5 Prince Publishing is Making Moves with a New Release and Publishing Line!

This is a big week for my publisher, 5 Prince Publishing! Not only are we celebrating the release of a new novel by Erika M. Szabo and the launch of a new publishing line, 5 Prince Publishing Kids!

NEW RELEASE! 

Today marks the release of Secrets Revealed, is book two of the Illona the Hun Trilogy, the follow up to Birthright Bestowed. 

Excerpt from Birthright Bestowed:

I was holding Teddy deep in thoughts, absentmindedly stroking his soft artificial fur. He was my favorite childhood toy, stuffed to perfect softness. Suddenly I felt something piercing the side of my neck. The sharp pain made me jump, and I let out a muted cry. I touched the skin over my carotid artery and I felt warm wetness. A drop of blood glistened on my fingertips when I looked at my hand. I almost dropped Teddy feeling alarmed when I noticed that my fingers begun to glow as if a bright red light was turned on from the inside. At the same time I felt something scurrying from the side of my neck toward my chest. I reached up and swept my neck and chest jumping up in disgust. Crap! It must have been a bug or a spider. The damned thing bit me! I looked down on my chest and kept sweeping my clothes frantically looking for the bug.

A sudden swirling sensation took me by surprise and I grabbed the side of the ottoman to steady myself while everything began to fade around me. I tried to find a focus point to decrease the sudden vertigo, and then brought my eyes down to Teddy. I noticed with climbing alarm that his eyes took on a strange red glow. His eyes seemed alive; they bore into my insides and the intense glow kept me frozen. I’m hallucinating ran through my mind. I tried to turn away, yet I couldn’t move a muscle. I couldn’t even blink. I was scared, never having felt such primal fear before. I felt my heart racing and my breath came in little puffs as I felt cold beads of sweat on my forehead. I knew it was adrenaline flooding my body triggered by the sudden fright, but I was afraid it might have been some poison from the bite as well.

The strange sensation and hallucination stopped as quickly as it started. My hands felt and looked normal and I became rational in an instant and sat there, feeling obtuse, wondering what had just happened. The whole sensation lasted only for seconds, yet it frightened me a great deal not knowing what caused it.

I came in here hoping to find answers, and I found more questions. I didn’t find out anything! I thought angrily.

The only insight I got was being scared out of my mind. I couldn’t sit there anymore. I felt suffocated; I had to get out in the open. I left Teddy on the ottoman and opened the door carefully, peering out. Something seemed to pull me back, a vague feeling, as if I was missing something. I fingered the Turul bird medallion absentmindedly, feeling its smoothness and warmth. I realized I had searched everywhere but inside the ottoman. I grabbed the seat and tried to pull it up. There was a soft metallic click and then the top opened abruptly.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Erika M Szabo is a Hungarian born American; she lives in the beautiful Catskill Mountains. She has a PhD in Alternative Medicine; she published a few books in this subject. Erika loves the art of healing; however, writing about dry medical facts doesn’t satisfy her thirst for storytelling. The ancient history of the Huns always fascinated her, it is full of holes, mysteries and speculations; there are only a few written facts about them besides their legends. Erika used her fertile imagination to fill the historical voids in the story of Ilona. She raises questions such as - What if healing by touch could be possible? - What if we could find a soul mate no matter the obstacles? - What if we could visit our ancestors on a whim? - What if our destiny is not written in stone and we can create our future?

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NEW PUBLISHING LINE!!!

5 Prince Publishing is expanding! First it was Romance....and now Kids! 

I am happy to introduce you to the first children's author to be featured, Tina J. Lackey Adams, and her book Chris Mouse and the Promise. It is available in paperback and will be available as an eBook soon!

About Chris Mouse!

Chris Mouse has just tucked her three little ones into bed when she notices the most beautiful bright shining star in the heavens. As she dreamily admires the star she remembers a prophecy she's heard stories about since her youth. A magnificent star would mark the birth of the Savior. Could this be the promise she had waited her entire life to see? What happens next will change the world forever. Life for Chris Mouse will never be the same.

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BUY  a copy today! 

Tina received an Associate of Arts in Pre-Social Work,Cum Laude from Coconino County Community College. Shecompleted her Bachelors in Social Work from NorthernArizona University and MSW from Arizona State UniversityAuthor Bio:

Tina received an Associate of Arts in Pre-Social Work, Cum Laude from Coconino County Community College. She completed her Bachelors in Social Work from Northern Arizona University and MSW from Arizona State University.

She is an alumni of Phi Theta Kappa, Beta Gamma Chi Chapter and Gamma Phi Honor Societies.

Tina is a freelance writer and poet growing up with a a passion for reading and telling stories. She has a heart for children and animals serving families in Northern Arizona.

Interview with Deidra Ds Green!

Today I welcome fellow Atlanta author, Deidra Ds Green! I had the privilage of meeting Deidra on Facebook and then in person in October at the Fall Festival at the Clayton County Headquarters Library in October. This is one busy woman!

Welcome, Deidra!

 What inspired you to write?

      I know there are a lot of authors who say this but I have always written – not always for public view of course, but writing has been a part of the fabric of who I am since as long as I can remember.  I can’t say that there has been any particular inspiration but rather writing for me is essential like breathing.  I feel like without it I would cease to exist as the person I know myself to be.

    What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

My writing work schedule is very vigorous.  Because I freelance, ghostwrite as well as write for myself, it feels like I am always writing.  On average, I write for myself roughly 5 hours a day – getting up before 5 a.m. and often not going to be until late in the evening.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

When I write I listen to music through my headphones at the highest volume.  I have a variety of playlists I listen to from classical musical to gospel depending on what I’m writing.

  Are you a pantser or plotter?

I am both which I guess makes me a pantsplotter!  Most often I do character development and at least have a general idea of where I think the story will end up.  However, my characters will and do speak for themselves and I let them which has and does drastically shift what I thought would be the original story line.

Are your stories based on experiences based on someone you know, or are events in your own life reflected in the characters/stories you write? Can you share and example?

I think a part of me goes into every storyline.  Having worked in child welfare for nearly 18 years has also greatly influenced the kinds of stories I tell; tapping into the experiences of the children and families I worked with. I am an observer and like to watch people.  Even brief encounters with others can penetrate a storyline.

MJ: Uh oh....make me wonder if I'll end up in one! :) 

Do you have any suggestions to help new authors become a better writer? If so, what are they?

I tell the authors I work with to ‘just write’ and to write everyday even if it’s just for 15 minutes.  It’s important to just write because there are times when we can burden the story by trying to conceptualize everything in advance.  That kind of thought process doesn’t give the characters any room to breathe and they never get a chance to come to full fruition.  Readers enjoy characters they can get to know and relate to but if the author creates contrived characters based on over-thinking, those characters tend not to be memorable.  The other suggestion is to write every day. It takes 21 days to make a habit.  Once you master the art of writing every day even for brief periods of time the habit is developed.  Success is built on the little things we do every day toward our goal and purpose.

MJ: Wonderful suggestion! 

      Are you self-pubbed, indie pubbed, or traditionally pubbed?

I am with Rathsi Publishing which is a small press publishing company.

What are your current projects?

October 2012, I released “Woman at the Top of the Stairs”; a psychological thriller.

     Domestic violence is an unfortunate part of many relationships today. Every year more than 1.5 million women are made victims of this relational epidemic. Has domestic violence become so commonplace that it is no longer considered a problem? Have we grown so accustomed to seeing and hearing about it that we not only turn a blind eye but a deaf ear as well?

      Meet Gina. She is the woman at the top of the stairs who repeatedly hears the cries and screams of the woman who lives below her as she is constantly victimized at the hands of her partner. Bearing witness to Zenobia’s pain reminds Gina of the abusive life she narrowly escaped from. But Gina can’t get away from the nightmares of her past; the tumultuous reminders of how she was battered and nearly broken at the hands of her contemptuous and menacing husband. 

      Will Gina be like the many and turn her back on Zenobia, leaving her to fend for herself, or will she build an alliance with Zenobia to end her suffering once and for all? 

      Find out in this compelling novel, Woman at the Top of the Stairs.

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About the Author

Deidra D. S. Green is highly sought after as a lecturer, educator, and presenter. Her command of the podium, extensive knowledge base, and ability to effectively communicate, has both informed and captivated audiences. They leave challenged, inspired, and wanting more.

Deidra has continued her literary prowess as a freelance writer, literary coach, ghostwriter and professional editor, as well as authoring several books for all age groups. In 2009, she founded The Mahogany Writers Exchange (MWE), a writing group for adults interested in honing their writing craft. MWE became a virtual literary writing group in 2012.

Other Works by Deidra include:

·         From the Outside In (non-fiction, true crime)

·         My Forever Airplane (children’s non-fiction)

·         Smallest Superhero (Children’s fiction series)

·         Smallest Superhero and the CBU (Children’s fiction series)

·         Epiphanies While Driving (inspiration/motivation)

·         Closet Issues: A Poet’s Journey into the Dark Places (prose/short stories)

·         Wordsmithin’ (poetry)

·         Twisted Sister

·         Here Comes Katrina (teen novel)

As well as a number of short stories and novelettes including The A Letter to My Mother series, The Candy Man, My Own Mister, Bearing Witness, 16, Doors, 48 Hours, Insatiable and Cornered.

Deidra continues to move in her passion and embrace the power of the written word. She has several projects slated for release in 2012 including Exiting Gracefully, a collaboration with Author Andrea Ryan; High Stepping, a collaboration with Author TyLeishia Douglass, Woman at the Top of the Stairs, a psychological thriller, and Interstate 64, another in the thriller genre.

Special Announcement from my friend Shannon Mayer!

Hi guys! Take a look at this limited time offer of author Shannon Mayer's new release! 

NOW AVAILABLE! (And I am so freaking excited!)" Priceless" can be purchased now for just .99 cents, a price that will go up in the next little while.

As an added BONUS, all reviews for "Priceless" put up on AMAZON between now and November 22nd will be placed into a DRAW FOR A KINDLE FIRE! 

No hoops to jump through, just put your review up on Amazon and your in! 

*WARNING* If you are my mother, do not read this book. There are things like "F" bombs, sexual tension, and naughty, sexy supernatural creatures. 

Please don't say I didn't warn you.

When children go missing without a trace, there is only one person who can find them. 

Welcome to the world of Rylee Adamson, a woman with unique abilities, some wild friends, and a unstoppable drive to save those who can't save themselves.

But when the details of a missing child duplicate that of her worst case, things start to get freaky. And not in a good way.

Purchase Now on Amazon! 

Interview with Debbie Brown!

I am often amazed by the people I've meet along my publication journey. Everything from fellow homemakers to to full-time, hard working professionals. I meet Debbie about a year ago and was startled by  what she told me about her work history, as well  as what inspired her to write. I'm sure you'll be just as  fascinated with my Canadian friend!

Welcome, Debbie! 

      What inspired you to write?

Although I have always had a fertile imagination, loved reading and never left home without paper and a pencil, I didn’t start writing stories until I hit high school.  Always hoping I would eventually write a novel, it wasn’t until the tragic loss of my baby that I finally found myself turning to writing as an outlet. I did not want to write about my experience, I needed to create a place where people truly cared about others.

MJ: I am so sorry for your loss. I know many writers have found writing to be a great outlet  to help us heal. I know I have. 

   You have a lot of irons in the fire. Not only are you a wife, mother, and author, can you tell us a little more about what else you do? What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

I am a member of the Canadian Forces, Captain and 2^nd in command of an army cadet corps.  An injury from the time of my loss has left me with a seriously damaged ligament, and I have since had to stop teaching Karate, flying, and working outside the home. I had enjoyed teaching on military bases but can no longer keep up since there are days I walk with a cane.

I write every day, with the exception of a day a month where no computer-no internet is imposed for peace of mind. Some mornings I get up before anyone else, and other days I write long into the night. I have to write around everyone else’s schedule, but so far it seems to be working. I can’t imagine having time to just sit and write undisturbed.

      What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Are you asking me if I miss my exit driving because I’m having a discussion with my characters? ;o)  Well, for one thing, I tend to research everything to death. For example, instead of picking an existing town, I take the details of the town I’ve created and find its match on internet. When I wrote Amethyst Eyes, I didn’t know if the Earth setting was in Canada or the U.S. until I found a place that fit all established criteria. As it turns out it is in Invermere, British Colombia. I have been known to spend days doing research for something that had no more than a line in the story, but I want my facts to be accurate.

MJ: I once got stuck in a six level parking garage while plotting out a scene in my head. I didn't realize it until I passed the same car for the fourth time! LOL!

    Are you a pantser or plotter?

So not a plotter…

I let the story unfold before me and hurry to type what I see. (My mind is faster than my fingers…). I am totally detached from what’s going on to the point where my characters manage to surprise me with what’s happening.

I wouldn’t have it any other way. I have recently completed an advanced writing course and had to plot out my stories…sheer torture. I would rather be out on survival training than have to do that again. I use charts though, character charts with everything from physical description to quirks, and because I write Sci-Fi, I have charts for food, clothing, technology and whatever else might be needed. Much easier than sifting through pages and pages to know what so-and-so was doing/wearing.

 Are your stories based on experiences based on someone you know, or are events in your own life reflected in the characters/stories you write? Can you share and example?

I think my experiences has served me to no end, from nursing to martial arts, raising animals to military training, and so much more. Having taught martial arts, gymnastics, baseball, elementary, high school, and military candidates has given me a whole slew of characters and characteristics to choose from. I do have the writer antennae though…observing people, places and situations, and either describing it through a narration or fitting it into a scene somewhere. My mind is seldom at rest…and being able to multi-task is not always a good thing.

   Do you have any suggestions to help new authors become better writers? If so, what are they?

Write. Don’t wait to find the time, take the time.

Don’t look to others for support if it is something you want to do, just do it.

Read all you can read, and learn anything and everything about writing.

Write what you know, what you like, what you are comfortable with.

You will need an author platform, might as well get started on it early.

Don’t wait until your book has been released to start promoting it, start now.

Ask questions, engage in discussions, get your work critiqued, and most of all…have fun.

     Are you self-pubbed, indie pubbed, or traditionally pubbed?

Although I had been offered a traditional contract for Amethyst Eyes, when I was told it would take 12-18 months before the release of the novel (and then they added “…though lately it’s more like 18-24…”)  I declined the offer and went with Assisted Publishing. I was dying inside and needed to see this project through. I loved the service I got, though I found the final cover to be too dark (my pic is much lighter), and the fact that the book appeared worldwide…but let’s be honest, what are my chances of selling a book in Croatia?

For Rebirth, I have a contract.

MJ: Congratulations! We'll be looking forward to your new project! 

  What are your current projects?

Rebirth has been offered a publishing contract, and they are waiting on the completion of Amethyst Eyes, the Legend Comes to Life as well as Emma, to Begin Again.  I am ecstatic. 

I handed in my last writing assignment a few days ago, and that takes a load off of my shoulders.

Marketing is not something that can be ignored, and I can’t help but wonder what the impact of marketing one vs. marketing four novels.

MJ: Debbie, with my  second novel due out in March, I think we'll be learning this step together! 

AMETHYST EYES

Waking up in the hospital from the car accident that claimed his mother’s life, 15-year-old Tommy is told his father is on his way. Unaware of his father’s true identity or the reason he left so long ago, the teen is unprepared for the reality of the life he must now lead. In the blink of an eye Tommy finds himself on an alien vessel…his father is not from Earth!

The challenges Tommy face go beyond adapting to a new home and school. But first, he has to survive Jayden…the reluctant, unsympathetic tutor, tasked to help him fit in. When he finally thinks things are getting better, things come crashing down as he learns that being born with amethyst eyes has made him the target of some very unfriendly beings.

AMETHYST EYES…THE LEGEND COMES TO LIFE

Three years after his arrival onboard, Tommy begins Specific Training to assume his place in his father’s society. The transition to adulthood, laden with unexplored emotions and overwhelming responsibilities, have made this unstoppable change too much to handle. Tommy wants to go back home, to Earth, to a way of life he’d been forced to leave behind. An unforeseen attack on his father, a disaster on Earth, and the added weight of responsibility take their toll on the young man, who suddenly finds himself struggling to save the ones he loves.

REBIRTH

Chased from their homes in the city by aliens bent on destruction, three teens suddenly find themselves on the run with little kids in tow. As people vanish and buildings crumble, they seek shelter and safety in the nearby mountains of Montana. Survival depends on their ability to adapt with nothing more than the items pilfered from a crumbling store. Hovering in the background is the constant threat of being discovered by the aliens, adding to the pressure the teens already feel having no shelter, a limited supply of food and the well-being of three children to ensure. The teens must come up with some creative solutions before the inevitable onset of winter while attempting to remain “invisible” to avoid capture. Being mature and responsible is no longer optional as they deal with their individual personalities, traumas, and learn to raise a baby. Unaware of the extent of the alien destruction, they cannot help but wonder if all their survival efforts are just putting off the inevitable.

EMMA

As an ER nurse, Emma knows life can change in the blink of an eye. When fate comes knocking, she finds herself far away form the city and back on the mountain ranch where she grew up -with the intention to close up and sell so she can move on.

But fate isn’t done with her yet, and that’s when she finds him, the one Two-Feathers refers to as ‘Star Brother’. Wounded and unconscious, Emma assumes he’s a military test pilot, until he opens his amethyst eyes and stares into the very essence of her being.

ABOUT THE  AUTHOR

I am a graduate of the Institute of Children's Literature, and have completed an advanced writing course for select graduates as well.

I have been traipsing around the depths of my imagination for as long as I can remember and began writing stories back when I was twelve. I love to read just about anything, from technical manuals to self-help, sci-fi to romance. I do avoid anything overly violent or graphic and have never been a fan of horror. I have a good memory and vivid imagination so I avoid reading or watching things I don't want stored in my mind.

Amethyst Eyes was my first published novel. It is about a 15-year-old boy who has to leave his life behind to go live with his father after losing his mother in a tragic accident. Although the setting becomes sci-fi (since his father is not from Earth and Tommy has to live on his father’s spaceship), the story is more about growth and human interaction. There is a lot of adventure and a few twists to keep the readers busy throughout the book.

Over the years I have worked as a nurse, a school teacher, a martial arts instructor, baseball, figure-skating and gymnastics coach as well as an artist, selling my paintings in an art gallery. I have been part of an orchestra, flown planes and gone on wilderness hikes. I am an officer in the Canadian Forces, and though I have taught on different military bases, I now work primarily with cadets. Writing full time is my next goal.

Never having been much of a city girl, I live with the youngest of my four children, my husband Jean-Pierre, and Wookie, our Cardigan Corgi, in the Laurentian Mountains of Quebec. I could not imagine life without the beauty found in the mountains and lakes that surround me. I enjoy the change in seasons and my perfect cure for a long winter's night is curling up in front of a fire with a good book while snowflakes drift slowly past my window.

Follow these links to connect with Debbie online or purchase her book! 

Twitter    Facebook  Website  Goodreads Blog  Book Trailer  Email 

Purchase links:

Amazon 

Chapters Indigo

Powell’s

Barnes & Noble

SONY Reader Store

iStore 

Interview with Erika M. Szabo!

Today I welcome fellow 5 Prince Publishing author, Erika M. Szabo! If you visited my blog last week, you know that the first book of her series, Ilona the Hun, Book one, BIRTHRIGHT BESTOWED, was published last week!  Now that you've got to hear about the book, it's time to learn about the author!

What inspired you to write?

I’ve been educating my patients as a nurse all my life, and when I received my PhD I did Alternative Medicine consultation for a while. I realized that it was not enough. I could share my knowledge to only one person at a time, and I don’t really like to talk too much. I decided to write educational books and share my knowledge with many. My daughter gave me the nudge to write fantasy novels. She said when I complained that I didn’t have anything to red: ‘If you haven’t any book to read, than write one!’

What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

I absolutely don’t have any schedule. Some days I write for half an hour and some days ten hours straight.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Well, I’m an organized person and my house is pretty neat. However, I can’t stand neatness on my desk where I work – sometimes on three computers simultaneously.  I need chaos and mess on and around my desk – books stacked  and sticky notes hanging everywhere, bowls of nuts and fruit to munch on- , and I forbid everyone to touch my stuff.

Are you a pantser or plotter?

I am a plotter when I write medical books, I plan what I want to say and put it in clear and logical order. When I write a fantasy story I am definitely a pantser. I enjoy tremendously playing with the characters, let them develop as the story progresses and go back to change a romantic and lovable character into a villain if a new idea pops into mind as I write. When I started writing Ilona’s story, I only had a sketchy outline in my head. I played with some ideas in my spare time at first, but soon the events and characters came alive and kind of developed on their own as the story progressed. Elza surprised me the most; originally I planned her character to be an older, wise, steady and reliable aunt. I guess she didn’t like her assigned role; she became a little younger and more alive. Zoltan will change the most in book three, which I wasn’t really planning. It still amazes me, how much one accidental sentence can change the whole character, his values and personality        

Are your stories based on experiences based on someone you know, or are events in your own life reflected in the characters/stories you write? Can you share and example?

I include some historical events in my novels. However, the real events are incorporated into a fantasy story. I can’t really say my characters are based on real people although some of my characters slightly resemble people I know, either in appearance or bits and pieces of their personality. In Ilona’s story, there are some personal experiences. I am ambidextrous and I can’t cook just like Ilona. Elza’s character resembles my favorite sister-in-law, and I worked little stories into the book about my cat Miss Mirci Catchmousky as well as my gentle giant dog, Gypsy. I wrote about some personal experiences as well, from my years working as an ER nurse.

Do you have any suggestions to help new authors become a better writer? If so, what are they?

Write about what you would like to read as a reader. Keep your own unique voice, don't follow the popular - churned out by the thousands - book formulas.

Are you self-pubbed, indie pubbed, or traditionally pubbed?

My Hungarian medical books are published by traditional publishers and my English books are self-published. My Ilona the Hun trilogy is in the publishing process by 5 Prince Publishing.

What are your current projects?

I'm working with my editor on publishing my magical-realism/fantasy/alternative history novel's first two books Birthright-Bestowed and Secrets-Revealed, and writing the third one Destiny-Altered. Also, getting my Healing Herbs series ebooks compiled into a paperbook. 

Book blurb:

Birthright – Bestowed, Ilona the Hun novels book one

Ilona is a descendant of the True Hun tribe, which means nothing to her until her twenty-ninth birthday. The True Hun society is secretive and complex, with strict and fiercely enforced rules revealed only to those who have come of age. Ilona is a rebel who is determined to control and guide her own life. Resourceful and daring, she crosses the line and breaks those rules. She must face the consequences, even while discovering she has growing magical powers – powers she could never have dreamed of – powers tied to ancient tribal secrets.

The comfortable and uneventful part of her life ends as she enters adulthood - by Hun standards - and her journey of self-discovery begins. Ilona finds out that her birthright is to become a Healer. This legacy is in her hands, and in her heart and soul. Ilona’s destiny as a Healer runs alongside her desires as a woman. She is secretly and hopelessly in love with her best friend, and her hope is that one day he will present her with his Red Tulip – the symbol of devoted love. He seems oblivious to her feelings.

As Ilona grapples with this confusion, a dashing stranger explodes into her life. Will he break her heart, or bring her true happiness? And will she be able to balance her life’s calling with this complicated love triangle? The barrier created by her insecurity kept others out, but also kept her caged in. She has to break the barriers to discover her true identity. Her unusual heritage forces her to open her mind and heart to the unimaginable. She has to learn how to save her own life, the future of the Huns and her own sanity. Destiny forces her to take a leap from idle to warp speed overnight. She has no choice, she has to accept the ride and find out everything by herself. She has to learn how to fit the puzzle pieces together.

It is the hard journey of a naïve girl growing into a confident woman, unveiling the well-guarded secrets of the Huns. Ilona is a very modern heroine who grapples with the same questions many of us face today. What if we could wipe out disease? What if we could find a true soul-mate no matter the obstacles? And, most profound of all:  if we knew we could use our innate abilities to do absolute good or absolute evil, which path would we choose?

As her life settles into a slower pace, she begins writing a journal. She wants to take a look at her life from an outside perspective, hoping it will help her understand what happened to her and why. Others playing a major role in her life join her by writing about their own experiences. This journal depicts their struggles, heartaches and happiness, and it takes you to the mysterious world of the Huns.

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Available on:

AMAZON.COM       AMAZON.UK       BARNES&NOBEL      SMASHWORDS

Connect with Erika on the following links:

TWITTER     FACEBOOK

Websites: http://www.erikamszabo.com/

                http://www.try-alternative-healing.com/

                http://www.doktorszaboerika.com/ 

5 Prince Publishing Launch Day for Erika M. Szabo!

Please welcome the latest 5 Prince Publishing author, Erika M. Szabo as she releases her novel, Birthright Bestowed, Ilona the Hun Trilogy, Book One. 

Birthright Bestowed

Ilona the Hun trilogy, book one

Ilona is an emergency room doctor, born into an ancient Hun tribe which still exists hidden amongst us with its strict and fiercely enforced rules. She doesn’t know much about her Hun heritage besides legends, customs and rituals that she continues out of respect for her parents whose sudden death ten years before devastated her. She plays her tune on her birthday given to her by her grandmother.  Elza – Ilona’s housekeeper - explains, the purpose of the tune is to let the elders know she had come to age. Her mother didn’t have a chance to explain her inherited powers, but after her 29^th birthday when she is considered as an adult by Hun standards, she begins to remember the forgotten instructions concealed as rhymes her mother was teaching her since she was a small child. Ilona discovers she can heal with her bare hands; she can rearrange the human body to its healthy state. This ability is exciting as well as frightening. She is conflicted between having confidence in her intelligence and inherited abilities while having no confidence as a woman. Her insecurity created barriers which keep others out, and I also keep her caged in. She’s been in love with her unsuspecting best friend Bela, when a dashing stranger explodes into her life. The sudden magnetic feeling frightens her and discovering evil in him doesn’t help either. A sinister dark man appears, Ilona connects his presence with the series of mysterious deaths around her. Zoltan saves her life by jeopardizing his, which prompts Ilona to start fitting the puzzle pieces together and discovering the ancient tribal secrets that not only can change her future but the future existence of the Huns as well

Excerpt from Birthright Bestowed:

           I was holding Teddy deep in thoughts, absentmindedly stroking his soft artificial fur. He was my favorite childhood toy, stuffed to perfect softness. Suddenly I felt something piercing the side of my neck. The sharp pain made me jump, and I let out a muted cry. I touched the skin over my carotid artery and I felt warm wetness. A drop of blood glistened on my fingertips when I looked at my hand. I almost dropped Teddy feeling alarmed when I noticed that my fingers begun to glow as if a bright red light was turned on from the inside. At the same time I felt something scurrying from the side of my neck toward my chest. I reached up and swept my neck and chest jumping up in disgust. Crap! It must have been a bug or a spider. The damned thing bit me! I looked down on my chest and kept sweeping my clothes frantically looking for the bug.

            A sudden swirling sensation took me by surprise and I grabbed the side of the ottoman to steady myself while everything began to fade around me. I tried to find a focus point to decrease the sudden vertigo, and then brought my eyes down to Teddy. I noticed with climbing alarm that his eyes took on a strange red glow. His eyes seemed alive; they bore into my insides and the intense glow kept me frozen. I’m hallucinating ran through my mind. I tried to turn away, yet I couldn’t move a muscle. I couldn’t even blink. I was scared, never having felt such primal fear before. I felt my heart racing and my breath came in little puffs as I felt cold beads of sweat on my forehead. I knew it was adrenaline flooding my body triggered by the sudden fright, but I was afraid it might have been some poison from the bite as well.

             The strange sensation and hallucination stopped as quickly as it started. My hands felt and looked normal and I became rational in an instant and sat there, feeling obtuse, wondering what had just happened. The whole sensation lasted only for seconds, yet it frightened me a great deal not knowing what caused it.

              I came in here hoping to find answers, and I found more questions. I didn’t find out anything! I thought angrily.

              The only insight I got was being scared out of my mind. I couldn’t sit there anymore. I felt suffocated; I had to get out in the open. I left Teddy on the ottoman and opened the door carefully, peering out. Something seemed to pull me back, a vague feeling, as if I was missing something. I fingered the Turul bird medallion absentmindedly, feeling its smoothness and warmth. I realized I had searched everywhere but inside the ottoman. I grabbed the seat and tried to pull it up. There was a soft metallic click and then the top opened abruptly.

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***For more about this author, check back next week when she drops by for an author interview! ***

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Erika M Szabo is a Hungarian born American; she lives in the beautiful Catskill Mountains. She has a PhD in Alternative Medicine; she published a few books in this subject. Erika loves the art of healing; however, writing about dry medical facts doesn’t satisfy her thirst for storytelling. The ancient history of the Huns always fascinated her, it is full of holes, mysteries and speculations; there are only a few written facts about them besides their legends. Erika used her fertile imagination to fill the historical voids in the story of Ilona. She raises questions such as - What if healing by touch could be possible? - What if we could find a soul mate no matter the obstacles? - What if we could visit our ancestors on a whim? - What if our destiny is not written in stone and we can create our future?

Author Contact Info:

http://www.amazon.com/author/erikamszabo

http://www.erikamszabo.blogspot.com

http://www.facebook.com/Erika.M.Szabo.ND.Author

http://twitter.com/ErikaMSzabo

Interview with George Geisinger!

Today I have the privalge of interviewing George Geisinger. Mr. Geisinger is a seasoned writer who has written about many subjects that relate to his personal experiences; some are short stories, while others are novels. His passion for writing shows that despite your disability, creativity can find away to enrich your life.

AUTHOR BIO:

George Geisinger studied music education in the early 1970's at Appalachian State University, in North Carolina, but after two years of study, he had a disastrous turn of health, with which he has struggled for a lifetime.  Mr. Geisinger, a naturally creative person, composes music for classic guitar, as well as for piano, writes poetry, fiction, and autobiographical stories.  In the late 1980's, Mr. Geisinger achieved an Associate in Arts Degree in the liberal arts from Catonsville Community College, in Maryland.  He studied creative writing there, and has subsequently published short stories and poetry in literary and “little” magazines over a period of several years thru the 1980's and 90's.  Now, he publishes independently on Amazon and Wordpress

What is your favorite thing about being a writer?

I enjoy expressing myself, and writing gives me the opportunity to go on at some length about what's on my mind.  When I write, I'm the one who's in charge.  I don't have to worry about time or space.  I do the saying, and no one else is directly involved at the time, while I'm developing my expression.  It helps me to organize my thoughts, which is challenging to me, considering my disability.

What genre(s) do you write?

I write classic fiction, as well as various confessional autobiographical pieces.  I've been to a lot of psychotherapy, and I've finally found a therapist I can write to: It is my laptop!

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

I've written several books; that is, I've written a plethora of short stories I've collected into book format.  The most difficult thing about writing, for me, has been developing the determination to keep on writing, after I finished one or two book-length works.  Once I got over that hurtle, I've been writing like a house afire ever since.  It's the one book syndrome I found difficult to get past.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

  Let me see... I don't figure out plots ahead of time.  I figure out some kind of hook, or setting for a story to take place, and do the fleshing out from an overall scheme of an idea.

Why do you think people should choose your books over another author?

I think that's a question every writer should ask himself.  I work very hard at making myself understood on the page, and also work hard at being entertaining and amusing when I write.  With a certain kind of reader in mind, I address my public with a thought of conscience and purpose.  I feel a moral imperative to write, and believe absolutely that there is an audience out there who needs to read what I write.

What do you hope readers take with them after reading one of your stories?

In many of my stories, I'd like the reader to come away with the idea that they absolutely don't have to continue practicing any of their addictions, regardless of whatever they might be addicted to, that there is Divine help out there for every practicing addict of every conceivable addiction. In others of my stories, I'd simply like my reader to come away entertained.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

That there is a God, and we're not it.  He is very powerful and caring.  He wants us to ask Him to help us, with the things we cannot do without His help.  That it's alright to trust Him, and that He's Someone worthy of our trust.

How long have you been a writer? 

All my life.  I'm over 60 at the moment.

How much time did it take from writing your first book to having it published?

I did some publishing of short fiction and poetry in the little magazine and literary magazine markets in the 1980's and 90's, but when I started writing my autobiographical stuff, my message, if you will, I went straight to Amazon Kindle, because there's no editor on the other end to say “No,” we won't publish that."  It's left up to the reader to choose for himself.

What other careers have you had?

I've been a disabled citizen all my adult life, struggling to do the most simple delivery driving jobs, or factory jobs on occasion.  I'm registered disabled with Social Security, and live off a pension.

Do you write under more than one name? Why?

I haven't done much with pseudonyms.  Whenever I want to write about myself, I'll make up a name to call myself, and become one of the characters in the story, not the pseudonymous author.  Stanley Hockenschmidt is one of my several aliases.  Another one I enjoy using is Barry Burns.  I'd rather sign my own name to my own work..

Are any of your characters based on real people or events?

Yes.  Speaking of my nonfiction, well, of course they're real people and real events.  Speaking of my fiction, there is always a dose of reality mixed into the fictional setting of whatever I'm writing at that moment.  I believe fiction ought to ring true to the reader.

How would you describe yourself if you were “speed dating” your readers?

I'm a circumlocutionist, not a quick study.

What’s something fans would find fascinating about you?

That I know very well what I'm writing about, and what I'm trying to say, regardless of the fact that my disability has to do with a hampering of my brain function.

What else would you like readers to know about you or your work?

I'm trying my best to be informative, and inspirational, without being pedantic, if I can avoid it.  My father was an unsuccessful Methodist Minister.  I'm not trying to take over his pulpit and finish what he left undone.  I'm trying to circulate my own message, generated by my own calling.

What books or authors have most influenced your life?

There have been so many, it would be impossible to come up with a list.  I've read a lot of classic English and American Literature, as an independent study project for much of my sober life, which spans about thirty years.  When I was first recovering from alcoholism and drug addiction, one of the things I did to organize my thinking was read classic literature voraciously.

How do your family and/or friends feel about your book or writing venture in general?

My family and friends are proud of the idea that I'm doing as much writing as I'm doing.  My brother and his wife have been very supportive, taking me to get a current day laptop, with an amazing amount of storage space, to help me with my creativity when I asked them to.

Where are you from?

I was born in Pittsburgh, PA, raised from the age of 13 in Aberdeen, MD, spent most of my life in the Baltimore area of MD, and now reside in the Tidewater Area of Southern VA.

How do you come up with the titles?

I do my best to settle on one word, or a very short phrase, to save my file shortly after I begin a project, which becomes the title of whatever project I'm working on.  On rare occasions, one of my friends with give me a title that I can wrap a story around.

Has your life changed significantly since becoming a published writer?

No, because I don't remember a time when I wasn't a writer, in one context or another.

Do you work on one project at a time? Or do you multi-task?

I mostly write one story at a time.

When not writing, how do you relax?

I like to go for walks around the hallways of the big assisted living building where I live.  It helps me clear my mind, and it's all contained indoors.  Sometimes, I'll mindlessly flip channels on the TV, or listen to Funk music on my stereo.  

Thank you very much for giving us insight into your life as a writer, Mr. Geisinger! 

To find out more about Mr. Gesinger, visit his blog, or check out his author page on Amazon, where there are dozens of books to choose from!