GoodReads Giveaway - Win a copy of Stormling

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Stormling

by John Hennessy

Giveaway ends August 29, 2014.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Book Review #22: TRUST Pandora's Box (TRUST, #3) by Cristiane Serruya

"How can I defeat a nightmare?"

How indeed. Cristiane Serruya's TRUST story is one of the best trilogies I have had the pleasure of reading. A hot romance downplays what this really is: An edge of the seat thriller that leaves you gasping, and I do mean literally.

From 'A New Beginning', through 'Betrayed', to finally reach and open 'Pandora's Box', it has been an interesting, intriguing, thrilling, and always enthralling ride.

If Book One showed us a rather uncertain, but still very strong Sophia, Book Three reveals Sophia to be in even more charge of what she wants. She is an appealing heroine that you will root for. Why? When she is beautiful, rich, and has men seemingly fall at her feet, you wonder why?

Because the story, although it features heavily on Sophia, it is not all about her, and through the other characters - Ethan, Alistair, Tavish...so many in fact that it is a supporting cast that you enjoy, along with Sophia's story.

This is good characterisation. When Sophia is not in the story, you think it might lag. It does not, and it's all the more enjoyable when she returns.

The descriptive tone of this book, just like the other two in the series, is wonderful. I especially enjoyed the references to Scotland, because although I have been all over the world, and indeed, over the border as far as Glasgow, that was for business....I've never truly visited the country. Cristiane makes you feel like you are there.

The date and time stamps reinforce the urgency of the story. These books are long, complex, multi-layered. It will take several re-reads to grasp the quality of this work.

So when I have done that, I will come back and edit this review.

You can see in every line that the author has put her all into giving us an enthralling conclusion to the TRUST tale. She delivers. And because she does, any reference to it would be a major spoiler.

So buy the books, and enjoy them. TRUST me when I say that Pandora's Box is wonderful!

TRUST Trilogy on Amazon

How This Successful Author Just Keeps on Writing - A Profile of Barbara Taylor Bradford

Barbara Taylor Bradford has sold 85 million books worldwide and is the best selling author of A Woman of Substance.

Her story is rather interesting because she doesn't allow allow anyone - not her husband, not her editor, no-one in fact, to read her manuscript until it is completed.

In my dealings with GoodReads, I find it interesting that giving out advanced copies is almost becomig the norm. I expect Miss Bradford would recoil in horror at giving her books out ahead of publication.

Still, her process in writing is interesting.

She gets up at 5am on most mornings. Mine is close to 6:30. If she has a chapter of a new book to read, she will read it whilst making tea. I do that too. I don't grab my iPod first...it's always a book.

Miss Bradford and her husband have just celebrated their 50th anniversary, and for the last 18 years they have lived in New York on 52nd Street. She has a housekeeper who cleans every day, because she finds it impossible to write novels and scrub the floors.

If only I could do that. Of course, I could say that my writing is too important to start cleaning...so what I will do is keep the house as clean and clutter-free as I can. I hate an untidy home. But I have no cleaner or housekeeper, so when I am asked how I find time to write a novel, I simply say 'because I must find that time, no matter what.'

This author writes by hand. She will then type it up, edit where needed, fax to a typist, who puts it on a disc, sends the edit back, so that BTB can type it up again.

On starting a new novel, she says, " I already have the story in my head, including the ending, so I begin with an outline, and write consecutively - page one is always page one."

I totally agree with this. Even if you know the ending, don't rush to write it. Ease it out, and it will come. When you're finished, you will know it. I don't think that is something they teach in creative writing class.

I hasten to add that I haven't read any of the author's books. But I was interested in her writing process. I think the main point I wish to convey is to say that authors simply have to write. If it is not happening for you, take a break, go for a walk, whatever it is. The ideas will come.

If you are an author, I wish you luck in your writing and happy reading to the rest of you!

Book Review #21: The Winter Bride by Anne Gracie

The Winter Bride is the second book in the Chance Sisters romance series. This is a very funny, well constructed historical romance that works on practically all levels. Damaris is a young lady of mixed heritage, Chinese and English. This aspect was of particular interest to me and I wish it had been expanded on a bit more.

Other than this very tiny gripe, the book is virtually perfect. It has an engaging storyline, funny hero / heroine, and very strong characters that could even be the main ones (yes, Aunt, I'm talking about you).

This book came to me via a friend's recommendation, so I can't rate this book highly enough or the value of referrals!

The 'hero' in question, Freddy Monkton-Coombes (otherwise known as Hyphen-Hyphen) is not really interested in marriage. Why would he be, when he has got all he wants...money, freedom and so on.

A meeting with Damaris, the Winter Bride of the title, changes all that. There's no instant love between the two, and that actually means the book is far more entertaining than it has a right to be.

I will definitely read the other book in the series, The Autumn Bride, and hope there will be more to come from this author.

Book Review #20: Mr Mercedes by Stephen King

Like all of Mr King's stories, this starts off very strong. Sometimes he tails off before the end, but given how good his writing is, I don't mind so much. This is my first hardback of his since (gasp) Insomnia. But so far, so good. I love a well crafted thriller, and this is shaping up to be very good indeed. Trying not to finish it too fast. Even if this is part of an unnamed trilogy, I want to savour it.

Many people have talked about the book already so I won't rehash all that here, except to say that it is a departure from Mr King's usual trade of horror.

I just got a good feeling about Mr Mercedes. I felt it was going to be a good book, and even though non-horror, there are still plenty of scares to be had.

There were even parts that could be safely described as 'icky', but King is able to balance this well so that it is not drawn out and we are dragged along with it.

The story is quite simple. A retired ex-cop, Bill Hodges, is brought back into the fray when the Mercedes Killer, or <b>merckill</> as he refers to himself online, ploughs a car of the same name into a crowd of people who were just waiting to see if they could get a job via the dole office.

This is one of the books I received for my birthday a month ago, and I've savoured it over the entire month.

Having said that, I raced through the last hundred pages or so, and so does King - the pace is quite something and it builds to a very nice conclusion. This is the first book of an unnamed trilogy so there is more to come, and this is where I hit the first road bump.

The book is great, satisfying and enjoyable. I think the story is much more stronger than King's characters. This is a concern because he is so great at characterisation, so although you know bad things happen to people in the story, I wanted to feel more connected.

Perhaps this is what we will see over books two and three, and because of that, I am prepared to wait and see what happens.

Mr Mercedes is a solid thriller, a genre I enjoy and would like to read more of. I have seen some comments that it is no better than other thrillers out there. Fair enough. That's okay for me.

The writing, as ever, is superb, and there are some genuine laugh out loud moments.

You do care about the ending. Will Hodges catch the computer savvy but seriously deranged Brady Hartsfield, the Mr of the title?

I know Stephen King polarises people but he does have an army of fans too. So I will summarise by saying that he probably could have done even better with this story, but as it is not his strongest genre, I think he's done amazingly well.

Four solid stars. When the trilogy is complete, maybe we can round it up by another one.

Cover Reveal Day! Dark Winter: Crescent Moon

Cover reveal time!

Well everyone, here it is. The second story in the Dark Winter trilogy is subtitled 'Crescent Moon' and you'll notice that significant things happen throughout the story, but especially when a crescent moon turns up. You need to remember these points as they link to the final part of the story (due 2015)

For those of you who haven't read Book One: The Wicca Circle...get stuck in - I think it's on silly-O-price on Amazon at the moment.

Kindle version

Paperback

If you like witches, demons, ghosts, serial killers, straight-up horror shocks as well as psychological horror, this is the book you simply have to get. I'm not going to say it's scary, I will let readers be the judge of that. If it scares you in the day as well as the night, I consider my job done! Funnybones are easy to find, but what about your scarebone? It's there in your body...I promise you that!

Continuation, not sequel

The book follows the events of Book One very closely, though the time period of the majority of the book is eighteen months after The Wicca Circle ended. If your favourite character or characters survived Book One, what do you expect from Book Two? Anyway, I hope you'll like it and give an indie your support :)

Please add to your GoodReads pile. I know, I know. You have so many to-read already. But I wouldn't ask unless I thought this was worth your time!

Recommended for...

YA, but don't expect it to be too light. Don't let the pretty girl on the cover fool you. It's paranormal, but not overdone on the romance. There's a story to tell, we need to advance the tale, not hold it back. It's quite adult in parts too. So if one website rates The Wicca Circle as 15 rated, this is certainly 15 and up. Might be even an 18 in some parts. I think it's for everyone except the very youngest of readers.

Giveways

Final edits for the proof are in the mix now, so expect an announcement for a giveaway soon.

Happy reading!!

Book Review #19: Christmas at Rakehell Manor by Elizabeth Hanbury

You know that wonderful surprise you get when a book comes out early? This was a great surprise to me, because having read the majority of Elizabeth Hanbury's works, I felt confident I would enjoy this tale every bit as much as the others.

The story centres around Prue (Prudence Eylesbarrow) and Hugo - the Lord of Warwick, and also the notorious 'Rake of Rakehell Manor'. It's actually Raikhall, but such is the low regard many in the area have for this man, the irony of the nickname of the residence is not wasted on him.

Prue is a decent young woman of 27 years of age, so as she says so accurately 'we're not in the first flush of youth", but she has an uneasy attraction to Hugo. Why? Well, haven't we all fallen for that someone who is say a bit 'bad', and been very attracted to it? 

Having said, that, I'd like to think I err on the side of caution and ultimately pick the good girl over the bad one. Prue is good, we learn that early on. But from the reader's point of view I was wondering if I should want Prue to end up with Hugo.

The story twists and turns beautifully, and the thread that is strongest throughout the book - why Hugo is so dark and broody (not an untypical trait of us males) all the time but especially at Christmas is so well done, that when the reveal happens, it's so good that I simply cannot tell you what it is!

There's also some scenes in the book that really surprised me. Let's just say that if you have read one of Miss Hanbury's books, that does not mean you've read them all. Christmas at Rakehell Manor is a wonderfully crafted romance that has her trademark witty humour running throughout the entire book.

Some of the lines I loved (truncated):

Miss Smee-Bevel: "You, sir, are a scoundrel! Who are you? What is your name? I'm sending Parsloe to fetch the footman!"

Hugo: "The Marquess of Warwick, and pray, fetch the footman, he may be needed to restrain your hysterics!"

--

"Christmas comes once a year but the right person comes once in a lifetime."

--

"She...wished that they could have kept talking forever without bitter reality intruding."

--

Other characters, like Miss Bean, give the story an interesting perspective as she seems the one most harshest on Hugo.

Hugo is a multi-layered character whose demons are played out with great subtlety. Prue is an engaging heroine, and not so dainty and delicate as some heroines are portrayed in these kind of stories.

Like most of my reviews, I like to give readers a taste of what to expect rather than giving away full blown spoilers. Let me summarise by saying that Christmas at Rakehell Manor is a superlative work from Miss Hanbury. My only thought is just how she follows this up!

Do not wait for Christmas - buy this wonderful tale so that you can enjoy it now :)

Buy on Amazon

Author Website

Knowing Your Audience - Is Your Book More 'Adult' Than You Think?

Dark Winter #1: 15 and up? really?

Do you ever pick up a book, and...(if it's not in the horror or erotica section, where you expect it to have adult content)...are you surprised / shocked / repulsed at certain content that seems to go against the grain of what you previously read?

My first paranormal horror was aimed squarely at Young Adult / New Adult readers, but I felt that almost anyone could read it, though certain scenes could be thought through by parents to see if it was suitable for their children.

 I don't necessarily set out to offend, and at its core, Dark Winter is a tale about survival against overwhelming odds, good versus evil, finding oneself is actually stronger than originally thought possible. These traits and theme are all positive ones, in my view.

So whilst I put a disclaimer that the book is not for the very youngest of readers, I was surprised to see the book rated as 15+ on some websites.

I do recall an issue of Fangoria that said that for horror film makers, anything less than an 18 rating would result in a smaller audience, not a larger one. But I don't know about that. The BBFC rated The Blair Witch Project only for people of fifteen years is one of, if not the highest grossing horror film ever. Made for a paltry $35,000 dollars, I believe it has taken over $600,000 at the box office. Small sum today, but back in 1998, very significant.

With the second Dark Winter book on its way, I'm of course hoping that those of you who read The Wicca Circle will want to read the next book in the trilogy, Crescent Moon. However, I would be the first to concede that this book does have 15+ rated content, and certain scenes could be considered even 18 rated.

However, I can promise you that it will be a good horror yarn, and that you will want to know how the series ends.

My question then - do you find certain ratings prohibitive, or would you be inclined to buy a book / see a film BECAUSE it had the higher, more adult rating?

If I were to answer this, I would say that as a teenager, I wanted to see the 18 rated films well before I was 18. Now, it kind of doesn't matter. But 12 and 15 rated films are certainly more violent now than when I was younger. Times are ever-a-changing.

Thank you for reading :)

Does the 'Stormling' World of Mordana really exist? And other stories...

Hello all.

I thought it was about time I updated you on where I'm at, and if you've been looking at the blog, and I know some of you have, and were wondering when an update was coming, well here it is.

It doesn't mean I've stopped reviewing books (!)....and you really should check out some of the books I have reviewed this last month or so.

Reviewing Books and rating them

However, as I suppose I am an author now, with three books out (two fiction, one non-fiction) that my policy on reviews changed somewhat. Generally if a book didn't work out for me, it doesn't mean it is a bad book. Clearly someone will love it, and it's not necessarily limited to the author and his or her mum!

In the old days, if a book didn't work out for me it might get three stars. If I loved a book, it would get five. I expect I'm not that different from many of you out there. Life is too short to let a book annoy you to the point that you go on a rant to bring an author's rating down. Now, if you are a Stephen King or a Cassandra Clare, maybe you don't have to give a hoot. But if you're trying to establish yourself, maybe think before you do that 1 or 2 star rating. That person has no way to fight back - except perhaps to write an even better book that the haters may have to concede is actually not that bad! Of course, everyone is entitled to their opinion. Just in my case,, I'd rather not attack someone. I used to have a martial arts channel for You Tube and since you can get 'keyboard ninjas' on You Tube, I elected to make the videos private for my students view only.

That seemed to be the best way to deal with it.

Now it might seem I have changed my policy on reviews - not a bit of it. I can still rate a book 1 star and absolutely hate it AND tell people not to buy it....but putting all that on-line is rather harsh in my view, so I won't do it. I wouldn't have done it pre-2011, and I won't do it in the future. Feel free to disagree with me - or challenge me on it!

Stormling: Mordana exists, right?

I finally published my fantasy novel Stormling this month, and the print edition is going through its editing and checking phase. Mordana, the world where most of the action takes place in the book does exist, at least  it my head but also in an e-book sense for anyone who purchased the story.

However, one of the provinces of Mordana, Rowse Briar, could have little homes that look like the picture below. I took this picture myself and it's from Charlecote Park in Warwickshire. Couldn't you just see elves, dwarves and other creatures living here? I want this house!

Below is the city centre shopping mall where I live. Yeah it's fine and all that, but I prefer the tranquillity and awesomeness of the place above! Birmingham is a place where people shop, and eat....

And in other parts of the shopping centre, the people shop....and eat....that seems to be about it!

 Major thanks to:-

Franny @ Dark World Books for putting up with me whilst I was slow with book files, email responses and 

me being generally a difficult customer to deal with! Eye infections are a b*tch to deal with, but the rest from the computer did me the power of good.

Claudia @ Phatpuppyart for continued awesomeness in preparation for the cover art for the second book in my horror trilogy, Dark Winter: Crescent Moon. Final cover art to be revealed and soon.

The Awesome Bloggers on this list who hosted Stormling on their blog. Thanks a million. Remeber to enter the giveway on any of the bloggers er....blog, to win a printed copy of Stormling.

Next up:-

I will be reviewing three new books this coming month.

Finally

Most people I know like cats. This is one of mine (or more accurately, I belong to her). You rock, Gui-Gui. But if I don't sell more books this month, I will have to cut my arm off and feed it to her....you know, like that dude in Survival Type by Stephen King....

"A human arm instead of boiled lobster and caviar? My fur protests!"

See you all again soon.

Book Review #18: Rouge (Rouge #1) by Isabella Modra

FIRST THINGS FIRST - Look at that stunning cover!!!!

Okay, so this is absolutely true - I knew Hunter Harrison.

Confession - not the Hunter in this story, but someone from a very distant job I had in the past. 

Review: This is the last 'full' novel I read and it goes all the way back to June. It was a compelling read that I completed in one go, I'm delighted to say.

It's a delight to see a young author with such a command of her writing universe and a wonderful grip of her characters and their motivations. There is a generous homage to X-Men in this story although it manages to distinguish itself from that series by having a wonderful heroine in Hunter.

There's wonderful humour laced throughout the book, and there's a particular scene which reminded me of Kick-Ass a bit when Hunter is choosing her super-name and looking at outfits to wear.

I haven't read urban fantasy in a while and this book jumped out at me because of a giveaway for the sequel - Embers and Ice. I entered the giveaway but didn't win. However I ordered the paperback version of Embers and Ice - this review is for the Kindle version of Rouge (#1).

It's clear that Isabella Modra, the author, grows with authority as the book progresses. I understand and accept the pace of the book, everything is well described and builds beautifully towards the final act.

Put simply, there's a lot of fantasy out there that could be considered a little samey. Rouge - and it's sequel, stand out because the author knows the story she wants to tell, and tells it wonderfully. Both books (I hasten to add I have only started book two and am resting my eyes at the moment from heavy computer use!) could sit well on the big screen and you'll be rooting for Hunter, Joshua and the others.

Where the writing is most clever is the focus on a select band of characters, rather than introducing too many. In a book just shy of 300 pages, perhaps it was important to do that.

Are there any faults? Not for me and I'll admit I don't look for them when reading books, I just enjoy the ride. Life's too short to nit-pick! 

The books moves well, great characters, and everything is brilliantly described. This is a wonderful standard for a debut novel, and I'm seriously impressed. I don't believe I could have written something as well as this when I was 19.

Anyway, I rate this book very highly - a wonderful, inventive fantasy that takes the super-hero theme and ups it a notch. Christopher Nolan needs to pay attention to this author if he is looking for a follow-up to the Dark Knight Trilogy!

On GoodReads I gave this wonderful book five stars out of five.

Rouge #2 : Embers and Ice Embers & Iceis out now. I have the paperback and let's just say it is shaping up to be even better than Book One!

Get the book - Amazon

Author Page: Isabella Modra

Book Review #17: Saint Monolith by Tom Reinhart

Hello friends and sorry I have been away for what seems like an age. I've been editing a book (so what's new) but nursing a bad eye infection. With an eye patch and a funny walk, I'm all ready to take over from Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow.

I hope you accept my apology in advance - this review is about Tom Reinhart's novel Saint Monolith but it will include things about my three books to date. You'll see the relevance when you read it, I hope.

I was very fortunate and utterly delighted to win a giveaway of this and another Tom Reinhart novel, Hegemonian,  which I reviewed here and I really like that Tom personally signed both copies. Cheers Tom!

To the story then.

Mason Stone is our hero - I think! He's a NYPD officer as part of the SWAT Team, and he takes down criminals with brutal efficiency. He has the usual 'man' thoughts.....always looking at bits of skirt, likes to pump iron at the gym (making him even more fearsome than he seems already) and seems to take an almost perverse pleasure in dealing out justice.

If you read it like that, you'd be forgiven for thinking Mason to be rather one-dimensional. Not a bit of it. He is a multi-layered character who you root for when he is dealing out his very personal killing statements, because those at the end of his gun generally are unpleasant characters. In another way, you think 'okay Mason, that's enough now pal!' 

Herein lies the very interesting angle for me. Mason generally feels no remorse for the men he deals with, and perhaps we'd be the same, as they are the very gutter of society. However, it seems that no matter how many get 'Mason'ed', he never feels at peace. He is fighting his own inner demons and it is this regard I felt I could relate to the character.

In his psychiatric sessions he reveals being bullied at school....something I wrestled with mentioning in my own non-fiction book 'The Essence of Martial Arts'...however some students said the personal stories

were some of the best sections of the book.

I was a quiet, gentle, reflective soul at school, and other kids picked up on this, and would attack me for it. Sure, I could take a hit, but couldn't bear to dish it out. I soon learned, however, that this was the only way to deal with it...return fire with fire.

Mason's issue, if it can be kept to just one, is that he lacks any control. In an enjoyable exchange between two cops, one where Mason is hoping the female will be the 'good' part of the good cop / bad cop routine, she ends up annoying him as much as the male cop, who clearly is not happy that Mason 'offed' a guy without giving him a chance to recover. As Mason retorts:-

'I couldn't really ask him if one shot was enough, Steve. It was him or me.'

Turns out that tough cop, body building Mason was a bit bullied at school too, and perhaps despatching these criminals is the way to his redemption. I think 'time' gave me mine, because as I grew as a martial artist, so did my rather brutal despatch of fellow competitors. They would turn up for a trophy. I would be there for  a fight. If I got a trophy at the end of it, so be it. 

That said, I can't see anyone taking Mason on. It would seem a fatal mistake. And anyone dealing personal demons on the level of Mr Stone would do well to not just cross the road when they see him, but make for the nearest state line.

I still can't make up my mind if I like Mason or not. But maybe that's okay - he certainly is an interesting character and that is something that hold the interest for the reader.

As for the other characters, whilst Jenna and Sue are cool, it's the cat - Tyson, who I wanted to be in the story more! I would have liked to have known how Mason would have acted around him. I mean, I'm a cat fan and have four of my own (hello Angel, Gui-Gui, Java and Kato) but then, how would it have advanced the story.

Shy of 300 pages, this is a tight read and an engaging script. It's the sort of two-part episode that Steve Bochco would have scripted when Hill Street Blues was at its imperious best. 

I believe Tom Reinhart released Saint Monolith after Hegemonian, and whilst that is a great story - this is better, and it shows in the maturity of the writer.

I lived in New York myself for the best part of a year back in the late 1990s, and I felt I was right back there - such was the great narrative and descriptions that Tom uses. It's got that clammy feeling that the opening credits of Taxi Driver show, along with Robert de Niro's captivating narrative.

It's the whole 'demon within' angle that I loved in this book, and I've explored it in my paranormal horror Dark Winter and this is expanded on in the follow up. 

There's a section about religion that some readers may view as being a bit preachy, but this is the author's book and he must write it the way that he does. I myself am not the most devout Catholic - I go to mass infrequently, but I feel it's not so much about a belief in God, but in something greater, and it's that I allude to in my fantasy book Stormling.

Simply put, as I mentioned on my review for Hegemonian, Tom Reinhart is an author to watch out for, and check out his YouTube channel - there's even a tv show host that talks about his books! Awesome!

Fave bits:

"Willie was about a hundred pounds less and made of heroin and soup kitchen handouts.'

"The only thing better would be if the next question was 'have you slaughtered anyone today?'.

The reference to Detroit. 

The last point is a personal one for me, I had a girlfriend one time in Santa Monica and later, I knew a girl in Dearborn Heights, MI. I loved how you couldn't go far in Michigan before seeing a sign pointing to Detroit. 

On GoodReads I rated this book five stars out of five. Well done Tom and thank you once again for sending me the autographed books! 

Book Review #16: TRUST Betrayed (Trust Trilogy, Book Two) by Cristiane Serruya

TRUST: A New Beginning was a revelation to me in the sense that I didn't usually read these kind of stories. However, Cristiane Serruya is an excellent author, and you could tell that A New Beginning was something special.It starts with quite a bang and amazingly, keeps it up through out. That's not easy for a long book like TRUST.

As with any 'middle story' the trick is, could it be better than the first and yet end in a way that would set things up for a tantalising finale (I have bought TRUST: Pandora's Box but am yet to review it) and I need to explain why I haven't gotten around to reading the final book yet.

TRUST Betrayed is a complex, luxuriously layered woven tale that is brilliantly written, but for me, I needed to re-read certain scenes just to make sure I had absorbed what had happened and take it all in. In that sense, it is the harder read than A New Beginning but is totally worth investing your time on this story.

It's a lovely way Cristiane has with words - the date and time stamps add increased authenticity to the tale and whilst the main characters Sophia and Alistair remain as compelling as ever, it's the truly 'unique' heather who stuck in my mind long after I had finished the story. I won't say whether Heather is good, bad or indifferent, but she adds her unique spin to the story.

The story probably works best with all three read together, and so I'm looking forward to Pandora's Box. To date, there's only one trilogy of books that received five stars from me - Lord of the Rings. Now I know that's not an official trilogy, but the idea of rating them is the same...I rated Lotr 5 stars as a whole. Let's just say that Cristiane Serruya is a modern, intelligent writer who deserves the plaudits for her stories. Both TRUST books are excellent and I can heartily recommend them.

In the sense of balance, is there any thing to fault? Perhaps yes, perhaps no, depending on your view. For me, Betrayed had so much going on, it deserved more than one read to really absorb it, but it is, as I say, worth your time. A light read this is not...prepare to give it the time and space it deserves, and I am sure that you too will enjoy this utterly thrilling story.

As for book three, Pandora's Box is an awesome, intriguing title. Some books are worth waiting for, an just like Doctor Sleep by Stephen King, I waited some months before finally reading it..even for the master of horror, following up The Shining would be impossible, surely?

Trust Betrayed is a lot like that....give some space between Book One and Book Three and I am sure you will love the ride!

                                       

                                        Buy on Amazon                   

My 100th Post! 'Stormling' Excerpt: The Fate of Karina

Hello all, and hope you are well :)

Who would have thought I would have reached a hundred posts on my blog? Certainly not me. Well, this milestone deserves something a bit special.

So, I just thought I would give you a taster from the forthcoming release of 'Stormling' Stormling on June 1st.....There's really too much to draw from with this book, and it's much more involved that my previous work (Dark Winter), but my hope is that my writing has improved and I'm developing the craft in the right direction.

If you get hold of a copy, it would be awesome to know what you think!

There will be a few more teasers to come!

-----

Corianna Ismay was just eight years old when her mother Karina died. Corianna had just one more conversation with her mother before running hard in the direction of Rowse Briar, far from her home of Sirennestria.

“Don’t you cry now, Corianna,” she said sternly, but softened her tone in a way that only a mother could. “Do not let them see you cry. The great powers we possess contain a flaw; our tears let the enemy know where we are. I’m going to be brave, so you have to be too. Just promise me that you will hide your skills, lest the fate that has befallen me befalls you too.”

The young sorceress nodded that she understood completely. “You look beautiful, Mother,” asserted Corianna with a confidence beyond someone of her years.

A simple white tunic hung over Karina’s shoulders, but her hands shook uncontrollably. Her young daughter grabbed her mother’s hands, and steadied them from shaking. “So don’t you be afraid, Mother, then I won’t be, when my time comes.”

Karina picked a maroon coloured cardigan from her dresser, and wrapped herself up in it.

“Your lucky colour, Mother,” beamed Corianna. “I shall not ever wear it, in respect of your memory.”

“That is the very reason you should wear it, my child.”

Bringing her thoughts back to the present moment, there was no presence of a loving daughter, just the cold, uncompromising walls of a prison. Karina pressed her cheeks against the bars of her cell.

“Guard! Let’s not delay this charade any longer. I am ready. Take me to Firetop.”

Book Review #15: Hegemonian by Tom Reinhart

Yarrh! If it isn't another of them sword and slash and cut and run epic fantasies.....

Now this really is up my street. I love epically laden stories....Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, The Iron Fey series.....too many to mention really.

Hegemonian, by Tom Reinhart, was one of two books I won in a giveaway. Now, in approaching my own take on the genre with Stormling, I had the same fears as Tom, and still do, in that 'would I do the genre justice'.

It's a big worry. If you are writing a book that could be shelved alongside JRR Tolkien's works, dang....you better be good.

So where does Tom's book stack up?

I'll admit that the last fantasy I read of this kind was Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind and....I couldn't finish it, friends. I really tried to like it, but it fell on its face, I am sorry to say.

From the off, Tom gets us into the action straight away. There's a view that maybe you have to world build from the off, and of course, you can. But our hero, Lucan, is a fighter, a warrior, a savage, a nobleman. And does he know how to use a sword.

The initial chapters feature bloody encounters which were a little strong for me (given I wrote a horror...hello pot, hello kettle!!) but it is in the context of the story. We cannot expect Lucan to wander the lands without anything happening. It's clear that this book is not the total story, and that there is more to come. Good...because this story uses the fantasy genre to its full strength, mixing in the kind of creatures I would struggle to detail...like minotaurs, for instance!

Tom's writing is easy to follow but I don't mean that in a demeaning way. This is an author who has a handle on his subject, and I commend him for writing different book genres in this, also Das Vampyr (go team fang!) and Saint Monolith (which I am currently reading).

Naturally, we can't cheer for Lucan unless he has a total nutjob to face off against, and in Vargas, we have our man.

What happens in the end? Does Lucan win, and what does he do then? Sit on the spoils of his victory? Or seek more adventures. Yaarrrh...I'm your huckleberry....let's go on another adventure then.

This is a great tale, and I think I'd give it the full five stars if not for the bloody detail in the book. I get it...it's in context, but I think younger readers might balk at reading this because of the gore, which would be a shame, as it is a rip roaring fantasy adventure.

Great stuff from Tom Reinhart!

Buy the book on Amazon here: here
Tom's website:- here

Book Review #14: Claiming the Duchess by Sherry Thomas

I know I haven't reviewed it yet, but Sherry Thomas' book The Luckiest Lady in London was the first of hers that I read. Now we received news of her new novella...and it is for free on Amazon!

In 'The Dark Knight', the Joker says "if you're good at something, never do it for free." Clearly, what the author wants us to do is to understand who she is as a storyteller, and Claiming the Duchess is a brilliant book to read, even if you are familiar with her other novels.

Given I have been in a heavy book edit / re-draft of my own, I'm slowly coming out of the haze and I am reading again. This was a quick read for me, one night and one morning...and it centres around our recently widowed duchess, Clarissa, who keeps sane with the correspondence of her long term friend Julia Kirkland, and hopeful of maybe finding a soul mate (are there ever more than one in your lifetime?) through Mr James Kingston.

The reveal is built up, slowly, carefully, steadily. When it came, I wasn't overly surprised, but that doesn't matter. The point is, Sherry Thomas is a joy to read. Sometimes, I read these kind of stories to fall in love again. Whilst that might sound soft, when you have been with the same person for a long time (over a decade in our case) sometimes you need that reminder that it is possible to keep the romance alive, and the magic of just being together a welcome release from the stresses of life (yeah, I'm talking about YOU...book writing!).

I think Sherry Thomas is an utterly brilliant storyteller. Predictably, her tales are set in London, but read the richness of her stories....enjoy her witty style and elegant prose....even if this isn't your kind of book, she is an excellent writer.

I liken her quality of writing to that of Anne Rice, who many of you will know is a horror writer. So it is not about genre, it is about enjoying an author at the height of their powers.

Claiming the Duchess is the (0.5) first story in the Fitzhugh series....I am seriously tempted to just blow the book budget and buy them all!

Happy reading!

   

Book Review #13: Ice Angel by Elizabeth Hanbury

Ice Angel by Elizabeth Hanbury is the first of the Cavanagh Family series, but it was A Bright Particular Star that re-introduced me to regency romances, and this is as strong as Miss Hanbury's other works.

I found myself falling heavily for Isabella, the so-named Ice Angel of the story, but it's the other characters, especially Hal, which make the story what it is - a thoroughly enjoyable tale.

I'll admit that I'm new to Georgette Heyer's books, but this stands up with one of my first fave authors - Jane Austen, and one might just think that a tea party with Jane, Georgette and Elizabeth...well - no-one should feel out of place!

Sometimes these tales are considered a light read - not a bit of it - the layers are well done and the character interaction - primary and secondary leads, are brilliant done.

That just leaves The Paradise Will of the books I need to read of Miss Hanbury's. Suffice to say, she is a wonderful writer, really makes you feel the London style and Regency feel of the period...as well as creating a deftly told tale. I kind of wish I had read the before A Bright Particular Star...and if you haven''t read that one, I suggest you do. Now!

Elizabeth's website is here:- http://www.elizabethhanbury.com/

Author website

Amazon book page

25 Things I Know To Be True (since writing Stormling)

So when you have completed a task, reading, writing, squirrel racing...or whatever's your thing.....what have you learned?

1. Things that fall from the sky are generally to be avoided.
2. Keep the eyeballs.
3. Being the ‘head’ of anything can suck.
4. Magic can usually beat swords. Just sayin’.
5.  Beware an un-hatched egg.
6. If someone is staring at you, they’ve probably got issues.
7. When travelling in a group, someone always gets lost.
8. Try to keep things unofficial.
9. Never underestimate just how angry a woman can get.
10. Choosing the one to spend your life with is so difficult.
11. Any worthwhile advice is never given for free.
12. Cheats do prosper. For a while.
13. Some jewellery shops really can do an overnight service.
14. If he’s nearly double your height, and in your way, you probably do have to listen to what he says.
15. Perhaps the greatest love you can have for someone, is to make sure you don’t  exercise any power you might hold over them.
16. If you’re going on a journey, always bring a coat.
17. There’s always a light in the darkness.
18. If someone makes you a promise, hold them to their word.
19. Sales people are rubbish fighters.
20. Sarcasm is often used by people who want to hide what they really feel.
21. Humour can’t always diffuse a situation.
22. It’s Elves, not elfs.
23. Prison cells are locked for a reason.
24. Once in a while, an alcoholic’s drunken gibberish can reveal a truth.
25. Sometimes, you just have to get over yourself, and drink decaff.

Stormling is on Amazon and other retailers from the new date of 1st June 2014. Get the low-down on it here https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20911307-stormling

Stormling - Teaser Synopsis

Hello all :)

Today's teaser is from the cover and synopsis of the new book, Stormling. I hope you all visited Chanzie@MeanWhoYouAre for the cover reveal on Thursday, and my eternal thanks (and cookies) are sent to you for hosting it there :)

Well. Not long to go now. I've got April 25th 2014 as *the day* and it will be awesome to know what you all think of it. I chose April 25th as it is the birthday of my long departed Nan - the character in Dark Winter is not totally based on her, only in part. RIP Nan.

Here's the cover, worked on by the very awesome Claudia@PhatpuppyArt, who also did the cover for Dark Winter. Typography by the super talented Ashley@TheBookishBrunette.

So yes, to quote Selina Kyle in The Dark Knight Rises, 'there's a storm coming,'....
But I hope you'll like it!

 

As any writer will know, the synopsis is perhaps the hardest thing to write. Even if you know your own story well, how do you summarise it in such a short word frame? Well, there is a LOT that goes on in Stormling, so I thought we'd go for a pivotal point on the cover, and reference a key decision by one of the characters in the synopsis.

 

 



Thanks for reading the blog, now please go to GoodReads and add the book....there's a cookie in it for you... :D

 

 

How Can We Protect Our Precious Books?

"YOU LOST MY COPY OF THE HUNGER GAMES? AND YOU EXPECT ME TO LET YOU LIVE?????""

Before the dawn of the Kindle and other e-book readers, there were paper books. Thankfully, there still are paper books, and whilst my old Kindle packed up a while ago, I am getting myself a replacement.

I'm terribly proctective of my books. Often they will come back in a very different state to the one in which they were lent. Which begs the question - why would I lend my books out?

Well, as many of you will know, it's about sharing. You've read the book, so you want another's opinion on it.

The two latest victims of my lending out are Emma by Jane Austen, and The Hunger Games (1) by Suzanne Collins. Even my first edition copy of Carrie by Stephen King was mysteriously borrowed, even though my lady claims to not like horror, citing that my little story gave her 'two nightmares' (result!!).

Given that Carrie is much more scary and gory than my own paranormal horror, I was wondering why she borrowed it :D

The Emma cover is a bit of a special edition one...so again, I hope that comes back okay.

However, I have to go back to 1981 to tell you a real horror story. Back then, we didn't have central heating in our home, and water pipes would often freeze. My 'older folks' solution? A rather bizarre attempt to keep the pipes from unfreezing by placing a lit candle in the bath.

Now before you say 'well why didn't you say something' it was because I was very young, and being the youngest of my family meant I definetely would not be listened to.

Well. The room caught fire, and my bedroom, which was situated above the bathroom, got the brunt of the fire and smoke as well.

No-one was hurt, so that's all good....but my very early editions of the three Lord of the Rings books had been under my bed at the time. If I had put them in my bookshelf they might have survived. Alas, they were ruined.

So!

How can we protect our books?

1. Buy our loved ones a Kindle (could do, but expensive)
2. Never lend them out to anyone ever again (that would work but you can have book conversations except with yourself then)
3. Announce that you have 'given up reading' (I don't believe anyone will believe that in my family)
4. Announce that book lending to family members has been outlawed by the government (I can see that working on some members, not others)
5. Lock them away safely. And don't ever put candles in baths. (yes and yes).

Before I go, what's happened to Emma, Carrie, and The Hunger Games?

Well.

• Carrie has been returned, albeit with the cover slightly curved (grrr)
• Emma is **somewhere** (I'm sure the urban dictionary - or the police -  can explain this)
• The Hunger Games is lost....because my mum won't 'fess up, claiming it was returned to me because (gulp) 'It's too heavy a read, I couldn't get into it.' I will have to buy a new copy.

"You didn't lose my book? Oke.Ay."

I avoided getting into 'well I'm not talking to you Mum, because you don't care about Katniss. You think you have problems? What about the poor folks in District 12?'

I avoided it for two reasons.

1. Mum is heavily biased....she's read my Dark Winter book twice now, and thinks it's brilliant (thanks Mum but you really are biased)

2. It's Mother's Day here in the UK.

So happy Mother's Day, to all mothers out there.

I'll be keeping my other books under lock and key for now.

Happy reading!

One Month To Go: Stormling - Book One

Kayla Andaris, from Stormling (Book One)

"So what exactly are you?"

"I am a woman."

"That. You. Are. So what do you do for fun?"

"I hunt, and I kill on sight."

"Do you kill everything on sight?" 

"Only the idiots that ask stupid questions."

Hello friends. I've been a bit erratic with my blog posts this year, but you'll forgive me I hope, as I have been writing heavily for Dark Winter 2 and editing the book that titles this post - Stormling.

Stormling is a good old fashioned epic fantasy adventure that I originally drafted in 2012, which seems a long time ago now. I started writing the book in 2011 following the publication of my martial arts book. Nothing like continuity of genres, is there?

Still, Stormling went through several title changes, successive re-drafts, before arriving at the one that is likely to be viewed by the populace from end of April 2014.

Kinta Pel, one of Stormling's anti-heroes

"Excuse me sir, do you know the way to (gulps)....oh, never mind..."

As with any story worth its salt, it has to have original concepts to make it stand out, and a great hook to make you want to read on. I believe I've achieved this with the book, but as any writer knows, it is the readers who tell us what we have written.

Anadyr, one of the heroes in the book, and the main Stormling of the title.

"Thank the stars he's on our side."

This story ranks as the most difficult one I've attempted. When I hear some authors have written a book in less than a calendar month, I really wonder how they did it. I was going to release Dark Winter 2 straight after the first one, but I wanted to give the residents of Gorswood a rest, and anyway, I felt Romilly and her friends had been through quite enough already!

The story has been a difficult one because it straddles both the fantasy realm and also the real world. With the real world setting, the was originally the main driver for the story, but successive re-writes demanded a re-think, and basically, I was able to swap around the real world setting for the fantasy one, and I believe the story is all the better for it.

Doesn't this just go to prove that even if you know your own story like the back of your hand, you need to step back sometimes...for months even....go and do something else, and then come back to it with fresh eyes, new thoughts, and a different perspective.

Andus Rey, ruler of Caldreah Monus and our story's main bad guy.

Four wings and two swords? That's just being greedy. 

I think the fantasy world is something we all love to get lost in, right? Sometimes I love books that really 'speak' to us and hit the emotional chords. But other times, you just want something totally different, and I really enjoyed creating this world. I don't think I had any grey hairs before but I certainly do now :)

Corianna, Lady Elf and landlady of The Faeries Wings Public House

The Angelic Warrior who clipped her own wings to run a pub! 

Stormling is populated with angels, warriors, immortals, faeries, sorcerers and sorceresses....all the elements I loved in books and video games when I was growing up (I'm still growing up I think).

All the same, the cover, when it is revealed first on **someone's very fantastic blog**, will show the fantasy elements of what is to come, but have a very strong focus on the real world.

Over the course of a 100,000 word book, some memorable quotes have to come out. I've posted just a few on GoodReads to give you an idea of the book without giving any of the plot line away.

Faeries are just awesome, aren't they?

So. Keep a look out for the book. And if by some happy chance you get yourself a copy, please let me know what you think!

Guest Interview with Author Cristiane Serruya

Hello everyone. Today's guest is the very wonderful Cristiane Serruya, author of the TRUST trilogy. I will hold my hand up and say that I have only read the first book, but the truth is, it's the best adult thriller I have read in a long time. You can read my review here

GoodReads Profile here
Amazon page here

Over to Cristiane then!

---

Hello, John. Thanks for hosting me at your amazing blog. I’m so happy to be here with you today.

Why did you start writing?

I have always written. Small poems, short stories, kids’ stories. But this whole new career started in a very silly way. In April 2009, I was bed-ridden, sick - and bored. I had a such bad headache that I could even read or open the curtains. So… I decided to tell myself a story. The seed was planted. But it took me more than a year to gather the courage to put some ideas on paper. And daily life kept intruding in the way. I’m a full time  lawyer - or, yet I’m a mother of three, ooops - *grin* - two teenage girls and wife to a six foot six, very large but sweet husband.

I was very unsatisfied with the Brazilian justice system and that was affecting my own work as a lawyer.
In the beginning of 2011, a friend said I should try writing to distress. And that it would make many more people aware of the still brutal violence that was practiced against women and children (one of the main issues that I worked with, and the subject of my Law School thesis).

After practicing Law for twenty-two years, I suddenly decided to give writing a go. The next day, I started the trilogy. Then I discovered that I could speak of things that enchanted me and inequities that aggravated me in a much more creative and lighter way than my previous work.

In 4 months the whole archetype of story was ready. I slit the books in three and then published the first in November 2012, the second in April 2013 and the last one, TRUST: Pandora’s Box comes out on March 2014.

The TRUST trilogy has just been finished last year: Trust#1, A New Beginning was first published in November 2012, and a brand new edition was released in February 2014; Betrayed was published in April 2013 and the last installment, Pandora’s Box is being edited and proofread. It is coming out in March 2014.
The trilogy focuses on the lives of three characters that, on the outside, seem to have it all. They are wealthy, good-looking, intelligent and successful in their own fields. But they all have deep scars from terrible events that happened in their lives, sometimes ending with the death of a loved one. When they meet, in late 2009 and early 2010, their encounters will change their deepest certainties and alter their outlooks on life, as only love can.

I also published in June 2013, The Modern Man: A philosophical divagation about the evil banality of daily acts, an essay I wrote for Ethics in Law School. Surprisingly, it has received two awards, one of them a Gold Medal, from a contest I didn’t enter, but was chosen by the jury plus honors in Law School.


Where do you get your ideas from?

Real life is what inspires me to write. Look around you, listen to your family’s stories, your neighbors’ daily lives, read the newspapers. There are so many stories waiting to be told and not enough time to write about them.

What is your all time favourite book, and why?

Oh, dear! That’s such an unfair question… Do I really have to answer it? LOL! I’m such an avid reader. Reading is the oldest pleasure of mine, so is very difficult for me to choose my favorite books.
I think my favorite kind of reading depends on my moment. I love novels, romance, historical, paranormal, erotic stories, Old Greeks, all the classics...

It’s kind of hard to choose my favorite book, but if I had to choose five:
- 1984, by George Orwell;
- Metamorphosis, by Franz Kafka;
- The Gospel According to Jesus Christ, by José Saramago;
- Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë;
- The Book of Disquiet, by Fernando Pessoa.
Phew. There. Hmm… Can I continue?

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 a great problem in not finishing a book. It seems that it is my fault.
So, yes, I’ve read many, specially recent contemporary romances, indie published, that could have been great but needed a good editor to point the need of an extra scene or the absurd of a …
But, since I have started to write I’ve learn that I have become more exigent and I’ve learned to close a book if it’s not good at all.


What is the most disappointing book you have read?

I wouldn’t call it disappointing, but rather angering, money pilfering and a bad propaganda for men’s and women’s behavior and sex freedom. Now, can you guess? Yes, of course: 50 Shades of Grey. And I bought the whole trilogy for my kindle… Argh. Deleted, of course.

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

All you can imagine. I’m Brazilian, English is not my mother language, although I feel quite comfortable with it. I think in centimeters, not in inches. All the measures on the indie websites are in inches.
Then I had to choose many things I had never thought of… fonts, formatting, editor, cover, God! Madness.
The first editor I had was terrible and let pass many typos and she did many mistakes as she corrected what was right, because she was not a romance reader, American or even an editor. She was an English teacher, daughter to a Britain that lives in Rio for many years now. Then I tried CreateSpace editor. And God! What a mess. After, it came conversion… Really? I’m no good with computer. And what about promotion? I don’t know how to sell myself, maybe because it’s kind of strange to be praising my own work.

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

Oh, John! This is not fair. You don’t ask a mother which child she loves most! All, of course. Each one has a more endearing way to my heart…

What was the first book you ever read?

I was read. My grandmother Hilda was a teacher and she loved to read to me. The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein is the one I kept asking her to read to me. It’s one of the books that still are in my bedside table… err… bookshelf table, I mean.

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

I started reading on the kindle on my first iPhone, a long time ago, so I don’t remember anymore.

Which authors inspire you to read?

You won’t believe my answer, but ALL of them.
I’m kind of obsessed with books, so I have a Kindle and the Kindle app on my iPad, iPhone and iMac besides lots of physical books. I read in traffic, in the doctor’s waiting room, everywhere, everyday, at least an hour or so. I hope I have learned something from all authors that I have read. Even from the bad ones because I can always learn from others’ mistakes.

Which authors inspire you to write?

Actually, I was inspired by none. I need no inspiration but real life.
But I wish I could have a philosophical chat with Mr. Kafka and maybe have the honor to write a book with him.

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

Yes, A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. I’m used to read YA authors, and the reviews were great but the book touched me in such a beautiful way that I can only say: It is a must read.


What is your favourite book series and why?

There could be no other answer, John. Sorry… The TRUST Trilogy! I have been living with Ethan, Sophia, Alistair and Gabriela for years, chatting with them, having my life disrupted by them and loving them as if they are my real siblings. It is so organic, that many times I spent the night crying over my computer, without even seeing what I was typing, because one of them was hurting; or laughing alone in the middle of a shower because of I thought of something funny for them to say.
I’m sure my husband was jealous of Ethan and then of Alistair. And now comes Tavish Uilleam. And my poorest daughters have a love-hate relationship with Sophia and Gabriela.

Who is your favourite heroine?

Sophia Leibowitz, of course. She has personality and she doesn’t bend to difficulties in life, but she can be sweet and she loves to share and help. I can only say I admire Sophia very much.

Who is your favourite hero?

Right now it is Tavish Uilleam MacCraig. Ah… Why? You have to read the whole Trust Trilogy and then my next novel…

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

Oh, yes, sure. There are such amazing authors around.
And although I loved The Hunger Games and think it’s very well written, it is a re-hashing of 1984. I knew it at the moment I read it. Maybe because 1984 is one of my favorite books…

What is the best debut novel you have read?

Hmm… Really? I don’t know. Not The Hunger Games, because I think it’s too much like 1984, not Twilight, and - please oh please - not that wretched 50SoG… Maybe we should go to John Grisham… ah, yes! There, you have it: A Time to Kill.

What kind of research do you do for your books?

Oh, you don’t want to know my degree of exigency with myself… I’m exacting and if I don’t know what I’m talking about I go deep into research. I don’t google things. Yes, I do online research, but my main sources are people. People around me, or professionals, or those who have experienced a certain feeling I have not experienced yet and wanted to write about; and of course: books, newspapers and magazines; maps, guides, and… oh, just everything I can put my hands on and can check them out.


How long does it take you to do a first draft?

Well, it took me four months for the “first” draft of the archetype, but the story was already formed in my mind. And then I slit the draft and focused just on the first installment. After TRUST: A New Beginning was published, the TRUST Trilogy started to change… the first draft of TRUST: Betrayed took me longer, 6 months and the first draft of TRUST: Pandora’s Box almost an year.

The story had changed completely. It was formed, I had a planning, separated by chapters, but as I laughed and cried and typed, the story took the leashes from my hands and transformed itself. The characters grew and got proud of themselves. As they learned their ways through their lives, I got to know them better and I couldn’t force them to follow what I wanted them to do before. Seems I am crazy? Maybe. It was really as if they had lives of their own. So, scenes were discarded and new were created. And the time frame I had proposed to myself burst at the seams, specially when real life intruded in it… A broken foot, an editor with a personal crisis, and so many things I was not prepared for that it made me realize this is what the TRUST Trilogy was about: real life.

So, from now on there will be only an obligation to write a good book and deliver it to the readers knowing I did a good job and I can be proud of it. Next time, for sure, I won’t publish a single chapter before the story is all done.

What is the best thing about writing for you?

Everything but… hmm… to know how my stories and my characters touched others people’s lives is the best part.

And the worst thing?

This is the easiest answer: Promoting myself or my books. I have always been shy, and I don’t know how to promote myself. At all.

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

No. But at least, I read a hundred.

How do you find time to read?

The same way I find time to eat… For me, it’s impossible to live without reading.

What's your favourite book cover?

One that hasn’t been published yet. LOL No, I’m not joking. It’s a cover that I though I would use for the Trust Trilogy but it didn’t fit my purposes. It’ll be the cover of my new romance. Can’t wait to see it online.

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?

Oh, yes. But that would be the first Brazilian civil code, of 1906. It was left by my great-grand-father, who was a lawyer too. It is commented by one of the greatest Brazilian jurists. I have never really used it but in a work for Law School but it’s there on my shelf, beautifully leather bounded.

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

E-readers, but I still read on paperback and the hardcover has a unique feeling to it.

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

That’s not difficult at all. It’s by Pastor Martin Niemöller. I like it so much that even Sophia quotes it on Trust: Pandora’s Box.
“First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—
And there was no one left to speak for me.”

Other things now. 

Favourite film? Titanic.
Favourite food? Aw… Spicy, sweet, salad. Any food, but the thing with me is: little bites!
Favourite author? I don’t have.
The one book you would have on your own desert island? The TRUST Trilogy.
Favourite location? Angra dos Reis, in Rio de Janeiro. There are 365 paradisal islands to choose from.
Dream holiday destination? Hmm… Maldives Islands. I was supposed to go there for my twentieth anniversary but I had to postpone the trip.
Favourite actor? Hmm… that’s hard but… Al Pacino.
Favourite actress? That’s even harder… Meryl Streep.
Favourite drink? Red wine, no doubt.
What's the best thing about being you? Oh… Being me? I have the most wonderful husband and children.
And the worst thing? That’s supposed to be a secret, John… but I’m too friendly and goodhearted for my own sake.
What makes you happiest? My family, sharing love and friendship.

Thank you Cristiane!

Thank you, John, for the opportunity to share my work and thoughts and for helping me promote my book. Hearing from readers is very important to me. It always helps me to do a better job. So, I want to invite everybody to leave a message here or on my website http://cristianeserruya.com.br I’m glad and available to comment or answer any questions.