Thank you to the lovely Charli Mills at Carrot Ranch for all she does for the literary community. ❤
The flash fiction prompt this week made me think of my mother-in-law Mary who is holding on to being fiercely independent as long as she possibly can. She is now the ripe old age of ninety four! She always tidies everything up before the carer sets foot in the house and her favourite phrase is: That’s that job done!
Tea and Biscuits With The Carer
“That’s the blueberries washed!” she said with a smile.
I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Put the kettle on,” she said.
“Don’t you want to leave anything for the carer to do?”
She didn’t answer, instead she said, “Get the pavlova and cream. Mini ones in the cupboard over there.”
I opened the tin and arranged them on a large plate.
Thrilled to be part of Spellbound, a horror anthology with so many of my writing friends, compiled by Dan Alatorre and edited by Donna Davis Walker and Robbie Cheadle.
Read this promotional posts from Robbie at source:
I’m thrilled to welcome Lizzie Chantree to my blog today with exciting news of her latest release: Networking For Writers which launches on October 29th.
I’ve downloaded a copy and really looking forward to reading this and getting lots of networking tips!
I really appreciate you for inviting me onto your blog today, Marje.
Hello everyone. My name is Lizzie Chantree and I am a romance author who is about to publish my first non-fiction book. I ran my own award winning business for over fifteen years before I began writing books as a way to reduce stress and found a beautiful new career! My new book is called Networking for writers and I talk about how to help writers build a support network and hopefully find new readers for their work. I work as a business mentor and have included simple techniques that can be applied to author branding, book marketing, book signings, social media planning and more. I also talk through how I grew my social media platform from scratch and filled it with avid readers and creatives. I hope this book offers new and experienced writers a way to build on their current readership and for them to free up time to do the thing that they love, write incredible stories!
Are you swamped with book marketing and looking for a way to find new sales? Learn simple and effective networking techniques, to grow your readership and connect with other authors and book lovers, today!
Whether you are a new or experienced writer, self-published or traditionally published, this book will show you how to grow your readership and author network, through some of the most powerful of all marketing tools – word of mouth and recommendation.
This book will show you: How networking can help you sell more books. Why author branding is important. How networking hours work. Specific Facebook groups for writers How to utilise social media to grow your readership. How not to waste valuable writing time. How to make our marketing more effective.
Throughout Networking for Writers, we will explore running or attending book signings, hosting seminars, finding a writing buddy or mentor, author networking groups, social media planning and so much more.
Assassination can be a messy business, especially if you’re having a bad day.
Dan Jones is the ultimate problem solver, the hitman for crime boss Fliss Bauer.
Fliss has a rival, Kalindra Dallin. She runs a particularly unpleasant planet. Dan is told to arrange her demise. It’s just another job; until a random event means that it all goes horribly wrong.
To save his skin, Dan is forced to try again, only this time he has to work with a partner. He doesn’t want to but it’s the only chance he’s going to get; if he wants to put things right.
My review:
I really enjoyed The Hitman and the Thief. This novel has an interesting storyline which gripped me as the chapters sped by. This is a fast paced, easy read. The character of Dan and the thief Lydia are both engaging.
Dan is an ex-serviceman, now turned assassin for Fliss. His latest kill target is Kalindra, his boss’s rival.
But, who is Kalindra? And will Dan bungle it up?
Dan’s relationship with Hesta is under strain due to a certain temptation…
But, who can he trust? The revelations and twists leading up to the awesome ending – are subtle, (read carefully!) – but well done.
All in all, I would highly recommend this for readers who like mysteries, and who might enjoy the Sci fi environment of planets and ships (great world-building,) without it being too Sci fi heavy if you know what I mean.
I’m enjoying Richard Dee’s books more and more. I’d say this is my favourite to date. There is a unique aspect to his writing which I really appreciate. So, deserves the 5 stars.
About the Book An ominous blackmail letter appears at an inopportune moment. The recipient’s name is accidentally blurred out upon arrival. Which member of the Glass family is the ruthless missive meant for? In the powerful sequel to Watching Glass Shatter, Olivia is the first to read the nasty threat and assumes it’s meant for her. When the mysterious letter falls into the wrong hands and is read aloud, it throws the entire Glass family into an inescapable trajectory of self-question. Across the span of eight hours, Olivia and her sons contemplate whether to confess their hidden secrets or find a way to bury them forever. Some failed to learn an important lesson last time. Will they determine how to save themselves before it’s too late?
Each chapter’s focus alternates between the various family members and introduces several new and familiar faces with a vested interest in the outcome. As each hour ticks by, the remaining siblings and their mother gradually reveal what’s happened to them in the preceding months, and when the blackmailer makes an appearance at Olivia’s birthday party, the truth brilliantly comes to light.
Although everyone seemed to embrace the healing process at the end of Watching Glass Shatter, there were hidden cracks in the Glass family that couldn’t be mended. Their lives are about to shatter into pieces once again, but this time, the stakes are even higher. Someone wants to teach them a permanent lesson and refuses to stop until success is achieved.
My review
This is a brilliant sequel to the first in this series: Watching Glass Shatter. Both books can be read as standalone novels but I would recommend reading Watching Glass Shatter first before Hiding Cracked Glass. It is clear from reading the second book how confident a writer James Cudney is. He introduces the characters and the storyline from book one in an effortless way – I was really impressed. Particularly, as I know how difficult it is to write a series (I am currently in the process of doing this myself and finding it mighty hard!)
The second book has a different feel to the first. The emotion I experienced when I read about the death of the father in book one was intense. Here, the tone is slightly lighter to begin with and more focused on the threat of a blackmail note, secrets, and the possible parties who may be involved. Various possible scenarios are eked out about who the blackmailer might be and with all the secrets in the Glass family it’s not surprising that many are feeling vulnerable and worried.
As with the first book in the series, the strength of the writing lies in James Cudney’s ability to create great characters complete with flaws and weaknesses.
This is why these two books truly do grip you. The characters are so believable, engaging and authentic. I love character driven stories and the mystery aspect completes the story in such an engaging way.
James is my given name, but most folks call me Jay. I live in New York City, grew up on Long Island, and graduated from Moravian College, an historic but small liberal arts school in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, with a degree in English literature and minors in Education, Business and Spanish. After college, I accepted a technical writing position for a telecommunications company during Y2K and spent the last ~20 years building a career in technology & business operations in the retail, sports, media and entertainment industries. Throughout those years, I wrote some short stories, poems and various beginnings to the “Great American Novel,” but I was so focused on my career in technology and business that writing became a hobby. In 2016, I refocused some of my energies toward reinvigorating a second career in reading, writing and publishing.
Author
Writing has been a part of my life as much as my heart, my mind and my body. At some points, it was just a few poems or short stories; at others, it was full length novels and stories. My current focus is family drama fiction, cozy mystery novels and suspense thrillers. I think of characters and plots that I feel must be unwound. I think of situations people find themselves in and feel compelled to tell the story. It’s usually a convoluted plot with many surprise twists and turns. I feel it necessary to take that ride all over the course. My character is easily pictured in my head. I know what he is going to encounter or what she will feel. But I need to use the right words to make it clear.
Reader & Reviewer
Reading has also never left my side. Whether it was children’s books, young adult novels, college textbooks, biographies or my ultimate love, fiction, it’s ever present in my day. I read 2 books per week and I’m on a quest to update every book I’ve ever read on Goodreads, write up a review and post it on all my sites and platforms.
Blogger & Thinker
I have combined my passions into a single platform where I share reviews, write a blog and publish tons of content: TRUTH. I started my 365 Daily Challenge, where I post about a word that has some meaning to me and converse with everyone about life. There is humor, tears, love, friendship, advice and bloopers. Lots of bloopers where I poke fun at myself all the time. Even my dogs have had weekly segments called “Ryder’s Rants” or “Baxter’s Barks” where they complain about me. All these things make up who I am; none of them are very fancy or magnanimous, but they are real. And that’s why they are me.
Genealogist & Researcher
I love history and research, finding myself often reaching back into the past to understand why someone made the choice he or she did and what were the subsequent consequences. I enjoy studying the activities and culture from hundreds of years ago to trace the roots and find the puzzle of my own history. I wish I could watch my ancestors from a secret place to learn how they interacted with others; and maybe I’ll comprehend why I do things the way I do.
Genres, Formats & Languages I write in the family drama and mystery genres. My first two books are Watching Glass Shatter (2017) and Father Figure (2018). Both are contemporary fiction and focus on the dynamics between parents and children and between siblings.
I’m currently writing the sequel to Watching Glass Shatter. I also have a light mystery series called the Braxton Campus Mysteries with six books available. All my books come in multiple formats (Kindle, physical print, large print paperback, and audiobook)and some are also translated into foreign languages such as Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and German.
I’ve always enjoyed Westerns!! The prompt this week is to write a story about what happens on the dusty trail and Respond by October 6, 2020.
Excitement is building at Carrot Ranch for TUFF – TUFF stands for The Ultimate Flash Fiction which is every Monday — October 5, 12, 19, and 26.
So here is my Oct 1st Flash Fiction take about how love must have been short and sweet in times of life and death.
The Darnedest Cowboy
The darnedest cowboy walked towards me. His cowboy boots churned up the dusty road. My heartbeat so loudly I swore it was going to giddy up, catch a ride on a wild horse and land on his Western shirt. His eyes twinkled as he dawdled a few feet away. He kicked a stone, spat some cheeky grits into the ground and walked right past, lassoing my heart with his.
I stayed still until I heard the deafening gunshot. Damn. Wild West gals sure don’t remember no dead cowboy long.
I’m pleased to welcome Leslie Tate to Kyrosmagica. I featured Leslie previously at the time of the blog tour for Violet. You can read more about that here, along with links to some of Leslie’s other books: Blue, Purple, and Heaven’s Rage.
Leslie’s latest book, Love’s Register, will be published in October and you can pre-order a signed copy here.
Love’s Register
THE MAKING OF A NOVEL Leslie Vs Leslie: a self-interview, discussing Leslie’s latest novel, Love’s Register: What’s special about Love’s Register? For starters, it’s longer than three novels put together. And it’s full-on, exploring the love lives of four UK generations. It also covers the climate emergency and how it affects young people today. It’s ambitious, but very much about the characters. Does that mean it’s a character-led book? (Leslie smiles) Yes and no. Because it’s also driven by language and location. So I’ve given the characters their own voices, the language is literary but down-to-earth, and the scenes on N.E. beaches contrast with London and York. Taken together, they create mood, voice and incident.
In that case, why’s there a picture of Tahiti on the cover? Ah, that’s about climate. The book’s last protagonist, Hereiti, comes from Tahiti. She’s a professor and a climate activist and gives a Ted-type Talk about Oceania going under. Right, now we’ve got the general idea, can you tell us about how you approach writing a story like that? (Leslie switches on the computer) Certainly. To begin with, I sit down at the screen and try out words. At first my mind’s blank and I have to resist the temptation to do something else or simply give up. But I know from experience that I have to keep trying – usually for hours. If I do any pre-planning it’s most likely to come from a random stimulus. By that I mean, for example, if I’m out walking and see someone or a place that connects with my past I might think “Ah, that’s the start of a story.” But when I get home if I try to ‘translate’ that into words I’ll end up with a long list of phrases, nothing else. To get anywhere I have to start writing and see what happens – which can be frustrating because the words can’t be given orders, and don’t necessarily come out the way you want. But aren’t you in charge – I mean, don’t you steer the story as it develops? Light-touch steering, I’d say. With lots of turnarounds, backtracking and changes in direction. That way, what happens comes as a surprise to me and the reader, So it’s a kind of improv – but heavily doctored afterwards. It has to be plausible but significant – and take you places you don’t normally go. Sounds like hard work. But how do you know when you’ve hit gold and got the final version? You never do – at least I don’t. A novel’s always in progress, but of course you do get a feeling of closure when it comes together. “Ah,” you say to yourself, “that’s how it gels!” Even then, the ‘rules’ of the novel aren’t fixed so it can be hard to know what fits, especially as anything ground-breaking is likely to sound strange at first. So there’s a degree of necessary discomfort about any book that aims to be ‘new and original, not seen before’. That’s the dictionary definition, by the way, of the word novel! Nice. Now, going back to Love’s Register, how have you linked the different people together?
They’re all part of the Lavender Family tree. You mean it’s a family saga? Well, it’s quite selective. So the storytellers are Joe, Mia and Cass plus Matthew Lavender and later, Richard Lavender – but also Mary Hammond and Beth Jarvis. So – my last attempt to pin you down – is it a character-based historical fiction? (Leslie laughs) Not completely. Because it’s a modern psychological novel that focuses on individual scenes. What you get is more of a social portrait. We catch the family at key moments, skipping the boring parts in between.
Photo credit to Ashra Burnham – the Milton Keynes Foodbank (reading to a mic)
OK, to end the interview, how about an extract? Certainly. I’ll make it short. The story moves back and forth between voices. This is the last entry for the Lavender children, Joe, Mia and Cass: Joe, Mia and Cass were in a quiz show. “What makes the world go round?” asked Joe. He was the quiz master, dressed in joggers and a rainbow jacket. “You have three minutes to answer,” he added, placing an upended egg timer on the table. The sand began to run. “Is it money?” asked Mia. She was wearing an animal-print tunic over black leggings. “What do you think?” “Well I know climate deniers can’t think of anything else. They’re culty, like Midas. And remember what happened to him.” “The addict’s punishment, eh?” “I’m guessing money’s not the answer.” “No, money’s out. So, what makes the world go round?” “You want the science?” asked Cass, who was wearing a white lab coat.
“Yes, if we can. But remember, we’re on countdown.” Joe checked the timer. The sand in the bottom chamber was piling up. It seemed to be alive. “OK. It’s about gravity,” Cass replied. “The Earth’s like an ice skater pulling in her arms to spin faster. That’s been going on a long time.” “Ah, but is it spotting as it turns?” asked Joe. “That’s what’s called anthropomorphism,” said Cass. “Gravity, you just hold me down so quietly,” sang Mia. “The question remains open,” said Joe. “Any takers?” He took off his jacket to reveal his printed T-shirt. In the centre was an hourglass in a circle. “Is it wishful thinking?” asked Mia. “Good try. But you know what they say. Be careful what you wish for…” “Got it! Everyone knows, LOVE makes the world go round,” said Mia “That’s half the answer,” replied Joe. He checked the timer. In the top part, the sand had caved in. It was draining fast. Mia pointed to the T-shirt. “You’re not thinking of the ten-year warning?” Joe shook his head. “No. In any case the latest science says it could be much sooner.” Mia clapped her hands. “I know,” she said, “it’s LOVE AND RAGE.” “Correct,” called Joe. As Mia jazz-handed, the last few grains of sand trickled through. She looked from Joe to Cass. “Can we begin again?” she asked. “We don’t really know,” Joe replied. “But it could be difficult,” her sister added. She pointed to the timer. The bottom half was full and the top was empty. Realising the quiz was over Joe, Mia and Cass fell silent. They were out of time.
ABOUT THE BOOK: Love’s Register tells the story of romantic love and climate change over four UK generations. Beginning with ‘climate children’ Joe, Mia and Cass and ending with Hereiti’s night sea journey across Oceania, the book’s voices take us through family conflicts in the 1920s, the pressures of the ‘free-love 60s’, open relationships in the feminist 80s/90s and a contemporary late-life love affair. Love’s Register is a family saga and a modern psychological novel that explores the way we live now. Due out mid/end-October, you can pre-order your signed copy here https://leslietate.com/shop/loves-register/ . BIO: Leslie Tate is an ex-student of the UEA Creative Writing Course, and the author of six novels. Leslie’s website https://leslietate.com/ offers book and personal information plus weekly interviews with creative and community-involved people.
Wishing Leslie much success with Love’s Register. Such an important topic – climate change and one which we all must be so mindful of.
I’m pleased to welcome Jemima Pett to my blog today to celebrate the launch of Princelings Revolution.
Princelings Revolution is out today! The day has finally come for the last in Jemima Pett’s Princelings of the East series. She started writing it in the dim dark days of 2008, thanks to inspiration from some guinea pig friends. Today’s post has an extract and a Giveaway, so there’s a lot of reading!
In 2008 it was just a trilogy. But the characters wouldn’t accept their fate and demanded more. And so the saga of the Realms wound its way from south to north, and even into Germany before returning to the east.
The Princelings of the East
The Princelings and the Pirates
The Princelings and the Lost City
The Traveler in Black and White
The Talent Seekers
Bravo Victor
Willoughby the Narrator
The Princelings of the North
Chronicles of Marsh
…….
Princelings Revolution
Jasmine’s birthday party ends in disaster. George seems to have lost a phial of highly dangerous liquid. And King Fred is battling politics, relatives and self-serving dignitaries in his aim to give the people a better way of living.
But can Fred keep the promise he made to an engaging chap from another time when he was just a princeling? Or will all their hopes fail?
Jemima’s favourite quotes from the book
“Hector, in charge? Couldn’t lead a file of caterpillars, that one!”
The way Jasmine said it made Fred raise an eyebrow. It was exactly how Kira said it when she wanted to say something privately.
“The usual suspects are people we know. I reckon these are people we don’t know. And who don’t know us.”
“Oh.” George considered all the other uses he had found for it. This was not a good one. “It’s called duct tape,” he said.
About the series
Ten books take us from 2009 through to 2021, with a prequel at Book 4, explained from Lord Mariusz’s point of view. The feudal structure of the Realms, the changes wrought by new technology, largely promoted by Princeling George, Fred’s brother. The demise of paranormal creatures, thanks to George’s use of garlic in the fuel cells; the rise of an anti-monarchist group called the Causists, and the resilience of characters great and small, trying to keep their pleasant and friendly society together in the face of so-called freedom fighters. One simple book at a time creates a world of change that will be somewhat familiar to every reader on today’s uncertain planet.
Suitable for good readers 8 years and up, although some parental guidance may occasionally be needed. Generally listed as age 10 and up.
The first three books in the series are also available as Audiobooks
About the author
Jemima at Bloggers Bash 2018
Jemima Pett started writing stories when she was eight. By ten she was designing fantasy islands, complete with maps and railways timetables. There was no call for fantasy island designers then, so she took the science route through university and went into a business career, then retrained for environmental technology. Once in a policy research organisation she started writing again, reports, papers and briefings. She didn’t believe she could write fiction until her guinea pigs came along, and inspired her to write The Princelings of the East. Now she enjoys writing short stories and science fiction novels, and has been published by Third Flatiron Press, among others. She lives in Hampshire with Roscoe, Neville and Biggles, who all appear in Princelings Revolution.
Jemima is on Twitter…. Amazon…. Goodreads…. Facebook…. Website
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I thought I’d write a nonet to celebrate my hubby and I ‘s anniversary. We had a lovely day together yesterday. So this is for us! We’ve stood the test of time and been married for 33 years! Imagine… He isn’t one for social media, so I rarely post photos of him, so instead here is a lovely pic I found on pexels.
M J Mallon YA Author and Poet 