Gail Aldwin's Blog, page 10

Meet Sundy Flor, Book Blogger at Books Unfold

I came across Sundy Flor’s Twitter account when I was investigating book bloggers online. I checked out her website, Books Unfold, and was impressed with the beautiful graphics she creates to accompany her posts and the interesting format for her reviews. I contacted Sundy Flor to see if she would be interested in reading and reviewing This Much Huxley Knows. She agreed and absolutely loved the novel, you can read the review here. We’ve had several email exchanges since then and it occurred to me readers of The Writer is a Lonely Hunter might be interested in learning more about book blogging and the new fangled Bookstagramming. Who better to ask than Sundy Flor?

Q&A with Sundy Flor from Books Unfold

Can you tell readers about yourself, where you’re from and Books Unfold?

I am Sundy Flor from Davao City, Philippines. I am an avid reader of books from Fantasy and Young Adult to Nonfiction. Books Unfold is my blog where I share my thoughts and the things I learned from books.

What inspired you to start Books Unfold?

I have been suffering from anxiety for many years now, and to help me cope, I decided to start a blog. Instead of focusing on my fears and worries in life, I channel my attention and energy into reading books, writing book reviews, and sharing them on social media. I also love writing. I have always wanted to become a writer, but my insecurities get in the way, making me afraid of other people’s criticism and rejection. However, I am tired of being scared.  Books Unfold is not only a book blog, but it symbolizes my courage to overcome my self-doubt and fear.

Wow, that’s such a good move – using book blogging as a positive step in personal development.

And what about Bookstagramming?

One day, I searched #books on Instagram, and hundreds of photos of books in engaging setups with props and colorful backgrounds appeared on my screen. I was so thrilled to find out that a community of book lovers like me are on this platform. 

Bookreviewgenie was the first bookstagrammer I followed, which inspired me to start my own. Some bookstagrammers welcomed me into the community when I uploaded my first post. I found bookstagramming fun and a great way to share my reviews. Although I don’t have a big following, I believe Instagram promotes my posts to a bigger audience through trending hashtags.

Just for information, a trending hashtag means to promote a book using a keyword such as #bookreview

How do you manage your time to run Books Unfold efficiently?

I keep a bullet journal where I write down my vision, goals, and specific actions to take every day. I also include a To Be Read list, which currently has 109 books, and it keeps on expanding. I can’t seem to stop myself from buying new books! Anyways, to keep track of my blog and Instagram posts, I list the books I would read for the month. In a week, I alternately read a book, create graphics, write a review, and post on my blog, Instagram, and Twitter.

An example of Sundy Flor’s fabulous graphics.

Who has influenced you most in book blogging and how?

Sarah S. Davis, an American writer and book blogger, influenced me the most in book blogging. Her website, Broke by Books, contains exceptional resources for readers, writers, and bloggers. Her content ideas are very helpful. I also learned from her that book blogging is more than reviewing books. Book bloggers also create listicles – articles written in a form of a list – such as the best books of the year, the best books to read at the beach, or the best books about friendship. They also write personal essays about how books change and save their lives or which books pushed them out of their comfort zone. 

What was the most challenging moment in your blogging journey so far?

Aside from being new in book reviewing, writing a review is always a challenging moment for me. English is my second language, which presents hurdles in coming up with a sensible and exquisite composition, finding the right words, and creating effective sentences. Sometimes, I feel like giving up in the middle of writing my book review draft as self-doubt sets in. To get back on track, I read my favorite parts of that book, reminding me of the different emotions that it evokes. These feelings guide me to express my thoughts and put them into words.  

Re-reading is a great tip for regaining focus.

Can you name a few of your favourite sites related to books and reading and why you like them?

One of my favorite sites is Broke by Books by Sarah S. Davis. It is a great place to learn the basics of book blogging, the tips on writing a good book review, and other post ideas. 

Besides that, BookLoverWorm by Sandra is the first book blog I followed. She mainly shares the books she reads and the blog tours she’s joined. As someone who loves books and finds creative writing exciting, Sandra reminds me of myself. Not to mention, I took a creative writing class when I was in college as an elective.  

I enjoy The Writer is a Lonely Hunter, too. It gives me a glimpse into the life of an author, one which I desire. Having a book published is a remarkable achievement that makes me appreciate authors more. Plus, your interviews with other authors are informative and inspirational.

Thank you for following my blog, Sundy!

In the future, where do you hope your blog will take you?

I pray that Books Unfold will be a valuable online resource for avid readers or those who wish to start their reading life, which motivates me to share book reviews and tips on developing a good reading habit. Moreover, I want to discover local authors and write reviews about their work.

Supporting local authors is a very worthy aim.  

How do you create the fabulous graphics on Books Unfold?

I start by understanding the general mood of the book. For example, in your novel, This Much Huxley Knows, Huxley loves to play with words, so I thought of using wooden Scrabble tiles in my setup. Then, the picture I took, I edited and uploaded it on Instagram, along with my favorite book quotes. Speaking of quotes, I create their graphics on Canva with elements that coincide with the book.

An example of Sundy’s quote graphic for Huxley.

What do you do when you’re not book blogging?

I am a stay-at-home mom and I look after my daughter, who is now in high school. Since the pandemic started last March 2020, she has been taking classes online and it has been challenging for her to meet school requirements. I sometimes teach her lessons she couldn’t understand and guide her in managing schoolwork. 

Good wishes to your daughter with her studies. Thank you so much Sundy Flor for giving us the inside story on book blogging and sharing such useful links. I’ve found it fascinating.

If you’d like to know more about Sundy Flor, please follow her on social media.

Instagram, Twitter and on Books Unfold.

Round up of activities since publication

It was a fortnight ago that This Much Huxley Knows was released. Since then, lots has happened including a Twitter launch which involved some love authors sharing their experiences of childhood to celebrate my seven-year-old narrator, Huxley.

I’ve also been interviewed by authors including fellow Black Rose Writer, Christina Consolino; best selling American novelist Barbara Conrey (you can also find the Q&A I conducted with Barbara here) friend and author Paula Reedman (you met Paula on my blog here). I also spilled the beans with book blogger Deborah Kalb.

Advice articles on how to include child narrators in fiction for adults have been published by Big Indie Books and Anne R Allen.

I’ve been fortunate to receive wonderful reviews from book bloggers Laura Turner, Page Turners Nook; Deanna Jackson awarded Huxley and the lovely Jen Rainbow gave Huxley a big thumbs up. You can also find a thoughtful review posted by Miche at Touring Tales. For an overview of child narration and review go to the erudite Sheenagh Pugh.

Last but not least, here’s the opening to an interview conducted by Maxine Sims for Purbeck Coast FM.

If all this doesn’t convince you to grab a copy of This Much Huxley Knows, there are more articles, reviews and interviews scheduled over the next few weeks. Phew! I shall go and lie down in a darkened room after all this activity.

This Much Huxley Knows by Gail Aldwin

Jen_bookworm has been so generous in supporting my recent publications with a review. Now it’s time for Huxley and she’s gone and done it again with another thoughtful review. Thank you, Jen.

Bookworm

I’ve reviewed two of Gail Aldwin’s novels here (The String Games and Paisley Shirt) in the past and I am delighted to have the opportunity to read This Much Huxley knows.

Synopsis

I’m seven years old and I’ve never had a best mate. Trouble is, no one gets my jokes. AndBreaks-it isn’t helping. Ha! You get it, don’t you? Brexit means everyone’s falling out and breaking up.

Huxley is growing up in the suburbs of London at a time of community tensions. To make matters worse, a gang of youths is targeting isolated residents. When Leonard, an elderly newcomer chats with Huxley, his parents are suspicious. But Huxley is lonely and thinks Leonard is too. Can they become friends?

Funny and compassionate, this contemporary novel for adults explores issues of belonging, friendship and what it means to trust.

‘Read this and feel young again’ ­– Joe Siple, author ofThe…

View original post 274 more words

You’re invited!

There’s going to be a Twitter launch party at 3pm BST on Thursday 15 July to celebrate the release of This Much Huxley Knows. Everyone is welcome, especially you!

Twitter launches are a lot of fun and provide the opportunity for readers and writers to mingle virtually and chat about books and reading. To join, all you need to do is use the hashtag #ThisMuchHuxleyKnows in your tweets to follow the conversations. It’s best if you use a social media management programme like Tweetdeck (https://tweetdeck.twitter.com) which allows you to filter tweets with searches on hashtags or specific accounts.

This is what my Tweetdeck looks like and you can see from the columns what I’m following.

If you’d like to start using Tweetdeck, Twitter provides two excellent step-by-step guides covering both the basic (here) and advanced features (here). YouTube is also a great source for user generated how-to videos about using Tweetdeck, such as here or here. (Thank you to Women Writers’ Network for the links.)

I’d love to have you join the Twitter launch for This Much Huxley Knows. It lasts for just one hour and there’ll be questions to put everyone at ease and start chatting. If you need a little more advice or encouragement, do get in touch by emailing gail@gailaldwin.com.

Come celebrate publication day!

It’s been a long time coming, but today sees the release of This Much Huxley Knows.

The fountain may be dry but the champagne will flow…

I’m absolutely delighted with the response to my second contemporary novel for adults. Praise for the book has been rolling in and I’ve collated some snippets from UK book bloggers:

Huxley is a totally lovable character that I defy anyone not to adore by the end [of the story],  Julie Morris, A Little Book Problem

I just loved seeing life for a while through the eyes of a child,  Anne Williams, Being Anne

A gorgeous tale with lots of gossip,  Emma Hardy, Bobs and Books

I’m particularly pleased that on publication day, This Much Huxley Knows also been reviewed by book bloggers in the US (home to my publisher Black Rose Writing). Here’s what they say:

This is a decidedly British book with its talk of Brexit and its distinct colloquialisms, but even being in the U.S., it still captured my heart, 4.25 s (I love the precision of this rating) from Michele Reader, In Search of the Next Great Book

A unique and sweet story, This Much Huxley Knows is memorable and uplifting and I highly recommend reading it, Alicia Toovey, My Brain is Booked

This much you need to know now. Read this, Callie, My Affair With Life

The build up to publication day has been busy and it’s been hard to make the most of sojourning in Cambridge for the summer. I decided publication of This Much Huxley Knows was definitely worth celebrating and took some time off with David to enjoy afternoon tea at The Varsity.

There’s also been publication of an interview where Deborah Kalb poses some searching questions. You can read the Q&A and imagine me faffing here.

That’s it for publication day … although the Twitter launch is coming soon. Anyone on Twitter do coming along and join the fun. If you’re not sure what this involves, drop me an email gail@gailaldwin.com and I’ll send you an advice sheet with some tips.

Meet author Paula R C Readman

I’m delighted to introduce Paula R C Readman to readers of The Writers is a Lonely Hunter. Paula and I have been previously published in anthologies by Bridge House Publishing and have met at celebration events. As we’ve both had novels published this year, we thought it would be a good idea to share our experiences. Paula’s answers to a series of questions are posted below.

1) What type of books or genre do you write?

I would class myself as a horror writer, or at least, the darker shade of pale because of my love of Victorian ghost stories. It’s the simplicity of how the Victorians told their dark tales without relying on the use of blood, guts and gore which I love most.  I hope I’ve recreated their chilling tension in my stories too. Of course I do add a bit more bite to my tales as and when they need it, but I don’t overdo it or add it for an unnecessary shock element.    

Of course, die-hard horror fans might find my work more cosy horror/crime rather than what they are looking for, but I feel there’s a market for my kind of work. It’s just finding the right place to market my books, which has me stumped as it isn’t quite horror and not quite a crime novel. I categorise my writing as Gothic Crime.  

2) What was your inspiration behind Seeking the Dark book?

Seeking the Dark is a vampire story with a twist. When I first wrote the novel back in 2005 I had no idea how to write a book.  I had some success with writing nonfiction articles about researching my Readman family roots in Whitby, North Yorkshire

 After suffering a couple of rejections with the nonfiction, I decided to turn my hand to writing short stories. I wrote a story about a girl catching the last bus home. In the last paragraph the twist is revealed and the reader discovers that she’s a vampire. I took the short story into work and showed it to a friend I trusted. Lisa liked the story but wanted to know more about the girl. The short story then became a book. It went through many changes as I learnt the skills needed to refine my ability to write. I have sent it out to quite a few publishers over the years. Unsurprisingly, it suffered quite a few rejections, but on receiving plenty of good feedback it kept me motivated. In the end, I set it to one side and focused on writing short stories for publication as I wanted to build a writing CV of published work in hope to increase my chances of finding a publisher. It wasn’t until my third written novel was published that I decided to submit Seeking the Dark after I had finished editing it again.    

3) Give a short taster of your plotline, and introduce us to your main character. 

Investigative journalist, Jacob Eldritch, is obsessed with solving the mystery of the Dead Men Sleeping, a series of unexplained deaths, but he isn’t aware that the Dark force is gathering strength. 

One evening, he spots a man leading a white-haired beauty through the crowds at his local bar.  A few days later, he sees her again at a hotel, in the company of a different man.  A week later, both men are dead and the police add their names to the unexplained death list. 

While conducting some background research at the library, a young girl doing her homework gives Jacob an unexpected clue. This turns the mystery of the Dead Men Sleeping on its head when he discovers they’re linked to the death of a Whitby ship owner two hundred and twenty-four years ago. 

As the Dark closes in, Jacob must fight, but will he survive?  

4) How did you choose the names of your characters?

I have two books which I tend to reach for when deciding on my main characters’ names, plus I collect interesting names from the television while watching the news. 

The Dictionary of Surnames, by Mark Anthony Lower is part of a collection of nonfiction books I kept from my days spent researching my family history. The second book is a Dictionary of Fictional Characters by William Freeman. I pick and mix my character’s name though sometimes the characters tell me their names as they develop in my mind. I’m dyslectic so find it difficult to pronounce certain names. If I keep stumbling over them when reading my work aloud, I have to change it for something that flows off my tongue.     

5) Will your readers find your main character likeable or not?

Yes, I think most readers will find Jacob Eldritch likeable. He’s very much your boy next-door type of a guy, though he can be a bit self-contained as he has a failed marriage behind him because of his obsession. I hope the readers find Amanita Virosa an intriguing character, if a little scary.   

6) How did you choose the title for your book? Had you chosen the title before writing the book, or on completion?

Seeking the Dark has changed titles four times as I was concerned that the first few ideas were too religious and might put readers off. The final idea for the book title came from a comment I heard on a radio show when driving home from work. The radio guest said, “Well, it was like seeking in the dark.” I have no memory of what they were chatting about, as all I could do was just keep repeating the phrase Seeking the Dark until I got home so I could write it down.

7) How did you choose the cover picture? Did you have an idea of what you would like?

I always imagined the book cover would have a woman wearing a large brimmed hat that covered the top half of her face as I always saw Amanita as the lead character in the book. She would be holding a champagne glass, with a half-smile playing on her lips. For years, I had focused on her point of view, but while editing the book last year, I suddenly had a light bulb moment and realised that Jacob was in fact the main character.  This helped when my publisher at Darkstroke asked me to select a cover picture from a website. I first looked on Amazon at the same category as my book came under to see what the norm was. Most of the books under Vampires had bloody fangs and neck chewing. I wanted my book to stand out from the crowd as it isn’t a straightforward vampire novel.  On seeing the cover picture I chose, I felt it had both elements of my plotline and title. I hoped it would speak to the reader as the picture shows Jacob at the bottom and the ominous Dark hanging over him. 

8) If a film maker chose your book to adapt, would you be happy with a based on version film or series, or would you want them to stick as closely as possible to your original idea? What wouldn’t you be happy with .i.e. too much violence, complete change of character etc.? 

Hmm, this is a difficult question to answer because I know that a filmmaker has a limited amount of time in which to tell the story. A novel gives an author more freedom to explore different elements within their storyline. I hope I would at least recognise my characters, and they wouldn’t just focus on the sex and violent parts within my plotline.  

9) Have you started writing your next book? Is it something original or a follow on novel?

As the Crow Flies isn’t quite a follow on to The Funeral Birds as that was a novella. It will be more of a standalone which allows me to go into more background details of the main characters. Most of the readers that reviewed the book wanted to know more about the characters especially Granny Wenlock and who she was. As The Crow Flies will be a darker book with the same sense of humour between the husband and wife private detective agency team.    

10) While writing the book did you have a light bulb moment when everything came together, and what triggered it?   

As I’ve already said, for years I had focused on Amanita Virosa being the main character in the novel. Since 2005 while writing the book and re-editing over the years I had always seen it from her point of view until last year.  For eight straight months, I worked, with an online friend, Kim Martin on editing Stone Angels. In that time I learnt a great deal from her. 

Once my first published novel, Stone Angels was accepted by Darkstroke I then worked alongside the publisher on its final edits. All the skills I learnt from both Kim and Laurence, I then put into action when editing Seeking the Dark. As I was editing the novel, it became clear that Jacob had the stronger point of view. This revelation became the turning point in the novel’s life and made it far easier to edit. I feel it’s a more powerful book too.   

Thank you so much for being my guest, Paula. You’ve give some really good insights into your writing process.

Paula’s novels are well worth reading so do use the links below to buy your copy.

Purchase Links

Seeking The Dark, Stone Angels, The Funeral Birds, Days Pass Like a Shadow

Social Media Links

Blog: https://paularcreadmanauthor.blog
Facebook: https://facebook.com/paula.readman.1
Twitter: Paula R C Readman@Darkfantasy13

#GuestPost from Gail Aldwin #Author of ‘This Much Huxley Knows’ ~ A Story of Innocence, Misunderstandings, and Acceptance @gailaldwin

I am delighted to have a piece on Cathy Ry’s blog about the background stories to some of the fictional settings in This Much Huxley Knows. Click here to pop over for a read.

Blog tour – the results!

You may remember around three weeks ago, I wrote a post about the blog tour I’d organised to promote This Much Huxley Knows. (You can read it here.) Last week, everything went according to plan and book bloggers who had signed up, posted a review or excerpt on the agreed day. It wasn’t without last minute hitches, one blogger had mislaid the electronic copy of This Much Huxley Knows but with only a short while to spare, managed to read and review the novel in record time.

The reviews were absolutely delightful and very affirming for me as a writer. I was so pleased, I made up a few posters with snippets from each of the reviews.

Now I’m gearing up the for the release of This Much Huxley Knows on 8 July 2021. I’ll be all over Twitter on launch day and hope to touch base with some of you there. In the meantime, enjoy the tennis at Wimbledon on TV (or in person, if you’re very luck!)

Say hello to Just One Look by Joanne Kukanza Easley

I am delighted to introduce fellow Black Rose Writing author Joanne Kukanza Easley for an interview. She is an active supporter of women writers and I was pleased to be able to return the favour with an early review of her engaging second novel Just One Look. I was so fascinated by the characters and setting in this novel, I invited Joanne for an interview. She kindly agreed. As today is the release date of Just One Look, we also have the launch to celebrate. Congratulations, Joanne!

About Just One Look

In 1965 Chicago, thirteen-year-old Dani Marek declares she’s in love, and you best believe it. This is no crush, and for six blissful years she fills her hope chest with linens, dinnerware, and dreams of an idyllic future with John. When he is killed in action in Viet Nam, Dani’s world shatters. She launches a one-woman vendetta against the men she seeks out in Rush Street’s singles bars. Her goal: break as many hearts as she can. Dani’s ill-conceived vengeance leads her to a loveless marriage that ends in tragedy. At twenty-four, she’s left a widow with a baby, a small fortune, and a ghost-make that two.

Set in the turbulent Sixties and Seventies, Just One Look explores one woman’s tumultuous journey through grief, denial, and letting go.

Q&A

Just One Look is your second novel, can you tell us about your debut, Sweet Jane?

Sweet Jane tells the story of a young woman who thinks she has overcome her past by putting it in a box. When her estranged mother dies, she returns home to confront the people and events of her past that made her the woman she is. The story unfolds in alternating chapters of past and present, that juxtapose parallel stories of struggle and growth.

The dialogue in Just One Look is so effective and includes humour. How do you create authentic voices for your characters?

I love crafting dialogue and work at hard at nuances of word choice to make my characters distinct. Listening to how people talk is important. I also have a clear mental image of my characters and know their backstory—because I wrote it.

You capture young love effectively. Which books do you admire that also have a yearning love at their centre?

The two classics that come to mind are Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. But I rely on my own experience and memories when I write about love.

Paige, Dani’s younger sister, is a great character and always a foil for Dani’s romantic relationships. Was this always your intention?

Yes, I wanted the contrast between the characters. Not only do the sisters not look alike, they have very different personalities. Dani is jealous of Paige as a teen but grows to appreciate her.

I love the product placement in your novel, for example, the different colognes that you name. How do you choose these items?

I chose them by the era. When I was a teen, the boys drenched themselves in Jade East. And I drenched myself in Yardley’s Oh! De London. 

Just One Look is set in the Chicago neighbourhood where you grew up. How important is the setting to your writing?

Just One Look pays homage to the place I grew up and helped form my character. (I’ve assured my childhood friends this a work of fiction.) In each book, the setting is an integral part of the story, almost like a character. 

John’s family heritage is from Hungary shown through the food and traditions. How did you research this?

Researching on the internet is my main method; although, as a child, I had a neighbor who baked Hungarian pastries.

With your second novel now published, what are your future writing plans?

I am working on my third novel I’ll Be Seeing You. It’s the story of Lauren Eaton, Sweet Jane’s AA sponsor, who was always secretive about her past. Jane appears in the novel too. The story spans the years from 1940-1986, requires a lot of research, and takes the reader from a Texas cattle ranch to Manhattan, then back to Texas.

About Joanne Kukanza Easley

Joanne Kukanza Easley’s multi-award-winning debut novel, Sweet Jane, was released in March 2020. The novel was named the winner in adult fiction in the 2020 Texas Author project. A retired registered nurse with experience in both the cold, clinical operating room, and the emotionally fraught world of psychiatric hospitals, she lives and writes on a small ranch in the Texas Hill Country. Just One Look, her second novel, will be released on June 24, 2021. Her current project I’ll Be Seeing You features characters from Sweet Jane.

Gail’s review of Just One Look

Set against the backdrop of war in Vietnam, teenage Dani falls in love with John, a new boy from Tennessee. His Hungarian family settle into multicultural Chicago, the city where Just One Look is set. Dani’s commitment to her first love contrasts with the turbulent love life of Paige, her younger sister and the marriage break up of her parents. The narrative is punctuated by national and world events, including conscription. John joins the 101st Airborne but never returns leaving Dani to steel herself for a future without him. Bereft, this young woman navigates family responsibilities, educational and employment challenges, unexpected events and much more to come out the other side ready for a proper new relationship. This character-driven novel is filled with wonderful period, cultural and culinary details that enliven the story. Read this book and experience the tumultuous emotions of a young woman. 

Purchase links for Just One Look

Amazon US, Barnes & Noble, Amazon UK

Find Joanne on social media

Website, Facebook, Twitter

Approaching publication day

It’s an anxious time waiting for the launch of a new novel. Fortunately, I’ve received lots of wonderful early reviews for This Much Huxley Knows on Goodreads. If you’ve offered one, let me say here and now how terribly grateful I am. Getting positive feedback is a brilliant way to calm the nerves. I’ve also been distracted by housework and went back to one of my old favourites – cleaning the oven – such a satisfying job!

On Twitter, I recently came across a new book club based in New Zealand. Books Akimbo is run by Cassie, who presents and narrates the video reviews superbly. I was delighted with her review of This Much Huxley Knows which you can watch by clicking the link below. It’s only a few minutes long, so do pop over and see what you think. If you’d like to give it a thumbs-up, all to the good.

And after yet more networking on Twitter, I was pleased to read the work of book blogger and bookstagrammer Books Unfold. It’s such a lovely site, I decided to approach Sunz for a review. She kindly agreed and I’m so thrilled with the graphics she produced that I asked for permission to post some of them here.

It’s definitely worth taking a look at the review because it includes some interesting group discussion questions and it introduced me to the term eggcorn. Want to know more? Click here.

This Much Huxley Knows will be released on 8 July 2021. If you’d like to pre-order a copy, you can do so at the following places AmazonUS, AmazonUK, Barnes and Noble, HiveUK, Book Depository

For anyone who is active on Twitter, do follow me @gailaldwin, I’m always happy to follow back. And watch out for posts this week on the This Much Huxley Knows blog tour.

That’s all for now, but do get back to me in the comments if you have any questions.