Manson: Monster or Myth?

I may catch a lot of flak for this, but what's life without a little controversy?  Was Charles Manson really such a mastermind cult leader?  Or was it just easier to give into the 'hype' at the time and slap that label on him? 

I've just finished reading "Manson: In His Own Words" (co-written by Nuel

Emmons) and found myself fascinated.  It was hard to put down, because I felt as though he was talking to me.  It transported me back to the 60's.  I could see how he became captivating.  All he wanted was to live with his growing group of misfits in peace and love.

If his side is to be believed, the reason for the killings was due to some of the 'other' members getting overly involved with drugs and spinning out of control.  True, he didn't stop them once he knew what was going, but I'm not so sure he was the diabolical mastermind he was portrayed as.

He allowed people to do whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted.  He didn't preach, and certainly not about killing or murder.  He took in anyone who seemed lost in the world and needed a place to belong.  One could argue that's exactly what made them vulnerable to suggestion, but at what point does one take responsibility for their own choices?

If you're like me, and obsessed with true crime and/or 'all things Manson,' I'd highly recommend this book.  Upon completing it, I felt compelled to contact Mr. Manson.  I called Corcoran prison, where he's housed, with every intention of writing to him.  After all, I'm a writer, and it could possibly spawn a book.

After several phone calls, and being bounced around their system, I finally obtained his address.

That's when my husband drew the line and put his foot down, not appreciating the thought of Manson having our address.  Even if I used my work address, he wasn't comfortable with it.  I understand his concern.  Even though Manson is about 80 years old now, his mystique still gives one pause.

I have to admit, the curiosity and intrigue feel overpowering right now, but I've always been impulsive and rarely listen to anyone, even my very wise husband.  In this instance, I will...for NOW...but I'm keeping that contact info on file:)

"Life After Death..."

I just finished reading "Life After Death" by Damien Echols.  If anyone has heard of the "West Memphis Three," he was one of the boys convicted of murder.  A mystery remains as to whether they were guilty or not, and it's a controversial subject.

After watching all three documentaries entitled "Paradise Lost," I came to believe they were innocent and that one of the victims' stepfather is the real killer.

Damien was the only one to be put on death row, and remained there for 18 years.  Rather than going into the entire story, he was just released last year and wrote this book, which I was anxious to read.

A lot of his prose makes him sound like a true poet at heart.  It was insightful and gave the reader a glimpse into his soul and his experience in prison.

I did have a hard time swallowing some of his talks about how badly prisoners are treated, because while he may have been innocent, the higher percentage of prisoners are guilty and belong tucked away from the rest of society.

If you're interested in this case and his story, I would highly recommend it.  My ratings range from 1-5, with 5 being the highest.  I rate this one a solid 4.

"In Death....."

I'm a huge fan of the JD Robb "In Death" series.  Most of you may already know that it's Nora Roberts' alter ego.  Funny, I'm not very fond of her books under that name, as they tend to be romance novels, which aren't my cup of tea.

I'm usually not fond of the futuristic genre either, but the "In Death" series is absolutely engaging!  It's set in a not-so-distant future, where cars can float about in the air, and regular coffee is a rarity.  However, the core of each book is the same - following a tough, no-nonsense cop in New York City.  She's married to a billionaire, but the money doesn't impress her.  She doesn't wear fancy clothes or even fancies socializing.  She's amusingly awkward in social situations, but one heck of a cop!

Because each story mostly centers around her and her quirky friends and co-workers, along with a good, old-fashioned murder mystery, I was sold after the first book.  I've followed it ever since, all through the 35 books that have followed, and continue to do so.  They're full of rich characters that quickly become comfortable.

I suggest starting with the first one, "Naked in Death."  You'll thank me, because you'll be hooked as happily as I am.

You can find the entire series at the link below.  I use this site religiously, as you can search for any author and see their books in order.  Enjoy!  :)

JD ROBB SERIES

Book Review...Lisa Scottoline's latest!

I just finished another entertaining book by Lisa Scottoline.   Her latest is "Best Friends, Occasional Enemies."  It's a collection of essays written by Lisa and her daughter, Francesca.   There are mother/daughter topics and 'every day' topics that everyone can relate to.

I listened to the audio version, so I had the added benefit of listening to each of them tell their own stories.  There's something about an author reading their own book that lends itself to the authenticity for me.  Every inflection, every smile and joke comes through.

I suggest getting ALL of these books for a glimpse into the life of a best-selling author.  She has the same dilemmas as we do.  Personable and approachable, you'll hear about "Mother Mary," which is what Lisa calls her Mom.  She's a character in herself!  And "Brother Frank," her brother.

Whacky and wonderful subjects such as toenail clippings, falling trees, driving in the middle lane, and the love for their dogs (which is ALWAYS a good thing, if you ask me).

My review system goes from 1-5, and this one is definitely a 5!!

Book Review...Ryan O'Neal's book

I've just finished   "Both of Us: My Life with Farrah"   by Ryan O'Neal.

In the audiobook, he narrated himself.  While not the best narrator, tending to pause at the wrong spots in a sentence, it's still nice to hear his book in his own voice.  You can hear & feel the raw emotion.  He's seemingly very candid, and having read both of his daughter, Tatum's, books, I'm sure the truth of their relationship lies somewhere in the middle.

This leaves me with the certainty that his tumultuous love story with Farrah Fawcett outlasted time and even death  For all his faults, the love and devotion he felt for her never wavered.  It seeps through every sentence, every paragraph.

She was much more than feathery hair and a bright smile.  She had such grace and  wisdom.  Her intelligence and savvy were never fully realized to the public.  I also watched her documentary, during her last years, fighting for her life.  She had the guts to insist on filming her struggle to shine a light on the darkest side of cancer and bring it to the fore.

Ryan's story is one of the joys of eternal love laced with the pain of his loss for the one true and constant loves in his life.

In my rating system, I give it a 5 out of 5.

Book Review..."Winter Garden"

I've just completed "Winter Garden," another good book by Kristin Hannah.  Anyone who likes the massively talented Jodi Picoult might like Kristin as well.  She writes in a similar style...providing in-depth character development to the reader.

"Winter Garden" tells the story of two sisters that adore their father.  Growing up, he was their main source of love and attention, as their mother was cold and off-putting.  She was Russian born, and the only time she came alive was when she told them a fairytale about a prince and black knight.  It wasn't the kind you could find in a book, but from her imagination...or so they think.

When their father dies, he makes the mother promise to tell the WHOLE fairytale.  On his deathbed, he begs one of his daughters to hold their mother to the promise.  They're both well into adulthood.  One sister doesn't care anymore about the fairytale, as she's accepted the fact her mother never loved them.  However, the other is insistent and continues to press their mother to continue the fable.

It took me a while to get into this, but once they finally got the mother to start weaving her tale, and you realize the story is NOT a story, but rather how her life was in Leningrad during the war, I was swept up in the 'fairytale' as well.

It drew me in, so from that point on, I was hooked.  Out of my 5-star system, I give it a 3.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW - MARCIA CLARK.....

I must start this interview by saying I've gotten to know Marcia better over the last week, and she is one great lady.  She's down to earth, funny, and very generous.  I'd like to thank her for taking the time to stop by.

Marcia Clark, a former prosecutor who gained fame as the head prosecutor in the OJ Simpson murder case, added the title of author to her resume several years ago.  She writes a series of successful books based on the character, Rachel Knight, who happens to be a Deputy District Attorney.  I've had the pleasure of getting hooked.  I recommend you begin this series with the first one, "Guilt by Association"

What made you want to become a writer?  Where did the idea of Rachel Knight come from?

I’ve always wanted to write fiction, and specifically crime fiction, ever since I was a kid and found myself addicted to Nancy Drew. But I didn’t have the confidence to take the plunge and try to make a living at it. In hindsight, I think my addiction to crime stories probably had something to do with my decision to practice criminal law. I knew that was what I’d do from the first month in law school. Then I joined the D.A.’s office and well, you know…

I didn’t revisit my childhood dream of becoming a novelist until I’d done some writing for television. I think that experience gave me the confidence to give it a shot. 

The idea of Rachel Knight came straight out of my life as a prosecutor. The life of a real prosecutor, the one I had before the insanity of the Simpson trial. I wanted to relive – and share with everyone – the incredible experience of being a prosecutor in the Special Trials Unit in Los Angeles. 

How long did it take you to write the first book?

There were actually a few “first” books before I got to Guilt by Association.  I took a lot of runs at it before I got to the point where I had the right mix of characters and plot. But once I put that mosaic together, it took me about nine months. I think it would’ve taken a lot less time had I not been carrying a full case load at the time. I do court appointed cases on appeal, which is all written work, no trials. The good news about doing appellate work is that you can write your own hours. The bad news is that the hours total about eighty per week. So I did a lot of midnight to four a.m. sessions on the book.

Where do you get your character inspirations come from?

They all came from Rachel. I envisioned her first, then built outward from there, asking myself, “who would she be friends with?” And, in the course of the story, I always plot it out based on what would really happen next, and who might Rachel and Bailey run across as they investigate. I also had to figure out where Rachel lived. A character’s living situation is an important means of showing who he or she is. So I asked myself, “where would Rachel live?” Rachel has close friends, but she acquired them slowly, over time. Her early childhood trauma left her guarded, wary, and desirous of anonymity. 

Taking those traits into account I…well, wait, true confession time: there was another consideration that came into the mix. My own fantasy. I am not a big fan of housework and cooking, so I thought, “wouldn’t it be cool if she lived in a five star hotel?” That seemed like a realistic fit for Rachel, given her “issues” and so I found a way for Rachel to live at the Biltmore Hotel, which is a landmark hotel in downtown L.A., close to the courthouse. In the second book, “Guilt by Degrees,” I gave Rachel an upgrade to a suite, so she could have her best friends, Detective Bailey Keller and fellow prosecutor, Toni LaCollette, crash with her after a night of partying.

What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

For the first draft, I make myself sit and write nonstop for at least six hours a day, six to seven days a week. I write continuously so I can keep a feel for the pacing and stay inside the story. Once I’m through the first draft, I take as much time away from the book as I can before I do the first rewrite so I can bring fresh eyes.

Do you ever experience writer’s block?  If so, do you have some tips to break the spell?

I never have writer’s block. Ideas flow freely and constantly and all I have to do is dip a ladle into that stream for the next book or story. Doubling over with laughter now. Hold on, I’m still laughing, I need to take a second.

Okay, I’m back. Do I ever have writer’s block? Every single day. I don’t have any magical answers for how to break through. My way is simple and painful: I make myself sit in front of the computer and bang out every stupid idea that comes to mind until something decent falls out. I won’t necessarily stay with whatever I land on, but that “system” seems to get the juices flowing. Eventually.

Can you tell us about any challenges getting your first book published?  

I traveled a weird and backwards road to publication. When I finally finished writing “Guilt by Association,” I realized I didn’t know what to do with it. I didn’t have an agent, didn’t know any publishers – in fact, didn’t know anything about the publishing business. All my professional writing experience had been in television. So I asked my dear friend, Lynn Reed, an avid reader who had been involved in book clubs and blogs, for advice. She introduced me to award winning literary fiction writer Katharine Weber, who introduced me to then-Random House editor, John Glusman. And John really liked the book. He told me I had to have an agent and set me up with interviews. I got lucky and scored the best agent in the universe (let me tell you, those interplanetary interviews are a bitch), Dan Conaway at Writer’s House, and Judy Clain at Little, Brown/Mulholland Books, the best editor in the universe (again, lots of space travel involved). Though I didn’t wind up with John Glusman, I really loved him and would recommend him to anyone looking for a terrific editor.

Do you have any advice or suggestions for aspiring writers?

The best advice I can give is the advice Stephen King gave in his fantastic book, “On Writing:” READ. Read every day, read everything, read the good as well as the bad. He’s right that you learn more from the bad stuff than the good. And of course, write. Write every day. Don’t worry about whether it’s Proust, just put pen to paper or rather, hands to keyboard, as long as you can, every day. Don’t let anyone tell you what you can’t do, but don’t expect writing to be an easy ride to fame and fortune. In the years before I got published, I spent more nights than I want to remember working away until three and four a.m., wrapped in a blanket, bleary-eyed and wrung out, and wondering whether anyone would ever read a single word I’d written. Writing is lonely, hard work. At the time I figured it was probably just me, that the people who made a living at it could bang out books blindfolded, with one hand on the keyboard. I’ve since learned – after reading what those authors said, and I don’t think they’d lie about it – that it’s hard work for everyone. That was comforting. I guess. 

What do you like to do for fun, when you’re not busy?

Mainly read. Though lately I’ve also discovered the joys of Twitter. When marketing director Miriam Parker first signed me up and gave me tweeting tips, I didn’t really get it. I just couldn’t figure out what I’d have to say that would be interesting to anyone else. Eventually, I decided not to worry about that. Laughing. And it’s been great fun meeting people there, hearing what they’re doing, what they’re thinking. In many ways, it’s what we get from reading books: the ability to experience things vicariously and discover new ways of seeing the world from our living room.

What project are you working on these days?

I just turned in my third book, “Killer Ambition.” I’m starting work on a short story, due out next spring, and my fourth book. And TNT has just optioned my books for a one hour drama series – very exciting! I’m attached as an Executive Producer and Dee Johnson, Executive Producer and Showrunner is writing the pilot script even as we speak.

Are there any new authors that have grasped your attention?

I can’t think of any “debut” authors, but one of my recent finds is Sean Chercover. His latest book, “The
Trinity Game,” comes out July 31^st, and I got to read an advance copy. It’s sensational! I loved it!

Is there anything you’d like to say to your readers and fans?

Thank you so much for reading my books, and for your support. And I’d love to hear from you on Twitter (thatmarciaclark) and Facebook (thatmarciaclark), so come on over any time! And Dawn, thank you for this interview!

BOOK REVIEW: "KILLING LINCOLN"

I just finished an amazing book by Bill O'Reilly entitled  "Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever"

As he notes in the introduction, this is a departure from his other books.  He says it reads like a thriller, and it DOES.  Even though we all KNOW the ending, I still found myself hanging on every word when it got to the day of the assassination.

For those interested in history, the civil war, or President Lincoln, it doesn't disappoint.  I never had an interest in history when I was in school, but now it fascinates me.  I admit my ignorance when I say I had no idea how doggedly determined General Lee was, or how the burning of Richmond, VA by it's OWN citizens, may have been the cause of the South's defeat.

Rather than getting mired in too many details, this book focuses on major battles in dramatic fashion.  It's easy to follow and very entertaining.

John Wilkes Booth's massive, intricate plans for not only killing Lincoln, but everyone involved in the North's success at the end of the war, was mind-boggling.  The accomplices he amassed reminded me of the 9/11 hijackers, plotting furiously for attacks to take place all at the same time.

I recall visiting our capitol many years ago as a youngster.  We were at Ford's theater and even the humble home where Lincoln died.  Naturally, I didn't comprehend or appreciate it as I might today.

Out of a possible 5 stars for this book, I give it a wholehearted 5 !!  

In fact, O'Reilly is coming out with a similar book,  "Killing Kennedy"  in October.  Needless to say, I've already reserved my copy!

How do YOU read?

A heated debate has long been raging between traditional publishing and e-publishing.  It seems the “Big 6,” as the NYC traditional publishers are called, continue to fight against the stream.  With the dawn of e-readers and ways for writers to publish their own work, it has given hungry readers many more choices.   I have my own indecision on where I’ll land.  I still have that idealistic vision of submitting to publishers.  I think that’s how I’ll begin, when I’m ready.

My question to you is this….how many of you have kindle, nook, etc?  Any electronic device by which you read?  How many of you still prefer the feel of a book in your hands?   Or, do I also have fellow audiobook users out there?  That’s my preferred method these days.  I belong to a club that works the same as Netflix, where I essentially rent a book, listen, then return it for another.

MARCIA CLARK INTERVIEW THIS WEEK....

I've got another author interview lined up in the next week.  Marcia Clark, a former prosecutor who gained fame as the head prosecutor in the OJ Simpson murder case, added the title of author to her resume several years ago.  She writes a series of successful books based on the character, Rachel Knight, who happens to be a Deputy District Attorney.  I've had the pleasure of getting hooked.

She has graciously agreed to be interviewed here...so stay tuned!

"This Isn't Show & Tell" .......

I literally have two huge stacks of writing books on my coffee table.  I've been reading like crazy - in addition to my regular reading - I've been sprinkling that with books on my craft.  It's my latest obsession.  My husband will have to build me a new bookcase soon just to shelve them all.  Each one has nuggets of great information, and I drink them all in.  

They tell me how to write a great scene, how to write sparkling dialogue, how to create memorable characters, and so on.  One of the common themes is to SHOW not TELL. 

I'm a fan of Jonathan Kellerman's Alex Delaware series.  Today, I started the latest one,  "Victims."  These are all written in the first-person POV, who happens to be Alex Delaware.  This book began with nothing BUT  "showing" and yet still managed to hold my interest.  I never noticed these types of things before getting serious about my writing.  I just knew I loved his books.  Since teaching myself to be more aware of how other authors write, I view books, and even movies, differently.

Alex is called to the scene of a murder.  He explains to the reader what the body looks like, what was done to it, what the apartment looks like, etc.  He also tells us what the landlord looks like, so we can picture him in our minds.  None of this is done with dialogue, as are other passages in the book when it comes to describing places and other characters.

I'm curious to hear others' opinions on what's wrong with doing this.  Obviously nothing, since he's an established author - at least, that's my guess.  However, us newbies are told NOT to do it.  I know there are exceptions to rules, but can anyone else give some experiences you've had?  Perhaps you've already got some books under your belt, and you've already dealt with publishing, so I'd love to hear from you.  

Book Review....I Think

I suppose this is a book review, though I'm not sure.  Perhaps it's just an observation.  I'm 2/3 of the way through "Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero" by Michael Hingson, and I'm disappointed.  I checked out Amazon's reviews, and I'm not alone in my thinking.  

As interesting as the story is, it's not as advertised.  It follows a blind man and his guide dog, who walked from the 78th floor of the World Trade Center on 9/11, after the tower was hit by an airplane.  Only that isn't really what it's about.  That's how it was portrayed, but the essence of the story is more focused on his blindness and how it never deterred him in life.  While that's a great story, I hoped for more about 9/11 and his dog.  Mostly the dog :)

I'm a dog lover, as some of you may know.  Therefore, I'm a sucker for any kind of dog story!  That's why  I'm feeling a tad so-so about this one, only because they should have described the book better.  If they had, I wouldn't have been picked it.

My First Book Review & Recommendation.....

My first book review & recommendation… “Four Feet Tall & Rising” by Shorty Rossi.  Available on Kindle, hardcover, and audio.  I had the pleasure of just finishing this in the audio version, read by the author.  He’s a character, for sure.

Hopefully, some of you have already heard of, and maybe watch,  his Animal Planet show, “Pit Boss.”  I certainly hope so.  If you don’t, and you love dogs, it’s a must.  This wonderful little man is a powerhouse!  His love for pitbulls is endless.  His advocacy for the breed is tireless.  He’s a ‘little person’ with a huge heart and huge personality to match.

His book is a memoir, and he lets it all hang out.  He had an unhappy childhood with a controlling, abusive father.  He started hanging out with gangs and wound up in prison for 10 years.  Upon his release, he was able to turn his life around and form a talent agency for little people in Hollywood.  In addition to that, he runs “Shorty’s Rescue,” which helps find homes for abused and neglected pitbulls. He promotes the breed as their true selves – loving and sweet.  Not the killing machines they’ve been branded.

At times emotional, others hilarious, this book is one I wholeheartedly recommend!   He is one of a kind, and I truly admire him.  I wish there were more people like him in the world who puts his money where his mouth is…he doesn’t just talk about saving the breed…he does it.  He has six of his own pitbulls, which are featured in his show.  

At the same time I recommend his book, I strongly recommend his show!!  My husband and I have been watching it since the first episode, and it’s wonderful.  Big dogs and little people, which is how the show was first pitched.  

I have my own personal spreadsheet, where I keep track of every book I’ve read and how I would rate it.  The system is 1-5, with 5 being the best.  Shorty’s book is a wholehearted 5!

STACEY HONOWITZ AUTHOR INTERVIEW !

A lot of you may already know Stacey Honowitz from her appearances on HLN as a panelist.  That’s how I’ve gotten to know her as well.  She’s a funny,  intelligent woman who has graciously agreed to this interview.  I’m grateful to have gotten to know and love her. 

She’s the Assistant State Attorney at Broward County State Attorney’s Office in Florida and has written two books regarding the sexual abuse of children.  Thanks for appearing here and educating us as well, my friend! 

Let’s start with this…you’re in the business of law and an advocate for children.  How did you also add “writer” to your resume?  What motivated you to write your first book, “My Privates are Private?”

I have been a  Sex Crimes and Child Abuse prosecutor for almost 24 years, and I have met with thousands of victims and their families. I realized that so many parents were too scared to talk about private parts with their kids, and too many kids were clueless when it came to touching, molestations and sexual battery. I decided that education was the key, and I needed to show parents an easy way to deal with this delicate subject matter. I knew that tools needed to be out there to help parents and kids "break the ice' and actually discuss an uncomfortable topic. Sexual abuse is an epidemic, and nobody ever thinks that their child could be a victim. Sexual abuse has no boundaries, it affects rich and poor, black and white, Catholic and Jewish. You have to be able to get your head out of the sand and realize that if you don't discuss this subject, you are committing "parental malpractice". Thus the books were born, easy clear limerick pages that get a huge message across "don't ever be afraid to tell".  

 

Was it difficult to get your first book published?  Any challenges?  Especially considering the title of your second book.  I remember some backlash when you appeared on TV.

 

The first book, between edits and trials, took me about 3 months.  I also struggled to get both books published. It's so interesting to me, everyone in the publishing business that I came across had children, all of them thought 'great idea and so necessary' and yet NOBODY would publish them. I would pitch and pitch about the importance of this information, beg them to watch me on television a few nights a week talking about sexual predators, and still they would not do it. I knew how important this project was, I saw how the books would sell out at my lectures, and so I never gave up. The rejections just poured in. I remember thinking if g-dforbid something happened to their kid, I would be the the first person they'd call to prosecute the person. It came down to one thing "sales" and profit. They kept telling me that on the open market the books would not do well. I knew that parents were thirsty for this information, "how to talk to their kids" so I went ahead and self published the books. The more rejections I receive, even today, the harder it makes me work to prove them wrong.

This is why I love your spirit and tenacity!  I remember you appearing on TV and talking about the problems you had with some of the public still wanting to turn a deaf ear and blind eye.   How did your second book, “Genius With a Penis: Don’t Touch” come about?

 

I wanted to have separate books for the boys and the girls. When I would first lecture about "My Privates are Private" mothers would come up and say to me "I have a little boy, could you do something that maybe isn't so girly". I then wrote "Genius with a Penis, Don't Touch" and that brought on a whole new slew of issues. Now nobody would touch it with a 10 foot pole because of the word "penis". I hate to burst everyone's bubble, but that's what the male genitalia is called. Everyone is so embarrassed by the word, except for a little kid if you tell him that's what it is. We can tell them that they have eyes, a nose, and arms, but we have to lie to them about what their penis is called? If you aren't afraid to say it without laughing, neither will they. The parents and adults are the ones that make the word dirty or funny. Teach them early on what the proper names are, that way if they need to tell someone they have been abused, nobody has to guess what a whoo whoo is.

 

You make some excellent points.  Parents - take heed!  How do you market your work?  What avenues have you found work best for your genre?

I do everything I can to market my books. I do a lot of television, which I have been doing for years, just so people recognize me when it comes time to talk about the books. I do a lot of speaking engagements where I introduce the books, and now with social media, I tweet as many PR people as I can. I have tried desperately to get a celebrity involved because people listen to stars. So many celebrities have been sexually abused, and they can't wait to talk about it when they are trying to sell their books, yet I haven't had any that are willing to help spread the word about my books. Like I said, I know how valuable the information is, and I believe in the good that the books provide, so if you reject them, it makes me promote them more. I can see the results in the kids that read the books. It is constant work to market and promote, letters to magazines, tv morning shows, and lots of emails to people that I think might be able to help.

 

What’s one important tip from your books that you want to share with parents?

  

I think the most important tip for parents from my books, is to teach your kids to recognize that even nice people might want to touch your privates, and you should never be afraid or embarrassed to tell someone. Parents need to realize that this is not a one day discussion.  It's ongoing, until your kid rolls his eyes at you and says "mom and dad, I am tired of this talk, I know, if anyone touches me or makes me feel uncomfortable I have to tell" "I get it."

 

These books will never "go out of style." They are not like the latest diet books, and should be mandatory in every household. Sexual abuse will always be in society, especially with the internet, and social networking sites. Every parent should realize the importance of these tools, and know that 5 minutes of uncomfortable beats 5 years in the State Attorney's Office. 

 

What’s your take on the recent wave of e-publishing?   Any chance of seeing your books on Kindle and Nook?   And what do you love and hate about writing?

 

Publishing has changed drastically, with the Nook and the Kindle,  they are great and convenient, and if you choose to have this discussion in that format, great. However you feel will get the message across to your child the best way, is proper. My books are available on Barnes and Noble.com and Amazon. com so if you want to read them electronically, be my guest! My advice for writers (and I don't truly consider myself a writer) is to never give up. If you have an idea that nobody else likes, now you have the opportunity to do it yourself.  It's the marketing  itself that's difficult, but where there's a will, there is a way. What do I love and hate about writing? I loved having an idea, and seeing the final product. I didn't like the criticism, but I love that my books have a real purpose. I love when someone writes me or texts me and tells me how much the books have helped their family.

 

Do you have any projects in the works?  What do you do in your spare time?

I don't have any books on the horizon.  I am still spending my free time marketing these!  I don't have a lot of free time, as I work full time as a Supervisor in the Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Unit of the State Attorneys Office.  I do television at night,  speaking engagements and I am a single mother at 50 with a 3 1/2 year old!  So I am busy, and making it my mission to get these books in all the schools, pediatrician offices,  and the media. 

Stacey, thank you again, for stopping by to chat with me and the readers.  I treasure our new found friendship and appreciate you taking the time to do this!