Maria Savva's Blog, page 59

My latest interview is posted on The Secret Writer's blog

Click the link below to visit The Secret Writer's blog, where you can read my latest interview :)


The Secret Writer

What have I been up to??

Okay, so for the past few weeks I have been introducing you to some of my favourite authors, and will continue to do so in the coming weeks, but some of you (I hope) will have been wanting to hear more about what I have been getting up to recently.

I thought this would be a good time to update you with my news, just before the release of my new novel.

I have been working hard putting the finishing touches to my latest novel, 'The Dream'. It's not yet published, but will be soon. Look out for an announcement in the next few weeks. 'The Dream' is a romantic comedy, edged with a touch of the paranormal and featuring a time slip. It's my first paranormal novel, but I had so much fun writing it that I may well write some others in the future.

Here's a sneak preview of the cover, which I designed myself:




The final edits will take me a few more weeks, then I'll be announcing its publication with a couple of interviews.

In other news, I'm currently participating in author Stacy Juba's ebook spring sale: Stacyjuba.com

Take a look at Stacy's blog, she has four books on sale at just $0.99 until 8th May 2011. Take a look at the comments from other authors and you'll find lots of bargain ebooks!! I hope you'll find lots of books to read there.

My own short story collections Pieces of a Rainbow and Love and Loyalty, are also currently at $0.99 on kindle at Amazon. I'll keep them at that price throughout Stacy's sale, until 8th May, then the price will go up to $2.99.

Also, don't forget that Cutting The Fat, the murder/mystery novella I wrote with Jason McIntyre is available at $0.99 on kindle.

A reminder that you don't need to own a kindle to read kindle ebooks, as there are free apps you can download from Amazon, so you can read them on your computer or phone.

A recent interview I did with Jason McIntyre about 'Cutting The Fat', can be found on author R A Evans's blog: 7 Deadly Questions

That's about it for now. If you want to keep up with all the latest, visit my website for all the links to my networking sites.

My author interviews will resume on this blog on Friday, with the lovely Lisette Brodey, author of 'Crooked Moon'.

Meet Charles Blanchard, author of 'Mourning Doves After The Fire', and enter to win a signed copy!

Sometimes when you read a book, you can tell that there is something special about the author, you can feel the passion they have for writing, and you can foresee great things for them. That is how I felt when I read Charles Blanchard's debut novel,Mourning Doves After The Fire.

I met Charles online when I reviewed his novel for Bookpleasures.com. He is just starting out in his writing career, but I just know he is going to be a name to look out for in the future.

Here are Charles's replies to my interview questions:

When did you first discover your love of writing?

I don't know if I can honestly say that I love writing. It is very difficult. As an architect designs a building, you have to start with a blueprint or outline and then attempt to seamlessly support the outline with as much valuable information and creative narrative as possible and hope and pray that what you have created is strong enough so the building doesn't collapse. It takes discipline and patience. The enjoyment for me comes after I have completed a piece of writing and when I know its good enough to go on to the next paragraph.

Is there a particular author, or book, that inspired you to start writing?

I was inspired by what was possible with the written word in the works of Marcel Proust and Thomas Pynchon. In the case of Proust, I found that reading just a few pages of Remembrance of Things Past, at night before retiring, satisfies my literary intake for the day as the sentences are so broad and rich yet they convey the simplest action or thought or emotion. For example, it is easy to say, "She was very attractive but very different from other actresses as she had none of the diabolical expressions that I would have expected given her chosen profession." If you had given that sentence to Proust, he would say, "I felt somewhat disillusioned, for this young lady was in no way different from other pretty women whom I had seen from time to time; only better dressed. I could find no trace in her of the theatrical appearance which I admired in photographs of actresses, nothing of the diabolical expression which would have been in keeping with the life she must have lead." Incredible usage of words.

When I read bits from Thomas Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow, I lose the storyline, but it doesn't matter. I just enjoy the ride. Each new scene seems to have nothing to do with the preceding scene as if Pynchon wrote whatever came into his head at the moment he was writing it. Every scene is so rich and wonderfully written that the pure enjoyment of being in the hands of such talent is rewarding enough.

In your debut novel, Mourning Doves After The Fire, there are many references to classical music, is that your favourite type of music?

I enjoy many types of music including classical, pop, and light jazz. I usually play classical when I am writing as it seems to add to the creative process without being distracting.


Abby Whitman, the main character in the novel is a pianist, are you musical?

Abby is like so many who have the desire to find their place in the world. She is never a great pianist but she does come into contact with Madison, a younger girl who like Abby, plays classical music on the piano and Madison clearly has more talent. They do share that common bond between them in the summer camp. I do not play an instrument myself. I wanted to combine my appreciation for music, as it is so much a part of my life every day, into a fictional narrative with characters who also share an interest in music and in the composers of the past.

Mourning Doves is set in 1910. Historical novels are notoriously difficult to write because there is so much research involved to make sure that all the historical detail is accurate. How did you go about researching the historical data for the book and did you find it difficult?

Researching was the best part of the work. There was always something new to discover. I read diaries of doctors who lived in the time of my novel to get a sense of how they thought of themselves as medical practitioners and how they were perceived by the community they were in. And how to be careful not to allow their emotions to get in the way of their work. I found it fascinating. It was also fun to research the clothes people wore at the time. What they did for fun as well as attempt to capture the struggle of daily life and to find love, one hundred years ago.

Your novel is also part fable, as we follow the group of birds in their struggle to survive. That’s an interesting concept. What gave you idea of including the birds as characters in your book?

I have a large tree outside my apartment here in New York and each morning and night the birds wake up and chirp away with such enthusiasm they wake me up in the morning and not my alarm clock. I wonder what they could be talking about. Do they actually communicate with each other in a way that we as humans do not understand? I'm certain that they do. I believe they are chatting away about where they are going to find food and at night they are gathered again in the tree chatting away about their experiences they had that day in their search for food. They could also be talking about one of their own who may have died. That led me to think about the obstacles that animals face everyday not only in the interaction with other animals but interacting with humans. I began to read a bit of fiction where the main characters are animals that speak and think just as humans do. The idea for the primary animal character to be a mourning dove came about as a mourning dove was and is almost always on my window sill asking for food, so I leave some bread there once in awhile.

That led to research on the living habits of birds and how they relate to their human counterparts - how we look after them by feeding them, cleaning up after them, as they come to expect that there will be food waiting for them in the same place and at a certain time of day, much the same as parents look after their own children. I gave the birds a distinct voice as I felt corresponded with the setting of the story - they live in the large oak tree near the main character's home, and how they would react not only to their own daily struggles but also by placing a human character nearby who occasionally takes time to notice the birds once in awhile. In a way, the lives of man and beast are intertwined more often without realizing it.

When Abby Whitman discovers that she has cancer, her doctor tries a revolutionary treatment on her. Did you have any medical knowledge before writing the book, or was your portrayal of this based on research, or just totally made up?

Part of the book deals with the treatment of cancer that was available in 1910. Actually there was no real treatment, only surgical procedures to remove the cancer, provided it did not spread too far. I came across a doctor who did actually experiment treating cancer patients by injecting bacteria into the tumor in the hope that the antibodies would attack not only the bacteria but the tumor into which the bacteria was injected and hopefully destroying the tumor or shrinking it considerably. The patients who were deemed as suitable candidates for this procedure was if the tumor was localized, not spread out in the body. This was the most interesting part of the research.

How long did it take you to write Mourning Doves?

About two years - most of that time was devoted to research and the actual writing was about seven or eight months.

There are many characters in your novel. Did you base any of them on people you know, or are they totally fictional?

They are all fictional. I populated by book with characters who have had a life prior to their introduction into the story. Even if a character is only in one chapter, I researched what they might have done prior to their life in the book to give substance and some depth to them without digressing too much and keep the story moving.

Which one of the characters in Mourning Doves can you most relate to, and why?

The characters are so varied, and each one displays his or her own abilities according to their strengths and weaknesses including the widowed mourning dove. I would choose the two main characters as I felt I became better acquaintance with them as the story progressed. Abby Whitman exhibits courage and determination and trust in her doctor when he approaches her regarding an experimental treatment for eradicating the cancer inside her. Dr. Raymond Fletcher, who secretly cares for Abby beyond his professional capacities, comes from a broken home. His efforts to save Abby's life become his reason for living. We see the frayed relationship he has with his father when upon his mother's request, Dr. Fletcher visits his parents, whom he has not seen for a long time and an attempt is made to reconcile with his estranged father.

Do you have an tips for someone who is considering self-publishing their own book?

As this is my first published work, the idea of attempting to seek an agent who would genuinely represent a first time novelist and attempt to convince a publishing house to “take a chance” on me, was too daunting a task to even contemplate so I chose to self publish.

I knew of the POD company, Xlibris, from correspondence over the years and I did some research on their current mode of operation. When they sent me an email offering half off their publishing packages, I thought $1500 for a premium package was doable so I went with it. I must say that the final product (hardcover and softcover) was well done, nice cloth binding , etc. Xlibris is rather unusual in the sense that when you call them, you will reach their customer service, located in the Philippines. The executives who run Xlibris do not have any contact information at all, so you are essentially at the mercy, if you will, of an overworked CS rep in a distant country who has to listen to complaints all day.

The bottom line is don’t expect to make millions with a self published book. The marketing which is mostly the responsibility of the author takes tremendous effort and the expectations should be realistic. At the very least, the book is yours and you have control over every aspect of it from the editing to the design of the cover. You have to continue your passion and begin another book so you can build a nice resume of work. Who knows, maybe one day the effort will be truly appreciated, but don’t get depressed if you don’t get a call from one of Oprah’s people begging you to be on their show.

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

One of my favorite novels is Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier. The writing captures the rhythmic flow of the language of the late 19th century with such grace and beauty that reading it is like listening to a piece of music. There is also a sense of place. The description of landscape and man's relationship to the land is vivid and becomes as important a part of the novel as the main character, Inman.

Are you reading a book at the moment?

I am reading The Stones Of Summer. Its a novel by Dow Mossman, published in 1972. When it came out, it received rave reviews and then the book and author went unnoticed for 30 years until a fan of the book attempted to find out how a book that good could just disappear without a trace. He made a documentary about his efforts to locate the author. Before the documentary came out, the book wasn't even listed in the New York Times Book Review Index for 1972. The Stones of Summer is without question, the Holy Grail of modern literature. Never before have I read such descriptive passages. Consider the first paragraph. "When August came, thick as a dream of falling timbers, Dawes Williams and his mother would pick Simpson up at his office, and then they would all drive west, all evening, the sun before them dying like the insides of a stone melon, split and watery, halving with blood. August was always an endless day, he felt, white as wood, slow as light."


What do you think of ebooks?

As a book collector, I prefer the traditional hardcover book. I buy paperbacks on Amazon and I always reserve books through my local library. There is a facility that the ebook reader provides. For example, it's portable and it can carry hundreds of books in a single device as opposed to carrying heavy books around. In a way it's like having a library at your fingertips. But does one actually have the time to read hundreds of books at once? I am used to having at least a couple of books in my carry on bag. When I read a book I like to feel the pages as I am turning them. That feeling is lost on an ebook device. Also, I must admit that while browsing current fiction in the bookstores, I have been so attracted by the jacket that I purchased the book right away. One cannot add a book with a beautiful cover design to their home library if it only exists as an ebook. I also realize that we live in a world where paper is not environmentally friendly. Go figure. One cannot ignore the rise in ebook sales. We as authors who love print must accept that we live in a digital world, where eventually most of the profit we derive from our published work will come from ebook sales.

How important are reviews for you as a writer?

Reviews are important as they give varied opinions and creative suggestions on the work, often on things the author may have missed. And it does help to have that input from the reader who is after all the intended recipient of ones effort.

How did you go about choosing a cover for your book?

I designed the cover myself. I took sheet music and stained it with tea. I set fire to certain sections of the sheets to give it that burned look that it had been partially destroyed in a fire. Lastly I painted bird footprints in bright red paint over the burned sheets.

What are you working on at the moment?

I am working on a novel in which all of the characters are primarily animals with their own voices and ideas and obstacles to overcome.

Where can people buy your book?

The book is available as an ebook, softcover and hardcover on many websites including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Borders. Here are some links.

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

Barnes and Noble

Borders


Books on Board

Do you have your own website or blog where people can read more about your work?

The book webpage is: Mourning Doves After The Fire

Thank you, Charles, for answering my questions :)

Now, here's your chance to win a signed copy of Mourning Doves After The Fire. Leave a comment below, and you'll be entered into a draw! One lucky winner will be picked on 12th April 2011.

Good luck!!

Introducing author Tom Gahan, and an international giveaway!

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Today, I'd like to introduce you to a talented author I discovered through Bookpleasures.com. Tom Gahan's debut novel was the first book I reviewed for Bookpleasures, and it's a favourite of mine.
Harmony Bay: An adventurous slice of waterfront life where mystery surrounds history... is the story of a single mother and her young son, moving away from the city to a small bayside town. I would highly recommend it to all. It's advertised as 'true escapism' and I think that really sums the book up well. Harmony Bay seems like a real place with real people, and Tom Gahan's writing style is mesmerising.

Tom is giving away a signed copy of this wonderful book to my blog readers. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment below.

Here are Tom's answers to my interview questions:

Your bio on your website states that you have an extensive writing background, include writing for a newspaper, and freelance writing.  Do you think that this background helped you to write your novel?

Without a doubt it did; especially for the experience of looking into people’s life stories. It also helped me develop a better sense of what information is important to convey to the reader, how to make it digestible, and what trips their trigger.

What do you think the main differences are between writing fiction and non-fiction.  Which comes easiest to you?

Mark Twain probably said it best, “The difference between reality and fiction is, fiction has to be credible.” Writing fiction is a completely different mindset. It really allows you to flex your creative muscles. Fiction is much deeper and right-brained. Although, to make it believable, it must be liberally dosed with fact. Sometimes, that’s the challenge. In writing about reality, it seems as if it’s nothing more than an endless series of fact checks. If enjoyment is the measure of which is easier for me, I would have to say fiction—hands down.

Is there a particular author, or book, that inspired you to start writing fiction?

As a kid, Jack London’s The Call of the Wild and White Fang profoundly influenced me. It stuck with me. I think you see a little bit of that delivered in Harmony Bay’s character Angus.

Do you have any tips for someone who is considering self-publishing their own book?

Self-publishing is a courageous adventure. To date, the only people that I have received criticism from for self-publishing are authors who have been published by publishing houses in the traditional sense. My advice to writers who want to self-publish is; carefully research the self-publishing company you are considering. There are a lot of scammers out there. Everybody wants to put their hand in a writer’s pocket. I hope that these will be weeded out over time. There is no policing agency for them, other than the Better Business Bureau. Also, have a realistic total budget in place. It will cost you more in time and money to market a book than you think.

Over the last six or seven years, things have changed dramatically for the better for self-published writers. You will see they become more and more the norm. Publishing industry insiders predict that published authors will begin to leave their traditional publishing houses and go self-published. A big reason for that is to maintain artistic control of their work.

I really enjoyed reading Harmony Bay.  It contains details about the American Revolution, marine biology and fishing, among other things.  How much research did you have to do, and how long did it take you to write the novel? 

This goes back to the statement about fiction being credible. On the American Revolution, everything that happens in Harmony Bay is fiction—-the characters and events. Although, those events were strongly influenced by actual events during the war. I did extensive research about the factual events that took place outside of Harmony Bay to help carry the story and the believability of the fictitious events in Harmony Bay. Some of the research involved visiting historic sites.

On the marine biology end, particularly about shellfish, I owe a debt of gratitude to the scientists at the Cornell University Cooperative Extension in Southold NY who shared their knowledge, points-of-view, and personal stories. All of which made it into Harmony Bay. Touring their lab provided the data and vibe I needed to create Jake’s shellfish reproduction facility and his boat, the Seahorse. A lot of the other info about fishing and so forth is common knowledge. Facts about the marine animals where often drawn from on-line research.

The idea for Harmony Bay came to me many years ago—I wrote the first, second and twenty-seventh chapters and put them on the shelf. Life had gotten in the way until a couple of years ago when I had the time to concentrate on finishing it. Once I sat down to write in earnest, I probably spent about nine months finishing it. I was doing the research during the writing process. Rewrites and edits took about just as long.

One of the things that impressed me most about your wonderful debut novel, was how realistic the characters are. The portrayal of Dory, the single mother wanting to do the best for her son, with all the financial challenges, and her nervousness about introducing a new man into her son’s life, is all very realistic and believable, and the book is full of larger than life, well developed characters.  Did you base any of the characters on people you know, or are they totally fictional?

Let’s talk about the village of Harmony Bay, a key character itself. I wanted the town to have a certain identity. Originally, the name was going to be Amity Harbor. I thought harbor sounded too industrial, and in the movie Jaws, the location was Amity Island. Besides, there’s a town on Long Island named Amityville and I didn’t wanted my town to be somewhere that already exists. Likewise, that’s why I refer to “the city” as only that. I wanted the reader to feel free to let it be wherever they wanted it to be.

Geographically, Harmony Bay exists nowhere and everywhere. I’ve had readers swear that they knew exactly the town that Harmony Bay was based on. They were all wrong, but I couldn’t spoil their imagination. My standard response has been, “It’s wherever you want it to be.” Is Harmony Bay a believable place? Sure. There are little pieces from dozens of towns all over the northeastern U.S. I also included vernacular bits from New England and Canada—along with a manufactured expression or two to give Harmony Bay its own sense of place. A friends’ house in Wading River, New York influenced the location of Dory’s cottage. The long gone Wading River hardware store was the basis for Hirsch’s. A restaurant on Long Island’s East End helped me create the vision of Molly’s. The Harmony Bay village hall is direct description of a courthouse built in the 1890’s in the town where I grew up. It too originally served as a town hall.

Okay, about the human, and animal, characters. The human characters are all composite characters. I did use several Hollywood stars as a visual point of reference for most of the lead characters, except James. I’ll never tell the readers who those stars are—I want them to be their own creations. Some of the character names were plucked from my family tree. Dory McDonough (maiden name, O’Toole), Jake Kane and Chief Dooley all inherited their names from both sides of my family. The ever-wise Billy was named in honor of my father, William, a true hero of mine. His family always called him Billy. I named some other characters after signers of the Declaration of Independence or those on the passenger manifest of the Mayflower. I really wanted to instill a subconscious feel of Americana and patriotism. Winton Hector’s last name is borrowed from an African-American hero of the American Revolution. Sergeant Major Randall Stone-Bayard’s hyphenated last name was from two names that I pulled off a Civil War monument at West Point Military Academy in New York. There are other interesting anecdotes about the origin of Jake’s first name and the names for Pastor Simvasten and Mr. Coaterie the banker.

As far as physical attributes, Dory’s appearance was based on my mother as a young woman. I started to write Dory as a teacher, but later quickly switched her to a librarian to fit the plot better. I saw Dory as Indiana Jones disguised as a librarian. My older sister is a librarian, and I’ve always thought she was amazing. She was an influence. James was somewhat modeled after my son and myself as kids. Other than that—mostly pure fabrication, but again, using actors for physical reference.

All of the personality traits are a combination of people that I’ve encountered over the years. I mentored ten-year-old boys for a number of years and began to realize that although they are all different, many kids shared the same character traits. That was the basis for James. I wanted the landlord, Cutsciko, and the mayor to appear as villains or at least very unlikable. Harmony Bay, so idyllic a place, needed a counterbalance. I saw Cutsciko as a Snidely Whiplash, and Mayor Pesce as a typical weasel politician. Cutsciko was portrayed as a greedy bully, yet a wimp— all traits that I despise. After all, almost every town has, or has had, a slimy slumlord or a smarmy politician at times. I thought most readers could relate.

Angus was a one-hundred percent a real-life character based on my late high-school chum Tom Skinner’s dog, Cappy. Chapter 22 was based on a true story told to me by Tom when were about sixteen.

Which of the character in Harmony Bay can you most relate to, and why?

That’s hard to say. Having created the characters of Harmony Bay, I love them all as if they were my children. I did put bits of me into Jake, James and Dory. Can I relate to any one of them more than the others? I’d have to say no.

I see from your website, that you have a few author talks coming up, can you tell us a bit more about how these came about and what you’ll be talking about?

Some have slightly different formats than others. Lecturing at a high school rolls a little different than speaking to an audience at a public library. In all of my author talks, I do include factual and humorous anecdotes about the English language, the role of many of the unsung heroes who fought in the American Revolution and how it all came together to write Harmony Bay. It’s all part of the book-tour to promote Harmony Bay. I do enjoy it. Particularly question and answer segments… like this one!

Your impressive background includes that you are the creator of NY State's largest outdoor music festival, for which you have won awards.  Can you tell us a bit more about the festival and how you got involved in the creation of it?

It was the Riverhead Blues Festival, which I created in 1999. I produced and directed it from ’99 until 2003. My vision was to bring a more positive public image back to the town of Riverhead. At that time it ran for three days, featured several stages and almost sixty acts. Admission was free in those days and it attracted an enormous crowd. We had people from numerous states and from as far as Canada and Brazil. It was a music love-fest on the riverfront. Unfortunately, the people who took it over ran it into the ground. It was done-in by greed and politics. Ironically, Harmony Bay’s two malevolent characters represent those two traits. Last year was the last event.

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

Nelson DeMille for his fast pace and stories that take place on Long Island, Vince Flynn for his content. I have always enjoyed the classics by Mark Twain and Charles Dickens. Surely they had an influence in writing Harmony Bay. I think because I read them at an early, impressionable age, they had more impact.

Is there a book you own that you’ve read more than once?

Hmmm… I don’t think so. Probably not since I was a kid and reread Victor Appleton’s Tom Swift serialized novels. Who didn’t love those swifties? “I read them again and again,” Tom said repeatedly…

I am always looking toward something new. My to-read stack is always at least a foot high.

What was the last book you read?

The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson. Hilarious and well written.

Are you reading a book at the moment?

The Blue Bear: A True Story of Friendship and Discovery in the Alaskan Wild by Lynn Schooler. Also very well written.

What do you think of ebooks?

Since the invention of the Guttenberg press, nothing else has increased an interest in reading more than ebooks. Kindle reader sales, and all of the associated e-reader devices, continue to skyrocket while printed book sales decline equally. Ebooks, along with self-publishing, will completely revolutionize the way publishing works. They have been a great boon for authors.

How important are reviews for you as a writer?

I cannot over-emphasize the importance of positive reviews for any author.

How did you go about choosing a cover for your book?  I think it fits the story perfectly.

The brilliant photographer Rory McNish did the cover photo. He lives on Long Island’s North Fork. The picture was taken at Hog’s Neck, in Southold, NY, not far from Cornell’s marine labs where I researched shellfish production management. Rory submitted several photos for consideration—-but you are correct, it does fit the story. It was a file photo taken years ago, yet you would think it was made to order for the book.

What are you working on now?

I am doing research for a sequel to Harmony Bay. In writing Harmony Bay I was doing research while writing, which became too distracting. I’d like to get the research out of the way now. My wife and I just returned from Philadelphia where I filled my fact bucket. The sequel takes place in Harmony Bay over three time periods. The 1850’s, the 1920’s and present day. I had so much fun with the historical fiction aspect of Harmony Bay; I thought I’d do more. Stay tuned.

Where can people buy your book?

To order, follow the links at Tom Gahan official website

Or at Goodreads.com

Or any bookstore can order it for you. The ISBN is 978-1-4327-6663-4

Apart from your website, where people can read more about your work?

Readers can visit my Facebook page and click Like. I post news about the book and upcoming events there. Feel free to post a message there, too.

Thank you, Tom, for answering my questions.

Remember, if you'd like the chance to win a signed copy of Harmony Bay leave a comment below. A winner will be chosen on 30th April 2011. Good luck!

Introducing author, Helen Bonney, and an international giveaway!!

I am very happy to be able to introduce you to the wonderful Helen Bonney, author of The Woppapotamus from Titan.

I met Helen a few years ago in Brighton at a marketing seminar we attended with our publisher Pen Press. Helen is such a bubbly, friendly, and generous soul, we instantly became friends.

We attended the London Book Fair together to promote our books back in 2007.

As well as being an author, Helen is a talented songwriter.

Helen has generously agreed to giveaway 3 books to my blog followers! All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this blog post! It's an international competition!

Here are Helen's answers to my interview questions:

Is there a particular author, or book, that inspired you to start writing?

I love all types of books, from Dickens to Michael Morpurgo! My father always read to us as children and Oliver Twist was a favourite. I loved Alice in Wonderland, but must admit that it also gave me nightmares!

When did you first discover your love of writing?

We were encouraged as children to have good imaginations and my best subjects at school were English literature and English language. I suppose computers have also made the difference to me. Because you can delete and rearrange easily, it is so much more satisfying than crossing out and scribbling and inserting something that you forgot!

Do you have any tips for someone who is considering self-publishing their own book?

Mainstream publishers are becoming more and more closed shops these days and difficult to get any response from. That doesn't mean don't try, but there are so many more options open to the enthusiastic writer nowadays. There are some good self-publishing companies, but also some to be wary of. My biggest tip is that your work needs good editing. If you know that you are not word or punctuation perfect, I would suggest getting someone in the know to edit your book. It will probably cost you a few pounds, but will be worth it in the long run. The rule is 'edit, edit and edit again' and when you have finished editing, edit some more'!

I currently use Natascha Biebow from Blue Elephant Story Shaping. She has only recently set up this company after fifteen years as Senior Commissioning editor for children's books at Random House, prior to which she was with Dorling Kindersley. You can't get much better than that! She is brilliant. You only need to read the reviews about her. She will edit and shape your stories in such a way that you will wish she had been in your life sooner.

How did you come up with the idea for the character ‘Wally the Woppapotamus’?

I was commissioned by a newspaper to write a story for children which would become a five-part series leading up to Christmas. The remit was for it to appeal to both boys and girls, contain science fiction with alien appeal and quite honestly about everything that didn't normally appeal to me! I nearly turned it down but my ego thankfully got the better of me! After consulting several children and my scientist husband, I decided that I would still remain true to myself and include things that mattered to me. I am someone who passionately cares about the environment and what we are doing to our world and so Wally Woppapotamus had to become the alien from Titan who cares about our world too.

How much research did you have to do for the book, and how long did it take to write?

Masses of research and quite a lot of time! How I love the research. Depending on the subject of your book, research is vital. Because my books involve fiction entwined with fact I have to make sure that my facts are accurate. With the first book, NASA were brilliant in pointing me in the right direction. The first chapter is totally based on the NASA trip to Saturn and the subsequent landing of their probe on Titan (Saturn's largest moon). Try writing any of that without the research! For me the research is so rewarding and can often give you a flavour for a subject you would never otherwise have known about.

Did you know what you wanted Wally to look like, or did you leave the design to your illustrator?

It was a case of knowing what I didn't want him to look like at first! My illustrator at the time kept drawing and changing him until I 'fell in love' with him!
That was essential. I also love purple, so he needed to be purple!

Are you working on any more books featuring the loveable Wally?

Book two, which still features Wally Woppapotamus is finished and is in the process of the 'edit, edit, edit' stage! I am also writing for a younger age group now and 'Sparkly Spider' and her adventures is to be the next character for a picture book series!

What is the target age-group for the original book?

Waterstone's have put the book on their 8 - 12 year old shelves, but I hate age banding and wish they just had a shelf for 5 - 105 years old! The book would work for a younger age group if read to.

The book comes with a CD, containing a song sung by Wally. Can you tell us a bit about how the idea for that came about, and how you went about producing it.

Because first and foremost I am a musician and songwriter, I just felt that a song attached to the book would add a bit of fun! My son is a music producer and so he recorded it for me. My husband sang the song, but his voice isn't really as high-pitched as the cd version. Amazing stuff technology!

Can you tell us a bit more about your musical background?

I have played the piano since I was 4 years old and and had lessons into my teens. The songwriting just came with it. I am fortunate that I can also play by ear as well as read music, which is more or less a must for a composer. I have written several children's nursery songs and I am hoping sometime to compile these into a picture book with a music dvd attached. I am very lucky in having my talented music producer son who will help produce the dvd for me. He doesn't know it yet though! I sometimes wish that there were more hours in the day. So little time - so much to do.

Do you prefer writing songs or books?

They are such different genres. I love doing both. I would love to write a musical - watch this space! Three years ago one of my songs came second in an International song contest in Eire. I have to confess that I was pretty proud of that achievement. There were over 850 original entries.

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

Of the classics I love Jane Austen - so descriptive and emotional. I am totally in love with Mr. Darcy! Charles Dickens of course was amazing as was Thomas Hardy. I also like reading books about astronomy and the universe, so Brian Cox and Stephen Hawking rate among my favourites nowadays.

Is there a book you own that you’ve read more than once?

I have read many books more than once! That I think, is the art of a good book. I was thrilled when a child said that she had read my book ten times! Maybe her maths wasn't quite as good as her reading skills! Maybe it was!

What was the last book you read?

Candy Gourlay's amazing award winning Tall Story. A must for anyone.

Are you reading a book at the moment?

I am currently wading through loads of children's picture books to try and get a flavour for what is required. The Gruffalo is always a favourite with young children and Julia Donaldson has certainly reached hearts with her books.

What do you think of ebooks?

After initial reservations, I think there is room for both ebooks and traditional books. Anything which encourages reading has to be good, however there is nothing like the feel of a 'real' book. I am not looking at buying a Kindle, but I desperately want an iPad!

How important are reviews for you as a writer?

If there weren't reviews how would we ever get genuine feedback? Friends and relatives are great, but it can be difficult for them to be unbiased. I love reading reviews from children I don't know, but who have read my work. I loved the review from a ten year old girl who said, 'I just wanted to snatch Wally from the book and hug him.' Another from an eleven year old boy was, 'The Woppapotamus from Titan is a seriously funny book.' It could almost be my 'pitch'!

What else are you working on now?

I am continuing to write about The Woppapotamus from Titan as well as my Sparkly Spider character - so it is all on-going really.

Where can people buy your book?

Waterstone's keep it in stock at some of their stores, but any good bookshop will order them in. Of course there is also Amazon or just google up 'The Woppapotamus from Titan' and you will find dozens of on-line shops who can ship it out to you. Remember that it is being re-vamped, so you never know, the first edition might be worth something one day and at £5.99 including a cd it's a bargain!

Do you have your own website or blog where people can read more about your work?

You can find us on Woppapotamus where there are also links to other interesting sites with more to be added. The site is due to have a major overhaul soon.
A blog is also about to happen. Watch this space! AND do look out for 'The Woppapotamus from Titan Meets the Children of the World'.

Also feel free to contact me on either info at woppapotamus dot com or Helen dot Bonney at gmail dot com


Thank you for answering my questions, Helen :)

I have read Helen's book, and have gone on to buy it as a gift for friends' children. I think it's an educational and fun book, covering such topics as as the solar system and climate change.

All you have to do if you'd like a chance to win a copy is leave a comment here! Winners will be picked on 30th March 2011. Good luck!


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Introducing author, Jason McIntyre, plus your chance to win books and a teddy bear!

Today I'm introducing you to an exceptionally talented author who has become a good friend of mine. I first met Jason here on Goodreads back in August 2010. He sent me a friend request and I read his blog to see who he was and instantly felt that he was someone I would like to get to know. His blog post at the time was something about how difficult it is as an independent writer to fit in writing, marketing, promoting, etc., when there are so many other things that we have to deal with in life. It struck a chord, and I invited him to join BestsellerBound.com a message board for Indie writers to meet and chat with each other and readers.
So, a couple of emails later, he joined Bestsellerbound and not long after that Nestor Maronski was born. For those of you who don't have a clue what I'm on about, Nestor Maronski is the main character in the book Cutting The Fat written as an online writing challenge by me and Jason. We took turns to write the chapters of the novella online. It was such a hit with BestsellerBound members that we decided to release the book as a kindle ebook in January. It's available there for just $0.99 if you want to find out all about the evil Nestor Maronski and why he MUST die. That brings me to the special giveaway today:

Jason has very generously agreed to give an ebook to 3 lucky winners. If you're a winner, you will have the choice of which of Jason's books you receive!

As well as that, and to celebrate having my co-author on my blog today, I'm giving away a cute teddy bear (picture at the end of the blog post) wearing a 'Nestor Maronski Must Die' t-shirt!

All you have to do to be in with a chance to win a book or the teddy bear, is leave a comment!

Winners will be randomly picked on 25th March 2011.

Right, I won't keep you in suspense any longer as I know the reason we are all here is to read all about Jason McIntyre!

Here are Jason's replies to my interview questions:


Is there a particular author, or book, that inspired you to start writing?

Even as a child of nine or ten and onward, I was always writing and coming up with stories and characters, but the turning point in deciding that I might have an interest in it as more than a simple hobby was probably in my late teens. I was reading a lot of poorly written movie novelizations at the time, things like Indiana Jones and Robin Hood. I stopped reading and said, "These aren't very good and they're selling hundreds of thousands of copies. I could write something better."

Do you have an tips for someone who is considering self-publishing their own book?

Get a good line editor and either pay them or help them in some return way. You don't want typos, plain and simple.

Cut at least 30% of your first book. If you've been writing long novels for a while and this book isn't actually your the first you've written, then you might be able to get away with cutting 10 or 20% instead. This isn't a hard an fast rule, of course, like I've heard some publishers and agents say. But it is true to a degree: much of writing is warming up. It's you getting to the point. It's part of the craft, learning which parts are necessary to character and plot, and which simply aren't. Chances are good, you have a pile of material in that book that is not needed. The closer your reader is to the story out of the gate, the better chance they'll read the whole thing and ask for more.

I have noticed from reading your short stories and also the online serial Thalo Blue (now a novel), that your writing contains a very visual element. Do you visualise your stories as you are writing them?

First of all, thank you for reading! Maria, I know you've been an ardent supporter of mine since I popped into the online world last autumn and you've always had very productive insights to share with me and everyone else.

The visual element is very important in my writing. I 'see' everything I write and when I'm working through a tough scene or crucial chapter that takes a while to finish, it plays over and over behind my eyes like a film strip that I can't turn off. The projector runs twenty-four hours a day until I'm satisfied that I have explained it well enough to match the visuals haunting me on repeat. It's not unlike the description of how Hannah Garretty 'sees things' in my first novel, On The Gathering Storm. And, when I was writing the opening chapter of Thalo Blue when Sebastion Redfield's house is broken into; I had that scene bothering me to the degree that I couldn't sleep. I saw the whole thing as if it was up on the big screen and some beefy theatre ushers wouldn't let me out of my seat.

I’m going to ask this question because I know that I’ll get in interesting answer from you, judging by one of your recent blog posts. Do your books fit into a specific genre?

Some days I wish they did. I'm getting incredible feedback and a growing readership, but I still believe readers find it hard to approach a novel that isn't easily identifiable in one genre. Luckily, many readers have taken a chance on my books, finding them at Amazon or through book blogs. More often than not, I hear that readers were dubious about what I was writing but then enjoyed the story immensely and wished to read my whole catalogue. As a writer, that's the biggest and best thing I can hear and keeps my motor running on writing more.

As for genre, I can only say that labels are a tricky thing to manoeuvre. I want to be read so I pick genres to label my work: literary, suspense, thriller, family drama. But I pull so many of my favourite kinds of stories in: paranormal, sci-fi, spiritual, satire, young adult, even romance. I write what I need to write and feel like if I stuffed myself into a particular genre the stories would suffer. I feel like I need all the colours to work with or the painting won't look like anything meaningful by the end.

When you write a novel do you plan it beforehand?

To a degree, yes. But not the plot. On the surface, that might make little sense. But I usually commit to a character first. I know who I'm going to be talking about or through. And once I'm comfy with him or her then I figure out where they are in their lives. If I can get an idea of what I need them to learn, understand or come to grips with then, I start in. But I never know the plot details that will happen over the course of it. Only the points A and Z on the spectrum of the character.

Where do your ideas come from?

Crazy, trippy dreams after a road trip when I haven't slept for 72 hours. Driving in the rain. Walking, walking, walking. I usually see a very specific person inside a very specific scenario. I have a bad memory and forget these quite often but if it's interesting enough it will stay with me and I revisit it mentally and keep adding on pieces like the astronauts do with the International Space Station. When the idea is big enough and strong enough to support life, I send a shuttle with real characters and get started. Quite often, I have to light sticks of dynamite on the station a few times to get things really cooking and make the characters scramble. I'm a sadist that way. But then I experience terrible guilt for what I put them through in the end.

I haven’t read it yet, but am hearing that your novel, On The Gathering Storm, is a very intense read, which contains scenes that readers have described as ‘disturbing’ and ‘horrific’. In fact, I understand that readers have actually lost sleep or vomited when reading the text. Were you aware when writing the book that it would have such an effect on readers?

I've gotten reader notes and reviews that state, yes, people are feeling light-headed, are passing out, or getting the urge to vomit or dry-heave. Some folks have complained of migraine headaches and not being able to eat meals while reading On The Gathering Storm or Thalo Blue. This is all heresy, of course, but I'll be honest when I say one of my goals as a writer is to appeal to readers' emotions in a deep and meaningful enough way that it incurs some kind of physiological response. I like that readers sweat when they read my stories. Or need to take a break for fresh air. Now, granted, I'm not interested in eliciting cheap thrills. Neither of these books are gratuitous in my opinion. My hope is that you're so emotionally invested in the characters that you can't stand to see anything bad happen to them. After all, that's how I felt as I wrote the books.


Are all of your books adult only reads, or are there some than can be read by under 18s?

Not at all. In fact, Shed, which centres around the lives of two young boys living in an idyllic island town, was about five minutes away from seeing publication with an international publisher dedicated to Young Adult titles. Thalo Blue is suspenseful and moody but there's no reason that teenagers wouldn't find appeal in Sebastion's life story. It's really a coming-of-age book, after all. I was reading "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" and "It" when I was thirteen and fourteen and not batting an eyelash at the content. To me, my work is just storytelling and isn't age-specific. Should kids be reading some of it? Probably not. But there may well be an astute fifteen year old out there who will appreciate it more than a thirty year old.

I enjoyed reading the online serial chapters of Thalo Blue and am waiting for a spare moment in my reading schedule when I can finish reading the novel. The main character, Sebastion Redfield endures a rather unique condition, doesn't he? How much research into the condition did you do for this novel, and how long did it take to write?

Well, without giving too much away, I will say that I have not been diagnosed with the same condition as Sebastion but, as a very young boy was taken to see doctors in a similar way. They bandied about and eventually used the name of this condition in describing some of my behaviours. Though they left it at that and I have never been officially diagnosed with, well, anything except for a bout of pneumonia when I was nine, I have wondered for years and years if I do in fact have some mild form of it.

The book was 175000 words in its first draft and took me three solid months to write. It was a fevered, harried time. I wrote for as many as ten hours some days. It was an intense experience and I know I'm not the first writer to describe a book-writing experience as more like channeling than creating. It felt like the story was written and I was mostly just interpreting the language and typing it out.

Subsequent re-writes and editing, of course, took many months more. But I'm extremely satisfied that all the energy, nuance and feeling remains in the final book. It's getting fabulous, energized reviews from some wigged-out readers and critics, so I couldn't be more pleased with that.

How long does it usually take you to write a novel, and do you do your own editing?

So far, every story has had a different process, length and outcome. Yes, I do my own editing because I hate sharing anything that I feel is unfinished with someone. I usually go through six stages. I call it the Seven Stages of Birthing a Book: Myself, myself, myself, until I'm satisfied. Then a close group of authors. Then a larger group of outsiders. Then everyone else. Then of course I mourn the empty nest and wish I'd never released the damn thing at all.

Which of your characters can you most relate to, and why?

I'm probably a mix of Sparrow from the forthcoming series The Night Walk Men and Sebastion Redfield, the sensitive artistic loner from Thalo Blue. Sparrow because I have a penchant to tell it like it is and not spare time enough to worry about feelings that might be hurt when I'm honest. And Sebastion because I look at the world through glasses the colour of whatever mood I happen to be in.

You have a background in graphic design. How does writing compare to being a designer?

The two are actually quite similar. Graphic design is a one-man show that is vetted by committee. Same with writing. Graphic design requires you to sit alone in the figurative dark with your mind, your hands and your tools and hopefully create something no one has ever seen before. Same with writing. Graphic design has you present your work to a group of peers, superiors, clients, nobodies and they will all find faults with different aspects, often out of their own gut feelings rather than any innate knowledge of the skill or background of the work. Same with writing.

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

This list varies, of course. But today, I'll say Jeffrey Eugenides, Dave Eggars, Stephen King, and Ernest Hemingway. These and others are able to strike me first with a backhand of realism. Even when they are writing fantastical or unbelievable things, writing that speaks to me most is told in a way that I believe, without falter, that it actually happened or IS happening to someone at this very moment. My goals as a writer are the same: to make you believe it with every fibre of your being, even if it's happening on the far side of the moon.

Is there a book you own that you’ve read more than once?

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. Lord of the Flies by William Golding

If someone wanted to read your books, which would you recommend they read first, and why?

Always a difficult answer to give. Someone who asks this question directly usually gets a half dozen probing questions so I can base my answer on them personally. But not knowing a thing about a reader, I'd say they'd be safe starting with my novella Shed. It's dark, but no so dark that it will make them run from the room. It's also not as controversial as, say, On The Gathering Storm which has been called by some reviewers as a book about women, written by a man.

What was the last book you read?

Full Dark, No Stars by Steven King

Are you reading a book at the moment?

No. I'm writing right now. Never the twain shall meet.

What do you think of ebooks?

Love them. I'm saving my pennies and turning over the couch cushions in search of coins to collect into an iPad purchase fund.

How important are reviews for you as a writer?

Honestly, I don't know the answer to this question. The surface answer is 'very'. But I think they may be a more intangible benefit, serving to tell the writer he or she is doing something that others wish to keep reading. I almost feel like sales are independent from reviews. Because, after all, we've all seen the ridiculously bad reviews associated with ridiculously high selling authors and their work.

How do you go about choosing a cover for your books?

When it's possible, I spend a week or two trying different designs in and among the myriad of other tasks I have on my plate. I usually send my top two or three to trusted friends and designers to get their preferences and, quite often I combine elements from several ideas. My hope is to expand my own jacket design skills as I extend my writing ability. I certainly don't know even close to everything about either art form. And, yes, I do believe writing and jacket design to be formidable art forms of their own.

What are you working on now?

Book one of the Night Walk Men novel series.

Where can people buy your books?

All the major ebook outlets:

Amazon

Sony

Barnes & Noble

Apple iBookstore

Kobo

Smashwords

EzRead

New audiobook of On The Gathering Storm available at:

Spring Brook Audio

Do you have your own website or blog where people can read more about your work?

All my latest blog posts, news and book information can be found at

The Farthest Reaches

Thank you Jason, for answering my questions :)

Remember, there are 3 books up for grabs as well as this adorable teddy bear who hates Nestor as much as we do! Just leave a comment to enter! Good luck!

Come celebrate St. Patrick's Day and enter to win an ebook!!

Saint Patricks Day Comments




Welcome, everyone, and Happy St. Patrick's Day to you all!

My guest author today, Stacy Juba, would like to make your celebrations even more fun by offering you the opportunity to enter to win one of 5 Smashwords downloads of her latest novel, Sink or Swim. Stacy's new book is inspired by reality TV. It has been getting lots of 5 star reviews, and I for one am looking forward to reading it! I'll tell you more about the giveaway later, as well as revealing a discount code for Stacy's children's book The Flag Keeper.









Readers of my blog will know that I am currently running a series of blogs where I am introducing you to my favourite authors. Stacy and I first met online sometime last year and we are both resident authors on BestsellerBound, a message board devised by author Darcia Helle, where indie authors can connect and chat with readers. Over the past year or so, we have become good friends. I loved her book, Twenty-Five Years Ago Today, a mystery based on an unsolved murder from 25 years ago.

Here are Stacy's answers to my interview questions:


Is there a particular author, or book, that inspired you to start writing?

I was inspired as a child by the Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden mystery series. I devoured them, and by fifth grade, was writing my own mystery series about a teenage sleuth named Cathy Summers.

When did you first discover your love of writing?

I got the writing bug in third grade, when I wrote my first thriller. I have folders and folders full of stories from when I was a child. By fifth grade, I was always working on a story. Some were about 50 hand-written pages.

Do you have any tips for someone who is considering self-publishing their own book?

I self-published my children’s picture book The Flag Keeper and the e-book versions of my mystery novels. I would recommend using Create Space to publish a print version as they do quality work, have great customer service, and it’s very inexpensive if you hand them a fully designed PDF. However, don’t expect to make much money on a self-published print book as it’s hard to get it in bookstores and libraries. Focus on the e-books as the e-book market is huge. You can self-publish your e-books through Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing, Barnes&Noble’s Pub It, and through Smashwords for Kobo, the Sony Reader and other retailers. I recommend selling your e-book for a bargain price such as $2.99.

How did the writing experience for your children's book The Flag Keeper compare with writing your adult books?

You have to write very tight with a picture book so I found myself doing quite a bit of cutting to keep my word count down. You need to leave the description for the illustrator to convey through pictures, while still providing enough details for the illustrator to work with. You also need to choose words that are on a child’s level. It takes me much longer to write a 260-page adult novel, but writing a picture book wasn’t easy by any means. I did a lot of editing and revising to get the story right.

How much research went into writing that book, which I understand is all about flag etiquette? And what gave you the idea for it?

I got the idea because my husband is very patriotic and has always been interested in flags. After we got a flag pole, he would bring out the flag every morning and bring it inside at night. I was surprised he didn’t just leave it out all night, but he explained to me about flag etiquette. For example, you’re not supposed to leave the flag out in the dark unless you have a spotlight. He also taught me other rules of flag etiquette – for example, there is a certain way to fold it. I had representatives of the national American Legion Post and National VFW Post read the story to make sure everything was accurate, and they tweaked a few minor things. The main point they thought I should get across to kids was that you won’t go to jail for breaking these rules, but following them shows your respect.

How did you go about arranging illustrations for the children’s book?

My father actually did the illustrations. He draws as a hobby. At the time, I didn’t know the book was actually going to be published. It started more as a fun project, but it came out so nicely and got such a good response that I decided to publish it. The Flag Keeper is available in paperback and will be coming out in multiple e-book formats including Kindle and Nook, hopefully by early April.

What is the target age group for that book?

The target age is 4-8, but I know some families that have bought it for toddlers to grow into, and some have bought it to read to older children who might have a relative in the military or who are involved with Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts. The illustrations are of a bear family, so it is perfect for young children in pre-school and elementary school.

I read and enjoyed Twenty-Five Years Ago Today, a murder mystery revolving around an unsolved murder.  The main character, Kris Langley, works for a local newspaper.  I understand that you have a background in journalism.  Are any of your experiences of working in that field reflected in the novel?

When I started in journalism, I was a newspaper editorial assistant and obit writer, like my character Kris. One of my responsibilities was compiling the 25 and 50 Years Ago Today column from the microfilm. In the book, Kris stumbles across an unsolved murder while researching her 25 Years Ago Today column. The book is fiction, but I used my newspaper background to make the newsroom setting authentic.

There are many references to Greek mythology in the novel Twenty-Five Years Ago Today.  How much research did you have to do for the novel, and how long did it take you to write?

I loved Greek mythology growing up so didn’t need to do much research for that aspect of the novel. I just had to go back to some of my mythology books and refresh my memory, to find the right myths to mention in the novel. In my book, the murder victim, Diana Ferguson, was an artist inspired by Greek and Roman mythology, and her paintings may provide clues to her death. It took me a couple of years to write the book, and then a couple years to find an agent. The agent ultimately wasn’t able to sell it and I shelved the book for awhile. Then it finaled in the St. Martin’s Press Malice Domestic Competition for new mystery writers and I started submitting to publishers again. I was fortunate to find a small press, Mainly Murder Press, which publishes an impressive line of beautifully designed gift quality trade paperback mystery and suspense novels.

Your new novel, Sink or Swim, which I am looking forward to reading, is a murder/mystery based on reality TV.  Are you a fan of reality TV shows?

I watch reality shows now and then, but it’s mostly sitcoms taking up space on my TiVo. But I was intrigued at how popular reality shows are getting, with these normal people being thrust into the limelight. I wanted to explore what might motivate an ordinary person to try out for a reality show, and inject that into a mystery novel. Reality fans should appreciate the book, but you don’t need to be a reality fan to enjoy it. Most of the novel takes place in my character Cassidy’s hometown, after she returns to her normal life as a personal trainer. I’d describe it as a cross between a cozy mystery and a romantic suspense novel.

Tell us a bit more about the online mock reality TV show that you are currently running on your blog.

I started a new feature called the Sink or Swim 6, where authors can have one of their characters fill out a six-question contestant interview for my fictional reality show Sink or Swim. The author is encouraged to promote the post on the scheduled date so that friends and readers can leave comments. The three characters that draw in the most post at the end of the year will be chosen as the winners of Sink or Swim, and their authors will get some extra publicity. I am booked for a couple months, but will be opening submissions again in mid-May till the end of June for posts to run in the summer and fall.

Summarise you new novel in three or four sentences

Here is a quick blurb for Sink or Swim: How do you change the channel when reality TV turns to murder? After starring on a hit game show set aboard a Tall Ship, personal trainer Cassidy Novak discovers that she has attracted a stalker. Soon, she will need to call SOS for real…

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

I really enjoyed the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling. Overall, I'm just impressed by the scope of her imagination and how she was able to carry Harry's story through so many novels, and to work under that constant deadline pressure.


Is there a book you own that you’ve read more than once?

I haven’t read a book more than once since I was a teenager – too many books to read, too little time. But I read The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton at least 15 times in high school. It was my favorite book at that time.

What was the last book you read?

I just finished Trevor's Song by Susan Helene Gottfried and really enjoyed that. It provides a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the lives of members of a fictional rock band.

Are you reading a book at the moment?

I’m reading a couple at once – Drowning in Christmas by Judith K. Ivie in print, and Nexus Point by Jaleta Clegg on my e-reader.

What do you think of ebooks?

I love them! It’s a wonderful way for lesser known authors to find readers. As a reader myself, I do prefer print books, however, I own a Sony Reader and love it. I’ve gotten to many free and inexpensive ebooks that I never would have read or heard of otherwise. I’m also thinking of getting a Kindle. I read both print books and e-books.

How important are reviews for you as a writer?

Reviews are extremely important, especially reviews from book bloggers and reviews on sites such as Amazon, Goodreads and Library Thing. Several good reviews on a site such as Amazon can make a prospective reader feel more confident about taking a chance on a new author, and reviews on blogs or on Goodreads can introduce a book and author to new readers. Goodreads reviews feed into the Sony Reader Store, and Library Thing reviews feed into the databases of many library systems, so one simple review can have a great deal of influence.

How do you go about choosing a cover for your books?

My publisher designed the covers for Twenty-Five Years Ago Today and Sink or Swim, and was generous enough to allow me to use the same covers for the ebook versions. The designer did a wonderful job and I was given an opportunity for input. My husband is a graphic designer and did The Flag Keeper cover and he will also be my cover designer for some other projects that I have coming up in the near future.

What are you working on now?

I’m working on getting The Flag Keeper into multiple ebook formats and I’ll also be releasing a children’s picture book called Victoria Rose and the Big Bad Noise exclusively in ebook format this spring. I’ll be releasing a short mystery story called Dirty Laundry in ebook format as another way to introduce mystery readers to my work. I’m also gearing up for the release of my young adult paranormal thriller Dark Before Dawn, coming from Mainly Murder Press in early 2012.

Where can people buy your books?

My mystery novels are available in paperback and multiple ebook formats. You can order them at any bookstores. Below are some online links:

Sink or Swim on Amazon

Twenty-Five Years Ago Today on Amazon

The Flag Keeper on Amazon

You can also access links for Barnes & Noble.com, Sony, Nook, Kobo and other retailers at Stacy Juba's store

Do you have your own website or blog where people can read more about your work?

My web site

My blog

Is there anything you would like to say to your readers?

Thank you to the readers who have given my books a chance and have taken the time to place reviews or recommend my stories to others. I love to interact with readers and book lovers, whether you’ve read my books or not – feel free to friend me on Goodreads.

Here is a discount voucher for The Flag Keeper: Use coupon code VTW7KCSN at checkout to get the book for $7.99, a $4 discount. https://www.createspace.com/3475588

Thank you for answering my questions, Stacy!

Remember, there are 5 Smashwords downloads of Sink or Swim up for grabs, just leave a comment below to enter.
Winners will be picked on 21st March 2011.
Good luck!

Introducing author, Quentin R. Bufogle, and win a copy of 'Horse Latitudes'!

Quentin R. Bufogle was one of the first authors I met here on Goodreads when I joined in 2008. When we met, I just knew we would be friends, he has a wonderful sense of humour and is one of the most genuine people I've ever met. Even though we've never met in person, we have become good friends.
His novel, Horse Latitudes, is one of my favourite books; the laugh out loud tale about an unemployed aspiring novelist reaching for the American Dream. It's a must read. Quentin is giving away a copy of the book to one lucky winner, more details about that later.

Quentin is a humourist, and I'd recommend his blog here on Goodreads where he shares stories, some true, some fictional, but all extremely funny.

Here are his replies to my interview questions:

Your bio says that you were a cartoonist & illustrator in the ‘80s & a contributor to National Lampoon magazine. Can you tell us more about that?

Wow. I’m honestly a little conflicted about the whole Lampoon thing. I should probably tell you that as a kid growing up in Queens, New York, I never thought about becoming a writer. I loved comic books, and from the age of about 8, my dream was to become a cartoonist. By the time I started attending the High School of Art & Design, National Lampoon was the #1 humor magazine in the country – in the world for that matter. They had an estimated readership of something like 8 or 9 million people a month, and the talent was unbelievable. As art students, we were all huge fans. Anyway, when I began making the rounds with my portfolio in the early ‘80s, I decided I’d give the Lampoon a try. I pretty much felt it was a waste of time, competition was fierce, but I gave it a shot. I still remember driving over to the office on Madison Avenue that day. I was stuck in a snarl of traffic and kept telling myself I should just turn around and go home – getting my work in the Lampoon was a-million-to-one shot. A couple months earlier, I’d been in the studio of Neal Adams, a legendary comic book artist, and broached the subject of submitting to the Lampoon. “The Lampoon!” He said, “Are you kidding? I know guys who’d give their right arm to be in the Lampoon!” I mean that’s how huge a deal it was. Anyway, long story short, they looked over my portfolio, and about four months later, Stacey Glick, the art assistant, called with my first assignment. I’d been getting rejected by these obscure little local rags like The Nutmegger, and here I was in the National Lampoon. There’s a caveat to the story tho. Although the Lampoon still exists as licensing company for movie projects, the magazine eventually folded. A few years ago the company decided to put out a compilation of the magazine on DVD-ROM – which included my work. Only they never bothered to pay me for using my stuff in the new format. The company had purchased limited rights for the use of my work (First American & European) and under copyright law, shouldn’t have been allowed to reproduce the work digitally without payment or consent. When I contacted the company to demand payment, I got the proverbial run around. I eventually sat down with an intellectual rights attorney and was told to forget about it – there simply wasn’t enough money in the case to bother. So much for the copyright law.

Which do you prefer, writing or illustrating?

Writing. I came to realize I was a storyteller, not a graphic artist. I’d been using pictures to tell stories. Words were more effective. It was like I’d been in a long-term relationship and suddenly found the true love of my life. I was done with illustrating.

Is there a particular author, or book, that inspired you to start writing?

I’d have to say Henry Miller. No so much his writing style, but his life. I remember a line from The Time of the Assassins: a Study of Rimbaud, his “study” of French poet Arthur Rimbaud.
Miller wrote that in Rimbaud, he saw himself as in a mirror. I feel the same about Miller. I used to read his books during the subway commute to my job on Wall Street. Stumbling upon his work at that point in my life was like someone tossing me a life preserver. I was in my late twenties, trapped in a job I hated, yearning to be a writer and taking my first wobbly, baby steps in that direction. Reading about Miller, a man in his forties who suffered the same predicament, and ultimately had the courage to break free – run off to Paris and write Tropic of Cancer – made me believe that I could somehow find a way.

When did you first discover your love of writing?

Looking back, I realize I’ve always had an affinity for words. Words affected me. I recognized the poetry in them even as a kid. Always had an ear for them. I didn’t become a serious reader tho til I was in my mid-twenties; then I devoured everything. I’d settle on a particular author, like Scott Fitzgerald, and read their entire body of work; then move on to someone else: Hemingway; Cheever; Bukowski; Hesse; Kerouac; Miller... I also made sure to read at least one biography of each author as well. Man, I was hooked! All I wanted was to be worthy of sitting at the same lunch table with those guys.

Do you have any tips for someone who wants to become a writer?

Yeah... for Christ’s sake, do something else!!! Seriously, if you think you could be happy doing something else – do something else! As tough as it might be to become a doctor, or a lawyer, or a nuclear physicist, there’s at least a path to those professions – not necessarily an easy path, but a path none the less.
Writers are not so fortunate. You spend most of your time wandering lost. There’s no formula, no blueprint, no textbook to read. You have to be foolish enough; arrogant enough, to believe that what you’ve written is worth the undivided attention of another human being – and willing to do it for nothing.
Now, if I’ve dissuaded you from becoming a writer, not to worry. You weren’t
one to begin with.

In your debut novel, Horse Latitudes, the main character Chester Sprockett has an ambition to write the great American novel. How much of your own personality is in Chester, and is the book in any way autobiographical?

Well, let’s just say Horse Latitudes is my most autobiographical novel – and I’ve only written one.

How did you go about choosing the cover for your book?

My publisher did ask for my input in selecting a cover image, but also made it clear that the final decision was theirs. As it turned out, the actual cover illustration for Horse Latitudes is almost identical to the one I suggested – something I was very pleased about. The image of a tiny, bathrobe clad Chester Sprockett, dangling from the bikini of a giant bathing beauty whose face is partially obscured from view, wasn’t only intended to be sexy and provocative; but symbolic of Chester’s thwarted love life, and the insecurity I believe all men feel on some level regarding the female sex.

As well as writing your novel, you’ve also been featured in the Las Vegas
Weekly, can you tell us a bit more about that?

I sent a review copy of my novel to the magazine, and, as I’d expected, got nothing by way of response. Soon after I read an article by Scott Dickensheets, the Weekly’s editor, about the closing of a local bookstore due to the lousy economy. Seeing an angle, I fired off an e-mail to Scott, the gist of which was: Granted the economy sucks, but perhaps publishers, bookstores & reviewers were sowing the seeds of their own demise by refusing to publish, promote, or review new authors. A few weeks later I was checking out the online version of the Weekly, and nearly fell out of my chair: Scott had featured my novel in a piece titled, Five Random Passages from Horse Latitudes, by Local Novelist Quentin R. Bufogle. Since then I’ve contributed several pieces to the magazine – mostly fiction.

How much can you tell us about the book you’re currently working on, which I
believe is titled, The Siren of Neptune’s Beach?

I knew you were gonna ask me that. The Siren of Neptune’s Beach, is something, well... different. I know you’re supposed to be able to summarize a book in 2 sentences, but not a chance. First & foremost it’s funny. It’s a romance, a mystery; a fable. It’s about surfers and beatniks and early ‘60s rock ‘n’ roll; about an old legend involving a moon goddess, and a desolate, long forgotten stretch of beach where time stands still. It’s part The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, part Don Quixote, and part Wuthering Heights. Does that help?

Who are your favorite authors and what is it about their writing that you like?

Charles Bukowski, because of his simplicity & dark sense of humor. Hemingway, because he taught us all that less is more. Henry Miller, because he showed us the light at the end of the tunnel.

Is there a book you own that you’ve read more than once?
The Time of the Assassins, by Henry Miller is one I’ve gone back to time and again.
Also, Hot Water Music, a book of obscenely funny short stories by Charles Bukowski – and for some reason I never seem to tire of reading biographies of Jack Kerouac. (and at this point I should be tired!)

What was the last book you read?

A really wonderful book of short stories which I gave 5 stars: Pieces of a Rainbow, by Maria Savva.

Thank you :)

Are you reading a book at the moment?

I’m sorry to say that I’m not. Between trying to finish the final rewrite of my new novel; blogging, tweeting, and facebooking, I don’t have much time for reading these days. Look forward to getting back to it tho.

What do you think of ebooks?

I think they’re great. Cost less for publishers to produce, and readers to buy. But I don’t think they’ll ever replace the experience of browsing in a bookstore; or that unique bond you feel with an author, holding a print book in your hands.

How important are reviews for you as a writer?

I think any writer who says reviews aren’t important is lying. We want people to like what we write. It’s part of the reason we’re writers – but I think you need to take reviews, both good and bad, with a grain of salt. I always think of that line from the poem If, by Rudyard Kipling: “If you can meet with triumph and disaster, and treat those two imposters just the same.” You should never believe you’re as good as your best review, or as bad as your worst.

What else are you working on now?

Trying to stay focused on The Siren of Neptune’s Beach for the most part.

Where can people buy your book?

You can buy Horse Latitudes in both trade paperback & Kindle editions on Amazon.com:

Horse Latitudes at Amazon.com

You can read the first 25 pages or so for free by clicking on the “Read first chapter FREE” icon on the right side of the page just above the “Frequently Bought Together” listing.

Do you have your own website or blog where people can read more about your
work?

You can check out my blog, fiction, and book reviews at:

Quentin R. Bufogle

Also follow me on Twitter: Twitter

And friend me on Facebook:
Facebook

Thank you, Quinn


If you'd like to win a copy of Horse Latitudes leave a comment here. One lucky winner will be chosen on 17th March 2011. Good luck!

Introducing author, Darcia Helle, and an international giveaway!

Today, I'm thrilled to be introducing you to an exceptionally talented author, Darcia Helle.

I was fortunate to meet Darcia via social networking sometime last year. She is the brains behind BestsellerBound, a message board where independent authors can chat with readers. Darcia had the idea for BestsellerBound.com last year and approached me in the summer asking if I would like to join her and Stacy Juba, as a moderator/resident author on the message board. I didn't really know Darcia back then, but now we have become great friends. She is one of the most supportive and creative writers I have had the pleasure of meeting in the past couple of years.

BestsellerBound has become a respected, supportive, and innovative site, where independent authors meet and chat with other authors, share ideas, help each other out, and answer readers' questions.
We have Darcia to thank for bringing that message board to life.

Darcia writes murder/mystery/crime/suspense fiction. I have become a fan of her writing, and have read
The First Kill,The Cutting Edge,and Enemies and Playmates. I'm looking forward to reading all her books.

As well as answering my interview questions, Darcia is also giving away ebooks to two lucky winners. If you're a winner, you'll be able to choose which one of her books you win!! To enter, all you need to do is leave a comment here. Good luck!

Here are Darcia's answers to my interview questions:

Is there a particular author, or book, that inspired you to start writing?

Not that I remember. I always loved words and also have an overactive imagination. Writing is the perfect outlet for my chronic daydreams.

When did you first discover your love of writing?

Again, I don't remember a specific point in time. I was a strange child. I loved to play school. Each week, my mother would let me pick out one workbook type thing. I don't even know if they sell them, anymore. They were in the magazine section of the store. They were marked by grade level and had an assortment of topics. Phonics was my favorite.

Do you have any tips for someone who is considering self-publishing their own book?

Network with other indie authors. I've learned so much by doing that. Be open to constructive criticism. Remember that you cannot possibly please everyone with your writing. Some will love it but others are bound to hate it. And avoid subsidy publishing. Those companies charge a lot of money for nothing.

As well as writing books you have a blog where you interview authors, and you also created BestsellerBound.com, I also know you read a lot of books. How do you fit it all in?

I don't sleep and I watch very little TV! It helps that I have more free time available to me than a lot of people. I have chronic health problems that keep me pretty much housebound. My sons are both grown up. (Legally, at any rate!) And my husband works crazy hours. I do have three dogs and two cats that are a constant source of distraction. If I could teach them how to do laundry and clean, I'd have even more time for writing!

I have noticed that you seem to be a very fast reader. On average how long does it take you to read a book?

I don't think I read particularly fast. I just spend a lot of hours doing it! I generally read two to three books a week.

I recently read your short story, The First Kill, which features Michael Sykora who I understand is a character from a series of books written by you. It definitely made me want to read the series. Which books are in the Michael Sykora series, and can they be read as individual books or do they have to be read in any particular order?

So far I have two books in that series. I intend to write more but keep getting sidetracked with new characters demanding their stories be told. The first book in the series is
No Justice and the second is Beyond Salvation: A Michael Sykora Novel. Ideally, they would be read in that order. However, I intentionally wrote them so that they could each be read as stand-alone novels. I hope I succeeded! :)

If someone wanted to read your books, which would you recommend they read first, and why?

Wow, that is such a difficult question. I think the answer depends largely on the reader's preference. Enemies and Playmates is strong romantic suspense. Hit List has a degree of romance but the strongest element is straight mystery/suspense. This one has the most twists of any of my books. No Justice and Beyond Salvation are perfect for readers who like series fiction and don't mind language and violence. These two books explore human nature at its best and its worst. Miami Snow is all sex, drugs and murder. It's more drama sprinkled with suspense. And Cutting Edge sits by itself. This is the only book I've written in first person. It's main element is dark humor, though there is a certain amount of mystery and suspense.

I read and enjoyed Enemies and Playmates, your first novel. That book deals with the subject of domestic violence and the villain Alex Covington is probably one of the most evil characters I’ve ever met in literature. What inspired you to write that story?

First, thank you for that! It's a huge compliment that you consider Alex Covington such a memorable villain. While I wasn't conscious of it at the time, I think a large part of the inspiration for that story was my own life. I was going through a tumultuous period. Writing that book was my way of making sense of it all. The book is definitely not autobiographical in any sense, though there are distinct parallels.

I know that as well as being a writer, you are also a hairdresser. Your latest novel, The Cutting Edge is all about a hairdresser who fantasises about killing her clients. I’m currently reading that and enjoying the dark humour. Did you ever fantasise about killing any clients? And were any of the scenes in the book based on real experiences in your salon?

I no longer do hair for a living. I don't think I'd have gotten away with writing The Cutting Edge if I'd still been working as a stylist. My clients would have fled!

I did not ever fantasize about actual murder, though I did fantasize about shaving their heads bald or telling them what I was really thinking when they waltzed in twenty minutes late. This book is the closest thing to my reality that I've ever written. The fictional salon is based on the salon I worked in (owned by my mother) and set in the same very real small town that I lived and worked in. The salon scenes - the clients and conversations - are almost all based on actual real life clients from that salon. My disclaimer is that I changed the names and minor details to protect the innocent and hide the guilty. One reviewer stated that I had invented the worst imaginable clientele a stylist could ever have. This was said as if what I'd done bordered on ridiculous. I laughed and laughed. Truly, I could not have made these people up. They were every bit as real as you and I.

We did not ever have a serial killer roaming our small town. At least not that I'm aware! That part is entirely fictional.

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

I have many favorites, you among them!

(Thank you :))

My favorite authors are those who step out of the way of the story being told. They are the authors who make me care what happens to the characters, no matter what the plot or genre might be. Lately, these authors are almost all indie. I've been disappointed with the cookie cutter mold of mainstream fiction.

Is there a book you own that you’ve read more than once?

I own more than 600 print books and another 200 or 300 ebooks. (I have a serious book addiction!) I have no time to read all the books on my to-read list, much less read a book more than once. With fiction, I don't typically keep a book once I've read it. I do keep signed copies or those written by indie authors I know. (Your books are among my keepers!)

(Thanks! That's great to know :))

But I have yet to re-read any of those. I do keep all my nonfiction. I've reread passages of those for reference, though I have not reread an entire book.

What was the last book you read?

I just finished Run by Blake Crouch. This was one of the best thrillers I've ever read.

Are you reading a book at the moment?

I'm about to start Breathing into Stone by Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick.

What do you think of ebooks?

For the reading experience, I will always prefer print books. I love the feel and the look of print. But I like the convenience and the low cost of ebooks. And my ereaders are like grown up toys, which is also fun.

How important are reviews for you as a writer?

Reviews are more important than I ever realized before publishing my first book. As indie authors, we rely on word of mouth and reviews to drive sales. Readers want to get an idea of what the book is like before spending their money on an unknown author. The number of reviews, along with the quality, helps nudge each book up on the list on searches. Those reviews also help our books get listed on various Amazon pages as suggested reads. The reviews do not have to be long or overly descriptive. In fact, many readers don't want that. A quick paragraph highlighting what you loved (or hated) is all that's necessary.

How do you go about choosing a cover for your books?

So far, I've purchased rights to various photos through istockphoto. After I finish the first major edit of a book, I like to let it sit and settle for awhile before going back to begin minor editing. (Which I find tedious!) Searching through photos for just the right one to express the book's content is a great diversion. I plug myself into my iPod and ignore all things writing related for a little while.

What are you working on now?

I'm working on my first paranormal suspense. There are no vampires, zombies or witches. Instead, there is one clumsy spirit named Max who is intent on finding his murderer.

Where can people buy your books?

My books are available in both print and Kindle format on Amazon.

My Amazon Author's Page for the U.S. is: Darcia Helle on Amazon.com

In the U.K.: Darcia Helle on Amazon.co.uk

In Canada: Darcia Helle on Amazon.ca

All ebook formats are available on Smashwords: Darcia Helle: Smashwords

I won't flood you with links but they're also available on Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Sony's ebookstore and Apple's iPad store.

Do you have your own website or blog where people can read more about your work?

I have two URLs for my website. They both go to the same place:
Darcia Helle
Quiet Fury Books

My blog is: A Word Please

Is there anything you would like to say to your readers?

A huge thank you to all who take the time to read my books! With the thousands of new books published each day, I'm still astounded that people find and choose to read mine.

Thank you, Darcia

Remember, if you want to win one of Darcia's books, all you have to do is leave a comment here. The contest will run until 13th March 2011, and the winners will then be chosen.

Read an Ebook Week!!

Last week was a great one for writers and readers, with World Book Day, and now it's Read an Ebook Week! From 6th March - 12th March 2011


Here are a few reading suggestions from me:

Firstly, my own Amazon kindle books :) 'Cutting The Fat', 'Pieces of a Rainbow', and 'Love and Loyalty' are currently only $0.99/£0.70!! My novels are just $2.99/£2.20. I would love it if you'd try one of my books this week!

Remember, you don't have to own an ereader to read kindle books. Amazon.com have free apps for iphone, ipad, pc, mac, blackberry and android, so you can read the books wherever or how ever you like!











Here are a few more suggestions, either books I've read and loved, or books I'm looking forward to reading, by some of my favourite authors!























Many authors are reducing the price of their books for Read an Ebook Week, so keep an eye out for free ebooks and discount codes.

A great website to check out for free/discounted ebooks is Smashwords.com

I hope all of you will read an ebook this week!! :)