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Friday, September 6, 2013

Interview with Paul Byers, author of Artic Fire




Interview with Paul Byers, author of Artic Fire 
        Sponsored by Virtual Author Book Tours


See my review of ArticFire here, and be sure to enter the Giveaway.

 I appreciate your taking the time to visit with us today.
Hi Mindy, thanks for letting me stop by.

1. What inspired this particular novel/book?    

The threat of nuclear holocaust, invasion from aliens and bio terrorism, while if done right is exciting and action packed, but it has been done over and over again. I was looking for a new and more creative way to take over the world.

Part of the inspiration for Arctic Fire came from two television specials I saw on the History Channel. One was about weird weapons from WWII (the ice ship you’ll read about in the book) and the other was about mega disasters, but I can’t tell you about it as it would be a spoiler. Let’s just say that one sparked interest in the other.
(I was interested to here about the weird weapons from WWII, I thought I had heard about someone actually trying to sail an ice berg ..or wanting to.. to bring water somewhere.. so that was interesting.  Now I have to research odd weapons from WWII).

2.  What character was your favorite to write for in this story? Why?

I wanted the hero for Arctic Fire to be a little different than the stock hero of action thrillers. Gabriel Pike is the “everyman hero.” He isn’t ex-military, a Kung Fu master or a superhero; he is an ordinary man put into extraordinary circumstances.

He flies a Korean War vintage F-86 Sabre jet for his engineering firm, and being an engineer, Pike sees things just a little bit differently than the rest of us. And even though he’s used to running out structural calculations to five decimal points, he is a practical man who lives by the simple motto that there are few things in life that can’t be fixed with a bigger hammer or a roll of duct tape!

But, having said that, sometime the smaller characters have a way of getting to you.  Albert Jenkins is a retiring bank guard who finds himself in his worst nightmare. He is torments by events from the past and wasn’t able to prevent the loss of his own daughter but he is determined in the middle of a bank robbery not to let fate take another young life. He knows what is right and simply does it. A feat that is often harder to do than it sounds.


3.  Which was your favorite scene to write?

Here I go again, I have two. From the dramatic point of view, I enjoyed writing the opening scene. Without giving too much away, I enjoyed the history behind it, the research and the “what if” in crafting of the scene.
From a purely fun point of view, there is a scene later in the book where a reporter is asking Pike about his possible romantic interest in a woman. Clueless in Seattle just about sums up our hero’s reply.


4.  What was the hardest thing about writing this story?

I love doing research, digging up little gems of knowledge that lead from one interesting fact to another. With so many areas to research it was sometimes difficult for me to decide  what to put in, what the reader really needed to know for the story and to leave out what I thought was just plain cool.


5.  What would you say is your interesting writing quirk? 

I circle my desk three times before sitting down chanting ancient Babylonian verses. Doesn’t every writer? Just kidding. The only quirk I guess you could say is that I like to have a cup of coffee or two when I’m writing. But living just north of Seattle, home of Starbucks, I would think it would be more quirky not to have coffee with my writing.

6.  As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

It certainly wasn’t a writer! Thinking about it, I don’t really remember having a specific thing I wanted to be when I grew up.

7.  When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I guess you could call me a late bloomer. I took some creative writing classes in college but never really did much with them. Fast forward twenty five years and my brother convinced me to start writing. They say to write about what you know, so having grown up on Star Trek, my first novel was a handwritten Star Trek tale.
I wrote several short sci-fi stories (which I later turned into Act of God) then moved on to a couple of WWII books (another passion of mine) and now I’m writing action-adventure thrillers.

8.  Where do you find your Inspirations? 

I find story inspiration all around me. TV and radio programs, newspaper and magazine articles, anything that would make me go hum, I wonder if I could turn that into a great story?
Writing inspiration comes from seeing success from other authors I know, knowing that if they can do it, so can I.

9.  What do you like to read? Who is your favorite author?

I read pretty much what I write, action thrillers, techno thrillers and some military/spy books. As for authors, I like Michael Crichton, early Clive Cussler, Jeremy Robinson and Jeffery Deaver. There are many others of course but these are the ones I have read and enjoyed the most.

10.  Please let readers know where they can connect with you and purchase your books...

My website:
Smashwords:
B&N

11.  Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I hope your readers will like Arctic Fire. I enjoy writing thrillers that leaves the reader wondering where the facts end and the fiction begins. Be sure to check out my latest adventure, Greed. It will be out just in time for Christmas.

Thank you so much for chatting with us today.
My pleasure, Mindy, any time.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Giveaway and Book Review of Artic Fire

Book Review of Artic Fire
      Sponsored by Virtual Author Book Tours

Welcome to Books, Books, and More Books.  I am pleased to share this book with you.  Thank you for visiting and please come again.

Publisher: Fortress Publications (July 1, 2011)
Category: Thriller, Action Adventure, & Literary Fiction
Tour Date: September, 2013
ISBN: 978-0615504070
Available in: Print & eBook, 412Pages

Blurb: 
Wealthy entrepreneur Nigel Cain has devised an efficient new way to bring the earth's most precious resource to the masses - clean water - by transporting massive man-made icebergs from the frigid arctic and delivering them literally to the doorsteps of millions.

Gabriel Pike works at a small engineering firm that has been awarded the task of giving the final safety approval to pilot the first gigantic block of ice into New York harbor.
A consummate showman, Cain has built a fabulous 5-Star hotel and casino high atop the iceberg so his celebrity guests and media elite can cover this spectacle from beginning to end. Pike is whisked away from his work-a-day world and dropped into the lap of luxury where he's expected to simply rubber-stamp his inspection.

A brutal winter storms ravages the iceberg and exposes structural inconsistencies and hidden agendas that fill Pike with serious doubts about the true intentions of the project.  But a grisly double homicide on the ice puts the inspections on the back burner and sends Pike's life spiraling out of control when he's accused of being the jealous murderer in a lover's triangle.

But Pike soon discovers that there is far more at stake than just his life. He uncovers a conspiracy more heinous than anything he could have imagined - a plot that will level a city, change the political face of America, and whose shockwaves will be felt around the world. Fate rests in his hands - if he can survive long enough to take action...

Giveaway: 


Author Information: 

Paul grew up in Oregon on the shores of the mighty and mysterious Columbia River, and spent endless hours daydreaming on the beach in front of his house, making up stories about the ships from exotic ports all over the world that steamed up the river - what secret cargo might they be carrying; did they harbor spies who were on dark and exciting missions?

Later in adult life, he moved to another mysterious and provocative city - Las Vegas, just outside the famous Nellis Air Force base. After work he would sit on his porch and watch the fighters take off and land, igniting his imagination with visions of secret missions and rich speculation about what could possibly be hidden at Area 51.
After moving back to his native Pacific Northwest, Paul worked for the Navy and took every opportunity he could to speak with veterans from WWII to the Gulf War, listening to them swap stories and relate the experiences of a lifetime.

So it is this combination of a passionate love of history, a vivid "what if" imagination, and a philosophy of life that boils down to the belief that - there are few things in life that a bigger hammer won't fix - that led Paul to become a writer of exciting, fact-based action-thrillers. His greatest joy is leaving his readers wondering where the facts end and the fiction begins.

Contacts:

Author Website: http://www.paulbyersonline.com/
Paul on Facebook  http://www.facebook.com/paul.byers.31?ref=tn_tnmn
Paul on Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/535909.Paul_Byers

Other Tour Dates:

So Many Precious Books Sept 2          Review & Giveaway                          
Book Lover's Library  Sept 3 Review                                                    
Book Lover's Library  Sept 4 Interview & Giveaway
She Treads Softly Sept 4 Review                                                              
Books, Books, & More Books Sept 5 Review                  
Books, Books, & More Books Sept 6 Interview & Giveaway
Cheryl's Book Nook Sept 9 Review                                                       
Butterfly-o-Meter Books Sept  10 Review            
Butterfly-o-Meter Books Sept 11 Guest Post
 My Shelf Confessions Sept 12 Review                                      
 My Shelf Confessions Sept 13 Interview & Giveaway
Room Without Books is Empty Sept 16 Review                                                              
Green Mountain People               Sept  18 Review                                                              
Thoughts in Progress Sept 18 Guest Post & Giveaway
Romance & Inspiration Sept 19 Review                                                 
Bloggin Bout Books Sept 20 Review                                                        
The News In Books Sept 23 Review                                         
The News In Books Sept 24 Guest Post
Sweeps4Bloggers Sept 24 Review & Giveaway
Tales of a Book Addict            Sept 25            Review                                    
 Joy Story Sept 26 Review                                                                            
fundinmental  Sept 27 Review & Giveaway
Recent Reads Sept 30 Review &                Giveaway
DWED Oct 1 Review       

Others Praise:

Praise for Arctic Fire:
 "A madman's insatiable quest for power could level a major American city and kill thousands, ushering in a New World Order.  Arctic Fire is a thrill-ride that will leave you breathless." - Jeremy Robinson, bestselling author of INSTINCT and THRESHOLD
"Audacious and ambitious, Arctic Fire burns with action, and chills with the possibilities of what the future may hold. A thriller not to be missed!" - Sean Ellis, author of INTO the BLACK

 "A new twist on a classic battlefield ploy finds an iceberg controlled by a megalomaniac on a collision course with NYC. A provocative blend of fact and fiction that explores issues surrounding a critical natural resource, fresh water, Arctic Fire is bound to leave readers thirsty for more."-Rick Chesler, author of kiDNApped and WIRED KINGDOM

"We're running low on fresh water. What do we do? Let's move an iceberg! I love the premise!! From the opening pages until the thrilling end, Arctic Fire is a heart-pounding adventure filled with risks, action and suspense. With engaging characters and a compelling plot, you will be hard pressed to put this novel down. Just when you think you know what is going to happen, with who and what, the author delivers another surprising twist that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The character are concealing and manipulative, yet believable. The rush of adrenaline is well-rehearsed with each operation, leaving the reader frantically turning to the next page, desperate to find out what is going to happen next.
This is the first work I have read of Paul Byers, but he reminds me a lot of Clive Cussler with a twist of Brian Freeman - which is an excellent pairing! Arctic Fire is a novel that showcases his effortless feel for narrative as well as his flawless instincts for suspense. I can't wait to see what Byers has in store for us next. I definitely won't want to miss it!"-Mindy Hines, Minding Spot Website

"When I was first asked to review Arctic Fire I laughed out loud. I've always wondered why someone didn't just do this exact same thing to help the countries that go through droughts so I was really looking forward to reading this one and I wasn't disappointed. Arctic Fire is a fast paced read that I finished in just one day. I fell in love with Gabriel Pike from the first chapter and was dying to know just what sinister plot Cain had in mind. I highly recommend this one for anyone who loves suspense thrillers." - Monie,  Reading With Monie Website

"An awesome mystery/thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I really liked all the characters in this book and the mystery of a homicide. Wonderfully written! If you like a mystery with lots of thrills, you will love this book."Sherrie Plummer, Sherrie's Books Website

Review: 

This book is filled with people that you could be friends with…okay maybe not Cain, but definitely Gabe.  He was such a science geek and totally doing what he thought was right.  It broke my heart to see what he went through, but I totally understood how out of place he felt in some of those situations.

The suspense and mystery was often a tantalizing glimpse just out of the corner of your eye. You knew something was there, but you couldn’t get a good look at it until it was there right in front of you in all its horror.  Kind of like those accidents on the freeway that are terrible, but you just have to look.  Or that scary movie you watch from between your fingers.

The author weaves such a tantalizing tale that you know something is going on, but you don’t really know what until it’s happened and then it’s too late.

I give this story 4.5 out of 5.


This product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Book Review of Flux of Skin

Book Review of Flux of Skin

          Sponsored by Innovative Book Tours

Welcome to Books, Books, and More Books.  I am pleased to share this book with you.  Thank you for visiting and please come again.


Blurb: 

Contains Adult Sexual Content and some violent imagery.

Flux of Skin, book two of the Fate ~ Fire ~ Shifter ~ Dragon series, picks up Ladon and Rysa’s story four hours after the events of book one, Games of Fate.

How many loves must Ladon watch die?

Ladon thought he controlled the rage.  He thought he left his past—and his violence—behind.  But the Shifters take Rysa and now no one is safe…

Ladon wanted a gentle life.  But century after century, the call to battle malicious Fates, Shifters, and Burners always won.  The world needed him.  So he fought.

War took its toll and now, sometimes, his scars show.  When it happens, Ladon ruptures—body, mind, and soul.  And the world pays.

But he’s found a new way:  a modern life with his beloved Rysa.  He won’t give her up.  Not because of family strife.  Not because of the issues twisting her life into a raging cyclone.  And definitely not because of war—until a new group of Shifters rain death onto everyone he loves.

Every Shifter understands fury.  Now they learn rupture.

FLUX OF SKIN, book 2 of the Fate ~ Fire ~ Shifter ~ Dragon series, a New Adult Urban Fantasy with Strong Romantic Elements by Kris Austen Radcliffe, continues the story of Rysa and Ladon.  Set in the open spaces of America, the series takes Rysa and Ladon—and Ladon’s companion beast, Dragon—through a landscape punctuated by unfamiliar creatures:  Fates with the ability to see past, present, and future.  Ghouls called Burners who devour with fire and acid.  Shifters who shape much more than their bodies.  And two dragons who speak with color and pattern.

Author Information: 

As a child, Kris took down a pack of hungry wolves with only a hardcover copy of The Dragonriders of Pern and a sharpened toothbrush.  That fateful day set her on a path traversing many storytelling worlds—dabbles in film and comic books, time as a talent agent and a textbook photo coordinator, and a foray into nonfiction.  After co-authoring Mind Shapes: Understanding the Differences in Thinking and Communication, Kris returned to academia.  But she craved narrative and a richly-textured world of Fates, Shifters, Burners, and Dragons—and unexpected, true love. 

Kris lives in Minnesota with her husband, two daughters, an Handsome Cat, and an entire menagerie of suburban wildlife bent on destroying her house.  That battered-but-true copy of “Dragonriders”?  She found it yesterday.  It’s time to pay a visit to the woodpeckers.

Contacts:

·         Website:  http://www.sixtalonsign.com/novels/
·         Blog:  I don’t blog.  
·         Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/AuthorKrisAustenRadcliffe or my profile account, if you want to see the snarkier me:  http://www.facebook.com/kris.austenradcliffe
·         Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KrisRadcliffe
o   It’s best to use Facebook to contact me.
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/krisradcliffe


Review: 

            I previously read and reviewed Gamesof Fate, book one in this series.  I was looking forward to the second book, and it not disappoint.  And it was seriously HOT!

            Not only is this a fabulous romance with enough heat to curl your toes, it is just a well written, good story.  I laughed, cried, cringed, got angry and worried right along with the characters.

            I recommend this book for all romance, shifter, paranormal, or star-crossed lover fans.  All I can say is these poor people have had the worst luck ever.  You are just rooting for them to finally have a happily-ever-after ending.  Unfortunately, they aren’t quite there yet…but the hope that it is coming is definitely peeking through.

            I give this book 5 out of 5 clouds, a chili pepper rating of 7 out of 10, and a violence rating of 8 out of 10…making it a fan favorite for everyone.


This product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.