begins July 5 and ends on July 29.
  • Winners will be contacted via email on July 30.
  • Winner has 48 hours to reply.
Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!




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Monday, July 25, 2016

Book Excerpt: Cocktails and Mock-Tales by Julianne McLean & Mark Lynch


We're happy to be hosting Julianne McLean and Mark Lynch's new humor book, Cocktails and Mock-Tales!


About the Book:

Title: Cocktales & Mock-Tales
Authors: Julianne McLean & Mark Lynch
Publisher: ASJ Publishing
Pages: 90
Genre: Humor

Cocktails and Mock- Tales is not just about alcoholic beverages. The book is about sensations that tickle your tastebuds and humour that tickles your fancy. It includes non-alcoholic beverages that the whole family can enjoy and even herbal recipes for the adventurous.

Have one extremely tall high ball glass and a giant cocktail shaker at the ready
Ingredients:
Unlimited centilitres of wit and humour
9 cl or 3oz titillating snippets of history and gossip
Add flavours of exotic destinations
A dusting of spice mixed with satire
Several centilitres of high spirits (optional)

Shake with vigour. Garnish with an open mind and your own sense of humour
Now you are ready to truly laugh and savour Cocktails and Mock Tales!
Amaze your friends and family with your knowledge of the origins of international beverages and excite their tastebuds with these exotic sensations.

For More Information

  • Cocktails & Mock-Tales is available at Amazon.
  • Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.

Book Excerpt:
Daiquiri

The daiquiri is a family of cocktails of which the primary ingredients are white rum, lime or lemon juice and sugar.

The drink was supposedly invented by American mining engineer Jennings Cox who was in partying and experimenting in Cuba at the time of the Spanish American War. Daiquiri is also the name of a beach and an iron ore mine near Santiago in Cuba.

Serves 1

6cl white rum

3cl lime juice

2cl sugar syrup

Sugar on the rim of the glass.

Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Shake well and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Strawberry Daiquiri Mock-tail

Serves1

2 large strawberries

1⁄4 cup of white sugar

1 tablespoon of lemon juice

¾ cup of chilled lemon lime soda

4 ice cubes

In a blender, mix the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice and lime soda. Add the ice and blend until smooth. Pour into a chilled Tom Collins glass. Garnish with a slice of lime or lemon


About the Authors

Julianne has created & organized targeted national launches, press coverage, television appearances, publicity events and community service affiliations for a varied range of entities including: “Masai Barefoot Technology” – therapeutic footwear company; award-winning cartoonist Mark Lynch’s book – “How Green is My Planet” with forewords from Spike Milligan and David Suzuki; best-selling recipe book, “Barbies for Blokes” with recipes from celebrities such as Peter Brock, Jeff Fenech and Guy Leech and the sequel “More Barbies for Blokes” (These later publications were co-authored by Julianne); John Gill, eight times World Martial Arts Champion and Hornsby Council’s sports complexes that won the national award for “Best Swim School Promotion”. Julianne has just produced directed and written a DVD for Holland America Cruise lines based on their exercise programs and is publishing her new book “Cocktails and Mock Tales”.
Visit Julianne McLean on Facebook!


Mark Lynch our Australian cartoonist, describes himself as being born “sometime in the middle of the last century.”

After doing a variety of Jobs, Mark became a QANTAS Flight attendant and he quips that “the next nineteen years of his life resembled an exotic beer commercial set in a variety of world- wide locations”.

Mark was editorial cartoonist for the leading publication, “The Australian” newspaper. His work has been enjoyed in more publications than you could count, ranging from Australian dailies, even ‘Le News Switzerland”. Mark’s cartoons appear in a variety of forms and diversity world-wide including video screens in the Berlin and Munich subway system where they are seen by 1.5 million people a day.

Mark is the recipient of 48 international and Australian cartoon awards!

Mark lives in Sydney with his lovely wife, Jenny, and two sons and to learn more about Mark and see further cartoons, visit www.cartoons-a-plenty.com

 
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Scapegoat Book Trailer Blast


We're happy to be hosting Emilio Corsetti III's SCAPEGOAT Book Trailer Blast today!  Please leave a comment to let him know you stopped by!


About the Book:


Title: Scapegoat: A Flight Crew’s Journey from Heroes to Villians to Redemption
Author: Emilio Corsetti
Publisher: Odyssey Publishing, LLC
Pages: 472
Genre: Nonfiction Narrative

"This is the kind of case the Board has never had to deal with-a head-on collision between the credibility of a flight crew versus the airworthiness of the aircraft." NTSB Investigator-in-Charge Leslie Dean Kampschror

On April 4, 1979, a Boeing 727 with 82 passengers and a crew of 7 rolled over and plummeted from an altitude of 39,000 feet to within seconds of crashing were it not for the crew's actions to save the plane. The cause of the unexplained dive was the subject of one of the longest NTSB investigations at that time.

While the crew's efforts to save TWA 841 were initially hailed as heroic, that all changed when safety inspectors found twenty-one minutes of the thirty-minute cockpit voice recorder tape blank. The captain of the flight, Harvey "Hoot" Gibson, subsequently came under suspicion for deliberately erasing the tape in an effort to hide incriminating evidence. The voice recorder was never evaluated for any deficiencies.

From that moment on, the investigation was focused on the crew to the exclusion of all other evidence. It was an investigation based on rumors, innuendos, and speculation. Eventually the NTSB, despite sworn testimony to the contrary, blamed the crew for the incident by having improperly manipulated the controls, leading to the dive.

This is the story of an NTSB investigation gone awry and one pilot's decades-long battle to clear his name.

Scapegoat: A Flight Crew’s Journey from Heroes to Villains to Redemption is available at Amazon and B&N.

Book Excerpt:

When TWA 841 departed JFK on April 4, 1979, no one onboard had any idea of the drama that would soon unfold. One passenger, travelling with her husband, wrote in a journal about the smooth takeoff. She had been keeping a personal journal of her travels to share with her children on her return. She documented everything down to the most inconsequential detail such as her ears popping as the aircraft climbed. Days, weeks, and years later, after TWA 841 had become the subject of one of the longest NTSB investigations in the agency’s history, investigators would scrutinize every minute of the flight in a similarly detailed manner. Much like a criminal investigation, the movements, actions, and whereabouts of each crew member were documented. Routine tasks such as when and where the meal trays were exchanged between the cockpit and cabin crew would take on added significance. Unraveling the mystery of TWA 841 was a monumental puzzle that needed to be solved. But unlike any accident investigation before or since, the same evidence investigators would use against the crew would be used by others to challenge the theories put forth by Boeing and the NTSB. Readers can draw their own conclusions as to which version is correct.

About the Author


Emilio Corsetti III is a professional pilot and author. Emilio has written for both regional and national publications including the Chicago Tribune, Multimedia Producer, and Professional Pilot magazine. Emilio is the author of the book 35 Miles From Shore: The Ditching and Rescue of ALM Flight 980. The upcoming book Scapegoat: A Flight Crew's Journey from Heroes to Villains to Redemption tells the true story of an airline crew wrongly blamed for causing a near-fatal accident and the captain's decades-long battle to clear his name. Emilio is a graduate of St. Louis University. He and his wife Lynn reside in Dallas, TX.
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Sunday, July 24, 2016

Book Review: ‘The Crimson Calling’ by Patrick C. Greene


crimsonThe Crimson Calling by Patrick C. Greene is a suspenseful, fast-paced tale featuring a strong, bad ass heroine, and lots of non-stop action. It puts a new spin on vampire lore by combining the old myths with the modern military.
In a world where just a few hundred vampires secretly remain after the eradication of 1666, Olivia–Liv–Irons is a young woman with unusual military talents who is emotionally tortured by the loss of her child and the man she loved. One day, she is a approached by an ancient alluring vampire with a proposition she can’t refuse.
Now, it rests in her hands to save the good vampires–as well as humankind–from a sect of the evil undead who want nothing more than to rule the world on their own terms. Including turning humans into foodbags. But at the heart of this mission, there lies a secret…
Olivia is a lovable character, strong and independent, yet kind and vulnerable, the perfect combination with her bad ass attitude. There is also an array of interesting secondary characters as well as a villainess readers will love to hate. Intense and entertaining fight scenes between the immortals will satisfy fans of the military/vampire fiction sub-genre. Adding to this mix are the alluring forests and rolling hills of Eastern Europe, as well as erotic descriptions of vampire transformation.
Greene has a gritty writing style that doesn’t shy away from the nastier side of things–and language. His combat descriptions are awesome. At the same time, he does a skillful job in getting into the mind of his young and vulnerable protagonist, showing us her doubts and fears with a caring touch. The ending seems to be open to a sequel so I’m definitely looking forward to read more. Entertaining and recommended!
Find out more on Amazon.

Saturday, July 23, 2016

The Writing Life with Latina Author Jonisha Rios





ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jonisha Rios is an accomplished screenwriter, author, director and actress that currently resides in California. She teaches Solo-show workshops to adults and kids. 

Check her book on www.CurseoftheBlueVagina.com 
What’s inside the mind of a chica lit author?
I have always been somewhat of an optimist. I like to find the humor in things that bug me.  For example imagine you take a bite of your favorite slice of pizza and as your chewing, you feel the icky sensation of a strand  of hair on your tongue.  Not your own hair that has gotten caught in your mouth which is gross enough, but someone else’s dirty ass strand of hair  IN YOUR MOUTH!!!  Yuck! You  were enjoying your slice. You were also hungry.  Now what? Should you 
A) Scream at the cook demand a whole pizza pie.  
B) Spit it out and say to yourself “Hey maybe its time I start my new diet.  I shouldn’t be eating this crap anyway." 
c) Or C– You Imagine a character named Goldie who has just had the same experience. She slowly puts down her piece of pizza and slowly pulls that sucker out of her mouth and says "You gotta love this place...they didn't charge for extra ingredients."  As she sarcastically shares her disgusting discovery with the tall dark and handsome man sitting next to her at the pizza shop- he suddenly decides to ask her out on a real date to prove to her that there are some dining experiences that don't end up with a hair in your food.  She blushes. He pushes his tray aside and rises from his seat. He approaches her and touches her hand ever so gently and says "Let's get out of here and eat some real food." 
You see how I did that.  Find the positive and the humor in all things painful and even icky, then you start to live a fun life. Or at least try to. 
What is so great about being an author?
That! You imagination can run as far as you want it to go without anyone ever even having to know. You get to say it like you want it, with no fear,  or no judgment.  Don’t get me wrong, if you do end up with a publishing team they may step in and hack your book to bits, I mean  edit your work and make some changes.  However, the intention of your words and your story don’t ever really change. It only gets better.   For me writing is the only time, I get to not only use my imagination so freely and paint pictures or scenarios I can live.  I can write an essay about the love affair Johnny Depp and I had years ago when I met him in Paris as a quaint little cafe, and for me that shit is real.  
When do you hate it?
When I have to rewrite over and over again, or figure out the heady stuff, like formatting or searching out repeat words.  Every time I got notes I read my book from cover to cover sometimes twice a day. So that was tedious because there was always something I wanted to change. And at some point I just said to my agent “I don’t want to look at it anymore, I trust you."  You have to eventually trust others to step in because your “team” has got your back. 
What is a regular writing day like for you?
Yikes, with a 3 year-old I have to wait until he goes to sleep or ask my husband to hang out for the day so that I can write. So its really a gift to be able to sneak off and write. 
Do you think authors have big egos? Do you?
Who doesn’t have an ego from time to time? Its how you use it that matters, you make it your friend but you put it in check because you are not your ego- you are the creator behind it.  I do have fun with wacky characters that will just express their egos fully so that’s always a good way to deal with that.  Just create a character that is an asshole from time to time and you will have fun with it in a positive way. 
How do you handle negative reviews?
I don’t read my reviews, good or bad.  I create and all I care about is setting out to complete what I created and do it well.  Then I let it go. There are millions of people with millions of perceptions and ideas about what they think you are really saying when in reality sometimes I write things that just make only me laugh.  Truly that is enough.  Obviously if I can put a smile other peoples faces or inspire anyone beyond a silly giggle here and there, then that is a bonus. However, I create because its fun.  Its my escape. Somehow when I became an adult and a mom, I forgot how to have a little fun- but when I write I remember. 
How do you handle positive reviews?
Same way I do with the negative- I don’t read it. But I appreciate the person who took the time to write it so if its positive and the intentions are good then I may glance if my agent wants me to.  
What is the usual response when you tell a new acquaintance that you’re an author?
I have been positively embraced for being a successful accomplished Puerto Rican Female writer, and up until now I kept quiet about it, but dammit I am proud of myself in a loving way- I use to hide. I have even said it here, I just would create and then let it go or walk away. Only I recently realized after becoming a mom that you should be proud of your creations.  Especially when your creations become a career.  I use to be a starving artist- those days are over. I value my work. The same way I’m proud of my son. I'm proud to call myself a working artist and published author.  Its all sacred- even you what your doing right now is sacred, it’s a contribution. A positive one. 
What do you do on those days you don’t feel like writing? Do you force it or take a break?
I don’t write.  I just don’t put that kind of pressure on myself. Who wants to read that kind of book?  You feel it when a book is written to meet a deadline.  The flow is off. It becomes  over processed - over thought out. 
Any writing quirks?
I like to write to goofy music as an exercise.  The stuff that comes out makes me laugh. I have a track of goofy songs I play from the Violent Femmes and Joe Cuba is an old school Boogaloo musician whose music I adore. It always puts me in a good mood. 
What would you do if people around you didn’t take your writing seriously or see it as a hobby?
Who cares. I would do Nothing.  It’s their loss they are the ones missing out on a new experience by not reading my words.  I use to love the movie “Clueless” I thought it was a goof. So I remember suggesting it to a good friend of mine who needed a laugh- her response was “Ugh! I hate movies like that.” I was like “How do you know, you have never seen it.” She said, “I don’t know but I just know I won’t like it.”  I said “Ok”.  She didn’t even want to try to see if it would make her laugh.  Some people know what they like, some know what they don’t, and some people miss out, by not taking a chance on a new story, or movie, or even a piece of clothing.  So it’s their loss. In due time they will either read it or won’t.  None of that will stop me from doing what I love. In general however, I will say that I don’t really associate with people that don’t support me.  As I’ve become older and wiser, I found it healthier to surround myself with people I want to be most like and fortunately for me, they are all very supportive and talented. 
Some authors seem to have a love-hate relationship to writing. Can you relate? 
Sure I do, once it becomes a job its like anything else, some days you want to do it and some days you just want to watch Sex and the City with a glass of wine in hand.  Thing is writing is a choice, so its always a gift and some people don’t make time to do it, therefore they loose their privilege the moment they say no that day, make sense? 
Do you think success as an author must be linked to money?
No, but I do think that money comes when you value your work.  I use to do lots of free shows and write for people and when I decided to put my book out there, I knew it was valuable.  At first I didn’t do it for the money, I just wanted to finish my book. And then I got an agent and a team and realized I could pursue this as my profession. That was when my book became my business. If I eat we all eat.  Freebies are fine to get you to the finish line but if you want to have a career you need to do the work. When I decided to finish my book with full promotions I considered myself to be a professional author in that moment. It was then that I respected my work enough to try to sell it on my own, and around that time was when I attracted my fabulous agent who published the book for me in the end, she completely believed in my work and that came as a result of me valuing myself enough to put it out there. 
What had writing taught you?
Writing has taught me that the imagination is a wonderful tool you can access at any time to create, to heal, to explore, to release, and to express that dynamic part of you that is one with all that is. It is also something you can utilize to create a business for yourself if you are consistent.  
Leave us with some words of wisdom.

Do you Boo! Be fearless and the world will take notice. And if that world consists only of you and your son— then he will take notice and that is all that matters. Be well and enjoy my book!