Xander Demos and his New EP

Today we welcome metal guitar virtuoso, Xander Demos, to Promote Me Please, to talk about his new EP.  You can read Xander's bio after the interview.

Xander Demos

Q.1.  Hi, Xander. The new EP sounds exciting. Does it follow on from the themes of Guitarcadia or does it break new ground?

XD:  Thanks for having me…yeah, the new EP is going to be really exciting, and I think that anyone who loved my first, Guitarcadia, will really enjoy the new one.  And, for those who haven’t checked out Guitarcadia yet, the new one will stand on its own.  As far as themes go, I’m always intrigued by sci-fi and otherworldly themes.  So, there is a little of that on the new EP.  I’m really excited, because this release will have more vocals than the last album.  There are going to be 4 vocal tracks this time!  I can’t wait for everyone to hear the Judas Priest cover, and most likely, first single, “Judas Rising.”  The vocals on that track are unbelievable!  I’ll leave it at that, for now.  I don’t want to give too much away, but I know people are going to sit up and take notice, when they hear that one.  The new EP is going to be a perfect blend of music, in my opinion: 2 vocal covers, 2 vocal originals, and 2 original instrumentals…what more could you want?

Q.2. How do you judge the best time to launch a follow-up to an acclaimed album?

XD:  It’s hard to judge, really.  Things have been so busy for the past couple of years, since the release of Guitarcadia, that the greatest challenge was finding time to record, quite honestly.  Some personnel changes also delayed things.  Deciding whether to do a full band project, or just come out with another “solo” project delayed things, too.  But, I think people have had enough time to digest the last album, and it’s definitely the perfect time to release something new.  I just can’t wait to hear people’s reactions to the new stuff.  I hope I can get out and visit some different cities and play some of the new stuff live, too.

Q.3. Briefly, describe the new EP. What's its title and had did you arrive at the tracks?

XD:  Haha.  Well, I guess I kind of jumped the gun a little on this one, since I talked about it earlier.  Like I said, the new EP will be 6 tracks: 2 vocal covers, 2 vocal originals and 2 original instrumentals.  We’re covering tunes by Judas Priest and Accept.  Some of the original material has been around for a while, but it’s being re-imagined and newly recorded.  The tentative title is Runways and Waterways, but that could change before the release.  We’re hoping to have it out by early summer.  It’s still being tracked, and I’m hoping to have CJ Snare from Firehouse, doing some mixes again, as well as JK Northrup.  Both are great friends, and do amazing work.  I also talked with Michael Wagener about doing a mix.  He’s the all-time god of metal mixing, so it would be a thrill to have him do a track, too.  We’ll have to wait and see. 

Q.4. Recording or live performance? Which give you the best experience?

XD: While I love recording, I’d have to say that the live experience is the best for me.  I love that instant feedback and gratification.  There’s no feeling like stepping out on stage, in front of a sold-out crowd, and just having them go nuts.  We played several incredible shows this year with Metal Church and Stryper, and both crowds were sold out, and just insane.  Can’t wait to get back on stage..stay tuned for live dates!

Q.5. Please list three other albums or performers whose fans would enjoy your new EP.

XD: Steve Vai – Passion and Warfare

        Judas Priest – Screaming For Vengeance

        Dream Theater – Images and Words

Choosing just three was tough, but I think that should give everyone an idea of what to expect.  Thanks again for having me!

It was a pleasure. Now, to read more about Xander and his music and to see where to find him on the net, scroll on down.
Xander Demos homepage

www.facebook.com/xanderdemosmusic

Twitter

Xander at Youtube

Xander Demos Biography

 Xander Demos is one of today’s premier shred metal guitarists. Based in Pittsburgh, PA, he currently fronts his own band, XDB and has performed as a member of national tribute act, James Rivera’s Sabbath Judas Sabbath, as well as playing in Rivera’s solo band and Pittsburgh cover band, Raised On Radio.  Xander performs in excess of 100 times a year, and he is active in recording collaborations with artists all over the world. Xander plays guitars from Suhr, McNaught, Brian Moore and Conklin, with whom he has endorsement deals.  His endorsement from these guitar companies is a testament to his impressive skills and his deep commitment to playing the best guitars in the world.

Xander's style ranges from the beautifully melodic to the jaw-droppingly insane. His playing encompasses much of what he has learned and absorbed from other players over the years; artists like Shawn Lane, Eric Johnson, Steve Vai, Vinnie Moore, Jason Becker, Neal Schon, Michael Romeo and John Sykes. One constant in his music is a focus on strong guitar melodies. In 2012, Xander released his debut solo CD, Guitarcadia. Mixed by CJ Snare of Firehouse, the album was named among the Best Albums of 2012 by Hair Metal Mansion.

Recently, Xander has been making quite the name for himself and his solo band by appearing as support for acts like Symphony X, Stryper, Metal Church, Adrenaline Mob, Buckethead, UFO, Lizzy Borden, Kip Winger, Neil Zaza and Dio Disciples, as well as performing at Rock Harvest II, Wolf Fest, Skull Fest I and II and NAMM Metal Jam, alongside members of Anthrax, Whitesnake, King Diamond, Dio, Queensryche, Alice Cooper, and many other metal greats.  Named the 2013 AND 2014 Iron City Rocks Pittsburgh Music Awards Guitarist of the Year, Xander’s playing appears on several releases from other artists: Ged Rylands (Ten, Tygers of Pan Tang,) Derek Buddemeyer (Down Boys Records) Modern Superstar and Liberty ‘N’ Justice’s long awaited “Cigar Chronicles,” also featuring George Lynch (Dokken) Jeff Labar (Cinderella) and Jerry Dixon (Warrant.) He was included on “Guitar Feast” a compilation of international guitarists.   His latest single release, “Dancing Through Daggers” was mixed by JK Northrup of King Kobra/XYZ fame, and it was featured on the Guitar Wizards compilation CD with members of KISS, Poison, Guns N Roses, Whitesnake, Dio and more.  Xander was also nominated for 3 awards at the 2^nd Annual International Music and Entertainment Association Awards in 2014.

In addition to these accomplishments, Xander is an avid animal lover.  Always looking for projects that will aid these beautiful creatures, Xander is donating a portion of his album sales to the ASPCA.

Xander plays: V-Picks, the Fractal Audio Axe-FX Ultra as well as Hughes and Kettner amps, Matrix Amplification, Mission pedals, ISP Guitar Systems and Suhr Guitars, Amps & Effects, McNaught Guitars, who completed production of the first Xander Demos Signature Guitar, Conklin Guitars and John Dixon Cases. Many of Xander's guitars are outfitted with EMG pickups and accessories. He exclusively uses the FloydUpgrades tremolos or the GraphTech LB-63 piezo-equipped Floyd tremolo.  He also is endorsed with Rock-N-Roll GangStar Apparel, Lampifier Microphones, JH Audio In-ear monitors, and INTEX Cables.

 Thanks again, Xander.

Promote Me Please blog is affiliated with Affordable Manuscript Assessments and Prints Charming Books. 

Sean McMullen Talks about The Warlock's Child Book 1: The Burning Sea

Today we welcome Sean McMullen to Promote Me Please to talk about The Burning Sea: Book one of The Warlock's Child series Sean co-writes with Paul Collins.

The Burning Sea

Sean McMullen and Paul Collins

1. 
   The Burning Sea is the first in a series. Does the series have an umbrella title? If so, what is it?

It is a six part series called The Warlock's Child, and one book will be published each month between April and September. Dantar is, of course, the warlock's child in the title, but the books are as much about his older sister Velza as they are about him.

2. Would you give us a high concept (25 words or fewer) for The Burning Sea?

Dragons control the world's magic, but some powerful warlocks want to share that control. They have something powerful and dangerous that the dragons greatly desire.

3. The Burning Sea and its sequels are planned quite specifically for broad market appeal. Will you tell us more about approaching writing with marketing as well as storytelling in mind?

Paul Collins and I do gym together once a week, and being writers the conversation is generally about writing and publishing. One day last September, between lifting weights, Paul and I decided that it should be possible to have a heroic fantasy novel with a strong, exciting plot and characters that appeals to advanced readers, but which is also accessible to reluctant readers. That would add up to a big market.

Paul had a novel on the back burner, and I expanded this by adding the dragons and making Velza a major character. Paul decided to make The Warlock's Child a series of six short novels: six short books are less intimidating than one big doorstopper. The strategy seems to have worked because The Burning Sea has gone into its second print run and the reviewers have loved it.

We deliberately kept the writing uncomplicated and the style humorous, while maintaining a high level of excitement in the plot. There is action every few pages, and in between there is a lot of detail about being a teenager on a sailing ship - I've spent time crewing yachts, which mainly involved pulling on ropes and getting shouted at. The perspective continually swaps between Dantar and Velza, so readers get a broad view of what is happening.

4. Since the series is planned to appeal to older children and the YA market, how does Ford Street plan to manage the schedule?

Publishing schedules for children are never easy. We decided to launch the first book early in the school year, so that we could stage promotional events in schools to spread the word. The other five parts will come out monthly, with the sixth book being released in September. This means that all six books will be out in time for the Christmas market.

5. Now, how about a character sketch of the main protagonist?

There are two principals, a brother and sister, who share centre stage about equally. They are from a noble family, but they have been made to serve aboard a warship for reasons they do not entirely understand. Dantar is a cabin boy, because that's the only job available to a 14 year old boy on a ship. He provides the ordinary seaman's view of what is happening, and he is mainly concerned with staying alive and looking for a girlfriend until he discovers that he has some truly remarkable powers. Velza is seventeen, and a type of magical officer. Although tough and dedicated, she is a bit insecure and is manic about following rules. She gives us the view from the top, as she advises the captain, dines with the king, and even meets with the leader of the dragons.

6. Finally, what time period, fictionally speaking, do you intend to cover in the books?

The period covered in the story arc of the six books is just over two months, but the actual action takes place over a few days. This is because the characters travel about on sailing ships, which are slow - and if they are lucky, not much happens. Between trips, it gets very intense. The Burning Sea takes place in less than 24 hours. The books are already complete and the first four have actually been printed.

Thanks, Sean! To learn more about The Burning Sea and other titles from Ford Street, visit Ford Street Publishing.

Ed Roman and Letters from High Latitudes

Ed Roman

Letters from High Latitudes

Today we welcome Ed Roman to Promote Me Please. Ed answers some questions about his music, with special attention to his new album, Letters from High Latitudes.

Q.1. Ed Roman’s music appeals to fans of a wide variety of genres, but what was his original genre?

Ed. . . Thanks for having me today and it's a pleasure to speak with you. This is a very difficult question for me to answer as there are so many styles of music that I love. As a child, I was  moved by the imagery in music along with the lyrics of songs, it’s what intrigued me as a young listener and what guided me in a direction to pursue music with the same emotional intensity. So many genres of music have these veins and capillaries running through them; more like a bioelectric entity which illustrates and exudes the true passion behind human art. With that said, I greatly relate to music that has pushed me as a player, not only on a technical level but on a philosophical level. I started to pursue music like jazz and progressive music; which for me exercised my enthusiasm and interest in that field. At about the age of 14, I was introduced to Jaco Pastorius and Miles Davis. “Kind of Blue” and Jaco's first album “Jaco Pastorius”, led me down the road to pursue music as an education and career. I spent countless hours of time practicing and playing with other musicians, pursuing the craft to the best of my ability. I guess for that reason jazz music and improvisational music for that matter is my original genre. To me it is one of the most ultimate forms of self-expression that has limitless possibilities and endless future. For that matter, many of the musicians from that idiom all consider the music that they play as music. They define it as a whole, not in a category but as an entity of its own with no borders or boundaries. 

Q.2. Letters from High Latitudes is an intriguing title for an album. It suggests messages. Where did the inspiration for the title come from?  (side note… I know it came from Ontario, but blog readers may not)

Ed. You are 100% completely correct. Hand out the cigars. Letters From High Latitudes was chosen as a title for a multitude of reasons. I live at the second highest elevation in the province of Ontario, Canada in the rural farming community of Melancthon. I moved up to this area about nine years ago as I was looking to lay down roots in an area that was very similar to where I grew up in the Township of Markham, Ontario. As a child I was fortunate enough to grow up on a large farm with extremely wide open spaces and the ability to live off of the land. Melancthon has those attributes that I remember being so fluid in my memory and now at my age; important to rekindle. I realize it is so much a part of my being. Around the same time, I was passing through an antique market the city of Toronto where I came across a book written by Lord Dufferin which curtailed his North Atlantic journeys from many years ago. As the songs started to come together for the record, so many of them were speaking to me and suggesting that the words and the messages are suggesting a sociopolitical commentary on the day and age that we live in, the things that we hold true and dear to our hearts, and the things that we may miss as they slip through our fingers. Letters From High Latitudes denotes that someone is looking from afar at a situation which is clouded and running quickly out of control and speaking of the great beauties that we all seem to pass by every day.

Q.3. How does Ed see the progression from his early days in the music business to his latest album? 

Ed. It's funny as I listen back to all the music that I've recorded over the last 25 years. I always hear progression in a multitude of ways whether it be in the recording process, the musicianship or the abilities in the writing itself. I could sit and judge every recording and tell you what was right and what was wrong about that moment in time or even ways that I could perfect on it today, but recordings are captured moments in time like a painting or a photograph. The pallet, colours and the quality of the paint may change over time. The brush strokes and the abilities of the painter grow as the artist learns to hone their craft, but the most important thing is that we've taken the time to capture those moments without letting them pass into the ether. With that said an artist is always in a stage of growth. In time, artists take on new abilities, illustrate different forms of thinking and refine their abilities to present. Oscar Peterson once said he will never stop learning until the day he dies.

Q.4. Name three other musicians whose work agrees (philosophically and in sound) well with Ed Roman’s.

Ed. There is so much music that has influenced me and I love to listen to; and much of it falls on the same lines and categories of what we just mentioned. If I may be so bold as to add living and nonliving artists to this three musician list. I am by no stretch of the word in any way shape or form Jamaican, nor would you classify me as a reggae musician but the era of music encompassing Bob Marley is very close and philosophically similar in approach. Bob's lyrics can be loving like a warm embrace, at the same time his lyrics can punctuate a political statement with a huge bang. Bob was one of those artists that was not afraid to be outspoken and he carried out his message with intensity and fervor. Another artist from the passed on era would be Jaco Pastorius. Simply put, I was a Jaco head as a young kid and he really pushed me as a player to be better at what I was doing all the time. His first album features music that comes from a wonderful palette and array of styles. It features artists like Sam and Dave on the classic track "Come on Come Over”, or people like progressive jazz musician Herbie Hancock on the track "Kuru Speak Like a Child". As I mentioned before, he was one of those artists who wasn't afraid to dabble in a multitude of genres and that alone for me would open the doorway to my own musical way of thinking and pursue the electric bass as a leader in a band. And from living folks, Derek Trucks is definitely someone who's thinking on the same wavelength and latitude as far as music goes. I fell in love with Derek's music about 10 years ago. I always knew that he was playing at a young age with the Allman Brothers and his virtuosity and prowess and emotional feeling behind his instrument was present then. I later got turned onto the Derek Trucks Band with tunes like "All I Do" and “Volunteered Slavery”.   All in all I'm really driven by music that has a lot of passion behind it and a funky, jazzy soulful edge.

Q.5. How does Ed see the future of the music industry? Will the digital side overpower the live and unplugged performances?

Ed. I'll consult my crystal ball. One moment please. The music industry was built over a long period of time and it grew hand-in-hand with the types of technologies that not only artists but the listeners of music had at their disposal. Certain performers were sought out by smaller record companies, signed small deals and went on to bigger and better things. The medium which provided the consumer the ability to purchase this music was simply by buying a radio and tuning into your favorite station or heading down to your local record shop to purchase the latest 45, 78 or LP of your favorite artist. For years this method worked and created a whole industry and foundation for what we today call the music business. As times change so has technology. Musical artists now have at their disposal the same kind of technology and abilities that 25 or 30 years ago they would've had to pay for when going into the studio. With the transmission of information moving from the analog age into the digital age the concepts of CDs took over the vinyl manufacturing industry and offered higher quality listening at a reduced rate to its consumers. In time, the computer era and the advent of the internet once again opened up a whole new genre of possibilities not only for the consumer but for the purveyor of music. Bands can now micromanage themselves, create online distribution and music forums for their fans to listen to at any moment in time. This has essentially removed the record store and/or even online buying of music for any artist across the whole world. Shareware and music sharing has made it very easy for listeners of music to not have to pay for artists that they want to listen to. This has in turn created a very slippery slope that is difficult to navigate and in turn extremely costly for any artist that is out there. More time and energy is being put into the manufacturing of merchandise, marketing tools and a plethora of other musical navigation devices for artists to try to get their music into the hands of their fans and to get their fans to participate in actively buying and coming to shows. This is consequently why so many people in the industry over the last 10 years have found it next to impossible to compete with the influx of the amount of music, social networking sites and navigation tools for fans of an independent nature. This scares the hell out of the big industry despite it is the Leviathan and dying overweight financial refugee that it is. The independent industry in my opinion is where it's at. There are many wonderful management groups, radio stations, TV stations an independent artists all over the world. We are creating something very unique and special that is born out of the Bell curve of the former industry that we have. Many artists know the importance of getting out and playing and meeting and talking to all of your fans and this is one of the things that helps us connect with people all around us. You can micromanage yourself as a small company and make up to 50 or $60,000 a year provided you do things correctly. Big record companies have signed bands before, given them $100,000 to record a project and then shelf it, so it doesn't compete with other things that are already on the label. Most artists just want to create and work and to practice our craft and the independent industry gives us the ability to do this every day of our lives.

Thanks again and it has been a pleasure talking with you today. Don't forget to check me out at edroman.net, iTunes, Reverb Nation, Sound Cloud, Amazon and all over the world wide web. Pick up my new album Letters From High Latitudes today. You'll be glad you did.

Thanks, Ed!

Promote Me Please blog is maintained by Sally Odgers of Affordable Manuscript Assessments. 

Jackie Hosking and Pass it On

Today we welcome Jackie Hosking to Promote Me Please. Jackie is an author, editor, and also the editor and compiler of the popular Pass It On newsletter. 
Jackie agreed to answer some questions about Pass It On (or PIO as it's known by its grateful subscribers).

Q1. Why should every children’s writer subscribe to PIO?

A. I think because in today's information nightmare, any resource that cuts through the chaff is worth its weight in gold. PASS IT ON is directed at those interested in the children's book industry and so only includes material that is relevant to them.

  

Q2. How does PIO work?

A. PASS IT ON is weekly e-zine, delivered on a Monday via MailChimp (a popular email programme). To subscribe you need to email me jackiehosking@bigpond.com and I will send you out an invoice. You can pay via direct debit, PayPal, Cheque or Monday Order. A yearly subscription is $44.00 (around $1 per issue). Being weekly it is always relevant and up to date.

Q3. How do you gather material for PIO?

A. I collect most of the information for PIO but I do encourage subscribers to share industry news as well. If you come across something that doesn't interest you directly sharing it in PIO is a bit like paying it forward. Your trash is someone else's treasure and someone else's trash may well be your treasure.

Q4. Do publishers ever send you pre-info about markets?

A.They most certainly do. I think the wider the news is spread the less likely it is that they will have to deal with submissions that don't suit their list.

Q5. How do you select artist of the week?

A. This has been a wonderful venture that began back in early 2008. Basically I hunt them down, via facebook or The Style File or other illustrator sites and ask them if they would be interested in being profiled. If they agree, I feature them. I've never turned anybody down because I think it's important to encourage artists at all levels from brand new beginners to the Shaun Tans of the world - who incidentally was in fact featured in August 2008.

Q.6. Is there any charge for advertising with PIO?

A. No I don't charge for advertising but then I only include copy that is relevant to the industry. So if you run a manuscript assessment business for example you can include your details whenever you like!

 Thank you Jackie! By the way, the image at the head of this interview is one of Jackie's own books.

Promote Me Please is an arts promotion blog run in association with Affordable Manuscript Assessments

Lynne Stringer and the Verindon Trilogy

Lynne Stringer

Verindon Trilogy Book 1

 Today I welcome Lynne Stringer to Promote Me Please to talk about her Verindon Trilogy. Lynne agreed to answer five curious questions.

Q1. What is the high concept (log line) for the Verindon trilogy in 25 or fewer words?

A. ‘What if he told you that you were the only reason he was put on this planet … and it was the truth?’

It was this line that inspired the whole story.

Q2.      Who is your main character from The Heir? Can you tell us something about this character?

A. Sarah Fenhardt is my main character. She is a young girl from a broken home who goes to a prestigious school because her dad used to be rich. Unfortunately, poor business decisions meant he lost it all and now Sarah is ostracised at school. Her only real friend is Jillian, who is pretty much the opposite of Sarah in every way – forward, bossy and confident. She is also obsessed with science fiction and constantly tries to interest Sarah in it with such intensity that it makes Sarah sick of it.

The best thing about school, from Sarah’s point of view, is Dan Bradfield. Dan is Jillian’s boyfriend and Sarah’s secret crush. He is the sole heir to his father’s huge fortune but Sarah can’t shake the feeling that there is something strange about him.

Q3.      Did you always envisage the Verindon trilogy as a trilogy, or did The Heir come first?

A. I had the story for all three books pretty much worked out before I sat down and wrote The Heir. There were certain details about the story that aren’t introduced until much later but I had to sort them out before I could write the story. I needed to know where it was all going.

Q.4.      What is the time span of the three books? How much fictional time is covered?

A. The main story takes place over a period of about two years. I do have a scene at the end that skips forward ten years as a little peek at what’s happened to the characters in that time.

Q5.      Would you name three other books that might signpost readers who would enjoy the Verindon trilogy?

A. I usually describe it as Twilight meets Star Wars. There is an element of the Roswell series in them as well.

Here are some links where you can find out more about the Verindon Trilogy.

Lynne's website is www.lynnestringer.com and the website for the trilogy is www.verindon.com

You can purchase the first book on Kindle here: http://www.amazon.com/Heir-Lynne-Stringer-ebook/dp/B00BS1O2RW

Thanks, Lynne!

Promote Me Please is a blog associated with Affordable Manuscript Assessments. It exists to help bring creators and their endeavours to the people who will enjoy them. 

You do not have to be a client of Affordable Manuscript Assessments to appear at Promote Me Please.

Tied in Pink - a Word with Jeanette O'Hagan

Today we welcome Jeanette O'Hagan to Promote Me Please. Jeanette is the author of one of the stories in the Tied in Pink anthology. First, let's have the blurb of the anthology, and then Jeanette answers five questions.

Blurb

Tied in Pink consists of 15 romantic stories from 14 different authors around the world. Some of the writers have many book titles to their name - including Meredith Resce, Jen Ponce, Michelle Irwin, Stacey Welsh, Joanne Efendi, Druscilla Morgan. Others are emerging or debut authors. The stories range from classic romance, to fantasy, Sci-Fi, thriller or family mystery. Some are sweet, some heart-warming or inspiring while others are more risque and edgy. All the stories are written from the heart and include a reference to a pink ribbon to honor those who are (or have been) affected by breast cancer.

Q1. How did you come to participate in the Tied in Pink anthology?

A I heard about the anthology when publisher Stacey Welsh mentioned that she was looking for writers to be involved. One of her work colleagues had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer and she wanted to do something for those affected by this far too common disease. Also a very close friend of mine was going through treatment for breast cancer at the time. I was thrilled at the idea of writing a story as a tribute to her and other friends who have faced this devastating disease. This is a charity anthology, so everyone involved – those that wrote the stories, the editors, proofreaders and graphic designer - all provided their time and skill free of charge and all profits go to breast cancer research.

Q2. What is the significance of the Tied in Pink name?

A.When we were brainstorming ideas for the anthology, I suggested that each story mentioned a pink ribbon as an Easter egg for the reader and everyone loved the idea. As you probably know, the pink ribbon is the international symbol of breast cancer awareness, so it was a perfect embodiment of the anthology’s purpose. Our anthology is ‘tied in a pink’ ribbon – as a gift to sufferers and survivors of breast cancer and their families as well as in support of breast cancer research.

Q3. What was your inspiration for the setting in The Herbalist's Daughter? 

A. While a number of the other stories in the anthology allude to breast cancer or have people with breast cancer as protagonists, my story is a sweet romance in a fantasy setting. Anna is a secondary character in my unpublished novels where she is an older widow and a bit more acerbic. At one point she mentions that she used to work in the palace as a nursemaid. I decided to expand on that concept, writing a short story about how she came to the palace (http://jeanetteohagan.com/nardva-files/more-stories/fever-by-jeanette-ohagan/in-the-herbal-shop/) and then this one set a couple of years later.

Q4. If you could pick a dream cast for your story-as-a-movie, who would play Anna?

A. I had to think a bit about this. Anna is not a beautiful princess though she is intelligent, brave and resourceful as well has having a kind heart. I did wonder about Jennifer Lopez but I think probably Daniella Alonzo or America Ferrera would be closer.

Q5. What short message would you like to give the readers of Tied in Pink?

A. If you buy Tied in Pink you will be helping the fight against breast cancer but you will also have a beautiful book full of entertaining and inspiring stories. Some of the stories made me smile, chuckle or sigh, while others brought tears to my eyes. And if you do buy, read and enjoy our anthology, we would love you to tell your friends and write a review (it doesn't have to be long) on Amazon, GoodReads or BookLikes.

Jeanette O’Hagan writes fantasy short stories, her Akrad’s Legacy series and poetry. You can find out more her on her website 

jeanetteohagan.com/

jennysthread.com

fantasytrekkers.com

https://www.facebook.com/JeanetteOHaganAuthorAndSpeaker

Thanks, Jeanette! Here's hoping for lots of sales. It looks like a win/win/win situation to me. It would make a grand Mothers' Day gift.

Now, don't forget, readers - comments are welcome, but make sure they are relevant to this post. And if you have a book or other artistic endeavour you'd like promoted, let us know at Promote Me Please. You can contact us through Affordable Manuscript Assessments at the website

MR Jones and Ash on the Stairs

Today I welcome MR Jones to Promote Me Please, to talk about the new novel Ash on the Stairs. 
Q. Ash on the Stairs has an ominous ring to it. Did you choose the title before or after completing the book?

A. Yes, it’s true, the name Ash on the Stairs doesn’t make you think of gardens, flowers, and tea parties. I named the book and the main character at the same time and that was at the beginning of the story. I hope it intrigues the potential reader to take a look and see why Ash is on the stairs.

Q. Name three books someone might enjoy if they liked Ash on the Stairs 

A. There is always the gold standard of the Fifty Shades trilogy. Then there is Because You Are Mine by Beth Kery and Captivated by You by Sylvia Day.

Q. Debut novels are always special. Is this the book you were born to write, or is it one of many you might have debuted with?

A. Ash on the Stairs is my debut novel because I had written another book and couldn’t get anyone interested in publishing it. I realized if I wanted to sell my stories I had to write something people want to read. I became an erotic romance writer. I spun a story about Jesse Neil Ash, a tall highly intelligent young woman who took the stairs at work.

Q. Give me the high concept or log line of Ash on the Stairs.

A. You asked for the log line. Jesse Ash takes the stairs at work to avoid a predator and meets the man who owns work. He wants to own her heart.

Q. Which character is least or most like you in attitude and circumstance? 

A. I put a lot of my independent nature into Jesse and I have lived in a tiny one room apartment. However, I must say the character of the sexual predator, Jack Offiel, is the least like me in any way. As I wrote, he grew into a guy I love to despise. All the creeps I ever met went into him.

Ash on the Stairs is published by Eternal Press. 

ISBN 9781629292151

Eternal Press took the chance on me. Eternalpress.biz 

Facebook link

  

maddmagz.wordpress.com

@maddmagz

Amazon link 

Thanks!