Lorna Collins- Twelve Question Tuesday

Today I am excited to welcome Lorna Collins to Twelve Question Tuesday.

1.  Please tell me the three most important things people should know about you.
I am a control freak and perfectionist, which may make me a better editor and writer.  I’ve been married to the same man for 48 years and plan to spend as long as I can with him.  I love people, which may also contribute to the reality of my characters. (Larry says I collect friends like others collect stamps!)

2.  Are you a dog person or a cat person?
I must confess, I’m a cat person although we are currently petless by choice.

3.  Tea or coffee?
Coffee, decaf, black. 

4.  Boxers, briefs, boxer-briefs, or commando? (Either what you prefer or what you prefer on others.)
Briefs (on Larry, of course).

5.  What was the first thing you ever wrote?
A poem in about third grade. 

6.  When did you finally decide to call yourself a writer?
Not until after our first book was published, although I’d done technical writing for years.
 
7.  Which of your works are you most proud to have written?
It’s a little like asking which child you love most. My current answer would be The Memory Keeper, our current WIP. We’ve spent about two years doing the research. Oh and of course our memoir, 31 Months in Japan: The Building of a Theme Park.

8.  What is the scariest thing that has ever happened to you?
We were in the old city of Jerusalem being shoved along in a crush of humanity. I was terrified I’d trip and be trampled. 

9.  How did you end up getting published?
After having a couple of agents express interest and then tell us they weren’t, after holding the manuscript for months, we decided to subsidy publish in order to expedite publishing. Our subsequent books were published by independent, royalty-paying publishers.

10.  Would you be food or fighter if the zombie apocalypse were to happen?
I’m such a wuss, I’d probably end up being food.

11.  What is the most daring thing you have ever done?
Giving up the best job I’d ever had to join my husband in Japan to help build the Universal Studios Japan theme park. At least we got our first book out of the adventure!

12.  Would you rather be rich or famous--and you could only have one-- and why?  The fame would be based on something good, not something like being the best serial killer or anything like that.
Probably rich just because of all the good I could do for others.
 
Ghost Writer by Lorna Collins

When unemployed computer programmer Nan Burton inherits a California beach cottage from her great-great-aunt, she’s delighted. But she’s in for a huge surprise: The house is haunted by the ghost of famous romance writer Max Murdoch (pen name Maxine DuBois) who insists Nan complete his last novel, threatening to keep her from sleeping until she agrees. The ensuing clash pits youth against the long-dead but still egotistical author with humorous and moving results.


All our books can be published from the publishers as well as on Amazon, Kindle, Nook, etc. 

Links and trailers are all on our website http://www.lornalarry.com.


You can find Lorna's blog at: http://lornacollins-author.blogspot.com/

Kay Kendall- Twelve Question Tuesday

Today I am excited to welcome writer Kay Kendall to Twelve Question Tuesday. 

1.  Please tell me the three most important things people should know about you.
Half of my family is from Texas, the other from Kansas, and I once lived in Canada for 22 years with my Canadian husband. We’ve been homesteaded happily in Texas since 1990, and he said just yesterday that he calls himself an American. That said, each of us has dual US-Canadian citizenship, as does our son. Gosh, I think that’s more than a mere three things. I lost count.

2.  Are you a dog person or a cat person?
I’m a dog person. I’ve lived with a few cats over the years but am terribly allergic to them anyway. Dogs I can relate to. Cats, not so much, and besides, just thinking about them makes me wheeze and sneeze.

3.  Tea or coffee?
Coffee, big time! When I was in grad school, I remember one day I drank 17 cups of java. I don’t drink that much now but the mugs are bigger. I also try to drink two cups of green tea daily for my health. I’m working on living to 100 and green tea is supposed to help. If you think that I might slosh when I walk around, then you would be correct.

4.  Boxers, briefs, boxer-briefs, or commando?
Assuming I know what you mean by the term “boxer-briefs,” those are the ones I prefer on my husband. Commando style makes me want to giggle.

5.  What was the first thing you ever wrote?
I wrote and illustrated my own version of Clement Moore’s wonderful “Night Before Christmas” when I was about age seven.

6.  When did you finally decide to call yourself a writer?
I began writing fiction about twelve years ago. After two years, while shopping at a Whole Foods, I spotted a mug painted with words from Henry David Thoreau, aimed straight at my heart. “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined.” I bought that mug and drank from it for five more years as I wrote and wrote and wrote. It took that long for me to acknowledge that being a writer was my heart’s desire and another year before I could call myself a writer. Now I call myself an author, because my debut mystery was published last spring. That is the best part, being a published author.

7.  Which of your works are you most proud to have written?
I’ve written two novels. One is a literary coming-of-age story, now safely squirreled away in a drawer. The second is my debut mystery Desolation Row. I can’t choose between the two. It’s like trying to choose your favorite child. I love both novels for different reasons.

8.  What is the scariest thing that has ever happened to you?
In college I was riding my bicycle down a path, barreling down a slight hill, when my brakes failed and I couldn’t stop before zooming onto a busy street. There were cars coming toward me on my right, but I whizzed by in time to not get scrunched. Scared me to death.

9.  How did you end up getting published?
I sent the manuscript of Desolation Row to several agents and three publishers that would take un-agented submissions. Many American agents and some publishers are not keen to take books set outside of the United States, and they definitely didn’t see my Canadian setting as a plus. The publisher I ended up with, however, had already issued books that have Canadian content. Once I saw that on their web page, I knew that Stairway Press of Seattle would be a good fit for my book. The Stairway people are a joy to work with, and because my publisher Ken Coffman runs his operation like a writers’ cooperative, I had input into how my book turned out physically.

10.  Would you be food or fighter if the zombie apocalypse were to happen?
Definitely I’d fight. Nobody or nothing is going to eat ME! I’m the happy eater around here! 

11.  What is the most daring thing you have ever done?
As I am answering these questions, thinking about my life as a writer, I must say that the most daring thing I’ve done is to put myself out into the world as a writer. It takes guts to send your baby/book out into the world, knowing that lots of people will sling mud and say your book is the stupidest thing they’ve ever read. So far my reviews online after been terrific, knock on wood. This week, though, a few worse reviews for the audio version popped up, but those comments sound like they are from younger readers who expected something different from what I write. Anyway, I’ve heard many very famous authors say how down they get about bad comments, so I know I’m in good company and it is well worth the risk.

12.  Would you rather be rich or famous--and you could only have one-- and why?  The fame would be based on something good, not something like being the best serial killer or anything like that.
Forced to pick, I’d much rather be famous. I would go further and choose to be famous for being an author whose books people love to read. Why not rich? That’s easy. Lots of rich people lead very unhappy lives and grow mean and nasty and very, very selfish. Enough said.



BLURB


In 1968 a young bride from Texas uses her CIA-honed skills to catch the real killer when her husband lands in a Canadian jail for murdering the draft-resisting son of a United States senator.

Alone and ill-equipped to negotiate in a foreign country, Austin launches her own investigation into the murder. Austin must find the real killer or risk losing everything. Her love--and her life--are on the line.

MY LINKS


https://www.facebook.com/KayKendallAuthor
http://www.kaykendallauthor.com
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6080853.Kay_Kendall

I Tweet from @kaylee_kendall
I blog twice a month from The Stiletto Gang, beginning in November: http://thestilettogang.blogspot.com/


My debut mystery Desolation Row is available in three formats: paperback, E book, and audio book.

My publisher Stairway Press will mail copies of my book ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD FOR FREE. See
http://www.stairwaypress.com/bookstore/desolation-row/
http://www.amazon.com/Kay-Kendall/e/B00BVUMUD8/
http://www.audible.com/pd/Mysteries-Thrillers/Desolation-Row-Audiobook/B00EIOUUMC/ref=a_cat_Myste_c6_1_t


BIO


Kay Kendall is an international award-winning public relations executive who lives in Texas with her husband, five house rabbits, and spaniel Wills. A fan of historical mysteries, she set her debut mystery during the Vietnam War, a key conflict of last century not overrun with novels. Published by Stairway Press of Seattle, Desolation Row features Austin Starr, a young bride who turns amateur sleuth when her husband is jailed in Canada for murdering the draft-resisting son of a United States senator. Kay is now writing the sequel, Rainy Day Women, that centers on the death of a women’s liberation leader.

D.R. Ransdell- Twelve Question Tuesday

Today I am excited to welcome writer and violinist D.R. Ransdell to Twelve Question

Tuesday. 

1.  Please tell me the three most important things people should know about you.
I love to travel, I play in a mariachi, and I love to speak foreign languages.

2.  Are you a dog person or a cat person? 
5 cats! (No dogs—they’re too hard to leave if I want to travel.)

3.  Tea or coffee?
Coffee in the morning, and then tea in the afternoon!

4.  Boxers, briefs, boxer-briefs, or commando? (Either what you prefer or what you prefer on others.)
Briefs always!

5.  What was the first thing you ever wrote?
A story called “Samantha the Martian.” I think I was in second grade. The story was about a Martian coming to earth and being the substitute teacher for the day.

6.  When did you finally decide to call yourself a writer?
Last spring I finally realized that while I was writing “writing teacher” first on my profile, my own writing was what always came first in my own mind.

7.  Which of your works are you most proud to have written? 
I think writers are almost always most in love with what they’ve just given birth to.  MARIACHI MURDER was born last May, so that’s very exciting. 

8.  What is the scariest thing that has ever happened to you? 
Moving back to the U.S. after five years in Mexico was terrifying and very difficult. 

9.  How did you end up getting published? 
It’s always been a process of sending things out again and again. 

10.  Would you be food or fighter if the zombie apocalypse were to happen? 
I would sit down and start writing about it. 

11.  What is the most daring thing you have ever done? 
Tried to learn Italian and Spanish—in the same year via two study abroad programs. 

12.  Would you rather be rich or famous--and you could only have one-- and why?  The fame would be based on something good, not something like being the best serial killer or anything like that.
Better to be rich. If you’re rich, you have time to travel and write. If you’re famous, your time isn’t your own.

BIO: 

D.R. Ransdell is an author in Tucson, Arizona where she can enjoy good weather most of the year. She loves to travel, so travel often is a feature in her writing. She also plays the violin in both a classical group and a mariachi band. Thus her first mystery is MARIACHI MURDER. Andy knows better than to let a beautiful woman turn his head, but somehow he simply can't help himself even if it means putting his own mariachi group in jeopardy. D.R. has also published a volume of poetry: THE SECRET LIVES OF THE PINK HOUSE CATS. She lives with several cats; she could get more writing done if she didn't have to stop and rescue lizards quite so often!

BLURB:

When Andy’s boss has to go out of town for a baptism, Andy is put in charge of the mariachi restaurant against his will. Not only does he have to lead the band, but he’s supposed to keep an eye on the boss’s much younger wife. After Andy sees Yiolanda fleeing the murder scene of a fellow musician, he’s not sure what to do. The more Andy finds out, the more trouble he gets himself into. He's a sleuth only by accident. He would much rather spend afternoons working on new songs; instead the only way he can hope to restore equilibrium is by taking walks at three a.m., breaking and entering, impersonating his brother, and lying to everyone, including himself. 

www.dr-ransdell.com
http://www.facebook.com/diane.ransdell
http://drransdell.blogspot.com

Buy links:

Amazon: http://goo.gl/NXgv4

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mariachi-murder-d-r-ransdell/1113453597?ean=9781610090568

http://www.powells.com/biblio/61-9781610090568-0

Bad Reviews

Bad reviews are an unfortunate reality for all writers.  Somebody out there will read a book that they don’t like and feel compelled to write about it on Amazon or Goodreads or some other site that people who buy books actually look at.

Everyone has a right to an opinion and you can’t expect everyone to enjoy or appreciate your book.  Some reader may even feel as if buying your book was a huge waste of money.

Most readers are conscientious, however, and will post an honest review.  It’s hard to fault that.  If a review sets out why the reader didn’t like the book, what the reader saw as the fatal flaw or flaws of the book, and the review makes sense, the writer must accept that not everyone loves the book and move on.

Some readers, however, are not so thoughtful, and write scathing reviews with little or no thought behind them.  My favorite are reviews I have seen where the reviewer didn’t finish the book.  I don’t see how a person can legitimately complain about plot, theme, or resolution of the plot, if that person did not read through to the end. 

How does the reader know the plot wasn’t resolved if he or she didn’t finish the entire book? Assuming the writer could not possibly have satisfactorily tied up the loose ends or reconciled plot points after reading only half of the book is not fair to the writer, nor to the individuals who read the reviews to decide whether to buy the book or not.

The truth is, people care about a review only to the extent that it helps them determine whether or not to buy the book.  They don’t read reviews for the entertainment value of the review itself. Vicious or sarcastic reviews make me think the reviewers are more interested in getting attention for themselves, trying to make the world see them as humorous. It also makes me wonder if the reviewer could be a failed author, who was unable to entertain people by completing a work, so they make a feeble attempt to entertain people by writing ugly reviews.

 

But ultimately, it doesn’t really matter why the reviewer wrote the review.  What matters is how the writer deals with it.


First, never respond or reply or contact the reviewer.  You are not going to change his or her mind, and you just might annoy the person to the extent they post a really crappy review of your other works.  Writers do not need to waste energy engaging in battles with people who ultimately don’t matter in the big scheme of things.

Second, accept that some people legitimately don’t like your work.  Your book may not be for them. Move on.  My sister’s a dog person, my mom’s a cat person. I like both.  Different strokes for different folks.

Third, accept that some people are, for lack of a better word, assholes.  They will write a bad review criticizing everything from your title to the one typo in your book to the plot to the name of your lead character, because they just realized buying your book overdrafted their bank account.  Or because the sink is full of dishes. Or they’re a former mean girl and your cover picture shows you are prettier than they are. 

Fourth, find someone to write a newer review.  Bad reviews don’t have an impact if they are buried amid a bunch of more favorable reviews.  What hurts is if the bad review, especially a nasty review, is the most recent review potential buyers read.

I try to hold someone back, someone I know has read my book but hasn’t written a review, and wait to ask them to write a review until after I receive a bad review.  Then I email them and say I’ve noticed they haven’t reviewed my book yet, when they get a chance could they do it.  I don’t ask for a good review, but I know no matter what type of review they leave, it will be better than an ugly one.

Another way to accomplish this is to ask for help within your publishing house, asking if anyone has read your book and not reviewed it yet, would they mind posting one now because you’ve just received a scathing review.  I don’t think this is the same as trading reviews, which can be seen as suspect, because I am not offering them anything to write the review.  And I do say I expect an honest review.  Even if they didn’t love my book, I know no one in my publishing house would leave an unprofessional or meanspirited review.  And as I mentioned, any review is better than a crazy mean review.

The top selling writers in the world receive negative reviews. The difference is that a bad review won't affect them as much as it will affect a lesser known writer.  Ultimately, bad reviews are a fact of life and the only thing a writer can do is hope to get a better, more recent review. 

And then forget about it.  Writers need to focus their attention on writing good books.  If the book is good and the writer is promoting it, the rest will follow, despite a bad review or two.

Jeana Gartshore-Thompson: Twelve Question Tuesday

Today I am excited to welcome Jeana Gartshore-Thompson to Twelve Question Tuesday.  I have changed some of the questions a bit for Jeana since she is on the promotion side of things at Oak Tree Press. 

1.  Please tell me the three most important things people should know about you.
I try to turn everything that happens to me into a humorous situation. Laughing is the best medicine in any situation! I am always trying to bring a smile to someone’s day, you just never know when someone really needs that! Life is an adventure, mine just happens to be a crazy adventure!

I am very determined to provide for my family, I have four part-time jobs. Besides being the public relations manager for Oak Tree Press, you can find me in bright pink coveralls and an orange safety vest doing patrol at one of our local schools and am a recess teacher too! As well as transporting a small group of kids to a local daycare after school. Most days I don’t know if I am coming or going. But I Love each and every one of my jobs, they are all rewarding in their own way.

There is nothing I won’t try or give help with. This still amazes my boyfriend, Steven Lomprez! I am not a girly girl, I will be out helping fix a vehicle or digging dirt what ever needs done I am there doing it! But I am the worlds biggest Clutz! I can fall over literally nothing! 

Once, I went to get a hand saw that was hanging to high up in the garage, I decided to get a broom to get it down, the saw slipped down the handle on the broom and cut my hand. The same day Steve asked me to put a ear of corn on the squirrel feeder, I pushed it on and the screw went into my hand. What did Steve do? He laughed at me! Bad things happen, you can’t stop that but you just need to find the humor in it!

2.  Are you a dog person or a cat person? 
I am both, we actually have a dachshund named Dashin (that is how I pronounced a dachshund). We also have 2 older female cats, Nibbles and Sassy (Sassy is a blue tip Siamese) We also have two Big Oscar fish and a pet squirrel, Roo that I rescued as a baby. I am a huge animal lover!

3.  Tea or coffee? 
Definitely Tea! I love the smell of coffee but hate the taste! I am a huge fan of hot chocolate in the winter too! Especially when I am on the crosswalk, crossing kids!

4.  Boxers, briefs, boxer-briefs, or commando? (Either what you prefer or what you prefer on others.)
I like boxer briefs on guys! However anyone that read Billie, my boss’s interview would 
know that my guy prefers commando! 

5.  If you could be anyone else for one day, who would it be and why? (You can’t be Mrs. Channing Tatum because I have claimed that one already.) 
Believe it or not I wouldn’t want to be anyone else, I am very comfortable in my own skin! Many of my friends think I am a fruit loop in a world of Cheerios!   I am a little wild and crazy but I do my own thing and enjoy this wonderful thing we call life everyday. I simply dance to the beat of my own drum!

6.  How did you end up at Oak Tree Press?
Well this is quite a long story, however I will try to give the shortest version possible. I had actually gone through my second divorce. I had not worked in 9 years. I sat here wondering how I was going to provide for my children, my father had called me and told me about an ad he read in our local paper. I immediately sent a letter to Billie Johnson, the publisher of Oak Tree Press. We met for lunch and she hired me on the spot. We actually hit it off so well that we are very good friends, I seriously miss her since her move back to California.

7.  What is your favorite book of all time and why?
I would have to say “The Scarlet Letter”  I am not sure exactly why but the story had always stuck with me. 

8.  What is the scariest thing that has ever happened to you?
Probably the huge spider I just witnessed staring at me on my floor! I hate spiders!

9.  If you won the lottery, would you share the wealth or change your name and go into hiding?
I think I would share my wealth, I really like brightening some ones day, and giving gifts!


10.  Would you be food or fighter if the zombie apocalypse were to happen? 
I would definitely be a fighter! I can be very stubborn, I hear. I am do not give up easily at all! I certainly do not go down without a good fight!

11.  What is the most daring thing you have ever done?
Laughing at my boyfriend, Steve when I paid my children to smash raw eggs on his bald head! Was so funny I could not help myself! If you know him you know he is over 6 foot tall, I am a mere 5 foot. I would say that qualifies as the most daring thing I have done.

12.  Would you rather be rich or famous--and you could only have one-- and why?  The fame would be based on something good, not something like being the best serial killer or anything like that. 
Rich! Who in their right mind would not want to be rich? I would more than likely share my wealth though!
MY BIO:

Jeana Gartshore-Thompson is a life long resident of Taylorville, Illinois. and a single mother to three beautiful children, April (26), Jesse (16)and Benjamin(10). Jeana has a step-daughter from her previous marriage, Brittany who is attending SIUE, studying to be a special education teacher. Jeana and her children were blessed to have her wonderful boyfriend, Steven Lomprez enter their lives in 2011. He has two children Travis and Kim that add to the large family. Jeana is also a caregiver to her oldest , April, who has Cerebral Palsy.  Before coming onto Oak Tree Press' staff , she ran and operated her own in-home Daycare for 10+ years. When Jeana is not dedicating herself to Oak Tree or her children, she loves to enjoy the outdoors with her boyfriend Steve. Jeana and Steve 'adopted' many plants from Billie Johnson's garden during OTP's re-location to California, and they report the bloomers are thriving.

My websites

You can visit our website at  www.oaktreebooks.com

Or visit our blog at  http://otpblog.blogspot.com/

I am on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/jeana.thompson.12
 
Oak Tree Press Authors at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Oak-Tree-Press-Authors/210979042259140

Oak Tree Press on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/oaktreebooks