Maria Savva's Blog - Posts Tagged "the-cutting-edge"
BestsellerBound: The Cutting Edge Campaign
Many of you will already know that I am a resident author on BestsellerBound.com, a message board dedicated to indie/small press authors and their readers.
BestsellerBound was created by Darcia Helle to give a voice to indie authors and to help readers find new and exciting books to read.
Indie authors are some of the most dedicated and passionate people when it comes to writing. We are often belittled by the literary press. The truth is that the publishing world is changing. Traditional publishing is no longer seen as the best way to enter into a writing career. With the launch of ebooks the indie author is now finding that they are able to compete with the bestselling authors. Overpricing of ebooks by the large publishing houses has caused outrage amongst readers lately. Some bestselling authors have chosen to self-publish their own books. People are starting to look for alternatives to the mainstream. This is an exciting time to be a self-published author and we want to celebrate that.
At BestsellerBound we would like to propel an indie author to the top of the Amazon kindle charts. We want to show that indie authors are commercially viable. We have started up a Facebook page. Please show your support for indie authors by 'liking' our page and recommending it to your friends.
We have chosen Darcia Helle's book The Cutting Edge as the book we would like to use to front our campaign.
Darcia Helle is a very talented writer who has self-published no less than 7 books. Here's the blurb from "The Cutting Edge"
My name is Skye Summers. I'm a hairstylist and I can't stop fantasizing about killing my clients. Not all of them, of course. I only want to kill the ones who irritate me, which, if I'm being honest, is most of them. My occasional fantasies have turned into chronic daydreams. They're bloody and vivid, like watching a slice-and-dice movie on IMAX. I also want to kill my husband's ex-girlfriend. She's not a client but she tops my list. Eighteen years ago, she gave birth to his daughter and she has tormented him ever since. I should be troubled by this growing desire to use my surgically sharpened shears for more than a haircut. Instead, I wonder how I can get away with it.
The idea of the campaign is that when we have enough followers on our campaign page we will announce a date for the download of the kindle book on Amazon. Darcia has kindly agreed to reduce the price of the ebook to 99c on the day of the download. If enough people download the book it should go to No.1. Hopefully on the US and UK Amazon kindle lists.
This campaign has been set up because we as indie authors feel passionately that all books, irrespective of how they were published, should have an equal chance to be read and enjoyed.
I hope you'll join us!
The Cutting Edge Campaign
BestsellerBound was created by Darcia Helle to give a voice to indie authors and to help readers find new and exciting books to read.
Indie authors are some of the most dedicated and passionate people when it comes to writing. We are often belittled by the literary press. The truth is that the publishing world is changing. Traditional publishing is no longer seen as the best way to enter into a writing career. With the launch of ebooks the indie author is now finding that they are able to compete with the bestselling authors. Overpricing of ebooks by the large publishing houses has caused outrage amongst readers lately. Some bestselling authors have chosen to self-publish their own books. People are starting to look for alternatives to the mainstream. This is an exciting time to be a self-published author and we want to celebrate that.
At BestsellerBound we would like to propel an indie author to the top of the Amazon kindle charts. We want to show that indie authors are commercially viable. We have started up a Facebook page. Please show your support for indie authors by 'liking' our page and recommending it to your friends.
We have chosen Darcia Helle's book The Cutting Edge as the book we would like to use to front our campaign.
Darcia Helle is a very talented writer who has self-published no less than 7 books. Here's the blurb from "The Cutting Edge"
My name is Skye Summers. I'm a hairstylist and I can't stop fantasizing about killing my clients. Not all of them, of course. I only want to kill the ones who irritate me, which, if I'm being honest, is most of them. My occasional fantasies have turned into chronic daydreams. They're bloody and vivid, like watching a slice-and-dice movie on IMAX. I also want to kill my husband's ex-girlfriend. She's not a client but she tops my list. Eighteen years ago, she gave birth to his daughter and she has tormented him ever since. I should be troubled by this growing desire to use my surgically sharpened shears for more than a haircut. Instead, I wonder how I can get away with it.
The idea of the campaign is that when we have enough followers on our campaign page we will announce a date for the download of the kindle book on Amazon. Darcia has kindly agreed to reduce the price of the ebook to 99c on the day of the download. If enough people download the book it should go to No.1. Hopefully on the US and UK Amazon kindle lists.
This campaign has been set up because we as indie authors feel passionately that all books, irrespective of how they were published, should have an equal chance to be read and enjoyed.
I hope you'll join us!
The Cutting Edge Campaign
BestsellerBound: The Cutting Edge Campaign - proceeds going to charity
I just wanted to remind you all that the Campaign date for the 'BestsellerBound Cutting Edge Campaign' is drawing nearer.
Please let all your friends know about it.
For further information about the campaign, please visit BestsellerBound
Click on the badge below to visit the Facebook page.
BestsellerBound: 'The Cutting Edge' Campaign
Promote Your Page Too
We are asking you to download The Cutting Edgeby Darcia Helle on 20th December 2010 from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk
Darcia has agreed to reduce the price of the book to $0.99/£0.72 on the day of the download. All proceeds from downloads on the day will go to Darcia's local church which runs a food bank to feed the homeless and poor.
I hope you will join us and support indie authors.
Stacy Juba, one of my fellow resident authors on BestsellerBound, will be taking part in a radio interview on 14th December 2010, talking about the campaign on Indie Book Collective
This will be followed by an interview on 21st December 2010 with author Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick, one of our most active members on BestsellerBound. Joel will be talking about the campaign and discussing how successful it was. Please tune in.
Please let all your friends know about it.
For further information about the campaign, please visit BestsellerBound
Click on the badge below to visit the Facebook page.
BestsellerBound: 'The Cutting Edge' Campaign
Promote Your Page Too
We are asking you to download The Cutting Edgeby Darcia Helle on 20th December 2010 from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk
Darcia has agreed to reduce the price of the book to $0.99/£0.72 on the day of the download. All proceeds from downloads on the day will go to Darcia's local church which runs a food bank to feed the homeless and poor.
I hope you will join us and support indie authors.
Stacy Juba, one of my fellow resident authors on BestsellerBound, will be taking part in a radio interview on 14th December 2010, talking about the campaign on Indie Book Collective
This will be followed by an interview on 21st December 2010 with author Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick, one of our most active members on BestsellerBound. Joel will be talking about the campaign and discussing how successful it was. Please tune in.
Introducing author, Darcia Helle, and an international giveaway!
Today, I'm thrilled to be introducing you to an exceptionally talented author, Darcia Helle.
I was fortunate to meet Darcia via social networking sometime last year. She is the brains behind BestsellerBound, a message board where independent authors can chat with readers. Darcia had the idea for BestsellerBound.com last year and approached me in the summer asking if I would like to join her and Stacy Juba, as a moderator/resident author on the message board. I didn't really know Darcia back then, but now we have become great friends. She is one of the most supportive and creative writers I have had the pleasure of meeting in the past couple of years.
BestsellerBound has become a respected, supportive, and innovative site, where independent authors meet and chat with other authors, share ideas, help each other out, and answer readers' questions.
We have Darcia to thank for bringing that message board to life.
Darcia writes murder/mystery/crime/suspense fiction. I have become a fan of her writing, and have read
The First Kill,The Cutting Edge,and Enemies and Playmates. I'm looking forward to reading all her books.
As well as answering my interview questions, Darcia is also giving away ebooks to two lucky winners. If you're a winner, you'll be able to choose which one of her books you win!! To enter, all you need to do is leave a comment here. Good luck!
Here are Darcia's answers to my interview questions:
Is there a particular author, or book, that inspired you to start writing?
Not that I remember. I always loved words and also have an overactive imagination. Writing is the perfect outlet for my chronic daydreams.
When did you first discover your love of writing?
Again, I don't remember a specific point in time. I was a strange child. I loved to play school. Each week, my mother would let me pick out one workbook type thing. I don't even know if they sell them, anymore. They were in the magazine section of the store. They were marked by grade level and had an assortment of topics. Phonics was my favorite.
Do you have any tips for someone who is considering self-publishing their own book?
Network with other indie authors. I've learned so much by doing that. Be open to constructive criticism. Remember that you cannot possibly please everyone with your writing. Some will love it but others are bound to hate it. And avoid subsidy publishing. Those companies charge a lot of money for nothing.
As well as writing books you have a blog where you interview authors, and you also created BestsellerBound.com, I also know you read a lot of books. How do you fit it all in?
I don't sleep and I watch very little TV! It helps that I have more free time available to me than a lot of people. I have chronic health problems that keep me pretty much housebound. My sons are both grown up. (Legally, at any rate!) And my husband works crazy hours. I do have three dogs and two cats that are a constant source of distraction. If I could teach them how to do laundry and clean, I'd have even more time for writing!
I have noticed that you seem to be a very fast reader. On average how long does it take you to read a book?
I don't think I read particularly fast. I just spend a lot of hours doing it! I generally read two to three books a week.
I recently read your short story, The First Kill, which features Michael Sykora who I understand is a character from a series of books written by you. It definitely made me want to read the series. Which books are in the Michael Sykora series, and can they be read as individual books or do they have to be read in any particular order?
So far I have two books in that series. I intend to write more but keep getting sidetracked with new characters demanding their stories be told. The first book in the series is
No Justice and the second is Beyond Salvation: A Michael Sykora Novel. Ideally, they would be read in that order. However, I intentionally wrote them so that they could each be read as stand-alone novels. I hope I succeeded! :)
If someone wanted to read your books, which would you recommend they read first, and why?
Wow, that is such a difficult question. I think the answer depends largely on the reader's preference. Enemies and Playmates is strong romantic suspense. Hit List has a degree of romance but the strongest element is straight mystery/suspense. This one has the most twists of any of my books. No Justice and Beyond Salvation are perfect for readers who like series fiction and don't mind language and violence. These two books explore human nature at its best and its worst. Miami Snow is all sex, drugs and murder. It's more drama sprinkled with suspense. And Cutting Edge sits by itself. This is the only book I've written in first person. It's main element is dark humor, though there is a certain amount of mystery and suspense.
I read and enjoyed Enemies and Playmates, your first novel. That book deals with the subject of domestic violence and the villain Alex Covington is probably one of the most evil characters I’ve ever met in literature. What inspired you to write that story?
First, thank you for that! It's a huge compliment that you consider Alex Covington such a memorable villain. While I wasn't conscious of it at the time, I think a large part of the inspiration for that story was my own life. I was going through a tumultuous period. Writing that book was my way of making sense of it all. The book is definitely not autobiographical in any sense, though there are distinct parallels.
I know that as well as being a writer, you are also a hairdresser. Your latest novel, The Cutting Edge is all about a hairdresser who fantasises about killing her clients. I’m currently reading that and enjoying the dark humour. Did you ever fantasise about killing any clients? And were any of the scenes in the book based on real experiences in your salon?
I no longer do hair for a living. I don't think I'd have gotten away with writing The Cutting Edge if I'd still been working as a stylist. My clients would have fled!
I did not ever fantasize about actual murder, though I did fantasize about shaving their heads bald or telling them what I was really thinking when they waltzed in twenty minutes late. This book is the closest thing to my reality that I've ever written. The fictional salon is based on the salon I worked in (owned by my mother) and set in the same very real small town that I lived and worked in. The salon scenes - the clients and conversations - are almost all based on actual real life clients from that salon. My disclaimer is that I changed the names and minor details to protect the innocent and hide the guilty. One reviewer stated that I had invented the worst imaginable clientele a stylist could ever have. This was said as if what I'd done bordered on ridiculous. I laughed and laughed. Truly, I could not have made these people up. They were every bit as real as you and I.
We did not ever have a serial killer roaming our small town. At least not that I'm aware! That part is entirely fictional.
Who are your favourite authors and what is it about their writing that you like?
I have many favorites, you among them!
(Thank you :))
My favorite authors are those who step out of the way of the story being told. They are the authors who make me care what happens to the characters, no matter what the plot or genre might be. Lately, these authors are almost all indie. I've been disappointed with the cookie cutter mold of mainstream fiction.
Is there a book you own that you’ve read more than once?
I own more than 600 print books and another 200 or 300 ebooks. (I have a serious book addiction!) I have no time to read all the books on my to-read list, much less read a book more than once. With fiction, I don't typically keep a book once I've read it. I do keep signed copies or those written by indie authors I know. (Your books are among my keepers!)
(Thanks! That's great to know :))
But I have yet to re-read any of those. I do keep all my nonfiction. I've reread passages of those for reference, though I have not reread an entire book.
What was the last book you read?
I just finished Run by Blake Crouch. This was one of the best thrillers I've ever read.
Are you reading a book at the moment?
I'm about to start Breathing into Stone by Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick.
What do you think of ebooks?
For the reading experience, I will always prefer print books. I love the feel and the look of print. But I like the convenience and the low cost of ebooks. And my ereaders are like grown up toys, which is also fun.
How important are reviews for you as a writer?
Reviews are more important than I ever realized before publishing my first book. As indie authors, we rely on word of mouth and reviews to drive sales. Readers want to get an idea of what the book is like before spending their money on an unknown author. The number of reviews, along with the quality, helps nudge each book up on the list on searches. Those reviews also help our books get listed on various Amazon pages as suggested reads. The reviews do not have to be long or overly descriptive. In fact, many readers don't want that. A quick paragraph highlighting what you loved (or hated) is all that's necessary.
How do you go about choosing a cover for your books?
So far, I've purchased rights to various photos through istockphoto. After I finish the first major edit of a book, I like to let it sit and settle for awhile before going back to begin minor editing. (Which I find tedious!) Searching through photos for just the right one to express the book's content is a great diversion. I plug myself into my iPod and ignore all things writing related for a little while.
What are you working on now?
I'm working on my first paranormal suspense. There are no vampires, zombies or witches. Instead, there is one clumsy spirit named Max who is intent on finding his murderer.
Where can people buy your books?
My books are available in both print and Kindle format on Amazon.
My Amazon Author's Page for the U.S. is: Darcia Helle on Amazon.com
In the U.K.: Darcia Helle on Amazon.co.uk
In Canada: Darcia Helle on Amazon.ca
All ebook formats are available on Smashwords: Darcia Helle: Smashwords
I won't flood you with links but they're also available on Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Sony's ebookstore and Apple's iPad store.
Do you have your own website or blog where people can read more about your work?
I have two URLs for my website. They both go to the same place:
Darcia Helle
Quiet Fury Books
My blog is: A Word Please
Is there anything you would like to say to your readers?
A huge thank you to all who take the time to read my books! With the thousands of new books published each day, I'm still astounded that people find and choose to read mine.
Thank you, Darcia
Remember, if you want to win one of Darcia's books, all you have to do is leave a comment here. The contest will run until 13th March 2011, and the winners will then be chosen.
I was fortunate to meet Darcia via social networking sometime last year. She is the brains behind BestsellerBound, a message board where independent authors can chat with readers. Darcia had the idea for BestsellerBound.com last year and approached me in the summer asking if I would like to join her and Stacy Juba, as a moderator/resident author on the message board. I didn't really know Darcia back then, but now we have become great friends. She is one of the most supportive and creative writers I have had the pleasure of meeting in the past couple of years.
BestsellerBound has become a respected, supportive, and innovative site, where independent authors meet and chat with other authors, share ideas, help each other out, and answer readers' questions.
We have Darcia to thank for bringing that message board to life.
Darcia writes murder/mystery/crime/suspense fiction. I have become a fan of her writing, and have read
The First Kill,The Cutting Edge,and Enemies and Playmates. I'm looking forward to reading all her books.
As well as answering my interview questions, Darcia is also giving away ebooks to two lucky winners. If you're a winner, you'll be able to choose which one of her books you win!! To enter, all you need to do is leave a comment here. Good luck!
Here are Darcia's answers to my interview questions:
Is there a particular author, or book, that inspired you to start writing?
Not that I remember. I always loved words and also have an overactive imagination. Writing is the perfect outlet for my chronic daydreams.
When did you first discover your love of writing?
Again, I don't remember a specific point in time. I was a strange child. I loved to play school. Each week, my mother would let me pick out one workbook type thing. I don't even know if they sell them, anymore. They were in the magazine section of the store. They were marked by grade level and had an assortment of topics. Phonics was my favorite.
Do you have any tips for someone who is considering self-publishing their own book?
Network with other indie authors. I've learned so much by doing that. Be open to constructive criticism. Remember that you cannot possibly please everyone with your writing. Some will love it but others are bound to hate it. And avoid subsidy publishing. Those companies charge a lot of money for nothing.
As well as writing books you have a blog where you interview authors, and you also created BestsellerBound.com, I also know you read a lot of books. How do you fit it all in?
I don't sleep and I watch very little TV! It helps that I have more free time available to me than a lot of people. I have chronic health problems that keep me pretty much housebound. My sons are both grown up. (Legally, at any rate!) And my husband works crazy hours. I do have three dogs and two cats that are a constant source of distraction. If I could teach them how to do laundry and clean, I'd have even more time for writing!
I have noticed that you seem to be a very fast reader. On average how long does it take you to read a book?
I don't think I read particularly fast. I just spend a lot of hours doing it! I generally read two to three books a week.
I recently read your short story, The First Kill, which features Michael Sykora who I understand is a character from a series of books written by you. It definitely made me want to read the series. Which books are in the Michael Sykora series, and can they be read as individual books or do they have to be read in any particular order?
So far I have two books in that series. I intend to write more but keep getting sidetracked with new characters demanding their stories be told. The first book in the series is
No Justice and the second is Beyond Salvation: A Michael Sykora Novel. Ideally, they would be read in that order. However, I intentionally wrote them so that they could each be read as stand-alone novels. I hope I succeeded! :)
If someone wanted to read your books, which would you recommend they read first, and why?
Wow, that is such a difficult question. I think the answer depends largely on the reader's preference. Enemies and Playmates is strong romantic suspense. Hit List has a degree of romance but the strongest element is straight mystery/suspense. This one has the most twists of any of my books. No Justice and Beyond Salvation are perfect for readers who like series fiction and don't mind language and violence. These two books explore human nature at its best and its worst. Miami Snow is all sex, drugs and murder. It's more drama sprinkled with suspense. And Cutting Edge sits by itself. This is the only book I've written in first person. It's main element is dark humor, though there is a certain amount of mystery and suspense.
I read and enjoyed Enemies and Playmates, your first novel. That book deals with the subject of domestic violence and the villain Alex Covington is probably one of the most evil characters I’ve ever met in literature. What inspired you to write that story?
First, thank you for that! It's a huge compliment that you consider Alex Covington such a memorable villain. While I wasn't conscious of it at the time, I think a large part of the inspiration for that story was my own life. I was going through a tumultuous period. Writing that book was my way of making sense of it all. The book is definitely not autobiographical in any sense, though there are distinct parallels.
I know that as well as being a writer, you are also a hairdresser. Your latest novel, The Cutting Edge is all about a hairdresser who fantasises about killing her clients. I’m currently reading that and enjoying the dark humour. Did you ever fantasise about killing any clients? And were any of the scenes in the book based on real experiences in your salon?
I no longer do hair for a living. I don't think I'd have gotten away with writing The Cutting Edge if I'd still been working as a stylist. My clients would have fled!
I did not ever fantasize about actual murder, though I did fantasize about shaving their heads bald or telling them what I was really thinking when they waltzed in twenty minutes late. This book is the closest thing to my reality that I've ever written. The fictional salon is based on the salon I worked in (owned by my mother) and set in the same very real small town that I lived and worked in. The salon scenes - the clients and conversations - are almost all based on actual real life clients from that salon. My disclaimer is that I changed the names and minor details to protect the innocent and hide the guilty. One reviewer stated that I had invented the worst imaginable clientele a stylist could ever have. This was said as if what I'd done bordered on ridiculous. I laughed and laughed. Truly, I could not have made these people up. They were every bit as real as you and I.
We did not ever have a serial killer roaming our small town. At least not that I'm aware! That part is entirely fictional.
Who are your favourite authors and what is it about their writing that you like?
I have many favorites, you among them!
(Thank you :))
My favorite authors are those who step out of the way of the story being told. They are the authors who make me care what happens to the characters, no matter what the plot or genre might be. Lately, these authors are almost all indie. I've been disappointed with the cookie cutter mold of mainstream fiction.
Is there a book you own that you’ve read more than once?
I own more than 600 print books and another 200 or 300 ebooks. (I have a serious book addiction!) I have no time to read all the books on my to-read list, much less read a book more than once. With fiction, I don't typically keep a book once I've read it. I do keep signed copies or those written by indie authors I know. (Your books are among my keepers!)
(Thanks! That's great to know :))
But I have yet to re-read any of those. I do keep all my nonfiction. I've reread passages of those for reference, though I have not reread an entire book.
What was the last book you read?
I just finished Run by Blake Crouch. This was one of the best thrillers I've ever read.
Are you reading a book at the moment?
I'm about to start Breathing into Stone by Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick.
What do you think of ebooks?
For the reading experience, I will always prefer print books. I love the feel and the look of print. But I like the convenience and the low cost of ebooks. And my ereaders are like grown up toys, which is also fun.
How important are reviews for you as a writer?
Reviews are more important than I ever realized before publishing my first book. As indie authors, we rely on word of mouth and reviews to drive sales. Readers want to get an idea of what the book is like before spending their money on an unknown author. The number of reviews, along with the quality, helps nudge each book up on the list on searches. Those reviews also help our books get listed on various Amazon pages as suggested reads. The reviews do not have to be long or overly descriptive. In fact, many readers don't want that. A quick paragraph highlighting what you loved (or hated) is all that's necessary.
How do you go about choosing a cover for your books?
So far, I've purchased rights to various photos through istockphoto. After I finish the first major edit of a book, I like to let it sit and settle for awhile before going back to begin minor editing. (Which I find tedious!) Searching through photos for just the right one to express the book's content is a great diversion. I plug myself into my iPod and ignore all things writing related for a little while.
What are you working on now?
I'm working on my first paranormal suspense. There are no vampires, zombies or witches. Instead, there is one clumsy spirit named Max who is intent on finding his murderer.
Where can people buy your books?
My books are available in both print and Kindle format on Amazon.
My Amazon Author's Page for the U.S. is: Darcia Helle on Amazon.com
In the U.K.: Darcia Helle on Amazon.co.uk
In Canada: Darcia Helle on Amazon.ca
All ebook formats are available on Smashwords: Darcia Helle: Smashwords
I won't flood you with links but they're also available on Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Sony's ebookstore and Apple's iPad store.
Do you have your own website or blog where people can read more about your work?
I have two URLs for my website. They both go to the same place:
Darcia Helle
Quiet Fury Books
My blog is: A Word Please
Is there anything you would like to say to your readers?
A huge thank you to all who take the time to read my books! With the thousands of new books published each day, I'm still astounded that people find and choose to read mine.
Thank you, Darcia
Remember, if you want to win one of Darcia's books, all you have to do is leave a comment here. The contest will run until 13th March 2011, and the winners will then be chosen.
Christmas gift recommendations - Books make the best presents!
I know it's only November, but it's the time of year when we think about buying gifts for friends and family.
I thought it would be nice to make a list of some books I recommend. Hopefully it'll help and save you hours of browsing and getting a headache because there are so many choices out there!!
I've read and enjoyed all the books in this list. They're my favourites.
Books make wonderful gifts. They entertain and last a lifetime.
Julie Elizabeth Powell, has written lots of books and they're all excellent, in my opinion. If you know someone who likes fantasy books, you could buy any one of Julie's books for them. Take a look at her author page on Amazon. She has written something for all tastes. http://www.amazon.com/Julie-Elizabeth...
Her books range from Children's books to Horror. Julie is one of the most imaginative writers I know. I'd recommend any one of her books as a great gift, but I've chosen Gone because it's the first one of her books I read and was one of the books that made me start reading fantasy again.
J. Michael Radcliffe, like Julie Elizabeth Powell, is also one of my favourite authors and I've read all his books and would recommend them all as great gifts. He writes fantasy, too, but the difference is that his books usually contain dragons! I love his Beyond the Veil series. You can buy it as an omnibus edition, which I think is nice as a gift, or you can buy each book in the series individually. http://www.amazon.com/J.-Michael-Radc...
Darcia Helle is a very talented author, another one of my favourites, and I have read most of her books. Every one of them is fabulous, so it's hard to choose only one as a recommendation. I'm highlighting her Michael Sykora series because it comes in a box set, which is perfect for a Christmas gift, but I could have recommended many others, especially, Into The Light and The Cutting Edge
http://www.amazon.com/Darcia-Helle/e/...
Helle Gade is a talented poet and photographer, and her books combine the two with stunning photo art and passionate poems. I must admit that before reading Helle's poems I never liked reading poetry. Helle Gade has changed the way I view poetry. Her verse expresses feelings in a way that really touches the heart. All her books are excellent. With Northern Whispers she has collected together all three of her poetry/art books. It would make a lovely Christmas gift.
http://www.amazon.com/Helle-Gade/e/B0...
I'm going to recommend a book series that I have contributed stories to, as well. I think The Mind's Eye Series is a wonderful project, and because it contains photography and stories/poems would make a great Christmas gift. It's also available in paperback and the paperbacks look great. I love them. There are two books available at the moment, which contain stories by Darcia Helle. J. Michael Radcliffe, Jason McIntyre, and myself. Book 2 also contains poetry from Helle Gade and Ben Ditmars. The photography for the series is by Martin David Porter and Helle Gade.
Perspectives: http://www.amazon.com/Perspectives-Mi...
Reflections: http://www.amazon.com/Reflections-Min...
Geoffrey David West's Jack Lockwood Mystery series is compulsive reading. I've read the first two books, Rock 'n' Roll Suicide and Doppelganger - I'd recommend them both. I'm currently reading and enjoying the third book in the series, Sheer Fear. An excellent choice for a Christmas gift for the Crime Fiction fan in your life.
http://www.amazon.com/Geoffrey-West/e...
Mark Rice's Metallic Dreams is the perfect present for the rock/metal fan in your life. It contains humour, fantasy, and romance. I think it's fantastic. (over 18s only).
http://www.amazon.com/Mark-Rice/e/B00...
Quentin R. Bufogle is a talented writer and this is a laugh out loud book that also has a deeper story that many will relate to. It would make be perfect gift for those who appreciate comedy and great fiction.
http://www.amazon.com/Horse-Latitudes...
Terry Tyler is a prolific writer of contemporary fiction. I've read You Wish, Round and Round, and The Other Side, as well as her collection of short stories, Nine Lives, and they're all brilliant. They are the kind of books that contain realistic characters and true-to-life situations. You Wish stands out as my favourite of hers so far; I love the humour. She has a list of books that the fiction fan in your life will love. Check out her Amazon page: http://www.amazon.com/Terry-Tyler/e/B...
Lisette Brodey produces great books consistently. I have read all of her books and love them all for different reasons. I'm highlighting Crooked Moon as it's my favourite, but any one of her books would make a lovely gift for someone who likes fiction with depth and meaning. Her books are also very entertaining and well written.
http://www.amazon.com/Lisette-Brodey/...
I'm going to stop there, even though there are probably loads more books I could recommend!
I hope I've given you a few ideas for Christmas gifts :)
I thought it would be nice to make a list of some books I recommend. Hopefully it'll help and save you hours of browsing and getting a headache because there are so many choices out there!!
I've read and enjoyed all the books in this list. They're my favourites.
Books make wonderful gifts. They entertain and last a lifetime.
Julie Elizabeth Powell, has written lots of books and they're all excellent, in my opinion. If you know someone who likes fantasy books, you could buy any one of Julie's books for them. Take a look at her author page on Amazon. She has written something for all tastes. http://www.amazon.com/Julie-Elizabeth...
Her books range from Children's books to Horror. Julie is one of the most imaginative writers I know. I'd recommend any one of her books as a great gift, but I've chosen Gone because it's the first one of her books I read and was one of the books that made me start reading fantasy again.
J. Michael Radcliffe, like Julie Elizabeth Powell, is also one of my favourite authors and I've read all his books and would recommend them all as great gifts. He writes fantasy, too, but the difference is that his books usually contain dragons! I love his Beyond the Veil series. You can buy it as an omnibus edition, which I think is nice as a gift, or you can buy each book in the series individually. http://www.amazon.com/J.-Michael-Radc...
Darcia Helle is a very talented author, another one of my favourites, and I have read most of her books. Every one of them is fabulous, so it's hard to choose only one as a recommendation. I'm highlighting her Michael Sykora series because it comes in a box set, which is perfect for a Christmas gift, but I could have recommended many others, especially, Into The Light and The Cutting Edge
http://www.amazon.com/Darcia-Helle/e/...
Helle Gade is a talented poet and photographer, and her books combine the two with stunning photo art and passionate poems. I must admit that before reading Helle's poems I never liked reading poetry. Helle Gade has changed the way I view poetry. Her verse expresses feelings in a way that really touches the heart. All her books are excellent. With Northern Whispers she has collected together all three of her poetry/art books. It would make a lovely Christmas gift.
http://www.amazon.com/Helle-Gade/e/B0...
I'm going to recommend a book series that I have contributed stories to, as well. I think The Mind's Eye Series is a wonderful project, and because it contains photography and stories/poems would make a great Christmas gift. It's also available in paperback and the paperbacks look great. I love them. There are two books available at the moment, which contain stories by Darcia Helle. J. Michael Radcliffe, Jason McIntyre, and myself. Book 2 also contains poetry from Helle Gade and Ben Ditmars. The photography for the series is by Martin David Porter and Helle Gade.
Perspectives: http://www.amazon.com/Perspectives-Mi...
Reflections: http://www.amazon.com/Reflections-Min...
Geoffrey David West's Jack Lockwood Mystery series is compulsive reading. I've read the first two books, Rock 'n' Roll Suicide and Doppelganger - I'd recommend them both. I'm currently reading and enjoying the third book in the series, Sheer Fear. An excellent choice for a Christmas gift for the Crime Fiction fan in your life.
http://www.amazon.com/Geoffrey-West/e...
Mark Rice's Metallic Dreams is the perfect present for the rock/metal fan in your life. It contains humour, fantasy, and romance. I think it's fantastic. (over 18s only).
http://www.amazon.com/Mark-Rice/e/B00...
Quentin R. Bufogle is a talented writer and this is a laugh out loud book that also has a deeper story that many will relate to. It would make be perfect gift for those who appreciate comedy and great fiction.
http://www.amazon.com/Horse-Latitudes...
Terry Tyler is a prolific writer of contemporary fiction. I've read You Wish, Round and Round, and The Other Side, as well as her collection of short stories, Nine Lives, and they're all brilliant. They are the kind of books that contain realistic characters and true-to-life situations. You Wish stands out as my favourite of hers so far; I love the humour. She has a list of books that the fiction fan in your life will love. Check out her Amazon page: http://www.amazon.com/Terry-Tyler/e/B...
Lisette Brodey produces great books consistently. I have read all of her books and love them all for different reasons. I'm highlighting Crooked Moon as it's my favourite, but any one of her books would make a lovely gift for someone who likes fiction with depth and meaning. Her books are also very entertaining and well written.
http://www.amazon.com/Lisette-Brodey/...
I'm going to stop there, even though there are probably loads more books I could recommend!
I hope I've given you a few ideas for Christmas gifts :)
Free book: The Cutting Edge, by Darcia Helle
Darcia Helle's novel, The Cutting Edge, is FREE for Kindle at Amazon until Friday, 5th of February.
About the book:
My name is Skye Summers. I’m a hairstylist and I can’t stop fantasizing about killing my clients. Not all of them, of course. I only want to kill the ones who irritate me, which, if I’m being honest, is most of them. My occasional fantasies have turned into chronic daydreams. They’re bloody and vivid, like watching a slice-and-dice movie on IMAX.
I also want to kill my husband’s ex-girlfriend. She’s not a client but she tops my list. Eighteen years ago, she gave birth to his daughter and she has tormented him ever since. I should be troubled by this growing desire to use my surgically sharpened shears for more than a haircut. Instead, I wonder how I can get away with it.
My review:
From page 1, where Darcia Helle's protagonist introduces herself as Lilly Skye Destiny Summers (LSD Summers -- named by her hippie parents), and then goes on to explain that she is known as Skye, and her husband's surname is Skyler, so she kept her maiden name, I knew that I was going to enjoy this book!
Anyone who has worked in a job where they have to deal with the general public on a daily basis will appreciate the humour in this book.
Skye is a hairdresser and begins to have fantasies about killing her clients. She has reached the stage where she no longer enjoys her job and her clients irritate her. On top of that her husband's ex is causing problems. Skye wants her dead.
At the same time as Skye is having these murderous thoughts, there is a serial killer loose in town. He is killing women, seemingly randomly, no one is safe.
The book is written in the first person where Skye is narrating her daily life, and then in the third person where we follow the 'Mass Avenger', the serial killer, as he takes revenge on women for the way his mother treated him. He believes women use their 'power' to break men down. He sees something different in Skye, though. He is one of her clients. He becomes obsessed with her but does not want to kill her. He has other plans.
This is a murder mystery which you will not want to put down. Helle has written an entertaining, psychological thriller. One minute you will be laughing at Skye's wild thoughts, the next you will be on the edge of your seat wondering about the fate of the women abducted by the Mass Avenger. There is some violence in the book, prepare to be shocked. Also, prepare to be amazed by Helle's skill at crafting a book that hooks you from the first page, keeps you captive to the very last, and leaves you feeling awestruck.
This book reminds us how daily toils can turn us into someone we don't like, and that we should be careful what we wish for...
This is a must-read for fans of suspense/crime fiction. Grab your copy today:
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cutting-Edge-...
US: http://www.amazon.com/Cutting-Edge-Da...
CA: http://www.amazon.ca/Cutting-Edge-Dar...
AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/Cutting-Edge...
JP: http://www.amazon.co.jp/Cutting-Edge-...
FR: http://www.amazon.fr/Cutting-Edge-Dar...
DE: http://www.amazon.de/Cutting-Edge-Dar...
IN: http://www.amazon.in/Cutting-Edge-Dar...
ES: http://www.amazon.es/Cutting-Edge-Dar...
MX: http://www.amazon.com.mx/Cutting-Edge...
BR: http://www.amazon.com.br/Cutting-Edge...
IT: http://www.amazon.it/Cutting-Edge-Dar...
NL: http://www.amazon.nl/Cutting-Edge-Dar...
