Review - What We Saw by Ryan Casey

What We Saw tells the story of a young boy, Liam O'Donnell, his cousin, Adam, and their experiences at their grandparents' caravan site one summer. When the disappearance of their dog leads to a terrifying discovery deep in the nearby woods, Liam and Adam are plunged into a very adult world of morals and decisions.

Adam and Liam are cousins spending the summer with their grandparents and also individually going thru personal issues in their home life. Their grands live in an RV park and the boys being so young and adventurous get off to themselves a good bit and build a play den that becomes their private getaway and later a place to meet and solve mysteries that begin popping up around the park.

It started out a bit slow for me but after I dug my heels in the tale began to unravel rather quickly especially when they saw to their horror something happen in the woods and as much as I wanted to see what happened I hated for it to end! It took me back to my own youth as I remembered reading Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys and building "play houses" in the woods and having amazing adventures of my own but thank Gosh I never encountered what they did!

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Mystery / Coming of Age

Rating – PG15

More details about the book

Connect with Ryan Casey on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://ryancaseybooks.com/

Review - A Shade of Vampire by Bella Forrest

On the evening of Sofia Claremont's seventeenth birthday, she is sucked into a nightmare from which she cannot wake. A quiet evening walk along a beach brings her face to face with a dangerous pale creature that craves much more than her blood. She is kidnapped to an island where the sun is eternally forbidden to shine. An island uncharted by any map and ruled by the most powerful vampire coven on the planet. She wakes here as a slave, a captive in chains. Sofia's life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn when she is the one selected out of hundreds of girls to join the harem of Derek Novak, the dark royal Prince.

Holy Cow I Loved It! (5/5 Stars Loved It!) I have not felt so moved and into a vampire story in so long but the emotion that flows between Derek and Sofia as they explore their feelings for each other was just so powerful I hung on every word. I think there may have even been an instance I swooned.

One of my favorite phrases was:

"He was about to sink his teeth into my bare neck and drink my blood. I had every right to feel violated, but I didn’t. What does that say about me?"

A Shade of Vampire available now from
Amazon - USA / Amazon - UK


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Guest Post - Chloe Zola

Another messy and mundane memoir exploring what “normal” means for modern American families. A string of stories that are as bizarre as they are heartwarming, Beside My Doorstep follows Zola and her split-level family as they move from house to house over the course of twenty years. Raw and genuine, Zola illustrates a profound mother-daughter relationship centering on the wild and persistent ghosts of her mother’s past- a deeply-rooted bond that is heavy and brilliant and constantly burning.

The Memoir: Privacy vs. Exposure by Chloe Zola
“The moment that you feel that just possibly, you’re walking down the street naked, exposing too much of your heart and your mind, and what exists exists on the inside, showing too much of yourself, that’s the moment you may be starting to get it right.” -Neil Gaiman

The above quote, spoken at last year’s commencement speech at The University of the Arts in Pennsylvania, found me at just the right moment. Having recently completed my memoir, every once in a while- usually while maneuvering traffic or falling asleep- I doubt myself. I doubt what I’m doing, what I’ve done. I get caught in the mindset that family, and all of the baggage each one collects over the years, needs to be kept private. I find that on my worst day, I have convinced myself that the act of revealing the worst along with the best days of my childhood, the not-so-flattering moments between siblings and parents and everyone in between, is an act of selling out.

And I am grateful for the moment I snap out of it. I remember that all families are made up of imperfect people, which inevitably leads to an imperfect family, that the structure of a house is a mask for what really goes on inside, and that we are nothing if we pretend otherwise.

I have found that the act of writing a memoir, regardless of how many people read it, is a way of stripping your existence down, realizing what has mattered and what you will never recall. It is a meditation on all of the things that you never thought were significant enough to remember.

In yet another graduation speech, one given by David Foster Wallace in 2005, he opened with this anecdotal story:

“Morning, boys. How’s the water?” And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes “What the hell is water?”

His point, which most of the speech was centered on, was to emphasize that: “the most obvious, important realities are often the ones that are hardest to see and talk about.”

So I watch commencement speeches when I need to be reminded of things people say to optimistic children who are reluctantly turning into adults. I stumble upon words like these that make sense of what I am doing and why. And so I take Wallace’s advice by constantly reminding myself that “this is water”, and I realize that on its most basic level, for better or for worse, the human experience is most valuable when it is shared.

Buy now @ http://www.amazon.com/Beside-My-Doorstep-ebook/dp/B00ARP7Z42

Genre – Memoir / Rating – PG
More details about the author & the book
Connect with Chloe Zola on Facebook & Twitter & Pinterest

Candace Blevins - Safeword: Quinacridone - Virtual Book Tour

What happens when an introverted artist who only likes sex when it’s a one-night stand meets a computer-geek-extraordinaire with his own sexy secrets? Objectification, romance, pain, adoration, lots of kinky toys, and oodles and oodles of wonderfully imaginative sex.

Join Cara and Travis on their journey to mesh their distinctive sexual tastes into a loving relationship with blow-your- mind kink.

Purchase at Amazon

VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR January 28 - February 8

January 28 - Reading Addiction Blog Tours - Meet and Greet

January 29 - Up All Night Reviews - Review

January 30 - Sinfully Sexy Books - Review

January 31 - What's On The Bookshelf - Review

February 1 - Boyfriend Bookmark Blog - Review

February 2 - Sweet and Sassi - Review

February 3 - Booklovin Mamas - Interview/PROMO

February 4 - Book Reviews and More - PROMO

February 5 -RABT Reviews - Review

February 6 - Stressed Rach - Review

February 7 - Steamy Side - Review

About the Author:

Candace Blevins is a southern girl who loves to travel the world.

She lives with her husband of 15 years and their two daughters. When not working or driving kids all over the place she can be found reading, writing, meditating, or swimming.

Candace writes romance books about characters who happen to have some extreme kinks. Relationships can be difficult enough without throwing power exchange into the mix, and her books show characters who care enough about each other to fight to make the relationship work.

The Book of Paul by Richard Long

“Everything you’ve ever believed about yourself…about the description of reality you’ve clung to so stubbornly all your life…all of it…every bit of it…is an illusion.”

In the rubble-strewn wasteland of Alphabet City, a squalid tenement conceals a treasure “beyond all imagining”– an immaculately preserved, fifth century codex. The sole repository of ancient Hermetic lore, it contains the alchemical rituals for transforming thought into substance, transmuting matter at will…and attaining eternal life.

When Rose, a sex and pain addicted East Village tattoo artist has a torrid encounter with Martin, a battle-hardened loner, they discover they are unwitting pawns on opposing sides of a battle that has shaped the course of human history. At the center of the conflict is Paul, the villainous overlord of an underground feudal society, who guards the book’s occult secrets in preparation for the fulfillment of an apocalyptic prophecy.

The action is relentless as Rose and Martin fight to escape Paul’s clutches and Martin’s destiny as the chosen recipient of Paul’s sinister legacy. Science and magic, mythology and technology converge in a monumental battle where the stakes couldn’t be higher: control of the ultimate power in the universe–the Maelstrom.

The Book of Paul is the first of seven volumes in a sweeping mythological narrative tracing the mystical connections between Hermes Trismegistus in ancient Egypt, Sophia, the female counterpart of Christ, and the Celtic druids of Clan Kelly.

Buy now @ Amazon

Genre – Paranormal Thriller / Dark Fantasy

Rating – R

Connect with Richard Long on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://www.thebookofpaul.com/

Frank Nappi - Nobody Has To Know

Nobody Has To Know, Frank Nappi’s dark and daring new thriller, tells the story of Cameron Baldridge, a popular high school teacher whose relationship with one of his students leads him down an unfortunate and self-destructive path. Stalked through text-messages, Baldridge fights for his life against a terrifying extortion plot and the forces that threaten to expose him. Nobody Has To Know is a sobering look into a world of secrets, lies, and shocking revelations, and will leave the reader wondering many things, including whether or not you can ever really know the person you love.

“A haunting, briskly-paced page turner that explores the darkest recesses of the human psyche while propelling the reader through an intricate series of hair-raising twists and turns. Nobody Has to Know is a masterfully written tale that is expertly told. Frank Nappi knows how to entertain the reader from start to finish.”
– #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Nelson DeMille

Teaching on a Tight-Rope by Frank Nappi
Teaching my novel to my own students is an experience I shall never forget – thrilling yes, but only in a manner tantamount to a dream where I am walking a tight-rope stretched precariously across a ravine filled with rapacious creatures, all without the comfort of a safety net. Or perhaps clothing. Or both.

Gasp.

Not too long ago, both the English Director and the Superintendent of the school district where I teach English and Creative Writing recognized the value of my students reading my novel, The Legend of Mickey Tussler, in class. All of us acknowledged the unique nature of such an endeavor and proceeded with alacrity. “Your students will benefit from ‘asking the author’ about the creation of plot, characters, writer’s craft, etc.” my supervisor said. “And be given immediate, first-hand feedback. It is priceless.” The superintendent was equally ebullient. “Frank, this is a wonderful opportunity for both you and your students,” he gushed. “They get the privilege of hearing you speak about the creation of the story they are reading and analyzing it and you will be able to ascertain valuable insights into my own story as seen through the eyes of some hesitant yet inquisitive minds in return.” Hearing their spirited sentiments buoyed my own zeal. Yes, this would be a blast – an extreme alteration of the traditional classroom milieu – the pinnacle of an English teacher’s customary practice. What could possibly be more fulfilling?

Cue the tight-rope.

The first wave of trepidation came by way of a diffident, slight girl who occupied the very first seat in front of me.

“But what if we don’t like the book,” she asked in tremulous tones. “We don’t want to insult you Mr. Nappi with what we say?” I was able to ameliorate her concerns easily enough. I simply explained that we would spend some time analyzing my book in class, similar to the way we had done Huckleberry Finn, Ethan Frome, and The Great Gatsby. In an attempt to further assuage her angst, I shared that I had spoken to students from other school districts who read the book and although much of what we talked about was of the critical variety, I was still emotionally in tact and no students who voiced displeasure of any kind suffered any form of malediction. She was satisfied, but I was unmoored; the report of the shot she had fired resonated in my ears like the clashing of cymbals. What if they really don’t like it? I thought. Then what? My apprehension burgeoned exponentially and I felt the need to flee but alas, it was too late; I was in too far.

The rope was already stretched, and I had taken those first few steps. I could not bear to look down.

So I inched along warily with both arms stretched out and discovered, much to my delight, that the experience was indeed everything that those who had conceived the idea said it would be. There were some dissenters of course, those who invoked the teenage mantra of “why do we have to read anyway?” and a handful of others politely suggested that I failed to capture their interest. Truth be told, it hurt a little. Most of my students, however, were thoroughly engaged and genuinely intrigued by the process by which an idea becomes a novel. They asked provocative questions and offered insightful comments about the characters and the thematic issues explored in the novel. It was beautiful; these young readers were provided with a window into the world of the creative arts and they peered in, learning many of the intricacies germane to creative writing. And if that were not enough, teaching what I had written years before made me fall in love all over again with my characters and the circumstances in which I placed them.

I was halfway across the ravine with nary a wiggle….but then the rope began to sway.

One of my students suggested that they write reviews of the book for me as a culminating activity. These reviews ranged from high praise to tepid interest to outright disdain. Again, the more pejorative ones stung a bit, but I was grateful nevertheless for their candor, insight and observations.

I was struggling a bit now but still had my footing.

It was only after some of my students had posted their reviews on sites like Amazon and Goodreads, that I felt my knees begin to slacken and my feet give way. The less favorable assessments stung more in print and I learned that someone with ill intent suggested that I was “compensating” students for positive reviews, even though those posted represented a fairly mixed lot. I found myself under siege, my character and integrity impugned unjustifiably. I also found myself questioning my decision making abilities; why did I agree to let my students read my book in class? It exposed me in ways that no teacher should ever be.

I made it to the other side of the ravine, but I was hanging by my hands.

Some weeks later, I received several emails from both students and parents, thanking me for being “brave” enough to teach my novel. Suddenly I felt better. Maybe I could do it again, I mused, with another one of my novels. Not a bad idea I suppose, except for the nature of my latest – a mystery/thriller called Nobody Has To Know, the dark and somewhat daring story of Cameron Baldridge, a popular high school teacher whose relationship with one of his students leads him down an unfortunate and self-destructive path.

Hmmm. I may have to pass this time. That’s one tight-rope that could easily become a noose.



Buy now @ Amazon

Genre – Thriller

Rating – PG13

Connect with Frank Nappi on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://www.franknappi.com/

Review - Ghost Leopard - Lars Guignard

Zoe Guire isn't sure. Having that elephant talk to her was really weird, and, as a rule, Zoe doesn't do weird. Except the thing is, when Zoe goes along on her mom's business trip to India, things get very weird, very quickly. Soon after she arrives, Zoe finds herself tagging alongside a kid named Zak, lost in a crazy city, with no money and no way home.

While not my normal reading pleasure I found the story to be fun and a quick read. I think what I liked most was picking up on some of the culture of India and their beliefs and such although it was hilarious reading about the escapades the children would get themselves into and out of but I am sure this would be a more enjoyable book for the younger folks instead of me.

I would have been scared out of my mind had I been in their shoes and Zoe was to a certain extent but then these kids have probably done far more traveling than I got to do and were more used to amusing themselves due to their parents working arrangements and all. I was more sheltered at that age I suppose so it's hard for me to really relate.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths

Rating – G

Connect with Lars Guignard on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://www.larsguignard.com/

Product Review - Ateevia Botanica

Ateevia Botanica is an all natural topical treatment for the
long-term relief of persistent joint aches and muscle
discomfort. The deeply penetrating botanical formula is safe
and fast-acting. Recommended by physicians, physical
therapists, and chiropractors to soothe joints, muscles,
and tissues.

It has weird brownish green color but that's just because it's made using natural ingredients. It has a very mild smell if any at all which is great for me because it doesn't clash with any of my perfumes.

We suffer with a lot of arthritis pain so we mainly used it on our wrists and lower back and in between my shoulders where I seem to ache a good bit and at first all I felt was a faint tingling when it was rubbed on and was worried that maybe it wasn't going to work because most creams have a burn to them and your always told that's when you know it's working. LOL

I did not straight away begin to feel much relief but after applying several times a day for a couple of days my pain has diminished now way more than what I had been dealing with and I am able to get out and enjoy myself more.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Andy Holloman - Shades of Gray

Shades of Gray was an awesome story weaving being a struggling single parent, trying to run your own business, and getting involved with drugs and police procedures all together. It's a sensational thriller debut and I fell in love with little Lucy who thru it all just wanted a mommy and sister and a devoted father who wanted desperately to give them to his daughter.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Thriller / Suspense

Rating – R (for language)

Connect with Andy Holloman on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://andyholloman.com/

September 2012 – Finalist, Reader’s Favorite, Fiction-Suspense

July 2012 – Kindle Book Review, Semi-Finalist, Thriller/Mystery

April 2012 — #1 BestSeller, Amazon, Men’s Adventure
“Debut novelist Andy Holloman speeds us on a journey with punch, twist, and emotional dilemmas straight from our worst fears. Shades of Gray is a colorful, rollicking ride from start to finish.” - Franz Wisner, New York Times bestselling author of “Honeymoon with My Brother” and “How the World Makes Love”

——————————————————————
How far would you go to save your child’s life? Could you break the law?
What if your business was suddenly in danger of going under because of 9/11 ?

A single father decides to partner up with woman from the opposite side of the tracks.

Can their partnership deliver the cash they BOTH desperately need?

Could they fall in love?

And will they survive to see the Summer of 2002?

In the Fall of 2001, John’s life has fallen off a cliff. His six- year-old daughter, Lucy, needs a kidney transplant and his Durham, NC travel agency has been wrecked by the events of 9/11. He must find a way to secure a large amount of money quickly in order to pay for Lucy’s surgery. He’s been in tight places before but he’s currently out of solutions.

Wanda, a client of John’s travel agency, has had her livelihood hit hard by 9/11 also. She can no longer transport cocaine via airline flights due to increase airport security. Like John, she is a single parent and has wanted to get out of her line of work for several years. She needs more money to allow her and daughter Tonya, to move from Durham to California and break free of her boss, Jamel.

John and Wanda form a partnership around a plan to smuggle cocaine via cruise ships. His industry knowledge and connections would remove the transportation risks and she could handle the distribution and selling once they brought the drugs back to Durham.

Despite being nearly killed on their first run, it worked. Wanda coaxes John into another trip while Jamel is becoming suspicious of Wanda. John’s half-brother Travis, a Durham police detective battling his own demons, can’t connect the dots between John and Wanda . He continues to line his pocket with ill-gotten gains. Lucy and John are the most important people in his life and he would gladly provide them with financial help, if only John would ask.

How far should a father go to save his child? Can a man and woman from completely different worlds help each other? Could they fall in love? And which one of these people will live to see the summer of 2002? Find the answers in Shades of Gray, a debut novel by Andy Holloman.

(Combine “Breaking Bad” and “Cops” with a disturbing, dark remake of “The Love Boat” and you have all the flavors of SHADES OF GRAY)

Review: Untimed by Andy Gavin

Charlie's the kind of boy that no one notices. Hell, his own mother can't remember his name. So when a mysterious clockwork man tries to kill him in modern day Philadelphia, and they tumble through a hole into 1725 London, Charlie realizes even the laws of time don't take him seriously. Still, this isn't all bad. Who needs school when you can learn about history first hand, like from Ben Franklin himself. And there's this girl... Yvaine... another time traveler. All good. Except for the rules: boys only travel into the past and girls only into the future.

I usually don't like time travel stories but this one was a really awesome exception! Charlie and Yvaine are wonderful characters. It was interesting reading about history thru their story and learned things I must admit I never knew. I enjoyed how every time they jumped time their clothes and language would adjust as needed.

Guest - Marti MacGibbon - Never Give In To Fear

Never Give in to Fear: Laughing All the Way Up from Rock Bottom, the enhanced edition of this darkly funny, dramatic memoir, describes an emerging standup comic’s drug-fueled descent into the underworld, escape from human traffickers, homelessness, and ultimate redemption. With brutal honesty, humor, and clarity, the author vividly describes her experiences as she rides her downward spiral: a near-miss with a notorious serial killer, a series of tragically hilarious misadventures in the California drug world, and a terrifying account of imprisonment at the hands of Japanese organized crime, to name a few.

This revised and re-edited version contains three additional chapters that introduce readers to quirky characters, insights into standup comedy, resilience and recovery, and deliver an inspiring message about healing, hope, and courage to change.

GUEST POST - Seven Tips for Being a Better Writer by Marti MacGibbon
Writing is something we all do, every day of our lives. We compose emails, social media posts, write heartfelt letters to friends and family or crisp missives to business associates. Some people are gifted wordsmiths, delighting everyone with their talent, and yet they don’t think of themselves as possessing any special writing skills. Others know they’re writers, because they are published authors or popular bloggers. No matter how¾or if, you see yourself as a contender in the literary world, you can’t escape the fact that you are a writer. And in the course of writing day to day, you’ve collected valuable tips and strategies for being better at it. If you’re like me, you’re always thrilled to find a new piece of advice, or a tip or technique that you can add to your arsenal. Here are seven of my favorite tips for being a better writer:

Don’t dream about it, agonize over it, or talk about it. Do it. Writing, like standup comedy or skydiving, is best done by doing. Sure, you want to be prepared and well-informed about the risks and benefits prior to the experience, but don’t hold back and obsess on every little detail of planning and preparation before you get started, or you run the risk of getting bogged down in perfectionism and the resulting procrastination that can block your process. Instead, jump in and go crazy. Really let yourself go, leave your ego in the backseat and don’t let it drive. Your process will guide you, and the process of writing generates new ideas as you go.

Write with an audience in mind. When you write to a potential reader, you automatically become more conversational, flexible and realistic in your dialogue and description. Be intimate. I visualize a friend who knows me well and who would never judge me, but will be honest and call me on my B.S. And this friend is funny; gets my sense of humor. When I do this, it’s easy to get into the flow. Personally, I write to an audience of one at a time. I never envision a collective audience of readers or I tend to be stilted or phony.

Make use of tools that improve quality and work with an editor. Spelling, grammar, correct punctuation and illustrious vocabulary are all available through a variety of channels. The internet has brought all the manuals of style and reference books to within a click’s distance. Word processing programs have spell check and every other possible device to ensure excellence. Keep a thesaurus and dictionary on hand. Beyond that stage, work with an editor. Every writer needs a second set of eyes, or as many sets of eyes as possible to read, proofread and then do it all again.

Write about what you know, and what you love. When you’re writing, you’re communicating your innermost feelings and ideas on the page. You want it to sizzle and reverberate with passion and authenticity. A writing project is intimate, it’s your partner. Choose to write about something you can live with. When I wrote Never Give in to Fear, I had to wake up with it in the morning and go to sleep with it at night. Some of the things I described in my memoir were painful to recount. But I knew my story, and I love the fact that I’ve come back. The telling required me reliving some very traumatic experiences from long ago, but I knew it was necessary to relive those things in order for the description to hit the page and raw. But I lived in peace with the book, because I’d already gone through a process of forgiving, making amends and creating a new lifestyle, so I felt safe through it all, in that present moment.

Associate with positive people, and get rid of any negative influences. Writing is a work of the soul. You want to take very good care of yourself and be sure that your environment is supportive. Don’t listen to naysayers who speak from their own fear. Instead, stick with the winners: positive thinkers, preferably writers who share the experience and will offer honest feedback and share pointers and lead by example.

Description and detail, action and excitement are essential. Paint the scene with your words. Let the reader experience the entire moment, hour, day, or year through all five senses. Bring it all to life. The more detailed the description, the better. The character jumped in the car? What kind of car? What was the make, the year, the condition of the chassis, how did the engine sound? Did it sputter, or purr? Action verbs create action in your story. Avoid passive voice at all costs. Keep your description fit and muscular, if it gets soft and flabby it won’t carry your story.

Never give in to fear. Banish fear from your writing environment. Fear, more than any other obstacle, can hold you back from the fun, the satisfaction and the glorious discovery that writing brings. Whenever the scaredy-cat, monster-under-the-bed doubts and negative statements rise up in your consciousness, recognize them for the irrational, creativity-crushing lies that they are and push them aside. Don’t be afraid to write badly, you can always go back later and edit out any parts you don’t like. The main thing is to write, write, write until you find your rhythm, attitude and voice. Just get that first outline down, and paddle it out into the waves of creation, and keep riding those waves till you get your first draft done. After that, you hone and refine and polish and destroy and create some more until you have what you recognize as your work.

Here’s a quote from acclaimed author Frank Herbert’s Dune series: “I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.” I love that quote. I hope you do, too. And I hope your writing will grow, multiply, amaze, and thrill your readers. Enjoy the process.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Biographies & Memoirs

Rating – R

More details about the book

Connect with Marti MacGibbon on Facebook & Twitter

RW Peake - Marching With Caesar

In the second book of the critically acclaimed Marching With Caesar series, Titus Pullus and his friends in the 10th Legion are called on to serve as the agents of change as their general, Gaius Julius Caesar singlehandedly changes the Roman Republic to Empire. From Spain and the dusty plains of Pharsalus, to the streets of Rome itself, Titus must survive the battlefield and navigate the treacherous world of Roman politics.

Helping Titus are his surviving tentmates, including his best friend Vibius Domitius, but like the rest of the Republic, their friendship is tested by the strife and fratricide that comes with civil war. At the same time, Titus has to deal with the challenges that have confronted career military members throughout the ages as he tries to balance the demands and heartache created by the long absences from his young family.

Nevertheless, through it all Titus and the men of the 10th Legion continue Marching With Caesar.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Historical Fiction

Rating – PG13

Connect with RW Peake on Facebook & Twitter

Blog http://blog.rwpeake.com/

Blog Guest Post
A Day in the Life of RW Peake
All in all, it’s good to be me. I’m at a point where I’m selling books at a rate of three figures a day, so I can now say that I’m an author who does this full time. My normal day consists of checking my sales, then checking my email. At this point, I’m averaging 3 to 4 pieces of correspondence from fans a day, and I will continue to answer each and every one of them personally as long as I can. I have some truly great fans who have responded to my books with such an overwhelming and positive enthusiasm that I feel very strongly that it’s incumbent on me to take time to communicate with them. I’ve heard and actually debated with other indie authors who believe that this is beneath them, that there should be some sort of invisible barrier between themselves and their great, unwashed fans. For lack of a better term, I think this is utter bullshit. Long before I became an author of my genre, I was a fan, and I love nothing more than talking about Ancient Rome with fellow enthusiasts. One day this may change, or the rate of correspondence might become too much to handle, but that’s a problem I’ll deal with when it gets here, and it’s a really good problem to have in the first place.

After that, I scan the Internet looking for anything that pertains to my books that I can put on my Facebook fan page and Tweet about. For example, I’ve been the #1 best seller in the Ancient Rome genre for quite some time now, so once a week I inform the world of that fact, and how long the streak has continued. Also, I’ve been fortunate to receive a very high number of reviews, and the vast majority of them are in the 4 or 5 star range, and I’m not shy about letting the world know. I would refer back to Ted Turner’s adage.

Next, I spend a significant portion of my day adding to a blog that I’ve created called Caesar Triumphant, a suppositional history of a Caesar that survived the Ides of March and in fact goes on his campaign to Parthia as he had planned. My story actually picks up 10 years later, when he and his army invades Japan, the final land to be conquered by the greatest conqueror of all time. It’s more for fun than anything, and is based on a simple idea; if the Legions of Rome faced the samurai of Japan, who would win? Of course the eras that are the classical periods for both civilization don’t match up, and I wasn’t willing to introduce time travel, so what Caesar and his men (the central characters are from the Marching With Caesar series, just 10 years older) have to face are proto-samurai.

Finally, I am working on the final edit of my next book, Marching With Caesar-Antony and Cleopatra, which will be out on February 24th.

Oh, and I also play a lot of video games, watch enormous amounts of daytime TV, and pretty much do what I want, when I want. Yes, it’s good to be me.

Free Subway Sandwich - At Select Locations in SC and NC

I wanted to share a totally cool freebie with my South and North Carolina Followers as well as a few locations in Georgia I think.

From January 28 - February 2, 2013 Subway is inviting you in for a FREE Breakfast Melt and small coffee! But you must act quick by clicking the following LINK and choosing a location near you and a date/time you will pick your food up and print off your confirmation number and that's it!

They look really yummy! Can't wait to go grab mine!

Nicholas Sparks Safe Haven Release and Giveaway

"Fathom Events and Relativity Media are presenting “A Night with Nicholas Sparks’ Safe Haven: Filmmakers, Author and Stars Bring the Book to Life.” This one-night event will be broadcast live to select cinemas nationwide on Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013 at 8:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. CT and will feature a live discussion and Q&A with Nicholas Sparks, appearances by Oscar®-nominated director Lasse Hallström and stars Josh Duhamel and Julianne Hough, and exclusive clips and behind-the-scenes footage of the much anticipated film."

For more information check HERE

When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two young children; and another with her plainspoken single neighbor, Jo. Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community and becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family.

But even as Katie begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her . . . a past that set her on a fearful, shattering journey across the country, to the sheltered oasis of Southport. With Jo’s empathic and stubborn support, Katie eventually realizes that she must choose between a life of transient safety and one of riskier rewards . . . and that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven.

*********GIVEAWAY*********
***Thanks to Hachette for generously offering up one Physical copy of the Movie Tie In Edition of Safe Haven for one lucky follower of this blog. USA entrants only please and no Post Office Boxes. Book will be shipped from the publisher so please provide your email address on the "freebie" spot on the Rafflecopter.

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