tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50944115717872045152024-03-21T16:01:37.240-04:00Amy & Joanne Write On!Kirkus Reviews calls Wicked Good
“a funny, frazzled tale of extreme parenting.”
Please visit our website at www.joannelewiswrites.com.
E-mail us at jtawnylewis@gmail.com.Amy and Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09896708833216270059noreply@blogger.comBlogger73125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094411571787204515.post-52614276007286546612013-05-24T15:35:00.002-04:002013-05-24T15:35:15.164-04:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Our blog has moved to our new website: <a href="http://www.joannelewiswrites.com/">www.joannelewiswrites.com</a>. Please come for a visit!</div>
Amy and Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09896708833216270059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094411571787204515.post-44070035165692167162011-11-23T18:50:00.000-05:002011-11-23T18:50:02.704-05:00Wicked Writing: Adding Symbolism & Subtext to Fiction<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;">Wicked Writing</div><div style="text-align: center;">Adding Symbolism & Subtext to Fiction</div><div style="text-align: center;">By Joanne Lewis</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> Very often what makes a novel a rich experience for a reader is not readily seen on the page but lives in the spaces between the words. This is where subtext and symbolism are found.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> Let’s start with definitions. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Subtext</u></b> is the implicit meaning of the text. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Symbolism</u></b> gives meaning to the words beyond what is described. Here are examples from my novel, Wicked Good.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">First, subtext.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> In chapter 11 of Wicked Good, Archer, exhausted and frustrated, finally finds Rory at the Mobil-to-go with bad girl, Trish. Archer sees Trish slip candy into her pocket. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Rory, who doesn’t notice, is standing at the counter, speaking. “If we could turn dirt into oil we would solve the world’s energy crisis and not have to rely on other countries. Don’t you think that’s a great idea, mom?”</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">“Yes, Rory,” Archer eyes the Monster energy drink cans on the counter, “it’s really smart. I’m tired. Can we go home now?”</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">“Yeah. I need money to pay for this stuff.”</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">She looks at Rory’s bounty on the counter as Trish walks up next to them. Archer holds out her hand. Trish takes the Milky Way out of her pocket and drops it into Archer’s palm. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyf2T2nCyD7O79glaR8AK877BfsU6wtHEOXfC-8ETIZjJjeyNgbDuGrmm4pFZWZGBUwk9Ve44cWgQockv7YxW-mcAg2Jbf2xj4La7pLMSmpZtqeeJG8McpE_GLBmQqowLCgKxtfksCyrc/s1600/MilkyWayCandy.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyf2T2nCyD7O79glaR8AK877BfsU6wtHEOXfC-8ETIZjJjeyNgbDuGrmm4pFZWZGBUwk9Ve44cWgQockv7YxW-mcAg2Jbf2xj4La7pLMSmpZtqeeJG8McpE_GLBmQqowLCgKxtfksCyrc/s320/MilkyWayCandy.gif" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The action of Trish dropping the Milky Way bar into Archer’s hand has an obvious meaning – Trish was caught almost stealing and had to fess up – but it also has an implicit meaning, a meaning beyond the act of Trish dropping the candy bar into the palm of Archer’s hand. What might that meaning be? Could it be suggesting something about the future relationship of Archer and Trish?</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Next, symbolism. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> In Wicked Good, there are many references to willow trees. Archer and Rory live on Willow Street. There is a willow tree in the back of the house that Archer and Rory planted when they moved in. Willow trees are easily conjured in a person’s mind. The long branches and hanging leaves can suggest foreboding but also hope. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">In chapter 27 of Wicked Good, Kitty runs from Rory chanting a spell, which includes the mention of a willow tree. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> In chapter 29 of Wicked Good, Rory is sitting on a bench with Trish, holding a small potted willow on his lap. Rory says: “It’s a baby willow tree, like the one in my back yard. It has special powers. It can heal wounds and burns. The Greeks used it to relieve pain, like aspirin. Some people even think the willow has the power to heal a broken heart.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> Is Rory only speaking those words to help Trish, or is there a deeper meaning? And how does Rory’s use of the willow tree to heal juxtapose with the willow tree being used by Kitty as a spell?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYA81m5LqOYYg3rg2jys-geZcn3G93t6s1KdxbWZKB6cRJl5iTgv5o3u3o3VWv7C2BUVQzhs5z5mAQ_PpKsldieHEecjhHaM3AGA5oJ25UZCGjSN9aRgNSqSj5p3B8YIT8fuA6NahZRuw/s1600/willow-tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYA81m5LqOYYg3rg2jys-geZcn3G93t6s1KdxbWZKB6cRJl5iTgv5o3u3o3VWv7C2BUVQzhs5z5mAQ_PpKsldieHEecjhHaM3AGA5oJ25UZCGjSN9aRgNSqSj5p3B8YIT8fuA6NahZRuw/s320/willow-tree.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;"> Every novel that grabs a reader’s heart is rich in subtext and symbolism. But remember to keep it subtle. If in Wicked Good we had explained the Willow tree as a symbol, it’s effect would not have been the same. And if after Trish drops the Milky Way bar into Archer’s palm, Archer says, “I guess this is the start of a beautiful friendship”, the development of their relationship throughout the novel would not have been so moving.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;"> The words – and the spaces between the words – are richer with the addition of symbolism and subtext to your fiction. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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Joanne Lewis is the co-author of the award-winning novel, Wicked Good. To learn more about Wicked Good, please visit <a href="http://www.amyandjoanne.com/">www.amyandjoanne.com</a>.</div></div>Amy and Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09896708833216270059noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094411571787204515.post-75508326704490274012011-10-31T08:57:00.002-04:002011-10-31T08:57:51.440-04:00Give Them Wings and Watch Them Fly<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><br />
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</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 17.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span><span style="color: #3d0042; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I foster dogs through my local animal shelter and recently brought home Ace, a one-year-old puggle named after the Snoopy flying ace character. Ace had been hit by a car and his family could not afford to have his broken leg fixed. They surrendered him to my local shelter. After surgery, he needed a place to heal his clipped wing. It took Ace a few days to get used to us. But once he did, we all fell in love. Ace knew his jobs - to snuggle up with me while I slept, to wake my 17-year-old son Ryan for school, to be accepted by Brendan - my 19-year-old son who is on the autism spectrum - and to find his way into the heart of my big old grumpy poodle.</span><span style="color: #3d0042; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 17.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> Ace didn’t know his other job was to get strong. He approached all his jobs like the ace that he was and three weeks later, his wing was healed well enough so he could be put up for adoption. It was time for Ace to fly. I didn’t want to let him go but I couldn’t keep him. He had his wings. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 17.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> It is not just dogs developing their wings in my household. My 19-year-old has Asperger’s syndrome and doesn’t like disruptions in his routine. He doesn’t like to be far from his coping mechanisms - DVDs blaring on his laptop and music on his I-pod. He began to panic when his laptop starting malfunctioning days before he and his brother were going to visit family in Washington, D.C. I began to panic as well and took him to buy a new laptop to avoid a break down. There was a minor melt down on the way home from the store when they didn’t have the laptop he wanted. We got home and I escaped to my bathtub. Forty minutes later, I went downstairs. Laptop, I-pod, DVD player and cords were scattered all over my kitchen table. He had fixed whatever had malfunctioned. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 17.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> "Really?" I said.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 17.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> "Yes," he said.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 17.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> "So you are all set for the trip?"</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 17.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> "I'm still suspicious, but yes," he smiled. He had done it. He had figured it out and although he still had his doubts, he was okay with it. He had the wings he needed to go on his trip.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Then there is Ryan, my younger son. I don’t think he knows how much I love him and how terrific he is. He knows that I am always paying attention to his older brother and that I frequently bring foster dogs home for short periods of time. But Ryan is an amazing kid. He makes honor roll at school; he is a high achiever in football and track; he is funny; he is helpful around the house; he accepts the dogs I bring home as his own; he loves his brother. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Ryan is gaining his wings, literally and figuratively. He is taking flying lessons. He wants to enlist in the air national guard in hopes of qualifying to be trained as a pilot. He asked about going to boot camp this summer, between his junior and senior years of high school. I said no. I am not ready for him to grow his wings. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Amy Lewis Faircloth is the co-author of the award-winning novel <a href="http://www.amyandjoanne.com/">Wicked Good</a>, the story of a mother and her adopted son who has Asperger's syndrome and searches for his birth parents.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div>Amy and Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09896708833216270059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094411571787204515.post-90731850552232221662011-10-03T19:25:00.002-04:002011-10-03T19:25:59.517-04:00Sisters publish novel from their blog on Asperger's syndrome<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, tahoma, verdana, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;"></span><br />
<h1 class="storyHed headline" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Chapparral, Georgia, serif; font-size: 34px; letter-spacing: -1px; line-height: 38px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sisters publish novel from their blog on Asperger’s syndrome</h1><div class="alignleft" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="byline" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #777777; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">By <a href="http://bangordailynews.com/author/asarnacki/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #3b5a7a; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Posts by Aislinn Sarnacki">Aislinn Sarnacki</a>, BDN Staff</div><div class="datetime" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #aaaaaa; font-size: 0.9em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Posted <span class="date" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Oct. 02, 2011,</span> at <span class="time" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">8:28 p.m.</span> <br />
Last modified Oct. 02, 2011, at 8:59 p.m.</div></div><div class="alignright" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: right; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 20px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://bangordailynews.com/2011/10/02/living/book-reviews/sisters-publish-novel-from-their-blog-on-asperger%e2%80%99s-syndrome/print/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; 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background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><a class="thickbox image_large" href="http://static.bangordailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/fairclothlewis.jpg" rel="gallery-926046" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #3b5a7a; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Joanne Lewis (left) and Amy Lewis Faircloth."><img alt="Joanne Lewis (left) and Amy Lewis Faircloth." class="image" src="http://static.bangordailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/fairclothlewis-250x250.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; 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background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #5d5d5d; font-size: 0.9em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Joanne Lewis (left) and Amy Lewis Faircloth.</div><a class="thickbox image_large" href="http://static.bangordailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/stye1003-600x719.jpg" rel="gallery-926046" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; 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outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="" width="200" /></a><div class="cutlineCredit" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-size: 0.8em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div class="cutline" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #5d5d5d; font-size: 0.9em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: georgia, tahoma, verdana, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">WICKED GOOD by Amy Lewis Faircloth and Joanne Lewis, August 2011, Telemachus Press, $9.95, 250 pages.</strong></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: georgia, tahoma, verdana, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">Rory wears black clothes covered in skulls to keep other teens away. He doesn’t want people to laugh at the way he talks, how he paces when he’s anxious or his interest in lawn mowers and all things mechanical. Rory has Asperger’s syndrome (commonly known as AS), and he’s not alone.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: georgia, tahoma, verdana, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">“Wicked Good,” a first novel by sisters Amy Lewis Faircloth of Hampden and Joanne Lewis of Florida, is about a single mother, Archer, struggling to raise her adopted son, Rory. Their story opens a door into a world that is rarely seen.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: georgia, tahoma, verdana, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">“‘Wicked Good’ has really touched people,” said Lewis.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: georgia, tahoma, verdana, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">Rory isn’t a real 15-year-old, but his personality is based on Faircloth’s oldest son, now 19, who has AS. To protect her son’s privacy, she asked that he not be named in the article.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: georgia, tahoma, verdana, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">“I think that my son and I and Asperger’s is treated with respect throughout the whole book,” said Faircloth, who has spoken to her oldest son many times about the book and says that he is OK with it. “It’s based on his and my personal traits, but the situations are totally made up.”</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: georgia, tahoma, verdana, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">AS is a developmental disorder that affects a person’s ability to socialize and communicate effectively. Children with the syndrome typically exhibit an all-absorbing interest in specific topics, according to Mayo Clinic staff. But there is a long list of AS symptoms that vary depending on the person, including inability to sleep, poor decision-making, lack of empathy and difficulty reading nonverbal signs.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: georgia, tahoma, verdana, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">“The disorder is being diagnosed more and more,” said Faircloth. “Pretty much everyone we mention it to knows somebody who has Asperger’s or is involved in it in some way.”</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: georgia, tahoma, verdana, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">Though the incidence of AS is not well established, experts conservatively estimate that two out of every 10,000 children have the disorder, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Named after Dr. Hans Asperger in 1944, AS is described as high-functioning <a href="http://bangordailynews.com/health-topic/autism/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #3b5a7a; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">autism</a> that affects people with high and low IQs. Some people believe that celebrated geniuses Einstein and Mozart had AS.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: georgia, tahoma, verdana, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">“Wicked Good” unveils one experience of AS through intense dialogue and a dramatic, fictional plot that keeps the action rolling.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: georgia, tahoma, verdana, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">Lewis and Faircloth grew up on Long Island, N.Y., and both became attorneys. But while Lewis has been writing novels for years, Faircloth, a <a href="http://bangordailynews.com/region/bangor/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #3b5a7a; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Bangor</a> attorney, has no prior experience with fiction.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: georgia, tahoma, verdana, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">“Wicked Good” began with a phone call. Lewis, calling from sunny Florida, pitched the idea of writing a novel together. Faircloth, feeling that Maine March madness that has nothing to do with basketball, said, “Why not?”</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: georgia, tahoma, verdana, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">The novel began as a way for the sisters to do something fun together, and it evolved into them wanting to educate people about AS through fiction.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: georgia, tahoma, verdana, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">“I didn’t know what Amy’s life was like,” said Lewis. “We talked about it. I heard about it. But I didn’t really know what Amy and [her sons’] life was like together. Growing up with a special needs child, I really didn’t get it, but now I do.”</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: georgia, tahoma, verdana, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">The novel took them three years to complete, and after having a difficult time finding a publisher, they decided to create a blog and post chapters on the Internet accompanied by photos of places in Maine and Massachusetts that they visited to research for the book. Their blog gained followers, and after just two months, a publisher from a small press contacted the sisters. Now the entire book is published as an e-book (March 2011) and in paperback (August 2011).</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: georgia, tahoma, verdana, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">“My family, we learned a lot during the process,” said Faircloth. “What we learned mostly was to accept each other and love each other and do it with humor … At some point, none of us can change who we are. But we all have something to offer.”</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: georgia, tahoma, verdana, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">Faircloth used her experiences and knowledge, with the help of her two sons, to accurately write the family scenes. But as the story of acceptance progressed, the characters took on a life of their own. Rory’s violent outbursts and Archer’s battle with <a href="http://bangordailynews.com/health-topic/alcoholism/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #3b5a7a; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">alcoholism</a> are things that Faircloth has never personally experienced in her family.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: georgia, tahoma, verdana, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">Lewis wrote much of the historical fiction subplots (about the Salem Witch Trials and The Perfect Storm of 1991) and steered the plot to be a classic hero journey, which involves 12 stages, including a stage where the hero hits rock bottom.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: georgia, tahoma, verdana, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">In “Wicked Good,” many heroes collide and help each other along. Archer is battling <a href="http://bangordailynews.com/health-topic/addiction/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #3b5a7a; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">addiction</a>and a selfish ex-husband and is constantly doubting her parenting skills. Rory is on a quest to find his birth parents, understand AS and be a better son. And Rory’s troublemaking friend, Trish, quietly combats parental abuse and the stigmas surrounding her.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: georgia, tahoma, verdana, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">Though the main characters have no problem being in the spotlight, there is a richness and diversity of peripheral New England characters — the local policeman, the high school principal, gas station clerk, law firm assistant — and a web of unique relationships that links them all.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: georgia, tahoma, verdana, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">Trish, an unexpected scene stealer, has unresolved conflicts at the end of the book that will be picked up in “Wicked Wise,” scheduled to be published in 2012. In the sequel, 19-year-old Rory will be on a search for a “cure,” a mission catalyzed by bullying he endures at school.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: georgia, tahoma, verdana, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">“Wicked Good” has won the online 2011 <a class="c7" href="http://readersfavorite.com/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #3b5a7a; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Reader Favorite Award</a> and it is among the finalists for the Royal Palm Literary Awards, the winner of which will be the determined Oct. 22 at a writers conference the sisters will attend together in Orlando.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: georgia, tahoma, verdana, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">Since starting the blog, Faircloth has connected with other bloggers, authors and readers who know people with AS.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: georgia, tahoma, verdana, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">“This tells people, they’re not alone,” Faircloth said. “They aren’t alone — someone just has to come out and say it.”</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: georgia, tahoma, verdana, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">www.amyandjoanne.com</div><div><br />
</div></div></div></div>Amy and Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09896708833216270059noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094411571787204515.post-21553250456301605272011-09-14T22:48:00.002-04:002011-09-14T22:48:33.295-04:00Wicked Good Blog Tour<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 6px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 6px; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, serif;"></span><br />
<h3 class="post-title" style="color: #986c30; font-size: 24px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.25em; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Wicked Good by Amy Lewis Faircloth and Joanne Lewis, Blog Tour & Giveaway Contests!</h3><div class="post-body" style="line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="clear: both; line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41Xb6XtRsrY1N6OfaKG0hgEw57VvwWRTpokiem_Xzu27FtS74e3LEHoPlb9pbbJXHL8pVixsmCahpqyxeik8lf2KBzaPyzK_0nWXLlD8BIPfOgfD-Ms_HIYmcWM5o53efOSIBha-O7LTS/s1600/TheMowchine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; color: #b43f42; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41Xb6XtRsrY1N6OfaKG0hgEw57VvwWRTpokiem_Xzu27FtS74e3LEHoPlb9pbbJXHL8pVixsmCahpqyxeik8lf2KBzaPyzK_0nWXLlD8BIPfOgfD-Ms_HIYmcWM5o53efOSIBha-O7LTS/s1600/TheMowchine.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 4px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 4px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">The Mowchine</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: right;"></div>Climb aboard The Mowchine because we’re riding into fall with wicked good novel and lots of fun events, including two contests!<br />
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WOW<i>!</i> is very pleased to introduce Joanne and Amy, two talented sisters who will be touring with us September 12th through October 7th with their<a href="http://readersfavorite.com/review/4363" style="color: #b43f42; text-decoration: none;">award winning</a> debut novel, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1935670980/?tag=wowwomenonwri-20" style="color: #b43f42; text-decoration: none;">Wicked Good</a></i>. In addition to fun discussions, author interviews, book reviews, and prizes we will be having a writing contest, mass blogging day, and more prizes! That’s a lot of information to cover so let’s get started...<br />
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<div style="color: #336600; line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>About the Book</b></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYVLe8y5ISxrVaG5RORfrOfFZHVM2pLsJtsxjnXa-0wfT0K1oiOVpeaWM9syHJpAl2kmdYdX2Gg7SkP7Oy3gnzzwYDh_lIDSOBbBSeX-qdH16YRRpnr3IspArhfL_fc6izS5AUnJJyzeU2/s1600/WickedGood-BookCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; color: #b43f42; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYVLe8y5ISxrVaG5RORfrOfFZHVM2pLsJtsxjnXa-0wfT0K1oiOVpeaWM9syHJpAl2kmdYdX2Gg7SkP7Oy3gnzzwYDh_lIDSOBbBSeX-qdH16YRRpnr3IspArhfL_fc6izS5AUnJJyzeU2/s1600/WickedGood-BookCover.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 4px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 4px;" /></a></div>Archer Falcon manages to maintain a successful law practice but in her private life she feels inept, especially when it comes to her adopted son, Rory who has been diagnosed with both bipolar disorder and Asperger’s syndrome.<br />
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Rory is a teenage boy struggling in a world that doesn’t understand him. He is as intelligent, witty and creative as he is destructive. Like all teenagers he seeks a sense of belonging and decides that his birth parents might just understand him better.<br />
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<i>Wicked Good</i> is part drama, part mystery...with a dose of humor. The authors take us on an emotional rollercoaster as we journey with their flawed-but-loveable characters, weaving in social issues and bits of New England’s history to make an entertaining read. Along the way we find ourselves gaining a better understanding of Rory’s world and the love shared between mother and son.<br />
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Paperback: 262 pages (and e-book)<br />
Publisher: Telemachus Press, LLC (August 2011)<br />
ISBN-10: 1935670980<br />
ISBN-13: 978-1935670988<br />
<b>Twitter Hashtag:</b> <b>#WickedGood</b><br />
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Reader's Favorite <a href="http://readersfavorite.com/review/4363" style="color: #b43f42; text-decoration: none;">Award Winner</a> - Fiction Drama<br />
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<i>Wicked Good</i> is available for purchase in both print and e-book formats at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1935670980/?tag=wowwomenonwri-20" style="color: #b43f42; text-decoration: none;">Amazon</a> and at <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wicked-good-amy-lewis-faircloth/1104840601?ean=9781935670988&itm=3&usri=wicked%2bgood" style="color: #b43f42; text-decoration: none;">Barnes & Noble</a>.</div></div></div>Amy and Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09896708833216270059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094411571787204515.post-49793324966916914432011-06-30T20:51:00.001-04:002011-08-15T22:09:06.449-04:00Wicked Good - 2 sisters, 2 states and Asperger's Syndrome<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 16pt; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d0042; font-family: Arial; font-size: 28px;">My sister and I have written a novel called <i>Wicked Good</i>. It's the story of a mother and her son with Asperger's syndrome. People frequently ask how it came to be that two sisters wrote a novel together while living in different states.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 16.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #3d0042; font-family: Arial; font-size: 21pt;">It was March. The snow was dirty brown and the sun was absent here in Bangor, Maine. I was spending a lot of time on my sofa, channel surfing and landing nowhere.</span><span style="color: #3d0042; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 16.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #3d0042; font-family: Arial; font-size: 21pt;">Joanne called from her home in Florida.</span><span style="color: #3d0042; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17pt;"> </span><span style="color: #3d0042; font-family: Arial; font-size: 21pt;">“Wanna write a book together?” she asked.</span><span style="color: #3d0042; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 16.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #3d0042; font-family: Arial; font-size: 21pt;">I wrapped the afghan around me tighter and yawned from lack of blood flow to my brain.</span><span style="color: #3d0042; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17pt;"> </span><span style="color: #3d0042; font-family: Arial; font-size: 21pt;">“Sure,” was the best response I could muster.</span><span style="color: #3d0042; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 16.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #3d0042; font-family: Arial; font-size: 21pt;">I am a lawyer by day and single mom to two teenage boys by day and night. My oldest is diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism which has been of mixed blessings to my life.</span><span style="color: #3d0042; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 16.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #3d0042; font-family: Arial; font-size: 21pt;">Joanne is the literary brains behind this outfit. I can only write based upon my life experiences. Without Joanne moving the plot along, we would be nowhere. On the other hand, I have the experience. My son is now 19 years old. Life has been a challenge for both of us. The incidents in our novel <i>Wicked Good</i> are fiction. But many of the characteristics of the mother and son have basis in authenticity. For example, once my son gets an idea in his head, it is tough to dissuade him otherwise. The teenage character Rory in <i>Wicked Good</i> is the same. As another example, juggling my son's needs with my job truly does stress me out and the bathtub is a frequent refuge; just like it is for Archer, Rory's mother in <i>Wicked Good</i>. However, my son has never hit me and I do not have a drinking problem.</span><span style="color: #3d0042; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 16.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 21pt;">I </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 21pt;">don’t think I ever</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 21pt;"> imagined we'd actually get </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 21pt;">a book written or</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 21pt;"> that it would be published. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 21pt;">But now that we have done it, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 21pt;">I've found another way to deal with the stress of raising a child on the autism spectrum - writing. Of course, it wouldn't be as much fun with anyone else but my sister.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 16.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #3d0042; font-family: Arial; font-size: 21pt;">We are so excited that <i>Wicked Good</i> has been published and is available as an e-book on Amazon for Kindle, Barnes & Noble for Nook and other e-places. The bound novel will be out later this summer. Let us know what you think about <i>Wicked Good</i>. Visit our website at <a href="http://www.amyandjoanne.com/"><span style="color: #0000cb;">www.amyandjoanne.com</span></a> and e-mail us at <a href="mailto:amyandjoanne@gmail.com"><span style="color: #0000cb;">amyandjoanne@gmail.com</span></a></span><span style="color: #3d0042; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 16.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 21pt;">BUY WICKED GOOD HERE: <a href="http://tinyurl.com/3qc3r24">Wicked Good</a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">All my best, Amy</span></div></div>Amy and Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09896708833216270059noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094411571787204515.post-72397514776067129352011-06-19T07:08:00.000-04:002011-06-19T07:08:23.063-04:00Wicked Good - Happy Father's Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">As Rory would say - I really really love you, Dad.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjILMpa0tYxvSyuN9CKnnQawX6jV8RQmjJ6gshc8D3UEUYUcA1ObL8cTLl1EZH8Y1HRVQsNn99Fwm16vz4MEzGvwBmuccSIpudheWS0ySOKlv-pOyAO6_L1CCsv4Q19prjRFXWEhASvh64/s1600/RACE+DAY.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjILMpa0tYxvSyuN9CKnnQawX6jV8RQmjJ6gshc8D3UEUYUcA1ObL8cTLl1EZH8Y1HRVQsNn99Fwm16vz4MEzGvwBmuccSIpudheWS0ySOKlv-pOyAO6_L1CCsv4Q19prjRFXWEhASvh64/s400/RACE+DAY.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Happy Father's Day.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Amy and Jo</div></div>Amy and Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09896708833216270059noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094411571787204515.post-73787195386343854802011-06-17T15:15:00.000-04:002011-06-17T15:15:41.631-04:00Wicked Good - More Noise and Props for Indie Publisher - Trestle Press<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> I know we've been quiet on the blog for the last couple of weeks but a lot has been happening behind-the-scenes. <i>Wicked Good</i> continues to sell well as an e-book on Kindle, Nook and other places. <i>Wicked Good</i> has been in the top 100 on Amazon for Kindle books dealing with special needs issues. The hardcover has not been released yet but we are hoping by the end of the month it will be ready.<br />
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<i>Wicked Good</i> has been acknowledged on various sites (see Events/Media on our website at <a href="http://www.amyandjoanne.com/">www.amyandjoanne.com</a>) but the real exposure will be when the hardcover comes out. CNN reported recently that e-books were selling better than bound books on Amazon however people keep asking me when will <i>Wicked Good</i> be available to purchase as a book I can hold in my hand. Guess my independent research doesn't beat out Amazon's statistics but I feel pretty confident <i>Wicked Good</i> will get a lot more exposure once the hardcover is ready.<br />
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That's it for now except congratulations to my nephew Brendan for graduating from high school. We are very very proud of him.<br />
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And thanks for the latest shout-out for Wicked Good in the blog article "More Noise and Props for Indie Publisher - Trestle Press". See <a href="http://gelatisscoop.blogspot.com/2011/06/more-noise-and-props-for-indie.html">http://gelatisscoop.blogspot.com/2011/06/more-noise-and-props-for-indie.html</a><br />
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And finally, thank YOU for your continued faith in <i>Wicked Good</i> and in us.<br />
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All our best for a great weekend, Jo<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ0agN1Omgw4y2JzuZOSjtlq36ejdhM7OQPFBj-ZjXgAnGe5DBfsbMgHnZ5z94dJAizUXT9_60f3GnPgb5BPQXLRoNudDBnAeQkVDIuwIm-nPk9-iETgq7WGix33tBRTz8DbAlg-FBGy4/s1600/BC11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ0agN1Omgw4y2JzuZOSjtlq36ejdhM7OQPFBj-ZjXgAnGe5DBfsbMgHnZ5z94dJAizUXT9_60f3GnPgb5BPQXLRoNudDBnAeQkVDIuwIm-nPk9-iETgq7WGix33tBRTz8DbAlg-FBGy4/s320/BC11.jpg" width="175" /></a></div><br />
</div>Amy and Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09896708833216270059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094411571787204515.post-77000204557920968312011-05-31T09:04:00.000-04:002011-05-31T09:04:09.840-04:00Wicked Good - Top 100 E-book on Amazon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> Just wanted to share the good news that Wicked Good is ranked #33 as an e-book in Special Needs - Parenting section on Amazon.<br />
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Here's the link: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004TSC8D6?tag=thefict-20&camp=213761&creative=393545&linkCode=bpl&creativeASIN=B004TSC8D6&adid=0G4JJZNT2EEYT1R1914Q&"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Wicked Good</span></a><br />
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Thanks for your support.<br />
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Amy and Jo<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1g9hEXaDW6R0yGTBTy-vLaLzo6hcYShiFZXTg4BjWtkBKTt70zJAUHRUj3ThY73mOHNpue9aR9JNMlFudBDIuRZPAbekpZAViIcBynlbqMpg2sJLo9sKO8B_ASp_Zx5a6uSmpd7gR8xM/s1600/BC11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1g9hEXaDW6R0yGTBTy-vLaLzo6hcYShiFZXTg4BjWtkBKTt70zJAUHRUj3ThY73mOHNpue9aR9JNMlFudBDIuRZPAbekpZAViIcBynlbqMpg2sJLo9sKO8B_ASp_Zx5a6uSmpd7gR8xM/s320/BC11.jpg" width="175" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Amy and Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09896708833216270059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094411571787204515.post-88757269601964417232011-05-30T10:18:00.001-04:002011-05-31T09:05:12.069-04:00Wicked Good - Rory salutes Memorial Day!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpCC4aejb_K6lzh1QQ4M5kQyceN9npatXbKnKXun-GrfBuODwjyieogRFSD2fDKiJi3Zx5Yo3xqNmaT84rcFHP0IkUXTGhotSzAjosf8ExtQkcQByNeIN2ez43hBmm2tqVhsNLsrM3iV0/s1600/images-23.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpCC4aejb_K6lzh1QQ4M5kQyceN9npatXbKnKXun-GrfBuODwjyieogRFSD2fDKiJi3Zx5Yo3xqNmaT84rcFHP0IkUXTGhotSzAjosf8ExtQkcQByNeIN2ez43hBmm2tqVhsNLsrM3iV0/s400/images-23.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
</div>Amy and Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09896708833216270059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094411571787204515.post-46807057782357755372011-05-24T16:09:00.001-04:002011-05-30T10:24:38.519-04:00Wicked Good - Events and Media Coverage/SAVE THE DATE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div style="font: 36.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">SAVE THE DATE: JULY 16, 2011 AT 1:00PM</span></b></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">SOLD OUT - LOOK FOR NEW DATE TO BE ADDED</span></span></b></span></div><div style="font: 36.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">We are pleased to announce our </span></b></span></div><div style="font: 36.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">WICKED GOOD BOOK LAUNCH GOURMET LUNCHEON</span></b></span></div><div style="font: 36.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">including prizes and surprises!</span></b></span></div><div style="font: 36.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">July 16, 2011 at 1:00 p.m. at 11th Street Annex in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.</span></b></span></div><div style="font: 36.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Amy and Joanne will both attend.</span></b></span></b></span></div><div style="font: 36.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> This event will be limited to 25 people. RSVP only. Leave a comment on the blog or e-mail us at jtawnylewis@gmail.com if you would like to attend. </span></b></span></div><div style="font: 36.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Let us know how many in your party. </span></b></span></div><div style="font: 36.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Cost: $30.00 including gourmet lunch, hardcopy of Wicked Good and other goodies.</span></b></span></div><div style="font: 36.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Sorry, credit cards are not accepted.</span></b></span></div><div style="font: 36.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">More information to follow.</span></b></div><div style="font: 36.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Other WICKED GOOD Events and Media Coverage:</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></div><div style="font: 36.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">INTERVIEWS/GUEST SPOTS</span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">READ PRE-PUBLISHING INTERVIEW OF AMY AND JOANNE AT: <a href="http://www.jodiwebb.com/news/wicked-good-co-writing/"><span style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Arial; letter-spacing: 0px;">www.jodiwebb.com/news/wicked-good-co-writing/</span></a></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">April 11, 2011 JOANNE APPEARED AS GUEST BLOGGER ON GELATI’S SCOOP:</span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://gelatisscoop.blogspot.com/2011/04/guest-post-amy-faircloth-co-author-of.html">http://gelatisscoop.blogspot.com/2011/04/guest-post-amy-faircloth-co-author-of.html</a></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 21.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">APRIL 12, 2011 AMY APPEARED AS GUEST BLOGGER ON GELATI’S SCOOP:</span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><a href="http://gelatisscoop.blogspot.com/2011/04/guest-post-amy-faircloth-co-author-of_12.html">http://gelatisscoop.blogspot.com/2011/04/guest-post-amy-faircloth-co-author-of_12.html<span style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Arial; letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></a></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">APRIL 22, 2011 AMY AND JOANNE APPEARED ON THE GZONE, GIOVANNI GELATI’S INTERNET <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gelatisscoop/2011/04/22/joanne-lewis-co-author-of-wicked-good-stops-by"><span style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Arial; letter-spacing: 0px;">RADIO SHOW</span></a></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">MAY 24, 2011 JOANNE APPEARED ON INTERNET RADIO SHOW ALONGSIDE DR. STEPHEN SHORE, CO-AUTHOR OF UNDERSTANDING AUTISM FOR DUMMIES: <a href="http://www.Blogtalkradio.com/gelatisscoop/2011/05/24/joanne-lewis-dr-stephen-shore-are-my-guests?&utm_source=remail&utm_medium=listener"><span style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Arial; letter-spacing: 0px;">RADIO SHOW</span></a></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">JUNE 13, 2011 AMY AND JOANNE TO APPEAR ON BLOGTALK RADIO SHOW AUTHOR PANEL - AND IT’S ALSO OUR BROTHER WARREN’S BIRTHDAY!</span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">JULY 19, 2011 9:00 AM GUEST SPOT ON BLOGTALK RADIO.</span></div><div style="font: 36.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">VIDEOS</span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">VIEW VIDEO INSPIRED BY WICKED GOOD AT: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eKV0Yg_9M0&feature=channel_video_title"><span style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Arial; letter-spacing: 0px;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eKV0Yg_9M0&feature=channel_video_title</span></a></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></div><div style="font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px; min-height: 17.0px; text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 36.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">BOOK SIGNINGS/SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS</span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>MAY 20, 2011</b> AMY SPOKE ABOUT WICKED GOOD AND WRITING AT HAMPDEN ACADEMY (HAMPDEN, MAINE) TO MRS. FINDLEN’S HIGH SCHOOL WRITING CLASS</span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>JUNE 1, 2011</b> JOANNE WILL BE GUEST AT FORT LAUDERDALE BOOK GROUP THAT WILL BE DISCUSSING WICKED GOOD</span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>JULY 16, 2011 BOOK LAUNCH LUNCHEON </b>AT <a href="http://www.twouglysisters.com/Two_Ugly_Sisters/Home.html"><span style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Arial; letter-spacing: 0px;">11TH STREET ANNEX</span></a>, FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA. AMY AND JOANNE BOTH TO ATTEND. INFORMATION TO FOLLOW</span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>JULY 23, 2011 1:00 - 2:00 P.M.</b> AMY TO APPEAR AT BOOK SIGNING AT BOOKSTACKS BOOK STORE IN BUCKSPORT, MAINE</span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>JULY 25, 2011 - AUGUST 20, 2011</b> AMY AND JO TO TAKE PART IN BLOG BOOK TOUR</span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>AUGUST, 2011</b> BOOK SIGNING IN SOUTHERN PINES, NORTH CAROLINA IN CONJUNCTION WITH CHEF WARREN'S (OUR BROTHER'S RESTAURANT)</span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>OCTOBER 11, 2011 6:30PM</b> WICKED GOOD EVENT SPONSORED BY FLORIDA CENTER FOR THE BOOK AT THE BROWARD COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY, FORT LAUDERDALE</span></div><div style="font: 36.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">OTHER NOTEWORTHY EVENTS</span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>MARCH 25, 2011</b> WICKED GOOD BECAME AVAILABLE AS E-BOOK ON AMAZON FOR THE KINDLE, SEE BUY WICKED GOOD FOR INFORMATION</span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>APRIL 28, 2011</b> WICKED GOOD BECAME AVAILABLE AS AN E-BOOK ON BARNES & NOBLE FOR THE NOOK, SEE BUY WICKED GOOD FOR INFORMATION</span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>EVERY DAY</b>, AMY WILL BE VOLUNTEERING AT HUMANE SOCIETY</span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>APRIL 9, 2011</b> JOANNE & PHIL PARTICIPATED IN WALK FOR AUTISM AT NOVA UNIVERSITY IN DAVIE, FLORIDA</span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>MAY 1, 2011</b> AMY, RISA & GRIMBLEY PARTICIPATED IN WALK FOR AUTISM IN BANGOR, MAINE</span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>JUNE 15, 2011</b> WICKED GOOD WILL BE AVAILABLE AS HARDCOVER NOVEL </span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>NOVEMBER, 2011</b> COLLECTIBLE EDITION OF WICKED GOOD WILL BE RELEASED FOR THE HOLIDAYS TO INCLUDE CHAPTERS FROM WICKED WISE, THE SECOND NOVEL IN THE “WICKED” SERIES, A FOREWARD BY DR. DIANE ADREON OF CENTER FOR AUTISM AND RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT (IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI AND NOVA UNIVERSITY) AND OTHER AWESOME FEATURES</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>PLEASE CHECK OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.AMYANDJOANNE.COM </i></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>AS THIS LIST IS UPDATED FREQUENTLY.</i></span></div><div style="font: 36.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>Amy and Joanne are available for book signings, workshops, to appear at bookgroups and other appearances in person, via Skype or conference call. Contact us at </b><a href="mailto:amyandjoanne@gmail.com"><b>amyandjoanne@gmail.com</b></a><b> </b></span></div><div style="font: 36.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 36px/normal 'Helvetica Neue'; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Thanks to all our family, friends and fans. </span></b></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 36px/normal 'Helvetica Neue'; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">You are wicked awesome!!!</span></b></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 36px/normal 'Helvetica Neue'; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 36px/normal 'Helvetica Neue'; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Amy and Jo</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><br />
</b></span></div></div>Amy and Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09896708833216270059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094411571787204515.post-25735135745894773492011-05-20T16:03:00.000-04:002011-05-20T16:03:19.973-04:00Wicked Good - The Value Of That<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"> I spend a lot of my time trying to figure out how to get our novel <i>Wicked Good</i> into the hearts and minds of strangers. I know my friends and family will read the book, if they haven’t already done so. And I appreciate all of you more than I can properly express. But now that the hardcover is going to be released in less then one month – it’s time for <i>Wicked Good</i> to reach broader exposure. People who don’t know me or Amy. The question is – how?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I’ve read books and blogs on marketing novels. I’ve had in-depth conversations with my writing friends who have already published novels and are asking the same question as me. And I’ve taken all of the advice – almost.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I’m on Facebook. My friend Steven who is a writer on the verge of being published has over 3000 friends. He believes that once he gets the publishing contract step one of his marketing plan will be in place. My friend Michael, also a writer who will most likely be published one day, has 30 friends. His logic: I only want “real” friends. I see the value in both points of view. I try to friend new people weekly but I still cherish my “real” friends.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I’m on Twitter but I don’t really get it. It seems like people on Twitter just want to advertise something or someone or themselves. People tweet about this book or that product or this interview and then mix in a comment on the weather or what movie they’ve seen to make it look like they’re not really doing what everyone else is doing. But then my father asked me to explain the difference between Twitter and Tweeter. I explained that you tweet on Twitter not twit on Tweeter. We went on-line and I showed him. He said, follow Rex Ryan, the coach of the New York Jets; which I did. The next day, Rex Ryan followed me. As a lifelong Jet fan, I definitely see the value of that! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I’m on LinkedIn. I like that one. I posted a question recently seeking to find experts on Asperger’s syndrome who might want to write a testimonial for the back cover of Wicked Good. I received five referrals. None of them came through but I see the value of that.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Amy and I will be doing a blog tour. We will be having speaking engagements, readings and book signings. I will keep posting on our blog and updating our website. I will friend more friends on Facebook and continue to banter with my “real” friends on the social network. I will tweet occasionally, hoping that Rex Ryan is paying attention.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>And then I will spend in-person time with my friends like Michael and Steven. I will enjoy my family. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will write. I will play with my dog. I definitely see the value of that!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"> Jo</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"> Please visit our website at www.amyandjoanne.com</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><!--EndFragment--> </div>Amy and Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09896708833216270059noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094411571787204515.post-51910138400609699142011-05-15T07:48:00.001-04:002011-05-15T07:49:44.827-04:00Wicked Good - Did Sherlock Holmes have Asperger's syndrome?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt;"> In 1887, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle introduced the world to an isolated, socially-awkward and eccentric man named Sherlock Holmes. Under Conan Doyle’s pen, Holmes was obsessive and compulsive. He didn’t seem to have conversations but rather single-minded discourses. He had no friends other than the dedicated Watson.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt;"> Could it be, as others have suggested, that Holmes had Asperger’s syndrome?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt;"> As a writer, what interests me is how Conan Doyle created Holmes. Was he based on one person he knew or on a compilation of many? Conan Doyle was a doctor. Was the character of Holmes inspired by a patient of his or from an article he had read in a medical journal? Did Conan Doyle first describe Asperger’s syndrome more than fifty years before Hans Asperger, the Austrian physician, first reported on the syndrome? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt;"> I know there are a legion of Sherlock Holmes fans out there who can offer an opinion on Holmes’ diagnosis but whatever it may be – Sherlock Holmes appears to be the fore-runner to some modern day fictional scientists and doctors of TV fame, namely: House, Monk and (my favorite) Bones. Like Holmes, all appear to exhibit qualities associated with Asperger’s syndrome.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt;"><br />
</span></div></div>Amy and Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09896708833216270059noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094411571787204515.post-41305166827851659152011-05-08T08:44:00.001-04:002011-05-08T08:45:28.202-04:00Wicked Good - Happy Mother's Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As Rory would say: "I really really love you, Mom."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoIS-4kkr0syOWgpVqodrxaciulcVIXSNfHaq4SPZqZn_aSaTQnLT4Z2LKjp6YJlkEWsd5FBL5nhjsWAfHb_LnmFXcZUJkYJVYXxI3yNwLUm7V1ktu0GHOK-xZIMPsdDMJLs4EfUcjnAk/s1600/mail-121.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoIS-4kkr0syOWgpVqodrxaciulcVIXSNfHaq4SPZqZn_aSaTQnLT4Z2LKjp6YJlkEWsd5FBL5nhjsWAfHb_LnmFXcZUJkYJVYXxI3yNwLUm7V1ktu0GHOK-xZIMPsdDMJLs4EfUcjnAk/s1600/mail-121.jpeg" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Happy Mother's Day.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Amy and Jo. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
</div>Amy and Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09896708833216270059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094411571787204515.post-51747817342101550812011-05-05T14:40:00.000-04:002011-05-05T14:40:42.735-04:00Wicked Good - our first royalty check and other good news!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGRVsNpWCkJfu9stMxEGiozyf2jw-jnVZF4fQVXj2ecac0DmYnlBZzoHX9mMEZDpTXwThDzrcL54PCjpKbYmmSUM_VeOHFKte2ngVgPHXWDaa4su38N-aYQrsGK5S81Q9lju6gIpPYzdE/s1600/MAX_2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="107" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGRVsNpWCkJfu9stMxEGiozyf2jw-jnVZF4fQVXj2ecac0DmYnlBZzoHX9mMEZDpTXwThDzrcL54PCjpKbYmmSUM_VeOHFKte2ngVgPHXWDaa4su38N-aYQrsGK5S81Q9lju6gIpPYzdE/s320/MAX_2.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
This is our first royalty check as authors. It covers the one week we were published in the first quarter of 2011 (March 24 - March 31). It might not be much to deposit into our bank account but to us it's gazillions!<br />
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Other good news: We just learned from Trestle Press that the hardcover will be available on June 15, 2011 and will retail for $14.95. Trestle Press is also planning a collectible edition of Wicked Good to be released in November, 2011. The collectible edition will retail for $25.00 and will include chapters of Wicked Wise (the second book in the "Wicked" series), a foreward by a renowned doctor in the field of Autism, and other wicked good features.<br />
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Please check out our website at www.amyandjoanne.com. I designed it. If you have any thoughts about how to improve it, please let me know and I'll do my best to incorporate your ideas.<br />
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Thanks, as always.<br />
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Jo</div>Amy and Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09896708833216270059noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094411571787204515.post-62663008368310240042011-04-30T12:49:00.004-04:002011-04-30T12:57:47.179-04:00Wicked Good - finally on the Barnes & Noble Nook<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><br />
<div>Hi Everyone - </div><div><br />
</div><div> As an update, We have entered the next phase of the publishing of our novel, WICKED GOOD. WICKED GOOD has been selling well on Amazon for the Kindle. Here is the link:<br />
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<span style="color: #3333ff;"> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004TSC8D6?tag=thefict-20&camp=213761&creative=393545&linkCode=bpl&creativeASIN=B004TSC8D6&adid=0G4JJZNT2EEYT1R1914Q&" style="color: #0000cc;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Wicked Good</span></a></span></div><div><br />
</div><div> And, finally - after resolving some issues involving the cover art (ironically, the photo of the book cover is still not up), WICKED GOOD is now available on the Barnes & Noble Nook. Here is the link:</div><div><table align="left" border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-collapse: collapse; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; margin-left: 6pt; margin-right: 6pt;"><tbody>
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<span style="color: #434343; font-family: Arial;"><b><span style="color: #0000cb;"><a href="http://portal.barnesandnoble.com/TellAFriend/Response.asp?pageurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.barnesandnoble.com%2fwicked-good%2fjoanne-lewis%2fe%2f2940011261725%2f%3fitm%3d1%26usri%3dwicked%2bgood%2blewis%23tabs&code=2570540&sourceid=B000000004" style="color: #0000cc;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Wicked Good</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: #434343; font-family: Arial;"><b><span style="color: #0000cb;"><br />
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</div><div> We have been told by our publisher that WICKED GOOD will be available on other e-readers soon. And, we're still on target for WICKED GOOD to be released as a hardcover in mid-June.</div><div><br />
</div><div> Thank you so much to everyone for your support and good wishes regarding WICKED GOOD. The response has been overwhelming. We are thrilled. Here is an of excerpt of a review we just received from a mother with an autistic child: </div><div><div style="color: #009192; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Verdana; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="color: #009192; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Verdana; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I can not tell you how much I identified with Archer and how much I </span></i><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">enjoyed Wicked Good</span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. The book was so well written </span></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">that I felt Rory’s and Archer’s pain and frustrations. Each of the main characters had a substantial story, even Wayne’s </span></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">detached, unconnected and unrealistic view of raising a child with special needs was a story in itself. </span></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Wicked Good is a great book for all readers but especially for parents. Those trials and tribulations which do not kill </span></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">us...make us stronger. </span></i></div><div style="color: #009192; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Verdana; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </i></div><div style="color: #009192; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Verdana; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></i><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Our website is finished. If you want to check it out, please go to </span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><a href="http://www.amyandjoanne.com/" style="color: #0000cc;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">www.amyandjoanne.com</span></a></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> If you have read and liked WICKED GOOD, please leave a 5 star review on Amazon and/or Barnes & Noble. Apparently, the reviews are very helpful for people to notice the novel and, hopefully, read it. And thanks to those who have already left reviews. We really appreciate all of you.</span></span></div><div style="color: #009192; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Verdana; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div style="color: #009192; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Verdana; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Thanks again for your support of WICKED GOOD. </span></span></div><div style="color: #009192; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Verdana; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div style="color: #009192; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Verdana; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Amy and Jo</span></span></div><div style="color: #009192; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Verdana; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitV_JE7VF0C2amAj9oDewV1s42IPm38OXCn5phnDoKhKVqyK-UZ3ATDMpS92q51H2jgBT6w_Ef0T4YekeED-fqR1RdLRrKPw_VdOB3UQgFjsfbsKh8Z34ksGF-G153EoW1yn1MVM95taE/s1600/BC11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitV_JE7VF0C2amAj9oDewV1s42IPm38OXCn5phnDoKhKVqyK-UZ3ATDMpS92q51H2jgBT6w_Ef0T4YekeED-fqR1RdLRrKPw_VdOB3UQgFjsfbsKh8Z34ksGF-G153EoW1yn1MVM95taE/s320/BC11.jpg" width="175" /></span></a></div><div style="color: #009192; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Verdana; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span></div></div></div>Amy and Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09896708833216270059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094411571787204515.post-75321882081420200862011-04-25T21:29:00.000-04:002011-04-25T21:29:39.302-04:00Wicked Good - Author photo<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Our publisher asked for our author photo today since they are starting pre-production on the hardcover of Wicked Good. So, here it is. Our author photo for the back of Wicked Good. Drum roll, please.......<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg12wB_MzSsFWeoE0tDXJKa0Mh99svAysgg61Ck25opj9RMiy2Vq4FJ6zrIveyIa7b5rGgwxJGUd5bZDwu_8tAZiuRc2e94JpFT2fNEgtyoXCMg3XFfIkbr8MAm5IlQemjBWpkRhMqi6k/s1600/Amy+and+Jo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg12wB_MzSsFWeoE0tDXJKa0Mh99svAysgg61Ck25opj9RMiy2Vq4FJ6zrIveyIa7b5rGgwxJGUd5bZDwu_8tAZiuRc2e94JpFT2fNEgtyoXCMg3XFfIkbr8MAm5IlQemjBWpkRhMqi6k/s320/Amy+and+Jo.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
We hope you like it.<br />
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Amy and Jo</div>Amy and Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09896708833216270059noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094411571787204515.post-35882167525581963082011-04-22T10:11:00.002-04:002011-04-23T19:22:07.094-04:00Wicked Good - Amy and Jo did a guest blog talk radio spot<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gelatisscoop/2011/04/22/joanne-lewis-co-author-of-wicked-good-stops-by?sms_ss=blogger&at_xt=4db18c6bac3adea7%2C1">Joanne Lewis co-author of Wicked Good stops by. 04/22 by GelatisScoop | Blog Talk Radio</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcPi9HwY2cwfag85W7geDft0UNxUbsCLmOs22eOshBVcNy_YZpkQ7-eEXt_8TXFsdt27xO_IMyDmo1FQfNWEedx5VbpmpUZx2yuWV-B85bhJKQ20eQqtD3cyqxf3aHiwJJFeP7w_tdTrE/s1600/images-20.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcPi9HwY2cwfag85W7geDft0UNxUbsCLmOs22eOshBVcNy_YZpkQ7-eEXt_8TXFsdt27xO_IMyDmo1FQfNWEedx5VbpmpUZx2yuWV-B85bhJKQ20eQqtD3cyqxf3aHiwJJFeP7w_tdTrE/s400/images-20.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
</div>Amy and Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09896708833216270059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094411571787204515.post-28823571667721212832011-04-20T14:49:00.000-04:002011-04-20T14:49:51.632-04:00Wicked Good - The Beaning Ceremony - Part Three of Three - It's All Wicked Good<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Wicked Good – The Beaning Ceremony<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Part Three of Three<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">It’s All Wicked Good<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Amy and I are receiving bean #30 in Joyce’s class tomorrow night. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Here are some fun stats related to Joyce’s classes:<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br />
</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The Thursday class has been going for 15 years and has received 20 of the beans. This is my class.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The Wednesday class is 8 years old and has 6 beans.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The Tuesday group is almost 3 years old and has no beans.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Other writers not in one of the groups – 4 beans.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Here is the breakdown of beans by genre:<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br />
</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Young Adult: 11<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Picture book: 6<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Non fiction: 5<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>General fiction/mystery (Wicked Good falls into general fiction category): 2 – this includes Wicked Good.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Middle Grade: 1<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Poetry: 3<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Other categories: 2<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>There are only 10 beans left from the pods originally brought here from Costa Rica. Luckily, Joyce has a “source” in South America to get more. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Amy and I are thrilled to be co-beaned. It’s all Wicked Good.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Wicked Good</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> is a novel written by co-authors Amy Faircloth Lewis and Joanne Lewis. Wicked Good is available for the Kindle on Amazon </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">(</span></b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004TSC8D6?tag=thefict-20&camp=213761&creative=393545&linkCode=bpl&creativeASIN=B004TSC8D6&adid=0G4JJZNT2EEYT1R1914Q&"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Wicked Good</span></b></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman \(Arabic\)"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">)</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">, </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">for other e-readers soon and as a hardcover in June.</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnjg2wRqp_ZVJj5nIyrhqEdymZ_umPsL1X_ylgLjNp-le4GPnlsy0QKyM67yykMWewqbVS0I3Nw1eqx6AEK-8XJGzbMGgTdigu3YigaI6igoLzN2-U0o-V8vTQg_T709KzFe3LSOFZ1E0/s1600/BC11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnjg2wRqp_ZVJj5nIyrhqEdymZ_umPsL1X_ylgLjNp-le4GPnlsy0QKyM67yykMWewqbVS0I3Nw1eqx6AEK-8XJGzbMGgTdigu3YigaI6igoLzN2-U0o-V8vTQg_T709KzFe3LSOFZ1E0/s320/BC11.jpg" width="175" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></b></div><!--EndFragment--> </div>Amy and Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09896708833216270059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094411571787204515.post-82571625150761603402011-04-18T17:13:00.000-04:002011-04-18T17:13:22.875-04:00Wicked Good - The Beaning Ceremony - Part Two of Three<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Wicked Good – The Beaning Ceremony<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Part Two of Three<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Don’t Blink – You’ll Miss It<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>One of Joyce’s students and a writer whose novels feature deeply complicated and downright terrorizing plotlines returned from Costa Rica with pods from the Guanacaste tree (www.heidiboehringer.com). The Guanacaste, also known as the CaroCaro or Elephant Ear tree, is a flowering tree in the pea family. Small, green pods appear around December and stay until flowering season begins in March. She brought home two pods and gave them to Joyce who discovered there were approximately twenty beans in each. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>On the eve of Joyce’s first writing student being published 15 years ago, Joyce was trying to figure out the exact way to mark this wonderful achievement. Getting published was the goal of all the writers under her tutelage and there had to be a unique way to acknowledge this rite of passage. A trophy ala the Oscars or Emmys? A certificate of achievment? Flowers and balloons? No, no and no. Not original enough. Joyce looked at the beans in front of her and like Jack and his beans that became a stalk which grew into the clouds, she knew they were magical. And she knew there was only one way to mark the wondrous accomplishment for each writer of finally getting published. The tradition of the beaning ceremony was born.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I’ve attended a few beaning ceremonies over the years. Everyone gathers at the start of the Thursday night class. Congratulations fly around the room to the soon-to-be beaned author. Those unpublished wonder when it will be their turn to receive a bean. Everyone is genuinely happy for the newly published author as we all know how hard the journey is from blank page to the bookshelves. Joyce sits at the head of the table and takes out a native American looking rattle and hands it to the person she believes will be the next to be offered a publishing contract. That person shakes the rattle. Joyce walks to the person being beaned and hands her the bean. Everyone claps. Joyce sits down and announces who will be the first to read that night. The ceremony has ended.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Don’t blink – you’ll miss it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Five years after attending my first Thursday night writing workshop with Joyce Sweeney, I am finally receiving a bean. The beaning will be on Thursday, April 21<sup>st</sup>. I am not getting the bean for the murder mystery I was writing when I first attended Sleuthfest and met Deborah Sharp who suggested I join Joyce’s writing group. That novel is still being shopped by my agent. I am receiving a bean for something even better, something I would have never imagined when I was first accepted into Joyce’s group – for the publishing of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wicked Good</i>, a novel I wrote with my sister, Amy.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Coming Wednesday, April 20th: Part Three of The Beaning Ceremony, It’s All Wicked Good.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Wicked Good</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> is a novel written by co-authors Amy Faircloth Lewis and Joanne Lewis. Wicked Good is available for the Kindle on Amazon </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">(</span></b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004TSC8D6?tag=thefict-20&camp=213761&creative=393545&linkCode=bpl&creativeASIN=B004TSC8D6&adid=0G4JJZNT2EEYT1R1914Q&"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Wicked Good</span></b></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman \(Arabic\)"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">)</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">, </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">for other e-readers soon and as a hardcover in June.</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD_JDcC88mMJKwk7cy9shJ1zYfDHh217H53o-CBKyVjDVr4YWv1QzeYMUnHazEolBe_mPlu8gFtQiShQEZHJoQGr6xOcmXUFaYGDZZmVicvKWLA2WvwVDG5CkZyMJAIva7235c7832-4I/s1600/LewisJ-PC-WG-front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD_JDcC88mMJKwk7cy9shJ1zYfDHh217H53o-CBKyVjDVr4YWv1QzeYMUnHazEolBe_mPlu8gFtQiShQEZHJoQGr6xOcmXUFaYGDZZmVicvKWLA2WvwVDG5CkZyMJAIva7235c7832-4I/s320/LewisJ-PC-WG-front.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></b></div><!--EndFragment--> </div>Amy and Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09896708833216270059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094411571787204515.post-7124389006215730072011-04-16T18:51:00.001-04:002011-04-16T19:29:54.548-04:00Wicked Good - The Beaning Ceremony - Part One of Three<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;">Wicked Good – The Beaning Ceremony<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;">Part One of Three<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;">Invitation Only<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"> There are many traditions in Fort Lauderdale. Snow-less Christmas. Transplanted northeasterners. Fickle sports fans. Snowbirds. And, Joyce Sweeney’s Beaning Ceremony.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"> Let me start from the beginning. It was 2006 and I was attending Sleuthfest, a spectacular writing conference put on each year by the South Florida chapter of Mystery Writer’s of America (Sleuthfest is also a tradition). I was working on a murder mystery and at the conference I met Deborah Sharp, (</span><a href="http://www.deborahsharp.com/"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;">www.deborahsharp.com</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;">), author of the cozy <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mama</i> series. Deb, a retired USA Today reporter, took me under her writing wing and suggested I join Joyce Sweeney’s Thursday night writing workshop group (</span><a href="http://www.joycesweeney.com/"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;">www.joycesweeney.com</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;">).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"> “What’s a writing workshop?” I asked Deb, daring to sound stupid.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"> “Published and unpublished writers read about fifteen pages of their work to the group and get critiqued.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"> “Sounds scary.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"> “It is at first but, trust me, it’s worth it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"> Those words <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">trust me</i> coming from an author whose books have featured poisoned chili, a dead body in the trunk of a convertible and a murdered wedding caterer made me nervous. But, trust her I did.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"> “Oh,” Deb added, “Joyce only accepts writers by invitation.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"> I exhaled forcefully. Why did every step of the writing process seem to involve another test? But, like all stubborn writers, I plowed forward. I sent a writing sample to Joyce and waited. Would I be accepted into the upper echelons of the Fort Lauderdale writing scene? Or was Deb setting me up, trying to get the plot for her next novel? <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Writer worries herself to death.</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"> Soon, I received an e-mail from Joyce. I was in! I was ecstatic and petrified. Fifteen pages in hand, I attended the first Thursday night group and was immediately welcomed by Joyce’s band of merry and eclectic authors. It seemed like all types of people were represented in the group. The affable tenth grade teacher who writes young adult novels. The wise poetess stricken by polio when she was young who whirrs into the workshop in a power chair (<a href="http://www.BrendaSerotte.com/">www.BrendaSerotte.com</a>). The Sun Sentinel reporter whose novels are edged with tension like a steamy Florida night. And the yacht chef who writes memoirs peppered with recipes and brings dessert to each group meeting (</span><a href="http://www.victoriaallman.com/"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;">www.victoriaallman.com</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;">). <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"> I didn’t read that first night but I did learn about the beaning ceremony. The beaning ceremony began in 1996 as a way to honor the first of Joyce’s steeds who went from unpublished to published. On that first Thursday night in Joyce’s class, I knew that was my goal. I wanted to be beaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"> Coming Monday, April 18<sup>th</sup>: Part Two of The Beaning Ceremony, Don’t Blink – You’ll Miss It.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;">Wicked Good</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"> is a novel written by co-authors Amy Faircloth Lewis and Joanne Lewis. Wicked Good is available for the Kindle on Amazon </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16pt;">(</span></b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004TSC8D6?tag=thefict-20&camp=213761&creative=393545&linkCode=bpl&creativeASIN=B004TSC8D6&adid=0G4JJZNT2EEYT1R1914Q&"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt;">Wicked Good</span></b></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt;">)</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt;">, </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;">for other e-readers soon and as a hardcover in June.</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCwkTqqmFfnKPcZ9P3M5ZXZfuiYWsem__0DbsVVW8VjfiO2qyhW6ClnkF5PFRmE2v48zldlL3XEN121yxsDSIEAEqUXCX0_Z-wrErgBtZM23Bp-PkbZECuh9RbVN_T68Y4IsTmMiLZ2xg/s1600/BC11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCwkTqqmFfnKPcZ9P3M5ZXZfuiYWsem__0DbsVVW8VjfiO2qyhW6ClnkF5PFRmE2v48zldlL3XEN121yxsDSIEAEqUXCX0_Z-wrErgBtZM23Bp-PkbZECuh9RbVN_T68Y4IsTmMiLZ2xg/s320/BC11.jpg" width="175" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"><br />
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</div></div>Amy and Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09896708833216270059noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094411571787204515.post-55477725552192183052011-04-13T07:23:00.001-04:002011-04-13T07:23:56.215-04:00Wicked Good - Amy's Guest Post Blog<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Here is the link to Amy's guest post blog:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://gelatisscoop.blogspot.com/2011/04/guest-post-amy-faircloth-co-author-of_12.html">http://gelatisscoop.blogspot.com/2011/04/guest-post-amy-faircloth-co-author-of_12.html</a></div>Amy and Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09896708833216270059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094411571787204515.post-25407115764786865032011-04-11T15:24:00.000-04:002011-04-11T15:24:36.413-04:00Wicked Good - Jo's Guest Blog Post<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Hi Everyone,<br />
<br />
I am a guest poster/blogger (not sure of the proper term here) on the Gelati Scoop blog. Amy will be the guest poster/blogger tomorrow. Here is the link:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://gelatisscoop.blogspot.com/2011/04/guest-post-amy-faircloth-co-author-of.html" style="color: #0000cc;" target="_blank">http://gelatisscoop.blogspot.<wbr></wbr>com/2011/04/guest-post-amy-<wbr></wbr>faircloth-co-author-of.html</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"> I'll post Amy's link on Wednesday. Enjoy.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Jo</div></div>Amy and Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09896708833216270059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094411571787204515.post-6517142132511192762011-04-08T17:55:00.002-04:002011-04-08T17:55:10.170-04:00Wicked Good - Update<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">Hi Everyone. Just wanted to give you a few updates on Wicked Good.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The big news is that we learned from our publisher, Trestle Press, that Wicked Good will be released as a hardcover in June.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amy and I are busy calling photographers to find out about getting a professional photo done for the back cover. We have to step things up if we’re going to compete with the big authors. We’ve already decided not to use the photographer who said she can’t remove blemishes.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We have launched our website at <a href="http://www.amyandjoanne.com/">www.amyandjoanne.com</a>. I designed it so please feel free to offer any comments on how the website can be improved. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Wicked Good is selling very well on Amazon for the Kindle, Kindle for Iphone, Ipad, Mac, Blackberry and Android. We are still waiting for Wicked Good to be available on other e-readers such as the SONY e-reader and the Barnes and Noble NOOK. I have been keeping a list of all the SONY and NOOK users so I’ll let you all know when Wicked Good is ready for downloading on your e-readers.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Amy and I have been asked to do guest posts on the Gelati Scoop blog. Giovanni Gelati has a very popular blog and internet radio show. When I tried to friend him on Facebook I was denied since he already has 5000 friends. And was that really Catherine Zeta Jones I saw as one of his friends? We'll let you know when our guest posts are posted.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">On April 22nd, Amy and I are going to be guests on Gelati's internet radio show. We'll keep you updated on that.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We’ve ordered bookmarks. If you want some and need me to mail them to you, let me know. This is what they look like:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_bbsoPiO1BP2RtR9SApJgsaRDPN10Da81EUUoqcvDnB0wkZ9VPjApvXGGbzLWBheFllE0ULs17X-4nSqNa_dS9SNXj3q2CiczqrGsX70W9H0V-jR_lqiLt4IVsXK7nwPr8SsrvBQ1mw/s1600/LewisJ-BM-WG-front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_bbsoPiO1BP2RtR9SApJgsaRDPN10Da81EUUoqcvDnB0wkZ9VPjApvXGGbzLWBheFllE0ULs17X-4nSqNa_dS9SNXj3q2CiczqrGsX70W9H0V-jR_lqiLt4IVsXK7nwPr8SsrvBQ1mw/s320/LewisJ-BM-WG-front.jpg" width="83" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihnFzAr42AWAzzq_sWr-zcpDtMYQA5eDmgxkWH0XJachLvIpqI9zBCm3sX_tvb6gA2bg_zU1-WRQZvJV6rfzggD-xZBeM_ATPBQL9CaJ4Bk3nK_NY3LWKaDKhoyIAi8tPEiLa-Nn9PpL8/s1600/LewisJ-BM-WG-back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihnFzAr42AWAzzq_sWr-zcpDtMYQA5eDmgxkWH0XJachLvIpqI9zBCm3sX_tvb6gA2bg_zU1-WRQZvJV6rfzggD-xZBeM_ATPBQL9CaJ4Bk3nK_NY3LWKaDKhoyIAi8tPEiLa-Nn9PpL8/s320/LewisJ-BM-WG-back.jpg" width="80" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">We have our first book group request. It’s for a book group in Florida in June so only I will be able to go. Amy and I hope to get Wicked Good out to many different book groups all over the world. We will also be setting up book signings in Florida, Maine and hopefully other locations too.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">Finally, we are about a quarter of the way through the first draft of Wicked Wise, the second book in the Wicked Series. Wicked Wise takes Archer and Rory to Boston which is great for me. Road trip!! The third book may have to be called Wicked Waikiki.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">Please continue to recommend Wicked Good to your friends and family. And if you haven’t done so yet, please write a 5 star review for Wicked Good on Amazon. Go to www.amazon.com and search Wicked Good Lewis or Wicked Good Faircloth, click on the reviews and then write your own review. Don't forget to give us 5 stars. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">That’s it for now, my friends. Thanks as always for your support of Wicked Good.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">Jo</span></div><!--EndFragment--> </div>Amy and Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09896708833216270059noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094411571787204515.post-20609051040390254382011-04-06T10:51:00.002-04:002011-04-06T10:51:49.629-04:00Wicked Good - we made our first top 20 list.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><!--StartFragment--> <br />
<h1>The Gelati’s Scoop/The G-ZONE Top 20 novels of the 1<sup>st</sup> quarter of this year 2011<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"> </span></h1><div class="MsoNormal">Hi, everybody! I have put together my top 20 picks of novels for so far this year. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">1. Harlan Coben-Live Wire</div><div class="MsoNormal">2. John Locke- Everything the guy has done: Donovan Creed to Follow the Stone. This is must read stuff!</div><div class="MsoNormal">3. Layton Green- The Summoners- $.99 of kick#$%</div><div class="MsoNormal">4.Lee Goldberg-Mr. Monk on the Road- This is probably the man’s best work with this character!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">5. Amy Faircloth/Joanne Lewis- Wicked Good- An amazingly intense read, captivating, it will make you cry, laugh, smile and inspire you. Do not pass this up!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal">6. James Patterson- Tick.Tock- I am a sucker for the main character.</div><div class="MsoNormal">7. Blake Crouch –Run-This is one of the reasons I am enjoying Horror more, great author, excellent writing.</div><div class="MsoNormal">8. Robert Crais- The Sentry- Joe Pike,need I say more?</div><div class="MsoNormal">9 .B.R. Stateham- Death of a Young Lieutenant- so well written that the WWI theme will not be a factor, but a bonus. This guy can write period. If you looking to discover a versatile author look no further!</div><div class="MsoNormal">10. Jason McIntyre- Thalo Blue- I believe I wrote something like this story into my brain pan and wouldn’t leave it. Freak show of fun, download this novel.</div><div class="MsoNormal">11.Suzanne Woods Fisher- The Search –An Amish novel ,you bet, it rocks, but Plain Folk style. Nice lady also, she was an awesome guest in The G-ZONE.</div><div class="MsoNormal">12. Preston/Child- Gideon’s Sword- I just fell in love with the character, good stuff, nice read.</div><div class="MsoNormal">13.Irene Hannon- Fatal Judgment- New series for her, same awesome quality in a novel.</div><div class="MsoNormal">14. Laurie Bowler- The Depths of Darkness- are you a vampire freak, this one is for you.Plenty of blood and romance for all.</div><div class="MsoNormal">15.Alex Berenson- The Secret Soldier- One of my favorite characters by an awesome author.</div><div class="MsoNormal">16. Brad Meltzer- The Inner Circle- what a conspiracy in the Nation’s Capital, do tell? Well he did and it was fun,if you haven’t tried it don’t hesitate.</div><div class="MsoNormal">17.Beth Groundwater- Deadly Currents- what you ask ,a tall Italian guy in raging white water? Why not, it sounds fun. </div><div class="MsoNormal">18.Siabello Giorello- The Mountains Bow Down- I thought I would give them a chance before I kicked them down like other tall buidings I have. Good novel.</div><div class="MsoNormal">19. J.E. Seymour- Lead Poisoning-<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This has nothing to do with a number 2 pencil, just thought I would clue you in.</div><div class="MsoNormal">20. Joanne Thompson- Stars Collide- you know anytime that your daughter takes a book from you and doen’t give it back it is a keeper.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><!--EndFragment--> </div>Amy and Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09896708833216270059noreply@blogger.com0