Monday, September 24, 2012

MY REVIEW OF CHASING AMANDA

The moment I read this book I knew I had to write a review about it. I give this story five GOLDEN stars! _________________________________________________________________________ Chasing Amanda by Melissa Foster
_________________________________________________________________________ Judging by the cover and first few pages, I initially thought Chasing Amanda was a story about a mother searching for her lost child. That is not the case! It’s about believing in yourself and never giving up when you know you can make a difference. Chasing Amanda is an inspiring story. It’s filled with just the right amount of twists and turns. Most of the characters held specific (well needed) roles, and not once did I find myself bored or questioning the authors thought process. The lesson was clear, never give up! No matter who says what … if you have the ability, and can make a difference … then ignore those who get in the way and fight to help those you can! No matter what genre you normally read, Chasing Amanda should be added to your shelf. We all have days where time or our surroundings force us to give up on our beliefs; Chasing Amanda, is a trophy that will prompt you to keep going! It’s an inspirational story that reminds you that although the world around you may never speak about certain things … it doesn’t mean they aren’t there or they don’t exist. I must admit, there was a few times when I needed to go back and reread a page or two, but other than that - this story was the perfect escape from my busy day! Chasing Amanda deserves five GOLDEN stars! Blessed be, Sass :) ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________ Melissa Foster is the author of two novels, Megan’s Way and Chasing Amanda. She is the founder of the Women’s Nest, a social and support community for women, and is currently collaborating with a director to create a script for Megan’s Way. Melissa is working on her next book, and lives in Maryland with her family. Below are just some of the links where you can find Melissa Foster! Facebook Goodreads Amazon WLC Website Blog _________________________________________________________________________

Sensuous Promotions: Author Spotlight ~ Denysé Bridger

It's true what they say, there is something for everyone on the web, you just need to know where to look!

Sensuous Promotions: Author Spotlight ~ Denysé Bridger: Becoming a paranormal author, quite by accident!   A lot of my catalogue features various types of novels, novellas, and short bo...

Sass :)

Friday, September 21, 2012

Just The Essentials: REACHING OUT TO SAY HELLO

Just The Essentials: REACHING OUT TO SAY HELLO: My name is Janice Milligan, although some may know me as the real living ‘Piper’ from The Coalition of the Supernatural. My good friend ...

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

The Best Indie Book Festival!




So excited! Our blog tour stops by the World LIterary Cafe! http://bit.ly/Q93gVK

The BEST INDIE BOOK FESTIVAL is today and tomorrow! 10 award winning authors AND a chance to win Amazon gift cards (no purchase necessary)! Can’t beat that!

During the tour we had the opportunity to meet and get to know all ten award winning authors, and as you can see by my previous blog, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to interview Robert B. Lowe.

Each author’s writing style stood out … they were open, kind and they shared some wonderful tales.

I hope you’ll continue to join me on the last two days of the tour. There are some great prizes to be won and amazing stories to read. Meet some new bloggers, authors and aspiring writers who will soon be on the best sellers list!

Wishing you the best adventures in reading and in life!

Sass:)

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Today I am interviewing Robert B. Lowe, the author of Project Moses.

Who is Robert B. Lowe? Robert is a Pulitzer-prize winning author whose fiction is based in San Francisco. His past experiences include a 12-year career in investigative journalism and a Harvard Law School degree, which enable him to write gripping mystery thrillers in both the legal and journalistic fields. Robert Lowe draws his inspiration from John Grisham, Dick Francis and Lee Child and adds his own San Francisco twist. His readers will enjoy his references to the city's landmarks such as Chinatown, North Beach and Pacific Heights and the Bay area's foodie culture. Robert is a family man, and when he isn't writing he enjoys a day at the golf course and spending time with his wife and daughters.
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About Project Moses. Enzo Lee, 37, a burned out reporter, has forsaken investigative reporting on the East Coast to churn out feature fluff in San Francisco. He likes his North Beach apartment, steps away from his Chinatown roots. Running, tai chi, great food, women who are attracted to his exotic looks. Life is good. Then, Lee is ordered to cover the unexplained deaths of a local judge and prosecutor. Intrigued by the connection, and the judge’s attractive niece, Sarah Armstrong, Lee begins to uncover a bioterrorism scandal whose perpetrators - including government officials and Silicon Valley titans - will kill to conceal. When Lee and Sarah become targets, the question becomes whether the pair can evade their hunters and piece together the story before their time runs out. Project Moses is set in San Francisco, New York and Silicon Valley.
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On September 8, 2012, I sat down and opened Project Moses. Talk about a fast pace action thriller that will keep you guessing. Robert’s style of writing is unique; he has talent of hooking you in and never letting you go.
From the moment I opened Project Moses, I knew without a doubt that this was the story for me. I love reading thrillers, Project Moses quickly landed on my top five favorite thrillers, and I can’t wait for book two!
The characters were relatable, the flow and storyline had me lost for hours on end, and the only disappointing part was when I finished reading Project Moses on September 9th. It was a story that I never wanted to end.
I enjoyed this story so much that I needed to learn more about the author. Robert Lowe was kind enough to accept my invitation for an interview, I hope you enjoy!
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Sass: Hi Robert, thank you for joining me. What sparked the idea for Project Moses?
Actually, there are two parts to the answer.  The first is that I had always wanted to write a book and suddenly had a window to do it.  Mystery-thriller was my choice because I’ve been a fan of that genre since I was a kid and felt like I understood what makes a good one.  Project Moses involves a biotechnology conspiracy.  I have followed the progression of genetics technology with fascination.  It’s such a powerful tool.  But, at the same time can be misused and raise ethical questions.

Sass:  Project Moses is an interesting title, how did you come up with the title?
I pulled it out of the book itself.  The conspiracy starts with a government program and that, in essence, goes rogue.  I called the government program “Project Moses” because of the plague/famine analogy.  Plus, it seemed like the sort of name the U.S. Defense Department would generate.  I decided to use it as the book title.  I’m working on the next book and had pretty much the same experience.  In trying to come up with a thematic heading within the story – in this case a subject line for an email – I found the title. 

Sass: Are experiences or characters based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
It’s no accident that I’ve been an investigative reporter and a lawyer and the two main characters are…a reporter and lawyer.  There are snippets of things – places, interviews, etc. – that are based on past experience.  In terms of choices, responses to situations or next steps, having been a reporter allowed me to put myself in the shoes of the main character.   The characters generally are composites – pieces of various actual folks.

Sass: What was the hardest part of writing your book?
The hardest part for me was drawing the characters and their relationships.  I think I labored over that more than anything.  A lot of it was ‘discovering’ who they were as I went through the process.  Then, figuring out how to portray that without going into a lengthy explanation.  Showing vs. only telling. 

Sass: Did you learn anything from writing your book and if so … what was it?
The whole process has taught me that readers of this genre really want to be engaged with the story and the characters.  If you don’t get in the way with something that is too clunky, they’ll generally go with you. I’ve also learned that a big issue for me is putting in too much in terms of characters and subplots.  Generally, readers have enjoyed that Project Moses is a somewhat involved plot.  But, I need to guard against overloading the story. 

Sass: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
To the extent there is a message, it’s not that genetic tinkering or modifying food is a bad thing.  It may be more that we should watch out for the law of unintended consequences.  Eventually we’ll find out a gene that makes apples juicier also makes sparrows sterile or something like that.  It’s just too complex and people doing the actual research are incentivized to ignore problems.   On the character side, one of my beliefs is that very few people – aside perhaps from psychotic killers – actual believe they are evil people even if they are doing evil things.  There is always a rationalization.  I believe that’s true in life and it’s reflected in my characters.

Sass: Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
Thanks for reading Project Moses and supporting independent authors.  This is an entertainment genre and that was my goal for this book – create the kind of story that has you flipping the pages after you should have the lights out.  If it does that for you, I’m happy! 

Sass: Thank you, Robert for this opportunity to interview you. It was an honor to meet with you and to read Project Moses. I hear that book two is in the making, when can your readers expect the release?
I hadn’t actually planned on creating a series but readers gravitated toward the main character and a couple of secondary ones as well.  I listened to that and have built the second book around them.  It’s called “Divine Fury” and should be out by November.
Thanks much for this interview!
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Below are direct links to Robert B. Lowes website, his reviews on Goodreads and his Amazon page.
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13572547-project-moses
http://www.amazon.com/Project-Moses-Thriller-Mystery-Thriller-ebook/dp/B0070XXXDG
www.robertblowe.com



Here is my review of Robert's incredible tale! Project Moses - A Mystery ThrillerProject Moses - A Mystery Thriller by Robert B. Lowe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

On September 8, 2012, I sat down and opened Project Moses. Talk about a fast pace action thriller that will keep you guessing. Robert’s style of writing is unique; he has talent of hooking you in and never letting you go.

From the moment I opened Project Moses, I knew without a doubt that this was the story for me. I love reading thrillers, Project Moses quickly landed on my top five favorite thrillers, and I can’t wait for book two!

The characters were relatable, the flow and storyline had me lost for hours on end, and the only disappointing part was when I finished reading Project Moses (on September 9th). It was a story that I never wanted to end, and thankfully, book two will soon be released.


View all my reviews

Sunday, September 2, 2012

THIS IS NOT A PLUG TO SELL MY BOOKS!

I am not blogging this for sales ... this is a warning to all readers (friends).

Who am I? I am Sass Cadeaux, I am an underground writer who stepped out of the darkness … or so I thought. However, what I’ve experienced in the past year has made my hair curl.

I charge what it cost to publish the book, including cover art and editing service. I try as hard as I can to keep the cost as low as possible for my readers (friends); and when this was brought to my attention … I nearly fainted!

A reader was excited about purchasing a used copy of New Raine for $54.00 Canadian. That is wrong! I advised them of my Author Spotlight Link and showed them the rates. They were being overcharged, and I can’t sit back and watch such a horrible thing happen to any reader (friend) of mine!

If there was a SAFE way to share my stories for free … I would! This breaks my heart to see my stories being overcharged. If you want a copy one of my books and cannot find them on the internet, email me at Sass@sasscadeaux.com
I’d be happy to help. But what that reader (friend) experienced was wrong!

The only thing I’ve asked of my readers is IF they liked the story … please share it with your friends. I’ve never asked them to recommend buying my books, and I make sure that I DON’T limit the amount of downloads. Pay for it once and share it 1000 times ... GREAT!!! I am all for that!

The COTS Series is NOT my income! It is a part of me, and I am not selling a part of me for profit, I am sharing my stories the SAFEST way I possibly can. Every dollar I make goes towards the next release, the website and yes … if any funds are left over they go to charity!

I know that I’m blessed with the best readers (friends) ever! They support my stories and understand me. I love them for who they are … just as they accept me for being me.

Not only do I find what happened to my reader (friend) painfully insulting, I am deeply offended and hurt for all my readers (friends). Please see the links below, they are safe to buy from and the prices are correct.

THIS IS NOT A PLUG TO SELL MY BOOKS!
If you know someone who already purchased a story of mine, borrow it, read it and, I hope that it helps you escape reality!

I share the first five chapters of each story on Wattpad, each story has a copyright and they are mine. Those five chapters are raw, without edit, but they give you a clear understanding of the storyline. Please feel free to check them out! http://www.wattpad.com/user/scadeaux

You can buy The COTS Series directly from my author link at http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/SassCadeaux
Autograph copies from http://justtheessentials.ca/
The cost is a little higher, but only for the additional shipping and handling, and not for the autograph! The autograph is free!
  
Blessed be,
Sass :)