Exclusive Book Spotlight: THE SPIES OF WARSAW by Alan Furst

Author: Alan Furst
Title: The Spies of Warsaw
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Random House
Genre: Fiction
Language: English
ISBN: 0812977378
Purchase at Amazon

An autumn evening in 1937. A German engineer arrives at the Warsaw railway station. Tonight, he will be with his Polish mistress; tomorrow, at a workers’ bar in the city’s factory district, he will meet with the military attaché from the French embassy. Information will be exchanged for money. So begins The Spies of Warsaw, the brilliant new novel by Alan Furst, lauded by The New York Times as “America’s preeminent spy novelist.”

War is coming to Europe. French and German intelligence operatives are locked in a life-and-death struggle on the espionage battlefield. At the French embassy, the new military attaché, Colonel Jean-Francois Mercier, a decorated hero of the 1914 war, is drawn into a world of abduction, betrayal, and intrigue in the diplomatic salons and back alleys of Warsaw. At the same time, the handsome aristocrat finds himself in a passionate love affair with a Parisian woman of Polish heritage, a lawyer for the League of Nations.

Colonel Mercier must work in the shadows, amid an extraordinary cast of venal and dangerous characters–Colonel Anton Vyborg of Polish military intelligence; the mysterious and sophisticated Dr. Lapp, senior German Abwehr officer in Warsaw; Malka and Viktor Rozen, at work for the Russian secret service; and Mercier’s brutal and vindictive opponent, Major August Voss of SS counterintelligence. And there are many more, some known to Mercier as spies, some never to be revealed.

About the Author:

Alan Furst is widely recognized as the master of the historical spy novel. Now translated into seventeen languages, he is the bestselling author of Night Soldiers, Dark Star, The Polish Officer, The World at Night, Red Gold, Kingdom of Shadows, Blood of Victory, Dark Voyage, and The Foreign Correspondent. Born in New York, he now lives in Paris and on Long Island.

Visit author’s website here
Read excerpt here
Purchase at Amazon
Purchase at Barnes & Noble here
Read about Alan in The New York Times

Let’s Play Book Trivia with Tom Weston, Author of First Night

It’s time to play Book Trivia! Periodically, we scour the Internet for interesting authors who would like to play Book Trivia with us. By answering our book trivia questions, we get to learn things about the author no one else knows! So, let’s get ready…let’s play…

Book Trivia!

Today our guest author is Tom Weston, author of the fantasy novel, First Night.

Originally from England, Tom now resides in Boston, Massachusetts; with extended spells in the UK and Luxembourg. Tom has a degree in Computer Science, and he claims to speak three languages: English, American, and Visual Basic. Before turning his hand to fiction, Tom had a successful career as the CEO of a consulting company, conference speaker, and writer of industry articles and business books.

His novel, First Night, introduced the unlikely heroines, Alex and Jackie, and the ghost of a 17th century Puritan named Sarah Pemberton. Tom has also written the screenplay, Fission, based on the true story of scientist, Lise Meitner, and the race for the atomic bomb, and which was named a finalist at the London Independent Film Festival.

Tom is currently working on the sequel to First Night, called the Elf of Luxembourg.

His web site is: www.tom-weston.com.

Thank you for playing Book Trivia with us, Tom! Here are your questions:

If Tom Hanks, in the movie Cast Away, unearthed a copy of First Night, how would that help Tom find a way off the island?

Well, he could build a Paper Mache raft, but I think it would be too small for both him and Wilson, or perhaps he could burn it to signal to a passing rescue ship.

On a less practical note, if he tried to learn something by reading the book, he would find that, “We are not so alone as we suppose,” to quote my ghost, Sarah Pemberton. Then he would take the book’s advice to “Be guided by the beacon bright.”’

Everyone knows rock star idol Brittany Spears is always in trouble with everything you can think of. In what way could your book help her and set her life back on track?

Well, the main characters from First Night are Alex and Jackie, two young blondes from California, who always manage to find trouble. So I don’t think that Britney would relate to them that much. But stereotypes are other people’s conceits, and Britney just may come to the conclusion that, no matter how dark things get, there is always a chance for redemption, for one more First Night.

You have a chance to appear on the hit talent show for authors, American Book Idol, with judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, and Kara DioGuardi determining whether your book will make it to Hollywood and become a big screenplay. What would impress them more – your book cover, an excerpt or your best review – and why?

These Judges have shown that they are not influenced by what other people may think, so I’d rule out the review, and you can’t judge a book by its cover. That would leave an extract. One chance to impress the Judges is what people on the show get anyway.

As there are also three Puritan judges in the book, who preside in an ethereal place called the Court of Spirits. I would go with an extract that includes them:

“Do you deny that you have used magic to circumvent the Natural Order?” asked the First Magistrate, turning harsh and reproachful.
“Do you deny that you have bought untold misery to your mother who loved you?” intimidated the Second Magistrate before Sarah had time to respond to the first accusation.
“Do you deny that you are a witch?” asked the Third Magistrate, in rapid succession.
“I do not know what a witch be,” screamed Sarah, wishing the Magistrates silent for a while, so she could think. The Magistrates, taken back by this outburst, did indeed fall quiet. Silence filled the air for a moment. Then the Second Magistrate leaned forward and put his chin on his clasped hands.
“Then how do you know that you are not one?” he said softly and smiled in triumph.

Hulk Hogan, the famous wrestler and star of his own reality show, has invited you and your book to appear on his show. One catch. You have to read a passage out of it to convince him you are star material. What part would you read?

Ooh, another extract. I’ll have to be careful not to give too much of the plot away. But the Hulk is a fighter. I think that he would be impressed with the never-say-die spirit (pun intended) shown by Jackie, so I would have her speak:

“I can’t imagine anyone not wanting to be alive, whatever the age. If I had been of your age, if I had lived in the seventeenth century, look at the things I would have missed. I would never have heard of Hobbits or Van Gogh. If I had lived in the Eighteen century, I would have been too soon for Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. If I had lived before the twentieth century, I would have missed seeing the Marx Brothers and discovering Bob Marley – I would never have heard Oliver Hardy singing the Trail of the Lonesome Pine.” Jackie paused. She could have persisted for a while and cited example after example, but these names were meaningless to Sarah. Yet she knew one name which Sarah would recognize.
“And if I’d died yesterday I would have missed the chance to meet Sarah Pemberton,” added Jackie. “So maybe I don’t know what other things the human race will do in the next hundred years, or thousand, or a million, but I do know that I would want to be there to see it.

They’ve invented a board game using the theme of your book. What would the title of it be that would be different from your book and which retail store would they place it to make the most sales?

I think it would make a great board game; there are lots of Boston attractions to visit, and bits of trivia and information to collect along the way. I would call it, ‘Alex and Jackie’s Ghastly Adventure.’ And it would probably be sold from the tourist shops and hotel lobbies through out Boston.

The Arbor Day Foundation has decided to pick one tree in your honor because of your writing brilliance. What kind of tree is it and why did they choose that tree in relation to your book?

It would have to be an elm. In the book, I mention the Great Elm that once stood on Boston Common. In the American Revolution, it was known as the Liberty Tree, and they decorated it with lanterns. But before that, during the time of the Puritans, it was known as the hanging tree, where they used to execute witches and criminals.

President Barack Obama has become the author of several books and he has requested your presence at a special hush hush meeting to discuss ways to promote it. Through luck of the draw, you were chosen. What would be the first thing you would tell Barack?

Being elected President is easier than marketing a book.

Finally, you just got word that your book has received the 2009 NY Times Bestselling Book Award and you have to attend the ceremony at the Four Seasons Hotel in Manhattan. Anyone who’s anyone will be there and it’s your shot for stardom. On stage, you must give an acceptance speech. What would you say and who would you thank?

I would use the opportunity to educate the world about the terrible plight of the California blonde, and call upon the Government to add them to the endangered species list, and to protect their natural habitat.

And I have way too many people to thank; we would still be there when the 2010 ceremony started. If anyone could invent a device which, no matter who I was actually thanking, automatically inserted the name of the listener, it would be a great help.

But I’d save my best thanks for last – for my wife, Leigh.

Exclusive Author Interview with David Liss, Author of The Devil’s Company

David Liss is the author six novels, most recently The Devil’s Company. He has five previous bestselling novel: A Conspiracy of Paper, winner of the 2000 Edgar Award for Best First Novel, The Coffee Trader, A Spectacle of Corruption, The Ethical Assassin and The Whiskey Rebels.  In 2008, at the United Nations Convention against Corruption in Bali, Indonesia, he was named an Artist for Integrity by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.  No one is really sure why he should receive this honor or what it means, but it very possibly makes him the Bono of historical fiction.  David Liss’s novels have been translated into more than two dozen languages.  He lives in San Antonio with his wife and children, and can be reached via his web page: davidliss.com, which features his endlessly fascinating and edifying blog.  You can also contact David Liss on Facebook.

Q: Thank you for this interview, David. Can you tell us what your latest book, The Devil’s Company, is all about?

A: Like many of my other novels, The Devil’s Company is a historical thriller set in the murderous world of pre-modern finance.  In this case, it’s about the British East India company in the early 1720s.  We tend to associate the East India Company with tea, but in the early part of the 18^th century, its main import was textiles – until Parliament forced it to give up this trade because it was competing with home grown industries.  So, like GM and Chrysler today, the East India Company had to figure out how to change and modernize in order to survive.  In this novel my protagonist, Benjamin Weaver, a thief taker (a sort of 18^th century private investigator) is blackmailed into going undercover at the East India Company, and what he discovers is a lot of intrigue, foreign spies, government operatives, and a large number of very dangerous and greedy people who are all more complicated than they seem

Q: Is this your first novel?  If not, how has writing this novel different from writing your first?

A: This is my sixth novel, and the third to feature Benjamin Weaver as a protagonist – though it is by no means necessary to read the previous two to enjoy this one.  Every novel has its own challenges, but the novels to feature Benjamin Weaver are always a particular pleasure to write.  For me, the hardest thing about getting a new novel going is finding the right narrative voice, but with the Weaver novels, I already have the voice, so I can jump right into the enjoyable story-telling.

Q: How difficult was it writing your book?  Did you ever experience writer’s block and, if so, what did you do?

A:This book was probably the easiest novel I’ve ever written.  The idea came to me almost fully formed, and while it changed somewhat along the way, I retained a pretty good chunk of my core ideas.  I seriously doubt I will ever again write a novel without the normal amount of doubt, heartache, recrimination and regret.

I have, in the past, been stuck on projects, though I’m not entirely sure I believe in writer’s block.  Bus drivers don’t get bus driver’s block, and doctors don’t get doctor’s block.  I think when I’ve been stuck it’s always because some fundamental part of what I’m doing isn’t working out.  I’ve learned over the years to pay attention to these feelings.  Usually, the answer is to go backwards and find the mistake rather than try to force myself to move forward and live with the mistake.

Q: How have your fans embraced your latest novel?  Do you have any funny or unusual experiences to share?

A: The book hasn’t come out yet, but there is already a great deal of enthusiasm on my Facebook fan page and on other book social networking sites like Goodreads.  I’ve received a great deal of email from readers who have been kind enough to share the excitement.  To celebrate the publication of the new book, I’ve updated my web page and I’m going to include a blog.  I guess it’s a good sign that my fans are anxious when the new site has been up a couple of days, and I’m already getting complaints that I haven’t posted a blog entry yet.  Soon as I finish this interview, that’s my next project.

Q: What is your daily writing routine?

A:I am a morning writer.  It doesn’t matter what time I go to sleep or wake up, I can’t get any serious writing done after about noon.  On most days, I drop my daughter off at her school, take my lap top to my favorite coffee shop (they reserve a particular table for me), and write there from about 8 to noon.  If I have a lot of work to get done, I will get up extra super early – three in the morning – and write until my children wake up and force me to pay attention to them.  Then I’ll get back to work again later in the morning as a second shift.  It is a great way to get things done, but also a great way to turn yourself into a sleep-deprived monster.  Don’t try this at home.

Q: When you put the pen or mouse down, what do you do to relax?

A:Because of the nature of what I write, I have to spend a lot of my non-writing time reading.  There is always more research to be done.  However, I love reading for pleasure, and always try to make time for leisure reading.  I have a no-research-reading-before-bed rule, in part because I won’t sleep well otherwise.  Besides reading, I enjoy cooking, drinking good wine, exercising, and tinkering with my own private particle accelerator.

Q: What book changed your life?

A: When my daughter was a little bit younger, she always used to ask me what my favorite color was, and she became frustrated when I refused to answer.  I always said, “I like them all.”  That is sort of how I feel about books.  There are obviously some I like far more than others, but I don’t have a favorite book or one that changed everything for me.  I love that there are so many of them, far more than I can ever read, and every one can be my next, great book love.

Q: If someone were to write a book on your life, what would the title be?

A: Godzilla Versus Mothra: How One Writer Conquered his Two Opposing, yet Equally Absurd, Inner Monsters, Destroying Much of a Major Urban Center in the Process.

Q: Finish this sentence: “The one thing that I wish people would understand about me is…”

A: that they will never understand the one thing I wish they would understand about me.

Thank you for this interview David.  I wish you much success on your latest release, The Devil’s Company!

Exclusive Author Interview with Etta Brown, Author of Learning Disabilities

Etta Brown is the author of the book, Understanding Learning Disabilities: Understanding the Problem and Managing the Challenges (Langdon Street Press). We interviewed her to find out more about her new book and her struggles as a published author.  If you would like to find out more information about Etta or her book, visit www.understanding-learning-disabilities.com.

Q: Thank you for this interview, Etta. Can you tell us what Learning Disabilities, Understanding the Problem, Managing the Challenges is all about?

A: This parent manual addresses the incidence of learning disabilities which is growing at the rate of 10 to 20 percent every ten years, depending upon the income level of families. Acquiring an appropriate education for these children with average learning potential can be very difficult for some parents. The book provides technical information regarding causes, how to eliminate these causes from the child’s environment, and admonishes the parent to take an active role in the special education process.

Involved parents are supported with an interpretation of the laws which give them more power than the school. They are supported with a road map through the process of identifying children for special education, and what to say, when to say it, answers to expect; and what to do if they do not get the right answer. The book assists the parent and school in deciding whether special education is appropriate for the child even if he is eligible.

Parents are encouraged to claim their rights under the law which says that the child should be educated in the least restrictive environment which is the general education classroom with needed modifications and accommodations. Isolation in a special classroom should be the last resort, and must be approved by the parents before the child can be moved from his classroom.

Part III of the book includes how to identify your child’s learning problems and how to help the child at home and in the classroom.

Q: Is this your first novel? If not, how has writing this novel different from writing your first?

A: This is my first book, written after retirement at the age of 70 years old. I spent the first year venting my anger, over a 30 year period as a School Psychologist, at a system which because of limited operating capitol, is not always able to act in the best interest of children. Now, I can, and have told parents all the things that will empower them to insure that their child receives an appropriate education without being disloyal to my employers.

Q: How difficult was it writing your book? Did you ever experience writer’s block and, if so, what did you do?

A: I had such a history in the schools that I did not experience writers block one single time. It flowed from the heart, and healed my frustrations and anger.

Q: How have your fans embraced your latest novel? Do you have any funny or unusual experiences to share?

A: When I thought I had finished writing the book, I was editing from grammatical errors, and realized that I was doing therapeutic writing. Then I had to modify it and make it meaningful to someone besides myself. That took another year. In the third year I was able to do a professional job of communicating with teachers and parents.

Q: What is your daily writing routine?

A: I wrote 8 to 12 hours per day for three years. It was an all consuming passion. There were too many children lost over the years, with an increasing incidence of the problem. Nothing was more meaningful to me at the time.

Q: When you put the pen or mouse down, what do you do to relax?

A: I do yoga, chiropractic manipulations, and the study of metaphysics.

Q: What book changed your life?

A: Deepack Chopra: Ageless body, Timeless Mind I read it at a time when I was searching for answers about next steps in my life. The book reiterated what I already knew but could not integrate into my development. He is a prolific writer of meaningful information which communicates with the seeker at every level.

Q: If someone were to write a book on your life, what would the title be?

A. Becoming Who You Are, Not what the world tells you about yourself. The greatest challenge for myself, and as a therapist is to identify and utilize the emotions and thought patterns of the adult we have become rather than those of the child we remember being.

Q: Finish this sentence: “The one thing that I wish people would understand about me is…”

A: I am engaged in a struggle to become. Life is about spiritual transformation, not pleasing or meeting the needs of people who find their way into your life.

Thank you for this interview, Etta. I wish you much success!

Exclusive Author Interview with Kathy Balland, Author of Lose the Diet

Kathy Balland, an expert in the mind-body-soul connection, teaches people how to tap into their own inner power for success. Clinically certified in hypnotherapy, her publications and seminars provide deep insights into the true causes and their remedies that prevent people from achieving their goals.  As president of Blissful Publications and author of Lose the Diet: Transform Your Body by Connecting with Your Soul, Balland provides information to enrich and empower people to achieve happiness and success.  Her website is:  www.LosetheDiet.com, and the book trailer is:  www.DietFreeMovie.com.  Follow her on Twitter at:  www.twitter.com/LosetheDiet

Q: Thank you for this interview, Kathy. Can you tell us what your latest book, Lose the Diet, is all about?

A:  Thank you for having me.  In my book Lose the Diet I explain why diets do not work (for both mental and physical reasons) and I provide tips and tools that will help you to achieve permanent weight loss – in a natural, healthy way.

Q: Is this your first book?  If not, how has writing this book different from writing your first?

A:  I have written many articles on the subject, but this is my first book.

Q: How difficult was it writing your book?  Did you ever experience writer’s block and, if so, what did you do?

A:  I really did not experience writer’s block because I am very passionate about this subject and knew what I wanted to say.  That is what drove me to write the book.  So actually, the information just flowed.

Q: How have your fans embraced your latest book?  Do you have any funny or unusual experiences to share?

A:  I have had many positive reactions, especially from people who have already lost weight.  They have said “this is what I have been trying to tell people.”  There is one woman in particular who lost over 100 pounds, and was very enthusiastic about it.  (Not to mention my clients who have benefitted from the information prior to my writing the book.)

Q: What is your daily writing routine?

A:  I usually write an article or blog when the mood strikes me.  And I love a good quote, which I like to share.

Q: When you put the pen or mouse down, what do you do to relax?

A:  I love to be out in nature, and I enjoy my pets (two dogs and a cat.)  Part of what my book talks about is stress management, and taking care of ourselves.  After all, sometimes we overeat when we are stressed or tired, which often happens because of the hectic lives we lead.

Q: What book changed your life?

A:  I have enjoyed books that discuss the power of the subconscious mind, such as “Think and Grow Rich” which was written by Napoleon Hill and published about 70 years ago.  It shows the incredible power we all have to achieve our goals.

Q: If someone were to write a book on your life, what would the title be?

A:  Making a Difference

Q: Finish this sentence: “The one thing that I wish people would understand about me is…”

A:  That I am trying to help them find the success that they are searching for.  In the case of weight management, the answer is not in a diet pill, or diet food, or a fad diet – the answer is inside of you, and I want to help you to tap into that inner power.

Thank you for this interview Kathy.  I wish you much success on your latest release, Lose the Diet!

Let’s Play Book Trivia with Irene Watson!

It’s time to play Book Trivia!  Periodically, we scour the Internet for interesting authors who would like to play Book Trivia with us.  By answering our book trivia questions, we get to learn things about the author no one else knows!  So, let’s get ready…let’s play…

Today our guest author is Irene Watson author of award winning memoir The Sitting Swing: Finding Wisdom to Know the Difference. She was born and raised in a tiny hamlet of Reno in the northern area of the province of Alberta in Canada. It was a farming community, mostly settled by immigrants from Russia, Ukraine and Poland during the early 1900s. Irene received her Master’s Degree in Psychology, with honors,  from Regis University, Denver. Irene and her husband, Robert, live in Austin, Texas.

She is also author/editor of The Story That Must be Told: True Tales of Transformation, and, Authors Access: 30 Success Secrets for Authors and Publishers and is in the process of co-authoring another book, Rewriting Life Scripts: Transformational Recovery for Parents as well as having a chapter in an upcoming book Letters to New Grandparents.

Irene is the president of Higher Power Foundation, Inc. and facilitator of transformative women’s retreats and workshops. She brings 40 years of life changing experiences, facilitation and study into her hands-on programs. She is also the Managing Editor of Reader Views, and book review and author publicity service. Her personal website is http://www.irenewatson.com

Thank you for playing Book Trivia with us, Irene! Here are your questions:

If Tom Hanks, in the movie Cast Away, unearthed a copy of The Sitting Swing: Finding Wisdom to Know the Difference, how would that help Tom find a way off the island?

He would go within, find a peaceful place in his spirit, and know that “all is okay.”  He would also learn to be his own best friend.

Everyone knows rock star idol Brittany Spears is always in trouble with everything you can think of.  In what way could your book help her and set her life back on track?

She would seek a transformational recovery center that is spiritual based – a place that would assist her in dealing with core addictions and imprints that have been passed down for generations.  She will learn that she doesn’t have to behave from these imprints and that she can actually create her own divine imprints and start living her own live, not a life that is expected of her.

You have a chance to appear on the hit talent show for authors, American Book Idol, with judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, and Kara DioGuardi determining whether your book will make it to Hollywood and become a big screenplay.  What would impress them more – your book cover, an excerpt or your best review – and why?

An excerpt for sure.  I would choose an excerpt that would turn their socks inside out – they would want to read the book!!  And, what will it be?  I’m not going to tell you right now, you’ll just have to read the book.

Hulk Hogan, the famous wrestler and star of his own reality show, has invited you and your book to appear on his show.  One catch.  You have to read a passage out of it to convince him you are star material.  What part would you read?

The first paragraph of the first chapter which says  It was the damnedest thing that they thought I’d fall for it. A video camera in plain sight, in one corner of my room, pointing right in on everything I’d be doing for the next twenty-eight days. Not likely. I couldn’t figure out why they wouldn’t bother hiding the thing. Even a hanging plant in front of it might have kept me from noticing it for an hour or two. But they didn’t even try, and that was their real weakness as far as I was concerned. Here they were, helping some of the most messed-up people you can imagine, people addicted to just about anything, and they thought if they had cameras watching these people get dressed, watching them sleep, that they would just reveal everything about themselves in an instant?

They’ve invented a board game using the theme of your book.  What would the title of it be that would be different from your book and which retail store would they place it to make the most sales?

The name of the game would be the same as the subtitle: Finding Wisdom to Know the Difference.  The stores that would have the highest sales would be ones that sell life transforming books and items.

The Arbor Day Foundation has decided to pick one tree in your honor because of your writing brilliance.  What kind of tree is it and why did they choose that tree in relation to your book?

I would choose an Aspen.  They are very prevalent in the area I grew up in and being much of the reflection in my book is from my childhood it would be a perfect tree to plant.  Also, I love the way an Aspen changes color in the fall.

President Barack Obama has become the author of several books and he has requested your presence at a special hush hush meeting to discuss ways to promote it.  Through luck of the draw, you were chosen.  What would be the first thing you would tell Barack?

LOL, that’s too funny!  Actually, he wouldn’t be asking me how to promote his book, he would be asking me to have dinner with Michele and the girls.  You see, the hush, hush meeting was just a cover up.  In reality, he was so inspired with my book he wanted to meet me in person.  After all, he and I are on the same transformational path.

Finally, you just got word that your book has received the 2009 NY Times Bestselling Book Award and you have to attend the ceremony at the Four Seasons Hotel in Manhattan.  Anyone who’s anyone will be there and it’s your shot for stardom.  On stage, you must give an acceptance speech.  What would you say and who would you thank?

I’d say:  Thank you God for allowing me to be the channel to spread the word of hope and healing to millions of people. It’s only through our faith in a Higher Power that we can transcend to a higher place of consciousness, leaving behind our generational imprints and creating our own divine imprints. We all can put our foot forward, one day at a time, and find the wisdom within.

Let’s Play Book Trivia with Romantic Suspense Authors K.M. Daughters

It’s time to play Book Trivia!  Periodically, we scour the Internet for interesting authors who would like to play Book Trivia with us.  By answering our book trivia questions, we get to learn things about the author no one else knows!  So, let’s get ready…let’s play…

Today our guest author is K.M. Daughters, author of The Sullivan Boys Romantic Suspense Series, Book 2, BEYOND THE CODE OF CONDUCT.

K.M. Daughters is the penname for team writers and sisters, Pat Casiello and Kathie Clare nee Lynch.  The author name is dedicated to the memory of their parents, Katherine and Michael, the “K” and “M” in K.M. Daughters.  Inspired by their father who wrote children’s books for them when they were small and their mother’s love of romance novels, K.M. Daughters was “born” a little under five years ago at a Romance Writers of American national conference when the sisters plotted their first manuscript, now published in E-book by Sapphire Blue Publishing: Past, Present and Forever.

Since that conference, K.M. Daughters has written five additional award-winning novels, all contracted to The Wild Rose Press and its new subsidiary, White Rose Publishing.  Most recently the 1^st book in The Sullivan Boys Romantic Suspense series was distinguished in The Lories published contest; Past, Present and Forever received the Coffee Time Romance and More Reviewer’s award and their upcoming release, Beyond The Code of Conduct was rated 4-stars, compelling, page turner, in the June 2009 issue of Romantic Times Book Review.

K.M. Daughters resides in Illinois and New Jersey with husbands Nick and Tom, a total of five children and two grandchildren between them.  Visit at: http://www.kmdaughters.com.

Thank you for playing Book Trivia with us, K.M.!  Here are your questions:

If Tom Hanks, in the movie Cast Away, unearthed a copy of Beyond The Code of Conduct, how would that help Tom find a way off the island?

The book would make great kindling for a rescue-me blaze – after he enjoyed reading it, of course.

Everyone knows rock star idol Brittany Spears is always in trouble with everything you can think of.  In what way could your book help her and set her life back on track?

Heroine Bobbie Leighton would set an excellent example for wayward Brittany.  After floundering for years trying to find that right career, Bobbie finally found her niche.  She thought it was law enforcement until she realized it was the right man.

You have a chance to appear on the hit talent show for authors, American Book Idol, with judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, and Kara DioGuardi determining whether your book will make it to Hollywood and become a big screenplay.  What would impress them more – your book cover, an excerpt or your best review – and why?

Our favorite review because – and we’ll quote – “This book is hot, hot, hot!”

Hulk Hogan, the famous wrestler and star of his own reality show, has invited you and your book to appear on his show.  One catch.  You have to read a passage out of it to convince him you are star material.  What part would you read?

A line we particularly like, “You want hot?  I’ll give you hot.”  Then a mug of scalding tea flies.

They’ve invented a board game using the theme of your book.  What would the title of it be that would be different from your book and which retail store would they place it to make the most sales?

Love Heals.  Walmart, of course.

The Arbor Day Foundation has decided to pick one tree in your honor because of your writing brilliance.  What kind of tree is it and why did they choose that tree in relation to your book?

A weeping willow for its tenacity in the wind and soft beauty.

President Barack Obama has become the author of several books and he has requested your presence at a special hush hush meeting to discuss ways to promote it.  Through luck of the draw, you were chosen.  What would be the first thing you would tell Barack?

He definitely should play Book Trivia.

Finally, you just got word that your book has received the 2009 NY Times Bestselling Book Award and you have to attend the ceremony at the Four Seasons Hotel in Manhattan.  Anyone who’s anyone will be there and it’s your shot for stardom.  On stage, you must give an acceptance speech.  What would you say and who would you thank?

Pat would say, “Thank you, Kathie.”  And Kathie would say, “Thank you, Pat.”  Finally we would chorus, “Thank you, Joelle Walker, our Fairy GodEditor at The Wild Rose Press.”

BOOK REVIEW: Second Chance at Your Dream & BOOK GIVEAWAY

Author: Dorothea Hover-Kramer
Title: Second Chance at Your Dream
Paperback: 248 pages
Publisher: Energy Psychology Press
Genre: Nonfiction; Health, Mind & Body
Language: English
ISBN: 9780345499707
Purchase at Amazon

ABOUT THE BOOK:

This is the first book to apply the breakthrough insights of Energy Psychology to healthy aging. Energy Psychology is an exciting new healing method that changes the vibrational patterns in the body’s energy fields to produce rapid emotional healing and a sense of well-being. With the help of the over fifty exercises for rebalancing yourself offered in this book, you can face the challenges and opportunities of later life to create a time of energy, abundance and joy.

BOOK REVIEW:

The buzz word in Dorothea Hover-Kramer’s book, Second Chance at Your Dream, is energy.  Energy resources, energy balancing, energy resource tools, energetic strategies are just a few.  According to Dorothea, this book is the first book to apply the breakthrough insights of Energy Psychology to aging and literally shows us how to use our own energy resources to battle pain, restore low energy and change our lives.  She addresses how human energies originate and explains how our biofield and chakras work which all tie into the whole scheme of things.

I particularly liked this part:

“Examples of dysfunctional belief patters are: “Aging will be difficult,” “Memory gets worse with age,” “Retirement is a time of rest and withdrawal from life,” and “Seniors need to rest and sit back.”  Ideas about aging and  retirement can be as varied as we choose, but over time, they impact thinking, behavior, and even cellular structures and DNA patterning.”

The point Dorothea is making here which continues throughout this marvelous book is that some people don’t realize how harmful it is to them to accept what they perceive as the norm – that old people should call it quits and wait for “their time.”  Dorothea believes that’s the worse thing you could ever do if you want to continue to live a happy, normal life with each year that goes by.  So, believing that, she has devised ways – techniques and exercises – to help us find a second chance at your dream even with whatever limitations a individual has.

Dorothea says, “The basic tool for energetic self-care is identifying problems readily.”  How many of us have not so fond past memories that have turned us not into someone we didn’t know we were?  How many perceivable nice people end up grouchy and mean in their later years?  Why is this?

She gives us one example of a man who at 72 was inhibiting happiness from stepping into his life because of his partents’ constant fights when he was young.  It was so bad, he took up somking at age 13 to alleviate the pain.  When his wife suggested him quitting at 72, he went to a therapist who got him to notice his bodily sensations while remembering a fight between his parents.  Immediately, he felt a tightening in his stomach.  His therapist taught him to acknowledge his emotions with several releasing strategies for a month.  Eventually the memories no longer created an emotional “charge.”  The point Dorothea is making is that problems, left untreated, end up plaguing you for years and by using the techniques and exercises in her book, you will lear how you, too, can have a second chance at your dream.

I really liked this and have been meaning to do it for some time:

“No one should wait until a terminal diagnosis to start living more fully.  Make a list now of the things you want to do, the people you want to see, the actions you can contribute to make the world around you better.”

I am a firm believer in doing things you love to live longer.  Too many people allow themselves to be idle.  “I don’t know where to start,” they say, older people especially.  Dorothea explains that sometimes we don’t know what to do, but things land in our laps which result in happiness.  She explains how to focus on energetic strategies (explained all in her book) to help you to become the creative artist of your life with a creativeness self-inventory exercise that was really beneficial.

One of my favorite chapters that really hit home was “A New Look at Pain,” in which Dorothea explains how there are methods to help us take “a new look” at pain.  She quotes:

“As we come to distinguish the difference between physical pain and the psychological factors involved in suffering, we recognize how closely they are interrelated.  Both need to be addressed to diminish distress.  Remarkably, both emotional suffering and physical pain respond well to energetic interventions by inviting changes in perception and hope of relief.”

Dorothea backs this with exercises to encourage you to learn from your pain sensations and find ways of diminishing pain reliably.

Dorothea’s book is about choices.  Do we let our pasts or our current health limitations take over our lives or do we get out of passive mode and do something about it so we can live a longer and happier life?

I think you know the answer to that.  I highly recommend Dorothea Hover-Kramer’s Second Chance at Your Dream, if you want to get out of the “everyone feel sorry for me” rut and into a more harmonious, healthy and happy life that everyone deserves.

BOOK GIVEAWAY!

We’re offering a book giveaway!  If you would like to win a copy of Dorothea Hover-Kramer’s A Second Chance to Your Dreams, here are the details:

Dorothea says, “”No one should wait until a terminal diagnosis to start living more fully.  Make a list now of the things you want to do, the people you want to see, the actions you can contribute to make the world around you better.”

Give us ONE thing on your own list of things you want to do, people you want to see, the actions you want to contribute to make the world around you better and leave it in the comment section.  Be sure to include your email address or your entry will be void.  Contests ends on August 1, 2009 and the winner will be hand selected by Dorothea herself.  Your entry should not run over one or two sentences, so please be brief.   Good luck!

Guest Blogger: “How I Found My Second Chance” by Dorothea Hover-Kramer

As part of Dorothea Hover-Kramer’s SECOND CHANCE AT YOUR DREAM VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR ‘09, Dorothea will be stopping by today, tomorrow and Wednesday!  Today, we have a wonderful guest post by Dorothea (don’t you just love that name?) called How I Found My Second Chance.  Enjoy!  Stay tuned tomorrow for my review and on Wednesday, we’ll be having a special contest so please come back!

How I Found My Second Chance
by Dorothea Hover-Kramer

Since my early childhood in the middle of the war in Berlin, I always wanted to do something helpful for others. There was so much pain and loss around me, I knew I could find ways to be of service. I loved music but found out quickly a career in that field is very lonely. So I went into nursing and scaled the academic ladder ending up with a doctorate in psychology.

My interest in healing emotional and physical pain led me to seek out trauma interventions and energy psychology. I found I could “see” energy in other people easily and “read” their emotions by tuning my sensitivities. This was a great asset in doing private practice psychotherapy. Over the years, I also co-founded the Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology and helped develop its many programs through team efforts.

By the time I turned mid-sixty, I was pretty burned out and decided it was time to slow down. In addition, I had a hip problem and could not walk well. Settling into a rural community seemed a comfortable choice for my husband and me and we withdrew considerably from life.

Five years later and after hip surgery, I felt what runners call their “second wind.” I sensed my life and fulfillment of its dream to help others was just beginning. We moved to a more active community, and I began to see the opportunities for sharing what I had learned with a much wider audience, far beyond traditional counseling settings.

The publication of my sixth book Second Chance at Your Dream this year literally became my new opportunity to speak about practical applications of energy psychology for self-care outside of conventional therapy settings. I travel and lecture widely now and am coming to love my audiences. I notice I can make them laugh with me and respond with hope for their senior years. Together, we are discovering that the second half of life is the time of real adventure: we can say what we please and what makes sense with new freedom and intensity.

Gone are the days of worrying about what others think of me and whether my hair looks all right of not. I’m free to be myself and to reinvent my life every morning now as I wish. I can be flexible, mobile, changing as well as steady and predictable. As I make peace with my body and learn how to take best care of it with exercise, rest and foods, my soul is freed to share and express all I’ve ever learned.

I’m completing my seventh book and recognize there is no limit to creativity other than what old beliefs may say. They can be updated as we create new maps for the brain. I have reached the time of choosing to be fully aligned with my soul’s purpose. No holds barred!

Dr. Dorothea Hover-Kramer is a psychologist and clinical nurse specialist in private practice who has authored 6 books about energy therapies including her most recent entitled Second Chance At Your Dream. She is co-founder and past president of the Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology, an international network of therapists and health care professionals utilizing energy-based approaches for emotional freedom and healing. You can visit her website at www.secondchancedream.com.

Book Spotlight: Second Chance at Your Dream by Dorothea Hover-Kramer

I am in the middle of a fantastic book by Dorothea Hover-Kramer.  It’s called Second Chance at Your Dream.  Being a baby boomer myself, I can closely relate to what Dorothea is trying to get across – that it’s never too late to find your dream no matter how old you are.

I found my dream and it did just so happen to occur in the second half of my life, although I had been searching for this dream all my life.  Why now?  Who knows but I’m figuring it’s because the timing was just right.  Not rocket science.  Just the way someone’s life unfolds.  I believe there must be lots of learning lessons before you get there or at least that’s what happened with me.

I am now living in the most beautiful place in the world and have a dream job.  Throughout my life, I could see where I was preparing for something like this.  I never was a social butterfly so working out of my home doing something that provides a way to pay for this most beautiful place in the world just seemed to fall right in my life’s path.  I can get up and go anywhere anytime I like and it doesn’t make a difference because I am in charge of my own finances.  If I want to take a break, I take a break and double up on my work when I get back or prepare for the break by doubling up on the work before I leave.  It’s always a system I use to make sure my dream stays my dream.

In Dorothea’s book, she helps others discover how to find their dreams but mainly concentrates on the second half of life because it is those people who believe they have lived their life and it’s too late to change anything.  Balderdash.  People are doing it every day, but there are some people who don’t know how.

As the Pages Turn will be spotlighting the works of Dorothea Hover-Kramer with a guest post by Dorothy on Monday, a review by As the Pages Turn on Tuesday then a special contest on Wednesday so stay tuned!

Meanwhile, if you want to find out more about Dorothea, visit her website at www.secondchancedream.com.