Meet Horror Author Armand Rosamilia

Hi everyone!

I hope you are enjoying your Spring time weather. Here in Maryland, it seemed as though the warm weather would never make an appearance. Alas, it was in the 70′s today and I actually got to lay out in the sun…ah…heaven!

It’s been a while since I have written in my blog. I had a death in my family on March 12 and as you probably know, losing a loved one can really take its toll on a person. I am now getting back into the swing of things and wanted you to meet someone today.

Read on….

HORROR AUTHOR, ARMAND ROSAMILIA

Welcome this talented author!

I had the pleasure of interviewing Armand recently and I got to know him a little better. You’ll love his whacky sense of humor and you’ll find out why this talented and diverse author is not just “the zombie guy!”

1.) When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

At twelve, reading Dean Koontz paperbacks. I have take it more serious on and off in the last 30 years or so, but I always refer to this as the starting point. I wanted to write these elaborate horror or thriller stories and be rich and famous. Until I get there, I keep writing. And will probably never stop even if it actually comes true.

2.) What type of genre do you write in?

Horror, mostly zombie stories right now, but I have dabbled in thrillers, steampunk, non-fiction, fantasy, erotica, and eventually I will expand it even further. I don’t want to be known only as the Zombie Guy, I want to be known as an Author.

3.) What inspires you to write in this genre?

The human condition, as they say. I love writing horror that can actually happen (hey, zombies can happen! Watch the news!), and see normal people in situations and write to see if they can get out of them. Whether it’s an ancient evil, the undead, a serial killer or your sick and twisted cousin trying to kill you, I want to write and see what happens next.

4.) Where do you get your ideas for your writing?

Walking around in Walmart. I have so many ideas in my head anyway. I won’t ever have enough time to write them all down. I don’t need ideas, I need to type faster and an assistant to dictate stories to.

5.) Who are your favorite authors and why?

Obviously Koontz growing up. Robert E. Howard, H.P. Lovecraft… later, Brian Keene, Douglas Clegg, John Everson… they all bring their own unique style to horror, and as a writer I learned something from each of them.

6.) In your opinion, what key parts of a story make it great?

The hook. I am an impatient reader, so if you don’t catch my eye with something unique in the first chapter or three, you lost me. I try to keep that in mind when I’m writing. I want that opening line to hook you… for instance, the opening line to Tool Shed is “The cows had exploded.” That makes you want to read more. The opening line to my Highway To Hell extreme zombie novella is… well, I can’t really say what it is, since it’s pretty over the top crazy. But you get the point.

7.) What activities do you do for inspiration?

I jog 37 miles a day and pull fire trucks with my teeth. Actually, I sit on my butt all day and do nothing but write. I love to people watch, and get many inspirations from eavesdropping on conversations and watching the way people move and interact with one another.

8.) Do you belong to any writing communities, or critique groups?

I am a member of the very loose Florida Horror Writers group, but we don’t have meetings or anything. We try to get together at local conventions and help one another out online. I am also a member of the HWA and heading to the Bram Stoker Awards in NOLA this June.

9.) Has your work won any awards?

I’ve won the prestigious Tim Baker Author Award for Excellence. OK, I just made that up.

10.) Do you have a day job?

Yes, as an author. I have been blessed to be able to do this full-time. I set a daily goal and I break it most days, because I do this as a job and not as a hobby anymore. I set a schedule to write, and I write seven days a week.

11.) What advice would you give to others who are interested in pursuing a career in writing?

Start drinking heavily. Actually (besides that) I would do as much research about the business end of things as you can, and be realistic in your goals. Do you want to get rich and quit your day job? You need to be really special to do this, and have talent not because your mom thinks you’re good (my mom thinks I’m great, except the stuff she says sucks) but because an actual audience of readers you don’t know says you are good.

12.) What is the title of your upcoming/newly released novel, and where can we find it?

My latest is a traditional horror novella, Tool Shed, released by Angelic Knight Press. You can find it in eBook format everywhere, with a print release scheduled in the future. It’s about a man who inherits a farm from his grandfather, a notorious property where the Tool Shed Murders took place.

13.) What is the best way for your fans to contact you? (see below for links)

Through all social media. Wherever there is a chance for me to be seen and be heard, I will be there. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, even New Myspace… I am a media whore, but I don’t just push my books down your throat. I like to have fun and play around and meet new people. If you live in Florida you can also come down to Farley’s Irish Pub in Palm Coast and buy me a banana bread beer or three.

14.) What is your ultimate goal/dream concerning your writing?

To be realistic about it and be able to keep paying the bills doing it. As long as I can do that and not have stress about money and paying the electric bill, I will be fine. I don’t need anything more than that.

15.) Any final thoughts?

Yes, I have many.

Armand was given the choice to answer some other questions just for fun. Check out his answers!

1. If you could spend a day with anyone, living or dead, real or fictitious, who would it be and why?

A complete stranger, so I can interview them and build an interesting story from their life travels and their point of view. I love meeting new people, and each day I get introduced to someone new who might end up in a story. Or I’d like to hang out with Bruce Springsteen.

2. What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?

Besides all of them? I worked in a fast food chicken takeout place right after high school, cutting up chickens. It was gross. I lasted two weeks. I have nothing against animals (I think they are all equally tasty) but the conditions in the kitchen would close it down today. I hope, anyway.

3. What’s your favorite music?

I am 43 and a huge Metalhead. I listen to Metal every day, and old school Thrash Metal (Slayer, Anthrax, Megadeth, Cyclone Temple, old Metallica) is my favorite.

4. What’s your favorite TV program?

I don’t watch much TV, but I love the Showtime series Shameless, and watching Red Sox games. I’d rather be writing or reading than watching mindless television.

5. What’s your favorite food?

Have you seen me? I’m on the wrong side of 300 lbs., so most food. But if I had to pick… pizza, mushroom Swiss burgers, cheese steak sandwiches, and pound bags of M&M’s… don’t judge me.

6. Five words that describe yourself…

Sexy, funny, gorgeous, perfect… and humble.

7. Which is more important to you – character or plot?

A good story has one or the other, a great story has both and they are both done well.

8. How do you visualize the scenes as you write?

Like an episode of Blossom. With even more zombies than in the actual show.

9. Do you have a writing day/days? If so, how do you structure them? If not, how do you manage to write?

I arrive at Kokomo’s Café in Flagler Beach Florida about 8 am, and check my e-mails and get coffee until 9, then I write for three hours (and hit my 2,000 word daily goal) and then have lunch. I catch up on e-mails and interviews and blog posts until it’s time to go home.

10. When did you start writing stories?

When I was twelve, total Dean Koontz rip-offs. I got serious for a time in my twenties but then life got in the way. Again, same story in my early thirties. I decided I was never going to be happy unless I was writing, and for the last three or four years I’ve had writing as a priority.

11. What are your current writing projects?

I always have several open docs on my laptop. As I write this, I have nine open right now I need to finish, and that doesn’t include the ideas I haven’t committed to paper yet. I can switch from project to project, and slowly complete them when the mood strikes.

12. What are you currently reading?

I have a huge TBR pile in both print and on my Kindle, but I love reading biographies more than anything. I’m actually reading three different ones right now, about Clarence Clemons, Adam Corolla, and Bruce Dickinson. If you could somehow combine the three into one book it would probably be even better.

Thanks for having me on your site! All the best \m/

HOW TO FIND ARMAND! 

He can run…but he cannot hide…from his fans! (I don’t think he’d want to)

OFFICIAL SITE
http://armandrosamilia.com/

BLOG

http://armandrosamilia.com/

TWITTER
https://twitter.com/ArmandAuthor

AMAZON
http://www.amazon.com/Armand-Rosamilia/e/B004S48J6G

SMASHWORDS
http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/armandrosamilia

FACEBOOK
https://www.facebook.com/armand.rosamilia

FACEBOOK AUTHOR PAGE

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Armand-Rosamilia/117384194954715

GOODREADS
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/237289.Armand_Rosamilia

PINTEREST
http://pinterest.com/armandauthor/

MYSPACE
http://www.myspace.com/armandauthor/photos/9841916

Thank you Armand for joining me today! It was a blast getting to know you and I wish you the best in your writing career!

“I believe that even the simplest chunk of flesh has every right in the world to be alive.” – Dr. Gabriel Schreklich, Night of the Dead: Leben Tod (2006)

www.lisavproulx.com

 

Writing~When is it time to give up your dream?

I have a birthday coming up next month and I am going to be 49 years old. There, I said it, I will be 49.

For the past 12 years I have been a feature writer and columnist for my local newspaper and some would say it was a dream job. Although I love writing for them and do all of my work from home, haven’t seen my editor in years; I just go out during the week, interview people, send in my stories before Monday morning and get paid once a month…but is it enough to call myself a writer?

My first book came out in 2004, a vampire novel called PUNCTURE.

I found a small, local publishing company through one of the men I interviewed for the newspaper.

In a nutshell, they sucked!

They kept me under contract for seven long and tortoreus years and after I went over my manuscript three times, they printed the book with all of the mistakes left in! Refusing to change their mistake, or answer my emails or phone calls, they charged an outrageous fee for the book and even my own grandmother wouldn’t buy it!

Lesson learned.

In January 2011, my contract was finally up and I “re-vamped” the book and went the Indie route to get it into the masses of people who love vampires.

Then in 2005 Twilight hit the stores!

I wouldn’t even read the books or watch the movie thinking in my warped writer’s mind that it was surely a copy of my vampire book and I would just die or go nuts if Stephenie Meyer had stolen my idea. Yeah right!

The story had nothing to do with PUNCTURE.

Before Edward and Bella, there was Victor and Veronica…every woman knows a man like Victor.

Anyhoo, my book kinda went no where.

So I began going over my other short stories and dusty manuscripts that I had written over the years and put some of them out there too. Nothing.

I learned the ins and outs of cover design, Smashwords, KDP, Goodreads, attracting reviewers, ARCs, blogging, building a platform, creating a brand and blah, blah, blue.

So over the next few years, I put out other books. Nothing.
My latest book that I released on January 8, is a totally different genre for me but hey it was inside me just dying to get out so I let it!

It is an erotic romance with a rock and roll edge called LICK AND A PROMISE~Diary of a Rock Star Groupie and is based on an actual event that happened to me when I was 17 years old with a famous rock star. Cool huh?

Every woman loves rock stars and wants to hear about their sexploits! Rock star romances are HOT…aren’t they?

Now everywhere I look, someone has written a romance book about a rock star!

Well, I thought to myself, now that I am armed with the inside knowledge of how this whole book thingy works, I am going to do it right with this one.

I got the advice of a good friend and best selling romance author who has been invaluable to me as a guide, a friend, a mentor, a muse…she does it all and I love her for it!

Okay, I followed her advice to a tee…I sent out ARCs for reviewers, I work like mad on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads and what…nothing.

Advice to reviewers who request an ARC…an ARC, for those of you who don’t know (I didn’t know at first either) is an Advanced Reader’s Copy that a reviewer will get for FREE in exchange for an honest review of your work.

Advice: Don’t ask for it if you have no intentions of reading it or posting a review.

More advice for established authors: Don’t offer your help and advice to an up and coming author and get their hopes up thinking that you are actually going to help them in some way then don’t do it!

Now mind you, I do not want a free ride nor do I want anyone to hold my hand but hey, aren’t we all in this writing thing together?

I help authors all the time. I interview them on my blog, I promote the heck out of them, I answer every single email from fans, readers, other authors, new authors who have questions…is it too much to ask for a return shake?

Advice for interviewers: Asking an author to interview him/her is an awesome thing but hey please do your homework. I have done several interviews in the last few weeks and a couple of the interviewers couldn’t even bother to get my name or my character’s name spelled correctly. Then it spilled over into a review…on Amazon no less! What a let down!

Another thing for interviewers: Please do not send an author three pages of interview questions. They simply don’t have the time to fill out so many questions. Keep it simple and to the point.

Another thing that bugs me: Get this, I got an email the other day from an author who interviewed me a few years ago on her blog. She told me her good news of being picked up by a big publisher and blah, blah, blue. Guess what? There were about 20 typos in her letter to me. Unreal!

Every day, I hear of a new author who is ranking high on Amazon, just became a best selling in the NY Times or USA Today, got this deal and that deal…hell, I can’t even get a reviewer to post a review for me after getting a free copy! What am I doing wrong? Is it me? Or them?

I’m sorry if this sounds like a rant or the ramblings of a mad woman, I am just at the point in my life when I am asking, when does a person give up their dream?

This is the year when I swore I was going to be able to become a full time writer and although it’s only February, I am wondering if this is the year that I give it up for good.

I was not born to be ordinary. I was not made to fit in and follow the norm. I was born to stand out and follow my own path, make my own rules but when does an “author” say enough is enough, it just ain’t gonna happen?

www.lisavproulx.com

Six Sentence Sunday~LICK AND A PROMISE~Diary of a Rock Star Groupie

“Looking for someone?” came the heavy New England accent from behind me.

I slowly turned around and came face to face with my rock star.

Slightly crooked smile, gorgeous white teeth, tan velvety skin and the coolest black and blonde rock star hair I had ever seen.

Inside I was screaming and jumping up and down but I kept it cool and figured they had enough of those silly acting girls around to last a lifetime and I sure as hell wasn‘t going to be one of them. No, I knew how to play it cool.

I wanted to be different, be indifferent so I casually said, “Nah, just looking around.”

He smiled and said, “Oh yeah, just looking huh?” He then took a swig of his beer and licked his lips. “What’s your name?”

“Poppy,” I said, ”what’s yours?”

For more info on Lisa V. Proulx/Veronica Moreau’s books

http://www.lisavproulx.com

Valentine’s Day Rock Star Groupie Giveaway

Happy Valentine’s Day!!!

I know it’s only February 1st but hey, it’s Valentine’s Day month and as a way to celebrate your love for that special someone, I am having a Rock Star Groupie Giveaway!

All goodies that will entice your rock star and curl his hair (and his toes)

One lucky reader will win this rockin’ gift pack that includes:

*A FREE copy of my eBook (coming to paperback in February)

*Romantic Bath Soap

*Gourmet Coffees (Rich Chocolate and Irish Cream)

*A Chocolate Rose

*Bubble Bath

*A Rock and Roll Sparkly Pen (to get or give autographs)

*Love Debit Cards (Lunch Date, Picnic for Two, Trip to the Movies, Night on the Town)

*Sweet Pea Body Lotion

*Chocolate Covered Cherries (of course)

***SPECIAL BONUS: Bedroom Bucks! For all acts, Private and Naughty!!!***

You must be 18 to enter!

HOW TO ENTER

Simply leave a comment

What rock star would you spend the night with if you had the chance?

Contest open to all residents of the US and Canada who are 18 and over.

Contest will run from February 1 to February 7…that way, the winner will have time to receive their goodies and can use them on Valentine’s Day!

One winner will be chosen at random and notified February 7th.

Thanks for entering and I hope you win!!!

http://lisavproulx.com/contests-giveaways/

Six Sentence Sunday~Lick and a Promise~Diary of a Rock Star Groupie

“I laid there thinking how I had fantasized about this moment. This rock star god was no longer in my dreams or on my wall but he had become a reality and that reality was on top of me fucking me into oblivion.

Although he was one of the biggest names in the rock world and admired by millions of women, at this very moment, he was with me, his thoughts and body were on me.

It gave me a high like I had never known.

Although only 18, I had had my share of sex partners but this was different.

This was a real rock star, my rock star and the man of my teenage dreams.”

www.lisavproulx.com

Available now in eBook…coming to paperback in February

Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Lick-Promise-Diary-Groupie-Series-ebook/dp/B00AYB0IN4

Celebrity Crushes~Do Ya Wanna?

Last night Steve and I were watching Friends and he commented on how beautiful he thought Jennifer Aniston was.

Why yes, she is beautiful in a wholesome, girl-next-door kind of way and she seems really cool.

It got me thinking about celebrity crushes.

I am very content in my relationship and I know Steve feels the same way so isn’t it perfectly healthy to “admire” a celebrity from afar. I mean, come on, he’s never going to meet her or anything, right?

He also thinks Sophia Loren and Raquel Welch are two of the most beautiful women in the world! Hello! Of course they are! They are goddessess! Who wouldn’t love them!

So, it made me think…who is my celebrity crush?

Well aside from the rock stars that I love…duh!…everyone who knows me, knows that I am a sucker for a guy in eyeliner…long hair, tatoos, dripping with sex appeal…dirty in a ooey, gooey rock star way.

I didn’t have to think for too long who my celebrity crush would be…he is ooey, gooey and like a rock star…he looks like a rock star to me!

DENIS LEARY

Yes, I admit that Denis Leary is my celebrity crush!

If you put him side by side with other celebrity guys that I think are hot..could they be brothers…is there a pattern emerging here…whatsa goin’ on?

WILLEM DAFOE

JOSH TODD OF BUCKCHERRY

 GORDON RAMSEY

And hey I never even had a thing for blondes!

I just think these men are sexy in a devilish, naughty boy way and that to me is HOT!

Now, add a little eyeliner…

So, that leads into the question…if I was single or if I could get away with it and I met my crush and he got me off into a corner, and whispered into my ear…Do You Wanna?

Would I?

Uh, no…

But I wonder how many people would…

What if Steve really did meet Jennifer Aniston? How about his other crush Jennifer Lopez?

I’m not worried…I am woman enough for him!

And the celebrity men…they couldn’t handle me!

Until next time…thanks for stopping by…keep writing and have a great day!

www.lisavproulx.com

Why Reviews are Important for Writers

Okay, so you’ve written a book! Big deal right?

Well, it is a big deal, a mighty big deal and for some of you, this might be your first attempt at making it big or maybe it’s your last.

You put your heart and soul into every letter, every page, every sentence…then what?

Well, in order to get noticed by people, you need to get reviews of your work. Other people need to know that what you have to show them is worthy of their time and attention.

No one likes to be the first and step forward but hey, somebody has to do it, why not you?

It only takes a few minutes to write a review.

What if you didn’t like the book?

Well then be honest or don’t say anything but be kind enough to write the author a personal note thanking him/her for writing the book (or in some cases the free copy they gave you in exchange for a review) and simply explain that it wasn’t really your cup of tea and instead of posting a negative review, you’ll pass.

Okay, not what you wanted to hear but hey, it’s something and at least you were acknowledged.

So, if you want to show a writer that you appreciate all of the hard work, the blood, sweat and tears they put into their book…read the book then leave a review.

Ta Da! It’s as simple as that…

Speaking of which…(sneaky aren’t I) …I am looking for 10 people to receive a free copy of my latest ebook, LICK AND A PROMISE~Diary of a Rock Star Groupie which is an erotic romance with a rock and roll edge.

It’s Book One in the Rock Star Series and is now in eBook and will be coming out in paperback next month. It’s also for Mature Audiences Only!!!

It’s also written under my pen name…Veronica Moreau!

Did ya know

…the story is based on an actual event that happened to me when I was 17 with a famous rock star?!?!?

Well, now ya do!

Free copy for an honest review on Amazon!

Thanks for listening and until next time…have a great day and keep writing!!!

www.lisavproulx.com