Category Archives: New Realese

Quantum Crystal by Rob Shackleford

Quantum Crystal

Is humanity evolving?

Today, millions suffer from Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-Traumatic Stress due to warfare, car accidents and violence.

In response to this global epidemic, pioneering medical researchers develop a new treatment that is seen to produce outstanding results. Dubbed the ‘Quantum Crystal’, the treatment is soon rolled out for many of the maladies that affect modern humanity.

But is this treatment all it is purported to be, or are deeper changes under way?

‘Quantum Crystal’ examines the efforts of victim support group, The Staff, to rollout the Quantum Crystal to a deeply divided humanity and the inevitable violent opposition to change.

Amazon

Smashwords

Author Bio Two

An English-born Australian, Rob Shackleford has lived in New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, with a varied career that has included Customs Officer, Scuba Instructor, College Teacher and management roles in too many places.

With degrees in the Arts and Business, he is mad keen on travel, Scuba diving, Family History, martial arts, astronomy, and playing Djembe and Congas. Despite that, he is actually not that boring. Rob is father of two and has made his green escape with his lovely lady into Australia’s Gold Coast hinterland.   

Other Books by Rob Shackleford

Traveller Trilogy

Traveller Inceptio

If you were sent a thousand years into the past, would you survive?

After the accidental development of the Transporter, university researchers determine that the device sends any subject one thousand years into the past.

Or is it into a possible past?

The enigmatic Transporter soon becomes known as a Time Machine, but with limitations.

An audacious research project is devised to use the Transporter to investigate Medieval Saxon England, when a crack international team of Special Services soldiers undergo intensive training for their role as historical researchers.

The special researchers, called Travellers, are to be sent into what is a very dangerous period in England’s turbulent past.

From the beaches of Australia to the forests of Saxon England, Traveller – Inceptio reveals how Travellers soon learn that they need more than refined combat skills and modern technology to survive the trails of early 11th Century life. First Two Chapters here …

Writing “Traveller – Inceptio”

“Traveller – Inceptio” is my first novel and, like any first novel, is the result of years of writing, rewriting, editing, and then leaving it to sit and mature, or rather for me to mature, so I could go back and write new chapters and make adjustments. Originally titles “Traveller”, Traveller – Inceptio was rebranded to make the book name stand out more.

To keep the historical components accurate I had to engage in considerable research. In so doing I have tried not to become too engrossed in the historical minutiae of Saxon or Gabi Gabi Aboriginal life but have attempted to look at what it was like to be a person living there and then. If I have made errors, these are a lapse in my research or understanding and are not meant to be malicious or lazy. I welcome scholarly and cultural input and corrections so I can better understand the rich tapestry of human history where I dip my toes on occasion.

While writing Traveller I have the deepest gratitude for friends and family for their encouragement, input, and correcting my many spelling and grammatical errors. The inspiration for Traveller came when I was sitting on a beach one day and observing the many resorts that proliferate around Australian beaches. Thinking how the world has changed over twenty years then led to speculation of changes over the past two hundred years since the European settlement of Australia. So – why not 1000 years? The world was such a different place.

The cover is an image of a Saxon saex or knife as created by Artist Blacksmith and Bladesmith Owen Bush of Kent in England. I am grateful for his generosity in permitting the use of his image. View his impressive work at http://owenbush.co.uk/  

To describe the attempt to professionalise the writing process, this book has been physically published, professionally edited, rewritten and shortened, republished in electronic format, and recently proofread. Phew!

I hope you find Traveller Inceptio to be an enjoyable read. 

Traveller Inceptio eBook Links:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Smashwords

 

Traveller Probo 

Traveller – Probo is the inevitable sequel to Traveller Inceptio and the second of the Traveller series.

Traveller Probo

Would you survive if sent one-thousand years into the past?

Development of the Transporter saw highly trained researchers, called Travellers, successfully sent one-thousand years back in time to early medieval Saxon England.

Traveller Missions now mean enormous national prestige and the recovery of valuable lost artefacts and knowledge, so nations vie for the use of the Transporter and more daring Traveller missions are planned.

As the study of History becomes hotly contested, politics and power soon come into play.

To study lost peoples and civilizations, Special Forces researchers have to be even better trained, better equipped, and prepared to put their lives on the line.

While Michael Hunter continues to build a life in Saxon England, the tragically injured Tony Osborne finds his resurgence in a mission to ancient Turkey, and Professor Adrian Taylor seeks to better outmanoeuvre his contentious colleagues.

From the misty shores of New Zealand to the shining splendour of the ancient Byzantine Empire, it is soon learned that sending modern researchers into the past is not without its rewards, and pitfalls.

Traveller Probo eBook Links:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Smashwords

 

Traveller Manifesto 

Traveller – Manifesto is the final novel for the Traveller Series.

Traveller Manifesto

Traveller Manifesto is Book 3 of the Traveller Trilogy, the explosive final sequel to Traveller Inceptio and Traveller Probo.

To use the enigmatic Transporter and send Special Forces trained Researchers back a thousand years is now the biggest game in world politics.

But not only politics, as academics scramble to outdo each other and harness prestige in the increasingly influential field of History.

As Professor Taylor is rescued from Byzantine Rome, a heavily-armed US Traveller team explores Mississippian Cahokia to experience a situation beyond even their control. Michael Hunter and Tatae flee Giolgrave in the hope of finding safety from modern interference. But at a terrible cost.

And something seems to be happening in Israel, resulting in the creation of a high-profile investigation team to uncover if there is a clandestine Traveller mission operated by the US and Israel.

From the windswept mountains of Wales, to the hills of Cahokia and the dusty wadis of the Negev, researchers find that to visit the past may not necessarily provide the answers they seek.

Amazon

Smashwords

 

More about writing the Traveller Series

When we examine the history of humanity one thousand years in the past we find many human populations were experiencing massive change and population migration. Migration meant populations coming into contact and the inevitability of violent conflict. This resulted in the extinction of cultures and races.

The people of the time were often not people we of the 21st Century would like to visit. Over a surprisingly wide segment of the globe, any strangers risked becoming victims of cannibalism or ritual sacrifice. The Pacific, the Americas, Africa, and indeed many locations would be just too dangerous for a 21st Century researcher to visit.

 

Rob Shackleford Social Media Links

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Goodreads

 

 

Publishing Confusion – Part Four – Social Media

Social Media.

Most of you know how to use the basics…or do you? I thought I was good with Facebook, when one day a course in our local region we found a tutorial on how to use Facebook for business. It blew what we thought we knew right open. OUCH. Luckily there was no re-learning, there was extra learning.

In the last twelve months, many of our Social Media websites have updated. Things have moved, changed or disappeared. Even we’ve had issues finding various items. Sometimes the frustration creeps in and takes over. The better you can use Social Media, the better you can MARKET your business and grow your AUTHOR BRAND. With saying that, we need to give you a few ways to make more out of a post and images.

We’ve always been taught that images get more people looking at your posts. However, what sort of image do you need to use? Have you ever looked on Facebook to see which type of images get the most likes and shares? Why do they get so much attention. Why do people stop scrolling and read? 

Next time you find something you like and read, think about what you notice first. Is it the writing? Which part? A title? A font? Large fonts? The mission into marketing is endless trying to find out what will work for us and our books. RESEARCH…yep that word again. Weird how it keeps cropping up.

Advert for Shattered Badge, Shattered Trust by Sandra Brewster.

We’re going to make a Facebook Post. It was a new release for one of our clients. The novel is called ‘SHATTERED BADGE SHATTERED TRUST’ by Sandra Brewster. It is available on AMAZON. To the left  of the screen is the book cover. For those who are sight impaired the image shows a police badge which has been broke into pieces the the book title across the middle. At the top of the cover is the Authors name. The background is a greenish blur of a crime scene.

First things first is to make a 3D cover so it looks like a book rather than a flat image. This will make it stand out better and hopefully grab a readers interest. It is obviously a story which involves a character who is a cop. Though what is the relevance about the Shattered Trust? Who’s Trust was destroyed and why? Maybe a bit of the synopsis will tell us what’s going on. Can we add it to the Facebook Post? 

This depends on what type of Marketing you are looking at doing. Who are you aiming your ADVERT at? Are you doing a PAID ADVERT or a post in a group? Will you make a TEASER for the story or a POSTER. On that note…if you can’t use photoshop, GIMP, Krita or similar graphic apps then please use CANVA. It’s FREE and easy to use, even for those who think they aren’t good with technology.

CANVA – AUTHOR INTRODUCTION IDEA

In the first PNG image you have all the different areas, all giving you different information. Obviously this is a small image of what the poster would be if it were printed out. Looking at it digitally and asking a few friends, I see what they like and don’t like. The BOOK BLURB is to pale and needs to be BOLD FONT. The eBook app in the image above the authors profile image needs to be put in (can’t do this on CANVA FREE). I don’t like is the BOOK LINK.. it looks to big and untidy. We may make it smaller or use a QR Code.

We have made some adjustments on this second image. The book cover has been placed into the eBook app on the image. In the next image we have put the BOOK BLURB in bold to show what it looks like.

The main issue with the poster is having to use two different apps to make the poster. We started in CANVA and played around, asking for opinions… Now we need to put all of this together. This same poster only needs the book cover adding to the eBook reader along with the QR Code and then it is finished. For now we’ve left the book link in though made it smaller and bold.

My next question is: What do you think? Is it good? Are there any changes? What do you get from reading the poster? Would it make you look up the author and read her books?

Please let me know in comments.

NOTE: The image is to complex to put in ALT TEXT. 

 

 

Introducing Jenzy Montague and learn about her children’s books.


Interview With An Author – Jenzy Montague

 

 

Tell us about where are you from?

Everywhere, LOL I was born in Missouri. I call Colorado my spiritual home. I loved it there and would move back in an instant. I’ve lived in California, Montclair, New Jersey, and now Virginia. I love mountains and college towns. Virginia gives me both. Even though I live an hour from Charlottesville, Virginia, I consider that home too. I’m a history nut so much history to glean from this area!

What do you do when you’re not writing?

Tag team with my daughter and hubby in homeschooling my three precious grandbabies! If not a nose in a textbook, I’m sewing and working with my crafts. I love to get outside and dig in the soil with my gardening. My youngest grandchild loves mother earthing with me.

When did you start writing stories?

I wrote stories when I was a child. I got serious as an adult but put it on hold so I could enjoy my biggest achievement, mothering my daughter. I would always jot down notes about stories that were in my head for years. I was a single mom. I had to be the breadwinner. I worked in a corporate world until I met my hubby.

Since the pandemic, I found myself having time to re-visit my thoughts of getting serious in my writing. It was my daughter Nikki that kept me on track making it happen.

It also was the pandemic that made me realize I needed to write a children’s story about Covid-19 from a child’s point of view. Watching the concerned looks on my grandbabies’ faces, I just had to do something. Noah just popped in my head. Even his name conveys our surviving the pandemic. It is the new norm. Perhaps even a new beginning. With all the stories that were already in my head, it took a pandemic to shake me loose.

What or who inspired you to write stories?

Children. Even when I was one myself, I was compassionate about little people’s feelings, their thought patterns. I wanted to be heard and it would come out on paper.

What is your favourite genre to write and why?

Children’s literature at present. However, I have some notes that I plan to dabble in someday.

What is your favourite genre to read?

If I do not have my nose in a children’s book reading to my littles, I am reading the school curriculum for lesson planning. However, during my downtime, I love historical, paranormal, and fantasy stories.

Who is your favorite Author and why?

Nicole Strycharz. She is a multi-genre writer and I just get lost in her books!

There are other amazing authors I love too. There is Daisy St. James and Lisa K Miller. They both write paranormal romance. Reading these talented women’s works is like a vacation away from the real world for me!

What was the first story you ever wrote?

LOL As a child there was Humpless, the Humpless Camel. I dare say I was very little. In reality, it was Cynthia’s Thankful Halloween.

What happened to it? Did you save it or trash it, and why?

My amazing illustrator, Mara Reitsma, has joined forces with me to publish Cynthia’s Thankful Halloween. Mara turns my world of characters into the exact picture I have in my head. It is like we are of one mind.

My little character Cynthia has been a part of me for years. All I did was tell Mara, and she got me. Then there is you, Claire. You have the talent to frame it to perfection. I am happy to say Cynthia will be a reality hopefully in time for 2021 Halloween. As for Humpless, well, he is still in the file. LOL.

Are there any sub-genres that you would consider pairing together?

Not sure just yet. Possibilities way back in my mind at this time.

Do you have more fun writing the scenes, or creating the characters?

Creating the characters because for me they create the scenes.

You’re an Indie Author, so tell us, why go Indie? Why choose to self publish?

Why not? There is a world of amazingly talented authors out there but cannot reach the goal or luxury of being published. Hats off to the authors who have been traditionally published. After all, they are and have been our inspiration. I choose to support my pen and paper with the Indie world because the drive is for our work to get out there and be read. Without both traditional published and self-published, we would not have such a world of choices to choose from. Makes the reading world so rich!

Tell us how you work. From pen and paper, to your fingers dancing across the keys, do you find yourself cozy and warm with a cup of tea and a blazing fire? Or do you hide in your dungeon, slaving away on your latest masterpiece; the words of wisdom flowing from your fingers as the story is born? Tell us how you write?

LOL, I am usually working side by side with my daughter, Nicole. Our desks are next to each other, with a bookshelf in the middle. Both computers are ticking away with yes, a cup of tea or, most likely, coffee in the early morning. If it is further on in the day, most likely there are children running back and forth screaming at each other or calling Mom, Grandma…Not sure to this day how we do it, but we do. Chaos keeps you on your toes or, for us, our minds working our fingers on the keyboard.

Social Media Links

Noah’s Book Link: http://mybook.to/iamasuperherobyjenzym

Website: https://gaiasgirl101.wixsite.com/jenzy-myworldbooks

FB Page: https://m.facebook.com/MyWorldBooksbyJenzy/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/JenzyMontague/e/B095J8CZ53/

 

Author Bio 

Jenzy, a graduate of the Institute of Children’s Literature, has lived in many parts of the United States throughout her life but settled in Virginia with her family.

She homeschooled her daughter and aided many moms with their journey in homeschooling. She assisted with and tutored children of special needs in phonics, reading, and math.

Now, grandma to three precocious grandbabies. She joins her daughter in homeschooling them.

Jenzy’s been telling stories from childhood to grandmotherhood.

She prefers being in a cubby with pen and paper, capturing the thoughts of children. She shares that hearth of imagination with her daughter, who is also a writer. The only other place to be, she says, is enjoying her brood of three in their little classroom where she teaches!

EXCERPT FROM NOAH

I Am a Superhero A Kid’s Thoughts on Covid-19:
Available Now

Now, Mommy is my schoolteacher and school is at home. We have to stay home ‘cause there’s a sickness that hurts people. I keep forgetting the name of the sickness, so Mommy has to remind me it’s called Covid-19. I don’t like that name, so I just forget it! We have so many rules now.

We have to social distance from people. We have to stay six feet apart. That’s like as long as my dad lying down on the floor. The sickness can jump that far! Everyone wears masks. I don’t like not seeing faces, only eyes. Are they smiling or are they sad? I sing happy birthday every time I wash my hands, and it takes forever!

NEW RELEASE

Cynthia’s Thankful Halloween:
Releasing Soon

A windy start for October, just perfect for Halloween, thought Cynthia. She was the new member of the haunted house on the hill, at the edge of town. Even in the ghost world, a little ghost needs a family, and this house came with one. It wasn’t easy being a ten-year-old little ghost who just moved in and getting a new family too.

Just a few weeks ‘till Halloween. She must practice being scary. The moon would be full this year on Halloween, and her name meant moon. She had to be the best fright ever!

AMAZON – Author/Proof Copies

I know there is a pandemic on…However, this is ridiculous…

I just tried to order my proof/author copies of books recently published. For some reason, I got only six choices of marketplaces.  USA, UK, DE, ES, IT & FR.  Noted a few days ago via a post on Facebook, I found out they were no longer posting to New Zealand or Australia. In fact, they won’t send anything out of any country you order from. You can only order inside one of the…I think it’s fifteen amazon companies around the world…

I tried to send some author copies to my illustrator to check the full-colour children’s books we’ve recently launched and NOPE can’t do it.  However, if I go to the Canadian site (NOT LISTED ABOVE) I can buy a copy at FULL-PRICE?

If they can do this, then why isn’t Canada listed as a Marketplace for Author Copies?

STITCHES LEARNS A LESSON

Forever Mine – Cy & Rylan Book Cover Reveal.

Finally… It’s arrived. My book cover for Cy & Rylan’s story of true love. A Wolf Shifter Romance with murder and mystery surrounding two lovers as they learn about each other. Looking at their differences, how to live together, how to grieve together. A unit and family. You can PRE-ORDER HERE

Publishing 30th June 2020

SYNOPSIS

Cy is an Alpha wolf-shifter, heir to his father’s pack. Cy is also gay, something his father won’t accept. In fact, he’s already lined up a female mate for him. A woman Cy hates.

Cy found his true mate ten years prior. He waited and watched, praying for salvation.

Rylan Jessop is from the other sides of the tracks. Not good enough for the elite of the pack. A university graduate due to a scholarship, Rylan returns home and accepts a date with Cy. They mate. At first, Rylan is horrified, he wanted other things from life.

Mated, he finds himself loving Cy and taking a stand against Cy’s father who is furious. Cy takes the lead and their adventure begins as they travel across America to Canada, learning to love and getting to know each other.

Will they get their ‘Happy Ever After’?

This is the first novella in a series called ‘Forever Mine’. Mature content due to a new relationship. LGBT Erotic.

PRE-ORDER LINKS

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08B5Q6KK7  

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08B5Q6KK7

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B08B5Q6KK7

https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08B5Q6KK7

TEASERS

AUTHOR BIO

You want to know who I am? Well, let’s see!

I’m British born and bred, although I have lived most of my life in New Zealand. Sweet as? (Kiwi Saying) I love New Zealand, the best little country in the world today, though I’m sure others will have different opinions.

First and foremost, I am a wife and mother of four children, though we lost our youngest 17 years ago. My husband and I have been married for 28 years this year. Our two eldest daughters are in the UK having their OE (Overseas Experience as they call them in Kiwiland). My son is about to start university to study architecture.

This will be the first time my husband and I will have true freedom to do as we wish, when we wish, without the phrase “Get a room” from the kids with our reply of “Don’t need one. Got a house.” And that was just about kissing…lol. Kids these days!

I am a Family History Researcher and have been for the past twenty years. I fell into writing in 2012 and became a multi-genre author because the muses…yeah more than one…wouldn’t shut the up. I have published over thirty books and have over a hundred drafts on my computer. My main genres are Children’s Adventure Stories, Young Fantasy, Young Adult Fantasy, New Adult Murder Mystery Romance under my own name. Under my pen name of Beth Bayley, I write Contemporary Billionaire Romance (reverse aka the woman is the billionaire) as well as a set of Mythical Welsh stories. I also have one wayward muse who I call Chloe King, who is an Erotic Author. Pain in the…and a nympho. Meanwhile, I’ll stay prudish, thanks.

In 2014 I established up my own Publishing Company called Plaisted Publishing House Ltd, which now runs Author Services for Formatting, Editing and Book Covers. We’ve helped over forty clients in various different ways. We also do Family History Books and Ghostly Anthologies.

You can contact me at:

claireplaisted@gmail.com

http://www.claireplaisted.wordpress.com

http://www.billionaireromances.wordpress.com

http://www.authorchloeking.wordpress.com  ADULTS ONLY

http://www.plaistedpublishinghouse.com

http://www.facebook.com/claireplaistedauthor

http://www.twitter.com/plaistedpublish

https://www.instagram.com/rotosis/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-plaisted-6054816a/

https://www.pinterest.nz/plaistedpublishinghouse/pins/

The Importance of Book Covers

I do wish the days of coloured hardbacks would return and get rid of the silly paperback covers which have to be so brilliant to get anyone to buy your book. I didn’t need an image on a cover to read a good book. I read the blurb/synopsis at the library or bookstore and …well read the book.

Now it’s all graphic design and it has to be a certain type for each book to be a winner and get sales. I hate this and I’ll tell you why.  I personally don’t want to see naked male chests on my book covers. It’s not me. The reader should be reading the story because of the enticing synopsis on the back.  

A lovely person gave me the link to Amazons top 100 books for a certain genre…it also linked into the top 100 FREE Books and since I was experimenting, I decided to do with five of the FREE books to see what I thought.  I downloaded on the cover alone. Then read the synopsis…and then the story. OMG!!

Why would an author pay out hundreds for the perfect book cover and not an editor or interior book designer? All five stories had issues. One was all over the place with first-person mixed with third person, etc. Another had what looked like huge chunks left out or not written in the first place, a third one was a bear shifter story, it was cool, fun and funny and by the time I got to the end I realised the Main Character had not shifted once in the story. Sex scenes in another were much to be desired.

Now to my own books. My book covers aren’t great, they are ok and I do update and change them as well, especially if I have the money to spare. However, I do try and get the editing sorted and the interior design…I’m pedantic about interiors. It has to be as perfect as I can get it and it’s my day time job to do this. I love formatting.

As for the stories. Well most people I know who have read them, usually say ‘I want more’ or ‘When’s the next book out’ or even ‘You’re going to continue…’  I’m good with dialogue and I try to not be too boring with the background. 

What I’m really asking is, would you prefer to buy a book with a fab cover and a wonky story or…read the synopsis and get a good story with a not so good cover?

 

Inkitt – So Far

I was requested to write a post about Inkitt by one of my followers. Chloe King has not been there long and hasn’t updated her stories in a while. From what I can see. Mind she has released another Novella for everyone to enjoy. Here is the link and NOW BACK TO INKITT

Passion by the Sea can be found on Amazon.  

INKITT is well set out. It has a lot of Authors from countries where English is a second language, meaning as a reader, you can struggle at times to work out what they mean. There are also those who don’t do their research.

When you start a new book you have to fill in all the different areas to be approved. It takes at least 24 hrs to get approval. You will also need some kind of book cover like you do on WATTPAD.

What I do like is their structure for REVIEWING a book. It is great. It gives you four areas to look at and comment on. You are not allowed negative commenting, though you can (if you’re a good reviewer) assess something in a positive way to help a writer build their story. Most will be grateful for your input. However, some won’t. 

If you are a writer on there and swap a review, please be careful. If you give them a bad review then they will give you a worse one. How do I know…Well, I read Chloe’s reviews and she told me about one person who in fact didn’t listen. Mind it is their loss. This other writer deleted the REVIEW Chloe did for her book (YES YOU CAN DO THIS ON INKITT) I personally think this should be stopped. How can an author learn or readers get an indication of how good or bad a writer is if they can delete. On top of this, some writers get five-star reviews and they really shouldn’t. WINCES.

A lot of the stories are messy and need editing, however, you can find good reads too. Building up a following is hard unless you update frequently and share in the review blog area and on your social media.  Chloe doesn’t enter any competitions. Mainly due to hearing and reading things about INKITT which don’t seem right re – publishing with them and how they score stories, etc.

If anyone wants a picture of how to set up a story on INKITT let me know and I’ll write a post about it.

Overall INKITT is ok. Different from WATTPAD in different ways.

 

Interviewing Author – Jane Risdon

We’d like to introduce you to Jane Risdon, one of our latest clients who recently released an anthology of shorts called Undercover: Crime Shorts. This book already has five 5 star reviews with readers enjoying the twists and turns within the stories.

You may have already heard of Jane Risdon. Jane is one of our Ghostly Writers and has a story in each of our Ghostly Writes AnthologiesIntroduction over here is the lovely, creative murder mystery author, JANE RISDON.

What & Who Inspires you to write?

Nobody inspires me. I am self-motivated and have always wanted to write. I may get ideas from overheard conversations, situations, and experiences I’ve had or come across in my ‘other life.’  Working in music, television and the movies is great fodder for a writer. Anyone who has spent time in Hollywood knows what I mean.

How did you get into writing? What was/is your journey like?

I have always written, even as a child, and  I’d always promised myself that when my life on the road managing recording artists, songwriters, musicians, and record producers – with my musician husband – either got quieter or I decided I’d had enough, I’d spend my time writing the crime novels I’ve wanted to write since reading Agatha Christie as a youngster.

Who would you like to thank for supporting and assisting you to where you are today…?

Firstly my husband who has always supported me in whatever I’ve done, and secondly best-selling, award-winning author and life-long friend, Christina Jones. We got to know each other in the late 1960s when she was a rock journalist and fan-club secretary to my husband’s band. She’d always wanted to write with me and has encouraged me for years. We eventually wrote Only One Woman (Accent Press Ltd) together….published May 2018.

Thirdly, Margot Kinberg, author of the Joel Williams series of crime novels and Associate Professor, who kindly allowed me to contribute two short stories to one of her anthologies having read some of my other efforts before. She has always been the first to encourage me and introduce me to her writing/reading friends.

You are a Guest Blogger and wish to let people know something new about the writing world what would you write about?

I’ve written more guest blogs than I can shake a stick at. I always decide what I think the blog wants to say to its readers and what they expect from me and take it from there. I could write from a character’s perspective, or give in-depth detail about my writing process, or a particular book or story I’m working on or have just published. I do this regularly and enjoy it a lot. I always try to make it unusual – provide unknown facts perhaps, and to inform and entertain as well. I often write about my previous career in music and before that when I worked for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in Whitehall and had quite a few adventures during the Cold War.

Tell us three things about your life that you love.

I love that I am still married to the same person I met aged 16 – 51 years ago – and with whom I have a son and now 3 gorgeous grandchildren.

I love that we have shared a fabulous career in the international music business with so many adventures and unreal memories and experiences.

Mostly I love not having to deal with hormonal-enraged female artists and testosterone-fuelled musicians any longer who came so close to being annihilated it is unreal.

If you could work anywhere in the world to write where would it be and why?

I’ve lived and worked all over the world including America, Singapore, and Taiwan to name a few places, and I guess being back in England is the bee’s knees for writing. For adventure and excitement – I’d go back to Hollywood and Los Angeles. That place is totally out there and unreal.

Choose one of the next three as a pet. Which one would it be and why? SNAKE, SPIDER or LIZARD

I cannot stand any of these so I’d not have any. Whilst I like animals, fish and birds (in general) I cannot stand anything near me which creeps, crawls, slithers or flies. We once managed a rock guitarist who kept a tarantula in his room – he lived with us for a year – and the sound of it eating crickets which he had sent through the post weekly, nearly finished me off. My sister-in-law kept a boa-constrictor in her sitting room and the sight of that eating its micro-waved rats and mice used to drive me demented. No pets whatever they are thank you very much.

Your muses are singing and dancing, totally annoying you. What music are they listening to? Do you like it or does it make you want to run screaming?

I keep hearing tell of muses. I’ve never had one, not got a clue what one is, and I am not sure I’d stand one. As for music – dear god! I’m married to a professional musician, lived all my life working with musicians, living with musicians, sharing hotel rooms, tour buses and whatever as well as eating, sleeping, and dreaming music 24/7 for the last 51 years – I enjoy silence – it is precious. Besides, listening to music for pleasure is something I’ve not done in yonks. Put music on and I’ll analyse it in detail: the notes, the tempo, the production, the performance and so on and so forth. Listening to music was my life. Now I just want peace and quiet. Unless my husband is playing his guitar – I can cope with him.

How did you stumble into Indie Publishing? What made you choose this way?

I am actually signed to a traditional publisher – Accent Press Ltd – for all my writing: novels and novellas etc., – but I am free to go elsewhere or self-publish if I want to publish collections of short stories or one-off short stories not covered by my contract.

My co-written novel with Christina Jones, Only One Woman, is my most recent publication with Accent.

I have contributed to 15 anthologies, online newsletters and magazines – before and during my publishing contract. Mostly Flash Fiction and short stories – not covered by my contract.

Recently, with Plaisted Publishing House, I have put out my first collection of crime short stories – Undercover: Crime Shorts, which I’d discussed with my publisher prior to going the self-published route. They cannot publish collections by a solo author – only anthologies with several authors – so I thought, blow it, I’ll do it myself.

When I was involved with music I used to write articles for music magazines, and if I had to I’d create press releases and bio’s for artists if I wasn’t impressed with their record label’s marketing department’s efforts.

Tell us about your book cover designer. Who are they? Where did you find them?

The designer for the cover of Only One Woman was in-house at Accent Press. They sent us several ideas which were what the publisher wanted basically and in the end, after a few alterations, we went with the cover you see today. So far we have 53 5* reviews on Amazon alone and on GoodReads and other book review places we have more than I know, so I guess the cover is successful. Most readers love it.

The design for Undercover: Crime Stories, was chosen by me from one of the online design sites you can find. I gave it to Claire and Mara at Plaisted Publishing House and they did the rest with consultations with me.

Marketing is the bane of our writing careers. How do you go about it? What’s your secret?

I do marketing every day – and of course, my publisher does as well. Whether it is for Only One Woman or Undercover: Crime Shorts I do the same. I spend a couple of hours every morning hitting the Facebook Groups, doing blogs, articles and if involved, blog tours. I am constantly looking for new ways to make something sound/look fresh. It is never-ending.

My work in music has helped me understand marketing – how to hone it down and change it for whichever outlet or entity I am aiming at. The secret if there is one, is keep at it all the time, putting your name and book out there and eventually via osmosis you’ll begin to make an impression and when someone is wondering what to read, give as a gift or whatever, the chances are your name/book will pop into their head.

CHALLENGE TIME – Write a short poem or story of no more than 500 words.

The Letter – Jane Risdon – under 500 words.

Haunted by the neat sloping writing on the blue Basildon Bond paper which lay accusingly on her writing desk the old woman sat locked inside her thoughts.  She couldn’t bear to pick the letter up to read it again, but there was no need really.  The contents were not unexpected after-all.  She’d been waiting nearly forty years for something like this to happen.  And now it had.

Every knock at the door, every strange hand’s address on an envelope had filled her with such fear the like of which she could never share.  She had never told. The only reason she had an answering machine on her phone was so that she could screen her calls.  Just in case.  Now, there on the desk along with all her bills and other correspondence, the letter lay, the words terrorising her silently across the darkening room.

She didn’t ask herself how or why.  She knew the answers and had known this moment would come eventually, either in the form of a visit, a phone call or a letter.  Forty birthdays had come and gone and with each passing one she had agitated in case this time, it would be the one; the day when she would have to face her past.

Long ago she had put away the photo, the little sepia image now faded with age and fingering.  There was nothing she could have done even if she had wanted to, and she wasn’t even sure any longer if she had ever wanted to do anything.  At first, it was not a matter of choice but necessity, but there had come a time, many years later when she supposed she could have, possibly should have, tried.

Soon it would be over.  Of course, she could ignore the letter but that might force a visit, in person, without warning.  She could pretend it had never arrived and feign ignorance if anyone queried its receipt.  Her stricken mind tried to battle with her emotions.  Part of her needed this to happen, craved it and dreaded it, fought against it and longed for it.

Her tired faded eyes moved across the room to stare at the blue ghost beckoning her.  A date and a time had been suggested and if she didn’t respond the writer would understand, after all, it must be an awful shock after so many years but hoped that she would consent to a meeting, without strings of course.

Without strings, the old woman mused.  There were always strings, and there would always be strings.  She sighed heavily, tears brimming as she stood and made her way over to the letter.  She picked it up, reached for the telephone and dialled.

What do you do when you aren’t writing?

I spend time listening to my husband playing his guitar – songwriting or messing around – and we both love long walks in the countryside or in gardens or around old villages, churches, and cathedrals etc. I am a photo addict and love to take photos of the places we visit – we belong to the National Trust and have done ever since we were young and managed to get a few hours off (on tour in the UK) when we’d wander off to look around a stately home or gardens. Overseas we loved exploring places where we were not in danger of meeting tourists. If I get time I usually write a blog post with information and photos taken on one of our ‘jollies.’

Social Media:

https://www.facebook.com/JaneRisdon2/

https://accentpressbooks.com/collections/jane-risdon

https://www.janerisdon.wordpress.com

https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00I3GJ2Y8

https://twitter.com/Jane_Risdon

https://www.goodreads.com/JaneRisdon

https://www.instagram.com/janerisdonwriter/

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/janerisdon2/

Proud to Announce – Jane Risdon and her New Release

Undercover: Crime Stories by Jane Risdon

Our latest client, Jane Risdon has just released her latest book of short stories with Plaisted Publishing House (Author Assist).

It is a wonderful collection of old and new stories, murder, mystery, detective and much more. She has some amazing reviews, our favourite is from Roger A Price author of Nemesis and Vengeance

Undercover – Crime Shorts; is a wonderfully satisfying anthology of seven short stories which transcend above the crime fiction genre providing a ripping yarn irrespective of the reader’s crime fiction preference. Jane Risdon has cleverly stitched together a mix of tales to suit all fans of the genre.

The book cover was made by our contractor, Award-Winning Digital Artist, Mara Reitsma of  Covered by the Rose

 

SYNOPSIS

Under one cover for the first time a collection of crime shorts from Jane Risdon with more twists and turns than Spaghetti Junction – a must for those who enjoy gripping yarns.

The paperback can be found on Lulu:

Paperback

The ebook of your choice can be found at:

eBooks

About the Author

Jane Risdon began writing five years ago having had a successful career in the International Music Industry which has taken her all over the world working with everything from Rock, Thrash Metal, and R&B/Pop to Chinese Opera. Her work has taken her to North America, Europe, and Singapore: even to Taiwan. She’s been involved in Television, Radio, and the Movies around the world.

Travelling extensively and living overseas she draws upon her life experiences when writing Crime/Mystery novels, short stories in all genres – including humour, and she has dabbled in flash fiction. 

Some of these experiences have found their way into her short stories about the Music Business, and she is presently working on a novel which will bring a lot of her crazier ‘rock ‘n roll’ experiences into one tome. 

Her main focus remains crime, however, and she is working on a series of novels called ‘Ms. Birdsong Investigates’ centered around a glamorous ex MI5 Officer forced into early retirement, who is trying to keep a low profile in a rural village in Oxfordshire. Her past experiences come to the fore when she finds herself investigating murder. Soon she finds herself back on old territory with Russian Mafia, Ukrainian People Traffickers, and an old flame to deal with.

In addition to being a regular blogger with a considerable following, she has an author page on Facebook with many dedicated followers there as well. You can find her at @Jane Risdon on Facebook and @Jane_Risdon on Twitter.

She continues to work on Ms. Birdsong Investigates as well as several other novels including The White Haired Man set in Bollywood and based on true events.

Jane is a keen photographer and enjoys the countryside and visiting old buildings and historical locations and often uses photos as visual notes for her writing. She loves history and archaeology and is loves anything to do with science and astronomy.

With a background (early on in her career) in the Diplomatic Service in Whitehall, London, followed by a long career in International music, Jane has a wealth of experience and a huge pool from which to craft her stories.

The Long Lost Future by Ian Cattell

 

Randall didn’t know he had a destiny until it interrupted his lunch one day; and it was bigger than he could possibly have imagined (his destiny, not his lunch).

That’s when he met the mysterious Marcus Han – brainier than a clumsy butcher’s floor, and secretly the richest man in the world, he would be Randall’s companion and mentor through the challenges they must face in their struggle to stop the entire Galaxy from vanishing.

With a supporting cast of talking trees, mutant psychics, bungling cops, extremely refined resistance operatives, military trained birds, enlightened mushrooms, hallucinating AI units, cutlery collecting crabs, and his definitely EX-girlfriend to help him, he must travel back in time to the twenty-first century and begin again in a new, less tyrannical timeline.

If his departed dad, the World Police, the Planimals, or the ancient aliens don’t stop him first that is…

About the Author.

Ian Cattell is a software developer who wanted a change from staring blankly at a computer screen all day. So he decided to write a book.

Yeah, I know…

Over the next six months he learned that there are many advantages to writing a book compared to writing software, the main one being that he doesn’t have to re-write it whenever Microsoft decides it’s “time”.

Some reviews of The Long Lost Future from Amazon.co.uk

If you are a fan of Pratchett and Adams then look no further than this book. A wonderful array of characters from an eccentric very British submarine crew to a malevolent talking Raven with the added bonus of time travel for good measure. I loved it.

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A really fun Romp through space and time. I laughed out loud in some places and started my own game of ‘get the reference’. More than a sci-fi parody, more than a nerd’s accumulation of snippets from almost every tv, radio, film and book involving space or time ever made in the history of the universe ever. A really good story and a good read.

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Thoroughly enjoyed this marvellous tale. Well written, full of excitement, lots of great jokes and a big dose of proper old fashioned sci-fi. Looking forward to more.

A wonderfully eccentric take on time-travel and saving the universe. A real page turner, I enjoyed every second. First class.

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Fantastic read. Both intelligent and laugh out loud funny. Great plot from beginning to end, with humorous footnotes.

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If you want an adventure, sci fi, spy story with a twist? This ones for you, I laughed, felt sad, felt clever, you name it. The must read of 2017 by a fantastic new writer…..Go on give it a read, you know it makes sense!!!

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Funny and intelligent laughing out loud from the beginning

He best be quick writing the sequel!

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Bought this on a recommendation. So much better than I expected! Take the DNA of Adams and Pratchett, mix with a cutting cornucopia of modern issues, and add a huge dose of humour, and you not even close to how good The Long Lost Future is. Amazing and thoroughly engaging book, read it!

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A thoroughly enjoyable piece of modern literature. Witty, funny and very well told, this author is one to watch out for

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Really enjoyed this especially the twist in then end. Can’t wait for the sequel

 

Contact details.

Website : iancattell.online

Email : ian@iancattell.online

Twitter : @IanDCattell

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Long-Lost-Future-Ian-Cattell-ebook/dp/B07C9M9NPQ/