Maria Savva's Blog, page 26
October 26, 2014
Mystery November Blog Tour
My novel The Dream will be featured in the Mystery November Book Tour hosted by Rosie Amber.
The Dream is a time-travel romance/mystery with a paranormal slant.
Rosie Amber has interviewed me for the tour and that interview will appear on the blog on the 13th of November.
There are lots of authors taking part in the book tour, including a couple of my favourites Terry Tyler and Geoffrey West.
You can keep up with the tour on Twitter by searching the hashtag #MysteryNovember throughout the month of November.
For a list of all the participating authors, please follow this link: http://rosieamber.wordpress.com/myste...
The Dream is a time-travel romance/mystery with a paranormal slant.
Rosie Amber has interviewed me for the tour and that interview will appear on the blog on the 13th of November.
There are lots of authors taking part in the book tour, including a couple of my favourites Terry Tyler and Geoffrey West.
You can keep up with the tour on Twitter by searching the hashtag #MysteryNovember throughout the month of November.
For a list of all the participating authors, please follow this link: http://rosieamber.wordpress.com/myste...
October 24, 2014
Halloween Reads
It's nearly Halloween.
I've always loved a good ghost story. It might have something to do with the fact that I grew up in a haunted house. Many of my novels and stories have some elements of paranormal in them, probably for the same reason.
Open Culture posted a blog today about horror author H.P. Lovecraft's books. You can get his complete works free, either as an e-book or audiobook. Follow the link to find our more: http://www.openculture.com/2014/10/h-...
Reading that blog got me thinking about what books I could recommend as Halloween reads.
Here are a few suggestions:
Her Fearful Symmetry, by Audrey Niffenegger.
From the bestselling author of The Time Traveler's Wife. I loved absolutely everything about this book. It's definitely spooky, and there are ghosts in it. I'd say this is a more or less perfect Halloween read. It's great for those who don't really like gory books. It's also quite light-hearted in parts even though the theme is dark and disturbing.
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Her-Fearful-Sym...
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Her-Fearful-S...
Legend of the Pumpkin King by J. Michael Radcliffe.
If you like fantasy tales, J. Michael Radcliffe is a master of the genre; this is a nice little story. It's part fantasy and part horror. It will definitely get you in the mood for Halloween.
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Legend-Pumpkin-...
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Legend-Pumpki...
Dying Embers, by M.R. Cosby.
This is a book of dark and strange tales with ghosts that turn up often as memories from the past. It's an ideal read to put you in the frame of mind for the spooky goings-on at Halloween. The characters will lead you down very dark and ghostly paths.
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Dying-Embers-M-...
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dying-Embers-...
The Other Room and
Falling Over by James Everington.
I couldn't decide between James Everington's two brilliant collections. These contain horror, paranormal, and all things twisted. He has some other books that are also dark and highly recommended. These stories definitely challenge our perception of reality and are just right for this spine-chilling season.
The Other Room:
Amazon US:http://www.amazon.com/Other-Room-Jame...
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Other-Room-Ja...
Falling Over:
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Falling-Over-Ja...
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Falling-Over-...
While we're on the subject of horror, you could try 13, by Julie Elizabeth Powell, if you want to be shocked and scared. This is a perfectly crafted horror story that will send shivers down your spine.
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/13-Julie-Elizab...
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/13-Julie-Eliz...
If you want ghosts in your Halloween read, but would prefer a book that will also make you laugh, you should check out Into The Light, by Darcia Helle and Horse Latitudes, by Quentin R. Bufogle.
Into The Light is the story of a ghost who is trying to help to solve his own murder. It will definitely add an element of fun to your Halloween.
Horse Latitudes features a ghost who helps the main character make an important decision. It's a book that will definitely make you laugh out loud.
--------------------------
I've seen lots authors promoting special Halloween stories or posting on Twitter about their books that would make great Halloween reads, so below is a list I have compiled from those promotions. I haven't read any of the books listed below, but they all sound great and will be added to my never-ending TBR list!
Shadow the Ghost Dog by J T Therrien
(Children' fiction)
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Ghost-Do...
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shadow-Ghost-...
Sad I Am, by Regina Puckett
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N99F1K8/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00N99F1K8/
Dark Before Dawn, by Stacy Juba
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Before-Daw...
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dark-Before-D...
-----------------------
Talented author, Justin Bog has been posting chapters from his current work in progress since May this year, on his blog. It's a horror story called The Play (The Queen’s Idle Fancy). Having read both of Justin's published works I know this must be good. I haven't found time to read any of it yet! Seems like the ideal time of year to start. The first part is here: http://justinbog.com/new-horror-ficti... and you can follow the story on his blog.
-------------------------------
As I mentioned at the start of this post, some of my novels and stories have elements of paranormal in them. The Dream and Haunted both feature ghosts. There are also ghost stories included in my short story collections Fusion and 3.
The new novel I'm working on also features a ghost, but probably won't be released until Halloween next year!
Haunted:
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Haunted-Maria-S...
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Haunted-Maria...
"3":
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/3-Maria-Savva-e...
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/3-Maria-Savva...
The Dream:
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Dream-Maria-Sav...
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dream-Maria-S...
Fusion:
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Fusion-Maria-Sa...
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fusion-Maria-...
-----------------------------------
I hope you find something from the above suggestions to help make your Halloween more spooky! Whatever you're planning, have fun and stay safe!
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
I've always loved a good ghost story. It might have something to do with the fact that I grew up in a haunted house. Many of my novels and stories have some elements of paranormal in them, probably for the same reason.
Open Culture posted a blog today about horror author H.P. Lovecraft's books. You can get his complete works free, either as an e-book or audiobook. Follow the link to find our more: http://www.openculture.com/2014/10/h-...
Reading that blog got me thinking about what books I could recommend as Halloween reads.
Here are a few suggestions:
Her Fearful Symmetry, by Audrey Niffenegger.
From the bestselling author of The Time Traveler's Wife. I loved absolutely everything about this book. It's definitely spooky, and there are ghosts in it. I'd say this is a more or less perfect Halloween read. It's great for those who don't really like gory books. It's also quite light-hearted in parts even though the theme is dark and disturbing.
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Her-Fearful-Sym...
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Her-Fearful-S...
Legend of the Pumpkin King by J. Michael Radcliffe.
If you like fantasy tales, J. Michael Radcliffe is a master of the genre; this is a nice little story. It's part fantasy and part horror. It will definitely get you in the mood for Halloween.
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Legend-Pumpkin-...
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Legend-Pumpki...
Dying Embers, by M.R. Cosby.
This is a book of dark and strange tales with ghosts that turn up often as memories from the past. It's an ideal read to put you in the frame of mind for the spooky goings-on at Halloween. The characters will lead you down very dark and ghostly paths.
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Dying-Embers-M-...
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dying-Embers-...
The Other Room and
Falling Over by James Everington.
I couldn't decide between James Everington's two brilliant collections. These contain horror, paranormal, and all things twisted. He has some other books that are also dark and highly recommended. These stories definitely challenge our perception of reality and are just right for this spine-chilling season.
The Other Room:
Amazon US:http://www.amazon.com/Other-Room-Jame...
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Other-Room-Ja...
Falling Over:
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Falling-Over-Ja...
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Falling-Over-...
While we're on the subject of horror, you could try 13, by Julie Elizabeth Powell, if you want to be shocked and scared. This is a perfectly crafted horror story that will send shivers down your spine.
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/13-Julie-Elizab...
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/13-Julie-Eliz...
If you want ghosts in your Halloween read, but would prefer a book that will also make you laugh, you should check out Into The Light, by Darcia Helle and Horse Latitudes, by Quentin R. Bufogle.
Into The Light is the story of a ghost who is trying to help to solve his own murder. It will definitely add an element of fun to your Halloween.
Horse Latitudes features a ghost who helps the main character make an important decision. It's a book that will definitely make you laugh out loud.
--------------------------
I've seen lots authors promoting special Halloween stories or posting on Twitter about their books that would make great Halloween reads, so below is a list I have compiled from those promotions. I haven't read any of the books listed below, but they all sound great and will be added to my never-ending TBR list!
Shadow the Ghost Dog by J T Therrien
(Children' fiction)
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Ghost-Do...
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shadow-Ghost-...
Sad I Am, by Regina Puckett
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N99F1K8/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00N99F1K8/
Dark Before Dawn, by Stacy Juba
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Before-Daw...
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dark-Before-D...
-----------------------
Talented author, Justin Bog has been posting chapters from his current work in progress since May this year, on his blog. It's a horror story called The Play (The Queen’s Idle Fancy). Having read both of Justin's published works I know this must be good. I haven't found time to read any of it yet! Seems like the ideal time of year to start. The first part is here: http://justinbog.com/new-horror-ficti... and you can follow the story on his blog.
-------------------------------
As I mentioned at the start of this post, some of my novels and stories have elements of paranormal in them. The Dream and Haunted both feature ghosts. There are also ghost stories included in my short story collections Fusion and 3.
The new novel I'm working on also features a ghost, but probably won't be released until Halloween next year!
Haunted:
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Haunted-Maria-S...
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Haunted-Maria...
"3":
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/3-Maria-Savva-e...
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/3-Maria-Savva...
The Dream:
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Dream-Maria-Sav...
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dream-Maria-S...
Fusion:
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Fusion-Maria-Sa...
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fusion-Maria-...
-----------------------------------
I hope you find something from the above suggestions to help make your Halloween more spooky! Whatever you're planning, have fun and stay safe!
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
October 21, 2014
New Release: Blocked, by Jennifer Lane
I'm excited to be telling you all about Jennifer Lane's new release, Blocked. I've known Jen online for a few years now. She was one of the regulars at the BestsellerBound forum in the early days, and she's a wonderful writer and friend. I have everything you need to know about her new release here, as well as an excerpt and a guest post from Jen. You'll also be pleased to know that she's running a giveaway on her Facebook page... keep reading to find out more.
New Adult Contemporary/Sports Romance
Released October 21, 2014
Buy from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Blocked-Jennife...
About the book:
College freshman Lucia Ramirez has a secret crush on Dane Monroe. He’s a tall drink of water — blond, brash, and one hell of a volleyball player. Hijole. Lucia hopes her volleyball scholarship to his school will make him notice her.
Too bad what’s noticeable is Dane’s obvious hatred for Lucia. Her family’s politics contradict everything he stands for. And politics are front and center in both their families. Dane’s mother is about to face Lucia’s father in the race for US President.
When Secret Service throws them together, Dane can’t deny his frustrating attraction to Lucia’s athletic curves and sweet faith in the world. Amid the intense pressure of college athletics and presidential politics, can opposites not just attract, but overcome overwhelming odds to be together? Or do their differences block their match from the start?
Here's a guest post from the author:
Writing Blocked
Lucia opened the door. "They say not to discuss politics and religion on the first date."
“Well, then.” I gave her a huge smile. “We’re screwed.”
~*~
Has a political opinion on social media ever made your blood boil? Have you struggled to tolerate friends’ opposing political views? There’s a bitter political divide in many countries, including the US, and those polarized philosophies inspired the story of Blocked.
Heroine Lucia Ramirez and hero Dane Monroe view the world in opposite ways but are thrown together as their parents compete for the US presidency. Underhanded national politics are hardly the place for a trusting relationship to begin, but can love bridge the gap of mistrust and hatred?
The theme of forbidden love intrigues me. Lucia’s conservative father, the Republican nominee for US President, would be horrified to learn of his daughter’s crush on his liberal opponent’s son Dane. Dane and his mother, the Democratic nominee for US President, believe that harsh conservative ideals thwart the American dream.
One lesson from my psychology career is that perception is reality. Democrats see the world quite differently from Republicans, and both groups are hell-bent on proving they’re right. Dane wants equality for all. Lucia stands for individual responsibility. Which philosophy is better? Which will persevere in the next election?
Sometimes, political discussion becomes heated. It gets ugly. In contrast, I tried my hardest to present each viewpoint fairly in this story. Readers and editors from both sides of the aisle critiqued the manuscript, and one reason I self-published the novel was to preserve a delicate balance of political views between Dane and Lucia.
Despite their political differences, Lucia and Dane share one thing in common: volleyball. Both are scholarship volleyball players at a top university, vying to earn a spot on the US national team one day. In addition to swimming, I played volleyball at a small college, and my love for this sport bleeds onto the pages. To smash a perfectly set volleyball down the opponent’s throat? There’s nothing more satisfying. And the closeness of a team is one of life’s special pleasures, experienced by Lucia and Dane.
I hope you enjoy the political and sport elements in Blocked.
***************
Thanks, Jen. Sounds intriguing, doesn't it?
To whet your appetite even more, here's a teaser from "Blocked".
Excerpt from the book:
But ever since I’d seen Dane on TV a year ago, I’d been infatuated. His mother had spoken at a Highbanks rally, and she’d invited him and his little sister up on stage at the end of her speech. Tall, fit, and tan, his blond hair shining in the stage lights, he’d grinned and waved to the crowd. “I love this state so much my son Dane is a scholarship volleyball player here!” Senator Monroe had crowed. I’d leaned closer to the TV and felt my heart flutter. That Adonis plays my sport? He couldn’t have been more perfect, and I’d devoured media coverage of him ever since.
Now that I’d met him in person, my dream of being his girl had shattered.
Boxes and gym bags littered the thick carpet of the bedroom, and I knew I should get up to unpack. When my Secret Service agents had offered to help me set up my room, I’d waved them off, citing fatigue. But really, I’d known I was seconds from a meltdown, and I couldn’t let them see me cry.
When a growl gurgled in my stomach, I realized I hadn’t eaten dinner yet. More tears fell — I had no clue where the kitchen was in this place. And it wasn’t like Dane would graciously give me the grand tour. Not to mention I wanted to avoid having him see me eat. He probably already thought I ate like a pig, given my size.
With a sigh, I covered my eyes with my forearm. I was even too tired to dig out my mp3 player and listen to some Neil Diamond. It wasn’t quite eight p.m., but maybe I should crash early and put this awful first day at Highbanks behind me. At least I knew the next day couldn’t get any worse.
************
Now for the giveaway!
GIVEAWAY
Jennifer Lane is giving away a $10 Amazon Gift Card on her Facebook page for the release! You can enter here: http://tinyurl.com/otc3vhm
About the Author:
Get psyched for romance with psychologist/author (psycho author) Jennifer Lane! By day she witnesses growth in her psychotherapy clients, and by night she wrangles misbehaving fictional characters as she writes sports romance and romantic suspense with a psychological twist. She can’t decide which is more fun.
A swimmer and volleyball player in college, Jen wove some of her own experiences into Streamline—a military mystery about swimmers. And readers can dip their toes into Jen’s world of swimming romance by sampling her free New Adult novella Swim Recruit.
College volleyball romance Blocked is Jen’s newest release,launching 10-21-14.
Peek inside big-time college sports and even bigger national politics when the offspring of two presidential candidates find out whether opposites really do attract, or their match is blocked from the start.
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, hanging out with her plus-size, “I’m not fat, I’m big-boned” Izzie cat, and visiting her sisters and their families in Chicago and Hilton Head.
HYPERLINK
Website: http://jenniferlanebooks.com
Blog: http://jenniferlanebooks.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.lan...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenLanebooks
New Adult Contemporary/Sports Romance
Released October 21, 2014
Buy from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Blocked-Jennife...
About the book:
College freshman Lucia Ramirez has a secret crush on Dane Monroe. He’s a tall drink of water — blond, brash, and one hell of a volleyball player. Hijole. Lucia hopes her volleyball scholarship to his school will make him notice her.
Too bad what’s noticeable is Dane’s obvious hatred for Lucia. Her family’s politics contradict everything he stands for. And politics are front and center in both their families. Dane’s mother is about to face Lucia’s father in the race for US President.
When Secret Service throws them together, Dane can’t deny his frustrating attraction to Lucia’s athletic curves and sweet faith in the world. Amid the intense pressure of college athletics and presidential politics, can opposites not just attract, but overcome overwhelming odds to be together? Or do their differences block their match from the start?
Here's a guest post from the author:
Writing Blocked
Lucia opened the door. "They say not to discuss politics and religion on the first date."
“Well, then.” I gave her a huge smile. “We’re screwed.”
~*~
Has a political opinion on social media ever made your blood boil? Have you struggled to tolerate friends’ opposing political views? There’s a bitter political divide in many countries, including the US, and those polarized philosophies inspired the story of Blocked.
Heroine Lucia Ramirez and hero Dane Monroe view the world in opposite ways but are thrown together as their parents compete for the US presidency. Underhanded national politics are hardly the place for a trusting relationship to begin, but can love bridge the gap of mistrust and hatred?
The theme of forbidden love intrigues me. Lucia’s conservative father, the Republican nominee for US President, would be horrified to learn of his daughter’s crush on his liberal opponent’s son Dane. Dane and his mother, the Democratic nominee for US President, believe that harsh conservative ideals thwart the American dream.
One lesson from my psychology career is that perception is reality. Democrats see the world quite differently from Republicans, and both groups are hell-bent on proving they’re right. Dane wants equality for all. Lucia stands for individual responsibility. Which philosophy is better? Which will persevere in the next election?
Sometimes, political discussion becomes heated. It gets ugly. In contrast, I tried my hardest to present each viewpoint fairly in this story. Readers and editors from both sides of the aisle critiqued the manuscript, and one reason I self-published the novel was to preserve a delicate balance of political views between Dane and Lucia.
Despite their political differences, Lucia and Dane share one thing in common: volleyball. Both are scholarship volleyball players at a top university, vying to earn a spot on the US national team one day. In addition to swimming, I played volleyball at a small college, and my love for this sport bleeds onto the pages. To smash a perfectly set volleyball down the opponent’s throat? There’s nothing more satisfying. And the closeness of a team is one of life’s special pleasures, experienced by Lucia and Dane.
I hope you enjoy the political and sport elements in Blocked.
***************
Thanks, Jen. Sounds intriguing, doesn't it?
To whet your appetite even more, here's a teaser from "Blocked".
Excerpt from the book:
But ever since I’d seen Dane on TV a year ago, I’d been infatuated. His mother had spoken at a Highbanks rally, and she’d invited him and his little sister up on stage at the end of her speech. Tall, fit, and tan, his blond hair shining in the stage lights, he’d grinned and waved to the crowd. “I love this state so much my son Dane is a scholarship volleyball player here!” Senator Monroe had crowed. I’d leaned closer to the TV and felt my heart flutter. That Adonis plays my sport? He couldn’t have been more perfect, and I’d devoured media coverage of him ever since.
Now that I’d met him in person, my dream of being his girl had shattered.
Boxes and gym bags littered the thick carpet of the bedroom, and I knew I should get up to unpack. When my Secret Service agents had offered to help me set up my room, I’d waved them off, citing fatigue. But really, I’d known I was seconds from a meltdown, and I couldn’t let them see me cry.
When a growl gurgled in my stomach, I realized I hadn’t eaten dinner yet. More tears fell — I had no clue where the kitchen was in this place. And it wasn’t like Dane would graciously give me the grand tour. Not to mention I wanted to avoid having him see me eat. He probably already thought I ate like a pig, given my size.
With a sigh, I covered my eyes with my forearm. I was even too tired to dig out my mp3 player and listen to some Neil Diamond. It wasn’t quite eight p.m., but maybe I should crash early and put this awful first day at Highbanks behind me. At least I knew the next day couldn’t get any worse.
************
Now for the giveaway!
GIVEAWAY
Jennifer Lane is giving away a $10 Amazon Gift Card on her Facebook page for the release! You can enter here: http://tinyurl.com/otc3vhm
About the Author:
Get psyched for romance with psychologist/author (psycho author) Jennifer Lane! By day she witnesses growth in her psychotherapy clients, and by night she wrangles misbehaving fictional characters as she writes sports romance and romantic suspense with a psychological twist. She can’t decide which is more fun.
A swimmer and volleyball player in college, Jen wove some of her own experiences into Streamline—a military mystery about swimmers. And readers can dip their toes into Jen’s world of swimming romance by sampling her free New Adult novella Swim Recruit.
College volleyball romance Blocked is Jen’s newest release,launching 10-21-14.
Peek inside big-time college sports and even bigger national politics when the offspring of two presidential candidates find out whether opposites really do attract, or their match is blocked from the start.
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, hanging out with her plus-size, “I’m not fat, I’m big-boned” Izzie cat, and visiting her sisters and their families in Chicago and Hilton Head.
HYPERLINK
Website: http://jenniferlanebooks.com
Blog: http://jenniferlanebooks.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.lan...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenLanebooks
October 12, 2014
Reflections now available for pre-order!
Book 2 in The Mind's Eye Series will be published on November 1st, and is currently available for pre-order at Amazon for just 99c/77p!
The special price is just for the next couple of weeks to celebrate the launch, after that it will be priced at $2.99.
As many of you will know, the Mind's Eye Series began with Perspectives, which was a collection of short stories by me and Darcia Helle, inspired by Martin David Porter's photographs (Mart's Arts Photography).
There are 12 stories in Perspectives. Darcia and I had so much fun writing them that we decided to turn this into a series.
Reflections is the second book and includes stories by me and Darcia, as well as J. Michael Radcliffe, and Jason McIntyre. It also includes poems from Helle Gade, and Ben Ditmars.
The photos featured in Reflections are from Martin David Porter and Helle Gade (Helle Gade Photography).
You'll find three new short stories from me in there: Shadows, Escape, and The Great Flood.
We're very excited about this release and will be hosting a Facebook party on Wednesday 15th October. Come and join us for a day of fun. There will be chat from the various writers and photographers as well as giveaways, and teasers from the book!
Follow this link: https://www.facebook.com/events/58959...
The cover was designed by Jason McIntyre from a photo by Martin David Porter.
To pre-order the book at the special discounted price, please follow the links:
Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Reflections-Min...
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Reflections-M...
Amazon FR: http://www.amazon.fr/Reflections-Mind...
Amazon CA: http://www.amazon.ca/Reflections-Mind...
Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/Reflections-...
Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/Reflections-Mind...
Amazon IT: http://www.amazon.it/Reflections-Mind...
Amazon ES: http://www.amazon.es/Reflections-Mind...
Amazon JP: http://www.amazon.co.jp/Reflections-M...
Amazon MX: http://www.amazon.com.mx/Reflections-...
Amazon BR: http://www.amazon.com.br/Reflections-...
The special price is just for the next couple of weeks to celebrate the launch, after that it will be priced at $2.99.
As many of you will know, the Mind's Eye Series began with Perspectives, which was a collection of short stories by me and Darcia Helle, inspired by Martin David Porter's photographs (Mart's Arts Photography).
There are 12 stories in Perspectives. Darcia and I had so much fun writing them that we decided to turn this into a series.
Reflections is the second book and includes stories by me and Darcia, as well as J. Michael Radcliffe, and Jason McIntyre. It also includes poems from Helle Gade, and Ben Ditmars.
The photos featured in Reflections are from Martin David Porter and Helle Gade (Helle Gade Photography).
You'll find three new short stories from me in there: Shadows, Escape, and The Great Flood.
We're very excited about this release and will be hosting a Facebook party on Wednesday 15th October. Come and join us for a day of fun. There will be chat from the various writers and photographers as well as giveaways, and teasers from the book!
Follow this link: https://www.facebook.com/events/58959...
The cover was designed by Jason McIntyre from a photo by Martin David Porter.
To pre-order the book at the special discounted price, please follow the links:
Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Reflections-Min...
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Reflections-M...
Amazon FR: http://www.amazon.fr/Reflections-Mind...
Amazon CA: http://www.amazon.ca/Reflections-Mind...
Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/Reflections-...
Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/Reflections-Mind...
Amazon IT: http://www.amazon.it/Reflections-Mind...
Amazon ES: http://www.amazon.es/Reflections-Mind...
Amazon JP: http://www.amazon.co.jp/Reflections-M...
Amazon MX: http://www.amazon.com.mx/Reflections-...
Amazon BR: http://www.amazon.com.br/Reflections-...
October 2, 2014
I was interviewed by Indie Book Promo!
I was recently interviewed by the lovely team at Indie Book Promo.
Check out the interview at the following link: http://indiebookpromo.com/2014/10/int...
As mentioned at the end of the interview, I'm currently working on lots of new writing, so watch this space for more news on that soon.
Check out the interview at the following link: http://indiebookpromo.com/2014/10/int...
As mentioned at the end of the interview, I'm currently working on lots of new writing, so watch this space for more news on that soon.
September 14, 2014
Cover Reveal: Reflections - Book 2 in The Mind's Eye Series
I'm excited to be revealing the cover of Reflections today. Reflections is the second book in The Mind's Eye series. I have 3 new short stories featured in the book. There are also stories by Darcia Helle, Jason McIntyre, and J. Michael Radcliffe, as well as poems by Helle Gade and Ben Ditmars.
Photographs featured in Reflections come from Helle Gade and Martin David Porter.
Follow the link below to check out my blog at the UK Arts Directory where you can find out more about the book and the series, and see the fabulous cover!
http://ukartsdirectory.com/cover-reve...
Photographs featured in Reflections come from Helle Gade and Martin David Porter.
Follow the link below to check out my blog at the UK Arts Directory where you can find out more about the book and the series, and see the fabulous cover!
http://ukartsdirectory.com/cover-reve...
September 7, 2014
Guest Post: A Writer's Voice, by Max Power
Max Power has two books published, Larry Flynn, his latest novel, and Darkly Wood. Although I haven't read any of them yet, I am intending to do so as they sound intriguing. Max has only recently joined Goodreads, so I thought it would be nice to introduce him here.
I invited Max to write a guest post about his writing inspiration. He told me there's an interesting back story to where his latest book came from. So here's a guest post from Max all about how he was inspired to write Larry Flynn.
A writer’s voice
One of the most frequent questions I get asked is where do I get my ideas? I always find inspiration in the smallest of things. My latest book Larry Flynn is a great example and I would like to share with you the anatomy and evolution of a book from the Max Power perspective.
I was flicking through radio channels in my car some 10 years ago when I heard the back end of an interview with an old soldier who served in the Irish army in 1943. Now for those unfamiliar with Irish history, Ireland was a very new state barely twenty years old in 1943, so we had no significant military and stayed neutral (albeit one sided neutrality) during the second world war. Many Irish men died fighting in Europe but usually under a British flag.
The fascinating thing about the soldier was his story. Apparently his battalion were sent on a secretive mission to build an airstrip, literally in the middle of nowhere near a small country town in Tipperary. While he had no idea why they built it, the work was carried out quickly and furtively and as far as he knew no aircraft ever landed there.
So began Larry Flynn. I imagined an aeroplane landing there under a veil of secrecy, but who and what was on board I cannot tell for fear of spoiling the plot. However, I wanted my book to be set in present day Ireland so I shot forward to near present times and introduced Larry as a dying, horrible old man. He has few saving graces and his life it is clear, has been ruined by events that occurred as a result of the plane landing all those years ago.
I wanted Larry to be desperate for revenge, a desperate need unfulfilled throughout his life. But the real drive in the plot was to give him the opportunity to achieve this. So I introduced the son of the man that Larry believes to be responsible for the devastation in his life. That man happens to be the new U.S. ambassador to Ireland. This gave me depth in the plot as it complicated Larry’s need for revenge somewhat.
Of course, a feeble, half bewildered sick old man has little chance of doing much to exact revenge on such a powerful nemesis, so I needed a way to allow this to happen. The method I chose was for Larry to be so inept in exacting his revenge that all he manages to do is set himself up as a target, for Larry indeed holds a deep dark secret from the ambassador’s past.
Enter into the plot a dangerous local Dublin crime lord and Larry Flynn exploded into action. I wanted my book to be about how things can spiral out of control with the smallest of interventions by others. What Larry sets out with, is a half-baked plan and the nearer he gets to achieve his goal, the more he realises the effect his actions have on other people. This resonates strongly with the origin of Larry’s hatred and as he recounts his history during the story. It becomes clear that while the events of 1943 that sparked off a chain of disastrous events in Larry’s life were horrific, Larry’s quest for revenge looks like causing even more damage.
I can say no more without ruining the many surprises, but I wanted to share plot development that in my case is very character driven. I literally changed my attitude to one of my main characters halfway through my first draft as his actions led me down a different path and this is frequently how I evolve my story-lines. They all begin with an idea but are fundamentally driven by the characters. While I always have a beginning, middle and an end in mind, I allow the characters that I introduce to organically affect others around them.
In a way it allows me to work outside genre constraints. Darkly Wood and Larry Flynn couldn't be more different for example, but what they have in common is me, my style of writing, my voice. If I was to give one piece of advice to any aspiring writer, I think it would be as simple as this, find your voice.
You can add Max as a friend here on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
You can also find him online at the following links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maxpowerbooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/maxpowerbooks1
Buy his books on Amazon worldwide:
Darkly Wood: http://www.amazon.com/Darkly-Wood-Max...
Larry Flynn: http://www.amazon.com/Larry-Flynn-Max...
I invited Max to write a guest post about his writing inspiration. He told me there's an interesting back story to where his latest book came from. So here's a guest post from Max all about how he was inspired to write Larry Flynn.
A writer’s voice
One of the most frequent questions I get asked is where do I get my ideas? I always find inspiration in the smallest of things. My latest book Larry Flynn is a great example and I would like to share with you the anatomy and evolution of a book from the Max Power perspective.
I was flicking through radio channels in my car some 10 years ago when I heard the back end of an interview with an old soldier who served in the Irish army in 1943. Now for those unfamiliar with Irish history, Ireland was a very new state barely twenty years old in 1943, so we had no significant military and stayed neutral (albeit one sided neutrality) during the second world war. Many Irish men died fighting in Europe but usually under a British flag.
The fascinating thing about the soldier was his story. Apparently his battalion were sent on a secretive mission to build an airstrip, literally in the middle of nowhere near a small country town in Tipperary. While he had no idea why they built it, the work was carried out quickly and furtively and as far as he knew no aircraft ever landed there.
So began Larry Flynn. I imagined an aeroplane landing there under a veil of secrecy, but who and what was on board I cannot tell for fear of spoiling the plot. However, I wanted my book to be set in present day Ireland so I shot forward to near present times and introduced Larry as a dying, horrible old man. He has few saving graces and his life it is clear, has been ruined by events that occurred as a result of the plane landing all those years ago.
I wanted Larry to be desperate for revenge, a desperate need unfulfilled throughout his life. But the real drive in the plot was to give him the opportunity to achieve this. So I introduced the son of the man that Larry believes to be responsible for the devastation in his life. That man happens to be the new U.S. ambassador to Ireland. This gave me depth in the plot as it complicated Larry’s need for revenge somewhat.
Of course, a feeble, half bewildered sick old man has little chance of doing much to exact revenge on such a powerful nemesis, so I needed a way to allow this to happen. The method I chose was for Larry to be so inept in exacting his revenge that all he manages to do is set himself up as a target, for Larry indeed holds a deep dark secret from the ambassador’s past.
Enter into the plot a dangerous local Dublin crime lord and Larry Flynn exploded into action. I wanted my book to be about how things can spiral out of control with the smallest of interventions by others. What Larry sets out with, is a half-baked plan and the nearer he gets to achieve his goal, the more he realises the effect his actions have on other people. This resonates strongly with the origin of Larry’s hatred and as he recounts his history during the story. It becomes clear that while the events of 1943 that sparked off a chain of disastrous events in Larry’s life were horrific, Larry’s quest for revenge looks like causing even more damage.
I can say no more without ruining the many surprises, but I wanted to share plot development that in my case is very character driven. I literally changed my attitude to one of my main characters halfway through my first draft as his actions led me down a different path and this is frequently how I evolve my story-lines. They all begin with an idea but are fundamentally driven by the characters. While I always have a beginning, middle and an end in mind, I allow the characters that I introduce to organically affect others around them.
In a way it allows me to work outside genre constraints. Darkly Wood and Larry Flynn couldn't be more different for example, but what they have in common is me, my style of writing, my voice. If I was to give one piece of advice to any aspiring writer, I think it would be as simple as this, find your voice.
You can add Max as a friend here on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
You can also find him online at the following links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maxpowerbooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/maxpowerbooks1
Buy his books on Amazon worldwide:
Darkly Wood: http://www.amazon.com/Darkly-Wood-Max...
Larry Flynn: http://www.amazon.com/Larry-Flynn-Max...
August 25, 2014
COVER REVEAL - BLOCKED By Jennifer Lane
New Adult Contemporary/Sports Romance
Releasing October 21, 2014
College freshman Lucia Ramirez has a secret crush on Dane Monroe. He’s a tall drink of water — blond, brash, and one hell of a volleyball player. Hijole. Lucia hopes her volleyball scholarship to his school will make him notice her.
Too bad what’s noticeable is Dane’s obvious hatred for Lucia. Her family’s politics contradict everything he stands for. And politics are front and center in both their families. Dane’s mother is about to face Lucia’s father in the race for US President.
When Secret Service throws them together, Dane can’t deny his frustrating attraction to Lucia’s athletic curves and sweet faith in the world. Amid the intense pressure of college athletics and presidential politics, can opposites not just attract, but overcome overwhelming odds to be together? Or do their differences block their match from the start?
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
If you would like to participate in the Release Event and/or Request to Review BLOCKED, you can find out more information HERE.
GIVEAWAY
Jennifer Lane is giving away a $10 Amazon Gift Card and an Advanced Reader Copy of BLOCKED on her Facebook page! You can enter HERE.
About the Author
Get psyched for romance with psychologist/author (psycho author) Jennifer Lane! By day she witnesses growth in her psychotherapy clients, and by night she wrangles misbehaving fictional characters as she writes sports romance and romantic suspense with a psychological twist. She can’t decide which is more fun.
A swimmer and volleyball player in college, Jen wove some of her own experiences into Streamline—a military mystery about swimmers. And readers can dip their toes into Jen’s world of swimming romance by sampling her free New Adult novella Swim Recruit.
College volleyball romance Blocked is Jen’s newest release, launching 10-21-14. Peek inside big-time college sports and even bigger national politics when the offspring of two presidential candidates find out whether opposites really do attract, or their match is blocked from the start.
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, hanging out with her plus-size, “I’m not fat, I’m big-boned” Izzie cat, and visiting her sisters and their families in Chicago and Hilton Head.
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter
August 22, 2014
An interview with author Tara Ford
Today, I'm excited to be introducing you to one of the friendliest and most supportive authors I've met online. Tara Ford not only writes great fiction, she also helps support her fellow indie authors with promotion on her blog.
After reading the wonderful Calling All Dentists I was keen to interview Tara about the book and her writing life in general.
So, without further ado, here's the interview:
In Calling All Dentists you have two female characters who are best friends, but have totally opposite personalities. Which one of the two girls would you say is more like you?
I think that I am more like Emma than Ruby. Ruby is a very sweet girl but far too nice to be considered anything like me. She is somewhat naive too and hopefully I have a little more grounding and experience than she does.
I can empathize with Emma and her fears but I'm not sure I would be as brave as her when it comes to the bottom line.
Emma has a terrible fear of dentists. Is that taken from your own experience or someone you know?
Oh, that would most definitely be taken from my own experiences of dentists over the years - I was terrified of them. I really could never understand why though. After all, a dentist is hardly ever going to tell you some terrible news about your health, like a doctor could!
While I was writing 'Calling All Dentists' it became apparent to me that there were so many people I knew who hated dentists and had real fears about them. I was relieved to find that I wasn't the only one.
I'm also terrified of dentists!
The book is the second in a series although it reads well as a stand alone book. I enjoyed it very much even though I haven't read the first one yet. Are you planning more books in the series?
Yes, there are two more books in the series, 'Calling All Customers' (due out at the end of this year) and then the last book is 'Calling All Neighbours'.
The series of Calling All... books are based around the lives of one family (the Frey family) but the stories are not always directly related to the Frey's and their lives. 'Calling All Customers', in particular, is related to the Frey family in an indirect way, i.e. the book isn't actually about them but they are there somewhere.... The other exception is that the first book, 'Calling All Services' is set ten years before the other three books. Are you confused yet? I am!
A bit! LOL :)
Incidentally, I now have the firm base for my fifth book which is very exciting. I can't write the others quick enough to get on to the fifth one!
That's great!
Apart from the 'Calling All...' series, are you working on any other projects?
Oops - think I just answered that one in the previous question. Well I'm not actually working on it (apart from in my head).
I have also been asked to write a biography for someone which really surprised me. I felt quite honoured to be asked actually and I'm in the early stages of talks about this exciting venture.
Intriguing... I look forward to finding out more about that.
How long have you been writing?
Er... I learnt to write when I was about 4, so I guess it's been for ** years. On a serious note, I've dabbled in writing, bits and pieces, for years. I always wanted to write a novel but could never think of what to write. Now I have come to realise that I was looking too hard all of those years and actually, the subjects/genre/style were right under my nose all of the time.
What would you say is the best thing about being a writer?
The best thing about being a writer is letting my overloaded brain explode out through my fingers and in to a Word document, in the form of words. I am quite a shy person, contrary to popular belief, and have always found it so much easier to communicate through word, rather than speech. I sometimes think that the internet, or more specifically social networks, were created for me and others like me who are able to express themselves easier through written words.
And the worst?
The worst thing about being a writer is doubt. I hear or read a lot about 'writer's block' and yet (touch wood), I haven't experienced it yet. The worst thing for me is wondering and worrying about whether people will like my writing. I am well aware that there will always be those who don't like it but in general we all want it to be liked - right? I suppose that I worry too much about it and possibly have a slight insecurity about what I'm writing sometimes. Perhaps all writers do?
Or am I just a wimp?
I think all writers have that :)
Have you read any books recently that you would recommend? What was it about that particular book or books that you most enjoyed?
I've stepped back almost 40 years just recently. I've been reading some of my childhood favourites, like 'Charlotte's Web' (which incidentally, has now helped me to overcome my fear of spiders... well up to a certain size of spider anyway... I'm working on the bigger ones). I've also just re-read 'The Secret Garden' which I didn't enjoy so much this time around and almost wish I could have left it in my memory dump from years ago and not read it.
I now have a long list of books that I want to read and they are all staring at me from my Kindle - Help! I don't know where to start...
A familiar feeling!
When choosing a book to read do you have a favourite genre, or are you open to trying any genre?
My usual choice of genre is chicklit/romantic comedy. I am open to trying other genres (except maybe horror, due to my 'wimpish' nature) and have read some true and sometimes really inspirational stories in the past too. So, as long as you're not scaring me, I'll have a go at anything.
Put these influencing factors in order from the most important to the least important when you're looking for a new book to read: Characters, Genre, Writing style, Cover, Blurb, Author, Price.
Genre, Author, Cover, Blurb, Characters, Writing style, Price.
What do you think of the current trend of writers giving books away free?
I used to think that this was a cheap and tacky, almost desperate thing to do. I couldn't understand why an author would work so hard to write a novel over a long period of time (whether it be 9 months or 9 years), just to give it away for free.
However, now I do understand this concept as I have done it myself. I read somewhere, some while ago, about the power of free promotions to gain a fan base from where to start working and marketing from. It worked for me in the sense that my free book was downloaded over 3,000 times, in just a few days. What was more exciting and unexpected was the fact that my other book started selling at a daily rate, tenfold to previous sales figures. This has now happened twice for me and I will do it again in the future.
I must stress that these free promotions are only temporary promotions, lasting no more than 5 days and I'm happy with that set up each quarter, throughout the year. I do wonder though, what is the purpose of permanently free books to the authors who wrote them?
I know some authors who have one book permanently free as a sample of their work. I suppose that would work where the author always writes in the same genre, or where the freebie is the first book in a series.
What's your favourite genre to write?
Definitely comedy with some romance thrown in... or is it romance with some comedy thrown in? Not sure which way round but I hope you get the gist of it.
Do you do your best writing in the day or night?
I'm a day person, more specifically, a morning person. It all goes downhill at around 10am. By 7pm I'm an internet zombie, stunned in to a death-like state of immobility as I stare at other people's conversations on Facebook, watch numerous, sometimes pointless, video clips that jump out at me from the newsfeed, about all sorts of weird and wonderful things and then I trawl through the mountains of notifications, messages and general mayhem on Twitter. The internet is the bane of my life and the modern form of procrastination.
Some writers like music in the background when writing, others (me included) prefer silence. What is your preference?
I go for silence for 2 reasons. Firstly, I don't often get it in my busy household, therefore it's the ideal excuse not to write and to further my career in procrastination. Secondly, when it is silent and I do have to write, I can hear the characters in my head clearer. They may be talking to me or having conversations amongst themselves but at least I can hear what they're saying. Weird or what?
Hahahaha!
If you could meet one of the characters from your books and spend a day with him/her, who would you choose and what would you do?
I really liked Ruby from 'Calling All Dentists' and would love to spend a day with her. I would take her shopping to buy some outlandish clothing, sunbathe on a nudist beach (purely for the shock factor - both the shockingly, horrified looks of passers by [I'm not as sleek as I used to be] and to shock Ruby), encourage her to play 'Knock door run' with me, make some crank phone-calls, get extremely drunk in a local nightclub and 'pull' a one-night-stand. Hopefully after all of that, Ruby would be a little more worldly-wise and 'up for a laugh'.
Many authors write much of their fiction inspired by their own life experiences. How much of your own life goes into your fiction?
Quite a bit actually. I think of something that may have happened to me, or someone I know, but usually me. Then I twist it and turn it, take bits out, put other bits in (usually funny bits) and then scramble it all back together and throw it at a wall, just to splatter it a little further. I then scoop it all up and chuck it into a word document. I hope that's not reflected too much in my books, lol.
If you could invite 3 authors to dinner (can include authors from the past) who would you choose and what would you cook?
For a start I am the world's worst cook - I can burn a jelly! So I would hope that the 3 authors would be kind and forgiving. I would probably cheat due to my culinary inadequacies and either ask Mr Fordie (who is a wonderful cook) to pretend to be a hired cook for the evening (I'm sure he'd be up for that) or nip to the local take-away.
My 3 authors would be, Sophie Kinsella - I adore her and love her books. She seems to be a shy-ish person (like me) and I'm sure we would connect. Carole Matthews would be my next choice, she appears to be very outgoing, lively and fun and her books are fabutastic. She could bring me out of my little coconut shell. My final choice would be Roald Dahl, purely because I am so intrigued by his lifestyle, his shed (I would quite like one too) and his writing, I would love to know where his ideas came from. He would probably be the centre of attention actually, thus deflecting from the take-away or the fact that I had to get someone else to cook for me!
What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
Write, write, write... and keep writing. Don't give up on those 'bad days'. Keep at it and believe in yourself. I am completely sure that if I can do it, then anyone can. Another thing that I would say is, get your name known, well before your first book comes out. Social networking is an absolute must, particularly if you are going to be an independently published author.
It's a very good idea to set up a website/blog for yourself too. This is a window for interested readers/fans to go and take a peep through. I believe that the readers want to get to know you a little more, if they like your work.
I'm a great believer in 'what goes around, comes around', hence I do a lot of promotional work to help other authors too. I think this helps me as well.
How much research did you have to do for Calling All Dentists?
I did a little research for 'Calling All Dentists'. Luckily, I like my dentist, who I've been with for 3 years now and I used my experiences with her in either a negative or positive way (back to the 'chucking ideas at the wall' again). I've had some terrible experiences in the past and also my fair share of toothy problems so again, it all went up the wall.
Do you have any news for your readers?
Er... I think I've probably blown this question by waffling in previous questions. I'm looking forward to the release of my third book, 'Calling All Customers' at the end of this year. I'm hoping that it will be the best one yet. A fun read!
I will be going part time when I go back to school in September - yay! All thanks to Mr Fordie's kindly supportive role as husband-type-thing. So I hope to be able to write a lot more and procrastinate a lot less. I may well be banning myself from the internet for a certain amount of time each day, just so that I don't waste any more time. I can also catch up with the ironing!
Sounds wonderful, and I'm looking forward to reading more of your books!
Keep up with Tara Ford's news at the following links:
Author Website: http://taraford.weebly.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rata2e
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/Tara.Ford...
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/rata2e2/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/tara-for...
After reading the wonderful Calling All Dentists I was keen to interview Tara about the book and her writing life in general.
So, without further ado, here's the interview:
In Calling All Dentists you have two female characters who are best friends, but have totally opposite personalities. Which one of the two girls would you say is more like you?
I think that I am more like Emma than Ruby. Ruby is a very sweet girl but far too nice to be considered anything like me. She is somewhat naive too and hopefully I have a little more grounding and experience than she does.
I can empathize with Emma and her fears but I'm not sure I would be as brave as her when it comes to the bottom line.
Emma has a terrible fear of dentists. Is that taken from your own experience or someone you know?
Oh, that would most definitely be taken from my own experiences of dentists over the years - I was terrified of them. I really could never understand why though. After all, a dentist is hardly ever going to tell you some terrible news about your health, like a doctor could!
While I was writing 'Calling All Dentists' it became apparent to me that there were so many people I knew who hated dentists and had real fears about them. I was relieved to find that I wasn't the only one.
I'm also terrified of dentists!
The book is the second in a series although it reads well as a stand alone book. I enjoyed it very much even though I haven't read the first one yet. Are you planning more books in the series?
Yes, there are two more books in the series, 'Calling All Customers' (due out at the end of this year) and then the last book is 'Calling All Neighbours'.
The series of Calling All... books are based around the lives of one family (the Frey family) but the stories are not always directly related to the Frey's and their lives. 'Calling All Customers', in particular, is related to the Frey family in an indirect way, i.e. the book isn't actually about them but they are there somewhere.... The other exception is that the first book, 'Calling All Services' is set ten years before the other three books. Are you confused yet? I am!
A bit! LOL :)
Incidentally, I now have the firm base for my fifth book which is very exciting. I can't write the others quick enough to get on to the fifth one!
That's great!
Apart from the 'Calling All...' series, are you working on any other projects?
Oops - think I just answered that one in the previous question. Well I'm not actually working on it (apart from in my head).
I have also been asked to write a biography for someone which really surprised me. I felt quite honoured to be asked actually and I'm in the early stages of talks about this exciting venture.
Intriguing... I look forward to finding out more about that.
How long have you been writing?
Er... I learnt to write when I was about 4, so I guess it's been for ** years. On a serious note, I've dabbled in writing, bits and pieces, for years. I always wanted to write a novel but could never think of what to write. Now I have come to realise that I was looking too hard all of those years and actually, the subjects/genre/style were right under my nose all of the time.
What would you say is the best thing about being a writer?
The best thing about being a writer is letting my overloaded brain explode out through my fingers and in to a Word document, in the form of words. I am quite a shy person, contrary to popular belief, and have always found it so much easier to communicate through word, rather than speech. I sometimes think that the internet, or more specifically social networks, were created for me and others like me who are able to express themselves easier through written words.
And the worst?
The worst thing about being a writer is doubt. I hear or read a lot about 'writer's block' and yet (touch wood), I haven't experienced it yet. The worst thing for me is wondering and worrying about whether people will like my writing. I am well aware that there will always be those who don't like it but in general we all want it to be liked - right? I suppose that I worry too much about it and possibly have a slight insecurity about what I'm writing sometimes. Perhaps all writers do?
Or am I just a wimp?
I think all writers have that :)
Have you read any books recently that you would recommend? What was it about that particular book or books that you most enjoyed?
I've stepped back almost 40 years just recently. I've been reading some of my childhood favourites, like 'Charlotte's Web' (which incidentally, has now helped me to overcome my fear of spiders... well up to a certain size of spider anyway... I'm working on the bigger ones). I've also just re-read 'The Secret Garden' which I didn't enjoy so much this time around and almost wish I could have left it in my memory dump from years ago and not read it.
I now have a long list of books that I want to read and they are all staring at me from my Kindle - Help! I don't know where to start...
A familiar feeling!
When choosing a book to read do you have a favourite genre, or are you open to trying any genre?
My usual choice of genre is chicklit/romantic comedy. I am open to trying other genres (except maybe horror, due to my 'wimpish' nature) and have read some true and sometimes really inspirational stories in the past too. So, as long as you're not scaring me, I'll have a go at anything.
Put these influencing factors in order from the most important to the least important when you're looking for a new book to read: Characters, Genre, Writing style, Cover, Blurb, Author, Price.
Genre, Author, Cover, Blurb, Characters, Writing style, Price.
What do you think of the current trend of writers giving books away free?
I used to think that this was a cheap and tacky, almost desperate thing to do. I couldn't understand why an author would work so hard to write a novel over a long period of time (whether it be 9 months or 9 years), just to give it away for free.
However, now I do understand this concept as I have done it myself. I read somewhere, some while ago, about the power of free promotions to gain a fan base from where to start working and marketing from. It worked for me in the sense that my free book was downloaded over 3,000 times, in just a few days. What was more exciting and unexpected was the fact that my other book started selling at a daily rate, tenfold to previous sales figures. This has now happened twice for me and I will do it again in the future.
I must stress that these free promotions are only temporary promotions, lasting no more than 5 days and I'm happy with that set up each quarter, throughout the year. I do wonder though, what is the purpose of permanently free books to the authors who wrote them?
I know some authors who have one book permanently free as a sample of their work. I suppose that would work where the author always writes in the same genre, or where the freebie is the first book in a series.
What's your favourite genre to write?
Definitely comedy with some romance thrown in... or is it romance with some comedy thrown in? Not sure which way round but I hope you get the gist of it.
Do you do your best writing in the day or night?
I'm a day person, more specifically, a morning person. It all goes downhill at around 10am. By 7pm I'm an internet zombie, stunned in to a death-like state of immobility as I stare at other people's conversations on Facebook, watch numerous, sometimes pointless, video clips that jump out at me from the newsfeed, about all sorts of weird and wonderful things and then I trawl through the mountains of notifications, messages and general mayhem on Twitter. The internet is the bane of my life and the modern form of procrastination.
Some writers like music in the background when writing, others (me included) prefer silence. What is your preference?
I go for silence for 2 reasons. Firstly, I don't often get it in my busy household, therefore it's the ideal excuse not to write and to further my career in procrastination. Secondly, when it is silent and I do have to write, I can hear the characters in my head clearer. They may be talking to me or having conversations amongst themselves but at least I can hear what they're saying. Weird or what?
Hahahaha!
If you could meet one of the characters from your books and spend a day with him/her, who would you choose and what would you do?
I really liked Ruby from 'Calling All Dentists' and would love to spend a day with her. I would take her shopping to buy some outlandish clothing, sunbathe on a nudist beach (purely for the shock factor - both the shockingly, horrified looks of passers by [I'm not as sleek as I used to be] and to shock Ruby), encourage her to play 'Knock door run' with me, make some crank phone-calls, get extremely drunk in a local nightclub and 'pull' a one-night-stand. Hopefully after all of that, Ruby would be a little more worldly-wise and 'up for a laugh'.
Many authors write much of their fiction inspired by their own life experiences. How much of your own life goes into your fiction?
Quite a bit actually. I think of something that may have happened to me, or someone I know, but usually me. Then I twist it and turn it, take bits out, put other bits in (usually funny bits) and then scramble it all back together and throw it at a wall, just to splatter it a little further. I then scoop it all up and chuck it into a word document. I hope that's not reflected too much in my books, lol.
If you could invite 3 authors to dinner (can include authors from the past) who would you choose and what would you cook?
For a start I am the world's worst cook - I can burn a jelly! So I would hope that the 3 authors would be kind and forgiving. I would probably cheat due to my culinary inadequacies and either ask Mr Fordie (who is a wonderful cook) to pretend to be a hired cook for the evening (I'm sure he'd be up for that) or nip to the local take-away.
My 3 authors would be, Sophie Kinsella - I adore her and love her books. She seems to be a shy-ish person (like me) and I'm sure we would connect. Carole Matthews would be my next choice, she appears to be very outgoing, lively and fun and her books are fabutastic. She could bring me out of my little coconut shell. My final choice would be Roald Dahl, purely because I am so intrigued by his lifestyle, his shed (I would quite like one too) and his writing, I would love to know where his ideas came from. He would probably be the centre of attention actually, thus deflecting from the take-away or the fact that I had to get someone else to cook for me!
What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
Write, write, write... and keep writing. Don't give up on those 'bad days'. Keep at it and believe in yourself. I am completely sure that if I can do it, then anyone can. Another thing that I would say is, get your name known, well before your first book comes out. Social networking is an absolute must, particularly if you are going to be an independently published author.
It's a very good idea to set up a website/blog for yourself too. This is a window for interested readers/fans to go and take a peep through. I believe that the readers want to get to know you a little more, if they like your work.
I'm a great believer in 'what goes around, comes around', hence I do a lot of promotional work to help other authors too. I think this helps me as well.
How much research did you have to do for Calling All Dentists?
I did a little research for 'Calling All Dentists'. Luckily, I like my dentist, who I've been with for 3 years now and I used my experiences with her in either a negative or positive way (back to the 'chucking ideas at the wall' again). I've had some terrible experiences in the past and also my fair share of toothy problems so again, it all went up the wall.
Do you have any news for your readers?
Er... I think I've probably blown this question by waffling in previous questions. I'm looking forward to the release of my third book, 'Calling All Customers' at the end of this year. I'm hoping that it will be the best one yet. A fun read!
I will be going part time when I go back to school in September - yay! All thanks to Mr Fordie's kindly supportive role as husband-type-thing. So I hope to be able to write a lot more and procrastinate a lot less. I may well be banning myself from the internet for a certain amount of time each day, just so that I don't waste any more time. I can also catch up with the ironing!
Sounds wonderful, and I'm looking forward to reading more of your books!
Keep up with Tara Ford's news at the following links:
Author Website: http://taraford.weebly.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rata2e
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/Tara.Ford...
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/rata2e2/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/tara-for...
August 16, 2014
Perspectives - photography exhibition at Saffron Walden Library!
I’m excited to announce an exhibition that is taking place at Saffron Walden Library from the 18th August 2014 for a month! It’s an exhibition of photography by Martin David Porter of Mart’s Arts Photography.
A few months ago Perspectives was released. It’s a short story collection featuring stories by me and another author Darcia Helle. All the stories in that book were inspired by photographs taken by Martin.
Martin’s photos will be on display at the library, including photos that inspired the stories in Perspectives. There will be canvas prints available to purchase at the event.
You can find out more about Perspectives, the book, in this article I wrote on my Goodreads blog when it was first published: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...
The exhibition has a Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/15171...
The library address: 2 King Street, CB10 1ES Saffron Walden
You can buy Perspectives at Amazon:
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Perspectives-...
US: http://www.amazon.com/Perspectives-Mi...
Find out all about Martin’s photography at the following links:
Website: http://www.martsartsphotography.com/s...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MartsArtsPho...
A few months ago Perspectives was released. It’s a short story collection featuring stories by me and another author Darcia Helle. All the stories in that book were inspired by photographs taken by Martin.
Martin’s photos will be on display at the library, including photos that inspired the stories in Perspectives. There will be canvas prints available to purchase at the event.
You can find out more about Perspectives, the book, in this article I wrote on my Goodreads blog when it was first published: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...
The exhibition has a Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/15171...
The library address: 2 King Street, CB10 1ES Saffron Walden
You can buy Perspectives at Amazon:
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Perspectives-...
US: http://www.amazon.com/Perspectives-Mi...
Find out all about Martin’s photography at the following links:
Website: http://www.martsartsphotography.com/s...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MartsArtsPho...
