Street Team - Dark Side of Sunset Pointe - Michael Allan Scott

 

Excerpt:

Early evening in Phoenix. A blazing sun still high above the western horizon. One hundred nine degrees in the shade. Those with the wherewithal and accumulated vacation time fled north to the cool pines or west to the balmy California coast weeks ago. Only the dregs of humanity, conscripted company workers and hardcore entrepreneurs are left to bake in the Valley of the Sun’s August heat. Yet beneath the surface layer of superheated atmosphere and social veneers there is another, more subliminal furnace raging—its fumes, stoking the fires of Hell.

Just off the intersection of Greenway and Tatum a white stucco box of an office building squats under a clay tile roof, heat rising off the reddish tiles in shimmering sheets. Mounted on the wrought-iron entry gate, the building directory announces the tenants: Suite 101—Whiting Realty & Development. The office is closed for the day yet the overburdened air conditioning units grind away, sheltering the last remaining occupant from the sweltering heat.

Bloodshot eyes stare at a spreadsheet, the monitor’s image shimmering with harsh reality. Too many negative numbers expose an ugly truth. Anxiously perched on the edge of his high-backed leather executive chair, Gary Whiting waits with the phone to his ear. Dreading the final ring, Whiting lets it go to voicemail, again. He loosens the knot in his power tie and hangs up. This time, without leaving a message.

The four Excedrin have knocked his headache down to a dull throbbing at the base of his skull, but his eyes still ache. He’s been crunching numbers for their Sunset Pointe development project, staring at the monitor all damn day. He rubs at the knots in his stomach through his rumpled white dress shirt, thinking maybe he should eat or maybe he should just shoot himself. He taps the return key with a jittery thumb, hitting it too many times, trying to put the numbers out of his mind. He needs to talk to his partner, Rodriguez. As a last resort Whiting tries Rodriguez’s home number and gets his wife, Connie.

“Is Mike there?”

“Hi Gary. Did you try his cell?”

“Yeah, a couple times”

“Try again in a couple minutes. He’s not around here, haven’t heard from him all day.”

“Thanks Connie, tell him to call me if you talk to him.”

As he hangs up, his pulse pounds in his temples. Shit! Got to get ahold of that asshole, Rodriguez.

Whiting runs a trembling hand through thinning hair, his scalp hot and moist. They’ve got to do something about these numbers. Short stubble on raw cheeks twitches as he anxiously works his jaws. They could lose the whole damn project. Thirty million! He can’t believe it, he’s bet everything on this project. And with the hard-money loan, they’ve got a bigger nut than ever. Shit! Those hard-money bastards, they’re Rodriguez’s contacts. Of course they had to have the money to finish—all the construction cost overruns. Fucking Rodriguez. His fingers manically drum on the hardwood desktop, their nails ragged, bitten to the quick. They’re in way too deep to quit now.

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Genre – Mystery & Thrillers

Rating – R

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Website http://michaelallanscott.com/

Author Interview – Ben Woodard

 

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated? I had very little interest in writing after working as an engineer and marketing consultant where I was quite often writing manuals. But I started telling stories to my grandkids approximately five years ago and discovered that I could make stories up on the spot. My wife, who formerly owned a bookstore, convinced me to write them down. This was not an easy transition, going from an oral story to a written one. But I’ve learned to love doing both.

What inspires you to write and why? The fact that children, and especially boys, don’t read as much as they did in the past. As a child, I couldn’t find enough books to read and often walked to the public library near my school and carried home a stack of books on the bus. I hope to write books like those I remember reading—full of adventure, mystery and excitement. Agents and editors have told me that what I’m writing is not very commercial, but I will continue to do it hoping that I can develop an audience of kids for my books.

What genre are you most comfortable writing? Children’s, because you can let yourself go and be a child again. I love being able to allow my imagination take me places where I would’ve liked to have gone when I was a kid, and feel the excitement of discovering new adventures and new worlds. I have two memoir-like adult books that I intend to write someday, but for now I’m having way too much fun writing children’s books.

What inspired you to write your first book? I told a story to my oldest granddaughter where she falls asleep and is taken on a trip of the universe by a little star. She loved the story and made me tell it over and over. I eventually wrote it down and showed it to an editor who said there would be no market for another dream story. That made no difference, because the book was a hit—to my granddaughter.

Who or what influenced your writing once you began? My wife has to be the biggest influence on me, both now, and from the beginning. She believed that I had more talent then just being an oral storyteller. I wrote down two of the stories, and she and I made a trip to Cincinnati to a conference on writing. The two stories, that I thought were picture books, were reviewed by Alice Pope. Ms. Pope was the children’s editor for Writers Digest and she told me the stories, as written, could never be published, but she said she saw evidence of talent in the writing. Maybe she said that to everyone who came to the conference, but it was enough to encourage me to keep working. I then joined a critique group who gently, but firmly, pushed my amateurish writing to a higher level.  And now almost every day I gain knowledge by reading other writer’s works and by surrounding myself with authors who are much better writers.

What do you consider the most challenging about writing a novel, or about writing in general? Editing has proven to be the hardest thing for me. And the least fun. My favorite part of writing is starting a new story and running with it, not knowing where it’s going to take me. Because of that, I spent a couple of years not finishing any books. I’m doing better now, and the editing has become less of a chore. Nevertheless, I certainly don’t enjoy it as much as free writing.

Can you share a little of your current work with us? My recently published work, a stairway to danger, is what I consider a boy’s book, although I think girls and adults will like it. I tried to write it like many of the books I read as a child where each chapter ends in a cliffhanger. Although it is about two boys, the story does have a strong girl character. The boys and their friends discover a shadowy group in their small town that they suspect has killed a deputy. It’s a mystery/adventure book, more edgy than what I read, maybe The Hardy Boys on steroids.

How did you come up with the title? Without giving away the story, I can tell you that the protagonist has a past he is trying to forget. What happened to him occurred on a stairway. Also, in the story the villains make use of a secret stairway.

Can you tell us about your main character? The main character is Tom Wallace, a boy from the city who has just started living with his cousin Will on his father’s farm. Tom is struggling to fit in with farm life when the boys discover a dead body. The corpse unnerves Tom because of what happened to him before he came to the farm. In the midst of his struggles, the boys stumble on a mystery that Tom believes only he can solve. Tom’s curiosity entangles he and Will in a deadly dilemma and he will have to resolve his issues to survive.

How did you develop your plot and characters? I had written a book almost three years ago based on stories I heard from my dad about his growing up in a small Kentucky town. I wanted to take two boy characters in that story and put them in a completely different adventure. Since I write by “the seat of my pants” I started with a germ of an idea and let the story develop. Then during the edits I attempted to do more character development and work on the story arc.

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Genre – YA / Mystery

Rating – PG

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Author Interview – Jennifer Lynne

What is your favorite quality about yourself? I’m quiet and physically weak but inside I know I’m strong. Life has proven that to me, and I know I have the inner will and determination to not give up, no matter how insurmountable the odds. A handy trait not only in life but also when you want to be a published author!

What is your least favorite quality about yourself? Too quick to judge – part of an impatient nature, I guess. Sometimes it is better to just sit back and observe before jumping to conclusions, or jumping into action. But I hate to wait and I’m in there judging, deciding, acting, quite often before common sense has had time to catch up!

What is your favorite quote, by whom, and why? I’m always finding new favorite quotes, but today, I’m leaning toward these two: Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. (Ralph Waldo Emerson). The second one is: Life is not the way it’s supposed to be. It’s the way you cope with it that makes the difference. (Virginia Satir). Our family has been through some difficult times in the past year with serious health issues, and these two quotes really resonate. I hope others find something equally valuable in the clever words of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Virginia Satir.

What are you most proud of accomplishing so far in your life? Without doubt it would be raising my two beautiful daughters, mostly as a single mum. I love them to death, and I’m so proud of them. On a professional front, it would be writing and self-publishing my GODS OF LOVE series. The reviews I’ve received on PLATINUM PASSION, APHRODITE CALLING and now SEX CLUB SECRETS have been immensely gratifying. To know that something I’ve written has touched another person on an emotional level feels pretty darn special.

What is your favorite color? Green – in my part of Australia, in summer, everything always looks burnt and brown. Green reminds me of the lushness of spring and autumn, especially the latter when things in the garden are coming back to life with lower temperatures and a bit of rain, and it is time for that open fire to be put to good use.

What is your favorite food? Anything savoury, especially if it can be classed as “nibbles”. Cheese, crackers, olives, dips, and of course salty potato crisps. I could live quite happily on nibbles, with a bit of seafood thrown in for variety every so often. Yum! I think I might be the only author in the world who doesn’t love chocolate!

What’s your favorite place in the entire world? Home. For me, that is Melbourne, surrounded by my children and my family, most especially on a winter’s day with a roaring fire in the grate and a gentle drizzling rain outside. Cozy, warm and happy.

How has your upbringing influenced your writing? My father passed away when I was thirteen so I had to grow up in that instant, really. That experience, and others since then, have given me a real understanding of the extremes of emotion any person can go through, depending on what life throws at them. It has certainly played a part in how I develop my characters. Some of the angst they feel often comes from situations that happened years before the story begins – but these things shape us irrevocably and that idea does carry through in my writing. Most of my heroines are very controlled in their emotions, afraid to let go because of a past experience, and it is only through the finding of love that they are able to grow emotionally.

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated? I’ve always been interested in writing – I cannot pinpoint a moment where writing wasn’t part of my life in some way. But in terms of it becoming more central, that probably stems from when I was at university studying literature. A friend dared me to write a Mills & Boon which I did, and even though that first effort was rejected, the experience was so satisfying that from then on I dabbled in writing as a “necessary hobby”. It wasn’t until I went through a difficult and painful divorce (yeah, I know, what divorce isn’t?!) that I wrote another and finally submitted again. This time I researched my market first and submitted to Red Sage – and nearly fainted from shock when they actually bought SEDUCING SERENA for their SECRETS anthology (Volume 28). That story was published in 2009, and since then I’ve had six titles released – two with Red Sage, one with Breathless Press, and my self-published GODS OF LOVE series.

What inspires you to write and why? If I don’t write the day feels incomplete. In terms of inspiration, I walk around on cloud nine when I get a lovely review or hear directly from a reader who loves or has been particularly moved by my writing. The knowledge that you have enriched someone’s life, just by putting a few words onto paper, is incredibly heady and there is nothing else – other than my children – that gives me the same sense of joy.

 

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Genre – Erotic Romance (Menage A Trois)

Rating – 18+ to R

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Website http://jenniferlynne.com.au/

Book Blast: Wildflowers by Schledia Benefield

From the author of Plain Jane comes a new young adult novel by Schledia Benefield

 

Have you ever feared what may be hiding deep within you?

Darkness often skulks in the blood of unsuspecting victims, but Aster McGrath is acutely aware of the violence coursing through his veins. After all, he is the son of a murderer, and everyone in the town of Bayville, Mississippi says he will end up just like his father.

When Susan Blackman moves into town, Aster has already embraced his brutal nature, but her gentle spirit draws him in and slowly melts the icy exterior of his heart. Taming his savagery, she professes her love, but will the good within him be able to overcome the evil lurking deep inside? Or will the fiend break free of its fetters and seek blood?

Fans of Nicholas Sparks' A Walk to Remember will fall in love with the young love, tough choices, sacrifice and redemption found within the pages of WILDFLOWERS.

Buy it TODAY in ebook & paperback at Amazon

 

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About the Author:

Schledia Benefield is the author of Plain Jane, Pretty Boy, and her soon to be released novel, Wildflowers. She attended Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College but chose to be a stay-at-home mom for many years. She devoted eight years of her life to working with youth as a youth minister and has been invited to speak in a rehab to hurting and wounded women, giving them hope for a better future. She was the Keynote Speaker for Division 14 of the Key Club International’s divisional rally.
Born and raised on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Schledia holds a sense of pride in her southern heritage. She presently lives in Big Point, Mississippi with her husband and four of her five children. On top of writing novels, she writes youth and children’s church curriculum, and she works as a substitute teacher at East Central Middle School. In her spare time, she reads, sews, and spends time with her family.

Social Media Links:
http://schlediabenefield.blogspot.com/
https://twitter.com/Schledia

Buy Link:
Amazon (ebook & paperback) http://amzn.to/WPszMD

 

February Authors Only Kindle Fire Giveaway

 

Kindle Fire HD Giveaway!

The winner will have the option of receiving a Kindle Fire HD (US Only)

Or $199 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)

Or $199 in Paypal Cash (International)

This giveaway is sponsored by these Authors:
The Reluctant Bachelorette by Rachael Anderson

One Classic Latin Lover, Please by Marcia Lynn McClure

Betrayal by Anne Patrick

Belleyache by Crystal Marcos

Ethan Justice: Origins by Simon Jenner

I Have People by Taylor Dean

For What It's Worth by Karey White

A Kiss of Ashen Twilight by Rae Lori

The Unraveling by Holly Barbo

Fateful by Cheri Schmidt

Dracian Legacy by Priya Kanaparti

Cascade Brides by Bonnie Blythe
A World Apart by Camelia Miron Skiba
Reality Bites, Tales of a Half-Vampire by Shaunda Wenger
Face-Off by Stacy Juba
Two Equals by Marta Szemik

The Ghost of Josiah Grimshaw by Suzy Turner
One for Kami by Charlene A. Wilson

Freak of Nature by Julia Crane

Grace Doll by Jennifer Laurens

The Secret of the Scarlet Stone by T.L. Clarke

Gallagher's Hope by M.K. McClintock

The Spy Lover & Prize Winning Pacific Stories by Kiana Davenport

Rejected by Heather Bixler
Rapunzel Untangled by Cindy Bennett

A Hard Act to Follow by Henry Bushkin

Starseed by Liz Gruder

Giveaway Details
1 winner will receive their choice of a Kindle Fire HD (US Only), $199 Amazon Gift Card or $199 in Paypal Cash (Internaitonal).
Ends 2/28/13
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. 

 

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Sex Club Secrets (Gods of Love) by Jennifer Lynne

Best friends Ella and Kade meet the ancient Greek god of requited and unrequited love in a celebrated sex club – the result is a night of fantasy-filled menage a trois passion and unexpected romance. Anteros has heard the call of these would-be lovers and intends to show them that friendship can sometimes be the best place to kick start a lasting romantic relationship.

This 21,000 word novella contains adult scenes including threesome sex, oral sex, anal play, voyeurism and light bondage. It is suitable for Adult readers 18+ only.

Extended Description:
Ella is in love with her best friend Kade. But her love has not been returned, and when bisexual Kade shows no signs of becoming romantic towards her, she decides to call a halt on her unrequited love and accept an invitation to a celebrated Melbourne sex club.

Kade is distressed when the woman he is beginning to see as more than a friend decides to visit Secrets before he can tell her how he feels. He follows her into the club and witnesses her at play with the enigmatic Anteros, a sexy god-like man who seems to know exactly how to satisfy her innermost cravings. But Anteros also feeds the hidden desires within Kade. How can he admit his feelings for Ella when he’s not sure he can commit with his whole heart?

Anteros is one of the erotes, an aspect of Eros and the ancient Greek god of requited and unrequited love. He has heard the call of these would-be lovers and intends to show them that friendship can sometimes be the best place to kick start a lasting romantic relationship.

But love cannot flourish unless it is returned, and how will he convince Kade – a man who occasionally enjoys other men – that he can be true to the woman he loves? What will happen to this couple when the night ends and they return to the real world outside the door of Secrets?

Has one of the gods of love finally taken on a challenge he cannot fulfill?

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Genre – Erotic Romance (Menage A Trois)

Rating – 18+ to R

Connect with Jennifer Lynne on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://jenniferlynne.com.au/

Author Interview – Kathleen Shoop

What is your favorite quality about yourself? I’m generous.

What is your favorite quote, by whom, and why? Crap, don’t have one.

What is your favorite color? Red

What is your favorite food? seafood

Do you intend to make writing a career? It already is my career!

Who designed the cover? Julie Metz

Who is your publisher? Oakglen Press

What are your goals as a writer? Write tons of books that people want to read.

Where do you see yourself in five years? Well, on Oprah of course!

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Genre – Women’s Fiction

Rating – PG15

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Author Interview – Sharisse Coulter

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Genre – Contemporary Women’s Fiction

Rating – PG13

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Website http://leecoulter.com/tour/

Tell us a bit about your family. I’m originally from Lake Tahoe but went to grad school in Australia, where I met my husband (a musician). We’ve been married for eight years now and have a four-year old son.

What’s your favorite place in the entire world? Ooh, that’s a tough one.  My favorite writing place is the Encinitas public library.  It has a view of the ocean, a coffee cart outside, and the perfect cozy chairs for writing. My favorite city is definitely New York, though.

How has your upbringing influenced your writing? I grew up in the mountains and spent a great deal of time outside, playing sports. I learned a lot about pushing through the difficult times in order to achieve something I was working for and I think that mentality is what got me through my first draft.

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated? I’ve loved stories and reading since I was two years old.  I can’t remember a time I wasn’t interested in writing, but for a long time I was intimidated by all the wonderful writers I admired, worried I could never be good enough to compare.

When and why did you begin writing? I really started writing in college, particularly grad school.  I’d just been through a really traumatic experience—my boyfriend at the time committed suicide—and I needed a way to work through my grief and find a way to come to terms with it.  Writing saved me.

How long have you been writing? In some form or other, since elementary school.  Writing novels? About two years.

When did you first know you could be a writer? I don’t think there was a deciding moment.  It’s been something niggling me for many years, but I only started seriously writing when I stopped thinking about myself and started thinking about my story as its own entity.

What inspires you to write and why? Life.  People. Traveling.  Being frustrated and wishing I could control the world around me.  When I reach my limit, it’s time to create a fictional world that I can bend to my will.  It’s possible I have control issues.

What genre are you most comfortable writing? Contemporary women’s fiction.  I discovered my natural writing voice suits the genre and, as an added bonus, I am my own demographic. I find it easier to explore because I know what I wish I could be reading, and if I can’t find it, I write it.

What inspired you to write your first book? ROCK MY WORLD is my first book, and it started with the idea of Jenna and Alex, two of my main characters. They rattled around in my imagination for a couple years aimlessly, until finally, a year after having my son, I was struck by sudden inspiration and knew their story.

Orangeberry Book of the Day – Paper Airplane by Kersten L. Kelly

In this tumultuous, distinctive memoir, Kersten L. Kelly looks back on the most influential individuals that she encountered while flying through the clouds. Confined in a small vestibule for hours, Kelly identified an opportunity for learning and growth by chatting with the fellow passengers around her. After a few life changing conversations and unforgettable emergencies, she put the in-flight magazines to rest and never looked back.

She recalls life lessons from perfect strangers about love, family, perseverance of dreams, and humility through a series of brief anecdotes all taking place on airplanes. Selfless philanthropy was discovered, long-term friendships bonded, and talents unveiled. The book proves the phrase “you never know what you will learn on an airplane” over and over again.

Every chapter will capture the mind and sometimes the heart of anyone who jumps into this collection of humanity at its best. The personalities present in this book assimilate with the intrinsic characteristics all readers can relate to. With a raw authenticity stemming from old notes in a ragged journal, Kelly delivers a personal reflection of unique tales from a mile high.

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Genre – Contemporary Fiction

Rating – PG

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Author Interview – Alex A. Akira

Tell us a bit about your family. I have little in the way of family. I was taken from my parents at a very early age and placed in the foster care system. Both my real parents and those that raised me have passed away from varying illnesses. My life partner or mate, as I refer to him, is my family, along with a few intimate friends.

What is your favorite quality about yourself? I am tremendously optimistic, almost to the point of naiveté. I am easily awestricken. Internally I am eleven years old.

What is your least favorite quality about yourself? I am tremendously optimistic, almost to the point of naiveté. I am easily awestricken. Internally I am eleven years old.

What is your favorite quote, by whom, and why? ”We are all accidents waiting to happen.” Radiohead

How has your upbringing influenced your writing? My upbringing is totally reflected in my writing. My characters despairs, joys and hopes pretty much reflect mine at various points in my life. I’m also a beauty addict with a manic attention to detail, which anyone who has had occasion to read the initial edition of Dojo Boys: Dragon & Crow, my first effort, can tell you.

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated? I’ve always written and drawn. When I was fourteen, my English teacher read a passage of mine out loud to the class. I was mortified, as I was one of the hidden [avoid attention at all costs] but the way he looked at me after reading it, well for the first time in my life I felt…I had… worth.

When and why did you begin writing? After the above incident I read and wrote constantly. But I also drew. My peers liked my drawings, which kept me from being beat up, so when the time came for me to apply to college, I chose one college that focused on writing and one that focused on art. The art school gave me a full five-year scholarship… I stopped writing and started painting.

How long have you been writing? I resumed writing in 2008, approximately fifteen years later. I discovered Japanese yaoi mangas online and became fascinated, then I found fan and original online serials. The stories were both amusing and heartfelt, despite some of the author’s tentative grasp on the English language. Soon I began to write what was to become Dragon & Crow online, and then I learned of M/MRomance genre here in America.

When did you first know you could be a writer? This almost a trick question and my answer is not because I am a smart alec. As soon as I learned the alphabet, learned to read and how to string words together to form a sentence. I’m a big believer in “if you can see it, you can be it.” Now whether anyone else considers me a writer, lol, that is on them.

What genre are you most comfortable writing? Fiction. I live my life pretty seriously, so fiction lets me escape and relax.

What inspired you to write your first book? I’ve always been curious about what strangers are like behind the image they project. I also love martial arts. In Japanese manga, often characters are depicted as students of martial arts. I wanted to imagine the life style of those students and happen to be a student of Shotokan… so Dojo Boys: Dragon & Crow was born.

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Genre – M/M Romance

Rating – R

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Olivia Hardin – How to Survive the “One-Star Review Blues”

How to Survive the “One-Star Review Blues”

by Olivia Hardin

Last summer the hubby and I were weather treating our deck.  I had bought a nice pair of inexpensive “knock-around” shoes that were super comfortable; I was wearing them that day.  So my DH had hosed down and cleaned all the wood on the deck and I was coming behind and sweeping the excess water off so we could start applying the weather coat.  I had to get from the top level of the deck to the bottom, so I took a short cut and swung one of my legs over the rail to the step below.

Apparently my new shoes didn’t have very good rubber soles.  My foot slipped on the wet plank and my shin went careening into the other deck.  I am pretty sure I may have shouted an expletive just before freezing in place.  The hubby rushed to my side.

“Are you okay?”

I said nothing.

“What can I do, babe?”

I tried to breathe.

“Tell me if you’re okay.”

Through gritted teeth, “Just. Give. Me. A. Minute.”

He did and I managed not to cry over the excruciating pain.  It took some time – likely about a half an hour – but the painful injury finally turned numb. I got moving again and put myself to work.

The next day when the scrapped, bruised and swollen appendage was throbbing, I took a moment to think about what happened.  I had several things to learn from the incident.  1)  Cheap shoes, no matter how comfortable, may not be appropriate for every activity.  2)  Taking short cuts sometimes means you’ll fall and get hurt.  3)  Hubbies have good intentions, but sometimes a girl just needs to lick her own wounds for a moment so she doesn’t lose control.  4)  Picking yourself up and getting back to the task can help you numb the pain.

So what does all of this have to do with the “One-Star Review Blues?”  Everything!  I’ve had some bad reviews.  It feels a lot like that slip and fall I had on the deck.  I had to take a moment to get my breath, and then I had to get back to work.  Once I’d passed the initial hurt and embarrassment, I gave the review a serious look over.  What can I learn from this?  And a lot of times I can learn something.  It may just be that my book isn’t for everyone.  It may be that I need to learn something about building my story line.  It may be that I need to go the extra distance to make sure my work is polished.

No matter what, LIFE is about learning and even a scrapped, bruised and swollen ego can teach me something.

Buy Now @ Amazon & Smashwords

Genre – Paranormal Romance

Rating – PG

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Author Interview – Edward Mrkvicka

Tell us a bit about your family. I live in a small rural town in NW Illinois with my son, Eddie, my daughter, Kelly, our dog, Gus, and our cat, Puddin’.

What is your favorite quality about yourself? I am a practicing Christian.

What is your favorite color? Royal purple.

What’s your favorite place in the entire world? Our house.

How has your upbringing influenced your writing? I was raised in a Christian household by Christian parents and as such I became a Christian writer. “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)

When and why did you begin writing? Professionally since 1982. I had retired from banking, which finally gave me time to write as I had always wanted to.

How long have you been writing? All my life, but, as I said, I started writing professionally in 1982.

When did you first know you could be a writer? When I was about 8 years old.

What inspires you to write and why? My first 8 books were about personal finance, banking, and the stock market (I am a retired bank president). My last 4 have been Christian books, as I have been a lay minister and counselor since my days in the service (Air Force 1965-69).

What genre are you most comfortable writing? Christian books.

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Genre – Christian Living / Relationships

Rating – PG

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Connect with Edward F. Mrkvicka, Jr. on Facebook & Facebook

Website http://www.edwardfmrkvickajr.com/