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April 25, 2016 · 5:00 am

Author Showcase / Interview and Review of “Fava” – John Hazen

 
 
Welcome, John Hazen!!
 

1. For those who might not be familiar with you, would you be a dear and tell the readers a little about yourself? How did you get your start in the writing business?


(John) Writing a novel had always been one of those things I always wanted to do but never got around to do. I’d always had these ideas floating around in my head that I thought would make great premises (e.g., what would happen if a person stumbled upon one of the 30 pieces of silver given to Judas? Or, how can you compare two diametrically opposed wars like the Civil War and Vietnam? Or, what would happen if one of the “Pillars of Islam” were removed?), but I never acted and used one of these as the basis for a novel. It was about fifteen years ago that I got my first laptop and I decided it was time to put my downtime on the train back and forth to work to profitable use. I started to write. Over that time I’ve completed and published three suspense novels: Dear Dad, Fava and Journey of an American Son. I’ve just submitted my fourth novel, Aceldama, for publication.
 
2. Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, please share how you handle it.
 
(John) I’ve encountered some level of block on each of my novels. I’m not an outliner. I’m more of a “make it up as I go along type of guy.” While I think this approach is right for me and has some advantages such as spontaneity, it also lends itself to going down a path, getting to a certain point and then saying to myself: Where do I go from here? The way I usually handle it is to put the book aside and work on some other project. The blocks eventually resolve themselves. For one of my books, I even had a proverbial 2:00 AM “Aha moment” when I woke up with an idea on how to move forward. Luckily, I had pen and paper by my bedside to jot down the idea so that it didn’t flee my brain come morning.

3. Contrary to what some people envision about a romance writer’s life, it’s not all glitz and glam. Well not for the majority of us. With that bubble sadly busted, when you’re not writing, how do you spend your time?
 
(John) Well, I do have a day job in the field of environmental protection to pay the bills, but people don’t want to hear about that, I’m sure. In general, I like doing things with my best friend, my wife Lynn. We love to travel. Paris has been like a second home to us over the years. We also like to play tennis, go for walks and watch TV together. Whatever I do, I’m always on the lookout for new book ideas, I’m afraid.

 
4. I know many writers, such as myself, keep their pastime/career a secret. Do those close to you know you write? If so, what are their thoughts?
 
(John) When I first started writing, I did keep it to myself but since I’ve gotten a few books under my belt, I let anyone and everyone know about my writing. Working with a small, independent publisher, I’ve had to do a lot of my own marketing and promotion. With all the Twitter and Facebook self-promotion I do, I’m often surprised if someone doesn’t know that I’m an author. The reactions I’ve gotten range from surprise to pride, but they’ve always been positive.
 
(Kameron) Congrats!!
 
5. Will you share with us your all-time favorite authors? If you’re like me, it’s a long list so give us your top ten.
 
(John) My absolute all-time favorite book is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I was chagrined that Go Set a Watchman was released, but I don’t hold it against her, instead chalking that up to a greedy publisher brow beating a nearly 90-year old woman into releasing it.
Other favorite authors, not necessarily in this order, include:
J.K. Rowling
John Steinbeck
Stephen King
James Michener
Leon Uris
Doris Kearns Goodwin
Laura Hillenbrand
James Patterson
John Hazen
 
(Kameron) Great list of authors. I love you included yourself. We should always be our greatest champion/supporter.
 
6. If you could choose one book to go to the big screen, yours or otherwise, which book would you choose and whom would you love to see cast in the parts?

 
(John) I’ve been told by more than one person that they thought my book Fava would make a great movie. One recent review noted that she loves it when a book makes her go “ Wow, I didn’t see that coming!” That’s what I like in a film as well. It’s also topical and current, has great action and believable characters. I’d go with Eva Longoria for the lead, Francine Vega, Bradley Cooper for FBI Special Agent Will Allen and Johnny Depp for the brilliant but off-the-wall Alan Westbrook. Might as well shoot for the stars, right?
 
(Kameron) That’s a superb cast!!

 
7. Would you care to tell us what you’re working on now? That is if it’s not top-secret information. If so, just whisper it in my ear. I swear it’ll go no further.
 
(John) Well, as I mentioned earlier I just sent my latest novel, Aceldama, to my publisher with the hope of having it released in the spring. It’s a fantasy/suspense novel with a religious overtone that involves a coin, a curse and a murder. Getting it into publishable shape has been consuming my time of late, although I am also helping a friend write a screenplay of a book he has rights to.

 
8. Where can we find your stories, and is there a particular reading order?

 
(John) My books can all be found on Amazon, and no, they are all stand-alone novels and do not need to be read in any given order. The links for the books are:
 
 
9. Would you please share how your present and future fans can contact you?
 
(John) Probably the best way to contact me is via Twitter @john_hazen. I’m very diligent about keeping up with my notifications and messages so if you reach out to me, I will get back shortly.
 
10. Before we conclude this enlightening interview, do you have anything else you’d like to share? The stage is all yours.
 
(John) I just want to thank you for this opportunity. As I said, independent authors have to spend a lot of their own time promoting and marketing. The idealistic and unrealistic side of me says that this is not needed. “My books are good and they should sell themselves,” I tell myself, but alas, it doesn’t seem to work out that way. It’s therefore especially appreciated when I come across outlets like your blog to get my name and my works out there. I hope I’m able to pique the interest of at least a few possible readers who’ll look me up and give my stories a chance.

(Kameron) Thank you John gracing us with an interview and thank you ladies and gents for poppin by. Before you run off to the real world (again), let’s take a quick gander at one of the books John mentioned above, Fava.
Enjoy!!

 

The biggest story of Francine Vega’s career could end her life…or start World War III. Francine is a rising TV news reporter in New York City. Despite her brains, beauty and a growing following, she is stuck covering local interest stories. That is until her career literally hits the jackpot when the winner of a $450 million dollar lottery tells Francine that he is committed to using his new fortune to avenge his brother’s killing at the Pentagon on 9/11. His seemingly crazy plan is backed by more than just money-he is in league with a ruthless and powerful Army Colonel gone rogue, religious extremists and co-conspirators in the highest levels of government. Francine teams with FBI Special Agent Will Allen, one of the few people who believe the threat is real, in a desperate race across three continents to stop the plot before it’s too late.

 
 
GET YOUR PAPERBACK OR KINDLE COPY TODAY!! 
 
 
(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 
 

As I was reading the first several chapters of Fava, I kept thinking it was coming across as a hate book. Alan Westbrook, Reverend Malcolm McKenzie, Colonel Lawson and their followers set out to eradicate Mecca for their own personal reasons. They were condemning/punishing an entire country/race/religion based off the horrendous actions of the few. 
 
Reverend McKenzie’s motto “No Cheeks Left” went viral and his “sheep” began taking matters into their own hands while Alan and Lawson used Alan’s lotto earnings to plan their own vengeance. This is where the plot unfolds and the TRUER MESSAGE is unveiled and I realized this WAS NOT a hate book after all. Thank goodness for that!! 
 
I believe the point of  Fava is NOT to spread hate but to reinforce the idea of not punishing the whole for the actions of the few. 
 
I think you can agree/hope innocent people SHOULD NOT be sentenced to the same fate as the guilty parties. 
 
Think about this….. If we laid down the hammer on an entire nation/race/religion based off the actions of a group of people then imagine how many people would be left walking the Earth. 
 
Not many, I tell you that. 
 
Ponder that a moment and then read this book. 
 
 
Heart Rating System – 1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤
 
GET YOUR PAPERBACK OR KINDLE COPY TODAY!! 
 

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March 18, 2016 · 9:41 am

Richard’s Relics by Grace Augustine (Book Showcase)

Richard’s Relics
Acorn Hills Book 5
By Grace Augustine 
 
 
War and its remnants are cruel. Just ask Richard Dempsey, a Vietnam Vet.

Richard served his turn in Vietnam, but came home a changed man. Plagued with nightmares of the past, Richard and his friends go on a life changing trip back to modern day Saigon. Their hope…to slay the dragons that stole so much of their lives.
Each deals with his own demons. Each has life changing experiences. Each finds out the importance of friendship and family.

 
 
EXCERPT: 
 
“Johnny! Goddamn it! Get down!” Richard yelled from his belly, the brush barely hiding him and the other four men on this clusterfuck of a mission. Just as the sound of gunfire erupted, Johnny hit the ground, not even a twitch from his body as bullets whizzed by like a thousand angry, deadly bees. 
 
Richard kept his stomach French-kissing the ground as he crawled over to the young man who was in his charge. Blood covered Johnny’s chest and head. 
 
“Sonofabitch! Johnny, don’t you dare die on me! Do you hear me? Johnny!” 
 
Richard sprang to a sitting position and looked at the clock. The red digital numbers 3:00 am stared angrily back at him. 
 
 He ran a shaky hand through the small stubble of hair on his head. Like so many other mornings he woke up drenched in sweat from undying memories: memories of gunfire, yelling, children crying. Memories of clear unblinking eyes and permanent looks of fear frozen into faces as still as marble. The stench of death. Vietnam. 
 
 
 
 
 
Internationally known author, Grace Augustine, was born in Shelby, Montana and grew up in Cut Bank, Montana (dubbed as The Coldest Spot in the Nation). Her work career has taken her from title and abstracting to administrative assistant church work to co-owning a small town weekly newspaper to her current profession as a floral designer.
Grace thinks of herself as a “Jill” of most trades and is not afraid to learn new things. “If you can’t learn something new each day, there’s something wrong,” she says.
The ideas for her Acorn Hills series stem from her growing up years as well as the issues she has had to overcome along the way. “I’ve developed a new romance category…for the over 50 crowd…I’m calling it the salt and pepper genre. My books deal with real life issues, overcoming adversity, maintaining a positive outlook, and so much more. Just because we are 50 yrs old or older doesn’t mean that life stops. We all still want attention and affection and adventure! We want to experience all life has to offer. We use our age as wisdom to share with those around us. We are sexual,sensual, and sensible,” Grace explains.
Augustine was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in July of 2003. Her thoughts on that “It may slow me down, but if I can at all do it, I will. Sitting and feeling sorry for yourself isn’t the answer…living your life with an open, joy-filled heart is.”
 

Website | Facebook | Acorn Hills on Facebook | Twitter | Mailing List | Amazon Author Page

 

Acorn Hills Series: 
 
Book 1 Book2 Book 3
 
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Book 4  Book 5 Book 6

 
Grace is giving away one ebook from her backlist of the Acorn Hill Series to one lucky winner. Please use the RaffleCopter  link below to enter.  Follow the link —> a Rafflecopter giveaway

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November 12, 2015 · 6:00 am

Author Showcase and Review of “From a Soldier’s Perspective” – Michael Lee Womack

Website: www.womackpoetry.com
Twitter: @WomackPoetry
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorMichaelLeeWomack
 

On the seventeenth day of February 1987, author and poet Michael Lee Womack was born in the small town of Sanford, North Carolina. While coming up through elementary school, middle school, and high school Mr. Womack was extremely shy. Michael Lee Womack was extremely shy, but he had a love for the ladies. His love for the ladies would eventually give birth to his love for poetry. Whenever he was in middle school and high school he was specifically known for writing poems for every beautiful woman that he was too shy to speak to. 

 
In the summer of 2005, North Carolina Author& Poet “Michael Lee Womack” graduated from”Lee Senior High School”. Approximately one month later from reaching this landmark in his life, this young man became a part of something bigger than anything that he had ever been a part of at this time of his life, the “United States Army”. He enlisted into the United States Army on the 30th of June 2005. From there, he would embark on a journey unlike any other. He attended One Station Unit Training at Fort Knox, Kentucky so that he could serve his country as a 19 Delta Cavalry Scout. 
 
Upon the completion of his training at Fort Knox, Kentucky the United States Army assigned him to the 3rd Squadron, 4th U.S. Cavalry Regiment of the 25th Infantry Division. In the years of 2006- 2007 he would deploy as a “Calvary Scout” with 3rd Squadron 4th U.S. Calvary Regiment located out of the Pacific Island of “Hawaii,”. 
 
In the year of 2008 this hard working soldier was ready to move on to another duty station. His next landing spot in the army would once again be Fort Knox, Kentucky. While there he would spend the next year of his life in the 1st Squadron, 16th U.S. Cavalry working as the OPFOR that assisted in the training of freshly new army lieutenants. After spending the first three years of his army career serving honorably as a “Calvary Scout” this trooper sought to learn another skill. 
 
The great southern state of “Georgia” would soon be his next home as he continued his journey onto the home of the “United States Army Signal Corps” , also known as “Fort Gordon”. It would be there in which he would learn the skills required to be a “25 Sierra” “Satellite Communication Systems Operator/Maintainer”. 
 
After obtaining the knowledge required to carry out the duties of his new occupation he would continue to “soldier on” to “Fort Stewart, Georgia” home of the 3rd Infantry Division. As soon as he made way to his new Army family, “Charlie Company 4-3 BSTB” he deployed with them to Ramadi, Iraq in support of “Operation New Dawn” from the summer of 2010 to the summer of 2011. 
 
Three years after that he would see his army career come to a close, and on the 27th of May 2014 he was medically retired from the military. Upon his departure from the military Mr. Womack would have problems adjusting to civilian life, however, his first love, a.k.a. “poetry” saved him. Through your reading of his newest published book, “From A Soldier’s Perspective” he hopes that you gain much insight from it on what life was like for him as a soldier, as well as what life has been like for him as a veteran.
 
 
 
 
 
As soldiers who have just returned from war, we fight a separate war daily in an attempt to leave the war behind. Many soldiers, just like myself, come home from war only to fight a separate internal battle, with debilitating illnesses such as post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. It was important for me to share my story not only for myself but for those who have fought, for those who have fallen, and for those who continue to wage war in order for the United States of America to continue to remain free. The price of freedom is not free. 

War is chaos, and many soldiers bear the scars from it for the rest of our lives.
 

 
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 (review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 

 
Unless you walked a mile in a soldier’s shoes, you can’t fully understand what their time deployed has done to their psyche and bodies. Yes, family and friends live with the aftermath right alongside them. However, loved ones can’t fully understand what’s going on in the soldier’s mind. The battles they still face well after their time of war is over. 
 
I have no doubt Michael’s poetry will have you appreciating a soldier’s job a bit more. 
 
I simply couldn’t pick a favorite poem. For me, they all were touching — so many emotions pouring from his heart/mind into ours. 
 
Thank you, Michael. Thank you for opening up to us, letting us in, and sharing your time over there and civilian life will us. 
 
My only negative point to address (which I brought up to him) was the pricing of the paperback/hardcover. He stated he had no control over it. I highly suggest reading this but, for those who are watching their wallets, I would opt for the kindle version. 
 
 
Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤❤
 
 
 
 PURCHASE LINKS:

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July 4, 2015 · 5:00 am

Broken & Twisted by Cynthia Eden (2 Book Reviews)

Release Date: March 31, 2015
Publisher: Avon Romance
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: LOST, Book 1
 
The first novel in New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Eden’s sizzling LOST series introduces the Last Option Search Team, an elite unit that must protect the only surviving victim of a serial killer.
 
Ex-SEAL and LOST founder Gabe Spencer is accustomed to the unusual in his job. But when knockout Eve Gray steps into his office, he’s rattled. For the mysterious woman is a dead ringer for the heiress thought to be the latest prey of the serial killer who goes by the name Lady Killer.
 
When Eve awoke in an Atlanta hospital, her past was a blank slate. Then she recognized her own face in the newspaper and vowed to learn the truth. Determined to confront the nightmares hidden in her mind, she never expects to find a partner in Gabe.
 
As Gabe and Eve work together, their explosive attraction becomes irresistible. Gabe knows that his desire for Eve is growing too strong, bordering on a dangerous obsession, but nothing pulls him away from her. And when another Eve lookalike disappears, Gabe vows to protect Eve at all costs. While Eve may have forgotten the killer in her past, it’s clear he hasn’t forgotten her.

 



I kept ping ponging between two suspects in this opening tale of the LOST series. I was 95% sure I knew who the whackadoodle was; however, that pesky 5% was nagging at me. I was doubting myself and, for that, I say fan-fucking-tastic job Cynthia. You knew how to spin a suspenseful tale. I loved every moment of it. 
 
It also made me think “blondes really don’t have all the fun”. If I wasn’t grateful before for being a brunette, I am now. 🙂
 
Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤❤❤
 
 
Kindle
Paperback
Audio CD
 
 
 
Release Date: April 28, 2015
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: LOST, Book 2
 
In the second seductive LOST novel from New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Eden, an obsessed Last Option Search Team agent goes looking for trouble—and finds her in the Big Easy.
 
Dean Bannon comes to New Orleans for one reason only: to track down a missing sixteen-year-old girl. That’s before he meets the drop-dead gorgeous con artist who makes him want to lose his legendary control.
 
With her past, Emma Castille doesn’t claim to be psychic. She just notices things other people don’t. Like the fear in a runaway’s eyes—or the pain in an ex-FBI agent’s heart. Her chemistry with Dean is blistering, but Emma follows her passion . . . not someone else’s orders.
 
Then a madman breaks into Emma’s home and leaves a twisted message: You’re next. Now Dean refuses to let her out of his sight until he pries every last secret from her full, sexy lips. And suddenly Emma’s aching to give him everything he wants.

 

Despite the fact I figured out the twist to “Twisted” long before the stars of the show did, it didn’t deter from the greatness of this tale. Seriously, Cynthia dropped enough “clues” for the readers to solve the mystery before Dean, Emma, and the LOST team. However in this instance, the suspense wasn’t about who the whackadoodle was. No, it was about how the story would end and where because we all know the serial killer would not go quietly. What would be the fun in that if he did? 🙂
 
Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤❤1/2
 
 
Kindle
Paperback
Audio CD

 

COMING SOON!
 
Release Date: October 27, 2015
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Book 3
 
 
In New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Eden’s latest novel featuring the Last Option Search Team (LOST), one agent is forced to face her past as she uncovers secrets about the man who may be the key to her future.
 
Criminal psychiatrist Dr. Sarah Jacobs is all too familiar with the kind of bad boys who belong behind bars. But the dark, dangerous man she meets in the New Orleans underworld is a new kind of ruthless, and all too irresistible.
 
Jax Fontaine doesn’t claim to be a good guy, but he’s loyal to his own code and brutally honest about what he wants. He and Sarah may be worlds apart, but when they’re skin to skin, nothing matters but the heat between them.
 
And when a deranged killer targets Sarah, Jax will do whatever it takes to keep her safe. . . .
 
Kindle
Paperback

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April 20, 2015 · 5:00 am

The ‘Love Under the Big Sky’ Series by Kristen Proby (Multi-Book Review)

                                         
“Loving Cara”

Josh King is an expert at running his family’s multi-million dollar ranch in Montana. (And all that outside manual labor has done wonders for sculpting his six-foot-three body, too.) But as sure footed as he is when it comes to the ranch, Josh doesn’t know anything about how to deal with an adolescent boy—so when his twelve-year-old nephew, Seth, is dropped off on his doorstep, looking scared and acting surly as hell, Josh knows he needs help in straightening him out.

Cara Donovan loves her quiet life as a teacher in her sleepy hometown, so she jumps at the chance to make a little money over the summer as a tutor. But when she learns she’ll be teaching Josh King’s nephew, Cara’s sweet summer job gets a little bit hotter. Cara tries to focus all her attention on tutoring Seth, but Josh proves to be a delicious distraction, while Josh’s memories of the shy girl he once teased in high school are nothing like the beautiful woman he’s facing now. Can he persuade her that there’s more between them than a summer fling?

 

“Seducing Lauren”


Now that his best friend, Josh, has happily settled down with his true love on a Montana ranch, small-town lawyer Ty Sullivan starts thinking that maybe single life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. And when Lauren Cunningham’s no-good ex-husband comes after her for an unexpected trust fund, Ty steps in to protect her. But soon he can’t help but think of her as more than a client. Lauren’s in no mood to jump into another relationship, so how can Ty convince her that her mistake wasn’t getting married, but marrying the wrong guy?

“Falling for Jillian”

Jillian thought she was a city girl through and through; the fast cars, high fashion, and glamour—she loves it all. But when her ex tells her he’s having a baby with his new wife (after Jillian struggled for years to get pregnant), she hightails it back to Montana to cry on the shoulder of her best friend, Cara.

But in truth, Jillian would rather be comforted by someone else…specifically Zach, Cara’s brother-in-law. Zach is a veteran of the Iraq War who came back to the family ranch to raise his preteen son after the boy’s mother took off. He’s struggling to re-establish a relationship with his son, and warding off the demons of PTSD, which still haunt him. The last thing he needs is bold, brassy Jillian…but why can’t he keep his hands off her?

 

Bonus Read!

With Kristen Proby, ski slopes are quite delightful. Grace Douglas is sure she’ll never learn to ski, but instructor Jacob Baxter could teach her lessons of a different kind…

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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There are a few crucial items I take into consideration when I decide on a rating and/or if I will purchase another book from an author.
 
A.) Are the characters relatable? Likable? Great Chemistry?
B.) Is the plot idea new, unique in any way? Thought out/delivered seamlessly or almost seamlessly?
C.) Does the story make me ‘feel’ things? 
D.) When I read the last page, do I feel let down?
E.) Would I ever read it again?
 
With this series, my answers to the above questions are yes, yes, yes, no and yes. 
 
With each of three primary stories above, I found myself remembering things from my past – some good and some not. 
 
Examples: 
 
Like Cara, I am self-conscious about my body. Yes, I dealt with the ‘mean girls’ too. Most of you can relate or know someone who can. Also like Cara, most of my adult life has been teaching and cultivating our future leaders’ minds. Teaching is a hard, yet rewarding job. 
 
As for Lauren and Jill, I, too, have exes I wish I never met. Of course, none of my exes were as loco as Lauren’s. Zack (Jill’s man) also had a doozie of an ex-wife. Bitch be crazy!!!!! Her mothering skills made me see red. And that’s why I gave question C.) a yes. *smiles* 
 
As for the bonus read, I wasn’t overly impressed by it and I don’t believe you have to read it to fully enjoy the series. However, by all means, pick it up. It was an okay read. 

Heart Rating System – 1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤❤
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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