Blog Hop 2013
Posted on: May 20, 2013
I am a part of a blog hop hosted by author Tracy Niles Kauffman. Here is the questions and answers about my books (and other questions)
I think Brad Paisley would make a great Eric and as for Julie, I haven’t given it much thought. Maybe Carrie Underwood.
Make sure you visit these Authors’ blogs as well.
The World Of Carmen DeSousa.
Posted on: May 16, 2013
Carmen DeSousa is an author who writes Happily Ever After stories. I had the pleasure of reading two of them: She Belongs To Me and Land of The Noonday Sun; both are classified as Romantic Suspense and she is also a bestselling author. Carmen also like to interact with her fans and read. Unlike some authors, you can add her as friend on Facebook. She also has a fan page.
Recently, I had the pleasure of asking her some questions about her life and her writing. This is my interview with Carmen DeSousa:
1. Hi, Carmen! Can you tell us a little about your first book She Belongs To Me?
‘She Belongs to Me’ is a true romantic-suspense, meaning it is a fifty-fifty mix of romance and mystery with a line of suspense running equally through both genres. In other words, the mystery and the romance will always have you on your toes, wondering what happens next, whether it’s the “Will their relationship make it?” or “How did she really end up shot in the head?”
2 What is your inspiration for writing She Belongs To Me?
Honestly, I just had a lot to say, and I was tired of not being able to find books that gave me a great romance and mystery without resorting to graphic and erotic scenes. Yes, I want to be swept off my feet and chew on my nails in anticipation, but I don’t want to have nightmares or get accused of reading ‘mommy porn’. So I thought, if they can make Rated R books into great PG13 movies, why not just start with a PG13 book to begin with. Of course, I think my books are appropriate for ages sixteen and up, but that was my goal.
3 Is there anyone in your book who is based on someone you know?
Yes, but that’s all I can say about that. 
4. In your bio, you said you were on your own at 17. Can you give us a little information about your life?
Well, that would be a horror story, and I try to keep my writing non-graphic. But yes, I am an only child, and I have barely one parent left. I was tossed around from house to house as a child, and I’ve been through almost everything imaginable, but I’ve always had my reading, writing, and an angel who went by the name of “Gram”, who made my life turn out pretty good, so I’ll never complain.
5 Who is your favorite Romantic Suspense Author?
Sidney Sheldon. Even though he is gone, he was my first love and will always be the reason I started writing.
6 You wrote some short stories “The Pit Stop”, and “The Depot”. What makes those books paranormal?
‘The Pit Stop’ and ‘The Depot’ are part of a mini-mystery series with a paranormal edge. Unlike some stories that paranormal is the primary focus, I try to give just a hint of paranormal, so that it is believable. The Depot’s Ghost Story is actually based on a real story.
7 On your website, CarmenDeSousa.com, you explained why you write Happily Ever After Stories. Do you have one of your own? Did you grow up in an unhappy situation and got whisked away by your hero?
Yes, boy, you’re digging deep. LOL! I had a very traumatic life up until meeting my ‘knight in smoky armor’, as he too needed a little polishing before he was ‘shining’. But we do have a ‘love at first sight’ story. I called my grandmother after our first date and told her I’d met the man I was going to marry. Thirteen days later, he asked me to marry him. Thirty days later, we eloped, but then remarried in front of our family. We’ve been married twenty-three years and have two boys ages sixteen and twenty-one. Yes, I’m definitely living my happily ever after.
8 If someone would offer you a movie contract for She Belongs to Me and you could chose anyone you wanted to play Jaynee and Jordan, who would they be and why?
I actually haven’t looked into current day actors, but Hugh Jackman if he were younger would play Jordan. I did see someone the other day who could be my Jaynee, but I forgot her name. Oops. But, on a side note, next month’s contest will be a ‘pick the character’ contest. So, please join me, and we’ll decide together.
9 What is your secret to becoming Best Seller?
Sadly, I’d like to say that it’s because I wrote a great novel, but that’s simply not the case. While my first novel does have 100+ reviews in the US and UK averaging 4.3 stars, which is comparable to most mainstream authors, that’s not how I became a bestseller. After all, no one knew me, so there was no way for them to know my book was any good. I’ve landed on the bestseller list about ten times now, because I socialize with my readers and they tell their friends. I am always on Twitter and Facebook, answering as many questions as I can, and I have a lot of book clubs that pick up and promote my books to their readers.
10. Do you have any advice to anyone interested in becoming an author?
Please don’t think it’s easy. It has to be your dream, as you will end up working fifteen-hour days. But if it’s your dream, never give up! Because nothing feels better to a writer—other than the family stuff, of course—than hearing that someone loved your book. It’s the greatest.
Both of my published novels, She Belongs to Me and Land of the Noonday Sun, have reached bestseller status right alongside Nicholas Sparks, J.D. Robb, and other great authors.
My newest releases are now available, Entangled Dreams and When Noonday Ends.
I love talking about all things books, so please connect with me via one of the links below
You can find her at:
https://twitter.com/Author_Carmen
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carmen-DeSousa/220790134629206?skip_nax_wizard=true
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5407915.Carmen_DeSousa?auto_login_attempted=true
Her personal website is: http://www.CarmenDesousa.com
Christian Romance
Posted on: May 7, 2013
Long before I became an author, I thought along the same line as my former friend. I thought that Christians shouldn’t read Romance, but what do I do if God inspires me to write Christian Romance? I absolutely believe that God is the Author of romance. He is even the matchmaker of Bible times. Read through the early part of Genesis and see for yourself! He created male and female and from then on you have Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekkah, Jacob and his two wives(Although God doesn’t condone bigamy, he allowed this. You have to read why).
I have a few friends who have taken what God had instituted and men have perverted: homosexual marriage or marriage of same sex. Not one of those people have read God’s judgement on Sodom and Gommorah (That is another subject).
Here is the link I am writing this blog in response to: http://www.goodmorals.org/crystal.htm
Just like some of my writing friends find nothing wrong with reading J.K Rowlings books (Harry Potter), or writing and or reading Sci Fi or ghost stories, I find nothing wrong with reading Christian Romance. The author of that post wrote that that she was 11 years old. Now this is my argument: No one should read any kind of Romance at that age! For me, it should be for adults for only.
As I said, I write Romance, but you will find nothing Erotic about my books. If there is anything premarital in my books, it is because it is not exactly Christian Romance– it is mainstream romance (The main character is not a Christian in the beginning), If there is any extramarital Romance, it is only to show the dangers of having affairs. I do not condone adultery at all.
So judge for yourselves. I do not compare myself to other authors. I could never write as they do. 
A LOVE SO REAL
Posted on: April 28, 2013
This is a poem that I might use for a story in the future
A love so real that you can feel it in your heart
A love so deep that no one can fathom it
A love so real that you can even taste it
A love so deep that you can swim in it.
Oh how I want to know this love.
This love can only be felt in your heart.
Oh how I long for a lasting love!
This love my friend is the love of God.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whosoever shall believe him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”
1 John 4:9” In this that the love of God was manifested towards us , that God sent his one and only son into the world that we might live through him.”
Ephesians 3:7 “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth–to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
Book Reviews for the Past Hunter
Posted on: March 29, 2013
In The Past Hunter by Ruthie Madison the author tells a story that has a great message for the readers. The idea of second chances and that whatever or whoever you worship gives you the strength to go on day-by-day is one that everyone should be able to relate to. Your past is something all people have and you have to come to grips with it–either you learn from it or you try to escape it.
This book is a hard one for me to review. I love the idea and the message it leaves you … however, to me this is one of those books that should never have been published. The writing really needs an editor to make it acceptable. The way the characters talk to each other isn’t natural; there isn’t one contraction in the whole book. There are many areas where I got lost, not knowing who was talking, or to who, or about what. That took away from the flow of the reading. The formatting is way off (it was left margin and not justified) and there are many extra `spaces’ throughout the book. There are also many grammatical mistakes which take away from the message.
I was given a copy of this by the author for an honest review and I have to call it as I read it. If I had to buy a copy of this, I would be very upset after reading it. The author needs to invest in an editor so that the “book” reads more like a book rather than a creative writing assignment from an English class. I do believe that the author has a future in this genre; she just needs to continue to grow as a writer.
Hopefully the author takes this review as constructive criticism and understands that there is a market for this type of genre. The messages are ones that need to be told. I give the book 4 stars for the message it leaves, but 2 stars for the actual writing and formatting. This means I will rate it 3 stars, as I did enjoy the story–it just needs a little more work.
The Love Curse Book Review
Posted on: March 25, 2013
I am sorry to say that I am unable to give this book a great review. When I started out reading it, I had no idea what I got myself into. The book offends my Christian faith. I understand that as my friends says it is a work of fiction, but I am careful of what I allow my eyes to see. Occasionally it doesn’t bother me if someone uses profanity as long as it is not often. I also understand that the author comes from a different background than me. I don’t expect her to write Christian fiction because she is not one.
The Love Curse is a story about this family of witches. At first, I thought the two teenage girls were unrelated until I got into the book more. One takes place in the late 50′s while the other about 50 years later , so I gather that the two girls are related from that. There is a curse put upon this witch’s family because of a deal made with a wood sprite. If any witch falls in love and hopes to marry, her boyfriend or fiance’ is cursed to die.
It is not the foul language that bothers me but the book is filled with scenes of the girls using their powers or practicing witchcraft. It also shows that these girls have premarital sex. As I said, the author may be raised to believe that there is nothing wrong with that and we both have views and beliefs that are contrasting from each other so I respect that. I just would not recommend anyone who is a Christian to read the book. If you are into that sort of thing, fine, but I am not.
Fairy May
Written and illustrated by Jo Linsdell
‘s
Fairy May dreams of one day becoming a tooth fairy but she struggles at school and always seems to get things wrong. With hard work and determination she prepares for her test. Will she realize her dream and become a tooth fairy?
Release Date: 1st February 2013
Product details:
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1481951424
ISBN-13: 978-1481951425
Product Dimensions: 10 x 8 x 0.1 inches
Purchasing links:
Video trailer:
About the author:
Jo Linsdell is a best selling author and illustrator, award winning blogger and freelance writer. Originally from the UK, she now lives in Rome, Italy with her husband and their two young sons.
Jo Linsdell
Author website: www.JoLinsdell.com
Contact details:
Email: webmaster@jolinsdell.com
Social Media Links:
Review comments:
5 Stars
“More than a picture book, Fairy May teaches anything worth having is worth working for. A delightful read that teaches without preaching. A simple lesson beautifully told.”
- By C. Bullard
5 Stars
“Fairy May is a story that will encourage little kids to not only to keep their teeth clean but also to try their best and work hard in school! A rhyming story filled with cute pictures, it would make a perfect addition to your child’s book collection. I read it to my 1 1/2 yr old and he laughs and points to every picture!”
- By Virginia L. Jennings
5 Stars
“Fairy May is a story that will draw in younger children with it’s colorful, playful illustrations and clever writing. Younger children will favor it as a bedtime read, while older children learning to read can choose it to practice their craft. Well produced with high quality!”
- By J. campbell
5 Stars
“We love the cuteness of drawings and the light, delicate colours.
We love the rhymes, a good exercise for non-mother-tongue children to improve their English knowledge.
We love the story, the strength of tiny May in following her dreams. We love the good example: if you want something you must be ready to work hard!
We love the highlight on dental hygiene, the importance of brushing teeth and we will download soon the extras!
We love to read it, and read it and read it again…. as we did with previous release by Jo Linsdell “OUT AND ABOUT AT THE ZOO”! =)
We love the book itself. Fairy May is a new character in our life and we hope in future new adventures to be released!”
- By LaMarzia
5 Stars
“When a story is told using rhyming words, too many times it does not work, but this one surely does! The rhyming does not feel forced and the story line flows. I think it would be great for a beginning reader to use for practice as well as a fun read-aloud that reveals an important lesson!”
- By Neil Edwards
“This delightful picture book is bound to become the favorite book of anyone who believes in fairies. The rhyming verse and soft delicate pictures will take you into the fantasy land of Fairy May’s; a land you won’t want to return from. Linsdell will have you child wondering if Fairy May really makes it to be her dream- tooth fairy. A fun read-a-loud and wonderful for beginning readers, very easy to read. This book will help your child see that you can be what you set out to be.”
- By Apple Blossom
“It’s like a gentle hum that makes you smile each time you think about it once you’ve put the book away.”
-By Richa Jha
“Mum and toddler both love the story and pictures and like reading (and listening) to it over and over again.
All in all a delightful book that encourages children to achieve their dreams (and clean their teeth!).
Although Fairy May is a magical being, the way that she achieves her dreams is not achieved by magic, but by hard work and sheer determination. This gives children a realistic message that dreams cannot be achieved overnight just by wishing (or magic), but you do need to work towards them to make them happen.
Fairy May is not just a fairy tale, but a tale of moral tooth (I mean truth)!”
- By Hazel Nutt
Sample interview:
1) Please tell us a bit about Fairy May.
Fairy May is a rhyming children’s picture story book about a fairy called May that dreams of one day becoming a tooth fairy. She struggles at school and always seems to get things wrong but with hard work and determination she prepares for her tooth fairy exam.
2) What lessons does this book carry for the reader?
The story carries two main lessons for the reader;
A. To follow your dreams. Just because it isn’t easy doesn’t mean it can’t be achieved.
“ But Fairy May tried and tried for she had a special dream;
one day she’d be a tooth fairy, the best you’ve ever seen.”
B. The importance of dental hygiene. The text subtly introduces the reader to how to take care of their teeth correctly.
“She learnt how to brush and keep teeth clean
and how to floss right in between.”
3) What was your inspiration for this book?
This book is dedicated to my niece who, after seeing that my last book Out and About at the Zoo was dedicated to my two sons, asked if I’d write a book for her too.
It needed to have fairies in it and so I brainstormed on ideas and came up with Fairy May. I wanted her to be a little girl fairy and to show that it’s OK to not be perfect. I wanted young children to be able to relate to her and to encourage them to go after their dreams.
The tooth fairy part came about because several of my 5 year old’s friends have recently lost their first tooth and he has been full of questions on the subject. My 17 month old is also teething at the moment and so the topic of dental hygiene comes up a lot in our house at the moment.
4) What did you learn while writing Fairy May?
The importance of having the right direction for my story not just a good text. In the original version the text worked fine as a story and rhymed nicely but the overall message wasn’t as strong. After rewriting the last part I was much happier with the focus of the story. Simple changes can make a big difference.
5) What projects are you working on now?
I’m busy with several projects at the moment. “The Bedtime Book” which is another rhyming children’s picture book. “The Writers and Authors Guide to Social Media” and “Virtual Book Tours” which are two non-fiction books. 2013 is going to be a busy year for me as I have lots of other ideas too.
TOUR SCHEDULE:
1 February- http://writersoldier.blogspot.de/2013/01/author-interview-jo-linsdell-on-her-new.html (interview and book spotlight)
2 February- Facebook wall chat at http://www.facebook.com/VirginiaLoriJennings (9:30pm CET/ 3:30pm EST)
3 February- http://4horsemenseriesbr.blogspot.it/2013/02/today-i-welcome-author-jo-linsdell.html (interview)
4 February- http://pauletteharper.blogspot.it/2013/02/virtual-book-tour-for-author-jo-linsdell.html#.UQ_hWKVX2So (book spotlight)
5 February- http://1sttimemums.blogspot.it/2013/02/book-feature-fairy-may-by-jo-linsdell.html (book spotlight)
6 February- http://heartfeltwords4kids.blogspot.com/2013/02/book-review-author-jo-linsdell-and.html (review)
7 February- http://www.hazelnutt.com/picture-book-author-interview-8-jo-linsdell (interview)
8 February- http://itsabouttimemamaw.blogspot.it/2013/02/new-release-fairy-may-by-jo-linsdell.html (book spotlight)
9 February- http://www.facebook.com/michelleelliotauthor (Facebook wall chat 10:30pm CET)
10 February-https://stephseclecticinterests.wordpress.com/2013/02/11/fairy-may-by-jo-linsdell (book spotlight)
11 February- http://sostacythought.wordpress.com/2013/02/10/fairy-may-official-blog-stop (review)
12 February- http://albertaross.wordpress.com/2013/02/12/fairy-may-by-jo-linsdell-on-the-red-carpet (guest post)
http://www.hazelnutt.com/picture-book-review-fairy-may-by-jo-linsdell (review)
13 February- http://barbaraehrentreu.blogspot.it/2013/02/welcome-back-jo-linsdell-with-fairy-may.html (guest post)
14 February- http://myheartbelongs2books.blogspot.it/2013/02/fairy-may-by-jo-linsdell.html (review)
15 February- http://snugglewithpicturebooks.com/fairy-may (review)
16 February- http://irenesroth.wordpress.com/2013/02/16/a-reflection-about-the-world-of-childrens-books-with-jo-linsdell (guest post)
17 February- http://thenewbookreview.blogspot.com/2013/02/mom-reviews-fairy-book-for-kids.html (review)
18 February- http://familiesmatter2us.blogspot.it/2013/02/book-review-fairy-may.html (review)
19 February- http://thewritingmama.blogspot.it/2013/02/book-review-tuesday-fairy-may.html (review)
20 February- http://albertaross.wordpress.com/2013/02/20/fairy-may-author-jo-linsdell-interviewed-red-carpet-day (interview and book spotlight)
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/2013/02/fairy-may-by-jo-linsdell-and-promoting.html (guest post)
21 February- http://www.donna-mcdine.blogspot.com (guest post)
22 February- http://kaistrand.blogspot.com (character interview)
23 February- http://adventuresofceciliaspark.blogspot.co.uk/ (book spotlight)
24 February- http://carolmarlenesmith.blogspot.ca (guest post)
25 February-http://wherewritersandauthorsmeet.webs.com/apps/blog (group interview)
26 February- http://virginiajennings.webs.com/apps/blog/ (interview)
27 February- http://itsabouttimemamaw.blogspot.com/ (review)
28 February- http://elysabethsstories.blogspot.com (review and book spotlight)
1 March- http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolbookreview/ (review)
https://www.facebook.com/claudia.moss.35?ref=ts&fref=ts (Facebook wall chat 1pm)
2 March- www.claudiamoss.wordpress.com (interview and book spotlight)
3 March- www.claudiamoss.wordpress.com (guest post)
4 March- http://www.kidsimaginationtrain.blogspot.com (guest post)
5 March- http://www.facebook.com/behrentreu (Facebook wall chat 9:30pm CET/ 3:30 pm EST)
6 March- http://itsabouttimemamaw.blogspot.com/ (guest post)
7 March- http://www.MelissaEdwards.org (interview)
http://www.examiner.com/books-in-austin/k-trina-meador (feature)
8 March- www.melissawray.blogspot.com.au (review and interview)
9 March- http://moxiegirlwriting.blogspot.com (guest post)
10 March- http://blogsofbooks.com (review)
11 March- http://fabianspace.blogspot.com (review)
12 March- http://www.simplybudgeted.com (review)
13 March- http://rothsinspiringbooksandproducts.wordpress.com (review)
14 March- http://cmashlovestoread.com (review and book spotlight)
15 March- http://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com (review)
16 March-
17 March-
18 March-
19 March- http://janieraeldridge.blogspot.com (interview)
20 March- http://www.gatheringleavesreviews.blogspot.com (interview and review)
21 March-
22 March-
23 March-
24 March-
25 March- http://www.JLBCreatives.blogspot.com (interview)
26 March-
27 March-
28 March-
29 March- http://www.JoLinsdell.com (webinar 9:30pm CET)
30 March-
31 March- http://aritistadonna.blogspot.com/ (review, interview and guest post)
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