It is with Great Pleasure and an Honor to Interview Author Janina Stankiewicz Chung.
Author of: "FAR EAST OF THE SUN"
Genre: Contemporary Historical Fiction
http://www.amazon.com
http://www.reededwards.com/item/Far_East_Of_The_Sun/215/c48
~~~AUTHOR INTERVIEW~~~
Geri: What inspires you the most to write?
Janina: The desire to create a world for a reader to escape into. In FAR EAST OF THE SUN,
I try to relay to the reader the importance of family, love, and unity.
Geri: Who is your favorite author?
Janina: Jackie Collins
Geri: Did you have favorite books as a child?
Janina: No, I lived in Displaced Persons Camps, and had no access to books.
Geri: If you were to write in a different genre, what would it be?
Janina: A journey of a young girl in a new world. Her trials and tribulations, her loves,
and her triumphs.
Geri: What are your goals for the future in your journey of writing?
Janina: I want to see one of my books made into a movie. FAR EAST OF THE SUN
is very much like Dr. Zhivago. It would make a great movie.
Geri: Thank you kindly for your time. I wish you very much success.
Janina: You're welcome
It is an Honor and with Great Pleasure to Interview Author Pauline Holyoak
Author of: "MERRYWEATHER LODGE: Ancient Revenge
http://www.amazon.com
http://www.Fictionwise.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7jUYJkDG48
http://www.whiskycreekpress.com
~~~AUTHOR INTERVIEW~~~
Geri: What inspires you the most to write?
Pauline: Nothing specific. I write to explore my inner world. I write because some mystical magnet
draws me to my desk. I write to escape the mundane world of people, and things. I write
because I need to write. To me, it's a sort of innate longing to get my thoughts, wild
fantasies, opinions and stories on paper. I write in the first person. I like to put myself
in my protagonist's shoes, to become her, to think and act as she does. Sometimes, I can
almost feel her hand on mine as the pen glides across the paper, and her story unfolds.
I find myself asking her, 'What happens next Emily?' Or, 'How do you feel about this?'
I know it sounds crazy. I used to hear authors say things like this, and roll my eyes. But
now I know it is true, at least in my perception. I'm a descriptive writer. I like to
convince my reader that she is there by assaulting each of her senses with color, sound,
taste, and texture. If my reader can feel the sun on her face and the wind fluttering in
her shirt sleeves, envision the landscape and feel for my characters, half my job is done.
Geri: Did you have favorite books as a child?
Pauline: Ann of Green Gables.
Geri: Who is your favorite author?
Pauline: John Saul
Geri: If you were to write in a different genre, what would it be?
Pauline: Children's Books
Geri: What are your goals for the future in your journey of writing?
Pauline: To be a NY Times Bestseller, and have my book made into a movie. One can only
dream. My realistic goals are to finish my 'Merryweather Lodge' triology, three
other books, and numerous articles I have in the making. I'd also like to write an
autobiography, 'Under The Shadow Of The Wheel: Growing up in a coal mining
village.
Geri: Thank you for your time, and I wish you much success.
Pauline: You're welcome.
It is an Honor and with Great Pleasure to bring back Author Deanie Humphry's Dunne
Multipublished Children's Author
Author of: "CHARLENE THE STAR"
"CHARLIE THE HORSE"
"TAILS OF SWEETBRIER"
Genre: Children
http://www.amazon.com
http://www.barnesandnoble.com
~~~AUTHOR INTERVIEW #4~~~
Geri: Have you had the pleasure of discussing your book with a fan?
Deanie: Yes. My fan was delighted, thrilled, and inspired.
Geri: What motivates you to write?
Deanie: I think it's most important for today's youth to have role models, who promote
positive messages. My books encourage children to do their best, and never
give up. It would be a huge honor for me to be considered a role model for
children.
Geri: What factors place you in the comfort zone while writing?
Deanie: I tend to prefer a quiet environment when I'm writing. I favor writing about things
I've personally experienced, since that makes me considerably more comfortable.
Geri: Having more than one book published, do you find it easier to write?
Deanie: Yes! I feel somewhat more confident in my writing abilities now. But I take extra
care to be sure not to submit anything for publication, until I feel it reflects my
best efforts. My readers deserve nothing less.
Geri: Do you have goals for your writing in the future?
Deanie: Yes! I think it's helpful to always have goals, so I stay focused. I would like to be
able to write a book each year. That is a challenge, since it can be difficult to find
a subject. I would also like to be able to speak to more children and teachers in
schools. So far, My sister Holly, who is my illustrator and myself, have done many
presentations at schools and the audiences have been most enthusiastic.
Geri: Thank you kindly for Today's Interview. I wish you very much success.
Deanie: You're welcome.
It is an Honor and with Great Pleasure to bring back Author Jeffrey B. Allen.
Author of "GONEAWAY INTO THE LAND" 5 Star REVIEW
http://www.jeffreyballen.com
~~~AUTHOR INTERVIEW #6~~~
Geri: At this point and time in your life, are you exactly where you want to be in
your writing endeavors?
Jeffrey: I will never be where I want to be in my writing endeavors. Hard work is
always ahead, no-matter what one seeks to excel at. If we are truly
committed to being the best we can be, we should die trying. You may see
an athlete reach the pinnacle of achievement, when the adoration of the
public, or the amount of a contract exceeds all other athletes. But, I am
sure we cannot walk where he walks and we are never privy to his
thoughts, for it is the greatest in their field, who feel they could have been
greater. I believe the best way to experience where I want to go as a
writer is to read what other writers have written. The writer who I love the
most comes to mind. Hemingway, his uphill battle to please himself as a
writer wore him out, even though he was hailed as the greatest of
American writers. For me, I will continue to make every novel I write, better
than the last. I will continue to follow my creative instinct to instill style that
is not comparable. Tall order, lofty goals, but worthy of getting up every
morning, and trying.
Geri: What are your goals for the future in your journey of writing?
Jeffrey: I want to write the final book in the trilogy of 'Gone Away.' The first
book takes the reader on a journey into the infinite second. I love
magical realism, because it allows me to write reality, but with twists
that could be real, yet magical to others. Magical realism tackles tough
subjects with purpose. It is not just serious fantasy as some publishers
have coined it. It is purposeful in its philosophical basis, by exposing
conditions that are currently degrading the idealism that is the
cornerstone of our culture, and civilization. Having said that, I want my
novels to be entertaining, but not without powerful themes.
Geri: Who has given you the most inspiration in your writing journey?
Jeffrey: My inspiration comes from my upbringing, for some gene or genes that
went bad, and put the pain in me that cannot settle down, or be
contented with what is. I am always searching for answers to questions,
as a means to sustain a state of torment. Torment is what makes me
write. Torment is what heightens my emotions, feeds my happiness,
and wallows with my sadness. I am complete when I feel happiness
that can only be appreciated to its fullest, because beneath it lays my
pain. This is what you will find in 'Gone Away.' As one Reviewer put it,
"Gone Away Into The Land is not a joy ride, but rather a journey into
the philosophical depths of what drives us as human beings!"
Geri: In the early stages of writing, what did you find to be the most challenging?
Jeffrey: To write well. Writing is a craft. It requires concentration, and practice.
It needs to be revised over-and-over, until the prose reads like poetry.
Semantics and careful selection of words, dialog that instills pictures,
better than narrative ever could. This is what challenges me the most.
Behind that is the challenge to discipline myself, to write everyday,
no-matter-what.
Geri: What would you consider to be the highlight of your writing career?
Jeffrey: I started a wood-working business over thirty years ago. I remember
saying to myself, "I know I've made it when someone I do not know
orders something from me and then after I have completed their
project, they feel comfortable, if not compelled to give my name out
to a friend or relative." Such is getting reviews and comments from
people from all over the country, who have read my book and have
felt strongly enough about their experience to write a review, or write
to me through the myriad of channels available today. I thank every one
of them, from the bottom of my heart.
Geri: Thank you kindly for your time. It is a pleasure to have you back, and I
wish you much success.
Jeffrey: And, thank you Geri for interviewing me. Enjoy the journey, and fear
nothing, because there is nothing to fear.
It is an Honor and with Great Pleasure to Interview Author CHRISTA JAN RYAN.
Author of "SILENT SCREAMS of the HAMPTONS"
http://www.christajanryan.net
http://www.amazon.com
http://www.barnesandnoble.com
~~~AUTHOR INTERVIEW~~~
Geri: What inspires you to write?
Christa: When I wrote my first book, From The Depts Of A Woman's Soul, it was to help me
in the grieving process of losing my daughter and what I found helpful to me in my
healing that I could share with other people suffering from the same loss. 'Silent
Screams' was a combination of sharing my insane life as a Landscape Consultant
with the wealthiest people in the world, and to share what my struggles were in my
everyday life as a working mom, a recovering Alcoholic, a High Profile Domestic
Violence Victim. I wanted to raise an awareness of we as a society need to look at with
what we are generationally passing down to our children.
Geri: Did you enjoy reading as a child?
Christa: A real Book Worm, it was my only constructive form of escape from my insane
family of origin.
Geri: Who is your favorite author?
Christa: I have many: Nora Roberts; Danielle Steel; Beth Moore; Bruce Wilkinson; Rick
Warren.
Geri: If you were to write in a different genre, what would it be?
Christa: I'm leaning towards drama, suspense.
Geri: Do you have current work in progress?
Christa: Yes, always! I'm at the end of writing a Play/Musical adapted from 'Silent Screams'
and I hope to have it on the road by this summer/fall. I have started a suspense/
thriller called 'Deadly Money' The Berkshires are not what they appear to be. It's
the unraveling of how I came to uncover the Largest Heroin and Prostitution Ring
in the Northeast, right in the Quaint Berkshires, after my son gets brutally stabbed
and beaten by Gang members from the 'Blood' in Great Barrington and the inaction
of the Great Barrington Police to protect him. It leads to a twenty million dollar
lawsuit against the police and town, which opens up the door for many people to come
forth with their suspicions into my store. I supply the reader with the exact same clues
as to how I figured out the Kingpin and what politicians are involved in, and how their
moving tens -of-billions of dollars around in the Northeast.
Geri: Thank you kindly for your time, and I wish you much success.
Christa: You're welcome.
It is an honor and with Great Pleasure to Interview Author RAI AREN.
"SECRET of the SANDS" ~~RAI AREN & co-author TAVIUS E.
http://www.secretofthesands.com
~~~AUTHOR INTERVIEW~~~
Geri: What inspires you to write?
RAI: I usually have a message of some kind that I want to convey, either subtly
or more directly, and for me, saying it through a fictional tale is how I am
naturally drawn to communicate it. Personally, I love getting lost in the
pages of a book. I love the escape a great story provides, so I want to
provide that for other readers, give them an engaging place to lose themselves
for a few hours, and spark their imaginations. I dearly love crafting worlds
that I think readers will enjoy. Most tellingly though, I write stories that I
personally want to read. I explore ideas that are fascinating to me, that I feel
passionately about. Any book I write is one that I would immediately grab
off of a book, or library shelf. I love to pour my heart and soul into a story,
whether it's light-hearted action adventure, a thriller, or horror.
Geri: Who is your favorite author?
RAI: J.R.R. Tolkien, he crafted such detailed, vivid worlds, with characters and
stories that contained so much heart. When I read his works, I feel that I
get lost inside them, that I walk through the worlds with the characters. I
feel their pain, struggles, hopes, and joys. That is an amazing gift for a
reader. I also love Anne Rice;Agatha Christie; Dan Brown; JK Rowling;
David & Leigh Eddings; and James Rollins.
Geri: What type of books do you enjoy reading?
RAI: My favorite books are thrillers; mysteries, adventure stories; science fiction;
suspense; alternate historical fiction; fantasy; and some horror novels. I
especially love anything that revolves around ancient mysteries, that's like
catnip to me! I very much enjoy being taken away from the everyday ordinary
on a fantastic adventure that gets me thinking. I am also fascinated by
quantum physics.
Geri: Should a book be judged by its cover?
RAI: Yes and no, I'm a very visual person, so a great cover that speaks to key
elements of a story will really grab me. I like covers that have strong visuals.
After that, the story itself has to appeal to me. I won't buy a book that I just
like the cover of, if the actual story doesn't interest me. On the flip side, I also
won't pass up a book where maybe the cover doesn't do anything for me, but
where the story really piques my interest. It's just that with a nice cover, the
book has more of a chance to be noticed, and picked up by readers. I would
say that it is a solid investment to craft a quality cover that, most importantly,
gives potential readers a sense of what the book offers. It is an amazing sales
and communication tool.
Geri: Do you have current work in progress?
RAI: I actually have a few. The first priority is to complete putting the
finishing touches on Destiny of the Sands, the sequel to Secret
of the Sands, with my co-author, and release it. The sequel carries on
where Secrets left off, and takes the main characters on an even darker,
more perilous journey. After that, I have three solo novels in various
stages of development. One is a science fiction horror novel, one is a
dark thriller, and another is a thriller. The stories all have very strong
messages, and deal with darker themes. I am very passionate about them.
The stories are fully formed in my head and partially written. I just need the
extra time to complete them! Oh! to only need an hour or two of sleep a
night!
Geri: Thank you kindly for today's interview. I wish you much success!
Rai: You're welcome.
It is an Honor and with Great Pleasure to Interview Author MARC DOUGLAS.
Author of: "SLINGSHOT"
First of a three book series!
The sequel to "SLINGSHOT" is "THE ROAD TO DAMARI" Followed by:
"RIGHT OF WAY."
http://Edgepublishingcompany.com
http://twitter.com/douglasnovels
~~~AUTHOR INTERVIEW~~~
Geri: What inspires you to write?
Marc: I have written all of my life. September 11th, 2001, coincided with some
personal events that dramatically changed my life. I began 'SLINGSHOT'
almost immediately after the WTC attack, and spent the next nine years
completing it. Up until that point, I believed I was firmly in control of my
life, nothing could have been further from the truth. This revelation required
thought. As writing is my medium, the issue of controlling life continually
appears in 'SLINGSHOT' and all my other works.
Terrorism; corrupt/inept governments; war; environmental crisis; and dwindling
resources all beg the questions: How did we get here, and where do we go
from here? 'SLINGSHOT' is a 'What If' adventure. A story of romance, courage,
and fortitude of people placed in very difficult circumstances.
I have always admired the ability to combine words into sentences that can
allow someone to walk among a writer's thoughts, and bring you into an era
previously unknown. Authors, long dead, can reach across time as though
they sat next to you. Simple, common place words, ink on a page can
transport you into another world, feel emotions of a person you have never
met and introduce new ideas and thoughts. Habits, emotions of days long
gone are revealed, the dust is removed, and you live that life so long ago.
Geri: Who is your favorite author?
Marc: Well, that is impossible to answer as there are so many. Charles Dickens has
always been a favorite. I loved THE OLD CURIOSITY SHOP, GREAT
EXPECTATIONS, and so many others. His ability with words was incredible.
Dumas created great stories, and I am currently working on a manuscript
inspired by "THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO." Hugo wrote perhaps my
favorite story, "LES MISERABLES." James Fenimore Cooper did a
wonderful job with the "LEATHERSTOCKING TALES." Dean Koontz is
always enjoyable to read and has inspired a couple of books I have written
as well as the dogs in SLINGSHOT, ''THE WATCHERS" by Dean Koontz.
Jane Austen's "PRIDE and PREJUDICE" is a good, fun read. Mark Twain is
classic. I really liked Bram Stoker's "DRACULA." Tolkien's "LORD OF THE
RINGS" was a book I read to my kids. CS Forrester's Horatio Hornblower
series was great fun to read growing up. As a kid, I loved the Hardy Boys, and
burned through their books.
Geri: Do you have current work in progress?
Marc: I am doing the final polish on BLIND SIGHT, which is my second thriller.
The art work is finished, and the book should be available in a month
or so. "THE SULTAN'S ANGEL" is almost done, and ready for editing.
I would say it has a chance at being released second or third quarter next
year. The second and the third book of the "SLINGSHOT" series are done,
but I will be fine tuning them before they are published.
Geri: Should one judge a book by its cover?
Marc: No, but a good cover can catch your eye and your interest. Therefore, it
is very important.
Geri: If you were to write in a different genre, what would it be?
Marc: Well, the "SLINGSHOT" series is science fiction, but it is woven with the
elements that we live with today. I have to say that I am picky about what
I like in science fiction. Personally, I don't care for long stretches of the
imagination, magic or fantasy. There are exceptions to the rule. I loved
"LORD OF THE RINGS" so very much that I read it word-for-word to my
kids as they grew up as a bed time story. "FOOTBALL" by Larry Nivens is
nothing short of excellent. After finishing SLINGSHOT and the sequels, I
took some time off to read another Dean Koontz novel. His imagination is
fantastic, but I think the fact that the good guys always wins is why I am
hooked on his books, that and his obvious love of dogs. I decided to try
my hand at a thriller after finishing "WHISPERS" by Koontz, and published
"SOON." "SOON" was written for my own enjoyment. My editor really liked it,
and she was who convinced me to publish it, thank you Amanda. I think two
genres are enough, and I enjoy both immensely. That is not to say I don't love
a good mystery, historical fiction, romance, or drama. I just don't see those
genres for me right now.
Geri: Thank you for your time. I wish you much success.
Marc: You're welcome.
