Thursday, December 21, 2017

The Other Side of Freedom, by Cynthia T. Toney, earns the Literary Classics Seal of Approval



Sal Scaviano is a teenaged boy growing up during the days of prohibition.  His family hails from Italy and has settled in a town called Freedom.  Their life in the new country represents all his family has worked and sacrificed for to offer hope for a greater future.  The Scavianos have worked hard to grow their small farming business.  They are not wealthy, in fact, at times they've had to do without.  But they have earned the respect of those in their community and in their field of work.

One day Sal overhears an argument between his father and uncle, and a gang of Italian mobsters.  It seems there's money to be made in bootlegging now that prohibition is in place.  The mobsters need local connections and want to involve Sal's family.  Despite his family's resistance, they are forced into the mobster's scheme and when they do the results are devastating.  Sal and his best friend, Antonina, do their best to clear his family's name.  But doing so proves to be more challenging than they ever could have imagined.

Author Cynthia T. Toney has crafted a riveting coming of age novel which skillfully blends this tale with the historical elements of that era.  As the young man struggles with knowing whom he can and cannot trust he learns the blurred lines between right and wrong are not always so easy to discern. Toney's The Other Side of Freedom is a powerful story that will resonate with readers of all ages.  Recommended for home and school libraries.

LITERARY CLASSICS Book Awards & Reviews International Book Awards • Top Honors Youth Book Awards • Seal of Approval http://www.clcawards.org

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Author Spotlight, Paul Haddad



WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME A WRITER?
From a very young age, I loved the touch and smell of books. The promise of a good story. I too liked to tell stories. I loved the challenge of the blank page. I used to staple together blank scratch paper my father brought home from work and create my own “books.” I then filled in the pages, hand-writing stories until I reached the end. It was very empowering and gave me a purpose. It also helped me connect with people who would read my material. To this day, I feel the most complete version of myself is when I’m writing.

WAS THERE A TEACHER OR OTHER MENTOR WHO INFLUENCED YOUR WRITING?
My third-grade teacher – Mrs. Bienlein, at West Hollywood Elementary – was the first teacher to see a sliver of talent in my writing. She liked poetry and encouraged me to write more.

HOW DID YOU GET THE IDEA FOR YOUR AWARD WINNING BOOK?
The book is inspired by true events that happened to me as a 13-year-old at sleepaway camp in the late 1970s. I experienced relentless bullying and never resolved it. I channeled those feelings into this book. The protagonist/victim is able to rise above his tormentor in ways that I never did. It was very cathartic!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LINE FROM YOUR AWARD WINNING BOOK AND WHY?
"Sitting there in my oxygen-depleted state, I cursed myself for not learning how to water-breathe." 
This is a first-person observation from the 13-year-old protagonist, Adam. The reason I like it is because it encapsulates the way a young person often looks to mythical characters for answers. Sitting at the bottom of a pool – into which the camp bully just pushed him – Adam thinks the answer to all his problems could be solved if he was more like Aquaman. This sentence is also emblematic of my book’s tone. Though it deals with a dark subject matter (bullying), the book is punctuated by dry humor, which also helps Adam survive his ordeal.

WHICH OF YOUR CHARACTERS FROM YOUR AWARD WINNING TITLE DO YOU BELIEVE ARE MOST LIKE YOU AND WHY?
Adam, the 13-year-old protagonist. My experience of being bullied at that age left a deep imprint on me and inspired this story.

WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU HOPE READERS WILL GLEAN FROM YOUR AWARD-WINNING BOOK?
You can overcome almost anything in life depending on how you look at it. In Adam’s case, he is ceaselessly bullied at summer camp. But he eventually learns that the best way to not be a victim is to refuse to let one’s identify be defined by one’s tormentor. With this change in mindset, he comes to see the bully as a troubled kid with his own problems. In so doing, Adam replaces fear with courage, cynicism with empathy, and low self-esteem with self-acceptance.

TELL US SOMETHING RANDOM/INTERESTING/FUNNY ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A WRITER:
From the age of 5 to 16, I stapled together blank pages and wrote over 100 books of all kinds. They still exist in a giant footlocker in my garage -- story books, comic books, maze books, even a world atlas about countries that existed only in my head, in that same space where I imagined a wide expanse of readers beyond my own parents. It took awhile, but now, as an adult, I have finally reached those readers! 

IF YOU COULD BE COMPARED TO A WELL-KNOWN AUTHOR WHO WOULD YOU MOST WANT THIS TO BE AND WHY?
Carl Hiaasen. He strikes the perfect balance of humor and pathos, with interesting characters. His books also have strong environmental messages, which resonates with me. 

WHAT BOOK / PERSON / INCIDENT HAS HAD THE GREATEST IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE?
George Lucas and John Irving. When I was 11 years old, I saw “Star Wars” for the first time. Its thrilling, fantastical world set in outer space promised limitless possibilities of storytelling; it changed my life. But the movie/book that made me want to be a writer was “The World According to Garp.” I saw the movie three times and read John Irving’s book twice when I was 16. I liked that it was about a daydreaming, aspiring author who yearned to touch people with his words. It was the first time I thought that perhaps I could truly write for a living.

IF A CLOSE FRIEND OR LOVED ONE WANTED TO WRITE A BOOK, WHAT GREATEST PIECE OF ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THEM?
Follow that old axiom – know thyself. Embrace your voice – it is unique and it’s the one thing you can offer that no one else can. It took me years to realize this. Early on, many people seek to emulate what works for others, but the words come across as hollow and derivative.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR GREATEST LITERARY ACCOMPLISHMENT?
I would have to say this book -- "Skinny White Freak". In addition to receiving various literary awards, I have used it to reach out to middle-schoolers at Los Angeles schools as a cautionary tale about bullying. Also, I drew the book's 60+ illustrations, so it's really cool to see my drawings accompanying the text!
TELL US SOMETHING PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT YOU THAT THEY MIGHT FIND INTERESTING:
My “day job” is as a documentary writer and director for networks like Discovery, National Geographic Channel and Science Channel. Recently, I took a job overseeing AMC’s “Walking Dead” after-show, “Talking Dead.” So, yes, zombies are part of my life, too.

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR ASPIRING AUTHORS?
You will never find the “perfect” writing environment. Even if you do, it’s unrealistic to expect that you can always access it in your busy life. So learn to write anywhere. On a plane, on a train, on a bus, in a noisy restaurant, in a beanbag in your kid’s room as they’re reading a book. I’ve even written on my iPhone while waiting at the DMV. If I didn’t block out distractions, nothing would get done! 

WHAT OTHER BOOKS HAVE YOU PUBLISHED? 
I have published three other books. One of them is a YA novel called "Aramid", about a humanistic girl robot whose high school creators remove her “morality” chip in order to fulfill their own agendas. The other two are non-fiction books. All are available on Amazon. To find out more or to purchase: www.paulhaddadbooks.com



DO YOU HAVE ANY NEW BOOKS IN THE WORKS?
Yes! I have a five-part book series I would like to write and get published, along the lines of “The Da Vinci Code” saga. It deals with the greatest conspiracy in the history of the United States – perhaps the world. How’s that for a tease? 

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH OUR READERS?
Reading is divine. Writing is divinity. 
“Divine” is a word that also means “excellent, delightful.” For example, a mouthwatering brownie can be called “divine.” Reading can be divine. But writing has a spiritual element to it. Because you are creating the words (and worlds) that readers will read and inhabit, you assume a God-like role. But more than that, writing consumes my soul. For me, it’s the closest I can feel to the highest form of self, achieving an inner-peace akin to experiencing divinity.  

LITERARY CLASSICS Book Awards & Reviews International Book Awards • Top Honors Youth Book Awards • Seal of Approval http://www.clcawards.org

Saturday, December 9, 2017

The Pandora Device, by Joyce McPherson, earns the Literary Classics Seal of Approval


Stella, a sixth grade girl, has been raised by her grandmother ever since the death of her parents when she was very young. One day while looking through some of her grandmother’s hoarded treasures Stella finds an old keepsake box which belonged to her mother. Inside, she discovers items from a summer camp which her mother had attended. Stella investigates and learns the camp is still in operation.  She subsequently applies for, and is granted, a scholarship to attend. Soon after she begins receiving strange notes warning her not to look into her parent’s past. Undeterred, she forges on and seeks out any information she might be able to learn about her parents.

The Pandora Device is an engaging adventure with the familiar presented in a unique way that will keep readers thoroughly enthralled. Historical tidbits are sprinkled throughout with references to many well-known, and some more obscure, characters of note. The action is swift-moving and the events are delightfully unexpected. This funny, scary, adventurous and intriguing novel has much to offer readers of all ages.  Preteens will devour this story and will find the campers’ challenges to be highly relatable.

The Pandora Device is highly recommended for home and school libraries and has earned the Literary Classics Seal of Approval.

LITERARY CLASSICS Book Awards & Reviews International Book Awards • Top Honors Youth Book Awards • Seal of Approval http://www.clcawards.org

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Eloquent Quill Recipient on his Top Honors Award Winning Book



WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME A WRITER?
The thought of putting a smile on a reader’s face.

WAS THERE A TEACHER OR OTHER MENTOR WHO INFLUENCED YOUR WRITING - PLEASE ELABORATE:
My co-author, Jim McGuiggan of Belfast, Northern Ireland, is the author of 20 to 30 books. The depth of his wisdom and the engaging style in which he presents his wisdom has always captivated me. When I write, I try to write like Jim.

HOW DID YOU GET THE IDEA FOR YOUR AWARD WINNING BOOK?
Reading the story of the green children of Woolpit in a magazine on Scottish history and thinking I could turn it into a sort of Celtic Wizard of Oz.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LINE FROM YOUR AWARD WINNING BOOK AND WHY?
"It's true that in this world there are Scrums who do terrible things. But there are other folk who do honorable and lovely things, and among the finest of these is this: they come offering their hand and heart in friendship and having come, they stay all their life through." My friends, to paraphrase Lincoln, are some of my greatest treasures. To write a story extolling the glory and richness of friendship seemed like a worthy endeavor.

WHICH OF YOUR CHARACTERS FROM YOUR AWARD WINNING TITLE DO YOU BELIEVE ARE MOST LIKE YOU AND WHY?
Ennis or Orin, Scrum's (the bad guy’s) henchmen. Both are bumblers, which I tend to be.

WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU HOPE READERS WILL GLEAN FROM YOUR AWARD WINNING BOOK?
There are times in life when we need friends who are courageous and who love us enough to be courageous on our behalf.

TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A WRITER:
Something random: encountering kids in public who have read my book or heard me read it, and making a fuss about knowing me. I love that.

IF YOU COULD BE COMPARED TO A WELL-KNOWN AUTHOR WHO WOULD YOU MOST WANT THIS TO BE AND WHY?
G. K. Chesterton. I cannot touch the hem of Chesterton’s garment in terms of originality and genius, but Chesterton never took himself too seriously and was a big kid at heart. No one is more boring to me than the one who can’t see the humor in life and takes him- or herself too seriously.

WHAT BOOK / PERSON / INCIDENT HAS HAD THE GREATEST IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE?
There are too many to mention, but one of my earliest influences in terms of children’s fantasy literature was the Teenie Weenies books by William Donahey.

HOW DID YOU FIND AN AGENT / GET PUBLISHED?
I sent out a couple hundred e-mails seeking an agent, without success. So I self-published.

IF A CLOSE FRIEND OR LOVED ONE WANTED TO WRITE A BOOK, WHAT GREATEST PIECE OF ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THEM?
If it’s an illustrated book, their biggest challenge will be finding an artist who can portray their vision at a price they can afford.

CAN YOU OFFER ANY ADVICE FOR WRITERS ON HOW BEST TO PROMOTE THEIR BOOK?
I don’t think I’ve done too well in this category. I’ve mainly relied on Facebook, word of mouth, and sales at some local craft shows.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR GREATEST LITERARY ACCOMPLISHMENT?
I’ve written a book on the resurrection called The Gospel Argument for God that has gone through several editions. I’ve also written a commentary on the Gospel of Matthew that is soon to appear as a revised edition.

WHAT ARE YOUR GREATEST LITERARY ASPIRATIONS?
At this point in life, to write on some other Biblical subjects.

TELL US SOMETHING PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT YOU THAT THEY MIGHT FIND INTERESTING:
The Green Children has been turned into a musical play, which had its world premiere in Champaign, Illinois, in September 2017. The play is a bigger story than the book, with more characters and a more developed plot. We’ve put together an outstanding cast (all the principals are from the Lyric Theatre program at the University of Illinois). There’s no business like show business!

WHAT OTHER BOOKS HAVE YOU PUBLISHED?
Ol’ Pigtoes (prairie-papers.com)
The Gospel Argument for God (currently out of print)
Commentary on Matthew (DeWard Publishing)

DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH OUR AUDIENCE?
Parents have asked me if my children’s stories are scary. Of course they are! But children like being a little scared. C. S. Lewis, in a lecture on writing children’s stories, said: "Since it is likely that children will meet with cruel enemies in life, let them at least have heard of brave knights and heroic courage.” There are no knights in my story, but there are brownies, gnomes, and hobgolins who are loving and courageous. Maybe my tale will, in some small way, encourage courage and love in all who read it.

LITERARY CLASSICS Book Awards & Reviews International Book Awards • Top Honors Youth Book Awards • Seal of Approval http://www.clcawards.org

Thursday, November 9, 2017

Author Spotlight - Regina Puckett on her award-winning book



WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME A WRITER?
I’ve wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember. I don’t know that it was any one thing that made want to be one. I just knew that it had to be the most exciting thing in the world to be able to make people, laugh, cry or make someone want to be one of your characters for however long you had their attention.

WAS THERE A TEACHER OR OTHER MENTOR WHO INFLUENCED YOUR WRITING?
 I’m not certain if anyone in my life, parent, sibling or teacher ever thought I would ever make anything out of my life. I was raised during an era when most didn’t expect a woman to be more than a wife, mother or if you were lucky enough, a teacher.

HOW DID YOU GET THE IDEA FOR YOUR AWARD WINNING BOOK?
I saw a wonderful photo I wanted to use as a book cover. I had never written a Steampunk book, so I had to do tons of research before I could begin writing, but I was determined to give this new genre my best shot.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LINE FROM YOUR AWARD WINNING BOOK AND WHY?
“I will breathe enough for you, if you will love enough for me.”

WHICH OF YOUR CHARACTERS FROM YOUR AWARD WINNING TITLE DO YOU BELIEVE ARE MOST LIKE YOU AND WHY?
There are many similarities between Liberty and me. We both are cranky and foul-mouthed but we are also good-hearted people.

WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU HOPE READERS WILL GLEAN FROM YOUR AWARD WINNING BOOK?
That love can change the world.

WHAT BOOK / PERSON / INCIDENT HAS HAD THE GREATEST IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE?
Gone With the Wind – it was the first book that drew me into the story so much that I never wanted it to end.

IF A CLOSE FRIEND OR LOVED ONE WANTED TO WRITE A BOOK, WHAT GREATEST PIECE OF ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THEM?
Writing is hard work, but you must never give up.

CAN YOU OFFER ANY ADVICE FOR WRITERS ON HOW BEST TO PROMOTE THEIR BOOK?
I find Twitter to be a great way to connect with new readers and other writers.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR GREATEST LITERARY ACCOMPLISHMENT?
Finishing my first book and my last book. I have a hundred works published and I’m just as proud of the last one as I was the first. Writing takes patience and determination. You have to be willing to dream even when no one else believes in you.

WHAT ARE YOUR GREATEST LITERARY ASPIRATIONS?
My greatest aspiration was to become a writer and my next is to get better and better at my craft.

TELL US SOMETHING PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT YOU THAT THEY MIGHT FIND INTERESTING:
My greatest joys are my daughters and four grandchildren.

DO YOU HAVE ANY NEW BOOKS IN THE WORKS?
I just finished writing my third regency romance. I planned six in this series and hope to have my Closed series completed by the end of 2018.

Enclosed in This Heart will be available to purchase on Amazon in late fall of 2017 on Amazon.
I have several books and short stories available on Amazon. Please stop by my author page and check them out. I write romance, horror, poetry, steampunk and I write and illustrate children’s picture books.


LITERARY CLASSICS Book Awards & Reviews International Book Awards • Top Honors Youth Book Awards • Seal of Approval http://www.clcawards.org

Thursday, November 2, 2017

Author Lynne Stringer on her award-winning book






WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME A WRITER?
I have always loved creating stories and wrote my first book when I was eight. It was only a few pages long. During my teenage years, I tried to write some full-length manuscripts but it wasn’t until I was in my twenties that I managed to finish one. About that time, I became a journalist so that was my writing focus for the next few years before I returned to novels. Not long after that, my debut novel was published. 

HOW DID YOU GET THE IDEA FOR YOUR AWARD WINNING BOOK?
In Once Confronted, my protagonist is the victim of an armed robbery. I too have been the victim of an armed robbery. In fact, the manuscript that became Once Confronted I originally wrote when in my twenties, about six years after the incident. I don’t know if it was written in an effort to recover from it or if I just enjoyed putting my protagonist through the same pain I’d been through. However, rewriting it was harder than I imagined!


WHICH OF YOUR CHARACTERS FROM YOUR AWARD WINNING TITLE DO YOU BELIEVE ARE MOST LIKE YOU AND WHY?
My protagonist, Madison Craig, is like me in some ways. Her journey through post-traumatic stress disorder was based on my own, so we share that. In many other ways, though, she outshines me. 

WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU HOPE READERS WILL GLEAN FROM YOUR AWARD WINNING BOOK?
That just because a person has done something bad it doesn’t mean they can’t change.

TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A WRITER:
One of my favourite experiences as a writer happened when I was walking my son to school one day. I knew the school’s book club had read my debut novel, The Heir (Verindon #1) but I was surprised when one of the high school students came up to me and said, ‘Are you Lynne Stringer, author of The Heir? I loved your book!’ It was a great moment.




HOW DID YOU GET PUBLISHED?
I was fortunate that, during my time as a journalist, I began to work as an editor as well. Once I left the magazine I worked for I started a professional editing business and went to work for a small publishing house. They taught me a lot more about fiction than I knew at the time and eventually went on to become my publisher! 

IF A CLOSE FRIEND OR LOVED ONE WANTED TO WRITE A BOOK, WHAT GREATEST PIECE OF ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THEM?
Make sure you go to some writing classes and learn the best ways to write first. That way, you can avoid developing bad habits. Also, always get a professional to edit your book after you’re done. You will never find all the problems yourself—you’re too close to the story for that. You need professional eyes on it.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR GREATEST LITERARY ACCOMPLISHMENT?
Winning two Literary Classics silver awards—one for my debut novel, The Heir (Verindon #1) in 2014 and one for Once Confronted this year. 




WHAT OTHER BOOKS HAVE YOU PUBLISHED? 
I have published the Verindon trilogy, a young adult science fiction romance trilogy. 



DO YOU HAVE ANY NEW BOOKS IN THE WORKS?
I am currently working on another science fiction book called Our Own Kind but I think it will be a while before it’s ready. If you want to keep up with progress on it, you can visit my website.



LITERARY CLASSICS Book Awards & Reviews International Book Awards • Top Honors Youth Book Awards • Seal of Approval http://www.clcawards.org