Here Is my very first guest. Author of the entertaining, well plotted Kiwi series, books for all ages and for all cat lovers, here is...
Vickie Johnstone
I live in London and have a thing about fluffy cats, or rather fluffies in general.
I have spent the last 16-odd years working as a sub-editor on business magazines, enjoying the delights of such things as insurance, pensions, girly stuff, computers, mining, money (though not how to make it, alas) and the environment.
My favourite things include reading, writing, films, the sea, taking photos, art, music, animals, nature, dancing like an eejit, travelling, birdsong, custard tarts, baileys, sleeping (if it was an Olympic sport, I’d be a contender) and gallons of tea.
I have written stories and poems since I was a kid, but only recently published my first books. So far there are three, but I am working on some more. My dream would be to write for a living, dwell by the sea and never run out of Milky Bar chocolate.
Kaleidoscope is a collection of 119 poems, arranged under the following chapters: figures; nature; abstracts; love; haiku; darkwave; childhood; and creatures.
So far there are two books in the Kiwi Series. The star is a little black cat called Kiwi, who takes her two young owners on a trip to her ‘real’ home, where they meet such characters as Inspector Furrball, Paws, Madame Purrfect, Whiskers and Moggie. Little do they know that, with a flick of her tail, Kiwi is going to lead them on the adventure of their lives to a land they never knew existed in their wildest dreams. In the blue-lit world of Cat City, they gain an understanding of what it’s really like to be a cat. The series is written for kids and teens aged 9+, although some adults have been enjoying them. The first book is called Kiwi in Cat City and the second is Kiwi and the Missing Magic. The third one is on its way.
I have spent the last 16-odd years working as a sub-editor on business magazines, enjoying the delights of such things as insurance, pensions, girly stuff, computers, mining, money (though not how to make it, alas) and the environment.
My favourite things include reading, writing, films, the sea, taking photos, art, music, animals, nature, dancing like an eejit, travelling, birdsong, custard tarts, baileys, sleeping (if it was an Olympic sport, I’d be a contender) and gallons of tea.
I have written stories and poems since I was a kid, but only recently published my first books. So far there are three, but I am working on some more. My dream would be to write for a living, dwell by the sea and never run out of Milky Bar chocolate.
Kaleidoscope is a collection of 119 poems, arranged under the following chapters: figures; nature; abstracts; love; haiku; darkwave; childhood; and creatures.
So far there are two books in the Kiwi Series. The star is a little black cat called Kiwi, who takes her two young owners on a trip to her ‘real’ home, where they meet such characters as Inspector Furrball, Paws, Madame Purrfect, Whiskers and Moggie. Little do they know that, with a flick of her tail, Kiwi is going to lead them on the adventure of their lives to a land they never knew existed in their wildest dreams. In the blue-lit world of Cat City, they gain an understanding of what it’s really like to be a cat. The series is written for kids and teens aged 9+, although some adults have been enjoying them. The first book is called Kiwi in Cat City and the second is Kiwi and the Missing Magic. The third one is on its way.
And now my second visitor. Her books have a deep insight into human nature and drama, but can be also humorous and witty. Here is...
Susan Wells Bennett
Born in 1971, I am a third-generation native Arizonan. My grandfather’s family arrived here from Missouri in 1912, just after Arizona became a state. Thanks to his stories and those of my other family members, I know how Arizona used to be and how it is today.
I have lived in and around Phoenix for most of my life, and I still wonder from time to time why anyone would choose to move here. Lately, though, I’ve looked around my hometown and realized that the most fascinating part of Phoenix is how willingly we adopt the strangers who, for one reason or another, choose to settle here. Surrounded by prickly saguaros, beaten down by the glaring sun, we gather here and choose our friends with no regard to their ethnic backgrounds or the neighborhood where they were raised.
After years of working as an editor and a writer for local companies, I turned my attention to writing fulltime. As of Fall 2011, I am putting the finishing touches on my seventh novel, Charmed Life.
I have lived in and around Phoenix for most of my life, and I still wonder from time to time why anyone would choose to move here. Lately, though, I’ve looked around my hometown and realized that the most fascinating part of Phoenix is how willingly we adopt the strangers who, for one reason or another, choose to settle here. Surrounded by prickly saguaros, beaten down by the glaring sun, we gather here and choose our friends with no regard to their ethnic backgrounds or the neighborhood where they were raised.
After years of working as an editor and a writer for local companies, I turned my attention to writing fulltime. As of Fall 2011, I am putting the finishing touches on my seventh novel, Charmed Life.
A new guest, and a new name on these pages. Former journalist and now writer, he will feed our imagination with his adventure thriller story...
David Wallen
I wrote this adventure thriller, A Hiding To Nothing, bringing together a few different strands from my former life as a journalist. They say most journalists have a novel in them - and I wanted to turn my thoughts into a story. The settings are spectacular. High on the most dangerous glacier in the Alps a young couple disappear. They are running but from what? In Paris Petr Kornilov, a former Russian Spetznaz special forces officer, ransacks their apartment. What is he looking for? And into this mystery stumbles a curious but naive UN official from Geneva. His curiosity will get the better of him, bring threats to those he loves and lead him on a journey across Europe taking in an emigre community in Istanbul, refugees fleeing strife in Chechnya and the Caucasus and terrified families in Paris and Britain. Although a journalist by background I now run a PR firm in London. The idea for A Hiding To Nothing came to me when I was working as a journalist on UN issues in Geneva for a while - and my rather bumbling hero Don Ward is an official working for the UNHCR, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. It is his curiosity about someone in a similar role to his own that leads him on a chase across Europe. The bad guy in the book is the former Russian special forces officer - and ironically I did visit the Russian special forces HQ at Ryazan, south of Moscow, quite a few years ago just as the Soviet Union was about to break up. And the third curiosity to the book is that my couple go missing high on a glacier above the French ski resort fo Les Deux Alpes which links to arguably the hardest off piste run in Europe down the glacier to a place fittingly called La Grave. The first time I visited Les Deux Alpes someone had actually disappeared - much as my couple do. It is a book of the mountains - with plenty of skiing and mountaineering and a setting in Switzerland. But much of the action also takes place in Paris, Istanbul and the northern English city of York. A Hiding To Nothing has just been published on Amazon. You will find it on Facebook at A Hiding to Nothing where you can read the first chapter. It is available on www.amazon.com at http://amzn.to/ntp2b8 and on www.amazon.co.uk at http://amzn.to/njt8B6 I have been involved with a couple of books in the past. I was a contributor to the huge tome - The Chronicle of the 20th Century and I ghost wrote a history of Finland for a Norwegian academic. I thought the latter would disapper into nothing - but the Finnish Government liked it so much they bought up multiple copies to hand out to visiting VIPs.
If you have read through his books holding your breath, as I did, you'll certainly be glad to meet here...
Allan Leverone
I’m the author of the thrillers, FINAL VECTOR and THE LONELY MILE, as well as the psychological suspense novella, DARKNESS FALLS, and a short story collection titled POSTCARDS FROM THE APOCALYPSE. My short fiction has been featured in numerous print and online magazines, including Needle: A Magazine of Noir, A Twist of Noir, Mysterical-e and many others.
I’m a full-time air traffic controller in addition to writing books and short stories, and live in New Hampshire with my wife, Sue, my three children, and one beautiful granddaughter. I really appreciate feedback from readers, so if you give my work a try I’d love to hear from you!
I’m a full-time air traffic controller in addition to writing books and short stories, and live in New Hampshire with my wife, Sue, my three children, and one beautiful granddaughter. I really appreciate feedback from readers, so if you give my work a try I’d love to hear from you!
And now, a good friend who comes from far away. With his books full of introspection and thought, I'm glad to introduce you to...
Helmy Parlente Kusuma
Hello all! My name is Helmy Kusuma and I would like to call myself an almost-full-time writer. Since I haven't been listed in any bestseller's list, it is best for me to also do some other things.
I have just passed my pre-initiation test along with my friends, Drake and Nylaa. I do feel that the last chapter of the test has been greatly exaggerated. Although transmutation is not my best subject in class, turning rock into gold is not that hard, right? I think we are going to pass the initiation test just fine and get to work inside the council. Council? It doesn't seem right…Ah yes! Sorry, that's not me; it's a draft for 'Inverta' series ( next year, I promised ).
I used to work in IT ( for a decade, that is ), and at the end of the good decade I decided to change vocation and became a writer. You could glimpse some of this fictionalized experience in my first romance novella, 'Mementoes of Mai'. My second romance novella is not available, yet, in English ( don't bother to wait, I don't even know whether I want to translate it ).
In between writing those novellas, I ventured to collaborate with fellow indie authors to create an anthology of flash fiction; it's called 'A Flash of Inspiration'. I also wrote a thriller short story, 'There Is Hope', about a post-nucleo-calypse world. Some friends suggested me to expand the universe, and I think I will do that after 'Inverta'. Or maybe I will clash the universes together. Who knows what ideas might drop inside my already hectic head.
Friend me on goodreads, facebook and twitter. Oh, don't forget to put a nice little dot on my map by going to www.helmykusuma.com.
All my books are available on Smashwords, Kindle US, Kindle UK. Kindle DE and Createspace
I have just passed my pre-initiation test along with my friends, Drake and Nylaa. I do feel that the last chapter of the test has been greatly exaggerated. Although transmutation is not my best subject in class, turning rock into gold is not that hard, right? I think we are going to pass the initiation test just fine and get to work inside the council. Council? It doesn't seem right…Ah yes! Sorry, that's not me; it's a draft for 'Inverta' series ( next year, I promised ).
I used to work in IT ( for a decade, that is ), and at the end of the good decade I decided to change vocation and became a writer. You could glimpse some of this fictionalized experience in my first romance novella, 'Mementoes of Mai'. My second romance novella is not available, yet, in English ( don't bother to wait, I don't even know whether I want to translate it ).
In between writing those novellas, I ventured to collaborate with fellow indie authors to create an anthology of flash fiction; it's called 'A Flash of Inspiration'. I also wrote a thriller short story, 'There Is Hope', about a post-nucleo-calypse world. Some friends suggested me to expand the universe, and I think I will do that after 'Inverta'. Or maybe I will clash the universes together. Who knows what ideas might drop inside my already hectic head.
Friend me on goodreads, facebook and twitter. Oh, don't forget to put a nice little dot on my map by going to www.helmykusuma.com.
All my books are available on Smashwords, Kindle US, Kindle UK. Kindle DE and Createspace
And now, to lighten the mood, we have a childrens' books author...
Amelia E. Curzon
My name is Amelia Curzon and I am the author of the children’s novel Mungai and the Goa Constrictor
Having spent most of my life, from the age of two, between the Mediterranean, the United States of America and South Africa, I finally came back to settle permanently in the United Kingdom.
I am the mother of two grown children and the very proud grandmother of a very beautiful little seven month old baby girl.
I love writing and Mungai is my first completed work. I am currently working on a second book.
My interests are the environment, horses and all other animals and writing.
Having spent most of my life, from the age of two, between the Mediterranean, the United States of America and South Africa, I finally came back to settle permanently in the United Kingdom.
I am the mother of two grown children and the very proud grandmother of a very beautiful little seven month old baby girl.
I love writing and Mungai is my first completed work. I am currently working on a second book.
My interests are the environment, horses and all other animals and writing.
And now let me introduce you to a very versatile writer, who is a true believer in the unlimited creative power of the mind...
Lori R. Lopez
My personal belief is that creative writing should be just that, creative and inventive. A home where the imagination can romp unconstrained or defined by hard fast rules. Whether Fiction or Nonfiction, Poetry or Prose, Horror, Humor, Fantasy, or Science Fiction . . . perhaps a blend of all of these combined. I love to tamper and tinker with convention as I write. My first book, "Out-Of-Mind Experiences: Thirteen Tales" exemplifies this. The stories will take you on a journey through some outlandish scenarios, while others grip you with a dramatic intensity or poignancy. My first novel, "Dance Of The Chupacabras", merges humor and horror, myth and history in a modern-day legend. Its heroes, a pair of siblings, are based on my sons. "Poetic Reflections: Keep The Heart Of A Child" contains poems and song lyrics along with prose from a monthly humorous column published on my website, www.trilllogicinnoventions.com.
I consider myself an artist, whether wielding words or graphics, and usually design my own book covers. I do my own editing, and sometimes edit for others. My stories and verse have recently appeared in magazines and anthologies. I am an advocate against child abuse. Other causes I care about are animal rights and conservation. Born in Wisconsin, I've resided in Southern California for many years close to the coast, yet dream of living by a forest. My favorite genre is Horror, both as a reader and a writer. I love the creepy and macabre; I take delight in gloomy weather. I am a little bit odd. Perhaps more than a little. I prefer that to being ordinary.
A list of my available books can be found at http://www.amazon.com/Lori-R.-Lopez/e/B003WJFUN8.
I consider myself an artist, whether wielding words or graphics, and usually design my own book covers. I do my own editing, and sometimes edit for others. My stories and verse have recently appeared in magazines and anthologies. I am an advocate against child abuse. Other causes I care about are animal rights and conservation. Born in Wisconsin, I've resided in Southern California for many years close to the coast, yet dream of living by a forest. My favorite genre is Horror, both as a reader and a writer. I love the creepy and macabre; I take delight in gloomy weather. I am a little bit odd. Perhaps more than a little. I prefer that to being ordinary.
A list of my available books can be found at http://www.amazon.com/Lori-R.-Lopez/e/B003WJFUN8.
My next guest, whom I'm very pleased to host on this page, will literally make you fly on the wings of imagination! Let me introduce you to...
Robert F. DeBurgh
I was born and grew up in the northeastern United States. From a very early age my entire life has been dedicated to aviation, from flying airplanes myself as a professional pilot to writing about the people who fly them and my own experiences
My first recollection of flight is sitting on my aunt’s lap in the front seat of an open cockpit biplane flown by my uncle at the tender age of five. I learned to fly at age fifteen and obtained my commercial pilot and flight instructor certificates at eighteen
After completing my military service I returned to college and obtained graduate degrees in psychology, sociology and education and a master of arts in psychology, supporting myself and paying my tuition by doing what I loved best, flight instruction and writing about aviation. My writings have included aviation and sports car columns for several newspapers, many articles for American and foreign magazines, short stories in the realm of adventure, science fiction and fantasy and much poetry. I have also worked as associate editor for “American Roadracing Magazine.”
At the present time I write articles for “Indian Aviation Magazine” and several US magazines and am the author of the widely read novels, Riders of the Wind and Winds of Fate. In each of these novels I have woven a tale of high adventure set against an accurate background of actual historical events.
I have served as captain for three overseas airlines and have sojourned widely in the US, Canada, Central and South America, Asia and Africa. For the past seventeen years I have served my country in the capacity of a pilot examiner for the Federal Aviation Administration until my recent retirement. I still fly regularly and do some advanced flight instruction for airline transport pilots and flight instructors. I resides in the southeastern US with my lovely wife of twenty-five years and my four dogs.
My new novel, The Winds of Kunlun Shan, is due to be released very soon; this is the third book in the Riders of the Wind series. Also, soon to be released is a short book of poetry titled, Blossoms in the Snow. All my writings are in the pen name of Robert F. DeBurgh.
My first recollection of flight is sitting on my aunt’s lap in the front seat of an open cockpit biplane flown by my uncle at the tender age of five. I learned to fly at age fifteen and obtained my commercial pilot and flight instructor certificates at eighteen
After completing my military service I returned to college and obtained graduate degrees in psychology, sociology and education and a master of arts in psychology, supporting myself and paying my tuition by doing what I loved best, flight instruction and writing about aviation. My writings have included aviation and sports car columns for several newspapers, many articles for American and foreign magazines, short stories in the realm of adventure, science fiction and fantasy and much poetry. I have also worked as associate editor for “American Roadracing Magazine.”
At the present time I write articles for “Indian Aviation Magazine” and several US magazines and am the author of the widely read novels, Riders of the Wind and Winds of Fate. In each of these novels I have woven a tale of high adventure set against an accurate background of actual historical events.
I have served as captain for three overseas airlines and have sojourned widely in the US, Canada, Central and South America, Asia and Africa. For the past seventeen years I have served my country in the capacity of a pilot examiner for the Federal Aviation Administration until my recent retirement. I still fly regularly and do some advanced flight instruction for airline transport pilots and flight instructors. I resides in the southeastern US with my lovely wife of twenty-five years and my four dogs.
My new novel, The Winds of Kunlun Shan, is due to be released very soon; this is the third book in the Riders of the Wind series. Also, soon to be released is a short book of poetry titled, Blossoms in the Snow. All my writings are in the pen name of Robert F. DeBurgh.
And now, let me introduce a new kind of guest! He is a very good translator and an even better musician and composer, whom you could be interested in getting to know if you need an original soundtrack for your book trailer. Here is my friend...
Giampiero Roversi
Hello! I’m Giampiero Roversi and I was born in Faenza (Italy) on September 15th, 1962. I studied music since I was 7 and I graduated in languages in 1981. Since 1990 I have been working as a translator from English and French for various publishers. Ian Watson, John Brunner and Marion Zimmer Bradley are some of the authors I translated. In 1995 I created the first Italian Multimedia Library. For several years I have dealt with tourist entertainment and piano bar. I wrote two musical parodies inspired by Gone with the Wind and The Betrothed by A. Manzoni. I wrote and recorded four burlesque albums about Star Trek: Psychopathology of the Everyday Galaxy, If this is a Klingon, O’ sold out nammur out and Thrillogy. I also have been the light director in the play The Lions of Argouge and I wrote the music for a musical based on The Birds (Aristophanes), both written by Claudio Calafiore. I am currently recording the concept album Mars Anomaly, produced by Dario Ravallese for Demomusic.If you want to see one of my trailers, and listen to my music, go to http://youtu.be/mGEbeRL7KIQ
Here is another author of children book. Her words give children a delightful reading and at the same time teach them to believe in themselves. Here is...
Sheri Fink
I'm Sheri Fink, the author of the #1 best-selling children's book, The Little Rose. This enchanting storybook inspires children ages 5 to 10 to embrace their unique gifts and to believe in themselves. It's a timeless, heartwarming story about the Little Rose growing amongst a bed of weeds. Teased by the weeds around her for being different, the Little Rose nearly gives up but then learns to accept and love herself for what she really is, a beautiful rose. I'm passionate about inspiring children and adults to live their best lives. Together, we can make a positive difference in the world, one book and one child at a time!
The Little Rose is available online at TheLittleRoseBook.com and Amazon.com.
The Little Rose is available online at TheLittleRoseBook.com and Amazon.com.
She is a good friend, an excellent anesthesiologist and writer, and an animal lover, and she blended all her qualities in her writing. Here is...
Barbara Edel
Thank you Annarita for hosting authors! I am a board-certified anesthesiologist and a writer, and although I don’t presently practice anesthesia, I have used my primary care skills as a volunteer physician in a clinic and a medical mission. I am also a medical guest lecturer on topics ranging from physician suicide to Malignant Hyperthermia.
I love to sprinkles credible medicine into the background of my fiction novels and my operating room scenes do shine, but my characters and plots take center stage. I have also written and illustrated a children’s book series about my therapy dog, called Chester the Chesapeake.
Recently, I took a break from my popular fiction writing and finished a self-help book called Younger Next Decade: After Fifty, the Transitional Decade, and What You Need to Know. It should be published by December 2011.
You may find my books, reviews, and links at my website: http://barbaraebel.weebly.com. http://amzn.to/dwy9S1 http://amzn.to/oSrMRg
I love to sprinkles credible medicine into the background of my fiction novels and my operating room scenes do shine, but my characters and plots take center stage. I have also written and illustrated a children’s book series about my therapy dog, called Chester the Chesapeake.
Recently, I took a break from my popular fiction writing and finished a self-help book called Younger Next Decade: After Fifty, the Transitional Decade, and What You Need to Know. It should be published by December 2011.
You may find my books, reviews, and links at my website: http://barbaraebel.weebly.com. http://amzn.to/dwy9S1 http://amzn.to/oSrMRg
She is a special, sweet lady who has a very special way of talking to children through her books. Meet...
Greta Burroughs
I first fell in love with books when I was a teenager and read To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I can still remember where I was while reading the mesmerizing story and the affect it had on me. Since then I have read all different genres, concentrating on science fiction and fantasy.
My imagination was sparked through those stories but I never attempted to write anything on my own until 2006 when I created a series of children’s stories entitled Patchwork Dog and Calico Cat. Since then, Gerald and the Wee People and Heartaches and Miracles have been published in print and ebook formats.
I will never be in the ranks of great authors but hopefully my fantasy novel, Gerald and the Wee People will encourage readers to let their imagination roam free and enter another world such as Anne McCaffrey and Isaac Asimov did for me. Wee People was written for young adults but all ages seem to like the story.
Heartaches and Miracles is a nonfiction account of my experiences with an autoimmune blood disorder called ITP. This disease is the most common blood disorder but no one knows anything about it. The narrative was written to spread the word about ITP and to encourage my fellow ITPers to never give up hope.
Patchwork Dog and Calico Cat is a collection of five stories about a couple of friends who learn valuable lessons while out on their adventures. There are illustrations to go along with each chapter and questions at the end of each story. The target audience is ages 5-8 but the book can also be read aloud to younger kids.
My to do list includes writing a sequel to Wee People entitled House on Bo-Kay Lane and writing some more adventures for Patchy and Calico. My love of reading will never diminish, nor will my love of writing. I just hope my work gives as much happiness to readers as I have received from my favorite authors.
My imagination was sparked through those stories but I never attempted to write anything on my own until 2006 when I created a series of children’s stories entitled Patchwork Dog and Calico Cat. Since then, Gerald and the Wee People and Heartaches and Miracles have been published in print and ebook formats.
I will never be in the ranks of great authors but hopefully my fantasy novel, Gerald and the Wee People will encourage readers to let their imagination roam free and enter another world such as Anne McCaffrey and Isaac Asimov did for me. Wee People was written for young adults but all ages seem to like the story.
Heartaches and Miracles is a nonfiction account of my experiences with an autoimmune blood disorder called ITP. This disease is the most common blood disorder but no one knows anything about it. The narrative was written to spread the word about ITP and to encourage my fellow ITPers to never give up hope.
Patchwork Dog and Calico Cat is a collection of five stories about a couple of friends who learn valuable lessons while out on their adventures. There are illustrations to go along with each chapter and questions at the end of each story. The target audience is ages 5-8 but the book can also be read aloud to younger kids.
My to do list includes writing a sequel to Wee People entitled House on Bo-Kay Lane and writing some more adventures for Patchy and Calico. My love of reading will never diminish, nor will my love of writing. I just hope my work gives as much happiness to readers as I have received from my favorite authors.
