slide
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Interview with Author Kameron Brook
Kameron resides in a quiet neighborhood where the typical conversation centers on the weather and swapping recipes. While these chats might be entertaining to her neighbors, she finds her mind wandering quite often to naughtier topics. These hidden fantasies might not be the topic of choice within her circle of friends, but that doesn't stop her from unleashing her hidden desires with her readers.
Sinfully Delicious – Kam &Dirk
Christine's been without a man for far too long, so she lets her BFF Jasmine talk her into speed-dating. Unfortunately, far too many of her dates are romantic non-starters -- in the worst way. But all it takes is one... and when the right man comes along, he's Sinfully Delicious.
Purchase links:
[kindle]
[nook]
Of all the books and stories you've written, which is your favorite?
This is a hard question to answer. I love all our creations. However, since Girls’ Night Out was my first breakout story, it’ll always have a special place in my heart.
Do you have a favorite character?
I actually have two and they are from the same short story, “New Beginnings”. Eileen and Mitch remind me of Dirk and myself. Actually, the story was inspired by events in our lives. Of course all our stories have a bit of us in them but this one….so much more.
Please share a quote from one of your characters
“New Beginnings” - Mitch took one last sip of his beer and stood up first, extending his hand to Ashley. “There’s always room for pie.”
What is your favorite genre to write?
We only write erotic romance: gay, lesbian, straight, bi and ménage.
What is your favorite genre to read?
I read a little bit of everything.
Who are your favorite authors? Books? Movies?
Top ten picks: James Patterson, Maggie Shayne, Keri Arthur, Christine Feehan, Cheyenne McCray, Pamela Palmer, Angie Fox, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Lora Leigh, Kresley Cole.
How long have you been writing?
Both Dirk and I have been writing for about three years now and loving every minute of it.
Who or what has been your biggest literary influence?
Anyone from my top ten list has influenced me to write. Plus a few other authors such as Shayla Black and Gena Showalter. All of them are uber talented and I only wish to reach their literary genius one of these days.
Would consider writing in another genre?
Dirk and I have discussed writing a mystery novel because we love watching shows like Criminal Minds and Law and Order. Maybe one day, we will branch off into this genre.
Do you write anything besides novels?
Right now, we only write short stories but our goal is to create longer works and one day see our stories in print.
How dear to your heart is writing, and do you believe you'll continue to write for the rest of your life?
As long as ideas keep popping into our heads, we will continue to write. I hope the well doesn’t dry up for many years to come…if ever.
Do you ever run dry? (how would you feel if one day, you suddenly discovered you'd lost your ability to write? how would it affect your life?)
If the ideas stopped flowing, I’d probably take up scrapbooking or knitting.
How difficult is it for you to come up with one of your marvelous plots?
So far, it hasn’t been too difficult. Dirk and I draw inspiration from our personal lives so as long as we stay naughty…. Yeah, nuff said.
How about characters? Are they easily born and developed?
Those can be tricky because you don’t want your characters to be the same in looks from previous shorts or resemble any character from someone else’s story. So far, we haven’t run across either problem.
Do you ever find yourself a struggling writer?
Our main obstacle is finding time to write. Dirk works long hours so his time is limited. Plus, we have two kids and they come first over getting words down on the screen.
About how long does it take for you to complete a novel, from concept to completion?
This all depends on work schedules, school functions, home renovations, or whatever else we have going on. We stay quite busy around the house and with school activities so the time frame varies.
Do you have someone edit your work before sending it to your agent or publisher or before self publishing?
Dirk and I read over our works multiple times before we send it in to our editor. After the story has been edited, we send it off to a beta reader for her critique.
Do you let your family or anyone else read your work before it's finished?
Our family is aware we write but not the genre. Unfortunately, not all the members of our family would be open to gay, lesbian or bi stories. For this reason, we keep our pen names a secret from them and most of our real life friends.
Have you ever trashed a novel or story before or after finishing it, feeling it wasn't turning out as you had planned?
I know I have tweaked a story, changed its path, but trashed one all together. Don’t think so.
I know I have tweaked a story, changed its path, but trashed one all together. Don’t think so.
Do you have a ritual before, during and after finishing a book?
I might partake in a celebratory daiquiri when all the edits are completed but other than that, nope. I just chill and start on the next idea.
A special time or place to write?
I write when I can and always in a oversized red/black flannel robe. Location: The end seat on our sectional.
Any funny experiences or quirks you'd like to share with your readers?
I’m a little bit OCD and quite a bit squirrelly.
If you could visit any place in the world, where would it be?
I’d love to visit Italy, Greece, or Ireland. They all three look beautiful in movies/books/pictures.
If your book becomes a movie, what actors/actresses would play the lead roles?
Shemar Moore – Sin
Gabrielle Union - Christine
Writers often spend almost as much time researching a book as writing it. Do you visit specific locations or google and youtube as many of us do?
In “New Beginnings”, we actually signed up with a couple swinger sites and went to a few events. It was quite an experience and one I won’t soon forget.
What was it like to publish your first book?
“Dreams Really Do Come True” is our only self-published story and I actually liked the process. It was nice to see a unique cover to one of our stories. I can’t wait to self-publish more. Speaking of which, we are almost done with the rough draft to “Naughty Delights”. It’s about a lady, Elizabeth, who runs and operates a naughty bakery with her gal pal, Felicia.
How do you find the time to balance your creativity and family life?
When the kids are awake, they have all our attention, When it’s lights out for them, we either write or have adult time. I’ll admit, we spend more time on the latter. (winks)
How much down-time do you take between books?
When a story is in our editor hands, we concentrate on getting it released. Then, we work on promoting it. After its been out for a bit, we start the ball rolling on the next story.
Besides writing, do you enjoy any hobbies?
Besides doing home renovations, Dirk and I have separate interests. He loves to work on his mustang while I curl up with a good book.
What advice would you give to others who want to make writing their career?
Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get signed with a publishing house right away. Even the most famous authors were rejected before they struck gold.
If you’re truly passionate about creating works, then don’t lose hope you’ll get discovered. Also, keep in mind you can always self publish.
Thank you for spending this quality time with Away With Book Reviews!
I don't know about anyone else, but I have a lot of reading to do!
Mucho thanks for having me on your blog. I hope your readers loved the interview because I sure did love answering your questions. For those who haven’t read out works yet, give us a shot. I may be biased but I wholehearted believe you won’t be disappointed by what we have created. For those who have read one or all our stories, THANK YOU.
(Latest) Sinfully Delicious – Kam &Dirk
Christine's been without a man for far too long, so she lets her BFF Jasmine talk her into speed-dating. Unfortunately, far too many of her dates are romantic non-starters -- in the worst way. But all it takes is one... and when the right man comes along, he's Sinfully Delicious.
Purchase links:
[kindle]
[nook]
Dreams Really Do Come True - Kam & Dirk
Angi didn't plan on sleeping with her co-worker. She was still getting over a failed relationship. However after a night of movies, and too much wine, Angi passed out and then the most vivid dreams occurred. When she woke, she didn't fight the spark brewing all night. Angi took the initiative and made her dreams come to life.
Buy From: [kindle]
Welcome to the Neighborhood - Kam & Dirk
Whit and Miguel are happy together, but when Meaghan moves in next door they decide they'd like to add a third to their household.
Buy From: [kindle] • [nook] • [changeling] • [ARe]
New Beginnings - Dirk & Kam
Eileen and Mitch have a happy marriage, but they've decided it's time to spice things up. Ashley and Travis seem like the perfect match.
Buy From: [kindle] • [nook] • [changeling] • [ARe]
Girls' Night Out - Kameron Brook
Emily's never been the daring type. Nor the kind of woman who does public displays of affection. But Neeka's order awakens the thrill-seeker hidden deep inside. For three long weeks, Emily has kept her crush on Neeka a secret. Tonight she's going to act out her fantasies and claim the woman of her dreams.
Buy From: [kindle] • [nook] • [changeling] • [ARe] • [kobo]
Voyeur - Dirk Tyler
After a long day at a business conference, Nate meets Jay over drinks. Then Brooke, Nate's wife, gives him a devilish idea. What happens next is beyond anything Nate could have imagined. Brooke's sexy, playful mind sets the stage for an encounter Nate and Jay will never forget.
Buy From: [kindle] • [nook] • [changeling] • [ARe]
Jointed Bio: Kameron and Dirk, a passionate couple in and out of the bedroom, has decided to join forces and bring their erotic imagination to life with words. Their solo stories are electric; however, the works they create together will practically sizzle off the page. Yes, they might live in a quiet suburb neighborhood, but they’re anything but tame and unadventurous. A fact you shall read and learn about soon enough.
Contact info:
Blog: http://www.dirkandkam.com
Facebook Author page: https://www.facebook.com/DirkandKam
Goodreads' links:
Amazon Author Pages:
Monday, April 1, 2013
Naughty Delights, Erotic Romance by Kameron Brook & Dirk Tyler
Excerpt:
This is it, Elizabeth thought as she pushed through the door to deliver a large batch of chocolate and vanilla sugar cookies to the display case. It was grand opening day for Guilty Pleasures, and she couldn’t be more excited or more nervous. Years of scrimping and saving had accumulated to this day. In a matter of minutes the bakery would be open for business, and their city would officially have their first taboo sweet shop.
Elizabeth took one final look around, making sure everything was perfect, when Felicia, her business partner and friend, appeared next to her, chomping on a fornication cookie.
Out of all the sugary creations crafted for the shop, Elizabeth and Felicia would agree these were the most fun to develop. They spent many wine-filled nights brainstorming and researching ideas for the inserts.
“What’s it say, babe?” Elizabeth asked, nodding toward the paper in Felicia’s hand.
Felicia laughed and read the naughty message, "Two heads are better than one, but three, now that’s what I call a party!" As she tucked the paper into her back pocket, she asked, “I forget. Was this yours or mine?”
“I actually think your man deserves credit for this one.” Grinning, Elizabeth grabbed the sampler plate off the counter and walked toward the front door, turning to take one final look around before the place filled up. She couldn't be any prouder of the decor in her little slice of heaven. She glanced to her left and smiled proudly as she admired the photos on the wall.
The food photographer they had hired did a fantastic job capturing the beauty and sexiness of several corset cakes available for purchase. But the icing on the cake, so to speak, was the mural to the right of the entrance. A local artist painted "What Are Your Guilty Pleasures" but the letters were actually naked people in compromising naughty positions.
Felicia giggled. “Oh yeah, it’s all coming back to me now. We definitely drank way too much that night.”
Nodding in agreement, Elizabeth turned on the neon sign and opened the doors for business.
Already, a few eager customers were waiting by the window. They actually applauded when Elizabeth stepped out of the shop door. She greeted them with a smile and offered them their choice of iced cocks or boobs. She wasn’t surprised the guests blushed when they made their selection and bit into the cookie. She expected to witness many rosy cheeks in the hours ahead of them—giggles too.
As the streets began to fill up with people going to work, Elizabeth tried to coax even more passersby into the shop with her funny shout-outs such as: “I bet our peckers taste as good as your man’s. No wait, even better!” And, “Our breasts are fantastic and all natural.” All the while she held up a naughty treat.
After the bell dinged behind her a couple dozen times, she realized the humorous approach to draw in customers was working like a charm. Now with them inside, she had no doubt every person who’d entered the shop erected from her dreams would be a repeat customer. And with this thought, she knew the many dinners of Ramen noodles were well worth the discomfort it cost her over the years.
~~~
Purchase link: http://amzn.com/B00DELSA9K
Goodreads link for the story: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18073879-naughty-delights
Combined Bio: Kameron and Dirk, a passionate couple in and out of the bedroom, has decided to join forces and bring their erotic imagination to life with words. Their solo stories are electric; however, the works they create together will practically sizzle off the page. Yes, they might live in a quiet suburb neighborhood, but they’re anything but tame and unadventurous. A fact you shall read and learn about soon enough.
Contact info:
Blog:
Facebook Author page: https://www.facebook.com/DirkandKam
Goodreads' links:
Amazon Author Pages:
Saturday, March 30, 2013
William Peter Blatty's Legion, reviewed by Vic Fortezza
William Peter Blatty set the literary world ablaze with The Exorcist, published in 1971, adapted explosively to the screen by director William Friedkin in 1973. He wrote ten other novels and twelve screenplays, a number of which he collaborated on with Blake Edwards. I just finished Legion (1980). It too is set in Washington, D.C., twelve years later. Many of the characters return. The plot centers around murders committed with the M.O. of a serial killer believed dead. Most of the action is seen from the point of view of an aging, overweight detective, Lt. Kinderman, a wonderful literary figure reminiscent of TV’s Columbo, so brilliantly played by the late Peter Falk. The major difference is the depiction of the protagonist's thoughts, which hunger for meaning, an explanation for the terrible suffering he witnesses, especially when the trail leads to a mental institution. He is a natural acerbic wit who frequently employs Yiddish. Although I grew up in a neighborhood that had a large Jewish presence, I was unfamiliar with several terms, chazarei (bad food), for instance. Kinderman is very well read, in effect a renaissance man, probably self taught. He is a close friend of priests, whose brains he picks. In the film version of The Exorcist he was portrayed by the great Lee J. Cobb, whose image I envisioned and voice I heard while reading. He did not have much screen time, if I remember correctly. I wonder if many of his scenes wound up on the cutting room floor. Anyway, Legion is much more than a mystery. It is existential drama. Some of the classical references went over my head. At times Blatty goes too far with the cop’s ramblings. Despite this, it is a fast read, prose and dialogue solid, its 269 pages reading more like 220. I suspect the resolution would not satisfy fans of the mystery genre. Does Kinderman reach a conclusion about the universe? Yes, in the epilogue. My guess is that he is speaking for the author, whose opinion may have evolved or changed entirely since he completed the work. It's as good as any theory of what brought about the great mystery that is life. On a scale of five, I rate Legion 3.5.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Water Forest Press Book Publishing
If you're looking for someone to design and format your book, check out Water Forest Press. We'll take care of your needs for a fraction of the cost of others.
What you'll receive:
ISBN
Cover art of your choice
Book formatting
Cover design
1 proof copy or you can order up to 5.
Promotion on my websites and AWW radio.
We'll provide you with the files to create perfect books.
Authors should never have to buy their own books at retail or even with a so called discount. Purchase at cost - sell at your own price. You have the right to keep every penny of your sales.
Novels and Short Story Collections
Poetry collections
This is a package deal, no extras. If your novel is 150 pages or less, you may qualify for the cost of a poetry book. Email waterforestpress (at) aol (dot com) for details. References available upon request.
Monday, March 11, 2013
Head Over Wheels Romance Drama
.jpg)
Losing someone is never easy, especially when you hold yourself responsible. He wants to open his heart again, but he can't. So he's found another way to fill the void, ease the pain.
Her first shot at love broke her heart, not her spirit. She's determined to climb back up to the top of her class and become a detective before turning twenty-five.
Life is smooth sailing for Jewelia Delarosa, NYPD's next super cop, or so she hopes. But the twenty-one year old headstrong Latina from middle class Poughkeepsie has a lot to learn about love, and she's picked James "Indigo" Ballou to be her teacher.
The moment she sets eyes on him her world stands still, while his begins to spin. Yet, the wealthy and elusive med student has some baggage that's preventing him from surrendering his heart to the woman who has already captured his mind. Involvement with him might alter her plans and test her resolve. She should walk away. But she can't. She's made a decision to hang around and find out what he's all about. Regardless of the outcome, she'll fight to the end.
Together they fear the emotional, hunger for the physical. She doesn't trust him. He doesn't trust himself. It's one step forward, two steps back for the struggling Manhattan couple in this steamy romantic drama. Stumble along with Jewelia and Indigo as they land Head Over Wheels in an unexpected conclusion readers call ... Absolutely beautiful.
Coming in 2014, Indigo's point of view.
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Ghost Runners by Robert Rubenstein
The purpose of this meme is to share a book we have really enjoyed or loved reading, whether a recent one or whether we read it way back when. A book WE think you should perhaps add to your reading list. It’s fun, and I know there are loads of awesome books out there we are all missing out on. Sharing is Caring!
Review of Ghost Runners, a novel.
"He
was so close, he could smell them. He didn't want to hurt Hitler. Who would
want to hurt Charlie Chaplin? He just wanted to give him a love tap from the
Jewish nation." Joshua Sellers and Bobby Gillman have been given the
chance of a lifetime. They have made the American Olympic team and are poised
to run as Jewish-American athletes in front of Adolf Hitler . The place is
Berlin; the time, 1936. An almost certain victory awaits the pair in the 4x100
meters relay. Joshua knows it will make a difference -a victory by Jewish
athletes. But what happens to him when he is told on his twenty-first birthday
by his own coaches that though he is fit and able, he cannot run in Germany?
Racing with irony through the veins of inevitable, bitter, history, brimming with
palpable life from the Coney Island shores to the cherry blossomed streets and
cabarets of Berlin, Ghost Runners exposes the far-reaching menace of American
Anti-Semitism. Whether on a local Berlin train, or at a lavish party at the Air
Ministry, Joshua must test his courage against hard truths about the betrayal
of an American Dream. Haunted by love for a heroic German-Jewish athlete he
left behind, Joshua believes his fate is hers to share, despite the distance or
the waning breath of dying memories. What happens to Joshua in the high
Southwestern desert? History has passed him by, but wisdom may yet be seen in
the hopeful eyes of disabled Native American children. An American always, the
hope of the Jewish people becomes a universal anthem for him. A provocative
first novel, twenty-five years in the writing, based on real events about the
Eleventh Olympiad and the American athletes, Marty Glickman and Sam Stoller,
GHOST RUNNERS is historical fiction with an edge. It hopes to generate a
dialogue that needs to be had in order to put that sorry chapter of American
history to rest.
Amazon
GoodReads
Amazon
GoodReads
***
About the Author
A Jewish Book Council, Book-of-Note author, Mr.Rubenstein's first novel was included in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum library. Companion pieces: Ghost Runners, historical fiction about two Jewish runners not allowed to compete in the 1936 Olympics, and The White Bridge, a parody about the transformation of a young woman in a time of eugenics, baby farms, Hitler, the Klan, and the culture of lynching.
Rob continues his inquiry to understand the hatred, the horror, and the heroics that were needed to defeat fascism here and abroad. He teaches advanced topics in psychology, the psychology of racism, at a local college. A former special educator in the New York Public Schools, Rob raised two children as a single parent. He still loves the southwest, especially Navajo country, and gets his feet wet on the Coney Island shore.
***
Why we liked this book!
Why we liked this book!
Robert Rubenstein has made a smashing debut in historical fiction. Meticulously researched, passionately and imaginatively rendered, the reader is transported to the 1930's, a world in the throes of a growing madness. From Coney Island to Berlin, the stage is set for a story that has been largely neglected, perhaps because of the shame it casts on famous men and corporations. Two gifted young sprinters face an inhuman opponent, invisible yet powerful. This is a tale of betrayal, of racism and, ultimately, triumph. The emotions - anger, rage - are raw, palpable. Given the re-emergence of antisemitism around the world, this book could not have been more timely. The prose and punctuation falter in spots, as is the case with many first novels, but the overall package is wonderful. All Things That Matter Press has issued another important work.
All they wanted to do was run.
Reviewed
by Vic Fortezza
***
SUBMIT YOUR LINK TO PARTICIPATE | - E-mail me at ssbookfanatics (at) gmail (dot) com for details - (Please visit the blogs who have joined in, and see which books they have shared .)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)