Maria Savva's Blog, page 42

Introducing Ben Ditmars, & enter to win a copy of Ten Minutes in Heaven!

I am discovering some new favourite authors by downloading the free books onto my Kindle these days. That's how I discovered Ben Ditmars not too long ago. These days, I have less and less time for reading, having a full time job and also trying to fit in some writing/promoting.

Ben Ditmars's book of short plays Ten Minutes in Heaven sounded like the sort of thing I could read quickly. I have found that I am more drawn to short works these days, just because I have to balance my time between reading, writing, working, and promotion.

I am so glad I picked up this little book. I thoroughly enjoyed the plays. It was a refreshing read, not only because I don't usually read plays, but because the writing was so skilled and entertaining. Ben Ditmars is a gifted writer, in my opinion, and I am looking forward to reading more of his work.

After reading his book, I invited Ben here to talk about his writing. He has generously offered to give away a print copy of "Ten Minutes in Heaven" to one lucky reader of my blog!

To enter the giveaway, just leave a comment below, or simply 'Like' this blog post. A winner will be picked on 16th November 2012.

Here's the interview:

I've just read and enjoyed your book of short plays "Ten Minutes in Heaven". Did you write the plays specifically for this collection or were they written at different times and just put together in a collection?



It was an interesting process. I wrote some specifically for the collection but others such as Train Rob I converted to the format of ten minute plays after writing them. Bank Rob was the Ah-ha moment where I said I want to keep doing this and make something of it.

I imagine that you would like to see the plays acted in a theatre? If you had the chance to produce one of the plays, which one would you choose and who would you cast in each of the roles?

If I could see any of them produced I would definitely go with Jumper. Seeing Vincent Van Gogh and Edgar Allen Poe portrayed together would be righteous. I think Sean Penn would make the best Poe. As for Van Gogh, I would go with the actor who portrayed him in Doctor Who.



There is a lot of humour in Ten Minutes in Heaven. Who are your favourite comedians?

I like a wide range of comedians. It was something I grew up watching a lot of. Mitch Hedburg was a genius; the way he saw things, the unique observations but also the younger George Carlin was a favorite. Of those still living I would list Harland Williams, Louis C.K. and Dane Cook as favorites.

You have a few well known historical and famous figures appearing in your short plays, Vincent van Gogh, Edgar Allan Poe, Judy Garland, and Noah, to name just a few. What gave you the idea to use these famous characters, and do you think that made it easier or harder than creating your own characters for the plays? Did you have to research things about those personalities before writing the plays?

Most of them were favorite artists of mine. I adore Van Gogh’s painting and his life story touches me deeply. To think that something so beautiful can come from such incredible sadness is astounding. But, Poe too was a troubled artist and I liked the idea of them putting little problems into big perspectives. I used quite a bit of their actual quotes in the dialogue. I thought it made things seem more authentic and humorous to anyone who had read the things they’ve said on painting or writing.



Judy Garland, I’ve learned more about since I wrote the play. But at the time, I focused on her death and how sad I imagined her to be. I mainly had an image of her, worn out by the constant pressures and drugs used to keep up with the entertainment business. The other characters I did quite a bit more research on. I used their history to play into the dialogue.

For the most part I think it made it easier than creating my own characters. I felt very familiar with all of them already.

You have other published works as well as Ten Minutes in Heaven, can you tell us a bit about each of your other books

Gnomes of Coyul: The Crystal Staff is my novel. It’s about a dissatisfied gnome who meets a human and eventually goes on an adventure to save his tree from an evil Elf Queen. There’s a lot of different characters, battles and creatures too. It’s a lot of fun, but like my book of plays, tries to get across a lot of deeper points.

Witherspork is my Kindle short. I’ve always had a really different sort of last name than most other kids. It was kind of my inspiration, writing a story about a man finding others that share his name and trying to solve a galactic mystery before the universe gets destroyed.

Night Poems is my collection of poetry. I waited a while before doing this because I wanted a really special idea. I think I found it with Night Poems. Each poem has its own time and takes you through the night in all its malaise and energy.

Are you working on any other projects at the moment?

I’m actually working on quite a bit. I’m doing another poetry book, this time on haiku and still themed on the night. There’s a children’s short too, that’s fantasy and I’m doing a zombie story for NaNoWriMo.

As you write in many different styles, poetry, plays, and prose, which would you say is your preferred style of writing?

My most natural style is poetry. I can sit down and write a poem just about any time of the day. But it’s harder to get complex ideas across. If I have something intricate I want to say it will often need to be in the form of a play or story.

You have a blog called 'Old Spice is Nice'. What inspired that title?

The deodorant. I started the blog in High School and never thought I’d go anywhere with blogging so I just named it after the closest thing to me.

I understand that you have started a podcast with author Amber Jerome~Norrgard. Who came up with the idea for that? And can you tell us a bit about what you do on the podcast.

It’s called The Lyrical Versification Podcast and I think we both came up with the idea. I know I’ve been trying to get a writing podcast going for a while and she mentioned doing one on poetry. We usually read different poems we’ve come across or each other’s and have a guest we interview. They usually read a couple of what they’ve wrote or talk about an upcoming book.

Do you have any tips for anyone thinking of self-publishing a book?

Many. Do it to get your story out there and don’t expect huge financial gains. It will take a long time and several books. But don’t be afraid either. The indie community is a very generous one and they will help you a lot; whether it’s with covers, formatting advice or just a quick pep talk.

Who are your favourite writers, and what is it about their writing that you like?

I really like Baum, Tolkien and Rowling for the worlds and characters they created. They’re the kinds that grow with you as you read. I also like a good deal of modern indie authors. I’ve read everything by Amber Norrgard and mostly everything by Charity Parkerson. Cinta García de la Rosa is also fantastic. She has one of the strongest characters I’ve read in her book The Funny Adventures of Little Nani. You just can’t get her out of your head. Or heart, for that matter.

What was the first thing you ever wrote?

In Middle and High School I did a lot of comics. They weren’t drawn very well but they were fun and people seemed to enjoy them. I also wrote stories featuring my friends doing different things like saving the day.

What are your aspirations for your writing?

I’ve always wanted to do a book of short fantasy stories. But I’m working on another poetry book at the moment. I’m hoping to come to come back to the stories eventually.

What's the nicest thing a reader has said about your work?

That it has helped them through a tough time they were going through. I think that’s really the most profound and encouraging thing for an author to hear. It’s great to get our story out there, get great reviews, but when it really makes a difference, that’s the best feeling.

As one of your short stories in Ten Minutes in Heaven is about The Wizard of Oz, if there was to be a new version of the Wizard of Oz and you could choose to play any character, who would you want to be, and why?

I would be the scarecrow or the lion. It’s hard to say. I’m looking for more courage at times and others more knowledge. Then again, the Wicked Witch is pretty bad ass. I guess I’d have to be the Wicked Warlock though.



Which one of the characters in Ten Minutes in Heaven is most like you?

Probably the Bastard. I have a dry sense of humor that’s very similar to his. I also share some of his philosophy on selfishness.

Do you have any news or events you want to share with your readers?

Of course. My novel Gnomes of Coyul will be free December 1st on Amazon Kindle. I hope you all get a chance to download it.



Thank you so much, Maria for giving me the opportunity to answer these questions. They’re the best, most in depth ones I’ve seen.

Thank you, Ben, and you're welcome! I am looking forward to reading more of your work.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Remember, if you'd like a chance to win a copy of Ten Minutes in Heaven, leave a comment below, or simply 'like' the blog post. Good luck!

My Favourite Books - November pick

This month, my recommended book is On The Holloway Road by Andrew Blackman.



This is one of those books that I really connected with. I also felt the need to recommend it to everyone I knew after I read it. It's just one of those gems.

Here's the review I wrote when I read it:

'On the Holloway Road' by Andrew Blackman, is an exceptional piece of writing. I found it absorbing and insightful;there are many memorable paragraphs which stay with you long after you have read them. This is an amazing debut novel which has already won an award: 'The Luke Bitmead Award 2008'.
It's the story of Jack and Neil, two young men who are as different to each other as it is possible to be: Jack is a struggling writer, trying unsuccessfully to finish his first novel; he lives with his mother in the house he grew up in and feels like he is not really living at all until Neil walks into his life one dark night on the Holloway Road. Neil is an energetic, anarchical character who doesn't like authority and wants to experience life to the full. Somehow they form a strong bond and unlikely friendship, based on their love of Jack Kerouac's book 'On the Road', and their shared sense that somehow there is more to life than what they are seeing. They embark on a road trip inspired by the book. They decide to travel from London to Scotland to the furthest point North they can reach, following the Great North Road (from Holloway Road).
We follow Jack and Neil on their action-packed adventure, filled with many interesting characters and scenarios. The ending is surprising and touching.
It was a joy to read and I think most people will be able to relate to the concept of the struggle for autonomy in an increasingly regimented world. The two main characters are realistic and well drawn. Most people will relate to the character of Jack, an average man with dreams and aspirations for a more exciting existence. It is the type of book which has potential to change the way people view the world.
Highly recommended. A page-turner.

I hope you'll try it!

Haunted is published on Kindle!

I am pleased to announce that my latest novel, Haunted is available on Amazon Kindle!




Haunted is a psychological thriller, darker than my other novels. It is about a man who is on a downwards spiral. He has kept a secret that now threatens to destroy him. There's a paranormal twist to the tale.

I hope you'll enjoy it.

You will notice that the Kindle version has been expertly formatted with an interactive table of contents and links included to my Amazon page and my other books. There are even images included at the end of each chapter. I was very impressed with the quality of the formatting and would highly recommend eBookBuilders which is the company I used to produce this Kindle edition.

The links to Amazon where you can purchase the book are below. If you're an Amazon Prime member, you can borrow the book from the Kindle Lending Library for free!

Amazon.com (includes India): http://www.amazon.com/Haunted-ebook/d...

UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Haunted-ebook...

France: http://www.amazon.fr/Haunted-ebook/dp...

Germany: http://www.amazon.de/Haunted-ebook/dp...

Italy: http://www.amazon.it/Haunted-ebook/dp...

Spain: http://www.amazon.es/Haunted-ebook/dp...

Japan: http://www.amazon.co.jp/Haunted-ebook...

Haunted - update

Formatting of the e-book version of Haunted is taking place as I write this. It is with eBookBuilders

I think it will take a couple more days to finish and will then be uploaded onto Amazon KDP.

I am also waiting for a proof copy of the paperback version from Lulu.com before I finally publish that.

While you're waiting, here's the blurb/description:


"Nigel Price has MURDER on his mind.

He can run but he cannot hide. Nigel's past has come back to haunt him. The truth is, his past has never left him... it follows him without remorse, catching him at every turn. There is no escape.

Regret, guilt, nightmares, despair... these fill his every waking hour and disturb his sleepless nights.

Take a trip inside Nigel's mind, in this dark, psychological thriller with a paranormal twist."

Getting to Know You... Part 2

The second instalment of my interview in the BestsellerBound video/podcast series, produced by author Darcia Helle, is now available on YouTube.

In this part, I was asked to talk about one of my favourite places on earth. Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXinZy...

Enjoy!

Introducing musician & singer/songwriter, Alexandra Le Monnier of August Gone!

Today, I am thrilled to be introducing you to a talented musician I met through Twitter. Alexandra Le Monnier's band hails from Hertfordshire, a place I used to live and work not too long ago.

When I first came across Alex, she was in a rock band called Le Monnier. She has recently started a new band August Gone, so I wanted to interview her about that. The debut single, Watch You Bleed, is great, and you can get a FREE mp3 copy on Soundcloud! Here's the link: http://soundcloud.com/augustgone/watc...




Here's the interview!

I first came across your music when you were in the rock band Le Monnier. I have both Le Monnier albums and have enjoyed listening to them. I know that the band has split recently. Will the two albums still be available to purchase? If so, where can people buy those?

The ‘Le Monnier’ albums are still available. If anyone is interested in a hard copy please get in touch with me via http://www.facebook.com/lemonnierband.

Le Monnier have not so much split, it was more that Le Monnier was renamed as it morphed into the new project ‘August Gone’. I had been meaning to change the band name for sometime now, as I had never been comfortable with using my surname. As the founding member and main writer I did not see the problem at the bands decision to use it. However when we ran into problems at gigs with people remembering it, spelling it and especially pronouncing it, I thought it was definitely something that needed to be changed, and the time was now. The sound has not changed so much, just fine-tuned, concentrating on rock rather than metal.



Tell us a bit about how August Gone got together

‘August Gone’ got together surprise, surprise just at the end of August, beginning of September. Aaron and Kayli having both been in the previous band ‘Le Monnier’, they were both up for the name change and got a real buzz from the new name. ‘Watch You Bleed’ is the first track Kayli is featured on taking over from her brother Josh Williams. We had lots of fun in the studio. Aaron got to have a good experiment with his guitars and they sound absolutely massive in the mix. ‘August Gone’ is much more than the renaming of ‘Le Monnier’ to us. The new name has given us a new outlook and a fresh start.


August Gone's first single Watch You Bleed (which is a fantastic rock song, by the way), is available to download free via the band's Facebook page. Are you working on an album and if so, do you have an idea when it will be released?

‘Watch You Bleed’ is one of the two singles we are releasing before Christmas. We really wanted an emotive passionate rock song to kick off this new journey. The response has been great and we plan to push it very far. The second single - an acoustic track called ‘Where I Stand’ shows off our unplugged side. This is also going to be available as a free download and a lyric video shall be released with it. We are currently working on material for an EP, but it could turn into an album, you never know. We are planning the EP release for Spring 2013. We are currently working with a great producer at our local rehearsal/recording studio. The track ‘Watch You Bleed’ really shows off our capabilities with the better production, bringing out that LIVE ENERGY to our sound.

That sounds great. I like the lyric video you have done for Watch You Bleed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1V4vL...



Do you have any upcoming tours planned?

Once the album is released we are looking at setting up a tour, I believe the popularity of guitar music, particularly rock music is on the rise again, especially in the UK. So hopefully this will allow us to connect with more people soon.


People like to compare bands to other bands when reviewing their albums. What famous band would you like August Gone to be compared to?

We would be delighted to be compared to any female fronted band, especially bands such as Halestorm, Paramore, Skunk Anansie or Fly Leaf. We have been told that we have a great sound that is both modern and has elements of the great rock artists of the past as well.


Who were your musical heroes when you were growing up?

The very first were what my parents listened to, so Queen, Tracy Chapman, Otis Redding, Whitney Houston and the Beatles. My first major music crush was Nirvana, I know nearly everyone says Nirvana, but it really was for me. I heard a couple of songs – I think it was Lithium and Something In the Way, off a compilation tape that my sister’s boyfriend had given her and I was just hooked.





At age 13 I begged my Dad for two albums ‘Nevermind’ and ‘Incesticide’ and I was over the moon when he said yes and got them for me. The band that really got me excited and wanting to start a band was Alice In Chains.




I first heard of them by watching the Cameron Crowe film ‘Singles’. I love everything about this band and just wanted to do exactly what they were doing but in my own way.





I love Alice in Chains, too :)

If you could play a gig at any venue, anywhere in the world, where would you like to play?

Madison Square Garden, New York. Or any country that still loves guitar rock music!


If August Gone could tour with another band, who would you choose and why?

In Seattle, bands like Pearl Jam, Sound Garden, Hole, Smashing Pumpkins, and Nirvana would be on the same bill. I would like that type of thing to happen to us, where a few bands just get together and tour their asses off to the same people that love all that music. At this point of time I would love to support a band like Skunk Anansie or Fly Leaf.



What kind of music do you like listening to these days and do you have any favourite bands?

I just recently saw Halestorm and they were just WOW, I was in awe of her voice, absolutely amazing! I love strong female vocalists that really know how to convict emotion. In my CD player now I currently have the new albums from Heather Nova, Pink and No Doubt. I am also in love with Lit’s new album along with Rival Sons and Stone Sour.

Ah, Stone Sour, I'll be seeing them on tour with Papa Roach in December :)


Do you write the band's songs alone or with others?

In all projects I have always been the main songwriter, I like to bring lots of ideas to the table and explore them with the band. I think with the ‘August Gone’ material I have managed to tweak what I had in mind for ‘Le Monnier’ and I have got it dialled in now.


It's always hard to go through transitions, but sometimes it's good to start fresh with good ideas and have an experience that causes strong emotions. What has happened over the past few months comes through in the music and that cannot ever be bought or learnt.


My lyrics have always come from my life stories or my thoughts. I really love sitting down with my acoustic bass in my lounge and writing songs, the vocal melody and bass line usually happen first and words come later but not always. I learnt piano first and then bass, and guess it just wasn’t enough to just sit and play, I had to start using my voice so it would weave in and out to make a song. I joined a choir shortly after in order to improve my singing.



As an indie musician, do you have any tips for anyone who might be thinking of producing their own music? Have you found that any particular website/social networking platform works better than others for promoting music?

Network platforms are forever advancing and not always in your favour, such as facebook controlling how many fans you reach, to hit a larger percentage of your fans you now have to pay to post. I think having your own mailing list via ‘mail chimp’ or ‘blogspot’ is a good way to be direct with your fans. My biggest advice to other bands is to not cut corners on your product i.e. recordings and music videos, try it doing it yourself but don’t do everything yourself just to save money. Give yourself some room to concentrate on what you do best, which is enjoy the ‘MUSIC’ and leave any egos at the door. A band is like an intense version of a family, treating it solely as a business can damage the soul of a group of friends playing music together. It’s good to be resourceful and choose what’s important to spend your hard earned money on but remember to be smart and have fun.

What instruments do you play, and are there any that you don't play that you'd like to learn?

I played double bass at school, they gave me an instrument on loan to join the orchestra which was good but not exactly very me. My first instrument was piano, copying what my older sister did and going to lessons with her. My bass guitar has been my side companion since I was 14 years old, which my parents lovingly got me as my Christmas present. Apart from buying a piano and double bass one day I am not compelled to try anything else right now. I am just a self-confessed air drummer, Kayli has a right good giggle when I air drum listening to her tracks.


As I'm interviewing you on Goodreads, it's only right that I should ask you a bit about your reading habits. Do you like to read? If so, who are your favourite authors?

I love reading, my other half actually gets quite annoyed at how incoherent I become when engrossed in my kindle. I love fantasy and romance fiction. Biographies are okay as long as they are funny, Ozzy Osbourne was laugh out loud brilliant. My favourite authors are Laurell K. Hamilton and Kelley Armstrongas I have read both their entire collection/series.


Do you prefer print books or eBooks?

I like both, but decided to invest in a kindle when I started running out of shelf space. I rent at the moment and I was just too lazy to visit B&Q and risk losing my deposit by doing a bodge job of fitting more furniture. There is also the benefit factor that some e-books are a lot cheaper and there is the eco friendly side to it. The only problem with e-books is that it does piss me off in planes when asked to switch it off, then you think God I need to go back to paperback!

Ha, ha! I hate that too!

Where's the best place for people to keep up to date with your news?

The best place to find out what I am up to is on twitter:

http://twitter.com/LeMonnier_Alex

My music catalogue page is:

http://soundcloud.com/alexandra-le-mo...



For my band ‘AUGUST GONE’ please visit:

Website: www.augustgone.com

Bandpage: http://augustgone.bandpage.com/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/augustgone

Blog: http://augustgone.blogspot.co.uk

Twitter: http://twitter.com/augustgone

Youtube: www.youtube.com/augustgoneband

Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/augustgone



Thank you, Alex! I wish you and August Gone every success with your music

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Don't forget to download your free copy of 'Watch You Bleed', August Gone's excellent debut single, and make sure you follow Alex and the band on Twitter and Facebook to keep up with all the latest news!

The Dating Game by Susan Buchanan - Launch Party - win some fabulous books, including one of mine!!

My good friend and fellow author, Susan Buchanan, is releasing her second novel, The Dating Game on Friday 2nd November. I met Susan on Twitter and was very impressed with her debut novel Sign of the Times. I am looking forward to her latest release as I am sure it will be fab!

Susan's launch party for The Dating Game will run from 2nd-10th November. You can join in the fun by joining the party here on Facebook: The Dating Game Launch Party

During the launch, you will have the chance to enter to win 1 of 50 e-books by various authors. Included is the chance to win one of my books. The winner will get to choose which one of my books he or she wants:






Or you could even choose my latest soon-to-be-released novel, "Haunted"!

To enter the contest, all you need to do is go to Susan's blog, from Friday, and follow the instructions: http://susancbuchanan.blogspot.co.uk/

If you buy a copy of "The Dating Game", you can win even more prizes, including Amazon vouchers!

Happy Halloween! Interview and giveaway of Haunted!

Happy Halloween everyone!


I will be publishing my new novel, "Haunted" in the next few days, thanks for bearing with me while I sort out the final glitches. I expect the Kindle version will be available in the next few days and the paperback will follow in Lulu.com shortly afterwards. Watch this space for all the details.

My good friend and fellow author, J. Michael Radcliffe, was one of my beta readers, and he very kindly offered to interview me and host a giveaway on his blog. Follow the link below to the interview where you can learn some more about "Haunted", and if you leave a comment on Michael's blog post you can enter a draw to win a copy of "Haunted". I will let the winner decide whether they would like a Kindle version or a signed paperback.

Click here to read the interview & for your chance to win!

Good luck!

Booker Award - My 500... sorry, my 5 favourite books :)

My indie author friend,Susan Buchanan, thought it would be funny to set me an impossible task this morning. She tagged me in 'The Booker Award', a blog tag where bloggers or fellow authors have to choose 5 favourite books and then tag 5 other bloggers or authors and ask them to do the same. Now, anyone who knows me knows that I read lots of books. How could I possibly choose 5 favourite ones? Also, the fact that most of the stuff I'm reading these days is excellent, makes the task even harder.

Thanks, Sooz!

(Actually, I'm secretly pleased she tagged me as I do love these types of challenges, but don't tell anyone.)

Okay, without further ado, I am going to dive into this challenge.

No, first I will give you the link to Susan's blog: http://susancbuchanan.blogspot.co.uk/...

I am choosing my 5 favourite independently published books because it is rare that an indie author will be presented with an award for his or her book, and there are so many indie authors who deserve an award, in my opinion.

Right, I had a tough time choosing. But all book awards have long lists of books, don't they? So this is the long list I came up with, and I would give all of these books the award if I could:


























My long list could be even longer, but I think I should stop there...

I love all the above books for different reasons, and it is very hard to pick 5. They are all books that have left an impression on me.

The rules say I have to pick five books, so the five I am choosing for the Booker Prize are:

My Schizophrenic Life by Sandra Yuen Mackay

This book really opened my eyes to the reality of what it feels like to be someone living with Schizophrenia or similar mental conditions and I think it is such an important book in the fight against discrimination against those who suffer from mental illness.








Beyond My Control By Stuart Ross McCallum

This is such an inspirational story. Like Sandra's book, it is a book that can teach us something about another person's journey.








33 Days by Bill See

This book brings together my two loves, music and words. This memoir of a touring band is inspirational; it deals with many subjects that affect all of us including dysfunctional family life, racism, friendship, death.







The Day the Flowers Died by Ami Blackwelder

This is probably the only book that has ever made me cry real tears. It is so well written.






Horse Latitudes by Quentin R Bufogle

For the opposite reason to Ami Blackwelder's book, because it made me laugh out loud. I also found the main character to be very realistic and I could relate to a lot of what he was going through. It's also a very fitting read for these recession years.






Now I have to tag 5 bloggers or authors to take up the challenge.

1. Darcia Helle

2. Michael Radcliffe

3. The Secret Writer

4. Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick

5. Sandra Yuen Mackay

The BestsellerBound Short Story Anthology - Volume 4, is now available!

I am pleased to announce that the 4th Volume of the BestsellerBound Short Story Anthologies is now available free to download in any ebook format you wish from Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/...








Here's a list of the story titles and authors who have contributed to this volume:

Dusting Wars by Jaleta Clegg

Gaul is Divided by Sharon E. Cathcart

In Tartarus by Gareth Lewis

Michaela by Maria Savva

Pinkberry Squirrels by Magnolia Belle

The Ghost of the Dresser by Susan Helene Gottfried

Westwood by James Sophi

A Mile In My Shoes by Darcia Helle

The Very Useful Milkweed by Jill Warren

Hurting the One He Loved by Sydney S. Song


There is also a great book trailer to promote the book, created by Magnolia Belle: http://youtu.be/kIWsIIKyobI
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I hope you'll enjoy the stories.