Guest post: "Aspire to Write," by James D. Bell, Author of 'Maximilian's Treasure'

What inspires you to write?  The authors I love inspired me to write. Many times, as I finished a great story I would say to myself, “I wish I could write a story like that.”  Like you, I spent countless hours as a child enthralled, enraptured, enthused and entertained, hidden under the covers, reading Edgar Rice Burroughs, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, H.G. Wells and Jules Verne by flashlight.  Even then, I imagined writing my own stories of high adventure, bravery, great deeds and men and women of character. 

Later, I fell in love with the deep, descriptive words of Joseph Conrad.  More recently, I belly laughed to the comedy of Dave Berry, Carl Hiaasen and Janet Evanovich and became addicted to the sweeping historic epics by Wilbur Smith.  And who hasn’t enjoyed the legal thrillers of John Grisham and Earl Stanley Gardner?  Then, I discovered the genius of blending past and present into gripping adventure tales, like Inca Gold by Clive Cussler.  And finally, I read the book that inspired me most, The New Testament.

I wanted to write a book that would encapsulate a little of all the genres I love.  Somehow it all came together in my second novel, Maximilian’s Treasure, a legal thriller, filled with adventure, romance, comedy, mystery and the hunt for a legendary treasure.  I love this story!  It’s based upon an actual encounter I had with an elderly Choctaw gentleman who believed that a legendary treasure was hidden on his farm.  Thirty-five years ago, he told me that he believed the Emperor of Mexico, Maximilian, sent Aztec gold to support the South in the Civil War.  The War ended when the shipment was near his farm and was hidden there.  A friend of mine and I went with him to his farm to search for the gold.  We had a great day listening to his stories.

In Maximilian’s Treasure, two young lawyers help save a Choctaw family farm from foreclosure, but rumors of treasure lead to murders, kidnappings, arson and riots.  One lawyer defends the family in court, while the other chases clues from a Mississippi swamp to the Caribbean, to the Chiapas jungle.  The story is filled with romance, comedy, action and adventure.  More importantly, the story is filled with treasures.  The two lawyers are best friends, but have opposite worldviews.  One is a Christian, the other an agnostic.  They share their views with each other as they discuss the meaning of life.  They have earned each other’s respect and neither judges the other. 

The story demonstrates that the past is never really past, things are not always what they seem, character matters and some treasures are far more valuable than gold.  I love this story.  I bet you will too.  Read it, and let me hear from you.

Your friend,

James D. Bell

Genre: Romantic Adventure 

Author: James D. Bell

Website: http://maximilianstreasure.com/

Find out more on Amazon       

About the Book:

Rumors of a legendary treasure fuel a battle over possession of a Choctaw family farm.  Two young lawyers, John Brooks and Jackson Bradley, agree to help the family keep their farm.  Early legal success prompts the drive-by murder of the patriarch of the family.  The grandson chases the suspects whose bodies are found on the farm, scalped.  At the same time clues to a vast treasure are found on the farm.  Jackson, pursued by fortune seekers, adventurers, an exotic beauty and a homicidal maniac, follows the clues from a Caribbean reef to the Chiapas jungle.  John stays behind to defend the grandson and continue the fight for the farm.  His efforts are complicated by arson, murder, race riots, and the realization that he lost his one true love.  Though there is great distance between them, their adventures are intertwined as they rush toward a triple climax that could shake the world.  Join the adventure and discover your Maximilian’s Treasure.

About the Author:

James D. Bell is an award-winning author and retired Judge who received the highest bar association approval ratings ever given to a Mississippi Circuit or County Judge. He is listed in Preeminent Lawyers, Outstanding Lawyers of America and Top 100 Attorneys of North America.  He is the author of two novels, Vampire Defense and Maximilian’s Treasure.  His short story, The Adventures of Sherlock Hound, was published in Mardi Allen’s collection, Dog Stories for the Soul, alongside stories from Mark Twain, John Steinbeck, Willie Morris and others.  The son of a Choctaw mother and a Mississippi businessman, Judge Bell is devoted to his wife, Joanne.  They live near Jackson, Mississippi and have four children.  Judge Bell returned to law practice but is frequently called back to the bench by the Mississippi Supreme Court for short term assignments.

Find out more: 

http://maximilianstreasure.com/

http://www.judgebell.com/

https://www.facebook.com/VampireDefense/

'Latina Authors and Their Muses' - Paperback available now for pre-order!

As the Hispanic American population of the U.S. increases, with influences ranging from Mexico to Central America and the Caribbean, so does interest in literature inspired by those cultures.

Award-winning author Mayra Calvani has now edited a collection of interviews with 40 Latina authors living in the U.S. and writing in English. Latina Authors and Their Muses is an inspirational and informative book focusing on the craft of writing and the business of publishing, one that provides aspiring writers with the nuts and bolts of the business.

Purchase the ebook NOW on Amazon or B&N

Pre-order the paperback NOW on Amazon or B&N

Official paperback release date: December 15, 2015

About the Editor

Award-winning author Mayra Calvani has penned more than ten books for children and adults in genres ranging from picture books to nonfiction to paranormal fantasy novels. She’s had over 300 articles, short stories, interviews and reviews published in magazines such as The Writer, Writer's Journal and Bloomsbury Review, among others. A native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, she now resides in Brussels, Belgium

Guest post by Alyson Flippo, author of 'Addie B. Strong - I Am So Strong'

I am a new writer so for me there was, and still is a lot to learn about not only writing but the publishing and promotion aspects of getting a book to market and then letting them know it’s out there.  For the writing part, I am often awake in the middle of the night worrying about one thing or another.  This first book, and the two others I am currently working on, came to me on one of these nights.  Sometimes it comes all at once, and sometimes in pieces.  I personally will get out of bed however many times it takes in a night to jot the thoughts down on paper.  If I don’t do it immediately, I will often forget or I won’t recollect them in their original form.  As for the publishing part, after doing a great deal of research on traditional versus self-publishing, I decided to go the self-publishing route.  Admittedly, my husband, a very smart and resourceful person, really took over this part for me and he deserves all the credit here.  Promotion is fun as it is another opportunity to be creative and to make use of the myriad of opportunities available through social media.  This book is such a pleasure for me to promote because it is really just me trying to share a positive message to the world which is so clearly needed now more than ever.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alyson Flippo is the author of Addie B. Strong – I Am So Strong, released Fall 2013. Ms. Flippo’s book was inspired by the desire to remind each and every reader of their vast potential – the strength that comes from inside.

Given her own challenges as a young girl growing up, she was determined to do something to try to make a difference for our young girls of today.  The story of Addie B. Strong her way of helping our girls focus on their strength and self-worth, instead of more superficial characteristics.  She wants to help inspire our girls to see that they are amazing, not because of how they look but because of what they can do; that the only person they need to impress is themselves; that the sky is not the limit and there is nothing they cannot do.

An only child, Ms. Flippo grew up in Hackensack, New Jersey, and graduated from New Jersey’s Ramapo State College with a degree in business administration.  Prior to her writing career, she spent 20 years as a paralegal at several East Coast law firms. She currently lives in South Florida with her husband and children, pursuing her passions which include eating ice cream daily, playing hide-and-seek, and spreading the love along with Addie B. Strong. 

Alyson is currently touring the blogosphere with The National Writing for Children Center. 

Purchase the book on Amazon