Laurie Bowler Guest Post

Laurie Bowler Guest Post on Writing

I’d like to welcome Laurie Bowler to my blog today with a guest post on writing. Please give her some love and buy her books at Amazon.

  I would like to introduce myself. My name is Laurie Bowler and I live in the United Kingdom. I write horror and Paranormal fantasy, all of which I thoroughly enjoy and I can create as many amazing worlds and different characters and creatures that inspire me to continue to write.

  Every day is different in my writing world, and I find some of my stories taking directions that I didn’t originally plan. When I first sit down to write a story I don’t have a story plan, neither is there ever written down any of the characters, my stories are free style and then edited to create the best polished story that you can read. Editing is the most important aspect, there is nothing quite like holding a wonderful story that is edited well, don’t you agree?

  Writing my new genre Horror, that I have recently crossed over into has been inspiring and certainly a huge experience, as we know most horror stories are incredibly graphical and detailed so the experience is suspenseful and thrilling. I didn’t plan to ever write horror because I started out in paranormal fantasy, but I woke up one day and decided I wanted to create something graphical, scary which meant the detail of the descriptions had to be unique so I can give an amazing experience to anyone who reads it.

  And, so I started on the horror scene, creating Bloodthirsty Gruesome Tales, the cover is awesome and creepy not to mention downright scary, but I love it. The only difference with this story is it does cross over the 2 genres, it has creatures in there that are paranormal but the way they are is defined as horror, and the book is a collection of short stories that I had intense fun to create.

  And then I moved onto create Death Bite and then as I started to gain confidence in my writing skills inside this new and exciting genre I wrote Hacked Up that has just been released, both of these are gory and definitely not for the faint hearted! Above all I have had lots of fun!

  With Death Bite, I had an idea that writing something with Zombies as the featuring storyline would be a bit like an icebreaker to start my writing getting into the right direction in the horror scene, and so it began. I will admit at first I thought I was going to puke, I put that much detail I gave myself nightmares and my stomach turned over with every chapter that I wrote.

  Normally I only write paranormal stories but I felt like having a change, I will be publishing plenty of new paranormal stories in the next few weeks but I need to get over my newly acquired horror bug first.
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Here is the synopsis:

Jessica Hargreaves knows a thing or two about being a strong woman. But as a deadly epidemic sweeps across the world, she is put to the test as the flesh eaters rise from the dead and begin to consume the living flesh of the people they encounter. Can Jessica and her small band of survivors escape the evil that is rising across the land or will she be consumed by the unholy hunger of the damned?

And the link:
http://amzn.com/B005LW4GR0

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  Hacked Up, this was a sudden idea and I sat down one night and decided to start writing this little number. It has turned out, in my opinion anyway, to be much better than I had originally anticipated. However, you people can let me know your thoughts!

  The storyline itself sprang up from almost nowhere, and the flow just came to me, it was a consistent flow and I certainly enjoyed it. I also gave myself nightmares writing this one too, but I cannot seem to stop writing in the horror genre now that I have started!

  The main character Allie leaves her small town due to being harassed by an unknown source and she is seeking peace. She moves to a countryside small house, and this is where the fun begins.

  For years rumours have circulated about the house opposite hers, some say it is haunted, others say an old man inhabits inside, while others warn against going near the property due to the screams of terror and the pungent smell from outside! You will have to read the story to find out what happens to Allie!

  I would say this story is definitely the most fun, and the most gory to read and for me to write.

Here is the Synopsis and the links:

  Allie Bates longs for the peace and solitude from the strange stalker that had been sending crude and malicious messages and so she leaves her life behind in the city and moves to the country.
  Allie moved opposite a strange and intensely dark house opposite, the first of the nightmare soon begin with the strange sounds of screaming.
  Rising from curiosity and intrigue she ventures to investigate and then finds herself deep inside a nightmare she wished would end soon.
  Will Allie ever be able to escape the nightmare and the constant torture? Or is she destined for death? Who is the psychopathic person that inhabits the house opposite?

http://amzn.com/B005MKZKXA

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 I’m also working on some titles right now, and I hope they will be published by the end of the month. I’m planning on releasing Sliced or Diced: A Real Slasher, Blood Fusions (the series), Vampire Hunter, Locum: Post Bite, and Death Bite 2.

The rest of my titles are called:

Moon Rising, sunrise to Sunset, Golden Horizons, Serena Embracing Darkness, Depths of Darkness, Fangs Inc, Locum, Order of Blood, Volcan Knights, Vanquished, Vanquished The New Beginning, Across the City series parts 1-4, Bloodthirsty Gruesome Tales.

 

Zacharias O'Bryan Guest Review

ZACHARIAS O’BRYAN GUEST REVIEW

Today, I would like to introduce a guest book reviewer, Zacharias O’Bryan, who is going to share his thoughts about Abrupt Edge by Angus Brownfield. Please take a moment to check out the book on Amazon HERE

ABRUPT EDGE, a novel by ANGUS BROWNFIELD

Reviewed by Zacharias O’Bryan

A merely good read has a way of carving the fat out of our thinking, allowing us to rediscover longtime truths we’ve always known. A great read, on the other hand, entices us to discover brand new truths. Abrupt Edge, recently released as an e-book by Angus Brownfield, accomplishes both.

As a literary genre, Abrupt Edge defies classification. E-book vendor sites (both Amazon.com and Smashwords.com), classify Abrupt Edge as “literary fiction.” Okay, but it could just as well be called a Thriller, a War Story, a Coming-of-Age Story, an Erotic Tale, a Feminist Tale, or a Parable. A partial list of themes would include: Freedom, Vengeance, Hubris, Marriage, Religion, Paradise, Hell, Womanhood, Manhood and Sex. I could go on… but after about three items, lists bore me. So let’s skip the classification…

… and move along to the set-up:

In a cultish religious compound in a fictitious corner of the Nevada desert there live two brothers. From childhood, both have wanted the most desirable female inhabiting their isolated world. She is intelligent, beautiful, graceful, and—like Helen of Troy—quite willing to tempt others toward violence.

The brothers quarrel, of course. Years pass. Both mature into powerful men: one a clone of their domineering father (an old-line polygamous Mormon patriarch), the other a chief executive of a very American pleasure palace: food, drink, fountains and sex. Only a wire fence divides one brother’s empire from the other.

The brothers know neither compromise nor forgiveness. They compete not only for limited water, but for the most important resource of all: the human bodies and souls that had heretofore comprised their late father's faithful band. The brothers’ quarrel is basic, existential. Only one can survive. When the treasured daughter of the Mormon community pledges her life to the sensualists, war is in the air. (Dare we call it a"Trojan War?")

Yet there is beauty. As in Lysistrata, most of the women bear witness to a shimmering redemption that lies just beyond reach—perhaps even within reach. We read, we turn pages, and we hope.

Negatives: After riveting our attention with his early chapters, Brownfield takes a one-or-two-chapter breather to fill us in with back story and lost years. The story bogs down here, but only a tad. Also (at least at the time of this review) the book could use a more compelling cover. Yeah, well… so what?

Caveats: adult subject matter / scenes. The very young and those whose “minds are made up” on all matters religious and sexual need not apply.

I don’t care for the one-to-five-star rating system popularized by Amazon et al, but Brownfield’s Abrupt Edge is my favorite new book of 2011. So for those readers with a celestial orientation, I’ll go 5-Star.

VANA VARGAS INTERVIEW AND BOOK GIVEAWAY

Today I have the pleasure of a visit from Vana Vargas. She took time to do an insightful interview. She is giving away 10 copies of her book Saletti Blood. FILL OUT RAFFLECOPTER FORM BELOW FOR GIVEAWAY OF 10 COPIES EACH OF SALETTI BLOOD 1 AND 2-CONTEST ENDS 10/18/11

 To enter you must do the following things:

• LEAVE YOUR BLOG COMMENT WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS 
• FOLLOW MY BLOG ON NETWORKED BLOGS 
• FOLLOW VANA’S FACEBOOK FIND VANA ON FACEBOOK

What inspired you to become a writer??

I started reading fictional novels, mostly historical romance, when I was about eleven. By the time I was fourteen, I was able to predict what was going to happen in the types of stories I was reading and I became bored. I decided I could write something interesting and unpredictable, and so I started playing with short stories. It was only a hobby for MANY years, with me telling myself, “One day, I’ll publish a book.” Well, that day finally came because I finally got off my butt (or shall I say got ON my butt) and kept company with my laptop for months on end. I wrote my first novel, Saletti Blood: The Order.

I’d also like to give credit to my eighth grade English teacher, Mrs. Schrum, who encouraged me to continue my passion with writing. I remember amazing her with class assignments that were supposed to be ATLEAST a certain amount of words, with papers she’d have to put a CAP on for me. I tended to go overboard and write mini-novels when all she wanted was a 500 word story. She appreciated my creativity, which was a great motivation for me to keep at it. To this day, I’ve never forgotten her (and trust me, it’s been YEARS since I was in the eighth grade!).

What character(s) of your book(s) do you most relate to??

The character I relate to the most in my book, Saletti Blood: The Order and also Saletti Blood: Sins of the Father would be Novella Lachlan. Truth be told, she IS me. Her personality is mine, from the way she reacts to things to the way she can be hilarious without even realizing it. She loves from the heart and hates where it’s deserved. She doesn’t always make the right decisions, but she’s woman enough to admit when she’s messed up. I wrote her based on how I’d see myself in her situations, if I were seventeen again.

How do you visualize your stories? By dreams? Inner monologue with your characters, dreams, etc.?

I lay in bed at night with my headphones on, and while listening to music I daydream of ideas. They come to me so easily when I’m relaxed and in the dark. I keep a notebook and flashlight on my nightstand, so as I think of a scene in my head, I scribble it down to play with in the morning. It’s how I wrote the outlines for both of my books, and how I’m working on the third.

What is your writing ritual? Music?? Silence? Meditation?

Great question and I admit I have to have music playing while working on the laptop. If you ask what type of music, it depends on the scene I’m writing. If it’s a club scene, it’s definitely HOUSE music or reggaeton. If it’s a sad scene, then I tone it down with something that makes me want to cry – and trust me, I’ve done a LOT of crying while writing the first book of the series! I have to be in the mood of the scene, and music is crucial.

I’ve written the series listening to Matt Goss (love his “Is This What You Want” and “Change Me”), Demi Lovato’s “Skyscraper,” and a lot of Keri Hilson. I’ve also gotten through some scenes with Massari blasting on the surround sound, as well as Britney Spears and a few others.

What inspired you to write Saletti Blood?

Saletti Blood: The Order began as a piece I wrote for what I like to call “self-therapy.” Let’s just say that some of the experiences in the book, which Novella is forced to endure and overcome, were experiences that I had to survive through. Although I’ve changed the scenario and shifted a few incidents around, the experiences in the story were mine. The abusive relationship Novella finds herself in was one of my own, as well as the harsh relationship she had with her mother.

There were a lot of things in the book that touched home for me, which was the point of writing them. I needed to get my emotions out there because I’ve carried them for years, but while I wanted to share them with the world, I also wanted to make it “entertaining.” So, the book became a love story with Vincenzo Saletti, who is COMPLETELY fabricated because I’m still waiting to find THAT MAN! Ha-ha…

If you could be a book genre? Which one would you choose and why??

I’d choose fictional romance, just because it’s something that comes easily for me.

What knowledge do you want to share with aspiring authors like myself??

I think it’s important to NEVER give up on your dreams, especially if you’re aspiring to be an author. You hear the horror stories of people being turned down by publishers because their story didn’t meet their guidelines or just wasn’t something they wanted to represent, and I’ve found there’s a greater market of people who’d be interested in reading your material than those who are interested in turning it down.

Practice your editing skills, unless you have someone to do it for you. There’s nothing worse than reading material that your elementary student could have written, so brush up the skills before you make an honest attempt at introducing yourself to the world. Honestly, I admit my first book was a learning experience for me and it’s easy to see once you’ve moved on to the second book. There’s an improvement in the writing itself, which can only be gained by experience.

Above all, TAKE YOUR TIME and don’t rush the story. It’s not about quantity on the shelves, but quality. Everyone wants to have a dozen books selling on Amazon, but if they’re not well thought-out, then no one wants to read them. Have a plot before you post!.

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what 5 things would you bring and why??

Well, let’s see… For one, sunscreen! My white butt would be burnt by nightfall if I couldn’t find a shady palm to hide under all day.

I’d bring a stack of paper and pens so I could keep a journal. It’s just the way of a writer and it would be a great way to kill time while waiting on a ship to cruise by.

I’d also like to have a volleyball named WILSON. Hahaha!

Pictures, for sure, of those I love and those who have inspired me.

My eyebrow pencil! I never leave home without it, so I suppose it would have to be in a pocket before I ended up “left behind” on the island.

What other books do you have to write or be written in the horizon??

I’m currently writing book 3 of the “Saletti Blood” series, and once that’s completed I intend to work on a paranormal book. As a ghost hunter, I’ve had some interesting experiences that I’d like to share with the world, but I’ll turn them into entertainment by writing a fictional novel. It’s more fun for me to write that way because I absolutely HATE having to stick with FACTS. I like to expand my creativity or else I feel trapped, like I’m back in school and having to follow the assignment guidelines. I write for my own pleasure, so why not have fun?

I also have a sci-fi idea that I’ll be working on. It’s sort of an “end of the world” type of story, but with a different kind of twist from the “natural disasters” everyone’s expecting to occur.

If you could have dinner with anyone alive or dead? Who would it be and why??

I couldn’t WAIT to answer this question! Hands down, it would be Luke Goss (the actor). He’s the inspiration for my main character, Vincenzo Saletti, in my “Saletti Blood” series. As frightened of me as he may be by now, hee hee hee, I’d really just like a one-on-one with him to tell him of my appreciation for the inspiration he’s given me. I don’t think I could have finished the books without imagining him as Vincenzo. He’s literally made my character come to life – made it so EASY to write the scenes because I already know the sound of his voice and the expressions he’s capable of making.

I’ve studied all of his movies just to memorize how he sounds, looks, and how he reacts to situations. There’s nothing the man can’t ACT out, whether it’s playing a king or a criminal, a hit man or a lover, an average man or a creature. He’s given me so much to work with, that I can see him in my mind like I’ve watched him performing my scenes in person.

I’d like to buy the man dinner and Vodka! (Maybe a few Vodkas!) LOL

If you could time travel, what time period would you go to and why??

I like this question. I’ve always believed I must have had a past life, because I’ve been drawn to the 1800’s since I was a teenager. I feel such a connection to the days when the Native Americans were still flourishing across the West, and if I could go back in time, that’s where I’d like to be. I’d be the only crazy white girl running TO the Sioux while my immigrant family would be running FROM the arrows and war cries! Hahaha… There’s just something about the wild frontier with open land and buffalo, horses and cowboys and Indians, that I can’t resist.

But then I’d miss my IPhone… L

How do you write your books?? By the seat of your pants? Or is it plotted out in advance??

I absolutely HAVE to have an outline. In fact, the outline to my first book was 50,000 words. I can’t work on the seat of my pants when there are so many details to involve, and with my books ranging around 160,000 words, it’s a good idea that I don’t try. I might forget things or get off track, so I like to follow an outline.

How many books in the future do you see in the Saletti Blood series?

I started this series without it being a series. It was only supposed to be ONE book, but I’d left it open with the possibility of a second. Never thought I’d continue with it because I wanted to move on to another idea, but then I had so many women falling in love with Vincenzo’s character that I decided to write a second. Now, with so many emails from women who can’t get enough of the man inspired by Luke Goss, I’m on book 3. I’d planned to stop after this one, but I’m debating now. I’ve received threatening emails from my fans that I better NOT kill off the man they’re in love with – that there better be a 4^th and 5^th book coming… LOL… So, I’m conflicted now with how many more books will come. To be honest, I simply have NO CLUE!

Here is a twist...10 words or less, what comes to your mind first??

Owl Pellets (thanks to my friend JULIA who collects owl pellets! Gross!)

Moon Twilight, what else? And spirits – they have more energy when the moon is full!

Fantasy Luke Goss (lmao – hey, he came to mind!)

Fairy Godmother… And Tinkerbell!

Book I better get back to writing…

Bird Crap! I have endangered birds nesting outside my house that are dropping all over my patios!

Balance I think of the scales of a Libra (I’m a Libra), but don’t ask WHY because I have no clue.

Chaos 2012… Y2K… LOL… My daughter running out of hairspray before school.

Beauty “Is in the eye of the beholder.”

Rainbow Leprechauns, as I am Irish. Gotta represent my lil fellows!

Feel free to add anything you would have liked me to ask and your social media links.

VANA ON FACEBOOK

Twitter: @Saletti_Blood

JASON HALSTEAD INTERVIEW

Jason Halstead Interview
I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME JASON HALSTEAD TO MY PAGE TODAY WITH AN INSIGHTFUL INTERVIEW INTO HIS MIND.

JASON’S BIO CAN BE FOUND ON HIS BLOG. SEE LINKS AT THE END OF THE INTERVIEW

“I usually describe myself as a science fiction and fantasy author who spends his daytime hours in the auto industry as an IT Manager. I’m a family man as well, which means I’ve got the perfect wife and kids, not that I have ties to a major (or minor) crime organization.
At present I have eight books published and available in various formats. I prefer the eBook format myself, and usually I’m doing what I can to promote Amazon’s Kindle 3G, Free 3G + Wi-Fi, 3G Works Globally, Graphite, 6″ Display with New E Ink Pearl Technology – includes Special Offers & Sponsored Screensavers because of that.
And yes, there’s always more. I’m a powerlifter. What? Yes, I know, it’s not an often mentioned title. Powerlifting is a flavor of weight lifting that involves picking up heavy weights for a single maximal repetition. The competition is fierce, though often it’s against one’s self.”

What inspired you to become a writer??

I was a child with an over-active imagination. I lived in a very rural area of southern Michigan, which only helped to spur my imagination. A lack of nearby friends led me on a path towards introversion. Television and movies back then didn’t have much in the way of the really cool stuff outside of Buck Rogers and Battlestar Galactica. Conan was about it for decent fantasy, so it was only natural that I’d end up turn to reading books.

The problem was, no matter how great the books were there was always something missing from how I would have told the stories. The obvious solution? Learn to write my own!

What character(s) of your book(s) do you most relate to??

Every character has a piece of me in them, even the chicks. No, that’s not an admittance of some deep psychological issues, it’s just proof that we’re all human even if we’ve got different plumbing.

But the one I relate to the most? Probably Rosh, from my Voidhawk series. He’s kind of a bum and a thug at first, but he learns over time to apply himself and finds himself capable of things he’d never dreamed of. Then there’s the fact that he’s a big son-of-a-gun and I’m a powerlifter.

Sergeant Carl Waters, from Wanted, is another obvious choice but not the one I’d make. I think Carl has a little bit of all of us in him - everybody loves him because everybody wishes they could get away with the things he does. Or at least the things he tries to get away with.

How do you visualize your stories? By dreams? Inner monologue with your characters, dreams, etc.?

My stories happen in the big screen in my head. I see them as a three dimensional movie unfolding, and then as I write them I force my point of view into the main or chosen character and only allow what they can see to be seen. The inspiration comes from everywhere. Other books, movies, music, real life, and sometimes even my kids.

What is your writing ritual? Music?? Silence? Meditation?

Those sound heavenly! No, I have no ritual. I carve out a few minutes when and where I can then sync my head up with the story I’m writing to clear out the clutter. Then I write - sometime only a few words at a time since I’m typically in the middle of a maelstrom of activity.

What inspired you to write the VoidHawk series?

I was a little irritated at the best sellers in the fantasy genre. They just seemed like too much of the same old thing being recycled. I loved science fiction but at that time I hadn’t figured out how to write a decent sci-fi story, I kept getting hung up on technical details that derailed me.

I stumbled across a TV show entirely by accident. Firefly, created by Joss Whedon. I was hooked almost instantly and only a few minutes later did I realize I’d just learned a valuable lesson about crossing genres and making a story work because of the characters, not the environment.

Digging deep into my mostly forgotten past of playing pen and paper role playing games I remembered a campaign setting by the name of Spelljammer for Dungeons and Dragons. A little research into that and I had my own blend of medieval ships in space. Add to that a healthy dislike of almost anything elven and Voidhawk was born!

The first book was not written as a book. It was written as 10 novelettes that were geared towards being episodic in nature. I saw them as 30 - 60 minute shows in my head. Later, thanks to the Amazon Break Through Novel contest, I decided to merge them together into a book. The second and third Voidhawk novels were written as novels from their inception. My fourth, fifth, and subsequent Voidhawk novels will be written thusly as well.

If you could be a book genre? Which one would you choose and why??

Self-help! The why is simple, with enough self-help I would be able to do just about anything! Make a million bucks; lead a complete and fulfilled life, star in my own personal adult cinema, etc.! The sky’s the limit.

What knowledge do you want to share with aspiring authors like myself??

There’s not enough paper in this document, and I’m only just beginning to learn. The secrets to success are to constantly keep learning and searching for better ways to do things. Remember that writing is personal, but selling is a business. In order to bridge that gap learn to not take things personally and to focus on reaching out to people to make the connection that makes them want to buy your stuff.

And don’t expect to be a one hit wonder. The chance is there, sure, but those are lottery winners and not the majority of us. Hard work is the sure-fire way to make it happen, so keep writing and putting more things out there. 20 tickets have a better chance of winning the lotto than 1 ticket does, but in either case it’s still pretty unlikely. A respectable level of success with 20+ different books, on the other hand, can be very rewarding. Imagine what 40, 50, or more would feel like?

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what 5 things would you bring and why??

Depends upon the goal of the exercise. Am I trying to escape or live happily in secluded tropical paradise? In the latter case:

A few reams of paper (charcoal from fires for writing)
Flint and Steel
My bow and a bunch of arrows
My hunting knife
some plastic tubing (to assist with water desalinization)

In the former case:
Swap out the paper with a surface to air missile launcher to get the attention of any passing planes. :)

What other books do you have to write or be written in the horizon??

I have 10 books published right now:
Voidhawk
Voidhawk - The Elder Race
Voidhawk - Redemption
Wanted
Ice Princess (Wanted sequel)
Human Nature
Sex Sells
Dark Earth
Dark Earth: Voices
Vitalis - New Beginnings

About to be released:
Dark Earth: The Lost Girls
Vitalis - book 2 (working on title and cover art still)

Mid-term written or writing:
Dark Earth: Traitor (cover art / editing)
Dark Earth: Wolfgirl (cover art / editing)
Vitalis - books 3, 4, and 5 (more in concept stages)
Voidhawk - Logan’s tale
Voidhawk - Bekka’s tale

If you could have dinner with anyone alive or dead? Who would it be and why??

R.A. Heinlein. The man was brilliant, if a bit unusual. As a writing mentor I believe his assistance would be invaluable.

If you could time travel, what time period would you go to and why??

The future! I’d like to see what humanity can do, assuming it doesn’t off itself in the process. Besides, the past has problems with diseases and a lack of running water.

How do you write your books?? By the seat of your pants? Or is it plotted out in advance??

Yes.

Both take place, sometimes at the same time. I don’t think I have yet to write a book that has ended the way I thought it would. Things happen along the way, the characters take over and sometimes it’s a challenge to route a story back so it ends in the same neighborhood that I’d first planned. This is why I have to write start to finish. If I try writing something downstream before the upstream, some literary beaver builds a dam and reroutes the water!

Here is a twist...10 words or less, what comes to your mind first??

Chaos - My children!

Moon - Something I often did in my younger days

Fantasy - Vintage Conan comes to mind as a character, but as a conceptual idea the infinity symbol to indicate anything is possible.

Dragon - Potentially cool but overdone. Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like to give it a try sometime, I just haven’t found the right angle to appeal to me without being just another dragon book.

Book - Obsolete, in its printed form. I’m a change embracing kind of guy and thought I don’t see print books ever truly going away, eBooks are the future.

Bird - Birds pooping on my car? This one left me blank for a minute.

Light - A dangerous thing when your pupils aren’t dilating properly thanks to being hit on the head with a metal extension ladder. Or so I’ve heard... ;-)

Feel free to add anything you would have liked me to ask and your social media links.

Good questions. I’ve got nothing to add that I can think of. As for social media links and such..

Webpage: http://www.booksbyjason.com
Blog: http://booksbyjason.wordpress.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Books-by-Jason/161622180537541
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3527553.Jason_Halstead
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/booksbyjason
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/jason-halstead/7/ab4/514
Wattpad: http://www.wattpad.com/user/JasonHalstead
IAN: http://www.independentauthornetwork.com/jason-halstead.html

Not social media, per-se, but here are links to where my stuff can be found:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Jason-Halstead/e/B0049AXHP2/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1309130738&sr=8-1
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Jason-Halstead
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JWHalstead

PATTI ROBERTS-GIVEAWAY A DAY!!

Hello again,

I have yet another blog post to help out a fellow author friend of mine. Patti Roberts, author of Paradox-The Angels are Here series. She is having a giveaway a day on her blog site. If you like free books, head over to her BLOG PAGE now.

  

Find her and her books at the following links:

Australian ebook - bookstore
ebook from Smashwords - all formats
US - ebook from Amazon
UK - ebook from Amazon
Barnes & Noble - Nook
Createspace Here (paperback)
Thesaurus Bookstore Melbourne

YouTube Paradox Book Trailer
Paradox Blog
Twitter
Facebook

Paradox - The Angels Are Here (Book 1 in the Paradox Series)

Patti Roberts is a born story-teller who knows how to throw in those great twists through the book - Paradox "The Angels Are Here". Beckie

After reading dozens of Angel based books, I cannot recall a time when I said, hey- I like this. Well, surprisingly, I loved this. This book is up there on my list of favorites. First of all, the writing was excellent, I was literally flabbergasted and felt inferior in anything I’ve ever written. Natalie

Patti Roberts had introduced me to a fascinating world of angels. Natshane

Roberts knows how to spin a good tale that appeals to our deepest emotions and makes us wonder what may be hidden behind the portal to our world. Miss Reviewer.

Patti Roberts is a truly remarkable writer. The way she weaves her tales among the story is extraordinary. I can honestly say I was in awe of the way she managed to do it. I'd love to have that talent. Suzy Turner.

I am a sap for anything that brings me to tears...and this book did just that. Death of a loved one is always a difficult situation to address and Patti does it so beautifully. Kristin

I closed the book and said to myself, “I have to have more right now” LOL. I love Patti’s style of writing, it is a book you have to read slowly and carefully, but only so that you don’t miss anything, Patti does such a phenomenal job at describing every detail, and I am dying to figure out how a war 900-years ago revolves around a little girl and her Angel friend. Natalie.

Dear Patti, Thank you for writing such an amazing book. I can't wait to see what happens next with Grace! Love, Nuayma

Paradox - The Progeny Of Innocence (Book 2 in the Paradox series)

Available November 2011
Read chapter 1 of Progeny Of Innocence here

Musa Publishing Press Release

Hello everyone,
Today, I'd like to share an exciting new publisher coming onto the field. Musa Publishing. They have asked me to share their press release for all my loyal followers. So check them out.

www.musapublishing.com

Ebooks,Penumbra eMag, and so much More

Musa Publishing Opens its Electronic Doors

After months of editing, designing, contracting, and formatting Musa Publishing launches on October 1, 2011. The E-publisher opens with a large catalogue including Penumbra Speculative Fiction eMag, new works by three bestselling authors, and the full backlist of Aurora Regency, featuring traditional Regency romances and historical fiction.

Penumbra eMag  http://www.musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=12

Penumbra's inaugural issue is a collection of speculative fiction stories that encompass the arts--the arts we love and revere. Some of these stories deal with the arts we're familiar with. Some create arts we haven't thought of and some resurrect arts buried in the depths of the past.  And yet, all of these offerings celebrate the creative process, which makes them a fitting theme to launch Penumbra--an enterprise that will showcase the creative work of speculative fiction authors each month with a new collection of works within the genre.

New Works by

Gini Koch

The Martian Alliance 1: The Royal Scam

http://www.musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=13

Things aren’t what they seem to be when Princess Olivia of Andromeda jumps aboard a spaceship to escape a loveless marriage.

Join the crew of the Hummingbird as they take on the rich, famous and sleazy of the galaxy. They're also on a long-term secret mission, so it's a good thing they're the best con artists, spacers, and roughnecks in the Milky Way, because they need all their skills to pull off this particular Royal Scam.

Cindi Myers

West with the Wind

http://www.musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=8&products_id=19

More than gold awaits two lovers at the end of the trail.

Mariah Tate and her dog, Worthy, persuade veteran guide Campbell Jefferson to let them join his expedition headed to California. Camp can't say no to the beautiful widow, but his need to protect her soon clashes with her need to keep secrets. Mariah left more than bad memories behind in Pennsylvania and her growing attraction to the stoic but surprisingly sensitive Camp forces her to face up to the consequences of the choices she's made. Camp doesn't know what Mariah's hiding, but he's determined not to let the only woman who ever made him want to settle down get away. He pursues her across the prairies, through stampedes, Indian raids, desert drought and mountain snows. In the gold camps of California, Camp will discover Mariah's secret, and prove the love she wants most isn't out of reach.

And the return to writing after five years for USA Today Bestselling Author

Sharon De Vita

The Estrogen Posse http://www.musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=20

"The Estrogen Posse is a hoot! I laughed, I cried, I couldn't put it down! For every woman who needs a pick me up, this is the book for you!"
Janet Evanovich, NYT bestselling author of the Stephanie Plum mystery series

Once upon a time Ellie Briotti had a quiet life as a suburban housewife.

Until…she confronts her wealthy husband Nicky about doing the pecker polka with another woman, and Nicky tosses Ellie out of his life like some misbehaved household pet.

Until…Gram Crackers, her dotty mother begins passing out house keys to homeless bums.

Until…Joey, her eleven-year old son starts on a new career path: breaking and entering.

Until…Rina, her best friend, a single, successful, entrepreneur learns she's about to become a mother.

Until…Candi, Nicky's 22-year-old mistress turns up murdered with traces of furniture polish on her bare backside!

A rip-roaring ribald mystery about a woman’s journey to discover what she really wants in life. Now, if Ellie can keep her son from becoming a second-story man, while trying to hide everything from the gorgeous cop who’s started sniffing around, Ellie might be able to get a new life.

That is—if she doesn’t go to jail for murder first!

Aurora Regency

Musa has acquired Aurora Regency and Aurora Regency Historicals. Within the next month over forty books in this line will be available to Regency and Historical Romance buffs to enjoy.

Stop by www.MusaPublishing.com check out the books already for sale as well as those coming soon. Over the next few weeks, Musa will offer literature geared for every reader's tastes. Musa aims to offer well writing, interesting stories, all at a price that doesn’t bite into your check book.

“Hearts set upon song, spirits free from care”~ Hesiod

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If you'd like more information about Musa Publishing, please contact Elspeth McClanahan at Promotions@Musapublishing.com or go to our blog http://musapublishing.blogspot.com/

Glenn Gamble-Jim Money Blog Tour

Today's guest is Glenn Gamble, author of Bon Appetit. He's joining me for his Jim Money Blog Tour. He has decided to interview his main character Jim Money for his post today. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Gambling is Addictive

Glenn Gamble, author of Bon Appetit, will interview Jim Money, the main character in the Jim Money book series.  Jim has an important message to send to readers about the gambling lifestyle—at least he thinks so anyway.

Glenn Gamble: What’s up Jim?

Jim Money: Fuck you Glenn!

Glenn: Easy, Jim.  It’s just an interview.

Jim:  Easy for you to say.  No one shoots at you, no one tries to stab you, and no one has a girlfriend as disgusting as Jessica.  All you have to do is sip those latte fucking things and type as much dangerous shit as you want me to do.  Fucking author!

Glenn: It’s not that simple Jim.

Jim: Neither is running a 24/7 operation.  Tell me Glenn, did you think to actually include a period in your story where I actually get some sleep?

Glenn: I thought you came on Ms. Powers’ blog to tell your viewpoint on gambling.

Jim: It’s quite simple.  Don’t fucking gamble.  Tell your children not to gamble, its bad for you man.  How do you think I got associated with this Glenn Gamble schmuck.

Glenn: I resent that.

Jim: I resent you exploiting me.

Glenn: Exploiting you?  You’re the main character.  The star of the book.

Jim: You’re nothing but a literary character pimp.  Got me ducking bullets and dealing with Carla’s crazy ass for just $2.99 per book.  You could at least charge $10, which is the same price as a movie ticket.

Glenn: Movies tickets are grossly overpriced, and yes I should charge $10, but do you need to hog all the money Jim.

Jim: How else will I pay off my gambling debts?

Glenn: I told you that gambling is addictive.

Jim: No shit Glenn Gump.

Glenn: That’s Mr. Gamble to you sir!

Jim: Fuck you!

As you all can see in Jim’s profanity laced responses is that he’s delusional and doesn’t realize that I can kill him in any future editions.  I’d recommend that he become much nicer to me.

Glenn Gamble is the author of A Thousand Chances, Bon Appetit, Escape, On the Run, and James.  All of his books are available on Amazon Kindle http://www.amazon.com/Glenn-Gamble/e/B002BMGSVK and Barnes and Noble Nook http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Glenn-Gamble?keyword=Glenn+Gamble&store=allproducts and Smashwords http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/glenngamble

He also encourages you to go to his website http://www.GlennGamble.com

Gena Naffin Guest Blog and Defiance Giveaway

Hello all my loyal followers, I’m pleased to introduce YA fantasy author Gena Naffin onto my blog today. Her post today is about her book Defiance. I hope to have this book reviewed in the next week or so. She has generously donated her book for a giveaway.
To enter to win this book, here is what you need to do.
Follow my blog with GFC or networked blogs.
Follow Gena Naffin on Twitter and/or Goodreads. See links below.
Leave a comment and answer the question, what elements do you look for in a Young Adult fiction book?


Defiance is my first success in the world as a writer, though it came from a background of failures. It evolved from a struggling story to a lengthy self-published manuscript and has found fans all over the world. After each review I read I’ve discovered that many readers say the same thing: my characters are fleshed out very well. They say it’s my strength because the characters are so engaging that you want to know more about them. This is my favorite part of the process, and so I’d thought I would share my thoughts with you about the complexities of my favorite character.

Out of all my characters, there is no one I like writing better than Declan. He is cunning, devious, smart, and cynical. He may come across as cold and indifferent, but deep down, his heart is not all ice. He can be what some may call a jackass, and then minutes later, he may be the world’s greatest hero. A soldier scarred from the bloody battlefields of war and a lifetime of trouble, Declan has a haunted past, but it is one that won’t cross his lips. There are rogues, thieves, and white knights, and then there is Declan – he is a category unto himself.

When I created Declan, I thought he would be temporary. But he seemed to be a good fit for Revin and Vivian as they set out upon their journey, creating conflict when there could be peace and soothing tension before an argument had the chance to start. Vivian, the princess who sets out to seek the answer to her parent’s mysterious disappearance, and Revin, her personal guard, were too close in temperament to make for anything interesting. Enter Declan. He put a spin on Vivian’s sheltered world, revealing the dark side of mischief and evil-doing, as well as guiding her towards what she sought most.

An excerpt from Defiance with Declan and Vivian:

Declan parted the abundance of people with a dark glare. The stairwell blocked the mass of boisterous laughter and yells. The noise that echoed in the second level corridor was minimal, if anything compared to the frenzy that occupied the ground floor. “Declan, there’s only two floors,” Vivian said as he walked towards the eastern wall without intentions of stopping.

“Appearances are for the average folk. Come here.” He peered at the ceiling, which only stood four feet away from his head.

She obeyed, having grown used to some of his wild exploits.

He grabbed her by the waist and lifted her before she could protest.

“Do you see that black latch? Pull it.”

Vivian stretched her fingers upward and once the metal was within reach, yanked on its rusty hinges. “You never answered my question,” she observed, after a rope ladder tumbled to the ground. She was hardly surprised that he would find the only trap door in the building and the one in particular that led to the roof. Without a sound, he set her on the floor.

“I haven’t forgotten. You first.”

She planted her feet and smiled sweetly. “Absolutely not. I’m wearing a dress.”

He flashed a grin that replaced a bout of laughter and went up the ladder, disappearing into the midnight blue expanse. Vivian stuck her foot on the shaky surface, sucked in a deep breath and followed him.


I’ve been asked recently if Declan will be in the sequel. My answer is yes, but it's up to you to find out exactly what mischief he stirs up!

Look for Righteous, the second book in the Successor Series, out next year.


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Book Trailer for Defiance

Find Defiance at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Amazon - Defiance on Amazon

Barnes & Noble - Defiance at Barnes & Nobles

Twitter - http://twitter.com/gcnaffin
Blog - http://gcnaffin.blogspot.com
Website - http://www.gcnaffin.webs.com
Goodreads -http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5031423.G_C_Naffin