AUTHOR INTERVIEW - MILTON QUIBNER ( HOW HIGH SHOULD I JUMP? )

Niina : Welcome to For The Love of Reading, Mr. Quibner , I’m glad you could make it!

Milton Quibner : Thank you, Niina, I have soooo been looking forward to this!

Niina : Awesome! Let’s get started! Can you tell my readers here 4 fun unknown facts about you so we can break the ice?

Milton Quibner : Well, I'm still madly in love with my wife of 25 years; I'm a crazy San Francisco Giants fan; my wife has total freedom to do whatever she wants; and I have a beach-front home in Brasil that I am dying to go spend some time at.

Niina : Brazil... sweet! Tell us little about your book "HOW HIGH SHOULD I JUMP", what’s it about?

Milt : JUMP is a fun but intense sexual satire where I mock and belittle selfish, boring guys who are not willing to support and free their women; it's filled with classical references, wild erotic scenes and absurd products but, underneath the zaniness, I am directing men to become less selfish and more devoted to women while deflating jealousy and egotism.

Niina : And how could we not love that! :D So how do you write, chapter here and there - or follow from beginning to the end?

Milt : I start with an outline, a frame, which generally is the most actual work, and I then go about creating each chapter, which then gets revised ad infinitum. The real work is setting up the outline; I need a general heading I'm aiming at, then I allow the magic of the writing moment to occur. That means I prepare each day before I write; I study some of the Classics, take a look at my notes, maybe read something from some modern writer, look over the Internet for an hour or so, then I dive in.

Niina : What inspired you to write this book?

Milt : My own personal struggles with sexual betrayal when I was young led me to realize there were no good books, especially funny ones, on the subject of dealing with being betrayed, and thus, I set out to create one. I chose satire rather than to be all serious and finger-pointing, because I think we actually learn more when we laugh at ourselves than we do when we're made to feel bad.

Niina : What’s the best compliment you've received on your writing? And who complimented you?

Milt : “I hated this book until I actually read it, now it's a favorite.” Joyce Breen said this earlier this year, a radical feminist who wanted to kill me...until she actually read it. I love it!

Niina : What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

Milt : My combination of intellectual firepower with informality. I like to be smart but not a jerk about it. Everybody has their problems and I respect that, so I give real knowledge you can actually use without attaching a lot of bluster and arrogance to it.

Niina : How did your cover come about, or what’s your opinion of it?

Milt : I love my book's cover and it was a result of my publisher, Seaburn Books in NYC, really understanding the essence of the book; I told them the essence of what I wanted, and they showed me the first proof and bam! I loved it!

Niina : Now to more personal questions! Can you share with us 4 of the physically closest books to you?

Milt : 'The Apology/last days of Socrates'; Plutarch's Lives; The Mistress Manual; Jarry's Ubu Roi

Niina : What is your signature dish?

Milt : Organic brown rice, black beans, garlic roasted chicken and tossed salad, with lemon water.

Niina : Which Disney Princess would you pick if you had to choose?

Milt : Cinderella. I'd find a way to cheat the midnight hour for sure!

Niina : What’s the number one thing you like to do when you are not writing?

Milt : Kiss and adore my wife. Seriously, we are becoming closer every day, and I can't keep my hands off of her, and don't want to!

Niina : Awww... :) How many jobs did you have before you became a writer? What was your first job?

Milt : Many many jobs, in and out of writing. Restaurant work, house painter, farm worker, logger, gold miner, audio/video engineer, radio host, editor. I worked sometimes three jobs while I studied at the College of Pataphysics in Sebastapol, CA, a very demanding regimen that took my all to get through, but I emerged finally and have since almost exclusively worked in the the arts and literature.

Niina : Before we finish, here are some…

Quick Fire Questions!

Trees or Shops? Trees
Football or Nascar? Football
Boots or Sexy heels? Sexy heels
Shots or Wine? shots
Movie: Popcorn or Hard candy? popcorn
Date: Going on a picnic or Going to a winery? Picnic
Scarier: Ghosts or Demons? Ghosts
Women: Power Suits or Sexy Nerds? Power suits
Women: Bad girl or Girl Next Door? Bad girl
Dresses or pant suits? dresses
Women in the bedroom: Dominating or Gentle? dominating AND gentle...
Sexier: Woman who can sing or woman who can cook? woman who can cook
Romance: Knights or Kings? Kings
Romance: Fallen Angels or Sexy Demons? fallen angels
Romance: Doctors or Cowboys? Cowboys
Romance: Shifters or Vampires? Shifters
Sexier: Kisses or Licks? Kisses
Sexier : Flimsy lingerie or Trench-coat only? Flimsy lingerie
Romance or Erotic Romance? Erotic romance, baby...

Niina : Thanks for visiting the For The Love of Reading, Milt! Any news would you like to share with your readers, or websites they can check out?

Milt : Yes, please head over to my website, HowHighShouldIJump.com, where you can look over and even order my book, take a look at my weekly blog or listen in to my radio show, airing weeknights at 8 pm Pacific, http://www.shoutcast.com/Internet-Radio/plv-radio . I love getting reader questions and comments, so email me at r.miltonquibner@yahoo.com on any subject related to relationships.

In October, I will be joined by my wife, Mia, a Life Wizard, for a new half hour podcast, 'Get Over Yourself!' The Milt and Mia Show, so get connected at my website or through Facebook and/or Twitter and as soon as we have the details worked out, we'll let you know. Mia will astound you with her clarity, and for my part, I just try to keep up with her, she's a genius!

I am just beginning work on my second book, How Low Should I Go: The Satirical Guide to How NOT to Live Your Life, and I've just put the finishing touches on a Reality Show, A Real Man for My Wife! Which I am anxious to see made into a series soon. In truth, Life couldn't be better for me!

And Niina, thanks for a great interview!

Niina : I glad to have you here too Milt! And good luck with all those great things to come in the future! :D

REVIEW - 50 WAYS TO PLAY: BDSM FOR NICE PEOPLE

"For the millions of readers who have been, shall we say, "inspired" by the publishing phenomenon 50 SHADES OF GRAY, this simple, accessible "beginners guide" to BDSM features 50 BDSM activities couples can sample."

Author: Debra and Don Macleod
Pages: 112 pages
Publisher: Tarcher on August 2012
Form: E-book ( from the author/publisher for an honest review)
Genre: Erotic How-To, Erotic Non-Fiction
Amazon: Buy / $8.00 (Paperpack) ( EU price, click to see yours )
Barnes & Noble: Buy / $10.00 (Paperpack)
The Book Depository: Buy / €6.84 (Paperpack)
Excerpt: BDSM for Nice People POP QUIZ

"This simple and highly accessible non-fiction guide to BDSM ( Bondage, Dominance, Sadism, and Masochism ) features 50 edgy and erotic adventures to sample and is the perfect companion for the millions of fans of the Fifty Shades trilogy ( Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed ), the Anne Rice/A.N. Roquelaure Sleeping Beauty trilogy ( The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty, Beauty's Punishment, Beauty's Release ) and Sylvia Day's Crossfire novels ( Bared to You and Reflected in You ). This instruction book for couples contains one warning: you should try this at home!

From turning your ho hum bedroom into a "Red Room of Desire," to exploring the fine art of Japanese rope bondage - and a few other ideas perhaps better not mentioned in polite company - 50 Ways to Play invites couples who might otherwise think of themselves as "average" or "nice" to walk on the wild side. According to husband-and-wife writers Debra and Don Macleod, sex should pack a punch - it’s meant to catch you off guard. The fifty sexy and surprising "ways to play" offered up in this book are guaranteed to turn up the heat in your sex life."  ~ From Goodreads

Talking dirty, bondage and spanking was about all I know of BDSM and that's through some erotic romances. 50 Ways To Play brings out a whole arsenal of tricks and tips to spice up a bedroom with some good non-sex related advises as well. Like how unsexy a bedroom can be and how to spice it up - though let's be honest I won't be painting my bedroom a bordello red  anytime soon, ;)

Sex is supposed to be exciting and adventurous, and the vanilla sex most couples think they should be having can easily be spiced up! One way to do so? Read 50 Ways To Play : BDSM For Nice People! Now one won't necessarily wanna try out all of them, like the whole sadism and masochism side freaks me out, but seriously who doesn't want a little dirty talk and the occasional little smack on the butt for being a bad girl. ;)

Debra and Don Macleod have written a clean tricks and tips book about something quite dirty. Dirty in a good way. 50 Ways To Play : BDSM For Nice People is no nonsense guide book to knowing what BDSM is and how to get started, it's also quite a hot read and you'll definitely wanna show it to your significant other and go, "Wanna try this chapter out?" I sure will, though as this is a public blog, I won't tell... ;) But all men should take a look at chapter 36. Sexual Positions & Thrusting Technique. Just saying.

So who is 50 Ways To Play : BDSM For Nice People for - not your average nun I'm sure or your grandmother ( though I won't guarantee that ) but those who are bored with the three mainstream positions of missionary, cowgirl and doggy style will be sure to get something out of this book! If you want your man to talk dirty to you, get a little rough in the bedroom or give you a spanking - but don't know how to go about it then this book is for you.

Can't find any fault in this book, it gives just what it says it will - and does it professionally! Awesome job Macleods!

Rating :

WRITE-A-THON REVIEW AND GUEST BLOG WITH A GIVEAWAY

[Giveaway Closed]

I have a real joy of presenting Rochelle Melander a writing coach and the author of Write-A-Thon!
As several hundreds of thousands of people take part in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) this month I was very happy to get Melander to write about NaNo as I'm a participant as well!
Don't forget to take part in The Signed Copy Giveaway at bottom of the blog entry!

From Novice to Novelist
By Rochelle Melander

I look at marathon runners with awe. They have done something I hope to do someday: finish a marathon. When I ask them how they do it, their answer is: train. According to most runners, most anyone who puts in the training time can run a marathon. It reminds me of that old joke: “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” You practice, practice, practice.

I used to look at authors the same way I look at runners: with a great deal of awe, respect, and wonder: how do they do it? The answer for the runner, musician and writer is always the same: practice. For those of us who aspire to become novelists, we practice by writing a novel during National Novel Writing Month. When you get to the middle of the month and practice seems more like a chore and less like a fun adventure, remember these sayings from wise writers:

1. I learn by going where I have to go. -Theodore Roethke, The Waking
We may be novices right now, but we will learn how to become novelists by writing the novel. Think of this month as training and practice. Doing NaNoWriMo feels a lot like going to school, without the teacher and the tests!

2. We are different, in essence, from other men. If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon. -Emil Zatopek
The experience you are having right now is qualitatively different than writing a poem, short story, or article. If it feels challenging, that’s because it is challenging. But do not worry, challenge is actually good for you. Just think of how proud of yourself you will be when you cross the finish line!

3. Do not assume that you have to have some prescribed conditions to do your best work. Do not wait. -Anne Bogart, theatre director
Okay, so you may be 11 days into this and be so far behind on word count you worry that you will never catch up. You may even be saying to yourself, “I should wait until next year to do this. By then my life will be less chaotic.” Ha! There is never a better time to do this than now. Go for it. Even if you fail to finish in time, you will have tried your best.

4. Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way. -E. L. Doctorow
Usually about 10 days into National Novel Writing Month, I panic because I have no idea where the story is going. Yeah, I know I was supposed to be plotting this thing in October, but I got distracted. I’ll tell you what I tell myself: Don’t worry. All you need to see is the next scene. You do not need to see the whole book. That will come. For now, focus on what happens next.

5. I'm not a very good writer, but I'm an excellent rewriter. -James Michener
Yup, even the masters wrote rotten first drafts. Knowing that your first draft stinks doesn’t make you less than them it makes you one of them. Don’t get paralyzed by what you think you should know. Just write. Stop comparing your writing to finished books. Put your head down and keep writing—you can revise the whole thing in December!

What words of wisdom are you holding onto this month?

Author Bio
Rochelle Melander is a certified professional coach and the author of 10 books, including a new book to help fiction and nonfiction writers write fast: Write-A-Thon: Write Your Book in 26 Days (And Live to Tell About It) (October 2011). Melander teaches professionals how to get published, establish credibility, and navigate the new world of social media. In 2006, Rochelle founded Dream Keepers Writing Group, a program that teaches writing to at-risk tweens and teens. Visit her online at http://www.writenowcoach.com.

"Everyone has dreamed of writing a book, but so many start writing only to stall out due to writer’s block, mental fatigue, and other challenges. Write-A-Thon helps you overcome those stumbling blocks and complete your book once and for all. And you don’t have to type away for years on end. Here’s a plan that’ll help you write your book—in twenty-six days!"

Author: Rochelle Melander
Pages: 240 pages
Publisher: Writers Digest Books
Published: October, 2011
Form: Paperback (provided by the publisher for an honest review)
Genre: Non-Fiction / How-To
Amazon: Buy / $11.55
Barnes&Noble: Buy / $11.65
Writer's Digest: Buy / $11.55
Excerpt: Avoid Overwhelm

I have never come across book that lets you know how to get a novel out and not dance around it and your writing issues - that as effective as this!

I've got a Project Journal now, and a Story Bible! And I sort of had one before on some loose notes at the back of my drawer... ahem, just call me professional.  But as I read this book it came naturally to get everything out and ready, and I was excited to do it.

Melander gets you excited about writing, and getting in the mind-set to write! The tone isn't condescending or high and mighty but just the perfect amount of "this is what you need", "this is what you can do to change it" and "just do it"!

This is no boring How-To - but a book that gets you excited about writing, prepares you and then lets you know just what to do when you got your rough draw done, in 26 days.

I found the Part One: Training my favorite, it was exactly what I needed, a little kick on the butt. The titles tell so much so I'm going to bring them up so that you can see for yourself that it's all taken care of: ( my favourite chapters are in the ( ) )
Attitude Training: Get Rid of the Excuses ( Take Yourself Seriously )
Writing Training: Learn the Basics ( The Project Journal )
Course Training: Plan Your Novel ( Three More W Guestions )
Course Training: Plan Your Non-Fiction Book ( Find Your Purpose )
Life Training: Schedule The Marathon ( Create a Life Priority List )

Part Two: The Write-A-Thon is all about Melander coaching us readers throughout the 26 days, with almost like pep-talks and inspirations to keep us going for day to day! These aren't just to keep going, but very informative of what you can do while in writing process, one I really liked was the following:

"Want to write better? Get a day job. Or sign-up for a volunteer gig. Just get out of the house and do something! I'm not kidding."

And....

"Don't get it right. Just get it written." ~James Thurber

This is a section I know I'll spend the rest of the month with as I'm writing my NaNo.

Part Three: Recovery, has titles like Why Revise (this about gave me a heart attack as I couldn't even contemplate not revising, as what comes out in the rough draft is just mush), Write It Right: First Lines and How To Get Your Query Rejected. This part has absolutely valuable information that all new novelists should know! And I am glad that I now do!

This book is amazing, I can't tell you how happy I am to have read this! If you have any desire to write, or write a novel then this book is for you - do not miss it! It's one of a kind in the "How To Write Books" sections, if you come across it I highly recommend you get it. A giant thank you to Rochelle Melander for writing this, it might be thanks to you that I get my first novel out.

Rating :

Giveaway!

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