Sage Nestler's Blog, page 70
May 20, 2016
“Into The Fog” First Edition Update
Hello Everyone,
I am excited to announce that the first edition of my second novel, “Into The Fog”, has been updated! The interior is now formatted differently and the cover has been changed. I am absolutely in love with its new cover, and couldn’t have picked a better one to relate to the story. It is too perfect for words!
Look out for the special edition of “Into The Fog” coming April 2017. The special edition will come with fan art, character profiles, personal insights from me, and an exclusive excerpt from the sequel.
Purchase “Into The Fog” on Amazon
Much Love,
Ashley
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May 19, 2016
I Am Now A Sponsor for Knitted Knockers
Hello Everyone,
This post is a little off topic for my normal posts, but I wanted to share with you all something exciting that has happened.
As some of you know, I also own a crocheted lingerie and accessories shop called Crocheted Candy. I have been crocheting since I was eight years old and very advanced with it, but I also knit, and my shop, Crocheted Candy, has become a sponsor for the non-profit organization Knitted Knockers. This means that I am now the Knitted Knocker sponsor in Colorado and will be contributing 10% of all sales through Crocheted Candy to the organization, as well as knitting knockers myself to distribute.
What is a knitted knocker exactly?
Knitted knockers are knit prosthetics made for women who have had mastectomies. Mastectomies, for those who don’t know, are the the removal of the breast(s) due to breast cancer. These knit prosthetics are wonderful because they are soft, comfortable, and feel like normal breasts. Through this organization women can receive free knitted knockers, and I help to make and distribute the knockers to clinics here in Colorado, but the organization is nation and worldwide. If you, or someone you know, would like a pair of knitted knockers, please contact me and I will put you in contact with a distributor near you. Please also email me if you are interested in knitting these prosthetics for distribution. I have all of the information you need, including the free patterns on how to make the knockers and the specific requirements on how they should be made, and I can help you distribute them or send them to a clinic near you.
I am very excited to be a big part of this organization as it is very dear to heart, and I hope that you will consider making some of these prosthetics if you can knit, or telling anyone you may know about the organization if they could benefit from the knockers. Please also consider purchasing from Crocheted Candy, as that is one major way you can help the organization. Your purchase allows me to purchase the specific yarn to make more knockers since it is higher priced for comfort and quality, and 10% of your purchase on top of that is sent directly to the organization. At Crocheted Candy, I love making women feel comfortable in their own bodies and have been doing so for five years through my custom lingerie. Every woman should feel beautiful, no matter what she has been through, and that is my main mission.
Much love,
Ashley
FOR BOOK REVIEW REQUESTS FILL OUT FORM: Book Review Request Form
IF BOOK REQUEST WEBSITE IS DOWN EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com
SIGN UP FOR GO INDIE NOW! MONTHLY BOOK BOX: Go Indie Now!
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*Donations are more than welcome and help me to keep my reviews and marketing services free. Please help me to keep my blog going! All donations will receive a gift.*
Free Shipping Event for the Go Indie Now! Box
Hello Everyone!
I just wanted to let you all know that since my birthday is next week, May 26, I am offering a free shipping coupon until May 31 to celebrate! It is my birthday, yet I am gifting you all. How great is that?
The code is “NEWMEMBER” and is good for your first month’s box. No international orders please, United States only.
To Order: Go Indie Now! Book Box
Much love,
Ashley
FOR BOOK REVIEW REQUESTS FILL OUT FORM: Book Review Request Form
IF BOOK REQUEST WEBSITE IS DOWN EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com
SIGN UP FOR GO INDIE NOW! MONTHLY BOOK BOX: Go Indie Now!
WOULD YOU LIKE AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF MY BOOKS? REQUEST HERE
*Donations are more than welcome and help me to keep my reviews and marketing services free. Please help me to keep my blog going! All donations will receive a gift.*
Miriamne the Magdala by JB Richards – 4/5
Title: Miriamne the Magdala
Author: JB Richards
Rating: 4/5
Synopsis:
“The Yeshua and Miri Novel Series” is a historical-fiction novel series that follows Jesus and Mary Magdalene during the so called “missing years” and throughout their lives. The introductory novel, “Miriamne the Magdala”, explores the deeply personal relationship between twelve year old Miriamne and her long lost cousin Yeshua bar Joseph. Their tale begins with an unexpected reunion of two Jewish Houses and goes on to explain how a family brought together by a seeming circumstance is ultimately tied together by Destiny. When a family tragedy strikes, and Yeshua and Miri are placed in a dangerous situation, heavenly forces intervene and a divine legacy that must be kept secret to all but their closest family members is revealed.
From the time of his family’s return from Egypt to Nazareth, Yeshua has grown up shunned and reviled by the townsfolk of his step-father Joseph’s home village. Questions surrounding the authenticity of his parentage along with the strange and unpredictable supernatural powers that seem to control Yeshua have the people of the tiny backwater town suspicious and frightened.
When Yeshua’s mother, Mary, sends a letter to her dearest cousin pleading for help for her gravely ill husband, Miriamne’s mother, Salome, instantly responds. Soon, Salome and her husband, Micah – along with their three children: Martha, Miriamne, and Lazarus – set out for Nazareth on a mission of mercy. During the family’s stay, an old but avid argument causes major upset, especially for young Yeshua who loses control of His staggering powers. As a result of the calamity, the angry townsfolk pounce on the opportunity to band together with their rabbi and the Elder’s Council to banish Yeshua from Nazareth—forever.
Once Yeshua is forced to relocate from his family’s home to his cousin’s huge country estate near Sepphoris, the developing friendship between him and Miriamne flourishes. But just when things seem so hopeful, a sudden turn of events causes Yeshua to choose between taking His own action to avoid a terrible tragedy and His obligation to obey His Heavenly Father’s wishes.
When an astonished Miriamne learns of Yeshua’s true identity and His Mission on this earth, she must then decide whether to continue her relationship with Him or risk losing Him to His Fate. The pressure reaches a breaking point when Miriamne’s wealthy uncle, Joseph bar Abram, and his Caravaneers arrive for a family visit, and Yeshua is presented with a rare opportunity that will take Him far, far away from her . . . quite possibly forever. It is then that Yeshua must make a life-altering decision—whether to follow His heart or fulfill His Destiny.
Review:
“Miriamne the Magdala” is a very ambitious novel. Since there is so much hearsay involving the story of Mary and Joseph from the bible, it is possible for an author to create what they believed to have happened, but few could pull it off; however, that is exactly what JB Richards did.
From the beginning it was clear through the author’s writing how passionate she was about her story and her concepts. Since her story is meant to travel across multiple novels, she made sure that she had enough of a story and information to do so. I thoroughly enjoyed her insights and feel that even someone who does not believe in the bible, or isn’t religious, would find enjoyment in it. The book is not about religion, but about story, and that is what made it brilliant.
Since the book is in the first person, the reader is automatically drawn into the novel and the story. I liked that the story was from the perspective of Miriamne and how it drifted away from traditional stories to incorporate the author’s imagination. Richards has the required talent of any historical fiction author, which is to transform history and make it their own, and she does it with ease. I did not feel that she was “stealing” from history, or straying too far from the setting and time period that she chose so that it was unbelievable; instead, I felt that I was reading something new that was also educational, and it was a novel that I would refer to readers of all ages. The novel was easy to understand, but not juvenile, and is perfect for those who are fond of myths and histories. I look forward to reading the rest of this series, and working with JB Richards was wonderful. She is clearly passionate about her work, and it enhanced my enjoyment of her novel. Historical fiction buffs are sure to enjoy this, and I highly recommend it.
FOR BOOK REVIEW REQUESTS FILL OUT FORM: Book Review Request Form
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*Donations are more than welcome and help me to keep my reviews and marketing services free. Please help me to keep my blog going! All donations will receive a gift.*
May 18, 2016
May Go Indie Now! Fantasy Box Unboxing – Rep Cassandra Carpio
Hello Everyone,
One of our amazing reps, Cassandra, just posted an unboxing review of the May Go Indie Now! Box on her blog, “The Bookish Crypt”! I have supplied the link to the review below and urge you to follow her blog as well. She is also a book reviewer and very supportive of Indie authors. Take a look at her policy page to see what her policy on review requests is.
Thank you so much for your ongoing support Cassandra!❤
Much love,
Ashley
FOR BOOK REVIEW REQUESTS FILL OUT FORM: Book Review Request Form
IF BOOK REQUEST WEBSITE IS DOWN EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com
SIGN UP FOR GO INDIE NOW! MONTHLY BOOK BOX: Go Indie Now!
WOULD YOU LIKE AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF MY BOOKS? REQUEST HERE
*Donations are more than welcome and help me to keep my reviews and marketing services free. Please help me to keep my blog going! All donations will receive a gift.*
May 16, 2016
Weekly Update 05/16/2016 -05/22/2016
Happy Monday Everyone!
Now that my junior year of college is finished I will have more time to write, read, review and work on the “Go Indie Now!” Book Box! Hoorah!
Anyhoo, this week I will be reviewing:
Miriamne the Magdala by JB Richards
Bounty by J.D. Cunegan
This is also a reminder that the May Fantasy Go Indie Now! boxes will ship out this month, so for those who have subscribed be ready for a great adventure! I also just posted a page discussing the requirements for authors who want to inquire about having their novel(s) featured in the box since I have had so many authors asking. Please visit this page for all of the information that you need: Author Queries for Go Indie Now!
Also, coming this Sunday, May 22, I will be hosting a takeover from 12 – 1 PM Eastern Time (10 – 11 AM Mountain Time) on this Facebook page. Any of the funds raised from my novels that are sold during that hour will go to the Red Cross as well as 10% of all new Go Indie Now! subscriptions. So for those who have been wanting to join our book box or read my novels, that would be the prime time to do so. I strongly believe in charity and giving back and I want to raise as much money for the Red Cross that I can!
Thank you everyone, and have a great week!
Ashley
FOR BOOK REVIEW REQUESTS FILL OUT FORM: Book Review Request Form
IF BOOK REQUEST WEBSITE IS DOWN EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com
SIGN UP FOR GO INDIE NOW! MONTHLY BOOK BOX: Go Indie Now!
WOULD YOU LIKE AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF MY BOOKS? REQUEST HERE
*Donations are more than welcome and help me to keep my reviews and marketing services free. Please help me to keep my blog going! All donations will receive a gift.*
May 15, 2016
The Inter-Terrestrial by Chad Descoteaux – 4/5
Title: The Inter-Terrestrial
Author: Chad Descoteaux
Rating: 4/5
Synopsis:
“An alien scientist has a half-human “inter-terrestrial” son on the primitive planet of Earth. Aliens from neighboring planets (Mars and Venus) think they own the Earth and are adamant that it not be used by higher species without their consent. For twenty years, this alien father has been trying to figure out a way to get back to this forbidden planet to see his son, desperately looking for an opportunity to present itself.
But how did this “inter-terrestrial” come to be? How has his human mother protected him on a planet where many people hate and fear what is different? And what role would this hybrid play in proving that humans are not inferior to our alien brethren?”
Review:
The Inter-Terrestrial is a science fiction novel, but within this book are current themes regarding discrimination and prejudice. Chad Descouteaux writes smoothly and his writing reads as that of an author who has worked on his novel and concepts for quite a long time.
I found it very interesting how in this book humans were deemed as inferior, which was rather brilliant. So many times humans see themselves as the upper class in terms of other species and beings,but by putting them at the bottom of the galactic food chain, Descoteaux opened up a new dialogue for readers to discuss our place in the galaxy. He also presented prejudice in a new way that allows science fiction fans to understand the concept in the format of a genre they admire. I thought that Descoteaux’s writing was knowledgeable and original and I thoroughly enjoyed his work. His novel is not only appropriate for science fiction fans, but for anyone who enjoys books that discuss prejudice and the crisis that is currently a major issue within our society. I love seeing so many novels examine this conflict and Descouteaux has written a novel that I feel is original and stands out in his chosen genre. I urge anyone who likes science fiction to read this novel as it is easy to understand and enjoy, and I have to say that it is one of the better novels that I have reviewed recently.
I hope that Descoteaux continues to write, because I would love to read more of his work and more about his stance on different topics.
FOR BOOK REVIEW REQUESTS FILL OUT FORM: Book Review Request Form
IF BOOK REQUEST WEBSITE IS DOWN EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com
SIGN UP FOR GO INDIE NOW! MONTHLY BOOK BOX: Go Indie Now!
WOULD YOU LIKE AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF MY BOOKS? REQUEST HERE
*Donations are more than welcome and help me to keep my reviews and marketing services free. Please help me to keep my blog going! All donations will receive a gift.*
May 14, 2016
Go Indie Now! May Fantasy Box Unboxing
Hello Everyone!
I am excited to announce that one of our amazing reps for the Go Indie Now! Monthly Book Box has posted an unboxing video for our May Fantasy box. Her name is Tegan, and the video is of the first time that she opened her box. If you have ordered the box and don’t want to be spoiled, please don’t watch the video, but it is perfect for those who want to know more about the box!
She also has posted a photo of the May Fantasy Box that I have included below:
Another one of our amazing reps, Cassandra, has also posted a wonderful photo of her May Fantasy Box that you can see below!
Follow Cassandra on Instagram!
Much love,
Ashley
FOR BOOK REVIEW REQUESTS FILL OUT FORM: Book Review Request Form
IF BOOK REQUEST WEBSITE IS DOWN EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com
SIGN UP FOR GO INDIE NOW! MONTHLY BOOK BOX: Go Indie Now!
WOULD YOU LIKE AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF MY BOOKS? REQUEST HERE
*Donations are more than welcome and help me to keep my reviews and marketing services free. Please help me to keep my blog going! All donations will receive a gift.*
May 12, 2016
From A Cold Dark Place by Michael Tavon – 4/5
Title: From A Cold Dark Place
Author: Michael Tavon
Rating: 4/5
Synopsis:
“From a Cold Dark Place is a collection of short stories and essays by Michael Tavon. The twenty four year old author shares stories and thoughts about his comically awkward sex life, police harassment, coping with loneliness and his resentment towards the blue collar lifestyle. Tavon does a brilliant job at evoking emotion while implementing his quirky humor. If you enjoy thought provoking essays and entertaining short stories this collection is perfect for you.”
Review:
One thing that I can say about this collection of short stories is that they do indeed come from a cold, dark place, and that is not bad. In fact, it is good. Tavon is brutally honest throughout the stories and shares his life as it is, without sugarcoating. And honestly? We need so much more of that in the world.
However, if you are sensitive to negativity, then this collection is not for you. Crass language is used, as well as disturbing scenes, but they are both used as necessities to portray the author’s life and experiences in detail.
“From A Cold Dark Place” is a very quick read. Each short story is only a couple of pages long and there is a poem at the end that I found to be beautiful. My favorite short story was “Because I Look Like Donald Glover”, which made me laugh out loud and sympathize for Tavon, but I also deeply admired “A Beautiful World”. This short story in particular discussed the sensitive topics of racism and police brutality in a raw and real light. Being a social work student and an advocate for equality among all, I found this short story to be one that can be educational for anyone looking for a new perspective. I also have extensive experience interning in jails and prisons and see this injustice on a daily basis. The part of this short story that made me so aggravated was when he wrote:
“A black woman goes to jail for leaving her child in a car during a job interview, but Casey Anthony and Zimmerman are still shopping for linguine recipes at local grocery stores.”
Those words could not be truer and should awaken the reader to understand just how deep this injustice and prejudice runs. Many people are unaware that racism does still indeed exist, and we need more people like Tavon to erase that myth.
Tavon is a talented author and he clearly has the eye of an observer which is important in order to be a successful author. I hope that he continues to write for as long as he lives, and I look forward to reviewing his other works.
Writing Tip #5 – Know Your Genres
Hello everyone!
For writing tip #5 I wanted to share with you something that you will definitely need to memorize and understand if you are entering the publishing world and trying to determine your target audience. This is also particularly important if you are going to query literary agents, because there is nothing an agent hates more than if an author doesn’t understand what sector of writing their work belongs to.
And what are these sectors exactly? BOOK GENRES
There are many book genres in the world today, and new genres show up all of the time. To be a successful and knowledgeable writer and reader, you need to understand what the genres are and how exactly they are defined. That is why I have collected for you the definitions of the biggest genres in today’s market. They will help you to define your work in terms of genre and to understand the audience for each genre type. And remember, if you are planning on querying literary agents, make sure that you know what genre your book falls into so that you can query agents who are looking for books in your chosen genre.
Major Genres
Classic Fiction = fiction that has become a part of an accepted literary canon.
Crime/Detective = fiction about crime, how criminals get caught, and the repercussions.
Fantasy = fiction with strange, other worldly settings and characters which brings a suspension from reality.
Historical Fiction = fictional characters in a historical setting.
Horror = fiction that evokes a sense of dread and fear in the characters and the reader.
Humor = fiction that involves fun and is meant for entertainment.
Legend = stories of folk heroes that involves facts, but includes imaginative material.
Mystery = fiction dealing with the solution of crime and unraveling secrets.
Science Fiction = actual, imagined or potential science set in the future or on other planets.
Short Story = fiction without subplots.
Suspense/Thriller = fiction about harm to befall a person or group and attempts to evade harm.
Western = American old west set in 18th/19th centuries.
Young Adult = written for ages 12 – 18, involves perspectives of characters in this age group.
I hope this helps!
Much love,
Ashley
FOR BOOK REVIEW REQUESTS FILL OUT FORM: Book Review Request Form
IF BOOK REQUEST WEBSITE IS DOWN EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com
SIGN UP FOR GO INDIE NOW! MONTHLY BOOK BOX: Go Indie Now!
WOULD YOU LIKE AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF MY BOOKS? REQUEST HERE
*Donations are more than welcome and help me to keep my reviews and marketing services free. Please help me to keep my blog going! All donations will receive a gift.*
