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Welcome to my place in the blogosphere!
feel free to explore the Flight Deck and check out my books and website.
Then fasten your seatbelts, sip a glass of something sparkling and let's chat awhile!
I hope you'll stop by again for guest authors and spotlights from time to time.

Beloved Enemy joined Starquest and Children of the Mist to continue the Destiny Trilogy and I'm thrilled to announce was shortlisted for the R.N.A. RoNA Awards 2017, awarded 2nd Runner up in the RONE Awards 2017 and was the winner in the SF/Fantasy category of the 'Best Banter Contest'.

Saturday 6 December 2014

This makes it all worth while ...


Writing can be a lonely business. We writers write because we love creating characters and stories, and because we want to share those stories with readers, who will hopefully fall in love with our characters like we did.  Most writers make very little money from their books, and are just thrilled to know that their work is giving pleasure to readers , most of whom they will never know.

PURCHASE
Once in a while a reader takes the time to  let us know that they've enjoyed our book and that is absolutely what makes all the hard work, writing into the wee small hours, the revising, editing, and the long wait for publication, worth while! I received the most wonderful feedback from one such reader, who I met at the Festival of Romance in Leighton Buzzard in September. She said some really lovely things about the 'book of my heart' , my first published novel, STARQUEST.  I won't reproduce everything she said here, as it does contain some 'spoilers' if you've never read it, but here's just a small quote from her lovely message.

"I have just this minute finished! And what can I say? It was truly amazing!  I truly enjoyed it and can not wait to read more books by you "

'Thank you SO much, Becca, you don't know how much that means to me, and I really appreciate you taking the trouble to let me know.  Readers - if you enjoy a book and can spare a moment to let the author know, or even write a short review it will be truly appreciated and the encouragement it gives is beyond price!

Wednesday 3 December 2014

Interview with Christy Effinger

I'm thrilled to have fellow wild Rose Press Author Christy Effinger on the Flight Deck today.  

Author Bio:

Christy Effinger’s poetry, fiction, and essays have appeared in various print and online publications. She lives near Indianapolis. Her website is www.christyeffinger.com

Make yourself at home Christy, and help yourself to something cool and sparkling from the replicating unit. Now first of all, tell us all about your new release:

Christy: Say Nothing of What You See is my first published book, a paranormal new adult novel from The Wild Rose Press. I wrote this book several years ago while my husband was taking night classes for his MBA. Writing this book got me into the habit of working at a consistent pace. 

HL:  That's a great habit to acquire. When did you first start writing?

Christy: At age seven I wrote and illustrated my first story, about a little old woman and her pet pig. That was when I knew I wanted to be an author, since my floating stick figures seemed to indicate I’d never be an artist.  

 HL:  LOL, So what have you learned about writing since you were published that surprised you the most?
      
Christy:  Publishing is a slow process. Although I wrote Say Nothing several years ago, it took me a long time to research and query publishers. After I signed my contract, there were revisions and final edits to make. I’ve learned to write and edit faster, but also to be patient with publishers and realistic in my expectations.   

 HL:  Yes,I can certainly relate to that.  It seemed to take for ever before my first book was published! Do you have a support system? Do you have a writing community? What valuable lessons have you learned from them?


Christy: I’m fortunate to have a supportive husband who knows that I need time and space to write. My writer friends are the people who understand the highs and lows of this crazy, unpredictable career. I’ve learned so much from veteran writers. The most recent piece of advice was this: when your book is published, you have to let it go. You can no longer protect your story once it’s out in the world.  

HL: That is so very true, Christy. Is there any advice, as a new writer, that you were either given, or wish you had been given?


 Christy: Write faster. That’s what I would tell myself if I could go back in time. Life is complicated. Things get in the way, and they always will. Work hard, work fast.

HL:  That's great advice.  Finally, just for fun, if you were an animal, which one do you think you would be, and why?


Christy: A koala, because right now I always seem to have my baby daughter clinging to me.
Sometimes I have to type with one hand. If you see a typo in this interview, that’s probably why.

HL: Aw. how cute!  Thank you so much for taking time to be with us today Christy.  Before you catch the shuttle back to Earth, let's find out a bit more about your book.

SAY NOTHING OF WHAT YOU SEE 
Blurb:

When her aunt steps off a grain elevator into the emptiness of a prairie evening, Mira Piper

loses her one protector. Chloe, her flighty mother, impulsively drags her daughter to Bramblewood, an isolated spiritualist retreat in northern Michigan, run by the enigmatic Dr. Virgil Simon.

Chloe plans to train as a medium but it's Mira who discovers she can communicate with the dead. When her mother abandons her, Mira discovers a darker aspect to Bramblewood: the seemingly kind doctor has a sinister side and a strange control over his students.

Then one winter's day Troy Farrington arrives, to fulfill his mother's dying wish and deliver her letter to the doctor. But calamity strikes and he finds himself a captive, tended by a sympathetic Mira. Haunted by her dead aunt and desperate to escape Bramblewood, Mira makes a devil's deal with Dr. Simon. But fulfillment comes with a steep cost...betrayal.

Excerpt:
“You are absolutely stunning, Mira.”

I stole another glance in the mirror. The material was a rich, shimmery gold that fell from my shoulders in folds of liquid light. It looked like something a Greek goddess might wear. Oh, how I wished the girls from Amberville High School could see me in this dress!

“When you came here,” said Dr. Simon, “I had a vision of you like this. I looked at the girl before me, but I saw the woman you are now.”

“Thank you,” I murmured, gesturing toward the piles of clothes on my bed. “You’ve been so generous. I know you’ve spent a good deal of money on me—”

“Money means nothing,” he interrupted abruptly. “I have more than I could ever spend, more than I know what to do with. Don’t consider the cost.”

His tone was brusque, and I wondered if I had offended him.

But the next moment Dr. Simon smiled. “I think of you as my charity case. You were like a doll thrown out in the garbage. I simply rescued you from the trash, cleaned you up, and dressed you in something decent. But the beauty was present all along.” He touched my cheek. “Here.” Then he touched my forehead. “Here.” Then he touched my chest. “And here.”

I knew he was referring to my heart, but even so, his hand on my chest made my face warm with discomfort.

“You blush so easily,” he laughed. “You’ll never be able hide anything, Mira, with such a transparent face.”

“That’s all right,” I said, taking a small step back. “I don’t have anything to hide.”

Buy Links:

The Wild Rose Press:
http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=242_177_139&products_id=5772

Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Say-Nothing-What-You-See-ebook/dp/B00MW5HTZ0/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=1-1&qid=1409

BN.com

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/say-nothing-of-what-you-see-christy-effinger/1120219553?ean=2940150511323:

Author Links:

Website: http://christyeffinger.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/christyeffinger
Tumblr: http://christyeffinger.tumblr.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/christyeffinger
Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/christyeffinger
Google+: http://google.com/+christyeffinger
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/christyeffinger

Monday 1 December 2014

Slip -Book Blitz and Giveaway


slip banner
This is my stop during the book blitz for Slip (Slip #1) and Grip (Slip #2) by David Estes. This book blitz is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The book blitz runs from 1 till 5 December, you can view the complete blitz schedule on the website of Lola’s Blog Tours.

Slip coverSlip (Slip #1)
By David Estes

Genre: Dystopia
Age category: Young Adult
Release Date: 1 December, 2014

Blurb:
Someone must die before another can be born...

As sea levels rise and livable landmasses shrink, the Reorganized United States of America has instituted population control measures to ensure there are sufficient resources and food to sustain the growing population. Birth authorization must be paid for and obtained prior to having a child. Someone must die before another can be born, keeping the country in a population neutral position at what experts consider to be the optimal population. The new laws are enforced by a ruthless government organization known as Pop Con, responsible for terminating any children resulting from unauthorized births, and any illegals who manage to survive past their second birthday, at which point they are designated a national security threat and given the name Slip.

But what if one child slipped through the cracks? What if someone knew all the loopholes and how to exploit them? Would it change anything? Would the delicate resource balance be thrown into a tailspin, threatening the lives of everyone?

And how far would the government go to find and terminate the Slip?

In a gripping story of a family torn apart by a single choice, Slip is a reminder of the sanctity of a single life and the value of the lives we so often take for granted.

You can find Slip on Goodreads

You can buy Slip here:
- Amazon


Grip coverGrip (Slip #2)
By David Estes

Genre: Dystopia
Age category: Young Adult
Release Date: 1 December, 2014

Blurb:
In a tumultuous world of population control, one illegal child has slipped through the cracks. Now, as a teenager, Benson Kelly has escaped certain deaths at the hands of the Department of Population Control, only to find himself the symbol of a rebellion, something he never intended.

While trying to survive one day at a time, Benson seeks to unravel the tangled knot of secrets left behind when his father died, the key to which has something to do with his mother, Janice Kelly, recently escaped from the insane asylum.

As the rebel group known as the Lifers continue to use brute force to send a message to the government, Benson's twin, Harrison Kelly, seeks to exploit a loophole that could be the key to freedom for his brother. All that's required is a simple act of murder.

Meanwhile, Population Control's attack dog, a sadistic cyborg known as The Destroyer, closes in on Benson and his family. His directive: Kill them all.

Faith, family and love will be pushed to the limits in the GRIPping sequel to Slip.

You can find Grip on Goodreads

You can buy Grip here:
- Amazon

Author Photo - David EstesAbout the Author:
Author of popular YA dystopian series, the Dwellers Saga and the Country Saga. Voted books to read if you enjoyed the Hunger Games on Buzzfeed and Listopia.

Join 2,400+ David Estes Fans and YA Book Lovers Unite in David Estes' official fan group at:
http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/70863-david-estes-fans-and-ya-book-lovers-unite

David Estes was born in El Paso, Texas but moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania when he was very young. David grew up in Pittsburgh and then went to Penn State for college. Eventually he moved to Sydney, Australia where he met his wife. They now live together in their dream location, Hawaii. A reader all his life, he began writing novels for the children's and YA markets in 2010, and started writing full time in June 2012. Now he travels the world writing with his wife, Adele. David's a writer with OCD, a love of dancing and singing (but only when no one is looking or listening), a mad-skilled ping-pong player, and prefers writing at the swimming pool to writing at a table.

You can find and contact David here:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads

There is a tour wide giveaway for the book blitz of Slip. These are the prizes you can win:
- Winners choice of book to the value of $15.00 U.S. from The Book Depository
- A signed copy of SLIP plus bonus swag- U.S. entrants only
- A signed copy of BREW plus bonus swag- U.S. entrants only
- 3 ebook packs with three David Estes ebooks of your choice
- 4 signed packs of bookmarks

You can enter the blitz wide giveaway here:
a Rafflecopter giveaway