Lit World Interviews

An Interview with Kate Frost of Beneath the Apple Blossom.

Today’s special guest is Kate Frost, a UK author with a personal story to share.

Where do you hail from?

Bristol, a city in the south west of England that’s wonderfully cosmopolitan with lots going on, yet also within easy reach of countryside and the coast. I’ve always lived here apart from three years spent at university in Aberystwyth, a gorgeous seaside town in Wales.

Who are the authors that most inspired you to become a writer, or that you think influence your writing style?

It was the books I read in my childhood that inspired me to become a writer – authors like Roald Dahl, J.R.R. Tolkien and Arthur Ransome. I loved the way they could transport me to another world, and as I had a vivid imagination anyway, together the two things just clicked.

I imagine you get asked this a lot, but your book, Beneath the Apple Blossom, covers many of the stages of young 30 something women’s lives, how much for your life or those around you did you pull from?

Certainly friends who know me well will understand how my life has influenced this book. I wrote Beneath the Apple Blossom as a direct result of having fertility treatment, so the emotions within the book and the actual experience of undergoing treatment are true to life, yet the characters and their individual experiences are fictional. I had toyed with writing a memoir but decided what I went through was too personal to share, so I thought about turning it into a novel instead – that’s when the characters of Pippa, Georgie, Sienna and Connie were born. I was inspired by the online friendships (and the one in real life) I made via the fertility centre forum I was a part of during four cycles of fertility treatment, and that led to the relationship Pippa and Connie have in the book. Thirty-something women are interesting to write about as it seems to be an age when there’s a lot going on, whether that be the decision to have babies or not, relationship struggles, infertility concerns or career worries.

What’s the significance of the title of the book?

There are two pivotal scenes that take place literally beneath an apple blossom, which I won’t describe as it will give too much away. Apart from those two scenes the reason behind the title is the idea of an apple tree in bloom being so beautiful and full of life compared to the dark, tangled mass of roots below ground. Often what we see on the surface of a person’s life is completely different to the turmoil they’re going through beneath the surface.

What genre do you think your book falls into?

Contemporary women’s fiction – although that’s a very broad term. Family life and women’s literary fiction are sub-genres it could slot into quite well.

Tell our readers a little about Beneath the Apple Blossom.

In a nutshell it’s about four women, two longing to have a baby, two desperate to not be pregnant, and how they struggle with the choices they’ve made and the hand that life’s dealt them.

Could you have written this book before your son came along?

Absolutely not. The core idea of this book was a direct result of having undergone four rounds of fertility treatment and the highs and lows that went hand in hand with it. Clearly we got lucky in the end but that was after four years of heartache and despair. As a writer it was all emotional fuel for a novel (not that I was thinking like that at the time!) – infertility, miscarriage, pregnancy and birth. Although the book is fictional it helped to draw upon my own experience of these things.

How do you think writing for magazines has helped your novel writing?

It’s helped by giving me the mindset of working to a deadline. Particularly with self-publishing it’s easy to let things slip and put things off, so I write novels the way I would write an article for a magazine and set myself a deadline and stick to it.

Tell us about your previous book The Butterfly Storm.

It’s quite different to Beneath the Apple Blossom, both in the way it’s written and the subject matter, although there are common themes such as family, friendship and impending motherhood. At its heart is a love story with Sophie Keech escaping from her fiancé and overbearing mother-in-law-to-be in Greece, back to the beautiful north Norfolk coast in the UK when her estranged Mum is injured in an accident. It then follows her physical and emotional journey to discover who she is, where she belongs and who she loves. I published it in 2013 and it’s done really well, featuring in Amazon’s Movers and Shakers chart on more than one occasion and making it into the top five in Literary Fiction and Women’s Literary Fiction categories.

What are you currently working on and why?

I’m working on a lot of things! I’m writing the second book in The Hopeful Years series that follows Beneath the Apple Blossom and Connie’s story in Tanzania and Zanzibar. I’m also halfway through writing the second book of a time-travel adventure trilogy for 9-12 year-olds. Into the Past (Time Shifters Book One) is going to be published in October, so it’s a busy year.

With your being so accident prone, aren’t you concerned about indulging in your cooking obsession?

Ha, yes! I seem to be okay cooking and haven’t had too many accidents, save a couple of minor scalds. I think it’s the fact that I’m pretty unstable on my feet that’s the issue. It’s just as well that we don’t get much snow in the UK as I cannot walk on ice and look like some crazy adult-sized baby learning to walk when I do.

How did end up with your publisher, Lemon Tree Press?

Ah well, Lemon Tree Press is actually my publishing name. Instead of publishing under ‘Kate Frost’ I’ve

effectively set up my own publishing company under which I’ve bought my ISBNs and will publish my books.

What advice to you have for authors out there looking to find a publisher?

Persevere and make your book as good as it can be. I got very close to getting both an agent and a publisher but neither worked out in the end. I personally didn’t persevere with finding a publisher and instead took things into my own hands and self-published. I haven’t looked back.

Finally, what one word describes your book?

Emotional.

Get Kate’s Next Big Success at:

Connect with Kate:

#Book #Review by @RobertHughes05 Of ‘The House Next Door’ by @macmillanjones

The House Next Door - Will MacMillan Jones

Title: The House Next Door

Author: Will MacMillan Jones

Published: 10 January 2016 by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Genre: Paranormal

Language: English

Pages: 262 (paperback)

ISBN-10: 1523344008

ISBN-13: 978-1523344000

Product Dimensions: 14 x 1.7 x 21.6cm

Price: £9.99 (Kindle – £2.60)

Sold By: Amazon UK Amazon USA

When Shiela finds herself compelled to buy a genuine antique in a strange little shop, she didn’t bargain for what came with the statuette. Mister Jones finds himself once again drawn into the dangerous world of the paranormal, this time via The House Next Door.

I purchased the paperback version of this book at the Llandeilo Book Fair.

The House Next Door is the third in the series of the Mister Jones collection of paranormal mysteries. I wasn’t put off by the fact that I had not read the first two books in the series and quickly fell into getting to know the characters.

The opening chapters of the book build nicely into what is coming up. They gripped me and I was soon engrossed in what was going on. What I really did like was the way MacMillan Jones jumped ahead in the story from the point of view of the characters before going back again to pick up why certain characters found themselves where they were. It’s clever writing which I admire very much and he did it in such a way that I never once lost my way in any of the story plots.

For some reason, I was expecting a lot of gore in this book, but there was little of it. Don’t be put off by the front cover if you don’t usually read paranormal. It may look frightening, but I wasn’t frightened once by what was going on inside the book. The story is told well in wanting to make the reader know what is going to happen next and, like all great authors, MacMillan Jones ends some of the chapters with some great cliffhangers. I find this is always a guarantee in making the reader read on instead of putting the book down and perhaps never coming back to it.

I was expecting the story to be creepy and that is what disappointed me most of all. I felt the sparks were there to ignite the story, but they never actually got going. For me, it was as if seasoning had not been added to what could have been a great meal. The story of a strange antique statuette that comes with an evil presence grabbed me, but what the nightmare transpired into didn’t have me hiding behind the cushions. Nevertheless, this book will certainly appeal to those who don’t like being scared witless!

Did it make me want to read the first two books in the Mister Jones series? I’m neutral on this because, whilst I enjoyed the story much, I didn’t take to Mister Jones. He rather irritated me in parts, but maybe that is what the author intended? I felt I wanted to rough him up a little and to make him not know all the answers all of the time. On the other hand, one of the other characters, Ian Evans, was far more likable and, throughout the book, I was willing him on to be the real hero.

Ratings

Realistic Characterisation: 4/5

Overall Enjoyment: 3.5/5

Readability: 5/5

Recommended: 4/5

Overall Rating: 4/5

Review by:

Hugh Roberts

Twitter: @RobertHughes05 (https://twitter.com/RobertHughes05)

Blog: hughsviewsandnews.com (http://hughsviewsandnews.com/about/)

Facebook: Hugh W. Roberts (https://www.facebook.com/HughsViewsAndNews05)

Indies Making the Most of All Opportunites

Self-publishing today isn’t anything at all the way it used to be, where “vanity publishing” was looked at as something people did after being totally rejected by traditional publishers, and deciding to try and find customers themselves as a last resort for the huge pile of books in their garage, because their writing wasn’t good enough to be offered in bookstores. These days we make the choice to do it ourselves because we have the opportunities to produce professionally turned out products, the freedom to use social media to promote our work worldwide, and with platforms like Amazon and CreateSpace we get full control of all aspects of our business, as well as great royalty percentages.

Even though readers have a tendency to buy more Indie eBooks than they do paperbacks, it’s a good idea to make sure that you do have both versions available, and make sure that they’re available to as many corners of the world’s readership as they can be. When you publish on Amazon, choose as many territories to sell as you are allowed, and when marketing make sure to supply a global purchase link. A reader is going to have to really want a book very badly to go and look for it on their home site of Amazon UK or Amazon Canada if the link takes them to Amazon.com. Copy your book’s ASIN number and zoom over to a site that will convert it into a link that will automatically take whoever clicks on it to the Amazon page that they buy from.

Also be aware of the benefits of CreateSpace free expanded distribution, and make sure that you select it. This means that your paperbacks will be available for sale online at Barnes & Noble, The Book Depository, and even in corners of the world such as South Africa from major online sellers such as Takealot and Loot, even if your eBook is exclusive with KDP Select. Grab all the opportunities for worldwide visibility that you can, even if they only translate to a couple of sales a year, you never know where opportunity lurks.

We have the ability to produce quality products, pretty much indistinguishable from traditionally published books, and often much better. Even if writers today can’t afford to pay for all the things that go into getting published, with a bit of time and effort it can all mostly be done themselves. This is a great time for Indie authors, so grab every opportunity available to you now. As the industry grows and grows, hopefully you’ll look back one day and be glad that you did, when you could.

Image Courtesy Pixabay

Interview with Cuban author Alejandro Puerto Hernandez

Alejandro Puerto Hernandez is a young man of 19 years who since childhood has had an insatiable thirst for knowledge, particularly about other nations’ economic and political histories. He has written ‘Western Cycles: United Kingdom’ detailing the U.K’s political history from World War II onwards, analysing the economic situation at the time, and the nation’s challenges with each successive government.

http://bookShow.me/B01GSBET88

Today Alejandro has been kind enough to answer 20 of my questions. You can find him on the links below or contact him on the email address given:

Blog:https://westerncycles.wordpress.com/about/

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/alejandro.p.hernandez.37

Twitter:https://www.instagram.com/alejandropuertohernandez7234/

Pinterest:https://www.pinterest.com/ricardogarciar1/

Email: western.cycles.contact@gmail.com

1. Living in Cuba, how did you become interested in British economic and political history? Was it for a college course?

No, it wasn’t for a college course (I start studying in September), but living in an under-developed country as I do, since my childhood I have had a genuine interest in learning about the economic and political systems of other nations, and using this knowledge as material for reflection and looking for answers in that magical space we call history. In the particular case of the U.K I was interested in the way they managed to stabilise and even improve their economic and social situation and deal with challenges after the destruction of World War II. An interesting case was retaining global influence despite losing power after the independence of the colonies.

2. Did you spend a lot of your childhood writing stories on your own as I did, or did you live in a noisy household where finding time to write and pursue your interests was difficult?

Much of my childhood was spent looking for historical information on the internet, mainly regarding the U.K. At first it was confusing because the sources gave very varied and sometimes contradictory criteria regarding the different heads of government according to their own policies. That was the basis on which I began accumulating the most relevant information from an unbiased and entertaining view. There came a point where I always had a book before my eyes.

With regard to living in a noisy household, I can say that Cuba is indeed loud in more ways than one. But when writing, I have been able to channel noise into an inner peace which is very rewarding in more ways than one.

3. Have you ever been to the UK? If so, where did you visit?

No, I have never been to the UK, but I would like to visit. It would be very rewarding to travel by train from Liverpool to Manchester, as the first inter-city rail line was built here in 1830. This opened the UK’s leadership in the Industrial Revolution.

I would also like to visit London, because in the same way that all roads lead to Rome, there was a time when all trains carried passengers to London.

4. How long did it take to write Western Cycles: United Kingdom? Have you written any other books?

As mentioned previously I have been writing since childhood. However, I spent about three months writing this book, and also compiling much economic information into charts throughout the work with knowledge I have acquired recently.

I have not written any other books, but as I feel good when I write, I expect there will be others. Right now I’m torn between Canada or France for my next Western Cycles book. I hope that readers of this interview and of my blog will help me to decide.

5. Were you surprised when Britain voted to leave the European Union?

I was surprised, but when analysing the situation I don’t think it is as dramatic as the media describe. I think the UK could retain its access to the common European market by joining the EFTA countries. Of course losing the unified trade policy, its economy would not be as integrated as it is today, but the majority of the UK population voted to leave and we should show respect.

6. If you could live in the time of any of our British prime ministers, which time, past or present, would you choose?

I would choose to live under the government of Clement Atlee, because I would like to see in person the reaction of the British after Winston Churchill was not elected at the end of World War II. It would also be interesting to note the establishment of the welfare state in a period of scarcity and rationing, just as described in my book. Of course after a few days or weeks I would like to go back to the present, as there was no internet. I would write about the experience in my blog.

7. Did you learn English as a young child, or just recently in your late teens?

I learned English in my childhood and perfected it during my adolescence. It is a very easy language to learn, and it is a very practical ability to be able to speak two languages. Of course I am proud to have Spanish as my mother tongue. No other language is heard with such poetry.

8. Did you design the cover and edit Western Cycles: United Kingdom yourself?

I designed the book cover by placing the beautiful flag of the nation as the primary element. I have always considered that simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. I also used the Ubuntu Operating System and typography because its design philosophy is humanistic, so that gets the message across that I want to express in the book.

Regarding editing, I am asking the readers to send me their opinion and also find any errors from an editorial point of view and report them to my email western.cycles.contact@gmail.com

9. In your opinion, what is the best way of marketing a book?

I think the ideal way is to use relevant points of the book in a blog or on social media, looking for ways in which readers feel comfortable being inside the book but not departing from the perimeter. The online world should appreciate books that are not sold in bookstores.

The content offered online in my blog is not original and I have not worked hard to update it as there is no internet access in Cuban homes. However, once I begin college I will be able to work harder on my blog and participate more fully online.

10. Is your aim to ultimately become a full-time author, or do you have another career in mind?

Soon I will begin studying engineering in telecommunications and electronics, because this is interesting to me and a professional qualification in this subject is very versatile. However, it doesn’t help with writing books, but I think I can combine both. I am sure I will not stop writing.

11. Which websites have you used most in your book research?

I used the National Archives of the UK Government, the Statistics Agency site, and the Government Site, ukpublicspending.com and ukpublicrevenue.com, which are all excellent. I read many articles from The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, The Independent, and the BBC from many years ago. My main challenge was to bring all that information in an original and impartial format.

12. Your Western Cycles blog states concise news items and general information from the Western world. In Cuba, are you able to access European news programmes on TV, or do you rely on the internet for your information?

I used only the internet, as Cuban press and television are completely biased in reporting the international scene.

13. Have you sent your book to any literary agents? If so, have you had any replies?

I have not sent my book to any literary agent. Any kind of replies, whether professional or friendly, can be sent to western.cycles.contact@gmail.com

14. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? What will you be doing?

I think I will be travelling all over the world, learning the culture of different peoples and collecting photographs of historical sites. Tourism is a very authentic way to encourage the learning of foreign languages, respect for the customs of other countries, and closer ties of understanding between nations.

15. Which author has had the most influence on you?

Walter Isaacson is not a historian and serves more as a journalist than a writer, but his book ‘Steve Jobs’ (2011) changed the way we perceive literature, especially the historical genre. Walter has the ability to present each subject starting with an overview of the overall concept in each case, and then argue in a simple and precise way without losing the chronological order. I believe that history books should appreciate this style. That’s why I transferred this ability to Western Cycles: United Kingdom.

16. In your opinion, which genre of books is the most popular?

First Epic Fantasy, and Dystopian Science Fiction second. In this genre I appreciate popular works such as Game of Thrones, but the folklore is subject to conflict. For example in the saga abound dragons, giants and witches, but the main thing is the civil war for the Iron Throne inspired by the Wars of the Roses as a primary historical source.

17. Apart from writing, what other interests do you have?

I like video games a lot. I enjoy Civilization Saga and Sid Meiers Pirates created by 2K Games. In addition StarCraft and Warcraft developed by Blizzard, but I’m not as good as I’d like to be. Using emulators I play The Legend of Zelda and Fire Emblem from Nintendo and Final Fantasy (the older the best). I admire Electronic Arts games.

18. If you could choose where to live, where would you like to be?

I think it’s not in Cuba, but should be a place near the sea. Among the different places in Cuba I consider myself fortunate to live in Cienfuegos. It is a small city founded by the French. It is much less noisy than Havana, and cleaner.

19. What is the one thing you cannot do without?

I cannot write without a glass of water next to me. Many times I am not thirsty, but I feel more comfortable that way.

20. Can you dance the Samba?

Definitely not!

Thanks Alejandro for your answers. I also like a glass of water next to me while I’m writing!

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@FTThum #BookReview ‘The Valley Where They Danced’ by Emory Jones

I was encouraged to read this book by the local store owner at Tallulah Point Overlook, GA. So glad I did.

Title: The Valley Where They Danced
Author: Emory Jones
Publishers: Emory Jones LLC (2014)
Format: Hardback
Website: The Valley Where They Danced
Pages: 290
Genre: Literary fiction

What’s it about?

The author, Emory Jones, is a local of this area of Northeast Georgia, USA which is the backdrop of this enchanting tale.

It is the early 20th century, shortly after the end of World War I. Dr Tom Garrison a newly licensed doctor travels from Macon, Georgia to be the local doctor in Clarksville, GA. As he familiarizes himself to the town and its delightful characters, he meets the resourceful Lenore Conley. Even on the first time they meet, they know their destiny is sealed. But a sinister presence lurks. Will it pose a threat? What will become of Tom and Lenore, as their story masterfully told by Emory Jones, closes at Tallulah Gorge, GA.

The tale of the two lovebirds is woven into the tapestry of life and history of the Sautee Nacoochee valleys from the beginning of the hydro electricity dams being built to references to the new motorised vehicle and the aftermath of WWI for those fortunate to return home. And let’s not forget the two legends of the Sautee and Nacoochee. Will Tom and Lenore’s fate follow?

Would I recommend it?

A gripping tale amidst the rich historical context kept me glued to ‘The Valley Where They Danced’. How I wish I had read this book before I visited this part of Georgia.

Ratings:
Realistic Characterization: 4/5
Made Me Think: 3/5
Overall enjoyment:               4/5
Readability:                           4/5
Recommended:                     4/5
Overall Rating:                  4/5

Buy it at:

Amazon	Kindle	USD 9.03
	Hardback	USD 26.95
Emory Jones LLC	Hardback	USD 26.95

~ FlorenceT

@FTThum
MeaningsAndMusings

#BookReview of Blind Thrust by @SamMarquisBooks

Blind Thrust

by Samuel Marquis

Fiction: Thriller/Suspense/Environmental/Action. 307 Pages (PRINT). Mount Sopris Publishing (October 1, 2015)

Author Biography

Samuel Marquis is a bestselling, award-winning suspense author. His books include “The Slush Pile Brigade,” “Blind Thrust,” “The Coalition,” and “Bodyguard of Deception.” He works by day as a VP–Hydrogeologist with an environmental firm in Boulder, Colorado, and by night as a spinner of historical and modern suspense yarns. He holds a Master of Science degree in Geology, is a Registered Professional Geologist in eleven states, and is a recognized expert in groundwater contaminant hydrogeology, having served as a hydrogeologic expert witness in several class-action litigation cases.

Book Description

Blind Thrust by Samuel Marquis is a suspense/thriller set in Colorado that paints a picture of what could happen when greed overrides common sense. That’s a simple way of saying it. But then, I’m a simple speaking kind of guy. Environmental Geologist Joseph Higheagle has a problem, keep his mouth shut and keep a nice paying job, or go with his conscience and do what’s right for thousands of people.

The choice might sound easy but when you factor in a billionaire bad guy, corrupt senators, evil security bad boys and a hired assassin sent to shut you up, you might think twice, at least.

Book Review

In this first Joseph Higheagle adventure Sam Marquis does a great job introducing the core of the main character, as well as his grandfather/father figure Chief John Higheagle, a retired lawyer who now lives with him and acts as his sounding board when the young Higheagle is faced with moral forks in the road.

Combine that with some great supporting characters like the EPA agent Nina Curry, a romantic interest for HIgheagle, the younger one, not the old chief, and the USGS director Nickerson and you have a great story that’s well developed and fast paced.

You might not think an environmental thriller would be very thrilling, but Marquis puts his years of experience as a geologist to work and it is very apparent in the technical speak that’s in the book. Sometimes that sort of becomes a bit heavy and repetitive but I see it as being legitimate to the conversations occurring.

One thing I like about the antagonists in a Marquis novel is that they are not one dimensional. You almost see the humanity side of them and in Blind Thrust it’s very apparent. Charles Quantrill is a powerful man that ends up in a situation that he never saw coming, but that doesn’t make it any better nor does it make him any less guilty.

I read this one in about two days. It’s that fast paced and I think you’ll enjoy it.

Review by: Ronovan Hester

Get Blind Thrust @:

Connect With Sam @:

#Interviewsintranslation. Mo de la Fuente (@ModelaFuente) and THE QUIET ISLAND

Hi all:

I’ve been promising you for a while that I’d be back with some more interviews to writers who had had their books translated to English. But summer can be a very busy season, not only in the writing department but also with school holidays, personal things, etc, so there has been some understandable delay.

Finally today I bring you Mo de la Fuente. My confession… I was the one to translate her book. I have appended my review at the end, although this is my review of the novel in Spanish (I don’t comment on the quality of the translation. Mo has been kind enough to tell me that she has enjoyed the English version too, and I recommend the story wholeheartedly).

Mo told me she couldn’t find any pictures she liked of herself (although I can tell you I like all her pictures), so….

The Quiet Island by Mo de la Fuente. Translated by Olga Núñez Miret

When and how did you start writing?

I had always written short stories because I didn’t have the patience required for a novel. When I got the idea for my first book Ojalá Paula (Hopefully, Paula) I realised that it was time to sit down quietly in front of the computer and dedicate to the story a bit longer than just a few hours.

Describe briefly your experience as an independent author:

I imagine that my story is that of most independent writers. After sending my manuscript to many publishing companies and having it rejected, Amazon seemed to be a good way to share what I do. The main problem I’ve had is promoting the novel, because sometimes one has to make hard choices between carrying on writing or dedicating one’s time to marketing and selling the books. The advantage: the freedom to write what you want within the deadline you choose for yourself. Zero pressure.

The moment that I remember with the most affection (until now) in all my experience as a writer is the first positive review of my book and, of course, the many hours I spend writing.

Favourite genre:

I don’t have a favourite genre. I’m a compulsive and eclectic reader. I read almost everything.

What made you decide to translate your work? And what process did you follow to find a translator?

I decided to translate the novel because my sales were increasing day by day in the United Kingdom. When it was time to choose a translator I chose Olga Núñez Miret because she had the characteristics I was looking for: a writer in her own right and one who lived in the United Kingdom.

Tell us a little bit about your novel.

The Quiet Island is a police procedural story with a very singular backdrop, a magnificent island close to Alicante, and I think the profile of the protagonists is pretty unique too. The public have particularly liked the character of Mónica Esteller, sub inspector in the case, with a troubled past that is slowly uncovered throughout the novel.

Any advice for fellow writers (especially new writers).

I don’t think I’m the best person to give any advice other than to enjoy writing and to keep your feet firmly on the ground at the moment of publishing. What I mean is: it’s difficult to live of your writing. It’s likely that one’s favourite book struggles to find any readers but, what does it matter? Apart from any success of sales, a true writer will never be able to stop writing, so, let’s enjoy it!

Links to connect and follow Mo:

The page of her books in Amazon:

https://www.amazon.es/s/ref=dp_byline_sr_ebooks_1?ie=UTF8&text=Mo+de+la+Fuente&search-alias=digital-text&field-author=Mo+de+la+Fuente&sort=relevancerank

Blog: http://ojalapaula.blogspot.com.es/

Twitter: @ModelaFuente

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mo.delafuente

And here, the description of the novel and my own review:

As dawn breaks, the usual calm of a tiny quiet Mediterranean island is shattered by the news. A teenage girl has gone missing. Inspector Villanueva, temporarily transferred to the island, and sub-inspector Esteller must fight against the elements, the lack of resources, and their own demons to solve the mystery of what happened in a place where nothing ever does.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FPBRFDS/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01FPBRFDS/

My review. An island, a Mystery and Unforgettable Characters.

I don’t read exclusively a single genre, although I freely admit that I like thrillers and I read quite a few of them. In part because they are like a puzzle we try to solve thanks to the clues the text gives us, in part because I like to see how the writer manages to bring something new to the genre. And for me, no matter what type of story I’m reading, finding interesting characters I can connect with it’s the most important thing.

This novel takes place in the in the small island of Tabarca, in the Mediterranean, off the shore of Alicante. As several of the reviews of the book note, reading the novel makes one want to visit it, because of the wonderful descriptions of the peace and quiet, the thought of a place with no cars, without pollution, and calm. In such a small place, where everybody knows everybody else (apart from the tourists, of course) and where nothing ever happens, a girl’s disappearance is an event that upsets everyone. And when Clara turns up dead, things only take a turn for the worse. The combination of the place and the setting with the investigators: Hernán, an inspector sent there god knows why, Mónica, who had been sub-inspector in Barcelona but decided to quit due to personal reasons, and Raúl, the only one not hiding from something and who is totally happy there, works beautifully.

The investigation is hindered by circumstances (even with the arrival of the inspector, there are only three police officers in the island, there’s no lab, and now way of following correct protocol) and the lack of resources (an excellent commentary on the budget cuts Spain is suffering) and little by little we discover more details about the island’s inhabitants and about the members of the police. I really enjoyed the ending (that I won’t talk about in detail as I don’t want to spoil the surprise) and it rounds up a novel that although short is long enough to intrigue and touch us.

I found Mónica’s personal story, closely related to the case, fascinating, and it would make a great novel (or more than one) on its own. Apart from the details, for me the author manages to portray complex psychological aspects and the reactions of the characters in a very accurate manner, by using several points of view, that help the reader get under the skin of the characters, sharing in their emotions and their life experiences. For me, Mónica, María (the victim’s mother) and the island of Tabarca stand out in the narration and I’m sure I won’t forget them in a hurry.

I recommend this book to readers who love mystery novels that go beyond the usual, psychological thrillers and extraordinary settings.

Thanks so much to Mo for the interview and for her novel, thanks to you all for reading, and remember, like, share, comment and CLICK!

Olga Núñez Miret

http://www.authortranslatorolga.com

Once Removed #BookReview

Title: Once Removed
Author: Ken La Salle
File Size: 1198KB
Print Length: 234
Publication Date: June 17, 2016
Sold by Amazon Digital Services LLC
Language: English
Formats: Kindle
Goodreads
Genres: Cozy Mystery

Once Removed starts off slowly with the funeral of Terence (Terry) Montez, who dies in an incomprehensible suicide. His wife, Isabelle is seen in the first few chapters going through the motion, sad and disheartened of her husband’s untimely death. Despite missing his presence, she wants everything to return to normal.

Things begin to get interesting when Isabelle’s daughter Iris finds a mysterious letter from Terry. Is it a love letter, or a suicide note? Soon after Isabelle is obsessing over the letter, she finds another, then another, until she begins to believe that the letters are clues. But is Terry really telling her something? Isabelle and Iris begin studying the letters, finding that Terry had hidden clues within the contents.

Once Removed is full of twists and turns, keeping you guessing right up until the end. Following the clues along with Isabelle and Iris, I tried to figure it out myself, but like any good story, I had no clue how it would end, although bits and pieces I was able to draw together myself.

There were a few misspells and grammatical errors in the narrative. The characters were developed well, most three-dimensional, especially the main ones, Isabelle and Iris. The dialogue was mediocre, and there were some telling rather than showing in the narrative. Nevertheless, I had to keep reading because my interest in finding out the story behind the letters kept me from setting the book down.

Once Removed is a good, easy-going summer read. I recommend to anyone who likes to sit back and solve mysteries along with the characters.

Overall Rate: 3 out of 5 stars

Biography

Author and Playwright, Ken La Salle grew up in Santa Ana, California and has remained in the surrounding area his entire life. He was raised with strong, blue collar roots, which have given him a progressive and environmentalist view. As a result, you’ll find many of his stories touching those areas both geographically and philosophically. His passion is intense humor, meaningful drama, and finding answers to the questions that define our lives. You can find out more about Ken on his website at http://www.kenlasalle.com.

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#BOOK REVIEW BY @COLLEENCHESEBRO OF “The Iron Pendulum,” BY AUTHOR @MELLO_ELO

Title: The Iron Pendulum
Author: Eloise De Sousa
File Size:
Print Length: 156 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN:
Publisher: Lulu.com
Publication Date: June 26, 2016
Sold by Amazon Digital Services LLC
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1326689983
ISBN-13: 9781326689988
ASIN: B01HYFLBII
Formats: Paperback and Kindle
Goodreads
Genres: Mystery, Suspense, Murder Mystery

In the Author’s Words:

“Julia Webster and Hugo del Fuego are missing from their third-floor apartment in Bagley. The grisly display discovered in their home leaves Detectives Perkins and Jones with little evidence to follow and, as more remains turn up, the pressure mounts to find the killer. Time is the key element in solving a case riddled with dead ends and a strange family hiding its true evil behind the façade of money and power. Can they unravel the secrets hidden behind the closed doors and will it be enough to solve the case and rescue the couple in time?”

My Recommendation:

*The author provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review which follows*

Answering a missing person call, Detective Inspectors, Bob Jones and James Perkins enter a flat in Bagley and are greeted by a grisly sight. Large silver hooks are suspended above their heads fastened to the ceiling; the kind used for hanging freshly slaughtered livestock. Pieces of flesh, still dripping blood, are attached to the hooks. By the looks of the flesh, it could be animal or human… However, all they find inside the flat is an orange and green parrot screaming and screeching inside a cupboard.

If you aren’t creeped out yet, hang on! The occupants of the flat are missing. Julia Webster and Hugo Del Fuego, both in their early twenties have disappeared into thin air. The couple has rented the flat for the past three years and always were seen as dependable. Where could they be?

With little evidence to go on the detectives are thrown head first into one of the most bizarre missing person cases I have ever read. Author, Eloise De Sousa adeptly strings the reader along revealing more grisly discoveries along the way. There is an extraordinary family history intertwined within the story that propels you forward to the shocking conclusion.

For me, the story was all about the detectives. Both were interesting characters, deeply haunted by the inexplicable events. True to British murder mysteries, the author wove the detective’s own stories into the sequence of events, giving the story a realistic quality. I loved these detectives! They played off of one another’s strengths and weakness perfectly.

If you love a good murder mystery and don’t get squeamish reading about blood and murder, then this book is for you. I did get pretty creeped out, I won’t deny that. No matter. I could not put this book down! I had to find out the truth of what happened. There is quite the shock factor when you reach the end… Remember, I warned you!

My Rating:

Character Believability: 5
Flow and Pace: 5
Reader Engagement: 5
Reader Enrichment: 5
Reader Enjoyment: 5
Overall Rate: 5 out of 5 stars

Author, Eloise De Sousa

About Eloise De Sousa:

For many years Eloise has been writing stories to entertain children and adults alike.
Her new book, The Iron Pendulum, is a fictional thriller with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing to the very end and her romance thriller, Deception, has the passion and drive to transport you back to Zimbabwe, where her book is based.

Not satisfied with just writing adult fiction, she has recently released a new book in the Spoilt Miranda series, this time tackling the terrible trio, Cecil, Bertha and Thomas in her book Cecil The Bully. Lots of slapstick comedy and of course, some serious lessons can be learned through Eloise’s children’s books which deal with everyday bullying in schools.

For more information on her work and weekly updates, follow her blog at www.eloisedesousa.wordpress.com and at www.facebook.com/eloisebookcorner.

A full list of Eloise De Sousa’s books and ebooks can be found at www.eloiseds.com.

You can find Eloise on Twitter @mello_elo.

Book Review by @ColleenChesebro of silverthreading.com

#BookReview of The Rapture: Misunderstood by @JERoyle

The Rapture: Misunderstood

by Jason E. Royle

Fiction/Non-Fiction: Spirituality/Christian/Eschatology/Religious Studies & Reference. 86 Pages Print. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (June 30, 2016)

Author Biography

Jason E. Royle holds a Doctorate in Ministry from Sewanee: University of the South School of Theology and is the author of Judas: Hero Misunderstood as well as Jesus vs. Santa: Christmas Misunderstood. Writing, for Jason, is a way to express the ongoing story of theology. With every book or article, he hopes readers get a sense of the complexity of God and the necessity of faith. Captivated by the spiritual component of life, Jason loves to read everything from the Greek classics to the Sunday comics. While serving as pastor of a congregation near Memphis, TN, Jason wrote a weekly column in a local newspaper called Sermon in a Nutshell and has had devotions published in The Secret Place, among others. Today he lives with his beautiful wife and children in Schaefferstown, PA, where he serves as the pastor of St. Paul’s United Church of Christ.

Book Review

The Rapture: Misunderstood is the third in Royle’s Misunderstood series, where he takes a well known aspect of Christianity and breaks it down into fact from fiction. This time around Royle divides the book into two parts; one a short story to help ease the reader into the subject and the second touches on some basic scripture and doctrine from four different views of the Rapture itself amongst the Christian community.

The opening story is about 53 pages long and tells the story of a pastor who wants to bring about the Rapture sooner than later. We follow him and his five followers on their journey to achieve their goal and learn along the way. At each step of the journey we learn a truth and then see the pastor make a decision. Ultimately the reward is in his grasp. What does he do next? What he does may surprise some, may not others, but ultimately we learn a lesson straight from the Bible itself.

After the story you get the views of four views on the end times based on the interpretation of scripture. Royle states from the beginning this is not an in depth look at end times prophecy, it would take more than the 23 pages given to it here. His goal to give you a good starting place and an understanding of where the four thoughts are coming from. He’s also quick to note many of us are not entirely one or the other view but instead a mix and match set. Royle’s style and approach has always been open and welcoming to his readers. He’s a good first step in any journey to discovery you may wish to take. He also provides a list of books at the end of the book to further your reading and understanding.

by: Ronovan Hester

Get The Rapture: Misunderstood and other Jason Royle books at:

Connect with Jason Royle at:

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Rotten Reviews and Terrible Trolls

You will get bad reviews. It’s inevitable, I promise you. Take comfort in the fact that it’s a rite of passage all writers go through. Every – single – one of them, and after the first one has you on the floor, bawling your eyes out, and inexplicably trying to chew your own foot off for a while, they’re not so hard to deal with. Some are pretty funny, and some are just to be ignored. There are people out there who delight in trashing books, and sometimes the authors of books too, for reasons unknown to most decent humans. Sometimes it’s jealousy, and sometimes it’s just because they’re mean. Sometimes also these one star stabs to the soul are perfectly legitimate in their author’s hearts and minds, because they really didn’t enjoy what you wrote for reasons that do or don’t make sense to you. Whatever the reasons are for your one star clanger, you must never, ever, never, never, and I repeat, never respond to them. If you really need to share your pain then talk to a friend – preferably a writer friend, who will totally get you. I personally don’t think that it’s a good idea to respond to fabulous five star rave reviews either. “Liking” that wonderful review is good enough. The reviewer might actually not appreciate being gushed at by an unknown author, no matter how much you really want to catch a plane, find them, and kiss them on the lips. Reviews are for readers, good ones and bad ones. It’s best for you to let them be.

Now the trolls on the other hand can be some crazy scary creatures. Try and avoid them at all costs, and be very wary of provoking any. After any amount of time cruising around our dear world wide web you’re guaranteed to come across a couple. Whether it’s something you’ll read in a forum or on a blog or article that enrages you so badly you act before thinking, or a troll actually infiltrating your own sites for whatever reason, you need to throw away that pointy stick without poking that horrible hairy monster, turn around very quietly and run away. On other sites you’re better off never getting involved with these people – ignore them, and they won’t even know that you were there. On your own sites use your block, ban, and report buttons with gusto in the event of any sort of blow across your bows. I have a few times and that’s been the end of that for me personally, but I have witnessed some pretty awful trollings online that were truly appalling to see, especially on Goodreads. Have no part in these things if you can help it.

When you do get a negative review, pass it on to that part of you who is the business – not the writer – figure out if there is anything to learn from it, in which case it becomes helpful, and if not, move right along and forget about it. Don’t waste your valuable online time on trolls and hurtful reviews.

How much time of every day should you spend “marketing” online, versus how much time should you spend each day writing your next book? Writing your next book must always take priority. A couple of self-published books have gone on to be NYT bestsellers with break out first novels, but that’s not the way this author life generally works. You have to produce more than one book. A little quirk that all of us readers have is the desire to read more from a writer we love. We’ll read a book that we adore, and praise it from the rafters. We’ll look for more books by the same author, and if there aren’t any, we’ll forget about it unless something pops up to remind us about it again. So schedule your daily writing time, and try and stick to it, doing other marketing and business related projects at other times of your day.

If you want to write books and earn a living from it, you are going to have to write and publish more books. If you’re writing a series you probably won’t see substantial sales until you have a couple of books out there. Don’t panic about this though. Underlying anxiety fussing about getting this done could very well knobble your creativity and leave you staring at a blank computer screen. I read an article by Hugh Howey a long time ago, where he said that he didn’t ever bother trying to market his first book until he’d published others. It was only his seventh book, Wool, that rocketed him to fame. I took his advice and I’m glad that I did. As you publish more, you learn so much more than you expect to after that bright eyed ecstasy when hitting the publish button for the very first time. Definitely do market and advertise your first book – of course you must, but don’t let disappointing first sales put you off writing the next or let marketing consume all of your time. You need time to build a readership. Patience and tenacity are what the Indie needs to succeed.

Image Courtesy: Pixabay

Article excerpt: The Absolute Indie

#BOOK REVIEW BY @COLLEENCHESEBRO OF “Mankind Limited,” BY AUTHOR @HOUSEOFBAILEY

Title: Mankind Limited
Author: Scott Bailey
File Size: 958 KB
Print Length: 376 pages
Publisher: Scott Bailey
Publication Date: August 19, 2013
Sold by Amazon Digital Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B00EOA1RW2
Formats: Paperback and Kindle
Goodreads
Genres: Dystopian, Science Fiction, Dystopian Fantasy

In the Author’s Words:

“Trapped. In a world where everything is measured and control pervades every area of life, four people begin to break down. Instead, they break through the walls of deceit and propaganda and into a world of revolution.

Each, in their way, vow to overthrow the established order. They embark on a journey against the forces arraigned against them, forces of the state and self-doubt.

Ultimately their paths converge on a dangerous road and the discovery of an ancient secret.

Four people, four rebels. Four journeys of self-doubt and discovery that converge on the road to revolution and the discovery of an ancient secret.”

My Recommendation:

*The author provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review which follows*

I have never been a fan of dystopian novels. For me, they were always too dark and miserable, filled with human misery and oppression. You can imagine my joy then when I dug into Mankind Limited to find a book filled with characters who were well-rounded and human, flaws and all. I even found an element of hope buried within the pages that drew me further into the story.

In a time, possibly not too far in our future, the MOD has assumed complete control of the government. Nobody crosses them or even attempts to. People become automatons, there but for one reason – to earn money. Individuality is frowned upon. All you are allowed to do is work.

If you lose your job, which is considered a public failure, you are allowed to stay on welfare for only a very short time. The possibility of getting another job after that would be slim to none. Once an individual falls off the bottom of the Personal League Tables, they become illegals, forced to live on the street. Tens of thousands of illegals are shot in the act of criminal activity each year, simply trying to survive.

The government has found a way to manipulate and drug people so they can control them. The MOD believes a docile employee will work hard and earn more money. One such man, Marc, finds himself struggling to survive in this world. It is as if he cannot adapt. Eventually, he loses his job and his wife. He finds himself part of a fringe group of illegals hunting for information about a MOD program called Noah’s Ark.

Richard and Jane, brother and sister, along with their friend, William, welcome Marc into their group of illegals. One day, during a reconnaissance mission to a laboratory high in the mountains, the group comes upon a secret so deadly, it could spell the end of the world for them all. Evidence must be destroyed, so the group plants a bomb to insure the secrets are never used against humans.

As they make their escape, they discover the President is on his way to the facilities for a briefing. The bomb blows the research laboratory and the President to smithereens, branding the illegals as murderers on the run.

Now, this is where I found the story got really interesting. This series of events leads the foursome on an adventure of self-discovery. Each person deals with the trauma from their life decisions, leading the reader to a culmination of events at the explosive ending where the secret is finally revealed.

The plot and characters were superb. The only thing I found I had to get used to was the way the author switched scenes and characters within the same chapter. This was done, I am sure, for perspective and as a way to show what was happening to each character all at the same time.

I must admit, I was surprised by the ending. Scott Bailey skillfully wove a tale of intrigue and suspense with just the right amount of dystopian dread. Bravo!

My Rating:

Character Believability: 5
Flow and Pace: 4
Reader Engagement: 4
Reader Enrichment: 5
Reader Enjoyment: 4
Overall Rate: 4.0 out of 5 stars

Author, Scott Bailey

About Scott Bailey:

Scott Bailey is a freelance writer, author, and blogger. His works include the dystopian novel “Mankind Limited” and “A Spring of Dreams” collection of poetry. His blogging ranges across family articles, poetry and short stories and even the odd book or movie review.

Make certain to connect with (author) through his Twitter @houseofbailey, and Facebook atScott Andrew Bailey. You can also find Scott on his author blog: Scott Andrew Bailey
and his personal blog, House of Bailey.

Book Review by @ColleenChesebro of silverthreading.com

New release: What Tim Knows, and other stories by Wendy Janes

A gallery-owner’s quest for beauty; a dancer in danger; a new mother struggling to cope with her baby; a sculptor’s search for inspiration; a teenager longing to live in the perfect family; a young boy lost and confused by the rules of life that everyone else seems to understand.

Six stand-alone short stories, spanning five decades. Each capturing a significant moment in the life of a different character.

Separate lives linked in subtle ways.

Gerald

In What Tim Knows, and other stories, six supporting characters from my novel What Jennifer Knows share a pivotal event in their lives. Jennifer appears in each story, aging gracefully from student to grandmother.

Through the life experiences of Rollo, Cynthia, Sue, Gerald, Blythe and Tim, I explore a variety of themes, including, creativity, relationships, motherhood, marriage, adolescence and childhood.

Gerald wins my prize for the most amusing character in this collection.

He’s an English eccentric, rather self-centred and self-opinionated, and very witty. Even after I’ve finished writing about Gerald, I only need to think of him and he makes me laugh.

The inspiration for Gerald’s story came from numerous excellent writing blogs that give information about what to do, or rather what not to do, if you receive a critical review. Authors may recognise some of the sensible advice that these blogs provide through the advice that Jennifer attempts to give her husband.

When the story opens, Gerald has been a successful sculptor for many years. His confidence is high, but when he comes across a very critical review of his recent output, he fails to cope with it. I’d like to think that anyone who has received a negative review for something they have created, will find some catharsis in Gerald’s raw response.

While the next scene takes Gerald to a dark place, I hope that the resolution to the story will bring a smile to readers’ faces.

Author bio:

Wendy Janes spends her time writing novels and short stories, running her freelance proofreading business and volunteering for The National Autistic Society’s Education Rights Service. Her first solo novel, What Jennifer Knows, was published in 2015, and she has recently released a collection of short stories entitled What Tim Knows, and other stories. You can connect with Wendy online and discover more about her writing via Twitter, her Facebook author page, and Amazon author pages (UK/US).

Links to What Tim Knows, and other stories on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Tim-Knows-other-stories-ebook/dp/B01IKYOJLS

https://www.amazon.com/What-Tim-Knows-other-stories-ebook/dp/B01IKYOJLS

August 2016 is Write An Amazon Review Month! By @TerryTyler4 #AugustReviews

Hi all:

As some of you might know, apart of contributing to this blog and having my own blog, where I share reviews and other things, I’m also part of another group of reviewers, Rosie’s Book Review Team and one of the other members of the group, Terry Tyler, has had a fabulous idea to encourage people to post reviews. Below is the post! (And don’t forget to check both blogs, especially if you are interested in new books and enjoy reading reviews. And if you’re an author, you can also submit your book to Rosie’s site, here). And if you’re bloggers, don’t forget to spread the word and the love.

Libro

On Monday 25th July, book blogger Rosie Amber wrote this post encouraging readers and writers alike to post a short review on Amazon for any book they’ve read and enjoyed ~ following this up, Terry Tyler is starting this initiative along with other writer-bloggers including Rosie, Cathy from Between The Lines, Barb Taub, Shelley Wilson and Alison Williams.

The idea is that, from August 1st, everyone who reads this uses their Amazon account to post just one review on one book that they’ve read (but feel free to carry on if you get in the swing!). You don’t even have to have read it recently, it can be any book you’ve read, any time. The book does not have to have been purchased from Amazon, though if it is you get the ‘Verified Purchase’ tag on it; however, if you download all your books via Kindle Unlimited, as many do these days, they don’t show the VP tag, anyway.

Remember, this isn’t the Times Literary Supplement, it’s Amazon, where ordinary people go to choose their next £1.99 Kindle book. No one expects you to write a thousand word, in-depth critique; I don’t know about you, but I’m more likely to read one short paragraph or a couple of lines saying what an average reader thought of a book, than a long-winded essay about the pros and cons of the various literary techniques used. Yes, those are welcome too (!), but no more so than a few words saying “I loved this book, I was up reading it until 3am”, or “I loved Jim and Vivien and the dialogue was so realistic”, or whatever!

Why should you write a review?

They help book buyers make decisions. Don’t you read the reviews on Trip Advisor before deciding on a hotel, or any site from which you might buy an item for practical use? Book reviews are no different.

If the book is by a self-published author, or published by an independent press, the writers have to do all their promotion and marketing themselves ~ reviews from the reading public is their one free helping hand.

The amount of reviews on Amazon helps a book’s visibility (allegedly). If you love a writer’s work and want others to do so, too, this is the best possible way of making this happen.

It’s your good deed for the day, and will only take five minutes!

Off we go, then! A few more pointers:

If you need any help with writing your review, do click on Rosie’s post, above.

A review can be as short as one word. The shortest one I have is just two 🙂

You don’t have to put your name to the review, as your Amazon ‘handle’ can be anything you like.

No writer expects all their reviews to be 5* and say the book is the best thing ever written; there is a star rating guide on Rosie’s post.

Would you like to tell the Twittersphere about your review? If so, tweet the link to it with the hashtag #AugustReviews ~ and thank you! I will do one blog post a week featuring these links: The #AugustReviews Hall of Fame (thank you, Barb!).

If you have a blog and would like to spread the word about #AugustReviews, please feel free to copy and paste this blog post, provide the link to it, re-blog it, or whatever ~ many thanks, and I hope you will join in to make this idea a success 🙂

Thanks for reading and please, share, like, comment, CLICK and REVIEW! Ah, and remember, share your Amazon review (as we want to make sure people know you don’t need to be a blogger or share your reviews in a blog to write a review!)

An Unlikely Friendship by Jasmine Fogwell – #BookReview

An Unlikely Friendship by Jasmine Fogwell is an imaginative, wholesome story with a surprise ending.

James, the main character, meets a 150 year old lady with a mystery-filled reputation. To add to the suspense, James discovers the two of them have something in common—something found in the woods.

They’re wonderful, and if only you could tell your human loved ones of the bond you can share with one of those strange creatures, perhaps humans could learn from them, the 150 year old lady said to James.

The story moves along at a good pace and keeps you guessing, what happens next? An interesting, unique story filled with enough suspense to hold your attention. I enjoyed it. Our ten-year old daughter really enjoyed it. She can’t wait to get the next two books in the trilogy to see what happens next.

A charming story for young readers. A great find.

5 stars.

#BookReview of The Chip Maker by Bridgette L. Collins.

The Chip Maker: Prophecy of the Beast

by Bridgette L. Collins with Terry E. McGee Sr.

Fiction: Mystery/Suspense/Religious/Inspirational/Christian. 176 Pages Print. Just In Time Publishing (May 9, 2016)

Author Biography

Fitness coach Bridgette L. Collins is the owner of Total Innovative Wellness Solutions, LLC, a consulting firm that provides individuals and organizations with strategic solutions for implementing and sustaining healthy lifestyle habits. Through MAC Fitness and Origins Publishing Company, subsidiaries of Total Innovative Wellness Solutions, LLC, she introduces innovative and creative resources for achieving well-being and physical fitness to help her clients gain traction on disease prevention and management. Coach Bridgette is also the author of Destined to Live Healthier and Imagine Living Healthier, which have educated and empowered many through the collection of fictional stories that tell of real life challenges with weight, health, work, marriage, and lack of self-love. She is also featured in The Ultimate Runner by Ultimate HCI Books, publisher of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series.

Book Review

The Chip Maker: Prophecy of the Beast is Christian Suspense novel by Bridgette L. Collins, author of Broken in Plain Sight: A Story of Truth, Healing, and Love. In The Chip Maker we see the story of several lives as they run parallel to each other during a time of what seems to be biblical prophecy coming true. World chaos, the mark of the beast, the antichrists, and more. Each person makes a choice that has a definite consequence and we see how the worst can be counted among the best. Using scripture, headlines, and real possibilities, the authors tell a convincing story of what could happen if people put their minds to it. A fast paced read, I read it in one day. The book starts off in the then present day, and then switches back to several months prior. I would have liked the reverse but the story was still a good read. Overall a realistic possibility if egos got out of hand, which we can see happening in the news even today. I recommend the book to people interested in biblical prophecy or even slightly techno thrillers. Even if you’re not into prophecy you’ll still enjoy the book as a world domination story.

By: Ronovan Hester

Get Chip Maker at:

Connect with Bridgette L. Collins at:

@FTThum #bookreview ‘I Let You Go’ by Clare Mackintosh

I needed a book to read, and this Sunday Times bestseller was compared to ‘Gone Girl’ and ‘Girl on the Train’ so how could I not?

Title: I Let You Go
Author: Clare Mackintosh
Publishers: Sphere, Hachette (2014)
Format: Paperback
Website: www.claremackintosh.com
Pages: 371
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Fiction

What’s it about?

Jenna Gray’s world disintegrated when she lost her son, in a hit-and-run.

It all happened so quickly. She couldn’t have prevented it. Could she?

In a bid to escape the memories and pain, Jenna ran away to the Welsh coast, initially keeping her identity a secret but gradually, as she re-discovered her old passion and talent and more, her life began to turn around.

But it was not to be, as her past returned to haunt her.

In the meantime, Detective Inspector Ray Steven was assigned to solve this hit-and-run case, only to find the mother of the victim missing, and encountering the world of web-shaming directed at Jenna as he experienced the tension between his career aspiration which demanded that he closed the investigation down and his moral conscience to solve this case. And all this on top of marital problems.

So how did the two worlds converge? This psychological thriller kept me guessing and truth be told, flipping back pages to ‘work it out’.

Would I recommend it?

Yes. An entertaining gripping read by the beach. Kept me up till I got to the twist end.

P/S Clare Mackintosh’s next book ‘I See You’ is due on 28 July 2016. Check it out here.

Ratings:
Realistic Characterization: 3.5/5
Made Me Think: 3/5
Overall enjoyment:               4/5
Readability:                           4/5
Recommended:                     4/5
Overall Rating:                  4/5

Buy it at:

Amazon	Kindle	USD 9.08
	Paperback	USD 6.05
Booktopia	Paperback	AUD 13.95
Bookdepository	Paperback	£7.99

~ FlorenceT

@FTThum
MeaningsAndMusings

#BOOK REVIEW BY @COLLEENCHESEBRO OF “The Dolan Girls,” BY AUTHOR @SarahMallery1

Title: The Dolan Girls
Author: S. R. Mallery
File Size: 1022 KB
Print Length: 212 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN:
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Publication Date: December 3, 2015
Sold by Amazon Digital Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B018Y063XA
ISBN-10: 1519695241
ISBN-13: 978-1519695246
Formats: Paperback and Kindle
Goodreads
Genres: Women’s Fiction, Romance, Western,

*The author provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review which follows*

In the Author’s Words:

“The Dolan Girls by S. R. Mallery has it all. Set in Nebraska during the 1800s, whorehouse madams, ladies of the night, a schoolmarm, a Pinkerton detective, a Shakespeare-quoting old coot, brutal outlaws, and a horse-wrangler fill out the cast of characters. Added to the mix are colorful descriptions of an 1856 land rush, Buffalo Bill and his Wild West Show, Annie Oakley, bank/train robberies, small town local politics, and of course, romance. Two, in fact!”

My Recommendation:

Close your eyes for a minute. Let’s slip back into time. Just breathe…

It’s the late 1880’s, and we’ve stepped into the wild, wild, West in the American Southwest. Listen… You can hear the wind blow and taste the dust on your tongue. Under the hot shimmering sun, you meet the Dolan girls. Cora and Minnie Dolan are two young women, who along with their parents, have traveled from Ireland to settle in the rugged Nebraska Territories, with the hope of winning land in the famous land lottery.

When tragedy strikes, the two women, struggling to survive, take up residence at Madam Ana’s brothel. In no time, Madam Ana adopts the girls as her daughters, all the while protecting them from the men who frequent her business. Eventually, when illness strikes, she leaves her flourishing business to the sisters. When Cora falls in love with the handsome Thomas Garrett, her life changes forever.

Then, brutally raped by a worthless cowboy looking for a good time, Cora is forced to grapple with an interesting situation. The fact that she is Irish, and now an unwed mother who along with her sister owns a brothel; she finds herself shunned by the good folk of the town. Her pregnancy results in a daughter, Ellie, who once she is old enough, is quickly sent away to be educated back East. Cora always worries about appearances. Her goal is to be recognized for the successful businesswoman she has become.

It is when Ellie returns to her mother and aunt as a school teacher for the local school that fate intervenes to change the direction of Cora, Minnie’s and Ellie’s lives forever. Throw in some excitement with Buffalo Bill, Annie Oakley, and a Pinkerton investigator, and you have the makings for an exciting read.

I LOVE westerns and always have. Maybe it is the magic and allure of the old West; but for me, these historical romance adventures always ensnare me. Just like the rest of her books, Sarah Mallery skillfully weaves a tale that is believable and historically accurate by using authentic language and vivid descriptions of a time now lost to history. Most importantly, this book is entertaining and a joy to read. Once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down!

What really caught my attention was how Sarah set up her Pinterest account full of fascinating history, vintage clothing, and old flicks; all from the old west. If you love westerns check out her Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/sarahmallery1/.

AND, The Dolan Girls are featured on Amazon & Bookbub on July 8th through July 12th as a FREE book!

So… What are you waiting for? Have a read! I only hope there is another mysterious adventure for this strong bunch of women to solve!

My Rating:

Character Believability: 5
Flow and Pace: 5
Reader Engagement: 5
Reader Enrichment: 5
Reader Enjoyment: 5
Overall Rate: 5 out of 5 stars

About Sarah Mallery:

S.R. Mallery has been labeled nothing short of ‘eclectic’. She has been a singer, a calligrapher, a quilt designer, and an ESL teacher.
As a writer, History is her focus and is woven into her stories with a delicate thread. When people talk about the news of the day or listen to music, Sarah’s imagination likens the story to a similar kind of news in the past and is conjuring up scenes between characters she has yet to meet.

Sarah loves to hear from fans and readers. Click the links below and stop in for a chat!

Find Sarah on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1abYVyP, and don’t forget to visit her on www.srmallery.com
Follow Sarah and other award-winning authors on http://enovelauthorsatwork.com

You can also find Sarah on Twitter: @SarahMallery1

Book Review by @ColleenChesebro of silverthreading.com

Talking about #bookreviews. A collection of great posts on how to get them and how to keep reviewers happy.

Hi all:

Recently I’ve read some great posts about reviews: how to get them, how to avoid things that annoy reviewers, and even posts recommending free books on the subject. You might have read them all, but just in case you haven’t, I thought I’d post them here.

How to Get Good Reviews by Theo Rogers (remember to check the price!)

The first one that came to my attention was a post by Nicholas Rossi, where he mentioned a free book (this one ) that was still free when I wrote this post but do make sure that’s still the case, and also some updates on other interesting sounding books on similar topics. You can check Nicholas Rossi’s post here. Do follow his blog if you haven’t as he shares a wealth of knowledge and is a great writer.

That post resulted in a comment by Beetley Pete, a great blogger and a top reviewer in Amazon (do check his blog especially if you like dogs, photographs and pretty good writing too. See here, for instance ), where he provided a review on the said book. He made such great points that Nicholas created a post sharing that comment. Check here.

This morning I read a post with the title Top 7 Book Reviewers Complaints in the blog Indies Unlimited. I’ll share the list but you can (and should) read the full post, and contribute to the discussion, here.

According to the post these are the seven top complaints by reviewers:

“…he woke up and it was all a dream.” Done to death and back as a zombie too.
“She could see the insanity creeping into his eyes.” Not the best way to justify a character doing out of character things. (I’m a psychiatrist and this is a particular bugbear of mine.)
“He asked…” “…she answered.” I’m sure there are full volumes on dialogue tags but…
Lack of Dialog (Can result in a lot of telling and not showing)
Too Much Dialog (This is a bit of a personal taste, but it depends on the type of book. The writer of the post likes dialog and so do I)
Too Much Description. Might depend on the genre but…
Too Much Background. Like before

And Others

Don’t forget to check the full article and comment here.

If after all that, or perhaps after doing more reading on it, you still want to approach reviewers, I got a link to The Book Reviewer Yellow Pages here. Good luck! (I have no personal experience of that page but do let us know if you do).

PS: After publishing this post I just read a post by Rosie Amber about writing reviews, the reasons some people don’t and suggestions as to how to go about it, so I had to share it. Check here (and do follow her blog too for great reviews and also for a great way to get reviews if you’re an author).

Thanks all for reading, don’t forget to visit the blogs and follow the bloggers and good luck finding reviewers. And readers remember that reviews are a great way to share your love of books and to support writers!

Olga Núñez Miret

http://www.authortranslatorolga.com

#BookReview of WOLF by @ProfKellyOliver.

WOLF

by Kelly Oliver

Fiction: Mystery/Thriller/Suspense/Women Sleuths/New Adult. 316 Pages Print. Kaos Press (June 21, 2016)

Author Biography

Kelly Oliver was born on July 28, 1958 in Spokane Washington. She graduated from Gonzaga University with honors in 1979 with a double major in philosophy and communications. She earned her Ph.D. from Northwestern University in philosophy in 1987. She has held teaching positions at various Universities, including George Washington University, University of Texas at Austin, and Stony Brook University. Currently, she is W. Alton Jones Professor of Philosophy at Vanderbilt University.
She has published books on topics ranging from family, love, war, and violence to affirmative action, Hollywood films, and animal rights.
She is the author of THE JESSICA JAMES COWGIRL PHILOSOPHER MYSTERY novels, including COYOTE and WOLF.

Book Review

WOLF is a new adult, mystery, thriller set on the campus of Northwestern University in Chicago, IL, with cowgirl philosopher Jessica James leading the ensemble cast of characters into the reasons for the death of her Philosophy Advisor, the theft of two masterpiece Russian impressionist paintings, and the source of date rape drugs on campus. Jessica must find her way through the twists and turns of her meager existence living in the attic of the philosophy department and falling for a billionaire professor in order to keep her dreams alive to get her degree and most of all to stay alive as someone is out to kill her.

WOLF, the first book in the Jessica James Mysteries series has a great cast of characters. The book has two stories in one, linked together as the book progresses. There is the series main character’s quest to continue her PhD program in Philosophy after the murder of her advisor, and then there is the life and death situation for Dmitry Durchenko, the Philosophy departments janitor who also happens to be the son of Russia’s most powerful mob boss. The two stories overlap through the Titular character, Wolf’s death and missing paintings hidden in his office.

You have everything from the cowgirl Jessica who wants to show the world that she can be a philosopher to Lolita Durchenko who looks like super model, rides a Harley and runs a high stakes poker game. Then you have the local Russian mob leader The Pope and the billionaire professor who comes to the rescue of Jessica after she’s been given a date rape drug. And there is a whole lot more. You cheer for Jessica to overcome the obstacles and her own knack for falling into bad situations. She has to be one of the most awkward young ladies around. She shouldn’t wear heels. Oliver balances the humorous moments of Jessica with the more serious story of Dmitry and his need to find his paintings or suffer the consequences at the hands of The Pope. Somehow through it all it comes together in the end. There are times you wonder how this whole thing is going to work out but ultimately it does.

WOLF is a fast paced and entertaining read. The first chapter was a bit slow for me, but once past that the author settled into the meat of the story and off you go on a joy ride. She handles a serious issue such as college campus date rape in a good manner and just how you would want it to be done. For someone so smart, Jessica can really be a bit out there at times under pressure. But I think that may add a bit of realism to it. Things happen. If you like fast paced and fun reads, this is for you. If you like mysteries and a good cast of characters, you’ve got it here.

By: Ronovan Hester

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