Summer of Interviews: Michael Eldridge

Today I'm pleased to welcome Michael Eldridge!

1. What was your inspiration for your book? Can you tell us about how your own experiences influenced this story?

I’m an avid reader of mystery and private eye books. I made a living as a musician/entertainer for 52 years. Many of my characters are based on some of the thousands of people I met along the way.. I was writing for the last 15 years of that time. I have 3 other finished manuscripts in The Spaghetti & Rice series, along with 8 other novels and a short story collection

2. Would you classify this series as plot driven or character driven?

Characters

3. Can you tell us a little about your main characters?

Retired Italian Homicide Lieutenant, Frank  Borelli has started a private eye firm with his friend, retired Chinese call girl, madam, Ming Li Chow. Frank has a wacky Italian family, and three ex-wives. Ming Li has an 11-year-old son, Tommy, who is the offspring of the head of the Chinese Mafia in Boston, MA. Since retiring from her madam-ship, Ming Li took courses in criminal forensics, received a double black belt in Tai Kwan Do; and has become extremely proficient in the use of several firearms, and many different deadly weapons. She is definitely a person to be reckoned with. Several million dollars remain from her previous profession. Frank brings 22 years of experience in homicide and a proficiency with his Glock .45, and Remington shotgun to the show. He is a scratch golfer and insists he has a black-belt in 9 iron. The name of their firm is Spaghetti & Rice Investigations.

4. Without giving away too much, tell us about the main conflict.

The Jack of Harts story line; Tommy Chow’s best friend, Jack Hart and his mother, Jean, have found themselves tangled in a battle with the head of the local Colombian drug cartel in Boston, MA. Frank and Ming Li are called in to help. Jean was involved in illegal money laundering and wanted out. Drug lords don’t let people out when they know as much about their business as Jean does. Carmen Diablo and his henchmen try to stop her, but are thwarted at every encounter by Frank and Ming Li, among others. The boy’s kidnapping, and an ingenious assault on the drug cartel compound, and explosive mayhem ensue.

5. What do you hope readers take away from this book?

That is was a fun experience.

6. What song best describes your writing style?

 What is funny is that I know sooo many songs, and I can’t think of an answer for this one. How about ‘Simply Irresistible’ ??

7. Night Owl or Early Bird?

Night owl

8. Skittle or M&Ms?

M&Ms

9. Who are your favorite authors?

Steven King, James Patterson, Michael Connelly, Dean Koontz, and Janet Evonovich.

10. Can you tell us about any other future projects?

Journey in a Pale Blue Chevy will be my next attempt, unless I sell a bunch of the Spaghetti & Rice novels; then I’ll present # 2 in the series.


You can fin out more about Michael and his books here:

www.aleme.com  and pianoman264@hotmail.com
                                                         

   
      


Meet Michael Eldridge
I am an up-and-coming new writer. At 72 years-old, I have made a successful living as a musician/entertainer for the last 52 years.

I was born in Dayton OH., but grew up in Denver CO. I graduated from South High School in 1960, with another year at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. Besides Ohio and Colorado, I have lived in Florida, Maine, Arizona and California.
After graduating high school, I immediately started playing music in night clubs. My dog, Freckles, was my constant companion from age 7 to 19, until I left home to become a big name recording star. (Freckles lived another 4 years, living with my father.)

Obviously, I never became a star, but my music has taken me to 66 countries, including; Canada, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Iceland, England, Scotland, all of Scandinavia, Russia, Estonia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Europe, Morocco, Turkey, Greece, Malta, Spain, Portugal, South and Central America, Mexico, all of the Caribbean Islands, and 49 states.

I have met literally thousands of people in my travels, working in hotels, night clubs, resorts, and on major cruise lines. And now, I want to be a novelist when I grow up.

I self-published my first novel, ‘Mustang Blue’ (A murder mystery with a supernatural twist.) You can still get a signed hard copy of Mustang Blue by going to my website and ordering it. I published it in 2003 and sold 220 copies across the piano. (Enough to pay for the printing, 250 copies, and to go out to dinner at Red Lobster a couple of times.)

I've been writing short stories, off-and-on since my high school creative writing class in Denver, CO. I would have them running around in my head for months, until I finally had to spew them onto paper. Because I had told several people my idea for the Mustang Blue story, they all said “You have to write that.” I was working on a horrible cruise ship job (Yes, Virginia, there is such a thing) and to fight the depression of the job, my terrible cabin, and the (how do I put this? complete a-----e officers. There, I guess that will do) I finally started writing what became my 1st self-published novel. Since then, I have written a total of eight more novels, including four in the Spaghetti & Rice Investigations series; the first of which is ‘Jack of Harts-A Spaghetti & Rice Mystery.’ I just finished working on my 9th novel, a Western set in 1869-70 in Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, and Wyoming, ‘The Dancing Gunfighter’

My short story collection, ‘Romance and Other Strangeness’ is on amazon/kindle; a collection of stories from the romantic to the bizarre.

Praise for Michael's books:

“One of the most creative writers I’ve run across in years . . .” “In Mike Eldridge, I really feel that I’ve discovered a talent deserving of publisher consideration. He’s refreshingly receptive to editorial suggestions. More important, he has a fertile imagination. His ‘Spaghetti & Rice’ series concept is pure genius. I wish I’d thought of it.”

Donald Bain; author of the Jessica Fletcher Murder She Wrote novels

Summer of Interviews: Bill Beasley

Today I'm pleased to welcome Billy Beasley!

1. What was your inspiration for your book? Can you tell us about how your own experiences influenced this story?

It was 1998 and my best friend, and roommate at the time Jack, and I were at home watching one of my favorite movies, A Time to Kill. At one point I looked at him and said something to the effect of, "What if a rich white guy and a black guy met on a basketball court in the 60's and became best friends?" and the story grew from there.

I grew up during a time of forced busing to achieve integration in schools. It was a time of great racial conflict in my hometown, Wilmington, NC.  Coming of age during this time gave me a lasting convention of looking beyond color and to see in others what matters the most, the heart.

2. Would you classify this series as plot driven or character driven?

I strive for a healthy mixture of both in my stories.  But I continue to be inspired by the rich characters and their unique contribution to this story some 16 years after we began our journey together.

3. Can you tell us a little about your main characters?

Bret Marin, is a rich, entitled white young man, with a tyrant for a father. He enjoys the country club life of riches and women. His one redeeming aspect is the love he freely gives to his little brother, Alex.

Clarence, (Money) Wilkins lacks the outward riches of Bret's world. He possesses the greater riches, thanks to his father, a proud black carpenter, who raises his son with a firm but loving hand.

4. Without giving away too much, tell us about the main conflict.

There are several but if I choose one it would be Bret's hatred of his father, which grows to a point where he wants to leave, but he can't because of his love for his little brother, Alex.

5. What do you hope readers take away from this book?

That hearts have no color.

6.What song best describes your writing style?

Late for the Sky by Jackson Browne.

7. Night Owl or Early Bird?

Definitely early bird, especially for writing.

8. Skittle or M&Ms?

Neither, Reese's miniature cups.

9.Who are your favorite authors?

Pat Conroy, James Lee Burke, K.J. Erickson, David Rosenfelt, Robert Parker.

10.Can you tell us about any other future projects?

I have poured my heart into writing for nearly 20 years--characters and stories have evolved over that time.  This is a passion I'm committed to and inspired to share with others. I hope there is a next one published and if it is I expect it to be about a man who receives a letter from a pompous, out of touch preacher, and he does not take it kindly.

Meet Billy Beasley

Billy Beasley resides in Carolina Beach, NC with his wife Julie, and one spoiled rotten black Chihuahua mix, Sydny. He has lived in this area of southeastern North Carolina his entire life and many years ago was among the very first students to be bused to another school to achieve real integration.

He shares two simple beliefs with his favorite character in this novel. Faith in God and a conviction that ‘hearts have no color’.
This is his first published work of fiction.


Please visit Billy at Please visit me at billybeasley.blogspot.com and on my Facebook page, Billy Beasley-Author.

More about The River Hideaway

The year is 1967 and Wilmington, NC, is embedded in racial turmoil. Bret Marin and Money Wilkins, forge an improbable friendship.

 Bret’s life is constructed around his love for his little brother Alex and hatred of their cruel wealthy father.

Money possesses no external luxuries but thanks to his proud black father, Clarence, a builder of houses and lives, he has the greater riches. When his beautiful sister Teke visits it sets off a series of events no one could foresee. The most chilling being the dark night the Klan appears. 

Summer of Interviews: Michael Matson

Today I'm pleased to welcome Michael Matson!

1. What was your inspiration for your book? Can you tell us about how your own experiences influenced this story?

I suppose many current events had an influence on The Dancing Boy.  Vietnam, certainly.  But also the war in Afghanistan and the effects of that war.  Human trafficking  most certainly and the prevalence of individuals and even groups who prey on children. Using these influences I wanted to create a story that also highlighted the complex beauty and picturesque uniqueness of the Pacific Northwest. This is an area I’m fond of and have spent much time exploring.
As to the main character, Treat Mikkelson, I suppose all authors lend a bit of themselves to their characters and I admit to some of his many faults.

2. Would you classify this series as plot driven or character driven?

The Dancing Boy is the first of the Treat Mikkelson mysteries.  Each of them will be primarily plot driven.

3. Can you tell us a little about your main characters?

Mikkelson is not exactly a burnt-out case but has seen too much of the world and its problems and only wishes to live peacefully on his small island. He can’t suppress his natural tendency to help people, however and this leads to his getting involved in things he’d prefer to avoid.
Suniko Yamada is a brilliant and beautiful computer expert who embraces challenges and has a healthy sexual appetite without having any desire for a permanent relationship.
Cassie McLaren is a possible romantic figure in Mikkelson’s life.  An art gallery owner and the one who gets Mikkelson involved the mystery.

4. Without giving away too much, tell us about the main conflict.

The story involves smuggling young boys into the US and Canada. Finding the source of the smuggling is critical, but there is one boy in particular who  drives the search.

5. What do you hope readers take away from this book?

I would hope they would have a better understanding of the horror of child exploitation and, on the brighter side, have a deep appreciation for the locations.


6. What song best describes your writing style?

Yikes! Never thought of that.  Some of the music mentioned in the book might qualify. Mississippi Delta Blues and Hawaiian Slack string guitar.


7.   Night Owl or Early Bird?
     
Neither.  Early morning coffee and pastry and time on the computer. Sometimes write later in the    day when an idea strikes.


8. Skittle or M&Ms?
     
 Hersheys dark chocolate.

9.  Who are your favorite authors?

For mysteries….John  Sandford and Jo Nesbo.

10. Can you tell us about any other future projects?

A second Treat Mikkelson mystery is underway. This one also is set in the Pacific Northwest  but is more heavily influenced by drugs and Mexican cartels.


More about Michael Matson

After formative years spent on the east coast, in California, Hawaii and Japan, Michael Matson earned a journalism degree from the University of Washington in Seattle. Following a brief military stint in Oklahoma, he worked as an advertising agency copywriter, creative director and video producer.

In 2007 he moved to Mexico to have time to write and has since published The Diamond Tree, a fairytale for all ages;  Bareback Rider, an inspirational adventure for children; and Takeshi’s Choice, a mystery novel.  His short story “Gato” was selected for inclusion in Short Story America’s 2014 anthology.  His second mystery novel:  The Dancing Boy will be released by Oak Tree Press in April  2014.

He lives with his wife María Guadalupe (Tai), in Morelia, the colonial capital city of Michoacán. Website: www.findmichaelmatson.com


What do readers think of "The Dancing Boy?"
David Greene
(Your novel brought back a) flood of memories of my years in the Skagit Valley. How much fun to return to those places hidden away in the cobwebs!  But the MOST fun was the enjoyment of your story!  How many anecdotes your tale triggers in my mind!

Michael La Brooy
What an excellent story, and how well you maintained the tension continually from chapter 1 right up to the epilogue! Each time I thought it was all over and you were going to wind down, a new crisis reared its ugly head, and the excitement continued

Carolyn Lawson
Wonderful character descriptions, realistic locales;

this book is a page turner.

Get your copy of THE DANCING BOY here:

Amazon

Review: Incantation Paradox (Annamaria Bazzi)

Waking up with the body of a teenager might be a pleasant surprise for a forty-something year old woman. Except, it's not her body. More than a little freaked out, Dolores is desperate  to find out why everyone is calling her Mona and acting like nothing is wrong.

Right from the beginning chapter, I loved the premise for this book! The concept of a woman's  spirit, or essence, being pulled from her dying body into that of a complete stranger is captivating. The repercussions  are endless! Not only is Dolores utterly confused and frightened, she also has to deal with the conflicting and often irrational hormones of a teenage girl. Keeping hold of her real identity becomes more and more difficult as the days pass. She doesn't understand, and has a hard time escaping, the teenage lust felt toward Eric, even when he scares her and gives off a serious  creeper vibe.v At the same time, grown-adult-Dolores is finding herself inexplicably attracted to Mona's "uncle" Jason. It's a mess. One Dolores has no clue how to fix.

On top of the emotional conflict and confusion, Dolores misses the two teenage daughters she was pulled away from. She's desperate to get back to her old life, but reluctant to leave Jason behind. No matter what, she needs help to figure out how to set things right. Eric doesn't seem to be an option, despite her poured-on charisma. She fears Jason is hiding things from her, though, and doesn't know if she can trust him completely. Watching her figure out who to trust was very intriguing. I was pulled into the story and was very eager to see how Dolores would escape the danger she finds herself in. I loved the romantic elements in the story. It was a tricky situation to navigate, but the author handled it beautifully. The last chapter was agonizing as I couldn't wait to see how everything would work out. This is a great read for teens (very clean story) and for adults who want a bit of  magic and mystery!

Get your copy of Incantation Paradox today from Amazon!




Follow Annamaria Bazzi online:

Blog: http://annamariabazzi.com

Website: http://www.annamariasbooks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Author.annamariabazzi

Email: annamariascorner@yahoo.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AMBazzi

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6890526.Annamaria_Bazzi

Summer of Interviews: Don Caplin

Today I'm pleased to welcome Don Caplin!

1.     What was your inspiration for your book? Can you tell us about how your own experiences influenced this story?

Traveling down the Mass Turnpike one day, I saw a billboard that displayed a biblical quote: “God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well.” -Kings.

That is the inspiration for writing a book about a client who goes to a sports psychologist to find a sport he is good at.

2.     Would you classify this series as plot driven or character driven?

Neither one.

3.     Can you tell us a little about your main characters?

The narrator is a sports psychologist.  He describes the main character: “Linus didn’t look or move like an athlete.  In the first place, he appeared in his fifties, an age when you’ve either made it or retired.  And he had a slight paunch and double-chin; a marathoner he was not.”

4.     Without giving away too much, tell us about the main conflict.

Linus puts it this way: "I don’t know what my sport is.  That’s why I’m here: to discover it.  You see, I’ve tried various sports all my life, and haven’t been very good at any of them.  But I feel I have a champion in me, and I’m here to find out in what sport that is."

5.     What do you hope readers take away from this book?

I think one of my readers put it best: “This book is a very feel-good read.  It should restore the morale of just about anyone who's feeling down.”
-Riva Poor, Professional Problem-Solver.  Author, “4 Days, 40 Hours:

6.     What song best describes your writing style?

“Pkck a little, talk a little” from “The Music  Man”?

7.     Night Owl or Early Bird?

I do most of my writing after my wife has gone to sleep. (I do show her the product.)

 8.     Skittle or M&Ms?

 As “one of the country’s oldest first-time publisher novelists,” I’m an old-fashioned guy.  My candy tastes haven’t changed since my youth, so M&Ms.

9.     Who are your favorite authors?

My former teacher, Frederick Buechner, and other teacher’s son, John Irving, though neither would endorse my book.  Also the late Michael Palmer, who did write a blurb.

10.  Can you tell us about any other future projects?

I’m not writing anything right now, but hope to get other previously-written works published.


You can Find Don and his books here:
http://home.comcast.net/~kcfl/site/
Amazon

Review: The Ghost Files Volume 3

Mattie Hathaway has survived more than her fair share of scary, bizarre incidences. Safety seems like an illusion, even with Dan and Eli there to protect her. After returning from a trip to help Dr. Ollivet de-ghost a house in the south, Mattie is reeling from everything she learned about herself, Eli's family, and Dan's true past. Coming home to a horde of angry spirits who all blame Mattie for their deaths and are hell-bent on revenge really wasn't the homecoming she hoped for.

Having read volumes one and two of The Ghost Files series, I was eager to get my hands on this one. The turmoil Mattie was left in at the end of book two made it impossible to resist. I've come to expect deep characters and captivating storylines from Apryl, and I wasn't disappointed in this volume.

While the series as a whole has an overarching story, each volume focuses on a plot specific to that book as well. The mystery of who the drowned girls are and why they want to see Mattie pay for their deaths was well crafted. Readers are kept guessing throughout the book as to who or what is responsible for the girls' deaths, and I was surprised when the truth was revealed, which I loved.

In addition to the main storyline, readers also get more information on Mattie's past. They don't get the whole story, of course. Baker had to hold something back for the rest of the series! Readers do learn quite a bit, though, including who Mattie's father is. That brings up a whole host of problems, as the truth is hardly a warm and fuzzy reunion. Figuring out who to trust has never been easy, but when major players make promises and reveal true intentions, Mattie is left to struggle on her own.

One of the best aspects of this book was the emotion packed into every chapter. It's not often that a book gets to me so much that it makes me cry, but watching Mattie and Dan as they are faced with a heart wrenching decision truly hit me hard. It's going to be difficult for readers not to get completely sucked into their story, and when you have the added bonus of the ever-sexy Eli, putting this down will prove completely impossible. I can't recommend this series enough.

Get your copy of The Ghost Files Vol. 3 today!

Amazon

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Summer of Interviews: April Knight

Today I'm pleased to welcome April Knight to the blog!

Sweet Dreams is a collection of love stories. The stories are funny, quirky, touching, tender and inspiring.  Every story is about people who have an empty place in their heart and they are looking for true love. 

Women are so busy now with careers or college or with families and children they seem to be rushed and overloaded. When a friend of mine, who has four young children, said she rarely had time to read  more than a few pages of a book before one of her children needed something or she had to run errands, do the laundry. She said she’d started reading a half dozen books and hadn’t finished any of them because by the time she got back to the book, she’d forgotten the plot. I decided to write a book for women like her who might only have ten minutes a day to sit and read before they are interrupted.

A little taste of romance might make them smile, might give them hope, might be the best part of their day.

I enjoy reading a good romance but I do get tired of the woman always being beautiful, brilliant, twenty-three years old with a perfect body and long flowing hair. I get tired of the heroes who are tall and muscular with wavy hair, a dazzling smile and of course, he’s a millionaire. My stories are about people, real people, who are too tall, too short, too skinny, too chubby. The woman aren’t models, they are waitresses, clerks and housewives. The men are truck drivers, carpenters and cooks and some are unemployed. They are imperfect people looking for perfect love. They are people, good, average people who make mistakes, get embarrassed, make fools of themselves, get a second chance and find a happy ending.

When I was a child, I grew up in a dysfunctional family, I was mistreated at home and bullied at school.  I survived by escaping into books. I lived in my imagination. I thought words were magical and had power and I thought writers must be the luckiest people in the world because they could tell stories that could change people’s lives. The books people wrote would live long after they were dead.

When I was nine and the teacher asked the class what they wanted to be when they grew up the other kids said they wanted to be movie stars or policemen or firemen and the teacher didn’t criticize any of them. When I said I wanted to be a writer she told me that was impossible because I wasn’t smart enough and I didn’t have anything important to say. The other students laughed at me. I kept making up stories and somewhere I read that you don’t choose writing....writing chooses you and that writers are born, not made.  When I was thirteen I wrote stories about the way I wanted life to be, not the way it really was. I wrote stories about young women who were sad and lonely and they would find love and live happily ever after. I sold my first stories to “True Love” magazine. I’d never had a boyfriend or a date but I could imagine what it must be like to be kissed in the moonlight or dance under the stars. When that first story was published and I saw my words in print and got paid for my story, I knew I would be a writer.

I have always enjoyed drawing and painting and when I was in my twenties I had two art galleries and sold enough of my paintings to feel I could illustrate some books.  I’ve illustrated several of my own books, the most recent was “Thunder in Our Hearts, Lightning in Our Veins”, the cover is one of my painting my paintings are throughout the book. I wrote this book under my tribal name “Crying Wind.”

I am part Native American (I prefer to just be called Indian). I spent many years working in a mission for the Navaho Indians in New Mexico.  I was adopted into the Kiowa Indian tribe and given the name Crying Wind Hummingbird (Niyol-Daachagii Mahn-Saw-Daynah). I was given the CHIEF award for my contributions to the Native Americans through my writing.

I have just finished writing a mystery novel, “Dig the Grave First.” I am also working on a humorous romance novel for Seniors called “Breaking My Hip.”

Blurb for Sweet Dreams

Imperfect people searching for perfect love is the theme of my new book, Sweet Dreams-50 Romantic Bedtime Stories for Big Girls.”

Each story takes less than ten minutes to read, women can have a little romance while they wait for their bus, have their lunch or right before bedtime.

I love romance but I’m tired of all the heroines being beautiful and all the heroes being rich and handsome. Ordinary people deseve to be loved, real people, people who aren’t beautiful or rich, people with flaws, people who have been the wallflowers and the nerds, the people who have been overlooked or ignored, the girl who is too tall, the guy who is too short, the girl who is too shy to speak, all find love in tender, enchanting moments moments.

The stories range from shy, innocent first love to olden, golden love of a lifetime. The stories are funny,

touching, quirky, 

Love can be found in unexpected places, a pawnshop, one woman has a hundred wedding gowns but no groom,another finds love in a rusty bucket. 

What do a pawn shop, a rusty bucket, a lost shoe and a giraffe have in common?  They all lead to true love.  

I’ve always believed in love and I’ve always had a great imagination. When I was thirteen years old I wrote a love story and sold it to a national magazine. Of course, at thirteen I’d never had a boyfriend or a date or been kissed...but I could imagine what love was. I discovered I could tell stories and get paid for it and knew being a writer was the only career for me.  Over the years I had over a thousand stories and articles published, had several books published and have my own newspaper column.

Luckily, over the years, I’ve had a few real dates and been kissed, although men are often afraid they’ll be included in my next book.

You can get your copy of Sweet Dreams here: 

Amazon