Sandy Curtis's Blog, page 3
February 15, 2013
Looking forward to being grilled
The curry might be hot, but I’m hoping the grilling won’t be. True crime writer Ruth Wykes will be grilling four suspects, Katherine Howell, Lindy Cameron, RC Daniells, and moi about our writing life and books at the Sisters-in-Crime event at the Ceylon Inn, 29 High Street, Toowong, Brisbane, on Thursday evening 28th February at 6pm. Everyone is welcome, but best to book if you know you’re coming. Our books will be for sale as well. It would be lovely to see friends, family, readers and even curious bystanders there.
February 3, 2013
Deadly Tide
What a joy it is for an author when she/he discovers a reviewer has not only said kind things about their book but has also understood the various themes present in the story. So imagine how delighted I was to find Margot Kinberg’s Confessions of a Mystery Novelist website with her In the Spotlight on my third novel, Deadly Tide.
January 17, 2013
A surprise
A parcel arrived two days ago. The sender was my German publisher, Bastei Lubbe, and inside were two hard-cover copies of Der Sturm der Rache (Fatal Flaw) and a delivery note. And nothing else. No clue as to what these copies represented. A year ago I received two hard-cover editions with a different cover and they came with a letter saying they had been published for the Berlin Book Club. So now I’m curious about these new copies. I love mysteries, but only if I can find out the answers 
December 13, 2012
Johnno Award
It was a great night, made even more so by having my friends share it with me. Winning the Johnno Award for “outstanding contributions to writing in Queensland” from the Queensland Writers Centre is something that really means a lot to me. During my years on the QWC Management Committee, it was always my dream to see QWC not as the hub of writing in Queensland, with spokes, like a wheel, going out to connect to writers and writing organisations, but rather as the centre of a web linking all these with QWC and each other so they can benefit from each other’s knowledge and talents.
It’s also something I have tried to achieve with WriteFest – offering the opportunity for writers and industry professionals to network, learn and grow. To see how QWC has reached out into the regions and become such a hugely positive force for writing, not only in Queensland, but throughout Australia, is truly wonderful.
Receiving the Award from QWC Management Committee Chair Kevin Gillespie
November 13, 2012
The Next Big Thing Blog Hop
Week 21: THE NEXT BIG THING BLOG HOP
The past few years have been full of high profile reads — 50 Shades of Gray, Twilight, and more. Love them or hate them, you have to admit you have at least heard of them.
As independent authors, authors with small press publishers, or mid-list authors we all dare to dream we will be next, and well let’s face it, you never know …
With that thought I jumped on this Hop. What is a blog hop? Basically, it’s an authors’ game of tag.
One author posts, and then tags up to five other authors, who each link back to them. It has the potential to reach different audiences, and you, dear reader, have hopefully just increased your “to read” list, finding new and exciting authors you may never have found otherwise. Some of us are published, some still writing, others are just being released.
Either way, for you fiction lovers a treasure trove awaits and I’d like to thank fellow author Carol Marvell for tagging me to participate.
Click the links to find out about Carol Marvell’s books.
Website: http://carolmarvell.webs.com/
Blog: http://billiemccoy.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/week-20-next-big-thing-blog-hop.html#comment-form
Buy Slave Trader: http://www.wildchildpublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info?cPath=70&products_id=381
In this particular hop, I, and my fellow authors in their respective blogs, have answered 10 questions where you get to learn about our current WIP (Works in Progress) as well as some insights into our process, from characters and inspirations to plotting and cover decisions. I hope you enjoy it.
If this or any other item piques your interest, please feel free to comment and share your thoughts and questions.
HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS
1: What is the working title of your book?
Grievous Harm, book seven, will be published in 2013, but book eight, the one I’m working on now, is still trying to let me know its title.
2: Where did the idea come from for the book?
Some years ago I received an email in my in-box that horrified me. It was a graphic photo of child sexual abuse that had gone viral and ended up in the in-boxes of thousands of innocent people. I called Taskforce Argos at Police Headquarters in Brisbane and forwarded it to them so they could track down the perpetrator/s.
John Corey is the main character in Grievous Harm, and I wanted a story that would show the depth of his character that readers didn’t get to see in Fatal Flaw. As an undercover operative he is used to seeing the seamy side of life, but when he stumbles on a paedophilia ring it brings back long-buried guilt and memories he is forced to deal with.
3: What genre does your book come under?
Thriller with a love story. Or crime with romance. Or romantic suspense. Depending on how the reader interprets it.
4: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Sorry, I can’t make up my mind. So many … so many ….
5: What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
An undercover operative defies orders and helps a woman searching for her niece, only to uncover a paedophilia ring and a criminal whose actions threaten the safety of a nation.
6: Will your book be self-published, published by an independent publisher, or represented by an agency?
Fatal Flaw is out now with independent publisher Clan Destine Press and Grievous Harm will be released in 2013.
7: How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
Nine months, but I’m one of those writers who edits as she goes, so the final draft wasn’t far from the first draft.
8: What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Linda Howard writes the kind of romantic suspense thrillers that my books have been compared with.
9: Who or What inspired you to write this book?
The characters. You know that song that says I can’t get you out of my head? Well, that’s what my characters do to me – dictate what they expect me to write for them.
10: What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
Now, there’s a good question. Perhaps it’s best answered by Kelly McLean in her review on Aussie Book Reviews: “All I can say is I loved this! Sandy has taken the Genre of Aussie Romantic Suspense and made it her own. Very well written, fast paced with some very interesting sex scenes . I thoroughly enjoyed it!”
Below you will find authors who will be joining me by blog, next Wednesday (21st). Do be sure to bookmark and add them to your calendars for updates on WIPs and new releases! Happy writing and reading!
Ian Walkley
Website: http://www.ianwalkley.com
Blog: http://www.ianwalkley.com/
Buy No Remorse: http://www.amazon.com/No-Remorse-Ian-Walkley/dp/0980806607/
Kathy Stewart
Web site: www.authorsally.com
Blog: http://authorsally.wordpress.com
My book can be bought by emailing kathy@authorsally.com or via Amazon
November 10, 2012
Guest Interview
The lovely Cathryn Hein, author of rural romance books Promises and Heart of the Valley, has asked me to be her guest on her Friday Feast blog this Friday 16th. Friday Feast gives readers a idea of what the guest author writes, and a recipe they love and want to share.
I hope you will stop by Cathryn’s blog and feast your imaginations on my Chocolate Rum Pie recipe.
November 1, 2012
GenreCon
There’s something especially wonderful about catching up with fellow writers. As Kate Eltham, former CEO of the Queensland Writers Centre and now Director of the Brisbane Writers Festival, says, it’s so good to find your “tribe”. A lot of writers today belong to several “tribes”, with some writing sub-genres that cross two or sometimes more genres, and others writing in different genres, sometimes with different author names.
GenreCon was Kate’s brainchild, and when she left the Queensland Writers Centre she passed the mantle to the new CEO, Meg Vann, who has very capably brought the event to fruition. GenreCon is the conference for Australian genre writers and is presented by the Australian Writers Marketplace.
We writers are an odd bunch – seldom do we look at people in the street or read newspapers or watch television without thinking about how we might be able to use what we see in a story somehow, somewhere. Kind of scarey, when you think about it. We then ask ourselves the “What if?” question that leads our minds onto different ideas and different paths.
I sometimes wonder if readers would like to take a peek inside a writer’s mind
October 23, 2012
Gold Coast Writers Festival
The Gold Coast Writers Festival is on 26-28 October, and I’m heading off on the 25th on the long drive down. There’s a fabulous line-up of authors, publishers, and industry professionals all sharing their expertise with aspiring writers as well as giving readers insights into the industry.
On Saturday I’ll be joining Rowena Cory Daniells and Tony Cavanagh on the The Thrill of the Chase panel, with the CEO of the Queensland Writers Centre, Meg Vann, as chair. Meg also runs the Brisbane arm of Sisters-in-Crime and I’m sure she will have some interesting questions for the panel. The audience might go away with more than they bargained for
The panels at the festival are free, with seminars and workshops costing a minimal fee. It’s going to be a great event and I hope both writers and readers take advantage of the hard work the Gold Coast Writers Association has put in to bring this fantastic opportunity to the Gold Coast.
