This Week on Vision and Verse

Schedule for Sept. 2 through Sept. 6, 2013

                            Mon.      
                            Sept. 2     Echo of Heartbreak by
                                            Carol Ann Kauffman

                           Tues.
                           Sept. 3      Author Interview with 
                                            Tianna Holley
                           Wed.
                           Sept. 4      Cover Reveal for
                                            C. J. Adrien's
                                            "The Line of His People"
                           Thurs.
                           Sept. 5     LORD OF BLAKELEY
                                            by Carol Ann Kauffman
                           
                           Fri.
                           Sept. 6    Author Interview with
                                          Mj Rain
                                          
                 

Excerpt from LORD OF BLAKELEY

A small redheaded servant girl was listening in the corner.  She ran to Princess Aleese.

“Princess, may I speak with you of a personal matter?”

“Of course, Glenna, what’s the matter?”

“Princess, are you… married?”

“No, Glenna,” Aleese sighed.  “I would rather slit my own throat with a dull knife than to marry one of these disgusting unkempt earthworms you call men around here.  King Aaron has been threatening me to chose or have the choice made for me.  But I refuse.  Why?  Has the King asked you to please use your considerable influence with me to sway my choice of a mate to the one who promised him the most money?”

“No, My Lady, I would never do that, although the King does not ask.  The king demands, he screams, he tortures, then commences cutting off body parts.  But luckily for me, the King doesn’t know I exist.  But, I have to tell you something very, very important.  A man was here earlier today, claiming to be your husband.  The guards laughed at him, beat him, kicked him, and threw him out into the rocks.”

“No, dear Glenna, I have no husband.  I HAD a husband, oh, a wonderful one, a kind, sweet, gentle, handsome one, but… he is dead now.  He was killed in battle on Nord, a battle against the Bishopites.  He led the charge, and amazingly, he was the only one killed.  He always told me he wasn’t a brave man.  And I have wished with all my heart for the last two long, cold, lonely years that he wasn’t brave.  Maybe if he were not so brave, maybe he would still be alive, and he would be with me today.   But he was brave, and he did die.  And when he died, all that was good and kind, happy and sweet within me died with him, and now I am this wild, nasty, mean, shriveled-up shrew-bitch of a woman you see here today.  Moral of this story, pretty young thing:  Do not love, and never, ever love unconditionally.  That kind of love breaks your heart and shreds your soul.  Love is a knife to your chest.  Love is a kick in the gut.  Love is never-ending heartbreak.  Love is heartache that you never outgrow.  My sweet Drew is dead, but my pain lives on."

Interview with author Scarlett Jade

Scarlett Jade

Hello Scarlett, thank you for stopping by and chatting with us!  Tell us a little about yourself.

Scarlett Jade is just a small town girl with big dreams who loves to write. She has always been found from a young age with her brow furrowed, scribbling words on paper or her nose in a book. Now that she is grown, life isn't much different, she still scribbles words, but mostly on the computer, and her nose is permanently glued to e-books! She is married to the man of her dreams, her real life knight in shining armor and Prince Charming and has one son who is the apple of her eye. You can typically find her playing in the dirt with her son, toying with her indoor vegetable garden, or snuggled on the couch with her dog Peanut Butter and cat Jelly, reading a good book. She loves chocolate, thinks coffee should be a religion, and loves to make people laugh with her quirky sense of humor. She is bold, brazen, and even been told she's ballsy, but she doesn't mind, she takes it in stride. She has a huge passion for all things paranormal and spicy love stories that leave you turning the pages and dying to slide between the sheets of the next book!

You have three books published. Tell us a bit about each one. 

Let's see. The Just a Little Taste series was my first work, it is a story about a vampire/werewolf hybrid named Jeremy and his mate, Sasha. They meet in strange circumstances, fall apart in even worse, and come together in the end... One way or another. Beautiful Downfall was my first full length, and it is about an angel named Casey who helps a young woman named Camille get over the loss of her parents. They just end up falling for each other. My third book that is out now is September Tango, a contemporary new adult romance written with my husband, Llerxt the 13^th. It is about a soldier named Calvin who comes home for the first time in five years and falls in love with the girl back home he probably should have always loved, Zoe.

You have recently written a book September Tango with your husband, what was it like to co-author with him?

It was fantastic. My husband is an amazing author and I love that he's my best friend. We click and our writing reflects that. We were able to flow seamlessly between each other, often finishing each other's work.

Talk to us about September Tango. 

September Tango... It is very loosely based on our love life. We fell in love under different circumstances, but a lot of the people, things that occurred are based on some real things in our lives, just fictionalized, of course. The biggest coincidence between Calvin and Zoe and Llerxt and I would have to be the way we fell in love. It was like a summer storm, came in quickly and suddenly love was there.

Your previous releases have been paranormal romance, is it your favorite genre? 

I honestly can't say I have a favorite genre. I write what comes to me. I have paranormal romance, contemporary new adult romance, and now I'm working in a few different genres. I like to keep people guessing.

Top five bands. 

Hmmm... I like The Band Perry, Eminem, Eric Clapton, Parachute, and Grace Potter and the Nocturnals.

If you could spend the day with any character from any book who would you choose, and what would you do?

I would love to spend the day with Lily from The Secret Life of Bees. That is one of my favorite books. I do believe we'd spend time working with bees, talking about the guys we love, and relating over our childhoods.

A book you would love to see as a movie? 

The Secret Life of Bees was done BEAUTIFULLY. I'm happy.

Links?

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ScarlettJadeWriter

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Scarlett-Jade/e/B00D9SQWFW/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Interview with Author Victoria Adams

Welcome to Vision and Verse,  Victoria Adams, I see you are a shy one.  That's okay, Honey.  We've been known to accept flaming hearts and baby pictures.  Where are you?

I'm from Ontario, Canada.

Welcome, Neighbor to the North!  What have you written? 

Circles Trilogy. A contemporary romance that follows the love affair of Julie and Robert from prep school to adulthood. Also,  A Guy and A Girl (working title) – in the editing stage on this one. A young hockey player with a painful past meets a college classmate with a secret. Can two wrongs ever make a right?

Of course, they can!  Have you ever had salty caramel pretzel ice cream?  What is your favorite genre to write?

Romance. I write – contemporary - for adults - and NA which is aimed at the 17 -22 age group. I write a weekly flash fiction that changes romance genres with each story. Currently working on a time travel piece. Never wrote anything like that before.

Favorite food?

Carbohydrates – cookies, cakes, muffins anything with carbs.

Where would you like to visit? 

Australia. I have family there. It's an interesting family story of how a Canadian ended up with family down under.

Favorite musical artist?  Do you listen to music when you write?  What?

Call me old school – the Beatles. But no, I don't listen to music when I write. I'm a former dance teacher and if I listen to music, I'll start choreographing in my head.

What makes you laugh? 

My husband.

How old were you when you started writing?

In eighth grade, I came in second in a competition for high school students. I didn't enter, my teacher put in a piece I'd written. So I guess you could say then.

Where do you get your inspiration?

Life. I watch people and if I'm bored I make up stories about them. If stuck at the Dr's office, I can make up stories about each patient in the waiting room or the receptionist and sometimes those ideas trigger a book.

What do you do when you get a writer's block?

Arrghh – writer's block. I'll edit my work. Critique other people's. Write blogs and just wait and wait and wait until brain/Muse decides it's time to write again.

Who is your favorite author?

British authors – love old British mysteries – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Dorothy L Sayers and of course, Agatha Christie.

Best book you ever read.

Green Eggs and Ham.

Oh, that Sam I Am is a charmer, isn't he?  Who is the one person who has influenced your personal life the most and why?

Wow – tough question. Can I bundle them into one and say my parents? They've always supported me in all my crazy adventures.

If you could sit down and have a conversation with ONE person, living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be and why?

Sitting here staring at a blinking cursor, trying to think of someone. Hmph, I think I just hit writer's block. Going to go for fun here – Santa Claus. Think of all those questions we have – how do you fly to everywhere in one day? How do reindeer fly? Do you really have a naughty and nice list? Do you eat all those cookies and milk? What do you do for the other 364 days of the year?

What advice would you give someone who aspired to be a writer?

Write the stories that are in your head. Worry about all the other stuff after you get the book written. You can go back and fix plot points or missing GMC (goals, motivation, conflict), POV issues (point of view) etc, but if you haven't written anything there is nothing to correct. You are going to rewrite the book a number of times. It isn't going to be perfect or right the first time – just get it written.

Do you have any covers you'd like to share with us?

Where to Find Me – 

Blog – Victoria's Pages of Romance – http://victoriaadams.blogspot.com

FaceBook - http://www.facebook.com/victoriaadams.romancewriter

Facebook Author Page - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Victoria-Adams/244325918978641 

Facebook - Circles Trilogy Page - http://www.facebook.com/CirclesTrilogy?ref=hl

Twitter – http://twitter.com/_VictoriaAdams

Website - http://victoriaadamsromance.wix.com/victoria-adams

Google+ - Victoria Adams

Wattpad - http://www.wattpad.com/user/VictoriaAdams

Plus – Triberr, Amazon Author, LinkedIn, SocialOmph, Goodreads etc

Circles Trilogy Blurb 

Dancing in Circles – Book 1  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009PFNPMG

One born into privilege and a charmed life surrounded by love and family. The other born to a life of violence on the streets as the solemn gang leader of the notorious Shoresmen. A young, idealistic co-ed, Julie, meets a jaded, cold gang member, Robert, and cracks his icy shell, allowing the warmth of her love to awaken his soul.

Circles Divided– Book 2

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BBKNDAC

Is the love of a girl from wealthy Westland and a street punk from the slums of the Shore strong enough to surpass all that life will throw at them and forge a life together? Is Julie willing to sacrifice her childhood dream of becoming a professional dancer for the man she loves? Is Robert willing to lay down his ties to the gang in order to hold onto his new found love? Sacrifices must be made, but will they be enough?

Circles Interlocked – Book 3 

http://www.amazon.com/Circles-Interlocked-ebook/dp/B005S8LI46

Circles Interlocked - Having been betrayed by the man she assumed she was destined to be with forever; Julie Anderson slapped Robert Holiday in an angry ending to their brief love affair. Heartbroken that her love affair didn't end with the fairy tale Happily Ever After, Julie leaves town to pursue her dream of being a dancer. As fate has a curious sense of humor, eight years later, they wake up in bed together. Now it is up to love to fix what time cannot mend.

Upcoming Events

Thursday, August 29th, (where did this month go!) we will be having Victoria Adams, author of the amazing Circles Trilogy here with us for some insight into her writing process.

Friday, August 30, the captivating Scarlett Jade joins us to tell us how she managed to write a novel with her husband, when we all know sometimes composing a grocery list together is a battle of the sexes.

And we're working on some exciting things for September, too,
like interview with amazing fourteen year old twins who have already written and published three books.  Also coming in September:  Tasha Gwartney, Tianna Holley, and Sydney Logan to name a few.  

Author Interview with A.D. Sams

A. D. Sams

Georgia

BLOGTOUR:

August 24th - The Mind Meanders - kristenduvall.com/blog and Fey Publishing's blog - feypublishing.com/blog
August 25th - Tidbits of Experience - tidbitsofexperience.com/
August 26th - Sunshine Mountain Book Reviews and More - sunshineandmountains.wordpress.com/
August 27th - Vision and Verse - visionandverse.blogspot.com/
August 28th -  I am, Indeed - iam-indeed.com/
August 29th - Kevin Saito's Personal Blog - kevinsaito.com/author-spotlight.html
August 30th - Author Reader Mixer - author-reader-mixer.blogspot.com
August 31st - This Little Bookworm - thislittlebookworm22.blogspot.com


Welcome to Vision and Verse, Alisha, ur, I mean Awesome Sams!  We are so happy to be part of your blogtour, even though I am not quite sure what a blogtour is.  Welcome!

Name:

 A.D. Sams, though I'll probably answer to Alisha on any given day. I do like to imagine sometimes that the 'A' is really for "Awesome". Awesome Sams has a nice ring to it.

City, State:

Middle of Nowhere, Georgia. That's not really the city, but it should be.
I think I passed through there driving to Florida.  Tell us about your book.

What have you written? 

I wrote a little ditty by the name Bayou L'Abeille, which is a collection of short stories based in a fictional Louisiana town. I also have a few stories published in Idol Meanderings. That was really how I came to know the wonderful world of Fey Publishing. You never know when you're going to meet the person who will make one of your dreams come true, even if it involves a writing competition on Livejournal.com. I did self publish a few things back in Ye Olden Days, which is probably where they should stay.

Do you have a cover to share with us?

Beautiful cover.  What is your favorite genre to write? 

While Bayou L'Abeille doesn't really contain too much of my dark side, I really enjoy writing horror. In fact, the next collection of tales from my little bayou town will be all sorts of dark and twisty. Fantasy is another genre that I love and somewhere in most things that I write is a touch of the fantastic, something a little off of center and hard to put your finger on. Is there magic in Bayou L'Abeille? I'll let you figure out what you believe. 

Favorite food. 

Pork belly is one of the most delicious things in the world. Don't judge me. There's a restaurant in Atlanta that serves this amazing pork belly and pimento cheese sandwich. It's a little ridiculous how much I love that thing.

Where would you like to visit? 

Everywhere. I have a serious vein of wanderlust (which is one of my favorite words...the other being "loquacious") running through my body. Really, I'd like to sing karaoke on every continent before I die. Hah! Time to update my Bucket List. My top destination desires of the moment are New Zealand, India, and Iceland.

Favorite musical artist. 

This is where I start having trouble. I listen to such a vast array of music that it's extremely hard for me to narrow it down (same goes for authors). I'll give you the top three I've been listening to lately. Etta James, The Wailin' Jennys, and Amos Lee are on my list right now. Of course, tomorrow could be a day for The Gossip, The Jezabels, and Beth Hart. You never know with me.

How old were you when you started writing? 

I actually began writing quite a few things around the age of eight years old. I promptly tore them up and made sure no one would ever read them. For years I threw stories away. No, it doesn't make sense, but neither does fear and sometimes that gets the better of you too. I didn't really allow myself to let it all go until my early twenties. That's probably the first time I shared my writing with anyone.

Where do you get your inspiration? 

Everywhere. Music, art, the world around me, and pretty much anything that makes me tilt my head will get my brain going. I also love to just watch people. I play a game in my head when I'm out and about where I pick a random person out of the crowd and make up something about their past and where they are going. Inspiration is also a seasonal thing for me. The fall is my creative busy spell. It's my favorite time of year. 

What do you do when you get a writer's block? 

Wail and gnash my teeth. Pace and lament. You know, stuff. Actually, I find the best medicine for my writer's block is either exploring a new place with my camera or trying something I've never tried before. It's amazing how inspiration can arrive when you bust out of your comfort zone. Also, keep writing. Writer's block, to me, is a form of self sabotage of which I'm definitely guilty. You have to write past the barrier of it even if nothing you're writing makes sense. It's a discipline as well as an art.

Who is your favorite author? 

Again, I have a few. Two of my favorite authors are Neil Gaiman and Alice Hoffman. I also love Patricia McKillip. She has such a beautifully poetic manner with her writing. Tolkien, Faulkner, and London also have a special place in my heart. Florence King is another good one, if we're talking about good, Southern humor. I, obviously, have an issue with decisions.

Best book you ever read. 

I'll give you a few of my sentimental favorites, which mean they're the best to me. In no particular order: The Hobbit (Tolkien), Good Omens (Gaiman and Pratchett), and Blackbird House (Hoffman). The best book I've read in the past year is Wool by Hugh Howey. That guy is completely talented and he's a wealth of friendliness and great writing advice.  If you ever get a chance to meet him, I suggest you take it.

Who is the one person who has influenced your personal life the most and why? Music plays a large role in my life and the first time that my ears were truly opened was when my dad shared some of his favorite music with me. Because of his openness to all kinds of musicality I grew an adventurous spirit to find new artists. That seeped in to many areas of my life, creatively speaking. I will forever hold James Taylor in a special place in my heart because of my dad.

If you could sit down and have a conversation with  ONE person, living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be and why?

 I would love to meet Neil Gaiman. I am completely intrigued by the way his mind works. If there is ever a place where magic can be found to exist, I think it's somewhere in his head back in the corner over by the bar, the skinny fellow with the big teeth and a jaunty flower in his cap. The flower is jaunty, not the cap.

What advice would you give to an aspiring author?

Become a selective listener. There will always be someone who doesn't like your writing, what you do, or even you. It won’t be good enough, smart enough, or clear enough. It will be bad, weird, stupid, or horrible. It is inevitable that someone will come in contact with your writing and simply want to tear it down. Here's what I have to say. It doesn't matter if not one other person on the planet “gets you”. Make the art that you love. Say what you need to say. This is the voice that you were given, the one that makes you happy. If it defies convention, then so be it. The trick to being that selective listener is to sift down to the advice that will elevate your writing, your craft, into something better. Leave the rest to troll it out on Reddit  It’s one of the biggest lessons to learn. Continue to write. Continue to be you.

Thank you for stopping by, Awesome, and good luck to you.

Cover Reveal: "Echo of Heartbreak, A Recipe for Life"

    And here it is, Happy Readers!  I am pleased to present to you, exclusively on Vision and Verse, the cover of my latest project, a creation of the hugely talented Parker Kaufman.  
    "Echo of Heartbreak, A Recipe for Life" is a big departure from my usual 'relationship study/adventure with a sci-fi twist' books.  This is a short story written as a letter from a very ill mother to her unborn daughter, telling her some things she wanted her to know.  It is also a recipe book, with thirty-two of my best family recipes.  There are also hints on household management, relationship advice, and observations looking backward on a life well-lived.
    "Echo of Heartbreak, A Recipe for Life" is available at amazon.com now.

       "It's not the years in your life, it's the life in your years."
     

ARTIST INTERVIEW WITH KIEL KAGAN

I have the extreme pleasure to bring you this interview with artist Kiel Kagan..  Born in 1977 and schooled in Chicago, IL., he came to Houston, TX., with his family in 1995.  I met Kagan while studying at the University of Houston and followed his career as he has honed his skills and matured as a young artist.

As a contemporary artist, Kagan embraces abstraction.  He deftly uses a visual language of form, color, and line to produce compositions that are quite independent from his world of visual reference.  His work often expresses scale and line in unique geometric shapes.  He utilizes patches of intense color that give his creations a somewhat psychological depth and feel.  His works are truly unique commentaries.

PK:         "Let me begin the interview by welcoming you to the world of Vision and Verse and
               thank you for agreeing to share with our readers."

Kagan:   "It's my pleasure and thank you for inviting me."

PK:          "Let's start with an easy question.  Did you always want to be an artist?"

Kagan:     "No.  When I was 4 years old I wanted to be a mailman because one of our
                  neighbors was a mail carrier and I thought it would be so cool to drive a
                  mail truck."

PK:           "When did you discover your calling as an artist?"

Kagan:      "I got a huge box of crayons when I was in kindergarten and there were all
                  these amazing colors.  The first one I picked up made me forget all about
                   being a mailman....I just wanted to color EVERYTHING!"  I maintained an
                   interest in art as I grew up.  When it was time to go to college I decided to
                   study ancient history.  I changed majors 2 more times before settling on
                   art.  So I would say I was about 28 when I got the call."

PK:            "So what then IS your favorite color?"

Kagan:      "I don't have a definitive answer for that...it changes with my mood.  Right
                   now I would have to say it's purple."

PK:             "What is your medium of choice?"

Kagan:       "I paint primarily with acrylics."

PK:             "What inspires your work?"

Kagan:       "Ha, it sounds so standard, but, everything in the world presents some
                   kind of visual stimulation for me.  How my brain interprets it is the basis
                   of the inspiration."

PK:            "Name some of your favorite artists?"

Kagan:      "I'm inspired by the classic Expressionists like Kandinsky and Rouault.
                   I also like the works of Max Beckmann."

PK:            "Switching directions here, what cuisine do you like most?"

Kagan:      "Wow, well I'm a traditional guy when it comes to food, I'm not really into
                   exotic foods.  I like everyday stuff that's prepared fresh and with love, you
                   know, from the heart....I guess you call that 'home cooking'."

PK:            "What is one activity that you enjoy outside of your craft?"

Kagan:      "Tending to my flower garden."

PK:            "And what is one thing that you dislike doing or avoid doing?"

Kagan:      "Laundry...I spend a lot of money on new clothes."

PK:             "Is there a foreign destination that you want to visit?"

Kagan:       "Not really.  I haven't discovered all that I want to see here in this country.
                    There's so much in my own backyard yet to explore."

PK:              "Who is/was the biggest influence in your life?"

Kagan:        "Without a doubt my Nana, my father's mother.  She once told me to
                     'imagine the life that you want, then go out and live it'.  That advice is
                     foremost in everything I do."

PK:              "Back to your work.  You paint very large compositions...why is that?"

Kagan:        "It has to do with giving visual importance to things or ideas that appear
                     relatively insignificant.  I think life's little things should scream at you."

PK:             "Prior to this interview, you told me that if it were possible, you'd want to live in
                   an art museum.  What museums would be your top picks?"

Kagan:       "Growing up in Chicago I favor the Museum of Contemporary Art and The
                    Art Institute.  Here in Houston I would say that the Menil Collection ranks
                    very high."

PK:             "What excites you?"

Kagan:       "Oh now that's a loaded question. (laughing)  Life....life is very exciting."

PK:             "What makes you sad?"

Kagan:       "The lack of happiness in people."

PK:              "What do you do to relax?"

Kagan:        "I like to walk in my neighborhood park and go for bike rides."

PK:              "What makes you laugh?"

Kagan:        "Reruns of I Love Lucy."

PK:               "What is the name and author of the last book you read."

Kagan:         "The Psychology of Art and the Evolution of the Conscious Brain, by
                      Robert Solso."

PK:              "What music do you listen to?"

Kagan:        "The Wanted, Bassnectar, Velvet Underground, Selena Gomez,
                     Evanessence, Neil Young, Lady Gaga, Skrillex, and instrumental
                     elevator music....seriously."

PK:              "Name one person dead or alive that you would most like to meet?"

Kagan:        "Roman emperor Nero."

PK:              "And what would you say to him?"

Kagan:        "I'd ask him what melody he was fiddling when Rome was burning."
                     (laughing)

PK:             "As an artist, what would be your dream come true?"

Kagan:       "That's easy, my own studio filled with an endless supply of canvas and
                   paints."

PK:             "What is your philosophy for life?"

Kagan:       "Well, I've been given a great gift of artistic talent.  I would hope that I
                   wouldn't waste it, so that by the time I die I would have used it all up."

PK:             "Do you have any new projects in the works?"

Kagan:       "I'm working to finish all current projects to clear the way to move in a
                    new direction.  I'm really excited to have the opportunity to collaborate
                    on a series of works with a close personal friend and fellow artist.  The
                    merging of two widely diverse styles into one work of art has long been
                    a dream of mine.  I'm looking forward to this new adventure."

PK:             "Kiel, that was my last question for you.  It's been an awesome interview, great
                   to have you here on Vision and Verse.  We wish you the best in your future
                   endeavors.  We also invite you to come back to give us a peak at your new
                   projects.

Kagan:      "Thank you so much, this has been a great experience, I've thoroughly
                  enjoyed it."

Due to a recent hacking, Kiel Kagan's website has been shut down.  Hopefully in the near future you'll be able to access his work via my website.  We'll keep you informed.

Image above:  "VOIDS"  2012,   acrylic on canvas, 7' x 9',  by Kiel Kagan.

This Week on Vision and Verse

August 26 -31

Monday              Cover Reveal for "Echo of Heartbreak,

Aug. 26               A Recipe for Life," author Carol Kauffman   

                            and cover by Parker Kaufman

Tuesday               Interview with author A. J. Sam.  We are 

Aug. 27                pleased to be part of her "Blogtour."

Wednesday          Recipe from "Echo of Heartbreak,"

Aug. 28                provided the download has been successful.

Thursday             Interview with Victoria Adams, author of

Aug. 29               "Circle Trilogy."

Friday                  Interview with  Scarlett Jade, author of

Aug. 30               "September Tango."