|
Welcome to Three Questions with Van Heerling. This is where you get to meet authors, actors, painters and anyone else that is bent toward the arts, but on a more personal level. Today I would like to welcome a special guest. Paul Rega author of How To Find A Job: When There Are No Jobs, 2012 Edition. VH: Happy to have you here Paul. Let's get started. For what are you grateful? PR: What instantly comes to mind with this question and the reason I choose to answer it first is a time when I was sitting at my Grandmother’s bedside while she waited for a doctor to appear. Anyone that has ever been to a hospital, knows that this can be a long wait. She had fallen and it was suspected that she broke her hip, a common occurrence with older folks. I had always made an effort to get to know my grandparents usually spending time with them on my visits home from college. This time was different though, as she was in a great deal of pain and I feared she may die. I wanted to know more about this woman I had called “Grandma,” my entire life. As we talked, a question came to me, a simple question really but an important one. I asked her, “Grandma, what is the most important thing in life?” Without any hesitation, she responded, “Your health, Little Paul.” That’s what they used to call me back then as my father was “Big Paul.” Well, at that moment, I realized that my Grandmother was a person and not just some place we went to on holidays. I had learned something profound and I carry that idea with me every day as I strive to stay in the best condition possible. VH: If you could change one thing about our world, what would it be and why? PR: The wars across the globe have always bothered me as most seem senseless and cause undue hardship and death to millions. I can understand if you are attacked that you need to defend yourself with all of your might and will. But to start a war in an effort to conquer another is irresponsible in my view and unfortunately it keeps happening. It may just be a product of who we are as a species. Being that I am part German and Italian, my ancestors were certainly to blame as the Germans started the last two world wars and we all know what the Romans did. So, my answer is pretty straight forward, I would want to cease the starting of all wars and our world would be a better place for all who live here. VH: At what age were you the happiest? What triggered such joy? PR: I had just turned 15 years old in August of 1972. I was on a trip with my Boy Scout Troop where we rode our bicycles from our hometown of Wood Dale, Illinois to Jacksonville Florida. At the time it was a historic trip as it was hailed as the longest bike hike in Boy Scout history. There were no helmets then, and all we were armed with in addition to our new Sears Free Spirit ten-speeds, were our unique set of values we had learned as children during the early 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. When we completed our trip on August 20, It was an irreplaceable moment of time. The fact that we successfully completed our trip of nearly 1,400 miles was a euphoric feeling like no other I have since experienced. The trip is the subject of a new novel I am currently writing that should be released in approximately three months. My current book, titled, “How To Find A Job: When There Are No jobs” 2012 Edition has risen to the top of Amazon’s charts and recently hit the #1 position in Job Hunting and Career Books, surpassing the iconic “What Color is Your Parachute,” now in its 40th edition! My book in now available at Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/How-Find-Job-Competitive-ebook/dp/B0056PFONW Please check it out. VH: Paul I am half way through your book and looking forward to finishing it. I thank you for stopping by. I am sure we will chat again soon.  
158 Comments
Welcome to Three Questions with Van Heerling. This is where you get to meet authors, actors, painters and anyone else that is bent toward the arts, but on a more personal level. Today I welcome Victoria Washuk, editor of World War II London Blitz Diary (A Woman's Revelations Enduring War and Marriage) (1939-1940). The World War II London Blitz Diary consists of four volumes. VH: Hello Victoria, if you could go back in time to when you were seven years old, what wisdom or advice would you pass on to yourself? VW: If I could be seven again, I would tell myself to stop worrying, things have a way of working out o.k. I would also tell myself that it is not important what people think about you, you do not have to follow the crowd. Be passionate, follow what you love. Be kind to others. Have confidence in your abilities and don't doubt yourself. Most of all have fun, enjoy every day and go for it. VH: For what are you grateful? VW: I am grateful for every opportunity I have been given. I love life and my husband and three daughters who are all very happy and successful. I am grateful for my parents allowing me to believe I could be or do anything I wanted. I have awesome friends. I am grateful to live in this country. VH: After a difficult day what do you do to recuperate? Does it work? VW: After a difficult day I come home, talk to who ever is around and then drink several glasses of wine! It works marvelously. VH: I think you and my mother would get along wonderfully. She has been known to squeeze a grape or two as well. Your series looks intriguing. Thank you Victoria.   Victoria Aldridge Washuk *Great Granddaughter of Ruby Alice Thompson Side *Received a B.A. in Psychology from Fairfield University *Currently working in the financial services field *Married and Mother of three daughters. I inherited a set of 43 diaries that span from 1909 – 1969. They were given to my grandmother Ruth Ferris Thompson and she passed them down to me. I started re-reading the World War ll journals and found them extremely worthy of note on many levels. I realized how little I knew about the events surrounding World War ll and what the Londoner’s in particular had to endure. These journals are a combination of the historical and the exceptionally personal. I thought that others may also find them intriguing and started a blog. In doing so I received reactions from people from around the world and this inspired me to publish them in print and eBook for all to enjoy. Need More Victoria Washuk?
Amazon page Profile page Blog Welcome to Three Questions with Van Heerling. This is where you get to meet authors, actors, painters and anyone else that is bent toward the arts, but on a more personal level. My guest today is Madison Johns, author of Armed and Outrageous: An Agnes Barton Mystery and Coffin Tales Season of Death. VH: Hi Madison, I must say before we start that I love your name. Okay, let's get to it. For what are you grateful? MJ: I'm grateful for my amazing family who I love so very much, even though I say some real crazy things sometimes. My schedule is just nuts! I'm grateful for everyone on Facebook, many of whom stop by every morning to say good morning back even though they are from Australia and it's nowhere near morning there. I'm thankful for all my writer friends who I chat with daily. I'm amazed at how talented you all are. If not for all the encouragement you give me I'd be nowhere today. I'm so very grateful and can never say thank you enough. When I started project smiles and toted on about being positive, I had no idea so many people would respond the way they have. I think smiles are very contagious, and of course, saying thank you goes a long way. VH: What is the worst advice you have ever given someone? How did it work out? MJ: I have told someone that was single that he or she would find the right person or told someone that was down things would get better. I think it sounds good, but it's not good advice for the person. I know now that is the worst thing you can say. When you're single and can't find the right person, you hate it when people say so sweetly, "You'll find the right person." You kinda want to choke them. They don't know how you feel, nobody knows how you really "feel," how can they? I found this out the hard way when I was single. Same thing goes with telling someone that is depressed or down that things will get better. What if they don't? There is nowhere to go from there. I have learned to listen more. Sometimes all a person really needs is for someone to listen to them, unless you can share similar feelings. I will encourage anyone to find something they really enjoy and focus on that, it works for other writers at least. VH: Yes, I agree sometimes listening can go a long way. Lastly and on a lighter note, if a zombie virus took over the world, how many days do you think you could last before you were infected? And what would you do to postpone the inevitable? MJ: I work at a hospital, and I'm exposed to many contagious diseases already and have yet to catch a cold. The way I'm thinking is that I'm immune to a point unless I get bit, right? So I figure I'm not going anywhere near the hospital! Now that might sound bad to you, but that's the first place an outbreak will occur. Haven't you watched a zombie movie before? Hospital. Dead. I'm not going into any alleys either. Come to think about it I don't think we have any in town. I don't own a gun so I think I'll use cane or walker for protection, it sure works like a weapon at the nursing home I worked at. VH: Canes and walkers are all fair game. I'll definitely take your advice about staying away from hospitals. It's been great fun Madison. Thank you.  Armed and Outrageous Agnes Barton is not your typical senior citizen living in Tadium, MI, on the shores of Lake Huron. She drives a red hot Mustang, shops at Victoria's Secret, rankles local police officials, and has a knack for sticking her nose where it doesn't belong. What does a murder that happened forty-three years ago have to do with missing tourist Jennifer Martin? Agnes makes it her personal mission to find out, and she's not letting the fact she's seventy-two get in the way. Butting heads with Sheriff Clem Peterson is something she's accustomed to, but lately Clem seems to be acting even more strange, making Agnes wonder what he may be hiding ala the Martin disappearance. Agnes’ partner in crime, Eleanor Mason tags along, Watson to her Holmes. Together, they unearth clues. If only Eleanor would behave, as although lovable, she has a knack for getting into trouble by tangling with her rival, Dorothy Alton, or flirting with anyone—male or female—and gossiping! She's incorrigible, but she does carry a Pink Lady revolver in her purse, one that has proved useful at times. Life for Agnes and Eleanor are shaken up when Agnes' former boss and secret crush comes to Tadium. Before long, the lady sleuths have more on their hands to content with as goons roll into town and bullets begin to fly.  Coffin Tales Season of Death Two twisted tales of terror! Curiosity gets the better of Travis and Willie, and they can't help but want to know what creepy Old Man Johnson is doing this year. Fifty years ago four children disappeared, rumored, from the Johnson farm. Mr. Johnson always had the scariest Jack-o'-lanterns every year, and they can't help but wonder how he portrays the images so graphically. Hanover, Illinois, had always been blessed with bountiful crops, but it also attracts hordes of crows. Hell Crow is a legend in this town, but as the equinox approaches—Bobby Sue scrambles to rally the towns people to help build a scarecrow before it's too late! 
Welcome to Three Questions with Van Heerling. This is where you get to meet authors, actors, painters and anyone else that is bent toward the arts, but on a more personal level. My guest today is Dale Phillips, author of A Memory of Grief, A Fall From Grace and many other works. DP: Howdy, folks. VH: Hi Dale. If you could change one thing about our world, what would it be and why? The most important thing to change about our world is our propensity to do violence to our fellow humans. I just don't get why we still feel the need to hurt and kill people. It's a big theme in much of my writing. Life's tough enough without us helping others (or ourselves) to a premature demise. Just think what we could accomplish--and how sweet life would be for all--if we just helped each other, instead of fighting and killing. Seems like we haven't evolved much in the last few thousand years. We seem to be not far removed from vicious, half-crazy chimps. (Cue scene from the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, with apelike creature bashing a bone on the skull of another of its kind.) Imagine the marvel of picking up the morning newspaper and reading that there were no killings or wars in the world--anywhere--on the previous day. VH: Amen. For what are you grateful? DP: Oh, so much. I'm lucky enough to know how good we've got it. Have seen horrible poverty and conditions, and know that we are the most privileged, fortunate populace of all time. I practice an "Attitude of Gratitude," and each day write down five things I'm grateful for. Being alive, my happy healthy family, having a decent job that meets our needs, being able and willing to help others, and having my Life Mission of writing, of pouring forth stories that do more than entertain. If you focus on the things that are good in your life, you'll do a lot better than complaining and dwelling on the petty things that don't matter. Fill your consciousness with what's going right, and you'll enjoy life a lot more. VH: I couldn't agree more. And lastly, if a zombie virus took over the world, how many days do you think you could last before you were infected? DP: And what would you do to postpone the inevitable? Hah! The secret to surviving zombie attacks is proper armor and weaponry, supplies, and perimeter defense, so I'd do well. I've been in a Medieval re-enactment group, where we use chain mail and 16-gauge steel plate-- and I know where to get those in a hurry. Zombies cannot bite through metal. Plus I can use any type of sword, and other weapons that are much better than guns against the brain-eaters. They're also silent, reusable, and don't run out of ammo at critical times. Then you need good perimeter defenses, and I can rig some dandies in a pinch. So in the time of the big zombie apocalypse, come to my camp. Life will be good. And we'll be hearing great stories, too... VH: When the zombies are on the come, you will be the first person I call. Thank you Dale.  A Memory of Grief (Zack Taylor Series) Troubled ex-con Zack Taylor is haunted by the accidental death of his brother years before. Zack's guilt and anger have pushed him into a shadowy, wandering life, with little purpose and few attachments. When he hears of the death of his close friend Ben Sterling, a supposed gunshot suicide, Zack finds he now has a purpose-- to find out what happened. Then his purpose becomes an obsession. Zack goes to Maine, where Ben died, and is a fish out of water, with no connections, no information, and no credibility. People don't want to talk about Ben's death, so Zack gets ever more frustrated, making enemies, getting into fights, and breaking the law in his search for the truth. The only bright spot seems the potential for a relationship with a sympathetic nurse-- if he can control his violent streak. To draw out the killers, Zack offers himself as bait. But without a gun, he must rely on his wits and his physical skills to survive a dangerous game of drugs and death. Though managing a measure of justice, Zack is changed in the process, and must learn to live in a very different world.  A Fall From Grace (Zack Taylor Series) When a single mother is wrongly accused of murder, Zack Taylor must work to clear her name. Not an easy task, as everyone in the Maine town of Mill Springs thinks she's guilty. Zack finds, however, plenty of people who wanted the victim dead. He discovers that when small-town politics mix with big-time ambition, the combination can be lethal. A Fall From Grace cascades like a growing avalanche, through revenge, greed, illicit sex, corruption, murder, and the difficult choices that must be made to go on living. There are those who do the right thing, and those who choose to commit desperate, horrible acts. As the events around him spiral out of control, Zack begins to do the same.  Author bio:
With two novels and six story collections published, I've also published over 20 short stories, poetry, and a non-fiction career e-book, How to Improve Your Interviewing Skills. I've appeared on stage, television, and in an independent feature film, Throg. I competed on two nationally televised quiz shows, Jeopardy and Think Twice. I co-wrote and acted in The Nine, available at www.Libertynewstv.com. I've traveled to all 50 states, Mexico, Canada, and through Europe. Welcome to Three Questions with Van Heerling. This is where you get to meet authors, actors, painters and anyone else that is bent toward the arts, but on a more personal level. Today I welcome Melissa Keir, author of Forever Love, Second Time’s the Charm and Beach Desires. VH: Hello Melissa. If you had two years left to live from this moment, what would you change about your life starting tomorrow? MK: First of all, I would quit working as a teacher. I would want to spend my time enjoying my remaining days and visiting with family and friends. Secondly, I wouldn’t worry about working out or what I ate so much. What would be the point? And finally, I would probably try to write about my experience so that others can learn to enjoy life and have no regrets in the end. VH: What is the number one lie you tell yourself? How is that working out? MK: The number one lie that I tell myself is that I’m going to work out today. Of course when you have children, your body changes. I get that…nice birthing hips and all. But the cure for that is exercise. Then I get home from my day job as an elementary teacher where I’ve been entertaining and educating thirty-nine students, only to have to make dinner and do laundry…well, I just don’t have the energy! As you can see, I’m not getting in to the gym anytime soon. So it looks like I should change my lie to I’ll work out when summer comes! VH: Looking at America, myself included, I don't think you are alone in this fib. What is the worst advice you have ever given someone? How did it work out? MK: The worst advice I ever gave someone was my old next-door neighbors. They had a hot-tub and wanted to find a way to use less chemicals in their tub. With my hot-tub we used specially recommended chemicals from the company that broke down into water so it never bothered our skin or eyes. They liked what they heard and bought the chemicals for use in their tub only to have it eat the fake marble off. It totally ruined their tub. I felt so bad. It was a good thing I moved away. :) VH: That is quite a pickle indeed. Here's a thought, if the chemicals can damage the fake marble to that extent, what about your skin! Sure those chemicals are safe until you lose all your hair! Just kidding, I hope! Thank you Melissa. Wonderful to meet you.  Forever Love is a part of the Love, Again Anthology When Syndie Wilder returns to Amherst, Ohio, she comes back to take care of her ailing father and doesn’t expect to run into the childhood friend who dumped her in high school. When fate causes the two to meet, sparks fly again. But will a childhood friendship turn into a forever love?  Second Time’s the Charm How does a middle aged, divorcee with two children find her way back to love after a devastating divorce leaves her with no self confidence and no faith in love? Lissa's ex-husband has shredded her self-esteem so she's thrown herself into her children and her work, leaving time for nothing else. When an life threatening illness in her best friend's family puts Lissa on the path to romance, Lissa finds new love in a most unexpected way--and introduced by her new guy's ex-wife. Who knew that first time loves could lead to second chances?  Beach Desires Can a summer fling last a lifetime? Stacey Wilder escapes to the beach for a much needed vacation and meets a woman who tempts her passion. But Stacey hid her desires growing up because small town Catholic girls don’t fall in love with other women. Mandy Kenzie is a Southern girl who also dealt with discrimination growing up over her choice of lovers. When she meets Stacey, sparks fly and passion ignites. But will their beach fling become a forever match or just a vacation affair? Can Stacey and Mandy make their long distance relationship work? Or will they let the prejudices of their upbringing ruin their chance at happiness?  Melissa Keir has always wanted to be an author when she wasn’t hoping for a career as a race car driver. Her love of books was instilled by her mother and grandparents who were avid readers. She’d often sneak books away from them so that she could fantasize about those strong alpha males and plucky heroines. In middle school and high school, Melissa used to write sappy love poems and shared them with her friends and still has those poems today! In college her writing changed to sarcastic musings on life as well as poems with a modern twist on fairy tales and won awards for her writing. You can find many of these musings along with her latest releases on her website and blog.
As a writer, Melissa likes to keep current on topics of interest in the world of writing. She’s a member of the Romance Writers of America and is always interested in improving her writing through classes and seminars. Her current projects include her books, Forever Love in the “Love, Again” anthology, SecondTime’s the Charm, and Beach Desires. In June, she has a new release at Rebel Ink Press titled Protecting His Wolfe. She guarantees that she isn’t done yet. Melissa doesn’t believe in down time. She’s always keeping busy. Melissa is a wife and mother, an elementary school teacher, a book reviewer, an editor for a publishing company as well as an author. Her home blends two families and is a lot like the Brady Bunch--without Alice--a large grocery bill, tons of dirty dishes and a mound of laundry. She loves to write stories that feature happy endings and is often seen plotting her next story. Melissa loves hearing from readers! Welcome to Three Questions with Van Heerling. This is where you get to meet authors, actors, painters and anyone else that is bent toward the arts, but on a more personal level. Today I welcome Russell Blake author of a multitude of works: Fatal Exchange, The Geronimo Breach, Zero Sum, The Delphi Chronicle trilogy, The Voynich Cypher, Night of the Assassin, King of Swords, Revenge of the Assassin, Return of the Assassin, An Angel With Fur, and How To Sell A Gazillion eBooks In No Time (even if drunk, high or incarcerated). Let's jump in. VH: If you could change one thing about our world, what would it be and why? RB: I would make the world fair. The talented would succeed, the hard working would flourish, good would prevail over evil, bad men would fail and be brought to justice while good ones ran things to everyone's mutual benefit, governments would be small and work for the people instead of commandeering the fruits of their labor, a life of moderation and good choices would guarantee longevity, might would not make right, love would find a way, we would get the one more chance we deserve, apathy would be despised instead of nourished, honesty would be the preferred ethic, a life well lived would be its own reward, and dogs and cats would live as long as we do. VH: I do believe I would like to live in your world Russell. Especially if our four-legged friends had our longevity. If you knew the exact date of your death down to the minute, what would you change about your life starting tomorrow? RB: The exact date of my death down to the minute. VH: You are wise beyond your years. For what are you grateful? RB: For the chance to reinvent myself multiple times in my life. I've been extremely fortunate to have had a number of extraordinary careers and avocations, the likes of which would make a reasonable book. These were driven by a naive belief that anything was possible if I tried hard enough, as well as a conviction that education was a lifelong endeavor I was responsible for acquiring for myself, from books, as well as experientially. I've been lucky enough to stand on stage in front of thousands and be cheered, been celebrated as a pundit and castigated as a fool, been rich and poor (both of my own making), loved and lost, danced for joy and to numb pain, and survived long enough for the worst of my scars to masquerade as a kind of wisdom. And now, I've had the chance to reinvent myself yet again, this time as an author, with the opportunity to reach others with my contrivances while enjoying creative fulfillment, plying a craft which will never cease to pose a challenge - one which you never fully master and that demands constant application. That's a kind of gift from the universe. For me, the perfect gift. VH: Thank you Russell, I've said it once and I'll say it again. I want to be like you one day.  Fatal Exchange Fatal Exchange chronicles the story of Tess Gideon, a female Manhattan bike messenger with an appetite for the wild side, who becomes embroiled in a rogue nation's Byzantine scheme to destabilize the U.S. financial system. From the sweltering streets of Seoul to the sex-and-drug-driven underbelly of Greenwich Village, attempts at silencing a leak in an international counterfeiting operation leave a trail of butchery that leads inevitably to Wall Street, pitting a counter-culture heroine against a ruthless state-sponsored assassination team that will stop at nothing to achieve its lethal ends. As the body count climbs, Tess is assisted by a homicide detective tracking a brutal serial killer whose ritualistic cycle of murder and mutilation targeting bike messengers is escalating to fever pitch. Tess's battle to survive propels her into a deadly underworld where she must become judge & executioner, challenging her core beliefs about morality, justice & love. Fatal Exchange is a genre-melding race that's sure to delight readers searching for an exciting new author in the action/intrigue realm.  The Geronimo Breach The Geronimo Breach is a breakneck-paced thrill ride that pits the world's most unlikely protagonist against the deadliest adversaries on the planet. From the corridors of Langley to the sweltering jungles of Panama, from the hills of Pakistan to the cocaine trails of Colombia, a clandestine scheme to preserve a terrible secret goes horribly awry, plunging a reluctant hero down a deadly rabbit hole of deceit and betrayal, while raising disturbing questions about the media, the war on terror & its linkage with the war on drugs, & the nature of reality in an age of sound-bites and photo ops. Albert Ross is a malingering misanthrope - a boozing, chain smoking philanderer; shifty, lazy, cowardly, going to fat, & more prone to doing the wrong thing than any man alive. His purgatorial existence working for the State Department in Panama gets shattered when a routine errand becomes a race against the clock, battling adversaries for whom no price is too high to protect a secret that could topple the world order. As the body count climbs in a struggle without rules, Al must face his own demons, as well as the myriad very real ones intent upon destroying him. The unexpectedly shattering conclusion of this richly drawn thriller is both topical & chillingly plausible, making for a roller-coaster action/adventure without parallel.  Zero Sum The Zero Sum trilogy of serial Wall Street thrillers grouped into a single volume. --- Present Day Wall Street. Where intelligence agencies and the financial industry are strange bedfellows, and the two worlds are often intertwined in disturbing ways. In this chillingly plausible scenario of a military/industrial/financial complex run amok, Zero Sum pits Dr. Steven Archer Cross against powerful financier Nicholas Griffen in a conflict that raises troubling questions about our markets and our government. Racing against the clock in a chase that spans continents, one man's battle to expose the Machiavellian machinations of a ruthless Wall Street marauder forces him into a financial jungle populated by every variety of unscrupulous sociopath - rogue intelligence agencies, Russian mafia oligarchs, drug cartels, and terrorist networks. As a white-collar game of chess transitions into a lethal real world cage-fight, Steven finds himself in a deadly showdown, where hunters can quickly become the hunted, and blood is the ultimate currency.  The Delphi Chronicle The Delphi Chronicle is a serial trilogy - a story that unfolds over three installments. This bundle of book 2 & 3 chronicles the saga of NY private eye Michael Derrigan, as he unwittingly comes into possession of a manuscript that will change the world order if its secrets are aired. Clandestine factions of the U.S. government will do anything to keep the story buried, & a trail of butchery follows Derrigan as he races for his life in a chase that takes him from New York, to Mexico, to Havana. An epic roller-coaster ride of a thriller, The Delphi Chronicle's unflinching & often disturbing twists and turns question the nature of reality & of the integrity of our governments in a post-modern world of lies, deceit & betrayal.  The Voynich Cypher When a sacred relic is stolen from its subterranean guarded vault, Dr. Steven Cross, amateur cryptographer, becomes embroiled in a deadly quest to decipher one of history's most enigmatic documents - a 15th century parchment written entirely in unbreakable code; The Voynich Manuscript. Stalked by secret societies, and aided by the daughter of a murdered colleague, a trail of riddles catapults Cross from England to Italy to the Middle East, where a Byzantine web of ancient secrets leads him to a revelation so profound it will change the world order.  Night of the Assassin Night of the Assassin is the gritty, edge-of-your seat prequel to King of Swords. A no-holds-barred, breakneck-paced thriller, Night of the Assassin charts the early years of El Rey - the King of Swords - a super-assassin responsible for some of the world's most spectacular and daring executions. Framed against the backdrop of present-day Mexico's brutal narco-trafficking violence, Night of the Assassin chronicles the making of a monster - a cold-blooded, ruthless killing machine. Raw, disturbing, edgy and unflinching, this epic saga defies convention to create a roller-coaster of intrigue, suspense and thrills that will leave even the most jaded thriller aficionados gasping for breath.  King of Swords King of Swords is an epic assassination thriller framed against a gritty backdrop of brutal drug cartel violence in modern Mexico. The G-20 Financial Summit is planned for San Jose Del Cabo. The world's pre-eminent finance ministers will attend, along with the presidents of the U.S. and Mexico. Captain Romero Cruz of the Mexican Federal Police uncovers an assassination plot against the attendees. In a roller-coaster race against the clock, Cruz must track and stop El Rey, the "King of Swords" – a faceless super-assassin responsible for a string of the world's most spectacular killings, before he turns the G-20 into a slaughterhouse. King of Swords is an intelligent, rule-breaking rush that shatters convention to create a richly-drawn story that's sure to shock and delight even the most jaded intrigue/adventure thriller fans.  Revenge of the Assassin Revenge of the Assassin is the breakneck-paced sequel to the bestselling international thriller King of Swords. When El Rey, the super assassin responsible for Latin America's most spectacular hits, returns to Mexico for one final sanction, the race is on for Captain Romero Cruz of the Federales to stop him before he can fulfill his contract to kill the president. Revenge will delight fans of King of Swords, and offers the same gritty, unpredictable ride of thrills, twists and surprises before arriving at a conclusion that is sure to leave readers gasping.  Return of the Assassin Return of the Assassin is the shocking continuation of the saga of El Rey, the notorious Mexican cartel super-assassin whose legacy of impossible kills has earned him the reputation as the most lethally effective hit man in the world. Faced with impossible choices as he races against time, El Rey must return to a cartel underworld where the smallest slip means instant death, on a suicide mission to save the life of a young woman whose escape and survival is inexorably linked to his own.  Author Bio
Russell Blake is the author of Fatal Exchange, The Geronimo Breach, Zero Sum, The Delphi Chronicle trilogy, The Voynich Cypher, Night of the Assassin, King of Swords, Revenge of the Assassin, Return of the Assassin, An Angel With Fur, and How To Sell A Gazillion eBooks In No Time (even if drunk, high or incarcerated). He lives on the Pacific coast of Mexico, where he enjoys drinking and collecting tequila, playing with his dogs, writing, boating, and battling world domination by clowns. Welcome to Three Questions with Van Heerling. This is where you get to meet authors, actors, painters and anyone else that is bent toward the arts, but on a more personal level. Today I welcome Darlene Jones author of Embattled and Empowered. She is not only an author but a world traveler as well. VH: Darlene, if you could change one thing about our world, what would it be and why? DJ: Oh man! I thought I’d write a book to answer this question. One book became four and now you want me to answer it in one paragraph? There are so many things that need changing. Equal distribution of wealth, excellent education for all, an end to religious and tribal enmity, no more drug use and abuse … This list could go on and on, but if you’re going to restrict me to one thing, I have to say I would like to see an end to all wars and armed conflicts. So much blood shed for what purpose? Do I think it’s possible to stop war? Pessimistically, no. Realistically, no. But wouldn’t it be nice? And, Van, don’t get the idea, by this answer, that my books are heavy and dismal. They do deal with war, but they have adventure, a few fight scenes, humor and love stories too. VH: "Heavy and dismal," oh I know these well. No judgments Darlene. At what age were you the happiest? What triggered such joy? DJ: I’m happiest now. I’m retired and I’ve discovered that after building a career and raising children, I can now put myself first. That’s not as selfish as it sounds. It just means no alarm clocks, ample time for writing, and best of all time to devote to my granddaughter. Raising my own kids I was too busy working and worrying about money and too tired to truly appreciate all that a child goes through. Now I have the life experience and time to focus on my granddaughter I can fully appreciate the developmental processes she is going through. VH: What is the number one lie you tell yourself? How is that working out? DJ: That I can stay away from chocolate and it’s not working well. I’m a chocoholic. If I buy it, I eat it. I can leave pastry, hard candy, cookies (unless they have chocolate in them), pies, and cakes alone. In fact they can sit in the house for weeks, but chocolate? Even the tiniest morsel hidden in the back cupboard will find me (or I’ll find it). The only solution is to not have chocolate in the house at all, but that’s torture of the cruelest sort. VH: Yeah, I understand chocolate issues. I am working on them myself. We probably go to the same meeting. "Hello, my name is Van and I am a chocoholic ..."    About The Author
Suffering from insomnia, I tried telling stories to put myself to sleep. They didn’t work. When I mentioned this to a writer friend, he said, “Well then, you’ve done all the prewriting. Now you’re ready to write.” And so I did. Most of my first novel was written on yellow post-it notes when I was sitting at red lights, or couldn’t sleep. Where did the story itself come from? A long time ago, I lived in Mali. Every single day, I wished I could wave a magic wand to relieve the heart wrenching poverty. Some aspects of EMBATTLED reflect my desire to wave that wand and make the world a better place—if only wishes could come true. And of course, every novel needs its love story, so along with the sci-fi magic, I’ve added the requisite romance. Why did I write four books when I only intended one? The story got away on me. Characters took on a life of their own and I have to admit I didn’t want to give them up. One book grew to four which will have the “happy ever after” ending. I think. EMBATTLED – a woman’s life is taken over by beings from “out there somewhere.” Problem is the being assigned to Earth is a rookie. Of course he messes up. EMPOWERED – Jasmine is convinced she’s invincible and has a special task to make the world a better place. The visions told her so. But, who is the woman in her visions? And will following those vision lead to love, to danger, to …? EMBRACED – coming soon – Why is Abby convinced that the clickings she hears in the fillings of her teeth are really messages from outer space? Book four is the work in progress. |
"For me, writing is a joyful torture or sorts." ~vh~ “In this life, seek your own answers, and quote yourself for a change.” ~vh~
The muse has tapped my shoulder and my ear is turned toward her lips. I am waiting for her whisper. ~vh~
"The funny thing about life: more often than not it’s laughing at you rather than you laughing at it." ~vh~
"At some point there is a moment when you should give up. I’m here to tell you that today is not that day." ~vh~
“If you are afraid of the truth, never ask a young child a question.” ~vh~
“The frailty of life is most evident at its last breath.” vh
“Prove not to the world but to yourself that you are above your current circumstance.” ~vh~
"Don't be wishful when it comes to your dreams. Take aggressive action in your pursuit of them. Start now with a single step, no matter how insignificant it may feel." ~vh~
"Nothing is more powerful than an unwavering, unapologetic decision to BE." ~vh~
"Strive to be the light in an ever-darkening world. SHINE!" ~vh~
"Think big and then think small. That’s where the details live." ~vh~
Archives
December 2013
Categories |
RSS Feed
