**INTERVIEW #5 with Author JEFFREY B. ALLEN** Author of: "GONEAWAY INTO THE LAND"

It is a great pleasure, and an honor to bring back Author JEFFREY B. ALLEN.

Author of: "GONEAWAY INTO THE LAND" 5 Star REVIEW

http://bit.ly/8v94ae (Amazon.com) Second Edition

http://www.jeffreyballen.com/

~~AUTHOR INTERVIEW~~

Geri: How important is a cover design for a new release?

Jeffrey: My previous publisher pulled the wool over my eyes. He told me the

cover did not matter. I hated the cover he came up with. Now I know.

If I can't stand my cover, then the person picking up my book who has

an eye to purchase, may not buy the book, simply because of the cover.

He may not even open it, beyond looking at the front, and then

glancing at the back. Then he, or she will set it back up on the shelf,

or click off of the Amazon page, and begin searching for another book

that catches the eye better than my book did. The new cover of

"GONEAWAY INTO THE LAND" is stunning. It draws you into the

story. It has an emotional impact the minute you see it. It is bright in

color, which is good, because the story that is told in "GONEAWAY

INTO THE LAND" is loaded with color. You will know exactly what I

mean, once you read the book. In fact, many of the reviews remark

about the vivid colors I instill into the minds of readers.

Geri: Why do most authors enjoy reading, or writing in a coffee shop. Is it

the cappuccino, or the atmosphere?

Jeffrey: I should pass on this question, because I am not one of those with

the patience to sit in a coffee shop, and read. I cannot write, unless

I am immersed in solitude, where my mind is running a mile-a-

minute, without me even knowing it. I love coffee, and I love walking

my dog to the local coffee shop, and sitting outside to read the paper

on a warm Sunday morning. I live in a historic section of Bethlehem,

Pennsylvania, where there is a coffee shop on every corner, but that's

where my coffee shop experiences ends.

Geri: What is your favorite snack, or beverage when reading a good book?

Jeffrey: I love this question, because as a writer, it is just begging for me to

go off on a tangent. It is difficult to read anything, other than the

newspaper or a magazine, while I am munching on a stack of Oreo

cookies. I do not mind having something to drink, perched upon a

coaster on the end-table, while curled into a sofa chair, reading a

good book. My favorite beverage depends on the time of day, and of

course my mood, and sometimes even the day of the week. If I am

reading in the early morning, which I do every morning, I am

usually good for two, maybe three cups of coffee. I seldom read

during the day, until around five in the afternoon, which my

mother and father taught me is cocktail hour. At that time of day,

I can pour myself a glass of red wine, and sit in my favorite chair

as I read with a sense of contentment that I absolutely savor. If

it's Friday, the wine may be a glass of vodka on ice, but that only

happens when my mood is somewhere between a caged lion, and

a raving lunatic. I am usually not long for reading on nights like

that. Somehow, though, the older I get, the less likely I am to

experience moments of total insanity. But I have great memories

of those instances as well as a few sorted stories to tell, which most

of the time bring a good laugh or two, from friends who were

around me at the time. I recently saw a movie called Pirate Radio.

If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. In one of the scenes,

a disc-jockey, who was part of the wild crew, introduced rock-and

roll to the world for the first time. This was done from a boat off the

coast of England in the late sixties and was a true story, said

during a philosophical moment, "These are the best days of our

lives." As creative people, we need those days, and we draw on

them for the emotion that goes into our work. As Captain Kurk,

of the Starship Enterprise, once said at the end of one of the best

episodes ever, "I need my pain." What he meant was, in order to be

a complete person, one needs to balance the good side, with the

bad side. Every person has within them good and evil, and ups-and-

downs. I love the cartoons, where the character is pictured with a

little bad guy, sitting on one shoulder and a little good guy, sitting

on the other shoulder. That's life, and life is what fiction writers

need to experience to be good writers of fiction, just my opinion.

Geri: Who are you, outside the literary world?

Jeffrey: I never picture myself inside the literary world. Even if I were to become

as famous as Stephen King, or Dan Brown, I would still picture myself

outside of the literary world. I am just now starting to join the local

writer's groups. I enjoy the meetings, and I get quite a lot out of the

programs, and the events that go along with membership. But I am not

a joiner, and it's difficult for me to push aside my competitiveness. I

have always been a risk taker. My resume' reads like a litany of

successes, and failures. Many have said that I walk a tight rope, that

they never understand my pension for living on the edge of disaster.

But, that is who I am. Yet, as I said earlier, my respect for life and the

consequences of my decisions is changing as I grow older. Therefore, my

urge to challenge every hurdle is not as strong as it used to be. I hope I

can sit back, and enjoy being within the literary world as much as I enjoy

being outside of it. I want to contribute to my community. I want to be

there for my family and to continue to become a better writer, because

through writing, I have the opportunity to give enjoyment to others.

When I write, I draw on my experiences, I embrace my blessings, and

I dispel my demons. What could be better?

Geri: Do you enjoy blogging, and how important is it to potential readers?

Jeffrey: I do not enjoy blogging. But I am becoming more convinced of the

Internet's power and its impact on the future of writing, publishing,

and promoting. The dissemination of information and the amount

of information that sits between the keyboard and the monitor is

mind boggling. The way literature, fiction and non-fiction, is going

to be marketed to the generations of people growing up is going to

change so radically, that I have trouble projecting into the future.

I have no fear that the bound book will disappear anytime soon, but

the amount of time people give to leisurely reading is going to be

reduced. Therefore, the competition for good fiction and worthy

non-fiction is going to become fierce. It already has. Having said that,

I believe a writer of fiction, such as me, must respect the necessity

to maintain a presence on the Internet. If that means blogging, writing

countless articles, keeping my web site fresh, then that's the world

of writing and selling writing that must be embraced. If not, then

I might as well be like the artist, who stacks his paintings in a closet,

wondering why he has no patrons. Thank you for reading, and please

buy a copy of "GONEAWAY INTO THE LAND." It was not written for

me, it was written for you.

Geri: Thank you for your time. It was very interesting, and enjoyable. I wish

you very much success.

Jeffrey: You're welcome.

**INTERVIEW #4 with Author JEFFREY B. ALLEN**

It is an honor, and a pleasure to bring back Author Jeffrey B. Allen.

Author of: "GONEAWAY INTO THE LAND"

http://bit.ly/8v94ae (Amazon/Second Edition)

http://www.jeffreyballen.com/

~~INTERVIEW #4~~

Geri: What book genre in your opinion makes the best movies?

Jeffrey: In today's world of mega movies, where the ticket sales for the

first week of the release make or break the fortunes of the

movie makers, one would be prone to answer that question

with either science fiction, or fantasy. Certainly, Star Wars,

Harry Potter, Lord Of The Rings and King Kong made huge

profits. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy those type of movies as

well as that genre in a novel. After all, my novel "GONEAWAY

INTO THE LAND" is a fantasy novel. However, when I sit

down to watch a movie, the movies that I remember are

movies about people, their relationships and struggles.

Also, their tragedies, and ultimate triumphs. I enjoy movies

that rely more on the story, rather than the special effects.

Examples would be THE RED VIOLIN, THE PIANIST, THE

ENGLISH PATIENT, THE PAINTED VEIL and movies like

those. That's why "GONEAWAY INTO THE LAND" is about

the life struggle of a twelve year old boy as he battles to

overcome the horrible impact of his abusive father, who

he adeptly names "The Beast." The fantasy is simply a twelve

year old boy's inner journey of reconciliation, which could

not be set within anything other than fantasy.

Geri: What is your favorite movie?

Jeffrey: I believe our favorite movie, if answered with the proper

introspection, would come out of memories from our

childhood. Our childhood is when we are most

impressionable. This may not be true with everyone, but

I think most people would be able to remember the first

movie they saw. Mine was BAMBI. Yes, that does date me

a bit, but it also gives me a breath of experience. The older

one is, the more time they have to compare the emotional

impact, derived from the greatest movies they have ever

seen. Nothing will ever replace the sadness I felt, when I

found out that Bambi's mother had been killed by a

hunter. Every time I see a stoic Buck standing in a field,

I think of Bambi's father. At the very end of the movie,

he was reassuring the fawn that, although a tragedy had

occurred, everything was going to be alright. I

have many more favorites, such as THE WIZARD OF OZ,

and the 1933 version of KING KONG. I keep assuring

myself that the next time I see that movie, Kong will not

fall from the Empire State Building. Instead, he will knock

all of the planes from the sky and safely return to his

island, from where he was violently removed by human

greed. After all of these years of plummeting to his death

in remake-after-remake, don't you think he deserves better?

The movie that I tell most people that I loved the most is

TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA. Maybe

that's the brutish male in me, thinking that it's more

palatable to my fellow males that I relate to Nemo, rather

than Bambi.

Geri: What was the worst movie you have ever seen?

Jeffrey: I don't really remember the worst movie, because I probably

quickly discarded it from my memory, unless it was so

ridiculous, that the director meant for me to remember it

as such. Therefore, I will hearken back to a movie that was

making the rounds, when I was in college. The title of the

movie was PINK FLAMINGOS, starring a well known

Transvestite, named Devine. If you have never heard of it,

look it up. It is by far, the worst movie you will ever see.

Geri: What is the most important aspect of a book? Would it be the plot,

setting, or characters?

Jeffrey: I am very big on characters. I love to develop them, to become

intimate with them, and have my reader never forget them.

But, without plot, there can be nothing worth reading.

Therefore, no character in the world can carry a bad plot,

or poorly constructed story. The answer is plot.

Geri: How does poor editing affect book sales?

Jeffrey: It makes it, or breaks it. Poor editing affects an author's

self-esteem. It affects a book review, and ultimately,

it kills a book that may otherwise have been successful.

I found that out the hard way. Up until I was picked up by

my new publisher, I was involved with a publisher who

could not print a clean book. No matter how many times

his editor's edited the book, there were always mistakes.

The worst part was that no matter how many times he

went back to the drawing board to reprint the book, there

were always printing errors. Here is an example of how

frustrating it can be. The third galley copy that I received

had no page numbers. My advice to new authors is to find

a good editor, and pay the price. It's almost impossible to

edit your own writing, because you are too emotionally

attached to every sentence. You will never really read your

book as others will. So, it is imperative to search for an

editor, who relates to your style, and cares enough about

your work to be outspoken and relentless in the pursuit

of perfection.

Geri: Thank you kindly for your time. This interview was very

interesting, and enjoyable. We have so much in common

on the movie point-of-view, and I was able to relate to your

feedback on editing, and other questions. One of the most

difficult tasks I've experienced was editing my own books.

However, because of perfection, I also found it difficult

to edit manuscripts for authors of different genres.

Editing is a tough job, no matter who does it. But, it's

extremely difficult for the editor who seeks pure perfection.

That would be me.

Jeffrey: You're welcome.

**INTERVIEW #2 with Author J. HALE TURNER**

It is with great pleasure and an honor to bring back returning Author J. Hale

Turner. A good friend who I met in the literary world during my journey, and

a talented Author.

Genre: Women/teen/young adult fiction/children

Author of: "ORANGE CLOUDS BLUE SKY (A novel) 5 Star REVIEW**

Author of: "WE LOVE TO CHEER OUR ABCs

(featuring the ABC Cheer Babies)

http://www.jhaleturner.com/

www.myspace.com/jhaleturner

http://www.amazon.com/

INTERVIEW #2

Geri: Do you plan on writing a book every year?

JoAnn: Geri, I'm glad you asked, because I've been having such joy writing

my stories these past few seasons. I plan to produce one, or

two children's books a year.

Geri: What factors place you in the comfort zone while writing?

JoAnn: People who know me are familiar with my retreat to my back porch

for meditation. I love my backyard, and it's natural intimacy. There,

I spend time rehashing thoughts and events that we and our

children face, with the hope that I can inspire them through my

stories.

Geri: How do you promote your books?

JoAnn: In the past, I haven't been doing a good job in that field, time and

energy haven't been on my side for a while. With a few hurdles

behind me, I'm seeking opportunities to promote my work.

Geri: Do you write everyday?

JoAnn: Up until a few months ago, I have been writing diligently everyday.

Now, I'm in the editing process for my upcoming children's

stories.

Geri: Have you written a series, and or a sequel for one title?

JoAnn: (Smiling) Yes! That's what I'm so excited about. I look forward to

introducing my Joseph series in the very near future. Its

introduction is way past due. I'm also considering a sequel to

"ORANGE CLOUDS BLUE SKY" per requests by readers.

Geri: After having one book published, do you now find it easier to write?

JoAnn: To see your own work published is a definite incentive. I've been

writing way before my work was ever considered for publishing,

and my work has developed considerably over the years. There's

a lot of revision to be made to the earlier writings, (sigh). But,

that's okay. Writing was, and will always be a part of me. It has

its moments, believe me. Writing can be easy one moment, and

a challenge the next moment. That's what makes it interesting.

Geri: How many book-signings have you been to?

JoAnn: Just a few, with my first two children's books, I LOVE TO SING AND

DANCE, and MISS BETTY'S DAYCARE. I did do a brief signing for

my debut young adult novel. Hopefully, in the near future, I'll be

back on schedule to meet readers.

Geri: Have you written books in different genres?

JoAnn: My first few published works were solely for preschool, and younger

readers. In 2008, my debut YA novel, "ORANGE CLOUDS BLUE SKY"

was released. Now, that was a special accomplishment for me, and

I am quite pleased with the feedback from readers of all ages. I'm

presently in the process of completing an adult novel, "EDEN'S

GARDEN." It seems like my stories range from pediatrics to

geriatrics. Hopefully, "EDEN'S GARDEN" will come out in 2010,

after I introduce the first of my Joseph series.

Geri: What has inspired you the most to write?

JoAnn: Family, friends, and community. There are so many stories out there.

We all need inspiration. Life is a constant learning experience. But

it can also be a success story from one's failures, courage,

determination, passion and love.

Geri: Is writing a passion, a stress-reliever, or both?

JoAnn: For me, both! Writing is my escape from all the stress of the day.

My characters take me on a journey or adventure, and I can

actually get lost in that fictional life. Sometimes, I resurface,

feeling invigorated. There are moments when ideas pour into my

brain, without letup. When the flow starts, I can write for hours

a day. That's a good thing, but there are times I need to turn my

thoughts off to get some shut-eye, you know? (Smiling).

Geri: I am delighted to have you back, and happy to know that your

novel may be a series. As soon as you mentioned that, I whispered,

YES! However, I do agree with you that too many writers develop

insomnia, and you my dear have become my number one 'Sleepless

Author.' I wish you much success in all your writing endeavors.

JoAnn: Thank you.