Author Q&A With Simon E Bond

Author Simon E. Bond has recently been added to my read list, having penned the excellent 5 Day Festival. He is in Indie Author, and like many out there, needs help from you - the readers, the bloggers and yes....other authors to get the word out there.

This is a brief insight into Simon. His contact links are below!

Thank you to Simon for taking time to answer the questions!

Tell us why did you start writing? 

I was made redundant last November from my old job i heard a lot about indie authors and decided to give it a go for myself, also writing helps me escape from the real world.

Where do you get your ideas from?

Any idea that happens to pop into my head, i quickly note them down so i don't forget them.

Your vampire book, 5 Day Festival pays homage to the likes of The Lost Boys, and perhaps 28 Days Later too. But where did the original concept for the story come from? 

I was sat watching Glastonbury on the TV one day and thought it would be a great idea to mix horror with a huge social gathering, and from that i just went with the idea deciding a short story would probably work best at the time. 

What was the first vampire / horror themed book that you read?

Hmmm, Bram stoker's Dracula i think.

What was the first vampire / horror themed film that you saw?

Lost Boys of course.

Best horror villain – and why!

Micheal Myers from Halloween, still freaks me out to this day, amazing what horrors are hidden behind a mask.

What is your all time favourite book, and why?

1984 George Orwell because of it's scary vision of society's future, i will stop there.
  
Have you read books where the plot was great but the character development was poor, and vice versa? Was it enough for you to finish the book (s)?

I have not arrived at such a scenario just yet, what i have read so far both elements seemed to work just right together.

What is the most disappointing book you have read?

I don't think i have read anything of disappointment, each book has felt like a good adventure in it's own way.

Tell us about the difficulties you had in order to get published.

None at the moment.

What is your favourite book of the ones you have written?

It has to be Credit Rush my first book in a science fiction space opera series, i plan to release 3 books in total followed by numerous back stories for each of the characters.

What was the first book you ever read?

Now that is a difficult one.

E-Readers are very popular now. What was the first book you read on your e-reader?

First book i read on my amazon fire was Dracula, and Phone Monkey "The Secret Diary of a frustrated Call Worker"

Which authors inspire you to read?

Stephen King, and all indie authors.
    
Which authors inspire you to write? 

All indie authors, but i am a fan of Micheal Robertson he pulls no punches with his books.

Have you read a book that really surprised you, in that it looked okay, but turned out to be much better?

Yes, Killing the dead by Richard Murray it tells the story of a serial killer who is surrounded by the undead.  I thought it would be your average zombie read i gave it a go and was very surprised.  The concept of a serial killer and the undead worked a treat and it felt refreshingly different.

What is your favourite book series and why?

The Crash Series, by Author Micheal Robinson.

Who is your favourite heroine?

Supergirl, she looks good in a cape.

Who is your favourite hero?

Han Solo.
  
Do you think there are many original stories out there, or is everyone re-hashing The Hunger Games and Twilight to death?

There are a lot of original stories out there, but i do find there is a lot of re-hashing of zombie stories fight for survival, huddled together, food is running low for survivors etc.

What keeps you motivated to keep writing?

My children, and my sanity.

What is the best debut novel you have read?

The best one, let me think well it has to be Crash by Micheal Robinson, although not a debut as such it was the first Indie book i really took a shine to. 
  
What kind of research do you do for your books?

Mainly on the internet, but i write fiction so not that much is needed.
  
How long does it take you to do a first draft?

If my mind is on the ball usually around 3 months or so, that is without any distractions.

What is the best thing about writing for you?

It gives me a great sense that i have achieved something, and always brings a smile on my face when the end product is all done and dusted.

And the worst thing?

Writers block grrrr

Do you have a minimum number of books to read each year? 

No number, just read as many as i can time permitted.

How do you find time to read?

It's hard with the children, mostly when i get a spare minute or when the children are in bed.

What's your favourite book cover?

I really like Ready player one by Ernest Cline, the most original cover i have seen so far.
  
Do you have any special editions of books, for example, a very old, one of a kind book that may be now out of print?

No, which is a shame.

E-Readers or Printed Books. What's your preference?

Both to be honest.

Now a difficult question! What is your favourite inspirational quote?

John Lennon  "Life is what happens when your busy making other plans."

Other things now. 
  
Favourite film? Star Wars
Favourite food? Indian
Favourite author? Indie wise, Micheal Robinson
The one book you would have on your own desert island? Treasure Island
Favourite location? Iceland (i have never been by the way, but it looks amazing there.)
Favourite actor? Christian Bale
Favourite actress? Kate Winslet
Favourite drink? Beer
What's the best thing about being you? Being a Father to 5 children
And the worst thing? 

Rubbish at DIY
  
Thank you Simon!

Author website link: http://writingstation1977.wix.com/writingstation7

Goodreads page https://www.goodreads.com/user/sign_in?returnurl=%2Fauthor%2Fshow%2F209713.Simon_Bond

Twitter @writingstation7

Facebook (include separate author page if you have one)  https://www.facebook.com/simon.bond.5030

https://www.facebook.com/WritingStation7?ref=hl

G+ 

Blog page -  Simon has no blog yet

Comprehensive list of books, including forthcoming ones

A Weekend At Stanley's

5 Day Festival

Credit Rush Outpost Krone

Upcoming books

Lorna (A Krone Series Short)

Three Tales of Vampires: Cover Reveal and Book News!

HEADS UP! 

This is not a new book, but a collection of the first three books in my vampire series. It contains three stories:-

• Murderous Little Darlings
• The Blood and the Raven
• Innocent While She Sleeps

I've created this version for some of you who like collection type stories and it works out cheaper to buy this collection than all three books separately. But sometimes I will do a deal on the books via Amazon KDP. This collection, however, is not part of that, because I would like to promote it on other platforms like iBooks and BN.com

This is the Amazon page for the book

You can add it on GoodReads here

Book Review: Betrayal by Sharon Brownlie

Synopsis (from the author):-

Helen King’s childhood was marred by physical abuse and rejection. At the age of fourteen she finds herself in the clutches of a pimp in Gloucester. He lures her into a life of drugs and prostitution. She uses her drug addiction as a way to blank out the memories and it enables her to hide the psychological scarring caused by those that she felt had abandoned her. 

Her life was spiralling out of control. Helen’s decision to quit her addiction comes at a time when she has a chance encounter with an old school teacher. This opens up old wounds that had remained hidden and festering deep within her. It also leads to her decision that it is time for payback for all those that she felt had betrayed her. Helen, bitter and twisted, heads to Edinburgh to begin her killing spree. 
When the first body is found the police are mystified. When a second body turns up they quickly realise that it is the same killer. They face a race against time to find the connection and the killer. 

As the title suggests, there is going to be some events happening where eventually, payback has to happen, either through karma - if you believe in that sort of thing, or through the main characters actions.

Sometimes, I like to read books because at the most basic level, if well written, they can be enjoyable and entertaining. Stories with a dark theme are fine if they are in a fantasy setting.

Betrayal is a hard book to review because it's generally opposite to what I read - it is very hard hitting account of a woman who has been abused by all and everyone around her. Oh, I know the passer by wouldn't necessarily know of her problems, and Helen - our anti-heroine, of sorts, is not someone I immediately warmed to.

That's fine, because your main character should have flaws. If he or she is perfect, how can you root for them.

But Helen was largely unlikeable in the early chapters, and yet, underneath the story I could see that the premise would be amazing if executed correctly.

Here's where author Sharon Brownlie scores very high indeed, and perhaps it is typical of many books. Some start out like a rat out of a trap, and fizzle out after 30 or so pages. Others take there time to grab you. There's a general convention that if a book hasn't hooked you by 50 pages, it's probably not going to. I am fair to all books I read, so I extend this to a 100. 

With this book, I really wasn't sure. But it nagged at me for a few days, whilst I finished reviews on others. One afternoon, I read it again from the start, and did not stop until I had finished.

This book has stayed with me for several days after, and as I try to process this review, I'm still trying to make sense of what I've read!

The story is set in Gloucester which is not too far away from where I live, thirty miles or so. These days, the county of Gloucestershire boast beautiful scenery, a stunning cathedral, terrific centre with more shops and restaurants than you can shake a stick at.

However, this story is 1980s Gloucester, ravaged by a poor economic outlook, houses that were crumbling, and a people, like Helen in the story, who appeared to have just given up on life.

But you know what you're in for from the very first line:-

"The man slapped Helen hard across the face and grabbed her by the hair, and threw her onto the bed."

Over the next few paragraphs, we are exposed to such brutal scenes that if this were a film, one would have to look away from the screen, and cover their ears for good measure.

Trying to describe this as hard hitting doesn't really scratch the surface. 

Helen had run away from a care home in Gloucester, and her life unravels into prostitution and drugs, drugs and prostitution - a life she cannot seemingly escape.

When the loathsome Addie finds her and quickly indoctrinates her into 'the life', she is initially resistant. Yes, she is dependent on drugs, but does not want to be a prostitute.

Throughout different points in the book, Helen points the finger of blame at many people. It wasn't clear to me if she hated her father more for abusing her, or for those around him that did nothing.

Here's a disclosure of mine - I am a martial arts teacher and (and having gained their trust) for several years taught a group of women who were survivors of domestic abuse. I heard from them stories that I could not believe were real - in the sense that another human could do this to another human. Even now, when I think about it, I can't believe there were any circumstances that justified what happened to these girls.

Of course, this happens to males too. Abuse has no gender, does it?

So Betrayal is no Disney story, and is a very hard read.

Why then should you read Betrayal?

Well, once the story gets going - I mean, once the nasty acts pass and the character motivations become clearer, the story changed from a dark tale of abuse to a taut, gritty thriller that I could not put down.

This is a story you have to take a chance on. It's hard, brutal, unflinching in its descriptive detail. The dialogue changes from stilted in parts to fully understanding what is going on. I blamed part of how Helen talked, on the drugs themselves. But I think she was an extremely frightened young woman who basically life had trampled on from the start.

I rooted for her but not in the way I expected.

The ending is satisfying and yet, still has me thinking some days on!

I know 'must-read' is a well worn phrase, but do give this book a try. It is an examination of the human condition, and a damning report on what humans are actually capable of doing to each other.

A brilliant book that will make you think. 

Buy on Amazon

Book Review: 5 Day Festival by Simon E Bond

In summary: A thoroughly enjoyable vampire novel that doesn't trade shocks for length.

5 Day Festival, a vampire novella by Simon E Bond, is a story that centres around a group of youngsters at a rock festival. Now I've been to Glastonbury, Knebworth and other places. My concerns were things like 'What if the M5 is shut' or 'will we even be able to see anything from where we stand?' You know...things like that.

This horror story has made me rethink my next trip to Glastonbury! Vampires on the prowl and music do not make for a good mix, unless you are the vampires in question.

What makes 5 Day Festival work so well is its very strong narrative. Some of the dialogue has swearing in it - perhaps understandably given the context, but after a while I felt it took away from the undeniably strong storyline which I totally enjoyed.

The ending with Vernard is satisfyingly brutal, but in a good way.

As the patrons start to end up dead - or undead, our core group of characters have survival on their minds, but surviving the fanged ones won't be easy, and to be fair, I didn't know if they would. Novellas tend to spring surprises and 5 Day Festival was choc full of them.

I also enjoyed the fact that this is set in England and I would read more stories of this ilk from the author.

"Vampires - we have to get out of here," he replied

"How many drugs have you been taking today? Too many, by the sound of it," said Doug.

Oh Doug, you really do need to look up from your bowl of sushi sometimes! Vampires on stage...surveying how many people they could kill, is a scene that is terrifyingly executed.

Simon E Bond is an author to watch. His other work, Weekend At Stanley's looks suitably clever and smacks of Inside No9 / The League of Gentlemen for its wicked macabre yet comic delivery.

Recommended.

Buy on Amazon

Book Cover Reveal: Reunion of the Blood - A Tale of Vampires Book Five

The Tale of Vampires series was always meant to be a seven-book chronicle of vampire lore. Over the course of the four books that have already been released, I have attempted to focus on different elements of what vampires really are. 

Of course, they are fictional, and I feel you do have to separate the books from the films. 1992's Bram Stoker's Dracula, by Francis Ford Coppola was subtitled Lover Never Dies. I thought it was an excellent film, and rather clever of the director to make the story more of a romance. The original book is far different, but this film version works well. At no point was I scared of the movie, but it has a majesty about it that has let it hold up its elegance as time has passed.

In 1995 we were treated to Neil Jordan's Interview With The Vampire. I was of Anne Rice's mind, that Tom Cruise -a good actor in his own right, could not have the menace and presence of Lestat.

How wrong I was, and happily so. Cruise was a fantastic Lestat who was never over the top, and it is a regret that he never reprised the role. He said 'I would not do sequels unless it would stretch the character' and yet he has made five films with his Ethan Hunt character.

I grew up watching many British Hammer Horror films, and from Dracula (1972) to other films like Twins of Evil, The Vampire Lovers and more, I have drawn much inspiration for my tales.

However, the modern day incarnation, though interesting, was not something I wanted to do with my series. Twilight - the story of a girl who falls for a vampire, and his battles to not make her like him, was interesting, but devoid of real horror for me.

I have enjoyed writing this series, and with three books to go, I hope to have brought vampires back to the way I believe they should be. But to quote one review from the second book, The Blood and the Raven:-

"A great read, talented author that is bringing back vampires are they should be - evil, with no mercy. "

Quite right too - I don't intend for this to be a romance. I hope if you pick up the series, you will enjoy it.

Thank you to Merril for being the first to reveal this on her fantastic blog:- The Original Cover reveal on Read Watch and Think

Buy on Amazon, starting with Murderous Little Darlings

Book Review: The Institute (The Institute, 1) by Kayla Howarth

Synopisis: by the Author

Allira Daniels will do anything to keep her family safe from the Institute. They claim to protect the Defectives, but really the Defectives are trapped and segregated.


Allira's brother Shilah is not dangerous like everyone assumes all Defectives are. He just sees things before they happen, and Allira knows that if anyone finds out, they will turn on the entire Daniels family. So they live by one simple rule: be invisible. They try to blend in at school, try not to draw unnecessary attention to themselves. But when Allira witnesses a car accident that critically injures two of her classmates, her family’s rule and her dad’s warnings are tossed aside.


Allira is quick to discover that saving Drew’s life could just be the best and worst thing she’s ever done.

My Review:

"You always fear what you don't understand."

- Carmine Falcone, Batman Begins.

Any dystopian tale is immediately going to be compared the The Hunger Games and the Divergent series.

There are immediate and noticeable parallels with these two giants of YA fiction, but also new and interesting layers that the author has weaved into her story.

A new novelist can have a great idea in their head, but it needs fleshing out on paper and on screen, and for those of us who have written books, we can fully understand where she is coming from.

The book has a rather slow start but there are signs even in the early stages, that this was going to be a great book. And so it came to pass.

Our heroine, Allira invites us inside her head as The Institute is told from first person. That's never as easy as one would think, it relies upon the reader getting alongside the main character, and understanding her motivations.

Through a freakish accident Allira discovers she is Defective, which in her case means she will take part, unwilling, in a game of will she or won't she be killed.

The Defectives, for there are more than one appear at different points throughout the story. It's important to stick with the story, especially in the early chapters, to see where it's going to take you. Bear in mind the Council of Elrond scene in Lord of the Rings (the book) is far too long and over descriptive. The reader is all for vivid descriptions but it would be nice for the reader to work them out too.

Fortunately, when The Institute finds its feet, Allira is no longer focussed on some girlish trivia - she actually starts to learn what it is to be Defective. The story takes glee in kicking us in the gut several times, and at this point, we're hooked!

Kayla Howarth's description of the world in which this story takes place is the real star. It's not bleak by accident or design, it is a realistic, gritty story that soon becomes unputdownable, fully realising its early promise.

I didn't immediately warm to Allira, but as the story progresses and some real humdingers of a reveal happen in the story's closing stages, I began to cheer for her. Comparisons to Katniss or Tris are inevitable but I feel we would be doing the author's creation a disservice by saying 'take Allira out, put Katniss in, we've got the same story here.'

I would argue that Miss Howarth has created an even better story here - this is book one in the series so there is more to come. Whilst I loved The Hunger Games, it was clear book one was THE book in the series.

When The Institute ends, it's clear that there is more story to come that will tease, entice and enthrall. There is a peek into book two which I decided not to read, because I'm already invested in this series and want to read it in its entirety.

From my own personal perspective, I loved the training sequences where Allira is learning to fight:-

"I'm so distracted by Chad and Ebbodeine that I get hit in the face by my sparring partner numerous times.......I manage to get a few good jabs in when they tell us class is over. Damn it, I was just getting warmed up."

Loved that. In my own experience, the bell goes just when I'm getting warmed up for a fight! 

Another line I loved:-

"You don't know how far you've come until you're taken back, back to a time of complete innocence."

Gosh, doesn't something like that make you think? It's not some twee, pretentious line to throw away. I found myself breaking from reading the story just to take some of that in. That's the author's skill, and her power - she makes you think whilst you are reading!

The last third is a heady mix of thrills and revelations. As for the ending, I could not have wished for better. Once the story gets going, it sweeps you along with it.

I would be very surprised if this story didn't be the next dystopian tale to hit the big screen. Before you all feel washed out by Mockingjay Part 2 to come, along with the next Divergent film, give this story a chance. Those who do can say? "Oh, all this hullaboloo about The Institute series? We read it FIRST."

My thanks to the author for introducing me to this amazing book. There is a Kayla in one of my books too, and whilst I think it's one of the most awesome names in the world, this is my critique of the book, not the author.

This is a terrific tale that deserves to be on your read list. get it so you can read it now, and tell all your friends. They'll be glad you did.

Buy on Amazon

Book Review: On the Run - The Moriya Chronicles Book One by I-Lanaa Twine

Synopis (from the author)

Isn’t it amazing how in a mere split second, the very essence of who you are can change forever? That in just an instant your entire life can be ripped to shreds? 

One night, three years ago, my mother was torn from us. Gone, without a trace. And just like that, nothing was ever the same.

Thrust into a world of darkness and danger, my father and I were forced to flee a past that haunted us and the beasts that hunted us.

As the black walls of despair closed all around me, I felt eternally lost... 

Until I found him. And he helped me find myself. 

Derrick Harris was a beacon of the purest light, guiding me straight into the warmth of his heart.

But sometimes the past has a way of finding you. Lies have a way of catching up to you. And secrets never seem to stay secret for very long.

Now all that I hold dear is at stake, and I must fight to survive, or my entire world will crumble before my eyes. 

I am on the run…

I love any book that starts with an extended prologue. It tells us, without showing us too much - where the story might go. On The Run completely changed my view of prologues - truly it revealed itself to be far deeper than I thought. I ended up re-reading the prologue several times!

When the story begins in earnest we are introduced to Delilah Simpson (super-cool name alert!) and she is being left to school by her father. Clearly there's a lot of growing pains to go through and the author expertly takes us through them from Delilah's point of view.

Even in these early stages, there are hints of the author's wonderful use of words:-

"And while most girls my age were discovering how to embrace who they truly were, I was learning how to mask it."

Each chapter could have been subtitled Secret 1....Secret 2 and so on, because each chapter almost runs like a story on its own reveal bits of the story majestically.

The father-daughter relationship is realistically portrayed and I liked the interplay between the two. The author doesn't shy away from hard hitting scenes between them, and this is to be welcomed. It gives the story extra spice, because if these two cannot work together, what hope for anyone else Delilah runs into?

The subplot of will they / won't they find her mother drives the story, whilst other riveting plot-lines develop.

On the Run is a tremendous achievement, because over its considerable length, I kept on reading. Our story centres around Jade, who is left uncertain of her future when her mother disappears from her life. Her father Keith is a great character. Through his wisecracks and hard father-daughter talk, it's clear he has a heart of gold and will stop at nothing to find Jade's mother.

As someone who knows what it is like to write a long, multi-layered story, and join all the dots together, I felt a special empathy for the author's work. The point-of-view changes are something that readers should enjoy experiencing. Why make it super easy as a read? Surely you want a book that challenges you so you, as the reader, will become actively involved in the story.

The story gets trickier in its complexity when Jade is introduced, so you really do need to pay attention to the plot as it develops. You cannot skip a single page for fear of losing teh thread of the narration, which, whilst easy to read, has a level of complexity all of its own. Readers should welcome this - there's nothing to fear about this style of storytelling, and actually, it is very refreshing to me! On the Run has a stylish swagger about it that I loved. As the story developed, it just got better and better, and during the second half in particular, I thought 'we have a winner here, ladies and gentlemen'.

Like any great fantasy, it has a bit of everything in it - mystery, paranormal, romance, action and much more.

The romantic angle is well done without being angsty. The Interplay between our heroine and Devon / Damion / Derrick...or as he is so called in one first and memorable exchange 'Whatever' I did chuckle.

However, I wanted to see where the story was ultimately going to take me and it is the second half of the book that is truly a treasure and a pleasure to read. By now we are introduced to vampires - which made my ears prick up and my fangs develop. I love vampires - stories well done that is and even when this is kicking off, Miss Twine drops in great lines, such as:-

"Desdemona....was also in a high position of power in the undead aristocracy. Kinda like vampire royalty. The Princess Diana of the underworld."

In summary, this is one of the best fantasies I have read in while, perhaps as good as Lisa Tawgren's Rivers of Time series.

But I think there's more to it. Connect all the dreamlike sequences together and you will enjoy the book just as much as I did.

Final note - look at the cover. The story backs it up too, so get this today.

Buy on Amazon

Book Review: The League of Protectors - Fire and Ice by Christian Green

In a word (a hyphenated word, actually) - action-packed.

This is a fun, fast and packed to bursting with action novella that the punches, kicks and super hero type abilities burst from its pages. Christian Green, a talented author who gives us this novella, the first in what should be a fun and intriguing series, creates a fun tale, but look deeper and you'll see a more complex narrative.

The plot centres around Shayne Tucker and Jackson Prescott, one who has an ice ability - so he can freeze assailants, whilst the other can create a fireball from nothing in his hands, and use it to devastating effect.

In the story's rather blistering start, I found myself a little confused between the two main characters, save for a brief description of their differences rather than their similarities, but as it is a novella, it is a nitpick, nothing more.

As the story develops, the differences become more clearer and it's here where the author comes into his own.

The duo are Post-Humans, and whilst special on the Earth they are somewhat a target to other groups. So whilst they feature as part of G.U.A.R.D there is a rogue faction that probably wouldn't mind recruiting their services to help the rebel cause, but of course, Shayne and Jackson are good guys, so they want no part of it.

The final third of the story is super frenetic, and I was gulping down tea with almost every paragraph. 

I've read stories like this where there was so much going on, it was hard to keep track. Fortunately the author gets the balance just right, leaving much scope for the next in the series.

Lines I liked:

"But I am who I am, and I refuse to let society dictate my happiness."

"Hey, I like to keep it one hundred." 

And there are many more. It's a fun story that won't fail to hook you, reel you in, and excite you on every single page.

Highly recommended.

Buy on Amazon

Book Review: Forsaken by J.D. Barker

Overview from Goodreads book page:

New from Master of Suspense, J.D. BARKER

Bram Stoker Award Nominee - Superior Achievement in a First Novel 

Book One of the Shadow Cove Saga

From the witch trials of centuries past, an evil awakens.

Inspired by Actual Events
Excerpt from the Journal of Clayton Stone – 1692
She was examined today without torture at Shadow Cove township on the charge of witchcraft. She said she was wholly innocent of the crime and has never in life renounced God. I watched as they brought her out. A poor, sickly thing, worn by her time behind the walls of her prison. Her bared feet and hands bound in leather, her clothing tattered to that of ruin. Despite such condition, her head was held high, her eyes meeting those of her accusers. She still refuses to provide her name so we remain unable to search baptismal records, nor has her family stepped forward to claim her as their own. We have no reason to believe she is anything but an orphaned child. I find myself unable to look at her directly in the moments preceding her trial. She is watching me though; with eyes of the deepest blue, she is watching me.
Thad McAlister, Rise of the Witch

When horror author Thad McAlister began his latest novel, a tale rooted in the witch trials of centuries past, the words flowed effortlessly. The story poured forth, filling page after page with the most frightening character ever to crawl from his imagination. It was his greatest work, one that would guarantee him a position among the legends of the craft.

But was it really fiction?

He inadvertently opened a door, one that would soon jeopardize the lives of his family.

She wants to come back.

At home, his wife struggles to keep their family alive. Secretly wondering if she caused it all…a deal she made long ago. A deal with the Forsaken.

My review: Great horror storytelling doesn't just get under your skin, it stays there, merging with your flesh and bones like this was how it was always meant to be.

Forsaken, by author JD Barker, takes us into a world where the writer may have created something very nasty - very nasty indeed. Not only that - it threatens to harm our hero - Thad - and his family.

Things are not looking good for the McAlisters.

Thad is a writer, and as with most writers in the Stephen King universe, if you are a writer, you will suffer.

I could see the heavy King influence here, but to labour any more on that point would be to do the author a disservice. 

Forsaken is a very well crafted horror thriller. The modern day breakdown, to the very minute things are happening in the book isn't a new thing, but it date stamps things nicely whilst being interspersed with the writing from Thad's book - the book that almost writes itself.

The witch trial and the court events are brilliantly handled...dare I say I enjoyed these more than the present day events? I could be in the minority there.

Taking the book as a whole, whilst it certainly has its moments I wanted to be shook out of my skin - so I think I must be a bit desensitised to horror by now.

The story works because everything is logical, believable, plausible.

Whilst I couldn't root for Thad as much as his wife, Rachael, I found myself leaning towards her and her daughter Ashley's plight.

Told over three days, it's the sinister 'creep' of the book that is the star - you really feel like some impending doom is coming, and you as the reader will want to know what it is.

I loved - absolutely loved the ending. In fact, it could be said that JD Barker has 'out-Kinged' King - but how, you say?

Well, Stephen King often mentions his earlier works in his later books, but they are done more like pop culture references than anything else. 

In Forsaken, the author pays homage to King, but it is so well done, so clever, so 'ahhh...that's it!' that you just have to take your hat off to the author.

This is book one in the Shadow Cove saga, and it's a hell of a breathtaking start.

My thanks to Maxine for introducing this book to me.

Book Review: The Paradise Will by Elizabeth Hanbury

From the start of the book, you can tell that  The Paradise Will is going to be a very different kind of regency romance, something I have to say is a trend of the author, Elizabeth Hanbury. I have read all of her books now, and must say that the twists and surprises in the story make for an entertaining read.

Alyssa Paradise is the inheritor of a vast estate from the recent death of her uncle. Whilst this sounds wonderful, and is clearly a wonderful gain in a period where women were still subservient to men, there is a devilish caveat employed in the will - that Alyssa must spend time with the rather oafish Sir Giles Maxton.

If this sounds weird, it gets more strange that she must dine with him every week for six months. Twenty-four months in the company of someone you hate - perhaps hate is too strong a word, but Alyssa certainly dislikes being around Giles, even if he has a title, good looks, money and so on.

It's like her dear (now, not so dear) departed uncle has played a rather nasty trick on her.

This was one book from the start where I did not want Alyssa and Giles to get together. I thought she was far too good for him. But that would be too early to say that was how the book was going to end. This is a longish tale, so it is inevitable other characters will be introduced that will cause conflict between these two principal characters and around them.

Note: I loved the mention of Chancery Lane (I was there in April 2015) and it's just typical of Alyssa to get hamstrung by the lawyers that are in residence there!

Things are complicated further by the fact that other parties are involved. I can't imagine in today's world where a partner / fiance/e or spouse would be allowed to have dinner on such a regular basis with someone of the opposite sex, so God only knows how it would have been received back then!

Speaking with others in the story, they find it an incredible arrangement too, exclaiming "Would Tom (her uncle) want you to have dinner with some old fossil?"

These kind of lines and great humour are throughout Miss Hanbury's books, and amongst the exciting drama of her writing, it takes an author of real skill to drop in cool humour at key points.

The key driver of the book for me was not 'will they or won't they get together', it was more about how they would come to agreement over the rather preposterous instructions of the will. Fortunately, Alyssa is the best of heroines, spirited and steadfast without being overbearing or heavily opinionated.

Giles is a character one warms to, but not easily, and maybe that's the intention. I thought the regular dinners would be a source of both fun and conflict and it makes for a very enjoyable and interesting book.

I think of all of Miss Hanbury's books, this is the one with the heaviest Georgette Heyer influence, which is no bad thing. In fact, the way The Paradise Will is so masterfully crafted, it's great to know that a regency period author of great skill will entertain for many more years to come.

Alyssa is a heroine that no-one cannot fail to fall for (gosh, that's a lot of f's in one sentence!) but not because she is cherry blossom in her appeal. She's a practical girl who knows what she wants, and also what repulses her. In the end, she wants what is bequeathed to her, and no-one could blame her for the choices she makes.

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My other reviews of Author Elizabeth Hanbury

A Bright Particular Star

Midsummers Eve at Rookery End

The Cinderella Debutante

Christmas at Rakehell Manor

Ice Angel

Book Review: The Revenge of the Pumpkins by Lacey Lane

Who says short stories cannot pack a punch? I listen to a lot of Radio horror serials, some short, some long, some too long - and in general, I enjoy them all. With Revenge of the Pumpkins by Lacey Lane, I was not sure what I would discover amongst its pages, but readers of this tale will read a delightfully concocted tale that happens over just one night of Halloween. 

Who would have thought pumpkins could feel something, but in this tale, you'll feel every cut! I was grinning and grimacing as the tale reached its conclusion. I'm all for reading highly detailed and crafted horror anthologies, but Revenge of the Pumpkins, in its few pages, hit harder than many I have read. 

Lacey Lane is a talented author with a Tarantino type style of wickedness in her storytelling. But you'll smile and enjoy every word as I did.

Probably not for kids, it is too gruesome. But later teens to adults will love it.

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Book Review: Only Enchanting by Mary Balogh (The Survivors, #4)

Overview: Book Four in The Survivors series, Only Enchanting focusses on characters anew, as far as I know. This is the second book I have read of Mary Balogh's, and this is a far more engaging story with the rich Viscount having his heart broken, along with the societal shame that comes with such things.

Encouraged to make amends with her, he ends up in the behold of young Agnes Keeping, who is young but far from naive, though she has never been in love.

Viscount Flavian Ponsonby doesn't seem an appropriate match for Agnes. He's obscenely rich, rather muddled in his ways, and stammers for good measure.

But he's rather charismatic too, and is more than capable of charming the good hearted and kind Agnes.

Perhaps the best of us can understand the first flush of love, though we were probably in our teens or younger when this happened.

Agnes, however, falls for Flavian, and I wondered could this really work as a story. It certainly does as a fantasy, and the author is smart enough to direct her characters cleverly. The games are well played, but I started to wonder was Agnes just going for the security that the Viscount offered.

He seemed to get a wicked glee from saying, "I'm rich, you know."

But all is not as it seems, with Flavian proposing marriage to Agnes the real game is one where he wants to hurt his former love in the most extreme way possible. It's fair to say that in my view, Agnes was like the older sister I would have liked in real life. And I certainly would have kept her away from the leech-like Viscount.

Agnes adapts well to her new situation, finding resolve in her that maybe even she didn't know was there. It's the little details that stand out for me in books. A scene where she is interviewing new ladies to help her is funny and well done.

One of the girls, Madeline, confidently says that Agnes can call her Maddy if she wants to, citing that Madeline was a rather long name, and too grand for the like of her family. It was her father who insisted they all bear long names, so whatever else they didn't have in life, they would at least have their names.

Whilst critics of these kind of stories may say that the outcome is never in doubt, Mary Balogh keeps us guessing. It's a fun, book, a great follow up to The Escape, and stammering full of himself Flavian won me over...late in the book.

Agnes is a great character though, and I hope she makes a return for later books in the series.

Book Review: 11/22/63 by Stephen King

There's plenty of reviews for this book already, so I won't labour on that. I had been lent it by another SK fan, and at 1200 pages, it's quite a tome. I have read it reasonably quickly, and as usual, I'm hardest on my favourite authors.

First, the good news. Reading Stephen King is like coming home. You are pleased to have gone on your travels, but now you're back - you're home, and it's a good feeling.

The writing is well done as ever, it's interesting and has a very good hook at its core - that of time travel, which made me think that this book could fall flat on its face, or turn out to be brilliant. As I closed the book, I am a little inbetween on this, though leaning more towards four stars than two, hence the three star rating.

The initial characters are interesting and hold the reader's attention. The idea of travelling back in time to prevent one of the most infamous episodes in American history is one thing, but it opens up a real Pandora's Box where you find yourself asking...why stop there? Why not go back and stop Hitler assuming control of the Nazi party? How about going back further to biblical times? How about going back to 1997 in the UK and stopping Labour taking power, or Thatcher in '79?

Now that last comment may wind up some UK voters, but maybe it is intended to. King doesn't hold back on his political views in this book, and some reviews appear to snipe at him because of this.
I am okay with it - after all, I am not a US citizen so I am less affected by this, and I don't believe SK is as preachy as is being made out.

Other nitpicks....so many characters, many of whom were falling into the Needful Things shop of horrors - I would forget who was who at times, and why they were there. The 'love scenes', if you could call them that, are a little clumsy in their execution. But SK has done similar in his other books...so no real disappointment there.

However, all this aside, I was eager to see how he would take us back to the 1950s. It's fair to say that I imagined a Back to the Future type world where Mr Sandman plays in the background, but King, unsurprisingly, goes further, not only dragging us there, but placing us there. This, once again, is masterful writing and I suppose I should not be surprised that King...surprises me!

11/22/63 is not a horror, though it has its moments, and just like his recent Revival, it's creepy and well scary! It's hard to classify - it is a romance to some extent, a historical piece, a sci-fi drama. Talk about putting all your favourite eggs in one very full basket.

Most of all, it is readable, despite being of a length that would have IT and The Stand looking over their well-thumbed shoulders. (maybe we cannot thumb a shoulder...oh well!)

I'm okay with the ending, without being overwhelmed. SK usually delivers cracking endings....this one, not so much.

King completionists will not feel cheated by the book, and whilst it could never be accused of having filler, King does go off on a tangent some times that makes me think he forgets he has readers outside of the USA that won't 'get' all his popcorn messages.

It's probably worth a second read, but this is one author who fires out books with alarming regularity. I'm waiting with baited breath for Finders Keepers, which is out later in 2015. Go and wow us again, Mr King....but hey...you've done alright here.

Book Review: Forfeit - An Inheritance Fraud by Carol White

Here's my review of debut author Carol White who lived in the North-West of England (hey, fans of Wilmslow and Alderley Edge!) , but was born in Malta. Now if only I could be as interesting.....

Synopisis: One minute living the Chelsea highlife, the next drinking vodka with a down-and-out, money-driven Londoner, Jess Wallace only begins to make sense of her life when a crew of ultra-slick con men embezzles her out of her inheritance.

Anxious of reporting the crime, for fear of further incrimination, and also sensing her troubles have only begun, Jess unwittingly manifests wanton chaos into her life until the moment a book on the Law of Attraction changes her entire perspective. When she learns that everything in life is profoundly connected, and that her deception, rather disturbingly, was no random act, leads her to further unearthing shocking family secrets she could neither have predicted nor even imagined. Armed with an unwavering belief that everything in life happens for a reason, Jess knows she must summon all her courage if she is ever to triumph over her adversities.

Forfeit is the first of an engaging and refreshing revenge read, incorporating elements of Hustle and Rhonda Byrne’s (The Secret). 

Review: Everyone in this story (apart from a tramp who appears later on) seems to be a well-to-do person and so at first, I wasn't sure if I could relate to the characters. Fortunately, Carol White is an accomplished author - yes, it can be said (!) and writes like someone who has been writing a long time.

Forfeit: An Inheritance Fraud is a fast paced, taut thriller that mixes risky romantic interchanges with some heady falls from grace.

The way Jess, our main character rebuilds her life - literally from scratch, is believable and I think you would have to have a heart of stone not to feel for her. This is the author's power - her character elevates above certain parts of the story, lifting her situation off the page and into your mind. That's powerful writing.

Sometimes the characters seemed a little overwhelming for me, and I felt Alec was made a little one dimensional - it seems he couldn't say or do nothing right! But maybe this is how the character was meant to be.

The story is a complete one in itself and will please those who stick with it. It's an entertaining ride, full of little sub plots that engage the reader. The old lady and the cat subplot was a particular fave of mine, and the iPhone story was just fantastic.

There will be a sequel, and I think that could be even better than this tale. If you want a fast paced story with entertaining characters and a really excellent reveal at the end, get this debut novel now! 

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Book Review: Facade - Unveiling the Masquerade by J Kahele

It's starting to get a lot like Stephen King....

Okay, that's not a saying. But anyone who reads, then re-reads a favourite author will know where I'm coming from.

When I get a new SK novel, I pretty much know what I'm going to get - the standard is going to be good, very good, and with J Kahele, having read three of her other books, I can only see more greatness to come from her in the future.

Facade was a wonderful book, and was a break from the heady brutality of the Mine books, but if anything, Miss Kahele has upped her game once again, and in Facade: Unveiling the Masquerade, we have a pulsating thriller with a heart.

And I thought the bar had been well and truly reached and breached with Crazy on You!

Liam Sheldon is back, but so is Ally, Washington (I like him, he's great - want more of Wash in future stories please JK!) and Liam....rich, intelligent Liam is not a happy man.

He misses Ally so much, and wonders what he can do to repair the damage from when he last saw her. I can honestly say I didn't see THAT ending coming, so this is why Facade: Unveiling the Masquerade is such an utter delight.

Liam is a man on a mission. Well, I think we understood that from book one - he knows what he wants, and he'll go for it.

Ally is what and whom he wants.

When they finally meet, it is well done and superbly orchestrated. Most of all, it is believable because yes...Ally cares for him too. I don't think it's all about sex - though there's plenty enough here to satisfy readers who love those scenes. It's more about needing each other....not in a desperate way, and this is where I feel the book scores very high indeed. Now they are back together, I want them to stay together.

Most of all, I wanted to punch Stark, as I'm guessing Liam did, because he's a bit too much of a hugger. Back off dude...we're dudes!

Owen is relegated to the brotherly friend of Ally...obviously, in one rather painful scene, Ally demonstrates that she just doesn't see Owen in the way he would like her to see him. Fair enough....it doesn't stop him from squaring up to Liam at some point....but it's a bit like a hyena taking on a grizzly bear....utterly pointless.

The Caras dude - remember him, and the shady Shendoahs are never far away from the action, and you know....you just know they are going to wreck any happiness that Liam and Ally may have.

And this, even though this review is hidden because of spoilers, is where I must leave it, because the ending is truly terrific and the whole book is treasure...but those last few pages....wow...wow...and again...wow.

With each book I read of Miss Kahele, the standard just keeps on getting higher. Whatever will she come up with next?!

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Weekend Writing Workshop #4: Characters or Story? Which should Writers attempt first?

Stories start with inspiration. Maybe you visited somewhere, or you saw a new programme that reminded you of a factual event, and you decide to put a fictional spin on it. Then, there are other stories that beg to be told simply based on your experience of life. 

And of course, a writer is inspired by the other books he or she reads.

In my case, I am inspired by all of the above, and many more I haven't listed. I mean, one of the latest books I am reading, 11/22/63 by Stephen King, is based on one of the key moments in US history, and is proudly stating the fact that it is SK's first time travel novel.

I think time travel is a tricky concept to make work, so maybe I'll do that when I'm better at the writing craft.

Story

If you write the Story first, that's fine, but unless it is a novella or mini-novel, you'll find yourself running out of things to happen to character 1 2 or 3.

Unless your book is really tight, and features just a handful of characters, you end up adding a new character to flesh out a plot line that would have eroded with say characters 1 and 2.

The story must have a hook, or a MacGuffin, which, in the case of my favourite film, the martial arts wuxia movie Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, really needed. For fifteen minutes, nothing much of note happens. The cinematography is a work of art, and it is like director Ang Lee is trying to seduce the viewer with his visuals, and indeed, the film is a visual feast.

Pretty pictures alone do not a good film make, and just like your story, it must have that MacGuffin - the thing that is hard to describe to anyone else, but if it's in your story, and you have a McG....then you have a hook that will keep your readers interested.

Even when you have this in place, you might run out of steam after say 30,000 words, so a full novel won't happen. Maybe this is one story in a short story collection - you might excel at that kind of writing.

A sharp, witting, engaging story is what I believe people want. Even if it is a horror, make it fun. It doesn't have to be terror on each page, it can be paced so it creeps up on people. You can add funny episodes inbetween. Why should you do this? Well, people want to be entertained. If it is a constant barrage of depressing vignettes, you may lose your reader, even if it is a perfectly good story.

Shape your story, and you will keep your readers attention. 


Characters

If the story is like a cake with a nice texture, your characters are like the flavour of your book. If you don't like the taste, it's unlikely you'll be rooting for them. Of course, some authors go out of their way to create unlikeable characters - but that doesn't mean that they are not interesting. How many times have you read a book, hoping that the Bad Character who wants to hurt the hero or heroine of the tale will meet a grisly end (The Lovely Bones, anyone?). So bad characters may taste ugly with a capital UG....but you kind of have to have them to make the overall dessert more enjoyable!

I've read stories that were perfectly fine in themselves, but had forgettable or pointless characters. If you read about Adam's predicament on one page, then Sarah's on another, before Becky, Drew and Penelope are dropped in on you, you may have forgotten who Adam was - and worringly for the author - why you are supposed to care about Adam in the first place. 

So, what's the answer?

Everyone can have their view, so I'll tell you what works for me. I sketch an outline of the story. Now these notes could run into several pages, so sketching an outline is not a quick exercise, nor is it for the faint of heart. Sitting down and writing is hard enough without having an outline, which includes:-

• A start
• A middle
• An ending
• A brief description of each character (not necessarily what they look like or what they wear - what is their FUNCTION in the story)
• If writing a series, try and complete as much as you can in one book before just ending it. Readers dislike books that appear to be padded out to fill a trilogy, so don't do it if you don't have enough story in the first place
• Not every book has to have a prologue or an epilogue - do this on your terms no-one else's

Once you have your outline, look for plausibility and logic. Could the story happen? Even in fantasy worlds, it has to sound / read as a believable plot. Logic - do the characters do stupid things? If your character hears a noise in the night, but just has to go and investigate it, perhaps this needs a rethink. Sometimes hiding out of sight is an option. You'd do it in real life (unless you are totally kick-ass) so why wouldn't your characters? Just because they are fictional and free from actual harm, doesn't mean you should treat them that way. Logic must play a part in your characters' actions.

The 2am Lightbulb Moment

You're asleep, and you know you should be asleep at this time, but you awake to find ideas flooding your brain like some kind of orgasmic aneursym. DON'T go back to sleep before you jot these things down! Truly, I had a lot of inspiration after hitting the pillow. And the ideas are often good. Maybe it happens because we are truly relaxed....in the daytime you have to fit writing in around the cat, the girlfriend, the parent, the guy selling something of no interest at the door.  Oh dear, looking at the above, I really do need to get out of the house more!

Until next time, happy reading and writing!

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