Showing posts with label guest author. Show all posts
Showing posts with label guest author. Show all posts

Meet Guest Author Dana Pratola


CG: Hi Dana! I’m so excited to have you here on the blog today. Your new book, Voice of Truth, sounds fabulous. Why don’t you start by telling us a little bit about yourself? Where did you grow up? What do you write? Why do you write? 



DP: I was born and raised in New Jersey. I write because I’ve never been able to not write. It’s part of my make-up and what I know God wants me to do.

CG: So true! For many of us authors, we write because we have to. There really is no choice. So, what is one thing most people wouldn’t know about you? 

DP: I’m pretty good with a gun. Oh, and if I’m in the car and Steve Perry comes on the radio, all talking must cease, lol.

CG: Sounds like the ladies around here out in the country in NC. OK, lets get to the nitty-gritty of writing. Of the writing process, what do you enjoy most?

DP: Editing. I know that sounds crazy, but for me the pressure of getting the story down is off and I can relax.

CG: I completely agree. I enjoy editing too. And the the plotting. When you wrote your latest novel, Voice of Truth, what came first the story or character?

DP: The story. I’ve always wanted to wake up one day and just know how to play piano – without lessons. So I thought, hmm, what if that actually happened to someone, only with a voice?

CG: Oh, wow, yes! Wouldn't that be awesome? Now speaking of your novel, Voice of Truth if you had  to pick a “Theme Love Song” for it what would it be? Why? 

DP: I’m Movin’ On by Rascal Flatts. It’s not a love song, but it describes very well the kinds of things Sophia is going through during much of the book and her decision to finally move ahead in spite of her life not going the way she had planned. Excellent song.


CG: Everyone give it a listen. It is a great song! Can you give us a tidbit about Voice of Truth that readers might not know? 

DP: This book was actually part of a different, longer story, but the parts I didn’t use here, are now the plot foundation for another book I’m working on.

CG: Thats very interesting. I find that I too am scavenging older, out of print stories and reusing them. Thanks for being here today, Dana. Please give us an excerpt from your new release. 


The chill Sophia radiated when he’d first arrived hadn’t warmed any, yet by the time they stepped into the afternoon sun, Cade had decided he was quite infatuated with her. He wasn’t the type to believe he could fall in love over the space of their short acquaintance, but he could accept infatuation. He would enjoy it until it faded. He’d give it another week. After giving her a sidelong glance he revised it to two, taking her hand as they walked.

“Where’s Leon or Lenny, or whatever his name is?” Cade asked when the new bodyguard failed to materialize at Sophia’s side.

“Lonnie is no longer under my employ,” she said, snatching her hand back.

He chuckled at the haughty tone and the fact that Lonnie was the third bodyguard she’d had since they’d met. He’d thought Kitty had been exaggerating when she’d told him Sophia went through them like a kid with candy.

“How about a ride?”

“I have my car,” she said, pointing to a white SUV.

Though Sophia slitted her brown eyes, she made no argument when he led her past her own car and opened his passenger door for her. Cade’s gaze stayed on hers as he rounded the hood and got in. The instant his door was shut she tore into him.

“Don’t you ever do something like that again,’ Sophia said. “I don’t appreciate you horning in on my personal time.”

Personal time?

“Whoa,” Cade raised his hands and turned to face her. “I do what I like, Sophia, remember that.”

“We agreed—“

“To meet tomorrow morning so I can interview you until you pack up your tents and move out,” he interjected. “I still intend to do that.”

“Well, between appointments, you can’t just show up and take notes.”

“Yes, I can.” He stabbed the key into the ignition.

“You won’t.”

“As I said, I can do what I like.” With a turn of his wrist, the engine roared to life and tires squealed into the light flow of traffic.

“You have no right to haunt me!”

A thought occurred to Cade, one that had occurred to him when he’d first arrived and one that twisted his gut into a very unpleasant knot. He’d never been jealous a day in his life, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t recognize the insidious monster when it reared its head. “Did I interrupt something in there?”

Sophia’s mouth dropped open, and then shut as quickly. Her chin came up defiantly. “That’s none of your business.”

She was right, of course.

“I think it is.”

Fists clenched in her lap, Sophia sat rigid in the seat. At the first red light, she reached for the door handle only to find her arm trapped in a vise-like grip.

“That’s not a good idea,” Cade told her, eyes glittering, but he loosened his fingers enough for her to yank away. “It’s a long walk and if you called for a ride, you’d probably fire the driver halfway back.”

Her body remained a controlled bundle of fury for the duration of the ride, yet when he pulled to a stop in front of the hotel she didn’t slam the door as expected, or bolt for the lobby. Instead, she walked with quick, measured steps into the building. He knew following her was pointless, but he did it anyway.

He hadn’t gotten ten feet inside when he saw them: two plain-clothes guards, conspicuous in their drab, colorless suits when contrasted with the sophistication and gloss of the clientele. They flanked him, as another whisked Sophia into the open elevator.

“That’s far enough, sir,” one of them told Cade.

Sophia offered him a sweet smile as the doors slid shut.


Purchase Voice of Truth at Amazon and Pelican Book Group

Blurb: Sophia Gallo is celebrated and adored by millions, but in her meteoric rise to fame, it might appear she’s forgotten the One Who gave her the gift that made possible her life of wealth and glory. She hasn’t forgotten. She’s reminded every day as she endeavors to hide a secret that could change everything and expose her as the freak and outcast she always thought herself to be.
Cade Fioretti has never backed down from finding the truth, and he’s not about to start now. Its his job and his passion. Sophia is beautiful, talented, and the subject of his next book; but she’s hiding something. No matter what it takes, he’s going to dig it up, and in the process learn all there is to know about this woman who’s stolen his heart.


Author Bio: I was born and raised in West Orange, New Jersey, home of the Thomas A. Edison factory and springboard of celebrities and astronauts alike. But, I’ll say the most important people ever to hail from West Orange are my three children, all of whom are destined to make wide, colorful splashes in this world. My husband and I share our home with two dogs, who pretty much run the place. I have no hobbies to speak of, unless you include writing. I don’t. http://danapratola.webs.com




Guest Spotlight: YA Author Krysten Hager

I'm so excited to have guest, Krysten Hager with us today. Book 2 of her fabulous True Colors series (Best Friends Forever?) just came out from Astraea Press/Clean Reads.com. Tomorrow she will be back for an interview so please join us for that as well.



Tag line: Good friends have your back, but some go behind it.

Blurb:    Landry Albright hopes the new year will start off in an amazing way—instead she has to deal with more frenemy issues, boy drama, and having most of her best friends make the cheerleading squad without her. Suddenly, it seems like all anyone can talk about is starting high school next year—something she finds terrifying.
                  Landry gets her first boyfriend, but then gets dumped just as things come to a head with her friends. She feels lost and left out, but finds good advice about dealing with frenemies from what she considers an unlikely source. Landry faces having to speak up for what’s right, tell the truth (even when it hurts), and how to get past the fear of failure as she gets another shot at competing in the American Ingénue modeling competition.

EXCERPT 1:
I got ready for bed and then stopped to check my social media page one more time and that's when I saw it — another picture of Peyton, India, and Devon hanging out. They were sitting on the couch with their heads scrunched close together and laughing. It was a cute picture, but then I saw the caption: So glad we could all be together for the holidays. Love these guys soooo much! Best friends forever. #Alltogether #Threemusketeers #BestFriendsForever #ThreeBestFriends #ThreesCompany.
My heart sank. It was India’s caption and anyone who read it would think what a closeknit group of friends and not realize anyone was missing from that photo. Sure, I was in another state, so naturally I couldn’t be there for it, but the way India wrote that made me feel so left out. I mean, what did she mean by the "ʺThree’s Company"ʺ hashtag? And sometimes people tagged friends who weren’t there in pictures and added, "ʺWish you were here,"ʺ but there was no mention of a fourth member of the group.
“Ready for bed, hon?” Mom asked coming into my room.
“Yeah, just signing off.”
“Okay, sleep well.”
I got into bed and hoped I was reading into things, but the knot in my stomach wouldn’t go away.

Book Trailer: 


Author bio: Krysten Lindsay Hager is the author of the Landry’s True Colors Series, a clean reads young adult series. Krysten writes about  friendship, self-esteem, fitting in, middle school and high school, frenemies, modeling, crushes, values, and self-image in both True Colors and Best Friends…Forever?
Krysten is an Amazon international bestselling author and book addict who has never met a bookstore she didn’t like. She’s worked as a journalist and writes middle grade, YA, humor essays, and adult fiction. She is originally from Michigan and has lived in Portugal, South Dakota, and currently resides in Southern Ohio where you can find her reading and writing when she’s not catching up on her favorite shows. She received her master’s degree from the University of Michigan-Flint.


What people are saying about True Colors (Landry’s True Colors Series Book One):
From Teenage Book Recommendations in the UK: "This is a fantastically relatable and real book which I feel captures all of the insecurities and troubles which haunt the modern teenage girl. It is about a young model who has to go through tough times when she is torn between a life as a model and managing her friendships. You learn which friends she can most trust and which will create the drama typical of teenage life. Follow the life of Landry and try to see if you can find out which are her true friends before their true colours are revealed. This book is all about relationships, hopes and truth. I loved this book!"
From Books & Authors Spot: “This book is such an inspiration for those who just care about their looks and are tensed about them. This thing is looks aren't everything. This book is related to every teen's problem. Hager has written a very inspiring novel.”


Buy Links:
Amazon international: http://authl.it/B00UIP1N5S


Connect with Krysten:
Website: http://www.krystenlindsay.com/     


 Tell Krysten what you think of her book down in the comments and I'll send you a copy of either of my short reads--historical western Second Chances or Contemporary My Grand Epiphany




Author Spotlight: E.A. West & her new YA Different

I'm happy to have E.A. West on the blog today. She's here to introduce her new Young Adult novel, Different, available from Astraea Press.






Tag line:

Anything can happen when the rules change.

Back Cover Blurb:

Jezebel Smith is different. She can’t talk, she doesn’t look like anyone in her family, and no matter what she does it’s always the wrong thing. God accepts her for who she is, but He’s the only one who does. Then she finds an unconscious man in her favorite cave, and her life is turned upside down. New people and new rules collide with the old, leaving Jezebel unsure of which set of rules apply to her life. When the strangers in town attempt to help her out of the nightmare she’s grown up in, it promises to change her life forever.

Excerpt #1:

The distant drip of water echoed off the rocky walls as Jezebel Smith wandered through her cave. Pungent fumes from her kerosene lantern stung her nose, and she wished for a flashlight. But her family would miss a flashlight. They never noticed when she took the old lantern from the barn.

Turning her face away from the lantern, she caught a whiff of the familiar scent of the rocks around her. She loved the fresh, earthy smell of her cave. Through countless hours of careful practice, her hiking boots barely produced a whisper on the bumpy path leading to her special cavern. If she swung the lantern on its creaky handle, however, she could fill the cave with a creepy echo that reminded her of Halloween.

She passed through an opening in the wall and entered a large cavern with several ledges in one end. As she approached the lowest ledge, the glow from her lantern touched an unfamiliar lump on the floor below the rocky shelf and she froze. She knew every inch of this cavern — every rock, ledge, and bump in the floor. No one ever came here. Nothing ever changed unless she changed it. The cave was the only thing she could count on to always stay the same.

This time, however, there was something new. The cave had broken its own rules, adding a boulder where one didn’t belong. She crept toward it, fighting tears of hurt that the cave would trick her like everyone else, and the golden light of her lantern revealed it wasn’t a boulder after all — it was the still form of a man. Her pulse pounded in her ears, so loud it threatened to drown out her own thoughts. Where had he come from? Why wasn’t he moving? Her heart skipped a beat. Was he dead?

Excerpt #2:

Fear shivered through her that he was sleeping so much. One of her brothers had fallen out of a tree once and hit his head, and the doctor said they had to keep him from falling asleep for a while. Jezebel didn’t know if falling off a ledge and hitting his head made the man have to stay awake or not.

After worrying for a while longer, she finally decided she’d have to risk a beating from her parents and go get the doctor. She didn’t know if he’d come, but she had to try. Daniel was the only person to ever treat her kindly, and he needed help.

She put a couple more sticks on the fire so it would keep burning while she was gone, and then she lit the lantern and headed out of the cavern. As she neared the cave entrance, the flame went out. She slowed her steps and followed the faint glow of daylight. Hopefully the doctor had a flashlight. When she stepped into the woods, she set the lantern by the cave entrance and ran toward town. She practiced saying Daniel’s name while she ran, praying the doctor would come if she told him the injured man’s name.

As she neared the edge of town, she slowed down to catch her breath. She hesitantly stepped onto the main road, terrified at the thought of trying to convince the doctor to go with her. She’d learned a long time ago that no one believed her about anything, and since she couldn’t talk, people didn’t understand what she tried to tell them anyway.

A lot of strange cars and people clogged the main street through town, and Jezebel wondered who they were. Unless Reverend Brown was holding one of his many revivals,  the town rarely had many visitors. As she continued toward the doctor’s office, a woman carrying a stack of papers walked toward her with a smile. Jezebel stopped, her mind whirling with uncertainty, and the woman handed her a paper.

“We’re looking for this man. He went hiking in this area a couple of days ago and didn’t come back.”

Jezebel studied the sheet in her hands, and her heart skipped a beat. A picture of Daniel stared back, and some words had been printed across the bottom in black ink. She pointed to the photo. “D-Dan... Daniel.”

“That’s right, his name is Daniel,” the woman said, her tone changing a little. “Have you seen him?”

Jezebel nodded and looked back the way she’d come. “C-c-cave.”

“You saw him in a cave?”

She nodded again, excitement rushing through her. For the first time in her life, someone understood what she tried to say. She touched the photograph on the paper, indicating where the cut on Daniel’s head was. Before she could see if the woman understood, she heard her older brother spit out her name. She cringed and felt herself shriveling inside.


Buy Links:


Author Bio:

E.A. West, award-winning author of sweet and inspirational romance, is a lifelong lover of books and storytelling. In high school, she picked up her pen in a creative writing class and hasn’t laid it down yet. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys reading, knitting, and crocheting. She lives in Indiana with her family and a small zoo of pets.








Where to Find Me: