Deborah Jay's Blog, page 62
March 1, 2016
February 29, 2016
#BookReview – OAK AND MIST by Helen Jones #YA #fantasy
Just finished this charming YA fantasy:
Oak And Mist by Helen Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
As a 10 year-old, Alma had an unsettling experience, with a nasty scream, a silver flash of light in the mists, and a valley that shouldn’t have been there. However, by the age of 15 she’s buried the memory, and is, like so many teenagers, only interested in her friends and what the school bully have in store for her next.
So when she gets pushed (by said bully) through a magical gate into a fragrant and beautiful land, where people seem to be expecting her and treat her as somebody special, naturally, she wants to discover more. ‘More’ rapidly becomes a bit much, when she’s told that she is the foretold saviour of the Balance between Light and Dark, affecting both the world of Ambeth, and our own.
Jones has developed a charming world, with just enough magic, and describes it beautifully. I had no problem at all visualising the places, people and events that fill the world of Ambeth, and the whole book is very readable. The plot is quite simple, as befits a YA novel, but with enough intrigue and the necessary love triangle for the naive Alma, to keep the pages turning. Characters are all clearly depicted, with depth to the major players and not too many to keep track of. The dialogue flows smoothly, as does the narrative.
It did feel to me, despite the love aspect, to be aimed at the younger end of the YA range, with a tendency that every time there is something for Alma to mentally digest, she pops home for a little break of shopping or cooking (or eating!). There are some pretty heavy hints as to the parentage of both Alma and Caleb, and some of the important information withholding was, to me, a bit contrived, especially Alma’s mother not talking about her father and the mystery of the bracelet that allows her to manipulate her comings and goings between the two worlds.
I would have liked also, to see real evidence of the threat from the Dark Lords, as opposed to simply being told that they are not to be trusted. The tension that Alma feels over their possible threat felt a touch unrealistic, considering all that ever happened (before the climax) was a few suspicious looks and veiled verbal threats. She also decided that she can trust the Lords of Light for no compelling reason. Of course, she is an impressionable teen, but I needed more substance to the threat for ME to believe it.
On the same note, I did question why no one had researched the missing items in the library before Alma turned up, if it was the obvious place to look for information. Just because these people have a prophesy, doesn’t seem good enough reason not to make the effort.
On a personal level, I would have preferred more clarity to the viewpoint, rather than mixing viewpoints within the same segment, but that probably won’t bother the target audience. It did end on a cliff hanger of sorts, with a climax at about 85%, and the rest of the book devoted to deepening the problems for the next book, and although I’m not fond of cliff hangers, this one was, for me, acceptable, because there was a resolution first.
Overall, an enchanting and delightfully told tale, recommended for a younger YA audience.
Find Helen at:
February 28, 2016
February 23, 2016
Blog Tour, #review & #giveaway – STINGER AND BOW by Orren Merton #YA #fantasy
Welcome to my stop on the STINGER AND BOW tour.
About the Book:
Stinger needs a new crossbow.
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Thirteen year-old Rachel Silver—or as she’s known to the world, Stinger—needs a new crossbow. Her last bow failed her when she needed it most. Besides, Firebird Alex, her aunt and fellow Seduman—half-human, half-spirit being—wields a Sedu blade, made with spirit magic.
So Stinger designs herself a magic crossbow, then convinces her best friends to accompany her around the world and into the universe of Sediin to find the right craftsmen to have it made. Trouble is, warriors attract people who want to challenge them, whether they’re ready or not. Stinger is still tormented by her last battle—she’s suffering night-terrors, shakes, and cold sweats. When the situation turns deadly, will she be able to come to grips with her trauma and become the warrior she needs to be to save her friends?
My review
Stinger and Bow by Orren Merton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
3 and a half stars from me.
In our world, Rachel is a thirteen year old girl with a complicated history, having lost her mother to illness and her foster father to murder. The book begins with her losing her temper with a fellow student, and inflicting an acid burn to the girl’s face.
We quickly discover that Rachel is also known to the world as Stinger, a human/spirit hybrid, who is the sidekick to the famous superhero, Lady Firebird. Rachel’s remorse when she realises the damage she can do by simply losing her cool, is a good starting point to engage our sympathy for her tricky situation.
This is the 4th volume of the Sedumen Chronicles, but is designed to stand alone for those who haven’t read the earlier books, and I found that to be one of the best facets of this novel. It’s extremely hard to bring a reader into a complicated fantasy world with already fully developed world building, and Merton did an excellent job of accomplishing that; I never felt out of my depth with the characters or the awesomely imagined spirit world, and how they all interacted with the ‘real’ world.
The writing is smooth, easy to read, and engaging, (although I did come across around a half dozen small issues, mostly missing words, with the odd incorrectly used word and a few tiny viewpoint glitches – not too many, just enough to notice). The dialogue is great – always a big plus – and although I’m not a fan of present tense, it was well done in this case.
My main problem was the plot. Or rather, the lack of it.
The blurb does a good job of describing the plot. Unfortunately, none of it happens until so far into the novel, I was starting to wonder why I was reading it. First mention of the crossbow is at 25% of the way in, and the first threat (which actually turns out to be a dangling thread for the next book) turns up at around 50%. There are whole chapters that, while very pleasant, don’t advance the plot. The actual villains don’t appear until the climax, with only the tiniest hint that anything might be amiss just a few chapters earlier.
I realised near the end, that the main thrust of the story is about Rachel coping with things no child her age should have to confront, but that wasn’t made clear by either the blurb or the narrative focussing strongly on that issue.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed this enough to want to go back and read the earlier books and become acquainted with Alex’s story and learn more of the spirit world, which sounds like a wonderfully imagined place. I just feel that this book might have had more impact if it had been even shorter than it is, and tighter in construction.
The ending is the best bit, so it was worth getting there. I just found my attention wandering too often to find a higher rating.
About the Author:
Orren Merton started writing fantasy and science fiction at an embarrassingly young age. In high school, he picked up guitar and start playing up and down California in a few loud and moody bands, culminating in his current project Ember After. During that time, magazines, developers, and corporations began to pay him to write and edit music software related articles, manuals, and books. Since then he has written the urban fantasy novel The Deviant and the science fiction novel Skye Entity before working on The Sedumen Chronicles, his current series of urban fantasy YA novels. He lives in Southern California with his family, pets, collection of sci-fi/fantasy memorabilia, and curiously large stuffed animal collection.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | Goodreads
***
GIVEAWAY:
One winner gets a Kindle and digital copy of Stinger and Bow (US)
One winner gets a $25 gift card & digital copy of Stinger and Bow (INT)
Ends March 2nd
Prizing is provided by the author, hosts are not responsible in any way. Must be 13 or older to enter and have parental permission if under 17. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to enter.
This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js
February 22, 2016
The Benefits of the Written Word Upon the Worried Mind
A very thorough post on the health benefits of reading and writing.
by Vincent Mars
While my medical adventures drag on, slowed down by paperwork and the (un)availability of doctors, I am trying to take things easy, to eat healthy food, to go on enjoyable walks every day, to rest, and, of course, to read and write.
You know already that writing about your life and problems can be cathartic and that reading has numerous benefits for your brain. When you combine the two, reading with writing, the result is a highly effective home-brewed potion against anxiety, worry, and even depression, a much better way to spend your time than watching TV or YouTube, stalking people on Facebook, or letting yourself be alarmed by Google’s worrisome results.
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Oak and Mist – Download #Free For a Limited Time! #YA #fantasy #paranormal
Oak and Mist, the first book in my Ambeth series, is free on Amazon from now until February 25th (e-book version only).
‘The end of everything? Great, no pressure then.’
Alma Bevan didn’t mean to go on a quest. But when she disappears between two trees at her local park and reappears in Ambeth, she finds they’ve been expecting her.
So now she has to find a lost sword or the consequences for humanity will be dire. With no idea where to look, despite help from her new friend Caleb, things become even more complicated when a handsome Prince of the Dark takes an interest in her.
All this plus homework too?
Well reviewed on both Goodreads and Amazon, Oak and Mist is the first book in The Ambeth Chronicles. So go on, download a copy today!
February 21, 2016
#InspirationBoardSunday #SundayBlogShare Lavender Fields Forever!
Gorgeous, just gorgeous…
Lavender Fields Forever
Now THIS Inspires Me!
Sometimes my inspiration board fills up with photos of flowers, in addition to settings from my books, or photos of actors and models who look like my characters. (As opposed to my characters looking like THEM. :D ) I find all of nature inspiring, as I’ve said before, and flowers are a particular favorite thing for me. A single Don Juan rose, or a nosegay of black-eyed Susans make me happy, both in the bud vase on my desk, and in photos on my wall. But I’m particularly entranced by photos of the lavender fields of France, or Washington state, in our own Northwest. There is something magical about the way those purple rows roll into the distance, and magic always makes me happy.
I Want to Do This, Too!
Or Sit Here, Surrounded by the Clean, Crisp Fragrance
Lavender Tea, Anyone?
Even…
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February 18, 2016
Book Release – Bad Timing – Battle of the Undead #2 by Nicky Peacock #Vampires #Zombies #Paranormal
This is the second in the Battle of the Undead series.
I had fun interviewing Nicky at the tail end of 2014, when she released the first in the series, Bad Blood. You can find that interview here.
“You know now that monsters are real. Whether they have recently risen to reach for your flesh, or have chosen now to step from the shadows; you are surrounded by them. You also know that I am one too, but I’m all you’ve got and time is running out…”
There’s no rest for the wicked, especially in a zombie apocalypse. Britannia has used every vampire skill at her disposal to keep those she cares for safe, but with old enemies and unseen adversaries moving against her, she will have to push herself to both her physical and ethical limits to survive. Britannia is changing, but will it be for the better?
14+ due to violence and adult situations Please note this is the second book in a series that should be read in order.
Buy Links: Evernight Teen Amazon US Amazon UK Barnes & Noble Nook Amazon Canada Amazon Australia
For an excerpt please click on Evernight Teen link above.
About the author
Nicky is an English author living in the UK. When she’s not writing her YA and adult urban fantasy and horror fiction, she is running a writers’ group and helping local schools with creative writing working shops to encourage the next generation of budding authors.
Some random Nicky facts:
She loves chocolate and hates fleece.
She loves dogs and hates monkeys (they look too human)
She always has one day a week where she doesn’t have her phone on or touches the internet.
Organising is her ‘thing’ and she hates being late for anything.
Her favourite colour changes depending on her mood.
She tends to write in UK spelling (you may have already noticed that!)
She can’t live without TV but could easily live without social media.
Her favourite food is a roast dinner, but she won’t eat lamb.
She’s weirded out by having to write in the third person – so I’m stopping now!
Author Links: Blog: Twitter: YA Facebook Page: UK Amazon Author Page: US Amazon Author page: Good Reads: Pinterest: Tumblr: Authorgraph: Google +:
Reminder: Book 1 – BAD BLOOD
“I am Britannia. I am your protector. I will fend off the hungry hordes of undead hands that reach toward you. I am your steadfast defender. I will stand between you and the zombie masses as they try to taste your flesh. I am strong, unyielding, and dedicated to your survival. All I ask from you… is your blood.”
A 500 year bloody game of vengeance will need to be put on hold if vampires are to survive the zombie uprising. Bitter enemies, Britannia and Nicholas must work together to save un-infected humans, delivering them to a stronghold in Scotland. Unable to drink the zombie blood, vampires need humans to stay alive. But will they tell the survivors who they are, and what they want from them? Will Britannia be able to hold back her vengeance? Is survivor Josh the reincarnation of Britannia’s murdered true love? And can she bring herself to deliver him to the safe hold? Survival instincts run deep, but bad blood can run deeper.
14+ for violence and adult situations
Buy Links: Evernight Teen Amazon US Amazon UK Barnes & Noble Nook Amazon Canada Amazon Australia
February 15, 2016
#Writers, what can you learn from modelling? #MondayBlogs #NLP
No, I don’t mean the catwalk type!
This topic has been brewing in my mind for over a year, and when WordPress so kindly provided me with my handy dandy annual round up, it showed me that the most popular posts I’ve written are those on writing or publishing – as if there aren’t enough of those out there already – so I reckoned it was about time for another.
Anyway, back to topic. ‘Modelling’, in this case, is something I use every day in my work, both equestrian and writing. It actually refers to a concept used by NLP practitioners (that’s Neuro Linguistic Programming).
Don’t panic, it might sound like psychology technobabble, but its really quite simple when you put it in plain English:
the study of excellence, and
how to copy it to produce great results
Sounds terrific, huh?
Well, it is. It’s used extensively in business training, sports psychology at the highest levels, and teacher training, or indeed any form of coaching. Other aspects of NLP involve the study of communication, which is why the relevance to teaching and coaching, and it can also be described as ‘the science of communication’.
We can apply both these aspects to our writing, because what is writing (fiction or non-fiction), but the ability to clearly communicate our knowledge, or our characters, or our plot, to the reader.
It’s quite a large subject, so today I’m focussing on one ‘small’ area: that of story construction.
Study excellent books
This is the most important starting point: read. Read widely, and read books of acknowledged excellence. If you want to analyse them afterward, for style, content, how they create believable characters, tension, etcetera, fine. But you don’t have to. Just read lots of excellent work and allow it to sink into your subconscious.
When you read something that’s less than stellar, you might want to try making a comparison: what was it that didn’t work, that was disappointing compared to those excellent books you’ve been submerging yourself in? Again, this is more about concept than detail – think on a broad scale.
If you really allow the great writing to sink in, when you start writing your own work, you should find yourself ‘modelling’ your structures (plot line, character, scene) on the excellence that has lodged in your subconscious. This doesn’t mean you copy shamelessly – but you should start to know what ‘feels’ right, (or wrong), in comparison to the excellent examples that you’ve read.
[Sorry to keep repeating the word, ‘excellent’, but it is the most appropriate term.]
Watch and learn
Do you realise how much excellence there is out there, amongst screen writers?
You may not be overly-enamoured of someone’s film or TV adaptation of your favourite novel, but believe me, those who don’t know the novel will love the show. A great example would be the recent series of films based on ‘The Hobbit’. Many aficionados of Tolkein’s work were scandalised by the Hollywood-style treatment, creating new characters (a female elf for a love interest, for goodness sake!) and new climaxes, while missing out some stuff altogether. But did it hurt the box office takings? Nope. Because it was excellently structured and scripted for the target audience.
Script writers know all about construction – things like story beats, character arcs, plot arcs and the like. They have to, otherwise viewers would lost interest, and a film (or TV show) would flop, which costs MONEY!
Again, you can study their excellent use of structure in a formal way, by analysing, or taking classes (and I’m not for one minute suggesting you ignore such options), but if you, once again, watch and absorb, allow the structure to seep into your consciousness and lodge there, when you begin to write, you will find yourself copying, or modelling the structures that keep millions of people glued to big (and small) screens.
Creating the page turner
For myself, I realised a while ago, that I’ve learned an incredible amount by watching TV soap operas. They aren’t my favourite shows, but I’ve gone through periods of being a devotee to one or another, and when I questioned why, I realised it was the structure that the writer has used, that kept me coming back. Not on an intellectual or analytical level, but on that gut ‘I need to find out what happens next’ level.
Watch how they structure relationships in these shows – how, as the audience, you really want a character to spill the beans, or share their troubles, or something along those lines, but events always prevents them from doing so at the very last moment, and the outcome is bound to lead to disaster further down the line.
That, my friend, is awesome story construction. How to structure your plot – every scene, every relationship, every event – to keep your reader turning the pages and coming back, panting to buy your next book.
No, I’m not, as those of you that have been around here for a while, advocating ending your book on a cliff hanger (see my post: Please don’t leave me hanging), but if you use this absorbed knowledge, that should eventually feel like instinct, to write such exciting or absorbing books that keep the reader up late at night, or missing meals, you will create fans ready and eager for your next tome.
Neither am I suggesting that modelling take the place of editing, especially if you are in the earlier stages of your writing career, but as is so often cited, the better your work when you send it to an editor, the less needs fixing, and the less expensive the experience will be.
So how about all you writers out there, can you think of instances when you’ve used modelling, now you can recognise what it is you were doing? What have you learned from excellent books, films or TV shows? I’d love to know – it’s all a positive learning experience.
February 13, 2016
How important is #grammar to everyday life, really? #FunFacts #Valentine’sDay
How important is grammar to everyday life, really?
Grammarly, the team behind the popular writing app, partnered with the online dating website eHarmony to determine whether the writing skills displayed in people’s online dating profiles affect their chances of finding romance. Grammarly summarized the results, along with other online dating statistics, in this fun infographic:
Who would have thought?
Methodology
Grammarly reviewed 10,000 eHarmony male/female matches generated by eHarmony’s matching algorithm. Fifty percent of the matches advanced to two-way communication, while the other 50 percent failed to advance. Each male and female in a match wrote long-form answers to questions on their dating profile. These writing samples were analyzed by Grammarly’s automated proofreader for accuracy in grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
About eHarmony
eHarmony, Inc. was founded in 2000 and is a pioneer in using relationship science to match singles seeking long-term relationships. Its service presents users with compatible matches based on key dimensions of personality that are scientifically proven to predict highly successful long-term relationships.
About Grammarly
Grammarly is a simple and powerful writing app that corrects more types of spelling and grammatical mistakes than any other software on the market. The product suite comprises the Grammarly Editor online editing tool; browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari; Grammarly for Microsoft Office; and the Grammarly native app, a convenient desktop editor for Mac and PC.
As a company, Grammarly’s mission is to improve communication among the world’s more than 2 billion native and non-native English writers. Millions of registered users worldwide trust Grammarly’s products, which are also licensed by more than 600 leading universities and corporations. Grammarly is an Inc. 500 company with offices in San Francisco and Kyiv.
Check out Grammarly at
https://www.grammarly.com/grammar-check and https://www.grammarly.com/spell-check
