ARIA Expo Blog Tour, Nora Hall

Mike:  Hi, Nora.  I’m happy to have yet another Association of Rhode Island Author (ARIA) to introduce to my Overlords fan base.  As with the others, we’re going to do an old fashioned interview.  Here we go!

Mike:  Nora, please introduce yourself to my Overlords fans with a little information about you and where you’re from.

Nora: I’m Nora Hall, author of Survive Your Husband’s Retirement. The book is a light-hearted look at the trials, joys and tribulations of adjusting to a retirement marriage. My husband’s retirement sparked the research and the research sparked the book!

Mike:  What are you working on these days and what’s the current status of that project?

Nora:  Right now I’m working on creating workshops to help people plan for and adjust to the changes that frequently occur when we retire. Although Survive was primarily written for women with retired husbands, I have discovered that almost everyone experiences some difficulty adjusting to retirement. Consequently, the workshops focus on the social changes we ALL encounter in retirement––regardless of whether one is single, married, in a partnership or even an almost total recluse. I am also working on my second book, Retirement Shock. It will include information and support for all of the above situations.

Mike:  Can you tell the audience what inspires you to write?

Nora: First and foremost, I am inspired by really good writers such as Myala Angelou, Nicholas Evans or our own RI writer, Betty Cotter. Content wise, I’m inspired by people who have strong views of retirement––positive or negative and their stories.

Mike:  What genre do you enjoy writing the most?

Nora: My favorite genre is Historical Fiction—-from centuries ago as well as just yesterday.

Mike:  Any upcoming projects we should now about?

Nora: In addition to participating in ARIA’s Expo on November 8th, I’ll be speaking on  Retirement Shock at the HIVE in North Kingstown on October 30.

Mike:  OK, time for some quick ones, ready?  Favorite food or dish to make?

Nora:  My favorite foods are just about any kind of fish and great hors d’oeuvres. 

to cook…Sometimes I like to explore and create a new recipe—especially when I don’t have the ingredients in house that the recipe calls for.

Mike:  Favorite place you have ever visited?

Nora:  Waiheke Island in New Zealand

Mike:  Favorite book, and no it can’t be one of yours!

Nora:  The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I found the the author’s use of voice quite intriguing and I loved that I could enjoy a touching, but sad, story while also learning a great deal about the people who lived in Europe during WWII.

Mike:  Nora, thanks for being such a good sport!  Is there anything you would like to leave my fans with?

Nora:  Thanks for the opportunity to speak to your fans; I hope many of them will join us at the EXPO in November. Anyone seeking more information about my book or workshops can find it on www.surviveyourhusbandsretirment.com.

Mike:  Nora, thanks for being part of this great blog series.  Please follow the links below to get in touch with Nora and most importantly, buy her books!

ARIA Expo Blog Tour, Patricia Hinckley

Mike:  Hi, Pat!  I’m happy to have yet another Association of Rhode Island Author (ARIA) to introduce to my Overlords fan base.  As with the others, we’re going to do an old fashioned interview.  Here we go!

Mike:  Pat please introduce yourself to my Overlords fans with a little information about you and where you’re from.

Pat:  Thank you Mike for this opportunity to introduce myself and my book Claiming Space/Finding Stillness that inspires Action. I wrote this book because I feel it is so important for each of us to step back and take time for ourselves. We’re missing out on something really important when we don’t – and more and more studies are coming out showing the benefits of taking a little bit of time away from constant on the go and our gadgets. It’s an ongoing issue for me and I suspect for many others. So my book has simple ideas for taking care of yourself that don’t take lots of time and can be done wherever you are.

I moved form Asheville, NC to live near the beach in Wakefield, RI. I love it here.

Mike:  What are you working on these days and what’s the current status of that project?

Pat:  I am working on getting my book out into the world. I am offering classes and talks in various places.

Mike:  Can you tell the audience what inspires you to write?

Pat:  I was inspired to write when I saw this dance between action and time off in my life. I suspected it was larger than just me and wanted to explore it.

Mike:  What genre do you enjoy writing the most?

Pat:  Have only written this one non fiction book.

Mike:  Any upcoming projects we should now about?

Pat:  I will be signing books at the RIC Homecoming Festival on Saturday Oct 18 and on Sat. Nov. 8 at The 2nd Annual Rhode Island Authors Expo at the West Warwick Civic Center. Beginning Feb. 23 2015 I will teach a series of 3 classes based on my book and called Time for Your Whole Health at OLLI at URI.

Mike:  OK, time for some quick ones, ready?  Favorite food or dish to make?

Pat:  Ahhh food --- I love most of what is healthy and well prepared.

Mike:  Favorite place you have ever visited?

Pat:  Italy

Mike:  Favorite book, and no it can’t be one of yours!

Pat:  How can I possibly say – there are so many.

Mike:  Pat, thanks for being such a good sport!  Is there anything you would like to leave my fans with?

Pat:  Please do take time for yourself.  Discover what is hidden beneath the busy-ness of life.

Mike:  Pat, thanks for being part of this great blog series.  Please follow the links below to get in touch with Pat and most importantly, buy her books!

ARIA Expo Blog Tour, Edwin Lionel Flynn

Mike:  Hi, Edwin.  I’m happy to have yet another Association of Rhode Island Author (ARIA) to introduce to my Overlords fan base.  As with the others, we’re going to do an old fashioned interview.  Here we go! 

Mike:  Edwin, please introduce yourself to my Overlords fans with a little information about you and where you’re from.

Edwin:  Hi, Mike.  My name is Edwin Lionel Flynn and I am currently the Membership Director of the Fellowship of Elves.  The Fellowship of Elves is a secret society whose members share the job of helping and caring for Santa Claus. It is our job to help Santa spread his magic around the world each year for every new generation to enjoy.

Mike:  What are you working on these days and what’s the current status of that project?

Edwin:  I am currently helping Santa get his staff organized for the upcoming holiday season.  We are updating our behavior records, ramping up production in the workshop, and exercising the reindeer.  Most importantly, I am starting my annual Elf Fellow Recruitment Drive. Since helping Santa is such a tremendous task, the Fellowship of Elves is always looking for highly qualified candidates.  

If you know of child that is ready to learn the secret behind Santa’s magic and become one of Santa’s real helpers, please let us know!  Based on your recommendation, we will gladly help your child begin the process becoming  an official Elf Fellow.

Mike:  Can you tell the audience what inspires you to write?

Edwin:  My goal is to help parents foster a child’s transition from experiencing the joy of receiving to understanding the greater joy of giving.  As a child matures into preadolescence, learning the truth about how Santa’s Magic works is a special milestone indicating that he or she is becoming more connected to the outside world. The Fellowship of Elves wants to help you celebrate that your child  has matured to the special age where he or she is now old enough to learn how the kindness and generosity of the human spirit is connected to Santa’s magic.

Mike:  Any upcoming projects we should now about?

Edwin:  In addition to recruiting Elf Fellows, I  am very busy helping Santa update and compile his “Naughty and Nice List” for the upcoming holidays.  I am also helping the elves manage their workshop inventory and restock supplies for the busy season ahead.

Mike:  OK, time for some quick ones, ready?  Favorite movie?

Edwin:  My top pick is definitely “Elf”, but I also enjoy Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman.

Mike: Favorite food or dish to make?

Edwin:   One of my favorite treats is the extra Christmas cookies Santa sneaks back to the workshop after he delivers all his gifts to the good boys and girls.  I always have a nice big mug of eggnog waiting for Santa when he returns late Christmas eve.

 Mike:  Favorite place you have ever visited?

Edwin: McAdenville, N.C. (pop. 619),  it has biggest holiday light display in the U.S., it  is often referred to as  Christmas Town.

Mike:  Favorite song?

Edwin:  “The Christmas Song”  by Nat King Cole

Mike:  Favorite book, and no it can’t be one of yours!

Edwin:  “T’was the Night Before Christmas” by Clement Clarke Moore  and “How to Talk to Santa” by Alec Greven.

Mike:  Edwin, thanks for being such a good sport!  Is there anything you would like to leave my fans with?

Edwin:  If your child is ready to make the transition from the joy of receiving to understanding the greater life-long joy of giving, he or she is ready to become an Official Elf Fellow.  Let us help you foster the joy of giving and start a new family tradition that allows your child to help keep the magic of Santa alive for younger siblings, friends, and future generations to enjoy.

 *Keep a membership kit on hand and you will not be caught off guard when your child asks the inevitable question, “Is Santa Claus real?"

Finally always remember:  Small unexpected acts of kindness are the building blocks of greatness. Start your day with a smile and see where it takes you ... 

— Edwin Lionel Flynn

Mike:  Edwin, thanks for being part of this great blog series.  Please follow the links below to get in touch with Edwin and most importantly, buy his books!

Official website:

www.FellowshipofElves.com

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/fellowshipofelves

ARIA Expo Blog Tour, Rick Marchetti

Mike:  Hi, Rick.  I’m happy to have yet another Association of Rhode Island Author (ARIA) to introduce to my Overlords fan base.  As with the others, we’re going to do an old fashioned interview.  Here we go!

Mike:  Rick, please introduce yourself to my Overlords fans with a little information about you and where you’re from.

Rick:  Well, my bio says I’m an author from Smithfield, RI and live with my wife, three of our four kids, a dog, and a cat and I enjoy sports, travel, and trains.  And writing, of course, both stories and songs.

Mike:  What are you working on these days and what’s the current status of that project?

Rick:  My new novel is a murder mystery set in Nashville, titled 187 Music Row.  I used to visit Nashville on a regular basis as a songwriter and I really love the city, so I thought it would be cool to set a novel there.

Mike:  Can you tell the audience what inspires you to write?

Rick:  It’s what I do.  I don’t know what I would do if I wasn’t writing.

Mike:  What genre do you enjoy writing the most?

Rick:  I actually prefer writing Horror, although I write a lot of Crime, as well.  My first novel, The River, was actually a Horror novel with a Crime story interwoven.

Mike:  Any upcoming projects we should now about?

Rick:  Well, there’s the new novel, plus I have a Comedy novel in the works about a family of clueless rich people, tentatively titled The Bluebloods, and I’m always working on short stories for my next collection.

Mike:  OK, time for some quick ones, ready?  Favorite movie?

Rick:  “My Cousin Vinny”

Mike: Favorite food or dish to make?

Rick:  Spaghetti and meatballs

Mike:  Favorite place you have ever visited?

Rick:  I have 3; Disney World, Disney World, and Disney World.

Mike:  Favorite music band?

Rick:  The Eagles

Mike:  Favorite book, and no it can’t be one of yours!

Rick:  That’s a tough one, but I’ll go with “The Stand” by Stephen King.  There’s nothing like a good Apocolypse!

Mike:  Rick, thanks for being such a good sport!  Is there anything you would like to leave my fans with?

Rick:  Sure, my web address!  www.rickmarchetti.com All of my books are on my website, each with their own separate page, accessed from pull down tabs on the home page.  I don’t have individual pages with their own web addresses for each one.  Thanks for this opportunity, Mike.

Mike:  Rick, thanks for being part of this great blog series.  Please follow the links below to get in touch with Rick and most importantly, buy his books!

 

ARIA Expo Blog Tour, Leah DeCesare

Mike:  Hi, Leah.  I’m happy to have yet another Association of Rhode Island Author (ARIA) to introduce to my Overlords fan base.  As with the others, we’re going to do an old fashioned interview.  Here we go!

Mike:  Leah, please introduce yourself to my Overlords fans with a little information about you and where you’re from.

Leah:  My main job is mom to my three kiddos, two teenagers and a ten year old. I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was six and after years of working with families as an educator and doula, I’ve been blogging, but am excited to have written my first book, Naked Parenting: 7 Keys to Raising Kids With Confidence.

Mike:  What are you working on these days and what’s the current status of that project?

Leah:  I’m preparing the manuscript of my debut novel to be sent to agents, writing a novel is an amazingly inspiring challenge. I’m also starting a second Naked Parenting book, I envision that becoming a series using the 7 principles and addressing a variety of parenting topics.

Mike:  Can you tell the audience what inspires you to write?

Leah:  I honestly don’t know, it’s something that’s been a part of me as long as I can remember and after life’s taken me on different paths, I’ve reprioritized and found my way back to writing over the last few years.

Mike:  What genre do you enjoy writing the most?

Leah:  Women’s fiction, I love discovering along with my characters and getting so immersed in my writing that I can’t wait to get back to my computer to see what’s going to happen next. I’ve also loved writing Naked Parenting and sharing my experience.

Mike:  Any upcoming projects we should now about?

Leah:  Naked Parenting: Social Media and Technology and Naked Parenting: Money and Finance are next up for the Naked Parenting series.

Mike:  OK, time for some quick ones, ready?  Favorite movie?

Leah:  So old, but I have to say When Harry Met Sally.

Mike: Favorite food or dish to make?

Leah:  Eggplant parmesan

Mike:  Favorite place you have ever visited?

Leah:  Vietnam

Mike:  Favorite music band?

Leah:  Zac Brown Band

Mike:  Favorite book, and no it can’t be one of yours!

Leah:  There are way too many to select a favorite, but I’m going with To Kill a Mockingbird.

Mike:  Leah, thanks for being such a good sport!  Is there anything you would like to leave my fans with?

Leah:  Thanks for having me be a part of a fun post! Check out the post that drew hundreds of hilarious comments on Facebook: Why You Should Fart in Front of Your Husband.

http://familyshare.com/why-you-should-fart-in-front-of-your-husband

Mike:  Leah, thanks for being part of this great blog series.  Please follow the links below to get in touch with Leah and most importantly, buy her books!

http://motherscircle.net/

http://www.amazon.com/Naked-Parenting-Keys-Raising-Confidence-ebook/dp/B0L0MRVJYG