AUTHOR INTERVIEW - SABRINA SUMSION

1. What is your name, where were you born and where do you live now? My name is Sabrina Love Sumsion, I was born in an ice storm in Oklahoma Chit, Oklahoma .  (There’s a story about my uncle driving my mom with bald tires thirty miles to the hospital.  I’m just glad I was still safe and unaware in my mom’s tummy!)  I live in a small town called Dwight in Nebraska .

2. Did you always want to be a writer? If not what did you want to be? I didn’t plan on being a writer.  I planned on being a brain surgeon.  Then a vet.  Then a marine biologist.  Then a computer programmer.  In other words, my interests bounce around.

3. When did you first consider yourself as a "writer"? I think when I published my first book, Produce, Publish, Publicize.  It didn’t sink in until I had a book in my hands.

4. Do you work another job as well as your writing work? I’m a home schooling mom now.  When I wrote Produce, Publish, Publicize, I arranged media interviews for authors.

5. What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarise it in less than 20 words what would you say? My latest book is Jasmine: Energy Book 1.  It’s a story of a girl who wants stability and love.  Who knew aliens would complicate that?

6. Who is your publisher? or do you self publish? I have my own publishing imprint Sanguine Publishing.  Technically I’m a self publisher but I’m helping a few people publish their books as well.

7. How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it? Produce, Publish, Publicize took me 2 years.  Jasmine took me about the same from conception but I’ve worked on it steady for about 8 months.

8. Which of your books were easier/harder to write than the others? Produce, Publish, Publicize was the easiest.  I knew what I wanted people to know and I typed it out.  It took me a long time because I worked a lot of hours with kids at home. 

9. What can we expect from you in the future?  ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre? I have at least 5 more books in the Energy series for the main plot line.  After that I have ideas for 2 alternative time lines and now the back story for the aliens book is explaining its plot line to me.  (Yes, my characters talk to me.)  Outside of the Energy series I have 2 darker (adult) plot lines I have about 50% complete.  One is an alternative future and the other is a fantasy.

10. Where do you get your book plot ideas from?What/Who is your inspiration? For Jasmine, I had a crazy dream where I walked in my high school halls and saw a girl surrounded by a group of people that seemed to be guarding her.  As I watched this girl, I saw a flash of blue light.  The people around her tried to scare me off but I wouldn’t leave.  As I thought about the book, the story grew.  I chatted with my family and a couple friends and finally in April of last year I sat down and typed out the story line. For Produce, Publish, Publicize, I ran into so many authors who were scammed for thousands of dollars by publishing companies that I finally sat down and created a basic guidebook to navigate all the publishing options then market yourself.

11. Do you have a certain routine you have for writing? ie You listen to music, sit in a certain chair? I listen to Jon Schmidt on youtube.com.  He has  playlists and I turn on Study Mix and type away.  I tend to get my best words-per-minute while listening to him.

12. Do you gift books to readers to do reviews? Of course!  I am actively searching for reviews so if anyone wants to contact me with the intention of reviewing my book (an honest review, of course), I welcome them contacting me!

13. Do you read all the reviews of your book/books? I do.  It’s great to include blurbs in promotional materials.  J

14. Would you ever ask a reviewer to change their review if it was not all positive about your book/books? Nope.  A person has the right to their opinions.  If I tried to write a book that everyone loved, it would end up a book that no one really liked.

15. How do you come up with the Title and Cover Designs for your book/books?Who designed the Cover of your books? Victorine Lieske designed the cover for Produce, Publish, Publicize. I did the cover for Jasmine.  The gal on the cover is my niece Emma.  Isn’t she gorgeous? 

16. Do you choose a title first, or write the book then choose the title? The title changed several times.  It was Plain Jane originally but a friend said she had a reviewer blast her for being cliché.  I played around and changed it.

17. How do you market/promote your books? I’m working on blog tours/ review websites at the moment. I’m running book giveaways, I review books for other authors, and I am looking to connect with many other people. After I finish the bulk of that, I will talk to podcasts and online radio stations for interviews.  By the time I’m done with that, hopefully I’ll have some good reviews posted, some sales numbers and I will talk to broadcast radio stations about doing interviews.  At that point, I’ll look at print media.

18. What do you do to unwind and relax?Do you have a hobby? I have too many hobbies if you ask my husband.  I create jewelery, make lotions and paint.  I have little creation stations scattered through the house.  My daughter gets into it a lot and scatters things which drives my husband crazy

19. Which format of book do you prefer, ebook,hardback, or paperback? My husband just bought me a Kindle for my birthday so I think I will begin to prefer eBooks.  Before that, I was chained to my computer. 

20. What is your favourite book and Why?  Have you read it more than once? I love anything written by Brandon Sanderson. I discovered him when my husband introduced me to him.  Turns out they played D&D growing up.  I’m working on getting the holy grail of Brandon ’s writings through inter-library loan.  I am determined to read his college project.  There’s a copy at BYU and no where else. I love a challenge!

21. What are you currently reading? Are you enjoying it? What format is it?(ebook, hardback or paperback) I just downloaded Victorine Lieske’s YA novel, The Practice Date.  It looks like a fun read!

22. Are there any New Authors you are interested in for us to watch out for? and Why should we watch out for them? My mom, Kathryn A. Gilmore, is working on her first novel.  It’s a romance and I get to beta read so I can tell you it’s awesome! 

PROMOTIONAL SPOTLIGHT - ENERGY BOOK 1 JASMINE BY SABRINA SUMSION

When Jasmine moves to Omaha, Ne with her Colonel father as he works on top secret matters at Offut Air Force Base, she prepares herself for another lonely station. Jasmine meets Yumi, a mysterious girl in Art Class, and her world changes. 

Jasmine plots to stay in Omaha but the acceptance of Yumi's housemates is central to her plans. Their rejection surprises her until she realizes they have a secret. For a chance at stability and blossoming love, Jasmine puts herself in harm's way to rescue Yumi and find the home she's been searching for since her mother died.


You can read the first few chapters at http://www.sabrinasumsion.com/index.php/products/23-energy-book-1-jasmine-is-released .


Available from Amazon.com, and Amazon.co.uk £0.77

THE FLOWERS OF WAR BY GELING YAN Guest Review by Ena

BLURB from Goodreads
It is December 1937 and the Japanese Imperial Army has just entered Nanking. Unable to reach the Safety Zone in Pokou, a group of schoolgirls are hiding out in the compound of the St. Mary Magdalene mission. They are looked after by Father Engelmann, an American priest who has made China his home for many years. The church is supposed to be neutral ground in the war between China and Japan, but eyewitness reports from the outside make it clear the Japanese are not obeying the international rules of engagement. As the soldiers pour through the streets of Nanking, committing unspeakable atrocities on civilians, thirteen Chinese courtesans from a nearby brothel climb over the church compound's walls seeking refuge. Their presence further jeopardizes the children's safety and what happens next will change all of their lives. 
 
A haunting, passionate story inspired by true life events during the Nanking Massacre, this novel shows how war challenges our prejudices and that love can flourish amidst death and destruction. The Flowers of War is an unforgettable journey through the depths of the human heart.

The cover of this book really drew me to it, and I thought I would love it, that it would be similar to the famous film the Inn Of Sixth Happiness type of thing with Ingrid Bergman, but unfortunately I have to admit I was sadly disappointed.  For my taste there was far too much emphasis on the war itself rather than the people and the lives it was affecting.

I liked the characters of the two priest, the way they took in everyone without prejudice. They took in young schoolgirls and also local prostitutes to try to protect them from the Japanese. Naturally the Japanese find out about women /females being with the  Priests and some have to make a sacrifice to save others. I wanted even more about the humanity and the characters lives instead of grisly realities of war and fighting.

I would recommend this as a more male orientated book with the amount of fighting and bayonet use involved in the book. Was definitely not one to curl up cosy with!

Available on 31st January 2012.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW - JENNIFER COMEAUX

1       What is your name, where were you born and where do you live now?

Hi! My name is Jennifer Comeaux. I was born in New Orleans, Louisiana and have lived in the New Orleans area all my life.

2      Do you work another job as well as your writing work?

Yes, I am a Certified Public Accountant and work as the Tax Manager for a large corporation. Quite different from writing!

3   What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarize it in less than 20 words, what would you say?

My latest book is my first book! LIFE ON THE EDGE is a Young Adult romance. If I had to summarize it in less than 20 words, I’d say, “The path to Olympic gold sometimes takes an unexpected turn.”

4    Who is your publisher? Or do you self-publish?

My publisher is Astraea Press. They specialize in clean reads–fiction that can be enjoyed by all ages!

5      What can we expect from you in the future?  More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre?

I’m currently working on ideas for the follow-up to LIFE ON THE EDGE. I’d like to write more books set in the world of figure skating, possibly exploring the stories of some of the secondary characters from my current book.

6       If you had to choose to be one of your characters in your book which would you be? And why?

I would be Emily, the main character in LIFE ON THE EDGE. She has incredible athletic ability and can do things on the ice I only dream of! She also lives on Cape Cod, one of my favorite places to visit.

7      Do you have anybody read your books and give you reviews before you officially release them? Your partner, children, friends, reviewers you know?

My sister and a couple of friends read all my writing, and I also posted my book on Critique Circle, a site where writers can get detailed feedback on their work. I made some great friends on CC and have received very valuable advice from them.

8      Did it take a long time to get your first book published?

I knew before I even finished my book that I wanted to submit it to Astraea Press because I liked the company’s values and wanted to be part of its growing group of authors.  Once I submitted, it took less than four weeks to hear back from them. They offered me a contract, and I was ecstatic!

9      What do you do to unwind and relax? Do you have a hobby?

I enjoy listening to music and going to the movies. Movies and music often inspire me and give me ideas for my writing! I also love to travel, especially to figure skating competitions.  Those trips also serve as a great source of inspiration.

1    What do you think makes a book really good/a best seller?

I think the best books have characters that stay with you long after you’ve finished reading. When you find yourself becoming emotional as you read, whether it’s crying along with the characters or yelling at them, then I think the author has succeeded at writing a masterpiece.

My blog:  http://jennifercomeaux.blogspot.com

My Facebook page:  http://www.facebook.com/jennifercomeauxauthor

My Goodreads author page:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5368434.Jennifer_Comeaux

My Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/#!/LadyWave4

LIFE ON THE EDGE

Available now from Astraea Press:

http://www.astraeapress.com/#ecwid:category=662245&mode=product&product=8347323

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Life-on-the-Edge-ebook/dp/B006T89A4Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1325724001&sr=1-1

Barnes & Noble:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/life-on-the-edge-jennifer-comeaux/1037576118?ean=2940013689534&itm=1&usri=jennifer+comeaux

PROMOTIONAL SPOTLIGHT - LIFE ON THE EDGE BY JENNIFER COMEAUX

Nineteen-year-old Emily is new to pairs skating, but she and her partner Chris have a big dream–to be the first American team to win Olympic gold. Their young coach Sergei, who left Russia after a mysterious end to his skating career, believes they can break through and make history.

Emily and Chris are on track to be top contenders at the 2002 Winter Games. But when forbidden feelings spark between Emily and Sergei, broken trust and an unexpected enemy threaten to derail Emily’s dreams of gold.

Available Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk £1.98

AUTHOR INTERVIEW - DORENE SAGAR & ARMIN FELDMAN

What is your name, where were you born and where do you live now?

Dorene Sager lives in Milwaukee, WI USA and Scottsdale, AZ USA.  Armin Feldman, M.D. lives in Denver, CO USA.

Do you work another job as well as your writing work?

Dorene just retired.  She was a commercial real estate broker for 20 years.  Armin Feldman, M.D. no longer is seeing patients, however, he consults to attorneys on medical matters.

What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarize it in less than 20 words what would you say?

The name of our book is: Our Mother’s Recipes, Carrying on a Tradition of Jewish Food and Jewish Recipes.  This cookbook is a compilation of recipes used by our mother.  Helen Feldman passed away in 1998.  While we were cleaning out her garage after her death we found several large bags filled with hundreds of her hand written and typed recipes.  We took many of the recipes we enjoyed growing up and put them in this cookbook.

Who is your publisher? or do you self publish?

We are self-published.  Our publishing company is called OSA Publishing.

Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series?

We are currently working on a new cookbook that will be comprised of our mother’s holiday recipes.

How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?

Our first cookbook took just over one year to write.

How long have you been writing? Who or what inspired you to write?

This cookbook is our first.  As noted, we wanted to share our mother’s recipes and good cheer with others.

Do you have anybody read your books and give you reviews before you officially release them?

This is our first book.

Do you gift books to readers to do reviews? 

      We are having a contest to highlight our book launch on February 1, 2012.   We are giving away a $100.00 Amazon Gift certificate towards a Kindle and two $50.00 Amazon Gift Certificates, and for Authors only they can win their choice of a video book review or a Facebook Author Welcome page.  People who write reviews and put them on Amazon, Goodreads, Shelfari and their own sites get 10 entries into the contest.  There are other ways to get more entries as well. Visit http://www.ourmothersrecipesonline.com to see how to enter the Contest and fill out the contest form. We are doing this rather than gifting books for review. While you are on the site
sign up for our Recipe of the Week Club and look at our videos.  We demonstrate some really scrumptious recipes.

Do you read all the reviews of your book/books?

Yes we do read all of the reviews.

How do you come up with the Title and Cover Designs for your book/books?  Who designed the Cover of your books?

One of the authors, Armin Feldman, designed the cover.  The title of the book was a natural.

How do you market/promote your books?

We market our book online with our website www.OurMothersRecipesOnLine.com.  We also use Google pay-per-click to drive readers to our website.  We also do book signings and speaking engagements with cooking demonstrations.  We also have been asked to be interviewed on TV and radio. Of course we are promoting our book on Amazon, and Facebook.  We have a brand new Facebook Page:  http://www.facebook.com/ourmothersrecipes. If you like the page, you will get access to our contest form mentioned above.  We are also promoting our book on a Virtual Book Tour.  The schedule of the stops is on our website.  We have demonstrations of some of our recipes on our YouTube Channel.  Once people see how fantastic they are, they will want to buy our book.

What do you do to unwind and relax?

We like to cook.  We enjoy all kinds of cuisines and learning new cooking techniques.

Which format of your book do you prefer, ebook, hard back, or paperback?

We prefer whatever format is enjoyed by our readers.

What is your favourite book and why?  Have you read it more than once?

I assume you mean our favorite cookbook.  We like the good old Betty Crocker cookbook for basics.  We both like Mario Batali’s cookbook, Babbo.  Cooks Illustrated also has several good cookbooks.  The Silver Palate cookbook is also excellent.

Do you think books transfer to movies well? Which is you favourite/worst book to movie transfer?

We think books transfer very well to movies.  We would love to be involved in a movie project based on our cookbook concept.

What are you currently reading? Are you enjoying it? What format is it?(ebook, hardback or paperback)

We are currently reviewing Tom Cilicchio’s cookbook Craft of Cooking.

Do you think ebooks will ever totally replace printed books?

Not for cookbooks.

Is there a book you know you will never read? Or one you tried to read but just couldn't finish?

Not really.

What do you think about book trailers?

Book trailers are a great idea.  We have 6 videos and are hoping for a cooking show.

Where can readers follow you?

The best place for information, new recipes, our Recipe of the Week Club, our cookbooks, our blog and our TV shows is our website: www.OurMothersRecipesOnLine.com.

Your Facebook page?  http://www.facebook.com/ourmothersrecipes

Your Goodreads author page? Our goodreads author page and amazon author page are in the process of being built/
Your Twitter details? http://www.twitter.com/@arminanddorene

And any other information you wish to supply?

Anyone who loves to eat should get our cookbook!

Thankyou to Dorene & Armin for taking the time to take part in this Interview and for Assisted Authors Book Tours for arranging it.

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - ARMIN FELDMAN & DOREEN SAGER

Armin Feldman and Dorene Sager

Book:  Our Mother's Recipe's
Genre: Jewish Cookbook
Video Book Review: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xqNWhEnZsg and
Amazon.
website: http://www.ourmothersrecipesonline.com
Bio: 

Dorene Sager and Armin Feldman are sister and brother.  the idea for the cookbook sprang from the discovery of a treasure trove of their mother’s recipes after she passed away. Now Our Mother’s Recipes, Carrying On a Jewish Tradition is a Web site, a cookbook, a TV show and a place to learn about what the best Jewish cuisine has to offer.

 Dorene Sager: Dorene represents the best of so many different things. Dorene is a cookbook author, a wife and mother, a commercial real estate broker, a devoted family member, a true friend and so much more.  Dorene is a fantastic cook in her own right. She learned a lot about cooking from her mother, Helen Feldman.  Dorene is married and has three children and 6 grandchildren.  Dorene and her husband just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Dorene enjoys reading, movies, playing canasta, and of course cooking.

 Dorene says,

 “I had so much fun working with my brother putting together all of the different ways to showcase our mother’s recipes.”

Armin Feldman: Armin wears a number of hats too. Armin is a cookbook author, husband, dog lover, supporter of friends and family, medical doctor and a lot more. Armin is also a wonderful cook.  From the time they could reach the kitchen counter, their mother taught Dorene and Armin how to make traditional Jewish recipes. If you watch the videos on their website, http://www.ourmothersrecipesonline.com , you can feel the joy these siblings radiate while cooking their mother's recipes.  You can also sign up for the recipe of the week sent right to your email address.

Armin says, “What a treat to work with the best sister ever in creating all of these venues to showcase our mother’s remarkable culinary skills.”

Description:

Add a wonderful cuisine to your everyday meals and special gatherings. Traditional Jewish cooking is flavorful, fun and hearty particularly with Our Mother's Recipes, Carrying on a Jewish Tradition. These recipes have been handed down through many generations influenced by Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Spanish, German and Eastern European styles of cooking. In our family all of these cultural influences were combined, synthesized and affected by local ingredients through the years resulting in sumptuous, rich and wonderfully fulfilling traditional Jewish dishes. Try our mother's farfel instead of noodles. Replace that tired chocolate cake with some really yummy Helen Feldman brownies or warm fruit compote. You will have the secret to Jewish penicillin, chicken soup with matzo balls. There's enough here to keep you going for years of great food, family, friends and memories to enjoy.

There will be a virtual book tour starting on December 15th. see the vtb banner. 

The full schedule is on http://www.ourmothersrecipesonline.com

The Book Launch will be on February 1.  Anyone who buys the book from Amazon on February 1 will get 10 entries into the Book Launch Contest.

There are other ways to get entries.  One is to comment on three of the blogs on the tour days.  See the schedule.

Contest

To get your entries and to find out how to get more entries visit http://www.ourmothersrecipesonline.com to access the contest form.

The prizes:

$100.00 Amazon Gift Certificate for a Kindle

Two $50.00 Amazon Gift Certifcates

Authors can choose a video book trailer or Facebook Welcome Page instead of the Kindle.

: