Maria Savva's Blog - Posts Tagged "scott-m-liddell"
Grab a bargain!
I've just been told that Lulu.com have a site wide sale at the moment (through 7th October 2011). If you're in the UK and purchase any books through that site, just use the coupon code: TANGOUK305 and you'll get 15% of any order (save up to £200)!
If you're in the mood to shop, you can get 20% off any purchase over £200 by using code: DANCEUK305
If you check out my author spotlight, you'll see that most of my books are on sale at the moment (up to 40% off!). You can take the extra 15% off the discounted price. I hope this will entice more of you to shop at Lulu. It really is a great site where many independent authors publish their books. I have found many of my favourite books there :)
Here's a link to my book page at Lulu:
Maria Savva: Author Spotlight
I would also like to recommend the following Lulu.com authors to you:
Julie Elizabeth Powell
Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick
Ami Blackwelder
Bill See
Scott M. Liddell
Paul Mansfield Keefe
Susan Helene Gottfried
Mark Rice
Jess C. Scott
Alex Sumner
Happy browsing, shopping, and reading!!
If you're in the mood to shop, you can get 20% off any purchase over £200 by using code: DANCEUK305
If you check out my author spotlight, you'll see that most of my books are on sale at the moment (up to 40% off!). You can take the extra 15% off the discounted price. I hope this will entice more of you to shop at Lulu. It really is a great site where many independent authors publish their books. I have found many of my favourite books there :)
Here's a link to my book page at Lulu:
Maria Savva: Author Spotlight
I would also like to recommend the following Lulu.com authors to you:
Julie Elizabeth Powell
Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick
Ami Blackwelder
Bill See
Scott M. Liddell
Paul Mansfield Keefe
Susan Helene Gottfried
Mark Rice
Jess C. Scott
Alex Sumner
Happy browsing, shopping, and reading!!
Get great discounts on print books at Lulu.com!
Lulu.com is currently running a promotion where you can get 25% off any purchase until 6th January 2012 using the code ONEMORETHINGUK at the checkout.
I am only able to access the UK site so I am unsure whether there is a similar promotion for US customers, but I assume there must be. You just need to go to the Lulu.com homepage to check out the details of the discount code.
I also currently have a promotion running with up to 50% off my print books at Lulu, so if you use the special discount code you can get even more of a bargain!
Here's a link to my Lulu author page: Maria Savva -- Lulu Spotlight
Whilst you're there why not browse some other author pages. Here are some authors & books that I recommend:
Julie Elizabeth Powell -- Lulu Spotlight
Julie writes across the genres. She has written children's books, murder/mystery, fantasy, chick lit, short stories, poems. She is a very versatile writer and I enjoy her books immensely
Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick-- Lulu Spotlight
I can't say enough good things about Breathing into Stone, which is the only book I have read by this author. I love it! I am looking forward to reading his other books.
Alex Sumner-- Lulu Spotlight
I recently read The Magus, a murder/mystery with a paranormal twist. Definitely one of my favourite books of 2011. I am about to start the second book in the series.
Mark Rice-- Lulu Spotlight
Metallic Dreams is one of the best books I've ever read, I would highly recommend it; especially to music lovers and in particular rock/heavy metal fans.
Susan Helene Gottfried-- Lulu Spotlight
Susan Helene Gottfried writes rock n' roll fiction. After reading her short story Mannequin: A Short Story, I'm looking forward to reading her other work.
Bill See-- Lulu Spotlight
I would definitely recommend 33 Days: Touring In A Van. Sleeping On Floors. Chasing A Dream. by Bill See, former lead singer in '80s rock band Divine Weeks. It's an insightful memoir, and one of my favourite books of 2011.
Scott M Liddell-- Lulu Spotlight
Scott is a photographer, and in fact his photograph appears on the front cover of my novel Second Chances. When I contacted him to ask permission to use the photo, I discovered that he is also an author. I really enjoyed his novel The Beatle Man
Happy Reading!
I am only able to access the UK site so I am unsure whether there is a similar promotion for US customers, but I assume there must be. You just need to go to the Lulu.com homepage to check out the details of the discount code.
I also currently have a promotion running with up to 50% off my print books at Lulu, so if you use the special discount code you can get even more of a bargain!
Here's a link to my Lulu author page: Maria Savva -- Lulu Spotlight
Whilst you're there why not browse some other author pages. Here are some authors & books that I recommend:
Julie Elizabeth Powell -- Lulu Spotlight
Julie writes across the genres. She has written children's books, murder/mystery, fantasy, chick lit, short stories, poems. She is a very versatile writer and I enjoy her books immensely
Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick-- Lulu Spotlight
I can't say enough good things about Breathing into Stone, which is the only book I have read by this author. I love it! I am looking forward to reading his other books.
Alex Sumner-- Lulu Spotlight
I recently read The Magus, a murder/mystery with a paranormal twist. Definitely one of my favourite books of 2011. I am about to start the second book in the series.
Mark Rice-- Lulu Spotlight
Metallic Dreams is one of the best books I've ever read, I would highly recommend it; especially to music lovers and in particular rock/heavy metal fans.
Susan Helene Gottfried-- Lulu Spotlight
Susan Helene Gottfried writes rock n' roll fiction. After reading her short story Mannequin: A Short Story, I'm looking forward to reading her other work.
Bill See-- Lulu Spotlight
I would definitely recommend 33 Days: Touring In A Van. Sleeping On Floors. Chasing A Dream. by Bill See, former lead singer in '80s rock band Divine Weeks. It's an insightful memoir, and one of my favourite books of 2011.
Scott M Liddell-- Lulu Spotlight
Scott is a photographer, and in fact his photograph appears on the front cover of my novel Second Chances. When I contacted him to ask permission to use the photo, I discovered that he is also an author. I really enjoyed his novel The Beatle Man
Happy Reading!
Interview with Scott M. Liddell
I met Scott M. Liddell via the website morguefile.com a few years ago when I was searching for a photograph to use for the cover of my novel Second Chances.
Morguefile is where you can find royalty free photos to use for creative projects including book covers. I had no idea that Scott was also an author. I found one of his photos on the site and thought it would be ideal for Second Chances, so I contacted him and he kindly allowed me to use it. I still love the photo!
Scott is a talented photographer. I've used a few of his other photos over the years in book trailers I've created for my books. I also used one of them for the cover of my short story collection Far Away in Time.
When I found out Scott was a writer as well as a photographer, I read his debut novel, The Beatle Man. It's brilliant.
As I really enjoyed that book, I was very excited when Scott recently sent me a copy of his newly published novel, Terra Exitus I'm currently reading it and enjoying it immensely. I'll post a review when I've finished it.
INTERVIEW WITH SCOTT M. LIDDELL
Welcome to my blog, Scott! Please introduce yourself.
Hi, I’m Scott Liddell, I’m 46 and live in Edinburgh with my wife, family, 3 cats and a dog. You can find out more on my blog: http://www.scottliddell.com/about/
Why should people buy your books?
I suppose people should buy Terra Exitus if they have any worries about the human condition, it’s a book to make you think and, I suppose, it resonates quite a bit with the current issues the country having now.
My latest book was published by a small Edinburgh publisher Obverse Books who are supporting new fiction with their Obverse Originals range. Usually they publish genre fiction so it's great that they are prepared to take a risk with different things to support new authors. So the main reason to buy my book is to support them for the good of all writers they support.
A very good reason. And also because it's a brilliant book! :)
Where does your inspiration come from?
Ideas happen all the time, I’m writing a new book now. That idea came in the shower. I like to take essences of things I really loved to read. When I wrote the first book The Beatle Man, I got part of the idea from The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks. When I met him, I told him this and he very graciously said it was what everyone does.
Do you have a day job or write full time?
I’ve worked in IT for 25 years now and, for the last 12, for a large British Satellite Broadcasting company. My job means I travel a lot and my latest book was written almost entirely on planes.
Wow. That's cool. I've done editing on planes, and other transport, but never actually written a book or story while travelling.
Tell us about your latest book.
When I was a teenager, I read lots by the existential philosopher types, Camus, Satre, etc. – mainly trying to be cool.
LOL :)
"Terra Exitus" is my variation on that theme. It’s about an outsider who finds an element of normality through finding love. She helps him understand that he is not alone and he ends up finding people who think like him when he builds a website: http://www.terraexitus.com/. The website exists, go have a look!
Ha,ha! Awesome website.
Are there any characters in your books that are based on real people?
No. There are maybe a few elements of me in the main character but all others are entirely creations. In fact, the female character is a deliberately idealised creation.
How long did it take you to write your last book?
I had the idea for Terra Exitus about 10 years ago and the story stayed with me all that time. It was written in about 18 months. It’s not a long book, it’s probably long novella sized. I could write about 1000 words on a flight from Edinburgh to London.
Do you do your own editing or use a professional? Anyone you’d recommend?
I was lucky enough to be able to work with the editor from Obverse Books who was a great help. Although we didn’t always agree!
Do you have a preferred writing space?
On a plane. It forces you to be entirely disconnected, no internet, no distractions.
What’s your favourite genre to read?
Over the last few years I have been binge reading authors. So, I’ve been through almost everything by Charles Bukowski, Chuck Palanuik, Graham Greene, and Julian Barnes. I love Julian Barnes, I read The Sense of an Ending in a single sitting.
I'll have to add it to my to-read list :)
What genre do you write in?
My first book, The Beatle Man was probably contemporary Scottish Fiction. I guess Terra Exitus is more Literary Fiction. My next book is set in the future, so quite different.
Who does your cover design? Is there anyone you’d recommend?
I was lucky enough to have the cover designed by the Obverse Books cover designer Cody Schell who is fantastic. I do a lot of photography so I did the cover of my first novel, The Beatle Man, myself with one of my own pictures.
I love your photos, as you know!
Do you do your own proofreading or use a professional?
The answer to the question “Tell me one thing you really can’t do?” is “proofreading”.
Hahaha! I think we're all really bad at proofreading our own work. It's too easy to miss very obvious errors. That's why writing novels is such hard work! :)
Do you listen to music when you write? If so, what type?
Yes. Always. I love to the listen to The Fall. Very loud.
LOL I get too distracted listening to music when writing :)
Apart from writing, what are your favourite pastimes?
I do a lot of photography, I have a Facebook page for my Edinburgh photography, https://www.facebook.com/darkedinburgh.
That's a fantastic page. I love the quotes that you put with each of the photos, and the photos are amazing!
What advice would you give your 16-year-old self?
I wrote this on my blog a while back: http://www.scottliddell.com/2011/01/n... I concluded I should have been a photographer.
That's a great post! Love the cute meerkat! I'm glad you decided to follow your own advice and do some writing and photography :)
What’s your favourite book, and why is it your favourite?
The Plague by Albert Camus. It’s simply the best book ever written.
That is some recommendation! :) I have to read it now :)
I’d give a special mention to The Crow Road by Iain Banks, he was an amazing author.
What’s your favourite film?
The Big Lebowski – obviously I’m not a golfer.
What type of music do you prefer to listen to?
I’m an 80’s indie kid. I listen to The Smiths.
I’m a 90’s Indie kid. I listen to Suede.
I always listen to The Fall.
I'm sensing an obsession with The Fall LOL :)
Do you format your own books?
I was lucky to have the services of the gang at Obverse Books this time round but I formatted The Beatle Man myself. Using Scrivener make this really easy, everyone should use Scrivener.
Where are your books on sale?
On the Obverse Books website: http://www.obversebooks.co.uk, or Amazon.
Which social media sites can you most often be found on?
Twitter: https://twitter.com/scottmliddell
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?
Lake Bled in Slovenia.
That's interesting. One of my cousins wants to move to Slovenia. Says it's a wonderful place.
If you could invite 3 writers (past or present) to dinner, who would you invite and what would you cook?
Albert Camus, Iain Banks and Douglas Adams. I’d order a curry.
Do you have any advice for writers as to how to deal with bad reviews?
Writing a book is hard. It’s the hardest thing I have ever done. People who write bad reviews have no idea how hard it is. They should have a go and then come back and comment.
I agree.
What do you enjoy most about the writing process?
Every now and then you get lost. You are just typing and typing. Then you look up and a 1000 or so words have just appeared. I love it when that happens. Doesn’t happen very often though!
LOL
Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions, Scott! Now I must get back to reading your book. It's great. :)
***********************************
Author links:
Website/blog: http://www.scottliddell.com
Obverse Books: http://obversebooks.co.uk/product/ter...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/scottmliddell
Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Scott-M.-Lidd...
Facebook (Photography): https://www.facebook.com/darkedinburgh.
Morguefile is where you can find royalty free photos to use for creative projects including book covers. I had no idea that Scott was also an author. I found one of his photos on the site and thought it would be ideal for Second Chances, so I contacted him and he kindly allowed me to use it. I still love the photo!
Scott is a talented photographer. I've used a few of his other photos over the years in book trailers I've created for my books. I also used one of them for the cover of my short story collection Far Away in Time.
When I found out Scott was a writer as well as a photographer, I read his debut novel, The Beatle Man. It's brilliant.
As I really enjoyed that book, I was very excited when Scott recently sent me a copy of his newly published novel, Terra Exitus I'm currently reading it and enjoying it immensely. I'll post a review when I've finished it.
INTERVIEW WITH SCOTT M. LIDDELL
Welcome to my blog, Scott! Please introduce yourself.
Hi, I’m Scott Liddell, I’m 46 and live in Edinburgh with my wife, family, 3 cats and a dog. You can find out more on my blog: http://www.scottliddell.com/about/
Why should people buy your books?
I suppose people should buy Terra Exitus if they have any worries about the human condition, it’s a book to make you think and, I suppose, it resonates quite a bit with the current issues the country having now.
My latest book was published by a small Edinburgh publisher Obverse Books who are supporting new fiction with their Obverse Originals range. Usually they publish genre fiction so it's great that they are prepared to take a risk with different things to support new authors. So the main reason to buy my book is to support them for the good of all writers they support.
A very good reason. And also because it's a brilliant book! :)
Where does your inspiration come from?
Ideas happen all the time, I’m writing a new book now. That idea came in the shower. I like to take essences of things I really loved to read. When I wrote the first book The Beatle Man, I got part of the idea from The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks. When I met him, I told him this and he very graciously said it was what everyone does.
Do you have a day job or write full time?
I’ve worked in IT for 25 years now and, for the last 12, for a large British Satellite Broadcasting company. My job means I travel a lot and my latest book was written almost entirely on planes.
Wow. That's cool. I've done editing on planes, and other transport, but never actually written a book or story while travelling.
Tell us about your latest book.
When I was a teenager, I read lots by the existential philosopher types, Camus, Satre, etc. – mainly trying to be cool.
LOL :)
"Terra Exitus" is my variation on that theme. It’s about an outsider who finds an element of normality through finding love. She helps him understand that he is not alone and he ends up finding people who think like him when he builds a website: http://www.terraexitus.com/. The website exists, go have a look!
Ha,ha! Awesome website.
Are there any characters in your books that are based on real people?
No. There are maybe a few elements of me in the main character but all others are entirely creations. In fact, the female character is a deliberately idealised creation.
How long did it take you to write your last book?
I had the idea for Terra Exitus about 10 years ago and the story stayed with me all that time. It was written in about 18 months. It’s not a long book, it’s probably long novella sized. I could write about 1000 words on a flight from Edinburgh to London.
Do you do your own editing or use a professional? Anyone you’d recommend?
I was lucky enough to be able to work with the editor from Obverse Books who was a great help. Although we didn’t always agree!
Do you have a preferred writing space?
On a plane. It forces you to be entirely disconnected, no internet, no distractions.
What’s your favourite genre to read?
Over the last few years I have been binge reading authors. So, I’ve been through almost everything by Charles Bukowski, Chuck Palanuik, Graham Greene, and Julian Barnes. I love Julian Barnes, I read The Sense of an Ending in a single sitting.
I'll have to add it to my to-read list :)
What genre do you write in?
My first book, The Beatle Man was probably contemporary Scottish Fiction. I guess Terra Exitus is more Literary Fiction. My next book is set in the future, so quite different.
Who does your cover design? Is there anyone you’d recommend?
I was lucky enough to have the cover designed by the Obverse Books cover designer Cody Schell who is fantastic. I do a lot of photography so I did the cover of my first novel, The Beatle Man, myself with one of my own pictures.
I love your photos, as you know!
Do you do your own proofreading or use a professional?
The answer to the question “Tell me one thing you really can’t do?” is “proofreading”.
Hahaha! I think we're all really bad at proofreading our own work. It's too easy to miss very obvious errors. That's why writing novels is such hard work! :)
Do you listen to music when you write? If so, what type?
Yes. Always. I love to the listen to The Fall. Very loud.
LOL I get too distracted listening to music when writing :)
Apart from writing, what are your favourite pastimes?
I do a lot of photography, I have a Facebook page for my Edinburgh photography, https://www.facebook.com/darkedinburgh.
That's a fantastic page. I love the quotes that you put with each of the photos, and the photos are amazing!
What advice would you give your 16-year-old self?
I wrote this on my blog a while back: http://www.scottliddell.com/2011/01/n... I concluded I should have been a photographer.
That's a great post! Love the cute meerkat! I'm glad you decided to follow your own advice and do some writing and photography :)
What’s your favourite book, and why is it your favourite?
The Plague by Albert Camus. It’s simply the best book ever written.
That is some recommendation! :) I have to read it now :)
I’d give a special mention to The Crow Road by Iain Banks, he was an amazing author.
What’s your favourite film?
The Big Lebowski – obviously I’m not a golfer.
What type of music do you prefer to listen to?
I’m an 80’s indie kid. I listen to The Smiths.
I’m a 90’s Indie kid. I listen to Suede.
I always listen to The Fall.
I'm sensing an obsession with The Fall LOL :)
Do you format your own books?
I was lucky to have the services of the gang at Obverse Books this time round but I formatted The Beatle Man myself. Using Scrivener make this really easy, everyone should use Scrivener.
Where are your books on sale?
On the Obverse Books website: http://www.obversebooks.co.uk, or Amazon.
Which social media sites can you most often be found on?
Twitter: https://twitter.com/scottmliddell
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?
Lake Bled in Slovenia.
That's interesting. One of my cousins wants to move to Slovenia. Says it's a wonderful place.
If you could invite 3 writers (past or present) to dinner, who would you invite and what would you cook?
Albert Camus, Iain Banks and Douglas Adams. I’d order a curry.
Do you have any advice for writers as to how to deal with bad reviews?
Writing a book is hard. It’s the hardest thing I have ever done. People who write bad reviews have no idea how hard it is. They should have a go and then come back and comment.
I agree.
What do you enjoy most about the writing process?
Every now and then you get lost. You are just typing and typing. Then you look up and a 1000 or so words have just appeared. I love it when that happens. Doesn’t happen very often though!
LOL
Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions, Scott! Now I must get back to reading your book. It's great. :)
***********************************
Author links:
Website/blog: http://www.scottliddell.com
Obverse Books: http://obversebooks.co.uk/product/ter...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/scottmliddell
Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Scott-M.-Lidd...
Facebook (Photography): https://www.facebook.com/darkedinburgh.
Book Review: Terra Exitus, by Scott M. Liddell
Terra Exitus by Scott M. LiddellMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Already a fan of Scott M. Liddell's writing having read his debut novel The Beatle Man, I was keen to read this new book. Terra Exitus is a brilliant novel. There are so many passages of prose that make you stop and think; insightful observations about life and human nature.
The main character heads to London alone after the death of his mother. He is totally disillusioned with the way his life has unfolded and the way people behave. One weekend he sets up a website just as a way to pass a few lonely hours and is surprised to find so many like-minded people agreeing with him about the state of the planet and wanting to escape.
The website is soon a great success and he is unable to keep up with the demands. He asks a friend for help and then finds himself thrown into the spotlight as the media try to find out more about his cause.
There are so many unexpected twists and turns in this book. The story is quite sad but it is also deep and I'm sure that many people will find it an irresistible read.
The characters are all very realistic. Although the main character seems to have given up on humanity, it is easy to like him and empathise with him.
A well written book that contains a message of profound wisdom.
View all my reviews
