A.L. Butcher's Blog, page 162
October 23, 2015
Good cop/bad cop
Author/Character Interviews – do they work as a marketing tool?
As you know I’ve organised many author and character interviews over the last couple of years. I’ve also participated in a few. But do they work?
I suppose, like any marketing tool, they work for some and not others. Certainly for me I find the character interviews very interesting to write. It helps me think about the people I create in new ways. I helps me remember them, who they are, what they are and where they are going. I’m a roleplaying gamer (no I don’t mean bedroom fun), and so often part of the generation of characters was asking questions about who these people are, not simply a list of stats.
Now the question is do they attract readers? Honestly I don’t know. I’ve bought books based on character profiles, and decided against books on that basis but I doubt I’m a typical reader. The networking is good – blog visiting gets the book before a new audience – who may or may not pursue it but are unlikely to have ever heard of that book before for many indie authors. I don’t necessarily notice a sales spike after an interview but many people wishlist a book, or simply remember and buy it later.
Author interviews are far more common – and I’ve found more generic. Again it’s hard to tell whether they help sales – but I doubt they hurt – although of course that depends on an author’s answers. Of course it is a marketing tool and many readers do object to such blatant self promotion – that said they don’t actually have to read them….
As a blogger I’ve forged a useful network of author and blogger friends, which is good for cross promotion, and finding new readers, new contacts and new advice. For me it’s a good way of finding new books, but of course doesn’t work for all.
I’ve found variety is the key. Think about which questions to answer, keep it interesting. Would you want to read a boring interview? No, nor me. Try and vary the type of blog and type of interview, and don’t just talk about the book.
So here are the questions for my followers – do you read author or character interviews? Do they actually interest in you in the book. Do you just see them as annoying spam?
October 16, 2015
Review – The Shepherd’s Crown – Terry Pratchett
Review The Shepherd’s Crown
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Shepherds-Crown-Discworld-Novels-ebook/dp/B00VRTCHMW/
5 Stars
Not perfect but extraordinary.
The last book in the Discworld Fantasy series was always going to be a book which made the reader emotional. Sir Terry Pratchett was, perhaps, one of the greatest British Fantasy writers and his books are funny, intelligent, witty, evocative and adventurous. The Discworld series has brought me many happy hours, and I am sure will continue to do so. I can happily read them over and over and always find something new, always chuckle at the rapier wit and always loose myself in the pages.
The first Pratchett book I read was Reaper Man, lent to me by my boyfriend for a long train journey. I was laughing so much I had tears streaming down my face. I am sure everyone on the train thought I was mad. I think the Discworld got me into fantasy big time.
Since then I have enjoyed every book in the series, watched the screenplays, animated plays, directed an amateur production of Maskerade, and even collected the diaries (even the clown one and I hate clowns). Discworld was a big part of my reading life. I was terribly sad to learn of Mr Pratchett’s death far too young from such a terrible illness. That said he has left a great legacy, and maybe his public fight against the disease which took his life but not his creativity, or his spirit, may bring the disease and its research to the fore.
The Shepherd’s Crown is a book of endings, of uncertainty and then determined inevitability towards the future. Many of the other reviews of this book speak of an air of frustration, the sense of things being left unfinished and I agree. All of those are there, and yet there is also the sharpness, the wit and the sense of adventure one would expect from a Pratchett book. Characters die – and the Discworld is left rather emptier without them. Just as the literary world is left rather emptier with the death of Terry Pratchett. I must confess I had a bit of a cry over this one.
So enough of the eulogy, what about the book? Firstly it isn’t perfect. It isn’t QUITE as polished as some, but it doesn’t matter. After all very few authors can write quite so many books, and certainly not pen a book in the last few months of a terminal illness. The book is still complete enough to be enjoyable and it’s a fitting final book. A path travelled with familiarity and fondness but still a few rough patches is still a worthy path to take.
The story picks up after Wintersmith and the banishing of the elves – the elder witches return, and sacrifice is there. The fight is not without cost. It is more for the younger audience but death, duty, life and love are all covered. The Witches again do battle and the MacFeegles are, as always, mischievous and crafty in a very lovable way. Tiffany is character with many qualities, and they are all tested. Granny Weatherwax’s conversation with Death is poignant one can’t help thinking of the Reaper Man waiting at the door, and bowing his head to the author as well as the greatest witch.
It’s not Pratchett’s greatest work, but despite the rather rushed ending, the not quite perfect character of Geoffrey and his intriguing goat who isn’t explained, it’s still a Discworld novel. It’s still a damn good read, a bit darker, a bit starker, a bit less full of life and a whole lot sadder, but yes it’s still a great read. I think the circumstances of the book’s very being give an air of the extraordinary.
Mind how you go, Sir Terry. You’ll be missed.
Outside the Walls – Now in Print.
Outside the Walls
Co-authored with Diana L.Wicker
(Expanded edition)
e-book UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B014G6X9FG
e-book US http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014G6X9FG
Print UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/Outside-Walls-Diana-L-Wicker/dp/1517716381/
Print US http://www.amazon.com/Outside-Walls-Diana-L-Wicker/dp/1517716381/
Coming soon in audio, narrated by Melanie Fraser.
When the tide of war flows many are caught in its wake. Who will gain entry to the city and who will be forced to remain outside the walls? A short fantasy tale of love, loyalty and courage in war.
Less than a coffee and it lasts longer.
Random Friday
Here’s my character interview with Olek.
Originally posted on creative barbwire (or the many lives of a creator):
Hi guys,
I’m Samantha and I come from another world – the original, old Silvery Earth, where people are immortal and never grow up. When I’m not switching bodies at will, I travel to other universes, especially books or movies. That’s how I met Rajveer the vampire, for example!
So, I’m taking over the interviews on this blog! And here I am, meeting people from other books/universes/whatever!
Let’s welcome today’s guest!
Tell me a little about yourself (name, age…)
My name is Olek, I am also known as the Shadowdancer. My age? I suppose I’ve seen 40 summers or so. I am the man-servant of Archos, Lord of Tremellic. Although I have other more…unusual skills. I’m a thief and an assassin, a spy and a cheat. Those are among my better qualities (winks).
(chuckles) My kind of guy! Describe your appearance in ten words or less.
Black hair shot through…
View original 940 more words
October 10, 2015
Character Interview Number Thirty-One – The Thiefmaster
Tell Us About Yourself
Name (s): To you, I am the Thiefmaster, the lord of the Watchers and the master of shadow. To my closest friends I have a name the same as other men.
Age: Shrugs. Sometimes the years are too many, sometimes not enough. Old enough to be wise to the world. Young enough to still be surprised by it.
About you: I am the Thiefmaster, I control the underground thief networks of Varlek and a goodly portion of Erana. My word is law among the outlaws and thieves, yet there are others to whom even I bow. The Shadowdancer knows all, and the Oncoming Storm, he is the man to whom we all answer. Of course there are many who dispute this. The truth is relative, depending on whom you ask. My thieves watch, they steal, burn, rescue, kill, smuggle and provide aid to those who otherwise would have none.
I am the Thiefmaster, and like the Shadowdancer and the Oncoming Storm I do not exist.
Do you have a moral code? If so what is it? Hahaha, you jest? I am the Thiefmaster in a world where law is nothing more than a tool for oppression. I kill, I steal, I deceive. I am fiercely loyal to my friends, to my people and deadly to my enemies. I am an outlaw.
Would you kill for those you love? Yes. Of course. Have you listened to nothing I’ve said?
Would you die for those you love? Take a guess…
What would you say are your strengths and weaknesses? Strengths – I am loyal, my blade is sharp, and my wits sharper. I know all that happens in my city.
Weakness? I’m hardly likely to reveal those now am I?
Do you have any relationships you prize above others? Why? I have a daughter Ephany – she’s a good girl. Much like her old dad.
My thieves. My spies. My lord, the Oncoming Storm.
Do you like animals? Do you have any pets/animal companions? I like horses. And cats. We have a few to keep the rats at bay. There are many rats in the under-city and not all of them work for me.
Please give us an interesting and unusual fact about yourself. I died once. It wasn’t a pleasant experience. It did teach me a great deal.
Tell Us About Your World
Please give us a little information about the world in which you live.
Erana – what can I say? It should be a beautiful world, but the Order of Witch-Hunters ensure it is not. Slavers roll their filthy wagons and ply their despicable trade. The trade of flesh pays well. Magic is illegal, but magic persists. We have ….an arrangement with the Society of Hidden Secrets – the underground mage group – and I hold some magic of my own. Not spellcasting, I leave that to the sorcerers, my magic is of shadow and speed.
Does your world have religion or other spiritual beliefs? If so do you follow one of them? Please describe (briefly) how this affects your behaviour. It pays to honour the gods when one lives beyond the law. Officially they don’t exist – but then again neither do I. Many things officially do not exist – that does not stop them being real.
Do you travel in the course of your adventures? If so where? I do not travel as much as I used to. These days there is a lot of paperwork to do… that said I go if and when I am needed. Some things cannot be trusted to underlings.
What form of politics is dominant in your world? (Democracy, Theocracy, Meritocracy, Monarchy, Kakistocracy etc.) Kakistocracy? A man cleverer than I told me that means government by the worst people in the state – yes I’d say we have that.
Does your world have different races of people? If so do they get on with one another? We have elves, half elves, trolls and humans. Humans don’t like anyone much. The humans blame the elves for the wars and the Plague, the elves blame the humans for their enslavement (with good cause) and the trolls stick to their mountain homes for the most part. The humans believe them to be savages who eat people. It’s not true. You can’t trade with your food.
Author notes: A.L Butcher
Book(s) in which this character appears plus links
The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles Book I
http://www.amazon.com/Light-Beyond-Storm-Chronicles–ebook/dp/B0088DQO9C
The Shining Citadel – The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles Book II
http://www.amazon.com/The-Shining-Citadel-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00D4CF6W8
Just One Mistake – featured in Nine Heroes and Tales of Erana – Volume One
http://www.amazon.com/Nine-Heroes-Tales-heroic-Fantasy/dp/1495420388
http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Erana-I-Alexandra-Butcher/dp/1508403538
Website/Blog/Author pages etc.
Author Bio
A. L. Butcher is the British author of the Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles fantasy series, and several short stories in the fantasy and fantasy romance genres. She is an avid reader and creator of worlds, a poet and a dreamer. When she is grounded in the real world she likes science, natural history, history and monkeys. Her work has been described as ‘dark and gritty’ and her poetry as evocative.
Blog: https://libraryoferana.wordpress.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6430414.A_L_Butcher
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Alexandra-Butcher/e/B008BQFCC6/
Twitter:@libraryoferana
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DarkFantasyBeyondTheStorm
October 9, 2015
Review Notorious Murders of the Twentieth Century: Famous and Forgotten British Cases (True Crime)
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20888909-notorious-murders-of-the-twentieth-century
Although some of the cases were interesting enough overall the book was a little slow and sensationalised.
The discussion about the forensics and the unsolved cases were well presented. The lesser known cases were the most fascinating, as the famous cases are easy to find elsewhere.
There were a lot of typos and formatting issues – several per chapter and this got quite annoying. Whether that was to do with kindle conversion I have no idea but it did detract from the reading experience.
3 stars
*** I’ve just checked on Amazon and apparently the book has been pulled for significant quality errors. Let’s hope the book is republished sans typos.
October 7, 2015
Character Interview Number Thirty – Rajveer
Tell Us About Yourself
Name (s) Rajveer of the Guhilas of Mewar
Age 27… forever.
Please tell us a little about yourself.
My body died when I was twenty-seven. I don’t know what to call myself now. I look exactly like I did then – if a little paler. A kshatriya (warrior) of Chittor turned into a rakshasa (demon) by a foreign bloodsucker… I had to leave Chittorgarh at some point, so they didn’t notice I’m not ageing anymore.
Describe your appearance in 10 words or less. Tall, handsome and honey-eyed warrior.
Do you have a moral code? If so what is it? The kshatriya–dharma enjoins the Rajput male to die the good death on the field of battle and to maintain his personal honor and masculine integrity in all situations. The Rajput women have their own codes, the most exacting demand of which is to join her dead husband on the funeral pyre and become a virtuous woman by perishing in the flames.
Would you kill for those you love? I have killed to defend my king and my people. Not so much to survive. And I don’t kill anymore. I mean, I feed on blood now, but I don’t need to drain anyone to go on.
Would you die for those you love? Unfortunately, I’ve become very hard to kill. I don’t feed on human blood unless it’s enemies in the heat of the battle, and this makes me stronger and almost invulnerable…
Do you have any relationships you prize above others? Why I had three wives, the most loved being Charumati, but since I’ve started my second life, I’ve been quite lonely. No love relationships and even friendship is hard. My only “family” is my fledgling, Shashank.
Do you like animals? Do you have any pets/animal companions? I feed on animals. Either that or I feed on you…
Do you have a family? Tell us about them. I lost them to time and my newly found immortality. I’m supposedly a member of a coven, but I wouldn’t call them family. They don’t even have the same origin that I do.
Please give us an interesting and unusual fact about yourself. In spite of my newly found strength and enhanced senses, I’m a warrior, so I still wear my faithful sword by my side. I’m often teased for it, but I don’t care. I still have my kshatriya pride.
Tell Us About Your World
Does your world have religion or other spiritual beliefs? If so do you follow one of them? Please describe (briefly) how this affects your behaviour. I was raised Hindu – I follow the Rig Veda – which makes it hard for me to feed on human blood. I was turned by a Celtic Druid and my sister-in-darkness was raised Christian. I deal with Jains on a regular basis and I’m getting to know Buddhists and Muslims as well.
Do you travel in the course of your adventures? If so where? Northern Hindustan. I can’t stay put for long or they’d notice I don’t age. So, I was born in Chittorgarh, then visited the four cities of Delhi before it was destroyed by Timur the Lame, and then Varanasi, Gwalior, Agra, Lahore…
What form of politics is dominant in your world? (Democracy, Theocracy, Meritocracy, Monarchy, Kakistocracy etc.) Delhi sultanate, kingdoms and eventually the Mughal empire…
Does your world have any supernatural/mystical beings? Please tell us about some. The coven. They’re demonic bloodsuckers. Their bite is poisonous, it either kills you or turns you. Although only Menka can make new ones, everybody else is forbidden… I’m glad I’m not one of her “children” – although I’m not much better myself. But actually neither of us belong to the myths and legends of our country. We’re not rakshasa, gayal, pacu pati, vetala or any other creatures such as the one in the Baital Pachisi (a.k.a. King Vikram and the vampire in a 19th century translation)
Name three persons of influence/renown within your society and tell why they are influential (Could be someone like Christ/Mandela/Queen Elizabeth or a renowned figure from a non-human/fantasy world.) My king, Rana Ratan, and his beautiful wife Rani Padmini who boldly perished in the siege of Chittor when Sultan Alauddin attacked us – a glorious story of true Rajput pride. Babur, the first Mughal emperor, who brought those beautiful persian gardens to Hindustan. And his grandson Akbar, the greatest of all.
Author notes:
Book(s) in which this character appears plus links
Rajveer the Vampire
A “sun clan” warrior can never become a true child of darkness.
In 14th century India, Rajveer, a proud Rajput warrior of a Suryavanshi clan, is turned into a bloodsucker by an ancient Celtic vampire. Immortal, he loses his family to war and time and travels through northern India, seeing history unfold. Threatened by both human wars and evil vampires, can he remain true to his sworn vow not to take human lives?
A vampire’s journey through centuries.
Rajveer the Vampire is now available on Amazon for pre-order. Amazon India has the price of INR250.
The price might go up on the release date, November 1, 2015, so order it now.
Pre-order on Apple US, Barnes&Noble, Kobo and Smashwords.
Author name
Barbara G.Tarn
Website/Blog/Author pages etc.
blog: http://creativebarbwire.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Barb-aka-Barbara-GTarn/175559797281
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4717133.Barbara_G_Tarn
Author Central http://www.amazon.com/Barbara-G.Tarn/e/B0050P0R2G
Publisher’s page with info on all the books: http://www.unicornproductionsbooks.com/
October 6, 2015
Review – High Couch of Silistra – Janet Morris – Sci-fi
http://www.amazon.com/High-Couch-Silistra-Quartet-Book-ebook/dp/B014RGHCG2/
So where to start? As one would expect from Janet Morris there is a lot more to this story than a simple science fiction tale. Firstly the protagonist is a woman, and a strong one at that. Estri is not your screaming maiden waiting to be rescued. She’s a feisty woman, who knows her worth, knows her skills, and her failings and above all she knows herself.
Estri is more than a woman of pleasure – for on her world this is no shameful profession. As Well Keepress she is much sought after, and highly skilled, but she is also teacher, student, lover, friend, fighter, diplomat, businesswoman, a slave, mistress and so much more.
Silistra is a world of contrasts – its people long-lived, its terrain in places inhospitable and its morals unusual. Fertility is everything in a world where the people rarely breed successfully. Duty, or Chaldra is everything – be that duty to oneself, one’s people, or the world in general.. A world misunderstood by the others, but attractive for many reasons, not least its Well Women must stand for its uniqueness and protect its beliefs. In many ways Estri is Silistra – wise, with hidden dangers, intriguing, alluring, complex and misunderstood.
Duty, power, sex, the complexities of relationships between men and women, and how they can change, fate, courage, loyalty, betrayal, personal journeys, fear, and adventure fill every chapter. The sex is not overdone, considering the context and although there is violence that too speaks of the power play which is core.
The world building, as with Morris’s other novels, is rich, complex and totally believable. For the duration of the tale Silistra is real. The characters, too, are a mix of good and bad, but no way clear cut. These are living, breathing characters with all that entails.
This is not a book for those of a faint heart or who cannot see deep within a tale for what lies therein. It’s a book to make the reader think. It’s a book of great stature, and storytelling of the finest sort. Of course it’s also a book for those who seek a heady adventure beyond the stars.
This is a book I couldn’t put down. 5 stars.
