Helen Garraway's Blog, page 46
February 20, 2022
Author Interview – Angela Cairns
Today I am chatting with Women’s fiction author, Angela Cairns, about her latest novel Touch, which is an inspiring story of self-discovery, wounded heroes, and second-chance love
Helen: Welcome Angela! To start us off, tell us about your latest book.
Angela: My current book is titled Touch – it’s the first in the uplifting Ellie Rose women’s fiction series. If you like inspiring stories of self-discovery, wounded heroes, and second-chance love, you’ll adore this story, with romantic leanings and a hint of medical memoir. Books two and three are queued up and ready to be released called Dilemma and Bloom, and there is a prequel novella already released, called Paradise, which charts Ellie’s early life and love for Brett in Australia.
Physiotherapist, Ellie Rose who is devastated by the tragic loss of her soulmate. Unable to endure the stifling sympathy of friends and family she leaves for the quiet countyside of Essex where she knows no one. After suffering too long in an awful job, she decides to establish her own holistic health clinic. She finds solace in healing others and in her wonderful dogs, but wonders if she’ll ever reclaim her own happiness.
Ellie can’t release the pain lingering in her soul. Until a new neighbour with his own grief opens the door to loving again. Can she find the courage to let go of the past and live life with passion again?
Helen: This does sound like an amazing journey as well as a bit of a heart-wrencher. What was the inspiration behind the cover design?
Angela: The cover to Touch has been through several transformations and I love working with my American cover designer Shannon Kuzmich. We finally settled on a watercolour style of a reflective girl walking on a beach. It suits the mood of the book and is one of the scenes from the story. I love the colours and the mood. I’ve had some beautiful bookmarks made by artist Carolyn Carlin, who has used the floral design from the girl’s dress and picked out the main colours in the bookmark ribbons.
Helen: It’s a lovely cover and the idea behind the bookmarks sounds amazing! How did you come up with the title?
Angela: The back story to the title is linked to the main character’s profession as a physio and her beliefs that touch therapies are important in healing and well-being. As a physio myself, this reflects my own beliefs. But it also alludes to the loss of her soulmate and his touch and learning to trust again.
Helen: What a lovely story behind the title. It’s so nice when then is real meaning behind the title. Why did you write this book?
Angela: I’ve always written stories and done a lot of non-fiction professional writing. My first published stories were a series of audio relaxation visualisations called Play, Pause, Unwind with original soundtracks from composer Simon Ramet. Then came my anthology of short stories Seasonal Produce. I began writing Touch because the idea for the story had been nagging in my brain for a while and I also wanted to explore some of my beliefs about wellbeing and recovering from loss in a fiction form. I also write hundred word stories as part of a writing team, for a local radio station, which are then produced and narrated by actors as part of a show.
I’d love to help people journey with hope through the ups and downs of life.
https://amzn.to/3v2zqMJ
Helen: That must be amazing to have your work narrated on the radio. Do you typically write Women’s fiction? What are you currnetly working on?
Angela: I write Women’s fiction which is mostly set in a contemporary world. The Ellie Rose series will span through from 1986 to current times. Initially a three-part series, I’ve fallen in love with my characters and their world, so it is destined to become a saga. My latest project is my first historical novel set in 1910. It was inspired by my grandmother’s photo archives and in part her stories about growing up that I listened to as a child. It’s a fascinating time for women as the suffragist and suffragette movements are gaining strength and I wanted to link her experiences as a dressmaker’s apprentice and her love of music into the story. It’s set in Portsmouth UK where she lived for over a hundred years.
Helen: How wonderful that you have such a close connection and can use personal memories in your book. It sounds a really interesting premise. What inspired you to start writing?
Angela: I was inspired to write by my love of reading. As a child I inhabited amazing worlds and met wonderful people inside the covers of books. I had a head full of stories I wanted to write down and I think it is a wonderful privilege to be able to walk alongside readers and see your books take life in their enjoyment. As a child, The Wind in the Willows, Winnie the Pooh and any horse book I could find, Black beauty, Flambards (the site of which, I coincidentally live near now and actually exists.) you name it I read it. As an adult, I love reading Joanne Harris, Anita Shreve, Susan Howatch, Marion Keyes and indie author Julia Blake. I also love crime fiction and forensic crime, P.D James, Kathy Reichs, Ian Rankin and indie writers, Stella Oni and Caroline Noe.
My writer’s group with The Writers Company and their imaginative and creative courses continue to be my anchor and my compass.
Helen: Gosh, I can really relate, I used to love the Flambards! If your Main Character could speak, why would she tell us to read your book?
Angela: Why would my main character Ellie Rose say you should read my book? Well because life can be tough and sometimes you just need to put everything down at the door, get comfortable and let someone else soothe away the aches and pains.
Helen: Let’s chat a little about your writing process. Are you a pantser or a planner? Do you write free form, or do you have a framework you stick to?
Angela: All my ideas are hand-written in notebooks, although the text itself is typed. I’ve tried all kinds of writing software but at the end of the day I fare best with word files for each chapter, a main text document and a gorgeous notebook and pen. All my friends buy me amazing notebooks which I open with reverence – there is nothing better than a virgin page and a fountain pen!
Helen: Do you listen to music when you write, if so, what do you listen to and why?
Angela: Sometimes I listen to music, but mainly I write in quiet in a spare bedroom that used to be my son’s room. It is light and airy, with a view of my neighbours gardens and the sky. If I need music, it’s when I take a break to have a wild dance around the kitchen. Dancing music of choice; Santana, Samba Pa Ti; Black Box Ride on Time; Chumbawumba, Tubthumpin’. I also love belly dancing, so anything by Shakira or some of the traditional Raq Sharqui music.
I do a lot of my thinking out on walks with the dogs, I have Gordon Setters, or on long drives. A lot of my characters names are constructed from interesting place names I see when I’m driving.
Helen: I think every writer is a great reader! What is your favourite book and what do you love about it?
Angela: Virtually impossible to choose a favourite book, but if I was going to be marooned on an island with only two books I’d take Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet. It’s an inspirational piece of spiritual poetry prose that looks at the very nub of life itself. I’ve bought it at least seven or eight times, because every time I lend it, it never comes back. Then it would have to be Joanne Harris’s Chocolat – I love the world, because it reminds me so vividly of when I lived in France, the characters are colourful and fascinating and there is just that hint of magical realism that she does so well. I could escape into that world and be endlessly happy.
Helen: Great choices! What books have you recently read that you would recommend?
Angela: Recent books I would recommend are from the indie publishing world, because I’ve been delving into that recently to support my colleagues. Ezekial Factor by Caroline Noe. Cracking dystopian crime novel with a snarky detective, a feisty terrier and an AI colleague who ends up teaching the main character a lot about being human. Anything by Julia Blake, but I love The Book of Eve that had a modern-day Great Gatsby vibe to it. I also loved the retro /paranormal/romance series by Mckenna Dean which starts with Bishop takes Knight and I’ve binge read all of Helen Starbucks mystery/crime novels- she writes the best male leads and feisty heroines.
Helen: Ooh nice, I’ll have to check them out! What is the most useful piece of writing advice you’ve received?
Angela: The most useful piece of writing advice I received came from DBC Pierre who wrote Vernon God Little – “Write in a reckless fever, re-write in a cardigan.” And that’s me, I’m neither a plotter nor a fly by the seat of my pants writer (pantser). I start with a story arc and a basic idea of where I’m going. Then I research the time period, thoroughly, I try to find real characters/events to influence my fictitious ones and make them authentic and relatable.
I quite like the notion that I’m a gardener, i.e. I start with a seed, water and tend it, then see what grows!
Helen: A lovely idea! It’s been such fun getting to know you, Angela, as we reach the end of our time together could you tell us something anecdotal about yourself.
Angela: Something anecdotal – hmmm, just a saying that I’ve found helps to keep me sane … “Don’t push the river – it flows by itself.” A healthy amount of planning and goal setting is great, but so is a healthy amount of good humoured acceptance and flexibility. I’m an acupuncturist as well as a physio and I practice T’ai Chi and Yoga, so I’m all about striving for balance.
Helen: Thank you so much for chatting with me today. I wish you all the best with your next book. Just to close, what advice would you give new writers?
Angela: Every first draft needs rewriting to tighten up the pace of the story and deepen the character portraits. When I have done the best I can, I have a lovely team of beta readers who generously read the fledgling story and pick up any flaws they see. Then it’s off to a professional editor, for more tidying up and polishing. You must love the process, if you’re going to produce good work.
About the Author:
Angela Cairns
Still a working clinician – Physiotherapist/Acupuncturist I began writing with a collection of relaxation stories set to original sound-tracks called Play Pause Unwind https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=play+Pause+Unwind. I felt we were long overdue a physiotherapist heroine to join the ranks of fictional doctors, nurses and psychologists and so I wrote Ellie Rose – clever, compassionate and determined, a heroine to take to your heart…
I live in Essex, in the UK with my husband. I have two grown-up sons and a clan of Gordon Setter dogs.
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If you enjoy fantasy books then you will love my books which are available in eBook, paperback or hardcover: Book One: Sentinals Awaken. Book Two: Sentinals Rising. Book Three: Sentinals Justice. Book 3.5: Sentinals Recovery. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next book releases.
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February 18, 2022
Book Review Alert: A Very Raven Christmas by Jennifer Brasington-Crowley
Reviewed: February 18th, 2022
Released: December 18th, 2019
Genre: Contemporary Romance
‘Twas ten days before Christmas,
and all through the house,
Raven Xerces wreaked havoc,
his in-laws both groused.
See what happens when rock legend Raven Xerces spends the holidays with his in-laws in this fun holiday short story. A fun companion to Raven Song and BirdSong, A Very Raven Christmas imagines a future Raven Xerces as he plays husband, father and son-in-law. This fish-out-of-water story is a laugh out loud delight, full of family drama, sweet romance and plenty of havoc you’ve come to expect from lovable, angsty, awkward, antihero Raven Xerces. Read My thoughts…
February 12, 2022
Check out these amazing covers from the Realm of Darkness anthology
Realm of Darkness Boxset
Preorder Realm of Darkness BoxsetI am so excited about my novel SoulBreather, my first venture into paranormal fantasy and my contribution to this anthology.
If you love Feisty heroines, fallen angels and mystical dragons and intrigue then this should be the book for you. Add another 40 plus books and this is a bargain you do not want to miss!
When darkness falls, beware of the creatures that come out to play…
Fall under their spell over and over again in this ultimate paranormal and fantasy romance boxset! Over 40 full-length novels with heart melting heroes and devastating anti-heroes, full of romance, magic, mystery, and adventure can be yours for an insanely low price.
Ready to be swept away? Your book boyfriends are waiting… Enemies-to-lovers, alphas, fae, werewolves, dragons, shapeshifters, vampires, gods, angels, demons, and more: with novels ranging from sweet to spicy, there’s a flavor to sate your every craving.
You won’t find these exclusive novels anywhere else, so don’t miss your chance. Over ten thousand pages by New York Times, USA Today, and International bestselling authors and at less than three cents per book, this collection is a steal, but only for a limited time. Grab it today before it’s gone forever…
SoulBreather
My new paranormal fantasy releasing as part of the Realm of Darkness boxset.
If you fall in love with the shadows, does that mean you are fallen too?
A dying angel. A fractured realm. The Soulbreather who might be able to save them both.
Solanji has a secret. One that is becoming increasingly difficult to keep. She can touch souls and see into a person’s inner thoughts.
Soulbreathing is exhilarating and addictive, until the day Solanji caresses the wrong person’s soulmist. Dragged into a long forgotten angelic mystery, she is forced to venture into Eidolon, the godforsaken last resort for those without souls. She rescues a broken and tortured man named Mav, but can she save him from the shadows? Does he even want to be saved? And can she find a way to return to the light before the darkness engulfs them both?
Only available as part of the Realm of Darkness Boxset available for preorder now on Amazon and other retailers for only 99c/99p!
February 11, 2022
Book Review Alert: Suddenly Beck by Vawn Cassidy
Reviewed: February 11th, 2022
Released: July 23rd, 2021
Genre: Contemporary Gay Romance
A surprisingly sweet, sinfully sexy, and deliciously hilarious romp along the Cornish coast.
Nathan Elliott has run away from home at the age of twenty-six. His teenage rebellion may have come ten years late, but better late than never. Leaving behind a world of wealth and privilege, and a strict patriarchal family that would never except a gay son, he’s ready to embrace life and make up for lost time, but nothing’s ever that simple. A coin toss, a delayed train, and a wrong bus later, and Nat finds himself in a small bay in Cornwall being hauled out of the ocean by a gorgeous stranger and wondering how the hell his life got so off track.
Beck Ainsley lives life by a very simple ethos, don’t get attached, don’t get involved and don’t fall in love. He’s been there, done that and got the t-shirt that reads I’m a gullibleidiot. Now, he keeps his life simple; all he needs is his dog, his art, his rambling sea cottage overlooking the bay and a few choice waves to surf. He’s not looking for love or commitment, but when he ends up plucking a posh boy from London with incredible blue eyes from the ocean, Cupid doesn’t just shoot him with an arrow, he decides to club him senseless with the bow too.
One simple agreement. A summer fling, a chance to act on the insane attraction between them with no strings attached, and at the end of the summer they walk away.
There’s just one problem, fate is a fickle and capricious creature, and she has no intention of letting them walk away unscathed. They’re about to discover that sometimes the heart wants, what the heart wants… Read My thoughts…
February 5, 2022
Author Interview – Helen Rygh Pedersen
Join me as I chat to Helen (This could get confusing with two Helen’s but we’ll do our best!) about her debut novel Waking Ursa Minor, the first book in her Riverda Rising epic fantasy series which releases on February 22nd! It is available on preorder now!
Helen: Welcome Helen! To start us off, tell us about your new book.
Helen RP: Waking Ursa Minor is the first book in my epic fantasy series, Riverda Rising, as well as being my debut novel. The paperback and ebook versions are available on 22nd February, (pre-order is available now on most major retail sites) and I am hoping to release a hardback version around May and who knows, maybe even an audiobook.
Blurb:
As Gesland swelters in extreme heat, Serakela watches the nomadic clans make their way across the plains on their annual pilgrimage and resigns herself to the monotonous life of servitude at the institution which raised her. But Serakela is not the orphan she always believed herself to be. On the night a crazed assassin tries to kill her, her heritage is revealed catapulting her into an island-hopping fight for survival, and the search for the fabled Stone of Riverda.
The sundered islands of Riverda are dying. The earth magics that protected and sustained them before the Rivening are unbalanced; dwindling in some areas whilst stifling others. As time runs out and tensions rise, countries teeter on the brink of war, starvation and extinction. A way to save them has just arisen from the realm of rumour but Brother Okrafkus of the Separamus cannot allow this to happen.
Not only will Serakela’s quest lead her to her long-lost family, rumour has it that she who wields the Stone will restore the islands of Riverda to their former glory. Rumour also has it that in doing so, she will unleash the evil that split them.
Helen: This sounds amazing! Congratulations on releasing your first novel. It is a very special feeling! What was the inspirarion behind the cover design?
Helen RP: The wonderful Franziska Stern of Cover Dungeon Rabbit did my cover and all I can say is she did a wonderful job. A huge thank you goes out to her for all her hard work and for putting up with me throughout the process.
It was quite hard to come up with a cover as the book takes place over various different islands, each with their own distinct culture and aesthetic. I’m also not a huge fan of characters on the cover of books so that was very important to avoid, even if it goes against current trends.
I can’t actually say too much about the cover’s meaning, I’m afraid, as it does contain certain images of items/characters/ places in the book that I don’t want to spoil for the readers, but I love the way Franzi managed to get the books darker undertones into the cover.
Helen: This being your first novel, is Fantasy your first love?
Helen RP: I write fantasy, or to be more specific, epic fantasy with a darker side. I’ve always loved fantasy since I really got into books at about 9 years old. I love that you can go absolutely anywhere, you aren’t bound by the laws of nature and physics of our world. I also like how a lot of fantasy harkens to a pre-industrialised, almost medieval setting, as I’ve always been fascinated with history and how people lived. The combination of magic, mythical beasts and historic settings…what more do you need?
Helen: I couldn’t agree more! An irresistable combination. What made you first start writing?
Helen RP: According to my mother, I have been telling stories since before I could even write. They gave me a notebook at nursery which I filled with strange symbols and squiggles: stories that I could recite perfectly to anyone that asked. This continued when I learnt the real alphabet and I actually have a lot of my early writing. If you are at all interested, please check out my “Quotes of Christmas Past” challenge on Instagram from December 2020.
Creative writing (in our English classes) was my favourite class at school and I am very sad that it disappears from the curriculum the older a child gets.
Waking Ursa Minor actually started with a “novel” I wrote when I was 11 years old involving a plane crash where the teen protagonists find themselves on an island called Utopia. I am very pleased to say however that only two things remain from the original book; a character name and one event which I won’t mention as it contains spoilers.
Helen: How wonderful that you were able to evolve your original novel into your debut. Such an achievement. If you didn’t write fantasy what would you like to write?
Helen RP: Easy, historical fiction. When I was younger, I was obsessed with ancient civilisations and wanted to be an archaeologist (a small part of me still does, but I think it might be a bit late now). I’ve always been inspired during or after museum visits, my fingers literally itching to write. The only problem is I wouldn’t know which era to start in!
I do also like books which blend the historical and fantastical, such as Barbara Erskeine’s and Kate Mosse’s novels. So maybe that’s a route I can go down too.
Helen: Who is your favourite character from your book?
Helen RP: This is such an interesting and difficult question. I suppose an author should say the protagonist but I loved writing Okrafkus. He was so much fun and he has so many layers, that I am still uncovering. I also really like Cheskia for her sheer determination to survive.
Helen: When not writing, do you have time for other hobbies?
Helen RP: When I’m not writing and looking after my two young children, I of course love reading, but also enjoy crafts. I knit, I sew, and more recently I have fallen down the rabbit hole of making yarn and cloth from stinging nettles.
I also enjoy going for walks in the countryside, which in rural Norway is literally on our doorstep.
I’m currently having a little break from drawing and painting as creating my own picture book, A Whiff in the Woods, as fun as it was, rather took it out of me. Although I have drawn my own maps for the Riverda Rising series.
Helen: You are keeping extremely busy!! You said you read. What is your favourite book?
Helen RP: My favourite book and the one that really got me into fantasy is The Hobbit. I have a beautifully illustrated edition and it doesn’t matter how many times I read it, I am always transported back to sitting on the floor at 10 years old, hanging on every word the teacher (who I didn’t like very much) read. I was absolutely transfixed!
Helen: Thank you so much for chatting with me today. I wish you all the best with book launch. Just to close, what advice would you give new writers?
Helen RP: Get that first draft finished, just write it. Don’t stop to think how awful it is and try to edit it, just write the damn story. You can fix it later.
Don’t tell yourself that other writers are better than you, that no one wants to read your book. All writers had to start somewhere and I can promise you that there is someone out there, possibly even a whole fandom who want to read what you have written.
Lastly, don’t be lonely. The best thing I did to give my writing the kick up the bum it needed was to find like minded people through the writing community. It doesn’t matter that I live in a remote village in Norway, I have writing friends, mentors, and cheerleaders across the globe, and trust me on this journey you are going to need them!
About the Author:
Helen Rygh Pedersen
Reading and writing are two things Helen Rygh-Pedersen has been heavily involved with from a young age. She could always be found with her nose in a book or with a notebook in hand, especially on long car journeys as her family moved from place to place.
She graduated from the University of Exeter with a BA in French and Italian and after a brief career teaching languages in the UK, she moved to Norway with her family. It was here that she really reignited her passion for creating worlds. She dipped her toe into the publishing process by first releasing her dystopian short story, Heifer, and a picture book which she illustrated herself, A Whiff in the Woods, before taking the leap with her debut novel. Waking Ursa Minor is the first book in her Riverda Rising epic fantasy series.
When she isn’t writing she can be found spending time with her family, sewing and knitting or catching up on the latest fantasy series.
For all the latest:
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You can preorder Waking Ursa Minor from Amazon:
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If you enjoy fantasy books then you will love my books which are available in eBook, paperback or hardcover: Book One: Sentinals Awaken. Book Two: Sentinals Rising. Book Three: Sentinals Justice. Book 3.5: Sentinals Recovery. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next book releases.
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February 4, 2022
Book Review Alert: Aloha, Seattle by Morgan Gauthier
Reviewed: February 4th, 2022
Released: November 1st, 2021
Genre: Romantic Comedy
There are three things you should know about Cate Ortega. One, she’s a jet-setting flight attendant who never takes vacations. Two, she’s competitive enough to lose friends over a game of Monopoly. And three, she’s recently been dumped by her pilot ex-boyfriend for the blonde, new hire.
So, when a man calls out her name in the coffee shop and she absent-mindedly responds, Cate quickly realizes her private and routine life is about to be turned upside down. Theo asks her to pretend to be his girlfriend before his brother walks in and against all logic and reason, she agrees.
But when meeting Theo’s brother turns into her attending his brother’s wedding weekend in Hawaii, Cate and Theo make a deal. She’ll pretend to be his girlfriend for the wedding and meet his entire family, if he goes to her company’s New Year’s Eve party as her date, showing her ex-boyfriend that she’s moved on.
Once the year ends, so will their relationship. But when they’re forced to spend more time together than originally agreed upon, Cate starts to wonder if she’ll be able to walk away, or if what started off as fake could be turning into something real? Read My thoughts…
February 1, 2022
Author Interview – Nellie H. Steele
Join me as I chat to Nellie H. Steele about her latest book Trouble which launches today! Congratulations Nellie! And find out what else she is working on.
Helen: Welcome Nellie! To start us off, tell us about your latest book.
Nellie: I’ve got a LOT going on with current offerings! In the next few months, I’ll be releasing Book 4 in my Shadow Slayers saga along with the first books in two new series!
The first one to make its debut is Trouble and it is really appropriately named. The Shadow Slayers are experiencing Trouble from all sides! They’ve just come off of a life-changing experience when they travel to an alternate universe and just as things seem to be settling down, the dam breaks and a flood of other issues hit them.
The Shadow Slayers are a great team to write and I’m really excited for people to continue exploring their universe.
Helen: You sound extremely busy! Once you start writing a series and your characters become like family, it’s wonderful to be able to return and write more in the world you know so well. What was the inspirarion behind the cover design?
Nellie: This cover couldn’t be more perfect for this book. It has both literal and figurative meaning. The broken mirror with Celine trapped inside symbolizes her life breaking apart with the amount of difficulty she experiences.
It also has a quite literal meaning. There is a scene in the book in which a mirror shatters to pieces after the Slayers glimpse an image of Celine dancing in a red dress.
Helen: It is a most unusal cover. How about the title, is there a story behind that?
Nellie: The story really hits the Slayers with trouble from every angle imaginable. They’re drowning in problems in this book, so the title fits really well. It also ties well to the ending of the book. I won’t say any more but when the title was proposed, I latched on to it immediately because it felt so fitting.
Helen: I love the stories behind covers and titles. It gives the readers a little more colour and depth! Although Slayers is a fantasy series, you don’t just write fantasy do you?
Nellie: I’m literally a split personality. I can’t seem to pick a lane. I enjoy an eclectic range of genres to read, so it makes sense that I’d also enjoy writing a range.
Currently, I write cozy mystery, supernatural suspense/magical realism, adventure and historical mystery. I’m about to debut another cozy mystery series and a second series which is close to adventure but with a twist.
I didn’t really expect to expand into this particular genre (which is still a secret and will be revealed in the coming months), but I’m a “pantser,” and my characters take the lead. I didn’t expect them to go in this direction!
Helen: Oooh how exiting … a secret … follow Nellie to make sure you hear first! What else are you working on in 2022?
Nellie: In true split personality style, I’ve got two WIPs right now. I’m working on the third Maggie Edwards Adventure. In this installment, Maggie is traveling to Scotland for a relaxing vacation. She’s received an invitation to spend some time at Dunhaven Castle with Cate Kensie (of the Cate Kensie cozy mysteries). What should be a fun, relaxing time will turn into anything but! Look for Maggie’s next adventure later this year.
I’m also working on Book 5 in the Cate Kensie mystery series. Cate’s just gotten an eye-opening in Book 4 with some of our Shadow Slayers characters hopping into her series and causing quite a bit of chaos. She’ll continue to experience some issues from her new discoveries while she solves a decades old murder!
Helen: I’m glad I am not the only one with multiple projects on the go! Do you prefer writing or editing?
Nellie: Writing by a mile! I don’t mind re-reading and tweaking my work, but sometimes trying to parse through a heavy edit to be sure word choice is spot on can be very tedious!
Helen: Pantser or planner?
Nellie: Pantser. My characters take the lead and often, they take the story into a direction I did not expect. This happened a few times. One of my characters in my Duchess of Blackmoore historical mystery series I had intended to die early on in Book 1 (maybe by Chapter 5). He’s still going strong in Book 2. I guess he had other ideas.
I’ll also debut a new series later this year that I did not expect. I wrote another cozy mystery series and, while writing, had an idea to write a prequel to explain the backstory of some of the supporting characters.
One full novel later, these characters will now become the main characters for another new series. I fully expected to write a short story, but my characters had other ideas!
Helen: Which characters do you enjoy writing the most and why?
Nellie: I enjoy writing most of my characters, each for different reasons. One of the most fun characters to write is my Shadow Slayers villain, Marcus. He gets to say and do things no one else can. Writing his snippy dialog and no-holds-barred actions can really be exciting.
Helen: He sounds like fun to write. What is the most useful piece of advice you’ve received about writing?
Nellie: Write daily, no matter what, no matter how hard it is. I’ve heard this from several other authors as well as writing coaches. There’s a sense that writers have a creative spirit and only write when the mood strikes them. There’s always a reason to put it off for another day. I’ve worked hard to build a good writing routine that is incorporated in my day-to-day life. It’s really helped me push past any sticky plot points.
Helen: Thank you so much for joining me today. Just one last question to close us out. Let’s finish with you telling us something random about yourself.
Nellie: I’m an avid animal lover and I have 14 rescue pets. I can’t say no to a furry face (obviously, lol). Right now, I’ve got 8 cats and 6 dogs. I often incorporate them into my stories. For example, Cate’s dogs are based on two of my teddy bears (Kylo and Finn). And in the new cozy series, the cat Cassie and Lily adopt is based on my own one-eyed wonder, Percy.
About the Author:
An Indies Today finalist for Best Book of the Year 2020 with Cleopatra’s Tomb, Nellie H. Steele made the leap from science to art with her first book, The Secret of Dunhaven Castle.
An animal enthusiast, Nellie often features a version of one of her fourteen rescue animals in her stories, though the fictional pets are usually better behaved than her own fur-babies! A literary split personality, Nellie’s work ranges from cozy mystery to supernatural suspense to riveting adventure.
She lives in the South Hills of Pittsburgh. When she isn’t writing or engaging in animal care, she enjoys teaching Statistics and Data Science at a local university.
Check out all Nellie offers at www.anovelideapublishing.com/novels or at her blog, Nellie’s Book Nook, available at www.nelliesbooknook.com!
For all the latest:
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You can purchase Trouble from Amazon:
UK: eBook
USA: eBook
As an Amazon Associate I may earn commission from purchases made using these links.
If you enjoy fantasy books then you will love my books which are available in eBook, paperback or hardcover: Book One: Sentinals Awaken. Book Two: Sentinals Rising. Book Three: Sentinals Justice. Book 3.5: Sentinals Recovery. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next book releases.
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January 26, 2022
Book Review Alert: Dreams Lie Beneath by Rebecca Ross
Reviewed: January 26th, 2022
Released: November 2nd, 2021
Genre: YA Fantasy
The realm of Azenor has spent years plagued by a curse. Every new moon, magic flows from the nearby mountain and brings nightmares to life. Only magicians—who serve as territory wardens—stand between people and their worst dreams.
Clementine Madigan is ready to take over as the warden of her small town, but when two magicians arrive to challenge her, she is unknowingly drawn into a century-old conflict. She seeks revenge, but as she gets closer to Phelan, one of the handsome young magicians, secrets—as well as romance—begins to rise.
To fight the realm’s curse, which seems to be haunting her every turn, Clementine must unite with her rival. But will their efforts be enough to save Azenor from the nightmares that lurk around every corner? Read My thoughts…
January 24, 2022
Book Review Alert: A Dead Ship in the Deep Black by Rene Astle
Reviewed: January 24th, 2022
Released: August 16th, 2020
Genre: Science Fiction
Rule number 1: Whatever you do, don’t open the box.
Well, that’s rule number two actually. Rule number one is don’t take salvage jobs from people who’ve tried to sell you to an Antillian bug salesman.
Neara “Tink” Bell is used to a life of odd jobs and even odder crewmates, working as the engineer and all-around fixer on the cargo ship Lyra. But when the ship picks up two new crew members and a salvage job on a third-rate space station, things go sideways in a cosmic way.
Alek Wa is on the run. And he’s pretty sure he can hide amongst the motley crew of Lyra. But that’s not the only reason he’s on-board. He has a mission. If only his minders had told him what it was.
Captain Rebeka Mino just wants to retire with a whiskey and a steamy novel. She’d even let the ship’s cat sit on her lap, provided he keeps his claws to himself. Too bad the ship keeps getting shot at. And when they arrive at the coordinates for the salvage job, they’re confronted by a dead ship in the deep black.
Can Tink keep the Lyra running despite unexplained accidents? Can Alek outrun the people hunting him? Can Rebeka prevent their pursuers from blowing them up? Most importantly, can they keep their curiosity in check and not look in the box? Read My thoughts…
January 22, 2022
Author Interview – R.K. Nixon
Helen: Welcome Rosemary, please tell us about your new book.
Rosemary: Nani Gets Lost was released in December 2021. It is about Nani and her friends, Doggy and Gnome, they go to the supermarket to get food for a picnic. Nani loses her friends at the supermarket. The story teaches children what to do if they get lost.
Helen: The cover is so cute. I suppose it was quite easy to decide on the cover and the title?
Rosemary: The front cover is Nani, Doggy and Gnome together. The book is about the three friends so I wanted the front cover to show them all together. It was designed by my illustrator, Carla Vize-Martin.
As a children’s book, the title needed to be simple, easy to say and describe the story. ‘Nani Gets Lost’ explains what the story is about and is appealing to children. It’s a simple sentence but it took a lot of attempts to find the right words in the right order.
Helen: It is quite amazing how sometimes the simplest things take the longest to create. What inspired you write this book?
Rosemary: I wrote this book for my youngest daughter. It is about her toy Rabbit, Nani. Emily takes Nani everywhere, they get up to a lot of adventures together; so I wrote one of those adventures down for her. I’ve always loved making up stories. I started writing one for my oldest daughter when she was born. I wanted to write her a story that I could read to her and it snowballed from there. It was wonderful feeling being able to hand her her very own book that was written for her. I enjoy writing children’s fantasy, although one day I would like to write an adult historical drama.
Helen: What a great feeling that must be. Congratulations on publishing your book! It must be so exciting introducing children to the wonderful world of reading. Where do you get the ideas for your books? What are you working on now?
Rosemary: I get my inspiration from my daughters and husband. They are always playing imaginary games and creating new worlds, they often come out with something that sparks my imagination. Usually I write around my children’s hobbys; whilst I’m sat waiting for them to finish. Sometimes ideas come to me when I least expect it so I have a page on my phone where I can write them down so I don’t forget them. My current WIP is the second book in The Alexander Adventures. It is about a mischievous pixie that causes havoc in Orchantia, the realm of the fairies.
Helen: Tell us about your writing space. Do you listen to music while you write, or is silence your preferred environment?
Rosemary: I often have music playing in the background. I have an eclectic taste in music, so it can be anything from classical to rock but often I pick calm music if I am writing.
Helen: And do you have a writing nook? Somewhere you can squirrel away and focus on your writing?
Rosemary: I like writing on my couch, next to the window so I can look at the view to give me a bit of inspiration. It gets the most sun, so it’s always warm and it looks out over the fields, if I’m lucky I get to see a family of deer walking along.
Helen: Sounds lovely! Do you have the chance to read much? Who is your favorite author?
Rosemary: I love reading historical novels, I would love to write a story like that one day. I have to confess I have got out of the habit of reading (there’s just not enough time in the day!) so I haven’t read anything for a while. I really enjoyed the Cousins Series by Philippa Gregory.
My favourite author would have to be Roald Dahl, I grew up reading his books and now my children are reading them. There are a few authors that inspire me; Roald Dahl, Julia Donaldson, J. R. R. Tolkien, but it is my family that keeps encouraging me to keep going.
Helen: We are drawing to a close now, please tell us something random about yourself.
Rosemary: I have a cookie bite hearing loss. I’ve had it since I was born but only found out about it when I was 30. I now have fancy hearing aids which I can play music on which is amazing.
Helen: Technology is so clever these days. You have a built in radio! It’s been lovely meeting you, Rosemary. Just to finish with, what advice would you give to other aspiring authors?
Rosemary: ‘Don’t give up. If you believe in your work it will happen.’ Indie Author, Lee Hall. Just write. Put your ideas down on paper, worry about the editing once your story is written.
For more information:
About the Author:
R.K NixonR.K Nixon has written two books; The Aquarius Stone (published, 2020) and Nani Gets Lost (Published, 2021). She grew up loving books, especially fantasy and now writes her own. Up until December she worked as a Speech and Language Therapist, so she understands the importance of stories for developing children’s language skills and imagination. She lives with her two very energetic girls, Emily and Charlotte and her husband, Mel, who is a child at heart. It can be a very noisy house at times but they are always giving her lots of fun ideas for new stories.
You can purchase Nani Gets Lost from Amazon:
USA: eBook
As an Amazon Associate I may earn commission from purchases made using these links.
If you enjoy fantasy books then you will love my books which are available in eBook, paperback or hardcover: Book One: Sentinals Awaken. Book Two: Sentinals Rising. Book Three: Sentinals Justice. Book 3.5: Sentinals Recovery. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next book releases.
Subscribe to my Newsletter
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