Let's Talk About Love (interview and giveaway!)

Happy Valentines Weekend!

Hi, folks! 

Today I'm featuring, um, myself. I know, it feels a little strange. But Dennis Higgins did a great job interviewing me on his blog a while back, and I thought you folks might enjoy the Q&A we shared, especially the parts about writing sensual love scenes and where my inspiration came from.

Below, we talk about all aspects of life. Dennis is a wonderful writer and a super guy, and we had a blast. Hope you enjoy the conversation!

To check out Dennis's wonderful books and his blog, click here!

 

SCROLL TO BOTTOM FOR DETAILS OF THE GIVEAWAY

​
DH: Hi Aaron. Thanks for agreeing to be interviewed by me.

APL: Hey, Dennis. Thanks for inviting me!

DH: My pleasure. First let me start off by congratulating you on your many accomplishments.

APL: Thanks so much. It’s funny, but I don’t feel so much as if they are accomplishments as releasing of those stories that must be told, you know? 

DH: I like that viewpoint. We are led by our characters sometimes, aren’t we?

APL: That’s for sure. I feel as though these parallel universes that I create aren’t always born the way I picture them. They seem to grow into entities themselves, and take off in directions my characters decide to go. 
  
DH: So, how many books do you have published?

APL: I have twenty-five books published to date. Most are in eBook, print, and audiobook format, although a few, like my Write Like the Wind writing guides, are just in eBook and audiobook.

DH: Wow, my seven books pale in comparison. When did you start writing?

APL: I started to putter around with it in 1997, but I really got hooked in 2001, when I finished Double Forte and started on Upstaged, the second book in the LeGarde Mystery series. Since then I’ve been unable to stop. It’s like an itch that must be scratched, this writing obsession. I’m sure you know exactly how I feel. 

DH: Indeed, I do. This is an unfair question, I know and I’m sorry. But can you pick a favorite?

APL: Being an author yourself, Dennis, you know how tough a question this is! But if I absolutely had to pick just one book, I think it might be Don’t Let the Wind Catch You. This is part of my “young Gus LeGarde” series, and it’s a sequel to Tremolo: cry of the loon.  

DH: Why is that, Aaron?
APL: Well, because writing as an eleven-year-old boy is just plain fun. I also love the nostalgia of the era. I grew up in the fifties and sixties, and man-oh-man did we have fun! 

DH: That’s awesome, Aaron! I had fun in the sixties too. I’m going to have to put that on my to-be-read list.

Like me, you have a family, a day job, as well as your writing career. What is your method for balancing all that?

APL: Dennis, it’s a little easier now that my daughters are grown and moved out to start their own lives. Sure, we have many grandkids around all the time, and we also care for my wife’s 92-year-old mother. But my best way to balance all this is to go to bed super early, and get up at 4:00 AM to write to my heart’s content. This way I can get all my chores done, do my exercise (walking for an hour), write several chapters in whatever book I happen to be held captive by at the moment, and still leave for work by 8:00. Of course, when I get home, my wife and I pretty much just eat and go to bed, LOL. We watch a little TV, but we fall asleep fast! 

DH: Aaron, I knew we were kindred spirits. My day is pretty much like yours. Early to bed, early to rise. I’m also a morning writer.
​
If you had the opportunity to quit your day job and write full time for a living, would you?

APL: That is my dream, Dennis. I’d do it in a heartbeat.

DH: Oh, me too, that’s why I asked.

DH: With all your books out there in the world, I am ashamed to say that so far, I have only read The Seacrest, but my wife has read Spirit Me Away and she loved it. But speaking of The Seacrest, I love your style of writing and how you switched back and forth between 1997 and 2013. I guess I liked it because it’s a style I use in my own time travel books.
​
But there is something else that struck me. It’s the way you write sensual scenes. Maybe it’s because I’m a guy and the way you wrote them resonated with me from my own memories of the past. I think female written erotica tends to be much more blunt…at least in the scenes I’ve read. Bravo on your subtle style. How does it feel to write erotic scenes like those in The Seacrest?

APL: I’m glad you read The Seacrest, and especially grateful for your comments from a guy’s POV. You see, my whole life, I wrote relatively “wholesome” mysteries. I was afraid to “go too far,” and didn’t want my daughters to know that I “thought like that.” LOL.

“Laughing”
​
 DH: I get that. I have a daughter too.

APL: So, it took me a long time to actually reach a point where I realized it didn’t matter anymore. (Daughters are all over 30 now with their own kids!) When my wife asked me to write a love story, “like Nicholas Sparks,” I laughed. But then the idea grew on me. It was a particularly strong urge when I stayed with her on Cape Cod near Paines Creek Beach, in Brewster, Mass. I have always loved the Cape, but the sensuality of the beach convinced me to write The Seacrest.

DH: Sounds like a wonderful place to become inspired.

Paines Creek Beach (photo, Aaron Lazar)

APL: I also wanted to pay homage to one of my favorite characters of all time, Mr. Travis McGee (John D. MacDonald’s character). So I created a feature character to do just that.
When it came time to write the love scenes, I decided to just let go. I’d read a little erotica, and found that a bit too graphic for my own tastes. So I felt I knew where to stop. I still am not sure if I achieved that, because although most of the reviews are just wonderful for The Seacrest, a few readers have been shocked by the sex scenes and recoiled in horror that their “wholesome” author went down such a scandalous road. LOL.

“Laughing” 

DH: I don’t like the graphic scenes either, as you could probably tell from reading my book, Pennies From Across the Veil, and I would say you managed to achieve the perfect balance.

APL: Your comments about the scenes meant a lot to me, coming from another guy. This is not usually a man-centric genre, you know, and I was really challenged with it. I thought back to the days when I was a teen, and how desperately I hungered for my girlfriend (now my wife of 35 years), how I worshipped her, and could not imagine anything more beautiful than making love to her. Those were the thoughts I used when I was in Finn’s head, when he was a teenager as well as further on in the story when he reconnects with Libby. I’m really relieved to see the scenes worked. Thank you!  

DH: They worked wonderfully for me. It’s beautiful to think it was your dear wife that inspired you.

APL: Regarding the alternating time chapters. Phew. That was one of the hardest writing challenges I’ve ever faced, Dennis, and I take my hat off to you for being able to regularly pull that off!  

DH: Thank you, Aaron!

APL: I really found it difficult to keep in the head of the person of the correct timeframe. Normally, I have this movie playing in my head, and it’s easy to see the next scene. But here I had to stop, remember which time I was in, and then move forward. I don’t think I’ll do this again, and I didn’t for The Seacroft and for The Seadog, the two sequels of The Seacrest.  

DH: Well, well done, sir.

APL: Thank you! 

DH: Can the books be read in any order?
APL: Yes. The Paines Creek Beach series has three books so far, The Seacrest, The Seacroft, and now book 3, The Seadog, and they can all be read as standalones very easily. I purposefully do this with my series so folks can pick up anywhere in the series and have fun. If they are intrigued, they can go back and "see what happened before," without losing their place in the lives of my characters. 

DH: A lot of your books are mysteries. What made you interested in mysteries?

APL: Dennis, my whole life I read mysteries. Even as a kid they were the only type of book that interested me. I was very likely influenced by my parents, however, who were avid Agatha Christie, Rex Stout, PD James, and John D. MacDonald fans! Even in my love stories, like The Seacrest, I can’t help but infuse some themes you might find in a mystery, as well. ;o) 

DH: I noticed. By the way, what started you on a writing career?

APL: Dennis, I always wanted to write, because I loved reading so much. I pictured it would be later, when I was older, maybe when I retired. But when my father died unexpectedly in 1997, it knocked me for a loop. I found writing to be supremely therapeutic, and the writing bug bit me hard. I had a brief stalling period with my first book, which I picked up after a few years of doing nothing. Since then, I can’t seem to stop. ;o)

DH: As you know, I relate to writing after a loss as well... Now, can you name three words in priority that describes you?

APL: That’s a tough one. My first impulse is to say husband, father, grandfather, but if you let me string those together, I’d say husband/father/grandfather, obsessed writer, and fanatical gardener.

DH: Who were your major influences growing up? (Writer, actor, musician…)

APL: My father was a classical music professor who played piano and filled our home with culture, wild artistic personalities, and amazing European influences in the culinary and art fields. He was also an organic gardening fanatic, like me. My mother was a dedicated and loving mom who made sugar cookies and sewed our clothes. She was a great cook, too. Both of them influenced me hugely. All four of my grandparents also played a big role in my life – from my musical, Victorian-antiques-loving maternal grandparents to my outdoorsy-Maine-loving paternal grandparents.  

DH: So do you love antiques as I do?

APL: Because of my grandparents and mother (who ran an antique shop for many years), I LOVE antiques. I can’t figure why people would buy new furniture, when for half the cost they can get handcrafted, real wood products that will last centuries. My house is full of them. None are perfect – we will live normally with lots of grandkids running around – but I wouldn’t change it for the world. Most came from my grandparents and parents. But some we also found lots of them via excursions into local places here in upstate NY. There are some amazing antique shops around here. For example, when my daughter got married, I found her a Duncan Phyfe carved leg dining room table that normally would have cost $800 in the higher priced shops – for $225.00. What a deal! I also inherited my most prized possession this past year when my mother passed away, a bittersweet moment for sure. I’d much rather have my mom than all the antiques in the world, but I cherish this thing. It’s a Regina music box (cherry with carved wood and a beautiful picture/engraving on the inside lid). It came with 50 disks and a carved cherry cabinet to hold them. This kind of family treasure makes me feel blessed.

DH: I understand this perfectly. Like I said, kindred spirits. Antiques are links to the past. In your case it was my mom. When my mom passed, I found an old WWII scrapbook in her possessions. I didn’t know the people in it, but several months of research uncovered their identities and I even found the maker’s children. It inspired my upcoming novella, simply called The Old Scrapbook.

What can we expect to see next from the collection of Aaron Paul Lazar?

APL: I'm working on a new Gus LeGarde book, another "young Gus" book that takes us back in time to his childhood in 1966 in Maine. It's called Voodoo Summer.  I’m really having a blast writing it. 

DH: Sounds fantastic. What else would you like to discuss?

APL: I’d like to tell folks that I’m an accessible author who loves to connect with readers. Feel free to check out my website at www.lazarbooks.com, or contact me via email at author@lazarbooks.com. 

​You can connect with me, too, at these sites: Facebook Twitter Goodreads Amazon Author Page LinkedIn Google+

APL: Dennis, thanks for asking such fun questions. It’s been great fun!

DH: My pleasure, Aaron. I admire you greatly.

 

 I am giving away three eBooks from my series this week. So comment below for a chance to win, either The Seacrest, 

For the Birds, 




 

or Devil’s Lake. 










Winners will be chosen randomly. Good luck!

To check out Dennis's wonderful books and his blog, click here!

About Dennis Higgins:

Relative of Davy Crockett...World traveler.

As a native of Chicago, Illinois, Dave has always possessed a romance with things of the past that are gone but not forgotten. He now lives in the suburbs with his lovely wife, their dog and a couple of birds.

Among his influences are: Richard Matheson, Jack Finney, Dean Koontz, Michael Crichton, Joan Wester Anderson, Peter S. Beagle and Audrey Neffenegger .

The Time Pilgrims series is exciting, treasured, and loved by YA, NA as well as adults.

http://www.timepilgrims.com/

http://www.timepilgrims.com/time-pilgrims-home.html

http://www.timepilgrims.com/about-the-author.html

http://www.timepilgrims.com/parallel-roads.html 

Guest Post: Cover Reveal for Disk of Death by Kim Smith!

Cover Reveal for Disk of Death by Kim Smith

Disk of Death is almost here!

Hello and welcome to cover reveal day! I am very excited about this reprisal of my Shannon Wallace Mystery series. If you are a fan and have been following along since the early days, let me say thank you. I cannot wait for you to enjoy the ride all over again. It's been updated, re-edited, re-covered, and I think much better. Shannon and I have had a chance to renew our friendship as well, and I must say I am in love with writing her stories all over again.

If you are new to the series, I hope you enjoy this first book and entry point into South Lake, Mississippi - home of the SLPD, South Lake Police Department, and Tillie's Home Cookin'-- It's GOOOOD! Tillie's, Shannon's aunt and her little eatery is renown in north Mississippi. Shannon loves her hometown...well, until she begins this one week... but this is a caper mystery...so get it and find out what happens~!

Okay, just because I cannot wait another minute....

I unveil the cover for you.

Are you ready?

Here it is!

TADA!!!!!

The cover for Disk of Death, the first book in the Shannon Wallace Mysteries.

She's a woman on a mission

Shannon Wallace is having a bad hair week. She's been ditched by her job, dumped by her boyfriend, and implicated in his murder.

When she finds out her very private video collection is missing from the crime scene, it is all out war to find the disks before the cops do. The problem is--the killer has them. And he's watched them. Now Shannon's at the top of his most wanted list!

DISK OF DEATH is now out on pre-order! You can get it before it is even released, by clicking this link http://amzn.com/B01AZLRZFG GET IT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi, folks.

Thought I'd share my new release today. This is book three in the Paines Creek Beach love story series, but each book can be read as a standalone. I hope you enjoy it, it was one of my favorite books to write and Jack Remington has risen to the top of my list of favorite characters to date. ;o) See what you think?

Here's a bit about it: 

The Seadog: a love story

A mysterious man with no past, a troubled young woman running from hers…and a powerful love that may heal them both.

Scout Vanderhorn has lost her mother, her home, and all hope of security. In a desperate bid to escape her abusive stepfather, she travels to a seaside mansion on Cape Cod in search of the real father she never knew—and finds a secret sister who welcomes her into the family, troubles and all. But it’s not long before trouble comes looking for Scout.

Unaware of his past, or even his own name, Jack Remington is lost. He spends his days scavenging for survival and compulsively searching the seas in his battered old kayak. At night, alone in his beach cave, he’s haunted by nightmares. But from the moment he glimpses Scout, a powerful connection is forged that begins to bring him back from the brink.

Neither expects to fall for the other, but Scout and Jack can’t deny their explosive mutual attraction. Can this love remake a broken man and save a woman with nothing to lose…before the past drowns them in the oncoming storm? Set on beautiful Cape Cod, The Seadog is a story of trauma and redemption, of mysteries and revelations -- and above all, the incredible power of love.

***

Amazon Buy Link

Aaron Paul Lazar is obsessed with writing. He's completed twenty-five books to date, and has earned nineteen literary book awards. He writes mysteries, suspense, love stories, and more. You'll usually find him writing his heart out in the early hours of the day - preferably in the dark, quiet hours when no one else is awake in his bustling household.

 
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LEGARDE MYSTERIES

1. DOUBLE FORTÉ

2. UPSTAGED

3. MAZURKA

4. FIRESONG

5. TREMOLO: CRY OF THE LOON

6. DON’T LET THE WIND CATCH YOU

7. THE LIAR’S GALLERY

8. SPIRIT ME AWAY

9. UNDER THE ICE

10. LADY BLUES

11. VOODOO SUMMER (coming 2016)

THE LEGARDE MYSTERIES OMNIBUS

GREEN MARBLE MYSTERIES

1. THE DISAPPEARANCE OF BILLY MOORE (formerly Healey’s Cave)

2. TERROR COMES KNOCKING

3. FOR KEEPS

TALL PINES MYSTERIES

1. FOR THE BIRDS

2. ESSENTIALLY YOURS

3. SANCTUARY

4. BETRAYAL

PAINES CREEK BEACH SERIES (LOVE STORIES)

1. THE SEACREST

2. THE SEACROFT

3. THE SEADOG

BITTERSWEET HOLLOW SERIES (ROMANTIC SUSPENSE)

1. DEVIL’S LAKE

2. DEVIL’S CREEK

3. DEVIL’S SPRING (coming in 2016)

WRITING ADVICE

WRITE LIKE THE WIND, volumes 1, 2, 3

Review for Sherlock Holmes and the Mummy's Curse, book by Stephanie Osborn, review by Aaron Lazar

 

I have always loved Sherlock Holmes stories. As a teen, I read The Hound of the Baskervilles and was immediately hooked. As an adult, I continue to read or watch stories featuring Holmes, whether from the eyes of Mary Russell (Laurie R. King) or those of the modern day Sherlock in Stephanie Osborn’s The Displaced Detective series. To date, I have been particularly enamored with the contemporary BBC series featuring Sherlock Holmes, and anticipate each new episode’s release.But now I have a new favorite – The Gentleman Aegis series, starting with book 1: Sherlock Holmes and the Mummy’s Curse.

It’s almost like going full circle, because this book is written in a style unique to the Victorian era, not unlike that first Sherlock book I read as a youth. Aside from a riveting good tale, replete with a wonderful mystery steeped in ancient cultures and vibrant personalities, this book stands out from the usual offerings in contemporary fiction.

Readers like to be brought right into the scene when they’re reading a book. They like to feel “present” in the moment, to feel the character’s joy and discomfort, to hear the sounds of the forest, or to taste the piquancy of a freshly made sauce. It’s not something a lot of writers can pull off – but in this case, Ms. Osborn has accomplished this both elegantly and with great style.

Part of the reason is because Ms. Osborn uses dialect and phrases that match the decade in which her story takes place. The societal norms, everyday phrases, science of the day, the medical treatments, the objects, the clothing, food, the methods of transportation, even the curses, are all genuine to the times. The research behind these elements must have been gargantuan.

Another component that brought this story to life is the richness of linguistics, in other words, the frequent phrases in unique languages such as Portuguese, French, and Arabic. With a good set of footnotes at the end, there is no doubt what each of these phrases meant. However, in most cases it was easy to discern the meaning by the context in which the phrases were used.

Now on to the plot and characters, both of which mesmerized this reader. The local color of Egypt and the all-time favorite topic of mummies, lost pharaohs, scarabs, ancient curses, and the like would be enough to hook me. But add to that a splendid cast of offbeat and delightful characters, each bent on their own agenda, and a wonderful unrequited love subtheme, and Ms. Osborn has created a genuine treasure with this story.

The characters of Holmes and Watson were charmingly delineated, each with distinctive voices and accompanying actions. Never for one moment did I doubt that they were “real”; they convinced me from the very first chapter. I rooted for them every step of the way, and could only relax when they were safe and sound back in London, ready to chase their next adventure.

Bravo, Ms. Osborn, and thank you for a beautifully rendered book. 

(Click in book cover above for link!)

Aaron Paul Lazar
www.lazarbooks.com
 

*** FIVE FIRSTS FREE *** 11/27 and 11/28 only.

Hi, folks!

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are still enjoying the leftovers, too!

We had a good crowd at our house, and I cooked up a storm, like I do every year. I love it.

Today and tomorrow I'm doing something I've never done before. I'm giving away FIVE of my Kindle eBooks at the same time. These are the first books in each of my series. Each series has won numerous literary awards, which is amazing, since I guess maybe I don't stink too badly at this job. ;o)


Here's a bit about them:

Double Forté - from the ten-book LeGarde Mystery series set in the beautiful Genesee Valley, this is a family-centric, wholesome, old-fashioned mystery series full of great characters, music, nature, food, and of course, the obligatory nasty villains.  “Double Forté is a satisfyingly riveting tale with an appealing hero, whose love of music and gourmet food is as fundamental as his courage.” Laurel Wemett, Finger Lakes Magazine
 
Gus LeGarde’s life essentially ended four years ago, when his beloved wife leapt to her death. Today, Gus lavishes love on his family, trying to bury the pain. But trouble arrives when his arrogant son-in-law’s business partner goes missing, and Gus’s innocent friend is set up to take the fall.

The Disappearance of Billy Moore (formerly Healey's Cave) - from the Green Marble Mystery series, a three-book time travel series featuring Sam and Rachel Moore. Wholesome, family-centric, featuring flashbacks to the fifties and even a ghost, this series is told from the point of view of a garden-loving, retired family doctor who can't seem to avoid trouble. "Beautifully descriptive, the characters were real, the dialog totally believable, the action exciting. At the same time, the story was insightful and thought-provoking. Highly recommended." Joan Hall Hovey, bestselling author

When Sam Moore discovers a peculiar green marble in his garden, it links him to his vanished little brother and thrusts him back in time, where he battles a faceless serial killer to untangle the maddening mystery and stop the murder of his beloved grandson.
  

For the Birds - from the four-book Tall Pines Mysteries series set in the beautiful Adirondack Mountains, this series is a contemporary, sexy set of mysteries with a touch of the paranormal. Told from a woman's point of view, these books take the "heat level" up a notch from LeGarde Mysteries and the Green Marble Mysteries.  

“For the Birds, by Aaron Paul Lazar was one of the most unique and refreshing mysteries I’ve read in a long time—with a huge surprise ending.” - Marilyn Meredith, the author of Angel Lost.

When Marcella Hollister’s prize parakeet gets zapped by a wayward power line in the same pool as her mother, the ensuing psychic link helps Marcella chase her mother’s kidnappers through the Adirondack Mountains, where she unearths a fifty-year-old secret about her dear father with shocking links to a hidden treasure.

Devil's Lake - from the Bittersweet Hollow romantic suspense series, these books are set in Vermont and were inspired by true events. "Loved this book! DEVIL'S LAKE is a riveting read, and It could have been ripped from today's headlines." Joan Hall Hovey, Canada's best selling, award-winning Mistress of Suspense. (Spice level: high)

Two years ago, Portia Lamont disappeared from a small town in Vermont, devastating her parents and sister, who spent every waking hour searching for her. When she suddenly shows up on their horse farm in a stolen truck with a little mutt on her lap, they want to know what happened. Was she taken? Or did she run away?
 

The Seacrest - from the new love story series, Paines Creek Beach, this sensual story set on beautiful Cape Cod will capture your heart while maybe even adding some sizzle to your love life. (Spice level: high) “The Seacrest is a poignant love story that will have you reaching for the tissues. Every woman needs a Finn McGraw!” – Victoria Howard, bestselling romantic suspense author of RING OF LIES and more.

They say it’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

Finn McGraw disagrees. 

The Seacrest is a story of intrigue and betrayal, of secrets and second chances—and above all, of a love that never dies.

 ***

Well, there you have it! Five Firsts Free. I don't know if I'll ever do this again, so I hope you can take advantage of it and enjoy yourself with plenty of choices of genre and style. Either way, happy reading!

Take care, and enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend,

Aaron Lazar

***

Mystery, suspense, adventure, romance, thrillers, and a few paranormal thrills propel readers through the Genesee Valley, Adirondack Mountains, Cape Cod, and even Paris, the city of lights...You'll fall in love with the characters and love to hate the villains. Check out the eBooks, paperbacks, and audio books available everywhere books are sold. 

“Addictive, award-winning fiction.” 

Lazarbooks.com

Write LIke the Wind, volume 1, just released!

Love to write? Always wanted to try? Check out this updated writing guide, just released. Now available on Amazon, with 30% more articles, updated links, and guest essays by best selling authors. 

Ever wish you could peer into the brain of a published author and learn what tips he’s absorbed over the years? How did he get where he is? How many times did he submit manuscripts before he sold his books?

Or maybe you’d like to delve into the psychology of writing, and learn what motivates him. How does he balance life with writing? How can regular tweeting help?

In volume 1 of WriteLike the Wind, Lazar offers advice on “forbidden words”, “hooking your reader”, and “writing like you talk.” These hard skills are complemented by recommendations for promotion, such as “writing reviews to build your platform” and step-by-step instructions on how to prepare for a radio show.

Join award-winning mystery author Aaron Paul Lazar as he shares the cream of the crop from seven years of writing blogs in this fresh and unique offering of advice for fellow scribes. 

Thanks to Michael Prescott, Uvi Poznansky, Christine Amsden, and Mayra Calvani for their wonderful guest essays in this first volume. Stay tuned for articles by Stephanie Osborn, Polly Iyer, Dora Machado, Joan H. Young, and more in the next two volumes. ;o)

 

Have a Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

 

Aaron

www.lazarbooks.com

 

Review for The Music of Us, Still Life With Memories, book 3 by Uvi Poznansky

When I write a book review, I don’t like to rehash the plot—that information is easily accessible in the book description. What I prefer is to share how the book made me feel, and what I valued between its covers.

Uvi Poznansky is a literary tour de force in a contemporary age when the quality of writing often takes a back seat to the quick thrill, or to be more precise, the quick buck. She writes as she paints, with careful, vibrant strokes of amazing clarity and color. Whether you are a reader or writer, teacher or student, you owe it to yourself read her work. You will be transported to a world where life is examined from a poet’s point of view, where you live in vignettes so real that you can’t help but love and care for the characters.

I have read all of Poznansky’s work, but this book resonated more deeply with me than all the previous titles, which I truly enjoyed. I suppose it is because I am an inveterate romantic. I ached for the young, “flashback” characters to come together. I shouted at them to wake up and smell the coffee when they missed opportunities to get together, and I reveled in the sweet endings when they finally connected.

The atmosphere of the 1940s is beautifully portrayed, and on a secondary level only to the (mostly) unrequited love story, it was my next treasured experience while reading this book. I loved the sounds and sights of the era, the music, the cars, and the lifestyles so well depicted. It was a fascinating dip into the life of those dynamic times.

If you are aching for a lyrical read, for something above and beyond the usual offerings in the field of fiction, I highly recommend you pick up a copy of Uvi Poznansky’s The Music of Us.

--Aaron Paul Lazar

www.lazarbooks.com 

P.S. And don't you just love that cover art? Uvi is an amazing artist, as well. Check  out her website at: http://uviart.blogspot.com/

I Believe in Heaven by Aaron Lazar

I believe in Heaven with all my heart.

I firmly believe we all rise to our next life when we die to be with Jesus and our loved ones who have passed before us.

And I know my mother’s having a blast up there since she passed on June 13^th this year.

When my father died in 1997, he “visited” me three days later in a dream. It was to comfort me, to tell me he was okay. I appreciated that, and have had many such dreams in the eighteen years since. We have long conversations and fun visits in my dreams. I know some folks might think it was self-soothing or wishful thinking, but I really think my father’s reaching out to me. I still miss him so much, and I feel him in my everyday life—all the time.

But my mother hasn’t shown up in my dreams for seven long weeks. I kept praying for a dream that would reconnect us. But she didn’t come through. Until last night.

My mother, sister and I walked along a winding dirt road in the woods. It was beautiful, and somehow I knew I’d been there before. I thought maybe I’d ridden horses on it in my past, and kept trying to figure it out. My mother walked along with healthy strides, and to my surprise, she looked like the teenage picture we discovered of her in all the photos that we’d never seen from her basement. Long dark hair, curled so prettily, a lovely face with bright blue eyes…Tall and slim, she was dressed to the nines, with a dark skirt and fitted jacket. Very stylish, don’t-you-know?

We approached a river that flooded over the road. It was deep, churning, and a little bit scary. My sister and I swam across it, and looked back at my mother, who hadn’t yet reached the crossing. We grew nervous, wondering if she would be able to make it. And then we both decided that, yes, she could do it. And she did.

She easily crossed over, just before a big turquoise tidal wave crested and rolled over. We watched it, but it didn’t harm us.

Then we ended up in a cafeteria-style restaurant looking at quinoa and lentil something or other, and I had to find a bathroom. Okay, so that part comes in all my dreams. LOL.

I think this dream was her way of telling us it is okay to move past the horrible, paralyzing grief that has gripped us in its clutches since she passed. She wants us to move past that river, to embrace life, to try to find happiness and joy again.

I can’t promise that the pain will lessen so quickly, as a matter of fact, I know it will take years and years. I now remember why I recognized that long dirt road—it was the path we took when my father died, the road we traveled to come to terms with his leaving us (temporarily, of course). I know we’ll meet again, and I look forward to that reunion with all my heart.

So, Mum. I understand now that you have been having too much fun up in Heaven to come visit me in my dreams, and that’s okay. I’m sure you’ve been reconnecting with loved ones and your beloved animals, that Dad has been cooking you some amazing soups, that you’ve been enjoying Heaven’s weed-free flower gardens, taking long walks with Trixie, and enjoying chatting with your parents and extended family. It’s a good sign that you’re finding your next life incredibly fulfilling and wonderful. So, I forgive you for waiting seven weeks. ;o) And make sure you come back soon, because, damn it, this is really hard.

Aaron Paul Lazar

 8/11/15

My Mother's Shirt

I hung my mother’s favorite shirt in my closet last week. Bright and airy, with pastel stripes, it reminds me of her. It smells like her. And every so often, I go in and hold it close, needing to remember her scent, to feel her presence.

Of course, I know she’s with me, all around me. I know her spirit is free and out of pain. I know she loves me and watches from on high. But somehow, I need this physical reminder of her, this piece of airy fabric that I remember her wearing so often.

My mother was sweet and funny and oh-so-practical. She had great common sense and a contagious love for life. She taught me well, and I see much of her in myself: that passion for a pastoral scene, for kids, for animals, for food, for anything to do with nature. Yes, that all came from her.

I’ve been catching up on laundry, hanging up my own shirts in front of hers. And today, as if afraid I’d lose her more than I already have, I frantically moved her shirt to the front of the closet again. Afraid it would be lost behind my boring dark-colored shirts. Afraid she’d disappear a little more.

I want her to come to me in dreams, like my father did when he died eighteen years ago. But she hasn’t appeared yet. It’s been five weeks. I think she’s having too much fun reconnecting with her loved ones, but especially with all her animals. Heidi, Trixie, Lil Sis, Mama Kitty, Red, Tag…they are all up there, crowding around her, loving her. And I’m sure she’s smiling from ear-to-ear, enjoying her reunion. I think she’s even petting our old tiger cat, Leprechaun, who had beat-up ears, a stick-out tongue, and some naughty habits I won’t elaborate on here.

I believe she’s sad to be parted from those of us who are still on earth, but she also knows that we’ll meet again. And that probably sustains her, like it will me when the raw, aching pain lessens. I'm trying. I really am.

I love you, Mum. 

Aaron Paul Lazar

www.lazarbooks.com

A New Writing Contest!

Writing contest for Mystery / Thriller stories “Fated Paradox” Inkitt's latest contest is open for submissions!

What is Inkitt?

Inkitt is a free writing platform that helps authors reach their full potential. Users collaborate with fellow writers and readers to give each other feedback and improve their work. Inkitt's vision is to help writers get the exposure they deserve and the publishing deals they covet, without having to jump through the fiery hoops of traditional publishing or wade in the shark-infested waters of self-publishing. They are opening a new writing contest for entries in June.

Mystery and Thriller - Fated Paradox

The theme for the contest is “Fated Paradox: Tales of gripping suspense”. They want you to keep them on the edge of their seats with your best mystery and thriller stories. Submit accounts of murders and red herrings, or have them biting their nails over stories full of adrenaline and espionage. Leave them breathless with your tales of unmatched suspense.

What are the guidelines?

They accept original fiction stories of any length. Entries must be posted on the Inkitt contest page to be considered eligible. The contest opens on June 4th and closes on July 4th. The contest is completely free to enter, and authors will retain all rights to any and all works submitted in the contest. The top 10% based on reader votes get the chance to be picked by the Inkitt staff for 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize.

What are the prizes?

1st Prize: $50 cash, 5 printed copies of the winning story with custom Typography (created by Inkitt’s designer).

2nd Prize: $40 cash

3rd Prize: $20 cash

All entrants will have the chance to show their work to a rapidly growing community of authors and readers hungry for high-quality fiction.

Contest URL: www.inkitt.com/fatedparadox

Twitter Handle: @Inkitt

Hashtag: #FatedParadox

Name That Hurricane! (for my next book)

Hello, all!

It's been a crazy season in my author's life, as well as in "real" life. But the garden's in, my mom's surgery is over, and we're fully enjoying life with my daughter and her one year-old-son. (We adore that baby boy!) I've also released the sequel to Devil's Lake, entitled Devil's Creek, and am on the way to finishing up another sequel as well. 

This time it's The Seacroft, which follows The Seacrest (a love story set on Cape Cod). We haven't finalized the cover art yet, but then again, I'm only halfway through the story. ;o)

Here's how you can help! 

NAME THE HURRICANE: I need to choose a fictitious hurricane name. I've decided to stick with "D" names, and you can vote on it here: NAME THE HURRICANE 

YOUR HURRICANE STORIES: I need descriptions of hurricanes, and if you've lived through one on Cape Cod, even better! I want my readers to feel the wind, hear the howls, and be shocked at the destruction that follows.

My main protagonist (Vivian) is escaping from a mansion on Cape Cod (bay side). The hurricane is raging. A big elm tree goes down in front of her. The shed door flies off sails across the yard. It's dark, almost blindingly so with heavy downpours and a sideways wind that is howling like mad. She is seeking shelter outside the mansion, because she found the guy she likes in bed with their boss lady (LOL). Plywood loosens off window in garage, pinwheels across the yard. She's going to sleep for a while in the garage, then head out to her mother's nursing home at daylight, but the storm will still be continuing. I'll show her making her way through the horrors, then I'll show the aftermath in the community. I think we'll have flooding in the nursing home and she'll have to get her mother to the higher elevations in the building. ;o) So, any details you might like to share like that would be great!

Thanks in advance, and feel free to add your memories in the comment section, below!

Have a great weekend,

Aaron Lazar
www.lazarbooks.com

“Addictive, award-winning fiction.” 

Lazarbooks.com

LEGARDE MYSTERIES

MOORE MYSTERIES

TALL PINES MYSTERIES

LOVE STORIES

ROMANTIC SUSPENSE

WRITING GUIDES