 Blurb:
Survivor Gillian Hilliard is finally healing from a nightmare past. Fearing no man will ever find her attractive, she hides behind simple attire and large glasses. When Gillian meets firefighter Jack Payle, she is instantly attracted, and enjoys a wild night of sex with him. But in the cold light of day she’s torn apart by guilt and shame, and retreats to the familiar comfort of her simple, if unfulfilling, life. After years of chasing the wrong kind of woman, Jack is shocked by the instant attraction he feels for the mousy historian with shadows in her eyes and passion simmering beneath her surface. Jack can’t get past the lust firing his blood or the memories of her response to his touch, for passionate, sexy Gillian is everything he’s ever wanted. Are they strong enough to face down the demons haunting Gillian? Can she trust the man who holds her heart with her darkest secrets and accept his help to overcome the shadows of her past? Or will the darkness destroy them both? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~EXCERPT: “That’s it, Miss Hilliard. As per your request, I leftmost of it down.” The young woman leaned down, her hand on Gilli’s shoulder. “You’re going to knock ’em dead.” Gilli offered a short, weak laugh and patted the girl’s hand. “Thanks.” She slipped her glasses on and rose to totter toward the door on the stilettos her mother persisted she wear. As she exited, the door closed behind her with a click. Gilli turned, smacking face first into a tall, hard wall of flesh before her. Heat seared her body at the touch of his hands on the bare flesh of her back. Putting a couple of inches between them, Gilli glanced upward. Her heart dropped before galloping in place. Dark brown hair curled over a tanned forehead, green eyes as dark as pine stared at her, bemusement sparkling in them. “Excuse me, miss.” She shuddered at the slow drawl curling like a lover’s touch into her core. Her labia pulsed beneath the lace of her panties. A flush crept along her throat to heat her cheeks and she ducked her head to hide the wave of color washing over her face. She cleared her throat. “No, pardon me. Entirely my fault.” Scurrying down the hall, she gasped at the sensitivity in her breasts. Heavy, full, the nipples throbbed beneath the layers of satin and lace. Desperate to cool her blood, she darted past a couple of women and into the ladies room. The thin metal door offered minimal protection as she locked herself into a stall. A thud filled the silence as she let her forehead drop and leaned against the icy metal and inhaled. Gods above, Zeus in the flesh right before me. What I wouldn’t give to have him … but he’s not going…Arousal scorched along her veins, pooling between her legs and soaking her underwear. Like venom, her ex’s sneering tone filled her mind. You couldn’t turn a light bulb on, Gillian, sexless. You should get a boob job. Can’t count… The soft clunk of the heavy public bathroom’s door opening preceded Barbara’s biting tone. “Gillian, don’t think I didn’t see you…” An uneasy cringe escaped in spite of the relief at the shattered memory. Gillian squeezed her eyes shut. “Mother, can I not use the facilities without you harping at me?” Gillian smoothed her skirt down, rolling her shoulders forward in the hopes of hiding her erect nipples. “I’ll be therein a moment.” “Well hurry up, they’ve already got everyone seated. Goodness, child, you’d think you’d remember this was my wedding!” The bathroom door clicked shut on her mother’s tirade. With a roll of her eyes, Gillian stepped out of the stall, shot a look at her reflection in the mirror and inhaled. “There’s no point in getting hot and bothered over the likes of him. He ain’t going to want you.” Gilli waved a hand at her reflection, a perfect imitation of her mother. “Horn-rimmed glasses, mousy-looking hair, notits. Didn’t Mike teach you a damn thing, Gillian? Men don’t want a mouse, they want a sex pot and you’re not it.” With a quick shake of her head, she smoothed her skirt down, sucked in a deep breath, and pulled open the bathroom door. She glanced around carefully before darting into the hallway. Pressed close to the wall, she took her place before her mother, feeling like an over-stuffed Easter egg as the wedding march began to play. A smile pasted on her face, she gripped the flowers in her hand tighter and began the slow but steady shuffle toward the preacher. Focused on getting there without falling, Gilli gasped at the man standing next to the altar. Laughing green eyes watched her, his lips turned upward at the corners. A slight shadow covered his square jaw. The dark suit he wore clung to his broad shoulders, tucking in at his waist. She wondered if beneath his suit coat, his ass was as good as the rest of him. Embarrassed, she stepped back, narrowly missing tripping on her own gown’s hem. Her mother’s pointed clearing of her throat drew her attention to the woman sashaying along, the yards and yards of tulle and lace out of place on a woman in her fifties—who’d had six previous husbands and more lovers then Gillian thought healthy. The unspoken warning in Barb’s eyes pierced clearer than any shouting match could be. There would be hell to pay if any attention slipped from the bride. “Typical.” Gilli glared at the flowers, disgust rolling in her nauseous gut. She offered a prayer the ceremony would draw to a quick end so she could ditch the shoes, the flowers, and find a quiet corner to relax in, with the help of an expensive bottle of champagne. She shot a glance across the aisle, heat suffusing her face when she caught sex in a cummerbund’s eye. Screw the wine—what she wouldn’t give to get lost in him. Maybe if she’d been different… Pushing aside the vague thought, she focused on the drone of her mother’s voice as she spoke her vows. Publisher’s Link ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Author Bio: Born in a small community, Elise Whyles lives in Canada with her son and husband. She’s currently working on the next book in the Canadian Heros Trilogy as well as the next book in the paranormal romance series Forsaken. Elise writes in multiple genres, paranormal, contemporary, erotic, m/m. To learn more about her or to drop her a note please stop by her website. Connect with the author: Site Twitter Facebook 
Thank you for stopping by Stacey! I’m so glad you could take a moment to drop in. As the heroine of Beach Desires, you deal with some heady issues about love and passion. I’m glad you were able to share your story with the readers. Just three quick questions… If you could go back in time to when you were seven years old, what wisdom or advice would you pass on to yourself? I would tell myself to enjoy life and not worry about trying to hide who I am. I realize that life is different now than it was back then, but I know that I would be happier if I hadn’t felt the need to hide my desire for other women. For what are you grateful? Every day I’m grateful for my family who accepts me for who I am. They don’t judge or question. My sister, Syn, is one of my best friends and she is a great sounding board when I’m upset or frustrated. I can always count on my family to have my back. After a difficult day what do you do to recuperate? Does it work? I’m a gym girl. I love working out after a long day and it really does help me reset my mind. I can get on the elipical or treadmill and run miles until my body is exhausted and my mind is empty. Of course, I’d much rather enjoy running in nature but the weather in Baltimore doesn’t always allow it. J Thank you for having me visit today! Readers can check out my story~ Beach Desires~ to find out more about me and my life.  Can a summer fling last a lifetime? Stacey Wilder escapes to the beach for a much needed vacation and meets a woman who tempts her passion. But Stacey hid her desires growing up because small town Catholic girls don’t fall in love with other women. Mandy Kenzie is a Southern girl who also dealt with discrimination growing up over her choice of lovers. When she meets Stacey, sparks fly and passion ignites. But will their beach fling become a forever match or just a vacation affair? Buy: Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Beach-Desires-ebook/dp/B0086VQMZ2/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1344530463&sr=1-4&keywords=melissa+keir
ARE: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-beachdesires-804335-149.html B&N:http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beach-desires-melissa-keir/1111259211?ean=2940014353939 This is an actual copy of the wedding party invite we sent out six years ago. I'm happier today than I've ever been. Thank you DH for everything. I hope you, my readers and friends, will join me in always looking for the Happily Ever After. It's there...but it doesn't come without work! 
 May 14,
2006 Dear Family and Friends, We are celebrating our commitment to each other with a wedding ceremony in August out of state, followed by a party in Brighton. Having both been through this before, we wanted our ceremony to be a special, private moment where we celebrate our love. We are following in the footsteps of Grandma and Grandpa Keir who eloped and whose ring symbolizes our passion and promise. We hope you will join us in raising a glass to love and family. With love, Melissa and Mark Today I'm featuring a great paranormal read. I hope you will check out the book and see how amazing it is for yourself! 
 Blurb:
When desire battles with the forbidden and passion overrules obligation, at the end of the night, which will win? Victoria Bonvalet, a purebred werewolf, has no desire to mate to an alpha not of her choosing and after a one of a kind encounter with the mysterious blood lord Tristan Garland rattles her existence, she knows that she could never share any part of herself without love being the number one incentive. Tristan, a vampire of over a thousand years, no longer cares much for the world or the creatures inhabiting it. But when he meets the beautiful she-wolf invading his deep woods territory, he realizes that it’s never too late to find your perfect match, even if she belongs to the opposite branch of all mythological beings. But even as they begin to explore their in-depth feelings for each other, can they find a way to be together without starting a war between two enemy species? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Excerpt: Even as she took several steps towards her car, Victoria could still sense it getting closer. The scent emanating from this being wasn’t one she was used too. It was different, unique somehow. It was not unpleasant by any means, just different. The incredibly fast speed in which it traveled was another clear indication of its supernatural origins. No human on earth could move that fast. Victoria was certain of two things, this being wasn’t human and neither was it a werewolf. Then what could it be? Victoria refused to be afraid even though she did not comprehend the nature of this being. It was different from what she was used to. All she had to do was identify what it was. Normally, she would rely on her keen sense of smell for that, but since she didn’t recognize this scent, it was nearly impossible to pinpoint what it was. The only supernatural creatures she was familiar with were her own kind, werewolves. But this thing hiding back there was no werewolf, of that she was absolutely sure. Once Victoria was close enough to her vehicle, she stopped and turned to face the woods. It was dark out but she could see her surroundings very clearly. A slight breeze picked up, bringing this unknown being’s aroma in to fill her nostrils. It was strong and male, very male. If this being were a werewolf he would most certainly be an alpha, a powerful one at that. But this was no huge puppy, this was something else. Victoria surveyed the area with her eyes. So far she detected no movement which meant this thing was still too far away to see. But it was getting closer by the second. The speed in which it traveled made her slightly uneasy. Werewolves were known to move fast but this thing moved faster still. She could sense it moving, gliding through the forest as if it was flying. She was utterly amazed by it and she hadn’t even seen it/him yet. Victoria waited, her eyes focusing in on her surroundings. Her she-wolf abilities ready to strike if this thing presented itself to be a threat. She gripped her car keys tightly in anticipation of what would happen next. She waited patiently for it to show itself. She wasn’t looking for a fight, she didn’t want to ruin her outfit, but if push came to shove she wouldn’t hesitate. She was a she-wolf, therefore she was a fighter. She could defend herself quite readily. She didn’t need the pack to protect her despite her father’s beliefs. Victoria’s eyes narrowed when she caught movement up ahead. At first, it seemed like one big blur moving from one side to another but then it started to get closer. The woods seemed to disappear as all she could see was this black and white mass moving towards her. She couldn’t make out any features because of the speed in which it traveled. Her entire body tensed as she readied herself for a fight. If this thing attacked her she would fight back. There would be no hesitation at all to use all her armor, and she was well packed. Soon, the white mist finally appeared before her, a tall figure was now clearly identifiable. Victoria gasped as she caught sight of a man standing not twenty feet from her. She blinked several times to make sure her eyes weren’t playing any tricks on her. She noted, after opening and closing her eyes for like the tenth time, that there really was a man standing nearby. He didn’t move. He just stared at her with as much intensity as she was gazing back at him. Even in the darkness encasing them both, she took in every distinctive feature of his. He was tall, as tall as the trackers from the pack usually were. Shoulder length hair as white as a hand full of snow framed the sides of his face. His eyes were a shade of blue so pale, they appeared almost translucent. Unusually whitish skin and a lean and well-muscled figure finished his physical description. His inhuman eyes assessed her in much the same manner she did him. Victoria watched as the breeze toyed with his hair, bringing a few stray locks to caress his right cheek. Werewolves tended to have unique features but this being was unique even for her. His white hair, pale skin, and clear eyes made him look like a marble statue. Had it not been for the few strands of hair being tossed around his shoulders by the light breeze, she could have easily mistaken him for one. “Who are you?” She managed to ask at last. “What are you?” His eyes narrowed as she spoke but he said nothing. “What do you want?” She asked angrily when she noted he refused to answer. The man took several steps towards her then stopped. He cocked his head to one side as if he was having trouble hearing her. Victoria did not flinch or move as he approached. There was no need for her to back away like a frightened kitten. She refused to show any form of fear. Not that she feared him; she was more intrigued than anything else. “I was once known as Tristan Garland,” His voice startled her; it sounded so deep and gruff that she couldn’t help but think that perhaps he used it very little. “Once?” He nodded. “Why are you following me?”She dared to ask. The being now known as Tristan eyed her with curiosity. “I do not follow you.” His eyes narrowed as he glared at her. “You invade and hunt in my territory.” He stated simply. She couldn’t tell whether he was angry or not. His passive face revealed nothing of what he was thinking. “You are the one trespassing, not I.” Buy Links : Amazon Barnes& Noble ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Author Bio: As a child, Kristy used to lose herself in an imaginary world by the means of a good book. Now that she’s all grown up, she gets to create her own fictional realms and make them come to life in ways that most readers might not expect. Writing has always been a passion of hers but she never had the opportunity do so until now. After trying out numerous options, she realized that writing was what she loved the most and so she decided to give it a shot. As it turns out, her very active imagination helped her achieve her goals of creating believable plots with some ordinary, and some not so ordinary characters that move the stories along in one way or another. As she keeps achieving her dreams of becoming a published author, she divides her time in between four children and a very understanding husband. Connect with the Author: Site Blog Twitter Facebook Dariel Raye is a wonderful author with a hot new book. Her book, Dark Sentinels looks amazing and is the beginning of a sizzling series. Dariel sat down with me and answered questions about her life and her writing. 
Thank you for stopping by today. Your book looks amazing! I can't wait to share it with my readers. What is the best advice and worst advice you ever received as a child? Best advice was "choose your friends wisely. They help shape who you are." Worst advice was "never toot your own horn – be modest and let others toot it for you." What do you think is the most important thing to teach ourchildren these days? Learn as much about themselves as possible, and learn to appreciate and love the individual God has made them. We teach them this not by words so much as actions – encourage them to be responsible and expose them to skills that help develop a strong sense of self-worth. Each of us is born with an affinity for certain things. Finding, developing, and living according to one’s God-given purpose is the best defense against depression and the easiest way to live a fulfilling life. What is the type of food you would prepare for a football party at your house? Pizza & homemade brownies with Bluebell homemade vanilla ice cream (very little prep [brownies], big pay-off) Where do you go when you are frustrated, upset or just cranky? To the piano to play & sing, or to a nearby pier to watch the sunset. If there was a television show that someone would make you watch as torture, what would it be and why? "Mash" Sadness masked by humor. The incongruity of it drives me bonkers. If you could go back in time for a year, what time period would you visit and why? The 80s. The music was awesome, and I was starting college. What do you think is the biggest misconception people have about you? That I'm reserved or haughty. What books have you read lately? Too many to name, but I'm currently reading "Michal's Window" Reminds me I need to update my Shelfari and Goodreads sites. What books are on your keeper shelf? All of J.R. Ward, quite a few Jacqueline Carey (Kushiel's Legacy), Nalini Singh's angel-related books. Why do you think sports and romance go hand in hand? If both enjoy sports, quality time can be spent sharing. If one likes them & the other doesn't, time away from one another can be healthy, too. Either way, quality time is the reward. Do you prefer? ~Beach or Pool? Beach ~Fishing or Golf? Neither. Speaking of torture? ~To eat…Gator or Rattlesnake? Rattlesnake  Dark Sentinels – Book One: Sable
Sable, a sentinel wolf shifter, is captured and locked in his wolf form until Akila, a veterinarian, tries to tame him and unleashes a 6'5" baby blue-eyed surprise. Dr. Akila Marshall is a veterinarian with a calling – save as many stray animals as possible. The only child of wealthy, yet distant parents, she’s convinced that love is not for her. Until… Sable’s search for his twin sister leads him to Akila. Born into a rare species of wolf shifters whose main purpose is protecting others, he has always been forced to fend for himself, but Akila’s loving, protective nature draws him – and not a moment too soon. Together, they must learn to trust each other enough to overcome a new, deadly enemy. http://www.pendarielraye.blogspot.com/ Links: Here's the Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008L87H0O B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sable-dawn-rasberry/1112104981?ean=2940014596732 Blogs:http://www.pendarielraye.blogspot.com http://www.darkparanormalromanceseries.com Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/8640181-dariel-raye Twitter:http://www.twitter.com/@Pendarielraye Visit Dariel's site at http://www.pendarielraye.blogspot.com to find information about her books and music! Growing up along the coastline of Lake Erie, I've driven Route Two many times over the years in all types of weather. However, during the winter I've seen even police cars slide off the road from the ice. Route Two features in my new book A Christmas Miracle. For those of you who loved Beach Desires or my story "Forever Love" (which is getting a new home too), you are going to love A Christmas Miracle- coming from Secret Cravings Publishing this holiday season! Blurb: Sherri Wilder Davison wants nothing more than to spend time with her father over the holidays, but fate has a way of changing her best-laid plans. Adam Davison is willing to do anything to make his pregnant wife happy. He will face hell to have her home for the holidays. When a holiday storm causes an automobile accident that puts the lives of those she loves on the line, can a Christmas miracle save them? 
When the Muse Strikes Authors often talk about their Muse as if it's a separate entity that stops by every once in a while, hopefully more, and helps them out. Others talk about how us as a part of their brain that helps them with ideas. Doesn't really matter what we call it? In all honesty, all it is is our creativity sparking different ideas and seeing different parts of inspiration to bring us our characters and their stories. I call mine my Muse because it gets the point across. Rather than talking about the different chemicals in the brain to bring about my creativity I call her my Muse. I started off writing in order to figure out what this voice in my head was. After I wrote a few words, I came up with the idea of the Redwood Pack. As I laid out my seven book series my world my world building all of that, I realized that I had worn my brain I don't want to confine myself to one simple series. And by simple, I don't mean simple, I mean just one. LOL. So from that, I thought about what else is in my brain that my Muse wanted to write about, and with that came angels. But I didn't want to stop there. I wanted to write a whole series about any type of supernatural character that I love and want to write about. And my Muse was so happy I swear she was salivating at the thought. So I came up with the Dante’s Circle series, a seven book series about a group of seven female friends. What happens when they find out the supernatural world isn't make-believe. Now I didn't stop there either, I went on and thought about a bunch of other new series I can raid in the future. But, my Muse to do whatever she wants in the series, because her and I love the plot. Meaning, as soon as she says something, she is pretty much consistent in the world building. I'm very lucky in that respect. What happens when you're Muse strikes when you're in the middle of one thing? Usually, I have enough time to sit down and plot a couple things for another book and then come back to the one I'm working on. But in deadline mode, my Muse needs to realize that in order to get the store she wanted told first, she needs to focus. And that's pretty much my own mind working. I luckily do not have ADD so I can focus, but I know that my writing partner can focus on one thing at one time the she has a lot of projects going on at once as she doesn't have to focus just on one. I love the fact that we can be as creative as we want to be because writing is an art form. Going through in creating all these new ideas, is something that some people only dream about. I am very lucky and what I do, and very lucky my Muse still has a lot going in her. So, what happens when your creativity goes haywire and decides to learn something new? What you do to focus? Or do you even bother, I just go on a different path? How does the Muse strike you? 
***Giveaway Info*** Carrie Ann is giving away a swag pack to one lucky person who comments. Be sure to leave your e-mail address so we can contact you. Thank you!  Carrie Ann Ryan is a bestselling paranormal and contemporary romance author. After spending too much time behind a lab bench, she decided to dive into the romance world and find her werewolf mate - even if its just in her books. Happy endings are always near - even if you have to get over the challenges of falling in love first. Her first book, An Alpha's Path, is the first in her Redwood Pack series. She's also an avid reader and lover of romance and fiction novels. She loves meeting new authors and new worlds. Any recommendations you have are appreciated. Carrie Ann lives in New England with her husband and two kittens. Carrie Ann loves hearing from readers. You can find her at: Website | Blog | Heartthrob Haven Facebook Author Page | Facebook Friend | Goodreads |Twitter: @CarrieAnnRyan |  Dust of My Wings Blurb
Humans aren’t as alone as they choose to believe. Every human possesses a trait of supernatural that lays dormant within their genetic make-up. Centuries of diluting and breeding have allowed humans to think they are alone and untouched by magic. But what happens when something changes? Neat freak lab tech, Lily Banner lives her life as any ordinary human. She’s dedicated to her work and loves to hang out with her friends at Dante’s Circle, their local bar. When she discovers a strange blue dust at work she meets a handsome stranger holding secrets – and maybe her heart. But after a close call with a thunderstorm, she may not be as ordinary as she thinks. Shade Griffin is a warrior angel sent to Earth to protect the supernaturals’ secrets. One problem, he can’t stop leaving dust in odd places around town. Now he has to find every ounce of his dust and keep the presence of the supernatural a secret. But after a close encounter with a sexy lab tech and a lightning quick connection, his millennia old loyalties may shift and he could lose more than just his wings in the chaos. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dust of My Wings Excerpt “Hi.” Shade smiled and tilted his head. “Hi,” she breathed. “You look beautiful, Lily.” He tucked a stray hair behind her ear and she shivered. “You do too.” She blushed again. Soon she’d be Crayola red. “I mean you look handsome.” He traced her jaw with a calloused finger. “Thank you. Are you ready to go?” She swallowed hard. “Uh huh.” Okay, she really had to remember the English language. This was getting embarrassing. “Okay then.” He trailed his hand down her arm and wrapped his palm around hers. His warm skin felt like heaven against hers. She shook her head, clearing her thoughts. How was she supposed to get through a whole date if she couldn’t even formulate thoughts to get out of the door? With a nod, she gripped his hand tighter and closed the door behind her. He led her to his bike and she smiled. “I love it, Shade.” He gave a huge grin. “Thanks. This is my baby. No matter where I am, I try and take her with me.” He rubbed the leather seat and an irrational urge to knock the bike down went through her. She would not be jealous of a motorcycle. Would not. Dust of My Wings Buy Links: Amazon| Barnes&Noble | ARe Don't forget to leave a comment with your email address for a chance to win the swag pack.  Keep Calm and Carry On are words that represented the way that the nation of England handled the worst time in their nation's history...WW2. Unlike the United States, the war was fought on British soil and many of the landscape was forever changed.
This week my landscape was changed again as another publishing house closed their doors and my book was pulled from their shelves and the shelves of every retailer that they worked with. To say that this was a shock of seismic proportions, is like saying that an hurricane is just a little rain. There were so many people who had invested all their dreams into that publishing company. They worked there. They published books with them. They counted on them. Some of them even had more than one book with the company. Now they are forced to find new homes for their stories and find new places to work. This is a frightening time for them as they look to where to go. But with the scary news, I've seen publishing houses step up and offer to look at any stories that had contracts. I've seen people who put time and effort into editing, offer to help others find places for their stories and I've seen people who were befuddled, find ways to come together again and carry on. This is not the first time that a publishing house has closed its doors on one of my stories. I was just as shocked and hurt both times but with this being the second time, I will use what the country of England learned...Keep Calm and Carry On (one of my students even gave it to me on coffee mug). Things do get better over time. There are other options. There are many people out there who want to help you. And that sometimes when things happen like this, what happens after is even better. If you want to see my previous post at Rebel Reasoning on Perseverence follow the link here>http://www.rebelinkpress.com/RebelReasoning/?p=737 Today I am so excited to introduce readers to a fabulous new author Al Lohn who is here to share his recent release and up-coming release from Rebel Ink Press. Hello Al and thank you for visiting today. Tell us a little about yourself. Al Lohn was born in 1934 on the outskirts of Cologne Germany and educated in the art of apparel manufacturing. He worked until 1956 in his fathers business. In November 1956, he immigrated to the USA with his parents and younger brother. Drafted thirteen months later, he served in the US Army for two years and was stationed in Germany where he met his wife. After his discharge from the Army, he became the manager of Brooks-Van Horn’s manufacturing department in Philadelphia, a Theatrical costume company serving the entertainment industry. During his ten year-tenure, he worked on many challenging projects such as ‘Holiday on Ice’, ‘Hello Dolly’, the Philadelphia Mummers, historical reproductions for the Marine Corps, the Smithsonian Institute and wax museums. During his fifty-year career, he served as Corporate Senior Vice President for Liz Claiborne Inc., and as Corporate Vice President at the Spiegel Group from which he retired in 1998. His extensive travel during his 50 year career took him around the world to all five continents. His travels gained him a deep understanding of the world’s cultures as well as their trials and tribulations. This, combined with his experience growing up in a war-torn country during World War II, and his military service, compelled him to turn to writing after his retirement. He resides in New Jersey with his wife. Thanks! It sounds like you have an interesting life. Now on to some personal questions. If you could go back in time to when you were seven years old, what wisdom or advice would you pass on to yourself? Listen to your father; father knows best. For what are you grateful? For all the blessing the Lord has bestowed on me and my family. My wife, children and grandchildren, a good life, and health and happiness. If a zombie virus took over the world, how many days do you think you could last before you were infected? And what would you do to postpone the inevitable? Nothing. What television sitcom is most like your family? Why? I don’t watch them. They are moronic. What’s your favorite thing to do to relax? Read Let’s find out a little bit about you as an author. Did you always want to be an author? No! I started writing after I retired from a 50 year carrier in the apparel industry. What authors had an impact on you growing up and as an adult? ANTOINE DE SAINT-EXUPÉRY Do you have any “must haves”with you while you’re writing? Coffee Do you have a common theme or item that appears in each of your books? No What have you learned the most from being in the writing business? To have a vivid imagination, see the scene and write what you see.  Tell us about your latest release: How can one comprehend the pain of a young mother torn away from her five-year-old boy to defend her country on the battlefield? A car accident killed Marissa's husband three years prior. Now, as a single mom, she has to leave her little boy behind. The Army has called her to serve in the desert of Iraq during the post war era of Iraqi Freedom. As a medic, Marissa faces danger and is a witness to brutality and destruction while she aches to be home with her little boy. Worse, her son's pleading for her to come home and hug him is a sword that pierces her heart each and every call. Only the camaraderie of Marissa's friends and a forbidden romance that develops between her and a young lieutenant keeps Marissa going. When she and Lieutenant O'Rourke initiate a project to help a group of orphaned boys, the war finally regains some meaning. How did you decide on your story plot? I wanted to shine a light of the sacrifices our men and women in uniform endure to defend our freedom. Only two laid down their life for a friend, Jesus Christ and our soldiers. How did you choose your characters names and location for your story? The location was obvious. The names that I used, I really don’t know. Do you have a favorite scene? Why? Yes, the end of the book. Most war stories revolve around fearless heroes that are indestructible. That is not realistic. I have lived through a war. I think the scenes in my book are realistic. Do you have a character that you identify with? Who and why? No, but I can identify with the scenes in the book. Let our readers know how they can get a hold of you… Al Lohn http://www.allohnauthor.wordpress.com www.allohn.com [email protected] http://www.linkedin.com/pub/al_lohn/8/619/a15 http://www.facebook.com/allohnauthor http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WritersCoffeehouseOnline/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rebelinkpress/ Is there anything else that you want to share… feel free!!  I have another book coming out in
August. At the urging of her daughter in law, 84-Year-old Liesel Halston visits her hometown in the hope to find closure from Nazi persecution, and the pain of losing loved ones. Liesel, sitting on a wooden bench, watches the water of the mighty Rheine-River rushing downstream. The bench dates back to her childhood. It is an old, familiar friend. She traces the outline of the heart carved into the backrest. Her beloved grandfather had carved it a long, long time ago. The mesmerizing, rushing, water turns the clock back on Liesel. She remembers when tormenting fear replaces her sheltered childhood. The Nazi Storm troopers force Liesel’s father to join the Nazi Party. They threaten to arrest Liesel, her mom, and her grandparents. Her mom’s family are Catholics, but of Jewish descent. Then the SS drafts her father into service to work on a nuclear weapon’s program. They flee Germany and escape from the ruthless persecution of the SS. Barely staying a step ahead of the hangman’s noose, turns Liesel’s life into a flight from hell. The escape takes them into France and from there to England. Pursued, by the ruthless SS Sturmbannführer Heinrich, terrifying fear is their constant companion. With the help of the underground, they escape to the UK. But the horror of war follows them. They almost loose their lives during the air-raids on London. When Liesel falls in love and marries Tom Halston, an American Army Captain, they immigrate to the US. The US Government offers Liesel’s father a job at the Los Alamos Nuclear Weapons Facility. After the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the terrifying results of his work leave him devastated. The high spirit, forged by the nightmares of her childhood, the loss of too many loved ones, and now the uncertainty of her grandson missing in the desert of Iraq, is about to break her will. Today I'm happy to share my friend, Mike Woody's latest accomplishment. As a published author, his book with Rebel Ink, Twisted Heart Tales is a wonderful group of stories about the road to love. But Mike has branched out and is now coming to a TV near you! I'll let him share and I hope you will check out his show.  There are certain things I thought I’d never have the
opportunity to do in life; such as be a professional athlete, travel all across the world, or host my own television show. Well, much to my surprise I’m now doing one of those things. Despite being very quiet (that’s what everyone tells me) and having a face better suited for radio (or writing), I’m the host of ‘Wandering With Woody,’ which airs on a local public access television station. For six years I’ve been fortunate to write for a series of newspapers in the small town of Tipp City; a suburb of Dayton, OH. Specializing in human interest stories, I’ve become rather well known around the community, even called a local icon. So the station suggested that I start my own show and feature snippets of my interviews done for articles. I was intrigued by the idea, as to be on television was a dream, but my main concern was managing the equipment. I have a hard enough time with a remote control (so many buttons these days), that properly working a camcorder was beyond me. Plus there’s a camcorder, microphone, tripod and the editing process. Through the completion of one episode, I’ve already gained a deeper respect for those in the television industry. It all looks so simple while watching at home in a comfortable recliner, but we don’t see all the work that’s involved. There’s a reason why few shows are LIVE, the importance of being able to do a second take. On multiple occasions, I’ve filmed an entire segment only to learn when I went back to watch it that there isn’t any sound. I’d hooked up the microphone wrong. I also manage to often be out of camera range, or only have my arm on the screen. I have enough blooper footage to make an hour long special. I am learning though, and soon (or eventually) I’ll be producing some quality programming for audiences even outside of Tipp City to enjoy. Beyond just portions of my interviews for articles, I plan to put myself in unfamiliar situations such as in a belly dance class, taking piano lessons and perhaps waiting on tables. Anything to make a fool of myself to create entertainment. I will also be competing in athletic events against a junior high student and visit the kitchen of some area chefs. Furthermore, I want to recreate some classic game shows like the Newlywed Game and Family Feud. The name of the show is ‘Wandering With Woody,’ and I want to leave audiences to be wondering where I might show up next. My sole purpose with this endeavor to entertain viewers and hopefully provide a show that they will want to watch. Episodes of the show can be watched online at http://kittv.pegcentral.com/just searched for the ‘Wandering With Woody’ folder. I’ll be creating my own website about the show soon. Much thanks to Melissa for hosting me and allowing me to spread the word about ‘Wandering With Woody.’ |
Melissa KeirGator Girl Extraordinaire Archives
October 2023
|
RSS Feed