Ingrid Hall's Blog, page 30
March 20, 2014
Review of Fast Movin’ Train (A Rock Romance) By Pam Howes
Hey,
Luna has been busy reading again, check out her review of Fast Movin’ Train (A Rock Romance) By Pam Howes
You can find Luna at http://lunaballantyne.wordpress.com and don’t forget ALL romance titles are now reviewed over there, so hop on over there for contact details if you are looking for a review…
Love Ingrid xxx
March 19, 2014
Pay As You Go Manuscript Assessment Service – A Testimonial!
Hey everyone,
It’s not like me to blow my own trumpet (Ha Ha!)
If anyone is considering trying out my PAY AS YOU GO MANUSCRIPT ASSESSMENT SERVICE but needs a little reassurance about the quality of my work, then here is a testimonial from Lady of Kaos. Click the above link for details of the service (Including FREE initial assessment) Or contact me using the contact form provided in this post.
Website: http://ladyofkaos.wordpress.com
Comment: I highly recommend Ingrid’s service! She is professional, consistent, very helpful, and best of all, she shows up and delivers on time. Her pay as you go service is perfect for me as my funds are limited. It’s going to take a while to get my book completely edited, but once we’re done, I know it will truly be a work of art!
[contact-form]
Blogging Services – More Plans – Lower Prices!
Hey everyone,
Do you need a blog? Maybe you know someone that could use a blog but just doesn’t have time to set one up or maintain it? I have made significant changes to my blogging services, adding new packages and lowering prices. Like all of my services, this is all on a PAY AS YOU GO BASIS. So there is no contract, no tie in, no obligation to continue!
The service is perfect for independent authors and small business owners (So, hairdressers, restaurants, electricians, plumbers…You name a trade and I can come up with a tailor made blog!)
For full details and pricing click here.
Please help me by sharing this post wherever possible. With integration to social media included then this is a great opportunity to establish and maintain an online presence!
Love Ingrid xxx
March 16, 2014
Review of 999 abroad by Börkur Sigurbjörnsson
Börkur Sigurbjörnsson was born in Reykjavík, Iceland in 1976. Börkur has a PhD degree in computer science from University of Amsterdam. He currently lives in Barcelona where he works on web related research and development, along with writing fiction. 999 Abroad is his first publication.
This book has been on our to read list for quite some time and is a short and incredibly pleasant read. The book is comprised of a collection of short stories which are told from the viewpoint of an Icelander living in multiple foreign cities. The main theme being a dissection of how Icelanders are perceived by foreigners. The book is maybe a little too intelligently put together for my liking, not in terms of the style or manner in which it is written, as that is easily accessible, however more in the sense that the author takes at times incredibly obscure threads and weaves them into a story and in doing so completely ignores the essence of the city in which he is writing about. For example, the first story is set in a park in Amsterdam. Lovely, I am sure, however if I am reading a story about Amsterdam then I really want to get a feel for that city. Instead, the author has a conversation with a random Dutch person about elves and the pop singer Bjork. A great short story, but it definitely didn’t capture the essence of Amsterdam!
Having said that my absolute favourite story in this collection is another totally off the wall one, entitled What Do Fish Eat? Again, set in Amsterdam this is the story of a dilemma faced by one of the author’s work colleagues who is entrusted with looking after a goldfish while the owner goes on holiday,ends up feeding it parsley and turning the fish green! Bonkers? Yes! But thoroughly enjoyable! I also loved the fact that each story begins with gorgeous artwork that looks like it has been hand drawn.
I would recommend this collection to anyone that likes some short and light reading maybe on the way into work, or is wanting to unwind after a busy day.
You can find more about the author at: http://borkur.net/
March 14, 2014
FREE Initial Assessment – Pay As You Go Manuscript Assessment Service
Hey everyone,
For a limited time I am going to be offering a FREE initial assessment for those interested in my Pay As You Go Manuscript Assessment Service! That’s right, FREE!
Here’s the deal:
Email me a synopsis of your whole book (No more than 500 words) PLUS your first chapter. I will do exactly the same as what I do on my chargeable service for FREE. I will provide you with a report covering areas such as:
CREDIBILITY OF CHARACTERS – PLOT – DIALOGUE – GENERAL WRITING SKILLS – SENTENCE STRUCTURE AND GRAMMAR
I will also make corrections and changes as appropriate and advise you as to whether I feel I can help you. Crucially, I will be HONEST. It is in no-one’s interest to continue with an editorial process if the book needs re-writing. If I feel that you need to do major re-writes or make major changes, I will let you know what needs doing and you can do that before coming back to me. If we are both mutually happy, then you continue with my services for the rest of your manuscript on a PAY AS YOU GO BASIS (CLICK HERE FOR FURTHER DETAILS)
This is a NO RISK opportunity for you to get the editorial ball rolling! Interested? Email ingrid@grannyirene.com or contact me using the contact form!
[contact-form]
March 13, 2014
Review of Small Town Trouble by Jean Erhardt
Kim Claypoole leaves behind her business and part time lover in the Smoky Mountains to go to the aid of her elderly mother who is experiencing financial troubles. When she arrives she is drawn into a series of murders and is asked by an old flame to help prove her brother’s innocence. They then embark upon an adult Nancy Drew meets Scooby Doo attempt to solve the riddle.
Okay, so maybe Scooby Doo is a little cruel! I really enjoyed the opening three or four chapters of this book in which Kim’s slightly dysfunctional but nonetheless loving relationship with her mother is explored. Mum is obsessed with Gone with the Wind and lives in a run down version of Tara. The rooms of the house are even named after characters! I thought this was a lovely touch, especially as Gone with the Wind just happens to be my all time favourite book! I also found these chapters to be incredibly funny and witty and I was expecting an AMAZING read. Unfortunately the book seemed to seriously flounder after this stage and I have had to think long and hard about why, because on the surface all of the elements are there: Kim’s on/off relationship with a married T.V star called Nancy Merit, her potential to rekindle her teenage romance with also married Amy, a series of murders…However I think the author makes the mistake of wandering off too much from the story line and waffling. So much so, that by the time the second murder occurred, I had forgotten that the victim even existed, let alone cared about the fact that he was dead!
I also do not see the point or relevance to her relationship with Nancy. Kim seems to spend the whole book attempting without success to get hold of her via the telephone. If I had written this, I would have cut Nancy from the plot entirely and focused on her budding relationship with Amy, which was definitely more interesting – although I would have liked them to actually get down to business, at least once!
As for the murder mystery element, well because the author rambles on so much then I think this really suffers. It could have been great, it could have been exciting, but in the end came across very amateurish.
Would I read the rest of the series? No. However if you like cozy mysteries that are light on action but get resolved in the end and contain slapstick humour then it might be worth giving it a go.
You can find out more about the author at www.jeanerhardt.com
March 11, 2014
The Tunnel Betwixt…Free on Smashwords!
Hey, Spread the word!
My novella, The Tunnel Betwixt…is currently FREE to download on Smashwords.
Simply go to https://www.smashwords.com/ and enter coupon code EL23F (Valid until 14th March 2014) If you do download it, then I would be grateful if you would leave a review on Amazon and Goodreads!!!
ABOUT THE TUNNEL BETWIXT…
Have you ever wondered what happens when you die? Where you go?
Twenty six year old Julia Fletcher has never given it more than a passing thought until a tragic accident sends her soul hurtling out of her body and into the tunnel that many of us go through after death.
Confused and desperate for answers, Julia embarks upon an incredible journey of self- discovery as grieving for those that she has left behind she sets out to discover just “why” she has died before her time: a journey which sees her not only reunited with her dead brother and emotionally fractured aunt but also waging war upon the person responsible for her accident as she struggles to deal with her conflicting emotions.
Julia eventually discovers that her only hope of returning to those that she loves is to rescue her aunt from the clutches of Hades and prevent him from using the tunnel betwixt the worlds as a means of launching a deadly attack upon the mortal world and so joining forces with Boudicca, Joan of Arc and the fearsome Tru’ng sisters from Vietnam, the “Battle for the Bomb Factory” begins…
The Tunnel Betwixt is one of many gateways to the afterlife. Dare you take a deep breath and step into the swirling, indigo mists and follow the twisting, winding tunnel to places that you have never been? A world where water nymphs mingle freely with ancient Roman soldiers: a world filled with magic and mystery. If so, let your journey begin!
March 10, 2014
Review of Heal This Way – A Love Story – Written by Little Monsters
Author/Photographer Tracey B. Wilson works professionally as an actor, filmmaker and comedian. She works on Lady Gaga’s North American tours, giving high energy photo-shoots to the Little Monsters in a pre-show performance art event. Tracey says she has had the privilege of showing thousands of Little Monsters who they truly are.
First up, this is not the type of book that we usually get asked to review and I was genuinely intrigued to receive an actual copy in the post. The book is incredibly visual and well put together and is made up of a series of fan letters to Mother Monster a.k.a Lady Gaga and is accompanied by absolutely gorgeous and liberating photos of the Little Monsters who sent those letters.
I was a little nervous that maybe a book of this nature would come across as at best sycophantic and at worst totally insane. However having read the love letters, I can see that Lady Gaga has in some way empowered people who had really low esteem and have been bullied or had suicidal thoughts to start expressing themselves freely and owning their lives!
Here are a couple of quotes:
“Growing up, I always felt different from the rest of my family and friends. I knew they loved me more than anything, but I never felt accepted…” Little Monster White Shirt Black Glasses – Brooklyn, NY
“You have taught me that beauty in magazines is nothing but fake, and being normal is so fucking overrated!” A Fierce Little Monster – Essex Ct, PA
You get my drift…
Heal This Way is available in Paperback from Amazon and would make a lovely gift!
Tell Us Your Elven Story… Legendary Post Elven Story Writing Contest
Check out this great competition!
Originally posted on Legendary Post:
Tell Us Your Elven Story… Legendary Post Elven Story Writing Contest
It has been too long since we have done a Writing Contest
And so…
March 8, 2014
International Women’s Day…Remembering…
Morning
Well, it’s March the 08th so that means it’s International Women’s Day, a day to celebrate not just our womanhood but also our femininity. Yes, the two can go hand in hand! Some might ask whether we really need an International Women’s Day? Whether, it isn’t just a big brouhaha dreamed up by the hairy army pit brigade? (Not that there’s anything wrong with hairy pits, or unshaven legs for that matter!)
Well, the answer is that in a world where 1 in 4 women will be domestically abused in their lifetime and where on average women still earn 77% less than men for doing the same job, then YES we do!
Sometimes as women I think we pile a whole load of pressure onto ourselves that is totally unnecessary. In trying to be superwomen. In trying to keep up with the Jones’s. In juggling the many roles that society expects us to play, I think we sometimes forget about the very essence that makes us who we are. So for now I am going to strip it right back to basics and even though I will be mentally sending oodles of girl power to all those women participating in the thousands of events that will be taking place globally today, I just would like everyone to take a moment or two to remember the women that meant the world to us but sadly are no longer here.
In particular I would like to pay tribute to my mother -in – law Margaret Rose Hall pictured here with my sister -in – laws on my wedding day. Margaret was never going to set the wider world on fire, but she was hilariously funny and kind and baked some of the best cakes that I have ever tasted! And together with my father in law David, she believed in the power and magic of the FAMILY and so even though times were incredibly tough, together raised a family of 8 children instilling love, compassion and respect in their children.
Margaret Rose Hall, for me you were the epitome of everything that a woman should be… I loved you…I respected you…I miss you xxxx
You can find out more about this year’s International Women’s Day at http://www.internationalwomensday.com
