Join Kate Christenson as she battles a past that was never meant to be her own

Linked Through Time - the first of the Linked trilogy
Amazon and Barnes and Noble Bestseller!

Fifteen year old Kate Christenson is pretty sure she’s about to experience the worst possible summer at her grandparent’s farm in rural Baudette, Minnesota. Without cable, cell phones, or computers, Kate is headed for total isolation and six tedious weeks of boredom. Until the storm.

A freak lightning accident has Kate waking up in 1960. But she is not herself. She is the aunt she never met, but has eerily resembled her entire life. Thrust into living a dirt poor, rural farm life, Kate struggles to make sense of her situation- a boyfriend with a dark side, a “townie” who steals her heart, and the knowledge that 1960 is the very summer her aunt drowns in the local river.

Even with every precaution, Kate cannot stop fate, and an unexpected twist adds to her dilemma. To her horror, Kate finds out firsthand her aunt’s death was not an accident or a suicide, but something much, much worse.

The Linked Through Time series by Jessica Tornese

Lost Through Time - the second in the series

“There never was a body, you know.”

Such is the bizarre statement from Gran only weeks after Kate has returned from an accidental time traveling incident, surviving certain death…twice. Capturing Sarah’s killer seemed to be the reason for Kate’s disappearance, but Gran believes otherwise.

Learning of Kate’s power to time travel loosens memories and desires Gran has long since buried. Gran is set on finding Sarah, who she believes never died the night Dave Slater threw her in the river, but instead, went back in time through the Rapid River portal. With rudimentary research and analysis, Gran thinks she has unlocked the secrets to controlling the time traveling link that she and Kate share with their ancestors and she plans to use Kate to bring Sarah back.

When Kate agrees, she is shocked to find out that in the more aggressive form of time travel, she doesn’t become Sarah, but trades places with her, sending Kate to Baudette, Minnesota in the year of 1910, and Sarah ahead to the year 2000.

Baudette’s catastrophic 1910 fire and typhoid epidemic are the least of Kate’s worries once she discovers what has happened. Her chances of a return trip are thwarted with the struggle just to survive, and Sarah, reliving her lost childhood in the ease of current day life, decides to never return to the past, leaving Kate to suffer the life she has left behind.

Gran is torn- get rid of the daughter she has dreamed of finding for four decades, or rescue the precious granddaughter who risked everything for her selfish dream? And to what lengths will Sarah go to destroy any chances of Kate coming back? Will Sarah succeed in severing the link?

Today I'm happy to have Jessica Tornese stop by.


1. The question that is always asked—what inspired you to write Linked Through Time and Lost Through Time?

I grew up with a large family. My Dad was one of eleven children, so I have endless tales of cousins and extended family. My Dad’s stories always stuck with me because he grew up with nothing. Absolutely nothing! He did not have indoor plumbing until high school- in Northern Minnesota! I admire him and wanted to keep his stories alive. A lot of what happens to Kate in “Linked” are true events from my dad’s childhood. Lost Through Time mentions a disaster that actually occurred in my home town in 1910. I guess I just really like to keep the stories of our ancestors from dying out. They were true, hard core Americans fighting just to make a living.

 
2. Your take on time travel is unique did you do any research to help you form the idea?

I love the idea of using something that had to do with the region. Of course, northern lights are not often seen as brilliantly as in Alaska or Canada, but they are amazing and kind of mysterious, so I thought they could be a believable reason!

 
3. What challenges have you overcome in having such a unique take on time travel?

As with any book, I had to keep going back and forth to remember my rules and events to make things happen. Since I change the rules in the second book, I had to really sketch out why and how Kate could travel differently than other characters.


4. You create a very realistic picture of farm life in the 1960’s—did you do research? If not, how did you create such a realistic picture without research?

I actually lived on the farm I am describing. For a few short months, I had to live with my grandparents in the very house my Dad grew up in . They were still doing the same chores and living the same kind of lifestyle- except with indoor plumbing of course! The chores were endless and I absolutely hate haying!

 
5. Who is your favorite character and why?

I love Kate. She reminds me of myself. I was the snotty city girl that was taken out of the city and moved to a small northern MN town when I was fifteen. I thought my life was over! I learned a lot about myself as a person and learned how to work outside. I appreciate my Dad more, and am so glad to have been raised closer to his family. I love Kate’s growth and life lessons about boys. There are good boyfriends out there and bad…definitely something we have to learn!

 
6. In book one you create sympathy for the character of Sarah, but in book two she’s quite evil. Was making a character that was originally likeable into a bad character hard?

Yes. It was actually my husband’s idea to make a villain. He basically said that the story will go nowhere without a villain, so we decided Sarah had the most to be angry and vengeful for! Once I started, it was really fun to write the villain part because I never get to act that way. It was a peek into the dark side J


7. Kate matures a lot through book one, did you always plan this, or did she mature as you wrote the novel?

Kate was really a mirror of myself. I think I wanted to show that from day one- how she can go from a judgmental teenager focusing on her own needs, to learning about serving others. I think everyone makes this same transition at some point in their lives; it’s just a question of when.

 
8. In Linked Through Time keeping track of so many brothers and sisters was hard for Sarah, how did you do it as an author?

I literally took my Dad’s family and just changed the names! He had 6 brothers and 5 sisters, and I just kept picturing them in my mind.

 
9. In Linked Through Time who was your favorite brother or sister?

Probably a tie between Dean and Rodney. I identify with both of their personalities. My Dad had a little of each, so I brought out his tough military side in Rodney and his protective side in Dean.
 

10. How did you evolve the story of Linked Through Time into Lost Through Time?

I didn’t want Kate’s story to be over. I knew I wanted to write about Baudette’s historic fire, so once I decided to bring Sarah back into the picture it all fell into place. I love history and am trying to decide how to connect with the final chapter in Kate’s and Sarah’s life in book three.


11. We saw a very little bit of Travis’ son—will we see more of him?

T.J. will make an appearance in book three. I think we will see a bit more develop with him. I want Kate’s story to have something good in it for her. Though it is a little Jerry Springer, I think Kate deserves a good man and some closure in all the chaos she lives in.

 
12.  What is the name of the next book in the trilogy?

As of right now, Destroyed In Time, recommended to me by another Solstice author, Michael Thal.


13. Is there a release date set?

Not yet. I am still in the early stages of defining the book. I have to be really careful on how I end this book.

 
14. When did you start writing?

I didn’t really start writing books until a few years ago, but I have always loved writing and reading. They go hand in hand, I think.

 
15. As an author, what is your biggest challenge and how do you overcome it?

Finding time to write. I have three kids and it is a constant tornado in the house. I try to take some time once a week to nail down some outline ideas.

 
16. You are with an independent publisher, Solstice Publishing, how did you find them?

I submitted my work based on a newsletter I received called Children’s Writer. They give contact names and emails and it just happened to work out that Nik Morton liked the manuscript.

 
17. What do you like best about being with a smaller press?

I like the camaraderie with the other authors. We have a daily interaction on line. Mostly we use it for questions or support, but it’s nice to have others in the same boat as yourself.

 
18. What is the biggest challenge of being with a smaller press?

Marketing. There just isn’t enough time or money to get the word out. It has to be done over time, mostly own your own doing. But Solstice is trying hard to work with everyone and do what they can with their resources. I was just voted Solstice’s Author of the Year, so that was very exciting and proof that I do have fans out there that love the books.

 
19. For budding authors out there, how much say do you think you have in the final product, from cover to the insides, to the marketing?

Depending on the publisher, you can have a lot of say in your product. I wouldn’t let someone change my work completely, especially if it was something I didn’t believe in. Stay true to your style and someone will come along that likes it!

 
20. Other than writing, what are some things that you love to do?

I love volleyball and camping, and outdoor things in general. I love, love, love to read! A good book on the beach is my heaven!

Biography

Amazon bestselling author and voted Solstice Publishing’s 2012 Author of the Year! She has two novels in the Linked series; check out Destroyed Through Time next!

Jessica Tornese’s debut novel, Linked Through Time, was inspired by her home town Baudette, MN. She graduated from high school there and continued her education at Minnesota State University – Moorhead where she earned a degree in education. She spent several years coaching in the Junior Olympic volleyball program in Minnesota as well as the junior varsity team for Lake of the Woods High School in 2010.

Her favorite hobbies include reading, scrapbooking, playing volleyball, and extreme outdoor sports like caving, ziplining, and white water rafting. Jessica is also active in her church and has run several Vacation Bible School programs and Sunday school programs. She enjoys working with kids of all ages!

She hopes to finish her Linked trilogy soon, and continue writing. Recently, she self-published her first juvenile fiction book for kids online. (see M&M Twins)

Jessica is married and has three children. Her family recently relocated to a small town in south Florida.

http://store.solsticepublishing.com/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Linked-Through-Time/392292227468460?fref=ts

Twitter- @jltornese

Blog/Website- http://www.jessicatornese.com

Join Kate Christenson as she

 battles a past that was never

 meant to be her own

Linked Through Time - the first of the Linked trilogy
Amazon and Barnes and Noble Bestseller!

Fifteen year old Kate Christenson is pretty sure she’s about to experience the worst possible summer at her grandparent’s farm in rural Baudette, Minnesota. Without cable, cell phones, or computers, Kate is headed for total isolation and six tedious weeks of boredom. Until the storm.

A freak lightning accident has Kate waking up in 1960. But she is not herself. She is the aunt she never met, but has eerily resembled her entire life. Thrust into living a dirt poor, rural farm life, Kate struggles to make sense of her situation- a boyfriend with a dark side, a “townie” who steals her heart, and the knowledge that 1960 is the very summer her aunt drowns in the local river.

Even with every precaution, Kate cannot stop fate, and an unexpected twist adds to her dilemma. To her horror, Kate finds out firsthand her aunt’s death was not an accident or a suicide, but something much, much worse.

EXCERPT FROM LINKED THROUGH TIME

Steering carefully into the gravel drive of the Rapid River parking lot, I swore under my breath as the bike’s rear wheel slid on loose gravel. Trying to right the bike too quickly, I ended up swerving sharply to the left and crashing into the brush at the side of the gravel lot. Flying over the handlebars, I landed in a patch of overgrown weeds, my knee striking a rock hidden in the ground. Pain radiated from my knee, paralyzing me for a moment. I lay sprawled face first in the grass, breathing in the smell of earth and dry grass, cursing myself and everything on the planet.

Emotions overwhelmed my frazzled, fragile mind and I let loose with a string of profanities that would have definitely earned me a whipping. Rubbing my throbbing knee, I groaned.

Lightning flashed and the breeze picked up as if on cue, sending the cattails above my head into an agitated dance.

With great effort, I stood and flexed my leg. I could feel the slightest trickle of blood dripping a warm path down my shin. Perfect, I grimaced. Can anything else possibly go wrong tonight?

My vision had adjusted slightly to the moonless night, but I still had to partly feel my way to the place Travis and I spent the evening. Pushing through the brush, I couldn’t help but sense that uneasy, creepy feeling that comes from wandering in the dark, as though eyes watched you and monster hands waited to grab at your feet. My heart pounded loudly in my ears, the tingling creep of fear working its way from my head down through my limbs. I forced myself to keep my eyes forward, ignoring the nagging feeling that someone or something watched me from the shadows of the rocky shore.

Limbs of the interlocking pines poked and prodded my bare arms as I threaded my way through the trees. The pounding of the rapids had increased with the coming of the storm; the wind tossed the water upon the rocks, sending spray high into the air.

When I broke through the tree line, I stood mesmerized by the awesome power of the roaring water. It looked as if the rapids were fighting to break free of their rocky channel, its watery fingers washing over the rocks, reaching far down the wall, only to withdraw and try again.

Above the churning waters, a simple two-lane bridge hung defiantly in the air, its thick concrete arches planted firmly around the dangerous rocks. Suddenly, a semi loaded with logs thundered across the bridge overhead; its headlights lighting up the darkness for a matter of seconds. I used the momentary help to break my gaze from the water and search the outer banks for my sweater.

A flicker of movement amidst the trees caught my line of sight, and I focused in on a ring of pines to my right; the very place Travis and I had been a few hours earlier.

“Travis?” I called out hopefully, thinking he had remembered to retrieve my sweater.

 

 
 

EXCERPT FROM LOST THROUGH TIME

I felt the exact moment my heart stopped beating in my chest.

“Where’s Mary?” I said, trying to keep the alarm from rising in my voice. The group looked around, stunned.

Vivie handed Gracie to James. “She was just here. I swear it.”

Frantic, we strained to see across the wagon bridge into Spooner. The brilliant blond tresses of Mary’s head were nowhere to be seen.

Ruth spoke up. “That man took her to the depot.”

I stared hard at Ruth, trying to process the words, but not understanding. “What man?” I said, confused. There were dozens of people crossing the bridge rushing in all directions. Like ants on a collapsing anthill, the twin towns were alive with chaos, the people coming and going with what looked like little purpose. “What man?” I said again, the panic seizing my voice and pushing it another octave higher. I grasped Ruth’s arms in a painful, panicked grip.

Ruth shrank away, afraid I might lash out. “I don’t know. I was watching John. Aunt Vivie told me to watch John.” Her eyes welled with tears. “I had John,” she insisted again, afraid of taking the blame.

“What did the man look like? What was he doing?” I demanded.

“He was that man from the backyard. The big man who touched Mary’s hair. I heard him say he could help her run faster. For her to take his hand.”

Sickness heaved inside and I clenched my jaw.

“You were getting sick over the bridge,” Ruth accused. “You weren’t helping at all! Mary couldn’t keep up and she was crying!”

Vivie reached out and gripped my shoulders. Without saying a word, we stared hard into each other’s eyes, the truth of the situation passing between us as though we were speaking aloud. McGraw had bided his time, watched us from afar and waited for a weak moment. He

couldn’t possibly know the danger he faced. Was it a ploy? Would he really take Mary? Or was he just trying to get me alone to give chase and play his twisted game of revenge?

“I’ll go,” Vivie said, the sacrifice evident in the firm line of her mouth. “You can’t fall for his trap, Kate. He won’t do anything to me.”

“No,” I argued. “Too dangerous. If something happens to you, then Gran will never be born, and then, neither will I.”

Reviews from Readers:

5 *- Hannah-  “This book was recommended to me by a friend, and I am very glad I bought it! As someone who grew up in Minnesota, I enjoyed the Midwestern nuances included in the author's style. The story line has the perfect amount of complexity to allow for an easy read with a plot that keeps you guessing and looking forward to reading. I will be referring my friends and family to this book, and am excited to read more by this author in the future.”

5*- Author Jennifer Comeaux-“ I haven't read many time travel stories, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one from Jessica Tornese. What I loved most about it were the rich details that put me back in the 1960's rural setting and the relationship between Kate and her father in the past. It was such a neat way to strengthen the bond between father and daughter - a bond that was very shaky in present day. The story kept me in suspense throughout as I wondered if Kate would be able to change the past, and the ending was definitely a surprise! I'll be looking out for more from Jessica Tornese in the future.”

5*-Author Nancy Wood-“ LINKED THROUGH TIME by Jessica Tornese tells the story of Kate Christenson, a self-absorbed 15-year-old who's forced to spend the summer at her grandparents' farm in rural Minnesota. There's no internet or cell service. No cable. And before Kate even makes it into the farmhouse, she accidentally smashes her iPod: a clean separation from the life she knew. Kate has issues with everyone, from her dad to grandparents to her mother. Nothing is made easier by the fact that Kate's a dead ringer for her Aunt Sarah, who committed suicide at age 15.

But when Kate is transported back to 1960, resurrected as Sarah, her once-burning issues begin to seem trivial in light of what she's facing. Life is so different than what Kate is used to, it's like a movie. Every member of the family works long, hard hours on the farm. There's Sarah's questionable relationship with intimidating boyfriend Dave Slator. There's a new love interest, Travis Kochevar, a townie. There's Sarah's siblings, Kate's dad, and other aunts and uncles. And there the secrets Sarah keeps, secrets that she doesn't even share with her closest sibling, Kate's dad. With Sarah's death looming, Kate has to figure out why she's there. Kate grows up during her stay in 1960. When she pops back into the year 2000, she's matured, much more compassionate, and much more aware of love, loyalty, and family.

This book drew me in and moved along flawlessly. There's something for every reader: the paranormal, romance, suspense, and a mystery with a twist. Jessica Tornese's deft writing will keep you turning the pages. I'm hoping for a sequel!”

5*- Jboy- “Jessica definitely delivers on her sequel to Linked Through Time. It takes a crazy twist at the beginning and it keeps your attention to the very end. I'm hoping there will be a third book since I really enjoy Jessica's writing style and story telling.”

5*-MN girl- “I think I liked this book even more than the first! I was surprised at the development of Sarah's character, and felt the suspense building throughout the book as well. Knowing what was supposed to happen, and waiting to see what WOULD happen just made the story fly by. The developments at the end of the book leave me feeling excited to see what this author has in store for the third installment of Kate's story!”

Lost Through Time - the second in the series

“There never was a body, you know.”

Such is the bizarre statement from Gran only weeks after Kate has returned from an accidental time traveling incident, surviving certain death…twice. Capturing Sarah’s killer seemed to be the reason for Kate’s disappearance, but Gran believes otherwise.

Learning of Kate’s power to time travel loosens memories and desires Gran has long since buried. Gran is set on finding Sarah, who she believes never died the night Dave Slater threw her in the river, but instead, went back in time through the Rapid River portal. With rudimentary research and analysis, Gran thinks she has unlocked the secrets to controlling the time traveling link that she and Kate share with their ancestors and she plans to use Kate to bring Sarah back.

When Kate agrees, she is shocked to find out that in the more aggressive form of time travel, she doesn’t become Sarah, but trades places with her, sending Kate to Baudette, Minnesota in the year of 1910, and Sarah ahead to the year 2000.

Baudette’s catastrophic 1910 fire and typhoid epidemic are the least of Kate’s worries once she discovers what has happened. Her chances of a return trip are thwarted with the struggle just to survive, and Sarah, reliving her lost childhood in the ease of current day life, decides to never return to the past, leaving Kate to suffer the life she has left behind.

Gran is torn- get rid of the daughter she has dreamed of finding for four decades, or rescue the precious granddaughter who risked everything for her selfish dream? And to what lengths will Sarah go to destroy any chances of Kate coming back? Will Sarah succeed in severing the link?

This Hop is brought to you by 

Fabulosity Reads Book Tours

8 AUTHORS OVER 4 DAYS GENRES: Romance, Historical Fiction

Tour Link:  March Book Frenzy

Character:  Eden Gelsey
Book: Eden's Darkness by D.M. Sears


Tell me a little about yourself.

I have just turned 18 and up until a year ago lived with my Aunt and Uncle in the human world. I have a birthmark on my wrist that started giving me trouble…until I figured out it was the mark of the Chosen One.


Where do you live?

I live in a world inside the human world called Ellethny. It is on earth, but a different realm on earth. It is like nothing you have ever seen before. Ellethny has Shape-shifters, Feys, Vampires, and Mages…also Shadows. Something no one wants to come in contact with.


Who is the most important person in your life?

I have so many important people in my life. My Aunt Val and Uncle Lex took me in after my mother and father were attacked. Gregor, who is my husband, made a life vow to be my protector, friend, lover, and warrior. Maiya and Koren have sacrificed so much time and again before they even got to know me just because they believed in my quest.


What was your childhood like?

My childhood was like any other, normal and boring. The one cool thing was helping Val make her potions and concoctions for others. See, she was a healer…um, IS a healer. Little did I know she and Lex were both mages.


Of all the people you've met, who would you LEAST like to be stuck in an elevator with?

That one is easy, my grandmother Circenn! All she wants to do is try and take my powers so she can overrun Ellethny and claim herself queen. The woman had major psycho issues if you ask me.


What is the most important thing in your life? What do you value most?

My family. Above all else they are my life. Without them life is not worth living. That is why I am fighting the darkness to bring Ellethny back to its glory, for my family. So people who left Ellethny can come back and live once again.


What is your biggest fear?

My biggest fear is that I will fail. The fate of a world rests in my hands, I am the only one who can bring the light back. If I fail to defeat Circenn and Darkness, the world I love will end and its people will be forever enslaved to the ideas of a mad woman.


What is the most important thing that ever happened to you? Why?

Meeting my mom…well her spirit, I should say. I found a peace I had lost and the strength I needed to continue on my journey.


Do you have any special talents or abilities?

As the Chosen One I have abilities from all the races in Ellethny. I have wings to fly and fey sight, I have vampire senses and reflexes, mages' magic, and the coolest thing is I can shift into animal forms. My favorite spirit animal is Ryuu…my dragon.


How do you see your future?

I see myself in my meadow with Gregor and our daughter living in peace as my family and world thrive.


If you could spend the day with someone you admire (living or dead or imaginary), who would you pick?

I would say my parents. As both of them are dead and I have never really seen or spent time with them, I would say them.


If you had a free day with no responsibilities, how would you spend it?

I would go to Japan and ride all the roller coasters! I am a fanatic for adrenaline now.


Where can we find out more about you?

You can read all about my beginning in Eden’s Mark and continue my journey in Eden’s Darkness. Both are on Amazon and other book sites.

Biography

D.M. Sears lives in a small town in the mid-west with her daughter Larissa and their crazy familiar Cindy Lou. She spends weekdays as a director for an early childhood center and weeknights fighting the voices in her head putting them down on paper in the form of Paranormal and Fantasy writings. When she has down time, she indulges in her obsession with Hindi films featuring a certain Shak Rukh Khan along with reading books of various genres. D.M. Sears is also the author of Eden's Mark, Book One in the Ellethny Series. Also, coming Fall 2014, Eden’s Revelation and an elemental novel, The Order of Amite: The New Erregen.

Facebook Fan Page -  https://www.facebook.com/pages/DM-Sears/675167942528555
Twitter - @DMSears1
Website - http://myrissaeden1.wix.com/ellethnyseries

What would you do if the person you loved the most became the very thing you were fighting to destroy? Eden will have to answer that very question before her quest is through. The land she has come to love is at dire risk of being lost to the shadows seeking to consume it. Circenn, now the consort of Darkness, waits to claim her granddaughter and her powers, unaware that Darkness has his own agenda. He has but little time to obtain his vessel and find his true form. Will he succeed? And will Eden be able to face the disturbing visions that continue to pursue her? Nightmares will become reality in Eden's Darkness, Book Two in the Ellethny Series.

What would you do if the person you loved the most became the very thing you were fighting to destroy? Eden will have to answer that very question before her quest is through. The land she has come to love is at dire risk of being lost to the shadows seeking to consume it. Circenn, now the consort of Darkness, waits to claim her granddaughter and her powers, unaware that Darkness has his own agenda. He has but little time to obtain his vessel and find his true form. Will he succeed? And will Eden be able to face the disturbing visions that continue to pursue her? Nightmares will become reality in Eden's Darkness, Book Two in the Ellethny Series.

Today I'm happy to have author D.M. Sears stop by.


When did you start writing and why?

I didn’t really think about becoming a writer, it actually kind of just happened. I had hit a point in my life where I felt I lost the one thing inside me that made me who I was, the playful child. I began telling my daughter a bedtime story, creating the world of Ellethny; from that, my imagination soared. I sat down one night and began the journey that has become Eden’s Mark. I found my childhood imagination again.


What is it about fantasy that rocks your boat, what inspires you?

I have always been a huge Sci-Fi geek! I love zombies, witches, mages, fairies, vampires, all of them! People used to make fun of me for being drawn to the dark and exciting world of the paranormal. I guess it gives me a place to escape when I am feeling stressed. Something about the idea of living in a world full of fantasy creatures just turns me on.


Do you write in other genres?

Not currently, but I plan to expand into that serial killer type of horror genre.


Which authors do you admire most and why?

I admire all authors. It takes real guts to press send or mail a manuscript. That first rejection can be heart wrenching! Anyone who keeps at it and writes is worthy of admiration, just think how many authors quit before they become published? I will say a few of my favs are P.C Cast, Anne Rice, Christine Feehan, Suzanne Collins, Allison Goodman, Paolini, and Tolkien.


If you could offer any advice to writers what would it be?

Just keep writing, never stop. No matter how many rejections you receive, keep trying. Eventually your work will find a place in the publishing community, even if you indie publish!


What other projects have you in mind?

Eden’s Darkness, Book Two in the Ellethny Series was just released with Solstice Shadows. My other book, The Order of Amite, is scheduled to be released soon after. I am currently finishing up Eden’s Revelation, which will be the final book in the Ellethny Series. Other than that, I have novellas started to capture the lives of characters and races from my Eden novels.


Have you suffered from writer's block and, if so, what do you do to get over it?

Writer's block is not something I have an issue with. My problem is having so many ideas; I sometimes can’t get it all to fit! My mind thinks about so many outcomes and I want them all to happen that I become flummoxed and have to listen to music to get it all straight.

Biography

D.M. Sears lives in a small town in the mid-west with her daughter Larissa and their crazy familiar Cindy Lou. She spends weekdays as a director for an early childhood center and weeknights fighting the voices in her head putting them down on paper in the form of Paranormal and Fantasy writings. When she has down time, she indulges in her obsession with Hindi films featuring a certain Shak Rukh Khan along with reading books of various genres. D.M. Sears is also the author of Eden's Mark, Book One in the Ellethny Series. Also, coming Fall 2014, Eden’s Revelation and an elemental novel, The Order of Amite: The New Erregen.

What would you do if the person you loved the most became the very thing you were fighting to destroy? Eden will have to answer that very question before her quest is through. The land she has come to love is at dire risk of being lost to the shadows seeking to consume it. Circenn, now the consort of Darkness, waits to claim her granddaughter and her powers, unaware that Darkness has his own agenda. He has but little time to obtain his vessel and find his true form. Will he succeed? And will Eden be able to face the disturbing visions that continue to pursue her? Nightmares will become reality in Eden's Darkness, Book Two in the Ellethny Series.

Character:  Jay Ferragamo
Book: A 38 Day Education by John Guzzardo


Tell me a little about yourself.  Where do you live? 

Well, I'm originally from Palm Harbor, Florida. It's part of the Tampa-St. Petersburg area.  Right now, I'm in school at South Central College.  It's in a small town in southern Georgia called Danielsonville.


Who is the most important person in your life? 

My roommate, Martin Ballard.  He's a great guy; like a brother in a lot of ways.  We have great conversations and we both respect each other very much.  I think, when it comes down to it, he's one of the reasons I look forward to coming back to school every fall.  We're like family.


What was your childhood like?

It was a mixed bag, really.  I grew up in Schenectady, New York, but I could never really get into the cold; I used to play in the snow alone, and I spent a lot of time at the playground by myself.  Most of my childhood was spent in my room reading, outside playing by myself, or at the library.  My dad inherited the print shop my grandfather started, but after ten years of trying to run the shop and have his own career, he decided he didn't want to be a printer, and sold it.  He had been working as a manager for a trucking company when he was transferred to Scranton, Pennsylvania.  We lived there until I was about 13, when we moved to Palm Harbor.  I went to public school in New York, Catholic school in
PA, and back into public school in Florida.  Never had too many friends - most of my classmates called my nerdy, dorky and stupid. When we moved to Florida, I was in high school and came into my own. I love the warm weather.


Of all the people you've met, who would you LEAST like to be stuck in an elevator with? 

That would probably have to be Tasha Davidson. She's the Vice President of Student Government.  Not to sound disrespectful or rude, but she's that really irritating sort of wealthy, the sort who looks at a guy like me and just sneers like "you aren't good enough to breathe the same air with me."  I deal with her because it's a necessary evil, nothing more, nothing less.


What is the most important thing in your life? 

I can't say for sure. My education is important.  My family is important.  Right now, the most important thing in my life is helping keep my college newspaper, The Scope, running.  It's the first place I've ever felt like I fit in, and now I'm doing the best I can to keep it running.  The staff is like my family and friends, and I don't want to let them down.


What is your biggest fear?

Never finding that special someone who I can have a life with.  I almost had it with this girl Vanessa, but I know it's not meant to be.  I guess I'm kind of scared of never finding a woman I can fall in love with.


Do you have any special talents or abilities?

Aside from being highly sanctimonious, pompous and arrogant simultaneously?  Well, I'm a pretty good writer and not afraid of working really long hours.


How do you see your future?

*laughing*  You want to know something? I can't see past the next three months, but okay, I'll bite.  I see my future like this - getting through school, getting a job, meeting a beautiful woman, and having a family.  I would like to be a journalist someday.  Hell, maybe I'll even be an anchor for CNN, if I'm really lucky and don't screw it up.


If you could spend the day with someone you admire (living or dead or imaginary), who would you pick?

Oh, that's easy:  my grandfather. Grandpa Ferragamo, from what I've been told, was a great man.  He worked hard, was a great writer, and started a print shop that's still in operation today.  I really wish I could talk to him and know what real sacrifice and real leadership is all about.


Where can we find out more about you?

Well, right now there's not a lot about me out there, but my story will, hopefully, be available to read soon.  Just keep an eye out for A 38 Day Education by John E. Guzzardo.


Links

Website - www.getinjohnshead.com
Blog – getinjohnshead.wordpress.com
Twitter - @GetinJohnsHead
Facebook - JohnEGuzzardo

Interview with Andy Thompson, a character from Hike Up Devil's Mountain by Penny Estelle

Character: Andy Thompson
Book: Hike Up Devil’s Mountain by Penny Estelle


Tell me a little about yourself?           

Well, I’m ten years old and I’m in a world of trouble.  I went to a house that is supposed to be demolished tomorrow and I found this box in the basement that had this stick in it.  Well, the thing started glowing this bright red, then just stopped.  I was trying to get it to glow again, when Jason Crew and his brother found me.  Well, Jason is the new school bully and he tried to take my stick.  We were fighting for it and the next thing I knew, Jason was a toad.  I mean, that wouldn’t be my fault, right?


Where do you live?           

Clarksdale.


Who is the most important person in your life?

Right now, it’s the person that lives on top of Devil’s Mountain who can, hopefully, change this spell.


What was your childhood like? 

Well until today, it was just like anybody else’s.  I mean, I was just a regular kid.  Now, I’m hiking up the scary mountain with another kid my age and he has his twelve year old brother, who is now a toad, in his shirt pocket!


Of all the people you've met, who would you LEAST like to be stuck in an elevator with?

Jason Crew, when he turns back into a kid.  I don’t think my life is going to be worth squat, when that happens.


What is the most important thing in your life? 

This very minute it’s my mom’s understanding, 'cause I don’t think I’ll be seeing much of that when she hears the trouble I’ve gotten myself into.


What is your biggest fear? 

Right now it’s whatever is coming out of this cave.  There is a horrible smell and we can see a green glow coming our way. 


Do you have any special talents or abilities? 

I didn’t think so!  But when this day is over, I will find out I have a VERY SPECIAL TALENT!


How do you see your future? 

Hopefully – Alive!


If you could spend the day with someone you admire (living or dead or imaginary), who would you pick? 

Merlin - the wizard, Glinda - the Good Witch of the North, Dumbledore or any of the students from Hogwarts…anybody who could turn this spell around!


Where can we find out more about you?  

In the story, Hike Up Devil’s Mountain.

Biography


Hi everybody!  My name is Penny Estelle.  I was a school secretary for 21 years and retired in 2009.  We moved to our retirement home in Kingman, AZ, and we live on 54 acres in a very rural area.  Actually we live “off the grid”, on solar and wind.  A real adjustment for a city girl.  I must say – I love it.  Nothing like looking out your window in the early morning and see a wave of quail running across the property, or walking out your front door at night and hear coyotes howling in the distance and seeing a sky bursting with stars.  It is breathtaking!

I started writing for kids right before I retired.  There is always material when kids are involved.  I am pleased to say I have several middle grade/tween books out and, under P. A. Estelle,  I have stories for the not so young. I also have a non-fiction story out about our life with solar.

Excerpt from Hike Up Devil’s Mountain

~~~~~~~~~~

            Jason was getting closer to Andy.  His voice hissed through his teeth.  “You must think we are some kind of stupid.  We aren’t like the hicks who live in this town and if you think we would even begin to believe some story about an old witch who lived here, then you better think again!”  Jason pushed Andy hard against the wooden cabinet.
            Andy shut his eyes waiting for the first blow.  Nothing happened.  He squinted open his left eye and saw Jason’s head cocked to one side, trying to see behind Andy’s back.  “What have you got there, Andy Pandy?”
            Uh oh, the glowing stick.  Andy wasn’t about to give that up.  “Nothing,” he told him, trying to back away but there was no place to go.
            “Oh I think there is something,” Jason sneered.
            “It’s mine!” Andy shouted.  “You will have to do your worst if you think you are taking this from me!”
            “No problem,” Jason said, lunging forward.  Andy tried to fake him out, pretending to run one way and then the other.  That didn’t work.  That never worked!   Jason grabbed Andy’s arm that held the stick and tried to grab it. Something was going to break, and Andy wasn’t sure if it would be the stick or his arm.  They both fell and were rolling on the floor.  Andy knew he was losing this battle.  No matter how hard he held on, he could feel his new-found treasure start to slip out of his grasp.
            “Jason, stop it!”  Danny shouted.  “You’re acting like a big dumb toad!”
            “Yeah…you’re … acting… like…a…toad!” Andy gasped between each word.
            The stick exploded into a flash of light and then the fight was over.  Andy jumped up, trying to fill his lungs with air.  What happened?  Danny came running over to where Andy stood.  “Where’s Jason?”  Andy couldn’t answer because he couldn’t catch his breath.  Danny yelled, “Jason, where are you?  Quit messing around!”
            His chest still heaving, Andy stammered, “I don’t know.  I . . . don’t know what just happened.” 
            They both looked to the floor.  Under one of the boxes was what looked like a pair of pants.  “Jason!” Danny hurried to lift the box.  No Jason — just his pants.  Lying close by were his nice Nike shoes, socks and a short distance away was his shirt.  “What did you do?” he yelled at Andy.
            “Nothing!  I didn’t do anything!  I . . . don’t know!”  Andy had no answers. 
            Danny tried again.  “Jason,” he screamed his name.  “Where are you?”

~~~~~~~~~~

Links

http://www.amazon.com/Penny-Estelle/e/B006S62XBY

www.pennystales.com

www.pennyestelle.blogspot.com

https://twitter.com/Pennystales

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5820078.Penny_Estelle

http://www.facebook.com/pennystales

https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore2/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=146&Itemid=82


Helen, thank you so much for letting me stop by today.  You are a wonderful hostess and I appreciate your time!

Hike Up Devil’s Mountain

by Penny Estelle

Today I'm happy to have author John Guzzardo stop by and talk about his latest book, A 38 Day Education.

1. Greetings, can you tell us a little bit about your history and how your work has evolved up to this point?

I began writing at 17 for my high school literary magazine while taking Creative Writing.  It was there I discovered I enjoyed creative writing and upon arriving at college, I immediately began working for my college newspaper.  After a year and a half, I took over as Editor, ran my newspaper for two and a half years, and then shortly after left college to get married.  During that time I wrote a few letters to the editor of various newspapers and tried to get my foot in the door as a journalist at some news organizations, but it was not meant to be.  There was a somewhat abortive attempt to get a comic strip I drew picked up by a syndicate, but that too wasn’t meant to be.  I started writing again in 2007 when it became obvious I had an itch to get back into it again.  I’ve been writing ever since.


2. What genre, or genres, do you write?

I write mostly collegiate/political fiction, but I am dabbling in science fiction at this point.  I also enjoy writing about politics on my blog and do jump in and out of humor writing from time to time.


3.  What is your latest book called and what is it about?

A 38 Day Education is the first in what I hope to be a five-book series based on the exploits of the staff of The Scope, the newspaper of South Central College, a fictional school in south Georgia.  It chronicles Jay Ferragamo’s transformation from an insecure college sophomore into a semi-confident, accomplished Editor of his campus newspaper.  Along the way, he has to learn about life, politics and understanding that sometimes things aren’t always what they seem to be.


4. What was the inspiration for your book?

A 38 Day Education is inspired by my own experience with my campus newspaper, The Sou’Wester, at Georgia Southwestern State University.  In March 1994, I became Editor after serving as Assistant Editor up until that point and some of the basic plot points in the book mirror my own experiences.  While the characters were all inspired by people I either knew or worked with, great effort was made to ensure that no one character was too much like any single person in real life.


5. Where can we buy your books?

A 38 Day Education has only recently been contracted for publication by Solstice Publishing, so it may a little bit before I have a release date.  However, once I have been told what the editing and publishing schedule is, I will be working tirelessly to get the book to market.


6. What can we expect from you in the future?

The expectation is that this current novel will be the springboard sufficient to launch the entire Scope series.  I am also working on a science-fiction novel which is based on the concept of Earth becoming a capital to a galactic government, after its original capital planet was destroyed as part of an ongoing war between cousin races, a war which actually influenced the religious beliefs of humankind for eons.


7. Among your own books, have you a favorite book?  Favorite hero or heroine?

Most of what I read is historical non-fiction.  That said, my favorite book overall is Dave Barry Talks Back, a collection of columns by humorist Dave Barry.  As for fiction, my favorite novel is actually Peter David’s Legions of Fire trilogy, an adaptation of a Babylon 5 script written by J. Michael Straczynski.  My favorite hero of any book is John Coffey from Stephen King’s The Green Mile.


8. Do you plot ahead of time, or do you let the plot emerge as you write?

A combination of the two.  I work from a mental outline for the essential plot but like to let the plot emerge.  One thing I do is “talk out” the scenes in private, including the dialogue, to see how the book sounds.  My experience is that how we write reflects how we speak, and this is how I handle the dialogue.  I’ll write different parts of the book as I get inspiration, like a patchwork quilt, and then “stitch” them together with transitional scenes.


9. Who are some of your favorite authors to read? Favorite books?

My favorite contemporary writers are Peter David and Dave Barry.  I have a fondness for Shakespeare (my sister gave me a complete Shakespeare book that weighs about twenty five pounds!).  My favorite books include Dave Barry Talks Back, 1776, The ‘What Ifs’ of American History, and Ben Franklin:  An American Life.  I have read the first three books of the Harry Potter series and, strangely, I could never really get into J.K. Rowling’s style.


10. What would be your ultimate goal as a writer?

My goal is to use my books and writing as a teaching tool.  I am a teacher at heart and if one person learns something from my books, then all this writing is worth it.  On a purely selfish note, I would love to see my books in my old campus book store under the title “Required Reading.”  I know that would make more than a few people gnash their teeth.


Biography

John E. Guzzardo has been writing, in one form or another, for over 20 years.  His writing career began in high school, continuing to college as Editor of his campus newspaper from 1994 through 1996, and again in 2011.  John has been featured on Examiner.com, Yahoo and published a webcomic, Love & Marriage, from 2005 through 2007.

History, politics and art are some of John's favorite subjects, and he is an avid highway and cat enthusiast, as well as a fan of baseball's Tampa Bay Rays.  Personal causes include the fight against Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), diabetes awareness and constitutional law. Among the writers John counts as his inspiration for pursuing his dream of being a published author are Peter David, Dave Barry and George R.R. Martin.

He currently resides in the Atlanta area with his wife, son, and, yes, cats.


Links

Website - www.getinjohnshead.com
Blog – getinjohnshead.wordpress.com
Twitter - @GetinJohnsHead
Facebook - JohnEGuzzardo

The Prince and the Singularity - A Circular Tale is a take on the Creation myth, drawing from different religious and philosophical sources and mixing them in an original, challenging and often very funny way. It is written in a multi-layered format, allowing it to be read both as a simple and entertaining fable and as a deeply philosophical work, full of hidden references and satire.

It’s the story of the Prince aka the Master aka Francis, who is more or less immortal and goes through the millennia fighting Desire and Rejection, the roots of all unhappiness and evil. He always fails until the moment he loses interest and decides to die, which he doesn't. Instead he gets promoted.

Today I'm happy to have author Pedro Barrento stop by and talk about his latest book, The Prince and the Singularity - A Circular Tale.


Tell us a little something about yourself as both a person and an author

I’m a maverick, a loner and someone who loves to think about problems too complicated to ever have a solution. I also have very peculiar beliefs, as I do not believe in the existence of God but I believe in the existence of spiritual dimensions. It’s a very uncomfortable position to be in, because religious people consider me an atheist and atheists just consider me incoherent.


What made you decide to be a writer?

I always wrote short pieces, mainly about political satire, and I have a blog dedicated to that (mostly in Portuguese, though).

One of my satirical pieces, “The Euro Crisis Explained to Grannies”, has now been viewed almost 15,000 times, so I guess at least some people must like it.

I then started having ideas for longer and more complicated stories.


What made you pick this genre to write?

My book is cross genre. It's a mix of literary fiction with shades of Pratchett humour over a New Age background. I should've picked a genre but unfortunately I didn't, which makes marketing the thing an uphill struggle of Himalayan proportions.


Tell us a little about your latest book

My idea was to write a book that would simultaneously:

a) be funny (both funny peculiar and funny ha-ha);

b) could be read as a simple story that anyone could understand and appreciate;

c) had several “hidden” layers below the basic story that different people could read differently, depending on their cultural and religious backgrounds;

d) would mix concepts from different religions and philosophies, in a thought-provoking way.

While writing the book, I toyed with the idea of creating three different self-contained stories that could be read in any order whatsoever and would make sense either individually or in connection with the other two, but that proved to be too difficult and I abandoned the concept. As a leftover of that idea, though, chapters 1 to 12 make up a self-contained story of their own.

The book is a reflection of the Great Fusion Era in which we live, where lifestyles, religions, beliefs and economic and political systems are fusing together, with the inherent social confusion and clashes between cultures.

We live in times where people feel insecure and troubled, but these are epic times, the transition between one era and the next one.

The book is a reflection of all that. It fuses concepts from different religions (which has been done before) and, more importantly, it fuses religion with atheism, an exercise most people would consider a logical impossibility.


How do you come up with your ideas?

You’re going to think I’m completely nuts, but I believe all books are already written, in some other dimension. Writers get their stories when they somehow connect to that other dimension. As no writer is capable of receiving a whole book, what happens is that they receive some parts and then fill in the missing parts with their mind. The more parts they “receive”, the better writers they are. The parts they “fill in” tend to be the weakest bits of their books.

That’s what happened with my book. I suddenly “saw” parts of the story, usually in situations where I was totally relaxed and thinking of nothing in particular, especially while swimming or driving a car.

I wrote down those parts, which came in a non-sequential way (Ch.1, Ch.2,  Ch. 12, then Ch.9, etc). The book has 27 chapters. In the end, I had big chunks of the book written down and I had some parts missing in several places in the middle. Those parts I wrote with my mind, just trying to connect what had been “received”, if you may call it that way.

I have very little hope that you’ll believe my version of how the book was written but I can assure you it’s the truth.

Also the writing process was very odd, because on top of being non-sequential, I started by writing a draft in Portuguese, then someone translated that draft into English, then I rewrote the English translation because I thought it had lost the right “feel”. Afterwards I finished writing the book in English, meaning that 30,000 words were written in Portuguese, translated, rewritten by me and then 14,500 words were added directly in English. I then had to translate the part that was written in English into my own language, which is a very odd situation.


Is there someone in particular you would like to thank for supporting you through this process?

Lynn Curtis (http://www.lynncurtis.co.uk/), my editor and literary consultant must come first and foremost. In fact, I believe that calling her a literary consultant is an offense. She is a living goddess, no less.

Teresa Frederico, the person who revised the Portuguese version is also someone who deserves a HUGE “thank you”, especially as she did it for free (well, I promised her untold riches if the book is successful). I’d also like to thank Sandro Marques for several suggestions made while I was writing the initial Portuguese draft. Fernanda Gil and Paula Soto Maior have also helped in the graphic department, with several sketches for covers which unfortunately ended up not being used.


Tell us one positive thing that has happened to you since you published your book(s)

People have finally stopped seeing me as a lawyer (which I hated) and now see me as a writer (which is a lot sexier).


Tell us one negative thing that has happened to you since you published your book(s)

I’ll tell you something that happened before I published the book.

I tested it extensively on several sites, especially on authonomy.com, and I found out that writing a book which mixes sources from different cultures is a very delicate process. To my (probably naïve) astonishment, in the beginning, I was getting raving reviews from readers of Asian origin and very mixed reviews from American readers, which ranged from “great book” to “you’ll burn in hell”. I reached the conclusion that the “you’ll burn in hell” readers just weren’t understanding the book.

I then added a Prologue, to make the book easier to understand to readers less familiarized with some of the philosophies involved and after that I’m glad to say I’ve stopped receiving “hate mail”.


Give us your links to learn more about you and your book

The book is available both as a paper book and an ebook on Amazon, Smashwords, Kobo, etc., and all those sites allow you to read a sample.

I’ll leave you with the Amazon USA Kindle link, but whether that is the ideal link to check out the book depends on where each reader lives, so people should choose the site most adequate for the country they live in:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B3B3QNS

The Prince and the Singularity - A Circular Tale is a take on the Creation myth, drawing from different religious and philosophical sources and mixing them in an original, challenging and often very funny way. It is written in a multi-layered format, allowing it to be read both as a simple and entertaining fable and as a deeply philosophical work, full of hidden references and satire.

It’s the story of the Prince aka the Master aka Francis, who is more or less immortal and goes through the millennia fighting Desire and Rejection, the roots of all unhappiness and evil. He always fails until the moment he loses interest and decides to die, which he doesn't. Instead he gets promoted.