Hi, everyone! I am pleased to participate in The Black Chronicles: Cry of the Fallen Virtual Book Tour sponsored by Partners in Crime Tours. We will be joined today by the author of The Black Chronicles: Cry of the Fallen, Joel M. Andre.
About Joel:
Joel M. Andre was born 
January 13, 1981. At a young age, he was fascinated with the written word. It was at fourteen that Poe blew his mind, and Andre began to dabble with darker poetry.
Between the years of 1999 and 2007, Joel was featured in various poetry anthologies and publications. In 2008, he released his first collection, Pray the Rain Never Ends.
January 13, 1981. At a young age, he was fascinated with the written word. It was at fourteen that Poe blew his mind, and Andre began to dabble with darker poetry.
Between the years of 1999 and 2007, Joel was featured in various poetry anthologies and publications. In 2008, he released his first collection, Pray the Rain Never Ends.
Knowing there was something deeper and darker inside of his soul, Joel decided to take a stab at commercialism. Releasing the dark tongue in cheek, A Death at the North Pole, created a dark world among the death of Kris Kringle. Ultimately providing a tale of redemption.
October of 2008 saw Joel release his second book, Kill 4 Me. A tale in which a woman is haunted by a vengeful spirit through text messages and instant messaging.
Taking some time off and doing a lot of soul searching, Joel took things in a new direction and dabbled in the Fantasy Genre with, The Pentacle of Light. The tale dealing with five major races battling for control of Earth, and the acceptance of their God.
Finally, after missing his detective Lauren Bruni, he released the book The Return in October 2009, this time moving the action from the North Pole and placing it in the small Arizona community he was raised in.
Andre’s latest book is The Black Chronicles: Cry of the Fallen about a dead man who seeks revenge on the woman that tormented him in peaceful Northern Arizona.
Currently, he resides in Chandler, AZ.
Website: www.joelmandre.info
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Author Interview:
Do you recall when your interest in writing originated?
I know my passion for writing began as I explored the library my father had. He has thousands of horror books and I was in awe over the covers. In fact, it is interesting to see some of the authors he picked up over the years. Some ended up becoming big names later and he has a bunch of their books from the 70s and 80s.
Do you have a specific writing style? Any quirks or superstitious routines you stick to? Do you use a pen and paper, old-fashioned typewriter, or computer/laptop?
Most people would claim my writing style is conversational. I don’t believe a superstitious routine will help to improve your writing at all. If you have a good idea, then you got all you need. When I write, I do it from on a standard desktop computer.
Tell us a little about yourself.
I’m an easy going guy who loves life. A little bit of a hermit at times, I do like to head out and see what’s going on in the world. But most of the time, I am content with writing in front of my computer screen.
What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?
When I look at a harsh review, I pull what I need to from it. Some people will think they are often funny by tossing around insults, but they don’t faze me. If there is a complaint about grammar or length, I will note it. Otherwise, the rest is gibberish for someone to make themselves feel better. In terms of compliments, they make you smile, but you work to create a story that is even and sensible. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not the greatest author out there. But I do give a story my all and hope that people are entertained when they read it.
What inspired you to write this book?
The concept just came to me. With it in mind, I threw in Lauren Bruni, who is a favorite of mine and ran with it.
What was the hardest part of writing your book?
I think the hardest part was deleting parts of the book. I knew they didn’t work for the present story, but they would work in something else. That’s the nice thing about modern technology. You can pull elements from one book easily and use them in the context of another book where the information may fit better.
Are any of the characters based on someone you know?
Since a large number of my characters in this book die violently, I will say no.
Is there a message in your novel that you want your readers to grasp?
Nope, if someone wants to read for entertainment, that is all I want them to do. If someone wants to dissect and pull out the information that is within the pages, that is awesome. I write in layers, so people can take what they want from it.
What are your current writing projects?
I am working on a few stories right now. This fall, I should have a new book out.
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
I love watching horror films. If you are going to write in the genre, you should enjoy it as well.
Who is your favourite author and what really strikes you about their work?
As always, I will list my 3 favorites. They are, Stephen King for his brilliant presentation of a story, Poe for dragging in dark emotions and Anne Rice for giving depth and substance to the genre.
What book are you reading now?
I am reading my upcoming book and editing it. When that is done, I plan on reading Domestic Violets. It is a humorous book I hear.
Snappy questions and answers:
Favourite colour? Black.
Favourite food? Mexican.
Dog-lover or cat-lover? Dog.
Vanilla ice cream or chocolate? Chocolate.
Beer or wine? I haven’t touched the stuff since 2008.
Secluded mountain cabin or five-star hotel? Secluded mountain cabin.
If I could take an all-expenses paid trip anywhere in the world, I would go to...Ireland.
Thank you so much for joining us today, Joel! I enjoyed having an opportunity to get to know you better!
I know my passion for writing began as I explored the library my father had. He has thousands of horror books and I was in awe over the covers. In fact, it is interesting to see some of the authors he picked up over the years. Some ended up becoming big names later and he has a bunch of their books from the 70s and 80s.
Do you have a specific writing style? Any quirks or superstitious routines you stick to? Do you use a pen and paper, old-fashioned typewriter, or computer/laptop?
Most people would claim my writing style is conversational. I don’t believe a superstitious routine will help to improve your writing at all. If you have a good idea, then you got all you need. When I write, I do it from on a standard desktop computer.
Tell us a little about yourself.
I’m an easy going guy who loves life. A little bit of a hermit at times, I do like to head out and see what’s going on in the world. But most of the time, I am content with writing in front of my computer screen.
What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?
When I look at a harsh review, I pull what I need to from it. Some people will think they are often funny by tossing around insults, but they don’t faze me. If there is a complaint about grammar or length, I will note it. Otherwise, the rest is gibberish for someone to make themselves feel better. In terms of compliments, they make you smile, but you work to create a story that is even and sensible. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not the greatest author out there. But I do give a story my all and hope that people are entertained when they read it.
What inspired you to write this book?
The concept just came to me. With it in mind, I threw in Lauren Bruni, who is a favorite of mine and ran with it.
What was the hardest part of writing your book?
I think the hardest part was deleting parts of the book. I knew they didn’t work for the present story, but they would work in something else. That’s the nice thing about modern technology. You can pull elements from one book easily and use them in the context of another book where the information may fit better.
Are any of the characters based on someone you know?
Since a large number of my characters in this book die violently, I will say no.
Is there a message in your novel that you want your readers to grasp?
Nope, if someone wants to read for entertainment, that is all I want them to do. If someone wants to dissect and pull out the information that is within the pages, that is awesome. I write in layers, so people can take what they want from it.
What are your current writing projects?
I am working on a few stories right now. This fall, I should have a new book out.
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
I love watching horror films. If you are going to write in the genre, you should enjoy it as well.
Who is your favourite author and what really strikes you about their work?
As always, I will list my 3 favorites. They are, Stephen King for his brilliant presentation of a story, Poe for dragging in dark emotions and Anne Rice for giving depth and substance to the genre.
What book are you reading now?
I am reading my upcoming book and editing it. When that is done, I plan on reading Domestic Violets. It is a humorous book I hear.
Snappy questions and answers:
Favourite colour? Black.
Favourite food? Mexican.
Dog-lover or cat-lover? Dog.
Vanilla ice cream or chocolate? Chocolate.
Beer or wine? I haven’t touched the stuff since 2008.
Secluded mountain cabin or five-star hotel? Secluded mountain cabin.
If I could take an all-expenses paid trip anywhere in the world, I would go to...Ireland.
Thank you so much for joining us today, Joel! I enjoyed having an opportunity to get to know you better!
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TITLE: Cry of the Fallen
SERIES: The Black Chronicles, Book 1
AUTHOR: Joel M. Andre
PUBLISHER: Darkcountry Publications
DATE OF PUBLICATION: September 2010
FORMAT: E-book, 223 pages
GENRE: Suspense/Horror
ASIN: B0042FZTU0
DATE OF PUBLICATION: September 2010
FORMAT: E-book, 223 pages
GENRE: Suspense/Horror
ASIN: B0042FZTU0
SYNOPSIS:
All around her Lauren Bruni is faced with destruction. Her marriage has ended, and her professional life is at the breaking point. For Lauren, this is only the beginning of her pain. In the small town of Cottonwood, AZ everything seems to be headed in the same direction. A serial killer is on the loose, and his trail of victims holds no connection. His rampage escalates and becomes far more brutal with each murder he commits. As Lauren attempts to prevent her own life from collapsing down around her she must stop a killer with supernatural strength. But there is something far more sinister in the works than she could ever imagine. In the end it is up to Lauren to make the ultimate sacrifice to save a community from the purest form of evil.
MY REVIEW:
I received this e-book for review from Partners In Crime Tours as part of the author's virtual book tour. I did not receive any compensation for my review, and the views expressed herein are my own.
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Evil has befallen the residents of Cottonwood, and he is wearing jeans and black cowboy boots!
Lauren Bruni is a homicide detective investigating the cruel and gruesome deaths that have struck her small town. She comes across as cold and insensitive, especially where her partner, Officer Miguel Sanchez, is concerned. I had a hard time embracing Lauren's aloofness. Andre did reveal a few details of her life, but I felt while reading that I was only scratching the surface of her personality. I wanted to connect with her but didn't know her well enough to do that, and I think this prevented me from becoming completely enthralled by the story.
Andre writes an eerie, dark tale! The murders are quite sadistic and disturbing, but Andre lightens the brutality by peppering the scenes with some dark humor! I did quite enjoy the character of the "Cowboy," as well as Medical Examiner Maureen Rogers who has some very unusual parties!
The book moves along at a good pace, and the ending leaves us wondering where Andre is going to take us next in The Black Chronicles!
MY RATING: 3 stars! It was good, and I enjoyed it!
This book qualifies as:
#47 for my 2011 100+ Reading Challenge
#11 for my 1st In A Series Challenge 2011
#3 for my 2011 E-book Reading Challenge
Lauren Bruni is a homicide detective investigating the cruel and gruesome deaths that have struck her small town. She comes across as cold and insensitive, especially where her partner, Officer Miguel Sanchez, is concerned. I had a hard time embracing Lauren's aloofness. Andre did reveal a few details of her life, but I felt while reading that I was only scratching the surface of her personality. I wanted to connect with her but didn't know her well enough to do that, and I think this prevented me from becoming completely enthralled by the story.
Andre writes an eerie, dark tale! The murders are quite sadistic and disturbing, but Andre lightens the brutality by peppering the scenes with some dark humor! I did quite enjoy the character of the "Cowboy," as well as Medical Examiner Maureen Rogers who has some very unusual parties!
The book moves along at a good pace, and the ending leaves us wondering where Andre is going to take us next in The Black Chronicles!
MY RATING: 3 stars! It was good, and I enjoyed it!
This book qualifies as:
#47 for my 2011 100+ Reading Challenge
#11 for my 1st In A Series Challenge 2011
#3 for my 2011 E-book Reading Challenge
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Tour Participants:
July 25: Character Interview~April @ Cafe of Dreams Book Reviews
July 26: Guest Post ~Roseanne @ http://roseannedowellauthor.
July 27: Review~Giovanni@Gelati's Scoop
August 1: Review~Michael@ The Book Shelf Review
August 4: Guest Post~Nicole@ Tribute Books Blog
August 5: Character Guest Post~Charlotte@ ckvolnek.com
August 8: Review~Stacey@ The Write To Make A Living
August 11: Guest Post~Cheryl@A Good Day To Read
August 11: Interview~Cheryl@The Book Connection
August 12: Guest Post and Review~Darlene@Darlene's Book Nook
August 15: Review~Laurie@Lauriehere.
August 16: Review~Stephanie O @Romancing The Book
August 17: Review~Molly@Reviews By Molly
August 18: Review~Cheryl@ A Good Day To Read
August 18: Spotlight~Cheryl@Books, Products, And More
August19: Review~Dave@blog.elenchera.com
August 22: Interview~Blog Talk Radio's G-Zone
August 24: Review~Rick@Rhodes Review
August 25: Interview~ Chris@Chrisreddding.blogspot.
August 25: Review~Cindy@Oodles Of Books
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I enjoyed the interview! I actually loved Lauren! She's a favorite character of mine. Of course I also read Death at the North Pole which is another one of Joel's books featuring Lauren Bruni. I think she's a great character.
ReplyDeleteMichelle V
Hi, Michelle!
ReplyDeleteIn reviewing Joel's bio, I see that Lauren was previously featured in two of his books. Since Lauren is a recurring character, I think that may have been a factor in my inability to connect with her since I haven't read the other books.
Hi Darlene,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review. Sorry to hear you had trouble connecting.
Your review does contain some great feedback, so I certainly appreciate that and for you taking the time to read it.
Joel M. Andre
Thanks for stopping by, Joel!
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your dark sense of humor and enjoyed the book!
Darlene
ReplyDeleteI loved your interview! I noticed right away that Joel mentioned another book "A Death In Alaska" and since I am from there, I will have to look that one up!
I also like dark humor, so I just might put both of these on my to-read list.
Thanks!
Dorothy
http://alaskanbookie.blogspot.com
Twitter --> @akchocoholic