Monday, September 2, 2013

Meet Author Tony Vincent

Welcome! This week you are in for a treat - Tony Vincent is visiting us, and it gets even better...he is an author who will be participating in the upcoming JLB Creatives Authors in the Park Event: BOOKTOBERFEST!  For more information on the event CLICK HERE. There will be fun for the whole family!



We certainly hope if you're in the area you'll be able to stop by for the fun! Be sure to check out the guidelines for our costume contest! CLICK HERE for details.

And now we proudly introduce to you...author Tony Vincent.

Let’s say you’re thinking about going on once in a life time vacation…how exciting! What are some of the places you’d consider, and what would you do while you’re there?

I CAN ONLY GO BY PAST EXPERIENCES..TRAVELED TO ITALY,FRANCE,GERMANY,AUSTRIA,SWITZERLAND,LICHTENSTEIN. On all of my vacations, used TRAFALGAR.My wife and Isaw everything from museums to restaurants to the local folks. However,would love to go to ENGLAND,that would be a lifetime dream.The culture,the castles,the sites...Bristol, England....will plan soon!

The phone just rang – it’s a movie deal for your book! Holy cow – they’ve left it up to you as to where you want them to film on location, and who will play the starring role…we can’t stand the suspense. Where and who is it?I would love it to be filmed on any caribbean island.  
The Movie’s Soundtrack to be done by —Mr.Billy Joel
 
The Directors would be- (Not necessarily in this order)
 
Ron Howard or Rob Riener or Sofia Coppola or Tom Selleck or Mel Gibson or Martin Scorsese or Michael Bay or Guy Ritchie or Ben Stiller or Ridley Scott or Clint Eastwood or Sam Raimi or George Clooney.
 
The Actors would be- (Not necessarily in this order)
 
Jim Hawkins-Paul Dano or Leonardo DiCaprio or Kiefer Sutherland or Matt Dillon or Judd Nelson  or Scott Baio or Paul Walker or Brad Pitt or Adrien Brody or Brendan Fraser

 
Long John Silver-Howard Stern or Christian Bale or Anthony Hopkins or Peter Coyote or Daniel-Day Lewis or Tom Selleck or Oliver Platt or Jim Caviezel or CiarĂ¡n Hinds or Mel Gibson or Brian Cox or Jean Reno or Rufus Sewell

A zealous fan approaches your book signing table and wants to know everything there is to know about writing a book…right now! There’s a long line of fans waiting, and you only have a few seconds…what one thing would tell them to encourage them to become a writer?

 Write about what you know and whats in your heart and put your dreams in writing, you will find out all three are one in the same.

Time for dinner! No, no, no, we’re not cooking – we’re going out. So…where’s your favorite place to throw down some good food with friends and family? And even more so, what do you recommend from the menu?

Bonefish Grill-Spicy Diablo Sauce with linguini and Clams and Shrimp

What kind of animals, birds, or fish do you like best? Do you have any pets - how many do you have – and what are their names?

I have a beautiful Shih-Tzu (dog) named, of course; TREASURE

Time for adventure! Your friends are heading out to go skydiving for the first time…are you going to join them or suggest a different adventure? If you go skydiving please elaborate, or if you suggest something else what would your favorite adventure be?

Not up for skydiving  :)  ...would rather be on my pontoon boat, taking in the sun, having a beer and fishin' for bass.

Forget about make-believe super powers…we’ll never have them – bummer, I know right? But good news…TRUE super powers come in different forms such as a great attitude, a wonderful personality, loving kindness, and other cool traits like those. Who’s the one super hero in your life, and what is their TRUE super power?

It would be my wife...(just don't mention this) she has been by my side for over a dozen years. We survived a head-on collision approx. three years ago...healing broken bones together,therapy,wheelchairs,etc. Not once did she complain,and her strenghth and good nature kept me going through all the pain and suffering. She is my super-hero!

Your ship is sinking, and you’re the only one to make it into the life boat. Sad, I know, but sometimes life isn’t fair.  There’s plenty to keep you fed and watered until help arrives. What would you do? Eat, drink, cry, scream for help, pass out, sing, give up, or grab the tablet and pen you found in the food box and start writing a new book?

I believe I would do all of the above!

Do you prefer writing the good guy’s dialogue or the villain’s? Give us an example of your amazing talent…write us a line of dialogue from your favorite good guy or villain.

It would be the bad guy.

 “Jim, me boy, I wouldn’t let no harm come ta ya ’n yoor maties, Old Long John don’t like fightin’ ’n killin’, I’m a peaceful man, is I.

“Argh, it be good that you all went out for some fresh air,” he belly-laughs then hobbles over to Cricket and without a change of expression on Silver’s grinning face, he takes out his cutlass and lops off Cricket’s head. Then Long John used his knot-holed wooden leg, and kicks the little guys skull at me.

The family wants to go camping. Are you going to join them or stay behind? If you stay behind what are you going to do? Are you going to go shopping and to the spa? Read a book? Sleep in a hammock? Please tell us…we’re curious and want to know just what you’re thinking about doing. 

Would definitely go camping with them,and have my cake and eat it too. Read a book,then go to the local fishing hole, take a swim and go to sleep in a hammock.

We all love stories – especially yours! Would you be willing to give the readers a synopsis of your current book?

Sure,
SILVER and HAWKINS( The Pirate Adventure Continues...)
By: Tony Vincent
SILVER and HAWKINS is truly an extraordinary and unrivaled follow-up to the most fascinating pirate and adventure story ever written ,Treasure Island by the author Robert Louis Stevenson.
You will find this book to be Fun & Easy Reading, with a Simple Plot and a Surprise Ending that will be heartily relished by younger as well as mature adults. Will Good Conquer Evil or Will the Infamous Prevail? For the die-hard fans the original characters that remained alive from Skeleton Island, are described with the same persona and similar idiosyncrasies, just about a dozen years later. The new characters that were fictionalized, are introduced throughout the story bringing with them humor, romance, excitement, danger, murder, lies, deceit and behaviors only found in Men of Fortune! 
50% of all royalties go to my charity listed below
Also, don't forget to look for clue in my book for $1000.00 in coins ,buried in a treasure chest for all yer matey's ta digs up an keeps fer th'mselves. Aaarrgggg!

Creativity. Where does yours come from? This is something writers are asked about much of the time.  Would you be so kind as to elaborate on where you get your ideas and what sparks your creativity?

In my case,the love of the story Treasure Island. Downtime;due to an accident, made me take up reading again. Sure enough I took out my favorite book and thought to myself after reading TI.  that it would be very cool to write about what became of Long John Silver and Jim Hawkins after their return from Skull Island...so I did just that and continued the pirate adventure.

Love and romance, paranormal, epic fantasy, sci-fi, mystery, thriller, drama, and the list goes on. Where do your books fall as far as genre and reading audience? 

Adventure,Fiction,love,romance,mystery,drama

What are your favorite genres of books to read, and what are your favorite genres of books to write?

To read: The connection and lifetime strange bond between the main characters Long John Silver and Jim Hawkins.

To write: The maniacal and sarcatic wit of Cap'n Silver

Time to go to the movies! Out of all the ones you’ve seen, what’s your fav? And be sure to tell us why in case we haven’t seen it and would like to check it out.

HARDTIMES  Starring Charles Bronson (1975) about a street fighter set in the 1930's. One of the best fight movies ever made,with that Louisana backdrop and real gutsy acting.

Social media has become a part of being an author. What are your 3 best tips of the trade for upcoming authors when it comes to building their social media platform?

Facebook,Twitter,Stumble,Myspace....all are great.

For the first time in your writing career someone recognizes you as their favorite author, in public. Would you panic? Smile and bask in the moment? Blush and walk away? Invite them for coffee and cupcakes? Scream? Run? Faint? 

I would sign their book,with my "Long John Silver Pirate Pen" and let them keep the specialty pen as a gift.

Extra! Extra! Read all about it! You rush to grab the special edition only to find the headline describes your life from day 1 till now. Don’t leave us hanging…what is the headline?

Treasure Chest full of $1000.00 worth of coins found by students, which was buried by the famous author Tony Vincent!

How much time do you devote to writing? Daily – weekly – monthly – whenever the urge strikes?

Not so much lately,spend lots of time on i-phone, i-pad and computer, organizing stuff.

Did you ever study writing? Feel free to elaborate – we’d love to hear about your education.

No I did not,but was an avid reader as a child.

If you could personally thank one person, or several (living or not) for giving you the strength, determination, and perseverance to continue in your writing who would you thank? 

Mentioned before in superhero, my wife Wanda, and my constant companion ; my dog Treasure.

Who is your favorite character that you have created? Tell us about him or her and why you are so fond of them.

Cricket-is a tiny, filthy looking, scruffy pirate with a crooked smile, ragged coat and frayed trousers.He wears no boots on his feet, which are filthy, with dreadful open sores on them. He seems so small in stature, I believe he is less than four-feet tall.Cricket is half-witted, but to my bewilderment understands enough to get by.He has no feelings, consideration or humanity toward his fellow men.Cricket has annoyed and antagonized me till we signed articles (came to an agreement) and his behaviors changed for the better.

I was so fond of this character because he morphed into a good guy,later in the story. 

What is your favorite make-believe place you’ve ever created in a story? Is it a town? A hide-out? A futuristic city? The possibilities are endless! Please tell us all about your fav as we’d all love to escape with you!

The baron lived miles away in a very old resplendent stone castle with a drawbridge and moat. It was atop the high cliffs of Bagstone, England (small port to the east of Bristol)and even on a foggy day, it could be seen from many miles away. This sleepy little town by the seacoast had farmhouses and small plantations dotting the blue coastline. It was a peaceful, quiet land; and when the sun decided to rise from behind the castle, as if it rested there at night, you felt as if you were in heaven itself. The smell of lavender was perpetually in the air. 

If you could choose where you wanted to live on a fantasy world would you choose living in the tree tops, living on the water, living under the water, living beneath the trees underground, or living on a sky ship? Perhaps you have your own idea of the perfect fantasy dwelling. Be sure to fill us in on what and why.

Something about Tree Tops intrigue me, a small cabin high in the sky,atop an Old Southern Pine, surround by large trees and the vast forrest,wild animals below,birds above,blue skies and large white clouds,the sun baking your bodyand you take a 360 every day and wonder and comtemplate about the world that surround us.

If you could restructure the publishing world what would you do and how would you go about it?

The red tape involved ,just to get a publisher to believe in your work is overwhelming!  That is why I got very frustrated and self-published my novel.

How do you deal with rejection when you submit an MS?

When manuscripts are presented,they are a part of you. When rejected, you try not to take it personally but; Most of life is rejection in one way or another, so just "Deal With IT!"

As an author we all know we get those “stink-o” reviews that come through now and again. How do you handle a bad review when it hits?

Reviews are opinions of that one individual, (NOT ALWAYS AN EXPERT) and not everyone will like what you write. Most opinions are based on their own life experiences and comparisons to other similar stories;not everyone can agree with your thoughts.

If you could cure something in this world, what would it be?

Childhood Cancer...that is why 50% of my royalities are given each year to www.stjude.org

What are your pet peeves – you know those little things that just drive you nuts?

Folks driving a car who come to a complete stop before they decide to make a turn,then they turn so slow,that I actually see my fingernails growing!

Folks who form an opinion,without getting ALL the Facts! 

What is your favorite cake? Are you an icing freak?

I am more of a pie guy.  Hot Apple Pie with Cool Whip is how I roll!

Of all the professions in this world you opted to be a writer. What brought you to it?

Just felt like a distraction from my physical pain, brought out a wanting to do some activity to keep my mind focused. What better thing to do than write down your wants and desires,your dreams and your fantasy's to cleanse your mind.

Do you create and design your own book covers? 

Yes, I did. Spent many hours finding the pictures that I desired for my cover.Downloading them,sizing them and just trying to make it look professional;and at the same time keep in mind to catch the potential buyer's eye. Do not forget,it is one of the main ingredients, other than the body of work that helps the sale of ones book.

As a self-published author do you recommend having your novels professionally edited? Please give us some cool thoughts of why you chose the answer you did. 

Yes, I do.When I write the thoughts go hap haphazardly onto the computer and the organization,looked over by me is still not enough. There are professionals that do this for a living,and are very astute at their job.

As a self-published author do you think that the ebook phenomenon helps or hinders your sales? Please let us know why you chose the answer you chose. 

It is another venue for book sales.I think it is great. With todays technology, a person can download your book to his i-pod. i-pad, kindle, tablet etc...for a very low cost. You will get much more exposure,and if the reader likes your work,he or she will let their e-mail buddies,social media friends on Facebook,  personal friends and family know, and "Poof" before long you are a household name.

Do you find it annoying that people spend hundreds of dollars on ereading devices, yet complain about spending 99 cents and/or demand ebooks for free? Share your thoughts – don’t worry, we all know we can’t please all of the people all of the time, but we can always please some of the people some of the time. 

Yes , I do. Those folks who complain are obviously "old school and prehistorical " they need to think of catching up with current high tech.

To ebook or not to ebook – that is the question. What’s your take?

Absolutely the way to go. Another sales tool is wonderful.

If you could spend a day with an author, who would it be? And of course we’ve got to know why.

Did not say if they could be deceased. So. I choose...

Robert Louis Stevenson, Why you may ask? Obviously, I felt some connection to him,and I believe to have gotten into his mind set in that time period, captured and amplified his amazing pirate adventure. His story will hopefully persevere to every generation and not only my connection to the man,but maybe even bring a kinship to the readers of my book...
SILVER and HAWKINS ( The Pirate Adventure Continues...)

SPEED ROUND!

Soup or stew?
 Soup

Chocolate or vanilla?
Vanilla

Dogs or cats?

Both... Dogs preferred.

Horses or cows?
Horses

Insects or reptiles?
Reptiles

web-site www.silverandhawkins.net 
web-site www.silverandhawkins.com
blog     silverandhawkins.blogspot.com 
charity   www.stjude.org 
twitter   @ljsilvertv

AMAZON-Hardcover  $14.99
       Softcover  $11.99
       Kindle     $3.99
       me e-mail address  silverandhawkins@yahoo.com
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Now THAT was fun! If you enjoyed this interview, then be sure to stop by BOOKTOBERFEST! October 5 2:00p - 5:00p at Lakeside Inn 100 N. Alexander Street ~ Mount Dora, Florida

In the meantime, be sure to connect with Tony, visit his website, and best of all...take a look at buying his books.

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And don't forget - you can still pre-order your JLB Creatives published, autographed print copy of Hidden Earth Series Volume 2 Planet Land ~ The Adventures of Cub and Nash 
Just CLICK HERE to visit our website!

Until next week - stay casual, live life to the fullest, and have a piece of chocolate for me ;-)




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