Guest post by author C.A. Shives

Author Bio

C.A. Shives is the author of PHOBIA, a suspense novel based in a small Pennsylvania town.

When not reading, writing, editing, or publishing, C.A. enjoys watching a good action movie. The author also spends time target shooting on the range and raising backyard chickens.

C.A. loves cheesy poofs, Bruce Willis movies, and wine (often simultaneously). The author is also a fan of Professional Competitive Eating.

A second book in the Artemis Herne series is scheduled for a winter 2012 release. C.A.’s upcoming novel weaves a dark tale of horrific vigilante justice tainted by the bitter taste of revenge.

Genre: Thriller/Suspense

EVERYONE HAS A SECRET FEAR...

Ex-cop Artemis Herne thought he left the grit and crime of the city in the past when he moved to a small town in Pennsylvania. But the discovery of a woman's dead body, bound and covered with snakes, sends panic through his community and ignites his investigative instincts.

As the serial killer continues to target his prey, Herne must confront his own haunted past to uncover the pattern in the deaths. He soon discovers that every victim suffers from a phobia. And every murder transforms the victim's worst fear into reality.

Tormented by his personal demons, he is forced to face his own fears as he hunts for a murderer who uses terror for a weapon.

Book Excerpt

EXCERPT 1

                They stared at each other as memories flooded Herne’s mind like a scattering of photographs faded by sunlight. On summer break their freshmen year of college, they shared a bottle of illicit whiskey in Tucker’s basement. Best buddies having a little fun on a typical Saturday night. Walking a street in Hurricane, on their way to meet Tucker’s girlfriend—who would later become his wife—they saw the unmistakable glow of flames a few blocks away. The old brick bakery was on fire. They ran to it, knowing that the building was really a shelter for battered women. Once there they found a thin, long-haired man in the parking lot, holding a lit Molotov cocktail while screaming the name of his wife. Two more unlit homemade frags sat on the asphalt.

                When the man saw them, he threw the bomb against the building and charged at Herne.

                Herne pounded at the man’s face until his fist pulverized bone into tiny shards. Through a red haze of fury, Herne only saw the face of his sister—his sweet, young sister—beaten to death in her teenage years by a jealous boyfriend.

                Tucker pulled him away into the night as sirens sounded in the distance. The man spent years in reconstructive surgery, and he never looked anything less than a monster. The brain damage he suffered made it impossible for him to identify his attackers.

Author post by C.A. Shives

PAPER VERSUS E-BOOKS

Although I'm old enough to be hitting midlife crisis stage, I consider myself relatively tech savvy. I read some books through a reader app on my smartphone. I prefer text messaging over phone calls. I published my novel in e-book format. I spend so much time with my laptop that I probably could declare it as a dependent next tax season.

But perhaps part of me is old-fashioned. Although the ease and convenience of e-books cannot be denied, there's something immensely satisfying about holding a book with tangible pages. The smell, the feel, the sound of the paper is part nostalgia and part comfort, like returning home to a meal of Mom's chicken potpie and homemade slaw.

If it's a book I want to savor—a book that calls me to fall into the pages and drown in the words—only a paper version will suffice.

My personal library contains thousands of volumes, many of which I've had for decades. Children's books and comic strip collections share shelf space with suspense novels and cozy mysteries. I don't keep books because I'm a packrat. I keep them because of the pleasure they've given me and the pleasure they continue to give me. Most of my tomes have been read and re-read, and each time I find new peace between the covers.

The spines are worn. The pages are yellowed with age. Some of the bindings have disintegrated, and sheets of paper flutter from the books when I handle them. Many of the covers are faded and the dust jackets were lost long ago.

So why, if my love for traditional books is so deeply embedded in my soul, do I have an e-reading app on my phone? Well, quite simply, it's a matter of convenience. I carry my phone in my pocket, and it's with me everywhere I go. It takes just a few seconds to open the app, find a book, and begin reading. I don't have to worry about dragging a book with me to doctor's appointments, a kid's gymnastics practice, or any other situation that might involve a long wait. My phone is handy. It's small. And it's quick.

But when I'm reading an e-book, part of me always misses the feel of paper in my hands.

I'll continue to publish my books in electronic format. I'm no Luddite. But for those of you—like me—who still love to read the “old-fashioned” way, I'll keep publishing in paperback, too.

Important Links

Website: www.cashives.com
Twitter: @CA_Shives
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/C.A.Shives
Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Phobia-ebook/dp/B007XVP39W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335619232&sr=8-1

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5822806.C_A_Shive

Guest post by author Liz Grace Davis

http://www.amazon.com/Tangis-Teardrops-ebook/dp/B006ZQU4BI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XOJlUn3VHc

Author bio: Liz Grace Davis grew up in Angola, Namibia, South Africa and Germany. She now lives with her husband in Vienna, Austria.

Growing up, Liz spent most her days in libraries, diving into the world of books. In her spare time she reads a lot, travels, creates jewelry and designs digital scrapbooks. That's of course when she's not weaving stories. She's in her element whenever she is doing anything that requires creativity.
Liz is the author of a young adult fantasy novel, Tangi's Teardrops, and a romantic women's fiction novel, Chocolate Aftertaste.

GUEST POST : THE STORY BEHIND TANGI’S TEARDROPS

I'm not a mother yet, but I know that when I finally get children of my own, I will be paranoid about who takes care of them. For one year I lived with my aunt, under the care of two nannies who made my life hell. I was only eight years old and did not understand why they beat me, burned me, and starved me, while treating my cousins differently. I could not understand why I had to sit and watch while everyone else ate and I wasn't offered any food. I could not understand why those two women dragged me out of bed at 4 or 5 a.m. so I could do their farm work, work I wasn't strong enough to handle. I never told anyone. I tried, but the punishment afterwards was too much to bear.So I bottled it all up inside, suffered silently. I also learned to hide the scratches, burn marks, the wounds (both emotional and physical). 

When I finally escaped, I took the scars with me and they took a long time to heal. I was a loner at school because I couldn’t understand why anyone would love me. I also didn’t want to give other people the chance to hurt me again. But time was a great healer.

How do I know the scars have healed? Because when I think of the little girl I used to be, I no longer feel that ache in my heart. I have learned to live with my past, learned to forgive those who have hurt me. But will I ever forget? I really don’t think so. But I will not let my past dictate my future. Laughing and living is just too much fun.

That painful part of my childhood inspired my novel, Tangi's Teardrops, a young adult fantasy novel, that helped me put it all behind me and write my own fairytale ending. I hope the book will help children who are either mistreated by people who were supposed to care for them, or bullied by other children who don't understand them. If my novels can take a hurting person away from it all, even for a second, it will bring a smile to my face.


Book Synopsis


When Tangi's father dies, he leaves her nothing but three empty bottles. A kind uncle takes the poverty-stricken girl and her stepsisters in, and for a time life gets better on his farm. But Tangi remains a lonely outsider; her stepsisters tease her for her crippled leg, and the housekeepers use her like a servant.

Just before her thirteenth birthday, Tangi learns the truth about her father's strange legacy: the three bottles aren't empty any more. They're filled with all the tears she's cried since her father died, and her tears are enchanted. She must use them to travel to Rosevine, the world of her dead mother. Tangi not only belongs there but is necessary to keep Rosevine alive.

Tangi's tears will save Rosevine, and Rosevine will save Tangi from a cruelty-filled life, except for one thing: Tangi's lost the bottles.

Guest post by Nancy Parker

Writing for Different Publications

If you are a full time writer or want to be, then you are going to have to diversify. The print business is on its way down, the online blogging and writing business is soaring, but you will have to be flexible to take advantage of any of it. Here are some tips to survive diversification as a writer.

1.      Write news – The first type is the old standby. News sells. Okay, it is just as simple as that. No one refuses a good news piece, and if you can do it right there will always be a job for you.

2.      Write blogs – Blogs are everywhere. You will have to be prolific, opinioned and current to stay afloat, but it is possible to make money blogging. I also find it to be the most relaxed and fun to write, so that is an added benefit.

3.      Write fiction –The market for fiction is not huge, but if you can make it there you stand to gain a pretty penny. Know what sells and write what you are good at.

4.      Write poetry – Now, this does not sell, but it will get you noticed and it is usually fast to write. You can get in the more ‘artsy’ publications with well-written poetry.

5.      Write science –There is always a need for someone to write those incredibly detailed science reports. Take reams and reams of lab notes and results and turn it into a semi-coherent paper. This actually pays decently if you have the background to get it.

6.      Write business – Someone has to send out those PR things, and someone has to create all those business documents floating around. Why not you? All it takes is a little knowledge of what they need and some creative juice to get it typed up.

7.      Write tests – Tests and practice tests have to be written by someone. Why not you? Think SATs and MCAT and you’ve got yourself some seasonal employment. If you can write a how-to-study book, then you’ve got a steady gig.

8.      Write textbooks –If you know a lot about a subject, or are just willing to do the research, textbook writing is an option. While it can be dry and dull, it will also keep you employed steadily for quite a while.

9.      Write descriptions – Someone has to write all those cutesy descriptions about products being sold online. Why not you? Sure, it doesn’t take a whole lot of time individually, but when you’ve got an entire website to do, it will definitely pay off.

These are just a few of the ways writers can diversify their talents. Writing is literally everywhere. Take a look around and see where your talents can be used and what you can get paid to write.

Author Bio

Nancy Parker was a professional nanny and she loves to write about wide range of subjects like health, Parenting, Child Care, Babysitting, nanny, live out nanny  etc. You can reach her @ nancy.parker015 @ gmail.com