BOOK SPOTLIGHT: A SPECIAL SUMMER by Victoria Wells

A Special Summer
by Victoria Wells
Multicultural Romance
Xpress Yourself Publishing

In love with the man of her dreams, Summer Jackson is living her life in sheer bliss…so she thought. Devastation rocks her world when handsome Nick Stiles walks out on her, leaving her to pick up the shattered pieces.

As days, weeks, and months fade into the future, Summer is forced to push thoughts of loving Nick far from her heart and her mind. Thoughts that may possibly threaten to expose the secret she’s hiding.

Out of the blue Nick resurfaces with intentions of reclaiming Summer as his woman. That is…until he is confronted with a betrayal that is so insurmountable he finds himself in a blind rage, hell-bent on revenge.

Will Summer’s need to protect her secret destroy any hope she has of being in the arms of the only man she’s ever loved? Is Nick willing to forgive Summer for her acts of betrayal and deceit? Will this once passion filled love survive such treachery?

ATTENTION: This book spotlight is being brought to you by Pump Up Your Book Promotion. As a special promotion for Victoria Wells' book, A Special Summer, Pump Up Your Book Promotion is giving away a FREE virtual book tour or $25 Amazon gift certificate to one lucky person who comments on Victoria's blog stops. Leave a comment below to have a chance to win one of these prizes! For more stops on Victoria's blog trail, visit www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com.

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: MRS. LIEUTENANT by Phyllis Zimbler Miller

Mrs. Lieutenant: A Sharon Gold Novel
by Phyllis Zimbler Miller
Women's Fiction
BookSurge Publishing

They had their whole lives to look forward to – if only their husbands could survive Vietnam.

In the spring of 1970 – right after the Kent State National Guard shootings and President Nixon’s two-month incursion into Cambodia – four newly married young women come together at Ft. Knox, Kentucky, when their husbands go on active duty as officers in the U.S. Army.

Different as these four women are, they have one thing in common: Their overwhelming fear that, right after these nine weeks of training, their husbands could be shipped out to Vietnam – and they could become war widows.

Sharon is a Northern Jewish anti-war protester who fell in love with an ROTC cadet; Kim is a Southern Baptist whose husband is intensely jealous; Donna is a Puerto Rican who grew up in an enlisted man’s family; and Wendy is a Southern black whose parents have sheltered her from the brutal reality of racism in America.

Read MRS. LIEUTENANT to discover what happens as these women overcome their prejudices, reveal their darkest secrets, and are initiated into their new lives as army officers’ wives during the turbulent Vietnam War period.

About the Author:

Phyllis is a former Mrs. Lieutenant and lives with her husband in Los Angeles. The co-author of the Jewish holiday book “Seasons for Celebration,” she has written a success guide for teens. She welcomes messages and visitors at her website at www.mrslieutenant.com or her blog at www.mrslieutenant.blogspot.com.

Watch the MRS. LIEUTENANT BOOK VIDEO:

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BOOK SPOTLIGHT: THE PINK FOREST by Dana Dorfman

The Pink Forest: A Woman's Intimate Confessions
by Dana Dorfman
Bandarae Publishing

In the netted light, a face very recognizable stares out at me. I do my best to look casual. I gaze at her chiseled outline. Her high cheekbones are distinctly familiar. As the figure slowly disappears her delicate shadings pause in a pinkish glow. “You can be absolutely infuriating at times. I cannot take the subject seriously.” She half-smiles and then vanishes in the curls of her breaths.

A woman tries to teach her conscience about love
The pink forest is her story.

This biography is about a woman who wants to throw a pillow at her conscience for trying to run her life. Set in the vividness of a kiss this courageous feminine read goes far beyond bug-jeweled sandals and striped pumps and applauds an ordinary woman in her super-hero moments.

For every woman who has ever wanted to stop her life and let her conscience hop out at the curb, you will welcome the power you gain in The Pink Forest.

Dorfman writes about the hunted soul. The part of us that we travel through from a distance, the part of us that cannot slip away untold. There are few authors that can catch the soul of a story like Dorfman. Her charm lies not just in her artistry but in the way she leads your presence on to the written page. If you would like the author to unpack the pages of your life visit her at SoulBiographer.com DanaDorfman.com, The Lollipop Chronicle and the Here And There Gazette.

About the Author:

Dana Dorfman is an author who gravitates to the signs of life. In tune to the emotions surrounding her, she insists she can still see the first star she wished upon. Dorfman was raised as an only child and has been writing since the age of four. She graduated from the University of Southern California and considers herself a "life writer" who is able to tap into the blush of the earth. She resides in Los Angeles with her mystical spirit. You can visit her website at http://www.danadorfman.com/.

June is 'Book Reviewing' Month at Blogcritics Magazine!

To promote the release of The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing, co-author Mayra Calvani will be interviewing 15+ reviewers and review editors during the month of June. Learn all about the business of book reviewing and what’s in the mind of some of the most popular reviewers on the internet today. Some of the guests will include: Alex Moore from ForeWord Magazine, James Cox from Midwest Book Review, Irene Watson from Reader Views, Andrea Sisco from Armchair Interviews, Magdalena Ball from The Compulsive Reader, Sharyn McGinty from In The Library Reviews, Lea Schizas from Muse Book Reviews, Linda Baldwin from Road to Romance, Hilary Williamson from Book Loons, Judy Clark from Mostly Fiction, and many others!

To see the complete lineup, visit: The Slippery Book Review Blog.

Between June 1st and June 30th, stop by Blogcritics and leave a comment under the reviewer interviews for a chance to win a Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tour ,OR, as an alternative to a non-author winner, a $50 B&N gift certificate!

Pump Up Your Book Promotion Social Network: Virtual Book Tours Q&A and Author Day

Cheryl Malandrinos of Pump Up Your Book Promotion has started a discussion at the Pump Up Your Book Promotion Social Network for those interested in learning more about virtual book tours. As we have been in the business for a year now, we've become experienced experts in the field. If you would like to ask us a question about anything regarding virtual book tours, visit the link and we'll be more than happy to address those questions.

The Pump Up Your Book Promotion Social Network was opened to allow authors to promote their books without cost. Sign up and brag, brag, brag. There's a sub-group in the left hand side that allows excerpts and another one that allows reviews and everyone is invited to submit. All you have to do is sign up and post.

If you are interested in our special section called Author Day which includes an entire day of promotion in a question and answer format, we do have to charge for this but you'll get your own page with book cover, buying information, author bio, book blurb and promotion for the event prior to the date you will appear. We use the same format of promotion we use for all our authors on tour, so you get more than your money's worth. We are booked for June, but do have openings in July. The cost is $25. If you are interested, email me at thewriterslife(at)yahoo.com and I'll send you the application for it.

Our list of authors scheduled for Author Day in June include:

June 2 - Karen White, author of the fiction novel, THE MEMORY OF WATER
June 4 - James Burns, author of the financial book on how to get rich, THE 3 SECRET PILLARS OF WEALTH
June 9 - Victoria Wells, author of the multicultural romance, A SPECIAL SUMMER
June 11 - Traci E. Hall, author of the paranormal romance, LOVE'S MAGIC
June 13 - to be announced
June 16 - Steven Baldwin & Karen Holgate, authors of the non-fiction book about the American school system, FROM CRAYONS TO CONDOMS: THE UGLY TRUTH ABOUT AMERICA'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS
June 18 - Grace Reddick, author of the children's book, ASHLEY'S UNFORGETTABLE SUMMER
June 20 - Candis C. Coffee, author of the literary fiction novel, MARIPOSA
June 23 - Phyllis Zimbler Miller, author of the woman's fiction novel, MRS: LIEUTENANT: A SHARON GOLD NOVEL
June 25 - Linda Merlino, author of the literary fiction, BELLY OF THE WHALE
June 27 - Peter Bowerman, author of the book on self-publishing, THE WELL-FED SELF PUBLISHER: HOW TO TURN ONE BOOK INTO A FULL TIME LIVING

All authors are giving away free books!

If you are one of our past clients and would like a stop at Author Day, your fee is waived, but you must book early as we only have a limited amount of stops.

Thank you!

Interview with Children's Book Author Bonnie B. Cuzzolino

Award winning author Bonnie Cuzzolino and her family live in New Jersey. Bonnie and her husband Ray are the parents to a beautiful daughter adopted from Hubei, China in November of 2001 at 12 months old. She and her husband are now waiting for a referral for their second daughter from China through Holt International Children's Services. Bonnie has had a lifelong passion to write children's books. This book is her first and is dedicated to her daughter, Jillian Mei. You can visit her website at http://www.plumblossombooks.com/.

Welcome to Pump Up Your Online Book Promotion, Bonnie. Can we begin by having you tell us what Letter of Love From China is about and why you wrote it?

It is the story of my daughter, Jillian Mei’s adoption from China at the age of 12 months. Part of the story is based on the facts we know and the rest is based on the possibilities behind her relinguishment by her birth family. It is written in the voice of her birth mom in the form of a letter to her explaining birth mom’s love and hopes for her adoption. It is beautifully illustrated with vivid colors and scenes of Chinese life.

Letter of Love From China is a children’s picture book. Why did you choose this genre to write?

I wanted to write strictly children’s books and a dedication to my daughter seemed the best place to start. Did you choose it or did it choose you? I feel it chose me. My daughter had questions about her birth mom in China and this was a way to answer those questions for her. At the same time it would help other children understand the adoption process and provide a wonderful keepsake.

In regards to promotion, what have you been doing to promote your book online?

I advertise to adoption Yahoo groups, entering writing contests, have my own detailed website and now have chosen a virtual book tour.

Of all the promotional items (bookmarks, press kits, etc…) you have used to promote your book, which one was used most effectively?

So far advertising to the Yahoo groups and word of mouth with the help of friends has proven rather effective. I knew I needed to take promoting to a higher level to be truly successful.

Do you feel that the Internet has opened doors for authors who never dreamed they’d ever see a publishing contract and how has it influenced you in regards to your own publishing journey?

Yes, the internet is a great source for authors and publishers. It opens you up to a world wide audience. It has provided me with all the tools needed to research the best route for me to publish and has given me ideas for promoting my book. It also has offered me the opppotunity to enter writing contests of which my book recently became the Silver Recipient of the Mom’s Choice Award for Best Children’s Book in the Family Life category.

If you were in the middle of Manhattan (or any busy thoroughfare) and you wanted to call attention to your book, what would you do and what would you say?

I would set up an area that would call out to help orphans worldwide by educating all children and parents on the subject. I would let people know I donate a portion of my book proceeds to orphans through my adoption agency. I would invite everyone to stop , ask questions and of course buy my book.

If you could trade places with any author just for a day, who would it be and why?

That would be Eric Carle. His books are adorable and I would love to be able to do my own illustrations as he does. He enjoys such great success and recognition which is every writers dream.

Lastly, how do you determine your book’s success?

Success is determined by the compliments you get by every reader that enjoys your book. Recognition for your accomplishments is so important too by the industry itself.

Thank you for coming, Bonnie! Can you tell us where everyone can pick up a copy of Letter of Love From China?

My book is available on my website at http://www.plumblossombooks.com.

BUY THE BOOK

Historical Fiction Author Andrew Jalbert Joins Us on Author Day Today

Join us on Friday, May 16, 2008 between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. when historical fiction author Andrew Jalbert visits us at the Author Day section of our social network at Pump Up Your Book Promotion! Leave a question and Andrew will answer them all on Friday, plus give away a free book to one lucky person who participates!

About Andrew:

Award winning freelancer Andrew Jalbert has been a professional archaeologist and scuba instructor for over 15 years. During that time, he has worked throughout the Great Lakes, the Caribbean, Central America, Southern Africa, the Florida Keys, and Hawaii. His work focuses on tropical subjects–both above and below the water–and he is a regular contributor to scuba diving, natural history, fitness, and travel magazines. Andrew currently lives in Madison, Wisconsin.

You can visit his website at www.jalbertproductions.com.


About the Book:

What are the elements of friendship that last a lifetime-the mysterious connection that can outlast great distances and more than half a century of separation to bring friends back together? For Lázaro, a salty Cuban mariner and Dominic, a brilliant Chicago engineer, the answers can be found in the game of chess.

From the time of their meeting and first chess match on Key West in the 1930s, each man's win is scratched into the back of the board. As the game tally grows, so does their friendship. Now, both men are in their twilight years, but it's Dominic's life, weathered by cancer, which is reaching its conclusion. Lázaro, who fled from his island home and his friend years ago, learns that Dominic is rapidly dying and sets off on the long journey from Boston to Florida to see his old friend. Prior to leaving, Lázaro retrieves the old chessboard and makes a startling discovery. The number of scratches, first marked over sixty years before and uncounted until now, has the two men evenly tied.

As he drives towards Dominic and the keys, Lázaro is forced to confront a past he has struggled to forget while anticipating the reunion with his old friend and what could be their final game.