Maria Savva's Blog, page 14
May 31, 2016
Interview with J. Michael Radcliffe
Continuing my series of interviews with authors, today's guest is Michael Radcliffe. Michael publishes fabulous fantasy fiction under his author name J. Michael Radcliffe. He's one of my favourite authors and has also become a great friend. Michael has written a series of books "Beyond The Veil", as well as many short stories. He has been a contributor to the BestsellerBound Anthologies and The Mind's Eye series of books.
INTERVIEW WITH J. MICHAEL RADCLIFFE
Hello, Michael! Thank you for being a guest here on my blog. Please introduce yourself.
My name is Michael Radcliffe, and I live in rural Kentucky with my family and our ever growing cadre of cats.
I still can't believe how many cats you have!
I started writing in 2002, but did not publish my first book until late 2010. Since then I have gone on to write four full length books and about fifteen short stories. My muse is a small dragon statuette, whom I have named ‘Idris.’ He provides ideas, motivation, and lots and lots of criticism of my work!
Ha, ha! I love Idris!
Tell us more about your cats!
We have cats. Lots of cats. They seem to keep finding us, and being soft-hearted we can’t turn any of them away. At last count we have 8 cats that are ours (2 live outside), as well as 2 strays that visit every few weeks.
Do you have a day job or write full time?
By day I am the Executive Vice President responsible for Compliance at a local community bank – meaning I work as a liaison with state and federal regulators, conduct audits, and read and interpret laws and regulations. My most important responsibility however, is education – I’m responsible for keeping all 200 of our people informed and up to speed on the rules that affect their jobs.
It's an amazing achievement to do that and still be able to find time to write all your wonderful stories!
Why should people buy your books?
Because I like to think I am a decent storyteller.
You're a excellent storyteller!
I want to share the worlds I have created with people. I want to tell my characters’ stories, so they can live on in the imagination of others.
Where does your inspiration come from?
My muse can be mercurial at times. I can never be certain what may inspire me; sometimes I will stare at a blank screen for an hour and *nothing* comes to mind. Other times, I can’t type fast enough to get the words down on the page. Recently I was fortunate enough to participate in a project with some brilliant writers (like Maria Savva)
(Thanks!)
...and a couple of photographers. Each writer was given two or three original photos and asked to write a short story inspired by same. It was tremendous fun, and I surprised myself with some of the stories I created.
It's been great having you on board for the Mind's Eye series, Michael. I've enjoyed all your stories!
What’s the best time of day for you to write?
I do my best writing at night, usually very late around 10pm or later.
Do you listen to music when you write? If so, what type?
Absolutely – music helps lubricate the imagination! Most of the time I listen to classical music or movie soundtracks, such as the music from Star Wars or Game of Thrones. Although I absolutely love Vivaldi and Mozart as well.
Apart from writing, what are your favourite pastimes?
I enjoy spending time with my family, traveling, and cooking. While I also enjoy gardening, I rarely have the time anymore.
What advice would you give your 16-year-old self?
Don’t give up, it gets better (it just takes a while). Ignore the bullies and have confidence in yourself – their opinions are irrelevant. Find people who value you for who you are – don’t change just to make others happy.
Great advice.
Do you format your own books?
Yes, although there are times I wish I didn’t. I have a love/hate relationship with Microsoft Word.
Where are your books on sale?
All of my books and short stories can be found on Amazon.
Which social media sites can you most often be found on?
I am on Facebook and I have toyed with Instagram. I’ve never learned how to Snapchat, but you can find me on Twitter as @Alderdrache.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?
Somewhere tropical, because I love the ocean. I also love tropical plants and flowers.
Do you have any advice for writers as to how to deal with bad reviews?
Although this is far more difficult in practice, ignore them. Reading is inherently subjective, and no matter how perfect your prose or how spot on your editing is, someone, somewhere, will not like your story. I had one reviewer complain that my “novel” was far too short – when in fact they had read one of my (clearly labeled) short stories! Some reviewers seem to revel in trying to wound writers, seeming to derive some sort of perverted sense of accomplishment by tearing someone down. It never ceases to amaze me how cruel some humans are to those of their own species – which is why I often prefer the company of dragons!
LOL Sadly, I can totally understand that!
What do you enjoy most about the writing process?
I know this sounds insane, but I love to watch a story unfold in front of my eyes. As I write a story, I can see and hear the characters in my mind, almost as if I’m watching a movie. When I was writing my last novel, "Touch of Darkness," I could see the characters so clearly as I wrote the climactic ending I was almost in tears. I also really enjoy the world-building process. As a fantasy writer, I love fleshing out the details of the world inhabited by my characters.
Your stories are very vivid! I'm looking forward to reading more from you! Thanks for taking part in this interview series, Michael!
*****************************
Author links:
Website: http://www.michaelradcliffe.com/index...
Blog: https://michaelradcliffe.wordpress.com/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/J.-Michael-Radc...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/J-Michael-Ra...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Alderdrache
Instagram: http://yooying.com/alderdrache
INTERVIEW WITH J. MICHAEL RADCLIFFE
Hello, Michael! Thank you for being a guest here on my blog. Please introduce yourself.
My name is Michael Radcliffe, and I live in rural Kentucky with my family and our ever growing cadre of cats.
I still can't believe how many cats you have!
I started writing in 2002, but did not publish my first book until late 2010. Since then I have gone on to write four full length books and about fifteen short stories. My muse is a small dragon statuette, whom I have named ‘Idris.’ He provides ideas, motivation, and lots and lots of criticism of my work!
Ha, ha! I love Idris!
Tell us more about your cats!
We have cats. Lots of cats. They seem to keep finding us, and being soft-hearted we can’t turn any of them away. At last count we have 8 cats that are ours (2 live outside), as well as 2 strays that visit every few weeks.
Do you have a day job or write full time?
By day I am the Executive Vice President responsible for Compliance at a local community bank – meaning I work as a liaison with state and federal regulators, conduct audits, and read and interpret laws and regulations. My most important responsibility however, is education – I’m responsible for keeping all 200 of our people informed and up to speed on the rules that affect their jobs.
It's an amazing achievement to do that and still be able to find time to write all your wonderful stories!
Why should people buy your books?
Because I like to think I am a decent storyteller.
You're a excellent storyteller!
I want to share the worlds I have created with people. I want to tell my characters’ stories, so they can live on in the imagination of others.
Where does your inspiration come from?
My muse can be mercurial at times. I can never be certain what may inspire me; sometimes I will stare at a blank screen for an hour and *nothing* comes to mind. Other times, I can’t type fast enough to get the words down on the page. Recently I was fortunate enough to participate in a project with some brilliant writers (like Maria Savva)
(Thanks!)
...and a couple of photographers. Each writer was given two or three original photos and asked to write a short story inspired by same. It was tremendous fun, and I surprised myself with some of the stories I created.
It's been great having you on board for the Mind's Eye series, Michael. I've enjoyed all your stories!
What’s the best time of day for you to write?
I do my best writing at night, usually very late around 10pm or later.
Do you listen to music when you write? If so, what type?
Absolutely – music helps lubricate the imagination! Most of the time I listen to classical music or movie soundtracks, such as the music from Star Wars or Game of Thrones. Although I absolutely love Vivaldi and Mozart as well.
Apart from writing, what are your favourite pastimes?
I enjoy spending time with my family, traveling, and cooking. While I also enjoy gardening, I rarely have the time anymore.
What advice would you give your 16-year-old self?
Don’t give up, it gets better (it just takes a while). Ignore the bullies and have confidence in yourself – their opinions are irrelevant. Find people who value you for who you are – don’t change just to make others happy.
Great advice.
Do you format your own books?
Yes, although there are times I wish I didn’t. I have a love/hate relationship with Microsoft Word.
Where are your books on sale?
All of my books and short stories can be found on Amazon.
Which social media sites can you most often be found on?
I am on Facebook and I have toyed with Instagram. I’ve never learned how to Snapchat, but you can find me on Twitter as @Alderdrache.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?
Somewhere tropical, because I love the ocean. I also love tropical plants and flowers.
Do you have any advice for writers as to how to deal with bad reviews?
Although this is far more difficult in practice, ignore them. Reading is inherently subjective, and no matter how perfect your prose or how spot on your editing is, someone, somewhere, will not like your story. I had one reviewer complain that my “novel” was far too short – when in fact they had read one of my (clearly labeled) short stories! Some reviewers seem to revel in trying to wound writers, seeming to derive some sort of perverted sense of accomplishment by tearing someone down. It never ceases to amaze me how cruel some humans are to those of their own species – which is why I often prefer the company of dragons!
LOL Sadly, I can totally understand that!
What do you enjoy most about the writing process?
I know this sounds insane, but I love to watch a story unfold in front of my eyes. As I write a story, I can see and hear the characters in my mind, almost as if I’m watching a movie. When I was writing my last novel, "Touch of Darkness," I could see the characters so clearly as I wrote the climactic ending I was almost in tears. I also really enjoy the world-building process. As a fantasy writer, I love fleshing out the details of the world inhabited by my characters.
Your stories are very vivid! I'm looking forward to reading more from you! Thanks for taking part in this interview series, Michael!
*****************************
Author links:
Website: http://www.michaelradcliffe.com/index...
Blog: https://michaelradcliffe.wordpress.com/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/J.-Michael-Radc...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/J-Michael-Ra...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Alderdrache
Instagram: http://yooying.com/alderdrache
May 28, 2016
Interview with Jennifer Lane
I've met hundreds of talented authors over the years. Many of them have become great friends. It's been a while since I've interviewed authors on my blog, so I thought it would be nice to have a series of interviews here and maybe introduce you to some writers you've never heard of. They'll be sharing their experiences about writing, editing, publishing, etc. I hope you'll find some new favourite authors through this series.
My first guest is Jennifer Lane. I met Jen online when I was part of the BestsellerBound community of writers.
INTERVIEW WITH JENNIFER LANE
Do you have a day job or write full time?
I’m a psychologist/author (psycho author).
Ha, ha!
I love my day job as a therapist and my night job as an author is damn fun, too! I combine the two by writing therapy scenes in my novels.
I'm sure you hear some interesting stories!
Tell us about your latest book
My latest book is Spiked (Blocked #3), the conclusion to my college sports romance trilogy. Singer-songwriter Mateo crushes on speedy swimmer Jessica. The release date is October 1, 2016.
How long did it take you to write your last book?
It typically takes me 9 months to write a book.
Do you do your own editing or use a professional? Anyone you’d recommend?
Hands down I recommend professional editing. It’s totally worth the cost because I believe it’s impossible to edit our own writing. I’ve been lucky to work with the same editor for six novels and one novella: Jessica Royer Ocken. She has greatly improved my writing. Less adverb abuse and more tightness.
What are some of the pros/cons of being an indie author?
I went with a small publisher for my first four novels and I’m grateful for their tutelage. But I adore the autonomy of self-publishing. I’m quite impatient so it’s a relief to establish my own timeline for publication, and I enjoy the creative freedoms.
Who does your cover design? Is there anyone you’d recommend?
My book designer is Coreen Montagna. I love her covers and her interior design. She’s great at formatting, too!
When writing a novel or story, do you think word count is important? If so, what is the ideal length?
My first novels were epic stories around 200,000 words. Wow, I guess I had a LOT to say!
That's a lot of words!
Editing helped pare them down but they were still too bloated. I like 100,000 words for an adult novel but I believe Young Adult and New Adult should be shorter. I aim for 80,000 words in my New Adult sports romances.
Do you have any advice for writers as to how to deal with bad reviews?
I have too much experience in this area. Form a private group of trusted authors to vent to now and then. Step away from the computer and do not respond to bad reviews. Look up your absolute favorite book—one you think is brilliant—and read the negative reviews. Mind-blowing! Also, remember your experience as a reader—sometimes you feel let disappointed and angry about the author’s choices. No book can please every reader.
Great advice, Jen! Thanks for joining me here, and good luck with the launch of "Spiked"!
****************************
You can sign up for Jen's newsletter here: http://tinyurl.com/z4bnlxg
Author Bio:
Get psyched for romance with psychologist/author (psycho author) Jennifer Lane! By day she’s a therapist, and by night she’s a writer. She can’t decide which is more fun.
Jen adores creating sporty heroines and hot heroes in her college sport romances. Volleyball wonder Lucia Ramirez found her love match in Blocked despite the glaring political spotlight aimed on her family. In Aced, the second book in the Blocked series, it’s her brother Alejandro’s turn to get lucky in love. Next up is Spiked (Blocked #3) in October of 2016.
A swimmer and volleyball player in college, Jen writes swimming-based romances as well: Streamline, a military mystery, and the free New Adult novella Swim Recruit.
Stories of redemption interest Jen the most, especially the healing power of love. She is also the author of The Conduct Series, a romantic-suspense trilogy that includes With Good Behavior, Bad Behavior, and On Best Behavior.
Ultimately, whether writing or reading, Jen loves stories that make her laugh and cry. In her spare time she enjoys exercising, attending book club, and visiting her sisters in Chicago and Hilton Head.
Author links:
Website: http://jenniferlanebooks.blogspot.co.uk/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Jennifer-Lane/e...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenLaneBooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenLanebooks
Pinterest: https://uk.pinterest.com/jenlanebooks/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenlanebooks/
My first guest is Jennifer Lane. I met Jen online when I was part of the BestsellerBound community of writers.
INTERVIEW WITH JENNIFER LANE
Do you have a day job or write full time?
I’m a psychologist/author (psycho author).
Ha, ha!
I love my day job as a therapist and my night job as an author is damn fun, too! I combine the two by writing therapy scenes in my novels.
I'm sure you hear some interesting stories!
Tell us about your latest book
My latest book is Spiked (Blocked #3), the conclusion to my college sports romance trilogy. Singer-songwriter Mateo crushes on speedy swimmer Jessica. The release date is October 1, 2016.
How long did it take you to write your last book?
It typically takes me 9 months to write a book.
Do you do your own editing or use a professional? Anyone you’d recommend?
Hands down I recommend professional editing. It’s totally worth the cost because I believe it’s impossible to edit our own writing. I’ve been lucky to work with the same editor for six novels and one novella: Jessica Royer Ocken. She has greatly improved my writing. Less adverb abuse and more tightness.
What are some of the pros/cons of being an indie author?
I went with a small publisher for my first four novels and I’m grateful for their tutelage. But I adore the autonomy of self-publishing. I’m quite impatient so it’s a relief to establish my own timeline for publication, and I enjoy the creative freedoms.
Who does your cover design? Is there anyone you’d recommend?
My book designer is Coreen Montagna. I love her covers and her interior design. She’s great at formatting, too!
When writing a novel or story, do you think word count is important? If so, what is the ideal length?
My first novels were epic stories around 200,000 words. Wow, I guess I had a LOT to say!
That's a lot of words!
Editing helped pare them down but they were still too bloated. I like 100,000 words for an adult novel but I believe Young Adult and New Adult should be shorter. I aim for 80,000 words in my New Adult sports romances.
Do you have any advice for writers as to how to deal with bad reviews?
I have too much experience in this area. Form a private group of trusted authors to vent to now and then. Step away from the computer and do not respond to bad reviews. Look up your absolute favorite book—one you think is brilliant—and read the negative reviews. Mind-blowing! Also, remember your experience as a reader—sometimes you feel let disappointed and angry about the author’s choices. No book can please every reader.
Great advice, Jen! Thanks for joining me here, and good luck with the launch of "Spiked"!
****************************
You can sign up for Jen's newsletter here: http://tinyurl.com/z4bnlxg
Author Bio:
Get psyched for romance with psychologist/author (psycho author) Jennifer Lane! By day she’s a therapist, and by night she’s a writer. She can’t decide which is more fun.
Jen adores creating sporty heroines and hot heroes in her college sport romances. Volleyball wonder Lucia Ramirez found her love match in Blocked despite the glaring political spotlight aimed on her family. In Aced, the second book in the Blocked series, it’s her brother Alejandro’s turn to get lucky in love. Next up is Spiked (Blocked #3) in October of 2016.
A swimmer and volleyball player in college, Jen writes swimming-based romances as well: Streamline, a military mystery, and the free New Adult novella Swim Recruit.
Stories of redemption interest Jen the most, especially the healing power of love. She is also the author of The Conduct Series, a romantic-suspense trilogy that includes With Good Behavior, Bad Behavior, and On Best Behavior.
Ultimately, whether writing or reading, Jen loves stories that make her laugh and cry. In her spare time she enjoys exercising, attending book club, and visiting her sisters in Chicago and Hilton Head.
Author links:
Website: http://jenniferlanebooks.blogspot.co.uk/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Jennifer-Lane/e...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenLaneBooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenLanebooks
Pinterest: https://uk.pinterest.com/jenlanebooks/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenlanebooks/
May 12, 2016
Book Review: The Basement, by JT Therrien
The Basement by JT TherrienMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I enjoyed this story. There's an assortment of interesting characters and it was intriguing enough to keep me hooked to the last page. Ricer is a struggling young artist when we meet him. He moves into a basement and begins an odd relationship with his landlady who is an older woman. It seems that all the people we meet in this book have different motivations and are using each other for different reasons. We follow Ricer's journey as he tries to make a name for himself in the art world.
Reading this novel is a bit like being a fly on the wall and observing some strange goings on. All the characters could easily be real people; the author has a talent for creating perfectly flawed, realistic characters.
I liked the way the book is set out with chapter titles that relate to words used in the chapter.
The main characters are Ricer, his two teenage friends JPeg and Nasty, his landlady, and a journalist Pete. A motley crew. The interplay between all the players is very well done. A good book, entertaining, and well worth reading.
View all my reviews
May 6, 2016
Free books! Mind's Eye Series
Book 5 in the Mind's Eye series will soon be published. To celebrate this, and also to promote the series, we have decided to give away free copies of the Kindle version of the existing books in the series.
Reflections was free a couple of weeks ago, I hope you grabbed a copy and are enjoying that. You can now get Perspectives, Triptychs, and Tales From The Cacao Tree free at Amazon (worldwide). This offer will end sometime tomorrow, so hurry if you would like a free copy of any of the books.
You can find out more about the books, and read samples on Darcia Helle's blog: http://quietfurybooks.com/blog/3-book...
If you download a free copy and enjoy the books, please leave a short review on Amazon or Goodreads. It would help us a lot with promotion. Thank you!
There are some brilliant stories and poems, as well as stunning photographs, in this series. I hope you enjoy them as much as we enjoy being part of this fun project.
Amazon links:
US
Perspectives: https://www.amazon.com/Perspectives-M...
Triptychs: https://www.amazon.com/Triptychs-Mind...
Tales from the Cacao Tree: https://www.amazon.com/Tales-Cacao-Tr...
UK
Perspectives: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Perspectives...
Triptychs: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Triptychs-Mi...
Tales from the Cacao Tree: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tales-Cacao-...
Kindle books can be read on your PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, etc. using the free Kindle app: https://itunes.apple.com/app/kindle-r...
Reflections was free a couple of weeks ago, I hope you grabbed a copy and are enjoying that. You can now get Perspectives, Triptychs, and Tales From The Cacao Tree free at Amazon (worldwide). This offer will end sometime tomorrow, so hurry if you would like a free copy of any of the books.
You can find out more about the books, and read samples on Darcia Helle's blog: http://quietfurybooks.com/blog/3-book...
If you download a free copy and enjoy the books, please leave a short review on Amazon or Goodreads. It would help us a lot with promotion. Thank you!
There are some brilliant stories and poems, as well as stunning photographs, in this series. I hope you enjoy them as much as we enjoy being part of this fun project.
Amazon links:
US
Perspectives: https://www.amazon.com/Perspectives-M...
Triptychs: https://www.amazon.com/Triptychs-Mind...
Tales from the Cacao Tree: https://www.amazon.com/Tales-Cacao-Tr...
UK
Perspectives: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Perspectives...
Triptychs: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Triptychs-Mi...
Tales from the Cacao Tree: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tales-Cacao-...
Kindle books can be read on your PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, etc. using the free Kindle app: https://itunes.apple.com/app/kindle-r...
May 5, 2016
Book Review: Memories, by Lang Leav
Memories by Lang LeavMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I first noticed lots of Lang Leav's poetry and quotes being shared on social media, and every time I saw something she'd written I always think it was profound or insightful in some way, and often I would relate to the words. I then saw a link on her Facebook page to her book "Memories", and was intrigued enough to buy a copy. In fact, I somehow knew I would love this collection so I bought the hardback edition. This is one of the best collections of poetry and prose I've ever read. Lang Leav writes in a way that exposes our human emotions, many of which we keep buried inside; I'm sure many people will relate to the deep and poignant words in this collection. Love is a universal language and Lang Leav has found a way to tune into that, and she expresses her heart and feelings with such a passion that you cannot fail to be touched by her words. This is truly one of the most heartfelt and honest collections of poetry/prose that I have read. It will make you cry, and it will warm your heart. A must-read for any romantics out there. It's the kind of book that you'll read and reread for years to come.
View all my reviews
Book Review: Come Back To Me, by Thomma Lyn Grindstaff
Come Back to Me by Thomma Lyn GrindstaffMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a well written, entertaining novel that kept me interested. I enjoyed the time travel aspect and think the author did a great job with this complex storyline. We follow Annasophia backwards and forwards in time between 1973 and 2010, as her relationship with her music teacher takes an unexpected turn when he is close to death. A tale that will keep you turning the pages to find out what happens next. Ultimately, it's a love story, and quite a passionate one. Thomma Lyn Grindstaff is a talented author who has her own unique style. Worth reading.
View all my reviews
April 29, 2016
Cover reveal: KINGDOM'S END, by Charles D. Blanchard
Charles D. Blanchard is a talented author. His debut novel, Mourning Doves After the Fire was published in 2010. This forthcoming novel, "Kingdom's End", sounds intriguing: the main characters are rats.
Charles told me that he has dedicated the book to Richard Adams who wrote "Watership Down". I asked him whether that book inspired "Kingdom's End", and he said: 'It's not just his writing. I also enjoyed "Animal Farm" by George Orwell. And "Charlotte's Web". They are fables where animals are the principal characters. "Kingdom's End" is my contribution to this genre.'
The author has chosen a gorgeous cover for the book.
I asked Charles about the cover choice. He told me, 'I was looking for something dramatic for the cover, and I came upon this illustration by Gustave Doré. Its an 1870 wood engraving called "The Council Held By The Rats". It's dramatic, and I licensed it for 20 years from Bridgeman Art in NYC.'
"Kingdom's End" is scheduled to be published this summer.
SYNOPSIS:
"Kingdom's End" is an adventure story set in an urban landscape where the main characters are rodents. The main setting is an abandoned motion picture palace from the 1920s that has been closed for thirty years and is set for demolition. It is here where the rats in the story make their massive colony and fight to protect it. In their struggle to survive in a harsh environment, there are threats posed against them from both man and beast. It is exciting and complex and an easy read with a strong narrative that makes you feel their plight.
There are many conflicts. Among them, a plot within the colony to overthrow the aged blind leader by an ambitious ruthless soldier rat and a good deal of the story involves how he goes about it. Later, the plot is discovered as forces work against the perpetrator.
The rodent characters have names. The human characters interspersed in the story are nameless.
There is considerable adventure outside the colony as characters are introduced that play important roles such as the derelict rats that specialize in the placement of poison and even a fortune teller. The interaction with humans and other animals has an emotional pull that infuses the story to its conclusion as the blind leader of the entrapped colony facing the exterminators tells his subjects they must make their decision on life or death.
About the author:
Charles D. Blanchard is a native New Yorker, currently living in Mt. Vernon, NY.
2010 saw the publication of his debut novel, "Mourning Doves After The Fire".
HIs second novel, "Kingdom's End", a dramatic fable about city dwelling rats, will be published in the summer of 2016.
Charles is currently working on his third novel.
Follow Charles D. Blanchard on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Cblanc10708
Charles told me that he has dedicated the book to Richard Adams who wrote "Watership Down". I asked him whether that book inspired "Kingdom's End", and he said: 'It's not just his writing. I also enjoyed "Animal Farm" by George Orwell. And "Charlotte's Web". They are fables where animals are the principal characters. "Kingdom's End" is my contribution to this genre.'
The author has chosen a gorgeous cover for the book.
I asked Charles about the cover choice. He told me, 'I was looking for something dramatic for the cover, and I came upon this illustration by Gustave Doré. Its an 1870 wood engraving called "The Council Held By The Rats". It's dramatic, and I licensed it for 20 years from Bridgeman Art in NYC.'
"Kingdom's End" is scheduled to be published this summer.
SYNOPSIS:
"Kingdom's End" is an adventure story set in an urban landscape where the main characters are rodents. The main setting is an abandoned motion picture palace from the 1920s that has been closed for thirty years and is set for demolition. It is here where the rats in the story make their massive colony and fight to protect it. In their struggle to survive in a harsh environment, there are threats posed against them from both man and beast. It is exciting and complex and an easy read with a strong narrative that makes you feel their plight.
There are many conflicts. Among them, a plot within the colony to overthrow the aged blind leader by an ambitious ruthless soldier rat and a good deal of the story involves how he goes about it. Later, the plot is discovered as forces work against the perpetrator.
The rodent characters have names. The human characters interspersed in the story are nameless.
There is considerable adventure outside the colony as characters are introduced that play important roles such as the derelict rats that specialize in the placement of poison and even a fortune teller. The interaction with humans and other animals has an emotional pull that infuses the story to its conclusion as the blind leader of the entrapped colony facing the exterminators tells his subjects they must make their decision on life or death.
About the author:
Charles D. Blanchard is a native New Yorker, currently living in Mt. Vernon, NY.
2010 saw the publication of his debut novel, "Mourning Doves After The Fire".
HIs second novel, "Kingdom's End", a dramatic fable about city dwelling rats, will be published in the summer of 2016.
Charles is currently working on his third novel.
Follow Charles D. Blanchard on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Cblanc10708
April 25, 2016
NEW RELEASE Ciara Ballintyne’s Epic Fantasy ‘In the Company of the Dead’
NEW RELEASE Ciara Ballintyne’s Epic Fantasy ‘In the Company of the Dead’
Only a fool crosses a god, but Ellaeva and Lyram will do anything to get what they want.
Title: In the Company of the Dead
Author: Ciara Ballintyne
Series: The Sundered Oath #1
Genre: Epic Fantasy/Fantasy Romance
Only a fool would split hairs with a god, least of all the goddess of death, but Ellaeva would count herself such a fool and consider it worth it—if she could get away with it.
She leaned across the knife-scarred timber of the tavern table.
“Are you sure?” she asked, her tone even and barely loud enough to be audible over the noise of the flute and the zither. Her work on behalf of the goddess Ahura, adjudicating the small war here in Dayhl, could only be abandoned in favour of a greater threat. If she was going to chase off after the man who killed her parents, she needed to be sure her arguments stacked up. The pursuit of personal justice wouldn’t be enough.
Is it justice or revenge?
No time to worry about that now. She tugged her black hood farther down over her infamous face, even though deep shadows blanketed the common room corner. She’d chosen a table far from the tallow candles mounted in their stag-horn chandeliers. There was no point taking chances; the black hair and porcelain skin of a Tembran would be remarked here among the platinum-haired Dayhlish. Besides, someone might recognise her.
“In Ahlleyn, sure as the spring comes after winter, Holiness.” The narrow-faced man across from her grinned, baring teeth more brown than yellow. The acrid smoke from the candles didn’t cover his pungent breath.
She half-stood, making an urgent, negating gesture as she glanced around, but the hubbub of chatter from the patrons and the music covered his slip. No one even glanced their way. On the far side of the room, away from the two blazing hearths, tables were pushed aside for dancing. She dropped back into her seat, her black robes fluttering around her booted feet.
Ahlleyn lay on the other side of the continent, months of travel by horse. If her informant was right and a Rahmyrrim priest had been dispatched there, he would likely be gone long before she arrived—unless she begged a favour, but she’d not do that for a lark of her own. However, if it meant catching the man who killed her parents, well then maybe she could come up with an argument that would hold water for a god. Old grief and anger, stale from a decade or more, stirred in her gut, and her fingers curled around the edge of the table.
Releasing her grip, she reached to the inner pocket in her robes where rested the smudged charcoal drawing of a man. Hard work and luck had helped her obtain that picture of the man she believed killed her parents—a man she knew to be a priest of Rahmyr. If she decided to act against her standing orders, then she needed to be sure it was the man she was after, and that he was involved in some act heinous enough to attract her goddess’s attention.
“Did you get the name of this priest? Or his description?” An unknown number of priests served Rahmyr, but she knew six by sight—six still alive anyway.
The thin man shook his head. “Nobody mentioned. I got the impression he’s already there, or on his way leastways.”
She scowled. No way to be sure then that this was the man she wanted. Begging favours of Ahura for her personal satisfaction was a risky business, especially if she neglected her duties, and perhaps it would all be for nothing.
With one hand, she flattened the map that curled on the table between them. The patrons behind them exploded with laughter at something unheard. Ignoring the noise, she stabbed her finger at an unmarked portion of the map in the foothills of the Ahlleyn mountains. If he didn’t know who, maybe he knew the what. “There, you say? What possible interest could Rahmyr have there? There’s nothing of interest at all.”
She lowered her voice even further as she uttered the name of the goddess of decay, and glanced around again. That name spoken too loudly would bring unwanted attention. But nearly all the tavern patrons were busy whirling on the impromptu dance floor or lined up to watch the dancers, their backs to her.
The nameless man leaned forward, treating her to another stomach-clenching blast of foul breath, and touched a spot perhaps half an inch away from her finger. A tiny, unlabelled picture marked something there.
“Here, Holiness.”
She squinted at the picture, letting his lapse slide. The image represented a holy place. There was an old shrine to Ahura somewhere in the Ahlleyn Borders, wasn’t there? And a castle built over it. “Caisteal Aingeal an Bhais.”
“That sounds like the name,” he agreed. “Never could get my mouth around them Ahlleyn words. Pink castle, I heard.”
She grunted. That was the one. “There’s still nothing there.”
Nothing of interest to Rahmyr anyway. The shrine wasn’t particularly important, and the castle held no political significance.
“What’s there,” the man said, “is Lyram Aharris.”
The premonition went through her like a blast of icy wind, stiffening her in her chair as the hand of the goddess brushed against her mind. A light caress, but from a giant, and so it sent her mind reeling. She clutched the table for support. Lyram Aharris’s reputation preceded him the length of the continent: eight years ago, at the age of twenty-seven, he’d brought an end to the centuries-long conflict between Ahlleyn and Velena through a series of brilliant military manoeuvres. He’d survived the Siege of Invergahr against near-impossible odds, brought the crown prince safely clear of the conflict, and fought the Velenese to a standstill using their own guerrilla warfare tactics against them. As a novice, she’d covered the tactics thoroughly as part of her studies. The man was a military genius. That he was third in line for the throne of Ahlleyn was the least there was to know about him—at least it was, until his king dismissed him from court. The rumours on everyone’s lips said he murdered his wife, even if no one could prove it.
What did Rahmyr want with him?
Ciara Ballintyne grew up on a steady diet of adult epic fantasy from the age of nine, leaving her with a rather confused outlook on life – she believes the good guys should always win, but knows they often don’t. She is an oxymoron; an idealistic cynic.
She began her first attempts at the craft of writing in 1992, culminating in the publication of her debut work, Confronting the Demon, in 2013. Her first book to be published with Evolved Publishing is In the Company of the Dead. She holds degrees in law and accounting, and is a practising financial services lawyer. In her spare time, she speculates about taking over the world – how hard can it really be?
If she could be anything, she’d choose a dragon, but if she is honest she shares more in common with Dr. Gregory House of House M.D. – both the good and the bad. She is a browncoat, a saltgunner, a Whedonite, a Sherlockian, a Ringer and a Whovian... OK, most major geek fandoms. Her alignment is chaotic good. She is an INTJ.
Ciara lives in Sydney, Australia, with her husband, her two daughters, and a growing menagerie of animals that unfortunately includes no dragons.
Only a fool crosses a god, but Ellaeva and Lyram will do anything to get what they want.
Title: In the Company of the Dead
Author: Ciara Ballintyne
Series: The Sundered Oath #1
Genre: Epic Fantasy/Fantasy Romance
Chosen as a five-year-old orphan to be the Left Hand of Death, Ellaeva has nothing to call her own—nothing except a desire to avenge her murdered parents. Her duties leave her no time to pursue the man responsible, until both her work and revenge lead to the same place—the lonely castle where Lyram Aharris is serving out his exile for striking his prince.
Lyram is third in line for the throne, and when the castle is unexpectedly besieged, he fears his prince means to remove him from contention for the crown permanently. Ellaeva’s arrival brings hope, until she reveals she has not come for the siege, but instead she hunts the castle for a hidden necromancer dedicated to the dark god of decay.
Within their stone prison, Ellaeva and Lyram must fight to save themselves from political machinations and clashing gods. But as the siege lengthens, the greatest threat comes from an unexpected quarter.
Only a fool would split hairs with a god, least of all the goddess of death, but Ellaeva would count herself such a fool and consider it worth it—if she could get away with it.
She leaned across the knife-scarred timber of the tavern table.
“Are you sure?” she asked, her tone even and barely loud enough to be audible over the noise of the flute and the zither. Her work on behalf of the goddess Ahura, adjudicating the small war here in Dayhl, could only be abandoned in favour of a greater threat. If she was going to chase off after the man who killed her parents, she needed to be sure her arguments stacked up. The pursuit of personal justice wouldn’t be enough.
Is it justice or revenge?
No time to worry about that now. She tugged her black hood farther down over her infamous face, even though deep shadows blanketed the common room corner. She’d chosen a table far from the tallow candles mounted in their stag-horn chandeliers. There was no point taking chances; the black hair and porcelain skin of a Tembran would be remarked here among the platinum-haired Dayhlish. Besides, someone might recognise her.
“In Ahlleyn, sure as the spring comes after winter, Holiness.” The narrow-faced man across from her grinned, baring teeth more brown than yellow. The acrid smoke from the candles didn’t cover his pungent breath.
She half-stood, making an urgent, negating gesture as she glanced around, but the hubbub of chatter from the patrons and the music covered his slip. No one even glanced their way. On the far side of the room, away from the two blazing hearths, tables were pushed aside for dancing. She dropped back into her seat, her black robes fluttering around her booted feet.
Ahlleyn lay on the other side of the continent, months of travel by horse. If her informant was right and a Rahmyrrim priest had been dispatched there, he would likely be gone long before she arrived—unless she begged a favour, but she’d not do that for a lark of her own. However, if it meant catching the man who killed her parents, well then maybe she could come up with an argument that would hold water for a god. Old grief and anger, stale from a decade or more, stirred in her gut, and her fingers curled around the edge of the table.
Releasing her grip, she reached to the inner pocket in her robes where rested the smudged charcoal drawing of a man. Hard work and luck had helped her obtain that picture of the man she believed killed her parents—a man she knew to be a priest of Rahmyr. If she decided to act against her standing orders, then she needed to be sure it was the man she was after, and that he was involved in some act heinous enough to attract her goddess’s attention.
“Did you get the name of this priest? Or his description?” An unknown number of priests served Rahmyr, but she knew six by sight—six still alive anyway.
The thin man shook his head. “Nobody mentioned. I got the impression he’s already there, or on his way leastways.”
She scowled. No way to be sure then that this was the man she wanted. Begging favours of Ahura for her personal satisfaction was a risky business, especially if she neglected her duties, and perhaps it would all be for nothing.
With one hand, she flattened the map that curled on the table between them. The patrons behind them exploded with laughter at something unheard. Ignoring the noise, she stabbed her finger at an unmarked portion of the map in the foothills of the Ahlleyn mountains. If he didn’t know who, maybe he knew the what. “There, you say? What possible interest could Rahmyr have there? There’s nothing of interest at all.”
She lowered her voice even further as she uttered the name of the goddess of decay, and glanced around again. That name spoken too loudly would bring unwanted attention. But nearly all the tavern patrons were busy whirling on the impromptu dance floor or lined up to watch the dancers, their backs to her.
The nameless man leaned forward, treating her to another stomach-clenching blast of foul breath, and touched a spot perhaps half an inch away from her finger. A tiny, unlabelled picture marked something there.
“Here, Holiness.”
She squinted at the picture, letting his lapse slide. The image represented a holy place. There was an old shrine to Ahura somewhere in the Ahlleyn Borders, wasn’t there? And a castle built over it. “Caisteal Aingeal an Bhais.”
“That sounds like the name,” he agreed. “Never could get my mouth around them Ahlleyn words. Pink castle, I heard.”
She grunted. That was the one. “There’s still nothing there.”
Nothing of interest to Rahmyr anyway. The shrine wasn’t particularly important, and the castle held no political significance.
“What’s there,” the man said, “is Lyram Aharris.”
The premonition went through her like a blast of icy wind, stiffening her in her chair as the hand of the goddess brushed against her mind. A light caress, but from a giant, and so it sent her mind reeling. She clutched the table for support. Lyram Aharris’s reputation preceded him the length of the continent: eight years ago, at the age of twenty-seven, he’d brought an end to the centuries-long conflict between Ahlleyn and Velena through a series of brilliant military manoeuvres. He’d survived the Siege of Invergahr against near-impossible odds, brought the crown prince safely clear of the conflict, and fought the Velenese to a standstill using their own guerrilla warfare tactics against them. As a novice, she’d covered the tactics thoroughly as part of her studies. The man was a military genius. That he was third in line for the throne of Ahlleyn was the least there was to know about him—at least it was, until his king dismissed him from court. The rumours on everyone’s lips said he murdered his wife, even if no one could prove it.
What did Rahmyr want with him?
Ciara Ballintyne grew up on a steady diet of adult epic fantasy from the age of nine, leaving her with a rather confused outlook on life – she believes the good guys should always win, but knows they often don’t. She is an oxymoron; an idealistic cynic.
She began her first attempts at the craft of writing in 1992, culminating in the publication of her debut work, Confronting the Demon, in 2013. Her first book to be published with Evolved Publishing is In the Company of the Dead. She holds degrees in law and accounting, and is a practising financial services lawyer. In her spare time, she speculates about taking over the world – how hard can it really be?
If she could be anything, she’d choose a dragon, but if she is honest she shares more in common with Dr. Gregory House of House M.D. – both the good and the bad. She is a browncoat, a saltgunner, a Whedonite, a Sherlockian, a Ringer and a Whovian... OK, most major geek fandoms. Her alignment is chaotic good. She is an INTJ.
Ciara lives in Sydney, Australia, with her husband, her two daughters, and a growing menagerie of animals that unfortunately includes no dragons.
April 1, 2016
Book review: There Was An Old Woman, by Julie Elizabeth Powell
There Was An Old Woman by Julie Elizabeth PowellMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
As with all of this author's fiction, there is an element of mystery, a sense of not knowing what is going to happen, intriguing suspense. This story is quite complex yet a quick read and is a great example of how adept this author is at creating characters and stories to thrill the reader. There is beautiful, almost poetic description within this story as we follow the character to find out what her fate will be. It's a story about free will and the illusion of reality. The ending is very profound and will make you think. It's a very clever tale. You have to read it to understand what I mean, but this story will get inside your mind and twist your perception. Definitely worth reading. There is also a very entertaining poem added as bonus content.
View all my reviews
March 15, 2016
New Release: Best Seller, by Terry Tyler
Terry Tyler has just published a new novella!
"Best Seller: A Tale Of Three Writers" is currently available on Amazon for just 99p/99c
About the book:
Three women, one dream: to become a successful author.
Eden Taylor has made it—big time. A twenty-three year old with model girl looks and a book deal with a major publisher, she's outselling the established names in her field and is fast becoming the darling of the media.
Becky Hunter has money problems. Can she earn enough from her light-hearted romance novels to counteract boyfriend Alex's extravagant spending habits, before their rocky world collapses?
Hard up factory worker Jan Chilver sees writing as an escape from her troubled, lonely life. She is offered a lifeline—but fails to read the small print...
In the competitive world of publishing, success can be merely a matter of who you know—and how ruthless you are prepared to be to get to the top.
BEST SELLER is a novella of 40k words (roughly half as long as an average length novel), a slightly dark, slightly edgy drama with a twist or three in the tale.
Get your copy:
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...
US: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C...
CA: http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01CX...
AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B...
ES: http://www.amazon.es/gp/product/B01CX...
FR: http://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B01CX...
DE: http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B01CX...
NL: http://www.amazon.nl/gp/product/B01CX...
IN: http://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B01CX...
JP: http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B0...
MX: http://www.amazon.com.mx/gp/product/B...
BR: http://www.amazon.com.br/gp/product/B...
Author links:
Blog: http://www.terrytyler59.blogspot.co.uk/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TerryTyler4
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Terry-Tyler-...
"Best Seller: A Tale Of Three Writers" is currently available on Amazon for just 99p/99c
About the book:
Three women, one dream: to become a successful author.
Eden Taylor has made it—big time. A twenty-three year old with model girl looks and a book deal with a major publisher, she's outselling the established names in her field and is fast becoming the darling of the media.
Becky Hunter has money problems. Can she earn enough from her light-hearted romance novels to counteract boyfriend Alex's extravagant spending habits, before their rocky world collapses?
Hard up factory worker Jan Chilver sees writing as an escape from her troubled, lonely life. She is offered a lifeline—but fails to read the small print...
In the competitive world of publishing, success can be merely a matter of who you know—and how ruthless you are prepared to be to get to the top.
BEST SELLER is a novella of 40k words (roughly half as long as an average length novel), a slightly dark, slightly edgy drama with a twist or three in the tale.
Get your copy:
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...
US: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C...
CA: http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01CX...
AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B...
ES: http://www.amazon.es/gp/product/B01CX...
FR: http://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B01CX...
DE: http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B01CX...
NL: http://www.amazon.nl/gp/product/B01CX...
IN: http://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B01CX...
JP: http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B0...
MX: http://www.amazon.com.mx/gp/product/B...
BR: http://www.amazon.com.br/gp/product/B...
Author links:
Blog: http://www.terrytyler59.blogspot.co.uk/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TerryTyler4
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Terry-Tyler-...
