Tag Archives: #newfiction

And the release date is……

Last night, after many many hours of writing and typing, Long Shadows aka Book Baby 6 was finally transformed from my handwritten scribbles into a typed document.

That was the cue to divulge the release date…..

Pre-order details to follow soon.

If you’ve missed the start of the series, there’s plenty of time to catch up. Here’s a few links to help you.

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

Introducing fellow indie author Nicole Thorne

 Some of you may remember that earlier this year I featured The Gingerbread Tea House on my blog? No? You missed it?

Fear not…

https://coralmccallum.wordpress.com/2020/03/16/fancy-a-good-book-with-that-coffee-and-cake/

And then the world went into lockdown……..

Nicole, however, has been a busy lady and, since our first catch up, has published not one but two novels.

So, I’d like to welcome her back to my blog to talk about what she’s been up to creatively this year.

I first “interviewed” you back in March, so how has life treated you so far in this crazy world that is 2020?

Wow! I don’t think either of us predicted how this year was going to pan out. What incredibly strange times we’re living in. I’ve been incredibly fortunate in that none of my loved ones have been badly affected by the virus itself. My 20 year old daughter thought she had the virus back in April, she had heart surgery as a baby so I always worry about her health, but she was fine. I own a cafe, so of course I had to close the business. I was closed for a couple of weeks, but then customers started contacting me and asking for afternoon tea. I ended up delivering afternoon teas and homemade scones all over Widnes. It’s been difficult from the point of view of my business. Not knowing if the business will survive and trying to decide what to do in the longer term is tough. Since we reopened though my customers have been amazingly supportive. The good will i have received has been heart-warming. I live in the North West and case numbers are high again. I’m waiting to find out over the next few days if we are going to be told to close again, but it’s simply a case of waiting and hoping we can weather the storm. Whatever happens I have lots to be thankful for. Lockdown gave me a little time to stop and think. I had been writing Chasing Butterflies for years. Lockdown gave me the chance to pull it all together and edit it before self-publishing. I also managed to start The China Doll before I reopened the business. Your debut novel Chasing Butterflies was published in May this year.

Your debut novel Chasing Butterflies was published in May this year. How did it feel holding your “book baby” in your hands and seeing your name on the cover?

Holding my own book was a dream come true. I have always dreamed of being an author. I have written bits and bobs all my life but completing Chasing Butterflies gave me an enormous sense of satisfaction.

Has Chasing Butterflies been well received? I see it currently has 5 stars on Amazon. Well done!

I have had some really great feedback for Chasing Butterflies. As with most creative people, I really lack self-confidence and I’m my own worst critic. My heart thumped in my chest as I read every word of every review, but i was really pleased with the feedback I got. Readers seemed to really engage with Hope’s story and rooted for her throughout the book.

Without giving any spoilers, what made you want to tell Helen’s story in The China Doll?

After I finished Chasing Butterflies, Helen was still in my thoughts. As a mother myself I felt for her. I really felt that there was more of her story to tell. She was such a damaged character, it seemed a disservice to her not to tell her story and explain how she became so fragile.

Tell me a bit about your approach to your writing. Are you a meticulous planner or do you tend towards letting your characters go with the flow?

My approach to Chasing Butterflies was very different to my approach to The China Doll. I wrote Chasing Butterflies over the course of 5 years. I wrote, rewrote, changed and edited along the way. I wrote scenes as they came to me and didn’t have so much of a plan. With The China Doll, I had a much more linear approach. I set myself word counts for each week and tried to stick to my plan as much as possible. I did deviate in places, but the story was more evolved in my mind before I started to write.

Where’s your favourite place to write?

I own a cafe where we have a book exchange. Following the pandemic we put in bookcases to separate tables. During quiet times I can be found sat at a table in the corner, hiding behind a bookcase and typing away. At home I sit in the lounge on my sofa with a chaise lounge. I put my laptop on my knee and become immersed in the story I am creating. My husband Sean sits with me, often practicing his guitar playing while I’m working.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

I guess the best advice I have been given would be that you can’t edit a blank page. I was terrible when writing Chasing Butterflies for revisiting the same scene again and again to edit it. It really slowed my writing down.

What advice would you give to other aspiring authors out there?

Set yourself weekly word count targets. Keep your targets realistic. Don’t compromise on quality over the quantity of words.

So, what’s next creatively? Are you working on anything else just now?

I’ve started my next project. It’s a stand alone book and not part of the Secrets and Lies series, although I do plan to return to those characters in the future. My next book “My Friend Bill” is the story of Jack. His parents were killed in a car accident when he was a baby and he was brought up by his somewhat resentful grandmother. Feeling unloved and unwanted, Jack develops an unlikely friendship with Bill. But who is Bill and why is he drawn to Jack?

Thanks, Nicole. Can’t wait to meet Bill and Jack!

I was fortunate enough to be given an ARC copy of The China Doll by Nicole Thorne and I loved every word of it.

The prequel to Chasing Butterflies, The China Doll tells the back story of Hope’s mother, Helen. Without giving any spoilers away, if you’ve read Chasing Butterflies, it answers a lot of the unasked questions and makes sense of the past.

If you’ve not read Chasing Butterflies then you’ve time to read book one in this Secrets and Lies series before The China Doll is published on 14 November 2020.

Nicole’s writing is vivid as she paints the scenes in this second book in the series. You can hear the seagulls and smell the salt in the Cornish air. Like the sea itself, this story draws you in and leaves the reader captivated by its beauty. There’s a fragility to this tale but also a huge amount of inner strength to the characters. Both books are making we want to travel to Cornwall and remind myself of its rugged beauty.

Great read! Well done, Nicole.

And if you missed my review of Nicole’s debut novel Chasing Butterflies..

I was drawn into Hope’s story right from the start and my heart immediately went out to her as her world falls apart around her. Chasing Butterflies is well written and, in some respects, flits about like a butterfly as the reader is drawn into Hope’s present and gradually enlightened about her past. No spoilers but I loved how past and present eventually entwine.

You can find both books on Amazon-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nicole-Thorne/

https://www.amazon.com/Nicole-Thorne

You can also catch up with Nicole herself on Facebook-

https://www.facebook.com/NicoleThorneAuthor

And without further ado….

And without further ado, allow me to reveal the cover of Book Baby 6 aka Long Shadows.

Long Shadows is the fifth and final book in the Silver Lake series.

Publication is set for early 2021. Pre-order details to follow nearer the time.

If you’ve missed the start of the Silver Lake series – where have you been?

No, seriously, if you’ve not been introduced to Jake and Lori and all things Silver Lake, there’s plenty of time to catch up.

Here’s the links:

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

To those Silver Lakers amongst you….patience. Long Shadows will be with you soon.

And the title of the last book in the Silver Lake series is……

title reveal 2

 

Patience….more info to follow in due course.

If you’ve missed the first  four books in the series, you’ve time to catch up. Here’s the links:

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

 

if

A timely reminder and a sneak peek into Book Baby 6……..

 

This came up in my Facebook memories earlier today…… it was a timely reminder.

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My primary creative focus these days is Book Baby 6. I have a date in mind that I would like the first draft completed by and it’s going to take all my self-discipline to meet that deadline. It doesn’t get any easier with each passing book, trust me!

Want a sneak peek? No…. stop reading here. Yes….keep reading.

Just a little taste of things to come in early 2021……

 

Gazing out towards the empty stage, Jake took stock. A stool, a table and his four guitars were all in position. There were bottles of water on the table. A row of picks was slotted into the mic stand.

The houselights dimmed and the near sell-out crowd let out a loud cheer. Taking a deep breath, Jake watched for his cue then loped casually out on stage to a wall of cheers from the fans. Flashing a Power smile at them and at the assembled photographers, Jake lifted his guitar, checked the tuning and opened his support slot with an acoustic rendition of Silver Lake’s Dragon Song. In front of him, the fans along the rail were hanging on his every word.

“Good evening, Philly,” he said at the end of the first song.

A huge cheer surged back at him.

“Who’s excited to see Garrett Court tonight?”

Another huge roar hit the stage.

“This next song is another one from the Silver Lake vault. This is Depths.”

A few minutes later as he began Lady Butterfly, Jake saw Riley in the wings standing beside his brother waiting for her cue. He smiled at the height difference between them then noticed that Melody was standing beside Riley, holding her hand. So lost in thought was he that he almost messed up the final verse. Only a few die-hard Silver Lakers in the front row noticed his faux pas. He laughed and felt himself blush.

“Philly, I’d like you to welcome out on stage a very special, very talented, young lady now. Allow me to introduce you to the incredible Miss Riley Johnston!”

Confidently, Riley ran out to meet him, her freshly dyed green hair shining under the spotlights. Several of the fans along the rail had been at the Gramercy Theater show and, recognising Riley, cheered wildly for the young vocalist.

“Folks, this is Miles From Home,” called out Jake.

A second stool had been brought out along with a second mic stand. Nimbly, Riley hopped up on the stool and lifted the microphone from the stand. With a glance at Jake for reassurance, she prepared for their duet. The familiar intro to the Weigh Station classic rang out over the crowd. Keeping her voice low and husky, Riley began the first verse. By the time she reached the chorus, the fans were hanging on her every word. Just as they’d rehearsed, they traded verse and chorus then came together for the final verse.

“Sing this last chorus with us, Philly!” called out Riley, her confidence soaring.

It warmed Jake’s heart to hear the fans respond to the teenager’s request and he could see she was smiling beside him.

“Philadelphia!” roared Jake when the song ended, “Give it up for the awesome, Miss Riley Johnston!”

Jumping down from the stool, Riley took a bow then darted off stage amid thunderous cheers.

The stage lights dimmed long enough for one of the crew to remove the stool and mic stand.

“Folks, that girl’s the future,” said Jake as he slipped the Martin’s guitar strap over his head.

 

 

To be continued in Book 5 of the Silver Lake series.

 

Missed the first four? Plenty of time to catch up. Here’s the Amazon links to help you:

 

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

 

Room 19 (an erotic short story)

Room19 image

The only sounds in Room 19 were the steady bleep of the monitors and the slow breathing of the patient in the bed. Until a few days before, he had been in ICU on life support following surgery. Since his transfer into Room 19, the doctors had kept him heavily sedated and under half-hourly observation.

 

The nurse had transferred to the department the same day the day the patient in Room 19 arrived on the ward and been assigned to care for him with strict instruction to report any changes in his condition to the charge nurse immediately.

For four days she had divided her time evenly among the four patients assigned to her. The other three were conscious and healing well so took less of her time as they focussed on recovering sufficiently well to leave as soon as the doctor signed their discharge papers. All three of them were elderly; the patient in Room 19 was young, well considerably younger than them.

For four days she checked on him every thirty minutes of her twelve-hour shift and noted no changes, no signs of improvement. He just lay there pale and still, the leads on his chest bare for all to see, the oxygen tube hooked into the nostrils of his fine straight nose, the IV linked to a canula in his right arm.

Occasionally, she noticed the smallest of flickers at his eyelids but nothing else. She wondered if he was dreaming. She wondered what colour those eyes were under the lids.

 

In his isolated dream state existence, nothing was making any sense. There were gaping black holes in his memory. Instinctively he knew something had happened to him and it hadn’t been something good. There was no pain to help identify what that “something” was. He couldn’t muster the energy to open his eyes. His world wasn’t all dark though. There were hints of colours. There were differences between light and dark. Day and night, he deduced. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t make his limbs move. They felt unnaturally heavy, almost as if they were glued to the bed he lay in. He could hear the sounds of machines in the room, the noises from outside the room. Visitors…. he had no memory of anyone visiting him. Was he somewhere far away from home? Were visitors not allowed into the room? If only he could remember……

There was one voice he was aware of. He presumed it was his nurse. She was there every once in a while. Once in a day? Once in an hour? He had no idea but when she came into the room, she spoke to him as though he were fully awake and conversant. Hearing her voice warmed his heart. Human contact. Sometimes she spoke about the folk in the other rooms; sometimes she spoke about things that had happened out with the hospital. Once she had come in complaining her car had broken down and that she’d got drenched walking the last mile to work. He could almost smell the rain off her…. summer rain. He could just about make out her shadowy silhouette as she went about her duties. She wore an unusual perfume. It reminded him of summer and suntan cream mixed with the scent of clean pure soapy shower gel. She reminded him of sunshine.

 

Then she was gone for what felt like a long time.

 

The patient in Room 19 had been on her mind while she was off duty for three whole days. Part of her felt relieved to hear that he was still there when she returned to the ward; part of her felt sad that there had been no noticeable improvement in his condition.

She visited his room first, breezing in wishing him “good morning” and muttering about the traffic on the journey into work. Methodically, she completed all her checks, updating his notes as she went. Just as she was about to leave, there was a minor disturbance in the steady bleep from the monitor. She stepped closer to check everything was ok. As she was about to turn to leave, satisfied that everything was alright, she felt a movement to her right. His hand reached out to her.

“Hey, it’s ok,” she said softly, taking his hand in hers. “You’re going to be just fine.”

She felt the gentle squeeze of his fingers against her small hand.

“Can you hear me?”

Another squeeze.

“I’ll be right back.”

 

At the nurse’s station, she reported into the charge nurse that the man in Room 19 had moved and held her hand. Her report was dismissed as “highly unlikely it was cognitive. More likely a reflex reaction. Have you seen the drugs he’s on?” The nurse nodded and returned to her duties, although in her heart she was convinced the charge nurse was wrong.

 

In his hazy world, he smiled. He’d communicated with her! She’d understood his hand movement. He’d held her hand. It was warm and smooth, not much bigger than a child’s. A stray thought meandered through as he wondered if she was any good at massage. Despite the black holes in his memory, he felt pretty sure that he enjoyed a good massage and a little “personal” attention. The dark haze closed in on him, swallowing up that delicious thought.

 

“OK, mister,” he heard her say some time later. “Bath time.”

 

Ordinarily, she didn’t enjoy bathing patients. All that old, wrinkly, smelly flesh but the patient in Room 19 was different. For a start he was far from old! Carefully, she tied the plastic apron round her waist. She had set the basin of hot water on the trolley beside the bottle of shower gel that she had begged from one of the male nurses. Slowly, she peeled back the sheet and blue waffle blanket that covered the patient. Much to her surprise, she discovered he was naked. With a smile, she lifted the warm wet flannel from the basin, added a squirt of shower gel, lathered it up then began to wash him gently. Taking care not to hurt him, she started with his neck and shoulders, smoothing the washcloth over his lightly tanned skin. As she washed his arms, she traced her finger over the outline a Celtic tattoo on his shoulder. As she rinsed out the cloth and added more shower gel, she wondered why he’d chosen that design.

Taking care not to get the leads on his chest wet, she slowly washed his torso. Noting the yellow fading bruises on his ribs, she was extra gentle as she bathed that area. She felt him quiver. Ticklish, she thought with a mischievous giggle.

 

In his hazy dream-like state, he suddenly felt warm and mellow. He was wholly aware of the nurse washing his upper body with a soapy cloth. The scent of the soap was familiar. His mind began to wander……

 

As she washed each of his feet in turn, she gently massaged them. Starting with his toes, she massaged each one firmly then, using both hands, manipulated the balls of his feet before working her thumbs in circles over the arches of his feet and round to his Achilles tendon. The feeling was exquisite, leaving him totally relaxed, putty in her hands. With more soap on the cloth, she washed his legs, running her hand wrapped the cloth up the front of his shins over his knees then over the sensitive skin of his inner thighs. With an awkward smile, she noted his physical reaction to her touch.

“Hmm, perhaps not as out of it as the doctor thinks, mister,” she observed with a giggle.

 

The touch of her hands in his inner thighs sent bolts of electricity sparking through him. Muzzy as his mind was, he was instinctively aware that he was hard. Under any other circumstances he might have felt embarrassed; in the current circumstances he prayed that she wouldn’t stop. As she lavished more attention on him, he wondered, not for the first time, what she looked like. He allowed his imagination to stray as he felt her lay the warm damp flannel over his balls.

 

As she cleaned his most intimate areas, the nurse noted the small smile forming on the man’s lips.

 

He could picture her clearly in his mind’s eye. Her white uniform low cut, showing off the curve of her breasts. As she bent forward over him, he could see she was wearing a white satin plunge bra. Oh, what he wouldn’t give to nestle his dick between those beauties. He could easily imagine gliding up and down as those full breasts caressed his cock.

 

The washcloth appeared to have been discarded. He felt soapy hands fondling his tight full balls. If this is heaven then I’ve died and gone to the right place, he thought to himself. He could feel his blood pulsing through him. As her small hand clasped his erect manhood, he let out a long low moan of ecstasy. It had been a long time….too long….

She stroked his length slowly sensually, the scented bubbles adding to the smoothness of her ministrations…

He was eager to indulge in his release; he wanted this moment of intimacy to last for eternity.

He felt her playfully add some stray soapy bubbles to his sensitive exposed tip then was blissfully aware of a soft gentle cool breath wafting over him as she blew the bubbles away. Release was imminent. If only she would lean over further, lose the tunic and the bra and allow him to feel her breasts brush against his skin.

 

In his own inner fantasy, the uniform had long since been discarded and his mystery nurse was wearing only her white satin bra and matching skimpy panties. Would it be wrong to ask her to remove those and massage his erection with them? This was his fantasy. He could visualise whatever he desired….

 

Alone in the private room, she paused. It was obvious what her patient wanted/needed. Should she? His eyelids were flickering, and she was sure he was fantasising about the same thing she was thinking. Should she? It could… no would…cost her her job if she got caught or if he filed a complaint…. The door was closed. The blinds were closed. It was tempting….

 

He felt her hand adjust its hold on him then felt her slowly work him. Up and down with a gradually increasing rhythm. The scented soapy lubricant was enhancing the moment. He was close…so close. He couldn’t hold back much longer. Inwardly he groaned as her left hand traced a line across his hip bone from his groin to his waist then slid under his butt cheek. Her right hand had increased its tempo. He could almost feel those breasts touching his skin…. almost…

 

His orgasm came hard and fast, cum spurting over her hand and his own dark pubic hair. Seventh heaven didn’t come close. If only those breasts had been bare and wrapped around him……

 

Her cheeks flushed, the nurse gently wiped down his stomach then tossed the cloth into the basin.

Carefully, she drew the sheet and blanket across him, worried that he would feel cold despite the heat in the small room.

Again, his hand moved to take hers.

The patient held her hand for a few moments.

“I know what you’re thinking, mister. Not a word,” she said as she removed her hand from his grasp. “Not a word.”

 

Tossing the discarded plastic apron into the bin, the nurse prayed that the damp stains on the front of her tunic would dry before her charge nurse commented. Picking up the basin, she turned and left the room.

 

The only sounds in Room 19 were the steady bleep of the monitors and the slow breathing of the patient in the bed, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

 

(image sourced via Google – credits to the owner)

 

 

 

Sun’s Dying Light (150 word flash fiction)

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It had been their last day together. The magic was failing. Silently,,they had walked along the deserted beach, savouring the sun’s warmth as it began to set. They reached their tree at the end of the beach beside the picnic area. Wistfully, she traced her finger over the initials he had carved in its bark after their first kiss. With his back to the tree, he drew her into his arms. The golden light of the setting sun shone through her gossamer wings. He bent to kiss her. Slowly and passionately their lips met for one final moment. He held her hands and gazed into her violet eyes, wishing the moment could last forever. She started to speak but he stopped her. Silence said it all. Beside them, the sun had almost reached the horizon. At the first touch, the spell broke. He stood there alone. She was gone.

 

(credits to the owner of the image- photo is tagged)

Introducing Shattered Hearts…..it’s launch day

Well, today is the day.

After months of writing, typing, spellchecking, proofreading and editing Book Baby 5 aka Shattered Hearts has finally been published.

If you’d told me a five years ago that I’d be publishing my first never mind my fifth novel I’d have told you that you were mad. This truly is a dream come true.

Writing the story is the easy bit. Pulling it all together is the hard bit and marketing it is the impossible bit! As ever, I couldn’t do this without the help of some wonderful people, my Infamous Five and my Cavalry. (You know who you are.) Thank you will never be enough for you guys.

Right, without further ado and before I get over emotional, allow me to introduce you to my fifth Book Baby, Shattered Hearts.

red broken heart

red broken heart on wooden background – dark and moody

 

Happy reading!

 

Amazon.com link

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZY8ZSDM

Amazon.co.uk link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07ZY8ZSDM

 

You can drop into the all day launch event on my FB author page via the link below

https://www.facebook.com/coralmccallumauthor/

 

 

The Clock’s Ticking…..Book Baby 5 is almost here…..

The clock’s ticking and the To Do list is growing with last minute things…. Yes, it’s almost Book Baby 5 “birth” day.

I literally have a To Do list for the week…. don’t believe me? Here it is:

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That’s the simplified version! The rest of it is still in my head.

 

So, with just over a week to go till Book Baby 5 aka Shattered Hearts arrives, am I ready to let it fly free?

Eh….maybe……

Shattered Hearts release date promo pic

 

The Kindle e-book version is complete and uploaded (still to double check that…) It’s also available for pre-order via Amazon – links are at the bottom. I set myself the target of obtaining 25 pre-orders and I’m still a few short… just saying 😉

 

The final paperback proof has arrived and I am still checking the corrections I made. Once that’s done, I need to upload the final document to Amazon.

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eARC copies have been circulated to various book bloggers (If you are a book blogger and wish to review Shattered Hearts please let me know.

wanted-book-reviewers

 

The book launch day is almost, kind of, sort of planned out- I still need to finalise that then source the necessary photos to accompany it before scheduling all the posts on my author page.

Missed the invite? Not to worry, here’s the link. Please feel free to drop by on the 6th December.

https://www.facebook.com/events/411240452895257/

Book promotion is an ongoing challenge so I’ve been promoting Book Baby 5 while continuing to promote the other books in the Silver Lake series plus standalone spin-off Ellen. I find book promotion soul destroying, if I am being honest. It is the toughest aspect of being an indieauthor. So, in the interests of ongoing book promotion, the purchase links are also at the bottom.

Over and above, I still have this blog to write plus gig reviews to post, two social media fanpages for a real live rock star and the day job to do. (Yes, I work full time)

Oh and I’m a writer so there needs to be some time set aside to write…..

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And so it goes on…..

This is where my mantra really comes into play

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These last few days, like the last few days before the arrival of any baby are stressful and filled with expectation. I just hope that the “birth” of Book Baby 5 is painless!

 

 

Shattered Hearts

Amazon.com link

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZY8ZSDM

Amazon.co.uk.link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07ZY8ZSDM

 

Silver Lake series

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

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

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

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

 

Ellen

Amazon.com link     https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FYHKR44

 

Amazon.co.uk link   http s://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07FYHKR44

received_917637895284933

 

Introducing Harper Maze……..

I am delighted to welcome a special guest author to my blog this week.

Allow me to introduce you to Harper Maze.

Harper recently published her debut novel, Life After?: The Coming of Age Story of a Girl with a Difference ( Kayleigh Summers book 1).

The book was launched to coincide with Transgender Awareness Week and Transgender Day of Awareness, 20th November 2019. The author is donating $1 from every sale to transgender youth charities.

Transgender Awareness Week is held annually during the second week in November and culminates in Transgender Day of Awareness which honours those whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence.

If you wish to find out more about this, please refer to the information links at the foot of this post.

Now, though, it’s time to find out a little more about Harper Maze herself.

Tell me a little about yourself and how you came be to an indie author

As a fossil, I have written for years mainly for friends, but also in magazines years ago. I tended towards short stories because when attempting to write novels, I would lose focus in the middle. Recently I discovered a new plotting system, by John Truby, and it changed my mental approach to storytelling. I have begun to dust off my old drafts and concepts, and write new material, and plan to release at least two novels a year.

Do you write under your own name or a pseudonym? And if so, why did you choose the name you use?

I write under Harper Maze, which I chose because it sounded young and contemporary, ideal for writing strong female characters between 18-25. It was also available on almost all social media outlets, including the .com, which is essential for building an online presence.

 Tell me briefly about your latest book (no spoilers). What is it about, and what inspired you to write it?

‘Life After?’ is an old project, general fiction with an LGBT/’Coming of Age’ edge. It was the only one I had the idea from a dream, at least for the setting. However, the moral and psychological aspects of the book I added as part of the plotting. The book has an ironic, self-deprecating voice, which I think helps to break up some of the painful items the story includes.

Where do your ideas come from?

It varies for each story.

My inspiration for ‘Life After?’ was talking to so many young people who reached their goal and faced a void after because they didn’t consider long-term plans. As such, the story only briefly touches past events.

 My Dystopia Sci-Fi project is based on a near-future Earth after fracking has caused mass seismic and volcanic activity. It’s an old idea but plotted using the new system, and from beta-reader comments, I hope it will do well when released in 2020, June or before.

 Finally, my Action-Thriller came from watching a TV programme. I got annoyed when some of the characters would be killed off, and then came back for no reason other than to appear in the next season. We call these plots “spanners”, from ‘spanner in the works’. I got infuriated enough to write my own.

What does a typical workday look like for you?

I work full time, 9-5, and my writing time is before 9 am, 6 or 7 days a week. However, my mind never stops thinking about plots, scenes or ideas.

When did you first realise that you wanted to write?

 I was not that good at English at school. I am a storyteller and struggle somewhat with grammar and sentence structure. That’s why we have editors and editing tools. My method is to plot and write the story, fix the story weave and the basic flow and continuity, then have someone edit the final version.

 Where is your favourite place to write?

 I write in a few places. I have an office at home, with a cat bed underneath the desk. But I also write on the sofa or the train. I find it relatively easy to block out noise or distraction, and I have headphones if the train grows too noisy.

What was the first book you read that had an impact on you, and what was it about it that made such a lasting impression?

It would be Lord of the Rings when I was in my teens. I had read many books by then, but the world-building and craft of Tolkien was a new level of brilliance. It’s still the benchmark in a lot of reviews and often used in comparisons and pitches.

 If you could invite five fictional characters to dinner, who would you invite and why?

 I like Vin from the Mistborn Trilogy (Brandon Sanderson) and have returned to those books several times. She is independent, fiercely loyal and diminutive, yet bluntly spoken and driven. I am also a fan of the Hunger Games, so Katniss Everdeen too. By contrast, I would include Moriarty from Sherlock Holmes. As a master villain, I am intrigued by his motivations and drive, and have added in a worthy antagonist in my Action-Thriller. For a complete change of pace, Rick Deckard from Bladerunner (PK Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep) is of interest because of how he tries to balance the necessity with what he is doing. For the 5th character, I would like to introduce Savanna Steel from my Best Served Cold book to see how she stands against the others. She is so much fun to write, and perhaps has a little of each in her nature.

 What one piece of advice would you give to any aspiring author to motivate them? And what’s been the best piece of advice you’ve received in connection with writing?

You don’t have to do everything all at once, so writing small and regularly, and developing a habit of writing can help you long term. Don’t be afraid to write through an issue and edit later too; it’s more important to finish than to continually revisit.

 I read John Truby’s ‘Anatomy of Story’, and it changed my whole approach to writing, so the best advice was to read his book.

 And just for a bit of fun, tell me five random facts about you.

I live with my wife and two cats. I have played premier-level female football and professional pool but never took up a martial art (many of my characters do). I tell lots of (often bad) jokes, and I listen mostly to Skater and Punk Rock music.

Thank you, Harper. Delighted to meet another cat loving indie author 🙂

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Life After?: The Coming of Age Story of a Girl with a Difference ( Kayleigh Summers book 1).

Synopsis

Kayleigh Summers fought for her dream most of her life but made no plans for her future afterwards.

Unsure what to do after life-changing surgery, Kayleigh receives an unexpected offer from a sports entertainment company to become their latest star and relocates to America.

Set in the backdrop of a training academy full of glamorous people, Kayleigh recounts with self-deprecating irony how she struggles with her self-image, relationships and her confused sexuality.

Bursting into the limelight, Kayleigh becomes burdened by the pressures of her sudden fame and turbulent love life and finds herself on the brink of a breakdown.

After a drunken night where she breaks her most sacred rule, will Kayleigh be able to face the consequences of her actions before her new future crumbles around her?

 

Want to learn more? Yes?

 

Please see the purchase links below:

Amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/Life-After-Coming-LGBT-Romance-ebook/dp/B081FJCV79/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=harper+maze&qid=1574276937&sr=8-2

Amazon.co.uk

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Life-After-Coming-LGBT-Romance-ebook/dp/B081FJCV79/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2NURZ73NNR0P8&keywords=harper+maze&qid=1574276891&sprefix=harper+ma%2Caps%2C162&sr=8-1

Social media links

http://harpermaze.com

https://www.amazon.com/Harper-Maze

 

Information links:

https://www.glaad.org/transweek

https://www.stonewall.org.uk

http://www.lgbtconsortium.org.uk 

 

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