Talli Roland's Blog, page 46

Off to Halifax!

Tomorrow, after more than two years away, I'll jet across the ocean and back to where I grew up: just outside of Halifax, Nova Scotia. A lot has happened in those two years: I've got engaged, got married, got British and got two books published with more on the way!

It's the first time my husband will have been to my homeland without freezing his butt off in the winter deep-freeze, and we're planning to hit Price Edward Island and make a sojourn to Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Island. I did my M...

Thank You for the Books!

[image error] It's Tuesday and two more days until I take off to the homeland! So -- because my brain has already gone on holiday -- I've decided to skip today's Ten for Tuesday. I'm such a renegade, I know.

Last weekend, the wonderful reviewer Rhiana Reads featured me on her blog, talking about how my sleeplessness made me the reader and writer I am today.

So I ask you: who or what influenced you to read or write the books you do?

Big thanks to everyone who has written about my upcoming Blogsplash and to...

Where the Wild Things Are

The Tube makes me nervous.

It's not the hurtling-through-rat-infested tracks that causes my anxiety, though: it's sitting straight across from another row of people and trying desperately hard not to look at them. Because on the London Underground, locking eyes is a definite no-no.

Forget people watching. On the Tube, you're lucky if you can engage in a spot of sneaker watching! The best thing to do is to gaze into the darkness outside the window, keeping your face carefully neutral despite wha...

Speed Dating for Authors

Can you think of anything worse? Although I've never had to do speed-dating of any sort, one of my friends ended up having a very awkward ten minutes with an ex-boyfriend when she came face to face with him during one session. Oh, the torture.

This weekend I'll find out if the author version is just as painful. Thanks to a free ticket from a friend (yay EDN!), I'll be attending the Indie Alliance Weekend at the legendary Foyles in Charing Cross. On Sunday morning, I'll be speed dating Max...

Help! My Alter Ego's Taking Over!

Most of you know that Talli Roland isn't my real name. I write travel guides under my real name, Marsha Moore. But even though Talli's not what I grew up with, it's rapidly becoming more familiar than my birth-name. The other day, I even found myself signing a cheque with 'Talli'. Yikes!

Many writers have pen-names -- some even more than one. In this age of author branding, I'd love to hear how they manage to devote time to leveraging all their personalities. Because whenever I try to spend t...

I. Am. Annoyed.

I'll start with the happy stuff: lots of good things happening around the Blogosphere today! Elana and Jen have great contests to win awesome books; the talented Crystal Cook is doing an art giveaway and Melissa is holding Harry Potter Giveaway!

So. Why am I annoyed, when there's so much coolness going on? Let me begin by professing that I hold The Guardian in high esteem. Even before I moved to London, it seemed the very pinnacle of leftist idealism -- all shiny happy socialism and such.

But i...

Ten for Tuesday: My Favourite Places

I'm leaving for my pilgrimage back home to Canada in just under ten days, and it's got me thinking about my favourite places.

1. Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada (pictured). It's where I grew up, with all the emotion that has attached to it. But more than that, it's a friendly, warm place with beautiful scenery and plenty of ocean. And some great dark rum.
2. Kensington Church Walk, London. A small walkway off of High Street Kensington where time seems to have stopped.

3. Rynek, Wroclaw, Poland.

Me and My Blankie

First off, massive thanks to everyone who signed up to my Take On Amazon Blogsplash. Over 110 bloggers signed up this weekend alone -- see the list here! I think I've managed to email everyone now. And thank you for not laughing when I told you my dream of making it on to the Kindle Bestseller list. Or my goal of 1000 bloggers! Why not think big, right? :) If enough people hear about what I'm trying to do, it might just happen.

In the past two years of my writing life, a constant companion ha...

On December 1, Help Me Take on Amazon!

Happy Friday all!

So...I need your help, blogging buddies (and apologies to any new bloggers dropping by here from Karen's party! Feel free to browse other posts!).

On December 1, The Hating Game will be released as an e-book, ahead of its UK hard-copy launch in early 2011. I can't wait! I'm excited because anyone, anywhere in the world can buy a copy of the e-book version on Amazon. You don't even need to have a Kindle to read it -- you can download the Kindle software to your computer and rea...

If I Stay

First of all, what the heck is with the difference in covers between the US and the UK? I really don't get it (I've blogged about this before, but I'm too lazy to track down the link).

Anyway. This is the second book on my Transworld Summer Reading Challenge. Having finished this more than a month ago, I must admit I'm much better at reading than reviewing.

Amazon blurb:

'Just listen,' Adam says with a voice that sounds like shrapnel. I open my eyes wide now. I sit up as much as I can. And I...