E. Rachael Hardcastle's Blog, page 10

Finding Pandora: The Complete Collection, now in store!

I am thrilled to announce the first Independent Bookshop to stock paperback copies of Finding Pandora: The Complete Collection is The Whitby Bookshop! Thank you to the friendly, helpful staff who have agreed to include several copies of my bestseller on their shelves!If you live locally or are planning a day trip to the area, you can find the shop at The Whitby Bookshop, 88 Church Street, Whitby YO22 4BH, UK. Be sure to follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/thewhitbybooks1/ and check out their website via http://www.whitbybookshop.co.uk/. Photos to come... watch this space!E. Rachael Hardcastle

Superheroes 4 Kids - A Success!

Superheroes 4 Kids - A Success!On Sunday 27th August 2017, I was invited to participate in a fundraiser organised by Tyersal Club, Bradford, in support of Superheroes 4 Kids. They're a wonderful group who dress up as superheroes, princesses and children's characters, then visit kids in hospitals all over the world, so of course I wanted to be a part of this amazing event!Check out my video below or visit my YouTube channel to watch a round view of the set up and my two video blogs for that weekend.At my book stall (images below) we set up a colouring competition where for just £1 entry fee, children could colour in a boy or girl of their choice using wax crayons for a chance to win some awesome Minion and signed author goodies. There were four age group categories between 3-13 years and it was up to me to judge the winners! I have to admit it was so difficult, because they were all fantastic! Sadly I don't have pictures of the winning ones (they were given back to the children with their prizes), but I did take some pictures of the other entries to proudly display here on erachaelhardcastle.com. Which one is your favourite?I was also lucky enough to meet some of the superheroes myself including Captain America, Spiderman, Pikachu and - forgive me as I have no idea what they call her - but she was a giant lipstick.Despite suffering with sunburn this week (it's my own fault... I misjudged the weather!), the day was packed with fun, smiles and, I hope, plenty of funds raised for Superheroes 4 Kids. I also want to mention that two of the prizes were not collected on the day. Some people had gone home by the time the winners were chosen at 3pm and announced by the DJ, but don't worry! If you participated and want to see if you were a lucky winner, Tyersal Club will hold the goodies until October behind the bar. They've put notices up in their windows so be sure to visit them again soon.Thank you so much to everyone who came and donated, and to those who visited my stall and said hello or grabbed some signed merchandise/ books from me. I hope to see you at my next event! Until then, keep writing! E. Rachael Hardcastle*-9/

Mirage: Speculating on Speculative Fiction

Many thanks to Bryan Aiello for having me on Mirage to discuss my favourite author, Mitch Albom (and some other depressing stuff about death... and my new novel, Noah Finn & the Art of Suicide).

Superheroes 4 Kids with Tyersal Club!

Meet me at Tyersal Club, Bradford on Aug 27th 2017 between 1200-5:00pm.LIVE music, entertainment, bar & BBQ!Wait... there's more!! Do you have super colouring skills?Enter my competition for a chance to win an amazing goodie bag! If you're aged 3-5, 6-8, 9-10, 11-13 years, there's a category for you! Entry costs just £1! We'll draw the winners at approx 3pm!Goodie bags include:3x chocolate bars, a winner's medal, Minions notebook, Crayola Super Tips, Minions pencil case, 2x signed bookmarks, 1 author pin badge, 1 E. Rachael Hardcastle balloon, 1 signed USB card (incl. free e-book and winner's certificate) and 1 signed photograph.​Grab your cape, grab your crayons... let's raise some funds for Superheroes 4 Kids 2017! Find them on Facebook - CLICK HEREFind them on Tyersal Club's website -CLICK HERE

Origins Stories on Creativity

 Many thanks to host Bryan Aiello for having me on Origins!

4* Readers' Favorite Review of Eternity!

4* Reviewed By Sandy Masia for Readers’ Favorite - Under the command of the mischievous Falkon Lou, the orc-werewolf army marches to the Recruit’s sanctuary. Their mission is to destroy every supernatural being who stands in their way. It is suspected that the Recruit is in possession of the powerful Pandora’s Box. Falkon Lou will stop at nothing until he has his hands on the box. Unbeknownst to him, Arriette knows where the box is. The box is guarded by a ferocious, fire breathing dragon. Arriette can’t convince Falkon Lou she doesn’t have it or disclose its location to him. The entire fate of the planet rests on the box being in the right hands. So, the Recruit has to defeat Falkon Lou's army, and retrieve the box from the dragon. Finding Pandora: Eternity reads like the last flaming chapters of a thriller. It is all action, anguish, emotion, twists, blood, and light. It is laced with feelings of triumph and defeat, anguish and happiness, closure and continuance. The lean economical style of E. Rachael Hardcastle accelerates the tense, quick pace of Finding Pandora: Eternity, making the already concise installment feel even tighter. However, this isn’t at the expense of depth. An example of this is how Arriette blossoms into a relatable human-like character. At the beginning of the series she was human. Now that she isn’t human, it is impressive how human she is in Finding Pandora: Eternity. One thing is clear at the end, the Finding Pandora series is about sacrifice, the demands of living a purposeful life, and hope in the face of calamity. It is these poignant themes that make the series the moral force it is. As we close this chapter, we are reminded that this may not be the last time we see Arriette and the Recruit, and that should bring some excitement to fans because this story has more to offer.Start writing your post here. You can insert images and videos by clicking on the icons above.

5* Readers' Favorite Review for Finding Pandora: Infinity

In Finding Pandora: Infinity, we discover Arriette and her friends in the Recruit’s lair, surrounded by an Orc army under the command of a mischievous Everlast, an immortal supernatural being, whose aims aren’t exactly clear. But one thing is certain: whatever his intentions are, it won’t be good for the Recruit, the human race, and the planet Haeylo. Arriette and her friends have to find out what his intentions are and save the planet. From the first page there is tension, a clear direction and a pressing mission. Finding Pandora beats at a pace that keeps the reader’s attention and interest. The story flows remarkably. The imagination, planning and execution of E. Rachael Hardcastle's work is the strongest I have ever seen it; she is in control and fully knows what she is doing, and it is quite a feat to behold. Finding Pandora is rich with societies, environments and cultures that are bustling with life, history and tradition, and however suggested and lightly explored these aspects are, they are nonetheless present and strong. The planet of Haeylo is a place that one feels has a lot of secrets, history and a story to tell. The author does not spend much of the story on that aspect of the planet and it is this withholding of information that makes it all the more intriguing, making readers gobble down every little bit she throws their way. There are exciting and fascinating reveals and twists in Finding Pandora: Infinity that make it the most eventful book of the series so far. E. Rachael Hardcastle has shown good signs of growth as a writer and a storyteller in her third book of the series. But perhaps the strongest feature of the book is found in its insightful themes and discussions on evil, morality, purpose and humanity. Finding Pandora: Infinity is the book that turns it all around.

The Author Interviews: Caitlin E. Jones

Caitlin E. Jones is an author, freelance editor, and lover of all things dark and fantastic. A homeschooled student through most of her young life, she was raised in South Louisiana, where the myths still roam wild and colorful characters roam wilder still. Now, having published and worked alongside indie publishers in Berlin for two years, she works to highlight everything that makes indie writing great. She is the project founder behind Academia: Discussions and Blog and currently in pursuit of a BA in English with a concentration in folklore. Her hobbies include film editing, procrastination baking, and cosplay.Part One: The InterviewWhat made you want to become a writer?I’ve always been a natural storyteller, I think, and that drives much of what I do. I was that kid, before I could even write by myself, who took 80’s printer and construction paper to make little picture books about my cats. I was the kid who pulled friends aside to tell them whole imagined stories, whether they wanted it or not. I wrote my first fully-fledged ‘novel’ in a notebook when I was 11 (disclaimer: it was pretty bad) and I suppose I haven’t really stopped writing since.What are your thoughts on the indie vs traditional publishing argument?Seeing as ‘indie’ is no longer a dirty word for the writing industry, I’m of the opinion that indie and traditional aren’t opposing forces, but options for each author to weigh depending on their book. Many novels perform better self-published than they would on a traditional format, and vice versa. It’s really more about knowing what you want from your book’s public release and what kind of audience they are releasing to.Tell us about your latest novel.Spectre and The Governess is the first part of my Gothic historical fantasy series which primarily takes place in Ireland and England. Young Stanley Brigham, a seer by birth, moves to London with his family and discovers that their new townhouse seems to have a previous occupant in a phantom maid. The upcoming novel that follows it, Chimehour, is centred around the same characters almost ten years later, and their encounters an undead outbreak in Ireland.Please give us your top 3 marketing tips.Be active, be friendly, and be yourself. I particularly stress the last one, since readers connect with what they find genuine.Please give us your top 3 productivity tips.Write something every day- doesn’t matter what. Stretch between projects. Read endlessly.Tell us about your typical writing day.School sometimes makes consistent writing a challenge, but I’ve made it a practice anyway. I’m the quintessential night owl, up by the late morning to afternoon, so I usually don’t start writing until around 4-5pm: tea, candles, headphones in, and 500 words is usually my goal. I will often take a break after a few hours- eat, read, clear my head, and come back to my work after nightfall for another 500 words. I consider this wholly productive.What is your definition of success? Would you say you are a successful author? This is a tough question, but my definition of success really comes down to people. Did I leave an impact? Did my readers, however few or many, care enough to read and review? Am I happy with myself as author? These things hold more value to me than a paycheck (though money is nice). To that end, I consider myself ongoing in success: I have made some great steps in the right direction and done big things in my writing, but I’m not finished and try not to get too comfy. I can only keep going up from here.Share some of your writing goals with us. Have you met any of them yet? Writing a novel was a big goal for me, and I knocked that out twice now! I’ve also had the pleasure of writing 10k in 24 hours, which is an adventure. My next goal is to knock out my growing list of unfinished short stories and reach my lifetime fiction word count of one million words (I’m halfway there!)How do you deal with negative reviews and criticism?Hans Christian Anderson-style; we sob on in the dirt like men! I kid, I kid- I try to take criticism and negative reviews better than I did as a wee writer. I try to take negative comments with a grain of salt and see what I can learn from them, rather than getting angry. It helps to use critique in a constructive manner, and it helps to recognize when something just doesn’t ring true about your book and where best to let go.Do you have a favourite author for fiction and non-fiction? Why are they your favourite and which of their books would you recommend? Why?My favorite author at present (because it changes from time to time) is Leigh Bardugo. I admire Bardugo’s skill for creative settings, revived use of tropes, and her beautifully explored characters, and I highly suggest the Six of Crows duology- if you haven’t read it. I know it’s popular, but there is a real reason it’s so popular.Where do you get your ideas/ how do you find inspiration?Often from the people around me, with their quirks and uniqueness. I learn the best stories and develop the greatest characters from people.Can you share any free resources or tools you have found helpful?TVTropes.com is my life and savior: I use it to check tropes, research subversions, and find series that have used similar concepts. I also suggest Pinterest for all your visual needs and a diverse archive for writing advice.Please give us your top 3 world-building tips.Make an outline, even if it’s on the lighter side of things. Let the book breathe in spite of the outline and listen to its natural worldbuilding. Keep a series bibliography for all your rules, magic, creatures, and/or your backstory. Update it regularly.Do you outsource your work (editing and cover design specifically)?I outsourced for my cover designs- not much the artist myself. I have done most of my editing for myself so far. I hope to outsource for an editor in future projects.Are you a plotter or a pantser? Please tell us why and what your pre-writing processes are.I’m a bit of both, honestly, but I lean more towards a plotter. I tend to like planning and organizing anyway; I’m chaos otherwise. I make rough outlines before I start and spend pre-writing time with research, scratch paper, and inspirational material.Why do you write?Keeps me sane, makes me happy, and allows me to voice something meaningful out into the world.What is your mission statement?That I can inspire someone the same way that my favorite authors inspired me.What do you love the most about writing and why?That energy in the middle of a draft where you could just write for hours and hours. That’s the best.What do you dislike about writing and why?Revision. Particularly getting stuck during revision. Ugh.Do you ever visit other authors' websites and if so, what do you look for? Why?I do check websites on occasion- though I think I’m more inclined to visit authors’ social media first. When I do find myself on an author website, it’s likely due to something unique. Something the author does that stands out aside from their journal or contact links.Part Two: Lists, lists, lists!In order of importance (most important first) when shopping online, what do you look at first? Cover design, formatting, reviews, description, price, publisher, author name, page count, preview, formats available.1. Reviews2. Cover design3. Author name4. Formats Available5. Description6. Page count7. Formatting8. Preview9. Price10. PublisherI agree that indie publishing gives the author more control.YesI agree that indie books should be difficult to identify amongst traditionally published books. YesIn order of usefulness (most useful first) when marketing your book, which techniques do you recommend from these options? Social media. Media coverage (newspaper, TV, podcasts etc). Blog tours. Perma-free/ giveaways. Writing more books.1. Social media2. Media coverage3. Writing more books4. Blog tours5. Perma-free/ giveawaysWriting is my dream.YesI agree the ideal price for an e-book on Amazon is 99c-$2.99. YesI have suffered writer's block in the past. Yes due to difficult scenes or need to rewrite. I resolved it by allowing myself the space to think.I use (Word Processor):ScrivenerI tried and failed to get a publishing deal and/ or literary agent or had one in the past. No.I outsource:Editing - noCover design - yesFormatting - noI write to a specific word count every day. Yes.I set goals and frequently review them. Yes.I write across genres.Yes.To purchase a copy of Caitlin's book, please read on:Title: The Spectre and The GovernessGenre: Historical fantasyBlurb: “Stanley Brigham and his family have moved to London, and his parents have decided to finally hire a governess for their unusual son. But as they settle into their new life, Stanley realizes the house may already be occupied.”Website:http://www.caitlinejonesauthor.com/Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/caitlinejonesauthorTwitter: @theladypenumbraLink to Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XKMXQWCLink to Amazon UK:https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XKMXQWCFormats available: E-bookLeave a comment or note of thanks for your readers?You’re all such rock stars to me, for reading and keeping up with my work after all this time. I can only try my best for you all.

I've Weeded My Goals...!

Until yesterday (Monday 17th July 2017) I was hurtling down the fast lane of my indie author career and loving every minute. I'm still loving it! But due to taking on three - YES THREE! - new course commitments this month, I'm having to take a step back from a few of my other responsibilities. Once the courses are completed (hopefully with a big fat pass mark - wish me luck), I plan to pick up whatever I had to place on the back burner. So here's what my schedule's going to look like for the next 12 months:The White Room episodes will finish after those already booked, meaning I'm not currently accepting new interview requests. This will likely resume as normal in January 2018. Depending on my progress, I might re-open bookings a little earlier. The final episode will be no.31 in August. But don't panic... I'll still be podcasting with my new co-host on a new joint show.Due to the high demand as announced in one of my vlogs this month (watch here) I'll still be offering first chapter critiques, cover design and consultation services as and when required. My new book, Noah Finn & the Art of Suicide will still be released as planned for Christmas 2017.I have 'weeded' and cut back my quarterly goals. When the courses are over I'll pick up those I weeded again. My new goals (see originals here) will be as follows:Hit 100 YouTube subscribersReach 3000 sales by my birthday in SeptemberReach 100 Instagram followersHave interviewed 30 authors on The White RoomReach 850 Facebook followerFinish writing the Aeon Infinitum seriesI just want to thank you all so much for your understanding - there is a constant learning curve in indie publishing where authors have to re-assess and re-prioritise so I promise I will do my utmost to keep you posted!E. Rachael Hardcastle

Facebook Changes

ERHInspired is no more!To bring my social media in line, I've changed the @ tag for my Facebook page from @ERHInspired to @erachaelhardcastle. My other social media links remain the same.If you're a follower or fan of the page, you don't need to do anything - your 'like' will still apply. If you're not yet a follower and would like to be, please visit www.facebook.com/erachaelhardcastle and hit 'like'.Apologies for any confusion this may cause and thanks again!Rachael.