Tag Archives: #comingsoon

New release coming 29 February 2024- Beginnings

My first collection of poems, Beginnings, will be published on 29 February 2024. This is a collection of poems that I have written over many years.  Many of them have appeared on my blog over the past ten years. Now felt like the right time to bring them all together in one small volume. (And of course, 29th February is too unique a date not to publish on – Yes, I’m weird about dates)

Beginnings is now available for pre-order worldwide for Kindle. Here’s the links

Beginnings – a collection of poems – Kindle edition by McCallum, Coral. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Beginnings – a collection of poems eBook : McCallum, Coral: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

There will be a paperback edition available in a few weeks.

One sleep to go until we meet Riley….

“Been a big week for you,” commented Garrett as he poured himself a second glass of red wine. “New album, album launch, a tour to Europe and a new band.”

“I know! So much is changing so fast!”

“No less than you deserve, my dear,” added Jethro warmly. “I have a good feeling in my braids about this for you.”

Riley giggled as she helped herself to another slice of pizza.

“We’re meeting for lunch on Sunday,” she explained, her mouth still full of pepperoni. “Will be good to get to know the guys a little better before we get to work.”

“You thought of a name yet?” quizzed Garrett.

“No!” gasped Riley, her eyes wide. “I hadn’t even thought about a name.”

“Molly and I had provisionally thought of the boys as The RJ Band,” revealed Jethro casually. “This is still all about Riley Johnson. It’s all about you so it needs to be Riley and the…”

“The old man’s right,” added Garrett calmly. “You’re the star here. It needs to be your name up there in the big letters. Those boys will just need to get used to being behind you.”

“Am I ready for this?” asked Riley quietly, a wave of fear seeping through her.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B9SWP6K3

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0B9SWP6K3

** note- this tale makes reference to self-harm**

Two sleeps to go…… It’s almost time to meet Riley

Up on stage, Three Dead Mice brought Killer to an end.

“New York, thank you!” screamed Rob, glancing over towards them. “Now, we’d like to invite a friend… sorry two friends… up here to join us. New York, let’s hear it for the beautiful Riley Johnson and the legend that is Jake Power!”

The small crowd went wild as Riley and Jake stepped up on stage. Hurriedly a guitar was found for Jake then Rob stepped back up to the mic.

“Time to Shoot To Thrill!”

With a nod, Rob and Jake both began to play the distinctive ACDC intro before the others joined in on bass and drums. Gone was the quiet Riley from the album launch. In her place, centre stage, was a rock queen in waiting as she poured all her vocal power into the raucous lyrics. Both Rob and Jake joined in for the chorus, standing either side of her.

“Pull the trigger!” screamed Riley as she spun away, allowing the two guitarists to play together. No one watching would have guessed that the performance was entirely unrehearsed. Their passion for the classic rock track was clear for all to see and hear.

“Folks, give it up for Riley and Jake!” roared Rob, grinning from ear to ear as sweat ran down his face.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B9SWP6K3

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0B9SWP6K3

** note- this tale makes reference to self-harm**

Riley – still chasing my pre-order target

And so began several hours of poses, standing, sitting, solo, and together. After nearly three hours, Riley needed a moment or two to herself. Without a word, she wandered down to the water’s edge, stopping just out of reach of the gentle waves that were lapping ashore. Her toe caught something, and she bent down to investigate what it was. It was a small perfectly formed conch shell with stunning mother of pearl markings. Carefully, she rinsed it off in the shallows then slipped it into her jacket pocket, a souvenir of the day.

“Perfect,” declared Neil, appearing beside her. “Totally relaxed shots. Thank you, beautiful lady.”

“Sneaky,” laughed Riley. “I never knew you were there.”

“That’s the whole idea,” replied the photographer. “Your band are being herded back onto the bus, by the way.”

“Thanks. Guess I better say goodbye to the ocean.”

“Well, you’re taking a little piece home in your pocket,” observed Neil, referencing the shell. “If you’ve sand in your pocket, you’re never far from the shore.”

“Ain’t that the truth.”

Once back on the bus, Riley sat up at the back on her own. She sifted through her large soft leather hobo bag until she found her lyrics journal, curled her feet up under her and began to scribble furiously. Every now and then she put her hand in her pocket and ran her fingers over the shell. Inspiration had struck when Neil said about taking a little piece of the beach home in her pocket.

Pre-order using the links below to ensure Riley is ready and waiting on your kindle on 18 Nov 2022

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B9SWP6K3

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B9SWP6K3/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_S6SCJ8PPM7NPDDHPNR8P

** note- this tale makes reference to self-harm**

Riley….have you pre-ordered your copy yet?

Around her the bedroom was lit by half a dozen candles, their shadows dancing on the walls. A delicate vanilla fragrance filled the room. The gothic palace lay silent. It was almost midnight. Sitting cross-legged in the middle of the large four-poster bed, Riley sat staring down at the CD in her hands. Her CD. Her debut album that was due to be released worldwide on the stroke of midnight.

A box of CDs had been delivered that morning with a note from the record company saying simply, “Autograph these in time for the launch party on February 29th.” She’d signed her way through two silver Sharpie markers before all the CD inserts were autographed. At Garrett’s suggestion, she’d practiced her autograph on a few sheets of paper before deciding how she wanted to sign it. Initially it had been fun sitting at Garrett’s huge rosewood dining table signing the insert for each disc but after the first fifty or so the novelty swiftly wore off. Two hours later she had finished the chore. All of the discs had been signed -all bar one. The one she held in her trembling hands.

Pre-order using the links below to ensure Riley is ready and waiting on your kindle on 18 Nov 2022

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B9SWP6K3

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B9SWP6K3/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_S6SCJ8PPM7NPDDHPNR8P

** note- this tale makes reference to self-harm**

Life’s busy….it’s all about Riley

There nearly wasn’t a blog post this week…. a certain diminutive green haired teenager has been taking up all my spare time. Yes, you guessed it- Riley!

Some of you might have noticed that I shared my pre-order links for the e-book edition of Riley a couple of weeks ago but I’ll let you in on a secret…. Riley still looks pretty much like the picture above. Yes…I’m still typing furiously to get it all done. There’s about 3000 words still to be typed so not too much.

I’m also in the thick of proofreading and editing. My wonderful Infamous Five have been reading and giving me their feedback for the past few weeks. I seriously couldn’t do it without the love and support of those guys. Things are on track though so all is well…so far.

I put the feelers out this week to some book bloggers to see if they would be interested in receiving an eARC copy mid-October and reviewing Riley for their own blogs/websites. So far so good on that front too. If you are a book blogger and are interested in reviewing Riley then please drop me a message in the comments below.

There is one aspect of this tale that I do want to be transparent about right from the start. This book differs slightly from my previous book babies. I’ve included a scene of self-harm. There is also a smattering of social media bullying woven into the tale. (Trying not give any spoilers here) I wholly appreciate that these are sensitive topics and could put some readers off but I didn’t want to hide them and accidentally cause anyone distress. That is not my intention here.

I hope once you get your copy of Riley safely downloaded to your kindle or the Amazon courier delivers your paperback copy that you fall in love with this young lady as much as I have. Sometimes as an author you create a character that steals a piece of your heart. Riley is one of those…well to me anyway. I’ll let you make your own minds up in due course.

I’ve set myself the realistic target of 25 ebook pre-orders. Sorry to those who prefer a physical copy, there’s no pre-order available. So far as I type this, I’m at 7. So, if you’d like to pre-order, the links are below.

I’ll love you and leave you here for now. Work to be done to ensure Riley looks like the photo below by 18 November 2022!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B9SWP6K3

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B9SWP6K3/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_S6SCJ8PPM7NPDDHPNR8P

Save the date…18 November 2022

*****  Riley – coming 18 November 2022 *****

And to keep you going until 18 November, here’s another little sneak peek inside.

“I have one last song for you,” began Riley. “I hope you’ve enjoyed yourselves tonight. I’d like to say a few thank yous. Huge thanks to Dr Marrs, to the guys from Silver Lake, to my record label, to each and every one of you for making tonight magical. This really is a dream come true. A Firefly Dream. I have one final extra special huge thank you for Garrett for hosting this party and for giving me a chance, a job and a home. Garrett, I love you.”

As the cheers died out, Riley continued, “This last song was inspired in this very place. I’d never seen a real four-poster bed before Garrett invited me to stay here. You can work out the rest of the story. Folks, it’s been amazing. I’m going to leave you with Jumping On The Bed.”

The light-hearted song was the perfect choice to end the show with and left everyone in a buoyant mood as the lights came back up and the caterers began to circulate with trays of drinks and canapes. Not quite sure what to do, Riley stayed in the alcove tidying up her guitars and her lyrics folder. Suddenly, she felt two strong arms wrap round her. The hint of a familiar exotic spicy aftershave tickled her nose. Without a second’s thought, she spun round and wrapped herself round Todd.

“You were sensational, girl!” he declared before kissing the top of her head. “Awesome set.”

“Thank you,” said Riley, snuggling in close.

What’s happening with Book Baby 7?

Somehow, we’ve reached the end of August – no idea how we got here! My head’s still back in June somewhere! – and the last rays of summer are sinking on the horizon earlier and earlier each evening.

I’ve come to wonder of late if I’m really solar powered at heart. Every opportunity I’ve had all summer, I’ve been outdoors either meandering or simply sitting in the sun lost in a book.

Now though, as the evenings are growing cooler and darker, it’s time to move back indoors and turn my creative attention back to Book Baby7.

Don’t panic- it’s not been entirely neglected over the summer months. I have made progress both with writing the first draft and typing it up, but the pace has been leisurely.  Maybe it’s been a summer case of writer’s block rather than sun block, but I’m not convinced.  Personally, I think I just needed a break to recharge these (solar powered) batteries.

Like many people, the day job still involves working from home. My home working space during the day is in the living room and when I finish up each day, the work stuff gets cleared away and my creative space is restored for the evening… unless the sun’s shining and its warm and I’ve been lured outside once more to sit on my nice new bench with my kindle until the sun sinks below the rooftops. I do think that part of the issue is that I am thoroughly sick of the sight of my living room!

Now though, its time to refocus and show Book Baby 7 some love and give it the attention that its craving.

So, for those among you who are impatiently waiting for it, where am I with it?

Good question!

I’ve roughly 30% of the first draft handwritten.

I’ve about 25% of the first draft typed. (I’ve paused typing to focus on adding to the handwritten word count).

I have the storyline pretty much worked out in my head.

It has a title but no, I’m not sharing that with you just yet.

I have a release date in mind too but that one needs to remain under wraps for now.

It’s still entirely naked as I’ve not yet given much thought to the cover.

So, all I would ask for now, is that you bear with me and trust that it’s coming in 2022 at some point (hopefully!).

And, if you’re patient, I promise to share a little excerpt soon.

Have you pre-ordered yours yet?

Jake and Lori return to Rehoboth Beach to pick up the threads of family life.

As they look forward to Jake’s first solo tour with Garrett, the album launch and the arrival of the new baby, life is looking good but then a cruel twist fate casts Long Shadows over the Silver Lake family.

Will life ever be the same?

Long Shadows is now available to pre-order on Kindle worldwide

Here’s the pre-order links:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08RR1FGLG

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08RR1FGLG

**Long Shadows will be released on 14 February 2021 **

And if you’ve missed the start of the series, don’t panic. Here’s the links to help you catch up

Amazon.com links –

Stronger Within – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VXDSC1M

Impossible Depths – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C0GS30K

Bonded Souls – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XSQHG71

Shattered Hearts – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZY8ZSDM

Amazon.co.uk links  –

Stronger Within – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00VXDSC1M

Impossible Depths – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01C0GS30K

Bonded Souls – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XSQHG71

Shattered Hearts – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07ZY8ZSDM

The imminent arrival of Book Baby 6

Last week the proof copy of Book Baby 6 aka Long Shadows arrived. Look isn’t it pretty?

Now I’m scrutinising it for errors- inverted commas that are the wrong way round, spacing errors in the text, spacing errors in chapter headings, spelling mistakes, grammatical mistakes, continuity errors…. and, of course, those evil commas that move around pages when your back is turned!

The list goes on and on…..

These last few weeks before the launch of a new book baby into the world are the most stressful part of the whole process.

Writing it is the easy part!

Then comes the next challenge- promoting it and marketing it. I’m going to be brutally honest – I suck at that part!

I’ve tried Facebook ad campaigns. I’ve tried Amazon ad campaigns. I’ve self-promoted on numerous book promotion sites. I’ve updated my GoodReads page and my BookBub page.  I’ve self-promoted on my own author Facebook page. I’ve shared it on Instagram and Twitter. I’ve shared it on this blog page. Several wonderful friends have helped by sharing my posts on their social media.

I feel like I’ve sold my soul and there’s still over a month till its release date!

So, if you want to take pity on the poor wee stressed out indie author and want to pre-order a copy of Long Shadows, here’s the links:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08RR1FGLG

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08RR1FGLG

I’m returning to my battle with those evil commas! Wish me luck!

If you’ve missed the start of the series, don’t panic. Here’s the links to help you catch up

Amazon.com links –

Stronger Within – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VXDSC1M

Impossible Depths – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C0GS30K

Bonded Souls – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XSQHG71

Shattered Hearts – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZY8ZSDM

Amazon.co.uk links  –

Stronger Within – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00VXDSC1M

Impossible Depths – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01C0GS30K

Bonded Souls – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XSQHG71

Shattered Hearts – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07ZY8ZSDM