Category Archives: Past Author Tours

Dodie Katague, Author of Cloyne Court : On Tour

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This post was most recently updated on January 22nd, 2012

Publisher: Three Clover Press

Category: Fictionalized Memoir, Literary, Coming of Age
Date: December, 2009
Format: Paper & Kindle, 328 Pages

In 1977, when 18-year-old Berkeley college student, Derek moved into the student residence co-op, Cloyne Court, sight unseen, little did he know he would learn about life, love, sex, drugs, music, alcohol and co-ed showers—all on the first day.
Located one block North of the University of California, Berkeley campus, this real and notorious student-run house has provided an alternative, counter-culture, hedonistic, raucous, and unique living experience for the “Clones”, as the students call themselves, who choose to live here each year, despite the public and parents calling for a permanent shut down of this enduring and historic building.
Based on his journals and memories of his college days at this real-life “Animal House”, author, Dodie Katague weaves true events of life at Cloyne Court co-op into a zany, wild, and nostalgic story about the carefree time of every college student’s life.
“Sure to entertain any of those who enjoy a good story of the world of the fraternities and sororities. ” Cloyne Court” is a fine memoir and a read well worth considering.” Midwest Book Review
“If you like the movie Animal House, and have any interest in the going-ons of College in the 70s, or Berkeley in particular, you’re also going to love this book. Get it, read it slowly, and enjoy!“-S. Davidian, Amazon Reviewer
“I found this book to be an AMAZING, page turning read.  The rich story is very much worth it  and leaves you dreaming of college days, and thinking about taking a drive to Berkeley to see the real Cloyne Court.“-L. Couture, Amazon Reviewer

“I wish I had as much fun as Derek did in college, I recommend this book for anyone that has gone to college, or plans to go to college, or thought about going to college. Also for anyone who knows someone who went to college, because that buttoned up shirt wearing respectable man might have some stories to tell“-Genoa Dillon, Amazon Reviewer
“Sex, Betrayal, Drugs, Rock and Roll, nudist, co-ed showers, and the politics of the house make for a novel that has to be read.I loved this book.“-Lori Cianfichi, Amazon Reviewer

About Dodie Katague:
Dodie Katague lived at Cloyne Court from 1977-79, while attending the University of California, Berkeley.  He is an attorney and lives with his wife and family in Walnut Creek, California.
Dodie’s Website. 
Tour Dates:
Babs Book Bistro Nov.1 & Nov. 2
Reviews by Lola Nov . 3
Jasmyn’s Stuff Nov. 4
RJ Does Books Nov. 7 & Nov. 8
Let’s Book It Nov. 9
Dragons Den Nov. 10 & Nov. 11
Between the CoversNov. 14
Ramblings of a Daydreamer Nov17th
Housewife Blues & Chihuahua StoriesNov.21 & GP Nov. 22
Booksies Blog Nov. 23
Mad Moose MamaNov. 23 & 24
The Phantom Paragrapher Nov. 24
Curious Book Fans Nov. 25
Book Spark Nov. 25
From the TBR PileNov. 28
Reviews by Molly Nov. 29
Books and Quilts Nov 29
Reading, Reading & LifeNov. 30

Alon Shalev, Author of The Accidental Activist: On Tour

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This post was most recently updated on January 22nd, 2012

Publisher: Three Clover Press

Date: November, 2010
Genre: Literary Fiction, Legal/ Political Thriller, Romance
Format: Paper & Kindle, 272 Pages

The Accidental Activist is a political courtroom confrontation between a multinational corporation and two young activists who manage to defend themselves using a new and emerging tool – the Internet.
 The Accidental Activist is a fictional account that closely parallels the famous McDonalds libel case, which captivated England through the 1990’s.  But it is also the transformation of a self-absorbed computer yuppie, motivated to act first by love and then by a belief in a better world.
The world can be changed, one megapixel at a time!
 “Focused on the real events of a libel case against McDonalds in the 1990s in London, “The Accidental Activist” uses reality to enrich the fiction and leads to a very entertaining read that pulls no punches or censors no events.”- Midwest Book Review
“Classic underdog story mixed with romantic pursuit – a wonderfully suspenseful battle against The Machine. I also love British humor (any humor really), so I was delighted with the dialogue and narration. I highly recommend the book for anyone interested in activism, romance, England, computers, oil companies, oil spills, libel, court cases and life in general. It’s got something for everyone. I inhaled it in about two days and begrudgingly put it down to work, eat and sleep.“- Elizabeth Pinio, Amazon.com Review
 “I found this novel to be a stellar retelling of a true story. Inspired by the little guys taking on Big Corporation, giving it a different setting only serves to prove that the issue at hand is a universal one. Alon Shalev is an author who sets out to get the world thinking about the environment around them, one reader at a time. Am eagerly awaiting his next release. It was an easy read, great story flow and captivating throughout.”– Kymberlie “Gadget Junkie”, Amazon.com Review  
“Even though this book is fiction, it is based on a true story. It reads like a novel; it is engaging, we watch as the characters develop, and the ending is not obvious. It makes me curious to know the real story. It is clear that Mr. Shalev has researched his topic well. Can’t wait to read more of his work.”– Anne Lustig, Amazon.com Review
 “… a remarkable read because it is based on a court case that has happened and will most likely happen again.  The advent of the Internet as a tool for the individual to make a difference is a powerful and inspirational message.”-Robert Dugoni, Author of The Jury Master, The Cyanide Canary and Damage Control.

About Alon Shalev:

Alon Shalev has been a political activist since his early teens and believes that fiction can help create a better world. Shalev strives through his writing to highlight social and political injustice and to inspire action for change. A consistent theme that runs through Shalev’s novels is his characters’ capacity to become empowered to help create a better and more just world.
His novels, the latest being The Accidental Activist, all highlight a social injustice and provides everyday characters who discover that they can help make a difference. Shalev writes regularly for the popular blog Left Coast Voices at http://www.leftcoastvoices.com/ and facilitates the Berkeley Writer’s Group.
Alon’s Website.
Tour Dates:
 Me and reading Nov. 1 &  Nov. 2
alchemyofscrawl  Nov.3            
Books and Things  Nov. 4                    
Bound & Determined Nov. 7 & Nov. 8
Words I Write Crazy Nov. 9                   
Let’s Book It Nov.10 & Nov. 11
Butterfly-o-meter Books Nov. 14            
Alternate Readality Nov. 15                  
Book Spark Nov. 15
She Treads Softly Nov. 16 &Nov. 17th 

PopcornReads.com Nov. 18     
Ex Libris Nov. 21
So Many Precious Books Nov. 22         
Southern Fiber Reads Nov. 23 & Nov. 24
Books: Cheapest Vacation  Nov.25       
RAINY DAYS AND MONDAYS Nov. 28 & Nov. 29
Reviews By Molly Nov. 30                    

Christopher Meeks, Author of Love At Absolute Zero

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This post was most recently updated on January 22nd, 2012

Description of Love at Absolute Zero:

Publisher:White Whisker Books
Date: September 17, 2011
Genre: Literary Fiction with a Twist
Format: Paper & Kindle, 311 Pages

Love At Absolute Zero is the story of Gunnar Gunderson, a 32-year-old physicist at the University of Wisconsin. The moment he’s given tenure at the university, he can only think of one thing: finding a wife. This causes his research to falter. With his two partners, Gunnar is in a race against MIT to create new forms of matter called Bose-Einstein condensates, which exist only near absolute zero. To meet his soul mate within three days–that’s what he wants and all time he can carve out–he and his team are using the scientific method, to riotous results.

“The scene where Gunnar participated in a speed dating session was worth the price of the book. It was painfully funny.   I was skeptical of the idea of incorporating a complex subject like quantum physics into a love story that would be both readable and enjoyable, but the author hit a home run. It’s a very good story, very well told. “-Jim Chambers of  Red Adept Reviews
“While Meeks is, in fact, doing new things with this novel (as all artists must!), he’s also allowing his natural talents to shine through by focusing on that which makes his other works especially gratifying –  the quest for love, the quest for self-knowledge, and the quest for personal fulfillment.  As engaging as it is amusing, Love at Absolute Zero is, ultimately, a heartfelt study of the tension between the head and heart, science and emotion, calculation and chance.” – Small Press Reviews
“It is a given, now, that Christopher Meeks is a master craftsman as a writer. What surprises us in this novel is just how much research he’s done to get the scientific part of it right. Where does all of this passionate knowledge of physics lie, knowledge that allows him to write so comfortably, opening every chapter with a scientific quote, that we novices stay on board with him? It is a gift—and one of the many that continue to emerge from the pen and mind and brilliant trait for finding the humor in life that makes him so genuinely fine a writer. The magical thing is that Meeks makes us really care about this strange bright naive nerd.”– Grady Harp (Top Ten on Amazon)
“I’ve read both of Meeks’s short story collections and The Brightest Moon of the Century. I roared through Love at Absolute Zero in a day and a half. Meeks’s prose is carefully crafted, his characters compelling and entertaining. I love everything he writes, and I recommend Love at Absolute Zero without reservation.”–
author,  Kevin Gerard (Conor and the Crossworlds)
“Fortunately, the author has such technical control over his material that the reader does not share the same misery index with the main character as Gunnar bounces down a difficult path to ultimate happiness. It’s a great read.” –author,  Philip Persinger  (Do the Math)

About Christoper Meeks:

Christopher Meeks began as a playwright and has had three plays produced. Who Lives? A Drama is published. His short stories have been published in Rosebud, The Clackamas Literary Review, The Santa Barbara Review, The Southern California Anthology, The Gander Review, and other journals and are available in two collections, The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea and Months and Seasons. He has two novels, The Brightest Moon of the Century, a story that Marc Schuster of Small Press Reviews describes as “a great and truly humane novel in the tradition of Charles Dickens and John Irving,” and his new comic novel, Love At Absolute Zero.

Christopher’s Website.

Please note, Love at Absolute Zero will be on sale in ebook form for only .99 cent for the duration of the tour at Amazon and  Barnes and Noble.

Tour Dates:

Raging Bibliomania                   Sept. 12th        
Alive on the Shelves                  Sept 13            
Book Briefs                              Sept. 14 & Sept. 15
Booksie’s Blog                         Sept. 16           
A Casual Reader’s Blog            Sept.19 & Sept 20
She Treads Softly                     Sept. 21 & Sept 22
This Miss Loves to Read           Sept. 22           
From the TBR Pile                    Sept 23     
Butterfly-O-Meter Books         Sept.26  &  Sept. 27
So Many Precious Books, So Little Time! Sept 27   
The Book Addict                      Sept 28th & Sept 29th
Lit Endeavors                          Sept. 30           
Books and Needlepoint           Oct. 5              
My Bookshelf                          Oct 6 & Oct. 7
Laurie’s Thoughts and ReviewsOct.7 & Oct. 10
Gabriel Reads                         Oct. 10 & Oct. 11
Dan’s Journal                          Oct. 11 & Oct. 12
Words I Write Crazy                Oct. 12            
Ramblings of a Daydreamer     Oct. 13 & Oct. 14
Drey’s Library                  Oct. 14         

Bobbie Pyron, Author of A Dog’s Way Home is on Tour in October

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This post was most recently updated on January 22nd, 2012

Description of A Dog’s Way Home:

Publisher: Katherine Tegen/ HarperCollins
Date: February 2, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages

One late fall afternoon, a tragic highway accident leaves eleven-year-old Abby and her beloved Shetland sheepdog, Tam, stranded at opposite ends of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Though each is determined to be reunited with the other, the days separating them turn to weeks, then months, and dangers and changes fill up Abby’s and Tam’s lives. Will they ever find their way back home to one another?

Classic in its themes and contemporary in its telling, Bobbie Pyron’s A Dog’s Way Home is the unforgettable tale of the many miles, months, and mountains that separate two loyal friends—but that can’t possibly keep them apart.

“Fans of the Lassie stories and The Incredible Journey, by Sheila Burnford (1961), will lose themselves in this harrowing adventure. This is an uplifting tale of devotion, perseverance and love beyond boundaries, and it’s worth every taut word.“- Kirkus Reviews

“A dog’s way home is beautifully written. The chapters alternate between Tam’s adventure and Abby’s life. It’s an action-packed story that’s hard to put down.It’s a poignant story of how love and determination can overcome all obstacles. I highly recommend this book for readers ages nine and older“- Sherry Ellis, Author
 
“This is a novel about the journeys that we take to find our own true North Stars—journeys that call for courage, loyalty, hope, and guts.  A Dog’s Way Home is at times hilarious, at times mystical, at times page-turningly suspenseful; the heartbeat of this story—like the strong heartbeat of the Sheltie at its center—will stay with you for a very, very long time.”-Gary Schmidt, Author
“A DOG’S WAY HOME reminds me of the many great stories I read as a kid. It’s a powerful tale of the inner strength to believe in our friendships even when the odds are against us.  Pick up a copy because soon it’ll be your child’s favorite story.”- KidsReads.com
“It takes a special kind of storyteller to speak from a dog’s point of view with authenticity, as well as from a child’s true voice. Beautifully written, this is an important story that speaks to the special kinship between child and dog. I simply love this book!”–Patricia MacLachlan, Newbery Medalist

“With vibrant, sympathetic characterizations, Pyron creates an inspiring portrayal of devotion and survival against all odds.”– Johnny Swanson, Publishers Weekly-Starred Review

“Tam’s voice is so endearing and unquestioningly faithful that readers will find it tough not to flip to the final pages to find out how this heartfelt story ends. Hand this to fans of Phyllis Reynolds Naylor’s Shiloh (1991) and Kathi Appelt’s The Underneath (2008), and they will not be disappointed.”– Booklist

About Bobbie Pyron:

Bobbie Pyron calls A Dog’s Way Home “my own personal love letter to all the great, classic dog books I’ve read and loved—and to all the dogs I’ve loved too.” As a part-time librarian, Bobbie enjoys sharing dog stories and books of all kinds with readers. Bobbie is also the author of The Ring, a teen novel about the world of competitive boxing.

When she’s not writing, working as a librarian, or volunteering with animal rescue organizations, Bobbie and her dogs Boo, Teddy, and Sherlock can often be found walking in the woods of Park City, Utah, with her husband, Todd.

Bobbie’s Website.
Tour Dates:
The Wormhole Oct 3 & Oct 4
Pragmatic Mom Oct. 5                                          
A Patchwork of Books Oct.6 &Oct. 7
ReaderGirls Oct. 11 & Oct. 10
Mozi Esmé Oct. 12
Cheryl’s Book Blog Oct. 13
Allison’s Book Bag Oct. 13 &Oct. 14
Book Twirps Oct. 14                                          
The Brain LairOct. 17 & Oct. 18
In The Pages Oct. 19
Small Review Oct. 20 & Oct. 21
Books and Needlepoint Oct. 24