Today we bring you a guest post by the fabulous

Suzanne Anderson.

She is the author of the new book

GOD LOVES YOU.

CHESTER BLUE.

about the book:

What if when you most needed help, a blue bear appeared with a note from God?

One night, Miss Millie of Blossom, Ohio turns her face to the stars and asks God for help. The next day, a package arrives on her doorstep containing a blue teddy bear and a very special note. 

Over the course of a year, this remarkable blue bear travels across the country, showing up just when he’s needed most. 
 
During his journey, Chester Blue helps a young girl trying to impress her big sisters; saves a sailor caught in a terrible storm; reunites two constantly fighting brothers; helps a cowboy become a rodeo clown; and aids a father and daughter in bonding after divorce. 

If you ever needed a message from God, it's here...

I first published Mrs. Tuesday's Departure as an ebook on Amazon's Kindle a little over a year ago. It went well. But as the year went on, I felt that the book was not as good as it could have been. Which inspired me to take advantage of an ebook's fluidity, to make some changes and plan it re-launch.
Mrs. Tuesday's Departure, in its original form, was quite a bit different from the book I published in some important ways:
First it was written in the First Person Point of View, which gave it a much more intimate feel, which as it turns out, was the right POV for a story about a family experiencing the most terrifying moments of war.
Second, it was actually set in Budapest, Hungary during World War Two, not in the fictional other-world it was thinly disguised as.
And finally, it had a spiritual element that explored a particular element of religious faith that has always perplexed me....the challenge of believing in something we cannot see.
With that in mind, a few months ago, I resurrected the original manuscript and set to work dusting it off and making a few changes, hopefully clearing up things that in reviews of the first Mrs. Tuesday release had caused consternation for some readers.
About me:
I was born in Fort Lauderdale, attended the University of Michigan on an athletic scholarship for swimming and then worked on Wall Street. I left the bright lights of the big city fifteen years ago and traveled the world. I now live in the mountains of Colorado, where I pursue my dream of writing novels.

More information about Suzanne, and more stops on her blog tour can be found at
http://www.orangeberrybooktours.com/2012/07/orangeberry-book-tours-god-loves-you.html

This tour brought to you by Orangeberry Book Tours

 

today we have a guest post from author
EMLYN CHAND
author of the book

FARSIGHTED




first, about the book:

 Alex Kosmitoras's life has never been easy. The only other student who will talk to him is the school bully, his parents are dead broke and insanely overprotective, and to complicate matters even more, he's blind. Just when he thinks he'll never have a shot at a normal life, an enticing new girl comes to their small Midwest town all the way from India. Simmi is smart, nice, and actually wants to be friends with Alex. Plus she smells like an Almond Joy bar. Sophomore year might not be so bad after all. 


Unfortunately, Alex is in store for another new arrival--an unexpected and often embarrassing ability to "see" the future. Try as he may, Alex is unable to ignore his visions, especially when they suggest Simmi is in mortal danger. With the help of the mysterious psychic next door and friends who come bearing gifts of their own, Alex embarks on his journey to change the future. 


Now, about Emlyn:

Emlyn Chand emerged from the womb with a fountain pen clutched in her left hand (true story). Since then, she has always loved to hear and tell stories. When she's not writing, she runs a large book club in Ann Arbor and is the president of author PR firm Novel Publicity. Emlyn enjoys connecting with readers and is available throughout the social media Internet world. Visit www.emlynchand.com for more info. Don't forget to say "hi" to her sun conure Ducky!

This biography was provided by the author or their representative.

and now, Emlyn's guest post:

No Different Than The Salem Witch

The Self-Published Author is No Different than the Salem Witch

By Emlyn Chand

Let's face it - the publishing industry is changing. We can all pretty much agree on that, right?

What we've got on our hands is an oncoming era of enlightenment (I prefer that to the often-touted “revolution”). ‘T wasn’t long ago that being a self-published author was practically as shocking and horrific as being a witch in Salem, Massachusetts circa 1700.

“What damnation have you wrought upon yourself? Upon us all?” The traditional pub villagers would cry as they rushed for their pitch forks and torches. “Be gone with you, unnatural creatures!”

And those unkind words were enough to send us packing. They didn’t have to chase us out of the village, for we never had any real magic, we were never any real threat.

Until…

We opened our eyes. We saw the true powers we possessed, and we saw the villagers for what they lacked.

We are able to manipulate our circumstances. We have more control than any who’ve gone before us. Self-publishing truly is magic.

But we can’t just walk around all blasé, showing off our green skin and harry warts while levitating our way through the park. That would be a mistake. We need to put on a little bit of concealer and keep our feet on the ground. We wouldn’t want to scare them away.

Similarly, a self-published or indie author needs to put on a bit of a show. We need to know when to conform to the “village” way of life and when to do our own damn thang. If we can get them to come in for a closer look, they might understand our allure. Then they’ll stop being so afraid.

Our make-up isn’t Maybelline to cover that green skin (I ♥ you, Elphaba). No. We apply our foundation by writing a truly fetching and well-edited manuscript. We dab on the blush when we take the time and expense needed to don an attractive book cover. Our lipstick is a professional, personal, and functional web presence.

Don’t we look pretty? We do, I tell you. And we’re all the more beautiful for knowing that we possess something so much deeper within:  creativity, stick-to-it-ness, bravery, and of course – magic.

If you really examine the state of the publishing industry, it’s not the traditional house execs that populate the villages. Oh, they’re definitely the mayors, the cryers, and a few other choice townspeople. But if you want to see who lives in the village, go and knock on a few doors.

It’s the readers, bibliophiles, book addicts. They’re the ones who built this town. The mayor would have no village to govern if ‘tweren’t for them.

And thank God for it!

We arrived on their doorsteps – beaten, bloody, in need of a hot meal and a bit of rest. They may have been put off by our bedraggled appearance, but they ultimately let us in and showed us the true nature of their hospitality.

I kind of like this town; I think I’ll move in ;-) 

THANK YOU EMLYN, FOR JOINING US TODAY.

brought to you by

for more information

visit

http://www.orangeberrybooktours.com/2012/05/emlyn-chand.html

The Mapmakers Union

IT'S ALMOST HERE!
BOOK THREE OF THE WILDLY POPULAR
DOORKNOB SOCIETY SAGA
HERE'S A SNEAK PEAK AT THE COVER OF BOOK 3
THE MAPMAKERS UNION

THE MAPMAKERS UNION

BY

MJ FLETCHER

Chloe Masters has a death wish, at least according to her friends she does.  Still reeling from the death of one of those closest to her she is living life on the edge.  One by one she is pushing everyone away. Leaving her with the very person who betrayed her....Faith.

Her memories locked away by the Forget Me Not: can Chloe discover the truth before she loses everyone she loves?

_____________________________________________

Review Snippets for The Doorknob Society book 1:

"I am SO GLAD that I said I'd review the book!! It had me interested from the first chapter, and HOOKED shortly after that!"

Puretextuality.com

"Let me start by saying that I'm a pretty picky reader.  I have to be captured by a story almost immediately in order to continue reading.  Well, I was captured by The Doorknob Society...and I am hooked."

Amazon

"I couldn't put it down and read straight through and was so mad at myself for finishing it.  I CAN NOT WAIT FOR THE NEXT BOOK!"

GOODREADS

_________________________________________

AS OF JULY 11TH 2012 (BOOK1)

AMAZON: 10 ***** REVIEWS (5 STAR)

BARNES AND NOBLE: 5 ***** REVIEWS(5 STAR)

GOODREADS: 10 ***** REVIEWS (5 STAR)

_________________________________

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

MJ Fletcher is the creator of the comic book series Adam Zero: The Last Man of Earth published by Ronin Studios.  He's also been published in Hope: The Hero Initiative and Digital Webbing Presents.  The Doorknob Society series is his first book series and he's thrilled about it. He lives near the beach with his wife, daughter, dog and a crotchety cat.

BOOK DETAILS

word count: 113,300

series: Book 3 of the Doorknob Society Saga

Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Steampunk, Dieselpunk

Available from:

Amazon

Amazon.com.uk

Barnes and Noble

Smashwords

CONTACT DETAILS:

EMAIL : FLETCH312@GMAIL.COM

WEBSITE: http://www.thedoorknobsociety.com/

TWITTER: @FLETCH125

FACEBOOK: DOORKNOB SOCIETY

YOUTUBE: THE MAPMAKERS UNION TRAILER

TODAY WE ARE BRINGING YOU

FREDA LIGHTFOOT

presenting her book

THE QUEEN AND THE COURTESAN

about the book:

Henriette d'Entragues isn't satisfied with simply being the mistress of Henry IV of France; she wants a crown, too. Despite his promises to marry her, the King is obliged by political necessity to ally himself with a rich Italian princess. But Henriette isn't one for giving up easily.

MY THOUGHTS

I do not like Henriette.  "OFF WITH HER HEAD" kept running through my mind while reading this book.  I have a soft spot for the Medici women, they were pawns in the political games of the times.  Marie de Medici is no exception.  

This is actually the third book in a series.  I encourage you to read all three.  Not much is written about this time period, and Ms Lightfoot has done a great job with her research. Book one is THE HOSTAGE QUEEN and deals with Henry of Navarre and his wife Margot,  Book two is THE RELUCTANT QUEEN and we meet Gabrielle d'Estrees and of course, book three

THE QUEEN AND THE COURTESAN deals with Henry IV and his wife, Marie de Medici and his mistress Henriette d'Entragues.

and now...my interview with 

FREDA LIGHTFOOT

Donna: Thank you for joining us here at book lovers paradise.  I'd like to ask you a few questions about your books and about your writing.   What is your inspiration?

Freda:  The Queen and the Courtesan is the last in the trilogy about Marguerite de Valois and Henry IV of France. It’s the story of one of his many mistresses, Henriette d’Entragues, who rather fancied wearing a crown. Before agreeing to become his mistress she insisted upon a written promise that if she provided him with a son, he would make her his queen. Of course, it all becomes far more complicated than she expected. 

The inspiration for this series came when I found an old book on my shelf. It was a biography of Marguerite de Valois called ‘The Queen of Hearts’. I’d bought it at some second hand book shop years ago, picked it up to read one night to discover she was the daughter of Catherine de Medici and led a fascinating life filled with scandal and intrigue. That set me off researching what became ‘Hostage Queen’, and then ‘Reluctant Queen’. And in this last book ‘The Queen and the Courtesan’, Margot, as she was known, returns from her life in exile at Usson, to spend her last years back in Paris. I did feel rather sorry for Henry’s new Queen, Marie de Medici, as she had a mistress and an ex-wife to deal with.

Donna:  Can you see yourself as any of your characters?

Freda:  I’d rather not see myself as any of the characters in this series as they really were quite dangerous times. Plots festered, intrigue was rife, and you never knew if you were going to keep your head, or whether this goblet of wine was safe to drink.

Donna:  What is the best advice you would give to a new writer?

Freda: The best advice I could give any new writer is to write what you love. Take no notice of current fashions, they come and go too quickly to chase. Write from the heart, with sincerity, and keep the reader turning the pages.

Donna: What is the best advice someone gave you?

Freda: The best piece of advice I received was that it was my job to entertain and keep the reader from her sleep. And judging by the number of my ebooks bought during the night, I’d say there are plenty of insomniacs around.

Donna:  Who are your favorite authors?

Freda:  I love historical fiction. I fell in love with the genre reading Anya Seton, Jean Plaidy and Norah Lofts. Now I enjoy Susan Holloway Scott, Elizabeth Chadwick, Susanna Kearsley, Dianne Haegar, and many more.

Donna: If you could meet any 4 people, living or dead, who would you choose?

Freda:  I’d certainly like to meet the characters from my books: Marguerite de Valois, because she was a feminist before her time, Gabrielle d’Estrees to find out if she was as innocent and naïve as she seems, and of course Henriette, a right little madam. Oh, and Henry IV himself. What a charmer! His grandson, Charles II of England, was definitely a chip off the old block where women were concerned.

Donna: Any other books in the works?

Freda:  I’ve just finished a book about Dorothy Jordan, a famous comedic eighteenth century actress, a real celeb in her day, who became mistress to the Duke of Clarence who later became William IV. They lived together for almost twenty years, and she gave him ten children, yet managed to keep her career going throughout. Another feisty, independent woman, but with a soft and generous heart which was her undoing.

The paperback of The Queen and the Courtesan, published 29 June, can be found here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Queen-Courtesan-Freda-Lightfoot/dp/1847513972/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1338886284&sr=1-1 

Most of my titles are now up as ebooks on Amazon, Kobo, Smashwords etc. Links to them can be found on my website:

http://www.fredalightfoot.co.uk 
http://www.fredalightfoot.blogspot.com  
Follow me on Twitter:  @fredalightfoot

Facebook:  http://en-gb.facebook.com/fredalightfoot 

Hope this is OK. 

Best, Freda

Freda, Thank you for joining us today.  Good luck with your writing.  I am a lover of history and completely enjoyed your trilogy!!