Meet the Best Friend from Bloodstone Castle by Mirella Patzer

The Bloodstone Castle virtual blog tour moves on today and we get to learn about the best friend. Mirella Patzer shares information about the best friend and how he helps the heroine...

1 - Tell us a bit about your book.

Bloodstone Castle is the story of one woman, torn between love and duty, caught in a fight to the death between two men determined to possess her and the ancient Roman treasure buried in the caverns beneath her castle.

2 - Tell us about the best friend - gender, age, appearance, how they came to be with the hero or heroine and anything else we need to know about them.

Massimo Baronno is Morena’s best friend. He is almost like a brother to her. When Massimo was a child, his parents were murdered and Morena’s father took him and raised him.

3 - Who does the "best friend" help in the book?

Massimo is always there to help Morena and he also helps those he thinks are good like Amoro Dragone.

4 - Does the best friend have a specific purpose in the book?

Massimo wishes to pay back Morena and her father for their many kindnesses. So he always has Morena’s best interests at heart.

5 - How does your hero or heroine feel about the best friend?

Morena loves and trusts Massimo. He is like a brother to her and has aways protected her.

6 - How would your hero or heroine handle their problems or difficulties with the best friend?

Like any brother and sister, I believe they would quarrel.

7 - Are there problems between the best friend and your main characters?

No, but Massimo sees clearly what Morena is blind to and he tries his best to help her even if she doesn’t think she needs his help.

8 - Do you see the best friend ever having their own story?

Yes, one day I hope to write a story with Massimo as my hero. But I have three major novels to finish prior to that. So I can’t say for sure, but the thought of writing his story has occurred to me.

9 - Was the best friend inspired by anyone you know?

Yes, Massimo was inspired by my own younger brother for he is also kind and generous and would look after my best interests. .

10 - Is there anything else about the best friend that we need to know? Feel free to share.

For now, Massimo played a minor role, but he is intriguing and although he is on the back burner for now, he just might make another appearance one day.

11 - Please provide your website link.

http://www.mirellapatzer.com

12 - What is the link to buy your book?

You can purchase Bloodstone Castle at any of my sites:

http://www.mirellapatzer.com

http://mirellapatzer.blogspot.com

http://bloodstonecastle.blogspot.com

http://bestofitaly.blogspot.com

Or you can buy from Amazon at:

http://www.amazon.com/Bloodstone-Castle-Mirella-Patzer/dp/0978486528/

You are encouraged to stop at each blog visit and post a comment for Mirella. Each comment enters you in a drawing for a free print copy of the book at the end of the tour. So, visit Mirella, learn more about Bloodstone Castle and post comments. Mirella looks forward to getting to know her readers.

Blog Tours - What Would You Like to Know

I'm doing a tele-seminar next week about blog tours and I would love input from you all.

There are many things to discuss about blog tours and I worked out some initial questions to get people thinking - they are:

Discover Ways to Promote Your Book on a Virtual Blog Tour to Gain Greater Visibility and Sales

• What are the benefits of doing a blog tour?

• Should you promote your book in a blog tour?

• Should fiction and non fiction books be promoted differently in a blog tour?

• Should you organize your own blog tour?

• Why hire a publicist to organize your tour?

• If you hire a publicist, will you still need to work on the tour?

• Can you use a blog tour to promote anything besides books?

• Is there a new option in book blog tours?

But, now I need to create a couple of handouts and I'd love your input. Is there any specific info about blog tours that any of you think would be most helpful? Some folks here have done tours, some have hosted touring authors and I bet some of you have thought about doing a tour. So, since many of the people here are authors, I figured it would be a great place to pose the question. What information would you suggest I offer in handouts? Thank you all for your thoughts. There will be plenty of blog tour info coming very soon .

Nikki Leigh

PS - The answer to the last question is - most definitely. Stay tuned for much more information about that option - SOON. Or, contact me to be added to the mailing list - nikki_leigh22939@yahoo.com with Mailing List in the subject line.

Sara from Lady Lightkeeper by Nikki Leigh

This is an unscheduled stop on my virtual tour. I scheduled my entire tour without planning to visit any of my own book promotion blogs. That was because I created these blogs after the tour was planned. So, I decided that I would drop by today to tell you about the best friend in Widow's Walk and Lady Lightkeeper. I hope you enjoy. I will also include this stop in the book giveaway. Post a comment and you will be entered in the drawing for a free copy of Lady Lightkeeper.

1 - Tell us a bit about your book.
I’ll include the back cover blurb for the first and second book in the series to set the stage for this book.

Widow’s Walk – Misty Cove Chronicles, Book One

First in a series of three. Days before her wedding, in October 1841, Lizbeth climbs to the widows walk atop her home, with her fiancé. They search the dark and stormy horizon for her father's fishing boat and Lizbeth notices the darkened lighthouse on the point.
In such a violent storm, her father and the other men from Misty Cove need the lighthouse to guide their boats safely into harbor. In the morning and the lighthouse lamps shine out, but it's too late. Death had come in the stormy night and the community is devastated by loss. Is love enough for Lizbeth to overcome the needless death of her father?
Mourning and an investigation into the light's failure delay the wedding. When, at last, Lizbeth and William pledge their love, will they find happiness?

Lady Lightkeeper – Misty Cove Chronicles, Book Two

Lizbeth's happy world is turned upside down. Can she move ahead with her life? Lizbeth keeps an almost obsessive vigil from the lighthouse catwalk. She must find a way to help her children.

Friends help her realize she can help the townspeople and move her life ahead. The assistant light keeper helps her learn the ropes of her new job. He is a secretive man. Is he hiding a dark secret or a lifetime of hurt?

Lizbeth's children grow up in a time and place where death and loss are prevalent. Can Lizbeth draw on her disappointments and help them understand and cope?

2 - Tell us about the best friend - gender, age, appearance, how they came to be
with the hero or heroine and anything else we need to know about them.
Sara is the best friend. She was hired about 15 years earlier to live in with Lizbeth and her father. Captain Sullivan brought Sara to the house to care for his young daughter while his fishing boat was at sea. (This backstory will be in a short story I hope to release before November 2007. There will be news about the story on my website. The tentative title is A Whisper on the Waves.)

Sara is in her late 40’s – early 50’s in Lady Lightkeeper. She’s proud of her Portuguese heritage and it is apparent in her appearance. She has long dark hair, an olive complexion and she is a tall woman. Sara is a very loyal person and she cares very much about Lizbeth and her family.

3 - Who does the "best friend" help in the book?
Sara helps Lizbeth and is her greatest supporter. However, she is also very helpful with Lizbeth’s children – Aidan and Marta.

4 - Does the best friend have a specific purpose in the book?
Sara is in the story as the former caretaker for Lizbeth when she was much younger. She’s a housekeeper and friend of Lizbeth, the main character. In Widow’s Walk she devoted all her time to help the family, but I gave her some story elements of her own in this book and she even has a boyfriend.

5 - How does your hero or heroine feel about the best friend?Lizbeth loves Sara like a mother. Lizbeth lost her mother when she was very young and Sara took care of her for over 15 years. They have a very strong bond, but it is tested within the pages of Lady Lightkeeper.

6 - How would your hero or heroine handle problems or difficulties with the best friend?This actually happens in the book. A long hidden secret is revealed to the town gossip. This woman mistreats Lizbeth at every opportunity and she loves to harass Sara – so getting word of a big secret is bad news for my heroine and her best friend. I can’t tell you how they handle it, because it gives a lot away.

7 - Are there problems between the best friend and your main characters?Only problems caused by Ida – the villain. But, she really stirs up some big trust issues.

8 - Do you see the best friend ever having their own story?Sara will have a short story of her own. She might get more exposure in the future that depends on reader feedback for A Whisper on the Waves.

9 - Was the best friend inspired by anyone you know?
I hadn’t really thought about this, but I have an aunt and a good friend who didn’t raise me, but they have always been there to support me. Sara doesn’t have any physical or personality traits like these two women, but their presence in my life could’ve inspired her character in some ways.

10 - Is there anything else about the best friend that we need to know? Feel free to share. The only thing I can think of is the fact that the story would be very different without her. She contributes a lot to the story and means a lot to Lizbeth and her family. It simply wouldn’t be the same without her. She’s also been a great character to write.

11 - Please provide your website link.
www.nikkileigh.com

12 - What is the link to buy your book?
Full order information is on my website at www.nikkileigh.com/books_4_sale.htm.

The TRUTH, I'm 10, I'm Smart and I Know Everything! by Dr Barbara Holstein

1 - Tell us a bit about your book.
My new book, THE TRUTH, I'm Ten, I'm Smart and I Know Everything, is a delightful, humorous secret diary, written by a girl who is 10-11 years of age. She is wise and yet so innocent. She makes us cry and laugh and remember ourselves. Behind this very easy read is the psychological message to the women reading THE TRUTH that they can and must recapture the fire and passion of their girlhoods not only for themselves to flourish and be happy, but for the next generation to also have the gifts of good emotional and spiritual health.

Women love the book and so do girls, ages 10-14. Women find it a pure delight-a hot fudge sundae with a secret message inside and no weight gain, while girls recognize themselves and finally feel totally understood!


2 - Tell us about the best friend - gender, age, appearance, how they came to be with the hero or heroine and anything else we need to know about them.
'The Girl' in The Truth, I'm Ten, I'm Smart and I Know Everything does indeed have a best friend, of sorts. Her best friend is the character Nancy Drew, who she idolizes and sees as the personification of being smart, and having a wonderful, adventurous life. She loves Nancy Drew because she stays focused on solving mysteries and is not seduced by other silly attractions like flirting or wasting time. Also, she loves Nancy because the girl even feel superior to Nancy, often solving mysteries before Nancy does.

3 - Who does the "best friend" help in the book?
Nancy Drew and her mysteries help 'The Girl' in powerful ways as she struggles with growing up. Nancy gives her courage to hold on to what is special about herself as she worries her way toward early adolescence.

4 - Does the best friend have a specific purpose in the book?
Yes, she does have a specific purpose. She is a heroine figure that 'The Girl' can play off of without any of the angst of a real life best friend.

5 - How does your hero or heroine feel about the best friend?
She adores her and wants to be like her when she is a teenager.

6 - How would your hero or heroine handle their problems or difficulties with the best friend?
That is kind of an unknown as this best friend is all in 'The Girl's' head. However, she would dearly like to really know girls of Nancy's passionate nature who also have purpose in their lives.


7 - Are there problems between the best friend and your main characters?
Of course there are not, as 'The Girl' is mistress of this friendship and always gets to feel smarter than Nancy Drew.

8 - Do you see the best friend ever having their own story?
Obviously Nancy Drew has had her own story and millions of dollars have been made from it as well as thousands of girls have been entranced in positive ways, as was my character.

9 - Was the best friend inspired by anyone you know?
Yes, of course, my memories of Nancy Drew.

10 - Is there anything else about the best friend that we need to know? Feel free to share.
I think we all probably know what we need to know about Nancy. Wasn't she your pal also?

11 - Please provide your website link.
www.enchantedself.com

12 - What is the link to buy your book?www.enchantedself.com/bookpage.html or Amazon.

Partially Human by Dwayne Anderson

1 - Tell us a bit about your book.

Partially Human is a story about a group of friends who discover that one of them possesses the genes of a dying alien species in his body and how they help him cope with it.

2 - Tell us about the best friend - gender, age, appearance, how they came to be with the hero or heroine and anything else we need to know about them.

The protagonist actually has several best friends, each of whom is his age. They were each originally each others’ friends, but included the protagonist in the group after he someone close to him moved away.

Rick Warris is an African-American whose parents and aunt were killed in a drunk driving accident. As a result, his uncle, a tavern keeper and motel operator who offers shelter for the homeless, stopped serving alcoholic drinks. His family has a history of racism against them.

Peter Christjes was raised in a religious family; everyone is named after a biblical character. His father is a minister of the church the protagonist attends. Peter frequently quotes from the bible which is his favorite work.

Eric Blonfly is the son of the police chief. He is the only member of the group to have a girlfriend, but one who is obnoxious, vain, self-centered, and henpeckles him.

3 - Who does the "best friend" help in the book?

These three friends continue to stand by their friend the protagonist of the story. They also later befriend three different girls and help them with their problems while becoming their new boyfriends in the process.

4 - Does the best friend have a specific purpose in the book?

Each does their best to help the protagonist cope with being ostracized by the city after his extraterrestrial heritage is revealed, thus demonstrating the true meaning of friendship and loyalty.

5 - How does your hero or heroine feel about the best friend?

At first, he is too depressed by his predicament to have his spirits lifted by his friends, but as he learns to accept himself, he appreciates the efforts of his friends who try to help him.

6 - How would your hero or heroine handle their problems or difficulties with the best friend?

There are no difficulties, problems, or conflicts, between the protagonist and his friends.

7 - Are there problems between the best friend and your main characters?

None.

8 - Do you see the best friend ever having their own story?

Everyone has their own story, yet if I were to write the complete story for each, I’d have to write one book for them all.

9 - Was the best friend inspired by anyone you know?

I have an online friend named Tiffany who I can depend on to brighten my day whenever I’m feeling down. She stands up for me when others put me down.

10 - Is there anything else about the best friend that we need to know? Feel free to share.

Nope, I’ve told you everything I know about them.

11 - Please provide your website link.

http://www.geocities.com/andersondwayne/dwaynegand.html

12 - What is the link to buy your book?

http://www.bbotw.com/description.asp?ISBN=0-7414-3990-5

It can also be purchased at Amazon

Killraven by Arline Chase

1 - Tell us a bit about your book.

KILLRAVEN is the story of Hope Voeschell, who was raised in a pacifist sect, and who, thanks to her best friend and former teacher, Elyza Whitely, moves to a small Chesapeake Bay island.

2 - Tell us about the best friend - gender, age, appearance, how they came to be with the hero or heroine and anything else we need to know about them.Elyza is ten years older than Hope, a self-proclaimed "horse-faced spinster," who has a jolly personality, but no real hope of romance. She is one of eight sisters, all of them prettier, and has dedicated her life to educating other people's children.

3 - Who does the "best friend" help in the book?Elyza was Hope's teacher after the county government insisted children from her sect MUST attend school. She also boarded with Hope's family. Elyza is the reason Hope wanted to be a teacher.

4 - Does the best friend have a specific purpose in the book?Several. She inspired Hope to look beyond the narrow precepts of her strict faith. She helped Hope get a scholarship to teacher's college. Then, when Hope found it impossible to get employment, again because of her faith, Elyza offered her a temporary home on Killraven Island.

5 - How does your hero or heroine feel about the best friend?The hero thinks of Elyza as "the schoolmarm" and is othewise not concerned about her. Hope is enormously grateful to Elyza and also feels beholden to her for the refuge she has offered.

6 - How would your hero or heroine handle their problems or difficulties with the best friend?
Hope would be lost without Elyza. She has been "shunned" by her own people for becoming a teacher and can never go home again.

7 - Are there problems between the best friend and your main characters?No. Elyza is supportive and kind.

8 - Do you see the best friend ever having their own story?
Elyza is the main character in a sub-plot of Killraven. So she does sort of have her own story.

9 - Was the best friend inspired by anyone you know?
No. She just toddeled on into a short story I was writing and the story tunred into a novel. Elyza grew with it.

10 - Is there anything else about the best friend that we need to know? Feel free to share. She dreams of finding a love of her own, but knows it's all moonshine.

11 - Please provide your website link.www.arlinechase.com

12 - What is the link to buy your book?http://www.amazon.com/Killraven-Arline-Chase/dp/1594311374/ref=sr_1_9/104-4441723-8273525?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1186496718&sr=1-9

Fraterfamilias by Peter Ferrer

1 - Tell us a bit about your book.

Fraterfamilias by Peter Ferrer (pseudonym for Judith Doloughan and Paula R. Stiles).

It's a mystery/SF thriller set in pre-9/11 New York. Quiet architect Paul Farrell, wanted for four murders in Paris, walks into a hail of police gunfire at JFK. Suicide-by-cop. Case closed. Then Paul's eccentric Russian brother, paleoanthropologist Alan Kedward, steals the body, putting Interpol and a disturbed NYPD homicide cop back on the case together. But Paul is still dead--isn't he?

2 - Tell us about the best friend - gender, age, appearance, how they came to be with the hero or heroine and anything else we need to know about them.

Alan Kedward has a graduate student named Bobby Corazon. She's in her early twenties, Puerto Rican and from a very broken home. Alan is the first person to care what happens to Bobby since her policeman father died when she was four. He's become her mentor in academia, and in life. He sees potential in her that no one else wants to see.

3 - Who does the "best friend" help in the book?

Bobby helps Alan, which gets her into a huge amount of trouble.

4 - Does the best friend have a specific purpose in the book?

Yes, she's the only person that Alan can turn to and trust at the beginning of the story when his brother does something terrible.

5 - How does your hero or heroine feel about the best friend?

Bobby is absolutely loyal to her academic advisor and even has a bit of a crush on him. But that doesn't stop her questioning his actions whenever he does things that she thinks are screwy. A lot of what Alan does looks pretty screwy, so she has a lot to say.

6 - How would your hero or heroine handle their problems or difficulties with the best friend?

Alan is torn between his loyalties to his brother and to his grad student. He makes light of Bobby's objections, but in the end, he refuses to abandon her. This gets him in a whole lot of trouble.

7 - Are there problems between the best friend and your main characters?

Not really. She mainly interacts with Alan for most of the book. She does stand up to a villain all by herself, though. Successfully, too.

8 - Do you see the best friend ever having their own story?

I don't know about her having an entire book to herself, but I do see her having her own storyline within a book not far down the road.

9 - Was the best friend inspired by anyone you know?

Oh, yes. Judith and I each had certain characters that we created and that were particular to our respective experiences. Bobby was one of mine. I modeled her (in general) on my own experiences in graduate school. Unless you come from a family of academics, getting a higher degree can be incredibly difficult. Without those family connections, you have a hard time finding the support you need to find the funding and do the research, not to mention maintain your concentration long enough to finish. People outside that culture tend to both envy and disparage it, while those inside the culture don't necessarily want to welcome you with open arms. This is especially true for women and minorities, who are not traditionally well represented in academia. People think that the "Ivory Tower" is an easy place to be, but they forget that you have to get in there, first. Bobby and Alan's relationship reflects the harsh realities of academic culture for grad students like Bobby and lower-level instructors like Alan, the apprentices and journeymen of the academic guild.

10 - Is there anything else about the best friend that we need to know?

Feel free to share.Bobby is a tough cookie. I liked writing her. Even though she got some good resolution in this book, I'm hoping to give her more to do in the future. She's just somebody trying to pull herself up by her own bootstraps instead of whining about her lot in life and inflicting her pain on everyone else. I like that about her.

11 - Please provide your website link.http://www.geocities.com/rpcv.geo/other.html

12 - What is the link to buy your book?

http://www.virtualtales.com/StoryProducts~tn~Fraterfamilias.html

Judi Moreo and Kim Baccelia - Virtual Tour Stops

Promotional Interview with Judi Moreo

This is the first author promotional interview that I've posted on my Self Promotion blog on the Inspired Author site. This is the first interview in a series that I'm doing with Kathleen Gage. She is posting some on her blog and I'll be posting all of the interviews on my site. To read about Judi Moreo's promotion - visit http://inspiredauthor.com/v3/promotional-interview-judi-moreo-0

~ and ~

Kim Baccellia - Young Adult Author - Earrings of Ixtumea

Join Nikki Leigh and Muze as they interview young adult author Kim Baccelia about her book - Earrings of Ixtumea. This is the opening question of the interview -

Nikki & Muze – I was reading the synopsis for your book and was intrigued by the inner struggle that your character faces. It’s also interesting that she is confronted by the same cultural problems in the fantasy world. Can you give us some information about how you came up with this idea and what sort of problems she deals with in the story?

Kim –As a bilingual teacher in the later ‘80’s and early ‘90’s, I saw a lot with my second language students. I taught in a LA county school district, close to East LA. I also was researching my own family history at this time. I was bothered how each year my students would draw themselves blond, blue-eyed, and fair skinned. Click here to learn more about Kim and Earrings of Iztumeahttp://muzesmusings.blogspot.com/

Nikki Leigh – Fiction Author – http://www.nikkileigh.com/
Book Promo 101 – www.nikkileigh.com/book_promo_101.htm
“Coastal Suspense with a Touch of Romance”