Michael self published and financed his book releasing it locally in 2004. For two years he went around talking to libraries, youth groups, his old high school and book clubs about his book, gangs, drugs, believing in yourself, the writing process etc. He even appeared in several local newspapers and on the local radio. “I enjoyed my talks with these kids and meeting new people because it allowed me to do my part in giving back to the community by helping and inspiring kids. I wrote Purged by Darkness as a vehicle to do just that and if my book is able to steer even just one youth away from the path I almost ventured into then I know everything I have been through is worth it!” said Michael.

While his book did find success locally with his old high school and a number of libraries purchasing his book, he felt there was so much more his book had to offer. So he sent his work to America and was fortunate in obtaining an American literary agency in 2006. “While they loved my work, my agent felt that my work needed to be worked on. At first, I was hesitant to change anything but then I realized, I can’t be stubborn as I only have one shot at the American reader to make an impression,” he said. After much time was spent rewriting, editing and searching for a publisher, Michael would be knocked back a total of 22 times over the course of two years by American publishers. “I definitely felt disheartened, I was even at a point where I wanted to give up and work on something else. The problem was, I believed in my manuscript too much to just give up. I honestly believed that my book would make a difference in the lives of young people or anyone for that matter,” said Michael. His patience and belief paid off as Michael finally got his break when his agent announced that they had a possible publisher interested in him. After liaising with the publisher, they offered him a contract. As of November, 2008 Michael’s manuscript Purged by Darkness will be officially published by Eloquent Books. His book won’t be released until later this year.

For more information on the book and author, please visit: www.MichaelEstepa.com

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

A: Purged by Darkness is an action packed, coming-of-age, crime fiction story that revolves around the lives of six friends in the notorious criminal underworld of Melbourne, Australia.

The story is told through the eyes of Kai, the leader of his friends and the main character of the story as he comes face to face with drugs, bullets, and in most recent times a sense of morality. The group’s friendship endures as the six try to define their lives interweaved with their life of crime

In this strange existence, love and loyalty among the friends flourish because they can only depend on each other. But friendship is pushed beyond all normal limits, as danger waits at every turn.

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

A: Yes this is my first novel and I am currently working on the sequel to Purged by Darkness, which will come out either late next year or early 2011.

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

A: To be honest with you, I did find it difficult at times when I was writing my book. One of the things that I had trouble with in the beginning, which I started to improve on was making sure the sentence structure and the dialogue between the characters made sense. I started to realise that just because it makes sense to me doesn’t necessarily mean it makes sense to everyone else. I also found that I needed to show the characters actions during a scenario rather than narrate what just happened. I found that to be somewhat difficult at times while writing my book, especially since I didn’t realise I was doing it. Lucky for me, the editors I have had picked up on my mistakes.

During the process of writing my book, Purged by Darkness I did experience writers block, which were often a result of people distracting me. It’s so hard to explain to someone who doesn’t have an interest in writing just how hard it is to get back in the ‘zone’ once you have been disrupted in your chain of thought. All these ideas you had floating around in your head quickly vanish and trying to focus or get back your ideas is either impossible or time consuming because your writing can be set back a few hours to a couple days. I’ve dealt with it by going to a place where I won’t be disturbed, which is usually my small quiet local library. I always make it a habit to go for a walk after a couple hours of writing or have snacks prepared to minimize writers block from occurring. When I do have it, I take a step back from my writing and do anything else but writing!

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

A: Since this is my first book, I am not sure just how many fans I have (hahaha), but I do know the feedback from those who read it have been incredibly positive! I am astounded (in a good way) just how attentive my readers are to the details of my book. Quite a few of my readers have emailed me through my website or spoken to me asking me “why did this have to happen”, “why did that have to happen”, “why couldn’t this have happened instead” etc. Upon hearing all these comments, I couldn’t help but smile because I knew that whether they liked what happened in the book or not, at least their emotional reaction shows they were paying attention (hahaha)! Overall, the feedback towards my book has been very positive. I have been asked several times by libraries and high schools to discuss my book with their kids about the themes associated in my book.

>Q: What is your daily writing routine?

A: Honestly, I don’t think I have a writing routine. Since I am a nurse and I have to work around a rotating shift roster, it is quite hard for me to have a set routine specifically designed for my writing. So I write whenever I get any free time!

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

A: I’m a very active person and when I’m not writing, I train in Krav Maga (Israeli Martial Art) twice a week, I workout at the gym 5 times a week and I enjoy spending time with my girlfriend or hanging with friends. Grabbing a bite to eat, watching a movie or going just about anywhere is what I get up to relax. Having massages is a big plus when it comes to relaxing!

Q: What book changed your life?

A: I have read countless books and there has been so many that have influenced and touch my heart. There are, however, two books that have actually changed my life. The first book may seem a bit clichéd, but at the top of this list would have to be the bible. I was born and raised a Catholic and it was the teachings of Jesus Christ that helped me live my life to the best of my ability. Even when my path in life went off course, my faith in God helped me get back on track and allowed me to pick myself back up when I fell down. I don’t believe that if it weren’t for my faith, everything I have accomplished would not have been possible.

The next book after that would have to be Inside the Lions Den by Ken Shamrock. Despite having a great love of martial arts, this book changed my life because I got the chance to see the real Ken Shamrock, and not just this power fighting athlete we see in the ring, but the real Ken Shamrock. Why this is important because the reader is able to see his poor upbringing, violent child hood, being moved from group home to group home, and being sent to Juvenile Hall. All seemed lost, until a man by the name of Bob Shamrock (this man would later be his adoptive father) took a chance on him and took him in. With ideas of going to college going by the way side, Ken Shamrock worked his butt off and became one of the most successful mixed martial artists of all time. His success came about because of two reasons: someone believed in him and he had the determination and drive to work for what he wanted! Reading his book made me believe that anything and everything is possible. What’s amazing is that Ken Shamrock also acknowledges that his successes are because of his faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ!

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

A: “Small guy, Big dreams!”

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

A: My stubbornness is one of my biggest strengths! I have been put down by so many people (even people I trusted) telling me I’ll never amount to anything, I’m not good enough, I’m a waste of space, my book is a waste of time etcetera etcetera. I could have done what a lot of people do, which is crawl into a corner and cower. For a time I did, but my stubbornness, pride and self belief wouldn’t allow me to stay that way for long. What did I do? I fought back and made anyone who put me down eat their own words. The one thing, I have learned from my parents is never let anyone destroy your dreams!

Before this interview ends, I would like to take this opportunity to thank As the Pages Turn for taking the time out to interview me and I would also like to tell all the viewers that if you want a book that excites as well as thrills, has non – stop action, heartfelt moments, a clear message at the end of the story, enough romance to warm your heart and is reader friendly, then Purged by Darkness is the book for you! Regardless of your age or reading skill, you will not be disappointed!

Feel free to check out my official website: www.MichaelEstepa.com for further information about me and my book.

Thank you for this interview Michael. I wish you much success on your latest release, Purged by Darkness!

Purged by Darkness revolves around six friends in Melbourne, Australia, and their journey inside the organised crime syndicate known as the Triads.

In the gang lifestyle, honor and absolute loyalty is demanded of all members, while fear, death and betrayal often follow. The group’s friendship endures as the six try to define their lives interwoven with their life of crime. In their world, no one ever wins and everyone involved finds it too difficult to ever get out. To them, the city represents violence and the countryside, peace.

In this strange existence, love and loyalty among the friends flourish because they can only depend on each other. But friendship is pushed beyond all normal limits, as danger waits at every turn.

What is it like to live in a world of death and violence? Is every moment cherished because it could be the last? Finally, what does it take to survive life in the mob?

Join Robert Tuchman, author of the sports travel guide, The 100 Sporting Events You Must See Live (BenBella Books, 2009), as he virtually tours the blogosphere in November on his second virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion!

Gale Laure, a native Texan, is the international selling author of Evolution of a Sad Woman, a mystery, suspense, thriller and romance novel .   She resides in a small suburban town in the Houston area with her husband and family.  Laure’s hobbies include genealogical research, movies, creating stories for the children around her, involvement in her church and people watching. She is busy at work editing her second novel, The Bunkhouse, and writing the sequel to Evolution of a Sad Woman. It is entitled Alana – Evolution of a Woman.  As mysterious as her  book, Laure writes under a pseudonym.  Adamant about maintaining her privacy and the privacy of her family, she keeps her identity a mystery!

For more information about Gale Laure or her novel, Evolution of a Sad Woman,  visit www.galelaure.com or her blog  www.evolutionofasadwoman , do an Internet search or the following:

• www.twitter.com/wwwgalelaurecom

• www.authorsden.com/galelaure

• www.facebook.com/Author.GaleLaure

• www.goodreads.com/galelaureauthor

• www.myspace.com/galelaure-author

Thank you for this interview, Gale. Can you tell us what your latest book, Evolution of a Sad Woman, is all about?

Gale:  Evolution of a Sad Woman is a mystery, suspense, thriller and romance book.  It is about a beautiful, mysterious woman named Keziah – also known as Kizzy.  She is brutally murdered.  When five men who have all loved her are brought together to solve the crime there is pandemonium.  These men, strangers, must share their pasts with Kizzy to find clues to solve her murder.  Personalities get in the way on the adventure to resolve this murder.   They are taken on into episode of deceit, crime and cruelty. Be prepared for a surprise ending you will not see coming!

Evolution of a Sad Woman by Gale Laure (click on cover to purchase)

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

Gale:  This is my first debut novel.

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

Gale:  No.  I never had writer’s block until I started writing the guest posts for my virtual blog book tour.   To overcome this,  I did not give up.  I kept thinking and praying.  Ideas popped into my head.

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

Gale:  Some of my fans have been angry that one of my characters dies.  One fan said she cried when she read my novel and not because of the death.  Many of my fans cannot wait for my next book.  Some are waiting with anxiety for the sequel to Evolution of a Sad Woman.  The unexpected surprise ending has fascinated all my fans.

What is your daily writing routine?

Gale:  I try to work on the edit of my next novel due out in 2010, The Bunkhouse, daily.   I write on the sequel to Evolution of a Sad Woman entitled Alana – Evolution of a Woman at least once a week.  The times of day that I work on my writing varies.  It usually happens when I am alone in the house.  I write better in quiet.

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

Gale:  I go to a movie.  My husband and I have date night on Fridays.  This usually includes dinner out and a movie.  I also play with the children in my family.  Children relax me.  I read or take a nice, long, hot bath.

What book changed your life?

Gale:   I am a big Agatha Christie fan.  I suppose she is the one who influenced me to write mystery.  I love all of her novels.  I also liked Little Women by Louisa May Alcott as a child.  I liked it before I knew I wanted to be an author.  It is ironic it is about an author.

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

Gale:     The Mystery of a Complicated Woman

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

Gale: . . . I am a very private person.  This is why I write under a pseudonym.  I want to keep it that way.

Thank you for this interview Gale.  I wish you much success on your latest release, Evolution of a Sad Woman!

Gale:   You are very welcome.  I enjoyed very minute.

Join Bill Walker, author of the soul searching romance novel, A Note From an Old Acquaintance (iUniverse, June 2009), as he virtually tours the blogosphere in November and December on his second virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion!

Bill Walker is a graphic designer specializing in book and dust jacket design, and has worked on projects by Ray Bradbury, Richard Matheson, Dean Koontz, and Stephen King. Between his design work and his writing, he spends his spare time reading voraciously and playing very loud guitar, much to the chagrin of his lovely wife and two sons. Bill makes his home in Los Angeles and can be reached through his web site: http://www.billwalkerdesigns.com/

Q: Thank you for this interview, Bill. Can you tell us what your latest book, A Note from an Old Acquaintance, is all about?

A: I would consider this book to be more of a love story, rather than a category romance, in that I wasn’t saddled with trying to write within a publishing house’s mandated formula. I just wanted to tell a tender story as honestly as possible. The story concerns Brian and Joanna, two people who are really meant to be together, but life’s travails separate them during the most passionate moment of their lives. Each of them is haunted by memories of the other until, years later, Joanna writes Brian an e-mail, a catalyst that sets the entire story in motion. The title of the novel is the subject line of that e-mail, and is intended to be gently ironic.

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

A: This is actually my third published novel. Writing this one was vastly different because the other books were more plot-driven, whereas this book is quite a bit more character-driven. There is still a plot, as I don’t like reading or writing books where the characters seem to wander aimlessly, but I really wanted to spend the time and effort developing these people more fully.

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

A: Mechanically, this book was no more difficult to write than any others. Conceptually, however, was where things departed from the norm. In this book, I wanted the characters to carry the play, so to speak. And, I’d always felt that character development was one area where I needed to stretch. In that vein, I found it more challenging to write the book, because I had to force myself not to rely on the tried and true. The hardest part was making the antagonist a little sympathetic, letting the reader in on why Erik is the way he is without diminishing or blunting his role in the story. As for writer’s block, most of the time that is a minor annoyance. As is the case with every book I write there are times I become temporarily stuck during the writing process. Often, all it takes is some active daydreaming during the course of the day, when I’m occupied with other matters. Sometimes it’s a plot point, other times it concerned where to take a certain character. Did I want that character to do this…or that. Oft-times stepping back and taking stock is a vital part of the process. In any event, thus far, I’ve always found a solution to whatever was blocking me. Hopefully, that will keep happening when I need it ;-)

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

A: So far, more readers seem to like the book than not, so that is encouraging.

Q: What is your daily writing routine?

A: I’m an early riser. I like to get up before the sun and the rest of my family, brew up some coffee, and get right to work. My daily goal is three pages, but if I’m into a great scene or inspiration strikes, I’ll write more, sometimes a lot more. That doesn’t let me off the hook for the next day, however. I will still get those three pages done, no matter what.

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

A: Just like one of the characters in my book, I play guitar. For me, plugging in, cranking the amp and letting loose is much-needed therapy. It can also be a way to work through a temporary block.

Q: What book changed your life?

A: I would have to say there were two: Time and Again by Jack Finney, which is the prototypical time travel romance, although it is much more than that; and The Stand by Stephen King.

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

A: Never Give Up.

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

A: …that I’m more than I appear to be.

Thank you for this interview, Bill. I wish you much success on your latest release, A Note from an Old Acquaintance!

Brian Weller is a haunted man. It’s been two years since the tragic accident that left his three-year-old son dead and his wife in an irreversible coma. A popular author of mega-selling thrillers, Brian’s life has reached a crossroads: his new book is stalled, his wife’s prognosis is dire, and he teeters on the brink of despair.

Everything changes the morning an e-mail arrives from Boston artist Joanna Richman. Her heartfelt note brings back all the poignant memories: the night their eyes met, the fiery passion of their short-lived affair, and the agonizing moment he was forced to leave Joanna forever. Now, fifteen years later, the guilt and anger threaten to overwhelm him. Vowing to make things right, Brian arranges a book-signing tour that will take him back to Boston. He is eager to see Joanna again, but remains unsure where their reunion will lead. One thing is certain: the forces that tore their love asunder will stop at nothing to keep them apart.

Filled with tender romance and taut suspense, A Note from an Old Acquaintance is an unforgettable story about fate, honor, and the power of true love.

Read the Reviews:

“Brian has been hit with life’s most devastatingly tragic event a parent can encounter. Not only did the horrible accident leave Brian to mourn the loss of his son, it also put his wife in a coma. Brian is left to face this life alone.

But then, one day he receives an unexpected email from someone in his past. This someone is Joanna, a woman he was once in love with. At that time the two were thrust apart by circumstances beyond their control. Fifteen years later the two are given a chance at a second shot at love. Will the past years make a difference and allow them to find happiness together or will Brian have to deal with yet another disaster?

A very touching novel that will make your heart ache. “
-bridget3420

“I can say with all candor I enjoyed the book thoroughly. I’m the novel reader in my family and I usually read an average of two novels per week. My taste runs the gamut. I read NY Times best sellers and books by lesser known authors purely because I’m intrigued by the description on the back dust cover. Mr. Walker’s book is a very entertaining and quick read. Love at first sight is something most of us can relate to, and I dare say that pretty nearly everyone that I know has a Brian or a Joanna in their past. The author’s combination of the torment of love lost with the elation of discovering that love can endure through the most trying of life’s events was very emotional and ultimately very gratifying. That most of us are, or have been, on a quest to find and capture our “soul mate” adds total credibility to the book. If I might be totally cliché, I really did find this book to be both heat-wrenching and heart warming. My husband and I have a fairly sizable library and the Walker book has taken it’s place on the shelf to be enjoyed again in the near future.“
-Carleen

Bill Walker’s NOTE FROM AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE VIRTUAL BLOG TOUR ‘09 will officially begin on Nov. 2 and end on Dec. 16. You can visit Bill’s blog stops at www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com during the month of November and December to find out more about this great book and talented author.

If you would be interested in hosting Bill, please contact me for more information.

Lisa A. Shiel researches and writes about everything strange, from Bigfoot and UFOs to alternative history. She has been interviewed for big-city newspapers, national magazines, drive-time talk radio shows, and TV news. She has a master’s degree in library science and formerly served as president of the Upper Peninsula Publishers & Authors Association (UPPAA) in Michigan.

As a fiction writer, Lisa developed the Human Origins Series—which includes the novels The Hunt for Bigfoot and Lord of the Dead. Lisa’s other nonfiction books are Backyard Bigfoot: The True Story of Stick Signs, UFOs & the Sasquatch (a finalist in ForeWord Magazine’s 2006 Book of the Year Awards) and Strange Michigan. Her latest book, The Evolution Conspiracy, Vol. 1, marks the initial release in a planned three-book series. Find her online at EvolutionConspiracy.com, Twitter.com/LAShiel, or on Facebook.

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

A: Scientists call evolution a fact, as unquestionable as the existence of gravity. But is it? In The Evolution Conspiracy I break through the hype to expose the bare evidence underneath. With a list of 171 references, a glossary, a thorough index, and relevant illustrations, The Evolution Conspiracy offers everything you need to reach your own conclusions.

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

A: The Evolution Conspiracy is my fifth published book. My first book, The Hunt for Bigfoot, was fiction while The Evolution Conspiracy is nonfiction. I had researched evolution, as it pertains to human origins, for The Hunt for Bigfoot so when I started working on The Evolution Conspiracy my previous research served as a foundation for new research. With The Hunt for Bigfoot I wove the research into the fabric of an adventure story, the crux of which questioned evolutionary theories. In The Evolution Conspiracy I relied on facts alone to expose the snags in evolutionary theories.

Q: How difficult was it writing your book?

A: The hardest part of writing nonfiction is the research. For The Evolution Conspiracy I spent months combing through scientific journals, popular magazines, and websites for leads and facts. Fortunately, as a librarian I enjoy research—otherwise I’d be bald from tearing out my hair! Once I finished the research, the really hard part started. I had to choose which information to use, which to save for volume 2 or 3 of The Evolution Conspiracy, and which to chuck. I could’ve written an encyclopedia-size book and still had information leftover.

Q: Do you want to convince everyone evolution is wrong?

A: No, I want to encourage people to make up their own minds. Don’t accept evolution is an irrefutable fact simply because someone with a PhD tells you so, especially if that person doesn’t tell you why. Look at the evidence for yourself, consider it, then decide. For many people the evidence can be confusing and overwhelming. That’s why I wrote The Evolution Conspiracy, to sweep away the jargon and give you clear explanations of the concepts and evidence.

Q: Aren’t creationists the only ones questioning evolution?

A: This is a myth propagated by many evolutionists. Opinion polls usually give respondents three or four answers to choose from, all variations on creationism or evolutionism. Thus everyone is forced to choose one or the other. Evolutionists love those polls because the results give them a great excuse to focus on the religion vs. science debate rather than the evidence.

The truth is more complex. Plenty of people—non-creationist Christians, people of other faiths, and folks with no particular faith—have doubts about evolution. I wrote The Evolution Conspiracy for everyone, whether creationist or atheist or something in between, who wonders about the solidity of the evidence for evolution.

Q: Don’t all scientists accept evolution?

A: Hardly. Just look at the scientists who read and commented on The Evolution Conspiracy. While it may be true that the majority of scientists accept evolution, even that statement doesn’t give you the whole picture.

A 1998 poll found that 40% of scientists believe in theistic evolution, a scenario where God plays a role. Because polls invariably ask if you believe in creationism or evolution, offering no other option, we may never know how many scientists doubt evolution but don’t agree with creationism. Even scientists who agree on the broad concept of evolution disagree over just about everything else, from the importance of natural selection to the definition of a species. To say all scientists agree glosses over the complexity of the issue.

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

A: I am not anti-evolution. I find the evidence unconvincing, therefore I don’t believe in evolution. I find the attitudes of many evolutionists unscientific, when they belittle anyone who disagrees with them and insist everyone must accept evolution.

If you disagree with them you get labeled anti-evolution, an evolution denier, and a creationist (in their minds creationist equals idiot). And those are just the words I can repeat in mixed company! In The Evolution Conspiracy I promote the premise that we can and should question the mainstream dogma when the evidence fails to support it.

Thank you for this interview Lisa. I wish you much success on your latest release, The Evolution Conspiracy!

The Saturday Night Murder -1996

Kizzy lies nude on her bed as she listens to the music. Briefly, her mind reviews the upsetting visitors of this day. She has tried her best to phone him. He never answered. Quickly, she erases the thoughts from her mind. She tries to relax her twitching body. The music is soft, soothing, the kind that would make you want to sleep. Yet, she cannot unwind enough to sleep. She is significantly nervous. The least small sound makes her jump.

Outside, she hears the clicking of light hot humid rain, not the soothing kind that cools the earth, as it beats upon the window glass. An occasional crack of lightning typical for a summer in Houston, Texas, startles her, jolting her nerves even more.

The pills will take effect at any time. She looks slowly around the room. As she takes the last sip of wine from the glass and rolls it around inside her mouth, she savors the taste, in retrospect to her first glass of wine . . . .

All these years later, she loves the pungent taste. She collects the clock from the floor and places it on the bedside table. The clock says ten forty-five p.m. While sighing, Kizzy welcomes the feeling of rest as it overwhelms her body. Filled with lightheadedness, nausea and weakness, she knows the pills are the reason for these feelings. Maybe she should not have taken so many. Yet she knows she needs the pills. She wants to fall sound asleep. She lies in the bed, barely able to see the ceiling from the dim lamplight beside her bed. Briefly, she observes the empty wine glass sitting on the bedside table, tasting the wine as she runs her tongue around the inside cheeks of her mouth. How she loves the pungent taste of wine.

When she lies on her back, tears run from her eyes, down to her ears and into the back of her hair. Yet she is not crying. She will not sob. Therefore, from where are these tears coming? Her nose is stuffy from the increased mucous caused by the tears. She tries to breathe through her nose, which is not possible. Gently, she parts her full lips to breathe and sucks in the air. She is not sad because she is finally in control.

Kizzy jumps as the CD player in the living room clicks off indicating the music is over. Only the sound of the rain pervades the air. As she looks around the room again, she listens to hear the silence. She is waiting for the pills to take effect, hoping they will establish unconsciousness. The pills are taking forever. Maybe the hot bubble bath will help. In the bathroom, she has the tub drawn and ready. Barely, she can sniff the vanilla candle as it perfumes the bathroom, the wonderful soothing smell overflowing into the bedroom through the open bathroom door. Briefly, the smell reminds her of a bowl of vanilla ice cream. She tries to take a deep breath of the scent, but cannot.

Suddenly, she hears the rattle of a doorknob turning, coming from the living room. Someone has entered her apartment through the locked door. As she musters the energy she has left, she stands beside the bed with terror filling her very being. Her legs are shaking. As she staggers and sways, she stiffens her legs, standing still. Her vision is becoming blurry. With overwhelming weakness, her paramount instinct is to call for help. Except for the intruder, she knows she is in the apartment alone. She wants to scream and talk this intruder out of doing this. Maybe she could stop this from happening. She tries, but she does not have the strength to call out. Her body is limp from the pills. Trepidation pervades her rapidly beating heart. Her heart flutters, making her even more lightheaded and dizzy. She tries to walk, to run, to move—something! She is frozen and cannot move. The telephone is in the living room. Kizzy has
always meant to have an extension phone installed in the bedroom. Whom would she call? Why is she thinking about this now? She cannot run to the phone in the living room. The intruder is in the living room. The pills have made her too weak. Besides, she knows the intruder will stop her before she can get to the telephone. She knows this intruder has come to kill her. She tries to speak, hoping to plead to stop this, but cannot utter a word. She looks toward the open bedroom door, her heart throbbing with the anticipation of the intruder’s entrance.

She can barely see him as he enters. She is afraid, really deep down afraid. Death has not seemed frightening, earlier, but now the actuality of death is terrifying to her. She tries to speak and cannot. She cannot form the words on her lips or in her throat. Clenched tightly shut, she cannot separate her teeth. The pills have left her defenseless. He towers over her. Kizzy’s green, emerald eyes stare upward, deeply, into his large, dark eyes. His eyes are cold, vacant. For a moment there is another sound. Kizzy moves her eyes focusing to look slightly around him. Behind him stands a woman. With her blurred vision, Kizzy cannot identify her. She does not seem familiar. Kizzy looks back in his eyes, trying to communicate with him through her eyes. He does not try to understand. Horror fills her eyes. He stares stolidly, looming over her, looking down in her eyes. She wants to run, but she knows she has nowhere to
run.

While he grabs her with one mighty arm, clenching her arm tightly beneath his large, gloved hand, he leans close to her, whispering, “I’m sorry.” In his large dark eyes, she can see the dread. With a deep grunt, he plunges the knife, with all his mighty force, deeply into her upper abdomen.

Desperately, Kizzy’s shaking hand clutches onto his gloved hand. Beneath their two hands, the knife pushes deeply into her flesh. She can feel the blade against her rib bone. By pushing toward him on his hand with her hand, she tries to inhibit the knife from plunging deeper. However, she is too weak to fight, and he is too strong for her to overcome. Beneath her hand, she can feel the handle of the knife under his hand. The pain is sharp, tearing, burning. Too late to stop death, a painful frown covers her face. She whimpers softly, but she cannot cry out or even speak. With tightly clenched teeth, she breathes rapidly from the desolation, sucking the air through her parted lips. Electricity from her silent suffering permeates the air, charging it with her pain. Looking deeper in her eyes, he twists the knife inside her, tearing and ripping her insides. The sharp pain travels straight through into her back. The misery intensifies, spreading throughout her back from her neck to her buttocks.

At first, she leans against him, using him to support her as she stands beside the bed. Her legs feel weaker. He stands against her strongly, not objecting, supporting her weight. Then, she collapses back upon the bed, lying on her back. She can barely see him in the dim lamplight. He stands over her holding the knife in his hand. Kizzy’s blood exudes from the knife onto the floor. Kizzy can feel the blood draining from her body. She can feel herself lying in her own blood. Through her stuffed nose, she can smell the strange freshness of her own blood. She feels colder.

Her eyes can barely see the ceiling above her bed through her truly blurred sight. She can feel the tears once again run from her eyes onto her cheeks and into her hair. Her breathing is shallow and rapid, as she fights to keep the breath inside her. She feels tired, weaker and weaker. She cannot move at all. He continues to stand over her, staring down at her. It becomes even harder to breathe, soon impossible. Gasping desperately for air as though to cheat death, she holds on to the last moment of life. She does not want to die. Kizzy wants to live. Her life starts flashing before her eyes.

Memories flood across her mind like the fast flicker of a movie projector. Briefly, she clears her mind of the memories. She clinches the sheets between her fingers and palms. Wetness from her own blood causes the sheets to stick to her hands. Opening her eyes widely, she tries to clear her blurred vision, grasping at the last sight of him—the last sight of her life. The killer does not move. He stares down at her, silently and shows limited remorse or emotion. Holding the knife in his gloved hand, it still drips with blood. He watches the increasing redness of the sheets and the wideness of her green eyes. Kizzy takes her last breath, a deep breath. With her green eyes wide open and her teeth still tightly clenched, she dies. Kizzy goes toward the light.

He lays the knife on the sheet beside her statuesque nude body. He grabs her body by the legs and pulls it off the bed onto the floor, face down. He stands over Kizzy, pausing briefly and admits that even in death, she is beautiful. Yes, she is so genuinely tantalizing. Enjoyably, he sucks in a deep breath of Kizzy’s fresh blood. He looks down at her drained body. He has forgotten about the woman standing quietly behind him. After opening the small pouch around his neck, he places the bloody knife inside.

From the pouch, he pulls out a large meat cleaver.

–Book Excerpt from Evolution of a Sad Woman by Gale Laure.  You can visit the author’s website at www.galelaure.com or purchase her book here.

Lynda McDaniel loves to get people fired up about writing. Whether she’s coaching, training, or writing books, she digs into her satchel of proven techniques and personal experiences to help them increase their confidence and catapult their creativity. As they work together, her clients can better access their own problem-solving and creative-thinking skills and draw from their strengths and stories—the ones that set them apart from the rest and help them excel at work.

In August 2009, Lynda published her latest book, Words at Work: Powerful business writing delivers increased sales, improved results and even a promotion or two. It draws on her lifetime of writing books, articles, and business documents with essays and instruction. More than how to dot Is and cross Ts, Words at Work teaches readers how to think big and write big. It explores how to mine their creativity and write their ideas in an organized and compelling way so that they can persuade, sell, teach, improve, guide, explain, change, contribute, motivate, praise, recommend, propose, and create.

Her next book is entitled Words at Work-Book. The companion to Words at Work, it takes readers deeper into the fundamentals of good writing. (Available fall 2009.) Too often today, business writing is like the literary equivalent of fast food: slapped together, full of fat, and hard to digest. Through interesting, short quizzes, and fun exercises, readers refresh their understanding of grammar, punctuation, and style. And by the time they finish Words at Work-Book, they’ll be ready to write letters that get results, documents that demand attention, and proposals that persuade.

In 2005, she created and produced Compelling Communications©, a series of business-writing seminars. Her coaching and seminar clients include the City of Seattle, Cutter & Buck, First Choice Health, Kroll Security, Seattle Chamber of Commerce, Seneca Real Estate Group, Sound Inpatients Physicians, T-Mobile, U.S. Small Business Administration, University of Puget Sound, University of Washington, and YMCA.

She brings bring more than 25 years of writing experience to her seminars, presentations and books. National companies I’ve written for include DuPont, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and Georgia Institute of Technology. Her long career as a journalist includes feature articles for magazines and newspapers such as Law & Politics, Associations Now, Southern Living, Country Living, Yoga Journal, University of Chicago Magazine, Atlanta Journal & Constitution, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, guideposts.com, andwashingtonpost.com.

Lynda spent years learning how to write and tell great stories, and she loves to share all the tools and tips she’s learned along the way. And she still writes, every day. She has an unflagging commitment to both the science and art of writing. www.lyndmcdaniel.com and www.lyndamcdaniel.com/blog.asp. Or www.afcbw.com

Q: Thank you for this interview, Lynda. Can you tell us what your latest book, Words at Work: Powerful business writing delivers increased sales, improved results, and even a promotion or two, is all about?

A: Words at Work shows everyone from C-level to entry level how to jump-start their writing—and results. Each chapter starts with a short essay from my life that illustrates a key issue about the writing process. (My clients kept telling me how much my life experiences inspired them.) The rest of the chapter includes detailed explanations and examples about that issue. Topics include: Listen to your gut, write for your readers, overcome your fears, copy great writers, tap into your creativity, tell stories, and most importantly, trust yourself.

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

A: Words at Work is a non-fiction book, though it is filled with interesting characters. It’s part memoir, part nuts-and-bolts of writing. This is my fifth non-fiction book, and it’s different from the others because the voice is all mine. As a reporter for 25+ years, I’ve mostly written in someone else’s voice—my editors’ or the publishers’. That’s what they hired me to do. But Words at Work comes completely from my head and my heart.

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

A: Words at Work was such a labor of love—the only hard part was finding the time and saving energy from all the magazine articles and writing teaching I was also doing. Fortunately, I kept hearing two messages from my coaching clients and seminar students that really spurred me on: 1. That my life experiences inspired them and 2. That I offered information they’d never gotten in school. I wanted to write Words at Work to share this message with a wider audience in the hopes of helping them achieve their goals.

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

A: I’ve already received some wonderful endorsements for Words at Work. People are surprised that it’s not a boring grammar book! They like the stories I tell—the kind of stories that introduce or reinforce an important concept in the readers’ minds. And they appreciate the hope and encouragement I offer. I’m pleased that Words at Work just won the top award in the National Best Books 2009 Awards in the category of writing/publishing. That really validates what I’m trying to say and how I said it.

Q: What is your daily writing routine?

A: I do my most creative writing in the mornings, before the day gets complicated, but I write all day, sometimes into the evening. I don’t often write late, though I know that’s an ideal time for some. Whatever your schedule, it’s important to do other things and let the mind rest. That’s one of the best ways to foster ideas and creativity.

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

A: I enjoy films—another form of storytelling. I love stories of all kinds. I also love dogs of all kinds, and I spend time walking my dog in parks and natural settings. And cooking. Just as I don’t like ho-hum writing, I don’t like boring meals.

Q: What book changed your life?

A: If You Want to Write: A Book about Art, Independence and Spirit by Brenda Ueland. More than any other book, this book inspired me to both honor my own creativity and learn how to improve upon it. Brenda is amazing. She lived earlier in the 20th century, but I use present tense because she still seems so alive. Her words jump off the page. I could hear her voice in my head as I wrote Words at Work—and I hope I succeeded in sharing the same kind of inspiration and encouragement with my readers.

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

A: Tall Tales: A life of telling stories

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

A: That I love sharing the fruits of my long career with others. Students in my seminars and coaching sessions tell me how inspired they are by my own journey with writing. I’ve learned a lot—often the hard way—and yet that actually encourages people. They see that obstacles can be worked through. That’s why they urged me to write Words at Work—to share these lessons with more people and help them achieve their goals.

In her latest book—Words at Work: Powerful business writing delivers increased sales, improved results, and even a promotion or two—Lynda McDaniel shares tools and techniques she developed over her long career as a writer and business writing coach.

Not taught in school

Words at Work helps fill in the gap between what’s taught in school and what’s needed on the job. Many topics covered in Words at Work are very different from those in most business writing books.

Like these five unique ways to improve business writing:

Eureka!—Tap into your creativity in just 10 minutes to improve your writing—and your career.

· Stories—Tell tales and keep your audience captivated. Stories appeal to our emotions, which is what makes us buy. Not selling anything? Think again. Everything we write is a sales piece.

· Projection—Pay attention to your thoughts about others—they’re telling you something important about your hopes, your dreams, and your writing.

· Deconstruction—Borrow from the best to make your writing better. Study the work of professional writers to learn how to make your own writing sing.

· Bad writers just stopped too soon—Edit in short, sharp bursts rather than one longer session. With each shorter session, your brain helps you find more mistakes and misstatements.

Step by step

Each chapter starts with a short essay from McDaniel’s life that illustrates a key issue about the writing process. The rest of the chapter includes detailed explanations and examples about that issue. Topics include:

· Listen to your gut

· Write for your readers

· Overcome the fear of starting

· Write fast first drafts

· Tap into your creativity

· Edit your way to success, to name a few

Joining us today is Avi Perry, author of the suspense thriller novel, 72 Virgins. Avi  grew up in Israel. As a teenager and throughout his college years, he was a professional musician. He financed his student life with numerous gigs, playing with his Israeli band, writing songs, playing the various keyboard instruments, and enjoying listening to his performances on the Israeli radio (there was no MTV in late 60s Israel). He still plays and writes music, but as a hobby (at home), rather than as a line of work. During the Six-Day-War in 1967, he served in the Israeli military, in the field intelligence unit, and gained valuable and relevant experience in covert communications technology and a variety of spy craft and methods.

He has spent the past four decades in the US, first as a Ph.D. student, then as a professor at Northwestern University, a Bell Laboratories – distinguished staff member, and finally as Vice President at NMS Communications. He signed for early retirement in 2004 with the intention of writing a technical book. The title Fundamentals of Voice Quality Engineering was published by Cambridge University Press in 2007 and became very popular. Readers praised the book for its thoroughness and for my refreshing, unique and entertaining writing style, atypical among technical writers. Throughout Avi’s tenure at NMS, he wrote many short (humor-packed, peppered with company culture) satires, technical reports, white papers (published on company website), press releases, and more.

One may find more information on his websites (www.aviperry.org and www.aviperry.com ).

Avi’s latest book 72 Virgins is built on life experiences that combine technology know-how, familiarity with spy craft and human intelligence (HUMINT), understanding of Middle Eastern cultures and history, a great sense of humor, and a talent for writing—all breathe authenticity into the setting.

Avi: 72 Virgins is a novel about Jihad terrorism and the security agencies’ struggle to thwart its stratagem and trounce the perpetrators. Abu Musa is an Islamic Terrorist with an agenda, a ticking bomb inside the US. Arik Golan is an Israeli who tries to bring him down and pull the plug on his terror organization. Stanley Cramer is an FBI agent on a hunting mission, seeking to place both Abu Musa and Arik within his crosshair. The FBI, the Israeli Foreign Intelligence Service—the Mossad, the US-based Iranian clandestine terror network, and the Islamic Jihad fraternity are engaged in a timeless conflict, playing out to a crescendo that comes to a head before the dramatic conclusion.

The book draws on current world events, politics, cultural divisions, international intrigue and religious fanaticism. It is masterly plotted, thrilling, captivating, replete with stealth, and above all, enlightening.

The story offers an ample dose of realism, a cast of intense characters who engage in love, lust, and violence. It portrays the Jihad culture with its rationale and the volcano that breeds an irrational obsession with death. Moreover, it builds on the Jihadists’ motivation for targeting so many innocents and exploiting the victims’ massacre as a stepping-stone to their dream of eternal paradise next to Allah’s throne.

The real question is not whether Jihad terrorists’ plots will ever cease to emerge – there is no chance of that. The question the book seeks to answer is—will the next one be stopped before it’s too late?

Avi: This is my first novel, but it’s not my first book. My first was a non-fiction book—Fundamentals of voice Quality Engineering in Wireless Networks, published by Cambridge University Press in 2007. The writing of a novel is very different from the writing of a reference book or a textbook. Although both types require extensive research, the writing of a thriller is much more fun.

Have you ever tried playing God? If not, then try your hand at the writing of a novel. You land at the perfect universe. You create it, you control it, you make people do things, say things that you would never do or say yourself. You can be politically incorrect by letting your opinions out through a particular character. You can deliver your point of view by way of a confrontational dialog, which you would always win. You can kill people, but then you can do something that even God does not do. You can change your mind and rewrite the scene.

And then, you sit and watch how people enjoy your creation. That’s where you gain most of your satisfaction. If your book reviews are favourable and complimentary, you would feel that you made it—at least half way.

Avi: Writer’s blocks do happen. It’s part of an inevitable process. The story hit a dead-end. You have no idea how to proceed. It seems as if the major conflict you originated as the driving force of your plot has just been resolved. There is nothing more you can add to spice up and move on the story. What do you do?

The only thing you can do is keep thinking. A new inspiration may jump at you during your morning shower, your midnight snooze, or in the course of a lonely game of freecell. A new twist, the initiation of a new conflict, the introduction of a new subplot may suddenly develop in your head. It may not be complete, but once you sit down and begin documenting it, spring may turn up once again, flowers will start blossoming and creativity will re-emerge.

Avi: When I Googled my name I discovered that fans were discussing my book on line. It’s the utmost feeling of gratification.

72 Virgins by Avi Perry (click on cover to order online)

Q: What is your daily writing routine?

A: I am passionate about my viewpoint. I am impatient with ignorant people who believe they know what they do not understand.

The story offers an ample dose of realism, a cast of intense characters who engage in love, lust, and violence. It portrays the Jihad culture with its rationale and the volcano that breeds an irrational obsession with death. Moreover, it builds on the Jihadists’ motivation for targeting so many innocents and exploiting the victims’ massacre as a stepping-stone to their dream of eternal paradise next to Allah’s throne.

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 Douglas W. Jacobson, author of the historical novel, Night of Flames.

Douglas W. Jacobson is an engineer, business owner and World War Two history enthusiast. Doug has traveled extensively in Europe researching stories of the courage of common people caught up in extraordinary circumstances. His debut novel, Night of Flames: A Novel of World War Two was published in 2007 by McBooks Press, and was released in paperback in 2008. Night of Flames won the “2007 Outstanding Achievement Award” from the Wisconsin Library association. Doug has also published articles on Belgium’s WW2 escape organization, the Comet Line and other European resistance organizations. Doug is finishing up his second historical novel set in Europe during WW2, focusing on one of history’s most notorious war crimes. Doug’s blog can be found at http://douglaswjacobson.blogspot.com.

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

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

This story of personal courage and determination to overcome enormous odds would give Tom the strength he needs to get off the island.

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?

Brittany would read about young women her age living in Belgium and Poland under Nazi occupation and despite constant danger and deprivation, found the courage to help other people they didn’t even know. These stories would give Brittany a different perspective on life.

You have a chance to appear on the hit talent show for authors, American Book Idol, with judges Simon Cowell, 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?

Without a doubt, the excerpt, because it is a story of fast-paced action and intrigue that would be absolutely perfect for a screenplay.

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 title would be “Courage” and the best retail stores would be bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and high end retailers like “Macys”

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?

The Bur Oak, because it can survive adverse conditions.

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?

As an author, you have to be willing to bow your own horn, and not be shy about getting out there and promoting. Although I doubt he’d have any problem with this.

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 thank the unlikely heroes of World War Two that inspired me to write the book, especially the young women in Belgium and Poland who put their lives on the line to rescue Allied soldiers that they didn’t even know. And then I’d thank my wife, Janie, for putting up with me during all this.

The Magic Warble (click on cover to purchase)

Bernovem

Afraid to make a move, Kristina lay curled up in the place where she had been dumped out. The laundry sack was gone. The pile of laundry had been replaced by a pile of leaves, and instead of the basement floor, it seemed to be grass. She cautiously poked her head out the pile of leaves and saw a lovely manicured garden. In the middle of it sat a small cottage made of stones and with a thatched roof. The garden itself was circular and along its perimeter was a dense forest. The weather was slightly cold, and the sky was overcast. A cold breeze blew by her and made her shiver. She felt very strange, being in the garden, and wondered if she was simply dreaming. If this is a dream, I sure hope it’s more exciting than yesterday, she thought.She suddenly heard the sound of whistling again, and when she poked her head out of the pile of leaves, she saw a man—or at least she thought it might be a man—coming around the corner of the cottage. He looked old, and he seemed to be even shorter than herself. He had a stout stature, distinctly sharp facial features, icy blue eyes, pointy ears, a long white beard, and silver hair. Upon his left shoulder he carried a large sack, and in his right hand he held a rake. He walked toward the pile of leaves, and Kristina ducked back down so he wouldn’t see her. He dumped out the large sack onto the pile of leaves, which brought another pile of leaves upon her head. Kristina tried not to move or make a sound.

Then the little man struck a match and was about to throw it on the pile of leaves, right where she was hiding, but she jumped out just before he did so yelling, “Wait! Please don’t throw that
match!”

The little man almost fell backwards. “What in our lady’s name is this?” he said, steadying himself.

“I didn’t mean to end up in your leaf pile,” Kristina said nervously, while backing away. “As a matter of fact, I have no idea how I got here.”

The little man walked closer to her, leaning forward slightly and holding the rake in front of him, as if to protect himself. He stared at Kristina as though he’d never seen anyone like her before.

“You may find this hard to believe,” Kristina said, “but I was only trying to retrieve a little silver ball.”

The little man’s eyes grew wide. “A little silver ball, you say.”

“Yes, Sir I…”

The little man seemed impatient. “Well, go on. Go on, spit it out.”

“My teacher, Miss Hensley, gave it to me on the last day of school. It was a Christmas gift,” Kristina continued.

The little man twirled his beard around one finger as he thought for a moment. Then he looked up at her and, seeming relieved, said, “Why, yes, of course! How soon I lose my memory.” He dropped his rake on the ground.

“I’m very sorry if I upset you,” Kristina said.

“No, no. No worries! Come with me to my cottage, and we’ll have a nice cup of tea. I could use a little break anyway. My back’s about killin’ me,” he said, stretching backwards.

He picked up his rake, and then put it down on top of a wheelbarrow that was nearby. Then he motioned for Kristina to follow him. Kristina wasn’t sure if she should trust him, but he seemed friendly enough, so she walked after him. When they arrived at the cottage, he pushed open the small wooden door, and they went inside. He took a lantern down from a hook on the wall and led the way into the front room. There was a fire burning in a fireplace, and it made the room—probably the living room—feel cozy and warm. Kristina noticed that everything in the room was smaller than normal.

“Come, child, sit down,” the little man said, pointing to a small couch. “Now, how about that cup of tea?”

“Oh, yes, please. I’m a little chilly and that would warm me up,” Kristina said.

The little man picked up a basket filled with tiny red flowers.

Then he took a big handful of them and dropped them into a black kettle that was sitting on top of the fire. As the flowers fell in, the water in the kettle spat out the top.

“Now, then, let’s discuss matters while we wait on our tea,” he said, sitting down in an armchair across from Kristina. “This little silver ball… do you have it with you?” he asked, while lighting a pipe.

“Yes, I have it in my pocket. Would you like to see it?” Kristina asked.

“Yes, but let me get the tea for us first.” He got up and poured tea into two cups and handed one to her. The tea was fluorescent red, and Kristina had to squint because of its brightness.

“I’ve never seen tea like this before. Its color is such a brilliant red,” Kristina said. She took a sip of it. “Yum, this is very good.

I would say it tastes like…” She paused for a moment and then continued. “Well, actually, I can’t describe it at all, but it is very delicious.”

“It’s fairy blossom, very hard to come by nowadays,” the little man said as he sat back down. He took a big puff off his pipe, then stuck out his knuckle-swollen hand and said, “The name’s
Rumalock.”

Kristina took hold of his hand and shook it. “I don’t mean to ask a silly question or seem rude, but are you a human?”

Rumalock chuckled and said, “No, I am what you would call a dwarf.”

“I’ve heard of dwarfs in fairy tales.” She looked a little embarrassed.

“I never thought they… or, I mean, you were real. I mean, no one I know of has ever met one,” she said, getting a little tongue-tied and turning red. “I hope that I’m not saying the wrong things.”

Rumalock chuckled again. “No need to feel bashful, my dear. I’m sure you don’t run into many dwarfs where you come from, and for that matter, I guess, I could say that I don’t get the chance
to meet many of your type either.”

Kristina took another sip of her tea and then said, “My name is Kristina.”

“Pleased to meet you, Kristina,” Rumalock said. “Now, should we take a look at this little ball?”

“Oh, yes, of course.” She took it out of her pocket and dropped it onto the palm of his hand. He held his eyeglasses with his other hand and peered down at it. He rolled it around and then clasped his hand tightly shut around it.

“Yup! It is the one,” he said. “This, my dear, is a very special day, to say the least.”

“Oh, why’s that?” Kristina asked, looking a little confused.

“This little ball is called the Magic Warble. It is what everyone in our land has been waiting for, for many years,” Rumalock said excitedly. Then, looking very serious, he narrowed his eyes.

“After it was given to you, did anyone else come into contact with it or even with anything that it was stored in?”

Kristina had to think for a moment and then answered, “Yes, three people, to be exact. Wait a minute, four, actually, if you include my pet rat, Raymond.” She started to count on her fingers.

“So it would be Graham Kepler, Hester Crumeful, Davina Pavey, Raymond, and, of course, me.”

“My, my, that many, and a rat also. I haven’t seen one of those little fellows in years. This could make matters very complicated,” Rumalock said.

“How so?” Kristina asked.

Rumalock placed the Magic Warble back in Kristina’s hand and said, “After the Magic Warble was given to you, whoever touched it or even anything it touched, like a container it may have been resting in, will be brought here.”

“Where is here?” Kristina asked.

“The place you are in, child, is called Bernovem,” Rumalock answered. He took another long drag of his pipe and blew out a large number of perfectly round smoke rings. Then he got out of his
chair, walked to the fireplace, and took a dusty book off the mantel.

“What is that?” Kristina asked.

“This, my dear, is the Book of Prophecy, and it is the only one in the whole land of Bernovem.” He opened it and ran his finger along the page. “Ah ha! Here it is, just as predicted: Kristina
Kingsly,” he said.

“Do you mean I’m in that book?” Kristina asked, getting up off the couch to take a look inside it.

Rumalock pointed his finger on the page. “Is your name Kristina Kingsly?” he asked, while glancing up at her through his round glasses.

“Yes,” she answered, looking puzzled. “But how come I’ve never heard of Bernovem?”

“Bernovem is a land very far from your land, or any other, as a matter of fact. It’s in a totally different galaxy than where you are from. You see, child, you have been brought here by the Magic Warble to deliver it to its resting place.”

Kristina’s face went pale.

“Is something the matter?” Rumalock asked her.

“I’m just worried that I won’t know where to bring it,” Kristina said.

“I thought you might feel that way. I must tell you that I can’t promise you that your journey will be a smooth one, but if you trust that the Magic Warble will lead you to where it needs to go,
you should be fine. And besides, you might even get some help along the way.”

Kristina looked back into the book. “Why are so many of the pages blank?” she asked.

“Oh that’s because the prophecies in this book will only appear on the pages a few minutes before they actually come to pass. Look here—it says, ‘Kristina’s scrape on her arm was healed.’”

“How could that be? The scrape is right here on my arm. It couldn’t possibly heal within a few minutes,” she said, showing him the scrape she had gotten from falling on the icy sidewalk the morning before.

“Ah! But are you sure? Give me your arm.” Rumalock said.

Kristina stretched her arm out, and Rumalock poured a few drops of his tea onto her scrape.

“Ouch! What are you doing? That’s very hot!” she said, shaking her arm to relieve the pain.

“Take a look at your scrape now,” Rumalock said excitedly.

“It’s gone!”

“That’s right! The tea is also magic.”

“This is all so cool,” Kristina said excitedly.

“Yes, yes, I suppose you could say that,” Rumalock said as he placed the Book of Prophecy back on the mantel. “Now, child, you look hungry. How about a nice warm meal?”

“I’d like that very much,” Kristina said.

Kristina ate a delicious meal of cheese, brown bread, boiled potatoes, and the best chocolate cake she had ever tasted. Afterward, while sitting by the crackling fire, she still could hardly believe
where she was or how she had gotten there, but she was much too sleepy to figure it out. She took the Magic Warble out of her pocket to take another look at it, and when she stared down at it; her sleepy eyes suddenly grew two sizes bigger.

“The Magic Warble! Its color has changed. It used to be tarnished silver, but now it is light purple,” she said.

“Yes, of course, Kristina, it is all part of its journey,” Rumalock said. He sat across from her in his armchair, smoking his pipe.

“All part of the journey?” Kristina repeated, yawning. Her eyes grew so heavy that she couldn’t keep them open any longer. Once she fell asleep, Rumalock got up, and placed a warm woolen blanket over her. Then he blew out his lantern and left the room.

–Book excerpt from The Magic Warble by Victoria Simcox. You can visit the author’s website at www.themagicwarble.com