New Release Tuesday!

Becoming Moon by Craig A. Hart

33 Degrees by Vincent Robert Annunziato

The Fantastic Fable of Peter Able by Natalie Grigson

Please welcome VINCENT ROBERT ANNUNZIATO author of 33 Degrees

I sat down with Vincent on the Long Island Railroad and chatted about how he attended Hofstra U but I couldn't because my acceptance letter never came with a scholarship. Needless to say there was plenty of heavy drinking on my part and a few tears. Anywho, why dwell on the past? Let's see what Vincent has to say about zombies, reading, and writing!

1. It’s the zombie apocalypse and writers have got to stick together to survive. Pick 3 authors to be on your zombie apocalypse killing team and tell us why you’d choose them.
Vincent says:

a. Suzanne Collins – because her worlds have creative ways of killing things. I think I would like to turn the Cracker Jackers on the Zombies and see what happens
b. JRR Tolkien – to guide us over the expanses of land so that we could find a safe place to live. Preferably with the elves.
c. Brahm Stoker – more for some comic relief. “You think what you wrote was scary, Brahm?”
Meredith says: I like the way you think. I could definitely hunker down in a hobbit hole, I mean, they're amazingly detailed and filled with wines, cheese, bread, and meat. I'm in.
Vincent says: I could spend a lot of time in a Hobbit hole and the Shire for sure!

2. If Stephen King and J. K. Rowling were drowning in a river, who would you save first? And now you have to tell us why ;)
Vincent says:  Sorry, Mr. King. Has to be Rowling. I couldn’t put her books down and felt like I was a kid again.
Meredith says: Sometimes, you just have to pick your favorite :)


3. We authors are voracious readers. My TBR list is approximately 8 miles long. What are you currently reading?
Vincent says: I’m reading an independent novel called, “Tin Can Shrapnel.” It’s not my usual read, since I try to stay on top of what is popular in YA fiction. It’s a story that actually took place in Africa from the memoirs of Jennifer Skutelsky. It’s about Xenophobia and it is a very heavy, but very well written book. I could see this as a documentary.
Meredith says: We have some truly talented KindleScout winners among us. I'm working my way through their books. I love how the publisher has included such varying genres.


4. What is the one book that you could read a million times and never get bored with?
Vincent says: Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
Meredith says: Thank sweet baby Jesus!! Another re-reader!!


5. Last year my favorite read was The Martian by Andy Weir. What was your best read of 2014?
Vincent says: a. Book Thief by Zusak Markus. I could not believe the quality of the writing. The man is brilliant.
Meredith says: This is on my TBR list. I've heard great things.
Vincent says: Please read before watching the movie. The movie does the book no justice!

Meredith says: always read first, people! or this happens ---------->


6. This year my favorite read has been The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. What’s the best book you’ve read so far in 2015?
Vincent says: HASH by April M. Reign. Another independent. This is a sci fi. I loved the whole concept of the book and the way she handled alien life form.
Meredith says: Ooooh, another one to add to my TBR list!


7. You’re a writer by day and a superhero by night. (Take off those geeky glasses Superman) What’s your superpower?
Vincent says: I have always been a big Hulk fan. So definitely, I have a passion for strength. Readers may be interested to know that I am training for my first power-lifting competition in October. My father at the age of 69 is already nationally ranked. I’ll see what happens.
Meredith says: I mean, that's kind of amazing!! If you're ever in upstate NY swing by, I have heavy things I need lifted: boxes, groceries, cases of beer, jugs of rum, etc, etc... ;)
Vincent says: I’d rather lift WEIGHTS Meredith. My wife has cornered the market on everything else. :)

8. I have writing spots all over my house: my desk, my couch, the patio, and my bed. Where’s your favorite spot to write?
Vincent says: I write anywhere without discrimination. My first book was mainly written on a commuter train. If I had it my way, I would love to do a cross country trip and write on while rolling across the US on a nice smooth train ride.
Meredith says: I used to travel to Stony Brook via train back in the day. There's just something about it. A cross country trip sounds awesome.
Vincent says: Oh yeah and add some wine and a nice dinner. I think I am already there!
Meredith says: Have you watched Snowpiercer yet? Dinner on a train will never be the same...

9. We’re supposed to love all of our children equally, but there are some scenes I’ve written that really stick out in my mind. Tell us your favorite scene from your book '33 Degrees'.
Vincent says: a. I have two. Sorry. The first one is a scene in which I introduce a very mystical character to the main character. It is surreal, but believable. All I can say is that it involves rats.
b. The second, is a scene that is very romantic. I believe the ladies will like this. Kids in 33 Degrees are often orphaned in the Underground. They are called Feral. There is a scene where two characters are becoming romantically interested in each other. The male has very little idea as to how babies are made. Even though this story is told in the first person when the young lady has to tell him what actually happens she whispers when it gets intense or she is embarrassed. His responses of shock don’t help either. Ironically, the reader doesn’t hear what she says, but only see how the young man responds. I thought it was a very clever way to handle first person and really let the reader’s imagination kick in.
Meredith says: I love mystical characters and romantic hilarity! Have I mentioned I can't wait to read this book?
Vincent says: You have. Admittedly, I don’t get tired of hearing it. :)

10. Sometimes a little too much of myself slips into my characters. Which one of your characters most resembles you?
Vincent says: Tough question. My characters have very unique voices and I work hard to develop them. I would have to corner my lead male character as most closely associated to me.
Meredith says: Will there be any power-lifting then? (Joking, joking)
Vincent says: Meredith! You set me up!

Meredith says: ooops!
 
11. I’ve always got tunes rocking while I’m writing. Tell us five songs that are on your playlist.
Vincent says: a. Depends on my mood. Sometimes if I just want something soft I play Enya.
b. Otherwise you might hear in no particular order
i. Imagine Dragons – It’s Time
ii. Hall of Fame – The Script
iii. The Reason – Hoobastank
iv. Pompeii – Bastille
v. A Sky Full of Stars - Coldplay
Meredith says: I mean, it's like the playlist Gods parted two souls and I got half and you got half. Have you listened to the acoustic version of Bastille? I'm in love with it, absolute love, but my heart is broken because I can't get the track on iTunes (insert super sad face)
Vincent says: Are you kidding me? Acoustic version. Getting it now!
Meredith says: You'll never be the same after you hear it.

12. If you could tell an aspiring author one tiny tidbit of information, what would you say?
Vincent says: Make it interesting

Meredith says: Truly, there is nothing worse than an uninteresting book.

Vincent says: I say this because many new writers tend to focus on prose without tension. You have to find the conflict of the scene. It’s not enough to just go out there and write pretty prose.
Meredith says: Some more words of wisdom, people, conflict runs the show.

Vincent also let me interrupt Stacey Cochran's interview to pepper him with annoying questions related to his novel 33 Degrees

Find the author interview here on Stacey Cochran's Facebook page

Pre-order your copy of 33 DEGREES

*Release date June 30th*

Connect with Vincent!

Facebook

Twitter

Website

Goodreads

Amazon Author Page

(Vincent's a cool guy, he even forgave me for insulting his homeland of long island a few weeks ago. when I pretty much said a lot of LIRR riders were jerks.)

Join us!

Stacey's interviewing Linda Sands!

Join us at 10pm est: https://www.facebook.com/stacey.cochran.etc/posts/896876773711568

Review of '3 Women Walk into a Bar' by Linda Sands

Punchy, sharp, and freaking awesome.

'3 Women Walk into a Bar' is a multi-layered murder mystery.

Ex-stripper turned PI, Bill 'Free Willy' Tedesco is not your mothers Channing Tatum. When Tedesco opens his mouth he's witty, cynical, and tactful. In a seamless tale of the labyrinthine laws of love and how it impacts life, untangling the mystery of the three murdered girls will keep you turning the pages long into the night.

Since I'm from Central New York, I can't pronounce 'noir' but I can give this book two-thumbs up.

Buy 3 Women Walk into a Bar

Facebook posts

I might... lol

Posted by M. R. Pritchard on Tuesday, June 9, 2015

New Release Tuesday!

Neverland

Night River

Blood & Ink

Review Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor

Unique.
Amazing.
Loved it.
These are all the words I can write because I'm still processing everything.
 5/5 stars

Please welcome James Jackson author of 'Ant Farm'

I was lucky enough to "sit down" with Jim and ask him a few bookish questions before his novel releases on June 16th.  Let's see what Jim had to say about Zombies, reading, and writing.

1. It’s the zombie apocalypse and writers have got to stick together to survive. Pick 3 authors to be on your zombie apocalypse killing team and tell us why you’d choose them.

Jim says: I know zombies about as well as I know Sanskrit, so I did a little research and decided  my go to guy would be Max Brallier, who wrote Can You Survive the Zombie Apocalypse. As they say, he wrote the book on the subject. I’m going to add Barry Eisler to the team. Ex-CIA, he writes about a hired assassin. He’s a kick-ass kind of guy with a good sense of humor – and we’d need that. Lastly, Stephen King – good imagination to help us out, and I have to do something for him, because when the time comes, I’m choosing J. K. Rowling.

Meredith says: Okay, don't tell anyone but I've never heard of Max Brallier! I looked him up, and found out that he also writes for the show Adventure Time, so he's cool in my book because that cartoon is hilarious. I follow Barry Eisler but he scares me. I think King will appreciate you choosing him for something ;)

2. If Stephen King and J. K. Rowling were drowning in a river, who would you save first? And now you have to tell us why.

Jim says: Rowling. She’s younger and I already did something nice for Stephen in question 1.

Meredith says: :) 

3. We authors are voracious readers. My TBR list is approximately 8 miles long. What are you currently reading?

Jim says: I’m reading two books. I have fellow Kindle Scout winner Linda Sands’ 3 Woman Walk Into A Bar on my Kindle and am about two-thirds of the way through. In hardcover from the library I am about a third through Michael Connelly’s The Burning Room.

Meredith says: nice

4. What is the one book that you could read a million times and never get bored with?

Jim says: Nope – I get bored much more easily than that. Just shovel dirt over me if you find me reading the same books time and again.

Meredith says: You're killing me, Jim! (I feel like I've said this before, lol)

5. Last year my favorite read was The Martian by Andy Weir. What was your best read of 2014?

Jim says: Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger. Besides writing great books, Kent is a really nice guy.

6. This year my favorite read has been The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. What’s the best book you’ve read so far in 2015?

Jim says: My favorite is Tina Whittle’s Deeper Than the Grave.

Meredith says: Adding that to my TBR list

7. You’re a writer by day and a superhero by night. (Take off those geeky glasses Superman) What’s your superpower?

Jim says: Marvel patented all the cool stuff, and I’m not much into being a mutant. I’d like the power to stop people from making really stupid economic decisions. I write financial crime novels, so I guess there’s a tie-in.

Meredith says: Unique. I like it. 

8. I have writing spots all over my house: my desk, my couch, the patio, and my bed. Where’s your favorite spot to write?

Jim says: I write at a desk. Since I live in two places, I have two desks. The one I am currently at is in a loft. Should I need inspiration, I can look out a wall of glass to the woods and a small inland lake in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

Meredith says: The view sounds beautiful. 

9. We’re supposed to love all of our children equally, but there are some scenes I’ve written that really stick out in my mind. Tell us your favorite scene from your book Ant Farm.

Jim says: I don’t want to give the story away, so I am picking a scene that was a lot of fun to write. In it the protagonist, Seamus McCree, meets Mrs. DeGroot who is a hoot: she asks rapid-fire questions of everyone in the group and leaves a cacophony of answers in her wake.

10. Sometimes a little too much of myself slip into my characters. Which one of your characters most resembles you?

Jim says: Seamus McCree and I share many characteristics with respect to interests and avocations. Unfortunately for me he is younger, taller, smarter, better looking and richer than I. I must remind him when he starts to lord it over me that with a simple search and replace all that can change for him.

11. I’ve always got tunes rocking while I’m writing. Tell us five songs that are on your playlist.

Jim says: I prefer to write in silence and so often write first drafts early in the morning before anyone else is up. If the house gets noisy, I’ll put on headphones and listen to background music—nothing with words or I’m singing along and not writing. Playlist: George Winston, the Hilliard Ensemble, maybe a bit of classical like Bach’s Unaccompanied Cello solos, Goreki’s Symphony No. 3 or some Prokofiev.

Meredith says: love this playlist!

12. If you could tell an aspiring author one tiny tidbit of information, what would you say?

Jim says: I read Jim Morris’s advice to “quit if you can.” I have an entirely different take. I’d say if you want to be an author,  don’t quit until you have to.
Meredith says: A few more words of wisdom, people. 

ANT FARM launches June 16th

Get it Now

Connect with Jim

Website

Newsletter

Amazon Author Page

(I'd have a beer with Jim. He looks like an okay guy.)

A review of 33 Degrees by Vincent Robert Annunziato

A story about survival in a future that is bleak and cold. The train is brutal. Humanity teeters on edge. Conflict is just a page-turn away.

With the fortune of being tossed down a hole to save his life, Javin often reminisces of parents who echo of James and Lily Potter. Having spent the majority of his pre-teen years alone Javin is unrefined and bitter. Throughout the book Javin grows and matures to a man of strength and honor. Readers will enjoy a main character with the strength and grit of Four, a sidekick with the heart and innocence of Rue, a female lead who is tenacious, beautiful, and damaged; young-adult camaraderie and brutality of Ender's Game; a mystical character full of magical realism and totally unique; and, lastly, a Revolution style mystery to the history of the Pulse.

Everything you love about Dystopia wrapped up in a snow cone. 

'33 Degrees' is a must read. 

5/5 stars

Purchase your copy on Amazon

*I voted for this book on KindleScout and received an advanced copy for review

Facebook posts

This is very true

Posted by M. R. Pritchard on Wednesday, June 10, 2015

New Release Tuesday

Happy Release Day to ANT FARM by James M Jackson

*pop in next Monday 6/22 to read Jim's interview on this blog*

Gravity

Eddie and Sunny by Stacey Cochran

I finished this book nearly two weeks ago and I couldn't even bring myself to write a review until now. 

'Eddie and Sunny' is a bit gritty and dark. A novel about a family living on the fringes of society, where food, shelter and money are extremely hard to come by and morals are tested on a daily basis. Eddie and Sunny are not the people living off they system and driving a caddy filled with groceries bought on food stamps. To survive, Eddie and Sunny do some questionable things and get caught up in a lot of trouble. By the end, though, Cochran will have you rooting for the underdog.

Many things that stirred my brain but mostly the fact that to write a book like this you have to understand poverty in the American culture. I've seen a lot of authors attempt this but none so well as Cochran. 

What do most authors miss: 

1) mental illness - mental illnesses like depression, schizophrenia, etc is rampant and these people do not have adequate healthcare for medications and therapy. Or, they refuse help. This impacts the entire family and affects the ability for them to trust others who might help. It also, sadly, trickles down to the next generation.

2) Drug use during pregnancy - this hits me close to home because I am a neonatal ICU nurse, in upstate NY newborn admissions for drug addiction has skyrocketed. Let me tell you people, your life is forever changed when you watch an infant struggling to withdraw for weeks to months at a time. For this reason, reading about Sunny during her pregnancy truly tugged at my heartstrings. But on a positive note, at least she breastfed, which helps the infants withdrawal through the mothers breast milk. (Okay, I'm done ranting about that)

Eddie and Sunny is a great read that will get the wheels of your mind rolling. After finishing this book, be prepared to sit back and take a nice hard think about life and how much you really have.

5/5 stars

Free Kindle Giveaway to support the March of Dimes

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This month we are hosting a second giveaway. This one is for a special cause. You may have heard of the March of Dimes, but if you haven't, they are an organization that is working toward helping fight premature birth. So a very special team of authors has come together to help YOU donate to the cause...but wait! It doesn't cost you anything to donate! We donate for you! In fact, not only do we donate on your behalf, you ALSO get a chance to win a free kindle or $100?Paypal cash. All you have to do to show you care about this cause--all you have to do to do YOUR part to help spread awareness about premature birth--is ENTER TO WIN A FREE KINDLE OR $100! But wait? How can that be? How are we doing this? WHY are we doing this? Very simply, the authors who sponsored this giveaway have all pitched in to cover the cost?of donations and prize in exchange for you helping us to spread the word! We've actually set it up so that we will donate in MULTIPLE ways. See below for details.

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Please welcome Fiona Quinn author of WEAKEST LYNX

I was lucky enough to "sit down" with Fiona and ask her a few bookish questions.  Let's see what Fiona had to say about Zombies, reading, and writing.

1. It’s the zombie apocalypse and writers have got to stick together to survive. Pick 3 authors to be on your zombie apocalypse killing team and tell us why you’d choose them.
Fiona says: JT Sawyer – he can walk into a desert with a knife and thrive. And he writes books about zombies. FIRST WAVE.
Jeff Critser – he is military intelligence and can figure out where the pockets of survivors are staying and communicate with them (and he’s probably got a buddy with a big safe boat). COLD SHADOWS.
Stephen Templin – he has SEAL training and is an English professor. So he can blow  up the Zombies by day and regale us with stories at night. TRIDENT'S FIRST GLEAMING.
Meredith says: How do I not know of these people? And how do you know so many kick-ass dudes? I feel like I've been living in a cave-or upstate NY. I just added these to my TBR list. (sigh - now it's even longer)

Have you read World War Z? I will never think of a boat as safe during a zombie event again. (insert shudder) But watching the movie doesn't count, it's totally different from the book.
Fiona says:I'm not a zombie fan. I enjoy reading dystopian novels, though. The reason I read authors like JT Sawyer is to learn from them. Sawyer is a military survival trainer in his non-writing life. By reading his work I can understand not just the ideas but how they would be implemented and the thought processes of survival. I use this information not only in my writing but on my own adventures.



2. If Stephen King and J. K. Rowling were drowning in a river, who would you save first? And now you have to tell us why.
Fiona says: Depends, honestly I wouldn’t choose by who was in the water but whom I thought I could successfully save. At the end of the day, with everyone warm and content on shore, I’d prefer Ms. Rowling as a campfire buddy.
Meredith says: J. K. telling stories around the campfire sounds like my kind of time :)


3. We authors are voracious readers. My TBR list is approximately 8 miles long. What are you currently reading?
Fiona says: I’m reading Linda Sands’ THREE WOMEN WALK INTO A BAR and next is Jennifer Skutelski’s GRAVE OF HUMMINGBIRDS
Meredith says: I'm making my way through the KindleScout winners as well!


4. What is the one book that you could read a million times and never get bored with?
Fiona says: Pride and Prejudice – and I mention it in most of my books.
Meredith says: Thank sweet baby Jesus, another re-reader!!!


5. Last year my favorite read was The Martian by Andy Weir. What was your best read of 2014?
Fiona says: Wow, really? I can’t possibly answer that question. I think maybe if I could chose a series instead – I was reading John Gilstrap’s Digger Graves series and have a literary crush on Digger.
Meredith says: A series works. I frequently count an entire series as one body of work.


6. This year my favorite read has been The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. What’s the best book you’ve read so far in 2015?
Fiona says: Again, this question is way too narrow for me. I’ll pick a collection. I have been reading the Kindle Scout winners in 2015 – each book is unique and many of the books take me to a genre that I wouldn’t normally read. I’m really enjoying myself.

7. You’re a writer by day and a superhero by night. (Take off those geeky glasses Superman) What’s your superpower?
Fiona says: Omnipotence! Kidding. I’d like to be invisible, but be able to transport myself anywhere with a blink and a nod.
Meredith says: Nice.

8. I have writing spots all over my house: my desk, my couch, the patio, and my bed. Where’s your favorite spot to write?
Fiona says: My bed. I can manage the house from this location. I have a lovely writing room quiet and serene – just perfect, except that I’m still mom first and that means having an ear to the ground.
Meredith says: Ah, yes, the pitter patter of little feet.
Fiona says: My kids' feet thud. The two who are still in the house tower over me. Instead of pitter patter, I'm listening for the clickety clack of my daughter's alert dog coming to get me so I can right a wrong blood glucose number. If I'm back in the office, I can't yell - I actually have to get up and go find her. If the scene I'm writing is flowing, I don't want to get up.

9. We’re supposed to love all of our children equally, but there are some scenes I’ve written that really stick out in my mind. Tell us your favorite scene from your book WEAKEST LYNX.
Fiona says: In WEAKEST LYNX I have two scenes that I love. The first is a bathroom scene where my protagonist Lexi accidently walks in on stud-muffin Striker Rheas, poor girl. And the second is the howling scene – I woke up from a deep sleep with that scene fully formed in my mind. I cry every time I read it.
Meredith says: I can't wait to read the bathroom scene ;) Isn't it crazy, waking up with a scene fully formed? I've done that before. It's like the story comes flying out of your soul when you're most vulnerable.

10. Sometimes a little too much of myself slips into my characters. Which one of your characters most resembles you?
Fiona says: Not me but my oldest daughter, she definitely slipped onto the pages of my book. Most of Lexi’s (non-psychic) skillsets are also the skillsets my daughter possesses. My daughter is the same age as Lexi; I even gave Lexi my oldest daughter’s birthday.

11. I’ve always got tunes rocking while I’m writing. Tell us five songs that are on your playlist.
Fiona says: Absolute silence. I don’t like noise when my mind is whirring – my thoughts are enough for me. And since my head is usually hard at work, I rarely play music even in the car. Music is for dancing, and then I’m game for whatever shows up on the playlist.

12. If you could tell an aspiring author one tiny tidbit of information, what would you say?
Fiona says: Trust yourself to take this journey. One foot and then the other. Build your skills over time with persistence.
Meredith says: words of wisdom right there, ladies and gentlemen.

Get WEAKEST LYNX 

(PS it's a series!)

Connect with Fiona

Facebook

Twitter

Website

Blog

Amazon Author Page

(I really like the name Fiona)

Another re-reader ;)

"I have resolved to pick one novel and just read it over and over again for the rest of my life, because I cannot remember anything anymore." –Hugh Laurie, who turns 56 today

Posted by Purple Clover on Thursday, June 11, 2015

Facebook posts

my husband has said similar things regarding our 8yr old daughter

Posted by M. R. Pritchard on Wednesday, June 10, 2015

New Release Tuesday!

A few new releases from my fellow KindleScout winners!!

Check them out

3 Women Walk into a Bar by Linda Sands

I

Three beautiful women are murdered in an Irish pub in Syracuse. The cops think it’s an open and shut case, pointing the finger at bar owner James John Smith. But when the police fail to find Smith or any trail to his past, the mother of one of the victims hires former karaoke star and stripper Bill "Free Willy" Tedesco to investigate.

The deeper Tedesco digs, the more secrets of the dead and living surface, and the question of who pulled the trigger becomes more important than why.

Getting Lei'd by Ann Omasta

Being jilted almost at the altar is not how Roxy thought her wedding would go. Getting dragged on her Hawaiian honeymoon by her excessively self-centered sister and outlandishly irreverent grandma is the icing on the horrible wedding day cake.

Can Kai, the resort’s hunky chauffeur/bartender/flamethrower, turn this disaster of a trip into a romantic adventure to last a lifetime? Escape with Roxy into the enchanting Hawaiian Islands as she discovers the joy of hanging loose and “Getting Lei’d."

The Withering by Joshua Jacobs

Alice Isaacs bears the mark of the afflicted. Unlike the millions before her, she survives. Afraid she is a carrier of the disease, Alice abandons her family and disappears into what remains of the world. Bodies litter the streets. Cities lie in waste. The government ceases to exist. What the Withering doesn’t destroy, the Clan kills, cleansing the world of those they hold responsible. Those like Alice.

Then one night Alice meets Brandon. He brings word of a rural town untouched by the sickness. He promises a future. He reminds her of what it means to feel… of what it means to love.

Yet the Clan is watching. They’re always watching.

Alice emerges from the shadows and follows Brandon’s promises into his hometown. Everything seems perfect. Too perfect. As hard as she tries, she can’t ignore the softly spoken secrets, the vengeful stares from the town’s elite, the smoke streaming from the woods as the clock strikes the witching hour.

With the imminent arrival of the Clan and the town’s sinister past set to reveal itself, Alice must make a stand, not only for herself, but for those she has come to love. Yet the more she learns about the Clan, the town, and herself, the harder it all seems. Because maybe they’re right. Maybe the mark does mean something. Maybe she is more than just a girl on the run. Maybe she did cause the Withering.

Over the Line by Sara Winter

Gabriel Miller is a professional football defensive end with a blown knee and a blown career. Desperate, he takes a friend's advice and calls a local yoga instructor, Quinn Hadley, to see what she can do for him.

Quinn and her son, Cooper, have been rebuilding their life after an attack that left Quinn in the hospital and her ex, Mitchell McDonald, in prison. But as Gabriel, Quinn, and Cooper grow closer, the bond they forge kick-starts a chain reaction that will threaten all of their lives.

The Lost Tribe by Matthew Caldwell

1939. Harry Pike struggles with the rest of the country through the latter stages of the Great Depression. As a sportswriter, he watches as his jobs keep disappearing. As a Jewish zamler, or luck pusher, he feels the need to help his friend Abner, who is lost in the minor leagues in his quest to play baseball. 

But when German forces challenge America to a baseball series, another need arises—Harry knows he must mend the broken zamler trails to get the European Jews to safety before the war machine crushes them all.

Please welcome Linda Sands author of '3 Women Walk into a Bar'

I was lucky enough to hang out on a beach sipping adult beverages with Linda and ask her a few bookish questions before her novel releases on June 9th.  

(okay, maybe we weren't on the beach and there's a strong chance I was drinking alone)

Anywho, let's see what Linda has to say about Zombies, reading, and writing.

1. It’s the zombie apocalypse and writers have got to stick together to survive. Pick 3 authors to be on your zombie apocalypse killing team and tell us why you’d choose them.

Linda says: Erin Morgenstern for her ability to write and create magic. Robert Kirkman because he knows zombies like no one else and Mike Rowe because I need comedic and handsome distraction from zombie killing, and plus, he's the king of dirty jobs.

Meredith says: I LOVE all 3! I want to be on your team too! (PS have you ever seen Robert Kirkman's author photo on his Amazon page? I laugh out loud every time I see it) It's right there ----------------------------------------->

Also, have you read his Walking Dead spinoff series The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor ? I got it for christmas last year, read all 4 books in 4 days. Must read for Walking Dead lovers.

Linda says: I can't read the books. It's weird, I become too judg-y when I compare film and print. I fall for one or the other and can't twist my mind to accept both. For me, this is a TV show, and those crappy southern accents are real- even though I drive by the places they film the show all the time. Sigh. I am a conundrum.

Meredith says: Stay away from Rise of the Governor then, it doesn't follow the TV series exactly.

2. If Stephen King and J. K. Rowling were drowning in a river, who would you save first? And now you have to tell us why.

Linda says: King, because his ghost haunting me would be too much to bear.
Meredith says: King's ghost would be the creepiest. I'm already scared of it.
Linda says: TBH, I'm kinda scared of him. My best friend took a dare and showed up at his house in Maine a long time ago. She said he was great, so nice... I think she was brainwashed.
Meredith says: I'm frightened for her...

3. We authors are voracious readers. My TBR list is approximately 8 miles long. What are you currently reading?

Linda says: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr and Let The Great World Spin by Colum McCann

Meredith Says: I really really want to real All the Light We Cannot See.

Linda says: I'm actually listening to it as I drive and walk and workout. My workouts are longer than ever. ( PS, the narrator is awesome.)

4. What is the one book that you could read a million times and never get bored with?

Linda says: None. There are too many books out in the world to re-read anything. I actually gave myself the gift of "not finishing a book" seven years ago. Best thing I could have done for my sanity.

Meredith says: You're killing me, Linda. I'm dying a slow death. Jim Morris doesn't re-read books either. Am I the only one who re-reads books they love?

Linda says: Nah, it's not just you. It's also every high school literature teacher re-reading The Great Gatsby.
Meredith says: Sweet Jesus (opens another beer)

5. Last year my favorite read was The Martian by Andy Weir. What was your best read of 2014?

Linda says: Toss up between Ordinary Grace by William Kent Kruger and The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

Meredith Says: Did you know "The Goldfinch was its 37th best-selling book, but only 44% of those who started it managed to complete it." So Linda, did you finish it? I'm guessing you did :)

Linda says: I really loved it, and it was for my neighborhood book club, so there is that stigma to avoid being- "The woman who didn't finish the book but comes to drink the wine.

Meredith says: Keeping it classy. I'd sit in a corner and drink all the wine.

6. This year my favorite read has been The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. What’s the best book you’ve read so far in 2015?

Linda says: I really liked The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins, but I'm a sucker for all things Alice Hoffman and her book, The Dovekeepers was simply gorgeous. ( too bad TV sucked the life out of it)

Meredith says: I want to read Girl on the Train sososososososo bad! And a few people I know loved The Dovekeepers. Both are on my TBR list.

Linda says: I actually "read" both on Audible. Yes, it's true. I can read a heck of a lot more when someone is reading to me.

7. You’re a writer by day and a superhero by night. (Take off those geeky glasses Superman) What’s your superpower?

Linda says: I fly in my sleep all the time, so it must be flight. I would rescue people, change disasters, maybe drag clouds to places with drought, definitely avoid traffic.

Meredith says: I'd love to avoid traffic by flying. Especially Carrier Dome traffic when I have to work on a friday night. Dome traffic in downtown Syracuse is the worst. Oh hey, your book '3 Women walk into a Bar' is set in Syracuse. Do your characters get to experience dome traffic?

Linda says: I don't know how we missed this connection. I grew up in Baldwinsville and have many fond memories of "The Hill," in Syracuse. Well, many foggy ones at least. LOL. That must be why I felt drawn to the Irish pub idea. I almost put in a traffic light with the green on top! You're funny talking about Dome traffic. The traffic is absolutely nothing compared to traffic in the suburbs and city of Atlanta. People in CNY drive soooo slow. (says the girl with the Jaguar XK-R and radar/laser detector)

Meredith says: It's a teeny tiny world we live in. I grew up/live about 30 miles north in Oswego. It's where everyone makes the methamphetamine-not me, just a lot of other people. (and-before you ask-no I didn't marry my cousin and I have all of my teeth). I need a country road. I can't handle big city traffic. It stresses me out. No Atlanta for this girl-says the one with the Jeep with a lift kit to get over the snowbanks :)

8. I have writing spots all over my house: my desk, my couch, the patio, and my bed. Where’s your favorite spot to write?

Linda says: My office desk space is holy ground. No one can come in if I raise my hand, wave them off.  But, if my Macbook didn't get so hot I'd be outside in the sun every day.

9. We’re supposed to love all of our children equally, but there are some scenes I’ve written that really stick out in my mind. Tell us your favorite scene from your book 3 Women Walk into a Bar.

Linda says: Maybe I'm a bit sick, but I really liked writing the car crash scene with Big Jim. Reading wise, I like the strip club scene. (The shadow dancer scene is based on a true experience.)

Meredith says: Maybe you're just an adrenaline junkie? Car crashes and strip clubs - my adrenaline's pumping.

Linda says: Guilty as charged. Every anniversary, the husband and I challenge each other to a unique adventure. Hang gliding one year, race car driving another, rainforest volcano hikes, bi-plane piloting.. we were even made blind for an hour. That was frightening.

Meredith says: Your diagnosis is clear. Adrenaline junkie.

10. Sometimes a little too much of myself slip into my characters. Which one of your characters most resembles you?

Linda says: I definitely have parts of all three girls: Chamonix, Roxie and Crescent Moon, but I think I'm most like Tedesco in 3 Women Walk into a Bar— even though he is loosely based on an ex-boyfriend.

11. I’ve always got tunes rocking while I’m writing. Tell us five songs that are on your playlist.

Linda says: I love music- all kinds. I use music to set the scene, draw my characters. But when I'm writing dialogue, no music. No noise. Just me talking out loud with my imaginary friends.  The WIP is set partially in Louisiana, so I listen to Le Cowboy Creole to get inspired. For the girls' scenes in 3 Women Walk into a Bar, I started every writing day off with Pink. She's just the right amount of sexy, tough, classy chick.

Meredith says: I love Pink!

Linda says: Funny. I took a group of girls to see Pink in concert here in Atlanta last year. She was amazing and beautiful and strong and brave and could sing perfectly while swinging on a trapeze high over our heads. Afterward, we went to the famous strip club, The Clermont Lounge. Sighhh. I am my novel.

Meredith says: I feel like more women should frequent strip clubs. Sounds like you're living life, which is what you should be doing :)

12. If you could tell an aspiring author one tiny tidbit of information, what would you say?

Linda says: If you're writing for fame or fortune, find another career.

Meredith says: Good tip

3Women Walk into a Bar

 Release Date: June 9, 2015

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  *Also to be released as a paperback by Down & Out Books (date TBD)*

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(I like her, she's pretty and looks good in hats.)