My new obsession: Pinterest

29.2.12

My name is Suzy Turner and I'm addicted to Pinterest....
Phew, there I said it.
Are you on Pinterest yet? If not, beware... it is totally and utterly addictive. I just can't get enough of it. All those beautiful images to inspire me, those funny quotes to make me cry, those adorable pics of cute little children, puppies and kittens that almost make me want to shed a tear, the best books and book trailers, gorgeous architecture, stunning images of some of the most awesome places on earth and not to mention those downright jaw dropping photography of top totty! And that's just a brief description.
Yes, it's all there on Pinterest.

REVIEW: The Bringer by Samantha Towle

29.2.12

*****
I bought this book a couple of months ago... partly because the author, Samantha Towle, is a fellow Yorkshire lass and I wanted to support her and partly because I loved the look of the book. I never actually read the blurb!
Anyway, I finally began reading during a recent holiday and boy was I in for a surprise! The beginning hooked me in right from the first few words and I literally couldn't put it down after that. I can honestly say that I went through so many different emotions whilst reading this book - but in particular, it sucked me in and at times it literally made my heart ache.
I really loved James, he seems like such a rounded character, the way he swore just like a regular guy, made him even more real to me. And Lucyna... well, how can you not love her? What she goes through in the book (and before, for that matter) just makes you want everything to work out for her. There are times when you just want to shake her, but that makes her even more real. Well, as real as a Bringer can be of course!
All in all, The Bringer is a fantastic piece of fiction and I can't wait to read more from this debut author.

Julie & Julia: what a lovely film

28.2.12

Who doesn't love a good movie? Or a great piece of television?
The other night I watched a movie that I'd never really taken much notice of when it first came out. It was about that famous cook, Julia Child. I mean, if I'm completely honest, I'd never even heard of the woman. But then, I'm not one who enjoys spending too much time in the kitchen, if you know what I mean. Basically, I'm not really the best cook in the world. I can cook, don't get me wrong, but I'd rather be doing something else given half the chance. Another reason why I love my dear other half... he's a fabulous cook and he thoroughly enjoys it too.
So, back to the movie. It was called Julie & Julia, based on two true stories, starring Meryl Streep as Julia Child and Amy Adams as blogger Julie Powell who challenges herself to cook all of the recipes from Child's first cook book in a year. I was absolutely captivated by the performances of these two actresses and couldn't take my eyes off the screen. It was one of those incredible feel good movies, the sort that you could watch over and over, you know?
It's got some lovely, heartwarming scenes and some that left me in fits of giggles (the one with the lobster, for example).
Julia Child comes across as having been a real oddball character. She was gutsy, you know. And Julie Powell just comes across as absolutely adorable.
Oh and I mustn't forget the wonderful Stanley Tucci... he's one hell of an actor that guy and I don't think he gets the recognition he deserves.
Since watching the film, the Oscars have taken place and Meryl won the coveted Academy award for her role as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady. She really is amazing, that woman.

REVIEW: Wood Spirit by Johanna Frappier

28.2.12

*****

I have three little words to describe this book...
WOW WOW WOW
I couldn't put it down, literally, I just couldn't.
To be honest, I didn't know what to expect from Wood Spirit as I have read Johanna's two other books (The Fairy Circle and The Fairy Thief), both of which are fantastic but they're written with a different audience in mind - the YA audience. Wood Spirit, on the other hand, is horror and I have to take my hat off to her, this is one helluva horror story. Johanna has proven that she can turn her hand to anything. I've read a few horror books in my time, but it's not my favourite genre (I scare easily!), but after this, I'm tempted to delve further into it. I'd love to read more horror from Johanna and I hope that she's got more in the pipeline.
Wood Spirit scared the pants off of me (well, perhaps not literally, but you get my drift), and prevented me from climbing outta my bed in the middle of the night for fear of the black cloud... but if you wanna know more about the black cloud, you'll have to buy the book. Go on... you know you want to....

Guest post by Lucy Chandler

28.2.12


Can’t Afford An Editor?
If you’re thinking of self-publishing your novel, ideally you should hire a professional editor to help you polish your work so that it’s ready to be released into the big wide world. Yet not every budding novelist will have the money to do this, and it would be a terrible shame for some writers to be held back from publishing their work simply because they are too poor to use professional services. However, receiving feedback on your novel is vital, and you really shouldn’t contemplate publishing anything that you alone have read.

A Long Process
For a lot of people who don’t write, or for people who are very new to writing, it’s easy to think that writing a book is just a matter of jotting down the story, finding a literary agent, and then leaning back on your recliner sofa, waiting for the cheques to start rolling in. Anyone who is familiar with the writing process will know the reality is very different. Writing a book requires a huge amount of re-writing and editing. It takes a lot of effort to create a book that reads effortlessly.
If you can’t afford an editor you’re going to need critiques on your work, and lots of them. The more critiques you receive, the greater chance you’ll have of catching all the kinks in your story which need ironing out. Numerous pairs of eyes will also help you spot typos and errors, which can be overlooked by even the most skilled professional.

Where to go
The best places to showcase your work are either a real-life writer’s workshop or an online one. Maybe an online workshop offers more objectivity, as it’s sometimes easier to be fully honest about someone’s work when you don’t have to physically face the person.
Critique Circle is an excellent (free) site to join if you’re serious about improving your writing. The site works on a points system. To post a short story or novel chapter requires 3 points, and to earn points you must critique fellow writers’ pieces. It’s a really valuable process on many levels. Not only will you gain critiques (some critters offer very detailed feedback, which is excellent for spotting typos and errors), it’s also incredibly useful to regularly read and critique writing from others. Knowing what to look out for in their writing helps enormously when you come to editing your own.

Quality Check
Not all critiques you receive will be of equal value to you. Whilst it’s true that there will probably be something useful in every piece of feedback, you may only gain the knowledge that a certain type of person isn’t going to like your book. It’s important to take various factors into account when judging which advice to take and which to discard.
Is the person well read? Do they read much from the genre you’re writing? Are they a close friend or family member? Are they generally interested in the subject matter of your book, or do they normally find it boring?
The answers to these questions will determine the quality of that person’s feedback. For example, if you get a critique from a close friend who has never read a fantasy novel before your one, they will 1) perhaps be unlikely to give you totally objective feedback because they are your friend, and 2) be unfamiliar with fantasy writing, so some of their comments may seem irrelevant or unhelpful.
It’s important to try and be as objective about the feedback as you can. Because you will undoubtedly find that whilst a number of people say they love your writing and can’t fault it, there will be just as many who will say the complete opposite. Try to be open to criticism when it feels valid and true, but also be objective about your stories’ strengths so that you can tell the difference between constructive, unbiased criticism, and personal opinion.
It can be hard to judge. And it’s tempting to try and take all feedback on board, but it’s just impossible. You can’t take on every suggestion offered to you, as much of the feedback you receive will be contradicting. Remember, you can’t please all of the people all of the time. This is why you need to exercise your own discernment, without defensively dismissing valuable input.

Take Your Writing Seriously
All writers who want to be published should take their writing seriously, but if you’re planning to self-publish and can’t afford an editor, you especially need to take the time and effort to make sure you’ve improved your work in every way you can. Although self-published authors are gaining a better profile recently, there is still a stigma attached to it, and part of the problem is that some authors just don’t edit their work properly. Remember that people will be paying money for your novel, so honour their custom by not sending your book to print before you know you’ve done your absolute best with it.

Top 4 Ways to Get Kids Excited About Reading

26.2.12


This post was written by Ella Davidson of consumer awareness and savings site, Coupons.org. Coupons.org offers book coupons for top retailers like Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com.

Reading is an important aspect of growth and development. Not only are basic reading skills almost essential to function in society later in life, but reading also helps to stimulate imagination, to develop excellence in education and to increase logic and thinking skills. With the technology becoming increasingly available, such as video games and television, it is often difficult to get children interested in reading. Here are four effective ways to get children excited about reading.

1. Get them hooked on a popular book series

One of the most effective ways to get kids interested in reading, especially older children is to get them hooked on a book series. The children develop an interest in the way that the story progresses and the characters. This encourages them to read more to find out what happens next, and the enjoyment they gain from the series is often enough to spur their interest and excitement in reading. The Harry Potter book series is a fantastic example of this, and it served to introduce many children to the joys of reading. Although many of the later books in the series are very long, children around the world read them anxiously. Other book series that can be effective at this are the Maximum Ride and Alex Cross series, both written by James Patterson, and the Percy Jackson series.

2. Introduce them to visually interesting and entertaining books

For younger children, particularly those who are just beginning to learn to read, books that are visually stimulating and amusing can be a way of securing a life-long enthusiasm for reading. Many such books have such an impact that parents still remember with fondness books that they were introduced to when they were young. One such book is The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle. This book is relatively famous and is filled with interesting information. Another book is Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? This book captures young readers attention both through the rhyming language and the animal illustrations prevalent throughout the book.

3. Use of reward programs

Some schools, families and libraries introduce rewards-based programs that aim to encourage children to read. This often requires children to keep a journal of the books that they have read, or to read certain books on a list. At the end of a certain period, the children are then rewarded for their progress, with the value of the reward being related to the number of books that they read. This strategy can stir excitement in children, giving them a tangible reward and a specific goal to work towards.

4. Get them involved in the library

Libraries are fantastic locations to develop children’s interest and excitement in reading. There are many different activities for children of all ages, such as visits by authors and reading sessions. The process of getting a child a reading card and helping them to pick out a few books to take home each week can be an effective way of making them interested. There are so many books to choose from at the library that children can spend hours getting lost in the shelves, finding what is interesting to them.

No matter how you approach it, reading is an important aspect of a child’s development and plays a crucial role in their later life. While it may sometimes be hard to get a child excited about reading, it is well worthwhile, as they gain much from it. The four tips suggested in this article are good ways to spark children’s interest and excitement in reading.

OUT NOW: Dead Radiance by T.G Ayer

25.2.12

Book 1 in the Valkyrie Novels is OUT NOW
For as long as she can recall Bryn Halbrook has seen a golden aura around certain people, and it is only when her new best friend Joshua dies that she understands the glow means death. Bryn struggles to adapt to a new town and a new foster home while trying to deal with the guilt of being unable to save her friend. Until mysterious biker-boy, Aidan Lee arrives.
When Aidan unexpectedly takes off he leaves behind a shattered heart, a tonne of unanswered questions and a mysterious book that suggests Bryn is a Valkyrie. Bryn is faced with questions about Aidan’s real identity, the real reason he came to Craven, and that Odin, Freya and Valhalla just might be real.
As if accepting her new wings, new life and new home in Asgard isn’t difficult enough, Bryn is forced to find and return the precious necklace of the Goddess Freya. The only problem is – if she fails, Aidan will die.
The mystery of a Mythology is easy to enjoy. The reality is much harder to accept.

DEAD RADIANCE excerpt:
“My fingers uncurled their desperate grip on the rose and it fell, tilting, to drop head first onto the casket, twirling as it descended into the eerie depths. It hit the lid and shattered.. Petals flew in all directions and everywhere yellow scraps of the dismembered flower reflected Joshua’s iridescent light.”

T.G Ayer:
I have been a writer from the time I was old enough to recognise that reading was a doorway into my imagination. Poetry was my first foray into the art of the written word. Books were my best friends, my escape, my haven. I am essentially a recluse but this part of my personality is impossible to practise given I have two teenage daughters, who are actually my friends, my tea-makers, my confidantes… I am blessed with a husband who has left me for golf. It’s a fair trade as I have left him for writing. We are both passionate supporters of each others loves – it works wonderfully…
My heart is currently broken in two. One half resides in South Africa where my old roots still remain, and my heart still longs for the endless beaches and the smell of moist soil after a summer downpour. My love for Ma Afrika will never fade. The other half of me has been transplanted to the Land of the Long White Cloud. The land of the Taniwha, beautiful Maraes, and volcanoes. The land of green, pure beauty that truly inspires. And because I am so torn between these two lands – I shall forever remain crosseyed.

YA Indie Carnival: Name That Tune

24.2.12

Music. Does it inspire you to write? It certainly does me. I'm a sucker for a good dark and eerie tune, especially if I'm writing something a bit on the creepy side. When I was writing Raven I had a few firm favourites, mostly from movie soundtracks like The Lost Boys (Cry Little Sister) and Twilight (Possibility). There's also a beautiful song that is actually mentioned in the book. Cancao do Mar (yes, it's Portuguese) is a haunting fado song and is Rose's favourite kind of music. When Lilly first happens upon her aunt, this is what she's listening to outside her cottage. Have a listen... it really is gorgeous:

I've recently discovered a new musician and I've totally fallen in love with her music. Its just so me, you know? Lana Del Rey's music is dark and haunting and I just can't get enough of it. My husband, on the other hand, thinks she sounds like she's drunk!
Here, have a listen to one of her songs.... I know I'll be listening to this when I write my next book!

To read more about Name That Tune, go visit my awesome fellow Carnis, click the links below...

2. Bryna Butler, author Midnight Guardian series
3. Heather Self
22. Courtney Cole Writes



Click here for more Indie News:

Pazuzu's Girl by Rachel Coles

22.2.12



Hi Suzy! Thank you for hosting me on your blog today. I'm currently transmitting from the security area of the Underworld, where I'm waiting to pass the first gate. I've been invited to give the first ever interview of Pazuzu, Demon of Plague and the Southwest Wind. Okay, the line is moving now. Uh, now we know where TSA got their training. The couple in front of me was just ordered to strip. I don't mean just their shoes. The couple asked if there was a scanner option, but it looks like your choice of scanning device is a fire-breathing amphibian thing that burns through whatever you don't want to take off, or the razor-sharp teeth of this tyrannosaur-bull creature, that seems to be getting limbs along with clothes...Oh, well, yay for the couple ahead of me. They've discovered that bribes work. Apparently, the amphibian Chthulu look-alike has a preference for Gucci handbags to keep his/her/its gory snacks in, and the tyrannosaur-bull prefers Old Navy cardigans and knit caps. I guess it might be hard for a cold-blooded creature to keep warm in a place with no sun. It looks a little silly in pink knitted flowers though, but I don't think it would appreciate commentary, and I'm no fashionista. I'm poor, so I'll just have to pray that the guards appreciate my pea coat and scarf, the ARC thrift store special.
Whew, I'm through the gate, and have been shuffled to Pazuzu's quarters, since he's on a temporary visa here. Huh, wow, this isn't what I expected. It looks like I'm back on earth, except there's nothing here but sand and sun. And when I say sand, I mean like Arrakis from Dune. Nothing but sand. He's sitting in the middle of the dune about ten yards from me. Let me find out where we are.

Me: Hi, Sir, can you spare a few minutes to talk to me?

Pazuzu (dripping sand through his claw-tipped fingers): I currently have nothing but time.

Me: About that, where are we? We're not in the Underworld now, are we?

Pazuzu: Of course we are, don't you know how to read a compass? Oh, that's right, nothing like that works down here. (He pulls out his phone, looks at the bars and then bares his sharp teeth and crunches it up between his jaws) Piece of garbage didn't work all that well before I came down here either.

Me (swallowing hard and backing up a step): Uh, I don't understand. There's sun and sand.

Pazuzu: ...And more sun and more sand. It's a desert, the desert I lived in for a few thousand years. The Queen of the Dead's interior decorating job. It's Ereshkigal's little joke on me. She thinks she's hilarious.

Me: Oh, so this isn't real. Well, if you lived in a place like this before, why does it bother you?

Pazuzu: I moved. Do you want to move back to your momma's house? Why did you move to Denver?

Me: Because it's a wicked cool place, with lots of stuff to do.

Pazuzu (puts his finger on his canine nose, looks down at the sand and then snarls): By Inanna's Tits, I was enjoying Denver too. I've developed a fondness for the barbecue and beer. Honestly, it has some of the best beer I've tasted since leaving home, without this blasted heat. We invented beer, in case you Westerners have forgotten. My favorite is Left Hand Brewery. Guess why. Don't your people say 'left-hand of the devil'? I started in the mountains, you know. We didn't have snowboarding, back then. Most people in that age thought it was insanity to strap your feet to a board and hurtle down a mountain. On purpose.

Me: I agree. I'll strap my feet to two separate boards, just not the same board. I prefer skiing.

Pazuzu (squints at me, snorts, and then looks morose)

Me: What's wrong now? Denver's got great beer and all, but---

Pazuzu: I miss them.

Me: I could maybe smuggle some bottles in. I wouldn't have thought of the Underworld as a teetotaling kind of--

Pazuzu: My children, you idiot. No place Ereshkigal could put me, paradise or dismal torment, matters without them. Are you a parent?

Me: Oh...I have a girl.

Pazuzu: Then you understand.

Me: Yeah...I do. I hope everything works out for you. Thanks for taking the time to talk to me.

He nods and waves a finger, ushering me out.

That's all our time today, visiting hours are over, so I'm heading back to earth before their border patrol decides that my passport to re-enter earth isn't good anymore. If you want to know more about Pazuzu in the Underworld, and learn about his situation, check out Pazuzu's Girl at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and the Journalstone website. Here is an excerpt:

Morpho shook out her brilliant blue hair in front of the mirror behind the door of her pink room. She threw on her torn leather jacket over a ruffled pink sock that passed for a mini-dress. She flounced down the stairs, grabbed her Tinker Bell backpack and the peanut butter toast her father’s servant had left, and plopped her skateboard on the tiles of the front porch. One of them dislodged as she jumped the board down the steps.
A loud chatter emerged from the thousands of grasshoppers that hid throughout the partially eaten lawn and manicured bushes. She heard them as though they spoke in English.
I know you’re mad at me, but was that really necessary? Lugal just fixed those. Are you angry with him as well? A couple of grasshoppers fluttered after her and hitched a bumpy ride on the strap of her pack before crawling up to her shoulder.
She rolled her eyes and did a rattling jump just for their benefit. “No, Dad. I’m not mad at him. And not everything I do is just to piss you off.” Her lips set in a grim line and she rode in silence.
The grasshoppers twittered and hung on as she took the curbs as hard as possible. Then to what do we owe your sunny mood?
She glowered. “I’m a freak. We are freaks.” She whirled her finger in a circle to include everyone around her in freak-dom.
You dyed your hair blue. That’s generally not what people do when they are trying to avoid attention, her dad gently reminded her.
“I’m laying my cards on the table. We have to replace the lawn and shrubs every couple days because you eat everything in the yard. And everyone thinks Lugal is your love slave. Our differences aren't exactly ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell.’ By the way, we got another fine from the stupid housing association. They’re threatening to send pest control.”The grasshoppers chirped. “I’ll deal with them. And I thought you liked Lugal.”
“I do like him. But you might want to let him know everyone thinks he’s your boyfriend, partner...whatever.” She flipped her board up and stormed into the school hall, late for class, as the grasshoppers flitted away.

* * *

Thousands of grasshoppers emerged from nooks and crannies throughout the denuded sod in front of 248 Rowan Street, Ken Caryl, Colorado. As they flooded into the hallway of the house from the moist April breeze outside, the swarm of glittering wings and golden-brown bodies condensed into the figure of a tall thin man with golden eyes, black hair and slightly canine features around the mouth. Pazuzu, Demon of the Air and the Southwest Wind, stalked into his suburban home to deal with the four-hundredth letter from his homeowner's association and ruminate on how to handle an angsty teenage daughter.
Lugal, an equally tall, sturdy man with dark features and a hawk's nose, dropped to his knees and bowed his face to the floor as Pazuzu entered. His palms flattened on the ground in obeisance. His right hand was marred by rough white scar tissue across the palm and wrist. “Lord, what is your will?”
Pazuzu motioned the man to his feet. “I accept your loyalty,” he nodded, “but you have not bowed to me since the first time we met, except when you have done something you knew would displease me. What have you done?” He glowered.
Lugal raised a carefully-groomed eyebrow and his eyelid twitched for a moment. “I have not seen such a look on your face for many years. I thought you might benefit from an old formality.”
Pazuzu's lips curled up in a smile that looked like a grimace. “Did you see Morpho's attire? We are supposed to maintain a low profile!”
Lugal's white teeth flashed and the other eyebrow rose. “Forgive my impudence, Lord, but have you seen some of the other children at the high school? She is fitting in.”
Pazuzu met the dark man’s eyes and they both burst into deep rolling laughter. Pazuzu sank down into the tasteful but nondescript kitchen chair and picked up the HOA letter. He took the content in at a glance and tossed it back on the table. “She told me about this.”
“What will you do?” Lugal brought pungent-smelling cardamom tea to the table.
“I will be the indignant homeowner at one of their silly meetings. They have been fining us since we arrived more than a year ago. It gives them something to do and makes them feel important, happy with their power. Happy neighbors are quiet neighbors.”
“But they have threatened to hire extermination services.” Lugal sipped his tea, watching Pazuzu warily.
Pazuzu leaned forward slightly, and his golden irises lit from within, then faded. “I will dissuade them.”
Lugal was silent for a moment. “Has there been any sign of her? Of the Scourge? My spies have detected nothing yet.”
Agitation distorted Pazuzu’s lips into a snarl, making him look more canine than ever. “No. Not aside from the usual events in the news lately. The bombings, the shootings, in many of the nations near the old kingdom, near Uruk. I see nothing direct, only her influence.”
“She is subtle. That is how she gained her power before you left her. What will you do should she find Morpho?”
Pazuzu’s eyes flashed and a rasping breeze lifted in the room. Lugal quietly placed his scarred hand on the napkins to keep them from skittering off the table. Pazuzu’s voice was like the sound of a million furious, buzzing insects as he answered, “I will protect my child.”

It is available in both paperback and e-book. In addition, there's an e-book giveaway today. If you get the book for the giveaway it would be really terrific to hear what you think! Please review it on any of the above sites or Goodreads .

And I want to thank Suzy for graciously hosting me today! You should also check out her books, if you haven't already. The Raven Saga is an engaging read, for full-grown adults as well as our kids. And her newest, The Lost Soul is coming out!

Thank you, Rachel! Pazuzu's Girl sounds absolutely incredible!
WIN WIN WIN
The first ten people to comment below will WINa copy of Pazuzu's Girl... 
so get commenting people (don't forget to leave your email address so I can send you the link)!!

The Lost Soul: my dream cast

20.2.12

I've talked before about my dream cast for both Raven and December Moon. Well, now with the third and final book in the series (The Lost Soul) about to come out, I figured I'd look into some of the newer members of the cast.
Here are the additional stars I'd love to feature in The Lost Soul: The Movie (one can dream, no??!)

Millicent Roberts played by Jayme Mays 

Tiffanimelicomelea played by Zooey Deschanel

Sheharazalea played by Ksenia Solo

Jemima Dickson played by Emma Roberts

Crystal played by Annie Ilonzeh

Meredith played by Melissa McCarthy

Calliope played by Liv Tyler

Image courtesy: http://www.flickr.com/people/brajeshwar/

Jack Tuluqag by James Franco
Image courtesy of:  Charlotte Badalucco

Nick Pryce by Simon Baker

Walter by Rade Šerbedžija

Christoph by Josh Hutcherson

Do you like the sound of my cast? If you'd like to see who I'd choose for the other main characters, check out my previous post right here.

The Raven Saga Part III: The Lost Soul is out March 2012. Watch this space!

YA Indie Carnival: Kiss & Tell

17.2.12


Okay, so my books don't have so much kissing in them... Well a little perhaps but not much. What I want to talk about is the subject of age & kissing. My first book, Raven, got some negative comments about the fact that the main character, Lilly, falls in love with a 17 year old when she is very nearly 14. I was surprised by how disgusted some people were by this. Do they not live in the real world?? Oliver, the boy in question, is totally adorable. He's honest, reliable, faithful, and he would never do anything that Lilly wouldn't want to do. And at no time in my book did I talk about anything other than a mere peck of a kiss.
I started going out with boys when I was 13 and some were much older than me. I met my husband when I was 16 and he was 19. Personally, as long as people are responsible, I don't see a problem! What do you think? Should female characters only have relationships with boys their age? Bear in mind that it is a fact that girls mature much earlier than boys do (so 14 probably equals 17!!!)
For more Kiss & Tells with my fellow Carnis, click the links below...

2. Bryna Butler, author Midnight Guardian series
3. Heather Self
22. Courtney Cole Writes



Click here for more Indie News:

People In a Place Apart by Len Port

15.2.12

Len Port is a journalist based in the Algarve, Portugal, where I have lived for the past 25 (nearly 26!) years. He is also a former boss of mine. Len is one of those writers that keeps you hanging on his every word. I've always loved reading his articles but this is the first time he has written a book for the Kindle. Although I haven't read it, yet, I'm sure this will be a fantastic read for anyone interested in this small part of the world. Here are some details about the book....
The ‘Land Apart’ in the title refers to the Algarve, the most southern province in Portugal and the most southwestern extremity of mainland Europe. In ancient times it was steeped in mysticism because it was thought to be on the very edge of the world. It is still a marginal, alluring and enchanting place. This book, written by a veteran journalist who has lived here for years, focuses not so much on the place but its people. It is full of fascinating insights into the comings and goings of various cultures and remarkable individuals - some famous, some infamous – from the dawn of history to the present day. It's an easy read and sure to be enjoyed by anyone with any interest in Portugal, particular those who live in the region or plan to visit.
You can your copy of the book here.

The Writing of a Tudor Thriller

11.2.12

by Nancy Bilyeau

The idea for the novel that became “The Crown” came to me in a fiction writer’s workshop in the West Village, in New York City. I was a magazine editor—my last staff job was as deputy editor of “InStyle”—but I’d wanted to write fiction when I was in high school and university. I kept wondering if I would ever get back to it. Finally I decided to accept an invitation to a small group run a novelist named Rosemarie Santini.
“I want to write a novel set in sixteenth century England.”


That’s what I told the four people sitting in a circle in this 5th-floor walk-up seven years ago. I’d loved Tudor history since I was 11 years old and saw The Six Wives of Henry the Eighth with my parents. Over the years, I kept coming back to biographies and historical fiction set in the 16th century. I enjoyed the drama of the personalities, the wars and the divorces, the excitement of the Renaissance—and I adored the fashion.
I wanted to write a woman’s story, but I felt that plenty had already been written about the queens and princesses and ladies-in-waiting. I settled on a protagonist, Joanna Stafford, who was a nun. Henry VIII destroyed the monasteries when he broke from Rome and I was drawn to that turmoil. While most Tudor historical fiction takes the side of the Reformation, I thought it would be more interesting to explore what happened to the nuns, friars and monks whose lives were upended by this sweeping transformation.
I decided to make my story a thriller. There are murders in The Crown and an urgent search for an object of mystical importance. My kind of book isn’t researched through Google: I spent hours at the New York Public Library, poring through the collections. I started corresponding through emails with historians and curators in England. For inspiration I haunted the rooms and passageways of The Cloisters, part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It has a great collection of medieval art, ranging from tapestries to statues and paintings, and re-created arches and tombs from 12th and 13th century European monasteries. One place I was drawn to over and over was the “Chapter House”-- a simple square room with a stone floor and benches against the walls. Every monastery had one—it’s where the nuns would receive “correction” from the prioress. I talked the Cloisters into letting me bring my laptop into the museum in a clear bag, and I’d write in the Chapter House, soaking up the monastic mood. I had to write pretty frantically because the battery in my old computer didn’t last much longer than two hours.
It took five years to write my book. I had to wake up at 5 a.m. on the weekdays and write for two hours until it was time to wake up my kids. Once I finished, I found a literary agent and he managed to put together an auction. He sold it within a month. I’m very lucky. Now when I visit the Cloisters in Fort Tryon Park, I don’t have to beg the guards to let me bring my computer into the collections. I can just enjoy it.
Pictured above: The UK, US and Dutch covers of The Crown


For more information about Nancy and The Crown, visit http://www.nancybilyeau.com/

YA Indie Carnival: Some like it hot!

10.2.12

Today at the Indie Carnival we're getting all hot and steamy. Yep, we're talking about steamy excerpts. As my books are aimed at anyone from aged eight upwards, The Raven Saga contains nothing remotely rude as it just wouldn't be appropriate. But I do like to read a good steamy scene as much as the next woman. In fact, when I was growing up I admit that I learned rather a lot from books with scenes like that! Jilly Cooper was a particular favourite, as her novels were hilariously funny too. I also enjoyed a good Jackie Collins (certainly a bit ruder, I might add) but then, didn't we all... perhaps some of you in secret?
I do write chick lit, although I'm yet to finish and publish any in that genre, but they will contain the odd steamy scene. It wouldn't be chick lit without it, would it?
Recently I was given a few books by Gena Rowland. The Atlantis series, I think it was called. I blushed my way through the first. Its not that I'm a prude (although that's exactly what my sister called me afterwards!), it's just that I wasn't expecting it. I was expecting it to be a bit more YA because I'd been reading a lot of YA up to that point... but it wasn't... at all like that. There was an awful lot of, well... you know! (Now I do sound like a prude!) I haven't read the others yet, not because I don't want to, simply because they're in paperback and I love my Kindle too much. Perhaps one of these days I'll get round to downloading them instead.

Click here for more Indie News:


Check out what my fellow carnis think of steamy excerpts:
1. Laura A. H. Elliott author of Winnemucca & 13 on Halloween, Book 1 in the Teen Halloween Series
2. Bryna Butler, author Midnight Guardian series
3. Heather Self

FREE books by Patti Larsen

8.2.12

Who doesn’t love FREE books?
TWO DAYS ONLY: Wednesday, February 8th and Thursday, February 9th! Come and get ‘em!
For those with a love of YA paranormal: Family Magic (The Hayle Coven novels, #1) Sixteen year old Sydlynn Hayle is the daughter of a powerful witch and a demon lord but she just wants to be ordinary. Find it HERE.
And for those who like a thrill in their YA fiction: Run (The Hunted, #1) Reid thinks life has gone back to normal when his sister rescues him from the foster system. All that changes when he is kidnapped and dumped in the wilderness, forced to run from those who want to kill him. Find it HERE.
Don’t have a Kindle? No problem! Download a FREE app for your computer, iPad, smartphone and more!

Family Magic
Raising the Demon
“Haralthazar,” my mother glided closer to the statue, “we summon you this third night of Power, nine days and nine nights from Samhain Eve, to tighten our bond with you and your realm.” She knelt at the foot of the altar, the picture of the submissive handmaiden. Could she be any more ridiculous? Seriously. “My love, come and be welcome.”
The blinding flash that leapt from her to the statue continued to pour out of her in a deep blue rush of light. I turned my head slightly to the side, squinting in the glare, grateful for the edge of the cowl and the shadow it made. The whole room started to thrum, the floor vibrating with condensed magic as Mom used the energy we had given her to make the doorway that would let my father through.
Sixteen-year-old Sydlynn Hayle is the daughter of a powerful witch and a demon lord of the seventh plane. The trouble is, she just wants to be ordinary. Syd struggles to survive the minefield of her new high school while being torn between her attraction to football hero Brad Peters and the darkly mysterious Quaid Moromond. When her coven comes under attack, Syd is forced to face the fact only her power can save her family’s magic.

What readers are saying about Family Magic:
“This book has everything. Great family drama, hot boys, magic, witches, demons and difficult choices. This is one of my new favorite books of 2011 and I CANNOT WAIT to read the rest of the series.”

“With a fantastic, empathetic heroine, plenty of magic, an intriguing mystery and incorporating themes involving the search of self, familial relationships, duty and free will, Family Magic is an enchanting and enjoyable read.”

“I think Syd is one of my all-time favorite characters. She is funny and snarky but has a fierce love for her family. I am ready to follow Syd's journey through this series. I was hooked from the first paragraph. I thoroughly enjoyed Family Magic, and I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys paranormal novels.”
(You can read the full reviews on Amazon.com)
Amazon LINK

Run
Kidnapped
Alone, Reid gasps in one deep breath, another. It hurts his ribs, his lungs. He manages to roll over on his right side and regrets it. His shoulder screams in protest. Still, he is finally able to wriggle his numb hands loose from what holds him and claws at the cloth around his eyes.
Darkness. But not complete. The moon is up. Trees loom over him, the smell of spruce and fresh air so sharp it almost hurts. He jerks at the plastic ties around his ankles while. his vision swims through a veil of pain-laden tears. He manages somehow to force his screaming hands to work the ties loose and he is free.
Sixteen-year-old Reid thinks life is back to normal. His sister Lucy pulls herself together and cuts him free from a year of foster care. She promises to take care of him, that her new boss and her new life are what they both needed to start again. Until Reid is taken in the middle of the night, dumped in a wild stretch of forest far from home with no idea why he is there. Lost and afraid, he learns to run from the hunters who prowl the darkness, their only pleasure chasing down kids like him. And killing them. 

What readers are saying about Run:
“The fear, the thrill, the emotion that comes through in the writing is amazing. There is never a dull moment in this story of survival.”

“If you're a fan of YA books that make your heart pound with the unknown and leave you cringing at places (but in a totally cool kinda way) then Run's the book for you.”

“Reid is such a great strong character and when the story ends, we are left begging for what is to come in the next of the series. This story was unique and SUPER fast-paced! It was a great festival of suspense.”
(You can read the full reviews on Amazon.com)
Amazon LINK

Thank you for taking the time to check them out!
Happy reading! 

About the Author: Patti Larsen is a middle grade, young adult and adult author with a passion for the paranormal. Her YA thriller series, The Hunted, is available now. The first four books of The Hayle Coven series, Family Magic, Witch Hunt, Demon Child and The Wild are also out now. Her YA paranormal novel, Best Friends Forever, and steampunk series, Blood and Gold, are due early in 2012. She is a full time writer and a part time teacher of her Get Your Book Done program. Patti lives on the East Coast of Canada with her very patient husband and four massive cats.
You can find her:
On her website
On Facebook
Her writing blog
On Twitter
On Amazon.com
On Goodreads

YA Indie Carnival: To trailer or not to trailer

3.2.12

I'm a HUGE fan of the book trailer. In fact I'm so obsessed with them that last year I created two separate sites for my two loves: YA and Chick Lit. Both sites are exclusively for the promotion of book trailers. The Chick Lit Trailer Park isn't quite so popular as the YA Trailer Park but both have some fabulous trailers on them, and more and more go up regularly. Have a look for yourself:
YA Trailer Park
Chick Lit Trailer Park
So why do I love book trailers so much? Because they help to convey the feel of the book. The essence that doesn't usually come across in a simple description or the blurb that you find on the back of a book (or on screen). You can be so much more creative visually, which is so important for those that have difficulty to visualise what a book is all about (if that makes sense!?).
You can also use music to create an atmosphere. The kind of atmosphere you hope will come across to your readers as they begin to read.
Check out the book trailers I created for my first two books, Raven and December Moon. I think I managed to create a certain 'something' for both of them.... what do you think?



If you have either a Chick Lit (it can be any genre as long as its aimed at female readers), or a YA book trailer and you'd like to submit them to either (or both) of the sites, just follow the instructions on the sites.

Click here for more Indie News:


Check out more about trailers by my fellow Carnis:
1. Laura A. H. Elliott author of Winnemucca & 13 on Halloween, Book 1 in the Teen Halloween Series
2. Bryna Butler, author Midnight Guardian series
3. Heather Self

Rafflecopter giveaway

2.2.12

Don't you just love Rafflecopter? It makes online competitions so much easier, doesn't it?
Well, they're currently doing a fabulous competition in which they're trying to name their little smiley-faced mascot. If you fancy joining in and to be in with a chance of winning a Kindle Fire or an Apple Ipad, then simply enter the competition below. Easy peasy, right?! Whaddya waitin' for



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: The Lost Soul

2.2.12

Over the last few months I've been busy writing The Lost Soul, the final book in The Raven Saga. I'm almost there... I've finished writing it and now I'm busy editing and checking it (again and again) before it goes out to my 'editors' and proofreaders. But... it will be ready just in time for its release in March. I'm so excited!!
I've been tweaking the book cover over the past few days and so I'm delighted to finally be able to show you the final result. Here it is, the cover of The Lost Soul....


So what do you think?

Blood Awakening by Wenona Hulsey

2.2.12

Here's a brief post from one of my Facebook buddies, Wenona Hulsey about her book, Blood Awakening...

For a limited time Blood Awakening will be FREE on Amazon. This is the novelette that stared the Blood Burden (Nicole Keenan) series that everyone is talking about so grab it before this free offer is gone.

What are people saying about Blood Awakening?
"An awesome beginning to the series!" -Imaloud
"A Surefire winner by an author to watch!!" -Hotmaja54
"So, do I recommend this story? Darn right, I do!!" -JenniferS

Overview:
Evil starts the clock ticking, leaving Nicole's life changed forever....
Hidden powers, ancient grudges, romance and action that will leave you begging for more....
Now go grab your copy at Amazon
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