Marshall Best's Blog, page 3
August 24, 2013
Why Host a Goodreads Giveaway?
There are varying opinions about giveaways. Some authors cringe at giving their work away due to the incredible effort, time and money they've put into it. They also don't want to devalue their work by handing it out for free. This makes sense; however, part of the reason writers do what they do is to entertain. It's hard to entertain your audience when they don't even know you're there. And thus the reason many authors host free days on Amazon, do Goodreads giveaways and the like. By giving away a few books or other gift, the writer gains exposure to a wider audience. They might not buy the book right away, but at least they know it's there.
When we did our book tour with Beck Valley Books, we had a $50 gift card giveaway tied to the tour. We had over 24,000 entries! Of course many of those just wanted the money, but it got the book in front of many sets of eyes. Getting it in front of readers increases the chances they will go further and read about the book. At that point, it's the book that has to draw them in. The cover has to catch their eye, the synopsis has to pique their interest and the writing needs to leave them wanting more.
Soon after publishing the first four books of the Guiamo Chronicles, we were introduced to Goodreads by Grace Best-Page, author of The Death and Life of Sherlock Holmes. If you love to read and haven't discovered Goodreads, you should check it out. If you look up Goodreads in Wikipedia, this is what you'll read:
"As of July 2012, the site reported 10 million members, 20 million monthly visits, and 30 employees. On July 23, 2013, it was announced on their website that the user base had grown to 20 million members, doubling in close to 11 months."
So Why Goodreads? No matter how long you've been around, it would be hard to duplicate that kind of traffic. We have done giveaways on Goodreads for Guiamo and Cumoro already. The first having over 1,000 entries and the second around 700. In contrast, when we gave away a complete set of the first four books at the end of the Blogger Book Fair with the help of rafflecopter, we had around 50 entries. When people enter the giveaways on Goodreads, many will add the book to their "to read" shelf. This means it won't get lost in the shuffle. Months after the giveaway, there will still be a reminder about that new book they wanted to check out. Many will not win, but will end up purchasing the book down the road.
And so, we are hosting another giveaway on Goodreads, this time for book 3, Morlanos. For those who have already read books one and two, this is a great chance to get a print copy of book 3. For those who haven't, book one, Guiamo, is only $2.99, a pretty good deal for a book that has received 16 five star reviews! If this is your first visit to our blog, you can read about all four books here.
It's been a pleasure meeting so many people in the writing and reading community. Thanks to all who have shared their knowledge to help us. If you're a new author getting started, our Twitter stream @ancumer has many tweets of articles that have been very helpful to us. If you're a reader, we'd love to have you join us on Twitter or our Facebook page, The Chronicles of Guiamo Durmius Stolo. And of course, you can find Marshall on Goodreads as well.
So, take a minute to enter. It's painless we promise!
Having destroyed the Fomori in Britain , Guiamo Durmius Stolo decides in 51 B.C. to bring the Cruthin people, once slaves to the Fomori, to Ireland , but encounters the Fomori who reside there as well. Guiamo discovers that the gods venerated by the Druids are unworthy. The gods are displeased with him and begin to work against him.
Combining legitimate legends with actual historical events, Marshall Best weaves an epic story that portrays the ancient world as it might have been, a world which the ancient historians recorded as fact; a time when gods ruled the earth and strange creatures dominated the land. It is the era of civilized conquerors exploring distant and primitive new lands. Scant recordings left to us today only touch on the fringe of the fantastic and brutal reality that existed in those distant lands of the west. Into this age, young Guiamo enters the world stage as the great game-changer, and by his hand the gods and beasts become destined to disappear into myth and legend.
Enter Now
When we did our book tour with Beck Valley Books, we had a $50 gift card giveaway tied to the tour. We had over 24,000 entries! Of course many of those just wanted the money, but it got the book in front of many sets of eyes. Getting it in front of readers increases the chances they will go further and read about the book. At that point, it's the book that has to draw them in. The cover has to catch their eye, the synopsis has to pique their interest and the writing needs to leave them wanting more.
Soon after publishing the first four books of the Guiamo Chronicles, we were introduced to Goodreads by Grace Best-Page, author of The Death and Life of Sherlock Holmes. If you love to read and haven't discovered Goodreads, you should check it out. If you look up Goodreads in Wikipedia, this is what you'll read:
"As of July 2012, the site reported 10 million members, 20 million monthly visits, and 30 employees. On July 23, 2013, it was announced on their website that the user base had grown to 20 million members, doubling in close to 11 months."
So Why Goodreads? No matter how long you've been around, it would be hard to duplicate that kind of traffic. We have done giveaways on Goodreads for Guiamo and Cumoro already. The first having over 1,000 entries and the second around 700. In contrast, when we gave away a complete set of the first four books at the end of the Blogger Book Fair with the help of rafflecopter, we had around 50 entries. When people enter the giveaways on Goodreads, many will add the book to their "to read" shelf. This means it won't get lost in the shuffle. Months after the giveaway, there will still be a reminder about that new book they wanted to check out. Many will not win, but will end up purchasing the book down the road.
And so, we are hosting another giveaway on Goodreads, this time for book 3, Morlanos. For those who have already read books one and two, this is a great chance to get a print copy of book 3. For those who haven't, book one, Guiamo, is only $2.99, a pretty good deal for a book that has received 16 five star reviews! If this is your first visit to our blog, you can read about all four books here.
It's been a pleasure meeting so many people in the writing and reading community. Thanks to all who have shared their knowledge to help us. If you're a new author getting started, our Twitter stream @ancumer has many tweets of articles that have been very helpful to us. If you're a reader, we'd love to have you join us on Twitter or our Facebook page, The Chronicles of Guiamo Durmius Stolo. And of course, you can find Marshall on Goodreads as well.
So, take a minute to enter. It's painless we promise!
Having destroyed the Fomori in Britain , Guiamo Durmius Stolo decides in 51 B.C. to bring the Cruthin people, once slaves to the Fomori, to Ireland , but encounters the Fomori who reside there as well. Guiamo discovers that the gods venerated by the Druids are unworthy. The gods are displeased with him and begin to work against him.Combining legitimate legends with actual historical events, Marshall Best weaves an epic story that portrays the ancient world as it might have been, a world which the ancient historians recorded as fact; a time when gods ruled the earth and strange creatures dominated the land. It is the era of civilized conquerors exploring distant and primitive new lands. Scant recordings left to us today only touch on the fringe of the fantastic and brutal reality that existed in those distant lands of the west. Into this age, young Guiamo enters the world stage as the great game-changer, and by his hand the gods and beasts become destined to disappear into myth and legend.
Enter Now
August 18, 2013
A Helping Hand ~ Connecting With Readers
Back in December of 2012, I began to experiment with Twitter. My teenager knew all about it. I knew nothing. I made some mistakes and blunders along the way. If I annoyed any of you ( or am doing so now) I apologize. Many an author (or author's significant other) looking to connect with readers through social media have made mistakes. Not being one to study, observe and learn before jumping in, I was no exception. Over the last several months I have attempted to help others in spreading the word about their works as well as forward on helpful articles I have run across. And of course, I've consistently told whoever would listen about Marshall's books. The writing community as a whole has truly been helpful, gracious and understanding. I know there is still a lot to learn. I'm looking forward to the days ahead.
I've heard of stumbleupon but have no experience using it. As I've traveled the twitter-verse, that's exactly the term I would use for some of the best connections I've made in promoting the Guiamo Chronicles. In exploring, browsing, searching, I "stumbled upon" a blog advertising book tours. The comments were positive, the blog well done and so I took a stab and reached out inquiring about their possible interest in doing a tour for Guiamo. The rest is history. The Guiamo Book Tour was an incredible success and encouragement.
Our experience with Beck Valley Books was a positive one from start to finish. Sharon, who does the computer side of things, was quick to answer any questions I had and stayed on top of all that needed to be done. She went above and beyond in helping to promote Guiamo. Even after the tour was over, she offered to post about a giveaway we were doing as part of the Blogger Book Fair. Many companies do what they were paid for and then move on. Not so with Sharon! I'm confident that Beck Valley Books will be a valuable partner in continuing to share the news of Guiamo with others.
As I've told Sharon via e-mail, if we ever make it over to England, we would love to meet in person. We wish Sharon and Stephen all our best.
And now, pull up a chair as I interview the people behind Beck Valley Books to learn a little more about their journey into the literary world.
Introducing Beck Valley Books!
~ Could you introduce yourselves to our readers and share a little bit about the two of you?
Hi everyone we are Sharon & Stephen, a pair of book lovers who live in the UK. We have been married for almost 20 years and have two lovely teenage boys who keep us very busy indeed! We both work full time as well as running our online bookstore and book blog.
~ We met through the Beck Valley Books book blog, but originally you started as book sellers. Tell us a little bit about your journey in the business of selling and blogging as well as how long you have been a part of the book world.
Our passion for books started many years ago, we love books and constantly went to as many car boots, jumble sales and auctions as we could to find more books for our ever expanding collection. From many visits to the beautiful Northumberland, filled with lovely old bookshops, our dream started of owning our own bookshop one day. After one particular visit we returned home to the news of a bereavement and due to my own ill health which meant I could not return to my previous occupation we decided that there was no need to wait any longer and that is when it all began.
~ What makes Beck Valley Books different than other online bookstores?
I would say because we are a small family run business and value our loyal customers. We have our books on site and know the true condition of them which is always reflected in the books description. We love our books and want to share our passion with other book readers.
~ Do you have any hopes and plans for the future?
Stephen hopes one day to have a physical bookstore, a book lovers paradise I think with sofa's, a coffee maker and even a chess board!! We bought a beautiful book shaped table from an auction a couple of years ago and the first thing Stephen said was that it would go lovely in his book shop !!
~ The two of you work as a team. How do you split up the work? I know with our family, Marshall writes the books and I do the marketing.
I do all the computer side of things, which is massive, putting individual books online is quite time consuming especially the old books, but I love doing it. Stephen does the buying and delivering and of course all the heavy lifting.
~ Share with us one or two of your successes. What things have you done in your journey that really worked?
I received a wonderful email from a customer who had been looking for his childhood book for over fifty years and finally found it on our store, he was absolutely overjoyed and we were thrilled for him.The other obvious success is the book tours we now do, at first we started our Beck Valley Books blog to promote our bookstore but it has now become far more important which in a way is quite sad as we love our old, rare books and we are spending less and less time with them. For me each old book has their own unique history and it's wonderful to pass this onto a new owner.
~ On the same note, what mistakes have you made in the past years that you hope others don’t repeat?
We started out selling every type of book possible but in time you will find a niche that fits your style and you can focus on selling in that particular area. You have to be in it for the long haul, it isn't an easy way to make money you have to have the motivation to make it work.
~ What are some of the unwritten rules you go by in doing business with others online?
To be honest I don't think I have any x
~ Can you share a fun story of a book you have been involved with doing book tours over the years, perhaps finding an all time favorite read or an author success story?
We have met so many wonderful author's over the last couple of years and it has been an absolute pleasure working alongside all of them, they are such fun people to work with. I love to hear that our book tours have made a difference in the books sales and online presence. We have been very lucky up to now that there hasn't been one book that we haven't enjoyed, I think that may be down to the fact that we only review the books we feel that we would really enjoy ourselves. My all time favourite read has to be the general fiction book Swallowtailby Sheri Meshal, it was a spiritual delight and it left myself and many of the other reviewers still feeling the effects from reading it even now.
~ Thanks Stephen and Sharon for spending a little bit of time with us! I'd have to say whether you know it or not, your unwritten rule is to treat others with courtesy, kindness and respect. It's been a real pleasure!
Support a Bookstore Today!I know many are concerned that the bookstore may become a thing of the past. Stephen and Sharon's dream is to own one of these jewels that are becoming more rare. Why not visit them today at Beck Valley Books and browse their selection. You too might find a treasure!
Visit Beck Valley Books
For more information on tours or new authors to followVisit The Beck Valley Book Blog
I've heard of stumbleupon but have no experience using it. As I've traveled the twitter-verse, that's exactly the term I would use for some of the best connections I've made in promoting the Guiamo Chronicles. In exploring, browsing, searching, I "stumbled upon" a blog advertising book tours. The comments were positive, the blog well done and so I took a stab and reached out inquiring about their possible interest in doing a tour for Guiamo. The rest is history. The Guiamo Book Tour was an incredible success and encouragement.
Our experience with Beck Valley Books was a positive one from start to finish. Sharon, who does the computer side of things, was quick to answer any questions I had and stayed on top of all that needed to be done. She went above and beyond in helping to promote Guiamo. Even after the tour was over, she offered to post about a giveaway we were doing as part of the Blogger Book Fair. Many companies do what they were paid for and then move on. Not so with Sharon! I'm confident that Beck Valley Books will be a valuable partner in continuing to share the news of Guiamo with others. As I've told Sharon via e-mail, if we ever make it over to England, we would love to meet in person. We wish Sharon and Stephen all our best.
And now, pull up a chair as I interview the people behind Beck Valley Books to learn a little more about their journey into the literary world.
Introducing Beck Valley Books!
~ Could you introduce yourselves to our readers and share a little bit about the two of you?
Hi everyone we are Sharon & Stephen, a pair of book lovers who live in the UK. We have been married for almost 20 years and have two lovely teenage boys who keep us very busy indeed! We both work full time as well as running our online bookstore and book blog.
~ We met through the Beck Valley Books book blog, but originally you started as book sellers. Tell us a little bit about your journey in the business of selling and blogging as well as how long you have been a part of the book world.
Our passion for books started many years ago, we love books and constantly went to as many car boots, jumble sales and auctions as we could to find more books for our ever expanding collection. From many visits to the beautiful Northumberland, filled with lovely old bookshops, our dream started of owning our own bookshop one day. After one particular visit we returned home to the news of a bereavement and due to my own ill health which meant I could not return to my previous occupation we decided that there was no need to wait any longer and that is when it all began. ~ What makes Beck Valley Books different than other online bookstores?
I would say because we are a small family run business and value our loyal customers. We have our books on site and know the true condition of them which is always reflected in the books description. We love our books and want to share our passion with other book readers.
~ Do you have any hopes and plans for the future?
Stephen hopes one day to have a physical bookstore, a book lovers paradise I think with sofa's, a coffee maker and even a chess board!! We bought a beautiful book shaped table from an auction a couple of years ago and the first thing Stephen said was that it would go lovely in his book shop !!
~ The two of you work as a team. How do you split up the work? I know with our family, Marshall writes the books and I do the marketing.
I do all the computer side of things, which is massive, putting individual books online is quite time consuming especially the old books, but I love doing it. Stephen does the buying and delivering and of course all the heavy lifting.
~ Share with us one or two of your successes. What things have you done in your journey that really worked?
I received a wonderful email from a customer who had been looking for his childhood book for over fifty years and finally found it on our store, he was absolutely overjoyed and we were thrilled for him.The other obvious success is the book tours we now do, at first we started our Beck Valley Books blog to promote our bookstore but it has now become far more important which in a way is quite sad as we love our old, rare books and we are spending less and less time with them. For me each old book has their own unique history and it's wonderful to pass this onto a new owner.
~ On the same note, what mistakes have you made in the past years that you hope others don’t repeat?
We started out selling every type of book possible but in time you will find a niche that fits your style and you can focus on selling in that particular area. You have to be in it for the long haul, it isn't an easy way to make money you have to have the motivation to make it work.
~ What are some of the unwritten rules you go by in doing business with others online?
To be honest I don't think I have any x
~ Can you share a fun story of a book you have been involved with doing book tours over the years, perhaps finding an all time favorite read or an author success story?
We have met so many wonderful author's over the last couple of years and it has been an absolute pleasure working alongside all of them, they are such fun people to work with. I love to hear that our book tours have made a difference in the books sales and online presence. We have been very lucky up to now that there hasn't been one book that we haven't enjoyed, I think that may be down to the fact that we only review the books we feel that we would really enjoy ourselves. My all time favourite read has to be the general fiction book Swallowtailby Sheri Meshal, it was a spiritual delight and it left myself and many of the other reviewers still feeling the effects from reading it even now.
~ Thanks Stephen and Sharon for spending a little bit of time with us! I'd have to say whether you know it or not, your unwritten rule is to treat others with courtesy, kindness and respect. It's been a real pleasure!
Support a Bookstore Today!I know many are concerned that the bookstore may become a thing of the past. Stephen and Sharon's dream is to own one of these jewels that are becoming more rare. Why not visit them today at Beck Valley Books and browse their selection. You too might find a treasure!
Visit Beck Valley Books
For more information on tours or new authors to followVisit The Beck Valley Book Blog
August 15, 2013
Suggestions for Some Great #FridayReads
Are you looking for something new to read, something new to discover? Let me introduce you to a few authors we have run across on our new journey in marketing Marshall's books. And of course, please take a moment to read about Guiamo Chronicles as well! The links below will take you to the authors' Amazon pages; however, many have e-books available through Smashwords as well for those who do not own a Kindle. So grab a seat, stay awhile and maybe you'll find your next favorite author!
Brian Rathbone is a horse trainer turned author and creator of The World of Godsland fantasy series, which includes Call of the Herald, Inherited Danger, Dragon Ore, Regent, Feral, and Regal. He is also the author of the Sam Flock novels, a paranormal adventure series that begins with Lure.
Michael R. Hicks is a top selling science fiction author. Born in 1963, Michael Hicks grew up in the age of the Apollo program and spent his youth glued to the television watching the original Star Trek series and other science fiction movies, which continue to be a source of entertainment and inspiration.
Alon Shalev lives and writes in two worlds. His first epic fantasy novel, At The Walls Of Galbrieth, won the 2013 Eric Hoffer Book Award - YA Category and was a Grand Prize Finalist. The sequel, The First Decree, was released in March 2013, and the third book in the series, Ashbar, is expected in October.
That's all for now....check back in the morning and I'll add some more.
Brian Rathbone is a horse trainer turned author and creator of The World of Godsland fantasy series, which includes Call of the Herald, Inherited Danger, Dragon Ore, Regent, Feral, and Regal. He is also the author of the Sam Flock novels, a paranormal adventure series that begins with Lure.
Michael R. Hicks is a top selling science fiction author. Born in 1963, Michael Hicks grew up in the age of the Apollo program and spent his youth glued to the television watching the original Star Trek series and other science fiction movies, which continue to be a source of entertainment and inspiration.
Alon Shalev lives and writes in two worlds. His first epic fantasy novel, At The Walls Of Galbrieth, won the 2013 Eric Hoffer Book Award - YA Category and was a Grand Prize Finalist. The sequel, The First Decree, was released in March 2013, and the third book in the series, Ashbar, is expected in October.
That's all for now....check back in the morning and I'll add some more.
August 5, 2013
Welcome to All New Readers
As of today, Amazon has raised the price of Guiamo back to $2.99. Over 2,000 people downloaded a free copy in the past couple of weeks. We welcome you all to the adventure. Many have begun to purchase the remaining books in the series. If you would like to read more about each book and what others have to say about them, read The Guiamo Chronicles - Books 1-4 page. As of today, we have our first review of book 3, Morlanos. You can read it on Amazon here. In the next few days, we will have a guest post from Beck Valley Books. We did a book tour with them which tremendously helped in getting the word out about Marshall's new series. They are great people to work with. We highly recommend them. If you are a reader, they have lots of book reviews to check out as well.
We would love to connect with all of Marshall's new readers and followers. Feel free to drop us a message here in the comments below, follow us on Twitter @ancumer, or like our page on Facebook.
You may also find Marshall on Goodreads. If you haven't discovered Goodreads, it's a wonderful place to find new authors, books and connect with other readers. Check it out! Be looking for a giveaway of book three soon on Goodreads.
Thanks once again and we'll be in touch soon!
Marshall and Tracey Best
We would love to connect with all of Marshall's new readers and followers. Feel free to drop us a message here in the comments below, follow us on Twitter @ancumer, or like our page on Facebook.
You may also find Marshall on Goodreads. If you haven't discovered Goodreads, it's a wonderful place to find new authors, books and connect with other readers. Check it out! Be looking for a giveaway of book three soon on Goodreads.
Thanks once again and we'll be in touch soon!
Marshall and Tracey Best
July 29, 2013
These Could Be Yours! Hours Left to Win!
The Chronicles of Guiamo Durmius Stolo
Combining legitimate legends with actual historical events, Marshall Best weaves an epic story that portrays the ancient world as it might have been, a world which the ancient historians recorded as fact; a time when gods ruled the earth and strange creatures dominated the land. It is the era of civilized conquerors exploring distant and primitive new lands. Scant recordings left to us today by ancient writers only touch on the fringe of the fantastic and brutal reality that existed in those distant lands of the west. Into this age, young Guiamo enters the world stage as the great game-changer, and by his hand the gods and beasts become destined to disappear into myth and legend.
In 60 B.C., ten-year-old Guiamo Durmius Stolo, an exceptionally gifted Roman orphan, is abandoned in Gaul . Left to fend for himself, Guiamo is set onto a path of legend. Recognized by the gods as having world-changing talents, he is given a weapon that changes his destiny and the world's forever.What others are saying about Guiamo:
Reviews from Amazon:
"I am a 16 year old freshman who selected this book for an English class book report. I planned on skimming through the book in order to get enough information to write the report. But I was hooked from the first chapter. The book was full of powerful and inspirational characters. I could easily relate to many of Guiamo's challenges as he matured from a child to a young man. I can't wait to read the next book in this series."
By MommaMia:"First let me start by saying that Guiamo is a hidden gem of historical fiction tucked away here in the treasure chest of literature that is Amazon.com! I enjoyed immersing myself in a time period I know so little about, and taking that journey with the enigmatic youth, Guiamo Stolo."
"We first meet Guiamo when he is at the lowest time in his young life. He is being abandoned by his only family and is left alone to fend for himself. As luck and the Gods would have it, he lands in the protective and loving hands of a group of fishermen who graciously teach him the ways of the world through their tough love lessons of self-reliance mixed in with the very practical lessons of fishing. These men were all very different, yet each had a lesson to teach, and Guiamo, being bright and eager to learn, absorbed it all with ease. You get to the point in this part of the book when you just know this is no ordinary little boy destined for a life as a fisherman. Guiamo is so much more, but just what that might be is not revealed until later on in the story."
"He then goes on to find some of his family while living in the household of a wise merchant. All of these people he is surrounded with teach him great life lessons (both spiritual and practical) and for these lessons alone, I am recommending this book to my own son, who I think could benefit from the wisdom bestowed on our young hero. Guiamo prospers and amasses great wealth at a very early age. He uses this wealth to help others, and to build upon what he has to bring him even greater resources. His eagerness, creative mind and sharp senses remind us a bit of other great tales. The author has woven a tale of men of war without what you might typically find in a story such as this, by that I mean the graphic language and violence. This book is perfect for anyone, teenager to adult. There is nothing in it to offend. Guiamo is a fascinating story set in a dangerous period in our history that is reminiscent of other great tales of larger than life heroes gifted by the Gods; Perseus comes to mind, or Hercules."
"This book is well written, full of historical accounts of Julius Caesars exploits with the Roman Legions, and the very essence of the story, the life of this boy destined for greatness. It is Guiamo himself which keeps you interested most of all. It's a mix of historical fiction with a dab of the great myths of Greece and Rome, which makes a great combination that will keep you interested from beginning to end." Cumoro
Guiamo Durmius Stolo sails in 55 B.C. with Rome's 7th Legion as Julius Caesar invades Britain. But Caesar has not before encountered the Fomori, a dominion of wicked creatures which wage war against the human inhabitants and dominate much of Britain. Armed with his god-made spear, Guiamo joins with the tribal kings against their Fomori foe when Caesar departs.
Mary Woldering's comment regarding Cumoro:
"Just finished Book 2. Any writer who wants to write about epic battles, should read the battle against the orcs. A great example of swordplay and magic combined!" - Beck Valley Books Review - The second installment of The Chronicles of Guiamo Durmius Stolo. At the end of the fist episode our hero has had some basic training but has become increasingly restless and in order to further his quest he signs up to join Caesars army. His first task is to sail to Britain but on landing Caesars army is unsuccessful and has to abandon his invasion attempt leaving behind Guiamo.
The author takes us on a page turning adventure with excellent myths and legends thrown in. The descriptions and situations are expertly described and you feel is if you are right there fighting and combating the evil spirits, carrying his secret weapons and whispering the spells in order from him to achieve greatness and triumph.
This story holds a lot of research and historical facts and the authors knowledge really shines through which holds and captivates the reader into imagining the creatures, people and the way they live and their will to survive.
The extraordinary element is having read the first installment I didn't think the follow up was going to be as enthralling or as good but how wrong was I. I am certainly looking forward with great excitement to the third book.
If you love and I mean love a novel which can take you to a time you didn't live in and bring it to life then this story and the author is for you.
The writers style of writing is simple and with excellently references in the book to the ancient language used, the plot with mythical creatures with dark secrets will appeal to readers of all ages and especially to those of you who like to read a bedroom story to their children (but be warned you could be reading for a long time).
Having destroyed the Fomori in Britain , Guiamo Durmius Stolo decides in 51 B.C. to bring the Cruthin people, once slaves to the Fomori, to Ireland , but encounters the Fomori who reside there as well. Guiamo discovers that the gods venerated by the Druids are unworthy. The gods are displeased with him and begin to work against him.
In 50 B.C. Guiamo Durmius Stolo finds himself victor over the detested Fomori whose leader, Cichol, is slain and those few who survived are scattered. Guiamo explores the secret places where Cichol kept his most important secrets and discovers there the treasures of Cichol's master, the goddess Domnu. ENTER TO WINSIGNED BY AUTHOR
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Combining legitimate legends with actual historical events, Marshall Best weaves an epic story that portrays the ancient world as it might have been, a world which the ancient historians recorded as fact; a time when gods ruled the earth and strange creatures dominated the land. It is the era of civilized conquerors exploring distant and primitive new lands. Scant recordings left to us today by ancient writers only touch on the fringe of the fantastic and brutal reality that existed in those distant lands of the west. Into this age, young Guiamo enters the world stage as the great game-changer, and by his hand the gods and beasts become destined to disappear into myth and legend.
In 60 B.C., ten-year-old Guiamo Durmius Stolo, an exceptionally gifted Roman orphan, is abandoned in Gaul . Left to fend for himself, Guiamo is set onto a path of legend. Recognized by the gods as having world-changing talents, he is given a weapon that changes his destiny and the world's forever.What others are saying about Guiamo:Reviews from Amazon:
"I am a 16 year old freshman who selected this book for an English class book report. I planned on skimming through the book in order to get enough information to write the report. But I was hooked from the first chapter. The book was full of powerful and inspirational characters. I could easily relate to many of Guiamo's challenges as he matured from a child to a young man. I can't wait to read the next book in this series."
By MommaMia:"First let me start by saying that Guiamo is a hidden gem of historical fiction tucked away here in the treasure chest of literature that is Amazon.com! I enjoyed immersing myself in a time period I know so little about, and taking that journey with the enigmatic youth, Guiamo Stolo."
"We first meet Guiamo when he is at the lowest time in his young life. He is being abandoned by his only family and is left alone to fend for himself. As luck and the Gods would have it, he lands in the protective and loving hands of a group of fishermen who graciously teach him the ways of the world through their tough love lessons of self-reliance mixed in with the very practical lessons of fishing. These men were all very different, yet each had a lesson to teach, and Guiamo, being bright and eager to learn, absorbed it all with ease. You get to the point in this part of the book when you just know this is no ordinary little boy destined for a life as a fisherman. Guiamo is so much more, but just what that might be is not revealed until later on in the story."
"He then goes on to find some of his family while living in the household of a wise merchant. All of these people he is surrounded with teach him great life lessons (both spiritual and practical) and for these lessons alone, I am recommending this book to my own son, who I think could benefit from the wisdom bestowed on our young hero. Guiamo prospers and amasses great wealth at a very early age. He uses this wealth to help others, and to build upon what he has to bring him even greater resources. His eagerness, creative mind and sharp senses remind us a bit of other great tales. The author has woven a tale of men of war without what you might typically find in a story such as this, by that I mean the graphic language and violence. This book is perfect for anyone, teenager to adult. There is nothing in it to offend. Guiamo is a fascinating story set in a dangerous period in our history that is reminiscent of other great tales of larger than life heroes gifted by the Gods; Perseus comes to mind, or Hercules."
"This book is well written, full of historical accounts of Julius Caesars exploits with the Roman Legions, and the very essence of the story, the life of this boy destined for greatness. It is Guiamo himself which keeps you interested most of all. It's a mix of historical fiction with a dab of the great myths of Greece and Rome, which makes a great combination that will keep you interested from beginning to end." Cumoro
Guiamo Durmius Stolo sails in 55 B.C. with Rome's 7th Legion as Julius Caesar invades Britain. But Caesar has not before encountered the Fomori, a dominion of wicked creatures which wage war against the human inhabitants and dominate much of Britain. Armed with his god-made spear, Guiamo joins with the tribal kings against their Fomori foe when Caesar departs.Mary Woldering's comment regarding Cumoro:
"Just finished Book 2. Any writer who wants to write about epic battles, should read the battle against the orcs. A great example of swordplay and magic combined!" - Beck Valley Books Review - The second installment of The Chronicles of Guiamo Durmius Stolo. At the end of the fist episode our hero has had some basic training but has become increasingly restless and in order to further his quest he signs up to join Caesars army. His first task is to sail to Britain but on landing Caesars army is unsuccessful and has to abandon his invasion attempt leaving behind Guiamo.
The author takes us on a page turning adventure with excellent myths and legends thrown in. The descriptions and situations are expertly described and you feel is if you are right there fighting and combating the evil spirits, carrying his secret weapons and whispering the spells in order from him to achieve greatness and triumph.
This story holds a lot of research and historical facts and the authors knowledge really shines through which holds and captivates the reader into imagining the creatures, people and the way they live and their will to survive.
The extraordinary element is having read the first installment I didn't think the follow up was going to be as enthralling or as good but how wrong was I. I am certainly looking forward with great excitement to the third book.
If you love and I mean love a novel which can take you to a time you didn't live in and bring it to life then this story and the author is for you.
The writers style of writing is simple and with excellently references in the book to the ancient language used, the plot with mythical creatures with dark secrets will appeal to readers of all ages and especially to those of you who like to read a bedroom story to their children (but be warned you could be reading for a long time).
Having destroyed the Fomori in Britain , Guiamo Durmius Stolo decides in 51 B.C. to bring the Cruthin people, once slaves to the Fomori, to Ireland , but encounters the Fomori who reside there as well. Guiamo discovers that the gods venerated by the Druids are unworthy. The gods are displeased with him and begin to work against him.
In 50 B.C. Guiamo Durmius Stolo finds himself victor over the detested Fomori whose leader, Cichol, is slain and those few who survived are scattered. Guiamo explores the secret places where Cichol kept his most important secrets and discovers there the treasures of Cichol's master, the goddess Domnu. ENTER TO WINSIGNED BY AUTHOR
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July 26, 2013
Guiamo Chronicles Giveaway - Ending Soon
As part of our participation in Blogger Book Fair this past week, we are hosting a WW giveaway of the first four books in The Chronicles of Guiamo Durmius Stolo signed by Marshall. As of this writing, there are a mere 25 entries, pretty good odds for several hours of enjoyable reading. For those of you who have joined us during our book tour with Beck Valley Books, you may not be aware of the giveaway. We wanted to make sure all of our followers were aware of this chance to own print copies of the first four books in the series. You can enter the giveaway to the right. Please share with anyone else you feel may enjoy this historical fantasy journey with Guiamo. Thanks to all of our readers so far. We're thrilled you are falling in love with Guiamo as much as our family has. If you are new to Guiamo and would like to read what others have to say, you can read many favorable reviews on Amazon. For those looking to read the adventure through an e-book, Guiamo will be free until the end of this month. Books 2, 3 and 4 will also be $0.99 through Sunday. You can download the books through Smashwords. Smashwords is holding their July/Winter sale this month and you may find other great reads on discount as well.
Please keep in touch and let us know what you think of Guiamo. We love to hear your feedback. Thank you once again for taking a chance on an unknown author. He has many more grand adventures in store for Guiamo. Book five is well on its way and four more will come after that. I will be writing a new post soon linking to several interviews Marshall has done with various bloggers so that you can learn more about the author, his ideas and the background for Guiamo.
ENTER NOW FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!
July 25, 2013
The Book Cover - A Window to the Story-line
Now what? I'm sure many an author has faced the dilemma. The manuscript is written, the story complete, but how do you convey to a reader passing by, the contents of the book within? A cover of a book is no small thing. Some reviewers decide whether to review a book based on the cover alone. In her review of Guiamo, Leila of Lifeasleels wrote,
"99% of the time, when I pick a book to read (or to review), I base it on the cover."
We all know of those hole in the wall restaurants that are fabulous but also "unknown" to the majority. You may have a great story, or a great restaurant, but if your presentation doesn't catch the eye of the consumer, well, you're not going far.
So where do you start? Looking at a cover should be a bit like peering into a window of a house watching the happenings within. You can't hear the voices, you don't know the conversation, but you can get a general idea of what is going on. The cover should represent the story and its significance. You wouldn't want to have a picture of a peaceful garden on the front of a story about war. In addition, a complex cover is not always best. Remember, the customer often glances over covers. Too much complexity in an image may overwhelm. It's good if you can create curiosity with your cover, causing the reader to pause to see what the story is about. If the cover is a ho hum copy of every other book in your genre, it will most likely get lost in the shuffle. Think about what makes your story unique, different. Can you represent that in some way on the cover? Is there an item of significance that could stand as a symbol for the story? For example, the Roman Gladius is used on the cover of Guiamo. Although the story starts with his abandonment as a young boy, the sword speaks of things to come. For Cumoro, Guiamo's magic ring was chosen. Although he receives the ring in book one, it becomes much more significant in the story in book two. A cover doesn't have to be complex to be well received.
Which Cover Designer Do You Use?
Finding a designer will be the next step. We were fortunate to know a graphic artist who was not only our friend but extremely talented as well. Most aren't so fortunate. Ask for references. Contact authors whose artwork you admire and ask if they would be willing to share the names of those they worked with. It's important that the person you work with is not only talented but easy to work with. They need to be able to understand what you are looking for and be patient as you try to get it right. If you are looking for someone to work with, we would highly recommend Jim Pardew. You won't be disappointed. You can learn more about him below. You've put your hard work into the manuscript. Make sure you do the same with the cover. It represents your story to the world.
Jim Pardew is happily married to Donna and is a father of their two awesome kids. He has over 20 years of professional experience in graphic design. He developed his abilities in print design and visual communications while working extensively as a graphic designer in the publishing realm.
During his career, he has designed for numerous businesses and non-profit organizations in a variety of markets. His areas of expertise include print and web design, marketing, and brand development. His work has appeared nationally on Fox News, Oprah and The Today Show.
Jim especially enjoys book cover design and would love to design your next cover or graphic project. If interested, he can be reached via email at: pardewjd@sbcglobal.net . To see more of his work, visit www.krop.com/JamesPardew .
"99% of the time, when I pick a book to read (or to review), I base it on the cover."
We all know of those hole in the wall restaurants that are fabulous but also "unknown" to the majority. You may have a great story, or a great restaurant, but if your presentation doesn't catch the eye of the consumer, well, you're not going far.
So where do you start? Looking at a cover should be a bit like peering into a window of a house watching the happenings within. You can't hear the voices, you don't know the conversation, but you can get a general idea of what is going on. The cover should represent the story and its significance. You wouldn't want to have a picture of a peaceful garden on the front of a story about war. In addition, a complex cover is not always best. Remember, the customer often glances over covers. Too much complexity in an image may overwhelm. It's good if you can create curiosity with your cover, causing the reader to pause to see what the story is about. If the cover is a ho hum copy of every other book in your genre, it will most likely get lost in the shuffle. Think about what makes your story unique, different. Can you represent that in some way on the cover? Is there an item of significance that could stand as a symbol for the story? For example, the Roman Gladius is used on the cover of Guiamo. Although the story starts with his abandonment as a young boy, the sword speaks of things to come. For Cumoro, Guiamo's magic ring was chosen. Although he receives the ring in book one, it becomes much more significant in the story in book two. A cover doesn't have to be complex to be well received.
Which Cover Designer Do You Use?
Finding a designer will be the next step. We were fortunate to know a graphic artist who was not only our friend but extremely talented as well. Most aren't so fortunate. Ask for references. Contact authors whose artwork you admire and ask if they would be willing to share the names of those they worked with. It's important that the person you work with is not only talented but easy to work with. They need to be able to understand what you are looking for and be patient as you try to get it right. If you are looking for someone to work with, we would highly recommend Jim Pardew. You won't be disappointed. You can learn more about him below. You've put your hard work into the manuscript. Make sure you do the same with the cover. It represents your story to the world.
Jim Pardew is happily married to Donna and is a father of their two awesome kids. He has over 20 years of professional experience in graphic design. He developed his abilities in print design and visual communications while working extensively as a graphic designer in the publishing realm. During his career, he has designed for numerous businesses and non-profit organizations in a variety of markets. His areas of expertise include print and web design, marketing, and brand development. His work has appeared nationally on Fox News, Oprah and The Today Show.
Jim especially enjoys book cover design and would love to design your next cover or graphic project. If interested, he can be reached via email at: pardewjd@sbcglobal.net . To see more of his work, visit www.krop.com/JamesPardew .
The Book Cover - A Window to the Storyline
Now what? I'm sure many an author has faced the dilemma. The manuscript is written, the story complete, but how do you convey to a reader passing by, the contents of the book within? A cover of a book is no small thing. Some reviewers decide whether to review a book based on the cover alone. In her review of Guiamo, Leila of Lifeasleels wrote,
"99% of the time, when I pick a book to read (or to review), I base it on the cover."
We all know of those hole in the wall restaurants that are fabulous but also "unknown" to the majority. You may have a great story, or a great restaurant, but if your presentation doesn't catch the eye of the consumer, well, you're not going far.
So where do you start? Looking at a cover should be a bit like peering into a window of a house watching the happenings within. You can't hear the voices, you don't know the conversation, but you can get a general idea of what is going on. The cover should represent the story and its significance. You wouldn't want to have a picture of a peaceful garden on the front of a story about war. In addition, a complex cover is not always best. Remember, the customer often glances over covers. Too much complexity in an image may overwhelm. It's good if you can create curiosity with your cover, causing the reader to pause to see what the story is about. If the cover is a ho hum copy of every other book in your genre, it will most likely get lost in the shuffle. Think about what makes your story unique, different. Can you represent that in some way on the cover? Is there an item of significance that could stand as a symbol for the story? For example, the Roman Gladius is used on the cover of Guiamo. Although the story starts with his abandonment as a young boy, the sword speaks of things to come. For Cumoro, Guiamo's magic ring was chosen. Although he receives the ring in book one, it becomes much more significant in the story in book two. A cover doesn't have to be complex to be well received.
Which Cover Designer Do You Use?
Finding a designer will be the next step. We were fortunate to know a graphic artist who was not only our friend but extremely talented as well. Most aren't so fortunate. Ask for references. Contact authors whose artwork you admire and ask if they would be willing to share the names of those they worked with. It's important that the person you work with is not only talented but easy to work with. They need to be able to understand what you are looking for and be patient as you try to get it right. If you are looking for someone to work with, we would highly recommend Jim Pardew. You won't be disappointed. You can learn more about him below. You've put your hard work into the manuscript. Make sure you do the same with the cover. It represents your story to the world.
Jim Pardew is happily married to Donna and is a father of their two awesome kids. He has over 20 years of professional experience in graphic design. He developed his abilities in print design and visual communications while working extensively as a graphic designer in the publishing realm.
During his career, he has designed for numerous businesses and non-profit organizations in a variety of markets. His areas of expertise include print and web design, marketing, and brand development. His work has appeared nationally on Fox News, Oprah and The Today Show.
Jim especially enjoys book cover design and would love to design your next cover or graphic project. If interested, he can be reached via email at: pardewjd@sbcglobal.net . To see more of his work, visit www.krop.com/JamesPardew .
"99% of the time, when I pick a book to read (or to review), I base it on the cover."
We all know of those hole in the wall restaurants that are fabulous but also "unknown" to the majority. You may have a great story, or a great restaurant, but if your presentation doesn't catch the eye of the consumer, well, you're not going far.
So where do you start? Looking at a cover should be a bit like peering into a window of a house watching the happenings within. You can't hear the voices, you don't know the conversation, but you can get a general idea of what is going on. The cover should represent the story and its significance. You wouldn't want to have a picture of a peaceful garden on the front of a story about war. In addition, a complex cover is not always best. Remember, the customer often glances over covers. Too much complexity in an image may overwhelm. It's good if you can create curiosity with your cover, causing the reader to pause to see what the story is about. If the cover is a ho hum copy of every other book in your genre, it will most likely get lost in the shuffle. Think about what makes your story unique, different. Can you represent that in some way on the cover? Is there an item of significance that could stand as a symbol for the story? For example, the Roman Gladius is used on the cover of Guiamo. Although the story starts with his abandonment as a young boy, the sword speaks of things to come. For Cumoro, Guiamo's magic ring was chosen. Although he receives the ring in book one, it becomes much more significant in the story in book two. A cover doesn't have to be complex to be well received.
Which Cover Designer Do You Use?
Finding a designer will be the next step. We were fortunate to know a graphic artist who was not only our friend but extremely talented as well. Most aren't so fortunate. Ask for references. Contact authors whose artwork you admire and ask if they would be willing to share the names of those they worked with. It's important that the person you work with is not only talented but easy to work with. They need to be able to understand what you are looking for and be patient as you try to get it right. If you are looking for someone to work with, we would highly recommend Jim Pardew. You won't be disappointed. You can learn more about him below. You've put your hard work into the manuscript. Make sure you do the same with the cover. It represents your story to the world.
Jim Pardew is happily married to Donna and is a father of their two awesome kids. He has over 20 years of professional experience in graphic design. He developed his abilities in print design and visual communications while working extensively as a graphic designer in the publishing realm. During his career, he has designed for numerous businesses and non-profit organizations in a variety of markets. His areas of expertise include print and web design, marketing, and brand development. His work has appeared nationally on Fox News, Oprah and The Today Show.
Jim especially enjoys book cover design and would love to design your next cover or graphic project. If interested, he can be reached via email at: pardewjd@sbcglobal.net . To see more of his work, visit www.krop.com/JamesPardew .
July 23, 2013
Blogger Book Fair - Interview with Tara Entwistle-Clark, author of Butterfly In Winter
A Butterfly in Winter
by Tara Entwistle-ClarkPublished by Tara Entwistle-ClarkRealistic YA/Social IssuesContains talk of sexuality and strong language, as well as a scene of sexual assaultHeat Level: Tame Length: 322 pages
Available at:
Amazon Smashwords Barnes and Noble
A Butterfly In WinterAllison Stafford is fourteen. As if that is not enough to deal with in itself, her parents suddenly move her from her small town in Vermont to suburban Michigan, all in the middle of her freshman year of high school. For Allison, there is more to learn at her new school than just finding her way around. Soon she is attempting to make sense of her newly discovered sexuality, and wondering what it takes to fit in with the “cool” people at her school. Despite tragedy and several mistakes, Allison manages to survive. This novel leads the reader through the murky depths of high school, and reminds us all of the importance of true friendship.
1 + 1 = 2
Math is cut and dry, black and white. Life, on the other hand is not. Life can be messy, confusing and scary and no one knows that better than a teenager. Although growing up has its exhilarating moments, it has even more moments of questioning. Teens question themselves, their worth, their parents, the rules…When they think they’ve figured things out, their friends may tell them they’re all wrong. It’s a lot to navigate. Gone are the carefree days of playing on the playground, blowing bubbles, riding bikes and getting ice cream from the ice cream truck.
In today’s world, one of the trickiest things to navigate is a teenager’s sexuality. As parents we often dread the very necessary “talk” about the birds and the bees. Although we are sexual beings, we aren't exactly comfortable talking to our kids about sex. Our culture, however, has no qualms portraying it in all sorts of ways. Teens are assaulted with a barrage of images, articles, movies and songs regarding the subject. My guest today is Tara Entwistle-Clark, author of Butterfly In Winter. She’s here to share some of her background, her motivation and why she felt it important to write about this very tumultuous time in every young adult’s life. - Tell us a little bit about your book and its title. What made you choose the title that you did.A Butterfly in Winter is a YA coming of age story about friendship, peer pressure, relationships, and the emergence of sexuality in teenage girls. I chose the title because I believed it reflected the theme effectively. A girl’s psyche and emotional stability is fragile, like a butterfly, and high school is like the winter that may be impossible for the butterfly (or in this case, a girl’s emotional strength) to survive.
-What do you hope to teach or convey to your readers in writing this story?The main point is that no one is alone in the things that happen to them. For Allison, she learns who her real friends are, even if she has to go through hell to discover them. I also think it’s important for teen readers to realize that much of what they face is normal. Allison has normal concerns for a teenage girl, but most girls her age don’t have anyone to talk to about them. We live in a society that sexualizes everything and it’s hard when the messages are mixed. On one end, media pushes us to become sexual at a young age and seems to mock people who don’t buy into that. For example, a brand like Pink exists. It’s targeted at very young girls and now we have 12 year olds running around with the word “juicy” on their butts. That’s insane. On the other hand, many people are becoming more conservative and parents and often teachers and adults are telling these same girls that they should not be attracted to boys, that they should not be thinking about sex. So what ends up happening is we abandon these kids to navigate this nonsense all by themselves– and that’s why we see things like what happened in Steubenville or in California.
-As written in the excerpt on Amazon, as we get older life becomes a lot less black and white. Real life can be messy. As you and I have discussed earlier, your story involves some difficult subject matter. Why did you feel it important to include this particular subject in the story?Like I said, real life is hard. However, we are a media saturated society but the media lies to us. Reality TV tells young people that they can be famous for nothing – or for something immoral. Growing up is hard enough, but we are often confronted with challenges that make us question our values. I think a balance is important, but we seem to draw a line that says “this stuff is okay for adults but you can’t think about it until you’re an adult,” but then we don’t give kids tools to get through adolescence. I don’t think kids should be doing many of the things they’re doing, but I also think we can’t pretend they won’t. It amazes me that we put all of this stuff out there for them – like reality TV, music, movies, social media, etc. – and then we demand that they handle it well. There are girls taking pictures of themselves naked and sending those pictures out over the internet – at 13! Why is no one saying anything?! When we do, it’s to punish or mock that girl. I don’t see how that helps, either. - In writing a story and conveying the details of an event, a writer must decide how much detail to give, what to describe for the reader and what to leave to their imagination. You shared with me that your book involves a very graphic scene of sexual assault. What influenced your decision to describe this scene in a graphic way rather than more indirectly?I think it needs to be said. A significant number of girls and women are sexually assaulted every year. We have no problem sexualizing people for entertainment, but we don’t talk about the dark side of sex. I don’t think it’s healthy to pretend that Jersey Shore behavior doesn’t have its consequences. I also think that people should know what actually happens. When you’re young and someone warns you of something in vague terms, it isn’t real. I remember sitting through countless assemblies about drunk driving and it not sinking in until one day, the cops brought in pictures of a mangled car and then a mother stood up and told us the horrible details about her son’s death. Sometimes, we need to face the way things really are.- What ages would you say A Butterfly in Winter is appropriate for? Describe your target audience.I would say high school, but really any reader who is sexually aware. That doesn’t mean sexually active, but it’s funny to say the book should be limited to sixteen and up when Allison is 14 and I’ve had students who are far more experienced that she is and they were even younger. Sadly, I think girls are becoming sexualized even younger than ever –which depresses me. So teen, because I can’t deal with the reality of that.- What motivated you to write on the topic of high school, its pressures and pitfalls?What’s funny is that I worked as a high school teacher for ten years, but not until after I wrote the novel. However, I never really forgot how challenging high school was and I don’t think anything has changed. In fact, it’s likely gotten worse. With modern technology, it has become even easier to destroy a person. Being a teenage girl is hard.
- This may overlap a bit with the last question. What experiences have you had in life that prepared you to write this story?Many of the experiences Allison has were similar to my own. I moved in high school, I faced my own share of peer pressure, and I’ve survived destructive relationships. I think that’s a part of the story, too. The fact that a great deal of women have had these experiences was one of the main reasons it felt like it was worth writing.
- Can you describe your favorite scene in the book without spoiling the book for readers?I love the scene when the group of them goes to play hide and seek in the supermarket. I think it captures the carefree innocence that is still possible and it gives some hope – even if, in this case, it doesn’t last.
-Tell us a little bit about the covers for the book. I notice there are two covers, one for the paperback and a different one for the e-book.The paperback cover was designed for me when it was published years ago. I designed the ebook cover. They both capture the basic concepts – teenager and emotional drama. The paperback cover clearly identifies relationships as a main focus, whereas the ebook cover showcases the angst more. -Which is your favorite cover and why?I like them both. I opted for the black and white one for the ebook, though, because I felt like it was important that the book was not mistaken for a happy and light romance novel. This is a pretty depressing work and I think the ebook cover showcases that well.- A Butterfly in Winter was published back in 2005 so you’ve been writing for quite some time. What was your first published book and what have you learned over the years that might be helpful to other authors?This was my first published book and I haven’t released anything new, although I am currently working on two novels. One fantasy and another realistic YA title. What I think was most important in what I learned is that feedback needs to be taken for what it is. I went through so much critique with this book and now when I read it, I feel like I don’t even know what the voice was supposed to be. I would like to go back and edit it, but I can’t, because I hear too many other voices in the writing. I’ve learned now to listen to what feels right – and ignore the rest. At the end of the day, it’s my book and I need to stick to my story.
Thanks for sharing with us Tara.
You Can Follow Tara
Website/blog: http://tarasbookblog.com
Twitter My ReviewButterfly in Winter is a story of 14 year old Allison making new friends after changing schools. It portrays very well the conflicting thoughts a teenager may face as they decide how to conduct themselves. Wanting to do the “cool” thing, not wanting to look stupid, wanting to fit in, teens often sacrifice their true identity until they truly don’t know who they are or what they think. This story shows the importance of parental supervision, opportunities abounding when adults are absent to fall into difficult and tempting situations.
Although many people approach sexual relations from differing moral perspectives, I would say most acknowledge the vast difference between a loving relationship and one of convenience where people are treated similar to a towel used after a shower that’s tossed aside. Tara Entwistle-Clark has done a great job of portraying these differences in her book Butterfly in Winter. Growing up is not black and white. The need to fit in is intense. The mixed messages are many. As parents we need to spend more time discussing hard issues with our teens to prepare them to navigate the waters of adolescence more successfully and without some of the pain Allison experiences in this story. We need to teach our daughters to respect themselves and our sons to treat young women with the dignity they deserve.
July 21, 2013
Blogger Book Fair - Interview with Katie O'Sullivan, Author of Son of a Mermaid
Shea MacNamara's life just got complicated.
After a freak tornado devastates his Oklahoma farm, the fifteen-year-old orphan moves to Cape Cod to live with a grandmother he's never met. Struggling to make sense of his new surroundings, he meets a girl along the shore who changes his life forever.
Kae belongs to an undersea world hidden from drylanders. The daughter of royal servants, she knows the planned marriage of her Princess to the foreign King should put an end to the war between the clans. Two things stand in the way of lasting peace: an ambitious Regent and rumors of a half-human child who will save the oceans.
Sparks fly when she meets Shea, but could the cute drylander really be the Son of a Mermaid?
It’s a pleasure to have Katie O’Sullivan here with us today to talk about her book Son of a Mermaid. I read it recently and truly enjoyed the story.
- Tell us a little bit about your book. What inspired your choice of the storyline, characters, setting, etc.?
SON OF A MERMAID is a coming of age story with a paranormal twist, in that the main character didn’t know his mother was a mermaid. When a freak tornado devastates his Oklahoma farm, 15-year-old Shea MacNamara moves to Cape Cod to live with his grandmother, and discovers that his roots – and his destiny – lie far below the cool waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
My family lives on Cape Cod year round, and we walk along the beach daily with our dogs. One day my middle child and I found an unusual stone on the beach with a strange hole cut through the middle. He and I spent the rest of the walk making up stories about the mermaid who must have lost it… and the novel grew from there.
- Tell us about yourself and your journey to become a writer
I’ve always loved books and reading, and dreamed of being an author from an early age. In fact, I wrote my first mystery in third grade and my aunt “published” it for me. Now a recovering English major, I’ve worked over the years as both a reporter and editor. When my third child started full-day kindergarten, I started writing my first manuscript and decided I really want to be an author when I grow up. With three published books and a fourth in production, I think I’m getting there.
- I notice from your author page that you have three kids and two dogs. How do you balance your time with family and your writing time? It’s often difficult to find time to even think as a mom, let alone write a novel.
Actually, we now have three dogs… and yes, it’s a tough balancing act, but one that all moms struggle with in some form or another. I try to do the majority of my creative writing while the kids are in school, but I also get up very early in the morning to get things done like answering emails and posting on my blog. When I first started writing, I could write after they went off to bed, but now they all stay up later than I do!
- Can you describe your favorite scene in the book without spoiling the book for readers?
It’s not a spoiler to say that my main character, Shea, discovers that his mother is really a mermaid – it’s in the title of the book, lol. I loved writing the underwater scenes, and imagining what mermaid life would feel like to Shea.
One of my favorite scenes is when he falls into the saltwater by accident and almost drowns, in an eerily similar scenario to the nightmares that have been haunting him – except that when he finally gives in and releases the breath he’s been holding, he finds he can “breathe” the water! Another of my favorite scenes occurs when Shea is first learning to use the transformational magick that will turn his two legs into one tail. It’s like a scene straight out of one of his drowning dreams, except this time he’s not afraid.
- Describe your target audience. Who did you write Son of a Mermaid for?
SON OF A MERMAID is young YA, aimed at middle grade readers who are looking for something more. I usually say the age range is 9-14, but it’s a good read-together book for younger readers and I’ve received emails and reviews from adult readers who have loved the story as well.
- Son of a Mermaid is your third novel. What have you learned over the years that might be helpful to other authors just starting out?
Patience is the most important item in an author’s toolbox. I thought finishing a manuscript was the end of the journey, but then I found it’s really only the beginning. Have patience. Do your homework. And always act like a professional. Even though our stories and characters are personal, writing is a business, and the faster you learn that, the easier it is to deal with the inevitable rejections.
- Every author has a different goal in writing a story, some want to express things they’ve experienced in life in story form, some merely want to entertain, some hope to teach through their stories. What were your goals in writing your story?
Reading has always played a huge role in my own life. I love the idea of connecting with young readers, and helping them develop a life-long love of reading. I also love that the current YA genre has exploded into such a vibrant and disparate collection of authors and book topics. Young readers today have so many great choices!
- I know in writing Guiamo, Marshall has had to decide how to explain the magic in his stories in a way that it is believable. He often has “aha” moments when he figures out how to incorporate certain elements into the story. Can you share an “aha” moment you had while writing Son of a Mermaid?
Well, I’m not sure if this is what you mean, but I had a kind of “aha” moment about writing YA, in terms of Point of View. Lots of YA books are written in first person POV, but I prefer writing in third person with a definite viewpoint. My “aha” was when I realized I couldn’t use any adult POVs, and needed to tell the story as Shea and Kae, the main characters, were experiencing it. That cut out a lot of backstory and side schemes, but it drove the storyline to be all the more immediate. Now the reader discovers things at the same time as Shea does, which makes for a stronger story.
- Do you have another story in the works? What’s next?
A sequel to SON OF A MERMAID is already in production with the same publisher, Crescent Moon Press. The working title of the second book is “Blood of a Mermaid” and the blurb reads like this:
At fifteen, Shea McNamara discovered he’s the heir to an undersea kingdom. And even more important, he fell in love…with a mermaid. Big life changers for a farmboy from Oklahoma.
Seventeen-year-old Zan commands powerful magick, and owes his allegiance to Prince Demyan. Kidnapping the heir’s girlfriend is just another step in Demyan’s twisted plans for world domination. But Zan has never met anyone like the beautiful mermaid Kae. She makes him feel things that he never thought he deserved, and he makes promises that put both their lives at risk.
Kae is torn between two mermen battling not only for her affections, but also for the future of the undersea world they inhabit. In the clashes between good and evil, the lines are not always clearly drawn. Especially when love is involved.
Thanks for having me as your guest during Blogger Book Fair! It’s been fun!
Find Katie online:Follow her Blog – http://katieosullivan.blogspot.comLike her on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/AuthorKatieOSullivanCheck out her website at http://www.katie-osullivan.comAdd Son of a Mermaid on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17184560-son-of-a-mermaidBuy Son of a Mermaid on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Son-Mermaid-Katie-OSullivan/dp/1939173299/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top My Review I thoroughly enjoyed Son of a Mermaid. It was a light hearted read and one I'm sure many young people will enjoy. I would have liked to see a little more development of the story at the beginning. The sudden change in Shae's life seemed like it could have had a little more development. After that I felt the story flowed well. I wished for more at the end but am thrilled to hear that a sequel is already in the works. I was provided a free copy for this review.
