Lauren Grimley

Lauren Grimley lives in central Massachusetts where she grew up.  After graduating from Boston University, she became a middle school English teacher.  Lauren has her seventh graders to thank for starting her on the path to becoming a writer.  A few years back, they convinced a skeptical new teacher vampire stories were worth reading. She now spends her time writing them when she should be correcting papers.

Hi Lauren, Please tell everyone a bit about yourself.

Lauren:  I’m getting a little bored giving everyone the “back of book” bio, so here’s the real scoop.  I’m an eighties baby born just three months into the decade, so naturally my first foray into fantasy came from playing Star Wars in the woods with the neighborhood kids.  Being short and chubby back then (not much has changed), I was nearly always assigned the role of Ewok.  It was no wonder I shied away from the genre for years after that.  It wasn’t until I was studying to be an English teacher at Boston University that I returned.  I grudgingly admitted that if I were going to teach middle school, I’d have to read what the kids were reading.  So I picked up the first of those “boy wizard” books with the enthusiasm usually reserved for touching items infected by contagious diseases.  It certainly was contagious.  Two years later my students lovingly referred to me as the crazy Harry Potter teacher.  My love of fantasy had begun.  It soon blossomed into an obsession with YA and adult books, movies, and television shows, and eventually began creeping into my ideas for writing.  Two years ago I officially set aside the realistic fiction novel I’d been struggling to finish since college and set out to write my first fantasy.  The rough hand-written draft of Unforeseen was completed less than three months later.

When you started writing, what goals did you want to accomplish? Is there a message you want readers to grasp? 



Lauren:  I actually wonder how many fiction writers set out to share a message or accomplish a specific goal beyond telling an entertaining tale in a unique way.  My story developed around my main characters, particularly Alex.  Yes, I did want to write a story about a strong female who could grow as a woman, kick some butt, and fall in love, but when I was writing I didn’t have a message in mind, just a story I wanted to tell.  Rereading it now and listening to what those who’ve read it have pulled from it, I can see the themes I created: interdependence over independence, self-awareness and self-acceptance, loyalty and love.  But those are by-products of the story, not what drove it–at least not consciously.

 Briefly tell us about your latest book. Is it part of a series or stand-alone? 



Lauren:  Unforeseen is about Alex Crocker, a young teacher who awakens after being attacked to discover she’s being hunted by vampires for possessing a power that she’s spent years trying to repress.  Knowing she needs help to escape and to survive, she’s forced to accept help from some unlikely allies: a second coven of vampires as strong and deadly as the first.

The novel is an adult urban fantasy, although it also fits in the paranormal romance genre due to its strong romantic subplot.  It’s the first in a planned series of books, the second of which, Unveiled is written and mostly revised.  The series will appeal to readers who like a strong female protagonist balanced with strong male supporting characters, a mixture of action and character growth, and a healthy dose of humor.

 What’s the hook for the book? 



Lauren:  Here’s the hook I’ve use both in my query letter and for the teaser:

Alex was quite sure gifted was a bullshit term delusional parents applied to their strictly average children, vampires were gorgeous dead guys in her eighth-grade girls’ novels, and Seers was a middle schooler’s misspelling of a department store known for power tools.  Teachers, however, don’t know everything–it’s Alex’s turn to be educated.

 However, it’s hard to hook readers, especially adult readers once they hear the word vampire, because they all want to know if it’s like Twilight.  So for those readers I have a second hook:

Sure, Unforeseen is like Twilight for readers who grew up, gained some confidence, and realized the whole series would have been better if Bella just learned to kick some butt in book one.

How do you develop characters? Setting? 


Lauren:  I promised my book club when I first told them my book was being published that I’d never be one of those writers who claimed her characters acted upon their own or said something one day that surprised the author.  I know my characters do and say what I want them to.  There are days, however, when characters, actions, and settings spring into my head without me really trying.  I’d love to say I have a method for developing characters or setting.  A method would mean I have something to fall back on when I’m otherwise void of ideas.  The truth is, though, I don’t.  I suppose my characters came to me as compilations of people and other characters I’d come across.  From there, their personalities and back-stories just sort of fell into place.  Sure, I may have sat down and deliberately thought about what important events made them who they were at the start of my story, but in most cases, I knew the answer as soon as I asked it.  That’s saying something considering some of my characters have over three centuries of back-story.  Maybe I was extremely lucky this time around or maybe that’s just the magic of writing.

Who’s the most unusual/most likeable character? 



Lauren:  I think my readers and I would answer this one differently.  From the feedback I’ve gotten, aside from my protagonist Alex, most readers tend to like Rocky.  Rocky is young, for a vampire anyway, a little mouthy, strong but compassionate, and honest in an innocent way.  His situation is unfair, which evokes sympathy, but he’s not bitter about it, which earns him respect.  He’s funny, loyal, and yes, lovable.  But he’s not my favorite.

My favorite is Sage Matthews, the Rectinatti Knower, a mind-reader and memory manipulator.  If he’s handsome, it’s not because he tries to be.  If he’s funny, it’s always at another’s expense.  His dialogue fluctuates between biting sarcasm and brutal honesty, the kind no one really wants to hear.  He’s impatient, insubordinate, and occasionally manipulative.  So why do I love him?  Because he’s also intelligent, honorable, and extremely loyal.  You wouldn’t want him as an enemy, you might not even like him as a friend, but you certainly want him as your ally.  Besides, like any good “bad boy” from literature, he has a softer side and a backstory that reveals he was broken, by his own family, before he could grow a beard. 

Do you have a specific writing style? Preferred POV? 



Lauren:  I love reading first person narrations with strong flawed characters.  For my story, however, it didn’t seem possible to tell the entire story from Alex’s POV.  Instead I experimented with alternating third person limited POV.  This narration offered me the flexibility I needed to tell the necessary parts of my story that Alex wasn’t privy to, while still allowing me to get into my characters’ heads and write in their voice.  A pleasant surprise to this was that I fell in love with writing a few characters that I hadn’t expected to.  A challenge was keeping my male characters sounding the way guys think and talk, even in the exposition.

How does your environment/upbringing color your writing?

Lauren: I’ve definitely drawn from my own experiences in order to develop my characters.  It’s no coincidence that Alex is a short female teacher with a black belt in karate, as these are characteristics we share.  These similarities allow me to make her character real through adding details only someone who shares them would truly know.  However, the fun part is then adding traits that make her distinctly different from me as well.  For instance, Alex is less cautious and more outspoken, traits I admire in friends and colleagues.  I only think the things Alex is willing to say aloud.

As I mentioned above, writing my male characters was a bit of a challenge at times.  Luckily I have an older brother and uncles galore and am, and always have been, extremely nosy.  Years of observing and listening in on conversations between the guys around me paid off when it came to accurately capturing guy humor and speech.  My family is full of wiseasses who like to hide any real emotion behind sarcasm and inappropriate jokes, and that definitely influenced the guys in my book–and hopefully added some fun to my more serious themes.

 What are your current projects? 



Lauren: In addition to revising Unveiled, which is the next book in the series, I have begun two other novels.  The first is the third book in the series, which I’m about a third of the way through.  But I also got an idea for a young adult fantasy book, involving witches not vampires, and have been researching and writing a bit of that as well.  As a teacher I use the summer months as marathon writing time, so I hope to make good progress with all these projects over the course of the next few moths.

 Where can folks learn more about your books and events?

Lauren: My home base is definitely my own website: www.laurengrimley.com.  The site includes my book trailer, teaser, and excerpts for Unforeseen, a taste of book two entitled Unveiled, as well as some facts about me, book reviews of books I’ve read and enjoyed, and my blog.  From there readers can also link to my Facebook page and my Twitter account.  I’m also active on Goodreads and Shelfari, and have an Author Central page on Amazon.

Links:

Personal website: http://www.laurengrimley.com

Twitter @legrimley:  http://twitter.com/legrimley

 Facebook:  www.facebook.com/AuthorLaurenGrimley

 Google+: http://plus.google.com/u/0/105156245095191358255/posts//p/pub

 YouTube – book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4jIAt-U1iQ

Rebecca Forster

Author of numerous books, Rebecca Forster spends part of her time speaking to philanthropic and writers’ groups about the brave new world of publishing for Kindle, Nook and other e-readers, teaching at UCLA Writers Program or having a ball at middle schools teaching with The Young Writers Conference. 

Hi Rebecca, Please tell everyone a little about yourself.

Rebecca: I started writing on a crazy dare after meeting my client’s wife, Danielle Steele. That dare lead to my first book being published. Since then, I have published twenty-six novels and quit my corporate job as an advertising executive. I received my BA from Loyola Chicago and my MBA from Loyola Los Angeles. My husband of thirty-six years (think a “When Harry Met Sally” relationship) is a superior court judge. My two sons are in creative careers. The oldest is a producer/talent manager in Hollywood and the youngest is a playwright currently serving with the Peace Corps in Albania. I love to travel, sew, quilt and play tennis.

When did the writing bug bite, and in what genre(s)?

Rebecca: The writing bug didn’t as much hit as it did present itself. I’m a sucker for trying new things. So, when a colleague dared me to write a book, I gave it a whirl. Who knew writing would become a passion? I started in women’s fiction but after about ten books my editor ‘fired’ me from romance. He said I kept killing people before they fell in love and perhaps romance wasn’t my genre. He was right. I read, write, live and breathe thrillers.

When you started writing, what goals did you want to accomplish? Is there a message you want readers to grasp?

Rebecca: When I began writing my goal was simply to save face after declaring I could write a book. I figured a nice rejection letter would prove that I had at least tried. Then my first book sold, and I was hooked. After that, I just wanted to keep writing books people would read. My intent has always been to continue to improve. It is interesting for me to go back and see where I started and where I am now. I take craft very seriously. I’m not so sure I have as much a message as I have a point of view about people and plots. The main objective is to always try to create an entertaining book. If it is also thought provoking, that’s fabulous.

Briefly tell us about your latest book. Is it part of a series or stand-alone?

Rebecca: In December I released Expert Witness. This is book four in the witness series featuring Josie Bates, Hannah and Archer. A few months before that I released Before Her Eyes, a stand alone novel.

What’s the hook for the book?

Rebecca: It’s two in the morning when sixteen-year-old Hannah Sheraton, Josie Bates’ ward, slips into Archer’s Hermosa Beach apartment to see if Josie sleeps in his bed. But Josie isn’t there. In fact, Josie isn’t anywhere.

How do you develop characters? Setting?

Rebecca: For me characters and setting must be developed simultaneously. In the Josie Bates thrillers, the witness series, I was originally going to set the stories in Venice Beach but that setting didn’t bring out the qualities of someone as physical and strong and beach-loving as Josie Bates. I walked from Venice until I reached Hermosa Beach – that’s where the AVP tournaments are held (Josie was a college volleyball player). That’s where Josie found a home. The setting made her ‘blossom’. In Before Her Eyes, a beautiful model used to being pampered and the toast of New York finds herself wounded and alone, lost in a wild forest on the Oregon border. That setting created a depth character that never would have been revealed in a New York setting. In one instance the setting nurtured the character and in the other it provoked her.

Who’s the most unusual/most likeable character?

Rebecca: That’s a tough question. I think the most unusual character I ever created is Hannah, Josie’s sixteen-year-old ward. She is multi-racial, beyond beautiful, extraordinarily resilient and yet exceptionally flawed. For me, Hannah represents courage in its truest form. Likeable? I like the old man, Jerry, in Character Witness (not a part of the witness series). He was based on an old man who had once been a very prominent attorney in Beverly Hills. In his 90s his practice he wasn’t on anyone’s radar but he was still plugging. What great style he had. Oh, and I loved Amanda Cross, the heroine of Beyond Malice. She is a loser who keeps getting up until she finally is a winner. I love that about her. And, of course, Josie. I guess you can tell I have trouble choosing one character. Almost every character I write is based on a real person, I suppose that’s why I can’t decide which is the most likable or interesting.

Do you have specific techniques to help you maintain the course of the plot?

Rebecca: I always know the beginning and the end of a book before I write. If I don’t know the opening and closing scenes, the book doesn’t get written. It’s very strange but it’s more visual than a writing technique. I can actually see those scenes and hear the critical voices.

Do you have a specific writing style? Preferred POV?

Rebecca: I actually prefer to write in first person. Before Her Eyes is the book of my heart, actually. It is split between first and third person – two parallel stories – two points of view. But each book has a voice, and I try to follow where it leads.

How does your environment/upbringing color your writing?

Rebecca: It’s not so much my upbringing as it has been my marriage that has influence what I write. My husband’s early career was as a federal prosecutor specializing in organized crime in terrorism. Throughout the years he has moved on to become a municipal court judge and a superior court judge. He was also presiding judge of the Los Angeles court system – the largest in the world. His work has opened my eyes to the world of the law and politics, to how small people can get caught up in big things, and big people can be brought down by small mistakes. I think it’s a writers job to be attentive to their surroundings. It is the world of law enforcement that truly captured my imagination.

Share the best review (or a portion) that you’ve ever had.

Rebecca: That’s an easy one. “If Tess Gerristen and John Grisham had a literary love child, it would be Rebecca Forster.” I’m going to have that chiseled on my headstone.

What are your current projects?

Rebecca: I am working on book five and book six of the witness series. There are huge surprises in store in each. I firmly believe that a good series explores the personalities, connections, and lives of each character – not just the primary one. That means that the plots sometimes veer from the expected. I think this is how series characters become more than recognizable, they become real. I also have two scripts in development. I also have another book I’m dying to do – but first things first. Josie Bates has to live out her next two books.

Where can folks learn more about your books and events?

I would love to have anyone who is interested in my books or contacting me to visit my website at http://www.rebeccaforster.com

 I’m also on twitter @Rebecca_Forster and on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Thanks for joining us today, Rebecca.

Rebecca: Thank you so much for this opportunity.

Kaylin McFarren

Kaylin is a member of RWA, Rose City Romance Writers, and Willamette Writers. She received her AA in Literature at Highline Community College, which originally sparked her passion for writing. In her free time, she also enjoys giving back to the community through participation and support of various educational organizations in the Pacific Northwest, and is currently the president of the Soulful Giving Foundation – a non-profit she and her husband formed to fund expanded research, and the care and treatment of cancer patients and their families.

Hi Kaylin, Please tell everyone a little about yourself. 

As many people know, I wasn’t born with a pen in hand like so many of my talented fellow authors. However, I have been involved with business and personal writing projects for many years. My careers have taken me in all directions, ranging from fashion modeling and interior design to office manager and art gallery director. Yet my love of reading and interest in creative writing has remained ever present. As a result of tapping into my imagination and utilizing my own life experiences, I have earned more than a dozen literary awards. My first novel, Flaherty’s Crossing was a 2008 finalist in the prestigious RWA® Golden Heart contest and my second book, Severed Threads, has already garnered two first place awards.

When did the writing bug bite, and in what genre(s)?

Kaylin: I was one of those kids who couldn’t put a book down, especially when it came to fantasy and sci-fi. When I hit my adolescent years, I turned into a romance junkie – buying used books at garage sales and begging for hand-me-downs from friends. In high school, I broadened my scope and got into mysteries and thrillers, and now I’m loving romantic suspense. So, I guess you could say I love all genres.

 When you started writing, what goals did you want to accomplish? Is there a message you want readers to grasp? 

Kaylin: I’m compelled to write because my brain keeps me up at night with possibilities. Once I have a story in my head, I’m completely consumed. If I don’t put it on paper or on my computer, I’m convinced I’ll be haunted by the failed opportunity to impact other people’s lives.

Briefly tell us about your latest book. Is it part of a series or stand-alone?

Kaylin: Severed Threads is an action adventure story and the first book of three in the Threads series.

What’s the hook for the book?

Kaylin: Everyone is after the Heart of the Dragon, lives are on the line, but exactly what it is remains a mystery.

Who’s the most unusual/most likeable character?

Kaylin: I would have to say Ian Lowe. He’s a crusty Irish helmsman with an eye for the ladies, which often gets him into trouble.

Do you have specific techniques to help you maintain the course of the plot?

Kaylin: I typically create a synopsis then use this to write each chapter. But in actuality, I’m one of those authors who likes to let their character direct the story line and take readers on an adventure. Sometimes they even surprise me!

Do you have a specific writing style? Preferred POV?

Kaylin: I write third person and enjoy rotating points of view, however, when my characters are together, I try to stay in the main character’s head.

How does your environment/upbringing color your writing?

Kaylin: I was born in California and grew up in Washington and Oregon, so my stories tend to focus on the Northwest. I’ve also traveled around the world and am bringing my experiences into the Threads series.

Share the best review (or a portion) that you’ve ever had.

Kaylin:

 ”I found Kaylin McFarren to be a very descriptive writer. She is able to describe people and situations in a clear yet interesting manner without becoming too wordy or boring. I would liken her writing style to that of Danielle Steele and I think her works will make a wonderful addition to the romance genre.”  - Charline Ratcliff, RebeccasReads

What are your current projects?

Kaylin: Severed Threads is the first book of three in the Threads series. I’m currently working on Buried Threads which brings my characters to Asia.

Where can folks learn more about your books and events?

Kaylin: My website – www.kaylinmcfarren.com.   

Thanks for joining us today, Kaylin.

Kaylin: Thank you!

 

 

 

N. K. David

N. K. David is the author of two published novels, It Is Time We Truly Know Why “Jesus Wept” and Most Perfect Exchange (The Cost of Liberty).  He has also written copiously about human rights abuse and religious tolerance. He believes it is a shame that men continue to be divided by their religion just as they were once divided by the color of their skin.

Please  tell everyone a little about yourself.

N. K. David: I was born on May 6^th 1977 in the Eastern part of Nigeria, which is regarded as the Christian part of the country. At an early age, I wanted to study law/arts, but I ended up in science, which I have come to love, and I am currently in the medical field studying Veterinary medicine. I personally passed through a lot of struggles in my academic life because of a corrupt educational system.  I had to stand and fight against the corrupt Educational system and I am glad some people in Government answered my call and worked to change the system. It was during the struggle and in my quest for answers from higher planes of existence that my first book was born and published to predict the end of the struggle and other message for humanity. Today I have published two books and still counting.

When did the writing bug bite, and in what genres?

N. K. David: I started writing back in college because of the challenge and need to do well in essay writing in school back then. After an early struggle, I realized that my failure then was because I did not use my creative ability so I set it to work, and since then it has been working. It was that early age that I created my first story, Noble Killers. I gave the story line to my young brother who was involved then in screenplay writing. He wrote it in his own way, but I later wrote it in my own way. That was the first time I spent much time writing a long story and book.

I write mostly on inspirational, motivational, and emotional. But I also write religion, mystery, love, romance, and suspense.

When you started writing, what goals did you want to accomplish?

N. K. David: My goal is to contribute and say what I have to say to the world so that in future the world will remember that I was here and that I said or wrote such things. I also want to inspire and give people reasons to hold on in their positive struggle in life, especially those few that are working to help create a better and peaceful world for all of us because I am involve in such struggle which is a difficult task because of our diversity as humans.

Is there a message you want readers to grasp?

N. K. David: Yes my books always have a message in them, and I try to make it easy for people to understand. I try to make people understand the need for true religious tolerance and for people to look back in history and remember how we got here today because the truth is that we were liberated; if not, we would not enjoy the freedom we have today so there is need to let others have their freedom for as long as they do not stop us from having ours. But there is always a problem as people try to save others in this religious tangle, and other laws, traditions and cultures that need to be conserved. That is why some people are calling for the move to personal responsibility.

Briefly tell us about your latest book.

N. K. David: My latest book is a story that started in 1967 in United States to the present 2012. It was the time racism was said to be dwindling in America but discrimination still persisted in various forms. Then Michael, a black American, found help and love which was not so common from Lydia, a white American. Lydia’s family was divided in their stand on racism and her brother, William, was racist so he tried stopping Lydia from assisting Michael. Then one day, Regina, a black America, suddenly showed up in their family company and William could not set his eyes off her. He wanted to assist Regina but this time his sister, Lydia, opposed the idea. William did not know why his sister changed so suddenly and things got worse for him when Regina disappeared. That was when he realized how much he loved her so he wanted her back at any cost, but the true identity of the lady he knew as Regina was another thing he may have to handle.

What’s the hook for the book?

N. K. David: How Lydia kept Michael in their family company even when William did not approve his employment.

How do you develop character? Setting?

N. K. David: How I develop my character and setting depends on the work; however, my recent work is based on what people already know or have an idea so I try to give readers what they can easily picture so I make characters real and settings based on past events or research to fit the records in history.

Who’s the most unusual/most likeable character?

N. K. David: Lydia.

Do you have specific techniques that help you maintain the course of the plot?

N. K. David: Well before I start any book, I think of what I want to achieve or the message I want to send across readers so with that in mind my next task will be how to develop the story and send the message in clear terms. The task is always on developing events or things that will happen in between the book. Therefore, what I do is since I have my main message or how I think the story to end, I build other events around it and it is possible for new ideas to come in, and I have to see how it can fit into the story line and produce something thicker.  

Do you have a specific writing style? Preferred POV?

N. K. David: I think it is left for the readers to confirm but I think my writings are always engaging and the messages are made clear and simply.

I love to write in first person but I also used the second person. I commonly write in present continuous tense because I usual imagine writing the story while it is happening, but it is for scripts made for movies where the story will be narrated at some point. I normally change such format to second or first person if it is to be published.

How does your environment/upbringing color your writing?

N. K. David: I will easily agree that my environment and upbringing made me who and what I am today. This is because I started asking question very early in life and I did not accept the answers my seniors gave to me so I had to find the answers myself. I grew up in a Christian home, but I realized that even as Christians we consider our own sect better than other Christian sects so I had to ask why and what is wrong with the various Christian sects?  Then I realized that it is even worst when we consider the various religions. I could not hate someone simply because of his or her religion or because I think mine religion is better than others. I would not join the crowd and that is why I am what I am today. That is why it is not easy to find a life partner that understands or shares my kind of view in a developing country like ours.

Share the best review or a portion that you have ever had.

N. K. David:

 “In mankind’s quest for happiness, a lot of concepts have been devised and pursued- power and influence have been sought, acquired and abused, wealth has been amassed and abused as well, just name them. Astonishingly, happiness, which is the pinnacle of these endeavours, has remained elusive.

However, the solution to this seemingly intractable problem is unimaginably the simplest thing anyone can do as is presented by N. K. David in this thought-provoking, great concept and irresistible novel, which doubles as an indispensable guide and a clarion call for all ( skin colour notwithstanding) to endeavour to acquire the hitherto elusive happiness and its attendant peace, by deleting from our minds, records and altitude all factors of hate and racism, and replace them with genuine love and understanding.

“Just imagine a world full of love….” In fact, if you miss this book, you miss the very essence of existence, and happiness shall ever elude you.”

 E. U. Lawrence  

What are your current projects?

N. K. David: I am working on other books, a few of which I think will be converted to movie someday like The Game and The Formula for Reincarnation.  The Formula may be my next book to be published; here is about the book:

“After he discovered the formula for reincarnation (rebirth), he realized that it could be more dangerous than nuclear weapon so he decided to stop the research but some of his co-workers strongly wanted such powers and they can do anything to get it, even if it means to kill him for it. The only option he had was to stay alive even if he was dead because for as long as he is alive they will continue the plot to kill him and that maybe the only way he can protect his family, and the formula.”  The formula is combination of various scientific formulas built on trinity and the right application of the formula can be used to prove, even to a profane, that rebirth is really, but first the centre of the triangle must be sought and found.

Where can folks learn more about your books and events?

N. K. David: My books are available on many online stores like booktango.com It Is Time We Truly Know Why “Jesus Wept”  and Most Pefect Exchange (The Cosct of Liberty), authorhouse.com, Amazon, among others.

I am on many social sites like Facebook Page, twitter, linkedin, talent.me, David Kaluge hubpage , muttonline.com among many others. I welcome friendship and I love making good friends so people easily join me on facebook where I usually create my events and have my book pages or through hubpages where I post free articles.

Warren Bull

Warren Bull has won a number of awards including Best Short Story of 2006 from the Missouri Writers’ Guild, Great Manhattan Mystery Conclave short story contest, The Mysterious Photo Contest in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, and Best short story in Strange Mysteries Anthology. He was a finalist for the Young Adult Discovery Award and a Derringer Award.  He has more than forty short stories published, novels Abraham Lincoln for the Defense, Heartland and Murder in the Moonlight, and a short story collection, Murder Manhattan Style.

Please tell everyone a bit about yourself, Warren.

Warren: I spent my childhood in Rock Island, Illinois, which is along the Mississippi river. I attended Knox College, where one of the Lincoln – Douglas debates took place, and the University of Illinois. My graduate training was at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and what is now Alliant University in Fresno, California.

I was first licensed as a psychologist in 1983, and have worked for agencies and in private practice with people of all ages as a therapist and as an administrator. I worked as a clinical psychologist for more than twenty-five years but still claim to come from a functional family.

I blog at Writers Who Kill. I’m a lifetime member of Sisters in Crime and an active member of Mystery Writers of America. 

When did the writing bug bite, and in what genres?

Warren: I had a very good writing teacher in the fourth grade and I’ve been writing ever since.  My mother used to read letters I sent her from college to the neighbors, which I discovered to my deep embarrassment during my first visit home from the holidays.  As a psychologist, I shared an office with Casey Dorman who wrote e-novels long before they became popular. Casey’s an excellent writer and a good guy, but I thought if he could do it so could I.  I write mostly mysteries because I enjoy mysteries and I’ve written essays, memoirs, general or “literary” fiction, historical fiction and fantasy.

When you started to write what goals did you want to accomplish? Is there a message you want readers to grasp?

Warren: Good question. My initial goal was to get published. Once I got published, my goals evolved and they continue to evolve over time.  I’m not very interested in “solve the puzzle” mysteries. I like to read and write about characters in a variety of setting facing life challenges.  I’d like readers to identify with my characters and share their experiences. I’ve written about Abraham Lincoln as a great man who is flawed and fully human.

Tell us about your latest book.

Warren: Heartland available at Avignon Press is a Young Adult novel recently chosen as the Book of the Day by Killer Nashville.  The paperback edition is available at the link above. Please support the publisher who supported me.

Sixteen-year-old Tom Allen life is imploding. His father has all but vanished from his life; Tom’s stepfather is entirely too involved. Tom’s beloved grandmother suffers a stroke, which leaves his mother emotionally distant. Meanwhile his sister is too sophisticated to worry about his concern.  When Tom reads an old family memoir from his grandmother’s cedar chest, he becomes intrigued by his ancestors’ struggle to form one united family from two shattered families. They face man-made and natural dangers while they battle to survive the smoldering conflicts in “Bleeding Kansas” that will soon erupt into the bloodiest war in American history — the Civil War. With the help of friends and family, past and present Tom eventually comes to terms with the pain and possibilities of his own family.

What’s the hook for the book?

Warren: When the two riders appeared out of nowhere, I knew they came to kill my pa.

(The opening sentence.)

How do you develop characters? Settings?

Warren: With historical stories and novels research is essential.  There are readers who know all about things like shooting a black power rifle or men’s trousers in the 1840s so if I refer to “cordite” before it was invented or write about a man putting something into his non-existent rear pants pocket, I am going to make readers angry They are going to throw my book against the wall and never buy anything else from me again.  I like to have three independent sources for everything. 

Who is the most unusual character?

Warren: I have a number of characters who keep popping up in my work because they keep popping up in my head. One of them has been in half a dozen short stories in various venues but he never gives his name.  I know it but he wants to keep a low profile.  I don’t know that anyone except me knows how often I write about him.  He is a veteran of World War II who fought in the battle of the bulge, like my father.  He has a post-traumatic stress disorder and a deep – set distrust of authority.

 Do you have specific techniques that help you maintain the main course of the plot?

Warren: I use a timeline and a list of characters.  I also make a few notes of events that I want to use.  Every time I try to use an outline I get bored with the story before I get the novel written. I wish I could use an outline but I can’t.

What colors your writing?

Warren: I worked as a psychologist for more than twenty-five years, which gave me the opportunity to know and work with a wide variety of people I would probably never have met otherwise. I worked with people of all ages, ethnic backgrounds, religions and social classes.  My clients had many unusual life experiences.

Also, although I am a male Caucasian, I have lived and worked in settings where my ethnicity and gender made me a minority. 

 Share the best review that you’ve ever had.

Warren: I’m grateful that Murder Manhattan Style has garnered some great reviews. The stories have been compared to the works of Damon Runyon and Raymond Chandler. New York Times Bestselling author Nancy Pickard wrote, “Warren Bull is a short story master, and this collection shows him at his best with quick stories told in crisp, clear prose. There’s variety, drama, history, humor, pathos, compassion and even Shakespeare here, along with surprising and satisfying endings to every story.”

What are your current projects?

 Warren: I am working on two very different projects at the moment. I am waiting for copyediting on a short story collection of very dark stories tentatively titled, No Happy Endings, and I am about 1/3 of the way into a middle grade novel about the adventures and misadventures of three sisters whose mom has run off with a rock bank.  I am busily researching television schedules, mimeographs and dial telephones in the early 1960s.

 Where can folks learn more about your books and events?

Warren: I have a website http://www.warrenbull.com/

An author dashboard on Goodreads Goodreads Author Page

And an author page on Amazon.com  Warren Bull’s Author Page

 Thank you for joining us today, Warren.

Warren: Thanks for the opportunity.

Paul Juser

Paul Juser lives on the road. His life-long dream is to be the first Nobel Prize winner to pen a “Friday the 13th” film.

Hi Paul, please tell everyone a little about yourself.

Paul: Born in Binghamton, New York, a city proud to serve as inspiration for Rod Serling’s “Twilight Zone.” I grew up in the country outside, playing epic Transformers adventures, or the next installment of “Friday the 13th.”

When did the writing bug bite, and in what genre(s)?

Paul: I chose to pursue writing in the 4th grade, and have never lost sight of the goal, except for a few errant aspirations to be a marine biologist. My only dream prior was to be a paleontologist. Unfortunately the job isn’t nearly as exciting as either of the first two Jurassic Parks.

Briefly tell us about your latest book. Is it part of a series or stand-alone?

Paul: I was always turned on by the way Bret Easton Ellis would bring the same characters back in each novel. Pat Bateman was popping in long before he was a vicious murderer, and who would think drug-addled Victor Ward could become a terrorist? Jack Kerouac did the same thing, but changed all the names between books. I recycle my characters the same way. Each story is one long timeline with a general continuity, but each is a stand-alone story. I’m hoping to finish my next novel, The Alarm Clock at the End of the World to release in 2013, as long as the Mayans were wrong.

How do you develop characters? Setting?

Paul: I usually have the idea mulling in my head for a while. Eventually a scene will be formed enough for a jumping-off point to start writing. That scene usually becomes the start, or near the beginning, even if I envisioned it near the end. Characters start as sketches and become fleshed out as I revise. I give them speech patterns and mannerisms, and build a backstory that makes them active devices in the plot. Settings need to be just as much of a character as anyone moving around and speaking lines. If a writer is drawing a reader’s attention to a detail, that detail should be important.

Who’s the most unusual/most likeable character?

Paul: Dr. Filth is a superhero with the power to convince himself anything. He’s been an insurance salesman, a card-carrying crime-fighter, and a cryptozoologist. In The Alarm Clock at the End of the World, he uncovers a global conspiracy to hijack religion. Dr. Filth is about fifty pounds overweight and has filthy, stinking dreadlocks.

Do you have specific techniques to help you maintain the course of the plot?

Paul: I usually write out the main body of the story from beginning to end, and then comb backward to make sure everything lines up. The initial writing process could take a couple days with a short story, or a month for a script. Then I revise. That’s the dirtiest word in a writer’s vocabulary, and I don’t find many have the stomach for it these days. Alarm Clock first went to paper seven years ago, and some parts are older. Salvation Shark was at least eleven before it started on Laugh at Yourself First.

Do you have a specific writing style? Preferred POV?

Paul: I hear the words in my head, and I try to emulate what they sound like. Sometimes it’s serious, but most often it sounds like Kurt Vonnegut. I don’t like 1st person POV, but Dollars Per, Salvation Shark, and Alarm Clock are all First Person Shooters. It made sense in Salvation Shark, but in the others it was just lazy writing. I once thought about rewriting Alarm Clock from a 3rd person narrative, but eventually decided it was too big an undertaking. When readers get the story in hand, it will be the inferior 1st Person form, so you know Dr. Filth’s every disgusting thought.

How does your environment/upbringing color your writing?

Paul: If you watch the old Twilight Zone episodes, again and again you see scenes from the city where I live. Even in the Fifties, Rod Serling could see the strange energy in this place. I grew up reading Lovecraft, listening to Slayer, and watching endless horror movies. My grandfather was a chemist, and I was encouraged to learn science like other kids memorized Bible verse. I’m awful with Math, so I never enjoyed chemistry, but animal life and geological history remained important for life. Even when I’m writing on more serious subjects, I can see these same sensibilities bleeding through.

What are your current projects?

Paul: I’m putting together my first photography show. It’s a short story from Laugh at Yourself First, “The Disappearance of Cotton Mayweather,” about a man that finds an abandoned city off the highway. While he sees no people, there are signs all around of recent occupation. Part 1 is showing in April at the ART Mission Theater, and Part 2 in May. The short story appeared on Laugh at Yourself First in 2009.

Paul: Where can folks learn more about your books and events?

www.printisbetter.com has Laugh at Yourself First, and links to all my printed books. Periodically I give away books and other promotional material, and details can be found there as well.

Simon Sion Ebrahimi

Simon “Sion” Ebrahimi  is a retired Iranian Jewish accountant and author who was held hostage for many months in his office in Tehran during the Iranian revolution. Simon’s office was located across the street from the U.S. Embassy. In November 1979, when the embassy was taken over by armed revolutionary thugs, Simon and his partners were also held hostage inside their offices by his armed employees. Now in his seventies, he resides in Los Angeles and has penned a fictional, multi-generational family saga loosely based on his family’s life in Iran.

Please tell everyone a little about yourself, Simon

Simon: I was born and raised in Jewbareh, the Jewish ghetto of Esfahan, Iran. I studied management and finance in England before returning to Iran, where I was a partner to an international accounting firm. In 1979, I was taken hostage by my employees at the same time as the American Embassy compound was overtaken by the Islamic Republic. I left Iran with my wife and two daughters after the revolution to settle in Los Angeles, California. For over fifteen years, I was the editor of Shofar, a monthly magazine published both in English and Farsi by the Iranian American Jewish Federation, with an international readership of about fifty thousand. I have also had popular television and radio programs in the Persian media.

When did the writing bug bite, and in what genre(s)?

Simon: Although I was an economist by profession, writing had always been the passion of my life. I began with short stories and ended up writing a multi-generational family saga of five generations of Iranian Jews. Veiled Romance is the last of the five generations; the other four are waiting in the line.

When you started writing, what goals did you want to accomplish? Is there a message you want readers to grasp?

Simon: For as long as I remember, I’ve been writing. Once you commit your feelings and thoughts to paper and people read and appreciate it, you’ve already accomplished your goal. Iranian Jews have over 2500 years of history in Persia which is unknown to many. If you’re curious about the life stories of a Jewish minority in Iran, you are my reader.

Briefly tell us about your latest book. Is it part of a series or stand-alone?

Simon: The novel Veiled Romance begins as Leila Omid writes her memoirs from an Iranian prison. As she struggles to survive in hellish conditions, she sets down the story of  how she was educated in the United States, where she met and fell in love with Cyrus, a fellow Iranian Jewish student. Separated for years, they were reunited in Tehran and their love was rekindled, but when the revolution erupted Cyrus was taken hostage by Islamic fundamentalists and … Well, please go to my website (www.Simon-Writes.com), read the first two chapters of the book and if you’re interested, buy the book (either on the site or Amazon) and read the rest.

What’s the hook for the book?

Simon: An Iranian young, American educated, brilliant woman, in love, writing her memoirs from Islamic Republic jail.

How do you develop characters? Setting?

Simon: By making them learn from their experiences. Setting? What better than having been taken hostage during the American Embassy hostage taking in Tehran (which is what exactly happened to me.)

Who’s the most unusual/most likeable character?

Simon: Leila.

Do you have specific techniques to help you maintain the course of the plot?

Simon: In Veiled Romance, I have used the technique of flash backs.

Do you have a specific writing style? Preferred POV?

Simon: First person POV, for you can wear different hats of your characters.

How does your environment/upbringing color your writing?

Simon: The story of the male character in the book is mostly based on my own life story. A Jew in a Muslim country with Muslim friends and enemies both!

Share the best review (or a portion) that you’ve ever had.

Simon:

On Nov. 4, 1979, Islamist students and militants loyal to the Ayatollah Khomeini took over the American Embassy compound in Tehran and captured 52 Americans — a diplomatic crisis that lasted 444 days.

Simon Sion Ebrahimi, a local Iranian Jewish author, remembers that day well. It was the same day employees at his accounting firm, which faced the American Embassy, took him hostage.

Now a 73-year-old retired banker living in Woodland Hills, Ebrahimi has incorporated his hostage ordeal in Tehran as well as other experiences before and during the Iranian Revolution into “Veiled Romance,” the first in a planned series of novels depicting the multi-generational saga of an Iranian Jewish family.

www.jewishjournal.com

What are your current projects?

Simon: I’m reviewing the past five generations of this family saga.

Where can folks learn more about your books and events?

Simon: As I mentioned above, they can read the first two chapters of my book and all the feedbacks I’ve had on my website (www.Simon-Writes.com) 

Sondra Smith

Sondra Smith is the author of  Unicorns and Rainbows, and Harry the Snail (a series for the adventurous reader).

Hi Sondra, please tell everyone a little about yourself. 

Sondra: I live in Elkton, Virginia with my husband Troy. During the many long hours waiting for Troy at the hospital, while he received radiation treatments for cancer, I started working on the research for my fourth book, Write the Right Word.  Having the desire to give something useful to help the people in this world who are learning and using the English language, I’d already  started working on finding same sounding words (homophones and homonyms); findings that led to the writing of  Whata Ewe Mean Bye That? (What Do You Mean by That?). 

Besides writing, I love to paint (oils on canvas), garden, and watch the abundant wildlife around our home. We also take care of eight feral cats that came to us for food and shelter.

When did the writing bug bite, and in what genre(s)?

Sondra: I knew in high school that I wanted to write. It seemed to be a natural for me. I started out writing children’s/young adult novels, packed with adventure. The first published was Unicorns and Rainbows, followed by Harry the Snail. Whata Ewe Mean Bye That? and Write the Right Word are about writing the correct homophone and homonyms properly, when writing the English language. They are for anyone writing the English language.

When you started writing, what goals did you want to accomplish? Is there a message you want readers to grasp?

Sondra: Unicorns and Rainbows, and Harry the Snail (a series) were written to entertain readers. To give them a story that would take them away from their current environment and put them into a make believe world, excited to learn, what’s going to happen next? Whata Ewe Mean Bye That? and Write the Right Word were written to help and teach people around the world to  learn, understand and use the words properly when writing English. I understand homophones and homonyms are taught in school, but have been told by numerous teachers that there is not enough time to teach the subject in depth. So, students are left to study on their own, to find, learn, and use homophones correctly, often with great confusion and not knowing how to find the other word(s), especially if they are unsure of how the word is spelled correctly.

Is there any doubt left within your mind as to why there are so many misused same sounding words?

Sondra: I was one of those guilty people. I had a lot to learn on my own.

What about students that are learning English as a second language?

Sondra: They are challenged with learning a new language, then someone tells them about writing same sounding words … oh my. There are only 2,680+ such words to learn and use properly when writing English. No big deal! Right? I truly felt there is a need for such a book and an app, because spell checkers did not correct homophones if the word was spelled correctly. The writer may not have any idea that they have misused a same sounding word. If they did know there was a possibility of using the incorrect word, how would they find it in the dictionary? The same sounding words do not necessarily begin with the same letter, therefore giving the writer stress and confusion. For example, often a reader will see the misused homophones, such as, affect and effect. They sound almost the same when you say them, but mean  two entirely different things when written. Actually, all the words have different meanings.

Briefly tell us about your latest book. Is it part of a series or stand-alone?

Sondra: Write the Right Word is a stand-alone app, to be uploaded and used on Apple devices. The reader can put in part of a word or the whole word, using the keypad. It will go immediately to the group of same sounding words to review and reveal a detailed description and meanings of the words in the group, including if they are nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc. For example: CHOIR n., an organized company of singers adj., professed to recite or chant the divine office v., to sing or sound in chorus QUIRE n., 24-25 sheets of paper, same size and quality. The reader may also click on any letter of the alphabet and the entire chapter with the homophones will come up to review. This will help the reader to become aware of all the same sounding words and use greater caution when writing. They now know the differences. My goal is to teach people to learn and use the same sounding words properly. It is quite educational, fun, and easy to use. I have taken out the “guesswork” of using the correct words when writing English.

What’s the hook for the book?

Sondra: To teach/help people worldwide to write the right word when writing English.

How do you develop the skills of writers with this kind of problem?

Sondra: By using the incorrect homophone, writers are often judged by the way they write. The app will help them to overcome their problems and improve their writing skills.

Are there other ways that the app can be used?

Sondra: Yes, teachers often misuse same sounding words on purpose to demonstrate how the app can be used to find the correct word. It is also useful to avoid the embarrassment of using a misused same sounding word that might be brought to the attention of their boss after writing and publishing that important report.

How much effort went into producing the app?

Sondra: It took months of research to locate the 2,680+ words, but the experience was worth the effort and gave a great feeling of satisfaction now that it is complete.

How does your environment/upbringing color your writing?

Sondra: As I matured, I understood the importance of a good education. As a youth I could have cared less about education. I was very bored with school and did not apply myself. We moved several times and I was unable to take any electives I would enjoy. The classes had already been filled by students who had been attending the same school and had first choice on their selections of electives. I had nothing to keep my interest in going to school. One day I was thrown to the wolves and realized how immature and thoughtless I had been. I grew up and realized I had to support myself! Then the desire to do something constructive and of importance came into being of interest. I faced many challenges and searched my soul to do something of importance. I lacked an education about knowing how to do many things. The teaching of one’s self began and continues today. My goal is to make one thing in the list of life’s challenges easier for those who want to learn. I was one of those who would write the incorrect homophone. I was embarrassed more than several times by my mistakes. Being a lousy speller definitely added to the challenge of using the proper words. Thank goodness computers came along and have spell check. When I started the project to find all the homophones and homonyms, I thought there would be only a couple hundred. To my surprise, I found over 2,680! I soon enjoyed the challenge of finding the words for myself and others. There had to be others out there in the world that were as uninformed as me, so I worked to find all the words that I possibly could for them as well as for my own knowledge.

Share the best review (or portion) that you’ve ever had.

Sondra: Thus far, I have not had a review for Write the Right Word. Once the app is published, I do hope to have some. The review from Meredith Green – Reviewer, The San Francisco Book Review, reads…

“I had the privilege of reading and reviewing Sondra Smith’s Book ‘Whata (What do) Ewe (You) Mean Bye (By) That?’ and found it a well-thought-out resource not only for students and writers, but also those learning English as a second language. Not merely proffering a dry text-book, the authoress manages to make navigating English homonyms interesting and–at times–quite amusing.” May 23, 2010

What are your current projects?

Sondra: Which one? My next top project is…to have the game I invented about homophones published and on the market, as a boxed game, available in retail stores and as an app, online game. It is quite fun, challenging and educational. Even the simple words (there/their) can be quite a challenge in this game and sure to help teach/learn same sounding words. The game is on three levels. There are more than enough words to do a couple games on each level without repeating a word used prior. 2nd. To separate the 2,680+ words into groups for the grade schools, middle school and advanced. For the grade schools and middle schools, I will have an animated app made to go with a lot of the words to retain the users’ interest in the words. As we all know, a picture is worth a thousand words. I have numerous skids on the drawing board to use in the apps, in hopes the skits will help teach them the words. 

Where can folks learn more about your books and events.

Sondra: Write the Right Word is available at the Apple store  for the reader’s I-Pod/Pad. There is also a possibility to be published on Kindle later on. My email address is, writetherightword@yahoo.com My book, Whata Ewe Mean Bye That?, may be found on my website, www.whataewemean.weebly.com and I can be contacted at whataewemeanbyethat@yahoo.com The publisher for Unicorns and Rainbows is no longer in business, but can be found sometimes on Amazon.com. I am actually considering republishing it and perhaps make it into a screen play as well. I still own the copyright to it; therefore can go for it if I choose. Harry the Snail can be found on Amazon.com as well. You may buy it as an e-book or hard copy. Both Unicorns and Rainbows and Harry the Snail are under the name of Sondra J. Short (I have remarried and became a Smith).

The app can be found here: Write the Right Word

Thanks for joining us today, Sondra.

Sondra: Thank you so much!