A scholarship, Alternative Science, will change Malcolm Drake's and several other junior classmates lives forever. Author Joana James visits my blog Feb 13 on her VBT Pit Stop.

Click on the image to visit the Meet & Greet with Joana at VBT Cafe

Today I welcome Joana James, author of Nightmare at Emerald High, a Christian thriller. This book sounds fascinating not only for teens but also for adults who love to read a mystery. Before we get to the Q&As, here's a little bit about Joana.

Joana James is a 28 year old author from the island of Saint Lucia in the Caribbean. She is an I.T. professional by day but in her free time she escapes from the logical world of technology into the artistic world. She is an avid reader and her kindle is her favorite piece of technology. Music is her best friend and that manifests itself through her love for dance and singing.

Joana writes stories that portray the reality of her world. Her first book, a two-part short story series called Rise from the Ashes featured the lives of two young girls struggling in dire circumstances.

Her latest book, "Nightmare at Emerald High", brings to the fore a world that everybody knows exists but no one talks about.

Louise: Joana, welcome to my blog! I’m so excited you could join me for a chat. When did you first decide to submit your work to be published? Tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step.

Joana: I’ve always wanted to be a published writer and I pursued the dream vehemently as a teen. Eventually, after not succeeding at being noticed at all, I gave up and got a “real” job. Fast forward to ten years later, I realized that I was getting older and began making a conscious effort to fulfill some of the things on my life’s bucket list. Being a published author was the first on the list, so dived in headfirst.

Louise: Please tell us a little about your new release Nightmare at Emerald High without giving too much of a spoiler away.

Joana: Malcolm Drake is one year away from the end of high school when a tantalizing scholarship offer comes his way. Malcolm and several other classmates eagerly join a program called Alternative Science that promises to open their minds to new ways of thinking and of course, help them win that scholarship. They never realized that this program would change their lives forever. The class is riddled with eerie seances, encounters with spirit guides and a slow desensitization of the teens towards everything evil until they become completely entangled in the world of the occult.

With the program being run by the town's most influential people, the kids have a hard time getting out. Teachers that they trust hold them against their will and try underhanded tactics to convince them to remain in the program. Will good prevail over evil? Will the kids escape with their innocence?

Nightmare at Emerald High Blurb:
Genre – Christian Fiction

Malcolm Drake is one year away from the end of high school when a tantalizing scholarship offer comes his way. Malcolm and several other classmates eagerly join a program called Alternative Science that promises to open their minds to new ways of thinking and of course, help them win that scholarship. Little do they know that this program would change their lives forever. The class is riddled with eerie seances, encounters with spirit guides and a slow desensitization of the teens towards everything evil until they become completely entangled in the world of the occult.
 

With the program being run by the town's most influential people, the kids have a hard time getting out. Things take a turn for the worst when Malcolm is summoned to his school where he is bound and drugged in an effort to convince him to remain in the program.  

Louise: Do you plan all your characters out before you start a story or do they develop as you write?

Joana: I start my books with a plan for my characters but along the way some fall out of the story and others made surprise appearances. I also try to start with a plan so that I know where my book is headed but I don’t let that plan restrict my process.

Louise: How much research do you do for your books? Have you found any cool tidbits in your research?

Joana: I spend lots of time scouring the internet researching simple things so that my books, even though they’re fiction, will be as accurate as possible. With Nightmare at Emerald High, I did research on secret societies and organizations and found out some interesting stuff. However, to limit controversy, I decided not to add some of it to the book. 

Louise: What is your writing process? Do you outline, write by the seat of your pants (Pantser) or a combination of both?

Joana: I use both methods. Sometimes I may outline the entire book just so that I know where I’m going, or if there’s a story worth telling before I actually begin writing. However, I find that once I begin to write, the story may take a path that is entirely different or, it may veer off course and return to the original path somewhere along the way. I like to allow the story to tell itself.

Louise: Do you write full time? What did you do before you became a writer or still do?

Joana: Writing is my passion but for now, it’s still a hobby.  I have a day job as an I.T. professional; however I yearn for the day when I can wake up, kick back and just write.

Louise: Do you have a ritual when it comes to writing? Example….get coffee, blanket, paper, pen, laptop and a comfy place.

Joana: When I’m ready to write, I tune out the world, lock myself in my room, turn on some music and break out my laptop. I keep a bottle of water handy but no food, I find that stopping to eat breaks my flow. I don’t let myself leave the room until I reach my word count goal (or my bladder holds me accountable for drinking all that water).

Louise: Describe a typical writing day for you.

Joana: I’m a morning person, so I wake up at about 4:00am and head straight for the laptop. Most times, the story would have been stewing in my head for practically the whole night preventing me from sleeping. I’m a binge writer, so I spend three or four hours at the laptop (mostly on weekends) pounding away and then after that, I don’t look at the piece for the rest of the day. On rare occasions, I may come back to put a couple more hours but hardly ever.

Louise: Please give us a sneak peek at your future books. What’s on the horizon?

Joana: I’m about one third of the way into my next release, Paranormal, but I’m way off schedule with this one. It’s needs to be perfect before I release and for me, it’s not perfect just yet. There’s also a romance novel stewing in my head but it won’t be the typical romance novel where guy meets girl, girl finds guy annoying, guy wins girl over and they live happily ever after. I like stories of the heart to show the reality of life so this one will feature circumstances that I have faced myself with an added dose of fiction for taste.

Louise: What is your favorite genre to read and who is your favorite author?

Joana: I love Christian thrillers and my all-time favorite author is Frank Peretti. He’s like the mentor I’ve never met!

Louise: Is there anything else you would like to tell the readers we have not touched on?

Joana: Nightmare at Emerald High was a book that perfect sense for me to write. I live on an island where secret organizations are rampant and several rumors circulate about their nature and their activities.  The book is set in that atmosphere. It is totally and completely fiction and is meant to entertain and should be treated as that.

 

Louise: Where can the readers learn more about you and find your books on the web?

Joana: My blog may be found at http://JoanaJames.blogspot.com

To purchase Nightmare at Emerald High: Amazon

I have one other title available for sale: Alana & Alyssa’s Secret: Rise from the Ashes and it is available here: Amazon

Both books are available on Kindle and in paperback. 

Louise: Joana, thank you for visiting my blog today and good luck with your book tour!
Readers, Joana will giveaway an eBook copy to one lucky commenter!

Aaron Drew - One Day Book Blitz February 6, 2012

Join the Blitz!

For TODAY ONLY, when you purchase Light Under the House by Aaron Drew for just $.99 on Amazon.com, with your proof of purchase, Aaron will gift you another book of your choice valued at the same price of $.99, (exluding Erotica). That's 2 books for the price of 1! So jump on the bandwagon and go get yourself some awesome books!

Send Proof of Purchase to bkwalkerbooks@comcast.net with your Amazon receipt and the book of your choice (title and link) and preferred email. Once it's been verified, Aaron will gift you your book and send you a personal note of thanks.


You can visit Aaron on his Facebook Fan page and on Goodreads

Available at Amazon and Smashwords

The Levi family has a secret lying just beneath their house that could potentially ruin them. Light Under the House by Aaron L. and Donna Dawson, story-telling duo readers are certain to come to love, chronicles the lives of the Levi family for a generation, taking readers on an exciting and thought-provoking journey that is certain to leave them with profound lessons and meaning.

This page-turning story is set in the late 1960s during a period of cultural rebellion, with a flashback to biblical times, as well as a flash-forward to the 1980s and the present (2005). There is an ancient evil that will stop at nothing to uncover the secret that the Levi family is hiding. The events of this allegoric novel are interwoven within several themes that create cohesion for the story. Messages of courage, forgiveness, faith, the power of consequence, and the hope of redemption are all found within the pages of Light Under the House. 

Light Under the House stands out from other novels of its genre, establishing Aaron L. and Donna Dawson as true masters of their craft. The fusion of a riveting plot with compelling characters and deep thematic elements takes this novel out of the sphere of the ordinary, catapulting it into the sphere of the true literature. The story found within its pages is certain to leave a lasting impression on readers, as it is simply unforgettable.

One Day Book Blitz February 6, 2012

Meet & Greet February 6 - VBT Cafe' Blog

Interview - BK Walker Books Etc.

Book Theme - Authors Promoting Authors

Book Theme - Louise James

Guest Blogging - Wise Words

Interview - MK McClintock Blog

Author Interview - Andy Holloman VBT Feb 3

Click on the image to view the Meet & Greet with Andy and the book tour.

Today I have Andy Holloman with me. Shades of Gray is Andy's debut novel and he's here to share a little but about it and his life as a new writer. There's a giveaway of Shades of Gray to one lucky commenter. Comments are open until Feb 7, 11 PM PST. Drawing will be held Feb 8.

Louise: Andy, welcome to my blog! I’m so excited you could join me for a chat. When did you first decide to submit your work to be published? Tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step.

Andy: Thanks Louise, very happy to be here….my publishing journey began much like it does for many folks in that I submitted my novel to agents and publishers around 2005 after spending about two years writing it.  I didn’t get any interest so I shelved it and hung up my writer’s quill.  Everything restarted quite unexpectedly in Jan. 2011 when I received an offer from a small publisher completely out of the blue.  I was very fortunate to have had this happen and it is solely due to a wonderful friend who was in a writing group that I was a member of.  She had read my early draft and recommended it to the publisher.  So she is one of the folks that I dedicated my novel to.

Louise: Please tell us a little about your new release Shades of Gray without giving too much of a spoiler away.

Andy: The “30-second” synopsis of Shades of Gray goes like this  -  A desperate, single father with a sick child needs to raise money quickly.  He teams up with a drug smuggler and they devise a plan to smuggle cocaine via cruise ships.  The book touches on themes that are common to everyone – crossing the line into criminal activity, right vs. wrong, and the consequences of good intentioned choices that end up turning out badly.

Louise: Do you plan all your characters out before you start a story or do they develop as you write?

Andy: All of my characters developed as I wrote.  It was an enjoyable part of the process to watch their personalities evolve and to put roadblocks in front of them and “help” them determine what choices to make.

Louise: How much research do you do for your books? Have you found any cool tidbits in your research?

 Andy: This entire novel came from my personal experiences.  In portraying the drug smuggling world, I did do a small amount of research.  I LOVED reading stories about drug dealers and drug smugglers. (for anyone else out there, be sure to read BLOW by Bruce Porter.)

Louise: What is your writing process? Do you outline, write by the seat of your pants (Pantser) or a combination of both?

Andy: Hah!  I’m a Pantser, mostly.  With Shades of Gray, I laid out a very small outline and the major plot points that I wanted to occur and then wrote within that framework.

Louise: Do you write full time? What did you do before you became a writer or still do?

Andy: Writing is not my full-time life, but I’m hoping that it may become that!!  My day job is as a residential mortgage lender plus I have a very busy home life (3 kids).

Louise: Do you have a ritual when it comes to writing? Example….get coffee, blanket, paper, pen, laptop and a comfy place.

Andy: My ritual is to begin writing later in the evening (typically around 9pm) and I always have a glass of red wine.  I have a small notebook that I use to keep my story notes in as well as my rough outline.

Louise: Describe a typical writing day for you.

Andy: See above.

Louise: Please give us a sneak peek at your future books. What’s on the horizon?

Andy: Right now, I have a very early outline of a novel that I’m describing as – “An Irving-esque romp through the 1990’s as seen through the eyes of Irish brothers who are coming of age just as the Internet is growing.

Louise: What is your favorite genre to read and who is your favorite author?

Andy: Spy Thrillers. John le Carre.

Louise: Is there anything else you would like to tell the readers we have not touched on?

Andy: My readers are very important to me.  I can even begin to describe how wonderful the experience of getting to know my readers has been.  I love to hear from readers, get their feedback, and get to know them.  I encourage all my readers to reach out to me via my website.          

Louise: Where can the readers learn more about you and find your books on the web? 

Andy:   My web address is www.AndyHolloman.com

You can get my book in eBook ver. or Softcover on Amazon

Also, check in with me on Facebook , Facebook Fan page and Twitter @AndyHolloman

Shades of Gray blurb:
In the Fall of 2001, John Manning’s life is in turmoil. His six-year-old daughter Lucy needs a kidney transplant, and his travel agency is in financial distress because of the 9/11 tragedy. A lapse in his health insurance means he also has to quickly secure funds for his daughter’s operation. John had worked his way out of difficult situations before, but now he’s out of solutions.

Wanda, a client of John’s travel agency, is facing similar difficulties. Her livelihood as a drug dealer has also been hit hard by 9/11. Increased airport security has stymied her transport of cocaine via airline flights. As a single parent, she wants to leave this dangerous profession and break free from her drug-lord boss Jamel, but a lack of funds has curtailed attempts to move and start a new life with her daughter Tonya.

Desperate times lead to desperate measures, and John and Wanda form a partnership to smuggle cocaine via cruise ships. John’s industry knowledge and connections help circumvent transportation risks, while Wanda’s knowledge of the drug industry helps them distribute and sell the product.

Despite a near-death experience on their first run, it was a financial success, and Wanda coaxes John into another trip. Meanwhile Jamel is becoming suspicious of Wanda.

John’s half-brother Travis, a Durham police detective battling his own demons, can’t connect the dots between John and Wanda. Yet, he continues to line his pocket with ill-gotten gains. Lucy and John are the most important people in Travis’ life and he would do anything they asked to help—if they would only ask.

How far should a father go to save his child? Can a man and woman from completely different worlds help each other? Could they fall in love? And who will live to see the summer of 2002? Find the answers in Shades of Gray, a debut novel by Andy Holloman.  


Andy's BIO:
Just like the protagonist in my novel, Shades of Gray, I was the owner of  travel agency for 12 years (mostly in the 90′s). But this is the only similarity between myself and John Manning!   (I never ventured into the cocaine business, I swear.)

I grew up in Greenville, NC and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in Economics. All through high school and college, I was notorious for scribbling out stories and ideas for novels (hey, this was before wordprocessors!) and always kept them in a top secret shoe box. (and the box is so top secret that I’ve been trying to find it for 15 years!).

After college, I fell into the travel industry by accident and was able to grow a travel business  into an Inc. 500 company. The agency grew  through the use of the Internet and by acquiring three other companies. Late in the 1990’s, I became familiar with the story of one of the my company’s clients who was murdered in Durham, NC and was a suspected drug smuggler. This story and the subsequent downfall of the travel agency industry (and my company) after 9/11, planted a seed in my head that grew into my first published novel, Shades of Gray. I began writing this novel in 2003, shelved after completion in 2006, and revived in 2011 thanks to a great friend from a writers group in Cary, NC.

Today, I live in the Raleigh, NC area. I am the father of three, and have been happily married for 20 years. I enjoy (mostly) attending my kids sporting and school events, supporting the local real estate industry, and watching fine films with my wonderful wife.  Whenever possible, I enjoy the beauty of North Carolina’s mountains, running, camping, and short walks on the beaches of the Outer Banks (several references to OBX in my book). I am also an avid reader (time permitting), and a social media goofball. Most evenings I can be found tapping out my next novel,  due for release in late 2013. Stay tuned!

Louise: Thank you again Andy for visiting with me.
Readers, Andy is giving away a copy of Shades of Gray to one lucky commenter. Please leave your email address in your comment so the winner can be contacted in a timely manner. And Good Luck!! Comments are open until Feb 7. Drawing is Feb 8.