Welcome one and all! You've landed on the JLB Creatives Blog - whether intentional or not ;-) If not we hope you find what you've come across to be fun, informative, and uplifting. For those of you who are new fans here's a bit about the blog. We feature authors, illustrators, bloggers, photographers, and other artists who are worthy of discovery. Each Monday there will be a new post for you to enjoy. While you're here, why not check out all the goodies in the right hand column as well. You'll find more pages on the blog, free anthologies, videos, and more!
We want to send out HUGE THANK YOU to all of you who came to visit us at Long & Scott's Farm corn festival celebration. We hope you had as much fun, if not more, than we did. We appreciate your shared enthusiasm and continued support.
This week we are proud to feature author Marianne Spitzer. She was kind enough to sit down with us and do an interview. We're certain you'll find her amazing, just like we did! So, without any further ado, we introduce to you . . .
Author Marianne Spitzer
Thank you so much for taking the time to do an interview with JLB Creatives. It's wonderful to have you here.
It's great to be here, Janet. The pleasure is all mine.
Super! Then let's get right to it. Here's your first question. . .Let’s say you’re thinking about going on once in a
life time vacation…how exciting! What are some of the places you’d consider,
and what would you do while you’re there?
A vacation to the Cayman Islands to walk and swim in the crystal clear water would
be ideal. I’d also love to visit the Fiji Islands for the same reason.
What book or books are you currently working on?
Can we expect a new release soon?
I am currently working on
the edits for the sequel to THE LETTER.
It’s called OLD MAN MALONE RETURNS and it should be out late spring or
early summer.
Time for dinner! No, no, no, we’re not cooking –
we’re going out. So…where’s your favorite place to throw down some good food
with friends and family? And even more so, what do you recommend from the menu?
Italian food is my
favorite. We have a local restaurant that makes the best pepperoni and sausage
pizza, but for a meal I love going to the Olive Garden. I prefer their
Minestrone soup over the salad. For my main course I have the Chicken Parmigiana
with spaghetti.
Time for adventure! Your friends are heading out to
go skydiving for the first time…are you going to join them or suggest a
different adventure? If you go skydiving please elaborate, or if you suggest
something else what would your favorite adventure be?
I am not adventuresome nor
do I care for outdoor activities. I’m a city girl and prefer to sit on the back
deck to catch the sun and fresh air. I hate bugs. If I go on a picnic, I need a
table. I don’t just toss a blanket on the ground and sit. I also prefer pool
water over the lake. I love clear water and loved the ocean when I lived in San Diego.
Forget about make-believe super powers…we’ll never
have them – bummer, I know right? But good news…TRUE super powers come in
different forms such as a great attitude, a wonderful personality, loving
kindness, and other cool traits like those. Who’s the one super hero in your
life, and what is their TRUE super power?
My super hero would have
to be my son, Lance. His super power is his understanding and helpful nature. He
has a kind heart and never says no if someone needs help. He’s been there for
me through some rough times, and I thank God for him every day.
We all love stories – especially yours! Would you
be willing to give the readers a synopsis of your current book?
Absolutely.
“Old Man Malone Returns”
is the sequel to “The Letter.” Life has been quiet at the Malone mansion.
Kellie and Drew have settled into a happy married life. Their housemates,
Taylor, Hunter, and Cole are also enjoying the peace and quiet. The betrayal of
their longtime friend, Emma, is becoming just a bad memory. Their peace is
shattered one quiet fall morning when Kellie’s grandfather’s body is stolen
from his grave in Malone Springs Cemetery. Kellie is faced with another mystery, but that is only the
beginning. Frightening events begin to happen at the mansion. Could it be
possible that Old Man Malone walks the earth again? Was his body ever in that
grave? Did he really die in a tragic accident? Is he dead and his ghost roams
the mansion? Kellie has many mysteries to solve, but the biggest is did her
grandfather’s evil live on after his death? Her questions are soon answered,
and she must find a way to save herself and her friends from the figure in
black that moves through the mansion at will. The book is due out in late
spring 2013.
Love and romance, paranormal, epic fantasy, sci-fi,
mystery, thriller, drama, and the list goes on. Where do your books fall as far
as genre and reading audience?
They are all mystery
and/or thrillers. It is what I enjoy reading and writing.
Social media has become a part of being an author.
What are your 3 best tips of the trade for upcoming authors when it comes to
building their social media platform?
Set up a Twitter account
and follow people who you would want following you, many of them will. Use the
account to let people know about your website, blog or Face Book page. Have a
Face Book writer’s page. You will be able to post info about yourself and your
books as often as needed. Start a blog or website, whichever you prefer to use
to promote your books. You can list a synopsis, book tours, list your books and
sell them.
How much time do you devote to writing? Daily –
weekly – monthly – whenever the urge strikes?
I write every day. I may
not work on my current novel, but I write short stories, work on edits, or
write a blog post. I keep my social media sites current. I am writing something
each day, but most work is done on my novel.
Who is your favorite character that you have
created? Tell us about him or her and why you are so fond of them.
My favorite character is Magdalena, the spirit in Gypsy
Spirits and Annamarie and Magdalena.
She is the great-grandmother of my main character, Annamarie, and has come back
with other spirits to protect Annamarie and her family from the evil
surrounding her. I love her because she is very protective and loving. When
Annamarie has a child, Magdalena teaches her to protect herself while watching over
the entire family. She also takes part in the battle of the spirits in Annamarie and Magdalena. She is a well-rounded character with magical
powers.
This has been a delightful interview. Again, our sincerest appreciation for being with us.
You are very welcome, and thank you for having me.
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If you'd like to find out more about Marianne, buy her books, and/or follower her on Twitter please visit the following links. Let her know you discovered her on the JLB Creatives Blog.
TWITTER HANDLE: @MarianneSpitzer
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Until next time - stay casual, live life to the fullest, and have a piece of chocolate for me.
Your blog host. . .
...and adventurer, Author Janet Beasley
I think deep down I’m a frustrated comedienne. I really
should have taken the plunge and become a stand up comic. I did the next best thing though and became a
teacher. Life threw me a couple of curve balls and I changed direction,
becoming a personal trainer in my forties. Those were the hedonistic days when
I could touch my toes. Nowadays, even if I placed M& M’s between them, I
haven’t the enthusiasm to reach them.
Life hasn’t been straightforward. But is it for any of us?
Serious health issues got in the way. At one point I found myself paralysed
after a procedure didn’t go as planned. Fortunately, I made a good recovery. Following
that episode, I decided to take ‘life by the horns’. Determined to get as much
out of it as possible, I became involved in all sorts of activities. I took up flying helicopters, quad biking,
had a go at track racing, camel riding, scuba diving, kick boxing, clay pigeon
shooting, pole dancing and a few sensible activities too like painting.
Being a linguist, I can speak a few languages and am
obsessed by travel. I have spent many years living abroad. I travelled all over
Europe, and to many other destinations, but there are so many more places I
would like to visit. I am tempted to take up a grown-up gap year and go
somewhere special, maybe to some slum part of India where I could help teach
underprivileged children, or to the Seychelles and help rescue turtles. We are
never too old for adventure, are we? Even my 80-year-old mother hotfoots it to
Cyprus regularly, where she hosts all night parties and Karaoke sing-songs.
