Friday, April 24, 2020

BOOK SERIES: The Monday Mystery Society Collection


Oh, this was a fun project with the writers of Books To Go Now. Head writer on this project was Alison Jean Ash. Each book is based on happenings at the local Oakville, Ohio book club called the Monday Mystery Society and the Victorian novel they choose to read that month. 



A Singular Romance by J.W. Stack 
is a Neo-Victorian romance of books, 
upset stomachs, and downpours, 
showing us that love is love. 



In The Right Kiss by Giulietta Spudich, 
Janie finds events at the local book are much more 
than the cool, reserved Jane bargained for.



Beautiful emergency room nurse Marisa breezes
into Rob's bookstore, looking for a mystery to read. 
Eager to see her again, Rob invites her to join the 
Monday Mystery Society. She agrees. 
Now he has to make this non-existent 
book club a reality!  

 Two people from different backgrounds
collide, heart and soul, in 
Oakville, Ohio over a 
book store.



This little beauty, A Dilemma for Daisy, is my
contribution to the anthology. After a
disappointing big-city romance, 
Daisy returns to the small town 
she grew up in to pick up
the pieces of her life
and heal.


Note:

Vision and Verse does not use cookies. We do not store any personal information like email addresses, home addresses, etc. We do not give any information to third parties.

Thursday, April 23, 2020

ENTERTAINMENT: Grace and Frankie










Grace and Frankie were the wives of lawyer colleagues for years. They were opposites and didn’t particularly like each other. Then one day their lawyer husbands confessed to their wives that they are in love with each other and want to live together so they each need a divorce. The ladies both end up living at the beach house and over a period of time and tribulation become friends. 

Note:
Vision and Verse does not use cookies. We do not store any personal information like email addresses, home addresses, etc. We do not give any information to third parties.

Wednesday, April 22, 2020

EARTH DAY - Trees


 Photo by Carol Ann Kauffman
Mill Creek Park, Youngstown, OH





In celebration of Earth Day, Vision and Verse will be honoring those most noble big woody plants, trees. 

Photo by Carol Ann Kauffman
White House Farm, Canfield, OH

In the words of poet Joyce Kilmer:



Photo by Carol Ann Kauffman
Mill Creek Park, Youngstown, OH






Photo by Carol Ann Kauffman
Northeast Trumbull County, OH




Links:
https://www.
importance of trees in our life.com
https://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/the-regents-park/things-to-see-and-do/gardens-and-landscapes/tree-map/why-trees-are-important
https://www.precisiontreemn.com/tips/14-fun-facts-about-trees.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree
https://www.arborday.org/trees/treeGuide/
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/12744/trees

Note:
Vision and Verse does not use cookies. We do not store any personal information like email addresses, home addresses, etc. We do not give any information to third parties. 

Tuesday, April 21, 2020

BOOKS: Some Fantastic Authors to Follow


Some Fantastic Authors to Follow

Dear Gentle Readers,
If you're looking for some good reads, then this post is for you! There's an author group that comes together to help each other, offer advice, and sometimes commiserate. They are a fantastic groups of human beings who are also gifted writers. Take a look at The Author Gang!



The Author Gang
Author friends who write alone but come together from time to time to help each other and have fun.
Our stories will make you wonder, laugh, shake with fear or shed a few tears, but most of all, give you escape from the burdens of everyday life. Check out our books and find yourself whisked away to lands and places you've never been.
The Author Gang:

Erika M Szabo
 “The writing bug bit me on a rainy afternoon when I couldn’t find any new book to read. My daughter had enough of my moping around and snapped at me, “Mom, stop whining! If you haven’t a book to read, then write one.” Her challenge shocked me, but I started playing with the idea and I’ve been writing stories, that I like to read, ever since.”
Erika loves to dance to her own tunes and follow her dreams, introduces her story writing skills and her books that are based on creative imagination with themes such as alternate history, urban fantasy, cozy mystery, sweet romance and supernatural stories. Her children’s stories are informative, educational, and deliver moral values in a non-preachy way.
“I followed my dream to become a writer. As an artist, I paint pretty pictures with my brushes, and as a writer, I paint vivid pictures with my words.”

Cindy J. Smith
I was taught if I couldn't say anything nice don't say anything. Since biting my tongue was painful and soap tasted bad, I developed voices arguing inside my head. When I found writing my thoughts brought me some silence, I took up the pen. It was not long before I realized poetry was much easier than full sentences and I could say exactly what was in my heart.
Strangely, I soon noticed I could put myself in other’s shoes and empathize with their viewpoint.
It was my daughter who encouraged me to share my poems.  She believed they would help others cope...letting them know they were not alone in their thoughts.  
I write now about every aspect of life in hopes someone may be touched and be encouraged to keep trying.

Christina Weigand
A writer, wife, and mother of four grown children. She is also Nana to five granddaughters. She lives with her husband and youngest daughter in Pennsylvania after a short sabbatical in the lovely state of Washington. She has three published YA Christian Fantasy novels; Palace of the Twelve Pillars: Book One, Palace of the Three Crosses: Book Two and Sanctuary of Nine Dragons: Book Three. She also has a woman’s Bible study Women of the Bible: A Study published. Recently the first two books in a MG Fantasy series were published, Sir E. Robert Smythe and the School Bully and Sir E. Robert Smythe and the Lost Detective with the remaining four to be published the near future. Through her writing she strives to share the Word of God and help people young and old to realize the love and mercy He has for everyone.

Darlene Deluca
“Books . . . chocolate . . . tea. These are a few of my favorite things. Combine them with a sunny summer day, and perhaps a beach or pool, and call me happy!”
Deluca writes women’s fiction, contemporary romance, and mainstream fiction with romantic elements. She likes to explore relationships – what brings people together or keeps them apart.  Her intent is to bring to life interesting characters that readers can relate to in real-life situations that combine a little fun, plenty of drama (with perhaps a tear or two), and big helpings of friendship, love and self-discovery, and will leave you either cheering or sighing with a satisfied smile as you turn the final page.
And just so you know . . . she likes a happy, or at least a positive, ending.

Alan Zacher
Author of private investigator mysteries, humorous occult fiction, fantasy adventure fiction, and short stories. After many years of being a "struggling" actor in LA, Alan turned to writing.
"My writing has always been for entertainment--to put a smile on someone's face who might be having a bad day. I write, mostly, light-horror and murder/mystery. I like these two genres because of the freedom they give me to explore man's inner emotions, feelings and emotions--but it must always have humor! We must always laugh; mostly at ourselves. I have had MS for serval years now; I know physical and mental pain; so I need much laughter to endure it. Hopefully, my novels do just that--give you much laughter."

Carol Ann Kauffman
Carol Ann’s books range from short stories to full-length novels. Her novels are classified as romantic action adventures with a sci-fi/ fantasy twist, and mysteries. They’re about life, love, loss, and lunacy. She is a retired teacher. She has worked as a printer, managed a department store office, worked as an insurance agent, and in the hardware and automotive industries. She was a Red Cross volunteer.
Carol loves to travel; her favorite places being Italy, Aruba, and the American Southwest, which tend to show up in her novels.
“I also love to stay home. I get lost in my own little world, where I always have more than a few stories in progress. I grow orchids and African violets, and still like to play in the dirt!”

Suzi Albracht
I am the author of Supernatural Horror Crime Thrillers and Paranormal Romance/Ghost novels. My characters have full, normal lives that get twisted into something horrific or intensely strange. Whether they become a ghost and discover a new, undead world to roam or find themselves in pursuit of a dangerous madman with connections to the dark underworld, I want my readers to feel their pain, their joy, their fear... with every right or wrong turn they take along the way.
While I humbly submit that my main influences are Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and William Faulkner, my style leans closer to that of early Stephen King. My twitter bio describes me to a T - Write, scare myself, turn all the lights on, write some more. Take a break, play pool, kick butt/get butt kicked, go write more horror, double lock door.
You can find my books at: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo.

Randall Krzak
A U.S. Army veteran and retired senior civil servant, spending thirty years in Europe, Africa, Central America, and the Middle East. His residency abroad qualifies him to build rich worlds in his action-adventure novels and short stories. Familiar with customs, laws, and social norms, he promotes these to create authentic characters and scenery.
He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland and two master’s from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh. Randall and his Scottish wife, Sylvia, currently reside in Dunfermline, Scotland. His hobbies include hiking, reading, candle making, pyrography, and sightseeing.
Why did Randall become a writer? Someone suggested he give it a try, so Randall blames his friend. Randall ventured into fiction writing later in life, with his first novel being released at age 62. In just over three years, he's published four novels. He enjoys reading and writing global thrillers and has three more underway.

Rebecca Tran
I am a mother, pharmacist and author. I love all things fantasy and sci-fi. Romance is always a welcome bonus. I have two little girls and I love dogs,I have two of those as well, a Boston Terrier and a Pittie mix. So technically some would say I have four kids. I am currently working on my blog as well as my romance and fantasy series. I am the ultimate nerd who can’t choose between Star Wars and Star Trek and thinks that Dr Who would figure out a way to beat all of them. I still read comic books and love watching anime. We can talk for hours if you know who Kirito, Naruto, or Goku are. If you'd like to read my blog or know more about me or my books, please check out my website.

A.L. Butcher
British-born A. L. Butcher is an avid reader and creator of worlds, a poet, and a dreamer, a lover of science, natural history, history, and monkeys. Her prose has been described as ‘dark and gritty’ and her poetry as ‘evocative’. She writes with a sure and sometimes erotic sensibility of things that might have been, never were, but could be.
Alex is the author of the Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles and the Tales of Erana lyrical fantasy series. She also has several short stories in the fantasy, fantasy romance genres with occasional forays into gothic style horror, including the Legacy of the Mask series. With a background in politics, classical studies, ancient history and myth, her affinities bring an eclectic and unique flavour in her work, mixing reality and dream in alchemical proportions that bring her characters and worlds to life.

L.L. Thomsen
Pick up one of L. L. Thomsen’s high fantasy books and you get treated to an explosion of immersive prose, complicated characters, mystery and plots. Her main world, Dallancea, is home to nine realms and a wealth of races – some known, some entirely new. You do not have to be familiar with fantasy to enjoy the books, but those who are will recognise her zest to spin you an epic tale of complexity and to explore her characters to the core. 
“I invented my first character when I was around five years old,” L. L. laughs, “they lived in my head and took me on adventures at bedtime after ‘lights out’. These days I allow them onto paper. There’s not enough space in my head anymore.” 
L. L. currently lives with her family + two cats and a dog, in the back-of-beyond near the Sherwood Forrest, U.K.

PJ Mann
My name is Paula and I write novels. I live with my husband and a rabbit. I work as an engineering geologist at a construction firm in Finland, and only in my spare time, I sit down at my desk writing stories. You can consider me a sort of wandering writer, and I try, as much as possible, to be on the move. My stories are strongly influenced by what I experience and see during my travels around the world. I am a multi-genre author, but the red wire of my novels is the suspense/drama.
I love to walk in nature with my camera; photography is another of my passions. I believe it’s very closely connected to writing novels as every image tells a story, for those who stop to listen.

R.M. Garino
How now, folks. I'm R.M. Garino, the author of the Chaos of Souls Series. Ever wish you could bring your D&D characters to life? Well, that’s exactly what we did. Although the overarching story of angels and demons is much older, our two main characters were fleshed out from a D&D game my wife and I played with friends ages ago. They're introduced, along with their misfit squads, in The Gates of Golorath, and their adventures continue throughout the series. We've also released a standalone series, the Chaos of Souls Novellas, which capture separate side stories that enrich the main series. Requiem's Reach is the first volume, and we continue from there. If you're looking for a thoughtful, somewhat irreverent fantasy that puts the stories and character first, then come on over and give us a read.



Take a look at the You Tube Video:





Note:
Vision and Verse does not use cookies. We do not store any personal information like email addresses, home addresses, etc. We do not give any information to third parties. 

Monday, April 20, 2020

INTERVIEW: Historical Fiction Author Tara Lynn Masih



Tara Lynn Masih
St. Augustine, FL
USA


Good morning, Tara, and welcome to Vision and Verse, a great place for art and authors. Can you tell us a little about what you've written?
I’ve done a variety of writing over the past 30 years, from poetry (chapbook, “Pulling Eagles from the Sky”), essays (the introduction to The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Writing Flash Fiction), and short stories (Where the Dog Star Never Glows), to finally tackling a novel (My Real Name Is Hanna). In October 2020 I have a flash novelette due out from Cervena Barva Press. The Bitter Kind was written with coauthor James Claffey. It was a lot of fun to collaborate with him.


What is your favorite genre to write?
I’ve fallen in love with historical fiction. I love doing research!


Favorite food.                          
Chocolate. Is that a food?


YES! It is one of of my favorites, too. Tea or coffee?
Tea for sure. I had coffee ice cream when I was a kid and hated it, so never got started drinking coffee. Recently I started drinking tea because I heard it’s good for your brain.


Where would you like to visit?
There are parts of Spain I want to go to with my family, and Australia is high on the bucket list! But really, I enjoy going anywhere new.


What makes you laugh?
I like it when people make fun of themselves. Nothing beats a self-deprecating joke.


Favorite work of art or sculpture.
The Pietà. I saw it in person. It haunts me. I’ve written about it.


How old were you when you started writing?
Hmm. I’m going to say about 8. I started writing little fairy tale cartoons and illustrating them.


Do you plan out your book with outlines and notecards? Or just write?
Unfortunately for me, I just write. So far, anyway. I learned though when doing my novel that I need to be more organized and a bit less spontaneous. I will for sure do more outlining for the next novel. I do use notecards.

Where do you get your inspiration?
I really can’t say where it comes from. Sometimes it feels like a higher power. Not necessarily a god thing, but sort of a creative force. (One reason I think Star Wars has been so successful, it taps into that feeling.)


What do you do when you get a writer's block?
I don’t believe in writer’s block as a “block.” I just figure things want to be dormant for a while and I wait for that creativity to come back. It always does.


Who is your favorite author?        
I don’t have just one. I have dozens in all genres.


Best book you ever read.
Again, no one book. Favorites I can think of off the top of my head: CE Morgan’s All the Living; Anthony Doerr’s The Shell Collector; Gil Adamson’s The Outlander; Michael Parker’s Prairie Fever; Rick Bass’s The Watch, Helen Maryles Shankman’s They Were Like Family to Me.


What would you do for a living if you weren’t a writer?
I already did it. I was a Book Editor for many years. The next best thing to writing is editing and proofreading and producing books.


Who is the one person who has influenced your personal life the most and why?
My grandmother, who understood me completely and totally fostered my love of books and art and writing. I wish she had lived to read my books. She did get to read some smaller pieces.



If you could sit down and have a conversation with ONE person, living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be and why?
My grandmother, so I could thank her. I never really did. I regret that often.


What advice would you give someone who aspired to be a writer?
Learn to accept and weather rejection. Very few writers rise to the top easily and quickly. Those that do are the exception. Learn to not take rejection personally and to keep going and working on your craft. Enjoy the creative part, the publishing part is work and not always fun!



Do you have some links for us to follow you?
Facebook, LinkedIn, Amazon Central, Goodreads, Instagram
National Jewish Book Award Finalist
Julia Ward Howe Award
Florida Book Award~Gold Medal
Foreword INDIES Award~Gold Medal
Skipping Stones Honor Award
A Goodreads' Best Book of the Month~YA



Note:

Vision and Verse does not use cookies. We do not store any personal information like email addresses, home addresses, etc. We do not give any information to third parties. 

Sunday, April 19, 2020

SCHEDULE: April 20-24, 2020


Mon., April 20 - INTERVIEW:
Historical Author Tara Lynn Masih
Holocaust Remembrance Day
Tues., April 21 - BOOKS:
Some Fantastic Authors to Follow
The Author Gang
Wed., April 22 - ART:
EARTH DAY
Trees
Thurs., April 23 - ENTERTAINMENT:
Grace and Frankie
Netflix
Fri., April 24 - BOOK:
The Monday Mystery Society
A Dilemma for Daisy
by Carol Ann Kauffman


Note:

Vision and Verse does not use cookies. We do not store any personal information like email addresses, home addresses, etc. We do not give any information to third parties.