Monday 29 December 2014

What's Been Happening / Blood and the Raven Update, Thanks and Happy New Year!

Hello all. Hope you are all keeping well. I've been suffering from a flu bug for best part of a month. But these things can be expected in England at this time of the year.

I'm still keeping up exercise, but you know, you can have those days where the best thing to do is go to bed with a hot drink (or several hot drinks) and read!


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I've been reading Stephen King's Revival for most of December. I should have finished it, but concentration has been difficult with being unwell, but it is what it is! Enjoying it so far, and better than his recent efforts Mr Mercedes and Doctor Sleep!

HEADS UP

The second Tale of Vampires, er, Tale, is due for release in the next month or so! This tale, entitled The Blood and the Raven,  is separate, but also related to Murderous Little Darlings. As they are novellas, I am keeping them at a relatively cheap price. So please buy, rate, comment, review!

The giveaway for Murderous Little Darlings ends January 1st 2015. 




WHAT'S HAPPENED / HAPPENNING?

In 2014,  I released the paperback of Dark Winter: The Wicca Circle. This was followed in April by Stormling, and in the Autumn Dark Winter: Crescent Moon was released.

The release of Murderous Little Darlings (A Tale of Vampires:I) rounded off the year. I have learned a lot, experienced a lot, been elated, been battered, been humbled. But this is a learning process. Financially, it is looking worthwhile. But I realise there is much to do!

In 2015 you'll see the conclusion to the Dark Winter story, with Dark Winter: Last Rites being released.
A Tale of Vampires : III will also be released, as will the dark psychotic chiller thriller Clara's Song.

I may even finish the long awaited Mastery of Martial Arts - that's non-fiction of course. It's just the editing of that one that has taken so long.


THANKS (I really mean it)!

I want to thank each and every one of you who has bought a book this year - not just mine, if you have, but by supporting the book industry, whatever format you chose, is important for authors. There are many of us, and we are trying hard to been seen and heard.

We write the best that we can. We are not trying to be pushy or act needy when we ask you please buy our book - we just need a chance for our little project to catch fire.

My thanks go to, in no particular order, and apologies to anyone left out for your amazing support over the course of my writing adventure:-
  • Maxine Groves
  • Charlotte Henley
  • Cristiane Serruya
  • Vani
  • Merril
  • Geri Walton
  • Elizabeth Hanbury
  • Aditi Saha
  • J Kahele
  • Adriana Girolami
  • Chene Sterckx
  • Rocco R
  • Juanita
  • Hannah Drake
  • Mariana
  • Rachel
  • Manda
  • Kim
And many more.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

So have a very happy new year. I hope 2015 is all you wish for and more. Look forward to hearing from you in the new year!



Wednesday 17 December 2014

Book Review: The Inner Kingdom (Dragon Quest I) by S.R. Gibbs

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Think of the fantasies that thrilled you as a child, and influenced me as a writer, and the usual tales, Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnia and others come to the fore. In the case of CS Lewis' body of work, I felt that in author SR Gibb's debut novel, there lay the hallmarks of The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe.

 Of course, this story seeks to stand on its own, and it tells the tale of three sisters, Angie, April and Ashley, who find their normal day to day routine upturned when they find themselves in a fantastical world, full of danger, thrills and excitement. The book has quite a large cast of characters, but as the action all surrounds the three sisters, and often the chapter focus is told from one sister's POV, it's an enjoyable and always engaging read.

 In particular, I loved the ending. It was a great reveal, that I didn't see coming. Thankfully, the author has another tale in the works. I think SR Gibbs is very talented and will hopefully delight us with a new release soon.

Monday 8 December 2014

GoodReads Giveaway: Murderous Little Darlings (A Tale of Vampires #1)

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Murderous Little Darlings by John    Hennessy

Murderous Little Darlings

by John Hennessy

Giveaway ends January 01, 2015.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Friday 5 December 2014

Book Review: The Genesis Reversal by Jillian Cornell

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Master Jin: "Are you frightened of your wife, Ip?"
Ip Man: "No men are afraid of their wives. There are just men who respect them."

(from the movie Ip Man, 2008)


Sometimes a book makes you stop everything you're doing, and makes you think. The Genesis Reversal, by Jillian Cornell, is one such book.

If you read a book and can get into it instantly, that's great. Should the reading get too comfortable, however, it loses its possible strength.

Reading The Genesis Reversal was like watching one of those 'mirror universe' episodes of Star Trek where things were the same, but they weren't...and it does take you a little while to get used to the set up.

Fortunately, Miss Cornell's writing style is eloquent and well structured. You can 'buy' the premise of a matriarchal society here, whereas in the aforementioned Star Trek..such ideas were handled rather badly.

The main character of the story is young Tommy, who dreams of being the first male president one day. Such ideas are seen as fanciful, at best, but he watches cartoons like Captain Strong Man, who always helps others, and naturally, the Cap is a hero to him.

The overall message of the book is one of equality, and it remains a very important one. I really like the concept of women owning firearms but the men do not.

Whilst in our world, female killers are in the minority, it's more about attitude and mentality. Fairness, also. What is fairness? Is asking for more of a balance, and less control, actually fair? ask any reasonable person and they'll agree with that statement.

Men are quick to anger in this book, and it's fair to say men are generally more aggressive. I've always said I will avoid a fight where I can, but if in one...I will finish it. Guess who told me that? A woman - who was my first proper kung fu instructor.

I also loved lines like (paraphrased):

"Ruthie, would you explain why you threw rotten eggs at my house?"
"They weren't rotten when we threw them."

Coming from a Catholic family, the concept that God is a woman was a little difficult to get around, but I cannot prove otherwise, so I roll with it.

The Genesis Reversal is a true gem, because it makes you think 'what if' in a really plausible way. It also shows the power of book recommendations by your favourite authors.

I enjoyed this a lot. I'll be looking out for more from this talented author!

Thursday 4 December 2014

Book Review: Facade by J Kahele

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In the best tradition of sexually charged thrillers, Facade introduces us to Ally and Liam, two characters that are literally like two asteroids colliding in space.

It can only create a big bang. Ally is a feisty heroine, and I found myself one the one hand cheering for her directness and tough attitude. On other pages pages I was like 'Ally, now why have you done that? It will only make Liam mad.'

Liam has a great relationship with his father, a successful business, and Liam knows too what he wants. Problem is, despite the many proclaimations of love for each other, Ally and Liam don't seem to want to go that bit further, or maybe...learn to back off.

Hence this is the Facade I saw in the title, and how it relates to the story.

Will they end up together, or not? You'll have to read and see. But it is so worth the read!

I think the author of the superb Mine and Mine 2, J Kahele, had a blast writing this tale. There's scope for more too - Caras is actually my favourite character - I know...my warped mind! Anyway, this is a great read that demands your attention. Now.

Tuesday 2 December 2014

Cover Reveal: The Blood and the Raven (A Tale of Vampires, #2)


I'm happy to announce the second in my novella-style tale of vampires. Entitled The Blood and the Raven, the story is related to the first Tale, Murderous Little Darlings, and yet any in this series can be read on their own.

Unlike Murderous Little Darlings, which was told rather tongue-in-cheek, The Blood and the Raven is more of a straight up horror tale.

Synopsis: A group of teenagers spend a night amongst the ruins of an old priory, taking turns to scare one other with a tale of horror, each  one more scary than the last.

When it comes to Seth, the last storyteller, he is reluctant to tell the story, because once the story has been told, those who hear it, will begin to die.

As he is still alive, his friends think Seth is bluffing - but is he in fact, telling the truth?

To find out, you must dare to read the tale of The Blood and The Raven. 

Expected release: February 2015. You can read the first tale and buy it here.

Friday 21 November 2014

Murderous Little Darlings: Paperback Release Announcement!

Hello friends and hope you're having an amazing day.

"Now hear this!" as Lt. Dan says in Forrest Gump.

The Kindle version of my first book in the Tale of Vampires series has been out for  a while now and you can get the e-version here but this post is specifically about the paperback version.

It's done now, so expect it on Amazon soon. Here's a look at the front and back cover.


Murderous Little Darlings is the first in a series of seven tales of vampires. Expect the series to twist and turn, but all relate, once the series has ended. Each story can be read as a standalone too.


I hope you'll give it a go. I had a blast writing this!

Happy reading and writing!

Thursday 20 November 2014

Book Review #31: Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3) by Suzanne Collins

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Mockingjay had some serious living up to do. After The Hunger Games, and Catching Fire, the issue for Suzanne Collins was how to reel readers in for a third time. The possibility of another Hunger Games taking place seemed implausible, and so we are taken on a street level tour of District 13 in this book.

The rebellion appears to be in full swing, but the Capitol have a weapon in the form of Peeta. They use him in the same way that Katniss, for a large part of this book, seems to be used.

Christopher Nolan, director of the Dark Knight trilogy, at first did not want to do a third film in the series. That film, which became The Dark Knight Rises, would have almost certainly featured Heath Ledger's Joker. Given the actor's death, revisions to the script had to be made. 

The general consensus is that 'Rises' is the weakest of the three movies. But I see the series as one whole, and if you look at it in those terms, it's very enjoyable indeed. You have a clear beginning, middle, and end.
  
Mockingjay has this too, and the ending to Catching Fire just made your pulse race harder than anything that was in the first book. Yes, it was that good, in my view. Surely after that, the only way is down? Christopher Nolan didn't want to do the third Batman film because 'how often does the third story beat out the previous ones?'

And he is right. It's so difficult to get the third story in the series right. Mockingjay also seems to have 
polarised many readers, but most seem to think this is a fitting end to the series. Here's my take on it, given I read the book nearly two years ago now, and with the new film coming out, I just had to reacquaint myself with the story.

I had previously rated Mockingjay 4 stars out of 5 on GoodReads. Would this rating stand up?

I recall that my experience mirrored many others. Book 1, read as fast as I could (in my case, 1.5 days - I even wanted to reschedule teaching lessons in order to finish the book!), Catching Fire, best part of a week, Mockingjay....nearly three months.

Was I 'Gamed out' by this point? Had I tired of Panem's situation? No, it wasn't that. The pace of Book 1 and 2 was frenetic, to put it mildly. Book 3, in contrast, was slow, plodding, and yes...a bit depressing. I wanted to know where the spirited Katniss had gone. 

She became one of my favourite heroines in book form, but Jennifer Lawrence's portrayal on the big screen elevated Katniss to something else. That's why I think the film will still be good. Is it really Suzanne Collin's fault that some readers feel let down by the pace of this final book? Most say 'I was expecting something mind blowing'? And of course, that is fair enough.

Another comment was that the publisher pushed Miss Collins to write this third book, one she never intended to write. The whole evolution of Katniss from plucky fighter who replaced her sister in the 74th Games to this inward looking girl, who cannot seem to choose between Peeta and Gale, really irked me.

I know she is young, and she has seen many horrors, but Peeta, though kind to her, was more of the Games's invention - they were star crossed lovers because that's what kept them alive. I never really bought the relationship, and I felt - always - that Gale was closer to her. 

In the latter part of Mockingjay, Katniss still seems very confused, and it's not something I was comfortable with. Maybe it is how the author saw the character growing, but I felt it was a step back. I wanted Katniss not necessarily to be the symbol of the rebellion...after all, anyone could be the Mockingjay, really - it was more that I wanted her to have a happy ending, and I am not sure Suzanne Collins gave us that.

Many of you will have read the series, but on speaking to many people I know, not so many have, so I'll leave the spoilers out.

Ultimately Mockingjay is a case of some missed chances. There's dramatic points parachuted in needlessly, whereas in the first two books, the drama was truly engrossing. These points were introduced in order to make the reader feel some emotion, but I felt a huge disconnect here.

There is one genuine shock I did not see coming, and for those who will just watch the movie, it will be a real high point of the series. 

Catching Fire - the movie, was almost certainly better than the first film. Somehow, I don't think Mockingjay will pull it off. But it will be an enjoyable ride nonetheless.

My rating holds for now.

Saturday 8 November 2014

Weekend Writing Workshop #3: Scene Hopping - A Good or a Bad Thing?

When you are writing that special story of yours, there's a tendency, no matter how disciplined the mind, to run ahead of certain scenes. That's okay in itself - you need to know where the story is going. But if you scene hop just because you are stuck on the current scene, should you be actually scene hopping?

How helpful, or destructive, is this to your writing process?

We learn as we go. In my case, if I scene hopped, I needed to go back and check that at that moment in time, and how it fitted with the events prior to that, and those that came after it.

It would not be enough to simply suggest that you had reached an end point. The reader needs a reason, a justification as to why you wrote the scene in the way that you did.

It is often said that an author's first book is the one that truly nags to be written. Any book thereafter is an indulgence, no?

No, I don't think so. If you are a writer, at whatever level that may be, a second, third, hundredth book is fine. So long as you are happy with it, and you offer your readers a coherent, believable story.

The breaking of a scene, is a huge decision. You may have to - for example, certain elements aren't working and if you don't get to the scene twenty or fifty pages further on, you cannot make sense of this current one. Makes sense, right?

It only makes sense, if it makes sense to the reader. You cannot second guess how the reader will interpret your story, but try and make the job easy for them. Don't overload a scene with characters who have been barely introduced, or not mentioned for 200 pages. Don't over complicate the scene, so that the important details are lost. Don't bore your reader with too much detail! Sometimes, an oak tree, is just an oak tree!

I do this workshop in the hope it helps some of you, but I also say that I too am learning the craft, and it's something I will never stop learning. If each book I write is better than the last, I feel I am on the right path.

I've mentioned what I think you shouldn't do, so here's what I think you should do.


  • Do finish a scene. Then leave it to 'brew', come back, and flesh it out. 
  • Do not add drama for drama's sake. You are taking your reader on a journey, not an OMG on every page. After a while, they will desensitise to your perceived dramatic points
  • Do make the scene real, even in fiction works, this has to be believable, and relatable for the reader.
  • Make the scene hopping work. Ever tried to drive over a broken bridge? That's okay in GTA, but not in real life. Make the scene (hopping) work.

So, in summary, I don't think scene hopping is a bad thing, but it does make you lose time, and possibly, the thread of the storyline. If this is your first book, you're forgiven, so long as the story is good. If it is your second book, try your best to scrub scene hopping from your writing process.

By then, you'll be well on your way to having a back catalogue for readers to enjoy.

Happy writing!

Catch up on the previous #Tips here

Monday 27 October 2014

Book Review #30: Revenge of the Knights Templar by Adriana Girolami

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 A tale of swords and superstitions, of passion and deception, of political machinations and posturing, Revenge of the Knights Templar is an exceptional debut novel by talented author Adriana Girolami.

This story has been on my to read list for most of 2014. Now, that I have finally completed reading it, I can say that the wait was worth it.

The ability of an author to transport the reader to a different time and place, and do it convincingly, is a task that perhaps only the most seasoned of authors would attempt. So it makes this story all the more remarkable that it sets itself up brilliantly, with the kind of prose I wish I could use in my writing.

After the initial few chapters, where most if not all of the main characters are introduced, the pace picks up and doesn't let go. In fact, I had to stop myself from finishing the novel too quickly.

It is a thoroughly entertaining and thrilling read, set in the 1480s where, as always, who ever wields power can do so with a silken rose or an iron fist.

Our heroine, Polyxena, is destined to become a duchess, but not in the way she envisaged. Her love, the Duke Arsenio is brutally cast aside in a battle of wills and swords, seeing the repugnant Duke of Saxe-Hanover seizing power, with Polyxena, seemingly hapless to play anything but the dutiful wife.

Things can't go on like this forever, and with the tyrant becoming ever more tyrannical (as they do!) the evil Duke begins to make mistakes...the biggest of which seem his superstitions. The fate of one cat in the story was a pivotal moment for me.

Polyxena, as befits a great heroine, is anything but a housemaid and often voices her displeasure at the Duke's actions - especially with his joy at the arrangement of so many executions of his enemies. Polyxena, understandably, is horrified. One of the condemned is her new love, Duccio.

The story has a great premise, but actually backs this up with superb execution. The characters are believeable, you feel hatred for the evil Duke, love and hope for the beautiful and intelligent Polyxena. I even found my distaste of Flavia coming around to better thoughts later on. Such is this beautifully woven tale.

The cover, though stunning, should not hide the fact that the sword fights are realistic in their description, and Miss Girolami places you as if you wielded the sword yourself! I was truly swept into the action of this story, which I will say is as well written as any part of the Lord of the Rings.

The author's wordcraft is exciting and perfectly describes each scene. The characters are superbly drawn, and the detail of her vision leaves nothing to chance. You, dear reader, are transported to 1480s Europe, and can do nothing about it!

This story is a historical epic, a romance, a thriller, a mystery and is full of great lines, written beautifully and without any hint of pretence.

It's not without humour, with great lines such as:

"The erotic spectacle stimulated the drunken crowd, who quickly joined the royal pair in a sexually driven bacchanal. An orgiastic took over the room while everybody rubbed and caressed anything that wasn't theirs."

And stark, great authoritarian lines such as:-

"A river of blood will cleanse you of audacity!"

Also:-

"It's easy to learn cruelty when you live with evil."

Truly, I can't wait to read this book again. It's been by far one of my favourite reads of 2014, and one can only wait for Miss Girolami's next book. As for Revenge of the Knights Templar, I thoroughly recommend you read it. Now. 

Friday 17 October 2014

Book Review #29: Mine 2 by J. Kahele

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You know the often quoted saying, especially in movies, where people say that a follow-up or sequel can never match the original?

That's true. But authors wouldn't write a follow up unless they could beat it. In Mine 2, I believe author J. Kahele has achieved this improbable feat.

Mine 1 was a brutal read, about a woman suffering severe emotional and physical abuse at the hands of her Senator husband, Ben Kramer.

Jenna Kramer is a character I could feel great sympathy for. A common riposte from people about women who stay with the men who hit them is 'why doesn't she leave him?'

And whilst I agree with that, unless I was in the horrific situation Jenna finds herself in, how could I know what I would say, how I would react, what would I do?

It's clear Ben Kramer is a brutal man with few, if any, redeeming qualities. Does this make him sound one-dimensional? No, because if he was, you could predict his next move. You can't. This is masterful story telling.

That said, like Mine 1, this is not an easy read. It is not a book to make you smile. It is not for the faint of heart, because the violence is graphic, very hard-hitting, and relentless.

With so many horrors happening in the world, why read this book?

Well..if you want an utterly compelling story with a thrilling narrative and a woman who you really feel for and want her to come through this....read Mine, then read Mine 2.

The antagonist, Ben Kramer, doesn't love Jenna. He controls her. As I reviewed in Mine 1, she cannot even wear blue jeans because it displeases Ben.

And when Ben is displeased, boy, does he show it.

Fortunately, Jenna is not alone, and she has a new love, Andrew Carington, who really does love Jenna, but when I was reading some of his actions, I found myself shocked.

Can I, as a male, tell you honestly that a woman I have been in love with has never annoyed me, to the point that her words and actions have enraged me?

Of course I cannot say that. But I can say that my discipline means there is a line I would not cross. But there are many men that do, and the women on the end of their cruelty stay with them.

I have taught women martial arts who have previously suffered from abuse from men in their lives. I have heard real horror stories from them, the details of which turned my stomach and made me ashamed that I was the same gender as these torturers.

There is no circumstance in which a man should hit a woman. I don't care what it is. There is nothing that can justify that.

With reference to the book, this is a book everyone should read and they will enjoy it. The author, J. Kahele, is a truly talented writer and I believe she is going to go far.

Here is a lady author who has not gone down the route of 'sex for sex' sake' in her writing. That may be the hot topic right now, but for my own part, I want to read intelligent writing. And it is here in abundance.

Does Jenna find happiness? Is Andrew the answer? Does Ben mend his ways and win Jenna back, or does he get his comeuppance?

The last line of Mine 2 is automatically one of my all-time favourites!

So many haunting lines that just hit you where it hurts, such as:-

"Abusers are not merely low-paid, uneducated alcoholics, like society would like us to believe. They are from all different positions in society; an abuser can be just about anyone, from a factory worker to a senator."

All true. Wearing a suit does not necessarily make me more civilised!

The answers to the questions above are within this fantastic book, arguably my favourite book of 2014. This is such a hard thing to say, amongst so many great titles, but I love this book. I felt all of Jenna's pain, all of Andrew's rage, and I understood his position too (for the most part!) - and I could not stop reading.

The last book I read this fast was the superlative Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. That's how good this is.

Take a bow, J. Kahele. You have won a new fan.

Monday 13 October 2014

Book Review #28: Mine by J. Kahele

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Once in a while, a true edge-of-the-seat (or in this case, page) thriller entertains and enthralls us.

Mine tells us the tale of Jenna Kramer, who comes into contact with handsome attorney Andrew Carington. All well and good, you may say. But Jenna is married. Not only that, she is married to Ben, a Senator. Not only that, Ben is a possessive nutjob, I'm thinking his mother could be Annie Wilkes from Misery.

Mine is a brutal examination of how people can be controlled in relationships. Of course there are things we will do that our partner / spouse will not like. But in Jenna's case, she finds herself eating a wall because she chose to wear blue jeans. Something with Ben doesn't like. He doesn't like this at all.

In fact, when the first assault from Ben happens, it is truly shocking. And the way he follows it up with an 'I Love You' makes it all the more worse.

I have had Mine on my to read list for a while. It's such a pleasure to read a truly thrilling novel, where the author uses great prose to draw us into this world.

You root for Jenna, that's a given, but really, no-one should have to go through what she goes through in this book.

Even more pleasing is the knowledge that a second book in the series exists.

Make sure you read Mine, because I was reminded of Fatal Attraction, Jagged Edge, Stepfather...and similar thrillers of this ilk. Ben could be in any of these kind of films...he is a guy you love to hate. But is down to the author's talent as a writer that this Ben is so utterly chilling.

I find myself still thinking about the book, even though I have read it, and would re-read it!

So buy Mine, and enjoy. You may not look at your relationship in the same way again!




Sunday 12 October 2014

Book Review #27: Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage by Jennifer Ashley

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Jennifer Ashley is best known for her romance novels, but she writes paranormal on occasion too. This book was recommended to me so I purchased it. This review is for the paperback edition.

I'll sometimes lend my books out. In my mum's case, I'm trying to broaden her reading beyond Catherine Cookson, Maeve Binchy and Danielle Steele. So I lend her the occasional book.

A good thing I read this first then - from the first few pages the rating could be considered as extremely hot, and not the kind of book to lend to Mum!

So this review is based on the second book in the series, and is my first JA read.

Isabella is a strong, independent young woman, and doesn't give in to the affections from men easily. However, in this book, it seems she will wilt in the end, although I won't spoil the ending! 

The book could be considered a Highland romance, as our 'hero' paints whilst wearing a kilt. Fair enough!

It also means he can get his clothes off more quickly, which, if Isabella is as hot as we are led to believe, I'd probably be going for her too!

I like the descriptions of England, which are extremely well done, you really feel like you are there. I suppose it must be hard for American authors to write with true authenticity if they haven't been to the country they write about. But her descriptions are so vivid that the author must have been here.

The ending was actually rather unpredictable. And it's that thought I'll leave you with. Jennifer Ashley has sold tonnes of books, so she must be doing something right. It's an enjoyable romance that has lots of intensity, which puts it above many of its peers, but lack just that bit extra to make it awesome.

A very good read, nonetheless!


Saturday 11 October 2014

Weekend Writing Workshop #2: My Tips for Writing and Getting That Book Written - Part Two

If you missed the first of my Weekend Writing Workshop tips, then check out this link:- Tips #1

This week, I continue my tips. Whichever ones work for you, build them into your routine, and you will achieve great success! This is what I am wishing for you, and for all of us.

6. Lack of self-belief is your biggest enemy.

There you are, with a great sounding idea in your head. You start writing. Maybe you've already done the synopsis, or you haven't. Maybe you have the story in your head, and just want to get going without fully thinking it through.

But you must start somewhere. There are countless websites and books that will say 'oh you should do this - I did and I sold xxx amount of books'  and others will say 'oh you should do this' completely contradicting the other website.

Ignore them, because whilst you view the pros and cons, you are not writing.

But I digress. Procrastination is a killer of most things, but you need to believe in yourself if you are to get the book written (even if it is a book about self-belief!!).

Family may or may not support you in this venture. Same goes for friends - on and off line.

Writing is a lonely process. But if you have something to say, and you think it could be better served outside of blogging, then get the book done. Believe in yourself. Let no-one say to you 'you can't' when you can. Let no-one affect your goal. Otherwise you, who believes you have a book in you, will never get it done.

It's the fear of the thing, not the actual thing, that is scary - am I right?

Yes. I fear that terrible review. I fear the sales hitting the floor. Or worse - I fear not being able to write something good - something that I can believe in.

You may be thinking - 'but who would really want to read my story?' Well, let me say this - Hollywood pumps billions into making, producing and distributing low brain - high octane action movies (yes, Jason Statham, I am talking about you!) and it's fine...it has an audience. Not every movie has to be The Piano or Schlinder's List. I enjoy action movies. I love the stupidity of some of them. But they make money - because the studio believes it will.

The point is, even the worst ones make money. You can make money from your writing enterprise but you know - or may not know, the full extent of the amount of work you are going to have to put in.

But you can perhaps only put out trash once. Reviewers can be very unforgiving, and friends may get bored of you if you have 'yet another book' coming out. Not always the case, but you must push on nonetheless.

Why? Because you are a writer. You have a story to tell. Believe in it and yourself, and there is nothing you cannot achieve.

7. Give yourself a structure.

I like structure. I like process. Affect me in any way, and it could upset what I need to achieve that hour / day / week / month.

For some, it is writing for one hour in the morning before you go to work. For others, it is writing late into the small hours. But do give yourself a structure. Commit to finishing that chapter, or that word milestone, or simply getting particular scene as best as you can.

Don't let it become a chore, though. Actually, even when I knew my writing was substandard, I would still type away. It's like a pianist (also a hobby of mine) trying to find the right note or chord. Keep going. Give yourself a structure. Never stop until you have achieved your goal for that day, and if you do under hit or under achieve, resolve to fix it the very next day.

8. Pick a genre you like, not the hottest thing around.

The beauty of books is that they can be picked up at any time, and can contain absolutely anything within its pages. Imagine this - you read The Hunger Games, loved it, and thought 'hey, I can write a dystopian novel and it will be a hit because it is all the rage now.'

What happens? Many authors try it - Keira Cass, Veronica Roth, and so on. And your interest wanes because it is getting rather samey.

So if you are really set on writing the hottest thing right now, I think you can still write it, but it may get swallowed up by the Suzanne Collins and Co machine!

Quality is quality though - if you can write a quality book, then it will be found.

9. Allow yourself down time and down days.

There are days you simply won't want to write, nor be able to write. So allow yourself these moments of down time. Don't punish yourself. It happens. You have so much going on in your life that you can't focus. But the next day, it's better. And you can focus. Then you write, and you actually write better than you would have if you had forced it.

I'm trying to give myself the weekend off from writing, so that my body can heal from the teaching I do, and my brain can heal from the writing I do. Whatever works for you, do it by NOT doing it!

Go to the cinema, grab an ice cream, go shopping, see the football game, hammer the playstation.

But live.

10. Write the synopsis.

This is a very hard thing to do unless you have a real handle on your story and characters. Who do you mention? Who do you leave out? What significant event can be mentioned without giving the story away? What hook can you include that will make people want to read?

For my first fiction book, Dark Winter: The Wicca Circle, I managed to include two things that I wanted.

i) The short story hook the reason why the book is engaging and should be read
ii) A diary style entry that would get you into the character's head.

The Short Story Hook:-

Romilly Winter is no ordinary heroine, just an ordinary one. 

She has a gift. She can see the future. But can she see far enough? The world in which she lives is under attack - the dead are rising, and evil follows her at every turn.

Will she be able to save herself - and the world?

The synopsis cannot make you care about Romilly at this point, but it does give you an idea of the difficulty in which she finds herself. The cover gives you some idea, but raises more questions than answers. Can she save the world, indeed. If the story is total fantasy, you will have trouble caring about that. But this paranormal tale is told with elements that you have to believe are real, and could happen. That's why the short story hook works.

Again, if you missed the first of my Weekend Writing Workshop tips, then check out this link:- Tips #1

Happy reading and writing!

Wednesday 8 October 2014

Book Review #26: The Modern Man by Cristiane Serruya

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I do love a well written philosophical book, and one of those that affected me the most over many years is Bruce Lee's Tao of Jeet Kune Do.

I am an experienced martial arts teacher, but when that book was written, it was ahead of its time. Bruce Lee was ahead of his time. Arguably now, only some of his concepts are being truly understood. I continue to wrestle with them myself.

The next thing to say is that I am a fan of Cristiane Serruya's works, without necessarily being a fan of 'hot romances'.

But her TRUST trilogy was, and is, a revelation.

So where does The Modern Man stack up? Written by the author when aged just 18, it shows a great maturity and, in relation to Bruce Lee - someone else who was ahead of her time.

At times, the book seems dream-like, almost stuck between the haze of half-sleep whilst dealing with the brutality of life. Some may even view this as a pro-feminist text. It may well be, but that's not how I took it.

It is a complex narrative, but beautifully written, and every single line engages you. It is a book worthy of many, many re-reads. In The Tao of Jeet Kune Do, many sentences deserve multiple re-reads.

I have read other philosophy books, but few as good as the one I mentioned. Now we can add this one to the list.

One of the most striking parts of the book, for me, was this:-

'The man has forgotten what is hot or cold.

He forgot what is wind or rain.

The man forgot the elements of Nature.'

I believe this is one of the most damning judgements on our lives today. We are controlled by our electronic devices, that makes me actually shudder at former Sun Microsystems supremo, Scott McNealy, who said 'we want everyone to be connected, everywhere.'

I thought that was a fine ideal at the time. Since then, Sun has gone the way of the technological dodo, and Mark Zuckerburg wants us checking Facebook even when we are outdoors!

No. Let's reclaim our place in the universe - with Nature at our centre.

I'd like to think this is the message the author wishes to convey in those few sentences, but I expect it runs much deeper, much more meaningful than that.

I would like to think Miss Serruya is working on a new non-fiction text. One wonders what she would treat us with.

If you want a book that will make you THINK - get this book. It's wonderful, but not in the literal sense of the word. It is not an easy read, despite its brevity. But then, it doesn't need to be long.

The best authors know when they have arrived at the final page.




Tuesday 7 October 2014

25 Things I Know To Be True (since writing Dark Winter#1)


1. Hormones really are a b*tch.
2. There are some witches really can’t do *everything*.
3. Theory is so much more easier than practice.
4. If you’re attracted to someone, bl**dy tell them so!
5. Kung Fu doesn’t work that great on zombies.
6. Red heads are hot, even if they are flaky.
7. Know the difference between a friendly hug and when someone tries to squeeze the life out of you.
8. Mirrors are scary things (especially at 2am in the morning and you really need the bathroom)


9. Wearing blindfolds is always a bad idea.
10. Going to zombie-self-defence class should be compulsory.
11. Choose your friends carefully.
12. Anything that marks you out as different, makes you special. Not weird.
13. Shadows and shapes always look bigger in the dark.
14. Not every mirror can make you prettier.
15. Always carry your gloves.
16. Never ask a girl to give you her mirror.
17. Falling in love makes you blind to that person’s faults.
18. To avoid disappointment, get your prom date request in early.
19. Chocolate can pretty much defeat anything.
20. Information found on the internet can often be wrong.
21. There is never ANY reason to let a zombie girl into your house.
22. Dead people do keep grudges.
23. Scary things can happen in the daylight too.
24. Accept that you are stuck with the genes your parents gave you.
25. Hope will keep you going, and faith will see you through.