Giveaway: The Deliverer by Kathi Macias

The Deliverer picks up just months after Special Delivery leaves off, continuing with the stories of Mara, freed from slavery but still struggling with scars and memories from the past; Jonathan, attending Bible college but strongly drawn to Mara, despite her past; and Lawan, having escaped the brothel in Thailand and miraculously reunited with her younger sister in the US and adopted by the same family. Will Mara be able to move past the pain and hatred that bind her, even if it means traveling back to the place where her parents betrayed her and sold her into sexual slavery? Will she allow The Deliverer to set her free—once and for all?

Watch the trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NobFUST7xlk!

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 40 books and ghostwritten several others. A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences. She won the 2008 Member of the Year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) and was the 2011 Author of the Year from BooksandAuthors.net. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband. Her newest release is The Deliverer, the third and final book in her “Freedom” series. You can find out more about Kathi or contact her via her website: www.kathimacias.com.

ENTER FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A COPY OF THE DELIVERER BY KATHI MACIAS!

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People of the Book Giveaway Winner!

Our congratulations go out to PoCoKat, winner of a copy of People of the Book by Kathi Macias!

Thanks to all who participated. Feel free to check our sidebar for additional giveaway opportunities.

Book Review & Giveaway: People of the Book by Kathi Macias

A masterfully told story that is both timely and powerful, awaits you in People of the Book, the fourth and final installment of Kathi Macias's Extreme Devotion series.

What do you do when what you've most believed in changes?

Farah Mohammed Al Otaibi wants nothing more than to develop a deeper devotion to her Muslim faith. During the month of Ramadan, she hopes she will get her chance to draw nearer to Allah. Then the prophet Isa (Jesus) appears to her in a dream and calls her to Himself.

A favorite of her father, he has allowed Farah many liberties, much to the anger of her brother, Kareem. He feels his father is too weak with the women. But Farah is certain even her loving father would not tolerate her accepting Isa as more than a prophet.

Farah's cousin Nura has already begun to consider that Isa may be more than her Muslim faith indicates. Nura explores the possibilities in an online chat room where she corresponds with Sara, a girl of Muslim ancestry who lives in the United States. Sara's family has converted to Christianity, and she shares the message of Jesus's salvation with Nura. When Farah approaches Nura to talk about her dream, the two girls are happily connected by their new discoveries; though they know if their infant faith were discovered, it would be disastrous for both of them.

As Farah's, Nura's, and Sara's worlds collide, a jealous brother seeks to uncover Farah and Nura's secret, while Sara experiences a crisis of faith.

Wow! Kathi Macias continues to amaze me. She has been my client and friend for the past few years. I've read her fiction and her nonfiction; but I have to say that with her Extreme Devotion series, and People of the Book especially, she has outdone herself.

Not only did she tackle the timely issue of honor killings, she created a powerfully told story, written by her masterful hand, that captivates the reader from the very first page. I have been astounded by all the books in this series:  No Greater Love, More Than Conquerors, Red Ink, and People of the Book. After each book I would say, "This is my favorite of the series." Without a doubt, People of the Book will remain my favorite.

The characters truly make this story all that it is. You have Farah who is called by Isa (Jesus) in a dream, throwing everything she has ever believed about her Muslim faith into an uproar. Nura has secretly been participating in a chat room to learn more about Isa. Both girls, know, however, that if they are discovered, it will mean death. Nura's friend, Sara, is on the other side of the world. When her once easy life is turned upside down, she's no longer sure of the faith she has been sharing with Nura.

Not only these characters, though. You have Kareem, who has always been jealous of Farah. He's willing to do whatever it takes to discredit her to their father. You also have Sara's brother, Emir, who makes some unwise choices that come with a very high price tag.

Macias connects all these lives so well. She's done this with some of the other books in this series, but here it's just amazing. I couldn't put the book down. I went to bed late many nights reading this one.

The ending is superb. I was crying right along with the characters.

The four books that make up this series are total stand-alones, each having its own set of characters and circumstances. I highly recommend reading all of them, but if you only have time for one, make it People of the Book. You won't be disappointed.


Title:  People of the Book
Author:  Kathi Macias
Publisher:  Hew Hope Publishers
ISBN-10: 1596692820
ISBN-13: 978-1596692824
SRP:  $14.99

The author paid me to promote her book via a virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book. This fee did not include a review. This review consists of my honest opinions, for which I received no monetary compensation.

 

Now that I've told you how amazing this book is, I'm sure you'll want to own a copy. Kathi Macias and New Hope Publishers, in conjunction with Pump Up Your Book, is offering our readers a FREE copy of People of the Book. Please see below the details of this contest. Only those who follow these guidelines are eligible to win.

1) You must be a follower or subscriber of The Book Connection to win.

2) Your first comment should state if you are a follower or a subscriber, and provide your email address.  You can't win if we don't have your email address.

3) One additional entry if you follow me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1110037692 Leave a comment to say you're now a follower.

4) One additional entry if you follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/ccmalandrinos Leave a comment to say you're now a follower.

5) Two additional entries if you Like Kathi on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Kathi-Macias/75996188045 Leave two separate comments to say you're now following her.

6) Five additional entries if you blog about this giveaway. Post five separate comments to let us know you blogged about the contest and please leave a link.

7) You must be 18 years old and a resident of the US or Canada to be eligible to win.

Deadline for entries is 11:59PM Eastern on Sunday, May 29, 2011. Winner will be selected from all eligible entries received. The Book Connection will ship directly to the winner. Prize will be sent by USPS media mail. The Book Connection is not responsible for lost or damaged goods.

Book Review: Red Ink by Kathi Macias

Kathi Macais' powerful new contemporary international thriller series continues with Red Ink.

Based loosely upon the life of Christian magazine editor Li Ying, who is currently serving a ten-year prison sentence in China, Red Ink is the story of Zhen-Li, a woman raised to observe the party line, but whose life proves God is greater than any earthly government.

Zhen-Li falls in love with and marries a Christian man, Zhou Chi, and adopts his faith. When she becomes pregnant a second time and refuses to have an abortion in defiance of China's one child law, Zhen-Li's parents have her kidnapped and the baby aborted.

Now, Zhen-Li decides it is time to take a firm stand for her faith and she begins to teach children about Zhu Yesu ("Lord Jesus") and to distribute Christian literature.

Imprisoned and separated from her family, she soon catches the attention of an abusive prison guard who is determined to break her. Zhen-Li hopes her young faith is strong enough to survive the torture.

In the United States, two elderly women in a residential facility feel the call to pray for an unknown woman in China, who they are certain is in danger. They are also called to pray for a new resident, Margaret, who rebuffs their attempts of friendship at every turn, and for Margaret's granddaughter.

As the story unfolds and these people's lives intersect in unimaginable ways, the power of God shines through to a moving and satisfying conclusion.

New Hope Publishers has titled this series, "Fiction with a Mission." It certainly lives up to its name. While I enjoyed the first two books of this series--No Greater Love and More Than Conquerors--Red Ink is by far my favorite.

As in More Than Conquerors, Macias weaves the lives of many different people together and shows how God works, whether we understand His reasoning or His call. One can't help but sympathize with Zhen-Li and Zhou Chi, who have been separated by her imprisonment. Their young son misses his mother, but to Zhou Chi's dismay, he cries for her less and less as time goes on. Your heart bleeds for this family, despite the fact that you realize they are fictional. Macias pulls you right into their story, makes you feel the pain of their separation and the suffering they endure for following Zhu Yesu.

When you meet Julia, a former missionary to China, and her prayer warrior friend, Laura, their faith inspires you. They heed God's call to pray for this unknown woman in China. Here they are in the twilight of their lives and struggling with health issues, and yet, they focus not on themselves, but on this woman whose name and needs they don't even know. Then when Margaret comes along, God asks them to pray for her and her granddaughter too. Margaret wants nothing to do with their God or them and she makes that well known. Through the creation of Margaret and her granddaughter Maggie, Macias shows that we are sometimes called to do things we would rather not do, not unlike Jonah when asked by God to go to Nineveh. 

It took me very little time to read from beginning to end. I never wished to put the book down. While I don't often care for books that leave a character's future unknown, in Red Ink, I felt the story ended perfectly. It took me a little while to get down the pronunciations of the names, but this did not interfere with my enjoyment of the story. I was truly captivated by each and every character in this novel.

Kathi has been a client of mine for years, but even when she wasn't using Pump Up Your Book to promote her new releases, I read her books. Perhaps the most astonishing thing when I think of all the books of hers that I've read is that I've never come across a book where I felt disappointed. I've enjoyed her fiction and nonfiction. I've been captivated by her novels set in America and in places around the world I've never seen. She develops characters that make you want to know them and their stories. She writes with the knowledge and peace of a mature Christian, but she never comes across in a condescending way.

When Kathi emailed me to say that Red Ink had been voted the ACFW book club selection for April 2011, I couldn't say I was surprised. It is one of the most powerful books I've ever read. Not only does it remind the reader that even in our modern society Christians are persecuted for their beliefs; it also shows that even when we don't know why God calls us to do things, He always knows and our faith will be rewarded.



Title:  Red Ink
Author:  Kathi Macias
Publisher:  New Hope Publishers
ISBN-10: 1596692790
ISBN-13: 978-1596692794
SRP:  $14.99

Winner of Red Ink by Kathi Macias

Our congratulations go out to Janelle, winner of a copy of Red Ink by Kathi Macias. I just found out this week that Red Ink has won the ACFW book club vote for their April selection, so Janelle is getting her hands on a wonderful book. I finished reading my copy this morning and my review will appear on Friday.

I will email Janelle today or tomorrow and she will have 72 hours to respond with mailing information. If I don't hear from her after that time, I will select a new winner.

Thanks again to all who entered this giveaway. I hope 2011 will bring more great giveaways for my readers.

Giveaway: Red Ink by Kathi Macias

Kathi Macias will be going on tour in December 2010 with Pump Up Your Book Promotion with the third book in her Extreme Devotion series, Red Ink.

Yang Zhen-Li defies not only her Communist parents but the government as well when she marries a poor Christian peasant and converts to his faith. When she begins to distribute Christian materials, particularly to children, she is arrested and sentenced to ten years of hard labor. Will her husband and son wait for her and support her throughout their long separation? Will she even survive to return to them once again? Or will the evil guard Tai Tong, who has taken a personal dislike to Zhen-Li, convince her to deny her faith? Two elderly saints halfway around the world are determined to pray her through, though they’ve never met her and don’t even know her name. God’s faithfulness in the midst of unimaginable trials will bring about an ending that could never be anticipated—but will never be forgotten.

Kathi has graciously offered our readers the chance to win a copy of Red Ink. Here are some of the reviews this book has been getting:

"I enjoyed this story of extreme devotion. It reminded me of bible stories I'd read about Paul's trials and God miraculously intervening on Paul's behalf. Those and the stories in this book are amazing stories of faith, courage and devotion."

--Nora St. Laurent, The Book Club Network

"This novel is full of spiritual food for thought and is sure to nourish people who read it."

--Michelle Sutton, author of over a dozen novels, including It's Not About Me and Not Without Hope

"I highly recommend this book and give it a HUGE thumbs up."

--A Mom After God's Own Heart

Watch the trailer!


If you would like a chance to win a copy of Red Ink, please keep reading.

You must be a follower of this blog in order to be eligible to win.

For your first comment, visit Kathi's website at http://kathimacias.com/ and tell me something you learned about her or her work.

Receive one additional entry for friending Kathi on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/kathi.macias. Leave a comment here to let us know you did.


Receive one additional entry for becoming my friend on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1110037692. Leave a separate comment here to let us know you did.

Receive one additional entry for following me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ccmalandrinos. Leave a separate comment here to let us know you did.

Receive one additional entry for following Book Tours and More at http://booktoursandmore.blogspot.com/. Leave a comment on any post at Book Tours and More (BTM) and be sure to leave a comment here to let us know you're now following BTM.

Receive three additional entries for blogging about this contest. Leave a link to your post here.

This giveaway is limited to residents of the United States and Canada. Deadline to enter is 11:59 PM Eastern on Sunday, December 5, 2010. The Book Connection is not responsible for lost or damaged goods. Only those who follow these guidelines will be eligible to win.

Guest Blogger: Believability in Fiction by Dean DeLuke, Author of Shedrow

Today's special guest is Dean DeLuke, author of Shedrow.

From rolling pastures in Lexington, KY to darkened alleyways in Newark, NJ, from Manhattan’s posh ‘21’ Club to a peculiar and mysterious landfill in Eastern Kentucky, and from Saratoga Springs, NY to the tiny island of St. Lucia, Shedrow portrays a collision of characters from many divergent worlds. High society and the racing elite, medical and veterinary specialists, mob figures, and Kentucky hill folk become entangled in this unique twist on the medical thriller.

Dr. Anthony Gianni, a prominent Manhattan surgeon, becomes involved in a racing partnership as a diversion from a thriving surgical practice and an ailing marriage. The excitement builds when the partnership acquires Chiefly Endeavor, a two-year-old colt with the breeding, the spirit, and enough early racing success to qualify for the Kentucky Derby.

When a new partner with an unsavory background appears and a breeder’s nightmare becomes real, Dr. Gianni and a dedicated veterinarian must confront organized crime and solve a complex mystery that threatens to destroy both of their careers, and possibly a great deal more.

Believability in Fiction Writing: Write What You Know and Research the Rest! by Dean DeLuke

It is an old adage, perhaps even a cliché in fiction writing: write what you know. And while it certainly provides an author with a good starting point, there will always be a need for additional research, and that research will be a key factor in making the story believable, the characters real, and the plot an engaging one.

In the novel Shedrow, the principal character is a surgeon who becomes involved in a thoroughbred racing partnership as a diversion from a thriving practice and an ailing marriage. It was not a stretch for me to create true-to-life drama from the operating room and the racetrack. I have, after all, been a surgeon for nearly thirty years, and my experience with thoroughbred horses dates back to my high school and college years when I was a farm hand on a thoroughbred farm in upstate New York. More recently, I have been a partner with Dogwood Stable. So I had a long history of hands-on involvement at all levels.

That combined experience in the medical and racing arenas did not mean that I had no research to do—only that there would be less of it. For the research that I did perform, I used a variety of the standard techniques: site or field research, internet-based research, and one-on one interviews.

Most of my field research related to visiting sites I was already somewhat familiar with, in order to give my setting descriptions absolute authenticity. I wanted readers to be able to see, hear, feel, even smell the surroundings—whether on the backstretch at Saratoga or in the paddock at Gulfstream. So I would sit quietly and record what I experienced, from the smell of manure alongside the barn to the feel of a cooling mist carried by the wind from the fountains near the paddock at Gulfstream. The visual description is only one component; good writers always advise us to use as many of our five senses as possible throughout our story.

Of course, the internet has made the life of the writer infinitely easier. There are innumerable things that can be researched without ever leaving our computer screens: a myriad of facts and figures, even photographs or satellite views of settings, etc. The internet can augment but should never totally replace the other methods of research.

For some things, nothing can take the place of a face-to-face interview with a real expert or an insider. So for certain details about how a particular disease might present in horses, I asked a vet. And even though I had spent plenty of time around horses, I asked a real racing insider—one who had spent her entire lifetime with thoroughbreds—to read my story. She let me know where the potential shortcomings were.

A key point in writing believable fiction is to know where you don’t require any help, and where the story might be made better with some additional research. So in the case of my novel Shedrow, I knew I didn’t need anyone to tell me what it was like in an Operating Room. But I didn’t hesitate to ask a veterinarian or a horse trainer for assistance if I had an equine medicine question.

Despite our best efforts, there will undoubtedly be some instances where an author gets a particular detail or fact wrong. It happens even to the best authors, and when it does, one thing is certain: it may get by our editors, but our readers will surely let us know.

Dean M. DeLuke is the author of Shedrow, a new thriller dubbed a cross between Dick Francis and Robin Cook. He is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, a graduate of St. Michael’s College, Columbia University (DMD) and Union Graduate College (MBA). Currently, he divides his time between the practice of oral and maxillofacial surgery and a variety of business consulting activities. You can read excerpts and reviews, view a book trailer and photo gallery, and see details of upcoming contest offerings at http://www.shedrow1.com/.

The Last Operative by Jerry B. Jenkins

I was first introduced to the work of Jerry Jenkins with The Left Behind series. The Book of Revelation has always been one of my favorite books of the Bible, but it is very mystical. While this series is fictional, the Biblical prophecy behind these books isn't, and I felt a better understanding of the Book of Revelation as a result.

Through Tyndale, the publisher of The Left Behind series, I learned Jerry Jenkins had a new book coming out on June 24, The Last Operative. I also found out through this email from Tyndale, that Jenkins was running a contest.

Readers were asked to submit ideas for ways they would promote The Last Operative. There were 15 winners selected out of more than 500 entries. I was fortunate enough to be among the winners. I received an autographed copy of the book and a cash prize. This last part was a total surprise to me. I guess I didn't read the original email carefully.

You can view some of the winning contest ideas by clicking here. I actually felt mine were some of the more boring ideas. The others who won made awesome suggestions.

You'll find a list of the winners here.

I'm bringing The Last Operative with me on vacation, so look for my review coming in July or August.

More Than Conquerors by Kathi Macias -- Book Review

Lives collide answering God's call in More than Conquerors by Kathi Macias.

Hector Rodriguez is the pastor of Casa de Dios, a church located on the outskirts of Tijuana. The situation in Mexico is tense, as those with Mayan beliefs grow more violent as 2012 approaches. Hector's mother, Virginia, lives in San Juan Chamula, the heart of the Mayan hostilities. When she disappears--not unlike other Christian witnesses--Hector finds it difficult to continue his work.

Marty, Hector's protege, arrives right out of Bible college hoping to help Hector expand his ministry, but Marty is still unsure of what God is calling him to do. It doesn't help that Marty's mother won't support his decision to follow his calling or even believe in the faith Marty holds so dear.

A woman, known as la Abuela, struggles with the knowledge that her grandson has sworn off the faith she shared with him and has turned to the gangs responsible for so much of the violence in Tijuana.

When tragedy strikes, these families are drawn together. While someone's faith wavers, the love and support of friends and family, along with the grace of a loving God, leads to the revelation of His plans for all and gives hope for the future.

In this explosive second installment of Macias's Extreme Devotion series, readers follow the journeys of three families whose lives intersect. With this book, Macias has created a beautiful, heartrending story which you'll want to read again the moment you're finished.

Proving what a masterful storyteller she is, Macias weaves the stories of her characters' lives in such a way that you can't help but care for them--even those who aren't always likable. You sympathize with these people, you understand their conflicts, and you want to see God's plan revealed in all its glory as much as these characters need to see it.

Having now read both books in the Extreme Devotion series--No Greater Love, More Than Conquerors--I eagerly anticipate the release of the next book in this series, Red Ink, this fall.

A contemporary thriller that will remain on your mind long after you've turned the last page, More Than Conquerors is one of the best books I've read this year.


Title: More Than Conquerors
Author: Kathi Macias
Publisher: New Hope Publishers
ISBN-10: 1596692839
ISBN-13: 978-1596692831
SRP: $14.99

Fiction with a Mission by Kathi Macias

Today's guest blogger is Kathi Macias, a multi-award winning writer and radio host who has authored 30 books and ghostwritten numerous others. A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences, and recently won the prestigious 2008 member of the year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association).

"Fiction with a Mission" by Kathi Macias

Ever since I signed the contract with New Hope Publishers for my four-book fiction series (New Hope’s first-ever venture into the world of fiction!), I’ve been hearing variations of the same question: What’s the genre?

Tough one to answer. I suppose contemporary international fiction sums it up best, since each of the four books is set in a different country and takes place in modern times. But New Hope, which is known for its passion for missions, has opted to call it “Fiction with a Mission,” and I couldn’t be more pleased with that label.

The first two books of the series, No Greater Love, which is set in South Africa in 1989 during the violence and upheaval preceding the overthrow of Apartheid, and More than Conquerors, set in Mexico and dealing with the Mayan culture and influence, release April 5, 2010. Books three and four (Red Ink, set in China, and People of the Book, in Saudi Arabia) release in October 2010 and January 2011.

The writing and production of this series has been—and continues to be—an exciting shared adventure, as I partner with New Hope Publishers in their first fiction launch, while I learn about the unique aspects of writing fiction in international settings. Of the four countries highlighted in the books, I have been to only one—Mexico—but I have never set foot in the area where the Mayan culture is so strong and where much of book two takes place. Can anyone say RESEARCH? Online research, library research, books and videos and movies—and people. My greatest resource for authentic research has been connecting with people (again, via Internet) who either currently live in the countries where my stories occur or have recently lived there. Though I began the writing of the stories based on much of my online and book research, the majority of personal touches that make readers say, “Wow, it’s like I’m right there!” came about as a result of feedback from those who know the areas and culture firsthand.

As Christian writers, we are part of the one true Church, the Body of Christ that has existed for centuries and crosses all boundaries and borders. There are no limits to where God can take us or how He can use the gifts He has given us to communicate His truth and His love to those who so desperately need to hear and receive it. I am honored and humbled that He has given me the opportunity to use my words in His service, particularly this new series. It is my way of “going into all the world”—and calling others to do the same. I pray my venture into international fiction will truly prove to be “fiction with a mission” for all who read it—and who may find themselves called to expand their own writing into this exciting and growing genre.


No Greater Love

Forbidden romance, an unlikely martyr, and an even more unlikely hero. Orphaned four years earlier when their parents, active in the African National Congress ANC movement against Apartheid, were murdered, 16-year-old Chioma and her 15-year-old brother Masozi now live and work on an Afrikaner family’s farm. When Chioma and Andrew, the farm owner’s son, find themselves attracted to one another, tragedy revisits their lives. Chioma escapes to join an ANC rebel band in her effort to survive and gain revenge for her family and culture. When cultures clash in life-or-death struggles, Chioma must choose between violence and revenge or forgiveness and selfless love. Loosely based on historical events and set near Pretoria, South Africa, just prior to the setting of the popular movie Invictus, during the violent upheaval prior to ANC leader Nelson Mandela’s release from prison and his ascendance to the presidency of South Africa, this story of forbidden romance produces an unlikely martyr who is replaced by one even more unlikely.



"In this first book of her Extreme Devotion series, Macias proves herself to be a masterful storyteller, mising complex characters with a riveting plot, and showing how God calls each of us to be closer to Him." --Cheryl Malandrinos, The Book Connection



Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband, Al, where the two of them spend their free time riding their Harley.

Visit Kathi online at http://www.kathimacias.com/; http://kathieasywritermacias.blogspot.com/; and www.blogtalkradio.com/communicatethevision.

Goodreads Book Giveaway for Hermes' Viper by Joseph T. McFadden

Hermes' Viper is set in a huge 3,000-bed charity hospital. Idealistic Dr. Stuart Holton is a neurosurgeon in a hospital on Chicago's South Side. He chose that exceedingly active practice out of love of humanity and a drive to save lives. In the reaches of the large hospital wards, terminal patients beyond treatment are routinely found dead, but the dedicated Dr. Holton realizes that the mortality rate among his patients is becoming abnormally high.

Then, patients who are not terminal die under troubling circumstances.

To read a more detailed synopsis and Chapter 1 of Hermes' Viper, visit the publisher's website at http://www.anguspublishing.com/books/hermes_viper.htm.


ENTER THE GOODREADS GIVEAWAY TO WIN A COPY OF HERMES' VIPER!!!

Look for details at http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/enter_choose_address/1278-hermes-viper

Joseph T. McFadden writes from his forty-three-year experience as a neurosurgeon, most of his time in a large municipal hospital of a melting pot American city. The advent of his first novel, Hermes' Viper, coincides remarkably with recent media reports of harm done to patients by the modern medical system, and offers an inside view of vital interest to every person who would trust a family member to a hospital.

His second novel, The Wafer, addresses the organ donor dilemma. He currently is finishing the third, A Hooker In The Choir, set in the nursing home scene of the American landscape; it also deals with HMO problems.

He is a native of Oxford, Mississippi, a graduate of Ole Miss and the University of Virginia School of Medicine. He was the founder and first chairman of the committee representing neurosurgery at the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) to write consensus standards for nervous system implants.

Dr. McFadden is also designer and inventor of McFadden Aneurysm Clip, the three dimensional analog headrest for neurosurgery, and the analog head clamp for neurosurgery. He is emeritus chairman and professor of Neurosurgery, Eastern Virginia Medical School, and a former member of the advisory panel on neurology and neurosurgery devices and drugs to the FDA.

Read more about Joseph T. McFadden at The Society of Neurological Surgeons.

He is listed in Who's Who, and makes his home in Oxford, Mississippi and Norfolk, Virginia.

The Ovum Factor by Marvin Zimmerman

The Book Connection is pleased to have author Marvin Zimmerman with us today. Marvin is also the Publisher and Editor for INMR Quarterly Review-- a publication in the field of transmission and distribution of electrical energy, with 20,000 readers worldwide. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and a M.B.A in international business. Today we'll be talking with Marvin about his fiction thriller novel The Ovum Factor.

Welcome to The Book Connection, Marvin. I'm thrilled you could join us.

Thank you. I’m glad to be here as well.

Before we get to The Ovum Factor, please tell us a bit about yourself. Where were you born and where do you now reside? What are some of your interests outside of writing?

I was born in the place made famous by the movie The Sound of Music– Salzburg Austria, also best known as the birthplace of Mozart. Coincidentally, I was born the same day as Mozart - Jan. 27 – although obviously a few years later.

Now, I live in Montreal, Canada, better known for its hockey than its music.

My greatest interest is traveling and writing about all the many fascinating places seen and people I’ve met over the years. I have been lucky enough to have visited over 60 countries so far, most many times.

In addition to all you do now, you've owned a small consulting firm specializing in international marketing, traveled extensively, and taught International Business at two of Canada's largest universities. How have those experiences influenced your writing? And how have they changed or solidified your views of the world today?

My years of consulting across many fields have given me a very broad range of knowledge that is very helpful in constructing the plot for any new novel. Similarly, teaching gave me useful experience in presenting my ideas in such a way that they can be easily understood.

My novels have a strong international flavor because of my extensive background as a world traveler and also because people today are linked together in a way as never before. When someone anywhere in the world does something significant, it has a global impact almost immediately. Every issue therefore has to be seen from an international perspective. It is no longer sufficient to think that when toxic waste lands in a river in China, it’s their problem alone. That when thousand year old trees are burned down in the Amazon to make farm land for cattle that it’s of no concern to us. We all pay the price for such localized tragedies.





Let's talk about The Ovum Factor. What is this book all about?

In a few words, The Ovum Factor is about one man’s journey to find a possible solution to the catastrophic effects of climate change. In the process, he finds himself swept up in a world of international espionage and sabotage as he races against the clock to save the people he loves most.

The Ovum Factor will take the reader on a spellbinding adventure from the centers of high finance in New York to the California Institute of Technology in beautiful Pasadena – from the villages of southern China to the slums of Rio de Janeiro and then into the hidden depths of the Amazon jungle. In between, there will be more twists and turns than The Da Vinci Code.

It's my understanding that this book was written in two exotic locations and that the images and experiences from your time in those places are written into the novel. Where was the book written and how did you turn your firsthand experiences into a novel?

The Ovum Factor was written entirely in Brazil – partly in Rio de Janeiro and partly in the Amazon.

While in these exotic and unforgettable places, I was inspired by the sights and smells, the sounds and textures of the rainforest, which one finds even in and around Rio. The unusual people I met during my several months stay eventually find themselves interwoven into the characters of The Ovum Factor. For example, while visiting a remote Indian tribe, I was introduced to their shaman or healer who became the model for the character Bakú in my book. Bakú’s tribe also used the glove embedded with aggressive live tucandeira ants whose bites are extremely painful. This inspired the episode where the protagonist, David Rose, is challenged to compete against an Indian warrior in this exceptional test of courage.

Tell us about David Rose. Who is he? Why will readers relate to him? And why will they care what happens to him?

David is a complex personality who, because of family influence, ends up working as a New York investment banker – something that does not suit his real interests and inclinations. As a result, more and more he finds himself asking “what am I doing with my life?”

Many readers may relate to someone who suddenly finds a doorway opening for him into the life destiny had always planned for him. Through the manner in which he discovers this fact, these readers may find themselves wondering whether they are also living according to their true destinies.

Because the stakes are so high, every reader will care about how David meets the many challenges fate has laid out for him. And, hopefully, they will share in his emotional journey.

When we first meet David, he is contemplating how his life has turned out very differently than he had planned. Do you think that happens to all of us? Is there a chance that David will find the path to the life he originally dreamed of?

As I already said, there are many people whose lives are guided by others and not by their real purpose. Reading The Ovum Factor may inspire some of these to look at their lives differently and question whether they have the courage to do what their hearts dictate.

With The Ovum Factor you also seek to share a message with readers that is very dear to your heart. Can you tell us about that?

As a frequent and experienced world traveler, I have seen the rapid and ongoing destruction of our environment, from Brazil to China, from Canada to Indonesia. My simple message is that if we destroy nature, then nature will destroy us. Our world is a highly-interactive one where the survival of each species is closely linked to the survival of the others. It is a complex system balanced by eons of adjustment and correction by the forces of nature. Whatever was out-of-balance in the past, nature corrected.

Climate change may end up being nature’s way of correcting the heavy-handed influence of humanity on a planet shared by millions of other species.

Where can readers purchase a copy of The Ovum Factor?

The Ovum Factor is available at most major book retailers and also at popular web sites for purchasing books, such as Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble.com

If anyone has difficulty finding it, they should visit the novel’s web site for additional information: The Ovum Factor

What is up next for you? Are there future projects you wish to share with us?

Yes, I am now finishing my second novel, The Last Noble Truth, which is another eco-thriller, this time focusing on the destructive practices of the oil industry and highlighting the potential for wind energy. It is another great adventure where the protagonist – an oil exploration geologist - faces great challenges and by some strange fate becomes inspired by the teachings of Buddhism. Readers can find the first chapter of this next book at:
http://www.theovumfactor.com/about-the-author/sneak-preview.html

Is there anything you would like to add?

Maybe one last point. I hope readers will give me a chance as a new novelist. The themes of my books are highly relevant to the world we now live in and they offer unforgettable adventure and romance along the way.

Thank you for being our guest today, Marvin. I wish you much success.


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