The key to a better body—in shape, energized, and youthful—is a healthy brain. Based on the latest medical research, as well as on Dr. Amen’s two decades of clinical practice at the re¬nowned Amen Clinics, where Dr. Amen and his as¬sociates pioneered the use of the most advanced brain imaging technology, Change Your Brain, Change Your Body shows you how to take the very best care of your brain.

With fifteen practical, easy-to-implement solutions involving nutritious foods, natural supplements and vitamins, positive-thinking habits, and, when neces¬sary, highly targeted medications, Dr. Amen shows you how to:

* Reach and maintain your ideal weight
* Soothe and smooth your skin at any age
* Reduce the stress that can impair your immune system
* Sharpen your memory
* Increase willpower and eliminate the crav¬ings that keep you from achieving your exercise and diet goals
* Enhance sexual desire and performance
* Lower your blood pressure without medication
* Avoid depression and elevate the enjoyment you take in life’s pleasures.

Whether you’re just coming to realize that it’s time to get your body into shape, or are already fit and want to take it to the next level, Change Your Brain, Change Your Body is all you need to start putting the power of the brain-body connection to work for you today.

The Long Story

I must admit, when I first held this book in my hands, I didn’t think it would tell me much more than I already knew. I’ve been reading about and researching all things weight-related for years. But, it wasn’t yet another diet book, so I was willing to give it a go.

And here’s the part you’re probably expecting: I’m glad I did.

Yes, this book covered territory I have already been through, but it does so in a new way. A brain-oriented way. Dr. Amen’s foundation of changing your life all starts in the brain, and I find that fascinating.

Amen had me from the moment he posited that early life brain trauma (well, any brain trauma, regardless of when it happens) can help create the bad habits that we have today. Poor concentration, poor follow-through, anger issues… All of it can have to do with how you are or have treated your brain.

That sports injury you got when you were a kid because you weren’t wearing a helmet? That could be the reason you exhibit ADD symptoms. Or why you might have trouble sleeping. The implications of what he covers in this book are far reaching, and I quite like that.

Like I said, this is not another diet book, and that’s a relief. Yes, there is advice to cut sugar and the ‘white’ things, but that’s about it. Everything else engages you to think about your brain and the life of your brain on multiple levels. It’s not just about weight but about overall health.

The Short Story

This book is a great way to start thinking about your overall health in a new light.

***
Change Your Brain Change your Body
Dr. Daniel G. Amen
http://www.amenclinics.com/
Paperback: 384 pages
ISBN-10: 0307463583
ISBN-13: 978-0307463586

Q: Hello, Susan, and welcome to The Hot Author Report. It’s rare today to find an author who does nothing but write for a living. Do you have a day job other than writing, and if so, what is it? What are some other jobs you’ve had in your life? Have they influenced/inspired your writing?

A: I live on a ranch, so there is always plenty to do. I don’t think I could just write as I don’t like sitting in one place for long periods of time. When I was younger I enjoyed moving around, as there are so many wonderful places to live. I have had many jobs in my lifetime, from being a telephone operator, to cleaning fish, to driving carriages. I think many life experiences have influenced my writing, not just jobs, but also the different people I’ve met along the way.

Q: What compelled you to write your first book?

A: I wrote A Story of the West, my first book, when an idea came to me and I decided to attempt writing about it. It was the pivotal moment in my hero’s life and has to do with whether the decision to die is the only way out of a life someone believes they have no control over.

Q: Tell us briefly about your book.

A: A Story of the West takes place back in the 1880s in, what was then, Montana Territory during the time of the open range ranching era. A father and son trail cattle up from Texas to start a cattle ranch. Since there was very little law on the frontier during that time, people were sometimes put in the position of protecting, not only their homes, but also their lives, from the aggressors. The Dalys get caught up in one of these situations and since they refuse to back down, things become dangerous.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I am working on a sequel that takes place in more recent times. The ranch is now run by a fourth generation Daly. Times have changed and new problems now threaten the ranch.

Q: How do you balance out the writer’s life and the rest of life? Do you get up early? Stay up late? Ignore friends and family for certain periods of time?

A: My husband is feeling ignored right now, as I am pushing to finish my sequel, as well as promoting my first book. I frequently stay up late since he is an early riser. Staggering our sleeping gives me a time to work when the house is quiet. Once I finish the sequel and my book tour, I will have time for other things.

Q: The main characters of your stories – do you find that you put a little of yourself into each of them or do you create them to be completely different from you?

A: I believe that we write about what we know. It may not be a personal experience, but on some level, even by just hearing about an incident, we absorb aspects of it. In that sense I think my characters all have a bit of me in them.

Q: When growing up, did you have a favorite author, book series, or book?

A: Growing up, I read anything I could get my hands on. My favorite books were horse related and many took place during the same time period as A Story of the West. There are so many bits and pieces of stories I remember of kids and their horses, or about families traveling in covered wagons. I wish I remembered the names of those books.

Q: What about now: who is your favorite author and what is your favorite genre to read?

A: Barbara Kingsolver is a favorite right now. I don’t have a favorite genre. If a plot holds my interest, the where and when becomes secondary.

Q: Where you have lived and what you have experienced can influence your writing in many ways. Are there any specific locations or experiences that have popped up in your books?

A: The setting of both my books is the area where I now live in Montana. Maybe it was moving here a few years ago that inspired me to write.

Q: What is your writing space like? Do you have a designated space? What does it look like? On the couch, laptop, desk? Music? Lighting? Typing? Handwriting?

A: Right now I write on a laptop at a desk that is up against a large picture window. I can look out and watch the donkey that is staying with us, as well as a pond where the ducks and geese swim. I can look up on the hill and view wildlife. Coyotes and foxes as well as deer and antelope are among the species that pass through.

Q: Is there anything you’d go back and do differently now that you have been published, in regards to your writing career?

A: That’s a tough question. I don’t have any regrets about my life in general, as I believe that, whether we’re aware of it or not, we create our own destiny. For a while, after I self-published A Story of the West and then realized what it meant to be branded an Indie Author, I did wonder if I should have tried the traditional route. Now, listening to the stories of other authors and seeing the direction the publishing industry seems to be headed, I’m not so sure. It seems people are enjoying reading self-published works because of their originality. Yesterday I read about an author who was offered a contract, but was told she would have to rewrite her book the way the publisher wanted it done. She refused and self-published. I would do the same thing.

Q: Now that you are a published author, does it feel differently than you had imagined? 

A: Don’t we all imagine that once we publish, everything will be rosy? What I have found is that there are ups and downs. When I’m in town running errands and I run into someone who tells me they enjoyed reading my book, I feel wonderful. On the other hand, being tied to my computer for long periods of time can be an energy drain.

Use this space to tell us more about who you. Anything you want your readers to know. Include information on where to find your books, any blogs you may have, or how a reader can learn more about you and writing.

I am just a regular person who discovered writing and am enjoying expressing myself through story telling.

A Story of the West can be ordered through local bookstores in paperback. It is available in both paper back and ebook from Amazon and Barnes and Noble. For other ebook formats, go to Smashwords. To learn more about me, visit my blog or website. I will gladly send you an autographed copy of A Story of the West, if you contact me.

ABOUT CAROLINE ALETHIA

Caroline Alethia is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in newspapers, magazines, on radio and in web outlets. Her words have reached audiences on six continents. She lived in Bolivia and was a witness to many of the events described in Plant Teacher.

You can visit her website at www.plantteacherthebook.net. Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon | Amazon Kindle Store | Official Tour Page

ABOUT PLANT TEACHER

Hailed by Huffington Post contributor Joel Hirst as a compelling and powerful story, Plant Teacher begins in 1972 when a hippie in Oakland, California flushes a syringe of LSD down a toilet. Thirty-five years later, the wayward drug paraphernalia has found its final resting place in Los Yungas, Bolivia, the umbilical cord between the Andes and Amazonia. Enter into this picture two young Americans, Cheryl Lewis, trying to forge her future in La Paz and Martin Banzer, trying to come to terms with his past in the same city. The two form an unlikely friendship against the backdrop of a country teetering at the brink of dictatorship and revolution. Bolivia sparks the taste for adventure in both young people and Martin finds himself experimenting with indigenous hallucinogenic plants while Cheryl flits from one personal relationship to another. Meanwhile, the syringe buried in the silt in a marsh in Los Yungas will shape their destinies more than either could anticipate or desire. Plant Teacher takes its readers on a fast-paced tour from the hippie excesses of Oakland, to the great streams of the Pacific Ocean and to the countryside, cities, natural wonders and ancient ruins of Bolivia. It reveals­ the mundane and the magical, and, along the way, readers glimpse the lives of everyday Bolivians struggling to establish equanimity or merely eke out a living during drastic political crisis.

Plant Teacher Virtual Book Publicity Tour Schedule

Monday, April 2

Interview at Examiner

Tuesday, April 3

Guest Blogging at Cindy’s Love of Books

Wednesday, April 4

Interview at Blogcritics

Thursday, April 5

Interview at Lisa Haselton’s Reviews & Interviews

Friday, April 6

Interview & Book Giveaway at I Am a Reader, Not a Writer

Tuesday, April 10

Interview & Book Giveaway at Literarily Speaking

Wednesday, April 11

Guest Blogging & Book Giveaway at Bookin’ It Up

Thursday, April 12

Interview at Beyond the Books

Friday, April 13

Interview at Between the Covers

Monday, April 16

Interview at Book Marketing Buzz

Interview & Book Giveaway at Hardcover Feedback

Tuesday, April 17

Interview at Red Room

Wednesday, April 18

Interview at SheWrites

Thursday, April 19

Interview at The Writer’s Life

Friday, April 20

Interview at As the Pages Turn

May stops announced soon!

Barbara Lampert is a Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in relationships. She’s been in private practice in Brentwood, California for over twenty years. She considers her work a calling and loves what she does. She has a doctorate in medical sociology and two master’s degrees – one in psychology and one in sociology. Barbara has adored dogs her whole life. They’re her passion! She notes that for a lot of people, their dogs are their best friends. She loves helping people know that’s ok – that a soul-satisfying relationship may be found with any being and needs to be treasured. Besides her love of dogs, Barbara is an avid gardener and finds herself gardening in much of her spare time. She sees her garden as a work of art. She loves being in nature – the miracle of growth, the ever-changing landscape, its beauty. Today Barbara lives happily in Malibu, California with her husband David (married twenty-eight years!) and their six-year-old Golden Retriever, Harry. Barbara hopes that Charlie: A Love Story will be a tribute not only to a magnificent dog but to all dogs everywhere. You can visit her website at www.charliealovestory.com.

It is rare today to find an author who does nothing but write for a living. Do you have a day job other than writing, and if so, what is it? What are some other jobs you’ve had in your life? Have they influenced/inspired your writing?

First of all, thank you so much for having me on your site! And thank you also for giving me the opportunity to be in touch with your audience and to tell them about my book, Charlie: A Love Story, and about Charlie and me.

You are absolutely right: an author who writes for a living is exceedingly rare. While I love to write, my profession is that of a psychotherapist. I’ve been licensed as a Marriage Family Therapist for over twenty years and consider that my calling. I love what I do. I’ve been curious about people and have helped people with their problems most of my life. So it was only natural that I would do that professionally. I can’t imagine another “day job.” I work mostly with individuals but also with couples, dealing with anxiety, depression, and various other mood problems as well as with character disorders, mainly the narcissistic personality. I see my job as helping people untangle from the various situations in which they become entangled.

Other jobs I’ve had: I was a flight attendant with United Air Lines for nine years, and I taught sociology, mostly at the university level, for a few years. Then there were all those other odd jobs to put myself through my schooling – primarily as a waitress or secretarial assistant.

Have any of these jobs influenced my writing? Of course. I’m sure everything in my life has influenced my writing in one way or another. One way my work as a psychotherapist probably influences my writing is that, because I’ve heard so many stories, almost all of which stay in my head, the urge to tell my own stories becomes really strong. And naturally my schooling, with its myriad papers, including a lengthy doctoral thesis, has given me a lot of practice in crafting words and expressing ideas. Also, the people I’ve known have influenced my writing. My husband in particular, who is a master of the English language, a fine editor, and writes wonderful poetry, has been so supportive of my telling of Charlie’s story.

However, Charlie: A Love Story came about mostly because of my love for Charlie. I was keeping a gardening journal when Charlie turned eleven years old and began having some health problems. Had I not been keeping that gardening journal, it’s very likely that Charlie’s story wouldn’t have happened. And I have my mother to thank for that: she loved gardening, and she transferred that love of plants, trees, flowers and nature to me.

There’s so much that influences any writer. It’s so hard to pinpoint what are the exact conditions that give rise to a book. A lifetime of experiences!

What compelled you to write your first book?

As I said above, it was because of Charlie, my Golden Retriever, whom I adored and with whom I had a very special relationship, that I was compelled to write my book. When he started having some health issues, writing about him was comforting and provided another way to be with him. I could write about what was going on with him and think it through in my writing. And I could write about when he was younger and all his funny ways, about how unique he was and how close we were. I needed to write about him, and I loved writing about him. I always felt better after writing a journal entry about him. I felt closer to him, and I knew I could look back on those entries to relive many of his older moments and to keep him alive after he wouldn’t be here anymore. But my journal was never meant to be a book, though I’m so happy it turned into one. A book is even better than what I had hoped for. Charlie is memorialized forever!

Tell us briefly about your book.

Some of the following repeats what I’ve already said, but it’s from the synopsis on my book’s website and I think is worth saying in its entirety:

Charlie: A Love Story tells of the beautiful love between Charlie, a Golden Retriever, and me.  It takes place in Malibu, California.  When Charlie turned eleven and started having his health problems, a journal I was keeping about my garden quickly became mostly about Charlie.

So his story is told in journal form while it is taking place. And because it was not meant for publication, it is an intimate look at an incredible connection between a canine and a human. And as a psychotherapist who specializes in relationships, I bring that sensibility and understanding to Charlie’s story as well.

Charlie: A Love Story is truly a love story between best friends. Charlie was my loyal confidante and emotional equal. He was indomitable, had a zest for life and an uncanny emotional intelligence.

Charlie defied the odds, lived much longer than anyone thought he would. There was no rational explanation for some of what he pulled through, except that Charlie lived his life with an enthusiasm and vigor not found in many beings.

Charlie:  A Love Story is about devotion, joy, loss, and renewal, about never giving up or giving in. But mostly it’s about an extraordinary dog and an extraordinary relationship.

Is there any particular book that, when you read it, you thought, “I wish I had written that!”?

Yes! Almost anything that Anne Tyler has written. I wait patiently for her books to come out. I love her quirkiness, her vivid imagination, how she makes an entire compelling story out of the absolutely mundane! And I love how much she knows about human nature – as much as any psychologist I’ve ever known. One of my favorite of her books is Ladder of Years. I literally did not want that book to end.

Is there anything you’d go back and do differently now that you have been published, in regards to your writing career?

Start getting involved in the publishing process sooner!

Now that you are a published author, does it feel differently than you had imagined?

Actually, I wasn’t even thinking about myself being a published author. All I’ve been thinking about regarding my book is making it the best it could be. And being so laser focused on that, I didn’t think past this full-time activity. When people use the words “published author” in reference to me, it still sounds strange. Like any new identity, it will take time to get comfortable with it. We’ll see if my major identity as a psychotherapist will allow some room for this new self.

Do you have any book signings, tours or special events planned to promote your book that readers might be interested in attending? If so, when and where?

Let me preface my answer with the fact that I had no idea about how much time and energy needs to go into book promotion, especially as a first-time author.

On May 19, 2012, at 1 pm, I have a book signing at Chevalier’s Books in Larchmont Village in Los Angeles. A wonderful little book store on a very quaint street, actually still retaining some small-bookstore charm.

This past February 18^th, I had a book signing at Tecolote Book Shop in Montecito. A beautiful bookstore that truly is old-world and has been in existence for 83 years. I so much hope it stays. That was my first book signing ever, and it went really well. The bookstore owner and her shopkeeper couldn’t have been nicer and more gracious. Lovely people showed up to get my book and have me sign it. Some of my family and friends were there, so I felt lots of support. It was wonderful!

On March 15, 2012, I did a fifteen-minute online interview on Conversations LIVE! hosted by Cyrus Webb. I was so nervous, but incredibly it went extremely well. The host was fantastic and really got my book, so he had very good questions and comments. And he was so comfortable to talk with that I relaxed almost instantly. I’m basically an introvert and doing a live interview was nerve-wracking for me. Let’s put it this way, Cyrus is very good at what he does.

I have promises of two other book signings and am working out the arrangements.

Starting March 5, 2012, I put myself on a blog tour scheduled by Pump Up Your Book with Dorothy Thompson. That ends on April 20^th. Just about every day, I’m on a different blog. Again, I had no idea about the amount of work that entailed – the blog posts and interview responses – but I think it’s helped get my book noticed. I have been on some wonderful sites, and many bloggers have been so gracious and receptive to my book and have written such great reviews, all of which feels wonderful. Promoting a book has a lot to do with the internet now, which has been a little difficult for me, since my computer skills are, let’s just say, wanting.

Anything you want your readers to know. Include information on where to find your books, any blogs you may have, or how a reader can learn more about you and writing.

The very best place to learn more about Charlie: A Love Story and me is on my website, www.charliealovestory.com. You’ll find out about not only Charlie and my book but also about the other dogs I’ve had and have and about my inspiration for my book. You’ll also find several testimonials. Speaking of testimonials, Amazon has quite a few that I think will give readers a good idea of what my book is about.

Also, here’s the link to the Conversations LIVE! interview, which focuses in an interesting way on some of the subtle messages in my book: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/middayconversations/2012/03/15/author-barbara-lampert-tobin-blake-on-conversations-live.

And on my Pump Up Your Book blog tour, there are many sites where I tell about my book, Charlie, and me. There were a number of good reviews of my book on various of the blog tour sites, particularly on The Road to Here (and the affiliated Through Squirrel Eyes), Pet Blogs United, and WV Stitcher. I’m so appreciative of these reviews, because they allow readers to hear from people other than me and to consider my book from a variety of perspectives. I really love hearing about what Charlie’s story means to people. And I especially love hearing about how people fall in love with Charlie.

Thank you for this wonderful interview and for having me on your site!

Jaguar Addams is back! Three prisoners are brought to Planetoid 3 with symptoms of exposure to chemicals that can come only from illegal moon mining — but who’s running the lunar mining game, and where are they processing the Artemis byproducts? Alex and Jaguar are caught in a hornet’s nest of politics, profits, and psychoses, as both are driven into a moon madness that cannot be denied.

The Long Story

Having read the previous three books in this series, I now have a real feel for Chepaitis’ writing style and her penchant for diving into the dark spaces of the human mind. I’ve also grown used to the link between the titles and the stories. So when I picked up ‘A Lunatic Fear’, I couldn’t help but wonder if I was in for an even darker tale than I was used to.

A Lunatic Fear takes you on an amazing, impressive journey, but not at all the way I was expecting.

In this instalment of the Fear series, we look at alternate states of the mind – a juxtaposition of the mind influenced by spiritual ceremony and the mind influenced by substances. Each brings its own dangers and revelations, and I love that we get to explore all of both sides of these altered states.

This book made me wonder if Chepaitis has ever tried her hand at poetry. Because a lot of the scenes involve some of the rituals from Jaguar’s people and a lot of Alex being under the influence of a powerful compound, Chepaitis’ writing changes subtly in this book. The aforementioned scenes can be a bit… ‘trippy’ (for lack of a better word) in their own ways.

Yet, with all this impressive content, I’m still a romantic at heart. While I won’t get into the details, Jaguar and Alex finally have an exchange that I think was long overdue…

The Short Story

A Lunatic Fear is a great addition to the Fear series that really puts the reader right into the thick of things.

***
A Lunatic Fear
By B.A. Chepaitis
http://aliterarylunch.blogspot.com
ISBN: 978-1434430755
Length: 172 pages

About Christopher Cloud

Christopher Cloud admits he came to literature late in life. “I was in my 60s before I developed a real interest in writing fiction,” he said. A Boy Called Duct Tape is Cloud’s debut middle-grade novel. It is a first-person account of three Latino children searching for the “lost treasure” of Jesse James.

Cloud began writing children’s fiction after a long career in journalism and public relations. He graduated from the University of Missouri in 1967 with a degree in journalism. He has worked as a reporter, editor, and columnist for newspapers in Texas, California, and Missouri. His work has appeared in many national publications, including Time Magazine.

Employed by Sun Oil Company, Philadelphia, as public relations executive and later he operated his own PR agency. He created the board game Sixth Sense in 2002 and the game sold at independent bookstores nationwide.

Cloud said his next project is a young-adult novel. “I have written the first draft of a story I’m calling 16 And In Love,” Cloud said. “This story—like A Boy Called Duct Tape—is multicultural.”

Cloud lives in Joplin, Missouri.

A Boy Called Duct Tape Virtual Book Tour

About A Boy Called Duct Tape

Pablo Perez is a 12-year-old poor kid without much going for him. His classmates have dubbed him “Duct Tape” because his tattered discount-store sneakers are held together with…you guessed it, duct tape. He can’t escape the bullying.

Pablo’s luck, however, changes after he finds a $20 gold coin while swimming in a river near his home. Pablo later buys a $1 treasure map at the county fair. The map shows the route to the “lost treasure” of Jesse James. Pablo can’t help but wonder: Is there a link between the map and the gold coin? He is determined to find out, and he, his 9-year-old sister and 13-year-old cousin hire an ill-natured cave guide, and begin a treacherous underground adventure in search of treasure.

Join Andreas Dudas, author of the self-help/leadership book, Do You Dare To Be Yourself? (BE SHiRO, GmbH, Switzerland, Feb 2012), as he virtually tours the blogosphere April 2 – 20, 2012 on his first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book!

About Andreas Dudas

Andreas was born in 1964 in Switzerland to immigrant parents who spent more than 10 years in a forced labour camp. He was constantly ridiculed by the citizens of his home town, bullied by his fellow students, excluded from any social and sports activities and dismissed from school. Despite such an adverse, he was not willing to comprise himself for the sake of others’ opinions or letting people influence him in a negative way. Against all odds, he started to develop both a thick skin for fighting his way towards a life he really deserved and a big heart respecting others despite their harsh behaviour. The reward? People started to admire him for his credibility and integrity earned through his authentic life and leadership style and began to entrust him with the most challenging leadership tasks. He turned multi-billion infrastructure projects around, restructured successfully difficult ventures in emerging markets, which were initially doomed to failure or helped to successfully settle geo-political conflicts. It was only then when he recognised his true life purpose: to encourage and empower individuals to live an authentic life for reaching their deepest fulfillment and becoming outstanding leaders who make a real difference to this world.

Over the years Andreas has become a real advocate for authentic (life) leadership. Experiences have also taught him the importance of combining traditional elements of management and leadership with Eastern philosophy. He has worked for over 20 years in international management in top executive positions across various industries and in more than 25 different countries, mostly in developing and emerging markets. His career has taken him to Latin America, the United States, the Middle East and throughout Asia. Apart from his extensive involvement in top management positions he acts as mental trainer and motivational speaker and has added his vast life and leadership experience to empowering thousands of people for living and leading authentically.

Andreas studied at various international universities and holds an MSc in civil engineering, an MBA in leadership and cross-functional teambuilding, and an MSc in logistics and supply chain management. Furthermore, he has a degree in international conflict management, inter-cultural communication and holds a diploma in mental training and coaching.

Andreas has been breathing and living leadership over more than 20. He has inspired and trained thousands of people, partly through “horse-assisted” leadership trainings, a groundbreaking method for empowering authentic individuals.

Visit www.andreasdudas.com for more information about the author and Do You Dare To Be Yourself?

About Do You Dare To Be Yourself?

Bestselling author Andreas Dudas has solutions for those facing a career or life change in his new book, Do You Dare To Be Yourself? Developing Power in Life and Leadership Through Authenticity. The book can be described as Who Moved My Cheese? meets If Life is a Game, These are the Rules. Based on the author’s real experience gained from all over the world as project director, life coach and manager in top executive positions , the book offers frank thoughts, vivid examples, concrete advice and mental techniques all designed to inspire people in transition to find their true calling. According to Dudas, “It is an empowering resource for those willing to step beyond fear and create the real destiny that they want.  It is a master plan for living a successful authentic life.”

Do You Dare To Be Yourself? goes beyond standard how-to books. It engages the reader by placing them on a journey to self-authenticity in an allegory format—making it easy to understand complex principles that have the potential to liberate a person from living an unfulfilled life. The book provides elements of leadership, self-help and spiritual wisdom all designed to compel the reader to leave their comfort zone and make the transition to a rewarding life and fulfilling career. “I want to help people find inner peace by living authentically. I want them to find clarity and purpose for life,” says Dudas, who holds a diploma in Mental Training and Coaching, along with a host of other degrees in civil engineering, leadership, and conflict management.

Dudas believes the road to living a fulfilling life involves overcoming fear, walking in personal integrity and credibility, living true to your values and being determined to get what you want out of life. He believes that the reason there is so much stress and unhappiness in life is because people do not place those values in high regard. They are afraid to move out and are stuck in a life crisis or career crisis.  Do You Dare To Be Yourself? challenges readers to live their true values and step into a new destiny. “This will ultimately help people to achieve personal wellness, real power and mental stability.”

Do You Dare To Be Yourself? Virtual Book Publicity Tour Schedule

Monday, April 2^nd

Interviewed at Pump Up Your Book

Tuesday, April 3^rd

Guest blogging at Lori’s Reading Corner

Wednesday, April 4^th

Book spotlighted at The Writer’s Life

Thursday, April 5^th

Book spotlighted The Hot Author Report

Friday, April 6^th

Book giveaway at Books, Products and More!

Book spotlighted at Review from Here

Monday, April 9^th

Book reviewed at 4 the Love of Books

Interviewed and giveaway at Café of Dreams

Tuesday, April 10^th

Interviewed at Examiner

Wednesday, April 11^th

Interviewed at The Book Connection

Thursday, April 12^th

Interviewed at Blogcritics

Book spotlighted at Literal Exposure

Friday, April 13^th

Guest blogging at Literarily Speaking

Monday, April 16^th

Interviewed at American Chronicle

Tuesday, April 17^th

Guest blogging at As the Pages Turn

Wednesday, April 18^th

Spotlight at Broowaha

Thursday, April 19^th

Book excerpt featured at Between the Covers

Friday, April 20^th

Book spotlighted at Divine Caroline

TBD:

Guest blogging at Linda Ferguson’s Blog Spirituality

Book spotlight @ Bluebell Books

1. My nickname is “Easy Writer” because my hubby and I rode a Harley for many years. I’ve kept the name, though, despite that we have traded in the Harley for a Corvette.
2. I am a licensed, ordained minister who served for several years on a pastoral care team at a large Southern California church, where my primary duties were training small group leaders and doing biblical counseling.
3. I’ve known my husband since we were six years old (we didn’t like one another much then).
4. I am from a real “bookworm” family: my youngest brother, Jerry, has authored one book of his own, ghosted/edited several others, and currently writes for Community Bible Study in Colorado Springs. His wife, Kacy Barnett-Gramckow, is the author of the Genesis Trilogy (Moody) and will soon release her first fantasy trilogy under the pen name R.J. Larson (Bethany House).
5. I have been heavily involved in jail/prison ministry over the years, having spent an entire day on Death Row at San Quentin, ministering to inmates and families. I have also interviewed Charles “Tex” Watson of the Manson family and helped “Son of Sam” (now known as “Son of Hope”) Berkowitz edit his prison diaries.

BIO:

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 40 books and ghostwritten several others. A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences. She won the 2008 Member of the Year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) and was the 2011 Author of the Year from BooksandAuthors.net. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband. Visit her online at http://kathimacias.com/ or her blog at http://kathieasywritermacias.blogspot.com/.

Early on in my career, I took a workshop on writing, and one of the instructors – I believe it was either Tom Monteleone or F. Paul Wilson – told the class that we should never be afraid to change something in a story; words are not permanent. At the time, I understood the lesson and thought I’d taken it to heart. After all, I was constantly revising the stories I wrote, making plot adjustments, cutting or adding scenes, etc.

Then something happened. I submitted a short story to a major market. They wrote back saying the story needed some work – mainly, more conflict, more drama, a slightly different ending, another scene before the ending, and 1500 additional words. A lot of work, actually. If I could do that, they would be willing to buy my story.

I didn’t hesitate. I said yes. Then I had to stop and think about what to add. Usually I’m being asked to chop, chop, chop. (I have a tendency to digress from my main points when I’m writing. See? Like right now.) I took some time and fleshed out the new scenes I needed to add. And that’s when it hit me. A year or two earlier, and I might have objected at changing the story so drastically. Felt like I was selling out just to get published. Only now I realized it meant I’d really grasped the concept of not being married to a story. I wasn’t selling out – the story was still mine. I’d written every word. No one had told me what specifics to add, just that it needed something else to make it better.

I smiled. Not to myself – I really smiled. Felt my lips move and everything. I understood that I was really seeing a story for what it was – clay. Clay for me to mold and reshape any way I wanted. It was the ‘Aha!’ moment, with the light bulb over my head, that signals a drastic change in thinking.

I completed my edits in 1 day. Then, still consumed by my new-found image of myself smooshing and pounding soft clay into different shapes, I pulled out the story I’d been working on earlier that day – which I’d put away because I didn’t like where it was going – and chopped out the first 2 pages, effectively beginning it in a completely different place. By doing that, and making 1 change to the ending, I suddenly had a story I really liked! Yahoo! Go, me!

Now, some of you might be thinking, “Duh. That’s like, the first rule of self-editing.” (In my mind, anyone who thinks harshly of me sounds like Paris Hilton.) And you’d be right. I knew that rule long before this, and believed I’d been following it. I’d cut and chopped and changed things in stories before. But never effortlessly, never with glee. Granted, it’s the kind of glee that a maniac might feel when lopping the limbs off a victim. But it’s still glee. The whole episode really freed me from what up to that point had been invisible restrictions.

The self-editing demon is a sneaky (or perhaps snarky?) one. Just when you think you have him beat, he’s peering over your shoulder again, trying to convince you that you know what’s best for your story; after all, you wrote it, didn’t you? It was your idea. Who are these faceless editors to change it? Well, the fact is, those faceless editors are also readers, and sometimes they spot things the writer doesn’t.

And without good editors, very few good books would be published.

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JG Faherty has had a varied background that includes working as a laboratory manager, accident scene photographer, zoo keeper, research scientist, and resume writer. Growing up in the haunted Hudson Valley region of New York, some of his favorite playgrounds were abandoned houses and Revolutionary War cemeteries. His hobbies include urban exploring, photography, exotic animal rehabilitation, and playing the guitar. In addition to Cemetery Club, 2012 will see two other books published, The Cold Spot and He Waits. His past novels include Carnival of Fear and Ghosts of Coronado Bay. You can find out more by visiting www.jgfaherty.com , www.facebook.com/jgfaherty , or www.twitter.com/jgfaherty .

Between Shades of Gray is a riveting novel that steals your breath, captures your heart, and reveals the miraculous nature of the human spirit.

***

Don’t for get that you can all “like” Ruta’s FaceBook page.
Or visit the Between Shades of Gray website.

The paperback Between Shades of Gray will be released on April 3 and I hope that you all go out and pick one up!

Hello Ruta, and welcome to The Hot Author Report.

1) What compelled you to write your first book?

RS – In terms of Between Shades of Gray, I wanted to give voice to the many people who had experienced Stalin’s terror but would never have a chance to tell their stories. I wrote the book, but history wrote the story.

2) What type of music, if any, do you listen to while you write? Do you need the noise or the silence?

RS – It’s funny, I can’t listen to music while I write. I’ve worked in the music business for over twenty years and listening to music is an all-consuming activity for me. I find that I analyze the lyrics, the chord progressions, etc. If music is playing I am immediately distracted and can barely hold a conversation with someone.

3) Do you have a favorite character? Why is s/he your favorite?

RS – I couldn’t narrow it down to just one character but I am drawn to strong female characters who aren’t exactly beautiful, but are beautiful in their imperfections.

4) How do you balance out the writer’s life and the rest of life? Do you get up early? Stay up late? Ignore friends and family for certain periods of time?

RS – It depends on what stage I’m at. When I’m writing I get up very early. There’s something so fantastic about being awake while the world is still asleep. When I’m revising I generally reverse my schedule and work late into the night. And then in-between I go to work at my day job, do laundry, make dinner, and all those other fun things!

5) What is your writing space like? Do you have a designated space? What does it look like? On the couch, laptop, desk? Music? Typing? Handwriting?

RS – I know many people have a designated writing space, but I don’t. I dream that maybe one day I will but for now my time to write is so limited that I write wherever and whenever I have a free minute. That could be on planes, in my car, in the lobby of an office building before a meeting, etc. I prefer to write on my laptop but sometimes dialogue comes to me at the strangest time so I’ll often end up writing the dialogue longhand on whatever scrap of paper is nearby. When I’m on a long drive I write by speaking into a voice recorder. Whatever it takes! But I’d love to one day have a designated writing space.

6) Is there anyone who has inspired, motivated, encouraged or supported your writing?

RS – Wow, so many people – teachers, other authors, family members, and friends. But I’d have to say that my writing group has encouraged me the most. I’ve been working with the same group for nearly seven years and they are an amazing bunch of people. I could not have published a book without them.

7) Do you have any book signings, tours or special events planned to promote your book that readers might be interested in attending? If so, when and where?

RS – Yes! 2012 is full of events in the US and other countries. I’ll be touring the US in April for the release of the paperback. A full list of dates can be seen at www.rutasepetys.com/events

8.) What are you working on at the moment?

RS – My second book will be released in Spring of 2013. It’s set in New Orleans in 1950. I’m just starting to work on my third book now which will involve a couple research trips to Europe. Very exciting!

March 29: The Book Vortex
http://thebookvortex.com/
Interview with Ruta
*Giveaway Signed Paperback
*Giveaway “Lina’s” Drawing of the Dragon

March 30: Mundie Moms
http://mundiemoms.blogspot.com/
Interview with Gavin
*Giveaway 2 signed soundtrack cards
*Giveaway 1 unsigned soundtrack card
*Giveaway signed paperback and unsigned bookmark

March 31: The Hot Author Report
http://www.thehotauthorreport.com/
Interview with Ruta

April 1: Awesome Bookworm
http://awesomebookworm.blogspot.com/
Interview with Ruta’s Editor
Giveaway 1 signed soundtrack card
Giveaway 2 unsigned soundtrack card

April 2: Through the Looking Glass and Back Again
http://throughthelookingglassandbackagain.blogspot.com/
Character Interview- Lina
Review
*Giveaway 1 signed bookmark
*Giveaway 1 signed bookplate

April 3: Starting the Next Chapter
http://www.startingthenextchapter.com/
Interview with Ruta
*Giveaway 1 signed bookmark
*Giveaway 1 signed bookplate

April 4: The Book Vortex
http://thebookvortex.com/
Wrap Up – Giveaway Winner Announcements