This Week on Books Direct - 21 April 2013

This Week on Books Direct - 21 April 2013

Here is a list of the articles you may have missed this week:

"First Sentences of Great Books" - Article by Chris Robley for BookBaby.

Chris looks at first sentences from 20 books that have already become classics (plus some semi-recent hits and a few more-obscure favorites) in order to see if the magic was happening right from the start, or if it took the author a little while to get cooking.

What's your best first sentence? Share it with us below.

"Step Out Of Your Comfort Zone And Become A Better Writer!" - Article by Writer's Relief.

As creative writers, sometimes we need to stretch our muscles, step outside our stuffy little comfort zones, and try something new. But what can writers do to step out of their comfort? Here are a few ways to get started.

What was the last thing you did that inspired a new idea?

"Book Promotion Strategies that Actually Worked" - Article by Jason Boog for GalleyCat.

What’s the best book promotion strategy you've ever seen?

"The Basics of Beta Readers" - Article by Laurie Boris for Indies Unlimited.

Someone should look at your finished novel before you publish. Maybe you should try a beta reader.

Have you used a beta reader before? Please share your experience with us below.

"The Kissing Booth Editor on How to Discover an Author" - Article by Lauren Buckland for Everyday eBook.

Learn how 17-year-old author Beth Reekles got discovered on Wattpad.

"This is Your Brain on Revisions" - Article by Laurie Boris for Indies Unlimited.

Are your revisions going nowhere? Try some of Laurie's fairly harmless, out-of-the box suggestions to get your project moving again.

What do you do when your revisions come to a screeching halt?

"How to Start a Story" - Article by John H. Carroll for The World of Ryallon.

There are just as many methods of writing as there are writers. John shares his method of starting a story.

Do you have any tips to share with us?

"Five Things You Need to Know About Blog Tours Before Signing On" - Article by D. Kai Wilson-Viola for Book Junkies Journal.

Blog tours CAN be one of the best things you can do for your book and author brand - but if you don't pick a company that's committed and dedicated to your tour, or is running too many, you risk being ignored. 

"Give It Away" - Tutorial by Big Al for Indies Unlimited.

Ever wondered how to create a Rafflecopter giveaway? Let Big Al show you how.

"The 12 Dos and Don'ts of Writing a Blog" - Article by Brian A. Klems for Writer's Digest.

Thinking about writing a blog? Been writing a blog for some time now and have yet to establish any growth? Stick to these 12 specific dos and don’ts of writing a blog that Brian has developed over his 10 years of experience.

"H.P. Lovecraft's Advice to Aspiring Writers, 1920" - Article by Maria Popova for Brainpickings.

Lovecraft enumerates the twenty most common mistakes of young authors, "aside from those gross violations of syntax which ordinary education corrects," and offers a common cure for all.

"The Art of Character: The Five Cornerstones of Dramatic Characterization" - Article by David Corbett for The Creative Penn.

Creating believable and resonant characters is one of the great challenges of the fiction author. The concept of character has also become more important in narrative non-fiction and memoir, and even business books start with character stories to illustrate their points. David Corbett, author of The Art of Character, helps us with some key aspects to keep in mind.

"4 Time Management Techniques for Writers" - Article by Lisa England for JourneyCraft.

Lisa shares tips on how to manage your time as a writer.

"Sixty Second Writing Tips: Getting the Right Title" - Article by Matthew Wright.

Matthew gives us some tips on how to come up with the right title for your book.

"Armed and Outrageous" by Madison Johns

Armed and Outrageous 
by Madison Johns

Description

Senior sleuth - Grandma Mazur meets Murder She Wrote - cozy mystery.

Agnes Barton is not your typical senior citizen living in Tadium, MI, on the shores of Lake Huron. She drives a red hot Mustang, shops at Victoria's Secret, rankles local police officials, and has a knack for sticking her nose where it doesn't belong.

What does a murder that happened forty-three years ago have to do with missing tourist Jennifer Martin? Agnes makes it her personal mission to find out, and she's not letting the fact she's seventy-two get in the way. Butting heads with Sheriff Clem Peterson is something she's accustomed to, but lately Clem seems to be acting even more strange, making Agnes wonder what he may be hiding ala the Martin disappearance.

Agnes’ partner in crime, Eleanor Mason tags along, Watson to her Holmes.

Together, they unearth clues. If only Eleanor would behave, as although lovable, she has a knack for getting into trouble by tangling with her rival, Dorothy Alton, or flirting with anyone—male or female—and gossiping! She's incorrigible, but she does carry a Pink Lady revolver in her purse, one that has proved useful at times.

Life for Agnes and Eleanor is shaken up when Agnes' former boss and secret crush comes to Tadium. Before long, the lady sleuths have more on their hands to contend with as goons roll into town and bullets begin to fly.

Review

By mel

As mysteries go, this is probably not your grandmother's "cozy," but it may be your grandmother! Agnes Barton, a 72 year-old widow, is sometimes down, but never out. She's got a hot car and a hotter wardrobe, and an insatiable desire for...justice. While there have been other elderly female sleuths - Agatha Christie's Miss Marple comes immediately to mind - I doubt there have been the likes of Agnes Barton and her side-kick Eleanor Mason. Not content to sip tea and eat a crumpet or two, Agnes is all action and always on the go. She'll solve this crime or die trying (and almost does). The story revolves around - and weaves together - a newly missing young woman (Jennifer), a previously missing young woman (Agnes's granddaughter) and an unsolved crime from 1968. Toss in an old flame who's back in town, a rather inept sheriff, some out-of-town "goons," and an understanding State Trooper, then season with a bit of sass, a special "lipstick" that would make James Bond blush, some very adult shenanigans and a pinch of pot, and you've got the perfect mix for a great read. And did I mention the cat ... and the mice? Oh, and be prepared to laugh ... a lot.

While the mystery itself is well handled, what really makes this book a stand-out is the portrayal of the old folks who populate the story. Madison clearly knows the elderly, and not only has a handle on how they talk - and what they talk about - but also is very adept at showing us the humorous side of old age. But more importantly, Madison also sensitively delves into the things not generally discussed - the need for companionship, love, sex, and the difficulty of adjusting to the loss of a spouse. Her people are real people, with real needs, and they are not afraid to talk about them - or seek out ways to meet them. It is clear that Madison has affection for her characters.

This book is a first-class read. It moves along well, is full of colorful characters, and is very, very funny. I can't wait for the sequels; I'd like to see these people again. Madison has described this book as a "cozy," and that's exactly how you should be when you start this ... and a glass of wine would be just fine, too. 

About the Author

As a child, Madison Johns preferred to distance herself from other children her age, and had been described as a dreamer. Even as a small child, she remembers staying awake many a night fighting dragons, whisked away to foreign lands, or meeting the man of her dreams. She was a voracious reader of historical romance in her teen years and has always wished to one day journey to England, France, Ireland, and Scotland.

The writing bug bit her at the age of 44 and she pounded out three books since that time. As the publishing climate changed she took a risk and decided to self publish, first a collection of two horror short stories geared for YA, Coffin Tales Season of Death. 

Madison's caring nature had led her to work in the healthcare field, where she was employed as a nursing care assistant at a nursing home, and it was there that she was inspired to write her first mystery, Armed and Outrageous, introducing amateur detective Agnes Barton. The book depicts two elderly ladies digging up clues with enough laugh out loud antics to make James Bond blush. Madison has just released the sequel, Grannies, Guns and Ghosts, as well as the romantic comedy, Pretty and Pregnant.

Links

Amazon US Paperback

Amazon US Kindle

Amazon UK Paperback

Amazon UK Kindle

Amazon US author page

Amazon UK author page

Facebook

Twitter @madisonjohns11

Website

"Taken: Before Her Very Eyes" by Wade Faubert

Taken: Before Her Very Eyes
 by Wade Faubert

Description

Summer Demure — a police officer on stress leave because of a brutal abduction that nearly took her life — is elated when her abductor is finally captured and she's called upon to ID him. Everything seems about to come to an end. However, before she's able to make the ID, her husband is viciously stabbed and her daughter taken away.

The ransom note has no dollar figure — only one demand. Release the man she's supposed to ID and set him free.

Excerpt

Summer Demure sat slouched behind the wheel of the white Volvo, gazing off into the distance down the one-way street. Her unblinking eyes were locked on a single point in the darkness, but her mind was completely blank and she relished the feel of it. The ability to shut down her mind and take a break from the constant barrage of memories was the bliss she’d been searching for.

She couldn’t believe how drastic her life had changed these last months and knew the feeling of dread, which coursed through every fibre of her body, was going to be the hardest thing to overcome. She thought of Dean and how he’d tried to comfort her, but a shiver—that same shiver she felt every time he touched her—raced through her body, racking her petite frame with uncontrollable muscle spasms.

It didn’t seem to matter how many sessions she spent with the department psychiatrist, the outcome was always the same. She couldn’t stand the touch of her own husband.

It devastated Dean when she asked him to move out of the house, and he argued for hours that him leaving wasn’t going to solve her problems. Summer knew this was likely true, but like he’d said, this was her problem and she had to find a way to deal with it.

The night Dean left, he said he understood what she needed right now, but she could tell from the look in his eyes that he didn’t. Maybe the time apart would do them some good? Maybe after being separated for awhile, she’d overcome her fears and they could once more live as a family, but until then she had to live alone, taking care of Sabrina.

Her fingers strummed nervously against the worn leather steering wheel. Worn smooth by Dean’s many miles on the road. He loved this car so much that Summer was floored when he insisted she take it. Sure her old car wasn’t reliable, but Dean simply grabbed the keys and drove off, leaving her little choice in the matter. He said he did it for her, but she knew he’d done it for Sabrina.

“Sabrina,” she muttered, breaking the trance she was in. If it wasn’t for the shared custody, Summer would’ve sold the house and taken off far from here. Far from Chatham. Far from Southern Ontario. Hell, she would’ve trekked halfway across the country just to place some distance between herself and the memories of that brutal night five months ago. But even if she had full custody she couldn’t. At least not for a few more days. Not until that bastard, John Scott—Summer shivered just thinking about what that madman had done—was locked away for a long time. The mere thought of him sent her body into convulsions. Her muscles twitched and trembled as anxiety and fear gripped her heart, squeezing until she surrendered.

She glanced in the lighted vanity mirror and sighed. Her normally glowing skin had turned pale and sickly. Her face nearly disappeared, hiding behind the veil of white-blond hair. Normally she spent an hour styling it, but lately she couldn’t be bothered. Wash and go was all she could muster. Her physical appearance had changed drastically over the last months, that was, except for her bright green eyes. They reminded her that she was still somewhat in control, no matter how lost she felt these days.

She flipped the mirror closed and stared out the window. Summer watched as the painted autumn leaves fluttered along the deserted downtown sidewalk, tumbling and twisting, dancing upon their invisible stage. It was Monday morning and the stores were all in darkness. Not a single sign of life could be seen. The only figures on the sidewalks were the bags of trash set out for the early morning pickup. She glanced at the clock and shook her head at the smothering darkness that not only stole away hours of outdoor activities, but also caused her chest to tighten slightly.

Summer closed her eyes and drew a deep breath.

Review

By Denise Gardner

I liked this book for the action, suspense and the thrills. A mother's worse nightmare comes true. Yet, Summer faces her fears from being brutally kidnapped, beaten, raped repeatedly and left for dead while on the job. This tragedy for any woman would be enough to send you over the edge. But being a cop, a mother and a wife ultimately gives Summer hope and regained strength that she had buried. This story was a great story. I truly enjoyed it. If it had not been for the repeated misuse of words and punctuation, I would have given Taken: Before Her Very Eyes a 5 star review. However, I do recommend reading this book.

About the Author

The author states, "I live in Ingersoll, Ontario and enjoy writing my novels with a link to my area. Wampus Springs, my debut novel, is set in the fictional town of Ridgeway, Ontario. Ridgeway is a combination of all my favorite places I grew up in. It's a collage of Ridgetown, Rondeau park and every other water front paradise Southern Ontario has to offer."

The author's second novel, Taken: Before Her Very Eyes, was released in October 2012.

Links

Amazon US Paperback

Amazon US Kindle

Amazon UK Paperback

Amazon UK Kindle

Smashwords

Amazon author page

Facebook

Goodreads

Twitter @WadeFaubert

Website

"After Eternity (Side Stories of the Iron Flower)" by Billy Wong

After Eternity

(Side Stories of the Iron Flower)

by Billy Wong

Description

After Eternity is a heroic fantasy tale featuring the indestructible female warrior known as the Iron Flower.

Legendary warrior Rose thought she could get at least some rest playing bodyguard for her merchant friend Alex. But when they inadvertently revive an ancient hero and learn of an apocalyptic prophecy, Rose must travel to a haunted kingdom to battle a nation-killing demon and stop the event known as the Disaster.

This is a novelette featuring characters from the Iron Flower series.

Excerpt

The sun rose slowly from behind the white hills called the Gods' Knees, but its rays brought little warmth to the frigid northern air. As the two fur-clad travelers continued down the road, the young man said, "My pocket's getting hot."

Rose looked at Alex, confused by his statement, and watched him pull a wedge-shaped chunk of stone out of his breeches. "Do you know what this is?"

Snatching it out of the apprentice merchant's slender hand, Rose felt an inexplicable warmth and realized it was magic. Though it was reddish-brown all over, different shades of the color gave it a pattern resembling a flickering flame. "Where the hell did you get this thing?"

For a few moments the silence was broken only by snow crunching beneath their feet. "I think I got it off Lord Terror, after you killed him," Alex eventually said.

Terror had been the name used by the former knight Sir Terrence Milford in his stint as a bandit leader. He'd kidnapped Alex during an attack on a merchant camp, and Rose had killed him rescuing her charge. But that had been weeks ago.

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" she demanded. "Magic can be a dangerous thing, you know. I'm your bodyguard, but how am I supposed to protect you if you don't even tell me what you're doing?"

"Sorry, Rose. I didn't even know it was magic at the time. You're mad, aren't you?"

She didn't bother to take the scowl off her face. "Of course I am. You've got to be more careful." It didn't really matter if she was scaring him. She cared more about making him beware the dangers of the world, than being nice all the time. She'd lost far too many friends not to do her best to keep all the ones she had left safe. Still, she felt a bit guilty watching his unnerved eyes.

"It doesn't look magical at first sight," Alex said. "Besides, you were... busy when I found it."

Review

By Fantasyfan

Narrative flows fast without lagging of plot. Intriguing beginning to Rose and Alex's adventures for new readers of the Iron Flower series, definitely recommended!

About the Author

Billy Wong is an avid fan of heroic fantasy, with a special love for strong female warriors. He draws inspiration from the epic legends of old, and is on a quest to bring over the top deeds and larger than life heroes back to prominence in today's literary world.

Billy lives in Coney Island, Brooklyn. He has written numerous fantasy books, including the Iron Flower series and the Gothic Warrior series.

Links

Amazon US Kindle

Amazon UK Kindle

Amazon US author page

Amazon UK author page

Blog

Facebook

Goodreads

Twitter @WarriorWong

"The Second Diary" by Ciara Threadgoode

The Second Diary

by Ciara Threadgoode

Description

When people keep diaries, they usually record trite tidbits of daily life. Dorothy Rose Nolte Hughes, however, hides a second diary under the polka-dot towels and causes quite a stir in the family. Her use of metaphor, alliteration, and analogies keep readers learning some new turns-of-phrase and laughing while uncovering some family truths that lay hidden from the world.

Dottie's daughter isn't interested in the language and turn-of-phrase, however, only the secrets revealed to the one who finds the diary. Dottie’s favorite granddaughter, her husband, and their six dachshunds take care of Granny, but her diary leaves them not only befuddled and confused but also excited and elevated in spirit.

Moving back and forth between the granddaughter's story-telling and the grandmother's diary entries, readers are compelled to keep reading to the very end and learn about fairytales as part of the truth. Does the truth hide in fairytales and come forth when least expected or do fairytales hide in truth and just sort of spontaneously spew forth?

Excerpt

Chapter One

“Guess Whose ‘Gast’ Was Flabbered”

Dorothy Rose Nolte was born in her parents’ handmade, four-poster bed on April 1, 1936 in the small town of Truckee, California. She was the third child and first daughter of Preston Robert, my great grandfather and Cherise Rose Nolte, my great grandmother after whom I was named. I’m Cherise Rose Cones, or “Cherry,” and I’m thirty-five.

My grandmother (Dottie as she was often called) passed away in her sleep a little more than a month ago. Because her passing was still too fresh for my mother, and every other relative was amazingly too busy to help, my husband Gene and I were volunteered to clean out my grandmother’s house and prepare her unclaimed belongings for an upcoming estate sale.

“We were thrown under the bus,” as Gene so eloquently put it.

And honestly, we were. To avoid any family squabbles during an already difficult time, I agreed to do it. I was Granny’s favorite granddaughter; she’d told me numerous times. Gene and I did visit her more than any other family members. We were also the only childless married couple in my family and became known as “DINKs” (Dual Income, No Kids), so everyone assumed we had nothing better to do than to cater to all of the family’s unresolved issues. Not true. We loved doing what we wanted and the thought of a small human relying on either of us was both terrifying and stressful. Our six dogs were our babies, but somehow that didn’t seem to matter much to the family members with babies of the two-legged variety.

During our first day of cleaning we found a diary under Granny’s mattress. I remembered the book because my niece had given it to Granny on her seventy-sixth birthday and at the time I’d thought it an odd gift to give a woman her age. My niece was tickled with her gift to Granny but I’d actually forgotten all about it until our recent discovery.

I thumbed through it and found it quite boring. She recorded the weather, a few recipes, and some random news in a prim and proper calligraphy, almost as if she’d known that the book would be discovered and read. I placed it in the box of things for my mother to examine and then moved to a bedroom closet. On the third day of our cleaning and sorting, Gene found a second diary neatly tucked into the linen closet but purposely placed under a stack of pink polka-dot towels, her favorite color and design.

He quietly flipped through it before stopping to concentrate on one page; I was busy in the kitchen working in the pots and pans cupboard, noticing that he had become extremely quiet, which he rarely was.

Suddenly, he let out a piercing yell, “Eureka!” followed closely by “Cherry, honey, you’ve got to read this.”

A quick peek into my husband’s eyes, Eugene Thomas Cones, and I know he doesn’t get excited about the usual male topics. He doesn’t give a rat’s ass about sports. He doesn’t drink beer or any other type of alcohol, referring to it as “milk of amnesia.” He doesn’t hang out in the garage surrounded by classic cars or collect antique guns and knives. Absolutely no fishing or hunting as he wouldn’t hurt a fly; in fact, over the years of our marriage, he has prevented hundreds of insect deaths and is as eco-groovy as any one person could be.

Gene is into anything that smacks of gossip or celebrity or fashion. And the man absolutely loves clothes. No, he’s not gay although he truly fits all of the stereotyping or profiling criteria. I’ve often told him that he’d missed his gay calling, although I am completely sure he is not homosexual. He was just built differently from any other guys I’d ever known. He’d grown up in a house full of women. With six sisters, he was the baby and only boy, plus his father and male influence, was rarely home. He traveled and was gone most of the time when Gene was young. For me, his upbringing explained a great deal about the man he is today.

Review

By Jeepster

My husband was wondering why I kept giggling as I was reading this. I love the way The Second Diary is told by two different generations, past and present. It's a warm & humorous look at families, love & life that will have you wondering what secrets YOUR family is hiding.

About the Author

Ciara Threadgoode is this author's pseudonym. It's believed that Edgar Degas once said, "While I want to be famous, I also yearn to remain unknown." This author would concur. She collects sunsets, colorful fall leaves, evening silhouettes and 1959 pennies. When she's not traveling, Ciara spends her days feeding the birds, learning to play the guitar and making handmade patchwork quilts for gifts.

The Second Diary is Ciara's first novel. She is also the author of two newly released books, For What It's Worth and I Made You First.

Links

Amazon US Kindle

Amazon US paperback

Amazon UK Kindle

Amazon UK paperback

Amazon US author page

Amazon UK author page

Facebook - Author
Facebook - Book

Goodreads

This Week on Books Direct - 14 April 2013

This Week on Books Direct - 14 April 2013

Here is a list of the articles you may have missed this week:

"Amazon is Now Beta Testing an Automated Cover Generator for Kindle eBooks" - Article by Nate Hoffelder for The Digital Reader.

The cover image for an eBook is important to its success, but it’s also a rather difficult skill to master. Not everyone has the artistic skills to design a good cover, but in the not too distant future that will no longer be a problem.

"Glipho: New Blogging Platform Worth A Look" - Article by Brian Feinblum for BookMarketingBuzzBlog.

A new blogging platform has launched: GLIPHO. The state-of-the-art publishing platform provides all necessary social sharing tools and a ready-made audience of like-minded bloggers and visitors to guarantee your voice gets heard.

Take a look, join up and list your link in the comments below.

"Write it Now: Part 7, the Inverted Writing Pyramid" - Article by Matthew Wright.

Start broad, then work down to the specific. This is known as the ‘inverted pyramid’ approach. It first hooks the reader with the big picture, and then draws them deeper into the material.

"Yes, Fiction Writers Do Research" - Article by T. D. McKinnon for Indies Unlimited.

You have to know what you are writing about or risk being labelled unprofessional. Make sure you do the research.

"Improve Your Writing and Make a Few Bucks" - Article by Jim Devitt for Indies Unlimited.

If you are looking for an outlet to improve your blogging, or to show off what you know, there are a couple of platforms to do that, and possibly, earn some cash at the same time. Today we'll look at Yahoo Contributor Network.

"Ten Tips for Developing Your Writing Blog" – Article by Tony Riches for AHA Authors Helping Authors.

Your writing blog can become the beating heart of your author platform. Social media has its place, your author website is your "shop window", but your blog will help people understand why you write, what you stand for and who you really are. Here are Tony's ten top tips for anyone who wants to add value to their writing blog.

"5 Tips on How to Write a Novel Synopsis" - Article by Chuck Sambuchino for Writer Unboxed.

No one likes writing a synopsis, but synopses are a necessary part of the submission process. Chuck shares 5 basic tips on how to compose one.

"But I Don’t Want a Blog" - Article by Carolyn Steele for Indies Unlimited.

You can use WordPress for any sort of website, not just a blog. It’s not difficult and you instantly have access to the usefulness of widgets and plugins, plus the ability to edit whenever you please.

"Free Review Blogs" - Resource created by Carmen Stefanescu.

Check out the comprehensive list Carmen has created. I'm sure you'll agree she has provided us all with a wonderful resource. Books Direct blog is included in this list. Thanks, Carmen!

"Web Tips for Authors: The March Roundup" - A collection of articles by BookBaby.

Every week, BookBaby posts new web tips to help authors like you make the most of your online efforts — stuff like: growing your email list, how to effectively recycle popular content, crafting newsletters that convert to book sales, search engine optimization for beginners, and much more. In case you missed anything, here's the March roundup.

"How to Add a Link to an Image in Blogger" - Article by Clive Eaton for Marketing Tips 4 Authors.

Tutorial on how to add an image and link to your Blogger post.

"How Gross Must We Be To Attract Boy Readers?" - Article by Max Anderson.

There are articles and opinions circulating on the Internet that ask how gross we have to be in our writing to attract boy readers. In recent months, a number of books have been published that make use of toilet humor, gross words or situations, and certain sounds. Are dirty or questionable words funny? Of course they are. Are certain body parts, sounds, and functions funny? No question. But that is no excuse to use them in our writing, especially when children are the intended audience.

"How to Write a Blog Post" - Article by Stephen Hise for Indies Unlimited.

Following Stephen's simple steps will make it easier to write a blog post. (And have a laugh along the way.)