Interview with Lory La Sevla

We are sharing some of our favorite interviews from the past. This interview, from 2015, features Lory La Selva Paduano -- the author of the historical-fiction novel The High Priestess.

Book blurb

ln a narrative setting, 'The High Priestess' is a story retold time after time to all those of 'Khemithian' backgrounds. Khemit is a mystacism about ancient Egypt that many have yet to discover. From a lost Dynasty, to the conspiracies brought forth by the present, it envelopes your heart and ships it right back to the fascinating era. Khafa our High priestess, is sure not to disappoint our readers, as she takes on Egypts most dangerous misfits in our Fictional aspect of the story, and Elizabeth Hawann our second main character follows a life long path of discoveries that lead her to the full story, and closer than ever to her destiny and 'The High Priestess' .
 

Describe the plot of your new book.

The plot of this book was really to emphasize on two things, to bring forth the mysticism of Khemit and to implement it's teachings in an adventurous way! Educating many was the goal, but keeping it fun was essential to my creative side.
 

Who do you think would most appreciate your book?

Mostly people who love, "the truth in the lie." Yeah, it's that kind of Fiction! (as Stephen King once said) and of course all those who love History and conspiracies, some good ol' romance, twists and turns also.
 

What can you tell us about The Khemitians?

They were the people who we now call Hebrews, Tibetans, Russians, European and many of today's black African Tribes. Highly lntelligent people, who used all their senses, to be exact all three hundred and sixty natural human senses, capable of so much more than our civilization today. They were the people who built such fabulous and monsterous structures of our ancient times.
 

What inspired you to write a historical fiction set in Egypt?

I've always loved Egypt! From when I can remember that is. I love the mystery and intrigue it ignites in all of us, yet in so many ways she's so open to its past, but no one's listening or looking in the right direction, so I felt a need to expose that.
 

Who was your favorite character to write?

Khafa by far! The actual High Priestess herself,, and that's because she's everything I'm not!

How do you hope reading your book will impact readers?

I'd love for them to connect with the Historical parts and the Khemitology aspect, just because it's so cool and unexpected, it's a little different and unusual, it's educational but fun and entertaining.
 

Can you tell us a bit about the creative process of this book, from initial idea to finished book?

I was sitting in my living room one Sunday afternoon last summer, as I was flipping channels, I came across a documentary of Egypt, as I so often watch. The whole family was here, and as I soaked up it's story line, I began looking at it's purpose. I saw something that needed to be written! lt was an instant marriage between me and the pages not long after, and I remember everyone staring at me that day and shouting "Write about this, now!" lt was hilarious, as if we were all thinking the same thing.
 

What do you have in mind for your next project?

My next project is for my readers, they've asked me to write about Ancient Rome, and it'll be a wonderful story in Historical - Fiction no less. I want to write about my ancestral roots, and implementing Historical facts, with an epic Fictional side with twists and turns like never before will have everyone with their mouths open ! Book 5 is Entitled 'The Legacy of a Legend' and part of the proceeds will go to the charity of my choice.

More Information

Buy the book on Barnes and Noble
Buy the book on Amazon

Interview with Howard Kaplan

We are sharing some of our interviews from the past! This is a classic interview with Howard Kaplan, author of the "The Damascus Cover," the first book in the Jerusalem Spy Series.

Tell us a bit about your novel, “The Damascus Cover.”
"The Damascus Cover" is a plot within a plot.  There’s a surface story about a rescue of children from Damascus.  Then there is an underlying story unknown to the protagonist as he races through Syria and everything starts to go wrong.  He slowly learns it is intended to go wrong and there’s a twist near the end of the story that actually didn’t come to me until I was a good deal into writing it.

 You have a unique background, having lived in the Middle East, as well as participated in covert missions in the USSR. Did your personal experiences influence your writing?
When I was 21 and 22, I made two forays into the Soviet Union to smuggle out manuscripts on microfilm.  At the time anyone leaving the USSR could not take unpublished writings with them as they were considered “property of the state.”  I was arrested and interrogated for four days though I had no incriminating documents on me.  I met some people in the espionage business along the way so I began to write about what I’d learned and seen in fiction form. I’m always surprised when how writing, personal experiences jump to mind and find their way into the novel.  So yes, all I’ve seen and experienced and I’ve been to the Middle East dozens of times seem into the works.

Kaplan on-set for The Damascus Cover film.

Tell us a bit about the protagonist Ari Ben-Sion.
Ari is a man who has made a huge mistake that cost the life of a younger spy.  He’s plummeted from being at the top of his game and is desperate not to be put out to pasture, so he will accept about any mission.  He does not realize the head of the Israeli Secret Service uses Ari’s weakness to create a greater mission.

“The Damascus Cover” will soon be made into a major motion picture. What can you tell us about this upcoming film?
The film adaptation stars Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Olivia Thirlby (Juno, Goliath) as Kim and Ari.  There is great chemistry between them.  I was on set in Morocco for some of the shoot.  The head of the Israeli Secret Service is played by Sir John Hurt, who recently passed after an illustrious career.  We are beyond lucky to have had him with us.

Some authors have a very hands-off approach in the production of their book’s film adaptation while others are more involved. What was your role in the movie’s creation like?
Generally speaking production companies purchase motion picture and television rights to the novel, which means I still control the book and they have complete say in the screen versions.  I was fortunate to maintain and close relationship with the director so while I had little input into the script, I was invited on several occasions to view the film during the editing process and I made a number of suggestions which were taken.

The protagonist of “The Damascus Cover,” Ari, is played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers in the upcoming film. What about Meyers makes him a good fit for the character?
Jonny as he likes to be called is a fabulous actor and he brings passion to everything he does both in terms of action and romance.  He was a real coup to get him to play Ari. 

What, if any, were the difficulties of transitioning the story to the big screen?
Changes were made but there weren’t any real difficulties other than one scene where in the novel Ari jumps off a train and the producers decided it would be too expensive to shoot so they changed that transition to inside a movie theater in Damascus.  The director often says that when he was up against a wall he always returned to “the spine of the novel.”  So the film adaptation preserves the integrity of the book.  It’s real a marvelous movie.

“The Damascus Cover” is the first book in the Jerusalem Spy Series. Is there any talk of film adaptations for subsequent books in the series?
Not yet, but wouldn’t that be great.  I think those things depend on the success of the film.

Thank you for speaking with us about your book and upcoming movie!

An excerpt from the opening of "The Damascus Cover":

DOV ELON sat in the dirt in his cell leaning against the whitewashed wall. The cubicle, three feet by five feet, was windowless. The air stank of urine. A can, his washbasin, lay on its side in one corner. A thin blanket covered the mound of damp straw piled in the other.  

Dov’s eyes rested on the food trap in the door. Not long before he’d heard the banshee cry of the muezzin beckoning the Muslim inmates to prayer. He assumed a bowl of jasmine tea would soon be pushed through the food trap, but he wasn’t sure. The previous day he’d been transferred from Tadmor Prison, near the ancient Greek ruins of Palmyra in the north, to Sigin al-Mazza, on the outskirts of Damascus.  He didn’t know if his new guards would feed him regularly or at random intervals. So he waited, listening for approaching footsteps, not moving—for every shift in position arched pain through his bruised body. After a while he closed his eyes. The minutes fell away. There were no sounds. The silence hummed in his ears.
 

More Information
Buy The Damascus Cover on Amazon
Find The Damascus Cover on Barnes and Noble 
Check out Howard Kaplan on Facebook
Get The Damascus Cover iBook on iTunes
Buy the Kobo version of The Damascus Cover
IMDB page for The Damascus Cover 

Interview with E. McNew About LONG BLUE LINE

We are sharing some our favorite inspiring interviews from the past. This interview, from 2015, is with E. McNew who is the author of Long Blue Line, a memoir about planned teen pregnancy.

Describe your book in a few sentences.
This is a memoir of my life from ages 14-22. It descriptively and honestly narrates the consequences that I faced after my planned teenage pregnancy became a reality. My childhood was suddenly gone, and I unknowingly stepped into a life of loss, grief, guilt, substance abuse, domestic violence and so much more.

Who do you think would most benefit from reading your memoir?
Any person who has struggled with guilt, substance abuse, losing children to the system, and other hardships will find inspiration from this story, and my hope is that it can offer other strength in knowing that they are never alone.

Additionally, my memoir can benefit any person who wants an insider’s look into teen pregnancy and other issues, including parents, grandparents, teenagers, or any person just wanting to read a good book.

Many readers have had a powerful, emotional experience reading your book and say it is a story that needs to be told. Why do you think people have responded so strongly to your book?
I think that because my story is so dynamic there are many level of trials in life that many - if not most all people can relate to in one way or another. The book sparks an emotion that really takes you back to yourself as a kid, and the well-intentioned yet unrealistic ideas that came to mind as we tried to find ourselves.

Although most of the responses to your book have been positive, a few have criticized you for the bad decisions (drug abuse, etc) you describe in your book. What was the purpose of sharing these incidents with readers?
When I decided that I was going to tell my story by writing a book, I instantly knew that the story could not be told if I were to sugar-coat it. As difficult as it was, I forced myself to take myself back to those days of many, many mistakes and the consequences that followed. I put myself in the same frame of mind that I was in, writing down my every thought that I had as the events were unfolding. I did this to give myself a better understanding of my choices that were made, as well as offer others the same understanding that addiction can and will change a person overnight.

The book is not meant to “redeem” myself for my choices. That simply can’t happen and I will not force it. The book is meant to spread awareness through education. And hopefully, prevent others from making the same mistakes.

In your book, you chronicle a dark period of your life, involving addiction, jail, and other challenges. How is your life today compared to what you describe in the book?
Although my current life is not in the book, I will be writing a sequel in the upcoming months. My life today is lived with purpose. I live with compassion, and I rarely judge others regardless of their own hardships. I live every day being grateful for what I do have, and I try to never take advantage of that. I’ve been blessed with a new family and a safe home, and beautiful two year old daughter who I treasure every minute of every day.

You’ve made a dramatic transition, from struggling with addiction and being in jail to being a successful author and entrepreneur. What inspired you to put your old life behind you?
I’ve realized that if I ever do get a chance to see my girls again, it will probably be my only opportunity to allow them to form their own opinions and feelings of me. I have no choice but to work hard each day to become the best person that I can be and live as an example for others. If I do not do this, it would only be a selfish and disrespectful way of life and wouldn’t show my girls how much I love them and want to be in their lives. Actions are really what speak, much more beyond words.

One of the themes in the book is that being a parent is a huge responsibility and rushing into it can have disastrous consequences. Why do you think teen pregnancy continues to be such a large problem in America?
I believe that society in general has formed guidelines, or a specific way to live by. Society tells us from a very young age what we are “supposed” to do. We are “supposed” to go to college, we are “supposed” to get married and have kids, we are “supposed” to work 40 hours a week. This is giving kids the impression that their personal happiness is only going to come from what we are “supposed” to be doing. I think that this is the core of where the teen pregnancy issue exists. If our parents, teachers and other examples were able to put an emphasis on allowing kids to explore and find their identities in less of a “by-the-number” way, our future generations could become full of amazing, talented and happy young adults. There needs to be more art, music, and creative programs available for every child to participate in. By helping children find their passion early in life, they are going to be enabled to chase their dreams and live their purpose right away. The void of boredom, curiosity and even depression would be replaced with who they are and what they love about life.

How do you hope your book impacts readers?
I hope that my book will ultimately soften them. I hope it will educate them, help them to become less judgmental and motivate them to help themselves or others in a productive, yet compassionate way. Anger, judging and criticizing people, and stereotyping people into “statistics” will never change the sad realities that many people live in. It’s not going to improve the future for our children and grandchildren, unless we allow ourselves to become open-minded, compassionate and productive members of society.

At the end of the book, you share a bit about your current life and your children, but many readers still have a lot of questions. Do you plan to write a sequel to your book?
I do! The sequel is going to mainly cover the positive elements that have led me to my life today, which is certainly a life worth living!

Is there anything else you'd like potential readers to know about your book?
I’d like readers to go into this with an open mind and the primary goal of educating themselves. They should know that there are parts that will probably spark emotion, and maybe even anger. But, if the book is able to do this, it means that it must be one worth reading as it connects with you on a level beyond just reading a story.

More Information

http://www.amazon.com/Long-Blue-Line-Planned-Pregnancy-ebook/dp/B00O1LX7P4
http://www.amazon.com/E.-McNew/e/B00H5Q17FY/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
http://www.confessionobsession.com/
http://poemaboutlife.blogspot.com/2015/02/my-grade.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1BW60Zp57Y
http://www.expertclick.com/12796/12796.aspx

An Interview with SCIFI Author Martin Wilsey

We are sharing some of our favorite inspiring interviews from the past. This interview, from 2015, features Martin Wilsey -- the author of the science fiction novel Still Falling.
 

Tell us a bit about yourself.
This is my first novel. I actually started writing the book as a way to keep from going stir crazy after a bad injury to my spine. TV and Facebook get real old, real fast, when you’re trapped in your recliner. I have been a science fiction lover for as long as I could read. I still read a hundred books a year and they are mostly Scifi and Fantasy.

I am lucky enough to know a few published authors and they gave me a lot of great advice. Advice about tools to help me write. Advice about how to power though and get the first draft done. All their advice has served me well.

I also have a lot of support from friends and family.

It’s been fun.

Describe the plot of your book in a few sentences.

Still Falling is a story about a man named Barcus, that crashes to the planet Baytirus after the destruction of a deep space survey ship. It follows his struggle to survive with the help of a powerful Artificial Intelligence, housed inside a spider like, all terrain vehicle, that is specifically designed help him.

Finding himself in the middle of some kind of genocide he slowly begins to discover who murdered everyone he knew and cared about in the universe.

Who do you think would most appreciate your book?
I think the people that will like it the most are readers that enjoy an escalating epic story, that ups the ante. Also, people that love a good mystery with their science fiction, deep foreshadowing, world/culture building and strong female characters.

I’m told that people that love the second amendment also love the book.

Author Martin Wilsey

Still Falling is your first novel. What inspired you to move from just having an idea to publishing your first novel?
The answer is actually on the dedication page: “For Eric, Because you never got to read it.”

My brother Eric died suddenly died when he was 53 years old. I still miss him. His loss got me really thinking. It really made me think about what I wanted to get done before I was done. Publishing a novel was on the list.

When you decided you wanted to write Still Falling, did you have to consult any writing resources before starting the manuscript? Or did you just dive into the manuscript?
I just dove in. I had a general outline to the story I wanted. It’s amazing where characters decide to go. It’s not always where you expect to go.

Is the process of writing a science-fiction novel different than writing a mystery novel? Does the process of having to create another world with a different set of rules make writing the plot more time-consuming?
It is more work when you have to create the foundations of a new world, a new culture, a new religion. Even clothes. So I guess it is more time-consuming but it also more fun, more interesting, more creative.

Are there any authors who have influenced your writing style?
I’m sure I have been influenced. The list would be way too long for this interview but some of the biggies would be: Robert Heinlein, J.R.R. Tolkien, Arthur C. Clark, Orson Scott Card, Larry Niven, Terry Brooks, Terry Pratchett, Simon Hawke, Jim Butcher, Lois McMaster Bujold and more.

What made you decide to write your story as a trilogy? Do you have the entire trilogy planned out?
I personally love stories that are a series. I personally love series where each book is a fully realized novel on its own. So I am writing the kind of books I love to read.

The entire trilogy is planned out. Book 2: The Broken Cage has already been written and I have already started Book 3: Blood of the Scarecrow.

Is there anything else you'd like potential readers to know about your book?
If you closely read the headers of each chapter you will realize that these books are a reassembled narrative that led up to the Solstice 31 Incident, that occurred on December 22, 2631. This investigation occurred 32 years later in 2663 due to the discover of new evidence. 

I hope people enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it!

More Information
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MartinWilseyAuthor
Blog:  http://wilseymc.blogspot.com/
Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Martin-Wilsey/e/B00VDKLJWE/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/martin_wilsey
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13730295.Martin_Wilsey
Website: http://www.baytirus.com/

An excerpt from Still Falling:

Barcus crashed back into consciousness when his face smashed into the inside of his helmet. 

He was in a three axis tumble. He knew the feeling. All inertial dampening was off. His maintenance suit was powered up, docked in place, but off-line.  

He coughed and could feel blood spray into his helmet. Great! His nose was probably broken. Again. 

Then he began to remember. 

His mind was coming back on-line. 

“Status! Visual!” His helmet systems came alive. Temperature and pressure were normal. He confirmed it was a freefall spin. Wherever he was, it was pitch black.
“Lights!” The suit’s work lights all activated. 

He saw immediately that he was locked into the suit dock on the bridge of Chen's shuttle. Chen was strapped into the command chair. Her flight suit didn't have her helmet, and her arms swayed with her neck in the tumble. The shuttle seemed dead. 

The shuttle bridge was all white in the suit’s harsh work lights. It was a perfect oval dome around them, like they were on the inside of a huge egg. The command chair was in front left. Two support stations were behind that and the four passenger seats.  

He hammered the EXIT control in the suit causing its helmet chest plate to hinge open and back. He pounded the restraint release in the center of his chest, and the straps retracted smoothly, freeing him. 

In the chaos of the tumble, he slammed first on the ceiling and then into the seats, but he managed to cross the compartment to grasp Chen's belt. As he felt for her pulse, her eyes fluttered open. 

She blinked for a moment and focused by force of will, saying, “Display Delta” to the air, as something impacted the exterior of the shuttle. Suddenly, it was like they were in a convertible, the dome turning into an exterior display. They were in a gut churning three axis, high-speed spin with no control. Debris tossed all around them. Some more chunks crashed into them, slowing the spin along one axis. The suit was locked into place in the dock. Otherwise, the heavy armor thing would have killed them by now, crashing about loose. 

 Barcus could see life pods and other shuttles that had managed to get aloft from other bays, but they were destroyed by plasma cannon fire.  

“Chen. Don't stabilize.” Suddenly a giant explosion destroyed what was left of the main ship. The shock wave crashed more debris into the shuttle.  

“Display, Baker,” Chen said weakly. It changed to a 3D rendering of the ship tumbling with massive chunks of debris. The display showed the expected path of the shuttle to its crash to the planet. 

“Chen, I have no idea what happened, but we have to let the ship tumble towards the planet as debris. I don't see any enemy ships at all. There has got to be some kind of automated defense system that is shooting down anything that looks like it's under power and has people in it.” 

“Barcus...I'm bleeding...bad.” He could see the blood splattered on her neck, flowing up from inside her pressure suit. 

“Is the cabin holding pressure? Do we have a breach?” Barcus asked. 

“Yes, it's holding, but we can't get you out of your flight suit until we stop the tumble. If we stop, we're dead.”
“Slow the tumble with manual thrusters,” Barcus said. Chen did until the ship was just turning gently.
Chen's eyes fluttered again. “Shrapnel in my guts, man. It's bad. Listen...” She fell unconscious again.  

“Display Delta,” Barcus said. Nothing happened. “Damage Report.” Nothing. He then saw on one of the log display windows: “Unauthorized Command Attempts 2.”  

“Status Report!” The count moved to three. 

“Chen, wake up. I can't fly this thing.” Her faced winced in severe pain. Then her eyes opened. 

“Stu. Activate AI, Emergency. (Gasp) Pilot injured...grant full master control authority to Roland Barcus. Present. All systems.” She winced and fell silent, except for the occasional gasp. Barcus had to hold tight in the weightlessness. 

“Stu. Follow this same trajectory and passive scan the potential crash site. The tactical screen indicates that orbital decay will be in about three orbits. Give me stats on this planet.”  

“Mr. Barcus, it's an E7 class world. It seems to be sparsely populated by humans, with .89 gravity.” He had heard Stu’s voice before. “Temperate climate. If we maintain present course, we will land in a very rocky mountainous region.” 

“Population there?” Barcus asked, looking at the tactical map display. 

“Unable to tell with passive scans only. Little to no population expected. Harsh climate and terrain in that region. Cold temperatures. Estimate, -4 Celsius,” Stu reported. 

“We need to continue to look like debris as we descend. Grav-foils only until we need the engines and even then, thrusters only. Can we wait until we are well within the atmosphere?” Barcus asked the AI. 

“Yes, sir. Our Polycarbon hull can withstand unpowered re-entry temps easily.” The computer was calm. 

“Find a nice ledge in those mountains and set us down, Stu. Grav-foils only.” He began unstrapping Chen. 

“Chen.” He said. She winced as Barcus moved her. “This shuttle has a med bay. Stu. Stop all tumble. I need free fall in here.” Moments later, the tumble sense was gone. He drifted gently down to the lower level and into the infirmary with Chen. The med bay was the dominant feature at this end to the front of the hold. 

The door slid closed behind them as Barcus set her on the scanning table still in her spacesuit. Drops of blood drifted everywhere. A vacuum sound began emitting from the table and the floor while a fluids-elimination unit kicked on. The blood was sucked down to collectors. The midsection of Chen’s suit was shredded. The unit scanned her and confirmed that her injuries were beyond the abilities of the auto-doc.  

Barcus felt his weight begin to return as the Grav-foils activated in preparation for landing when the ship entered the atmosphere.   

If they were being tracked, now was when their deceleration would be noticed.  

“Chen. Wake up. What do I do?”

Robert Kempster, Author of Freelancing: Making Money Online with Freelancing Jobs

Today we are interviewing Robert Kempster about his business / freelancing book titled, “Freelancing: Making Money Online With Freelancing Jobs.”

The book is on a Kindle countdown from August 16th to the 23rd. Get your copy here: https://amzn.to/2XkuWBF.

Tell us a bit about yourself.
I am someone with aspirations and goals - just like everyone out there - I just happen to live in New York. It is easy to get jaded and uninspired, I am lucky to find inspiration from others around me, either in person or over media. I love to travel and I keep working on my flexibility, as you can imagine, flexibility is very close to freedom - so that is my goal. I mostly like to do things that can contribute any little bit to society at large.

Describe your book, “Freelancing: Making Money Online With Freelancing Jobs,” in a few sentences. 
The book is about the idea of the new gig economy, or as some call it, self employment. Although, I think self-employment is the end goal, while freelancing is the way to get there. This book will make you aware of the possibilities out there and steer you in the right direction as to what you need to do to set yourself up and to progress with it.

Who do you think would most benefit from reading your book?
I think anyone who is looking for ideas for making money online or offline will benefit from the book. If you are already making enough money, and have flexibility or "freedom" already. Then this book may be below your needs. Even though there may be some value in a different perspective, but it will not be that pertinent to an experienced freelancer.

What inspired you to write this book?
This book was inspired by a Freelancer I hired from Upwork a few years back, I think when it was called something else. He was doing some marketing for my first kindle book and he suggested that many people would pay for some of the pointers I was giving him. This was finished a while back, but I did not publish it and now I had to update it, so it can finally be published. 
What are some of the advantages of doing freelance work compared to a 9 to 5 job?
I think the advantages are quite obvious but, the ones that I find to be important is that it provides:
flexibility in scheduling and lifestyle
additional income or could eventually replace current income
ends up producing more family time
saves commuting costs as well as time
offers low entry cost
produces maximum ROI and efficiency
allows you to do something you love and are good at
the list is quite long and varies from person to person

What are some of the biggest mistakes people make when getting started with freelancing?
The biggest mistake that I see most people make is failing to start small. I think it is important to limit how much work you take in the beginning, so you can study your timing and become realistic in gauging each project. They often also fail to charge the lowest profitable fee - it is very important to start small with service charges as well. It is the surest way to get your first few freelancing jobs. Then you can scale everything from there.

How much time should someone interested in freelancing do research and prepare?
Aha! that is the other major mistake that most people make when starting as a freelancer. They spend too much time researching and preparing. You have to start by doing, so get a plan, do something, then do more, test, retest, adjust, then do more. Repeat..

What are some examples of the type of jobs that freelancers do?
Virtual assistants, online research, data capture, word processing, marketing, writing, social media marketing, social media managers, mail management, the list is so long. Anyway there is quite a list in the book as well as a lot of links to websites for jobs, training, and information

How much time does it take to get established in a career as a freelancer? 
The time truly depends on the individual as well as the nature of the freelancing jobs that the person is doing. Of course how well they do it and how they use others to help them will make all the difference in time.

What was the most challenging aspect of writing the book?
I think the hardest part was the final edit and publishing steps. You find yourself struggling with wanting to make everything just right.

What do you hope readers will gain from reading your book?
I hope hoping that a good number of the people that buy the book will actually use it and be inspired to do something with their skills. That I think will be my greatest reward.

How have readers responded to your book so far?
I have had very few objective reviews at this point, by that I mean most of the reviews I have to date are friends and family - they are always very kind as you know. LOL. The one independent review I received said it was a very good topic - but that does not tell me much.

What do you have in mind for your next writing project?
I am thinking about writing something about personal credit is the USA as well as investing in one's future.

Is there anything else you'd like potential readers to know about your book?
That the book will only work if you work. Work hard until you figure out how to work smart.

More Information
Buy the book on Amazon.  
Check out the author on Facebook.  

Interview with Author of THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT NON-PROFITS

Carleton C. Booker is the author of Things You Need To Know About Non-Profits.

Tell us a bit about yourself.
A Carleton Booker strategy provides business consulting & business marketing services in Calif. He’s committed to helping small and medium-sized businesses and nonprofits grow and succeed. We’re there when you need to drive revenue, foster growth and build sustainable business results. Carleton is committed to helping your business generate a return on investment that will make your stockholders happy and business owner. This is so important to him that if he’s don’t believe it’s possible, he will tell you straight out, and be specific in explaining our reasoning.

Describe Things You Need to Know About Non-Profits in a few sentences.

This book is the GPS to guide you the correct path how to start a nonprofit and what it takes to keep it!

Who do you think would most benefit from reading this book?
Anybody who wants to start a nonprofit and current nonprofit that have question on what’s next?

What inspired you to write a book that simplifies the process of applying for non-profit status?
I meet so many people starting nonprofits, and they always seem to have issues! And the main issue is not understanding that the nonprofit is a business! It still has to function like a business; you just don’t have stockholders Your main function is to serve the community and to raise funds, funds, funds -- did I say funds -- to support the nonprofit so it can function.

A lot of people starting non-profits seem to be confused with whether to apply for a 501(3) c. Why do you think there is so much confusion?

So churches are automatic exempts under the 501(3)c and it’s not require to file for the exemption, and the IRS doesn’t make it easy to apply. The application asks a lot of questions on the application; if you don’t know how to complete it the application will be delayed.

   
What are frequent mistakes people make when starting a non-profit?
A business plan and a fundraising strategy.

Many people starting a non-profit seem to hit hurdles with funding early on. What can people do to avoid problems with funding their non-profit?
Get help! A (business coach) that will help in areas like fundraising that you have no understanding, getting the right people in the right position .  

How do you think reading Things You Need to Know About Non-Profits will impact people?
I hope it give an insight what it really takes to operate a “business” it’s just don’t take a profit for a one person to profit.

What do you have in mind for your next writing project?
The next book is to show business owners to operate your business like a real business from “mom and pop” when it comes to corporate credit. Title: Corporate Credit Makeover.   

Is there anything else you'd like potential readers to know about Things You Need to Know About Non-Profits?
It’s a real easy read to give you foundation if you’re looking to start or currently have a nonprofit. It tells you the down and dirty of the nonprofit business, the “real stuff “that no one tells you, if they do, it's $3,000 to $5,000 to get the information. Instead, you can read the book or contact me to coach you!

More Information About Carleton C. Booker and Starting a Non-Profit

www.911mynonprofit.com

Carleton C. Booker Answers Common Questions About Starting a Non-Profit

What happens if my non-profit status has been revoked?
You become a business for profit, and will be tax on all funds donated

What’s the key to raising funds for my non-profit?
Have a plan.

Why do I need By-laws?
This is your SOP; this is how you’re going to run your business

What's the difference between a Church and a Religious Organization?
A church is any place of worship. A Religious Organization could be a faith base nonprofit that is not a place of worship .

How much income can I received for my non-profits?
As much as you can raise or incoming donor will give to your organization is the answer.

What’s the difference between a non-profit and a for-profit business?
Non-profit: no one person owns it; it’s the public. Profit Business: it’s a profit for gain to someone or body of people to bring a profit to everyone that is part of the company.

Interview with Gemma Snow

Today we are sharing one of our favorite interviews from the past! Here is our interview with Gemma Snow about her contemporary erotic romance novel "Seduction en Pointe."

Describe the plot of your new book, “Seduction en Pointe,” in a few sentences.
Nicco Castillo, star of the famous television drama, The Queen Anne’s Revenge, bad boy about town, gets shipped off to Paris for ballet classes, and so his production team can keep him on a tight leash. There, he meets the icy, but oh-so-tempting Isabelle La Croix, his ballet instructor, who wants nothing to do with performers, no matter how hot around the collar Nicco makes her. When Isabelle accidentally seems something she shouldn’t, however, she and Nicco begin to bond over shared hurt, their friendship turning to something far more decadent, and dangerous, as Isabelle and Nicco find themselves dancing all over Paris.

Who do you think would most enjoy this book?
I think "Seduction en Pointe" will appeal to anyone who’s ever fantasized about a Paris love affair. Nicco is definitely a bad boy, but he has a huge heart, and Isabelle has been hurt and needs to be reminded that she’s worth loving, and it’s worth it to give her love back in return. Set against the background of the most romantic city on earth, they divulge their pasts, learn how to heal and explore their intimate and unique desires. It’s a story for artists, travelers and lovers alike!

Tell us a bit about the protagonist, Nicco Castillo.
I loved writing Nicco. I think of the two main characters, he went through a much larger and in-depth development process. In the beginning, I knew I wanted a bad boy who liked to tease and flirt and didn’t take anything seriously, but the first iterations came out a little cardboard and two-dimensional. The deeper I got into writing Nicco, the more I understood that his behavior was rooted in hurt and a sense of losing who he was over his time spent in Hollywood. I think it’s a universal theme to struggle with a sense of self, and exploring Nicco’s journey to finding who he is, against a background of so much pomp and masquerade as Hollywood, was a satisfying and important.

What can you tell us about the relationship between Nicco and Isabelle?
So I’m all about the love/hate tension, and I knew from the start that "Seduction" needed that element, though it took awhile to figure out exactly why. For Isabelle, Nicco is a stark reminder of her ex-husband, who publically humiliated her with his affairs. Nicco is a playboy, though a lot of that is his defense mechanism to deal with his own hurt, at his ex-boyfriend’s unfaithfulness, which Isabelle doesn’t find out until later.

A lot of their relationship is about seeing past what’s on the surface—Isabelle and Nicco both wear masks to cover up what’s been done to them, and when they eventually crack through, they see the people below. Playing around with the elements of performance, both artistically with the acting for Nicco and the ballet for Isabelle, and erotically, with this shared exploration into voyeurism and exhibitionism, was a huge element of that dropping the mask theme.

How does the tumultuous ending to Nicco’s prior relationship affect his relationship with Isabelle?
A lot of Nicco’s bad behavior, the drinking, the partying, the kind of lifestyle that landed him in the emergency room at the very beginning of the book, is a reaction to his failed relationship with Antonio. Though Antonio is ultimately the one who is unfaithful, Nicco goes through the journey of understanding his own role in why the relationship didn’t last—something he eventually works through to be with Isabelle. Since she’s suffered much of the same hurt, though in a far more public and damning capacity, their shared pain and ultimately shared healing is a large part of what brings them together.

Are there any authors who have influenced your writing style?
I’ll recommend reading Juliette Marillier until the day I die. Along with J.K. Rowling and Jane Austen, I’ve learned much about writing unique women with a wide breadth of skills, talents, personalities and relationships. I’ll learn at their helm for the rest of my life.

As far as romance, I owe so much to Eloisa James, Sarah MacLean, Laura Kaye, Suzanne Brockmann and so, so many others. I’m of the mind that you can’t be a writer unless you’re a reader, and I strive to surround myself with the greats.

How do you feel about the increasing popularity of ebooks?
Ebooks are a good thing, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. For one, the accessibility of ebooks has opened writing to the world. You don’t need connections in New York or a wealthy spouse to try your hand at writing. The options are all there, and that’s really fundamental and important for new writers.

They’re also far more accessible for readers, who can order ebooks from the library and download them the day they’re released. Writers also make more money when they’re not producing physical books, which might just mean they can carve a stable career from it. We’re moving forward with ebooks, undoubtedly.

What are your goals as a writer for the next ten years?
Eee, well I’m hoping to continue the Full Swing series, of which "Seduction en Pointe" is book one. I’m also working on The Triple Diamond series, with "The Lovin’ Is Easy" coming out this month. My main objective is to be able to support myself with writing. I don’t see a future where I’m not a writer, and I have so many stories to tell, so I look forward to the chance to continue following this crazy dream and hoping it all works out.

Tell us about your next book.
Yes! So "The Lovin’ Is Easy" comes out at the end of September and is available for pre-order on the major retailers and early download through Totally Bound. Unsurprisingly, that’s part of a four book series (I love writing series!) set at the Triple Diamond Ranch in Montana, and I just finished up the first draft of book two! "The Lovin’ Is Easy" is the story of city girl Madison Hollis, who inherits a ranch from an uncle she’s never met. When she goes out to inspect the place for sale, she meets the two ranch managers, Christian Harlow and Ryder Dean, and ends up on a whirlwind of desire, family history and personal journey.

I’m also working on "Leather and Gold," which is historical BDSM. One of my favorite elements of writing historical is the built in tension, stemming from propriety and the rules of society. Adding this heavily erotic element into that has been a unique and fun challenge.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Romance and erotic romance are really important genres, they’re forward thinking, progressive and open-minded. But in today’s day and age, we can’t be feminist if we’re not intersectional. It’s important to me, moving forward, to continue pushing for diverse, inclusive and representative books, and I’m hoping to see the tide in the industry begin to change as well. Romance has a history of paving the way for the future, from Jane Austen and the domestic story, to the proliferation of romance in grocery stores, so housewives could hide it in the grocery budget without their husband’s knowledge. We have routinely pushed against the order, and we must, cohesively and persistently, do so now.

Thank you so much for having me, and for reading! I hope you enjoy "Seduction en Pointe!"

An excerpt from "Seduction en Pointe":

He schooled his features and checked in with the receptionist for his appointment with the French production team before turning around to face her. If he’d thought her beautiful from the back, he hadn’t been prepared for her face, for the expression in her pale-blue eyes, for the softest, sweetest curve of dusky-rose lips as they parted slightly.

She read a magazine, and Niccolo cursed himself for having let his written French lapse, because he didn’t have a clue which glossy it was.

Still, never hurt to try, and something about this unknown woman made it impossible for him to walk away or pick one of the seats at the far end of the waiting room. She called to him, a modern-day siren, all enticing and impossible to ignore. So he sat beside her, catching a hint of her scent. She smelled like lemons, sweet and fresh, and that seemed to fit her, as did the pointed sharpness of her neck, which grew considerably more rigid once she realized he planned on talking to her.

“What is it you’re reading?” he asked, thickening his Spanish accent. As long as he’d been chasing lovers, the Spanish charm had always worked wonders. Hell, it did wonders for getting him starring roles too.

“Who wants to know?” Her accent was light, as though she’d learned English alongside her French, studied in Sweden or London or New York City. But for all of the softness that came spilling out of those pale-rose lips, there was a steel core that told Nicco she wasn’t having any of his charm. Her words came out strong, self-possessed, and confident, and they made him curious about the woman below the slight frame. Despite appearing so soft, she held her head at a tilt that signified power, kept her neck straight, her shoulders arched. Everything about her stance told Nicco exactly how she felt at his intrusion into her space. Normally, he took his cues and left the obviously uninterested alone, but this woman was enchanting and mysterious, and Nicco found he couldn’t quite look away from her, even as he knew that he tempted the serpent, perhaps because he did. 

More Information
Buy Seduction en Pointe on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Seduction-en-Pointe-Gemma-Snow-ebook

Buy Seduction en Pointe on Barnes and Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/seduction-en-pointe-gemma-snow

Buy Seduction en Pointe on Google Play 
https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Gemma_Snow_Seduction_en_Pointe

Buy Seduction en Pointe on Kobo
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/seduction-en-pointe

Buy Seduction en Pointe on Loose ID
http://www.loose-id.com/seduction-en-pointe.html

Connect with Gemma Snow on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/GemmaSnowRomance/

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https://twitter.com/gemmasnowauthor

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