Welcome to Day Seven of Pump Up Your Book’s January 2010 Authors on Virtual Book Tour! Follow along as these talented authors travel the blogosphere all month long to talk about their books, their lives and their future projects. Leave a comment at their blog stops and you could win a FREE virtual book tour if you’re a published author with a recent release or a $50 Amazon gift certificate if you are not published. So, pick your favorites, follow their tours, and make sure you leave them a note to tell them you stopped by!
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Mass Casualties by Michael Anthony
Michael Anthony, author of the Iraq war memoir, Mass Casualties: A Young Medic’s True Story of Death, Deception, and Dishonor in Iraq will be stopping off at Zimbio! They say the Army makes a man out of you, but for eighteen-year-old SPC Michael Anthony, this fabled rite of passage is instead a dark and dangerous journey. After obtaining his parents’ approval to enlist at seventeen, Anthony begins this journey with an unshakable faith in the military based on his family’s long tradition of service. But when he finds himself in a medical unit of misfits as lost as he is, Anthony not only witnesses firsthand the unspeakable horror of war, he experiences the undeniable misconduct of the military. Everything he’s ever believed in dissolves, forcing Anthony to rethink his ideals and ultimately risk his career—and his freedom—to challenge the military that once commanded his loyalty. This searing memoir chronicles the experiences that change one young soldier forever. You can visit his website at www.masscasualties.com
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Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin
Melanie Benjamin, author of the historical novel, Alice I Have Been, will be stopping off at Luxury Reading! Few works of literature are as universally beloved as Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Now, in this spellbinding historical novel, we meet the young girl whose bright spirit sent her on an unforgettable trip down the rabbit hole–and the grown woman whose story is no less enthralling. A love story and a literary mystery, Alice I Have Been brilliantly blends fact and fiction to capture the passionate spirit of a woman who was truly worthy of her fictional alter ego, in a world as captivating as the Wonderland only she could inspire. You can visit her website at www.melaniebenjamin.com.
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The Most Effective Ways to Live Longer by Dr. Jonny Bowden
Dr. Jonny Bowden, author of the health and anti-aging book, The Most Effective Ways to Live Longer, will be stopping off at One Person’s Journey Through a World of Books! In this entertaining and life-changing book, best-selling nutritionist Jonny Bowden, PhD explains how all diseases of aging really come down to four basic processes which he calls “The Four Horsemen of Aging”—Inflammation, Glycation, Oxidation and Stress. You’ll learn exactly how they age you and just what to do to prevent them. You’ll learn how aging affects five major components of the body- the brain, the heart, the hormone system, the immune system and the bones and muscles; and how to prevent or slow aging in all these areas. Finally, you’ll learn the secrets of the “Blue Zones”- those areas around the globe where people routinely live healthy and productive lives into their late 90’s and beyond. You’ll learn the surprising truth about what to eat, what exercises to do, and what simple lifestyle changes you can make to support a ten-decade life of autonomy, health, joy and productivity. You can visit his website at www.jonnybowden.com.
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Moonbeam Dreams by Gina Browning
Gina Browning, author of the children’s book, Moonbeam Dreams, will be stopping off at Lady D Books! Moonbeam Dreams is an intricately rhyming bed-time story written and illustrated by Gina C. Browning. It takes the reader and listeners on a magical, Dr. Seuss-like romp to the Land of Beddie-byes, where they meet all sorts of wonderful and interesting creatures. There are butterflies with gems dripping from their wings, dragons riding in red wagons, Lycra-wearing newts skating on moonbeams, unicorns, a frog climbing a kite-string, extra large snails and cats with fish-tails, and many, many more fun creatures to meet. It’s a positive, up-lifting and fun story that encourages children that almost anything is possible if you can dream it and believe in it strongly enough. It also encourages children to not be afraid of the dark, and that they have the ability to take control of their dreams. It also encourages children to welcome the weird and wonderful things that they might see in their dreams. It is a story with a vocabulary that a child can learn from and grow into. It is also entertaining and interesting for adults to read as well. It contains some interesting rhyming mechanics, alliteration and 22 bright and colorful, entertaining illustrations. You can visit her online at http://www.eloquentbooks.com/MoonbeamDreams.html.
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Gringa in a Strange Land by Linda Dahl
Linda Dahl, author of the literary fiction, Gringa in a Strange Land, will be stopping off at The Book Connection! Gringa in a Strange Land brings back the exhilarating and confusing time of the “counterculture” in the early 1970’s. Erica Mason, an American woman living in Mexico, is torn between working to become an artist and the lure of the drug culture. Set mostly in the colonial city of Merida in the Yucatan peninsula, the story also moves among Mayan ruins, laid-back beaches and the cities of Belize and Oaxaca. A host of bohemian expats and Mexicans, and the complex character of Mexico itself, infuse this portrait-of-the-artist-as-a-young-American, culminating in an unexpected resolution. You can visit her website at http://www.lindadahl.com/.
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A Man and His Maniac: The Bunkie Story by Charles Franklin Emery III
Charles Franklin Emery III, author of the pet memoir, A Man and His Maniac: The Bunkie Story, will be stopping off at The Writer’s Life! A Man and His Maniac: The Bunkie Story – Second Edition, is a heartfelt memoir about Bunkie, the yellow Labrador Retriever Wonder dog. The memoir contains highlights of a 14 year chronological voyage through Bunkie’s and the authors life. It won’t take you 14 years to read it; but it’s got 14 years worth of love, laughs and tears buried within. The memoir is primarily a humor piece but has some serious components as well and deals with the positive aspects of pet ownership as well as the grief associated with losing a loved pet and family member. You can visit his website at http://www.bunkiedog.com.
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The Devil in Merrivale by Jackie Griffey
Jackie Griffey, author of the cozy mystery, The Devil in Merrivale, will be stopping off at Paperback Writer! Murder isn’t the usual order of business in the little town of Merrivale, Tennessee, so the brutal stabbing death of popular high school student Denise Davis sends a shock through the community. Sheriff Cas Larkin is determined to find the killer, and the last thing he needs is distractions like the increasing reports of missing cattle and other livestock.But as he digs deeper, Cas uncovers another mystery–a strange “club” the members are afraid to talk about, and for good reason. One of the recruits is brutally beaten when he refuses to take the club’s activities seriously. He also refuses to talk about those activities–until they turn turn deadly.There’s something dark and sinister going on in Merrivale, and if Cas can’t figure out what it is and put a stop to it, there’ll be the devil to pay. You can visit her website at www.jackiegriffey.com.
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Tales for Delicious Girls by Barbora Knobova
Barbora Knobova, author of the relationship book, Tales for Delicious Girls, will be stopping off at As The Pages Turn! Twenty-five exhilarating real-life stories about delicious women, eccentric men and stubborn dogs. This book is meant to entertain you. It will make you laugh until there are tears in your eyes. It will become your faithful companion, and will help you find yourself. It was written for you because you’re delicious – the most delicious girl in the world. Tales for Delicious Girls offers witty, refreshing, clever and ironic insight into relationships between men and women from all points of view. The book is a modern relationship manual, providing answers to the most pressing dating and friendship questions that strong, independent, modern women want to know. “Tales for Delicious Girls” deals with wishes, desires and dreams – as well as hilarious mishaps and dating disasters. You can visit her website at www.barboraknobova.com.
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Embracing Your Freedom by Susie Larson
Susie Larson, author of the inspirational/motivational/devotional book, Embracing Your Freedom: A Personal Experience of God’s Heart of Justice, will be stopping off at (no stop today)! While our culture places great emphasis on comfort, security, control, and success, there are deeper rewards for those who take hold of God’s promises and reach out in the Name of Christ. Adventure, faith, miracles, and a deep knowledge of Jesus Christ. This is what Susie calls her readers to realize. Many women feel stuck in their faith. They are bored living in a Christian bubble and long for the greater adventure of significance God designed for them! But just how do we move past our fears and the lies that keep us bound to our past? And are we really called to change the world? Embracing Your Freedom will give you a deeper understanding of your freedom in Christ and a bigger view of God’s heart for the world. You can visit her online at http://susielarson.com/.
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Topless Prophet by Alan Markovitz
Alan Markovitz, author of the gritty memoir, Topless Prophets, will be stopping off at Allvoices! Topless Prophet: The True Story of America’s Most Successful Gentlemen’s Club Entrepreneur offers a rare glimpse into the world of gentlemen’s clubs, taking us behind the scenes of the operations of one of the nation’s most successful club owners. In this moving memoir of Alan Markovitz, who owns several Penthouse Gentlemen’s Clubs and the country’s No. 1 ranked adult entertainment club (The Ultimate Strip Club List (www.tuscl.net), The Flight Club, we are treated to a first-hand account of a Detroit businessman who has helped change and grow an industry while overcoming many challenges, some life-threatening, some business-endangering. He has spent nearly the past three decades reformulating the ultimate fantasy setting for men. Markovitz’s story begins with humble roots growing up in the Jewish middle class neighborhood of Oak Park, Michigan, the son of a television repair shop owner. We come to learn of the vision, grit and gumption that he possesses – and is very much needed – to succeed in business. You can visit him online at www.toplessprophet.com.
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Real Men: What's Wrong With Our Males? by Greg Middleton
Greg Middleton, author of the social issues book, Real Men: What’s Happening with our Males?, will be stopping off at American Chronicle and The Hot Author Report! Real Men is a book about the plight of males over the last century, how they have become displaced by the changes in our society and lost of a distinct role. Over the past few decades something is seriously shifting in the way men are operating within our society. Men are no longer the undisputed heads of the household or the family. Women have equal rights under the law and can compete against men for some of the better and higher paying jobs. Without a decided edge men are loosing their “king of the hill” status. Something must be done to at least redefine the role men should play. Whatever that role eventually becomes men will most certainly need to make adjustments from the way things were done in the past. You can visit him online at www.gregemiddleton.com.
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Egg-Larva-Pupa-Woman by Ogo Ogbata
Ogo Ogbata, author of the historical fiction novel, Egg-Larva-Pupa-Woman, will be stopping off at Allvoices! The story kicks off in the early 1950s when two orphan sisters are separated against their wish because their aunt cannot afford to feed two mouths. The first sister is weak and wilts away but the second, Nkiru, digs deep and keeps on walking. In the wake of her country’s independence from British rule, Nkiru meets an aspiring diplomat with radical political views and hopes that love will put her life back on course. However, love only complicates things. Her new husband asks for more than she knows how to give and the past is filled with shameful secrets that threaten to erupt. You can visit her website at www.ogoogbata.com.
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Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Dolen Perkins-Valdez, author of the historical fiction, Wench, will be stopping off at Working Writers! Situated in the free state of Ohio, Tawawa House offers respite from the summer heat. A beautiful, inviting house surrounded by a dozen private cottages, the resort is favored by wealthy Southern white men who vacation there, accompanied by their enslaved mistresses. Regular visitors Lizzie, Reenie, and Sweet have forged an enduring friendship. They look forward to their annual reunion and the opportunity it affords them to talk over the changes in their lives and their respective plantations. The subject of freedom is never spoken aloud until the red-maned, spirited Mawu arrives and voices her determination to escape. To run is to leave behind the friends and families trapped at home. For some, it also means tearing the strong emotional and psychological ties that bind them to their masters. When a fire on the resort sets off a string of tragedies, Lizzie, Reenie, and Sweet soon learn tragic lessons, that triumph and dehumanization are inseparable and that love exists even in the cruelest circumstances as they bear witness to the end of an era. You can visit her website at www.dolenperkinsvaldez.com.
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Corrigans' Pool by Dot Ryan
Dot Ryan, author of the historical fiction novel, Corrigans’ Pool, will be stopping off at The Bookworm and A Sea of Books! Bitter with thoughts of the darkly handsome stranger who promised to marry her and then left town without a word, Ella Corrigan hastily weds a neighboring planter—a man whose cold indifference is merely a disguise for cunning insanity. His cruelty to his slaves horrifies her and, even though her family has owned slaves for generations, she questions the concept of human bondage for the first time while desperately missing her cherished Greenpoole plantation and Corrigan’s Pool … a beautiful phenomenon of nature that the slaves call “Conjuring Pool” for reasons they cannot explain when asked. You can visit her website at www.dotryanbooks.com.
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The Culture of Excess by Jay Slosar
Jay Slosar, author of the revealing psychological book, The Culture of Excess: How America Lost Self-Control and Why We Need to Redefine Success, will be stopping off at Readaholic! Illustrating its thesis with numerous vignettes and case studies, The Culture of Excess is the first book to assess the impact of economic and social factors on the nation’s psychological well-being. It shows how capitalism, technology, and media interact and become additive factors in the loss of self-control, and it explains how the compromises made in adapting to intense economic competition lead to a false sense of self and reality. Narcissism, productive narcissism, psychopathy, rigidity and self destruction, perfectionism, the illusion of success, and identity achievement all come into play as Slosar diagnoses the psychological drivers behind this indulgent age, offering his prescription for helping “Generation Me” become “Generation We.” You can visit him online at www.cultureofexcess.com.
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Buried Angel by Kim Smith
Kim Smith, author of the cozy mystery, Buried Angel, will be stopping off at My Book Addiction and More! Shannon Wallace is finding trouble in the most bizarre places these days, but not as bizarre as the ones her sidekick Dwayne Brown is finding. When his friend. Bubba, is found stuffed in a cooler in his flower shop, the hunt is on to find his killer. Could it be Bubba’s sister who is now his heir, or maybe one of the flower shop guys who works with Bubba? You can be sure the dreadful duo of Shannon and Dwayne won’t rest until they have helped South Lake’s police department, and the Hispanic hottie investigator, Sal Ramirez, find his man. Or was that woman? You can visit her website at www.mkimsmith.com.
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The Second-Half Adventure by Kay Marshall Strom
Kay Marshall Strom, author of the nonfiction baby boomer book, The Second-Half Adventure: Don’t Just Retire – Use Your Time, Skills & Resources to Change the World, will be stopping off at The Book Connection! Whoever you are, whatever your skills and experiences, you can use what you have gained in life to help change the world. In connection with The Finishers Project, The Second-Half Adventure will enable you to analyze where you have been, where you want to go in the second-half of your life, and how to start preparing today. Through the stories of individuals and couples who have found meaningful involvements—from business people to housewives, from engineers to artists—this book will help you infuse your special God-given years with purpose and eternal significance. The best adventure is yet to come! You can visit her website at www.kaystrom.com.
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Buying Time by Pamela Samuels Young
Pamela Samuels Young, author of the legal thriller, Buying Time, will be stopping off at As the Pages Turn! Buying Time is a scandalous tale of blackmail, murder and betrayal, evoking John Grisham with a dash of Terry McMillan. Waverly Sloan is a down-on-his-luck lawyer. But just when he’s about to hit rock bottom, he stumbles upon a business with the potential to solve all of his problems. In Waverly’s new line of work, he comes to the aid of people in desperate need of cash. But there’s a catch. His clients must be terminally ill and willing to sign over rights to their life insurance policies before they can collect a dime. Waverly then finds investors eager to advance them thousands of dollars—including a hefty broker’s fee for himself—in exchange for a significant return on their investment once the clients take their last breath. The stakes get higher when Waverly brokers the policy of the cancer-stricken wife of Lawrence Erickson, a high-powered lawyer who’s bucking to become the next U.S. Attorney General. When Waverly’s clients start dying sooner than they should, both Waverly and Erickson—who has some skeletons of his own to hide—are unwittingly drawn into a perilous web of greed, blackmail and murder.You can visit her online at www.pamelasamuelsyoung.com.
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