A Book and a Chat with Liz Czukas

Liz Czukas collects college degrees she doesn’t use, types too loud, and always has a song stuck in her head. She is also one of the YA debut authors in the Class of 2K14 and author of one of the best YA books of this year in the form of “Ask Again Later”.

Having Liz in today’s “A Book and a Chat” was something I had been looking forward to after reading about her and the reviews of this debut book, and the show was no disappointment.

From an early age Liz has always dabbled in writing, not thinking she could make a career of it. Instead she studied Anthropology (Indiana Jones inspired), History (because she loves all kinds of stories), Classics (more stories), then Nursing (because she needed a job), then Midwifery. Along the way she even learned Spanish though only the words that she might use with a woman giving birth.

Liz got serious again when her son was born, using nap times to create her novels. After a couple of false starts she wrote “Ask Again Later” which was snapped up by a publisher and has opened the flood gates for Liz’s creative writing.

About “Ask Again Later” :

Despite what her name might suggest, Heart has zero interest in complicated romance. So when her brilliant plan to go to prom with a group of friends is disrupted by two surprise invites, Heart knows there’s only one drama-free solution: flip a coin.

Heads: The jock. He might spend all night staring at his ex or throw up in the limo, but how bad can her brother’s best friend really be?

Tails: The theater geek…with a secret. What could be better than a guy who shares all Heart’s interests–even if he wants to share all his feelings?

Heart’s simple coin flip has somehow given her the chance to live out both dates. But where her prom night ends up might be the most surprising thing of all…

With a second book “Top Ten Clues your Clueless” already on the way the name of Liz Czukas is one that will continue to delight all those lovers of YA literature.

So listen now and share an interesting and entertaining show as I chat with my special guest today on A Book and a Chat with Liz Czukas

Barry

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You can find out more about my guest and their books at:

“Liz Czukas – Ask Again Later”

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

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A Book and a Chat with Demitria Lunetta

Today’s show is one of my one hour specials as I introduce Demitria Lunetta another of the members of the Class of 2K13 the debut YA authors of 2013 with her debut book “In The After”.

Always interested in reading while younger Demitria studied Human Ecology for her BA, which in a way enabled her to spend countless hours studying the many ways in which people are capable of bringing about their own destruction.  An ideal background some might say for somebody writing a novel about post-apocalyptic survival. An environment that for Demitria at least, must include being able to still have a bar of chocolate available.

As we learned during the show, the time Demitria took researching the publishers and agents that would be the best fit for her book. This proved to be time wells spent as when the manuscript was sent out she received offers from no less than five offers of representation from agents.

About “In The After”:  (Taken from “Auntie Spinelli Reads” blog)

They hear the most silent of footsteps.
They are faster than anything you’ve ever seen.
And They won’t stop chasing you…until you are dead.
Amy is watching TV when it happens, when the world is attacked by Them. These vile creatures are rapidly devouring mankind. Most of the population is overtaken, but Amy manages to escape—and even rescue “Baby,” a toddler left behind in the chaos. Marooned in Amy’s house, the girls do everything they can to survive—and avoid Them at all costs.

After years of hiding, they are miraculously rescued and taken to New Hope, a colony of survivors living in a former government research compound. While at first the colony seems like a dream with plenty of food, safety, and shelter, New Hope slowly reveals that it is far from ideal. And Amy soon realizes that unless things change, she’ll lose Baby—and much more.

Rebellious, courageous, and tender, this unforgettable duo will have you on the edge of your seat as you tear through the pulse-pounding narrow escapes and horrifying twists of fate in this thrilling debut from author Demitria Lunetta.

The book to start with is a little like “I Am Legend” but the characters and some major twists in the story make it a novel you just can’t put down.

As one reviewer put it…

“In the After” is a page-turning dystopian thriller with a compelling heroine. The bond Amy and Baby form is strong, yet tender and I was hoping for a great outcome for them both. A romance is alluded to for Amy but it doesn’t really go anywhere, so if you’re looking for the cookie cutter love triangle, you won’t find it here. The world building is riveting, the pace fast and the plot tense and hopeful. I can’t wait for the next one!!

Due to be released on June 25th “In The After” might be Demitria’s debut book but the follow up is already in the editing stage, and I believe there will be many to follow

So listen now and share an interesting, and entertaining show as I chat with my special guest today on A Book and a Chat with Demitria Lunetta

Barry

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“>A Book and a Chat with Demitria Lunetta

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You can find out more about my guest and their books at:
“Demitria Lunetta – In The After”

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

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A Book and a Chat with Justina Ireland

Yesterdays show was one of my one hour specials, as I welcomed another of the Class of 2K13 debut YA authors in the form of Justina Ireland.

Justina though doing the normal school writing did not really think about creating her first novel until recently. Far from following her love for historical events she created a YA novel more about dangerous girls than dangerous times. her debut book being called “Vengeance Bound”.

Justina says about the book

 “Vengeance Bound is really the product of two things: my time spent in the Army and being a light-skinned black girl and the expectations attached to both of those situations.”

Starting out she had her main character as a light-skinned black girl Justina found it a struggle to create the story, she then, as we learned during the show, changed her to the stereotypical dumb blonde and the story just flowed.

About “Vengeance Bound”: (taken Dark Faerie Tales blog)

Cory Graff is not alone in her head. Bound to a deal of desperation made when she was a child, Cory’s mind houses the Furies—the hawk and the serpent—lingering always, waiting for her to satisfy their bloodlust. After escaping the asylum where she was trapped for years, Cory knows how to keep the Furies quiet. By day, she lives a normal life, but by night, she tracks down targets the Furies send her way. And she brings down Justice upon them.

Cory’s perfected her system of survival, but when she meets a mysterious boy named Niko at her new school, she can’t figure out how she feels about him. For the first time, the Furies are quiet in her head around a guy. But does this mean that Cory’s finally found someone who she can trust, or are there greater factors at work? As Cory’s mind becomes a battlefield, with the Furies fighting for control, Cory will have to put everything on the line to hold on to what she’s worked so hard to build.

The book is due to be launched in April and Justina already has a second book possibly being called “Promise of Shadows” scheduled for March next year.

So listen now and share an interesting, and entertaining show as I chat with my special guest today on A Book and a Chat with Justina Ireland

Barry

Direct link to the show

“A Book and a Chat with Justina Ireland”

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from

“Justina Ireland”

You can find out more about my guest and their books at:

“Justina Ireland – Vengeance Bound”

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

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A Book and a Chat with Amy Fellner Dominy

 

My guest on today’s one hour “A Book and a Chat” is another member of the “Class of 2K11” the group of debut authors whose books are released in 2011.

Amy Fellner Dominy debut novel “OyMG” has come from a literary background, from those early days of short stories, and like many of the authors she speaks to, she still has many of those early efforts still on her book shelf, or hidden away to be produced into a masterpiece at a later date.

Her love of the written word lead her to career as advertising copywriter, until Amy went back to school and in 2004 she got her MFA in 2004 with an emphasis in playwriting.

Amy’s plays have been staged across the country and she’s published in both children’s plays and short stories. “OyMG” is her first teen novel, though not her last.

Amy grew up in an area of Phoenix where the only other Jewish kids in school were her brothers and sisters. She tells the story how when she was fourteen, she was fired from a babysitting job when the family found out that she was Jewish.
It was something she had never experienced before, such hate like that. At the time it made her wary, and there was a temptation to hide the part of herself you think someone might not like.

The question is how much of yourself would you be willing to hide? From that question came the creative juices behind OyMG.

About “OyMG”

Jewish girl. Christian camp. Holy moly!

Ellie Taylor loves nothing better than a good argument. So when she gets accepted to the Christian Society Speech and Performing Arts summer camp, she’s sure that if she wins the final tournament, it’ll be her ticket to a scholarship to the best speech school in the country. Unfortunately, the competition at CSSPA is hot-literally. His name is Devon and, whether she likes it or not, being near him makes her sizzle. Luckily she’s confident enough to take on the challenge-until she begins to suspect that the private scholarship’s benefactor has negative feelings toward Jews. Will hiding her true identity and heritage be worth a shot at her dream?

Debut author Amy Fellner Dominy mixes sweet romance, surprising secrets, and even some matzo ball soup to cook up a funny yet heartfelt story about an outspoken girl who must learn to speak out for herself. (from The Story Siren blog)

The book has humor, a great story and a moral; many reviewers have told Amy how it helps them understand how other people’s lives can be affected by religion. The book is sprinkled with pieces of Yiddis, Tuchus (your behind) Schlep (carry) Kvetch (to whine and complain) Nosh (to snack).

As in: “Quit your kvetching, move your tuchus and schlep in these grocery bags or you’ll get nothing to nosh”

Amy’s wish for the book is that it will help the reader realize we’re all different in our own ways. And that’s it’s okay to speak up and speak out–to be ourselves. It’s always easy to find people to tell you that you’re “less than” but we should all listen to our own voices. We should celebrate our uniqueness, not hide it.

With her second book coming out next year I am sure we will hear a lot more of Amy Fellner Dominy.

So listen to an interesting and hugely entertaining show as I spend sixty minutes sharing “A Book and a Chat with Amy Fellner Dominy“.

Barry

Direct link to the show
“A Book and a Chat with Amy Fellner Dominy”

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
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You can find out more about my guest and their books at:
“Amy Fellner Dominy – OyMG”

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

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A Book and a Chat with Carrie Harris

 

Carrie Harris (no relation to the villain in my book “Across the Pond” I’m sure) is one of the wonderful group of debut YA authors for this year, part of the class of 2K11. Before the show there was some doubt as to if Carrie would be able to make the show travelling with her family as she was. The start of the show where we lost complete connection to Blog Talk Radio, followed by a disconnection for Carrie could have been a worry, however once the initial gremlins were out of the work we went on to have a truly enjoyable “A Book and a Chat” with this popular YA author, that was full of interest and humor.

An assortment of jobs that included an autopsy coordinator/statistician, managing the place that researches Mad Cow disease in humans, and spending a lot of time looking at brains and body parts, was an obvious background for her to write a book about Zombies. That and of course her obvious sense of humor has produced her debut YA Novel “Bad Taste in Boys” which even before its launch this week has produced hugely exciting responses and reviews around the blogosphere.

Not the least of these is the way people have picked up on the “sugar lips” on the books cover… (Zombie football players…sugar lips? Your guess is as good as mine) pictures and information of which can be found on her terrific web site.

Carrie tried to produce her first book during the NaNoWriMo but the planned fantasy satire and somehow turned into a political satire halfway through. Eventually she decided to stop trying to write something serious and wrote with her obvious humor producing something that got the attention of her agent “Kate Schafer Testerman” the first novel started doing the literary rounds, but it was “Bad Taste In Boys” which sold in about a month.

About “Bad Taste In Boys”

Super-smartie Kate Grable gets to play doctor, helping out her high school football team. Not only will the experience look good on her college apps, she gets to be this close to her quarterback crush, Aaron. Then something disturbing happens. Kate finds out that the coach has given the team steroids. Except . . . the vials she finds don’t exactly contain steroids. Whatever’s in them is turning hot gridiron hunks into mindless, flesh-eating . . . zombies.

Unless she finds an antidote, no one is safe. Not Aaron, not Kate’s brother, not her best friend . . . not even Kate . . .

As stated the book has before its launch date this next week received some terrific reviews, as one fellow author wrote…

“BAD TASTE IN BOYS is a nonstop romp, with more mayhem than a mall full of mocha-chugging monkeys. I loved watching Kate try to keep her sensible, scientific head amidst rampaging zombies and amorous football players (often the same people). Bring me my next dose of Carrie Harris NOW!” – Jeri Smith-Ready

A follow up book currently called “Bad Hair Day” which you might guess from the title might include werewolves is already in the editing state, so we know this great new book will not be a one off, and we’ll hear more of the name Carrie Harris in the future

So listen to an interesting and hugely entertaining show as I spend sixty minutes sharing “A Book and a Chat with Carrie Harris”

Barry

Direct link to the show
“A Book and a Chat with Carrie Harris”

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
“Carrie Harris”

You can find out more about my guest and their books at:
“Carrie Harris – Bad Taste in Boys”

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

My Blogs:

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MYM A Book and a Chat with Steve Brezenoff

 

It was either the love of “Whose Mouse Are YOU? When very young, or when in the seventh grade when he read The Catcher in the Rye and thought that he could write like that which lead today’s guest Steve Brezenoff down the path which has eventually lead to his debut YA novel “The Absolute Value of -1”.

In between there were several other books baring Steve’s name as he was pulled in to help with various other short novels as well as his popular “Field Trip Mysteries”.

During his senior year of college, Steve took a class on creative writing where he wrote a short story called “Looking Down on Havoc” about a boy obsessed with death and very close with his big sister. Over the next 14 years, he expanded the novel, writing more scenes until he’d produced Metro magazine’s “Young Adult Book of the Year”… “The Absolute Value of -1”.

About: “The Absolute Value of -1”

Noah, Lily, and Simon have been a trio forever. But as they enter high school, their relationships shift and their world starts to fall apart. Privately, each is dealing with a family crisis—divorce, abuse, and a parent’s illness. Yet as they try to escape the pain and reach out for the connections they once counted on, they slip—like soap in a shower. Noah’s got it bad for Lily, but he knows too well Lily sees only Simon. Simon is indifferent, suddenly inscrutable to his friends. All stand alone in their heartache and grief.

The book explores the changing value of relationships as the characters realize that the distances between them are far greater than they knew.

During the show, Steve shared with us much about what lead to his debut YA novel, as well as news of his second book now called “Brooklyn, Burning“, will be out in fall of 2011.

So sit back and listen to an entertaining sixty minutes as today I present “MYM A Book and a Chat with Steve Brezenoff”.
Barry

Direct link to the show
“A Book and a Chat with Steve Brezenoff”

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
“Steve Brezenoff”

You can find out more about my guest and their books at:
“Steve Brezenoff – The Absolute Value of -1”

MALE YA AUTHOR MONTH GUESTS

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Across-the-Pond

Nov 23rd Steve Brezenoff – Author of “The Absolute Value of -1”, “Alley of Shadows” etc… – Tues 6:30pm EST

Nov 24th Alex – Author of “Alex reads books” blog – Wed 6:30pm EST

Nov 25th Estevan Vega – Author of “The Sacred Sin” and “Arson” – Thur 6:30pm EST

Nov 27th Allan Frewin Jones – Author of “The Faerie Path” and “The Warrior Princess” series – Sat 11:00am EST

Nov 30th Alan Gratz – Author of “Something Wicked”, “Something Rotten”, “The Brooklyn Nine” etc… – Tues 6:30pm EST

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

My Blogs:

Book Information and Things UK – Across the Pond

Book and a Chat Radio Show Guests – A Book and a Chat

Funny, Weird Or Just Interesting News From Around the World – Laugh I Thought My Trousers Would Never dry

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