Julie Rogers
Austin, TX
Freelance ghostwriter and editor and author of Falling Stars
BOOK COVER
BOOK DETAILS
Pub Date: May 16, 2023
Genre: Fiction/Urban Fantasy
Publisher: 56 Mountain Press
Page Count: 356
Format, ISBN, Price:
Paperback, 978-0-9971074-7-0, $18.99
Ebook, 978-0-9971074-6-3, $7.99
ABOUT THE BOOK
Everyone says vampires aren't real. Tommy Lucas isn't so sure.
Nine-year-old Tommy Lucas needs a bone marrow transplant to survive. But Tommy believes his disease is a curse on his bloodline; that he’s a vampire. Despite having an oncologist for a mother, Tommy’s convinced only magic can cure him—or the same synthetic blood substitute developed for urban legend Viscount Claudius Fallon.
He’s stoked when he discovers a five-part series about Fallon in an online pulp fiction magazine called Philly’s Argosy. Descended from a ruling class of vampires in Cardiff, legend has it that Fallon traveled to Eureka Springs, Arkansas seeking a cure for his own leukemia during WWII.
Tommy’s quest leads him to befriend local artist and gallery owner Callan Masters, who struggles with his growing affection for Tommy’s mom, June—for he is Fallon, cured in 1939 at Norman G. Baker’s Cure-for-Cancer Hospital.
Dedicated to living off-grid and as a human, Callan must decide whether he will take the risk involved in helping Tommy or falling in love with June. His bite is no longer capable of turning anyone—or so he thinks.
TALKING POINTS
- The real-life muse behind this fiction, a young boy who in the 1960s was live action role-playing (LARPing) Barnabas Collins—the 175-year-old vampire character from the classic daytime television serial Dark Shadows.
- The story-within-a-story device: a five-part series from an online pulp fiction magazine called Philly’s Argosy is contained within the novel and is influential to its narrative.
- Elements of vampire and 20th century history that contribute to this tale.
- Viscount Claudius Fallon's use of mesmerism and spellwork to maintain his anonymity.
- The true story of charlatan and quack Norman G. Baker’s cure-for-cancer era in Eureka Springs, Arkansas and Muscatine, Iowa.
- The unique history of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, "the city that water built.”
- Julie can discuss her writing journey from GHOSTwriter to VAMPIRE novelist.
TIMELY TIE-INS
April
- D.E.A.R. Month (Drop Everything and Read)
- Encourage a Young Writer Day- April 10
- Tell a Story Day - April 27
- Independent Bookstore Day- April 29
May
- Mother’s Day - May 14
- World Dracula Day - May 26
June
- Cancer Survivors Day - June 4
- Best Friend Day - June 8
- World Blood Donor Day - June 14
PRAISE
PRAISE FOR FALLING STARS:
“Julie Rogers has created a truly epic novel, expertly weaving the past and present together in a timeless tale of love, loss, sacrifice, and magical possibilities. Rich in detail, the characters practically spring from the page as the story carries the reader seamlessly through dual timelines and a complete immersion into a world both familiar and otherworldly. A story about trying to navigate between seemingly opposite sentiments of hope and acceptance, love and sacrifice, science and mystery, Falling Stars delves into a dark, underground reality that is beyond rational explanation, one that may ultimately hold the very power of life and death, and a love that defies time and logic. With beautifully written prose, detailed historical settings, and an unforgettable cast of characters, this novel is truly unforgettable, one that followed me long after I read the last page!”
—Rebecca Flynt, author of the upcoming American Harlot: The Untold Story of Maria Reynolds
“Falling Stars held my interest from the beginning with a wonderful story set in my hometown of Eureka Springs. The story within the story comes together in such a way that leaves you wanting more. This is a don’t miss book by a very talented author. I can’t wait to share it with my book club.”
—Jane Derden, owner of Red Bud Manor Inn, Eureka Springs
“I so admire Rogers’s richly drawn characters, the manipulation of past and present, the juxtaposition of stark reality and mysticism, the descriptive and precise word choices…. This book isn’t even a genre I’d particularly gravitate toward, yet I thought about Falling Stars constantly when I couldn’t read, and the book stayed with me long after I finished. I couldn’t stop seeing Tommy in his high-tech casket. Am I obsessed? Well done!”
—Becky Hoag, coauthor of Letters to Rose: A Holocaust Memoir
PRAISE FOR SEVEN SHORTS:
“Compact and well-crafted . . . a crowning achievement for the author.”
—Portland Book Review
PRAISE FOR HOOTIE:
“This story is touching–even heart-rending at times–and provides both younger and older readers insight into the creatures with whom we share this earth. For me, the writing is reminiscent of author Richard Bach–intuitive and earthy—reminding all of us about the bond between man and nature, as well as the importance of love and faith, in all its forms. Do yourself and your children a favor: read Hootie, and you’ll be all the richer for it.”
—Bestselling author Michael Reisig
BOOK DETAILS
Pub Date: May 17, 2022
Genre: Memoir / Christian Inspirational
Publisher: She Writes Press
Page Count: 304
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 978-1647429003
Price: $15.99
ABOUT THE BOOK
In the age of social media, what does it mean to connect through a hand-written letter?
True Story: When Amy Daughters reconnected with her former friend from camp decades ago, Dana, via Facebook, she had no idea how it would change her life. Through social media, Amy learned Dana’s son Parker was at St. Jude battling cancer–devastating news, but what else do you do besides comment an “I’m so sorry,” nowadays?
But more than a comment happened, Amy woke up in the middle of the night and felt called in a way she couldn’t fully explain to write handwritten letters to Dana–someone who through time and distance, had become nothing more than several hundred other faces on her Facebook account.
When Parker died, Amy, not knowing what else to do, continued to write Dana. Eventually, Dana wrote back, and the two became pen pals, sharing things through the mail that they had never shared before. The richness of the experience left Amy wondering something: If my life could be so changed by someone I considered “just a Facebook friend,” what would happen if I wrote all my Facebook friends a letter?
A staggering 580 handwritten letters later Amy’s life would never be the same. As it turned out, there were actual individuals living very real lives behind each social media profile, and she was beautifully connected to each of those extraordinary, very real people.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A native Houstonian and a graduate of The Texas Tech University, Amy W. Daughters has been a freelance writer for more than a decade — mostly covering college football and sometimes talking about her feelings. Her debut novel, You Cannot Mess This Up: A True Story That Never Happened (She Writes Press, 2019), was selected as the Silver Winner for Humor in the 2019 Foreword INDIES and the Overall Winner for Humor/Comedy in the 2020 Next Generation Indie Awards. An amateur historian, hack golfer, charlatan fashion model, and regular on the ribbon dancing circuit, Amy — a proud former resident of Blackwell, England, and Dayton, Ohio currently lives in Tomball, Texas, a suburb of Houston. She is married to a foxy computer person, Willie, and is the lucky mother of two amazing sons, Will and Matthew.
TALKING POINTS
- Lost Art of Letter Writing – The deliberateness of a letter, honest, believable and genuine, more than Social Media could ever be. Bringing back the beautiful connection of a hand-written letter.
- How can we teach our younger generation to value a pen & stationery?
- The stages of grief and how to remain a constant and connected friend experiencing the grieving process.
- The power of prayer and finding purpose.
- The evolution of friendships and connections due to social media.
- Work from home and the disconnect it creates–how letter writing can bring back more meaningful relationships.
- Women in Sports – Amy is a decades long sportswriter–a position with its own trials and tribulations as a woman in a male-dominated field.
TIMELY TIE-INS
December
- Read a New Book Month
- National Letter Writing Day – December 7
- National Christmas Card Day – December 9
January
- Self-Love Month
- Universal Letter Writing Week – Jan 8-14
- Hunt for Happiness Week – Jan 15-21
February
- International Boost Self Esteem Month – February
April
- Month of Hope; Day of Hope – April 5
- World Health Day – April 7
- Tell a Story – April 27
- Trauma Awareness Month – May
PRAISE FOR DEAR DANA
“Dear Dana is an inspirational memoir about caring for friends near and far by reviving a lost art.” — Foreword Reviews
“. . . a captivating study regarding writing letters to friends and rethinking how people successfully bond in the modern world. An intriguing and inspiring exploration of different forms of communication.”— Kirkus Reviews
“This is a book for anyone who wonders about the differences between a Facebook friend and a Real-Life friend and who yearns to see a person’s real life behind their Facebook image. It is also about the power of prayer and the abundance of kindness in our world. But ultimately, it’s about connection and how we are all connected when we come from love.” — Rivvy Neshama, author of Recipes for a Sacred Life: True Stories and a Few Miracles
“Captivating . . . I laughed and I cried as I followed the pleasures of real mail, and the lesson hit home: Whether written or spoken, our words matter. They have the power to illuminate someone’s darkest day.” — Laurie Buchanan, PhD, author of Note to Self: A Seven-Step Path to Gratitude and Growth and The Business of Being: Soul Purpose In and Out of the Workplace