VBT: Chasing the Dragon

 

GENRE: Vigilante Crime Thriller/Horror

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

BLURB:

A town on its knees, dread's bony fingers wrapping around its throat and squeezing, death

rattles soon to follow.

Drugs, filth, and a lack of human decency are starving it of hope.

Introducing Simon Dooley, our trauma-driven wannabe superhero, the relentless voice of his

dead mother pleading with him to "end the chaos." Dressed in a leotard and armed only with a

dozen dog poop bags, Simon's plight will find him falling in love and going head to head with the

seediest characters walking the streets.

The town needed a hero... it got Reformo.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 EXCERPT

“This doesn’t have to happen.” I hold my hands out, declaring myself weapon-free. “You could

turn your life around. We could unite, start teaching kids about the harmful effects of drugs and

clean up these streets. What do you say?”

“Look, I don’t know who the fuck you are, Mister, but I see you ain’t right in the head. But mental

or not, you can’t come on my patch and expect not to get shanked.”

Moonlight falls across his face, picking up the few hairs across his lip. Jesus Christ, how old is

he? “It’s not too late,” I say. “This town can be good again. We could start a youth centre. Get

funding from the council and buy a table tennis table.”

“You’re off your rocker, mate.” He tosses the knife between his hands, finishing with an

impressive spin. “That might keep you happy down at the local funny farm, but folks can see

angels with the stuff I sell.”

“I just want some order.”

“Well, you’re in the wrong place, mate.” He stares me down, flexing his jaw muscles. “Now, you

have two options here: run like the wind, or have that lovely leotard cut to shreds.”

“It’s not a leotard.”

This time, I move first, feigning to the left but attacking from the right. Bum Fluff tries to alter

course, but it’s too late, the knife cutting through the air, the blade missing my side by nothing

more than an inch. We come together, the flurry of hairs on his lip dancing on the breeze.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

AUTHOR INTERVIEW 

* Did you use any of your own experience as inspiration?

Haha. Yes. It’s me on the pages of this book: the same upbringing as Simon, the same claustrophobic

and uncomfortable environment, all dictated by my iron-fisted mother. If I left crumbs on the counter or a

cup next to the sink without washing it, my life would not be worth living. And God forbid if someone

parked outside our house or started playing loud music. In those cases, the day, possibly week, would be

ruined. My mother even uttered the words, "When will the chaos end?" at one point, thus the multiple

references in the story. The Reformo connection is all about the fantasy world I often escaped to. Writing

this was incredibly cathartic and therapeutic.

* On average, how long does the writing process take?

.

I’ve written 185 short stories, 15 novellas, and two novels. A short story can take anywhere from a week

to three weeks. Novellas usually take me a solid two to three months. Novels edge into the five to six-

month territory.

* When did you realize you wanted a career in writing?

I was a late starter. I’m 50 now and have been writing for a little over five years. As an eighties kid, the

arts were pretty much frowned upon, so I took what I thought was the safe route, graduating with a

degree in mathematics. I then spent much of my adult life working a job I hated, drinking most nights to

numb myself. Much like Simon’s mother’s voice, the words of my old English teacher often haunted me

when the lights went out. “You should pursue this. You have real potential.” I think my wife got sick of me

bringing it up in conversation and, in no unpleasant terms, told me to get my finger out and write

something. The rest is history. As soon as I stepped foot in magic world, I knew there was no return.

* If you weren't an author, what other career paths would you have taken?

Unfortunately, I’m not a full-time author. I work for a family-owned lifestyle magazine these days. To be

fair, it’s a pretty good job. They frequently let me loose on articles and editorials. It’s not magic world,

though.

I have no idea about other career paths. These days, I only want to write.

.* Out of the characters that you created, who is your favorite?

It's a tough one to call. I love Reformo, and I think readers will, too. He's flawed and trying his best, just

like the rest of us. I'm also a big fan of Nana, my debut novella and a risky foray into the world of old-

people horror. Nana loves her family and would do anything to protect it. Anything. That project excited

me as I wanted to dig beneath the watery peepers and gummy smiles of old people. They all look so

innocent and precious, but we know appearances can be deceptive. And everyone has skeletons in the

closet.

* What advice would you give to someone looking to be a writer?

Practice. A lot. Lock yourself in a room and get rid of the bile. My first stories were awful, but after three

decades of doing nothing creative, that's hardly surprising. You'll also be a product of influences. That's

okay, but you must find your voice. The only way to do that is to write your heart out and dig deep. And

write for fun, not to tick boxes. The rest will follow. And don't listen to too much advice; it can be

overwhelming and stifling. Jeez, I could talk for days on this subject.

* What kind of research (if any) was required for any of your books?

Minimal. I don't write historical fiction; I write horror and generally deal with the unknown. My research is

the places I've been, the people I've interacted with, the smells in the air that carry a nostalgic sucker

punch.

*How long after you finish a book do you start another one?

Previously, it’s been no more than four weeks. My next gap will be considerably longer.

Website

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

GIVEAWAY 

The author will award a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

Rafflecopter

VBT: The Misadventures of a (Wannabe) Slutty Bartender

 The Misadventures of a (Wannabe) Slutty Bartender

by WS Carmichael

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE:  Romance/Romantic Comedy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

Ava Moreland has it all planned out. In two months, she will marry her fiancé, Tim. She’ll continue working at Vegas’s famous Cosmopolitan bar while he runs his father’s accounting firm. Soon they’ll start a family and she’ll have the white picket life she’s always dreamed of.
Or not.

When her fairytale engagement implodes in a devastating display, Ava embarks on a quest to reclaim her identity and feminine prowess – by sleeping her way through Las Vegas. With her best friend, Jarrod, acting as wingman her plan is foolproof.
Or not.

Nothing goes as planned with hilariously disastrous results. Her sexual misadventures will keep you in stitches as Ava searches for herself in Sin City, finding herself and her happily ever after in the unlikeliest of places.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt:

The problem with a dramatic exit is what comes next. They never show you that part in the movies. You never see the tough heroine stumbling down a hotel hallway, her feet tired from traveling all day, alone and confused in a strange city, holding back tears as the realization her life has been flipped upside down settles in.

No. They never show you that part. They fade to black and pick up two years down the line when she’s found her happily ever after.

Where the hell is that fade to black button? Because this is the part I want to skip. I want to skip the binge eating and the ugly crying. I want to skip the ‘why me’ phase. I want to skip the explanations to my friends when they ask what happened. I want to skip all of it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio :

WS Carmichael is attempting to write the world into romantic bliss one novel at a time. Based in upstate NY, she travels as often as her hectic schedule will allow. When she isn’t busy writing, she’s a mother, nurse and avid sportswoman.

WS Carmichael fell in love with romance at an early age when she would sneak Harlequins from her mother. A voracious reader, she eventually made the jump to writing.

Writing is her passion and she’s always jotting down new storyline and character ideas. Often, her characters take on a life of their own and don’t always cooperate with her plan for them. Creating well developed, strong alpha male characters that don’t fit into the typical romance hero mold makes her novels exciting and relatable. A woman who believes whole heartedly in happily ever after, she gives her heroes the heroine they deserve.

You can check out her blog and find out more on her website:

Website 

Interview

* Did you use any of your own experience as inspiration?

I did. Ava and Adam have been close friends for years with a simmering chemistry neither one of them was free to act upon. Although they shared a close friendship, they never openly acknowledged the mutual attraction they felt. My best friend and partner in life and I were in a similar situation. We were friends for years and the chemistry was undeniable, but neither of us was in a position to explore the possibility of a relationship. The timing was never quite right – until it was, of course.

* On average, how long does the writing process take?

My last two novels each took over a year to complete, but I’ve also written one in less than six months. Ultimately, it boils down to how insane the rest of my life is going. Writing is what I love to do, but I’m not yet in a position to devote myself to it full time. Hopefully, that will be changing soon.

*  When did you realize you wanted a career in writing?

I’ve loved writing since I was a child, but I never had the courage to write a novel until I was almost forty. It was scary to pour so much of myself into a book for others to read. It’s like walking around naked. I did it, though and I’m hooked.

* If you weren't an author, what other career paths would you have taken?

In addition to being an author, I also work full time as a Registered Nurse. As I said, I’ve loved the idea of writing since I was a child, but I was afraid to try it until later in life. I chose the safe career path, which wasn’t a mistake because it gave me the stability I needed to try something crazy like writing a book.

* Out of the characters that you created, who is your favorite?

That’s a tough question! Ask me to pick which of my children is my favorite, why don’t you? Just kidding. I have two favorites, actually. Matt Montgomery, from Never Say Never Again, is everything a man should be. He’s tough, sexy, tattooed, considerate and he loves his woman fiercely. His toughness is balanced by his ability to laugh at himself and act like a complete goofball when the situation warrants it.

My second favorite is Jarrod Jeffries. In The Misadventures of a (Wannabe) Slutty Bartender, he is Ava’s out and proud, unwaveringly supportive best friend. He’s an all around awesome guy anyone would be lucky to know.

* What advice would you give to someone looking to be a writer?

Just write! The hardest part is getting started. Nothing is ever set in stone. You can always go back and edit or rewrite, but you have to write something first. It can be scary letting others read your work because there is a part of you in everything you write, in every character you create, but that’s part of what makes writing thrilling. Start small if a whole novel is intimidating. Write short stories or poems. Anything. Just write.

*How long after you finish a book do you start another one?

I’m usually planning my next one before I’m halfway through writing a novel. I force myself to finish the one I’m working on before I start the next, though. If I didn’t I’d never get anything done.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Giveaway

WS Carmichael will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

.rafflecopter

VBT: Wired by the FBI

Wired by the FBI

by Glenn Painter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE: Suspense, Thriller

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

Christian Romano lives his life as a con-artist, burglar, drug dealer, and a ladies' man, using his good looks to con wealthy women out of jewels and money. When he is arrested and jailed in one of the most violent jails in the U.S. (Cook County in Chicago), a steamy affair begins with a nympho female jail guard. When he loses control of the romance, Christian must end the affair by reporting her to Internal Affairs. It turns out that she is already under suspicion for supplying drugs to various gang members inside the jail. He has to decide if he is ""rogue"" enough to help set her up for arrest. Meanwhile, the FBI wants to recruit Christian to gather information against a sadist ex-cop, Scott Mason, who has been arrested for murder. The risk? Christian must wear a wire and testify. The reward? Witness protection for Christian and his girlfriend and a modification of his prison sentence. Will Christian risk his life for a chance at freedom? Will the female sheriff ""get even"" with him? Or will his life end at the hands of the jail's drug lords or a lunatic former cop?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt :

Chapter 20

U.S.S. Just Kill Me Now

Once we were through that charade, Smith began to explain how it all worked.

“This is a Swiss-made Nagra recorder. It’s a little heavy, but it gets the clearest recording of any machine we have ever used. Once you turn the machine on, you must let it run until the two hours expire, then take the tape out and exchange it with another. We will come by every couple day to bring new tapes and pick up the ones you have recorded. Do you understand everything so far?”

I could feel my mouth go dry as I stared into the case and wondered, What the f*** have I gotten myself into?

Then, the sound of Smith’s voice snapped me back to attention, “Here, get a feel for it.”

I took the silver-cased recorder from him and thought to myself, It’s too heavy and clunky to ever be concealed. The recorder was the size as a Sony Walkman cassette player, but three times heavier. Two wires, four feet each, ran from the machine with white plastic heads attached to each end. I had a bad feeling about the size and shape of this thing. It would be a real concern later.

Then Rogers said, “Because the heads on this machine are so sensitive, we will tape the recorder to your upper thigh and run the wires around your leg until the heads sit directly under the waistband of your underwear.”

Out of frustration, I said, “Great, if I have to piss and someone saddles up next to me and happens to look over at my manhood, they’re gonna get an eyeful of recorder wiring. Chances are I will be beaten to death after that miscue.”

My mind kept going back to the obvious lack of insight these square, fed boys had toward the real life within a jail.

“I’m about to go back to a jail with zero airflow and 100-degree heat. We walk around in our boxers all day.”

It was crystal clear that neither of these agents gave a rat’s ass about my safety.

Smith said, “We’ll just have to tape it higher up your thigh.”

“No, how about we strap it up your ass and let you go up there face-to-face with your boy.”

That was all they wanted to hear of my sarcasm and all hell broke loose as we tried to figure out how this was ever gonna work. The real logistical nightmare hit when I finally dropped my jail uniform pants and pulled up my boxers to see how it would fit on my inner thigh. After several years of martial arts and weightlifting, my thighs were far too big to fit the recorder under my boxers. Two agents played with the leg of my underwear, as they slid the fabric up and down with no success in figuring out how to get the damn machine up under my nut sack. Finally, I had had enough.

I asked, “Does anyone here have a knife with them?” They all stared at me in stunned silence.

Rogers finally spoke up. “I have a pocketknife,” he said as he handed it to me.

I jerked my boxers off and stood there with my dick dangling in the wind for all to admire. I measured the boxers to see where this heavy sack of metal was going to be placed. I began cutting a crude square hole in the upper right leg of my underwear. I was pretty certain the recorder would fit snugly in the hole. I slid my boxers back on and held the recorder where I had just cut the hole. The fit was very good, but now there was a different problem.

The recorder showed, so I had to come up with another way to cover the hole. I decided that if I was gonna pull this off, I would have to wear a second pair of boxers over the first pair. The outer ones had to hang lower on my torso and loosely enough to cover the recorder where it stuck out of my underwear. The hope was that the inner pair would hold the recorder in place well enough so it wouldn’t slip around. If this worked, I might be able to get away with it.

In my mind, I was thinking, what a cluster f*** this operation is. This would soon prove to be the way the F.B.I. does everything. So long as they are getting what they want, all else be damned. But at the moment, I had to wear this heavy chunk of metal under my nuts and hope that it stayed put and didn’t fall from my boxers like the anchor of the U.S.S. Just Kill Me Now.

Rogers wrapped the recorder with the ACE bandage he had brought and stepped back long enough for me to give it a light tug. I tugged on it ever so gently and knew immediately that it was too heavy.

“This thing is not gonna stay on my leg while I spend several hours walking up and down the tier. Are you trying to get me killed?” I asked. “Did either of you think to bring duct tape?”

Barry Smith had the audacity to respond by saying, “I didn’t want to bring any because I did not want to take the chance of it being considered contraband here at the jail.”

“You thought to bring my suicide machine, but you thought duct tape would set off alarms?” I shot back.

By now, Williamson had heard enough and walked back to his office. He reappeared a few moments later with some heavy, clear packing tape. We used that over the ACE bandage that the feds had brought to hold the recorder up. I gave the new configuration another slightly harder tug and everything seemed better. We then moved on to the next logistical nightmare, the swapping out of the tapes. It was actually Walsh that brought it up.

“How can the tapes be retrieved from Christian without stirring up attention?”

I had seen a movie once where a thick book was carved out and contraband was kept in the hollowed-out hole inside.

“Hey, I have one of those super thick books by Michener. I think it is about ancient Israel. I could take a razor blade out when it is time to shave and cut a hole in the center pages of the book to make a cavity large enough for the tapes. What do you guys think?” I asked.

Everyone was nodding their heads in agreement.

“I can put the book in my bars on the rear side toward the catwalk where no one will notice anything different. I have about four or five books back there now. What I can do is reverse this book so that the title faces out. When Sergeant Walsh walks around the tier, that will be his cue to grab that particular book, take the tape out and replace it with a new one.” I suggested.

They all agreed with the plan, so with the tape swap seemingly figured out, I was feeling a little better. I stood up to see how the recorder looked under my pants; and to my surprise, I could not see it through the clothing. I felt ready to go back to the jail and put the second pair of shorts over the first.

Barry Smith handed me a piece of paper and said, “This is a private phone number to our office that we call the ‘Hello’ line.

“When it rings through, it will be at a central desk where all the agents can pick it up. They will only answer by saying ‘Hello.’ When the jail recording announces that it is a collect call, everyone knows to accept the charges. You will then be speaking to one of the agents in our office. If it is after hours, the answering machine will come on, so speak to it as if you were leaving a message for me or Agent Rogers.”

It both surprised and impressed me that he was willing to give me a direct line in case of an emergency. For the first time, I felt a little less like a disposable piece of trash to these people. I took a pen from Buchan and rewrote the number in code so that if it were ever found, no one could access the actual number. When I was done, I stuffed the paper in my sock for safekeeping.

I looked at the two F.B.I. agents and asked, “Am I supposed to steer the conversation toward any certain topics?”

Smith spoke for them. “Since the conversation seems to come out of Mason’s mouth so frequently, just let him go, and see what happens.”

Barry Smith then handed me a second tape to have as a backup for the one that was already in the machine. After stuffing it into my other sock, I walked out with the heavy recorder strapped under my balls.

When I arrived back to my tier, Scott was talking on the phone. I walked past him and headed to my cell to get out of the jail clothes. I stripped down to my boxers to beat the crazy heat that hung over the unit like napalm. I stuck my head out of my cell to make sure the hallway was clear and slipped the second pair of boxers over the first. After pulling the outer pair down a few inches, they seemed to cover the protruding recorder just enough. I looked down and couldn’t tell where the recorder was. Just to be on the safe side, I put on an oversized shirt and let it billow out as I walked; this looked natural for the surroundings. It wasn’t five minutes and Scott was at the bars of my cell.

“You go to the hospital?” he asked.

“Yeah, I had to wait for the MRI machine to empty before I could go in. The radiologist was taking a smoke break between every MRI.”

I walked out of my cell and turned left, away from the guard post and began the ritual of walking from one end of the long hallway to the other.

When I walked away from my cell, I could feel Scott place his hand on my back. I tried not to freeze out of panic, but he had never touched me like that before. I had to wonder, Is he cleverly checking for a recording device? I tried to push the paranoia out of my mind, but it was tough with the stakes this high.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Glenn Painter is single and lives in Central Florida.  He became interested in writing at an early age but did not make it his career until 2014 when he published his first book, Beyond the Sentence.

Glenn has written this story from the notes by the man who actually lived it.  However, extensive research was also require in order to make the story factual.

Glenn has also founded a company, ‘Prisoner Civil Right Services.’  He is an advocate for incarcerated individuals who have had their rights violated.  He is in constant contact with these individuals, their families and the council. Most of his stories are inspired by ‘factual events’ that have happened to these individuals.  This makes his stories both fiction and non-fiction.

Glenn says that writing is very challenging, and you must love the trials and tribulations that come with it.  He believes that patience, perseverance and determination are required essentials to see a book through to being published.  The journey is just as important as the destination.

INTERVIEW 11

Q/What are your favorite TV shows:

I like all of the crime shows as well as The Voice and America’s Got Talent

Q/What is your favorite meal?

I’m a pasta lover.

Q/If you were to write a series of novels, what would it be about?

I am a lover of crime novels, but I like them to be from true life experiences

Q/Is there a writer you idolize? If so, who?

Stuart Woods

Q/How did you come up with the title of this book?

The plot of the story is all about the FBI and how they wired the protagonist, so that’s what I based it on.

Website

Buy links: Amazon ... B&N

The book will by $2.99 during the tour

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Letter from the Author

Hello Readers!

    Welcome to my 15-week book tour which starts on April 14th and concludes on July 30th.

    This tour was planned before the onset of this terrible covid-19 virus which has invaded our world.  I want to extend my deepest sympathy to everyone, especially those who have lost loved ones.  

A donation from me will be going out immediately to the charity I have listed below and I will also be donating 25% of any royalties from the book which is featured on this tour, to the covid-19 Response Fund.  This fund gives support to preparedness, containment, response and recovery activities. The 25% of royalties will be donated when I receive the final notification of number of books sold. I am also encouraging all authors to make some sort of donation to help with the recovery efforts.  WE ARE ALL IN THIS FIGHT TOGETHER!

    We all are wondering what the long-term impact this covid-19 virus will be to our communities and our livelihoods, Every American, as well as the companies that have worked very hard for every author have been affected, but I have faith that we will recover from this terrible pandemic if we all stick together and we all do our part – no matter how small.

    I will also be donating, (over and above what Goddess/Fish is offering):

    $100 Amazon Gift certificate to one randomly drawn commentator

    $100 Amazon gift certificate to one randomly drawn host. 

These drawings will be done via Rafflecopter that will be created by Goddess/Fish Promotions at the end of the tour.  To all of my fellow-authors – please don’t forget our marketing representatives, book agents, reviewers,commentator’s, hosts, etc..who are probably working from home and trying to help us.  

    I will be posting all pertinent information on my web site www.gapainter.com

once the tour is over.  The Gift Certificates will be mailed immediately after the tour is completed and the 25% will be posted once I receive Royalties resulting in the sale of all electronic and print versions of WIRED By The FBI.

I wish that I could do more, however, with every-one’s support, WE WILL BEAT THIS TERRIBLE SETBACK.

    Thank you, god bless all of you and the United States of America.

                            Glenn Painter      

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~               

Giveaway

One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.

Rafflecopter

VBT: The Prophecy

The Prophecy

by Erin Pemberton

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE: Young Adult Fantasy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

In a land plagued by war, King Dorvin and Queen Shiara are expecting their first child. They are excited until the good fairies tell of a prophecy; that their daughter is the key to winning the war against the Shadow tribes. To protect her, mages of the kingdom create a tower to keep her and her guardian hidden until her eighteenth birthday. When Ella turns 18 she leaves the tower, only to find that her parents are dead and the Shadow tribes now control the kingdom. Trained as a warrior, and aided by the good fairies, Ella must now bring her subjects together and prepare for the final war.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt :

“You love her, don’t you?” Jack asked quietly, his eyes never leaving Erek’s.

“Does it matter? She and I can never be together.” The sadness of this truth rang through Erek, nearly making him fall to the floor and weep. He’d waited his whole life for her. “You love her as well.”

Jack nodded his head. “Where does that leave us? What are we going to do?”

Erek feeling more tired and older than his twenty-five years replied, “It leaves us fighting for the same thing. Once this is all over, we’ll figure out the rest. For right now, we need to be content that when one of us isn’t around watching over her, the other is.”

Jack ran a hand over his newly shaved head, his eyes turned to the floor and nodded.

Erek looked at him, seeing so much of himself in this man of light. The same eyes, the same stature, the same look. Even their movements and choice of haircuts were the same. Right down to the chin strap they both wore. Erek never thought of it before, but it were almost if they were the same man. “Do you think, if we lived in another world, that we might be the same person? Me being the darker side and you the lighter?”

Jack looked up at this, his eyes wide and his mouth set in a straight line. “I’ve thought it several times actually. There are times when I’m convinced I passed by a mirror when I see you.”

Erek nodded before turning back to look at the storm brewing. He heard Jack quietly head down the stairs, leaving him to his thoughts. Ella would be safe in Jack’s hands when Erek was no longer there to protect her. He was sure of it. If Jack felt anywhere close to the way he felt, Erek knew she would be loved the way she deserved.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author Bio and Links:

I’m just a small town girl, living in Ohio and making up worlds for my characters to live in. A preschool teacher by day, I live with my amazing husband while dreaming of walking hand in hand with him on the beach just searching for seashells. Together, we have five incredible kids, who are starting to make their way in this world as they take on college, high school, and elementary school. I love Christmas, the beach, seashells, painting, reading anything fantasy related, and in my very little spare time, creating new worlds for others to enjoy. 

Goodreads

Website

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Q and A with the Author:

*** Did you use any of your own experience as inspiration?

The only thing that I used in this story from my own life is my husband’s characteristics. Both my main male characters, Jack and Erek, are based off of my husband, Jason. I would watch some of his movements or mannerism during different times like when he was angry or tired and have Erek or Jack do the same thing. They even have his looks. Shaved head and a chin strap (it’s style for facial hair). Of course, now my husband has a full beard, but the story was finished by the time he grew that. The rest of the book is based loosely on Rapunzel.

*** On average, how long does the writing process take?

Because I have such a lack of time due to the fact that I love spending time with my husband, have five kids, and a full time job, with a couple of part time jobs on the side, it will sometimes take me a year or more to write a book. I just don’t have the time to do it and when I do have time, sometimes it’s just nice to sit and do nothing.

*** When did you realize you wanted a career in writing?

I don’t really see this as a career, but more of a hobby. Getting published was just something that was on my bucket list of things to do and that was added when I was in high school. I attempted to write a book then. It was a sad excuse of a story, but I was proud of it at the time. Now, I have it hidden away!

*** If you weren’t an author, what other career paths would you have taken?

I actually am a teacher who is in the process of becoming the preschool supervisor, which is kind of like a vice principal. But what I would really like to do is lounge on a beach some place and open an ice cream shop or something along those lines. Maybe I’ll take writing on full time then.

*** Out of the characters that you created, who is your favorite?

I love my main character Ella, but Erek is my favorite. He went against everything that made him, him and did what was right for the woman he loved.

*** What advice would you give to someone looking to be a writer?

It’s not easy and it’s a lot of work, before, during, and after. If you’re willing to put in the work and the time, it’s definitely worth it in the end.

*** What kind of research (if any) was required for any of your books?

Because my books are based on fantasy, I make the rules. I get to make up the worlds, the names, the moves, the magic, etc… For that reason, there really is no research needed on my end. I just go with the flow and the directions my characters lead me.

*** How long after you finish a book do you start another one?

I usually start coming up with ideas before I finish writing one. However, I won’t start writing a new one until I have completed and found a home for the previous book. I’m organized that way.

~~~~~~~

Giveaway

Erin Pemberton will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Rafflecopter

VBT: Snakes Can't Run

BLURB

Set in New York City in 1976, Snakes Can't Run finds NYPD detective Robert Chow still haunted by the horrors of his past and relegated to tedious undercover work. When the bodies of two undocumented Chinese men are found under the Brooklyn Bridge underpass, Chow is drawn into the case. Most of the officers in his precinct are concerned with a terrorist group targeting the police, but Chow's investigation puts him on the trail of a ring of ruthless human smugglers who call themselves the snakeheads. As Chow gets closer to solving the murder, dangerous truths about his own family's past begin to emerge. Steeped in retro urban attitude, and ripe with commentary on minorities' roles in American society, this gritty procedural will appeal to fans of George Pelecanos and S.J. Rozan.

An Excerpt 

The mind is a funny thing. After I got on the wagon and fell in love with a girl, I started seeing my father out in the streets. I didn't literally see his ghost walking around, but I'd see his nose in profile on another guy's face. Sometimes I'd be walking behind someone who had his slouchy shuffle, his spotted ears, or the back of the head that looked like an elderly porcupine with spikes gone soft and white.

One time, a hand reached out to my shoulder and touched me exactly where he used to touch me from his chair after dinner to ask me to get him a beer from the fridge.

Of course it wasn't my father. It was an older guy who wanted to know if I was the guy whose pictures used to be in all the Chinese newspapers. The man was almost completely bald and had two light brown spots on the top right of his head that looked like an imprint from a woman's high-heeled shoe.

He called me the Sheriff of Chinatown. I tried to get away from him as soon as possible, but he was one of those people who liked to say good-bye and then ask another question just when you're about to part. The guy ended up grabbing both of my hands twice before I was able to make the corner and get away. I checked that my wallet was still in my pocket, though, just in case he had been working me with a partner. I guess he was genuinely glad to meet me.

About the Author 

Ed Lin, a native New Yorker of Taiwanese and Chinese descent, is the first author to win three Asian American Literary Awards and is an all-around standup kinda guy. His books include Waylaid and This Is a Bust, both published by Kaya Press in 2002 and 2007, respectively. Snakes Can't Run and One Red Bastard, which both continue the story of Robert Chow set in This Is a Bust, were published by Minotaur Books. His latest book, Ghost Month, a Taipei-based mystery, was published by Soho Crime in July 2014. Lin lives in Brooklyn with his wife, actress Cindy Cheung, and son.

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The Interview 

Did you use any of your own experience as inspiration?

Definitely. I was born in New York City but we moved to Jersey when I still small. However, we did go into Chinatown pretty frequently for shopping and events. One time we went to a Buddhist funeral. There must’ve been 50 guests or so. We had a vegetarian meal but while I was eating, I found a bone. I showed it to a priest, who determined that it was a toothpick. This boy, said the priest, will be very lucky.

On average, how long does the writing process take?

Writing a book takes at least a year. I’m not able to work straight. Short stories sometimes intrude and I have to write them before I can get back on track. I’m also the father of a very active preschooler, so life is constantly crashing into me. Or is it the other way around?

When did you realize you wanted a career in writing?

I don’t know if I would call it a career. I feel incredibly compelled to write. It soothes the beast in me to do so. If I weren’t able to write, I would be a raving lunatic, unhappy in life because I never found the thing that I love to do.

If you weren’t an author, what other career paths would you have taken?

Well, I took a career/personality survey in high school that said I should be a minister or a college professor. Nothing else was close.

Out of the characters that you created, who is your favorite?

I know this is a copout, but I love them all, even the “bad” ones. I can’t choose among them because I see them as an ensemble cast to the story. Every one is essential.

What advice would you give to someone looking to be a writer?

Simply write. Yes, that sounds obvious, but so many people talk about it and then immediately cut themselves down by saying they don’t have the time. Make the time. Make the effort. Make the book. There is no excuse. If you want to write, then do it. Otherwise, you don’t really want to.

What kind of research (if any) was required for any of your books?

I restricted myself to media from the 1970s. You can’t trust what you read on the Internet, so I bought newspapers and magazines from that time on eBay. I watched shows and films from that time. Music, too. Stevie Wonder’s Innervisions is genius. I also interviewed two Chinese Americans who were cops in that era.

How long after you finish a book do you start another one?

I start writing the next book before I’m done. Right now I’m writing the third book in my Taipei mystery series with Soho Crime. It’s the sequel to Ghost Month and Incensed.

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