S.K. Nicholls's Blog, page 29
December 9, 2014
When, exactly, is Read Tuesday? (Time Zones & Delays)
Today is the day! Browse the catalogs. Get ‘em while they’re hot!
Originally posted on ReadTuesday:
Conor Kelly by Ali Isaac
TIME ZONES/DELAYS
Read Tuesday is a Black Friday type of event just for book lovers on Tuesday, December 9, 2014.
But when, exactly, does Read Tuesday start and when does it end?
That, of course, depends on which time zone you’re in.
What really matters is when the book will go on sale and when the sale will end.
The Read Tuesday catalog shows the start and end dates and times for each sale. However, it doesn’t clarify the time zone, which is up to the author.
Many of the books went on sale prior to Read Tuesday and go off sale after Read Tuesday. (This is a wise practice, as it reduces the chances for time zone issues or delays interfering with potential sales.)
Another issue is that there are sometimes delays in making price changes (even when the price change can be scheduled…
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December 6, 2014
Read Tuesday Submissions Close Saturday, December 6, 2014
The bell is about to ring authors. Last call!
Originally posted on ReadTuesday:
HUGE BOOK SALE
Time is running out.
Read Tuesday is a Black Friday type of event for book lovers on Tuesday, December 9, 2014.
It’s free exposure for authors.
It’s a great deal for readers and gift-givers.
But time is running out.
Authors: Submissions close on Saturday, December 6, 2014. Sign-up is free. Just complete the Google Docs forms by the deadline (see below for the links).
Readers: Check out the Read Tuesday catalogs. Some of the books are already on sale. (See below for the links).
AUTHORS
Sign up no later than Saturday, December 6. The sooner, the better. Then check on the 7th to make sure it’s in the catalog (by the end of the day, Sunday).
There are many ways to participate. Almost all authors should be able to find at least one way to sign up.
Choose one of the Google Docs forms below, complete the…
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December 5, 2014
Readers and Holiday Shoppers #amreading
Got someone on your Christmas list that is hard to shop for?
What about books?
The Read Tuesday campaign is off to a good start and the preliminary catalog is now available.You can review it here. See if your favorite authors are listed or get to know some new ones here. This second annual Read Tuesday is like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but it’s all about books, and it’s HUGE!
This is your opportunity to view a variety of authors; both traditionally published and independently published, and see what books are available at great savings. These books are a great gift item. If you know the reading preferences of your friends, browse the catalog and check them out. Then, on Tuesday, December 9th, grab yourself and your friends a few.
Cover Reveal: Curse of the Dark Wind by Charles Yallowitz
Cover Art by Jason Pedersen
After their battles in Gaia and surviving the Island of Pallice, the champions of Windemere are off on their next adventure.
In his quest to be a hero and help others, Luke Callindor has jumped into danger countless times and would do so again without hesitation. So when he is infected by the toxic Dark Wind, it is up to his friends to find a cure and keep his courage alive. With time running out and their enemies in the shadows, one ally will make the decision to share in Luke’s suffering and forge a bond that runs thicker than blood. Such a sacrifice might not be enough when the truth behind this living curse comes to light.
Will Luke find the strength to defeat the Dark Wind? What ghosts from his past will appear during his weakest hour?
About the Author:
Charles Yallowitz was born and raised on Long Island, NY, but he has spent most of his life wandering his own imagination in a blissful haze. Occasionally, he would return from this world for the necessities such as food, showers, and Saturday morning cartoons. One day he returned from his imagination and decided he would share his stories with the world. After his wife decided that she was tired of hearing the same stories repeatedly, she convinced him that it would make more sense to follow his dream of being a fantasy author. So, locked within the house under orders to shut up and get to work, Charles brings you Legends of Windemere. He looks forward to sharing all of his stories with you and his wife is happy he finally has someone else to play with.
Blog: Legends of Windemere
Twitter: @cyallowitz
Facebook: Charles Yallowitz
Read the Previous Volumes of Legends of Windemere!!!
COVER ART BY JASON PEDERSEN (CLICK COVER FOR AMAZON SITE)
COVER ART BY JASON PEDERSEN (CLICK COVER FOR AMAZON SITE)
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COVER ART BY JASON PEDERSEN (CLICK COVER FOR AMAZON SITE).
COVER ART BY JASON PEDERSEN (CLICK COVER FOR AMAZON SITE)
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Art by Jason Pedersen (CLICK COVER FOR AMAZON SITE)
Filed under: Book Reviews and Books Tagged: book six, Charles Yallowitz, cover reveal, Curse of the Dark Wind, fantasy, Legends of Windemere, series
December 3, 2014
Book Review: Southern Heat by David Burnsworth
Blog content has become limited to mostly book reviews and promos. Sorry about that. I have been performing surgical excision on Alliances and editing. This is meticulous and time consuming. Also, I’m reading…a lot. Some classics and some new stuff. I don’t recall where I was introduced to this author, a blog interview or twitter.
I’ve read a few times that authors should not review books in their genre. I apologize in advance if people might feel I am violating some code of ethics or author etiquette. I haven’t published in this genre…yet, so the rebel in me sees an exemption. Besides, this is a slightly different region, though somewhat similar.
Book Review:
Southern Heat is a perfect example of what makes regional fiction so appealing. A Georgia girl transplanted to Florida, when I was reading this book, I felt right at home. The theme centers on an environmental issue close to my heart. The setting is the low country of the South Carolina coastline in Charleston. Southern Heat has all of the elements of an excellent contemporary southern crime fiction novel.
What sets this book apart is Burnsworth’s unique voice and style. Southern Heat has a gritty, noir feel to it with rough, edgy characters while keeping a traditionally southern charm.
The mystery begins when Brack Pelton’s Uncle Reggie dies in his arms in an alley after uttering the name of the person who shot him. Even though he’s gone from the very beginning, I felt like I knew Uncle Reggie, owner of the Pirate’s Cove bar and grill and Vietnam vet, from my hippie days. Brack, tainted by the loss of his late wife and PTSD from his own service time in Afghanistan, earned my respect early on. I fell in love with his dog, Shelby. The women in this book made me proud.
Burnsworth’s cast of supporting characters are a determined, though somewhat disturbed, motley crew in keeping with that southern tradition. The string of bad guys is just as well drawn as the good. There are even a few you can’t tell are good or bad. That always makes things interesting. The descriptions provided just enough realism to set the place and mood without being overly detailed or distracting. Though the plot is well-focused, there are enough twists and turns to keep you guessing.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to anyone who likes reading books set in the south or along the coastline, a good mystery, noir crime fiction, or a real page turner that will have you rooting for your favorites from the get-go to the end.
5 of 5 Stars
Last day, get ‘em while they’re HOT
One more free book from C.S. Boyack!
Originally posted on Entertaining Stories:
This is the last day of my three day giveaway. This time the book is calledArson.This is a return to science fiction and involves other planets and aliens. The expansion into space has caused a return to colonialism.
Perry Wolfe is a member of an elite team that fights fires in space. During a huge space liner fire, he receives a minor wound, but it is career ending. Rendered uninsurable, he can never be a firefighter again.
Perry enters the ATF firefighting school and gets shipped to a small moon called Quantico Two. His training facility is in the city of Glynco. He uncovers clues that link his sister’s murder to a string of arsons, but the FBI doesn’t welcome interference.
Perry can’t let go of being a firefighter. Maybe there is something else he needs in Glynco.
***
This story includes the most fun supporting character I’ve…
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November 30, 2014
Vote, vote, vote!
Your vote really counts!
Originally posted on Nicholas C. Rossis:
I have a small favor to ask of you nice people: The Rave Reviews Book Club, which you may remember from my earlier posts, is having its annual Rave Awards.
Anyone can vote (not just members), and I have entered my blog in the best blog category. So, if you like what you’ve been seeing so far here, please consider voting for me. It won’t take more than a minute of your time, and it will be much appreciated (playfully batting eyelashes)! :)
While you’re there, you may also want to check out the rest of the categories, including best book trailer and best interview. Oh, right: I have also entered the best interview category, as my interview on the shelf with Nonnie Jules, RRBC President, is one of the contenders.
If you have read this far, thank you. If you’re considering voting, double thank yous. And…
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November 28, 2014
MY BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS (PART III): RED CLAY AND ROSES by S.K. Nicholls
Susan has a lovely review of Red Clay and Roses. I’m so glad she enjoyed the book and invite you to check out all of her recommendations.
Originally posted on Susan Marie Molloy:
Over the next few days, I will be recommending several fabulous books that I read this year and that I believe you will like, too. These books will make absolutely thoughtful gifts also, and I invite you to follow my links below to read my reviews in their entirety.
Today I am showcasing author S. K. Nicholls.
“Red Clay and Roses” by S. K. Nichols is an honest look into the joys and ruthless realities of life in the Deep South during the 1950s and 1960s. The novel predominantly delves straightforward into lust, rape, murder, criminal abortion, lies, adoption, denial, and love, and particularly how race and gender relations intermingled within those ruthless realities of life.
You can read my full book review here by following this link —> Red Clay and Roses Book Review by Susan Marie Molloy.
© Susan Marie Molloy and all works within. Unauthorized use and/or…
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November 27, 2014
Happy Thanksgiving: Gratitude Day
Sweet potatoes are in the oven and the Cornish rock hens have been seasoned and herbed. There will be mashed potatoes and sweet potato soufflé with asparagus and cranberry sauce on the side. We’ll top it off with pecan pie stuffed under a mountain of whipped cream. That’s the table spread for today.
Why do we do this?
To let our family and friends know how much they are treasured.
To let strangers know they are cherished as hopeful new friends.
To express thanks for another year of blessings and give hope for the coming year.
To remember and honor all of those who came before us.
To let our God know that we are grateful and pray for peace, compassion, health, knowledge and comfort.
To say Thanks!
I especially want to say thanks to readers and writers, my many friends on WordPress; supportive bloggers, authors, new writers, seasoned writers, all those somewhere in the middle. You are my colleagues and I spend the better part of most days in your company. You make my days bright and give me the encouragement I need to keep the faith. The light you shine on my path is brighter than the Florida sun. I appreciate you!
Filed under: Fascinating Florida, The Grandmother Journal Tagged: appreciation, gratitude, Happy Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving
November 24, 2014
Book Review: Wild Concept By C.S. Boyack
Craig Boyack is one of those engaging people you just love to have around. He has a blog where he talks about real-life things like pruning peach trees and perusing county fairs for pumpkin beer as well as his fiction writing process. His muses stay in his writing cabin which he welcomes us into from time to time. Most of his muses are characters from his books, which he has for free over the 1st, 2nd and 3rd of December; Wild Concept, Panama, and Arson, respectively. I started with his first published: Wild Concept .
Book Review:
X2 is a prototype robot created by a company that makes automations, but X2 is so much more than the typical robot. With the capacity to have human emotions and life-like qualities, X2 becomes Lisa Burton. Lisa has more compassion and common sense than your average human. Lisa is extraordinary in every way. Both a sci-fi and a crime novel, with her unique capabilities and the understanding she is gaining about human behavior, she is sent to join the local P.D. and sets about with her partner to catch a serial killer.
Lisa is an excellent sleuth, but she is also one of the most colorful and endearing characters you will find in a fiction novel. In her effort to be a capable companion, as well as a top-notch robot, Lisa develops the sort of deep and meaningful friendships meant to last a lifetime, and Bunny makes me want to get a cute little rabbit of my very own.
Boyack has a character that has no backstory. There is no history to Lisa Burton, but Boyack takes this thing and breathes a fascinating life into it. Lisa has style, many of them actually, and the fashions she picks for herself echo her adaptive abilities. The supporting characters are as equally well-developed and seem as real as people you would know in real-life, each with their unique personalities and behaviors.
Either Boyack is brilliant or he has done his research…perhaps both, he has Lisa Burton engaged in some complex situations she works diligently to resolve. The novel has a few grammatical errors and a couple of typos, but nothing that impedes the read. The writing is reasonably tight with respect to the story line, but lack of scene breaks make it read more like a stream of consciousness novel style. This was a fun read and exciting adventure. It also offers some room for deep reflection on prejudice and what it means to be different. If you are looking for an entertaining read that will make you think about mankind’s journey beyond the natural, make you smile and make you cry, this is a neat little story to pick up.
4 of 5 Stars
