Lea Schizas, Award Winning Author and Editor

Ah…a new year... and I get to begin it with the privilege of hosting Lea Schizas.

Lea Schizas…what can I say? Lea is a doer, giver and teacher. She is an award winning author and editor, and generously gives of her time to help writers learn the craft. I admire this wonder woman and am honored to be involved in her writing world.

Lea has many creditials, but I'll focus on a few: Lea is the Founder and Editor in Chief of two Writer’s Digest 101 Top Writing Sites since 2004 and recipients of several Preditors and Editors Awards: Apollo’s Lyre, an online writer’s Zine: http://www.apollos-lyre.com/; the online writing critique.

And, for those who aren’t aware of it, Lea is the founder and organizer of The Muse Online Writers Conference. I’ve attended the past two years, and it would take its own article to tell of all the benefits that writers can gleam from this FREE week long conference. Be sure to register for this year’s – it’s held in October. Click on the link:  http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/2010MuseConferenceRegistration/

If you'd like to learn a bit more about the conference go to:
http://www.dkvwriting4u.com/2009/11/the-muse-online-writers-conference-2010-registration-is-open/

For a more frequent writing boost, there's Lea's blogsite, The Writing Jungle (http://thewritingjungle.blogspot.com/). It's a great resource for us writers. Lea shares her experience and knowledge to help us hone our craft.

And, Lea's most recent endeavor is Pen Perfect Associates (http://penperfectassociates.blogspot.com/).
This site offers great articles on writing topics – it is a wonderful, and more importantly, useful resource for writers. And, if you’re in need of an editor, you needn’t look any further…Lea is a working editor.

In addition to all this, Lea has two books available:

Doorman's Creek
Publisher: eTreasures Publishing
ISBN: 0974053740
ISBN: 13: 978-097405374

Here's a description of Doorman's Creek:

When Kyle Anderson and his two buddies decide to explore a cave hidden within Doorman's Creek, the last thing they expected to find was a skeleton... and an unknown entity, throwing them right into the path of a serial killer. Faced with a sudden gift of visions into past and present disappearances, Kyle must now track down who the murderer is before another family member gets killed.

According to Lea: My YA paranormal suspense thriller was actually written as a screenplay when I first began my career and then I added descriptive details, background and settings, and the five senses to make it into a book. Most of my manuscripts begin like screenplays. Love to hear my characters talking first.

You can get your copy at:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0974053740?tag=thevirtualc08-20&camp=213761&creative=393545&linkCode=bpl&creativeASIN=0974053740&adid=05RWJX4HJYZQAKF1BWMF&

Next up is:

Bubba and Giganta: Odds Against Us
Publisher: 4RV Publishing
http://www.4rvpublishingllc.com
ISBN: 978-0-9797513-6-3

Synopsis of Bubba and Giganta: Odds Against Us

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 does Bubba know Giganto holds a secret - one that will place Giganto in a deadly situation.

And, here’s a wonderful review:

BUBBA AND GIGANTO
Reviewed by Beverly Stowe McClure

Lea Schizas has written another page turner. Once I started reading about Bubba and David, AKA Giganto, I couldn’t stop. Before I knew it I’d read the whole story. I’m so glad I did.
Bubba (yes, Bubba, not Bobby or Brendan) Jacobson, tough guy, smart mouth, sensitive heart, and David (Giganto) Montana, nice guy, picked on by bullies, big and clumsy, are the least likely of friends. But when they meet on the first day of ninth grade a remarkable friendship is formed.
This is Bubba’s first year at Pierson High, and he’s delighted to discover they have a soccer team. Questions arise, however, when Bubba and David try out for the team. Why does Mr. Ambrose, the gym teacher, tell Bubba not to push David (Giganto) into something he doesn’t want to do? What is the secret about the boy who died during a soccer scrimmage the previous year? Is David (Giganto) connected to the tragedy? And why is Jason, all-star athlete with an attitude, so determined David doesn’t make the team?
Ms. Schizas is a master at surprise endings. Just when you think you know all the answers, she changes the questions with an unexpected twist or two. I never saw this one coming.
Themes of bullies, soccer, friendship, and forgiveness are woven through this short story, making it one boys can relate to and will enjoy reading. I recommend it for reluctant readers, children who perhaps are facing their own bullies, and also for sports lovers and everyone who enjoys a fast-paced book with continuous action.

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I read Bubba and Giganto: Odds Against Us and found it to be a heartwarming story of friendship and the responsibility that can go along with it. Using high school soccer as a backdrop, this humorous and touching story delves into human frailties - emotional and physical. Bubba and Giganta deal with their own personal frailties while trying to stand their ground with the local bully.

Bubba and Giganto explores the affects and sheds some light on possible underlying causes of the prevalent, hurtful, and unacceptable behavior of bullying. Ms. Schizas cleverly uses wit to weave realistic portrayals and life threatening issues into a wonderful middle grade/young adult story.



Click on one of the links below to get a copy of Bubba and Giganto: Odds Against Us:

Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/Bubba-Giganto-Odds-Against-Us/dp/0979751365/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1219156292&sr=1-1

4RV Publishing
http://4rvpublishingllc.com/Store.html

Barnes & Noble
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Bubba-and-Giganto/Lea-Schizas/e/9780979751363/?itm=1

The Reading Warehouse
http://www.thereadingwarehouse.com/book.php?ISBN=9780979751363

But that’s not all folks, Lea has a picture book in the works that should be out this year!

If you’d like to learn more about Lea Schizas and her books you can contact her at:
museitupeditor@yahoo.ca

I want to thank Lea for being my first guest in 2010;  it has certainly been a pleasure!

To find a schedule of other great tours for each day of this month go to:

http://tinyurl.com/yze3g2k


Until next time,
Karen