The Women, Words and Wisdom Blog Tour starts today!

The Women, Words and Wisdom Blog Tour starts today, May 19th! Visit the authors' blogs for a different story each day. Each author will be offering prizes (books, goodies, gift certificates) to people who leave a comment.

Here's the line up:

May 19 - Mary C. (http://marycastillo.blogspot.com/)
May 20 - Barb Ferrer (http://fashionista-35.livejournal.com/)
May 21 - Lara (http://www.lararios.blogspot.com/)
May 22 - Mayra (http://www.thedarkphantom.wordpress.com/)
May 23 - Cari (www.caridad.com/blog)
May 24 - Jamie (http://jamiemartinezwood.blogspot.com/)
May 25 - Berta (http://bertaplatas.blogspot.com/)
May 26 - Tracy (www.tracymontoya.blogspot.com)
May 27 - Kathy (http://thecraftychica.blogspot.com/)
May 28 - Misa (http://chasingheroes.com/)

Happy reading and good luck!

Best,

Mayra Calvani (my story will be posted here on Thursday, May 22nd)

Book Review: It’s a Dog Life, but It’s Your Carpet, by Justine A. Lee, DVM

It’s a Dog Life, but It’s Your Carpet
By Justine A. Lee, DVM
Three River Press
ISBN: 978-0-307-38300-6
Copyright 2008

Author website.

This latest book by author and veterinarian Justine A. Lee is a must for dog owners and dog lovers alike. The book answers many fascinating questions seldom answered in regular dog books.

Have you ever wondered if a Chihuahua and a Great Dane can mate? Are dogs ever gay? What are the top ten dog toxins? Can you teach an old dog new tricks? Is table food really bad you’re your dog? Why does your dog lick his private parts? Why do dogs like to sniff butts? Is it okay to let your dog sleep on your bed? Why do dogs chase their tails? Do dogs dream? Why do dogs lift their legs when they pee? And many, many others.

The book is written in a highly informative, yet witty, humorous style. Some of the author’s remarks are downright hilarious, making this book a pleasure to read. You get the feeling that it’s your veterinarian best friend who’s offering you advice. This would make a great gift for any canine lover, or one you’ll definitely want to add to your shelf if you own a dog. For feline lovers, the author also has a similar book written specifically about cats.

*My review of this book first appeared on Armchair Interviews.

Interview with David Grant, author of EMOTIONLESS SOULS

When did you decide you wanted to become an author? Do you have another job besides writing?
I started writing books around the year 2000. My first novel, Corporate Porn, was published in 2005 through Silverthought Press. During the day I work in the corporate world of New York City.

Tell us a bit about your latest book, and what inspired you to write it.

Emotionless Souls is a short story collection of twenty tales. Stories of pick pockets, aspiring adult movie stars, and co-workers suspected of stealing cocaine make up this collection of transgression fiction. Despite each story standing on their own, all relate in that you find characters in dark places finding redemption in the most unconventional of ways.

How would you describe your creative process while writing this book? Was it stream-of-consciousness writing, or did you first write an outline?

Regardless of the length of story I write a high level outline. For whatever reason I need an ending, even though I rarely go with my initial thought of an ending. Once I have my “crutches” in place I am usually able to flow through the writing of the story, rarely looking back at my initial notes.

From the moment you conceived the idea for the story, to the published book, how long did it take?

Approximately five months. It just happened that I had all of the stories ready to go and Brown Paper Publishing was looking for a specific collection that just so happened to be Emotionless Souls.

Are you a disciplined writer?

Yes, in that when I’m writing a novel or story I continue to work until finished, binging if you will. No, I may take notes for months and until I’m ready to start a novel I will not write one sentence, only notes.

How was your experience in looking for a publisher? What words of advice would you offer those novice authors who are in search of one?

Initially it was difficult. For my first novel, Corporate Porn I had to deal with a lot of rejection from agents and publishers until finally finding a great match in Silverthought Press. As far as advice: Keep writing and be persistent, I am proof this works.

Do you have a website/blog where readers may learn more about you and your work?
http://www.davidsgrant.com

Do you have another book on the works? Would you like to tell readers about your current or future projects?

Bleach|Blackout, my rock and drug fueled double novel is now available through Offense Mechanism, an imprint of Silverthought Press. Bleach details the character Jeremy returning home to the Midwest for the holidays, reliving past New Year’s Eve parties, leading up to the mother of all parties. Blackout, the sequel takes the reader two years after Bleach. The crew is in Las Vegas for an incredible bachelor party and wake up with the worst possible hangover: A police officer standing over them with guns drawn.

Thanks for stopping by! It was a pleasure to have you here!

On the Spotlight: Michaela Riley, author of EMBITTERED JUSTICE

The Author…

Michaela Riley grew up in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia in a town that borders the Ohio River and is surrounded by beautiful rolling hills.

As a child Riley would spend most of her time reading every book she could carry home from the school library. She admits, “Being a writer was a fairytale for someone else’s life. Then I found a story that needed to be told.”

Riley left West Virginia to join the Army in 1981 and quickly realized that the quiet life of West Virginia was very different than the screaming platoon sergeant. She decided early in her military career that she would go to college and that law was her first career choice.

During her college years and after completion of her active duty tour during the Gulf War, she supported herself in a variety of healthcare positions. She plans on retiring from the Army Reserves this year and smiles as she says, “It was the best job and career I have ever had. I love my country.”

Nearly twenty six years later Riley has completed a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing and a Master of Business Administration degree. She has been practicing as a Registered Nurse for almost twenty years and is the CEO of her own Professional Development Company.

Riley began to pursue writing when she had the misfortune of spending time in a local court room. Research revealed increasing rates of plea bargaining and malicious prosecution. “I have always been an advocate for people in need. When your right to speak for yourself is prevented, something has to be done. The story must be told, everyone has a story. Writing has become something I am passionate about and I am working on two other fiction novels.”

Riley lives near the Eastern Shore of Virginia. She has a son and a Labrador retriever. When not writing, Michaela gardens, cooks, and enjoys the outdoors with her family. Her favorite pastime is spent reading, going to movies or walking on the beach.

The Book…

What if everything in your life was changed because you opened a mysterious package?

Jennifer Campbell is a beautiful, talented woman with ambition and drive to succeed in corporate America. Moving to Virginia into the tightly knit community of Norfolk was a dream come true. A house on the beach, family and security for the first time in many years providing the comfort and serenity Jennifer had searched for.

All is well, until the fateful day Jennifer received a telephone call. “Jennifer, go someplace and hide; don’t trust anyone. You can’t trust the police or internal affairs. Just go somewhere you can’t be found. I’ll call you in a few hours.”

To watch the book trailer, and learned more about the book, visit the author’s Homepage.

Interview with Jerry Simmons about Book Expo (BEA)

Interview by Penny Sansevieri

Each year we get a lot of questions about Book Expo (BEA). Authors and publishers are wondering if they should go, how they will benefit from it and most importantly, how best to maximize BEA. This year I decided to ask AME’s Publishing Consultant, Jerry D. Simmons for his take on BEA. Having spent countless hours at this event, I thought he would be a perfect candidate to share some valuable insight on this big publishing event!

1) For those who are reading this who don’t know what BEA is, can you explain what it is?

Book Expo America is the annual showcase for the largest publishers in the world. It’s a place where companies rent booth space to display their goods and services. The convention hall includes publishers and related businesses, both large and small, which offer products and services to industry professionals directly or indirectly related to the industry.

2) Someone reading this might wonder, why would I attend BEA? Do you think it benefits anyone in publishing to go to an event like this and if so, why?

If you’ve never attended, it is fun to attend at least once just to get a feel for what the bigger world of publishing is all about. Depending on your particular situation either as an author or business person, it is the one place where all related companies gather to display their offerings so if you want to see what the industry is all about and how you or your business might fit, it’s worth the visit. Book Expo can be as much or as little as you want out of it, but if you derive your revenue from books, publishing, or anything related, you should attend at least once.

3) Can you explain the setup of BEA? It seems that the big 6 New York publishers are always taking center stage of this event, is that true? Is it a case of “whoever can throw the most money at this event gets the biggest booth?” Or is BEA generally a primary focus of corporate publishing?

BEA is focused around the six big publishers, no doubt, without them the BEA would hold little relevance to the general public. As it stands today, the media is interested simply because of the celebrity authors and future bestsellers that are on display. Each of these big companies may spend well in excess of $1 million on this show so it is a big deal for them and they spend a lot of time in New York preparing.

Booth placement is key for this show and the sponsors do the best they can to make everyone happy. Size of the booth is indicative of how much money the sponsors are receiving from the big publishers. Having attended more than 20, I would have to say that the BEA as it now stands is as much representative of corporate publishing as anything else.

4) So, let’s say I’m a small publisher looking for more exposure for my books. How would I strategize BEA to my best advantage?

For small publishers BEA becomes a necessity to attract the kind of attention it takes to build your business and sell books. If you are small and do not attend, then industry wide you are not seen as a “player” in the publishing business. The best way to strategize if you are a small publisher is to make sure your booth reflects who you are or who you want to be as a publisher. You have to promote your company to the industry, such as agents, authors, and other publishers. It’s important for you to put forth the perception that you publish quality product and are serious about your own development as a company. The BEA is the place where you have an opportunity to capture the attention of the bigger players regardless of their area of expertise. This is especially true if your books rarely get reviewed in the traditional media and if you are not based in Manhattan.

5) As a small publisher, what’s my best plan of attack? How should I prepare for this event?

The first thing you have to do is make sure you have developed an image you want to portray to the industry. If your focus is quality fiction then you need to have large images of your covers, with free and review copies available, and complete marketing plans, including promotion, publicity and advertising. You have to mimic what the big publishers are doing which gives the impression you can compete even if you are on a smaller scale.

6) I’m a vendor looking to acquire more business. Let’s say I’m a publicist or marketing person - why would I want to go to this event and how could it benefit me?

The first thing I would do is walk the halls and get the lay of the land, in other words, determine where the big publishers are located and what all the other booths are about. It’s one thing to read the BEA catalog or read Publishers Weekly for the convention layout, it’s quite another to walk the hall to see for yourself what each of these businesses are all about. The employees of all the big companies constantly walk the halls looking at their competition, and not just the big publisher booths, but the entire hall.

As a vendor trying to acquire more business, I’d gather as much free information in the form of handouts as you can possible carry, including catalogs from everyone. I would also gather as many business cards as you can and shake hands and speak with as many people as you can meet. Then at night in your hotel pour over all of this information looking for opportunities. I’d pick up as much competitive information as possible and then use this information in acquiring more business.

7) As an author, how could BEA impact my career? How could BEA help me?

Depending on where you are in your writing career attending a BEA for the first time should open your eyes to the possibilities. The books you see from the biggest publishers could easily have been written by you, it’s all about understanding the market, positioning your manuscript, having knowledge of what the big guys are looking for, how they purchase rights to publish books, and then knowing how to market yourself as an author. As you walk the hall you will get a sense of just how big the industry, how serious you need to approach your writing, and how extremely important it is to know how the business operates. The authors of the books you see in the catalogs of the big publishers are no more talented than you, but they know something about the business and how to market themselves and their writing. If you’re serious about a career as a writer, you can learn what you need to know to be successful by keeping your eyes open and developing your plan.

As someone who’s attended many of these events, what are some insider tips you can share about event networking and attracting new business at an event of this magnitude?

The idea that you can walk into any booth and make a cold call on an editor, publisher or any business and accomplish something is the easiest way to be seen as an amateur. When that happens, no one will take you seriously. The BEA is not the place to try and transact business; it’s the place to meet people that will hopefully allow you to transact business in the future. The only way for anything to get accomplished at BEA is to have established some contact prior to the show and then set an appointment to meet during the show. That is the only way. Dropping in on people and sticking your hand out with a business card is the quickest way to ruin what reputation you might have established.

9) Many people say that “deals are made at Book Expo” but is that true, are there deals made on the event floor?

The biggest deals the largest publishers make is international rights transactions. I can’t say that deals are never done on the floor, but if there are, then BEA is the end point, not the beginning. Discussions are held that lead to business being conducted, but rarely do agents and authors, service and product vendors initiate contact at BEA that result in business being conducted at that moment. The atmosphere is more festive and most executives hate to have serious discussions on the floor. BEA is the place for introductions, exchanging of information, but not serious business.

10) As a service provider, publisher, or author - what are some things to look for in book placement, catalog placement, or promotional pieces that might clue me into new trends, or vendors one might want to connect with.

First of all depending on the product or service you provide, you need to scope out the competition. Who else is offering the same and how are they presenting themselves to the public? This is very important. If you are looking for opportunities from publishers’ catalogs, look for books that are similar to ones you have worked on in the past. Particularly check out the marketing of these titles and make a mental note on those which you have something to offer that is new and exciting for the publisher.

If you are a small publisher again, take note of the competition. Publishing is about perception; compare your presentation to your competitive publishers. Does your catalog compare? What about your marketing plans? Prices? Page counts? What are they doing differently? The goal is to figure out how to compete effectively.

As an author, there are tons of free and review copies available on the floor of the big publishers at all times, these are the titles they are heavily promoting. Pick them up and read them, this is what is selling today, compare the story, not the writing and pay attention to what publishers are doing to promote their books. Regardless of how you publish, there are plenty of marketing ideas floating around, right in front of your eyes, pay attention because chances are you can take those ideas back home and use them.

11) What type of information gathering do you recommend someone does prior to the event? What’s the best way to prepare for Book Expo?

Remember, the BEA is not the place to transact business; it’s the place to meet people who you can eventually do business with. It’s okay to have a plan of how you want to tour the hall, especially if your time is limited. But the best preparation is hunting and gathering as I’ve discussed before. The BEA has plenty of information to share, take advantage of the free offering in one location, and it happens only once per year.

The best way to prepare for a BEA is REST! Attending a BEA can be exhausting, go in with your eyes open and don’t let the show overwhelm you. It can be daunting to walk in and see all the huge displays and walk away feeling like you’re lost. This is the place to see what’s going on in the world of publishing. I tell my clients that the bookstore is their laboratory, where they can find out what’s being published and how books are being marketed. If the bookstore is your lab, the BEA is the PhD program for students of the business. There is a lot to learn and much you can gather at a BEA.

As a final note, let me share with you what the independent bookstores around the country are looking for when they attend BEA. There are searching for non-book product that is compatible with their store and shows promise of selling. They are not looking for books. Yes of course they drop by the big publishers’ booths and visit but they rarely make appointments. If they do, they typically are promoting their stores to the publicity department asking for more author events. For those book professionals BEA is not all about the books, but the industry as a whole.

Jerry D. Simmons is a Publishing Consultant with 25 years experience with corporate publishing. He’s worked on such bestselling titles as: Rich Dad, Poor Dad, Scarlett, Bridges of Madison County and thousands of others. Jerry consults with publishers seeking to expand their line, increase their revenue, or maximize their sales potential. He consults with authors on marketing and publishing possibilities and, together with Author Marketing Experts, Inc. has recently launched a book management service that will guide authors step-by-step through the publishing process. Jerry will be teaching a series of free teleclasses: Successful Publishing is More Than Just Publishing the Right Books. FMI on this call and planned dates, please email us at: info@amarketingexpert.com. Jerry can be reached via email at jerry@writersreaders.com.

You can get more information on heading to BEA by visiting their web site at: http://www.bookexpoamerica.com/. It’s being held in Los Angeles this year: May 30, 31 and ends on June 1.

Reprinted from “The Book Marketing Expert newsletter,” a free ezine offering book promotion and publicity tips and techniques. http://www.amarketingexpert.com

Interview with Melissa Zollo, author of Discover the Power of Imagination

Melissa Zollo is an imagist, speaker, self-motivation specialist, and author of various cd audio programs: Discover the Power of Imagination, The Art of Intentional Creation, and How to Unleash the Power With and Attract Money. In this interview, she talks about why people often lock their minds to success and the common reasons why this happens. She also talks about her programs and techniques. 

I'm intrigued by your website's statement, "Unlocking Minds to Create New Realities". How do we unlock our minds and why do they become locked in the first place?

The entire Universe lives in our deeper mind but many of us are just beginning to realize who we are and what we are capable of creating. Our lives are shaped and influenced by the quality of our thoughts and mental images yet many suffer from the impairment of the imaginative process. They are imprisoned in thought patterns and unwanted habits that they learned or acquired. "Unlocking Minds to Create New Realities" refers to discovering the process of manifestation and the unfailing laws that determine our failure or success in life. The greatest treasure in life is locked within the depths of our consciousness. The Treasure House I am speaking of exists in the realm of ideas. To free ourselves from anything that blocks our path to wealth, happiness, success and health demands that we take charge of our thoughts and control our thinking.

In order to eradicate a negative message that was programmed into our minds, we must have a desire for something greater, look within ourselves and take action by re-programming ourselves until we build a new belief. Once we know how to harness the power of our imagination, we can learn how to free ourselves from limiting habits and attract the fulfillment of our dreams. Your mental images, thoughts and feelings are controlling your destiny so it is vital to take complete control over mental blueprints and emotional moods. Once we know how to bring the incredible power of our conscious and sub-conscious mind under our direction and how to formulate the mental equivalent of our dreams and goals we become master of destiny rather than a victim of circumstances and the past.

We were unconscious or unaware of the Power of the Mental over the Physical. At an early age, each one of us was impressed by suggestions from others. Since we did not have the tools or the awareness to protect ourselves from the endless stream of negative messages, we accepted many ideas that hindered our growth and imprisoned our potential to create, laugh, enjoy, and live a full, rich and rewarding life. But that was then and this is now. Now we each have the power to examine the origin of our beliefs and see if they play a significant part in bringing about health, happiness, success and peace of mind. We can accept or reject suggestions. Negative suggestions from the media, organizations, newspapers, and other people will no longer hold you captive and have power over you unless you accept the suggestion.

What are some of the most common factors that may stop a person from achieving his or her goals?

Lack of self-belief, fear, the inability to activate their latent powers and lack of awareness of the Life-Principle may stop a person from realizing his or her goals.

To believe something as true means we accept it.

Belief is the most common factor that stops a person from realizing his or her goals. Think of all the false ideas you have accepted about yourself and you will see how you built your prison and sentenced yourself to failure, lack and limitation.

Why do we accept ideas like:

"I'll never be financially secure. I can’t make ends meet"

“I am not smart enough and I don’t have the right connections.”

"I'll always be fat and anyway I am just not good enough."

"They said there’s no cure."

"I'm not smart enough. I feel like a loser .I am sure it will fail."

"I’m to old no one is going to want to hire me."

Many of us fortify these negative messages with our self-talk and daily conversations and we don’t even know we're doing it. Yet we reject new messages of approval, hope, acceptance and love because they don’t fit our error patterns and negative self-image. Did you know that your ability to attract the fulfillment of your dreams becomes possible when you have a strong belief in yourself and feel capable of achieving your dream regardless of appearances?

One negative message/ belief can paralyze a person. Once fear is in control it can keep you from taking action and moving forward in any area of your life. When we have beliefs fueled from love, courage, confidence, hope, and gratefulness we have opened the doors of life to a greater awareness and possibility. Courage rises above fear.

It is important for all of us to think about that for a second.

How 'powerful' is the power of imagination?

Before anything can be created by anyone it must first be imaged, pictured/imagined. What you imagine you become and what you feel you attract so I would say that imagination is extremely underestimated and very powerful. The person of imagination sees what their outer senses deny. Everything you see in the physical world is a projection of someone’s mental image and blueprint. All things are brought forth through the creative use of imagination.

Who is the target audience for your program?

Every person who has a desire to fulfill their dreams, and advance spiritually, mentally, emotionally, financially, professionally, socially and personally. My work is for the person who wants to learn how to retrain their imagination, apply spiritual laws and live in tune with the Living Spirit and achieve their goals.
Tell us a bit about your audio program, "Power of Imagination", as well as your various other works in ebook and CD forms.

In Discover The Power Of Imagination, I give you the tools you need to help you unlock the secrets of success in whatever endeavor you choose. The fulfillment of dreams is not the right of a select few. It is your birthright, too. Once you have this program, you will discover how to make that right a reality. 

Program One: This lecture gives you an in depth understanding of the creative process and how to IMAGE FIRST, the first step to attract all that you desire (and less of what you don’t want).

Program Two: This lecture is filled with examples of imaging; how to anchor an image and how imagination animates beliefs. It holds the secret to how financial, personal, professional and emotional security can be realized in a practical, imaginative, and non-competitive manner. I lay out the process by which you will improve your financial, personal, and professional life.

Program Three: SUNRISE contains timeless wisdom for directing the Power Within and feeling good fast! Change your Mental Images and Blueprints; Change Your Life! This program gets you to Activate Your Imagination and create successful money, health, career, and relationship blueprints and emotionalize them. You will open your own doors to whatever you may want to be, do, or have. Build confidence. Enhance relationships, overcome bad habits. Use it every day until you understand that the conditions of your life reflect your habitual thinking and that all things come from the subconscious.

Program Four: With ALOHA you treat your body and mind to deep relaxation. Experience the Power of Breath for healing, and vitality. Reach for Aloha when you need to retreat from the outer world and stress of the day.

Program Five: SWEET DREAMS is perfect to use before, during, and or after surgery. Unburden your mind as you glide peacefully into sleep. Perfect for those challenged with a health crisis.

Program Six: SERENITY AND VICTORY FOCUS RENEW, revitalize and refocus your mind in just 15 minutes.

Program Seven: This CD-Rom provides you with the option of printing out, or viewing, the entire transcript of the Power of Imagination program (Discs 1 and 2) on your computer. It also includes an instructional guide. 

In How to Unleash the Power Within and Attract Money, you will discover how to turn ideas into money, wealth and riches and live the life you imagined for yourself and your family.

· Create a consciousness of wealth

· Build your foundation for financial success from the inside out

· Learn the secrets of focusing your thoughts on what you want

· Replace negative self-talk and change inharmonious mental habits

· Learn why your feelings are worth a fortune

· Take charge of your financial beliefs

· Become master of your life as you work with the most powerful force in the universe!

· Increase your income as you learn how to magnetize yourself to wealth

· Learn how your mind creates everything.

· Discover that you are the dreamer and dream maker of your life

In Melissa’s Secrets on the Law of Vibration, I explain this very important law and how to Dream Your Life into Being. It will show you why your feelings are worth a fortune.

Daily Appetizers to Make Life a Feast (ebooks) contain a hundred nuggets of inspirational tips to uplift and support you throughout your day. Each thought for the day breathes life into the application of Universal Principles as well as gives you a taste of subjects on Spirit, the Law of Identical Harvest, prosperity, and the creating power of thoughts, feelings and words.

What type of techniques do you use when working one to one with a client?

Every session is different. Should someone want or need personal one-on-one assistance I share whatever is needed for them to attract what they want in my consultations. I personally walk you through each step of the Discover the Power of Imagination process. The goal is that they impress their subconscious mind and get answers that enable them to lead a full rich, happy life. Many people who are consulting with me or using my audio programs have moved forward in their lives. They have activated their imagination and conquered limiting beliefs. This in turn enabled them to attract the fulfillment of dreams.

Some have started a new business. Others are attracting vibrant health, new found happiness, better relationships, and increased sales. Then there are those who are healing from traumatic memories, divorce or even better, they are experiencing love!
Take a second and check out their success stories. They followed a proven system based on my Power of Imagination CD program and Universal Laws. It works. Day after day, year after year this process will work for you if you understand, practice and apply it. In fact, once you learn how to create and use this process consciously - it will keep working for you. Did I say it was magic? No, I did not. It takes practice, persistence and perseverance and the right tools.

I understand you're available as a guest speaker. What can a person expect to learn from one of your seminars?

Anyone interested in contacting me for a speaking engagement can reach me at www.presentmemory.com or through the New Voice Speakers Bureau.

Anyone who attends one of my seminars can expect to learn how to discipline, control and direct their imagination, the force behind all creativity and find their way to prosperity, joy and peace of mind. They will learn what the Law of Attraction means, how it and all of the Spiritual Laws govern the manifestation of our dreams; how to increase creative awareness and create the life you dream of; how thoughts creates results; how to wipe out a poverty, failure, mental slum; how to focus and concentrate on answers and discover new ways to problem solve. I show you how to provide the subconscious mind with a new blueprint for success, wealth, and health and help people make positive changes in their inner state of consciousness and emotional point of attraction and I provides tools (audio programs) to apply everything that they learn. This enables an individual to move forward and emerge successfully from any crisis.

You also have a newsletter, the Imaginal Dynamic Newsletter. Is it free? How may one subscribe and what type of information does it offer readers?

The Imaginal Dynamic is free and intended for those who are in pursuit of knowledge, uplifting ideas and who want to live in the present moment. Each newsletter is designed to offer Spiritual Nutrition for the Mind. It offers readers tips on how to turn their life around and how to become a magnet to success with my 'Million Dollar' Tips. You may sign up at www.presentmemory.com and receive a free MP3 radio interview with me.

Are there any other special books or authors you would recommend to people who are interested in this topic?

My own book will be out soon, so stayed tuned!

Do you have a website where people may find out more about you and your work?
Yes, my website is www.presentmemory.com.  

Anything else you'd like to tell our readers?

May you put all of the challenges of your life into perspective and use them to go deeper and deeper into your true nature. May you find refuge on your spiritual journey and grow and advance beyond ignorance and suffering. May you harness the power of imagination and always remember, it takes patience, persistence, and practice to IMAGE FIRST and rebuild new beliefs until they fit into a new pattern of acceptance and love. May you always use the power of your subconscious mind to find true happiness, wealth, success and fulfillment.

Dare to create the life you want. Imagination is power and your feelings are worth a fortune. Take up the challenge. Begin now to rule your mind and you will rule your world. When love, confidence, hope, gratitude and joy fuel your mental images and memory, life responds. In ways you know not of, doors that were closed will open and your self imposed solitary confinement will end. Then, you will find yourself the wonderful person you always dreamed of being.

On the Spotlight: Why We Left Islam, by Susan Crimp and Joel Richardson

The Book…

The penalty for renouncing Islam is death, which makes the stories in Why We Left Islam — and the lives behind them — all the more remarkable.

Contained in these brutally honest personal accounts written by former Muslims is an urgent truth that the mainstream media and cowed politicians won’t admit — that far from being “a religion of peace,” Islam is instead barbaric and repressive, a nightmare for those living under it and those seeking to confront it.

Here are some of the voices from Why We Left Islam…

“I still remember my sister’s black eyes; she stared at the sky while she was dug into the ground. She was wrapped in white sheets and her hands were tied to her body. She was buried up to her waist. The rabid mob circled her with stones in their hands and started throwing them at her while the roars of ‘Allah-u-Akbar’ added to their frenzy…” — Yagmur

“As a Muslim man, the fact that my mother had only given birth to three girls made him really angry. He beat my mother very badly and the doctors were forced to remove her womb…When she awoke, my father was kind enough to tell her that he was divorcing her now that she could no longer have children, and being a man he needed a son.” — Shara

“The Koran is full of verses that teach the killing of unbelievers and how Allah would torture them after they die. There are no lessons on morality, justice, honesty or love…” — Ali

These shocking, real-life stories from those who have escaped the Muslim yoke make Why We Left Islam: Former Muslims Speak Out a powerful communique — and a warning — to the West.

The Excerpt…

CHAPTER ONE

MY SISTER

“She finally decided to protest the oppression of women by setting
herself on fire in a crowded square in northern Tehran on February 21, 1994. Her last cries were: ‘Death to tyranny! Long live liberty! Long live Iran!’”

ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, the world saw the seventh century mentality of fundamentalist Islam gain possession of twenty-first century technology. The results were catastrophic. The violent nature of Islam arrived on American soil—unforgettably and irrevocably. Many Americans, along with other Westerners, hadn’t thought much about Islam before then. September 11 changed all that, bringing Islam home to the twenty-first century Western world. Suddenly, Iran and Iraq didn’t seem so far away after all, and Westerners, especially we Americans, wanted to learn more about this faceless enemy who’d declared war on us in the most barbaric way imaginable. We found ourselves confronted with a deadly force that we’d thought lay half a world away and fourteen centuries in the past. Those terrorist bombings we’d heard of only on television had moved from a faraway Middle East to our own backyard. On September 11, what Islam represents became one of the most important questions facing the Western world, and our first experience with it left a bitter taste in many American mouths.
Parvin Darabi doesn’t just talk about the barbarity of radical Islam that Americans experienced that day—she’d lived it long before the Twin Towers fell. In this poignant and painful letter, she writes of her sister, Homa, who struggled mightily against the heavy hand of the Islamic government in Iran. Living as a woman carries a heavy price in Iran. Homa was willing to pay it. Now Parvin carries on, and she urges us all to ignore the peaceful rhetoric of Islam and focus instead on the violent reality of Islamic rule. What Homa Darabi experienced in Iran could one day come to the West if Islamofascist terrorism is not defeated. Homa’s story is a specific example of how an Islamic government works—and why it would never work in the West.

My Sister

My sister, Dr. Homa Darabi, was born in Tehran, Iran, in January 1940, two months premature, to Eshrat Dastyar, a child bride who at age thirteen had married Esmaeil Darabi. Homa was my older sister, my protector, and my role model. Homa had a life full of hope and promise that a tyrannical and fundamentalist Islamic system destroyed.

Indeed, my sister could never have imagined what lay ahead for her as she completed her elementary and high school education in Tehran. She then immediately entered the University of Tehran’s School of Medicine after passing the university’s entrance exam in 1959. It was a marvelous accomplishment and one that made our family proud. Homa was in the first 150 out of thousands of students who took the examination and became one of the three hundred who were accepted (the medical school’s capacity).

A feisty and spirited young woman, my sister became quite active in politics and hoped to bring human rights and equal status for women in Iran. Her dream was most evident during her days in high school and in her freshman year at the university. Yet her quest would not be easy. In 1960, as a result of her efforts, she was arrested and imprisoned for a while, during the students’ protests against the oppressive regime of the Shah. The regime was especially hostile towards students and youth who were beginning to demand more freedom of expression, assembly, and speech.

In 1963, my sister married her classmate, Manoochehr Keyhani, presently a prominent hematologist. Together they brought into this world two intelligent daughters.

Following the completion of her studies at the University of Tehran, Dr. Darabi practiced for two years in Bahmanier, a village in northern Iran, while her husband completed his military obligation as a physician in the Iranian health corps. In 1968, she and her husband passed the Education Council Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) examination and came to the United States to further their education. She took her residency in pediatrics and later specialized in psychiatry and then in child psychiatry and was licensed to practice medicine in the states of New Jersey, New York, and California. She became a naturalized citizen of the United States in the mid-1970s.

Due to pressures from her husband and family and her desire to give back to her native country, she returned to Iran in 1976 and was immediately accepted as a professor at the University of Tehran School of Medicine.

She was the first Iranian ever to pass the board in child psychiatry in the U.S. and was the driving force behind the establishment of the Psychiatric Clinic of Shahid Sahami in Tehran.
Although she was a strong supporter of the revolution, my sister opposed the establishment of an Islamic republic. Furthermore, when her party leader took advantage of the new Islamic guidelines and took a second wife, Homa was devastated and totally broke away from all politics. My sister then devoted her time to her profession as a medical doctor.

In 1990, due to her non-compliance with wearing the hijab (covering up of women), she was fired from her position as a professor at the School of Medicine.

Later, my sister was harassed in her practice for the same reason until finally, when life was made too difficult for her, she closed down her practice and became a full-time housewife for the first time in her life.

During her professional life my sister was under pressure from some parents of her younger patients to give the label of “mentally incapacitated” to many perfectly intelligent young girls so that they could be saved from the tortures of the zealots (150 strokes of a whip for things such as wearing makeup or lipstick). Having to label these young women truly broke my sister’s heart.

When a sixteen-year-old girl was shot to death in northern Tehran for wearing lipstick, my sister could no longer handle the guilt she felt about her former involvement in the Iranian Revolution. My sister felt Iran had been hijacked by the religious factions, and the way women were treated in Iran was unforgivable.… She wanted the world to know what was happening. She finally decided to protest the oppression of women by setting herself on fire in a crowded square in northern Tehran on February 21, 1994. Her last cries were:

Death to tyranny!
Long live liberty!
Long live Iran!

The Authors…

Susan Crimp is a respected journalist and author specializing in Middle East affairs and Joel Richardson is an expert in Jewish and Islamic theology.

*****

Find out more on Amazon.

On the Spotlight: THE HERETIC, by Andrew Feder

The Book…

Women flock adoringly to him. Men fear his battlefield prowess. He believes in a monotheistic, infinite God and he’s the best friend of the most powerful man in the world. However, in his time, he was considered not only a hero, but a heretic as well. Meet Aias, the unsung hero behind Alexander the Great, in Andrew Feder’s gripping new novel, “The Heretic.”

“The Heretic” is both a thrilling mystery adventure and a powerful cultural commentary, because though Feder’s fictional war hero Aias’ religious and sexual practices would be typical today, in ancient Greece, where polytheism and alternative lifestyles were the prominent cultural mores, he was considered an outright heretic. This thought-provoking novel whisks readers back in time with an intriguing story of war and romance, but it actually begins set in a futuristic America.

“The Heretic” is the sequel to Feder’s first novel, “When Angels Have Risen” starring post-modern American Senator Jerry Fletcher. Following some bizarre dreams and an unsettling experience at a Los Angeles museum, Fletcher decides to see a psychic and go under a regression to tap into his past lives. Aias’ story is told through Fletcher’s regression, when he experiences his past life as the Greek war hero.

Aias was Alexander the Great’s mentor and friend, and a key ingredient to his famous military successes. Thanks to Aias’ formidable battle tactics, his enemies nicknamed him The Decapitator. After Alexander’s army enters Egypt, Aias falls in love with an Egyptian high priestess, who shares many of his counter-culture viewpoints and opens his eyes to the secret truth behind the Egyptian sciences and discoveries.

Filled with incredible historical details about one of the most illustrious military campaigns in history, sizzling romance and mystical themes, “The Heretic” is a provocative novel sure to spice up the day of any historical fiction fan.

The Author…

On a sunny spring morning, when the birds were chirping and singing, he was born in Hollywood, California, looking like a cross between a Nordic and Asian baby. His father would later sarcastically say that he was adopted from Korea just after the war (like he was a war baby).

He grew up in a typical dysfunctional Jewish family in San Fernando Valley, a suburb of Los Angeles.

He later studied at San Diego State University.

He then went for one year to the University of Haifa in Israel where he lived on a kibbutz and met his ex-wife (he has three children from this marriage). He completed his studies at UC Davis in Viticulture and Enology.

Having lived several lives in one, during the eighties he lived in Israel first for a short period in a settlement on the West Bank and later on a Moshav near Haifa for six years as a grape farmer. There in Israel, he studied Kabbalah (jewish Mystics) under guidance of the renowned holy man known as “The Mo’ah.” During his religious studies, he was quite pious as an orthodox observant Jew.

After returning to the United States, for the next ten years, he was a contractor and owner of a construction company. Shortly after his return he continued his studies of Kabbalah and metaphysics under the guidance of renowned psychic, mystic and healer, Janeau St. Clair and her husband, Elliot Atlas.

In the nineties, he drove a cab and a limo during hiatus while working as an Assistant Director in the film industry.

At the end of the nineties, he moved to Las Vegas from Los Angeles which, for one year, he was (and hates to admit it) a “damn” telemarketer selling long distance, and for the past eight years he’s been a graphic artist.

During his college years, he wrote several editorials and short stories. Much later, during the so-called mid-life crisis, he evolved in his development to include writing both novels and poems along with subsequent screenplays.

He is also the host of the radio show “When Pigs Fly” on BBSradio.com.

He is the author of the novel, “When the Angels Have Risen” which you can check out at his site at www.andrewfeder.com. He is also the author of the novel, “The Heretic,” which you can check out at his site at www.andrewtheheretic.com.

*****
THE HERETIC VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR ‘08 will officially began on May 1, 2008 and will continue all month. If you would like to follow Andrew’s tour in progress, visit http://www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/ in May. Leave a comment on his blog stops and become eligible to win a free copy at the end of his tour! One lucky winner will be announced on this tour page on May 30!

Interview with Karen Harrington, author of Janeology

Karen Harrington's novel, Janeology, is a controversial work about a man trying to understand why his wife suddenly snapped and drowned their toddler son. This psychological thriller was just released by Kunati Books. In the short time Kunati has been on the publishing scene, it has become known as a company with a taste for controversial subjects. In this interview, Karen talks about her inspiration for the book, her writing habits, and a few other things of interest to writers.

When did you decide you wanted to become an author? Do you have another job besides writing?

It was a dark and stormy night. No? Well, I wish it had been. It wasn’t that mysterious when I decided to write. I really can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing stories or making up plays with my siblings. And I’ve always been fortunate to write for a living. Most of my corporate gigs – from receptionist to speechwriter – involved lots of written communications. Besides writing, I am a full-time domestic diva.

Tell us a bit about your latest book, and what inspired you to write such a story.

Janeology is about one man’s struggle to understand why his wife Jane suddenly snapped and drowned their toddler son. The story revolves around Jane’s genetic inheritance and nature and nurture in a search for clues about who she really is.

Two things really jumpstarted the writing of Janeology. First, I have a passion for genealogy, mostly because I never knew any of my grandparents. I had their pictures and many of their belongings. All my life, I looked at these things and thought, “What if these pictures could talk? What if this necklace could tell me something about my grandmother?” So I wanted to write about a character from the perspective of her genealogy.

And second, as a new mother myself, I wondered how mothers of previous generations handled the everyday stresses of caretaking. At the same time, I could not ignore the headlines about mothers who kill. What would make a mother take the life of her own child? This question wouldn’t let go of me. I wrote this book, in part, because it seems to me that this grim story is a recurring issue in American society today. Thus, Janeology is a cautionary tale about one man achieving an understanding about his wife, despite it being too late to reverse her deeds.

How would you describe your creative process while writing this book? Was it stream-of-consciousness writing, or did you first write an outline?

I first wrote a short story about Jane at the age of nine. I wanted to be a “fly on the wall” to a pivotal day in her childhood that altered the course of her life. After writing that story, I decided to write about her as an adult. Then, I began wondering about Jane’s mother and father and so on. Before long, I had a string of stories about her ancestors that really formed the first draft of the book.

From the moment you conceived the idea for the story, to the published book, how long did it take?

The process took several years, mainly because I had two other productions working (read: I had two children) during the time I was writing Janeology.

Describe your working environment.

I’m very fortunate in many ways, not the least of which includes the fact that my study overlooks our pool. I have a huge window facing the water and a replica of the Bird Girl statue (the memorable figure from the movie Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil) looking back at me. It’s a wonderful view. I come into this room every morning, open the windows and listen to the fountains run while I’m working. And inside my office, I have pictures of all the places I’ve traveled or would like to travel to. Travel is my motivator.

Are you a disciplined writer?

I think I am. I was a speechwriter for most of my 9 to 5 career. That role requires that you sit down and leap into the page within minutes. I was always writing on deadline. I think that experience was a God-send for a fiction writer. I don’t have a writing schedule now, but when I sit down to write, I can.

Have you ever suffered from writer’s block? What seems to work for unleashing your creativity?

No. I don’t really believe in writer’s block. I think it’s writer’s fear – fear of being perfect. Sometimes I wish I suffered from perfection. Writer’s I know who are perfectionists are spectacular when they write, but sometimes limited in what they produce. If I have something I want to write about, I can’t wait to get it on the page. I subscribe to the advice my writing professor told me. Use the BIC method. Bum In Chair. You can always write a sentence or two if you are in your writing chair.

Do you have a website/blog where readers may learn more about you and your work?

Yes, I would love for everyone to stop by www.karenharringtonbooks.com to say hello, read an excerpt of Janeology, read my blog or view the haunting trailer for the book. Let me know what you think!

Thanks for stopping by! It was a pleasure to have you here!

Interview with Rhonda Parrish, Editor/Founder of Niteblade Magazine

Today on the Dark Phantom Review is Rhonda Parrish, editor and founder of the new horror ezine, Niteblade. Tell us a bit about Niteblade. When and how did it get started?

Niteblade is quite new, the June issue will be the fourth one out. I started Niteblade in May of 2007. I’d heard people claim that fantasy and horror were dying genres and I wanted to prove that wrong – I also wanted to see what it felt like to be on the other side of the submission process. Boy, it’s been eye-opening.

What type of horror fiction do you consider? Are you open to submissions?

I am open to submissions year round except the months of November and May which I take off to catch up on my slush pile and participate in writing challenges and I consider any type of horror stories.

If you could narrow down to three the elements that make a great horror story, what would those be?

I think characters are key. You need to have engaging characters that feel real, or it doesn’t matter what happens, I, as a reader, am not going to care because I’m not going to believe it. That’s the second key thing, I think, suspending disbelief. It’s vital that the story flow and not have typos or anything else that will jar me out of it. Once my attention is lost for even a second, the story has to work to get me re-engaged. Sad but true. I think the third element needed for a horror story is, of course, horror. It doesn’t need to be of the blood and guts variety, but there needs to be something horrific in the story…or else why would it be called a horror story?

What are the most common flaws you encounter when reading submissions.

The most common, and most irritating flaw I find when reading submissions is that people have obviously not read the submissions guidelines. Things like addressing me as ’sir’ or miss-spelling the name of the magazine just don’t put me in a happy-bunny mood, which doesn’t really work in the submitter’s favour, oddly enough. Other than that, I see quite a few typos in submissions, which doesn’t irritate me but does make me wonder if I’m reading a first draft or a polished copy.

Do you review horror books? If yes, how may authors interested in a review by Niteblade submit their books?

Niteblade reviews two books per issue – one fantasy and one horror. If an author would like a review of their book by a Niteblade reviewer, they need only drop me an email at Rhonda at jofigure dot com and I’ll get back to them. Because we only have two slots it can sometimes take more than four months for a review to appear in the magazine, so it’s best to contact me sooner rather than later.

There are so many horror sub-genres—cutting edge, dark fantasy, extreme, supernatural, quiet, psychological, etc.. Do you think some have higher literary value than others? Which one do you think is more popular at the moment?

Phrases like ‘higher literary value’ tend to irritate me. I don’t think it’s up to anyone to judge the merit of one genre (or sub-genre) over another. My sincere and honest opinion is that anything which encourages people to read is a good thing. I volunteer in a grade two classroom one day a week and I see enough reluctant readers that I can’t possibly imagine telling someone what they are reading is inferior or has ‘lesser literary value’ than something else whether they are an adult or a child.

As for what is popular, it seems to me that gross-out horror has peeked recently, though that seems to be slightly less popular than it was a couple years ago. It will be interesting to see what sub-genre moves in to fill it’s place for the next couple years.

Do you think the horror fiction market has declined, reached a plateau, or is still climbing?

Honestly? I have no idea. I know Niteblade gets enough traffic and has enough readers to convince me that the horror fiction market is not declining, but whether it’s hit a plateau or is still climbing is beyond my ability to answer intelligibly.

How hard is it to market and promote a small horror publication like Niteblade when faced with the competition?

I’ve found that my “competition” is one of the greatest resources Niteblade has when it comes to marketing and promotion. I’ve made friends with several small press editors and we exchange links, ideas and traffic with one another. It’s wonderful.

Could you tell us about the advertising and promotional opportunities Niteblade offers authors?

Right now I’m primarily using Project Wonderful to host ads on Niteblade. Through them advertisers can buy ad space for as little as one cent a day, or, if you’re lucky, you can even get free advertisements. Of course, the links aren’t hard-coded and they aren’t permanent so it’s not great for search engine optimization, so I also offer hard-coded permanent ad slots for sale at http://www.niteblade.com/advertise.htm

What is the scariest book you’ve ever read?

Truthfully I find non-fiction far scarier than any fictional story I’ve ever read.

Which authors, in your opinion, will be remembered as the best horror writers of the 20th Century?

This is an impossible question for me to answer. I respect and admire so many writers work – big name and small. If I were to start listing people I thought would be the best horror writers of the 20th century the list would be immense, or else I’d forget someone and feel horribly about it forever after.

Guessing who history might remember as the best horror writers is even more difficult. I’m scared to even guess. Truly.