 INTERVIEW WITH TOMASZ CHRUSCIEL  Welcome to Roxana’s Blog! Q: Tell us a little about yourself and your background. My name is Tomasz Chrusciel, and I’m a Polish-born fiction writer. Since 2004, I’ve been living in Dublin, Ireland. A few years ago, I decided to leave my corporate career and started to write. From the day I made that decision, I’ve never looked back. Now, my world revolves around creating new stories that I hope readers find enjoyable and benefit from in many ways. Q: So, would you mind telling us what you have written so far? I’ve written two full-length novels. My debut novel, Illusive Intrusion was released for the first time in 2014. However, since January this year, the second, revised edition has been available on Amazon. My second novel, Fast Track to Glory was published last year. The story gathered a great number of positive reviews. What’s more, Fast Track to Glory became a finalist in the 2016 Readers' Favorite International Book Award Contest. Also, IndieReader named the novel the Best Indie Book of 2016 in the action/adventure category. Q: Where can we buy or see them? My novels are available to buy on Amazon: Illusive Intrusion: Amazon US, Amazon UK Fast Track to Glory: Amazon US, Amazon UK Q: What are you working on at the minute? At the moment, I’m working on a prequel to the Nina Monte books (the first book in this series is Fast Track to Glory). This will be a captivating short story introducing Nina and her work. Later, I intend to write another full-length novel in this series. Q: What genre are your books and what draws you to this genre? I write in a few genres—action/adventure, woman’s adventure, mystery, and thriller—but I think that I’m starting to feel the most comfortable in the historical thriller genre because it perfectly combines my interest in history with my passion for writing fast-paced novels. Q: What was the name of your last book? Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special? What’s it about? Fast Track to Glory is my latest book. I made Nina Monte my protagonist. Nina is Head of the Department of Historical and Geographic Sciences and the Ancient World at the University of Padua. One day, she receives an unexpected invitation to a confidential meeting at Heidelberg Castle in Germany. Of course, she is too intrigued to refuse. What is expected of her doesn’t seem to be extraordinary until she examines a mysterious artifact found on a forgotten galley that sank in the fifteenth century in Lake Garda, Italy. Soon, her life is turned upside down as she is whisked around the world following the discovery. From that moment, not only is Nina’s life in danger, but the freedom of all humankind is at stake. Q: Do you write full-time or part-time? Do you have a special time to write or do you write every day, 5 days a week or as and when? I try to write every day except Sundays. My aim is to start typing around 8:30 am. I don’t keep a strict word count. That would cause unnecessary pressure on me and lower the quality of my work. Typically, my workday ends at 5 pm, although there are days when the right words flow effortlessly, so I shut down my laptop around 9 pm. Q: Where do your ideas come from? Or is it just the spur of the moment, a special feeling you experience or a specific conjuncture that offers you inspiration? Most of the time, my ideas come from my travels. I love to go to new faraway locations in search of new story ideas. With a few exceptions, all the settings in my novels are the exact places I traveled to, so their influence is quite significant. It also happens that before a new book idea starts to grow, I will first know the locations where that story takes place. Q: Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you? I work in the most efficient way if I have an outline in front of me. Of course, there are always new ideas popping out somewhere on the way, but I need to know where my story goes. Only then I’m confident that the storyline evolves according to what I have in mind. Q: Do you ever get writer’s Block and if so do you have any tips on how to get through the dreaded writer’s block? I don’t believe in writer’s block. When I’m stuck—and it does happen—I just lower my expectations towards myself and just write. Everything can be revised later. This method is the best way to beat those less productive days. As well, having a good outline and the folder full of research material makes it almost impossible to spend a day staring at the blank computer screen. Q: What book/s are you reading at present? At the moment, I’m reading The Red Book by C.G. Jung. I believe that every writer should constantly work on honing their skills as well as on their spiritual development. Also, I’ve recently finished reading The Einstein Prophecy, a magnificent historical thriller by Robert Masello. Q: What is your favorite quote? “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” – Albert Einstein Q: How can readers discover more about you and you work? Website: http://www.tomaszchrusciel.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tomaszchruscielbooks/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/TomaszChru Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Tomasz-Chrusciel/e/B00KYWQJ36/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0 Book Links: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A75N0X6/; https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fast-Track-Glory-International-Thriller-ebook/dp/B01A75N0X6/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MR36W35, https://www.amazon.co.uk/Illusive-Intrusion-Tomasz-Chrusciel-ebook/dp/B01MR36W35/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8 Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8319222.Tomasz_Chrusciel Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to take part in this interview. Character Interview
Fast Track To Glory: An International Thriller by Tomasz Chrusciel 4 stars out of 5  This is Tomasz Chrusciel’s first novel I have read and I must admit that once I started reading, I found it quite difficult to put it down, even though, at times, the action is not very fast-paced and the tone is somehow nostalgic. I think Mr. Chrusciel succeeded in bringing together an interesting plot, full of twists, and a romance slowly blooming between two unexpected partners. The author is very attentive to details, be it related to a place or to a character. It was like I had the sites before my eyes. Now, I do long to see all those places. Mr. Chrusciel seems to master the art of combining careful research and real aspects with fiction, thus building a good novel. There were a few instances when the story was too stretched and made it difficult to believe in it (fictionally speaking, of course) and there were also instances when the dialogue lacked some fluidity. That is why I couldn’t go with five stars. The main characters are well-fleshed and the author offers a good glimpse even in the woven of the secondary or tertiary ones. I’ve noticed the rare change in the point of view, something most people can’t accept but which I enjoy as it gives me more perspective upon the action or the people involved. I would recommend this book. It represents a good read for the people seeking adventure, as well as an intriguing connection between presence and past.
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 INTERVIEW WITH JENNIFER S. ALDERSON  Welcome to Roxana’s blog! Q: Tell us a little about yourself and your background. I’m a long-time expat, an American who’s been living in the Netherlands since 2004, and the author of two novels, Down and Out in Kathmandu: Adventures in Backpacking and The Lover’s Portrait: An Art Mystery. In America I worked as a journalist and multimedia developer until massive burnout lead me to quit my job, buy a backpack and head off to Kathmandu to volunteer as an English teacher for three months before backpacking around Nepal and Thailand for another four. As cliché as it might sound, this trip ended up being a life-changing experience. After several years on the road, I moved to the Netherlands. I ended up here by pure chance. After a 24 hour layover in Rome turned into a two-month tour of Europe, I arrived in Amsterdam on Queen’s Day and immediately feel in love with the city, country, culture and people. Several months of paperwork later, I returned to Amsterdam to study art history and never left! After completing degrees in art history and museum studies, I worked for several museums before the economy crashed and the cultural sector imploded. While apply for jobs, I wrote my first novel as a way of keeping my mind occupied. Writing about my adventures in Nepal and Thailand also helped curtail my wanderlust! I finished it between contracts, but never pursued publication. After my son was born, I had the luxury of staying home to raise him. Writing became a way to connect with ‘grownup’ life, and gave me an excuse to visit several museums and archives I’d always wanted to check out. The Lover’s Portrait was so well-received by everyone who read it, I decided to publish both of my books and see what happened. I’ve been absolutely blown away by the overwhelmingly positive reception so far! Q: What are your future ambitions for your writing career? To keep writing stories about art-related events and places that interest me, and promoting those I’ve already published. Q: So, would you mind telling us what you have written so far? The first two novels in the Adventures of Zelda Richardson series are already out, Down and Out in Kathmandu (2015) and The Lover’s Portrait (2016). The third in the series, another art-related mystery set in Amsterdam and Papua New Guinea, will be released in 2017. These books follow traveler and culture lover Zelda Richardson around the globe. Down and Out in Kathmandu is a travel thriller set in Nepal and Thailand. A naïve American volunteering as an English teacher gets entangled with a gang of smugglers who believe she’s stolen their diamonds. It’s gotten great reviews so far! The Lover’s Portrait is a mystery set in present day and wartime Amsterdam which uses the context of an art exhibition to examine issues surrounding the restitution of looted art and the intrinsic worth of artwork, as well as core values such as integrity, perseverance and sacrifice. The book was awarded a 5 star medal from Readers’ Favorite and came in at number 14 in the mystery category of the BookLife Prize for Fiction 2016. I’ve also recently started blogging about travel, fellow creatives, expat life and writing. Q: Where can we buy or see them? In any and all online retailers, and several bookstores in Amsterdam. Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jennifer-S.-Alderson/e/B019H079RA/ Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/nl/en/search?query=Jennifer%20S.%20Alderson&fcsearchfield=Author iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/nl/author/jennifer-s.-alderson/id1071483428?l=en&mt=11 BARNES & NOBLE: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Jennifer%20S.%20Alderson%22?Ntk=P_key_Contributor_List&Ns=P_Sales_Rank&Ntx=mode+matchall AMAZON CO UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jennifer-S.-Alderson/e/B019H079RA/ Q: What are you working on at the minute? What’s it about? I’ve got two projects in the works. In late January I hope to release a travelogue about my journey to Nepal and Thailand, Notes of a Naive Traveler: Adventures in Nepal and Thailand. Since Down and Out in Kathmandu’s publication, I’ve been surprised by the number of readers who want to know which of the events described in my debut novel really took place. Very few, I’m afraid! Now everyone will have a chance to read about my actual journey and experiences gained while volunteer in, and traveling around Nepal and Thailand. I’ve also included several photos of places I’d visited, many of which were destroyed in the massive earthquake that rocked Nepal in 2015. Beta readers are calling it a ‘must read’ for anyone who is interested in, or has traveled to, Nepal or Thailand. I am also busy fleshing out the second draft of the third novel in the AZR series. This one is set in present-day Amsterdam and Papua New Guinea in the 1950s and 1960s. This yet-to-be-named book will be another art-related mystery, this time about Bispoles (religious objects akin to totem poles), American anthropologists, and Dutch missionaries. I’m planning on releasing it in the summer of 2017. Q: What genre are your books and what draws you to this genre? Mystery, travel, adventure and thrillers are the genres my books fall into. I love to travel and mysteries have always been my favorite genre as a reader. When I set out to write my first novel, combining the two came naturally. Q: What was the name of your last book? Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special? What’s it about? As the name suggests, Zelda Richardson is the main character in The Adventures of Zelda Richardson series. The Lover’s Portrait is the latest book. Zelda is a headstrong young woman who’s determined to find a way to love what she does for a living. After burnout drove her to Nepal, she turned her back on the ICT sector and moved to Amsterdam to study art history. Her goal is to work as a curator or exhibition maker in a museum. She’s book smart but socially not always on point. Her doggedness gets her into sticky situations, but she’s able to get herself out of most of them without much help. Q: Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character from your most recent book? Jennifer Lawrence often plays roles that remind me of the sassy and independent Zelda Richardson. Q: How much research do you do for your books? Research plays an important part in the development of all of my books. Learning about the diamond trade and smuggling in Asia was crucial to ensuring the plot of Down and Out in Kathmandu was realistic. Book two, The Lover’s Portrait, demanded extensive research into several aspects of life in Amsterdam during the 1940s: specifically art dealers, galleries, museum collections, restitution of looted artwork, the methods Nazis used to justify their confiscation of artwork, and homosexuality in the Netherlands and Europe as a whole. These were all topics I spent several months learning about before finalizing the plot and storyline of my second novel. Book three required research into anthologists and missionaries who worked in the Netherlands, the United States and Papua New Guinea during the 1950s and 1960s, Asmat culture, shifting policies underlying the collection practices of ethnographic museums, the debate around aesthetic beauty versus the cultural value of an object, use of human remains in exhibitions, physical anthropology, and Michael Rockefeller’s disappearance in Papua New Guinea. Q: Tell us about the covers of your books. How did it/they come about? Both of my current covers were created by James of GoOnWrite.com, a very professional and talented English bloke living in Spain whom I highly recommend. The cover for The Lover’s Portrait was actually a pre-made that fit perfectly with the story – right down to the stenciled typeface! The current cover of Down and Out in Kathmandu is the second version, a custom job built around a cutout of Swaymbunath Temple my husband created. Q: Do you think that the cover plays an important part in the buying process? A great cover is of tremendous importance. I made the same mistake too many Indie authors do and designed the original cover myself. Though I worked in the computer industry as a website and multimedia developer for several years, cover design proved to require a different set of skills. When the first reviews came back and were positive over the story but tore the cover apart, I knew I had no choice but to upgrade. Since then, I’ve gotten several compliments on the cover from readers and book bloggers! Q: What are your views on social media for marketing? Which social network worked best for you? Any tips on what to do and what not to do? Before I published Down and Out in Kathmandu, I wasn’t active on any social media networks. When it came out, I focused all of my attention on Goodreads, with positive yet limited results. Two months before The Lover’s Portrait came out, I finally created Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Pinterest accounts. I have not yet mastered any social network, but am slowly learning. Like most authors, I’ve learned the hard way that “buy me” posts don’t work on any platform. What’s surprised me most is how the same post will be ignored on Twitter, yet on Instagram and Facebook is shared and liked by many. Short excerpts of reviews with or without a visual, work best for me on these platforms. On Twitter posts of reviews with a visual image attached spread like wildfire, as do posts I retweet from travel blogs and adventurers. These seem to appeal most to my travel fiction fan base on Twitter. Q: Did you do a press release, Goodreads book launch or anything else to promote your work and did it work? Goodreads giveaways have been the best way for me to reach potential readers who add my book to their ‘to read’ shelves, though I see more spikes in sales after I promote new reviews on Facebook and Twitter. I did write and send press releases to local, national and international organizations and news media before The Lover’s Portrait was released; all were resolutely ignored. Q: What do you think of “trailers” for books? Personally I’d never watched a book trailer all the way through until I decided it was important to make one. I haven’t bought any books that way. However, I know some potential readers do enjoy them, meaning my trailer may help to reach a slightly different audience. In this crapshoot called marketing, I’m trying everything once! Q: Do you have a trailer or do you intend to create one for your own book/s? Here is a link to the trailer on YouTube: https://youtu.be/nqe0f5wh7aE I did make a trailer for The Lover’s Portrait and am busy storyboarding one for Down and Out in Kathmandu. After much trial and error, I ended up filming snippets of life in Amsterdam – where The Lover’s Portrait is set – and superimposed a few teaser lines about the book over the images. It’s been well received so far and viewed hundreds of times on several different platforms (Goodreads, Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo and Twitter). Q: How do you relax? In Seattle, it was kayaking and hiking. Here in the Netherlands, long bicycle rides through the Dutch countryside and swimming are my favorite ways to unwind. Q: Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why? Alex Garland, author of The Beach, would be high on my list. His debut novel blew my mind, and those of many of my generation. Thanks to books like his, I dared to write Down and Out in Kathmandu. I bet we could have fun swapping travel stories. Q: What is your favorite motivational phrase? What is your favorite positive saying? “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” reminds me that growth is impossible without pushing your own boundaries. Q: What is your favorite quote? ““I haven't been everywhere, but it's on my list.” This quote by Susan Sontag speaks to my fascination with other ways of living, and my intense desire to see and do everything! Q: Where can you see yourself in 5 years-time? Still writing fiction and learning about the world. Q: What advice would you give to your younger self? Don’t stress so much! Things usually do work out in the end, though perhaps not how you expect them to. Q: How can readers discover more about you and you work? Website: http://www.jennifersalderson.com Blog: http://jennifersalderson.com/?feed=rss2 Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jenniferSAldersonauthor Twitter: https://twitter.com/JSAauthor Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/JenniferSAlderson Pinterest: https://nl.pinterest.com/JSAauthor/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Jennifer-S.-Alderson/e/B019H079RA/ Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jennifersalderson Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jsaauthor/ Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/JennifeSAlderson Book Links: Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/Jennifer-S.-Alderson/e/B019H079RA/ Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/nl/en/search?query=Jennifer%20S.%20Alderson&fcsearchfield=Author iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/nl/author/jennifer-s.-alderson/id1071483428?l=en&mt=11 BARNES & NOBLE: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Jennifer%20S.%20Alderson%22?Ntk=P_key_Contributor_List&Ns=P_Sales_Rank&Ntx=mode+matchall Amazon.co.uk: AMAZON CO UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jennifer-S.-Alderson/e/B019H079RA/ Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to take part in this interview. Character Interview By Jennifer S. Alderson Zelda Richardson is the lead character in the Adventures of Zelda Richardson series, and her travels and undertakings provide the thread connecting these standalone books. During this interview she’s busy solving the mystery of The Lover’s Portrait.
REVIEW: Down and Out in Kathmandu: adventures in backpacking (Adventures of Zelda Richardson Book 1) by Jennifer S. Alderson 4 stars out of 5  When I started reading this book I thought I was going to read a travel book (that’s what happens if you don’t even bother to read the blurb). I must admit that I wasn’t very thrilled with the prospect. So imagine how thrilled I was when I realized that the book was much more than that! The author has a knack for describing places and people making everything interesting – no boring details. She pictured Kathmandu and Thailand with enough detail to bring them before my eyes and make me want to have a chance to see them as well. I can see that she has a good knowledge of Kathmandu and the town itself becomes like a pivotal character of the novel, betrayed by smells and sounds and by its underground life. The characters are well-developed and believable. Zelda Richardson is a Canadian who decided to go to teach in Kathmandu (despite her lack of experience) and she walks the line between self-confidence and self-doubt almost all the time. Overwhelmed but determined, she fights back in all instances. She tangles with the Australian trekker, Ian, a former teacher, who succumbs to drugs and to the shoddy part of life. The third character is Tommy who, surprisingly, is based not in Kathmandu but Thailand and quite a good slice of the story takes place there. At a certain moment, the action becomes a little far-fetched, however, it is fiction, and that is understandable. The twists in the plot are good enough to keep the reader’s interest.  Address to Die For (A Maggie McDonald Mystery) by Mary Feliz  Address to Die For (A Maggie McDonald Mystery) by Mary Feliz 4 stars out of 5 Maggie McDonald moves to the Californian hills together with her family when her husband inherits an old but charming house and finds a new job. As her daily job is the one of an organizer, she has everything organized; however, she cannot plan for what they encounter. The book starts with the family having the bad surprise of finding a wrecked house when they expected to find one turn to key. Moreover, they find a dead body in the basement. Everything goes down the hill afterwards. The story is well developed although, now and then, it is slow-paced. The style is refreshing and I was caught in the story from the beginning, my interest growing strong. There were a few moments when I felt that Maggie was overanalyzing things and that made my interest wane but there were far and in between. The main characters are very well fleshed and their evolution through the novel is not lineal. There was a tentative to create well developed secondary characters but I don’t think that the author succeeded in creating rounded characters. Maggie is a strong woman and she has the ability to understand her own limits. She is capable of managing by herself, as her husband is in a business trip, able only to offer moral support. She understands that he cannot leave and come back home at the drop of a hat as he has just started in that new position. She knows that he’d be back if the circumstances requested that. The mystery unfolds with hints and it is completely revealed only at the end. Even though some of the hints might show who the culprit is, the story in itself is strong enough to keep my attention. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries.  INTERVIEW WITH PAUL RUSSELL PARKER III  Welcome to Roxana’s blog! Q: Tell us a little about yourself and your background. I’m a husband and a father. I work a full-time day job, and write at night. Hopefully I’ll transition to writing full-time for my livelihood. I live on the North Carolina, Crystal Coast but I was born in San Diego, California. I am a Veteran of the United States Marine Corps and the 2003 Invasion of Iraq. My background is varied. I worked odd jobs in high school. Upon graduation, I joined the Marine Corps at 17. I got out when I was 21, and went to college. I worked a series of odd jobs while I went to school and was lucky to secure an internship with the US Department of State at the US Embassy in Manila, Philippines. After that, I got a job in Iraq as a contractor to the Department of Defense. Then I transferred to Masirah Island, Oman so I could bring my family with me. I was on another contract to the DoD, and lived on a Royal Air Force of Oman air base. Then I transferred to Doha, Qatar so my family could enjoy living in a city compared to that little island in Oman. I worked at a US Air Base just outside of Doha. In total, I spent 7 years as a contractor in the Middle East and received my Bachelor’s degree during that time. After I left the contracting world, I decided to come back to North Carolina. This is where my dad retired from the Marine Corps, and my immediate family lived here. I wanted to put down roots and live a normal life so the kids could experience a regular childhood in the US. Q: Do you think that your school years have had an impact in your writing career? If so, what were you like at school? I don’t think my school years had an impact on my writing career. Typing class probably had the biggest impact. I took typing for three years, so I type really fast now. That has helped immensely. Writing books was the last thing on my mind back in those days. I just wanted to have fun with my friends, and do the typical teenage boy things. I was a great student academically, but I was a handful for my teachers. Q: Were you good at English or like Einstein you excel now in a field that was a nightmare for you as a student? I did well in all of my classes. This is the US, so I was an A-B honor roll student. I wrote the occasional 500 word or 1000 word paper. Two page papers at the most… I didn’t take any creative writing courses though. Nothing prepared me for writing a 200+ page, 109,000 word fiction! Q: What are your future ambitions for your writing career? My future ambition for my writing career is to become a full-time Author. I want my books to be well known. I want to produce a large body of work. I don’t want fame or fortune. I want to make a living off of writing though. I want to be a recognized Author. Q: So, would you mind telling us what you have written so far? I have written three novels and a novella in a series. The books in my Warden Series are: All In: The Globe Trot Shuffle, Cash Me Out: Life and Death in Paradise, The Buildup to Operation Intense Freedom: A Warden Series Novella, and Run The Table: Operation Intense Freedom. I also run my own blog where I post things about my books, my random thoughts, and reviews of books I read. Q: Where can we buy or see them? All of my eBooks are .99 cents and available through Kindle Unlimited. My paperbacks are $13.99 each, and my novellas are $6.99 each. Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Russell-Parker-III/e/B01CW2TBEO Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Parker-III-Paul-Russell/e/B01CW2TBEO Amazon FR: https://www.amazon.fr/Parker-III-Paul-Russell/e/B01CW2TBEO Amazon DE: https://www.amazon.de/Parker-III-Paul-Russell/e/B01CW2TBEO Amazon JP: https://www.amazon.co.jp/Parker-III-Paul-Russell/e/B01CW2TBEO Amazon NL: https://www.amazon.nl/All-Globe-Shuffle-Warden-English-ebook/dp/B01CVHVHRE Amazon BR: https://www.amazon.com.br/All-Globe-Shuffle-Warden-English-ebook/dp/B01CVHVHRE Amazon IN: https://www.amazon.in/Parker-III-Paul-Russell/e/B01CW2TBEO Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/All-Globe-Trot-Shuffle-Warden-ebook/dp/B01CVHVHRE Amazon IT: https://www.amazon.it/Parker-III-Paul-Russell/e/B01CW2TBEO Amazon MX: https://www.amazon.com.mx/All-Globe-Shuffle-Warden-English-ebook/dp/B01CVHVHRE Q: What are you working on at the minute? What’s it about? Right now, I’m working on another novella in my Warden Series. It takes place where my 3rd novel, Run The Table: Life and Death in Paradise ends. It is about what happens to my characters after the war ends. The shooting stops, so what’s next? How do they go from combat to normal life again? Q: What genre are your books and what draws you to this genre? My books are Thrillers. The subgenres are military, financial crime, vigilante justice, organized crime, noir, heist, and war. I like thrillers. With this genre, you don’t know what to expect. What problem is going to arise, and how will they deal with it? What lines will be crossed? Who’s bad and who’s good? Q: What was the name of your last book? Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special? What’s it about? The last book I published was Run The Table: Operation Intense Freedom. My protagonist is Lance Corporal John Gabriel Warden. He’s a United States Marine and feels an obligation to bring his friends home safe from the war. He’s the brooding type. He’s excited to be doing what Marines are supposed to do, but also feels bad for the people caught in the middle. He likes to break the rules and bucks against the system as often as he can although on paper, he’s a great Marine. The book is about a group of Marines experiences during the 2003 Invasion of Iraq. Q: Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character from your most recent book? That’s a good question! My character is in his early 20’s, so I can’t choose Tom Hardy. Maybe Chris Pratt? Zac Efron? Shia Lebeouf wouldn’t be a bad pick. He’s playing a Marine in a movie right now, and I heard he gave a good performance. Q: How much research do you do for your books? I research as much as I can. I consult maps online, I look up laws. I looked up the weight of a $100 dollar bill, and the dimensions of it so I could accurately display the size of the container it should be held in. I look up names to make sure I’m being original, like for businesses. I look up bio’s and history. I look up military spec’s. I wanted the series I wrote to be as realistic as possible. Q: Have you written any other novels/novellas in collaboration with other writers? Why did you do decide to collaborate and did that affect your sales? I haven’t collaborated with anyone yet, but I am open to it. Hopefully no one would be disappointed with my contribution! Q: When did you decide to become a writer and why? What was the principal reason for taking up a pen (metaphorical speaking) and write that first sentence? I tried to write a book in 2003 after I got back from Iraq, but it was a halfhearted attempt. I wanted to tell our story during the Invasion of Iraq. I put the pen down and returned to it 13 years later or so. I was sitting around and for some reason, I thought about that book I tried to write way back when. I went to the computer and wrote a short story. I let my wife read it, and she was surprised. It came out of no where. I told her I’d like to write a fiction and base it off of my experiences. She said go for it, and less than a year later, I have three novels and novella published. Q: Do you write full-time or part-time? Do you have a special time to write or do you write every day, 5 days a week or as and when? I write part-time because I have a day job. I like to write late a night when my wife and kids are asleep. I find that it’s easier to write when we’re home and I have no interruptions. I try to write every day, but I write at least twice a week. I have a young family and we have a lot of after school activities, so I’m often busy. Q: Where do your ideas come from? Or is it just the spur of the moment, a special feeling you experience or a specific conjuncture that offers you inspiration? My ideas come from spur of the moment. I write them all down. Then I try to plot it out chapter by chapter. I know what I want a chapter to be about, but I don’t know what I’m going to write until I start typing. I have a bunch of ideas for future novels written down and tons of notes in notepads on my computer (backed up on hard drives of course!) Q: How do you think you’ve evolved creatively? I think I’ve come along way from book 1 to where I’m at now, and it’s been less than a year. I’m still evolving. My work is developing and I’m interested how the next novel will be when I branch out in another genre. Q: Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you? For the first book, I just wrote. No plot and no outline. I wrote the whole book that way. That was great, but I spent a lot of time going back to format. Now, I just keep a general outline that I tend to follow. It’s not unusual for me to strike something from a list of ideas I had planned for a chapter and to put something else in entirely. I found that if I have an idea of what I’m going to write, I don’t go over or under the word count. Q: In your opinion, what is the hardest thing about writing? For me, the hardest thing about writing is finding time to write. I work full-time, and we have a young family. There’s recreational league sports that the kids are in, and other after school activities. I’m busy Monday through Sunday. So I sacrifice a few hours of sleep at night to write. Not only that, I have to promote and advertise or no one will find my books. I also have to upkeep and maintain my Author social media pages. I also read books for my book reviews on my blogs… I find that I never have enough time to write. Q: Now, what about the easiest thing about writing? The easiest thing about writing is writing. It flows for me. When I start typing, its nonstop. I just type and type and type. As soon as the idea comes to head, it’s written down and the story unfolds right before my eyes. Q: Do you ever get writer’s Block and if so do you have any tips on how to get through the dreaded writer’s block? The only time I have writer’s block is writing the first line of the book. The rest follows. That first line dictates the rest of the story that follows, so I have to think long and hard about the first line. Q: Do you read much and if so who are your favorite authors? For your own reading, do you prefer eBooks or traditional paper/hard back books? I read a lot. Right now, I’m trying to read Indie Authors because I’m an Indie Author. I haven’t ran into horrible stories or badly formatted books yet. Growing up, my favorite Authors were Stephen King, Tom Clancy, and Kurt Vonnegut. I prefer eBooks now because I like having thousands of books in my device at any given time. I do like to read paperbacks every now and then. I’m nostalgic about the smell of the pages and the feel of a book in your hand. Q: What book/s are you reading at present? I’m looking for my next read at this moment. My only problem is that there are so many Indie Books available. I’ve downloaded so many free ones that it’s hard to decide which one is next. I need another book review for my blog! Q: Do you proofread/edit all your own books or do you get someone to do that for you? I’m Indie with no budget, so I proof and edit on my own right now. Q: Do you let the book stew – leave it for a month and then come back to it to edit? I edit a chapter right after I finish righting it. I’ll let it stew for a day or two before I come back to do the first edit though. A week at the latest. Q: Tell us about the covers of your books. How did it/they come about? The covers for my first two novels came from a service that offered stock covers. I picked the covers that I felt were the best fit. I believe they fit, and couldn’t imagine a different cover. The cover for my 3rd novel and my novellas are taken from pictures I took during the Iraq War. Q: Do you think that the cover plays an important part in the buying process? Covers play the most important role. The cover is what catches your eye. If a cover doesn’t look good? You won’t check out the blurb. It has to be eye catching, and be related to your story. Q: What would you say are the main advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing against being published or the other way around? The main advantage to being self-published is that I have total creative control. From start to finish, I control all aspects. The disadvantage of not being traditionally published is that you have to do everything or pay for everything. Editing, proofing, cover, marketing, promoting, advertising, social media work… It’s tiresome! Q: How do you market your books, if you do the marketing yourself? I sign up at websites to put my book in their mailers during my Amazon free days. I post to groups and Tweet about it. I join group promotions and help others promote while they help promote me. I blog about the books. I used to do giveaways on Amazon, but that never led to sales. Q: Would you or do you use a PR agency? I would in the future if it was possible. I’m sure it’d be helpful. Q: Do you have any advice for other authors on how to market their books? My advice is have more than one book when you start to advertise heavily. It’s nice if two thousand people download your book, but if there’s no other book for them to read afterwards? You only get a review or two out of it. If you give away two thousand eBooks after you have another book or two written? Then you have a thousand or so people who will pay for the next book or books. It’s free promotion for the other books. So, write! Write a lot. Get other books published before you start spending a lot of money on promoting. Also, free promoting websites are great, but the best promotions I’ve had are from paid promotions. Q: What part of your writing time do you devote to marketing your book? I market the books a few hours out of the week. I don’t market as much as I should. I’m trying to publish the next book. Q: What do you do to get book reviews? Some reviews came from hundreds of free books given away. Other reviews came from genuine readers who bought the book. I don’t ask others for reviews, and I don’t review swap. So, I have few reviews. I’m hoping more will come organically as I publish more books. Q: How successful has your quest for reviews been so far? I have not been successful at all. I put call to actions in my books, and have given away a few thousand copies. The reviews just aren’t coming in. I didn’t review books before I became an Author so I can’t blame people. I suspect that military/financial crime fans don’t review books that often? Q: Do you have a strategy for finding reviewers? Not yet. I should offer my books to reviewers for reviews, but I’m not excited about that prospect. I had a bad review from someone who didn’t like the genre once. They said the story was well written, they just weren’t interested in it. They left a low star rating and that’s the only rating I have on that book. I’d rather let people who are genuine fans of the genre and who actually like my book to leave an organic review. Q: What are your thoughts on good/bad reviews? Who doesn’t want good reviews? I want good reviews, but I don’t want fake ones. If the story was bad, let me know. Let me know if something was horrible. Bad reviews are important, if they’re genuine. I’ll happily correct a mistake. People might not believe in the reviews if they’re all good either. Q: Any amusing story about marketing books that happened to you? During my first free day giveaway, I was scared when I hit 100 free downloads. I thought that was too many. Those could have been paid purchases! So I cut the promotion off and found out later that was bad. The more you giveaway, the better. One of those downloaders could be the person who puts your book over the edge. At the least, it could lead to a review or two. Q: What are your views on social media for marketing? Which social network worked best for you? Any tips on what to do and what not to do? Social media is good for marketing. That’s how I found a lot of books that I read now. It’s led to a few sales for me, but not much. A lot of groups I post to are groups of Authors trying to sell their books. It’s usually other Authors looking at your promotion hash tag tweets. You have to do it though. The more lines you put out, the better chance you have of someone discovering your book. I try not to spam groups or my Twitter followers. I try to retweet other Authors. I found that most of my followers are other authors and when they retweet me, it goes to their followers who are other authors. Q: Did you do a press release, Goodreads book launch or anything else to promote your work and did it work? I did not, but want to do so when I start a new trilogy in another genre. Q: Did you get interviewed by local press/radio for your book launch? I did not. I just paid for advertisements in the local papers. Q: Is there any marketing technique you used that had an immediate impact on your sales figures? The only thing that worked was giving the first book in my series away for free. That led to sales and downloads of my other books. Q: Did you make any marketing mistakes or is there anything you would avoid in future? The only mistake I made was paying a lot for marketing. It led to tons of free downloads and a few reviews. But not much else. I plan to use a mixture of free and paid advertising in the future. Q: Why do you think that other well written books just don’t sell? The market is flooded with self-published titles. Readers have so much to choose from, they may skip over great books just because there are so many to choose from. Q: What do you think of “trailers” for books? I want to do a trailer in the near future. It’s another way to promote the books and can get the books into the hands of readers. Q: Do you have a trailer or do you intend to create one for your own book/s? (* please provide a link to trailer if you have one) I’ll try to make one soon. Q: Do you think that giving books away free works and why? It works for the most part. People want free books. Do they read them? Probably not. Do they review them? Mostly no. Some do though. Others will read your other titles. Its something that you have to do because everyone else is doing. Readers are expecting free or cheap books now, so I feel like giving books away for free is making some readers only want free books. Q: How do you relax? I watch a movie with my family. Q: What is your favorite motivational phrase? What is your favorite positive saying? Don’t give up. Don’t stop writing. Q: What is your favorite book and why? My favorite book is The Stand by Stephen King. I read it when I was a young. It horrified me, and I read it over and over. Q: What is your favorite quote? Semper Fi til I die. It’s based on the Marine Corps latin moto, Semper Fidelis. It means Always Faithful. It’s a Marine thing. Q: Where can you see yourself in 5 years-time? Writing full-time! Q: What advice would you give to your younger self? Write that book! If I didn’t stop in 2003… I would have tons of books published by now. Q: What advice would you give to aspiring writers? Write as much as you can. Don’t worry about anything else. Just write. Q: Where do you see publishing going in the future? I see prices dropping and self-publishing taking over the market. Q: How can readers discover more about you and you work? : Blog: https://prp3theauthor.wordpress.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prp3theauthor/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/prp3theauthor Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Russell-Parker-III/e/B01CW2TBEO Book Links: Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Russell-Parker-III/e/B01CW2TBEO Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Parker-III-Paul-Russell/e/B01CW2TBEO Amazon FR: https://www.amazon.fr/Parker-III-Paul-Russell/e/B01CW2TBEO Amazon DE: https://www.amazon.de/Parker-III-Paul-Russell/e/B01CW2TBEO Amazon JP: https://www.amazon.co.jp/Parker-III-Paul-Russell/e/B01CW2TBEO Amazon NL: https://www.amazon.nl/All-Globe-Shuffle-Warden-English-ebook/dp/B01CVHVHRE Amazon BR: https://www.amazon.com.br/All-Globe-Shuffle-Warden-English-ebook/dp/B01CVHVHRE Amazon IN: https://www.amazon.in/Parker-III-Paul-Russell/e/B01CW2TBEO Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/All-Globe-Trot-Shuffle-Warden-ebook/dp/B01CVHVHRE Amazon IT: https://www.amazon.it/Parker-III-Paul-Russell/e/B01CW2TBEO Amazon MX: https://www.amazon.com.mx/All-Globe-Shuffle-Warden-English-ebook/dp/B01CVHVHRE Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15078491.Paul_Russell_Parker_III Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to take part in this interview. Character Interview
All In: The Globe Trot Shuffle (Warden Series Book 1) by Paul Russell Parker III 5 stars – A narrative full of twists This is a story full of surprises and there are moments when you simply cling to the edge of the seat, metaphorically speaking. The writer depicts the journey of four men belonging to the 2nd Marine Division out of Camp Lejeune North Carolina, journey that starts in Iraq, in the middle of a war zone and continues almost all over the world. The journey is multidimensional – in space and in spirit. The four characters, Warden, Madson, Diaz and Marcs, evolve gradually and gather experience until they become full-fleshed people. If Warden appears relatively complex from the beginning, the others reach part of their potential only at the end of the novel. The author has the gift of bringing a war zone before the reader’s eyes. He succeeds in translating into words the futility of war and the destruction it brings with it, not only spatially and culturally, for the party who fights the war on their own land but also for the soldier brought into this war from the other side of the world. The disintegration of a culture as well as the disintegration of the soldiers’ souls jumps off each page. People are seen as pawns in the claws of a government driven by economic gains with disregard for the human beings pushed into fight only to die. Everything is reduced to looting and taxing. People have value only if they bring money and they are expendable. Many more can come from where the fallen came. In my opinion, this book is a dispassionate cry against solving disputes with violence and a stand against reducing people to monetary value. The characters’ actions are somewhat questionable but considering the stakes for their survival, they become understandable. I recommend this book – good narrative with various twists, characters that evolve all the time and enticing dialogue.   REVIEW: Avalanche (A Stone Mountain Mystery Book 3) by Kristina Stanley 5.0 out of 5 stars - An excellent read, full of suspense  Avalanche (A Stone Mountain Mystery Book 3) by Kristina Stanley 5.0 out of 5 stars - An excellent read, full of suspense I am an avid reader which means that I read a lot of books. However, I have to say it's been a while since I've been drawn into a story as this one. I couldn't go to bed before I finished it. I recommend it. It is an excellent read. The plot is full of surprises and the twists of the story keep you guessing. I was hooked from the first page. Kristina Stanley is above average as a writer. Her style is catchy, clear and concise. Her characters are very well developed. Kalin, the heroine, but also the other characters are three dimensional and in continuous evolution.  REVIEW Capital Kill (Jeff Trask crime drama series Book 1) by Marc Rainer  Capital Kill (Jeff Trask crime drama series Book 1) by Marc Rainer 5 stars – one of the best books I have ever read I took this book through kindle unlimited as I promised to read it and review it as part of the Mystery Week Event. For a moment there, I was sorry that I offered – the description of the book made me groan: not another one of these! And then I started to read it – I couldn’t put it down! Honestly, it’s been a long time that I have read such a good book. Everything is off the scale: fluid narrative, full of twists, concise though, catching. It was informative without being boring. Actually, it made me want to be able to read faster so that I could learn more. The author avoided all boring tropes and his writing was far from conventional. He didn’t stumble once. There wasn’t a moment when I could say: well, he was stuck in an idea here and just droned on. The characters are not only well developed but they are three dimensional. There is no character that displays only one feature. Of course, Jeff Trask and Lassiter stand out; however, all the others are well fleshed-out. No character is absolutely positive and their actions are not linear. Their language is not annoyingly uniform and the background stories are developed enough to make the reader understand where the people came from. I would certainly recommend this book – it is clever, exciting and informative (without making you to fall asleep). Moreover, I do hope Mr. Rainer continues to write. I would welcome a new book written with his wit and skill.  Catch A Falling Star (An Eden Mystery) by Laurel Heidtman 4 stars  "Catch a falling star" might start innocent enough but it turns out to be full of mystery and deceit. The plot shows intrigue and suspense and can catch you unaware once you’re over the first few pages. I consider that there is a good balance between the development of the action, the narrative and the dialogue. The characters of the book are developed with subtlety and they are believable as they show flaws as any human being and they are supported by enough with back up stories. Interesting enough, the writer doesn’t give life only to the protagonists but she outlines and develops the secondary characters as well. If the first chapter of the book is not very well crafted and left me wanting, once I passed over it, I discovered a talented writer that managed to bring an interesting plot, together with compelling characters, before my eyes. I do recommend reading this novel. Ms. Heidtman is an accomplished writer. Bad Girls (An Eden Mystery) by Laurel Heidtman 5.0 out of 5 stars - Addictive plot and interesting characters  I had the chance to read this novel through Kindle Unlimited and I wasn't sorry that I chose it. I enjoyed the narrative. The writer's writing style held my attention all the time. I have to admit that I read this novel in one sitting only. The main characters, Marnie and Cal, are well developed and likable, even though at the beginning of the novel Marnie is described as a bad girl. The author creates a good psychological background for her and Marnie soon appears as a regular teenager with a speckled past. She tries to keep it real and proves that she has a very strong character along the story. Cal is likable from the beginning. The author doesn't present a flawless man but a real person, with strengths and weaknesses. The story is not lineal. The perspective changes from what Marnie goes through to Cal's everyday life and the twists keep the plot interesting. There are some inherent minor editing issues but honestly I saw such issues in all the books out there and they do not diminish the writing and especially the plot. I recommend this book - it is a good read. Whiteout - Laurel Heidtman 4 stars  The action is set in back country Kentucky, where a winter storm creates mayhem in the lives of some law enforcement office, criminals and some civilians. The blizzard presents an opportunity for the criminals and seems to be the force behind the evolution of the story, turning the action into a fight man-against-nature and man-against-man. The characters are well rounded with motivations. The criminals present their dark side but also a few spots of white which humanizes them. After being arrested for trafficking heroin and severely beating a cop, Tommy Black and Eddie Creech find themselves facing life in prison without the possibility of parole. Tommy doesn’t plan on spending the rest of his days stuck behind bars and an opportunity to escape arises when the transport vehicle veers off the road and crashes during a freak snowstorm. The two criminals found freedom again but they leave a trail of dead bodies while trying to stay one step ahead of both the police and the deteriorating weather. The pace of the novel is fast and managed to hold my attention throughout the story, in spite of some typos and gauche structures in the sentences here and there. Even though the POV changes from one person to another, I don’t find that as being a minus. I like to know the point of view of each character. I don’t really like one-sided stories. There were some passages that seemed stretched out but all in all I found the novel well-written. I found this novel enjoyable and I would recommend it. |
ROXANA NASTASEBorn sometime in the past century, living in the 21st century. 
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