The King's Curse by Philippa Gregory

Available on Amazon UK and Amazon US

From the author of The Other Boleyn Girl and The White Princess comes the story of Margaret Pole, daughter of George, Duke of Clarence, and one of the few surviving members of the Plantagenet dynasty after the Wars of the Roses. Plantagenet, once carried proudly by Margaret like a crown upon her head, is now, at the end of the 15th century,

the most dangerous name in England.

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    About the Author

Philippa Gregory was an established historian and writer when she discovered her interest in the Tudor period and wrote the internationally bestselling novel The Other Boleyn Girl. Now she is looking at the family that preceded the Tudors: the magnificent Plantaganets, a family of complex rivalries, loves, and hatreds. Her other great interest is the charity that she founded nearly twenty years ago: Gardens for The Gambia. She has raised funds and paid for 140 wells for the primary schools of this poor African country.

A former student of Sussex university, and a PhD and Alumna of the Year 2009 of Edinburgh University, her love for history and commitment to historical accuracy are the hallmarks of her writing. She lives with her family on a small farm in Yorkshire. She welcomes visitors to her site www.PhilippaGregory.com

Book Review: THE MINE by John A. Heldt

Available on Amazon US and Amazon UK

I really enjoyed John A. Heldt’s time-travel love story, full of engaging likeable characters and interesting period details. His adventurous hero, Joel Smith, is someone you’d want to have on your side - good in a scrap (and anything he turns his hand to) yet sensitive to the needs of his friends.

As with all the best time-bending stories, there is always the danger that he’ll do some small thing that entirely changes the future, such as finding his twenty-one year old grandmother worryingly attractive!

It’s helpful of course, that he knows his sporting stats well enough for the occasional wager to pay off big time – and that all the ladies are fighting over him. The problem is that he knows too much, such as the outbreak of WW2, which hangs heavily over his new life. Does he dare to warn his friends? Does he even want to return to the present day?

John A. Heldt deserves his reputation as a story teller - and THE MINE is definitely one to add to your  ‘to-read’ list. Highly recommended.

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About the Author

John A. Heldt is the author of the critically acclaimed Northwest Passage series. The former reference librarian and award-winning sportswriter has loved getting subjects and verbs to agree since writing book reports on baseball heroes in grade school.

A graduate of the University of Oregon and the University of Iowa, Heldt is an avid fisherman, sports fan, home brewer, and reader of thrillers and historical fiction. When not sending contemporary characters to the not-so-distant past, he weighs in on literature and life at johnheldt.blogspot.com. You can also find John on Twitter @johnheldt, as well as Facebook and Goodreads.

George Orwell's Writing Habits

Eric Arthur Blair, best known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English novelist who wrote two of the most famous novels of the 20th century, Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four. Educated at Eton, he joined the Indian Imperial Police in Burma, then resigned in 1927 to become a full time writer. In 1928, he moved to Paris where lack of writing success forced him to take menial hotel work, which he described in his first book, Down and Out in Paris and London'. (He chose the name George Orwell shortly before its publication, taking his surname from the River Orwell in East Anglia). His powerful dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four has sold millions of copies worldwide and its terms such as "Big Brother", "doublethink" and "newspeak" became part of everyday language.

In 1946 David Astor, editor of the Observer newspaper, lent Orwell a Scottish farmhouse on the remote island of Jura, where Orwell lived when writing Nineteen-Eighty-Four. Struggling with ill-health, he used a battered  Remington Home Portable typewriter, often revising and retyping entire chapters .  He worked in bed, on what he called "the grisly job" of typing the manuscript on his "decrepit typewriter", kept going by chain-smoking ‘roll-up’ cigarettes, endless mugs of black coffee and strong tea, with only a foul-smelling paraffin heater to keep out the Scottish chill.

In one of his essays entitled ‘Why I write’ he famously said, "Writing a book is a horrible, exhausting struggle, like a long bout of some painful illness. One would never undertake such a thing if one were not driven by some demon whom one can neither resist or understand. For all one knows that demon is the same instinct that makes a baby squall for attention."

As well as his novels, Orwell’s famous six rules for writing, taken from “Politics and the English Language” have inspired writers ever since:

1. Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
2. Never use a long word where a short one will do.
3. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
4. Never use the passive where you can use the active.
5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
6. Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.

Other posts about the habits of famous writers:

Agatha Christie’s Writing Habits

Daphne du Maurier’s Writing Habits

Dean Koontz’s Writing Habits

Ernest Hemingway's Writing Habits

Jane Austen's Writing Habits

John Steinbeck’s Writing Habits

J. R. R. Tolkien’s Writing Habits

Roald Dahl's Writing Habits

Rudyard Kipling's Writing Habits

Stephen King's Writing Habits 

Thomas Hardy’s Writing Habits

Fiction Addiction Book Tours ~ Charlotte’s Restrained By Celia Kennedy

Nestled at the heart of the French Alps, Charlotte Young and her five closest friends ring in the New Year on a ski vacation in Chamonix France.

With the same idea in mind, many of the world’s celebrities are in town. Including the King of Romantic Comedies, Des Bannerman. Charlotte and friends join forces to help her realize her lifelong fantasy, to meet Des Bannerman.

Using bait in the form of her Sophia Loren lookalike friend to blaze a trail to Des Bannerman, Charlotte finally meets her man. His girlfriend, the latest Bond Girl, proves an insurmountable obstacle. Unexpectedly, Charlotte finds herself happily reconciled to an innocent evening of drinking champagne, gambling, and chatting to the celebrity of her dreams.

With the wave of her well-manicured hand, lighthearted banter turns into tabloid fodder. Lewd headlines and suggestive photographs provide worldwide entertainment. It also leaves Charlotte saddled with a restraining order.

Des Bannerman flees, leaving Charlotte to cope with the paparazzi and feeling very wronged! With her entire life impacted, Charlotte sets about dealing with the fallout of her fifteen minutes of fame. The only problem is, how does a mere mortal make contact with a celebrity god?

Girl meets boy. Boy disregards girl. Girl tracks down boy to get some answers! Along the way and with the help of her friends, Charlotte finds the answers to life’s biggest questions!

Available on Amazon US and Amazon UK

Date	Tour Host
4th August	Tome Tender
5th August	Chicklit Club Connect
6th August	Books are my life
7th August	Brook Cottage Books
12th August	Tracy Riva Books and Reviews
13th August	allthingsbookie

 The giveaway on tour is a signed copy of Charlotte’s Restrained plus an Amazon Gift Card £15/$25

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author 

Celia Kennedy was born in Wurzburg, Germany on an American military base. Her parents’ penchant for traveling the world, via a Volkswagen Minibus with a Porsche engine, sparked her imagination. Staring out the window, sometimes through fog and rain, at other times at sunny blue skies, she began to make up stories for the places and spaces they passed by. The in-between time, the most fascinating to her. The imagined world has always fascinated Celia. She has studied Landscape Architecture, Architecture, Interior Design, and pretty much every other subject matter. Like her childhood, it was the ride that was the most entertaining, arrival at a degree, not anywhere as important. Celia published Charlottes Restrained in December of 2012 and Venus Rising in August of 2013. Look for Kathleen’s Undressed, a companion novel to Charlottes Restrained, to be published in 2014. Currently she lives in Washington State with the loves of her life. Find out more at Celia's website – www.celiakennedy.weebly.com and find her on Goodreads, Twitter @KennedyCelia and Facebook.

Guest Post ~ Glancing Through the Glimmer / Teens and Fantasy by Pat McDermott

A homesick girl meets a prince in disguise,
and both run afoul of the fairies…

In the Kingdom of Ireland, few mortals believe in the fairy folk. Without that belief, the fairies are dying. When Janet Gleason’s grandfather becomes the new U.S. Ambassador to Ireland, the sixteen-year-old orphan must leave Boston and her friends behind. Lonely in Dublin and unused to her grandparents’ stuffy social life, her life changes when she has to outwit a treacherous fairy king who’s been hoodwinking mortals for centuries...

Available on Amazon US and Amazon UK

Do teenage readers identify with characters whose personal problems help them cope with teen-year trials, or do they simply enjoy escaping into an entertaining diversion?

I asked myself these questions when I first considered writing a “young adult” story. Not only did I used to be a teenager, I also had two in the house for thirteen years or so. Their experiences gave me some razor-sharp refreshers on what it’s like to be a teen. As if I could forget.

I recall my own teenage years well because I disliked them so much. Most teens do, for reasons ranging from embarrassing skin to curfews and cliques, STDs and mental health, body image, peer pressure, bullying, depression, drug abuse and worse. Being a teenager is, and always has been, hard work.

And so, I asked myself another question: With so many issues troubling today’s teens, why do writers have to invent things to create young adult stories?

Answer? Because young adults of all ages love the fantasy.

Many teens find comfort reading about characters who experience problems similar to theirs. Others prefer to bury themselves in rousing adventures that help relieve their stress for a precious while. Those looming final exams don’t seem so desperate when vampires, werewolves, dragons, and aliens threaten the world.

During my teens, I often sought refuge in stories like Treasure Island, Great Expectations, Peter Pan, and all sorts of fairy tales. At last, I created my own escapes. I love to write and have published six books. My Band of Roses Trilogy consists of three alternate history adventures set in a modern Ireland ruled by the heirs of High King Brian Boru. My young adult books, Glancing Through the Glimmer and Autumn Glimmer, are “prequels” to this trilogy.

The hero and heroine of the Glimmer Books are the king of Ireland’s son, Prince Liam Boru, and Janet Gleason, the American Ambassador’s granddaughter. As all teens do, Liam and Janet struggle to deal with coming-of-age issues. In Glancing Through the Glimmer, their problems  fall by the wayside when the King of the Fairies decides he’d like to dance with Janet—for the next few centuries.

Readers might ask: What would I do if I were Janet? If I were Liam, could I counteract powerful fairy spells to save her? When Liam tries and the Fairy King turns on him, can Janet save him? (I hope so. I need these gallant teens for Book Three, currently under construction.)

Pat McDermott

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About the Author

Boston, Massachusetts native Pat McDermott writes romantic action/adventure stories set in Ireland. Glancing Through the Glimmer and its sequel, Autumn Glimmer, are young adult paranormal adventures featuring Ireland’s mischievous fairies and an Irish royal family that might have been. Both books are “prequels” to her popular Band of Roses Trilogy: A Band of Roses, Fiery Roses, and Salty Roses. Her first contemporary romance, The Rosewood Whistle, features Ireland’s music and myths. Pat’s favorite non-writing activities include cooking, hiking, reading, and traveling, especially to Ireland. She lives and writes in New Hampshire, USA. Find out more at Pat’s Website www.patmcdermott.net and find her on Twitter @Pat_McDermott and on Facebook 

Video Trailer for Glancing Through the Glimmer

Guest Post ~ Two Roads, Self Publishing Or Traditional - The Choice Is Yours, by Jill Paterson

Available on Amazon US, Amazon UK and Amazon Australia 

The world of publishing has changed in recent years in the fact that authors now have a choice whether they wish to be traditionally published or self published.  Let’s look at each option in turn.

Traditional Publishing

If you choose the traditional publishing path, your first step is to:-

• Send off a query letter along with a Book Proposal, three sample chapters and synopsis to a literary agent or publisher who accepts unsolicited manuscripts.  Being accepted is easier said than done so you might have to repeat this process many times.
• If you are successful in being accepted for publication, you will sign a contract and the publication process will begin.  (In all, the process can take between 1-2 years before your book appears in bookstores.)
• Your manuscript will be scrutinised by a content editor, line editor and copy editor.
• A cover will be designed with the editorial board and marketing team’s input (the author may or may not be included in the decision making).
• At the same time, a description (blurb) of your story will be written for the cover.
• ISBNs will be assigned to each format your book is to be published in.
• For a new author there will probably be a print run of 5000 books which will be stored in a warehouse.
• Your book will remain in bookstores for up to 1 year (depending on shelf space) whereupon any unsold copies will be returned to the publisher.
• You will receive royalty cheques twice per year.
• Although your publisher will market your book, you are expected to contribute to this process.

Self Publishing

If you decide to self publish your work, you go through much the same process as described above but whereas in traditional publishing you are guided all the way, with others making many of the decisions, self publishing means just that.  You do it yourself:-

• Make sure that your manuscript is polished for publication.  Employing a freelance editor can help you achieve this.
• If you plan to publish in both eBook and paperback formats, you will need to have your manuscript formatted for each.  The eBook file will be a word.doc file and the paperback has to be a PDF file.
• Find a cover designer to create a dynamic cover.  If you plan on publishing in both eBook and paperback formats, you will need two covers.  One front cover for the eBook and a full cover - back/front/spine - for your paperback.
• Write a catchy blurb that will capture potential readers interest.
• Obtain ISBNs for both your eBook and your paperback.
• Decide who you will publish with.
• If, for example, you plan to publish using Amazon, you will need to go through Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) for your eBook, and CreateSpace for the paperback.  In both instances, these sites will walk you through the publishing process. (You may be given the option of a free ISBN from Amazon.).
• Once you have uploaded your files to KDP and CreateSpace, your book will appear on the Amazon site within days.
• There is no warehousing of your printed edition because paperbacks will be printed as they are sold.  This is called Printed On Demand POD.
• You are able to monitor your sales on the KDP and Createspace sites and royalties for each month of sales are paid 60 days on.

Once you have your book published it is time to think about marketing.  This is an ongoing process if you wish your book to be visible to potential readers.  One of the ways that can help you is to:-

• Build an author platform.  This can be done with social media through sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads and perhaps a blog.
• If you have published on Amazon create an Author Central page.
• If you are with KDP, you can join KDP Select and take advantage of their Countdown Deals.
• Advertise through web sites such as The Kindle Book Review, eReader News Today, Bargain Booksy and Book Goodies.

Like everything, there is a lot to learn whether you are traditionally published or self published.  Whatever you choose, I’m sure that you will find it a great experience.

If you would like more detailed information on self publishing along with links to helpful sites, you will find it in my book, SelfPublishing-Pocket Guide.

Jill Paterson

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About the Author

Jill Paterson was born in Yorkshire, UK, and grew up in Adelaide, South Australia before spending 11 years in Ontario, Canada. On returning to Australia, she settled in Canberra. After doing an arts degree at the Australian National University, she worked at the Australian National University's School of Law before spending the next 10 years with the Business Council of Australia and the University of NSW, ADFA Campus, in the School of Electrical Engineering. Jill is the author of three published books, The CelticDagger, Murder At The Rocks, and Once Upon A Lie which are all part of the Fitzjohn Mystery Series.  Her non-fiction books include Writing-Painting A Picture With Words as well as her Self Publishing-Pocket Guide. Find out more at Jill's blog http://www.theperfectplot.blogspot.com and find her on Twitter @Jillpaterson2, Facebook, Goodreads and Amazon.  

World-Wide Blog Tour

I was nominated for this blog tour by Mari Christie, a professional writer, editor, and graphic designer in Denver, Colorado, whose creative work includes three mainstream historical fiction novels, one Regency romance, and innumerable poems. Visit her website
http://marichristie.wordpress.com/ and find her on Twitter @mchristieauthor

There are four questions to answer on this blog tour, so here are mine:

1) What am I working on?

I am now half way through my new historical fiction novel The Secret Diary of Eleanor Cobham. Lady Eleanor was falsely accused of witchcraft and necromancy and imprisoned for life in various castles - if they really beleieved she was guilty she would have been burned at the stake. Instead, she found time to write her secret diary... I am really enjoying the research, particularly the visit to Beaumaris Castle on Anglesey, North Wales, where I found Eleanor's chapel still exists! 

2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?

I try to find subjects that have never been covered as historical novels - which seemed a great idea at first but of course there is usually a reason.

3) Why do I write what I do?

I was originally a non-fiction author and had an Amazon best-seller on Project Management. My first novel, Queen Sacrifice, took a year to write and my fourth is taking even longer, although I do enjoy creative writing more as I gain experience.

4) How does my writing process work?

I like to have a good outline before I start and do as much research as I can, including visiting places mentioned. (My second novel The Shell took me to Mombasa.) I try to have at least 4,000 words per chapter. These are often changed around in several steps of revision, before I pass it on for editing.  

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I'd like to nominate best-selling fiction author, blogger and podcaster Ani Alexander as the next person on this blog tour. You can find out more about her at her website
www.anialexander.com, where you can also get free resources for authors (www.anialexander.com/free). Her popular Write 2B Read podcast is available on iTunes at www.anialexander.com/itunes and Stitcher at www.anialexander.com/stitcher. You can also find Ani on Twitter @Ani_LifeProb