Promoting Friends and Contest Results

                                                              

                                                           The Fabulous Lucille Ball

I'm surrounded by very talented people. Well, they may not be Lucille Ball, but they are very talented and I hope their talent rubs off on me. I've done several Author promotions and interviews this year. Some of my friends have made movies and some have published books, while some, design Steampunk clothing or run fabulous Steampunk Event.. It's a new day and a new year, and I want to start off 2014 with promoting some of my friends.

                                                                       

First up is author, Carmen DeSousa. She has several books out and I did an interview of her on the Library, but you can check out all her books on www.carmendesousa.com


I did an interview on Keira Kroft and her new book. Check it out. http://gilbertcuriosities.blogspot.com/2013/11/introducing-wonderful-and-talented.html


John Farquhar, who is a fellow member of the South Jersey Writers Group, has a story in Tall Tales and Short Stories, our group's first published anthology, and also his own book titled What to Expect When You're Dead.
                                                                   

Right now, I'm reading a story by John Jason Lee called Terminal Point and I'm going to tell you that this is one hell of a great book. The hero is Drune, a Federation Hunter who is in a battle of wits and intrigue as he fights his way through one battle after another to get to the truth. I will be interviewing the author as soon as I finish the book.

                                                                     

Jack Flacco, a fellow zombie lover has a great book out called Ranger Martin and the Zombie Apocalypse. It has everything to keep you turning those pages and...not only did I love it, but my grandsons are sure to enjoy it too. Find it on Amazon and buy the book here.

Dawn Byrne another member featured in Tall Tales and Short Stories also has stories featured in Chicken Soup for the soul. Dawn is also known as Super D, my partner is the South Jersey Writers' Group book signing adventures.
                                                                  

To tell you the truth, all the members of the South Jersey Writers' Group are talented writers. Check out our site. Better yet, join our group.

Biff Bam Pop is a Pop Culture Site that is the brain child of Editor-In-Chief and fearless leader extraordinaire, Andy Burns. His cast of star writers, entertain and deliver the latest in movies, T.V. shows, books, comic books, music....anything that is on the minds & lips of people in the know. Check out this fabulous site and while you're there, check out my articles.

                                                                    

Christopher Eilenstine is the Director of a new type of Zombie, The Soulless. I did an interview on him for Biff Bam Pop. Check it out.

Joe Parascand who is an outstanding actor is featured in several movies: The Soulless, Mary Horror, Witches' Blood, Sheriff Tom vs. the Zombies, Zombies Incorporated. I'll be posting his interview on my blog, soon and an earlier one on Biff Bam Pop.
                                                            

Gil Cnaan is the brain and grand master of Dorian's Parlor. I've written several interviews on this very talented man, but this is my favorite.

                                                                    

                                                                   
Lee and Ralph from Steampunk Works not only design beautiful Steampunk fashions, but their clothing was used in a recent movie.

I have an amazing Editor and she's helped me get my book considered.

                                                                        

If you're interested in knowing what people I've interviewed, check out my interview page.

This December 15th, my oldest grandson, Jimmy, went to Parris Island for boot camp. When he graduates in March, he will be a full fledge Marine; Oorah!! I wrote a movie review of Full Metal Jacket for Biff Bam Pop and tied the review with my concerns for my grandson and drill sergeants.

                                                                          

I was picked by a very nice group from England as one of the bloggers to be considered for Best Blogger of 2014. Imagine that; from England with the Queen!! The young man who was hosting this contest is an amazing person and I will be posting my interview with him, soon.

                                                                     

                                                                        

 I was one of the finalists, but a worthier blogger, @scarletteflame,  won this year's round. Yeah, I was a little disappointed that I didn't win

                                                                      

 but then I received this message on my blog from a young writer in China.

 have beеn surfing on-lіnе more tthan 3hours as of late, yet I neveг discovered anny interesting aгticle lke уours.
It's lovely pricе sufficient for me. In mу opinion, if all webmasters and
bloggers made goоd content aѕ yоu did, the web might be a lοt mоre
helpful than ever before.
                                                                    

So...for my New Year's Resolution, I'll try to make my blog a kick ass blog; I'll do more interviews and promote more amazing people; I'll try to get in more ghost hunting and Steampunking...and maybe get a few of my short stories published. What will you do this year?

Review of The Library by Author Carmen DeSousa

                                                                       
                                                                     

When I was asked to review the book, The Library by Carmen DeSousa, I jumped at the chance. I’m an admirer of Carmen’s work and I was not disappointed with her newest story, which featured Detective Mark Waters.

                                                                 

 

I love reading stories that has smart and sexy detectives, a good mystery with loads of 'who did what', and last but not least; ghosts. The Library gives you all three elements in a fast moving tale of greed, secrets and revenge. Can the dead seek retribution from the grave? Buy the book and find out. In fact you’ll find yourself wanting to read The Pit Stop and The Depot, too. I'm so happy to have Carmen DeSousa as a guest on my blog.

 

Marie Gilbert: What was your inspiration for The Library? Are the plots based on true events?

Carmen DeSousa: Though fictional, my idea for The Depot stemmed from a ghost who supposedly haunts a 1930s tavern I used to work at in Rockledge, FL called Ashley’s Café.

                                                                

Since I’d always been interested in the supernatural, I decided to look up the woman’s death. At the time of her death, it was on record as one of the most heinous murders in Florida’s history. The murderer had gone through great lengths to conceal the woman’s identity, including smashing out all her teeth, cutting off her fingers, and burning her body. According to witnesses, the woman had been dating someone of wealth. And to my surprise, when I looked forward, past a few days in the microfilm, the story had all but disappeared. Weeks later, nothing! Think about that! One of the most shocking crimes in Florida’s history in 1935 and the newspapers dropped the story.

 

Yeah…things that make you say, “Hmmm….”

 

So there you have it. While my story is fictional, there is a ghost story. I believe the ghost of Ethel Allen will haunt that restaurant until someone uncovers the truth about her murder. My book, of course, is just a fictional story, using a real life murder as a base. But who knows…maybe it was inspired. :)

 

Marie Gilbert: I liked The Pit Stop, The Depot and The Library, but which detective is your favorite to write about, Mark or Gino?

                                                                     

Carmen DeSousa: Without a doubt, Mark Waters. From the moment my avid-reading friends and I met him in The Pit Stop, we wanted more from him. He was just a bit surly, had an interesting past, and he’s single. In hindsight, I shouldn’t have made Gino a married man. Single detectives who struggle with relationships are always much more interesting to write.

Marie Gilbert: Since I do ghost investigations, I’m interested in knowing if you’ll be writing more stories that includes ghosts or maybe demons?

Carmen DeSousa: Probably…I left that up to readers at the end of the story, though. To be honest, I did not intend to write a story after The Pit Stop; it was just an exercise on my blog where I wrote five-hundred words at a time with my audience. You, of course, know about that since you were one of my main contributors. But when it became so popular, I decided to write a series of one-hour reads, but then something else happened. Readers demanded a follow-up novel to The Depot. And since I listen to readers, I wrote it. This isn’t the first time either. My novel When Noonday Ends came about when emails and Facebook messages started flooding in, demanding that one of the characters in Land of the Noonday Sun got a chance at a happily ever after.

 

So, at the end of The Library, I left it up to my readers. If they want more of these stories, I’ll write more. After all, I love my publisher, but readers are my real boss. :)

 

Marie Gilbert: Can you tell the readers what’s in the works for you now?

 

Carmen DeSousa: I actually have three lines going.

                                                            

The Pit Stop, The Depot, and now The Library are part of a detective series with a ghostly edge, which as we discussed, I’ll continue if that’s what my readers want, but right now, I don’t have one in the works.

                                                               

My first five novels are The Southern Suspense series: She Belongs to Me, Split Decisions, Land of the Noonday Sun, and When Noonday Ends. I have two more scheduled in this series; the next will be available summer 2014.

                                                               

  

But right now, my focus is the Creatus Series, romantic-suspense novels with a paranormal edge. I published book one, Creatus, September 2013, and Creatus Rogue will be available next month…if all goes as planned. Of course, rarely does anything goes as planned in this business. Right?


You can find Carmen DeSousa's works on these sites:

 

Creatus 2013

She Belongs to me December 2011

Land of the Noonday Sun May 2012

Entangled Dreams September 2012

When Noonday Ends December 2012

Split Decisions June 2013


Radio interview with Carmen DeSousa and Minnie Lahongrais


Thank you so much for joining me today, Carmen, and for all my readers; check out Carmen's Website.
http://www.carmendesousa.com/

New Romance-Suspense Split Decisions, by bestselling author Carmen DeSousa, is now available

 

Split Decisions is a follow-up novel to the romantic-suspense bestseller She Belongs to Me. While you do not have to read the first book to enjoy the second, we believe you should have the option, so click here to avoid spoilers.

If you’re still here, read on for a first peek at Split Decisions and a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card.

Book Description:

Sometimes you want something so badly you are willing to abandon everything you’ve ever known—including yourself.

Eighteen years ago, Jaynee Monroe married the man of her dreams, became the mother of four, and fulfilled her career goals. About to turn forty, she senses something is missing from her idyllic life. While Googling her name in an attempt to find herself, she unearths something so impossible, she contemplates her own sanity. Seeking answers, she embarks on a journey to discover the truth, only to end up abducted by a deranged stranger who insists on calling her Caycee.

Caycee took the road less traveled. Rejecting a marriage proposal from the only decent man she ever knew, she ventures to California to become famous. Eighteen years later, success has left her alone and miserable. Attempting to locate her lost love on Facebook, she discovers his infatuation with her. Not only does his presumed-dead wife have Caycee’s uncommon middle name, it appears he has photo-shopped her face over hers.

Never could Caycee and Jaynee have imagined decisions they made years earlier would threaten not only their lives but also their loved ones. Caycee must now reunite with the southern gent she dismissed eighteen years ago and convince him to accompany her to New York to locate his wife, the most important person in both their lives.

Download Split Decisions here:

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Barnes & Noble

iTunes

Now all you have to do to register to win the $10 Amazon Gift Card is share this page via Raffle Copter. Contest ends 7/1/13 at 12:00 a.m. EST and you can share daily if you want. Good luck!

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Overview of Dark Isle

When evil begets evil, a choice is forced on Quinn, the one person who can see the danger. Does she save the ones she loves, or does she save the world from Chaos?

As the realms of Fae and human collide, Quinn's future has never looked so grim, or so damn impossible.

Genre- Urban Fantasy

Overview of Enemy in Blue

 The streets aren't safe when your enemy wears a blue uniform and a gold badge.
What if the good guys weren't good?
What if a cop went rogue and killed an innocent man?

What if it was all caught on video and the cop would do anything to cover it up?
Chase this lawless cop through the streets and to a scintillating series of showdowns with Cruz Marquez, a young attorney trying to nail down his enemy in blue.

Will justice be served?
Genre- Thriller



Overview of Land of the Noonday Sun

When two strangers have nothing left but their dreams, they must forge a relationship in Nantahala, North Carolina, a small town known as Land of the Noonday Sun.

A man with a traumatic past is able to turn his life around and is happy with his chosen career as a whitewater guide. Everything changes though when fate hurls a woman into his path. His carefree life is in turmoil, and his former weaknesses threaten to overtake him. Will he be strong enough when tragedy strikes and is once again in danger of losing everything he loves?

Genre- Contemporary Romance


Overview of This Time Forever

Delaney Brannigan and Blake Morrisson met at the Cedar Cove annual costume dance, known only to each other as the leopard and the cowboy--but, as Delaney soon discovers, the cowboy she'd thought had ridden off into the sunset never to tempt her again, is none other than the man she came from New York to find and discredit. Against her will, Delaney is drawn deeper and deeper into an overwhelming attraction to Blake--an attraction she can't give in to if she wants to keep the one thing she values more than anything else.

Genre- Contemporary Romance

Overview of Cassidy Jones and the Secret Formula

Fourteen-year-old Cassidy Jones wakes up the morning after a minor accident in the laboratory of a world-renowned geneticist to discover that her body has undergone some bizarre physical changes. Her senses, strength, and speed have been radically enhanced.

Lives are put at risk when they find themselves embroiled in a dangerous, action-packed adventure. Soon they are forced to confront a maniacal villain willing to do anything - including murder - to reach his own ambitious goals.

Genre- YA/MG Superhero

Overview of Gray Justice

Gray Justice is the fast-paced debut thriller from Alan McDermott. When a killer walks free from court, the victim's father sees just two options: accept the judge's decision; or take on the entire British justice system. Tom Gray chooses the latter and his crusade attracts instant worldwide media coverage. It was just what Tom was hoping for, but it brought him a lot more than he bargained for.

Gray Justice is much more than a simple tale of revenge: it's a rollercoaster ride with an ending you'll never forget!

Genre- Thriller

Overview of Gone at Zero Hundred 00:00

"Their lives are in the hands of two 18-year-olds..."
A Prominent P.I. is gunned down - killed by a sniper - and it’s broadcasted on live TV.
Now, her daughter, along with her childhood pal, are thrust into a complex and riveting thriller forced to take on a secret club whose members call themselves The Privileged Ones.
Murder. Teen abductions and illegal underground parties.
They’re chased by men in ski-masks, nearly gunned down by members of a cartel, and the only way to bring down this criminal enterprise; is to crash a Mardi Gras bash and stop their private cruise ship from sailing off into the sunset.

 

Overview of Allegiance

Who do YOU pledge allegiance to?

After exposing one of the most notorious rings of police corruption in history, lawyer Cruz Marquez planned on starting a new life south of the border. That plan unraveled when an extremist group of Minutemen captured and tortured him and his wife.

Will Cruz pledge allegiance to do right, or will he do anything to serve up revenge?

Genre- Thriller


Overview of Curbchek Reload

Curbchek-Reload is a dark account of the streets as they were worked by Zach Fortier, a dangerously deranged cop. Welcome back to the inner city and the twisted mentality of Zach Fortier. Patrolling the streets, broken and mentally damaged from years of urban violence, Zach fights a losing battle to maintain a hold on reality. Join him in the passenger seat of a police cruiser for more of the darker and meaner side of life: The inner city. In Curbchek-Reload you get a front row seat to an attempted murder of a cop, suicide attempts, rapes, and DARK cop humor. Curbchek-Reload - Fasten your bullet proof vest and buckle your seatbelt, it is gonna be a wild ride!

Genre- Police Procedural 

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All winners will be notified via email July 28th 2012. For a list of winners contact onedaybookpush@yahoo.ca