Maria Savva's Blog, page 4

Out Of Time available for pre-order on Kindle

My latest collection of short stories, "Out Of Time", is now available to pre-order on Kindle.

There are a total of 27 stories in the collection and it's currently available at the special promotional price of 99p/99c.

Some of the stories were originally featured on the online literary website The Write Launch, a few years ago. I have fully re-edited each of the stories for this new collection.



You can pre-order the book on Amazon worldwide: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B095N431VL/

It's also available in paperback.

Stories:

The Ring
Gunshot
Change of Heart
In the Past
Family Ties
The Games People Play
Where Do We Go?
One Chance
lex talionis
Think Twice
Ain’t That Peculiar?

Bonus stories - previously published in the Mind's Eye Series:

Love and War
Blowin’ in the Wind
Oblivion
Repercussions
On the Rocks
Secrets of the Forest
Shadows
Escape
The Great Flood
Glimmer Siluridae
Lost in You
The Memory Remains
The Chocolate Fiend
The Great Painter
Somewhere In Time
Sand and Water

About the book:

A varied collection containing previously unpublished short stories.

Paige has kept a secret for over 30 years; Pearl worries about a vulnerable neighbour; Gina learns a lesson about patience; Roger meets an old enemy; a group of strangers are brought together in unusual circumstances; Lucas has been leading a double life; a Halloween party makes Judy wonder about the afterlife; a pretty pendant hides a secret; a man who has everything he has ever wanted is left feeling empty; a local crime shocks Susan; Ross will do anything for love...

Ordinary people with extraordinary stories.

New release: Out Of Time

My new collection of short stories, "Out Of Time" has just been released in paperback.

You can find it on Amazon worldwide, and other online retailers.

This collection contains previously unreleased short stories, some of which were featured on The Write Launch in 2017. There are also some brand new stories, and I've included a bonus section with stories taken from the Mind's Eye Series of books.



About the book:

A varied collection containing previously unpublished short stories.

Paige has kept a secret for over 30 years; Pearl worries about a vulnerable neighbour; Gina learns a lesson about patience; Roger meets an old enemy; a group of strangers are brought together in unusual circumstances; Lucas has been leading a double life; a Halloween party makes Judy wonder about the afterlife; a pretty pendant hides a secret; a man who has everything he has ever wanted is left feeling empty; a local crime shocks Susan; Ross will do anything for love...

Ordinary people with extraordinary stories.

Buy links:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Out-Time-Maria...
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Out-Time-Mar...

Get "The Spider" FREE on Kindle until 20th November!

To celebrate the release of the sequel, "Evil Never Dies", I am making "The Spider" available to download FREE on Kindle until Friday 20th November.




The Spider

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01...

Evil Never Dies

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Evil-Never-D...
Amazon: US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08L71D9MC/

Add "The Spider" to your shelf: The Spider
Add "Evil Never Dies" to your shelf: Evil Never Dies

Release day! Evil Never Dies - The Spider Book 2

My latest novel, "Evil Never Dies" is out on Kindle today! You can still get a copy at the special discount price of 99p/99c for a limited period.




Purchase on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08L71D9MC/

Add to your Goodreads shelf: Evil Never Dies

I hope you enjoy the story!

Book 1 - The Spider is also available at the 99p/99c price at the moment: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...

I'm currently working on a collection of short stories, titled "Out of Time", which I hope to release soon. I will post an update when I have more news.

I hope you're all coping well in these weird and uncertain times that we're living in. Stay safe.

The Spider - get your Kindle copy for 99c/99p

You may have seen my blog earlier in the week about my new book, "Evil Never Dies". If not, follow this link: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...

As "Evil Never Dies" is the sequel to "The Spider", I am reducing the price of the Kindle version of Book 1 to 99p/99c (or the equivalent in currency worldwide) until 11th November, to celebrate the pending release of Book 2.



‘No one’s ever come out of that house alive...’

What lurks behind the door of 8 Goldfern Road?

Are you brave enough to step inside?

By entering the sinister house, George and Glen become entangled in a dangerous battle of wills.

“The Spider” is a story of obsession, infidelity, and broken dreams.

This darkly humorous mystery will appeal to fantasy and romance readers as well as those who love to hate spiders!

Get your copy here: Amazon UK*

*available on Kindle worldwide

Evil Never Dies - The Spider Book 2 - available for pre-order!

I started work on the sequel to my last novel "The Spider" a few years ago. I'd never written a sequel before, and when I wrote "The Spider" I'd never intended that to be part of a series, but as all authors know, books have a mind of their own sometimes... at least it seems that way.

When I finished "The Spider", I knew that Rex's story wasn't over. He became such a quirky character that I was intrigued by him and I suppose writing the sequel was a way to get to know him better, as well as the reasons behind his thirst for revenge on mankind. I'm sure other writers will understand that when we write characters, sometimes they take on a life of their own and it's almost as if they are telling the story, or dictating the way it progresses. Maybe not, maybe that's just me. Anyway, Rex's story had to be continued.

As many of you may know, I've been working on the sequel, on and off, around my day job for the past few years. I enjoyed writing it, even if the editing stage was a bit of a pain.

Sequels are very hard to write because you have to remember what you wrote in the original novel. Writing a sequel involves a lot of re-reading the original novel and cross-checking facts and content.

I'm pleased to have finished "Evil Never Dies". It took a bit longer than I expected, but I didn't want to release it before I made sure it was everything I wanted it to be.

The book is available for pre-order at the special discounted price of 99p. It is scheduled to be released on Kindle on 11th November 2020.



Book description:

In this sequel to “The Spider”, George finds himself back inside The Spider’s web, fighting to reclaim control of his life.

This dark, tangled mystery explores the known and the unknown, the real and the illusory.

Touching on a wealth of relatable subjects including divorce, death, the afterlife, homelessness, crime, and addiction, “Evil Never Dies” takes the reader on an intense and emotional journey.

Catch up with the other characters from book 1, “The Spider”, including Roisin, Glen, Hugh, and Abigail, as they face more life-changing challenges.

You can pre-order "Evil Never Dies" here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08L71D9MC/*

*available on Amazon worldwide

I do also intend to make the book available as a paperback and hope to have more news about that soon.

The cover was designed by Kat of Evening Sky Publishing Services. She also designed the cover for "The Spider", as well as the covers for some of my other books, including "A Time To Tell (second edition)" and "Lost and Found": https://www.eveningskypublishingservi...

Ebook formatting for Kindle was done by Deena at E-bookbuilders: https://bookbuilders.design/index.html

FREE book! MIND GAMES - featuring 16 writers!

Two of my short stories have been published in a new anthology. The collection, "Mind Games", features 16 authors who have each contributed between 1 and 3 stories and poems. The book is currently available to download free at the following link: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/orlt6sbm6n




Cover design by Jason McIntyre


As well as my stories, "Where Do We Go?" (originally published on the The Write Launch) and 'lex talionis", a previously unpublished story, you'll find stories and poems from the following authors:

Oak Anderson
Jaleta Clegg
Charles Colyott
Ben Ditmars
Ellie Eich
Helle Gade
Maria Haskins
Darcia Helle
Jenny Hilborne
Jason McIntyre
Patrick H. Moore
John Nardizzi
Julie Elizabeth Powell
Charles Salzberg
Joe Schwartz

Follow the link and choose the format to download: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/orlt6sbm6n - we hope you'll find some new favourite authors!

Book review: Leonard and Hungry Paul, by Ronan Hession

LEONARD AND HUNGRY PAUL by Ronan Hession

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is a book that I chose to read because I liked the cover. Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn't. In this case, it definitely did. "Leonard and Hungry Paul" is a story about two thirty-something friends who are both at a stage in their lives where they feel like they don't fit in anywhere. Other people seem to be able to get on with their lives, while Leonard and Hungry Paul just exist. Leonard is living alone after the recent death of his mother and seeks solace in his friend Hungry Paul who is also quite a lonely figure, living with his parents and treated as if he is incapable of making his own decisions.

Leonard and Hungry Paul have a lot in common and observe the world somewhat differently from those around them. These two characters seem like real people, and are well-developed by the author. I found myself engrossed in their stories; reading the book is like chatting with an old friend. As I neared the end of it, I felt sad, almost like saying goodbye to a friend. The hallmarks of a good book.

The two main characters are very relatable and I think that's why the book has found such a wide readership. There is a Hungry Paul and Leonard in all of us, almost the inner child. It's a memorable story, and the kind of book you could read again and again. Leonard and Hungry Paul is overflowing with wisdom. One of the best books I've read for a while.



View all my reviews

Writing Update

As many of you know, I've been working on a sequel to my novel The Spider for the past few years.



The book is now finished and is titled "Evil Never Dies". It has been edited and I'm getting some reader feedback before I publish it.

Here's a draft blurb that I've come up with that will give you a bit of an idea of what the book is about:

After finding the poisonous spider for Rex, George believes his problems are over. But tragedy strikes and George finds himself back inside The Spider’s web; his life is at risk and his freedom is at stake.

“Evil Never Dies” follows George as he fights to reclaim his life and take back control.

This dark, tangled mystery explores the known and the unknown, the real and the illusory.

Touching on a wealth of relatable subjects including divorce, death, the afterlife, homelessness, crime, and addiction, “Evil Never Dies” takes the reader on an intense and emotional journey.

Catch up with the other characters from book 1, “The Spider”, including Roisin, Glen, Hugh, and Abigail, as they face more life-changing challenges.

You can get book 1 at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01...

I have a great cover design for "Evil Never Dies", which was designed by Kat at Aeternum Designs (https://www.eveningskypublishingservi...)

Kat also designed the covers for The Spider, Lost and Found, and A Time to Tell). I will reveal the cover nearer to the release date.



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I'm also working on another collection of short stories. The book "Out of Time" is a collection of ten stories, eight of which were originally featured on the online literary magazine The Write Launch in 2017 (https://thewritelaunch.com/)

Two of the stories are brand new, written this year. I'm putting the finishing touches to "Out of Time" and hope to announce the release date soon.

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I've also started work on a new story, which might become my next novel. The idea came to me recently and so far I've been writing it in the traditional way, pen and paper. I'll reveal more about that in due course.

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Finally, I wanted to let you know about an interview I recently did for Helle Gade's website.

You can read it here: https://hellegade.com/2019/05/04/auth...

Book review: Changing Angels, by Julie Elizabeth Powell

Changing Angels by Julie Elizabeth Powell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I’ve always enjoyed Julie Elizabeth Powell’s books; they’re always imaginative and original. “Changing Angels” is no exception. It starts off following the lives of two children, Faith and Jake. They do not know each other, but are connected somehow, in an unexplained way. The novel's chapters alternate between Jake’s story and Faith’s story.

As the main characters are both children at the start of the novel, I was wondering for a while whether this was a story written for children. However, the author was only setting out the background to what becomes a crime thriller, with some disturbing scenes.

Jake and Faith's first encounter is when Faith is still a child, on a bus, and Jake sees her from the street. They both treasure that memory as something significant, although they do not know why.

The two meet a few years later, and both instantly recognise each other as if they’d met before. They talk to each other as if they are old friends. At this point I wondered whether the tale would be a fantasy tale.

Jake and Faith feel a connection as if they have known each other all their lives, although they both come from quite different backgrounds.

The story takes a dramatic turn when the couple plan to meet for a romantic day out but Faith doesn’t turn up. What ensues is both unexpected and tragic. This leads to the second half of the novel, which is much more fast-paced.

"Changing Angels" is probably the author’s best work to date. It’s complex and contains many characters, who all seem like real people, all having very distinct personalities. One thing this author does very well is that she writes novels and stories that contain multiple characters and every character is always memorable in some way.

“Changing Angels” explores the idea of a sixth sense, guardian angels, soulmates, and other such matters. These concepts lay the foundation for the fantasy side of the novel. This lighter more romantic side is balanced by the story of a criminal gang and how that darker side of life becomes part of Faith and Jake's reality.

The book is engaging and thought-provoking. It will make you question what is real and what is imagined. It makes you think about whether certain things are predestined, and how everything is connected. It’s an imaginative tale with a deeper meaning.

To sum up, “Changing Angels” is an entertaining thriller with believable characters and a fantasy theme. Well worth reading.





View all my reviews