Blog Tour Author Spotlight: Vincent Zandri "Moonlight Falls"

I am so very pleased to have the opportunity to host Vincent Zandri's Blog Tour today and tomorrow. Today, Vincent has agreed to guest post, and tomorrow, he is giving away a copy of his new book, "Moonlight Falls"! Be sure to come back tomorrow when you can enter to win your own copy as well as read my review about this fascinating book.


Three Things I do Everyday
By Vincent Zandri

It would be wonderful to tell you that I do nothing all day but write. However, life dictates a less romantic reality. While I write for a living, I also have lots of other …let’s call them distractions…that get in the way. 

Example: My teenage sons live with me full-time. They need to eat, and everyday finds me driving to the supermarket for food. Other examples of what I do everyday include, running, training with weights, paying bills, making dinner, you name it. It’s the same stuff we all do as parents.

But in terms of my professional writing life, here are three things I do religiously everyday:

1. Without fail, I’ll get up early to a fresh pot of coffee and write fiction. I’ll do this until about ten in the morning, at which time I’ll take a break and head out for a run.
2. Being a freelance photojournalist, I spend some time after lunch working on assignments. If I’m under pressure to meet a deadline, I’ll give over more of the day to completing it. I never miss a deadline!
3. No one is going to buy your new novel if they don’t know about it. So even though I have an awesome and sexy virtual publicist (Pump Up You Book!), I  spend a couple hours everyday marketing via social media, which includes Facebook, Myspace, Twitter and more.

If there were a fourth thing I do religiously it would be head out to my favorite dive and have a beer after work. A fifth thing would be reading. A sixth thing would be playing with my beautiful daughter, Ava. A seventh thing would be thinking of the all places I will travel to. The final thing would be sleeping and dreaming of it all over again tomorrow.

BIO:

Moonlight Falls author, Vincent Zandri, is an award-winning novelist, essayist and freelance photojournalist. His novel As Catch Can (Delacorte) was touted in two pre-publication articles by Publishers Weekly and was called "Brilliant" upon its publication by The New York Post. The Boston Herald attributed it as “The most arresting first crime novel to break into print this season.” Other novels include Godchild (Bantam/Dell) and Permanence (NPI). Translated into several languages including Japanese and the Dutch, Zandri’s novels have also been sought out by numerous major movie producers, including Heyday Productions and DreamWorks. Presently he is the author of the blogs, Dangerous Dispatches and Embedded in Africa for Russia Today TV (RT). He also writes for other global publications, including Culture 11, Globalia and Globalspec. Zandri’s nonfiction has appeared in New York Newsday, Hudson Valley Magazine, Game and Fish Magazine and others, while his essays and short fiction have been featured in many journals including Fugue, Maryland Review and Orange Coast Magazine. He holds an M.F.A. in Writing from Vermont College and is a 2010 International Thriller Writer’s Awards panel judge. Zandri currently divides his time between New York and Europe. He is the drummer for the Albany-based punk band to Blisterz.
www.vincentzandri.com

http://vincentzandri.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/VincentZandri

http://www.facebook.com/vincent.zandri?ref=profile

http://www.myspace.com/vincentzandri

Author Spotlight with Autographed Copy Giveaway: Cynthia Roberts "Wind Warrior"

Hello everyone.  Like all of you, I lived and breathed reading romances … it filled many long, lonely evenings when my husband worked nights in law enforcement and I was raising our children Jason and Alyssa (now 31 and 29).  It proved my constant companion later when my “Cinderella” marriage of twenty-five years came to an unexpected end.  There is a quote I heard once I can’t remember verbatim but goes somewhat like … “There is no greater loss than a love once known.”

I’m a true believer that when tragedy strikes and you’re standing at the edge of a fathomless abyss and all you see is darkness looking back at you, faith lies in knowing one of two things will happen.  You can either let fear consume you, roll up into a ball and waste away or, you can take a leap of faith and learn how to soar like an eagle.

I’ve always had a passion for writing from that very moment a Crayola was placed in my hand and throughout my career in marketing, public relations and sales writing creatively came easy.  When my marriage ended at the age of 45, life as I knew it was never the same.  It was a time of unrest, uncertainty, losing friends and family and financial ruin because I also found myself jobless which continued nearly two years. 

Wind Warrior became my salvation.  One evening I sat in front of the computer and decided to write instead of read.  I loved Cassie Edwards Savage Series and read every one of her books and figured all I could do was fail.  It proved my therapy back then but not quite up to par to win the favor of publishers.  I received so many rejections I could have wallpapered a small room in my house and almost gave up on my dream.  That is, until I realized it just wasn’t my time.  I needed to live through and get beyond the pain in my own life before I could transform that experience into the kind of passion and emotion I wanted my readers to feel personally through my writing. 

Wind Warrior is book one of five of my Iroquois Series and will officially be released by Tate Publishing June 15^th.  It is, however, available now for purchase through Tate’s website and it is my heartfelt hope readers will find it as enthralling to read as it was for me to research and bring to life.  Book #2 Captive Heart is finished and expected to be released the end of this year. 

Now that the writer in me has been unleashed … look out world!  If I can leave my beautiful five grandchildren any legacy, it will be the strength, conviction and passion put into every story I bring to life.  Please stay tuned for future projects which will include a series introducing contemporary shape shifters and two mainstream romance thrillers entitled Pawn For Malice and The Keeper’s Watch.

Wind Warrior
Tate Publishing
ISBN 978-1-61663-162-8
Link to purchase from Tate before June 15 http://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=978-1-61663-162-8
Available at Amazon and all other venues June 15^th
http://www.romanceauthorcynthiaroberts.com


Book Synopsis (from publisher):

"Leslie Michaels is a visionary, and only those close to her know of her special gift and the visions that come when her mind and body surrender to sleep. Fate has a way of righting many wrongs, and for Leslie it is a destiny that changes her life dramatically. But not before she is forced to flee into the wilderness to escape a murderous trapper bent on claiming her for his very own. Faith and a strong will to survive are her only companions, until she encounters Winnokin, the handsome Seneca war chief who first came to her in her dreams. Not only does he prove to be her rescuer and protector, he teaches her that tragedy can breed happiness and the passion to live and love deeply once again.

Wind Warrior plunges readers into the intimate depths of a relationship that unfolds like a live drama before their eyes while painting an insightful and intriguing portrait of Native Indian life in the 1800s. It is a story of longing, of a wanton need to survive all odds, and a love so strong it conquers human evil. Wind Warrior expresses with cunning words the simple, raw human emotions that hold readers spellbound and captivate their hearts."

GIVEAWAY:

Cynthia is offering one lucky reader an autographed copy of her book "Wind Warrior". Contest ends May 25th at 11:59pm EST.

To enter:

1. You must be a follower of this blog.
2. You must leave a comment WITH your email address.
3. US and Canada only - NO PO boxes.

BONUS Entries !! (get up to 2 bonus)

Follow me on Facebook and/or Twitter - see sidebar for buttons.

Please note: Winners will be contacted by email have 48 hours to respond with full name and address. Book will be sent directly to winner from the author.

Changes - Some You'll Notice, Some You Won't.

Changes you will see...

I am very pleased to announce that we have a new reviewer that will show up from time to time. My son is home from college this summer, and he will be posting reviews for things that interest him. It will be nice to have a fresh point of view and will make things much more interesting!

More exciting news... My husband gave me a Nook for my birthday over the weekend, so I'm now capable of reading e-books!! This will mean that not only will I be able to read and review e-books, but I may be posting information that will interest other e-book readers.

Changes you won't see...

As you may have noticed, I have been offline for the last few days. We have been going through some computer performance upgrades that should be making things a lot smoother on my end.

We had some computer issues a bit ago, so my husband got a new laptop. I really didn't like it - actually I was almost hating it. My dislike for it was making my posting a chore instead of something I enjoyed. So, hubby was so sweet to upgrade this old machine, giving it more memory, a new disk drive, and a bunch of tweaking here and there. It still needs a few more things like a new fan, but it is purring and making life so much better for me already :)

Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway - "Still the One" by Robin Wells

I am pleased to be able to be part of Robin Wells Blog Tour. Today, I am posting my review of "Still the One" and am pleased to be able to offer 5 copies of Robin's book (see below). On Sunday, May 16th, I will be hosting Robin's guest post, so please make sure to mark your calendars for a return visit!

Still the One
Author: Robin Wells
Publisher: Forever Hachette Books
ISBN: 9780446555982
Genre: Adult fiction, romance

Synopsis: (from publisher's website)

"After Katie Charmaine's husband is killed in Iraq, all she has left is a closet full of his clothes, a few pictures, and fond memories. She not only lost her love, but her last chance to have the children she's always wanted. Until Zack Ferguson shows up in town . . . with the daughter Katie gave up for adoption nearly seventeen years ago.

Zack Ferguson has never forgotten Katie, or the one magical night they spent together. Seeing her again brings up a tidal wave of emotions: regret over the way he left her, anger at the secret she kept, and desire he hasn't felt in years. But he's in town for Gracie. Their daughter is sixteen, angry at the world, and-worst of all-pregnant. She needs the love of her two parents now more than ever. Can these three forgive the hurts of the past and open their hearts to each other?"

My Thoughts:

For those that enjoy a good romance, I promise this novel will tug on your heart. Take a widow of a Troop in Iraq, a visitor and memories from the past, a secret revealed, and mix it all up, and you have a wonderful story to get lost in.

I really enjoyed this book. The story was heartwarming with a touch of humor and a serious side that makes one look back to teen and summer romances, choices and dreams. The characters were lovable, sassy, funny, and at the same time very serious, causing them to pull you into their lives and making you want to know more about them.

"Still the One" is a wonderful book about love lost, forgiveness, second chances, hope, and new life. A brilliant and heart-tugging escape that will leave you smiling when you finish the story.

Parental note: contains some offensive language and descriptive sex

About the Author:


Before becoming a full-time writer, Robin Wells was an advertising and public-relations executive. Robin has won the RWA Golden Heart Award, two National Readers' Choice Awards, the Holt Medallion, and CRW's Award of Excellence.

Robin currently lives just outside of New Orleans, Louisiana with her husband and two daughters.

For more information please visit http://www.robinwells.com/ You can also find Robin on Facebook and Twitter.


GIVEAWAY!!!

Anna of Hachette Book Group has been kind enough to offer readers of this blog a chance to win one of 5 copies of "Still the One" by Robin Wells. Giveaway ends on May 20th, 2010 at 11:59pm EST


To enter:

1. You must be a follower of this blog.
2. You must leave a comment WITH your email address.
3. US and Canada only - NO PO boxes.

BONUS Entries !! (get up to 2 bonus)

Follow me on Facebook and/or Twitter - see sidebar for buttons.

Please note: Winners will be contacted by email have 48 hours to respond with full name and address. Book will be sent directly to winner from Hachette Book Group.

Book was supplied by Hachette Book Group for me to honestly review.

Virtual Book Tour & Review: "My Sister's Voice" by Mary Carter

My Sister's Voice
Author: Mary Carter
Publisher: Kensington Books
ISBN: 9780758229205
Genre: Fiction
Publish Date: May 25, 2010

Synopsis (from Amazon.com):

A proudly deaf artist in Philadelphia, Lacey Gears is in a relationship with a wonderful man and rarely thinks about her childhood in a home for disabled orphans. That is, until Lacey receives a letter that begins, 'You have a sister. A twin to be exact'. Learning that her identical, hearing twin, Monica, experienced the normal childhood she was denied resurrects all of Lacey's grief, and she angrily sets out to find Monica and her parents. But the truth is far from simple. And for every one of Lacey's questions that's answered, others are raised, more baffling and profound. "My Sister's Voice" is a beautifully written novel about sisterhood, love, and the stories we cling to until real life comes crashing in.



My Thoughts:

Mary Carter is an engaging author who can draw you completely into the story. She makes her characters realistic and dimensional and the storyline fascinating. Her grasp of the Deaf community was amazing and made me assumed that she must have been Deaf herself. Instead, I discovered she was a certified American Sign Language Interpreter.

I really enjoyed the story of the twins and their road to discovery. I personally didn't care for their childhood story, though, which made me not like the ending as much as I wanted to. My reasoning lies with the same thoughts as Lacey's mother had - they were just toddlers. However, with that said, this still is a good read.

Parental note: Some offensive language and sexual content.

About the Author: (taken from author's website)

MARY CARTER is a freelance writer and novelist.  My Sister’s Voice is her fourth novel with Kensington. Her other works include:  She’ll Take It, Accidentally Engaged, Sunnyside Blues, andThe Honeymoon House in the best selling anthology Almost Home. She is a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, which is part of the Rochester Institute of Technology. She has just completed A Very Maui Christmas, a new novella for Kensington that will be included in a Christmas of 2010 anthology. She is currently working on a new novel, The Pub Across the Pond, about an American woman who swears off all Irish men only to learn she’s won a pub in Ireland. Readers are welcome to visit her at marycarterbooks.com.

Book was supplied by Pump Up Your book for me to honestly review.

Virtual Book Tour & Review: The New Rules for Mortgages by Dale Robyn Siegel

Every home library should have a copy of "The NEW RULES for Mortgages", whether you are currently looking to buy a home, or not. This book holds a wealth of information that can help you with things like cleaning up your credit, what to do if you are a victim of identity theft, what things to do to boost your credit score, and so much more. These won't just help you with a home loan, but other areas as well.

Did you know that even your insurance is based on your credit? I had a friend that found that out the hard way when his car insurance took a big jump. He called the insurance company to find out why, since he's never had an accident or was late on his payments. They told him he was a high risk and would be more likely to total his car or set it on fire to get out of paying for it. Weird, especially since his car had been paid off for years! Dale addresses these types of things in her book.

Now down to the meat of the book. Dale covers types of mortgages, how to get the best one for you, interest rates, costs, the loan process, closing, protecting your investment in your new home, etc. She also covers things like types of property, what to look for when considering purchasing a house, and how to detect problems and prevent them.

I wish this book was available when we were looking at purchasing a country home. We thought we'd be smart by shopping for lenders and didn't know that every time someone looked at our credit history, that points were lost. Our score took a loss and then was flagged because of being looked at so much. Then we got conflicting information from one lender to another, and really never knew what was true. It was an interesting time, and we spent many, many months looking and trying to decide what was best.

With "The NEW RULES for Mortgages" available, one never has to go through the mortgage process in the dark. Even if you aren't considering buying a home now, you really should read this book, as you may be put in a situation that requires you to move in the next year or so.

I can't recommend this book, highly enough. It will do nothing but save you money, and not just with purchasing a home - but in all areas of your life.

The New Rules for Mortgages
Author: Dale Robyn Siegel
Publisher: ALPHA Books
ISBN: 9781592579488
Genre: Non-fiction, finance

Synopsis: (taken from Amazon)

THIS BOOK IS the latest and most current how-to book on how to get the best mortgage and the lowest interest rate out there..... The book is short, around 200 pages, so there is no room for fluff or filler. It is easy to read, set up in chapters and short essays on specific topics. A how-to book on real estate written by an attorney, 20 year veteran in the mortgage industry AND a college level professor. The material is a combination of her classroom format, her every day knowledge and expertise combined with real life experiences to bring the point home. This works and you will love it!

A few interesting and favorite topics covered in 300 words or less:
* What are the new guidelines for FICO scores and loan to values and how do they affect mortgage rates?
* What is Rapid Rescore Response and can it really improve your credit score in 48 hours?
* How to get money from your 401k without a penalty
* When can a loan from my father-in-law be called a gift?
* Why is now so important to show as much money in reserves as you can?
* PMI v self insured. Which one is the bigger rip-off?
* What will it now cost you to refinance your home and pull cash out?
* Appraisal fraud and how is it affecting the value of your home
* What is an appraisal contingency clause vs. a mortgage contingency clause and how can you lose your deposit if you do not know?
* Points, origination fees, discount fees and broker fees. How do you avoid them all?
* What really affects the mortgage rates?
* Where do you find the best lawyer in town?

About the Author:

Dale Robyn Siegel is a licensed attorney in New York and President of Circle Mortgage Group, in Harrison, New York. She is an adjunct professor at NYU Schack Institute of Real Estate as well as Baruch College. She is the editor for the blog "Diaries of a Mad Mortgage Broker" and has been speaking to the public and teaching real estate professionals about mortgage finance for the past ten years. She is a sought after expert on all things real estate and frequently quoted in national publications such as "The New York Times", "Smart Money" and "BusinessWeek". She is currently working on a second book, "The 20 Hour S.A.F.E. Comprehensive Mortgage Loan Originator Course Textbook". This course is now required nationally for all those mortgage professionals with direct consumer contact. She is teaching the course herself in the New York Metropolitan area. Siegel holds both an MBA and a Law degree which have given her the base to be a leader in her field.

To visit the author's web page, go to: http://www.dalesiegel.com/  

This book was supplied by Pump Up Your Book for me to honestly review.

WINNERS of Garth Stein's Swag Bag & "Queen of Your Own Life"

Congratulations to the following winners:

"Queen of your Own Life" by Kathy Kinney & Cindy Ratzlaff:

Sandy J.

Garth Stein's "Art of Racing in the Rain" Swag Bag:

Martha Lawson

I have emailed you both.

Winners have 48 hours to respond. If no response, a new winner will be drawn.