Author Feature – Zackery Henderson Pandora’s Hope by R.B. Reardon

Zackery Henderson has always wanted to be the hero, much like the ones he’s played in the video games he loved so much – and he loved them for the simple distraction they provided during yet another painful deployment that separated him from his father. Now that his father was almost home from Afghanistan, Zack thought he would be able to get his life back on track. Back on track like, perhaps, any other teenager. You know, the mundane – school, homework, girls…

Yeah, right.

When Zack’s father returns home with a strange souvenir from the Middle East – a smooth, bronze stone with a powerful draw – his world is about to change… and not for the better. Zack is thrust into an inter-dimensional battle that will change the shape of reality as he, and the world, know it. He must stand between worlds – literally – as he fights to master the changes going on inside him, and the forces that have been set forth to stop those changes. Will he succeed or will the world as we know it cease to exist?

Purchase a physical copy HERE or a kindle copy HERE!

R.B. Reardon was gracious enough to do an interview. Let’s learn a little more about the author.

What do you think is your very best feature or characteristic?

My wife would say my Wit and Humor. When I’m writing I like to think like the character, in this case a 16-year-old boy, and think of something clever a boy would say that not only entertains the reader but gives them a chance to laugh, grin, or giggle. That’s why I write.

Do you save trinkets and mementos?

I have a couple things from my grandfather that passed away a few years ago but besides that I don’t hold onto much. I’m not a minimalist but I don’t like clutter.

Do you like to plan things or do you like to be more spontaneous?

Life needs to be a good mix of plans and spontaneity. There’s no excitement when everything is planned and it’s too chaotic if you let the sails take over.

If you could have any superhero power, what would it be and why?

Invulnerability. I’ve grown up idolizing superhero’s like Superman and Wolverine and always thought to myself “If I were invincible I would save the world.” Which is why I joined the Army and served ten years. It was as close to helping to save the world as I could get.

What is one goal you plan to accomplish during your lifetime?

Making a living through my stories. My son loves to write. My wife loves to write. If we can live comfortably off our stories I’d say we “Made it.”

Did you choose writing or did it choose you?

I’ve written stories since I was in second grade. I used to draw comics. I wrote a 35 page story in Second grade and won a Creative Writing contest. I wouldn’t say it’s in my blood but its definitely what I was meant to do. I’ll do it regardless if I “Make it.”

What makes you laugh the most?

Witty one-liners and happy endings. Everyone gets a laugh out of fails on YouTube or kitten’s doing goofy things. I appreciate those video’s but I laugh far more at Bad Dad Jokes and happy endings of a story than I do any of the usual slapstick comedy.

What is your biggest pet peeve with modern technology?

The reliance. I’d like to sit in a cabin in the woods and write with no care, but now-a-days I have to have my email up. I have to be active on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram in order to get a following and even then it’s incredibly hard.

What advice would you offer an aspiring writer?

Write. Doesn’t matter if it’s awful or full of errors. Just write. Even if its on a notepad that you throw away eventually. If you’re not willing to write when you do not have the motivation too; your writing when you do have the motivation won’t be as good if you were practicing all along.

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R.B. Reardon grew up a comic book and video game junkie. Stemming from those passions came a love for reading and mythology. The idea to combine all of those elements into a novel of his own did not sprout until ‘Elpys’ floated from a 2015 nighttime dream onto paper. Cliché, sure, but all of the best story ideas come from dreams.

As a U.S. Army war veteran, Mr. Reardon has seen the real heroes in action. He served three overseas tours in the Army, separated from his wife and children for months at a time. While the fantastical adventures Zack embarks on are fiction, the emotions felt during the deployment reunion described in this novel are as real as pages of this book.

Mr. Reardon lives in Georgia with his wife, their three children, and spastic Boxer, Moose.

Connect with him on:   Twitter     Facebook     or     Instagram

 

Author Feature – Perfect Stranger by Lindsey Powell

Wrong Choices… Bad judgements… Despair…

Stacey Paris is in a relationship with the arrogant Charles Montpellior. Charles is controlling, leaving Stacey no room to breathe. She needs to make some major changes in her life, but it isn’t until a familiar face from her past resurfaces that she is able to seriously re-evaluate the choices that she has made so far. Jake Waters is mysterious, handsome, charming and intriguing. Stacey first met Jake six months ago, when they shared a passionate encounter together. Since then, she has tried to forget about how he made her feel. She is trying to concentrate on her relationship with Charles, but she is fighting a losing battle.
Jake’s reappearance will make Stacey feel emotions that she has never experienced before. Is Jake as perfect as she thinks he is?
Stacey seems to think so.
So, why is it that she ends up fighting for her life?

Only one way to find out….

Click HERE to buy it today!

Let’s learn a little more about the author, Lindsey Powell.

What do you think is your very best feature or characteristic?

My ability to empathise with others in their hour of need.

Do you save trinkets and mementos?

I keep any cards or mementos that my two beautiful children have given me.

Do you like to plan things or do you like to be more spontaneous?

Before becoming a mother I would say that I was more spontaneous in my decisions. However, now I tend to plan more. Although when the odd occasion arises for an evening out with friends, I like to put on my gladrags and go with the flow.

If you could have any superhero power, what would it be and why?

Telekinesis would be my super power as this would enable me to write without being interrupted to do things.

What advice would you offer an aspiring writer?

Follow your own path and don’t let anyone dissuade you from your goals. I never thought that my book would be read by others, but now that it is, I am so glad that I put aside my fears. Dreams can be achieved, so just go for it.

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Lindsey lives in South West, England, with her partner and two children, and she works within a family run business. She started working on Perfect Stranger in 2013. Her love of reading inspired her to write her own novel.

Lindsey has been friends with Victoria, the designer, since 2005. The Perfect Series has become a reality as a result of their combined talents. Lindsey being able to work with a close friend, has made the journey through this more personal and rewarding. Seeing their work come to life is incredible.

Perfect Stranger is the first book of The Perfect Series.

 

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Book Two in the Perfect series, Perfect Memories, is being released this month! Look for details and connect with Lindsey on Social Media:

Twitter     Facebook    Her Website

 

Friday Feature – Persuasion by J.L. Campbell

Greetings!

Welcome to my very first Friday Author Feature. I’m excited to showcase talented authors each week and even more excited to introduce my first very special guest, J.L. Campbell, the author of the new novel Persuasion.

Hi, J.L. We’d all love to get to know a little more about you so let’s start with a brief interview.

What hobby would you get into if time and money were not an issue?

I’m not sure travelling can be described as a hobby, but if I had lots of time and even more money, I’d travel through the Caribbean, South America, and Europe.

What are some small things that make your day better?

A cup of coffee to start the day, a delicious piece of fruit, laughter, and a chance to interact with friends on social media are things that make each day that much better.

Do you listen to music while you write? If so, who is your go to band or artist when you can’t decide on something to listen to?

Music serves as a distraction when I’m writing,  but what’s weird is that I keep the television on to provide background noise. In terms of inspiration, I do have specific recordings in mind for each book I write, I just don’t play them while I’m writing.

Where did you get the idea for your latest book, Persuasion?

Persuasion came about as a natural progression from the stories that went before it. The main characters in that novel were simply telling me it was time for them to step onto the stage and into the light.

If you could offer one piece of advice to an aspiring writer, what would it be?

Having a basic grasp of English and going on to learn the craft of writing is integral. Every profession calls for some kind of apprenticeship. Knowing and being able to use the tools that go into crafting a book is extremely important.

Great advice! So, let’s learn a little about Persuasion

 School. Music. Blogging. These are Yolanda Charles’ priorities. She likes life simple and is content to hang around her step-sisters. That’s until she admits she’s attracted to Gary Cheung-See, a web developer who exemplifies the strong, silent, and surly type.

Each time a bug hits her website and social media accounts, Gary helps with solving her issues. Despite his good looks and brilliance, Yolanda is undecided about her feelings for him and suspects he might be the culprit trying to ruin her life and reputation—no matter what her heart says.

Gary is from a dysfunctional family and refuses Yolanda’s help with bridging the gap between himself and his father. When a life-threatening illness hits the person he cares about most, he is forced to reassess his stance on forgiveness, while Yolanda has to decide whether Gary is friend or foe and if she can trust him with her heart.

You can purchase a copy of the book by clicking HERE.

J.L. Campbell is an award-winning, Jamaican author who writes romantic suspense, women’s fiction, new and young adult novels. She has written sixteen books, seven novellas and two short story collections.

Her novels include the Island Adventure Romance series, which currently has five exciting, stand-alone stories and features feisty women and determined men. Campbell’s mission is to write stories that entertain and educate readers. She is a certified editor, who also writes non-fiction.

Find J.L. Campbell on the web at www.joylcampbell.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jlcampbellwrites/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jl.campbell/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JL_Campbell
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thewriterssuite

Thanks so much for joining us today, J.L.!

Want to be featured as a guest on my blog? Fill out the contact form HERE.

Thanks for reading and see you next week!

Looking for Authors and Great Reads

Are  you an author promoting a new book? Looking for new readers for an existing book? If yes, then I want to feature you on my blog!

Beginning soon, once per week on Fridays, I would like to open my blog to help my fellow authors gain exposure for their work. Whether you prefer to do a feature on your new book, an author interview, a guest post, or a combination of the above, I’m excited to post it.

To get started or to ask questions, fill out the form below and we’ll get something scheduled at a time that fits your needs beginning as early as next Friday:

N.D. Jones, Author Interview – Of Fear and Faith

fear faith banner (1)I would like to welcome N.D Jones to my blog today. She is the author of the new book, Of Fear and Faith. Stay tuned for details where you can view the book trailer, participate in a giveaway, and download a copy of the book at the end of the interview. But first, let’s get to know a little about the author…

Tell me a little about yourself.

I live in Maryland with my husband and two children. Having earned an M.A. in Political Science, I am a ND Jones Contemporary Romance Authordedicated educator. I taught high school social studies for nine years, serving as the chair of the department for four. Currently, I am a professional development specialist with a local Maryland school system, working on increasing student achievement through teacher and administrator self-efficacy. I am also a continuing education student pursuing my doctorate in education in Community College Leadership.

A desire to see more novels with positive, sexy, and three-dimensional African American characters as soul mates, friends, and lovers, inspired me to take on the challenge of penning such romantic reads. I am the author of two paranormal romance series: Winged Warriors and Death and Destiny. When not reading for school or work, I enjoy snuggling up with historical and paranormal romance novels, as well as comics and manga.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I began writing because no matter how many romance novels I read or listened to, paranormal or otherwise, I was often left with the feeling of being left out. What do I mean by that? What I mean is that African American love, even in the 21st century, isn’t a part of the popular social media complex. It’s evident in most of the novels in bookstores and libraries, as well as books turned into movies. So I asked myself: Where is my story? Who’s going to tell my story? Then I stopped complaining and decided to write the stories I wanted to read. And maybe, just maybe, people will read my stories and see a bit of themselves and their special love between the pages of my books.

What is your most interesting or craziest writing quirk?

I don’t think I have a particularly interesting or crazy writing quirk, and this may not qualify, but I tend to write my action sequences like comic book scenes. Well, not exactly, but I use a lot of SFX when I write my action sequences. Not POW, like in old Batman and Robin comics, because, well, that’s just a little too corny nowadays. But thud, crack, smack, pop, yeah, you’ll find those sound effects in my stories. What can I say, I enjoy comics, so I find nothing wrong with adding a bit of a comic book flavor to my novels. Now that I’ve answered the question, maybe that is a tad quirky. You decide.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

Book creation is a long process that extends far beyond churning out a quality manuscript. I now understand that writing a good, engaging story is the least stressful and difficult part of the creation process. Everything that comes afterward, marketing, manuscript submissions, publishing, etc. is what most surprised me about the process of creating a book. The process is huge and sometimes daunting. Naively, I once thought that writing a good book was my biggest hurdle to becoming a saleable author. It’s important, no doubt, but so are many other aspects of the writing and publishing business.

What has been your favorite book to write?

My favorite book is one not yet released. It’s the second book in my Death and Destiny Trilogy. I love what I was able to do in that book in terms of character development and their magical abilities. As a paranormal romance writer, I go to great lengths to show the paranormal aspects of the story. Preternatural beings in my stories must demonstrate to the reader what makes them awesome and frightening. For me, that means letting them cut loose and showing what they are about. I was really able to do that in the second installment of the trilogy, even more so than I did in the first novel. The scenes of magic, godly power, and were-cat might are among my favorite scenes in the novel. Outside of, of course, the quite, tender, sensual moments between Sanura and Assefa.

Which character has been your favorite?

I love all of my characters, even the ones who make a brief appearance. They all serve a purpose and have a unique personality that makes them special and memorable. But Assefa Berber, the hero, is my favorite character. He’s sexy, handsome, intelligent, and sensitive. Assefa is a cool, cultured badass who is quite literally swoon-worthy. 

What advice would you give new/up and coming writers?

The best advice I can give a new writer is to be patient with self, perfect their craft, and cultivate grit and perseverance. Above all else, a writer must believe in their capacity to become a great author.

Which writers inspire you?

I’ve learned a lot from reading and enjoying books by Cynthia Eden, Mary Balogh, Lisa Kleypas, Nalini Singh, Jeaniene Frost, and Kelley Armstrong. They are different types of writers, crafting romantic stories in intriguing and engaging ways. Whether paranormal, suspense, contemporary, or historical, each romantic tale by one of these writers is, in a way, inspirational to a new and struggling author.

What genre are your books?

I write paranormal romance, but my books have aspects of other genres, such as fantasy, suspense, and thriller.

What draws you to this genre?

I very much enjoy listening to and reading romance novels. But I favor books with more than romance as part of the plot. Paranormal romance allows me to explore the complex mind and heart of my romantic pairings while giving me the opportunity to be wild and inventive. With paranormal elements in my stories, I get to write about different cultures, creatures, and mythologies. I can begin with the “known” elements of shape-shifters and witches, for example, and turn that completely on its head, defying nothing but readers’ preconceived notions.

Anything else you would like to say about writing? Encouraging words for potential writers?

To potential writers, I would add that it doesn’t hurt to try or to ask. I tell my children this all the time. If one fails to try, they may never get what they want. If one fails to ask, then the answer is always no. But if they go for it, afraid but not paralyzed by fear, the doors they thought closed to them just might open. Granting them access to opportunities and life experiences they may not have had if they’d failed to try or to ask.

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Of Fear and Faith By ND JonesDeath and Destiny Trilogy 1

Of Fear and Faith

By N.D. Jones

Genre: African-American, Contemporary, Fairy Tales/Myths, Paranormal, Shape-shifter

Before trust and love can take hold, grow solid roots, and blossom into a reality larger than self, fear must be conquered and faith embraced. Yet fear of an ancient prophecy, of burning magical power, and a broken heart, Sanura Williams, psychology professor, is unprepared when Special Agent Assefa Berber enters her life, hunting a preternatural serial killer. Assefa’s intelligent, chocolate eyes and intoxicating aura signature stirs her fire spirit but frightens the woman.

In a world where all is not as it seems, Sanura and Assefa must battle the gods’ first creations – vile predators who threaten the safety of humans. Each confrontation, each bloody clash, will bring Sanura and Assefa closer to fulfilling the prophecy of being the Fire Witch and Cat of Legend – the ones who will save humanity from the Water Witch of Legend.

Death, godly magic, and physical attraction draw Sanura and Assefa to each other, but fear and faith will determine their destiny.

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/g_QvkLjHEIo

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N.D. Jones lives in Maryland with her husband and two children. While she likes to read historical and paranormal romance novels, as well as action-packed comics, she enjoys writing love stories with three-dimensional and positively depicted characters of color.

http:www.ndjonesparanormalpleasure.com

https://www.facebook.com/ndjonesauthor

https://twitter.com/NDJones11

On Amazon: http://amzn.to/1Pe9JKj

On Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1SWcgyF

On Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1QYqOfL

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