Book One of 'The Borderlands' now on sale

It's been a while since I've put The Borderlands: Journey on sale , but with the upcoming release of the sequel later in the year, I thought it was a good idea to get it out there and under some new noses.

All my books are now available in Kindle Unlimited

I've been very pleased with the release of my latest book The Raven and the number of reads it has been getting on Kindle Unlimited.  It's no secret that I'm an Indie author, and as I'm still relatively new to the world of publishing, getting more exposure for my books is crucial. So, I've decided to add my other two publications to Kindle Unlimited and see if I can garner as much interest for them.

All of my books are now available to borrow or buy at Amazon.

'The Borderlands: Journey' Cover Reveal

After two years of dreaming up, writing and editing the story, I am finally ready to publish my next novel - The Borderlands - Book One: Journey.  It will be published next weekend and you'll be able to purchase the kindle edition at Amazon. Members of my mailing list will be eligible to get a free copy of the book (and it's not too late to sign up).

This is a post to reveal the book's cover so without further ado - here it is!

The cover art is so much better than what I originally dreamt up. For that I can thank the artist Taire Morrigan (her art is seriously worth a look), who overcame a number of obstacles and a fussy author to create a beautiful graphical representation of a key thread in the story - Dale and her quest to find the mystical Borderlands.

The Borderlands: Journey is the first book in a trilogy that tells the story of a journey Dale must take to find the mystical place which is this series' namesake. Here's the blurb -

Dale has never felt a sense of belonging. She despises the bullies and snobs at school, and her family are difficult to like, let alone love. Rhys, a new boy at school seems to take an interest in her. But can she trust him? When the only friend she has ever had, Old Man Gareth, is murdered before her eyes, she is set on a frantic journey and a lonely adventure; the Borderlands beckon. But what are the Borderlands? Will she make it to them? And if she gets there, will she belong?

The novel will be categorised as a contemporary fantasy at Amazon, but I think it's also a coming of age and adventure story. To read more, check out my previous posts here and here. And stay tuned, later in the week I'll reveal a little more of 'Borderlands' to further pique your interest!

I'd love to read your thoughts on the cover!

In the Shadow of the Mountains – Review

Recently, I sat down to read In the Shadow of the Mountains by MR Graham, and found myself enthralled.  It's always exciting to find an Indie author whose work is of such a high standard.

What makes you choose an ebook?

I do a lot of browsing for ebooks.  This morning as I browsed at Amazon, I suddenly became aware of why I wasn't lured into buying.  So I thought I'd share my little epiphany with you.

What turns me off buying an ebook?

Sometimes I find myself shaking my head in annoyance when I browse for ebooks.  Here's why:

• Bad cover designs - the cover design is what most attracts me, at first anyway.  The reality, for me at least, is that the vast majority of ebook designs are unattractive.  And it's not just the self published varieties.  It is rare that I find an ebook cover design that I like.  For some reason they are much less attractive than their paperback cousins that sit tantalisingly on bookshop shelves; and I don't understand why.  Do authors/publishers think that ebook readers are simply victims of quick fix self-gratification?  Just because online shopping is easy doesn't mean that products are chosen willy-nilly.  On the positive, those that put the time and effort into a quality design have a distinct advantage in a flooded market.

Chip Kidd is a book jacket designer and he is passionate about getting the cover right.  His talk on TED  provides an interesting insight into the process of coming up with the right cover design.  He is a little sceptical about ebooks, but I think authors could learn a lot about the importance of the cover from this talk.

• Bad titles -  go check it out for yourself, there are many bad titles in the ebook universe.  I don't want to give any specific examples as I'm not interested in 'naming and shaming' but after the cover design the title is what attracts me to an ebook, and many are uninspiring.  One of my favourite titles is The War of Don Emmaunel's Nether Parts, it's a long title but interesting and reflects the humour in the novel.  Of course titles can be short too.  Dracula, is a very effective short title.  Another favourite title is The Dark is Rising.  I really enjoyed this novel as a child.  I actually 'invented' this exact title for a novel I had planned then realized (or remembered) that it was already a title!  I still wish I could use it though.
• No blurb - some ebook authors go to all the trouble of writing and publishing their book only to leave out a blurb.  This has me lost for words.
• Reviews - I always look at the reviews before I decide to buy, but I take them with a serious pinch of salt.  I am sceptical of ebooks that have lots of reviews that say little about what actually happens in the novel, especially if they are full of praise but give no specifics.  If I find a scattering of critical reviews that are clearly written by average readers who have actually read the book then it is usually a sure sign the book is not very good.
• The price - Price doesn't really bother me that much.  For unknown and self published authors I have paid up to $5 for an ebook.  For authors that I know and trust I have paid up to $10, and on occasion, more.  But there are some ebooks that have an above $20 tag on them, and that's my limit.  Any more than 20 bucks and I want the real thing on my book shelf.
• The author's page - I always click on it to read more about the author to get a feel for his/her style and genre.  But, you guessed it, many ebook authors have no or limited information.
• Bad writing - the sample is a godsend.  I always read the sample and this will be the deal breaker for me.  Even after I have been attracted to the cover and title, read the blurb and reviews, and been happy with the price, I will often be turned off by the calibre of writing in the sample.  Yes, the story has to grab me, but most often I find I am turned off by poor writing and editing - the bane of the self published market.

So that's about it, all the things that really turn me off buying an ebook.  I had considered being more positive in this post and writing about the things that make me want to buy, but the reality for me is that it's a process of elimination and this is how I choose when I browse the ebook shelves.  

So what makes you choose or not choose an ebook?

Dragon's Teeth - A Surreal New World

Dragon's Teeth by Suzanne Van Rooyen, is a futuristic scifi that the author describes as a "cyberpunk/dystopian noir".  I have to say that it is not my usual read, but I really enjoyed this and would recommend it without hesitation to scifi fans and anyone else for that matter.

'Twilight' ... why is it so damn popular?

Everyone has heard of it, many have read it and many more have seen the films.  Everyone seems to have a view on it, whether they have read it or not.  Almost all forums on the Internet have a thread that argues its merits or denounces it.  But, one thing that cannot be denied is that Twilight has been hugely popular and has made Stephanie Meyer very wealthy indeed - according to Forbes richest celebrity list Meyer comes in at number 26, in between Simon Cowell and Roger Federer.

Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1)

'Clan of the Cave Bear' ... Get around to it!

I remember during the eighties everyone was reading 'Clan of the Cave Bear' by Jean M. Auel - and they were raving about it.  I don't know why it took me so long to get around to reading it, but finally I have and now that Auel has finished the six part series, I haven't stopped reading this saga (just finished number three 'The Mammoth Hunters').

The reason why I finally picked it up to read was because of a recommendation from a friend who I regularly 'talk books' with.  She was astounded I hadn't read it and demanded that I did so pronto, and I dutifully downloaded it.  So, what is it about this book that gets people talking?  For me it is the fascination of where we have come from as a species, and how we have become the people we are today.

The novel was also made into a movie directed by Michael Chapman.  Here is a trailer for the movie -

The story is set in prehistoric times, roughly 30 000 years ago.  It follows the story of Ayla, the protagonist, who is separated from her parents at a young age and taken in by a travelling group of 'clan' people, they are Neanderthal.  

This story interests readers on a number of levels.  Firstly, Ayla's struggle to belong and fit into a vastly different group is heart wrenching.  The emotional journey she experiences is so engaging to read.  Ayla is a highly likable character.  She is intelligent and caring and we sympathies with her readily as she attempts to learn the cultural norms, taboos and language of a neanderthal society.  As she becomes interested in healing and medicine, the story interests us further and we become privy to the magic of the plants used to heal in prehistoric times.

Secondly, the life of the Neanderthal, the way they existed and their differences from humans makes for fascinating reading.  Auel's ability to bring research to life is intoxicating.  I found myself doing a little of my own research as I read this book, wanting to learn more about our evolutionary cousins.  One thing I came across is that it is likely some human beings today carry Neanderthal genes.  Fascinating!  It is so interesting to read about a human species that is now extinct.  One thing that is particularly intriguing is the differences in the brain structures.  Neanderthals had very large back brains and Auel capitalises on this by showing the clan's remarkable capacity for memory.

Another aspect that makes this an exceptional read is the detail in terms of the daily life of prehistoric people.  The clothing, food, tools and housing are all described in fascinating detail along with how they were made.  Humanity's capacity for innovation is celebrated in this series.  But at the same time we are reminded of the dire consequences if we ever lose respect for the earth and all that it provides.  Auel cleverly reminds us of this and we wonder if we have already lost it.

The only real criticism I have is that perhaps Ayla is too perfect.  Surprise, surprise, as we read on in the series, not only is she altruistic, intelligent and innovative, she is drop dead gorgeous!  Sometimes her perfection and her innocence about it, "I am not beautiful" gets a little irritating ... but only a little.

The Clan of the Cave Bear is available as an ebook at Amazon.

I am up to the fourth novel, 'The Plains of Passage', but for me, so far, 'The Clan of the Cave Bear' has been a favourite.  I highly recommend it for those who particularly enjoy historical fiction.

My Rating:

Demon Lord, worth a read ... just!

 I have an interest in reading the work of some of those relatively unknown authors on Amazon kindle - you know, the ones whose books are very cheap or free.  I'm interested because I will probably be listed as one of them eventually (when I get around to finishing one of my novels).  So, recently I scanned the wide range of such ebooks and I came across Demon Lord by TC Southwell.

Demon Lord is the first book of a fantasy series that follows the quest of son of the underworld Bane to overthrow the overworld; and the healer, Mirra's attempts to do, well, ‘good’.

Essentially, Bane, the human Dark Lord of the evil God Arkonen, embarks on a campaign to destroy the wards that keep the dark god trapped in the underworld.  An elder Seeress foresaw the trouble and set in motion a plan to bring into the world a girl with powerful healing and goodness.  Bane kidnaps the girl, Mirra, who is then dragged along, often literally, with Bane and his army as they journey through the overworld.  Mirra tries to help Bane with his many excruciating headaches – a result of the evil rituals he must perform in order to maintain his magical power.  However Bane is cruel and abusive and beats Mirra relentlessly.

As a story it is interesting.  It has all the typical elements of the fantasy genre particularly a world that Southwell has clearly put a lot of thought into.  There is a dramatic and tense divide between evil and good, and it includes a range of supernatural entities including gods, seers, vampires, demon steeds, grims and weirds.  Some of the descriptions and imagery reads very well and puts a clear picture in a reader’s mind. 

While the story is a bit of a page-turner, there is much in this book that needs improving.  To me it read like more of a draft than a novel ready for publication.  On a very basic level there were many spelling errors and typos.  But, more importantly the characters needed much reworking.  Mirra was most unbelievable as a character. She is the protagonist but she is painted as so innocent and naïve that she seems, quite simply, stupid.  Bane is angry, aggressive and hostile, and we are not really convinced as to why he is so consistently in this state and why he needs to incessantly beat and torture Mirra.  The whole physical abuse was quite unsettling.  Like a victim of domestic violence Mirra suffered great abuse from Bane but kept going back for more – there was something very strange about it.  The other aspect that needed more attention, before publication, was the ending, it is one of the most unsatisfying endings I have come across.  I read the novel, with all its flaws, looking forward to see what would happen, but was sorely disappointed.

So should you bother?  Well one of the things Southwell did quite well was to develop a subtle promise of romance between Bane and Mirra (yup, believe it or not).  This was interesting and kept me turning the pages.  I haven’t as yet read the other books in this series so maybe it will get better and answer many things that remain unanswered in this first book.  I guess if you have nothing better to read, you enjoy fantasy fiction and you don’t want to pay for a book (this one is free) then go ahead and read it.  I can guarantee you will enjoy some elements, but you will, most likely, detest others.

Demon Lord by TC Southwell is available as an ebook for free as Amazon.

My Rating:

Dracula - read it on a dark, rainy weekend!

If you find yourself at home on a long, rainy weekend in winter.  Perhaps the fire is going, all your friends are out of town, and there's just you and the cat; I highly recommend losing yourself in the original 'Dracula' (insert - thunderclap).

Dracula is free at Amazon Kindle

If you're a reader of classics, you'll appreciate the dark symbolism and poetic language employed by Stoker.  If you're not, it's one classic you might enjoy with its sinister yet saucy tale.

The novel is a well known Gothic tale about the elusive Count Dracula.  It is written in an epistolary style, which means it is a series of diary entries, letters, newspaper articles and so on.  This style makes it interesting as we read about the story and characters from different perspectives, and we are left wondering which perspectives are reliable (insert- eerie music)!

We are introduced to the story by Jonathan Harker, a young solicitor who travels to Transylvania to meet with Dracula on business.  The narrative then switches back to England where Harker's fiance, Mina and her friend Lucy, pick up the tale.  They wonder what has happened to Jonathan and also muse upon the mysterious arrival of a ship, with one dead body on board.  The simultaneous sightings of a black dog have the town of Whitby in a flap.  A strange sequence of events plays out, first with Lucy, then with Mina!

The thing that keeps you turning the pages and wanting to know more is the lack of explicit reference.  Stoker manages to allude to sexuality and horror in symbolic ways, making it all the more tantalising and just  plain scary.  The word 'Vampire' is barely mentioned, and so we wonder, along with Harker who or what Dracula is!

Here is one of my favourite descriptions:

"... my very feelings changed to repulsion and terror when I saw the whole man slowly emerge from the window and begin to crawl down the castle wall over that dreadful abyss, face down, with his cloak spreading out around him like great wings.  At first I could not believe my eyes.  I thought it was some trick of the moonlight, some weird effect of shadow;  but I kept looking, and it could be no delusion.  I saw the fingers and toes grasp the corners of the stones, worn clear of the mortar by the stress of years, and by thus using every projection and inequality move downwards with considerable speed, just as a lizard moves along a wall."

Isn't it thrilling?