Interview with Regina

Interview with Regina Puckett,      

Author of If Love was Enough

And many other novels

Questions: R. Murry

Can you tell me a little about yourself?

I live in Tennessee with my husband of forty years and have been writing for around forty-six years.  I work for the same university I received my degree from and absolutely love my job.  Some of my best supporters are my coworkers.  They tell me they love each and every thing I write, even when they don’t.

Do you remember the first story you wrote?

In the seventh grade my best friend and I decided to begin our writing careers by trying our hands at penning torrid romances.  Of course the only way I knew to write a love scene was to write the word kiss about forty times.  I mean how else was the reader supposed to understand that the couple was kissing for a very long time if I didn’t say the word over and over again?  Unfortunately, as soon as my mom saw my stories, she stopped me from writing for a short time. But in the end, you really can’t keep a determined writer down for very long.

Were you inspired by someone or something?

I don’t remember any certain person or event inspiring me to write.  To me it’s just something I can’t keep from doing.  Even if I don’t have a pen, paper or computer at my disposal, I have characters and story lines running through my head. The strangest things will catch my attention and that will set me to thinking about what if?  I have to find a way to fill in those blanks or it will drive me crazy. I have lost a lot of sleep completing the story lines for all of those what-ifs over the years.

What do you like about writing a story?

I might be just a little bit of a control freak so while I have very little control over the people in my own life, I have total control over the characters in my stories.  In my romances the men never lie and once they fall in love they never fall out of love.  In my world, there may be bad people but the good people are really good, and not just bad people hiding behind a facade of goodness.

Can you tell us about your book?

In my short story, If Love was Enough, I try to answer the question of why does it seem like there are times when God isn’t listening to our prayers.  Is it because he’s really not listening or is there another reason behind his silence?

April is pregnant with her first child and even though she has prayed every day for God to bring her husband, Adam, home safely from the war in Iraq, he is killed just days before he was scheduled to return to her.  This shakes April’s faith to the core so to let her know she hasn’t been deserted, God sends a very special angel to answer her questions about whether or not he was listening and why his answer to all of her prayers was no.

What genre best fits for the book?

Inspirational

Are you working on something new at the moment?

I’m actually working on something old.  In December I received the rights to my very first published romance novel, Concealed in my Heart, so I’m in the early stages of the revamping and rewriting process for it. I didn’t think it would take very long to edit since it had already been published.  I soon discovered my writing style had changed so I made the decision to totally rewrite the book.  Once I deleted the first thirty pages I remembered just how much I loved its story-line and characters, so I’m excited to see how it is going to turn out.

Do you have any tips for aspiring writers?

My only advice is to write and to never give up on your dreams.  It doesn’t matter how far fetched they are because nothing is out of reach if you keep working at it.

Where can people go to read your work?

All of her novels and short stories are on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=regina+puckett

Do you have anything to add?

Stop by my website and there you will find all of my future projects and where you can find my books.

http://reginapuckettsbooks.weebly.com/index.html

I would love to see you on Twitter.

@ReginaPucket

The Bones of Odin

The Bones of Odin                  

By David Leadbeater

Reviewed by R. Murry

If you’re a speed reader, you’ll have to slow down you’re pace to enjoy this fast pace a la Indiana Jones type adventure story.  In this action filled novel, there are more action characters than one.

Matt Drake is the catalyst that brings them all together to try and uncover The Bones of Odin.

Odin was a mythical god.  Or was he real?  A shield is uncovered, which leads to the coming together of all the pieces, leading to whether the myth is true or false.  If true, the world will come to an end when all the pieces are aligned correctly.  

Not a new theme, but Mr. Leadbeater’s version is so well written that you’ll come away believing the tale.  His participants, including selfless and intelligent Drake, give credibility to the story with their sometimes herculean feats.  Reading about this mixed batch of individuals, who overcome their fears, was entertaining.

The madness in the world confronts our heroes. They go through hell to get to heaven in traversing two continents in fighting that madness. Each individual, having their baggage, is trying to overcome their adversaries. 

Drake, with a secret service background, is trying to become a civilian, but can’t overcome his ingrained traits which are in tack and were needed to foil off the enemy.  You’ll have to read the book to understand the other characters’ challenges.

All in all, if you like action, this is a book for you.  There is lots of well written high kicking action in the novel.  I’ll follow Matt Drake on his next adventure. Will you?

Book:

Amazon Author Central page UK – http://amzn.to/UQLLes

Amazon Author Central page USA - http://amzn.to/UzDmyU

Interview with David Leadbeater

Interview with

David Leadbeater

                                                      
Author of

The Bones Of Odin, Book 1

Matt Drake Series

Questions by R. Murry

Can you tell me a little about yourself?

I’m a UK author who enjoys writing in many different genres. My Matt Drake action/adventure series has been very successful in the UK and US. Chosen, the first in my supernatural thriller series, has also proved to be quite popular. I am married with two beautiful young daughters, aged 1 and 4. I also work a full-time job and find a little time to write on an evening.

Do you remember the first story you wrote?

Oh yes, I have a lasting memory of the first book I wrote – a horror story called Claws which I submitted to a publisher whilst still at school. They lost it. This was my first experience of publishers.

Were you inspired by someone or something?

I was inspired by the hundreds books and stories I devoured whilst in my teens. Fantastic tales read by Stephen King, Graham Masterton, Tolkien and Donaldson, H.P.Lovecraft and David Eddings.

What do you like about writing a story?

I love developing the story from scratch and seeing where it takes me, the further afield the better. For example I’ve always wanted to write a passage where one of my characters gets cast adrift at sea and finds a desert island. The next Matt Drake book gives me the perfect chance to do that – it actually fits right into the plot, which excites me no end. Can’t wait to start!

Can you tell us about your book?

The Bones of Odin is the first in an initial four part series. Here is a sample from the blurb –

   Did ancient Gods like Odin and Zeus and Thor once really exist?
The time has come for a grand adventure filled with high excitement and explosive action.
   Matt Drake, a retired SAS officer, must unravel a mystery older than time in his search for the Nine Pieces of Odin. Though scattered eons ago, it is believed that once the Pieces are reunited they will show the way to the Tomb of the Gods- the greatest archaeological find of all time.
   From a rocket attack on the Louvre to a battle in a Swedish cavern, from a daring helicopter raid on New York's National History Museum to an assault on a gangsters mansion in Hawaii, Matt Drake must find the world's oldest treasure in one of the wildest places on earth, searching for the very bones of the Gods with the spoils of victory being the entire world.

What genre best fits for the book?

It was written for the Action and Adventure genre.

Are you working on something new at the moment?

I have just finished the fourth book in the Matt Drake series, entitled The Tomb of the Gods, and  I am currently plotting the fifth whilst also developing a brand new series in the Action/Adventure genre. I am also fine-tuning books 2 and 3 of the Chosen Few trilogy, which I've been fully planned for some time now.

Do you have any tips for aspiring writers?

I would say – if you love writing just keep at it. Don’t let anything dissuade you. At the end of the day, if you love what you are doing then the success doesn't really matter. If there are any aspiring Indie authors reading this there are some beginner’s tips on my blog under the title ‘EBook Publishing (A brief guide for beginners).

Where can people go to read your work?

My Amazon Author Central page UK – http://amzn.to/UQLLes

My Amazon Author Central page USA - http://amzn.to/UzDmyU

Do you have anything to add?

Just, thanks for having me, Roy. Our indie community is thriving at the moment so here’s to a great 2013!

The Transient, Book One of The Castle Trilogy

The Transient

Book One of The Castle      

Trilogy by

Maree Ward-Russell

Reviewed by R. Murry

Our five senses: sight, taste, touch, hearing and smell are very important to our livelihood as human beings.  We can’t live happily unless they’re functioning correctly.  Add in love and I think you have hit all the mental points to a healthy life. 

Ms. Maree hits all those points with words.  She writes in a way that you use all your senses with emotion, while reading this paranormal suspense for Young Adults.  However, us adults – I’m 64, will enjoy the turmoil that the main character Melody goes through in this adventure.

Melody falls in love as a seventeen year old.  There’s nothing new in that.  We all have had our first loves.  From her home in the Pacific, she and her father move to a castle in New England, U.S.A., where she gets her first taste of another world.

Her new adventure includes three delightfully diverse teenagers, who become her close friends.  The other main character is a Transient.  You’ll have to read the novel to get a correct explanation as to what one is.  I’ll just say, not to give away the ghostly tale, is an image of a man that Melody falls in love with, as he does her.  Teenagers - go figure?    

This story has all the ingredients that keep the reader on their toes.  You’re always looking around the corners to see what lurks.  Ms. Maree Ward-Russell leaves you wanting to read Book 2, which I will gladly purchase, as I did this one.

The novel is a great read for young and old.  I learn something new every time I review a Young Adult book - still young at heart, I guess.  If you’re too, check out  Ms. Ward- Russell’s The Transient out.

Links to Maree Ward-Russell’s #Interview @ Bubblews: http://bit.ly/1fXUdRn

 

The Audubon Caper - Reviewed by Larry B. Gray

Review of The Audubon Caper   
by R. Murry

Guest Reviewer: Larry B. Gray

Review:

Do you want to read a book you won't put down? Do you want a book that will grab you by the seat of your pants and won't let you go? 

The Audubon Caper by R. Murry is the book for you. In this true crime tale, Roy Murry has pulled it all together into a fast past adventure tale.

The author did a great job in developing the story line. It is both easy to follow and believable. Each plot and subplot kept me on the edge of my seat and unable to put the book down.

The characters were easy to identify and follow. I found myself caught up in the story, cheering for the hero all the way through. The author made the characters believable and like able, even the so called bad guys.

I enjoyed reading The Audubon Caper by R. Murry and highly recommend it.  I give read FIVE STARS.


Purchase at:

http://www.amazon.com/Audubon-Caper-Untold-American-Treasure/dp/1612960944/ref=sr_1_1

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-audubon-caper-r-murry/1109197228?ean=9781612960944

Larry B. Gray's Blog:

http://bookreviewsbylarrybgray.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-audubon-caper-by-r-murry.html 

Ghosts & Lovers

Review of Ghosts & Lovers:

First Confession     

By Aneesa Price

Reviewer:  R. Murry

Having an active sexual lover makes for a happy camper in most cases.  Preferred lover is the one that you’re married to.  Ms. Price developed an interesting twist on that theme.

The physical acts of making love in Ghosts & Lovers are written so well I reread them twice and may look at them again in the future.  Her main character Simone is in need of that physical enjoyment.   It is found in her new home’s shower while her husband is working and pursuing other endeavors.  Sex is forced on her to the point of enjoyment until guilt and love for her husband overcomes the encounter.

That is all I can say without telling you who her new lover is and what the story entails.  The psychological involvement between the two voyagers into bliss comes across well with a climactic conclusion that the reader will enjoy.

Ms. Price construction of this novella is straight forward with no lapses that the reader would lose their attention. The story is quick moving and right to the point – which is more important: love of a good man or great sex through imaginary endeavors?  Simone answers that question.     

A quick read before bedding down with your lover is recommended.

Books: http://www.amazon.com/Aneesa-Price/e/B008NA62CO

Aneesa Price

Interview with Aneesa Price          

author of Ghosts & Lovers: 

First Confession

Questions: R. Murry

Can you tell me a little about yourself?

I live, read and write romance. I have my own ‘happily ever after’ (although we worked for it) with my husband and two princesses. We currently reside in Johannesburg, South Africa, the largest metropolitan area on the African continent.

I first worked as an intern psychologist and after a stint as a therapist I left psychology for the corporate world. There I climbed up the ladder to become a Senior Change Consultant, which is what I now do as my ‘day job’.

My journey as an indie writer was born of extreme dissonance and needing to be more creative in my work. I played around with the idea of opening up a patisserie but thank goodness, one day I sat down and just wrote. It was love at first sight. 

Do you remember the first story you wrote?

I only wrote once before and this was in Junior High. It was a fantasy, which is about all I can remember. Then in the next year, I moved schools as racial segregation was coming to an end in South Africa and I was so busy adjusting that I didn’t quite pick up the pen again – instead I baked and read – A LOT.

I believe the time wasn’t right for me to begin writing in earnest then. I needed to experience and overcome the many challenges that life threw at me. This past, as well as the privilege I had as a therapist of encountering the pasts of others, deeply colors my writing.

Were you inspired by someone or something?

My life inspires me as does my loves… they inspire me in all that I do. I often don’t know exactly what plants an idea seed but I do know that I put who I am into my writing. Not in the autobiographical sense but things I value, things I’ve felt, seen, heard or observed in others.

The odd thing is that since I’ve begun writing, my subconscious is quieter, more content. I used to have many vivid and sometimes nightmarish dreams but when I write, I sleep the restful sleep of darkness.

What do you like about writing a story?

It just feels right. I could go for endless hours without moving an inch when I press my laptop keys. It doesn’t feel like work, it isn’t hard to do and it seems as natural as loving my children. I accept it as a part of who I am and who I’ve belatedly discovered that I need to be.

Can you tell us about your books?

I wanted to create ways of making my work more accessible, so I combined the two novels and one novella that I wrote this year into The Romance Collection: 3 in 1 Christmas 2012 Special Edition. Not the most exciting title but I reckon that the holidays are exciting enough and I so wanted a Christmas themed book cover, which it has.

This book contains Coffin Girls, Finding Promise and Ghosts & Lovers: First Confession. I’ve also added 4 bonus recipes from my pantry so to speak referred to in the book as Love Romance, Love Food.

My books are written for adults who believe in happy endings and who want a realistic journey where the road to that ending has inter- and intrapersonal challenges for the main characters to overcome.

What genre best fits for the book?

Ghosts & Lovers: First Confession is an experiment that I approached with trepidation and ended up loving. Here, I didn’t do any research until halfway through writing it. And it is a huge departure for me at least in that it is written in the first person, set in South Africa and is short. It is ultimately about love, marriage and desire with a paranormal twist.

Are you working on something new at the moment?

I’ve begun writing the second installment of the Coffin Girls series but I’m taking this one slowly by design – I need this one to surprise and delight too. I owe it to the Coffin Girls fans.

Do you have any tips for aspiring writers?

Do your research, write from the heart, write with your readers in mind and carry on writing until you finish the work.

Edit your work many, many times and if you can afford it (I seriously recommend this), hire an editor.

Read, have an open mind and heart and watch and listen. Our world is beautiful and strange and the reality of it often offers much to amuse, delight or make our eyes mist.

Where can people go to read your work?

I had my work available on all the major online retailers but I mostly sold books through amazon. I’m thus now experimenting and seeing if exclusive publication through amazon would be beneficial. I have to review this in February next year.

Here is my amazon author page link where my books are all listed:

http://www.amazon.com/Aneesa-Price/e/B008NA62CO

Do you have anything to add?

I’m a writer, we always have a lot to say *grin*.

I welcome new connections with humble appreciation. Lovers of romance, fans of my books or other writers and reviewers are welcome to connect with me via the social networking sites.

Here are details:

Aneesa Price – Sugary, Spicy Reads (author and reviewer page on Facebook):

 https://www.facebook.com/AneesaPriceSugarandSpice

Aneesa Price’s Fabulous Fan Club (on Facebook):

https://m.facebook.com/groups/390755617667441

Twitter:

www.twitter.com/aneesaprice

When I host giveaway or release events, I always announce it on the Fan Club wall and Sugary, Spicy Reads. I also do ad hoc giveaways for Fan Club members only.

I would like to, if I may, end off by extending my sincere gratitude to the many fantastic friends and readers who support me by reading my work and who encourage me to continue on this writing journey. Thank you too to Mary-Nancy Cody Smith for the amazing editing job on Ghosts & Lovers: First Confession and for her support and belief in me. Thank you to Carrie Fort and Mary-Nancy for surprising me with the Fan Club and for administering it.