Kiwi is Cruisin' with Allison & giving books away

A Puurrfect Day with Kiwi

Win all 5 books in the Kiwi Series!

Allison Bruning came out with the brilliant idea of using a virtual cruise to take visitors around the worlds inside authors' books. Along with many other indie writers, I was asked to pick one of my books for my stop and imagine one of my characters guiding the cruise visitors around that world. In my case, the book is Kiwi in Cat City and the guide is a little black cat called Kiwi.

To read the piece that I wrote, click here: http://allisonbruning.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/a-puurrfect-day-with-kiwi.html#comment-form_8858988769636319014

Don't forget to enter the competition to win all five books in the Kiwi Series (ebook format) on that page. Good luck! :)

You can also read all of the other authors' posts there too.

Words with... Gabriel Rheaume

Thanks to Gabriel Rheaume, author of The Shores We Walk, for this interview

How long have you been a member of Book Junkies and how did you stumble upon the group?

I’ve been with Book Junkies a little less than a year. I was searching for groups for authors and readers, so Book Junkies appealed to me.

Has the group helped you? What do you like about it?

I like that a question rarely goes unanswered, and that we can all share our experience and learn from each other.

What books have you written so far?

The Shores We Walk.

What works in progress do you have?

I have a lot of brainstorming going on, taking notes and experimenting with different styles.

How long did it take you to write your book?

I started writing it in a creative writing course at University. I wrote it over a four-year period, changing style, direction and purpose.

Do you write linear, or jump back and forth? Do you plan or write by the seat of your pants?

I mainly write through inspiration, but force myself to write as well. I often disrupt the chronological order in my writing, so being lineal usually doesn’t affect the outcome.

Why do you write?

I told my girlfriend, now deceased, that her family was so dysfunctional they should be in a book or movie. After she committed suicide, I felt it was my honour to tell the story.

How long have you been writing?

I’ve been writing my whole life and have always been encouraged to write by teachers, friends and my dad, who is a writer as well.

Where and when do you write?

I write anywhere. I’m not the ‘sit at a desk’ type. I tend to write where I am. Parks, greyhound buses, trains or in bed are where you would probably see me writing the most.

Which character from your books do you like the most/ are most like?

The Shores We Walk is based on a true story, so it’s really difficult to see the characters as ‘characters’.

What/who inspired you to write and still inspires you?

People, the human experience, irony, travelling, culture, major cities, vast countryside and being from Detroit; finding beauty in blight.

What do you think is the ideal recipe for a good novel or story?

I think the word ‘recipe’ shows that there is more than one way to do something right. I do find writers who have a formula are very interesting like Charles Bukowski, who writes about women, alcohol and gambling, or Chuck Palahniuk, who tends to write about 12-step meetings, loss of identity and nihilism.

Have you ever based a character on someone from real life? And did you tell them?

My friends were the inspiration for The Shores We Walk, and as each one passed away through suicide and drug overdoses my story became more complex. As for the few characters that are still alive, I did ask for permission.

Fave things: animal? food? drink? colour? band? song? place? item of clothing?

My interests change a lot with my mood, but I like food with curry, music with integrity, the atmosphere of New Orleans and the comfort of home. I also like scarves.

When you were a kid, what did you want to do/who did you want to be when you grew up?

I think it’s a very American thing to want to be famous, so I always wanted to be a basketball player, even though I was always the smallest person for my age.

Would you say that your dreams have come true or are you still working on them?

The best thing about dreams is that they can always change, but I do fear that if my dreams did come true, I would have nothing left to live for.

Who is your favourite character from any book and why?

Tyler Durden from Fight Club. I love his radical proactive approach to life, interesting idealisms and the idea that destruction is a form of creation. I also like his charm, charisma, cynicism, dark humour and nihilism.

Which book do you wish you had written?

The poem Howl by Allen Ginsberg, because it defined the Beat Generation and generally blew a lot of peoples’ minds.

What three authors would you take to the pub?

Hunter S Thompson, Jack Kerouac and Aldous Huxley.

Are you published or self-published? What is your experience?

I self-published and it has been going really well. I have to do a lot of work on my own as far as promoting and marketing [are concerned], but I like having the control.

How do you find the marketing experience?

I’ve enjoyed it. I’ve done a lot of travelling to promote my book and I do live readings. Having stage fright, I get a real thrill after reading, and I love any excuse to travel and get my book circulating around the world.

What other hobbies do you have?

I’ve been looking for a healthy hobby for years. There’s a store near me called Hobby Lobby; perhaps I could find the answer there.

Complete one of these stories in 100 words or less…

There was once a wee worm called Fred, who had a rather large head… eh, I don’t think I should finish this limerick.

What question do you wish I’d asked and, of course, what is the answer?

Q: Will you provide a sample of The Shores We Walk?

A: This is a scene from my book where a character’s father has just passed away and this is the stream of consciousness from the afterlife.

I thought I had seen it all back then. Life seemed to be such a burden. I felt as though the Earth was roped to my back and I was the one spinning it around. My heart was the core and was constantly erupting. The second I was released into the universe all things became transparent. Every defect of human character shows in the soul like light shining through a stained-glass window. I looked back through my own soul, and saw every betrayal and truth as though the world’s wrongs were boiled to the surface. Life was not always bad, but I didn’t realize that until mine had already ended.

I wish I would have appreciated her. I spent all my life selfishly starved of worth, needy of vacant praise. Not until I saw her young broken heart did I understand how unconditional her love was for me. When I died I felt guilt for every indecency I had created and I felt a vacuum, pulling from my very center. I know that her living soul felt the same, every waking day. Her mother gave her life, but I could not provide one.

Links

Paperback: https://www.createspace.com/3523749

Facebook book page:  www.facebook.com/theshoreswewalk

Amazon paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Shores-We-Walk-Gabriel-Rheaume/dp/145644431X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1342879112&sr=1-1&keywords=the+shores+we+walk

Amazon Kindle:  http://www.amazon.com/The-Shores-We-Walk-ebook/dp/B006GCD82I/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1342878757&sr=8-2&keywords=the+shores+we+walk

Newspaper article/review: http://sanduskytribune.com/?p=3258

Outsider Writers' review: http://www.outsiderwriters.org/2011/the-shores-we-walk-a-review-by-dawn-graves

Words with... Brian Holers

Thanks to Brian Holers, author of Doxology, for this interview

How long have you been writing?

I talked about it for many years, but I finally got sick of what was on television and started writing after I sold a business seven years ago.

Do you have a day job or do you write for a living?

In my day job I work as an arborist, and most of the time I enjoy it. For a couple of years after I sold my first business, I spent days writing (not for a living by any means), but I like this life better. I work in the daytime, spend a lot of time with my thoughts, and then I go to my desk for an hour or two at night after my son goes to sleep. Having a structure to my days helps me focus. And focus is the key for me. I approach writing in much the same way as I approach other tasks in life. My joy comes not so much from the finished product as from the process it takes me to get there.

What do you feel is the ideal recipe for a good novel/story/poem?

I’m not sure there’s an ideal recipe. Maybe there is, but I never went to school to study writing so I don’t know any of the recipes. But whether writing a novel, story or poem, the goal is the same: write something that makes people care. There are a zillion different ways to get there, but making the reader care is the most important ingredient I have found.

What/who inspired you to write and still inspires you?

I am inspired by the entire world of imaginary people who live nowhere other than inside my head. I’ve found that if I write and give them a chance at external expression, they don’t interrupt the rest of my life so much. And, unlike me, my imaginary friends always say whatever they are thinking, win all their battles and rarely make poor decisions. Who wouldn’t want to write about such admirable people?!

What books have you written? Do you stick to one genre?

I have one completed novel, one well under way, and one still in my head. Though I left home for Seattle, Washington, 23 years ago, all my fiction is set in rural north Louisiana. All explore similar themes of love among flaws, crushing loss and the oh-so-human need for God in human life. My first novel, Doxology, is a blue-collar Southern tale of relationships between fathers, sons and brothers. My novel in progress, Miracle Run, is a story of a man trying to turn away from brokenness and make himself a suitable father for a son he once abandoned, just as he was once abandoned.

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

How many of us have heard something like this when we mention our writing, “I’ve always thought about writing”? Thinking about writing is phenomenally easy. Writing, on the other hand, will likely be the hardest thing you ever do. It will take away everything inside you, break your heart, frustrate you, make you crazy, and tell you over and over again just to turn on the television and stop kidding yourself. There are no shortcuts. As Thomas Edison once said of genius, writing is 99% perspiration with only a bit of inspiration. The quality of your writing is a function of the amount of time you spend at your writing desk. Until you’ve put in years and years, and have reached an expert level (which I certainly have not yet), it will just be hard. So reward yourself for small accomplishments and take pride in any little thing you write that sounds good. You’ll know fast if you want to keep doing it.

Which character from your books do you like most/are most like?

I have characters in all my books that do little more than provide comic relief. They think wild thoughts, ramble all over the place, and jump up and down when they are excited about something. They say whatever they are thinking, no matter how weird or inappropriate. Major characters take a ton of energy to develop, and require constant monitoring and truth testing. But the lesser characters do and say whatever they want. I’m not saying I actually resemble such a person, I just wish a lot of the time that I did.

Marketing, the bane of self-publishers ­- how do you find the experience? Do you have any advice for other writers? Do you use a blog or twitter, etc?

I have never met a writer who liked marketing. But we’ve gotta do it, so why complain? Here’s my advice ­ take it slow and steady, and make friends first. One thing I’ve learned from being in business for years is that people will want to work with you, help you and buy whatever you are selling because they like you. Much the same as a reader has to care about a character before reading on, so our online acquaintances only become friends when they get to know us a little bit.

What other hobbies/interests do you have or has writing taken over?

My other hobby is baseball. It’s the greatest game ever played. I loved baseball when I was a kid, but I was never really all that good. I’m still not all that good, but I’ve just outlasted a lot of other guys. I’ll be 45 this year, and I am finally getting a chance to catch and pitch, which I never got when I was a kid. And most of the other old guys like me can’t throw hard enough to strike me out any more, so I can finally hit too.

What would you like to achieve in the next five years?

In the next five years, I just hope to keep doing what I’m doing now and get another couple of books done. I hope to continue to get more knowledgeable about trees. I hope to watch my son grow up into a fine man, which I hope to be one day myself.

If you won the Lotto, what would you do with all that dosh?

I would never win the Lotto because I would never play the Lotto. Playing the lottery perpetuates the belief that responsibility for our own selves is out of our hands. Such a mentality reinforces a common human belief in victimhood. I don’t have a problem per se with casinos and all varieties of gambling venues, but I frankly despise gambling sponsored by governments. 

Finally, what question do you wish I’d asked and, of course, what is the answer? 

I wish you’d asked me who is going to be the next American president. Unfortunately, I don’t know the answer.

Links

http://brianholers.com/media-kit/

http://www.amazon.com/Doxology-Brian-Douglas-Holers/dp/0983775702

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/doxology-brian-douglas-holers/1105347043

http://www.facebook.com/brianholerswriter

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5270173.Brian_Holers

@BrianHolers

Doxology Teaser: 

Fathers, sons and brothers reconnect over tragedy in this blue-collar Southern tale of love, loss and the healing power of community and family.

   Vernon Davidson is an angry man. After a lifetime of abuse and loss the 61-year-old is ready to get back at God, his co-workers, and everyone else is in his north Louisiana hometown. He drinks too much to numb the pain, shuns his friends and embarrasses himself in the community. The once-cautious Vernon spirals into a reckless mess.

   Only when he is reunited with his estranged nephew Jody is he forced to confront his situation. Jody is struggling in equal parts after inflicting a self-imposed exile upon himself by fleeing the family, and thereby himself, for a new life thousands of miles away. Now his father, Vernon’s brother, is dying and Vernon agrees to retrieve him for his brother’s sake.

   Jody embarks on a reluctant journey back to his Louisiana home and the two men together embark on a journey that will ultimately change their lives.

   Doxology examines an impossibly difficult question: how does a man go about forgiving a God he has grown to despise after the tragedies and disappointments he has faced?

Doxology currently has 16 5-star, 6 4-star and 3 3-star reviews on Amazon.com.

You can read part of Chapter 1 here: http://brianholers.com/books/doxology-chapter-1/

Thanks for reading! Have a cool day!

Vickie

If you would like to do an interview or guest post on my blog, please email me at hellovickie at hotmail dot com

Words with... Martin Rouillard

Thanks to Martin Rouillard for this interview - 

scroll down for a chance to win his book, Rise of the Red Dragon!!

What is your day job or are you lucky enough to write for a living?

 

Previous to writing, I worked for fifteen years in the family business, doing everything from working on the production floor to sales, marketing and market development. After we sold the business, I spent a couple of years in the fashion industry with my wife. She is an incredibly talented designer. About a year ago, I decided to really dedicate all of my time to writing; something I had been dying to do for years. I would not say that I make a living at it yet, but I do feel lucky that I can focus all my energy on it for the moment.

What books have you written so far?

 

I just published my first fantasy novel, called Rise of the Red Dragon. It’s the story of Samuel, a teenager who gets transported to ancient Britain, where he must save a legend and a king. Prior to this first book, I had a few short stories available online. Most of my work is translated by me, and is available in both French and English.

What works in progress do you have?

 

Rise of the Red Dragon is the first book in the Tales of the Lorekeepers series. At the moment, I am working on the second book. I also have another project with a friend, where I write short stories and he draws amazing illustrations to go with them. Hopefully, we can release a first collection of stories this fall.

How long did it take you to write your book/s?

 

Almost a full year. The writing itself, the creative part I mean, took two months if I remember correctly. Then, I had to translate it and make corrections. The editing for both languages is really what took the longest. It was hard and frustrating at times, but I am very proud of the final result. I just hope people will have as much fun reading it as I had creating Samuel’s story.

Do you write linear, or jump back and forth? Do you plan or write by the seat of your pants?

 

I do write in a linear manner, but I do a lot of research and planning before I put down the first words. I will also go back quite often to correct some details that may change over the course of writing the story. It’s funny how some characters I had created for a specific purpose suddenly came alive and took on a much bigger role than I had anticipated. I guess it’s something you have to be able to do – allowing your story to take you places and be ready to adjust accordingly.

Why do you write?

 

Because I love it. There’s really no other reason. I love creating worlds, characters and adventures for them. I feel truly blessed that I am able to at least give a good shot at writing. Hopefully, I will be able to do it for a long time.

How long have you been writing?

 

A year full-time now, but I have been writing short stories in my spare time for five or six years.

Where and when do you write? Do you have set times?

 

When I am writing a story, not editing or planning, I write all the time. Days, evenings, weekends. Then I do pretty much the same with the editing and corrections. I strongly believe that hard work always pays off in the end.

What/who inspired you to write and still inspires you?

 

My wife. She sacrificed so much to do what she loves since she was old enough to drive. It was not always easy and she went through some pretty rough times, but she never strayed from the path towards her goal. It’s not every day that you meet people who will stop at nothing to find happiness and do what they love, and that inspired me tremendously. Any hurdle I find in my path, she also had to go over it before me and that only pushes me to do the same.

 

Have you ever based a character on someone from real life? And did you tell them?

 

Ahhhhhhhhh! 

Voof!

I have based Angeline, the fairy who watches over Samuel, on one of my dogs, a miniature Dachshund named Charlotte. I always asked myself: "What would Charlotte say in this situation if she could talk?"

Fave things: animal? food? drink? film? colour? band? song? place? item of clothing?

 

Dogs, pasta, rum, Inglorious Bastards, green, Weezer, home, PJs.

When you were a kid, what did you want to do/who did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be an archaeologist, like Indiana Jones, of course. Although I went down a different road with studies in administration and marketing, past civilizations still fascinate me.

Would you say that your dreams have come true or are you still working on them?

Some of them have, others I am still chasing. Dreams are almost like a living organism, changing constantly as you progress on the path of life. The dreams I have now are not exactly the same that I had five years ago. It’s important to step back once in a while and make sure you are chasing the right dreams.

You’re walking in the forest and you bump into an alien librarian from Mars. He wants five book recommendations from you…

 

1) At the Mountains of Madness, by HP Lovecraft (any work from him actually).

2) Salut Galarneau! by Jacques Godbout (Quebec author), translated as Hail Galarneau! I think.

3) It, by Stephen King.

4) Les Animaux Dénaturés, by Jean Bruller, under the pseudonym Vercors. I think there is an English adaptation entitled You Shall Know Them.

5) The entire Foundation series, by Isaac Asimov.

Who is your favourite character from any book and why?

 

Right now, I am reading A Game of Thrones (I know, I am late) and I really enjoy Tyrion Lannister as a character. I think he is smart, funny and could pass for a good guy, but, from time to time, you get a glimpse of his more cruel side. He’s a very interesting fellow.

Who is your hero/heroine?

 

The men and women voluntary taking calls on suicide hotlines. These people save more lives than anyone and yet they are never mentioned anywhere or even thanked for their work.

Are you published or self-published? What is your experience?

 

I am self-published and, so far, I love the experience. It is a lot of work, but that has never stopped me from doing anything. Having been in business all my life, I see this new venture as another small business where the product I am trying to sell is my book. There is a production, packaging and marketing cost, you have to establish a distribution network and you need to follow a plan. It’s really no different from any other small business selling other products.

How do you find the marketing experience? 

 

I’m a marketing guy so I am having fun. The hardest part was doing the transition from real, face-to-face marketing and the sales pitch to doing it online. But the bases are the same; it’s the medium that is different.

What advice would you give other writers just starting out?

Find yourself a good group of authors, like the Indie Author Group on Facebook. The knowledge you can find there is invaluable. Listen to others’ experience and learn from it. Also, don’t be shy to post and ask questions. Everybody is there to help each other; we’re all in the same boat.

Do you have a blog? What do you blog about?

 

Not at the moment, but it’s coming. Being French-Canadian, I still have to decide on the main language for a blog. I’m having an easier time writing in French, but an English blog would reach a broader audience.

What other hobbies do you have?

 

I love cooking and I’m a huge football fan. I also love to travel, especially to Europe.

What would you like to achieve in the next five years?

 

I hope to have kids with my wife. Professionally, I hope I can start making a living with my writing. I plan to release at least one book a year in the Tales of the Lorekeepers series, along with other work I have on my ‘To Write’ list; stuff that is more on the scary and suspenseful side.

If you won the Lotto or a major publishing contract, what would you do with that dosh?

 

If I won the Lotto, I would probably write a little less and travel more. As much as I enjoy writing, travelling and seeing the world is too much fun. If I got a major publishing contract, however, I would probably work harder to meet deadlines!

Complete one of these stories in 100 words or less…
 
One day Charlotte decided she was going to change the world. Lying in bed, under several layers of thick and warm blankets, she imagined a world without the chilling bite of winter, a world full of colourful butterflies to chase and where the sun would never set over the horizon. She pictured herself surrounded by dozens of newborn babies smiling at her, while her older sister was valiantly guarding the household against birds, cats and other intruders.

Determined, Charlotte climbed out of bed, pulling a blanket on her back. All of a sudden, a bright light travelled across the wall in front of her. The world would have to wait; this dog was going to catch the evil light first!

Book links:

You can find Martin Rouillard’s novel, Rise of the Red Dragon, on Amazon at this link.

You can also follow Martin on Facebook and on Twitter.

If you'd like a copy of Martin's book, Rise of the Red Dragon, please leave a comment below....

Thanks for reading !

 

Words with... Allison Bruning

Thanks to Allison Bruning for this interview

 







What is your day job or are you lucky enough to write for a living? 

I’m the Executive Director of the Kentucky Young Writers Connection. I also sell Avon.

What books have you written so far?

Calico, which is book one of The Children of the Shawnee series.

What works in progress do you have?

Rose, book two of The Children of the Shawnee series, and Elsa, book one of The Secret Heritage series.

How long did it take you to write your book/s?

My first draft was completed in a summer. It took more time to find a publisher than to write my books.

Do you write linear, or jump back and forth? Do you plan or write by the seat of your pants?

I write in a linear pattern and by the seat of my pants. I do some planning, but mostly I allow the characters to take me where they want to go.

Why do you write?

I have a passion for writing.

How long have you been writing?

Since I was a child.

Where and when do you write? Do you have set times?

I have a schedule I like to follow in order to get my chores, errands and writing done on a daily basis, but sometimes that’s not possible. Generally, when I’m sick or at home on the weekends I get more writing done.

Which character from your books do you like most / are most like?

I have so many! My favourite male characters from Calico are Alexander (he has such an interesting backstory – he’s trying to behave, but that’s not always possible). Female-wise, I just love Creek (she is a great mother figure).

What/who inspired you to write and still inspires you?

When I was younger, my grandmother and some of my teachers inspired me to write. They saw the talent I had for it and encouraged me. Nowadays, I’m inspired by the less frequently told stories. I am trained in cultural anthropology and have found that to be a great asset to my storytelling.

What do you think is the ideal recipe for a good novel or story?

The secondary characters help move the story along. The story has to be believable and you need to keep your audience actively engaged.

Have you ever based a character on someone from real life? And did you tell them?

If you ask my husband he would say yes! LOL! He thinks he’s Little Owl. There are some qualities of different people I know in each of my characters.

When you were a kid, what did you want to do/who did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be an astronaut or an archaeologist.

Would you say that your dreams have come true or are you still working on them?

I’m still working on them.

You’re walking in the forest and you bump into an alien librarian from Mars. He wants five book recommendations from you…

The Inheritance Cycle and Calico, of course J

Are you published or self-published? What is your experience?

I’m published through Page Turners Publishing House. At first I had been signed up with a subsidy-based publishing house in Texas that worked as an author incubator. $3,000 later, my book still wasn’t published so I left their house and went to Tate. I soon found out that Tate publishing is a scam. After a lawyer threatened to sue them on my behalf, they released me. I was so grateful when I found Page Turners. I love working with a traditional publishing house.

How do you find the marketing experience? 

Some days it can be intense, especially if something happens and I can’t work on it for a couple of days. Overall it’s pretty easy.

What advice would you give other writers just starting out?

Never pay to have your book published.

Do you have a blog? What do you blog about?

I do. I invite authors to do guest posts. I write about a wide variety of things. I have history, regional things, anthropology and other various notations on there. Every day there is something new and interesting.

What other hobbies do you have?

Photography, travel, spending time with friends and family, being outdoors, attending cultural events.

What would you like to achieve in the next five years?

Be a famous author with children.

If you won the Lotto or a major publishing contract, what would you do with that dough?

Invest it in a savings account and watch it grow. I would also pay off my mortgage and travel around the world. 

Book links:

Blog: http://allisonbruning.blogspot.com/

Amazon: http://amzn.to/tEO4d0

WIN A COPY OF CALICO !!!

Anyone who comments below will be entered into the draw to win a copy of Allison Bruning's book!

Read the Untold Stories!

See History through Her Eyes!

"A man whose heart appears pure shall deceive you. The power he holds over you leads you to evil. You shall denounce the ways of Our Grandmother. Another man comes, whose pure heart beats for you alone, and who has a pure spirit devoted to Our Grandmother. He shall defeat the evil and sets you free."

A prophecy has been cast against her. In a harsh world deep within the western frontier of Ohio and Kentucky, Calico Marie Turner must learn to survive among the Shawnee and the trust the one man who hates her the most, Chief Little Owl Quick as the Wind.