Two Ends of the Pen

SYMBOLS ARE FOR BABIES by Michelle Snyder

noreply@blogger.com (Debra L Martin) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Our modern world is full of symbols; they surround us every day. A compact form of communication, symbols convey a lot of information with a few lines and shapes. One can understand complicated written instructions more easily when accompanied by images. Studies have demonstrated that babies recognize images and symbols of people like “mommy” that are familiar and important to them. The Human Face, a film by John Cleese, reveals the results of studies that were done with sheep, and images of other sheep - some that were part of, and some that were strangers to the flock – familiar sheep were recognized by the test subject sheep, and strangers ignored. The brain is configured to store and recall familiar images. This is necessary for survival.

Toddlers’ picture-books are the foundation of reading comprehension. Children’s textbooks are filled with colorful images to help them learn.

A good example is a small book, published in German in 1906, and titled Etwas von den Wurzelkindern (The Root Children). The colorful pictures in this little book teach the cycle of plants as they bloom in spring and summer, then die off in autumn, their seeds and roots hibernating underground during winter, until the following spring. Mother Earth cares for the plants, symbolized using cute small children. Their winter home, for they are seeds that sleep all winter, is under the ground where they sit with candles, sleep, and wait for spring. When it arrives the children troop to the surface in beautifully colored dresses to play and grow in summer’s sun and warmth. When autumn arrives they return to Mother Earth down into the soil, their winter home. This sequence of pictures tells the story even if one cannot understand the few German words accompanying each page.

Although people acknowledge that contemporary symbolism conveys mathematics and science, a scholar of symbolism, de Santillana, states that:

He (the modern reader) does not think of the possibility that equally relevant knowledge might once have been expressed in everyday language. He never suspects such a possibility, although the visible accomplishments of ancient cultures - to mention only the pyramids, or metallurgy - should be a cogent reason for concluding that serious and intelligent men were at work behind the stage, men who were bound to have used a technical terminology.

Some symbols are so commonplace we have developed automatic associations to them, the brain learning in early childhood to translate meaning. Images, therefore, take on a language all their own. “A picture is worth a thousand words” is a very familiar expression, but if we think about it - which words? How many words accurately describe a dog? If two people read or hear the same description, do they imagine the same thing? How often do we attend a movie after reading the book on which it was based, and thought, “That’s not at all what I pictured!”

Images depict for us visual properties that cannot be accurately verbalized. Symbols depict complex concepts that would take volumes of written language to explain. “A picture is worth a thousand words” is a proverb reflecting the idea that complex stories can be described with a single image, or that an image may be more influential than a substantial amount of text. This also applies to the process of visualization where large amounts of data must be absorbed quickly. Fred R. Barnard, in the advertising trade journal Printers' Ink, used this phrase to promote the use of images in advertisements that appeared on the sides of streetcars. The December 8, 1921 issue carries an ad entitled, One Look Is Worth A Thousand Words. Russian writer Ivan Turgenev wrote (in Fathers and Sons, 1862), "A picture shows me at a glance what it takes dozens of pages of a book to expound." The quote is sometimes attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte, who said: "Un bon croquis vaut mieux qu'un long discours" (a good sketch is better than a long speech).

This is not to say that images negate the necessity of words; the combination of words and pictures is vital in communication. An enormous amount of history was preserved and passed on through thousands of years using visual symbols and oral tradition. From these traditions many symbol systems have developed, some esoteric, some exoteric in nature. Learning symbolism may start with babies, but it can be a lifetime of adult academic study. It has been my passion for decades to find the context for symbols, decode them, and to share that information with my readers.

Michelle Snyder, M. Phil, Symbolist

www.whiteknightstudio.com

http://whiteknightstudio.blogspot.com/

Book Tour Blast: WILTED WINGS by Shadow Stephens

noreply@blogger.com (Debra L Martin) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Wilted Wings

Power, greed, and envy fill Damon and Ilisha’s world. Their hope of settling into a life of peace and family remains out of grasp. Damon is kidnapped and forced to stand trial for the death of his father while a breed of hybrids designed to destroy all angels is set loose. With no choice but to leave her earthly mother and baby behind, Ilisha struggles in a world of high politics and family feuds. She must become an ultimate warrior to save her husband and both the worlds she loves.

Purchase Wilted Wings now on Amazon.

About Shadow Stephens

Avid Cleveland Browns fan, animal lover, and paranormal addict are just a few ways to describe Shadow Stephens. Shadow grew up in Ohio and West Virginia, which gave her a fear of snakes and the ability to fix anything with duct tape. She has been writing since childhood, but wrote her first novel three years ago. She now resides in Utah with a veritable menagerie of pets and a million ideas in her head just waiting to be put on paper. When she isn't ghost hunting, Shadow can be found writing paranormal romance and urban fantasy novels. This will be her first published book, with many more to follow.

Follow Shadow Stephens: Website | Facebook | Twitter

Watch out Video chat with author Shadow Stephens July 17th at 7PM EST on Literary Addicts

Take part in our Book Tour event on Facebook July 16 - 18 All Day Long for Amazon Gift Cards and ebooks!

Follow the Tour Shadow Stephens is giving away a $50 Amazon Giftcard, open Internationally. Fill out the form below to enter!

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Book Tour Blast: THE GOLDEN APPLE OF DISCORD by Lauren Hodge

noreply@blogger.com (Debra L Martin) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Taralie Severin and her three sisters are a powerful coven of modern-day witches who banish mythical creatures in between classes and shifts at the police station. But when Taralie is kidnapped by vampires and converted into the undead, her sisters are ordered to execute her for crimes against the Milunfran order. Refusing, the sisters become fugitives from both their kind and vampires alike. Ignorant and hunted, Taralie becomes entangled with unlikely allies, a band of vampires in hiding from the ruling vamperic government. With this new addition to their coven Taralie must balance duty with desire while learning not everything is as it seems, their enemies are worse than she knows, and she could be on the verge of ending a thousand-year-old civil war.

Purchase the book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About Author Lauren Hodge

Lauren Hodge is the oldest of seven children and an identical twin. She has three children and lives in Richland, Washington. Not only does she dislike author biographies immensely, she plays piano decently, cello poorly, likes to cook fattening foods, and shoot anything if gun powder is involved. She has an associates degree in general science and works as a chemist/lab monkey in an environmental lab.

Follow Lauren Hodge: Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Follow the Tour Fill out the form below to enter. The author is giving away a Kindle ereader.

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LISTEN UP! The Making of an Audio Book by Rebecca Forster

noreply@blogger.com (Debra L Martin) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:00:00 +0000

I have written over 25 novels. Each one starts with voices in my head. By the time a book is done, I know every inflection, tonal change and speech pattern of every character. So, when I had the opportunity to create the audio versions of Hostile Witness and Silent Witness, I was excited. This, I thought, was going to be a breeze.

I thought that just before I became terrified.

I was excited because next to having your book made into a movie, audio is about as cool as you can get. I was terrified because suddenly there were decisions to make that I had never considered when writing these books. How had I really imagined my characters' voices? Did I want an actor or an actress to read my books? How did I produce and publish an audio product? Did I want separate voices for each character or not? Did I want to read my books myself?

The only question I could answer was the last one. No fiction author should ever read their work if I am an example. My one attempt to do so left me ROFL. Thankfully, I was alone in the house when I tried it. Some people are actors; I am not.

Once that decision was made there were still others to tackle. This is my list of the five things I did to bring my books from print to awesome audio.

1) Listen to popular audio books in your genre. I listened to both male and female thriller authors. I found it disconcerting to hear a man read primary female parts but had no trouble accepting a female reader tackling male characters. It is a personal decision but I was lead by what seems to be accepted wisdom of the best selling authors and that is use the voice of the predominant character. I chose Tara Platt, an award winning voice over artist (www.taraplatt.com). I also chose to have each character voice distinctive and that meant the voiceover had to seamlessly move between character and gender, expository and dialogue.

2) Choose a neutral voice unless your book has a cultural basis for a different choice. I listened to audio versions of books written by English authors and read by English actors. As much as I love an English accent, I realized choosing a voiceover with a discernible accent was distracting for an American thriller.

3) If possible, seek professional assistance. I was lucky to know a producer who understood what goes into a successful voiceover. He coached me in what I should be listening for when I received my file for approval, not the least of which was breathing patterns. Like a singer, a voiceover artist should be able to read seamlessly without gasps or gaps in the production as well as communicate the appropriate cadence and genre of your novel.

4) Provide your talent a ‘cheat sheet’ that includes a short description of the plot, descriptions of all recurring characters, unique setting points, and where the major plot points are. Also provide the talent with a copy of the book.

5) Speak up and ask questions. There is someone to listen at established, professional sites. I worked with ACX for Audible.com, the most recognizable of all audio sites. They were responsive to all my questions and offered production options from talent buyout to royalty sharing and independent production.

It didn’t take me long to realize that as much time goes into reading a book for audio distribution as writing it for print or digital consumption. I also realized after I heard the first few chapters of my book that I was as lost in listening to the story in the same way I had been lost in writing it. I may have known the ending, but I didn’t know the sound of it would leave me breathless when I heard it.

Listen to Hostile Witness

Listen to Silent Witness

Blog Tour: THE JANE AUSTEN COLLECTION

noreply@blogger.com (Debra L Martin) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Jane Austen Collection

Cover links to Amazon

Published by Doma Publishing

Follow @DomaPublishing
Doma House Publishing presents to you this version of The Complete Works of Jane Austen, which has been designed and formatted specifically for your Amazon Kindle. Unlike other e-book editions, the text and chapters are perfectly set up to match the layout and feel of a physical copy, rather then being haphazardly thrown together for a quick release.

This edition covers everything including her major works, minor works, unfinished works, and scraps. Also, you can easily navigate through chapters using the linked Table of Contents found at the start of this edition.

Purchase Jane Austen: The Complete Works and treat yourself to the following list of works by this classic British Author:

Major Works:

Sense and Sensibility (1811)
Pride and Prejudice (1813)
Mansfield Park (1814)
Emma (1815)
Northanger Abbey (1817) Posthumous
Persuasion (1818) Posthumous

Minor Works:

The Watsons (1803, 1805)
Sanditon (1817)

Unfinished Works:

Lady Susan (1794, 1805)

Early Works:

Love and Friendship (1790)
Lesley Castle (~1792)
The History of England (1791)

Collection of Letters

Scraps:

The Female Philosopher
The First Act of a Comedy
A LETTER from a YOUNG LADY
A Tour Through Wales - A Tale

Thank you for choosing Doma House Publishing. We look forward to creating many more affordable Kindle Classics for you to enjoy.

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Interview with Joshua Silverman

noreply@blogger.com (Debra L Martin) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Do you have a favorite character?

Oh absolutely. When I started writing The Emerald Tablet, I actually hated Dio. But then, as the book and her character developed, I began to love her. Although she’s not the ‘main’ character in my view, she is definitely a secret favorite of mine.

Have you ever had a minor character evolve into a major one? Did that change the direction of the novel at all?

Surprisingly, yes. Originally, Axios was set to be a minor character without a plot changing role. But as I was beta testing the book, so many people (girls) loved him (and I loved him too), that his influence has gradually become more pronounced. By book three (which I’m writing right now), he has just as many scenes as any other character.

If you used a graphic designer/publisher’s designer, how involved were you during the creative process for your cover?

I did use the publisher’s designer. In The Emerald Tablet, I was fairly involved. Because the symbol was on Leoros’ forearm, I knew what it had to be. For the most part, my instructions to the designer were: ‘Create a logo that is of a double headed dragon with each head facing the opposite direction, but make it nice enough where it could be a tattoo.’

Do you belong to a critique group? Have they helped improve your writing?

I honestly don’t, though I do recommend everyone do it. That is one of those things I would’ve done over if I had a second chance.

What is your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like silence?

There’s a lot of debate on this one. I used to listen to music when I write. Now I like silence. But, the more I’ve been travelling for the book promotion, the less time I have to find that “perfect writing setting”. I always remind myself that J.K. Rowling finished writing Harry Potter in a hotel room while she was travelling for book promotion. As a professional, I think you have to learn how to write in a busy airport terminal, a café, a hotel room, or in your quiet perfect cave at home. Otherwise, you’ll always have an excuse why you never finished.

Do you outline your story or just go where your muse takes you?

With the Emerald Tablet I had a four paragraph outline of the story. With The Soul of the World (book 2), I had a scene by scene outline. With The Island of Shadows (book 3), I’ve been writing with no outline to see where the story takes me and I’ll cut what is bad. So I’m trying a lot. I think a combination works best, though. Have a beginning, have an end. But everything else in between should be the muse.

What kinds of marketing [twitter, facebook, blog, forums] are you involved with for promoting your book(s)?

I have my own blog, where I do book reviews, talk about writing and the shows I go to, I also talk a lot about Egyptian gods and goddesses and mythology/religion. I’m on Facebook all day, I’m on Twitter a lot too but less than Facebook.

Do you find it difficult to juggle your time between marketing your current book and writing your next book?

Not particularly. Both of them take a lot of time, but I just make a schedule. From 10a.m.-12, I schedule all my marketing posts and respond to emails. From then on writing. Or whatever. Just set boundaries and use Hootsuite or another scheduling service.

What advice would you give a new author just entering into the self-publishing arena? Take your time. There is no rush. The world doesn’t need another bad self-published novel. Everyone’s looking for the next greatest self-published novel. So breathe, relax, the world isn’t going to come to an end if you don’t get your book out in 6 months. Learn your craft.

Besides writing, do you have any other passions?

I secretly wanted to be a rock star. I play guitar, clarinet, and saxophone and I write songs.

A Special Treat for Readers: FEARLESS by Tawdra Kandle

noreply@blogger.com (Debra L Martin) — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Tasmyn Vaughn didn't expect much when her dad's job moved them to a small town in Florida; it was just another new school. But there is more to King than meets the eye, and soon Tasmyn's ability to hear others' thoughts is the least of her worries. Entangled in a web of first love, quirky and secretive townsfolk, magic and blood rituals, she discovers the town's secrets aren't just bizarre, they're deadly.

FEARLESS Book One of The King Series is now permanently FREE on both Amazon and Barnes and Noble!

See why reviewers are saying: "Utterly beautiful and bewitching story that I read in one sitting!"

"So much love for this book -- what a great surprise!"

". . .it is a delightful read!"

"Very exciting story and well written!"

"I am now convinced this is one of the best young adult paranormal series I have read to date."

Now you can read the first book in this series FREE on both Kindle and Nook. Share with your friends!

Stalk author Tawdra Kandle here. . . AMAZON Goodreads Facebook Twitter Website Pinterest

New #Fantasy Release: THE EMBLAZONED RED by Dawn McCullough White

noreply@blogger.com (Debra L Martin) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Book Blurb:

Once, in another world—a dark world, the world of Faetta—there lived paladins and pirates, tyrants and scallywags, vampires and the undead. In this world a revolution is brewing. The royalty of Sieunes are in chains, and those priests and paladins who follow the holy word of the gods are under attack. In the west, the kingdom of Kellerhald receives the fleeing priests in their temples of the paladins of Silvius, god of the Sky.

Here, a young woman has just passed her tests to become a paladin. A pirate crew raids along the Azez Sea. An undead creature, wielding great power, roams the graveyard of Yetta. And a lost soul, crying out from beyond the veil, seeks out a pure hearted warrior to hear its plea.

Amid the turmoil of the revolution, Ilka’s mettle is tested. Rescued by pirates, she ends up with an unlikely ally: the pirate captain himself. The newly trained paladin finds herself collaborating with the undead, working with a vampire, and worst of all, longing for revenge against the man who has ignited the revolution in Sieunes: Francois Mond.

Buy Links:

Nook:http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-emblazoned-red-dawn-mccullough-white/1115453826?ean=2940016705156

Kobo:http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/The-Emblazoned-Red/book-BBtn08JuR0OL9xM1GvnJ_A/page1.html

Excerpt:

"Beautiful Rhiannon ..." he sighed, and sank his fangs into her neck, pressing her body down onto the pile of dead flowers atop her son's grave.

He had been following her around the streets of Lockenwood for a good month. He had begun following the moment he had caught sight of her lithe body and her bright red hair. Sometimes he'd sit on top of a roof and just watch as she shopped or left work at night. As he got more daring, he'd slip inside the tavern where she worked, losing himself in the hot, dirty crowd within. His cold, hard body was shoved along through the crowd: peasants, villains, beggars. The poor and the evildoers all jam-packed within the smoke-stained tavern. And there was Rhiannon, fetching swill for each of them.

All of his efforts in the last month were now at their end. They reached the final climax with her death.

Augustine released her limp form and laid her down to rest with her dead baby, and then he sighed because it had come too soon. He had been longing to talk to her, that's where this generally went. He wanted to get to know her a little before her inevitable death. Wanted to know who she was, what she thought, and what she thought of him. Perhaps he could've eased her sorrows for a time ... but then, of course, the lust for her blood would've gotten the better of him, and he'd have had to kill her. But still, this was basically a wasted month.

Amazon buy links:

Book Tour Blast: CRUSHING by Elena Dillon

noreply@blogger.com (Debra L Martin) — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Crushing

As a pampered and adored daughter of a wealthy Southern family Rory's life was seemingly perfect until her troubled childhood crush moves back in across the street forcing her to choose between him and the life that has been chosen for her. As if that isn't enough, her quiet island town has turned dangerous. A good friend has gone missing, lending truth to the rumors of a serial kidnapper. In her quest to help she becomes a target and will have to make choices about love, friendship and the inevitable sacrifice that they both require.

Elena Dillon’s blog /Twitter /Facebook /Google+ /Goodreads / Literary Addicts

Elena lives and writes in a suburb North of Los Angeles. She has never lived anywhere besides California which is probably a good thing since she hates being cold and is terrified to drive in the snow. She loves being a wife and a mother to her two kids and three dogs, although really the bulldog is the fourth child who has never matured beyond the toddler stage. A self proclaimed nerd, she has been writing since she was a child. She has only recently, however, come out of the closet about this to her family and friends. They now understand better, but not completely, why she talks about characters in stories as if they are real people.

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Review: PENELOPE by Anya Wylde

noreply@blogger.com (Debra L Martin) — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 12:00:00 +0000

4 of 5 stars

When country girl Penelope Fairweather is invited to attend the London Season by Dowager Radclyff, she has no idea that she'll have the adventure of her young life. No matter how hard Penelope tries to be a proper young lady, mishaps and madcap adventures follow her like a bad dream. She's managed to alienate the Dowager's son, Duke Charles Radclyff, within five minutes of meeting him and he does everything he can to send her back to Finnshire much against the protests of his mother and sister.

I picked up this book during a promotion and the description was so intriguing that I started reading it the same day. The author has such a unique voice and I absolutely loved the ups and downs of Penelope while she's in London. There were so many places that I was laughing out loud at the outrageous predicaments that Penelope finds herself in. Is the plot a tad ridiculous? Yes, it is, but that's what make it such a delightful read. The Regency Period was full of so many rules for young ladies and society decorum was an absolute must that it was fun to see that period written about in a light-hearted way. The book was so enjoyable I read it in one long sitting. Suspend your beliefs for a while and delve into the zany world of Penelope Fairweather. Recommended.

I loved the author's writing style so much that I immediately purchased her other book, The Wicked Wager.

Blog Tour: ANNE OF GREEN GABLES COLLECTION

noreply@blogger.com (Debra L Martin) — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Anne of Green Gables Collection

Cover links to Amazon

by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Doma Publishing presents to you The Anne of Green Gables Collection, which has been designed and formatted specifically for your Amazon Kindle. Unlike other e-book editions, the text and chapters are perfectly set up to match the layout and feel of a physical copy, rather than being haphazardly thrown together for a quick release.

This edition also comes with a linked Table of Contents for both the list of included books and their respective chapters. Navigation couldn't be easier.

Purchase this Anne of Green Gables Series and treat yourself to the following list of works featuring the lovable Anne Shirley and written by L. M. Montgomery:

Anne of Green Gables Series, Anne Shirley's age:

Anne of Green Gables, (1908), 11-16
Anne of Avonlea, (1909), 16-18
Anne of the Island, (1915), 18-22
Anne's House of Dreams, (1917), 25-27
Rainbow Valley, (1919), 41
Rilla of Ingleside, (1921), 49-53

Related books featuring Anne Shirley:

Chronicles of Avonlea (1912)
Further Chronicles of Avonlea (1920)

Poetry Collection:

The Watchman, and Other Poems

*BONUS other works by Lucy Maud Montgomery:

Kilmeny of the Orchard (1910)
The Story Girl (1911)
The Golden Road (1913)

Note: This Series is missing Anne of The Ingleside and Anne of Windy Poplars. Unfortunately, the rights for these two books aren't yet available for Kindle publishing. To make up for it, we also included Bonus Books of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, and Call of the Wild by Jack London. Enjoy!

Thank you for choosing Doma House Publishing. We look forward to creating many more affordable Kindle Classics for you to enjoy!

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Blog Tour Blast: ALL FOR HOPE by Olivia Harden

noreply@blogger.com (Debra L Martin) — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 06:00:00 +0000

All of Hope

To protect her heart, he left her behind. To protect her life, he’ll leave the life he's made behind. Sometimes the safest distance between two hearts is no distance at all…

Kidnapping a baby wasn’t something Hope ever dreamed she would do. But she’s been burned by the legal system before, so when the court places her friend’s child into the custody of an abuser, she takes matters into her own hands. She steals the baby and fakes her death, hoping to make a clean getaway. She planned every detail, except one. Her high school sweetheart and best friend, who left her years before, sees her at a gas station.

Hope thinks all is lost, until he offers to help them. Brennan had always been the love of Hope’s life, but he never wanted to be. She knows she cannot depend on him for long. However, as each day passes, it becomes painfully obvious that she is in way over her head. She goes with him, intending to keep him always an arm’s length away to protect her heart. But being on the run together sparks the old flames that once burned between Brennan and Hope. Families, friends, and lovers must band together to save an innocent baby and a daring woman or both of their lives will be destroyed. Together, they’ll do it All for Hope…

Purchase on Amazon / Barnes and Noble

About the Author – Olivia Hardin realized early on how strange she was to have complete movie-like character dreams as a child. Eventually she began putting those vivid dreams to paper and was rarely without her spiral notebooks full of those mental ramblings. Her forgotten vision of becoming an author was realized when she connected with a group of amazingly talented and fabulous writers who gave her lots of direction and encouragement. With a little extra push from family and friends, she hunkered down to get lost in the words. She’s also an insatiable crafter who only completes about 1 out of 5 projects, a jogger who hates to run, and is sometimes accused of being artistic, though she’s generally too much of a perfectionist to appreciate her own work. A native Texas girl, Olivia lives in the beautiful Lone Star state with her husband and their puppy Bonnie.

Connect with her Online - Blog * Goodreads * Twitter* Facebook * Literary Addicts

On Sale for the Tour! Only $1.99!

Follow the Tour

We are offering up 5 Swag packs (Water bottle & bookmark Open US) & a $25 Amazon GC (Open INT).

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Interview with Tracy Falbe

noreply@blogger.com (Debra L Martin) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?

In October 2012 I published my 8th novel Love Lost. It is the fourth and final book in the Rys Rising series. It’s a novel about conquest and calamity and loyalty. It draws together numerous characters from two civilizations led by two magical races the rys and the tabre. It’s a multiple point of view epic, and Love Lost finishes the weaving together of several story lines.

Have you ever had a minor character evolve into a major one? Did that change the direction of the novel at all?

After 8 novels I think I’ve had it happen more than once, but the example that is most vivid for me is Lieutenant Cevlead Fanlyre who first appears in Judgment Rising: The Rys Chronicles Book III. Honestly I only intended him to be a bit player. I needed an officer in charge of a military convoy, so I came up with Lieutenant Fanlyre. Then he started getting more lines and doing more things. And the next thing I know I have to give him a first name because he’s playing a pivotal role and becoming an ally of the hero. He even got his foot broken at one point. He’s a bit of a scene stealer. I guess he was meant to be. He didn’t change the direction of the novel. I always know where my story is headed, but I’m always open to all kinds of things happening along the way.

Did you try the traditional route to publishing, i.e. querying agents/publishers?

I started writing novels in 1997. After I had two manuscripts ready, I started looking for a publisher. I studied all the Writer’s Market books and queried every publisher and agent for my genre that I could find. I did this for four years from 2000 to 2004. It was to no avail. Back then everything was done with paper and agents and publishers would always say you had to include postage to send back your sample chapters or synopsis, but then no one would ever mail my materials back with the postage I included. I had this suspicion that agents and publishers had a big scheme to harvest postage from writers and then just use it for their own stuff. It was so frustrating and rude. I had originally planned to give myself 5 years to find a publisher before self-publishing, but I scrapped that after 4 years. I felt like querying agents was a waste of my time and I had to get on with being a novelist.

What factors influenced your decision to self-publish?

I had always wanted to start a business but did not know what to do, so making my love of writing novels into a business had a natural appeal for me. The number one biggest reason I had for self-publishing was the fact that it would allow me to reach readers with my fiction. Letting my manuscripts sit in boxes in the closet was simply not an option. When I started publishing I had written four novels and one nonfiction title. I couldn’t just let that keep piling up.

What is your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like silence?

I write while listening to music or I write in silence. I think music is a beneficial force for my writing, but I don’t always use it. Sometimes I can’t decide what to listen to, so instead of wasting time picking music, I just get to writing. When I’m editing I prefer silence.

Besides Amazon, are there any other sites where your books are for sale?

I sell at every outlet available to me. I sell my fiction at my own site Brave Luck Books because I was publishing before there was Kindle or Nook or Smashwords. Ebook retailers used to ban self published works, so I had few options in the beginning. Now my novels are available at:

Brave Luck Books

http://www.braveluck.com

Smashwords http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/braveluck

Amazon Kindle http://www.amazon.com/Tracy-Falbe/e/B002BLWI3S/

Barnes & Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/tracy-falbe

iTunes http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/tracy-falbe/id365797627?mt=11

Sony Reader Store http://ebookstore.sony.com/author/tracy-falbe_160285

Kobo http://www.kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=%22Tracy+Falbe%22&t=none&f=author&p=1&s=none&g=both

OmniLit http://www.omnilit.com/storeSearch.html?searchBy=author&qString=Tracy+Falbe

DriveThruFiction http://www.drivethrufiction.com/index.php?manufacturers_id=5363

What kinds of marketing are you involved with for promoting your books?

I do a mix of email marketing, blog touring, guest blogging, blogging, advertising, online news releases, and social media. My primary content marketing platform is my blog Her Ladyship’s Quest http://www.herladyshipsquest.com that automatically feeds into Google Plus, Facebook, and Twitter. And I’m always looking for other blogs where I can contribute content to promote myself.

Do you find it difficult to juggle your time between marketing your current book and writing your next book?

Sure, it’s difficult but not really in a bad way. Although I hope I’m a better novelist than marketer, I actually enjoy the marketing. I like guest blogging and coming up with concepts for my blog tours and networking with other authors. But I have to remember that I have to save my best energy for writing. Sometimes I think it would be nice if someone else could sell my work for me, but that’s not going to happen so I just try to enjoy everything about the business and learn from my mistakes.

Besides writing, do you have any other passions?

I’m really into growing food. I study a lot about permaculture and urban homesteading. I’ve planted ten fruit trees in my yard plus raspberries and grapes. I grow vegetables. Last year, even with the terrible drought, my garden still yielded over 300 pounds of food for my family. I’m really big into home canning and preserving food so we eat everything I grow. I’m a big supporter of local food. I have relationships with farmers in my area for poultry, pork, beef, eggs, and cheese. I like to know that the animals I consume were not tortured in a filthy factory farm and shot up with antibiotics and hormones. Also food is expensive, and this way I know my money is going to the grower.

What’s next for you?

Right now I’m very slowly investing in the recording of audiobooks. I don’t know that I’ll do every novel but Union of Renegades is completely recorded and for sale, and its sequel The Goddess Queen is well over halfway complete. I sell audio episodes of chapters as they’re finished to help pay the narrator. http://www.falbepublishing.com/braveluck/the-goddess-queen-audiobook.html

I’m also working on another novel, but I’m not ready to give out details yet.

Book Tour Blast: RIPPLE by E.L. Farris

noreply@blogger.com (Debra L Martin) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 06:00:00 +0000

Ripple

When high-powered attorney Helen Thompson discovers that her fifteen-year old daughter has been sexually assaulted, she takes drastic measures. Finding herself in trouble, Helen must relinquish control and put her faith in a process she knows to be flawed. As a team of lawyers, therapists and women from a safe house help Helen and Phoebe find hope and healing, a sociopath lurks, waiting for his moment to strike. A lyrical, dark fairytale that will resonate with fans of women's literature and psychological thrillers, RIPPLE delves into the nature of evil, without seeking to provide final answers to the issue of what makes a human commit evil acts. And while the author takes readers to scary places, she ultimately shines a light on the human condition and celebrates the triumph of the human spirit in the face of great tribulation.

Purchase on Kindle / Paperback

About:

Ex-lawyer E.L. Farris is a born-again, marathon-running married mother of three who resides in Northern Virginia. What else do you need to know about me? I talk a lot. I write a lot. I adore my husband. I adore my children. What else? Well, I run. I’ve been running since I turned 14. I started to run then and I’ve been running ever since. Whenever I stop running, I land in a lot of trouble. I ran through a childhood that could well be described as hell. I ran through major depressive episodes and often teetered one step from the edge of a breakdown. Through running, I held onto my sanity, my sobriety, my life and my belief in God. Each step I take, no matter how physically painful, draws me a shade closer into my better angels. And the steps have become painful over the years, which is how I earned the nickname Phoenix. Some mornings I feel like I’ve been run over by a bus and the truth is, I was. I survived a collision with a metro bus, and it’s fair to say that the accident messed me up. And yet I keep rising from the pyre of a burning fire and as I run I realize that as long as I hold the Holy Spirit inside me, my spirit will never die.

Follow - Blog /Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / GoodReads / Literary Addicts

Follow the Tour! Tour prize -

Autographed copy of Ripple, A Tale of Hope and Redemption

Autographed copy of I Run, A Novel

$25 Amazon gift certificate

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Book Tour Blast: UNFINISHED BUISNESS by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson

noreply@blogger.com (Debra L Martin) — Fri, 31 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Genre: Chic Lit, Paranormal

When Angela's mother Fran dies and comes back as a ghost, Angela's ordinary life turns into a carnival show, starring both Angela and her nosy, dead mother. It seems Fran's got some unfinished business on earth and she's determined to get it done, no matter what. When Fran returned, she reignited her daughter's long suppressed psychic gift, one she neglected to mention to Angela, and now Angela sees ghosts everywhere. And they won't leave her alone. Fran can't help but stick her transparent nose where it doesn't belong, making Angela's life even crazier. Now Angela has to find a way to keep her old life in tact and help the dead with their unfinished business, all while trying to keep her dead mother out of trouble. And it's a lot for one woman to handle.

Purchase Unfinished Business: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

About the Author

Carolyn Ridder Aspenson is a freelance writer based in Cumming, GA. She lives with her husband and three children, two dogs and one cat. Carolyn doesn't see ghosts, but swears she'd be okay with it, as long as it was only during daylight hours.

Follow the author: Website | Facebook | Twitter

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Review: SHADOW OF NIGHT by Deborah Harkness

noreply@blogger.com (Debra L Martin) — Thu, 30 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

4 of 5 stars

In this second book of the All Souls Trilogy, Matthew and Diana travel back in time to 1590 in the hopes of finding a teacher who can unlock the secret of Diana's magic and to find the elusive Ashmole 782 manuscript. Trying to pass as an Elizabethan woman proves challenging for Diana and she begins to attract unwanted attention. Matthew is more than a mere noble during this time and he finds it a challenge to balance his responsibilities to family, friends and the crown.

This book was a pleasant surprise especially as I thought the first book was disappointing. The story moved along nicely as the author wove in historical events. I do think that it was a bit much that Matthew was friends or knew every major figure of the time. There was a lot of history included and that may turn off some readers who are not enamored with the Elizabethan period. I enjoyed the romance between Matthew and Diana as they learned how to navigate the joys and pitfalls of marriage. Of all the characters, I absolutely loved the old witch Goody Alsop and Matthew's nephew Gallowglass. They both added much to the story line.

As this is a trilogy, this second book ends on a cliffhanger with many major story lines yet to wrap up. I hope it's not too long before the final volume is published. I'm looking forward to what hopes to be an exciting conclusion to this story.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Top Pinterest Boards to Create to Promote Yourself and Your Books

noreply@blogger.com (Debra L Martin) — Wed, 29 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Pinterest isn't just for arts and crafts. Many businesses are finding ways to use the social media juggernaut to promote their brand and their products. Through the boards they create and the pins they share, there are limitless possibilities for getting their brand out there and in front of a large audience.

As a writer, you can also use the site to promote yourself and your books. There are many creative ways you can use the site, depending on the kinds of books you write and the kind of audience you want to reach. Here are a few ideas for some of the top Pinterest boards you can create to promote yourself and your books:

Book Catalogue

If you have several published books under your belt, you can create a virtual book shelf by creating a Pinterest board dedicated to them. Be sure to include keyword-rich descriptions under each book title and to include an updated link to where it can be purchased on Amazon or another online marketplace. Also, if several versions of your book have been printed, be sure to select the most attractive and compelling cover. Pinterest is a visual medium, after all, so the most eye-catching photo will get the most views.

Character Boards

This is where you can really have some fun. Create boards for each of your favorite characters or for your main characters. For each board, choose pins that reflect what you think are the characters' favorite foods, music, movies, books, colors, places to visit and so on. Pin photos of hobbies, interests, career aspirations and anything else you can think of that your character would like. The more you can add to the board, the more interesting and three-dimensional you will make your characters, helping readers to feel more connected to them.

Settings and Places from Novels

A picture is worth 1,000 words. Sometimes, no matter how well you describe a place, readers just won't be able to see it in their minds the same way you see it. Bring the settings and places from your novels to life with Pinterest boards. If they are real places -- like a small village in Italy or a quirky neighborhood in San Francisco -- this should be very easy to do. If they are imagined places, you can find pictures that most closely resemble what you had in mind.

Inspiration

When you are writing, you take inspiration from all kinds of places. Share that inspiration with your readers. Show them the photos of the places, the art work, and the things that inspired you. Share pictures of the musicians whose work you listened to while you were writing. Share pictures of the authors who inspire you. Share pictures of the people who inspired your characters. Not only will you give readers a deeper appreciation of your work, but you'll also create a board that you can refer to again and again for inspiration for future projects.

Book Readings and Events

Help readers learn about all the latest readings and other events that you will attend. Creating pins linking to readings on your tour or to other appearances that you will make. Make sure that the board is updated and that the links are all active.

There are many more ways that you can promote yourself and your books on Pinterest with just a little creativity. Try some of these great ideas for Pinterest boards or come up with your own unique boards that best reflect the tone and style of your book (or books).

What boards have you created on Pinterest to promote your books? Share your best ideas in the comments!

Bio:

Amber Satka writes on financial topics, such as her look into car rebate offers. Amber is a former office manager and current mother and writer.

A Conversation with DEBORAH HARKNESS & Paperback Release of SHADOW OF NIGHT

noreply@blogger.com (Debra L Martin) — Tue, 28 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Q: A Discovery of Witches debuted at # 2 on the New York Times bestseller list with publications following in 37 countries. What has been your reaction to the outpouring of love for A Discovery of Witches? Was it surprising how taken fans were with Diana and Matthew’s story?

A. It has been amazing—and a bit overwhelming. I was surprised by how quickly readers embraced two central characters who challenge our typical notion of what a heroine or hero should be. And I continue to be amazed whenever a new reader pops up, whether one in the US or somewhere like Finland or Japan—to tell me how much they enjoyed being caught up in Diana’s world.

Q: Last summer, Warner Brothers acquired screen rights to the trilogy, and David Auburn, the Pulitzer-Prize-winning writer of Proof, has been tapped to pen the screenplay. Are you looking forward to your novels being portrayed on the big screen? What are your favorite casting ideas that you’ve heard from friends and readers?

A. I was thrilled when Warner Brothers wanted to translate the All Souls trilogy from book to screen. At first I was reluctant about the whole idea of a movie, and it actually took me nearly two years to agree to let someone try. The team at Warner Brothers impressed me with their seriousness about the project and their commitment to the characters and story I was trying to tell. Their decision to go with David Auburn confirmed that my faith in them was not misplaced. As for the casting, I deliberately don’t say anything about that! I would hate for any actor or actress to be cast in one of these roles and feel that they didn’t have my total support. I will say, however, that many of my readers’ ideas involve actors who have already played a vampire and I would be very surprised if one of them were asked to be Matthew!

Q: SHADOW OF NIGHT opens on a scene in 1590s Elizabethan England featuring the famous School of Night, a group of historical figures believed to be friends, including Sir Walter Raleigh and playwright Christopher Marlowe. Why did you choose to feature these individuals, and can we expect Diana and Matthew to meet other famous figures from the past?

A. I wrote my master’s thesis on the imagery surrounding Elizabeth I during the last two decades of her reign. One of my main sources was the poem The Shadow of Night by George Chapman—a member of this circle of fascinating men—and that work is dedicated to a mysterious poet named Matthew Roydon about whom we know very little. When I was first thinking about how vampires moved in the world (and this was way back in the autumn of 2008 when I was just beginning A Discovery of Witches) I remembered Roydon and thought “that is the kind of identity a vampire would have, surrounded by interesting people but not the center of the action.” From that moment on I knew the second part of Diana and Matthew’s story would take place among the School of Night. And from a character standpoint, Walter Raleigh, Christopher Marlowe, George Chapman, and the other men associated with the group are irresistible. They were such significant, colorful presences in Elizabethan England.

Q: In SHADOW OF NIGHT, we learn more about the alchemical bonds between Diana and Matthew. In your day job, you are a professor of history and science at the University of Southern California and have focused on alchemy in your research. What aspects of this intersection between science and magic do you hope readers will pick up on while reading SHADOW OF NIGHT?

A. Whereas A Discovery of Witches focused on the literature and symbolism of alchemy, in Shadow of Night I’m able to explore some of the hands-on aspects of this ancient tradition. There is still plenty of symbolism for Diana to think about, but in this volume we go from abstractions and ideals to real transformation and change—which was always my intention with the series. Just as we get to know more about how Elizabethan men and women undertook alchemical experiments, we also get to see Matthew and Diana’s relationship undergo the metamorphosis from new love to something more.

Q: SHADOW OF NIGHT spans the globe, with London, France, and Prague as some of the locales. Did you travel to these destinations for your research?

A. I did. My historical research has been based in London for some time now, so I’ve spent long stretches of time living in the City of London—the oldest part of the metropolis—but I had never been to the Auvergne or Prague. I visited both places while writing the book, and in both cases it was a bit like traveling in time to walk village lanes, old pilgrim roads, and twisting city streets while imagining Diana and Matthew at my side.

Q: Did you have an idea or an outline for SHADOW OF NIGHT when you were writing A Discovery of Witches? Did the direction change once you sat down to write it?

A. I didn’t outline either book in the traditional sense. In both cases I knew what some of the high points were and how the plot moved towards the conclusion, but there were some significant changes during the revision process. This was especially true for SHADOW OF NIGHT, although most of those changes involved moving specific pieces of the plot forward or back to improve the momentum and flow.

Q: A Discovery of Witches begins with Diana Bishop stumbling across a lost, enchanted manuscript called Ashmole 782 in Oxford’s Bodleian Library, whose secrets Diana and Matthew are still trying to uncover in SHADOW OF NIGHT. You had a similar experience while you were completing your dissertation. What was the story behind your discovery? And how did it inspire the creation of these novels?

A. I did discover a manuscript—not an enchanted one, alas—in the Bodleian Library. It was a manuscript owned by Queen Elizabeth’s astrologer, the mathematician and alchemist John Dee. In the 1570s and 1580s he became interested in using a crystal ball to talk to angels. The angels gave him all kinds of instructions on how to manage his life at home, his work—they even told him to pack up his family and belongings and go to far-away Poland and Prague. In the conversations, Dee asked the angels about a mysterious book in his library called “the Book of Soyga” or “Aldaraia.” No one had ever been able to find it, even though many of Dee’s other books survive in libraries throughout the world. In the summer of 1994 I was spending time in Oxford between finishing my doctorate and starting my first job. It was a wonderfully creative time, since I had no deadlines to worry about and my dissertation on Dee’s angel conversations was complete. As with most discoveries, this discovery of a “lost” manuscript was entirely accidental. I was looking for something else in the Bodleian’s catalogue and in the upper corner of the page was a reference to a book called “Aldaraia.” I knew it couldn’t be Dee’s book, but I called it up anyway. And it turned out it WAS the book (or at least a copy of it). With the help of the Bodleian’s Keeper of Rare Books, I located another copy in the British Library.

Q: Are there other lost books like this in the world?

A. Absolutely! Entire books have been written about famous lost volumes—including works by Plato, Aristotle, and Shakespeare to name just a few. Libraries are full of such treasures, some of them unrecognized and others simply misfiled or mislabeled. And we find lost books outside of libraries, too. In January 2006, a completely unknown manuscript belonging to one of the 17^th century’s most prominent scientists, Robert Hooke, was discovered when someone was having the contents of their house valued for auction. The manuscript included minutes of early Royal Society meetings that we presumed were lost forever.

Q: Unlike Twilight’s Bella and Edward—hormonal teenagers who meet in the halls of a high school—your leading characters Matthew and Diana are established academics who meet in the library of one of the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. This is a world where vampires and witches drink wine together, practice yoga and discuss philosophy. Are these characters based on something you found missing in the fantasy genre?

A. There are a lot of adults reading young adult books, and for good reason. Authors who specialize in the young adult market are writing original, compelling stories that can make even the most cynical grownups believe in magic. In writing A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES, I wanted to give adult readers a world no less magical, no less surprising and delightful, but one that included grown-up concerns and activities. These are not your children’s vampires and witches.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

noreply@blogger.com (Debra L Martin) — Sat, 25 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May. It was formally known as Decoration Day and commemorates all men and women, who have died in military service for the United States. Many people visit cemeteries and memorials on Memorial Day and it is traditionally seen as the start of the summer season.

Memorial Day started as an event to honor Union soldiers, who had died during the American Civil War. It was inspired by the way people in the Southern states honored their dead. After World War I, it was extended to include all men and women, who died in any war or military action.

The current name for this day did not come into use until after World War II. Decoration Day and then Memorial Day used to be held on May 30, regardless of the day of the week, on which it fell. In 1968, the Uniform Holidays Bill was passed as part of a move to use federal holidays to create three-day weekends. This meant that that, from 1971, Memorial Day holiday has been officially observed on the last Monday in May. However, it took a longer period for all American states to recognize the new date.

Whatever you decide to do on this 3-day weekend, say a prayer and a "thank you" for all of the US military personnel who are serving around the world to keep us safe.

New #Fantasy Release: BIRTHRIGHT OF BLOOD by Daniel Arenson

noreply@blogger.com (Debra L Martin) — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:30:00 +0000

Book blurb:
The Dragon War, the fantasy trilogy beginning with A Legacy of Light, continues with a tale of blood, shadow, and dragonfire.

BOOK TWO: A BIRTHRIGHT OF BLOOD

Civil war rages. Brothers fight against sisters, friends against friends, sons against fathers. Requiem, an ancient kingdom whose people can become dragons, is tearing apart.

The Cadigus family, usurpers of the throne, muster their greatest army yet. The Resistance, a small band of rebels, seeks new allies and new hope. For years, these two forces have fought in shadowy forests, forgotten ruins, and dark alleys. Now they fly to open war. The kingdom bleeds. The sky rains fire. The crows feast.

Heir to the fallen dynasty, Rune was thrust into the uprising. He bears the torch of Requiem, a birthright of blood and fire. Yet when the hosts of Cadigus fly against him, an army that outnumbers his own ten to one, can Rune save the land of his fathers?

Buy links:
BN: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-birthright-of-blood-daniel-arenson/1115399755

KOBO: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/A-Birthright-of-Blood/book-0sOxXkVW6UOTdOrz9fzCPA/page1.html?s=SnpXuHQyqEGQGiC4FuEg1w&r=1

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Book Tour Blast: LEGEND OF AMUN RA: THE EMERALD TABLET by Joshua Silverman

noreply@blogger.com (Debra L Martin) — Fri, 24 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Genre: Sci-Fi, Fantasy

Leoros doesn't have many friends. The son of a scientist and archeologist, he is constantly on the move. But when his parents make a startling discovery in Egypt, Leoros' world is turned upside down. Do you wish you could have the power of a god? Would you use it for good…or for evil?

When an archaeologist discovers the mythic Emerald Tablet buried beneath Egypt’s desert, her son decodes the ancient text leading him to a distant world. On that world, a slave girl begins a journey towards a destiny she cannot imagine. But when an ancient foe rises from the ashes, they will be brought together by forces neither understands.

Leoros, who dreams of being like the heroes in the comic books, must fight to unlock the secrets of the universe to save a people he never knew existed. Atlantia, whose bloody visions wake her in the night, senses the darkness coming. Together they will face an enemy with the power of dark energy, lose a mentor to the assassin’s blade, and be betrayed by someone they trust. Their fight for the future is just beginning, and before it is over, a final sacrifice must be made. When the darkness comes, will they stand and fight or will they join it? There is darkness in everyone.

Purchase the book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About Joshua Silverman

Joshua Silverman was born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Orange County, California. While attending California State University, Fullerton and studying Criminal Justice, Joshua was introduced to a creative writing class where he wrote a series of paranormal stories. As a child, he has always been an amateur historian, focusing on ancient Egypt, Greece, and Roman civilizations. Since working in the legal environment, he has combined his passion for creative writing with his love of ancient history by penning his debut novel, The Emerald Tablet, the first of seven in the Legends of Amun Ra series.

Follow Joshua Silverman: Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

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Review: VIRTUE OF A GOVERNESS by Anne Brear

noreply@blogger.com (Debra L Martin) — Thu, 23 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

4 of 5 stars

With the death of her parents, English governess Nicola Douglas finds herself alone with no prospects. She makes the decision to start anew in the distant of Australia, but what she finds is that there are far too many young women with the same dream for the scant few jobs available. Her life takes a unexpected turn when she meets wealthy benefactor, Mr. Belfroy. He offers her safe haven and eventually a job managing the women's shelter for those in need. Determined to be the master of her own destiny, she puts all of her efforts into making The Governess Home a success. To complicate her life further, she meets wealthy Nathaniel West and as much as she would like to ignore the arrogant and frustrating young man, her attraction to him grows, but will she abandon her the much needed work for her own happiness?

The character of Nicola Douglas is well-developed and speaks to the plight of young women of the 1860s without family or benefactors to protect them. It was a cruel world and I could feel her desperation and dogged determination to make a life for herself in spite of all odds against her. My favorite character was her friend Meg, a carefree spirit, who adds worry and unexpected joy to Nicola's life. I am a fan of Ms. Brear who does a great job of spinning a story that is captivating that will keep readers intrigued and turning the pages to find out the fate of Miss Nicola Douglas. Fans of historical romance will find this a delightful story of duty, compassion, joy and love. Recommended.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Review: DISCOVERY OF WITCHES by Deborah Harkness

noreply@blogger.com (Debra L Martin) — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

3 of 5 stars

I've heard a lot of hype about this book and I was excited to finally read it. It starts out very well. I liked that Diana Bishop was a strong independent woman with a stellar academic career. Preferring to live her life without using her magic, Diana is confident that all her accomplishments have been achieved on her own. She's in Oxford doing research when she crosses paths with vampire Matthew Clairmont and that's when she starts to change. Her long repressed magic starts to show itself and not in a good way.

This book meanders for 600 pages and that's the problem. It could easily be half that length and it would have been a page-turner. As it is, there are so many paragraphs devoted to her eating and drinking tea. I get it, she likes to eat and drink tea. I don't need to be told endless times. I was very disappointed to see Diana go from a strong independent woman to a weak-willed simpering witch who follows Matthew's every command. Beside that, my biggest complaint is that there is NO conclusion to any of the issues raised in the book. It ends on a cliff-hanger and if you want to know what happens next, you'll have to buy book 2. I understand ending books on a cliff hanger, but that's usually after the author has resolved some of the issues in the book. Ms. Harkness chose not to do that.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Interview with V.R. Janis

noreply@blogger.com (Debra L Martin) — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?

The most recent published book is Hidden Conflicts which is the final book in the Hidden Magic Trilogy. The trilogy is about a young elf maiden who lives in the world as it is right now and she is fighting for the people and beliefs she has. It is a unique blend of Ojibwe culture/language and fantasy.

What is your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like silence?

I love listening to instrumental music such as flute, Lindsey Stirling (violin), classical and movie film scores. Sometimes the songs can help the scenes come alive.

Do you outline your story or just go where your muse takes you?

I outline what I want to happen in each chapter and then I let my characters create their own world. Sometimes it goes the way I want it to and sometimes it goes off in a whole other direction. When a scene is developing and I leave it, sometimes I will have a dream or a flash of inspiration and then the scene explodes.

What have you’ve learned during your self-publishing journey?

I have learned that you have to have courage and motivation. I also have learned the benefit to research (google) and that no feat is too small to celebrate.

Besides Amazon, are there any other sites where your books are for sale?

My books can be found on Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, and www.etsy.com/shop/OjibweWonders

What kinds of marketing [twitter, facebook, blog, forums] are you involved with for promoting your book(s)?

I do twitter, facebook, LinkedIn, Goodreads, I am part of Yahoo groups, forums, I have a blog www.janisvr.blogspot.com and never underestimate the power of word of mouth, I pass out business cards, I do presentations, book signings and talks to classes. I look for new experiences and connections on a daily basis.

Do you find it difficult to juggle your time between marketing your current book and writing your next book?

I do find it difficult to juggle marketing and writing, however I have created a schedule for myself and that has helped greatly. I do a little of everything, everyday and then I do not get stressed that something did not get accomplished.

What advice would you give a new author just entering into the self-publishing arena?

Research everything before agreeing to anything, remember Google is your friend. Try - because your failure will be in giving up. One last thing - take the criticism and use it to make your writing better, but take it to your heart.

Besides writing, do you have any other passions?

I am a Fine Art Photographer, a Conservation Biologist, and I am passionate about my Native American culture and language.

What’s next for you?

I am in the process of editing an entire series and I am writing a dystopia. I have at least twenty new book ideas and do not plan on slowing down any time soon.

I just wanted to say thank you for the opportunity to do the interview and I enjoyed answering the questions.

Book Tour Blast: SPRING'S SURPRISE by Cynthia Gail

noreply@blogger.com (Debra L Martin) — Sat, 18 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Spring's Surprise

Sara Michaels is single again. And she’s celebrating her thirtieth birthday with a complete spa makeover and a day of boutique shopping with her two best friends. After a ten-month battle for freedom, a long weekend in Nashville, Tennessee is just what she needs to erase the memories of a broken heart. Jack Tanner is the soon-to-be new partner at Chester & Dorsey Development Firm. Jack’s love life has been on the back burner for years as he’s built a successful career. But the moment he meets Sara, he takes a hard look at his life and his priorities. Sara steps out of her comfort zone and spends an unforgettable weekend with Jack. She’s never felt so carefree. Until she realizes too late that three days can change everything

On Sale May 15, 2013 http://amzn.to/14s5pRx

Winter's Magic Owner of La Bella Vita, a five-star day spa nestled in the affluent suburbs of Nashville, Tennessee, Beth Sergeant knows her elite clientele first hand. She attended their private schools. She was even engaged, although briefly, to one of their most recognized bachelors. But she never fit in to their social-elite world. After losing his parents to a car accident at a young age, Nick Chester was raised by his grandfather, the wealthiest man in Nashville. When he chooses to socialize, he has a never-ending list of exclusive events and beautiful women vying for his attention. Yet he never lets himself forget that everyone has an agenda. Beth can’t resist Nick’s charm and accepts an invitation to dinner, despite her deep-seated insecurities. She proves she’s nothing like other women he’s dated and learns to trust him in return. But just as the last of their resistance crumbles and true love is within reach, challenges from Nick’s past threaten to destroy everything and force Beth to reveal her most guarded secret.

Available Now Through: Amazon Barnes & Noble Soul Mate Publishing

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