Interview Ann Crawford Author of Fresh Off The Starship
Give a warm welcome to Ann Crawford, author of Fresh off The Starship!
Pull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter cookie from the plate, and let’s find out a little about Ann and Fresh Off The Starship. Pssst… Don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below! Ann Crawford will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
What defines you as an author? As a person? Are they one in the same?
What a great series of questions! My books are deep, high, and all points in between—plus very rich. They’re usually very funny, uplifting, and thought-provoking. I like to say that I’m a high-flying, deep-diving, world-traveling author…I can fly a plane(high) and go scuba diving (deep), and I’ve been to 70 countries (very enriching experiences). I also do improv, which means I’m good with taking risks and putting myself out there. So what defines me as a person and as an author are pretty much one in the same.
What makes you laugh out loud?
My husband. Every. Single. Day. He would’ve been George Harrison, the quiet Beatle. But he has an amazingly playful, offbeat sense of humor. His first wife didn’t get his jokes at all, just like my first husband didn’t really appreciate me in some ways, either—especially my laughing, which I do a lot and which my current husband adores. Well, we all can use a warm-up marriage…so when the really right one comes along, we can appreciate it even more.
Just FYI and a fun fact about us, we met through eHarmony and were engaged 2 days after we met. It was really love at first sight. That was 13 years ago and it’s only gotten better, deeper, higher, richer (there’s a theme here).
Did you tell friends and family that you were writing a book? Or did it take a while to come out and tell friends and family you were a writer?
When I first started writing a book, I practically shouted it from the rooftops. I’d wanted to be an author since I was a toddler and my mom read to me. She wanted to be a writer herself, but was very sick for years and died when I was a senior in college. I started out college as an English major, but then tried turning off that whole part of me. A few years after graduating with a degree in business (whaaaaaat?) I took a grief workshop. Through that amazing process, the block to being a writer was lifted, gone, vamoose. So when that desire came back and the first idea came flooding in, I was elated.
Do you see yourself in your characters?
Oh, yes. Every heroine has a LOT of me in her. And I have a lot of different kinds of heroines, to outright strong and powerful to loopy to droopy…so they show all sides!
What do you want your readers to take away from your books?
I love how books open new worlds and new ideas. I’d love readers to put my books down feeling happier from all that laughing, more in love with life, lifted up, romanced and in love, more powerful, and wiser.
SPEED ROUND FOR A LITTLE ADDED FUN:
Speed Round (one word only answer): Yep, I know torture for a writer!<evil laugh>
Favorite movie: Casablanca
Favorite book: The DaVinci Code
Last book read: The Awakening—Fate in Motion, by Suzanne Boisvert
Favorite color: watermelon pink
Stilettos or flipflops: flipflops
Coffee or tea: coffee
Ebook or audiobook or paperback: ebook
Pencil or pen: pen
Favorite song: “You’re the Best Thing that Ever Happened to Me”
Streak or not: streak
Favorite dessert: gooey chocolate cake with lots of vanilla buttercream icing and roses on top
Favorite junk food: those big, fat chocolate chip cookies you get at truck stops on road trips
Favorite thing to do to relax: sit on the balcony overlooking the ocean (on vacay)
Champagne or gin: champagne
Paranormal or Historical: either
Wonder Woman or Top Model: Wonder Woman
Favorite TV show: Grey’s Anatomy. Outlander if cable is allowed.
Hot or cold: hot
POV: any which way
I’d die if I don’t have: love
Review or Not: review
Tell us a little about Fresh Off The Starship!
Love to laugh? You’ll enjoy this feel-good tale.
A starbeing skyrockets to Earth from the other side of forever with a specific assignment: to help steer humanity away from the collision course it’s on. But we all know how travel can get drastically diverted–instead of landing in Washington, D.C., where she could assist on a grand geopolitical scale, she ends up in…Kansas!
Wrong place, right time? Join our shero on this whimsical journey as she pursues her purpose as well as discovers the beauty of life and love on Earth.
Buy link; Amazon
A peek between the pages of Fresh Off The Starship!
Ohhhhhhhh—what a strange place this is! Loud noises, awful smells, strange beings looking at me.
The woman struggles to lift her hand just a few inches off the bed, clearly shocked to see it. Oh. Right. I’m one of those strange beings now.
She stares up at the group staring down at her.
This is odd. Do humans just stare at each other?
“Well, you’ve had a very, very long journey back here,” the doctor says.
You’re not kidding.
“We should give you some time,” the doctor continues.
When can I go back in the other direction?
“Don’t push her,” the doctor emphasizes to the other three humanoids. “Give her lots of time and space.”
Time and space. Oh, you have no idea.
“Where am I?”
The group, obviously ecstatic that she can talk but dismayed by her question, turns to the doctor.
“Missy, yer in a hospital room. You had a terrible accident a few months ago, and we thought we lost you at one point. But yer a tough survivor and fought yer way back here.”
That’s truer than you know.
“Perhaps we should just let her sleep some more,” the doctor tells them. “That’s when most of the body’s healing takes place.” She ushers them out of the room. “Amnesia can be a strange, strange thing,” the doctor starts to say. “The brain—” But she shuts the door and the voices are muffled.
Ohhhhhhh, I have a feeling I’m not in the Andromeda galaxy anymore.
About the author:
I’m a fun-loving, world-traveling, high-flying, deep-diving, and living-to-the-max author of eight books. When I’m not flying planes, scuba diving, climbing every mountain (on the back of my husband’s motorcycle) or riding the world’s fastest roller coasters, you can find me in my writing nest with a view of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains out the window. I’ve lived all over–from both oceans white with foam, to the prairie, and now to the mountain. Yes, a little backwards, but what the hey.
My bestselling and award-winning novels go as high and deep as I do—they’re profound yet funny; playful although poignant; heart-opening and heart-lifting; thought-provoking and inspiring; and edgy while universal. I’m also a screenwriter and award-winning filmmaker and humanitarian.
Social Media & Book Links
Website
https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00GMPORX8
https://www.facebook.com/anncrawfordauthorspeaker/
https://twitter.com/ann_crawford1
https://www.instagram.com/anncrawford509/
https://www.pinterest.com/anncrawfordauthor/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ann-crawford-546053a/
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00GMPORX8
Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7847944.Ann_Crawford
The book will be on sale for only $0.99.
It was wonderful having you with us today. Please feel free to stop by anytime. Good Luck with Fresh Off The Starship! Join the tour at Goddessfishpromotions. The more you comment at each tour stop, the better your chances to win!
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Ann Crawford, Fresh Off The Starship, Humor, Women's Fiction by Tena Stetler with 15 comments.
It’s Here!!! Mystic Maples Release is May 13, 2019
Good Morning All!!! Today it’s my turn to share. Squeal! I’m so excited I just can’t wait. Monday, May 13, 2019 MYSTIC MAPLES releases! This book is my contribution to The Deerbourne Inn Series. It’s a multi-author series from The Wild Rose Press. Set in the fictional town of Willow Springs, Vermont. If you haven’t read any of the series, I highly recommend them. Each story is written by a different author and share scenes in the little town of Willow Springs where anything can happen and does at The Deerbourne Inn with its cast of quirky characters. Pick up your copy of Mystic Maples today! Pssst….Hey don’t forget the blog tour stops listed below for a chance to win a $15.00 Amazon Gift card!
Click on the cover to read more or purchase!
A little about Mystic Maples:
Earth/Fire witch Mercy Rose’s insatiable curiosity always gets her in trouble. After a break-in at her Colorado flower shop, and a court battle that comes to a screeching halt in her favor, she arrives at Deerbourne Inn for a much-needed getaway. Looking for peace and quiet, she finds just the opposite in a startling handsome but mysterious man and his dog.
Silvanus Forrest’s gypsy/fae heritage is a double-edged sword. The land he inherited from his parents is rumored to be enchanted. But when Mercy discovers the truth, his well-ordered life unravels, and they’re catapulted into the past to right a wrong. Along the way their lives intertwine, and they discover the true meaning of family and love. Will they change the past in time to save their future?
A sneak peek between the pages of Mystic Maples
It was a beautiful summer evening lit by a full moon. What harm could come from simply popping over to Mystic Maples, digging my toes into the earth and see if there is any truth to the rumors? She shrugged. Sis wouldn’t have told me about it, if she hadn’t thought it worth investigating. Right?
She toed off her shoes, pulled off her socks and straightened. With a snap of her fingers she left the room without a sound and landed smack dab at the edge of the maple trees. Glancing around, she could see the house in the distance and the outline of the sign. “Good, I’m in the right place.” She wandered farther in among the trees, the dirt beneath her feet was cool. Wiggling her toes deeper into the earth, she felt the warmth of the day and something else—a connection.
Several trees had a slight glow to them, then it was gone. Am I imagining…She raised her arms out from her sides and turned her face to the starlit sky letting the magic surge through her. It had been almost a year since magic of any kind called to her. It felt so good, she was lost in the moment.
Suddenly a male voice broke through her revelry. “What are you doing here?”
Her heart thundered in her chest. She hadn’t heard a sound. Yet, there he was standing not three feet from her, hands on hips, and glaring at her.
You can find Mystic Maples at the retailers below:
Amazon, AmazonUK, AmazonAU, AmazonCA Barnes&Nobel and itunes
I’m offering a chance for a $15.00 Amazon Gift card for commenting on blog tour for Mystic Maples! Check the tour stops here! Enter to win at each stop AND learn a bit more about Mystic Maples and the maple syrup process! Fun!
May 13: Romance Novel Giveaways
May 14: Viviana MacKade
May 14: Notes From a Romantic’s Heart
May 15: Christine Young
May 15: BooksChatter
May 16: Angel’s Guilty Pleasures
May 16: Long and Short Reviews
May 17: Fabulous and Brunette
About the author:
Tena Stetler is a best-selling author of award winning paranormal romance novels. She has an over-active imagination, which led to writing her first vampire romance as a tween to the chagrin of her mother and delight of her friends.
With the Rocky Mountains outside her window, she sits at her computer surrounded by a wide array of paranormal creatures, with a Navy SEAL or two mixed in telling their tales. Her books tell stories of magical kick-ass women and strong mystical males that dare to love them. Travel, adventure and a bit of mystery flourish in her books along with a few companion animals to round out the tales.
Colorado is her home; shared with her husband of many moons, a brilliant Chow Chow, a spoiled parrot and a forty-seven year old box turtle.
I hope you enjoy reading Mystic Maples as much as I did writing it!
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Deerbourne Inn, fantasy, Mystery, Mystic Maples, Paranormal Romance, Tena Stetler, Time Travel Romance by Tena Stetler with comments disabled.
Exile in Darkness by Annalisa Carr
Give a warm welcome to Annalisa Carr author of Exile in Darkness! Pull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter cookie from the plate, and let’s find out a little about Annalisa and her recent release Exile In Darkness! Pssst…don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway at the bottom of the post. Annalisa Carr will be awarding a $30 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Tell us a bit about Exile in Darkness.
Heritage and magic matter to the London covens.
Aristocratic witch, Isabella Pethany, has heritage but not magic.
Underworld powerbroker, amnesiac vampire Maldit, has magic but no heritage.
Lukas Sindis, coven sorcerer and famous psychopath, has both.Isabella’s null magic status makes her an embarrassment to her family, but since her sister was murdered, she is all they have left. Guilt makes her willing to do almost anything to compensate for her lack of value, but her grandmother’s proposal to match her with Lukas, in a bid to bring strong magic back to their bloodline, is a step too far.
When Maldit rescues a strange witch from hunting vampires, his main concern is to limit trouble in his territory. Witches are notoriously troublesome, and this one is no exception. Her proximity slashes through his damaged memory, allowing him to catch glimpses of his forgotten past.
Drugs have suppressed Lukas’s magic for almost twenty years, filling him with a reservoir of trapped power. When he escapes, his magic bursts free, falling like a tidal wave on Maldit and Isabella, sweeping away the spells paralysing both of them.
The dark secrets of the London coven are about to explode into the light of day.
A sneak peek between the pages of Exile in Darkness:
Isabella? Isabella Pethany?
Whispers of her own name floated through her mind. She pushed the pillow aside and sat up, pressing her hands against her ears. It didn’t stop the insistent repetition of her name.
Someone called to her, but who would do a thing like that at this hour of the morning? The family would all be asleep by now, and the only servant awake should be the doorman.
Her imagination was running riot. She lay down, closing her eyes, but the feeling of being summoned didn’t go away.
Isabella. Isabella. Isabella.
Her name echoed around her skull, louder now.
She sat up abruptly. Next to her, Alfie stirred, growling in his sleep. She ran the palm of her hand over his shaggy flank and switched the bedside lamp on, before walking to the window and drawing the curtain back.
Pools of dim light surrounded the bases of the old-fashioned streetlamps. Between them, the pavement was dark, and the trees in the square cast black shadows over the iron railings. She opened the window and leaned out.
“Isabella?” The voice was a seductive whisper from below. It was definitely real this time, vibrating through the air, rather than her mind.
She squinted into the shadows.
The vampire from the bar stood on the opposite pavement, his figure almost hidden in the darkness.
Maldit.
Her heart beat faster.
His face tilted upwards towards her second-floor window, green eyes glinting.
“What do you want?” She pressed two fingers to the point in her neck where the skin was thinnest. Her pulse hammered against them.
Buy link for Exile in Darkness: Amazon
About the Author:
Annalisa Carr lives in the English Lake District with her two cats. She writes in multiple genres, but has a weakness for paranormal romance and urban fantasy.
As a child Annalisa wanted to be a scientist, wear a white coat and explore outer space. She worked as a scientist for a very long time, but never got to fly a spaceship or even travel beyond the solar system. This was a huge disappointment given the reasons for her career choice, so eventually she made up stories instead. Probably just as well, as she is claustrophobic.
Exile in Darkness is set in the same world as the Children of Poseidon series; a slightly skewed version of London.
Annalisa also writes dystopian science fiction under the name ‘Anne Cleasby’.
https://annecleasby.com
http://www.annalisacarr.com
https://www.amazon.com/Annalisa-Carr/e/B00T1H0CQ0
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/10798535.Annalisa_Carr
https://www.facebook.com/Annalisa-Carr-1626840070925992
It was wonderful having you with us today. Please feel free to stop by anytime. Good Luck with Exile in Darkness!
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Annalisa Carr, Exile in Darkness, Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy by Tena Stetler with 7 comments.
Interview Sam Batrusis Author of Wicked Salem
Give a warm welcome to Sam Baltrusis, author of Wicked Salem: Exploring Lingering Lore and Legends, Released May 2, 2019.
Pull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter cookie from the plate, and let’s find out a little about Sam and WIcked Salem!
What defines you as an author? As a person? Are they one in the same?
I’m a journalist turned author of ten historical-based ghost books, so I would say that I have a knack for uncovering hidden gems sometimes overlooked by history. As far as the paranormal, I’ve always been sensitive to ghosts. However, I consider myself a clairvoyant at this point of my journey and that sensitivity has helped me give a voice to the victims, and the villains, of the Salem witch-trials hysteria of 1692.
What inspired this particular story?
My first book on the Witch City called Ghosts of Salem did a great job at spotlighting the haunted locations associated with the Salem Witch Trials. However, after giving tours in Salem for years, I was overwhelmed with the misinformation that has been perpetuated by pop culture and even Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. My goal with Wicked Salem was to untangle the misinformation and focus on the individuals that shaped the city’s history over the past four-hundred years.
What secret do you use to blast through writer’s block?
I have good days where I get into the zone and I can’t stop writing. And then I have other days where I have to power through chapters. When I am have a good writing day, I just keep at it and try to accomplish as much as possible. When I’m dealing with writer’s block, I usually go out in the field and visit the location that I’m writing about. For Wicked Salem, I had so much fun visiting locations that were major players during the witch trials, like the Parson Barnard House in North Andover and the Rebecca Nurse Homestead in Danvers. When I take these road trips, I’m usually able to rekindle that excitement I need to finish the book.
Who is your favorite character of all of the books you’ve written and Why?
I definitely feel a connection with the innocent victims of the Salem Witch Trials. I’ve always felt close to Bridget Bishop, the first person to be executed and the only victim to be hanged by herself. While writing Wicked Salem, I interviewed some amazing living people who helped shape the city. I interviewed Laurie Cabot, the “official witch of Salem,” in the book and that discussion was amazing. Interviewing Laurie Cabot was a dream come true. I would say that profile in the book is my favorite chapter by far.
What inspired you to write?
I’ve been writing most of my life. When I was a teen, I was creative and knew that I was great at weaving together a narrative. I was inspired by my high school journalism teacher, Mrs. Reinschmidt, to keep writing. I needed that encouragement and haven’t stopped. My writing has shifted from journalism to writing books, but I find that books are just really long articles and I approach each chapter or section as if I’m piecing together several long-format magazine articles.
How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing for thirty years and writing books for ten years.
Did you tell friends and family that you were writing a book? Or did it take a while to come out and tell friends and family you were a writer?
I actually interviewed several of my friends from the paranormal and Salem communities. So, I was fairly transparent that I was working on a new book on Salem. My family has always been supportive. In fact, my step-father who passed on December 26, 2018, was so proud that my books are historical. He was a history major and really rubbed off on me growing up.
Do you see yourself in your characters?
Yes, I definitely identify with the innocent men and women executed for witchcraft in 1692. I have a history of challenging the status quo and so did many of those featured in my book, Wicked Salem.
What do you want your readers to take away from your books?
I genuinely care about Salem’s people … the living and the dead. Wicked Salem is for them. I hope I do them justice.
Where do your story ideas come from? If they come to you in the middle of the night, do you get up and write them all down?
I give tours in Salem and Boston. I also lecture at local libraries and paranormal conferences. So, I love engaging with my readers. The ideas for my books usually come from those discussions.
Do you find it easier to write from a male or female point of view? Why?
I write historical, non-fiction books, so the goal is to be as accurate as possible telling the stories of people who have been dead for more than three-hundred years. Oddly, I tend to connect more with the women in Wicked Salem. There was an obvious patriarchy in 1692, but the women accused of witchcraft all fought and pleaded that they were innocent. I admire the strong women featured in my book.
Why do you write what you write? Ie. Contemporary, paranormal, suspense, etc.
I write paranormal-themed history books. Wicked Salem is about correcting the misinformation associated with the witch-trials hysteria of 1692. Over the past decade, I have noticed a shift toward untangling these historical inaccuracies, but we still have a long way to go. Will we ever be completely accurate? No, because we weren’t there. However, my goal is to take all of the pieces that we do know and weave together a cohesive narrative that not only educates and entertains my readers but makes the city’s “ghosts” proud.
A sneak peek between the pages of Wicked Salem.
What is it about the sleepy New England city that engenders itself to history’s witches, rakes and rogues?
Salem, Massachusetts suffers a bit of an identity disorder. There are two versions of the so-called “Witch City” that have symbiotically etched itself into the collective unconscious. There’s the iconic, blood-stained Salem that boasted a sadistic sorority of witch-hanging zealots in the late 1600s. And then there is the modern, witch-friendly spectacle that welcomes thousands of supporters into its coven of commercialism every October.
It’s a tale of two Salems.
As far as the paranormal is concerned, the city is considered to be hallowed ground. However, based on my personal experience as a local historian and tour guide, Salem has a love-hate relationship with its ghosts. Why?
“The city has a long history of not wanting to get wrapped up in commercializing its witch history,” explained Tim Weisberg, host of the radio show Spooky Southcoast and researcher with Destination America’s Haunted Towns. “It’s something they’ve only really embraced over the past couple of decades. There’s still a bit of an ‘old guard’ in the city that doesn’t want to see anyone capitalizing on witches, ghosts or things of that nature.”
As Salem’s on-air expert for the national Haunted Towns TV show, I helped Weisberg hunt for locations with ties to the witch trials of 1692. It was tough. “As they’ve let some of that guard down and television shows have come in, it’s been my experience that the ‘powers that be’ who control many of the allegedly haunted and historic locations have been disillusioned with the way productions have come in and treated its history,” Weisberg told me. “At least, that’s what I heard in the rejections I received from certain locations when attempting to get permission to film Haunted Towns.”
Known for its annual Halloween “Haunted Happenings” gathering, it’s no surprise that the historic Massachusetts seaport is considered to be one of New England’s most haunted destinations. With city officials emphasizing its not-so-dark past, tourists from all over the world seem to focus on the wicked intrigue surrounding the 1692 witch trials.
Originally called Naumkeag, Salem means “peace.” However, as its historical legacy dictates, the city was anything but peaceful during the late seventeenth century. In fact, when accused witch and landowner Giles Corey was pressed to death over a two-day period, he allegedly cursed the sheriff and the city. Over the years, his specter has allegedly been spotted preceding disasters in Salem, including the fire that destroyed most of the downtown area in June 1914. Based on my research, a majority of the hauntings conjured up in Salem over the city’s tumultuous four-hundred-year-old history have ties to disaster, specifically the one-hundred-year-old fire that virtually annihilated the once prosperous North Shore seaport.
Cursed? Salem is full of secrets.
My thoughts on the book – Review:
Sam Baltrusis explores the ghost lore and the people behind the tragic events that turned the “Witch City” into a hot spot that has become synonymous with witches, rakes, and rogues.
The author takes us back to the Haunts of Salem, MA as an exploratory follow up to his 2014 “Ghost of Salem.
The last portion of the books addresses the most colorful creatures that called Salem home. Like Harry Houdini, Nathaniel Hawthorne and the terrible Sheriff George Corwin. Yeah, kinda had to leave the light on due to tales of George.
Okay I’ll admit it, Salem, MA is still on my bucket list to visit over Halloween someday. Armed with this information, I’m excited!
If the history of Salem, MA, intrigues you, or if your interest is piqued by the Salem Witch Trials, this is the book for you! Happy Reading!
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged ghosts, Haunted History, Haunting, Local History Salem, Sam Baltrusis, Wicked Salem by Tena Stetler with comments disabled.
