Virtual Book Tour: The Silversmith Chronicles Episode 1 by Sam Hossler
“The Silversmith Chronicles” is a new direction from author Sam Hossler—combining his vast knowledge of 18th century American history with an action/suspense theme. This is also his first book presented in “Episodes,” similar to how famous writers such as Charles Dickens presented their works of fiction in the 18th century. The author’s fascination with the outdoors and archaeology sparked his interest in frontier life—a passion that led to writing several books including “Frontier Preacher” and “Frontier at Three Rivers.” Says Hossler: “I write history like you will never read it in history books!” He is a past president of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association and a member of the Outdoor Writers Association of America as well as being listed in the Professional Outdoor Writers Registry. Sam is also a true “Yankee Doodle Dandy” since he was born on the 4th of July!
Sam’s NEW e-book adventure Silversmith Chronicles is an exciting, action packed werewolf mystery presented in a series of three episodes. Follow three young people as they unravel the truth or fiction about werewolves. The story takes place in the 1800s in western Pennsylvania. Available from Amazon on Kindle Episode is now on sale from Amazon.com
Granny Apple Publishing LLC, based in Sarasota, Florida, publishes Print on Demand books, eBooks, Audio Books and traditional printed books.
Switching from historical fiction to fantasy may seem like a large leap, but it wasn’t. At least not for me. With a little research on the subject, werewolves, I let my imagination run wild. Brain storming with my grandson we came up with a basis for the story. Actually he had more wild ideas than I did and I toned them down considerably.
I took a section of the country I knew and began fantasizing what it would be like in the pioneer days if a beast began praying on their stock. From that beginning ideas just flowed. Knowing nothing had to be factual gave me the freedom to run with the werewolf image. There are those more involved with werewolves than I am and have some very definite theories. But, this is fantasy so my thoughts are as valid as the next person.
I write fantasy as an enjoyable read. I try and paint a word picture the reader can relate to as they turn the pages. If it is real enough the reader may think, “This could be true.” However, deep in their mind they know it isn’t.
Fantasy is not meant to be factual. Or is it?
Interview - “The Homegrown” by Harry Deshpande
Harry Deshpande has worked in finance/costing/admin/procurement at various points of time. During the same period he also managed to rack up losses in about six business ventures, one after another.
He left India in 2001 and started programming in 2002. He and his family have moved around the globe for the next few years and are now settled down in United States since 2007. Harry is now working as a developer for a fortune 500 company.
Other than writing and programming, Harry also indulges in book reviews and day-trading stocks.
What does it take to make a man turn against his country and join the Jihadists? Today, as suicide bombs and terrorist attacks devastate all corners of the globe, this question consumes all of us. Now, author Harry Deshpande’s debut novel, The Homegrown, comes all too close to home to explore the journey of an educated Danish citizen, who is confronted by circumstances that compel him to unfathomable ends. With Deshpande’s effort to lift the veil on the lethal exchange at play on the international stage, readers who seek a deeper understanding of the global dynamics that are compromising world peace will find invaluable insight into the mind of the converted.
When recent college graduate Anwar, a Muslim born in Denmark, marries Nahgma, an Indian Muslim, her prosperous father is keen to celebrate the union by treating them to a honeymoon in Hawaii. However, Anwar’s father has a markedly different idea in mind to launch their marriage: a visit to the family homeland of Pakistan to acquaint the new bride with Pashtun culture. Reluctantly agreeing, Anwar finds himself in the province of Quetta, and in the forbidding company of Hamid, a member of his extended family who has a palpable madness in his eyes.
Regrettably, this meeting will forever alter Anwar’s worldview. When he takes up Hamid’s offer to visit a site of American attack as proof that the United States is targeting innocents, Anwar lands in the middle of a skirmish between American Special Forces and the jihadist elements. From there, one traumatic event after another calls into question Anwar’s accepted Danish mores, his relationship with his new bride, and his comprehension of Denmark’s complicity to Pakistani atrocities at the hands of Americans.
From there, rigorous Jihadist brainwashing quickly transforms a benign Western accountant into an avowed Muslim with a new wife, for whom he has a passion that even surprises him. With that love rendered asunder, Anwar now has the fire to enact the unimaginable, right in his once-beloved Denmark.
With each turn, The Homegrown charts the grave and all-too-common trajectory from world citizen to public enemy, casting crucial light on why terrorists succeed with their message of hatred, and why the United States may be losing in the war of propaganda.
Interview
Q. Tell us something about yourself.
There is nothing special about me, lived ordinary life so far, planning to live ordinary life in the near future.
Q. How did you decide you wanted to write books?
I felt that I had something to say and I could make a difference. The easiest way of expressing myself and make myself heard is to write and then prey that the right people will read the book.
Q. What was your inspiration behind “THE HOMEGROWN”?
I have been thinking about the ‘Homegrown’ terrorism issue for a long time and read a lot about it. Most of the (Western) analysist that I read did not make any sense at all. I realized that these people will never get it since they have never lived that life (of an immigrant). I hope that this book will simulate the imagination of the western readers and let them feel the book from the eyes of an immigrant.
Q. What advice would you like to give budding authors or those who want to start writing?
Writing does not come naturally to me since I am emotionally stunted. It is very difficult for me to express the emotional part. Unfortunately emotions make up a large part of any fictional novel. This is why I picked up topic where I really had strong feelings. Once I had the topic, the words started coming out naturally.
I tried every advice on the net about ‘how to write a book.’ Nothing worked for me. Finally I decided to write the preface since I am good at analytical writing. Once I wrote the preface, chapter I came to me naturally. By the time I finished chapter I, I knew what was happening in Chapter II. At no point of time, I had a clue about what was going to happen in rest of the book.
Virtual Book Tour Stop - “Seeds of Discovery” by Breeana Puttroff
It’s a brave, new adventure for sure, and she is happier than she had been in a long time.
After 34 years, two degrees, eleven years of teaching, and a precious daughter, I’ve decided to take a leap of faith and begin a new adventure. Writing my way to happiness. So far, it’s looking good. :)
Q. How did you decide you wanted to write books?
I don’t know that it was a decision, really. I started “writing books” shortly after I started reading them, around four or five years old. I’ve always enjoyed writing stories.
Q. What was your inspiration behind “SEEDS OF DISCOVERY”?
The inspiration behind Seeds of Discovery was a broken bridge, in some ways similar to the one in the story. Two summers ago, my dad and I had taken my daughter up to the foothills for some picnicking and playing in the mountain river. The pull-off we chose had the remains of a concrete bridge that, much like the one in Seeds of Discovery, had at one point led to absolutely nowhere. I knew there was a story in there. It was several months later that I started finding it.
Q. Writing is said to be something that people are afflicted with rather than gifted and that it’s something you have to do rather than want. What is your opinion of this statement?
I think this is a true statement. :) Even if I were not putting pen to paper on my stories (and I often don’t … so I suppose the correct statement is “even when I don’t”) I’m still composing them in my head. Most of my favorite scenes in The Dusk Gate Chronicles books were written and re-written hundreds of times while driving or in the shower. :)
Q. How would you “sell” your book in 20 words or less?
Quinn Robbins is about to discover an old secret that will change her life forever.
Q. What are the best aspects of writing?
My favorite parts of writing are those moments when I go back and re-read what I’ve written, and think *I* wrote that? There are times that the story just begins to write itself and I feel like I’m discovering it, rather than creating it. There was one chapter in particular, in Roots of Insight, that when I went back to re-read a couple of days later, I found myself actually getting swept up in the story. That was amazing.
Q. What advice would you like to give budding authors or those who want to start writing?
Write. There are millions of people in this world who “want to write,” or “have a great idea.” It doesn’t matter. WANTING to write doesn’t matter. Being ABLE to write, having good writing skills or storytelling abilities doesn’t matter. The difference between a writer and a non-writer is the time a writer spends in the chair, actually WRITING, and finishing, even when you reach the mucky middle of the story and you wonder what you were thinking starting. Writers finish.
The mystery only deepens as she figures out who the boy is; William Rose, a reclusive, awkward boy from school who always has his nose in a pile of books.
On a whim one night she follows him and suddenly finds herself in a new world. One where William is a prince, literally, and she is treated like a princess. She also discovers that she is stuck; the gate back to her own world isn’t always open.
Quinn finds herself smack in the middle of a modern-day fairy tale, on a course that will change her life forever.
Virtual Book Tour Stop - “Six Weeks To Yehidah” by Melissa Studdard
Lets cut the chase, first of all belated Merry Christmas to all. Today is my day to host author Melissa Studdard and her books SIX WEEKS TO YEHIDAH and MY YEHIDAH on my humble abode….i mean blog. Tarry not….we have much to do.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Melissa Studdard is the author of the bestselling novel Six Weeks to Yehidah, which also won the 2011 Forward National Literature Award for Middle Grade Chapter Books. She is also a professor, a book reviewer at-large for The National Poetry Review, a contributing editor for both Tiferet Journal and The Criterion, and the host of the radio interview program Tiferet Talk. As well, she is a member of many literary organizations, including the National Book Critics Circle and the Society of Childrens Book Writers and Illustrators.
She loves anything related to writing and reading, whether it’s sitting alone with a book and a cup of hot tea, or attending a large poetry reading or literary festival. She also loves travelling, meditating, going for walks, bicycling, practicing yoga, and spending time with family.
She currently resides in Texas with her wonderful daughter and their four sweet but mischievous cats.
ABOUT “Six Weeks To Yehidah”
Move over, C.S. Lewis; Melissa Studdard is here! Annalise of the Verdant Hills is one of the most delightful protagonists to skip through the pages of literature since Dorothy landed in Oz. Join Annalise and her two walking, talking wondersheep as they travel to ever more outlandish places and meet outrageous and enlightening folk on their journey to discover interconnectedness in a seemingly disconnected world. Discover with them how just one person can be the start of the change we all strive for. A book for all ages, for all time: wonderful, wacky, and bursting with truth!
ABOUT “My Yehidah”
Bursting at the seams with joy and truth, My Yehidah leads you through one of the most important adventures you can take: the journey to the center of your very own self. Filled with writing and drawing prompts and beautiful illustrations to color, this book is the perfect jump start for meaningful, creative exploration for people of all ages. My Yehidah is great as a standalone, but for even more fun, explore it alongside the bestselling, award-winning novel, Six Weeks to Yehidah.
REVIEW
Annalise and her two pet sheep, Mabel and Mimi caught in a flash flood and transported to the land above the clouds find more that they ever bargained for…..there is a land beyond the clouds. From Bob, a man made of light, to Hagski, a nasty bag lady who likes to make rules, to a shaman named Tony and his wise mother Kàna. Here, too, they find that animals talk and musical instruments sprout from the ground like corn. Annalise visits islands and special gardens and a tunnel through the ocean, all the while learning lessons about herself and the nature of the universe. But at last she must decide whether she wants to stay there or return home.
It is said that the greatest complement an author receives is when her reader get lost among the pages and are able to feel a connection to it all, well kudos Ms. Studdard you have done that with me. Six Weeks…. enforces the fact that classics, myths and hope only exists as long as we believe in them that they are.
EXCLUSIVE TALK WITH Ms. Studdard
Q. Hi Melissa.
Hi Aparajita.
Q. Please tell us and our readers a little bit about yourself.
I’m super active in the literary world as an editor, a reviewer, a talk show host, a professor, and, obviously, a writer. I’m also a single mom, so I’m pretty busy. But I love, love, love reading and writing, and I will always make time for it, no matter how busy I am.
Q. Describe your book in a sentence to convince us to buy it.
Six Weeks to Yehidah is a magical, mythical, mystical journey that will change how you see the world.
Q. What led you to being an author?
I’ve always been an avid reader. As a kid, I read massive tomes like War and Peace instead of watching television. Back then it never occurred to me that I could write books too, but over time I started to realize that there were real, living people writing books. Once I grasped that writing wasn’t just some archaic ritual performed by people who have been dead for centuries, I grabbed a pen and jumped in.
Q. How do you research for a book before you being the writing process?
Because I write about things I’m interested in, the research happens naturally through the course of living. In Six Weeks to Yehidah, for instance, there’s a lot of Native American imagery and symbolism which were already in my mind from the traveling and reading I’ve been doing for several years. I also Google all sorts of things right in the middle of the writing process. That’s always fun!
Q. If not an author then what?
Probably a librarian.I’ve always had a fantasy about spending my days literally surrounded by books.
Q. Something special you want to share with us?
I’m completely floored by the positive response to Six Weeks to Yehidah. It has won awards, hit bestseller lists, been named on “Best of the Year” lists. It has been a delight and an honor to receive these accolades, and I am so thankful for each and every reader.
Q. Any advice you would want to give to aspiring writers?
First of all, you should always remember that you’re the only person who can speak your truths, and you are worthy of being heard. Secondly, be patient and keep after it and write without ridiculous expectations. Sometimes your writing won’t be good, but you have to write through that to get to the good stuff. Quitting writing won’t fix anything. Don’t be wary of writing the bad stuff. Just laugh at it, think of it as practice, don’t show it to anyone if you don’t feel like it, and keep writing until the good stuff starts flowing again. Just do not stop writing. The most important thing is to keep doing it against all the odds, obstacles, doubts, and insecurities. Those who keep after it are the ones who succeed. I’ve seen it over and over again with my writer friends.
Harry Potter Page To Screen: The Complete FilmMaking Journey
As I have said before I don’t honestly review production design books but making an exception when Harry Potter falls into that category. Presenting my views over Harry Potter Page to Screen: The Complete Filmmaking Journey by Bob McCabe.
Here is the summary of the book:
Harry Potter: Page to Screen opens the doors to Hogwarts castle and the wizarding world of Harry Potter to reveal the complete behind-the-scenes secrets, techniques, and over-the-top artistry that brought J.K. Rowling’s acclaimed novels to cinematic life. Developed in collaboration with the creative team behind the celebrated movie series, this deluxe, 500-plus page compendium features exclusive stories from the cast and crew, hundreds of never-before-seen photographs and concept illustrations sourced from the closed film sets, and rare memorabilia. As the definitive look at the magic that made cinematic history, Page to Screen is the ultimate collectible, perfect for Muggles everywhere.
Its all done in three parts. All the eight films are discussed greatly in terms of production, casting, special effects employing, the challenges each film presented and a lot of comments from the actors, creative team and the directors and the producers. We are introduced methodically to every movie and the side note to how some of the big effects were created and made believable also adds points to the whole write-up. After this first half, the next half of the book is more where the encyclopaedia designation comes in. Giant chunks of the book are dedicated to costumes (really, characters), sets, props, and creatures and what went into the design / how they came to life / concept art.
That being said i’m sure you’ll all remember that another book just like this was released before the final 2 Potter movies realeased…Yes I’m talking about Harry Potter Film Wizardry, while yes a lot of things presented in this book are also found there and some of you all may find getting Film Wizardry as it is cheaper but Page To Screen makes one hell of a companion to the Potter Saga. It is definitely something I will go back to again in the future.
