Red Dragon by Brian H. Roberts

 Please welcome Brian H. Roberts author of Red Dragon

Brian H. Roberts will be awarding a $75 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Red Dragon

by Brian H. Roberts

 

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GENRE: Science Fiction

 

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INTERVIEW:

What or who inspired you to start writing?

I first realized I had a knack for writing in my junior high creative writing class. My teacher, Joel Berman, encouraged me to focus on descriptive writing – painting a picture with words. He taught me to observe a scene with my mind’s eye and describe what I see. It’s a skill the most successful writers have all mastered.

I love thrillers. Dean Koonz, Dan Brown, Clive Cussler, Michael Crichton, Lee Child, Lisa Jackson – I can’t read enough of them. At the same time, I love hard Sci-Fi. Arthur C. Clarke, Ray Bradbury, Frank Herbert, Kim Stanley Robinson, Andy Weir. My work is a combination of the two genres - thrillers set in the near-future. I incorporate the action, suspense and surprises of the thriller genre, as I hew closely to real-world science and physics and where it will take us in the next fifteen years or so.

How did you come up with your idea for your novel?

 

I’ve always been interested in the exploration and colonization of the solar system and beyond. But I recognized the desire for exploration alone would only go so far to motivate humanity to spend the billions and billions of dollars it would take to reach and colonize another planet. 

At the same time there is recognition that our current rate of resource extraction to manufacture the stuff of civilization and progress isn’t sustainable either environmentally or economically.

I realized that there are nearly unlimited resources to exploit on Mars and the asteroids. Such potential for wealth provides plenty of motivation to explore and colonize. Wealth also promotes greed and jealousy – grist for Red Dragon and my EPSILON Sci-Fi Thriller series! 

What expertise did you bring to your writing?

I’ve always been a science nerd. My favorite book at age five was a book about dinosaurs my grandmother had given me – that and Dr. Seuss’s Horton Hatches the Egg. (What can I say? I was five.) 

My love of science and technology followed me my whole life. I earned a bachelor of science degree in biology, followed by a career as a professional civil engineer. 

I love adventure sports. I hike, backpack, rock climb, ski, and mountain bike. About thirty years ago, I began to ask myself, how those activities would transfer to exploring environments within our solar system.

Do you outline your books or just start writing?

 

I spent a good part of my civil engineering career as a project manager for multi-million-dollar transportation improvements. Man, I learned to outline a project schedule down to the tiniest detail. A poorly sequenced project could create all sorts of delays, costing millions in cost overruns. Old habits die hard, so yep, I outline the heck out of my books. I’ll spend weeks outlining a plot. But an advantage for me is that when I finally sit down to write, I can really crank. And a big side benefit? I haven’t had to contend with writer’s block. 

Who is your favorite character in the book. Can you tell us why?

 

My favorite character is actually not the main character. But I enjoy him so much, he may be the lead character in other books in this series. His name is Genady Antonov, a former Russian Air Force pilot who defected to the United States, and nearly died for his trouble. He winds up befriending a US Air Force flight surgeon while convalescing. After she leaves the Air Force, she recruits him to serve as a test pilot at EPSILON, where she is a Mars prospecting mission trainee. Genady becomes mission commander for the crew replacing Dallas Gordon’s team (Dallas is the main character). Dallas is logical, meticulous, brave, a natural leader. Around women he’s shy to a fault.

Genady is a bit – correction – he is, a womanizer. He’s distrustful of authority. He’s a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants risk taker. But everyone (me included) loves a rogue.

Can you give us a sneak peek into this book?

The Prospector 1 mission, led by Dallas Gordon, has successfully identified sites for the Prospector 2 mission to begin mining. In book 1(Crimson Lucre), the Prospector 1 team survived numerous sabotage attempts by a corporate rival. Book 2 reveals the real puppet master, Chinese general Zhang Aiguo, who desires to overthrow the communist Chinese government and install himself as emperor of China. He plans to control the world’s supply of rare earth elements, thereby controlling the manufacture of all things electronic, from computers to autonomous vehicles. 

EPSILON Corp’s mining operation on Mars threatens Zhang’s stranglehold. He sends a military mission to Mars to bring the planet – and its mineral treasure - under his control. As EPSILON staffers are abducted, Dallas (and Genady!) must call on their military backgrounds to defeat Zhang’s soldiers and save the lives of their coworkers.

 

When did you first decide to submit your work? Please tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step?

As an author, I’m a late bloomer. I didn’t begin writing until after I retired. It was about that time that I concluded I wasn’t immortal, so the time available to write is limited. Knowing it could take years to find an agent and a publisher, I opted to become an independent author, publishing through KDP (Amazon) and Ingram Spark. Both print-on-demand. My books are available through Amazon.com and can be ordered through local book stores, for those who prefer not to use Amazon. 

How do you maintain your creativity?

 

As I noted earlier, I’m a voracious reader. I also appreciate well-written movies and TV series. My wife and I also continue to adventure in the wild areas of the American west. But as my wife will attest, I’m simply an evil genius. We can be driving down some lonesome highway, and out of nowhere I’ll start describing how my current antagonist wants to enact his evil schemes. I’m surprised she hasn’t turned me in to the authorities on suspicion of criminal conspiracy. But then again, the FBI never tells someone if they’re under investigation…

Are you plotting bunnies, angels or demons?

All seriousness aside, all those bad guys I concoct are really just there to provide adversity for my protagonists to overcome. I’m an optimist. I believe that good will always triumph – maybe not today, but it will always triumph in the end. So, I need both angels and demons to tell my stories. I’ll leave the bunnies for other authors to explore – unless of course, they’re evil bunnies.

 

As far as your writing goes, what are your future plans?

I’m already writing book 3 of my EPSILON Sci-Fi Thriller series. Assuming the stars align, I hope to publish it in August. I foresee at least five books in the series and may very well add to that number. I also have a concept for another series set farther into the future. But I don’t think I’ll start on that series until after I’ve finished my EPSILON series. 

BLURB:

 

How do you fight a hidden adversary on Mars?

 

Dallas Gordon’s miners keep disappearing. Back on Earth, general Zhang Aiguo has seized control of the Chinese military and declared himself emperor. His forces have secretly dispatched to the Red Planet to plunder EPSILON’s hard-won treasure.

 

Time is running out. Can Dallas Gordon and the Prospector team find Zhang’s hidden bases before they are all killed?

 

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EXCERPT:

 

“I’ve lost contact with Dave!”

 

Allie stood in the shop doorway, her eyes wide as saucers.

 

Dallas looked up from the shop bench, saw the panic in her eyes, and started toward the door. He briskly accompanied her to the common room.

 

“Tell me everything you know.”

 

Allie spoke in a torrent, “I compiled the latest welfare check just five minutes ago. The drill rig was still parked at Site 7. Dave and Number Two were positioned a hundred yards to the northwest of the drill rig. Dave’s heart rate, respiration and core temp were all nominal. Radio check was normal, using MGPS comm band.”

 

Allie sat down hard at the communication console.

 

“I no sooner sent the report to you and Doc when I looked up at the MGPS locator map and saw this!”

 

She stabbed an index finger at the display. Dallas followed her extended finger to the screen. A solid X labeled “Drill Rig” occupied the center of the screen. Three inches higher and to the left, another X was labelled “Site 7.” Other than topographic contour lines, the screen was blank.

Dallas ordered, “Show me where Dave and Number Two were located when you compiled the welfare report.”

 

Allie’s finger slid a few inches higher and to the left, then hovered over the X at Site 7.

 

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

In his first life, Brian worked as a contractor and civil engineer in bustling Seattle. Desiring a change, he and his wife traded big city life for the outdoor adventures of Central Oregon. His writing draws deeply on his lifelong loves of science/technology and adventure sports. His EPSILON Sci-Fi Thriller series now boasts two novels: Red Dragon and Crimson Lucre.

 

Follow him at 

https://brianhroberts.com

https://www.facebook.com/bhrauthor/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-h-roberts-792b15212/

 

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

 

Brian H. Roberts will be awarding a $75 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

 

RAFFLECOPTER:

 

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f4095

Turbulent Skies by Ronald A. Fabick

 Please welcome Ronald A. Fabick author of Turbulent Skies

Ronald A. Fabick will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Turbulent Skies

by Ronald A. Fabick

 

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GENRE: Action/Adventure Thriller

 

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BLURB:

 

Flight 182 crashes in San Diego, everyone aboard is killed, including Reza Roshtti, who is on his way to present the final plans for a top secret project to his employer, California Robotics. Giti Roshtti appears on a newscast after the doomed flight, Jaffar Hamid Harraj is smitten with the bereaved widow who lives across the globe in the United States.

 

When Jack Coward, an ex-marine turned private investigator, is hired to find out everything he can about this beautiful woman, Jack sets in motion circumstances that bring Giti and Jaffar together. Unfortunately for Giti, Jaffar Harraj has a deep, dark secret. Jaffar is not only a senior member of the Islamic Hamas Movement, but a psychotic killer.

 

Jaffar's aim is to use Giti's U.S. citizenship as a mechanism through which he can establish inroads into the United States, the Great Satan of the western world and land of the infidels. One of the missions of Islamic Hamas is to spread terror throughout the United States.

 

The United States newest lettered agency, NATA or National Anti-Terrorist Agency has some new recruits, Jack Coward and his life-long friend Don Ziegler. They team up with other members of NATA, including ex-Air Force Lieutenant Michelle Hough, to try and discover the plans of Jaffar and the Islamic Hamas, and how Giti is involved in the two.

 

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EXCERPT:

 

 

Twelve time zones away, on the opposite side of the globe, the sun had already risen on the Iraqi city of Al-Qa’im. Al-Qa’im is located on the south bank of the Euphrates River, about one hundred miles due west of Lake Tharthar, and just a dozen miles inside the border Iraq shares with Syria.

 

Jaffar Hamid Harraj sat watching and recording morning news from around the world. This 37-year-old Muslim—leader of one of the largest cells of the Islamic Hamas Movement, an Iraqi terrorist group—knew it was important to keep abreast of world events. A smile crossed his lips as he listened to the latest tragedy that had befallen the ‘Great Satan,’ the term he and his compatriots used to refer to the western world, in particular the United States. He calmly sipped his morning tea, amused by the tragedy … until Giti Roshtti appeared on his screen. At that point he sat upright in his chair, spilling the hot liquid onto his lap.

 

He hardly noticed as the hot tea seeped into his robes; he sat there completely mesmerized by this beautiful American woman, who was clearly of Persian descent. “She is perfect,” he said to himself. He had long wanted a foothold in the United States, and what better way than to take an American bride? Not only was Giti Roshtti stunning, widowed and vulnerable, but she would know the values of her people and not be overly crass as many of the white women were. She would know her place and she would know how to treat a man.

 

After the interview with Giti was over, Jaffar Harraj sat for several moments in his chair replaying it on his videocassette recorder. Then he summoned his second in command. “Abdul, come in here at once!”

 

Abdul Salam Al-Kubesi, Jaffar’s second in command was not only entrenched in terrorist dealings with his boss, but he was also Al Qa’im’s chief of police. Since Al-Qa’im was located on the route most Middle Eastern terrorist groups took to get from Syria to Iraq and Iran, Abdul’s position put him in contact with a great many hard, tough men. But he could handle hard, tough men because he was one himself. And he handled them not by bringing them to justice but by recruiting them into the terrorist cell. Being chief of police—once Abdul’s main source of pride—was now mainly a means to enlarge the terrorist network.

 

“Abdul, my dear old friend. I don’t suppose you could use the resources at your disposal to find out all you can about this woman, this Giti Roshtti of Sacramento?” Jaffar indicated the frozen face of Giti on the television screen where he had paused the tape. The pleasant tone surprised Abdul; his boss was usually angry about something.

 

“Of course, Jaffar. I will be most pleased to do so. May I ask why?” “No!” snapped Jaffar, more in character.

 

“Not at this time. Maybe we can discuss it later.” With that Jaffar dismissed his friend, preferring to be alone to think about this woman, this Giti.

 

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Ronald Fabick was inspired to start writing when an author told him, "If you can read a book, you can write a book". Within two weeks he had the first chapter of Turbulent Skies written.

 

Prior to becoming an author, Ron spent over thirty years as a Senior Structural draftsman. He uses this extensive engineering experience to add depth and reality to his stories. In his spare time, Ron enjoys crafting furniture in his workshop and tinkering on his vintage truck. Ron now resides on Vancouver Island in British Columbia.

 

Connect with Ronald Fabick

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18841943.Ronald_Fabick 

 

Get your copy of Turbulent Skies                   

 

AMAZON.COM https://amazon.com/dp/022880356X 

 

AMAZON.CA https://amazon.ca/dp/022880356X 

 

INDIGO CHAPTERS https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/turbulent-skies-a-jack-coward/9780228803560-item.html?ref=isbn-search

 

BARNES & NOBLE https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/turbulent-skies-ronald-fabick/1130425584

 

SMASHWORDS https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/920555

 

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

 

Ronald A. Fabick will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

 

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f4104

Running With Cannibals by Robert W. Smith

 Please welcome Robert W. Smith author of Running With Cannibals

Running With Cannibals

by Robert W. Smith

 

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GENRE:   Historical/Fiction/Thriller

 

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INTERVIEW:

How did you come up with your idea for your novel?

 

I like to write stories based on actual characters or true events from history and am always on the lookout for a compelling opportunity. Little known or long-forgotten subjects are what I look for. A couple of years ago, I saw a story about “The Bells of Balangiga,” which led me into the history of the so-called “Philippine Insurrection,” a mere footnote in U.S. History books. Filipinos more accurately call it, “The Philippine-American War,” a brutal war of aggression against the Philippines pursuant to America’s policy of Manifest Destiny, the justification for colonialist oppression. Deeply woven into the story of Balangiga, was the unlikely love affair of a beautiful and inexplicably influential Filipina, Casiana Nationales, and. Frank Betron, a key figure in the “Battle of Balangiga,” where villagers rose up in defiance of their occupiers, killing some fifty U.S. soldiers. I decided instantly to write this story. 

What expertise did you bring to your writing?

 

Well, I did serve in the military, so I knew at least something about it. My first two books were legal thrillers, published in 2001 and 2003 respectively. John Grisham was the hottest thing with a keyboard back then. I’d been a criminal defense lawyer in Chicago nearly twenty years by then. I thought, What does Grisham know about trying murder cases?It was what I knew; it was real, no need for research. Sounds like an advantage. Right? But good or bad, writing legal thrillers bored me. My head was always in the clouds somewhere with Len Deighton’s two heroes of “Goodbye Mickey Mouse,” brothers in all but blood, one mortally wounded, both waiting for the moment the sea would take him. Two simple salutes and an exchange of smiles across P-51 cockpits told a claim young Mickey. That picture in my mind recreated the pages without a single word and made me cry, bringing me closer to an understanding of brotherhood than could expertly crafted pages of conversation or narrated reflections.  Deighton immortalized the moment. That’s when I recognized my mission, bringing my commentary and observations to life in compelling stories of memorable characters in history. Deighton and Graham Greene, Solzhenitsyn, even the early Twentieth Century author, Joseph Conrad, had all along been writing consistently with a theme, some exploration of humanity, inhumanity, brotherhood, colonialism, war, ant-war. It was always there and it’s what drew me to them in the first place. So I’d say what I brought to Running with Cannibals is the experience gained through writing what I knew and a lifetime of reading.

 

 

What would you want your readers to know about you that might not be in your bio?

 

Language is and has always been my only talent. I still have my sixth-grade writing project, “The Civil War,” marked with an A+ and an encouraging note from Sister Mary something or other. History was my favorite subject. Not proud to say I was a poor student. I did well in Latin, English and history, but behavioral issues got me kicked out of three high schools. I joined the Air Force, expecting to be sent to Vietnam. Instead, they sent me Syracuse University to study Russian. I traveled the world for the next three years and kept reading. Len Deighton, Graham Greene, Joseph Conrad. After getting out, I had to get a job, so I went to college and law school at night. Becoming a lawyer was my default option. Who hands out a shingle as a “novelist” if he’s not rich? I started writing seriously as my career stabilized.

 

 

As far as your writing goes, what are your future plans?

 

I’m trying to sell a new book, A Long Way from Clare, a finished novel of immigrants in Chicago circa 1903, the first in a planned series. A young Irishman arrives in Chicago to visit his brother, a Chicago policeman, finds himself immersed in the plight of poor immigrants and an Irish Republican plot to assassinate the visiting Prince of Wales. I think it’s my best work.

 

If you could be one of the characters from this book, who would it be and why?

 

 

It’s a tough question because all the male characters are flawed. Inhabiting one of them means assuming those flaws. That said, I would be Ethan Cooper. It requires unfathomable courage to stand against everything you supposedly believe it, to reject what you’ve been taught and pursue your own course against all odds. Good men of my generation went to war and some did some bad things. Of those, many repented and tried to make amends. Some would do it all over again. The ones I admire most were the ones who went when called and said “no” when called upon to act against conscience. I don’t know if I could have mustered that much courage and I never will. 

 

 

Can you give us a sneak peek into this book?

 

It sounded to Ethan like Marty hadn’t heard a word of Taft’s explanation. “Marty, I don’t take to what we’re doing here now any more than you do. But we stole the West from the Indians with guns. Hell, we took California and Texas from the Mexicans with guns. People had to die, but everybody’s better off now. People get killed all the time in a righteous cause. Innocent folks too, often enough. No decent person likes that. Maybe It’ll be different here now that their leader has surrendered. McKinley knows what he’s doing. Remember, you killed more than a few yourself.”

 

Marty put down a tip for the waiter, and the pair started to walk along the long porch beside the garden. “Don’t remind me but tell that to an Indian when you get home. Let’s take a rocking chair here and wait for this Lieutenant Crane. We’ll see him coming.” When they’d settled into the chairs, Marty said, “Look, I can’t change any of it, but you need to call this what it is, Ethan. The other day we helped kill innocent people, women, and Hobbs will likely get a medal for it. I’m just trying not to normalize all this butchery, not to pretend it was justified. I know you don’t like it either, but you need to stop making excuses for it.”

 

“I’m in the army, Marty. I do what I’m told. I don’t moralize about it.” Ethan didn’t mention that similar thoughts had plagued him lately. He’d witnessed Marty’s self-righteous outbursts several times before. It wasn’t anger, exactly, but the attentive ear could detect the conflict that raged within his soul. Maybe it was why he liked Marty’s company, a kinship of secret misery—maybe some mystery too, but he said, “You can’t have it both ways, Marty.”

 

“I wish you were right, Ethan. Maybe it’s worse when you have a clear sense of your own crimes like I do. People make jokes about how the Filipinos were all cannibals and headhunters before the Spaniards came and put them on the road to civilization. Well, there are all kinds of cannibals, my friend. We’re running with the worst of them right now. They don’t eat flesh. They eat souls and devour humanity.”

 

Do you outline your books or just start writing?

 

First, I choose my historical time and place, generally selected because of some specific historical event or characters. I will have a general theme already in mind, like brotherhood, loss, old-age, redemption, duty, sacrifice. You get the drill. Next, I work with ideas until I can come up with a one-sentence (usually a long one) description of the book. Then I define and court my characters. At that point, I try to do a chapter-by-chapter outline. I follow the outline, usually for three or four chapters before my characters take a detour. I know them better by then and they always seem to hijack my story. The result is I have to go back and rewrite the opening chapters because they suck.

 

How do you maintain your creativity?

 

So you’re stuck and hit a wall. What to do? I think I have an advantage here. When you’re writing fiction based on actual characters or events and built around a theme, your answer or clue is usually within the research. You need a nudge. Whenever I’m stuck, that’s where I go. Ideally, it’s best to do the research first and then plot the whole book, but it never works out for me. That said, it’s still the research that helps me move past creativity blocks.

 

Who is your favorite character in the book. Can you tell us why?

 

 

The tormented priest, definitely. He’s lost his faith and turned his back on the Church. He’s brilliant, worldly and broadly educated, but riddled with guilt, regret and self-doubt. I can’t tell you who he is because it would be a spoiler, but he likes girls, I mean reallylikes girls. I can’t seem to avoid putting a jaded or troubled priest in every book. I was raised strict Catholic and still recovering. Still have my own issues with that whole thing, I guess.

 

Are your plotting bunnies, angels or demons?

 

I hope I understand the question. I definitely have experience with plotting bunnies. Whether they are angels or demons is difficult to say. They were quiet while I was writing Cannibals. I started this story on the day I committed to write it and never stopped. So the bunnies never had a chance to nag me at night. My last book, The Sakhalin Collection (New Leaf Books, hardcover, 2007) was a different story.I served in the Air Force during The Cold War as a Russian Linguist for the NSA. I met a beautiful young Korean girl working as a bartender in the Airmen’s Club and was curious about how she came to be living in such a remote corner of Japan, a notoriously homogenous society. She told me the story of “The Sakhalin Koreans,” thousands of Koreans citizens kidnapped from their homes by the Japanese during WWII and sent to work and rot in the mines of Sakhalin Island. After the War, the island became a Soviet possession and the Soviets left the poor souls to rot, all with knowledge and tacit approval of the U.S. and its Western allies. Many of the Koreans were still on Sakhalin when she told me the story. Hers was one of hundreds of families to have escaped in fishing boats and such over the years. The bunnies haunted me for many years to write that story, but I lacked the confidence and the experience, I felt. That’s how I started with legal thrillers. I listen to the bunnies now, so I guess they’re angels.

BLURB:

 

On the run from a hangman’s noose, a young man joins the army in search of anonymity, but lands in the Philippines in the closing phase of the war (1901), where his life intersects with a beguiling and mysterious young Filipina, a disillusioned Catholic priest and an American “Negro” deserter. They join forces, each in his or her own way, to hold back the tide of greed and colonial barbarity from a ravenous Eagle. At great cost, the young soldier will find his place, his people and himself. But to end his running, he must endure the last battle and the dark jungle beyond that holds the key to his fate and future.

One will die in the fight. One will learn that truth wears no flag and must be pursued and safeguarded, no matter the price. The other two will live forever, legends in the minds and hearts of the Filipino people.

 

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EXCERPT:

 

A sick feeling churned in his stomach, like that of a man who’d blindly taken his first step over a cliff in the dark. The unfortunate soul could almost feel the soft blades of grass drooping teasingly over the ledge, only inches from his outstretched hand as he mourned a fatal mistake, but the inevitability of his fate cruelly mocked the effort.

 

With his coat buttoned up and the saddlebags over his shoulder, the man reached for the old newsboy hat on the table before leaving. The wavy, chestnut hair would be a dead giveaway for anyone searching by description, and he tucked it in the best he could under the cap. In the same instant, the flimsy door to his room imploded from its hinges as a parade of uniformed police poured in behind it, and the man with no name faced his rendezvous with destiny. With two friends surely facing a hangman’s noose, surrender equaled slow suicide. In a split second, he chose the cliff over the noose.

 

Just maybe, he thought, he could fly. The window was barely large enough to accommodate his slender frame, and he proved it the hard way, headfirst through shattering glass. Like the man grasping in vain for the ledge, he reached instinctively back for the window, knowing this was his last mistake and praying only for instant death.

 

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Bob was raised in Chicago, enlisting in the Air Force at age eighteen during the Vietnam War. Following a year of intensive language training at Syracuse University, he served three years as a Russian Linguist in Security Service Command, a branch of the NSA. Upon return to civilian live, he attended DePaul University and The John Marshall Law School in Chicago on the G.I. Bill while working as a Chicago Transit Authority Police Officer. Thirty-odd years as a criminal defense lawyer in Chicago ensued. His first book was Immoral Authority (Echelon Press, 2002) followed by Catch a Falling Lawyer (New Leaf Books, 2005) and The Sakhalin Collection (New Leaf Books, 2007, hardcover)

 

Social Media Links

 

Website: http://www.robersmithbooks.com

Twitter: @smith_author

Instagram: robertsmith857

Goodreads: Robert Smith 

rsmith9184@aol.com 

Amazon: amazon.com/author/crimepays

Facebook: Robert W Smith, Author @robertsmithbooks

 

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE:

 

Robert W. Smith will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f4094

Friends to the End by Cherie Colyer

 Please welcome Cherie Colyer author of Friends to the End

Cherie Colyer will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Friends to the End

by Cherie Colyer

 

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GENRE: Middle Grade Action Adventure

 

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INTERVIEW:

1. What or who inspired you to start writing? My husband and I’m so happy he did! We like to go on long walks, often at the arboretum. I would tell him ideas I had for stories, and he’d jump in and add his thoughts. Then one day (maybe to shut me up, but he insists this wasn’t it) he said, “Why don’t you write a book.” At first, I thought it was a crazy idea, but I really did love the idea of seeing where my characters would take me. So I did, and I loved creating my own world with its unique rules and characters. Sadly, I never did find a home for that book. Maybe one day!

2. What elements are necessary components for this genre? I believe that family and friendship are a must for middle-grade stories. Both are such a big part of a child’s life. Then for fantasy, it is important to set the rules of your world and stick to them. Readers will know if you don’t. 

 

3. What expertise did you bring to your writing? I’m not sure if I should call this an expertise, but all things supernatural fascinate me. So when I have an idea for a book, I roll up my sleeve and start researching known myths and lore. Then I put my own spin on what I learn. 

 

5. As far as your writing goes, what are your future plans? My second middle-grade novel Atticus Everheart, Fifth Grade Tutor…and monster hunter? is in the works! My editor and I are diligently working on edits. I anticipate the book to release in the fall. Visit my website or signup for my newsletter (https://cheriecolyer.com/mailing-list/) for updates.

6. If you could be one of the characters from this book, who would it be and why? Morgan. She’s intelligent, kind, spunky, and pretty brave, considering they’re hunting ghosts.

7. Do you belong to a critique group? If so how does this help or hinder your writing? I do! We’ve been together for years now, so we know each others’ writing styles, strengths, and weaknesses. What I love best about being in a critique group is receiving early feedback on my WIP. This helps me to know what’s working and what isn’t. 

8. When did you first decide to submit your work? Please tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step? This would be my husband. He really has encouraged me to keep writing. He saw how much I enjoyed it and how excited I was about finishing that first book. So we researched how to publish a book together. That was how I found the SCBWI (Society of Children Book Writers and Illustrators) and my first critique group. 

9. Do you outline your books or just start writing? I’ve done both, but the stories that were the easiest to write are the ones where I just started writing. Friends to the End falls in this category. 

10. How do you maintain your creativity? Lots of coffee, chocolate, and yard work. I do some of my best plotting when I’m planting flowers or weeding (even though I hate weeding).

 

11. Are your plotting bunnies, angels or demons? A mix of angels and demons. J

12. Anything else you might want to add? Thank you so much for having me on your blog! It’s been a lot of fun!

BLURB:

 

Twelve-year-old Zach is convinced he'll never be happy without his best friend Jeremy by his side. But both of their lives changed with a bang five months ago, and as far as Zach's concerned, it's his fault Jeremy will never see his twelfth birthday.

 

When Zach moves with his family to a Chicago suburb, he quickly becomes friends with a group of thrill-seeking kids trying to find a disappearing haunted house. But Zach's not worried. He doesn't believe in ghosts, so he follows them into a wild, dangerous encounter that becomes a battle to decide what's real and what's not.

 

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EXCERPT:

 

My bewildered gaze slithered from Dom to Josh, finally coming to a stop on Morgan as I tried to decide if they were crazy. 

 

“If the house is invisible, how do you expect to find it?” I asked. 

 

Morgan sat on the stoop next to me. “It’s not always invisible. My brothers saw it once. They said it’s a big house with a long porch. It vanished before they could set foot on the first step, and I’m glad, too.”

 

“Why? What would have happened if they were on the steps?” I asked. Not because I believed an old ghost story had any truth to it, but I was curious to know what she’d say. 

 

Morgan had to pick her jaw up from the walkway before she could answer, and when she did her voice came out in a high-pitched squeak. “If they had been on the porch or worse—” she swallowed loudly “—inside, they would have disappeared with it.”

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

C.L. Colyer found her love for writing in first grade when her class was sent to the library and asked to find a book for their first book report. While she doesn’t still have this book report, she’s very proud to say she got an A on it. Her favorite thing about the book was that it had no words. That’s right, not one! That gave her the freedom to interpret the pictures in any way she wanted and write her own story.

 

This sparked her love for writing essays. It wasn’t until she was an adult that she sat down and penned her first novel. This story has a special place in her heart because it’s the story that helped her discover her passion for writing. She has since written several books, many of which may never see the light of day, but all of which helped her learn to combine her passion for writing with her fascination with all things mythical.  You’ll find examples of this in her novels.

 

She lives in Illinois with her family. 

 

Keep in Touch:

 

Website: https://cheriecolyer.com/children/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cherie-Colyer-author-250631921629169 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CherieColyer

Instagram: www.instagram.com/cherie_colyer/ 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21748654.C_L_Colyer

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/C-L-Colyer/e/B09C6JPT3X/

Bookbub author page: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/cherie-colyer

 

 

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

 

Cherie Colyer will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

 

RAFFLECOPTER:

 

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f4035