Great news, the Bloodstone Audiobook is live and available to buy and listen to via various paid as well as audiobook subscription options on Amazon. It will also be on Itunes. The narrator Kerri Hiebert did a fabulous job of narrating.
It has been well received with a great bestseller top 100 rating in Amazon UK under the category Coming of age Fiction For Teens.
Also I have a limited amount of free acx promo codes – US and UK – for those who might not want the free trial but are keen to listen and review. Let me know if you would like one – email me, or comment below.
Blurb
Fifteen-year-old Amelina Scott lives in Cambridge with her dysfunctional family, a mysterious black cat, and an unusual girl who is imprisoned within the mirrors located in her house.
When an unexpected message arrives inviting her to visit the Crystal Cottage, she sets off on a forbidden path where she encounters Ryder, a charismatic, perplexing stranger.
With the help of a magical paint set and some crystal wizard stones, can Amelina discover the truth about her family?
A unique, imaginative mystery full of magic-wielding and dark elements, Bloodstone is a riveting adventure for anyone interested in fantasy, mythology, or the world of the paranormal.
TRIGGER WARNING: this book contains mention of self-harm, mental health issues and alludes to the potential dangers of sexual attraction, which may trigger younger/sensitive readers.
I hope you are staying safe and indoors if you are in the path of the storm. Take care,
I’m deep in complicated edits for the second in my YA fantasy series – The Curse of Time #2 Golden Healer, and they are driving me crazy! As it’s Poet’s Choice I’m going to share the opening poem and a short extract, (which still needs a final edit so please bear that in mind.)
The story opens with two dear old friends, Leanne the owner of the magical crystal cottage and Eruterac, the creature, who is the caretaker of the cottage. The below link is to Carolina Russo’s wonderful blog.
Carolina has created two amazing art portraits of my characters which you can see below – Esme the mirror girl and Eruterac the creature at: https://yesterdayafter.com/
Through a gated door leading to a herb and rose garden where two strange companions Leanne, and Eruterac the creatureshare a rare moment together.
Today,theymarvelled at the beauty and fragility of the rose petals which created a dazzling display of white, yellow, pink, and darkest crimson blooms. The delightful fragrance of roses and herbs filled the air, bursting with sweetness. In the backdrop, a quaint old cottage with shuttered windows rested as if waiting for a passing stranger to dare to cross its threshold. Within, skylights alighted on all manner of crystals as they twinkled, longing for a release from their embedded position on the walls. The ground around the cottage stirred, breaking and settling as if the cottage might be drawn back into its hiding place: the earth.
In the surrounding courtyard, there were cages and feeders for birds which hung from the trees. White doves cooed and preened themselves in bird baths.
The creature Eruterac paid no attention to the antics of these exquisite birds, instead he fidgeted as he tried to rearrange his tall skeletal frame into Leanne’s dainty, wrought iron chairs.
Leanne sat opposite him. Except for the tulle layers of her silken gown, her tiny frame appeared lost in the chair. She tilted her head with an air of grandeur as if she was about to join a garden party frequented by the finest royalty, or perhaps the Gods themselves.
Eruterac had no such attire, except for his knitted rasta cap with sun-cured palm leaves which covered his matted dreadlocks.
His needs were a thing of the past, for now his concerns were reduced to the worms that crawled across his bony frame. He held one such wrigging creature inches from the gap where his mouth used to be and edged forward dangling it in front of Leanne’s nose.
“Dinner,” he joked as he bobbed his skeletal head.
Leanne shuddered. “No worms, thanks, dearest creature. Caviar for me!” She picked up her finest china teapot and poured the liquid into a cup. It flowed slowly, twinkling with a myriad of brilliant colours. When it filled the cup, it turned the colour Leanne expected. She’d thought of green tea and magical green tea it was.
Eruterac choked and spluttered on clods of earth as he laughed. “That’s foul. Green tea, how can you drink such muck?”
“Easy. I do so with a smile, unlike … poor you! I see worms continue to ooze gunk where your dear mouth used to be,” replied Leanne, reaching forward to pat Eruterac on his skeletal shoulder.
They rested for a moment, her gentle hand on his bones.
“I’ll try not to drink such delicacies!” replied Eruterac, cracking his bones for a joke.
“Wise fellow. Forgive me for changing the subject but your new hat is very fetching! I’s so brown and earthy with that Chiastolite death crystal, completed by that black cross embellishing the cap’s centre.”
“Indeed, it’s a dark beauty, like an honourable death,” he said, his skeletal arm reached up to touch the crystal on his hat.
“Take heart, dear Creature, forget about death, and being bound to this cottage. Let us rejoice in the simple pleasures of life which we take for granted…” Leanne pointed at their sublime surroundings.
Eruterac sighed. ”Yes, there are times when amidst such tranquillity and beauty that I forget everything.”
A white dove landed on Leanne’s slender shoulder, she turned and smiled. But the dove thought better of it and alighted on the Creature’s hat. It pecked away at the worms making the creature smile.
“They know who provides them with a constant dinner of worms. And who’s boss.”
“Huh! A boss? You? That Chiastolite’s making you big-headed. Oh, my days! The protectors, you, and my dearest doves are all that I and my dear cottage need… But, I mustn’t forget, I have news to impart – the midsummer fly is up to his tricks.”
“Where’s that stinking fly been to this time?” asked Eruterac, leaning forward, sending worms tumbling towards Leanne’s teacup. Her eyes grew wide as she placed a protective hand over the top but a few swift worms landed in the saucer. She swiped them away.
More to come, there is a mention of the bloodstone in the latter part of this opening chapter, find out more when the book is complete. It continues to be my most challenging writing project, so it may be a while. Be patient with me dear readers.
Any feedback would be greatly received.
While I am editing book two here is the link to the first book in the YA fantasy series The Curse of Time #1 Bloodstone, the blurb and some review quotes.
Fifteen-year-old Amelina Scott lives in Cambridge with her dysfunctional family, a mysterious black cat, and an unusual girl who’s imprisoned within the mirrors located in her house. When an unexpected message arrives inviting her to visit the Crystal Cottage, she sets off on a forbidden pathway where she encounters Ryder, a charismatic, but perplexing stranger.
With the help of a magical paint set, and some crystal wizard stones she discovers the truth about a shocking curse that has destroyed her family’s happiness.
“This delightful book will appeal to teens and young adults who love stories filled with magical crystals, dark family curses, and mysteries waiting to be solved around every corner. Each chapter leads you on a journey of discovery where Amelina earns the right to use three wizard stones to reset the balance of time and finally break the curse that holds her family hostage. A captivating tale!” – Colleen M. Chesebro (Editor)
Perhaps this is the time in which writers should be writing their hearts out.
Unless you work in the NHS, or are a key worker, most of us have more time on our hands. The material is there all around us. But, where to begin? How do we push past the fear and anxiety to begin? A good way is to try something new. Write in a different genre perhaps, or scribble down some humourous passages, (to help lift us out of a melancholic mind set.)
But if you are overwhelmed and unable to write don’t beat yourself up. That is okay too. Do what is best for you and for your mental health.
My News
Recently, I was thrilled to receive some new reviews which I’d love to share with you.
For the first book in the YA fantasy series Curse of Time Book 1 Bloodstone from author Darlene Foster:
For someone who doesn’t usually read fantasy, this YA novel caught my interest. The teenage characters in the book are very real with typical issues such as lack of confidence, jealousy, confusion, parental disagreements, and volatile friendships. Amelina comes from a dysfunctional family with a paranormal twist. If she can figure out the curse, perhaps her family could be happy once more. In her quest, she meets a self-harming girl locked in a mirror, a heartthrob boy with a mean side, a cottage full of amazing crystals and an old woman with sage advice. I like that the story is based on a real clock, the Corpus Chronophage clock, in Cambridge, England. (Chronophage means time-eater). There is some time travel in the story, which I love. There’s a lot happening in this very descriptive book and not everything is explained. But that is because it is the first book in a series. I look forward to reading more about Amelina and her quirky friends.
And from Willow for my poetry, prose and photography collection Mr. Sagittarius:
willow willers 5.0 out of 5 stars A magical story told in poetry prose and photography Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 April 2020 What a magical Web is woven here by author Marjorie Mallon. A tale of two brothers and a sister, botanical gardens, magical creatures and a bench under a Golden Willow Tree. This delightful mix can be either read in one go or enjoyed as momentary fix. I truly cannot recommend Mr Sagittarius enough there is something for everyone inside it’s pages. I shall say no more apart from urge you to read this book and be totally charmed by it.
What Am I Writing?
I have a confession to make. If I had to write the third book in my YA series The Curse of Time I would struggle. I’m living in such a scary reality that I just can’t think, or imagine a full length fantasy novel setting at the moment. Instead, I am writing about the big R word – reality. I’m writing the COV19 diaries on my blog. I’m not sure when I will publish the companion stories, flash fiction and poetry but I am glad that this is keeping me occupied. My experiences are serving as my plot: what is happening with COV19 – our day to day living, the moments that make me stop and wonder, pause and reflect, smile, or cry. Those moments are in abundance.
No one can cope with the continuous news on tap, the grim, factual accounts of the death toll, or the depth of human suffering we hear about. We are living this strange reality, day in and day out. Instead, I am writing true life experiences giving fictional characters a true and authentic voice. Of course, some of these stories, diaries, flash fiction and poetry pieces will be sad, but the majority will be uplifting, humorous, and hopeful, because that is what we need now and in the future.
We need hope, humour, and honour. To be kind to one another, to look out for each other. To thank those who are selfless: our NHS, and our key workers.This is their time; They are our heroes.
How is this virus impacting our creativity? What kind of stories will it bring?
What are your feelings about writing during the Coronavirus? Are you struggling to write? Or to read?
Before I go I’d like to suggest a short, uplifting read perfect for these times – my latest release is a positive solution to #boredom. A great, wee read! Enjoy.
Mr. Sagittarius is a collection of poetry, prose and photographic images inspired by the botanical gardens in Cambridge. Photography is in the genes! Both my uncle and grandfather were photographers. My grandfather A.G. Ingram was originally with the photography company Ingram, Gordon & Co in Haddington up until the mid thirties. Then he ventured on his own to form the Scottish Pictorial Press in Edinburgh supplying photos to the press. When war broke out Scottish Pictorial Press became defunct. After the war he started AG Ingram Ltd, Commercial Photographers, at 3 successive locations in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Some good news! My full colour paperback is now available in Amazon. Here’s my universal link for Mr. Sagitarrius which is available in paperback, kindle and free on kindle unlimited: Buying Link: http://mybook.to/MrSagittarius
Marje: Ryder. welcome. I’m delighted to have you come talk to me today. Our readers will be excited. I’d be thrilled if you could tell us who is Ryder and what makes you different?
Ryder – In the YA Fantasy Curse of Time Book 1 Bloodstone I’m the beautiful hero emerging out of the shadows who comes to Amelina’s aid. I frighten away two disturbing strangers as Amelina wanders down a dangerous pathway. BUT nothing is as it seems in The Curse of Time; am I a beautiful hero, or perhaps a mysterious villain? Amelina is puzzled and unsure where I fit in the puzzle of her unhappy life. One certainty remains: she finds me exciting, hypnotic, and exhilarating, a powerful elixir to her family difficulties.
Marje: Let’s begin – first question.
Define misery.
Ryder:
Getting old is the worst thing that can happen to someone. You become ugly when you’re old, your looks go, your flesh is weak. I desire mastery over aging, a way to remain young forever.
What are you renowned for?
Ryder:
I have a hypnotic personality. I can coerce people to do as I wish. I have such fun playing games with peoples’ emotions like a cat plays with its prey.
What do you appreciate most in your friends?
Ryder:
Loyalty. My best mate Kyle would do anything for me, he’d die for me. I like to test his loyalty from time to time…
What is your goal? And what obstacles stand in your way?
Ryder:
As I am a creature of shadow-my power comes from light. I must harness the power of the magical crystals in the Crystal Cottage, but it will not be an easy task. There are obstacles in my way: Amelina, a powerful Krystallos, Leanne, the cottage’s eccentric owner, Eruterac the creature and the cottage’s mythological protectors.
If you were to die what would it say on your gravestone?
Ryder:
I will not die suckers! Shadows always remain. Humans are weak, pathetic individuals; I am not human.
Marje:
Hope you enjoyed the interview…
What would you like to know about Ryder?
To read a previous interview on my blog with the handsome but scary Ryder:
Unique Selling Point: Unique, Imaginative, ‘Charming, enchanting and richly layered this is purely delightful.’
“This delightful book will appeal to teens and young adults who love stories filled with magical crystals, dark family curses, and mysteries waiting to be solved around every corner. Each chapter leads you on a journey of discovery where Amelina earns the right to use three wizard stones to reset the balance of time and finally break the curse that holds her family hostage. A captivating tale!” – Colleen M. Chesebro (Editor)
Unique Selling Point: Unique, Imaginative, ‘Charming, enchanting and richly layered this is purely delightful.’
“This delightful book will appeal to teens and young adults who love stories filled with magical crystals, dark family curses, and mysteries waiting to be solved around every corner. Each chapter leads you on a journey of discovery where Amelina earns the right to use three wizard stones to reset the balance of time and finally break the curse that holds her family hostage. A captivating tale!” – Colleen M. Chesebro (Editor)
Red Jade is one of many intriguing crystals in my debut novel. Of course, the crystals in my novel are extraordinary gems, magical crystals conjured up by my imagination! They represent the light, or potential happiness of the protagonists within, whereas shadows represent darkness, deception and sadness. The Curse of Time is a novel of light and dark, so be prepared for both if you decide to pick up a copy. I do not shy away from difficult topics as reviewers on Goodreads have highlighted in their comments:
‘The story bravely tackles issues of mental health and self-harm, but in such a sensitive way that it can only help improve understanding.’ Book Review – Author Richard Dee.
‘There is a multi-layered mystery to be unravelled, spiced with supernatural hints and mixed with some very current issues such as family dysfunction and self-harming.’ Book Review – Blogger Samantha Murdoch.
Here is a short excerpt highlighting the light in the form of the red jade crystal.
‘There are so many delightful ones. How do I decide which one to choose?’ I turned in a circle trying to take in the dazzling gems as they spun before me.
‘Many of the stones have healing properties, but you must follow your instinct and find one you know is right for you. The defenders of the Cottage will guide you.’
Again, I wanted to ask about the defenders of the cottage but left the words unsaid, and they remained stuck in my throat. A jumble of incoherent sentences tumbled around in my thoughts.
Unsure of how to proceed, I followed Leanne’s advice, running my fingers up and down the crystal wall, caressing the gems. I felt a warmth generating from the crystals as my hand brushed over them. I stifled a giggle when they tickled my fingertips. Eventually, a crystal responded to my touch by easing itself from the wall to find a new home in my palm.
Mesmerised by the experience, I realised that above all else, the feeling of the stone on the wall had guided me to choose it. I sensed that the gem belonged; it spoke silent words of encouragement as if it claimed me. I relished the feeling of power that emanated from the crystal as it radiated a warming light that caressed my skin, hugging me like a dear old friend.
‘Wonderful choice my dear. The Red Jade is a lucky crystal. It is the most passionate and stimulating of the Jade stones. It will urge you to go beyond your comfort zone, to be courageous.’ Leanne beamed a bright smile and stared deep into my eyes as if she would find an answer to some unanswered question there. With an abundance of confidence in her voice, she continued. ‘There are those amongst us, corrupt souls who will try to follow you into the cottage. So, you must take care. The cottage will rise up to greet you but you must not encourage others to enter, or terrible things might befall them, so beware.’ With those words of warning ringing in my ears, Leanne turned back to tending her birds, dismissing me without a final goodbye.
I knew this was my cue to depart, so I moved toward the door. Placing a foot outside, I felt the beginnings of an earth tremor beneath my feet. I jumped as far as I could, dreading that I might fall to my death in the crack that appeared. There was no way I could have leapt so far and yet somehow, I had. The magic that bound me to the cottage lifted me high in the air and ensured my safety. In a blink of my eye, the cottage drew back, claimed by the depths far below. Nothing remained of the old ramshackle building apart from a few loose pebbles scattered on the ground where the cottage had stood only moments before.
Unique Selling Point: Unique, Imaginative, ‘Charming, enchanting and richly layered this is purely delightful.’
“This delightful book will appeal to teens and young adults who love stories filled with magical crystals, dark family curses, and mysteries waiting to be solved around every corner. Each chapter leads you on a journey of discovery where Amelina earns the right to use three wizard stones to reset the balance of time and finally break the curse that holds her family hostage. A captivating tale!” – Colleen M. Chesebro (Editor)
It was such fun. I had a go at picking different noses, eyes, hair, lips, hairstyles and even ears! The hardest ones to create were undoubtedly Amelina’s mum and dad as they’re meant to look really odd. I think I succeeded up to a point, the wide eyes and stubble added the finishing touches to her dad! Ryder was tricky too as he’s meant to have two different coloured eyes so I opted for a multi-coloured eye instead.
So let me introduce you to the avatars of:
Ryder – who I couldn’t make up my mind about – should he have short hair?
Esme the mirror girl and Ilaria Miss Super Perfect.
Jade the rock chick and Joselyn the worry chick.
Amelina’s mum and dad who’ve had a rough time and it shows!
And Aunt Karissa and Kyle, because Karissa loves nothing better than the opportunity to flirt with young men! Poor Kyle, no wonder his hair is sticking up! But, he’s being polite – it’s only just a couple of protesting hairs!
xxx Take Two !!! I am reposting this to generate some more sales!!! So please share, reblog and the like. Thank you so much, my lovelies. xxx
I have some wonderful news, I have updated the kindle copy of The Curse of Time Book 1 Bloodstone with some new features – my logo, author photo, two amazing full colour images of Esme and The Creature plus a few minor changes and enhancements too.
xxx Yeah!!! I work hard to ensure that my readers are happy. xxx
The kindle is new and improved!
Below in the slideshow you can see my wonderful logo which is now a feature in the kindle copy. The logo was designed by Allie Potts: https://alliepottswrites.com/
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
It is a black dragon and a white unicorn doing a Kyrosmagica dance, twirling around. I absolutely love it. Allie very kindly created different colours for me and a black and white shadowed one too! Love them all.
The wonderful images of two of my characters – Esme and The Creature created by talented artist Carolina Russo https://yesterdayafter.com now feature in the kindle too.
To celebrate I’ve decided to lower the price of the kindle for a limited time period only.
You can buy a kindle copy of The Curse of Time Book 1 Bloodstone at a really amazing price – 1.99 pence on Amazon UK. What a bargain!
For less than the price of a coffee you can get a little piece of my soul! But rush, this soul offer is for a limited time period only!!!
All I ask in return is perhaps you might consider reviewing The Curse of Time for me on Amazon, Goodreads and the like. Currently I have nine reviews on Amazon, and eleven on Goodreads. So don’t be shy, I won’t say no to a few more!
My latest five-star review on Goodreads by Gemma Bray, Neverland Blog Tour Host:
I am truly addicted to this book! Marjorie is such a talented author and really does reel you into the book and the life of Amelina. At first, I was a little unsure about the book with it being different from my normal genres and a little slow. After a while though, you do get addicted and just can not put it down! Amelina is a really good character, super lovable and you want to keep reading to see where things take her.
You are quickly whisked off into a world filled with supernatural happenings, people in mirrors and crystals. Lots of crystals! There is an element of change evident in Amelina as the book progresses, showing her development as a person who is capable of having a huge effect on those around her, as she learns of the powers she has had bestowed upon her. On the other end of the spectrum, Ryder is a really dislikeable character.
I suppose he needed to be like this, as you’re really not meant to like him! He definitely influences Amelina negatively, her friends and family also question him, making him for a well-written character within the story. The last couple of chapters were crazy and left me on the edge of my seat wanting more from them. This book does focus on things from the norm, the whole secret and wanting to know about these crystals.
Normally I hate finishing books, as the impressive story is over, but I have the luxury of Book 2 for this series, which I hope I can get my hands on it soon! Overall, this is a book brimming with supernatural happenings, a mysterious cottage and a family problem that needs solving. I definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a good mystery as it will reel you in.
I have some wonderful news, I have updated the kindle copy of The Curse of Time Book 1 Bloodstone with some new features – my logo, author photo, two amazing full colour images of Esme and The Creature plus a few minor changes and enhancements too.
xxx Yeah!!! I work hard to ensure that my readers are happy. xxx
The kindle is new and improved!
Below in the slideshow you can see my wonderful logo which is now a feature in the kindle copy. The logo was designed by Allie Potts: https://alliepottswrites.com/
It is a black dragon and a white unicorn doing a Kyrosmagica dance, twirling around. I absolutely love it. Allie very kindly created different colours for me and a black and white shadowed one too! Love them all.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
The wonderful images of two of my characters – The Creature, and Esme created by talented artist Carolina Russo https://yesterdayafter.com now feature in the kindle too.
To celebrate I’ve decided to lower the price of the kindle for a limited time period only.
You can buy a kindle copy of The Curse of Time Book 1 Bloodstone at a really amazing price – 1.99 pence on Amazon UK. What a bargain!
For less than the price of a coffee you can get a little piece of my soul! But rush, this soul offer is for a limited time period only!!!
All I ask in return is perhaps you might consider reviewing The Curse of Time for me on Amazon, Goodreads and the like. Currently I have nine reviews on Amazon, and eleven on Goodreads. So don’t be shy, I won’t say no to a few more!
My latest five-star review on Goodreads by Gemma Bray, Neverland Blog Tour Host:
I am truly addicted to this book! Marjorie is such a talented author and really does reel you into the book and the life of Amelina. At first, I was a little unsure about the book with it being different from my normal genres and a little slow. After a while though, you do get addicted and just can not put it down! Amelina is a really good character, super lovable and you want to keep reading to see where things take her.
You are quickly whisked off into a world filled with supernatural happenings, people in mirrors and crystals. Lots of crystals! There is an element of change evident in Amelina as the book progresses, showing her development as a person who is capable of having a huge effect on those around her, as she learns of the powers she has had bestowed upon her. On the other end of the spectrum, Ryder is a really dislikeable character.
I suppose he needed to be like this, as you’re really not meant to like him! He definitely influences Amelina negatively, her friends and family also question him, making him for a well-written character within the story. The last couple of chapters were crazy and left me on the edge of my seat wanting more from them. This book does focus on things from the norm, the whole secret and wanting to know about these crystals.
Normally I hate finishing books, as the impressive story is over, but I have the luxury of Book 2 for this series, which I hope I can get my hands on it soon! Overall, this is a book brimming with supernatural happenings, a mysterious cottage and a family problem that needs solving. I definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a good mystery as it will reel you in.
Welcome to Writing Through the Soul to Heal the Soul. Where you will learn everything you need to know to heal your soul through writing! Thanks for stopping by.
M J Mallon YA Author and Poet 