Author Interview Series - V. Mark Covington

Today, I have the pleasure of having author V. Mark Covington on my blog.

JET: Can you tell us about your most recent book?

MARK:  Church of the Path of Least Resistance runaway romp with an eclectic cast of characters and hilarious twists and turns along the way. It is the modern day story of John Wye and Mike Compari, two old friends who travel cross-country to rescue a kidnapped child and uncover a clandestine cult with nefarious connections. Along the way meet a cast of colorful characters and enlist a company of civil war re-enactors to help them capture the cult compound. It is also the story of John’s ancestor, William Wye, Confederate ship’s captain and savior of the confederate gold and his journey into piracy and bordello ownership. After he dumps the confederate gold in the Caribbean and makes a map that is later the key to his great, great, great grandson bringing down the cult he sets out for a life on the high seas where he meets a lusty piratess, invents of margaritas, hush puppies, mud wrestling.

JET:  What drew you to absurdist fiction?

MARK:  I guess I’ve been interested in sci-fi and horror since I was kid, Bradbury, Asminov, Saki, Lovecraft. And I’ve always been the class smart-ass, making people laugh.  When I found absurdist fiction, like Tom Robbins or Kurt Vonnegut or paranormal humor like Terry Pratchett or Robert Ranking I just fell in love with the genre.

JET:  What’s been your most challenging hurdle on the road to publication? 

MARK:  My most challenging hurdle is time. I work full time as an IT Project Manager so my writing time is nights and weekends and finding time to write and edit and market is tough. Usually, the marketing and promotion take a back seat when I am in the throes of writing a novel. I’d love to be able to do more blogs, more facebook promotion, more tweets, speak at more conferences, get my books out to more reviewers but there are so many hours in the day.

JET:  Which authors had the most influence over you growing up? 

MARK:   I think it was a person who inspired me more than a what, Tom Robbins.  I cut my teeth on Bradbury as a kid. I dove into Orwell, Flannery O’Connor, Faulkner, Vonnegut, Steinbeck, and Hemmingway. They all intimidated me. I thought I could never write as well as them.  Then, in college, I read Still Life with Woodpecker by Tom Robbins and thought, ‘I can do that. My twisted sense of humor and bizarre prose is very similar to Tom’s.

JET: What was your favorite moment in the journey?

MARK:  Most writers say it’s when they get the ‘golden letter’ that contract letter from a publisher, but my favorite moment was opening night, sitting the audience watching the folks who were watching my play. There was one lady about three rows in front of me that was laughing so much she must have gone through a box of tissues wiping tears out of her eyes.  I kept hearing one person laughing so loud you could hear him over everybody else and then I recognized him as a pretty famous NY director. That was a good night.

JET:  When did you know you wanted to take the plunge into the writing world?

MARK:   I wrote my fist poem when I was seven. I wrote a play when I was twelve. I edited two literary magazines in high school and the school newspaper in college. Then I went to work a management consultant and college professor in business and I didn’t write for about 7 years. One day I had an idea, actually for Church of the Path of Least Resistance, and just jumped into writing my first novel. That was 5 novels ago and a very successful play ago.

JET: What’s the craziest thing you’ve done in the name of book research? Most interesting fact you uncovered? 

MARK:   have done a few crazy things in the name of research but mostly fun stuff. I spent a few with a guide in the ruins of a Mayan village learning Mayan astronomy and magic for “2012 Montezuma’s Revenge.”  I dragged my wife to a string of roller derby matches for “Khamel Towing”. In researching Homemade Sin, I visited Cassadega small town located near Daytona, Florida named the "Psychic Capital of the World".  My research has taken me to Key West, New Orleans and St. Petersburg, and next will be Tangier Island, a sinking island in the Chesapeake Bay. I’m always learning something interesting when I do research. Writing Bullfish I learned a lot about Atlantis, the Marie Celeste, and genetic engineering.  In Heavenly Pleasure I learned all about living vampires and ice cream. In Homemade Sin I learned all about voodoo, restaurant reviews and cats. In 2012 Montezuma’s Revenge I learned Mayan astronomy, nanobot technology, Martian politics, and high tech surveillance. I also got to give Martian cities names like Bradbury and Asimov, which was fun. 

JET: Of all the novels and stories you’ve written - which one is your favorite?  Why?

MARK:  My books are: Church of the Path of Least Resistance, Bullfish, Heavenly Pleasure, Homemade Sin and 2012 Montezuma’s Revenge, I have a yet unpublished novel called Khamel Towing and I am about ¾ finished a reimagining of the Wizard of Oz called “And Your Little Dog Too. And I have written one play- Shakespeare in the Trailer Park. I guess my favorite is Bullfish, it’s the most creative but the worst edited because I used a friend as editor instead of a professional- never, never do that.

JET:  Any advice (from a writer’s standpoint) for the novices out there?

MARK:  Read! Read everything you can get your hands on. If you aspire to be a sci-fi writer, read westerns and historical fiction, if you want to be a romance writer, read plays and sci-fi.  Don’t just read your genre, stretch out.  There is something to learn in every genre.  Build a literary toolbox from what you learn.  If you slam into a dead end, or your characters mutiny, or the plot just heads off in a different direction, you’ll have the right tools to build a bridge across it. But you have to have lots of different tools, if all you have is a hammer, all your problems will start looking like nails. Also, join a writer’s group if you can find one in your town, they are a great support system.  I’m a member of the James River Writers here in Richmond, and I really look forward to our once a month meetings at a local bar. You will find that a lot of people are facing the same writing hurdles you are and you can help each other get over them.

JET: All right - now that I’ve hammered you with the big questions, let’s tackle my favorite (and geeky) quick ten. . . starting with:  Paper or Plastic?

MARK:  I live in a little city neighborhood so I can usually take a canvas bag and walk to the wine store, the butcher, the bakery, etc so the answer there is canvas.

JET: Steak or Tofu?

MARK -  2” thick Porterhouse

JET: Beach or Mountains?

MARK – Beach, absolutely.

JET: Country or Rock-n-Roll?

MARK: Rock and roll. I always say I don’t go to musicals but I can name about 10 off the top of my head that I love.

JET: Leather or Lace?

MARK: I ride a Harley. Lace wouldn’t work.

JET: Angels or Demons?

MARK:  Gotta have both. I’m scared if I exorcise my demons my angels might leave too.

JET: Paper or Digital?

MARK:  Paper, I have a kindle but I keep buying paper books.

JET:  Silent Film Classics or Cheesy B Rated Horror?

MARK:  Cheesy B rated horror.

JET: Twilight or True Blood

MARK:  Absolutely True Blood. Twilight is a soccer game, there is a lot of running around but nobody scores, and the fans keep saying “you just don’t understand”.

JET: Coffee or Tea?

MARK: Shot of tequila in a dirty, cracked shot glass with lipstick prints on it.  Preferably fire engine red lipstick stains.

JET:  Thank you for indulging me.  Before we wrap this up, can you tell us what you're working on now?  What's next?

MARK:  I am deep into the 3^rd draft of a reimagining of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz called “And Your Little Dot Too. I have been fascinated with the Wizard of Oz since I was a kid. The Haunted Forest and the Flying Monkeys scared as hell out of me, but I watched it over and over. But as I began researching Frank Baum’s original work, I found so much more than just a simple children’s story. I discovered a rich social commentary with symbolism reflective of the economic and political aspects of the time in which it was written, the early 20^th century.  So I wondered how different the book would be if it had been written in the early years of the 21^st century instead of the 20^th.  After all, the overlying issues and the American culture have changed. And Your Little Dog Too is my attempt at that book. Why did I take such a difficult challenge?  Well, just…because, because, because, because, because …

JET: Thank you so much for taking the time to chat on my blog.  Folks, you can find out more about Mark Covington and his work at the following places: 

My website

My facebook

My Blog

Thank you for swinging in today!

Until next time…

Ciao.

JET

The trouble with eBooks by Ian Barker

The trouble with eBooks - by Ian Barker

I love ebooks. I love the immediacy of being able to download a book straight away. I love being able to get a sample before buying and I love, sometimes, the lower price over the print edition. Evidently other people love them too since Amazon reckons it now sells more ebooks than dead tree versions. Ebooks, it has been said, are the biggest revolution in reading since Gutenberg.

            A big part of the attraction of ebooks is convenience. Amazon in particular has understood this perfectly. You can buy a book almost instantly and since it’s stored in the cloud you can sync it across devices without having to mess about copying files around or plugging in USB sockets. There is a darker side to this though, you don’t really own a Kindle book so much as rent the use of it and Amazon can remove books if they wish.

            So what are the problems? Well, lovable though they are ebooks aren’t perfect. First of all there’s the thorny issue of format. The reason digital music took off in a big way was the existence of the MP3. Whether you have a computer, a proprietary device like an iPod or a cheap player from eBay, MP3s will work on all of them and you know that if you exchange a file with someone else it will work for them too. So far we don’t have such a ‘standard’ format for ebooks. The closest is the open source ePub file but it doesn’t work on the most popular reader, the Kindle. Yes, I know you can download Calibre and convert but it screws up the formatting a lot of the time and if the technology is going to become widely accepted you shouldn’t have to jump through hoops.

            Formatting is a tricky issue. I’ve read ebooks put out by major publishing houses where the formatting is diabolical – missing line breaks, misplaced hyphens, poor spacing. It looks like they’ve just taken the PDF of the print version and got the office junior to run it through some sort of conversion routine without bothering to check the result. Frankly this is unacceptable, if they expect us to pay a decent price for ebooks the quality control has to be at least as good as that in the print edition.

            Which brings us to price. I’m not one of those who thinks all ebooks should be available for pennies. Having been through the mill of getting novels published I know how much effort goes into editing and design whatever the finished format. However, price is important. Charging almost as much as the print edition – or more in some cases – for an intangible product is just taking the mickey. The trick is to price ebooks such that they’re attractive to the buyer whilst covering production costs. Price them too high and you encourage piracy (more of which shortly), too low and you devalue the work. Publishing has the opportunity to avoid the mistakes of the recording industry here, the jury remains out on whether or not it will manage that.

            Illegal copying of traditional books isn’t really a problem, requiring as it does time, effort and access to a photocopier. With ebooks piracy is a problem. Lend a print book to a friend and they might lend it to someone else, there’s still only one book in existence. Copy an ebook and it can be in the hands of hundreds of people. There are all kinds of views on whether this is a good or a bad thing – whether reading a pirated copy ultimately leads to a sale for example. But there is undeniably a problem and one which the industry needs to address. Locking down books with DRM is something of a blind alley so the solution probably comes back down to price. A legitimate Kindle book has added value over a pirated version because you can effortlessly sync it across devices with all of your bookmarks and notes intact. As long as it’s priced right most people will be willing to pay for the added convenience.

            So yes, ebooks are brilliant, but they’re not yet perfect. We need a universal format – a book equivalent of the MP3 – we need proper attention to ebook design and formatting, and we need consistent pricing. Above all we need publishers to take ebooks seriously, they’re not a spin off to the main game, in a very short time they’ll be the main game.

________________________________________________________________________________

Ian Barker is the author of Fallen Star and One Hot Summer, visit his author page on Amazon.

Thank you for swinging in.

Until next time...

Ciao

JET

Author Interview Series – Michael Snow

Today I have the pleasure of talking with author Michael Snow. Michael has been a commercial pilot for twenty-five years. He works for both United States and international companies all over the world, including peace-keeping arenas in the Middle East and Africa.

JET: Can you tell us about your most recent book?

Michael: The idea behind Rumours of War began while I was flying United Nations troops into Sudan and listening to the stories being told by flight crews and military personnel. There were a lot of rumors floating around about toxins being used to carry out genocide in the region; that aircraft had been utilized to introduce the toxins. It was irresistible as a story line, and the current tension between Israel and Iran became the perfect setting.

JET: What drew you to action-adventure?

Michael: I don’t have the ability to sit at a desk and conjure up great story lines – my books are combinations of ideas and real-life events, tied together with interesting things that have happened in my career. Also, some of the characters may eerily resemble some of my close friends. In Rumours of War, the pilot lost an engine while crossing the Atlantic Ocean. This actually happened to me, and believe me, when you’re down to one engine over the ocean, you can’t stop thinking about it.

JET: What’s been your most challenging hurdle on the road to publication?

Michael: I got really tired of receiving form letter rejections. Nobody read the query, or the first page, or any other part of the manuscript. I think this is a major problem with books and films being produced now – it’s difficult for new talent to get in.

JET: What was your favorite moment in the journey?

Michael: Jayne Southern with Rebel E Publishers showed some interest in the book summary. She requested a full manuscript read, then spent a few months editing, fussing at me, and writing little notes saying “you can do better than this!” We even argued about how to brew tea – she’s British, and female, so I lost. In the end, I learned a tremendous amount from her and the other folks at Rebel E, and I’m most appreciative.

JET: Which authors had the most influence over you growing up?

Michael: I liked Mark Twain, Stephen King, and Hemingway. I was a big fan of the classics.

JET: When did you know you wanted to take the plunge into the writing world?

Michael: I began writing short stories around age ten, then while in high school I won a college scholarship for writing. For some reason, I didn’t have the ability to tie a full book together until my forties.

JET: What’s the craziest thing you’ve done in the name of book research? Most interesting fact you uncovered?

Michael: A few years ago the whole world was searching for Charles Taylor, the former president of Liberia that was eventually tried and convicted at The Hague for war crimes. I was wandering around an airport and noticed his airplane on the ramp – I could tell by the registration number, it was Taylor’s presidential Boeing 727. Kind of made me wonder how hard he really was to find. Allegedly, something was taken out of the airplane. Looks good in my office though.

JET: Of all the novels and stories you’ve written - which one is your favorite? Why?

Michael: Sins of the Father was born from the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. I had the opportunity to work with a guy that had been flying that day, and diverted to St. Johns, Newfoundland after being denied entry into US airspace. The small town ran out of food for all the airline passengers, so fishermen went out to catch cod to feed everybody. It was such a compelling story of people working together after a tragedy that I had to make it part of a book.

JET: Any advice (from a writer’s standpoint) for the novices out there?

Michael: When submitting manuscripts, be creative. Be aware that if everyone is doing it one way, you may have to try something different to get noticed. I was able to get a request for a full manuscript read from one publisher by researching and finding the chief editors favorite book series. I put one of the characters in the subject line, and had a full read request within three days.

JET: All right - now that I’ve hammered you with the big questions, let’s tackle my favorite (and geeky) quick ten. . . starting with: Paper or Plastic?

Michael: Prefer reusable canvas bags. If I don’t have that option, paper, so I can scribble book ideas on it.

JET: Steak or Tofu?

Michael: Steak. Always.

JET: Beach or Mountains?

Michael: My family and I are serious beach people. I had breakfast the other day while watching dolphins.

JET: Country or Rock-n-Roll?

Michael: Classic rock please.

JET: 2012 Mayan Prophecy Believer or Ain’t Gonna Happen?

Michael: It just didn’t happen. I was all ready with a front row seat and everything.

JET: Angels or Demons?

Michael: Angels, but mix in a little demon to make it interesting.

JET: Audio books or E-books?

Michael: Audio books. They allow you to use your imagination a little more.

JET: Silent Film Classics or Cheesy B Rated Horror?

Michael: Horror spoofs are my favorite.

JET: Twilight or True Blood

Michael: Never missed the first three seasons of True Blood. Started losing interest when Faeries made their entrance.

JET: Classic werewolf or Modern werewolf?

Michael: Classic wolf. The modern ones are a little too metrosexual.

JET: Thank you for indulging me. Before we wrap this up, can you tell us what you're working on now? What's next?

Michael: I’m working on another novel called The Root of All Evil.

JET: Thank you so much for taking the time to chat on my blog. Folks, you can find out more about Michael Snow and his/her work at the following places: www.michael-snow.com

You can also find Michael Snow on Facebook and Twitter.

Thank you for swinging in today!
Until next time,
Ciao
JET

Author Interview Series - Melissa Mayberry

Today I have the pleasure of hosting Melissa Mayberry, one of the new author’s under the Novel Concept Publishing imprint.  Melissa’s book Mellifica: Devastating First Love just came out on New Year’s.

JET:  Can you tell us about Mellifica?

MEL: Mellifica: Devastating First Love was written about a difficult time in my life. I could have never imagined the impact that one person had on my life, and it still amazes me that I was able to pull through and grow and learn through the torment that my first love put me through.

JET:  What drew you to romance?

MEL: Romance doesn’t leave you sad; it gives you a happy ending. I’m a complete sucker for happy endings. Mellifica is written as young adult because the true events that this book is based on started when I was sixteen.

JET:  What’s been your most challenging hurdle on the road to publication? 

MEL: Writing about personal events can be easy because memories can be more vivid than my imagination. However, when the storyline became heartbreaking, those memories were hard to write about. I found myself visiting old demons that I had forgotten years ago. Writing Mellifica was so emotional for me, and I hope it brings my readers the full spectrum of emotions that it brought me.

JET:  What was your favorite moment in the journey?

MEL: The day I decided to start writing I was excited to be able to create and revisiting some of my memories was special. During the process, I’ve made a lot of new friends and became reacquainted with several old friends. When I finally finished, and it was the best I could do, I was overwhelmed with relief and pride. There is no way to pick a favorite from all of those moments.

JET:  Which authors had the most influence over you growing up? 

MEL: I was crazy about poetry when I was younger, and I also had a somber outlook. So, of course, I loved Emily Dickenson.

JET:  When did you know you wanted to take the plunge into the writing world?

MEL: When I was in high school, I wrote a lot of short stories, poems and even wrote for the high school paper. The boyfriend that Mellifica was written about, “Arien,” encouraged me to write and we wrote a lot of short stories together. I loved it so much, but years after that relationship I couldn’t continue to write even though many people begged me years ago to write this story. About eighteen years passed, and the true story of “Arien” came to a final, heartbreaking and very ironic ending. The events were just so strange that I knew it was fate telling me that I had to write again.

JET: What’s the craziest thing you’ve done in the name of book research? Most interesting fact you uncovered? 

MEL: There wasn’t a lot that I had to research for this book. All of the information fell in my lap, begging me to put it all together, and I can’t tell the most interesting fact that I uncovered. That would be a huge spoiler for book two! I can tell you that it has to do with a gravestone. It’s interesting to note that there is a website with pictures of headstones. The craziest thing I’ve done was stalk Facebook pages. I even “friended” a certain nemesis—in the name of research.

JET:  Of all the novels and stories you’ve written - which one is your favorite?  Why?

MEL: Of course it’s Mellifica. It’s the first full length novel that I’ve written, and it’s so close to my heart, that it will be known to me as one of my biggest accomplishments. The books are eighteen years of procrastination that I’ve buckled down and accomplished.

JET:  Any advice (from a writer’s standpoint) for the novices out there?

MEL: If you haven’t written in years, make friends with people that practice the art. Without my critique group, I may never have gotten past the first chapter. Having a few very honest people to read your work is more helpful than a thousand people that love you reading it. Keep your skin thick and your determination strong.

JET: All right - now that I’ve hammered you with the big questions, let’s tackle my favorite (and geeky) quick ten. . . starting with:  Paper or Plastic?

MEL: Paper—you know, book covers!

JET: Steak or Tofu?

MEL: Both.

JET: Beach or Mountains?

MEL: BEACH!!

JET: Country or Rock-n-Roll?

MEL: Hair bands!

JET: Leather or Lace?

MEL: Both

JET: Angels or Demons?

MEL: Both!

JET: Paper or Digital?

MEL: Digital

JET:  Silent Film Classics or Cheesy B Rated Horror?

MEL: Ew. Neither.

JET: Twilight or True Blood

MEL: AH! Both.

JET: Coffee or Tea?

MEL: BOTH!!

JET:  Thank you for indulging me.  Before we wrap this up, can you tell us what you're working on now?  What's next?

MEL: Well, I’ve finished Mellifica Book two. I don’t know what to call it. I don’t know what the cover will look like. So, I’m working on the little things for book two.

While my mind is covering that, I’m also writing a few other things. I’m crazy like that. One story is called Reckless. A woman takes a huge leap of faith and crosses the country for a death defying stunt man. She learns to live life only to figure out she had been really reckless with hers.

Another work in progress is “Critical Access.” It’s a medical romance/comedy. I couldn’t help it, I’m a nurse!

JET: Thank you so much for taking the time to chat on my blog.  Folks, you can find out more about Melissa Mayberry and her work at the following places:  http://melissamayberry.com

or Twitter: https://twitter.com/MayberryMelissa

Thank you for swinging in today, 

Until next time,

Ciao

JET

Author Interview series - Ray Wenck

Today I have the pleasure of having Ray Wenck on my blog. Ray was an elementary school teacher for 35 years. He also owned and operated a small Italian restaurant for more than 20 years. Currently, in his retired life, he is a cook at the local casino and is spending his free time working on his next novel. Ray lives in the Toledo area where most of his stories are based.

JET: Ray, can you tell us about your most recent book?

Ray: Teammates is a story of two life-long friends, Danny Roth and Tony Antonelli. They have pasts better left forgotten and have built lives that isolate them from the memories. Their one shared passion is baseball which they still play. It serves as an escape and reminds them of better times in their lives.

When visiting a teammate at his new bar they interrupt a loan collection by a local mob boss. Stepping in to protect their friend they become targets of the mob and must now fight to survive. With each confrontation the two friends are drawn closer to a world they thought long buried. The question becomes how far are they willing to go to save a friend?

JET: What drew you to (genre)?

Ray: I’ve always enjoyed action and thriller novels. Although I started off making this a light adventure I found it really needed more. There are many light moments, especially on the baseball field, but for the most part it is action oriented.

JET: What’s been your most challenging hurdle on the road to publication?

Ray: Wow! Good question. I can think of a lot of things but the biggest hurdle was understanding the process. Query writing was the hardest part. I just wasn’t very good at it. You have just a few lines to get an agent or publisher’s attention. There is so much to learn. I found myself wishing I had paid better attention in high school English classes. But I worked hard at improving my skills and it was worth it. I started out being a storyteller and ended up a writer.

JET: What was your favorite moment in the journey?

Ray: I think this might be true for most first time authors, but it had to be when I opened the email from Jayne at Rebel e that offered me a contract. I was all alone in a warehouse working. I took a break and checked my emails and saw one from her and just stared at it. I was afraid to open it. I’d had enough rejections that I created a file to put them in. To that point I’d been having a good day and didn’t want to ruin it so I went back to work. I fantasized over the next half hour what it would be like to get published. Finally I couldn’t take it any more and opened it. When I saw what it was I danced all over that place. Yep, definitely a favorite moment.

JET: Which authors had the most influence over you growing up?

Ray: I read almost across the board. Mysteries, horror, fantasy, sci-fy, adventure, etc. Growing up I read Tolkien, lots of Star Trek, Edgar Rice Burrough’s John Carter, and more I can’t remember.

JET: When did you know you wanted to take the plunge into the writing world?

Ray: I’ve always enjoyed writing or creating stories in my mind, I just never made the time to do it seriously. Now, looking back I wish I would have started twenty years ago. If there’s one piece of advice I can pass along it would be if you want to write, do it. Don’t put it off or it may be one of those things you never got around to.

I was lucky. I stopped making excuses and sat down and wrote. I had the best time. When I finished that one I already had an idea for another and started on it the second the first was done. I had no thoughts of publishing, I was just having fun.

When I finished my fourth novel I was having a celebratory beverage when a friend asked what the celebration was for. It was the first time I had ever told anyone I was writing. She managed to convince me to let her read one. When she was done she said, “You should get this published.” And ding, the light went on. That was a little more than two years ago.

JET: What’s the craziest thing you’ve done in the name of book research? Most interesting fact you uncovered?

Ray: I always act out fight sequences to make sure they work. In Teammates there’s a scene where Danny hops over a bar from the drinker’s side to attack an armed man. I needed to know if the move would work. Since I owned a restaurant with a bar I decided to test my idea there. I waited until we were closed and the staff had gone before attempting the move.

Now, I have jumped that bar twice before from the bartender’s side. Once when a patron was choking and once to break up a fight. That side is lower and I was standing. From the other side I was sitting and there is a step there so the height isn’t as great. It should be easier.

I practiced several ways in slow motion before deciding on the best way. I made the move trying to be explosive from the barstool. The stool flew backward, I hit my knee on the underside of the bar, rolled over the top and plunged to the floor. I was stunned. Afraid to move, I realized the next staff member wasn’t due in for another 10 hours. It took a long time to get up and an even longer time to want to try it again.

What fact I learned was that I don’t bounce very well.

JET: Of all the novels and stories you’ve written - which one is your favorite? Why?

Ray: Book four of the Danny Roth series. (The title is still in the works) There was something about this novel that was different. Maybe it was the story line or maybe it was the point where I first felt I was a writer. There was a lot of emotion in this story. There were times where I had to get up and walk away from the screen to regroup and start again. It was the first one that I finished and felt spent. It was at that point I thought I could be a writer. I can’t wait to see that one published.

JET: Any advice (from a writer’s standpoint) for the novices out there?

Ray: I will pass on the two things told to me that made a difference. One, join a writer’s group if there is one locally. Talk to others going through what you would like to. The local group I found was a chapter of Romance Writer’s of America. Although I don’t write true romance, I have romantic elements. (and now I started a romance novel; who knew) Anyway, they were very accepting and so willing to help. Within about a four month period we had a flurry of sold books. You can also join some writer’s groups online. Good Reads and Absolute Write are two of the many I belong to.

The second thing that started me understanding the writing process was going to a writer’s conference. For me it was the James River Writers in Richmond, Virginia. The very first thing I learned there within the initial fifteen minutes was I was no where near ready to publish. It was an eye opening experience but one that set me on the right track.

A third thing would be (even though I only said two) do it. Make some time in your busy life to do it; if only for yourself. Who knows where it may lead.

JET: All right - now that I’ve hammered you with the big questions, let’s tackle my favorite (and geeky) quick ten. . . starting with: Paper or Plastic?

Ray: Oh, save the trees.

JET: Steak or Tofu?

Ray: I don’t eat much steak, but I’d prefer it over tofu.

JET: Beach or Mountains? I’m definitely a mountain man. Go hiking and climbing every chance I get. Love the Smokey’s.

JET: Country or Rock-n-Roll?

Ray: Tough choice. Like them both but rock wins out. The band I was in played both but much more rock.

JET: Leather or Lace?

Ray: Depends on who’s wearing it.

JET: Angels or Demons?

Ray: The angel on my left shoulder says “Angels,” but the devil on my right says “Demon.” I don’t want to make either one mad so I’ll take the chicken’s way out and say “no comment.”

JET: Paper or Digital?

Ray: Aw man, I love my paperbacks, but I’ve been told I have to step into the now. I still prefer to hold a book then an e-reader, but I have actually downloaded books now onto mine.

JET: Silent Film Classics or Cheesy B Rated Horror?

Ray: You know, I like them both. The B’s are so campy that they can be entertaining, but the silent form really had to be creative in order to demonstrate their emotion and storyline without speaking.

JET: Twilight or True Blood

Ray: Well I’m going to lose a few people here but I can honestly say I haven’t seen either.

JET: Coffee or Tea?

Ray: Tea. Loves me some Earl Grey.

JET: Thank you for indulging me. Before we wrap this up, can you tell us what you're working on now? What's next?

Ray: Currently I am finishing edits on Home Team the third book in the Danny Roth series, and have started a new mystery series about a chef and his ex-cop wife who leave their lives behind and take up residence in Lubec, Maine where they get into all kinds interesting predicaments.

JET: Thank you so much for taking the time to chat on my blog. Folks, you can find out more about Ray Wenck and his work at the following places:

http://raywenck.com/ or http://www.amazon.com/Teammates-Danny-Roth-Novel-ebook/dp/B00ATCCSOU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1356566432&sr=8-1&keywords=ray+wenck


Thanks for stopping in today.
Until next time...
Ciao
JET

Why reading romance novels makes women smarter - by Misty Wright

Why reading romance novels makes women smarter...


It might have something to do with women need some enjoyment with their living. The addiction of reading romance novels makes them more enjoyable in living and leads them to a very sharp and intuitive mind. Not only menreading in these books connect to their life and become happy but also in women who become more addict reading romance novel, they become emotional reading books and it leads them to become smarter than men when it comes to relationship.

Romance novel is somewhat happening in our real world. This novel has a realistic world not just they are imagination in the book but it has so many meaning to determine. There are so many couple today become cold with their partner but because we now understand the meaning of love, and women become smarter, we consider them the strong foundation of a relationship. They are just only women in the world but they are the combination of man’s living.

Many women because of reading novels, they become the adviser of many organization, families, communities, couple and teenagers. Only women understand the way novel works in their life. They can escape problems and conquer all. Most of us go through our daily lives on winding road. We're fall from every road with so many obstacles that we become hopeless but women overcome all of it. Reading romance is the best appetite for every woman who gives them a new world of hope and excitement. It is just like a challenge for them.

Romance novels take everywomanin a imaginary world which motivate them to stand firm. We must understand how women love reading novels because it might be the newest women in the world who needs to be strong, and it is not just like before. Women’s emotions is something we don’t understand what it is but sometimes it enlighten us how they handle this. Teenagers are mostly the fanatic of romance novels and they are so exciting in the inside world of the book.

They have the higher enjoyment and happiness. I find that romance novels works in the emotional aspects, that when you are stressed or tired, reading novels help for thinking about what makes for good relationships. It's one of the best books that emphasizes of being a woman, and to think in a positive manner. Romance novel remind you a similar character that you will change and that’s the meaning that you'll find happiness.

The absolute meaning of everyromance is so different in the real world; it is you who wants to find the exact happiness you have. When I started listening comments of every woman I encounter, being smart people is a reader. They believe that being smart women is not what you fell but what you experience and learn in the past days. Smart girls don't read romance novels by just only having fun but for learning. Romance novels present the women’s excitement into the next level. It builds a strong relationship and makes women ready to mingle.

Authors use every line in a unique and sexually exciting part to build every woman’s mind to take any directions and learning. In the same situation, smart girls not only read romance novels, they also write romance novels. Many women did this to express feelings. We lead the woman in what they want according to what might be helpful for them.

Misty Wright, the author of this article, is a contemporary suspense romance author and the founder of iVisionaryMedia.com. Misty has a special surprise for you on 03 Jan and 04 Jan 2013 ONLY…

FREE ON KINDLE TWO DAYS ONLY!
JAN 03 & 04, 2012, Misty’snovel :
ASSASSIN’S LOVE

“This is more than just an assassin cum romance novel.

The novel fabricates the assassin story of a young female assassin, Diane who had learned to kill at quite an early age. However, this unfortunate young woman falls for a man and the novel has much adventure, suspense and thrill in store for the young reader.

Diane is an assassin on the run. She's good at what she does--in fact, she's one of the best--but sometimes she wishes her life could be different. Convinced that she will die by the hands of another killer, she has anticipated her eventual demise, but will it be sooner than she thinks?

When a hit is put on her, she isn't sure who wants her dead: the man she loves, the family she pledged her allegiance to, or the many enemies she's made over the years.

Living a life of secrets makes it hard to love, but soon, Diane will have to conquer her fears and find her Mr. Right.

When she finds him, though, her career as a killer threatens to tear them apart.

Will their love bloom, or will the sins of her past come back to haunt her?

Will Diane ever escape from her lifestyle of murder with the man she loves?

Available as a free download from Amazon!

http://www.amazon.com/Assassins-Contemporary-Romance-Novel-ebook/dp/B009225EJ4/

To find out more about Misty Wright, please visit her at one of the following places:
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/MISTY-WRIGHT/e/B008EAP7Y2/
Twitter : @ivisionarymedia
Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/pages/IVisionary-Media-Publishing/431494926909711
Website : www.ivisionarymedia.com

Thanks for swinging by today and don't forget to check out Assasin's Love!
Until next time,
Ciao,
JET