Please welcome author, S D Skye to my blog today...

1.)          What is your favourite thing about yourself?

That’s kind of a tough question, but I would have to say the fact that no matter what difficulties I’ve encountered in my life (and I’ve had more than my fair share), I never ever gave up believing and hoping for a better future. I’m one of those people who, if there is a thing called “luck,” I don’t have it. I repel it. Everything I’ve ever achieved has been through hard work, determination, and pure stubbornness. Even when I come up against major roadblocks in my life that may stymie me for a short period of time, I’ll either wait them out, find a way around them, or find a way to break through them. I don’t think I’m even close to achieving my true potential, but I’ve come a long way from where I started.

2.)          What do you wish you’d known before you started writing?

Nothing. With the exception of those rare first-time authors who hit the NY Times Bestseller list on their first book out, it’s truly best for all involved that authors begin their careers blind and ignorant, completely oblivious. It’s the best thing for everyone involved. If anyone ever sat down and told writers how hard it is and how much work is involved in developing a long-term career in fiction writing, most would quit before they got started. If they told authors how much time they’d have to sacrifice with their families  and friends or how many hours they’d spend alone cloaked in smelly pajamas with weird people in their heads who won’t shut up. If they told authors about the excruciating pain they’d feel putting their “baby” into the world and opening it up to receive negative criticism and bad reviews...or how very hard it is to actually sell enough books to land on a recognized bestseller list—most would quit. If not for pure stubbornness and a consistent belief that even if I write a book that sucks, I can learn and get better, I probably would’ve quit some time ago.

3.)          Share a romantic moment in your life.

I remember in college an old flame, the cute green-eyed guy that EVERYONE wanted to date, asked me out on what was one of the most romantic dates I’ve ever had. It started at a piano bar in Washington D.C.’s Union Station where we had drinks and talked about everything and nothing. Then he took me dancing at an oldies but goodies nightclub in the heart of K Street, which is the business district. Our date ended at an ethnic restaurant in Adam’s Morgan, D.C.’s melting pot area, where we had the best food and listened to live music until dawn. The night ended with a sweet kiss and another date set for the next evening. 

4.)          Is there one subject you’d never write about as an author? What is it?

There are topics that I probably would not touch without a compelling reason, such as rape, incest, pornography. I was raised with pretty Southern conservative values (based on my grandparents’ upbringing), even though my parents raised me mostly in the Washington, D.C. area and in the Midwest (Ohio), so I will only go so far off the conservative reservation. Also, most of my fiction is reality-based and I don’t have the grand imagination necessary to do complex world building, so I will probably stay away from genres such as Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and paranormal.   

5.)          Do you have any suggestions to help someone become a better writer? If so, what are they?

One of the best things you can do is release any fear you have of writing. Don’t let that blank page intimidate you. Just write one word after another until the story is done. Everything on the page can be fixed, edited, or deleted, but the regret of not having the courage to try is tough to live with. Also, don’t allow yourself to get behind in your work because you’re getting ahead of yourself. Don’t worry about literary agents or whether you are going to publish in the traditional versus the self publishing route. Unless your book requires extensive research, don’t get mired down in details. The only thing that matters until you finish a book...is actually finishing the book. Most new authors cannot sell that great idea in their heads to a publisher.  

6.)          If you could be the original author for any book, what would it be? Why?

I would have to say The Alchemist by Paul Coehlo. With that book, he has inspired countless people to follow their dreams and achieve greatness—including me. It’s one book that I read time and time again. I would love to have written a book that inspires people to find their purpose and pursue their dreams and passions.

7.)          What did you do growing up that got you into trouble?

I was a bit of a nerdy kid (honour roll student) and a loner when I was growing up, but when I was having fun with the few friends I had, it was hard to pull me away. I never came home on time. I was always off exploring in the woods or playing with frogs in local creeks or riding my bike to “far away” places (maybe a mile or two from home). Back then, we had BookMobiles, mobile libraries that would park just outside of my neighbourhood. I would spend hours there, reading and checking out books. And when my mom couldn’t find me, I usually got busted for it. On the whole, I was pretty much a lightweight in terms of getting into trouble. No major mischievousness.

8.)          If I came to your house for dinner what would you prepare for me? Why?

I’m fully convinced that in another life I was an Italian grandmother. I absolutely love Italian food. Pastas, pizzas, I was born to eat it. I would probably cook my world famous lasagne—ultra yummy and takes 2-3 hours to make because I do the sauce from scratch. Okay, maybe it’s not “world” famous but it’s pretty popular with my friends. I would also make a nice garlic bread, salad, and cherry cheesecake for dessert. Now, I’m officially hungry.  

A No Good Itch

by S.D. Skye

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BLURB:

IN THE GAME OF ESPIONAGE, SPY TAKES TRAITOR.

J.J. MCCALL TAKES OVER.

The FBI and Italian Mafia make strange bedfellows when a vicious Russian Organized crime figure, operating at the behest of Russian Intelligence, lands in The Big Apple. The Russian intelligence hench-man, infamously known as Mashkov, avenges the death of slain a Russian sleeper agent and accidentally hits the son of an Italian crime boss, sending J.J. and Task Force Phantom Hunter to the streets of New York. They are stepping into a possible war between Russian and Italian organized crime factions, while trying to dismantle the financial hub of the most insidious Russian illegals network in U.S. History.

Meanwhile, CIA Case Officer Grayson “Six” Chance is in Moscow trying to capture a fugitive American who has stolen White House intelligence and is planning to pass it to the Russians—putting Six in a moral dilemma he may not be prepared to handle.

And when J.J. finally learns the truth surrounding her mother's death in the line of duty, her life may never be the same.

If you enjoy this book, you will love Book 1--The Seven Year Itch (A J.J. McCall Novel) and Book 2 -- Son of a Itch (A J.J. McCall Novel).

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EXCERPTS

The Sheriffs walked J.J. and Tony through a series of security doors until they reached the interrogation room. They left their overcoats with their escorts and tugged their suit jackets straight before entering. The sight of Kendell Phillips’ murderer shrouded in orange and shackled at the hands and feet gave J.J. a burst of pleasure she hadn’t felt since her early morning romp with Tony. A reddish blue bruise circled his eye and spread to the cap of his jaw. His gaze disintegrated under the weight of her glare and fell to his twiddling thumbs. She prepared to speak when an overwhelming scent jarred her senses—the smell of contemptible swine.

“My, my, my,” J.J. said to Maddix. “What an ugly fall from grace. Too bad they don’t make an Armani perp suit. You used to wear him so well.”

Positioned across from Maddix, Tony scanned the rat’s face and looked at him with a pained expression. “Rough night, eh? Did they forget to put you in solitary? Looks like you’ve been mingling with the locals.”

“Nothing I can’t handle,” he said with a shrug. Then he leaned back, spread his knees wide, and placed his hands in his lap. “So, this is the reason you came all the way to Shangri-La? To gloat?”

J.J. savored his misery and then vexed him with a tight smile. “We’re here to discuss your comrade in arms, Hawk—Gary Mosin.”

 “Newsflash, doll.” Maddix forced out a grating laugh, overplaying his weak position just a smidge. “You get nothing from me, not without a deal. I want immunity.”

“Immunity?” J.J. blinked in rapid motion.

“Listen, you ain’t gotta make this difficult. We didn’t come here to pick a fight. Give us the information we need, and you can go back to counting the tiles on the ceiling . . . or whatever it is you do on the inside.” Tony contrived a calm demeanor as he reached into his pant pocket and pulled out a pack of Marlboro 100s and a book of matches. He slid them to the middle of the table until they stopped beside a plastic ashtray. “Our treat. Enjoy. But if you choose to stay on the difficult route, we can reverse course any time.”

Maddix cupped his hands and with no show of gratitude, pulled the offerings to the table’s edge, his shackles jangling with his every move. He folded back the foil on the corner of the pack and knocked the open end against his wrist until a cigarette emerged. Then his brow drew together, furrowed in confusion. “You don’t have a clue, do you?” His gaze ping-ponged between J.J. and Tony before he shook his head. “That’s why you’re here. You don’t know!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

S.D. Skye is a former FBI Counterintelligence Analyst in the Russia program and supported cases during her 12-year tenure at the Bureau. She has personally witnessed the blowback the Intelligence Community suffered due to the most significant compromises in U.S. history, including the arrests of former CIA Case Officer Aldrich Ames and two of the Bureau's own—FBI Agents Earl Pitts and Robert Hansen. She has spent 20 years in the U.S. Intelligence Community.

Skye is a member of the Maryland Writer’s Association, Romance Writers of America, and International Thriller Writers. She’s addicted to writing and chocolate—not necessarily in that order—and currently lives in the Washington D.C. area with her son. Skye is hard at work on several projects, including the next installment of the series.

Web Links

Blog: www.authorsdskye.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorsdskye

Twitter: www.twitter.com/sdskye1

Buy Links

http://www.amazon.com/S.D.-Skye/e/B00AMAUFK8

he author will be awarding a Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7 + $25 Kindle GC (US ONLY) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during this tour and the Review Tour, Here, and a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn host, also between this tour and the Review Tour.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f793/

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: 

http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2015/01/nbtm-tour-no-good-itch-by-sd-skye.html

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