Monday 31 December 2012

Author Interview: Sarah Ettrich

What is your name (or pen name) and where do you live now?
My name is Sarah Ettritch and I live in Canada.

First off, how has your week been?
Given that I’m answering these questions on a Tuesday, so far, so good. My answer might be different come Friday!

Did you always want to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?
I didn’t always want to be a writer. In fact, I’m still not sure that I want writing to be my main gig. I’ve only been seriously writing for the last five years. I’ve been a software developer for over twenty years. I didn’t want to be a developer, either. If I stumble across something I enjoy, I explore it. I won’t be surprised if something else captures my fancy in the future.

Are your books available as eBooks? Were you involved in that process at all? Do you read eBooks or is it paper all the way?
All of my books are available as eBooks. I do everything myself, except for the cover design. I don’t mind reading non-fiction eBooks, but I prefer print for fiction. I have a Kindle and I’ve tried reading fiction on it, but it just isn’t my cup of tea. When I do read an eBook, I also prefer using Kindle for PC, so I can read on a large screen.

How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?
It depends on the length of the story. An idea can ferment in my subconscious for a year or two before I sit down and write it. Once I put virtual pen to paper, I usually take 2 to 6 months to complete the first draft, and that’s followed by 1 to 3 months of editing. When I receive the story back from my editor, I spend another 4 to 6 weeks polishing it.

Do you have plans for a new book?
I have a long list of ideas, so I’ll definitely write more books.

What genre would you place your books into?
I mainly write science fiction and fantasy stories featuring strong female characters.

Do you choose a title first, or write the book then choose the title?
Usually I write the book before I know the title. Sometimes the perfect title is revealed as I write. A character might say or think it. For example, in my time travel romance Threaded Through Time, a character uses a threading analogy to explain time travel. Other times I’ve had trouble coming up with a title and only settled on one just before sending the manuscript to my editor.

How do you come up with characters names and place names in your books?
Sometimes characters come with their names. Other times I’ll visit websites like babynames.com and see what jumps out at me. When it comes to place names, I take existing names and rearrange the syllables, or I make them up.

Do you decide on character traits (ie shy, quiet, tomboy girl) before writing the whole book or as you go along?
Usually the character develops as I write. Sometimes they come to me with their traits, so I don’t consciously choose them.

What are you currently reading? Are you enjoying it? What format is it?(ebook, hardback or paperback)
I just finished reading the paperback version of The Stolen Throne by David Gaider. It’s written within the Dragon Age world, a gaming franchise I enjoy, so I liked the book.
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Sarah Ettritch writes science fiction and fantasy stories featuring strong female characters. In addition to writing, Sarah enjoys reading, playing computer games, and following publishing news. She belongs to several organizations related to writing and publishing, including EPIC and Broad Universe. Sarah is the author of Threaded Through Time, The Salbine Sisters, The Atheist, and the Rymellan series.


You an purchase Threaded Through Time on AmazonSmashwords and Kobo.

Friday 28 December 2012

Book reviews and why I will never write a negative one...

Ok so I won't technically never write a negative review...what I really mean is that you will never see a negative review from me on this blog. I don't write many reviews (on here, at least) even though I do get asked to review books quite a lot. Honestly, I'm a busy gal and if I'm going to read, it will be a book that I've chosen to read.

But you will see the odd review up on here and they will only ever be positive ones. This is not because I am easily pleased or because I am biased in some way. There are several reasons why you will only ever see 4 or 5 star reviews on here:

1. Very simply, I try and only read books I know I'll enjoy. Ergo, I don't often have bad stuff to say about a book.

2. Unfortunately, there is an element within the author community that is spiteful and revengeful. This is the such a small minority - most authors are lovely and will bend over backwards for you - but I would be putting my own books at risk by writing a negative review under my name.

3. I don't believe in spreading negative reviews over the internet. There are blogs that are there to actively help people decide which books to read and that is fine but that's not what my blog is about. If I write a negative review, it will only ever be posted where I bought the book. That way, hopefully, people can see my review, alongside others and make an informed decision. A negative review stood on its own will only serve to encourage negativity towards that author. Not everyone likes the same things and I've seen many of these negative reviews receive responses such as 'Well, I'm never going to bother looking at that author then.' This is unfair. My one opinion should be weighed up against others, not taken as the be all and end all.

4. Finally, I try and be constructive in my reviews. I can very often pick out good things in a book, in spite of its flaws. This means its rare I leave less than 3 stars. I have left the odd 2 star review with ideas on how the story could be improved. I try and be fair. I will never, ever go down the route of leaving a one star review with a mere one line of explanation. Thankfully, I've never had to leave a one star review. The vast majority of my reviews are positive.

You will notice, if you follow me on Goodreads, that the same applies there. I don't rate all the books I read. One, because of the retaliation.  It's so easy for someone to click one star on an authors titles and also I don't like the ease in which you can leave a negative star rating without so much as an explanation. I struggle a little with Goodreads on the whole, as it takes some of the humanity out of reading. Some authors push themselves over the forums and you'll often see threads of malicious words after someone has left a negative review, bitching about a book that they've not even attempted to read.

I'm all for honest opinions. When written properly, they can help both the author and the reader but, personally, I don't feel my opinion is important enough that I need publicise it. I will express it, in the right place and in the right manner.

That is, as long as Amazon continues to let me do so...

Wednesday 26 December 2012

Christmas Giveaway books and special offers!

Thanks to everyone who took part in my Christmas giveaway and to all the wonderful authors who donated books to the prize fund. We had a fabulous time and I'm sure the winners will appreciate being able to chill out with their books after the hectic festive season.

If you didn't win, never fear, here is where you can purchase all the books featured in the giveaway and some even have special offers on.

For today only The Crimson Castle and The Angel's Assassin is available to purchase for $0.99/77p on Amazon for Kindle.

OTHER SPECIAL OFFERS
Capturing Bliss by Nicole Hurley-Moore - NICOLE IS RUNNING A GIVEAWAY ON HER BLOG UNTIL THE 5TH JAN TO WIN HER LATEST NOVEL, MISRULE'S MISTRESS AND A STRING OF FRESHWATER PEARLS

Never to be Seen Again by R. Shangit - FREE UNITL 29TH

Atomic Summer by Elaine D. Walsh - REDUCED PRICE UNTIL THE 1ST.


Tuesday 25 December 2012

Merry Christmas!

Much love and best wishes to you all.


This is a pre-scheduled post. I am a workaholic but I promise you, I'm not on my computer on Christmas day. Well, maybe not much....

If you are here on Christmas day then go away, eat, drink and be merry! See you all very soon.


Monday 24 December 2012

Christmas Giveaway Winners!


Congratulations to Sheri Wilkinson who was the winner of our amazing bundle of Kindle books!

Here are the winner's of the runner-up prizes:

5 x The Angel's Assassin Kindle Books by Samantha Holt
Linda Drue Hays-Gibbs
Christine Mutter
Pam Butterfield
Gwen Dunegan
Rebecca Taylor

5 x The Man with the Green Suitcase Kindle books by Dee Doanes

Rolf Nockling
Colin Schafli
Caroline Mse Winner
Lisa Parker
Lynette Naleppa

Seeds Across the Sky Kindle Book by Mark Whiteway

John Wallace

5 x The Tale of Findo Gask Kindle Book by Huw Thomas

Hazel Smith
Bobbi Mooney
Claire Butler
Daniel Rory McPolin
Kelly McIntyre

Signed paperback copy of The Angel's Assassin by Samantha Holt

Christine Shelley

4 x Muses of Wandering Passions e-books by Chimnese Davids

Hazel Rush
Julia Gray
Karen Barrett
Emma Bennett

1 x Atomic Summer Kindle Book by Elaine D. Walsh

Karen Railton

5 x Shiver on the Sky Kindle Books by David Haywood Young

Melanie Gardiner
Dave Smith
Graham Fullarton
Laura Gimbel
Theresa Stuart

5 x Enlightened Kindle Book by A.D. Spender


Rachel Sanders
Marie Mcmahon
Katrina Dare
Jen Payne
Mel Cowdy

1 x Life Simply Put e-book by Sheena L. Smith

Melody Southcombe

1 x paperback copy Life Simply Put by Sheena L. Smith
Sandy McClean

1 x signed copy Fire and Ice by Dianna BelleRose

Christy Barks

1 x Gifted Hands Kindle Book by Kenneth Fenter

Viv Nuttall

1 x 6 pack eco-friendly bookmarks donated by Lillian Brummet

Suzanne Rogo

23 x The Angel's Assassin bookmarks:

Michele O'Malley
Maria Jane Knight
Sandy Goodson
Emma Wolski
Jo Ogden
Nicola Dudson
Lauren Catherine Ketteringham
Katrina Dare
Sal Hall
Victoria Connolly
Kirsty Meredith
Laura Pritchard
Steph Marie
Joyce Jones
Alison Johnson
Karen L. Smith
Victoria Cunniff
Abigail Edkins
Kelly Louise Romeo
Debbie Bird
Leila Mounji
Debbie Ann Hume
Barbara Webster



Sunday 23 December 2012

Christmas Giveaway Authors: Michael T. Fournier and Kenneth Fenter

Today is the last day of my Christmas giveaway. A big thank you to all the authors who kindly donated books and gifts to the prize fund and a thanks to everyone who entered. The winner will be selected and announced tomorrow!

In the meantime, let's meet the final two authors involved in the giveaway, Michael T. Fournier and Kenneth Fenter.
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Hidden Wheel
A new novel by author/rock critic Michael T. Fournier uses the indie art and music scenes as the backdrop for a hard look at the current banking crisis. 
Amherst, MA-- 11/21/2011—In Michael T. Fournier’s debut novel “Hidden Wheel, ”an opportunistic trustfunder named Ben Wilfork starts an all-ages art/music space in the Midwestern town of Freedom Springs, intent on profiting on the artists and musicians he promotes, no matter the cost. 

Max Caughin, who writes graffiti under the name Faze, gets famous quick with a series of paintings on CD covers. His buddy Bernie Reese donates sperm to raise money for a new drum kit so his two-piece noiserock band Stonecipher can record. Bernie's romantic interest (and former chess prodigy) Rhonda Barrett does dominatrix work by day and paints her life, sixty words at a time, on giant canvases by night to help stave off the Singularity. Their fates intertwine in a story reconstructed by William Molyneux, a 24th Century scholar reconstructing the Hidden Wheel scene after a solar flare erases all digital data in his era. 

Hidden Wheel, Michael T. Fournier's debut novel, is an unflinching reflection of the growing complexities of navigating art, commerce, and the internet. Its use of intersecting plotlines illustrates the confusion and potential of the early 21st century and the evolving ways in which its inhabitants try to make a mark in the specter of financial upheaval and shifting technologies. Author Selah Saterstrom says “Don’t be surprised if, upon finishing this book, you remember – and long for – an art, writing, and music you have never even encountered.” 
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Michael T. Fournier is a veteran of the indie music scene. He is the author of “The Minutemen’s Double Nickels On The Dime,” the 45th installment of Continuum Press’s influential “33 1/3” series. His music writing has appeared in the Oxford American, Pitchfork, Chunklet and the Boston Phoenix, and his fiction has appeared in Stolen Island Review, Barrelhouse and Pennsylvania English. 

You can purchase Hidden Wheel from the Three Rooms Press Website and Amazon. Find out what Michael is up to on his blog and on the Three Rooms Press Facebook page.
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After the loss of his wife, Charlie Kelly departs on a world tour to assuage his grief. He is convinced to start his tour in Japan, a place he hasn't seen in two decades, since he was stationed there while in the Army. Many old memories return, not the least of which, is the memory of the young Japanese teacher he once loved and lost.
This romantic novel is filled with suspense, intrigue and tragic comedy. It involves romances discovered in the wake of sacrifices. Will the long lost prince and princess find each other and reunite? This book contains the elements of a spy novel.
There is the intrigue of a cat and mouse chase. Are the private eye's intentions good or evil? A mystery is resolved in the end, as the characters do not realize how much danger they really were in from mobsters in hot pursuit. A central question posed is who has the right to judge others?
This novel is also about the lives of two gifted individuals, an artist and a musician and the impacts they have on the lives they come into contact with.
The author, Kenneth Fenter, draws on his experience living and working with the Japanese in Nagasaki as both a teacher and an artist. Gifted Hands is the fourth Novel for Kenneth Fenter. The first novel in this Series is The Ruin followed by The Bee Tree, Pivotal Times: The Freshman Class and then Gifted Hands. The main Character Charlie was a minor character in the first two books and a main supporting character in Pivotal Times. The character Keiko was also introduced in Pivotal Times.
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Kenneth Fenter lived for two years in the village of Isahaya Japan with his family 1977-79 and continued the association with Japan for three years making stained glass windows and lamps for customers in Nagasaki and Isahaya from 1980-83. Gifted Hands pulls on his experience during those five years in Japan. It is also a continuation of the three novels he has written beginning with The Ruin, The Bee Tree and Pivotal Times. The novels are not autobiographical. But, he writes from experience and about what he knows best.
Kenneth Fenter is the author of three non-fiction books: Gaijin! Gaijin!; MoIchido: Once More; and Suteindo Gurasu: Stained Glass. Fenter is a retired language arts teacher who lives in Bend, Oregon, USA with Lora, his wife of 51 years.

You can purchase Gifted Hands on Amazon and you can find out more about Kenneth on the Arborwood Press website and Facebook page.

Saturday 22 December 2012

Christmas Giveaway Authors: Nicole Hurley-Moore and Sarah Ettritch

Today I welcome fellow medieval and paranormal romance author, Nicole Hurley-Moore and fantasy author, Sarah Ettrich. Nicole is offering a copy of Capturing Bliss as part of the massive book bundle I am giving away and Sarah is generously giving away two of her books. Enter via Facebook for your chance to win.
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To save her sister, Lady Blissot de Woodville exchanges places and marries a handsome stranger. But lies born from love have the power to destroy... 


Capturing Bliss - Excerpt
Woodville Manor, England - 1139 AD.


“Nay Bliss, it cannot work!”

Lady Blissot de Woodville turned from the casement and regarded her beautiful younger sister. “Aye, it will work.” She said with growing determination in her voice. “It will work and I will see you safe and happy.”

“I cannot stand by and let you sacrifice yourself for my sake.” Ivetta announced with a shake of her golden head. “I will do as our uncle and King wish and marry this so deemed hero from the north, and thereby proving our family’s allegiance to King Stephen and his claim to the crown.”

“Ivetta, do you love Lord Adelard Bernier?”
“More than life.” The words slipped out of Ivetta’s mouth before she could restrain them. She took a steadying breath before she continued. “Tis true, I love him; he makes my heart beat faster when he is near. I long to be with him - I long to be his wife. Yet I will not let these feelings outweigh my love for you and I will not sit by whilst you ruin your life.”
Bliss walked across the cool stone floor and sat down on the bed next to her sister; she placed her arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. “I am not ruining my life nor am I sacrificing myself. If I take your place and marry Lord William Reynard, I will be securing both our futures. This could be our chance at happiness.”
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Nicole has always loved medieval history, fairytales and myths. Which is probably why she writes historical and paranormal romances. Her works include, The Trinket Seller’s Daughter, Capturing Bliss and Until the Stars Burn Cold. A medieval tale, Misrule’s Mistress will be released this Christmas.

She lives with her family in the Central Highlands of Victoria, Australia and is a member of The Romance Writers of Australia, Historical Hearts and The Dark Side Downunder.


You can purchase Capturing Bliss at Pink Petal Books and on Amazon.
Nicole's Website: www.nicolehurley-moore.com
Blog: http://nicolehurley-moore.blogspot.com.au/

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“For those who were born before or after their time…”
That described Pam. She’d always felt that she’d been born too late—there was no chivalry in the world anymore.
She’d only wanted to commune with the universe while reading a “moon rhyme” in the antique book she’d purchased from the local New Age shop. She had not expected guests—especially not Jasper and Margaret, summoned one hundred years into the future by the rhyme just as Jasper was proposing to Margaret.
Now the displaced visitors insist that they be returned to 1910, and Pam and her roommate Robin agree. But the rhyme won’t work until the next moon cycle, and in the intervening month, forbidden love blooms between Pam and Jasper, and Robin and Margaret. At the appointed hour, Pam re-enacts the recital of the rhyme that brought the time-crossed couples together…but it doesn’t work exactly as planned.
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Sarah Ettritch writes science fiction and fantasy stories featuring strong female characters. Her protagonists are often (but not always) lesbian. She’s the author of The Atheist, the Rymellan Series, The Salbine Sisters, and Threaded Through Time. Sarah belongs to several organizations related to writing and publishing, including EPIC and Broad Universe, an organization that celebrates and promotes women writers of science fiction, fantasy, and horror.
You an purchase Threaded Through Time on Amazon, Smashwords and Kobo.
Find out more about Sarah on her website and Facebook page.

Friday 21 December 2012

Christmas Giveaway Authors: Vanessa Johnston and J.A. Bailey


We're slowly coming to the end of my big Christmas giveaway. Don't forget to enter on my Facebook page for your chance to win a big bundle of Kindle books as well as other prizes. The giveaway closes on the 23rd! Time to meet two more authors that are giving away a copy of their books. Be warned, they will both get you hot under the collar!
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For her big audition as the lead singer for The NicNacs, Marcy Wilkin wears a sexy mini-skirt, stilettos and a low-cut top. With her voluptuous double-D size she doesn't need a push-up bra to show off her ample cleavage. She knows she's hot and she sings her heart out, expecting to get the gig. But when The NicNacs insist on a different game plan, Marcy can't believe what she hears. This was supposed to be her big chance. But she realizes she can't afford to let it go. That's when she makes a decision that will change her life forever. It takes her on a path she hopes will bring her success and love, or at least admiration. Besides, anything's better than her job at Dilmar's Department Store. But in her rush to grab this opportunity, her rash behavior with a handsome stranger distracts her from realizing the danger that surrounds her.
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Vanessa Johnston is an actress who lives in California. When not writing or acting, she paints abstracts and enjoys nature walks.

You can purchase Dangerous Interlude from Secret Cravings Publishing.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/V_Johnston_xx
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Jess never does things like this.

Jess never meets strange men in a hotel for one night of pure passion. And yet here she is. The 
elusive stranger lures Jess into a world of beautiful pleasure for one night only. She knows the mysterious man is hiding something. Will this captivatingly erotic man reveal all or will she remain forever in the dark?
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J.A. Bailey hails from England and writes full time. She loves to write about strong, dominant men and intelligent, everyday women. Her next story, A Private Lesson,  is coming out in April with Secret Cravings Publishing.

You can purchase Dark Desire on Amazon.

Author Interview: Nancy Lynn Jarvis

Please welcome Nancy, who is in the hot seat today! Let's see what she's got to say:

What is your name and where do you live now?
My pen name is Nancy Lynn Jarvis. Most of those names really are mine. I live in Santa Cruz, California, and set the mysteries I write in that community. Truthfully, all my books are set in Santa Cruz, but for Mags and the AARP Gang, I had to promise a friend who’s on the  Board of Directors of the bank that Mags robs that I wouldn’t specifically make the book’s location Santa Cruz so don’t tell anyone what I just said.


First off, how has your week been?
It depends in which part you consider. Sitting naked except for a little examination wrap for over an hour waiting for my doctor to arrive and give me a physical wasn’t so great. Neither was the car exploding day, or the hysterical push to finish the final edit and get Mags and the AARP Gang off to be published. But my oldest son is in town on business and it’s great to see him, the tomatoes remaining in the garden have ripened in a burst of unseasonal warmth, and the book did get off in the end.


Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how long you’ve been writing?
I started writing mysteries at the end of 2007 as a game. I’d been a RealtorI believe you call them estate agents in the UK for more than twenty years when the real estate market collapsed and I decided to take a time out and wait for it to return to normal. Within a couple of weeks, I got bored.  I’m not sure why, since the idea of being a writer had never occurred to me before, but as a self-challenge I began writing The Death Contingency.
I set the book in my hometown, named my protagonist Nancy, and made her a Realtor like me. My husband became her husband and the characters in the book started out as people I knew. That intimate familiarity worked until Nancy had to find a body. The day I wrote that scene, my husband found me curled in a ball crying and shaking; it seems I don’t do well with dead bodies, even imagined ones.
My protagonist was renamed Regan McHenry and her husband became Tom Kiley. I still see my husband’s beautiful blue eyes when Regan looks into Tom’s eyes, but we haven’t been the characters in the book since that day.  The other characters got new names, too, because as real people I knew, they wouldn’t do what I wanted them to do. Now, even though I may use someone I know to visualize as I write, each character gets a psychological profile and life history because I need to know them well and understand their motivation before I start writing.  

What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarise it what would you say?
I’ve written four mysteries in the Regan McHenry Real Estate Mysteries series and will go back to that, but I took a break and created a completely different book which was released in November. The book is written in first person from the prospective of Mags, an eighty-three year old woman. The back blurb of the book describes it well:


Mags and her gang of renegade octogenarians have a deadline. They have to rob Bayside Community Bank, the bank about to foreclose on the mobile home park where they live, by a week from Friday so they can pay off the mortgage and save their homes. They’ve cased the joint, planned carefully, assembled their disguises, and rehearsed their every move. What could possibly go wrong? Plenty.
Some people think they can take advantage of the elderly. They haven’t met Mags and the AARP gang or they’d know better. Sure, they’re older, but not too old for the adventure of a lifetime or to risk everything for the sake of friendship.


Where did you come up with the idea to write your book?
I had a vague idea rolling around in my mind for a book about an older woman who was an extension and amalgamation of my favourite characters in the mysteries.  I knew her name was Mags and that she had an unconventional approach to life, but had no idea what she looked like. I was visiting my mom at the retirement community where she lives and she introduced me to her new neighbour. The minute I saw my mother’s new friend, I knew she was my Mags and the book fell into place.


Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?
Most of what happens in the book combines some imagination with a great deal of observation. The technique Mags uses to rob the bank is one-hundred per cent observation, not that I was in a bank while it was being robbed, but I watched a bank customer deliver all the lines Mags does during the robbery and observed the bank customers react as my characters did. What I observed so perfectly matched what I wanted to have happen in the book that I was convinced a robbery was about to take place.


How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?
Writing mysteries usually takes three to four months. Editing takes a couple more months before the copy editor gets the book. Mags took more than a year to write because there were a number of family health issues that took me away from it for months at a time. I do think it still would have taken longer to write than the mysteries, though, because it’s in first person and it’s easier for me to write in third person that’s the observer part of the way I write, again― so I had to fight constantly to keep the right point of view.


Do you have plans for a new book?
I always have plans for a new book. I’ve missed the logic and revealing of clues in mysteries and am anxious to do a fifth book for the series. I’ve already informed the real Realtor I plan to kill in the second chapter that she’s doomed, and am finishing the outline for the book tentatively called The Murder House.


What genre would you place your books into?
The mysteries are easy. They are cozy-style with an amateur sleuth, a body in the first chapter, sex and violence mostly taking place off the page, and a tidy resolution well explained at the end like Agatha Christie does in her Miss Marple books. I’m still struggling with the genre of Mags and the AARP Gang. The book has many laugh-out-loud moments, but I don’t think it qualifies as a book of humour.   In a way, it’s a coming of age story, but since the characters are all over eighty, that doesn’t quite work. Perhaps it could be old chick lit if there was such a category, or heart-warming action-adventure.


Do you have a favourite out of the books you have written? If so why is it your favourite?
That’s not a fair question. That’s like asking a mother which of her children is her favourite.  And for what it’s worth, holding your book for the first time feels remarkably similar to holding your newborn; the books become your babies.


Has anything surprised you about your writing life?
Almost everything about writing has been a surprise. I never expected to be a writer. I never expected to sell any books. I never expected to get a five star rating or an Editor’s Choice Award for anything I wrote. I never thought I’d be OK with the public speaking involved in being a writer, but now I love it. I never expected to meet people from all over the world online because of writing, but that’s one of the best parts about this experience. Mostly, I had no idea how much fun I’d have doing this.


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Nancy Lynn Jarvis was a Santa Cruz, California, Realtor® for more than twenty years. She still owns a real estate company with her husband, but is having so much fun writing that she has officially retired from being an active agent.
After earning a BA in behavioural science from San Jose State University, she worked in the advertising department of the San Jose Mercury News. A move to Santa Cruz meant a new job as a librarian and later a stint as the business manager for Shakespeare Santa Cruz at UCSC.
Nancy’s work history reflects her philosophy: people should try something radically different every few years. Writing is the latest of her adventures.

Find out more about Nancy on her website.

Thursday 20 December 2012

Christmas Giveaway Authors: Huw Thomas and Stephen Gallup

Today we meet Huw Thomas and Stephen Gallup, both of whom are offering copies of their books in our Christmas giveaway. Enter to win a huge bundle of Kindle books on my Facebook page. Huw is also offering fiver runner-ups a copy of The Tale of Findo Gask and his latest title, Pagan's Spinx written under the penname William Webster as part of the bundle.
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Findo Gask is a thief: born in a ditch, raised in a slum and educated by the underworld.

As an unregistered child with no official identity, Findo learns early on how to keep his head down, slip in and out of places unobserved - and run from trouble: perfect talents for a thief.

To begin with, Findo steals to survive but - as he gets older and his exploits more audacious - theft becomes a form of self-expression, a way of asserting his identity and shouting out his name to a world that doesn’t seem to care.

‘The Tale Of Findo Gask’ is a story about a boy who has no identity but a burning desire to prove himself; someone who does what others would love to do if they had no morals… or weren’t frightened of getting caught.

From pinching cigarettes in a corner shop to an armed raid on a security firm, from saving drowning dogs to stealing a diva’s tiara, ‘The Tale Of Findo Gask’ is the story of a rollercoaster life in the underbelly of modern Britain.

It’s not a crime novel but the story of an unconventional life: a book about alienation, love and a desperate search for acceptance and purpose.

"The Tale of Findo Gask" was national winner of the Undiscovered Authors General Fiction Prize for 2006.

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Writer, traveller, cyclist and gardener: I've always been a dreamer - I wrote my first 'book' while at primary school and making up stories has long been one of my favourite occupations.
I was born in Southampton, England, in 1965 and grew up in a small market town called Romsey.
Over the years that followed I worked as a journalist, PR consultant, gardener and, most recently, teaching English in Portugal.
My first novel - The Tale Of Findo Gask - was published in 2006 after winning the national final of a UK competition to discover new authors. I've also written several other books and published a collection of short stories.
Author's Blog: hdthomas.wordpress.com
Facebook: Huw Thomas
Amazon.com: Author's Page

Find out more about Pagan's Spinx here.

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Nobody knew what hurt little Joseph, and no one was offering a way to help him. He cried most of the time, and thrashed about as if in pain. He wasn't learning how to crawl, talk, or interact normally. Doctors told his parents to seek counseling, because nothing could help their son, and the quality of their own lives was at risk. Refusal to accept that advice changed their lives forever. WHAT ABOUT THE BOY? A Father's Pledge to His Disabled Son chronicles a family's rejection of hopelessness and their commitment to the pursuit of normalcy.
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Stephen Gallup grew up in North Carolina and Virginia. He studied at NC State University, earning a bachelor's degree in the life sciences, and then at the University of Virginia, where he received a master’s in English. 

Although he remains a Southerner at heart, he now lives in California with his family.


Beginning in 1977, he worked in various roles in technical communication in the aerospace and wireless telecommunications industries, with projects ranging from proposals for satellite launches and feasibility studies of space missions, to user guides for trendy new cell phones. In the early years, he wrote occasional short fiction on the side, and features for newspapers. 


Gallup’s life changed dramatically with the birth of his son Joseph in 1985. Upon learning that there was a problem, he applied his energies to a pursuit of answers that he felt certain must exist. After a year of consulting with physicians to no effect, he located other resources. For the next four years, he and his wife Judy implemented an intensive two-pronged treatment campaign that resulted in dramatic improvements in Joseph’s condition. 


His memoir What About the Boy? shows what the family did, and what happened next. The book has twice won "Best Memoir" in the San Diego Book Awards competitions, once in the Unpublished category (2007) and again following publication in 2011.


What About the Boy? is available to purchase on Amazon.

Find out more about Stephen on his website.


Wednesday 19 December 2012

Christmas Giveaway Authors: Elaine D. Walsh and Gabrielle Poplar

Two more amazing authors to meet today. Take a look at their fantastic books! Fancy winning a copy? The head on over to my Facebook page to enter into my HUGE Christmas giveaway. Elaine and Gabrielle are offering a copy of their books, along with over 20 other books to one lucky winner. And there is some fab runner-up prizes. Don't miss out!
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THREE friends, TWO secrets, ONE lie, and the summer that changed their lives.

The world is ripe for destruction in 1953.  The Korean War drags on and the Rosenbergs are executed as spies.  Senator Joseph McCarthy convinces the country communists are infiltrating the government, and the threat of nuclear war festered in the collective consciousness of the nation. 

While the nation worries about communist bombs, sixteen-year-old Bernadette Vaughn holds court in the family bomb shelter, finagling a way to read Kinsey’s groundbreaking work on human sexuality. She obsesses about boys and big city life. Her best friend, Faith McNulty is a devout Catholic who dreams of staying in their small town, marrying Allen Hanlon, and raising a family. Their awkward and unattractive friend, Octavia Mansfield doesn’t have room in her life for boys, dreams, or God. She spends most of her young life caring for her severely disabled brother.

Their conversations about what each of them would do if the end of the world were imminent become the catalyst for a prank that spins wildly beyond control and draws in an entire town. Left behind in the wake of that summer’s events are their unrealized dreams and open wounds. In 1973, a reunion trip to the small town of their youth returns them to the summer of 1953 and the passion and betrayal that changed their lives.
Women’s Fiction Author, Elaine D. Walsh, captures the anxiety of the times and draws the reader in with rich characters that linger longer after the story ends.  100% of the author royalties go to cancer causes and charities.
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Nimitz Highway and River Street is an intersection on the island of Oahu in Hawaii.  This is where Elaine impatiently came out of the womb ready to start on her own personal history.  She grew up in upstate New York against the backdrop of the flowering women’s rights movement with different ideas from her mother as to what life as a woman should be.  In college, she majored in psychology with the intent of being a “death & dying” counsellor.  This would be her paying job while she wrote the next great American novel.  Plan B kicked in and she graduated with a B.A. in English, packed her car, and upset her parents by moving to Florida in search of her destiny.

Without ever having taken one business course, she created her own brand and became a successful business executive by day and women’s fiction writer by night.  So far, she has have lived a Lifetime Movie Network life, a mixture of extraordinary, ordinary, mundane, and terrifying, providing her great inspiration and fanning her creative flame.

The most powerful influences in her life and her stories are being a daughter, mother, friend, and soul mate.  But as a successful women’s fiction writer, does this surprise anyone?

You can purchase Atomic Summer on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Links:
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Fastian was the First Minster of Estruchi. He had no  living relatives or dependents, except for Meryl, 
the son of his housekeeper, who lived in his house 
and served as his ward. To the outside world, his 
life was uncluttered and devoted to serving King 
Arpad of Estruchi.

King Arpad was determined to free his kingdom 

from servitude to neighboring Bahadi, and he 
charged Fastian with task of obtaining the
Light sword that he intended to use to press 

his claims for freedom.

Fastian and his ward travel to Bahadi to steal the 

Light sword, but in the course of carrying out the 
King’s orders, Meryl’s life was threatened. In a 
bid to save his ward’s life, Fastian revealed that
Meryl was not a servant’s son, and that he was the custodian of an
ancient legacy.
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Gabrielle Poplar is an avid reader whose reading taste spans a wide
range of genres. She likes to write stories of her own in her free
time.

She and her family reside in South Carolina.Gabrielle Poplar is an avid reader whose reading taste spans a wide
range of genres. She likes to write stories of her own in her free
time.

She and her family reside in South Carolina.


You can purchase Custodian of the Luma Legacy on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Indiebound.

Tuesday 18 December 2012

Christmas Giveaway Authors:Sheena L. Smith and Martin Gover

Today's featured authors are all about improving your life with their words of wisdom. If you fancy winning a copy of their books, then head on over to my Facebook page to enter into my huge Christmas giveaway. We have tons of books to giveaway as well as other prizes.
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"Life Simply Put" is a mothers view on 18 Simple Words for an Abundant Life. It is the authors hope that through reading this book you will be inspired to dream big, laugh often and live a life full of adventure and truth. May you always give and get respect and know that you matter Relieve Stress - Live your best life - Be good to yourself This is the kind of book you may read through all at once then during different times in your life you may reread various sections to reflect on decisions and life choices for the pursuit of your happiness and well being.
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Sheena loves meeting others and enjoys helping adults and children, alike. Her paths in life have led her to a blended career life, which allows her to work with both children and adults.
She has many years of experience in the Food Service Industry and in Food and Nutrition-related businesses. She is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist. Sheena has her diploma as a Child and Youth Worker and has abundant experience counseling individuals and groups.
She is a licensed Brain Gym ® Consultant and Instructor. She works as a Special Educational Assistant. Sheena loves to dedicate her time to helping others be the best that they can be, for themselves to live happy, prosperous and abundant lives. She’s a mother of 6 children – a yours, mine and ours family (2 have special needs: one with Spina Bifida and another with Down Syndrome).
Sheena lives in Canada, but loves to travel and see the world. She loves to have fun and experience life to the fullest.
Learn more about Sheena on her blog. Life Simply Put is available to purchase from Trafford Publishing.
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We cannot truly control or alter or affect Time.
Digital clocks, quartz watches, atomic clocks don’t measure ‘time’ they are just devices that show us, change.
No matter how you fiddle with a clock or a watch - you can make a clock slower or faster, put it ahead or back – it doesn’t affect the sunrise, or the galaxy speed, or death (or taxes)- or change. It’s just a game.
Change is a constant. Whatever you do – change happens. It’s not something we control.

But -we can absolutely control or learn to control one thing, one very important thing, a game changer –

Our actions - Our responses: to events… to change… to outcomes… to effort…

‘Time management’ is really always ‘task management’ or ‘action management’. It’s about creating directing and focusing on tasks that produce the intended result.

The result is what we call – the goal.

This little eBook will train you to get your mind around what can and what can’t be done and direct your energies in the best way possible to get goals accomplished.


Achievement is a peculiarly human journey. And what a journey it is!

Time to start -

Oh - and there is a Trick to it – we’ll explain.

Ready?
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Martin Gover admits to writing and producing a few  plays and writing eBooks for Kindle (though not at the same time). He has 7 ebooks currently on Amazon Kindle and is in the process of adding one more.
He secretly harbours the dream of writing a novel, but so far has only nervously waded ankle deep into those treacherous waters.

Martin Gover lives in Vancouver BC, Canada, where he writes and works.
You can learn more about Martin and his work on his website, on Facebook and on Twitter. Time Control is available to purchase on Amazon.