CLP Tours

Becoming Mrs. Walsh

February 8, 2013 5 Comments

Book review of “Becoming Mrs. Walsh”

“Becoming Mrs. Walsh” by Jessica Gordon

Book Description:

Shoshana Thompson is 26 years old, miles from home, and engaged to be married into one of Washington D.C.’s wealthiest families. Andrew Walsh, her fiancé, is Shoshana’s vision of the perfect man. Throughout their engagement, she becomes enamored with his privileged lifestyle.

While Shoshana navigates the tricky world of in-laws and societal wedding planning, she desperately tries to ignore her growing feelings for another man. She knows that exploring this love will threaten her existence as a Walsh. But, when she discovers the feelings may not be one-sided, she knows things are about to get a lot more complicated, especially because this man is absolutely off-limits.

Becoming Mrs. Walsh is a story of relationships and the richly layered complexity of family, in-laws, and love.

My Review:

It was easy to dive right into “Becoming Mrs. Walsh.” I wanted to see if Shoshana’s character could handle what it takes to be a member of the well-known Walsh Family. They come from money, so it’s naturally that they have the best designer clothes to extravagant china and silverware and spur-of-the-moment trips — they have it all. I was curious to see how the women of the family compared to the evil step-sisters in Cinderella, which led me to sympathize with Shoshana before any evilness began.

The Walsh women, Zoe, Ariel, Rachel, weren’t what I expected. Were they critical, judgmental at times and overbearing? Yes, but I didn’t think that any of what they said and/or did was intentional. I think it was more Shoshana’s insecurity and image of what a wealthy family thinks of someone with an opposite number in their bank account.

One thing I really liked and appreciated from the author was that Shoshana wasn’t ridiculed for not knowing what or how to do something — at least from the reader’s POV.

As for her fiancé, Andrew, I really disliked him and sometimes wanted to ask Shoshana what she was thinking by just going along with his secretive job, one even she can’t know much about. Andrew might look good on paper, but he didn’t in this book, but it made me see how easy it was for her to fall for someone else.

In the end, and with a lot of ups and downs, Shoshana seems to settle for a type of happiness that only money — not love — can buy. I felt sorry for her because I knew she wasn’t truly happy, but understood why she decided to settle…until the ending! From out of nowhere, came something horrifying/shocking/exciting! I wasn’t left satisfied with the ending at all, so for a couple of nights while trying to fall asleep, I thought about Shoshana’s story and wondered if she was happy. This is why I’m beyond excited to tell you that there will be a sequel to “Becoming Mrs. Walsh!” Shoshana’s happily ever after isn’t over!

The only part of the book that I didn’t like was that Shoshana was often times referred to as “Sho.” Many times, I confused the word “Sho” with “she,” but since the story was very well-written, I looked passed that.

Jessica Gordon has written a laugh-out-loud, heartwarming book about a woman who’s looking for her happy-ending and I can’t wait to read more book by the talented author, Jessica Gordon! I’d recommend this book to anyone who’s engaged, married or is in the mood for a quick read, with to-be-continued ending.

They say to not judge a book by its cover, but when I saw the cover of “Becoming Mrs. Walsh” I couldn’t help but want to read it. I loved the blue background and, of course, the gorgeous ring, so I was really hoping that this book lived up to the cover that I liked. “Becoming Mrs. Walsh” exceeded my expectations!

I give “Becoming Mrs. Walsh” 5 out of 5 stars!

**About the author: Jessica Gordon is a Johns Hopkins University alumna for both her undergraduate and graduate degrees. She received her bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from the Writing Seminars program and her master’s degree in communications.  After working in the corporate world for several years, Jessica decided to return to her first love: creative writing. Jessica takes her readers to the prominent Washington, D.C. area where her characters navigate through the complex world of family, in-laws, and love.  Jessica lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband. This is her first novel.   For more information on the book, check out www.jessica-gordon.com. Jessica can be reached at any time: jessica@jessica-gordon.com.

**Contact Jessica!

**Buy “Becoming Mrs. Walsh!”

Next Year I’ll be Perfect

February 6, 2013 11 Comments

Book Description: Sarah always thought her life was on track, that is until her 29th birthday party. The discovery of a list her younger self put together outlining what she wanted to achieve by the age of 30 turns Sarah’s world upside down. Suddenly her seemingly happy life and career look lackluster and Sarah sets off on a journey to transform her life. On her quest to achieve perfection one month at a time – a happy marriage, partnership in a law firm and being able to fit in a size six purple suede miniskirt – Sarah learns to challenge society’s ideals of achievement. Filled with harsh reality, humor, and romance, Next Year I’ll Be Perfect explores what true happiness and success is all about.

Excerpt of “Next Year I’ll be Perfect”

“I think tonight is that big charity event David’s attending at the Metropolitan Opera House,” Eddie piped in, already moving toward the kitchen.

I nodded, remembering David mentioning his plans before I’d launched into the conversation about the building appraisal. “I think you’re right. Do you know who he’s bringing? Barbie or Midge?”

Eddie burst out laughing at my comment, drawing his father’s narrow gaze and low growl. I was lucky to sidestep any admonishment as I went to heat up our supper in the kitchen. I might have felt bad if my characterization of David’s girlfriends was in any way wrong.

A very intelligent and sensitive man in most areas of his life, David Thornton’s criteria for choosing women hadn’t changed much from the time he was thirteen years old. Namely, the flashier, blonder and better endowed a woman was, the more David was attracted. I was never quite sure where he found these women, but after one or two dates he always ended up sorely disappointed and highly surprised that dinner conversation was limited to stories covered in US Weekly. In fact, knowing David’s type of woman was one of the main arguments I used against Livvie’s theory that my friend was attracted to me.

I hated to label him as shallow, because David always ended his relationship with the bimbette of the week when he discovered they couldn’t make a deep connection. The tragedy was that he never quite figured out that a woman with a lifelong dream of being shaved by Howard Stern might not be able to hold up her end of a conversation about the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

About author, Laura Kilmartin: Next Year I’ll be Perfect is Laura Kilmartin’s first novel. She previously published four essays in Write for the Fight: A Collection of Seasonal Essays. All author royalties from that collection have been donated to breast cancer charities.

Laura is an attorney who lives and works in her native Southern Maine. A pop culture savant, she loves to read, write, travel and collect DVDs of cancelled TV shows in her spare time.

**Contact Laura!

**Buy the book!

Donna Joy Usher

December 20, 2012 2 Comments

Bio of Author, Donna Joy Usher: Born in Brisbane, I started my working life as a dentist. After 15 years of drilling and filling I discovered there was more to life, and put pen to paper. Now I drill by day and write by night.

When not doing either of those things I like spending time with my husband and two little dogs, fishing and camping, motorbike riding, traveling, drinking wine on my deck and eating chocolate. Last year I ran my first half marathon and took up paddle boarding.

I have lived in a myriad of places: Melbourne, Perth, England, Rockhampton, Roxby Downs, Sydney, Cairns and am now situated on the New South Wales Central Coast.

GUEST POST

When Chick Lit and Dentistry Collide – A Short Story

I was early to work that Monday morning. A total rarity for me, but I was so hyped after my weekend that I hadn’t been able to sleep. Plus I was dying to share my secret with Linda, my dental nurse. Of course it wasn’t Linda that was waiting for me in my dental surgery but Trixie.

‘Linda’s sick,’ she informed me, in her high, tinkly voice.

Great. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at her ultra-short uniform. Trixie was my boss’s nurse, hired for her looks and legs, and not her ability to do more than one thing at once. Unless you counted being able to suck saliva and massage my boss’s thigh at the same time a talent. I hated working with her at the best of times but today, when I was bursting to tell someone my elicit news; it was going to be unbearable.

I placed my bag under my desk and changed into my clinic gown while I perused the day’s patients. Crown preparation, root canal, Mrs Delvita’s denture was still hurting, removal of an impacted wisdom tooth, and then after lunch a new patient consult.

I tried to concentrate on what I was doing, I really did. But root canals can be so boring – and my memories were so much more entertaining – that I had to confirm my canal length measurements three times before I was sure I had it right. Trixie didn’t notice; she was too busy watching the plasma television that hung from our roof.

The wisdom tooth managed to hold my entire attention. Looking into a tiny mirror, that’s covered in water and blood, while cutting through someone’s jaw bone does tend to do that though. And of course the sweet relief from the tooth finally giving up its tenacious hold on its bony cave was enough to distract me the entire time I wrote up the patient notes. But after that they came flooding back; memories of skin on skin, the rustling of clothes being removed, soft murmurings of pleasure.

Christ. I resisted the urge to fan myself with my day sheet. The surgeries were kept cold on purpose: you can work up quite a sweat placing implants and removing teeth. Trixie was sure to notice if I started having a hot flush.

My new consult was waiting for me after lunch. I pasted my special new-patient-smile on my face and took a seat across from him. For a moment I thought my daydreams had become so vivid they had jumped from my mind and crystallised before me. The blue eyes I had gazed into; the soft lips I had kissed, the dark, thick hair I had rumpled with my hands. He looked even more gorgeous than I remembered in his well-fitting grey suit.

‘Not a receptionist?’ he said, a small smile tugging the corners of his lips.

‘I find if I admit I’m a dentist I often spend the whole night listening to horror dental stories.’

‘That would be annoying.’

‘Extremely.’

I was about to apologise for leaving before he woke; to explain that I hadn’t wanted him to feel obliged to see me again, or to think I was desperate or needy. Of course in my rush I had locked myself out of the hotel room before I could leave my phone number. I was guessing that hadn’t looked so good. Or maybe it had. Aghhhhh. This was the reason I was still single – I found men so hard to read.

Of course as I was struggling to find the right words Trixie re-entered the room. She took one look at our new patient, straddled her dental chair so that an inordinate amount of thigh was showing and pressed herself up against him from the other side. Trixie always seemed to know what men wanted.

‘Sore tooth?’ she cooed, placing a sympathetic hand on his shoulder.

He shot me a confused look before answering her. ‘No I really just want a check-up and clean.’

Well that was a relief. Ripping out one of his teeth was sure to ruin my fantasies.

I donned my mask and glasses – feeling embarrassed at how geeky my elongated, dental loupes made me look – and lay the chair back. Wow, he really was tall. From where Trixie and I were sitting we got a great view all the way down his long, hard body. Of course I already knew it was long and hard, and that wasn’t helping with the hot flush situation.

One night stands were generally not my thing. Saturday night had been a spontaneous event after a chance meeting with a gorgeous stranger in the bar down the road from my house. I normally always made sure I had looked into the mouths of the men I slept with before we did the deed, and so I was a little nervous as to what I would find. What if his teeth were claggy with plaque? What if he had a mouth full of rotting stumps? What if he had hairy leukoplakia on the sides of his tongue – a sign of full blown AIDS? What the hell would I do then? Try and pretend everything was normal when I really wanted to run screaming from the room?

And so it was that I placed my mirror into his mouth with much trepidation. It was pink and white and squeaky clean. I breathed a sigh of relief and picked up my ultrasonic scaler, checking to make sure the tip was tight. Trixie took the chance to lean right over, exposing some cleavage while she battered her heavily made up, green eyes at him. ‘You can hold my hand if you want,’ she purred.

‘That won’t be necessary,’ I said, moving my dental chair closer so she was forced to move back a little. ‘I’m sure Mr Ritchie is brave enough to handle a dental clean.’

‘I’ll be fine, thanks.’ He smiled in Trixie’s direction and I had a sudden urge to poke her in the eye with my scaler.

Christ, I really had to get a grip. Instead of permanently disabling her, I snuggled my secret-size-12D-weapon into the back of his head as I leant over his mouth. ‘Let me know if you need a break,’ I said as I started to clean.

I was extra careful not to hurt him. I mean I really did like this man, and I was hoping to see him again. Of course like everything, when I tried too hard, I ended up totally embarrassing myself. I’ve been using a triplex for a good ten years, so you’d think I’d be able to squirt the water where I wanted it to go right? Normally yes, I have no trouble in directing the flow onto the exact tooth I need washing. So why, oh why, did today have to be the day that I misfired, squirting a long jet of water over his head and straight into his crotch. I could see it happening, see the pool of water starting to soak into the expensive fabric of his pants, but do you think I could take my finger off the button? By that time I stopped he looked like he had wet himself.

‘Oh dear,’ Trixie tittered.

‘Oh my God, I’m so sorry,’ I said, watching as he lifted his head to observe the damage.

‘Let me get that.’ Trixie, with a hand full of paper towel, made a lunge for his crotch.

‘Stop,’ I shrieked in horror. God, if I let my dental nurse give him a crotch massage I was sure to never see him again. He’d be far too embarrassed to come back.

‘I’ll have that,’ he said taking the paper from her frozen, outstretched hand.

I sat him up so he could dry himself with a bit of privacy and instead of thumping my head against the wall a few times – like I really wanted to – I started my notes. ‘We’re finished anyway,’ I advised him, ‘so have a rinse if you want.’

I could see Trixie hovering, getting ready to pounce again. ‘Don’t you have some sterilising to do?’ I asked her. She gave me a dirty look and flounced from the room. I was going to pay for that later with even less help than normal, but I didn’t care, I didn’t want her there while I performed my grovelly apology.

‘I’m sorry,’ I said again.

‘For which part?’ he asked as he came to stand beside my desk. I pushed my clinic seat towards him so he could sit down.

‘Ummm, for making you look like you wet yourself, and for,’ I lowered my voice, ‘running off without saying goodbye.’

‘And for making me have to book a dental appointment so I could see you again? I only had a clean a couple of months ago, but he wasn’t as gentle as you, so I might come here from now on if you don’t mind.’

I could feel my mouth flopping around like a dying fish but I didn’t seem to be able to get it to close. ‘For making you book a dental appointment?’ I finally managed to get out.

He smiled, ‘I don’t want you to think I’m a stalker or anything, but I work across the road from you.’

Stalker? Hell he could stalk me if he wanted. Stalk me, kidnap me, have his wicked way with me – again.

‘I’ve seen you going over for coffee and I always thought you looked nice. I just didn’t realise till Saturday night exactly how nice you are.’ He leaned towards me as he said it and his after shave wafted over me. It smelt so good I wanted to leap onto his lap and start biting his neck.

‘So,’ I said, blushing profusely, ‘you wouldn’t mind catching up again?’

We were disturbed by Trixie coming in to restock my drawers with sterile instruments. She slammed a few cupboards and muttered under her breath. Yep, I was really going to pay this afternoon.

‘Friday night?’ he said quietly, passing me his business card.

I nodded as I leant down and tucked it into my handbag, resisting the urge to high five myself. Once he had departed the surgery and headed out to reception, I continued with my notes, studiously ignoring Trixie. It was going to be a long week waiting for Friday night. But I was sure it was going to be worth the wait.

**Contact Donna!

Donna Joy Usher – The Author

**Buy The Seven Steps to Closure!”

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Meant To Be

December 17, 2012 2 Comments

Bio of author, Karen Stivali: Karen Stivali is a prolific writer, compulsive baker and chocoholic with a penchant for books, movies and fictional British men. When she’s not writing, she can be found cooking extravagant meals and serving them to family and friends. Prior to deciding to write full time Karen worked as a hand drawn animator, a clinical therapist, and held various food-related jobs ranging from waitress to specialty cake maker. Planning elaborate parties and fundraisers takes up what’s left of her time and sanity.

Karen has always been fascinated by the way people relate to one another so she favors books and movies that feature richly detailed characters and their relationships. In her own writing she likes to explore the dynamics between characters and has a tendency to craft romantic love stories filled with sarcasm and sexy details.

Karen has published three erotic romances with Ellora’s Cave: Marry Me (June 2012), Long-Distance Lovers (co-written with Karen Booth, March 2012) and Always You (Passionate Plume First Place Novella Winner, RWA 2012).

Karen’s first full-length novel, Meant To Be, released from Turquoise Morning Press on August 26, 2012. Its sequel, Holding On, released on November 26, 2012. A prequel to these novels, the short story All I Need, appears in the Foreign Affairs Anthology (Turquoise Morning Press, August 2012).

Coming in 2013 Karen will have several contemporary romances releasing from Samhain Publishing and Turquoise Morning Press. The first of these, THEN, AGAIN will release from Samhain on May 23, 2013.

MeantToBeCover

Review of “Meant To Be”

Blurb: Sometimes you’re already committed to the wrong person when fate finally brings you the right one. When NYU professor Daniel Gardner’s career-obsessed wife convinces him to move to the suburbs, he hopes it’s a first step toward starting the family he longs to have. Instead of domestic bliss he finds his neighbor, Marienne Valeti. She loves her freelance design job, but must contend with a growing sense of isolation created by her husband’s indifference. A penchant for good books, bad movies, and Marienne’s to-die-for brownies sparks a powerful bond between them. Passion simmers, but they resist its lure, surrendering only in the seclusion of their minds. Their friendship helps them weather every hardship, from divorce to widowhood, leaving them both secretly wondering if it can survive a first kiss.

Review: I loved this book! From the first chapter to the last, the story and the characters from “Meant To Be” held my attention, leaving me wanting more with each swipe of my iPad. Karen’s writing gave the reader a clear view of what it was like for Daniel and Marienne to be married to other people, which allowed the reader to cheer for them to be together because of their spouses. One thing I really liked was how, without too much description or explanation, time and years flew by. There were a few parts where I thought it dragged on, but by the end I understand why certain parts were in the book. I’m not going to give anything away, but I liked how the book ended. When something tragic happened, I could now sigh with relief that everything was out in the open. The only thing I thought was missing was that there should’ve been more closure between Daniel and his wife. It seemed like she just disappeared.

Daniel’s and Marienne’s story is a truly heartwarming. It left me that feeling happy and that yes, friends can (maybe) turn into lovers. I recommend this book to anyone who wants a cute and quick read.

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars!

**Contact Karen:

Karen Stivali

Amazon: Karen Stivali

**Buy “Meant To Be!”

Turquoise Morning Press

Debbie Dyke

November 7, 2012 2 Comments

Author Bio of Debbie Dyke: Debbie Dyke is a novelist and businesswoman from Alexandria, Virginia, and has a background in military intelligence, the stock market, executive recruiting and writing. An Army brat, she’s lived in Turkey, France, Germany, Italy, Albania and Holland. She graduated from the American High School in Naples, Italy then attending University of Maryland, Munich Campus. She graduated from Georgetown University and holds a Bachelors of Science and Masters degree in National Security. Debbie has two grown children, Lisa and Jordan and has been married to Michael for over thirty wonderful years. Debbie has written 5 screenplays, one Wall Street calendar and two novels.

Q & A with Debbie Dyke

Describe yourself by using only five words: Happy. Engaging. Competitive. Persistent. Curious.

What’s the writing/editing/publishing process like for you? I’m also a very fast typist and can get things out of my head onto the keyboard without much of a struggle. As a military brat, I draw on all my life experiences to bring out unique characters and situations. Having worked in military intelligence and the stock market, I have plenty of unusual situations to draw upon. I find such joy in writing; it comes natural and doesn’t feel like work. I like finding out things about people and new worlds. I’m naturally curious so this inspires my work and hopefully the reader can feel the energy in my writing.

As for my surroundings, I write at my old teak desk cluttered with files, sharpie pens and several large screens. I live in an historic house built in the 1850’s and have my office here. I have several large black leather comfortable chairs, oriental rugs, and wall to wall bookshelves filled with an eclectic mix of books. My office is very cozy and conductive to writing with abandon. When I go into the edit mode, I sit in my comfy leather chair with my feet propped up and red pen in hand.

My style of writing is fast paced, lots of action moving the story along. I don’t give long winded descriptive or deep reflective passages. I like to set up the scene, give a few key details and then let the dialog and characters take over. I try to write scenes that advance the plot and make the reader hungry for more. I started as a screenwriter and learned to be very succinct in descriptions and dialog, it’s what makes you turn the page. I don’t get bogged down in morality, life observations, but use themes and phrases that move the story along. I put movement and dialog on every page and try for bigger action every three or four chapters. I want to shake up the story and vary the tension/speed of the scenes to keep the reader guessing. I am telling a story that I hope will interest the reader to not want to put down the book and to find out more. I send my lead character on a quest and place her investment girlfriends on the run.

The most challenging part of writing a novel is keeping the story moving along. There needs to be urgency in the story, you need an action line or heart beat that keeps the reader turning pages. The ultimate compliment for me from a reader is that my novel is a page turner! I learned this ‘urgency’ technique writing scripts — always leave a scene at the earliest and start the next scene at the latest. It creates interest and energy in the story.

For me, the hardest part of writing The Bloody Mary Club was…. rewriting. After 17 rewrites over several years it took a lot of concentration to keep track of the characters, the dialog and plot points and making the changes organic from begging to the end. Several times I wasn’t even sure which scenes were cut and which were still in. I had to come up with outlines and note cards to keep track of the story, the characters, plot points, arcs and while at the same time keep the pacing tight. One of the most helpful tricks was to create an ‘edit/cut’ file for sections or passages that I deleted. I was able to go back to that file when I did the final rewrite and add parts back in that were needed. Once the writing was done, I set it down for several weeks for a cooling off period. I needed to get some distance so that I could read it with fresh eyes.

I went the literary agent route and it wasn’t good for me. I ended up firing my agents after 17 re-writes. They had me chasing every trend in women’s lit, “make it more Sex in The City”, “more Devil Wore Prada,” get a little more “Ya-ya Sisterhood” After I cut them loose, I rewrote it to my original concept. I don’t blame the agents one bit, they are part of the industry and the reason that self-publishing has flourished. Let me just add that agents are chasing the money trail and don’t want to take chances on something that’s unique or off the beaten path They are squeezed by publishers who want them to put resources into books that have an immediate large market. They don’t want to take chances on new writers. It’s easier to publish Grisham, Picoult, and Baldacci, they have instant markets. Those books sell. The publishing industry falls back into mass market best-sellers. Just like Hollywood with all their sequels. Often when a publisher finds a writer that they want to back, they try to make their work ‘marketable’ by chasing trends.

I wasn’t able to get Bloody Mary Club published even with representation by my two agents. Publishing is a business and they don’t want to put money into a project that might not have a built in following. Back in 2005, who would put money into promoting a book that’s a financial thriller? Really? Well, times are changing. After the stock market, real estate and banking meltdowns, people are more focused on their finances and worried about retirement. Folks are scared. It’s time for financial novels that are fun and readable to come into the mainstream.

The publishing revolution has come and I am enjoying the change of events. I decided to publish The Bloody Mary Club in E-Book and paperback. Honestly, I had a great team! I can’t say enough about my book designer, the cover is eye popping! It was just as I envisioned it — only better. My editor was amazing, she gave me great advice. She told me to publish in E format as well as paperback. And since I’m the publisher, I can say she’s a great gal to work with! Sure, there are lots of trials and tribulations dealing with marketing and publishing, but I love every minute of it. One has to keep in mind that the various publishing options weren’t available 5 years ago and it’s truly amazing how technology has transformed the publishing world.

Hard/paperback or eBooks? Why? I’m a big fan of paperbacks and eBooks. I think it’s smart to offer your work in both mediums. I like the easy of publishing an eBook. It took all of 15 minutes to load The Bloody Mary Club onto Amazon. E-books are cheaper to produce and cost less than a paperback. Also, as a publisher, you get to keep a greater percentage of the sale of the book. It’s a very exciting time to be an author because the e-book industry makes it easy to publish and you can reach a large audience within a short period of time. More and younger people are reading books online. These young people will soon be adults and their reading habits will follow them into adulthood. EBooks will become the industry norm in the near future. With the growth of computer technology and variety of e-book readers available (Kindle, Nook, etc) they will become cheaper and have amazing features. With that said, I’m also a believer in paperbacks, I’ve sold more paperbacks than eBooks right now and I think this is because people want them signed (you can’t sign an E-Book now can you?). As my publicity campaign kicks off, I’m sure this ratio will change and the scales will tip towards EBooks. Maybe I’m old school, but, I do like to hold a book in my hands. The nice thing about a paperback is that you can pass it along when you’re done reading. My editor convinced me to publish in paperback form along with E-Book because she said that there is still a market for good quality paperbacks and that it would be best to offer both. People might want to read it first in e-book then go back and buy the paperback — she was so right.

Where did the idea for your book, The Bloody Mary Club? My inspiration to write The Bloody Mary Club came to me in many ways. I’ve always been interested in the stock market and the idea of an all-woman investment club was my hook. I added the Bloody Mary Drink after hearing about its historical tie to Alexandria. It was a convergence of ideas and I knew I had to write this story. My first medium was in script format but it felt limited with just dialog and scene settings. It was an abbreviated version of the story in my head. When I wrote the novel the characters came to life and I knew it was meant to be a novel.

I always say people lie about two things: sex and money. I prefer to explore what money (not sex) or lack of it does to people and what lengths they will go through to get it. Fifty Shades of Grey does a darn good job of covering the sex side of things! I’ll stick to what I know — the money side of things!

What is your favorite word? Amore! That’s ‘love’ in Italian. Close tie with – Avanti! That’s Italian for ‘get ahead/move forward.’

How do you deal with writer’s block? Writer’s block comes and goes, but I know that one way to overcome this — forced writing. I’m a disciplined writer. If I wait for inspiration to strike, it could be hit or miss. A writer must overcome the block this from time to time. If writing isn’t your profession and it’s just a hobby then that’s fine., writers block isn’t a big deal. You can wait it out until inspiration hits. If you consider yourself a writer then, just like any job, you have to put in regular time. I write Monday through Friday and keep to a strict page count. I don’t leave the chair until I’ve written at least 5 to 10 pages a day. I always edit on the weekends.

Do you have any guilty pleasures? If so, what are they? Of course I have guilty pleasures. There are so many things that secretly enjoy, my list is long: Pasta of any kind, Coffee ice cream, chocolate, red wine, watching “The Soup” and ‘Fashion Police,” singing along to any Tom Jones songs, watching “Anchor Man” and my all time favorite, “Malibu’s Most Wanted.” I make up my own rap songs and totally embarrass my kids!

Who inspires you? I’m inspired by working moms who overcome personal and professional obstacles and just keep going. Being a working mom is one the most challenging choices a woman can make. Out of necessity or choice, a working mom juggles lots of responsibilities and it’s a wonder how moms keep up with the pace of life. It’s a hard job and sometimes thankless. In this economy where it takes two paychecks just to keep afloat, being a working mom is even harder. The pressure to succeed at work, bring home the bacon, have quality time with the kids, drive them to sports and activities, do housework, workout, and keep the marriage flame going is sometimes overwhelming. Hats off to all the working moms!

How would you spend a perfect day? My perfect day would start out with a double espresso and croissant while reading the Wall Street Journal and watching the opening of the stock trading at the NYSE on TV. After a leisurely breakfast, I would go for a facial then to have my hair done. I would meet my girlfriends for a wonderful lunch topped off with goblets of red wine and lots of laughs. After such a challenging day, take a nap so that I would be refreshed for a fabulous happy hour with husband and kids.

What author(s) would you like to meet? Of course – it would be from the finance world! My all time favorite writer is Michael Lewis, he’s tops on my list for his expert financial writing and amazing story telling ability He’s written my two all time favorite books: The Big Short and Liar’s Poker. These are classics that are a must read.

Do you have any advice for new writers? It’s very hard to make a living writing. There are very few that can make decent living writing novels. The best way to insure success is to perfect your craft by writing, taking classes, accept criticism from readers, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Don’t expect perfection from your first or even tenth draft. You will write badly, everyone does, so don’t get down on yourself for this. You will have plenty of time to rewrite. As in the financial world, there are no shortcuts, you have to keep writing and improving if you want to be a professional writer. Writers have to learn their craft. The absolutely best way to improve as a writer is to write… write… write. And then write some more.

Can you tell us about any upcoming projects? In between blogging, interviews, posting, attending book clubs and book marketing for The Bloody Mary Club I’m not sure when I’m going to have time to finish my second one! This book promoting is hard work! (It’s also very rewarding.) Seriously, I’m working on my second novel, Gina’s Tonic, which is the next in the financial series. I’m half way through the first draft. The gin is flowing and I’m having fun with it. Here’s what it’s about:

Numbered Accounts, banking secrecy, tax havens, bribery, kickbacks, laundered drug money, sham transactions and skimming — banking gone bad. This thriller takes on the world of international finance, money launderers and organized crime. Gina Van Story challenges her nemesis, a trust officer with sticky fingers working at Beck Bank. This thief helps herself to client accounts, skips town only to find that she’s taken a Columbian drug money account. She’s discovered and soon becomes the cartel’s day trader who must produce profits or be executed. Gina and her Bloody Mary Club gal pals masterminds a clever take down, recovers the stolen funds, hands over the rotten drug cartel to US government and saves Johnny’s bank once again. Loaded with twists and turns, this thriller delves into money laundering and organized crime.

I like to communicate with my readers through Facebook, my blog and Author webpage. I would love to receive feedback and encourage readers to reach out to me. I often get emails from readers asking me specific questions about investments, or trading strategies, or advice on how to finance college, I do not mind these questions because I sense that there’s a lot of bad advice out there. I’m always excited to receive contact from readers that I’ve know from my past. Out of the blue I will receive an email from someone living in Italy or Albania who’s read about my novel. I’m grateful to reconnect with people from my past and I’m happy to reach out to new fans.

Let’s pump up the interest in Financial Thrillers!

**Comments by Debbie: Thank you for the opportunity to discuss my journey with you. I hope you enjoy reading The Bloody Mary Club and come away with an appreciation of all things financial!

**Contact Debbie Dyke!:

Author website, Debbie Dyke

Debbie Dyke Book Blog

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Paula Tiberius

July 12, 2012 2 Comments

Author Bio: Paula Tiberius is an author, screenwriter, filmmaker, musician and mom living in North Hollywood, California with her musician husband Richard, their daughter Violet, and their German Shepherd, Jackson. Paula wrote and directed the award-winning feature film Goldirocks in Toronto, which came out theatrically in 2004, played on Pay TV and Cable in Canada and is currently available on Netflix, distributed by R Squared Films. To learn more about Goldirocks, visit www.goldirocks.com You can read more from Paula Tiberius at her website www.paulatiberius.com/blog, where you’ll find lots of thought-provoking blogs, vegetarian recipes and more. The Cowboy Singer is her first novel.

Go Where The Love Is

I moved to Los Angeles to become a famous screenwriter. Ha! What a cliché, I know. But hey – I had a feature film under my belt, a few connections, a few scripts, and a lot of time on my hands. I was sure I would have an agent within a year, at the outside.

Five years later, still no agent. But, I had a few more scripts, a new short film in post-production, a new distribution deal for my feature, and a new job editing a lifestyle website that had me working with over thirty writers and creating original content. I couldn’t really complain.

One day the phone rang and a writing partner of mine had great news. A screenplay that we had co-written was getting optioned. Hooray! Who needs an agent if someone wants to make your film directly? It felt great to be wanted, and we got to work polishing the script with the production company’s story editor.

Two years later, the company dropped the project. Dream dashed. But, we had a polished script that we were free to shop around, and in the meantime I’d met the man of my dreams, had a baby daughter and written a romance novel for fun. I couldn’t really complain.

Yet this time I was complaining an awful lot. So much so that I thought I better get some help. So I went to work on myself to improve my attitude, and I began meditating, focusing on the positive and all that hippie stuff, and lo and behold, I felt a lot better.

So much better that I thought maybe I was ready to get back out there in the find-an-agent-in-a-haystack game. Yes, I was ready! But something kept stopping me. I polished my query letter over and over, but didn’t send it out.

Then it was suggested to me that I send out a query for my romance novel too. My romance novel? You mean the thing I wrote for fun without any expectations at all? The 220 pages that were largely pure joy to type? The hunk of paper that’s been sitting in my office for well over a year? Well, okay – why not? So I did.

And I got a book agent in a week.

I’m not saying this energy / non-attachment stuff is always so fruitful, but I will say that I think it pays to go where the love is. Now, I’m happily working on my next book, and who knows? Maybe one day someone will make it into a movie.

**Buy “The Cowboy Singer!”

Kathleen Kole

March 19, 2012 1 Comment

Kathleen is an awesome woman! She’s one of my favorite Twitter peeps! I love Kathleen’s kindness and supportive ways towards her fellow author friends! I’ve only read Favorable Conditions, but from a writer in the making like myself, she’s an inspiration. I am honored to have her as a guest!

About Kathleen:

Born in Edmonton AB, Kathleen began storytelling in grade school. She has many fond memories of passing summer afternoons, out on the swings in her backyard, creating tales that entertained her neighborhood friends.

When she finally decided to venture from her backyard, Kathleen pursued a career in storytelling. She graduated from college with a Diploma in Radio and Television Arts and traveled the path of freelance writing for numerous local newspapers.

Many years later, too many to talk about without seeming rude and nosey, Kathleen has channeled her imagination to the pages of her novels. She hopes that you enjoy her tales and encourages you to feel free to read her stories on the swing set in your own backyard.

Kathleen has traveled from Edmonton, to a new backyard with a lovely mountain view. She spends time there with her beloved husband, adored son and silly dog. They let her tell them stories and always laugh in all of the correct places. She’s lucky, and she knows it.

Q & A with Kathleen Kole

When did you start writing? I have loved to write for as long as I can remember. From the first stories I wrote in grade school until right this red hot minute, storytelling is a natural extension of who I am. As for being paid for my work, that started in my early twenties when I was a freelance writer for a number of local city newspapers.

As a writer, what are your days/night like? I am fortunate my son is old enough now and I can dedicate a few of my daytime hours to writing. It wasn’t always that way! When he was in Elementary school, my days were caught up in volunteer work, lunch breaks, play dates and the like. As far as any sort of schedule goes, I would simply say I write when the work needs to get done and do my best to fit everything else in around the work. Some days are more chaotic, others more productive, but in the end I put my head down and sink in and get it done.

From writing to being published, what was the most difficult part? Getting over the worry/fear/insecurity, pick a word, that the novel was good enough to share. I still go through that same “dance” every time I publish, but it really helps to know that almost every other author I’ve spoken to feels the exact same way. You invest so much of yourself into your stories and every time you send one out into the reader universe, you truly hope you’ve given them something they feel was worthy of their time.

Who or what motivates you? A good question and, until this moment, one I’ve never really pondered. Writing is a second-nature sort of thing for me, so I guess if I was to pick a motivator I’d have to say it is my family. My husband and son are so supportive of my dreams, it gives me that extra push to do my best and share the “spoils” with them.

Who is your favorite author, and why? Another good question! I have a few favorites, but if I was to narrow it down to just one… or two… I’d say Frannie Flagg and Maeve Binchy. Both of these authors have the ability to weave a story so intricately it takes my breath away. I have huge respect for their talents and am grateful beyond measure that they share their storytelling gift in their novels.

Paper or eBooks? Why? Hmmm, once upon a time I’d probably have answered that with paper, but now I’m not so sure. While I do appreciate a physical book, I also respect the value and ease of an eReader, not to mention the volume of books it can contain (I adore my Kindle!)

Where do you get your ideas for your books? Sometimes it feels as though book ideas find me. I am interested in people and their experiences, so when an idea catches hold and won’t let go, it is soon followed with a main character and off I go to write their story.

Why did you want to be a writer? As I’ve said, storytelling is a natural extension of who I am. I started creating stories for my friends when I was in grade school, so it seemed a natural evolution that I’d eventually start fleshing them out in novels.

How do you come up with titles of your books? Yet another great question. First and foremost, I try my best to create a title that in some way pertains to my story. That is key. Then, I think of my readers and go with the adage that if it would catch my attention; hopefully it will theirs as well.

What has been your greatest accomplishment thus far, and how did you celebrate? You know, I don’t think I can say I have one greatest accomplishment. (Other than my son, to whom nothing can hold a candle nor be compared.) Each momentous experience I’ve lived along my path has been unique and cherished; however, I don’t believe any certain one has overshadowed another. I am grateful for them all, they have all been instrumental in shaping me and my life thus far, and I look forward to whatever comes next.

What is your advice for upcoming writers? Live in the moment. Rejoice in the journey. Revel in the experience. Have fun with it.

Tell us about your upcoming projects: I have two new books coming in 2012. The first, “In This Moment”, is to be published in late spring. The second, “Tales From The Laundry Pile” to be published in the fall. If you’re curious about either, or both, of their premises, have a peek on my website.

— Thank you so much, Isabella, for being willing to read my book and participate in this blog tour. Also, thank you kindly for welcoming me here to answer your questions and offer my readers an opportunity to feel a more personal connection to me and my work. Cheers!

Contact Kathleen:

Website

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Favorable Conditions

March 19, 2012 3 Comments

Book review for “Favorable Conditions”

“Favorable Conditions” by Kathleen Kole

She had plans, but things changed. When divorcee Pat Keegan’s second child goes away to college, she didn’t intend on being alone. In her perfect life, she’d be embarking on a new journey with her husband. Instead forty-five year old Pat finds herself living alone in a quiet home all alone. After a night of letting loose, the next day Pat starts her new journey as a bookstore owner. She also begins to date Ian, a much younger man who she “runs” into while out for a run. Many things happen in Pat’s new life – her daughter gets engaged, a younger woman intimidates her, and her relationship is interrupted when her ex-husband shows up, but through it all Pat manages to embrace it, and make the most of her new life.

From start to finish this book was delightfully charming and sweet. Kathleen Kole has written a book that many can relate to – single mom, new career, and a younger hunk! While I’m a married woman in my early thirties and have no children, I felt that I could relate to Pat on some levels. This book was very enjoyable, even funny – especially when Pat dances alone in her home to a blaring Bob Seger. I was cracking up as she tried to imitate Tom Cruise in Risky Business!

Kathleen has a knack for writing strong-willed characters, such as Pat Keegan. I found refreshing that the female main character was confidant in herself, and didn’t harp on anything over too much time. Pat’s love interest, Ian, seemed to be sweet and understanding man, especially when it came to Pat’s worries about their age differences and her children. These two characters are a match made in heaven. Some might even say that the conditions for these two are favorable…

After reading this book, I can’t wait to read it again…when I’m in my forties, fifties, and sixties! Every woman who is in her mid-life should read this book.

I give this book 4 ½ out of 5 stars.

Buy “Favorable Conditions!”

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