Book Review | Ben Phillips | Sorry Bro!

Sorry Bro!

Author: Ben Phillips
Title: Sorry Bro!
Genre: Humour, Computer, Internet, Biography, Pranks, Facebook, YouTube

Pages: 224
Price: £8.00

Started: 9th January 2017
Finished: 9th January 2017

Synopsis: So recently my bro Elliot's been learning to read, and it gave me the idea that I should write up our story ... that way, he can relive everything I've put him through. And this is my book! It's a journey filled with laughter (mine), tears (Elliot's) and even romance (Hello , Georgina!) and goes from a childhood in sunny Brigend to 10 million followers across the world. There's also exclusive pranks, spitball targets (of Elliot's face obviously),  comic strips, guides to creating your own videos and more. Now, if you're sitting comfortably, follow me into my wonderful world and Elliot's shit life ... Sorry Bro!

Review: This is a book by Ben Phillips who is famous on social media for pranks. When I saw that he was releasing a book I immediately pre-ordered two copies and got the limited edition signed copies. I knew that I would enjoy this book as I am a huge fan of Ben and Elliot. I find Ben's video's completely hilarious. It was really interesting to find out how Ben got into making these pranking videos. I enjoyed the layput of the books and all the images that were included. This book is a quick and interesting read and I found the exclusive pranks in the book laughing uncontrollably to myself. In my opinion this is a truly amusing book and I think that fans of Ben and Elliot should own a copy of this book if they don't already. This is the type of book that should be read on a bad day as it would certainly bring a smile to the face of the reader (at poor Elliot's expense).

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Giveaway | Amazon | $20 Gift Card | Closed

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I am promoting a giveaway that an author is hosting. The prize is a $20 gift card for Amazon (for those books that are just screaming at you to buy them). 

The giveaway starts today (2nd May 2016) and it lasts for two whole weeks. The giveaway ends on the 16th May 2016 so you have plenty of time to claim your stakes in a chance to win this gift card. 

This giveaway is open to anyone, anywhere. This is a international giveaway (YAY entries for all). Nobody likes to hear about a giveaway that doesn't include their country/town. 

There are no rules to entering this giveaway (who likes rules?!?). 

This is probably the easiest giveaway to participate in; just click the link above, don't have to worry about rules and you don't lose anything by just taking a chance. Who knows, you might even win!!

To gain entries, there are just a few simple things that can be done (the more you do, the more entries you have!)

1. Sign up to Matt Abraham's newsletter = 3 entries
(literally 3 entries for the most simple of tasks)
2. Follow Matt's Bookbub page = 3 entries
(these are the most simple and quick things to do)
3. Like Matt's Facebook page = 1 entry
(Everyone likes to like pages on Facebook)
4. Follow Matt on twitter = 1 entry
(Again everyone loves to follow important people on twitter)

Do all of the four things listed above and you will have eight entries into the giveaway. That's eight more entries than those who don't enter. You're already ahead with the chance to win.

There is nothing to lose by entering this giveaway. It's completely free to enter and it takes pretty much no time at all to gain entries. 

Book Promo | Joe Yeager | #DigitalParenting

Author Bio

Joe Yeager is first and foremost, husband to his wife of 14 years, Denise, and father to their 10 year old daughter, Maddie.  It is because of Maddie that Joe got involved with keeping kids safe online after she came across some offensive content online that was intentionally created so that it would be found by young children.  Because of this, Joe was inspired to write this book and create a Facebook page to help parents stay informed about related topics.  The name of the page is “Parents Guide to Social Media”.

He received both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from West Chester University and works for a leading dental manufacturer, in part, as their social media administrator.  Additionally, he is on the Editorial Team for the Social Media Club, a non-profit organization whose primary mission is to expand digital media literacy, promote standard technologies, encourage ethical behavior and share best practices.

Joe has written numerous article regarding cyber safety for sites, including the Family Online Safety Institute and In Care, a resource for teachers using technology in the classroom.  Since 2013, he has been running the social media blog for Calkin’s Media, which operates three newspapers in the greater Philadelphia area.

He also teaches part time at Philadelphia University and lives in Bucks County, PA.

Book Synopsis

The Internet can be both educational and fun, however it comes with risks. Those risks must be addressed to keep our families safe. As parents, that responsibility falls to us. Children can be more technically savvy when it comes to using social media and the Internet than their parents, though they can lack the wisdom to use technology safely. That comes with time and experience, which children often lack. Cyber-bullying is only one of the threats that our children have to face on a daily basis. In addition, there are dangers simply from using a search engine. Other threats exist in the form of cyber stalkers, online predators and mistakes that users make themselves that can cause problems for them later. Research has shown repeatedly that children usually do not tell anyone (much less their parents) if they are being cyber-bullied or having other problems online. The key to keeping your family safe is to take a pro-active approach and learn about the risks. #DigitalParenting provides parents with the tools they need to help keep their kids safe from online dangers that are lurking everywhere.

http://www.josephmyeager.net/

https://www.facebook.com/ParentsGuidetoSocialMedia

http://www.amazon.com/DigitalParenting--Parents-Social-Cyberbullying-Activity/dp/1513707361/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Book Promo & Author Bio | Steve Lawson | Giant Killers

Giant Killers: Overcoming Obstacles and Seizing Opportunities
by Steve Lawson
Published December 1st 2014

SYNOPSIS
It seemed a lopsided battle. On one side, a small shepherd with a sling and five stones. On the other, a heavily armored ten-foot giant whose taunts and challenges immobilized an army of seasoned warriors.
The story of David and Goliath has become an almost universal underdog story; but in reality, Goliath never stood a chance.
In "Giant Killers," emotional intelligence speaker, consultant, and author Steve Lawson identifies the five vital emotional and social skills David possessed: identity, discipline, graciousness, action, and hope. When combined with the power of God's grace, these strengths made it possible for David to defeat Goliath, build a mighty army out of social rejects, and establish the greatest kingdom in the history of Israel.
We all face giants in our lives, if not as literally as David did. But like David, we can overcome any challenge, seizing with confidence the opportunities God places in our path. "Giant Killers" teaches you how to do so, providing a foundation on which you can build success after success. It all begins with you-and your willingness to trust in God's grace.

Goodreads

On Amazon

About Steve Lawson

A former small-business owner and church planter, Steve Lawson recently stepped down as the senior pastor of Grace Community Church in Greenville, Texas, to focus on his writing, speaking, and leadership training activities.

He holds a doctor of strategic leadership degree from Regent University, a master of divinity degree from The King’s University, an MBA from Amberton University, and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of North Texas.

Lawson owns Leadership Transformation Inc., providing emotional intelligence training and consulting to organizations of all sizes. More information on his consulting services is available at www.leadershiptransformation.net. An avid blogger and writer, Lawson is available for speaking engagements in churches, seminars, and conferences. You can contact him at www.stevelawson.us.

He and his wife, Karen, live in Greenville, Texas. They are the parents of three grown daughters.

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Follow the entire GIANT KILLERS Tour Here

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Book Promo & Author Bio | Contessa Jackson | My Tesstimony

My Tesstimony: I'm Glad That I Don't Look Like What I've Been Through

SYNOPSIS

Each of us has a journey to go through in life. For some, that path seems easy, and everything in the lives of these blessed ones seems to fall into place effortlessly. For others, the path to a happy, successful life is paved with struggle and hardship.

I am one of those who have had to struggle. I wrote this book not simply to gain your sympathy or to draw attention to my pain, but to encourage others who've had to walk the same difficult roads in their lives. God, our Creator, did not design us to suffer through lives of pain and hurt, but has a much more joyful and important purpose for each of us. Discovering this fact helped me turn the path of my life around 180 degrees!

Through reading along with my personal journey, I want others to discover the pursuit of hope. We can all use hope in our lives. Even the most affluent need hope, because there is always something inside that makes us feel bad, and we can all identify with feeling bad.

The good news is that in taking this journey with me, you've already begun the healing process. Together, with healed hearts and a newfound sense of purpose, we can go on to inspire and motivate others. Our lives can and do make a difference. With the help of our loving God, we can decrease the struggle and hardship in our own lives and the lives of others and increase the joy!

Goodreads

On Amazon

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Contessa T. Walker – Jackson lives by the mantras “can’t give up now” and “there’s nothing too hard for God.” Tess is the CEO & Owner of Exclusively By Tess, LLC, a full service event planning firm. Tess is also an entrepreneur, team builder, author, civic leader, product specialist, mentor, visionary, mastermind, speaker, educator, and new blog series – Tessology Tuesdays. She has worked behind the scenes at the Steve Harvey Neighborhood Awards and BET Hip Hop Awards, just to name a few. Tess holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education, a Master of Arts in Educational Administration and Supervision, a Master of Arts in Early Childhood Education, and is a Certified Specialist in Event & Party Planning. In addition, Tess is the Founder & Owner of Teacher’s PETS Inc., a non-profit organization founded in 2008. Tess started a K-12 Academy (Teacher’s PETS Academy), which provided one-on-one instruction using the A.C.E. Curriculum. It hosted students that could not excel in the regular classroom setting, whether it was the public or the private sector; it was designed for the student who needed the special one-on-one instruction and boost. Teacher’s PETS Inc. is an organization and it collaborates with partner corporations to raise funds and organize volunteer work for helping provide children who experience extreme economic and domestic hardship with financial and education support. In addition, to sponsor and support hunger relief programs and to provide educational camps and workshops. Tess continues to fuel her passions and ambition as the published author of My TESStimony, through which she portrays her journey as a business-woman, wife, mother and lover of life. The book’s universal mandate is that “a virtuous woman is a woman of strength”—which supports her own ventures as an entrepreneur, civic leader and mentor to many. Tess is also the author of The Royal Experience – Everyday Etiquette & Modern Day CourTESSy. This syllabus/book was created to help launch poised, polished, and elegant young ladies into a successful pattern for life. Tess is also a product specialist and currently has a perfume line, Impress with Tess, which celebrates youth and femininity in its top notes that bring the aquatic nuances with pure and sharp notes of water lily, apple, freshly-sweet mandarin, and apricot. Tess’ next mission is to build a private dream school (Child Development Center & K-12 Academy) that will allow students free tuition, as well as Teacher’s PETS Inc. Performing Arts Theater, a 1,500-seat facility open to all as a venue to host plays, concerts, conferences, seminars, and formal training. Furthermore, she is looking to launch a banquet hall under her own banner, as the Exclusively By Tess Event Center; along with the Teacher’s PETS Academy Family Life Center.

Website /  Facebook  /  Twitter  /  Google + 

Brought to you by Worldwind VBT

Author Bio | John Grayson Heide | The Flight Of The Pickerings

My name is John Grayson Heide.  I'm 67 years old and live in Sonoma County, Northern California.  
I graduated Sonoma State College a long time ago and earned a living by selling real estate and natural foods products.

In school, I was always good at English.  Maybe because I talk to myself a lot.  Sometimes I listen.
All I really want from my writing career is to have my one and only book which took 8 years to write and re-write dozens of times, be critically acclaimed by recognized authors and critics.  I also harbor a not so secret desire to have this book made into a movie.  I would love to see Jack Nicholson play Guy, or perhaps Dustin Hoffman or J.K. Simmons.

I had to a lot of research about Florida and flying, since I have little experience with either one.

The Flight of the Pickerings is literary fiction and available on Amazon and more.  Here are some links to find it

https://www.flightofthepickerings.com

https://www.facebook.com/TheFlightofthePickerings/

https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=the%20flight%20of%20the%20pickerings&from_new_nav=true

http://www.amazon.com/Flight-Pickerings-dance-Love-Death/dp/1519280289/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458751814&sr=8-1&keywords=the+flight+of+the+pickerings

My main character Guy Pickering, a sturdy, stand up kind of man deeply in love with his ailing wife.  
Guy Pickering has the biggest problem of his life. Dorothy, the only woman he’s ever loved, suffers with pain and dementia and has only weeks to live.   Years ago, she made it clear to Guy that he is expected to put her out of her misery if she ever got to this stage. And he just can’t bring himself to do it. With love and honor in heart and a dread of loneliness, he decides to go with her and saunter into the afterlife beside his wife.   A plan is hatched, but Guy is not good at this sort of thing and everything is further complicated by a rebellious teenage grandson that shows up unexpectedly and a fame hungry reporter that chases them in front of a world-wide audience. Much to Guy’s frustration, Life keeps getting in the way of death.

About the Author

The Flight of the Pickerings is based on a dream which came at a time of extreme stress in John's life.   He was living in paradise (Hawaii) and watching his life savings evaporate.  Negativity abounded, but the dream/story would not let go and John felt the increasing need to write it out.  In writing, his life re-focused on bigger and better aspects and helped him move on. The process of crafting a novel has many ups and downs, but for John, it was almost as if he had no choice.  The story needed to be told and after 8 years of steady re-writing, he's finally happy to share it.

Some people will appreciate the book and the underlying message of life and its sacredness.  Also death, and its own brand of sacredness.   Some people might take the story as an endorsement for suicide.  This is not the intention of the book.   The highest good this book might foster would be a brave and intelligent discussion among families regarding end of life issues.  As Clint Eastwood’s character said in the movie Unforgiven  “We all got it comin’ ".

John Grayson Heide now lives on top of a mountain near Sonoma, California enjoying too much sun, his forgiving wife and an array of wild birds he cannot identify.
I typically write on a computer and let it roll.  Sometimes I have no idea where the writing will take me.

Currently I am reading "Norwegian by Night"  by Derek B. Miller.  And Spider World by Richard Bunning.

I had my book professionally edited by Jim Dempsey of Novel Gazing.  I will always use an editor.  It's important to have more than one set of eyes.  I always let the story "stew".  Coming back after a break always gives fresh insight to the topic and dialogue.
I'm very happy with my book cover designed by Renee Barrett.  She captured the feel of the novel very well with the sunset and the broken rings.

Right now I'm self published because that's the best way to launch a book these days.  I hope to catch the interest of a publisher.  I'm not so good at promotion, it's a job in itself that takes away from my writing time. (Bummer).  Asking for reviews has been somewhat successful, but also hit and miss.  I've done one podcast on Aging Boomers and I'm scheduled for another pretty soon.
I can't imagine why anyone else would be interested in how I relax, but what I do is drink a good craft brew.  IPA is my favorite.  A walk is good as well.  I am lucky to live on a big piece of land with exceptional views of the California bay area.  I never get tired of that.
In five years I see myself doing the same thing except part time in Mexico and part time in California.

My advice to aspiring authors is "Just do it, and then go back and do it again".  Writing is re-writing and keep refining what you already thought was just fine. 
I can be contacted at jgheide@gmail.com 

Book Promo & Excerpt | Donna Dechen Birdwell | Ways Of The Serpent

Book Description:
It’s 2125. Aging is a thing of the past but personal memories and desires are now under corporate management. Jenda Swain is a youthful 111 years old, content with her professional career, when a disturbing encounter with an old woman forces her to question her own identity, to begin searching for the woman she once was and might yet become. Her journey takes her into the arms of an activist artist who has a quest of his own; answers come together as their world falls apart.

Author Bio:
Donna Dechen Birdwell has created a dystopian world as only an anthropologist can, with sensitivity and insight deriving from years of observation and dedicated study of the human condition. Donna is deeply convinced that storytelling is essential to our nature and that imagination is our most precious human trait. Donna is also an artist and former journalist and a native Texan.

Website: http://donnadechenbirdwell.com/

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Donna-Birdwell/e/B00ZA8E3UK/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wideworldhome/?fref=ts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wideworldhome

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14073644.Donna_Birdwell

NetGalley: http://netgal.ly/Tv3CHr



Excerpt:

1.

The café was down a couple of side streets, in an area of Dallas Jenda never went to, but she thought she might have been there once before. She couldn't remember. Without looking at the menu, she ordered a grilled cheese sandwich with fried potatoes and sweet tea. It was plain food. She was halfway through her meal, savoring the anonymity afforded by this out-of-the-way eatery as much as the greasy fare, when she noticed the woman who had turned on her stool at the café’s counter to stare. 
The woman was old. That in itself was disturbing. Nobody got old anymore, not since Chulel – the drug that prevented aging – had come on the market a hundred years ago. Jenda, at 111, was as fresh and vigorous as she had been in 2035 when, at the age of 22, she had received her first annual Chulel treatment. Jenda’s grandmother was 165, but appeared no older than she had been when she began taking Chulel in her mid-sixties. What was this old woman doing in Jenda’s world? 

Jenda turned away, but she could still feel the woman’s dark eyes boring into her, probing. Jenda couldn't help herself; she looked again. When the woman saw her looking, she smiled.

“Zujo!” Jenda swore, quickly returning her attention to her unfinished sandwich. It was too late. Taking the look as an invitation, the woman dropped down from her counter stool and shuffled over to Jenda's table. 
“You're Jenda Swain,” she said, cocking her head to one side and narrowing her eyes. “God, you look the same as you did in high school.” 

“Excuse me?” Jenda sat up straighter and used her best business voice.  

“Of course you don't remember,” the woman said, dragging out the chair across from Jenda and sitting down heavily. “Nobody remembers much of anything anymore.” She shrugged and looked down at her hands. Jenda looked, too. The woman's hands were wrinkled, misshapen, and covered in brown and red splotches. “I remember you, though,” she continued, looking up into Jenda’s face. “My god, you were a firebrand back then. I idolized you and your boyfriend, you know. Such temerity! The things you did...” The woman refused to turn away. “Do you still paint? You always had your mom's gift for art.” 

“I think you must have made some mistake,” Jenda said quietly, fighting to modulate her voice against the tightening in her throat. “You may know my name, but you clearly don't know me. Nothing you are saying makes any sense at all.” Jenda felt her cheeks warm as she flashed on an image of herself with an easel and paintbrush. Her last bite of sandwich seemed to have lodged somewhere near the base of her esophagus. “Now, would you please go on your way? Leave me alone.” Jenda blinked, shuttering herself away from this intrusive presence.  

The woman's face clouded and she leaned forward, looking Jenda squarely in the eye. “You need to ask more questions.” She spoke the words clearly and forcefully. Then she pushed her chair away from the table with a loud scraping noise. As she leaned over to pick up the leather bag she had dropped under the chair, the pendant around her neck clanked on the tabletop. It was an old fashioned timepiece, the kind with a round face with numbers and moving hands. Jenda reflexively reached up to grasp her own necklace, a cluster of plexiform flowers in the latest style from her favorite recyclables boutique. The woman took in a deep breath, as if rising from the chair had taxed her strength. She looked at Jenda again. “You’re the one who doesn't know who Jenda Swain is.” Her voice was gentle, maybe sad. Then she turned and walked out the front door. 

Jenda’s impulse to run after the woman and ask her name was unexpected. Holding it in check, she sat rigidly, staring at her cold, greasy food. She swallowed hard, trying to dislodge that last bite of sandwich. Her hands trembled. She quickly finished her dilute, not-so-sweet tea. Looking up and down the street as she exited, she saw no sign of the woman. 

Jenda looked back over her shoulder as she made her way back to the main street, back to reality. What possessed me to go to that café anyway? she scolded herself, shoving her fists deeper into the pockets of her fashionable jacket. 
All afternoon at her desk in the Dallas offices of Your Journal, Jenda’s mind wandered, pacing back and forth across the odd feelings, trying to tamp them down. How did the old woman know Jenda’s name? What was that about idolizing her in high school? What boyfriend? Firebrand? Ridiculous. Jenda’s personal records with Your Journal clearly indicated that her high school career had been quietly unremarkable. She had been a good student with good marks who never made trouble. The woman must have gotten Jenda mixed up with someone else. That was it. Old people did that sometimes, didn't they? But Jenda had enjoyed painting in high school. And her mother had been a sculptor of some note before the accident. 

“Are you okay, Jenda?” It was her office mate, Weldon. 
“What?” Jenda started, “No, no, I'm fine,” she said. “Maybe something I had at lunch disagreed with me.” She gave Weldon a wan smile. It was nearly quitting time. 
Jenda’s discomfort followed her home. It’s just an attack of cognitive dissonance, she told herself. There was a pill for that. But when she got home, she didn't take the pill. Instead she poured a glass of wine and pulled up Your Journal on her home screen, accessing her high school years. There wasn't much, but the pictures were all precisely as Jenda remembered them – she had the same golden blond hair, the same flawless fair skin. She stopped for a moment to examine the picture of herself with an easel and paintbrush. Why had she ever stopped painting? To make a living, she reminded herself, and a contribution. She had majored in art at Perry University, but her course of study focused on digital design and graphic psychology. With that, she had secured her position at Your Journal. That was ninety years ago. 

Jenda loved her job with Your Journal, loved being part of such an important corporate institution. Everybody relied on Your Journal as a secure repository of their personal photos, stories, thoughts and feelings. People interacted with it every day, experiencing pangs of guilt if they failed to respond to the reminders on their digilets. You could also put photos and comments on LifeBook, but those were shared with everyone in your loop. YJ was personal and people often referred to their YJ files as their “exomemories”. 

Jenda was due for her next sabbatical in a couple of months and she had already booked into a resort in the Republic of California. The social order under Chulel had done away with retirement, moving instead to a system in which every worker received a one-year sabbatical every ten years. Technically, of course, a “sabbatical” should occur every seven years, but the term had a nice feel. Nobody questioned such verbal technicalities. 

Jenda pulled up some pictures of the resort, which suddenly struck her as mundane and boring and not somewhere she wanted to spend an entire year of her life. Maybe she should try something different. Maybe she should try painting again. Jenda vaguely recalled a place where her mother had gone a few times, a place that used to be considered something of an artists’ colony. Maybe in Mexico. Jenda searched through various mediazones and finally came up with a town in central Mexico called San Miguel de Allende. She wasn't sure that was it, but she decided that was where she would go. She did check to verify that there would be tennis courts. She always said tennis was her favorite activity. 

Within a few minutes Jenda had cancelled her reservations for California and made new ones for San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Then she drafted a memo to her supervisor, asking to begin her sabbatical early. She would lose a few weeks of leave, but she felt an odd exhilaration arising from these rash decisions. It felt good. 

2.

2125 marked the centenary of the entry of the miracle age prophylaxis Chulel into the marketplace. The occasion probably should have been marked by a celebration of some sort, but so few people remembered what life was like before Chulel that it would have seemed rather like commemorating the invention of water or air. So the year would come and go without fanfare. 

Two people who did remember life before Chulel were the inventors of the drug, Drs. Max and Emily Feldman, who had lost their only child to Hutchinson-Guilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) back in 1977. “Progeria” referred to a set of diseases that caused premature aging due to a genetic anomaly; HGPS had been its most common (though still extremely rare) form. 

The Feldmans had delayed “having a family” as people used to say, until after they both completed med school. Following their daughter’s death, they had devoted their careers to finding a cure for progeria. It had been a long haul. The first significant advance had come from another lab, which announced a promising new avenue of research in 2014. Pharmakon Corporation, and specifically the Drs. Feldman, built on this and in 2017 published preliminary results of a drug they named according to its active chemical components. Nobody now remembers that name. 
The drug was ready for human trials by early 2018, and a dozen or so families from around the world came forward, traveling to the Pharmakon headquarters in Atlanta to let the Feldmans try out the drug on their afflicted sons and daughters, who had been diagnosed with either HGPS or one of the other, even rarer, forms of progeria. 

What nobody knew was that Max Feldman was also testing the drug on himself. Even Emily didn’t know. Max Feldman was already 78 and although he checked out healthy enough, he had a family history of heart disease and atherosclerosis and there were certain aspects of the lab tests on the new drug as well as its effects on a small test group of bonobos that had irresistibly piqued his curiosity. 
By the time the tests on human progeria patients were declared unequivocally successful in 2021, the people closest to him were beginning to notice something about Max. One of those people was the Feldmans’ lab assistant, Winslow Morris.  

In the third month of the trials, Winslow noted that there seemed to be a couple of vials of the drug missing. He questioned Dr. Max about it, and was told it must be a mistake. When Winslow re-counted the next day against the numbers in the computer, he found no discrepancy. It happened again a couple of months later and this time Winslow kept his observation to himself. Again, the numbers mysteriously rectified themselves within a matter of hours. Then one day Winslow thought he saw Dr. Max slipping a vial of the medicine into the pocket of his lab coat. That’s when it clicked. Winslow started observing Dr. Max more closely. On the day before the results of the progeria field tests were formally announced, Winslow missed work. And then he disappeared altogether. 
Winslow hadn't needed to steal any of the medicine. He knew how to make it. His destination was China and within six months a new drug started showing up on the streets. It was called “Fontana” and it was touted as the “fountain of youth”. It was outrageously expensive and sold mainly to customer lists Winslow compiled by irrupting into databases of dermatologists specializing in cosmetic surgery. He was an instant millionaire. 

Winslow did not know that Dr. Feldman had altered the dosage for his own use. Fontana consumers were overdosing, and before the drug had been on the street for a full year, its reputation went into free fall. People who were self-medicating with this black market miracle potion started to develop strange skin disorders, unexplained neuropathies, and a vulnerability to infection, all of which ended up on the list of warnings regarding possible side effects when the first generation of the real drug went on the market in 2025 under the name “Chulel.” 
Winslow was sorry about all this. It cut his income stream down to nothing. But he took his multi millions and his remaining stocks of Fontana and fled. 

Author Interview | J.L. Leslie | Tame Me | Tempt Me | Demons From My Past

Tell us a little about yourself and your background? 

I'm a happily married mother of 3, live in a small town in Alabama, and like to stay private.

What were you like at school? 

I was outgoing in school. I was a cheerleader, in dance, but also participated in clubs too. 

Were you good at English? 

Decent.

What are your ambitions for your writing career? 

I feel like I'm writing because I enjoy it. Of course, I want others to enjoy my writing too, but I've learned already that I can’t please everyone. So as long as I enjoy it, I’ll continue to do it.

Which writers inspire you? 

I really love Geneva Lee, Sydney Landon, Karen Marie Moning, Melody Anne, & JR Ward (Among many)

So, what have you written?

I have written 4 self-published romance books so far (one coming out the end of this week) and I also have a blog where I review romance books too. I have another romance book that I wrote several years ago that I have decided not to publish. It’s a historical romance book and since I’m not doing that genre any longer, I’ve decided to keep that one to myself.

Where can we buy or see them?

Right now, they’re only on Amazon, but I plan to venture out and start putting them on B&N and Smashwords soon. Possibly other ebook sites as well. 

http://www.amazon.com/Demons-My-Past-J-L-Leslie-ebook/dp/B019TG0VXQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1459364719&sr=8-1&keywords=demons+from+my+past

Demons From My Past is now on Smashwords for free!

http://www.amazon.com/Tame-Me-Zane-Book-1-ebook/dp/B01BLKYQ6G/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1459364747&sr=8-2&keywords=tame+me

$1.99 on Amazon or free for Prime users.

http://www.amazon.com/Tempt-Me-Zane-Series-Book-ebook/dp/B01CO6G3L2/ref=pd_sim_sbs_351_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=41xHKoecgxL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_UX300_PJku-sticker-v3%2CTopRight%2C0%2C-44_OU01_AC_UL160_SR100%2C160_&refRID=16FRWWMWHPJ4AY7DCFVB

$2.99 on Amazon or free for Prime users.


Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special? 

I like for my main characters to be strong, but also have a flaw or weakness as well. I think there needs to be something realistic about them in order for the reader to be able to relate to them.

What are you working on at the minute?

I'm currently working on a book about a woman torn between two men. 

What’s it about? 

The woman is torn between the man she loved as a teen, but still has feelings for her ex-fiance  who is no longer in the picture. She’s struggling with some issues about how things ended with the ex-fiance and carries a lot of blame for some events that occurred. The man she loved before is now her roommate. It’s supposed to be strictly platonic. You know how that goes…

What genre are your books? 

Romance. A cross between New Adult and Adult. 
What draws you to this genre? I think everyone deserves a little romance.

Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character from your most recent book? 

Wow. I don’t know that I know the answer to that. My latest book is Tease Me. I know I would want the male to be played by Luke Bracey. He’s pretty hot in Point Break. I think I would want the female to be played by Katrina Bowden or Claire Holt.

How much research do you do? 

I try to do as much research as possible so that I'm not putting false information in my books. If I can’t find what I'm looking for, then I don’t put it in my books or I decide not to make that part of the book as detailed as I would like. Some things are difficult to research. When I'm reading a fiction book, I understand that it’s not real and I don’t expect everything in it to be real. I hope my readers know that too. 

Have you written any other novels in collaboration with other writers? 

No. 

When did you decide to become a writer?

I've always loved writing. Even as a young child, I loved writing and said I wanted to be a writer. When I wrote my first book (the one I'm not publishing) several years ago, I went through a phase where I would start all of these other books and could never finish them and I stopped writing for a while. Then last year I started again and I haven’t been able to stop since.

Why do you write? 

It’s my escape. Simple as that.

What made you decide to sit down and actually start something?

An idea just formed and I told my mom one day last year that I was going to start writing again. She was always very supportive of it. So I just got on my computer and the words started flowing. 

Do you write full-time or part-time? 

Part-time because I work full-time, but would love to be able to do it full-time one day.

Do you have a special time to write or how is your day structured? 

My job is a little flexible so I am able to write some during the day. I write a lot at home and on weekends when I’m not spending time with my family. 

Do you write every day, 5 days a week or as and when? 

I write nearly every day. More so 5 days a week. On and off all day. Some days I need a break to let the ideas form.

Do you aim for a set amount of words/pages per day?

I don’t. I just write until the ideas are out of my head or until I'm exhausted and need to sleep. 

Do you write on a typewriter, computer, dictate or longhand? 

On a computer. 

Where do your ideas come from? 

I get my ideas from music, television, movies, other books, and from life. I get my ideas from everything. Sometimes I can listen to a song and formulate an idea or plot in my head just from that song. Then I’ll listen to that song while I'm working on that book (not while I'm typing) and the ideas keep coming.

Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you? 

I have the outline in my head and sometimes I put it on my computer before I start typing. I also let the ideas flow, but I have the main plot already mapped out.

How do you think you've evolved creatively? 

I think I've evolved creatively by maturing. I used to want to write horror books when I was younger. Now I've evolved into writing romance because that’s what I became interested in as I matured.

What is the hardest thing about writing? 

Having too many ideas. I can’t put them all in one book and I can’t write more than one book at a time. Sometimes I just can’t shut my brain down.

What was the hardest thing about writing your latest book?

It was hard to move on from the series I just finished. I love those characters and missed writing about those characters so it was hard to move on and write about new characters.
What is the easiest thing about writing? Getting lost in my writing. I can sit there and write for hours. I lose track of time.

How long on average does it take you to write a book? 

It depends. I don’t like to write really long books. I like fast-paced, quick read books so I don’t write really long books. It takes me a month or two to get it written, but not completed.

Do you ever get writer’s Block? 

Sometimes. 

Any tips on how to get through the dreaded writer’s block? 

I like to go back and read what I've written already and that helps me get back into it.

If this book is part of a series, tell us a little about it? 

The one I'm working on right now will have two books to it, but both are stand-alone. I wasn't going to make it part of a series, but one of the characters in it, I just fell in love with him and decided he needed his own book.

What are your thoughts on writing a book series? 

I think it can be more difficult because you have to remember everything you have already written in the other books and make sure you include that. You also have to make sure if you’re writing them as stand-alone that you make each book read as stand-alone. You have to kind of recap what happened in the other books. 

Do you read much and if so who are your favourite authors? 

I read every single day. My favorite authors are the ones who inspired me, but I really like so many, it’s too many to name.

For your own reading, do you prefer eBooks or traditional paper/hard back books? 

I like both, but I mostly read on my Kindle Fire.

What book/s are you reading at present? 

Right now I'm reading Yes, please by Willow Summers but I’ll probably be done with it today.

Do you proofread/edit all your own books or do you get someone to do that for you? 

I do proofread/edit all my own books. It’s very difficult to do to your own work. I used to get my mom to proofread/edit for me too, but she recently passed away. Maybe one day I’ll make enough money to hire a professional.

Do you let the book stew – leave it for a month and then come back to it to edit? 

I do this for about a week. Then I read it again. Then I do this for another week. Then read it again. Then again.

Who edited your book and how did you select him/her? 

Right now I let a friend of mine read them before I publish and I trust her opinion. She’ll tell me if it’s crap.

Who designed your book cover/s? 

I use Melgraphic from www.fiverr.com for all of my covers and have been extremely happy with her. For my first cover, Demons From My Past, I told her what kind of tattoos the heroine had and what I was looking for and she did it. She picked out the pic for Tame Me, and I picked out the pics for Tempt Me and Tease Me. She does all the graphics for me. I plan to keep using her for all my covers.

Do you think that the cover plays an important part in the buying process? 

I absolutely do. It’s the first thing you see so it draws your attention to the book. If the cover isn't attractive, it won’t draw the reader. I've purchased books before just because the cover was smokin’ hot. 

How are you publishing this book and why?

Indie because I think it’s the easiest and quickest way honestly. Right now it’s the only way for me to publish.
What would you say are the main advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing against being published or the other way around? Well, I don’t know anything about being published other than self-published. Self-publishing has been easy for me so far. I can’t say that I won’t ever be published any other way one day. Right now this has been easy for me so I’ll continue doing it.

How do you market your books? 

I use KDP publishing on Amazon to start with. I promote on my FB page and Goodreads. I just starting blogging so I promote on there as well. 

Why did you choose this route? 

I chose KDP on Amazon because I can promote the books for free and who doesn't love free books? I use Goodreads because there are groups on there where I can tell people when my books are free. Same for FB and my blog.

Would you or do you use a PR agency? 

I don’t have a PR agency, but I'm not against using one if I felt it was right for me.

Do you have any advice for other authors on how to market their books? 

I would say just get your name out there as much as possible. That’s what I'm trying to do.

What part of your writing time do you devote to marketing your book? 

I do spend a small portion of my day marketing my books, but I try to make sure my writing comes first. If I'm feeling inspired to write, the marketing can wait. If I don’t have anything to market, what good does it do?

What do you do to get book reviews? 

I request book reviews from the Indie Reviewer website, I post requests on Goodreads, I request reviews from the Amazon reviewer list, post requests on FB, search for bloggers on the web, and on my blog I started offering reviews and posted that I have books that I would like reviewed as well. 

How successful has your quest for reviews been so far?

I've had a lot of people accept my books, but not give me a time frame as to when they will post their reviews. I have some reviews posted on Amazon and Goodreads. I've had a lot of copies of my books purchased from Amazon as well. Now I'm just waiting on those reviews to come in.

Do you have a strategy for finding reviewers? 

I send them the request with my info and a synopsis and offer them a free copy. Sometimes I go ahead and attach the copy of the book as well. Then wait on a response.

What are your thoughts on good/bad reviews? 

I try to take it as constructive criticism. I want to know what I can do to improve. Everyone has an opinion and you can’t please everyone. I've learned that. As long as I'm proud of my work, that’s what matters.

Any amusing story about marketing books that happened to you? 

I have attached the wrong book to a request before. The blogger didn't seem to mind.

What’s your view on social media for marketing? 

I noticed with my first book that every blogger wanted to know my FB, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat account and I didn't have any of those. So I did sign up for FB and a blog page so I could say I had those.

Which social network worked best for you? 

I'm doing well with FB. 

Any tips on what to do and what not to do? 

Not really. I'm still learning.

Did you do a press release, Goodreads book launch or anything else to promote your work and did it work? 

I didn't do any of these, but I did do KDP Free Book Promotions and these really helped me. Especially with the series because I could schedule the book series to have free days at the same time and then post this on my social media sites.

Did you get interviewed by local press/radio for your book launch? 

No

Is there any marketing technique you used that had an immediate impact on your sales figures? 

I think posting that I had the free promotion for KDP on Goodreads and FB really helped.

Did you make any marketing mistakes or is there anything you would avoid in future? 

I don’t see that I've made any mistakes yet.

Why do you think that other well written books just don’t sell? 

I think it’s because self-published or Indie authors like myself just aren't well-known. I think people think if you aren't a New York Times best-seller then your work isn't good and that’s just not true.

What do you think of “trailers” for books? 

I guess I'm neutral on that. I think of trailers for movies, but if it works, then great.

Do you have a trailer or do you intend to create one for your own book/s? 

I don’t have a trailer and I don’t intend to create one at this time.

Do you think that giving books away free works and why? 

I do think it works because people love free stuff. 

Did you format your own book? 

I did format my book.

In what formats is your book available? 

It is only available as an eBook so I guess whatever device you can read an eBook on. 

How do you relax? 

I relax by spending time with my family, listening to music, vegging out on the couch, reading, taking a nap.

What is your favourite motivational phrase? 

If you want to achieve greatness stop asking for permission. –Anonymous

What is your favourite positive saying? 

Live, Laugh, Love 

What is your favourite book and why? 

I honestly have way too many to name, but I absolutely love “The Catcher In The Rye” just because Holden’s character is an adolescent that everyone can relate to somehow.

What is your favourite quote? 

“If you’re going through hell keep going.” Winston Churchill

What is your favourite film and why? 

I have too many of these to name too. I love Dirty Dancing. Who doesn't love this movie?

Where can you see yourself in 5 years’ time? 

Probably still doing what I'm doing now.

What advice would you give to your younger self? 

When I stopped writing then I would tell myself to keep writing.

Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why? 

Hmm…I would like to meet E.L. James just to see how writing the 50 Shades of Gray trilogy has changed her life. Those books really started a new genre of books in my opinion. I would like to know what she thinks about that.

If you could have been the original author of any book, what would it have been and why? 

The Notebook because everyone…male and female…knows something about this book.

What advice would you give to aspiring writers? 

To always keep writing no matter what type of review you get or how little your books sell. Write for you.

Where do you see publishing going in the future? 

I will continue to self-publish for now. Unless something better comes along…

Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven’t included? 

No.

How can readers discover more about you and you work?

Blog: http://jlleslielovesbooks.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jlleslielovesbooks2

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jlleslie

Book Links:

http://www.amazon.com/Demons-My-Past-J-L-Leslie-ebook/dp/B019TG0VXQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1459364719&sr=8-1&keywords=demons+from+my+past

http://www.amazon.com/Tame-Me-Zane-Book-1-ebook/dp/B01BLKYQ6G/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1459364747&sr=8-2&keywords=tame+me

http://www.amazon.com/Tempt-Me-Zane-Series-Book-ebook/dp/B01CO6G3L2/ref=pd_sim_sbs_351_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=41xHKoecgxL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_UX300_PJku-sticker-v3%2CTopRight%2C0%2C-44_OU01_AC_UL160_SR100%2C160_&refRID=16FRWWMWHPJ4AY7DCFVB

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14806071.J_L_Leslie