Featured Author Interview at Juniper Grove

Fantastic presentation, Jaidis Shaw, of your interview with me about my novel Soul Awakening. Read all about it athttp://www.junipergrove.net/featured-author-doug-simpson/.

You Wouldn't Believe Me If I Told You!

Happy Birthday Raluca Maria. I am honored that you saved our story for your special day. The curious can read it at http://thedaydreamer3.blogspot.com/2012/06/you-wouldnt-believe-me-if-i-told-you.html

Many Lives, Many Masters by Brian L. Weiss, M.D.

Courage beyond the line of duty. Dr. Brian Weiss risked it all. Could you do it? Read his story at http://quotidiandose.wordpress.com/2012/06/25/virtual-blog-tour-meet-doug-simpson/

Today's Guest Blogger - Catrina Taylor

I extend a very warm welcome to the accomplished author, Catrina Taylor, who will share with us some of her views and interests concerning reading material. Take it away, Catrina!

“All the best stories in the world are but one story in reality -- the story of escape. It is the only thing which interests us all and at all times, how to escape.” Arthur Christopher Benson

Books are an incredible way to take a break from life and to enjoy the imagination of others. The outlaid thoughts, emotional impression and carefully created laws offer a reader a plethora of experiences they are unable to receive anywhere else. I make an effort to keep my reading varied and enjoy doing so. Each new world is a new opportunity to explore a extraordinary new place with new characters and new experiences. It is a pleasure to learn from the words created by others and to explore possibilities that were not previously conceived.

Recently one book that pulled in my attention was Angela of Troy by SJB Gilmour. He skillfully crafted a novella in a world where a warrior faces the unknown across many worlds, not just our own. She does this during a time of great strife, sadness and misfortune as it begins with her hunting a werewolf murderer. In time, her successful hunt leads her to require the aide of the hunted, and without question or thought, he rescues her and helps her to recover. The experience leaves a lasting impression, both on Angela and the reader. Although she is tasked with the job of hunting him, for many reasons, mystical and otherwise, she is led to a situation where she is released from killing him. It is then her life unravels.

SJB Gilmour has me anxiously looking forward to his next book, Golden Mane. It was well set up in the life of Angela of Troy…. To tell you more would be to reveal the pleasure of the story held within his pages. In my creation of this post, I had wanted to share an excerpt from the book, but found myself typing out a vast majority of it. As this was the case, I have not included one. I’ll simply leave one last thought on this book, SJB Gilmour has created a compelling story that is a must read for fantasy and science fiction readers. Oh yes, the two have met and crossed within these pages.

Reading creates in us an ability to grow, develop and move forward. Fiction can show us that our strength is something derived from within and that no matter the chaos around us, we can and will overcome it. Nonfiction enlightens us, educates us and provides us with information we had previously not obtained. Every good book, regardless of genre, writing style or format, will leave an impression, positive or negative, when you turn the last page. Often upon completing a book, you’ll find your mind returning to it time and again, until the next one.

Now I ask you, what are you reading?

~About my Guest~

Catrina Taylor is a single mom, a science fiction author, and an avid reader. As the creator of Xarrok and the universe around it, she plays with the lives of many characters, ships and planets daily. Currently working on two series, Birth of an Empire and Xenonian Origins, she has multiple books available through the major book retailers. Coming in July she will be releasing book two of the Birth of an Empire Series.

You can connect with Catrina on Facebook, G+, and Twitter or by visiting http://Xarrok.com

Edgar Cayce's Story of the Mayan History

Edgar Cayce’s Story of the Mayan History was recently published again at http://www.examiner.com/article/edgar-cayce-s-story-of-the-mayan-history?cid=db_articles

Today's Guest Blogger - Kristina Jackson

A very warm welcome goes out to author and publisher Kristina Jackson, my guest today as part of our MasterKoda Facebook & Tasha Turner Coaching Virtual Blog Tour. Today Kristina will tell us about her favorite author. 

Favourite Author

By Kristina Jackson

I seem to have been asked this question a lot off late. The answer is between Tolkien and Terry Pratchett. For the purposes of this TTC VBT post I have chosen Terry Pratchett. Just don’t ask me to choose one book!

Terry Pratchett has a style of writing and a humour that is so far up my street; it lives in my front garden. When I lived with my parents I would laze in the bath after everyone had gone to bed and read. I would often get told to ‘shut up’ as I laughed out loud at various points. Now I have a home and family of my own, I still wallow in the bath either listening to, or reading Terry Pratchett but no longer get told to shut up, as my family have gotten used to it!

Pratchett writes characters that are not only believable, but you expect to see walking down the street. That would even go for Detritus the Troll or one of the Dwarves.  Or even Nanny Ogg or Granny Weatherwax flying across the moon. His books offer an escapism into a realm that is so believable you have to remember when you come back out if it, you cannot point a finger and blow the wheels off a cart!

Although I don’t have a favourite book, I do have favourite characters as such, and I am more likely to read the works of his that include these characters a multiple of times! There is the aforesaid Nanny Ogg and Granny Weatherwax, and also Magrat Garlik. Also Commander Vimes and Lady Ramkin, Captain Carrot and Sargent Angua. The book that probably pips as one of my favourites is Wyrd Sisters which includes Nanny and Granny. Close to that is Guards! Guards! Where we meet commander Vimes. (who is then Captain Vimes).

If you have a slightly warped sense of humour, I would most certainly recommend reading his works!

Interesting characters, Kristina. 

Let's hear a little about Kristina, and her book The Fool's Journey, under her pen name Kay Darling.

"One day you will write your own book, just let your heart guide you."

Those were the immortalised words of my teacher in the 5th Year of Primary School; I was 8 at the time. I'd just had a short story published in the school magazine, and won a prize of a book for my privilege. I knew I had wanted to write since I could write sentences. 28 years later I am realising that dream.

I am Kristina Jackson. I am in my mid thirties, wife, mother of two, owner of one dog and slave to two cats. One of my cats, Bono, is my writing companion. He is often found sharing my lap with my laptop or partially draped over the keyboard if I am using the laptop on the desk.

I suffer from a condition called POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) I have become disabled by it, but as physical doors have shut the mental ones opened. Now I have so many ideas, and the ideas are throwing out so many characters who are each threatening to run away with my remaining sanity.

It is anybody's guess where this will now lead.

The Fool's Journey

Moira thinks she has everything she wants… The job, the house, the clothes but why is she still so unhappy?

Her world falls apart when she witnesses a terrible crime. Running away she comes across a psychic fair and a spur-of-the-moment decision to have a tarot card reading changes everything. The reading helps her see what she should do. When she quits her job, sells her home and moves to Wales, friends and family start to believe she is losing her sanity.

Can learning to read Tarot cards, help Moira learn more about herself and guide her to a happier future? Will the cards also be able to help her with her unwanted poltergeist guest or more disturbingly the handsome neighbour?

My reading link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHsHZkbSJ6k

Social media

Twitter @KJ_author

FB  - http://www.facebook.com/KJauthor

Googleplus - https://plus.google.com/u/0/117606735437016786889

Blog – http://kristina-jackson.blogspot.com

Website – www.kristinajackson.co.uk

Publishing company – www.littleacornspublishing.com

Tweet - Can #tarotcards help a woman to find her path. #ghosts #hauntedhouse #paranormal#romance ow.ly/b7sJd @KJ_author

Selling links

http://www.amazon.com/The-Fools-Journey-ebook/dp/B007JTG52W/

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Fools-Journey-ebook/dp/B007JTG52W/

Thank you, Katrina Jackson, for visiting with us today. You are an amazing young lady!

My Favorite Author - Edgar Cayce

Thank you, Raymond Frazee, for a marvelous presentation on my favorite author, Edgar Cayce. Join us at http://wideawakebutdreaming.wordpress.com/2012/06/17/and-whos-my-next-guest/

Joseph Eastwood's Pep-talk on Self Discipline

Today I would like to welcome guest blogger Joseph Eastwood, as part of our Tasha Turner Coaching Virtual Blog Tour. Welcome Joe!

Who Doesn't Have Self-Discipline Problems? 

Every day we are all constantly followed around by distractions. We have the internet. Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Blogger---just there at a click of a button. You can waste hours just chatting with people or promoting yourself, but wait...what are you promoting again? Yourself! As a writer? I suppose that makes sense, but you're wasting an awful lot of time doing pointless things, especially if you're not doing much writing.

So lately, I've been feeling like my life is all jumbled up, I have a Facebook page, a Twitter account, a blog which I love to death and now a Tumblr...why I got one of those, I do not know because its only use is re-blogging pictures of guys with their stomachs out making their cute faces.

I have recently thought a lot about what I wanted to put in this post because I am in no way the poster boy for self-discipline; I have urges, just like every other human.

However, I do have some tips on disciplining yourself.

Top tip! Make time to write, edit etc. and unplug the internet and get someone to hide the router! 

I don't like schedules or anything like that...but what I can deal with is no internet. I do so much better when I know no matter how much I try I just can't get to the internet from clicking the Google Chrome button. I also have a lot of bookmarks just beneath the URL bar, so even if I forget what I came to the internet for, it will always end in me clicking on Facebook or something.

Tip! Having people support you or a support group via Facebook where you can post the word count!

We are always vying for the attention and approval of others. I love it when people agree with what I write; there is no greater feeling (except standing on a mountain top with the one you love, probably is). So join a support group where you can post the word count and it's a self-evaluation and also the evaluation of your peers so you don't want to be the one with the 2,000 word increase from last week.

Tip! Get yourself excited over what you're writing before you write!

I say this because it usually helps me. I find that reading the synopsis motivates me to do edits or if it's something that I'm writing, I usually force myself to look at the notes of what the story means to me. That's another thing, make a list of the things in the notes about what you're currently writing actually means to you. Is it emancipating? Do you have a message that you want to get across? And that should keep the spark of motivation you need.

Tip! Stimulate your sight! Get a picture that inspires you to write!

This is one of my favourite ways to discipline myself because I love just being able to see a picture and have it immediately shout at me! Like the one below [DS: Sorry Joe, it would not copy.] -- "Okay, sir! Let me just post this and I'll be on my way." So get something and have it as a background or maybe even printed and you have it pinned to your wall or something.

So don't make me tell you again! If you have things to do today, then my suggestion is you get your boot off the internet and do them!

I hope that you follow some of these tips, and I hope that they work as well for you as they do for me.

Do you have any tips that you'd like to share?

Joseph Eastwood is the eldest of five siblings. He lives and grew up in Lancaster, England, where he also attends the University of Cumbria, studying English Literature and Creative Writing.

He has always had a giant creative connection in his life, from drawing and writing to having an eclectic taste in music and reading a wide range of books, which he hopes reflects in his own writing. He also loves watching sci-fi, supernatural and fantasy based TV shows and films. Among some of his favourites are Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries and True Blood. As well as, those he loves dramas, like The Good Wife and Desperate Housewives.

Joseph is either busy doing edits and writing or trying to get some university work done. He lives for creativity, striving to be different and thinking up new hoops for his characters to jump through.

Links

http://www.josepheastwood.com/ - Blog

https://www.facebook.com/josephswriting - Facebook page

https://twitter.com/#!/Joe_Eastwood - Twitter

Many thanks, Joe, for visiting with us today and sharing your insights on a topic which we all have to deal with some days.

Edgar Cayce's Story of Stonehenge

Edgar Cayce's Story of Stonehenge was recently published again at 
http://www.examiner.com/article/edgar-cayce-s-story-of-stonehenge?cid=db_articles.

An Alternative Blog

Thank you very much, Bruce Blake, for welcoming me and my story of An Alternative Blog idea to your blog. Visit us at http://bruceblake.wordpress.com/2012/06/10/welcome-to-my-blog-doug-simpson/

You Light Up My Life

Many thanks, Cathy Brockman, for featuring me and You Light Up My Life on your blog! Visit us at http://cathybrockman.com/stop-number-two-on-the-ttc-virtual-blog-tour/#.T8uwf9VtpX0

Someone Has To Pay by Joe McCoubrey

It is my pleasure to welcome Joe McCoubrey to my blog today, as part of our Tasha Turner Coaching Virtual Blog Tour. Welcome Joe!

A song to match the mood of my book?

I have to admit to raising my eyebrows, shaking my head, and muttering unprintable things when I was challenged to come up with a song that described my book Someone Has to Pay! Here I am with an action thriller book where the bullets fly and the body count mounts up, and someone is asking me to tie it in with a song!

I wasn’t exactly humming lyrics while my fingers danced across the keyboard during my writing hours. Putting down the bad guys seemed to occupy my attention more than the thought of singing to them! No, this one wasn’t for me…..until I started to think about it some more.  Maybe it wasn’t as crazy as it first sounded?

My first thought was about how the story would set against some well-known film soundtracks such as ‘Where Eagles Dare’ or ‘Mission Impossible.’ They would both suit nicely to ramp up the background drama and the sense of impending action. In the way that soundtracks are supposed to act, these two examples would warn the reader of the different moods within the story. Yeah, they would work.

But hold on……soundtracks are not songs. I had to tell myself to stop prevaricating and make a choice!

In the end it was simple. I fell back on one of my all-time favourites and realised it fitted the bill. Released in 1969 it is the inimitable “There’s A Bad Moon Rising” by Creedence Clearwater Revival.

What about this for an opening?

I see the bad moon arising
I see trouble on the way
I see earthquakes and lightning
I see bad times today.
Don't go around tonight
Well, it's bound to take your life
There's a bad moon on the rise.

The song was written by John Fogerty who claimed it was about "the apocalypse that was going to be visited upon us.”

That’ll do for me, John! My creation of Someone Has To Pay could be interpreted as a hard-hitting tale that visits all sorts of mayhem on people who deserve to have all sorts of mayhem visited upon them!

So there you have it. I’ll leave you with Fogerty’s last verse:

Hope you got your things together.

Hope you are quite prepared to die.

Look's like we're in for nasty weather.

One eye is taken for an eye.

Joe McCoubrey is an Irish thriller writer. His first book is due to be published this year by Tri Destiny Publishing, with a second book already at the editing stage. He has had a short story published in the anthology ‘Action: Pulse Pounding Tales’ and is currently working on his third full length novel.

Joe’s website: http://joemccoubrey1.com/

The Reincarnation of Thomas Jefferson

The Reincarnation of Thomas Jefferson has been published again at
 http://www.examiner.com/article/the-reincarnation-of-thomas-jefferson?cid=db_articles