Showing posts with label kindle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kindle. Show all posts

Sunday, 26 March 2017

Meet Historical Novelist, Mirren Hogan

Mirren Hogan is celebrating the release of her new book Night Witches. Here's a bunch of things you probably didn't know about her.

Mirren Hogan lives in NSW Australia with her husband, two daughters, dog, cat, rabbits and countless birds. She has a Bachelor of Arts (English/ history), a Graduate Diploma of Arts (writing) and a couple of degrees in education. She writes fantasy, urban fantasy and science fiction, as well as historical fiction.
Her debut novel —Crimson Fire— was released by in October 2016.
Burning Willow Press will be releasing Nightmares Rise – co-authored by Erin Yoshikawa – on April 8.
Mirren also had several short stories published and has co-edited two charity anthologies; for breast cancer research and Plan Australia.




1. What was the last book you read? Calamity by Brandon Sanderson.
2. What is your favourite movie? Back to the Future.
3. Where's your favourite place to write? On the couch.
4. Which book/s have influenced you the most? All of them. Every book has something offer, including ones I didn't like. 
5. Name 4 foods you eat regularly? Cheese, chocolate, pizza, toasted cheese sandwiches.
6. Favourite place to be? Home
7. Favourite TV show? Anything DC or home reno.
8. What is your favourite colour? Blue.
9. Who is your favourite author? I have too many to name.
10. Last thing/person that made you laugh? My dog.



Nadia Valinsky was a student teacher in Moscow until Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union. Determined to defend her people, she joins the Air Force; where the famous aviator Marina Raskova is recruiting women for three fighting regiments. After rigorous training, and in nothing more than canvas and wood biplanes, Nadia and her friends are sent to the front line, where they'll become the legends history calls The Night Witches.
 

Get it here: Amazon 

                     Nook

                     Kobo

                     Indigo

                     Book Depository

You can connect with Mirren Hogan on her Author Page






 


























Saturday, 4 March 2017

Let Me Introduce Epic Fantasy Author, Niki Livingstone

I'm the author of the Epic Fantasy series, Theia's Moons and the short story A Web Through Time, which will be published in the Anthology, Shattered Time
I also manage the blog, Create.Be.Imagine and just recently began my Book & Art Dragon blog. 
My dad says I began reading as young as three years old and I haven't stopped reading and writing since. 
Today, I live in Utah with my partner, our four children and two over sized cats, but dream of one day living on a beach, where I can spend my days dazzling the world with my imagination. 
I enjoy a whole variety of things, including reading stories that keep me on the edge of my seat, having late night talks with my handsome fireman, creating dysfunctional and funny children, all the while making sure they become functional adults, having happy/crappy time at the dinner table, playing in the dirt in hopes to create a bountiful garden and sitting quietly on my back porch, sipping coffee and watching the sun wake up the world.

 Eyes Wide Shut


Sometimes the ones closest to us are the ones to fear the most.
The battle of the sky people ended years earlier and the dwindled population of the moon Esaki cleaned up their world, slowly beginning to enjoy life once again.
Malkia was chosen as the new leader of her town and with the help of her friends, they built it into their sanctuary, grateful they had another chance at life. However, after all these years, impending danger was drawing near and they had no choice, but to decide to face the barbarians or run for their lives.
Malkia and her people travel through their broken and deserted world to escape the savages, hot on their tails. Their adventures collide them with the mystical creatures from ancient tales, place them in the path of uncertain death, and remind them they were never alone in the universe.
Life is not what it seems and as their eyes are forced open to the truth, the world as they know it crumbles beneath their feet.

Buy links: Amazon Smashwords Nook  iBooks

 

Enyo's Warrior


Malkia's face became flushed with anger, as her rage began to build.

Her father had stepped over a line that could not be erased and as she examined the gruesome scene, she cried out in frustration.

Settling into her new home, Malkia now knows the unvarnished truth, or so she believes. The malicious murders in Domesca's boundaries, Mataya's disappearance, and the sudden change in Dario's behavior have her second guessing what she thinks she knows.
As she is forced to face more evils and life-altering lessons, she wonders if she ever knew any truth about her life.
Embarking on her new journey, she quickly realizes the war she witnessed on Esaki, is nothing compared to the bloodshed and atrocities she will partake in, as Enyo's Warrior.

Buy links: Amazon Smashwords iBooks Nook  

Connect with Niki Livingstone here: Facebook 
                                                           Website
                                                           Twitter
                                                           Goodreads
                                                           Amazon author page 
                                                           Blog
                                                           Instagram
                                                           Newsletter 

Friday, 24 February 2017

Meet Fantasy Author, Scott Carruba

Born in Houston, Texas into the temporary care of a bevy of nuns before being delivered to his adopted parents, Scott discovered creative writing at a very young age when asked to write a newspaper from another planet. This exercise awakened a seemingly endless drive, and now, many short stories, poems, plays, and novels (both finished and unfinished) later, his first book, "Dance of the Butterfly", has been published. 
The seeds for this tale began with dreams, as many often do, before being fine-tuned with a whimsical notion and the very serious input of a dear friend. 
Before long, the story took on a life of its own and has now become the first book in a planned series. Having lived his whole life in the same state, Scott attended the University of Texas at Austin, achieving a degree in philosophy before returning to the Houston area to be closer to family and friends. 
During this time, he wrote more and even branched out into directing and performance art, though creative writing remains his love.


 A modern dark urban fantasy, telling of two powerful families who uphold a secret duty to protect humanity from a threat it doesn’t know exists. Though sharing a common enemy, the two families form a long-standing rivalry due to their methods and ultimate goals. Forces are coalescing in a prominent Central European city- criminal sex-trafficking, a serial murderer with a savage bent, and other, less tangible influences. Within a prestigious, private university, Lilja, a young librarian charged with protecting a very special book, finds herself suddenly ensconced in this dark, strange world. Originally from Finland, she has her own reason for why she left her home, but she finds the city to be anything but a haven from dangers and secrets. Book One in a planned series.

Buy it here - Amazon  


The tale continues in Sword of the Butterfly, book two of the series, as Lilja and Skothiam continue to fight demons within and without. The infernal forces make a grand play, hoping to stab the world in its very heart. Casualties mount as further tensions rise in the City, threatening the vigilante with a loss of freedom and life. Children become victims of a madman’s design while the hunt is on for a powerful creature wreaking havoc across parts of the U.S. Lilja begins to question herself and her place in Skothiam’s life even as the very treasure they must protect comes under danger.

 Buy it here - Amazon 

Connect with Scott Carruba here: Facebook 
                                                      Amazon author page
                                                      Twitter
                                                      Tumblir   
                                                      Personal page/blog

Monday, 20 February 2017

Meet Paranormal Romance Writing Duo, Jane Ederlyn

Jane Ederlyn is the alter ego of a writing duo from South Florida. Jane, a registered nurse by day, by night lives to create havoc and conflict in their stories, relentlessly strategizing ways to kill off one more character. 
Ederlyn, a cruise-line professional by day, by night loves to plot meticulous happily-ever-afters for the hero and heroine, often battling Jane to save her favorites. They can usually be found at their favorite Barnes & Noble sipping lattes and pondering “what ifs?” or at the mall shoe shopping.

Reborn is book #1 and we're working on Return book #2 which is slotted for fall of 2017.

 
Marie Josette d’Orgemont, cousin to Louis XVI, watched in horror as a rogue creature took her husband’s life before turning on her. A powerful vampire swept in and spared her life, but she never suspected surviving meant immortality or the price she’d have to pay to protect her surviving son.

Centuries later, in Miami, with her family on the verge of extinction, Marie is preoccupied with the continuation of her human bloodline. When she meets sexy and persistent Odin Ulfsson, his icy-blue gaze and burning touch are hard to resist. Will a forbidden romance with the Nordic werewolf be the key to her happiness, or will it set in motion a wrath that endangers not only her last human heir but her entire existence?

 Buy it here: Amazon (US)
                    Amazon (UK)
                    Amazon (CA)
                    Amazon (AU)
                    Universal link
                    Goodreads

Thursday, 16 February 2017

Meet Indie Author Jesse Frankel - For Those With A Zombie And Vampire Fetish

J.S. Frankel was born in Toronto, Canada, a good number of years ago and managed to scrape through the University of Toronto with a BA in English Literature. 
In 1988 he moved to Japan and started teaching ESL to anyone who would listen to him. 
In 1997, he married the charming Akiko Koike and their union produced two sons, Kai and Ray. J.S. Frankel makes his home in Osaka where he teaches English by day and writes by night until the wee hours of the morning.

 Let me introduce the Nightmare Crew trilogy. It basically features a vampire, a zombie with a cleaning fetish in the first and second novels, a lab-created hybrid werewolf and sentient water. The first novel, Beginnings, has the blurb as follows: 
    
"Paul Wiseman, orphan and runaway, was looking for a family. He found one—and got a little more than he bargained for in the process. Being an orphan is no fun. Having no friends isn’t much fun, either. When Paul Wiseman, seventeen, runs away from an orphanage to try his luck on the mean streets of New York, he finds himself trapped and almost beaten to death one night. Rescued by a vampire named Angela, Paul goes to her small house in upstate New York where he meets her friends—Ooze, a sentient water being, Sandstorm, who uses his sandy body to blind his opponents, and CF—short for Cannon Fodder—a zombie. The four of them become the Nightmare Crew—beings created by a scientist to fight against the lawless elements of the city. In joining them, Paul finds a family, friendship and maybe even love. However, the company that allowed the creation of these beings wants them back, and they’ll stop at nothing to retrieve what they believe to be their property. It soon comes down to a battle between those born and those created…and it’s up to Paul to fight for the only family he’s ever known."



 Find Jesse Frankel's books here on Amazon

Saturday, 29 October 2016

Come and Join the Halloween Scavenger Hunt


Welcome to the 2016 edition of the Halloween Scavenger Hunt. Whether it be creepy or kooky, mysterious or spooky, Halloween is just perfect for all things paranormal.
This scavenger hunt has 15 authors participating. Head on over to ALL participating authors to enter as many giveaways as you can!

My theme is: Fairies/Fae

For your chance to win a signed swag pack (open internationally), an e-book of any of my books and a $10 Amazon Gift Card, all you need to do is:

- Find your birth-month fairy/fae and post a pic (2 points)
- In 30 words or less, tell me what you know of fairies/fae (10 points)
- Who is your favourite fairy and why? (5 points)

Post your answer below in the comments section on my Facebook page to be entered, or on here.

Now, hop over to Montana Ash's facebook page to continue the fun there.

Sunday, 28 August 2016

Sunday Showcase: Meet Paranormal Author Susan Stielow



1. What inspired you to write in your genre?
To feel what it’s like to be young again. That’s why we have so many adults reading YA books these days. To remember what it was like to meet our first love, or first crush. Or to be the underdog who saves the day. Writing YA keeps me young at heart.

2.  If you write a series, how many books can your readers expect?
Three for the Bloodborn Series (Books 1 & 2 are already out) and three to four more in a new series I will be working on after book 3 in the Bloodborn series is finished.

3. How and why did you choose your book cover(s)?
I knew early on that I wanted my covers to match a scene from the books. But since I have an ancient computer, and no clue how to use photo-shop, I sought out the help an amazing cover artist.

4. If you had the chance to spend the day with one of your characters, who would it be and why?
That’s easy, Damen Kingston. He’s nice to look at, funny as hell, has the voice of an angel, and let’s not forget, a bad-ass vampire.

5. Are there any books or authors you admire?
Oh, God yes! Too many to list, but a couple of my ultimate favs is J.R. Ward and her Black Dagger Brotherhood series, Darynda Jones and her Charlie Davidson - Grim Reaper series and of course J.K. Rowling and her Harry Potter series. I mean seriously? Who doesn’t love her.

6. Do you have a favourite movie or TV show?
XFiles I have been a huge fan of for years, but right now Supernatural and Penny Dreadful are my favs.

7. What do you find the most challenging thing about being an author?
Self doubt. That little demon will get me every time. When he creeps in I will stop writing and walk away for a few days and refresh myself.

8. If money was no object and you could travel to any place in the world for your dream vacation, where would you go and what would you do?
Australia. Steve Irwin is my hero, and it’s always been a dream of mine to visit the Australia Zoo. I balled my eyes out the day Steve past away. It was a very emotional day for me. He was a great man.

9. Tell us about your publishing experience. Did you always intend to be traditionally published or indie published?
Being a writer isn’t easy. Especially when it comes to publishing houses. I tried traditional publishing first. They can be brutal to a new inexperienced writer. I submitted my query letters, my 3 first chapters, and so on; that the publishers ask for. At first I received no responses. Then the rejection letters starting rolling in. And when they say you need a thick skin for this business, they’re not kidding. Some letters were nice and even gave some advice. While others were downright mean. It was tough to take. I started to doubt my writing and whether my story was even good. It wasn’t until a friend read my book and loved it! So I looked into self-publishing and never looked back.

10. What have you learned as an author since you published your first book that you wish you knew when starting out?
Don’t trust ANYONE! Your book is your baby. Do your research when it comes to editors, cover artists, and so on. There are a lot of scammers out there that unfortunately, I fell victim to. Always remember that you get what you pay for.

Book 1 - Bloodborn


Book 2 - Scarlet Butterfly 

 

Buy Links - Amazon 

Get your copy of this fabulous series.









Sunday, 14 August 2016

Sunday Showcase: Paranormal Romance Author Maggie Anderson



1. What inspired you to write in your genre?
When I was fourteen, our English teacher asked us to read Dracula for a review. As we’d read a couple of Shakespearean books prior, I thought it would be just another unenjoyable book that I couldn’t get my head around. I was WRONG! I was seduced by Bram Stoker’s unorthodox, charismatic character and have loved all things Vampire ever since.

2. If you write a series, how many books can your readers expect?
I do write a series. The Dark Legacy urban fantasy series. At this stage, I’m writing book four and my continue to write more because I love the characters, but I’m taking a break after this book to focus on others I’ve had simmering in my head for a while now.

3. If you had the chance to spend the day with one of your characters, who would it be and why?
If I had a chance to spend a day with one of my characters it would have to be Reece Daniels. He stepped up and took over Dark Legacy, when Andre was meant to be the lead character, and has continued to stand out in all of the books so far. He has morals and believes in treating people right. He also has a lot of courage. Some of which he doesn’t even realize he has.

4. Are there any books or authors you admire?
I love the Alex Cross series of books by James Patterson. They tell a thrilling tale and pull you into the story. I also love the Addison Holmes series by Liliana Hart. They’re quirky and Addison is a likeable, amusing character with a certain amount of bravado when she needs it.

5. What is one of the biggest misconceptions that you think people have about authors in general?
I think people tend to think authors have it easy and make a lot of money from their writing. Some do, yes. The lucky ones. But most of us are doing our best to get our books into the hands of readers and not able to make a living from what we love the most. Being an indie author is hard-going. People think writing is a hobby. I’ve had friends say that to me. It’s not! It’s long hours of researching, writing, promoting, marketing, social networking and more!

6. If money was no object and you could travel to any place in the world for your dream vacation where would you go and what would you do?
I’ve always wanted to visit Machu Picchu. To be able to stand on the landscape of a village thousands of years old would be incredible! I think it would be a spiritual journey, a place to connect with your inner self.

Maggie is the author of several books:

Dark Legacy
Once Bitten
Soul Chaser
Driving Me Crazy
Love's Twist of Fate
A Night of Passion
A Night of Passion: Clean Romance Edition

Her newest release is Soul Chaser, Bk 3 in the Dark Legacy series.

 
In the city that never sleeps, a gypsy has seen Reece’s future. Someone he loves will die!
A romantic Vegas getaway turns into another paranormal nightmare for Reece when Charlotte is kidnapped from the airport. Who has taken her and why?
The PI and his team work around the clock. Time is ticking. Sent on a wild goose chase across Sin City by the unknown assailant, can they find her? Is the unidentified body of a Jane Doe lying in the County Coroner’s Office Charlotte? Are they already too late?
A series of unorthodox deaths forces Sheriff Lozano to enlist Reece’s help. He’s heard rumors about the private investigator and wants to find out if they’re true. Can they work together to solve the mystery of the murders? Will Reece let the sheriff in on what has happened to his fiancée?
As the two cases collide, Reece takes matters into his own hands and enters the subterranean world beneath Las Vegas alone. What has he discovered? And what ancient evil is he hunting?

 

EXTRACT

 
The dark tunnel seemed endless as Reece raced along it, peering over his shoulder wondering if the creatures were still in hot pursuit. He had to find a place to hide until the sun came up. The stark white beam of his flashlight app bobbed against the graffitied walls as he ran, but within seconds the glow faded, flickered and died, leaving him in total pitch black. Reece lurched to a stop and smacked his phone against his hand hoping it would jolt a few more seconds of life into the battery. It didn’t. “Shit!”
His heart rose in his throat and he sucked in a strangled breath, unable to inhale a full ribcage of air. The claustrophobic atmosphere was thick around him and he felt like he was suffocating. How did they find me so fast? He thought he’d have more time.
Manic laughter resonated out of the deep shadows in the underground drains and Reece’s eyes darted around the gloom. They were almost on top of him.
He broke into a panicked run, stumbling over broken concrete, cans, bottles and other rubbish strewn along the fetid, damp passage. He tripped on something soft and landed on top of it, the small amount of oxygen he’d managed to inhale whooshing out of him with the heavy thud. Feeling around, unable to see, and his brain making the connection, Reece felt buttons, material, a hand, a face… a sticky wet crater where the nose had been. Another face… holes where the eyes should have been. Bodies!
Bile gushed up his throat and he staggered to his feet, his heart beating so fast it felt like butterfly wings against his ribs. He spat the bitter liquid onto the ground and rushed into the shadows. He had to find a way out or somewhere to hide before they reached him or he’d be another rotting corpse amongst the body count. 

Want to read more?  Here's where you can find it:

Monday, 4 November 2013

A Typo-Free Manuscript? They Don't Exist!

As authors, we're always being told our manuscripts must be as close to perfection as humanly possible - no typos, bloopers or malfunctioning commas - as readers have high expectations. Understandable. We buy a product, we expect it to be perfect. Which would be great, if we lived in a perfect world. But we don't.
Gone are the days when publishers employed a string of line and copy editors who meticulously perused authors manuscripts before their books were launched. Yet, the occasional mistake still slipped through. Today, with the shrinkage of many publishing houses and the so-called "downsizing" of staff, less are being asked to do more. In the last few years I've seen more and more typos, bloopers and printing errors in traditionally published books than ever before.

Typos in Traditionally Published Books
Recently I picked up a book by one of my favourite authors, (a New York Times best seller) and found the male protagonist's name had changed halfway through the book! Thinking I had accidentally skipped a page - as I hadn't come across this character before - I went back and reread it. Nope, no mistake on my part. Somehow, the editor had missed this whopper of a blooper - the author had changed the name of the male lead and it hadn't been picked up! It didn't stop me reading though, as it was too damn good. I just laughed and carried on enjoying the rest of the story. And any other typo I noticed? Ignored it.

We're Flawed Human beings
It proved to me there's no such thing as the perfectly written book. It's not possible. We're human beings and we make mistakes, and the reader who expects perfection won't find it. Which is why I shake my head at readers who return books because they find the occasional typo in it. Perhaps they belong to that category of mythical creature known as the perfect human being! Yes, mythical indeed.

Technical Problems in Ebooks
These will occur when a manuscript is converted into an ebook. I love my kindle, but it took me a while to become used to the word drops - when the formatting drops a word from a previous line onto the next one, because it doesn't fit.

You can see it here on the fourth line of my ebook, on my kindle. It leaves an odd-looking gap.
My manuscript was formatted by Createspace, the publishing arm of Amazon. Now if the professionals get it wrong, heaven help any self-publisher who strives to do it all on their own! I wouldn't even try.
Friends who've purchased my book say issues like this don't in the least worry them. They're more interested in a gripping story and the quality of the writing. If that's what an author can deliver, then the book's a success.

And for those who struggle to see past these tiny technicalities, there's always the old-fashioned way - buy the paperback!






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As for my book, BLOODGIFTED, it's available on Amazon and Smashwords (as you can see above) as well as iTunes/iBooks, Kobo, Sony and Nook. 
Till the end of this week the price has been REDUCED to $3.99. 
I'm currently working on Book 2 in the series - BLOODPLEDGE - which will be out early in 2014. 
Look out for it.