Guest Blogger Sydney Molare Author of Devil's Orchestra

This evening we have a Guest Blogger.

Sydney Molare, Author of Devil's Orchestra is stopping on one leg of her Virtual Book Tour.

Thanks for stopping by Syndney. On www.charleneleatherman.blogspot.com and www.myspace.com/charleneleatherman we learned a little about you and about your book Devil's Orchestra. Today you have graciously agreed to answer some questions.

1) Why did you become a writer? Was it a dream of yours since you were younger or did the desire to write happen later in your life? I was a late bloomer. I actually began writing as a way to vent when my marriage was going the way of the dinosaurs. So I actually wrote my first piece in 2001.

2) What do you love about being an author? Is there anything you dislike? Love? Gushing emails trumpeting my greatness to that particular person. Dislike? Author jealousy I've encountered on tours.

3) How do you balance your personal and writing time? I can't honestly say I've got it all balanced. Right now, it feels like life has got me by the hinny and I'm just swinging in the wind. But what I try to do, is work as a veterinarian during the day and then become Sydney Molare nights and weekends. LOL.

4) I have visited your website The Devil’s Orchestra at http://www.devilsorchestra.blogspot.com/ It seems like you enjoy stirring the pot a bit. Is that something you have always been interested in doing? Did your desire to shake things up come from a particular incident in your life? I like pushing the envelope, tackling controversial subjects people shy away from, scratch a soul or two. As far as where it came from, I've always been my parent's rebel child. They tend to be too pacifist for me. Where they say, walk away, I like to stay until both parties have an "understanding" about the situation, whatever it is. Yes, I got punished plenty as a kid. LOL.

5) How do you write? Do your characters come to you first or the plot or the world of the story? It's really a mixture. I know people talk about outlines, but a character will pop into my head and I tend to shelve them if they aren't applicable to what I'm writing currently. Then when a plot pops into my head, I got back to my character shelf, pluck one off, and see where they lead me.

6) What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write? I'm cross-genred: Short stories, erotica/romantica, mystery/suspense, quasi-Christian and mainstream. I will tell anyone, i write stories I would like to read.

7) Is there any type of book you would not want to write? Is there something you would like to try but have not written yet? Honestly, I feel that to be a great writer, you should be like a great actor: able to write anything with a little research. I can't think of a genre I abhor. I read everything so I think giving a shot at writing in a new genre would be a pleasant challenge. There are many books in my head to be written. I recently finished a paranormal erotica. I thought that was great fun! But an unchartered genre I'm planning, probably the children's fiction arena.

8) What is the biggest misconception about being an author? That you make plenty of money and that it is easy.

9) Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination? Actually, my characters are compilations of real and imagined. I may use a mannerism from this person, with a speech pattern from that, add in what I'd like to see, and voile' we have a character.

10) Out of all the characters that you've written, who is your favorite and why? I'm a Southern fiction junkie so Madame A in Grandmama's Mojo STill Working is definitely my favorite. This is a feisty 75 YO grandmother who has two boyfriends. She lives life on her terms and to heck with those who have something to say about it. Shucks, I want to be her when I get older. Something about those sharp women in those flamboyant hats down here in the South. Can't wait!

11) If you were writing a script for the big screen, who would you want to act in your movie? This is a tough question. An big name would get the movie seen...but I'm also partial to the unknown underdog. I don't have anyone "penciled in my mind" yet, so I think the best course would be to put the script out, let them duke it out and to the winner goes the spoils. LOL.

12) What would you want readers to take away from your books? I want my books to scratch their souls, make them think, leave them rubbing their chins going, "Hmmmm." Every book has a message or theme to it, so I'm hoping they "get" it.

13) Do you have any advice for beginning writers in regards to writing a book?
Sydney Confucius says, "The road to publication will not be without bumps, bruises, many reams of paper and red ink."

Don't take too much advice from too many people. Use common sense and talk to other published authors and you should be fine.

14) Who are your favorite authors? James Patterson, Eric Jerome Dickey, Jude Devereaux, John Grisham

15) What are you reading right now? The Heretic by Andrew Feder. It's the second part to, When Angel Have Risen

Thanks for having me over!

Syd
http://www.sydneymolare.com/

Welcome Sheila Roberts on her Virtual Book Tour

Welcome Sheila Roberts on her Virtual Book Tour


I'd like to welcome Sheila Roberts, author of On Strike for Christmas.

Thanks for dropping by. We learned a little about your book and about you yesterday. Today, you have agreed to answer some questions for us. Well, here we go.

1) If you could start over with your writing career, what if anything would you change? I would have started writing contemporary stories right from the get go. I got my beginnings writing Regency Romances - not surprising since I love them, but they have a limited readership. Plus although I tried hard, I really was terrible at research and it seemed I was always getting some historical detail wrong. Very embarrassing. I really think I would have done better writing about my own time period right from the get go. But, writing is a learning process, and I don't know any writers who ever got it all right at the beginning.

2) What was the best piece of advice you received regarding the life of a writer? Never give up.

3) If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would it be? Actually, that list is rather long. But, to name a few: Stephen King, Dr. Phil and his wife, Steve Martin, Dustin Hoffman, and Cliff Richard, the British singing star

4) If you could meet any fictional character, who would it be? Jane Austen's Elizabeth Darcy, Heathcliff from "Wuthering Heights" and Dickens's Mr. Fezziwigg

5) In the next century, what do you hope people will remember you for? That would be remarkable to be remembered in the next century. Down the road, I'd like to be remembered as a writer who inspired people to be their best.

6) How do you balance your personal and writing time? I write during the day, just like a job, but unless I'm under deadline, I don't write more than a couple hours at a stretch. Then I go do something else. Fitting in time to be with friends and get other work done is important.

7) How do you write? Do your characters come to you first or the plot or the world of the story? What usually comes to me first is a story idea - something following the words, "What if?"

8) What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write? I've been published under different names in Romance, but I've also written for gift books and written non-fiction. I love to write about things that are important to women. And I like to write humor. Everyone needs to laugh.

9) Out of all the characters that you've written, who is your favorite and why? Some of my favorite characters have never seen the light of day. They all made guest appearances in manuscripts that never sold. Right now my favorite character is in a book that will be coming out next summer. She's a ditz and I love her.

10) If you were writing a script for the big screen, who would you want to act in your movie? Hmmm. Maybe some of the angry housewife chicks.

11) What would you want readers to take away from your books? A smile.

12) Do you have any advice for beginning writers in regards to writing a book? Finish the book. Many writers spend more time talking about writing than they do actually writing. Being able to type "the end" on something you've created is hugely satisfying.

13) Where can readers buy a copy of your book? At their nearby Barnes and Noble or Borders. And, of course, there's always Amazon. It's a fun book and I hope readers will give it a try.

14) What other projects are you working on right now? I just turned in Bikini Season, my second book for St. Martin's Press. It's about diets, true love, cheating, and friendship. I should have an excerpt posted on my website (http://www.sheilasplace.com/) in the new year.

Introduce Sheila Roberts Author of On Strike for Christmas

Tomorrow Sheila Roberts is dropping by on a leg of her virtual book tour to talk about her book

On Strike for Christmas

So today I would like to introduce her to you.

Sheila Roberts lives in the Pacific Northwest. She's happily married and has three children. She's been writing since 1989, but she did lots of things before settling in to her writing career, including owning a singing telegram company and playing in a band. When she's not speaking to women's groups or at conferences or playing with her friends, she can be found writing about those things near and dear to women's hearts: family, friends, and chocolate.

Romantic Times Magazine Reviewed On Strike for Christmas and said:

ON STRIKE FOR CHRISTMASby Sheila Roberts

RT Rating: 4½ Stars

Category: MAINSTREAM FICTION

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Published: November 2007

Type: Mainstream Fiction

Roberts' witty and effervescently funny holiday novel will warm hearts. Realistic characters populate the pages of this captivating story, which is a great escape from holiday hustle and bustle.
Summary: In the town of Holly, some of the members of the Stitch 'n Bitch knitting club have decided to teach their husbands a lesson. Led by Joy, one of the club's older members, the women have collectively decided to go on strike, forcing their husbands to provide all of the holiday preparations.As the men get together to complain, the women remain steadfast in their strike efforts. But Carol, a knitting club member whose husband and son are both deceased, thinks the women should be thankful for their husbands and hectic lives. And when Jerri, another knitting club member, suffers from the ill effects of chemotherapy, the women unite to support their friend. (St. Martin's griffin, Nov., 352 pp., $13.95)—Sheri Melnick

Guest Blogger Dennis Griffin, Author of Cullotta

This review appeared on The Literary World site on July 17 2007.

July 17:
Jim Agnew On Crime

Cullotta--The Life Of A Chicago Criminal, Las Vegas Mobster and Government Witness (Huntington Press Publishing)

This is the best book written on the Chicago crime syndicate and I've read them all. Virgil Petersen summed up the Chicago crime syndicate in the title of his 1950's book..."Barbarians In Our Midst".It's the best book because its all first person, gloves off and very rough.Frank Cullotta was a very active...bomber, killer, master burglar, fence, and criminal confidant to the mob lords of Chicago and Las Vegas. He describes these roles and capers as they happened with lots of play-by-play details.Cullotta also describes real prison life and the Witness Protection Program...up close and personal.I read Cullotta in one afternoon and so will any true-crime fan. Its just a real-good read about very dangerous professional criminals.

WELCOME DENNIS GRIFFIN.

Thank you for dropping by on your Virtual Book Tour. Our readers are interested not only in your book but in you as an author as well. Thanks for taking your time to answer some questions.

1) If you could start over with your writing career, what if anything would you change?
1 – For one thing, I’d have started much earlier in life rather than waiting until after retirement. I would also have done a lot more research about the writing business — including publishing options and marketing — while working on my first manuscript.

2) What was the best piece of advice you received regarding the life of a writer?
2 – Try to do something writing-related every day. That can include the actual writing, conducting interviews, doing research, and marketing.

3) If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would it be?
3 – I’m a World War II buff and would have enjoyed discussing those times with President Franklin Roosevelt.

4) If you could meet any fictional character, who would it be?
4 – I’d like to meet Superman.

5) In the next century, what do you hope people will remember you for?
5 – I’d like to be recognized as a good researcher who produced accurate books regarding the Tony Spilotro era in Las Vegas.

6) How do you balance your personal and writing time?
6 – Although I’m retired, I treat my writing as a job that requires a minimum of three hours per day.

7) How do you write? Do your characters come to you first or the plot or the world of the story?
7 – For my fictions the plot comes first. For non-fiction I take an interest in either a character or an event.

8) What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?
8 – I write mystery/thriller fiction and true crime non-fiction. I imagine my prior career in investigations and law enforcement was the primary influence for those choices.


9) Out of all the characters that you've written, who is your favorite and why?
9 – My favorite character that I’ve created is Steve Garneau, a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department homicide detective.


10) If you were writing a script for the big screen, who would you want to act in your movie?
10 – I’m partial to the movies Casino and Goodfellas. I think Joe Pesci and Robert De Niro did outstanding jobs in those films and I’d like them in my movie.


11) What would you want readers to take away from your books?
11 – For my non-fictions I want the reader to come away knowing they learned the true story of the people and events in the book.


12) Do you have any advice for beginning writers in regards to writing a book?
12 – I’d tell beginners to do their homework before they start. Learn what’s involved to be a successful writer. Know what publishing options are available and study marketing and promotion methods. The more knowledge a writer has, the better the decisions he or she will make.


13) Where can readers buy a copy of your book?
13 – My books are available through the online sites such as Amazon and Barnes and Noble. They can be purchased at or ordered through the brick and mortal outlets as well.
I also have purchase links on my site, http://www.authorsden.com/dennisngriffin.


14) What other projects are you working on right now?
14 – I’m currently finishing the third book in my Las Vegas trilogy featuring Detective Garneau. I’m also looking at three true crime stories and will soon make my decision on which one to write.

October is Guest Blog Month

October brings fall weather with its cooler temperatures. October also brings the beginning of holiday season with Halloween. October also for the first time ever brings GUEST BLOG MONTH.

The Goddesses of Storytelling will be blogging with our usual brilliance. We will also be hosting authors of all genres and from all over the Internet.
Authors from Ellora's Cave
from Cerridwen Press and authors associated with Pump Up Your Book Promotion will be blogging here during the month of October.

So roll in the autumn leaves, put on your halloween mask, and come on over to Goddesses of Storytelling for some fun, exciting and definitely diverting blogs.


Charlene Leatherman, Prophecy of Vithan, available at Cerridwen Press
Defeating the villain, destroying the monster, delivering the hero and never breaking a nail.