http://venturegalleries.com/blog/venture-galleries-best-cover-design-for-a-thriller-no-write-to-die-by-tom-immins/
Tuesday, 19 February 2013
'No Write To Die' Best Thriller Cover Award.
http://venturegalleries.com/blog/venture-galleries-best-cover-design-for-a-thriller-no-write-to-die-by-tom-immins/
Sunday, 10 February 2013
FREE! FREE! FREE! LAST CHANCE!
The 2nd Sam Lucas Thriller
'Czech Mate'
Sun 10th February
JUST CLICK ON THE LINK:
http://amzn.to/W50hzw Amazon UK
http://amzn.to/WWoqGx Amazon US
BLOGGER BOOK FAIR Marian Lanouette
Welcome to day 4 of the Blogger Book Fair, today I am featuring wonderful author Marian Lanouette.
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Marian born and
raised in Brooklyn, New York is the seventh child of ten. At the age of sixteen
her family moved from New York to New England. As a typical teenager, she felt
her life was ruined and took to journalizing her feeling and this new life. The
journal helped her realize how easily she had adapted to the change. Although,
she did miss her cherished friends terribly; she's thankful, they are still
friends today. The four of them refer to each other as the cradle to the grave
friends.
IF there is not
enough space this part can be deleted.
Unbeknown to her
parents, at the age of five she started reading the New York Daily News story
about the murdered nurses in Chicago and the investigation. Marian followed the
story every day as authorities rushed to solve the brutal crime. It had caught
her attention and her imagination. To this day she stills checks her closet
before going to sleep. Marian thinks it was on that day the mystery lover was
created.
At the age of
eight she wrote every day, whether it be a poem, a short story or in her
journal. An eighth grade assignment got her published. Though she failed the
assignment, the nun was impressed with her poem. It was supposed to be a four
line poem, but she couldn't still her pen. The Beach her first official
published work is still her favorite though much longer than four lines. It was
the nun who submitted the poem for her to the local paper. Thus, the writer was
born.
Marian's first
book If I Fail, A Jake Carrington Mystery will be released on September 2012; and will be followed up in January 2013
with the second book in the series, Burn in Hell, A Jake Carrington Mystery.
Each book's a mystery with romantic elements, because to quote Marian,
"Life is both mysterious and romantic." As the World Ends, a romantic
suspense will be released in February
2013.
“Son
of a bitch,” Kyra whispered.
Life’s
not fair. In the last two hours she’d dumped over
three thousand dollars into the Goddamn machine. This bitch sits down right
next to her and hits the jackpot on the first spin. I’ll
never get my son back this way.
Kyra
Russell wiped away the tears that rolled down her face. Why couldn’t she hit
the jackpot? Ten grand—she only needed ten grand to pay her lawyer. Taking another
hundred-dollar bill out of her purse, she stuffed it into the machine and hit the
maximum-credit button, anticipating the results. Loving the rush, her stomach jumped
with excitement. Each time, her mind cheered ‘this is it.’ As the wheels rolled
into place, a cold chill raced through her veins. One by one, they landed. By the
second symbol, she realized she’d lost again. Kyra’s heartbeat increased, pounding
in her chest, beating in her ears like African tribal drums, causing her anger
to spike. It’s the next one, she told herself, banging the maximum-credit button
again. Lord, she needed to take a pee break, though didn’t dare leave her machine
for fear someone else would hit the jackpot after she’d primed the machine.
Watching
the attendant pay the woman, Kyra counted along with him. The
bitch
won seventy-five hundred dollars. After the woman received her payout, Kyra
tried signaling the attendant.
“Excuse
me,” she called.
“Yes,
ma’am?”
“I
need to use the restroom. Can you watch my machine or lock it down?”
“I
need to call a supervisor over. It’ll be a few minutes.” He pressed the button in
his earpiece.
She
watched him whisper into it. After ten minutes, the supervisor came over and
locked down the machine for her, letting her know she needed to be back within
the hour or they’d release the machine.
“Thank
you.”
“Not
a problem, Kyra,” the supervisor said.
He
read her name off her reward card, addressing her like he knew her. Well, screw
him.
She
pushed off her seat, rushing to the ladies’ room. Kyra didn’t want to stay away
too long, giving them a chance to re-program the machine against her or reset it.
She hated the new system with the tickets. Since they’d installed it, she
hadn’t won like she used to. How else could she lose constantly? Winning used
to be the norm when she first started. It became addictive. She’d won
twenty-five thousand dollars on one spin. On another night, she’d won eight
thousand dollars.
Boy,
the cash rolled in then. The feeling was indescribable when those wheels rolled
into place and the bells went off. The noise the machine made when it hit a jackpot
had crowds surrounding her. Though on that night she’d gone home with only
twenty thousand dollars—she’d blown five grand trying to win more. Greed always
took over. Winning excited her. It was the rush, the euphoria she got every time
she pushed the spin button that kept her coming back.
The
casino treated her like royalty, even gave her a host. He got her into the
popular
shows or restaurants anytime she wanted. Nothing was too good for Kyra, as long
as she showed up and put her money into the machine. She became a regular at
the players’ lounge—eat and drink for free. Yeah, free, her ass. The cost was
extreme. Somewhere along the line, Kyra lost her self-respect—along with her marriage,
her son, and her savings.
Many thanks Marian.
Saturday, 9 February 2013
GET IT FREE FREE FREE!!!
FREE! FREE! FREE! The 2nd Sam Lucas Thriller
'Czech Mate'
Sat 9th and Sun 10th February
JUST CLICK ON THE LINK:
http://amzn.to/W50hzw Amazon UK
http://amzn.to/WWoqGx Amazon US
BLOGGER BOOK FAIR interview BROOKLYN JAMES
Welcome to day 3 of the Blogger Book Fair, I would like to introduce my next author feature, the wonderful Brooklyn James.
1/ Can you tell us a
little about yourself?
Hi readers. Brooklyn
James here, author/singer/songwriter, inspired by life in the Live Music Capital of Austin, Texas. My first novel, The Boots My Mother Gave Me, has an original music soundtrack and
was chosen as a Quarter Finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards. This
book has ranked in Kindle's Top 100 Coming of Age and Women's Fiction. My
supernatural thriller trilogy, Vigilare, is
an adaptation from a short narrative film, inspired by vigilante movies such as
The Punisher and Boondock Saints. Currently available in the series are Vigilare and Vigilare: Hell Hound (this one is a play on Greek Mythology). My
latest release, Get This Body In A Barn:
The Milkmaid's Guide To Fitness, was inspired by my childhood growing up on
a dairy farm, where I offer practical fitness regimens to get in shape. As you
can tell, I am still finding myself as a writer. I feel most comfortable in
women's fiction and supernatural genres. I attribute my vast interests to my
educational endeavors, which include a Master's in Communication and two
Bachelors, one in
Animal Science and one in Nursing, as well as a minor in Athletic Training. I
enjoy the occasional film class and activity in the local live music scene as
part of an acoustic Americana/Country duo. A passion near and dear to my heart
is serving as a guest speaker from time to time with a focus on awareness and
prevention of Domestic Violence and Suicide.
2/ When and what made you decide you wanted to be a writer?
2/ When and what made you decide you wanted to be a writer?
My mother helped me
to decide I wanted to be a writer. I grew up in a very rural area in the
States. There were more dairy cows and white-tailed deer than people in my
hometown. As a child, when I would complain to my mom that I was bored, “Well then, find something to do,” she would say. Thus was the impetus of my imaginary and writing
wiles, both in stories and songwriting.
3/ Can you tell us something about your books, genre?
Refer to Question #1
4/ Where do you get your ideas from?
Life. I love taking
life experiences and characters you meet along the way and 'beefing' them up to
a point of intrigue, conflict and resolution. There is so much inspiration in
life. I believe it was Mark Twain who said, “Truth is stranger than fiction.” And it's always fun to rewrite the script of life, giving it a
fictitious spin. My first novel, The
Boots My Mother Gave Me is surely autobiographical in parts. I found it
truly liberating to purge those experiences, as well as dramatize other not so
entertaining aspects. Life is like a roller coaster. As a writer, I believe
it's our job to pick out the high-points, featuring those moments in our
novels, attempting to fully entertain our readers. And I always ask my readers,
if you could rewrite the script of your life, what would it say?
I also enjoy finding
inspiration in things that make me uncomfortable or things that make me ask,
'what if.' My supernatural thriller trilogy Vigilare
is a perfect example of this. It's a dark, menacing read. I found myself
quite uncomfortable in writing many of the scenes, but I thoroughly enjoy that.
It's a matter of getting in touch with your alter ego, so to speak, and
contemplating good and evil, and things that generally cause one to be at odds.
I like a book that makes me think about my position on such things, giving a
voice to both sides. And, even though the series is adventurous and has
supernatural aspects, it is grounded in a scientific discourse around blood
that was actually quite fascinating and educational to research and write.
5/ Are you working on a new book at the moment?
5/ Are you working on a new book at the moment?
I have two books in
the works at the moment. One, a contemporary romance called Let It Go, featuring two divorcees who
are forced to start over, learning to trust in their instincts and love. It's
an homage to letting go of the excess baggage, from previous experiences and
relationships, that weighs you down. I'm thinking of a steamy cover for this
one. I've yet to give into that ploy, but I think it could be great fun in
casting the cover model! Let It Go
will be released March 2013.
The other manuscript
is Jolie Blonde, the Vigilare prequel and Stand-Alone
slightly Gothic coming of age adventure. This highlights the life of the
Vigilare before she was called to her position. I love character back-stories.
I think it helps to better define and understand their motivation. It often
lends itself to reader empathy as well, seeing from whence the character was
rooted and how they came to be in their present position. This book will have
an original music soundtrack as well. The soundtrack to The Boots My Mother Gave Me is in the Texas/Alternative Country
genre, which fit the setting of the story and its heroine growing up in a small
town and graduating into the world. The soundtrack to Jolie Blonde will explore Roots/Blues/Americana music as inspired
by its setting in New Orleans. We're actually featuring a remake of the Cajun
National Anthem, Jolie Blonde, as the
title track. We had a great time with the remake, giving it both the
traditional waltz time of Jo-El Sonnier mixed up with a more standard four-four
time in the popular style of Bruce Springsteen with full sha-la-la-la-lahs! Both the book and the album for Jolie Blonde will be released June
2013.
6/ What are your ambitions concerning your writing career?
I love the Indie
zone I have fallen into. I live in Austin, Texas and there is a thriving Indie
artist community here. The city fully supports their local artists. Our Mom and
Pop stores, such as Book People, Bookwoman, Waterloo Records and Wild About
Music on the 6th Street, carry all of my stock. Amazon has been
a great asset for me, too, even as an Indie. With the release of my first
novel, The Boots My Mother Gave Me wining
a quarter finalist position in their Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards helped to
solidify my aspirations. I aim to keep on writing both books and music,
enthusiastically mixing the two mediums where I can as long as I have a reading
and listening audience. I'm quite content and grateful to my fans to be able to
write at the Indie level. Sure, I'd love to be a New York Times Bestselling
Author. Maybe that will come eventually. But in the Indie music world, we're
used to 'paying our dues.' So pay my dues I shall!
7/ Which writers inspire you?
Maya Angelou,
Elizabeth Gilbert, Emily Bronte, Jane Austen, Henry David Thoreau, T.S. Elliot,
D.H. Lawrence, Robertson Davies, Lee Child's...and the list goes on. I have a
deep affinity for the classics and poetry. I am an avid reader of biographies.
I love learning about musicians, artists, writers, all creative types. I find
their journeys provocative and inspiring. I especially enjoy athletes
biographies and memoirs. I find them to be most similar to writers in that most
of them did not rise to success overnight. The way an athlete trains is not so
far off from the way a writer writes...day in and day out...attempting to
better themselves, arriving at the summit.
8/ What book are you reading at present?
A Walk Across America by Peter Jenkins.
I recently finished Outlander (book
#1) by Diana Gabaldon. I loved it. Found myself attempting a very poorly
executed Scottish-brogue, such as her character Jaime Fraser! Talk about a
perfectly researched and executed narrative – I look forward to the rest of the books in the series.
9/ What are your thoughts on reviews, good and bad?
As a writer, sure, I
look forward to the positive reviews. Waking up to a new, good review can make
my entire day. However, I feel anyone who takes precious time out of their life
to read my novels has the right to their opinion, even if it is not so
favorable. I think it's the same with much in life, we have to remember not to
take ourselves so seriously. Art is subjective. Everyone has the right to their
feelings and opinions. In the same breath, as a writer don't stumble over the
bad reviews. Read them and take from them whatever constructive criticism may
be offered. But, take comfort in the good reviews. Those are the words you
should latch onto and allow to push you forward in your writing endeavors.
I am a notoriously
'good' reviewer, fittingly so. I have spent countless hours at my computer,
attempting to come up with an entertaining cast of characters and a satisfying
story line. Even if I don't necessarily enjoy a book, I cannot bring myself to
rate it much below four stars simply because I know someone spent a lot of time
in telling their tale. It's the same as taking film classes. Prior to studying
film, I never gave a second thought to saying, 'that movie sucked!' After
taking a few film classes and trying my hand at directing and producing, I
gained an entirely different perspective. Now, if I watch a movie that I don't
quite connect with, I try and find the positives about it, understanding the
crew of people and the time it involved to make it. Ultimately, effort is worth
something to me.
To anyone who
receives one of those disheartening, snarky and downright mean 'bad' reviews, I
refer you to Teddy Roosevelt's 'Man In
The Arena:' “It is not the critic who counts:
not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of
deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in
the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives
valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no
effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the
great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at best, knows, in
the end, the
triumph of high achievement, and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails
while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and
timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.î
10/ What advice
would you give to aspiring writers?
I would say don't
try to please everyone. Art is subjective. Write was is organic and innate to
you � this method will give you an
honest voice that will connect with your readers. Write what inspires you, it
will inspire others. Grow thick skin. Understand that there will be readers and
critics who do not connect with your work. Be able to accept rejection, it is
pivotal in any creative medium. Compile a list of inspirational quotes and keep
them close by when in need � tack them up
on your computer, on your refrigerator, your poster board, your bathroom
mirror, what-have-you.
Get yourself a good
editor. Write and write and write some more. Know when to let your manuscript
go. A book is never finished, that is the truth. I look back on books I've
written and I think, 'This part could have been better. I could have made that
character so much more interesting. I should have deleted that scene. And yada
yada yada.� Understand that a book captures a
moment in life, not only your characters lives, but your life � where you're at emotionally, mentally, psychologically. All of
these things play into the outcome of the story somehow. Acknowledge that and
understand that your book, whether you would go back and spruce it up in parts,
is a representation of that moment in time. Take it for it is, what it was and
let it go. Set it free into the universe and cross your fingers! Maybe it's not
necessarily your best work, but keep writing and you may eventually create your
masterpiece.
Become a one-woman
or man PR machine. Don't be afraid to promote yourself and your books. The only
way people are going to find out about your books is if you're informing them.
Get on Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, maintain your own blog � network with fellow writers and readers. Readers are voracious. Get
on Goodreads. My first novel, The Boots
My Mother Gave Me would not be as successful as it has been without the
support in the form of ratings and reviews from the Goodreads community. A few
readers there with book blogs latched onto the book, catapulting it into Amazon
Kindle's Top 100 Coming of Age and Women's Fiction. If a reader likes your book
they will stop at no end to share their opinion with fellow readers.
Last, but certainly
not least, appreciate your readers and fans. Interact with them and be gracious
for their support. There are so many options for entertainment these days. I
have 725 fans on my Facebook page. That may not seem like much to some people,
but they're my first 725 and I am truly ecstatic and thankful to them each and
everyone!
Thank You Tom for
hosting me today. And thank you readers for taking the time to become
acquainted. I hope to hear from you!
Where can you be reached?
Website: http://www.brooklyn-james.com
Blog: http://www.BrooklynJamesBlog.blogspot.com
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/BrooklynJamesSinger
Twitter: @BrooklynJames7
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4406722.Brooklyn_James
Amazon Author Central: https://www.amazon.com/author/brooklynjames
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/BrooklynJamesSinger
Twitter: @BrooklynJames7
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4406722.Brooklyn_James
Amazon Author Central: https://www.amazon.com/author/brooklynjames
My thanks to Brooklyn, a very talented lady indeed.
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