Here is Your Awesomegang Newsletter

Published: Tue, 11/19/13

Your home for new books and tips from authors.
 
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Our newsletter is aimed to help authors spread the word about their books. Below you will see about 20 or so books and/or podcast that interview authors. These authors share their best tips for getting your book in the hands of new readers. If you just submitted your book and don't see it below odds are you will see it in the next newsletter. 
 
Our most popular pages among authors is our author interviews. Other authors give out tips that help them promote their books. 
 
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Awesome Gang » Featured Books

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Where Awesome Book Readers Meet Awesome Writers

  1. Turn a Blind Eye by Marta Tandori

    TURN-A-BLIND-EYE-ebook-cover1About Turn a Blind Eye by Marta Tandori:

    Eight years ago, Michigan retirees, Jack and Beverly Donnelly, had helped Libby Newton recover from an unspeakable tragedy. Now the tables are turned and it’s the old couple who need Libby’s help when the most recent consequences of Beverly’s progressing dementia have left the old couple homeless. Libby, now the general manager of Banyan Bay Resorts, one of Orlando’s premier timesharing properties, secretly stashes the old couple in a new luxury unit intended for the resort’s VIP guests until she can find them a new home.

    But the problems start almost immediately as Beverly’s dementia leaves her in a state of constant confusion over her unfamiliar surroundings and when she announces that she’s seen “Thanksgiving pilgrims” unloading boxes behind the resort’s pizzeria, Beverly’s announcement falls on deaf ears – until Rebecca Kendall, an attorney from Seattle, shows up at the resort a short time later, trying to retrace the last steps of her nineteen-year-old daughter, who’d abandoned her old life to embrace the Amish ways, only to be found dead in a south Florida motel six weeks earlier. Libby doesn’t believe the two incidents are connected until Beverly is found dead a short time later, the tragic victim of a double homicide.

    With the help of her sister, Mia, who’s in Florida doing an exposé on one of the world’s most elusive treasure hunters, the amateur female sleuths retrace Beverly’s last steps – only to stumble upon a killer who soon has the sisters convinced that poor Beverly had been the sanest one of them all. In this wild ride of a murder mystery that starts in Orlando, the timeshare capital of the world and ends in a Key West adventure, the two sisters learn firsthand that honoring family secrets can be just as deadly as drug smuggling…

    Learn more about the author, buy the book, or follow them on social media:
    Visit the Author’s Website.
    Buy the Book On Amazon.
    Visit the Facebook Fan Page.
    http://twitter.com/MartaTandori

    Author Bio:
    By the time Marta Tandori reached fifth grade, she was an avid reader and writer with a stack of short stories collecting dust in a box under her bed but it wasn’t until she began studying acting in her early twenties at the prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York that Marta realized acting wasn’t really her passion – writing fiction was. What followed was years of writing workshops as well as correspondence courses in writing for children through the Institute of Children’s Literature in Connecticut. She credits the award winning author, Troon Harrison, as the instructor who helped her find her literary voice. Marta’s first work of juvenile fiction, BEING SAM, NO MATTER WHAT was published in 2005, followed by EVERY WHICH WAY BUT KUKU! in 2006. With her more recent endeavors, Marta has shifted her writing focus to “women’s suspense”, a genre she fondly describes as having “strong female protagonists with closets full of nasty skeletons and the odd murder or two to complicate their already complicated lives”. To learn more about Marta, visit her website at www.martatandori.com.

    Turn a Blind Eye by Marta Tandori is a post from Awesome Gang

  2. Wind on the Sand

    WindontheSandAbout Wind on the Sand:

    Will sorrow and disappointment keep Lauren from recognizing God’s love?

    Lauren Tate can’t get over the death of her parents, no matter how tranquil she finds the beach where she’s house-sitting. She’s tired of wondering about the future. She’s tired of wondering why God abandoned her parents. She’s tired.

    Jack Wheeler can’t get over the feeling that God sent him to teach in Pensacola for six months before he heads to the mission field for a short-term adventure. When he meets Lauren, he’s struck by the sadness in her eyes. There’s something about her that draws him. When he hears her story, he’s sure. Lauren needs him, and he’s got the answers that can change her life.

    Lauren isn’t too sure she wants to be fixed by Jack. Why can’t he offer friendship without passing out advice? She certainly doesn’t need him shoving God down her throat. But no one ever loved Lauren the way Jack loves…with no thought for himself.

    Can God really be like that?

    More than anything, Jack wants to romance Lauren away, but that wouldn’t heal her spirit. What he learns about sacrificial love might break his heart, if Lauren doesn’t find her way to God.

    The mission field is harsh and unforgiving. If Jack fails with Lauren, what’s to say he has anything to offer a people group so poor they can’t buy food? That is, if he lives to share. The local drug-runners don’t take kindly to missionaries. When Jack disappears in the jungles of Honduras, Lauren has to face her fears all over again. Can she trust that God has blessings in store for her and Jack, or has He once again taken everything away?

    For the first time in her life, Lauren is ready to let God truly be the very air she breathes.

    Wind on the Sand is a Christian romance of approximately 193 print pages, the first in the Winds of God series. Each novel is stand-alone and can be read in any order.

    Learn more about the author, buy the book, or follow them on social media:
    Buy the Book On Amazon.
    Visit the Facebook Fan Page.
    https://twitter.com/FeliciaMires
    Goodreads Profile Page

    Author Bio:
    Felicia Mires began her writing career years ago when she became bored with what she found available in the Christian Fiction market. Hoping to entertain herself and provide inspiration to other Christians, she wrote her first novel, Diamonds are for Eden. Since that time, she has written more than 20 Christian novels (all with a bit of romance), even becoming a finalist in the ACFW competition. Along the way, she has judged multiple writing contests, edited scores of books for other writers, and discovered a wealth of fascinating Christian fiction.

    But, God did not create man, or woman, for books alone. Thankfully, there is relationship. Felicia has been married for over 25 years to Gene Mires, from whom she gains a plethora of hilarious and creative ideas. Felicia and Gene have three incredible children. They also enjoy pastoring Young Adults at Life Church. Ahh, the drama…and unending plot ideas.

    Life is full of relationship. If you need a bit of inspiration or encouragement, try Christian Fiction by Felicia Mires.

    Wind on the Sand is a post from Awesome Gang

  3. Himba Pond Dance by Dave Gioia

    HPD_cover_1600pixelsAbout Himba Pond Dance by Dave Gioia:

    GROWING UP IS NEVER EASY AND NEVER ENDS (Available FREE in the Kindle Store 11/24/2013-11/27/2013!)

    Trey Hollinswood, 15, and his thirteen-year-old sister Kim are dealing with a lot: Their parents separate; the bank forecloses on their home; they stay with their mom in a homeless shelter and then in the home of a customer, Walt, she meets at work. The atmosphere at Walt’s is tense and life for Trey and Kim is made more difficult because they have to share a bedroom. Like all young people they have issues, Trey his burgeoning sexuality and Kim her sexual identity. They learn about both and ultimately the importance of friendship, Trey with Julie, Walt’s older teenage daughter, and Emily, a schoolmate and cotillion partner, and Kim with Cyd, a girl in her soccer league. Their stories are two of many in this novel set in Southern California during the Great Recession.

    Learn more about the author, buy the book, or follow them on social media:
    Visit the Author’s Website.
    Buy the Book On Amazon.
    Goodreads Profile Page

    Author Bio:
    I live and write in Southern California, the setting for both my debut novel, Valley of Saint Anne, and second novel, Himba Pond Dance. The atmosphere, landscape, landmarks, politics and culture of the place inform both of these novels but the subjects they deal with are universal.

    My novels are character-driven stories about real life that examine relationships and relations between people of all ages, which can be warm, tender and loving and also cool, harsh and hateful. When you observe people interacting and reacting to each other in my novels you will see the entire spectrum of human emotions on display.

    Enjoy my novels and please recommend them!

    Contact me at dgioia@cox.net.

    Himba Pond Dance by Dave Gioia is a post from Awesome Gang

  4. Valley of Saint Anne by Dave Gioia

    VOSA_cover_1600pixelsAbout Valley of Saint Anne by Dave Gioia:

    A STORY OF LOVE, LOSS AND FORGIVENESS (Available FREE in the Kindle Store 11/24-11/27/2013!)

    Deirdre Beyer, 12, is inspired to keep a diary when she reads Anne Frank’s Diary of a Young Girl. Dee Dee writes to Anne as Anne did to her imaginary friend Kitty and her diary entries reveal an inquisitive and insightful young mind as she shares the happenings in her life: Changes in her body and her growing curiosity about sex; her first encounter with a boy; her father’s tragic death; her mother’s loneliness; her desire to have a Quinceañera; and the confidence and courage she gains learning to surf.

    Dee Dee’s character is central to the novel and its moral compass. Her story is one of many in this novel set in Southern California that deals with subjects ranging from drug trafficking and undocumented immigrants to adoption, alcoholism and incest.

    Learn more about the author, buy the book, or follow them on social media:
    Visit the Author’s Website.
    Buy the Book On Amazon.
    Goodreads Profile Page

    Author Bio:
    I live and write in Southern California, the setting for both my debut novel, Valley of Saint Anne, and second novel, Himba Pond Dance. The atmosphere, landscape, landmarks, politics and culture of the place inform both of these novels but the subjects they deal with are universal.

    My novels are character-driven stories about real life that examine relationships and relations between people of all ages, which can be warm, tender and loving and also cool, harsh and hateful. When you observe people interacting and reacting to each other in my novels you will see the entire spectrum of human emotions on display.

    Enjoy my novels and please recommend them!

    Contact me at dgioia@cox.net.

    Valley of Saint Anne by Dave Gioia is a post from Awesome Gang

  5. Don’t You Forget About Me by Erin McCole Cupp

    Dont-You-Forget-About-Me-Kindle3About Don’t You Forget About Me by Erin McCole Cupp:

    Mary Catherine Whelihan made it out of Walkerville alive once before. Can she pull it off this time?

    Bullies, sexual harassment, finding a corpse in the local creek…. Cate’s childhood in 1980s Walkerville was murder! So what could possibly tempt her to return? A cryptic email from Eugene Marcasian, MD, her grade school crush, might do the trick. Can Cate and Gene find the cause of the mysterious illness afflicting nearly all of the girls in their graduating class, including Cate herself? Or will corporate bullies continue to take down anyone who gets in their way? More importantly, can Cate stay alive long enough to get one more slice of tomato pie?

    Learn more about the author, buy the book, or follow them on social media:
    Visit the Author’s Website.
    Buy the Book On Amazon.
    Visit the Facebook Fan Page.
    https://twitter.com/ErinMCOP
    Goodreads Profile Page

    Author Bio:
    Erin McCole Cupp is a wife, mother, and lay Dominican who lives with her family of vertebrates somewhere out in the middle of Nowhere, Pennsylvania. Her short writing has appeared in Canticle Magazine, The Catholic Standard and Times, Parents, The Philadelphia City Paper, The White Shoe Irregular, Outer Darkness Magazine, and the newsletter of her children’s playgroup. Her other professional experiences include acting, costuming, youth ministry, international scholar advising, and waiting tables. When Erin is not writing, cooking or parenting, she can be found reading, singing a bit too loudly, sewing for people she loves, or gardening in spite of herself.

    Don’t You Forget About Me by Erin McCole Cupp is a post from Awesome Gang

  6. A Modern Afternoon Tea

    FLO_COVERAbout A Modern Afternoon Tea :

    Like so many fans of afternoon tea, we can sometimes be overwhelmed by what we need to create a special afternoon tea without fuss. Carol presents a complete repertoire of what is needed for a complete afternoon tea including tea cocktails. So the reader can make the complete afternoon tea of recipes or just select two or three items knowing it will be a success. Traditional recipes such as scones marry with modern recipes of date and orange on brown bread or a banana chocolate loaf with a jug of warm chocolate sauce.

    The Downton Abbey series has reminded the importance of taking time in a time honored ritual to connect over tea especially in a hectic world. A Modern Afternoon Tea deliveries the tradition with a twist on the modern tastes to wow your guests young and traditionalist alike.

    Learn more about the author, buy the book, or follow them on social media:
    Visit the Author’s Website.
    Buy the Book On Amazon.
    Visit the Facebook Fan Page.
    http://twitter.com/theloveoftea

    Author Bio:
    Carol Mark is a certified tea sommelier who has written the best of tea Drink & Food and now brings a modern twist to preparing a one stop afternoon tea gathering whether for a special event or just to connect with friends over a cup of tea.

    Carol has traveled the world in search of the best blends of tea and on special order you can order your own personalized tea blend.

    Invite Carol into your home to bring the best of tea and food.

    A Modern Afternoon Tea is a post from Awesome Gang

  7. The Summer Set

    summer_set_coverAbout The Summer Set:

    You can read The Summer Set’s blurb/teaser on Amazon, but here I’m going to write a little background on its creation.

    I had a dream about a carved Eskimo seal called ‘The Seal of Approval’. The dream stayed with me and I integrated the seal with other dreams and musings stimulated by reading The Mothman Prophecies. Also at this time I came across the fact that in 1956 Roswell, New Mexico won the Little League World Series. I thought that was a very peculiar coincidence considering the myth of the Roswell alien crash in 1947. Also in 1956 the Little League was involved in a battle for its soul – whether to maintain its small town roots or sell-out to big city corporate interests. All of this played in my mind and I would see scenes from the novel. I came to know the characters and eventually they told the story. Over a two year period a nostalgic tale of greed, spirituality and friendship evolved. The Summer Set is the result.

    The Summer Set is primarily a coming-of-age tale of friendship and affection between two boys and two girls. The story is set in 1956 Eisenhower America with its backdrop of McCarthyism and corporate conformity. The growing threat of a group of deadly dark-suited men gradually provokes the teens to join forces and confront a raft of mysterious paranormal occurrences. Though geared to mature young adults ages 11-17, the nostalgic and ‘clean’ novel is an interesting and fun read for all adults ages 18-68. Boys love it!

    The title comes from a teen girl’s T-shirt. I was struggling over the title for weeks. I knew I wanted ‘Summer’ in the title because the summer is really a character in the novel, and there this young girl was – outside an emergency room – with a T-shirt reading ‘I survived The Summer Set’. I knew that was the title. I had my ‘set’ of four teens and there was ‘the summer’. I later learned that The Summer Set is a popular rock band with a dedicated teen following.

    The cover comes from my imagination – broken images with retro colors and a winding path through some of the main images in the novel – a blurry man, a Ferris Wheel, a girl at beach, a baseball glove. I created the design in Photoshop. I am a trained artist and designer, and have painted in oils since the age of ten. I also won school and city wide art awards in my hometown of El Paso, Texas at the age of fourteen – the same age as Peter, Mike, Jo and Karen. I drew heavily on some of my own experiences and relationships as a young teen growing up in El Paso for some of the emotions and events in the novel.

    I did lots of research for the book – mostly through web searching when I had a question, but I also read books on the era. I am a stickler for historical accuracy and detail, though I didn’t allow historical accuracy to interfere with dramatic fiction when the two were in conflict.

    I learned in writing the book that I have to trust my characters to tell me what they will do when they are interacting together. Sometimes I would just give the barest details to my characters and let them come to life in the scene. I could see what they could see, and feel what they felt.

    I put love into every page of The Summer Set. I hope you see it and feel it!

    Learn more about the author, buy the book, or follow them on social media:
    Visit the Author’s Website.
    Buy the Book On Amazon.
    Visit the Facebook Fan Page.
    http://twitter.com/JayProvince
    Goodreads Profile Page

    Author Bio:
    I was born in Fort Worth, Texas and moved to El Paso, Texas before school. I currently live in Rockville, MD with my wife wife Patricia. I attended Purdue University, University of the South and ultimately graduated from Indiana University. I worked numerous odd jobs in my twenties – on horse farms and racetracks. I was (and am) one of those ‘seekers of truth’ and that search brought me to writing and writers. Writing obsessed me until I figured out that I needed to put more energy into becoming a better person and less into writing. I found truth and now feel free to write. I write full-time in a number of genres. I write adventure romances under a nom de plume. At any given time I have about four or five novels in various stages of construction and completion. All of my writings contain elements of history, spirituality, adventure and romance. My favorite activities (outside of writing) are horses, sailing and travel.

    The Summer Set is a post from Awesome Gang

  8. Tips for Two: Tales of a Globetrotting Couple by John & JoAnn Girard

    Tips-for-Two-Globetrotting-2DAbout Tips for Two: Tales of a Globetrotting Couple by John & JoAnn Girard:

    Meet the Ultimate Globetrotting Couple, John and JoAnn Girard, who have been traveling together for more than two decades. In that time, they’ve visited six continents and more than 70 countries—not to mention all 50 American states and all 10 Canadian provinces. Nevertheless, they still see traveling together as their favorite pastime, and have no intentions of stopping. What’s their secret? It’s all part of the plan.

    Inside Tips for Two: Tales of a Globetrotting Couple, you’ll learn 100 tricks of the traveling trade that will make your journeys with your travel partner or loved one smoother, safer, and more rewarding. You’ll discover the must-have apps for your smartphone to keep you connected while on the road, techniques to make hours spent in airports less taxing, and advice on how to save money and stay connected in faraway places. Along the way, you’ll see beautiful photos and small Travelogue anecdotes from the many places the Girards have visited—from Machu Picchu to the Great Wall of China!

    It’s never too late to learn how to travel, and traveling is never better than with someone close by. So keep your passport handy and check out these Tips for Two!

    Learn more about the author, buy the book, or follow them on social media:
    Visit the Author’s Website.
    Buy the Book On Amazon.
    Visit the Facebook Fan Page.
    http://www.twitter.com/tipsfortwo

    Author Bio:
    About John

    John Girard is an author, storyteller, and adventurer. He is a sought-after international speaker who is well known for his dynamic, entertaining, and informative style. He has spoken to groups on every continent (well, except for Antarctica). As a tenured full professor at Minot State University, John teaches graduate and undergraduate business classes. Engaging with students on a daily basis ensures he remains current in the ever-changing world in which we live and do business. John has traveled to more than 75 countries investigating globalization in action. A diehard fan of the millennium generation, he has traveled with college students to 22 countries witnessing their transformation to global citizens.

    John has published four books: Building Organizational Memories, A Leader’s Guide to Knowledge Management, Social Knowledge and Business Goes Virtual. His current research interests include knowledge management, social media, and globalization. John is founder and Chief Knowledge Strategist of Sagology (www.sagology.com), a firm dedicated to connecting people with people to facilitate collaboration, learning, and knowledge-sharing through keynotes, workshops, and consulting. Prior to joining the faculty at Minot State University in 2004, John worked as the Director of Knowledge Management at National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa, Canada. To learn more about John, visit www.johngirard.net

    About JoAnn

    JoAnn Girard is the co-founder and managing partner of Sagology, a firm that focuses on connecting people with people to collaborate and share knowledge. She has worked on a variety of knowledge-intensive research projects, which considered issues such as information anxiety, enterprise dementia, and organizational memories. An avid traveler, JoAnn has visited more than 70 countries.

    JoAnn has published three books: A Leader’s Guide to Knowledge Management, Social Knowledge and Business Goes Virtual. Prior to forming Sagology, JoAnn was cofounder of two successful technology companies. Yacht-club.net developed and hosted web presences for yachting companies in the USA, England, Scotland, Spain, Gibraltar, and Greece. Quid Pro Quo Software developed educational and edutainment software, including their flagship game, Trivia Mania. Before entering the high-tech arena, JoAnn worked in the travel industry and as a school librarian. The experience she gained in these information-intensive positions proved especially valuable as she considers the knowledge challenges confronting executives today.

    JoAnn dedicates most of her spare time to animals. She is a board member of her local zoological society and volunteers as an interpretive speaker at the zoo.

    Tips for Two: Tales of a Globetrotting Couple by John & JoAnn Girard is a post from Awesome Gang

  9. Dating for the One in Three Easy Steps

    dating-for-the-oneFINALAbout Dating for the One in Three Easy Steps:

    Up until now, the only way to access this magical process was to take the infrequent courses Kathryn Alice occasionally offers on dating at considerable expense.

    This is the first time that this sought-after information — proven so effective — has been made available in a concise book format.

    This process is invaluable and will save you hundreds of dollars on online dating and doing unnecessary things to date successfully for your soulmate.

    In this long-awaited book by Kathryn Alice on dating, she shows you how to date for your soulmate – very different than the tortuous dating most people engage in.

    This book teaches you how to save years of your life, heartbreak and drama to date quickly into the arms of the love of your life.

    This method will show you how to:

    • conquer your fears about dating

    • turn dating into a whole new ballgame

    • date effectively to avoid hurt & wasting your time

    • “target date” for the love of your life, skipping the detours

    • have the time of your life for these, your last single days

    • eradicate rejection entirely

    • make the NEXT person you date your soulmate

    Special subjects include: breaking patterns, online dating, how to connect well no matter how introverted you are and how to interact with someone hot, who is most likely to be your soulmate.

    Kathryn’s dating classes have resulted in thousands of people breaking their tired old dating patterns and at long last, finding the love of their lives.

    This is the first time Kathryn has revealed this coveted material in a book, and it will change your whole dating outlook, as it has done for so many others.

    The three easy steps outlined here have resulted in even the shyest introvert learning to connect with someone attractive and finding love.

    This process gives you step-by-step guidelines on how to find, meet, connect with and date the love of your dreams: your soulmate.

    Learn more about the author, buy the book, or follow them on social media:
    Visit the Author’s Website.
    Buy the Book On Amazon.
    Visit the Facebook Fan Page.
    https://twitter.com/KathrynAlice1
    Goodreads Profile Page
    Awesomegang Interview

    Author Bio:
    Kathryn Alice, author of the bestseller LOVE WILL FIND YOU, is the U.S.’s foremost expert on soulmates and spiritual dating. She appears in the 2012 Feature Film Secrets of Love. She has helped tens of thousands of people attract their soulmates. Her work has appeared in Psychology Today, USA Today, The New York Times, Associated Press, Body+Soul and on Montel, NBC and The Aware Show. Kathryn directed Agape’s Crisis Support Team for 6 years & teaches in the U.S., Australia and South Africa. She has been married for over a decade to her own soulmate, and they have 4 boys.

    Dating for the One in Three Easy Steps is a post from Awesome Gang

  10. Sign Changes

    bartjr-72dpi-1500x2000About Sign Changes:

    Sign Changes is a novel about ideas and the ways they have changed us. It is about the way you came to understand the very words you are reading now. About the origins of symbol use. Kpol and his tribe struggle to survive an ice age 100,000 years ago and adapt to new ways. In 16th century England, a young boy leaves the countryside to learn to read and print books. In the near-present computer age, a man and woman prepare for the bombs they fear will fall. And in the distant future, a new form of life comes into existence. What connects them all?

    Learn more about the author, buy the book, or follow them on social media:
    Visit the Author’s Website.
    Buy the Book On Amazon.

    Author Bio:
    Bart Hopkins Jr. is an ex-surfer, mountain hiker and occasional rock climber, chess enthusiast, motorcyclist, and student of language and mind and brain topics. He is the proud father of two grown children, Krystal and Bart, and lives with his wife Kat in Texas.

    Sign Changes is a post from Awesome Gang

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Happy reading and happy writing
 
Vinny