Hi my readers.

So I promised that I would be more of a "real girl" in my posts.
If you didn't notice, my posts have been lacking and reviews have slowed down to a snails pace. Well...

The reason for this is that I've been  depressed. With depression comes the lack of motivation or will to do anything.
My blog is always on my mind and it sucks to not have the energy every day to try to do something for my blog. And this also means that some of the Friday's that I have my Featured Author posts may not get done until I can eke out some energy to do so.

My depression is due to grief. January 8th I lost one of the most important people in my life, my great uncle. It wasn't expected, in many ways. He did have cancer, but he died from a heart attack, not the cancer. My uncle wasn't just my uncle. He was a father figure and he was one of my best friends.
It's a little easier to handle every day, but I definitely do feel this overwhelming sadness when I think about how I can't ever just call him again. Or I can't hear that belly laugh that would turn into this hilarious wheezing laugh. Or the forever long stories he'd tell about some show or movie he watched. It's really tough.
I know that time will heal this wound but right now it's pretty raw and I'm still learning to deal with it.
Thankfully I have some really awesome family members and awesome friends. They're trying to keep me out of the deep abyss and I'm so lucky to have them.

When I do have energy, like right now, I am trying to use it productively and work on my blog. But for authors who are looking for their interviews or reviews, I do apologize for the lateness of it. I'm trying, very much so. Just please be patient with me.

Thanks all,
Leticia ♥

Nearly a year after the events which lead to her dramatic rescue in "Midnight to Morning," Harlie Berryman's new life continues to push the boundaries of what most know as reality. The group who rescued her have become her family, and they are preparing for their biggest battle yet. Billions of lives are at stake, and one wrong move could tip the scales in the enemies favor. It could tip Earth past its breaking point. Knowing this, as well as deeper secrets, Harlie pushes herself harder and farther than anyone thought possible. Go with her on this next stage of missions, lessons, of discovering who she really is, and what those who are the closest to her have been sent to accomplish. Evil lurks in many shadows...

L: Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
HGM:  My name is Holly Glogau-Morgan and I reside in the Piedmont Valley area of Virginia, though I grew up in the southern part of New Jersey. We live on four beautiful acres where my main hobbies are adaptive gardening, preserving the harvest, and trying to live more sustainably. I also enjoy sewing, quilting, and I roleplay in an MMORPG in the evenings with a group of dear friends. I have the rare genetic condition Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, so much of what I do ends up needing to be adapted for the damage the condition has done to my muscles and joints.

L: Who or what inspired you to be an author?
HGM: I've been writing notebooks full of stories since I was eight, almost always around one central character. While I've wanted to put her stories down into a YA fiction series, it never seemed to work out. It was my having to stop teaching full-time which started friends and family encouraging me to focus on writing more. With much more time on my hands, it seemed the right moment to shift away from short stories and into novel writing.

L: Who or what inspired your novel?
HGM: "Midnight to Morning" and "Sunrise to Shadows," the series I've been writing was inspired by a series of dreams. I had been working on a totally different project and was struggling. One night, in 2011, I was thinking about what if it was those here in the USA who had a massive crisis and people were fleeing to refugee camps in other countries. That night I dreamed about a young woman who was doing just that. Night after night, for three weeks, she kept telling me her story. I outlined all of it. The few people I told said this was the story I was meant to tell. They were quite right!

L: What would you say is the genre of your novel?
HGM: Adventure Fiction with a healthy dose of military espionage

L: Why did you pick this/these genre(s)?
HGM: The genres pretty much picked themselves as the novel moved from my dreams and onto paper. I never though I'd write anything about the military, never-the-less a story where it is laid thick with it, but it happened. Thankfully, much of my family has served and were very willing to answer questions.

L: How did you develop your plot and characters?
HGM: I developed the plot around a key tragic event which happened in the USA and how future attacks were on the cusp of happening globally. How would it have affected those who had to flee? How did it affect the rest of the world? Who would stop the attacks, or how could those attacks be stopped? The "who would" and "how could" became the main and secondary characters of the "Midnight to Morning" series.

L: Who or what inspired your protagonist?
HGM: The dreams I had made the protagonist seem almost as if she were another version of myself. I wasn't fond of that, so used the basics of a character I used to roleplay to make a few key changes. It worked out quite well.

L: Who or what inspired your antagonist?
HGM: While it is important for us to come together globally, there is a wrong way of doing so. Those with too much money and too much influence coming together to slowly undermine peace and unity and rule through lies and deception ended up being the inspiration for the antagonist - a secret group of elites who set off the attack on the USA and were planning on doing it again elsewhere.

L: What was the most difficult part to write in the book?
HGM: When the main character was still living in the refugee camp, a series of tragedies happened. She was so strong and brave throughout all of it, but I still cried, hard, as each event occurred, knowing she had to be broken, to find the "midnight" of her life in order to be able to thrive once rescued.

L: What was your favourite part of your book to write?
HGM: It actually happens in the second book of the series, and was on the first anniversary of her rescue. As she wakes, the most beautiful train of thought happens. Later on in the day, the group she lives with has a moment of reflection while standing arm in arm. It was tears of happiness when that day was written.

L: Are you a full time or a part time writer? If part time, what do you do besides write?
HGM: I write part-time. I also work part-time for an accredited homeschool academy, helping online high school students.

L: What are you currently reading?
HGM: Love Life by indie author Steve Fulgate. After losing his son to suicide, he has walked across the US multiple times to spread the word about loving life.

L: What are some of your favourite books or authors?
HGM: This is such a tough question, as there are too many to really narrow down. I read and enjoy such a wide variety of books and admire so many authors!

L: What are your future projects, if any?
HGM: I want to finish the other two books in the series and have already started on the third novel. With better adaptive equipment in place, it is not taking near as long to write, so I'm able to do much more of it. I'm also working on a short story series on my blog. It's fanfiction and is the story of my current roleplay character in Star Trek Online. After that, I'll be ready to tackle that YA fiction series.

L: What is your preferred method for readers to get in touch with you and your books?
HGM:
My Blog - http://ddraigswife.blogspot.com/
Amazon Author Page- https://www.amazon.com/Holly-Glogau-Morgan/e/B006CUQ3HQ/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Goodreads Page- www.goodreads.com/author/show/7285073.H_Glogau_Morgan

L: Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
HGM: Don't give up! I had a period of 3 years where I could barely get any writing done, because of the Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Between the injuries and the medications to treat it dulling my mind, it was extremely difficult to focus and think through what needed to be written. However, I was able to troubleshoot. Better equipment was found, and I was able to work around what the medications did. Keep trying. You are not failing, you are just finding out ways that don't work just yet. You can do it!

The year is 1835 - in the back alleys of London John Campbell-John is running for his life. A rogue, imposter, swindler - a man without honour, without empathy for his fellow man. But his massive debts have now vindictively caught up with him. He has even stolen from his best friend. He has one option - to flee the country In Venice there is a chance encounter and an unlikely friendship emerges. Robert Babcock is everything John is not - honourable, academic, a man on an admirable quest - to travel in Egypt to find the earliest original copies of the Gospels to prove the reliability of the story of Jesus, as told in the King James Bible. Is Gospel Truth, as we say today, really undeniable. A story of discovery, of adventure from the River Nile to the endless deserts of Sinai, and ultimately a personal redemption.

L:  Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
ST: I was once a happy and reasonably well-adjusted person; that was until an urge to write invaded my psyche, this need to be a writer, to tell tales. I spent my days as a Tax Inspector (Now come on out from behind the sofa – they’re a fine bunch of lads and lasses at the Tax Office), and chauffeuring my daughter about. I was born in Yorkshire but brought up in Manchester. I am now retired, living with my partner in Hathern Near Loughborough in Leicestershire, England

L: Who or what inspired you to be an author?
ST: Let me introduce myself, I am a writer. There I’ve said it. It took me a long time to be able to call myself that - a writer. I just used to tell people that, “I do a bit of writing.” I feel like a new recruit to Alcoholics Anonymous, standing up and admitting to the world that I have a problem. I needed to stand up and admit - yes, I’m a writer. Welcome to my world. My addiction has been with me for over twenty years now; it’s the craving in my particular life. I need to write, I need to tell stories. When I was younger if somebody told me a good joke, when I retold it, it was twice as long, embellished, the story enhanced, the characters fleshed out. I’ve always done it, it's something in me, I suppose. With me, it was never just about and Englishmen, an Irishman and a Scotsman. It was an Englishman in a bowler hat with a monocle, an Irishman in a donkey jacket with a pint of Guinness and a Scotsman in a kilt with a set of bagpipes.

L: Who or what inspired your novel?
ST: I've been writing novels for over twenty years now. I started with contemporary fiction but then moved to my favourite genre - historical fiction. I had previously conceived of a Georgian trilogy, three stories set in London; a decadent time a decadent place, but a gold mine for an author, with some deliciously naughty and profligate characters. The first novel, No Quarter Asked, No Quarter Given was long-listed for the Brit Writers Award. The second Novel, A Canopy of Stars, the third, Ripples and Shadows, was the winner of the Great Beeston Book Read. Then somebody asked me what happened to one of my characters, John Campbell-John - I should tell his story; what happened to him.

L: What would you say is the genre of your novel?
ST: Oh, the new novel, Gospels - it's primarily historical fiction, but it is also an adventure story. A story of discovery, of adventure from the River Nile to the endless deserts of Sinai, and ultimately a personal redemption. There is also a back story of bible hunting in Egypt, but it's not really a religious story, even though our characters are forced to face some uneasy religious truths.

L: Why did you pick this/these genre(s)?
ST: I am a history buff at heart. I love the idea of winding fictional characters through historical events and times.

L: How did you develop your plot and characters?
ST: The skeleton of the story was set down from the start - that's the way I work, and was as follows. The year is 1835 - in the back alleys of London John Campbell-John is running for his life. A rogue, impostor, swindler - a man without honour, without empathy for his fellow man. But his massive debts have now vindictively caught up with him. He has even stolen from his best friend. He has one option - to flee the country. In Venice, there is a chance encounter and an unlikely friendship emerges. Robert Babcock is everything John is not - honourable, academic, a man on an admirable quest - to travel in Egypt to find the earliest original copies of the Gospels to prove the reliability of the story of Jesus, as told in the King James Bible. Is Gospel Truth, as we say today, really undeniable. Then I read about the real-life bible hunters in the nineteenth century. Robert Curzon, in particular, left behind a published account of his travels in his book Visits to Monasteries in the Levant. This opened many more story-lines for me. It was a goldmine, as not only did it recount his travels, but it has detailed descriptions of the people he met, how they dressed, what they ate, their manners, etc. But what’s more, it gave me an insight into the Egypt that he encountered in the 1830s: an eyewitness of the time period I have set the story in.

L: Who or what inspired your protagonist?
ST: The lovable rogue is a powerful literary device. John Campbell-John is such rogue, and an impostor, swindler as well. Having created him, there was so much mileage left to examine. He's personable, witty, a mischievously playful rapscallion (what a great word) He's just fabulous,

L: Who or what inspired your antagonist?
ST: The Flashman novels by George MacDonald Fraser. I didn't realise it at the time of writing however.

L: What was the most difficult part to write in the book?
ST: Bible hunting is historically accurate. These men were academic adventurers in the nineteenth century, and I had to get their history correct as well as the chronological history of the gospel writers.

L: What was your favourite part of your book to write?
ST: Writing about the Cairo souk (the bazaar). Finding enough adjectives to do it justice.

L: Are you a full time or a part time writer? If part time, what do you do besides write?
ST: I keep a normal working week - Monday to Friday and write for 3 hours every morning.

L: What are you currently reading?
ST: Imperium by Robert Harris

L: What are some of your favourite books or authors?
ST: Love, love, love - To Kill a Mocking Bird. I read Catch 22 as a young man and it was part of my rite of passage into adulthood. Just realised that they are both American. Big Dickens fan as well.

L: What are your future projects, if any?
ST: A crossover novel, part medieval 1152 England where a young girl is hanged as a witch after claiming to have had a vision of the twenty-first a century and the murder of an Angel. Its recorded in a chronicle and when it is translated the historian realizes that it matches a modern crime. Mustn't say too much.

L: What is your preferred method for readers to get in touch with you and your books? Please provide links.
ST: Through my web site please - stephentaylorauthor.com. Or through Goodreads  www.goodreads.com/author/show/6525446.Stephen_Taylor - recently joined.

L: Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
ST: Yes - the hardest part about writing a novel is to START. I always tell people at Book-fairs this simple advice. Don't keep putting it off.

Today's word is:
Nebbish
Definition  
- a timid, meek, or ineffectual person

Bio-chemistry whiz Everly Jax wants one thing: to know who her parents are. Raised with other repo kids in InKubator 9, she has pinned her hopes on Reunion Day, the annual event where sixteen-year-olds can meet or reunite with their parents. When her Reunion Day goes horribly awry, she and her pregnant friend Halla escape the Kube, accompanied by their friend Wyck who has his own reasons for leaving.

In a world where rebuilding the population is critical to national survival, the Pragmatist government licenses all human reproduction, and decides who can--and must--have babies. The trio face feral dog packs, swamp threats, locust swarms, bounty hunters looking for "breeders," and more dangers as they race to Amerada's capital to find Halla's soldier boyfriend before the Prags can repo her baby and force the girls into surrogacy service.

An unexpected encounter with Bulrush, an Underground Railroad for women fleeing to Outposts with their unlicensed babies, puts them in greater peril than ever. Everly must decide what she is willing to sacrifice to learn her biological identity--and deal with the unanticipated consequences of her decisions.

This story was really good, the only bad thing I could find about it was that it ended. Ha ha.

This isn't like the other young adult dystopian stories out there and it was truly a refreshing read.

The story itself hits pretty close to home. The threat of a pandemic flu, famine due to insects evolving to survive and governments regulating having children. Undocumented births are often separated from their families and either raised by another family or placed into Kubes where they are trained to be helpful to the outside world. Although the boys are often sent off to be a border guard and the girls are forced into enslaved surrogacy.

The heroine, Everly Jax, is everything that a naive girl with a thirst for knowledge and freedom should be. Halla, her best friend, is also naive and only craves to be free because she is pregnant with her boyfriend's child and knows her child will be taken from her if the Prags find out. Wyck, Everly's friend and romantic interest just wishes to be free to escape becoming a border guard. However, Everly is quite the heroine. She has such depth and emotion, which I attribute to her past. She wasn't just some Kube baby. She is bright, sarcastic and strong. She absorbs her knowledge of the new world through new eyes and applies it carefully.

"'Who are you and what are you doing in here?'
I turn. It's a lab coated woman with wide set eyes behind thick-lensed glasses. I'm willing to bed she runs the labs. I decide on a version of the truth. 'I'm Everly Jax. I worked in the labs at Kube 9 and wanted to see what the set-up was here. I miss my work.'
Her eyes are distorted behind thick lenses, giving her what I'm sure is an illusory air of vagueness. 'What were you working on?'
It's a test question. I give her a lengthy explanation of how I was working to create a virus to wipe out the locusts." (page 169)

I really enjoyed that the author made it pretty clear these kids are naive and they make pretty big mistakes but the need to survive was greater. Also, when they met up with Bulrush and it's people, it is pointed out that all the skills they learn took a lot of time. They trained daily for weeks. They were put to tasks that encouraged their skills to sharpen and they weren't expected to anything except protect each other.

"'Okay,' I say. 'Teach me something.'
'Lesson one: be alert.'
On the words, her leg comes up toward my face. I'm onto her tactics now, though, and I manage to duck away. I lunge for her, hoping to catch her off balance, but she swivels and kicks my legs out from under me with her other foot." (Page 167)

It will be interesting to see where Everly goes from here. How Bulrush and its members survive. Whether Halla has her baby and  finds her boyfriend. Where Wyck goes from here on.

I definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a different take on a young adult dystopian.

I'm the author of the Swift Investigations, Mall Cop and Readaholics mystery series.

After twenty years as an Air Force intelligence officer – serving as a squadron commander, with the National Reconnaissance Office, and at a fighter wing – I retired to parenting and writing full-time.

Spying was easier.

On the surface, it looks like Paul Callahan has it all. The family, the house, the job. But nothing is ever as perfect as it seems, and when a college friend contacts Paul out of the blue, he finds himself reliving his first year of college, when everything went so right, and then so very wrong.

Testament is a story of friendship and love and of the terrible evil people are capable of doing to one another. It is the story of a man doing his best to move forward, but struggling with an emotional anchor latched firmly in the past. But more than anything, it is a story about redemption and the unfathomable workings of the human heart.

L: Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
MD: I'm an English teacher at a small private school in North Carolina. My wife and I have two little girls and basically live the harried lives of professional people with kids. Originally, I'm from Philadelphia, but I went to college in Ohio, grad school in Maine, and then moved to North Carolina almost two decades ago, so I've been around. Most of what I write is horror and suspense, but this new book has a lot to do with my college years.

L: Who or what inspired you to be an author?
MD: It's just always been there. I was a voracious reader as a kid, and because my mom was a horror junkie, I got into some pretty crazy books when I was young. Eventually I realized that I did pretty well with words, so I started trying to produce my own stuff when I was in college. It just kind of went from there.

L: Who or what inspired your novel?
MD: I guess is was inspired by my own need to write about college, which I had never done before, and by the need to say some things about the relationships I formed while I was there.

L: What would you say is the genre of your novel?
MD: That's actually a really hard question to answer. With my other books, it would be easy--Supernatural thriller. With this one, I'd have to say it best fits into the categories of psychological suspense and coming-of-age.

L: Why did you pick this/these genre(s)?
MD: I didn't, at least no consciously, but I know myself well enough to understand I'll always write somewhere in the fields of "dark" or "speculative" fiction.

L: How did you develop your plot and characters?
MD: Paul, the main character, is somewhat a stand-in for me, not so much in his actions (because all of that is pure fabrication), but in terms of the way he reacts to things, etc. The other two main characters, Lucy and Roscoe, are amalgamations of people I knew crossed with elements of my own creation.

L: Who or what inspired your protagonist?
MD: In some ways, my old college roommate; in other ways, I have no idea.

L: Who or what inspired your antagonist?
MD: Crappy parents everywhere. I wanted to say something about the terrible consequences bad parents inflict upon their children.

L: What was the most difficult part to write in the book?
MD: The ending. Endings are always hard. Beginnings and middles are like a party--it's fun and easy, pure creation. Endings are heavy.

L: What was your favourite part of your book to write?
MD: The parts about college--it was fun to reminisce.

L: Are you a full time or a part time writer? If part time, what do you do besides write?
MD: Part time. I also teach English.

L: What are you currently reading?
MD: Lots of Jo Nesbo novels. Once I get rolling, it's hard to stop until I've completed a series.

L: What are some of your favourite books or authors?
MD: Stephen King, Clive Barker, Tana French, John Sandford, James Lee Burke.

L: What are your future projects, if any?
MD: I'm working on my fourth book right now. It's a novel about a freak blizzard in Western Maine and how the people in a small town deal with it.

L: What is your preferred method for readers to get in touch with you and your books?
MD: Goodreads and Facebook are great.
www.goodreads.com/author/show/15094461.Mark_P_Dunn
www.facebook.com/markpdunnauthor/

L: Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
MD: Read, read, read. Once you find what you love, start writing stories. Once you do that, just have fun and see where it goes.

Today's word is inspired by a word I played in Words with Friends playing with my best friend.

Azoth-
1 : mercury regarded by alchemists as the first principle of metals
2 : the universal remedy of Paracelsus

Quite an interesting word.

He told her to leave and never look back. That’s exactly what Brooke Clarke did. Her only possessions being the clothes on her back and an old Ford, she arrives in the city of Whitestead.

Hoping she can slowly build a new life for herself, she soon realises she’s not out of danger. Without knowing what is really happening, and who is after her, Brooke gets pulled into an underground world of money, guns, drugs, and murder.

Desperate to reunite with the man who sent her away, her best friend and partner, Brooke finds herself sinking deeper and deeper into a life where you always have to watch your back, and never trust anyone. Once you’re in, there’s no way out.

L: Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
MMW: I grew up in Sweden, Scandinavia and moved to Australia at age 20. Have always loved reading and writing, and decided to study professional writing and editing.

L: Who or what inspired you to be an author?
MMW: I have always loved Stephen King, and I think most of my inspiration came from reading his books.

L: Who or what inspired your novel?
MMW: My novella, Trigger Warning, was 100% inspired by GTA5 (Grand Theft Auto) I love video games, and find most of my inspiration from them.

L: What would you say is the genre of your novel?
MMW: Crime fiction/Thriller

L: Why did you pick this/these genre(s)?
MMW: Again, was inspired by GTA5 :)

L: How did you develop your plot and characters?
MMW: All of it from the game. I also had some help from my partner, who played with me.

L: Who or what inspired your protagonist?
MMW: My character in GTA, she's completely drawn from her.

L: Who or what inspired your antagonist?
MMW: My antagonist are a whole bunch of people in Trigger Warning. Inspired by real life events in the organised crime circles.

L: What was the most difficult part to write in the book?
MMW: I had to research and learn a lot about the mafia, organised crime, and guns!

L: What was your favourite part of your book to write?
MMW: The action scenes!

L: Are you a full time or a part time writer? If part time, what do you do besides write?
MMW: I'm a freelance editor, and I also work in a call centre.

L: What are you currently reading?
MMW: Wonderful novels by indie authors :)

L: What are some of your favourite books or authors?
MMW: Stephen King - CELL Dean Koontz - Watchers

L: What are your future projects, if any?
MMW: Currently working on a post-apocalyptic novel. Also working on getting my Fantasy novel published traditionally.

L: What is your preferred method for readers to get in touch with you and your books?
MMW:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melinasvoice/
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/17501410.M_M_Wedin

L: Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
MMW: Never give up, and never stop polishing your work and learn from your mistakes. Never rush into self-publishing, always consult with an editor beforehand.

Melbourne, 2052, two years since The Fall.

A wave of infection, the Jackson Virus, has swept the world, leaving in its wake a terrifying apocalyptic wasteland populated by wild cleanskin survivor groups and the ravenous, infected night predators – the jacks. In this nightmare landscape, one of the last remaining sanctuaries is Kulin Wallcom, a community enclosed by a 10-metre wall patrolled by what’s left of the military. The wallcoms are the last remaining bastions of defence and security in a world gone over the edge.

But the people of Kulin can’t stay behind their wall forever.

Recovery expert, John Bradley, is part of a major operation into the wasteland looking to not only ensure the survival of Kulin by bringing back critical supplies from the abandoned Southstone Supermall, but, more crucially, to also locate and extract the only person left who may be able to reverse the tide of infection.

However, the mission faces danger at every turn. It seems to be compromised from the inside, Southstone is thought to be an impossible target overrun with infected, and wasteland survivor bands, led by the psychopathic wasteland leader, the Headhunter, are bent on making sure the operation has to fight each step of the way to get back to the wallcom before nightfall.

Because that’s when the jacks come out.

And they will find you.

Welcome to the world of The Fall.

There is something about zombie novels that is such a simple, easy read for me. Even though authors spend all this time creating complex worlds where the dead come to life, I just get right into them. It's almost like a palate cleanser for me.

However Conversion is different. What a world to live in. Hot, dry, desolate and zombies. Damn. What a scary mix, honestly. A flu wiped up the planet and there were only a few left, struggling to eke out an existence and survive. Some were inside walls and some lived outside, doing whatever they could to survive or find their place on the food chain. It was a very "Mad Max: Thunder Dome" feel mixed with "I am Legend".
All the different views and characters were complex but what I really enjoyed was that the jacks and jills had their own complex characteristics. The author explained the jacks and jills own insight and how they lived. They reminded me, actually, of the creatures in I am Legend. The pale, favouring dark places and stayed in packs with an alpha to lead them. They hunted at night. Each alpha had their own personality as well, and they seemed to recall their past as well. It was really fascinating.

I enjoyed the wallcom situations and the strategy of the teams, and the bad guy was clearly absolutely certifiably insane. Near the end, I was actually wondering if the people who this person talked to were real or if they were part of the person's psyche fragmenting from all the horrors of the world.

I definitely recommend this book for all the horror fanatics out there!

S.T. Campitelli is a first-time author, The Fall his first book. He hasn’t won any awards and he isn’t a best-selling author… yet.

He is an educationalist by profession and has continuing addictions to both movies and reading with a clear bent towards the post-apocalyptic, Scandinavian crime, and historical fiction and non-fiction.

He lives in Melbourne, Australia, with his family, and he is neither waiting nor prepared for the impending Apocalypse.

A stolen piece of history, an abducted actress and international intrigue…

When the Derringer pistol that shot Abraham Lincoln is stolen and ends up in the hands of a Russian military general, covert agent Blake Deco is tasked by the FBI to head to the Balkans to recover the historical weapon. Meanwhile, the United States media is abuzz with news of the mysterious disappearance of Hollywood movie star, Goldie St. Helen.

After Blake’s return from overseas, he receives a tip from a Mexican friend that a drug lord, obsessed with the beautiful actress, is holding her captive in Tijuana. With the help of a reluctant army friend, Blake mounts a daring rescue. What he doesn’t expect is to have feelings for Goldie—or that a killer is hunting them.

L: Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
KT: I was born and raised in Singapore. I began my career as a magazine journalist before switching to the dark side; I became a public relations practitioner. My work has taken me to various parts of the world, covering travel-related stories. I also spent some years in Cairo, Egypt working for a magazine. I have written three novels (thrillers) to date.

L: Who or what inspired you to be an author?
KT: I have always had an interest in story telling for as long as I can remember. I think you are born to be one. Let's just say I was always more excited to write a school essay than do a math homework. Who inspired me? I'd say the works of other authors and people I've met in real life who one way or another contributed to the experience - both good and bad.

L: Who or what inspired your novel?
KT: Gun Kiss is my third novel, and it was inspired by a blonde Hollywood actress. On the first day I went jogging I found it difficult to sleep was both my legs were aching. Unable to sleep, I watched an old movie with this particular actress. And then, suddenly, an idea came to me to write a story about the Hollywood scene but with lots of action and a splash of romance. And so Gun Kiss came to be. [To the actress, if you're reading this Q&A, which I hope you are, here's a BIG Thank you for the inspiration)

L: What would you say is the genre of your novel?
KT: Suspense/Thriller with a splash of Romance. Readers can expect a bit of everything in this novel.

L: Why did you pick this/these genre(s)?
KT: I like the unexpected with lots of twists and excitement. So I thought this would be the most suitable genre to delve in. It's also the first time I'm injecting romance into the novel as I've never done it before. But don't expect a lovey-dovey story - it's a suspense/thriller, after all... although the scenes are both exotic and glamorous and in some instances funny before resuming to exhilaration.

L: How did you develop your plot and characters?
KT: You know, I've heard people say they'll write a book once they get an inspiration. I've got bad news; it doesn't happen that way. You have to write no matter what...and as you write, you'll discover the plot coming to you naturally. At least that's how I operate. Some authors may plan their story, but I can't do that. Like Bruce Lee said, "Be like water," so I go with the flow. However, that said, I might bumped into someone or stumble at a place that might give me an idea for a story, and in this case, it was an old movie as I mentioned previously. Even so, that doesn't necessary spell a novel. So, I'll take note of current issues around the world and I'll pick a theme or two to include in the story. The war on drugs and the Hollywood scandals were all incorporated into Gun Kiss, topped with the ongoing nuisance every famous celeb faces with the paparazzi. I've based some characters on people I've met, taking ideas from conversation, observing them or it could be a fleeting moment even. I tend to study characters from various angles then incorporate them into a character. As a former reporter, I've met some movie stars and celebs in real life, which helped in creating that image. Then, everything else is like playing Ken and Barbie. Dress them up and create a scene... and action!

L: Who or what inspired your protagonist?
KT: You know, I didn't want your typical protagonist. Usually, it's a secret agent or a soldier or some university professor or scientist. I wanted a protagonist where readers can see the different stages of his life in terms of his career and attitude toward things. So I created a character who was an ex-soldier, a failed screenwriter who dabbles as a relic hunter while managing a taco restaurant at the same time. Since Gun Kiss has a Hollywood theme, I gave my protagonist a cool taco restaurant at Sunset Boulevard. In trying to keep the business going, he takes up a part-time job with the Homeland Security where he recovers stolen ostentatious and historical items for a reward.

L: Who or what inspired your antagonist?
KT: The war on drugs is ongoing. I don't want to mention the person's name or he might send people after me even it's just an inspiration, not based on real life character. Still, you never know.

L: What was the most difficult part to write in the book?
KT: If you hate doing house chores, imagine what it feels like for a writer to do fact-checking and research. It can be fun when the information is forthcoming, but when you can't extract the information that you need in a short time and end up spending more time trying to get it, you will feel the pain. In Gun Kiss, I had to fact-check some of the FBI procedures as well as US embassy protocol in the even of an unpleasant situation. It took time, I can tell you that.

L: What was your favourite part of your book to write?
KT: I want to write a sequel. Does that answer the question? I love every scene in the story. Since there's a movie star in the story, you can expect all those nice places. I enjoyed describing cafes, parties, locations and famous monuments. Of course, the characters were a delight to write about. For that reason, I just must bring them back!

L: Are you a full time or a part time writer? If part time, what do you do besides write?
KT: I am a full time writer.

L: What are you currently reading?
KT: I have a long TBR list on my Kindle. I haven't started yet, but I will...

L: What are some of your favourite books or authors?
KT: I have no particular favorites. I love them all. If I pick up a book and I enjoy the first chapter, I'll just continue reading it. Past and present authors, all genres - I'll read them all.

L: What are your future projects, if any?
KT: I'm presently working on a murder-mystery set in South Australia.

L: What is your preferred method for readers to get in touch with you and your books?
KT: www.khaledtalibthriller.com or https://www.facebook.com/khaled.talib/

L: Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
KT: Don't. Give. Up. Remember the deaf frog?

Henry Wolff regularly climbs out of his upstairs bedroom window. The neighbors think it strange that a grown man enjoys a Tarzan like swing from the roof, but then again, they all think Henry is a little strange. Recently widowed, Henry is an emotionally challenged father being sued by his daughter for financial control of the estate. Henry must prove he is normal - not an easy thing to do when you are not. Henry is different, not quite normal, not quite special. Rumors explaining his behavior run from PTSD in Vietnam to losing his son to SIDS. But Henry has a special gift. In a town divided by the have and have-nots, Henry alone can inspire and touch even the most jaded lost soul. But when tragedy strikes, can he unite his own family?

L: Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
RG: I love horseracing. In fact, in the ‘70s I went down to “Belmont Racetrack” and took Super-8 movies of the “Belmont Stakes” whenever there was a possibility of a Triple Crown winner. That means I have Secretariat , Seattle Slew and Affirmed all winning the Belmont Stakes from a point of view no one has except me. You can’t begin to appreciate it until you see the 4-minute i-movie I put together which you can see at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AH3jAVCWL70. I'm retired and have written 11 screenplays, a couple of novels - ditto for stage plays, blah, blah.

L: Who or what inspired you to be an author?
RG: I guess I’d have to journey back to 5th grade to explain why the ability express oneself with ‘words’ is such a big part of my life now. Our teacher had us read a book and write a synopsis or book report on it. These one-page ‘synopsis’ would then be graded as if it were a ‘contest’. That's when I discovered the flap -- a brief outline from the publisher, those beautifully written words that perfectly captured the emotions and the essence of the story. For a 5th grade boy trying desperately to rise from the sleepy world of his imagination, I did a despicable thing. I used the flap in writing the synopsis, paraphrasing as best as a fifth grader could, and submitted the paper into the contest. As fate would have it, I won the competition. I was embarrassed, humbled at receiving an award I didn't deserve. That day was the beginning of my writing career where a little flame burned in my soul to be able to express myself with some degree of grace where I would never have to rely on someone else’s words to express how ‘I’ felt.

L: Who or what inspired your novel?
RG: My recent book took years of the story-line and character arc to percolate in my brain, and I mean years. The germ of an idea was conceived the moment I saw Peter Sellers in the movie “Being There” maybe 25 years ago.

L: What would you say is the genre of your novel?
RG: YA - contemporary.

L: Why did you pick this/these genre(s)?
RG: Because of the main character ... Henry is as wacky as they come. Wacky usually means young - or young at heart.

L: How did you develop your plot and characters?
RG: The plot is from the movie "Being There" and the main character, Henry, was from Peter Sellers of the same movie. All the other characters were inspired by my passion to bring out personality traits of Henry which could only be done by having characters who brought the worst and best out of our hero.

L: Who or what inspired your protagonist?
RG: Peter Sellers.

L: Who or what inspired your antagonist?
RG: Family members.

L: What was the most difficult part to write in the book?
RG: The conflict with Henry and his daughter. I hate conflicts and I mostly had to say, "How would I want to act" under the same circumstances. Wanting to act a certain way is not the same thing as predicting what I would do. Unfortunately.

L: What was your favourite part of your book to write?
RG: Getting Dixie drunk at the bar-restaurant.

L: Are you a full time or a part time writer? If part time, what do you do besides write?
RG: Both. When I'm writing I usually have 10-12 hour days. When I'm not writing, I'm revising. And when I'm not writing or revising, I'm marketing.

L: What are you currently reading?
RG: I'm reading a lot of newspaper and magazine stuff. I'm not reading any novels at this time.

L: What are some of your favourite books or authors?
RG: Catch-22; classics, like "Tale of Two Cities", etc.

L: What are your future projects, if any?
RG: Actually, one non-fiction book I wrote (Fillossofee: Messages from a Grandfather) needs a follow-up. I’m thinking on writing volume II. Volume I came from the desire to inspire my progeny with the disciplines that inspired me (math, sciences, computer, philosophy, etc.) The title says it all. Half of my children (including grandchildren and great-grandchildren) are terribly invested in social networking. One was actually billed for 13,000 text messages one month, while another can’t respond to the query ‘who is Copernicus’. I type 120 words a minute at the keyboard. Both of these children put me to shame with just two thumbs. Go ahead and stand by the Sears or Macy entrances and look at the next 20 people who enter and who are under the age of 30 years. I’ll bet you half of them who are walking into the store are doing something on their cell phones … talking, texting … something. Social media is dictating how our progeny see the world. I believe it’s not good.

L: What is your preferred method for readers to get in touch with you and your books? Please provide links.
RG:  gately@verizon.net

L: Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
RG: I guess I’ll just say don’t think you’re going to be a success because you wrote something that is good. If the motivating force behind your writing is money or fame, then I hope you’re a “Truman Capote” kind of writer. I don’t know if this is true, but I once heard he said, “I never wrote anything I didn’t get published.” I wish that was true of my writing, but it’s not. Just beware: few people make money in writing, unless you’re a journalist. I must hang on to what Derek Jeter, the famous baseball player, once said. “There may be people that have more talent than you, but there’s no excuse for anyone to work harder than you do.” Also, I’m reminded, occasionally, what Michael Jordon once said. “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed 26 times. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” So take encouragement in learning from the best. That is, heed the rejection slips – take what you need and throw out the rest. Learn from them. You’ll need that process to grow as a writer. And take heed from Sheldon Cooper’s mother whose wisdom can always be measured in her statement, “… and that’s your opinion.”

Clara has been chosen and her fate will be fulfilled.

Clara Evans’ needs a fresh start. Exhausted from the taunts of her classmates and the neglect of her careless foster parents, she is counting down the days until graduation when she can move away and leave her miserable life behind.

When swoon-worthy Jay Woods transfers to Ford High School, Clara’s eyes are opened to a universe she never knew existed.

As the life she once knew shatters and ancient secrets are revealed, Clara must learn to control her newfound powers while defeating a raging darkness that will change the world forever.

Could “The Freak” from Ford High be the key to saving the human race?

2.75 Stars

I received this eBook from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This concept of a story has been done more times than I can count. This had so much potential if it had been refined more.

Clara, as a main character, is pretty cliche. The orphaned child with negligent foster parents, kids who hate her at school, she has one friend and then the attraction of the cute boy who seems to know her best friend.
Before the boy, mind you, the story dragged painfully. With the boy, the story sped up way too fast and I was lost a couple of times. I thought it might have been a malfunction in my eReader but it wasn't.
Suddenly! Clara is humanities only hope against dark forces. She has to learn to wield her powers and be able to defend herself with all levels of combat in a matter of weeks. Uh, no. This is not the Matrix. Fighting and knowing how to defend yourself takes time. The rest of the people in the story had been training since they were children. But Clara was able to take them down. Unless her powers involved fast learning of fighting and strength.
She also faced a lot of trials during learning to fight and learning her powers, which made the story veer off into too many scenarios, I found. And then the cliff hanger. The weird cliff hanger that ended the story.

Honestly, if the author had taken her time and refined her story, edited some ideas out and kept with the original story line, this would have been awesome. But maybe I'm just picky about these stories and hope they can expand on the concept more.

Lauren Chow was born in Oxnard, California and raised in Marlton, New Jersey. Lauren has always enjoyed reading and was inspired to write her own stories with encouragement from her friends. She secretly started writing her junior year at Cherokee High School and decided to go public with her writing in 2017. Lauren is eighteen years old and enjoys art and social science. Lauren continues to write as she attends California Lutheran University to become an art therapist.

Alone. Abandoned. Threatened. Natalie has lost all hope for a better future. Everything she’s known and everyone she’s ever loved is gone, and it’s up to her to get her old life back. In Michael Evans’s first novel, Control Freakz, Natalie’s journey toward a better life begins.
When Protocol 00 is enacted, Natalie’s family is taken by the government, along with the families of her two best friends, Ethan and Hunter. With nothing to lose, and the threat of government hitmen kidnapping them at any moment, the three must battle to survive in a horrid, post-apocalyptic world run by President Ash and his invasive government. They want answers. And they’re willing to jeopardize everything in desperate pursuit.
Risking ruthless leaders, attempted mind control, and her very existence on the planet, Natalie, along with Hunter and Ethan, will stop at nothing in their quest to regain everything they’ve ever known. Her spirits crushed and her will to live destroyed, Natalie knows everything is dead and gone, and soon she will be, too.
Memories connect us to the past, and can often cause us to long for a better future, but they can drive our minds into a state of hell if a better future is unattainable. Nevertheless, Natalie’s hope for a better a future remains.

L: Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
ME: Well my name is Michael Evans, and I’m currently a sophomore in high school! I am extremely passionate about the future and have always loved to read! I’m also an author of Young Adult novels! My published novels include Control Freakz, and the forthcoming novel entitled Delusional, which is the second novel in the Control Freakz Trilogy. Whenever I’m not writing I may be found at the beach or trying to walk Skye, my crazy golden doodle. I’m also originally from Long Island, New York, but have since moved to Charleston, South Carolina. Some of my hobbies include running, hiking, camping, watching sunsets, exploring abandoned buildings, and playing basketball, and I have always dreamed of living on a private island. I’m also fascinated with neuroscience, nanotechnology, and of course this beautiful earth that we all live on (maybe one day humans will live on another planet and then destroy that too… but not yet).

L: Who or what inspired you to be an author?
ME: Writing is something that comes instinctively to me, but it is driven by my passion to impact the world positively. I'm an author simply because I love to express myself and feel there is no better way to impact people then through the beauty of the written word. My inspiration behind my desire to impact society positively stems from my fascination with the future, and my dream to make it the best it can be for everyone!

L: Who or what inspired your novel?
ME: My novel deals with the negative aspects that the progression of neural engineering may have on our society. Nanotechnology, specifically its impacts on mental health, is what inspired the underlying dystopian themes of my novel. However, my true purpose for writing the novel was to shed light on mental health issues that plague all of us (if you have a perfect mind you are lying to yourself), and to give people hope that they can overcome their obstacles. I also wanted to spark conversations about how technology may be able to actually help cure mental health disorders such as addiction. But that same technology will also have disastrous effects on society... you will have to read my novel to see exactly how I envision a dystopian society is possible due to the progression of neural engineering technology.

L: What would you say is the genre of your novel?
ME: It's a Young Adult Post Apocalyptic Thriller, with a Psychological Thriller narrative and moderate Sci-fi elements.

L:Why did you pick this/these genre(s)?
ME: I love the future as stated before. So including Sci-fi elements in my writing is just natural for me. I choose to portray a dystopic society in my novel because I believe it is more effective to show the negative aspects of the future, in order to compel people not to have that future happen! I also had to include a psychological thriller narrative because I have always loved psychological thrillers, and it was a way for met highlight the mental flaws in the main character.

L: How did you develop your plot and characters?
ME: The characters came to me before the plot did so developing the plot was actually quite easy.

L: Who or what inspired your protagonist?
ME: Due to mental health being a big theme in my novel, people close to me in my life who struggle with mental health issues inspired Natalie Parker, the main character. She is the heroine of the novel, but I hesitate to even call her that. She is extremely flawed... like I feel bad for her, she has to deal with so much, and she doesn't handle it the best, but I feel like she reflects how must people would handle life in her situation. Unlike other YA novels where the heroine is borderline superhuman, in Control Freakz the protagonist is utterly flawed and beautifully human.

L: Who or what inspired your antagonist?
ME: I'd rather not say, that's something that becomes evident as you read the book. All I will say that the main character is an allegory.

L: What was the most difficult part to write in the book?
ME: That's tough for me to say. Writing the book itself was a whirlwind. It's quite a large novel at 107,000 words, however, I wrote it 9 weeks, so to say those nine weeks were a whirlwind is an understatement. There was no section of the novel that was particularly difficult; the hardest part was really adhere to a strict schedule to write for a couple hours every day, no matter what.

L: What was your favourite part of your book to write?
ME: Oh definitely the part involving the President's psychopathic ex-wife. That was just great to write; I found myself laughing at my own jokes at times!

L: Are you a full time or a part time writer? If part time, what do you do besides write?
ME: I'm a part time writer! Maybe one day I will be a full time writer, but for right now I'm still working on pursing my high school diploma. I'm currently a sophomore in high school, so I have plenty of years of schooling left, but I hope that I can pursue writing full time after I graduate from college.

L:What are you currently reading?
ME: On Writing by Stephen King. That guy is great.

L: What are some of your favourite books or authors?
ME: Veronica Roth, Alexandra Bracken, Stephen King, Nicola Yoon, John Green, Scott Westerfeld, Lauren Oliver, Suzanne Collins... I can keep going for days!

L: What are your future projects, if any?
ME: Well, Control Freakz is actually the first novel in a trilogy! I have already finished the second novel Delusional, and it will be released in the fall of 2018 (date TBD, however if you follow me on social media you will be the first to know). I'm currently writing the third novel in the trilogy entitled Triggered, which will be released in the first half of 2019. I'm also getting ready to start writing my fourth novel this summer, which will be a YA Environmental Dystopian Thriller! That probably won't be released until the beginning of 2020!!

L: What is your preferred method for readers to get in touch with you and your books?
ME: I love connecting with readers on social media! Below are all my links:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mevansinked/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MEvansInked/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MEvansInked
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17306697.Michael_Evans
If interested in reading more about my book or me you can go to my website! If you subscribe to my newsletter you will also get the first four chapters of Control Freakz for free! http://mevansinked.com/
And one last thing! If you are interested in purchasing Control Freakz (it is for free on Kindle Unlimited) you can here: https://www.amazon.com/Control-Freakz-Michael-Evans-ebook/dp/B076523XG8/

L: Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
ME: Yes! First of all, don't just dream DO! And I have my three pro tips that I try to always remember myself when writing: 1. Write about something your passionate about! If you don't absolutely love your story then no one else will! 2. Write the first words that come to your mind! This may seem counterproductive but the bad stuff can always be cut out in editing. However, the first thoughts that come to your mind are always the most authentic and emotionally vivid. 3. Write everyday! I know it's tough, but finding time to even right for 15 minutes will help you develop the flow and tone of your story in much more depth!

Today's word is:
Acersecomic:
~ A person whose hair has never been cut.

Libby Carter is pretty sure she didn’t kill her husband…

When Libby wakes up to find her husband Ryan murdered in bed next to her with no memory of how it happened, she can only assume the worst. Daughter of the infamous I-75 Strangler, Libby is afraid that becoming a serial killer is in her DNA. Is she truly capable of killing the man she loves?

The evidence against her keeps stacking up, and it’s enough for an arrest…

It’s no secret that Libby is the number one suspect, and when she makes bail, she knows she has no choice but to turn to the only man who can help clear her name. Her father. After visiting him in prison, she decides to take the investigation into her own hands. Libby finds an unsettling lead on Ryan’s murderer and learns her husband might not have been as innocent as she thought.

But every clue she uncovers leads to another dead end…

Libby must risk her life to discover the truth about her husband and his murder, but things become even more dangerous when she realizes someone is watching her every move.

4.85 Stars

I received this eBook from the author in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of those books that is tough to put down and walk away from. It lingers, if you do manage to put it down, and it stalks your waking (sometimes sleeping) moments. It makes you wonder what is next!

Can you imagine, though, waking up beside your partner in a pool of your partner's blood with a blinding headache and you're not even sure how any of this happened. Did they kill themselves? Did you do it? Did someone else? You can't even remember the gun shot either. Then add in the fact that your father is the infamous I-75 Strangler.
I'd be freaking right out.

You know, I have always wondered what happens to the family of a serial killer. Especially the children. How are they affected and how do they handle the truth about their parental figures? This gave me a little look into how one might handle it.

One thing that amazed me, though, is how quick the police were to pin this on Libby without doing any kind of work. And the fact that Libby had to take it into her own hands to do the work.

I definitely recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a good domestic suspense novel that keeps you utterly guessing if it was Libby or if it was someone else who killed the husband!

Suspense Finalist for the 2017  Indie Excellence Awards!

Christina is the author of the award-winning suspense novel, LIKE FATHER LIKE DAUGHTER, as well as many other suspense titles. She lives in Kentucky with her two daughters.