Today's suspense spotlight shines on John R. Dizon. An author interview about Tiara.

                                             John Reinhard Dizon

Andrea: I read that you have been writing suspense and thriller works for over twenty-five years. Why did a sixth grader in Brooklyn, NY decide to write his first novel?


John: I was absolutely fascinated by Ian Fleming's James Bond, as was the rest of the world back in the day. Enemy Ace was a Bond knockoff, but the protagonist, Fritz Hammer, is featured in Tiara and my work-in-progress, Rituals. Some ideas never die.

Andrea: How many books have you published? Are they all in the same genre?

John: Actually I enjoy the challenge of expanding into new genres just because I can. My novel Stxeamtown is the best example. I knew nothing about steampunk, but decided I'd give it a shot. It's been getting five-star reviews on Amazon thus far.

Andrea: What tip would you give an aspiring author about overcoming the fear to start and finish a first novel?

John: Writing a book should be like a virus. The only way to overcome it is to get it out of their system. If they don't have that bug that they can't shake, then they don't have the necessary drive and should just set the work aside until that overwhelming urge sets in. There's too much half-hearted effort out there these days. An aspiring writer shouldn't quench his spirit by contributing to it.

Andrea: What makes your writing style unique?


John: Imposing backdrop, dynamic characters, snappy dialogue and a powerful climax. Without these four elements there is no JRD novel. I can't get started without it.

Andrea: Could you please give a brief description of Tiara?

John: It's about Princess Jennifer of Edinburgh, a beautiful widow dedicating her life to humanitarian causes. In pursuing peace in Northern Ireland in 1998, she runs afoul of Loyalist militants who fear it will lead to Ulster seceding from the UK. She is kidnapped and the blame is placed on Republican militants, who accept an offer from the World's Most Wanted Man to rescue her. Berlin Mansfield has a fixation on her, and when he finally meets her it's like Beauty and the Beast. It ends as a touching love story against impossible odds.

Andrea: What research, if any, did you conduct to write this book?

John:I started this a quarter-century ago, and it culminated after years of study on a previous IRA novel, Bloody Sunday (which is still in the attic). There are so many activist groups in Ulster that the challenge was in making them distinguishable from one another lest the reader drowns in alphabet soup (IRA, UDA, SAS, RUC, UDR, et cetera).

Andrea: In three lines or less, please tell readers why you regard Tiara as a page-turner.

John: First and foremost, the love affair between Jennifer and Berlin is one for the ages. Second, the Princess Search is an action-packed hit-and-run affair pitting the SAS vs. the Mansfield Gang and the IRA vs. the UDA. Third, the cast of characters is an array of dauntless heroes, dastardly villains and charming maidens that you'll never forget.

Andrea: What's next for John Reinhard Dizon ?

John: Transplant , a horror/suspense thriller, is being released by Assent Publishing in May, and my publisher Les Denton has been so supportive that I've got a feeling this may be the breakout novel. I've also got Both Sides Now, a romantic comedy about pro wrestling with ETreasures Publishing, and Generations, a family saga with Solstice Publishing. As always, I've got a little something for everybody!

Andrea: How can readers keep up with you online?

John: I spend most of my time at http://www.facebook.com/johnreinharddizonUSA


Visit http://www.amazon.com/John-ReinhardDizon/e/B00DU9JNUQ/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1 to purchase Tiara.



About the Author

John Reinhard Dizon was born and raised in the Cobble Hill section of Brooklyn, NY. He participated in local and high school sports at Bishop Loughlin MHS, and was a key figure on the Brooklyn rock scene during the Punk Revolution of the 70's. Relocating to San Antonio TX in the 80's, he moonlighted as a pro wrestler before pursuing a BA at UTSA and degrees in Korean martial arts during the 90's. He currently lives in KC MO where he is studying for his MA in English at UMKC. Mr. Dizon has been studying and writing about American and European society and culture for over twenty-five years.

Author Merry Farmer stopped by with a message & a contest to enter. Romance is in the air!

Springtime of Love  

It's spring!  At last!  After the worse winter in my area that I can remember in my entire lifetime!  At last the weather is warming up, the birds are singing, and the world is turning green again.  I can't wait to see the flowers bloom again and bugs start buzzing around.  Okay, maybe I can wait for that.  I also can't wait to see the blossoming of love that always seems to happen in the spring.  I have a feeling it will be epic this year.   Have you ever noticed how so many more people seem to fall in love in the spring than during any other season?  I think it must have something to do with people as well as plants feeling the return of the sun and the flow of life through them again.  It makes perfect sense to me, considering how in ancient times spring was for celebrating fertility and reproduction.  It wasn't just the fields that were being plowed and sewn with seeds in the spring.  In fact, in a lot of ancient cultures, couples would go out into the fields after the seeds were sewn to both bless the potential crops and, of course, themselves by making love.  Now why is it that we've abandoned that practice?   Actually, I don't think it's been abandoned at all.  In fact, the coming of spring has always reminded me of young couples trying to get away with a little something-something by the light of the balmy moon.   Growing up, we lived across the street from a small public park and around the corner from a high school.  That high school was also a boarding school, and even though the boys and girls lived in separate dorms on opposite sides of the campus, they were allowed to go out for walks with each other.  Three guesses where they used to go.  The park across the street was the perfect destination for high school kids who wanted to be alone.   Granted, this was a different time and the kids that I knew back then were a lot more innocent than kids seem to be these days.  So before you start assuming that I heard all sorts of things I shouldn't through the open window of my bedroom (which faced the park), think again.  What I heard the most of was earnest teenage boys with guitars singing badly, and some not so badly, to the object of their desire.  It didn't matter how out of tune the guitar was or how few chords the boy in question knew how to play, I always wished that I was whatever girl was down there being serenaded.   Yep, springtime reminds me of young love and bad singing.  There's something about feeling those first warm evenings that makes any heart, even the heart of a grubby teenage boy, burst with song.  You can't keep the love inside when spring comes calling.  I was never very good in the real world of romance, but when the weather turned warmer, that's when I would scour the used book store for romance novels.  Then I would sit on my bed with the windows open, breathing in that fresh, clean spring air and listening to the sweet sounds of innocent love…while reading decidedly less innocent books.   But that's what spring is all about.  It's about awakening.  It's about loosening from the coldness of winter and embracing the new warmth.  I loved reading those romance novels as much as I loved listening to young couples singing in the park.  I think that's why I write romance now and why I find myself humming silly little love songs as the weather gets warmer.

Merry

In Your Arms is the third full-length novel in Merry Farmer's sweeping, engaging, and extremely historically accurate Montana Romance series. Never one to shy away from difficult or controversial topics while still imbuing her tales with more than a dash of romance and steam, Merry depicts a tale of love, trust, and stubborness against the backdrop of the turn-of-the-century American frontier. "[In Your Arms is] a book that intelligently tackles racial tensions of post-Civil War era...a highly engaging romance between two fiery-spirited individuals...I highly recommend this book to all fans of historical romance." --Mary Chen, Amazon reviewer Get In Your Arms on Amazon, Amazon UK, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, and iBooks. Add In Your Arms to your Goodreads to-read shelf!

About In Your Arms

Lily Singer has never belonged. Taken from her tribe as a child and raised in a white man’s school, she no longer has a place in either world. Teaching has become her life. When that life is threatened by rumors and prejudice after a string of robberies, she must turn for help to the one man who spells disaster for her carefully ordered existence. Will he save her or steal her heart? Christian Avery, Justice of the Peace, is used to having things his way. Cold Springs is his responsibility, and when its citizens blame the local Indian population for the mysterious robberies, it’s up to him to restore order and maintain calm. The one person who refuses to follow his lead is the beautiful, native-born Lily. Her defiance turns his life upside down. But when town gossip shifts from robberies to romance after a foolish indiscretion, Lily’s job and reputation are on the line. She must choose between the only life she has ever known and the only place she has ever felt at home, in Christian’s arms.

About Merry Farmer

Merry Farmer lives in suburban Philadelphia with her two cats, Butterfly and Torpedo. She has been writing since she was ten years old and realized one day that she didn't have to wait for the teacher to assign a creative writing project to write something. It was the best day of her life. She then went on to earn not one but two degrees in History so that she would always having something to write about. Today she walks along the cutting edge of Indie Publishing, writing Historical Romance and Women's Sci-Fi. She is also passionate about blogging, knitting, and cricket and is working towards becoming an internationally certified cricket scorer. Find Merry Farmer on her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Amazon Author Page.

Get the book!

In Your Arms is available on Amazon, Amazon UK, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, and iBooks. Don't forget to add In Your Arms to your to-read shelf on Goodreads. Connect with Merry Farmer on her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Amazon Author Page. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book review of Universe 101: Learn Grow Evolve by Monica Ortiz.

Universe 101: Learn Grow Evolve challenges each reader to learn through brief stories that the author recounts. Monica Ortiz cites numerous examples of how she utilizes her spirtiual expertise through encountering other individuals. Lessons can be easily garnered through analyzing how others dealt with their human frailties, unhappiness, confusion or relationships. The manner in which Ms. Ortiz exposes her past wounds to evolve herself adds depth to the teaching element of this book. The teacher is willing to learn. Thus, the author's refreshing honesty strengthens the power of her words. This prevents a boring or preachy feel, which can be evident in some self-help books.

Each chapter is digestible and poses relevant questions that can serve as a foundation of a private assessment. I highly recommend this quick read for those who seek to understand their place in the world, how they can pay homage their role in it, and/or how to determine which areas need improvement. My primary caution is that some concepts in the book will resonate most with readers who do not have rigid religious beliefs. With that said, this book would make an excellent series, which is most likely in the works.

I enjoyed Ortiz's first book and look forward to more to come. After tweaking a few writing elements, Monica Ortiz's work as a self help leader could shine more brightly. I predict that her literary career will blossom as she helps others along the way. Well done.

Note: Click here to find this book on Amazon.

About the Author

"Monica Ortiz is author of Universe 101: Learn Grow Evolve. She founded The Universe Series has given lectures and assisted thousands of people with their healing path, speaking at venues such as Stanford University and CenterSF in San Francisco, California. From healing the body, spirit, and mind, she has helped many people turn their lives around or help them move forward for better health, advancement in their careers, forming successful relationships, and myriad of other matters.


Monica is dedicated to helping people achieve better things in all facets of their lives, ranging from career to relationships to health. Through the work she has been doing, Monica created the Universe 101: Learn Grow Evolve path and has guided people plagued with multiple problems down their healing path. The Learn, Grow, Evolve path enables people to learn from their past, grow from their life lessons into a more realized individual and evolve into the happiest, healthiest, most successful life meant for them.


Monica is currently working on Universe 202: The Process - Mind Body Spirit which she hopes will revolutionize the self-help industry and teach people how to address their issues and work past them in a successful and healthy manner."

Victoria Christopher Murray and ReShonda Tate Billingsley's tour stop in Bowie, Maryland. News about Fortune & Fame.

On Tuesday, March 4, 2014, Victoria Christopher Murray and ReShonda Tate Billingsley discussed their writing careers with fans of their bestselling novels. The collaborative authors also read excerpts from Fortune & Fame, and signed copies. Their latest work was published by Touchstone, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. The novel reunites two fan-favorite heroines as drama unfolds on reality TV. Jasmine Cox Larson Bush and Rachael Jackson Adams are described as characters who are opposites. Ironically, the bestselling novelists are in some ways, too. Billingsley and Murray often share their humorous take on life from a country girl and city girl's perspective.

Friends and bestselling novelists,  

Reshonda Tate Billingsley and Victoria Christopher Murray

Billingsley worked as a reporter for The National Enquirer and as an anchor. During her library visit, she discussed her previous employment with The Enquirer. Despite making a hefty salary at the age of 21, she concluded, "I got to a point where I knew I had a calling."

The successful author remarked that she self-published "My Brother's Keeper" and built a buzz. In 1999, she "couldn't get a book deal for anything."

After landing an agent, her work was rereleased. Today, Billingsley has 31 books to her credit.

Murray, who also creates identifiable characters, shared that she has been friends with Billingsley for a very long time. Both authors inspired chuckles, comments and questions from attendees, after reading snippets of antics that unfold in Fortune & Fame.

 

"Combining two of our best characters was really a natural fit. If ever there was a writing soul mate, she would be mine."

Victoria Christopher Murray's Ex Files has been optioned by Malik Yoba. Reshonda Tate Billingsley's novel, Let The Church Say Amen, has already been filmed. Regina King made her directorial debut through the project.

Purchase Fortune & Fame at your local book store or click here.