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She reads books as one would breathe air, to fill up and live.
– Annie Dillard |
Genre: Young Adult, Middle Grade, Science Fiction, Fantasy Publisher: Clean Reads Publication Date: February 20, 2018 Pages: 307 Format: PDF Add to GoodReads SynopsisFor years the Moon Palace in the Valley of Aijalon and the Sun Tower in the Plains of Jashar has stood as testaments to the power of the sun and the graciousness of the moon. Helio and Lumina, Guardians of the sun and moon, kept watch over them and the Prince and the Princess who ruled them. But the Prince and Princess are missing, and the sun is exhibiting strange behavior. Now Joshua and his younger sister, Deborah, must untangle a web of lies and deceit to uncover the secret of who they really are and save their world from an imminent disaster brewing in the heavens. And they must hurry. Between the earthquakes, the sun and moon standing still in the sky, and the planet Jants hovering closer than it’s ever been, the planet could be torn apart before they have a chance to do something about it. ReviewI received this eBook from the author and I am leaving a review voluntarily.Although I did feel like I wasn't the target audience for this book, this still ended up being a great read. I absolutely enjoyed it. The concept and world building was phenomenal. It felt like you were taking part in the making of history and myth at the same time. The book is targeted towards young adults, but in all honesty because it is such a clean read I feel like middle grade readers would also enjoy it. RatingAbout the Author M.R. Anglin has always had a fascination with space—particularly the moon and stars. She also has three amazing nephews, two adorable “near-nephews,” and one brilliant niece, so it’s no wonder she eventually wrote a story that combines these loves into one. You can often find her gazing up at the Florida sky at night or hunching over her notebook/computer by day. She is the author of the Middle Grade novel, Lucas, Guardian of Truth (LampPost 2012), the self-published Silver Foxes series. She has also been included in the Coyotl Award winning anthology, Gods With Fur (FurPlanet 2016) and Extinct? (Wolfsinger 2017). Connect with M.R. Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Deviantart | Website
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Genre: Dystopian, Science Fiction Publisher: Cerebral Books Publication Date: October 13, 2011 Pages: 278 Format: Mobi Add to GoodReads Buy from Amazon George Irwin remembers a time before the Big Climate Change, back when the airlines were still in business, back when people still drove their own cars and the bulk of humanity had not yet been driven underground. Back when all people were still people despite their eye color or which class they were born into. . . . The world has changed much over his lifetime, but George still believes in the American Dream. However, when an alleged terrorist act lands his wife in the hospital, George stumbles upon a secret that could mean the end of all civilization. World-Mart takes place in a not-too-distant future, one in which the collective and all-powerful entity known as "Corporate" owns and controls every aspect of society. One held in place by complacency and mediocrity. One that could very easily come to pass . . . very soon. What does your future look like? I received this book for free and I am voluntarily leaving a review.I love Ms. Lane's writing and her stories. They hit close to home with a society run by corporations that govern everything from what you eat to how much electricity you can use to what happens if your family members fall ill. That part was terrifying, especially as we're in a pandemic currently. The characters were written well. The world building was awesome and the story was totally awesome, through and through. Perfect story. In addition to writing dark speculative fiction for over twenty-five years, Leigh M. Lane has sung lead and backup vocals for bands ranging from classic rock to the blues, dabbled in fine arts, and earned a black belt in karate. She has a BA in English and graduated from UNLV Magna Cum Laude. She currently lives in the dusty outskirts of Sin City with her husband, an editor and educator, and one very spoiled cat. Genre: Horror, Thriller, Sci-Fi Publisher: Sinister Grin Press Publication Date: April 15, 2018 Pages: 254 Format: ePub Add to GoodReads Buy on Amazon, B&N SynopsisThe night uncovers all we wish not to see. A troubled man enters a dusky park before sunset. A young woman follows, hidden in shadow. Both have returned to the park to take back something the past has stolen from them, to make right six long years of suffering, and to find justice or perhaps redemption—or maybe they'll settle for some old-fashioned revenge. But something evil is alive and awake in those woods, creatures that care nothing for human motivations. They’re driven by their own insatiable need: a ravenous, bottomless hunger. The campgrounds are full tonight, and the creatures are starving. Before the night is over, they will feed. ReviewI received this eBook from the author in exchange for an honest review.Oh man! This was the best campy (pun intended ;) ) horror novel that I have read in a long, long time. Thanks to this novel, I'll remain agoraphobic and plan not to camp any time soon, at least not where the book was set either. Yikes. Also, I'm not keen on sleeping on the lumpy ground, haha. But I definitely do not want the oily, poop shaped leech monsters that eat people to ruin it either. Oh lord, though, these characters were some of the most abhorrent of people. I was kind of glad that these terrible people aren't real people but OOF, to die to the... hands? No, no hands: just big leechy mouths. Anyhow, to die like that poor people and also yuck. Absolutely the best read. If you're a camping aficionado, don't read this book before you go, you may end up lying awake all night worrying about man-eating poop slugs. (Or bears, yeah probably bears). About the AuthorJason Parent is an author of horror, thrillers, mysteries, science fiction and dark humor, though his many novels, novellas, and short stories tend to blur the boundaries between these genres. From his EPIC and eFestival Independent Book Award finalist first novel, What Hides Within, to his widely applauded police procedural/supernatural thriller, Seeing Evil, Jason’s work has won him praise from both critics and fans of diverse genres alike. His work has been compared to that of some of his personal favorite authors, such as Chuck Palahniuk, Jack Ketchum, Tess Gerritsen, and Joe Hill. Jason grew up near Fall River, Massachusetts, the setting for several of his novels. He has lived in New England most his life, currently residing in Rhode Island. Connect with JasonGenre: Horror Publisher: Self-Published Publication Date: March 1, 2016 Pages: 236 Format: ePub Add to GoodReads Buy on Amazon Beginning in the late 1600s we follow Alexandra on a journey through history which is filled with blood, fear, and terror. Alexandra is a supernatural creature who must feast on human flesh and blood to survive. For over 200 years this immortal woman has to prowl the dirty streets of London in search of her next victim until the King of England decides to employ her special skills to hunt real life serial killers for his needs instead. I received this eBook from the author in exchange for an honest review.This book had so much promise. I was completely sucked in by the premise and then I hit a massive wall and had a falling out with the novel. The novel is set in a historical time period but the dialogue and mannerisms were modernized to the point that it was jarring and not befitting. Alexandra was far too independent for the time period; no amount of money would distract from her being a lone woman who comes and goes at all hours of the night. People were absolutely terrified of demons and witches, she would have been pegged immediately as one or both. There was just so much inconsistency with the novel that it ruined it for me. Which was disappointing because, if done right, this would have been a superb novel and easily would have been a 4 or 5 star read for me. Loren Molloy won her first award in 2005 for Best Young Poet. This was the catalyst to the creation of her first published book Black Dreams and Shattered Illusions. Loren has been writing books ever since. When Loren isn't writing or researching for her next novel she spends time watching Horror movies, walking outdoors in her beautiful home state of New York, and interacting with others through her social media accounts. Connect with Loren Facebook | Instagram | IMDb | Twitter | GoodReads Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Mythology, Adventure, Dystopia Publisher: Sea of Ink Press Publication Date: June 5, 2018 Pages: 260 Format: ePub Add to GoodReads Buy on: Amazon, Indigo, B&N Andy and Zoey are two normal teenagers living in the modern day—that is, until they’re knocked unconscious in a freak storm sweeping the United States. When they wake up, the world they know has been tossed away. Their city is in ruins, strange creatures walk the earth, and worst of all, everyone is gone. They stumble across Diana and Spencer, two kids around their age who possess incredible magical abilities, and who claim to be the demigod children of Greek gods. Not only that, they also claim the year is 500 AS, five hundred years after the gods conjured a massive storm that destroyed most of humanity and helped them take the world as their own once again. Andy and Zoey are soon handed an impossible task: To save humanity. To lead a war on the gods. They’ll have to battle monsters, death, and their own inner demons to survive and to protect the people they love. I received this eBook free from the author in exchange for an honest review.Wow, well that was quite the beginning! This is an awesome futuristic story filled with monsters and just oozing with Greek mythology. Andy and Zoey up in a freak storm that destroys the world as they know it and they wake up in a new world, 500 years later! Of course it would be the Olympian Gods having a hissy fit over humans forgetting about them. Sheesh. Although their arrival is prophesized, they're thrust into an adventure and a war that two very normal teens aren't quite ready to take on. This is an even paced book that flows and characters who are engaging whether they are a God, Demigod or a simple human. Very enjoyable! Star RatingA. P. Mobley is a YA fantasy author with an undying love for Greek mythology and epic, magical tales. She grew up in Wyoming and currently lives there, working as the owner of various online shops and studying to earn her degree in English. She considers herself a huge nerd, loves chocolate a little too much, and can be found snuggling with one of her pets into late hours of the night.
Connect with A.P. Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Science Fiction Publisher: Kalamity Press Publication Date: June 1, 2016 Pages: 180 Format: ePub Add to GoodReads Buy on Amazon | B&N This isn't a story about a normal girl. Don't get me wrong, I would love to be a normal girl, but considering my dad is a professional, unionised minion and has worked for such villainous luminaries as the Crash and Burn Twins, Doctor Death (the Third and Fourth versions), Yellow Peril and Captain Calamari, chances of living out my life with any kind of normality are pretty slim. I'm surprised our family has survived this long. My name's Charlie Conti and I'm fourteen years old. I'm a bit of a nerd, I guess, because my role models are Marie Curie and Maryam Mirzakhani instead of Miley Cyrus or any of the Kardashians. I guess I have a bit of a mad scientist streak in me, although I have no interest in taking over the world or anything. I just want to live the regular kind of life. And that brings me to this story. You see, my dad has dragged me and my little brother, Luca, away from Melbourne where I've spent most of my life so far. Out of the Light and into the Darkness of regional Victoria to a coastal town called Henty Bay. Yeah, I'd never heard of it either. I can see the benefits though. After all the problems with the Port Melbourne Intifada, where Captain Calamari totally lost it and my dad ended up at the bottom of Port Phillip Bay, we had to leave the city. There were some harsh words thrown around and maybe a few vendettas were forged in the fires of the moment. So we had to move. Dad, or The Undertaker as he's known in the business, was damaged goods. The most he could hope for if he stayed in Melbourne would have been prolonged unemployment. The more likely outcome would have been a long stay in prison or a knife in the back. I'm not being melodramatic. These kinds of things do happen. The family's new plan is to move to Henty Bay so Luca and I can grow up and live normal lives. Maybe even go to university and get an office job with superannuation and a chance to grow old without having to worry about dodging laser beams and undead Vikings. My brother and I have our own little dreams. Luca wants a puppy, or a bearded dragon lizard thing; and I just want to stay longer than six months in the one school. I told you I was a nerd. I received this eBook from the authors in exchange for an honest review.Holy ray guns, stun guns and shrinking fathers Batman! I absolutely love books with spunky, not normal girls! They're usually the best heroine's. Charlie, however, would love to be normal and spend more than 6 months in a school and her brother would like to get a pet, which is hard to have when you need to move all the time. One thing I would say is that Charlie is very responsible and smart, she handles problems that even grown-ups would chew their nails anxiously at, but at the same time she is relatable. Being a kid of the mid-80's and 90's, I grew up on the movie "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" and this was totally up my alley. About a month ago, my best friend and her son asked me if I had any cool, not-normal, kind of introverted kids books that I had read. I knew then that this was the book to recommend to my nephew. His mom bought it and she said he read it every day until he was done. On FaceTime, I received two thumbs up with him saying he loved the book! Star RatingI would definitely recommend this book for all ages. Not just middle-grade. It's interesting enough to draw in adults (especially young at heart adults ;) ). Ben Langdon was born in Geelong, Victoria, and is a graduate of Deakin University. He is the author of e Miranda Contract and e Halo E ect, editor of is Mutant Life, and a high school teacher in Portland, Victoria (which may, or may not, be the alter ego for Henty Bay).
Connect with Ben: Twitter | GoodReads Eliza Langdon was also born in Geelong and is the daughter of Ben. After complaining that she didn’t like reading books, the father and daughter team decided to write their own, featuring a spunky girl called Charlie Conti. Eliza attends Portland Secondary College and loves reading comics, cooking up storms in the kitchen, and binge-watching TV series on DVD. Genre: Dystopian, Thriller, Horror Publisher: Independently published Publication Date: Jan 13, 2014 Pages: 185 Format: Mobi Add to GoodReads Buy on Amazon | B&N After a harrowing escape from Amaryllis City, Niko is forced to lay low. The people who want to use her unique genetics for their own ends are still out there and their reach is long. After an emotional split with Ben and hiding deep in the slums she soon meets Songhay, a charismatic thief and his younger sister, Roosevelt. Together, they dodge violent gangs, roaming Slithers and the ever present threat of acid rain. Growing closer, Niko, along with Songhay soon form a rag-tag band of Slither hunters to keep the slums safe and the monsters at bay. But then she discovers shocking information about her past that challenges everything she thought to be true about herself and those she loves. Now she has to decide if she's going to stay safe in hiding or stand up to the lies and injustice swarming around her. She was never one to lie low for long. I received this ebook from the Author in exchange for an honest review.Niko was one of my favourite reads ever and Harm quickly follows up with that claim. The author has quite the skill in world-building, creating a world that is so terrifyingly believable and creating characters who are real and relatable. Niko adopts a shortened version of her real name, Harm and becomes one with it as she hides out in the slums of Cherai City, where acid is a real problem, like fall in and never get up again problem. She meets a thief by the name of Songhay who is trying to earn enough money to get his sister Roosevelt past the gates and out of that life. I really like Songhay. He made the bad-ass soften a little. While Niko was still full bad-ass Slither hunter, she seems to really like Songhay too. To be honest, I'm more for Songhay than Ben, myself. Songhay has a humble side to him that Ben lacks, personally. And then there is Roosevelt. All sass and knows it too. She added great personality to the book. Book 2 left me wondering what was going to happen with Niko as some truths were revealed. But I absolutely look forward to the next book! Kayti Nika Raet is the author of The Outsider Chronicles, a YA dystopian series featuring a bad-ass girl with a baseball bat. Connect with Kayti Twitter | Facebook | Amazon Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy Publication Date: February 1, 2018 Pages: 262 Format: ePub Add to GoodReads Buy: Amazon When chaos strikes my hometown, I am one of the few to escape the clutches of a dark mage who seeks control through the use of forbidden crystals. Everything has changed, the king is dead, war is on the horizon, and something is happening to me that I cannot explain. I used to just be Taliah, a young woman living an average life, but fate has a different plan for me, or so I have been told. The problem is everyone seems to believe I can stop this evil, everyone except me. I received this eBook from the Author in exchange for an honest review.Ah, I had so much trouble with this book. I really wanted to like this book as the premise and synopsis had so much promise. But it came up pretty short for me. The lack of editing makes this very distracting and it pulls you away from the story. The consistency was off with the switching to the past and present constantly. There were plot holes and the story needed just a little more time to flesh out, honestly. Because I was so focused on the lack of editing, I couldn't enjoy the story like I wanted to. But, reading is subjective. What I might not like, another does. J.D.Evergreen is an Australian author who lives on the Mornington Peninsula. She spent her childhood writing small short stories and inventing worlds that were all her own. When she became an adult, she put her efforts into more adultly things such as acquiring a bachelor in primary education, and a post-graduate certificate of ancient history. Eventually, she became bored with life as an everyday adult and returned to her writing where she could live in her own worlds and share them with others. She now spends countless hours crafting worlds that inspire the imagination and bring joy to the people who join the journey of the characters and enter unknown worlds. Connect with J.D.Genre: Weird Fiction, Sci-Fi, Horror Publication Date: December 4, 2017 Pages: 158 Format: ePub Add to GoodReads Buy: Amazon You can buy anything on the Internet these days. Books, electronics, and Chinese takeout are just a few clicks away. If you’re after something more illicit, all you need is a special browser and some bitcoin to spend. Every drug you might want is readily available on the darknet markets. You can also hire a hitman, get a fake ID made, or have an illegal bug delivered to your door. Ben Samsa is a small-time weed dealer and amateur entomologist. He can’t resist buying a mysterious bug he finds on one of the black market sites where he gets his inventory. The splurge leaves him with only enough bitcoin to purchase lower quality marijuana than he normally sells. Unfortunately, Ben doesn’t realize one of his customers has been flipping his product to a murderous, one-eyed Nazi. He’s soon sucked into a hellish nightmare of dread, drugs and death. Meanwhile, the bug is growing. Nothing will ever be the same when Ben learns the true, hideous name of the insect. I received this eBook from the Author in exchange for an honest review.This is possibly one of the oddest yet most unique books that I have ever read! This is such a mixture of creepy, crawly horror science fiction thrilling ride! Ben is in his early 20's and is a little bit lazy. He's a small time drug-dealer who is making just enough bank to pay his rent and semi-adult as normal as possible. He's an avid bug collector and is drawn into the allure of easy money with bitcoin. This story easily turns into a creepy mash up of Creepshow, Twilight Zone and Goosebumps. Although I ended up absolutely loving this book, I wasn't too sure about this at first but the writing is so well done and the world building is completely on point, it just sucked me in. I do believe I ended up reading this in two days. I just needed to know how it would end up. Ben's friend though, that dude is an imbecile. Sadly, I've dated someone that dumb so they actually exist. This turns into the biggest train wreck for Ben with the "friend" and Neo-Nazi's to boot! Recommendation: I definitely, 100%, recommend this. It's weird, it's creepy, but it's so damn good! George Billions is a writer whose work litters the Internet under various pseudonyms. He's written everything from fake product reviews to unqualified fitness advice, steamy romance novels to straight-up keyword spam. Once he had a gig banging out thousands of short biographies of adult entertainers. These days he's trying to put out the kind of stuff he enjoys reading and writing. Connect with George BillionsGenre: Science Fiction, Steampunk, Historical Fiction, Paranormal Publisher: Inkitt Publication Date: October 30, 2016 Pages: 217 Add to GoodReads Buy on Amazon, Kobo, B&N Set in London during the latter part of the 19th century. An experiment goes wrong at The Oxford Academy of Science, giving certain people extraordinary powers which turns them into 'Espers'. An institute is set up to teach Espers how to control these power, and stop corrupt Espers from abusing theirs. Nathan and James, two agents from the Institute team up with Freya, a young Esper whose brother (gifted with the strange ability to manipulate emotions) is abducted by a ruthless Baron. The group has to fight against a dark threat to protect the fragile peace of Victorian London... And the rest of the world. I received this eBook from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review.Honestly, I really struggled with this book at first. I think that's because it was very close to the idea of X-Men. I do like the idea of the Institute being a safe place though. I think most superheroes need a safe place. However! I absolute adored the Victorian Steampunk theme. It actually fit the superheroes against super villains perfectly. Despite the plot being a little iffy for me, it did have well fleshed out characters with Nathan being a large part of the show and a good amount of sassy-ness from him. He did make me giggle from time to time. Egan Brass (aka Ryan Attard) is the author of the Esper Files, the Legacy series, and the Pandora Chronicles. Hailing from a faraway island, it wasn’t long until Ryan began creating his own imaginary friends and writing down their adventures. As Egan Brass, he writes the Esper Files — a tale of super-powered individuals set in a steampunk universe. He also dons a cape and a mask, and spends his free time learning Victorian insults in order to both confuse and enthrall his foes. He’s also one to write his bios in the third person. Connect with Egan (Ryan)Genre: Fantasy Publisher: One Million Words Publication Date: September 27, 2018 Pages: 314 Add to GoodReads Buy on Amazon, Kobo, B&N Even good girls have secrets. When straight-laced Allison sleeps, the rebellious goddess Syn wakes. Having a fling in the dreamscape may seem like harmless fun, but when a sadistic predator learns her true identity, the fantasy begins to bleed into real life. If Sin Dwells Deep — a parallel novel to If Souls Can Sleep — exposes the hidden world of dream drifters and explores the war between gifted government agents and those who would use their abilities to corrupt life, death, and that which lies beyond. I received this eBook from the author in exchange for an honest review.Although I had never read "If Souls Can Sleep" I didn't feel like I had missed much from the previous novel. This can definitely be read as a standalone or follow up novel. I am a huge fan of Norse mythology. Being someone who reads runes, this was totally up my alley. I also enjoyed the lucid dreaming concept although how they existed on little sleep is totally beyond me. The Wolf reminded me a lot of the the sociopath/psychopath in the movie The Cell, which is one of my favourite movies. But also, no thanks, this book can keep the Wolf all to themselves. I struggled to like Allison/Syn, though. I did like the idea of the dream Allison being someone totally different than reality Allison, but honestly, Syn was just a little too brash at times for me. And Allison was just boring. She offered little to no personality for me. I wanted to like this story more. I just struggled in some parts as the story dragged a lot. The alternating POV's was distracting at time. Although it did help develop the Wolf's personality, it often just caused the story to lag to nearly stopping. Recommendation: Although I did struggle with this, it's still deserving of its four stars. There are many redeeming qualities in the story line that make up for the little nit-picking that I did do. I would, however, recommend reading the first novel, especially if you are unfamiliar with David Michael Williams writing. David Michael Williams has suffered from a storytelling addiction for as long as he can remember. With a background in journalism, public relations, and marketing, he also flaunts his love affair with the written word as an author of speculative fiction. His most recent books include the sword-and-sorcery trilogy The Renegade Chronicles and The Soul Sleep Cycle, a genre-bending series that explores life, death, and the dreamscape. He lives in Wisconsin with the best wife on this or any other planet and their two amazing children. Connect with David Michael WilliamsGenre: Mystery, Historical, Thriller Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press LLC Publication Date: January 14, 2015 Pages: 368 Add to GoodReads Buy on Amazon, Barnes & Noble Two men, two different generations, both initiated into a powerful organisation that throughout history has sought control and use their power for destruction. Two men leaving behind a wake of murder, revenge and vengeance. Two men that will stop at nothing, playing a game that only they know the rules. One man roams the dark London streets for his victims, preying on women of the night. While the other stalks his victims in Seville, Spain; knowing that only he could uncover the true motives of one of the world’s most infamous serial killers – Jack the Ripper. I have a diploma in Body Language and Criminology, enabling me to explicitly portray my main character. Living in Auckland, New Zealand with my two dogs and partner, I enjoy watching documentaries about history and conspiracy theories, giving me ideas for my next books. At 30 years old, I have a diploma in Cognitive Behavioural therapy, Freelance Journalism, and Editing and proofreading; giving me the ability to better understand the human mind, writing about it in a comprehensive manner. I have also started up two additional websites: Body, Mind and Health services - Click Here Animal Health and Welfare Services - Click Here Both websites are based around my qualifications in Counselling, Personal training, human and animal nutrition, Animal behaviour and Natural therapies. LinksGenre: Historical Publisher: Medina Publishing Publication Date: January 19, 2020 Add to GoodReads Buy: Medina Publishing In the early 1920's, immaculate gentleman, Jacques Doucet descends into the world of anarchist art, the occult and the dark turmoil of his past - involving the death of his beloved Madame R. A disastrous journey leads the couturier and patron of the arts to confront the celebrated bohemians of the city, including Max Jacob, André Breton and Pablo Picasso. When troubled Doucet acquires the world's most dangerous painting, it causes him to hack at the root of Picasso's darkest secrets. Doucet showcases a fabulous art collection with such frenzied energy he destroys himself. Unwittingly in the process he discovers modern art's incredible genesis. Where do you get your ideas for your books? Who or what inspired your idea? CF: My dad Ray is an inspirational person who has worked on a wide range of amazing projects and I have worked alongside him for many years. He is a polymath, practical as well as academic. He wrote a thesis on the great collector Jacques Doucet in the eighties. Every now and again a story comes along that is so powerful it has to be told and this is one of them.The subject propelled us into working on it for more than 10 years firstly as a screenplay and then as a novel. For a time Ray was a collector of art deco furniture - reaching great heights with his acquisitions and exhibitions of items by top French designers. The quality and value of French furniture from around this period is staggering. Ray discovered that the strand of art deco commissioned by and designed for Jacques Doucet, was prized above all the rest. Doucet was also the first buyer of 'Les Demoiselles d’Avignon', known as the first cubist painting and this is the focus and most fascinating part of our story. How did you develop the plot and your characters? Are your characters based on anyone? CF: Our characters are taken from real life. We have tried to follow true history as far as we possibly can. Certain characters, most particularly Picasso is so well documented that it is imperative to stay faithful to what is known and recorded, to a high degree of 'accuracy.' Where there are blanks in the history we have attempted to fill them in. Do you write when you're inspired? Or do you have a schedule you keep to? CF: We bounce ideas off each other all the time. There has been times when our creative discussions last for hours and it becomes a really meditative thing, so that we barely stop for breaks even. We work regularly together during office hours and separately at home the rest of the time but inspiration is fickle beast and can come day or night or not at all. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors? Maybe a piece of advice that stuck with you from your adventure into the world of publishing? CF: Just keep writing. Really don't worry about the quality of it if you are in practice mode. Give yourself freedom to explore. When writing for others raise your game and be as fastidious as you can bear to be. Tell us a bit more about yourself. How did you know you wanted to be a writer? Who or what inspires you to write? CF: I have an identical twin . She and I shared everything as children - classes, hobbies, friends as well as being room mates.The only thing that distinguished us was the day that I was selected to attend 'the Rosebuds' - a group of elite writers. This changed my relationship with the world and made me wonder if I was a writer. How much of yourself goes into your writing? Or do you keep yourself separate and base the character on someone else entirely? CF: There is for me a big part of myself in it. You wouldn't necessarily recognise me though. Sometimes I am presenting a self I explore rarely, or aspire to being, or used to be. My compatriots are there too; my children pop up, as well as friends, relatives and acquaintances. What has helped shape and improve your writing? CF: Masses and masses of reading (in my youth particularly ) and writing practice. Careful critical consideration of anything and everything I have written previously. A fascination with poetry and song lyrics. Being a child of the sixties helped. It was a very creative period. An early inspiration for me was Bob Dylan, who led me into exploring loads of different writers and poets. What are you reading right now? Do you recommend it or have any other recommendations? CF: 'Selling Hitler' by Robert Harris. Yes its a great read. It is fascinating to see in microcosm how much people will believe if they really want to, especially when large sums of money beckon. Do your novels carry a message or do you feel it's subjective? CF: Most stories have some kind of moral premise, 'Picasso's Revenge' too. It wasn't especially intentional but ours developed around the notion that money and talent cannot necessarily buy you happiness. Also that you can search in all the wrong places for love and find it may be there under your nose all the time. There are others in there too but I must not give too much away. What works best for you: Typewriters, fountain pen, dictate, computer or longhand? CF: A combination. Largely the computer these days. I fractured my hand during the writing of the novel and discovered dictation to the computer is very user-friendly these days. I am an author, playwright and teacher and have worked alongside my father Ray Foulk on various projects in art, environment, screenwriting and architecture. In recent times we have written a play and published two memoirs. We are soon to release our first novel, 'Picasso's Revenge.' Contact Authors
So this year has just absolutely been difficult, to say the least.
If anyone is wondering: yes, bloggers do get writer's block even when they're just blogging or reviewing. I lost MAJOR interest this year in my blog, which absolutely tore at me every day. I kept up with my reading but I just could not, for the life of me, write a review without it being so difficult to do. Sigh, it's nice to be able to admit this finally. I think I reached burn out levels and writer's block. I finally feel that all lifting and I'm starting to gain interest in doing my blog again. I also faced some computer issues. I bought a new graphic's card (used, but new to me) in the summer. I am PC gamer, love my video games (thank you Sims 4 and other games for eating up my depression and writer's block). I had issues with the fans on this, but my computer savvy best friend figured out the issue. However, my case was just too small for the bigger card. I laid BlackBird case to rest (RIP 2014-2019) and have introduced Black Widow (because I like spiders). So far, it's been all happy. Then my hard drive died. Which was so stressful and terrifying. And expensive. Two SSD's later, and I'm up and running again. Saving for an exhaust fan and a hard drive now. Then all my blog stuff on my USB memory stick is gone because it up and died last night. Good thing I was feeling like my blog could use some new graphics. The loss of the banner is a bit sucky though :( but I might still be able to recover it if it hasn't corrupted. So there you have it, my year in a nutshell. Many apologies to the authors awaiting posts, I am going to do my best to work on those as much as I can. I won't burn myself out to do it but patience is greatly appreciated. My main focus now is reviews, to squish as many as I can into December and January as I can. No more of this falling behind deal! 2020 Blogging I'm going to stick with the PopSugar Reading Challenges. It makes reading so much less of a task. I will still make time and room for reviews, never to worry. I will even squeeze a couple into the reading challenge prompts where I can. I will be cutting back author interviews to once a month. These spots are very limited. Featured Books will remain the same, twice a month (sometimes three if the month allows it.) The authors who I missed in my author interviews (Featured Author) and my Featured Books will get first spot. I will also be posting my favourite book(s) from the month, this will include review books and my reading prompts. And we'll throw updates and fun posts about as I feel up to it. Again, thank you to those who have been patiently waiting. I'm slow as turtle but I am determined too. - LeticiaGenre: Science-Fiction, Fantasy, Romance Publication Date: April 5, 2019 Pages: 324 Add to GoodReads Buy: Books2Read SynopsisFor centuries, Earth has served as the battleground for a secret war between a reptilian alien species and the clandestine human organization dedicated to eradicating this extraterrestrial threat. But when a single woman becomes the focal point of this brutal conflict, the fate of the planet alters forever... Life hasn't been easy for Riley Anbar since her grandmother's death. Between struggling to run the family business, dealing with troubling psychic visions, and puzzling over unanswered questions about the parents she never knew, Riley is doing her best just to get by. After a pair of chance encounters with two mysterious men, Riley finds herself thrust into danger as both human and alien forces converge on her once-ordinary life. But in this war, there is no clear boundary between good and evil. Both factions are determined to use Riley for their own ends, and they're willing to endanger everyone around her to achieve their goals. Caught between the two men who have captured her heart and the secrets of her own past, what choice will Riley make when she discovers neither side is in the right? Interview1. Where do you get your ideas for your books? Who or what inspired your idea? While aliens, the weird and unexplained, tend to be our topics, we often inspire each other. Michelle has a love of science while Amanda heavily researches conspiracy theories. Then we put our heads together, bouncing our ideas back and forth until something sticks. 2. How did you develop the plot and your characters? Are your characters based on anyone? Our characters are like real people in our heads. For Amanda, Riley was the first to appear. She popped up in her metaphysical shop and two very different men wanted a reading. Of course she fell for both of them. Even though this never made it to the final cut of the book - we've developed these characters from this inception. 3. Do you write when you're inspired? Or do you have a schedule you keep to? Michelle- I write when I can get a moment to breathe without the children using me as playground equipment, but typically when I am inspired and have a good jam playing. I'm NOT good at schedules. Amanda- Both! I'm inspired all the time. I tend to have multiple manuscripts in different stages of development, but it's a matter of sitting down and scheduling. I try and clear big chunks of time to sit and write, even though having three kids makes that hard, I prioritize writing as a necessity in life. 4. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors? Maybe a piece of advice that stuck with you from your adventure into the world of publishing? Amanda's advice- I'm not big on giving other advice. Everything you do in life only works because you want to make it work. If you want it so bad, then what are you doing each day to build towards your goal. Writing is one of those things that has to have other elements around it other than the actual writing. For me, its eating healthy, making sure I get off the computer, finding new music, reading widely, and making sure I spend heaps of time with my family. If I neglect these things, then I find my writing falls short and flat. So having a balance lifts me up and the writing becomes rewarding. Michelle- Keep writing. If it sucks. Write it again. The first draft is never great, and even the 30th will need polishing. Just. Keep. Writing. 5. Tell us a bit more about yourself. How did you know you wanted to be a writer? Who or what inspires you to write? Amanda- I've always been an artist. Growing up I painted everything - bedroom walls, old furniture, whatever I could get my hands on. But when I became a mom, my art was too hard. A friend gave me a book to read - Twilight! By the end of the series, my dreams changed - I was dreaming of stories that I could write myself. Michelle- I started out by doodling on every blank space of paper I could. Homework...doodled. Notebooks...doodled. I drew, colored, painted, and apparently (discovered recently) was writing stories even before I knew it was what I wanted to do 'when I grew up.' In my teens I wrote poetry, probably wouldn't want them to see the light of day now though, and still drew on every edge of paper I had in sight. I suppose I have always wanted to be a writer, but it wasn't until I sat down and wrote my first novel for a client as a ghostwriter that I realized I could actually do it. 6. How much of yourself goes into your writing? Or do you keep yourself separate and base the character on someone else entirely? Amanda- that's a hard question. I tend to not put myself into a character. But is there clear separation? Hard to say. I find that I follow the characters in my head a clearly as I see them. Or perhaps they are just personas of my subconscious. Michelle- The characters decide for themselves. I just write their stories. Do I sometimes see myself in my characters? Probably. I have one character that is a vegan...and I am a vegan...so there is that? lol. 7. What has helped shape and improve your writing? Amanda- Michelle! having someone by your side pointing out the good, the bad and the ugly parts of writing has made me jump from pretending to be a writer to an actual writer. And I'm just so lucky to be able to have a book out there with her. Michelle- Amanda has been a great soundboard, cheerleader, and soul sister from across the planet. I think that just like language, writing is ever evolving. It's a living entity and I don't think I will ever stop working on improving my writing. And the only way to keep improving the writing is...writing. This book wouldn't even be if it wasn't for her pushing and motivating me to keep going and encouraging me when I wasn't at my best. 8. What are you reading right now? Do you recommend it or have any other recommendations? Amanda- I recently just finished The Discovery of Witches. But generally I read lots of non-fiction. Currently I'm in the last chapter of Chariots of the Gods by Erich von Däniken. Michelle- Oh jeebus. Okay. Asunder by Liz Steinworth. Always Darkest by Jessica Flaherty. Storm Front by Jim Butcher. Eye of the World by Robert Jordan (second reading). And whatever new gems I find at the Library my next visit lol. 9. Do your novels carry a message or do you feel it's subjective? Amanda- Not intentional. Michelle researches so much of science whereas I heavily research in conspiracy theories. I guess if the reader doesn't know these fields, they might take messages out from the book, although this is unintentional. Michelle- I want to write novels that carry a message of my own devising, but I haven't decided on what message to send. Writing with Amanda, we definitely aren't sending a message intentionally, but it could be there. Writing on my own...well, I am a romance writer by nature, so I guess my message is love. 10. What works best for you: Typewriters, fountain pen, dictate, computer or longhand? Amanda- I tend to go back and forth between computer and long hand. Sitting on the computer for most of the day can be a drain, so I like to get out, into the sunshine and write by hand. All of my summaries, and research is done by hand, but if my brain goes into overdrive, then I have to be at a keyboard to keep up Michelle- Definitely my Chromebook. My handwriting is atrocious. I can't even decipher that scratch. I would love a typewriter, but I feel my patience level wouldn't be able to stand it. Also, I love having the internet at the ready for anything I need to look up mid writing. About the AuthorsMichelle Crow & A. A. Warne are soul sisters living on the opposite sides of this planet. Writing speculative fiction and researching the odd and esoteric, Michelle specializes in the lighter side of life, while Amanda tends to go dark. When they aren't binging coffee and having their noses buried in books, they're writing them! Mothers to three little kidlets each, they also have fur babies, and wonderfully dedicated--and supportive--husbands. 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