Talking With Shobhan Bantwal

I have had the great pleasure of interviewing many authors over the years.  One of my favorites has been Shobhan Bantwal because of her openness and willingness to allow readers to see who is behind the books.  Today's interview is no exception,  Once you have enjoyed the interview, please leave a note for Shobhan (and a FB like or Tweet would also be appreciated!).  Thank you!

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You are such a prolific writer.  Can you pass on any hints you use to keep yourself productive and writing consistently?

Actually I am not as prolific as I would like to be, mainly because I have a demanding full-time job that does not allow me the luxury of time to devote to my writing projects. But my best source of inspiration to boost my productivity and creativity is reading books by other authors. I love reading and try to fit in at least a half hour of reading just before I go to bed each night. It is a great way to wind down and relax, also a way to energize the muses and overcome writer's block.

As for writing consistently, I have to discipline myself constantly because I tend to go in spurts, and to succeed and meet a writer's deadlines, one has to establish a schedule. My writing is almost always done very early in the mornings.

Your books all have deep emotion throughout.  Do you find yourself emotionally drained after a particularly fruitful writing session or have you found a way to somehow convey the emotion and still distance yourself from its effects?

When I write an emotional scene I am completely immersed in it, heart and soul. It can be a lot of fun, but quite draining at times. Nevertheless that also tells me it is a good scene if it can move me, the writer, to that extent. A sex scene is not worth much if I don't feel at least a little aroused or a heartbreaking scene has not been effectively captured if I don't shed a few tears. Women's fiction by its very nature is very emotional and the writer needs to be completely engaged in the drama of it.

The subjects you have covered are ones that could be controversial in certain places.  Have you ever found yourself debating whether or not you should write about these subjects?  How do you decide if a subject is best left alone or is worth the flack you may receive?

Some of my topics have been subjected to controversy and negative scrutiny, especially dowry abuse and female-fetus abortion in India, the subjects of my first two books. Not everybody feels it is wrong to demand a dowry from the bride's family. A lot of otherwise morally upright people have secretly turned to abortion to avoid having a female child. Such folks feel that I am turning a simple social practice into a huge moral debate by bringing awareness to it. There are others who feel a writer should not expose the darker side of one's culture. Consequently I have to do a lot of deliberation and soul-searching before I embark on writing a story with a controversial or incendiary theme.

What prompted you to write Full Moon Bride?

After having lived in the U.S. for over 37 years and raised a daughter who was born here and is now married and has a family of her own, I have witnessed a lot of cultural and social conflict that the second-generation Indian-Americans and other Asian-Americans grapple with. Trying to fit into two vastly diverse cultures can be a tough challenge for young people. The Full Moon Bride is a result of my observations and what could happen when a young woman can't quite decide if it is passion or pragmatism that makes a marriage, and which path she should choose to realize her own dreams and those of her family.

Of the books you have written, can you pick one as your favorite (the one you would suggest reader’s who are unfamiliar with you start with)?  Why this particular choice?

I don't really have a favorite book, because I put my heart into every one of them. But my last book, The Unexpected Son, has elements that I can personally relate to the most. The college campus life that my heroine experiences in the 1970s in small-town India and the way her youthful indiscretions come to haunt her 30 years later, when she is forced to make a life-altering decision, make for a very emotional and intriguing story. I could picture a lot of what she was going through more vividly because my experiences, to some degree, as far as family life and the conservatism of it are concerned, are similar to my heroine's.

Are you currently working on anything you’d be willing to share information on?

My publisher prefers that I not discuss future projects, but I will say the next book is also about a young Indian-American professional, who in her quest for love and passion and family, ends up falling in love with the most unlikely man. Needless to say the journey to happiness has a few interesting bumps.

Is there anything you would like to say to our readers?

I would like to encourage readers who have never read any ethnic fiction to open their minds and read my books. Many previous skeptics have come to love my books and have become long-time supporters, some of them being men. I try to make my books both entertaining and educational. If nothing else, readers will learn something about Indian culture and be the richer for it.

Readers can find my books, events, contests, photos, recipes, and contact information on my website: www.shobhanbantwal.com/ or visit my facebook page: www.facebook.com/ShobhanBantwal.author

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Thank you for the wonderful interview, Shobhan! Everyone, please come back tomorrow to see what I think of Full Moon Bride.

Talking with Sandy Sims--Author, Philosopher, Creative Genius

I don't impress easily -- in fact, it is almost impossible to impress me.  There have been a few times in my life, however, when someone crossed my path and totally earned my respect and admiration--and yes, impressed me.  I was fortunate enough to be allowed to review Mr. Sim's books and get to know more about this man.  It doubt if I'll soon forget him.  Today, I'd like to share with you an interview with Sandy Sims -- I think you'll understand my point completely.

 Who is Sandy Sims?

A Virgo with Pisces rising and a moon in Taurus he is comfortable in both the world of Ralph Lauren and Timothy Leary. Interesting people and ideas are a fascination. A curious soul he will try most things at least once. He is drawn to metaphysical ideas in terms of finding meaning in life. A good cappuccino, living abroad and smelling the roses are high on his list. His goal is to make life a continuous gracious adventure.

What role does passion play in your life activities?

Passion now is directed towards balance. Learning is for the sheer joy of learning. I pay attention to what I have energy for and move in that direction, not so much questioning why but realizing that that is where the energy is, and that is good enough.

What might be the most important thing the universe is telling us?

I feel that it is that we are truly the architects of our life and the choices we make lead to the life we have. The difficult thing is to realize our own personal power because there are so many events and set backs that seem to cloud that realization. If we can make notes as to when we first wanted things, or people or opportunity to show up, and then connect those dots in time to their occurrences, we can gather more confidence about our ability and move confidently towards what we want.

How do you define reality?

I feel it is simply the moment by moment we experience in our physical life through our senses, but that it does include in the background the vast consciousness of existence we live oblivious to.

What does success mean to you?

It is a bio feed back loop. It is understanding that where my efforts are applied there are results. Where there are set backs, or apparent disappointments it is because I have not yet applied the effort required. Perhaps I have not paid attention to my own intuition and been courageous enough to act, or realized that there are other forces working at cross purposes and my path is elsewhere.

Are we born creative or must we learn to be creative?

I feel that we are born innately curious and that as we learn how to survive and function in the world, we are required to conform. Those around us who have lost awareness of their own personal power are very influential and if there are too many we can become lost. Creativity is like a portal or channel or even a lifeline that gives us direction from the smallest incidents in life to the “Aha” moments. The ability of these portals to become more useful is enhanced by our awareness of their existence. Living life as a question is one way to do this.

What does the future hold for Sandy Sims?

The future for Sandy Sims is to practice the idea of living life in the flow. Getting used to connecting with my intuition, paying attention to what I am enthusiastic about and following through with intention. I feel that we are in the midst a huge consciousness transformation where we are being required to trust that life will bring us what we need and move more confidently into the unknown. I don’t say that this is particularly easy. However with practice I feel I can find exhilaration and reward in the process.

What would you like to share with our readers?

I once went to a lecture given by a man in a wheel chair who had burns over ninety percent of his body from an airplane crash. His message was that it isn’t what happens to us, but what we plan to do about it. He said he could have spent the rest of his life feeling sorry for himself and would have had good reason. Instead he realized that there was an entirely new life available, to travel and lecture on this very concept. I wrote my book first as simply a cathartic experience, recording my journey of learning about manifestation and applying those principles. I realized that I was not that interested in people telling me about what they had read on this topic, but more of what they had actually experienced. I was urged to share my own story on manifestation. I found that I had energy and resources to do so, and following the breadcrumbs; so to speak, I have entered the world of book writing, publishing and marketing.

Thank you for sharing your words and time with us, Sandy.  Feel free to return for a visit any time.

Don't forget to come back tomorrow, folks, when I share my thoughts on Mr. Sim's book (and the workbook), How Frank Lloyd Wright Got Into My Head, Under My Skin, and Changed the Way I Think About Thinking.
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or more information about Sandy Sims and How Frank Lloyd Wright Got Into My Head, Under My Skin And Changed The Way I Think About Thinking, A Creative Thinking Blue Print For the 21st Century, visit http://creativethinkingbook.com/ and visit this page to get the Amazon links.   

Truth is so often more horrifying than fiction, and this can be found in the multitude of true crime books available. So often, we are drawn to these books because we try so hard to make sense of what appears to be senseless. We want to know what the murderer was thinking, how he/she could so recklessly take another's life.





My guest today is one of the foremost writers of true-crime books. He has gone where many would like to in order to get inside the criminal's mind and let us know the answers to how those minds think, what motivates them. I am extremely honored to bring you an interview with Gary C. King, who took the time out of his busy schedule preparing for a new book release tomorrow (more on that in a minute) to share some thoughts with us.





Gary C. King, a freelance author and lecturer, is regarded by readers and critics alike as one of the world's foremost crime writers, a reputation he has earned over the last 28 years with the publication of more than 400 articles in true crime magazines in the United States, Canada, and England.





King’s stories regularly appeared in True Detective, Official Detective, Inside Detective, Front Page Detective, and Master Detective magazines, until those magazines’ demise in the mid-1990s. More recently he has found alternate venues for his stories, including Crime Library.





He is also the author of several true crime books including: Blood Lust: Portrait of a Serial Sex Killer, Driven to Kill, Web of Deceit, Blind Rage, Savage Vengeance (with Don Lasseter), An Early Grave, The Texas 7, Murder in Hollywood, Angels of Death, Stolen in the Night, Love, Lies, and Murder, and An Almost Perfect Murder. Butcher will be published in April 2009.





Driven to Kill, the story of serial child killer Westley Allan Dodd's killing spree, was published in April 1993 by Pinnacle Books and was nominated for an Anthony Award in the Best True Crime Book category at Bouchercon 25.





Blood Lust: Portrait of a Serial Sex Killer, details the bizarre case of Dayton Leroy Rogers, Oregon's worst serial killer to date. Blood Lust was published in December 1992 under NAL/Dutton's Onyx imprint as an original paperback and is now in its twelfth U.S. printing. A German language edition of Blood Lust was published later, in 1995. Both Blood Lust and Driven to Kill were chosen as featured selections of Doubleday's now defunct True Crime Book Club.





King has also written articles on several celebrated cases that include: "Son of Sam" David Berkowitz; the Hillside Stranglers; Jim Jones and the Guyana Massacre; D.B. Cooper; Gary Gilmore; John Lennon's killer, Mark David Chapman; and Seattle's bizarre Chinatown Massacre in the 1980s. He has also contributed to several true crime compilations books with various publishers.





The subject of King's other books include: Blind Rage, about suspected serial murderer Darren Dee O'Neall, was published by Dutton-Signet under their Onyx imprint in August 1995, and was reprinted in 2001 by the Mystery Writers of America/iUniverse. Savage Vengeance was published in 1996. More recently King published An Early Grave, a book about the mysterious death of Las Vegas casino scion Ted Binion; The Texas 7: A True Story of Murder and a Daring Escape, about the infamous Texas prison break in which a dedicated cop with a family was brutally murdered; Murder in Hollywood, about the murder of Bonny Lee Bakley, actor Robert Blake's wife; Angels of Death, a story detailing the murder of Terry King in Florida, purportedly committed by King's 12- and 13-year-old sons, Derek and Alex King; and Stolen in the Night, about the horrific Joseph Edward Duncan III case out of Idaho. His latest, Love, Lies, and Murder, is about the riveting Perry March case, the shady Nashville lawyer who was convicted of second-degree murder in the death of his wife, Janet, and for plotting the murders of Janet’s parents, from Pinnacle Books. He is currently at work on two additional books for Pinnacle.





King also writes the Bizarre Crime of the Week blog for Investigation Discovery.King’s television appearances have included Entertainment Tonight, Larry King Live, Inside Edition, Court TV, MSNBC’s Headliners and Legends, E!, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Extra TV, and several other programs. He also frequently provides radio interviews.King is an active member of the Authors Guild, Mystery Writers of America, American Crime Writers League, The Crime Writers' Association, National Press Club, Society of Professional Journalists, Investigative Reporters and Editors (I.R.E.) and the International Association of Crime Writers.





Gary C. King is represented by agent Peter Miller, President, PMA Literary and Film Management, 45 West 21st Street, Suite 4SW, New York, NY 10010. Phone: 212-929-1222; Fax: 212-206-0238. You can find out more about Gary at his personal website at: http://www.garycking.com/index.htm





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Now, let's take a listen to the interview:





1. First, can you please tell our readers about yourself. Who is Gary King, the person?





I am a person who enjoys solitude, but I am not averse to being sociable. I am a caring person who gives a lot of thought to the victims and their families in the stories and books that I write about. I try very hard to "humanize" the victims that the killers I write about have "objectified." I am family oriented, and am considered a workaholic by my family despite my best efforts to spend as much time with everyone as possible. My typical workday is 8-10 hours when I'm on a book project. In my off time I like to travel, read, and watch movies. I have been referred to as a cantankerous old fart, but I work hard to keep that label from taking hold!

2. What drew you to the genre of true crime writing originally?





A case in Oregon about a child killer, Manuel Cortez, first drew me to true crime. It was a tough, emotional case, and one that I felt I could write. That case launched my writing career back in 1980 with the publication of "Tortured by the Sadist in the Press Box," which can be soon be read again on the Investigation Discovery site where approximately 50 of my earlier stories will be seen in the very near future (they may call that portion of their site "Classic Crime," but not sure yet). Readers will likely be able to navigate to the classic stories from my blog, Bizarre Crimes of the Week (http://discovery.blogs.com/bizarre ). After writing the Cortez story, I became hooked on researching and writing about crime and have been doing it ever since.

3. How much time do you put in, on average, researching each of your books?





The amount of time spent on researching a case for a book varies substantially. Some cases are easier than others, particularly when people are eager to talk. On average, however, I'd have to say approximately three months go into research and outlining, and another three to four months in writing. I have, however, written a couple of "quickie" books (which I will never do again), that required completion of the projects from start to finish in 35 days.

4. What draws you to a particular case?





Simply put, a case must interest me greatly before I will decide to write about it. The cases that interest me usually have many of the elements of a traditional mystery, a whodunit, and I typically have to "feel" some emotional involvement despite the fact that I am so detatched. The cases I like best are those that take me inside the mind of the killer.

5. Do you find interviewing those involved in your cases an easy task or do you run into a great deal of opposition?





Again, it varies greatly from case to case. Sometimes people are very eager to talk, other times they are very reluctant. I never know who will talk to me until I begin the research and tracking down the participants, whether they be the victim's family members or the cops. Sometimes I get to talk to the killers themselves.

6. Would you please tell us a bit about Butcher, which will be released tomorrow?





Butcher is the story of Canadian pig farmer Robert Pickton who, at some point in his life, decided that he wanted to beging killing and butchering women. It is a sordid case with gruesome aspects, but I tried to tone down the violence and the gore to some extent. Pickton is a fascinating case study of a serial killer, purportedly the worst in Canadian history. We originally had plans to release the book in Canada as The Pig Farm Murders, but the Canadian government informed my publisher that we cannot because of the publication ban still in effect regarding the case. Pickton's appeals have apparently begun, and the government is doing what it deems necessary to protect Pickton's rights.

7. What advice can you offer writers wanting to delve into writing true crime?





Be prepared for a lot of competition, as well as putting in lots of long, difficult hours for very little payment. The genre does not pay well unless one hits the bestseller lists, which is rare in true crime. Ann Rule has been one of the few to be able to accomplish that, along with Vincent Bugliosi and a handful of others. An aspiring true crime writer should be prepared to sit down and write a 10-15 page proposal about the crime that interests him/her, and do it quickly before someone else beats you to the publisher. While writing the proposal, find an agent for representation by sending out a short 1 or 2 page letter of interest, or query. Be prepared to send out the proposal as soon as the agent says okay.

8. Of all your books, which one holds you in its grip the most, and why?





Probably Driven to Kill, because it is about child serial murderer Westley Allan Dodd. Why? Because he did horrible, unspeakable things to little children, and I got to interview him for several hours and heard him tell me about his crimes in vivid detail as he relived them in a near-fantasy state of mind.

9. Do you have any other books in the works at the moment that we can look forward to reading?





I am currently working on a book that has been tentatively titled, Rage, which is about millionaire Reno businessman Darren Mack. Mack, true crime fans will recall, murdered his wife, Charla, because he was unhappy with the divorce settlement. He then went downtown and shot their divorce judge from a parking garage, through the judge's chambers window (the judge survived). There is a lot more to the case, of course, but that should give readers an idea. I have two additional true crime books to complete after that, but my editor and I have not settled on which cases those will be about just yet.

10. Is there anything else you would like to say--about yourself, your work or writing in general?





Writing for publication can be a very satisfying career, but aspiring writers should be prepared to face the difficult times (particularly economic) that go along with it.



Thank you so much for your wonderful answers, Gary. If you readers have any questions, please feel fre to put them in the comments section and I will see about getting them answered :-)





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Now, for tomorrow's book release of Butcher (By the way, you can pre-order this book at http://tinyurl.com/ck6hqw ). I think the back copy will tell you better about this book.



From the back cover:

HIS GOAL: TO KILL AN "EVEN FIFTY"They called him "Uncle Willie." At night, Robert "Willie" Pickton visited the streets of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. The women he picked up never came back...

HIS METHODS: RAPE AND TORTURE For years, police built a long list of missing prostitutes, women at the edge of society. Some people claimed there was a serial killer. One detective lost his job for saying so. But investigators didn't have a single body...until someone found a skull sawed in half...

THE PIG FARM MURDERS On land that had made his family millions, on a squalid pig farm near a school, a condo development and a Starbucks, Robert Pickton ran a house of horrors for decades. Friends, neighbors and community leaders came and went, while Pickton committed debauchery, torture, and bloodletting rivaling the worst on record. What he did to his victims was unspeakable. What he did to the bodies was unimaginable. How he got away with it is the most shocking crime of all...

INCLUDES 16 PAGES OF DISTURBING PHOTOS

BUTCHER will be released on April 7, 2009 to bookstores everywhere.
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All true crime readers will be familiar with Gary C. King. For those who are unfamiliar with his work, this is your chance to get to know him. Again, please stop by http://www.garycking.com/index.htm to learn more about Gary and his writing. You won't regret this one!

The Man Overboard--Resurfacing

If everyone will recall, last week I introduced you to Darryl Hagar and his autobiography, The Man Overboard. If you missed the post, you can read it here:
Books and Authors: When Adventure Turns Into Addiction

Darryl has returned today to talk with me and give everyone a deeper look into the inspiring man that is Darryl Hagar.

1. Thank you for being here today, Darryl. Would you please tell me a little about yourself--family, pets, favorite hobbies?

I turned 46 on Thursday, April 2nd and on May 12th I will celebrate 4 yrs of sobriety. I have a 9 yr old son who made an agreement with dad on May 12th, 2005. He promised to quit sucking his thumb if I quit drinking beer and neither one of us has relapsed!!! True Story : )

We do not have any pets because I travel extensively speaking at jails, prisons, high schools, colleges, hospital drug addiction recovery centers. I recently have met with Maine Maritime Academy officials about talking to young midshipmen in training about the dangers of alcoholism and drug abuse. I intend on speaking at all of our country's maritime academies, military academies, and to the United States Military personnel at the US military bases.

I love sports and in my sobriety I've coached my son in basketball and little league baseball 5 different times. Being around the little guys has been very good for my soul. 27 yrs of drinking and drugging has taken a toll. I walked a long ways into the woods and now I'm walking out, one day at a time. My son won good citizen of the year in my sobriety and I now realize how important it is to have two loving involved sober parents. His mom and I do not live together but we get along quite well and make sacrifices for our son's best interest. I believe good parenting dictates a child's success in life.

2. What prompted you to write The Man Overboard?

I am very passionate about helping others recover from drug abuse and alcoholism and also in going to 12 step meetings, a sponsor, sponsee whom I direct and help stay sober. I'm very close to God and when I finally surrendered I made a pledge that if the good Lord helped me get sober I would help others do the same.

I worked on my sobriety every day going to 90 meetings in 90 days. Sometimes I would attend two 12 step meetings in one day. I learned to pray at the foot of my bed asking God to keep me away from a drink and a drug for that day. I got a sponsor and started to work the 12 steps and cleaning up the wreckage of the past. I began to journal every day putting down all my drinking mistakes and who I needed to make amends to.

I attended therapy for two years and at that point my head really started to clear and I began dreaming about writing my memoir that would detail my horrific life of alcoholism and drug abuse while all the time operating 900 foot supertankers. I verified in the book all my stories with police reports, United States Coast Guard letters, medical paperwork detailing broken bones, medical surgeries, 1st hand eye witness' accounts and finally a drug and alcohol rehabilitation.

After talking about my chaotic life in the first half of the book including my dads suicide and the birth of my son when I was intoxicated, I then wrote about my recovery. I detailed everything I did, how diligent I paid attention to my recovery, and all the actions I took to get and stay sober and clean. I believe this book, The Man Overboard, will be used as a guide in how to conquer severe alcoholism and drug addiction. I thought if I wrote "The Man Overboard" and showed how low I sank and still recovered, others would be inspired in their own lives to give an alcohol and drug free life a chance.

3. You cover some deep areas that must have been difficult to revisit. How did you handle the emotion involved in this?

As I wrote this book I had a lot of apprehension. Would the United States Coast Guard come after me? Would I be banned from ever sailing on the big ships again? Could I be thrown in prison for my past? Would I bring shame and embarrassment to me, my family, my son, the oil companies I worked for, and the merchant marines in general? I got close to God and asked him to guide me. I decided that if I could take my story and turn it into a learning experience for others it would be worth all the risks.

As I wrote the drunken sailor stories tramping around the world in many undesirables places and people, I would have to stop writing and walk away from my computer at times disgusted and in disbelief of my own life. I would dream of all these events as if I was re-living them again. Cocaine abuse, alcoholism and parenting, drinking and driving and car wrecks, prostitution around the world. I told it all and it took a toll on my soul. I would ask myself often "What happened to your life Darryl?".

I would share with my sponsor, pray to God to give me the courage and strength and wisdom to carry on. It took me two years and many hard moments but finally my book got completed and on Feb. 2009 The Man Overboard was released on www.amazon.com and is also available on my website with many other things at www.themanoverboard.com


4. When you lecture, have you ever come across a particularly emotional reaction from an audience member? If so, would you please share this with us?

There are two emotions that usually stand out with the audience.

The saddest is when I talk about the day my dad took a gun and killed himself. I talk about how I made the mistake of not talking about that event, not even one word, for 23 years. I kept it bottled up inside and let drugs and alcohol soothe my emotions and that had a devastating effect for many years. In hindsight, If people have major trauma in their lives, talk to somebody right away. Whether its your therapist, mom, wife, husband, priest, best friend. It doesn't matter, just don't keep it bottled up because it will eat you up in time.

The happiest is when I tell the audience my son agreed to quit sucking his thumb when I agreed to quit drinking beer. When I celebrated 3 years of sobriety and received a 3 yr. metal medallion, I in turn gave it to my son for not sucking his thumb for 3 years and the 100 people at the 12 step meeting roared in approval.

5. Addiction to anything is hard to deal with. What advice would you give to someone who finds themselves in that situation and doesn't know where to start in getting help?

First of all ask God/higher power for help. You can't do it alone. Then attend 12 step meeting for your particular addiction. There are12 step meetings for everything and they have proven to be the most effective tool out there.

I have come up with the idea of The Power of Positive Addiction. Addiction is chronic, we can't wipe it away, we can only recognize and control it. I use my addictions now in helping people. I spend my time creating positive things to battle addiction, I spend my time with my child and improving our relationship. I'm using addiction in a positive controlled way to get closer to God. When my dad committed suicide I should have turned to my faith instead of turning to the bottle.

The first thing about addiction is to take a close look at yourself and admit to the world and even more importantly to yourself, that you are addicted to something or things negative. It can be drugs and alcohol, sex, food, gambling, obsessive/compulsive behavior, your blackberry/cell phone/lap top, etc. Once you admit these things are negatively affecting your life, then you have taken the 1st and most important step in getting those addictions under control. Now take your time and energy and re-focus those addictions into positive things in your life. I am addicted to recovery, helping others, attending 12 step meetings, exercising everyday, my faith, and spending time with my son. All positive things in my life.

6. Darryl, if there is just one thing a reader takes with them from your book, what would you like that to be?

No matter what, no matter where you've been or what you have been through, you can still recover. Read my story, I'm living proof. You have to admit the problem and then take action. Nothing changes if nothing changes.

7. Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers today?

Two things:

1. The wise still seek him.

2. I am willing and able to help anyone that asks. Go to my website www.themanoverboard.com and just send me an email and I will respond. God Bless you all.

***
Powerful words, Darryl! Thanks for being so open here!

Folks, tomorrow I will be sharing my review of The Man Overboard with you. In the meantime, Each time a blog visitor comments on any or all of The Man Overboard blog tour stops, they will be entered in two random drawings.

The first is a weekly drawing. Weekly winners have the chance to win one of Darryl Hagar graphic novels http://www.themanoverboard.com/programs. Commenters who participate on the tour also will be placed in a random drawing to win a copy of Darryl Hagar's The Man Overboard http://www.themanoverboard.com/book.html. One copy will be given away midway through the eight-week tour and the second at the conclusion.

Share your thoughts and comments with author Darryl. He is passionate about his recovery and committed to helping others find the strength and support needed to reclaim their lives from the insidious affects of addiction. He will check in throughout the day to answer questions. You’ll learn more and have a chance to win a graphic novel or a copy of The Man Overboard!

For more information about Darryl Hagar and his virtual tour, check the schedule at http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2009/03/man-overboard-by-darryl-hagar-virtual.html

Kim Hix and a book for all our Special Children

Review:


It is often difficult to explain to a young child why he or she is "different" than others. A child with Asperger's or other emotional problems knows there is a difference, yet can't figure out why--and if it is okay. Kim Hix has written a book that helps parents explain to their children that "Yes, it is okay to be different!" This book is easy to read and understand-and fills a much-needed gap in today's book market. As I read the book, No One is Perfect and YOU are a Great Kid, I felt all the emotion involved in trying to explain to a child with Asperger's how okay it is to be himself. I give this book seven colors on the Rainbow Scale of Excellence.



ISBN-10: 1419631489
ISBN-13: 978-1419631481





I was fortunate enough to be able to talk with Kim about her book and writing. Please enjoy our conversation:


What three words do you think describe you as a human being?


determined, dependable, caring


How do you think others would describe you?


the same, add in fitness fanatic.


Please tell us what you are most passionate about outside of writing.


Well that would have to be the topic of pediatric mental health, the stigma associated with that as well as adult mental health issues. Trying to get others to see that illness of the brain does not make the person bad, evil or "crazy". I am also a fitness nut, always have been and hope I always will be. I work as a part time personal trainer, (along with another part time job (16 hours) a week as a Patient and Family Liaison for the Greenville Hospital System. )I teach a fitness and nutrition class for adolescents, which is what I love.


Do you have any pets? If so, introduce us to them.


Oh yes, we have Maxine, Zacks girl, acute white mix breed. Then there is Cruz, my husbands black Cocker Spaniel, his fathers day gift several years ago. Then our daughter Kelsie got her own puppy two years ago, Poncho a sweet, funny mix breed also. They rule the home.


What is your most precious memory?


Wow, there are so many, that is a hard one. I guess one that sticks with me recently was during an IEP meeting at Zack's school, it was very stressful as they had not yet realized the depth of his poor emotional control, and were seeing him as a behavior problem, rather than a kid with very poor impulse and emotional control. Anyway, he came into the meeting towards the end and saw I had been upset, he walked over to me in front of about 8 teachers, the principal, special education coordinator and he hugged me, held my hand, kissed me and said "mom, it's going to be ok"....oh, be still my heart. I think the tissue came out for all of them at that point.


What is your most embarrassing memory?


too many to count !! Maybe when I got married. My husband and I married in Charleston in a historic home with the winding staircase, so I was upstairs with my dad and maid of honor talking, laughing and cutting up, so much so that I did not hear the wedding song start and missed my queue to come downstairs to meet my awaiting husband !!! Uh, oh, mom had to yell (gently) for me upstairs and say it was time to get moving, the song had to start over and thankfully I did not tumble down that winding staircase.


If you weren’t a writer, what would you be doing with your life?


Well this story has been my only book, so I do not consider myself really as a writer, especially as a profession. This was a gift to Zack, which encouraged us to hopefully help other children, like him feel some comfort in knowing they do not suffer alone if they feel different for any reason.


In two paragraphs or less write your obituary


Kim Hix left this world to continue laughing and loving with her family and friends waiting for her above. She enjoyed life, the outdoors, beautiful flowers and most of all her family. Husband, Doug, devoted, loving and always hilarious. Son, Zack, loving, compassionate, determined and always ready to provide a hug and kiss. Daughter, Kelsie, beautiful, sweet, moms girl. Kim enjoyed her friends and her work,she was passionate about everything she did and never believed in giving up. Faith, love, hope were her favorite words, she believed and lived each one of them to the fullest.

Her friends always teased that if they ever needed someone to help them fight for a cause she would be the first one they would call. A true compliment. Kim would say in her final words to enjoy and appreciate each day, hug your kids as much as you can, look for the good in people and be kind to everyone you meet, believe in your gut instinct and yourself.Faith, love, hope.


Can you describe the time you realized you were indeed a "real" writer?


still waiting !!


What is going on with your writing these days?


I am on a standstill for now, thinking about the next project.


What are your future goals for your writing?


I want to do another children's book from a siblings point of view living with a brother or sister with a disability. I already have the title in my head, but haven't started the book yet.


Can you describe a typical writing day for you?


It is not something I wake up and get started on. This story just came to me rather quickly and I just jotted down the storyline. I am amazed how people can sit and write novel after novel, what a wonderful gift.


Why do you write?


I feel like I can express myself better with the hope that the words can reach someone else who may find a relationship with the character.


What writer most inspires you? Why?


Max Lucado. I love his deep thinking, his inspiration and teachings.


How do you define your writing?


truthful, honest, thought provoking.


In one sentence—what do you want people to say about your writing in fifty years?


She helped thousands of children feel better about themselves, she offered hope and acceptance.


Can you tell us where to find more information on you? Website? Blog?


this is just a small web site I did, hopefully I get get something more sophisticated up soon. But I think this gives all the important information that I want to get out there.

http://www.freewebs.com/forgreatkids/


Is there a place where readers can reach you?

certainly, kwhmom2two@hotmail.com.

I love feedback and questions.


Can you list all your book titles so people can look for them?


That is easy, only one, No One is Perfect and You are a Great Kid.,


For new readers—what can they expect when they read your book(s)?


Hopefully they will feel emotional, love, compassion, acceptance.


I also would like the book to open up dialogue for those reading it, it will pose questions that can encourage conversation, hopefully from the children reading or hearing the story.


Take as much space as necessary to speak to our readers—what would you like them to know about you and your writing?



Faith, love and hope– words I heard all of my life but really did not feel the true meaning of such simple words until my son was born nearly 14 years ago. They are my motto every day and words I often express to others. When loving a child with a disability of any kind they are words you cling to and believe in.


My son suffers from emotional disabilities, or neuropsychiatric disorders or mental illness, however you choose to label what he lives with on a daily basis. He, and millions of other children are diagnosed with illnesses of the brain that affect how they feel, act, react, behave and think. These are complicated illnesses, the same as the adult versions, however just at a much earlier age.


My son, Zack, has always overreacted to the most minor of situations, raging often, crying frequently and riding a daily roller coaster ride of emotions. From very early on I knew something was wrong, which started this journey that is now 11 years long and prompted our book No One is Perfect and YOU are a Great Kid.


As he grew, suffered and tried desperately to understand what was happening to him he struggled with many questions of “Why?” along with feeling as if he were the only kid in the whole world who was struggling with these very complicated challenges.


I have often been called the parent who did not discipline my child, who raised a spoiled, manipulative, self centered, unruly boy, which are all very far from accurate. If you are a parent of a “high spirited, intense child” as I am, you have most likely heard some of the same accusations from parents of “perfect” children who do no wrong, who respond to their parents every command on queue, and perfectly behaved and well mannered.


My hope and prayer is that the people in general open their minds and come to realize that children like mine, who suffer with these illnesses, are not bad kids, not evil or purposefully oppositional but are lovable, kind, funny, smart and full of promise as is every other child. Yes,they may do things differently, loudly, extremely,and outrageously. They need to be given understanding, reassurance, patience, acceptance and compassion.


My wish is that other children who feel different for any reason find hope, promise, acceptance and the gift that is within them and realize they are not alone. Mental illness is not a choice, it is not contagious, it does not make you “less than.” I hope our story will open the lines of communication for parents and children, friends and neighbors to discuss and explore behavior they may not understand. My biggest hope is that children who are seeking acceptance,understanding and answers be able to find that from parents, peers.