SHOWCASE: Tina Glasneck author of THOU SHALL NOT

Tina resides with her family in central Virginia.

Having taken an interest in literature from an early age, Tina considers herself to be a lover of books and all things literary. Besides enjoying the culinary arts, Tina likes to spend time in nature, white water raft (when possible) and of course, travel.

Interesting facts about Tina:

While visiting the morgue at the age of 16, Tina found the smell to be worse than the actual sight of the deceased.
Having had a red birthday cake as a kid, the sight of red icing on birthday cakes, makes her cringe; it's a sure way for her not to take a piece of offered cake.
Tina enjoys anything creative; she paints abstract portraits and is a hobby photographer.
When Tina was younger, she used to swim with the fishes (a pond on a country lot in rural Ohio).

******************************************************************************

Book Description

Publication Date: March 27, 2012

A SERIAL KILLER DEMANDS SATISFACTION FOR JUSTICE'S FAILURE

Bodies are piling up in Richmond, Virginia, mutilated, and tagged. A serial killer metes out justice to those that have escaped it, and Alexandria "Xandy" Caras is on the list. Two years have passed since the workplace massacre; six months since the day her charge of murder was dismissed.

When innocent “fan” letters become aggressive acts, Xandy finds herself seeking help from Police Captain Victor Hawthorne. He doesn’t believe in coincidences. Can he keep her safe when all signs point to her as being the killer’s ultimate target?
Only Xandy’s death can make it all stop, silencing the deranged killer who wants more than revenge, but true repentance.

******************************************************************************

Q&A

Q. What inspires your writing? 

A. I’ve been a storyteller since as far back as I can remember and what continues to inspire me is simply put, life. It’s sort of a cliché, but it is almost like putting on my superhero costume and observing the people and their mannerisms, inflection and the way they walk – be it a gentle sway or more of a trot. I’m intrigued and always wonder what their stories might be, and for a split second I let my imagination roam. 

Q. What is your favorite thing about being an author? 

A. To have an AHA-moment. Being able to dive into a new subject and discover a new world is the best job ever. How many people get a chance to ask the “what if” questions and come up with the craziest and off-the-wall answers to them? 

Q. What is the toughest part of being an author? 

A. The toughest part to being an author is vulnerability, and the opening oneself up to criticism. Not everyone is going to get or like what I write, but I know that it is part of the beast. Nonetheless, I know that criticism of my stories is not necessarily criticism of my person, and I try not to take anything too personally. The greatest thing I’ve learned is to be able to laugh at myself - polka dots and all. 

Q. If you could not be author, what would you do/be? 

A. I love law. Working in the legal field gives me such a creative high. I can only compare it to sky diving. No matter how many times you jump out of a plane, you can’t wait to do it again. It is the same with criminal law. I love my day job as a criminal paralegal; maybe that is why my writing is filled with crime. 

Q. What would the story of your life be entitled? 

A. No Ordinary Mind. My mother has often said that I have a strange mind, and seeing in print some of the things my mind has imaginatively orchestrated, I tend to believe her. 

Q. What is your favorite book of all time? 

A. I’m a voracious reader. Yet, my all-time favorite book is Velvet Promise by Jude Deveraux. Without that book, a hero that made me fall in love as an angst ridden teen; and, a heroine that made me wish for my own happy ending, I might never have learned that my life had worth and meaning. Even reading it as an adult, I can’t help but gush over Gavin Montgomery.

Q. Which character from ANY book are you most like? 

A. Sookie Stackhouse! No, not because of all the paranormal beings around me, but because there is always something going on with my life and those I care about. I do wish that some vampires would walk out of my closet though, and I’ve had my own witches, so I think Sookie is a great match. 

Q. What character from all of your book are you most like? 

A. I don’t’ believe that any of my characters truly reflect me, but I think I am more like my villain. He is very calculating about everything that he does. 

Q. What is your favorite season? 

A. Fall. Virginia is beautiful during autumn. When the leaves change, seeing their colorful demise reminds me that there is beauty in everything. 

Q. What inspired your book cover(s)? Or what is your favorite book cover and why? 

A. My book cover is reflective of some of the action in the book. The broken watch and the drops of blood depict the violent nature of the story; however, it is not horror, but suspense. 

Q. Tell me something funny that happened while on a book tour or while promoting your book. 

A. I can’t help but snicker when I think about this. It was a hot Saturday morning, the sun beamed downed and it wasn’t even 9:00 a.m. yet. While my mother was passing out cards, she approached an older gentleman. He turned the card over and started to read it, while she told him about me and my stand. “Your daughter’s a serial killer?” he asked. “I’ll buy her book if she’s a serial killer.” “No she’s not a serial killer,” my mother said. He then stomped away in a huff. 

Q. Are you working on something new? 

A. I’m currently working on the follow-up novel to THOU SHALL NOT, which is currently scheduled for release in December. 

Q. Anything you want to say to followers of this blog or those that are just stopping by? 

A. Thank you for allowing me to share with you and for spending your valuable time with me.

You can find out more about me, my writing and my book at www.tinaglasneck.com 

THOU SHALL NOT is available through Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Of course, if you’d like to connect with me, please follow me on Twitter: @TinaGlasneck and like my fan page on Facebook.

and at: Barnes and Noble

Blog Tour: Paula Takes a Risk by Randi Sherman: Review and Q&A

Follow the tour via Chick Lit Plus

MY REVIEW: 

Paula Takes A Risk by Randi Sherman is an quick and fun read. You will laugh, get frustrated and pump your arm in the air. The novel takes you on a journey with, Paula, a boring, unadventurous and somewhat fearful woman.

Paula is hit with some devastating news right off the bat; her longtime boyfriend dumps her stating that she is way too boring, does not take risks and that he no longer loves her.  To make matters worse she also loses her job. This set Paula into giving up and shutting in.

Then Paula's bum of a neighbor has a new "scheme" up his sleeve, and he needs Paula to pull it off.  He figures that this down on her luck women needs his help. Through a lot of crazy events, Paula gains some great skills and confidence, but not without consequences.  How will this story end?  Pick up your copy to find out. 

You will enjoy this quick read and I rate 3.5 stars. 

BOOK DESCRIPTION:  After thirty-four years of just letting life happen to her, Paula Tenenbaum’s mundane existence was suddenly interrupted. It was bad enough to be fired from her job because she was “average”, but on that same day, her boyfriend also dumped her for being “un-dynamic.” Somehow, someway Paula needed to make a change. But before she could figure out what her first step should be, her scheming neighbor Larry tapped into her silent desperation and dreams and challenged everything that she believed about herself. At first Paula was skeptical and scared, but quickly, she realized that she had nothing to lose, as she donned the persona of the successful, and vibrant individual that she had always dreamed of being, navigating thru business, colorful personalities and the people that she had idolized from afar. Written with sharp humor, and huge personality, Paula Takes A Risk is the hilarious story about the metamorphosis of Paula Tenenbaum, who naively enters into an adventure that changes her life. This is a story certain to strike a chord in anyone who secretly desires change, but is afraid to make it. 

**********************************************************

Q&A

Q.  What inspires your writing?

My writing is inspired by the people I know and observe, mixed with my very active imagination.

Q.  What is your favorite thing about being an author?

Writing is like solving a puzzle. I just love that I have the opportunity to create characters, and personalities and challenge them. I can write them to be big, small, smart, not-so-smart, insincere, good or evil. Through writing, I am able to assign scenarios where my characters do or say just the right thing at the right time (not in the car on the way home) or make the worst decisions possible. The challenge is to bring it all together at the end. It’s very satisfying.

Q.  What is the toughest part of being an author?

Releasing my characters into the world has to be the hardest part of being an author. I love them. I am proud and protective of them and like sending a child off to kindergarten for the first time. I hope that they will be well liked. I want to tell them to hold hands while crossing the street.

Q.  If you could not be author, what would you do/be?

A sinecure.

Q.  What would the story of your life be entitled?

Where are my glasses?

Q. Can you tell me a little about the inspiration behind your book cover?

For the cover, I selected a woman on a tightrope which represents risk. The color pink was selected because there is a recurring theme of Paula’s go-to outfit - a comfortable, yet unattractive pink fleece sweat suit.

Q.  What is your favorite book of all time?

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton is perhaps my favorite book of all time.  It is a story of a woman living by her own rules and who is a victim of her own indiscretions, and a cruel society. Edith Wharton’s writing makes you care deeply about Lily Bart. I had a true sense of loss at the end of the story.

Q.  Which part of your book  was the easiest to write?

I love writing dialogue. When I write, I recite the dialogue out loud to hear the flow of the words and define the tone. My partner is constantly shouting “What?!” from the other room, thinking that I’m taking her.

Q.  Which part of your book was the hardest to write?

Writing the chapter immediately following the arc of the story is the hardest part of the book to write. Similar to climbing a mountain, once you hit the summit, it’s all downhill from there. My job is to make the first steps down captivating enough to make the reader excited to realize that the hike to the end as exhilarating as the trip up.

Q.  Which character from any book are you most like?

I am most like Paula Tenenbaum, the main character in Paula Takes A Risk. Years ago, I too, seemed to be positioned right in front of the fan when you-know-what hit it. During my dating life, my criteria for selecting men were pitiful. And like Paula, I simply could not get out of my own way. Then I decided that I had nothing to lose. I started trying new things, taking risks and just like Paula my life changed.

Q.  What is your favorite season?

At first I was going to answer Lemon Pepper but then I realized you didn’t ask about seasoning. I love the fall and the color of the sunlight, when it hasn’t quite lost its entire warm yellow summer glow. I love the crispness of the air and I like wearing sweaters.

Q.  Tell me something funny that happened while on a book tour or while promoting your book.

I received a review written Mandarin. I don’t speak Mandarin. The publicist who sent it to me said, “I don’t know what it says, but the reviewer said she recommended the book…I think.”

Q.  Are you working on something new?

I am. Thank you for asking. Believe it or not I ended up using the words “Oh no, that’s not right” as the working title, because I change it so often.  The new work is a humorous novel about a couple who after a devastating break up twenty years earlier, meet up again and foolishly attempt to pick up where they left off.

Q.  Anything you want to say to followers of this blog or those that are just stopping by?

Thank you so much for taking the time to learn a little bit more about me.  Remember to take a risk. The outcome doesn’t matter. You still did it. Congratulate yourself. Then take another risk.

**********************************************************

View Randi's guest post HERE

Connect with Paula!

EMAIL

WEBSITE

BLOG

**********************************************************

Friesen Press l B&N

Blog Tour: Paula Takes a Risk by Randi Sherman: Guest Post

Follow the tour via Chick Lit Plus

BOOK DESCRIPTION:  After thirty-four years of just letting life happen to her, Paula Tenenbaum’s mundane existence was suddenly interrupted. It was bad enough to be fired from her job because she was “average”, but on that same day, her boyfriend also dumped her for being “un-dynamic.” Somehow, someway Paula needed to make a change. But before she could figure out what her first step should be, her scheming neighbor Larry tapped into her silent desperation and dreams and challenged everything that she believed about herself. At first Paula was skeptical and scared, but quickly, she realized that she had nothing to lose, as she donned the persona of the successful, and vibrant individual that she had always dreamed of being, navigating thru business, colorful personalities and the people that she had idolized from afar. Written with sharp humor, and huge personality, Paula Takes A Risk is the hilarious story about the metamorphosis of Paula Tenenbaum, who naively enters into an adventure that changes her life. This is a story certain to strike a chord in anyone who secretly desires change, but is afraid to make it. 

************************************************************************

Randi Sherman, a native Californian, lives in San Francisco. With her tremendous grasp of the obvious, Randi has always had the ability to find humor in the mundane and share the laughter. She dares to examine and discuss everyday foibles, which obliges people to stop taking themselves too seriously.

Developing characters and writing have been a part of Randi’s life since she was a teenager, umm-mmum-mumm years ago. She spent time performing stand-up comedy at Los Angeles club amateur nights and studied Improvisation in the Bay Area. Realizing that she preferred having an income, living indoors and eating regularly, she reluctantly put her dreams on hold and entered the corporate world, yet never left behind her sense of humor and creative storytelling ability, skills which were not always appreciated during budget and strategy meetings.

Now, after living indoors for a while and eating, albeit too much, her book, Paula Takes a Risk is here. Randi’s unique wit, writing style and candor will surely make the reader sit up, stand up, roll over or assume an interested leaning position and take notice.

Randi would never claim to have a genius IQ, the body of a super model or always have the right thing to wear. However, she can spell the words, “smart” and “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.” Randi maintains a trim, well-toned body that is cleverly concealed beneath twenty pounds of soft protective layering and she has the appetite of a bird. (By “bird” I mean vulture.) Her entire wardrobe consists of black, black and varying degrees of black, except for those items that are covered with lint because she put them through the wash with a tissue.

Things that Randi cannot live without: people to laugh with, her car horn, a gym membership where there are chubby women who break into a sweat while putting on a jog bra, wine, waist capes, and her partner, Carol.

Randi does not like mean-spirited people, liver, left-overs, communal dressing rooms, tight underwear, and people who point.
Randi is five-foot-seven. 

************************************************************************

GUEST POST:  Am I A Trouble Maker? By Randi Sherman, author of PAULA TAKES A RISK

TROUBLE MAKER?! Who? Me? Well, maybe just a little. Can’t we just call it dilemma design? I do however, clean up my mess. I am a problem solver. In fiction, the author needs to create obstacles to make the story and characters interesting. Otherwise, why not write a business manual or a book about crocheting?

Creating and resolving characters dilemmas are my favorite things about writing fiction. I think about all of the possibilities and take into consideration all of my character’s short-comings and perceived obstacles. I list all of the risks and ramifications. Then I asked myself: What if there wasn’t a perceived notion of what is the right or wrong thing to do? What if there wasn’t a risk? So, in the case of PAULA TAKES A RISK, I decided to charge ahead and overcome the obstacles as they presented themselves using common sense, humor and chutzpah to transform Paula into the fearless and accomplished person she always dreamed of being.

When the reader meets Paula, she is afraid, lonely, and bored with her life. She let life happen to her, doing only what’s expected and not making any waves in the process. Being ‘average’ cost Paula her job, her boyfriend and her self-confidence. She desires change and an exciting life, but lacks the motivation and courage to take a risk and make her dreams come true. So it was my job as the writer is to find a way to give it to her, to solve her problems and change her life.

I asked Paula to endure uncomfortable situations, make ill-advised decisions and jump without knowing where she would land. Like anyone taking a risk, Paula is not only apprehensive, and overwhelmed, at times she also excited and surprised. As a result Paula becomes learns how to be the woman she never thought she could be and discovers that without risk, there is no glory.

Make some trouble. Take a risk. Live the life you always wanted.

************************************************************************

Connect with Paula!

EMAIL

WEBSITE

BLOG

************************************************************************

Friesen Press l B&N

Review: WHITE HORSE by Alex Adams

I have to tell you that this novel pulled me in from page one and held me to the very last page.  Adams writes a story of a post apocalyptic time.  I could not help but wonder the whole time I was reading what I would do if I woke up one day and had to face what Zoe, the main character, had to face.  She is powerful and her experiences are graphic, unsettling and simply irresistible.  This page turning novel takes you not only on a journey of survival, but a journey of the human condition when faced with adversity at its highest level.  This is a novel that will be emotional to read.  You will experience the fear, hopelessness and anguish that Zoe feels.  I am so excited that this engrossing novel is part of a trilogy and that I have two more books to look forward to.  I rate it 4.5 stars.

I do want to warn my readers that it is a graphic novel containing some violent physical and sexual situations and other situations that may be unsettling to some readers.  It has been advertised as the Hunger Games for adults and I must agree with that statement.  When you sit down to read this novel to prepared to read for a while, this novel will suck you in!

Book Description

Publication Date: April 17, 2012

The world has ended, but her journey has just begun.

Thirty-year-old Zoe leads an ordinary life until the end of the world arrives. She is cleaning cages and floors at Pope Pharmaceuticals when the president of the United States announces that human beings are no longer a viable species. When Zoe realizes that everyone she loves is disappearing, she starts running. Scared and alone in a shockingly changed world, she embarks on a remarkable journey of survival and redemption. Along the way, Zoe comes to see that humans are defined not by their genetic code, but rather by their actions and choices. White Horse offers hope for a broken world, where love can lead to the most unexpected places.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Alex Adams was born in New Zealand, raised in Greece and Australia, and currently lives in Oregon–which is a whole lot like New Zealand, minus those freaky-looking wetas. Her debut novel, White Horse (Emily Bestler Books/Atria) hits shelves April 17, 2012. Her fingers are crossed that the world won’t end before then.

Review: MOONSHINE by Sofie Couch

REVIEW:  

Nothing pleases me more than finding new authors and books that are worth my time to read. MOONSHINE by Sofie Couch is one of those books that is worth your time.  With a new and fascinating take on the paranormal Couch tells an interesting story, with characters whose paths cross in numerous ways which weaves a story that is both original and fun!  I recommend this novel (4 stars) and will be reading and reviewing ANGELS UNAWARES next month.  

Book Description

Publication Date: February 14, 2012

Rivanna Rivers wants to find the father who left her saddled with the same name as a local tributary.

Matt Breeden wants to avoid going to jail - hard to do when your avaricious family invites scandal, your wife turns up dead, and you sell the county's best moonshine.

Annabelle Freeman just wants to make it through "back-to-school" night without anyone discovering that she has buried her grandfather in the garden.

Independently, they all learn they have some things in common: family, moonshine, and murder.

*Make sure to check out Sofie's blog:  http://www.sofiecouch.blogspot.com/

Blog Tour: Empyreal Fate: A Llathalan Annal (Volume 1) by Rachel Hunter

This tour was organised by Kerry-Ann McDade @ Reading A Little Bit Of Everything:
http://readinglittlebitofeverything.blogspot.com 

 ******************************************* 

Book Blurb:  Filled to the brim with forbidden love, an ancient evil, and a nation in disrepair, Empyreal Fate is a tale of riveting bravery and mortal corruption.

The land of Llathala lingers on the brink of war between men and elves, a dark history surrounding each race. Stirred by tensions of the land, a shadow of the past reemerges, taking precedence in reality and consuming the very soul of mans’ mortal weakness. Darrion, the son of a poor laborer, is ensnared in a hostile world, forced to choose between loyalty to his king or the counsel of the elves. Yet Fate has other plans in store, tying his course to Amarya, an elven royalblood of mysterious quality and unsurpassable beauty. But this forbidden connection incites betrayal from members of their own kin, marking them as traitors to the crown. In a land torn asunder, only Fate’s decree can allow such love to coexist with an ancient enmity.  

 Behold: A Llathalan Annal: Empyreal Fate – Part One.

 BOOK INFO:

 Length: 425 (estimate)

Date Released: April 2012

Language: English

Publisher: Hydra Publications

******************************************* 

AUTHOR BIO:  Born in 1993, Rachel Hunter has always been fascinated with words and the intricate way in which they combine. Since a child, she has been an avid writer, winding vibrant tales and elaborate stanzas on folded bits of paper.

As the years passed, her love of words never died; her adoration for reading fared no equal. Always with her nose in a book, Rachel took fondly to works spanning all genres. Yet it was the compelling grasp of fantasy and science fiction that wrenched her fascination above all.

In March of 2012, Rachel published her first short story with Trestle Press, titled, "Perfect Nothing", which recounted her harrowing relationship with an eating disorder and was also fueled by her passion for psychology. But her writing does not end there. While currently pursuing a degree in psychology and in the medical field at the University of Oklahoma, she aspires also to illuminate the creative spark of eager readers. In her desire to incite intrigue, she is simultaneously exploring new worlds and creating vast empires of her own. "Empyreal Fate" is only the first in her Llathalan Annal series. Indeed, it is only the beginning.

Contact Rachel: 

Website l Blog l Twitter l Goodreads l Facebook 

******************************************* 

 *Purchase Links:

also @ Hydra Publications

SHOWCASE and Q&A: Andrew McAllister author of UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS

************************************************

Andrew McAllister writes both fiction and non-fiction, including the relationship advice blog To Love, Honor, and Dismay. He has a psychology degree and over twenty-five years of experience in the IT industry as a professor, consultant, and software company executive. In other words he can fix your computer software … but only if it really wants to change. He lives with his family in New Brunswick, Canada, where he is busy working on his next book.

Unauthorized Access is now available in e-book and paperback from Amazon.com and in e-book from other major online retailers.

************************************************

Q&A

Q.  What inspires your writing?

A. I once attended a software conference where a big-name corporate executive was the keynote speaker. I’ll never forget the first Powerpoint slide he flashed up on the big screen, a message someone had once told him and that he continually uses to guide his efforts: “It’s all about the people stupid!” The same is true about the inspiration for my writing. I think about the people in my life, how our lives can be filled with such highs and lows – intense joy and passion, paralyzing fear, achingly painful regrets. I love to imagine scenarios where these emotions can be drawn out into excruciating and ever-intensifying extremes … and then drop ordinary characters into those situations to watch how they handle the pressure. To me the most glorious part of writing fiction is when a character in my mind says, “I know what to do here,” and I can get out of the way and let them take over the action. It’s all based on what I’ve learned from the people I’ve been lucky enough to have in my life.

Q.  What is your favorite thing about being an author?

A. Oh that’s easy. It’s when someone wakes me up with a phone call at two o’clock in the morning (yes, this really happened to me) and says, “I just finished reading your book and I LOVED it! I’m so excited I couldn’t wait to tell you, so I had to call!” Okay, so the part about being woken up in the middle of the night wasn’t my favorite, but the honest reaction really touched me. You can tell when someone is just being polite and supportive, saying things like, “I thought your books was, you know, good.” Don’t get me wrong, I’m thankful for that type of support too, but I get a huge boost when someone is obviously enthusiastic about the reading experience. I’m fortunate (and thrilled!) that I’ve had quite a few of those happy phone calls, emails, and Facebook posts lately.

Q.  What is the toughest part of being an author?

A. To keep going. To not give up after years of banging with wondrous futility against the tightly guarded gates of the publishing kingdom. “A professional author is an amateur who didn’t give up.” I absolutely love that expression. It captures the perseverance needed to keep writing and promoting and editing and submitting, despite the rejection and the doubters. And man, I have to say – it is definitely all worth it!

Q.  If you could not be author, what would you do/be?

A. That’s another easy question for me because I am a part-time author and full-time university professor. (My wife says the letters after my name stand for Propeller Head.) I teach people about computer science, and even better I get to help our amazing students in my role as Assistant Dean. The best part for me is when students come into my office in a completely stressed-out state because of some academic problem for which they can see no solution … and then I get to send them on their way with a smile on their face after figuring out how to make it all right. I truly enjoy my job!

Q.  What would the story of your life be entitled?

A. “There’s a Solution for Everything.” A while back my wife and I moved our family to a different country for a couple of years. This pushed all of us out of our comfort zones. Along the way I learned how important it is not to let myself get wrapped around the axle when challenges first arise. Life seems to work better when I start with the assumption that a solution will eventually present itself. Mind you, my ability to actually pull this off can be compromised if the problem is one I consider to be of severe importance, like when I recently discovered someone had bought generic Froot Loops instead of the real thing. I mean … can you blame me?

Q.  What is your favorite book of all time?

A. The Stand by Stephen King. I have several novels on my bookshelf that I’ve read multiple times (The Firm and The Godfather come to mind) but my all-time winner in the re-read department is King’s definitive treatment of good versus evil. Sure, there are paranormal aspects to the story, with a Satan-like character and a truly lovable elderly black woman who seems to have opened up a direct line with God. The real good and evil, however, is captured by an amazingly wide range of human behavior. We see everything from true caring and compassion to selfish anger driven by lifelong poor self esteem, all delivered in a way that feels real and important. Come to think of it, I think I’ll go dig it out again.

Q.  Which character from ANY book are you most like?

A. I’m going to cheat on this one. (I know, I know … bad Andrew!) I’m going to pick a movie character. (Hey, it’s still fiction, right?) I think I’m most like George Bailey, the husband and banker in the Christmas movie It’s A Wonderful Life. I don’t mean I’ve had the urge to jump off a bridge – after all, we did get that nasty Froot Loops situation straightened out. Rather, both George and I are fixers. We like to take care of the people around us, make sure everyone is okay. Mind you, you might get a different perspective if you talked with other people who know me. For instance my 16-year-old son might compare me with Ebenezer Scrooge, but that’s a different story …

Q.  What character from all of your book are you most like?

A. I think there’s a good piece of me buried in several of the characters in Unauthorized Access. The primary antagonist Tim Whitlock remembers his childhood insecurities, as so many of us do. The banker Stan Dysart is an entrepreneurial white collar professional, just as I am, and he happens to be about my age. (Although that wasn’t true when I first wrote the book. Did I mention the wheels of the publishing industry can turn slowly?) I’m probably most like the protagonist Rob Donovan. He’s handsome, has great hair … but despite those differences I’m sure there are still similarities. I see Rob as a fixer, just like George and I. Rob differs from me in one respect, though. He waited seven years to present a diamond ring to Lesley, whereas it took me only four months to pop the question. Twenty-nine years later I still know it was the best decision I ever made.

Q.  What is your favorite season?

A. Any season whose name doesn’t start with the letter w! I live in the snow belt, so spring brings relief and renewal. My favorite time to golf is in the fall, when the air is crisp and the leaves have turned vivid colors. Summer is my overall favorite, though. Who doesn’t love the feeling of bright, warm sunshine on your face?

Q.  What inspired your book cover?  

A. Tom Matthews is a talented novelist and award winning graphic illustrator. I met him at the San Diego State University writers conference about ten years ago. He has created some wonderfully rich covers for his own novels, so there was never a question that he would get the nod for Unauthorized Access. The cover depicts one of the scenes from the book, when Rob Donovan is abducted, tied up, and subjected to a galactically unenjoyable day. We wanted to show intense anguish and rich colors. I couldn’t be happier with where we ended up.

Q.  Tell me something funny that happened while promoting your book.

A. I held a book launch in my home town and I had one fear (certainty?) going into the event. I pictured someone who knew me back in high school showing up and presenting me with a book to sign. “Andrew,” they would say. “It’s great to see you! I haven’t seen you in years.” And then I would be forced to admit I had no idea who they were. So I had an idea. An inspired brainwave! I would get a helper to sit beside me at the book signing table. She would ask each person their name and write it on a sticky note. Brilliant! I was alone when I started signing a few books, so I had my head down when my helper joined me and dealt with the next person in line. As I looked up this person handed me his book with the sticky note attached and a huge grin on his face. It was my boss, the Dean.

Q.  Are you working on something new?

A. Yes, two new somethings actually. I have another thriller in the works, about a dedicated husband who is forced into a position where he has to observe his wife needing him badly, but he can’t get to her or help her in any way. The other project is non-fiction. I am working on a series of self-help relationship books, in part based on years worth of work I did with my online relationship forum. The first title in the series is: How to End the Housework Wars so You Both Win. Obviously the fiction and non-fiction books serve very different purposes. I am passionate about both.

Q.  Anything you want to say to followers of this blog or those that are just stopping by?

A.  The eBook version of Unauthorized Access includes an “About the Author” section, and the same information appears on the back cover of the paperback. In it I say, “You can email Andrew at AndrewMcAllisterAuthor@yahoo.com.” I’d like people to know I really mean it. Authors are more directly connected to readers today than ever before and I love it! As a reader it enhances my experience if I can ask the author a question, and it certainly makes my day when a reader takes the time to let me know what they think of my book.

************************************************ 

Book Description

Young computer programmer Rob Donovan receives an emergency call from his boss at the First Malden Bank in Boston after the first successful cyberattack in American banking history scrambles thousands of account records. First Malden’s survival is on the line as furious customers and voracious reporters descend on the bank. Rob is part of the team trying to fix the damage, until the FBI charges him with the crime and brings his world crashing down. Facing prison time and the loss of his fiancée Lesley, Rob’s only chance of reclaiming his life lies in cutting through a web of mistrust and betrayal to uncover the startling truth behind the attack.


:

Smashwords

Kobo

************************************************

Excerpt

[Context: High-school-age Tim Whitlock has a chance meeting in a u-pick apple orchard with Lesley McGrath, his current crush and the girl he has been too nervous to ask out.]

Tim saw his mother marching back up the hill, replacement basket firmly in grasp. He was struck by the certainty that if he missed this chance then he could stop waiting. Such an opportunity wouldn’t come up again. Gathering his small store of pent-up courage, he stepped to the edge of the cliff of vulnerability and leapt off.

“Are you busy tonight?” he said.

She hesitated, and Tim began to experience ground rush toward the boulder-strewn surface beneath the cliff. His breath caught in his throat. He could feel red heat blossoming on his face.

But then Lesley rescued him by saying, “No, I guess not.”

Tim found he could breathe again. He swallowed and said, “Maybe we could see a movie or something.”

She recovered from her initial hesitancy with incredible grace.

“Sure,” she said with a warm smile.

Tim’s happiness lasted just over three weeks. Twenty-three days filled with texting and studying together and holding hands between classes. Three weeks when he learned to kiss and even flirted with making it to second base. Three weeks when he could hold his head up while traveling the hallways at school, when he was a part of the conversations in the corners, when his self-image started to transform.

And then Rob stole it all away.

Lesley was nice enough when she broke up with him. She used all the right words, like “This is going too fast for me,” and “I still want us to be friends.” But Tim knew there was more to it than that. She would never hurt him on her own. There had to be someone else, a source of malevolence lurking in the shadows.

Two weeks later he saw Lesley and Rob together in the cafeteria. That’s when the hatred began.

So Tim went back to waiting. He waited to see if Rob and Lesley would last. Then he delayed his own plans until he learned they were going to Boston College. His true feelings stayed hidden behind a happy-go-lucky façade while he remained in the picture by becoming good old life-of-the-party, just-a-close-friend-now Tim. He even waited to accept a job offer until Rob had chosen.

Tim smiled grimly as he scrolled unseeingly through another page of computer program code. A lot had changed in the seven years since high school. The one constant during all that time, however, was Tim’s certainty that he would find a way to get Lesley back.

************************************************

Reader feedback

I’m so excited about the responses I’ve been getting from readers of Unauthorized Access! Here are a couple of examples. A young lady emailed me while traveling in Europe:

“I downloaded it onto my kindle and finished it in one afternoon while I was on a train! It was great! I really enjoyed it. Any prospects for another one?”

One independent book blogger offered:

“If you love a wonderfully told, suspenseful novel that will surely keep you on the edge of your seat, than you are going to thank me for introducing this book into your life! Unauthorized Access by Andrew McAllister is a novel that needs to be catapulted into the ‘Bookish Big Leagues’ (aka Bestseller lists).”

************************************************

***My review is coming in OCTOBER...so stay tuned!!!!