Saturday, February 25, 2017

Guest Post: Being A Writer - Going From Title To Truth by J.R. Fehr

Guest Post

Being a Writer: Going from Title to Truth by J.R. Fehr


A lot of people say they’re writers, but not a lot of people actually write. I say this because that was me for many years. Sure, I had “written” things—even a few unpublished novels—but I was not writing regularly.

In one of the first conversations that I ever had with Chris Hansen—back when I had asked him to train me in story—he told me that I needed to be writing for at least three hours a day. This was one of his requirements for working with new writers.

“Three hours a day writing?” I couldn’t believe it. “That’s not possible. I have a job. I work eight hours a day.”

“It is possible,” he told me, “people do it all the time—people with families and careers. Sometimes it requires them to get up really early and write before going off to work. But they find time to do it.”

And then he said the words that would haunt and challenge me for months to come. “Writers write, directors direct, actors act, animators animate, etc. If you want to be a writer, then you need to be writing regularly.”

Hmm. I wasn’t writing three hours a day. I wasn’t even writing three hours a week! Had I been deceiving myself? Was I really a writer?

As I examined that question, I realized a hard truth. I wasn’t a writer. I was someone who wanted to be a writer.

But wanting to be something and actually being it are two different things. So I sat down and challenged myself to try and write a little bit each day. I didn’t exactly think that Chris was right when he suggested that three hours a day was realistic, but I figured I’d try to do at least an hour a day.
It took time—a lot of time—before I was able to build a routine around writing and develop the discipline required to sit down and write daily. At first, it was difficult to last even an hour before I would get distracted and seek some other kind of stimulation (I watched a lot more TV back then).

There were many blocks for me—insecurities and self-doubts that kept me from writing regularly. I was afraid that I would be judged, that people wouldn’t like my writing, and that the things I wrote would expose me. Worst of all, I was afraid that I wasn’t any good.

But as I worked on writing regularly, I gradually developed more and more focus. Soon, I found it much easier to get to that blissful place known to artists as a “flow state.” I was writing for hours at a time without any issues.

And best of all, I felt refreshed and energized while doing it! Writing daily became like breathing to me. Once I got into the habit of writing every day, I found it difficult to stop. On days that I wasn’t writing, I was thinking about writing.

That was what it took for me to realize that, yes, I could truly call myself a writer. Writing was now, without a doubt, something that I would be doing for the rest of my life. Before I came to this conclusion, I wasn’t really sure. I guess it was just more of a hobby for me—something I pursued on weekends or whenever I felt like it. It took me awhile to see the need to make writing a routine.

So, my advice to other aspiring writers is the same advice that I was given. If you want to be a writer, then just start writing. Don’t wait for inspiration or for that lucky break to come around. If it’s in you to write, and you can do it for long periods of time without feeling miserable, then you’re a writer. You don’t need publications, a career, or public recognition to make you one. Create because it’s in you to create. Imagine because your mind is a wonderful place. And most of all, write without fear and love the things you write. If you can do all this, and do it regularly, then—woo hoo!—you are a writer.


About the Books:


The Magician’s Workshop, Volume One


Authors: Christopher Hansen, J.R. Fehr

Publisher: Wondertale, California
Publication Date: November 8, 2016


Book Links:

Synopsis:

Everyone in the islands of O’Ceea has a magical ability: whatever they imagine can be brought into existence. Whoever becomes a master over these powers is granted the title of magician and is given fame, power, riches, and glory. This volume of books follows the journey of a group of kids as they strive to rise to the top and become members of the Magician’s Workshop.

Layauna desperately wants to create beautiful things with her magical powers, but all she can seem to do is make horrible, savage monsters. For years she has tried to hide her creations, but when her power is at last discovered by a great magician, she realizes that what she’s tried to hide might actually be of tremendous value.

Kai just wants to use his powers to have fun and play with his friends. Unfortunately, nearly everyone on his island sees him as a bad influence, so he’s forced to meet them in secret. When one of the creatures they create gets out of control and starts flinging fireballs at their town, Kai is tempted to believe that he is as nefarious as people say. However, his prospects change when two mysterious visitors arrive, praising his ability and making extraordinary promises about his future.

Follow the adventures of Kai, Layauna, and a boatload of other characters as they struggle to grow up well in this fantastical world.



The Magician’s Workshop, Volume Two


Authors: Christopher Hansen, J.R. Fehr
Publisher: Wondertale

Book Links:


Synopsis:

Return to the world of The Magician’s Workshop: Where Dreams Become Reality.

In Volume Two, the Festival of Stars has finally arrived, and the Color Ceremony is about to commence. As children from all over the islands gather to stand before a puller, one question remains: who will have a Color, and who will be found void?

Rejoin your favorite characters as they step forward and receive a label that will have the power to dramatically alter the course of their lives forever.


About the Authors:


Christopher Hansen

The first glimmering Chris Hansen had that there was far more to reality than he had ever imagined occurred six days after his ninth birthday. “Christopher!” cried a wise, old sage. “Life is full of deep magic. Miraculous things happen all the time and all around us, if you know where to look for them.” Full of expectation and childlike optimism, Chris began searching for this magic, prepared to be surprised and amazed by it. And he was: he found Wonder! Now he’s chosen to write stories about it.




J.R. Fehr

When J.R. Fehr popped out of the womb, he knew there was more to the world than the four boring hospital walls that he was seeing. “Zango!” his newborn mind exclaimed as he saw people appear and disappear through a mysterious portal in the wall. As a child he found life wowtazzling, but as he grew older the cold water of reality hit him, and the magic he once knew vanished. After spending some wet and shivering years lost in a joyless wasteland, he once again began to see magic in the world. He writes because the Wonder of true life is far grander than anything he ever thought possible.





Contact the Authors:






Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Release Day Blitz: A Way Back Into Love by Veronica Thatcher

~ Release Day Blitz ~
A Way Back Into Love by Veronica Thatcher
21st February, 2017



About the Book:

Nothing is perfect. Life is messy. Relationships are complex. Outcomes, uncertain.People, irrational. But love… Well, that makes complicates everything complicated. When you are caught in a tangled web of secrets, lies, and complex affairs, someone is bound to get burned.
Emily Stevens is a spunky, spirited college girl whose life is turned upside-down when she realizes she's in love with her best friend of fifteen years, Derek Thorpe. As Emily prepares to confess her feelings to Derek, something happens one night which changes her life forever. Five years later, Emily finds herself in Boston, alone and heartbroken. Will she ever be able to forget the past? And what will she find when she returns home... to the man she left behind?



Book Links:


Read an Excerpt:


Emily stepped back from him and shook her head. “Oh, you know damn well what I mean. You know what, Derek? I’m done having this conversation with you. I’m so done with this conversation and I’m so done with you,” Emily spat out angrily before brushing past him.

“Emily, wait,” Derek said, catching her by her arm. “Where are you going?”

Emily spun around and gave him a bitter look before looking down at his hand gripping her arm. “Leave my arm,” she said in a low yet threatening voice, “And why do you care where I’m going? It’s none of your business.”

Derek didn’t leave her arm in spite of her warning and said, “Em, you’ve had too many drinks. You can’t drive in this condition. I’ll drop you home.”

Emily jerked her arm free from his grasp and replied in a bitter voice, “Thank you, but no. I’m perfectly capable of getting myself home on my own. I don’t need you to drop me home. Do you get it, Derek Thorpe? I DON’T NEED YOU!” Emily yelled the last words, causing a few people to look their way.


About the Author:

Veronica Thatcher is an exciting new contemporary romance author. Ever since she was very young, she’s dreamed of becoming a doctor when she grew up. While still forging ahead with that, majoring in pre-med in college, she unwittingly stumbled upon a new dream—becoming a published author. Some may call her an introvert or a wallflower, but she has always found she could express herself better in written, rather than spoken, words. However, never in her wildest dreams had she envisioned she would pursue writing as a prospective career, not just a hobby. Her love for writing goes hand-in-hand with her love for a good romance novel—whether it be a feel-good, sweet romance or a dark, suspenseful one. When she’s not studying, reading, or writing, she is usually found blasting her favourite songs, sometimes singing and dancing along to them.  She dabbles in a number of activities, including painting, karate, singing and dancing. She is a huge chocoholic – probably the biggest – and she is an ice-cream junkie too. She considers herself technologically handicapped forever and has no shame in admitting that. She also deems chocolates her boyfriend, Patrick Dempsey the love of her life, and Friends her life!
Her first book, A Way Back Into Love, is slated for release in February 2017, and she hopes readers will enjoy it as much as she enjoyed writing it. You can reach Veronica through Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Wattpad and Gmail.


Contact the Author:






Monday, February 20, 2017

Spotlight: Ellie Masters

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT
★★ ELLIE MASTERS ★★

TFcover.jpgTWIST OF FATE
Genre: Romantic suspense/thriller
Details: Full length, multi POV, standalone, HEA novel
Author: Ellie Masters

ARCs will be available for read/review third week in January.

Blurb:
Melissa is a victim, capable of attracting only the worst kind of man. She seeks redemption for crimes she did not commit.

CJ struggles to absolve himself of an unforgivable act. He seeks salvation through heroism, but fails every day.

Our prince, a man with the blackest of hearts and an endless capacity to inflict pain, seeks validation for his work. His corruption is absolute, but even he will sacrifice for love.

Meanwhile, a man of pure evil invades their lives, weaving his sinister threads and binding their futures.

But Fate has different plans for them all. As tornados tear through the town, their lives will be uprooted, twisted, and tangled beyond what any of them could foresee.


Buy Links:

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CHANGING ROLES
Genre: Dark Romance/Mystery

BLURB:
Kate Summers’s career on the Police Force came to an implosive end when the Mayor’s wife exposed her secret life as the Mistress of Pain. Kate lost not only her detective’s badge, but something much more valuable. She lost her confidence as a Mistress of men.
She now scrapes by as a private investigator, feeding off the misery of others. When the Mayor and his wife ask her to investigate the murder of their daughter, Kate faces a difficult decision. To follow the leads, she must reenter the world that destroyed her career and go undercover as a submissive to a noted Dom. Only Kate swore she’d never endure the submissive role again.
Yet Jake Davenport is the one dominant fearless enough to not only challenge her rules, but break them. While accepting her new role and the erotic thrill it brings her is difficult enough, Jake’s complicated past raises many questions. As her investigation progresses, the man she’s fallen in love with might just be her number one suspect.

Buy Link:
   Amazon US

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HIcover.jpgHEARTS INTENSITY
An Angel Fire  Rock Romance
Genre: Contemporary Rock Romance

Blurb:

Skye Summers endured a tragic past. She wants what the past stole, and despite lingering scars, she’s surviving and thriving. Now she cures the sick, heals the wounded, and takes care of those clinging to life. The only person she can’t heal is herself, because Skye is too broken for love.
Ash Dean has it all: Fame, fortune, and the adoration of screaming fans. The constant parties, drugs, alcohol, and an endless string of one-night stands are taking their toll. He gives and his fans take, until he’s lost within the crowd. He wants someone to see him for the man he wishes to be rather than the one he’s become.



One fate…

Two lives…

Three Days…

That’s the proposition…

It would be insane to accept and Skye’s a fool to agree, but she’s tired of playing it safe, besides what could go wrong?

Buy Links:

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ASHES TO NEW
ashes.jpgAn Angel Fire  Rock Romance Prequel Novella
Genre: Women's Lit/Abuse Survival

Blurb:
Ashes to New, prequel to Heart's Insanity: an Angel Fire Rock Romance, is a story about the fiercest kind of love. It's about enduring. Surviving. And never giving up. Elsbeth and Forest are two teenagers trapped within an abusive foster home. They endure tragedy, but find there is light in the darkest places. With hope is as limitless as the summer sky, all they need is the love of one another to survive.

Buy LInks:




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About the author:


ellie.jpgELLIE MASTERS is the bestselling author of Heart’s Insanity: an Angel Fire Rock Romance. She writes multiple genres, creating the stories she loves to read. These are dark erotic tales. Or maybe sweet contemporary stories. How about a romantic thriller to whet your appetite? Ellie writes it all. Want to read passionate poems and sensual secrets? She does that too. Dip into the eclectic mind of Ellie Masters, spend time exploring the sensual realm where she breathes life into her characters and brings them from her mind to the page and into the heart of her readers every day.
When not writing, Ellie can be found outside, where her passion for all things outdoor reigns supreme: off­ roading, ATV-ing, scuba diving, hiking, and breathing fresh air, are just a few of her favorite pursuits.
She has lived all over the United States, east, west, north, south and central, but grew up under the Hawaiian sun. Now, Ellie is proud to call herself a Southern transplant, learning to say y’all and ‘bless her heart’ with the best of them. She lives with her beloved husband, two children who refuse to flee the nest, and four fur-­babies; three cats who rule the household, and a dog who wants nothing other than for the cats to be his friends. The cats have a different opinion regarding this matter.
Ellie’s favorite way to spend an evening is curled up on a couch, laptop in place, watching a fire, drinking a good wine, and bringing forth all the characters from her mind to the page and hopefully into the hearts of her readers.

Contact:



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Saturday, February 18, 2017

Blog Tour: Grow Up Messy! by Paromita Goswami

Title: Grow Up Messy!
Author: Paromita Goswami
Publisher: Ficus India



Blurb:

Childhood is considered to be the best time of one’s life. What if you get a chance to live it once more with a five-year-old? 

Misry, a naughty five-year-old girl, lives with her parents in a B.S.F border outpost near Indo-Bangladesh border. But with no schools and friends she feels very lonely. She tries to befriend some local village kids. But they find her incompetent in their rural antics. They nickname her Messy as most of the time she messes up their plan. Can Misry really be a part of the gang? 
Set in the early eighties, join Misry in the adventures of her life.

Fun Facts About The Characters:




Madhavi is a Bengali lady from a middle class family. She is born and brought up in a small town on the outskirts of Howrah in a very secure and loving atmosphere. She has an elder brother, elder sister and a younger sister. Her father is a professor of Botany and her mother is a housewife. Her marriage to Anurag, a B.S.F officer introduced her to an entirely different lifestyle that she had neither dreamt of nor seen before. Nevertheless, she succeeded in adapting the new lifestyle of being a military man’s wife which was more or less full of uncertainty and waiting. She discovered another side of her personality where she is the actual storehouse of strength for her man who has responsibilities beyond his family needs to attend to. There is also a different avatar of her as an officer’s wife where she has to motivate the soldier’s wife’s to be self reliant and confident as a part of the welfare association programs. When Misry walked into her life, it was an entirely different experience for her. Mothering a naughty little girl was not easy. There were times when she even competed with the Head Cook of the Langar to win her child back.

Anurag is a B.S.F officer who knows how to balance between his personal life and his duties towards his job which is more demanding. When he had married Madhavi, Anurag wasn’t sure how she would match up with his lifestyle.  However, under the spell of his love she had settled  in no time and metamorphosed into an officer’s wife who knew very well  how to control her emotions.  Anurag made sure she was always well taken care. Therefore he always made arrangements beforehand when  he might not be around for some time. When Misry announced her arrival he knew he was going to miss part of her growing up years because of his nature of job. So he made sure that whenever he spent time with her it would always be a memorable moment for both of them. Watching the night sky together laying in a cot in the courtyard or telling her adventure stories from his own life during bed time or always considering her opinion above all were some points Anurag never missed. He knew raising a kid was not an easy job when he himself was not present always on several occasions. So he had his own ways of incorporating values and discipline in his naughty daughter that she adored and obeyed him without any second thoughts.  There were several occasions in the book when Misry’s endeavour  made Anurag doubted if he was a good father or not.

Misry the main character of the book is just like any other child but with a difference that she is quite naughty. However, her innocence wins over  all heart. She maybe just five year old but loves to befriend boys older than her. Tomboy as she is, she  gets into serious trouble with  other boys in school and it is really interesting to watch how she comes out of such situation. Her  little pranks can drive anyone crazy. Like an episode  of Bheeru, the child from the village, where Misry lures him with a dairy milk chocolate to get back into the children’s gang but actually ends up somewhere else. Her  funny fights with her cousin Raju is another hilarious moment.  Grow Up Messy! is all  about being a child.

Surbhi, Madhavi’s elder sister and Raju’s mother is another character to watch out for. I especially like her more. She is a home maker and lives in Kolkata with her husband and younger son, Raju.  A middle aged lady who is more focused on getting worried rather than  finding solutions. There is no doubt that we all have come across one such character once in a life our family. One who is disdained to worry for everyone else in the family. Surbhi is one such character in the book loving nicknamed as Chintamani. Though she doesn’t have much role in the book but it is great to watch out for her. I am sure to give her a good role in the sequence.

Dadu and Dida, Misry’s grandparents, Madhavi’s parents. Just like any other grandparents they also love to shower their love upon their grandchildren. There are some hilarious and touching moments in the book when Misry comes to visit them.  How life is so different in this sleepy town of Ashoknagar is definitely to look out for in the book.

About the Author:



Paromita Goswami is a writer and storyteller by passion and a rebel by choice. She says the world is full of stories and as a writer she loves to pen them down. Her work is not genre specific. From literary fiction to children book to upcoming paranormal thriller and women fiction, Paromita Goswami‘s books offer the variety of life to her readers. Grow Up Messy! is her second book. She debuted in 2015 with Shamsuddin’s Grave, a literary fiction. Besides writing, she is also the founder of reading club that enhances book reading habit in children. She lives in central India with her family.

Contact:

Facebook I Twitter I Goodreads I Blog 

Buy Link:

Amazon I Nook I Kobo




Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Book Review: The Party Worker by Omar Shahid Hamid

Title: The Party Worker
Author: Omar Shahid Hamid
Publisher: Pan Macmillan India


Review:

Pakistani police officer-cum-novelist Omar Shahid Hamid delivers yet another gritty account of politics and its associated evils. ‘The Party Worker’ as such focuses on corruption and duplicity along with some sordid but keen insights into winning and maintaining power in the big bad world of politics.

It all begins with the murder of a Jewish woman on the steps of the Natural History Museum in New York. A committed NYPD detective picks up the case with the intention of solving it. He sets his eyes on a self-exiled Pakistani politician by the name of Mohammad Ali Pichkari. Disparate lives are thrown together for the purpose of bringing about the downfall of this man who, as it turns out, is the uncrowned king of Karachi. A burnt out New York cop; an octogenarian Parsi businessman sitting in a decaying Karachi mansion; an unconscionable hatchet-man whose days are numbered; a journalist who dreams of the big time — who brings about the downfall of Pichkari and how, forms the crux of this maelstrom of a novel.

The writing is easy to follow. Hamid’s characterizations call for rounds of applauds. His are not two-dimensional figures devoid of nuance; rather these are believable characters and seem to be drawn closely from real-life people. The pace is wonderfully set and is sure to keep readers glued to the pages.

An astutely written and well-crafted work. Just the thing for politics junkies and journalism buffs.

About the Author:

Omar Shahid Hamid has been a police officer in Pakistan for sixteen years and is a senior member of the Karachi Police's Counter Terrorism Department. In 2011, following an attack on his offices by the Pakistani Taliban, he took a five-year sabbatical to write books and worked as a political risk consultant. He has been widely quoted and regularly featured in major news outlets like The New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The Times, Le Monde, DW, Bloomberg, Reuters, CNN, BBC, France24, Radio France and NPR. His first novel, The Prisoner (2013), was long listed for the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature 2015 and is now being adapted for a feature film. His second novel is The Spinner’s Tale (2015). In 2016, Omar returned to active duty as a Counter Terrorism Officer.

Buy Link:



I'd like to thank the author for letting me review his novel. I do hope you end up liking the book when you read it. Thank you so much for stopping by, and happy reading! 



* I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
** Picture courtesy: Amazon.in


Monday, February 13, 2017

Blog Tour: Crescent Vendetta by Desiree L. Scott

Crescent Vendetta - Book 1 of the Vendetta Series
By Desiree L. Scott
Genre: Paranormal Romance


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Wolf-shifter Vanessa Burns has survived a life of brutality and neglect. Being kidnapped, drugged, and forced into an underground fighting ring is just the beginning of one man’s sick and twisted obsession.
Travis Kameron, the Alpha of the Crescent Ice Pack, suffering a similar fate, wakes up to find his life is about to be irreparably changed by the fierce she-wolf in the next cage.
Can they put aside old rivalries and the past and work together to not only survive and escape but to weather the storm of complications, revenge, and betrayals waiting for them on the outside?


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Crescent Vendetta - Book 1 of the Vendetta Series










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The sounds of howling, growling, and whimpering grew louder drawing his attention away from his intriguing and captivating companion and bowl of slop at his feet.
He returned his focus back to the sound of the crowd screaming that could be heard even through the thick walls. He looked towards the door and then back at her.
“How long does the medication last before you can shift?”
Silence, and then she sighed as her gaze shifted over to the door as well.
“I don’t know. They keep the drugs coming.”
“How long have you been here?”
“Months.”
Travis tried to think of anyone who had gone missing but drew a blank.
“How soon until they return again?”
Her eyes glowed as they went from the door to him, but she answered through their link, a link that was growing stronger.
“Anytime now. They seem to have the effective time span of the serum down pat.”
Just as she finished with that thought, he heard footsteps outside the door, followed by loud cursing and something falling to the ground with a clank.
Travis lay back down, his thoughts racing. How the hell were they going to get out of this?


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Desiree L. Scott has been writing since she was sixteen years old. There have been many influences within her life that has set her on the path that she cannot help but walk. A few of those influences consist of Karen Rose, Lisa Gardener, Nora Roberts, Cynthia Eden, Catherine Anderson, Laura Griffin, Andrea Kane, and Lisa Jackson, just to name a few. This list by no means defines my own writing but they have indeed influenced her desire to live outside of her own world and to create the thrill of her dreams.
Desiree lives on 40 + acres in the SHOW ME state with her ten-year old daughter, with the wonderful addition of four dogs. The weather is unpredictable, but the surrounding beauty of the country helps her creativity as she sits on her top deck with her laptop and coffee close by.


Social Media Links:
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