Saturday, 21 February 2015

The King's Sword by C.J. Brightley + Interview

The King's Sword
Erdemen Honor #1
by C.J. Brightley

A disillusioned soldier. A spoiled, untried prince. A coup that threatens the country they both love. When retired soldier Kemen finds the young prince Hakan fleeing an attempted assassination, he reluctantly takes the role of mentor and guardian. Keeping the prince alive is challenging enough. Making him a man is harder. As usurper Vidar tightens his grip on power, Kemen wrestles with questions of duty and honor. What if the prince isn't the best ruler after all? Invasion looms, and Kemen's decisions will shape the fate of a nation. What will he sacrifice for friendship and honor?

Paperback, 314 pages 
Published June 26th 2013 by Egia LLC



Find it on Goodreads
Amazon      B&N

About the Author
C. J. Brightley lives outside Washington, D.C., with her husband and their two young children. When she's not busy writing, she teaches karate, bakes too many desserts, and makes jewelry. She loves to connect with readers!

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6590994.C_J_Brightley


Q & A with C.J. Brightley

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about your main characters?
A: Kemen was a soldier who excelled in nearly every aspect of military life. Yet after an injury, he was retired (against his own wishes) and is now adrift in civilian society.

Hakan is the crown prince; he’s a bit spoiled and more than a little intimidated by
Kemen. Kemen wants to do what is best for the country, and he isn’t entirely sure Hakan would be the best choice as ruler. Kemen narrates, and one of my favorite aspects of the story is the difference between Kemen’s thoughts, his wry sense of humor and his analysis of the other characters, and what he actually says out loud.

Q:  How long have you been writing, and when did you first consider yourself an author?
A:  I’ve been writing since elementary school (I’m not going to admit how long that’s
been!), but The King’s Sword is my first published work. I have four books out now and another coming out in the next month. Yet I still feel surprised when I think of the word “author” as applying to me! I’m a martial artist as well. Being an author is a lot like being a black belt. It seems so out of reach for so long… it acquires this almost mythical status. Yet you just keep working and working, and eventually you look back and realize “Oh. I’m here. I did it.” But you’re not done. Earning your black belt is like finally learning enough to know how to study martial arts seriously; you are now a no-kidding student of karate. Being an author is the same. I’ve published books, but there is so much more I can learn about writing! I’m not “there” yet, and I don’t think I ever will be. There is always more to learn and more room to grow.

Q:  What is the best advice you have been given?
A:  To keep writing. Keep practicing. Keep learning. Don’t be afraid to fail. So many times writer’s block is fear of failure - fear of the words not being right, not being beautiful, not being what we imagine they should be. But much of the magic of writing happens during editing, and you can’t edit what isn’t written yet. Don’t be afraid of that first draft being awful, because it probably will be… and that’s fine! At least you have something to work with once that first draft is done.

Q:  As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A:  Everything. A veterinarian, a sword fighter, a black belt, a hero, a writer, a princess, a marine biologist, a mom, an explorer, a chemist, a spy.

Q:  If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
A:  Oh, what a hard question! Probably my top two choices (I can’t decide!) would be New Zealand or Great Britain. I would take thousands of photos for writing inspiration and soak up the atmosphere and history. 

Q:  If you could have any superpower, what would you choose?
A:  Super speed. I’m a terrible procrastinator, and I’m always behind on something. If it would help me write faster, all the better! 

Q:  Which do you prefer: hard/paperbacks or ebooks?
A:  I prefer paperbacks but I read more ebooks now. I’m a stay at home mom of two little children. I read in stolen moments while cooking dinner, while folding laundry, etc. I read mostly on my phone because it’s easiest to carry around.

Q:  What book are you reading now?
A:  I’m reading Green by Ted Dekker, A Story of Grace by Phil Metzger, Law of the Wolf by S. A. Hunt, and Sand of Bone by Blair MacGregor.
 
 
 
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Wednesday, 11 February 2015

The Echoes of Love by Hannah Fielding + Giveaway

The Echoes of Love
by Hannah Fielding 
Set against the breathtaking beauty of Italy, The Echoes of Love is a passionate, heart-breaking romance to ignite the senses and rekindle your belief in the power of love. Seduction, passion and secrets... Venetia Aston-Montagu has escaped to Venice to work in her godmother's architectural practice, putting a lost love behind her. For the past ten years she has built a fortress around her heart, only to find the walls tumbling down one night of the carnival when she is rescued from masked assailants by an enigmatic stranger, Paolo Barone. Drawn to the powerfully seductive Paolo, despite warnings of his Don Juan reputation and rumours that he keeps a mistress, Venetia can't help being caught up in the smouldering passion that ignites between them. When she finds herself assigned to a project at his magnificent home deep in the Tuscan countryside, Venetia not only faces a beautiful young rival but also a sinister count and dark forces in the shadows, determined to come between them. Can Venetia trust that love will triumph, even over her own demons? Or will Paolo's carefully guarded, devastating secret tear them apart forever?
Paperback, 360 pages
Published December 6th 2013 by London Wall Publishing

Hannah Fielding is a novelist, a dreamer, a traveller, a mother, a wife and an incurable romantic. The seeds for her writing career were sown in early childhood, spent in Egypt, when she came to an agreement with her governess Zula: for each fairy story Zula told, Hannah would invent and relate one of her own. Years later – following a degree in French literature, several years of travelling in Europe, falling in love with an Englishman, the arrival of two beautiful children and a career in property development – Hannah decided after so many years of yearning to write that the time was now. Today, she lives the dream: she writes full time, splitting her time between her homes in Kent, England, and the South of France, where she dreams up romances overlooking breathtaking views of the Mediterranean.

Her first novel, Burning Embers, is a vivid, evocative love story set against the backdrop of tempestuous and wild Kenya of the 1970s, reviewed by one newspaper as ‘romance like Hollywood used to make’. Her new novel, The Echoes of Love, is a story of passion, betrayal and intrigue set in the romantic and mysterious city of Venice and the beautiful landscape of Tuscany. 

Website: www.hannahfielding.net
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/fieldinghannah
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fieldinghannah
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5333898.Hannah_Fielding


From the author  

I first visited Venice as a young child. Then, as now, I was wide-eyed and enchanted by the beauty of the city. I distinctly remember standing in the main square, the Piazza St Marco, gazing up at the stunning architecture of Saint Mark’s Basilica, and feeling I had somehow entered another world – a fairytale world. Then I looked down, at the square itself, which was overrun by hordes of pigeons. There was nothing beautiful about those birds. They were quite spoiling the place. And it struck me then that Venice is a city of two faces: that which the tourists flock to admire, that makes the city the capital of romance, that breathes new life into the imagination and leaves a permanent, inspirational impression. And the other side, the darker side, that which is concealed in what Erica Jong called ‘the city of mirrors, the city of mirages’. 

When I returned to the city as an adult, I became quite fascinated by the concept of Venice – what it means to be Venetian; what the city really is beneath the layers of history and grandeur and legend. Frida Giannini wrote ‘Venice never quite seems real, but rather an ornate film set suspended on the water.’ I understand this quote – there is something fairytale about the place, and with that comes some reluctance, perhaps, to see the realism beyond. 

Venice so captured my imagination that I knew some day I would write a romance novel set in this most elegant and fascinating of cities. But it had to be the right story to fit the place. For me, that meant a story that reflected the two faces of Venice – the mask she wears, and the true form beneath. 

I very much hope that readers will enjoy my new novel, and will fall in love with its romantic Italian setting, as I did.

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Thursday, 5 February 2015

Kindar's Cure by Michelle Hauck: Interview + Giveaway

Kindar's Cure
by Michelle Hauck

Princess Kindar of Anost dreams of playing the hero and succeeding to her mother’s throne. But dreams are for fools. Reality involves two healthy sisters and a wasting disease of suffocating cough that’s killing her by inches. When her elder sister is murdered, the blame falls on Kindar, putting her head on the chopping block.

No one who survives eighteen years of choke lung lacks determination. A novice wizard, Maladonis Bin, approaches with a vision—a cure in a barren land of volcanic fumes. As choices go, a charming bootlicker that trips over his own feet isn’t the best option, but beggars can’t be choosers. Kindar escapes with Mal and several longtime attendants only to have her eyes opened that her country faces dark times.

Her mother’s decision to close the prosperous mines spurs poverty and joblessness, inciting rebellion and opening Anost to foreign invasion. As Mal urges her toward a cure that will prove his visions, suddenly, an ally turns traitor, delivering Kindar to a rebel army, who have their own plans for a sickly princess.

With the killer poised to strike again, the rebels bearing down, and the country falling apart, she must weigh her personal hunt for a cure against saving her people.

Find it on Goodreads

Amazon B&N 

Michelle Hauck lives in the bustling metropolis of northern Indiana with her hubby and two
teenagers. Besides working with special needs children by day, she writes all sorts of fantasy, giving her imagination free range. A book worm, she passes up the darker vices in favor of chocolate and looks for any excuse to reward herself. Bio finished? Time for a sweet snack.

She is a co-host of the yearly query contests Query Kombat, Nightmare on Query Street, New Agent, PitchSlam, and Sun versus Snow. Her epic fantasy, Kindar's Cure, was published by Divertir Publishing. Her short story, Frost and Fog, was published by The Elephant's Bookshelf Press in their anthology, Summer's Double Edge. Elephant’s Bookshelf Press also published another of her short stories, The Unfinished Task, in their winter anthology, Winter’s Regret. She’s represented by Sarah Negovetich of Corvisiero Literary.

Interview with Author Michelle Hauck
Q:  Tell us a little bit about your main characters.
A:  The main character, Kindar, is the middle of three princesses. She was born with a wasting disease of the lungs and everyone expects her to die. But living in the palace filled with backstabbing and political infighting for every inch of ground has made her strong. It's also made her lonely, cold and isolated as she has to suspect everyone is trying to use her. When the eldest princess is murdered, the suspicion falls on Kindar. She takes off looking for a cure for her disease and finds her heart along the way.

Q:  How long have you been writing, and when did you first consider yourself an author?
A:  I don’t know if I consider myself a full author yet. I still feel like a pretender in many ways. I’d say I got close to really feeling it the day I signed with an agent. I’ve been writing about six years.

Q:  What is the best advice you have been given?
A:  Best advice is difficult to narrow down. I’d say to have fun with your writing and make friends of other writers. I’ve gained many things from writing: a book deal, an agent, but the best of all was the incredible writer friends I’ve made. Many people go in for anger and passing hateful remarks on the internet, trying to put others down. Never get involved with that, but always look to the positive side.    

Q:  As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A:  Interesting question. I wanted to be one of the Three Musketeers or a member of Robin Hood’s gang or take a journey with the companions from The Sword of Shannara. My head was in the clouds of imagination instead of thinking about real world jobs. Probably why I follow my dad’s profession and studied accounting in college.

 You’ll notice all those examples were male roles. Back then all the best action characters were boys. I’m glad it’s different today so girls can find heroes that look like them. I tried to make Kindar a spunky action model who gets her hands dirty that girls might want to emulate.

Q:  If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
A:  I’ve always wanted to visit Paris and see the Louvre, but a safari in Africa would be exciting too!

Q:  If you could have any superpower, what would you choose?
A:  This is difficult as my fear of height rules out things like flying. Strength and speed are nice, but not really for me. I’ve always relied on my brains and I’d hope for something like superfast retention and memory. Super Smarts! Thought copying Hawkeye and his super archery skills would be a dream come true!

Q:  Which do you prefer: hard/paperbacks or ebooks?
A:  I do most of my buying lately in ebook format because it’s cheaper and you don’t have to wait for the books to ship. But if I had unlimited money, I’d buy hardback books. I’m a book snob and like to put them up on shelves to display.

Q:  What book are you reading now?
A:  I’m reading an ARC of Golden Son by Pierce Brown that I got from Net Galley. It’s the sequel to his book Red Rising. And if you don’t know about Net Galley, you should investigate it. It’s a site where you can get free advanced copy ebooks if you agree to leave written reviews on Goodreads or Amazon. 

Thank you so much for hosting me, Sheri. I appreciate a spot on your blog so much!
 
 
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Friday, 23 January 2015

Based On The... by Everett Robert: Interview + Giveaway

Based On The...
by Everett Robert
Paperback, 62 pages
Published February 5th 2014 by Black Box Theatre Publishing

Four classic stories told in a unique and exciting way forms the basis of this collection featuring duets and monodramas. Join two women, reunited years after their HS graduation, and examine the changes in their lives for the better and the worst in "The Reunion" based on the classic poem "A Ruined Maid" by Thomas Hardy. Meet Kid Blink, a union leader who led one of the most successful and infamous strikes in history, all at the age of 13, in "Blink" based on the true story of the 1899 Newsboys Strike. Based on "Lot 249" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, "The Mysterious Case of Lot 249" is the story of a detective, on the trail of a mysterious killer, who doggedly interrogates a witness, who knows more then he's telling. Finally, a young teenager tells the story of her unexpected pregnancy in "Miriam and Isa" based on the Biblical story.

Buy Based On The…
 Amazon
The Black Box Theatre Publishing Company

The Black Box Theatre Publishing Company is an independent publisher of new plays founded in 1995 by a group of young Playwrights to promote their work and that of other Playwrights to Schools and Theatres worldwide. They are located at http://blackboxtheatrepublishing.com/





Everett Robert is a Hays, KS resident and Colby, KS native who graduated from Colby High School in 1995 and from Colby Community College in 1999 where he studied Radio and Television Communications in addition to English and Drama. He is currently a student at Fort Hays University. Everett is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America, the Playwright's Center, the Kansas Writer's Association, and the Oklahoma Writer's Federation, Fringe Theater Company of Fort Hays State, and Hays Community Theater.

Everett has written and performed in Colby, KS; Hoxie, KS; Hill City, KS; Meade, KS; Cincinnati, OH; Davao City, Philippines and as part of the radio drama series, SHERRI'S PLAYHOUSE heard on the blogtalkradio show CHATTING WITH SHERRI. His works have also been performed by Mind The Gap Theatre in New York City, NY; Stage Left Theatre in Spokane, WA; at the Cambria-Friesland school district in Cambria, WI. BASED ON THE... is his third published play. His previous plays, ALLIE IN WONDERLAND and THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE STORY OF TOM SAWYER AS TOLD BY BECKY THATCHER, were published by Heartland Play Publishers in 2012 and 2013. In addition, Everett was published in April 2013 by High Hill Press in their CACTUS COUNTRY III anthology and has won numerous awards from the Kansas Writers Association (KWA) and the Oklahoma Writer's Federation, Inc (OWFI).

Everett can be found at:
http://www.emergencyroomproductions.net
and
http://www.facebook.com/emergencyroomproductions. 
 
email: everettrobert@hotmail.com 



Q & A with Author Everett Robert

Q:  Can you tell us a little bit about your book.
A:  BASED ON THE... is a collection of four short plays based on stories from classic literature or from history told in new and exciting ways. Included in this collection is THE REUNION based on Thomas Hardy's "A Ruined Maid", THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF LOT 249 based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "Lot No. 249", BLINK based on the Newsboys Strike of 1899, and MIRIAM AND ISA which is based on the nativity story from The Bible.

Q:  How long have you been writing, and when did you first consider yourself an author?
A:  I have been writing novels, short stories and plays since I was probably 10 years old. However in 2005 I wrote a non-fiction book (that I trunked) and started calling myself an author around then. I followed that with my first original full length play and was published in 2012 with a play I wrote in 2010. I called myself an author for almost 5 years before I really believed that I was one and ktwo more years before I really had something to show for it.

  Q:  What is the best advice you have been given?
A:  A couple of years ago, I was writing a play about gun control for a contest. I was so proud of what I had written until I sent it off to my first readers. They both wrote back to me and said "this isn't you or your voice Everett." That's something that I've strived to do since then, to write in my voice and not try to write in someone elses. My sense of drama and my sense of humor is unique to me and when I try and stray from my voice the writing isn't as good

  Q:  As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A:  I read a lot of Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Encyclopedia Brown books growing up and really wanted to be either a writer or a private detective.

Q:  If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
A:  London! Although I've traveled quite a bit out of the United States, I've never been to Europe. Also London has such a rich theater history (from Marlowe and Shakespeare to Andrew Lloyd Webber) that I feel I would just absorb everything. Although, as someone who loves to eat, Italy would be a tempting option as well.

  Q:  If you could have any superpower, what would you choose? 
A:  Flight or teleportation that way I could afford to go to Italy or London or Paris whenever I wanted.

Q:  Which do you prefer: hard/paperbacks or ebooks? 
A:  To me books aren't about the vessel they are contained in but the content within. It's about the words and the language, so I don't really have a preference. I love them both.

Q:  What book are you reading now? 
A:  I'm always reading a number of books. Right now including Lisa Mantchev's Ticker and Micheal Chabon's The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay.
 
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