Sunday, January 6, 2013

Welcome Julie Lynn Hayes


Hey everyone! Come on it and join us. It's cold out, but I have plenty of hot chocolate ready, lol. Today I have Julie Lynn Hayes visiting with me. She's here to talk about her book, Revelations, coming from Museit Up Publishing Feburary 8th.

For the first part of the interview go here.
 
 
 
 
Well, let’s see if we can continue where we left off. I let a day pass, and now we’re visiting with author M.A. Church, gone down to her neck of the woods where it’s a bit warmer than where we were before.  I’ve had a talk with Lucifer and let him know that his showing up again wouldn’t be greatly appreciated, so I think he’s amusing himself somewhere else. At least I hope so.

Michelle, can I get a drink, please?

“Sure thing. Hot chocolate all around?”

Not quite what I had in mind, and I can tell Judas agrees, but Jesus smiles and nod, so we go along. “Yeah, sure, sounds good.”

“Be right back.”

“Nice place you have here.” I raise my voice to make myself heard.

“Thanks,” she calls back, appearing moments later with a tray with four cups of steaming chocolate, topped with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles. Hmmm, looks really good. We each take our mug, and take our places.  Michelle and I have the couch, while the boys sit across from us, on the loveseat.

Now, where were we?   Oh yes, talking about the band.

“So you’re the lead singer of the Apostles, are you?” I look at Jesus and he nods. “Mind if I ask what name you go by?”

“Of course not. Joshua Stone.”

“Ah, I get it. Joshua. Your real name. I like that.”

“A rose by any other name,” Judas interjects, and everyone chuckles. I can’t help but notice the glances that Judas steals at Jesus. I think Jesus notices too.

“So, what’s your name, Judas?” I query him.

“They call me Mr. Jarvis. The people outside of the group, that is.”

“And what part do you play with the band?”

“I guess I’m what you’d call the manager. I book the tour, make all the arrangements, see that all the permits and such are in order everywhere we go.”

“Sounds like you do a lot of work.”

Judas snorts. “More than most of them.”

“I don’t know how I could get along without Judas,” Jesus confides, and we all turn our heads to find him turning a bit red. He clears his throat and glances down at the floor.

Moving on then…

“What about Mary Magdalene? What does she do?”

Judas snorts again. “Nothing useful, I can assure you.”

“Judas, please…”

I watch Judas carefully. He seems torn between continuing with his thought and placating Jesus. He finally opts for the latter and simply says, “She isn’t part of the group this time. She has a career of her own. Pop star, she calls herself.”

“Oh really? What’s her stage name? Anyone we might know?”

“Undoubtedly, but she wouldn’t want me to say so I’ll simply say M and leave it at that.”

“You mean M like Madonna?” Michelle pipes up. Judas’ only reply is to lay his finger across his lips, giving her that look that means he’s not speaking.

“I assume Lucifer goes by a different name?” I decide to aim the question in another direction.

“Yes, he calls himself Lassiter. He’s the head of this group of sheep… Well, it’s all in the book, isn’t it?”

“Yes it is.” I nod.

“Although I’ve heard rumors,” Judas continues, fixing his blue eyes on me, “that he’s going to get a story of his own. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, now would you?”

Awkward silence ensues as I try to think of something witty to say, and fail miserably, so I simply take a deep drink of chocolate and burn my tongue instead. Smooth move, Ex Lax…

“I’m very grateful that you’ve written about us.” Jesus breaks the silence, playing peacemaker. “Aren’t we, Jude?”

“Don’t call me…” he starts, but then relents and nods. “Yes, very grateful. “

Jesus rises and looks at Judas. “We need to get ready for tonight,” he says softly, reaching for Judas’ hand, which he readily gives.

“You’re right, we do.”

Looks like this interview is at an end.

“You guys need me to drive you back?”

Judas shakes his head. “I have it covered, don’t worry about it.”  He reaches into a pocket, pulls out something that he hands to Michelle. She gives him an inquisitive look. “It’s a ticket for tonight’s concert.” He winks at her. “See you there.”

“Why, thank you very much, Judas.” She grins.

“No, thank you for being such a wonderful hostess and inviting us into your home.” Jesus hugs her, and then Judas follows suit, before they head out the door.

“Looks like we’re going to a concert tonight.” I grin at Michelle. “I have a feeling it’s gonna be good.”

Maybe I can talk them into another interview later, but this one went pretty well, I think.
 


Blurb:

Judas has never been very popular, not in any incarnation that he and Jesus and the others have lived through. But he doesn't care about that. All he cares about is following the instructions of God as set forth in the script that they follow. And Jesus. For Judas has secretly loved the son of God for over two thousand years.


But now he decides that enough is enough, and he's tired of watching Jesus die far too early, and for what? This time Judas is determined to see that Jesus lives a long and happy life, no matter what price he has to pay to accomplish it...no matter if he has to make a deal with the devil himself. 

Revelations is a story of what could be, told by those who play it out, time after time after time, unbeknownst to the rest of mankind. They've come back again, for yet another round. But this time is going to be different.


Excerpt:

Prologue: God



            It's not always easy to sit on the sidelines and watch what is happening, to resist the urge to intervene in his best interest. My son's that is. Jesus. But I do so, because I know it's for his own good. As well as for the good of mankind. I can't let my concerns as his father override my vested interest in the fate of man. But sometimes that is easier said than done.


            This morning I am not alone. Someone else is with me, someone with his own agenda, although we are not as diametrically opposed as some would imagine us to be. Good and evil aren't the simplistic concepts some would portray them as being—there are more grey areas there than you might think. And rightly so.


            He smirks. Too much for my taste, I have to admit, but sometimes he does have his moments, and he too has a part to play in what is happening in the world of men. Someone needs to fill the role of the villain, after all.


            The stage is being set for the third act, the scripts have been handed round, and the actors are taking their places. Will this time end any differently than the others? That depends on my son, on Jesus. I'm thinking this will be the time when he'll make the change.


            "He'll change nothing," Lucifer interjects, although I've asked him nothing, certainly not inquired as to his opinion.


            I glance at him. He's dressed to within an inch of his life, and wears the most ridiculous sunglasses I've ever seen. I decide not to comment on his fashion sense. "I think he might, this time. I think he's ready for change."


            Lucifer snorts. "It's been two thousand years, and neither one has exactly caught on yet. Why should this time be any different?"


            "Care to put your money where your mouth is?"


            He eyes me carefully. "I would, but you see you have this whole mystic omnipotent God thing going on. Personally, I don't care for those odds."


            I arch an eyebrow. "I may be omnipotent, but Jesus does have free will and he does possess the ability to make his own decisions. You think I'd stack the deck in my son's favor? Just to win a bet with you?"


            "Let's say I'm taking no chances." He smiles. "Tell you what, though—give me free rein. Let me do what I want, and you not say anything or do anything to interfere with me? As far as they're concerned, that is."


            I open my mouth to object, he hastily interjects. "No killing, I swear to it."


            That's better. I still have some measure of control over the serpent.


            "So be it." I agree, turning my attention back to where it had been, to my son. I'm smirking now. Openly.


            O ye of little faith, watch and learn.
 

Author Bio: 

Julie Lynn Hayes was reading at the age of two and writing by the age of nine and always wanted to be a writer when she grew up. Two marriages, five children, and more than forty years later, that is still her dream. She blames her younger daughters for introducing her to yaoi and the world of M/M love, a world which has captured her imagination and her heart and fueled her writing in ways she'd never dreamed of before. She especially loves stories of two men finding true love and happiness in one another's arms and is a great believer in the happily ever after. She lives in St. Louis with her daughter Sarah and two cats, loves books and movies, and hopes to be a world traveler some day. While working a temporary day job, she continues to write her books and stories and reviews, which she posts in various places on the internet. Her family thinks she is a bit off, but she doesn't mind. Marching to the beat of one's own drummer is a good thing, after all. Her published works can be found at Dreamspinner Press, and MuseitUp Publishing, and she has also begun to self-publish at various places on the Internet.
 

 

My Links:

 

My Publishers:
Museit Up Publishing:  http://museituppublishing.com/