Kaye Lynne Booth's Blog: Writing to be Read, page 55

Book Review: Bloodstone

About the Book

I didn’t think my life could get weirder, but I was wrong…

Fifteen-year-old Amelina Scott lives in Cambridge with her dysfunctional family, a mysterious black cat, and an unusual girl who is imprisoned within the mirrors located in her house.
When an unexpected message arrives inviting her to visit the Crystal Cottage, she sets off on a forbidden path where she encounters Ryder: a charismatic, perplexing stranger.
With the help of a magical paint set and some crystal wizard stones, can Amelina discover the truth about her family?
A unique, imaginative mystery full of magic-wielding and dark elements, Bloodstone is a riveting adventure for anyone interested in fantasy, mythology or the world of the paranormal.

TRIGGER WARNING: this book contains mention of self-harm, mental health issues and alludes to the potential dangers of sexual attraction, which may trigger younger/sensitive readers.

INSPIRED BY: The World Famous Corpus Christi Chronophage Clock, created by Dr. John C Taylor, OBE, and artist Anya Gallaccio’s Crystal Grotto, in Juniper Artland, Scotland.

Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Bloodstone-Paranormal-Fantasy-Adventure-Curse-ebook/dp/B097QZBKNYMy Review

Bloodstone is Book 1 in M.J. Mallon’s The Curse of Time series. I’m not sure what I expected when Ipicked up this book. I’m a sucker for time-travel stories, and the subject of time and parallel worlds perplex me, so I suppose I expected something along those lines given the claock on the cover and the series title. But that is not at all what this book is. But, Bloodstone may be just as enchanting.

This tale is a young adult novel dealing with the issues of a fifteen-year-old girl who has a very strange life. While her home life may be disfunctional, other parts of her life are magical in this delightful tale of magical realism. Things happen which may seem odd or unusual, but they seem to be everyday occurances in the fantastical world which Mallon has created.The result is a paranormal fantasy that deals with real adolecent issues like friends and boyfriends, peer pressure, depression, self-harm, and betrayal, in a manor that raises awareness, and still entertains.

Another unexpected touch the author offers up in this story is a syllabic poem as the heading of each chapter, which offers a hint to the events in the chapter to come. I found this to be a clever way to clue readers in and creative way to add to the magicalfeel of the story.

A refreshing surprise, Bloodstone captured my attention and my heart. I give it five quills.

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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review here.

Treasuring Poetry – Meet poet and author, Kaye Lynne Booth, and a review #TreasuringPoetry #poetry #bookreview

I am very excited to be featuring Kaye Lynne Booth for my August Treasuring Poetry post. I have been working with Kaye Lynne for a number of years now and I have short stories in all of her anthologies. Kayne Lynne and I also co-edit the annual Poetry Treasures anthologies.

Small Wonders is Kaye’s first book of poetry and I am pleased to include my review of this delightful collection here today.

I know that your poetry collection, Small Wonders, includes poetry from throughout your writing career. Do you think your poetry writing has changed much over this period?

My poetry has been a series of experiments. I like to play with words and styles. I have written syllabic poetry, limericks, acrostic poems, shape poems that form visual images on the page, and more.

Do you do a lot of editing of your poetry or does the poem manifest itself fully formed?

It depends on the poem. Intimacy & the Harlequin Dance was written when I was on a fifteen minutes break at work, but they usually don’t come quite that easy. Aspen Tree is minimalist poem and I worked several days on it to get the words just right. 

You have been sharing some of your poetry as YouTube videos? Do you find this a effective way of sharing poetry with poetry lovers?

I have done several readings of poems from Small Wonders. We started doing readings of both poetry and fiction because they work well for the blog tours. Many contributing authors have been quite enthusiastic about it. But the ones for my poetry collection are the first I’ve done for a solo project.

Do you think poetry is still a relevant form of expressing ideas in our modern world? If yes, why?

I do. I think poetry is a wonderful form of expression, and I think it helps to process emotions to try and put them into just the right words.

Which of your own poems is your favorite?

Mist chills morning air

Frosty dew coats stem and blade

Sun’s warmth awakens

This is a reading by Kaye Lynne Booth of Aspen Tree which features in Small Wonders:

Which poem by any other poet that you’ve read, do you relate to the most and why?

I’ve always felt a connection with Emily Dickinson, because she wrote about everyday things and made them seem interesting. It wasn’t that she saw the world through different eyes, but that she paid such close attention to the details of what she did see that she could describe it in a manner that others could relate to. That’s what poetry is about. Attention to detail.

“I Could Not Stop For Death“, by Emily Dickenson is one of my favorites because it speaks of the inevitability of death and being too busy with life to stop for it. Dickenson spent most of her life as a recluse and her poetry takes note of the most ordinary things, calling attention to them in extraordinary ways.

Because I could not stop for Death –

He kindly stopped for me –

The Carriage held but just Ourselves –

And Immortality.

We slowly drove – He knew no haste

And I had put away

My labor and my leisure too,

For His Civility –

We passed the School, where Children strove

At Recess – in the Ring –

We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain –

We passed the Setting Sun –

Or rather – He passed Us –

The Dews drew quivering and Chill –

For only Gossamer, my Gown –

My Tippet – only Tulle –

We paused before a House that seemed

A Swelling of the Ground –

The Roof was scarcely visible –

The Cornice – in the Ground –

Since then – ’tis Centuries – and yet

Feels shorter than the Day

I first surmised the Horses’ Heads

Were toward Eternity –

My review of Small Wonders by Kaye Lynne Booth

The poems featured in this collection have been written over Kaye Lynne’s life and share a wide spectrum of memories, some full of fun, for example My ‘Vette, some are achingly beautiful, Sun and Shade immediately sprang to mind, and some, like A Single Heartbeat are poignantly sad. All are worthwhile and inform the reader about the human condition whether delight in nature, agonising over trauma and grief, or throwing care to the wind and ‘riding the wave of life.’

Kaye Lynne’s poetry style is straight forward and simple, my favourite type of poetry, and is very relatable to all of us who have walked life’s path, experiencing its ups and downs. A few of the poems are printed on lovely background artworks which embellish their meaning and purpose.

Purchase Small Wonders: https://www.amazon.com/Small-Wonders-Kaye-Lynne-Booth-ebook/dp/B0C8MQD599

About Kaye Lynne Booth

For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is her passion. It is a very strange time indeed when Kaye Lynne does not have at least three WIPs, in addition to her other writings, teaching and other life activities. Kaye Lynne lives, works and plays in the beautiful mountains of Colorado.

Visit her author’s blog and website, “Writing to be Read” to learn more about Kaye Lynne Booth and her writing. https://kayelynnebooth.wordpress.com/

About Robbie Cheadle

Award-winning, bestselling author, Robbie Cheadle, has published thirteen children’s book and three poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.

Robbie also has two novels published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.

The ten Sir Chocolate children’s picture books, co-authored by Robbie and Michael Cheadle, are written in sweet, short rhymes which are easy for young children to follow and are illustrated with pictures of delicious cakes and cake decorations. Each book also includes simple recipes or biscuit art directions which children can make under adult supervision.

Robbie’s blog includes recipes, fondant and cake artwork, poetry, and book reviews. https://robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com/

Kickstarter: The newest method of direct selling for authors

The Rock Star & The Outlaw Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kayelynnebooth-wcp/the-rock-star-and-the-outlaw?ref=user_menu

You may be aware that I’m currently running a Kickstarter campaign for The Rock Star & The Outlaw, my time-travel adventure novel,which was inspired by the music of The Pretty Reckless. It’s a rocking story that you won’t want to miss, and you can learn more about it and support the campaign through the link above. But it’s come to my attention that many of you, who might happily buy this book through a distributor, which is the route we are most used to using to buy books, may be hesitant to purchase through this less familiar method of book buying. I thought I might offer some insight into how a Kickstarter works and the reasons why you might buy books via Kickstarter.

How does a Kickstarter Work?

Kickstarters are a method of direct selling that operates on the large spike business model, meaning the author gets a large spike in sales, rather than having them trickling in through distributors. Big name authors like Brandon Sanderson, Kevin J. Anderson, Dean Wesley Smith, and Joanna Penn are launching campaigns that are funding within minutes of launch, and making major money buying adding stretch goals to keep momentum going throughout the campaign.

As an unknown author, my first campaign, for Delilah, didn’t fund until the very last day, but it did fund. So it is possible for the little guy or gal to make a buck from our books this way. I set my goal lower, at $500, which I felt I could more likely reach, while the big authors shoot for thousands. I’d love to reachy goal early and be able to add some of those stretch goals like to the big guys though.

Kickstarters are crowd funding, so they are an all of nothing deal. If the campaign pledges meet the campaign goal set, the author receives all the money raised, minus Kickstarter’s 5%, (which is a lot better than the 30% which most distributors take). But if you don’t meet the funding goal, then none of the pledges are collected and you aren’t responsible to deliver any of the rewards.

As an author, you decide what your reward levels will be and what rewards will be offered. As a reader, you can support a Kickstarter for any amount, even $1, with no reward, (and yes, people do do this just to support an author they like or a project they feel is worthwhile), or choose a reward level offered by the author. Once you back the campaign at some level, you will be able to see the add ons which are available at that level for an additional cost, making even more deals available to you.

Because Kickstarter also promoted your campaign, you are able to reach a whole new audience of potential backers in the Kickstarter community. They have a whole community of people who back the projects which they feel are worthwhile, so it’s a great way to expand your audience.

The video below offers a brief overview. (Note: there is no audio for this video).

https://youtu.be/Zkv1KrdweFU

Why Buy Through Kickstarter?Authors make more money through direct sales.Support authors you already love or new authors you’d like to give a try.Get books for less before they are available through distributors and exclusive items which you can’t find anywhere else, like signed print copies and other merchandise.

Check out my Kickstarter campaign for The Rock Star & The Outlaw to see what it’s all about. If you like the project, show your support at the reward level.of your choice while your there. All support is appreciated.

Review in Practice: Million Dollar Outlines

Outline your novel for success, taught by a master writer and instructor.
Bestselling author David Farland taught dozens of writers who went on to staggering literary success, including such #1 New York Times Bestsellers as Brandon Mull (Fablehaven), Brandon Sanderson (Wheel of Time), James Dashner (The Maze Runner) and Stephenie Mayer (Twilight).
Dave was an award-winning, international best-selling author with over 50 novels in print, and a tireless mentor and instructor of new writers. His book Million Dollar Outlines is a seminal work teaching authors how to create a blueprint for a novel that can lead to bestseller success.
In this book, Dave teaches how to analyze an audience and outline a novel to appeal to a wide readership. The secrets found in his unconventional approach will help you understand why so many of his authors went on to prominence.
David Farland was hailed as “The wizard of storytelling” and one of the best writing instructors in the field for many years. Dave passed away in January 2022, but WordFire Press is pleased to bring this vital resource back to a wider readership.

Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Million-Dollar-Outlines-Writing-ebook/

What I love about books on the craft of writing, is that they get my mind working as I automatically try to apply the techniques I’m reading about to my current W.I.P., and it often takes my writing in new directions which I hadn’t imagined before. Million Dollar Outlines, by David Farland did this for me with, not one, but two books which I am currently working on. As all my Delilah Kickstarter campaign backers know, I am actively working on the research and outline for Sarah, Book 2 in my Women in the West adventure series, and this is the book I intended to try out Farlands methods with, but I found some of his advice needed to be applied to a story which I’m just finishing up.

By reading through the elements that Farland believed should go into your outline, I discovered some things that I knew my western time-travel romance adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw needed, but had neglected to consider as I flew through the writing during NaNoWriMo last year. If you were with me then, you will know that I had a partial working outline, which changed as events in my story veered from the path I had prepared, but mostly my fingers just flew over the keys at every opportunity, and I adjusted my outline accordingly, so there was little time to think about the purpose that each scene or chapter served besides moving my story from point A to point B. (Which is why, this year, I plan to be better prepared and I’m currently working on the outline for Sarah, so that I have a fully developed outline when November roles around.) So as I read this very informative book, which is packed chock full of useful writing advice, I saw places where the Rock Star story is lacking, and even though I’m well past the outlining stage with this book, I went back and did the checks to be sure my story was hitting all the proper beats, and it wasn’t. That’s why took the time for a developmental edit and do the revisions, and now, it is.

Of course, I also used this book to improve my outlining technique with Sarah, which was my original lol intent, keeping in mind that Million Dollar Outlines is a book aimed at outlining to increase productivity. In order to do that, Farland begins by asking, and answering, questions such as ” Why do we read or crave stories?”, or “What is a story and how does it work?”. Then he has you take a look at the shape of your story.

With Sarah, I already knew that the shape of her story would be similar to that of Delilah, because they are both in the same series. Delilah was my first novel and a huge experiment where I tried many different methods and styles, but my method of creating a partial outline and revising as I go seems to have stuck with me with The Rock Star & The Outlaw, so I had planned to stick with it on Sarah.

According to Farland’s theory, that will no doubt make Sarah linear in style with numerous obstacles and hurtles to overcome along the way, because like Delilah, Sarah will embark on a hero’s journey as an unwilling traveler turned heroine. I use this method because it offers me some direction to get the story started, but also allows flexibility because my stories rarely end up going where I start out thinking they are headed.

Next, Farland has us look at the potential for a best selling story and how to analyze your audience to better create stories that readers will like. This is not something which I would normally think about when outlining, but it is something that every author should think about if the end goal is to sell what we write, and what better time to think about this step, than during the outlining process?

Farland also talks about the elements of story, such as setting, characters, conflict and treatment. Normally, I write out a scene out starting with the character interaction which moves the story forward, then I go back and fill in the descriptions to bring the setting to life, so his suggestion to develop the settings in the outlining process, would be a very different approach for me. By outlining in this way, I can see the potential to have most of the pieces to my story in place in my outline where I could almost pluck them from the outline and place them into the story, like pieces to a jigsaw puzzle.

Regarding characters, had a good start with Sarah because her character was at least partially developed in Delilah. In addition, I had a pretty good idea of who my supporting characters were going to be, and their parts in the story because they are either historical characters, which I took certain liberties with. So, all I had to do with them was to develop them more, giving each a physical description and a part in the book. In addition to Sarah, members of her Ute Indian family also made brief appearances in Delilah, so they just needed to be fleshed out a bit. And then there are the two characters who two of my supporters in the Delilah Kickstarter campaign got the privilege of naming which needed to be fully developed.

Once I knew who my characters were and the role that each would play, I had a basic outline of events written out, because you can’t know what role a character will play until you figure out what they do in the story. But this is my list of main/supporting characters.

Sarah – protagonist – red hair and freckles – 17 – raised in bordello, traveled with Delilah until she was abducted and sold to the Utes, who treated her well & she was happy with. She strives for self-reliance and learns healing from the old Ute woman, Flies like a Heron, becoming a valuable member of the tribe. Three Hawks – love interest – Sarah’s Ute husband- kind to Sarah, but brave warrior- son on tribal elder, will one day be chief.- traded many horses for Sarah and fights to keep her.Flies Like a Heron – healer & mentor – kind old woman & wife of Ute shaman, Raven Wings – teaches Sarah healing waysOwoz Crebo – Antagonist – lone Sioux warrior who visits Ute camp guised as a friend, but steals away with Sarah in the night – an outcast of his own tribe – old & scarredLillian Alura Bennett – Temptress – red haired Irish Woman who runs boarding house/ bordello in Glenwood Springs – was orphaned and became a ‘crib girl’, then worked her up until she made a spot for herself in one of the better houses, the bought out the madame – kind offers Sarah a room in exchange for her domestic services.Kate Elder – mentor – historical character – independent prostitute, on her own since young, companion to Henry ‘Doc’ Holliday – came to Glenwood Springs in his last days & cared for him, kind of ‘the woman behind the man’s – kind, helps Sarah, takes care of Doc

This is my list of settings which will need to developed. I’ve done a lot of research on the history of Glenwood Springs, but the rest must come from within my own head, but a few back woods excursions may be in order to get a feel for the terrain.

Ute camp – already partially developed from Delilah.Cliffs where Indian battle takes placeMountains between Telluride and Glenwood SpringsGlenwood Springs, 1887 – a. Glenwood Hotel/ Docs room & Fictional boarding house

Farland goes on to offer up plotting tools, which can be used in the construction of your story to hit the emotional beats that will grasp your readers and won’t let go. He suggests tools such as timebombs, dilemmas, crucibles, reversals, revelations, twists, motivations, mystery, romance, varying emotions, gads, braiding conflicts, varying conflicts, identity conflicts, centering, doubling, haunting, tripling, stacking, growth, duality, the third alternative, the rule of threes, spectacles, adding a thematic line, placing your world in jeopardy, or creating an epic. I’ve used a few of these, such as the rule of threes, twists, revalations, and reversals, but others were new to me. I bet you see a few tools in the list above which could use some explanation. I know there were for me.

We all know what a twist is, when the story suddenly takes off in an unexpected direction, or a revelation, where your characters reveal something about themselves which bears on their actions in the story. The Rule of Threes says that you should call something that you want readers to notice three different times throughout the story, if you want it to stick in your readers head. I’ve used that one in every story that I’ve written. Doubling, tripling and haunting are all methods of doing just that. Some, like placing the world in jeopardy, may work better for certain genres more than others, but it is always a good way to raise the stakes in the story. I used this one in my science fantasy series, still in progress, Playground for the Gods, which centers on a group of beings who destroyed their own planet and come to Earth to make their new home, but some members threaten to repeat their peoples mistakes and destroy Earth as well. This particular tale is also an epic, so there’s another plotting tool used to create story.

Then, Farland goes on to discuss the plotting process, talking about what makes a good beginning, middle and end and incorporating it all into your outline. I’m busy working right now, incorporating some of Dave Farlands suggestions into my outline for Sarah.

I have a more detailed outline right now for Sarah than I ever had for any story, and it still looks like it will be too short. I’ll have to go back and see what other plotting tools I may I want to ascertain that book 2 in my Women in the West series will be even better than book 1.

Will it be a million dollar outline? Not in the sense in which Farland was using it. He used his outlines to sell his stories to publishers and producers. For Sarah, I am both author and producer, but maybe the story will sell enough copies to make a million. I’ll just have to wait and see. I hope you’ll stick around until Sarah comes out in 2024 to see the end results, too.

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For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; and book 1 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.

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Want exclusive content? Join Kaye Lynne Booth & WordCrafter Press Readers’ Group for WordCrafter Press book & event news, including the awesome releases of author Kaye Lynne Booth. She won’t flood your inbox, she NEVER sells her list, and you might get a freebie occasionally. Get a free digital copy of her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction, just for joining.

Book Review: Eye of Truth

About the Book

After 10 years at war, Jev Dharrow looks forward to hanging up his sword, relaxing with a cool mug of ale, and forgetting that the love of his life married another man while he was gone. But when his ship sails into port, a beautiful woman wearing the garb of an inquisitor from one of the religious orders waits to arrest him. 

His crime? He’s accused of stealing an ancient artifact with the power to start another war. Jev would gladly hand over the artifact to stop more suffering, but he has no idea where it is or even what it looks like. The inquisitor woman definitely has the wrong person. 

Inquisitor Zenia Cham grew up with nothing, but she has distinguished herself as one of the most capable law enforcers in the city, and she’s next in line to become archmage of the temple. All she has to do is find the Eye of Truth, and her superiors are certain Jev has it. 

He tries to charm her with his twinkling eyes and easy smile, but she’s not letting any man get between her and her dreams. Especially not a thief. 

If Jev can’t convince Zenia they’re on the same side, find the artifact, and clear his name, his homecoming will turn into a jail sentence. Or worse.

Purchase Links:

Amazon/Audible: https://www.amazon.com/Eye-of-Truth-Lindsay-Buroker-audiobook/

Chirp: https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks/eye-of-truth-by-lindsay-buroker

My Review

I listened to the audiobook of Eye of Truth, book 1 in Lindsay Buroker’s Agents of the Crown series, narrated by Vivienne Leheny, an epic fantasy adventure that will steal your heart. Book 1 of the Agents of the Crown series is a classic Buroker fantasy, with plenty of snark, and as always, I am amazed by Leheny’s ability to portray a full cast of characters, giving each a distinctive voice. If magic and mayhem appeal to you, this epic tale is a must read. And as always, Buroker you value for your buck with an epic length tale, supplying several hours of listening enjoyment.

Zenia is an inquisitor of the water order who has worked hard to prove herself and rise nto a positon of power. But, when she is called upon to bring in Jev, an accused thief who claims innocence and appears to be genuinely unaware of the crime he is accused of, she begins to have doubts about the validity of her position and duties. How can she honor her duties when she is uncertain of his guilt? She takes him into custody, but the journey back to the water order only strengthens her suspicions that she has the wrong man.

This book has everything an epic fantasy should have – magic, elves, dwarves, romance and lots of adventure – all wrapped up in a well-crafted and intricate fantasy world. I give Eye of Truth five quills.

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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review here.

Growing Bookworms – Meet prolific children’s book author and poet, Victoria Zigler, and two reviews #bookreviews #GrowingBookworms #childrensfiction

Growing Bookworms series banner featuring three dogs made from fondant

I am delighted to introduce prolific children’s book author and poet, Victoria Zigler, as my August Growing Bookworms featured children’s book author.

You write picture books for younger children and books for older children too. How do you ensure that your language and writing style are suitable for the target age group?

I suppose, in a way, I don’t.

The thing is, I’m a pantser to the extreme.  I write the stories, and only then assess – based on the way they turn out, the language style I ended up using, etc – which age group they’d be most suitable for.  So, to be honest, I often don’t know who my intended audience is until I’m done writing the story.

The only exception would be if I’m writing another book for a series, in which case I’ll obviously want to make sure the whole series is suitable for the same general age group.  In that case, I would make sure I stick to the same kind of writing style and language as was used in the earlier book, or books.

Many of your children’s books involve animals. Do you have a specific motivation for writing about animals for a child audience?

For one thing, I’m a big fan of animals.  I love animals of almost any kind, grew up in an area surrounded by fields full of cows and mountains covered in sheep, and have owned a variety of pets: birds, cats, chinchillas, degus, dogs, fish, gerbils, guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, rats, and a tortoise.  It’s no secret that I prefer the animals’ company to that of humans as a general rule, so I’ve had plenty of opportunity to observe their behaviour.

For another thing, many of the stories I enjoyed in childhood featured animals, from the mischievous Peter Rabbit and all the other creatures in Beatrix Potters tales, to the troublesome toad and faithful mole in Kenneth Graham’s Wind In The Willows, and we can’t forget Aslan the lion from C S Lewis’ Chronicles Of Narnia, or all those classic fairy tales like Aesope’s Fables and The Three Little Pigs, just to name a few.  So, given how many happy hours I spent in those animal-filled worlds, I want to pass that joy on to a new generation.

Do you include characteristics of real people and pets/animals in your stories?

Yes, I do.  Sometimes intentionally, and sometimes I’m sure I do it unconsciously too.

I do it with pets especially, since several of my books – most notably my Kero’s World and Degu Days Duo books – feature my own pets, since each is a semi-fictionalized story of a time in our lives (sometimes combining more than one experience in one story to make it more eventful) as told from the point of view of the pet in question.

But I have done it from the point of view of people too.  For example, in my Toby’s Tales series, which are a series of books based on some of the challenges I faced myself when adjusting to losing the last of my sight.  Toby himself is based on a combination of my brother, Carl, who is also blind, and myself.  Toby’s older brother, Jake, is based on our older brother, Wayne.  And their little sister, Emma, is based on a combination of myself and my honorary niece of the same name who happened to be around the same age I wanted to make the fictional Emma at the time of writing the series.

How do you get your ideas for your stories?

The short answer is: which ones?

The thing is, it varies.  Some are based on real life experiences, like how my book How To Trust Your Human is based on my attempts at regaining the trust of one of our degus, Joshua (refered to as Buddy in the story) when he became nervous and suspicious of us after we lost all three of his brothers, and Snowlilie’s Brother is based on observing our Westie, Lilie, as she adjusted to having a new little brother in the form of our Cavapoo, Logan.

What do you like best about writing for children?

Mostly it’s just fun: I love being able to play with my own imagination and creativity while potentially encouraging theirs.  Plus, I do like the fact my books may potentially help to encourage a new generation of readers.

Books for children are harder to market than books for adults. How do you go about marketing your books and what works best for you?

I’m the wrong person to ask about marketing. 

I tried seeking marketing opportunities at first, but I ultimately felt like it just took time away from the parts I enjoyed, so now I take interview opportunities when they come up, whether on blogs or podcasts, I’ll accept invitations to do guest posts, and if the opportunity to drop hints about me writing and publishing books happens to come up I’ll usually give it a mention.  But that’s all I do; I don’t really put the effort I probably should in to marketing, because I don’t like doing it, and – though I’d obviously love my books to reach as many people as possible – have no desire to be rich and famous.

I write because I have poems and stories inside of me that need to get out.  I publish them because I feel art in all its forms should be shared.  And as long as anyone who does actually stumble across my books enjoys them, that’s good enough for me.

My review of Jelena by Victoria Zigler Cover of Jelena featuring a tree dryad in a green outfit

Jelena is a delightful and poignant story about a tree dryad whose bond to her Frazer Fir tree is broken when a family of humans select it for their Christmas tree. The author’s beautiful writing shows Jelena’s pain and loss when she is left without her tree which she knows is dying as it’s been cut.

Interesting parallels are drawn between the pleasure of the human family who are delighted with their choice of tree and Jelena’s loss as the fir’s tree dryad. The humans are not bad, they are just ignorant of the implications of their actions.

The story is engaging and has a happy ending. Reading it to or with children will provide plenty of opportunities to discuss the impact of human activities on the natural world and ways of minimizing negative repercussions.

urchase Jelena by Victoria Zigler: https://www.amazon.com/Audible-Jelena/dp/B0BVDR7GL5

My review of Thistle The Fairy Trickster by Victoria Zigler Cover of Thistle The Fairy Trickster featuring a fairy sitting in a tree

Thistle The Fairy Trickster is a delightful retelling of the story of The Boy Who Cried Wolf, Thistle is a fairy tasked with watching an area of the river where local children come to swim and play. Thistle’s job is to ensure that any children playing in her area are safe and to intervene and provide assistance if something goes wrong. Most of the time, Thistle’s job is boring and she has no-one to talk to or play with. Thistle decides to play some tricks on her fairy friends and that gets her into trouble.

This story is fun way of teaching small children about inappropriate and misleading tricks.

Purchase Thistle The Fairy Trickster here: https://www.amazon.com/Thistle-Fairy-Trickster-Victoria-Zigler-ebook/dp/B07L3FP5Q8

About Victoria Zigler Author picture of Victoria Zigler who has dark hair with a fringe and a lovely smile

Victoria Zigler is a blind vegan poet and children’s author.  Born and raised in the shadow of the Black Mountains of Wales, UK, she moved away from Wales three times: once to spend six months living in Alberta, Canada, the other times to spend a few years living near Hastings on the South-East coast of England, UK, each time returning to Wales.  Now she lives in Wales again, along with a West Highland White Terrier named Lilie, a Cavapoo named Logan, a Hermann’s Tortoise named Artemis, and her Canadian husband, Kelly.

Despite spending far too much time in hospital, and eventually losing her sight to Congenital Glaucoma, Victoria – or Tori, if you prefer – has been writing since she knew how, with no plans to stop any time soon.  She has a long list of publications to her name, including several poetry collections, a whole load of children’s stories, a story in the sci-fi and fantasy anthology Wyrd Worlds II, three poems in the Poetry Treasures anthology, and a poem in the Stand Together charity anthology.  Plus, Tori’s Hermann’s Tortoise, Artemis, was featured in both the Magnificent Pets Coloring Book For Children and the Magnificent Pets Mandala Coloring Book For Adults.

Vegan due to both a love for animals and dairy allergy, as well as an Eclectic Pagan, Tori describes herself as a combination of Hermione Granger and Luna Lovegood from the Harry Potter books: Hermione’s thirst for knowledge and love of books, combined with Luna’s wandering mind and alternative way of looking at the world.  She has a wide variety of interests, designed to exercise both the creative and logical sides of her brain, which she dabbles in at random depending on what she feels like doing at any given time, and is most likely to be found playing with her petkids, involved in calls with the ACB Community, curled up somewhere with a cup of tea and a book, working on some kind of craft project, or trying to keep one step ahead of those pesky typo fairies while writing her own books.

Links

Website: http://www.zigler.co.uk

Blog: https://ziglernews.blogspot.co.uk

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/toriz

Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Victoria-Zigler/424999294215717

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/victoriazigler

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCakYxH7BNyc2Lxr1g1nbP9w

Find Tori’s books on…

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/toriz

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Victoria-Zigler/e/B00BHS9DQ6/

…Along with a variety of other retailers, such as Audible, iTunes, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble.

About Robbie Cheadle

Award-winning, bestselling author, Robbie Cheadle, has published thirteen children’s book and three poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.

Robbie also has two novels published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.

The ten Sir Chocolate children’s picture books, co-authored by Robbie and Michael Cheadle, are written in sweet, short rhymes which are easy for young children to follow and are illustrated with pictures of delicious cakes and cake decorations. Each book also includes simple recipes or biscuit art directions which children can make under adult supervision.

Robbie’s blog includes recipes, fondant and cake artwork, poetry, and book reviews. https://robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com/

Writer’s Corner: Words of Wisdom – Writing advice through the ages

Quoting the Experts

Jim Neighbors’ character, Gomer Pyle is always quoting the infamous Grandma Pyle, with words of wisdom for every occasion. As writers, we have many ‘Grandma Pyles’ to offer writing advice and advice on life, in general. Below you will find some of my favorites. Feel free to add your own favorites in the comments.

“Tales and adventures are the shadow truths that will endure, when mere facts are dust and ashes, and forgotten.”

Neil Giaman

“Writing is like a whore. First, I did it for my own pleasure. Then, I did it for the pleasure of my friends. And now, I do it for money.”

Ferenc Molnar

This quote has been attributed to author Virginia Wolf, but acording to Quote Investigator, the original author was French playwright Ferenc Molnar.

“Our greatest weakness is in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”

Thomas Edison

Another way of expressing this particular idea:

“Stopping a piece of work just because it’s hard, either emotionally or imaginatively, is a bad idea. Sometimes you have to go on when you don’t feel like it & sometimes you’re doing good work when it feels like all you’re managing to do is shovel shit from the sitting position.”

Stephen King – On Writing

And my personal favorite, which I often use like a motto, was put quite succinctly by the character of Lone Wadi in the movie, The Outlaw Josey Wales:

“Endeavor to persevere.”

Chief Dan George as Lone Wadi in The Outlaw Josey Wales

“Not all those who wander are lost.”

J.R.R. Tolkien – “The Riddle of Strider”

This quote was taken from a poem in The Fellowship of the Ring, so it wasn’t offered up as advice per-se, but I think it is good advice, because isn’t that what we, as authors do? We wander down paths unexplored to see what happens, and how the story comes out. But just because we may not know where we’re going, it doesn’t mean we’re lost. In fact, we usually emerge enlightened, with a killer story to show for it.

“To write something, you have to risk making a fool of yourself.”

Anne Rice

I find this quote to be spot on. Any type of expression involves a certain amount of risk, and writing is no exception. It’s this open and honest type of writing that is received best. Readers know, they can feel when an author has written from their heart, but to do that, the author must open themselves up and allow themselves to reveal their own vulnerabilities.

“It is a happiness to wonder; it is a happiness to dream.”

Edgar Allen Poe

Every writer should be able to relate to this quote. It’s what we do. We wonder. We dream. And stories emerge.

“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain.”

Author Annonymous

This quote is my all time favorite. It is not the hardships which life throws at us, but how we handle them. I love it. I’ve had quite a bit thrown at me lately. I need to remind myself of what really matters.

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References

(Frances Molnar) Quote Investigator. https://quoteinvestigator.com/2011/01/17/for-pleasure-for-money/

(Thomas Edison & Neil Gaimon) Brainy Quotes. https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/neil_gaiman_403389

(Edgar Allen Poe) Goodreads Quotes: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/9927514-it-is-a-happiness-to-wonder-it-is-a-happiness-to

(Stephen King) Book Riot: https://bookriot.com/stephen-king-quotes-about-writing/

(Anne Rice) Brainy Quotes: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/anne_rice_383179

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For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.

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Want exclusive content? Join Kaye Lynne Booth & WordCrafter Press Readers’ Group for WordCrafter Press book & event news, including the awesome releases of author Kaye Lynne Booth. She won’t flood your inbox, she NEVER sells her list, and you might get a freebie occasionally. Get a free digital copy of her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction, just for joining.

Book Review: The Inheritors

About the Book

One young boy’s beliefs about himself and the universe changes the structure of reality.

A shapeshifting monster driven by primal desires shatters concepts of intelligent design and becomes an incarnation of vengeance.

A child with a strange gift is abducted from home and must learn to co-exist with beings far different from himself.

A boy exposed to dark magic and demonic rituals must tread carefully or become the thing he fears.

Creatures from the end of time travel through human history kidnapping children to save a bizarre future world.

Physics, mysticism, biological science, and theology are woven into a dark, thought-provoking novel taking readers on a journey they could have never imagined possible, challenged to rethink everything they thought they knew about history, time, space, and the nature of life itself.

“Reminiscent of the works of Pynchon, Clarke, and Vonnegut,…” – Clarabelle Miray Field, award winning poet and Editor-in-Chief, Carmina Magazine

Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Inheritors-Joseph-Carrabis/dp/B0C9W7X7ZG/

My Review

The Inheritors, by Joseph Carrabis is a unique journey beyond the consciousness of man. This is a story that will make you think and perhaps ponder your very existence as Carrabis reveals his vision of the universe and what’s really going on through the complicated and often confusing universe he has created.

Out of a cave comes the first woman who can think and truly see the universe, who is scorned for her gift to the few who possess a higher way of thinking, we see a different picture of our own universe. When right and wrong become two sides of the same coin and it’s hard to determine who the good guys are, and thinking outside the box upsets the status quo, you’ll be introduced to a universe where gods are created.

A unique tale with philosophical undercurrents, The Inheritors is literary entertainment that makes you think about the way we think. Highly entertaining. I give it five quills.

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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review here.

The Rock Star and the Outlaw

I’ve been so excited to share news about The Rock Star & The Outlaw you, which will be released through distributors in September. It’s been a long time in coming, and I’m so thrilled to offer my supporters this opportuniy to show your support for my work, all while getting some pretty cool rewards throughmy Kickstarter campaign, which launched yesterday and runs through the end of August.

Kickstarter Campaign

I’ve put together a great Kickstarter campaign for you all. You can drop by and back this project for as little as $5, and earn some very cool rewards in the process. You can get an early digital copy of The Rock Star & The Outlaw long before the September release through distributors, or perhaps you’d prefer a signed print copy, which is not available anywhere else. You can also get a The Rock Star & The Outlaw poster, or goodie bag, or any of my other WordCrafter Press works are available at less than they are offered through distributors. My funding goal is $500, which will be used for promotion of the book upon release. If you don’t know how a Kickstarter campaign works, it is all or nothing. Backers are only obligated if I reach the funding goal.

About the Book

A time-traveler oversteps his boundaries in 1887. Things get out of hand quickly, and he is hanged, setting in motion a series of events from which there’s no turning back.

LeRoy McAllister is a reluctant outlaw running from a posse with nowhere to go except to the future.

In 2025, Amaryllis Sanchez is a thrill-seeking rock star on the fast track, who killed her dealing boyfriend to save herself. Now, she’s running from the law and his drug stealing flunkies, and nowhere is safe.

LeRoy falls hard for the rock star, thinking he can save her by taking her back with him. But when they arrive in 1887, things turn crazy fast, and soon they’re running from both the outlaws and the posse, in peril once more.

They can’t go back to the future, so it looks like they’re stuck in the past. But either when, they must face forces that would either lock them up or see them dead.

Asking for Your Support

I’m asking all my readers and followers to click on the link for the Kickstarter campaign and offer your support for this fabulous story which I’ve poured so much hard work into. I need you all to help me reach my goal. It only takes a moment. Won’t you please back my campaign?

About the Author

For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; and book 1 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.

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Want exclusive content? Join Kaye Lynne Booth & WordCrafter Press Readers’ Group for WordCrafter Press book & event news, including the awesome releases of author Kaye Lynne Booth. She won’t flood your inbox, she NEVER sells her list, and you might get a freebie occasionally. Get a free digital copy of her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction, just for joining.

WordCrafter News: The Rock Star & The Outlaw Kickstarter Campaign

August Kickstarter Campaign

I’m so excited! The Rock Star & The Outlaw is finally ready to make its debut, and it will be making its first appearance in an August Kickstarter campaign from August 1 to August 30, 2023. It will be released through distributors on Septmber 19, 2023, as well, but the Kickstarter campaign is an opportunity to get in on the ground floor, so to speak, and a chance to get early digital copies or signed print copies, that you won’t be able to get through distributors, as well as some really cool reward teirs and add-ons.

About the Book

A time-traveler oversteps his boundaries in 1887. Things get out of hand quickly, and he is hanged, setting in motion a series of events from which there’s no turning back.

LeRoy McAllister is a reluctant outlaw running from a posse with nowhere to go except to the future.

In 2025, Amaryllis Sanchez is a thrill-seeking rock star on the fast track, who killed her dealing boyfriend to save herself. Now, she’s running from the law and his drug stealing flunkies, and nowhere is safe.

LeRoy falls hard for the rock star, thinking he can save her by taking her back with him. But when they arrive in 1887, things turn crazy fast, and soon they’re running from both the outlaws and the posse, in peril once more.

They can’t go back to the future, so it looks like they’re stuck in the past. But either when, they must face forces that would either lock them up or see them dead.

What Else is Happening

While I impatiently await my Kickstarter campaign to fund in August, I will be working on the compilation of Midnight Roost: Weird and Creepy Stories, the 2023 WordCrafter anthology that we are all anxiously waiting for. This anthology will be an October release, just in time for Halloween, my favorite holiday, and it will have contributions from 15 fantastic authors, including the author of the winning story in the 2023 WordCrafter short fiction contest, Isabelle Grey. Some of the contributors are long time WordCrafter authors who have been featured in past anthologies, but we have a few new names in there, too.

Contributing Authors

Isabelle GreyDenise AparoM.J. MallonSonia PipkinRobert KostaczukMichaele JordanJoseph CarabisDL MullanC.R. JohannsonRebecca M. SenessePaul KaneRoberta Eaton CheadlePatty FletcherChris BariliChrista PlankoZack EllafyKeith J. HoskinsJulie JonesMario AcevedoKaye Lynne Booth