Published Bestsellers

'Whittington Manor' by Claire Louise Voet is a finalist in 'The People's Book Prize' Spring 2013 Collection.

2013-05-22T08:52:00.000+01:00

A big thank you to everyone who voted for 'Whittington Manor'.

The finalists will compete again. Further voting will take place between 21st to 29th May 2013 when the public will be asked to vote again for the 12 finalists in each category to determine the winner of that category’s People’s Book Prize 2012/13. The winners will then be announced at the 4th Award Ceremony on 29th May 2013.

Cast your vote for 'Whittington Manor'
TPBP Link for 'Whittington Manor'

The People's Book Prize is the unique democratic Book Prize voted exclusively by the public so it is the public who choose Britain's Next Bestsellers. Its goals are to discover new and unknown works, eradicate illiteracy and support reading uniting the community as a whole.

Supported by Patron Frederick Forsyth CBE the Award consists of prizes in three genres – fiction, non-fiction and children’s literature, The Beryl Bainbridge Award for First Time Author in honour of TPBP founding patron and as last year’s the Award for Best Achievement.

Claire Voet is the author of Whittington Manor. Claire's latest book - 'The Other Daddy - A World Away' is due out in Summer 2013.

We wish Claire Voet the very best with this competition.

Historical saga that’s even stranger than fiction

2013-05-09T14:00:00.000+01:00

Dudgeon’s Bridge

By Adrian L. Youseman

The 17th century Civil War split families and towns, killing by proportion more English men than WW1 and WW2 combined. The history we take for granted is littered with the prejudices of originating scholars and the editing of the victors from any given age. History has polished its account to let us believe that somehow it was the birth of our democratic nation, but this was no rite.
Dudgeon’s Bridge takes you through these times.
A boy is born into a town beset by the worst of these troubles and must struggle to make his mark, whilst trying to look after his family. This is the account that’s waiting to be told, for the monstrosity of war creates its children and just like so many of them, the truth is so often the first to be orphaned! ...Find out more

The Author
Adrian Youseman was born in Swanscombe, a place best known for stopping William the Conqueror and asking some polite questions.
‘How do you get time to write?’ was a question posed by his friends when they found out his naughty secret. At first he assured them that his principle aim was to write for himself, so he makes the time, but even he has to question how it happens when expanding on his life. Besides his adoring wife and family he has been a school governor twice, borough councillor and all the while still running an engineering business. Living in a listed building also requires untold hours of restoration work, but he still makes time for tennis and church duties.
Dudgeon’s Bridge, his second book takes a look at some of our convenient 17th century history and rewrites it.
Adrian is available for interviews and talks.

“An intriguing historical saga–even stranger than fiction”

…publishedbestsellers.com

Genre: Fiction: Fiction: Historical

Paperback ISBN: 9781782283010
Publication Date: 20 June 2013
Edition/Format: 1st/Paperback and eBook
Book Size: 210 x 148 mm, 214pp

Sales and Distribution: Spring Leaf Books
Landline: +44(0)1322 377445 | Mobile: +44(0)7944 352237
E: orders@springleafbooks.com | E: sales@pneumasprings.co.uk

Book Savvy Spotlight on Natalie Mason

2013-05-07T14:00:00.000+01:00

Bringing you exclusive interviews with authors featured in the Book Savvy Newsletter.

Our Guest is Natalie Mason*

Enjoy the interview.

Q1. Can you tell us a little about yourself and your book 'Poems and Rhymes for all Times?
I am 35 years old and live in Stockport with my husband and two children.
I have enjoyed a variety of jobs over the years including being a sports coach in schools. I currently work as a beauty therapist. I find this works well with my writing and I can enjoy them both.
My book is a collection of poems touching on various aspects of life. It is about life and its various stages in general - there are a wide range of poems that all can relate to.

Q2. What provided the inspiration for you to write this book?
I have written poems for my family from a young age; however it was never my intention to write a book at first. I got my inspiration for writing through daily life. Also I am quite sensitive to what others are going through and this inspires me to write.

Q3. At what times in your life have you had ideas for a poem or found yourself writing most frequently?
I found myself writing more after my grandparents passed away. Once I stared, I couldn't stop. It was then that I realised my poems were turning into a book of poems. I found myself writing most frequently at night, I would wake up quite often during the night with a string of words that I just had to write down - otherwise I couldn't get back to sleep.

Q4. How has poetry helped you to inspire others?
Poems are naturally inspiring and I feel it is a good way to release emotions and lift spirits. People can relate the poems to their own lives and hopefully be encouraged.

Q5. How has poetry helped you in life?
Poetry has helped me to view life in a positive way and helped me never to take things for granted. Poetry has also aided my reading because I was never interested in reading at school, but I was able to read poetry because poems are usually short and enjoyable without having to remember characters or a plot.

Q6. What was the most challenging thing about writing this book?
The most challenging thing about writing my book was arranging the poems and getting the them to flow seamlessly when being read. This meant a lot of moving verses around, sometimes adding or taking words away.

Q7. What are your interests when you are not writing?
I love spending time with my family. I love to walk. I try to support the charity NSPCC by joining in with fund raising events. I also really enjoy my most recent job as a beauty therapist.

Q8. Describe how you felt when you first saw a copy of your published book?
I was very excited when I first saw a copy of my book. I got a bit emotional the first time I read it. Then I had moments when I questioned if I did write it, as if I didn't know where some of the words had come from.

Q9. What is the first thing you did to promote your book immediately after it was published and what are you currently doing to promote your book?
The first thing I did to promote my book was to put it on face book. This way all of my friends and family could pass it on. I am currently emailing various outlets and where possible I try to go into places with a copy of my book to show them.

Q10. If you had to pick just one book marketing tool that you've used to promote your book, which would you say has been the most effective?
I have found the most effective marketing tool to be myself. If I go to places in person and show my book I seem to get more feedback.

Q11. Do you do more promoting online or offline and which do you prefer?
I market my book online however I much prefer marketing it offline as I can see my results straight away.

Q12. Who will this book appeal to, what is its target audience?
My book will appeal to a large audience as there is something in it for all age groups. It is also easy to read and makes an ideal gift.

Q13. What would you like readers to get out of your book?
I would like my readers to get comfort, encouragement and inspiration from my book. My aim is for people to be more thoughtful before they judge and to show more respect for others.

Q14. Are you concerned about the effect of e-publishing on traditional books?
I am a little concerned about the effect of e-books on traditional books as I don't feel an author gets much credit for all of the hard work that goes into writing from an e-book when compared to a printed book.

Q15. What kinds of feedback have you received from your readers?
I have had really positive feedback from my readers. Most of whom have told me they have shed a tear whilst reading certain poems but then laughed as they read others. Some of my readers keep referring back to the book depending on what is happening in their life at the time.

Q16. What have you been up to since your book has been published, and what do you have in mind for the future?
I am continuing to find new ways to promote my book. I am currently building a gift card collection with some of my poems for special occasions. They are also going into outlets with my book. I have had a few ideas for a second book. I keep a note book by my bed...

Q17. What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Don't force ideas or rush what you are writing. The best writing comes when you least expect it. Inspiration will come to you and you will know the time is right.

Thank you for your time. We wish you every success in your writing career.

Paperback | Waterstones | Amazon UK

*Natalie Mason lives in Stockport, Manchester with her husband and two daughters. She's written poetry from an early age for special occasions.
Natalie is available for interviews and to write feature articles as well as web chats and guest blogs.

Sign-up for Book Savvy Newsletter**

Vi ew Previous Editions of Book Savvy Newsletter

Are you an author and would like to be featured in our interview column on this site? Contact us for further information:
Booksdirect@publishedbestsellers.co.uk

**Book Savvy is an e-newsletter of Pneuma Springs Publishing, featuring news and information about all published books and new releases with highlights about the authors behind the books. Look out also for helpful resources e.g. blogs, book reviews and of course, discounts, special offers etc.

Murder mystery on the Scottish Borders

2013-05-02T14:00:00.000+01:00

The Laird of Castle Ballantine

By Harry Riley

...a strange and deadly mystery

It is 1964, Leonard McFadden - a brash, young cockney reporter for a national newspaper is dispatched by his editor to the Scottish Borders, to follow up on the strange case of Doctor James Parker. Along with a party of other journalists he attends a midnight vigil in a rain-sodden churchyard by the River Tweed.
Returning to the graveside in the early morning sunlight and suffering from a queasy stomach – the editor's golden boy, young reporter Leonard McFadden, staggers and grasps a tombstone for support, and plunges headlong into a strange and deadly mystery that fate has diabolically thrust across his path.

The AuthorHarry Riley was born in Nottingham England, attended John Player School and later - Nottm. Art College. Served four years in South Notts Hussars. Married with two grown up children.
Now retired, after spending working life in commercial printing, from apprentice to director. He stood as Lib-Dem candidate for local council and took up creative writing: novels: short stories and poetry (joining two writing groups.)
Published work: Two mystery novels and two collections of short mystery stories. Another collection of short stories now ready for publication. He writes a monthly column for local newspaper and is involved with four community groups. As a founder member of Eastwood Booktown Development Group he is very active on the Internet, with facebook: Twitter, YouTube and own website: http://www.spanglefish.com/lifeariley/ Harry has broadcast 50 ‘Thought for the Day’ scripts for BBC Radio Nottingham and is always pleased to do interviews and give talks whenever possible....Find out more

“A paranormal mystery thriller
spiked with many surprising twists”

…publishedbestsellers.com

Genre: Fiction: Mystery / Suspense / Paranormal

Paperback ISBN: 9781782282679
Publication Date: 30 May 2013
Edition/Format: 1st/Paperback and eBook
Book Size: 210 x 148 mm, 184pp

Sales and Distribution: Spring Leaf Books
Landline: +44(0)1322 377445 | Mobile: +44(0)7944 352237
E: orders@springleafbooks.com | E: sales@pneumasprings.co.uk

A breathtaking paranormal page-turner

2013-04-30T15:00:00.000+01:00

The Other Daddy

By Claire Voet

A World Away

Two teenage girls have mysteriously disappeared from the small Scottish Orkney island of Eday. Eight years later in Cambridgeshire, seven year old Callum is trying to cope with his parents’ separation. He is behaving strangely – talking about his other daddy and a new friend - Jeremy. But who are they? and what is the link between Callum and Eday? Is this just a case of a little boy with emotional problems or is this something more sinister?
“…The Other Daddy – A World Away”… FANTASTIC… it takes my breath away. This one, like the last one, will make an excellent film!
Review by Pat Jay, Heart FM Spain Radio

A refreshingly original idea! The back and forth movement between the past and present, Scotland and England, maintains the rhythm and tension. Great to read something different. Well recommended.Review by author Simon Hugh Wheeler

The Author Claire Louise Voet was born in Gosport across the shores of Portsmouth Harbour. As a child she grew up in Portchester, Hampshire. At the age of seventeen she moved to southern Spain with her parents. After a few years of travelling, she settled down in Spain again where she still resides with her husband and three children. Claire has a varied working background ranging from the holiday industry, sales, advertising and teaching English as a foreign language.
Claire’s first novel “Whittington Manor” was published in December 2010 through Pneuma Springs. Whittington Manor has been written as a screenplay and is waiting to be commissioned. The story has also been nominated for the Peoples’ Book Prize Competition 2013. Claire’s second novel “The Ghost of Bluebell Cottage” was published in August 2011, and her third novel “The Other Daddy - A World Way” in June 2013.
...Find out more

“A tightly sprung paranormal thriller
-you’ll be hooked from start to finish”

…publishedbestsellers.com

Genre: Fiction: Thriller/ Supernatural/ Paranormal

Paperback ISBN: 9781782283003
Publication Date: 20 June 2013
Edition/Format: 1st/Paperback and eBook
Book Size: 210 x 148 mm, 208pp

Sales and Distribution: Spring Leaf Books
Landline: +44(0)1322 377445 | Mobile: +44(0)7944 352237
E: orders@springleafbooks.com | E: sales@pneumasprings.co.uk

New & Bestselling Children’s books from £2.50

2013-04-26T10:00:00.000+01:00

17th Murder Mystery from the Master of Intrigue

2013-04-25T14:00:00.000+01:00

Over and Doubt

By Julius Falconer

...Gracious English, dry wit, learned asides, well-researched background

– all the Falconer hallmarks are here.

Fancy a bit of political theory mixed up with your murder? a group of Danish students with daring plans for a new world order? a scam involving some missing music scores? wolf-ravens in Scandinavian folklore? Then this is the book for you!
The wife of a London modernist composer, unhappy in her marriage, seeks fresh interests at Copenhagen University, she gets involved in a student movement and meets a brutal death. The investigation uncovers some dubious characters and a confusing web of possibilities, but DI Wickfield is equal to the challenge – just! …

The Author
Member of an ancient but completely undistinguished York family, by chance born and brought up in the Midlands, Julius Falconer studied abroad before working as a translator back in the UK. Thinking that he could earn more as a teacher, to fund his extravagant life-style, he took a PGCE at Leeds University and duly turned to teaching. He slaved away at the chalk-face for twenty-six stirring years in both Cornwall and Scotland before retiring to grow cabbages in Yorkshire, where he still lives – when he’s not occupying a remote cottage in central France. His wife of thirty-three years unfortunately died in 2000. He has one daughter, married. In 2008, looking to fill his new-found leisure profitably(?), he started to write detective novels and is still happily scribbling away eighteen books later. Go to www.juliusfalconer.com for further exciting details.
....Find out more

“Erudite, witty and superbly crafted,
murder mystery from the master of the genre”

…publishedbestsellers.com

Genre: Fiction: Fiction: Crime and mystery

Paperback ISBN: 9781782282990
Publication Date: 06 June 2013
Edition/Format: 1st/Paperback and eBook
Book Size: 210 x 148 mm, 168pp

Sales and Distribution: Spring Leaf Books
Landline: +44(0)1322 377445 | Mobile: +44(0)7944 352237
E: orders@springleafbooks.com | E: sales@pneumasprings.co.uk

Popular Paperbacks. At least 30% off on thousands of paperbacks

2013-04-24T10:00:00.000+01:00

Think Smart. Bestselling books to broaden the mind with up to 40% off

2013-04-23T21:45:00.002+01:00

The Precarious Career of a Games Inventor

2013-04-23T14:00:00.000+01:00

Once Upon a Game

By Michael Kindred

...my precarious career as a games inventor

How do you get an idea for a game? What’s involved in developing it and making an initial prototype? How important is play-testing, and whom do you involve in that process? What are the tips for writing rules? How do you go about trying to get your idea onto the marketplace? What are the important parts of a contract?
This book won’t provide all the answers, but it will give you an insight into the fascinating, and sometimes frustrating world of games inventing based on Michael’s 55 years experience. Packed with lots of stories - the successes and failures; the laughter and tears, the delight and the boredom…

The Author
Michael lives with his wife, Maggie, in France. They write books and educational material together. Their daughter, Cath, has illustrated one of the books. Michael has been a Board and card games inventor and author for most of his life. According to him his qualification has been mostly from the 'University of life'! His published works include over 50 board and card games, and 15 books, most of which are detailed on his website: www.kindredgamesandbooks.co.uk
Michael's particular interests, apart from the inventing and writing, are in groupwork, teamwork, communication skills and setting cryptic crosswords.
Michael is available for interviews, blogs, writing educational material and devising board and card games to order.
...Find out more

“Dicing with brilliant ideas”

…publishedbestsellers.com

Genre: Non-Fiction: Biography/ Board games

Paperback ISBN: 9781782282686
Publication Date: 30 May 2013
Edition/Format: 1st/Paperback and eBook
Book Size: 210 x 148 mm, 152pp

Sales and Distribution: Spring Leaf Books
Landline: +44(0)1322 377445 | Mobile: +44(0)7944 352237
E: orders@springleafbooks.com | E: sales@pneumasprings.co.uk

Nottingham Post's Author Spotlight - Neal James author of 'Full Marks'

2013-04-18T14:00:00.000+01:00

Neal James began writing in 2007 when a series of short stories found favour on a number of international writing sites. Since then, he has released three novels and an anthology of short stories.
‘Full Marks’, his fifth book in as many years, is a crime novel and a product of a vivid imagination set against a backdrop of exposés dating back to the mid-1970s. ‘Two Little Dicky Birds’, his 2010 release, was a finalist in the prestigious Peoples Book prize of 2012. He is a member of the Crime Writers’ Association, and regular contributor to local newspaper features.
As an accountant for over three decades, he has drawn on his background to provide an insight into much of the substance required in the creation of his writing to date. He lives in Derbyshire with his wife and family.

‘Full Marks’ tracks the fortunes of one of the Metropolitan Police’s finest officers as he tries to clear his name. A raft of accusations, laid before the IPPC, threatens to undermine his career. Powerful forces, ranged on either side of the investigation, are set to determine the course of DCI Dennis Marks’ professional and personal life.

Read the Nottingham Post's Feature

Paperback | Waterstones | Amazon UK

Ebook | Kobo | Tesco eBook | Amazon Kindle | Apple iBook

Mad rants on subjects too ridiculous to ignore

2013-04-16T14:00:00.000+01:00

A Vaporous Collection of Moments

By Dominic Macchiaroli

Short Stories and Essays on the Absurdities of Life

Do you have enormous difficulty with your clothing? Does your cat think you’re stupid? Do you find history, holidays, travel, and even fruit funny? A Vaporous Collection of Moments is the author’s 3rd short story collection and contains 75 separate essays and stories about the absurdities, and hilarity, of everyday life. They include individual vignettes about the oddities of daily life.
What others would say about this book, if they were living:
“I came, I saw, I read!” - G.J. Caesar
“Sic semper tyrrific!!” - J.W. Booth
“I am not a pastry!” - L.H. Oswald

The Author
Dominic Macchiaroli is an author living in Phoenix, Arizona. He has been writing his entire life, and has published three books of short stories and essays, putting a humorous slant on topics like marriage, politics, history, house pets, even holiday recipes. Dom is a property manager by trade, and is the married father of two adult children.
His books are entitled My Parakeet was an Anarchist (2009), Skateboarding on the Appian Way (2010), and A Vaporous Collection of Moments (2013). Dom is available for interviews day and night. His email address is macco@q.com, and on Facebook at The Dom Macchiaroli Writing Page.
His work has appeared in such places as Long Story Short, Apollo’s Lyre, Storiesville, Editred, Short Humour Site, Fictionaut, Writer’s Café, Paradise Valley Independent, Salon, People of Few Words, Volume 3. and various online publications.
...Find out more

“An amazing maze of amusement”

…publishedbestsellers.com

Genre: Fiction: Short stories

Paperback ISBN: 9781782282662
Publication Date: 30 May 2013
Edition/Format: 1st/Paperback and eBook
Book Size: 210 x 148 mm, 184pp

Sales and Distribution: Spring Leaf Books
Landline: +44(0)1322 377445 | Mobile: +44(0)7944 352237
E: orders@springleafbooks.com | E: sales@pneumasprings.co.uk

Gazet van Antwerpen features Silver Eagle

2013-04-13T20:57:00.002+01:00

Ronald Ooms' Silver Eagle has been featured in the Belgian's Gazet van Antwerpen, one of the biggest newspapers in Belgium.

The article is written in Dutch. Read the feature.

Genre: Biography / Military history
The Official Biography Of “Band Of Brothers” Veteran Clancy Lyall

Watch Trailer

Paperback | Waterstones | Amazon UK

Ebook | Kobo | Tesco eBook | Amazon Kindle | Apple iBook

Neal James' latest book 'Full Marks' receives great publicity boost in the Leicester Mercury

2013-04-05T14:00:00.000+01:00

How you can follow in writer's footsteps

WHILE working as a financial controller in Leicester, Philip Neale dreamed of becoming a published crime author. But he knew that thousands of would-be writers shared that ambition and that most would be rejected, their precious work left to gather dust on the shelf at home.
But the accountant's persistence paid off and, in 2008, his novel A Ticket to Tewkesbury provided the breakthrough.
He's gone on to publish four more books with the latest addition to his bibliography, Full Marks, released earlier this month.
Leicester, like the rest of the East Midlands where he has always lived and worked, remains an inspiration – his serial killer novel Two Little Dicky Birds opens with the murder of a prostitute on the streets of Leicester.

"It's the book I'm most pleased with," says Philip.
He's also planning to expand his fanbase by branching out into science fiction. He has written 80,000 words so far of his debut in the genre, The Rings of Darelius.
But he admits that he has been lucky and knows that many writers would love to get as far.
He says: "You just don't know. Pneuma Springs just looked at my work and said 'here's a contract'. I thought it was too good to be true – but it wasn't. They have done an enormous amount for me."
Read the full Leicester Mercury feature

Paperback | Waterstones | Amazon UK

Ebook | Kobo | Tesco eBook | Amazon Kindle | Apple iBook

Watch the Book Trailer - The Official Biography Of “Band Of Brothers” Veteran Clancy Lyall

2013-04-02T14:00:00.000+01:00

Silver Eagle | Biography / Military history
by Ronald Ooms

'SILVER EAGLE', the official biography of “Band of Brothers” veteran Clancy Lyall, written by his friend Ronald Ooms. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and seeing every young man leave town to join the army or the merchant marine, Clancy, who was only sixteen, didn't want to stay behind. He lied about his age and enlisted into the military.

He became part of the 101st Airborne and saw action in Europe where he jumped into Normandy during D-Day. After a narrow escape from death he was reassigned to Easy Company 506, the famous 'Band of Brothers'. He saw action during Operation Market Garden, confronted the freezing temperatures and brutal barrage by the enemy during the Battle of the Bulge, witnessed the horrors of the concentration camps in Nazi Germany and became the first allied soldier to step into Hitler's 'Eagles Nest' in Berchtesgaden.
At the end of World War II he re-enlisted and joined the 82nd Airborne where he was stationed near Frankfurt, Germany.
He made two more combat jumps in Korea, doubling his total of combat stars on his jump wings. And with that becoming one of the few to ever achieve that feat. In Indochina he became an adviser for the 29th French Parachute Division. This is his story told by the man himself.

Watch Trailer

Paperback | Waterstones | Amazon UK

Ebook | Kobo | Tesco eBook | Amazon Kindle | Apple iBook

Author Neal James interviewed by Nat Wood, M/M Romance Stories Blog

2013-03-28T14:00:00.000Z

An insightful discussion of Neal's latest book Full Marks

Interview Snippet
Firstly, tell us five things about yourself.
1. I’m an accountant by trade, and have been in this line of work since 1974
2. I’m 60 years old, and have been married for 36 of those
3. I’ve been writing since 2006
4. I now have five books out on general release and available worldwide
5. There are three completed manuscripts, two partially written books, and two more ideas on the drawing board

When did you decide you wanted to be an author?
2007, when one of my short stories made it into a full-length novel and was accepted by a publisher in Kent.

How did you choose to write the genre you do and are there any genres that you would like to write some day?
Crime just seemed to follow naturally from my first novel, ‘A Ticket to Tewkesbury’, but I’m not restricted to that genre. My anthology ‘Short Stories Volume One’, published in 2009, contains 36 pieces of varying styles.

Tell us about your writing technique. Do you plan out every chapter detail beforehand or write as you go? Is there a particular environment and situation that helps to aid your writing?
As an accountant I use a spreadsheet to control the structure of the plot, and MS Word for a more detailed outline of the text. Each chapter is laid out to ensure that I don’t make continuity or anachronistic mistakes. I can write pretty much anywhere when the ideas come to me, but background noise (radio, record player) is very distracting.

Read the full interview

Paperback | Waterstones | Amazon UK

Ebook | Kobo | Tesco eBook | Amazon Kindle | Apple iBook

James Patterson's '12th of Never' in eBook

2013-03-27T15:00:00.000Z

A baby on the way and two killers on the loose.

Will Detective Lindsay Boxer be pushed to breaking point?

An eccentric professor walks into Lindsay's homicide department to report a murder that hasn't yet happened.

A convicted serial killer wakes from a two-year coma. He says he's ready to tell where the bodies are buried, but does he have a much more sinister plan in mind?

Lindsay doesn't have much time to stop a terrifying future from unfolding. But all the crimes in the world seem like nothing when she is suddenly faced with the possibility of the most devastating loss of her life.

Download eBook: Kobo

Book Savvy Spotlight on Steve Perry

2013-03-26T14:00:00.000Z

Bringing you exclusive interviews with authors featured in the Book Savvy Newsletter.

Our Guest is Steve Perry*

Enjoy the interview.

Q1. Can you tell us a little about yourself and your book 'When Payday Loans Go Wrong?
Financially speaking my life has been nothing short of a disaster due to my inability to control my finances - leading from one mess to another. Firstly it was a war with the bank, and then my catastrophic mistake with the payday loan industry. 'When Payday Loans Go Wrong' tells the story of how I managed to mess things up so badly!

Q2. Why did you write this book?
I couldn't change what had happened to me, the only thing I could do was warn others of the dangers.

Q3. What provided the inspiration for you to become a writer in the first place?
I was driven by rage. I felt an overwhelming need to tell others of what had happened to me, to warn them of the true damage the loan industry could cause and hopefully to prevent the same happening.

Q4. What was the most challenging thing about writing this book?
I had to get the facts right. I was willing to name and shame every lender I had the 'pleasure' of dealing with, so I had to research the lenders and get my facts right.

Q5. What are your interests when you are not writing?
I am a menace to the payday loan industry, and I run.... I love to run.

Q6. Describe how you felt when you first saw a copy of your published book?
Two words ... 'mission accomplished'.

Q7. What is the first thing you did to promote your book immediately after it was published and what are you currently doing to promote your book?
The book ran hand in hand with my campaign, I made sure the book was advertised on my campaign website. I am currently using Twitter now.

Q8. If you had to pick just one book marketing tool that you've used to promote your book, which would you say has been the most effective?
Twitter is the future. Its reach is limitless.

Q9. Do you do more promoting online or offline and which do you prefer?
The world lives online now - it's the place to be.

Q10. Who will this book appeal to, what is its target audience?
Often those who are already in payday loan hell, unfortunately! Although everyone else can benefit from it.

Q11. What would you like people to take away from reading your book?
It has to be - 'a way out'! Simple as that really. Learn to fight back, and learn to win. And if you've never taken a payday loan - don't!

Q12. Are you concerned about the effect of e-publishing on traditional books?
Anyone who is concerned about evolving with the rest of the world needs to have a word with themselves. Times change, we must adapt.

Q13. What kinds of feedback have you received from your readers?
Very good feedback - people appreciate the willingness to reveal, and the boldness in naming and shaming an entire industry.

Q14. What have you been up to since your book has been published, and what do you have in mind for the future?
I have been on a campaign against the payday loans industry. The campaign took precedence and the book ran alongside it. With the media work and campaigning, I tried to incorporate the book. For the future, it's about becoming Steve Perry the author, not the poverty stricken fighter and campaigner.

Q15. What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Writing - that is your target, publication is a bonus. Let passion drive it and determination turn it into reality.

Thank you for your time. We wish you every success in your writing career.

Paperback | Waterstones | Amazon UK

*My greatest achievements to date have come directly from my darkest days, never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined the way 2011 would pan out for me, particularly given the way it had begun. Yet here I am a published author and internet campaigner but still feeling the effects of 2 years of payday loan hell in both my heart and my bank account! As a campaigner I have already featured in national media across the entire spectrum of tabloid, radio and television including Live on BBC Breakfast, a feature on ITV's flagship documentary 'Tonight' and most recently on ITV Daybreak.

Sign-up for Book Savvy Newsletter**

Vi ew Previous Editions of Book Savvy Newsletter

Are you an author and would like to be featured in our interview column on this site? Contact us for further information:
Booksdirect@publishedbestsellers.co.uk

** Book Savvy is an e-newsletter of Pneuma Springs Publishing, featuring news and information about all published books and new releases with highlights about the authors behind the books. Look out also for helpful resources e.g. blogs, book reviews and of course, discounts, special offers etc.

World War 2 hero who fought through Adolf Hitler's Eagle Nest on a Bavarian mountaintop

2013-03-21T13:16:00.000Z

Silver Eagle - The Official Biography Of “Band Of Brothers” Veteran Clancy Lyall
Biography / Military history
by Ronald Ooms

Book Reviews:

“Clancy Lyall was a tough Texas farm boy who entered World War II as a 16-year-old paratrooper, fought, survived, and thrived alongside of a company of elite soldiers, then reenlisted and fought in both Korea and Vietnam. This is a powerful and warm-hearted story of an American hero, a must-read for any fan of the Band of Brothers.”

— Marcus Brotherton, author of We Who Are Alive & Remain

"Clancy Lyall was one of the Band of Brothers lesser-known, unsung, heroes. A veteran who transferred into Easy Company after being wounded in Normandy, he fought beside Dick Winters and the others through Holland, Belgium and on to Adolf Hitler's Eagle Nest on a Bavarian mountaintop. The book is like having an informal, one-on-one, chat with Lyall, filled with rich detail and little known facts of the man known as Silver Eagle."

— Larry Alexander, bestselling author of "Biggest Brother: The Life of Major Dick Winters, the Man Who Led the Band of Brothers"

"Anyone interested in the fighting men behind 'Band of Brothers' will enjoy 'Silver Eagle.' This book highlights the end of an era as Clancy Lyall's personal story is told in his own words, which although occasionally naïve, illustrate a time where values and conduct were second to none - absorb and enjoy."
— Ian Gardner, Co-Author of 'Tonight We Die As Men' and author of 'Deliver Us From Darkness.'

Watch Trailer

Paperback | Waterstones | Amazon UK

Ebook | Kobo | Tesco eBook | Amazon Kindle | Apple iBook

10% off all books when you spend £20 or more. Offer ends 31st of March 2013

2013-03-20T08:00:00.000Z

Offer valid from the 19th of March until 31st of March 2013. The offer will deduct 10% from the total basket value when a customer selects at least £20 of print books at Waterstones.com. This offer excludes everything other than print books such as Kindle devices, eBooks, audio downloads and Kindle accessories. Offer can be applied to both full price and discounted books. Offer is not valid on Reserve & Collect orders. Offer only available at Waterstones.com, not in Waterstones stores. Single use only.

Poetry Video - 'World Apart', taken from the book: 'REITERATION'.

2013-03-19T16:23:00.001Z

REITERATION | Poetry
by Henry Disney

About the book
"Henry Disney's is, to borrow a phrase, a beautiful mind, and also a tough mind." So wrote Kitty Ferguson in her review of his sixth collection. This seventh collection of poems reinforces this perception. His delight in nature, ideas and humanity is never sentimental. His poems are as challenging as ever as he ranges over his varied experience and encounters with a diversity of people. Topics include being on active service in Cyprus in his youth, his deep commitment to his scientific work and evolution, his hard headed Christian faith, his occasional forensic work, his grandchildren, politics and a variety of situations. Ranging from limericks to a poem of more than 100 lines, all are skilfully crafted and, even when handling specialized notions, are never obscure. The range of topics covered and variety of styles aim to communicate, to challenge on occasions but above all to give pleasure.

Paperback | Waterstones | Amazon UK

Get ready for the weekend with this great eBook! - Best Kept Secret By Jeffrey Archer

2013-03-14T14:51:00.005Z

Read on Kobo

The third novel in Jeffrey Archer's compelling saga, the Clifton Chronicles 1945. The vote in the House of Lords as to who should inherit the Barrington family fortune has ended in a tie. The Lord Chancellor’s deciding vote will cast a long shadow on the lives of Harry Clifton and Giles Barrington. Harry returns to America to promote his latest novel, while his beloved Emma goes in search of the little girl who was found abandoned in her father’s office on the night he was killed. When the General Election is called, Giles Barrington has to defend his seat in the House of Commons and is horrified to discover who the Conservatives select to stand against him. But it is Sebastian Clifton, Harry and Emma’s son, who ultimately influences his uncle’s fate. In 1957, Sebastian wins a scholarship to Cambridge, and a new generation of the Clifton family march onto the page. After Sebastian is expelled from school, he unwittingly becomes caught up in an international art fraud involving a Rodin statue that is worth far more than the sum it raises at auction. Does he become a millionaire? Does he go to Cambridge? Is his life in danger? Best Kept Secret will answer all these questions, but once again, pose so many more.

COO of Facebook, Sheryl Sandberg releases 'Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead'

2013-03-12T23:03:00.003Z

Thirty years after women became 50 percent of the college graduates in the United States, men still hold the vast majority of leadership positions in government and industry. This means that women’s voices are still not heard equally in the decisions that most affect our lives. In Lean In, Sheryl Sandberg examines why women’s progress in achieving leadership roles has stalled, explains the root causes, and offers compelling, commonsense solutions that can empower women to achieve their full potential.

Sandberg is the chief operating officer of Facebook and is ranked on Fortune’s list of the 50 Most Powerful Women in Business and as one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. In 2010, she gave an electrifying TEDTalk in which she described how women unintentionally hold themselves back in their careers. Her talk, which became a phenomenon and has been viewed more than two million times, encouraged women to “sit at the table,” seek challenges, take risks, and pursue their goals with gusto.

In Lean In, Sandberg digs deeper into these issues, combining personal anecdotes, hard data, and compelling research to cut through the layers of ambiguity and bias surrounding the lives and choices of working women. She recounts her own decisions, mistakes, and daily struggles to make the right choices for herself, her career, and her family. She provides practical advice on negotiation techniques, mentorship, and building a satisfying career, urging women to set boundaries and to abandon the myth of “having it all.” She describes specific steps women can take to combine professional achievement with personal fulfillment and demonstrates how men can benefit by supporting women in the workplace and at home.

Written with both humor and wisdom, Sandberg’s book is an inspiring call to action and a blueprint for individual growth. Lean In is destined to change the conversation from what women can’t do to what they can.

Print | eBook

Get $50 to Spend on NOOK Books, Apps, & Movies when you Buy a NOOK HD+ Tablet! Offer ends 23 Mar 2013

2013-03-05T15:17:00.000Z

NOOK HD+, From $269
Lightest, Lowest-Priced Full HD 9" Tablet

* Amazing HD display for movies, magazines & apps
* The best tablet for families • *Light, thin & super portable
* Over 3 million books to browse
* No annoying ads
* Comes with free power adapter
* 16GB is $269 and 32GB is $299

"...like spending an evening before a roaring fire with a couple of friends..." this interview as described by Neal James

2013-02-26T14:00:00.000Z

Listen to Neal James' interview on Webb Weaver Books, the Blog Talk Radio station.

The show was aired on Thursday, 7th February 2013 in the company of hosts CK Webb and DJ Weaver.

Click to listen to the feature audio clip. (OR listen via the player below).

Neal James is the author of four books: 'A Ticket to Tewkesbury', 'Short Stories - Volume One', 'Two Little Dicky Birds' and Threads of Deceit. Neal's latest book titled Full Marks, is due out in Springs 2013. Blurbs for Neal's published books are provided below.

A Ticket To Tewkesbury

Julie Martin is the most unlikely of heroines in a struggle for supremacy which reaches to the very pinnacles of power within modern Britain. The letter, found amongst her recently deceased aunt’s belongings, sets in motion a chain of events which had their roots in the death throes of Nazi Germany in 1945.
Roger Fretwell and Madeline Colson, two young lovers at the end of hostilities, are in possession of a set of files which fleeing survivors of the Third Reich would rather had lain buried. Now exposed once more, the secrets which they hold put their very lives in peril, and set in motion a chain of events from which there could only be one winner.
Set against the idyllic backdrop of the West Country, Roger and Madeline’s love story weaves its way into the dark and troubled waters of espionage, as competing forces will stop at nothing to gain control of a situation so vital for the future of democracy in modern Britain. The breathless pace of the storyline is unrelenting, as the chase over the length and breadth of the country comes to a shattering climax on the platform of Nottingham’s Midland Station. The final solution to the drama leaves a surprise ending for the reader to ponder.

Paperback | Waterstones | Amazon UK

Short Stories Volume One

How would you write to God for clarification on matters of the utmost urgency? Find out how Moses might have done it.

Dry your eyes after a heart-rending tale of Aunty Rose, and the tragic story of Liz when she finds the father she never knew. Shake your head at Mike's naiveté in dealing with a stranger in black, and share with Dave his hidden guilt when Tommy Watkinson returns to talk to his son, Paul.
Fly into the realms of fantasy with James Taylor as he gets lost in a place that he knows only too well, and try to sympathise with Ray when the old couple ask him to save humanity.
Follow Dennis Marks in a trilogy which brings the book to its close as he searches for the truth about his grandfather. This collection of little gems will expose every emotion on the rollercoaster which you are about to ride.

Paperback | Waterstones | Amazon UK

Two Little Dicky Birds

On Saturday 8th April 1975, in a fit of rage, Paul Townley took the life of his father, Harold. The significance of that single event was to affect the rest of his life, as he resolved to make it his mission to rid society of the kind of person that the man had become.

The first killing took place six months later, and over the following fifteen years seventeen more were to follow, as the trail of devastation left by a serial killer covered the length and breadth of England.
Detective Chief Inspector Colin Barnes looked down at the letter which lay on the desk before him. An icy hand gripped his heart as he read once more the details of the eighteen murders. Murders which had come back to haunt him from his past as he realised that he would, once more, be faced with the serial killer who had called himself... Petey.
Follow the chase for Petey, two and a half decades after his first appearance, as its climax takes you across the Atlantic to New York’s JFK airport and into the arms of Detective Tom Casey of the 113th Precinct, in a plot so intricate it will leave you breathless.

Paperback | Waterstones | Amazon UK

Threads of Deceit

George Carter is a man with problems – big ones, and of the financial kind. Accustomed to getting his own way, he rules his roost at Brodsworth Textiles with an iron fist.

James Poynter is a young man out for revenge. Set up for a crime which he did not commit, and by someone whom he believed he could trust implicitly, his sole focus becomes one of retribution against his former boss and the firm which he is defrauding.
His future at Brodsworth Textiles disintegrates one Friday evening prior to his wedding, when conscientiousness overtakes him and he returns to the factory after work to rectify an administrative error.
What he learns in that moment sets off a chain of events which sends him spiralling downwards, and out of a job which had promised to propel him to senior managerial level.
Murder, deception, drug trafficking and embezzlement combine to derail the futures of everyone connected to the company, and set off a Europe-wide chase for the man at the centre of a plot so intricate that the forces of law and order in several countries are thwarted at every turn leading to a stunning climax at Bristol Airport.

Paperback | Waterstones | Amazon UK