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Fiction Author Virtual Book Tours

Diamond Ryan Interview @uplandpublish- Red Stick Diaries: Virtual Book Tour

Greetings readers, bloggers, geeks, and authors and welcome to The ToiBox of Words. I’m your host Toi Thomas, author of Eternal Curse, and today I have a treat to share. A while back, I had the pleasure to interview a wonderful author named, Diamond Ryan. A good time was truly had by all, and here’s how it went down.

DiamondRyanToi Thomas: Hi there Diamond! It’s so awesome to have you here at the ToiBox Blog. I’m excited to learn more about you and your work.

Diamond: Hi Toi. Happy to be here.

Toi Thomas: So tell me, who is Diamond Ryan?

Diamond: I am a previously published author. Red Stick Diaries is my seventh. My writing career began in my early years of high school, but it would be many years later before becoming published.

Toi Thomas: I think most writers start out pretty early; I know I did. For me though, I never knew I wanted to become an author. Seems like you knew back then.

Toi Thomas: Well before we dive into your special message today, let’s get to know you, the person inside the author.

Toi Thomas: Who is so you and why?

Kitt as Catwoman in Batman, Wikipedia

Diamond: Many people have compared my looks to the beautiful and talented Eartha Kitt, whom I am a huge fan of. In my youth, I wondered how someone could see any familiarity, and thought it was a bad thing to be compared to someone older. It is only through living have I learned the appreciation for her talent and the legacy she leaves behind.

Toi Thomas: When I was younger I didn’t like being compared to other people either, but it’s what we as humans do. We compare. Our minds look back through our database of knowledge to help us understand the things around us. Sorry for the nerd rant. I like being compared now, just to see what people come up with…Oh and I do see a resemblance.

Toi Thomas: What makes you geek out?

Diamond: Learning new things. I love research and development and expressing myself through art.

Toi Thomas: I too enjoy learning new things as long as it’s not something being forced on me. I’m not really an artistically talented person, but do I enjoy torturing canvases with my paint brush. I have a feeling that you are not only artistically talented, but probably master multiple mediums.

Toi Thomas: What was your favorite book or story, pre-teen years?

Diamond: I didn’t have a single favorite…  but I loved reading the leather bound Reader’s Digest short stories. Those tales, took me places.

Toi Thomas: My dad loves Reader’s Digest, and he used to read them too me as a kid.

Toi Thomas: In terms of interviews, whose brain are you just itching to scratch?

Diamond: I would love to sit down with Morgan Freeman, I am and have been impressed with his mind.

Toi Thomas: Good answer. I’m sure Morgan Freeman would have some good stories and lessons to share.

Toi Thomas: Now that we know a little more about you, the person, let’s learn about you, the author, and dive into your special message.

Toi Thomas: So whacha got for me today?

Diamond: RED STICK DIARIES is a 5 book miniseries about the near death escapes of a heroine, and the political struggles of surviving within the confines of the law… when those serving the law are the most guilty.

Toi Thomas: Oh, a miniseries. That’s cool. I guess it would be like reading a serial all at once or a graphic novel, without the pictures of course.

Toi Thomas: So who’s starring is this 2 dimensional script read of Red Stick Diaries?

Diamond: The main characters are one female heroine of determined strengths, and a male counterpart who seeks his own meted out revenge and justice and the chaos that ensues at the loss of that power and control.

Toi Thomas: One woman and one man- I have a feeling this will be  love hate relationship.

Toi Thomas: What’s so special about this story that’s going to reel in the readers?

Diamond: This is a fictional story… based on a true experience. One in which familiar realities turn dark and gruesome right before your eyes. The most frightening reality discovered within is, that all you believed could be shattered with the realization that we all are vulnerable. And at any given time… could become the next victims.

Toi Thomas: Honing in on universal truths is harder than people might realize, but you’ve captured one. Everyone is vulnerable to some degree, which is something anyone can relation to. Well done.

Toi Thomas: Past, present, future, is there a rhyme or reason to your writing?

Diamond: I write from a spiritual place within. Moved to moods of the characters, and I divest myself within them.

Toi Thomas: Well, so you’re an emotional writer. I’m afraid I’m a bit technical until the story’s complete. Then I look back and see what’s there. I like that you let the characters take control. I bet it makes for quite a bit of drama.

Toi Thomas: What author(s) has most influenced your writing? Why or how?

Wikipedia

Diamond: Terry McMillian, Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes… to name a few. I love the fact that they write with such poetic freedoms and honesty.

Toi Thomas: I enjoy getting caught up words that take me to far off lands and tell magical stories, but sometimes you need a serving of realism. These authors make even the harshest reality bearable and poetic.

Toi Thomas: Now this is where the questions get a little kooky; are you ready?

Diamond: YISI! Yeah, I said it.

Toi Thomas: If you could only watch one movie for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Wikipedia

Diamond: Actually… Red Stick Diaries… when it becomes one! [laughs]. Hmm, great question… the rest of my life? Shawshank Redemption. But my list goes on from there.

Toi Thomas: Yeah, that’s a good one; so hard to turn away from…Hey, you could ask Morgan Freeman about his experience on the set of this film. 😉

Toi Thomas: When the soundtrack of your life is playing in your head, what songs express your glee and what songs bring out your rage?

Diamond: Glee: Waiting On The World To Change by John Meyer.

Rage: ….I’ll have to get back with you on that… I don’t really have one. But it saddens me every time I re-visit a song I wrote for 911. “The Day The Angels Cried”

Toi Thomas: Of course you write songs too. I bet “The Day The Angels Cried” is a lovely, if not meaningful song.

Toi Thomas: Let’s play zombie urban survivor. What 3 things do you need to survive a black-out in Central Park the day zombies attack?

Diamond: Vin Diesel, The Roc, and… LLCool J … I just figure they’ll always be prepared.

*The latter to repopulate the world, you know in case we’re the last two survivors. [chuckles].

Toi Thomas: Hmm, well I think you covered that one.

Toi Thomas: What’s the most fun experience you’ve ever had, to date?

Diamond: Asking the captain if I could relieve the helm of a USS Destroyer…and he let me! #nonenlisted!

Toi Thomas: That’s pretty cool, though I don’t think I could it. Just the idea of having all that power and responsibility for even a second would be too much. My fear; your fun.  

Toi Thomas: Last question of the day; here we go.

Toi Thomas: Not that you can see into the future, but in your opinion, what does the future hold?

Diamond: I believe as much as I desire. I expect to continue writing books and leaving deep impressions in the sand for future generations.

Toi Thomas: What a positive outlook to have. I wish you all the best.

Toi Thomas: Thank you so much Diamond for spending time with me today.

Diamond: You’re welcome. It was fun.

Okay readers, bloggers, geeks, and authors, that’s all for today. Be sure to follow this blog to see who will be visiting next time. For more from Diamond Ryan, check out these great links:

Website: DiamondRyan.com

Facebook: Personal Profile | Author Page

Purchase link for Red Stick Diaries: Amazon.com

This has been a

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Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

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Book-Fiction Virtual Book Tours

Elley Arden Interview @elleywrites- Running Interference: Virtual Book Tour & #Giveaway

Greetings readers, bloggers, geeks, and authors and welcome to The ToiBox of Words. I’m your host Toi Thomas, author of Eternal Curse, and today I’m sharing a special interview with author, Elley Arden, about her fiction book entitled, Running Interference. Enjoy!

Where did the idea for Running Interference: Cleveland Clash 1 come from?

During revisions for Heal My Heart: Kemmons Bros. Baseball 3, my editor expressed much love for a secondary character, Tanya Martin, who played women’s full-tackle football. I jokingly made a note in the margin that I would be willing to write an entire series based on these women football players. My editor jumped all over that.

What genre is this book and why did you choose to make it so?

The book is a short contemporary romance. I like setting my characters in today’s world, where there is so much color and flexibility. I write shorter (50,000-60,000 words) because I’m a busy reader who often doesn’t get to finish longer books. I like to read short romances that pack as much punch as possible, so that’s what I write.

What would you say is the overall message or the theme of this book?

The overall message was captured best by my publishers when they came up with this for marketing materials: Who says tough isn’t sexy? I love the idea that women are stepping into traditional male roles and rocking them while still maintaining the beauty and allure they’re noted for. It’s empowering to know we no longer have to pick one or the other.

Tell me about the experience of writing this book; how long did it take.

It took about two months to write this book. It took another month to edit and revise. I’m blessed to have a sports medicine doctor husband who was once a team physician for a women’s football team, so I picked his brain endlessly. I wrote this book during the NFL’s domestic violence explosion, so that was interesting. There were many times when I wondered if I was writing a football book at the wrong time.

Tell me about the main storyline within this book.

NFL MVP Cam Simmons comes home to convince his mother to move to Boston with him, but while he’s there, he bumps into his high school friend/crush, Tanya Martin, who has run into trouble with debt collectors at her father’s gym. They ban together to keep the gym, a neighborhood staple, from foreclosing. But banning together brings a whole lot more than they bargained for.

Who is the protagonist of this story?

Tanya Martin is the main character of Running Interference. She’s fiercely loyal and strong. She’s also guarded with her heart, having seen too many people in her life messed up by divorce. She’s a protector on the football field and off, always anticipating the next threat so she can thwart it. Like I said, she’s fierce.

Who is your favorite character in this book?

Wild child Jillian Bell, the heroine’s roommate, and the Cleveland Clash’s star wide receiver is my favorite character. Even though she’s a secondary character, she really stands out to me. She has a sleeve of tattoos, one of which is rather alarming, and I adore her for it. I’m hoping other readers will gravitate towards her big personality and fun-loving spirit, because she’s the heroine in the second Clash book, Crossing the Line.

Are there elements of your personality or life experiences in this book?

There’s one element of this book that is highly personal and on purpose: the location, Cleveland. I was born and raised a Cleveland Browns fan, so I’ve lived through many disappointments. When I knew I was writing about a football team, I knew it was going to be a Cleveland team, because I desperately wanted a Cleveland football team to win a championship.

What is one thing from this book you wish was real or could happen to you?

I’d love to participate in a bachelor auction. It would be hilarious Of course, I’m happily married, so I wouldn’t be bidding on anyone, but I would pay to see the shenanigans.

Let’s say your book is being turned into a feature length film; quick- cast the main two characters and pick a theme song or score.

Cam Simmons, would be played by Morris Chestnut. For the heroine, I love the strength and humor of Queen Latifah, and the sass of NeNe Leakes, but Tanya Martin appeared in my head looking more like Serayah McNeill, from Empire, or Chaley Rose, from Nashville. The song would be Eminem’s Lose Yourself.

Do you have any special plans for this book in the near or far future?

The second book in the series, Crossing the Line, releases in May. I’m happy to build on this world and give other characters their own HEA. I’m hoping at some point the entire series will be bundled into a box set, but that’s up to my publisher.

Okay readers, bloggers, geeks, and authors, that’s all for today. Be sure to follow this blog to see who will be visiting next time. To obtain your copy of Running Interference, please visit the links provided.

Kindle | Nook | iBooks | Google | Kobo

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This has been a

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Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Categories
Author Insights

Critique Partners aren’t for all writers: Author Insights 15

authorinsight

This is an impromptu post based on a lot of talk about critique partners I’ve seen lately. It’s a little bit of a rant, but mostly it’s me stating my shortcomings and insecurities. ~It’s not even the 1st Wednesday of the month.

Writers all over the blogosphere rave about critique partners, but I don’t think critique partners work unless you happen to be the right kind of author. I’m apparently the wrong kind of author. No matter how hard I try I can’t seem to find and or keep a critique partner because…well, I guess my writing is just so bad. ~Or so I thought.

The problem I seem to have with critique partners is that they all seem to want to edit my work to perfection instead of giving me feedback to better develop the story myself or they are just not interested in what I’m writing. Also I think I test other writer’s patience. All other writer’s either have writing degrees or years of experience and don’t feel like working with an author that’s still in development. ~Beginning to think I’m meeting all the wrong people.

I write in stages and  I guess that’s a little weird for most writers. I guess most writers edit as they write, but not me. I write with blinders on. I work hard to get my creative ideas out, then work on development and style, and then fine tuning and editing. I guess my process is difficult for others to work with, but it’s the only way I know how to do it. ~Apparently that’s how lots of writers do it, according to this article. 

I’ve tried joining groups, offering feedback, and generally doing my part to be part of a community and a process, but I guess I’m just too different. I have managed to get a few helpful hints and some limited feedback from a few people I’ve meet along the way and I’m grateful for that, but hints and tips only go so far.~ I’m testing out some new partners I’ve found at the IWSGCC and they may just work out, even if not for every project. 

I’d love to have more and consistent critique partners, but I just don’t fit the mold. So here I am, kinda on my own, trying to write and develop myself without much feedback. I have managed to release one novel, a few short stories, and some non-fiction without receiving any hate mail. So, even if I’m not very good, it seems that I’m not too bad either.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords