E. Rachael Hardcastle's Blog, page 21

Character Profiles

I don't know about you, but writing character profiles and backstory drains me and worries me. I want to know my characters as well as I can, and I want the reader/s to feel empathy for them and to care about their journey. However, I almost always miss something important out and- at last minute- have to return and re-write.Last night I designed myself a very basic (but very useful) character profile planning sheet, including all the basic areas of development you might want to consider. Can't remember what colour eyes your protagonist has, or in which chapter their best friend dies? Have no fear!If you would like to download the blank template free of charge,Happy writing.E.

Mystery Thriller Week - Featured Author Interview #1: Nicholas Nash

To celebrate Mystery Thriller Week, I'll be interviewing a few featured authors on my journal and podcast in February 2017. Starting us off isNicholas Nash, author of The Girl At The Bar (01/02/2017).You are living in the world from your latest novel. Where are you? What is it like?In all likelihood I’m the unemployed, down-on-my-luck trader and math whiz Ragnar Johnson getting into all sorts of trouble. Alternatively, I could be a cancer researcher in the labs of Atticus Biopharma working close to the incredibly beautiful and talented Rebecca Chase. I’d probably never leave her side.You are your most recent protagonist. Who are you? What is the first thing you do?That would be Ragnar Johnson, someone who is based in some respects on me. Ragnar is a brilliant math whiz but slightly socially awkward. He is very intelligent and thinks out of the box. He does not have the best luck in the world despite how smart he is. He makes wrong choices, gets into all sorts of trouble but still thinks off his feet, trying to make the best of circumstances that are handed to him.Some of the choices Ragnar makes in the book are in several respects how I would react to circumstances, so I would pretty much do what he does in the book. It’s eerie how I subconsciously created him and several chapters later I realized he was me! Hmm…Who is your favourite author? Why?I enjoy reading Ayn Rand (Atlas Shrugged) and Daniel Yergin (The Prize). Their work is sweeping in vision with a whole bunch of interesting characters and intriguing story lines that are grand. In the case of The Prize, those are real people and real history. I enjoy reading stories with multiple characters and complex intertwined story lines. Simple two or three character stories don’t appeal to me much.Where do you get your ideas?They come from all sorts of places. I try to create a mosaic of ideas based on my personal experiences, people I’ve met, places I’ve been, things I’ve read and things I’ve heard. I try to be original and creative about my ideas. I hate trying to rehash something that’s already been written before or try to please the ideal reader in my head. I don’t know what readers like to read but I do know what I would like to read. That’s what I write about.Why do you write?Writing is a form of creative expression for me. Writing gives me the freedom to express my ideas, thoughts and emotions on paper. It is a liberating experience that I enjoy quite a bit.How do you deal with bad reviews, rejection and criticism?I don’t. It’s not my place to judge the reviewers. They are entitled to their opinion and I’m extremely glad to get feedback, positive or negative. Criticism is absolutely great as well. No one improves with a constant stream of positive feedback. Criticism and negative feedback is what prompts me into action, so I welcome it. I’d rather know what was not good, not appreciated or could be improved upon.What do you find difficult about writing?Writing a mystery is a balancing act. The author has to hide the facts and the mystery enough while writing the story that the reader does not guess the climax. At the same time, the author has to reveal sufficient clues such that when the reader reaches the end, she feels like it was all there but she did not guess it. She feels stumped, surprised and excited at the same time. Getting that right balance while writing the mystery is probably the most difficult part.What do you love the most about writing?The outreach to readers is the most exciting part. Once the writing is complete, getting readers to read your work and knowing that they enjoyed it is exhilarating.Do you ever outsource (editing and cover design) your work?There are some things that I’m not good at, cover design being one of them. I provide inputs on what I think the cover should look like, but use the help of a graphic designer to translate my ideas into a real cover. For THE GIRL AT THE BAR, my publisher at Fireflies Publishing and I worked on the idea together with a graphic designer to get the final cover. We started with an initial draft and after 13 different sets of changes got to the final cover. I love the final cover. It is dramatic and intriguing, pulling in readers visually.What is your opinion on the indie vs traditional publishing argument?I don’t have any strong views or opinions on that topic. I do think though that authors should be entitled to a higher royalty amount from traditional publishers. They are the talent after all and deserve a bigger cut of the economics.Talk us through your creative process from start to finish.I write in the moment mostly. I start with an idea for a story without the whole story sketched out. I want to see where the story goes as I write it. I sketch out the events of the next 4-5 chapters on a storyboard and transcribe that on paper. I read and re-read those. That’s when it clicks me – “Of course, this is what needs to happen next,” or “If I were a reader, this is what I’d like to know next.” That forms the basis of the story outline for the next 4-5 chapters. I keep doing this till I get to the end.The difficult part about not having the entire story line worked out in advance is that you leave loose ends behind or ideas that were drifting in one direction but you ultimately end up going in another direction altogether. I then go back and iron out all those issues to make sure the story is consistent and flows correctly.What advice would you give to aspiring writers?Write what you know about and never give up.Give us your top three book marketing/ promotion tips.I’m a first time author and still learning the tricks of the trade. No secret sauce yet. I try to engage with readers on social media. Hopefully the book speaks for itself and stands apart on its own merit.Would you agree a good book must withstand more than one read?Not exactly, but I do think a book must be able to withstand one full read from start to finish. I’m surprised at how often I lose interest midway through a book and I just let it go. That’s the most frustrating part as a reader, investing time in a book that goes into your “stop reading midway” pile.What do you look for when shopping on Amazon for a Kindle book? Are any of them more important to you than others?Good question. I follow a multi-stage evaluation process before picking a book. I secretly hope all my readers are not fussy shoppers like me. At first, I look at reader reviews of the book. More reviews are good. A higher percentage of four and five stars is good. The second step is the description. I read the description to make sure it holds enough water for me to be interested. The third step, I download sample chapters for multiple books that pass the first two tests for me. I read the sample chapters as and when I get time.If a book hooks me after I read the sample chapter, I will buy it. If not, I don’t. Price and some of the other factors are a bit less relevant then. E-books are priced very attractively and don’t necessarily burn a hole in your pocket.Do you have a favourite genre?My tastes keep changing all the time. I like science fiction (Isaac Asimov, Michael Crichton), non-fiction history (Pulitzer-winning history books) and mysteries (Paula Hawkins).What would it take for you to leave a book review?Not much. Though I’m not someone who leaves detailed written reviews. I prefer writing crisp and to the point reviews.After downloading book one of a series for free or discounted on Amazon, do you ever go back and pay more for book two? If not, why?Of course, if the book is good, I certainly do so. It’s actually a pretty good deal. You get to read a whole book for free or at a discounted price to decide if you want to invest time in reading the series.Do you ever visit an author's website? If so, what do you look at?I sometimes do so when I like a particular book. It would be mostly to see what else the author has published and what is coming up. An interesting author interview is always welcome.If an author offered you a free book, would you sign up to their mailing list?Of course I would.Do you ever enter giveaways and/ or order signed copies?I don’t but I know I should. The lottery aspect of it turns me off a bit. Theoretically you could do this for years and years and never get even one copy. If I want a signed copy, I try and find a not so expensive version online and buy it.Are you more likely to buy a book if there are various formats available?I haven’t thought oif it that way, but that’s probably true.What are the biggest giveaways that a book is self-published?Self-published books more often than not have amateur covers, often designed by the author. That gives it away.Thanks to Nicholas Nash for this interesting interview. To support the author and Mystery Thriller Week, please consider purchasing a copy of the book (see below).

Upcoming Television Appearance

Dear Readers,In my recent vlog upon return from Low Ash Primary School, I revealed that myself and some of the children there would be appearing on television. I'm so excited (and nervous), but I know this will be such a wonderful experience for everyone involved.At the moment I am unable to announce the name of the station that will be covering our story (the publishing of Low Ash's 2 short story books) or confirm the date and time of the initial filming or the date it will air. However, I promise to capture as much of the day as I can and will ensure I am active on social media to document as much as possible. I will be announcing it on the day when I arrive to meet everyone.Thanks for your continued support. If you would like to watch the vlog, please feel free to do so below.Regards,E. Rachael Hardcastle

Behind The Scenes At My Photoshoot

As promised, here is a behind the scenes look at my evening photoshoot with Martine Warrington-Powell.Photo to left - Martine Warrington-Powell and E. Rachael Hardcastle.It was so much fun (and scary) so I just want to extend my thanks to Martine for her hard work. I love the photos (see gallery).I will be posting some handy tips to organise your own photoshoot this week. Check back soon!Please give the video a thumbs up if you liked it and subscribe for more writing related videos and vlogs.

See, I told you...

In most interviews, I'm often asked what sparked my interest in writing and what the first piece I ever published was. My answer is always 'I wrote a poem in school at age 14 and it got published in a collection'.At the weekend, I found the book and have taken some pictures as evidence of this (not that you ever doubted me, but I thought you might like some proof that you can be a successful author no matter how you start or how old you are).I hope you enjoy the poem (you can probably read it from this image).

Safe & Sound!

In Nov 2016 I attended Low Ash Primary School to work with Year 6. The children all wrote short stories which I compiled to produce two self-published books (as you have likely seen on the blog over the past few months).Today, I'm thrilled to show the safe delivery of the childrens' own copies and I'm in the process of checking through them and preparing them for the school this week.Thanks!

The Author Interviews, Round 1: #10: Brian McKinley

Ending January's author interviews round isBrian McKinley. You are living in the world from your latest novel. Where are you? What is it like?It’s our world, but vampyrs everywhere! I try to become a vampire!You are your most recent protagonist. Who are you? What is the first thing you do?I am Faolan O’Connor, vampire gangster. First thing I do is start enjoying my sweet residence and money in Manhattan!Who is your favourite author? Why?I have a lot of authors that I like, but my favorite is probably Stephen King right now. His books are always entertaining, his style is engaging, and his characters all have the lived-in feel of real people that you recognize.Why do you write?I write because there’s really nothing else that I do very well. I have characters and stories inside me that are pressing to get out.How do you deal with bad reviews, rejection and criticism?I try to learn from bad reviews and criticism. If I think they make a good point, then I keep it in mind in my future writing. Rejection is just something you have to tolerate and move on from. It’s guaranteed to happen, so I try not to let it bother me for too long.What do you find difficult about writing?Putting the words on paper. It all seems so clear in my mind until I sit down to put it on the page, then I realize how much I haven’t thought of yet and start getting nervous.What do you love the most about writing?Finishing! I love the satisfied feeling of knowing I got something done today.Do you ever outsource (editing and cover design) your work?Absolutely. It’s difficult and near-impossible to be objective about your own work, so I think you have to get another set of eyes who knows what they’re doing. Since I have no artistic ability, I always employ a cover artist to work with me.What is your opinion on the indie vs traditional publishing argument?I think that traditional publishing is going to start drawing more and more from the indie pool. They aren’t good at taking chances, so I think most new authors should go independent and learn as much as they can on their own.What advice would you give to aspiring writers?Get out while you can!! Seriously, though, I always tell people not to expect success. There are so many people who think that writing a book is a gateway to money and fame. If you don’t have an urgent need to write a book, and lots of free time, you might want to consider doing something else. Writing for years and getting little to no return for it is very common.Would you agree a good book must withstand more than one read?That’s interesting, but I’m not sure I agree. I almost never read a book more than once, but if I enjoyed it then it was good. I think there are three novels that I’ve ever read more than once, so I consider that the mark of an amazing book.What do you look for when shopping on Amazon for a Kindle book? Are any of them more important to you than others?Well, it’s hard nowadays because of the enormous competition. The cover is important, despite the popular saying about covers. If it looks like amateur crap, then I’m probably not going to look further. Next is the description. Does it sound interesting? Is the description well-written? If not, I move on. Having sample chapters is great, because I will often look there next, just to confirm that the writing style looks promising.Do you have a favourite genre?These days, Urban Fantasy and thriller are what I tend to read most.What would it take for you to leave a book review?I try to leave reviews when I can, but especially for new or less-known authors whose books don’t already have 200 reviews. I know how much it means for me to get a review, so I always try to pay it forward.After downloading book one of a series for free or discounted on Amazon, do you ever go back and pay more for book two? If not, why?If I liked it, sure. Ironically, there are so many authors out there giving away their books in return for reviews that I haven’t had to actually buy a book in a while.Do you ever visit an author's website? If so, what do you look at?It sounds terrible, but I rarely go to author websites unless I’m supporting a friend. I’m interested in the story, not really the person behind the story. That probably sounds terrible, but I don’t even visit Stephen King’s website or Jim Butcher’s (who I really like).If an author offered you a free book, would you sign up to their mailing list?Sure, that’s a good way to build a mailing list.Do you ever enter giveaways and/ or order signed copies?Not really, but I never have money for that.Are you more likely to buy a book if there are various formats available?Not really.What are the biggest giveaways that a book is self-published?A home-made photoshop cover is the biggest. If a self-published author is going to spend their money anywhere, I suggest spending it on a good cover. Other than that, poor formatting and editing.Don't forget, you can also catch Brian on my podcast The White Room, here:Or you can support him by purchasing a copy of his book:

The Author Interviews, Round 1: #9: CreativeColette (Wattpad)

Interview 9 was withCreativeColette from Wattpad.You are living in the world from your latest novel. Where are you? What is it like?I am working on my book Royalty at war right now where I am in Russia and the king has took a fancy to his son’s fiancé and his son does not think he his fit to sit on the throne.You are your most recent protagonist. Who are you? What is the first thing you do? I do whatever I can to help people but I can be drawn to the darkside.Who is your favourite author? Why?It varies, I do like James Patterson and Jk Rowling because they are awesome and magical in their writing.Where do you get your ideas?Mainly dreams or music or television.Why do you write?Because I would be seriously bored if I didn’t write.How do you deal with bad reviews, rejection and criticism?Hmm this is hard, I have in the past had people being negative about my stories whilst others give me constructive crissum which I take on bored to help me improve.What do you find difficult about writing?Switching from past to present tense and finding yourself lost in the story means you can lose your way pretty quickly.What do you love the most about writing?The Characters and the belief that such a world exists and most importantly the Drama!!Do you ever outsource (editing and cover design) your work?I use Royally free pictures and use pixlr if I can or get people to make them for me.Talk us through your creative process from start to finish.I write down my ideas in a short sort of blurb and make sure I have the cover ready so I don’t forget and I save that to my notes and stat writing. I read through what I have already written when I update and go from there.What advice would you give to aspiring writers?Never give up, wattpad is the best thing I have ever done people don’t judge you there and really helps you improve!Would you agree a good book must withstand more than one read?YesWhat do you look for when shopping on Amazon for a Kindle book? Are any of them more important to you than others?Covers and sample chapter but I do like a free book and if it’s not too much money I would buy it whenever I could afford it. The description must be clear also.Do you have a favourite genre?Murder and thrillers and romance.What would it take for you to leave a book review?I always leave a review. It hurts my fingers to do it on my old kindle as you have to put more than 20 words on the kindle but if I’m too tired I leave it.After downloading book one of a series for free or discounted on Amazon, do you ever go back and pay more for book two? If not, why?I would pay for book two but not if it’s too expensive because there’s only so much I’m allowed.If an author offered you a free book, would you sign up to their mailing list?Maybe.Do you ever enter giveaways and/ or order signed copies?NoFurther details provided by the author:If there are any other wattpad authors do follow me and I review books on my facebook page https://www.facebook.com/WattpadAread... if you go on my wattpad page click my Reading lists there are two reading lists One is Books I regularly update and the other one is completed books, I add each book into the completed list and mark it completed.To download a free book by E. Rachael Hardcastle, please visithttps://books2read.com/u/bMGnWV.

The Author Interviews, Round 1: #8: Brittany Nicole Lewis

Author Interview 8 was withBrittany Nicole Lewis.You are living in the world from your latest novel. Where are you? What is it like?I am in a community that goes by the name of Zion. A community where there is no crime, and everyone is content- at least on the surface…You are your most recent protagonist. Who are you? What is the first thing you do?Michael Martin, the first thing I do is try to climb out of the pit of grief that has swallowed me up after fully realizing I’ve been left behind by my family.Who is your favourite author? Why?This is a hard question to answer, but I really like BJ Hoff and Beverley Lewis. I always feel so at peace when reading their stories.Where do you get your ideas?Everywhere, nowhere. Personally experience and my imagination.Why do you write?I write to escape reality, the same reason someone else might want to watch tv or play video games but even more than that I write because I need to write. I need to get my thoughts out or I feel like I’m going to explode.How do you deal with bad reviews, rejection and criticism?Rejection is hard, but it’s important to remember that it’s just part of being a writer. I appreciate criticism because it helps me grow and develop my works into more than I could had I not had the criticism. I have not yet dealt with a bad review.What do you find difficult about writing?I think the most difficult part of writing for me is reminding myself that filler is important. Writing the really big, emotional scenes are easy, but writing about the regular, more day-to-day stuff that goes on in between them is challenging for me.What do you love the most about writing?What I love the most about writing is that for a while, I’m someplace different. I love that through my writing I can travel to new worlds- worlds of my own creation.Do you ever outsource (editing and cover design) your work?I had a couple of friends read the rough draft of my novel Finding Freedom (I’m now querying agents and publishers for that novel) and I had a cover designer for my book of poetry Shine Through the Darkness (the second edition) which will be available this spring.What is your opinion on the indie vs traditional publishing argument?I don’t have much of an opinion, honestly. I don’t think it matters much. I have several self-published books and now I’m querying agents and publishers for my novels because they help with marketing, and I just think it would be cool to say I got offered a contract.Talk us through your creative process from start to finish.First I think of an idea and jot down notes about the general story. Then I brainstorm about more details, where exactly they live, what it’s like, first name and last name, minor characters, etc. Next I write a general outline, beginning, middle and end. When I start writing I write outlines for each chapter and all of the major scenes and fill it all in as I go. Usually a lot changes in the story by the time I’m finished. I’m always surprised by where my characters end up taking me, no matter how much planning I do.What advice would you give to aspiring writers?Learn to deal with rejection and don’t ever let that stop you. Just keep going. Keep writing and keep querying. Don’t give up.Give us your top three book marketing/ promotion tips.Building relationships with your readers is important. I start out promoting my work locally and then gradually branch out. I’m also a part of several groups involving teens and young adults (they are my target audience) one of which is Reaching Teens for Christ, an online Facebook group. I also think it’s a great idea to have your book available in multiple formats as well as having a trailer made of your book, if possible. This makes it easier to show your work to anyone who might be interested.Would you agree a good book must withstand more than one read?Yes.What do you look for when shopping on Amazon for a Kindle book?Are any of them more important to you than others?I actually don’t buy Kindle books. I’m visually impaired and the light from a screen (phone/tablet/computer) hurts my eyes. I prefer print books. When looking for a new book to read, though, I read the description and if I think it’s interesting, I read it.Do you have a favourite genre?I don’t really have a favorite genre. I like dystopian/utopian (that’s what my first two novels are), mystery and I like BJ Hoff’s and Beverley Lewis’s books.What would it take for you to leave a book review?I’m not sure, I have never left a book review because I have trouble reading ebooks.After downloading book one of a series for free or discounted on Amazon, do you ever go back and pay more for book two? If not, why?I have never done this but I would be willing to try it.Do you ever visit an author's website? If so, what do you look at?Not usually but when I do I look at the list of books to see if there are any I haven’t read and what ones I would be interested in reading. I also like reading about the authors themselves.If an author offered you a free book, would you sign up to their mailing list?Yes.Do you ever enter giveaways and/ or order signed copies?No, I have never done that before.Are you more likely to buy a book if there are various formats available?Probably not. I have always preferred print books.What are the biggest giveaways that a book is self-published?This doesn’t go for all self-published books, but usually if the cover doesn’t look professional and there are a lot of typos.To support this author, please consider visiting their blog/ website and saying hello.You can also still grab a free book by E. Rachael Hardcastle atbooks2read.com/findingpandora.

The Author Interviews, Round 1: #7: Ann Marie Thomas

Interview 7 is withAnn Marie Thomas, author of Intruders [Flight of the Kestrel book 1] released in April 2016.You are living in the world from your latest novel. Where are you? What is it like?The main setting in Intruders is a spaceship – the Kestrel. She is part of the Fast Response fleet for the Planetary Alliance for Cooperation and Trade (PACT). She has a crew of eleven. They are a sort of United Nations in space, a diplomatic and emergency service, so life is busy and varied. Stuck together on patrol, the crew don’t always get on, and you need to be adaptable.You are your most recent protagonist. Who are you? What is the first thing you do?My most recent protagonist is in the second book in the series, which I’m editing, but in Intruders the main character is Tabitha Enns, an eighteen year old trainee who gets co-opted due to a crew shortage. She is stunned to find she is the only female on board, and that two of the crew are alien species, and she’s never met an alien before!Who is your favourite author? Why?Isaac Azimov, whose stories I grew up on, and still love. He was such a good writer: plots, characters, technical details, and of course the three laws of robotics. I also love Terry Pratchett and have all the Discworld books, so clever.Where do you get your ideas?I originally made up plots for Star Trek and Babylon 5, with characters and worlds already created. I didn’t want to write fan fiction so I altered them for my own ship.Why do you write?I just can’t help it! My head has been full of stories since I was a child.How do you deal with bad reviews, rejection and criticism?I haven’t had any really bad reviews, but I belong to a writers circle who critique each others’ work and that helps me to learn to take constructive criticism. It also shows how different people can have widely different reactions to the same piece, so you’ll never please all the people all the time. I decided to self publish, so I haven’t had rejections from publishers, but I do need self belief.What do you find difficult about writing?Getting the balance right between promotion and writing. Writing sensory detail.What do you love the most about writing?The satisfaction of crafting a story to catch people’s emotions. I’m learning all the time.Do you ever outsource (editing and cover design) your work?I pay a professional editor but I try to get the manuscript as good as I can first, to keep costs down. I try to come up with my own ideas for covers and just pay someone to Photoshop it, but I did pay an artist to draw the Kestrel, because it will appear on every cover, and there’s no ship like it on the Internet.What is your opinion on the indie vs traditional publishing argument?Traditional publishing gives you validation, which is a huge thing, but if you can believe in yourself, indie publishing is the way to go. You have control, publishing is quick and easy, and the royalties are much better. Even with traditional publishers authors are expected to do a lot of their own promotion, and as an indie you have to do it all, but it’s a steep learning curve.Talk us through your creative process from start to finish.I’m a plotter. I like things planned out, but will often start writing before the plan gets too detailed. I get to know my characters as I write, and often plot twists will occur to me later on. I’ve written many first drafts through NaNoWriMo, but seldom achieve 50,000 words because I run out of plot! That’s when I sit down and do the detailed planning and then play with what I’ve written to add depth and complexity to it. I call that my first draft. Distance is essential then, so I put it down for six weeks and work on something else – I also write factual history stories. Then another edit with fresh eyes, send it to my editor and fix what she has spotted (usually a lot!). The final stage is my beta readers and looking at their comments. In between times I’m planning the book launch and the promotion, including writing the blurb and the media kit.What advice would you give to aspiring writers?Never give up.Find a few people you trust to give you feedback on the quality of your writing and then believe in yourself.Pay for an edit and a good cover, you mustn’t stint on either of those.Give us your top three book marketing/ promotion tips.Make sure you have a good editor. If readers spot spelling or grammar errors or holes in the plot they will never give you another chance and won’t recommend you to others.Don’t try to do it all at once. My social media platform is complicated now, but I started with a blog, then added Twitter and Facebook pages and built up from there.There’s lots of good advice out there, so use the internet and find some good people to follow, especially those with free stuff. Three to get you started: Live Write Thrive by C S Lakin, The Creative Penn by Joanna Penn, and Self Publishing School by Chandler Bolt. Chandler is aimed more at non-fiction, but a lot of his advice, especially about marketing, is very good.Would you agree a good book must withstand more than one read?Definitely. I only keep print books if I know I’ll read them again – frees up shelf space!What do you look for when shopping on Amazon for a Kindle book? Are any of them more important to you than others?Cover / Title / Author / Price / Description / Publisher / Sample Chapter / ReviewsRecommendations are the main way I find books, and then books by authors I’ve already read. When looking at a book I look at price first to see if I can afford it (hooray for Kindle editions which are much cheaper), description to see if I think I’ll like it, then reviews.Do you have a favourite genre?Science fiction.What would it take for you to leave a book review?I review every book I read, on Goodreads and Amazon.After downloading book one of a series for free or discounted on Amazon, do you ever go back and pay more for book two? If not, why?I have several series I’m following. If I really like book one, I will buy them all.Do you ever visit an author's website? If so, what do you look at?Not very often. Sometimes I go to authors’ websites from a Twitter or Facebook recommendation to check them out. I read the bio and book details.If an author offered you a free book, would you sign up to their mailing list?If the book attracted me. You can always unsubscribe later if you don’t like their marketing or the book.Do you ever enter giveaways and/ or order signed copies?No.Are you more likely to buy a book if there are various formats available?I am disabled and only have the use of one hand, so I mostly read on Kindle. If there’s no Kindle format I won’t buy. I do buy print books as gifts.What are the biggest giveaways that a book is self-published?Poor cover is the biggest giveaway, though I have seen some bad ones from big publishers. Once you’ve bought it you’re looking at the quality of the writing and sometimes you can see that it hasn’t had a professional edit.About Ann:My ambition was always to write science fiction, but, fascinated by Swansea Castle and distracted by a major stroke I researched local history, which culminated in the publication of Alina, The White Lady of Oystermouth. The success of Alina led to a second local history book, Broken Reed: The Lords of Gower and King John, and then to The Magna Carta Story to coincide with the 800th anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta.During my stroke recovery I wrote poetry, which I published as a collection called My Stroke of Inspiration. Eventually I got back to writing science fiction, a series called Flight of the Kestrel, and the first book Intruders was published in April 2016. To save confusion between two such different genres, my history books are published under Ann Marie Thomas, and my science fiction under A M Thomas.A bit about my latest book: Tabitha Enns is given work experience on board the Kestrel, on the adventure of her life, that will push her to the limit. Tabitha gets to meet her first aliens, but it doesn't go smoothly, and being out in space isn't what she expected. When a hostile alien species are discovered, the Kestrel is sent to make contact, leading the crew – and Tabitha – into danger, and the crew have problems with their friends as well as their enemies. Why did a dying man say, 'butterfly'? Who exactly is the mysterious injured woman, and what is her connection to the hostile aliens threatening not only the Kestrel's crew but the entire galaxy?Please support this author by purchasing a copy of her book as seen below:If you would like to download E. Rachael Hardcastle's free book, please click here:http://books2read.com/findingpandora