Book Title: "Burned"
Author: Thomas Enger
Published By: Atria Books
Age Recommended: 18 +
Reviewed By: Kitty Bullard
Raven Rating: 5

Review: A mystery of horrific intensity, “Burned” grabs you from the first page and refuses to let go. When a young woman is found buried in the earth from her waist down and has been the victim of a ritualistic stoning, Henning Juul is called in to investigate. The plot continues to thicken as he uncovers what is suspected to be a religious act only to find out it goes much deeper. This novel has it all, from struggles with racism, to the secret truth you’ll be shocked to learn what is really going on and who the ultimate culprit is.

I definitely recommend this novel, though a word of warning; it does contain some dark and horrific conscious imagery.
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Book Title: "Dark Lake"
Author: Louise Gaylord
Published By: Little Moose Press
Age Recommended: 18 +
Reviewed By: Kitty Bullard
Raven Rating: 4

Review: Louise Gaylord, made a name for herself from the very first novel written. Her Allie Armington series is one that will capture you and leave you wanting more. “Dark Lake” takes you on a journey to the childhood home of the heroine. When Allie returns to Hotanawa to find her aunt murdered and her cousin bound and drugged she is tossed into the middle of a mystery that hits far too close to home.

I definitely recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a great murder mystery. Surprising twists and turns and very interesting plot!
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Book Title: "Cows"
Author: Matthew Stokoe
Published By: Akashic Books
Age Recommended: 18 +
Reviewed By: Kitty Bullard
Raven Rating: 5

Review: Have you ever wondered, even for the smallest moment, how it is that a serial killer is driven to become what he is? If you have even the smallest desire to see inside the mind of the deranged then you will definitely want to pick up this book. “Cows” takes us on a one of a kind journey into the life and mind of one of the most pitifully, psychotic, sociopathic, men that could ever exist.

By the time you finish this book it almost doesn’t even matter what crimes Steven has committed because you feel horrifically sorry for the life he’s been through you can somewhat understand what drove him to do it. However, the saddest thing about this book may be the fact that it shows you just how sadistic and horrible some people have the capacity of being and what life could truly be like if those of us that were lucky enough to be born into loving families hadn’t been.

“Cows” is not a horrific thriller for the faint of heart. Those of you that cannot stomach the painful, disillusioned world of the less fortunate, beware. This book is far beyond just bloody and gory, it will do more than make you have terrifying nightmares. You may never see cows in the same way again, there’s a chance that the thought of a burger may turn your stomach, and you just might be left completely and irrevocably altered forever.

Those of you that have taken my recommendations to heart before… think twice or even three times before accepting this one.
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Book Title: "Call Me When You Land"
Author: Michael Schiavone
Published By: The Permanent Press
Age Recommended: 18 +
Reviewed By: Kitty Bullard
Raven Rating: 5

Review: I was captured by this book and propelled forward from the very start. The story is one familiar to a lot of us, a mother with a teenage son, whose father has disappeared with the desire to chase his own dreams and never once looking back. The story touched me so deeply because I knew this story, though my own story never carried out to the complete detail this one did, I was a 23 year old with a child and it made me wonder how it would have been for me had my own daughter lived to see her teenage years.

Katie goes through so much emotional heartache, trying hard to raise her son, C.J. with respect and longs to be a part of his life. When she realizes suddenly that she is losing him to puberty, growing up, and life in general she is tossed into her own midlife crisis much earlier than many of us are. Seeking advice and solace from an uncle that lives in the home with them, she begins to turn to alcohol to replace some of what she feels she has lost with her son. She is a painter, a wonderful artist that captures her emotions on the canvas with such clarity you can see the story of her life unfold as you catch a glimpse of her work in your mind.

Michael Schiavone has woven a tale of truth and the human condition, what it’s like to be an unwed mother trying so hard to find the place she belongs, just some sort of niche she can fill in her son’s life and when his father dies leaving him a motorcycle she realizes at last the only thing she can do is allow him to go, and find himself first.
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INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR, KIMBERLY LLEWELYN

Hello Kimberly, thank you so much for this fantastic opportunity. Now you are known as “the Wedding Writer.” Why is this?

Thanks for letting me visit with you today! Who doesn’t love a good wedding? I’ve always enjoyed writing wedding-themed books. One day, a friend referred to me as the Wedding Writer and the name stuck. In the last few years, I’ve had a few bride books published and I’ve enjoyed their success...with more on the horizon.

Tell us about the awards you have won as an author.

I do have a file somewhere with certificates and awards where I’ve been a finalist and placed for my chick lit, mostly in the humor category, but I’d have to go digging for it! Anne Bonnie Reader’s Choice, Heart & Scroll Madcap, Holt Medallion Merit, and More than Magic do come to mind, which were all exciting. The BookSense Notable Pick List recipient was extra thrilling. That came from independent booksellers nationwide.

Is it notable that you enjoy writing women's fiction mostly? If there was one other genre you would consider writing in what would it be and why?

I love writing fiction for women, whether it be romance, chick lit, romantic comedy, etc. I enjoy sharing stories that women can relate to, that says we’re all in this together and it’s okay to laugh through the tears. While I am currently branching out in my fiction for women, another genre I’d love to delve into would be young adult. I’ve got some stories related to teens that are nagging at me, so I might have to get those on the page soon. I think it would be fun to tap into that youthful world so full of wonder and angst.

Tell us about your most current book.

I have been having tremendous success with my new sexy contemporary romance, Almost a Bride. That book stayed on the Amazon Best Sellers List for days and continues to do well. It’s a story about two people who find each other under the most unusual of circumstances—they participate in a sex appeal study. In doing the research assignments together, they learn about themselves and discover who they really are. When reading Almost a Bride, you can get swept away in the romantic fantasy of it all. And yet, you can still relate to Kip Lockehart and Ivy Hammond as they overcome their very real obstacles to love.

If you had to choose one book out of all you've written so far that was your favorite to write, which would it be and why?

Goodness, why not ask a mother to pick her favorite child? I don’t know if I can pick a favorite, but my favorite part about writing Almost a Bride was taking chances on Kip and Ivy. I liked pushing the envelope with their circumstances, making them suffer emotionally (Aren’t I awful?) so they could truly discover just how much they meant to each other. I enjoyed making them dig deep to see if they were worth fighting for. And, of course, adding small doses of humor throughout was fun, too.

What was it that got you into writing and when did you realize just how talented you were?

Oh, heck, I was born this way. Before I could even write, I was drawing complex storyboards to tell my stories! I’d started three novels by the time I turned seventeen and earned my Bachelor’s in English. But it wasn’t until I became a casualty of layoffs at my day job that I finally realized, “I was gonna do this.” I would pursue my dream of being a novelist. For me, it was desire, drive, and persistence that kept me writing. You can have all the talent in the world, but if you don’t have stick-to-it-ive-ness, I’m not sure how far you’ll go.

You also have a writing workshop, tell us more about that and where we can find it.

I enjoy giving writing workshops to various groups and organizations (not just romance!) in person and online. Throughout the year, I offer an online workshop, Cracking the Romance Code: Unlocking Storytelling Secrets for Writing the Quintessential Romance Novel at Savvy Authors (www.savvyauthors.com); it’s also available to other online groups/organizations.

Who are some of your most profound literary inspirations?

Norman Mailer was a big inspiration. I hung out with him one summer in Provincetown, MA, many moons ago. Talk about fate, having a world-renowned, infamous author share wisdom that stayed with me the rest of my life. Also, Emily Bronte and her novel, Wuthering Heights. That story still makes my heart flutter. I’ve been told that I’m a hopeless romantic—who knew? And lastly, Margaret Atwood and her novel, The Handmaid’s Tale. Terrifying and poetic, that novel will haunt me forever...it’s quite profound. I even had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Atwood. The experience blew me away.

Tell us a bit about your family and if you allow them to critique your work.

My hubby is so supportive. Sometimes he reads my work when I need help with the logistics of something, but he doesn’t critique. My extended family is very supportive, too. I’m blessed in that regard. The only ones who critique my work are two trusted authors (and friends), Kathy Carmichael and Tara Randel. We’ve worked together for years. We’re tough on each other but do it with love and respect.

Do you have any advice you'd care to share with other authors? Please leave us your links so we can get to know more about you and your works.

Definitely refer back to my reference to stick-to-it-ive-ness! Write from the heart. Write daily, if you can. Work on your craft. Join a writing organization or writing group. And by all means, read, read, read!

Thanks so much for letting me share with you today. I love hearing from readers and feel free to friend me on Facebook!
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INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR OF "CHRONICLES OF IDIOT" ERIN BERRY

Hi Erin! It is wonderful to have the opportunity to interview you, thank you so much for sharing some time with us. I would love to know more about your professional 'Igor' experience!Hi Kitty! Thank you so much for this my first interview, and for GMTA, it is such a wonderful service for independent authors like myself. You guys rock!

OK, the short answer for being a professional 'Igor' is I used to assist scientists in doing genetic research. No, I do not have a hump or an accent, but I did do some interesting work re-animating life. Just kidding. It was mostly work with fruit flies and genetic engineering. Fruit flies are fun and they don't bite!

Now you also have a degree in Zoology and a master's in genetics. I have to say you sound like an extremely intelligent young woman. Tell us about your desire to pursue these avenues and have you ever thought about working at a zoo?

My desire to pursue those educational avenues led me to become the “professional Igor”, which was interesting. But I do not consider myself incredibly intelligent, just stubborn. And I would say that everyone is a genius at something and an idiot at something else. We all have our strengths and weaknesses.

Here in Tucson, we do have the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and Reid Park Zoo and I would love to work for either organization. But since I haven't worked for a zoo, there is the double edge sword of not having enough experience for the job but the only way to get experience is to have the job. I could volunteer, but that would not leave a lot of time for writing.

What got you into writing and when did you decide you had a penchant for it?

It was August 2008 and the Beijing Olympics had just had their opening ceremonies. This was also the time when two Georgian hunters claimed they had killed a “Bigfoot” and had it stashed in their freezer.

I read an online statistic that more people were interested (clicking on stories) about the Bigfoot than the Olympics. That got me thinking that people want these urban legends to be true, and why not have a government agency to distract them with this sort of nonsense. That led me to write “The Chronicles of IDIOT”. I am still trying to decided if I have a penchant for writing, I certainly like writing satire.

Tell us about your book "Chronicles of IDIOT" and if you plan more with this or if you have other books you are thinking for writing and what genres they are.

The Chronicles of IDIOT is about a secret Government bureau that is entirely devoted to distracting the American public from what the Government may or may not be doing. What do they use to distract the public? Well what distracts you? Reality TV, sensational news, traffic jams, spam, even UFO's, IDIOT uses anything and everything that works to distract people! I have ideas for continuing “The Chronicles of IDIOT” including a prequel.

Right now I am working on an action/adventure with a bit of satire. I am hoping it will be my first novel, but that is hard to say right now. It is set in the southwest and I am still in the ideas stage.

Out of all the jobs you have, part-time writer, full-time mom, and the possibility of going into one of your intellectual fields following a degree which would you choose over all and why?

Well, being a Mom is a lifetime position if everything goes well. So, that is what I choose over everything else. I have also thought of going into Nursing, but that would mean going back to school. Just thinking about going back to school (the expense, homework, etc) gives me a headache. I am not really sure where my life will take me, but I am enjoying writing right now.

If you had to choose one major inspiration in your life as far as your writing is concerned what would it be?

Honestly, I do not know if I could name one major inspiration. I would credit my parents with being avid readers, which led me to become an avid reader. I read all types of genres: historical fiction, sci-fi, chick lit, classics, action/adventure, and suspense. I only hope that our influence will help our kids to become avid readers as well. I think that becoming an avid reader helps you not just in learning to write, but is just adds to your life in so many other ways. From there, my father also is a published author, although his work is Architecture technical manuals and he is on a much different road than I am.

Off the mark question, here it comes. Tell us about one of your most embarrassing moments in your life.

When I was around six years old, I won a coloring contest at McDonalds that let me go on a the “Wallace and Ladmo Show”. This was a kids morning show in Phoenix and I was really excited. When I got there and was sat down with other kids, they told me that the camera would be shooting when the red light on top of it lit up. When I saw that red light I froze. Ladmo tried to ask me my name, I couldn't say anything. Talk about performance anxiety! I was not on the show but I did get a Ladmo bag full of goodies. There many are other embarrassing moments in my life, but I have conveniently forgotten them on a daily basis.

Who are some of your major literary inspirations?

Any successful writer is an inspiration in some respect, but here are some of mine specifically: Terry Pratchett, Mark Twain, J.K. Rowling, P.G. Wodehouse, Douglas Adams, Neil Gaiman, and J.A. Jance. Wow, I guess I like initials! But I could not do that – E.E. Berry sounds too much like e.e. cummings.

Do you ever let your family critique your writing? Why or why not?

Yes, I let my family critique my work all the time. My mom (bless her) was my first editor. My uncle is convinced that some of my sentences are run-on sentences but I tell him that people in science do this all the time and for me it is just a artifact from my previous career. It is great to have so many people in my family interested in my writing.

Do you have any advice you'd care to share with other authors?
Please leave us your links so we can get to know more about you and your works!

I guess the best advice, is one that I try to follow. Keep at it, keep writing. Don't get discouraged. Even if it is just for you, or you reach one person, then it is worth it!

Here is my sometimes snarky, sometimes opinionated, blog link:

chroniclesofidiocy.blogspot.com

I can also be found at Facebook:

facebook.com/ErinGuthrieBerry and @ErinBethBerry is my handle on twitter.

Thank you again Erin for taking the time to allow us this interview.

THANK YOU for the interview Kitty! This was fun!
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INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR OF THE UPCOMING
"ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN UNDERLAND" AND MANY OTHERS,
DEANNA KNIPPLING

Hi DeAnna, thank you so much for allowing us this interview! it is so great to have this opportunity. My first question for you is, when did you fascination with Zombies first begin?

I've always loved reading about all kinds of disgusting, horrible things, but having stuff jump out at me on the screen makes me crawl the walls, embarrassingly enough, so I didn't really get into zombies until they started to be more popular in fiction. And then Undead (an Australian zombie movie) came out. I'll put up with a lot of things jumping out at me for a good comedy-horror movie, and I loved it. Suddenly, zombies weren't just about things slowly yet inevitably lurching at you, driving you into a corner, and unfailingly infecting the ones you loved (which I would have found tiresome if it weren't for everything jumping out at me): they were about black humor, making fun of people who hang onto "normal" with a death grip, and body parts that won't stop crawling toward you.

I have to ask this being a fan myself of AMC's newest series "The Walking Dead" what is your take on the show and have you read the graphic novels or comics?

I've read the first ten graphic novels and watched the first two episodes of season one.

The graphic novels are superb. The art, the writing, the characters, everything. I think they're masterpieces, and I can't possibly recommend them enough. I had to take a long break, though, because it hurts so bad to read them. It's like eating a ton of salt and vinegar potato chips: the first handful is delicious, but after that you start to get cut up so bad that you have to stop, because hey, you're rubbing MORE salt and vinegar into your wounds with every bite.

The first two episodes of the TV show? I didn't care for the makeup work, for one thing--seeing actors with makeup isn't the same thing as seeing the graphic novels, with the dangling internal musculature and everything, and I couldn't help but feel let down. I think that was my impression of the whole thing: it just couldn't stack up against the graphic novels for me. But I'm a reader, not a watcher, and I don't watch a ton of TV or movies anyway.

Tell us more about your Freeform Games writing in the UK.

I write murder-mystery party games. What you do is, you get like a dozen of your friends together at your house for a party. Everybody but the person in charge gets a character: one (or more) of them is the murderer. Everyone has goals to achieve, most of which include trying to figure out who dunnit (except for the murderer, who tries to figure out how to make someone else look guilty). You can dress up, serve related party foods (like Hawaiian), and act Very Melodramatically. It is a complete and utter hoot. In most of the games, you can kill people off, too, although it's usually only toward the end of the evening, so everyone can have a fun time. The more you get into it, the better it is. I love looking at the pictures of people who have played the game; I feel like I've met them sometimes, because I wrote their characters

What I really want to know more about is your childhood and being a farmgirl, I was a farmgirl myself and I can't say I ever threatened skunks with steak knives... though it does sound intriguing. So how many times did you get sprayed again? (LOL)

Never...I always ran away. It didn't help, though, because Everything Stank. For days. I don't know...everything from those days seems larger than life. The snow was deeper (it covered my uncle's van one year, which made for the world's best snow prison after we dug out the back end and he carefully backed out, leaving a giant hole in the snow). The view went on forever. The trees were as tall as mountains. That kind of thing. We went back a couple of years ago; my cousins live on the place now, and it's run down a lot, so it's even spookier-looking than before, and sadder, too. The outbuildings have fallen into piles of trash or are stuffed to the roof with trash.

What are some of the most daring things you did as a kid on a farm?

We were raised to think of them as "stupid" rather than daring. I got kicked by a horse in the shin and had a dent in my leg for years. I almost flipped over a tractor and rake combination by turning too tightly. I was never chased by a bull, though. We jumped off a lot of junk and haystacks and silage piles into thin layers of snow, yet I never broke a bone.

One thing I find seriously creepy is thinking about Zombie's on a farm... now this has nothing to do with what's happening on the AMC show... but I have actually had nightmares before ever having read the books where I'm trapped and the farm is overrun. Tell us about some of your creepiest Zombie thoughts or ideas and how they came about.

Zombie cows? Eh. Zombie sheep, now that's a problem. And I hate chickens, so zombie chickens would about kill me. They already peck each other mercilessly. Why not chickens, after all? Bird flu, zombie edition.

Actually, I used to work on a military base here in Colorado that was surrounded entirely by two layers of fencing, both topped with razor wire; one layer's electric. We'd have lockdowns for the stupidest crap. Once we had a lockdown due to--I kid you not--a bucket of fried chicken that someone had forgotten on top of their car in the parking lot, outside the fence. We also had a problem with plague. No joke, a disease that was related to the Black Plague. We had a lot of prairie dogs out there, and they would get the plague on a regular basis. So I'd scare myself, waiting in line outside for an hour just to get out of work--sometimes in subzero temperatures--by thinking, "So what would happen if the prairie dogs brought the zombie outbreak?" I had no illusions about them letting us go. There were eighteen-year-old kids patrolling the place with machine guns. They'd just lock the gates and mow us down.

What is next on your agenda, what can we expect from you in the near future?

I'm finishing up a zombie/Alice in Wonderland novel. It's not as violent as I thought it would be, but I'm loving on it. I don't know, I'm always writing something new

Who are some of your inspirations in the literary world?

Lewis Carroll! I love Stephen King, Jorge Luid Borges, Steven Brust, Terry Pratchett, Carol Berg, Steven R. Donaldson, Piers Anthony, Robert Heinlein, Neil Gaiman, Alan Moore, oh, just a ton of people. I always recommend Barry Hughart's Master Li and Number Ten Ox books if you haven't read them, too.

What other genres have you written in or thought about writing in?

Right now, I'm trying to work out how to write epic fantasy. I've pulled off a couple of short stories, but it's hard to be both really epic and short. It will probably secretly involve zombies that I call something else to fit in with the world...but it'll be zombies, really. I thought up the Best Plot Ever the other night as I was falling asleep, woke myself up, jumped out of bed, wrote it down, and realized I'd just reinvented CS Friedman's When Darkness Falls. So clearly I have more thinking to do. I do know that the best books feature great bad guys...who are somehow less than another bad guy with less personality but more power. Darth Vader? Served the Emperor. Hannibal Lecter in Silence of the Lambs? Was in jail, while the people-vest guy was on the loose. That way your bad guys can have a personality that you can, to some degree, empathize with, and you can almost justify their actions by saying, "Well, Hannibal was bad, but at least he really only killed people who were worse, right? Right?!?" I think you have to be able to empathize with the main characters in a story, and the villain with the most lines should be considered a main character. What the world needs is more awesome villains. Sorry. I kinda wandered off-topic there.

Do you have any other advice for authors that you'd like to share? Also please leave us your links where we can learn more about you and your writing.

Advice: Write. Read what you want to write. If you don't read books, why write them? (Write TV shows instead, if that's what you love.) Learn your craft! From word choice to grammar to style to characterization to world building to theme, the more you learn the better you will write, and the better you write the more you will learn there's left to learn. Read other people's opinions on what works and what doesn't in writing, but don't believe them 100%: if a tool doesn't work for you, don't bother with it; it might work for you later, but with writing, it's all about what you can do now, and what you need to learn next. Rewriting won't teach you how to write better books: all it can do is help you hand over the clearest, most consistent book you can currently write. If people tell you writing is pointless, blow them off. If a kid says, "I want to be an astronaut," adults are like, "Oh, you're so cute! Of course you can be an astronaut!" How many people become astronauts, though? A lot more people become professional writers than astronauts, and there are 1001 jobs where you can benefit by being able to communicate clearly. So don't let people tell you, "But you need to plan to get a real job." Writing is a real job. You might have to do types of writing that aren't your first choice, but it's still a real job.

Find me at:

www.deannaknippling.com (my main site, where I post writing and indie publishing tips)

www.WonderlandPress.com (my small-press and writer services site)

www.dekenyon.com (my kids' pseudonym site)
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INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR, BARRY WILLDORF

Hello Barry, thank you again for your time and allowing us to interview you. After reading your biography anyone can see you have had quite a busy life. Can you tell us how this has inspired your writing?

Well, I bring my life experiences to my writing. I use real cases as a jumping off point for plot lines. A lot of interesting things have happened to me during my life because I took an active role in events that were happening around me. Paying attention to what’s around you and not getting self-absorbed helps. A lot of my legal work involved dramatic stuff from combat trauma to crimes and serious injuries, both physical and mental. Having real experiences to draw on is way better than trying to imagine how it might be.

I'm sure many people are informed about your books for adults, tell us more about your children's novels and what we can expect from you in the future with that particular genre.

I don’t write children’s novels. Some people call some of my stuff YA, but I think I’m more OA. (old adult)

What was it that first inspired you to write your novels and when did you realize that you had a talent for writing?

I think it’s hubris that tells me I have a talent for writing. I think I do, therefore I do. Sometimes other people agree. That’s gratifying unless I get into a funk and think I’m being patronized. I’ve always liked to write. I was inspired to write my first novel because I thought there was a big void in war stories. What about vets who saw themselves as being ripped off by the whole hype, who felt swindled that they bought into it and then actually did something about it? In All Quiet on the Western Front, we get disillusion leading to resigned suicide, but what if Paul just deserted? What if he blew up Big Bertha? Shot the Kaiser? Would he still be a hero? During World War I, there were lots of guys who just walked away. Where are their stories? I like the idea of the little guy just not going along with the program and getting away with it.

Who are some of your inspirations in the literary world both old and new?

I like Remarque, Dashiell Hammett, Jack London, Dennis Lehane, Dickens, Hemingway, Elmore Leonard and Walter Mosley. As you can see, I’m mostly into male writers, old school. But I really liked what Myla Goldberg did with Wicket’s Remedy. And I do like Jane Gardam’s stuff. I like literature that relates to real events or at least is true to the gritty circumstances of living real lives and can’t stand self-indulgent chitchat. I don’t want to waste my time reading about whether someone is having a difficult relationship, can’t get a date, or whether or not they are really gay. Those things are okay to flesh out characters, but they have to be integrated into a real story for me to go for it. Otherwise, it’s just manipulative.

You have a few books scheduled for release this year, tell us more about them and when we can expect them out.

My next book, Part 2 of a trilogy will be published just as this comes out  April 1, 2012. It’s called A Shot In The Arm and is taken from a) a real case and b) drawn from real events. It’s the story of a Marin County drug treatment program corrupted by a rogue government drugs-for-guns operation. Essentially secret government agents are using the drug treatment program to deal heroin so they can use the profits, off the books, to arm anti-communist guerillas in Southeast Asia. A somewhat naïve black militant tries to stop it, but that leads to violence and makes for a mystery thriller that is in the John Le Carre vein. A lot of this stuff really happened.

The third part of the trilogy is called The Fourth Conspirator and it involves the nexus between marijuana growing and the wine industry in Mendocino County. Someone gets murdered trying to rip off a pot garden belonging to the VP of a big winery. Is there a connection between the weed and the wine? Lots of mystery, a few murders and of course, the corruption that goes along with highly profitable, but illegal commerce. Again, the story is an amalgam of real events.

The trilogy is also the story of two young people, Nate and Christina, who grow up through this period of time (the 70s) and who are alternately the heroes and victims of the events portrayed events that are bigger than themselves. My goal is that readers become invested in them, as imperfect as they are, as they struggle against the storms that envelope them. They are compelling and very real characters.

I have two more novels behind these but that’s enough for now.

If you had to choose one of your novels that was your absolute favorite to write which would it be and why?

Right now, my absolute favorite is The Flight of the Sorceress. I spent eight years researching the fifth century A.D. It’s a period that history seems to have completely neglected, although there was a recent movie about Hypatia, who lived during that time and is a major character in my book. It seems more and more relevant every day as pandering politicians try to undermine the separation of church and state. All you have to look at is the history of theocracy in the Roman Empire to know that when you mix a government with a church you get the Dark Ages. There’s no room for dissent or diversity when you put religious zealots in charge of an army. They can’t help themselves. They think God gave them the army so they can force people to believe what they want and that God wants them to kill anyone who disagrees. Flight of the Sorceress is historically accurate and contains a lesson that, unfortunately, we keep having to re-learn. We’ve just put Sorceress on KDP Select so readers can borrow it.

What is your long-term life’s dream where your writing is concerned, and where would you like to see yourself in the next 10 years?

I have survived two stem cell transplants for leukemia. I don’t have any long-term life’s dreams. I am existential and don’t even keep a calendar. Don’t even ask me about ten months, much less ten years.

Which book out of what you've written so far do you think would make the best movie and why?

All my books would make good movies, with the caveat that moviemakers tend to ruin books and any resemblance between what authors write and what ends up on the screen is coincidental. I see my 1970s trilogy as having the best potential as a movie series because it has strong noir aspects, a developing relationship between two compelling but flawed characters and a lot of murder, mystery and politically relevant events. Sorceress is too political for Hollywood. As Jack Nicholson says, “They can’t handle the truth.”

If you could teach someone something by way of your books, what would be the most important lesson you think they could learn?

Live a real life. Take risks. Pay attention and then write with passion. If you think that your relationships are interesting, you’re probably wrong. If you think your parents are at fault, you’ve invented a wheel. We all have wheels. It’s too late to invent that one. If you think that your race, gender, sexual orientation, national origin etc. is enough to make a story, you may get published, and you may get hype. But it only works in the long run if you can integrate it into something really compelling. For example, gender or sexual orientation makes a better story if it’s in the context of a story about bullying or a kind of Matthew Sheppard experience. Put it in the context of what’s going on in society and it can be significant. Put it in the context of a personal, individual experience and it’s a short trip to the remainder table.

One other observation. If you want to write something really important, the road is much more difficult. You’ll get a lot of “sorry, not for me” responses from agents because they only can sell inoffensive junk to the handful of editors they know, who can only buy junk because their publishing houses are little better than fast food mills and they’re too chickenshit to go out on a limb and publish nourishment.

Do you have any advice you'd like to share with other aspiring authors, also please leave us your links where we can find out more about you as well as your works.

I’m just a curmudgeon. You take my advice you end up grumpy. Once you learn how to write, then you need a story to write about. You can learn how to write. But you have to have a story. That’s the really hard part. That requires paying attention.

You can find out more than you could ever possibly want to know about me by looking at my website: www.agauchepress.com.

My books all have blogs:http://flightofthesorceress.blogspot.com , http://1970strilogy.blogspot.com and http://cunct.blogspot.com.
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Book Title:"Bullheaded Black Remembers, Alexander"
Author:J.L. Taylor
Published By:Trafford Publishing, Inc.
Age Recommended:14 +
Reviewed By:Kitty Bullard
Raven Rating:5

Review:Roman history has always been interesting and exciting for me, though I have to say, J.L. Taylor has succeeded in making me enjoy it all the more. His tale incorporates one of the most beloved Greek Myths, Pegasus the winged horse; as he shares an adventure and much interesting conversation with Bullheaded Black.

Bullheaded Black is the horse that once belonged to Alexander the Great. Now having ended his time on Earth he has ascended to the Heavens where he and Pegasus being to argue over religion, racism, and just about everything else, while bringing to life the amazing past of our ancestors and how it all began.

I found this book both interesting and intriguing. If you like history, especially Roman history you may definitely enjoy this book.

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Book Title:"Bedtime Stories for Cats (Dogs)"
Author:Amy Neftzger
Published By:Fields of Gold, Inc.
Age Recommended:10 +
Reviewed By:Kitty Bullard
Raven Rating:4

Review:This is a very cute book geared toward dogs and cats. What I liked most about it was the way the author made the stories sound as if they were to be read to your pet. The stories ranged in variety and the cat edition mirrors that of the dog edition telling both sides of the same story from the viewpoint of the animals themselves.

This is definitely a well-written and humorous book and one that many pet lovers would enjoy.

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