Meet an interesting author and his novel, by Vivian Zabel

Kirk Bjornsgaard, an acquisitions editor for the University of Oklahoma Press, trusted his novel to 4RV Publishing. Before the revisions could be done, cancer returned causing Kirk not to be able to make them. However, we finished needed revisions with my doing the work and his approving or giving suggestions, and the novel, Confessions of a Former Rock Queen, was released this week.

The book, set mainly in Oklahoma and New York, grabs the interest of “Boomers,” “Sooners,” and music lovers, especially of old time rock ‘n roll.

Bjornsgaard weaves his knowledge of music and rock ‘n roll into the book, giving a realistic taste to the plot and characters. As John Wooley, author of Ghost Band and From the Blue Devils to Red Dirt: The Story of Oklahoma Music writes, a person can always tell when a novel about music is written by a musician. Such is the case with Confessions of a Former Rock Queen. Bjornsgaard, “a rock ‘n roller for almost four decades, expertly chronicles the life of an unsophisticated small-town Oklahoma girl tapped on the shoulder by fame in the swingin’ ‘60s.”

Copies of Confessions of a Former Rock Queen can be purchased through most bookstores or on line, including on the 4RV Book Store.

Vivian Zabel
Brain Cells & Bubble Wrap

Bubba and Giganto: Odds Against Us by Lea Schizas

I'm excited to be a part of the Virtual Book Tours members. The group began end of last year with several writers hopping on board and supporting each other by taking turns touring our books.

I've been proud to showcase my tween-crossover novel, Bubba and Giganto: Odds Against Us, published by 4RV Publishing in 2008. Here's a quick summary on the book:

Bubba hates it when his dad gets a contract for a new project. That means uprooting the family from one city and moving to another. Attending a new school is a major pet peeve of his. His smart alecky nature attracts the bullies in every school he’s attended.

On the first day of school, Bubba bumps into this rather large student. Fearing a confrontation, he wears his tough guy attitude and waits for the punches to begin. Remarkably, the new student apologizes and Bubba and David (aka Giganto as Bubba eventually nicknames him) become best friends.

Bubba and Giganto try out for the high school soccer team and that’s when trouble begins. Bubba knew eventually he’d meet the bullies of the school and he was right.

In the first initial weeks, Bubba learns about a death that occurred the previous year, faces the bullies on several occasions, helps Giganto practice soccer before tryouts, and challenges the bullies to a scrimmage.

Little did Bubba know Giganto held a secret, one that will place Giganto in a deadly situation.