Friday 29 November 2013

Starting now: Black Friday / Monday Bash & 99c sale


This event is starting today... organised by Kim Emerson of Master Koda Publishing, the four-day event will see 35 authors hosting for 2 hours each, and giving you games and prizes to win. Throughout there will be fun and chat, and the big prize of a Kindle Fire HD. On top of that, there is a huge list of books on sale for 99c and some bumper book collections to win. 

I will be hosting with Greta Burroughs on Monday at 6pm UK time / 10am Pacific time / 1pm EST, and giving away my books, ebooks, posters and a Kiwi bag. Hope to see you there - the party room will be full all weekend... 

Follow this link - https://www.facebook.com/events/497079807055347

List of authors you'll meet during the 4 day event. I've listed them in PACIFIC time. 
UK time is 6 hours ahead.

FRIDAY 11/29/13:
10am-noon: Adam Gaffen and Laurie E. Boris
noon-2pm: Linda Bolton and Kim Kim Mutch Emerson
2pm-4pm: Brenda Perlin, Jane Carroll and G Mitchell Baker
4pm-6pm: Tammy Novak and Jerrid Edgington
6pm-8pm: Jacqueline Cross and Lisa Day

SATURDAY 11/30/13
11am-1pm: Sherrill Willis and Sarah L. Wallace
1pm- 3pm: Tamy Burns and Stephanie Brown Myers
3pm-5pm: Douglas Davis and Tellulah Darling
5pm - 7pm: Allison M. Cosgrove and Laci Paige

MONDAY 12/2/13:
8am-10am: Barbara Robinson and Martin Crosbie
10am-noon: Greta Burroughs and Vickie Johnstone - 6pm UK time
noon-2pm: Jennifer Loiske and Doug Simpson
2pm-4pm: Kim Emerson and Arlene R. O'Neil
4pm-6pm: Lynne Cantwell and Kimberly R Hughes
6pm-8pm: J Kelly Accinni and DeEtte Beckstead



My ebooks that are currently on sale for 99c / 75p for the entire 4 days!
The links to click: 





Monday 25 November 2013

Page Turner Book Tours Presents: Hunter's Assessment, Arcturian Bloodlines by Karyn Pearson


Title: Hunter’s Assessment

Series: Arcturian Bloodlines

Author: Karyn Pearson

Genre: Paranormal YA


Formats Available: Digital

Release Date: TBA

Book blurb:

 After years of training, they should have been ready for this. It was supposed to be a simple mission: eliminate the vampires and acquire the intel they’re guarding. Shane Kantor figured that this hunter’s assessment would be like every other test the Hunter’s Society had thrown at him and his squad. But he was wrong. Now Shane might just lose everything: his life, his legacy, and worst of all, her.

Book excerpt:

“Hi,” she said, extending a hand. “You’re Shane?”
           
“Yeah,” he nodded woodenly, swallowing a lump in his throat as he shook her hand. “So you’re Sophie. My Predictor.”

“Yep, that’s me.”
           
“It’s an honor to have you on my squad.”
           
Sophie looked shyly away from him, laughing lightly. “No,” she murmured, shaking her head. “The honor’s all mine. I didn’t know you were the Grandmaster’s son. I feel lucky to have been chosen to be part of your squad.”
           
“Yeah, I figure the Grandmaster wouldn’t want to leave her own kid stuck with just anybody,” Troy, the Marksman, agreed. “If it was me, I’d want to have someone like you well-protected. Wouldn’t want the Grandmaster’s son accidentally getting killed from having incompetent squad mates, now would we?”
           
Shane frowned. “Let me just make one thing clear, alright?”
           
“By all means, go ahead, oh righteous leader,” Troy drawled.
           
“Forget that I’m the Grandmaster’s son. I don’t want preferential treatment. I don’t want you all to look at me and see Shane Kantor, son of Nadia Kantor, the Grandmaster and leader of the Hunter’s Society. I just want you to see me as your friend, your comrade. Nothing more, nothing less. We’re all equals here. Understood?”
           
“Yes, I understand,” Sophie replied.
           
Shane looked to Troy, waiting for his answer.
           
The Marksman sighed, nodding reluctantly. “Alright,” he muttered, throwing his hands up in a gesture of half-surrender, half-compliance. “No favorites?”
           
“No favorites.” Shane confirmed.
           
Troy grinned. “So, Mister Not-the-Grandmaster’s-son, how good are you in a fight?”
           
The Dancer’s eyes lit up with amusement as he regarded his new comrade. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Excerpt posted as supplied: not edited.


About Karyn Pearson

Karyn Pearson is the author of Spark (Hellfire Trilogy, #1) and full-time pet parent of her two dogs, Nikki and Jamie. She has a B.A. in Anthropology and has explored dozens of cultures in her studies, but has imagined countless more. Karyn enjoys reading, playing action RPGs, and plotting the next adventure for her characters when she has a spare moment free of the dreaded and undefeated 'puppy dog eyes attack'.

Her current projects include Inferno (Hellfire Trilogy, #2) and the first novel of the upcoming vampire series, Arcturian Bloodlines. When she isn't  writing, Karyn can be found playing with her puppies or Googling various dangerous topics for novel research,which make her constantly question why federal agents haven’t yet knocked down her front door.

Links:



Wednesday 20 November 2013

#WW WOW Wednesday: DeEtte Anderton

Hi guys and girls! Welcome to WOW Wednesday. My 12th guest is DeEtte Andertonauthor of Victory and The Christmas Visitorswhich you can grab now for 99c/75p! What are they about, I hear you ask? 
Well, read on to find out more about this novel and short story, and this talented writer...



Victory

Victory is the story of a little girl and the town where she lives. The town of Victory has a history of patriotism, faith and friendliness. The little girl, Brown Eyes, orphaned when her missionary parents were killed in a fire, lives with her only known relative who does not want the girl. When The Guest comes to town, the people open their hearts to him, without knowing who he is or his motives.

Shortly after The Guest’s arrival, The Stranger appears, much to the other’s discomfort. One of these men wants to control and sparks fear; the other comes with faith. Slowly, the town loses its freedoms as one of the men takes over little by little. When there is a face-to-face showdown on the mountain, the life of the child and the future of the town are at stake. When darkness overtakes the town who will have Victory?  

Purchase links


The Christmas Visitors

It is Christmas Eve – a blizzard and paranormal sighting cause an accident on a country road. Sam and Ellen seek refuge at a nearby farmhouse. Their experience with the elderly couple who live there will change their lives forever.

Purchase links

All about DeEtte

Author and blogger DeEtte Anderton started writing in 2007, when her son challenged her to get involved in NaNoWriMo. The manuscript sat untouched with several others until January 2012, when a good friend encouraged her to seek publication. The Christmas Visitors is her first short story and her current novel, Victory, is also her first.

DeEtte spent much of her childhood playing the piano, clarinet and guitar, reading and making up stories. She was active in the Girl Scouts, which gave her a wide variety of experiences. While at college, she was on the University of Utah’s Synchronized Swim team, and taught year-round camping and survival skills to the Girl Scouts. She has spent many years working with people with disabilities.

Originally from Utah, DeEtte currently lives in New England where she writes full-time and works on the editing team of Master Koda Select Publishing. Her other interests include swimming, crocheting, reading, travelling, history and her grandchildren. In addition, this devoted mother of six and grandmother of twelve (thirteen, come January 2014!) has been a concerned participant in dog rescue services for many years. 

Where you can find DeEtte


Review snippets from Amazon US (not edited)

Victory (ranking 4.8/5 stars from 18 reviews)

"This book made me cry in places and cheer in others. It made me sad at the stupidity of people allowing others to think for them, sort of how life is today and if you read this book you will see a similarity of where we are today and where we should be. This is nothing more than an awesome read and hopes you will pick it up and read it. Thanks DeEtte Beckstead for a glimpse into the world we already live in and how it truly should be."
Lana Lee - 5 stars

"The book has a way of sucking you in, pondering the reality of what is happening and making me believe this could be any town USA... or honestly, is already true is some towns, villages in the world."
D. Course "darkman1969" - 5 stars

"This story is written in a style that reminds me of older writing styles. Elegantly simple and to the point; getting us through the story. There is betrayal, murder, attempted murder (even that of a child), abuse, romantic love and the Might of Right. The story is moving. I enjoyed the story and that unusual writing style."
JudyAnn Lorenz - 5 stars

The Christmas Visitors 
(ranking 3.8/5 stars from 14 reviews)

"The writing is rich with detail, and the dialogue sounds right for the characters. The short story itself is heart-warming and really touched me. I especially loved how a dog was included in it as well as in Chapter One of the novel Victory. I'm a dog lover and include them in my work, too. The author did an awesome job with the dog in the short story and the old couple. Loved it. She has a storytelling voice."
BJ Robinson - 5 stars

"For me, the takeaway from The Christmas Visitors has to be that kindness, love & understanding must always prevail. I enjoyed the storytelling style of the author very much. Her style reminds me of sitting in a rocker on the front porch listening to old family tales."
GypsyNana - 5 stars

Thanks for reading - look out for another WOW writer next Wednesday!
Happy reading & writing! :) 

Sunday 17 November 2013

A Poem a Day (45): Slide

Slide

I wonder walking
ever sliding
never needing
in the quiet
between the walls,
it smiles.

Drawing a picture
of life it reveals
the immaterial you
of the ages spent,
the coffee rhymes
in curls of steam
where fingers loop
darting around
and around.

Comes the evening
it expresses this
and even footsteps
mirroring the echo
I believe in
as I walk
ever listening
in this bubble
of me.

It’s the sounding
staring into concrete
lives lived here
once resurrected
redrawing things anew -
were they spent?

I forgot
was this me or you?
let’s pretend to rhyme
in time
with the falling rain.

It thunders again -
hear it falling
like the dew of morning.

I do not think.
Instead it feels light
as though everything
is lifting
like a cloud blowing
in the breeze.

I listen clear
to the shells singing
the ripple of the sea
pulling outward
towards the line.

Shimmering like heat
it shakes hands
with the sky,
never mourning
what is forgotten.

Like a dancer turning
these waves spin,
plunging themselves
in this fit of life
so sudden -
so like this breath
escaping me.

A cloud in the sky
staring down,
what do we hear
ever listening?

In this way
I tread these boards
looking, touching
where fingertips
play on ivory
So I can begin again
where it stopped.

Sinking in the rain
only to roar
upon the silent sea
that twists
in toppling sound -
here it falls
so listlessly
this rain,
this new day.

copyright Vickie Johnstone

Thursday 14 November 2013

Thank you!

A big thanks to everyone who came to my Facebook launch party for I Dream of Zombies. I published it on October 12, so I was only a month late. Ah, I've been so busy lately. You know how you'd like a secretary, masseur and hologram... I'm there :))) A big thank you to Tamy Burns for helping me to organise it and all the guests who gave me the giggles.

The event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1407917322778192

Wednesday 13 November 2013

#WW WOW Wednesday: Arlene O'Neill

Hi guys and girls! Welcome to WOW Wednesday. My 11th guest is Arlene O'Neillauthor of Broken Spokes
an autobiographical tale of determination and couragewhich you can grab right now for 99c/75p! 
What's it all about, I hear you ask? Well, read on to find out more about the novel and this talented writer...


Broken Spokes is more than a well-written, interesting read. It is an inspirational collection of the memories of a courageous child who, in spite of physical and emotional suffering, grew into a compassionate, loving and valiant woman. Crippled at age six, the author begins an odyssey that will consume her entire life. Through her sufferings, she finds a way to heal others, and in doing so, saves herself.

Purchase links:


All about Arlene R. O'Neil (pictured with her son, Sgt Tanner)


“Writing is what lights me up,” states Arlene R. O'Neil. “Being a visual writer, I love seeing my work come to life; to take the reader with me on a journey word by word; to touch a reader, whether through laughter or tears.” Her current book, Broken Spokes, refers to broken bones, a broken bike and broken spirit. It speaks to the reader of determination, of survival, of inspiration.

Born and raised in Connecticut, Mrs. O’Neil moved to South Carolina to work on her second novel, which will relate the roller coaster life of being the parent of a soldier on active duty. O'Neil says, “My son, Sgt Tanner O’Neil, is a member of the United States Army, and the joy, pride and love of my life. After five tours of duty to active war zones, I feel the need to share my experiences with other parents in the hope of lessening their fears.” Sgt O’Neil recently returned from his 5th combat tour.

Currently, Arlene lives with her two Labradors, Holly and Bruno, and her adorable pet goats, Paxton, JaeJay, Rupert, Patches and Frosty. “These amazing characters have helped me through some incredibly difficult times and I love them dearly.”

Aside from writing, supporting her son while he is deployed and caring for her animals, Arlene lives on 3½ acres of land, which she and her beloved animals enjoy. An author, editor and proofreader, Arlene R. O'Neil may be contacted at arleneoneil@aol.com.

Links:


Review snippets from Amazon US

Ranking 4.9 out of 5 stars from 48 reviews

“One of the best books I’ve read! As a little girl she had the courage and determination to overcome 
the hurdles put before her. As an adult more tragedies were thrown at her and she overcame those as well. 
She is definitely a survivor!” 
Toni Stancliff

“This book is a heartfelt, real tale of one woman’s triumph over near tragedy. Ms. O’Neil writes with an honest voice, pulling the reader into the shoes in which she once walked. Through all of the trials and tribulations of 
her life, O’Neil never gives up, and ultimately her broken spokes form a circle of life. 
If you love stories, true ones, about overcoming obstacles, this is a must read!” 
Ckrspanl

“Wow, someone recommended this book to me and when I saw the $2.99 Kindle price, I said, ‘Well, it’s cheaper than a cup of Starbucks coffee – I'll give it a shot.’ I was up half the night and finished it in the morning... 
I have downloaded several ‘best sellers’ lately and was unable to finish them.” 
Crystal4 


 Thanks for reading - look out for another WOW writer next Wednesday!
Happy reading & writing! :) 


Monday 4 November 2013

Page Turner Book Tours Presents: Killer on the Road by Charles O'Keefe - interview & competition


            
For my stop on this blog tour, I'm excited to welcome Charles O'Keefe, who loves cats and vampires in equal measure! We've got a terrific interview here, details of his new book, Killer on the Road, and a great competition - don't forget to scroll down for that. Without further ado, here he is...                     

                                             Title: Killer On The Road
                                             Series: The Newfoundland Vampire
                                             Author: Charles O’Keefe
                                             Genre: horror / paranormal / romance / vampire
                                             PublisherPenumbra Publishing
                                             Formats Available: all eBook formats and print
                                             Release Date: January, 2011



Welcome Charles. I'm wondering, what is your day job or are you lucky enough to write for a living?

Hi, Vickie, thanks for being a part of my blog tour. Sadly, I have a day job. I do IT support and deliveries at O’Keefe Agencies (a beauty wholesale business). I’m technically the co-owner with my brother, but still put in 30-40 hours a week. Maybe someday I can just be an author; it would be nice.

What books have you written so far?

So far I have The Newfoundland Vampire (published in 2012) and The Newfoundland Vampire book II: Killer on the Road (September 2013). They were both published by Penumbra Publishing.

What works in progress do you have?

I’ve already started book 3 (no title as of yet) and I have a short story called Robots, which will be published soon in America’s Galactic Foreign Legion Book 20: Time Machine by Walter Knight, also published by Penumbra.

How long did it take you to write your book/s?

For book 1, about 8 months, but the ideas had been in my head for about 8 years. For book 2, I was a lot faster, about 4.5 months, and I started writing a few months after my promotional activities for book 1 petered out. I should say, for both, there was extra time for editing as well; those were just the times for the rough copies.

Do you write linear, or jump back and forth? Do you plan or write by the seat of your pants?

I don’t want to write something overly complicated, so I’d say mostly linear. The only exceptions I have are that my vampires have flashbacks to times in the past, but even those are structured. I’m a rather obsessive organiser and I could never do seat-of-the-pants writing (other than a small article or short story). I do two outlines for each book and usually spend a good 6-7 hours planning/writing the outline before I even start writing. 

Why do you write?

I find writing relaxing. I also love to create new characters and get my ideas down on paper (or the screen). For me it’s kind of a vicarious thrill as the main character, Joseph, is about 90% me. He gets to go places I’ve been, but, of course, he also gets to go places I want to visit and do other things I wish I could, but know I never will.

How long have you been writing? 
I did some articles for a student newspaper when I was at university, which was almost 20 years ago. If you mean serious writing, which turned into a published novel, just a little over 3 years ago. 

Where and when do you write? Do you have set times?

I usually write in the morning; my mind is fresh then. I’m not overly rigid, but I do find that I write best between 7-9am, though if I’m excited about a scene I have been known to write at night. I also only write for 30-45 minutes at a time. In terms of where it’s almost always in my kitchen; it’s the only place with a table where I can look out the window. I’ve gotten so used to my laptop that I almost never write at a desktop computer anymore. I can also write in this little desk space I have between the kitchen and the living room.

Which character from your books do you like most / are most like?

Like I said, I cheated, and Joseph really is me, or at least how I was when I was 23. Here’s the things that are exactly the same – vegetarian, an animal rights activist, a cat lover, an environmentalist, a charitable person, geeky as all hell, a huge fan of William Shatner, a lover of the outdoors, a lover of redheads… Well, I could go on and on. So, obviously, Joseph O’Reily and I are very similar, except, of course, I’m not a vampire… yet ;).












Charles' kitties... ahhhhhhh! 


Have you ever based a character on someone from real life? And did you tell them?

Yes, in my first book there are a bunch of characters based on people I know. In book 2, my parents also make a brief appearance. In fact, one of the villains, Augustus Green, is based on my friend Shannon Green. I asked him ahead of time and he loves the idea. He is in 2 of the books now and will make at least one more appearance in the third.

If you had to pick some actors/actresses to play the characters in your book, who would you hire?

I think Joseph Gordon-Levitt would be a good Joseph (he was in Batman: The Dark Knight Rises after all). He’s a great actor and looks a little like me. Cassandra, I think, would be played really well by Deborah Ann Woll (from True Blood) – she’s a redhead, sexy and strong, and already knows how to play a vampire.

Would you say that your dreams have come true or are you still working on them? 
I never thought I’d be working in a beauty wholesale business, co-owner or not. So, yeah, definitely still working on them; full-time author would be much closer to my dream.

You’re walking in the forest and you bump into an alien librarian from Mars. He wants five book recommendations from you…

1984 by George Orwell;
I am Legend by Richard Matheson;
The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmmer Bradley;
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde; and
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Which three authors would you like to take to the pub?

Ernest Hemingway, Bram Stoker and Stephen King.

Are you published or self-published? What is your experience?

I’m published with Penumbra Publishing. My experience was that I knew I was terrible at editing my own work, and since I wanted to make sure my book was good (and I didn’t want to spend a fortune), going with a publisher seemed like the right move. That doesn’t mean it was easy. I got rejected by all the local companies (here in Newfoundland), some other Canadian and American ones, and even a couple in the UK. But, I was determined and after almost 10 months of looking, I finally found Penumbra (meaning they were the only one interested!) and my wonderful editor, Pat. I also think that having an editor is a necessary safeguard. I’ve read a bunch of self-published stuff and a lot of it is just awful. I think the authors had good intentions, but without someone to give a second opinion/guidance on a story, you can run into serious problems.

Do you have a blog? What do you blog about?

I do have a blog, and you can get to it through my website. I generally do interviews, spotlights for other authors, movie and book reviews, and occasionally just talk about things that happened in my life.  I don’t have a definite theme; it’s whatever I want, but I enjoy it.

What other hobbies do you have?

I have a bunch. I do a little acting (not for pay – I’m not that good!), reading, walking, martial arts, role-playing, board games, watching TV, going to movies, going to concerts, travelling, collecting D&D miniatures and Pilates.

What would you like to achieve in the next five years?

I’d like to have at least 4 more books published, establish myself more as a writer, give lots of money to charity, buy an electric car, make my house more environmentally friendly and stay in reasonably good shape.

If you won the Lotto or a major publishing contract, what would you do with that dosh?

I’d quit my day job and really focus on writing, travelling and enjoying my hobbies. And I’d get out of Newfoundland in the winter and give a lot of money to charity. I’d also love to meet my favourite celebrities, authors, achieve a little bit of fame and be in better shape.

What question do you wish I’d asked and, of course, what is the answer?

I would have asked, what’s the best decision you ever made? Answer: marrying my wife. I really couldn’t function well on my own and we have great times together.

Thanks so much for the interview, Vickie – great questions!


Killer on the Road - book blurb

Joseph O’Reily is still adjusting to the lifestyle and the dangers that come with being a new vampire. He and Cassandra recently fought to the death with her estranged husband, John Snow, and now Joseph has experienced his first ménage a trois, as only a vampire can. As if all of this was not complicated enough, he and Cassandra have been tasked with hunting down and killing a rogue vampire, Donald Rathmore.

Another of John Snow’s creations, Donald is an evil misogynistic killer in his own right. He has no interest in avenging his creator’s death, but killing Cassandra is at the top of his list.

While Donald continues his murderous spree, Joseph and Cassandra always seem to be one step behind him. The chase is further complicated as they encounter other vampires and learn more about the mysterious nature of the Vampire Council, and the coming war between good and evil.

Joseph is only now beginning to trust Cassandra, but this will be shaken when he discovers she has even more secrets than he imagined. Her idea of justice and morality is at complete odds with his own. Despite all his powers and growing skill, Joseph is tested physically as a vampire and emotionally by Cassandra. This time the answers and challenges may be too much for the young vampire to handle.

Where to buy it


About Charles O’Keefe:

Charles O’Keefe lives in the beautiful province of Newfoundland, Canada, with his wife and two feline ‘children’, Jude and Esther. He works as an IT support guy, and enjoys many hobbies and activities, including include writing, reading, watching fantasy/science-fiction movies and television shows, gaming, poker, walking, acting, martial arts and, of course, fantasising about vampires. He currently has two novels out: books 1 and 2 of The Newfoundland Vampire series.


Competition!!!


Next stops on the tour -

5th - Interview - Luscious Literaries - http://lusciousliteraries.wordpress.com/
6th - Guest Post - The Writer's Life - http://thewriterslife.blogspot.co.uk/           
7th - Guest Post - M.J. Kane - http://authormjkanebooks.wordpress.com/
8th - Guest Post -MarianL - http://marianl.com/main/    
11th - Review - Lynn Reynolds - http://lynnareynolds.wordpress.com/   
12th - Interview - C.C. Cole - http://shevata-cccole.blogspot.co.uk/ 
13th - Review - Read 2 Review - http://read2review.com           
14th - Spotlight - Bookish - http://evie-bookish.blogspot.co.uk/
15th - Review - Jonel Boyko - http://purejonel.blogspot.co.uk/