Lakeside University Cover Up by Charles A. Taylor (Book Tour & Giveaway)

Title: Lakeside University Cover Up

Author Name: Charles A. Taylor

Author Bio: Dr. Charles “Chuck” Taylor, author, speaker and diversity expert is currently a professor in the school of education at a Midwestern college. Although he has written and edited over 10 books, this is his first novel. Chuck has also written a full-length children’s musical, a highly acclaimed documentary on the Milwaukee, Wisconsin civil rights movement and continues to serve as a national consultant to college campuses in the areas of racial diversity and inclusion. Please visit his website for additional information: http://drcharlestaylor.com/about/

Author Links - 

http://drcharlestaylor.com

www.linkedin.com/in/drcharlestaylor/

Lakeside University Cover Up

Book Genre: Mystery Thriller

Publisher: Roar Enterprises, Inc.

Release Date: January, 2012

Buy Link(s): Lakeside University Cover Up,; http://www.amazon.com/Lakeside-University-Cover-Charles-Taylor/dp/0935483535?tag=amazoniediscount01-20

Book Description: A cross is burned in the yard of two black Lakeside University students. When campus

officials call the incident a harmless prank, both black and white student organizations, launch a series of protests to force the administration into conducting a full investigation.

Instead, the administration devises a divide and conquer scheme to create a rift between black and white students. Feel the tension mounting as the students react to the Administration’s response to the incident. As black students turn up the pressure, the campus stands on the verge of a racial explosion. Campus leaders must find a way out of the crisis so they seek the help of Dr. Wendell Oliver, the country’s leading expert in diffusing racial tension.

Watch Dr. Oliver as he masterfully guides the feuding students into looking beyond themselves on a weekend retreat that is filled with action, danger, sexual attraction, and racial conflict. Discover the hidden lessons that students learn about friendship, betrayal and forgiveness. Follow the love story as the plot unfolds. Experience this roller coaster ride of emotions for yourself! Learn the secret behind the cross burning as the leading character Gloria finds her voice.

Students come to realize that the cross burning is more than just about racism. Its wicked flames shed light on corrupt cops, complicit college administrators and misguided attitudes that point to a major cover up. When students finally piece the puzzle together, justice is served but it comes with a steep price. Lakeside University will never be the same again.

Excerpt One:

Enough was enough. Dean of Students, Todd Severson stormed into President David Horning’s office and slammed the door. “Sir, we need to do something!” Severson said, lowering himself into the chair across from Horning’s antique desk. “Your divide and conquer strategy is backfiring—we have to do something and do it fast, or this university will explode!”

President Horning glanced up from his coffee. “That’s a bit dramatic, Todd, don’t you think?”

Severson leaned forward in his chair and pressed his palms against the desktop. “A black student has just been attacked!” he said. “Classes are being disrupted. The police are running themselves ragged, trying to keep everything under control. Now we have threats of a major civil rights demonstration being held on our campus!”

Horning looked at Severson and frowned. “Why don’t you just calm down,” he said. “We’ve weathered crises before. This isn’t any different.”

Severson stared back, his jaw askew. “Sir, I beg to disagree! We may have been able to smooth things over in the past, but this is very different. This could turn violent—even more violent than it already has become. And it's just a matter of time before the media plasters this mess all over the front page.”

Before Horning could respond, his phone rang. As he reached to answer it, Severson stood to leave. “Hold on Todd. Let me get this. This might be the call that will get us out of this damn mess,” Horning said, as Severson paced the floor.

***

Three Weeks Earlier

It was a cool, cloudy Sunday night in early autumn. Two figures huddled in the shadows next to a small house, near the Lakeside University campus. They set to work quickly, and soon a sharp chemical odor drifted through the air.

“Man, this shit really stinks,” said the first one, muffling a cough in his gloved hand. “Are you sure this will work?”

“It has to,” said the second. “You heard what they said. We’ve got to take care of this tonight.” “Okay, okay,” said the first. “Just light the damn thing so I can make the call and we can get the hell out of here!”

***

Inside the small house, Lakeside University student Ashante Melashe was working on a recording for her broadcast engineering class. Just as she hit the record button, the shrill ring of the telephone echoed through the house. "Oh, no!” she moaned, “I forgot to turn off the ringer!” She pushed her chair back from the table. “Well, that’s another sound bite down the drain."

"I'm coming," she grumbled as the phone continued its loud summons. "Hello?"

"Look outside,” said a gruff, male voice. “You’ll see how we feel about niggers at Lakeside University."

"What did you just say? Who is this?"

"Just look outside, bitch."

“Is this some kind of joke?” Ashante asked, but the only answer was the dial tone.

Shaking her head in disgust, she took a deep breath and stepped out into the front yard. The shock of the flames sucked the air from her lungs in a choked gasp. A strange smell burned her eyes and throat. She stood frozen, glaring at the blaze of bright red and orange fire burning against the cold, black starless night.

Then the realization hit her with as much force as if someone had kicked her in the stomach. Suddenly she knew what she was staring at: a huge cross, whose wicked flames lit up the yard and filled her with soul wrenching horror.

 "Oh, my God," Ashante whispered. 

Follow The Tour Here

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Hellfire Promo Tour & #Giveaway with Rickard B. DeMille

I was born in Las Vegas, Nevada to Rickard and Anita DeMille, who also provided five younger siblings for my amusement- four brothers and a sister. After graduating from Las Vegas High School I attended Brigham Young University. After my freshman year I spent two years in Venezuela and Colombia doing missionary work, then returned to BYU where I graduated with a BA in Spanish. Since then, I’ve focused my efforts on BS.

After college I was commissioned an Officer of Marines. I became a Combat Engineer, and ran my battalion’s computerized maintenance system. Soon after leaving the Corps, I moved to Houston, TX, where I resumed working with computers. I’d also picked up three kids along the way - Rick, Dave and Rob. Ten years later, I moved to Dallas, re-married the wonderful Tracy Ellis, and picked up two stepsons, Mark and Matt. I also began working with a group of exceptional Welshmen. It’s been over twenty years, Tracy and the Welshmen are still in my life. In those years I’ve also earned a Masters of Ministry and a Masters of Divinity from the Golden State School of Theology. Preparing a masters thesis rekindled my passion for writing.

A few years ago, I began to write seriously.  Since then, I’ve had short stories and articles published, in print and online. My work has been published by BeWrite, Darklines, Eros and Rust, and others sites. One of my short stories was published in the Australian anthology ADUMBRA. I also write screenplays and finished 18th in the 2010 Writer’s Digest Screenplay competition in 2010, and 16th in the 2011 competition.

Recently I finished my first novel, HELLFIRE (formerly A MURDER IN MUMBLES), a thriller set in Wales. HELLFIRE was a finalist in the 2010 Debut Dagger contest sponsored by the Crime Writers’ Association in London, and the 2010 SouthWest Writers contest. In 2011, I signed a contract with Transit Publishing, and HELLFIRE was published in February of 2012 as an eBook. In July of 2012 HELLFIRE was republished by MacDonald, Barclay and Co. in both paperback and eBook formats. 

I published my Masters Thesis entitled BIBLE STUDY: DEFENDING DANIEL, an examination of the historical, archaeological and linguistic context for the Biblical book of Daniel. I have already begun work on a sequel to HELLFIRE, currently titled COYOTE MIDNIGHT, which is set in Texas.

My Website is: www.rickardbdemille.com

My blog is: http://demillewriter.wordpress.com

An International Debut Dagger Award Finalist.

“Packed with action, emotion and suspense.” --Crime Writers Association

“A must read for any fan of the thriller genre” -- Joe Nassise, Internationally best selling author Of Eyes to See and the Templar Chronicles

US Marine Travis Deacon always loves catching some R&R. And he loves being in Wales to catch it, until his best friend, SAS Major Gareth Jones, dies in an "auto accident." When Travis asks too many questions about Gareth's death, MI5 steps in and tries to send him back to Afghanistan. Then, the international terrorist who killed his friend, tries to send Travis to hell.

It gets worse when Detective Sergeant Dee Jones, Gareth's sister, arrests Travis to find out if he’s involved. Together, convinced that Gareth was murdered, Travis and Dee search for the killer. They dodge terrorist assassins and British agents in their search across Wales for the truth. Suddenly, the murder investigation becomes a frantic race to prevent a terrorist attack that could change the world.

“Strap yourself in for Rickard B DeMille’s  HELLFIRE, a page-turner full of humor,  reluctant romance, and plot twists that will  have you writhing in your seat.”

  --Margaret Bailey, author of Diamond in the Sky and the Waves of Amber trilogy

Excerpt: Travis finally makes contact with the terrorist leader when the Marine neutralizes several of the terrorist assassins and keeps one of their phones:

Maliki reached toward the phone to hang up, but was startled to have it answered before going to voicemail. Instead of hearing Gamal’s gruff voice, someone else responded.

“Kandahar Marriott, home of the Taliban special. Survive three nights and the fourth is free. How may we help you?”

It took a moment for Maliki to analyze this new information and understand what was happening. The voice was American, but he had certainly called Gamal’s phone. This must be Deacon, but how was this possible? Maliki hesitated a moment longer, then asked with forced congeniality, “I would like to speak with one of your guests, a Mr. Gamal, is he available?”

Maliki walked to the table and slid a photograph from a stack of papers. One showed Sergeant Deacon speaking with a dirty, greasy man next to a wrecker as Major Jones’ car was being retrieved. The other was of Detective Jones, also at the accident scene, standing with a group of her colleagues. She must be a strong woman to function that well under such stress. She was certainly a beautiful one. He listened again, aware that Travis had been speaking.

“Hello?” The voice said, “who shall I say is calling?”

“I am a friend of Mr. Gamal’s.”

“Then I’m terribly sorry, sir, there was a horrible Cricket accident and Mr. Gamal seems to have lost his head. Where would you like it sent if we find it?” 

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September 26 - Mass Musings 
September 27 - Cafe' Creations 
September 28 - Lori's Reading Corner
September 28 - MK McClintock's Blog

VBTC Guest Post & Giveaway with David Kubicek - A Friend of the Family

Please welcome David Kubicek to Mass Musings today. David is the author of A friend of the Family, a science fiction thriller. David is on tour with the Virtual Book Tour Cafe', and will be offering you a chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift card, plus he has a trivia game you can partake in to win a copy of the book. You can follow his tour HERE to get the trivia questions, plus for more chances to win.

Welcome David!

Seven Things You Didn’t Know About David Kubicek

I like finding out things about people, authors in particular, because it gives me insight into how they became who they are today. So I thought it might be fun to share with you some experiences in my background that have shaped the kind of writer I have become and caused me to write the types of stories I write.

1.      Whereas most kids set up lemonade stands to make extra money, I decided to open a museum in our back yard and charge the neighbors 25 cents admission.  But in order to have a cool museum, I needed dinosaur skeletons, and I didn’t have access to dinosaur bones. So I did the next best thing—every time we had chicken for dinner, I collected the bones and stored them in a brown paper sack in my closet. Unfortunately I never achieved my goal of accumulating enough chicken bones to build a T. Rex skeleton. My Mom found the bag of moldy table scraps and, after a good scolding, made me march them out to the garbage can. 

2.      I wrote a college thesis about Ray Bradbury. On the advice of Stephen King, who I met when he was doing a promotional tour for The Dead Zone, I sent Bradbury a copy. Bradbury reciprocated by sending me a copy of the galleys of a book about him that was currently being published.

3.      To research my short story “Clinical Evaluation,” I found a fellow at Lincoln General Hospital who agreed to show me around the morgue.  “Clinical Evaluation” became my first published story, in an anthology called The New Surrealists.

4.      On a cold winter day, while I was sitting around with my co-workers on a break, I spun a silly yarn about how at -17 degrees Celsius, certain chemical changes take place in the human posterior which, if ignored, would cause that part of the anatomy to fall off. I went home, wrote up the story, and sold it to National Lampoon for $50. Because it was written in the form of a newspaper article, the magazine used it as the lead story for its Yellow Journal section. They even found a photo to illustrate it.

5.      As a photographer I was once hired to take a series of photos for a Nebraska Department on Aging brochure.

6.      I have a black belt in Okinawan Goju-ryu karate.

7.      When I was learning how to write I copied my favorite stories by my favorite authors in longhand. This exercise taught me how stories flowed. It taught me their rhythms. It taught me how authors wrote action scenes, and how they wrote low-key scenes. It taught me how to add subtle touches of characterization. The story must be copied in longhand—not typed!—because writing it out forces you to think about it more, and you become more aware of the author’s craft. I highly recommend this exercise for aspiring authors.

In a desolate future, long after the nuclear war, practicing medicine is illegal. Health care is provided by Healers who treat patients using primitive methods like chanting and bleeding. Hank is a doctor who practices medicine only for himself and his family. His fear of being sent to prison has estranged him from the Underground, the loose network of physicians that tries to help people who have lost faith in the Healers. Then late one evening a 16-year-old girl named Gina knocks on his door. She has a secret of her own and the power to destroy Hank’s life if he doesn’t come with her and make her seriously ill father well. But there is one catch — Gina’s father is the brother of a Healer.

 

Excerpt:

Gina unbolted the door and lifted off the bar, set it with a bump in the corner, and went out. A cool breeze, touched with the smells of mildew and rotting wood, whisked into the room. It dried the perspiration on Hank’s face and rocked the lanterns. The door slapped shut. Maud went to bolt it. When she came back, she drew her chair closer to the bed, sat down. She touched her robe near the left shoulder.

“I’ve got a knife in here.”

“Maud…”

“I understand,” Hank said, feeling cold.

“My own child doesn’t think I’d use it, but I would.”

Hank looked down at his hands. He tried to still the tremor within him.

“I don’t want to cause trouble.”

“You bein’ here is trouble.”

“Maud, stop it,” Vic said. Then he was coughing again.

Hank prepared penicillin and vitamin injections. His hands shook. He had difficulty grasping the syringes, and he couldn’t make his muscles do what he wanted them to.

Hank put the syringes into his medical case. He didn’t want to give the injections until Gina got back. He tried to convince himself that it was common sense to wait until he had checked this man more thoroughly. But besides the blood pressure, there were no more tests he could do. He was afraid of what this old woman might do if he frightened her badly enough.

David Kubicek received a B.A. in English from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. He has published several short stories (his story “Ball of Fire” was nominated for a Pushcart Prize: Best of the Small Presses in 1989), hundreds of articles, a Cliffs Notes on Willa Cather’s My Antonia, and a Hollywood producer has optioned one of his screenplays. For nine years he wrote for MBJ Publications, publishers of the Midlands Business Journal, the Lincoln Business Journal, and the Mountain Plains Business Journal. As President of Kubicek & Associates, he published five trade paperback books, including two he edited—The Pelican In The Desert: and Other Stories of the Family Farm and October Dreams: A Harvest of Horror (with Jeff Mason). He lives with his wife, Cheryl, and their son, Sean, in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Website/Blog:http://davidkubicekblog.com

Follow me on Twitter: http://bit.ly/hGcjOU

Don't forget to leave a comment with your email addy for a chance at the Amazon Gift Card and hop on over to David's Meet & Greet for a chance to win a copy of the book! Let's have some fun!

Interview with David Fingerman and Review of Silent Kill - Virtual Book Tour

Today I am doing an interview with author David Fingerman,  plus giving a review of Silent Kill,  a much anticipated post.  Sorry it's late David,  we lost our kitten and our pit and youngest son are so upset.  I had to make a flyer and put it around town lol.

Anyways,  welcome to Walker's Muse David.   I loved Silent Kill!  David is also giving away a signed copy of Silent Kill at the end of his tour,  so leave David a comment to gain an entry and visit his website for his schedule,  or view the Calendar Of Events page for authors on tour.

BK:  Please tell us a little about yourself.

DF:  I've lived in Minnesota my entire life. I love this time of year and am not a fan of summer. Me and heat don't get along. I got severely sunburned years ago when I went to Miami during spring break. My ideal weather is cloudy, 60 degrees, and a good wind. My ideal day is writing in a dimly lit room while listening to my old LPs (vinyl is the way to go, man). Despite rumors to the contrary, I'm really quite sane (clinically speaking). 

BK:  What inspired you to pen your first title? 

DF:  Inspiration for my first published short story, "Autumnal Equinox" came from a Loreena McKennett song, All Souls Night. Inspiration for "Silent Kill" came from so many years of sitting in the courtroom. One gets to see the best and worst of human behavior and emotion. It's something I strive to capture in my writing. 

BK:  How long have you been writing? 

DF:  Pretty much since I learned how. But serious writing, since the early 90s, at least that's when I sent out my first short story in hopes of getting it published. (On a side note ~ it never happened. It's now collecting dust in my file drawer. I think there's a moral in there somewhere about perseverance.) 

BK:  What was the hardest part about writing this particular novel? 

DF:  I had written a lot of short stories and had the mindset that a novel is just a really long short story. It's a totally different thought process. Honestly, I didn't know what I was doing at the beginning (some would say that I still don't). Then there's the research. I'm somewhat lazy when it comes to research, but the deeper I got into the "Silent Kill" the more research I had to do. 

BK:  Have any dreams been realized as a result of your writing? 

DF:  Just having a book published is a thrill. I certainly don't mean this as a slap to self publishing ~ there are so many advantages to going that route, and I have the utmost respect for authors that do (I've gone that route too), but for me there was a certain validation that someone in the publishing business thought my work was good enough to put into print. 

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

DF:  Stay in school and don't take drugs. KIDDING! Messages? Absolutely not! I just want to tell an entertaining story that will stay with the reader long after they put the book down. But seriously ~ stay in school and don't take drugs. 

BK:  Where do you hope to take your writing in the future? 

DF:  The New York Times bestseller list and movie rights would be just ducky.

What advice do you have for writer's just starting out? 

Write every day and write because it's a passion. Join a writers' group. Develop a thick skin. If you can't take criticism (and unfortunately, not all of it will be constructive) you're probably in the wrong line of work. 

BK:  Anything else you would like to share with us today? 

DF:  Follow my virtual book tour and leave comments. At the end of the tour I'll be drawing a name and sending the winner an autographed copy of "Silent Kill." 

Oh yeah ~ stay in school and don't take drugs. 

LOL.  Great advice David.  Awesome that you are doing a giveaway too.  So please be sure to leave David a comment for your chance to win.  

Now for the Review :). 

http://bkwalkerbooks.weebly.com

Silent Kill by David Fingerman was an excellent mix of mystery and suspense.  From the first page Fingerman holds nothing back.

Louise Miller is a female cop that gets a lot of hassle from her fellow officers.  Her brother Andrew is a new cop in a different precinct.

When Mark Lone Bear,  her friend and fellow officer turns up missing,  Louise puts in all effort to find out what happened to him.

Throughout the investigation,  her brother who is getting broken in as a rookie,  stumbles upon a development in Louise's case,  Mark Lone Bear and his car.

When two more people end up missing,  Andrew and Louise work to find answers to Mark Lone Bear's murder and the kidnappings.  The closer they get to finding the murderer,  the more danger that befalls upon those they love and care for.

Was Mark Lone Bear mixed up in something he shouldn't have been that led to his death?  When one more kidnapping hits Louise a little too close to home,  will she save all three before they end up dead too?  Find out in Silent Kill.

Fingerman did an excellent job in his first full length murder/mystery.  Full of suspense and with an imagination that will leave you wanting more,  this is one title you will want to get your hands on.

The perfect mix of crime,  mystery and suspense,  I couldn't put it down until I knew what happened in the end.  I give Silent Kill ***** (5) Stars,  BK Walker.  http://bkwalkerbooks.weebly.com


Learn more about David Fingerman by clicking the book cover. 

Purchase at Amazon,  Barnes and Noble and Fictionwise.

---

BK Walker Books - All Rights Reserved

Behind The Words with L.E. Harvey

Today my guest is Lauren Harvey!  Please give her a warm welcome. 

L. E. Harvey is a writer and model in Harleysville, PA.  She greatly enjoys all that Philadelphia city life has to offer.  When L. E. is not writing or working on the political scene, she models as a pinup and "alt" (alternative) model.  L. E. admires women like Betty Page, and "Rosie the Riveter" has been her idol since childhood.  She is currently affiliated with The Gypsy Queens, Angels With Ink (AWI), The Cherry Girls, and Curvy and Rocker Pinups.  L. E. Harvey is a proud participating author in Operation E-book Drop, sending e-book copies of her books to the men and women of the U. S. military across the globe!

The Person Behind the Words 

L. E. Harvey 

Who are we writers, that you purchase our work without knowing us? It's a rarity in our times to make any kind of purchase without research, test drives, and the like. Yet, writers are in that tiny percentage of people whose work will be bought, and no one knows a thing about the person in that picture on the back.

Who are we writers? Are we recluses who hide away, typing words for hours on end? Or are we that person who smiled and said, “hi” as you passed by on the street this morning? Who, or what, makes a writer?

Well, just like anything else in life, there is a tremendous variety of personalities in the writing world. Some writers are reclusive. Others are always out and about. Some are extremely friendly. Others can't be bothered to give you the time of day. Writers are as different as peacocks are from chickadees.

Since I fall into this interesting grouping of people, let me tell you a little about the person in my picture.

I am multi-racial. I grew up hearing various accents and languages. It makes for some very interesting and even comical stories. A Spaniard trying to speak to a Slav in English when English was not the primary language for either makes for an unusual conversation! I loved it, though. I am very proud of my mixed heritage. I love being a mutt. Plus, it can be fun to speak to people in unusual languages when they have no idea what you're saying. It's especially good for those annoying sales people that approach you on the streets of cities like New York or Las Vegas. 

I come from a small, but very tight family. Family was always very important, and we all love and respect each other tremendously. We also know how to make each other laugh. We've found that laughter is the most important thing in life, and we make sure that we can't get enough of it. It's a rarity that you see a family picture without at least one of us making some kind of comical expression.

Mine was also a theatrical family. We were always on stage. We sing, we dance, we act. Performing was such an enjoyable outlet for me as a child. The only real issue now is that I will often spontaneously break out into show tunes, and I can't really control it. I don't mind, though. It typically makes people laugh, which is a good thing. 

Since singing was an integral part of my upbringing, music has always been important to me. I listen to nearly every genre of music. There are a few I'm not necessarily particular for, but if the musicianship is good, then you can rest assured I'm listening to it. From opera to heavy metal to bagpipe music, I listen to it all!

That love of music, theatre and comedy has really come into play in my side work as a pinup girl. Let's face it: pinups are cute, coy and entertaining. Since making faces in front of a camera comes quite naturally to me anyway, I had no problem transitioning into the pinup world. It's just a new way for me to carry on the family's tradition of fun facial expressions. 

As for my “real” job as a writer, I've been writing my entire life. While most kids would go out and play baseball, I'd run up to my room to go write a novel. Writing has been my life-long passion, and I know that I am one of the very few people who get to say they are truly living out their dream.

There is so much more to a person than one can fit into a guest blog. Hopefully this has helped you to know the person behind the book. So, the next time a friend comes over and they spot one of my books on your book shelves and they ask about it, you can tell them I'm that crazy lady who breaks out into show tunes and knows how to say colorful phrases in Slavish! 

Lauren is currently on virtual book tour with Authors Supporting Authors,  so please leave a comment here today for her and gain an entry for your chance to win a copy of one of her book at the end of her tour. Lauren's next stop is June 5, with Katie Salidas at http://myimmortalstories.blogspot.com

Please also visit Lauren on the web at http://www.leharvey.com  and on Facebook too.  Thank you so much for stopping in Lauren.  It has been a pleasure. 

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Jo Davis on the Domestic Side

Today my guest is author Jo Davis,  who is currently on a Domestic Seduction Tour in Houston,  as well as on virtual book tour with Authors Supporting Authors.  Please give her a warm welcome while we take a look at the Domestic side.

Thank you for being with us today....




Tell us a little bit about yourself. 

I am Jonita Davis, writing under the name Jo Davis. My books Domestics and Michigan City Marinas are available now where books are sold. I have an English degree from Purdue University that I use it to work as a freelance writer--the job that pays the bills.



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

I began writing at a young age. My very first publication was a self published book entitled Gloria Gooddoctor. It was a class project on publishing. As a teen, I wrote poems. I didn't begin writing fiction until I was in my 20's. Actually, my decision to become a writer occurred in 2004 when I decided to follow my dream and enroll as an English major at Purdue.


How many books have you written? 

Two and one is in the editing stage.


In writing Domestics, what did you learn about yourself? 

That I really have a knack for the twisted tales. The action scenes came to me easily. This was scary at first, because I was worried what everyone would think of the violence that I created. However, there is a deeper message to the story (the hazards of revenge and domestic abuse awareness) that you can only grasp when taking in the entire story.


How did you come up with the theme to your book?

Domestic violence and domestic work. Domestics was the common thread. FYI, the original working title was Keeping House.


Do you relate to any of your characters in any way?

Domestics is a thriller that follows a tortured main character from the loss of her family to her transformation into an assassin for hire. She targets men like her late husband who violently abuse her and their daughter. This assassin's number is circulated in the grocery stores and hospitals, to women who can't get away from their captures for whatever reason. This assassin's cover is a housekeeping business. When she comes in to clean house--she really puts your house in order. You can buy it on Passionate Writer Publishing's website or where books are sold online.


What was the hardest thing about writing this novel? 

Writing for the reader while keeping the integrity of the story. The reader has to know enough about the book's topics and issues to grasp the plot without giving away key points. This is especially difficult in writing mysteries.



What was the thing you enjoyed the most about writing Domestics?

Thinking up the assassinations. I will probably catch flack for this, but the assassination scenes were my favorite because they were easy and fun to write.



What dreams have been realized as a result of your writing? 

I've met tons of people that I would have never rubbed shoulders with and traveled outside of the local area. I am also writing more, and getting closer to my dream of supporting myself entirely with my writing.



Are you working on anything right now? 

Yes, Carrying On is my current novel that is in the editing stage. It is about a newly single mother who comes home to her very complicated family. She is roped into helping clear the name of her hometown's only female city council member. With the help of her criminally proficient cousin, she investigates murder, bails her brother out of jail, all while trying to maintain a stable environment for her children--and their adventurous pet ferret Fred.



What advice can you give to newly aspired writers? 

Write and finish the novel. The battle is half over when that manuscript is done. Then, proofread like crazy! Get work in the writing field to ehlp hone your skill.



How can your fans get in touch with you? Do you have a website? Facebook? Myspace? Twitter?


www.bylinesbyjo.com



How is the Domestic Seduction Tour and your Virtual Book Tour going? 

Great! I am doing this interview from Houston, Texas, where I am at the national Black Book Festival. It is the current stop on the tour. My tourmate Omegia Keeys and I have met so many great people



Any other events you can tell us about? 

The next stop on the tour is the Indianapolis Black Expo. Look to www.domestic seduction.webs.com



What is one thing your readers may be surprised to know about you? 


I am very absent minded.  Sometimes it is super easy to get distracted. Super easily for me.

Thank you so much for being with us today. I wish you much success, and please stop back anytime to
keep us updated.  Please be sure to leave a comment for Jo here today for your chance to win a copy of her book Domestics,  and follow her tour leaving a comment at each pit stop for more chances to win.

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