Monday, July 18, 2011

Jim Toner's "The Purity Ring Murders"



Title:The Purity Ring Murders

Publisher: Authorhouse

Cover Blurb: The murder of Marie Chauvet still haunts Gil Leduc three years later. The sixteen year-old accompanies his girlfriend Jan Barrio and her family to Toronto where Jan's father, a Niagara Falls police officer, attends a conference. Gil and Jan hope to spend time with April Ames, an aspiring model.

The two teens agree to meet her one morning at the North York Centre. Upon arrival they hear April scream. Someone dressed like a Shiite Muslim is ready to shoot April. Gil and Jan try to prevent the shooting, but the person shoots at them before shooting April.

Jan tries to save April, but it's too late. Soon another murder follows. As the teens search for the killer, they uncover a few battling questions: Why is Ramona Gonzales, a college friend of Jan's mother, not returning phone calls? Why is Peter Bartholomew, a teacher at the teens' high school who's been accused of inappropriate conduct with minors, really in Toronto? Who is the young man Gil has seen at both the murders of Marie Chauvet and April Ames? Will they find out before it's too late?

1) How did this story come to you?
The story came to me through reading about the modeling industry. It's an industry which promises much, but so many young models end up dead. It's a very competitive industry. I wanted to emphasize the message of sexual purity. The modeling industry is a difficult place for a young lady to remain sexually pure.

Also, we often read in the newspapers or see in the news these days about inappropriate conduct between teachers or coaches and their students. This novel also touches that topic.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
I had previously written Under the Blood, which also features Gil Leduc and Jan Barrio. My readers wanted another book. While writing the book, I changed the title a few times. I also had help from two different writers at Write! Canada.

3) The three things that would surprise my readers the most are as follows:
a) I had a date with the lady who seven years later would get crowned Miss Buffalo 1995.
b) Aerosmith was once my favorite rock band.
c) In kindergarten I could name all presidents from George Washington to Richard Nixon in order.

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I'm currently working on the third novel in the Gil Leduc series. I'm also writing some short stories.

5) Parting comments?
I wouldn't want to write any other type of fiction, but YA fiction. It's challenging, yet fun.

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
My fans can contact me at JimToner6@aol.com. I'm also at www.filedby.com/JimToner  and www.Facebook.com/jim.toner1

Beth Trissel's "Into the Lion's Heart"


Title: Into the Lion’s Heart


Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, is debuting a new historical series this summer called Love Letters. Authors were invited to participate and my story will launch the line, so I’m doubly honored. The premise behind Love Letters is that a letter must be the cause of bringing–or throwing–the hero and heroine together.

Cover blurb: As the French Revolution rages, the English nobility offer sanctuary to many a refugee. Captain Dalton Evans arrives in Dover to meet a distant cousin, expecting to see a spoiled aristocrat. Instead, he's conquered by the simplicity of his new charge. And his best friend Thomas Archer isn't immune to her artless charm, either.

Cecile Beaumont didn't choose to travel across the Channel. And she certainly didn't expect that impersonating her own mistress would introduce her to a most mesmerizing man. Now she must play out the masquerade, or risk life, freedom – and her heart.

1) How did this story come to you?
The connection I feel to the past and those who’ve gone before me is the ongoing inspiration behind my work. I come from a lot of well documented English/Scots-Irish ancestors, with a smidgen of French in the meld, a Norman knight who sailed with William the Conqueror. One line of the family goes back to Geoffrey Chaucer, all fascinating and compelling to me. With Into the Lion’s Heart, my first English historical, I more deeply explored my British ancestry. I’ve also always had an interest in the French Revolution. I’m a big Scarlet Pimpernel fan.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
After my editor, Nicole Darienzo, the senior historical editor for The Wild Rose Press, asked me to contribute a story for Love Letters, I spent a lot of time at work on it. At 24,000 words, Into the Lion’s Heart is an easy but satisfying read and the required length for the line. However, I did as much research for it as I would a full novel.

2) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
If they follow my blog, little may surprise them. I’m an armchair adventurer, fascinated with authentic colonial muskets, tomahawks, and other weapons of that era, including swords. I want to write a pirate adventure, but don’t know when.

3) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
Right now, I’m writing the sequel to my Native American historical romance novel Through the Fire. This novel will be the third in my colonial frontier trilogy, assuming my editor likes it. The second is my Native American historical romance novel Red Bird’s Song. After that, I intend to finish the sequel to my light paranormal time/travel romance, Somewhere My Lass. My paranormal editor would appreciate my getting that done.  I write for two lines at The Wild Rose Press and have two editors.

4) Parting comments?
“Courage dear heart.” ~A quote by Aslan from C. S. Lewis’s The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, a favorite book. Looking for Narnia is what inspired my time travel ‘Somewhere’ series.

5) Where can fans find you on the internet?
My blog is the happening place and links you to my website: One Writer’s Way at: http://bethtrissel.wordpress.com/

Available August 17

Register to win a $10 Amazon gift card & reaching out to young adults...


Our new sister blog is now live. I'm honored to have Ashe Slattery as my first guest blogger. Come on over and visit and be sure and register to win a $10 Amazon gift card by naming the hero in my upcoming Zoe Mack mystery series. Visit us today at http://zoe-mack.blogspot.com/

Also, I'm looking for young adults to interview on the Zoe Mack blog. I'm open to anything they'd like to talk about from a Christian world view, including books, guys, or just life as a young adult in general. (I'm open to older bloggers who are young at heart.) Come join us today at Zoe Macks' blog and show sweet Ashe Slattery your support! http://zoe-mack.blogspot.com/

Interview with Barbara M. Britton and spotlight of Lioness...

We're happy to have Barbara M. Britton with us talking about her book Lioness . To learn more about her and Lioness, please read o...