Heidi Angell's Blog, page 27
August 24, 2016
Book Review Reader Magnets by Nick Stephenson
Genre:Nonfiction/ MarketingSynopsis:Reader Magnets are what bring readers to YOU.They're an irresistible force that draw readers in to your author platform - the promise of getting great value content and building a valuable connection. That's what it's all about, after all - making meaningful relationships with your audience and having a direct line to your readers. I started using Reader Magnets a little over six months ago. I didn't even have a term for it back then. Since I put these measures in place, over 15,000 readers have signed up to hear from me about new releases and promotions - all in just a few months. My readers trust me with their contact details for good reason. I give them good content. In return, they buy my books. These guys are my fans. I appreciate every last one of them - and they're the reason I get to write for a living.What Reader Magnets Have Done for Me:- My last email - I made $547 in book sales.- I launch every new book into the top #900 or better.- I don't need to rely on Amazon for an income.- I don't need to pay advertisers to get sales.- I saw my first 1,000 subscribers after just a couple of weeks.- My click-rate is five times higher than the industry average- My open-rate is more than double. How?It's all about getting readers to commit. Get their email addresses. Follow up. Build value. Build your brand.Let me repeat the headline again: I picked up 15,000 new reader email addresses in less time than it takes for most people to write a new book. I got my first 1,000 readers signed up in just a couple of weeks. My click-rates are through the roof. I do this with Reader Magnets - and you can too. Download the e-book to find out how – as well as the ebook edition, you’ll also get:- access to my course “Find your First 10,000 Readers” for free- a PDF edition of the book (in case your e-reader doesn’t handle screenshots well)- the chance to get your burning questions answered at the Reader Magnets community. Here's to your success!My Take:I heard a rumor that Mr. Stephenson is updating the book, but if he did, that update didn't get to me. I got this book about 8 months ago, but as I had other "stuff" in my marketing to do list to get to the point where I could really use this, I was focusing on those bits first.This is a short book (I think it is his own Reader Magnet, and yet there wasn't a "freebie offered at the beginning or end". Strange that he didn't use his own advice.) and at 50 pages it was a pretty quick read. (knocked it out in less than 1 hour. If only implementation would be so quick!)The advice is pretty standard stuff that I have gathered over the years online. The part where I hoped it would be helpful was in the "details" and for me, it was a disappointment. I couldn't follow the step-by-step instructions because the information was out of date. I am in the process of re-launching my first book right before the release of the sequel, so I will be implementing these techniques, but will be on my own to try to figure out how to get it all to work.Hopefully it will. If you are interested in a follow up to see how this worked, let me know in the comments and I will put it on my calendar to do an update three months after the books launch.Until next time,Keep Reading!
August 22, 2016
What Goes On in the Mind of a Psychopath/Sociopath?
Hello Lovelies,I have a special guest today, Andy Peloquin, who is sharing with you some really neat research he did for his series The Last Bucelarii. Without further ado, here is Andy.In late 2015, I wrote a blog post titled "Inside the Mind of a Killer". In it, I shared some information I had learned from a paper the Secret Service had written on assassins and killers. For example, did you know there are eight major reasons to become an assassin?To achieve notoriety or fameTo bring attention to a personal or public problemTo avenge a perceived wrong; to retaliate for a perceived injuryTo end personal pain; to be removed from society; to be killedTo save the country or the world; to fix a world problemTo develop a special relationship with the targetTo make moneyTo bring about political change
Why am I sharing this? Simple: the main character in my dark fantasy series The Last Bucelarii is an assassin. Not your usual "hero" or protagonist, I know, but I feel that's what makes him so much more of an enjoyable character.When you first meet the character "the Hunter", you see him killing for the simplest motivation of all: to make money. He demands such high fees that only the wealthiest can pay him. But he never fails, so he has earned a reputation for being ruthless and relentless. Plus, he can't be killed, making him the perfect unstoppable killer. All what you'd expect from a classic "villain".But as you delve into the character more, you come to understand that his real motivation is a bit deeper than just making money. In fact, it's more along the lines of #4.You see, despite his immortality, he has no memories of his past. His first memory is walking into Voramis (the city where he lives), and he can't remember anything beyond that. The only thing he has from his past is a dagger, one he named Soulhunger due to its lust for death. It is a persistent voice in his mind, driving him to kill, begging for blood. If he doesn't kill, the dagger gets louder and more demanding until he has no choice but to give it what it asks for. He kills to end personal pain--the pain in his mind resulting from the dagger's demands.When I started writing this character, I wanted to make him an unflappable, unshakeable, ruthless person who never felt fear. But that's so dehumanizing! After all, humans know fear, have to fight to overcome it on a daily basis, so a character that felt no fear would be a hard one to relate to. I had the motivation for his killing (to make money), but that couldn't be the ONLY motivation. As I read over the list of motivations, I found that the one I liked best was the "end personal pain" one. A "hero" would champion a cause, but an anti-hero would have other motivations. His primary motivation, though he won't admit it even to himself, is to find peace from the voices in his mind. Only by killing will he silence the voices and find the peace he craves.
Thanks so much for being a guest on Angell's Life, Andy! This was fun!Do you want to learn more about Andy's books? Well, keep tuned because I was so excited when I read this guest post, that I went and got both books! I will have the reviews up soon.Are you as enamored as I am and don't want to wait? I totally get it. You can grab a copy ofBlade of the Destroyer, the first book in the series on Amazon for $3.99. And the second book just came out this weekend, and you can grabLament of the Fallen, for $3.99.Until next time,Keep Reading!
Why am I sharing this? Simple: the main character in my dark fantasy series The Last Bucelarii is an assassin. Not your usual "hero" or protagonist, I know, but I feel that's what makes him so much more of an enjoyable character.When you first meet the character "the Hunter", you see him killing for the simplest motivation of all: to make money. He demands such high fees that only the wealthiest can pay him. But he never fails, so he has earned a reputation for being ruthless and relentless. Plus, he can't be killed, making him the perfect unstoppable killer. All what you'd expect from a classic "villain".But as you delve into the character more, you come to understand that his real motivation is a bit deeper than just making money. In fact, it's more along the lines of #4.You see, despite his immortality, he has no memories of his past. His first memory is walking into Voramis (the city where he lives), and he can't remember anything beyond that. The only thing he has from his past is a dagger, one he named Soulhunger due to its lust for death. It is a persistent voice in his mind, driving him to kill, begging for blood. If he doesn't kill, the dagger gets louder and more demanding until he has no choice but to give it what it asks for. He kills to end personal pain--the pain in his mind resulting from the dagger's demands.When I started writing this character, I wanted to make him an unflappable, unshakeable, ruthless person who never felt fear. But that's so dehumanizing! After all, humans know fear, have to fight to overcome it on a daily basis, so a character that felt no fear would be a hard one to relate to. I had the motivation for his killing (to make money), but that couldn't be the ONLY motivation. As I read over the list of motivations, I found that the one I liked best was the "end personal pain" one. A "hero" would champion a cause, but an anti-hero would have other motivations. His primary motivation, though he won't admit it even to himself, is to find peace from the voices in his mind. Only by killing will he silence the voices and find the peace he craves.Thanks so much for being a guest on Angell's Life, Andy! This was fun!Do you want to learn more about Andy's books? Well, keep tuned because I was so excited when I read this guest post, that I went and got both books! I will have the reviews up soon.Are you as enamored as I am and don't want to wait? I totally get it. You can grab a copy ofBlade of the Destroyer, the first book in the series on Amazon for $3.99. And the second book just came out this weekend, and you can grabLament of the Fallen, for $3.99.Until next time,Keep Reading!
August 19, 2016
Poetry Corner: Uniforms
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
This song is getting boring,as much to you as me.It's made up of only one note,in only one key.I object to uniforms.Life is monotonous enough as is.If everyone wore the same clothesthe same way?How tediousGee whiz.Teens have enough rules placed upon themHow can they express themselves,if they can't even dress themselvesCome on.Wearing the exact thing as DawnIs as logical as everyone dyeing their hair blond.If we all get blue contacts,then we can say"let's all look the same, every day."Your destroying their individual worth.What are they, if they can't express who they are?If we force them to all dress the same,then we will know who to blameWhen mankind endsand robot-kind takes over.Until next time,Keep Reading!
This song is getting boring,as much to you as me.It's made up of only one note,in only one key.I object to uniforms.Life is monotonous enough as is.If everyone wore the same clothesthe same way?How tediousGee whiz.Teens have enough rules placed upon themHow can they express themselves,if they can't even dress themselvesCome on.Wearing the exact thing as DawnIs as logical as everyone dyeing their hair blond.If we all get blue contacts,then we can say"let's all look the same, every day."Your destroying their individual worth.What are they, if they can't express who they are?If we force them to all dress the same,then we will know who to blameWhen mankind endsand robot-kind takes over.Until next time,Keep Reading!
August 17, 2016
Book Review I, Zombie by Jo Michaels
Genre:YA/ Dystopia? IDK, it has Zombies!!Synopsis:It's the end of the world as we know it. Trixie Collins is a normal teen making her way through high school. One night at a party, a boy comes on to her and won't take no for an answer. As she jerks her arm away, his fingernails cut into her skin. When she finds her dog's mutilated body and realizes she's to blame, she starts to think maybe the zombie apocalypse they've been screaming about on the news isn't a hoax after all. Worse, she begins to think maybe she's one of the infected. Now it's a fight for life as she joins together with her brethren to stop the humans intent on destroying them. Are zombies all bad, or is it just a huge misunderstanding?My Take:This was a fun and creative twist on the Zombie stories of late, coming at it from the perspective of people infected with a weird virus that mimics zombie behavior. I appreciated that the author obviously did some research to come up with a plausible explanation for Zombieism beyond "random unexplained viral outbreak/ voodoo/ witchcraft". That was pretty cool, and the fact that she based it on a mutation of an actual real virus, the Kuru virus, that comes from cannibalism was even cooler! But don't research the disease until after you finish the book. It will take you down a rabbit hole!I enjoyed this more than Warm Bodies, despite the eww factor of zombie romance, but there was this niggling in my brain that it felt a bit familiar. I consume way too much Zombie entertainment, so it took me a minute to figure it out...
Yeah, it was very strange. Not sure if it is a zeitgeist thing (the first season of iZombie came out in 2014, and this book was released in 2014. Before the TV series, I had not heard of the comics, and I am not sure most people had either.) But creepy, the similarities. Both girls are infected at a party that they should probably not have been at. One is on a house boat on a lake, the other is a hurricane party. Both are infected by a scratch from a guy who is putting on the moves and they are not interested! Both don't realize that they are turning into Zombies...Fortunately, that is the end of the similarities (unless you count the delightful spunk the writers imbue upon the main characters, but each has her own unique flavor, so I won't count it!)In a lot of ways, I enjoyed Ms. Michaels' I, Zombie more than iZombie. There was a lot of thought put into not only how one would contract such a virus, but also how that virus would affect humanity.Was it perfect? Naw, there is no such thing. There were a few Deus Ex Machina moments, and a couple of points where I felt the story could have gone a less cliche route and been so much better, but on the whole it was a pretty good read that is quite thought-provoking for YA readers.Totally passing this off to my teen boys, as I think it will curb their zombie-fervor end of the world hopes and dreams. Really makes one think if "Smash 'em til their all dead" is the best approach in the Zombie Apocalypse.Wanna giveI, Zombiea try? You can grab it for only $3.99 from Amazon. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.Until next time,Keep Reading!
August 15, 2016
Meet Author Liz Keel
Hello Lovelies,Today we get to meet the charming Liz Keel who lives in Surrey, England, just a short walk from the beautiful Windsor Park, with her husband Richard and two children. For Liz, writing is nothing short of an addiction and she often finds herself sneaking out to her writing shack for just a few minutes, which can often turn into hours of pure, unadulterated bliss catching up with her characters and continuing their story. In-between writing, she teaches in a primary school where there’s never a dull moment!Hello Liz, and welcome to An Angell's Life! What is the current book you are promoting?
Enlightenment, (#1 in the Driel Trilogy), a Young Adult Fantasy Romance. Without giving too much away, the story revolves around a girl called Thea who gets thrown into the unknown realm of Faey. Here she is forced to determine the difference between reality and fantasy, in a world ruled by a dark elite and a society wracked by intolerance and prejudice. On this journey, she has the support of her new friends to help her as well as a mysterious dark haired, blue-eyed guardian who watches her every move.Ooh, sounds like an exciting fantasy adventure! Who is your favorite character in your book and why?There are two that I can’t choose between! The first has to be Thea, the one the trilogy evolves around. She is feisty, loyal, passionate and determined. You’ll see how her strength of character develops as a result of the challenges she faces.I’m also rather fond of Bay, one of the friend’s Thea makes in book one. He’s one of those friend’s everyone needs – mischievous and generally good fun to be around.Thea sounds like my kind of girl. Where do you come up with your stories?I’d say it’s a culmination of lots of different things. Firstly I love using my imagination to create other worlds. Alongside that, I have a complete addiction to reading and love a wide variety of genres including young adult, fantasy, paranormal and romance which have all inspired me to finally write my own novel. (Enlightenment is the first story I’ve written).Ha, ha, I feel the same way! I prefer writing because I prefer reading, but if I couldn't write, I would still be a story teller. What is one great lesson you have learned as a writer?There are so many I’ve already learnt, but the one that stands out has got to be to keep persevering! Enlightenment was published at the end of April and in preparation for this, I had to set up social media sites as well as my own website which has been good fun but hard work. And then it’s about supporting the publishers by getting the word out there about your book, something that takes up a lot of time but is well worth it; connecting with your readers as well as potential audience is so rewarding.What is your next project?I’ve just finished book 2, Entanglement, which is currently with the publishers ready for editing and should be released later this year. I’m also working on a young adult paranormal story involving vampires.Thanks for joining us today Liz! If you would like to keep up with Liz, follow her onFacebook,Twitter, andInstagram. To learn more about her, check out herwebsite.Want to giveEnlightenmenta go? You can get it on Amazon for only 99¢.Until next time,Keep Reading!
Enlightenment, (#1 in the Driel Trilogy), a Young Adult Fantasy Romance. Without giving too much away, the story revolves around a girl called Thea who gets thrown into the unknown realm of Faey. Here she is forced to determine the difference between reality and fantasy, in a world ruled by a dark elite and a society wracked by intolerance and prejudice. On this journey, she has the support of her new friends to help her as well as a mysterious dark haired, blue-eyed guardian who watches her every move.Ooh, sounds like an exciting fantasy adventure! Who is your favorite character in your book and why?There are two that I can’t choose between! The first has to be Thea, the one the trilogy evolves around. She is feisty, loyal, passionate and determined. You’ll see how her strength of character develops as a result of the challenges she faces.I’m also rather fond of Bay, one of the friend’s Thea makes in book one. He’s one of those friend’s everyone needs – mischievous and generally good fun to be around.Thea sounds like my kind of girl. Where do you come up with your stories?I’d say it’s a culmination of lots of different things. Firstly I love using my imagination to create other worlds. Alongside that, I have a complete addiction to reading and love a wide variety of genres including young adult, fantasy, paranormal and romance which have all inspired me to finally write my own novel. (Enlightenment is the first story I’ve written).Ha, ha, I feel the same way! I prefer writing because I prefer reading, but if I couldn't write, I would still be a story teller. What is one great lesson you have learned as a writer?There are so many I’ve already learnt, but the one that stands out has got to be to keep persevering! Enlightenment was published at the end of April and in preparation for this, I had to set up social media sites as well as my own website which has been good fun but hard work. And then it’s about supporting the publishers by getting the word out there about your book, something that takes up a lot of time but is well worth it; connecting with your readers as well as potential audience is so rewarding.What is your next project?I’ve just finished book 2, Entanglement, which is currently with the publishers ready for editing and should be released later this year. I’m also working on a young adult paranormal story involving vampires.Thanks for joining us today Liz! If you would like to keep up with Liz, follow her onFacebook,Twitter, andInstagram. To learn more about her, check out herwebsite.Want to giveEnlightenmenta go? You can get it on Amazon for only 99¢.Until next time,Keep Reading!
August 12, 2016
Poetry Corner: Every Time
Every time I think of you,
it turns grey skies to blue.Every time I think of you.All my dreams come true.Because every time you're on my mind,there is nothing I can say.I feel joy of every kind,you send love my way.Every time I think of you,I want you home with me.It seems there's nothing I can do,to set my loneliness free.Every time I think of you,you touch my very soul.you have my heart, what can I do?To make your life whole?All I want is to see you smile,this means the world to me.You make my life all worthwhile.You are my ecstasy.There's nothing more that I can say,You've made my life complete.I love you more each passing day,because our love is oh so sweet.This is a special poem, for my special husband. Those who know us well, know we are hardly a sappy couple. But if anyone could hope to tap the sap in me, it would be him.Love you, James Angell!Until next time,Keep Reading!
it turns grey skies to blue.Every time I think of you.All my dreams come true.Because every time you're on my mind,there is nothing I can say.I feel joy of every kind,you send love my way.Every time I think of you,I want you home with me.It seems there's nothing I can do,to set my loneliness free.Every time I think of you,you touch my very soul.you have my heart, what can I do?To make your life whole?All I want is to see you smile,this means the world to me.You make my life all worthwhile.You are my ecstasy.There's nothing more that I can say,You've made my life complete.I love you more each passing day,because our love is oh so sweet.This is a special poem, for my special husband. Those who know us well, know we are hardly a sappy couple. But if anyone could hope to tap the sap in me, it would be him.Love you, James Angell!Until next time,Keep Reading!
August 10, 2016
Book Review: Discovery: Book 1 of The Hybrid series
Genre:Sci-fi/EroticaSynopsis:Enmeshed in a universe that wants to use her, a rare alien/human hybrid must find her way through political intrigue, lust, violence and ambition to discover who and what she is.Chesara extraordinary ability means she is coddled, pampered and in high demand from the wealthy of the Universe as she can heal illnesses and injuries far beyond the skills of medical science. Being pursued for herself, rather than her ability is a new experience, and one that thrills her to the core. Unfortunately things that seem too good to be true, usually are.Contains graphic scenes M/F and some violence. It is intended for a mature audience only.My Take:I totally missed the mature audience warning label and thought I was reading a really awesome sci-fi book, but wow does it get graphic! If you do not like reading books with detailed sex in them, do not get this book. Stop reading this review, and come back Friday to enjoy some of my nice clean poetry, but if you do not mind reading books with sex, keep reading the review~I rarely read erotica or romance novels because their stories feel so... forced? The only genre I had ever really gotten into of that nature were the Harlequin historical romances, and most of those I would have enjoyed more if there was less sex!Despite several of the sex scenes in Discovery making me uncomfortable because I didn't realize this was erotica, I really enjoyed this book! It isn't erotica that takes place in space. It is an amazing story that also has sex in it. And unlike those historical romances that I felt would have been better without the sex, this story is really geared around how this alien being is raised in human society and not taught about her own culture, but her biological needs (mating rituals and sexual proclivities) create a host of complications for her existence as she comes into her sexuality.I devoured this book in one night. I was just that caught up in Chesara's story. And although the sex does make me uncomfortable, I will be getting the next books in the series, because I am as bewitched by here as Conner was!Now, I just have to address something that has always made me feel weird about reading erotica and romance books. Because I like to think of myself as a fairly liberated female. I enjoy sex. I don't mind talking about it, and I don't mind it in movies as long as I am not watching said movies with my boys.But reading about sex, the way we write about sex is awkward. Why? Well, here is the big issue I have, which this author brought back to me. There is a really bizarre double-standard in the way we write about sex. As a female who enjoys sex, it really bothers me that so many erotica books involve rape-like situations. What is that all about? Sex and rape do not go hand in hand, and yet there is a whole category in erotica about rape? That really bothers me.I do appreciate that this author addresses a really important issue with her writing about rape, and was able to do it so seamlessly, that just because a person is aroused does not mean that non-consensual sex is not rape. I will forgive her the rape cliche because she turns it on it's head and creates a really important message in the telling of it. But a lot of erotica doesn't make a point like this with rape scenes. They eroticize rape and treat it like either it is the reason a woman is a prude, or that it is the only way to awaken her own sexual desires. I don't think those are healthy messages for society to be absorbing.Another double standard is the way that sex organs are described in erotica. The woman's anatomy is described in beautiful, figurative, graceful similies "her maidenhead" "the delicate folds/ petals/ flower" or the safely vague "her sex".But the way they describe male sex organs is very blunt, vulgar, direct. "His throbbing c*ck," "He thrust in b*lls deep", "Veins gorged along his large d*ck"Really? Why the double standard? I find the male form, even the male sex organ, as deserving of poetry and beautiful simile as the female body. Just sayin'.Ok, so there is my gripe about erotica, and despite not enjoying erotica, I did thoroughly enjoy this book and am eager to read the next books in the series.Would you like to readDiscovery, book one in The Hybrid series? You can get it on Amazon for only 99¢Until next time,Keep Reading!
August 8, 2016
Meet the Author with Simon Williams
Hello Lovelies,I'm excited to introduce you to Simon Williams, the author of the Aona dark fantasy series, of which four books have been published so far- Oblivion's Forge, Secret Roads, The Endless Shore and The Spiral Heart. The fifth book, Salvation's Door just came out. Simon has also written a sci-fi / fantasy / supernatural book, Summer's Dark Waters aimed at younger readers. Simon is a philanthorpist, andall the royalties from sales of Summer's Dark Waters go towards TACT (tactcare.org.uk), an adoption and fostering charity.Simon, welcome to an Angell's Life! What made you want to write?I suppose I feel like I've always been a writer, but there are authors I've read (mostly when I was a kid) who deeply influenced me to the degree that I didn't really want to be anything else.I'm not sure which of my influences show through most in my books, but the author who made me decide to become a fantasy writer was Alan Garner, so he was certainly the most profoundly influential writer during my childhood. Others (at various stages) have included Clive Barker, Cecilia Dart-Thornton, Tad Williams, C.J Cherryh and Ian Irvine.In terms of how it captured my imagination and changed the course of my life, still has to be Alan Garner’s The Weirdstone of Brisingamen and its sequel The Moon of Gomrath.The response from readers has encouraged me to keep going, and to increase my rate of output. There's nothing like a rave review or even just an encouraging comment to help me kick on and get moving on whatever my current project happens to be. It's fair to say it's the comments, reviews and encouragement from fans that has helped me keep going more than anything else.
I feel ya! being able to touch others with your effort really makes all that we go through worth it. What is the current book you are promoting?Salvation’s Door, which is the fifth and final book in the Aona dark fantasy / sci-fi series. The preceding books have had a lot of favourable reviews so I’m hoping the finale lives up to the reputation that the series seems to be slowly gaining.Who is your favorite character in your book and why?Her name is Nia. She is immensely complicated, and seems to conjure up a lot of conflicting feelings for readers as well. To me, that’s what makes a story so much more immersive- a character who is multi-faceted and who people can (to an extent) identify with. In my books, everyone’s there for a reason. There are some peripheral characters who I care a little less about, but generally speaking each person has a role to play, otherwise they wouldn’t really be in the story at all.Some of my peripheral characters are my favorites! If you could have your book made into a movie, who would you want to direct it?Oddly enough, I probably wouldn’t choose someone known for directing fantasy as such. I’d probably make a more left-field choice. Some of my favourite directors include David Lynch, Ben Wheatley, Guillermo del Toro, etc. So it would be someone who could almost deconstruct it in such a way that it doesn’t present as straightforward fantasy- because the books blur genres and concentrate on the characters more than the settings.Guillermo del Toro would be really good at that, for sure. He is remarkable in the way he brings characters to life. What is your next project?The sequel to my YA sci-fi / fantasy novel Summer’s Dark Waters, currently titled The Light From Far Below, will probably be next. This is a challenge of a quite different sort for me- it’s become a pre-apocalyptic tale of urban paranoia which makes uneasy reading even for me, so it needs to be shaped appropriately for its intended readership- those poor folks who will have to contend with what remains of this world in the decades ahead.Secondly, my book for younger kids, which I’m reluctant to give any details about at this point in case it doesn’t see the light of day. It’s a big leap into the unknown in terms of writing style, and depending on what the beta readers think, it may be shelved. But I’d like to think it has some potential- so I’m aiming to complete it and then we’ll see if it wilts or blooms in the light of scrutiny.Summer's Dark Waters sounds intense. Right up my alley. Look forward to seeing how that comes along! If you could never write again, what would you do?I honestly don’t know, because I’ve never really had much ability or talent when it comes to any other walks of life. Actually I could hopefully use some kind of speech software if I lost the use of my hands, so maybe I could still “write” – although it would clearly be more difficult. But if I couldn’t, I guess I’d spend all my time just reading instead. I never really had much of a gift for anything academic as such- and although I did try to have a career at one point, I quickly realised it wasn't for me. Maybe I just hated commuting and office politics even more than other people?!I feel ya, Simon. I hated office politics and I love the commute from my bed to my laptop every day. Thank you for joining us. It was a delight to learn about you and your books.Want to learn more about Simon and his works? Check out hiswebsite.Keep up with him on Twitter@SWilliamsAuthorandFacebook. Learn more about his book interests onGoodreads.Are you as eager to check outSummer's Dark Watersas I am? You can get it on Amazon for only $2.99Want to give the Aona Series a go? Grab the first book in the series,Oblivion's Forge, on Amazon of only 99¢Until next time,Keep Reading!
I feel ya! being able to touch others with your effort really makes all that we go through worth it. What is the current book you are promoting?Salvation’s Door, which is the fifth and final book in the Aona dark fantasy / sci-fi series. The preceding books have had a lot of favourable reviews so I’m hoping the finale lives up to the reputation that the series seems to be slowly gaining.Who is your favorite character in your book and why?Her name is Nia. She is immensely complicated, and seems to conjure up a lot of conflicting feelings for readers as well. To me, that’s what makes a story so much more immersive- a character who is multi-faceted and who people can (to an extent) identify with. In my books, everyone’s there for a reason. There are some peripheral characters who I care a little less about, but generally speaking each person has a role to play, otherwise they wouldn’t really be in the story at all.Some of my peripheral characters are my favorites! If you could have your book made into a movie, who would you want to direct it?Oddly enough, I probably wouldn’t choose someone known for directing fantasy as such. I’d probably make a more left-field choice. Some of my favourite directors include David Lynch, Ben Wheatley, Guillermo del Toro, etc. So it would be someone who could almost deconstruct it in such a way that it doesn’t present as straightforward fantasy- because the books blur genres and concentrate on the characters more than the settings.Guillermo del Toro would be really good at that, for sure. He is remarkable in the way he brings characters to life. What is your next project?The sequel to my YA sci-fi / fantasy novel Summer’s Dark Waters, currently titled The Light From Far Below, will probably be next. This is a challenge of a quite different sort for me- it’s become a pre-apocalyptic tale of urban paranoia which makes uneasy reading even for me, so it needs to be shaped appropriately for its intended readership- those poor folks who will have to contend with what remains of this world in the decades ahead.Secondly, my book for younger kids, which I’m reluctant to give any details about at this point in case it doesn’t see the light of day. It’s a big leap into the unknown in terms of writing style, and depending on what the beta readers think, it may be shelved. But I’d like to think it has some potential- so I’m aiming to complete it and then we’ll see if it wilts or blooms in the light of scrutiny.Summer's Dark Waters sounds intense. Right up my alley. Look forward to seeing how that comes along! If you could never write again, what would you do?I honestly don’t know, because I’ve never really had much ability or talent when it comes to any other walks of life. Actually I could hopefully use some kind of speech software if I lost the use of my hands, so maybe I could still “write” – although it would clearly be more difficult. But if I couldn’t, I guess I’d spend all my time just reading instead. I never really had much of a gift for anything academic as such- and although I did try to have a career at one point, I quickly realised it wasn't for me. Maybe I just hated commuting and office politics even more than other people?!I feel ya, Simon. I hated office politics and I love the commute from my bed to my laptop every day. Thank you for joining us. It was a delight to learn about you and your books.Want to learn more about Simon and his works? Check out hiswebsite.Keep up with him on Twitter@SWilliamsAuthorandFacebook. Learn more about his book interests onGoodreads.Are you as eager to check outSummer's Dark Watersas I am? You can get it on Amazon for only $2.99Want to give the Aona Series a go? Grab the first book in the series,Oblivion's Forge, on Amazon of only 99¢Until next time,Keep Reading!
August 5, 2016
Poetry Corner: Ode to a Milk Dud
A Milk Dud is the best.
Better than all the rest.Much better than Tommy or Billy or JuddSo I write this ode to the sweet Milk Dud.The Milk Dud is perfect,lacking a defect.Its sweet chocolate outsideis impossible to deride.And its caramel center is,Well, it is better than Hunter is.The sweet perfect Milk Dudis better than your boyfriend's best bud. Image Courtesy ofBest of PictureBut this doesn't do justiceto the Milk Dud, it just is.Hope you enjoyed this silly little poem.Until next time,Keep Reading!
Better than all the rest.Much better than Tommy or Billy or JuddSo I write this ode to the sweet Milk Dud.The Milk Dud is perfect,lacking a defect.Its sweet chocolate outsideis impossible to deride.And its caramel center is,Well, it is better than Hunter is.The sweet perfect Milk Dudis better than your boyfriend's best bud. Image Courtesy ofBest of PictureBut this doesn't do justiceto the Milk Dud, it just is.Hope you enjoyed this silly little poem.Until next time,Keep Reading!
August 3, 2016
Book Review: Sarah's Gift: Believing in the Magic by Erica Tucci
Genre:Midgrade/ childrens?Synopsis:“Pay attention to the magic in the world,” the crow chirped. “You can create anything you like through magic. Your thoughts are powerful!” Sarah is a fifth grader and she has a gift. She can see spirits. When she meets Leila, a fourth grader with telekinetic abilities, she is ecstatic that she has found a friend like her. But when Leila uses her powers against the kids who taunt her in school, Sarah takes Leila under her wing and teaches her how to use them in a positive way. In the end, Leila “saves the day!” Activities at the end of the book help reinforce the story. Inspired by Dr. Steven Farmer’s Children’s Spirit Animal Cards.My thoughts:I am not looking forward to having to give this book a rating on Amazon and Goodreads. Children's books are so hard to rate, in my opinion, because you have to take into account the intended audience. Their ability to understand, their attention span, their vocabulary level, the message of the story, the artwork (there was artwork in this book!) and just so much.I had a really hard time classifying this book. I hate the label "Midgrade" because it sort of becomes a catch all. And technically, because of the age, this is an early Midgrade series. The main character is in 5th grade and it is the second book in the series. So yeah.Unfortunately, when I and my kids think of mid-grade, we think of Magic Treehouse, Percy Jackson, A Wrinkle in Time, Harry Potter, and The Castleton Series. These are all big books. Which is why I slapped the Children's label on it, because it is much more simple, coming in at only 94 pages.But it is more simplistic in it's writing style than Junie B. Jones, Goosebumps, and Jack Sparrow (these were the books my kids were reading in 1st and 2nd grade. Were they unusual? )So despite all this quandary, I did enjoy the book. It is a nice story, with a good anti-bullying message, and a message about believing in yourself. With positive thinking, you can do anything. All great messages.I could see some conservative parents having issues with the fact that there is an alter in Sarah's secret place in the book. I personally had a hard time with the extrapolation of the positive thinking, which is that Leila uses her kinetic energy to heal her mom.I remember as a kid wanting to master the force and believing in magic. I don't think those things hurt me. But I do remember a few times when I was very sick/ badly hurt that I was a bit crushed that I couldn't master those skills to heal myself. I couldn't fathom how devastated I would be if it were a loved one who were sick and the guilt I would feel for not saving them. But then maybe I was just a weird kid. (Scratch that, I wastotallya weird kid! But maybe this wouldn't be a normal thought process for most kids. IDK.)If I knew a third or fourth grader who wasn't a big reader (IE short attention span, limited vocabulary, lots of pretty pictures) who was being bullied, would I recommend this book? Probably, yeah. Would I want to be sure to sit down and discuss this book with said reader when they were done?Um, yeah. But then I still do that with my older boys, and I love to do it with my mother when we read the same books. That is kind of the joy of reading, right?!If you would like to give the Sarah's Gift series a go, you can get the first book,Sarah's Gift:Standing Up for Yourselfand the second bookSarah's Gift: Believing in the Magicfor $2.99 each from Amazon.Until next time,Keep Reading!
