Suzanne Rogerson's Blog, page 34
June 28, 2018
The Sentinel’s Reign – 1 day to go! http://mybook.to/sentinelreign
That’s it, the time is almost here. In just a few hours, The Sentinel’s Reign will be downloaded to the kindles of all those who’ve pre-ordered it.
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As promised over the coming days I will be sharing the links to all the blogs that are helping to spread the news about my new release.
Today Karen at My Train of Thoughts shared a preview of the first chapter of The Sentinel’s Reign. Check out her post here.
Danny at Dansbooksblog shared a Book Spotlight on The Sentinel’s Reign and will feature me again on Saturday for a special guest post all about characters. Today’s post is here.
There is not much more to say, except thank you for following, sharing and liking the posts. I hope you all enjoy the second instalment of the Silent Sea Chronicles.
The new Sentinel’s reign is doomed to failure unless Tei can prevent the Kalayan people from plunging into war.
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June 27, 2018
Only 2 days to go! The Sentinel’s Reign out 29th June 2018 http://mybook.to/sentinelreign
On 29th June, The Sentinel’s Reign will be released into the world and I hope you will all help me celebrate the second book in the Silent Sea Chronicles.
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I made the decision not to run a proper blog tour this time around. Last year it exhausted me and took the shine off the publication of The Lost Sentinel.
I do have a few guest posts, interviews and mini excerpts lined up over the coming weeks and hopefully a few reviews will be going up very soon as well. I hope to write an update post each day with links to the bloggers who’ve agreed to help promote my new release.
And here they are;
Rainne over at Rainne’s Ramblings has posted an exclusive look at the prologue of The Sentinel’s Reign.
And Ari Meghlen interviewed me on her blog today. It’s always fun answering questions about my writing journey. Please check out both these lovely ladies blogs.
That’s about it for today’s update.
I would love to get a few more pre-orders in and see The Sentinel’s Reign hit the kindle charts hard on release day, will you help me? You can pick it up at the bargain price of 99p, just follow the link here.
Thank you for your support.
June 26, 2018
#Tuesdaybookblog #bookreview How to write a fantasy book description by Jesper Schmidt @SchmidtJesper
My review of ‘How to write a fantasy book description’ will follow, but first take a look at the blurb.
Blurb
Do you find it difficult to write the blurb for your book? Do you hate writing book descriptions?
If your synopsis always comes out bland and boring, with no chance of leading to more book sales, then this guidebook is for you.
How to Write a Fantasy Book Description is a step-by-step approach. It lays out everything you need to know in five simple and effective steps.
Learn how to hook readers by:
Writing incredible taglines that grabs attention
Escalating the tension throughout your blurb and captivate readers
Using spellbinding words to dazzle customers
Learning how to avoid meandering into subplots and instead make your blurb a joy to read
Understanding how long your blurb needs to be and how to use cliffhangers effectively
Discovering easy methods to format your blurb before uploading to online retailers like Amazon
In addition, you will find bonus chapters on how to write book descriptions for series, box sets and non-fiction.
If you like easy to follow instructions, sprinkled with helpful examples, then How to Write a Fantasy Book Description is for you.
Jesper Schmidt is a fantasy author. He is the creator of several how-to books, like the bestselling Fantasy Map Making and Twitter for Authors.
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My Review
I follow Jesper Schmidt’s newsletter and when he asked for people to join his launch team for this book I jumped at the chance of an ARC. I have read both his other How to books and found them very helpful. Here’s my review of Twitter for Authors.
Fantasy Map making is a book I plan to use in the future and I will review it once I have created the world maps for my Silent Sea Chronicles trilogy.
I find writing book descriptions very difficult and with the publication of my second book looming, the timing of this how to guide was perfect. Mr Schmidt starts with how important book descriptions are and gives 5 common mistakes authors make.
He then talks us through 5 steps to creating a great blurb including tag lines and character introductions. He uses examples of current blurbs on Amazon to showcase his points and there are task lists at the end of each chapter to help you keep focused.
What I found really helpful was the author using his own fantasy book blurb and walking us through the process of how he came up with his killer blurb, including his mistakes.
After helping you draft your blurb, the book focuses on the editing stage and gives you areas to check like repetition and boring middles.
There are a couple of extras which are handy – blurbs for box sets and series, formatting and an appendix of words relevant to fantasy.
The whole process of writing a book description feels much less daunting when following these steps. I highly recommend this book to all fantasy authors out there.
On a personal note – I used the knowledge from this book to update my blurb for The Lost Sentinel before I ran a kindle countdown deal on Amazon. I’m glad to say that I sold more copies than I had with previous promotions!
Check this how-to guide for yourself on Goodreads
June 21, 2018
The Lost Sentinel [Book Review]
I’m excited to share this brilliant 5 star review of The Lost Sentinel by Madam Mim. Please check it out.
Author: Suzanne Rogerson | Self-published
The Assembly controls Kalaya. Originally set up to govern, they now persecute those with magic and exile them to the Turrak Mountains.
Tei, a tailor’s daughter, has always hidden her magic. When her father’s old friend visits and warns them to flee to the mountains she must leave her old life behind.
On the journey, an attack leaves her father mortally wounded. He entrusts her into the care of two exiles, Rike and Garrick, and on his deathbed makes a shocking confession.
Struggling with self-doubt, Tei joins the exiles in the search for their lost Sentinel. But mysterious Masked Riders want the Sentinel too, and time, as well as hope, is running out.
How can Tei help the Kalayan people reunite and save the magic when their ignorance threatens to destroy them all?
Follow Tei’s journey through the magical land of Kalaya and the astral…
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June 19, 2018
#Tuesdaybookblog The Island at the End of Everything by Kiran Millwood Hargrave #bookreview #children’s
My mini review of a beautiful and touching children’s book – The Island at the End of Everything by Kiran Millwood Hargrave.
First let’s start with the cover, isn’t it beautiful.
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Blurb
Ami lives on Culion, an island for people who have leprosy. Her mother is infected. She loves her home – but then islanders untouched by sickness are forced to leave. Ami’s desperate to return before her mother’s death. She finds a strange and fragile hope in a colony of butterflies. Can they lead her home before it’s too late?
Mini Review
My daughter recommended this to me and I’m so glad she did. The book is very different to my expectations of a children’s book. It deals with some very serious issues and has a message that people are just people, despite illness or deformity.
Ami is a really likeable main character and you feel for her as she is taken away from her home and put in an orphanage. You follow her struggle with this new life and her determination to get back to her mother.
You really have a sense of the two islands the story is set on and the writing draws you in from the start. I felt every moment of Ami’s story. Towards the end I had to stop reading for a while as I knew the tragedy that was about to happen. When I came back to the story the next day, I found the scene touching and emotional. The author handled the inevitable situation beautifully.
This is a sad story but it is also one of love, hope and endurance.
I highly recommend this story and rate it 5 stars.
June 18, 2018
#Tuesdaybookblog The Sentinel’s Reign – 10 days to go! #bookbloggers and #reviewers wanted
I can’t believe there are only 10 days to go before Book 2 in the Silent Sea Chronicles is published!
The Sentinel’s Reign is out on 29th June 2018 but you can pre-order it now for only 99p / 99c. The price will go up soon after publication, so why not ensure you get your copy for the bargain price. Order here.
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Blurb
The new Sentinel’s reign is doomed to failure unless Tei can prevent the Kalayan people from plunging into war.
With the new Sentinel initiated and the magic restored on Kalaya, life is flourishing for Tei and the exiles. But Rathnor’s plans for war soon escalate and thwart any chance of peace.
Brogan’s position on the Assembly is uncertain as rumours circulate that he is an exile spy.
After an attempt on his life, Farrell is more determined than ever to build a home for his people on Stone Haven. But the council have their sights set on Kalaya and Farrell struggles to steer them from war.
As trouble brews within and outside forces gather against them, can the exiles keep their hold on the magic, or will this spell the end of Kalaya and its people?
The Sentinel’s Reign is a heroic fantasy. If you like character-driven adventures then you will love The Sentinel’s Reign.
This is the second book in the Silent Sea Chronicles trilogy and follows on from The Lost Sentinel.
The Sentinel’s Reign universal book link
At the moment I haven’t planned a blog tour, but if you are willing to post about The Sentinel’s Reign around the publication date, I would be very grateful. Please get in touch in the comments or on my contact form, or just re-blog and share. Thank you!
I am also looking for book bloggers who maybe interested in reviewing books 1 and 2 in the series. Again, please get in touch.
June 16, 2018
The Lost Sentinel is One today! #fantasy #epicfantasy
Happy Birthday to The Lost Sentinel – a year old today!
It has received some wonderful reviews on Goodreads and Amazon so I thought today would be a great day to share a few quotes.
Praise for The Lost Sentinel…
‘Wow, after reading this book I am emotionally drained… but in a good way.’ MPB – My Peacock Books
‘Surrounded by some wonderful characters who get under your skin almost from the start Tei sets out on a harrowing journey which is heartwarming, moving, and terrifying all at once.
…this story bowled me over, it was an absolutely outstanding epic fantasy and the kind of writing fantasy authors should be aspiring to.’ Claire – Brizzle Lass Books
‘The Lost Sentinel contains plenty of action, intrigue, and challenges throughout, making this a thrilling fantasy adventure indeed. It’s the sort of book I enjoyed reading while reclining in a comfy chair on the sunny front porch of my house. It didn’t overwhelm me with information, itty bitty details, or dull monologues, but rather it whisked me away to someplace magical, alluring, and dangerous.’ Angela – Pooled Ink Reviews
‘This is the second book of Suzanne Rogerson’s that I have read so I felt that I had some sort of idea of her writing style but wow has she raised the bar. What makes it even more exciting is that this is the first book in a trilogy so I know it is going to be one hell of an epic journey for both the characters and readers alike.’ Susan Hampson – Books from Dusk till Dawn
‘The world building is incredible, it’s my favorite aspect of the book and I think it’s the best achieved. The descriptions are exceptional, without doubts.’ Sofia – A Book. A Thought.
‘I love the characters in this story. From Tei, the reluctant seeker, to Garrick, the hunky hero, you get a broad range of personalities. One of my favorite things about this author is her ability to develop her characters in a way that feels natural and flows well within the story. In the same way she develops her fantasy world. There is no heavy world drawing passages but you get your knowledge of the way things work as a natural part of the story. And then you have the story itself which is full of surprising plot twists, moves at a really great pace, and draws the reader in from beginning to end. As with the author’s first book, I cannot say enough good things about this book.’ Jennifer – A line from a book.
‘Great beginning to a fantasy series, can’t wait to read the rest.’ Jaye Dawes – jenanita01
Why don’t you help me celebrate The Lost Sentinel’s birthday by checking the book out for yourself. You can download a free sample and read it for free if you are a Kindle Unlimited member.
Blurb
The magical island of Kalaya is dying, along with its Sentinel. With the Kalayan people turning their back on magic, can Tei help the exiles find their new Sentinel before it’s too late?
The Assembly controls Kalaya. Originally set up to govern, they now persecute those with magic and exile them to the Turrak Mountains.
Tei, a tailor’s daughter, has always hidden her magic. When her father’s old friend visits and warns them to flee to the mountains she must leave her old life behind.
On the journey, an attack leaves her father mortally wounded. He entrusts her into the care of two exiles, Rike and Garrick, and on his deathbed makes a shocking confession.
Struggling with self-doubt, Tei joins the exiles in the search for their lost Sentinel. But mysterious Masked Riders want the Sentinel too, and time, as well as hope, is running out.
How can Tei help the Kalayan people reunite and save the magic when their ignorance threatens to destroy them all?
Follow Tei’s journey through the magical land of Kalaya and the Astral Plane.
If you love character-based fantasy, then you’ll love The Lost Sentinel – Book 1 in the Silent Sea Chronicles trilogy.
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If you like what you’ve read so far, click the Universal Amazon link
And of course if you have read The Lost Sentinel, please consider leaving a review to help other readers discover my work.
Thank you in advance, and enjoy the rest of your weekend.
June 15, 2018
The Lost Sentinel by Suzanne Rogerson
I’m always excited to share the reviews of my books. Here’s a mini review of The Lost Sentinel from Maxine. Please pop over to her blog to take a look.
Synopsis – 
The Assembly controls Kalaya. Originally set up to govern, they now persecute those with magic and exile them to the Turrak Mountains.
Tei, a tailor’s daughter, has always hidden her magic. When her father’s old friend visits and warns them to flee to the mountains she must leave her old life behind.
On the journey, an attack leaves her father mortally wounded. He entrusts her into the care of two exiles, Rike and Garrick, and on his deathbed makes a shocking confession.
Struggling with self-doubt, Tei joins the exiles in the search for their lost Sentinel. But mysterious Masked Riders want the Sentinel too, and time, as well as hope, is running out.
How can Tei help the Kalayan people reunite and save the magic when their ignorance threatens to destroy them all?
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June 8, 2018
Guest Post with writer Ari Meghlen #writingtips #amwriting @AriMeghlen
Today I’m really pleased to share a guest post from fellow writer, Ari Meghlen. She has some great tips for keeping your writing projects under control. Read on to find out more…
Keeping the Rabble in Line: How to stick to one story
A Writer’s Life
I always knew I was meant to be a writer. Even in those very early years when I struggled to read and was way behind, regarding reading levels compared to other children my age. After all, my inability to read well never stopped the ideas from coming.
While I loved to draw and was not bad at it, art never seemed enough to give all these ideas life! So, writing was the only way to go.
A Rabble of Chattering Ghosts
I have been blessed (and cursed) with always having ideas. Any time I suffered writers block, it was usually due to mental burn-out or a stubborn plot-hole that just won’t play ball. It was never due to lack of ideas.
I appreciate that is something I am lucky to have. However, it does have its downside. It’s certainly hard to complete a current project when some juicy new idea pops up demanding attention.
I recently discussed the concept of Muses and how to me, my Muses were a rabble of chattering ghosts. And might I say, they’re a rude, demanding lot too!
Their chatter follows me everywhere – in the car, in the grocery store, in the shower. I am forever reaching for a pen or grabbing my phone to jot down a note. It can be anything from a character, a scene or just an abstract concept or question.
It is awesome to have so many ideas. I love that I have enough ideas to keep me going for years to come.
However, it’s also a bad thing because all this chattering is a deep distraction. What is the point of having enough ideas for dozens of books, if I never finish any?
Acknowledging Bad Writing Habits
When I was younger, I fell into very bad habits. The ones where I would drop a working project (no matter how far into it I was) to start another. I felt as if every time a new idea crept up, I had to seize it!
That entailed abandoning story after story as I chased down whatever my chattering ghosts gave me.
This is a great route for disaster as a writer. Does it sound familiar? Have you ever caught yourself doing this?
We do it for many reasons, here are just a few:
New and Shiny – I feel like writers are a bit like magpies. We are easily distracted by shiny objects and new ideas are those shiny objects. They draw our eye and it becomes our focus… until the next shiny appears.
FOMO – Fear of Missing Out is a big one for people. Whether you get an idea for a story that is in a trending genre and want to exploit that, to feeling the new idea would be a better, more solid first novel to bring out than your current one. Sometimes we fear missing the opportunity that might be better for us.
Ninja Level Procrastinator – Many writers don’t realise, but story-hopping is a type of procrastination. Some people have a (often unconscious) fear of completing their work so story-hopping allows them to procrastinate and never actually finish while still considering themselves writers.
But as writers, no matter what our reason, it’s not something we should do. It is more damaging in the long run.
Exorcise the Ghosts with a Brain Dump
So, what do you do if you’re bombarded by ideas all the time?
First, you need to acknowledge the new ideas.
Don’t try and ignore them as some will slip away, and you might always wonder if it could have been something great. Others will just bang loudly on the door, constantly demanding entry and stop you from working anyway.
Second, exorcise the ghosts with a good, solid brain dump.
This is where you just get all the chatter out of your head. Open a new document, save it in an Ideas folder and then just type. Whatever they are giving you – character descriptions, scraps of scenes, plot, dialogue, questions.
The idea here is to purge your mind of all the noise but don’t expand on it. Don’t jot down the basis of a plot and then spend 3 months developing it. That’s working on the project, whereas what you want to do is just create notes.
All the while remind yourself that your current project is being delayed and you must go back to it.
Third, expect that this brain dump might not be 100% done in one sitting.
For the few days following, additional pieces of ideas may pop up. Keep your Idea file open while you’re working on your current WIP and just jump into the document to add the odd nugget as it comes.
This is JUST for the straggler ideas and should not go longer than a few days. Anything beyond that and you’re working on your new project. Be firm, give yourself a cut off.
When you’ve gotten the chatter to hush, throw your focus back at your current WIP with vigour and let the idea sit patiently in its folder. Ideas must be taught to wait their turn.
Be Firm, and Cling to Your Discipline
While writers could possibly do with some drill sergeant keeping us in line, most of us don’t have that so we must rely on our own sense of discipline (terrifying, I know!)
But if you want to be a writer, if you want to complete something and get it published, you need to be firm.
Don’t read the notes you’ve made on your new project. Don’t keep thinking about it. Believe me when you come back to those notes eventually, they will still trigger ideas and you can build on it then.
Why an Outline can help keep the Ghosts under control
There is a lot to be said for having an outline of your work. If you have a strong, detailed outline written for your current work, you will find that the desire to drift off to new projects is somewhat diminished.
This is because often writers will feel a spark with new ideas, especially if they aren’t 100% sure where their current work is going. So, rather than just sitting staring at a screen and dealing with the plot-hole or up-coming conflict, we drop it and turn to the new project.
An outline is a map, showing you the way. It reduces the need for staring blankly at a page, trying to figure out where you’re going in the story.
I was a pantser for a long time and my work has suffered because of it. I have been much better since I (with brutal reluctance) started to do full, detailed outlines.
Those whispered ideas don’t grab me as tightly any more because my focus draws right back to the next scene I need to write in my current WIP.
So, do you often find yourself swayed by the siren of new ideas? How have you managed to stop yourself from dropping one project to start another?
A big thanks to Suzanne for letting me be on her blog, much appreciated.
About Ari
At the age of 8, Ari Meghlen wanted to be a pirate, because who doesn’t look great in baggy pantaloons and an eyepatch. However, lacking any access to a ship this dream was relegated along with so many others: Professional Ninja, Best Friend to a Dragon, Palaeontologist.
Yet Ari found that, in stories, she could be anything she wanted and so a great love affair started with the written word. She mainly writes Preternatural Urban Fantasy as well as more Traditional Fantasy.
When she’s not creating worlds from the screaming, shuddering recesses of her mind, Ari can be found blogging about writing on her website or indulging in other hobbies such as drawing, shooting arrows, watching movies, playing cards badly.
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Links
Website/Blog: https://arimeghlen.co.uk/
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/writerarimeghlen
Twitter: http://twitter.com/arimeghlen
Instagram: http://instagram.com/ari_meghlen
June 5, 2018
#BookReview + #Giveaway: Visions of Zarua by Suzanne Rogerson #MPBooks
I’m really excited to share this post celebrating my debut novel, Visions of Zarua, having a Czech publishing deal! As well as reading the review previously posted on Happymeerkatreviews, you can also win a paperback copy in English. The giveaway is international, please head over to My Peacock Books for more details…
Today I’m sharing news of a brilliant book which I still love today, although I read it over two years ago! To celebrate the news that the debut novel, the dark and exciting fantasy, Visions of Zarua by Suzanne Rogerson is being translated into Czech, we’re giving you the chance to win a copy (in English) of this brilliant book in an international giveaway!
For those of you unfamiliar with the novel, I’m posting a review I wrote over two years ago on my previous blog. I still stand by the review I wrote and would recommend this stand alone fantasy today. It’s a brilliant dark fantasy which was so compelling to read and perfect for fans of the genre. Below is the review and keep scrolling after reading for the chance to win a paperback copy for yourself!
Book Review:
Title: Visions of Zarua
Author: Suzanne Rogerson
Publisher: Suzanne Rogerson
Genre: Fantasy
Feathers:
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