Interview with Hasta la Vista, Lola!’s Misa Ramirez

Misa Ramirez is the author of the Lola Cruz mystery series: Living the Vida Lola (January ’09) and Hasta la Vista, Lola! (2010) from St. Martin’s Minotaur. A former middle and high school teacher, and current CEO and CFO for La Familia Ramirez, this blonde-haired, green-eyed, proud to be Latina-by-Marriage girl loves following Lola on her many adventures. Whether it’s contemplating belly button piercings or visiting nudist resorts, she’s always up for the challenge. Misa is hard at work on a new women’s fiction novel, a middle grade series, is published in Woman’s World Magazine and Romance Writers Report, and has a children’s book published. You can visit her website at http://misaramirez.com and her blog at www.chasingheroes.com.  Connect with her at Twitter at http://twitter.com/misaramirez and http://twitter.com/chasingheroes or Facebook at http://facebook.com/misaramirez.

Q: Thank you for this interview, Misa. Can you tell us what your latest book, Hasta la Vista, Lola!, is all about?

Hasta la Vista, Lola! is the 2nd book in the Lola Cruz Mystery Series.  The first, Living the Vida Lola, came out last January.  I’m working on the third book, Bare Naked Lola.  The series follows Dolores (Lola for short) Cruz as she solves crimes and struggles to balance life and her culture as an American woman.

Hasta la Vista, Lola! deals with one of America’s most prevalent crimes: identity theft.  It’s Lola’s identity that’s been stolen, and when the woman who stole it turns up dead, Lola has to discover which one of them was the intended victim.

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

This is the second book in the series.  Hasta la Vista, Lola! came much faster than Living the Vida Lola.  My children were older, and though I was still teaching, not having an infant made it a lot easier to write!  Plus I know the characters so much better now that I understand them, know how they’ll react and what they’ll do in certain situations.  That definitely makes the writing a more fluid process.

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

I have so much fun writing the Lola books that I barely consider it work!  That’s not to say there aren’t challenges; there are.  But I wouldn’t say they’re ever overwhelming or difficult beyond reason.

I don’t usually get ‘writer’s block’, but if I do I spend a lot of tiem mulling things over.  I just think and think and think!  I used to walk, but just had knee surgery, so no more walking!  I’m going to start bike riding after my recovery, so that will be my outlet and thinking time.  The writing process is different for everyone.  For me it does not come quickly.  I have to really work through problems, and often end up changing key elements along the way as I discover new or better plot points.

The wonderful thing about Lola Cruz Mysteries is that I now know Lola so well that she comes quite easily.  I like to say that she’s my alter ego (if I were a sexy, sassy, Latina private eye!).

Hasta la Vista, Lola! by Misa Ramirez (click on cover to order at Amazon)

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

When I received my first fan email, it was such a thrill!  To know that someone (who I don’t know) loved my book enough to email me and tell me so was astounding.  The response to Living the Vida Lola has been wonderful, though it takes time to build a series.  I anticipate that fans of the first book will absolutely love Hasta la Vista, Lola!

Q: What is your daily writing routine?

Once my kids are off to school, I make my own version of a mocha and head through the backyard to the office.  That’s where the magic happens!  I waste too much time with emails and such, but when I get into the zone, it comes quickly and I just love it!

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

Of course I love to read.  Go out with my friends, the Margarita Mamas, to unwind with our favorite drink.  Spend time with my kids and husband.  Watch Project Runway.  And Supernatural.  Yoga.  LOVE yoga, though I’m waiting for my knee to heal right now.

Q: What book changed your life?

Probably Gone With the Wind.  That’s the first book that I got so wrapped up in that everything else went by the wayside.  I was in high school and read every waking moment until I’d devoured it.

As an adult, I felt that way about The Joy Luck Club.  The relationships in the book struck a chord with me that I still treasure.

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

Ha!  Some Kind of Ordinary.  My life is nothing thrilling!  Though my mother would call it Pioneer Woman of the 21st Century because I’m a go-getter and a doer.  I’ll tackle almost anything (with the possible exception of dealing with snakes).

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

Oh, wow, that’s tough!  I don’t think I have many bits of myself hidden away.  What you see is what you get, so I think people pretty much understand me.

I guess, if I absolutely MUST answer, I’d say that I wish people would understand that my motivation is usually centered around my convictions, what I believe to be right and best for whoever or whatever is at stake.  I’ve learned over the years that I have to be willing to stand up for what I believe.  It’s been a hard lesson at times, but one that is worth learning and putting into practice.

Thank you for this interview Misa.  I wish you much success on your latest release, Hasta la Vista, Lola!

Understanding the Meaning of Life and Your Purpose in Life by Barbora Knobova

We have a great guest post for you today.  Barbora Knobova is joining us today to help us understand the meaning of life and your purpose in it.  Barbora is the author of the relationship book, Tales for Delicous Girls.  You can visit her website at www.barboraknobova.com.

Understanding the Meaning of Life and Your Purpose in Life

by Barbora Knobova, author of Tales for Delicious Girls

Many people search for the meaning of life but it is something we never really understand. The meaning of life is different to every person since we are all so unique. Other concepts that are very difficult to understand and describe include “true love” and your “true self”.

It is thought by some people that if you can understand true love and know your true self, you will have the meaning of life. Do you agree?

What is Your Purpose?

It is not easy to determine what your purpose in life is but it can help you find the meaning of your life. This may take little effort for some people while it may require a lot of digging and deep thinking for others. Your true purpose may or may not be something like your career. Your true purpose is only ruled by your heart, not by any rules.

The following are things you can do to help you find your true purpose:

1. Try brainstorming. Go somewhere quiet where you can think about yourself and your life. Make a note of everything that comes to mind about your true purpose. It may take some time but you can eventually figure out your true purpose if you do this.

2. Think about the things you enjoy. What are your favorite activities or your hobbies? Are they things that can become your purpose? It is a common misconception that changing a hobby into a job makes it less enjoyable. If you really enjoy what you do, this isn’t true.

3. Think about what skills and abilities you have. If you are talented or skilled in a certain area you may want to explore activities using these talents and skills.

Read up on the theory of Multiple Intelligence created by Howard Gardner. This theory says that there are many types of intelligence and some of them are different from what you usually think of as intelligence. It says we all have different types of intelligence.

4. Think about your happiness. Figure out if you are actually happy with your life right now. If the answer is yes, you probably have discovered your life’s purpose or will soon. If the answer is no, try to figure out what is keeping you from being happy. That way, you can do something to make your life better and make yourself happier.

5. Don’t hang onto regrets. You have to let your regrets go and move on. Regrets are not going to have any positive impact on your life. The only good thing about regrets is you can learn from them and they may lead you to your true purpose in life. Try not to repeat your mistakes and to figure out how to be a better person in the future.

6. Consider religion. Most religions have something to say about the meaning of life so think about what yours says. You can read up on other religions and their views on the meaning of life as well.

Do What Makes You Happy

Follow your bliss and you will soon discover your true purpose and you will be closer to understanding what the meaning of life is to you. Don’t let others dictate what your purpose is or what the meaning of life is to you. Listen to your heart and trust yourself.

Interview with Vincent Zandri, author of Moonlight Falls

Moonlight Falls’ author, Vincent Zandri, is an award-winning novelist, essayist and freelance photojournalist. His novel As Catch Can (Delacorte) was touted in two pre-publication articles by Publishers Weekly and was called “Brilliant” upon its publication by The New York Post. The Boston Herald attributed it as “The most arresting first crime novel to break into print this season.” Other novels include Godchild (Bantam/Dell) and Permanence (NPI). Translated into several languages including Japanese and the Dutch, Zandri’s novels have also been sought out by numerous major movie producers, including Heyday Productions and DreamWorks. Presently he is the author of the blogs, Dangerous Dispatches and Embedded in Africa for Russia Today TV (RT). He also writes for other global publications, including Culture 11, Globalia and Globalspec. Zandri’s nonfiction has appeared in New York Newsday, Hudson Valley Magazine, Game and Fish Magazine and others, while his essays and short fiction have been featured in many journals including Fugue, Maryland Review and Orange Coast Magazine. He holds an M.F.A. in Writing from Vermont College and is a 2010 International Thriller Writer’s Awards panel judge. Zandri currently divides his time between New York and Europe. He is the drummer for the Albany-based punk band to Blisterz.  You can visit his website at www.vincentzandri.com or his blog at http://vincentzandri.blogspot.com/.

Q: Thank you for this interview, Vincent. Can you tell us what your latest book, Moonlight Falls, is all about?

Moonlight Falls is basically film noir on paper. It’s about Richard “Dick” Moonlight, suicide survivor who now must cope with a small piece of .22 caliber bullet lodged in his brain. Because it’s pressed up against his cerebral cortex he has trouble making good decisions and he suffers on occasion from short-term memory loss. In times of stress he passes out. He could suffer a major stroke or die at any moment. So time means little to him. When he makes the wrong decision to sleep with his former boss’s wife and she later turns up brutally murdered, he believes it’s possible he might have killed her and just can’t remember it.

I believe I was down in Manhattan promoting As Catch Can with my then Delacorte editor, Jacob Hoye (now MTV Books), when I came across a story about a man who survived a suicide attempt and lived with a piece of bullet shrapnel still stuck in his brain. At the time I was also influenced by a self-stabbing suicide art exhibit that I caught in a Soho gallery by the artist infamous artist Damien Hirst. I’ve also been fascinated with a rarely spoken about story from my family history in which my paternal grandfather committed suicide by slicing his neck open with a straight razor in front of his grown children.

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

Moonlight Falls is my fourth published novel, although I’ve written or am in the process of completing four others. Plus numerous starts and stops. My first novel length effort, Permanence, was a literary effort based on my most anthologized short story. The next novel, As Catch Can, was a huge commercial effort and it generated a lot of money. MF is more literary in style, with several POVs and time shifts. It’s definitely more small lit press oriented.

Moonlight Falls by Vincent Zandri (click on cover to purchase at Amazon)

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

This one went through many transformations, depending upon what agent was repping it at the time. Everyone injected their two cents. In the end, I stripped it to the book I originally envisioned and that’s the one that got published.

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

So far the response has been overwhelmingly positive. The novel has also generated some movie interest from Heyday Productions who produce the Harry Potter movies. Because my main character is named Dick, my dad, many people have asked me if he’s based on my dad, who also goes by that name.

Q: What is your daily writing routine?

Up by 7:00AM, make the coffee, drink it while putting in a couple of hours in my writing studio, which is also my bedroom. Then I head outside to run 3 or 4 miles. Then off to the gym for some weight training. After lunch, I write all afternoon, until it’s time to rehearse with my band. Then I like to head out for a drink and dinner. When I’m on assignment like I was this past June in Africa (http://rt.com/About_Us/Blogs/Embedded_in_Africa/2009-06-05.html) where I covered the work a hospital ship is doing there off the coast of Benin, the writing and exploring can be non-stop.

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

Run, lift weights, eat, drink, travel, walk, fly fish, hike, play drums in my punk band, The Blisterz, read, think, play with my kids, spend time with my girlfriend, the New York artist, Gina Occhiogrosso.

Q: What book changed your life?

Tough to narrow it down to one. Max Frisch’s Homo Faber would have to be the one book that stuck with me as an existential body  of work written sparely, without sentimentality. I wanted to convey that in my noir.

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

Vincent Zandri: A Life Story/PART I

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

I’m not nearly as crazy as I look!

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

Vincent Zandri is on virtual book tour throughout February and March 2010.  If you’d like to visit his official tour page, click here!

The American Medical Money Machine by James R. Goldberg

Join James Goldberg, author of the current affairs healthcare book, The American Medical Money Machine (Homunculus Publishers), as he virtually tours the blogosphere in February on his first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book!

About James R. Goldberg

James R. Goldberg, has served as a senior level executive and CEO with deep experience in running early and mid-stage technologically complex businesses with a major focus in health care. He has been a Principal of one of the world’s leading technology/business consultancies, the PA Consulting Group, based in London, England.

The author has been primarily involved, as a biomedical engineer and technologist, in developing medical technologies for surgery, drug delivery and diagnostics.

He served as contracted Executive Director of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories health care initiative, a U.S. Defense Research Laboratory program aimed at converting military technology into medical technology, Jim has invented over 12 technologies that have received U.S. and International Patents.

Goldberg earned his advanced degrees. along with other post graduate degrees at Michigan State University, New York University, Stanford University and European study programs including the Sorbonne, France, The University of Mainz,The University of Jena, Germany and the University of Madrid, Spain.

The American Medical Money Machine by James R. Goldberg (click on cover to order at Amazon) 

 

About The American Medical Money Machine

Health care today sits at the center of a ‘perfect’ storm whose effects are inescapable for every living person of every age from infancy to death: the tenure of politicians up to the highest levels of key governments, the trillion-dollar revenues and profits in every world currency and the life or death of us all, not just in the U.S. but worldwide.

The tangled world of healthcare seems like an undecipherable riddle. What’s wrong? Who’s responsible? The suspects are everywhere.

Following the death of my only child, who died under mysterious circumstances at a U.S. – accredited hospital in Bangkok, I began a three-and-a-half year intensive investigation to discover WHY?

The unimaginable paths I followed started in Bangkok but quickly led to discoveries of how vast and secreted corruption in the American medical industry have contributed to destroy, with self interested greed and unbridled power, the greatest healthcare system the world has ever known

Interview with Maria J. Andrade, author of Heart Magic: Keeping Love Alive and Well

Maria Andrade

Maria J. Andrade, M.F.T., is a licensed therapist author and poet. Her eco-social book for children, Youngen Finds Her Song, was published last year. She is founder of the “Heart Magic” workshops based on her book Heart Magic, Keeping Love Alive & Well. This book focuses on important “Select Principles” and Dos and Don’ts found in marriages that endure and are happy. She lives in California and has a private counseling practice with her husband Sy Cohn. You can visit her website at www.magicunion.com. See Twitter : birdchat or find her on Facebook under her name.

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

My latest book is a novel based on a true family saga about love, betrayal, loss of fortune and redemption. It is an epic story about the lives of 3 women whose friendship through a span of 50 years allows them to survive many of life’s challenges. However, this novel is looking for a publisher. I am here to talk about love from another perspective.  Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and I have written a book, which has been translated into Spanish. This little book is a guide which will help people truly live, “happily ever after!” The title is, Love Magic, Keeping Love Alive & Well. By reading it you will gain the knowledge of what keeps couples together for life!

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

Heart Magic, Keeping Love Alive & Well, is a self-help book and it was the first book I wrote. Since then I have written an eco-social book for children which teaches them about the importance of self-respect, love for others and earth stewardship This book was released to major book stores last year. I have since written 3 other children’s books and a novel all awaiting publishing.

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

I do not experience writer’s block but what I do experience is frustration in not having more time to write! I heard a good writer once say when you have writer’s block just go on to the part of the story you can write about and the rest will catch up. In other words, keep writing.

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

I have readers from the US to Australia. Those who purchase the book are offered an opportunity to discuss their individual problem. It is also wonderful to hear from people and learn that my book has been helpful to them. Here in our country marriage one out of 2 marriages ends in divorce. We seem to be better at the search for Mr. or Ms. Right rather than how to get along with that person after we found them. My book, Heart Magic, focuses on the latter.

Q: What is your daily writing routine?

I have a counseling practice in the mornings and I write in the afternoons.

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

I meditate. This is part of my daily ritual in the mornings before I start and at the end of the day.

Q: What book changed your life?

I think, Memories, Dreams and Reflections, the autobiography of the Psychologist, Carl G. Jung had a transformative impact on my life. I was also very recently impressed, by Deepak Chopra’s, The Book of Secrets. It is a very powerful book.

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

I think it would be similar to the title of my latest novel, Love Across an Ocean of Time.

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

A: that love and relationship is central theme, which revolves around both in my personal as well as my professional life. I see a world where people consider themselves a human family and where they get along, respect each other and this beautiful earth.

Thank you for this interview Maria.  I wish you much success on your book, Heart Magic, Keeping Love Alive & Well.

Pump Up Your Book Proudly Presents February 2010 Authors on Virtual Book Tour

February 2010 Authors on Virtual Book Tour with Pump Up Your Book
(click on link to see trailer at YouTube)

February ‘10 Authors on Virtual Book Tour include:

Maria Andrade, author of the relationship book, Heart Magic: Keeping Love Alive and Well
Carla Buckley, author of the apocalyptic novel, The Things That Keep Us Here
James R. Goldberg, author of the current affairs healthcare book, The American Medical Money Machine
Angela Henry, author of the mystery novel, Schooled in Lies
Barbora Knobova, author of the relationship book, Tales for Delicious Girls
Susie Larson, author of the inspiration/motivation/devotion book, Embracing Your Freedom: A Personal Experience of God’s Heart of Justice
Alan Markowitz, author of the gritty memoir, Topless Prophet
Kaylin McFarren, author of the women’s contemporary fiction, Flaherty’s Crossing
Judi Moreo and twenty-five other authors of the motivational book, Life Choices: Navigating Difficult Paths
Gary Morgenstein, author of the relationship book, How to Find a Woman…or Not
Ogo Ogbata, author of the historical fiction novel, Egg-Larva-Pupa-Woman
Victor Pross, author of the art/humor book, Icon & Idols: Pop Goes the Culture
Misa Ramirez, author of the mystery with romantic elements novel, Hasta la Vista, Lola!
Jay Slosar, author of the psychological book, The Culture of Excess: How America Lost Self-Control and Why We Need To Redefine Success
Kay Marshall Strom, author of the nonfiction book, The Second-Half Adventure: Don’t Just Retire – Use Your Time, Skills & Resources to Change the World
Marnie Swedberg, author of the nonfiction book for writers, eBooks: Idea to Amazon in 14 Days
Michele Wahlder, author of the self-help/inspirational book, Alphatudes – The Alphabet of Gratitude
Bill Walker, author of the soul searching romance novel, A Note From an Old Acquaintance
Chris Wardle, author of the children’s book, The Lighthouse of Mr. Tinfish
Pamela Samuels Young, author of the legal thriller, Buying Time
Vincent Zandri, author of the thriller novel, Moonlight Falls

Click here to see their official tour pages to find out where you can pick up your copy of their wonderful books!

This ad is brought to you by Pump Up Your Book, an innovative public relations agency specializing in online book promotion and virtual book tours. You can visit us at www.pumpupyourbook.com to find out how we can take your books to the virtual level!

Interview with Jay Slosar, author of The Culture of Excess

About Jay Slosar

Jay Slosar, Ph.D., is the author of a provocative new book The Culture of Excess: How Americans Lost Self-Control and Why We Need to Redefine Success (ABC-CLIO, LLC, November 2009). For the past quarter-century he has run a successful private practice as a licensed psychologist and has provided direct clinical and consulting services in a variety of diverse settings. Currently, Dr. Slosar is also an adjunct assistant professor at Chapman University in Orange County, California. He also provides forensic evaluations from court referrals, specializing in evaluating teenagers.

Dr. Slosar has worked and consulted for many companies and organizations, including: Health and Human Services Group, Young Life Enrichment Program, Family Solutions, Western Youth Services, Villa Millard Facility, and the Dawson Education Foundation. The services provided included: counseling, psychological evaluations, program design, staff training, and conflict resolution.

He also has served as the administrative clinician for a federal contract in the delivery of an employee assistance program for federal law enforcement employees and their families. Over six years, he was responsible for all clinical and administrative needs for an $8 million federal contract which included providing training/education workshops in the areas of stress management, trauma response, supervisory management, domestic violence, and workplace violence. He co-directed the critical incident response services for operational and non-operational traumas. He has completed certification in critical incident response training from the American Red Cross and the National Organization for Victim’s Assistance.

Dr. Slosar has written and published professional materials and articles, including a staff training manual for residential treatment services. He has also presented a paper at the FBI Quantico training facility on perfectionism and its relationship to suicide in law enforcement personnel.

Since 1985 he has taught in both the psychology department and the health services department at Chapman University as an adjunct assistant associate professor.

He was the president of the Orange County Psychological Association in 2004 and is a past board member of the California Coalition of Ethical Mental Health Care, a San Francisco-based group that promotes the ethics and integrity of mental health-care delivery services. Dr. Slosar was on the board of directors for the California Psychological Association in 2006 and 2007. He is also a Board Member of the California Association of Psychology Providers (CAPP).

Dr. Slosar received his Ph.D. from the University of Southern California, earned his Master’s Degree from Wichita State University, and received his Bachelor’s Degree from Jacksonville University. He resides in Newport Beach, California. For more information, please consult www.cultureofexcess.com.

The Interview

Q: Thank you for this interview, Jay. Can you tell us what your latest book, The Culture of Excess, is all about?

A: The Culture of Excess is a book that has a premise that culture trumps personality. The cultural factors emphasized include the speed of technology, technology coupled with media, and extreme capitalism. These factors are interactive and cumulative and result in declining self-control. The underlying psychological reason for the decline in self control is the continued growth of cultural narcissism. The end result is excess. The book ends with discussion of transitioning from Generation Me to Generation We. The book is the result of changes observed in clinical practice with patients that correlate with changes in our culture and society.

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

A: Yes, a non-fiction book.

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

A: Yes. It took several years to write. At times I stopped, especially until I signed a contract with my publisher.

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

A: My book is non-fiction. Colleagues and acquaintances have been very positive and responsive to the book, noting how timely it is. I share my own experiences. I note that I was raised Catholic and was an altar boy—and let the readers know that for the record I was not abused.

Q: What is your daily writing routine?

A: It is not consistent. My writing depends on how busy I am and what other required academic or professional reports I have to do. I write in spurts. But when I set an outline, I work on separate sections with deadlines/goals. Sometimes, I don’t write but spend a lot of time making notes and organizing material in order to write. Then it flows more easily and is a better draft.

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

A: Workout, read, listen to music, watch political news, hang with friends.

Q: What book changed your life?

A: Many books have influenced me. For my book, The Culture of Narcissism in 1979 by Christopher Lasch was very influential.

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

A: The Eclectic Public Professional.

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

A: I have a never ending quest for integrating data and observations. I crave being with people who are similar and can talk with them all through the night.

Thank you for this interview Jay. I wish you much success on your latest release, The Culture of Excess !

About Culture of Excess

Culture of Excess by Jay Slosar (click on cover to purchase)

In the wake of buckling markets, banks knocked to their knees, and massive amounts of presumed wealth revealed as the product of self-deception and breathtaking criminality, an age of indulgence has dramatically impacted American life. Economically, we understand how it happened, but why it happened is more of a mystery. What psychological factors fueled the years of excess and, more important, how do we refocus ourselves for a more rational, self-controlled future?

As J.R. Slosar shows in this urgent, sometimes startling volume,the nation’s fast-and-loose approach to money was, in fact, a symptom of a more widespread pattern of excessive behavior. In The Culture of Excess: How America Lost Self-Control and Why We Need to Redefine Success, Slosar portrays an America where the drive to succeed and the fear of missing out manifested itself not only in self-entitled corporate fraud, but in everything from sharp rises in obesity and cosmetic medical procedures to equally troubling increases in eating disorders, panic attacks, and outbreaks of uncontrollable rage.

Illustrating its thesis with numerous vignettes and case studies, The Culture of Excess is the first book to assess the impact of economic and social factors on the nation’s psychological well-being. It shows how capitalism, technology, and media interact and become additive factors in the loss of self-control, and it explains how the compromises made in adapting to intense economic competition lead to a false sense of self and reality. Narcissism, productive narcissism, psychopathy, rigidity and self destruction, perfectionism, the illusion of success, and identity achievement all come into play as Slosar diagnoses the psychological drivers behind this indulgent age, offering his prescription for helping “Generation Me” become “Generation We.”

Here’s what reviewers have to say!

“Jay Slosar gives us the benefit of his years of clinical and teaching experiences with people who reveal just how firmly we live in an age of excess. Wonderfully written, The Culture of Excess not only discusses how we got to this point, but offers insights on how to change course. Individuals, parents, decision-makers, and others will come to see how we might turn ‘Generation Me’ into ‘Generation We,’ and create a better world in the process. This is an important book.”

Elizabeth Loftus, PhD

Distinguished Professor, University of California-Irvine

Past President, Association for Psychological Science

“Dr. Slosar offers an in-depth psychological analysis and understanding of the forces shaping our popular culture. He reaches the troubling conclusion that we are in an age that applauds excessive self absorption and devalues a community spirit. His insight into the psychosocial conflicts that are unfolding in the 21st century breathes new meaning into that ancient, Talmudic query about the relationship between self and others: If I am not for myself, who is for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? This work is timely and wise.”

Richard Lettieri, PhD

Clinical and Forensic Psychologist

Training and Supervising Psychoanalyst, Newport Psychoanalytic Institute

Faculty, New Center for Psychoanalysis

Interview with Civil War Historical Fiction Author Dot Ryan

Dot Ryan, born and raised in Bee County in South Texas, makes her home in “the sparkling city by the sea,” Corpus Christi, Texas, with husband, Sam. Corrigans’ Pool is Dot’s first novel. She is busy writing her second and third works of fiction. You can visit her website at www.dotryanbooks.com.

Q: Thank you for this interview, Dot. Can you tell us what your latest book, Corrigans’ Pool, is all about?

Thank you for inviting me!  Corrigans’ Pool is a Civil War era novel that takes place in and around Savannah, Georgia between 1861 and 1864. If you don’t mind, I’ve taken parts of the following description from the recent ForeWord Clarion Review of Corrigans’ Pool, which gave the book five stars out five:

The eldest of two daughters, Ella Corrigan rises to the challenge when a family tragedy results in an incapacitated mother and a father consumed by guilt. Despite the pressures of essentially running the family plantation on her own, she bears the burden of responsibility stoically, with kindness, efficiency, and little resentment for her lot in life.

Somewhat resigned to the possibility of never marrying, Ella is stunned by her reaction when she meets the dashing, if seemingly ill-suited, Gentry Garland. She repeatedly resists the attraction at first, resulting in moments both touching and amusing, until she finally accepts the love between them.  From there, it doesn’t take long for Ella to begin envisioning a different, more enriching future—at least until the Civil War lands on their doorstep and Gentry strangely disappears without a word.

Devastated, Ella makes the fateful decision to marry neighboring plantation owner Victor Faircloth. Victor’s increasingly contemptuous violence toward those who serve his household sickens Ella, and a gripping mystery begins to unfold involving his rapidly disappearing slaves and the beautiful pool, called Corrigans’ Pool, on Ella’s family property. As the Civil War rages on, Ella finds herself fighting a war of her own to save her home, her loved ones, and the innocent victims of her husband’s brutality.

Villains and heroes are exposed in their true light, loves are lost and found, and the strength of human spirit ultimately prevails.

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

Yes, Corrigans’ Pool is my first.  I am presently working on the sequel to Corrigans’ Pool and two additional historical novels.

Corrigans' Pool by Dot Ryan (click on cover to purchase at Amazon)

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

Writing Corrigans’ Pool was easy, it was learning to write right that was hard!  As I said in one of my blogs: The desire to write is all well and good but first one must learn to write!  I married right out of high school and continued my studies “catch as catch can,” afterward. Driven by my insatiable desire to write, I began a campaign of self-study, hours in libraries doing research, reading and re-reading dozens of books on writing, subscribing to every writer’s magazine I came across in, enrolling in every writer’s course available within reasonable driving distance from my rural home and, of course, reading as many novels as I could. I finished Corrigans’ Pool in 1982 … and lost every page of it in a fire a few months later, along with most of my research notes.

To make a long story short, I overcame my devastation and anger a few years later and began Corrigans’ Pool all over again.

Yes, I experienced writer’s block from time to time. To get past it, I leaned back in my comfortable writing chair and read a few pervious chapters. If that didn’t work, I went through dozens of scrap-paper notes containing dialogue and proposed scenes, all of which I had jotted down over a long period of time and stuffed into a large manila envelope.  Usually, one method or the other worked.

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

There is nothing like the thrill when readers e-mail or call to say they bought your book and absolutely could not put down!  This has happened many times. One woman told me that she was reading Corrigans’ Pool for the second time and would probably read it again in the future. Getting a bit worried, I asked her if there was something in the book that she did no understand and she replied, “Heck no! I just love it that much! You will write a sequel to it, won’t you? When will it be out?”

Also, I have been told that books I donated to an area library are constantly checked out; that is a very good sign.

There are also great reviews by buyers of the book on the Barnes & Noble site. In addition, a book club in Moon Township, Pa read and discussed Corrigans’ Pool and gave it five stars. They are mailing their books to me so that I can autograph them. I am flattered and grateful.

All reviews, so far, have been good.  I believe when other potential readers learn that Corrigans’ Pool is out there and being enjoyed, they will not regret buying it. 

Q: What is your daily writing routine?

I write at least five days a week, sometimes into the weekend. There are days when I write from sunup to sundown or longer if the words are flowing.  I get teased by my grown children when they drop by and find me in my pajamas in the middle of the afternoon. I tell them that my pj’s are my writing costume of choice and they might as well accept it.  Besides, I’m all for comfort when exercising the brain.

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

I read or strum my old guitar. At one time early in my life, my hobby was writing songs.  I have a box of my musical creations in the attic. A fantastic Texas singer, Joel Nava, was kind enough to put a few of them on CD’s for me. Just for fun, I will soon put these songs on my website under my blog, Memoirs of a Texas Dance Hall Queen: If you want a few laughs, go to dotryanbooks.com and read the Texas Dance Hall Queen blog.

Q: What book changed your life?

I’ve read books that affected nearly all of my senses, thereby giving me great pleasure as I read them, followed by enjoyable contemplation afterward. Other books have shown me darker images of life and human nature that perhaps I felt uncomfortable reading about but satisfied a need to be informed. For certain, these books changed my life in ways that improved me as a writer, but it is difficult to spotlight any one of them as the life changing book.

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

Tenacity Floats

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

…that next to my husband and children, writing is my life … so be assured that other novels are on the way!

Thank you for this interview Dot.  I wish you much success on your latest release, Corrigans’ Pool!

Thank you! I enjoyed answering your questions.

Baby boomer Kay Marshall Strom tells us how to go from ordinary to extra-ordinary

We have a special guest blogger today.  Kay Marshall Strom, author of nonfiction baby boomer book, The Second-Half Adventure: Don’t Just Retire – Use Your Time, Skills & Resources to Change the World (Moody Publishers), is here to tell us how to go from ordinary to extra-ordinary!

Ordinary Second-Half Adventurers

by Kay Marshall Strom

So, what kind of people seek out a Second-Half Adventure?  Who decides simple retirement isn’t for them?  That sleeping late and golf and such is all well and good but they would rather use their lifetime of accumulated skills and resources to change the world?

Well, as it turns out, lots of ordinary people. And some pretty extra-ordinary ones, too.

You would probably consider Charlie extraordinary—unless you also grew up in a mafia family.  Charlie knew two things: power and money.  He learned early how to get what he wanted, often through intimidation. As an adult, he started a financial planning business, and it was hugely profitable. Charlie was a tough guy, he had money, and he had power.  True, at forty-three his third marriage was about to end, but he would see that it ended on his terms.  Then a strange thing happened.  Charlie’s wife went to church. He mocked her and he ridiculed her, but she went anyway. When he saw he wasn’t going to stop her, he grudgingly agreed to attend with her on an Easter Sunday.  And—miracle of miracles—Charlie encountered God.

When Charlie discovered church people have the same money problems as everyone else, he offered to donate his financial services.  He also started teaching classes on financial responsibility.

“Most people are surprised to learn there is more in the Bible about money than any other subject,” Charlie says.

But Charlie did more than just teach; he lived his lessons. Within two years, he and his wife were debt-free.  He sold his business and committed to work full time with Crown Financial Ministries—an interdenominational organization dedicated to teaching biblical financial principles and helping people apply them.

“Christians should model good financial stewardship,” Charlie insists.  “Imagine if we pointed the way in these hard financial times by living without debt!”

Okay, so Charlie isn’t ordinary. But Kathy would certainly describe herself that way.  When her engineer husband, Clint, was tapped to go with a group from their church to Venezuela and make a business presentation to university students, Kathy decided to tag along.  At the last minute, she put together packets of a quilt block she had developed and stuck them in her suitcase.  Fifty of them.

Her husband never got to give his presentation.  But to everyone’s amazement, an entourage met the American group at the airport.  It was there to meet Kathy.  “We heard about the quilt and we’ve got a lot of women who are interested,” they said.  “We hope you have enough supplies for ninety women.”

Kathy didn’t.  So Clint put away his presentation notes, picked up a pair of scissors, and got busy helping Kathy cut out the twenty-five piece sets—each piece representing an element of Jesus’ story of the Woman at the Well.

On second thought, Kathy and Clint aren’t so ordinary either.  Kathy’s self-assurance and Clint’s gentle refusal to insist but-I’m-the-one-with-the-valuable-skills-here! are rare traits indeed.

Now, John, though—he insists no one could be as ordinary as he.

John spent his entire life working as a bread delivery truck driver whose day started at four a.m.  Two years ago, he retired, but a lifetime routine of getting up so early isn’t easy to change.  John is still out of bed at four, but now he sits down immediately at his computer and logs in to his personal site at GMO, an organization that uses cutting-edge technologies to respond to spiritual questions from people around the world.

“I’m never lonely,” John says of his early morning sessions.  “Somewhere in the world, someone with a pressing question is always up at that hour.” And, thanks to the training GMO gave him, John feels comfortable offering answers.  Even to people in Ghana… or Ethiopia… or India…

Come to think of it, second half adventurers are all ordinary people.  They just become extra-ordinary because of the way they choose to define their lives.

Kay Marshall Strom is the author of thirty-six published books, including her most recent, The Second-Half Adventure: Don’t Just Retire-Use Your Time, Skills & Resources to Change the World.  Her writing credits also include magazine articles, short stories, prize-winning screenplays, booklets for writers, and anything else that will help make the house payments.  Kay is an in demand speaker at events throughout the country.  She and her husband Dan Kline love to travel, so Kay encourages writing and speaking assignments in far flung corners of the globe.  To find out more about Kay, or for contact information, check her website at www.kaystrom.com.

Interview with Kay Marshall Strom, author of The Second-Half Adventure

Kay Marshall Strom is the author of thirty-six published books, including her most recent, The Second-Half Adventure: Don’t Just Retire-Use Your Time, Skills & Resources to Change the World.  Her writing credits also include magazine articles, short stories, prize-winning screenplays, booklets for writers, and anything else that will help make the house payments.  Kay is an in demand speaker at events throughout the country.  She and her husband Dan Kline love to travel, so Kay encourages writing and speaking assignments in far flung corners of the globe.  To find out more about Kay, or for contact information, check her website at www.kaystrom.com and her blog at http://kaystrom.wordpress.com

Q: Thank you for this interview, Kay. Can you tell us what your latest book, The Second-Half Adventure, is all about?

Well, here’s the subtitle assigned to it:  Don’t Just Retire—Use  Your Time, Skills & Resources to Change the World.  I think that’s a pretty comprehensive description! It is basically a call to Baby Boomers to use the second half of their lives to make a difference in the world.

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

Actually, I just finished my first novel trilogy, but this is non-fiction.  My 36^th book.  All of my last dozen books—fiction and non-fiction alike—have been about finding our footing in an increasingy global world.

The Second-Half Adventure by Kay Marshall Strom (click on cover to purchase)

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

Because I give many stories of how people actually move their lives on to eternal significance, writing The Second-Half Adventure required a huge amount of personal interviews.  Some I could do by phone, but sitting and talking face-to-face worked better.  Of course, every story and every quote had to be checked and double checked for accuracy.

As for writer’s block, I’ll have to say, I don’t believe in it.  Hey, if I were a dentist and I had dentist’s block, what would I do?  I’d get busy and work on teeth.  That’s what I do as a writer.  I get busy and write.

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

This book has spurred an amazing number of personal contacts. People send me their situations and say, “What should I do with the rest of my life?”  I could start a “Dear Kay” advice column!

Q: What is your daily writing routine?

That depends on how closely my next deadline is looming.  But even at the most pressing, I usually start the day with my husband in our outdoor spa, reading and talking.  Then I check my email, add to my blog, and get busy writing.

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

Walk.  Watch a movie.  Walk.  Read a book.  Walk.

Q: What book changed your life?

Sounds funny, but A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens.  I was assigned the book when I was in eighth grade, and it opened my eyes to the crippling power of a story.

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

Murphy’s Law—Interrupted!

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

…that I am passionate about my responsibility to fulfill the job God has put me in this world to do.

Thank you for this interview, Kay.  I wish you much success on your latest release, The Second-Half Adventure: Don’t Just Retire-Use Your Time, Skills & Resources to Change the World!