Shani Struthers's Blog, page 7
June 11, 2015
Zanna Mackenzie and Forever Mine!
It’s summer and we all need something a little lighter to indulge in reading-wise right? Whether you’re heading to the warm blue waters of the Aegean or lazing on a lounger in the back garden, Zanna Mackenzie is a good accompaniment! Zanna writes contemporary romance and is the author of one of my favourite books in this genre – If You Only Knew – a book I loved so much I took the kids to Monkey Business for the afternoon just so I could sit and read the entire thing (a win-win situation!) She has also written several other contemporary romances including Forever Mine – the latest Amber Reed mystery. Here’s what it’s all about and the buy links are at the end – hop on over to Amazon and indulge!
Amber Reed Mystery Book Three
By Zanna Mackenzie
“Romantic comedy meets celebrity cozy mystery”
When celebrities need a crime solving quickly and discreetly they call in the experts – the CCIA, otherwise known as the Celebrity Crimes Investigation Agency…
Stalkers, shootings and sexy special agents.
All part of being famous, right?
Well, they are for Oscar-winning actress Amelia Kingston when she starts getting deeply disturbing and threatening notes left by a stalker – in her bedroom!
When her boyfriend Ty is shot she calls in the CCIA. The agency sends its newest recruit Amber and her sexy special agent partner Charlie undercover to Amelia’s luxury mountain chalet to track down the person terrorising her.
But circumstances force the agency to pull Charlie off the case, meaning Amber has a new crime fighting partner to try and catch the stalker with – and he’s trouble with a capital T! He throws Amber’s life into chaos, making her question herself and her abilities as well as her relationship with Charlie.
When events in Los Angeles involving Charlie are splashed across newspapers around the globe Amber’s world comes crashing down.
But before she can even attempt to sort herself out she has to team up with her rogue co-worker and solve this case. Can the two of them manage to pull together and stop the stalker before anyone else gets shot?
Check out this new cozy mystery series with oodles of fun, romance and smart, sassy special agents from the CCIA.
Extract:
“Who’d want to be famous?”
Charlie and I are hovering in the airport’s baggage reclaim area, hoping our luggage has managed to find its way to France too.
“Before I got this job I thought being a star was all glamourous living, oodles of money in the bank and being worshipped by all your adoring fans.”
The baggage carousel emits several loud clunks closely followed by a high pitched screeching noise before slowly starting up.
“But now,” I continue, lowering my voice, “I know being famous makes you a target for all the stalkers, murderers and crazies out there. One minute Amelia Kingston is receiving her Oscar for best actress in the blockbuster movie Forever Mine. The next she’s well, you know….”
Beside me Charlie nods and grabs his battered holdall from the baggage carousel. Then we have to wait for what seems like an eternity before my bright purple suitcase puts in an appearance too.
“Still not got the hang of this travelling light business have you?” he says hauling my own case from the conveyor belt.
“We’re staying in a luxury mountain chalet in the French Alps. Who knows what outfits I might need? I can’t pack light for this,” I retort whilst feeling a tad guilty about just how much I have crammed into my case. I had to sit on it to force the lid closed.
He shakes his head. “We’re working, Amber.”
“Yes, but we’re working undercover and the other guests will be glam celebrities wearing designer outfits so I’ll need to have some half-decent clothes with me. I can’t just turn up for dinner every night in jeans and a sweater.”
“Why not? I am,” he replies as we head for the exit, Charlie tugging my suitcase behind him.
Outside the wind is bitingly cold and almost blows me off my feet as we exit the airport terminal and head for the car hire offices. We left behind a warm spring day in the UK but here it feels more like February than May. I pull on a jacket.
See, that’s another reason why I needed to pack quite so much. The weather in the mountains is notoriously fickle. A girl needs to be prepared for sun, snow and rain where we’re going.
This is my second case as a support officer for the Celebrity Crimes Investigation Agency (otherwise known as the CCIA) and I’m still nervous about the whole catch-a-killer side of my work. OK, it’s mainly for the fully trained CCIA agents to do that side of the job whilst I provide, as my job title suggests, support on the case.
I do have a tendency to get a little bit carried away sometimes though and find myself in, shall we say, tricky circumstances. Like on my first case when I ended up in a cave on a deserted beach with a murderer who had a knife at my throat.
Anyway, technically, it’s the agents who are the guys with the special ‘clearance’ to do all sorts of things (sometimes against the law) to solve a case and get murderers put behind bars. Charlie even carries a gun. Which, to be honest, freaks me out just a little.
Universal buy link for Forever Mine:
And ps – if you want to buy my favourite one of hers – If You Only Knew – it’s on Amazon too!
Author Bio:
Zanna Mackenzie lives on the Derbyshire/Leicestershire border in the UK with her husband, 4 dogs, a vegetable patch that’s home to far too many weeds and an ever expanding library of books waiting to be read.
Being a freelance writer and editor of business publications is her ‘day job’ but, at every opportunity, she can be found scribbling down notes on scenes for whatever novel she’s working on. She loves it when the characters in her novels take on minds of their own and start deviating from the original plot!
Find out more about Zanna on her blog http://www.zannamackenzie.blogspot.co.uk, on Twitter via @ZannaMacKenzie or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/zanna.mackenzie
June 2, 2015
Meet the Agents!
Yesterday, I went to London to attend Meet the Agents – a Q and A Panel, held by the Writers Guild. Well, I didn’t just go to London for that, I also went up to do a bit of shopping and dining (as you do) but at 7pm headed off to Chancery Lane to meet representatives from The Agency, Casarotto Ramsey & Associates Ltd and Ki Agency. First of all, it’s lovely to see that these hallowed creatures are indeed human, and not only that, they’ve got a great sense of humour! On a personal level, I’ve been wondering if the next step for me is to get an agent and this helped me to make up my mind – basically, not yet. I’m ambling along quite nicely, building up a body of work (very important nowadays the agents insisted if you want to be considered by them), making great connections and enjoying freedom of direction. Another year or two and I’ll take stock. Meanwhile, it’s good to hear from the horses mouth just what they can/can’t offer. Here it is…
Agents look after:
Contracts
Negotiation of fees
Ensure fees are paid
Developing a writer’s career (eg advising what you should be writing/branding)
Encourage you to keep writing (when you’re convinced no one cares!)
They’re someone to turn to with any writing concerns you may have.
How to Approach:
Research your agent; only apply to those interested in what you are doing.
When emailing/posting, make sure you spell their name right!
Show professional attitude, recognise that you are asking an agent to invest in your work.
Leave a period of a month to six weeks before you chase an enquiry.
Before you approach an agent make sure you have a body of work – agents want to see that you are a serious writer and not a one-trick pony.
Once Signed:
The relationship is bespoke.
Communicate with agents re events, eg meeting a producer at an event, give the agent feedback, it may prove invaluable to them.
Collaborate.
Don’t rest on your laurels thinking your work is done just because you’ve got an agent, KEEP WRITING!
Deliver on time anything you are asked for (although it might not be read on time!).
Learn how to be good in a ‘meeting’ situation – contacts are essential.
Being placed can take time, sometimes a lot of time (we’re talking years here!) – be patient.
Earning a Living from Writing:
Chris Lund was used as an example; it took him six years to become an overnight success!
It can move slowly at first re earnings but can accelerate the more work you build up (without sacrificing quality of course!).
The minute you give up is the minute it won’t happen.
Right now is considered a good time to translate books to film. If you’ve got a series of books you think would make good TV/films, approach an agent with that specifically in mind.
Advice to the Agented and the Agent-Less:
Write what you are passionate about – approach agents with that.
If you’ve already had an agent and parted ways, reinvent yourself; respond to changes in the profession.
Consider an interesting new take on something that’s been successful.
Try a different approach to a different medium, novelist to scriptwriter or vice versa.
See what is on TV at the moment, what is popular – ensure what you are writing has an audience.
Radio drama is often overlooked, an unsung area. If you are interested, listen to what’s on Radio 4, who the producer is, can email them directly with a pitch. You DON’T need an agent to work for radio.
Make your writing exciting – interest/passion is infectious.
Offer an original voice.
Questions to Ask an Agent Face-to-Face:
What deals have you done recently that excited you the most? This is a way of checking how high profile they are.
What are the biggest challenges in the industry right now? This is a way of checking that they know what’s going on in the industry!
Best Way to Find an Agent:
The Internet
The Writer and Artist’s Yearbook
Look for up and coming agents who are building lists. They are more likely to take you on than an established agent.
Agents believe it’s a case of when you should approach an agent, not if. However, some publishers will read your work without an agent (which is well worth remembering!) Whichever route you choose, good luck with it!
The Writer’s Guild: http://writersguild.org.uk/meet-the-agents/
May 22, 2015
Nancy Jardine and The Taexali Game
Today on the blog is the lovely Nancy Jardine, all the way from Aberdeen! She’s launching her new YA Historical book today, The Taexali Game – and she’s here to tell you all about it. There’s also details at the end of the on-line launch part she’s holding today with competitions and prizes on offer. Over to you, Nancy…
Thank you for opening your blog to me to share the information about my latest novel!
The Taexali Game officially launches on the 22nd May 2015.
The action of The Taexali Game —Book 1 of Nancy Jardine’s Rubidium Time Travel Series of Adventures for Middle Grade/YA readers (and anyone older who loves a good fast-paced yarn)— takes place in ‘Aberdeenshire, Scotland’ in AD 210, during the invasion of the legions of Septimius Severus, Emperor of Rome. The local Taexali Celtic tribes of this far north in Britannia have already had dealings with the soldiers of Rome, back in AD 84, but they haven’t been good subjects. They’ve been causing such a lot of grief to the Governor of Britannia that the Ancient Roman Emperor, Septimius Severus, has come to Britannia to flood the north with his super-trained army to teach the wayward Celts a harsh lesson.
During their adventure, Aran and the twins— Brian and Fianna— are initially in awe of the Roman fighting machine but they find Emperor Severus’ is a horrible man. That’s only till they meet the emperor’s son Caracalla who is even nastier. None of them want to be skewered by a Roman gladius or slapped into Roman slave chains but avoiding that fate is nearly impossible.
As well as uncovering the answer to a local contemporary mystery, the time travellers have a task list to fulfil but how can they when the some of the Celts they encounter are just as deadly wielding their Celtic longswords?
This adventure novel is designed as a rollicking good read with the added bonus of being a companion novel to younger readers doing a study of Celtic Roman Britain. There’s a wealth of historical data used in the novel, gleaned from archaeological interpretative information, wrapped up in a fast-paced, readable, adventure mystery quest.
The fantastic cover design is by graphic artist Neil Saddler who has done a great job to encompass the main aspects of the novel- its impact both local and global.
The novel is available across Amazon in paperback and ebook formats.
Amazon UK Amazon US Amazon France Amazon Canada Amazon Australia
Amazon Germany
More about Nancy Jardine
Her Celtic Fervour Series of Historical Romantic Adventures (3 books to date) is set in first century AD northern Roman Britain. Book 3 (AD 84) culminates in a horrendous clashing of Celtic Sword and Roman Gladius on the foothills of Beinn Na Ciche (Bennachie) where the amassed Celtic warriors of the north, led by tribal leader Calgach, take on the mighty Roman legions led by General Gnaeus Julius Agricola. Book 2 of the Celtic Fervour Series was in the long list of books read for THE WALTER SCOTT PRIZE FOR HISTORICAL FICTION 2014.
Nancy Jardine also writes contemporary mystery romantic fiction which gives her the opportunity to include fabulous world wide locations in her novels—Amsterdam, Vienna, Heidelberg, Barcelona to name only a few. She has also had great fun using her love of ancestry research when creating the family trees for two of her contemporary mysteries. Take Me Now, a humorous mystery/thriller will be re-launched by Crooked Cat Publishing on the 5th June 2015. Topaz Eyes, a mystery /thriller was a Finalist in THE PEOPLE’S BOOK PRIZE 2014.
Please contact her/ or find updates on her writing at these author links:
http://nancyjardine.blogspot.co.uk
http://nancyjardineauthor.com/
Twitter @nansjar Facebook: http://on.fb.me/XeQdkG and http://on.fb.me/1Kaeh5G (for The Rubidium time Travel Novels.) email: nan_jar@btinternet.com
Amazon Author page for books and to view book trailer videos:
UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nancy-Jardine/e/B005IDBIYG/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Most novels are also available from Barnes and Noble; W. H. Smith.com; Waterstones.com; Smashwords; TESCO Blinkboxbooks; and various other ebook stores.
The Taexali Game – Blurb
Everyone loves playing advanced interactive computer games, don’t they?
Callum Fraser’s games are totally awesome but when his Rubidium Time-Leap flips Aran Bruce and his best friends—Brian and Fianna Fraser—back to AD 210, the reality is incredible. They have a task list to fulfil, which includes solving a local mystery, but it’s a nightmarish business when Ancient Roman Emperor Severus and his legions heap death and destruction on the Taexali Celts of northern Britannia.
Giving help to Celts and Romans alike becomes a lethal assignment—some Celtic chiefs are as foul as Severus and his beastly son Caracalla. Dicing with death becomes the norm for the time travellers from Kintore, Aberdeenshire.
Will they complete the mission and return to Callum unscathed?
All are welcome to pop into the official Facebook Event that’s on-line to launch the novel on Friday 22nd May. Participate in fun quizzes featuring Celts and Romans and win a novelty prize. The grand prize of a signed paperback of The Taexali Game could be yours, or if you only read on kindle a few review e-copies will also be on offer as prizes. https://www.facebook.com/events/839159202815971/
May 21, 2015
Sarah Louise Smith and The Truth About Ellen
Welcome today to Sarah Louise Smith – romance writer extraordinaire! She’s the author of several chick-lit bits, including Amy & Zach, ideal for reading in the summer sunshine or tucked up warm beside a roaring fire. Yesterday saw the publication of her fourth novel – The Truth About Ellen. Here she shares an extract from it…
Thank you so much to Shani for letting me appear on her blog today. If you don’t know me already, a big smiley hello! I’m Sarah Louise Smith and here’s an extact from my fourth chick-lit novel, The Truth About Ellen.
Ellen is stuck in a lift with her celebrity crush, rock star Jasper Ryan…..
“These things always happen to me,” I admitted. “I’ve broken plenty of bones, plenty of my mother’s precious ornaments, and once I even choked on some chicken at a wedding. I’m accident prone.”
Great, now I’d chatted to Jasper Ryan about vomiting and choking. What a smooth operator I was.
“I’ll blame you then,” he said with a cheeky grin.
“Thanks.”
“I wish I could smoke in here.”
I was grateful he couldn’t; but I didn’t say anything. I’d said quite enough stupid things already.
“So what are you going to do tonight?” he asked me. Good question. The chances of me making it to the theatre on time now were very low.
“I don’t know. Probably hit the mini bar. Watch some TV. You?”
“Yeah, the same.”
“No glamorous parties or celeb friends to hang out with?”
He shrugged. “Nah. I’ve been trying to keep myself to myself.”
“Fair enough.” I couldn’t think what else to say. We looked at each other for a moment and I took a mental snapshot, his scruffy, dark hair leaning back against the mirror. His grey t-shirt was tight enough to just about hint at his abs. He’d thrown his leather jacket down beside him. He was wearing dark blue jeans and black boots and his legs looked long, stretched out in front of him. If I moved my own leg slightly to the left, our trouser legs would be touching…
“Stop doing that,” he said after a moment’s silence.
“What?” I asked, my face burning red. I hoped he wasn’t referring to my staring at him.
“Tucking your hair behind your ear. It looks nicer in front.”
I hadn’t even realised I’d been playing with my hair. I flicked it forward, in front of my ear and let a long wave rest against my cheek. “Better?”
“You really don’t realise how pretty you are, do you?”
My heart flipped and I reminded myself again that I was just one of many he’d used his charms on. He held my gaze and we stared at each other for a few minutes. My whole body was sweating now, hopefully not so much that he could tell.
The elevator whirred into life and started to move. Jasper got up and held out his hand for me. I felt a tingle run from my fingertips to my chest as I held on to him and he pulled me up.
“Thanks,” I said as I let go. The doors pinged open. We’d reached the twentieth floor and I had to get out.
“Bye,” I said, wondering if I’d ever get anyone to believe me that this had happened. I felt too lame to ask for a photo now.
“See ya,” he said, flashing me a grin.
I stepped out of the lift and went to walk down the corridor, figuring I’d get back in and ride down on the next one.
“Hey, Ellen?” he called, holding the elevator door open.
“Yes?” I spun around, glad to have the chance to look at him again. “You want to come and share my mini bar?”
With a confidence I’d never felt before, I turned on my heel, walked back into the lift and pushed the button for the penthouse suite again.
—
If you enjoyed this extact you can learn more about The Truth About Ellen below. Thanks so much for reading :)
The Truth About Ellen
It’s every girl’s dream to date a pop star…
When Ellen starts dating Tom, a member of the band she adored as a teenager, she can’t believe how lucky she is.
She neglects to mention that she’s a huge fan because that just wouldn’t be cool, would it?
Ellen also keeps quiet about how she once spent an evening with Tom’s ex-bandmate/ex-best friend Jasper, her long-term celebrity crush. Tom doesn’t need to know about that, it’s all in the past.
That is until Tom and Jasper get back in touch… and the truth threatens to ruin everything Ellen has ever dreamed of…
The Truth About Ellen is available to buy from:
Amazon UK – http://www.amazon.co.uk/Truth-About-Ellen-Sarah-Louise-ebook/dp/B00WPHVF9Q/
Amazon US – http://www.amazon.com/Truth-About-Ellen-Sarah-Louise-ebook/dp/B00WPHVF9Q/
About Sarah Louise Smith
Sarah Louise Smith lives in Milton Keynes, England with her husband, step-daughter, loopy golden retriever and cheeky tortie cat.
Sarah has been writing stories since she can remember and has so far completed four chick-lit novels, all published by Crooked Cat:
Amy & Zach
Izzy’s Cold Feet
Independent Jenny
The Truth About Ellen
Connect with Sarah:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/sarahlouisesmithauthor
April 2, 2015
They say men can’t multi-task, well, Jeff Gardiner proves...
They say men can’t multi-task, well, Jeff Gardiner proves them wrong! He’s an editor (he’s edited two of my novels: Jessamine and Psychic Surveys Book Two: Rise to Me), an author of some truly fab books, an actor, a teacher, the list goes on…! I’m thrilled to have him on my blog today talking about his book – Treading on Dreams – which is at the sale price of 99p/99c at the moment. Grab a coffee, have a read and then go one-click. I have and I can’t wait to get stuck in. Jeff, over to you…
Hi Shani. Thanks for having me on your blog. It���s kind of you to let me do a guest post about my contemporary novel, TREADING ON DREAMS (Tirgearr Publishing) which is currently at the sale price of only 99p/99c. It explores the difficult subjects of unrequited love and obsession, with student, Donny, pining for housemate, Selena, who is engaged to the seemingly perfect, and older, Melvin. In the extract below, Donny finally gets the chance to spend a day with Selena ��� alone. He tries everything in his power to not waste this opportunity to impress her.
One recent reviewer said: ���The journey is intriguing and Jeff Gardiner depicts it with adept skill! Treading on Dreams is an engaging, fast-paced story that defies prediction and yet has enough intrigue and romance to totally thrill every reader!��� (Crystal Book Reviews)
Blurb:
Donny is obsessed with his housemate, Selena ��� but his love is unrequited. He enthusiastically accepts her willing friendship, which only fuels his deepening fantasies.
Jaz is their crazy landlord who likes sleeping with women ��� lots of them. He takes pleasure in educating the once innocent Donny in the hedonistic pleasures of sex, drugs and rock���n���roll. It blows Donny���s mind.
Selena is engaged to Melvin ��� the perfect man ��� but is also keen to befriend the ever-demanding Donny … until she falls pregnant and her wedding looms.
Donny expresses his true feelings at the wedding, causing mayhem and anger. But there remains a chink of hope: perhaps Selena���s marriage to Melvin is not quite as perfect as it seems.
Extract from TREADING ON DREAMS:
A few days later, Selena furnished him with the best news ever:
���I���m afraid Melvin can���t make it on Saturday now. Some vital medical conference has come up. Do you still want to go to London?���
He had to fight to stop himself from grabbing her and kissing her on the spot. Here was his chance to spend an entire day with Selena and have her to himself. At night, he imagined a million ways to seduce her, fantasising kissing her and telling her how beautiful she was.
Finally, the great day arrived and Donny���s ablutions and preparations became slightly excessive. Neatly shaved, doused in cheap aftershave, and dressed smartly in chinos and a collared shirt, he made bacon sandwiches for them both for breakfast to set them up for the long day ahead.
On the tube, they got on the first District Line train, got off at South Kensington, walked through the subway and out to the corner of Exhibition Road and Cromwell Road where ahead of them stood the imposing edifice of the Natural History Museum.
���I remember coming here when I was five,��� Donny told her. ���The blue whale was the most amazing thing I���d ever seen. I couldn���t believe its enormous dimensions. I never realised that they���re bigger than any dinosaur that ever lived. Awesome.���
They entered the crowded front lobby. Families sat round the dinosaur skeletons; groups of foreign tourists huddled together to listen to talks given in various languages. Donny followed the complex map to sort out a logical pathway through the labyrinthine galleries.
Pointing to a booth, Selena followed him into the darkness where a film played about sperm whales. It was a magnificent sight to watch them up-end and flick their tails leaving the fluke standing perpendicular in slow motion.
���Isn���t nature incredible?���
His heart raced when Selena decided to rest her head on his shoulder. The touch of her cheek through his shirt coupled with the hot darkness made him flush until he had difficulty breathing. How he wanted to hold this moment in time. Sitting stock-still, not daring to move, he closed his eyes and imagined what her skin would feel like to touch.
He finally awoke from his reverie when Selena moved and stood up.
���Let���s find some lunch.���
They chose a small brasserie and ordered lunch. Selena selected scampi and potato skins, whilst Donny preferred the Cajun chicken with fries.
Next, they caught a tube to Covent Garden.
As they ambled down a narrow side street, they slowed down behind a woman who was dawdling in front of them. From nowhere Donny was shoved firmly aside. A figure dashed past, towards the woman and before their very eyes, he snatched her handbag from her shoulder. She screamed and turned round to them.
���My handbag. He nicked my handbag. Get him!���
At first, Donny wondered whom she was speaking to. The swiftness of the action left him confused. He���d just seen a crime happen and this poor lady was shouting for him to help. He looked ahead of her and saw the man turn the corner. If he ran, he might catch him. But it would be useless. He���d be lost in the crowds never able to keep up. So he stayed where he was. The woman breathed heavily and leant against a shop window. Selena went to comfort her, leaving Donny ambling behind. He knew he should say something.
���He���d gone before I could do anything. Sorry.���
���Call yourself a man? My purse, credit cards, driving license, mobile���what am I gonna do? Thanks for nothing.���
My God, how stupid of him. Why had he hesitated? Why didn���t he run after the thief? He imagined now what a hero he might have been if he���d run and called out, even scared the man into dropping the bag, but it was too late now. The man had got away and he looked like a coward. He kicked a stone and walked on. Selena caught up with him.
���It���s okay, Donny, there was nothing you could do. She doesn���t want any help. I said I���d phone the police but she got funny with me. I assume she���s alright.���
���Let���s go home.���
On the tube train, Selena fell asleep and Donny shuffled in his seat until he positioned his arm around her and the scent of her hair filled his nostrils. He gently woke her up when they drew into Ealing Broadway station.
What would it be like to wake up next to her each morning?
During the short walk home, their hands met and Donny took hold of hers. To his delight, she didn���t complain or pull free. As they reached the front door, their hands unclasped.
���Thanks for a lovely day, Donny. I���ve really enjoyed myself.���
���No, thank you. I had the best time ever. You���re great company.���
���Well, I suppose I should get to bed,��� Selena yawned.
���Can I tempt you to a drink? Bottle of white?���
���No, really, I shouldn���t or I���ll never get up in the morning.���
���Okay. See you sometime tomorrow then. Night.���
���Night, Donny.���
She disappeared upstairs.
Donny stayed downstairs for a while, flicking through the channels before deciding to go up himself. Once in his pyjamas, he contemplated creeping into Selena���s room just to glimpse her once more, but knew he never would.
Snapshots of the day pulsed through his head like an electric current filling him with a thrilling sense of confusion and bliss. But then suddenly they were all wiped away by the memory of a shadow pushing past him, followed by a scuffle, and scream.
���Call yourself a man?���
Buy Links for TREADING ON DREAMS (only 99p/99c for the first two weeks in April):
Tirgearr Publishing: http://www.tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Gardiner_Jeff/treading-on-dreams.htm
Author Bio:
Jeff Gardiner is a UK writer who was born in Jos, Nigeria. His first novel, Myopia explores bullying and prejudice among teenagers. Igboland is a novel of passion and conflict set in war-torn West Africa. Treading On Dreams is a tale of obsession and unrequited love. He has recently signed a three book deal with Accent Press for a trilogy of YA fantasy novels.
His acclaimed collection of short stories, A Glimpse of the Numinous, contains horror, romance and humour. Many of his short stories have appeared in anthologies and magazines. Jeff also has a work of non-fiction to his name: The Law of Chaos: the Multiverse of Michael Moorcock.
March 30, 2015
The Paranormal Continues with… Elizabeth Meyette!
I’m thrilled to have fellow paranormal author, Elizabeth Meyette, on my blog today. Hailing from the USA, she’s the author of bestselling, The Cavanaugh House. Here she tells us all about herself and what inspired her to write it. Take it away, Elizabeth…
Thank you for inviting me to your lovely blog, Shani. As a child I used to devour Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden books, loving the mysterious stories and the brilliance of the girl detectives. Then I graduated to Agatha Christie with her unique sleuths, and I knew I wanted to write a mystery someday. A career as an English and journalism teacher interrupted my plans though, so I retired early to pursue writing full time. My friend says I���m not retired, I���m ���refired��� and I have to agree. I���m living the dream. My husband Rich and our children are very supportive. We live in Michigan, U.S. surrounded by the beautiful Great Lakes. Rich and I have an agreement that I don���t cook on writing days because I do things like forget to put water in the pan to steam the broccoli or neglect the chicken in the oven. Fortunately, Rich is a wonderful cook!
‘Refired’ I love it! The Cavanaugh House is a US best-selling paranormal mystery ��� tell us what inspired you to write it.
It was a whisper. As I was driving through a particularly busy stretch of highway in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada a sentence floated into my brain: ���This house held secrets������ On and on the sentences came and there was nothing I could do about it since I was driving and Rich was sleeping. As soon as I was able I wrote down the words that my muse, Boris, had fed me. Along with the words came the image of a house and memories of legend and tragedy from my childhood. The legend was of the White Lady who haunted a park in my hometown, Rochester, NY. The tragedy was a suicide discovered by a young boy in my neighbourhood who looked across the street one night and saw, through an attic window, a body hanging from the ceiling. The attic window was actually two small windows close together and every time I passed that house, those windows were like a magnet drawing my eyes. I knew the White Lady and a house with those windows would play significant roles in my book. I had a very clear picture of what the house would look like.
While we were visiting my family in Rochester, we drove to the gorgeous Finger Lakes area in the middle of the state. Rich suggested I set my book there and I loved that idea as I���d spent time in that region as a child. As we drove along, we passed the house. That���s right���the house I had imagined in my head with the exact windows was right there on the side of the road, abandoned and forlorn. We stopped and Rich took all kinds of pictures, one of which became my cover for The Cavanaugh House. I knew I had to write this book.
Art imitating life, that happens to me too, in the most scary of ways sometimes. What other books have you had published ��� are they paranormal also?
I���ve published two historical romances set during the American Revolution: Love���s Destiny and Love���s Spirit. Now, I always taught my writing students to ���know your audience,��� so these books might not be very popular in England LOL. Emily Wentworth, an English girl becomes the ward of Jonathon Brentwood, an American Patriot because of a provision in her father���s will. Emily thinks Jonathon will be ���older and not as robust��� as her father; Jonathon thinks ���Little Em,��� as George called her, will be about ten-years-old. When they meet, both are surprised and sparks fly. These two books are not paranormal, but they are rated sensuous on Amazon so they might make a reader���s heart beat faster.
They sound great – and personally, I love American history. How would you describe your writing process? Do you outline or sit down, type the first sentence and then fly by the seat of your pants all the way?
I am a complete pantser. I sit down and begin to write and let the characters (and Boris) take me where they will. I have an idea about the general direction of the story, but I am often surprised where I end up. Each day I read aloud whatever I wrote the previous day, and sometimes it���s like I���m seeing it for the first time. My characters often dictate what will happen, and if I don���t comply, they don���t speak to me anymore. Sometimes there will be a knock on the door, and I won���t know who it us until my character answers it and sees for her/himself. It���s quite exciting.
Elizabeth, you are I are fellow pantsers too! What are your future writing plans and any new releases on the horizon?
I am currently working on a sequel to The Cavanaugh House as yet untitled. My readers are requesting more about these characters. After that I will write the third book in my Love���s Destiny series. I���m also working on three children���s books that I hope to pitch to agents/publishers soon.
What���s the best bit about being an author? (And go on, what���s the worst?)
The best is the excitement and energy I feel as a new story begins to be revealed to me. I love hearing my characters speak, watching what they do, and being constantly surprised by them. Plus, I get to work in my pajamas and drink tea whenever I wish.
The worst part is when I���m stuck and my writing doesn���t seem to be going anywhere. It���s dispiriting and can make me wonder why I pursue this craziness.
The best outweighs the worst. ���
Any tips for writers just starting out?
HOKBIS. Hands on Keyboard, Butt in Seat. Write, write, write. Even if you never show it to anyone���write. I read a quote somewhere to the effect: ���People who write sit down at the desk. Writers stay in the room.��� That���s a paraphrase, and Stephen King or Ron Carlson might have said it. But it���s true. You must ���stay in the room���.
Finally, you���ve been stranded on a desert island, what five things would you take to get you by until help arrives? (Assuming help arrives that is!)
1. Rich, of course!
2. A good paranormal mystery
3. Plenty of chocolate
4. Tea
5. A Deck of cards
What a delight to be on your blog today, Shani. Thank you so much for inviting me.
It’s been great to have you! To find out more about Elizabeth, here are the links:
Blog: http://elizabethmeyette.blogspot.com
Website: http://www.elizabethmeyette.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabethfmeyette
Twitter: @efmeyette
Elizabeth���s books are available at:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Meyette/e/B0087F27JM/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/elizabeth-meyette?keyword=elizabeth+meyette&store=book
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/elizabeth-meyette/id523130853?mt=11
March 25, 2015
Slainte, Nancy!
A very warm welcome today to Nancy Jardine, author of numerous books, a resident of my much beloved highlands and a throughly lovely lady whom I had the pleasure of meeting last year. She’s also a fellow Crooked Cat author and has big plans in the pipeline, including not one but two new book releases. Take it away, Nancy…
Hello Shani, it���s a pleasure to visit you! I���ve lived in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, for twenty six years and love the area. While still teaching, I wrote two local historical non-fiction projects but didn���t really call that writing because it wasn���t fiction. My fiction writing was kick-started because I loved teaching my upper primary classes about Celtic/Roman Scotland and I now write across different genres and sub-genres. My published fiction comprises three historical romantic adventures and three contemporary romantic mysteries ��� two of those contemporary mysteries are being republished by Crooked Cat in 2015, the initial US contracts having expired. I���m self-publishing a seventh novel in April ���The Taexali Game – a time travel historical adventure for the middle grade/early teen market.
Sounds interesting and it’s great to appeal to a brand new audience too. I’ve got your Celtic Fervour series on my Kindle to read (love the covers!) – what are they all about?
My Celtic Fervour Series is set in northern Roman Britain, the three published books spanning the years AD 71 – 84. A fourth book is underway covering AD 84 to approx AD 96. Each novel can be read as a stand alone full-length read but there are clear linking threads between the novels. I purposely chose to write about people who are more ordinary; the famous names of the era only briefly mentioned which removes the books from the tight historical fiction category. Book 1 is about Lorcan of the Brigante tribe and Nara of the Selgovae who are from tribes straddling the area now named as the Southern Upland borders between Scotland and England. Lorcan���s brother Brennus, and a Brigante female named Ineda, are the main protagonists in Books 2 & 3 though characters from Book 1 reappear in later books since I���m writing about a Celtic Clan with strong links. I���ve never considered it a family saga but I���m writing about the lives of my clan members at a time when an invading army (the legions of the Ancient Roman Empire) disrupts and destroys the balance of their existence. I���m also writing about the relationships which are formed by them till, in some cases, battle and death changes the dynamics. The history of the era is more central to the plots than the romance, the battles and military political wrangling creating the adventures. This mixture is the reason for them being marketed as historical romantic adventures. One reviewer wrote that Bk1, The Beltane Choice was ���a belting good read��� and another wrote that Book 3 was the best of a series of ��� rollicking good adventures���.
And now your romance novels…
I���ve also written three contemporary romance mysteries. Monogamy Twist will be re-published by Crooked Cat on the 27th March 2015. This romantic mystery was the first contemporary story I wrote. It���s set in Yorkshire and is based around a fairly simple family tree that I designed. I used a Dickensian ���bequeathed dilapidated mansion��� theme where Luke Salieri has some hefty problems to work through before he can inherit Greywood Hall ��� the bequest of the house coming as a total surprise to him since he���s never heard of Amelia Greywood, the benefactress. Rhia Ashton- a family history researcher – can help him find the answers to the mystery but she���s no push-over, she has some very fine conditions of her own before she agrees to help him!
Topaz Eyes is a world-wide treasure hunt mystery with deadly dealings, based around a family tree which stretches to fourth generations. The reason for writing this story is simple. I enjoyed creating the ancestral tree for Monogamy Twist so much that I wanted to create a much more complicated one leading to a much more complex mystery. As well as having more ���family characters���, the more complex tree for Topaz Eyes allowed me to extend the story to world-wide locations, most of which I���ve been to and enjoyed greatly. In Topaz Eyes, the reader needs to pick up clues from the beginning and I challenge them to work out the ���mystery object within the mystery��� before the last pages! I was totally honoured when Topaz Eyes became a Finalist in The People���s Book Prize 2014.
Take Me Now is what I call my corporate sabotage romantic mystery. This humorous mystery was fun to write as a change from historical work, Nairn Malcolm being my ���take��� on a handsome highland hero! Crooked Cat will republish a new version of this later in 2015.
The Taexali Game, for middle grade/teens, was a fantastic book to write since it allowed me the freedom of writing a contemporary novel yet also gave me the chance to write about a different historical period- Severan Roman Britain of AD 210. The time-travel aspect meant I didn���t have to be quite so careful about the formal language I adopted as my style in my Celtic Fervour Series. I���ve been waiting so long to complete The Taexali Game and can���t wait to get it published-even if I admit to being terrified of the whole process of uploading it myself to Createspace! I really want paperback versions of this novel since it has a very local setting ��� my village in Aberdeenshire ��� and will hopefully appeal to a local market as well as a global one. Though written for the early teen market anyone who enjoys an adventure will find it a great read!
How would you describe your writing process? Do you outline or sit down, type the first sentence and then fly by the seat of your pants all the way?
I���m mostly a ���pantser��� where at the outset I have a basic plot with target areas and a very general timeline which I set out in my version of a ���storyboard���- usually with paper and a pencil (it���s the ex teacher in me!) . Once I get going these ���targets��� get extended. However, getting the timelines of the novels to work properly means I do need to do a certain amount of pre-planning, mid-planning and a lot of checking afterwards. Having now written seven novels, I can see the value of advance plotting since it probably cuts out the final editing checks that I tend to love and labour over ��� yet which I know are time sucks from new writing! Topaz Eyes involved a much longer period of planning since the family tree, which is central to the plot, took a lot of designing and tweaking till it was perfect. My WIP writing is shaping up to be much more planned than before.
And what about research ��� I expect you have to do plenty of that.
I do a LOT of research. I���m fairly anal in that I want any facts I use to be accurate and believable which means checking and rechecking since I have an extremely awful memory. I���m currently researching Victorian Scotland, but if anything crops up, in the interim, to do with Celtic Roman Britain during the eras I write about, I make notes about that as well.
What are your future writing plans and any new releases on the horizon?
Great question! My new releases are: Monogamy Twist is being republished on 27th March 2015. In April 2015 The Taexali Game will be self-published. Take Me Now will be republished by Crooked Cat, the date for this still to be decided on but likely during the earlier part of 2015. I���m a sucker for punishment because I know that I���ve got too many WIPs on the go. Promotional aspects of already published books taking up a lot of my precious time (nothing new there!) means little left for new writing. Book 4 of my Celtic Fervour Series was started in 2014 and is coming on slowly. The Family Saga beginning in Victorian Scotland – outlined over 3 books is also started- but gets only occasional visits just now. Book 2 of my Rubidium Time Travel Series is now outlined but only the very beginning started. Phew! Yes ��� I know I need to prioritise one or t���other.
What���s the best bit about being an author? (And go on, what���s the worst?)
The worst is the wanting to get on with new writing and not being able to because of time constraints and family commitments. I���m also very annoyed with myself since I���m pretty slow at a lot of promotional things and haven���t yet learned the techniques that work best! The best thing about being an author is that I get a great thrill over many simple milestones like having something about a current piece of writing finally make sense. Not all of my best ideas come at the beginning – in fact that���s a rare occurrence. The thrill of feeling a newly published novel in paperback format in my hands is amazing and the excitement about that hasn���t diminished.
Any tips for writers just starting out?
Be more organised than me! Keep positive over the marketing aspects that are necessary though sometimes feel like a chore. Writers tend to be reclusive but those who have a lot of friends at the outset seem to have a great bank of potential buyers to hand, so I���d say somehow manage to keep up with lots of friends.
Finally, you���ve been stranded on a desert island, what five things would you take to get you by until help arrives? (Assuming help arrives that is!)
I���d take the fattest book I own regardless of the quality since I���d need to see the written word, often, to survive. Nowadays, my glasses are super important to do that reading. A family photograph album might also help to keep me sane. I have a little pocket size book that belonged to my father that was written in 1905 and was basically a survival manual for the ���outdoors person��� ��� a bit like a Boy Scout manual. There are heaps of tips for getting on with what you find in it! My last would be the kind of Swiss Army knife set that I used to have on my Girl Guide belt in the late 1960s. It had a very strong blade that could whittle or cut wood easily; a marlin spike for things like digging holes; a sort of corkscrew for all sort of scraping or gouging uses and a thing like a bottle/can opener. Although I wouldn���t be expecting to find a can of anything on a desert island, my knife set would have had a tool for opening a coconut- which can be the most awkward thing to attack!
Thanks for inviting me today!
I extend a warm welcome to your readers to join my Facebook Launch Party for Monogamy Twist on the 27th March 2015. Quirky goodies can be won. There���ll be music; food; lovely locations in Yorkshire��� Why not pop in and say hello!
https://www.facebook.com/events/1092788957413601/
Nancy Jardine lives in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. She currently shares a home with her husband, daughter, son-in-law, 3 year old granddaughter and 1 year old grandson. It���ll continue to be a busy household till late summer of 2015 when the new build home will be completed for the young ���uns on what was Nancy���s former back garden. The loss of that part of the garden won���t be missed since there should now be more writing time available this spring and summer! Childminding is intermittent over the day and any writing time is precious. (If interested in how a new house is built these days, follow my blog posts named ���Gonna build a house��� )
All matters historical are a passion; Ancestry research a lovely time-suck. Nancy regularly blogs and loves to have guests visit her blog. Facebooking is a habit she���s trying to keep within reasonable bounds! Any time left in a day is for leisure reading and the occasional historical series on TV.
*************
Author links:
http://nancyjardine.blogspot.co.uk http://nancyjardineauthor.com/ Twitter @nansjar Facebook: http://on.fb.me/XeQdkG
Amazon Author page for books and to view book trailer videos:
US http://amzn.to/RJZzZz UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nancy-Jardine/e/B005IDBIYG/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Novels also available from Barnes and Noble; W.H. Smith; Waterstones.com; Smashwords; TESCO Blinkboxbooks; and various other places.
February 26, 2015
The House at Zaronza – Vanessa Couchman
Welcome to the blog today, Vanessa Couchman! She is the author of the rather wonderful The House at Zaronza, published by Crooked Cat Publishing and zooming up the charts on a daily basis! Find out what inspired her to write it, as well as a bit about Vanessa herself, and her writing process – I have to say, her idea of what a perfect day would be certainly appeals to me too. For more information, all the links to her books/blog/Twitter etc are at the bottom. Take it away, Vanessa…
What are the main ideas or themes in your book?
The main theme of The House at Zaronza concerns roots and homeland and how deeply we are influenced by the culture we grow up in. A secondary theme is the place of women in patriarchal societies such as Corsica, and the way in which this slowly started to change in the early 20th century, particularly as a result of World War I.
Tell us more about the main characters and their dilemmas.
The main character is Maria Orsini, the daughter of a bourgeois family in a Corsican village. She and the local schoolmaster have a secret relationship, of which her family would have disapproved. Maria wants to marry her schoolmaster but her parents want her to marry a cousin to keep the family possessions together. Her plans to avoid this are thwarted by circumstances and by the actions of someone close to her.
At the beginning of the novel, Maria���s goal is simply to lead a more interesting life and escape the deadening boredom of life with her parents in the village of Zaronza (an invented name). Later on, she engages in a quest to recapture her lost love.
And the location ��� what is it about Corsica that inspires you particularly?
A lot of my stories are set in France or Corsica. Location and a sense of place are very important in my writing ��� and to me personally. Corsica is almost a character in its own right in The House at Zaronza and a lot of people have remarked that it comes over strongly.
Corsica in particular inspires me for two main reasons. First, it has a savagely beautiful mountainous landscape, set in the Mediterranean, with picturesque perched villages. It���s a place to which I keep returning. Second, it has a fascinating history and a unique culture, which provide plenty of material for stories and novels.
How do you go about writing a novel? Do you start off with an outline or plot as you go?
Somewhere between the two. I like to have an outline before kicking off, but I know that it may well change along the way, so it can���t be too rigid. And sometimes I just like to see how a particular scene will develop from an idea.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Finding the time to do it! I run my own business as a freelance writer and so my fiction has to be fitted in around that. At the moment, people are throwing work at me, which poses a dilemma, nice though it is to be in demand.
What are you working on currently?
A sequel to The House at Zaronza, set mostly during World War II. It follows some of the characters and their reactions to the Occupation during the war.
What advice do you have for less experienced writers?
I���m not sure I would describe myself as experienced, since I took up writing fiction only five years ago. But I have two main pieces of advice. First, read a lot and read widely. You learn a huge amount from other authors and their writing. Second, be persistent. Writers have to live with rejection on a daily basis. We all hate it, whatever we might say, and growing a thick skin isn���t easy. But work at honing your skills, take on board other people���s criticism of your work, and keep submitting.
What would your perfect day be?
An uninterrupted morning���s writing followed by a long walk in the glorious countryside around us in the afternoon, topped off by a delicious dinner at a Michelin starred restaurant, preceded by a glass of champagne!
Name a book or a film that means a lot to you.
Le Vieux Fusil (The Old Gun) is a film set in France at the time of the Liberation in 1944. It was filmed at a village not far from us. The idyllic start quickly transforms into horror and revenge. Superb acting from Philippe Noiret and Romy Schneider. And a bit of inspiration for my work in progress, although I won���t say more than that.
Amazon UK – http://tinyurl.com/UK-Zaronza
Amazon US – http://tinyurl.com/US-Zaronza
Website and Blog: https://vanessacouchmanwriter.wordpress.com
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/vanessa.couchman.3?fref=ts
Twitter – https://twitter.com/Vanessainfrance
February 13, 2015
Something Wicked – Carol Oates
My fellow Omnific writing sister, Carol Oates, is the author of many great books, but for me, her latest offering, Something Wicked, is nothing less than sublime. I’ve just (reluctantly) finished reading it and am now suffering what’s known in the trade as a book hangover! Here’s my review of it, the links to Amazon etc etc. If you fancy a book that contains within its pages not only a great story and endearing characters (of the vampire variety) but writing so poetic in places you have to stop and read the sentence over and over again just to marvel at it, this book’s for you!
Finally – A Vampire Book to Rival Anne Rice
This gets a thumping five stars from me! Normally I don’t read stories about Vampires – my love affair with them began and ended with the great Anne Rice – I just found everything ‘vampirish’ I read after that came nowhere near and so went onto other things. The Twilight series I disliked too, so all in all, vampires are not my thing. But, having read Carol Oates before and enjoyed her books, I thought I’d give her new release a go. The link with Jack the Ripper fascinated me too. All hail the return of the vampire! Well, Henry Clayton to be precise, turned against his will in the late 19th century – although the main bulk of the story takes place��in 2010. A dark and intense figure, intent on finding a cure for ‘vampirism’ he is indeed ‘something wicked’ but he is also very human and as flawed as a human being can be. Having carried out heinous acts in the past, he is now trying to live on animal blood but is prone to dark thirsts and rage. Ari, whom he encounters in a cafe, has a strange, almost calming effect on him and slowly they learn how their destinies entwine. Ari is everything a��great heroine should be, brave, loyal and selfless. But it’s Henry’s Scottish-born vampire sidekick, Doug, who steals the show (and perhaps needs his own book? Hint, hint!) Not only is he the bearer of some great one-liners he’s brave and loyal too – between the three of them what’s not to love?!
I’m not going to go into the mechanics of the story, you’ll have to read it yourself for that but suffice to say, Oates writing is some of the best I’ve encountered in a long while. It’s not fast-paced, it’s almost leisurely, the prose in places poetic. Normally I veer towards the fast-paced but I found myself willingly slowing down, not just reading every word but savouring it. It was a delight to return to day after day. Will I continue to read more vampire books? Probably not (unless this is the start of a series). I still think it’s been done to death. Will I continue to read Carol Oates? Most definitely, this book has made me a convert.
website:��Caroloates.com
Twitter:��https://twitter.com/CarolOates
Facebook:��https://www.facebook.com/caroloates.author
Goodreads:��https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3988619.Carol_Oates
Buy Links
Amazon.com
Amazon.uk
Barnes and Noble
iTunes
For more retailers see��Something Wicked��at��Simon and Schuster
February 6, 2015
The Countdown Begins…
And now, the time is here, and so I face the final curtain… Well, it’s not the final curtain, not just yet, I’ll stop being so dramatic BUT edits/proofreading for Psychic Surveys Book Two: Rise to Me have all been done. It’s been sent back to the publisher, Crooked Cat Publishing, and is waiting in the wings to be published on March 19th – much like I’m waiting in the wings too – for the big day. Whilst I’m waiting I’m also writing – Eve – a Psychic Surveys novella spin-off featuring Theo and Ness is my next project – due out in time for Christmas. And then it’s onto Psychic Surveys Book Three, but first, back to those pesky edits.
When you’re trying to maintain a story arc, avoid repetition, keep the pace going, ensure everyone stays in character, you’ve got to know every word of your book backwards – in the case of Rise to Me, all 93,000 of them! Yep, essential bit of editing kit No.1 is a good memory! Then there’s flow, grammar and punctuation to contend��with. A comma can still – a degree in English and American Literature later��– baffle me! I either over use them or under use them. Thank goodness for editors who know their stuff. Even so, in a book that size, the odd typo will still slip through, because there’s such a thing as word blindness – your brain tricks writer, editor and proofreader into seeing the word that should be there, rather than the word that is there. Rise to Me is my fifth book though and I’m learning. Essential bit of editing kit No. 2 has got to be��Word’s��Find and Replace function – able to impart in a jiffy��how many times you’ve used a particular word (far too many!)��as well as��ferret��out common literary misdemeanours. So, what are your particular stumbling blocks? With me I quadruple-check the following:
it’s, its
you’re, your
was, were
too, to
wonder, wander
all the ‘ly’ words – axe as many as possible! For example, ‘sprints’ is better than ‘runs quickly’.
‘Very’ and ‘Really’ – again, axe, rarely do they add anything to a sentence.
‘That’ is not needed as much as you think it is.
Contractions – of the literary kind! ‘I’m going to her house’ sounds much friendlier than ‘I am going to her house’. Contract to your heart’s content!
That’s just the tip of the iceberg really but learning on the job means by the time you’re on your sixth book (as I am) you’re keeping more of an��eye out for these blunders, thus avoiding them in the first place. It’s a learning curve though, a steep one. Just yesterday I had someone come up to me in the playground and tell me a couple of instances in my latest release (Jessamine) where a comma has been used incorrectly and that��a ‘you and me’ would have been better than the��‘you and I’ used. Yep, she’s a proofreader, and she might well have got herself a job on��my��forthcoming novella. I do love an eagle eye!
Anything else to add to the list above,��let me know…!
Rise to Me is Book Two in the Psychic Surveys series (paranormal mystery/thrillers). Psychic Surveys Book One: The Haunting of Highdown Hall is available on Amazon:
UK http://tinyurl.com/lak4ub �� US http://tinyurl.com/l29wj78
