Julius Thompson "Ghost of Atlanta", "Purple Phantoms" and More

Author Julius Thompson

Meet author Julius Thompson at the Decatur Book Festival. He will be a presenter on the Local Prose State at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel, speaking on Saturday, September lst, 2012 at 4:45 PM. His talk will last approx twenty minutes and include a brief Q/A session.

Visit Julius Thompson's author page on Amazon and see all his books.

Mr. Thompson’s journey to compose a trilogy began in 1995. The fourteen year fictional journey of character Andy Michael Pilgrim, from Brooklyn to Philadelphia, and finally Atlanta, is now complete. The novels that make up the trilogy are: A Brownstone in Brooklyn, published in 2001; Philly Style and Philly Profile in 2007; and Ghost of Atlanta, in January 2011.

Mr. Thompson won the 2011 Readers Favorite National Gold Medal Award in General Fiction for Ghost of Atlanta. He also received the Georgia Author of the Year nominatin for Philly Style and Philly Profile, from the Georgia Writer’s Association, in 2007, and Ghost of Atlanta in 2011.

Purple Phantoms, Mr. Thompson’s fourth novel, is the story about the haunting of a mythical high school basketball team, published by Passionate Writer Publishing in 2012. Purple Phantoms earns 5-Star Book Review. "Five ghosts - basketball players whose lives were cut short - return to haunt five basketball starters to help them try to win the coveted State Championship."

A fifth novel is currently underway,  Chasing The Wind.

Something no one knows about you!

   

I was a sports reporter for the Philadelphia Bulletin in the seventies and wrote stories about a young high school basketball star named J.B. (Jelly Bean) Bryant. He's the father of the Los Angeles Lakers NBA superstar Kobie Bryant. J.B. was as talented, but grew up in a different era and didnt' receive the recognition like his son.

Writing Tidbit:

Early in a novel create a "Thumbnail Characterization", which is a short passage that introduces a person in the story: 1. Briefly describing the person physically (external); 2. Giving us a quick sense of the person's personality or character (internal); and 3. treating us to a piece of dialogue that reveals something about the character. This is usually  under 90 words and is a great way to introduce the character. It is a quick way to introduce the character to the reader without a lot of backstory.

Why I write:

In my novels, I want the reader to experience places that are filled with hopes, dreams, challenges, and fears that make us human!

Links:

Author's Website

Books Website

Purchase the trilogy. (A Brownstone In Brooklyn, Philly Style, Philly Profile)

Purchase Ghost Of Atlanta

Julius Thompson is a Redan High English teacher and instructor at Evening at Emory University.

You Tube Book Interview!

Margaret A. Millmore "Doppelganger Experiment"

Buy On Amazon!

The book: Doppelganger Experiment

After more than four weeks in a coma, Jane woke up to find several things wrong; she didn’t remember the last three years, she was married to a man she didn’t know, and frightening dreams were infiltrating her sleep. But were they dreams or memories? As she struggles to recapture a life she doesn’t remember she discovers clues that lead to flashes of memories and the discovery of horrific experiments that end in murder... and something worse than murder.  A psychological thriller based in San Francisco.

Reviews:

Nothing is more exciting than a good review, it lifts your spirits and justifies all the hard work you put into your novel. However, there are always bad reviews, and they can be devastating… if you let them…

For the first few months after DE was published, I was receiving 4 and 5 star reviews, pure heaven. But then I began to receive some ‘not so good’ reviews, needless to say it was pretty disheartening. I think as human beings, it’s instinctual to lay blame on anyone but ourselves, after reading the reviews, I wanted to do just that. But I couldn’t, I wrote the book, I made the mistakes and they were mine, I owned them and it was up to me to fix them. I did the only thing I could think of.

In February 2012 my publisher and I pulled the book and we revised and re-edited it. It was a humbling experience, but I think I’ve learned a great deal from it, and I hope it’s made me a better writer.

About me:

I was born and raised in Southern California and moved to San Francisco in 1991. I currently reside there with my husband.  I am the grandniece of Irish author Benedict Kiely and the second cousin of Irish author Sharon Owens. Learn more at www.margaretmillmore.com.

Upcoming release:

The Four (A Series)

They do exist and they always have. They live, love, and work amongst us and they are part of us. But they are different too, they are stronger and they live longer. They are the topic of many books, movies and myths, but their existence remains a secret, not everyone would accept them. And like us, they have those that are simply evil. Keeping these evil ones under control is the price they must pay to continue the lives they love. They must protect their human brethren from the Dark Ones, those that would rather kill than preserve.

Century after century the good battled the Dark Ones, always prevailing and preserving the lives of their beloved humans. In the 17^th century, two powerful Dark leaders emerged, they organized their forces and a bitter war ensued. It was a fight to the death and the good thought they’d won. Four warriors led the battle, four warriors whose strength was beyond anything they knew, four warriors whose legacy had to be preserved…

The good formed a consortium and with the help of a powerful sorcerer, a spell was cast; a spell that would follow the warriors’ lineage in case their power was needed again. The warriors are long dead, but their heirs are not, and now they must fight. The Dark Ones have re-emerged, they are more powerful, more resourceful and they want to control mankind and the world. Book 1 – The Beginning will be released in late August of 2012; thus far there are four books in the series. I’ll be updating my website with more information soon.

Author's Web

Facebook

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Linkedin

What they are saying about "Doppelganger Experiment" on Amazon:

"I live in SF and I absolutely loved the details of the city, I have been to just about every place mentioned in the book and the author did a great job of capturing the vibe of this great city."

"I have to admit that I love a good thriller, and this one had just enough psychological suspense to keep me up long into the night to finish the book. I couldn't put it down. When Jane wakes up in the hospital, she's lost four years of her life. From that moment, she's faced with returning memories and mysteries, and she finds that not everyone in her life is who they seem to be. Ms. Millmore very skillfully places enough doubt and hope around her characters to keep you guessing up to the end, and she also paints a vivid picture of the confusion and fear Jane feels from the start. "

Learn more about the author with these links!

Savannah Page "When Girlfriends Break Hearts"

Thank you so very much, Barbara, for inviting me to be a part of Book Talk today. On good 'ol Friday the 13th!

I’m excited to be a part of this fun community and would like to say “hey there!” to all your readers, and send out a thank you for dropping by.

Before I share my piece I’ve prepared for Book Talk, I’d like to introduce myself.

Author Savannah Page

I’m Savannah Page, a self-published indie author living in Berlin, Germany. I’m originally from sunny southern California, but somehow I wound up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for college. And even more strangely, I met my German husband in Oklahoma. He was doing a study abroad thing in the U.S., I happened to work in the study abroad office… Short story: We met. Fell in love. Got married. Then about two and a half years ago my husband was offered a job in Berlin so off we went! Adventure in store!

Now I’m an American expat living in Germany’s capital and I absolutely love it! When I’m not working at my day job blogging for a dear friend and florist from Tulsa, I’m writing. I wrote and self-published my first book last year, Bumped to Berlin—a personal narrative-style book about my expatriate every-day-life adventures over here. It was truly a 100% indie endeavor and I’m looking forward to actually rolling out a revised, 2^nd edition some point this year, hopefully. And, I recently self-published When Girlfriends Break Hearts, my first chick lit, or, contemporary women’s fiction piece.

So without further ado here’s my piece for Book Talk. I hope you enjoy!

Friday the 13^th: Are You Friggatriskaidekaphobic?

Friday the 13^th. What does that even mean? And, does it even mean anything other than a simple denotation of a day and a date of any given week and month?

As I always do when I have a question about some mild topic that I don’t think requires much vehement research, I head on over to Wikipedia—usually “googling” the word or phrase or question and finding myself at, you guessed it, Wikipedia.

According to this thinks-it-knows-it-all site, “Friday the 13^th” is only labeled as a superstitious day because long ago some scaredy cat decided that Friday was an “unlucky day,” and an even more scaredy cat decided that the number thirteen was to be deemed an “unlucky number.”

And, a fun little factoid to add to this Wikipedia search: What do you call the fear of Friday the 13^th? Friggatriskaidekaphobia (Yikes! I’m scared of the phobia’s name!)

You know what I have to say to Friggatriskaidekaphobia? I say, “Isn’t every day Friday the 13^th?” As in, “Isn’t it every day that I have something freaky happening to me?” At least something that leaves me scratching my head, going, “Why me? Why-oh-why me?”

See, I’m what the Germans call a Tollpatsch. That’s just a funny-sounding word for a klutz—an accident-prone woman who has her head in the clouds half the time and forgets all about the concept of depth perception and attention to one’s surroundings. And what do I say to Tollpatsch? I say, “I’m a writer. It’s what I do.”

I stub my toes on the furniture not because the furniture magically moves. (Seriously; toys may come alive, but not furniture. Toys do because Toy Story should have all taught us what we considered as children. Our dolls and Slinkies and army men do indeed have lives of their own when we’re not watching.)

I hit my head on the open kitchen cupboards not because I forgot I opened them before I decided something on the floor suddenly deserved my attention.

I slam my fingers in drawers not because my reflexes are slow.

I trip over sidewalk cracks, I bump my shoulder on door frames, I run into the edge of the bed not because I’m a dope. (All right, I guess sometimes that argument could be made.)

No, I’m a Tollpastch doing tollpatschig things because I’m a writer and my head is often in some alternate universe. I’d like to think I’m a pretty self-conscious and aware person. Always look left, right, then left again before crossing the street and always hand knives and scissors pointing in the correct position. But oftentimes I’m just so caught up in my little make believe world that I forget about those corners and coffee tables and doors.

Currently, my head is off in Seattle watching/writing the lives of six amazing women unfold as they deal with some dramatic, some fun, and some life-altering experiences together. My recent novel and first chick lit, When Girlfriends Break Hearts, is the first in what I’m planning to be a six- or seven-book series. It’s about a band of best mates—six amazing women—who found friendship with one another in college and are still, years and years later, great friends.

They have their ups, their downs, their dramatic moments and their blasé times, their battles and their peacetime. They have their lives and they’re all inextricably entwined. They have their stories and each one must be told so, that’s precisely what I’m doing. And I’m having a blast (and doing tollpatschig things) doing it.

Sometimes, as many writers I am sure can attest, I get so caught up in my fictitious characters and their fictitious worlds that I actually forget that these people are not real. They’re figments of my imagination. But the best thing is that I get to breathe into life these “people,” these stories, via the written word. It’s been my dream for years to be a writer and thanks so self-publishing, this indie author world, and each and every reader out there who picks up a self-published book from a no-name writer like myself, I am able to do what I love and (the best part) I get to share it!

I’m currently working on the second installment of my When Girlfriends series and boy-oh-boy does it have my head 5,000 miles away from Berlin (or 8,100 kilometres if you wish) and over in Seattle. The drama is juicy, the storyline is fresh, the characters are becoming more and more developed, the dialogue is a blast to write, re-read, and even edit, and, well, golly-jee-willackers, I’m just delighted to share it with you this autumn!

Until then, I’ll have to leave you with the first installment, When Girlfriends Break Hearts, if you wish. And I’ll be getting back to the drawing board (yup, actually have one—but I guess it should be called a writing board with a bunch of arrows and chicken scratch scrawled on it). And I guess I best keep a lookout for all those oopsies that always happen to me, regardless of the day or date, because my head is constantly off in Creative Writing Land.

Friday the 13^th: Have you got me in your clutches today? Why naturally! As you do every day.

Here’s to a fabulous Friday, and 13^th of the month to everyone,  Friggatriskaidekaphobics and the rest of you!

About the book "When Girlfriends Break Hearts":

A novel about the bonds of friendship, the power of forgiveness, and the lessons you learn when you let go. Available on in paperback on Amazon and e-book on Kindle.

Sophie Wharton doesn’t like losing control, especially of her life. She’s always been the girl who’s kept it together—the girl with a charming boyfriend, a lively social life, and plans to start her own bakery. Life is great for Sophie a few years out of college in Seattle…or so she thinks. Then a series of events start to turn Sophie’s perfectly ordered world upside down. After three years, her boyfriend suddenly decides to call it quits. Her close camaraderie of girlfriends is starting to fall apart. Secrets are exposed. And when she thinks things couldn’t get any worse, Sophie learns that one of her friends is fighting a devastating battle. Now living with her best friend Claire, Sophie struggles with learning to forgive or forget those who break hearts, while trying to accept that there are some situations she cannot control. But is there still a light at the end of the tunnel? Can a girl find the “good” in the “bad”?

This is a heartfelt story about what happens when friendships take different paths and when life doesn’t exactly go according to plan. It’s a story about betrayal, forgiveness, acceptance, and letting go. About what happens when girlfriends break hearts.

Links:

Author's website and blog

Facebook Author Page

Goodreads Author

Buy at Amazon paperback or e-book, Kindle

Twitter-- @Savannah_Page

Can't peek inside here, but link to Kindle and take a look!

 

Wig Nelson "Sirens" and "The First Church Of Siren"

Author Wig Nelson has written six novels and The Little Shop Of Lyrics. The poster is a composition of the author's photo and his book covers. Today Wig talks about the two books currently in his Sirens series.  Special book offer below.

Check out The Little Shop of Lyrics, on writing song lyrics and musical compositions, after the Sirens series info.  Check the author's website for additional information on his books. Learn more about Wig's music at his online music shop, Wiggymusic.

The First Church of Siren

This second book in the Sirens series is a fast-paced, action-packed, sci-fi adventure, which takes place on three planets: Earth, Siren, and Preculis.

After making the decision to join an exodus back to their home planet in the first book of the series, Sirens, the sirens from Earth were enjoying a heroes’ welcome on Siren until they realized something was missing in their lives. They prayed for the answer and found that indeed what was missing was prayer, which had been banished to The Monopole Valley on Siren centuries ago.

Unfortunately, outward display of emotion be it public or private, was looked down upon as well. Love was also limited to the primitives of The Monopole Valley.

The Earth sirens once again enlist the help of their benefactor, Grand Master Phodan of Preculis, to help them relocate their church to Earth on a lake in central Florida, where they hope to worship free of religious persecution. However, Earth has bigotry of its own with which they will have to deal. Regardless of the planet you’re on, religious intolerance is a part of history that seems doomed to repeat itself.

Author’s Note on First Church

First Church is the sequel to the novel Sirens and was an absolute joy to write.  I became a fan of my own work and finished 85,000 words in thirty-one days.  My wife nearly killed me for doing so because the first book, Sirens, put me in the hospital for eight days with a DVT (deep vein thrombosis).  The doctor told me it should have killed me, but I told him not to worry, I hadn't finished the book yet.

I got to put myself on another world and take a good look around at the conflicts that mirror our own here on the planet Earth.  If I had to choose an overall theme of these books, I would have to sum it up as intolerance.  Religious intolerance raises its ugly head in many venues, as does racial intolerance, as well as intellectual intolerance.  In a word, bigotry.  It has been such a friend to writers throughout time, from Mary Shelley to Harper Lee.  Bigotry is an easy tool to wield giving motivation to the characters and evoking sympathy from the readers. They can identify with injustices and get a sense of satisfaction when the bad guy gets his due.  We all love a good villain and in the case of First Church, it happens to be the people of Siren.  Their society is very cerebral and peaceful with plenty of sex, unlike the poor Vulcans of Star Trek.  However, what the society of Siren didn't have was love or religion.  When the sirens of Earth returned home to the origin of their ancestors, they thought they would fit right in and their values would be accepted.  Not so.  They found the need for another exodus back to Earth to establish their church.  They perform miracles with a kind of collective faith healing, but little do they know, it often comes about with the efforts of the two most powerful characters, Durbah Purness and Grand Master Phodan. Phodan actually cures a sixteen-year-old girl of SIV, Siren immunodeficiency virus.  When she comes to Earth, Phodan leaves a clone of her to pacify her parents on Siren, but that doesn't protect her from the desperate factions on Earth who covet her precious blood with its miraculous antibodies.  That's an intriguing scenario to write about.  Look for it in the third book, The Return of the Priestess.  I haven't finished that one yet. 

Another really imaginative thing to write about is the Monopole Valley. A monopole is a magnet with only one charge, be it positive or negative. Since like charges repel, you can gather together some charged matter and make belts to wear that allow you to fly. It has a down side, though: it is highly addictive. Fliers pass up food and even sex for a change to fly over the valley.

Finally, another noteworthy device in the series is the space/time exchange chamber. Since no two objects can occupy the same space without canceling each other out and causing a galaxy-wide colossal explosion, teleportation is not only dangerous, it’s impossible. It is, however, possible to isolate a fixed area in space and exchange it with an identical fixed area over long distances on a sub light-speed blue colored beam of light. We just haven’t invented it yet. That was fun, too.

I hope you enjoy the Sirens series, and I hope I can finish the third book and avoid any more future blood clots from sitting in this damned chair!

Sirens

Nearly five-thousand years ago, twelve sirens were sent to Earth from the Planet Siren to do two things: protect the precious secret that Earth has a sister planet located at L-3, the LaGrange point on the opposite side of Earth's sun, and use their powerful pheromones and incredible beauty to be a constant force of disruption in order to thwart the spiritual development of mankind.  Mankind has a hostile nature due to the gamma waves caused by an exploding star that resulted from the climax of the Xeries - Preculis war.  Preculis won the war and assumed the responsibility of protecting Siren from their war-like sister planet. They sent the sirens to Earth.  In the twenty-first century, their number grew to four hundred and eighty-six souls and a curious thing happened.  The gamma waves bathed Earth once again.  This time, the sirens all of a sudden became aware of their true origins, which were hidden from them by their handlers called sensors.

The sensors recruited the sirens into their ranks at the age of sixteen and gave them unconscious agendas during their bi-yearly retreats to lavish health spas.  After lounging in the baths for two days, the crystals in the water suspended their awareness of the retreats and they went about their lives with a hidden agenda.

Once they learned of their home planet, they were given the choice to travel there or remain on Earth. Four hundred of them completed the exodus out of Egypt to a new land. History repeats itself.

Author’s Note on Sirens:

I began writing Sirens way back in 2003.  I wrote the first sixty pages and then put it down.  Seven years later, I picked it back up when I finally realized what it was all about.  The basic theme is that mankind has always and will always use his advantage over others to gain the upper hand.  Mankind has a hostile nature that began with the story of Cain and Abel.  I had to ask myself . . . Why?  What for?  Why not peace? Peace . . . what a ridiculous notion.  The monkeys in 2001 A Space Odyssey would no doubt respond: Peace . . . what for?  Not when we can gain an advantage over our fellow man.  Is it oil?  What do you have that I want?  That's what humanity is all about.  Well, I wanted to give us an excuse.  It was the gamma rays.  Otherwise, we would be peaceful as lambs.  We would be as benign as our sister planet Siren, but think of the impending risk of occupying a solar system with such a war-like species as man. Best to hide your identity.  But what about when man achieves space travel?  How do you hide yourself then? Obviously, with The Great Shield.  That was a curious invention.  The planet Siren, with the help of their benefactors the Preculians, had about five thousand years to construct the shield.  It consisted of eight satellites in orbit around Siren completing a cube of photo-reflective planes rendering the planet invisible. But what about the planet's magnetic signature? That had to be rendered neutral with a series of iron-gas balloons tethered together and strung around the entire planet in a counter rotation around its axis.  Five thousand years was barely enough time to complete the task, but their very existence was in the balance. An accidental occurrence like an asteroid strike can be averted, but not the intentional attack from a planet that has conquest in her blood.  Mankind is to be feared by all of the wary neighbors in the cosmos.  We can't behave here on Earth, so what makes anyone think we can behave in space?  Which brings us to the moral message of the book.  Sirens is a book about pointing out the insanity of sending up weapons to space.  There is a very private military vehicle which is launched from Cape Canaveral that resembles a small space shuttle.  I have no idea what it is, but I will tell you what it is not.  It is not a manned vehicle.  It is not a satellite used for communication with Earth in any capacity.  It is not a space laboratory conducting experiments in zero gravity like the space station.  It is not something intended to make a few orbits and return to Earth shortly thereafter. (It stays up for nine months.)  So what do you suppose the military is using the XB-37 for to orbit the Earth for nine months at a time and then land at Andrews Air Force Base?

That is the basic story of Sirens. The space/time exchange chamber invented by the Preculians plays a major role in the outcome. I’m sure you can guess what the message is. I’m sure the message will fall on deaf ears, but if we are doing it, it will be a short time until many nations are orbiting mini-space shuttles around the Earth for nine months at a time with no apparent reason for being there. This makes me nervous. That’s why I wrote the book.

The Little Shop Of Lyrics

Visit the website and be surprised!

 Special offer on book purchases for Book Talk readers. Buy autographed copies of any of his books for $10:00 each with free shipping anywhere in the U.S. including Hawaii. Contact the author at his e-mail address and get more information including how to pay with Pay Pal. 

Visit Amazon's Kindle Store for a complete list of the author's books on Kindle.

Mary Gilmartin "Adventures With Easton, The Magical Journey"

Meet The Author

Decatur Book Signing

Eagle Eye Book Shop

SATURDAY – JULY 14, 2012- 1:00 PM

EAGLE EYE BOOK SHOP

2076 N. Decatur Road, Decatur, GA 30033

Available at Eagle Eye Book Shop after the book signing July 14, 2012

Author Mary Gilmartin talks about her debut children's book and her writing experiences today!

About my first book:

The main character, Easton, is what I love most about my book.  I enjoyed writing this book because it took me back to my own childhood.  I had my own adversities to overcome, just like he did in this story.  The beauty of traveling into a magical world created through the eyes of a nine year old when he falls asleep at night is one of the reasons why dreaming is exciting.  However in my story, Easton soon discovers that happiness is actually all around him and that’s when the real magical adventure begins. This is a book for all ages, especially the 9-12 year old.

Book review:

The author's first review was published in the Stone Mountain-Redan Patch, June 9, 2012. Read the full review online. An excerpt below.


Bradley Evans:  In Adventures with Easton, local author Mary Gilmartin takes the adult reader to a place that can only be remembered from dreams or memories. For young readers, it is a place of exciting mysteries, adventure and enjoyment.

About the author:

I live in Atlanta, Georgia near Stone Mountain even though I was born on a hundred acre farm in eastern Tennessee by a midwife. I spent my childhood growing up in the mountains of Western North Carolina before moving to the city.  During those years I was a tomboy who claims to have climbed the tallest tree and shot the straightest arrow.  Those formative years as a child competing against four brothers are great memories. I still have a scar on my left elbow when I fell off my oldest brother’s bicycle when I attempted to ride it backwards.

My life has been one non-stop spiraling journey that continues to excite me. Three years ago was a turning point in my life when I took a creative writing class at Emory University in Atlanta.  Then, suddenly, three months later I found myself unemployed due to the economy. I was no longer part of the corporate world.  That’s when I set up my own office in my home and seriously started writing.  Last year I finished writing a fictional story about a nine year old boy  overcoming his adversities.  My first book “Adventures with Easton, The Magical Journey” debuted this year on June 2, 2012. 

My writing technique: 
 

Most of my ideas for writing come from that exciting database stored inside my head. I sometimes wonder where my vivid imagination comes from, but actually I know.  I am an extremely visual person and can honestly say that I have never had writer’s block. I am inspired by life and everything around me. The stories I write sometimes want to write themselves. The words seem to flow onto the screen when I sit down in front of my computer and start writing. Typing is my preferred method for writing.  Sometimes I will write a story idea that comes to mind on a piece of scratch paper.  This usually gets transcribed, printed and filed to develop later. 

My advice for other writers:

My advice for those who love to write is to "finish" that one story you are passionate about first! That's exactly what I did last year when I selected a storyline about a nine year old I had started but pushed aside to start writing stories. Today, I am happy to say that it is finished and now a published book.

Visit Mary Gilmartin's website to learn more about the author.

Mary Gilmartin

Peggy Mullins "Everybody Loves Ika: One Woman's Memoir Of Her Dog, An American Pit Bull Terrier"

     

"Everybody Loves Ika" available on Amazon, Kindle, and Barnes & Noble. Like Ika's Facebook page! Order an autographed copy from the author's website.

A Note From Barbara, Book Talk Host:

     I hesitated to post a book today, July 4th, because so many are out enjoying the day. Then I decided what better book to showcase than a memoir about an all American dog!  "Everybody Loves Ika" is not only a love story to this beloved pet, but an introduction into the cruel and unspeakable world of dog fighting. It is the author's memoir of healing.

     I don't usually  do reviews on this site, but I loved this book, and memoirs are my favorites. Then you toss in a dog and I'm hooked!

     The first chapter was difficult, for if you don't know the world of dog fighting, it is shocking.  We hear about it, but most of us don't have a clue how hellish it is.

     Peggy Mullins has written a memoir, not only about her life, her beloved dog, but the world of horses. She is an expert horsewoman, dog owner, and an amazing writer.

The Book:

   Abandoned carelessly by her birth mother, Peggy Mullins grew up in a hellish adoptive home with distant, abusive parents who found every opportunity to damp out the tiny glimmers of happiness she managed to cling to in such a cold environment. After surviving two disastrous marriages, struggling to finally earn her degree in psychology, and starting her own marketing business, Peggy found herself emotionally devastated.

     Ika, a beautiful Pit Bull Terrier pup, was spared at the last moment from being born into a similarly hellish life—one where dogs were viciously abused for pleasure, sport, and profit. Though his mother and many of his siblings didn’t make it out of their gruesome home alive, Ika survived thanks to the skilled and compassionate work of a quick-thinking vet and a few big-hearted volunteers.

     In time, Ika found his way to Peggy, who would give him a loving, permanent home in which he would thrive. In return, Ika would teach Peggy the kindness, patience, and unconditional love that had long been absent from her life. In addition to Ika, she acquires several horses, all with their own unique and entertaining personalities that she details warmly in these pages.

     Along with the surprising affection of a special man and a spectacular family of animals, Peggy’s book poignantly guides readers through her difficult journey toward healing and peace.

From The Author, Why I wrote the book:

      There are few things I detest in life. Of the few, the two at the top of my list are animal abuse and prejudice. Any kind of prejudice.

       I wrote “Everybody Loves Ika” because I detest dog fighting and because I know the bad reputation Pit Bull Terriers have in the public eye due to the media coverage they receive. I want to educate people about the horrors that go on in the pit when dogs are forced to fight. My book depicts just how cruel and inhumane it is. It shows the reader the treatment these dogs get before and after a fight. If they live.

       I would like to change people’s minds about this breed also. Pit Bulls are really gentle, loving, and devoted dogs if raised in a nice environment.

       My book addresses these issues, and many more, through the true story of Ika’s life.  The book has something for everyone whether you are a dog lover or not. It is my hope that the words I have written on its pages cause people to take a renewed look at animal cruelty and the breed called the Pit Bull Terrier.  -- Peggy Mullins

About the Author:

Peggy Mullins, B.A. Psychology, George Mason University, lives in Virginia with her husband and has a deep love for horses and dogs. She works as a freelance writer, and "Everybody Loves Ika" is her first book.

Visit the author's website. Keep up with Ika's adventures on his blog. You can contact Peggy Mullins by e-mail.

  

Colorado Fires and Back To The Books Update

On June 26th, I published a post about Jon Renaud and Back to the Books, a shop in Manitou Springs, Colorado, in the shadows of Pikes Peak, dedicated to selling only self-published authors. Jon opened his shop this year. You can view it here . Little did I realize as I was posting about the shop, the shop was in harm's way because of  the horrible fires in Colorado.

When I caught the news later that night, I wrote to Jon to see how he was affected by the fires.


This was his reply:

My home and family are safe but the store was shut down for several days. Yes, the fire got very close and gave us a scare but it looks like the worst of it has passed. We are back open; however, the fires have run all of the tourists out of town so now we are wondering how the summer season is going to go.

Jon Renaud
Owner/Author
Back to the Books
http://www.backtothebooks.net/


My heart went out to Jon who is trying to do so much for self-published authors. I asked if I could share his note as an update. I also want to send a plea out to all authors to show Jon your support (my idea, not his) and visit his online shop. Please pass the word around you can buy books online, so if the tourist season does not come back, perhaps the online shop will keep Jon in business.

He has a wonderful plan in place (before the fire) to sell books on a low comission basis in his shop. I was going to send him several copies of my book, then I got distracted. Now I think I'll send a few comp copies he can sell and not worry about my cut. I'd like to do what I can to support this one-of-a-kind book shop that supports the independent author. I am going to check his online store and buy a book or two.

Perhaps you would like to contact Jon and offer your support in some way.

As authors we need to help each other! Jon's e-mail address is foxxgrp@gmail.com

Visit Back to the Books online shop at http://www.bttbonline.net/.

Please pass this post on to all the authors you know!