RRW Blog Tours Event Featuring Author RD Larson

Today, I am honored to be part of the RRW Blog Tour Events hosting Author RD Larson. RD has just re-released her book “Evil Angel.” She was kind enough to furnish a review of her thriller for your reading pleasure:


Review by Mike Broemmel
Evil Angel
By RD Larson

RD Larson's chilling tale "Evil Angel" provides the suspense-loving reader with a ripping ride on a roller coaster of terror. In its essence, "Evil Angel" is the story of a marriage gone south and sour because of the plain instability and raw insanity of the wife of the pair.

The beleaguered husband -- intent on escaping the web of the horrific marriage -- jets of to toney Aspen, Colorado, seeking respite from the awful actions of his wife.

Arming at an otherwise placid, spectacular ski lodge and resort, the riddled and rattled husband befriends a lovely woman who lost her spouse years earlier to a tragic, untimely accidental death. The twosome bond quickly and rapidly develop a positive, intimate relationship. All seems idyllic -- until unstable wife arrives in Aspen and leaves a trail of chaos and murder in her path.

RD Larson does excellent work with her scenic descriptions. This reviewer, being a Colorado native, particularly enjoyed ad appreciated her written panorama of Aspen and that town's sites and sundries.

"Evil Angel" is a quick read, an ideal book for a lazy weekend, a holiday at the shore or during breaks at the nine-to-five. In reading "Evil Angel," one harkens back to the ghost stories around the mountain top campfire.

One of the reasons the book flows so quickly is founded upon Ms. Larson's broad ranging command of the English language. Quite like a painter dabbing the correct color off her pallet, Ms. Larson is capable of picking the perfect word from her vocabulary treasury. Examples of her fine ability to choose perfect words to create a perfect turn of phrase is abundant throughout the novel. For instance, in describing Southern California "girls," Ms. Larson writes:

"Tyler Granote watched her walk into the bar. He really preferred SoCalGals. Those abundant aerobicized, synthesized beach girls that had been to the wall. Just score and no more. This one was too thin, too rich; too much bother."

In another section of the book, in describing the "insane wife's" illusionary "Evil Angel," Ms Larson writes:

"The inside of the Evil Angel's mouth captivated Terri. It was bloody. Sometimes little trickles of blood ran out, down the chin and neck of the Angel; other times the blood would fly out like spittle, dotting the misty white gown. Remarkably, when the eyes looked up from their usual downcast position, their stark blueness, glinting like sun on water, thew light everywhere.

"In short, this reviewer recommends RD Larson's "Evil Angel" a well written, nicely crafted modern day campfire-styled thriller.

--------------------

What an exciting book. You can purchase it at amazon.com. Just click on the title "Evil Angel" to get there.

Leave a comment and be entered into a drawing for a free copy of “Evil Angel” to be given away on April 10, 2009. Be sure and return on that date to see if you were the winner. If you won, we will need a mailing address to send your free book to.

FaceBook Groups

It is always surprising how much information a writer will give out about the tricks of their trade and the interesting places you will find that information. Take FaceBook for example. It is a social media where you give virtual gifts, play silly games, Superpoke a friend, write 25 Things About Me notes, catch up with old school friends, etc. FaceBook is the most fun site on the web in my humble opinion. But there is another side to FaceBook that must be entered with caution called advertising and this is where Groups come in. Hundreds of Groups can be joined made up of authors with two main goals, advertise their books and share information.

I am proud to be the owner of one such Group, Red River Writers. The main goal of Red River Writers is to help each other. Make each other aware of events or items of interest to authors, writers, and artists. Discuss the pros and cons of such events. Share promotional ideas that you have. Ask for help in finding resources. Post job listings of interest to authors, writers, or artists. It is a networking and marketing group with numerous planned activities throughout the year.

Another Group, that I consider a sister Group, is Suspense/Thriller Writers. Below is a list of their ongoing discussions:

Who is responsible for branding, and how do we do it? http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2397748813#/topic.php?uid=2397748813&topic=14849

Backstory: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2397748813#/topic.php?uid=2397748813&topic=13654

Characterization: http://www.facebook.com/board.php?uid=2397748813#/topic.php?uid=2397748813&topic=13729Voice: http://www.facebook.com/board.php?uid=2397748813#/topic.php?uid=2397748813&topic=13822

How Real Life Experiences Influence Fiction: http://www.facebook.com/board.php?uid=2397748813#/topic.php?uid=2397748813&topic=14057

Using Facebook for Promotion: http://www.facebook.com/board.php?uid=2397748813#/topic.php?uid=2397748813&topic=13941

Gifts From the Muses: http://www.facebook.com/board.php?uid=2397748813#/topic.php?uid=2397748813&topic=14130

Layering, the Art of Building an Onion from the Inside Out: http://www.facebook.com/board.php?uid=2397748813#/topic.php?uid=2397748813&topic=14228

Titles, What Makes a Good One: http://www.facebook.com/board.php?uid=2397748813#/topic.php?uid=2397748813&topic=14282

What is a Storyteller\'s Obligation to History? http://www.facebook.com/board.php?uid=2397748813#/topic.php?uid=2397748813&topic=14382

How Do We Make Our Writing the Best We Can? http://www.facebook.com/board.php?uid=2397748813#/topic.php?uid=2397748813&topic=14470

How Do You Promote Your Book When You\'re Shy? http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=2397748813&topic=14544

What Makes a Story or Scene Suspenseful? http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=2397748813&topic=14544#/topic.php?uid=2397748813&topic=14635

Fan Fiction, Parody or Tribute: http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=2397748813&topic=14544#/topic.php?uid=2397748813&topic=14775

Fun with Twitter.com

I've been having so much fun with my new twitter.com account arobins at http://twitter.com/arobins. There are so many great promotional 140 word ads displayed every day that help with promoting your books, networking your name, finding tools for your trade, and just plain fun links. I have made a word doc of links I have noticed and it is already six pages long. I want to refer back to these links when I have more time and post some of them on my website.

Today RIFWeb, Washington, D.C. http://www.rif.org/, left the following tweet that I promised to pass along to my friends:

Just created a meebo chat room: http://tinyurl.com/5hhw5a

Check out their tweet referring to RIF Chat where you can chat live with other RIF friends and fans from across the internet world. They suggest that you "use RIF Chat to share links, websites, ideas, stories, photos, and more!"

April Robins

Writing for Charity

I have had the pleasure of becoming a FaceBook friend with Kate Jackson who is helping to promote a book, "A Home for Dixie", by fifteen year old Emma Jackson. I was privileged to be invited to view their event on the Today Show yesterday. One striking thing about this book, other than the maturity of the young author, is that the proceeds go to Aunt Mary's Dog House. If you follow the link to their website, you will find out all sorts of interesting information on adopting a pet like Dixie. Also, you can view the Today Show interview for yourself.

Below is a write-up that Kate has furnished us in regard to Emma’s new book. Check it out!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For as long as she could remember, Emma had wanted a dog. Instead, she got a fish, a hamster, and even a guinea pig. And although Emma loved all these pets, it was not the same as having a dog. Meanwhile, an abandoned puppy was brought to an animal rescue. And although this little puppy had a warm place to sleep and food to eat, she dreamed of having her very own family to love. Happily for both, Emma adopts this puppy and names her Dixie, and in each other they find the companionship they've been looking for. A Home for Dixie is their uplifting story, enhanced by adorable photography and bonus information on how to support your local animal shelter and even adopt a rescued dog of your own.

Welcome to Dixie's Corner at Harper Collins

Kate's Casual Portraits

Standalone or Book Series

In one of my first conversations with my publisher, I was asked if my new book was a series. I hate to admit it, but I did not know how to answer his question. I said “No” not wanting to admit to my ignorance. Thankfully, that was the correct answer. According to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, “A book series is a sequence of books with common characteristics, typically written by the same author, or marketed as a group by their publisher.” I currently have a book in the works that I want to make into a series, “Fisher Lives on a River.” It will be about the adventures of a band of wildlife friends.

However today, I would like to introduce you to one of my Christian Writer friends who has made an art out of the concept of a book series. Her name is Grace Brooks. Below is a copy of her write-up that she posted on one of our Yahoo Groups that she has allowed me to use. She calls it a sneak peek into her Asquinn Twins series.



---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kevin- You mean the story line for the entire series? Hummm, that will be a challenge but here
goes.

Obedia Asquinn is called by God to be a missionary. After being authorized by a local church in Wales, he is sent to the shores of Canada. He feels this is where God has sent him but doesn't know exactly where he will settle to teach and preach. He and his family head north from Toronto and find a beautiful spot called the Haliburton Highlands just a bit north of Toronto. Here he finds a place for his family to stay and starts teaching. Attendance grows and everything is looking fine for the local church until three priests arrive at Asquinns home one evening. They tell Pastor Asquinn they don't want him spreading his heresy in their district, help him and his family pack and boots them out.

Again the Asquinn family move north. Their next stop is Forest Lake. Pastor Asquinn knows immediately this is where God wants him to be. Ken, Pastor Asquinn's oldest son, meets his lifelong friend to be, Matt Turehue. The Pastor finds a house to buy, the family flourishes along with church attendance and a church is formed. But all isn't rosy as a distant cousin of the Aswquinn makes life miserable for the Asquinn family. Conrad Cameron thinks he is master of the area as he is High Priest of devil worshipers.

As the series continues, the children grow older. Ken and Matt are not so true in church attendance. Dependence on alcohol and tobacco replace their faith in God. But the girls, Sherry and Martha, go ahead and marry the boys as promised when they were ten and thirteen years old. The boys start getting lofty ideas. They change their focus from joining the Ontario provincial police to the more famed Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Time advances. Ken and Matt have graduated from RCMP academy and have been posted in different part of Saskatchewan. Neither one seems to be happy in spite of them starting to accumulate worldly wealth and recognition. Sherry leaves Ken. Ken walks away from his job and follows her back to Ontario. Before going to his wife, he stops off and resigns the RCMP and joins the Ontario provincial police. Sherry takes Ken back. Matt comes back to Ontario with his wife and two sons. They had left Forest Lake looking for greener pastures but found out when they returned the green pastures had been under their feet all the time.

And the time takes a great leap forward. The twins are now Caleb and Korah (Core) Asquinn, fifteen year old adopted twins of Eric Asquinn and June Asquinn. Eric is the third son of Pastor Asquinn. The adventures continue over the winter where the twin’s best friend, Larry Olson gets a job with SunDog kennels. This is a kennel where father/son raises pure bred Canadian Eskimo Dogs and Alaskan malamutes. Larry’s father abandoned the family, leaving the family with little money for food, clothing and a crowded, dirty house to live in. With what Monet Larry earns through racing over the winter, he buys a nice house for his mother, brothers and sisters to live in.

Over the summer holidays, the twins and their friends get involved with a poaching ring. Once while hiking along a forest trail they find an orphaned lynx kitten. Larry, being the animal lover takes the kitten home. But there are others also wanting the kitten.

More adventures when Conrad and his half brother, Malcolm show up in Forest lake again. Conrad takes the entire Olson family hostage and demands to get his daughter back. Previously his daughter had been taken away from him after he was sentenced to prison. Ken now police Superintendent is called back from his holidays to lead the situation. All comes to a peaceful settlement.

Ken's two oldest sons are grown up; both have followed in their father’s footsteps and become policemen. Murray, the oldest is content with his life and job, but the next in line, Kirk, is a bit rebellious. He falls in love with a girl staying with his cousins the Asquinn twins although his family and relatives warn him not to because the girl is the leader of a bad gang. Core also has fallen in love with Deliah. At the end of the story Core is hurt badly when he learns that she really was the gang leader.

A son was produced through Kirk's and Deliah's relationship. The mother died during the birth of the baby and Kirk looks after his son alone; that is until Annice Calder arrives in Forest Lake.

Kirk's and Annice's relationship flourishes; she even grows to love little Kirk. Then she finds out Kirk’s father is Police Superintendent and starts to feel inadequate. She flees from Forest Lake and Kirk and returns home. Kirk follows her and they get back together and marry.

The twins are now college age. They and their friends have an exciting summer when they get involved with the police. This is in a good way. The boys find a dog which is not a stray and with Lieutenant Barclay's assistance, take the dog all the way to his championship.

I've skimmed over the story line through the entire eleven books. Hope this gives you some idea of the storyline. I intend to write all this on the blog as the stories come out. Or would it be more attractive if I gave the whole world a sneak peek?

Grace
--------------------------------------------------------------

To learn more about this gifted writer and her book series, go to the following:
http://www.geocities.com/lgracebrooks
http://meettheasquinnfamily.blogspot.com
http://christianreadingcenter.blogspot.com

Choosing the Title for a Book

Last week in one of my Yahoo Groups, one after another member offered suggestions to a writer friend asking for help in choosing a title for her new book. Everyone’s suggestions were great. My friend thanked everyone and announced what she liked best of all the suggestions. This made me think once again about the titles of my books, what is wrong and what is right. What steps should I have taken? First I checked to make sure no other book had that title. I should have checked to see what results I would get from a major search engine. I would have found that “Lovely Little Lamb” brings up a porn site. I should have considered what key words are most used on an amazon.com search; “I’ll Tuck You in, Deer” is border line. It is too long but descriptive.

This leads into my guest author this week, Shari Lyle-Soffe. I love her unique name for her series, Rooter and Snuffles. Please read what she has to say about her new book.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------


April, thank you for inviting me to talk about my latest book in the Rooter and Snuffle series, "Trouble Finds Rooter and Snuffle".

As with the first two books, this book is made up of three complete stories about the mischievous raccoon brothers.

In the first story, Rooter the oldest brother finds a new friend, Twitcher Rabbit. Twitcher wants Rooter to like only him and Rooter is flattered. But is having only one friend a good thing?

In the second story, Snuffle is disappointed because of all the things he can't do very well. Then his brother and some friends teach him a valuable lesson.

In the third story, Rooter and Snuffle's game of pickup twigs is interrupted by the screams of a friend in trouble. At first the animals feel helpless. Then they realize together they can make a difference.

Events in the lives of Rooter and Snuffle are based on my childhood as the oldest of four children, and other children I have known.

Raccoons are a pleasant memory from my childhood and I hope children will enjoy reading about them as much as I enjoy writing about them.

Kevin Scott Collier's illustrations are delightful. Children always ask if I drew them. They love the colorful illustrations and so do I.

My publisher is Guardian Angel Publishing and they have done a wonderful job with the books. They are great to work with. All three books can be found at most online and brick and mortar book stores. http://www.amazon.com/Trouble-Finds-Rooter-Snuffle-Lyle-Soffe/dp/1933090723/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210855639&sr=8-3

Children and parents alike can visit my webpage at http://www.rooterandsnuffle.blogspot.com
where they will find more information about Rooter and Snuffle and other characters from the books. There is wonderful information available there about raccoons. They will also find printable coloring pages and raccoon games to play.

I love animals and am donating part of my royalties from these books to Wildlife Images, a wildlife rehabilitation and education facility here in Oregon

Shari Lyle-Soffe

ROOTER AND SNUFFLE

BOOK LAUNCH "The Slippery Art of Book
Reviewing" http://www.sharilyle-soffe.com

Learning from the Experts

I just can’t over emphasize the importance of joining Yahoo groups. I truly love one in particular, Children’s Writers Today. They have so many concerned and active members, both newbie and seasoned writers. They are always willing to respond even to what might seem like a trivia post. They also initiate detailed analysis of issues related to the heart of writing for children. One seasoned writer in particular that I am so very proud to call my friend is Children’s Book Author Margot Finke. She has a new book out that I want everyone to learn about. She has furnished me with its write-up and a review that are listed below. Play close attention to the details Margot provides that make for a great book launch.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



April I am thrilled that you want to feature my new rhyming picture book, "Rattlesnake Jam," this week on your website.

My riot of a tale tells about dear old Gran and Pa, and their yen for rattlers. Pa catches 'em, but the problem is that Gran decides how they're cooked up - Gran wants jam, but Pa yearns for rattlesnake pie.

** The story works GREAT at getting those reluctant readers to enjoy a book.

This was a barrel of fun to write: I confess, I giggled all the way through it. And Kevin Scott Collier's illustrations make the characters jump off the page. Just what I would have drawn myself, if I had a fraction of Kevin's talent.
Guardian Angel Publishing published it with tender loving care, as they do all their books.

To launch "Rattlesnake Jam," I'm offering some fun things:

#1 - A writing competition. A free autographed copy goes to the person who e-mails me ( mfinke@verizon.net ) the best account of their encounter with a rattlesnake. So get cracking on those essays!!

#2 - Kids can visit Gran's Kitchen for yucky sounding rattler recipes.
Be careful now - you mom might faint!!!

#3 - Print out a fun rattlesnake puzzle, or a cool coloring sheet from my website's "Rattlesnake Jam" page.

#4 - Take my rattlesnake eating POLL - e-mail me if you've eaten rattler and what it was like.

These 4 fun things can be found where Gran, Pa, and their rattlers hang out:
http://mysite.verizon.net/mfinke/My%20Other%20Books.htm#other

And you can read two terrific reviews on my website:
http://mysite.verizon.net/mfinke/Rattlesnake%20Reviews.htm#review

Available in soft cover through Amazon, Target, GAP, and other outlets.

Autographed soft cover copies can be purchased on my website:
http://www.margotfinke.com


***************************

Rattlesnake Jam
by Margot E. Finke
Illustrations by Kevin Scott Collier
Guardian Angel Publishing - 12430 Tesson Ferry Road #186Saint Louis, MO 63128 USA

e-Book ISBN 13: 978-1-935137-24-5
Print ISBN 13: 978-1-935137-00-9
MAY 2008
Paperback, 28 pages, $10.95
Ages 4 & Up

Reviewed by Mayra Calvani

Rattlesnake Jam is a hilariously funny children’s picture book about an old couple who share an irresistible affection for rattlesnakes. There’s only one problem: While Pa would rather have the rattlesnakes turned into fritters or pie, old Gran prefers them turned into jam… disgustingly green, sweetened, gooey rattlesnake jam!

So no matter how cold the weather is, there goes brave Pa hunting after the snakes. And as he hunts them, he fantasizes about the various ways Gran could cook them—hot on a plate, fried, sliced on white rice, hmmm… But no way will his dreams ever become a reality, for as readers will learn “…snake cooked for Pa was not in Gran’s plan. She dreamed of them sweetened and made into jam.” Though Gran swears her special jam can cure colds, gout and wheeze, not to mention “troublesome knees”, everyone dislikes the taste of her ghastly creation. Will Gran ever stop? And what would happen to Pa, if she ever did?

Colliers’s colorful, wacky illustrations complement Finke’s humorous rhyme perfectly. Gran is grossly comical with her toothless grin, warts, bell pepper nose, and tough exterior. The reader will feel sorry for Pa, who seems completely under Gran’s control. The book has 28 pages in all, and each story page has an illustration with a short text at the bottom—a two or four line rhyme, like this one:

Drop in chunky slices, stir well with a spoon.
Add mysterious spices! Gran hummed a wild tune.
The way to Gran’s heart was through rattlers galore—
Making rattler jam bubble, ‘til it flowed on the floor.

The song-like cadence will be enjoyed by kids and adults alike. Snakes are reptiles that inspire both fear and fascination, especially in children, and it was clever of the author to use them as victims instead of villains in this book. This is a fine addition to Finke’s series of rhyming books about animals. Whimsical and amusing, Rattlesnake Jam is one of those books young children will beg their parents to read to them again and again.


***************************