Cover Reveal of A Telltale Secret

A Telltale Secret

by

Mj Rain

Synopsis:

~Five Keys. Two Parallel Universes. One Destiny.

   Willow Rain lives in a seemingly perfect world with her sister and their nanny, on a planet where those who are deemed useless seem to vanish without a trace, along with those who speak of the forbidden keys. When she gets her chance to be of use, she begins on the path to her destiny when the magical key from her dreams is set in her possession. With it, she embarks on a journey to another world in search of her parents and slowly she uncovers the mysteries that surround her family's past, present, and future. When she uncovers the deepest secret of them all, the difficult path ahead of her reveals the true purpose of her life. 

Come with me and discover what became of the people of Atlantis!

About Mj Rain:

Mj Rain, woman, wife, activist, and author, lives in Iowa with her husband, her mom, and her cat Lucky. Her passion is to have a major impact on the world by causing a positive change through her writing. She has always made her presence known for causes she believes in, and plans to continue doing so as she expresses herself through words.

My Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mj-Rain/517670434943373

My Novel Blog: http://mjrainwriter.wordpress.com/

Madison's Christmas

Madison's Christmas is my Christmas short story.  I wrote this for an anthology with other indie authors to be published for a holiday project that fell through for some unknown reason.  It is being offered free on amazon.com from midnight tonight until midnight tomorrow night, November 1, 2013.



Synopsis:
Christmas is Madison's favorite holiday, but this year she has to face it alone, without her father and her best friend, amid the problems of running her own high-stakes business and dealing with family issues.  Can the spirit of Christmas lift a heavy heart?


Review:
What a thoroughly enjoyable read!  Thank you.
                  -Maria M.

THE ART OF THE FILM POSTER

Just what is a film poster?  It is a poster used to advertise a film.  They are used by movie studios to promote a film, both domestically and internationally.  Present day posters feature photos of the main characters of the movie.  Prior to 1990, the posters used illustrations rather than photographs.  These placards also contain the film title, actors and directors names, and the release date of the movie.  They can be found inside and outside theaters and elsewhere on the streets and in retail entertainment outlets.

The earlier advertisements were compositions of multiple overlaid illustrations from scenes in the film.  Many others were artistic interpretations of the overall theme of the movie displayed in various artistic styles.

Originally these posters were printed for the specific theater where the film was being shown.  At the end of the film's run, the posters were returned to  the National Screen Service which was responsible for the printing and distribution.  In the 1980's most American movie studios took over production and distribution of film advertisements.

There are several kinds of movie poster formats.

Lobby cards were a smaller form of poster, usually 8x10 or 11x14 inches in size, popular before 1930.  These cards are very collectible.  Age, quality, and popularity determine their value.  Lobby cards were most commonly issued in sets of 8, each with a different film scene.

Teaser posters are used in the early promotion of a film.  They feature a basic image or design which doesn't reveal much about the plot or characters.  They are generally used to create hype over the film.

Character posters are promotional placards that feature a character and the name of the actor playing it.  It may also carry a tagline reflecting a quality of that character.

Pictured above are 10 of the most famous movie posters in recent film history.

Interview with Author Gregory S. Lamb

 Gregory S. Lamb

Portland, Oregon

What have you written?

The People In Between:  A Cyprus Odyssey

Family Saga - Historical Fiction

A Ghost Named Manky

Young Adult - Campfire Story

A Dangerous Element

Military Thriller - (currently in the mill)

What is your favorite genre to write?  

Contemporary Fiction

Favorite food:  

Çoban or Mercimek çorbası - Turkish for Shepherd's Soup often made with red lentils

Where would you like to visit? 

The Kingdom of Tonga in the South West Pacific - It would mean tramping on an Inter-Island supply ship - something I've got on my bucket list.

Favorite musical artist:  

Aoife O'Donavan - Progressive Blue Grass Singer/ Song Writer with the sweetest airy voice you'll ever hear.  The original music she performs with the Band "Crooked Still" tells some amazing tales.

Do you listen to music when you write? 

Sometimes - I find music with lyrics to be a distraction

What?

When I do it is Modern or acoustic Jazz Instrumentals

What makes you laugh?

Great question.  When I was a kid I remember experiencing the uncontrollable emotion of laugher when I heard certain types of music being played.  Recently I've re-discovered the joy of listening and have found myself laughing when listening to Old Time American Folk music.

I also find myself laughing at some of the silly things I see my dog, Matisse doing.  He's a Faux French Bulldog (mom was Frenchie, dad a Boston Terrier). 

How old were you when you started writing?

I wrote a play in Fifth Grade...that must have been my first foray into the world of creative writing.  I was a terrible student and really terrible writer until my sophomore year as an undergraduate.  However, I didn't really learn to write until later. 

Believe it or not, writing policy documents in my former career taught me a lot about crafting a story line. About three years ago, I began my second career as an independent author and I'm still learning.

Where do you get your inspiration?

I've been thinking about this question since I discovered the importance of marketing my work. By reading the work of others - both good and bad, I've started to populate my creative writing tool kit with a variety of techniques.

I'm often impressed with the creativity of the work written by young artists.  I don't believe I would have been able to do what I'm doing now without the perspective of my life's experiences.  In recent years, I've come to realize that I'm a collector of other people's stories, which sometimes form the basis or framework of a plot line.

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

Thank goodness I haven't experienced this plague!  My stories burn in my mind and I'm compelled to write them down - they spill out in ways that sometimes keep me from remaining in the present.  Two things emerge as a result:  I sometimes miss what is happening around me while imagining how I would document an occurrence or emotion that I just experienced. Second, I end up with lots of written material that requires sifting, organizing and eliminating all together.  That is the hardest part for me - As Stephen King points out in his work, "On Writing."  We must learn to eliminate "our little darlings," to keep the plot moving and our readers engaged.

Who is your favorite author?

Jack London - This guy had the credibility of experience.  He wasn't afraid of adventure.  I would be so bold as to describe him as one of the world's first participative authors.  He was a ground-breaking war correspondent at a very young age - long before the popularity we see with today's celebrity journalists.

Best book you ever read.

Why do people ask me that?  It is perhaps the most difficult question for me because I have so many and my answer varies with my mood.  However, two recent novels come to mind: 

I liked the structure of The People of the Book, by Geraldine Brooks more than anything I’ve read in the past year.  The story arcs from Cutting for Stone, by Abraham Verghese really grabbed me and I admired the way he structured the chronology and flow into a complete novel.

Who is the one person who has influenced your personal life the most and why?

I couldn't afford college so I worked my way through school as a sail maker.  My world revolved around sailing in competitions in the San Francisco Bay Area and saving money for college.  Kame Richards, the owner of Pineapple Sails in Oakland, California was a generous employer who I admired for his creativity and energy.  He always kept a spot for me on his small staff of employees so that I could make it through college.

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

Henry Kissinger because I'd want to learn every detail about the path he took to acquire so much influence. Not because I'm interested in becoming a power monger either.  I'd like to go eyeball to eyeball with Mr. Kissinger and challenge him to defend keeping the American public in the dark about his involvement in manipulating international politics.  I'd want to hear what he has to say about the many people in various places in the world who endured and suffered as a result of his political engagements.

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

Enjoy the process.  Have fun on the adventure ride that you would be creating for yourself as you journey along the trails of your characters.  Manage your expectations and follow your heart and allow yourself to write what you feel matters.

Amazon: 

http://www.amazon.com/Gregory-Lamb/e/B008IFYOYW/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/greg.lamb.1612

https://www.facebook.com/LambPDXAuthor

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/GregorySLamb

@GregorySLamb

My Website:

http://gslambpdxauthor.webs.com

My Blog: 

http://gregorylambpdxauthor.wordpress.com 

Read about my soon to be realeased novel:  A Dangerous Element

http://gslambpdxauthor.webs.com/news.htm

Interview with Author Mellie George

 Mellie George

Indiana, USA

Welcome, Mellie, to Vision and Verse, the place for Art and Authors.  We're happy to have you here with us this morning.  Tell us, what have you written?
 Say Yes (Glenbrook Girls Series), Back To Life, and the
upcoming novella Rebel (part one in a four part series)

What is your favorite genre to write?
Steamy romance

Favorite food.
Pizza. LOTS of pizza, lol. It’s my eternal weakness.

Where would you like to visit?
I would love to travel around the US and see places I haven’t seen like New York City, New Orleans, Boston, Chicago, and Las Vegas.

Favorite musical artist.
Wow, that’s like asking me which child is my favorite! I am a rock chick at heart and my favorite bands right now are Memphis May Fire, Saving Abel, and Shinedown. I also surprisingly am loving the heck out of Lady Gaga’s new stuff, and I will admit I crank up the radio when Katy Perry’s new song comes on.

Do you listen to music when you write?  What? 
I definitely listen to music when I write. In fact, my second book “Back To Life” includes a playlist of all the music I listened to and what inspired me to write and shape the character of Rory. My first novella, “Rebel”, will have a playlist attached as well. I don’t have one in Say Yes, but I am thinking of going back and adding one since I get asked that question a lot. I tend to listen to music I think my characters would listen to while I am shaping them.

What makes you laugh?
My friends (including my work family who I adore so much), and anything from Family Guy. Seriously…funniest show EVER.

How old were you when you started writing?
I wrote my first short story when I was eleven, actually. It was a story about a figure skater and her partner. (The Cutting Edge was a big movie at the time, lol.) I wrote a lot through high school too, but I began writing “Say Yes” in October of 2012 and I seriously considered publishing it that December.

Where do you get your inspiration?
I am a hairstylist, so I get a lot of inspiration from hearing about my customers love lives, lol. I am also a sucker for a good love story, so I just write about what I would love to read about.

What do you do when you get a writer's block?
Step away from the computer and read a good book. I also listen to different kinds of music or watch sappy movies…anything that can help me get the creative juices flowing again. I also sometimes step away from my current WIP and work on a different one. It helps to get out of one person’s head and dive into another.


Who is your favorite author? 
Oh man…this is hard. I don’t think I have one favorite, but the authors I have loved and whose books have stayed with me are Jay Crownover, Terri Anne Browning, Sophie Monroe, and Molly McAdams.

Best book you ever read.
Again, a hard question. I absolutely loved Rule by Jay Crownover, I love Terri Anne Browning’s “The Rocker” series but my favorite of the series so far was “The Rocker That Needs Me” (Book 3). Both of those chicks are crazy talented and they are who inspired me to put myself out there and self publish.

Who is the one person who has influenced your personal life the most and why?
I have many people that have influenced me, but I honestly I have to credit my new friends I have met through Facebook as the ones who have the biggest influence on me recently. I have met some incredible lifelong friends on there that never fail to support me and will listen to me cry all the while encouraging me to let it all roll off my back and keep going. They know who they are, lol.

If you could sit down and have a conversation with ONE person, living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be and why?
Oh wow…I think I’d love spend a couple of hours with John Lennon. I’d love to get inside his brilliant mind and just talk about anything and everything.

What advice would you give someone who aspired to be a writer?
The biggest advice I can give is don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Not everyone is going to like you and you have to be okay with that. Do bad reviews hurt? Absolutely. I think I cried when I got my first bad one, lol. (It was freaking brutal). However, for every one person that doesn’t like your books there are one hundred people that do and would follow you and your books anywhere. Learn to take constructive criticism, but don’t ever put up with cruelty and bullying. Let it roll off your back and keep on moving with your head held high. Don’t write because you want to be liked, write because it’s what you love, even if it’s crap. Be proud of your crap!!! Lol


Links to my books on Amazon:
Back To Life (US): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EIPG5IE
Back To Life (UK): https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00EIPG5IE

Say Yes (US): http://www.amazon.com/Say-Glenbrook-Girls-Series-ebook/dp/B00D4BFUXO/ref=pd_sim_kstore_2
Say Yes (UK): http://www.amazon.co.uk/Say-Glenbrook-Girls-Series-ebook/dp/B00D4BFUXO/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1380404607&sr=1-2


Links to my books on Barnes & Noble:

Back To Life: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/back-to-life-mellie-george/1116480253?ean=2940148443506&itm=1&usri=2940148443506

Say Yes: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/say-yes-mellie-george/1116812649?ean=2940148806486&itm=1&usri=2940148806486

Like me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Mellie-George/329475417182667?bookmark_t=page

Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/AuthorMellieG  @AuthorMellieG

THE ART OF THE BOOK JACKET

Book jackets, also known as dust jackets or dust wrappers, have been a part of book publishing since the early 19th century.  Most are made of paper and are adorned with print and illustrations.  Covers are detachable, usually with folded flaps that hold it to the front and back of the book.

The jacket's main purpose was to protect the book's hard cover.  Many times the paper jackets were encased in a transparent wrapper to further protect the book, especially in instances where it was a library volume.

Typically, the back flap contains information about the author, the publisher, and promotional comments.  The front flap in turn usually has a snippet of the contents of the book.

Often overlooked as an art form, they also bring attention to the artists/illustrators that design them.  Many iconic books have become instantly recognizable because of their cover art.

Pictured above are 10 of the most recognizable books and jackets known today.