3 Questions and a Contest - Susan Helene Gottfried

Today’s guest was introduced to me through a mutual writing associate. About the only thing we have in common is books, books, and more books. Oh, and major league Pittsburgh sports teams. (Really? We have the same name? I hadn’t noticed.) Nope, me, either. Please welcome author and hostess of the fabulous website West of Mars, Susan Helene Gottfried!

Hi Susan! You write great stories about subjects New York publishers won’t touch. Why, thank you! Ironically, I’m referring to rock’n’roll, not the GLBT arts scene. Tell us more about your latest novel, Trevor’s Song.

Here's the blurb: Fame and Fortune have destroyed many a rock star, but Trevor Wolff has a bigger problem when his best friend Mitchell Voss commits an act of monogamy with sexy artist Kerri Broadhurst.

ShapeShifter band dynamics will never be the same with this new woman on the scene, and the distractions of two girlfriends and a world tour aren’t enough to keep Trevor from feeling like his carefully constructed world is crumbling around him. The pesky little illness he’s been hiding from his band mates isn’t helping, either.

Trevor is determined to drive Kerri away so life can run properly. He’ll do whatever it takes, or die trying, and not just because if he doesn’t get well soon, time might be up for old Trevor. The last person he expects help or sympathy from is Kerri herself, but he may have to make common cause with his enemy if he’s to survive the fallout from the secrets he’s been hiding.



I’ve been dying to know, how did you come up with the name, West of Mars, for your online world?

My husband, who is all kinds of awesome, wasn't comfortable with the idea of having SusanHeleneGottfried.com. (And not just because most people spell my middle name wrong) We have kids; he wanted something a little less obvious.

West of Mars is, to put it simply, where I live. West of a town called Mars, in Pittsburgh's northern suburbs. But where exactly that is, only my neighbors know!

One of the biggest perks to being West of Mars instead of Susan-dot-com is that I can expand the site to include more than just me. Like my Win a Book publicity blog. That has no business being on an author's website. But on a literary hub like West of Mars? Perfect.


And for the wacky portion of our interview, what’s the best rock movie EVER?

Spinal Tap, of course! Always has been, always will be. Even if Trevor's Song gets made into a movie. Trevor only thinks he goes to eleven.



Contest:

Susan’s books are available through Lulu or Smashwords. If you want an autographed copy, contact Susan at her e-mail address. For more info on Susan’s own books, her book club and other cool stuff, check out her website West of Mars. You can also follow her through Facebook and Twitter.

Today, we are giving away a coupon to Smashwords for a FREE e-copy of Trevor’s Song to one lucky blog reader. As a bonus, Susan’s also donating a second coupon to a second blog reader for his/her choice of either Trevor’s Song or one of Susan’s short story collections.

That’s right! You’ll have two chances to win!

To enter the drawing, please leave a comment stating your favorite rock movie or book. And please, PLEASE, if you comment anonymously or don’t allow folks to read your Blogger ,profile, leave a contact e-mail!

Per usual, comments will be closed on Thursday, September 16, at 11AM CDT, and GK will draw a name from his Capt. Rex helmet. The winner will be posted at noon.


Legal Caca:

Since we’re giving away e-books, the contest is open to EVERYONE. That’s right, no restrictions! To the FTC right-wing nut-heads, Susan has advertised my interviews and contests on her blog, which officially makes me a publishing slut.