Merry Christmas

Interview with Author V. Murphy

 V. Murphy

Good morning, V!  Welcome to Vision and Verse, the Place for Art and Authors.  What have you written?
Sharing Harper & Stealing Ryder

What is your favorite genre to write?
Contemporary Romance/Erotic Romance Novels

Favorite food. 
Cheeseburgers!

Tea or coffee? 
Tea! Chai to be specific

Pizza or ice cream? 
Pizzaaaa

Where would you like to visit? 
Australia and South Africa

Favorite musical artist.  Do you listen to music when you write?  What? 
I have a youtube station I set up. I will attach my playlist.

What makes you laugh? 
Funny quick jokes in books.

How old were you when you started writing? 
20

Describe your perfect evening. 
Watching a movie at a luxury theater then going out to eat :) nom!

Where do you get your inspiration? 
My life.

What do you do when you get a writer's block? 
Ugh! This is totally my life. I don't know, I step away from my book usually.

Who is your favorite author? 
Abbi Glines, Sylvia Day

Best book you ever read. 
Hmm, this changes ALL the time, but Fallen Too Far is probably my favorite.

Who is the one person who has influenced your personal life the most and why? 
My grandmother. She was always there for me.

What advice would you give someone who aspired to be a writer?Write.  Just keep writing.

Do you have any links for us?
FB: https://www.facebook.com/VMurphyAuthor
Goodreads for Sharing Harper: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17968360-sharing-harper
Goodreads for Stealing Ryder: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18768345-stealing-ryder?from_search=true
Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.com/1490349685
Amazon Kindle: http://amzn.com/B00DT53YHO
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DT53YHO
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/322706
Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sharing-harper-victoria-murphy/1115929279?ean=2940148197287

Cover Reveal AGENCY RULES by Khalid Muhammad

Khalid Muhammad

Here's the blurb:

“You are free to go to your mosque, temples and churches,” was the refrain when Pakistan was born in 1947, but that all changed after the first Afghan war when Pakistan was plunged into a sectarian and extremist battleground. It all changed again when Karachi was set ablaze by gangland violence that forced a hapless government to take direction from the powerful Pakistan Army.

Kamal Khan, born and raised in the conflict ridden tribal region, forfeits his wealthy industrialist family background to serve his nation in a war that will define Pakistan’s future.

The cold adrenaline, the fear of the unknown, the shadowy hands, and the cunning that surpasses a Sicilian mind... the game of espionage in South Asia comes to life in Agency Rules, the spy thriller that takes the battle to the Taliban in Pakistan.

Enlist for battle - http://agencyrules.com and http://facebook.com/AgencyRulesPK

• Agency Rules - It\'s Never an Easy Day at the Office
  www.agencyrules.comEspionage is all about intrigue and South Asia is loaded with it. Agency Rules digs deep into the world of terrorism that plagues Pakistan, the world\'s most dangerous nation, giving you a new perspective from the eyes of Kamal Khan, a new operative in Pakistan\'s premier intelligence agency.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

OLD FASHIONED CHRISTMAS

Greetings and Happy Holidays!!   That magical  time of year is upon us and so many of us remember the good old-fashion days of Christmas past.  The images above are holiday postcards from the early 1900's.  The artistry, the attention to detail in the images is exquisite and each one is embossed.  The designs evoke wonderful memories of when the holidays were simpler. The cards are from my personal collection of family memorabilia.  They are postmarked sequentially starting with 1910 through 1914 and several with the original postage stamp. 

Happy Holidays to everyone!!  Thanks for your continued support.

Images above are the personal property of Parker Kagan-Kaufman

Interview with Georgina Ramsey

Georgina Ramsey

North East England

Good morning, Georgina.  Welcome to the States.  We're happy to have you hear with us this morning.  Tell us, Georgie, what have you written?

To date I have five books published. I have two books in the 

Love, Life series and two books in the Myrtle Maloney series. I also have a children’s book published which my son produced the front cover for.

What is your favorite genre to write?

I would say, at the moment, it is definitely humor and this is the genre I seem to have the most success in. I wasn’t expecting this to happen but my first book, which is a novelette, “Love, Life & Cream Cakes!” has been a lot more successful than I had anticipated.

Favorite food.

Oh dear, where do I begin! Possibly ice-cream, but then I do like a nice curry, and lasagna is also a firm favorite of mine. 

Where would you like to visit?

I feel like I should always apologize for being a real homebody, but it’s true. I have visited other countries like Canada, Greece, Turkey, Spain and France, but my heart belongs to the North East of England. I love its earthiness and the history on offer. 

Favorite musical artist.  

This is such an easy question for me. Without a shadow of doubt it has to be the amazing Rumer, who is a British artist, and if you haven’t checked her out, please do – you won’t be disappointed. She has the most soothing voice; absolutely beautiful. Then there is also my penchant for Michael Buble, he’s delicious!

I'll definitely check  out Rumer.  I love Michael Buble, too!  Do you listen to music when you write?  

Sometimes, but it depends on the emotional response that I am trying to stir up in my characters. I often find background noise helps to relax and focus my mind when I am writing a first draft, but when I’m editing, I need silence.

What makes you laugh?

Life makes me laugh, and I always try to see the funny side in existence. I am quite eccentric, so I have been told, and a firm believer in the fact that with the challenges that life throws at you, if you didn’t laugh at them, you’d have to cry. I don’t want to spend my life crying over things I can’t change. 

How old were you when you started writing?

I started writing in a productive fashion in my late teens (I’m now in my mid-thirties), but I began writing professionally only a couple of years ago and had my first book published in 2012. 

Where do you get your inspiration?

I would say that I am inspired by observations of life and my own experiences. My day job is a lecturer of Psychology, so I am naturally critical of, and intrigued by, the human psyche, which is what I tend to draw upon in my writing.

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

Watch a TV show, read a book, put on some music, make a cuppa, or go out and play with my little one. I occasionally try to write through it, but this is only when I’m being stubborn!

Who is your favorite author?

Probably Leigh Russell and DJ Bennett at the moment, but the psychologist in me is fascinated by the work of Joe Conlan. His words are easy to read but his thought processes aren’t.

Best book you ever read.

Would you mind me reverting back to childhood for this? “The Witches” by Roald Dahl, or “Our Kate” by Catherine Cookson. I was raised on Catherine Cookson books; I think I was about seven when I read my first one because my mum was such a huge fan. She would read one and then pass it on to me, but only after she had told me the whole plot first. She does like her spoilers!

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

My son and he is my world. We are pretty similar to one another but when I come home from work and want to let off steam he is always there for me with his loving arms, cuddles and giggles. He keeps me sane.

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

Princess Diana, because she was a real enigma. She seemed to be caught between tradition and modern reality, and because I have a fascination with what goes on behind closed doors at the best of times, what could be better than to converse with than the woman who could let you in on the quirks and eccentricities of Buck House! I love our Royal Family. 

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

Don’t be seduced by the supposed glamour of it all. We keep anti-social hours and it is hard work putting out your words for critique. Sales don’t come easy, unless luck is shining down on you; it requires long hours, a huge learning curve and patience. That said, it is without doubt the most amazing career. 

Here are my Amazon links:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-Life-Lettuce-ebook/dp/B00DYUEIVK/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1382266646&sr=1-1&keywords=love+life+and+lettuce

http://www.amazon.com/Love-Life-Lettuce-Georgina-Ramsey-ebook/dp/B00DYUEIVK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382266675&sr=8-1&keywords=love+life+and+lettuce

Thank you, Georgina. It has been a pleasure.  We at Vision and Verse wish you much success in all your endeavors.  Come back and see us again.

Winter in Ohio

I hate the cold.  I dislike the frigid temperatures and the howling wind.  I abhor the lack of sunshine and  blue skies.  So why am I here in the dreary, snowy, bleak, gray-skied Ohio?  
Because occasionally, just occasionally, it is breathtakingly beautiful.

Interview with Author Steven Whitacre

Steven Whitacre

Kirkland, WA

Welcome to Vision and Verse this morning, Steven.   Have you always lived in Washington?
No, Carol.  I grew up in the San Francisco Bay area.

What have you written?
My Fathers Prostitute – A Journey to Borderline Personality Disorder and Back, which is the true story of growing up with a secret and how it affected my life and relationships, but also how I managed to overcome it all and find love again.

What is your favorite genre to write?
I did some adventure writing as a teen, but have pretty much just stuck to this one narrative non-fiction book.  I do have a creative streak in me, but I tend to focus more on my music than writing (although I haven’t done anything professionally with that in over 20 years).

Favorite food.
Pretty much everything my wife cooks!  But seriously, I do love food.  I love Mexican and Thai a lot, but nothing can beat a good, greasy burger!

Where would you like to visit? 
 When I was in the US Navy, I visited Portugal, Spain, Italy, France, Greece and Turkey, along with the islands of Mallorca, Crete and Sicily.  Of all the places I’ve been, I would love to return to the island of Crete.  As for places I have never been, I would love to visit Belgium and Germany.

Favorite musical artist.  Do you listen to music when you write?  What?
This is a difficult one because music has had such a huge influence on my life.  If I had to pick just one band that had the most influence, it would have to be Black Sabbath.  If I had to pick one artist, it would be Ozzy Osbourne.  I didn’t listen to music while I wrote though – I needed complete silence so that I could get my true thoughts and feelings down on paper without being influenced by outside sources.

What makes you laugh?
 My wife ☺  Seriously though, this question somewhat saddens me.  I don’t laugh enough.  I think laughter is important for our mental wellbeing.  If we can’t have fun and laugh, we aren’t living.

How old were you when you started writing?
I started mulling the idea of telling my story when I was about 42.  But I didn’t actually put pen to paper until I was 45.  It took 3 years of deep introspection before I was comfortable with telling my story, and 3 years of planning and imagining how it would go – none of which looked anything like the final product.

Where do you get your inspiration?
I get my inspiration from the people around me, from nature, and mostly from my wife and daughters.

What do you do when you get a writer's block?
I wait it out.  I wrote my book in about 8 weekend mornings – there wasn’t much time for writers block, although I did have a little.  Most of my writing was done first thing in the morning before the family got out of bed.

Who is your favorite author?
Stephen King and Clive Barker were a couple of my favorites growing up.

Best book you ever read. 
Different books have impacted me in different ways - I don’t think I could ever pick a “best”.  To be perfectly honest, I’m not a big reader.  When I do read, it’s typically non-fiction how-to’s or something along those lines.  My wife is a big reader and has tried to foster that same love in me but it hasn’t stuck (yet).

Who is the one person who has influenced your personal life the most and why?
Ozzy Osbourne hands down.  It was his influence that got me into the heavy drug use that defined a good chunk of my life.  But it was also Ozzy that influenced my visit to rehab and the sobriety that followed.

If you could sit down and have a conversation with ONE person, living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be and why?
Bob Marley.  He seemed like a happy soul who believed in love and unity.  Two things which aren’t always easy to find in life, but which make a huge difference in its quality.

What advice would you give someone who aspired to be a writer?
 Just do it!

Do you have a Facebook link for us, Steven?
The Facebook page for my book can be found at https://www.facebook.com/journeytobpd

The book itself is in the (pre) editing stage, but I have hopes that I will have a publication date of April, 2014 to coincide with National Sexual Assault Awareness Month.  Also, a portion of the proceeds (haven’t decided how much yet.. 10%? 20%?) will be donated to organizations dedicated to helping children with trauma histories.

We look forward to updates on your book.  You are welcome to come back and do either a cover reveal or a short excerpt from your book next April.  It has been a pleasure having you here this morning and we at Vision and Verse wish you continued success in all your endeavors.

My Idea of Santa!

Dear Happy Readers,

    Our idea of Santa changes drastically during our lifetime.  My dad used to say you start out believing in Santa and end up being Santa.  Whatever your personal vision of Santa is, I hope he visits you this season and loads you down with holiday cheer and goodwill, and maybe a special little something you've been wishing for.

Hugs,

Carol