Book Review: Hired Gun (Culvert City Crime Files, #1) by James R. Tuck

Hired Gun (Culvert City Crime Files, #1)
by James R. Tuck
Mass Market Paperback, 72 pages
Published August 26th 2013 by CreateSpace Independent Publishing

FROM THE AUTHOR WHO BROUGHT YOU THE PULSE-POUNDING DEACON CHALK SERIES!!!!

Culvert City, a place where bad people do bad things to each other. A hard place, a tough place, it's Killtown USA, Fist City, Murderville America, whatever you want to call it. Culvert City doesn't have a "bad side" of town, every square inch of the place is strychnine nasty and terminal as cancer.

Crime bosses, crooked cops, hitmen, ladies of the night, thugs, petty thieves, junkies, dirty politicians, gun thugs . . . every bad seed of every rotten apple lives here.

Good people who live here too.

They're called victims.

This is Crime fiction done right. Hard as concrete and twice as cold. Eight hard-boiled yarns of wrong-doin

Hired Gun is a short novella delivering a compilation of very short snippets of flash fiction written by James R. Tuck. Each story is presented with a forward from the author that shares a bit of his journey that inspired the story, as well as where and if it was previously published or shared. The stories are fun reads with the most memorable for me being the "No Name Hitman" and I would certainly love to see more about him with perhaps a full novel of his adventures, which would certainly have my fingers itching to get hold of it and find out just what he was up to next and just what occurred that resulted in his life choices.

The snippets are well written and it was intriguing getting to read a bit of the author's journey and prior fans of the author's work would definitely find these tidbits of insight into his thought processes a fun ride. On a final note, it must be said that Hired Gun left me with one major life change; I will never again be able to go through a fast food drive-through and see it with the same eyes. I received this book with a request for my honest review without any compensation whatsoever, other than the joy of reading a new book.

3.5 sheep

DeniseZ

About the Author/Editor:

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James R. Tuck lives outside Atlanta with his lovely wife and awesome kids. He has been a professional tattoo artist for 18 years and is a talented photographer. He is the author of the DEACON CHALK series (Kensington Books), the author of the CHAMPIONS OF HOLLOW EARTH series (Pro Se Press forthcoming 2014), the editor of the double anthology THUNDER ON THE BATTLEFIELD Volumes 1 and 2 (Seventh Star Press), and his short fiction has appeared and will appear in several anthologies such as: ONE BUCK ZOMBIES (One Buck Horror), THE BIG BAD (Dark Oak Press), HOOKERPUNK (Dark Oak Press forthcoming), ROBOTS UNLEASHED! (Mechanoid Press forthcoming), KAIJU RISING 2 (Ragnarok Press forthcoming), MONSTER EARTH 2 (Mechanoid Press forthcoming), and BADLANDS:TROUBLE IN THE HEARTLAND (Zelmer Pulp forthcoming).

Guest Post: Thunder on the Battlefield: Vol Sword (1) and Vol Sorcery (2) Book Tour - James R. Tuck + giveaway

TWO IS BETTER THAN ONE

James R. Tuck

It's good to be back at one of my favorite blogs in the known universe. I love this place. *leans back, puts feet on the coffee table*

*Katie and Sharon bow down before James offering plate of moonpies and Kool-Aid*

So I'm here to talk about my new double anthology THUNDER ON THE BATTLEFIELD Vol SWORD (1) and Vol SORCERY (2). It's two volumes of sword and sorcery goodness that rocks socks from here to Cimmeria. The question has been asked: "Why two volumes?"

Well, let me tell you, it's because I had too many good stories to not keep them all.

There's this thing that happens when you do an open call for an anthology. You get a lot of responses.

A LOT.

Like over 200.

I worked hard and narrowed it down. Some were easy. A lot of stories went, not because they weren't good, but because they weren't sword and sorcery. At the end I had 22 stories that were awesome and I really was struggling to find one I wouldn't miss if I cut it. I knew I was putting a story in each anthology, bringing the total up to 24 stories.

And looking at some of the lengths of the stories I knew I was facing down a hefty page count.

But damn these were some good stories and it hurt to think about cutting half of them.

I emailed Stephen at Seventh Star and told him my dilemma. He was very gracious and said we could do a giant anthology.

Like a real BRICK.

A Chihuahua killer.

A doorstop.

But we'd have to charge like $50.

We also discussed splitting the anthology in two, doing a double anthology set. Immediately I asked if we could coordinate the cover art so that when you put both books side by side you had one complete image.

Stephen said yes.

BAM! the project was born as twins.

And that's how I decided to split my anthology in two.

Look at that cover art...ain't they gorgeous?

Print Version  Sword-Sorcery

Kindle Version  Sword-Sorcery

Nook Sword  Sorcery 

Kobo Sword  Sorcery 

iBookstore Sword  Sorcery 

About the Author/Editor:

website-FB-twitter-blog

James R. Tuck lives outside Atlanta with his lovely wife and awesome kids. He has been a professional tattoo artist for 18 years and is a talented photographer. He is the author of the DEACON CHALK series (Kensington Books), the author of the CHAMPIONS OF HOLLOW EARTH series (Pro Se Press forthcoming 2014), the editor of the double anthology THUNDER ON THE BATTLEFIELD Volumes 1 and 2 (Seventh Star Press), and his short fiction has appeared and will appear in several anthologies such as: ONE BUCK ZOMBIES (One Buck Horror), THE BIG BAD (Dark Oak Press), HOOKERPUNK (Dark Oak Press forthcoming), ROBOTS UNLEASHED! (Mechanoid Press forthcoming), KAIJU RISING 2 (Ragnarok Press forthcoming), MONSTER EARTH 2 (Mechanoid Press forthcoming), and BADLANDS:TROUBLE IN THE HEARTLAND (Zelmer Pulp forthcoming).

 

Thunder on the Battlefield: Sword

HARK! to the sounds of battle. Mighty men and women who take their destinies with the strength of their arm and the sharpness of their blades. These are tales of warriors, reavers, barbarians, and kings. Lands of wonder populated with monsters, black-hearted sorcerors of Stygian power, and heroes who have blood on their hands and on their steel. 

This is SWORD AND SORCERY. 

Edited by James R. Tuck, acclaimed author of the Deacon Chalk Novels, the Sword volume features tales from the following authors:

 
G. Gerome Henson 
Jay Requard 
D.T. Neal 
John F. Allen 
Marcella Burnard 
David J. West 
Alexis A. Hunter 
James R. Tuck 
Loriane Parker 
W.E. Wertenberger 
Stephen Zimmer 
J.S. Veter 

Thunder on the Battlefield: Sorcery

BEHOLD! the clash of war. Steel upon steel and heroes fighting shield to shield. The only true victory is a brave death and the destruction of your enemies. These stories harken back to a barbaric past that never was. A time when heroic men and women cut glory from the cloth of a sorcery-filled world and stole gold from the hands of the gods themselves. This is fiction that takes no prisoners. No quarter asked. No quarter given. This is SWORD AND SORCERY 
Edited by James R. Tuck, acclaimed author of the Deacon Chalk Novels, the Sword volume features tales from the following authors:

 
Jeffe Kennedy Alex Hughes 
Selah Janel 
Steven Grassie 
James R. Tuck 
M. B. Weston 
Brady Allen 
S. H. Roddey 
Steven S. Long 
D. A. Adams 
Mark Taverna 
Steven L. Shrewsbury 

ConCarolinas 2013 Writer's Panels

I only attended ConCarolinas on Saturday. Between visiting, interviewing and preventing Baaart and his "friend" from bringing on the apocalypse (that is a whole other post!) I only sat in on two panels, but they were good ones! Here are some of the highlights.

Sat. 4:00 First Five Pages: A Magical Words Seminar 

This was interesting panel about what should and shouldn't be included in the first five pages of your manuscript with 3 authors from the Magical Words blog: Faith Hunter, David B. Coe and Misty Massey.
These three authors love to help aspiring writers and obviously enjoy working together on a panel. Here are some highlights.

* Faith thinks the first 5 pages is what gets you published. David thinks publishers are looking for potential in the first 5 pages. (there might have been some stink eyeing going on over this <G>)

*Editors are looking for a reason to trash your manuscript. They just don't have time. Writers can't depend on luck anymore.

*Faith: openings need a bait and hook, an event that will prove pivotal later on. You need an event on the first page. In a mystery you would want a dead body.
David: story should begin where is begins to lead into the climatic event. (Faith mentions that David's Thieftaker is the book of the decade)

*David: wants readers to know his character isn't anyone to mess with and has you rooting for him.

*Faith: first 5 pages need to be unique and exciting. Faith learned to write analytically. She would read books and underline/comment in margins what worked and didn't in the books she read. She suggests reading the first 5 pages of many books and figure out what worked or didn't.

*You should work on your next big thing while waiting for responses to submitted work. 

Sat. 5:30 Writer Beware! 

Hosted by David Coe, John Hartness, Aaron Rosenberg, Edmund Schubert, James Tuck and Faith Hunter.

This was a brilliant and colorful panel <G>. Everyone laughed and learned from the mistakes of authors who have been there, done that.

* Agents are the most common place writers get taken advantage of.

*Sites all writers should visit:
Preditors and Editors, The Passive Voice, Kris Writes, Kboards (writers Cafe)

*Writer mistakes:
-angsting over what to write next instead of writing.
-READ YOUR CONTRACTS!! Contacts are negotiable, boiler plate contracts (standard)
- if an editor says change this, change it! (John)
-do your research in the industry, know how it works (John)
-filter the advice you get. People's advice is based on their career and it might not be right for you.
-don't put too much on your plate. You have to ask yourself how much of your life are you willing to give up. Know your limits, don't say yes immediately to publishers. You must know your daily, weekly, comfort and top speeds.
-publishing is a s-l-o-w business.
-pay attention to foreign rights clauses (Tuck)
-narrow the option clauses as much as possible. Don't leave loop holes. Be willing to walk away.

Aaron Rosenberg, David Coe, John Hartness

Edmund Schubert, Faith Hunter, James Tuck

Here were the writers panels offered this year. You can see all the other panels here.
Fri 03:00 pm Politics in Writing Fri 04:00 pm Writer's Reception
Fri 04:30 pm Creating the Truly Alien Harris
Fri 06:00 pm Tech vs Magic
Fri 06:00 pm Turning Good Ideas into Great Stories
Fri 06:00 pm The Trap of Tropes
Fri 07:30 pm The Book Cover Welwyn
Fri 07:30 pm Choosing the Right Words - A Magical Words Seminar
Fri 07:30 pm Setting the Scene
Fri 09:00 pm Writing the Other
Fri 10:30 pm John Hartness Launch Party
Fri 11:30 pm The Undead as Characters
Fri 11:30 pm The Villain as Protagonist

Sat 09:00 am Books and Breakfast Sat 10:00 am Timothy Zahn
Sat 10:00 am Anthologies
Sat 10:00 am Self-Publishing: Pros and Cons
Sat 11:30 am Character Costumes and Accessories
Sat 11:30 am Walking in Someone Else's Shoes
Sat 12:00 pm Writer's Workshop
Sat 01:00 pm Getting Over Yourself
Sat 01:00 pm The Adult Appeal of YA Literature
Sat 02:30 pm The Un-Fair Folk
Sat 02:30 pm The Entourage
Sat 04:00 pm First Five Pages: A Magical Words Seminar
Sat 04:00 pm The Villain as Protagonist
Sat 05:30 pm Writer Beware!
Sat 05:30 pm Clearing the Block
Sat 07:00 pm The Art of War
Sat 08:00 pm Finding Your Voice: A Magical Words Seminar
Sat 08:30 pm My Hero
Sat 10:00 pm Bloodsucking Fiends
Sat 10:00 pm My Heroine
Sat 10:30 pm Literate Liquors Executive Boardroom
Sat 11:30 pm Making Monsters Scary Again
Sat 11:30 pm Time For a Little Sex

Sun 09:30 am Baen Traveling Road Show Sun 10:00 am Writer's Workshop
Sun 10:00 am Gods and Goddesses
Sun 10:30 am Timothy Zahn
Sun 11:30 am Self-Publishing: Pros and Cons
Sun 11:30 am Editors and Agents
Sun 01:00 pm The Future of Print
Sun 01:00 pm Maintaining a Large Cast
Sun 02:30 pm Saying Goodbye
Sun 02:30 pm A Satisfying Ending

-Sharon Stogner

ConCarolinas 2013 James Tuck interview

see? fluffy, right?

Katie and I interviewed urban fantasy author James R. Tuck at DragonCon last year and I was thrilled to find him at ConCarolinas. I caught him for a few moments between panels. And like the interview dork I have been all day I didn't get any pictures of him! Just picture a big tattooed mountain of fluffiness... without hair <G>

Sharon: Is this your first time at Concarolinas?
James: It is not, this is my second year. 

Sharon: and why did you come back?
James: Because I had a blast last year. So I wanted to come back. This is on my to do list of cons.

Sharon: so from now on we can expect to see you here?
James: yeah, I may take a year off, depends.

Sharon: George Martin will be here next year…

James: I know, but I don’t read that.

Sharon *whispers, I don’t either*
James: I watch the show.

Sharon: I don’t even do that!
James: no? lot of naked people on that show 

*I have no idea why James would think naked people would appeal to me… no idea at all… *

Sharon: What do you like about this con compared to others you've been too?
James: It is a very writer friendly convention. And I know almost everybody here. By the end of the con I will know everyone.

Sharon: It is a small con so there is a lot of face time you get with authors and since lots of the authors know each other the panels can be pretty funny.
James: much more of a friendly convention.

Interview Roulette

Q: What do you think about the practice of having fish tanks in seafood restaurants?

James: Ooooohhhh.

Sharon: is it cruel or is the irony funny?
James: I think it’s… ah… I don’t know if I bounce between it being cruel to the fish or some sort of consciousness test for humans. This is what you’re about to eat.

Sharon: how do you feel about that?
James: (no hesitation) I doesn't bother me. I’ll pick the lobster, I don’t care.

Q: Cowboy hat or baseball hat?
James: Oh, cowboy hat all the time. Baseball caps are never big enough for my big melon head. They just perch on top like Charlie Brown. It’s ridiculous.

WTF?!

Q: What video game would you like to be transported into?
James: Oooo, ah… I like playing Dead Space but I would not like to be in that one.

Sharon: I don’t know much about games, not a gamer.
James: Dead Space is like this really scary space horror game. You have weird zombies made out of disembodied parts and stuff. It’s really spooky. I don’t wanna be on that game. I think probably Mario something or another.

Sharon: Mario Kart? With the Bullet Bike
James: Yes, something like that. 

Q: Bronies or Furries?
James: I don’t know what Bronies are?

*someone listening in on our interview chimed in here* Guys who like My Little Pony.

James: Oh! But wouldn’t Bronies be a subset of Furries

Sharon: No, because Furry is an anonymous thing you don’t know who you are furrying with. They are all in full costumes. *whispers to James, there is a furry running around the convention and do not touch it*
James: I wasn't planning on it! I would probably go with the Bronies because furries… that’s a lot of sweat underneath all that fake fur. 

Q: Urban Fantasy or High Fantasy?
James: Urban fantasy. That goes without saying.

About the Author:

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I am born and bred a Southern boy. I was raised on "yes, Ma'am" and "Hell Yeah". I like good food and good music.

Life is about so much more than money for me. Give me the ability to spend time with my family and friends, the right to shoot my guns, and the freedom to go to whatever church I want and I will say: Life is good

James R. Tuck visits the Alpha Male Diner + giveaway

Got an unusual cook and recipe today! James R Tuck is serving up his hero Deacon Chalk. What does bad-ass taste like? Grab some bourbon and let's find out...

Deacon Chalk (Occult-Bounty Hunter)

By James R. Tuck 

Blood and Magic (Deacon Chalk book 3) 

2 Cups of Southern Gentleman 

1 Liter of Big Damn Hero 
A GENEROUS Handful of Testosterone 
Equal parts Death Wish and Devout Catholicism until Full Gallon 
6 ounces of Righteous Anger finely chopped 
¼ Cup of Gunpowder 
100 hours of Tattoo Ink 
4 heaping Tablespoons of Alpha Male 
5 Shots of Bourbon 
4 Quarts of Angel Blood 
300 Pounds of Badass 
4/3 Cup of Sarcasm 

Okay, today you're cooking Southern style, so screw the apron and put on a comfy pair of jeans and a black t-shirt and turn up some good-old raw and rough Delta-style blues for a soundtrack. Got your mojo hand workin? Good for you, let's go.

Take your 2 Cups of Southern Gentleman, 4 heaping (and when we say heaping we mean let it mound up until it spills over the sides like an avalanche) Tablespoons of Alpha Male, and your 100 Hours of Tattoo Ink and pour them into the 300 Pounds of Badass.
Stir vigorously and set to the side. Mix will continue to set while you work.

Take first shot of Bourbon. 

(You should have bought better Bourbon.)

Take your equal parts Death Wish and Devout Catholicism and pour into large pot on HIGH heat. Cover and let simmer.

Take second shot of Bourbon. 

(Actually, that Bourbon's okay.)

In a pan on medium heat add the 1 Liter of Big Damn Hero. Bring to a low boil and toss in the 6 Ounces of Righteous Anger. Scatter over with the handful of Testosterone until the entire thing is cover. DO NOT STIR. Reduce heat and wait while Righteous Anger melts into nice sploogey bits and Testosterone forms a smooth crust. 

Take third shot of Bourbon. 

(Yep, this Bourbon is just fine.)

Okay, return to the now settled 300 Pounds of Badass that you filled earlier. The mix should be set now and ready for the rest. Everything moves quickly from here. Use your oven mitts, things are gonna get hot. 

Turn the pan with the Big Damn Hero/Righteous Anger/Testosterone reduction upside down over the Badass. Let it all fall out of the pan and into the mix.

Slam the fourth shot of Bourbon. 

(Say, you can really pick a good Bourbon!)

Fold in all 4 Quarts of Angel blood. It may crackle and pop, but that's normal at this stage, just be careful.

Using your mitts remove the Death Wish/Devout Catholicism mix from heat and pour into Badass. This mixture will never stop boiling and will permeate the entire dish.

Sprinkle liberally with Gunpowder and Sarcasm.

Take fifth shot of Bourbon and enjoy your meal! 

(Best Bourbon ever!)

Taste Test

I came back in a snap. One second I was out, the next I was wide awake.

And strapped to a stretcher.

I jerked against the straps, yanking at them. The metal gurney rattled and thumped against the inside of the ambulance. I hate waking up and finding myself tied down.

“Easy there, big fella. Easy.”

Rolling my head around, I found myself face-to-face with a young man. He was a good-looking young man, thin but built. Almond-shaped brown eyes looked at me from a face carved in angles and flat planes. A razor-thin mustache sat above full lips. Most people would look silly in a mustache that narrow, but it fit the face I was looking at. He put one wide hand on my arm, it was warm through the thin latex glove.

He spun around to face me, sitting on the low bench next to the stretcher. “It’s cool, man. Relax, I got you. I was just about to take out this big hunk of glass you’ve got stuck in your shoulder.”

“Why am I strapped down?”

He looked sheepish. “That isn’t my fault. I was just following orders.”

“Who the hell ordered me to be strapped down?”

A monotone voice came from outside the ambulance.

“I did.”

The man that stepped into my line of sight was normal. Completely and totally normal. Close-cropped sandy brown hair gelled close to his scalp. His face was unmarked; plain, but edging toward interesting. Completely clean-shaven, not one whisker to be seen. His eyes were wrapped in dark sunglasses. He was just shy of six foot, just shy of 200 pounds, and packaged in a black suit that didn’t quite fit right, complete with a skinny black tie.

“And who the hell do you think you are?”

His hand whipped up, slapping open a black wallet. Inside it flashed a gold badge and a small card with the man’s picture and some writing. “Special Agent Silas Heck, O.C.I.D.” He whipped the badge back into his jacket just slow enough for me to see the black semiautomatic holstered at his hip.

“You got something to tell me, Special Agent Heck? Like where the hell my friends are, and why the hell you have me strapped to this damn gurney?”

He pointed to the straps and then waved to the EMT. The young man began unbuckling me.

Special Agent Heck leaned against the open doors. “Your friends are fine. They’re finishing up questioning now. I had you strapped down because I didn’t want you disappearing before we had a chance to chat.” His voice had a hard tone to it, not quite an accent, but almost. Not so much the sound as the way he used his words.

The EMT finished unbuckling me and I sat up. My head brushed the roof of the ambulance. It took a second to realize that I felt pretty good. I still ached, but it was distant, one step removed from me. “Did you give me something?”

The EMT nodded. “Just a small shot of Demerol. It’ll wear off in a few hours. You might want to be in bed before that happens.”

Yeah right.

Turning to Special Agent Heck, I started to push off the gurney to leave. The EMT put his hand on my chest. He nodded toward my shoulder. “I still need to get that out.”

The piece of glass was sticking out of my skin. It jutted up about three quarters of an inch and was coated in thick, tacky blood. Looking at it brought the hurt to the front of my mind. The painkiller kept it from being too bad, wrapping it in a fuzzy warm blanket, softening the edges to something almost abstract.

My fingers closed on the sticky glass.

Deep breath in.

Let it out.

Yank.

The glass slid free, slick and smooth, leaving behind a hollow ache. Blood pulsed to the surface, bubbling out of the gash. I let the shard fall from my fingers. It shattered on the metal floor of the ambulance.

Special Agent Heck pushed off the door. “Patch him up, Doc. I’ll be right outside.” He turned and walked away.

The EMT shook his head at me.

“You are crazy.”

I waved my hand. “Not me. Just busy. Got sh*t to do.” Like track down some damn witches. “So suture me up and get me moving.”

“You sure you don’t want to do it yourself? I can give you the stuff.”

“Don’t be a smartass. Nobody likes a smartass.”

Blood and Magic: Deacon Chalk Book 3 
Release Date: March 5, 2013 
ISBN-10: 0758271492 
ISBN-13: 978-0758271495 

Taking out hellish creatures—not a problem. Armed with blessed silver hollow-points and the ability to manipulate magick, he’s ready for anything—except betrayal he never saw coming… 

Deacon Chalk knows the biggest danger in fighting monsters is becoming one. Just another day at the office for your friendly neighborhood occult bounty hunter. If keeping three helpless were-dog children safe means battling a malevolent trio of witches by any means necessary, so be it. If that means partnering with a ruthless government agent to stay one step ahead of the allies and friends he must now suspect, he’s not going to cry about it. The only way Deacon can save humans and shape-shifters alike is to embrace a power beyond his imagining, putting his team at stake—and his soul on the line… 

“. . . Chalk takes his gory demon-slaying business dead seriously, allowing readers to have both fun and high-powered action. This exciting and charmingly ridiculous installment will appeal to fans of B-movies and urban fantasy.” Publishers Weekly 

About the Author:

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James R. Tuck is a multi-published author of Dark Urban Fantasy, Crime Fiction, Horror, and Science Fiction/Fantasy. He owns Family Tradition Tattoo in Marietta, Ga and lives in the Atlanta area with his lovely wife, a cool son, a terrific daughter, and four kooky dogs.

He writes the stories that keep you up at night.

Buy:
Indiebound 
Books-A-Million
Barnes&Noble
Amazon
GIVEAWAY

Giving away a copy of one of Tuck's books. Not sure which one it will be yet! (bad, bad blogger didn't confirm) I will post it here as soon as I know which one <G> but go ahead and enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sheep Interview: Cover Model James Dinonno +giveaway

Today the ladies of Sheep bring you an interview with the gorgeous man who's graced the covers of the Deacon Chalk series James Dinonno! Stick around until the very end for your chance to win a signed photograph and book! We hope you enjoy. 


Katie: Hello James and welcome to the flock! Grab some freshly mixed kool-aid and get ready for the crazy! I mean party, yeah party. 

*Sharon hands James her Thor hammer, just in case*

James: Hi Katie and Sharon. Ok I'm ready, lay it on me.

Sharon: *grabs Katie before she lays over James*

Katie: You're the hunky man candy that's plastered on the front of James Tuck's UF series, how did this come about? 

James: Well thank you :) And it's pretty simple, my fitness modeling agent called me one day and said he wanted to book me for a book cover photo shoot, and if I was interested. I said "Heck yea!"

Sharon: Which of the seven deadly sins have you committed most recently?

James: Hmm uh, well, er...lust...but no details lol. And I already repented ha.

Katie: You're pretty badass looking on the covers, would you say you could handle your own should the zombie apocalypse happen tomorrow? 

Sharon: And what would your weapon of choice be?

James: That's funny you ask that. I don't know what I would do in real life, perhaps get my hands on a shotgun, say a prayer then start blowing heads off. But I'm actually part of a project that's in the works where I do in fact take on the zombie apocalypse, so stay tuned :)

Katie: When will we get more details on this? 

James: It should be revealed by the end of the year. I'll keep ya posted.

Katie: Being a fitness trainer, what’s the simplest thing someone can do in their diet that would make a big difference? 

*Sharon - please be eat chocolate, please be eat chocolate*

James: Always looking for the easy way lol. And dark chocolate in small portions can actually be good for you. But to answer your question...hmm it's hard to give one, easy answer. Ok I'll go with, bottom line is you have to reduce calories, and most people eat way to many carbs, especially bad carbs, so if you reduce carbs such as breads, pastas and junk food you will lose weight.

Katie: *kicks basket of bread under Sharon's chair* Bad, bad carbs! 

Sharon: *kicks basket of bread into the dungeon* totally bad...but moonpies don't count...just saying.

Katie: Can you take your shirt off and let us inspect your body? In the name of science, of course. *winks* 

Sharon: *hands Katie a camera* You know, to record the science…

James: Well if it's for science, how can I say no ;)

Katie: What's been the funnest part of being a cover model? 

James: I'd say walking into Barnes and Noble, bringing the book to the cashier and asking them if I can get the book for free. When they ask why I show them I'm on the cover and watch their reaction. I actually did that for this last book, recorded and posted it on my facebook fan page, you can search me James DiNonno, like my page and watch it for yourself :)

[Katie's dream...it could happen]

Sharon: *pokes Katie* Hey! snap out of it!

Katie: I'm sorry what, had a daydream moment. 

Sharon: Got any dirt on Tuck? You know something we can use to blackmail convince him to put a Sheep in his next book?

James: Unfortunately I don't, plus I wouldn't want to jeopardize being considered if they turn it into a movie lol 

Katie: It's time for some rapid fire questions! Answer with the first thing that pops into your brain. Ready? Go! 

Katie: Blonde or Brunette? 

James: Brunette

Katie: Loosing points already James! 

Sharon: *gives James back some points, plus extra*

Sharon: Popcorn or cotton candy? 

James: popcorn

Katie: Short or Tall?

James: Tall(but not too tall)

Sharon: *a 5'9" Sharon stands up to give James more points*

Katie: Loosing more Katie points, James! 

Sharon: Apple pie or pecan pie? 

James: Apple

Katie: Nerdy girl or Glam girl? 

James: Glam

Sharon: wait or pee behind the tree? 

James: The tree is getting watered. Actually I just did that 2 days ago lol

Sharon: O_o you know what TMI means James?

Katie: Marvel or DC? 

James: Marvel

Katie: Ok, now we're getting back on track! 

Sharon: got a favorite?

James: Wolverine is probably my favorite Marvel. But growing up DC's Superman got me the most pumped. No one beats Superman!

Sharon: free weights or machines? 

James: Free weights

Katie: Coke or Pepsi? 

James: Neither but if I had to choose, Coke

Katie: I love you again, all is forgiven! 

Sharon: *takes back some points* Sorry, but that is a deal breaker for me

Sharon: moo or quack? 

James: moo

Katie: Dark Choc or Milk? 

James: Dark Choc

Sharon: Deck shoes or flip-flops?

James: Can you really picture me in deck shoes? lol Flip flops

Sharon: just deck shoes? um...not going there

Katie: The Notebook or Pride and Prejudice? 

James: Actually I am a romantic so The Notebook, although when I saw it, which my best female friend made me see, I wasn't in a good state of mind so it got me depressed lol

Katie: *opens arms* Come to mama, I'll make it all better. 

Sharon: psst...James...hammer...

Katie: Anything you'd like to add before we wrap? 

James: Thanks so much Katie and Sharon, it's been fun. Wait till you see the next book, even more bada$$! 
[Cover shown in daydream moment. Minus Katie.]

Make sure to check James out at his website: http://www.jamesdinonno.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/james.dinonno

***GIVEAWAY***

One lucky winner will receive a signed picture from James AND a paperback copy of Blood and Silver. This is a US Contest Only. 

To Enter:

1. Your Email Address 

2. If you had the opportunity to grace any book cover, what would your character look like? (Be as creative as you like!)

*Contest ends October 6th at midnight. Good luck! 

A BIG thanks to Jeni Darling for making the fantastic daydream cover! To check out Jeni's website click HERE.