Angela Lockwood's Blog, page 16

Reblogged from Lurking musings

I've been busy doing many things to promote the Language in the Blood series. One of these was doing a guest spot and interview on the following blog. You can read my interview on the blog and I copied my guest spot below.
Lurking musings

I mentioned in my interview that I’m not very comfortable with self-publicising. It was about two years after publishing my first book that I decided to put a headshot on my author page. If I can give one piece of advice to a new writer, it’s to be conscious of your and your book’s image. Readers want to know who you are, what you look like and preferably what your pets look like too.
So here is a picture of Clicquot the cat, and me, reluctantly venturing into the limelight. He was also reluctant to dress up as a vampire bat, but mummy’s career demanded it.
Before you shout ‘animal cruelty!’ I’ll tell you that the wings and tie only stayed on a few seconds; just long enough for the photo.
It’s my little revenge for him getting us up at 4am most mornings.
The biggest mistake I made early on is trying to do everything myself. (Except editing, I knew I needed help there!) This is no problem if you’re good at everything book related. If you decide to go the self-publishing route there are so many jobs you then need to do. Graphic designer, web-page designer, blogger, editor, marketing and advertising expert are just a couple of skills you’ll have to learn.
I soon realised I was out of my depth. The best decision I’ve made, probably, is joining an independent writers’ group. This group was very open with sharing their experiences and when I saw some of the covers my colleagues were using I knew I had to change mine. My group recommended several avenues and after a few emails I went with Paradox Book Covers. If you shop and ask around you’ll find that professional is not always expensive. People really do judge a book by its cover, so make sure yours stands out.
I’m next hoping to tackle my website, because you’re not just a writer, you are a brand. If your reader loves your books they want to know more about you, so make sure you present you, the writer, in the best light.
Amazon author page: Author.to/authorpage
Blog: http://languageintheblood.blogspot.fr/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CruftsloverAkaCameronBlair/?ref=hl
Twitter: @LitBCameronB
Webpage: http://www.cruftslover.adzl.com/

The Bio
Angela Lockwood-van der Klauw was born in the Netherlands. She learned her trade as a jeweller and gemmologist at the Vakschool Schoonhoven before moving to Edinburgh as an apprentice jeweller. There she met and later married her husband Adam. Angela ran her own jeweller’s shop in Edinburgh for ten years before she and her husband moved to the south of France in 2011. Like her vampire character Cameron, Angela prefers the climate there, but often thinks about the town she left behind and its people. Cameron’s story was born in the spring of 2013, a very wet spring during which Angela found herself climbing the walls, frustrated that she couldn’t go out and have her usual long walks along the seafront. Seeing his wife’s frustration, Adam suggested ‘Why don’t you write a book?’ Angela thought about it for a few days, then switched on her laptop and started writing Language in the Blood. Blood Ties is the second book in the series and Angela has also published a collection of short stories Something Short with her friend, Elspeth Morrison.

Touching the Wire by Rebecca Bryn

I can't believe my last post was nearly a month ago. I've been reading but this time to help another author. This has been the best thing about publishing as an independent author; there is a wonderful community of supportive writers out there. Helping each other with promotions, book cover design and reviews. Three wonderful writers have taken the time to Beta read my next book; conversations with Tom. I've taken their advise to heart and are making the necessary changes. In turn, I did a Beta read myself.
I've also been busy with book promotion; it's a never ending job. One promotion that is coming up is a Kindle countdown deal from the 13th to the 16th of February. Blood Ties will be reduced to 99c for .com customers.
Blood Ties on Amazon.com

Of course book 1 remains free.
Touching the wire is the second book of Rebecca Bryn I've read. She's a very talented indie writer and I would recommend giving her books a try.
Touching the wire by Rebecca Bryn on Amazon

Touching the wire is a story told in two parts. Part one is narrated by Walt, a grandfather of seven year old twins Charlotte and Lucy. He is plagued by the memories of his time as a doctor at Auschwitz. Through a number of flashbacks we find out about his struggle to keep patients alive and his blossoming love for a young Jewish woman; Miriam. Part two is told from the perspective of Charlotte, his granddaughter who we catch up with several years later. This book raises many interesting questions like; what are we willing to sacrifice to save the ones we love and is standing by without acting the same as giving consent? I liked the structure of the book and thought the telling of the story through flashbacks, diary entries and present day events worked well. The often harrowing details of camp life and medical experiments were handled sensitively although at times graphic. Horrendous things happened at Auschwitz and the author is justified in going into the gruesome details. We need to keep writing about the holocaust, so that younger generations will not forget.I liked the first part of the book very much and I got swept up in the budding romance against all odds of Walt/Chuck and Miriam. I did have some problems with the second part. We now have Charlotte narrating. She is a married woman with a complicated love life. I found the change of pace, setting and main character a little unsettling, but reading on I found myself being captivated by Charlotte’s quest to unearth her grandfather’s secrets.   I gave this four stars.

The Welcome: and other Sci-Fi stories

I love and hate Sci-fi almost in equal measures.  I don’t understand tech- babble at the best of times, add to this warp-speed, phasors and other futuristic tech-speak and I’m completely lost. What I do love is where the writer’s imagination can take you. Sci-fi is a wonderful blank canvas to paint your own colourful picture. In The Welcome: and other Sci-Fi stories, Tom Benson and his six guest authors have used their canvas well. If Techno-babble is used it is to quickly outline a futuristic world and to set the scene.  I loved that each of the guest authors had chosen a completely different theme and style; which makes this book a great show case for Sci-Fi writing. This is selection of short stories that is easy to read, with something for everyone. (Even for fans of erotica!) I gave this 5 stars. The Welcome: and other Sci-Fi stories on Amazon

Updated Layout

You might have noticed that I have changed the page a little. When I initially set up the blog I was led by what other bloggers were doing. Even though I review a lot of books my blog is not a reviewers blog but a writers blog. I found as such that adverts were not appropriate and I have removed most of them. You might have also noticed a new logo to the side. If you click on it it will take you to a treasure chest full of independent books. The group has it's roots in the facebook group started by Paul Ruddock. My thanks go out to Tom Benson and Ian D Moore who have worked so hard on this website and I will hope it will put my fellow indie writers and I on the map.
Indie Author Support and Discussion

A Noble Pair of Brothers (The Underwood Mysteries Book 1) by Suzanne Downes

Firstly happy new year to you all. I can't believe it has been nearly a month since my last blog. In my defence; I've not had much time to read so it took me a while to finish this book, even though it was a cracking read. I have been busy with writing and Conversations with Tom is reaching completion. For the first time I will be using Beta readers. Three very kind fellow writers are reading the draft and will hopefully come back with some constructive criticism. I'm hoping for a release date in April. So as for resolutions. I thing I hope to achieve is to establish myself more as a brand, not an easy task as my short stories and now Conversations with Tom are so very different from the Language in the Blood books. Maybe I should release Tom under a different name? Maybe I should do a 3rd Language in the Blood book? Now the first book in the series is free and the readership is increasing this seems a logical thing to do. Lots to think about in 2016, now the review:
A Noble Pair of Brothers by Suzanne Downes on Amazon


I liked this book very much. At times I felt myself transported to a Victorian front room, snuggled up in a velvet house coat in front of a roaring fire. Only to put my kindle down, and blink against the harsh sunlight. (As I live in southern France.) Suzanne Downes really brought the 1820’s to life for me with her use of language and attention to period detail. The romantic story line and how the Underwood brothers interact with women reminded me a lot of Jane Austen. Like Ms Austen this book is witty but also shows the plight of women in the early 1800’s; Ms Chapell, the Governess, who after the death of her father has no option but to take a post at the tyrannical Sir Henry Wynter household, where she is disrespected and bullied. Then there is Charlotte Wynter, Sir Henry’s pretty, but spoiled daughter that is keen to marry, as this will be her only escape from her alcoholic father. The murder plot brings this book firmly into the modern era. It had me guessing to the last and the unsavoury details surrounding the murder are certainly not something you would find in an Austen novel. The Underwood brothers are two very complex but also very English characters and I understood their actions. I’m intrigued to find out where the second book takes us as neither brother had set out to become a detective. (Yet!) I’m delighted there are seven books in the series as I want to read more by this writer. A must read for fans of mystery and period drama.  

The Branches of Time

This book was given two me by a very nice Italian author I met via twitter. He very kindly emailed me a copy of his book. I normally do my reading on a kindle, so it took me a while to commit myself to reading it on my computer. This book is showing again what range of genres there are available from Indie authors. I would also like to say that the translation on this book was nearly perfect and well edited. I rated this 4 stars:
The Branches of Time by Luca Rossi

In this book Luca Rossi has created a universe full of magic and dark powers. On the day of a wedding virtually the entire population of the Island Turios is wiped out by an act of dark magic, only the priestess Miril and a couple Lil and husband Bashinoir survive. The King from the northern lands wants them all gone as the mere fact of them living on this island means that a barrier traps the king and his population. Things happened about 2000 years ago, separating the two populations and trapping one on an island and the others in a cold and forbidding land. The island has been protected by two priests, but now only Miril survives. She honours Lil but also gives her an impossible dilemma by proposing priest hood to her. Priests are not allowed husbands. I liked the dynamic between the three survivors on the island. Lil becomes closer and closer to Miril, while Bashinoir is left alone and at a loss.  The story shifts about between times and locations but I managed to keep track of the story line. Beanor is suitably over the top as the sex crazed, cruel maniac of a king. Him and his court provide some very raunchy story lines! It never becomes entirely clear what events happened two thousand years ago, which left me a little frustrated at the end of this book as I still know very little about why the two peoples were separated, but this being part one I’m sure all will be explained in book 2. I think however, a little more explanation might have helped this universe Mr Rossi created really come alive.  I was given a free copy by the author for an honest review. I would not mind getting book 2, but have so far only managed to find book 1 on amazon.

Horror, History and some good laughs

Two reviews of three very different books.
The Little Book of Horrors by Lacey Lane on Amazon.com

I read this authors first book and knew what to expect with this book, but I did read this book with one eye closed and snuggling into my jumper to hide from the pages. If you’re not a fan of horrible things happening to horrible and innocent people alike, put this book back on its virtual book shelf and go and watch some fluffy kitten videos. If you are however a fan of grizzly horror and not averse to some raunchy sex scenes, then put this in your shopping basket and enjoy with the lights switched on. My favourite story was Karma is a bitch. All three are well written, fast paced, gruesome and sexy. I rate this 4 stars. Goin' Postal and the Creek by Rhoda D'Ettore on amazon.com
I do like the fact that this author has put together two short books and given us, the reader value for money. On the face of it they are not related but after reading it you get a sense of being presented with a very American portrait. A very warm and insightful portrait by someone who loves her country and it’s diverse people. In Goin’ Postal she relates some of the stories (in part fictionalised to protect identities I’m sure) she experienced while working for the institution that is the US postal service. Not only do get a glimpse into the life of an everyday worker, but also how a postal worker experienced going through some turbulent historical times (The 9/11 attacks) This ties it nicely to The Creek which is the local history of a settlement on a creek from the civil war until the civil rights movement. The second book still has it comedy moments, but is over the whole more serious and a good example of exploring US history through the experiences of local ordinary people. Goin’ postal was my favourite of the two as it was just such a guilty pleasure of getting an insider view. I had no idea of the things that went on in the postal service. Both are a good, fast paced read. I rate this 5 stars.

Competition time

A girl just can't win. Promoting a book is just one of the hardest things going. I wasn't getting anywhere so I resorted to paying for advertising. This had some good results. I wanted to do a big advertising blast around the start of December to get my free book up in the Amazon free book charts. Apart from paying 3 companies I wanted to promote the book myself on social media too. I got a list of one of the companies of groups to target on Facebook. I duly signed up to varies groups and posted about Language in the blood. I've now been banned from doing this until the 8th of December!!!! Of course Facebook wants a slice of the advertising budget too. So here is the competition I'm running. follow the link to win a paperback copy of Blood Ties (Language in the Blood book2)
Paperback giveaway
Good luck!

Henchmen by Eric Lahti

I had the pleasure of working with Eric Lahti on the Anthology; Holes. This was Eric's project and he steered it to a book of short stories we are all proud off. We're using it as a showcase for Indie authors and hopefully by reading the book you will discover some talented authors. Here is the link again:
Holes on Amazon.com
So it is high time I discover some of Eric Lahti's books.
Henchmen by Eric Lahti on Amazon.com

Buckle up and let the Henchmen take you for a ride. You might not understand all the fantastic characters Eric Lahti introduces us to, or even agree with them; but trust me getting on this thrill ride will certainly beat reading the paper. I’m a kitten loving European, that doesn’t get America’s fascination with guns and it’s paranoia about their own government, but it certainly makes for good, high octane entertainment.What sets this book apart is its cast of strong and original characters. The group of self-proclaimed super villains are let by a seven foot tall woman called Eve. She has assembled a group of henchmen to tear down the Government. Each of the men has been approached by Eve for their set of skills. Jean and Frank are a gay couple that can get them into any building or computer system. Jacob is a biker that loves his guns and has many useful contacts. Steve; the narrator has worked for the government but has valid personal reasons to hate them. He is also a good guy to have around in a fight or provide an inappropriate wise crack. The interaction between the gang provides many comedy moments and there are some great lines here. One night whilst out for a night of Sushi served on a naked woman (Is this hygienic?) The team help a young woman, (the serving dish) Jessica, when some Yakuza want to do very bad things to her. (I kid you not, worse than tying her up and serving sushi from her stomach!) The Yakuza gangsters are after a secret weapon her father helped develop. Eve and her henchmen offer their help in finding her father and Jessica becomes part of their team. This leads them on a very dangerous path of secret government projects and things that should probably not see the daylight. Eve is evasive about who she is and why she is bullet proof, but she has a clear agenda and the others are willing to follow her. Why? I think because they share her ideology, she pays well and cares about her team. Steve at one point muses whether she is a minor goddess but none of them knows. The thing is, Eve is intriguing and as a guy with a grudge willing to do bad things you have to ask yourself; why wouldn’t I join a seven foot bullet proof blond, intent on creating some serious havoc?There is a fair bit of graphic violence and strong language, but I think with a title like Henchmen you should be prepared for this. Guns, violence and the odd alien thrown in for good measure; just enjoy. Part 2 is already out and part 3 is in the process of being released, which is good news. 

Betrayal: The Consequences by Sharon Browlie

This is the follow up to a book I enjoyed and reviewed earlier. The sequel is much shorter and i think the author has missed some opportunities. I decided to give it 5 stars anyway as it was a very good read. I always enjoy Sharon's descriptions of Edinburgh in the late 1980's. I've lived in the town from 1991 to 2011 and know all the land marks she describes. One of the places she goes to in this book was a nightclub called Cinderella's rockefella's in St Stephen street.
This is right around the corner from where Cameron grew up; Clarence street. Cameron would have known this building as a theatre, which it remained from it's opening in 1890 until 1915. Then it became a riding school, a cinema, a dance hall and in the 80's a nightclub. It burned down in 1991 and I lived in Clarence street at that time but had the misfortune to be on a family visit that evening and therefor missed the fire. (And by all accounts it was the fire of the decade!!!) Now the review of the book:
Betrayal: The Consequences by Sharon Brownlie on Amazon.com

I hugely enjoyed Sharon Brownlie’s debut novel, Betrayal, so I was looking forwards to the follow up Betrayal: The Consequences. We catch up with DI Brennan and her team at the day of Helen King’s sentencing. If Brennan thinks this will be the end of her involvement in the case she is mistaken. A heart wrenching letter from Helen lands on her desk shortly after she is taken off to prison. So is the sequel as good as Betrayal? I would have to say yes and no. The book was engrossing and Sharon brings her characters to life, we feel compassion for them and we understand them. The only reason I say no is because the book is very short and I think the author has left some obvious avenues unexplored. I wanted more of Brennan and her team and the carrot of a fresh case was not taken. I hope Ms Brownlie will come back to Gayfield police station as I think she has a great cast of characters here. Her descriptions of Edinburgh in the late 80’s are wonderful and provide a fantastic back drop for a gritty crime thriller such as Betrayal.