Mailbox Mondays #5

Ahhh the magic of books.  Well here we are for another Mailbox Monday.  It's so fun to see who received what books during the week.  So I hope you will join me,  and leave a comment with the link to your Mailbox Monday so I can hop over and see what you got this past week.  It's so much fun.

From Publisher Group For Review:

From The Author for Review:

That's what was in my Mailbox, what was in yours?

Until next time,

VBT Pit Stop & Giveaway - At The Round Table with Author Nora Weston

 

Welcome to the Round Table. May I offer you a beverage before we begin?
Tantalizing Tea...thank you!

Thank you so much for taking time to chat with me today.  It's so nice to have you at the Round Table.  Nora is also offering you a chance to win a copy of Guardian 2632!  Please find the rules below.


BK:  Please tell us a bit about yourself....
NW: I grew up in Wheeling, WV in a small neighborhood that was nestled down in a beautiful valley...complete with spooky woods, howling owls, and mysterious things that tapped upon my bedroom window. Stephen King’s “Salem’s Lot” seemed as though it could’ve taken place in my backyard. Okay, I’m going to date myself, but I never grew tired of watching The Twilight Zone, Dark Shadows, and the original Star Trek. I graduated from West Liberty University with a teaching degree (K-12) and have taught in Pennsylvania and Florida. My husband, six children, and two, tiny dogs...who think they are human, have moved quite a few times with his company. I’ve discovered we are good at relocating; it’s always a grand adventure seeing new places and meeting unusual people.


BK:  What inspired you to pen this novel?
NW: “Guardian 2632” was inspired from a series of relentless dreams about Zane Grayson and Julia Emerson. At first, the dreams were only about Julia’s crumbling marriage to Jack. The fights, his reckless behavior, and his irresponsibility toward his family soon entangled him with a mobster, named Marshall Pickett. Julia’s life was put in harm’s way. It all played out, night after night, like a soap opera, which was really bizarre, because I’ve never watched any soaps! Before long, Zane Grayson...a mastermind from the future, entered to make sure I awoke every morning preoccupied with these ghosts from dreamland. So, “Guardian 2632” became a short story and then grew into a full length novel.

BK:  What draws you to write in this genre?
NW: I suppose the mystifying woods behind my childhood home started it all. Those woods and surrounding train tunnels...with legends of their own, plus the magnificent, haunted-looking homes in Wheeling fueled my imagination. Although fueling my imagination is not a difficult thing to do! Nothing is ever as simple as it seems, and that’s what I explore in my writing. People, places, and things all have a past that can inspire amazing works of fiction.

BK:  How do you keep your writing different from all the other novels in this genre?
NW: Hopefully, what sets my writing apart is not how scary, or futuristic the plot is...because many writers can send a chill down a reader’s spine, but that I strive to write fiction and poetry to encourage a reader to examine their past and present situations, so the future is better. People should dream, should feel that tomorrow can be improved, and that’s found in most of my work. I can’t say it’s in all of it...because there are those days when my sense of humor is attacked by sarcasm...and then well, watch out. People get hurt, some die, and mayhem is unleashed, however I do my best to keep my protagonists alive and well.

BK:  Who is your favorite character and why?
NW: Tough question! I really like the quantum computer in “Guardian 2632,” named Gabriel, but it has to be number 2...because Zane Grayson wins. Zane is a flawed, yet likeable character because although he does make mistakes, and break his law against time surfing...ultimately, he wants to do the right thing. Zane admires Guardian TMF’s view, taken from Albert Einstein, who said, “Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.” I can respect that.

BK:  Which character would you most invite to dinner?
NW: No doubt about it, Zane Grayson. He’s gorgeous, intelligent...a body to die for, and thoughtful.
Yes, he came from a dream...

BK:  What is your favorite part about writing?
NW:  No boundaries! As a mother of six children, let me tell you my daylight to midnight madness has boundaries, which is mainly in the laundry room. That place is a nightmare.

BK:  Did you find any particular challenges during the writing of this novel?
NW: The main difficulty I had was when I started writing “Guardian 2632,” I only knew of silicon-based computers, so the technology in the novel mirrored that. Research enlightened me pretty quickly that silicon-based technology would be a joke in the year 2632. I had to revamp my technology to quantum computers which are based on a molecular level, but that was as far in the future as I could imagine. My technology utilizes a neuro-nantransmitter (positioned inside a person’s neck) along with a portable quantum device that attaches to a person’s wrist to replace computers like we have in 2011. Everything is then projected like a holoscape...no actual screen or hard drive.

BK:  Did you learn anything about yourself as a result of writing this novel?
NW: I learned I should have paid better attention to my chemistry and physics teachers! My father always says, “No knowledge is ever wasted.” Yep, he was right. Had I paid attention in class, way back then...this novel would’ve evolved much faster. Writing “Guardian 2632” made me more aware of the fact I need to learn a lot more...about everything I can. Juicy tidbits of new information can always lead characterization and plot construction down a totally new path.


BK:  Are you currently working on any projects?
NW: Currently, I’m getting ready to do the final edit on my next release from Melange Books, called “The Twelfth Paladin.” It’s a smoking-hot, heaven/hell adventure that involves a fallen angel named Micah, a rebellious hero...Jake Cottrell, and a temptress extraordinaire named Rachel Darnell. It’s a reworking of an older novel.

BK:  Any advice for new aspiring authors?
NW: When submitting work to publishers, agents, or any market, always make a sincere effort to find the contact person’s name.
Follow all submission guidelines...exactly as they’ve been posted. For example, do not send science fiction to a fantasy market if that market has declared itself to be strictly fantasy.
Spelling and grammar do count, so read like crazy, and use the Internet to find websites/blogs that can assist with any grammar questions that may be plaguing you.
Take pride in your unique perspective on life and use it to develop your writer’s personality. You’ll be surprised what comes out of your head.
I can’t leave out...edit, edit, and then edit some more.

BK:  Where can readers find you?
Website: http://www.2noraweston.com
Twitter: @almostsanelady
Blog: http://noraweston.wordpress.com

Fun Facts:

BK:  Fantasy or Horror?
NW: Horror

BK:  Day or Night?
NW: Night

BK:  Favorite Drink?
NW: Scorching hot tea

BK:  Favorite Movie?
NW: Serenity

BK:  What is a must have to write?

NW: Scorching hot tea...and Twizzlers

BK:  If you could possess a supernatural power, what would it be and why?
NW: I’d like the ability to make laundry for my clan wash and dry itself and then have it all walk upstairs and get put away. Nope. That’s too selfish!  I’d love to be able to see the future and prevent harm to others.

BK:  Favorite Book?
NW: Too many!

BK:  Favorite Author?
NW: Edgar Allan Poe

BK:  Favorite Song?
NW: Miss You/Blink 182

BK:  Favorite Saying?
NW: I have to agree with Zane on this, Albert Einstein’s, “Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.”

BK:  What is one thing your readers would be most surprised to know about you?
NW: I have no idea what my natural hair color is at this point in my life.

BK:  What is the craziest thing you've ever done?
NW: That is up for debate! I’ve lived long enough that there are quite a few things to choose from.

BK:  What do you hope readers will most take away from your writing?
NW: Dream better dreams and make them come true. Life is too short for regret, don’t you think?

BK:  If someone could describe you in one word, what would it be?
NW: I don’t know. Short always seems to be a popular one, but hopefully...kind.

Thank you so much for being at the Round Table today.  It's been such a pleasure chatting with you and I wish you much success in the future.

Thank you for having me as your guest today!

Now for the contest:  Win a Paperback Edition of Guardian 2632

Simply leave a comment for Nora telling her what you would love about time travel,  include your email and please become a follower of the blog.  Winners will be drawn March 4 using Random Number Generator.  No answer,  no entry.  It's that simple.  Paperback for US & Canada.  Ebook for International.

You can follow Nora's virtual book tour by visiting The Virtual Book Tour Cafe' Calendar of Events page.  There will be some more giveaways coming up with some fantastic prizes you won't want to miss,  plus the chance for you to win Guardian 2632.


Until next time,

Fantasy Friday #5 & Friday Hop Alongs

Are you ready?  Heehee!  I even included some eye candy for the guys this week.  I figured we were being a bit selfish so I had to lol.  Blog hops are at the botttom along with my new Step Out of the Pages and Follow Me Fridays with linky to join in the fun.  Don't forget,  if you want to share in Fantasy Fridays to leave me a comment with your link so I can check out your eye candy and book of the week.

Here kitty kitty ;).  Whew!  Ok go get a drink and maybe an ice cube and I will get to the Erotica Book of the Week.

After living on the streets of New York City for over a decade, Logan Ellis admits her perceptions might be a little skewed.  But twisted or not, there’s a satisfying irony in watching a well dressed vampire stand in the middle of a ghetto alley, windblown trash scraping small circles near his feet.  What she finds even more intriguing, is waiting for him to decide whether or not he’s going to kill her. 
Kerestyan Nelek hasn’t quite made up his mind.  As the Lord of New York, he can’t allow a homeless drug addict, whose memories are packed with knowledge of vampiric existence, to run free in his city.  It’s not the first time he’s been in this situation with a human, it’s just the first time in thousands of years he’s come face to face with one who doesn’t seem to care.   And that’s what makes the decision so damn difficult.
What horrors would you have to witness before you went numb?  How many years would it take for you to feel that way?  What would it take to make you care again?
Logan’s answers are simple: the worst humanity has to offer, almost thirty…and something she never expected.

This title is in my kindle and I can't wait to start reading it!  Woot woot!

Until next time,

Friday Blog Hops:

I'm hopping along with the following this week,  to join in click the button to be taken to the hosting blog and add yourself to the linky.  You can also view all participating blogs to hop along :).

<a href="http://www.immortylcafe.com"><img src="http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/9920/69550be960966m3.jpg" border="0" width="250" height="250" alt="Powered by Immortality And Beyond" /></a><br />

We are back for week #3!  This week's question is - What are you reading this week?

Werelove Dusk Conspiracy by Lakisha Spletzer

So here is the linky:

PNR4Wolves - Authors with a Cause

So I got this email today from one of my favorite bloggers and author,  EJ Stevens.  As I read this email and clicked on the link to visit her new blog,  I was blown away.  Wolves have always been a love of our family and I was more than happy to help EJ in this wonderful cause.  It's such a wonderful concept and wolves need our help across the board.  So with that said,  I want to encourage all of you to stop into PNR4Wolves and follow the blog,  assist in any way you can,  and if you're an author,  simply join the giveaway with one or more of your books as a prize. 

Here's an excerpt from PNR4Wolves:

PNR4Wolves is a fun way to win prizes including paranormal romance books, ebooks, and bookmarks.  To enter, fill out this form to let us know that you have contributed to the rescue and preservation of wolves.  This may be in the form of volunteering with your local wildlife refuge or nature conservancy, joining a letter writing campaign, donating to wolf rescue organizations or wolf sanctuaries, and/or adopting a wolf.

There are many organizations that are in need of help.  PNR4Wolves is not affiliated with any individual charity or organization.  If you choose to make a monetary donation, please research the organization carefully.  I have made donations to the HSUS and WWF for many years with no difficulties, but I cannot vouch for the authenticity or reliability of any agency or website.

So I hope you will help me spread the word,  hop over and follow the blog,  and learn about the wolves and all we can do to support this great cause.  Please re-blog about this,  tweet this,  share on facebook and any other social network you belong to.  It is greatly appreciated.

Until next time,

Thrilling Thursday #4 & Twitter Friend Thursday

Thrilling Thursdays is a weekly meme where I introduce you to a book where the cover caught my eye this week.  I think you will like this week's thriller,  I'm loving the sounds of this title.  Want to join me?  Copy the above picture and create your own Thrilling Thursday,  then leave me a comment with your link letting me know so I can hop over to see what book cover caught your eye this week.  Also, join me in Twitter Friend Thursday by clicking the button below.

All the creatures of the night gather in "the Hollows" of Cincinnati, to hide, to prowl, to party ... and to feed.
Vampires rule the darkness in a predator-eat-predator world rife with dangers beyond imagining -- and it’s Rachel Morgan's job to keep that world civilized.
A bounty hunter and witch with serious sex appeal and an attitude, she'll bring 'em back alive, dead ... or undead. (Amazon Product Description)










The colors on this cover just make it stand out.  It screams creatures of the night and the mansion in the background only add to the "Pick Me"  contrast.  I love it!  The synopsis sounds great too. 

Twitter Friend Thursday!

Follow Me on Twitter and I will follow you back,  I'm #315.  Click the bird to see all participating Tweeters.

Happy Thursday!

Until next time,

Wishing Wednesdays 4 & Hops, Skips, Jumps

Wishing Wednesday's is a weekly meme I created to let you know what books I can't wait to read and/or put into my hands.  If you would like to join me,  simply grab the picture up above and leave me a comment with your link so I can check you out.  Of course I welcome all comments,  so please comment even if you're not joining me :).  This week's Wishing Wednesday is a book I've just introduced you to last week.  I can't seem to get these characters off my mind and cannot wait until I am able to start reading this series.

Flirting With The Grave…

Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield is going after the undead with a vengeance, hoping that one of these deadbeats is her father – the one responsible for ruining her mother’s life. Then she’s captured by Bones, a vampire bounty hunter, and is forced into an unlikely partnership.

In exchange for help finding her father, Cat agrees to train with the sexy night stalker until her battle reflexes are as sharp as his fangs. She’s amazed she doesn’t end up as his dinner – are there actually good vampires? Pretty soon Bones will have her convinced that being half-dead doesn’t have to be all bad. But before she can enjoy her status as kick-ass demon hunter, Cat and Bones are pursued by a group of killers. Now Cat will have to choose a side … and Bones is turning out to be as tempting as any man with a heartbeat.

Visit Jeaniene Frost and read the first 20% of Halfway to the Grave (Book I in the Night Huntress Series)

The synopsis of these books in this series is phenomenal.  I've read some fantastic reviews and I'm just all giddy to start reading Cat and Bones' stories.  Not to mention the titles are just awesome and I love all of the covers.  Stop in and check them out :).

This weeks hops:

Sorry guys,  for FB this week I added the link for here,  but if you look over to the right you will see my Like Me FB page.  Just click like and you're good :).  Thanks.

Just click on any button to be taken to the hop's hosting site.  Add your blog to the linky and click on the other participating blogs to join in the fun.

Until next time,

7 Facts Award - Thank you Sally from Bibrary Bookslut

 

So I've been honored with another blog award,  thank you Sally Sapphire@Bibrary Bookslut :). Please stop into her blog to learn 7 fun facts about her as well.  I'm sure you've guessed it by now,  I have to divulge 7 facts about myself.  So here we go.

1.  I'm a 38 year old mother of 3,  my oldest will be 21 in Aug., and my youngest is 11.

2.  I absolutely love horses,  riding,  watching,  and even training.  Yes,  I've trained a few in my days.

3.  I love a mixture of music from Rock (Led Zeplin) to Country (Jason Aldeen) and everything in between.

4.  My favorite movie of all time is Legend of the Fall,  Brad Pitt mmm mmm.

5.  As I get older,  I seem to be more emotional at watching movies/shows and cry with the characters.

6.  I love Dodge,  a Dodge truck is just so mean looking lol.

7.  I definitely have a book fetish.  My favorite book of all time,  The Killing Dance by Laurell K. Hamilton.

There are my 7 fun facts and now I must pass this award on to 15 more people.  So with careful consideration haha,  j/k.  Here are the 15 that I'm happy to pass this award to:

1.  Authors Promoting Authors

2.  From A Paranormal Lover's POV

3.  Written In Blood

4.  Immortyl Revolution

5.  My Eclectic Bookshelf

6.  My Bookish Fairy Tale

7.  Fade Into Fantasy

8.  Whispers

9.  Margaret West

10.  Fangs, Wands, And Fairy Dust

11.  The Wyld Hollow

12.  Ashley's Bookshelf

13.  Deanna's Tidbits

14.  Cladestine Sanctuary

15.  Authors By Authors

Congratulations to my 15 awarded blog friends.  

Until next time,

Taunting Tuesdays #4 & Tuesday Train

 :::

Teaser Tuesdays hosted by The Story Siren.  This week I just finished up Samson's Lovely Mortal.  Fantastic book.  First in the Scanguard Vampires Series.

What are you reading?

Until next time,

Mailbox Monday #5

This week I got a bit of a break.  I didn't receive any books for review this week,  but I did buy some books after listening to some Blog Talk Radio interviews. 

Books I bought:
         

























That's what was in my mailbox,  what was in yours?

Until next time,

BLB Ebook Tours - Gabriel's Mate by Tina Folsom & At The Round Table Part II

http://booklovinbitches.blogspot.com

I had the pleasure of reviewing Gabriel's Mate during Tina Folsom's Tour.  I truly enjoyed this read and I think you will too.

Caution: graphic and explicit sex scenes - not for the faint of heart.

After Maya is turned into a vampire against her will, vampire and Scanguards bodyguard Gabriel is charged with protecting her and finding her attacker.

Gabriel has never guarded a body as perfect as Maya's. Moreover, Maya's enticing blend of vulnerability and strength is difficult to resist. Yet resist he must. Even as the sexual tension between them rises and the rogue vampire closes in on them, Gabriel refuses to give into his desire. Despite the intimacies they share, Gabriel fears that if he ever reveals himself fully to her, Maya will react like other women have, running from him, and calling him a monster, a freak, a creature not worth her love.

Will Maya prove to be the one female who cherishes all that Gabriel is?



My Thoughts:


Gabriel's Mate is Book 3 in the Scanguards Series and was even better than Venice Vampyr.  The more books I read by Tina Folsom,  the more I want.

All Gabriel ever wanted was to be accepted and loved by a woman.  When his wife screamed in horror the night of their wedding,  deeming Gabriel as a monster,  she did more to him than leave a scar on his face after slicing him with a knife.

Now,  centuries later,  Gabriel is second in command with the Scanguards - security for hire.  When his boss,  Samson,  calls upon him to secure a newly turned vampire so he can take his human wife to safety,  Gabriel gets more than he bargained for.

Maya is the most beautiful woman he's ever laid eyes on.  Gabriel finds an unexplainable,  instant attraction to her.  When they realize somethings going wrong with the turning process,  the pain of his own turning surfaces in a vivid memory and Gabriel feels the need to protect Maya,  no matter what it might cost him.

In search of the rogue vampire that did this to Maya,  we see both character grow in self,  and in each other.  I absolutely loved Gabriel - so gentle and full of compassion despite his position and power in the house.  He has so much to offer to the one that would only allow it.

Maya's spunk was the perfect mix in this relationship.  I loved how she had to learn to trust and yet maintain her own independence.

Zane is the one that I hope we see broken down a bit,  not literally but emotionally.  I really just want to know his story,  which I think could be a book in itself.

Yvette was kick-ass!  She's one you would want as a friend and have fighting on your side.

Then there's Thomas - who wouldn't love Thomas?  Everyone loves Thomas and he's a great mentor to teach new vampires the ropes.

I know I don't usually divulge on individual characters,  but I just loved all of them.  Though this was the third book in the series,  this book could very well stand alone.  I don't make it a habit to read out of order,  but I don't feel I missed too much by reading ahead.

I love Folsom's writing and it always has the perfect mix of sex and suspense.  So be forewarned *grinning*.

I give Gabriel's Mate ***** (5) Stars.  Fantastic read!

At The Round Table Part II

BK: Fantasy or Horror?

Tina: Fantasy

BK: Day or Night?

Tina: Night

BK: Favorite Drink?

Tina: Pimms #1 with Ginger Ale

BK: What is a must have to write?

Tina: A computer

BK: If you could possess a supernatural power, what would it be and why?

Tina: Invisibility

BK: What is one thing your readers would be most surprised to know about you? 

Tina: I hated literature in school - there’s no fun in reading Herman Hesse when you’re fifteen.

BK: What is the craziest thing you've ever done?

Tina: Jumped out of an airplane.

BK: What do you hope readers will most take away from your writing?

Tina: A day or evening of being taken away from all worries and being immersed into another world.

BK: If someone could describe you in one word, what would it be?

Tina: Ambitious. Efficient. No, ambitious. Frankly, both.

Thank you so much for being at the Round Table today. It's been such a pleasure chatting with you and I wish you much success in the future.

Until next time....

Disclosure of Material Connection: i am a member of the Book Lovin' Bitches Ebook Tours and a copy was provided to me by the author. although payment may have been received by Book Lovin' Bitches Ebook Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review nor was there an obligation to write a positive one. all opinions expressed here are entirely mine and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist or the readers of this review. this disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

**** The People's Will by Eric Berbig

The People's Will by Eric Berbig is a Historical Suspense,  and my first endeavor into historical anything.  As my first experience in Historical Fiction,  I must say that I enjoyed it a lot.Set in Russia,  I did have a bit of a time trying to pronounce a lot of the names,  but the plot of the story was great.

Revolutionists,  better known as Nihilists,  are trying to take back the people's rights.  The Tsar through the years has taken away privleges such as education,  how they live and many other rights.

As these Revolutionists attempt to prove a point,  the story starts out with murder.  Nikolai,  Irina,  Alexei,  Fyodor and Mikhail are the main group members following Zhelyabov's group called "The People's Will".   As they try to show the Tsar that they won't stand for all the rules and limited rights granted to the people,  they have planned their plight well.  Following Deputy Finance Minister Golovnin's every move,  they find him at a theater and drop a bomb of dynamite into his carriage,  killing him instantly.  Fleeing to safety,  they celebrate their victory.

Yuri Vladimirovich Pavlov is a detective in the St. Petersburg Police Department.  Out of 'professional curiosity' he enters the crime scene of Golovnin's demise and takes charge as those on scene are so distraught.  This is one person Zhelyabov didn't expect.  Now called officially by the Okhrana,  a secret service type of organization,  Yuri investigates into the murder of the Minister,  obtaining as much information about these Revolutionists as possible.

As "The People's Will" group plot their biggest retaliation,  the closer Yuri gets to solving this crime and finding those behind it.  The group members start to question their actions until Fyodor is arrested and every known revolutionist is ordered to be detained for questioning.  When Fyodor is released and returns beaten,  they know that they have to complete what they started,  to take out the Tsar himself.

This is when the action picks up,  and the scene drawn out kept me on the edge of my seat.  Berbig did a fantastic job with detail,  and I couldn't help but wonder how far Zhelyabov would go to obtain his goal,  which ultimately was power he was seeking.

With their attempt to take out Tsar Alexander II,  they all flee for safety.  When Mikhail's carriage breaks down,  he becomes surrounded by soldiers led by Yuri.  As Yuri attempts to sway his thinking,  telling him he was nothing more than a puppet,  Mikhail refuses to go down without a fight.

Will the rest get away?  That is yet to be determined,  and I anxiously wait for more. 

Berbig's "The People's Will" was a great introduction into this genre.  I was a little disappointed in the ending,  but only because I wanted to know more.   There were some parts that lagged,  and it may just be that I was more ready to see what the revolutionists were up to rather than learn the why's of it,  but when the action was there,  it was there full force.  I enjoyed this title and if you like historical suspense,  you will like The People's Will.

I give The People's Will **** (4) Stars,  BK Walker.

       

---

BK Walker Books - All Rights Reserved

 

VBT Pit Stop - At The Round Table with Julius Thompson and Ghost of Atlanta

Julius Thompson grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, New York and attended Bushwick High School. The sixties in Brooklyn was an era that had a personality, a feel, and a life-force that changed a generation. Mr. Thompson felt this energy and experienced these fires of social change.

After high school, Mr. Thompson spent the next four years riding the "A" train to Harlem, in upper Manhattan, to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree from the City College of New York. At CCNY, which was located just a few blocks from the famous Apollo Theater, Wednesday afternoons was hard on the undergraduates. The matinee performances of the major R&B groups of the times were more tempting than attending a boring college lecture. Most of the time Mr. Thompson succumbed to the temptation, but still earned a college degree from one of the best universities in the country.

At CCNY, literature instructors like Prof. Thomas Tashiro, fueled the fire in him to become a writer!  Brooklyn, New York and attended

Mr. Thompson’s journey to compose a trilogy began in 1995. The fourteen year fictional journey of character Andy Michael Pilgrim from Brooklyn, to Philadelphia and finally Atlanta is now complete. In this pilgrimage, readers experience places that are filled with hopes, dreams, challenges and fears that make us human.

The novels that make up the trilogy are A Brownstone in Brooklyn which was published in 2001, Philly Style and Philly Profile in 2007 and Ghost of Atlanta which will be published the first week of January 2011.

Mr. Thompson received the Georgia Author of the Year nomination for Philly Style and Philly Profile, from the Georgia Writers Association, in 2007.

Mr. Thompson is writing his fourth novel, Purple Phantoms, which is a story about the haunting of a mythical high school basketball team. 

Mr. Thompson is currently a Creative Writing/Publishing Instructor at Atlanta’s Evening at Emory’s Writers Studio. For more information please visit him at www.ghostofatlanta.com. 

Welcome to the Round Table. May I offer you a beverage before we begin?

Julius: I’ll take a Tantalizing Tea because that was my intention in Ghost of Atlanta with a character named Joe Boy. There is an element of mystery in Joe Boy, even to the people who know him, a certain anonymity. Readers have fallen in love with this character.

Thank you so much for taking time to chat with me today. It's so nice to have you at the Round Table.

1. What inspired your book to be a series?

I wanted to write a view of life in the Black American Community during the last thirty years of the twentieth century. People saw the sweeping changes, but I wanted to show the view of ordinary everyday people.

A Brownstone in Brooklyn is the first of the series and deals with how ordinary people dealt with life in the turbulent sixties with the civil rights movement, Vietnam War and the college sit-ins.

Philly Style and Philly Profile is set in the seventies in Philadelphia with drugs and gangs coming into the black neighborhoods reeking havoc. How did the people most affected respond was the question I wanted to explore in the book.

Ghost of Atlanta covers the eighties when Black Americans moved back to the new south and the consequences of going home again facing old demons that resurface.

2. How difficult is it to write a series?

The hard part of writing a trilogy is how to organize what information to include and exclude in each book. How to give enough information to have continuity, but yet the books can be read as separate entities. This was a problem that I constantly worked through in the twelve years of writing these books.

3. What is your favorite part about writing?

I enjoy the spontaneous creativity of creating a scene and then populating the scene with a carnival of characters that will tell a story to entertain the reader.

4. Do you have a favorite book in the series?

Asking me to choose one of the three books is like asking a parent to choose a favorite child. Each book brings something unique to the reader and represents how I was thinking about the series.

5. Who is your favorite character? Which one would you most likely invite to dinner?

Andy Michael Pilgrim is my favorite character because he allows me to see how he faces new experiences and new challenges in each different city.

However, the characters I would invite to dinner are Aunt Lizzie and Joe Boy from Ghost of Atlanta. Aunt Lizzie would be a interesting dinner guest because of her wit, insight and perspective on people throughout the novel. Joe Boy because he started off as an ordinary person, but as Ghost of Atlanta progressed he expanded and changed and evolved into something different. Is he human or something supernatural?

Readers have picked up on this element and I’ve received numerous emails and had phone conversations about Joe Boy.

6. Are you finding yourself running into any challenges while writing this series?

The challenge I had writing the trilogy was keeping the character of Andy Michael Pilgrim fresh. The dynamics of the relationships, with friends and family was instrumental in pulling this off in the book.

7. Where do you draw your inspiration from?

The inspiration for writing the trilogy came from the people I’ve known, loved and imagined over the years and the situations I’ve encountered.

As a college student in New York City in the sixties, I experienced the sit-ins at The City College of New York while looking at the gates of City College shut tight and wondering if I was going to graduate.

I can still smell the smoke from the burning buildings during the Brooklyn riots. From incidents like these the genesis of the trilogy evolved.

8. How did you come up with the title for your series?

The overall title is very simple: Julius Thompson Trilogy. What I worked on was a title for each book that reflected something unique about each city.

The Brownstone in A Brownstone in Brooklyn showed a beautiful place, but turbulent forces swirling around that could destroy the serenity of life in Brooklyn.

The style in Philly Style and Philly Profile reflects the character of a city. Philadelphia is unique with a certain atmosphere that permeates the residents. They are very cool in facing challenges and that’s what I wanted to bring out in the book.

The ghost in Ghost of Atlanta are the memories from the past that attack and haunt an individual, but it also indicates the possibility of real ghosts that people in the south believe influence the lives of residents of the region.

In The Ghost of Atlanta, Andy Michael Pilgrim faces demons from his youth that haunted his life. These are the ghosts in the crawl spaces of his life; some are real and some supernatural.

After landing a job with The Atlanta Defender, Andy returns home and visits the place where he finally faces remembrances of his deceased abusive father. While walking around the grounds, he meets his mysterious cousin, Joe Boy, and finds out that the property is going to be sold by unscrupulous cousins.

While Andy fights this battle, he must confront the personal demon of a possible drug addiction, breaking the color barrier at the south’s largest newspaper, The Atlanta Defender, meeting his old girl friend and fighting the lingering effects of segregation in small-town Georgia life.

As the story unwinds, all these forces push Andy toward the breaking point, where he almost quits on life. Malevolent mortal deeds are committed and Andy could be next in line.

"The Ghost of Atlanta" is, overall, a superbly written book. 5 stars!~Readers Favorite

9. What do you like to read when you're not writing?

I love to read books that have a little mystery like Terry Kay’s To Dance with the White Dog, Sue Henry’s Degrees of Separation or Walter Mosely’s Devil in a Blue Dress. The author creates a word puzzle and you try to solve as well as read about interesting characters.

10. Do you have a favorite author/book?

My favorite author is Harper Lee and her book To Kill A Mockingbird. She is a Southern storyteller that creates atmosphere, vivid settings and characters that come to life on the pages of her novel. I want to do the same thing in my books.

11. What is one thing your readers would be most surprised to know about you?

That I’m a sports fanatic and a twenty-year high school basketball coach. People are surprised that I was a sportswriter for the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin. One of my columns won an Associated Press national award.

12. What do you like to do for fun?

I love to read books on my deck and travel. You will find me at high school basketball and football games. As a high school teacher I love to see students be successful.

13. What is your favorite food and restaurant?

It would probably be Italian and Chinese, but I’m always open to new food experiences. Breakfast and Brunch are a favorite of mine, and in Atlanta you must go to the “Flying Biscuit” to have a wonderful southern meal.

14. Do you have any special announcements or events you would like to share with readers today?

I’m a little nervous now, as I may be nominated for Georgia Author of the year. The nominations will be coming out real soon.

15. Can you tell us about any projects you are currently working on?

I’m working on my fourth novel, Purple Phantoms, which is the story of the haunting of a high school basketball team. What sparked my interest in writing this book, as a basketball coach, I’ve seen too many young athletes die at an early age. I’m about 35, 000 words into the project.

16. Where can readers find you?

Readers can visit me on Facebook, Twitter and my websites: www.jtwrites.com and www.ghostofatlanta.com . I’d love to chat and answer any questions about my books and the writing process.

I’m a Creative Writing instructor at Evening at Emory, a program of Emory University in Atlanta. 

 

I will be glad to help any reader or writer with any information that will help them become a published author. 

That is fantastic Julius.  Thank you so much for taking time to chat with me today.  It has been such a pleasure.  I wish you much success in the future.  

You can follow Julius during his tour for your chance to win Ghost of Atlanta.  View his schedule on our Calendar of Events page at The Virtual Book Tour Cafe'.