Ask the Author: Clare O'Beara
Answered Questions (50)
Clare O'Beara
Hi Laura, thanks for your question. I've just bought 'Sundance' from Amazon, happy to buy it since this looks like a lovely horse story. You may be aware that it's not free on Amazon UK. Generally you need to prove to them that's it's permafree on other sites before they'll make the download free; after all, they are hoping to profit from each sale. I'd love to read your other books too.
Clare O'Beara
Hi Lissa, thanks for a great question! I enjoyed writing all my books. Of the horse ones, Show Jumping Team came first, and features many situations I encountered for real, with alterations of course. I could not sell it to traditional publishers though I got some encouraging feedback from their readers. Once I published independently, the book went direct to No.1 at Amazon. So that has to be the most fun for a variety of reasons.
Clare O'Beara
Hi Claire, thanks for your question. Marsha Hubler wrote the Keystone stables series, and I agree, they are great books. I like just about any book with horses.
Clare O'Beara
I'm keeping busy as always, getting back up to date with reviews after five years of college. Best wishes.
Clare O'Beara
Hi Ned, thanks for your question. I don't know how the staff at Goodreads decide which books to review. You might find a helpful topic or ask a question at this page.
https://www.goodreads.com/about/conta...
In relevant interest Groups you can offer a book as a free Amazon download for a few days, in the hope of getting a few reviews. Make sure to do this is an approved thread. Green Group or historical themed groups would suit your book.
https://www.goodreads.com/about/conta...
In relevant interest Groups you can offer a book as a free Amazon download for a few days, in the hope of getting a few reviews. Make sure to do this is an approved thread. Green Group or historical themed groups would suit your book.
Clare O'Beara
Hi Tudor, thanks for the question.
Reviewing other writers' books is always good. You can post this in a thread like Good Horse Books or Horse Books for Adults, as appropriate; or you can start a new thread in Promotions if it feels more like a Promotion. If you think you'll be posting regularly, you could start your own thread in an appropriate folder and other readers can make comments to give feedback. As long as it doesn't feel like a promotion.
I will look forward to seeing your recs!
Reviewing other writers' books is always good. You can post this in a thread like Good Horse Books or Horse Books for Adults, as appropriate; or you can start a new thread in Promotions if it feels more like a Promotion. If you think you'll be posting regularly, you could start your own thread in an appropriate folder and other readers can make comments to give feedback. As long as it doesn't feel like a promotion.
I will look forward to seeing your recs!
Clare O'Beara
Hi Anna, thank you for participating. Your horse books sound wonderful, especially the Christmas one. On the Horse Lovers Central home page, you will see a discussion folder called Books. The top topic is Challenge books - Winter 2022 - 23. You can mention any books you want to read or recommend for the challenge here. I've added the link to the Challenge topic, here it is.
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Clare O'Beara
Hi Elizabeth, thanks for your question. Gerald Raftery wrote a wonderful book, Snow Cloud, Stallion, which I enjoyed in my childhood. He also wrote Grey Dog which I found more recently. As well as the animal tales, I love the sense of location and beautiful writing. That is why I follow this author. I am not aware of any family connection.
Clare O'Beara
Most sites get maintenance from time to time, so I suggest clearing your browser history, cookies and cache before trying again as you may just have been unlucky. The rest of us can see and post quite well. If the problem persists, try asking Goodreads Help. You should see a link at the bottom left of your page.
On some other sites, if a person posts too many time in too many places, they may get a time-out automatically because the server mistakes them for a junk poster. So it's possible this will resolve itself anyway. Hope this helps.
On some other sites, if a person posts too many time in too many places, they may get a time-out automatically because the server mistakes them for a junk poster. So it's possible this will resolve itself anyway. Hope this helps.
Clare O'Beara
Hi, thanks for joining Green Group. Perhaps the tool you are using - phone, laptop, tablet, PC - is making it harder for you to find the options. Try on a normal computer and go in to a relevant discussion thread. You can start in the Welcome New Members thread and introduce yourself.
Clare O'Beara
Hi Mark,
I'm delighted your book is available and I snapped up the offer, of course! As soon as I get time to read the book I will, and a review will follow. Thanks very much. You must expect an unbiased review.
Wishing us all a productive COP26.
I'm delighted your book is available and I snapped up the offer, of course! As soon as I get time to read the book I will, and a review will follow. Thanks very much. You must expect an unbiased review.
Wishing us all a productive COP26.
Clare O'Beara
Hi Yuval, thanks for asking a great question. Each Group will have its own preferred way of letting an author advertise their own books.
For Green Group, I suggest you introduce yourself first in the Authors section. At the home page of the Group you can look down the discussions and see Green Group Authors. In that folder, you can find a thread "Do we have other ecofiction authors in this group?" at the top, and introduce yourself without promotion.
You can also introduce yourself in the Green Group Community folder, where we put out a sign to Welcome New Members.
When you are ready to promote your book, you can start a new thread in that Discussion folder. You will see how others have done this, as we try to keep self-promotion in this folder. Try to include a picture of the cover, which you find from the 'add book / author' link on top of the text box.
If you have specialist knowledge or your book covers a specialist area, you should say so, as this may start a dialogue.
Well done on producing your book and I hope you write many more.
For Green Group, I suggest you introduce yourself first in the Authors section. At the home page of the Group you can look down the discussions and see Green Group Authors. In that folder, you can find a thread "Do we have other ecofiction authors in this group?" at the top, and introduce yourself without promotion.
You can also introduce yourself in the Green Group Community folder, where we put out a sign to Welcome New Members.
When you are ready to promote your book, you can start a new thread in that Discussion folder. You will see how others have done this, as we try to keep self-promotion in this folder. Try to include a picture of the cover, which you find from the 'add book / author' link on top of the text box.
If you have specialist knowledge or your book covers a specialist area, you should say so, as this may start a dialogue.
Well done on producing your book and I hope you write many more.
Clare O'Beara
Hi Steve, thanks for your question.
I don't have this book in the house so I am unable to look up the page number. Perhaps you might find it through Google or Amazon, even Ebay. I haven't seen the 1937 book.
I don't have this book in the house so I am unable to look up the page number. Perhaps you might find it through Google or Amazon, even Ebay. I haven't seen the 1937 book.
Clare O'Beara
Hi Marsha, thanks for asking a great question.
Go to the top of the page in Horse Lovers Central Group, look on the right. You should see that you can click on Home or Discussions, among other options. They will both bring you to a list of folders and the most recent threads in each one. The Promotions Folder will appear about halfway down the page.
Authors may either add their post to Promote Anything, or start a new thread.
Go to the top of the page in Horse Lovers Central Group, look on the right. You should see that you can click on Home or Discussions, among other options. They will both bring you to a list of folders and the most recent threads in each one. The Promotions Folder will appear about halfway down the page.
Authors may either add their post to Promote Anything, or start a new thread.
Clare O'Beara
Hi Howard, thanks for the question. Unfortunately I don't own a copy and anyway I'd be reluctant to sell anything by Vian Smith. You can try Amazon and rare book sellers.
Clare O'Beara
Hi Julia, thanks for your question.
There is currently no paperback of "Dining Out Around The Solar System" because at 1200 Kindle pages, this would make too big a paper book, unless the type was shrunk so much it would be hard to read.
My husband also just wanted physical books, but I gave him a Kindle for travelling. Soon the appeal of a portable library grew on him and now he reads both kinds happily. I hope your friend tries Kindle sometime and gets to like this style of reading. Thank you for the compliment and for your generous thought!
There is currently no paperback of "Dining Out Around The Solar System" because at 1200 Kindle pages, this would make too big a paper book, unless the type was shrunk so much it would be hard to read.
My husband also just wanted physical books, but I gave him a Kindle for travelling. Soon the appeal of a portable library grew on him and now he reads both kinds happily. I hope your friend tries Kindle sometime and gets to like this style of reading. Thank you for the compliment and for your generous thought!
Clare O'Beara
Thanks for the question.
While this varies a little among books, in general the first of a series starts with a Situation or Plot which is a turning point (could be a mystery, a dystopia, an inheritance). As I think about this I picture the Characters who would fit this scene, and the talents and challenges they would bring to the story. When I begin writing, those characters swiftly take over and develop personalities and interactions.
The later books in a series already have the Characters established so now the Plot takes precedence when I am planning out the story. This does not prevent the characters from going their own ways and taking me by surprise on occasion.
While this varies a little among books, in general the first of a series starts with a Situation or Plot which is a turning point (could be a mystery, a dystopia, an inheritance). As I think about this I picture the Characters who would fit this scene, and the talents and challenges they would bring to the story. When I begin writing, those characters swiftly take over and develop personalities and interactions.
The later books in a series already have the Characters established so now the Plot takes precedence when I am planning out the story. This does not prevent the characters from going their own ways and taking me by surprise on occasion.
Clare O'Beara
I would go to New Zealand next year ahead of WorldCon and explore the MiddleEarth world of Tolkien / Peter Jackson, then help out with Worldcon, along with my husband; and presumably we would enjoy ourselves tremendously.
Clare O'Beara
As I am currently a journalism student my list has mainly been books like 'Producing Online News: Digital Skills, Stronger Stories' and 'Television Production'.
I have just read a book I bought at Worldcon Dublin 2019, 'Off The Beaten Path', signed by the Argentine author. I reviewed 'Love And Death Among The Cheetahs' for Fresh Fiction. And I have just reviewed 'Climate Change Captives 2035' a YA dystopian story.
My list still to read includes 'The Call' - definitely before Octocon!
I have just read a book I bought at Worldcon Dublin 2019, 'Off The Beaten Path', signed by the Argentine author. I reviewed 'Love And Death Among The Cheetahs' for Fresh Fiction. And I have just reviewed 'Climate Change Captives 2035' a YA dystopian story.
My list still to read includes 'The Call' - definitely before Octocon!
Clare O'Beara
Hi Kirsty, thanks for getting in touch. I read your book My Little Oyster Girl during the mid-1990s and enjoyed the social history as much as the adventure.
I hope you will claim your author page on Goodreads and be available to answer readers' questions too. This will also allow you to load book covers.
I hope you will claim your author page on Goodreads and be available to answer readers' questions too. This will also allow you to load book covers.
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