Gail Bambrick Goes One on One With John Reed

While Saturday Night Fever is perhaps best remembered for John Travolta’s dashing disco moves, when John Reed first saw the movie as a high school freshman, he was struck by something else. He identified with Tony Manero, played by Travolta, and his desire to escape working-class Brooklyn by dancing his nights away.

A researcher in the University Advancement Division, Reed has recast that story in Waltham, Mass., in his first novel, Another Lousy Day in Paradise (Trestle Press, 2011).

“The lesson I wanted to convey is that learning to break molds and patterns is scary, but inevitable,” says John Reed.“The lesson I wanted to convey is that learning to break molds and patterns is scary, but inevitable,” says John Reed.Like Jay Cody, the lead character, Reed attended Waltham High in the early 1980s. It was a world defined by boredom, interrupted by violence, crime and sexual encounters. “I went to high school with a million characters,” Reed says. “Even at the time, I was aware that my high school experience would make a terrific book.”

Reed says that Cody is a composite of himself and four others he knew back in the day: bored, overly concerned with maintaining a reputation as a cool, tough guy and self-involved. Reed calls him “kind of a lost soul.”

“The lesson I wanted him to convey is that learning to break molds and patterns is scary, but inevitable,” Reed says. “Jay wants to be an adult, but his immaturity—and his friends—drag him down.”

Cody’s journey is a brutal chipping away of his beliefs, friends and identity. Instead of finding new awareness, he falls into oblivion.

But don’t expect long meditations, interior monologues or narrative platitudes. Reed develops his characters through action and dialogue. Police chases are so vivid you feel like you’re in the driver’s seat evading the pursuing cruiser, and you experience Cody’s terror when he steals from a local record store.

But life changed, for Reed, and for his protagonist.

In the book, the end of adolescent hijinks is marked with a racial gang rumble that mirrors one that really happened in Waltham and the death of a rebellious student leader in a motorcycle accident.

“I remember being around Lansdowne Street in Boston in ’83 to ’84, and the whole mood had gotten much more serious,” Reed says. “I really think it had a lot to do with the drug culture, which had gotten more prevalent.”

Reed began to find his own life outside of Waltham by working as a DJ at clubs on Lansdowne Street in the early 1980s; he continues the gig on Saturday nights at the Golden Temple in Brookline. He also began reviewing records and concerts for various publications, including the Boston Globe. He arrived at Tufts in 1985.

How did Reed move beyond his own adolescence? Much credit, he says, goes to his high school English teacher, Richard Collins, whom he includes in the book’s dedication. It was Collins who recognized and encouraged Reed’s talent for writing stories and who motivated him to pursue a career in journalism. Collins was a former boxer, “a real man’s man,” as Reed puts it, and convinced Reed it was OK to be “a guy” and like literature.

“Even though I wrote it about and from Waltham,” says Reed, “I am getting emails from people from all over the country who are reading it and saying they also lived through that time and can really relate.”

Gail Bambrick can be reached at gail.bambrick@tufts.edu.

William Tooker & Friends on The G-ZONE Tonight @ 8.30 PM EST!

Later on today @ 8.30PM EST Giovanni Gelati will have a panel of authors whose discussion will revolve around Fantasy-Horror- and Graphic Novels. Below is the list of guests, the link for the show, and the websites you can find them:
The link to today’s show: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gelatisscoop/2012/05/30/william-tooker-friends-tonight
William Tooker lives in Ohio where he labors away in the tech support coal mines of Hilliard. He has written the Horror Novel "Slouching Towards Bethlehem" and is currently working on his ongoing Series The Invisible Society. Will is also co-founder and head writer of Creephouse Comics with Kevin Gentilcore as well as the Writer for Matt Campbell's Mythica saga from CCP Comics. Will also has projects going in film and video and wants his work to be seen on your book shelf.
Here is William Tooker’s Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_tc_2_0?rh=i%3Astripbooks%2Ck%3AWilliam+Tooker&keywords=William+Tooker&ie=UTF8&qid=1338318477&sr=1-2-ent&field-contributor_id=B005NU588G

Matt Campbell is a Colorado based artist and creator of Mythica, his epic WW1 fantasy comic penned by William Tooker. Matt has provided art for video games, film and animation. He has also been the artist for various comics such as Electron Boy and Station 39 from CCP comics. You can see Matt’s amazing art as well as follow his Mythica webcomic on his website www.mattcampbellart.com

Creephouse Comics started as a way for Kevin Gentilcore and William Tooker to take some of their twisted, putrid, horrifying tales of terror and drag them into the light for all to see. These stories represent the collaborations of two unsightly creatures who toil in the night creating sickly stories and dreary drawings about the macabre, the unseen and what passes behind you at night.
Kevin Gentilcore
While not trapping children and howling at the moon Kevin spends most of his waking hours on drawing twisted and demented things. One such creation is his creator owned web comic TEENAGE LOVE ZOMBIES.
www.Creephousecomics.com and www.kevingentilcore.com are the websites.

Big Daddy Abel - Memorial Day

"A humbling thanks inside me today for all who have fought to protect
freedom for every American and at times for oppressed people elsewhere. I
never had the honor to meet you, but I am eternally grateful FOR you.
Thank you to all serving in the military."
Big Daddy Abel

David F. Gray's "LIGHTBEARER" Is Out Now!

‘Old City…New Thrills’.

Gideon is a Lightbearer, a servant and friend of the Lightgiver. He is making the long journey to the True City, the dwelling place of the Lightgiver. Accompanying him are his fiancée Ruth and a few close friends. In the course of their journey, they travel through the Old City, where entertainment, sex and luxurious living are accessible and cheap. Gideon becomes enamored with the Old City’s diverse pleasures and abandons his journey. He takes up residence at one of the many luxury hotels while his friends and fiancée are forced to move on without him.

All too soon, Gideon’s money runs out. People who called him friend desert him. He is evicted from his hotel and forced onto the Gauntlet, the main street that runs through the middle of the Old City. He becomes a Lurker, one of the thousands of nameless, faceless people who have lost all hope. For ten years, he ekes out a living handing out flyers of prostitutes to the passing tourists.

His fragile world is shattered when he encounters a Messenger from the Lightgiver. The Messenger, who’s name is Mark, delivers his message to Gideon. He is forgiven for the betrayal of his oath and is recalled to active duty. He is ordered to find three missing Lightbearers, who are wanted for a string of murders that they did not commit, and get them safely out of the city.

Gideon begins a perilous journey into the depths of the Old City. Not only must he find the three Lightbearers, he must remember who he is and what it means to be a Lightbearer. He will encounter the Enforcers, the Governor’s private police force, who are rumored to have strange and terrible powers. He will be arrested and brought before the Governor, where he must choose once and for all who he will serve.

And he will travel through the Maze, a bewildering, decaying slum on the outskirts of the Old City that is overrun by vicious, bloodthirsty gangs.

LIGHTBEARER is a story of betrayal, redemption and ultimate victory. It is a story of faith and hope; that no matter how dire the situation, it is never too late to turn back to the Lightgiver.

Here is the Amazon Kindle Link, after one day of release it is climbing the Hot New Release Chart for Religious Fiction Fantasy:
http://www.amazon.com/LIGHTBEARER-ebook/dp/B0085I2JK8/ref=sr_1_5?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1337885860&sr=1-5

Coming Soon: Pola Muzyka-"Abducted To Kill"

Joseph was born in the United States to an Iranian father and Jewish Christian mother, He knew little about his father’s home land until, as a young teen, his father decides to move the family back to Iran. The night before they are to leave, Joseph rebels and refuses to go. His father beats him badly and insists he has no choice.
Once inside the borders of Iran, Joseph eventually makes new friends, and meets Azita, a young woman with whom he falls madly in love. He adjusts to his new life in this strangle land, although he must now live in an environment that is curiously hostile toward women, Americans, Christians, Jews, and others. He learns quickly to keep his citizenship, and his faith, to himself in order to avoid imprisonment, torture, or death.
Azita teaches him to speak Farsi, the language of his new homeland, and is surprised that he has no accent. This gift later proves to be both a blessing and a curse for him. He graduates, and his father arranges an apprenticeship as manager of a restaurant. But Joseph isn’t working long before new developments steer the course of his entire life in an area he never expected. The tide changes—the government is changes, too.
After the new regime takes power, friends begin to disappear. There are reports of female friends being tortured and murdered, and the young men being abducted. But, why? Joseph later discovers they are being abducted into a militia. One afternoon Joseph and a friend are thrown into the back of a car and forced to become “volunteers” in this new militia—the early formation of the Hezbollah.
Joseph endures mental and physical torture a he participates in, and witnesses horrific acts against those considered the enemy, as well as against obviously innocent civilians. Men, woman, and young children are chosen to be martyrs. The only thing that keeps Joseph motivated is his secret faith in God, and his love for Azita, who came to Christ because of him. As a Muslim turned Christian she is now doomed to die. Joseph is determined to protect her and his family and decides to escape the abduction at all costs. Those costs proved to be more than he could bear.
Hearing of his love’s death, Joseph refuses to leave. But those who are helping him, insist. He reluctantly moves forward because of a promise he has made to Azita. Finally, he is able to obtain passage home through a smelly old fishing boat off the coast of Bushehr. Enemies of Iran continuously bomb a nuclear facility being built there, and the bombing is his perfect cover.
Once outside Iran he encounters a new barrier to his objectives—in Italy the U.S. CIA takes him captive and questions him before delivering him to the U.S. Embassy. After more questioning at the Embassy, Joseph is freed and given a passport back to the country of his birth. That’s when his new life begins with the stigma of being a former abducted of the Hezbollah army.

Abduction to Kill is the story of Joseph’s abduction to fight and kill in the army of the Hezbollah, his determination to maintain his faith in God at all costs, and his miraculous escape, and harrowing journey back to the United States and safety.

Pola Muzyka studied theater and the arts in Los Angeles and New York City. As a multidisciplinary artist, she starred in Hollywood-based motion pictures and television, and continues to host, direct, and perform in plays, commercials, and TV.

In 1987, at a Baptist Missionary Seminar in Los Angeles, CA, she studied missionary work. Ten years later she became a media missionary, having founded the Internet based, Christian Media Alliance. Through this ministry, she has spoken to audiences of Christians in media and Christians interested in media evangelism and has taught pastors and church leaders to use drama in evangelizing.

She wrote award-winning TV, commercial, and corporate scripts in the film industry for over 30 years. In the 1980s, she wrote part of a script for film director Federico Fellini. Pola also researched and translated work for four-time Academy Award-winner Danilo Donati, who deemed her work 'the most extensive research ever done on a film.'

Escape the Hezbollah, winner of the CSP Book of the Year Award for fiction, was her debut book as a novelist and combines her talent as researcher, dramatic actress, director, and dramatic writer. This intensive work brought exceptional reviews with almost all reviewers recommending the book as a ‘must read’.

This book is now being updated and revised and will be released as first in a series with the new title of, Abducted to Kill. The sequel, The Freedom Inside, is expected to release later this year.

Pola continues to write suspense novels based on true events crossing cultural boundaries. Her Stronghold Smasher blog – Victory over the demonic strongholds that keep us from God's blessings – has thousands of followers all over the globe. Her posts have been translated for the Middle East into Hindu-Urdu, the forth-largest language in the world.

Best-Selling Authors Roger Rheinheimer & Crystal Linn Release "Amish Forever- Volume 9- Ava's Birthday Surprises"

Ava celebrates her eighteenth birthday with the local Amish community and the big day holds several surprises. The following day, Sunday, is a church-meeting Sunday and both Isaac and John are distressed to discover their beloved sister does not seem to fit in. Then, when the Troyer family arrives home, the biggest birthday surprise of all is waiting for Ava.

Roger Rheinheimer spent the first eighteen years of his life in northern Indiana. His father was the only doctor for a small town of 1200, and had a hitching rail on a side street by his office for the Amish patients. His father bought an eighty acre farm, and Roger and his older brother worked it, raising cattle and growing crops.
While he was still in high school, Roger learned woodworking skills from Elmer Schlabach, his Amish mentor. They built houses in the old-fashioned tradition, from hand-mixing the concrete for the foundations to hand-nailing the shingles. The only phase they did not do was the electrical. To this day, Roger enjoys using his wood crafting skills, making acoustic guitars and furniture.
Roger earned an undergraduate degree in Behavioral Psychology from a small private college in the Shenandoah Valley, took a Creative Writing class, loved it, and published a short story called My Brother. He was a regular contributing writer to the college newspaper.
Roger has two novels in print and ebook, Amish Snow and Yield Spread: a novel.
Crystal Linn is a free-lance writer and award-winning poet who teaches a variety of creative writing classes. Her third book, Poetry for Friends, is scheduled to be released in the spring of 2012. She lives in the greater Seattle area where she enjoys reading mysteries, writing poetry and sailing with friends and family.

De Miller's Twin Tales Series Unveiled

De Miller’s Twin Tales series unveiled
What could be better, for a writer, than to combine two passions to create a new short story series? Not much, I’d say. Nevertheless, that’s exactly what has happened in my new Faith-themed short story series, Twin Tales, set for release soon from Helping Hands Press.
I have always had a passion for mysteries, generally the ones termed Cozy mysteries…you know, the non-violent, non-graphic kind. And, being a born-again Christian, of course I have a passion for the message of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Now, through this new series, I am able to write my mystery stories while, hopefully, delivering a Bible message. After all, Jesus used story-telling to get his points across and while I’m a million miles from even being close to the story-teller, He was, it is still very rewarding to be able to do so in my small way.
Having said that, I believe the stories in this series can be stand-alone mysteries. I am hoping that, even readers who are not necessarily fans of Christian fare will like these stories and appreciate simply that God, does indeed, work in mysterious ways.
Through the series, Twin Tales, I will attempt to present stories of Faith that have double meanings, thus the mystery element. I believe every true Christian’s Faith is constantly being tested, and we are then faced with deciding how we should interpret what we hear from God.

We’ll be releasing two of the short stories at a time and when we reach six or eight, we’ll combine them into a book-length offering. I plan to have the first book volume ready to offer by the end of June.
The first story in the series is Bad Neighborhood, which puts a new twist on the Good Samaritan parable from the Bible, when a devout Christian woman finds herself stranded and apparently abandoned by God.
The second story is entitled Deserted, and it takes a cursory look at Biblical prophecy of The Rapture, with the underlying message that “no one knows the day or the hour….”
Following these in about two weeks, we’ll release the third, entitled Cover-Up which is a retelling of the story of King David and his affair with Queen Bathsheba, set in the modern day. We’ll round out the first four with one entitled Faith Like A Rock, which examines the true story of the miracle of a young lady stricken by a mysterious heart ailment and her being brought back from the brink of death on the shear Faith and prayers of her older sister. In fact, all four of these, as will the remaining stories in the series, either be based on or inspired by true stories and events.
My aim for the series is to show, in an entertaining way, that Bible stories are as relevant today in our modern lives as when they were written two-thousand years ago. I’ll be keeping the “preaching” to a minimum and not be in-your-face with Bible messages. That doesn’t mean that there will not be an occasional Bible scripture to illustrate a point, though. All in all, I’m hoping to be entertaining and informative and let the reader decide, about the biggest mystery of all: God.

Out Right Now- "Bad Intent-Volume 5" by Michael Tabman

The drug wars heat up.
Shots fired.
Someone is dead.
Lives will never be the same.
***Remember this is a work of fiction, but due to the author’s incredible ability to tell a story, this may seem all too real. We assure you, none of it is.
Born and raised in New York City, Michael served as a police officer with the Fairfax County VA police department on patrol, in plain clothes and as hostage negotiator on the SWAT Team, before joining the FBI. Michael, a 24 year FBI veteran, investigated crimes ranging from white collar to bank robberies, organized crime, drug trafficking and money laundering. He rose through the ranks reaching the level of Special Agent in Charge. His professional travels took him to Israel, Russia, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. He has been interviewed and quoted on national and local media on matters ranging from workplace violence to fraud and street crimes.
Michael is the author of two books, Walking the Corporate Beat: Police School for Business People and crime novel, Midnight Sin.
He has a Crime and Security Blog and can be followed on Twitter @MichaelTabman Please visit michaeltabman.com


Michael Tabman’s Author Page on Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_tc_2_0?rh=i%3Astripbooks%2Ck%3AMichael+Tabman&keywords=Michael+Tabman&ie=UTF8&qid=1337778449&sr=1-2-ent&field-contributor_id=B005F6R1EW

A Q&A with John Reed

In the 1977 movie “Saturday Night Fever,” John Travolta’s character Tony Manero is infatuated with Al Pacino. In John Reed’s novel, “Another Lousy Day in Paradise,” protagonist Jay Cody is obsessed with Tony Manero.

An Arlington resident for almost 30 years, Reed’s entry into the world of fiction is a coming-of-age story set in Waltham in the late 1970s and early ‘80s. Cody is an anti-hero, of sorts, and not all that far removed from the author’s vision of himself as a student at Waltham High School.

“ I had the idea to write ‘Paradise’ when I was a junior in high school,” said Reed. “It is fiction, but most of the things [really] happened.”

“Paradise” chronicles the once disco-loyal Cody’s clashes with hard-rocker friends, a complicated relationship with a local police officer’s daughter and what it meant to be tough, cool and popular in the outskirts of Boston more than three decades ago.

“I look back on it and think I was damn lucky to have grown up there,” Reed said.

Reed works fulltime as a researcher at Tufts University. He is also a noted music critic, having worked as a correspondent for the Boston Globe for eight years and these days for Hear-Say magazine, among other print and online publications. Like his character Jay Cody, Reed also works as a nightclub DJ in Boston.



What inspired you at such an early age to think about someday writing a book about growing up in Waltham?

When I was a sophomore, my English teacher at Waltham High, Richard Collins, saw potential in me as a writer and really gave me my interest in literature. He was a great man and I sadly never got to tell him that I became a writer before he passed away. Then when I was a junior at WHS, I really started to take notice of the characters in Waltham and I thought it would make a great story. I still think Waltham at that time could be a great movie.

What made Waltham so special a place in the late '70s and early '80s, as compared to any other big Boston suburb?

What sets it aside was that Waltham was, and is, full of colorful people and places. The characters in my book are based on real people who were full of charisma. We were lucky to have a place called the Wal-Lex, with a roller-staking rink, bowling, pool, mini arcade, which was a big social center for us. There was a diversity of personalities and situations in Waltham during that time. But where there were good times, there were also racial tensions that made for some uneasy times for the city. For example, there was a rumble at the Wal-Lex in 1979 that made headline news. On the whole, my classmates and I… we were very fortunate to have grown up in Waltham.
What was it about "Saturday Night Fever" that made such an impression on you?

That is the only movie I can say that truly changed my life — and many other people I have known. The Brooklyn-based life of Tony Manero was exciting to a teenager and he was really an alpha-male character, one that most young guys would want to aspire to be like. The Disco scene, which I had no idea about till ‘Fever,’ was like a fantasy world — one that was really wild to a suburban teen. I wanted to go to a disco so bad that I got an ID when I was 15 and spent many a Saturday night in 1979 to 1982 in clubs on Lansdowne Street

Manero had women throwing themselves at him, he always was in control in all situations; he took no crap from anyone and was the epitome of macho. He made such an impression on me that I got my hair feathered shortly after seeing the movie and my wardrobe started including silk shirts.

I think the backlash of disco rendered the movie cartoonish in people’s popular memory — but when I tell people to watch it nowadays, they are shocked at the rawness of the characters and the storyline. If you take away the white disco suit and the soundtrack... it is an amazing New York City movie.

How do you imagine life has changed for a typical male teenager coming up now around Boston — not just including the smart-phones, cable TV and Internet?

Well I am not a parent, so I don't have firsthand knowledge, but I think all this technology — while I think it is great and makes life much easier — is cutting into social skills for younger people. Texting is not a way to get to know someone or make friends.

I think being a teen is much more difficult today. There was more of a "safety feeling" in that time in Waltham that you could never have today. I mean, there was lots of sinning going on with us teens back then, but I never felt unsafe walking the streets of Waltham any time of night. If my story took place today in Waltham, I am sure it would be an entirely different story.

How did you go about translating the stories in your mind about your teen years into a plotline for “Another Lousy Day in Paradise”?
The plotline is fictional. The stories are based on a lot of real stories, but there are fictional characters, which I needed for a storyline. It took me many, many, years and lots of re-writes before I finally got the ideas that made this a workable story.

What is satisfying for me is that some people who have read the book have compared Jay Cody to an ‘80s Holden Caulfield. I would never say that myself, but I do feel Cody is an anti-hero. He has bad traits, but he is not a horrible person; he just likes to be bad.

What do you imagine happened to Jay Cody, say, 20 years later? Or would that be giving away the plot of a potential sequel?

Great question! Cody's future most likely will be covered in a sequel. I hope he will be doing well...but you never know with him.

As a music critic, what do you look for that makes a release or live act successful?

Energy and attitude: If you have that, you don't have to play amazing guitar, bass, drums or even be an amazing singer. Too me, The Who is the greatest live band ever as they took the rock show to an art form. Not by using lasers or dry ice or lights shows — though they were the first band to use lasers in their stage show — but they just embodied everything that a great live band should be. I personally have been to over 700 live shows as a music journalist and no one could touch The Who as a live band. The Sex Pistols were a close second, though I didn't see them till their reunion tours in 1996 and 2003, but they had all the spirit of The Who. And while Johnny Rotten is nowhere near the singer or performer that Roger Daltrey is, his attitude makes up for any lack of singing ability and that is why he is one of Rock’s best front-men ever.

What is it about writing that you obviously enjoy so much?

My head never stops. I have ideas 24/7, which is not always fun! I find it much better to express myself by writing them. And when I start to write, I come up with things that, when I read them years later, I wonder how I ever thought of them. I am fortunate that I had a person like Mr. Collins, and my mother, too, who always encouraged me to write and who believed in me as a writer.

People seem to pay more attention to you and your ideas when you write them down. You can have the best imagination and ideas in the world — if you don't write them down, then it's a waste of talent.

Read more: Q&A with John Reed: Mean streets of Paradise - - The Arlington Advocate http://www.wickedlocal.com/arlington/news/x1587957521/Q-A-with-John-Reed-Mean-streets-of-Paradise#ixzz1vVnwjY2P

The Fantasy Story Trap For New Writers by William Tooker

The Fantasy Story Trap for New Writers

I used to go to a certain story critiquing site to get my work evaluated. It was the usual mosh of useful observation, petulant egos, and bland "I like its" as you would expect. I have always been concerned about keeping up my due diligence in groups or classes where it was required to reciprocate the critiques. There was a fellow on there who seemed to be posting quite prolifically in the fantasy categories. I put some time into this kids work because as much as he wrote he was clearly determined to be good at what he did and I respect that. He could put together a sentence and he created some intriguing images but he had one massive flaw in his technique that I could not seem to get anyone else to see.

Every story, every snippet of plot and dialogue was related to some magic weapon the main character possessed. It was usually a katana and being used to confront a dragon in his own lair. Make no mistake this awesome super cool katana blade was the headliner. The main character was generically noble and seemed to be the chauffeur for his miraculous weapon. And if he were writing for an audience of regular old souvenir store katanas he would likely have had a hit. But he wasn't, he was and I hope somewhere else continues to write for people, There is a reason why The Sword of Shannara was not written from the swords point of view.

I am as big a fan of magical super weapons as anyone, but only as a tool, not as the hero of the piece. You remember that time when you were a kid riding your bike and you tried that daredevil stunt that first busted your ass, bloodied your nose or tore your gooch? Yeah, so does everybody else. It's a moment most of us have in common and that is the power of a story; to evoke an emotional memory. I know that feeling. I've been there. When you feel like you and the hero have that thing in common, you relate to them and you will follow them through the landscape of any book. And you'll do it because that's your story after you get your lead character.

Super intelligent, lightning bolt wielding flying swords are great, that's why everybody has one. But if you want to make people follow you through 200-600 pages of novel with this super bad ass, Its got to be because they are invested in the person carrying the sword. We all get failure, we all get hardship, we all know fear and we can all be inspired and that's what people love about their heroes...or anti heroes. So for those of you out there having growing pains in your craft think about that as you write your 3 dozen story beginnings or your intense climactic scenes that fill up your desk top with word icons. Show me the humanity, and I'll follow you to hell.

William Tooker lives in Ohio where he labors away in the tech support coal mines of Hilliard. He has written the Horror Novel "Slouching Towards Bethlehem" and is currently working on his ongoing Series The Invisible Society. Will is also co-founder and head writer of Creephouse Comics with Kevin Gentilcore as well as the Writer for Matt Campbell's Mythica saga from CCP Comics. Will also has projects going in film and video and wants his work to be seen on your book shelf.

You can find him @ his Amazon Author Page also: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_tc_2_0?rh=i%3Astripbooks%2Ck%3AWilliam+Tooker&keywords=William+Tooker&ie=UTF8&qid=1337271576&sr=1-2-ent&field-contributor_id=B005NU588G

...And "Twin Tales-Volume 2- Deserted" to Complete the DoubleShot of De Miller

Alice Barnett considered herself a good Christian woman. She could not remember a time in her 75 years on this earth that she had not attended church. She felt she had obeyed the Ten Commandments as closely as possible. She had no fear of what her eternity would be.

But, now, still on this earth, she would best describe her existence as lonely. She has been a widow for 20 years. She married her first sweetheart, Fred, when she was 20 and he was 29. They were on their 36th year of a happy marriage when Fred suddenly passed away. Now, 20 years later, Alice has outlived her husband by 10 years and she is in very good health for her age. Most of her friends are not so lucky and have stopped socializing other than at church. So, Alice occupies her time mostly by herself in her tiny house, watching television and working on puzzles.

Her 40 year old son, Donny, a car salesman, loves her, but he lives a town away and his time is much occupied with his growing family of three daughters. So Alice’s loneliness continues.

As many her age do, Alice begins to wonder about her eventual passing. Hearing several messages about the Rapture, she day-dreams about that Biblically prophetic event and is confident that she will be among the chosen ones should it occur before she dies of natural causes.

But, what if she isn’t among the chosen? She would be left to deal with a world overrun by heathens during the time of tribulation foretold in the Bible. Finding an “escape clause” in a Bible passage from the book of Daniel, Alice undertakes a frantic attempt to insure that she would be among the saved in that terrible time.

Deserted, based on a true story, is the second in a faith-themed series of short stories under the title of Twin Tales. Aptly named, Twin Tales will attempt to present stories of faith that have double meanings. Every true Christian’s faith is constantly being tested and we are faced with deciding how we should interpret what we hear from God.

BIO
De Miller is a former newspaperman now living in Mount Dora, Florida. He has been writing for three decades, first as a reporter, photographer and editor for The Kansas City Star and The Kansas City Kansan newspapers, then as the Public Information Officer for the Wyandotte County Commissioners in Kansas. Over the years as a freelancer he has had material published in such diverse publications as Crafting Magazine, The Sporting News and The National Enquirer. Among other writing accomplishments, he wrote the script for and produced two direct-to-video comedy movies starring Jerry Mathers and 60s music icon Tiny Tim; wrote the scripts for and directed a series of children's videos and wrote scripts for informational videos for the county government.

Since moving to Florida, he has become a Christian and devoted much of his writing time to Christian endeavors. He wrote and directed a Christian movie, Daniel’s Lot, starring Emmy award winner Gary Burghoff (Radar from M*A*S*H) which is now in worldwide release through the Bridgestone Multimedia Group. (www.danielslot.com)

He has also devoted a great deal of time to his writing passion, working on novels and short stories. (www.demiller.com)

This Weekend a DoubleShot of De Miller-"Twin Tales" and...

The Granthams are a typical Christian family. Both Bob and Christina have good jobs. The couple has two well-behaved middle-school children, being brought up in a nice Christian environment. The family attends church together and regularly in their comfortable and safe neighborhood in Cary, North Carolina. Bob and Christina are members of their church choir and are happily looking forward to performing a Christmas concert for an inner city church in neighboring Raleigh.

Bob, who Christina refers to as her Boy Scout, has everything planned for a safe, family night out, including a special dinner with their children at their favorite Mexican restaurant after the concert. But, despite all of his planning for the evening, events transpire that will test the faith of the entire family.

Despite all of the planning to the contrary, Christina finds herself stranded in a Bad Neighborhood and under attack. Bob is not around to protect her. She has no one to call on but God. She cries out for help from Him. She has only her prayers to guard her. At last, she realizes that God abandoned her. Or has He?

Bad Neighborhood, based on a true story, is the first in a faith-themed series of short stories under the title of Twin Tales. Aptly named, Twin Tales will attempt to present stories of faith that have double meanings. Every true Christian’s faith is constantly being tested and we are faced with deciding how we should interpret what we hear from God.

BIO
De Miller is a former newspaperman now living in Mount Dora, Florida. He has been writing for three decades, first as a reporter, photographer and editor for The Kansas City Star and The Kansas City Kansan newspapers, then as the Public Information Officer for the Wyandotte County Commissioners in Kansas. Over the years as a freelancer he has had material published in such diverse publications as Crafting Magazine, The Sporting News and The National Enquirer. Among other writing accomplishments, he wrote the script for and produced two direct-to-video comedy movies starring Jerry Mathers and 60s music icon Tiny Tim; wrote the scripts for and directed a series of children's videos and wrote scripts for informational videos for the county government.

Since moving to Florida, he has become a Christian and devoted much of his writing time to Christian endeavors. He wrote and directed a Christian movie, Daniel’s Lot, starring Emmy award winner Gary Burghoff (Radar from M*A*S*H) which is now in worldwide release through the Bridgestone Multimedia Group. (www.danielslot.com)

He has also devoted a great deal of time to his writing passion, working on novels and short stories. (www.demiller.com)

His other passion is the Christian radio station he operates. The station, WTYG, 91.5 FM (We Thank You God) serves north-central Florida in the town of Sparr. (www.wtygfm.com)

David L. Hoof Starts A New Series This Week! "Borrowed Time"

The stranger's name is Sanchez. The envelope he presents each contact offers a choice: yes or no. But they cannot reject the terms, or even hesitate. Indecision can be dangerous, even fatal. For once in their lives, their destiny is completely in their hands, and the hands of their life clock are relentlessly ticking.
The award-winning author of screenplays, short stories and seven published novels sold in thirty-five countries, David L. Hoof has also written nonfiction and written scientific articles and papers appearing in peer-reviewed professional journals that cover areas as diverse as nanotechnology to nuclear proliferation. He was taught creative writing with the Writers Digest School and at Georgetown University. His novels and stories include satires, thrillers, suspense mysteries, historical mysteries, action adventure, horror and dabblings in the paranormal . Three novels, the ecohorror Landfill, the rollickingly irreverent satire Triple Jeopardy, and the historical mystery, Little Gods, will join several intriguing short stories in Trestle Press’s impressive 2012 line-up. Deeply interested in the music and magic of the English language, he can be reached at david.hoof@rcn.com or via Facebook. Among his friends and inspirations he counts William Goldman, Elmore “Dutch” Leonard, Don DeLillo, Cormac McCarthy, James Lee Burke and Dennis Lehane. He lives with his wife, Marsha, in Washington, DC, and is at work on his next novel, which should be complete by mid April, this year..

Coming Soon- "Lightbearer" by David F. Gray

LIGHTBEARER
A NOVEL
By David F. Gray

‘Old City…New Thrills’.

Gideon is a Lightbearer, a servant and friend of the Lightgiver. He is making the long journey to the True City, the dwelling place of the Lightgiver. Accompanying him are his fiancée Ruth and a few close friends. In the course of their journey, they travel through the Old City, where entertainment, sex and luxurious living are accessible and cheap. Gideon becomes enamored with the Old City’s diverse pleasures and abandons his journey. He takes up residence at one of the many luxury hotels while his friends and fiancée are forced to move on without him.

All too soon, Gideon’s money runs out. People who called him friend desert him. He is evicted from his hotel and forced onto the Gauntlet, the main street that runs through the middle of the Old City. He becomes a Lurker, one of the thousands of nameless, faceless people who have lost all hope. For ten years, he ekes out a living handing out flyers of prostitutes to the passing tourists.

His fragile world is shattered when he encounters a Messenger from the Lightgiver. The Messenger, who’s name is Mark, delivers his message to Gideon. He is forgiven for the betrayal of his oath and is recalled to active duty. He is ordered to find three missing Lightbearers, who are wanted for a string of murders that they did not commit, and get them safely out of the city.

Gideon begins a perilous journey into the depths of the Old City. Not only must he find the three Lightbearers, he must remember who he is and what it means to be a Lightbearer. He will encounter the Enforcers, the Governor’s private police force, who are rumored to have strange and terrible powers. He will be arrested and brought before the Governor, where he must choose once and for all who he will serve.

And he will travel through the Maze, a bewildering, decaying slum on the outskirts of the Old City that is overrun by vicious, bloodthirsty gangs.

LIGHTBEARER is a story of betrayal, redemption and ultimate victory. It is a story of faith and hope; that no matter how dire the situation, it is never too late to turn back to the Lightgiver.

William Tooker-"Not A Fool For The Fool-Jar Jar Binks"

Not A Fool for the Fool

Jar Jar Binks.

Okay, now that you've trashed your monitor, bought a new one and come back...we probably agree. Now, we can try to play the highbrow card and cast him as the comedic foil for "The Phantom Menace" but he in no way approaches the Fool of "King Lear." Lucas did it for the kids, his kids as I understand. Now on the one hand i say what an awesome and loving dad who tributes his franchise to his little ones. All parents should be so wonderful. Now that I've given a good man his props here's how i feel about the character.

Insulted.

Dress it up in literary terms all you like but characters like this have always annoyed me, even as a child. I think its lazy storytelling and suggests that the lead characters don't have a lighter side. Humor can be laced through drama and it usually makes things more effective. A lead character who can crack a smile and be vulnerable as well as being intense illustrates more potently how serious the situation is. The "Comedic Foil" character who exists solely to lighten the mood is limited to 1 dimension, and takes something away from the others, I'm not saying we need to ban characters who are cut ups, that's not nearly the same as being a worthless walking punchline.

Hawkeye in M.A.S.H. was a cut up, and a truth teller ( and yes, I heard you grumbling about that aspect of the fool character) but he still had depths, and the respect of others. Jar Jar never really functioned as a truth teller, and he was a flimsy, easy replaceable device to meet the other Gungans. C 3PO and R2D2 performed the function of outsider/observer and truth teller without the addition of Aqua Goofy.

Dickens got paid by the word in his day, but now we value the economy of words. Give me the madman, the prophet, or the wizened child. But for the love of god, no more childish idiots.
William Tooker lives in Ohio where he labors away in the tech support coal mines of Hilliard. He has written the Horror Novel "Slouching Towards Bethlehem" and is currently working on his ongoing Series The Invisible Society. Will is also co-founder and head writer of Creephouse Comics with Kevin Gentilcore as well as the Writer for Matt Campbell's Mythica saga from CCP Comics. Will also has projects going in film and video and wants his work to be seen on your book shelf.

Scott Lutz & Melissa Studdard discuss the "ONE" Series

My girlfriend, Melissa Studdard, and I were thrilled with the opportunity to contribute our voices to this phenomenal collection of authentic pieces known as the ONE series. Editor Mark Miller and publisher Giovanni Gelati have provided a forum in which we feel we can speak our own truths while intermingling with the multi-faceted truths of others, together as one in the name of faith.

Our Story, For the Love of All, had its inception months before we got the invitation to write it. After connecting, in spite of remarkable odds, Melissa and I had begun to envision sharing our experiences and growth in our own relationship through writing. We felt that our story might inspire people to embrace their own unique spirituality, develop greater connectedness to others, and live life more deeply. The actual writing of our essay was an adventure in itself, as we each relived, in the telling, many of the wonderful and affirming experiences that grew our faith and relationship.

We wrote the essay back and forth to each other as a conversation, swapping writing and editing roles over a period of about three to four weeks. Melissa and I see this story as a beginning, and just one extension of our life’s writing and work. We believe that it will be the foundation for a more in-depth writing project focused on the same topic of intimate couple relationships and the fantastic potential for human love and connection.

We're very excited about the panel interview on May 12th with this unique and genuine group of authors!
The link for the show is: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gelatisscoop/2012/05/12/mark-miller-the-authors-of-the-best-selling-one-series

Out Right Now: Theresa Ricci's "Friends Among The Amish- Volume 4- One Good Turn Deserves Another"

A journey begins with a single step. Set in beautiful Lancaster County, Friends Among the Amish takes us on a journey that explores many issues in society today. Meet Rose, Susan, Katie and Grace as they enjoy their weekly walks. Delve into moral dilemmas, health issues, cultural differences, and matters of the heart as the women support each other as they make life changing decisions. Although they come from different backgrounds, they all have one thing in common, a fondness for the Amish people and their ways. Follow along as they form a bond that will last throughout their lifelong journeys.
In Volume 4, One Good Turn Deserves Another, continue following the original “walkers” as their group expands to include spouses and other family and friends. Grace finds a way to thank her friends for their help while she was recovering from her injury. Discover yet another way Rose has found to help people suffering with diabetes. See what great things can happen when Susan’s family pulls together. How will Mark and Grace handle their ever strengthening feelings for each other? Find out how Katie is managing caring for Patrick. Join the fun as the bonds grow even stronger as this group experiences life’s ups and downs.

I want to thank everybody that has been nice enough to read my stories, share their personal experiences with me, and send me suggestions for story ideas. Believe it or not I am just getting into this thing called social networking. I know, a bit behind the times.
Just a bit of my background and maybe you will understand why I am a bit behind the times. I am a stay at home mother of three adorable kids- 2 girls ages 3 and 5 and one boy age 7. My husband and I were high school sweethearts, went to the same small college near Lancaster .Pa. and were married once we graduated. Right out of college I began work in the medical industry, specifically helping patients with diabetes. It is a subject that is near and dear to my heart as both my parents had it. Right before we found out that we were fortunate enough to have our son, my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. We were fortunate that my husband’s job was good enough to handle our simple needs so it was decided that I would help take care of my mother and father as he was developing complications from his diabetes and failing heart. To make a long story short, all the education I received and the deep faith that surrounds our family was needed and used to help them through the trying times up to their passing on.
During that journey we had a new neighbor move in that we have become very close with. They have a special needs child and that has given use new insights and understanding of how God works in all of us. My husband being the wise guy he is, and I mean smart not smarty pants, said :”You know if you put this all together and add in some of the people we met in college that were Amish, you have the makings for a good story here.” My questions was, “Who is going to write it?”. He just looked at me and said, “Why you of course, you lived most of it.”
So here I am. In between doing many things in a normal day that we all do, I have also put on the hat of author; well at least I hope so. My intention is to bring you the best stories I can and show you that there are other sides to the story: The care, the thought, the prayer, the interaction, and interconnection of our actions with one another and the repercussions they may have. I hope that you enjoy the journey and the characters.
Here is the Amazon Kindle Link: http://www.amazon.com/Friends-Among-The-Amish-ebook/dp/B0081LOBH8/ref=sr_1_5?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1336569529&sr=1-5

We Are "One" In the Spirit by Ron Starbuck

We Are One in the Spirit Written by Ron Starbuck – Copyright 2012 "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us (John 17:21)." What I have found to be of immense value in the vision of ONE, is the opportunity it bestows on readers and writers alike to explore an interfaith dialog that is open and sincere. One that simply asks us to write about our faith, our beliefs, our knowledge, and what we have come to know of God that goes beyond our belief. And one that places a high faith in humanity, a faith that understands and sees the Spirit of God, or Holy Spirit if you wish, actively at work within the world across many faiths, in an interfaith dialog. One that embraces a single vision which, sees God calling us into relationship with one another, with the world at large, and with the whole mystery of all creation. When I was a child, a teenage, and even a young adult, there was hymn I loved to sing, and still do today. The words are simple and even though they first spoke of Christian unity, ultimately they speak of a unity across all humanity. The first verse of the song contains these words. We are One in The Spirit, We are One in The Lord. We are One in The Spirit, We are One in The Lord. And we pray that all unity may one day be restored. The hymn was written by Peter R. Scholtes, if you were to take the time to look up his biography on the internet, you’ll find part of the story of this song. He wrote the hymn They'll Know We Are Christians by Our Love, “while he was a parish priest at St. Brendan's on the South Side of Chicago in the 1960s. At the time, he was leading a youth choir out of the church basement, and was looking for an appropriate song for a series of ecumenical, interracial events. When he couldn't find such a song, he wrote the now-famous hymn in a single day. His experiences at St. Brendan's, and in the Chicago Civil Rights movement, influenced him for the rest of his life.” 1 I believe that it can just as easily be applied in the context of an interfaith dialog and celebration. The story goes on of course, as the song goes on, because it went on to influence may others, helping to shape their hearts, their minds, and the direction of their life. I was one of those people who found the song more than inspirational. I found it to an eye-opener and a heart-opener; I found it transforming in my own life, and the life I live with and through others.

As a poet and writer, language to me is extremely important, words are a sacrament, and the words we chose to use in writing, need to be chosen wisely. Our language and words are symbols that may point us towards God as Ultimate Truth, but these symbols, this symbolic language is not that Truth, although our words and symbols do have the power to help reveal the Truth. To look at the Truth, we must gaze beyond the finger pointing towards the moon, to the moon itself, to Truth itself. All the words of Holy Scripture, when they are truly effective, from any and all the great spiritual traditions of humankind, are simply fingers pointing at the moon. Jesus tells us in John 4:24: "God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." And in 1 John 8:16: “God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.” As a Christian, I see these scriptures, pointing us towards a deeper level of understanding in our relationship with God, and in turn with all of creation and one another. Perichoresis (peri-kor-es-is) is an ancient Greek term in Christian theology, which refers to the indwelling of the Trinity. It tells of how the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are so intimately connected within their unity as one that there is an indwelling between them all. This indwelling is shared with humankind, in and through Christ, in the Paschal Mystery of Christ as the Incarnate Word, the Word Made Flesh, who many Christians encounter in the sacrament of the Eucharist, where Jesus is truly present. Saint John of Damascus (7th Century) describes Perichoresis as a “cleaving together,” and as a fellowship of the Godhead that enters into one another. The Spirit is not limited to Christians alone, or to the church with all of its dogma, doctrine, and ecclesiastical traditions. The Spirit is boundless, the Spirit is formless - without form, the Spirit is love, and love touches humankind a many different levels, calling us into loving relationship with one another.

In a Tangent, a book review and interview, I wrote for Parabola Magazine a few months ago, I closed the piece with words similar to these. If we could reframe the message of the Gospel for the 21st Century, the "Good News" of the Gospel, I believe it would be a message that calls all of us into a deeper understanding of the Divine Mystery found in relationship, found in an interfaith dialogue that is radically open, radically inclusive, and grounded in the historical and orthodox tradition of the church, and of the Great Commission, Christ gave to his Disciples, to all Christendom. In speaking about an interfaith dialog Paul F. Knitter, the Paul Tillich Professor of Theology, World Religions, and Culture, and the author of Without Buddha I Could Not Be a Christian, 2 once quoted the theologian John Cobb, who pointed out that, "Jesus is the way that is open to other ways." "Jesus is the way that is open to other ways. Jesus is not the way that excludes, overpowers, demeans other ways; rather he is the way that opens us to, connects us with, calls us to relate to other ways in a process that can best be described as "dialogue." 3 This is what I believe I’ve been called to do within my own faith, to reach out to other faiths, to understand and transcend any difference in language or vocabulary that there may be, and to build many bridges across faiths. Beyond this even, to understand another’s faith within the cultural and social context in which it arises for them, and to look for meaningful and transforming connections and conversations between faiths; to work together in relationship with one another for a better world, a more meaningful life, and a shared life.

I'm thinking of Jesus now and the words we hear him say in John 10:10; "I came that they might have life, and have it more abundantly." 1. Peter R. Scholtes, 1938-2009: http://pscholtes.com/obituary.cfm 2. Without Buddha I Could Not Be a Christian, Paul F. Knitter, Chapter 1, Nirvana and God the Transcendent Other, Pages 14-23.Publisher: Oneworld Publications (July 25, 2009)Language: EnglishISBN-10: 1851686738ISBN-13: 978-1851686735Paperback: 336 pages. http://www.oneworld-publications.com/cgi-bin/cart2/commerce.cgi?pid=443&log_pid=yes 3. 3. Sermon by Professor Paul F. Knitter, from Union Theological Seminary in NYC, entitled "Jesus: The Way That is Open to Other Ways". http://www.tcpc.org/library/article.cfm?library_id=518 Books and Articles by Ron Starbuck Wheels Turning Inward – New and Select Poems by Ron Starbuck ISBNs: 978-1-77067-112-6 (Hardcover) 978-1-77067-113-3 (Paperback) 978-1-77067-114-0 (eBook) http://www.friesenpress.com/bookstore/title/119734000000649053/ Parabola Magazine: Fall, 2011: Seeing, Volume 36:3 – God As a Verb – Page 100 http://www.parabola.org/359-vol-363.html Parabola Magazine: Winter, 2012: Many Paths One Truth: Volume 36;4 – A Radical Openness – Page 98 http://www.parabola.org/360-vol-364.html Saint Julian Press – Interfaith Musings – Copyright 2012  A Christian Speaks - The Heart Sutra - Emptiness is Form, Form is Emptiness  Beyond All Our Thoughts (Perichoresis - Divine Indwelling)

Out Right Now! Alan Zendell's New Sci-Fi Story-"KARRYN"

Thodes is a research station in far-off interstellar space, isolated by intention, so its population of six scientists can work independent of outside influences. Their mission, to create intelligent androids capable of behaving and feeling like humans, was to have been the salvation of a galaxy-spanning economic Depression. But no one has heard from Thodes for thirty years and the station has been written off… … until it is accidentally re-discovered intact but missing its complement of scientists, by a passing starship. When the ship departs, the Captain happily leaves Eli Rudman, his least favorite crew member behind to study the androids that now populate the station. A social scientist with a failed career in a dying profession, Eli views Thodes as his one chance for fame and glory. But all is not as it seems. One of the androids who was built in the image of a beautiful young woman is different from the others. Thus begins Eli’s obsession with Karryn. Alan Zendell spent more than thirty years as a scientist, aerospace engineer, software consultant, database developer, and government analyst, writing really boring stuff like proposals, technical papers, reports, business letters, and policy memoranda. But trapped inside him all that time were stories that needed telling and ideas that needed expression, so with encouragement and cajoling from a loving baby sister he plunged into fiction. Since then, he has written mostly science and extrapolative fiction, the genre he loved since he was nine. But his stories are about more than aliens and technical marvels. He creates strong, three-dimensional characters a reader can care about, because it's people and the way they live and love that are important. It's the things they believe in and how much they're willing to invest to preserve them that make a story worth telling. It's convincing interactions and well-researched credible plots that make a story worth reading. And, of course, like any writer, Alan loves having an audience. Here is the Amazon Kindle link for the story: http://www.amazon.com/KARRYN-ebook/dp/B0081CJAN2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1336474229&sr=1-1

Katrina Parker Williams on How to Submit to Literary Magazines

Submitting to Literary Magazines Reprint with permission from author, Katrina Parker Williams New and emerging writers interested in having their works published should consider submitting to literary magazines as an invaluable part of their writing goals. Writers need to understand the importance of submitting their poetry, fiction, and short stories to literary magazines. It is a successful method for marketing their works and for building a readership. But they must adhere to the specific guidelines for submitting to literary magazines to avoid having their works promptly discarded in the slush pile. The submissions guidelines are there for a reason, and if they do not follow them, they are weeding out their chances of publication. Before submitting work to literary magazines, writers should always check the submissions guidelines and follow them to the letter. Not doing so could mean their work does not get published, and that is the whole point of submitting in the first place, right? Also writers should make sure to familiarize themselves with the content and genre of works the literary magazine publishes to ensure their work fits in with the magazine’s theme. I write on southern-themed topics, and when I submit to literary magazines, I focus on those that accept the type of works I produce. The few I am familiar with, either by submitting to them or having work accepted for publication, are listed below. Barely South Review The new literary journal in electronic format housed in Old Dominion University’s MFA in Creative Writing program! Charlotte Viewpoint A magazine showcasing long-form essays, memoirs, fiction, and poetry written by fellow citizens. Clapboard House A Literary Journal–Artful Short Stories and Poems The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature A webzine devoted to Southern cultural literature. Glint Literary Journal The Literary Journal of Fayetteville State University. In print and online. The best fiction, non-fiction, essays and poetry on the web. Meadowland Review An online literary journal comprised of a small group of writers and editors who share a commitment to providing a public space for thoughtful and original material. We welcome and encourage both emerging and established writers of short fiction and poetry. Musacadine Lines: A Southern Journal A place for emerging and established writers to publish their work. The Pedastal Magazine A webzine of poetry, fiction, non-fiction and interviews. Storysouth A quarterly journal featuring the writings from the new south. Umbrella Factory A small press determined to connect well-developed readers to intelligent writers and poets through virtual means, printed journals, and books. We believe in making an honest living providing the best writers and poets a forum for their work. The Western Online The Western Online is dedicated to everything Western. We publish Western short stories, non- fiction articles and artwork. http://www.newpages.com/ http://www.duotrope.com/Duotrope’s Digest is another resource that contains a listing of 2875 markets to which writers can submit their works. The listings are categorized by genre, length, new, fledgling, paid, or unpaid, as well as many other categories. There are a list of submissions guidelines and links to the magazines’ websites. This is wonderful tool for a new and emerging authors to utilize, and it’s free. .

Mark Miller-"It's All Coming Together"

Almost a year ago, I was handed an assignment. That’s how it felt, Trestle Press enjoyed my novel Daniel’s Lot and its exploration of Christian themes. They asked me if I would start a religious series for them. As authors do, I wanted to experiment. I wanted to talk about what religion meant to me. I felt too confined. Everybody has a different religion, so I felt limited. I did not want to write about only one religion. From the very beginning, One started to evolve. The idea came from the fact that regardless of religion, everyone has some kind of faith. I designed One to explore different expressions of faith and how we all have to share this one planet. I could not honestly and effectively complete this task on my own, so I reached out for more and greater perspectives. I started close to home, but even made it as far as Dubai. Over ten months, I somehow managed to gather an esteemed collection of highly talented individuals that saw value in the concept. As I look at first ten stories, I feel like I’m playing the Match Game. Like someone is asking me if I can connect the author with their field of expertise: college professor; international businessperson; award-winning poet; best-selling author; born-again Christian; med student. And the stories range from first love to love at first sight; undefeatable disease to healing candies; rebirth to near death. However, they all have one thing in common. They all have faith. One has become so much more than I envisioned. I don’t picture myself as a captain steering a big ship. Mostly, I have been in the audience watching this great event unfold. I am humbled and blessed by the skilled writers that have shared their very personal stories. I am looking forward to May 12th. When we all dial in to the G-Zone on BlogTalkRadio.com, it will feel like a family reunion with some truly wonderful people. Please join us at 1 PM Eastern here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gelatisscoop/2012/05/12/mark-miller-the-authors-of-the-best-selling-one-series. Mark Miller is the author of his critically praised fantasy series The Empyrical Tales. He has been headlining One, as well as co-writing a middle grade series with his daughter called Sons of the King. Please visit www.MillerWords.com for more and join the One series at FB.com/MarkMillersOne.

Karen Malena is on The G-ZONE @ 9am EST Today!

Son of Mine: Redemption, Volume III Aaron’s father confronts his past demons and falls further into darkness and despair. It will take a miracle for Aaron and his brother to find out the truth and set the family on a path of faith and forgiveness. As our journey of the DeAngelis family comes to a close, we visit one man’s tragic past which has set the course of an entire lifetime of misery. With faith as the answer, a new life and redemption are close at hand. Hello, I am Karen Malena. Allow me to take you on the journey of my creativity. An avid reader since fourth grade, I have found solace and comfort in books to ease the sometimes irregular paths of life. With a childhood filled with difficult moments, books were the much needed friends to soothe and lessen the loneliness and pain. Faith has been the most important catalyst in the turbulent sea of life. Without it, I would not be able to share with my readers the situations which will help lessen their own trials. Let me take you by the hand, and give me the chance to encourage you with stories which I hope will leave you inspired, thoughtful, and blessed. Karen Malena comes from a close, Italian family, and is married to a humorous Italian man. She has worked in the dental field for thirty years. Always dreaming of becoming an author, she had her first e book, Son of Mine: From Suicide to Hope, Volume I published in the fall of 2011. Here is the link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gelatisscoop/2012/05/05/karen-malena-drops-by-to-chat

Roger Rheinheimer & Crystal Linn: Amish Forever-Volume 8- Broken Hearts-Look For it This Weekend!

Ava finds herself sad and confused because of Zeke’s late night confession and announcement that he was leaving to join the military. In the meantime John and Helen are having relationship problems and Helen’s father, Mr. Mathias, is involved. Abe’s total lack of responsibility creates problems for Bliss. Ava’s frustration and confusion increase when Jed makes a special trip to the Troyer farm to inform Ava that he has an English girlfriend and that it would be of no use to Ava for her to think about Jed coming calling for her. Roger Rheinheimer spent the first eighteen years of his life in northern Indiana. His father was the only doctor for a small town of 1200, and had a hitching rail on a side street by his office for the Amish patients. His father bought an eighty acre farm, and Roger and his older brother worked it, raising cattle and growing crops. While he was still in high school, Roger learned woodworking skills from Elmer Schlabach, his Amish mentor. They built houses in the old-fashioned tradition, from hand-mixing the concrete for the foundations to hand-nailing the shingles. The only phase they did not do was the electrical. To this day, Roger enjoys using his wood crafting skills, making acoustic guitars and furniture. Roger earned an undergraduate degree in Behavioral Psychology from a small private college in the Shenandoah Valley, took a Creative Writing class, loved it, and published a short story called My Brother. He was a regular contributing writer to the college newspaper. Roger has two novels in print and ebook, Amish Snow and Yield Spread: a novel. Crystal Linn is a free-lance writer and award-winning poet who teaches a variety of creative writing classes. Her third book, Poetry for Friends, is scheduled to be released in the spring of 2012. She lives in the greater Seattle area where she enjoys reading mysteries, writing poetry and sailing with friends and family.

Karen Anna Vogel's New Novel Is Out! "The Amish Doll"

Raven Meadows was raised on the Allegheny Indian Reservation in New York but placed in foster care after the death of her grandparents. Moving from one foster home to another, she’s had two constants in life: knitting and her ragdoll. Now at 24, she works as a social worker in a foster home for boys. To her surprise, Amish families from Cherry Creek, NY apply to be foster parents. She quickly bonds with one Amish woman, Susanna Yoder, a knitter waiting for a kidney transplant. Susanna shows Raven her prayer shawl, and seeing what comfort it brings, Raven eagerly knits prayer shawls and eventually helps start a knitting circle. Over time, Raven discovers her ragdoll is really an Amish doll that unravels the mystery of her birth. This revelation leads her to a new found faith, forgiveness, and an Amish love. Karen Anna Vogel is a trusted English friend to many Amish in Western Pennsylvania and New York. She’s the author of Amish Knitting Circle, Knit Together, and The Amish Doll. She has a worldwide audience at her popular blog, Amish Crossings http://www.karenannavogel.blogspot.com She has a B.A. in psychology and a Masters in Biblical Counseling and loves mentoring young women. Karen and her husband of 31 years, Tim, enjoy living in rural PA and have four grown children. You can visit her at www.karenannavogel.com or Amish Literature Fans on Facebook. What Some Are Already Saying About “The Amish Doll”: The Amish Doll follows the struggle of Raven, a character some of us may relate strongly with. When confronted with issues of her faith, the hurt from past relationships threaten to harden her heart. But her journey of self-discovery and God's love are what give this book the realism and heartfelt sentiment which is Vogel's style. ~ Karen Malena author of Son of Mine Karen Anna Vogel does a great job of portraying the struggles and the joys of foster care. Excellent story! Karen Berkey ~ Social Worker

Coming Soon: "KARRYN" by Alan Zendell

Thodes is a research station in far-off interstellar space, isolated by intention, so its population of six scientists can work independent of outside influences. Their mission, to create intelligent androids capable of behaving and feeling like humans, was to have been the salvation of a galaxy-spanning economic Depression. But no one has heard from Thodes for thirty years and the station has been written off… … until it is accidentally re-discovered intact but missing its complement of scientists, by a passing starship. When the ship departs, the Captain happily leaves Eli Rudman, his least favorite crew member behind to study the androids that now populate the station. A social scientist with a failed career in a dying profession, Eli views Thodes as his one chance for fame and glory. But all is not as it seems. One of the androids who was built in the image of a beautiful young woman is different from the others. Thus begins Eli’s obsession with Karryn. Alan Zendell spent more than thirty years as a scientist, aerospace engineer, software consultant, database developer, and government analyst, writing really boring stuff like proposals, technical papers, reports, business letters, and policy memoranda. But trapped inside him all that time were stories that needed telling and ideas that needed expression, so with encouragement and cajoling from a loving baby sister he plunged into fiction. Since then, he has written mostly science and extrapolative fiction, the genre he loved since he was nine. But his stories are about more than aliens and technical marvels. He creates strong, three-dimensional characters a reader can care about, because it's people and the way they live and love that are important. It's the things they believe in and how much they're willing to invest to preserve them that make a story worth telling. It's convincing interactions and well-researched credible plots that make a story worth reading. And, of course, like any writer, Alan loves having an audience.