In Detail With Russell A Vassallo

1. Tell us the book title and your author name.

The book title is Streetwise: Mafia Memoirs and it was written by Russell A. Vassallo.

2. What inspired the book?

My early days in Newark, NJ were filled with mobsters and tough guys. By the time I was twenty I had almost been killed twice in mob-related incidents. After recounting these stories to my wife as a routine part of living in Newark, she convinced me that they were anything but routine and should be captured in a novel. Hence, Streetwise is a memoir of my connections with the Mafia and my grandfather’s affiliation with that organization.

3. What makes this book special to you?

For one thing it recalls a lot of my younger days in Newark NJ and the colorful people I was privileged to know. For another it reminds me of how lucky I am to be age seventy-four and able to write. When I was sixteen a drunken man lined me up against the wall because I had been tossing firecrackers in the air. He thought I was shooting at him.

4. What makes this a book that other people MUST read and WHY?

Streetwise: Mafia Memoirs is a totally different kind of Mafia book. Most books of this genre focus on the violence of the Mafia and the business end while my book delves into the characters and personalities of the men who shared that occupation. The Mafia didn’t always succeed at what it did and when it failed the results were usually humorous. For example, the hijacking of a truck that was supposed to be loaded with expensive furs and turned out to be filled with slaughtered beef.

It is a personal recounting of my experiences within a Mafia-connected family and the power that came with that connection. It is also a personal recollection of how dangerous such an association can be. Reviewers tell me it’s a one-of-a-kind-book.

5.What people NEED to read this book and WHY?

Streetwise is a book for general audiences. I would think that women who like biography would enjoy this book even though it’s a male-oriented book. One chapter deals with my efforts to save a young prostitute from a life of drugs and orgies and the resultant warning from the local Don when I interfered in his business.

Men especially would enjoy this book. It’s a power book. In a sense its an adult book, but today, adult can mean many things. Generally any audience that has mature reading interest will be fascinated by what I have to say… by what I have experienced.

6. What sparks your creativity? Any tips to help others spark their own creativity?

Even when I am far from a typewriter I am writing. The thoughts flood into my mind no matter where I am and often, something I see reminds me of a past experience and I go back in time. I told my wife recently that once I get the first and last lines, the remainder of the story is already written. I tend to write in a straight line because I am dealing with personal experiences.

This was the case with Streetwise. I was reading a book that mentioned the legal execution of a man who had murdered a local gambler in my neighborhood and I mentioned to my wife that I was less than six feet away when that occurred. She slapped me on the arm and said: “When are you going to start writing?” That night I did.

Tips for sparking creativity? Write that first line. Sleep on it. Ask yourself what if… And let your character dictate the story to you because you know him, know what he will do, know how he will interact with other characters. Let your character take you to a point and then employ the fork-in-the-road approach. What if this happened, but what would happen if the other thing happened. Struggle for that tantalizing first sentence and finish leaving the reader wanting more.

7. What do you think motivates people to become authors? What motivated you to0 get into this unusual industry?

Certainly not the money. Writing is probably one of the lowest paying professions out there. No, I think people become authors for a number of reasons. They need to express themselves. They need recognition from others? They want to feel their lives have been worthwhile and should be preserved somehow. They like the feeling of having accomplished something. I know when I won my awards for my first two books I was filled with tremendous pride that I had proven I could write.

8. Tell me about the most unusual thing you have done to promote any books?

About the only thing I haven’t done is go door-to-door and I don’t intend doing that. I do have a friend who did. Our routine is pretty usual. We talk about our books wherever we go. We speak at various organizations. We entice bookstores with profit potential. But I don’t think we’re doing anything more than what we have read about in promotion-type books.

9. Why are you the BEST person to write this book? What is your background or in your research makes you qualified to do justice to this topic?

There is no one better to write this book because I lived each and every day of it. It was my family that was involved in Mafia activities and it was me who witnessed some of the events that unfolded.

10. If a potential reader thinks that your book wouldn’t interest them, what would you say to convince them to buy?

I’d tell them that it’s not just another Mafia book and that it recounts personal experiences within the organization that I personally witnessed. People are enamored to know that I was part of a dreaded organization, even if only9 on the fringes. And I would tell them that it’s a book written from personal experience. No fluff.

11. Why does the topic of your book interest you? Why would it interest potential readers?

For one thing it involves my past days among people I loved and who I saw in a very different way than the law viewed them. So my interest is born of family ties and the power that came with being family-connected. It would be of particular interest to people because they’d finally have met someone who was part of a feared organization and survived to tell the tale.

12. Is there a way to tie your book topic to current events?

Everyone believes the Mafia is dead and gone and that the federal government ended it with convictions in the Pizza Connection. The fact is that the prosecution of the Italian Mafia splintered the criminal world into a number of Mafia organizations that are much more ruthless than the Sicilian Mafia ever was. There is now a Mexican, a Chinese, a Russian, an Irish, a Dominican Mafia as well as others. Where once the Italian Mafia had rules that excluded civilians and political figures from being targeted, the other Mafias are actually savage. They have no compunction about executing innocent bystanders or political figures. There is a host of unsolved murders of judicial and law enforcement officials that in all probability trace to one of these Mafia groups.

Few will deny that with the absence of the Mafia from Las Vegas, the city has taken a decided turn downward. Gangs now roam the streets. Drunks and the homeless lay in gutters not far from glittering palaces. Con men abound. None of this occurred when the Sicilian mafia controlled Las Vegas. Crime abounds in a town where the Mafia once get order. Law enforcement is unable to accomplish the same rule of law because their hands are tied by civil rights organizations and the so-called liberal weeping willows of the criminal world.

My book is tied to every episode of mob violence that occurs on an almost daily basis.

In Detail with Kevin Gerard

Tell us the book title and your author name.

The series title is Conor and the Crossworlds, book titles are as follows:

Breaking the Barrier

Peril in the Corridors

Surviving an Altered World

Charge of the Champions (October 2009)

The Author of All Worlds (October 2010)

My author name is Kevin Gerard

What inspired the series?

The creature I held in my mind for almost forty years. I used to daydream about Purugama, the flying cougar, when I was ten or eleven years old. He becomes Conor’s mentor and best friend in Book One: Breaking the Barrier. I love the fact that I kept him with me for so long and finally wrote a story about him.

What makes this series special to you?

Book Three has just been released. The story is real, it’s alive, and every character has become a living entity to me. There are a lot of good books around, but only a handful of great stories. Conor and the Crossworlds is a great story, and I won’t stop promoting it until the whole world has a chance to enjoy it.

The Champions of the Crossworlds are all giant cats who can talk and cast magical spells. They all have very distinct personalities; I have grown to love them deeply. Maya, the Lord of the Champions, was a real cat who lived next door to me in San Diego. He got killed by a pack of dogs one day, and I told his mistress I was going to make him immortal. If you knew Maya like I did, you would understand why I made him, an alley cat, the leader of the great wild cats – the Champions of the Crossworlds.

What makes this a series that other people MUST read and WHY?

I love great stories, and I love sci fi / fantasy. I love the escape it provides. The characters in this story are very compelling; you will grow to love them as much as I and others do. Conor’s journey through all five books gets wilder and more complex as you continue to read.

I wrote this series for kids, but people of all age groups seem to love it. Every school librarian tells me the same thing, that Conor and the Crossworlds is never on the library shelf. When a student returns a book, another student is with them wanting to check the book out. That’s a huge compliment to Conor and the Crossworlds.

What sparks your creativity? Any tips to help others spark their own creativity?

I’m pretty twisted; it comes from being Irish I guess, so creativity has never been a problem for me. I finished writing the series two years ago, but I remember during the five years when I wrote it, I always thought about what was going on in the story. When I got up in the morning, went to bed at night, when I was teaching, driving, shopping, anything, I always had my mind on the story. So when I finally sat down to write I had oodles of thoughts ready to put down.

Another thing I always tell students at book talks is to write with abandon. I think everyone has creative juices, but as a college professor, I see how formal education stunts that part our minds. The cool thing about fantasy writing is that you just make everything up, and if you can do that, why would want to restrict your mind? Look at Conor’s arch enemy in his pristine form (he’s a shape-shifter). How could I have come up with a freak like that – a beetle head with squid legs and no torso, but he’s wearing an English waistcoat – if I was restraining my creativity at all?

I guess the secret is just sitting down and letting her rip, that’s what I always say. You have to trust yourself and the story. Your characters will tell you where to go at the next bend in the road. So write with abandon!

What has been the biggest stumbling block in your writing? Can you share some tips to help others get past similar problems?

For me it was getting past the “favorite time to write” syndrome. I’m a morning person, so naturally I love to write in the morning. If you’ve made a commitment to write every day, though, things might get in the way of your morning writing time.

I had to learn that any time of day was good for writing. I also had to learn that any amount of time was good as well. I would e-mail sections of books to myself and when I found a spare half hour, I would locate a computer, download the story and write for thirty minutes. I found that with a limited amount of time I could fulfill my daily page requirement as easily as when I had all morning.

What do you think motivates people to become authors? What motivated you to get into this unusual industry?

The direction my life was headed, the direction the country was headed, and the fact that I’ve always felt I was put on the earth to do something special, I mean something really spectacular. I wanted to make a contribution to the world, and writing seemed to be a way of accomplishing that.

Tell me about the most unusual things you have done to promote any books?

I’ll tell you something I’m about to do – I’m about to make a big sign that says, “NBC doesn’t like teen readers,” and walk around downtown San Diego with it. I have this great promotion coming up, The Hunt for the Five Keys of the Creators, and I’ve been bugging the local news stations to put it on the air. Unfortunately I haven’t made much progress. Check it out on my website – http://wwwconorandthecrossworlds.com – it’s going to be awesome, but I can only spread the word so much doing book talks. I want all the kids in San Diego to be able to hunt for the key I’ve hidden here, so I need TV coverage. I think they’ll get the message if I make my sign and show everyone in downtown San Diego how I feel.

I spent the summer making data files of every middle school in America, and right now I’m calling every librarian to introduce the series. I call, talk for a bit, ask if I can send an e-mail, and then I send it. So far I’ve contacted about ten states. Should take me until about March or April to finish my lists I think.

I do book talks everywhere, but mostly in Southern California. I’ve been to Mississippi, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, and I’m going to Oregon, New Mexico, NevadaMissouri in the next few months. Book talks are more fun than anything else, middle school kids are great! and

I’m all over MySpace, and I think it’s a very good tool. Every time I see a new teen librarian, I send them a message asking if they would like some free book posters for their teen room. It costs me about ten bucks to send them. One day I contacted a librarian at a college, it turned out that this month was fantasy fiction month and every woman at the college was into fantasy adventure books. So I sent copies of books and posters and I get to be featured in their month long festival.

I’m also involved in a Blog Tour with Nikki Leigh. I think she’s got her finger on the pulse of viral marketing. The internet has such massive potential, so I’m excited about seeing what she can accomplish.

FICTION - If there is a setting, tell us how you decided on that setting and what you did to create a complete and vivid setting for your readers?

I chose the Crossworlds as my setting because it is infinite. It is an endless series of worlds of light and darkness where anything can happen. What could be better than that for a fantasy writer?

There are four main venues that Conor and the other characters populate from time to time.

The realm of the creators is the home of the Council of Seven, a group of creators emeritus who oversee the Crossworlds. It is a place of unparalleled beauty and wellbeing. It is where Conor and the Champions go to rejuvenate themselves and prepare for battle.

The Glade of Champions is the world where the giant protectors of the Crossworlds live. Heavily forested and filled with lakes and small hills where the great cats can sun themselves, this is where Conor first meets Purugama’s brothers.

Earth – Conor lives there with his family in Northern California. His girlfriend Janine, introduced in Book Three, also lives there.

The Shadow World is the home of the Circle of Evil. The destroyers; Drazian, Gandron, Fumemos, Seefra, Pikiwik Loff, and the horrible assassin Nemelissi all stage their attacks in this place. Zelexa, the Lady of the Shadows, controls this world along with the three arcs of the ruling body.

All of these settings become interchangeable throughout the story. Destroyers come to earth, Conor and Champions go to the Shadow World, the realm of the creators is attacked by the Circle of Evil, and so on. I think the one thing that makes the Crossworlds unique is the aspect of organic life. Almost everything in the Crossworlds is organic, including the corridors, transmission portals used to travel to other worlds. They are living beings, and as you walk through them you can feel their presence.

FICTION - What inspires you about the hero or heroine in your book? What makes them memorable for the reader? What motivates the hero and/or heroine? You can include information about both if you want.

I like Conor because he is a good kid. He doesn’t swear, do drugs, or treat people badly (unless they have it coming). He is, however, a young man bursting with curiosity. There’s also something that only I know about Conor. The rest of you will have to wait until the end of Book Four to find out. All I’ll say at this point is there’s a reason the creators sent Purugama to Conor in the first book, and it’s not the reason stated in the story.

Conor’s girlfriend Janine becomes a heroine in her own right. She enters the story in Book Three, and before she knows it, she becomes quite involved in the Crossworlds. Like Conor, she’s a good kid, and also smart, athletic, and adventurous.

Both of them are pretty fearless. Things get pretty scary as they get deeper and deeper into the Crossworlds, but they always answer the call and step into the next adventure.

FICTION - Is there a villain or something that causes friction in your story? Tell us about what or who it is and how that contributes to the story. Any details about conflict and friction is good information to know.

The Circle of Evil has four levels of combatants; destroyers, shadow warriors, slayers and keepers. The destroyers are the most powerful, and Conor gets to do battle with them one on one pretty regularly.

Seefra is Conor’s nemesis throughout the story. He is the leader of the destroyers and very powerful. He can shape shift himself and his environment. He really causes the most friction in the story, because he keeps popping up to bother Conor (and Janine).

There’s a whole group of destroyers, however, and each is quite compelling in his own right. Fumemos is a formless entity who uses the elements of nature to fashion monsters with which to attack Conor. On one planet he hides in the ocean waiting for Conor to approach and then uses the seawater and sand to create a monster that attacks him.

In Book Five, Conor has to do battle with the most horrible destroyer of all, Nemelissi the assassin. Nemelissi is one sick creature. It lives to kill, and does so in some very amazing ways.

For example, it can vomit red hot lava all over its enemies – WhEw!

If there's anything else you would like to share, this is the time and place.

Thank you for visiting with me and in closing, give us your website address and a link to order your book.

Conor’s Website

http://www.conorandthecrossworlds.com

Youtube Video - Hunt for the Five Keys of the Creators

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-il2S5bjKm4

Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=conor+and+the+crossworlds&x=18&y=23

Barnes&Noble.com

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?WRD=conor+and+the+crossworlds

Borders.com

http://www.borders.com/online/store/SearchResults?keyword=conor+and+the+crossworlds&type=1&simple=1

Conor and the Crossworlds Contest

Visit his website and click on the contest video for exciting details regarding The Hunt for the Five Keys of the Creators which begins in January http://www.conorandthecrossworlds.com

Website Address: http://www.conorandthecrossworlds.com

Primary Blog: http://www.amazon.com/gp/blog/A1Y85GB3KR02Y6/ref=cm_blog_dp_artist

Green Stone of Healing Book Three by Candace Talmadge

Tell us the book title and your author name.

Title: Green Stone of Healing(R) epic fantasy series.

The initial books are:

The Scorpions Strike, Book Three

Fallout, Book Two

The Vision, Book One

Author name: C.L. Talmadge

What inspired the series?

I read Lord of the Rings at age 12, and always wanted more active female characters in the story. I read a lot of science fiction and fantasy in those days, and was frustrated that the protagonists were almost always male. If they appeared at all, females played marginal roles at best.

During the summer of 1967, when I was 13, I started day-dreaming about a heroine who had healing abilities and was in love with a prince whose father, the ruler of their country, was trying to have him killed. I soon realized that the story really started with the heroine's grandmother. I spent my teens and twenties trying to sort out all of the details, never getting more than bits and pieces.

In my early thirties, I awoke to my own spirituality and past lives. My guides informed me that two of the heroines in my series were people I had been in two of my past lives. I spent my mid thirties through early forties focusing on my own healing and self-growth, still thinking about my characters.

After a lot of self-healing, I woke up one July morning in 1998 at age 44 and realized I could finally write the books because I finally had all the information I needed. It dropped into my awareness like that proverbial cartload of bricks. By the end of 1999, I had rough drafts of the first two books.

What makes this series special to you?

It plays a major role in my life's purpose-to awaken to my own spirituality and to inspire others to awaken to theirs. Recalling my past life as the first-generation heroine helped accelerate my spiritual growth and has helped people I am close to as well.

What makes these books a book that other people MUST read and WHY?

This series recounts what happens when politics and piety collide. The powerful, wealthy island nation I write about is a theocracy, and priests who want to take total control of the country end up destroying it instead. We see a lot of violence fueled by religious fanaticism in our world today-even in the United States--and my series is a sharp reminder of the dangers inherent in giving state sanction to any religion or faith.

What people NEED to read this book and WHY?

People who want to know more about the relationship between healing, spirituality, and love need to read this series. That relationship is one of the books' main themes. Although the story at times is tragic and painful, ultimately it shows how love, healing, and spirituality prevail even in the face of tragedy and suffering.

What sparks your creativity? Any tips to help others spark their own creativity?

Spirituality and creativity are very much interrelated. We are created in the image of a creator, so creativity is one of our spiritual birthrights. The more consciously aware I became of my own spirituality and how to live in it on a daily basis, the easier it was to tap my own creativity. Exploring my own past lives was also excellent grist for character development.

What has been the biggest stumbling block in your writing? Can you share some tips to help others get past similar problems?

Over-analyzing and simply not being emotionally and spiritually prepared to write this multigenerational saga were my biggest stumbling blocks. Not knowing my characters was also holding me back. I believe that the storyline and action arise out of who the characters are, so get to know the heroines/heroes and villains on an intimate level, and then let them be who they are on the pages. The story begins to write itself at that point.

What do you think motivates people to become authors? What motivated you to get into this unusual industry?

I cannot speak to what motivates others to become writers. Writing seemed to be the only marketable skill I possessed as a young adult entering the workforce. On top of that, I had this urgency to write a story that has become an epic fantasy series. I cannot imagine doing any other thing with my writing talent.

Tell me about the most unusual things you have done to promote any books.

My attempts at book promotion are fairly standard.

FICTION - If there is a setting, tell us how you decided on that setting and what you did to create a complete and vivid setting for your readers?

I didn't really decide on the setting, which is an island nation the size of a continent called Azgard. It is an element of the story. What I did to make it real and vivid was simply to remember the setting the way I experienced it in the life I lived as my first-generation heroine. It seemed very real to me then and it still does now. There is a map of the island at this URL: http://www.greenstoneofhealing.com/fallen_civilization.shtml

FICTION - What inspires you about the hero or heroine in your book? What makes them memorable for the reader? What motivates the hero and/or heroine? You can include information about both if you want.

The first-generation heroine of my series, Helen Andros, wants very much to make the world a better place by alleviating suffering. That is what motivates her to struggle against enormous odds to complete her education and training as a physician. But Helen is also wounded and vulnerable. She takes the prejudice of her society against half-breeds to heart and thus believes herself to be unworthy and unlovable. Her feelings of worthlessness condemn her to victimize herself and to dismiss the love that she might have allowed in her life had she felt herself worthy of it.

FICTION - Is there a villain or something that causes friction in your story? Tell us about what or who it is and how that contributes to the story. Any details about conflict and friction is good information to know.

Much of the conflict in the early books arises out of the pain and fears on both sides that keep Helen and her newly found parent fighting with each other instead of reconciling and getting to know one another. They love each other but find it hard to bridge a chasm of hurt and distrust.

There are also multiple villains in my series. Some are open about it, while others masquerade as allies. The conflict in my series is intra-personal, interpersonal, between political factions within Azgard, and between nations. The series tries to show how all these levels of conflict are interrelated and simply mirror conflict that is within each being.

If there's anything else you would like to share, this is the time and place.There is a rather large cast of characters in my series, so don't forget to check out the glossary at the back of each book. It gives some background on people, places, and things in the story. There is also more background on the series website.

Thank you for visiting with me and in closing, give us your website address and a link to order your book.

Series website: http://www.greenstoneofhealing.com/

Book buying links:eBooks: http://www.healingstonebooks.com/

Paperbacks:The Scorpions Strike-Green Stone of Healing(R) Series, Book Three http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ean=9780980053753

Fallout-Green Stone of Healing(R) Series, Book Two http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ean=9780980053746

The Vision-Green Stone of Healing(R) Series, Book One

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ean=9780980053739

In Detail with Winton Churchill

The book is “Email Marketing for Complex Sales Cycles” and the sub-title is “Proven Ways to Produce a Continuous Flow of Prospects and Profits with Effective Spam-Free Email System.”

My name is Winton Churchill and yes, that is my real name...there is kind of a long story about my name and rather than include it here I’ll give your readers this link so they can read the full story if they are interested: http://www.churchillmethod.com/name.html

What inspired the book?

I do a lot of speaking to small business owners on the topic of growing their business. In particular, my talk about email marketing has been very popular. I got a lot of appreciation for demystifying the concepts and putting them into plain language most business owners and executives could understand. When audience members asked me if I could recommend a book on the topic, I couldn’t find one that explained this stuff in business terms for the non-technical person...so I wrote it!

What makes this book special to you?

I had my first email address in 1980...so I was using email a good 10-15 years before most of the people on the planet even knew what it was. I also knew how effective it could be to build relationships and trust. I am glad to be able to bring that expertise to a large audience with this book.

What makes this a book that other people MUST read and WHY?

Prospects want to get to know the businesses they buy from even more than in the past. Companies are starting to recognize that the quality of the LONG TERM relationships they have makes for better sales, more profit and a better run company. Email is the best tool to build, strengthen and extend that relationship. Spam is a big problem today and many have turned away from email marketing because they incorrectly confuse it with spam. As spam prevention improves email will continue to get even more effective if done right.

What people NEED to read this book and WHY?

Anyone who touches sales in a company must understand this medium. In our consulting practice we typically work with the CEO, VP marketing or VP sales to design and implement effective email strategies. As your competitors begin to understand and use email, they have a discernable edge over your business if you don’t have a similar program. They can reach prospects more frequently, for less money and with greater impact than you can. If they pull ahead of you it will be very difficult for you to recover that lost ground.

We also find a lot of sales executives reading this book. Their companies frequently have “glossy brochure” sent out as email campaigns that are largely ineffective. They want sales leads and to build sales relationships. By applying some of the principles in this book they can improve the speed with which they build relationships and close deals.

What sparks your creativity? Any tips to help others spark their own creativity?

My creativity is sparked by the challenge of helping a client take their product or service and turn it into a successful marketing campaign. We find those campaigns can run for months to years because it really speaks to their prospects in a way that their competitors don’t.

When I am wrestling with a challenge like this, I like to immerse myself in as much data as I can dredge up. I talk to customers, past clients, prospects, internal people and when I am drowning in information for a day or 2 I begin to get tiny insights about some aspect of the problem. The insights build into a solution almost the way you would put together a puzzle.

What has been the biggest stumbling block in your writing? Can you share some tips to help others get past similar problems?

Time is the biggest problem. I run a business. I have to deliver services pretty much every day of the week. We are creating campaigns, meeting deadlines and pushing projects through our process. It is hard to get the time to write. I started with transcripts of talks I’d given and began organizing and refining from there. It was important to me that the book has a conversational tone so the editing process leaned towards readability. The process worked well.

I would recommend any author who gets stuck from time to time exploit dictation and transcription as a great way to get the ball moving.

What I like about working from transcripts of presentations is that they already have an organizational “backbone.” The more organized your comments, the easier it is to move forward with transcripts.

What do you think motivates people to become authors? What motivated you to get into this unusual industry?

I think people become authors because they recognize they have a vision or perspective to bring into the world that is better and/or different than what they have seen before.

Tell me about the most unusual things you have done to promote any books?

It was accidental...I was traveling to Chicago sitting in an aisle seat. I was preparing to give a talk and wanted to refer to something in my book. To make sure I quoted the information exactly as I put it in the book, I whipped out the book and started flipping through the pages to find my reference. The guy sitting on the window saw the book and asked me about it. I told him I was the author. Turns out that he owns a business and wanted my consulting advice.

NON FICTION - Why are you the BEST person to write this book? What in your background or in your research makes you qualified to do justice to this topic?

There are a lot of good books about email out there but the complex sales cycle gets neglected. The things that work for selling toiletries through an online catalog site are completely wrong for say an engineering consulting firm that has to build trust and credibility before their prospects buy.

I have been using email in the complex sales cycle for over 20 years...long before most of your readers even had email address. I had the good fortune to work for companies like Apple before they were a household name, and other great companies like Oracle, Sun Microsystems and Spinnaker to name a few. I am very measurement oriented and have seen thousand of testing results in thousands of marketing campaigns and I know what works in certain situations and what doesn’t.

Everybody has an opinion about what will work, but at the end of the day, the number will tell you what really works.

NON FICTION - If a potential reader thinks that your book wouldn't interest them, what would you say to convince them to buy? I'm thinking something better than "It's the greatest book ever." Give me something more specific :)

If they have any responsibility for a business this is an essential process to understand. To me this is like the early days of the telephone, automobile or electric light. Many people thought it would be a passing fad. It’s not. In fact it is looking more like the aorta of the business in 5 years... and if your aorta isn’t up to snuff your business will almost certainly perish.

NON FICTION Is there a way to tie your book topic to current events? If so, tell us about how you could do that. I have a blog to feature information and examples about tying books into current events that might be a good place for you to promote your book.

Yes, certainly the economic crisis with the stock market problems and bailout of Wall Street are top of mind. The story doesn’t get much bigger than that. As the economy reels, those without an effective, trust-based email relationship with their prospects and clients will be at a tremendous disadvantage. They will have to spend more in media that are not as effective as they once were. A bigger problem is that businesses become distrustful of new relationships during economic hard times. The organization with the trust-based email relationship has already figured out how to inform, educate and delight their prospect and client base. It is very hard competitively to catch up.

If there's anything else you would like to share, this is the time and place.

If you don’t have a list of customers, clients and prospects who appreciate the information and insight you are able to provide them, you will become increasingly irrelevant and your business will die a painful death. You can transform that possible future by getting serious about building your business on the quality and delivery of informative and educational information.

Thank you for visiting with me and in closing, give us your website address and a link to order your book.

For more information, visit www.churchillmethod.com. Visit www.virtualblogtour.blogspot.com for the most up to date information. His full tour schedule is posted at http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2008/06/winton-churchill-email-marketing-for.html. Winton Churchill is offering a wealth of free gifts for every person that purchases his book Email Marketing. Visit www.churchillmethod.com/bookbonus for full details about how to download all of these free gifts.

The Forbidden Daughter by Shobhan Bantwal

I'm very glad to be hosting Shobhan on the first day of her virtual blog tour with Promo 101 Virtual Tours. She has a writing style that I think you will like and she isn't afraid to tackle the hot button topics. Read on to learn more about Shobhan Bantwal and The Forbidden Daughter.
What inspired the book?

A deep interest in women’s issues combined with the love of fiction inspired me to write a book about gender-based abortions in India. I had an opportunity to bring awareness to the issue by weaving it into a story of romance, intrigue and drama.

What makes this book special to you?

It allows me to voice my opinion on a social issue in a highly creative way. If I had written a non-fiction book on the subject, it would have been boring for me to write and very few people would have read it. A novel is a way to reach a broader audience.

What makes this a book that other people MUST read and WHY?

Many Americans, although aware of the general societal patterns of other countries, very rarely know about the more subtle social issues, both good as well as bad. THE FORBIDDEN DAUGHTER will provide them a rare glimpse into a culture that remains very private about certain negative elements.

What sparks your creativity? Any tips to help others spark their own creativity?

Daily newspaper and TV stories are a great source of creativity. For some odd reason, driving on the highway seems to trigger it for me, but sitting in front of a computer makes my creativity plunge to zero.

What has been the biggest stumbling block in your writing? Can you share some tips to help others get past similar problems?

My biggest stumbling block is my lack of computer savvy, which hinders my ability to use the Internet to optimum capability. Amazon optimization, blogging, chat room discussions, etc. are not something I can utilize for promoting my book mainly because of my inability to use technology.

What do you think motivates people to become authors? What motivated you to get into this unusual industry?

I believe people become authors because of their deep love for expressing their ideas and opinions to others. It is a way of communicating, by being a storyteller and narrator. For myself, my motivation was to acquire a hobby that would keep my mind alert and provide an outlet for my active imagination and creativity. When I took up creative writing, I had not really dreamed of being a published author, but as I wrote more and more, my ambitions expanded.

Tell me about the most unusual things you have done to promote any books?

I honestly wish I could think of something unusual to do, “outside the box” as they say, but so far I have done only the most traditional things.

FICTION - If there is a setting, tell us how you decided on that setting and what you did to create a complete and vivid setting for your readers?

I like a small town atmosphere, like the kind I grew up in, so I created a fictitious small town that is very similar to the town I was raised in. It made the visualization much easier, without having to struggle to build a new one. The descriptions came easily and the culture of course is latent to me, so that was not an issue.

FICTION - What inspires you about the hero or heroine in your book? What makes them memorable for the reader? What motivates the hero and/or heroine? You can include information about both if you want.

Both my hero and heroine are people of strong convictions and generous natures, and they act on them without regard for tradition or personal gain. I find that very inspiring. Their strength and ability to fight and survive, and even win in the face of adversity is what makes them memorable. The main motivator for my heroine is the need to protect her children at any cost. The hero is motivated by his inherent desire to be the ideal doctor – help people in trouble.

FICTION - Is there a villain or something that causes friction in your story? Tell us about what or who it is and how that contributes to the story. Any details about conflict and friction is good information to know.

The obstetrician who first suggests an abortion and later resorts to more serious crime is the one who first introduces friction in THE FORBIDDEN DAUGHTER. There are secondary villains who augment the main villain’s deeds with their in their own twisted way. They all serve to add tons of friction that lends plenty of action and drama to my story.

For more information about Shobhan Bantwal’s virtual tour, visit – http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2008/09/forbidden-daughter-by-shobhan-bantwal.html

The Forbidden Daughter can be ordered at: http://www.amazon.com/Forbidden-Daughter-Shobhan-Bantwal/dp/0758220308

You can visit Shobhan Bantwal at her website – www.shobhanbantwal.com

In Detail with Susan Wingate

We kick off Susan Wingate's virtual book tour with her visit In Detail with Nikki Leigh. Let's see what Susan wants to share with us...

Tell us the book title and your author name.

The title of my latest release is “Bobby’s Diner” and I’ve used my real name as the author name. I’ve used my real name because I’m not trying to identify myself with any one genre at this stage. If I, say, take off on a tangent and decide to write erotica, I may at that point use a pseudonym but until then, I’ll continue to write under my real name.

What inspired the book?

I dreamt the first sequence, the one where Georgette, the main character and narrator of the story, arrives in the fictional town of Sunnydale, Arizona. The actual dream sequence is the one of her hitching a ride with the skanky truck driver and then her walking the rest of the way into town.

What makes this book special to you?

This book is special to me for a number of reasons, most of which because the title character, Bobby, is designed (physically anyway) after my husband, Bob. Note the similarity in names? Ha! It’s a special book also because it’s my second novel. Sometimes I think the second novel can be a little more daunting than the first because you say to yourself, “Okay. Was that first one a fluke or can I write another one?” Plus, for me, I had help on my first. Close to the end of my first novel, “Of the Law,” Michael Collins began mentoring me. I give credit to him for helping me with the completion of my first novel. I don’t think I could’ve done it without him. He made me think of writing as a job, not a hobby.

What makes this a book that other people MUST read and WHY?

Well, this story is about tolerance and one woman’s yearning to find a place for herself in this world. I think both themes are universal, quite profound and astonishingly relevant in today’s world.

What people NEED to read this book and WHY?

You know, I wrote this book with a very intentional light voice because of its profound theme. Any person other than Georgette telling the story just wouldn’t have worked. She’s this sweet gentle soul who can talk to just about anyone – young or old, man or woman, rich or poor – she seems to be quite the chameleon and is why the story is successful. So, to answer your question, I think the story is intended for any person who wants to hear its message.

What sparks your creativity? Any tips to help others spark their own creativity?

I love answering questions about writing. My answer to this question in particular might be of interest to writers who sit in front of their computer or typewriter or pad of paper (whatever) and find it tough to start knocking out words. What I do is this, I like to bandy around with poetry in the morning to oil my writing muscles. Poetry gets to the nuts and bolts of writing, by its very nature. It doesn’t have time to screw around. So, before I get into my story du jour I write a few poems. But then sometimes if something comes to me whether in a dream or other creative state of consciousness – you know it’s like hearing a doorbell go off in your head – then I get it down to paper. It can happen anywhere too which can be very inconvenient like when you’re driving the car. That’s a real pain in the butt because you have three choices: to let the idea go, to stop driving or to scrawl it out on whatever you can find with one hand while you’re cruising down the road with the other – it’s a real pain indeed.

What has been the biggest stumbling block in your writing? Can you share some tips to help others get past similar problems?

Patience. That’s my biggest problem. Oh, sure, I could say I have an almost compulsive tendency to, oh, I don’t know, end sentences with dangling prepositions, say. But, honestly, anyone can learn to write – I believe that with all my heart. What we have to do is to get out of our own way. Patience is not one of my virtues, unfortunately. I want everything to happen right away and in this industry, well, that’s just never going to be. So, if I begin to feel impatient about some submission or something, I just start writing something new and try to forget about whatever I was being impatient about. Is that a run-on sentence… oops. Maybe another stumbling block – just kidding. But, patience or the lack thereof is my problem. I’d have to say I could use a bit of meditation for learning patience.

What do you think motivates people to become authors? What motivated you to get into this unusual industry?

Boy, you’re right there, it IS an unusual industry, isn’t it? Okay, I’ll talk to the first part of this question – what motivates others to write? Well, statistically, “they” say that approximately 85% of people, um, everywhere want to write a story or have a book inside them. I don’t know how “they” come up with that statistic. I can’t imagine “they” are interviewing every living being on the planet so all I can do is answer this question based on what I’ve observed. When I teach writing classes, my students seem to want to tell either wildly imaginative stories that are derived from their creative well or they want to tell a story that actually happened to them. So, I believe from a long time ago, I’m talking caveman times, people have been telling stories “around the proverbial campfire” in one form or another. It’s what we do. Think about it, even in the Old Testament, we had to have a rule instructing us not to lie, for goodness sake. I think it’s borne in us to tell stories.

Now, another aspect to this question is my observation of others who are not writing students and who know I’m a writer or find out that I am upon meeting me. Inevitably, most people tell me they have a “great idea for a novel”. Sometimes they even go so far as to say, “You can use it if you want.” Isn’t that generous? People just love stories - to tell stories and to hear stories and to read stories.

Tell me about the most unusual things you have done to promote any books?

I’m not sure if this quite fits but it’s really the only unusual thing I’ve done to promote myself as a writer. I wanted to teach writing at a workshop and part of the process was to make available your current titles. Well, at the time, I had not a one! So, to get the application to them in time, I made something up and then created a book after the fact with my short stories, essays and poems. That book actually sells quite well and is called “Ravings of a Mad Gentlewoman.” You can find it on Amazon.com. I got it printed and marketed before the due date on books for that particular conference. Isn’t that naughty of me? Oh well, you do what you must in this crazy industry. Self-promotion is a HUGE part of it. I believe it was James Patterson who was a marketing man before he became the world-renown author he is today. He had the promotional smarts working for him well before he made his move into writing.

FICTION - If there is a setting, tell us how you decided on that setting and what you did to create a complete and vivid setting for your readers?

Of course there’s the diner where most of the action occurs and making a vivid setting there was accomplished by adding the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and textures found within a diner. But, the desert - its desolation and heat, its unique flora and fauna - is most prevalent in the opening scene making it more vivid by contrasting it between cooler climates.

FICTION - What inspires you about the hero or heroine in your book? What makes them memorable for the reader? What motivates the hero and/or heroine? You can include information about both if you want.

Georgette is human. She’s afraid and damaged goods. She’s honest with others but then lies to herself. She’s good with a touch of bad. She’s just a fully-rounded person who is trying to make a go of her life, trying to keep her head above it all under some extreme circumstances. I think she’s a great person.

FICTION - Is there a villain or something that causes friction in your story? Tell us about what or who it is and how that contributes to the story. Any details about conflict and friction is good information to know.

It’s always easiest to write when there’s a clear-cut villain but there is no one clear-cut villain in “Bobby’s Diner.” Georgette is pitted against Bobby’s ex-wife, Vanessa, and their daughter, Roberta, but I can’t talk about them as if they were bad or acted badly in order to hurt Georgette. They, too, are just trying to live in a small town with the widow of Bobby. They’re all acting accordingly feeling embarrassed and hurt, humiliated and jealous – the way anyone else in the same situation would act. It’s a method of pitting good against good. I think pitting good against evil makes it easy for the reader to figure out what will happen. In this story, we’re usually taken off-course and diverted to some other part of the characters’ lives. Or, at least, I hope that’s what happens for the reader. Another more express point about conflict and friction is that it’s the scenes and situations that create the conflict as well as the characters in them. The inherent conflict in “Bobby’s Diner” is both women, Georgette and Vanessa, are left with half the interest in Bobby’s Diner to run together. Now, if ever a story built immediate conflict into it, I believe this is one does.

Thank you, Nikki, for hosting this interview. What a wonderful blog and fabulous list of books and writers you have. Kudos! –Susan Wingate.

For more information -

Website Address: http://www.susanwingate.com

Primary Blog Address: www.susanwingate.blogspot.com

E-book can be ordered at: www.ebooksonthe.net/catalog/eBooks_Catalog_NewBooks2.html

For more information about Susan Wingate’s virtual book tour and her full schedule at http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2008/08/bobbys-diner-by-susan-wingate.html

In Detail with Ageless Sages Publishing

Although this is about a book, it’s more about the book’s design with elders in mind. I certainly can get these questions answered from the author and/or illustrator if you wish, but I wonder if you’d consider my answers as the publisher of Picture Books for Elders and Adults™?

Tell us the book title and your author name.

"Lavender Ladies" written by Beth Miller, Art work by Laura Harper, published by Ageless-Sages.com Publishing, Picture Books for Elders and Adults™.

What inspired the (concept for this type of) book ?

After spending time with elders doing various activities, I was impressed with how they responded to children’s picture books, though fully aware they were geared to children. Beth Miller suggested there might be more dignity in sharing picture books with adult-pertinent content.

What makes this book special to you?

I was deeply effected by how the elder developmental stage of life focused more on decline and less on a continuation of the cycle of life. The idea that we can offer something to elders which respects this phase of life was extremely appealing to me.

What makes this a book that other people MUST read and WHY?

Lavender Ladies presents the cycles of life in a poignant and gracious way. And although this is geared to elders, I’ve presented this to various age groups with exciting results. Kids are excited to contemplate the upcoming stages; teens love that their stage is depicted with eloquence; middle aged (women in particular) people resonate with the roles they play in life; elders love the reflection and idea that transitioning from this life is natural and that they can and do leave an important legacy.

What people NEED to read this book and WHY?

People work with elders can share this book with elders as a means of deeper connection. Elders can read this on their own or with others as a reflection piece and as a way to reminisce and tell others about their life experiences. Spiritual teachers who embrace the cycles of human existence will find this a valuable tool.

What sparks your creativity? Any tips to help others spark their own creativity?

Although I did not write this book, the idea for this new literary genre was sparked by following my passion: interacting with elders; having conversations with others about the deeper meaning of our time here on earth; spending time engaged in activities that elicit memories and feelings.

What do you think motivates people to become authors? What motivated you to get into this unusual industry?

I do think some people are born authors (the author of Lavender Ladies has been writing since she was very young and had an innate interest in writing stories), and others are eager to tell a story, share their wisdom, be part of the evolution of life that writing can support.

My particular interest in the publishing industry was very specific and focused. Until Picture Books for Elders and Adults™, publishing wasn’t even a blip on the screen for me! This feels more like a calling than an occupation.

Tell me about the most unusual things you have done to promote any books?

I’m not sure this is unusual, but I have been sending copies of the book to celebrities who either have publicly expressed that they have elders in their lives or that they are advocates for elders in one form or another. My intent is to find a celebrity spokesperson for this mission!

If there's anything else you would like to share, this is the time and place.

The effect that this has on elders is nothing short of profound. I’ve seen people who barely engage in much of anything suddenly come to life! People have memories sparked from their past, they settle into an acceptance of their future. It’s as if just knowing that someone understands this as a distinct, specific and continuing time of life (as opposed to just seeing at the end) they can enjoy life more.

You can view a slideshow version of the book here: www.ageless-sages.com/bookvideo.htm

In Detail With Dave Richardson

Tell us the book title and your author name.

When I first wrote the book in 2002, I titled it, “An Old

Helicopter Pilot Remembers Vietnam”. It was my eldest son, David, who brought the POD concept to my attention. He also encouraged me to change the title as he felt it was a bit ‘stodgy’. I tried various combinations until I hit on “Vietnam Air Rescues”. I used my own name, rather than a pen name.

What inspired the book?

My 2^nd son, Craig, (I have 4 sons), had tried for years to get me to put down in writing the stories I had related to them regarding my Vietnam experiences. (Incidentally, he has followed somewhat in my footsteps by becoming an Army helicopter pilot who served in the Panama incursion as well as Gulf Wars 1 & 2. He did Medevac [the Army version of rescue] in Panama and Gulf War 2. By the way, I have forgiven him for being in the Army instead of the Air Force!)

I resisted his efforts until I received a preliminary account of the ‘Streetcar’ rescue by Kenny Fields, the last guy I rescued. I thought it might be fun to write a counterpoint narrative, telling the story from my point of view, and found it to be enjoyable.

That was when Craig and I began working in earnest on the project—I wrote the narratives and supplied the photos, while Craig did the maps and supporting documents.

All of my sons, David, Craig, Eric and Mark plus my wife, Kaye, have participated in one fashion or another during the creation of this book.

What makes this book special to you?

It brings back a time when I was able to make a difference in the lives of a few other people.

What makes this a book that other people MUST read and WHY?

I tried to be both factual and dispassionate in my storytelling. Many people have very different conceptions of the Vietnam War, both positive and negative. I was involved in the effort to save American lives, without regard to politics. I hope people will read about this and perhaps get a new view or slant on what went on—this time from a positive view.

What people NEED to read this book and WHY?

Both those who lived through the Vietnam years and those who new only know about it from history books.

Surprisingly enough, a lot of females have been fascinated by this book. I would have thought it would appeal mainly to males, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Several women have commented that it has allowed them to take a peek into what happened to their father or husband.

I did not keep a diary while I was there, so I wasn’t able to give a day to day account of my experiences. What I tried to do, and what some people have said they find fascinating, was to record the bare facts and avoid any hyperbole, while still communicating the details of rescue operations.

What sparks your creativity? Any tips to help others spark their own creativity?

In my case, there was little creativity involved, as these are tales of what actually happened to me in a manner that is burned into my memory.

In my case, I had constant support and input from my wife and all four sons, who encouraged me and occasionally prompted me to include tidbits I might have forgotten to include.

What has been the biggest stumbling block in your writing? Can you share some tips to help others get past similar problems?

Motivation, motivation, motivation. I initially wrote this as a bit of private correspondence to my sons, then expanded it to the general public when it became obvious there was some interest.

As I mention in my ‘Note to the Reader’, this is the 5^th edition of basically the same work. Each time, I had to consider to whom I was now writing. This affected not only what I included, but how I phrased it.

What do you think motivates people to become authors? What motivated you to get into this unusual industry?

See answer to 2^nd question.

Tell me about the most unusual things you have done to promote any books?

To date, my promotion has been limited to speaking to churches, civic clubs and historical societies.

One bit of advice I received, which I believe has been of benefit, was to make bookmarks advertising the book and give them away. This has seemed to work quite well.

NON FICTION - Why are you the BEST person to write this book? What in your background or in your research makes you qualified to do justice to this topic?

Because I lived it. Others, even those who also performed rescues, who might attempt to create a similar book would, of necessity, come up with a completely different type of book.

This is because of the personal experiences involved. I was startled recently to have another rescue pilot confide to me that he had admired the way I did things and had attempted to pattern himself after me. I would never have imagined anything like that. It is totally amazing how each of us affect the lives of others without realizing it.

NON FICTION - If a potential reader thinks that your book wouldn't interest them, what would you say to convince them to buy? I'm thinking something better than "Its the greatest book ever." Give me something more specific :)

This is a book that is more about saving peoples lives than war itself. I would encourage them to read a single rescue sequence to see if they found the descriptions interesting.

I knew that not all my readers would know about or remember the background of the Vietnam War, so I put in a section detailing my impressions of how and why we, as a country, became involved.

For the same reason, I included a background of life as a Jolly Green pilot and a bunch of anecdotes not directly related to rescue itself.

My hope was that even those who were vehemently opposed to the war would find something interesting they could relate to.

NON FICTION - Why does the topic of your book interest you? Why would it interest potential readers? Give us a hook to reel in new readers.

I think most people are intrigued by ‘how it really was’ stories. The Air Force rescue portion of the Vietnam War, for some reason, has been mostly overlooked, so this is something new for most readers.

It interests me because I was there and experienced all the various incidents described.

Others, I think, find themselves fascinated by the lengths our country went to in attempting to rescue those in harms’ way.

NON FICTION Is there a way to tie your book topic to current events? If so, tell us about how you could do that. I have a blog to feature information and examples about tying books into current events that might be a good place for you to promote your book.

Not directly. The war in Iraq comes to mind, but that is a totally different episode. The strictly military offensive warfare part is long over and even when we were engaged in active bombing campaigns, there was not then and is now no current correlation.

If there's anything else you would like to share, this is the time and place.

I appreciate your efforts to assist me in the promotion of my book.

Thank you for visiting with me and in closing, give us your website address and a link to order your book.

For anyone who would like to take a look inside the book, I compiled a "sampler" which gives you excerpts from the book and the entire first rescue along with pictures from the book. To download your free sampler - visit www.nikkileigh.com/var/htm

Website: www.vietnam-air-rescues.com

Order link: http://www.amazon.com/Vietnam-Air-Rescues-Dave-Richardson/dp/1434891348/

We've posted an excerpt from the book to share Dave's first rescue - visit http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2008/08/sample-for-you-rescue-1-vietnam-air.html

Feel free to ask questions or leave a comment at every stop on the tour to increase your chances to win a copy of this exciting book. For full details about Dave's tour and to see the schedule - http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2008/07/vietnam-air-rescues-author-dave.html