Featured Author - Eden Unger Bowditch! - Part 2

1. MLM: One of the greatest things about the Internet is that we can connect with writers of all kinds from all over the globe so we want to know:

a.) What area of the country/world are you from?

EDEN: Since we’re living here, let’s say Cairo, Egypt.

b.) What are the average temperatures of your area?

EDEN: You’d be surprised. Cairo is much more temperate, more Mediterranean, than the desert land you’d imagine. Most of the year, it is in the 20s C (in the mid-70s F). It gets warmer starting later May through late September, and can get really hot—like 40ish C and up to 90-100 F. Winters can be chilly, as low as 4-6 C (in the high 40s to low 50s F). When we moved here in August 2006, there was a heave in Baltimore. It was really, REALLY hard to get our heads around packing fleece, moving to Egypt.

c.) What type of clothing would most residents be wearing today?

EDEN: It’s a mix. Lots of people wear Western clothes, or a simulation—scarves and layers that are not Western over jeans and T-shirts—and traditional clothes like galabayas, the robes we attribute to this region. Funny, though, if it is just a bit chilly, people wear ski jackets and wooly hats.

d.) What tips do you have for people to “survive” the weather where you are?

EDEN: Dress in layers. It can be cold in the morning and warm in the afternoon. Very warm! And dress is more conservative here. In some areas, modesty is the best way to go—no miniskirts or tank tops or shorts.

e.) What would you say is the neatest thing about where you live?

EDEN: The people are amazing. As the world has seen from the revolution, there is a kind of generosity and kindness that is unique to here. Peace may come easier to Egypt than elsewhere. And the history! Besides the obvious (pyramids and mummies and ancient temples), there are petrified forests and desert camping like nowhere else in the world.

As this is tax time for us, we want to know:

2. MLM: Are your taxes done yet, or do you procrastinate until the last day?

EDEN: I am such a turn-it-in-early person!!! I cannot stand waiting until the last minute for anything.

3. MLM: Do you do your taxes yourself or do you have someone do them for you?

EDEN: Since we live abroad, it is complicated. We cannot do them ourselves.

4. MLM: What would you say is the hardest part of your taxes?

EDEN: Sending the papers to the U.S. The post is very complicated.

5. MLM: In recent years, there has been a push to bring back the family dinner. What are your views on family dinners? Do you find them beneficial? Why or why not?

EDEN: Our family is very close. We have dinner together almost every night. Since I’m in grad school and Nate, my husband, is a professor, we are all on the same schedule. Early work days, holidays together. My kids are age 7 to 16! I hear people say that their kids are unresponsive (How was your day? Fine. What did you do? Nothing). With us, there is LOTS of talk.

6. MLM: With families having such busy schedules, many take time out to schedule a “game” night. Is this something that you do, have done or might do in the future? Why or why not?

EDEN: We have busy schedules, but we spend A LOT of time together. We don’t have TV (but we do watch DVDs on the computer), so we have more time than most folks. And we still read as a family. Nate can do AMAZING voices and is the main family aloud reader.

7. MLM: Say you’re at a cabin in the mountains, it’s not exactly warm out and you had the option of where you wanted your hot tub to be. Would you have the hot tub inside or outside the cabin? Why? What is it that you like specifically about it being inside or outside the best?

EDEN: Well, probably right in the middle of the living room.

8. MLM: If you could go anywhere in the world for the perfect date, where would you choose to go? Why this destination over others? What’s its connection to you? What would that perfect date entail? When during the year would you take this perfect date? Who would your date be?

EDEN: Funny you ask. When the kids are in school and Nate and I don’t have to be on campus, we have romantic afternoons at home. On my birthday, Nate asked what I wanted to do. I said that I wanted one of our regular days together!

MLM: Thank you for joining us today! Please be sure and check back for Part 3 of our feature with Eden Unger Bowditch!

For those of you who don't know this,
Eden sure can jam!

She's currently with The Fuuls!
Visit their facebook page!

Featured Author - Eden Unger Bowditch! - Part 1

I was born in Chicago, then moved to Paris at age twelve for a year. I moved back to the United States, but continued with a French education. I’ve lived in California, north and south, through high school and university. Playing in bands and writing filled my time. My husband and I lived in London for a semester, and returned to the United States, played in an alternative rock band together, made records, and toured North America with our first child, who was three months old when we hit the road. We moved to Baltimore, where my husband went to graduate school and we had two more children. In 2006, we moved to Cairo, Egypt, and remain there now.

As far as writing, I have always loved to write. - I’ve always been an avid reader. Sharing books with my children and reading as a family has always been a part of life in our house. YA literature is some of the very best writing out there. It is fun and exciting and an amazing challenge to write. Kids don’t care if it’s popular. They will only read what is good. It’s an exciting time to read and write in the YA genre. Readers are excited and there are such amazing books out there to read.

This is too true, and we've [YA Cove] had some great YA authors here, and Eden is our newest addition to that list!

Featured Author - Allan R. Shickman! - Part 4

BLURB:
I love all my “children,” but my favorite character is Rydl, as I said before. I like the way he develops, from a frightened runaway child in the first book, to a successful and authoritative man in the third (as yet unpublished) book in the series. Rydl is about ten years old when he is introduced in Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure.

EXCERPT:
“The terrified child was trying to bite Zan, and it was a long time before Zan could calm the youngster and convince this intruder that there was no danger. Eventually the child slept, exhausted by the powerful emotions it had experienced, and Zan slept too.

“Zan was awakened the next morning by the sound of the waif searching his sack for food….The child, ugly, ragged and dirty, was hungry to the point of starvation.”




BLURB:
In the sequel, Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country, Rydl has become a great friend of Zan-Gah, the book’s hero, and develops an inventive resourcefulness of his own.

EXCERPT:
“When Rydl was nine years old, Styg’s brutalities sent him running. By sheer accident Zan-Gah in his wanderings became the father and brother Rydl so much needed. Zan had found him under the vines, wretched, terrified, and near starvation, and had taken him into his care. Rydl gratefully followed Zan to the point of being an annoyance—trailing his footsteps, singing, talking to himself, and hopping about….His happiness showed itself in an unusual restlessness of spirit. He was continually playing, climbing, jumping from rock to rock, chasing a chipmunk, shouting to hear his echo, or simply babbling to the empty air.

“But as he grew older, Rydl developed a different restlessness, more of the mind than the body. Now he would shout to the cliffs to see how long it took for his echo to return; and he would wait silently for a chipmunk to appear in order to study its habits. He watched the behavior of ants by the hour—how they moved in predictable ways, or how the red ants instinctively fought the black ones. ‘People are like that too,’ he had commented to Zan, and Zan had thought over and remembered Rydl’s words.”

“What Rydl had that his fellows lacked was a creative imagination. He occupied a separate world as lively as theirs was stolid and dull. While others plodded on in the same old way their fathers had, Rydl, who no longer had a father, was constantly inventing new solutions, or at least asking new questions. Little escaped his notice and his wonder.”

“Rydl had learned to take care of himself. He knew a dozen ways to trip up his enemies, and could quickly invent still more—like the time he gave poison mushrooms to the great louts who tried to kidnap him and ran away while they were vomiting.”




BLURB:
In the third book, Rydl is prosperous and attractive, even though he has sustained a crippling wound. Here’s a preview excerpt from the new, unpublished sequel, Dael and the Painted People.

EXCERPT:
“As for his charm, probably ten young women regarded him as a marriage prospect. Had not Sparrow adored him? Everybody was the recipient of, and responded to, his innate graciousness. It was extended to the harshest among them, and even as he was getting the best of a hard bargain, he won over his competitors with his unassuming ways, causing them to feel that if they had not gotten all they wanted, they had not been humiliated either. Rydl was not greedy, and indeed he gave away much of what he had. That too was part of his appeal—not merely that he gave, but that he never allowed himself to become acquisitive or proud. Why are some people charming? It is not a matter of natural beauty, although Rydl had that in abundance too.”

Rydl is only a secondary character, but I really like him. I guess he charmed me too.



To learn more about Allan R. Shickman and his books, check out
his website: www.zan-gah.net
his facebook page: www.facebook.com/people/Allan-Shickman

Featured Author - Allan R. Shickman! - Part 3

MLM: Why YA Fiction? What was the draw for you?

ALLAN: Well, I have all of these adorable nieces and nephews, and I want to talk to them and leave them a memory of me. They and their friends are the ones I am speaking to—and I am not always as skilled or warm as I could wish when I am in their presence. My young adult audience is a bright-eyed eager crew, not at all like their jaded elders, that wear indifference in one eye and scorn in the other.

MLM: All of us are influenced and impacted by TV, movies, books and/or authors at different times in our lives. Who, what and which TV, movies, books and/or authors influenced you? When in your life did you discover them and why were they so influential for you? (Don’t be afraid to give us more than one of each kind!)

ALLAN: It is truly said that we are what we eat. I try to “eat” good stuff, and I am almost exclusively drawn to the classics, from Shakespeare and Milton to Fielding, Scott, Emily Bronte, Jane Austen, Thomas Hardy, Dostoyevsky, Melville, Twain, and Thomas Mann. I get different things from each one, and sometimes they are very little things, sometimes more general. I am particularly interested in the symbolic or metaphoric detail, and in motifs of imagery. Movies get to me too, but it is mainly novels and plays. I have read some of them so many times that the language sticks in my mind. I am still rereading books that I first read in high school. I also suspect that symphonic music has had an effect on my writing, especially the coming book. A symphony can be like a story, and a story can be like a symphony. Right?

MLM: Considering the TV, movies, books and/or authors mentioned, is there one TV, movie, book and/or author in particular that you try to emulate in your writing? Which one(s) and why? Please be as specific as you can! J

ALLAN: One in particular? No. Dostoyevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov is my favorite; add Thomas Hardy’s The Mayor of Casterbridge, Scott’s Ivanhoe, Milton’s Paradise Lost, Shakespeare’s great tragedies and histories, e.g., Richard II. I’m afraid it’s a rather gloomly list, but I laughed my head off at Thackeray’s Vanity Fair. Melville’s Moby Dick influenced me a lot with its mad hero, Captain Ahab.

MLM: If you could describe your writing with a word or phrase, what would it be? Please look beyond words like mysterious, suspenseful, creative, unique etc., and delve into the core of your writing to tell us what word or phrase you want readers to take with them when they've finished reading your story.

ALLAN: I want my young readers, and the older ones too, to finish my book feeling moved and changed by the intensity of what they have experienced. I want them to dream of Zan-Gah at night. Short phrase? “It harrows me with fear and wonder.” (That’s what Horatio said when he saw King Hamlet’s ghost.)

MLM: In Part 2 we asked if you believe in mystical Irish lore such as Leprechauns. Have you ever used any type of Irish lore in one of your stories? If so, which lore and what was the situation?

ALLAN: I can’t claim to have used, or much thought about Irish lore. There was a time when the people of Eire were primitive too, struggling for survival and believing in spirits and numerous gods. Some of that animism survives today in stories of faeries and unseen little critters. Actually, I have been touched by Old Testament lore: David with his sling, twins Jacob and Esau, the Beautiful Country as a “Promised Land” and the object of contention between warring tribes.

MLM: Also in Part 2 we asked you about your views on March. Does this show through in your writing? If so, give some examples how, please!

ALLAN: I think it does. Writing about prehistoric people in the Zan-Gah books, I tried to be as sensitive to weather changes as they would have been. How they would have welcomed March, the first month of spring, having endured and hopefully survived the horrors of winter! What explanation would prehistoric people have given for a tree that remained green all winter, a cave that stayed at 58 degrees the year around, or for March’s miracle of the land’s renewing fertility?

MLM: Who decides what characters/creatures you write about, you or your muse? What kind of influence do you have over their actions and the plot, or is the muse always the one deciding the journey the characters take?

ALLAN: Milton had a “heavenly muse.” Me, I just dream and collect ideas at random. Then I organize, structure, articulate, and embellish my dreams. In the process, my characters take on lives of their own, and surprise me. The character Rydl was such a surprise. I invented him in the middle of the first Zan-Gah book, and his development through three books thrust itself at me without any planning. It must be a muse, I don’t know.

MLM: Of all the stories you’ve written please tell us:
a.)Which character/creature did you have the most fun creating and why? What about this character/creature makes it stand out above all the others?

ALLAN: I think Rydl also was the most fun in creating. He kept on developing! He was a frightened child when he first appeared, but by the end of the first Zan-Gah book he had begun to take on maturity and stature. In the sequel of the book series, he showed his budding genius, and in the third book, which I will call Dael and the Painted People, he develops even further and becomes a still richer character.

b.)If you had the opportunity to meet just one of your characters/creatures in real life, who would it be and why?

ALLAN: Zan’s lovely, delicate, and intelligent wife Pax would be nice to talk to.

c.)Which of your characters/creatures would you never want to meet under any circumstance and why?

ALLAN: I hope there is no such character. My meanest developed character is the shaman in the not yet published third novel. He is a real stinker; I don’t have much good to say on his behalf. But it is an important point of my books that the worst of us has some good in him and is redeemable. Of course there is the man-eating lioness. I would never want to meet her!

d.)If you could choose to visit one setting/world you’ve created which one is it, where is it and why this destination over all the others? What makes it stand out over all the others?

ALLAN: The landscape of the land of the red rocks is described at length in the first book, and more briefly in the other two. It is dramatic and frightening, and stunningly displays nature’s power and vitality—more than any other in the Zan-Gah stories. I’ve seen such places in Utah and Colorado, and was definitely inspired by them. However, the fictional region I describe in the book series is not necessarily meant to be in the United States. It could be in Asia Minor, Europe, or Morocco, for example. I also have to mention the cave of the Na women. It was modeled after Onondaga Cavern in Missouri, to which I made a pilgrimage for research purposes. What a wonder! I strongly recommend a visit. March would be a good time.

MLM: On that note, we’ll end our interview for this week. Thank you so much for joining us this week!

ALLAN: Thank you for allowing me to talk so extensively about myself and my book series.

MLM: Be sure to check back for Part 4 when we take a closer look at Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country!

Featured Author - Allan R. Shickman! - Part 2

Thanks for joining us this week!

MLM: Mardi Gras is Tuesday March 8th this year. Will you be celebrating it this year? Why or why not? If so, what are your plans this year? Care to share any stories of past Mardi Gras celebrations?

ALLAN: Here in St. Louis, our Mardi Gras parade, which we try to get to every year, is a humdinger. We’ll go if the weather isn’t just awful, and if our out-of-town guests don’t say that they want to go to our zoo—also a humdinger. I can’t think of any special Mardi Gras stories of my own, so I will mention one of my favorite old movies, Black Orpheus. It is set in Rio in the midst of the riotous Mardi Gras celebration—a story of love and death. Not especially Irish, but a great movie.

MLM: Are you Irish? Do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day…why or why not?

ALLAN: Of course I’m Irish, but only on St. Patrick’s Day. I love ethnic celebrations. If the Czechs sponsor a kolache day, I’ll be there. I like Irish plays. Playboy of the Western World is a marvelous, witty one. Wit and fancy combine in Irish literature in a unique, characteristically Irish way. On St. Patrick’s day, I try to think Irish.

MLM: In some areas, St. Patty’s Day is celebrated with green beer and all sorts of other green things, like green eggs and ham, have even been given a spotlight this time of year. What kind of activities will be going on in your area?

ALLAN: Mobs of people go to the parade. It’s in an area with lots of pub restaurants, and the green beer flows. Far from getting the spotlight, I delight in getting lost in the crowd, so I wear green like everybody else.

MLM: One of the greatest things about the Internet is that we can connect with writers of all kinds from all over the globe so we want to know:
a.)What area of the country/world are you from?

ALLAN: St. Louis, MO is now my home. I grew up here before I went to Iowa for a few years.

b.) What are the average temperatures of your area?

ALLAN: On Mardi Gras, we have known freezing rain on some occasions, and 75 degree delightful weather on others. Usually it is in the early 50s. St. Louis has nice, moderate weather most of the time.

c.)What type of clothing would most residents be wearing today?

ALLAN: T-shirts, shorts, and open shirts that show the hair, or lack of it, on their chests. Those of us who have any sense wear our heavy coats, hats, and gloves.

d.)What tips do you have for people to “survive” the weather where you are?

ALLAN: Dress warm. You can always loosen (or remove) your garments. On the whole, it is better to be a little warm than a little cold.

MLM: March has strong connections with Ireland, which is steeped in mysticism. What about you, are you steeped in mysticism? Do you believe in leprechauns and the like, or at least enjoy the tales of them? Why or why not? Are there any mystical beings with ties to Ireland that you really enjoy?

ALLAN: I suspect that leprechauns may be an English invention. My understanding is that the Irish believe in faeries. Me, I’m not much of a mystic. I observe the mystery of life, and that’s about it. Life is a mystery, you know. We are nothing but atoms and molecules. Out of hundreds of billions of years, and infinite space, how is it that our molecules—yours and mine—happened to be meeting? Cool!

MLM: What is your view on March? Does it come in like a lion and exit like a lamb? Do you feel that March is really the time of rebirth, even though many flowers and trees might not start budding until April in northern parts of the world? Why or why not?

ALLAN: Here in St. Louis March does indeed come in like a lion and go out like a lamb. My daffodils are already sprouting mightily, and may be blooming in two weeks. That means spring to me—that and the blooming of the forsythias. Those things really signal rebirth and a new start to me. There is one other harbinger of spring worth mentioning because I think it is the first. That is when the weeping willows take on a yellowish tinge even before budding. But it is spring because I want it to be spring. I really, really want it to be spring!

MLM: If you could go anywhere in Ireland, where would you go and why?

ALLAN: Trinity College, Dublin. I’m a city man, although the Irish countryside is 100 shades of lovely. The Book of Kells and a number of other Hiberno-Saxon manuscripts are in their library. And everybody talks with that lovely Irish accent.

MLM: On that note, we’ll end our interview for this week. Thank you so much for joining us this week!

ALLAN: Thank you too. Once the old word processor gets going, it is hard to stop it. Happy March.

Readers, thanks for joining us!
Any questions? Please ask!
Don't forget to check back for Part 3!

Featured Author - Allan R. Shickman! - Part 1

Please help me welcome Allan Shickman!

What makes a writer anyway? From what I can see, writers are coming in the windows. Any time I mention my Zan-Gahbooks, the person I’m talking to is apt to say “I’m writing a book too.” Armed with a word processor (I’m old enough to remember when typewriter ribbons and grit erasers made writing difficult.), we all envision ourselves receiving the accolades of an admiring and richly rewarding book-reading world. Besides, which of us does not have something to say, or long to be listened to? Love of words, a surplus of creative energy, and constantly goading dreams of outrageous success lead us to the fatal step of writing that first paragraph.

I was born to a lower middle class family, went to the public schools, and was encouraged by my teachers (curse them!) to become an artist. Eventually I became an art historian, taught for three decades at the University of Northern Iowa, and took the early retirement deal. Along the way, I published in some very distinguished art history and English literature journals. So upon retirement I took the next step upward and began writing prehistoric adventure books for young adults. I have written two, and have just about finished the third—all part of the same book series.

When I hit it big, I plan to buy the castle next door to Ms. Rowling’s. Will you visit me once I get moved in?

Featured Author - Sandra Cox! - Part 4

Today we take a closer look at Moon Watchers!

BLURB: Some people think being a Were hunter is weird. For me it’s perfectly normal. What I see as odd is my attraction to the hunkalicious Braden Knight. Why? I think he’s a vampire.

EXCERPT: Braden had been attracted to the luscious Jolene since the first moment he’d set eyes on her. She reminded him of the old song by Dolly Parton, the one about a sensuous siren. That’s Jolene, in a very earthy kick-ass fashion.

He stared at said siren. He could smell her fear, sharp and tangy, and fought back the urge to taste that always lived with him. Like a recovering alcoholic he beat back the craving for hot sweet blood. He’d taken a vow. One he refused to break. If there were a Vampires Anonymous, I’d probably be president, he thought wryly.

And if the blood craving wasn’t bad enough, his nineteen year old body responded with a kick of desire just as acute as his lust for the warm red liquid that flowed through her. It would be so easy to give in and satisfy both.

He could do it in a heartbeat…her heartbeat. He could hear it thump, thump, thumping against her ribs. It stirred him unbelievably. She might fight him at first but it would be temporary. Women could never resist him.

He took a deep breath and thought of all the misery he’d caused in his long and checkered past. His desire cooled. And while her blood still smelled sweet, it no longer tempted him.


Not familiar with the Hunter series? Check out this trailer for Vampire Island:


To see what other books Sandra Cox has written, or to learn more about her Hunter series, check out:
her website: sandracox1.com
Class Act Books: www.classactbooks.com/Sandra-Cox

Featured Author - Sandra Cox! - Part 3

Hey there readers! Sorry I haven't posted sooner, but I've been out with migraines. Cupid would have posted himself, but I kind of wouldn't give him the map to the cove. Telling Cupid where everything in the blog is would be like letting the patients run the asylum. Hopefully you enjoy the interview!

My guests today are, Braden Knight and Jolene Sayer – Please, have a seat on our lovely couch! – from Moon Watchers, a small town in Minnesota. Their tale can be found in Moon Watchers, a novel creation by Sandra Cox.

Before we begin, I must remind everyone to please try and keep your responses to a PG13 atmosphere – the Moonlight Mistresses rules, not mine *eye roll*. Double entendres are acceptable and widely encouraged for events and phrases we don’t want our young readers to really know about. Oooh, it will be so much fun trying to guess what you’re really saying!

*Settling comfortably onto the sofa, draping his arm over the back and sipping his bubbly* That Miss Havana in Reaper’s Domain is one hot teacher and boy would I love to get into her…class! I might actually learn something…oh…did I say that out loud? *Clears throat* Sorry. Let’s get back to the interview.

You two make one fine pair! I did a wonderful job pairing you two up if I do say so myself! Then, I just love all of my matches!

Cupid: Please, Braden, tell our readers how you two first met. Was it by your design, or hers?

Braden: Mine of course. I first met her while she was visiting her cousin Zoe Tempest on Vampire Island.

Cupid: Oooh! Vampire Island. Sounds very interesting and spooky! Jolene, would you say it was love at first sight or did you find him repulsive?

Jolene: Cupid, I’m afraid you are laboring under a terrible misapprehension and possibly shot the wrong person in the bum. I’m a werewolf hunter and Braden is a…*She lowers her voice and whispers* vampire. We couldn’t possibly have a relationship.

Cupid: Eh, every relationship has its obstacles, just accept them and see where this plays out. FYI – I aim for the heart, and I never miss! You’re just trying to resist what you already know is in your heart. This one’s for both of you. Since chaotic happenstance tends to put characters like yourselves in situations where they must work together or live together for one reason or another, tell us what chaotic happenstance “forced” the two of you to work or live together. How did you feel about this?

Jolene: I’m still trying to figure out why Braden showed up in Moon Watchers.

Braden: This is the month of the crimson moon. I knew Jolene would be in trouble and would need all the help she could get.

Cupid: Think about this Jolene – Why would Braden show up on your doorstep if he didn't care about you? This one is also for both of you. How long did it take you to know your true feelings for the other? At what point did you know, “this is the one”?

Jolene: *Taps her fingers restlessly on her thighs.* I told you, there can never be a relationship between a werewolf hunter and a vampire. And can you imagine what my cousin and her uncle, who both hunt vampires would say. *She shudders.*

Braden: *Just gives her an enigmatic look.*

Cupid: Jolene, in matters of love, it only matters what's in your heart and no one else's opinion but yours should matter. Braden, what would you say was your biggest obstacle to overcome before you could settle into a relationship with Jolene?

Braden: Well now it seems to be the werewolf hunter, vampire thing doesn’t it?

Cupid: That's not as big an obstacle as she's making it out to be. The old saying, "making a mountain out of a mole hill" comes to mind. This is for either of you. Would you like to thank anyone – other than me, of course – for getting you two together?

Jolene: Oh for goodness sake. How many times do I have to tell you we’re not together.

Braden: Well, Zoe Tempest did introduce us.

Cupid: Jolene, anyone listening to you can tell that you’re in complete denial. I know our readers have enjoyed learning about you two so far, but I’m getting a little bored, so I’m going to heat things up. Jolene, how would you end this sentence, "I wish Braden would _____?" *leans forward to eagerly hear your response*

Jolene: Go away!

Cupid: Me thinks the lady doth protest too much. Braden, would you prefer to give Jolene a bubble bath or a back massage? Why?

Braden: Well Cupid, what I’d really like to do is run my teeth along her neck.

Cupid: Oooh! That's got oodles of fun possibilities. Are you sure it wouldn't be too tempting to take more than a tiny nibble?

Braden: I’m a vampire with super human, for lack of a better word, restraint. Would you like me to demonstrate on your neck, Cupid?

Cupid: How many of you remember that old show, The Newlywed Game? Well, these next questions are going to help us play a similar game. Braden, what would Jolene say is your aphrodisiac? *waggles eyebrows*

Braden: I’m a vampire. There’s nothing about me she can resist, my breath, my scent, my voice.

Cupid: Jolene, is he right? How would you have answered that question?

Jolene: *Jolene crosses her arms and stares at Cupid in stony silence.*

Cupid: *grin*That sure indicates agreement in my book! *crosses ankles and rubs his chin* Braden, what would Jolene say is a spot guaranteed to drive you crazy with passion? Is she correct in that assumption?

Braden: Her mouthwatering neck pressed against my lips.

Jolene: In your dreams, Vamp.

Cupid: Tsk, tsk, Jolene, I thought you'd have figured out by now that Braden is a special breed. I wouldn't have matched him up with you if I thought it wouldn't work. Now, Jolene, as far as you know, what is Braden’s idea of a perfect date?

Jolene: If we were dating—which we aren’t—he’d no doubt drag me to see Twilight and then take me out to dinner and order a steak so rare blood pooled in the plate.

Cupid: Braden, is she correct? If not, what is your idea of a perfect date?

Braden: No, she’s not correct. *He turns toward Jolene and looks deep into her eyes.* On our first date, we’ll walk along the beach on a clear night and run barefoot through the sand. Then we’ll go to an outdoor café and slow dance while the local band plays in the background.

Cupid: Braden, your turn in the hot seat. What is Jolene’s idea of a perfect date?

Braden: No doubt hunting Weres. * He says dryly.*

Cupid: Jolene, is he correct? If not, what is your idea of a perfect date?

Jolene: Well it doesn’t involve werewolves or full moons. * She crosses her arms and taps her toes.*

Cupid:Oooh! She's a feisty one! The next two questions are for both of you. What's the most romantic thing your lover has ever done for you?

Jolene: Turned into a bat *Jolene says sarcastically.*

Braden: Jolene’s not much given to anything she considers romantic or sappy, but I caught her looking at me once, when she thought I wasn’t watching. It took my breath away.

Cupid: If you could change one thing about your relationship, what would it be?

Jolene: I keep telling you, Cupid, we don’t have a relationship.

Braden: I wouldn’t change a thing.

Cupid: Jolene may be rolling her eyes and denying the relationship, but the sparks coming off these two is...well...darn close to a fourth of July fireworks grand finale! So, have the two of you had time to settle into any Valentine's Day traditions?

Jolene: *Rolls eyes.* No.

Braden: I would say our first tradition will be avoiding full moons.

Cupid: That sounds like a good idea, Braden. On that note, I think will end our interview. Thanks to Braden and Jolene for joining us today. We hope you’ll check out their story, Moon Watchers. After reading it, I think you'll come to the same conclusion - the lady doth protest too much! :)

To learn more about their author, Sandra Cox, visit:
Her website: sandracox1.com
Her blog: downtownya.blogspot.com

Featured Author - Sandra Cox! - Part 2

Thanks to our readers for your patience. It took me a bit to post this as I've been dealing with a sinus infection induced migraine again this past week.

We hope you enjoy Part 2 of our Sandra Cox feature!

MLM: We'd like to start our interview with some questions about your life outside of writing.As February is Valentine season, we want to know - Who is that special someone you consider your valentine?

SANDRA: The happy hubby

MLM: Will you two be doing anything special for Valentine’s Day this year? Care to share the details?

SANDRA: Nothing huge. We’ll go out to eat and exchange valentines. One year we inadvertently gave each other the exact same cardJ

MLM: If you could choose your ultimate Valentine’s Day gift, what would it be? Have you ever received this as a gift?

SANDRA: A surprise get away weekend.
Uh, no.

MLM: One of the greatest things about the Internet is that we can connect with writers of all kinds from all over the globe so we want to know:

a.)What area of the country/world are you from?

SANDRA: I’m from North Carolina.

b.)What are the average temperatures of your area?

SANDRA: At this time of year, normally it would be 40s and 50s, though this year has been unusually cold.

c.)What type of clothing would most residents be wearing today?

SANDRA: A lot of people wear shorts this time of year, but again, not this yearJ

d.)What tips do you have for people to “survive” the weather where you are?

SANDRA: Buy a winter coat instead of wearing a jacket.

MLM: Say you’re at a cabin in the mountains, it’s not exactly warm out and you had the option of where you wanted your hot tub to be. Would you have the hot tub inside or outside the cabin? Why? What is it that you like specifically about it being inside or outside the best?

SANDRA: I’d want it inside near a fireplace and window where I could watch it snow. It’s nice to be cozy inside when it’s cold outside.

MLM: If you could go anywhere in the world for Valentine’s Day, where would you choose to go? Why this destination over others? What’s its connection to you?

SANDRA: Seattle. I’ve never been there and I’ve always wanted to go, plus maybe I’d run into Edward CullenJ

MLM: You've given us some great answers so far, but let's move on to your life inside of writing. Why did you choose the Paranormal Genre of YA Fiction? What was the draw for you?

SANDRA: I love paranormal in any genre. It just adds a kick. There’s something about mysticism and magical powers that’s a draw. Don’t you think?

MLM: Definitely! All of us are influenced and impacted by TV, movies, books and/or authors at different times in our lives. Who, what and which TV, movies, books and/or authors influenced you? When in your life did you discover them and why were they so influential for you? (Don’t be afraid to give us more than one of each kind!)

SANDRA: Twilight, of course, sucked me right in. Also Nora Robert’s Circle Trilogy. I followed Elizabeth Peter’s Amelia Peabody’s exploits for many years. Bottom line, I love a well-written book with characters that leap off the page and insist I accompany them to their world.

MLM: Considering the TV, movies, books and/or authors mentioned, is there one TV, movie, book and/or author in particular that you try to emulate in your writing? Which one(s) and why? Please be as specific as you can! J

SANDRA: I really like the way Nora Roberts (JD Robb) and Stephanie Meyer create such enthralling stories. They build a world you can conceptualize without giving us more information than we want. And they give us such a strong connect with their characters. True art in my opinion.

MLM: If you could describe your writing with a word or phrase, what would it be? Please look beyond words like mysterious, suspenseful, creative, unique etc., and delve into the core of your writing to tell us what word or phrase you want readers to take with them when they've finished reading your story.

SANDRA: Ooh you’ve got some challenging questions. Since you won’t let me use the above words. Grin. I would like readers to think they’ve read ‘a well told tale.’

MLM: In Part 2 we asked you about your ultimate Valentine’s Day gift. Have you ever used that as a gift in one of your stories? If so, which one and what was the situation?

SANDRA: No, but now you’ve planted the seedJ

MLM: Also in Part 2 we asked you about where you’d put the hot tub and why. Does this show through in your writing? If so, give some examples how, please!

SANDRA: No, actually the opposite. A lot of my stories take place outside under a full moon……

MLM: Who decides what characters/creatures you write about, you or your muse? What kind of influence do you have over their actions and the plot, or is the muse always the one deciding who done it, where they done it and with what?

SANDRA: We have an understanding. I create the characters. My muse handles the storyline.

MLM: Of all the stories you’ve written please tell us:
a.)Which character/creature did you have the most fun creating and why? What about this character/creature makes it stand out above all the others?

SANDRA: You know every book I write, I connect with my characters so I can’t really put one above another. I will say I’ve had a lot of fun with cousins Jolene and Zoe. They are such opposites. Zoe is such a girlie-girl and Jo is in your face and doesn’t take anything from anybody.

b.)If you had the opportunity to meet just one of your characters/creatures in real life, who would it be and why?

SANDRA: Again, it would be hard to nail it down, but at this very moment. Braden Knight of Vampire Island and Moon Watchers. For a vamp, he’s pretty sexy.

c.)Which of your characters/creatures would you never want to meet under any circumstance and why

SANDRA: The werewolf queen or her pack in Moon Watchers. They’re pure evil.

d.)If you could choose to visit one setting/world you’ve created which one is it, where is it and why this destination over all the others? What makes it stand out over all the others?

SANDRA: Well, since the vamps have been cleared out, I’d like to go to Vampire Island. Warm sun, tropical breezes, and white sandy beaches sound pretty good about now.

MLM: Sandra, thanks so much for a wonderful interview!

I sure know that I want to return to Vampire Island! I've said it before, and I'll say it again - I need to see more of Zoe's Uncle Julian! He's a hottie that doesn't make me feel like a cougar, lol!

Featured Author - Sandra Cox! - Part 1

Whew! I managed to duck past Cupid. I sure hope he hasn't seen me or we're toast! It's bad enough he's taken over the main blog, but who knows what kind of havoc he'd create here!

I just had to bring Sandra Cox back here because Vampire Island was so good that I really had some trouble waiting to read the next installment to the story. I'll admit that I was hoping to read more about Uncle Julian - perhaps an adult romance book with him as the main character might happen? I hope so! :)

This week, Sandra tells us a little about what brought her to the world of writing:

Reading has always been an integral part of my life. Even from a young age, when my world was less than perfect, I would slip into the pages of a book and embark upon great adventures filled with animals, fairies and magical creatures. It was a natural progression, for me, to go from reading about other worlds to creating them. Worlds of the paranormal where anything is possible; where instead of punching a clock you hunt vampires or werewolves; where magical stones are given to the worthy by the gods; and where you can go back in time when you touch a sundial. Even though, I spend a great deal of my time writing, I still enjoy reading a well-told tale.

Featured Author - Sandra J. Gerencher

Exploring the Animal/Autism Connection
by Sandra J. Gerencher

Children with disabilities are my inspiration. It's real life. It's what goes on every day. The people in my life inspire me such as my adopted son with autism and my special education students at school. I was once told my son, Terry, would never speak in full sentences. Yet he speaks to our dog, Chance, as if he can understand him.

We don't know what's going on inside an autistic child's brain, but there's something different in my son’s thought processes when he’s talking to the dog. When I stand outside his room, I hear him asking the dog, “Are you hungry? Do you want to play?” It helps him cope with some of the issues he's dealing with.

I think animals can sense the good in people. He is more animated with the dog. They play together constantly. When Terry misbehaves I tell him, '”Chance is sad.” Then I ask, 'What would Chance want you to do?'' He always wants to make Chance happy. When I put it in terms of the dog, he responds right away.

My goal is to make children aware that there are kids with special needs. Kids nowadays aren't exposed to people with disabilities. Being naturally inquisitive, they need to be taught why others are different. As an educator and mother, if I've accomplished that goal with one child, then that more than satisfies me.

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Sandra J. Gerencher is the author of the children’s book, Second Chance: How Adoption Saved a Boy with Autism & His Shelter Dog. She is a special education teacher in Pennsylvania's Bangor Area public school system. For over 20 years, she has worked with children and adults with special needs in such areas as counseling, behavioral research, crisis intervention and abuse therapy.

For more information or visual images, check her myspace page