Crossing In Time - DL Orton + Author Interviews + Review

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SPOTLIGHT: Gifted: The Hayven Series - J.A. George + Author Interview!

***** 5-Stars on Amazon!*****

“Why do birds fly? Why do lions hunt deer? Why does the sun shine and the moon glow? Because it must. I wish I could tell you why, I truly do. It mustn’t be easy, such pressure weighted on such young shoulders, but we do not always choose the lives we must lead.” 

Avery Gray had no choice but to be different. She was not born that way; she was chosen. 

After having met a special, silver-haired woman, and the handsome and enigmatic Theodore-James Connors, Ava finds herself in Hayven, a city separated from the rest of the world, where only gifters – ordinary people with extra-ordinary gifts – can go. With Theo, his friends, Hayven, her gift, and the ability to ‘travel’ in different colours, Ava must now accept that she can no longer classify herself as normal. As friendships develop, and Theo and Ava become closer than she anticipated, it turns out her new gifted life comes with a catch. With no choice or say on the matter, Ava must save a city she is starting to fall in love with; a city that has almost begun to feel like home. 


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Author Interview

When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer?

As cheesy as it may sound, I’ve always known deep inside that I wanted to be an author but until probably two years ago, I never did anything about it. I’ve always love writing, and always have been writing but I never thought about writing a complete novel and publishing it! So, I would have to say I first realised I wanted to be a writer two or three years ago.

 How many books have you written?

Two. For my Gifted series, only one, the first one. I’ve started on the other three that belong to the series but none of them are completed like number one is.

What are you currently working on?

The second book in the Gifted series, but every now and again I write a little something for books three and four, but mainly my focus is on book two.

 Which of your books was the hardest to write?

Seeing as I’ve only completed two, I’d say my first Gifted one. The first ever novel I wrote was sort of rushed and not my best work but I took my time with Gifted.

   Who is your favorite character from one of your stories?

It would have to be either Lucas or Baleigh from the Gifted series. If you've read the book you’ll know why! But I love all my characters and so every time I'm asked that question, my answer seems to change, but because I’m developing Lucas and Baleigh for book two, they are my favourites at the moment.

 What do you do when you’re not writing?

I read. A lot! I eat chocolate. A lot! I love going out with my friends, especially out to eat or to the cinema as I love watching movies, especially those that started off as books. And I love to bake!

  What is the strangest writing habit that you have?

Hmmm, I’m not sure I have one. Sometimes I write until my brain can't take anymore and then I call it a night. Is that strange?

   What inspires your stories?

Being different. People love to think that they’re the same as everybody else, that they’re “normal”, without accepting the truth, that they’re different, unique. Being normal is overrated. I love people that are different and who embrace it. Those people are usually the ones who are a lot of fun to be around!

   What advice would you give aspiring writers?

Don’t give up. I know it's cheesy and I know it's a cliché and I know pretty much every author says that, but there's a reason authors keep saying that, because it’s a good piece of advice! Every author is different, every writing style is different in some way, so you can’t give every author out there one strict single piece of advice, so the best piece of advice anyone could give to anyone is don’t give up.

 What book could you read over and over again?

Anyone of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books, and I’m a sucker for Sophie Kinsella’s Shopaholic series!

  Who would you say has influenced your writing the most?

I would say J.K Rowling and George R.R. Martin simply because of their creative writing skills. They’re just incredible in that department.

    What famous person would you love to have as a fan of your work?

J.K. Rowling! That would be an achievement!

  If you were stranded on a deserted island and you could have ONE character from a book on the island with you, who would it be and why?

What a good question! I'm going to sound like a Harry Potter obsessed weirdo by the end of this interview but probably Harry Potter himself – given that Lord Voldemort wasn't after us – Harry seems like a really chilled out guy so the island would be relaxing with him there, AND if we wanted to get off the island, surely he could come up with some spell to get us off!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

J.A. George is the author of the four-part series, GIFTED: THE HAYVEN SERIES. Jessica spent years of her life reading book after book before sitting on her bed one morning, opening her laptop and typing Chapter One into her word document. Now, not only does she read book after book, she now writes book after book too. When she's not writing, she's trying to break her record of finishing a tub of Oreo ice cream in less than forty-five minutes.
You can contact her at Jess.george@hotmail.co.uk

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Nora Blackwell

Today I am excited to be featuring a favorite author of mine, who I just so happened to have had the privilege of publishing! Nora Blackwell is a fantastic wordsmith who has the uncanny ability to turn absolutely anything into a story; usually a sexy one! She has two published works out right now and is currently working very hard on a third. I can't wait to see what else she comes up with! 

About the Author: 

Nora Blackwell is a writer from small town Alabama. A vertically challenged green eyed brunette who believes she was a mermaid in a former life. She has a quirky sense of humor and a wild imagination that she is not afraid to explore. When she is not doing so, and not caught up in the lives of her latest characters, she spends her time caring for her soul mate and her five fur kids. She is a fan of audio books, a music lover, a lover of the outdoors, an avid reader and short story weaver from an early age who has notebook after notebook of ideas and characters jotted from a brain that never shuts down. She can be reached at authornorablackwell@gmail.com. 

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Nora's Books: 

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Educating Karyn on Smashwords (It's Free!)

Butter My Biscuit on Smashwords

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Author Interview

·         When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer?

o   I didn’t find writing. Writing found me. It started out as a therapy exercise and I found I enjoyed it, and I had a knack for it.

·         How many books have you written?

o   I’ve written several short stories that have been published over the years, newspaper articles, and countless notebooks and journals, but this is my first published book.

·         What are you currently working on?

o   I am currently working on two projects. One is loosely based on my life, and the other is a novella.

·         Which of your books was the hardest to write?

o   So far, one of the pieces I am currently working on.

·         Who is your favorite character from one of your stories?

o   I am afraid at this point I cannot choose just one character. I love them all.

·         What do you do when you’re not writing?

o   I love to spend time with my family, which consists of my husband, my daughter, son-in-law and my granddaughters, and of course my extended family of parents and siblings. I am an outdoors sort of girl, and love to fish, kayak, and pretty much anything that has me on the water. I love to read, and I crochet.

·         What is the strangest writing habit that you have?

o   I still prefer pen and paper over typing.

·         What inspires your stories?

o   My inspiration comes from many places. I have a very vivid imagination, and so it can be something I see happen between two people. It could be a place, a house, or a photo that inspires my brain to go traipsing off somewhere.

·         What advice would you give aspiring writers?

o   Practice, practice, practice. If you feel blocked, write about something simple. Describe your cat, or your favorite hobby, as if you were telling someone about it that knew nothing. Start simple.

·         What book could you read over and over again?

o   Pat Conroy – Beach Music. Also, To Kill a Mockingbird. Little Women. There are a few.

·         Who would you say has influenced your writing the most?

o   No one other author, really. But I do have a few favorite authors.

·         What famous person would you love to have as a fan of your work?

o   A famous person reading my work?  Oh… anyone, really. I cannot think of anyone that I just want to run up and hand my book to and say, please be a fan.  LOL 

·         If you were stranded on a deserted island and you could have ONE character from a book on the island with you, who would it be and why?

o   Oh wow. Okay. Well that would depend. Do I want off the island, or do I intend to stay forever?  Hmmm.  Any book? Well, since I recently read the series, my choice would be Doyle from the Merry Gentry series. The Darkness.  He has mad skills, is pretty darn hot, and makes MacGyver look like a cub scout!

REVIEW: You Could Be Home By Now - Tracy Manaster + GIVEAWAY!

***Disclaimer: I received this book via the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Any thoughts and opinions are my own.***

An hour and a half outside Tucson, Arizona, The Commons is a luxury retirement community where no full-time resident under the age of fifty-five is permitted. Young professionals Seth and Alison Collier accept jobs there as a means of dealing (badly) with a recent loss. When a struggling resident, underwater on her mortgage and unable to relocate due to the nation s ongoing housing crisis, is discovered to be raising her grandson in secret, the story--with the help of a well-meaning teenaged beauty blogger and a retiree with reasons of his own to seek the spotlight--goes viral. "You Could Be Home By Now" explores the fallout for all involved, taking on the themes of grief and memory, aspiration and social class, self-deception, and the drive in all of us to find a place to belong."

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Review: 
You Could Be Home By Now is one of those books that when you takes you through an incredible emotional journey and when you finish it you just kind of sit there and stare at the book for a few minutes. It takes you a few minutes to process all of the thoughts and feelings you have had about all of the characters and circumstances in the book. But you absolutely loved all of the characters and you have a slight book hangover because of how good the book was. It's one of those kind of books. 

The beginning of this book immediately throws you into the emotional, heart-wrenching miscarriage of Alison and Seth's baby. As a way to deal with losing the baby Alison and Seth decide to quit their jobs and move across the country to work and live in a retirement community near Tucson, Arizona. What they both think will bring them closer is actually what almost destroys their marriage. 

Meanwhile, The Commons is home to a few other characters who are dealing with their own tragedies in peculiar, and sometimes quite humorous, ways. Mona, unable to sell her home, is hiding her young grandson from the community (he's not allowed to be there) and is getting away with it until one unfortunate accident with a hot tub and the well-meaning teenage girl next door. Sadie is learning how to live life after losing her husband the year before and spends her summer trying to entertain her granddaughter who recently got in trouble in school for alleged online bullying. Ben escaped his life and his wife up North in order to try and move on from his daughter's disappearance. 

At the beginning I thought this story was only going to follow Alison and Seth but once I realized that I was going to get to peak into the lives of other residents from The Commons, the book became that much more interesting. I really liked this book because it wasn't a "pretty" version of how people deal with tragedy. It was a realistic, and sometimes even pretty ugly, portrayal of how people deal with tragedy and the effort they put in trying to move on. 

This was a very well-written book and I was amazed to find out that this was a debut novel. Most authors have to put out several books before they reach something so poignant and personal. Even if you have't experience the type of loss that these characters have, you can still recognize the grief and emotions that they're going through. It speaks directly to your heart and soul on a level that makes you feel as broken-hearted as these characters. 

I think Lily, the lesbian teenage granddaughter of Sadie, really stole the show. She's a spitfire who wants to be a little defiant but all at the same time doesn't want to be a disappointment. She wants to be outspoken, but not at the expense of really hurting anyone's feelings. And she cares deeply for her grandmother. I loved the relationship between her and Sadie. It reminded me somewhat of the relationship I had with my Nanny, especially right after my sweet PawPaw died. 

This book isn't all tragedy. There are some pretty hilarious moments sprinkled throughout. My favorite is probably when Ben Thales makes the nightly news. You'll have to read the story to find out what he does. I won't ruin it for you. Just know that I literally choked on my drink while reading. (Thank goodness for my life-saving hubs!) I also loved the act of vandalism that happens towards the end of the book. I may or may not have taken part in something similar in my younger years.  I highly recommend this book and if you do read it, please, please, please, let me know what you thought of it! 

Thank you to FW Media and Bethany Carland-Adams for the opportunity to review! 

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SPOTLIGHT: THE BIG WIDE CALM - Rich Marcello

Paige is a rock star. The world just doesn’t know it yet. She’s got the charisma, the drive, and, of course, the mega-musical skills. All she needs is to make her debut album, one that will change the world, inspire revolutions—and make her galactically famous along the way.

When John Bustin, a former semi-famous singer/songwriter offers to record Paige’s album for free, it feels like destiny, like the next step on her way to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Guitar in hand, Paige sets off to John’s recording compound, ready to unfold her future.

But the ever-elusive John, with his mysterious history, and Paige, a big dreamer but naïve about her footing in life, clash as much as they coalesce. Before they can change the world through Paige’s music, the improbable duo must learn to work together.

A coming of age story and retrospective, The Big Wide Calm focuses on human nature and the complexities of love through the eyes of young and old on the journey of creating the perfect album.

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About the Author: 

If Rich Marcello could choose only one creative mentor, he'd give the role to Jonathan Richmond and the Modern Lovers. This is not only because he currently resides in New England, where Jonathan started, but because of his life as a contemporary fiction author, poet and songwriter, whose literary inspiration often stems from songs he's written. Rich grew up in New Jersey surrounded by song and word.

For a while it seemed right to travel the musician's path, especially during his stint in his college folk group, at The University of Notre Dame, where he wrote and recorded his first original songs. But, as is true for many musicians, graduation led him down a different road, one on which he found his love for high technology. There, he enjoyed a successful career as a technology executive, managing several multi-billion dollar businesses for Fortune 500 companies.

During his time in technology he never stopped creating art, and eventually his love for song and the written word grew to the point where he walked away from his first career to pursue poetry, song, and fiction with the same enthusiasm and discipline he demonstrated in business. In The Color Of Home, his literary voice melds all three together with honest generative dialogue, poetic sensory detail, and “unforgettable characters who seem to know the complete song catalog of Lennon or Cohen.”

He’s currently working on his third novel, The Beauty of the Fall.

Author Links:  RichMarcello.com | Twitter | Goodreads | LinkedIn | Facebook