Shoot for the Moon Challenge – January 2019 #Brainfluff2019targets #ShootfortheMoon2019 #authoringannals

This is now an annual event – in the dying days of the year, my writing buddy Mhairi Simpson and I sit down together and set ourselves targets for the coming year. The theory is that in aiming for the insanely unrealistic, we’ll achieve more than if we were more cautious in our goalsetting. These are the targets I set for 2019.

• Edit and publish Mantivore Dreams – Book 1 of The Arcadian Chronicles
I’m hoping to release Mantivore Dreams sometime in the summer – it’s been held up by my delay in getting Mantivore Prey completed. Once I’ve finished the first draft of Mantivore Prey, which isn’t so much of a rewrite as starting more or less from scratch, then I’ll have a better idea of the publishing schedule.

• Complete, edit and publish Mantivore Prey – Book 2 of The Arcadian Chronicles
At long last, the writing is going smoothly and I now know exactly where the story is headed after two false starts and some 50,000 words discarded. One of the more miserable aspects of being ill at the back of last year was that I lost my writing mojo… I think I can realistically complete the first draft by Easter. I wrote just over 13,000 words towards book in January and am now well past the halfway mark.

• Rewrite, edit and submit Miranda’s Tempest
I know have a strong sense of where this one is going and I’m determined to get this novel written, edited and resubmitted before the end of the year. I now have a wonderful editor prepared to look at my manuscripts who understands my writing style and makes it the best it can be, which should help enormously.

• Outline and start on the first draft of Bloodless – Book 1 of the Beth Wheeler mysteries
This is the first book in the spin-off series from The Sunblinded, featuring disaster-magnet Lizzy Wright who now finds herself solving murder mystery cases in space. It’s a genre I’m very fond of and look forward to writing.

• Release paperback editions of Dying for Space and Breathing Space
Another consequence of my illness late last year – I’d scheduled for these to occur then and it simply didn’t happen. Hopefully I’ll have both Dying for Space and Breathing Space available in paperback by Easter.

• Organise reviews for the release of Netted
We now have the cover done and I’m in the process of going through the manuscript for the final time looking for any errors. Netted is due to be published sometime in the autumn by Grimbold Publishing and I’m very excited about it. I’m hoping to soon have an arc available for anyone interested in reviewing the book – please let me know.

• Regain my fitness and stamina
My hypertension has been diagnosed and I feel so much better. I’d always been under the impression it was a symptomless issue, not so in my case – I felt dreadful. I’m still having major problems with rejigging my sleep patterns and need to better manage my stress issues, which are compounded by my habit of working too hard. I have restarted my Pilates class and when I feel better, I also want to find some sort of aerobic class to also join, such as Fitstep or Zumba.

• Continue delivering my Creative Writing courses at Brighton Metropolitan College
I am now running three courses a term and also hope to run a three-week Poetry Course and One Day Summer Surgery course this year. I love teaching my wonderful students and really miss them during the holidays – which is so very uncool…

• Continue teaching TW
Tim is now studying music at Chichester College three days a week and doing really well. However we still have the final element of his English exam to work towards during the next two terms. It’s lovely to see him developing into an articulate, charming young man who is sensitive to the needs of others and enjoys going out with his friends.

• Continue blogging about books and writing
I thoroughly enjoy reading and reviewing books – I’m keeping my target for the year at 100 books, although this last year I read 162 books and published 124 reviews on my blog. I am easing back from posting every day as I simply don’t have the time, but will continue to read and review. I’m intending to join two challenges – Love Your Library and Beat the Backlist, as well as continue with my Discovery Challenge to find more female authors I haven’t previously read. During January I read 12 books and posted 5 reviews.

These are my writing, reading and life challenges for 2019. Wish me luck!

Sunday Post – 27th January, 2019 #Brainfluffbookblog #SundayPost

This is part of the weekly meme over at the Caffeinated Reviewer, where book bloggers can share the books and blogs they have written.

The weather has been quite a bit colder this week, with several frosts and then it suddenly warmed up again to nearly 50°F. No wonder several students have been off sick and my writing buddy had to cut short our Friday together. On Wednesday evening, I attended our fortnightly writing group and touched base with everyone, though I didn’t take any writing. On Thursday, I had a planning meeting in the morning for the rest of the teaching year with Tim and then taught him for three hours in the afternoon. It was lovely catching up with him, as I hadn’t seen him since the beginning of December.

On Saturday morning, Himself and I went shopping and I also took a stack of books to the local library, who gratefully received them. It was lovely to catch up with the wonderful lady who reads stories to small children in the library on Saturday mornings – she always asks after Frankie and Oscar, who she regularly used to read to. She was amazed when I told her that Frankie is now taller than I am…

I spent the rest of the day working on Mantivore Prey. The first 1,000 words was like drawing teeth and took a looong time. However, I then got into the swing of the narrative – I’m now in the middle of an unexpected subplot which is going very well, though time will tell if it’s going to work out. Fingers crossed…

Last week I read:
The Warrior – Book 3 of The Immortal Dealers series by Sarah Fine
Ernestine “Ernie” Terwilliger never intended to live among the Immortal Dealers, much less to be party to an ongoing battle where the fate of humanity is in the draw of a card. And the stakes have gotten only higher now that a shady new Forger has been crowned.
Despite crashing into this series by picking up the final book, I enjoyed this world and the magic system, as well as being able to empathise with the sympathetic protagonist. Review to follow.

 

The Defiant Heir – Book 2 of the Swords and Fire series by Melissa Caruso
Across the border, the Witch Lords of Vaskandar are preparing for war. But before an invasion can begin, they must call a rare gathering of all seventeen lords to decide a course of action. Lady Amalia Cornaro knows that this Conclave might be her only chance to stifle the growing flames of war, and she is ready to make any sacrifice if it means saving Raverra from destruction.
I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this series, but I really loved this one. The political situation is gripping and the supporting cast are fabulous. Review to follow.

 

Spacer’s Cinderella by Adria Rose
A broken shoe. A forbidden ball. A sexy cyborg with a secret. Born on an abandoned colony barely held together by sealant tape and hope, Aurora Sato is at the very bottom of the social pecking order. Hard work and brains got her into a coveted spot in the quadrant’s top university… But her new supervisor is a woman who’s not about to let an upstart like Aurora get anything close to a break.
This romance sci fi story has a gripping plotline that drew me in and held me, despite not generally reading this sub-genre.

 

Traveler in the Dark – Book 1 of the Ex Situ series by Deirdre Gould
Sixteen hundred years ago, they fled Earth. Now their long journey may finally be at an end. None of them have ever walked on soil, felt rain, or breathed unrecycled air. Their resources nearly spent, they sent a last exploratory mission to a new planet. It’s ideal… but they are not alone. In the struggle for survival, they must make a choice. Sacrifice another species or accept their own extinction. And time is running out.
This colony exploration tale took an unexpectedly dark turn, which also explored the moral issues of colonisation.

 

My posts last week:

Sunday Post – 20th January 2019

Review of Novella The Expert System’s Brother by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Friday Face-Off featuring The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco

Box Set – The Sunblinded Trilogy – Running Out of Space, Dying for Space, Breathing Space

Interesting/outstanding blogs and articles that have caught my attention during the last week, in no particular order:
The Super Blood Wolf Moon Eclipse of 2019 http://www.fundinmental.com/the-super-blood-wolf-moon-eclipse-of-2019-bloodwolfmoon-eclipse/#.XE2QhM3grb1 I tend to avoid the news these days with the Brexit nonsense going on – but then I miss events like this. Thank goodness I can comfort myself with these superb pics…

Thursday Doors https://jeanreinhardt.wordpress.com/2019/01/24/thursday-doors-121/ This quirky blog is rarely just about doors – and this week not only do we have pics of the cutest dog in the world, but a grim slice of history, too.

The U.L.S. The Underground Library Society Guest Post by Amanda Cade! https://charlesfrenchonwordsreadingandwriting.wordpress.com/2019/01/22/the-u-l-s-the-underground-library-society-guest-post-by-amanda-cade/ Academic and indie writer Charles French runs this meme on his excellent blog – and this week I was blown away by Amanda’s contribution.

Let’s get real about the hot mess of spell-check, grammar and editing tools https://redpenofdoom.com/lets-get-real-about-the-hot-mess-of-spell-check-grammar-and-editing-tools/ Given that effective editing is a large chunk of successful writing – I share Guy’s pain in this heartfelt article.

Twisted Conservation Education and Awareness http://chechewinnie.com/twisted-conservation-education-and-awareness/ I enjoy Cheche’s blog, and her insightful observations about conservation in Africa – this disturbing article highlights some of the challenges faced by those trying to make a difference…

In the meantime, many thanks for taking the time to comment, like and visit my blog – have a wonderful week!

Box Set – The Sunblinded Trilogy – Running Out of Space, Dying for Space, Breathing Space – #BrainfluffTheSunblindedTrilogyboxset #TheSunblindedTrilogyboxset

A chance to get hold of the complete set of Lizzy Wright’s adventures to date for a great price –

just click on the spiffy new box set image to check it out…

RUNNING OUT OF SPACE:
Lizzy Wright has yearned to serve on the space merchant ship Shooting Star for as long as she can remember – until one rash act changes everything…

Lizzy and her friends weren’t looking for trouble – all they’d wanted was to prove that fertile English girls could handle themselves when on shore leave without being accompanied by a sour-faced chaperone and armed guard. Looking back, maybe taking a jaunt off-limits on Space Station Hawking wasn’t the best idea – but no one could have foreseen the outcome. Or that the consequences of that single expedition would change the lives of all four girls, as well as that of the stranger who stepped in to save them.

Now Lizzy has more excitement and danger than she can handle, while confronting lethal shipboard politics, kidnapping, betrayal. And murder.

DYING FOR SPACE:
Cadet Elizabeth Norman finally gets her wish to train as an officer – until her dreams of active service are crushed…

After all Lizzy’s been through, the General absolutely refuses to allow her to serve on the front line. Worse… the only alternative offered to her is a desk in Procurement – as far from the action as it’s possible to get. Spying on her boss.

Just when she’s cursing her bad luck and hating every dreary day – people around Lizzy start dying. And as the body count rises, she realises that doing nothing isn’t an option…

 

BREATHING SPACE:
Lizzy Wright is now Chief of the largest mercenary force in Sector Two – a job she can’t walk away from without risking a bullet in her back…

It’s not even as if she’s qualified for the job of Leader of the Peace and Prosperity Corps – more a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong surname, and now she feels the job is twisting her into someone she no longer likes.

The situation comes to a head when her psychotic brother – busy expanding his piracy operations – causes chaos throughout Sector Two. Forced to go undercover in a disguise which bites back, and in the company of a speed-enhanced oddball with a price on his head, Lizzie must contend with corruption, betrayal, and murder. Not to mention highly territorial aliens with their own agenda…

‘Running Out of Space is an excellent novel, with enough pace and plot to keep you reading, and enough subtext to keep you wondering.’ Mrs Vivienne Tuffnell – 5 stars

‘It is a great piece of Sci Fi, full of action and unexpected twists.’ mj – 5 stars

For fans of Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan series and Elizabeth Moon

Shoot for the Moon 2018 Challenge – How Did I Do? #Brainfluffblog #AuthorAnnals4

This is now an annual event – in the dying days of the year, my writing buddy Mhairi Simpson and I sit down together and set ourselves targets for the coming year. The theory is that in aiming for the insanely unrealistic, we’ll achieve more than if we were more cautious in our goalsetting – did this work for me during 2018?
• Rewrite Miranda’s Tempest and submit it to the agent who expressed an interest in it
Well, I did the rewrite, submitted the manuscript to an editor in June and got the feedback. By then, I was in the throes of rewriting The Arcadian Chronicles, which I thought wouldn’t take all that long. However, it has. It is still doing so. Which means that Miranda’s Tempest is still waiting to be sorted out. I am hoping to get to it during the summer, However, during the long break from it, I have had a major epiphany regarding the beginning. A – duh! moment where I can’t believe I didn’t take this approach before. It should improve the pacing, make the reader immediately aware of what’s at stake and start the story with a bang.

• Organise new covers for Running Out of Space and Dying for Space
It helps when your best writing buddy also happens to be an awesome cover designer – I was so grateful when Mhairi agreed to help me out and the general response has been nothing but positive since I released the books with the new covers.

• Rewrite, edit and publish Breathing Space
Yes – this was all achieved, so that Breathing Space now completes The Sunblinded Trilogy, after being published on 18th July. I have also set up the story so that Lizzy is poised to start a new chapter in her life, once I start writing the crime series featuring her next series of adventures.

• Rewrite, edit and publish Mantivore Preys and Mantivore Freed
This is another casualty of my poor writing performance during the latter end of the year. I’m now nearly halfway through Mantivore Preys, which I more or less started on schedule – and then started wading through glue as the story graunched from one dead-end to another. At last my writing is gathering momentum again, so I’m hoping to complete the book by the end of February. With luck and a following wind, I’ll also have the first draft of Mantivore Freed finished by the end of the summer. Fingers crossed… I have the covers ready for these books and am really looking forward to getting them completed and published.

• Release paperback editions for Running Out of Space, Dying for Space and Breathing Space
I have released Running Out of Space as a paperback and had hoped to have Dying for Space done before the end of the year. However, it didn’t happen – again due to my illness. Hopefully, I’ll have Dying for Space and Breathing Space both available in paperback format by the end of February.

• Write the first draft of Bloodless
No, I didn’t get close. My health became a real issue from the time I returned from my lovely writing retreat. Even before then, I wasn’t happy with the quality of my writing which had lost its bounce and energy. It turns out I was the one without any bounce and only now, since my diagnosis of hypertension, am I starting to feel like my old self as the medication is starting to take effect.

• Learn to market my books
Himself and I attended a marketing conference at the early part of the year and came away a tad overwhelmed, but enthusiastic. With Mhairi’s help, I plunged into the rarefied world of Amazon ads and felt quite pleased with my progress for a few months – before the algorithm abruptly changed and nothing was working any more. It takes a lot of time and energy I simply don’t have to keep on top of these developments, so I’ve decided to put the Marketing aspect on the back-burner until I have more books available to make it more economically viable.

• Read and review at least 100 books on my blog
I read 162 books during the year and published 124 reviews on the blog, although I have a few more written that will now have to wait until the coming year to see the light of day. I always love blogging and discussing books, but during the year I had to cut back from posting daily to about four times a week once my energy diminished as I became unwell. I’m not rushing to resume my daily posts, as I think one of my issues has been overwork.

• Continue teaching Creative Writing at Northbrook
Since Northbrook merged with Brighton Metropolitan, the Adult and Community Learning Department has had a new lease of life and during 2018, I was delighted to be able to run an extra session every week. The start of the new academic year in September saw my 10th anniversary teaching Creative Writing, which I still can’t quite believe.

• Continue teaching Tim
I will be continuing to teach Tim for the rest of the year, while he also attends college three days a week and still needs ongoing support. I cannot quite believe how far he’s come – it’s marvellous to see how well he is coping in a course for neuro-typical students, as he’s busy making new friends and extending his musical skills.

• Continue getting fitter
This was an epic fail. I was enjoying my Pilates and Fitstep classes, but as the year wore on I found it increasingly difficult to keep my attendance regular and finally, regretfully, I gave up first the Fitstep class and then the Pilates class as my energy drained away. I am hoping to resume my Pilates classes next week. Wish me luck!

As you can see, it’s been a mixed year. Overall, I’m reasonably happy with the results, given how my illness impacted my productivity and I’m hoping to put in place some lifestyle changes to help me stay healthy during the coming year. I have already set my targets for my Shoot for the Moon Challenge 2019 – I will be sharing them on the blog at the end of January. In the meantime, have a peaceful, healthy year, everyone – hopefully with lots of wonderful books to get lost in. Thank you all for your kind comments, likes and visits – even during the dark times when I couldn’t summon up the energy to post, I always found the kindness and good will evident within our blogging community a continual source of encouragement.

#Sunday Post – 8th July, 2018 #Brainfluffbookblog

This is part of the weekly meme over at the Caffeinated Reviewer, where book bloggers can share the books and blogs they have written.

I got to meet my new granddaughter on Wednesday – but the day certainly didn’t go as planned. I needed to go shopping for my daughter – not all that straightforward, given they live in the depths of the country and I don’t know my way around the area. It didn’t help when I was speeding down the A27 the superstore came into view, peeping through the trees with a field between it and the road and my phone announced that I had reached my destination… I finally managed to get there – and back again. Only for the midwife who had arrived to check over Eliza to decide she needed to go to hospital. Fortunately, they gave her the all-clear – a huge relief. But it wasn’t a day for relaxing cuddles. Though it was great to catch up with my other grandchildren as I held the fort and gave them tea.

Other news… I’ve been busy setting everything up for the book launch as Breathing Space is now being released today. It’s the culmination of a great deal of work – as anyone who has written a trilogy will know – and even now, I can’t quite believe that I have all three books out there. Thank you everyone for your kind good wishes and encouragement.

This week I have read:

Earth and Air – A Second Prequel Novella in the Earth Girl series by Janet Edwards
2788. Only the handicapped live on Earth. While everyone else uses interstellar portals to travel between hundreds of colony worlds, 17-year-old Jarra is among the one in a thousand people born with an immune system that cannot survive on other planets. Sent to Earth at birth to save her life, abandoned by her parents to be raised a ward of Hospital Earth, she lives a regimented life in one of their impersonal residences.

Jarra is spending the summer at New York Fringe Dig Site with her school history club. While her friends search for lost treasures on the ground, Jarra is airborne in a survey plane and hoping to become a qualified pilot, but the sprawling ancient ruins of New York contain the lethal legacies of the past as well as its treasures.
I love this world and once more, Edwards’ upbeat writing pulled me in and held me until the end. Edwards has clearly mastered the art of pacing the story within the novella form so that the ending didn’t come as an unwelcome surprise, but as an inevitable conclusion to a cracking adventure.

And that’s it – other than lots of checking and rereading my own Sunblinded trilogy…

My posts last week:

Sunday Post – 1st July 2018

Teaser Tuesday featuring Running Out of Space – Book 1 of the Sunblinded trilogy by S.J. Higbee

Review of Witch at Heart – Book 1 of the Jinx Hamilton Mystery series by Juliette Harper

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of Netgalley arc Murder Takes a Turn – Book 6 of the Langham and Dupré series by Eric Brown

Friday Face-off – Words as empty as the wind are best left unsaid… featuring Windwitch – Book 2 of the Witchlands series by Susan Dennard

GIVEAWAY – Dying for Space is FREE for 5 days only!

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of Truth Sister by Phil Gilvin

 

Interesting/outstanding blogs and articles that have caught my attention during the last week, in no particular order:

Exploring and Exploding the ‘Just World Hypothesis’ https://zenandtheartoftightropewalking.wordpress.com/2018/07/04/exploring-and-exploding-the-just-world-hypothesis/ Another interesting and insightful post by Viv…

#lessons Learned & an #Author #Interview with Michael Scott, Part I: #writing a #pageturner. Thanks @flamelauthor! https://jeanleesworld.com/2018/07/05/lessons-learned-an-author-interview-with-michael-scott-part-1-writing-a-pageturner-thanks-flamelauthor/ Jean once more writes a fascinating article on how pacing and cliffhangers can enhance the reading experience…

Fun Fact Friday with Franky’s Fun Flamingo Facts https://wandaluthman.wordpress.com/2018/07/06/fun-fact-friday-with-frankys-fun-flamingo-facts/ And no – I had no idea about these flamingo facts – did you?

The Legacy of Millie the Quilter – a series of stories https://jenniefitzkee.com/2018/06/30/the-legacy-of-milly-the-quilter-a-series-of-stories/ This is a wonderful tribute to someone very special…

Venting: Pirating books is wrong! #bookbloggers #bookblogger #bloggers #blogger #books #blog #blogpost https://thetattooedbookgeek.wordpress.com/2018/07/02/venting-pirating-books-is-wrong-bookbloggers-bookblogger-bloggers-blogger-books-blog-blogpost/ Drew of The Tattooed Book Geek has a rant about a particularly baldfaced attempt to steal books from authors – which also has my blood boiling. Be warned, the language is strong.

Thank you very much for taking the time and trouble to visit, like and comment on my site and have a great week.

GIVEAWAY – Dying for Space is FREE for 5 days only!

To celebrate the launch of Breathing Space on Sunday 8th July, Dying for Space is free from today until Tuesday 10th July. This will give you a chance to catch up on Lizzy’s adventures before she is plunged into yet more mayhem in the final instalment of the Sunblinded trilogy.

Sunday Post – 1st July, 2018 #Brainfluffbookblog #BrainfluffSundayPost

This is part of the weekly meme over at the Caffeinated Reviewer, where book bloggers can share the books and blogs they have written.

Sorry this is late – whether it’s the weather or the news below – I woke up with a dreadful headache and felt grim throughout the day, so I didn’t work at the computer screen for obvious reasons…

A momentous week! On Saturday evening, the latest member of the family joined us – my daughter gave birth to little Eliza. Mother and baby are both well. Needless to say, I’m thrilled and relieved that poor Rebecca is no longer so heavily pregnant in this heat and that Eliza has arrived safely. I’m looking forward to meeting her on Wednesday.

Other news – on Tuesday, I started my Poetry Workshop, which went really well – a relief. It was also my birthday, though the celebration went on hold as Himself was on late shift this week and it is so hot, we haven’t felt much like going out for the planned meal. On Wednesday, I met up with my sister who gave me her presents and we went shopping together. I also attended Petworth Festival with our writing group, where Geoff Alnutt was performing his poems as a homage to Dr Seuss. He was supported by two other great performers – Audi Masarati and Steve Tasane, author of the amazing Child I. On a wonderful sunny evening, we heard a marvellous variety of quality performance poetry. Mhairi came over on Friday as we monitored sales figures and planned the upcoming launch for Breathing Space which will be published on 8th July. And here is the cover – I’m delighted with it as I think it works really well with the rest of the trilogy.

This week I have read:

The Privilege of Peace – Book 3 of the Peacemaker’s trilogy by Tanya Huff
Warden Torin Kerr has put her past behind her and built a life away from the war and everything that meant. From the good, from the bad. From the heroics, from the betrayal. She’s created a place and purpose for others like her, a way to use their training for the good of the Confederation. She has friends, family, purpose. Unfortunately, her past refuses to grant her the same absolution. Big Yellow, the ship form of the plastic aliens responsible for the war, returns. The Silsviss test the strength of the Confederation. Torin has to be Gunnery Sergeant Kerr once again and find a way to keep the peace.
I was delighted when this one popped up on my Kindle, as Himself had pre–ordered it. Huff is one of our must-have authors… And this book brims with action and adventure, bringing this excellent military science fiction series to a triumphant conclusion.

 

Murder Takes a Turn – Book 5 of the Langham and Dupré by Eric Brown
When Langham’s literary agent receives a cryptic letter inviting him to spend the weekend at the grand Cornish home of successful novelist Denbigh Connaught, Charles Elder seems reluctant to attend. What really happened between Elder and Connaught during the summer of 1917, nearly forty years before – and why has it had such a devastating effect on Charles?

Accompanying his agent to Connaught House, Langham and his wife Maria discover that Charles is not the only one to have received a letter. But why has Denbigh Connaught gathered together a group of people who each bear him a grudge? When a body is discovered in Connaught’s study, the ensuing investigation uncovers dark secrets that haunt the past of each and every guest – including Charles Elder himself …
If this one sounds as if it has a resemblance to Agatha Christie’s mysteries, you’re right – it does. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the backstory behind the murder mystery.

 

Truth Sister by Phil Gilvin
The year is 2149. The Women’s Republic of Anglia seeks to harness forgotten technologies from the time when men ruled the world. Naturals are second-class citizens, while women born through cloning are the true children of the Republic. When Clara Perdue graduates from the prestigious Academy, she is ready to do her part to support the Republic and bring about a better future for all.

But when she stumbles on information that the Republic has tried to keep hidden, she begins to realise that the society she has been taught to believe in and trained to defend is not all that it seems. A secret from Clara’s past puts herself, her family, and her friends in danger, and Clara must choose between subservience and rebellion.
This Brit-based near-future dystopian adventure is an engrossing read that takes Clara from a  priggish, narrow-minded bigot to someone who is convinced that men also have a right to live in the new Republic. This is a gritty read with plenty of adventure and food for thought.

 

My posts during the last week:

Sunday Post – 24th June 2018

Review of Windswept by Adam Rakunas

Teaser Tuesday featuring Murder Takes a Turn – Book 5 of the Langham and Dupré series by Eric Brown

Can’t Wait Wednesday featuring Prime Meridian by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of Drop by Drop – Book 1 of the Step by Step series by Morgan Llewelyn

Friday Face-off featuring Red Rising – Book 1 of the Red Rising series by Pierce Brown

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of The Privilege of Peace – Book 3 of the Peacekeeprs trilogy by Tanya Huff

Interesting/outstanding blogs and articles that have caught my attention during the last week, in no particular order:

Thursday Doors – Irish Bears https://jeanreinhardt.wordpress.com/2018/06/29/thursday-doors-irish-bears/ This is a must-see article – those underground pics are amazing…

For the love of libraries http://writerunboxed.com/2018/06/26/for-the-love-of-libraries/ Like a lot of people, libraries hold a special place in my heart…

Recap post – …if yeez had a good pair of fitba’ boots, Jesus wanted yeez for a sunbeam… https://seumasgallacher.com/2018/06/26/a-recap-post-if-yeez-had-a-good-pair-of-fitba-boots-jesus-wanted-yeez-for-a-sunbeam/ Successful thriller writer, Seumas Gallacher has dusted off his memories of playing footy a lifetime ago in honour of a certain tournament going on somewhere…

Stop Lying! Everyone Knows You’re a Complete Fraud https://authorkristenlamb.com/2018/06/stop-lying-fraud-impostor/ Kristen Lamb’s confession rang a few bells with yours truly…

Worldbuilding – Creating your alien life http://earthianhivemind.net/2018/06/27/wordbuilding-creating-alien-life/ Those of you who know my writing will understand why I’m particularly drawn to this one!

Thank you very much for taking the time and trouble to visit, like and comment on my site – and I promise to get back to you as soon as I can!

Sunday Post – 24th June, 2018 #Brainfluffbookblog #BrainfluffSundayPost

This is part of the weekly meme over at the Caffeinated Reviewer, where book bloggers can share the books and blogs they have written.

Thank goodness, this has been a far less busy week. Tuesday saw the last Creative Writing class of the term, as we wound up the year at Northbrook College, though thanks to the Bank Holiday, my Monday sessions don’t finish until this week. Fortunately, I have a Poetry Workshop starting this coming Tuesday, which will continue for the next three weeks – I know it’s completely uncool, but I really miss my students once the summer holidays get under way.

I finally made a Fitstep class on Wednesday – my attendance has been atrocious this year, so I am hoping to get there more regularly during the summer months. Mhairi came over on Friday, when we continued with our forays into Marketing – it’s been a real roller-coaster ride, so far – and we also knocked around some plot ideas for her latest project. Yesterday, I spent the afternoon with my sister, who is helping me get more organised with my life – I’m so lucky to have her! When J returned home from his shift, we had a takeaway as a reward for trudging through all that boring admin.

Other than that, I’ve been line editing Breathing Space and preparing it for the wider world. I’m hoping to have it ready for my arc readers by the end of the week. And if anyone else would like an arc, please get in touch. According to my marketing guru, we’re giving Breathing Space a soft launch. I’m also formatting Running Out of Space for the paperback edition.

The weather continues to be awesome – I just wish I was spending more of it out in the sunshine, but that doesn’t stop me loving the heat!

This week I have read:

Outcasts of Order – Book 20 of The Saga of Recluce series by L.E. Modesitt Jr
Beltur, an Order mage, discovers he possesses frightening powers not seen for hundreds of years. With his new abilities, he survives the war in Elparta and saves the lives of all. However, victory comes with a price. His fellow mages now see him as a threat to be destroyed, and the local merchants want to exploit his power.
I was delighted once more to be immersed into this richly detailed world – no one writes fantasy quite like Modesitt and it was lovely to catch up on all that with going on with Beltur and his companions.

 

Drop by Drop – Book 1 of the Step by Step series by Morgan Llewelyn
In this first book in the Step By Step trilogy, global catastrophe occurs as all plastic mysteriously liquefies. All the small components making many technologies possible―Navigation systems, communications, medical equipment―fail.
In Sycamore River, citizens find their lives disrupted as everything they’ve depended on melts around them, with sometimes fatal results. All they can rely upon is themselves.
I haven’t yet written the review to this one – I am still considering my reactions to it. That said, I enjoyed the small town dynamic and the fact we stay with the same characters throughout.

 

My posts during the last week:

Sunday Post – 17th June 2018

Review of A Trail Through Time – Book 4 of The Chronicles of St Mary’s by Jodi Taylor

Can’t Wait Wednesday featuring Truth Sister by Phil Gilvin

Review of Ancell’s Quest by Tony Main

Friday Face-off featuring A Cold Day for Murder – Book 1 of the Kate Shugak series by Dana Stabenow

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of Outcasts of Order – Book 20 of The Saga of Recluce by L.E. Modesitt Jr

 

Interesting/outstanding blogs and articles that have caught my attention during the last week, in no particular order:

Book Blogger Hop No 133: Balancing Work and Blogging https://anightsdreamofbooks.blogspot.com/2018/06/book-blogger-hop-no-133-balancing-work.html?spref=tw Maria’s articles are always worth reading, but I think we are all confronted with this one from time to time…

Life Lessons and Personal Development by Bishop Dr Akwasi Kwarting https://siuquxebooks.wordpress.com/2018/06/23/siuquxebooks-life-lessons-personal-development-akwasi-kwarteng/ Those one-liners that facilely sum up our lives/problems irk me as much as the next man – but the fifth observation in this list has very much resonated with me.

Happy Solstice; Happy Litha! https://charlesfrenchonwordsreadingandwriting.wordpress.com/2018/06/21/happy-solstice-happy-litha/ Like Charles, I love the long, sunfilled days. This year’s marvellous June weather has emphasised the day length, so that I got to see the sun setting at 10 pm – wonderful!

An exploration of art in writing, Part 3: Grief Art Writing https://jane-davis.co.uk/2018/06/20/an-exploration-of-art-in-fiction-part-3-grief-art-and-writing-by-vivienne-tufnell/ Viv is always worth reading – and in this is a fascinating insight into part of her writing process

Best 2018 Pictures from Space http://earthianhivemind.net/2018/06/22/best-2018-pictures-from-space/ Steph reminds us just what exciting times we live in as regards space exploration…

Thank you very much for taking the time and trouble to visit, like and comment on my site – and I promise to get back to you as soon as I can!

#Sunday Post – 13th May, 2018 #Brainfluffbookblog

This is part of the weekly meme over at the Caffeinated Reviewer, where book bloggers can share the books and blogs they have written.

A shorter week as it was Bank Holiday Monday – which was also my son’s birthday, but for all that it turned into a very busy one. I worked through Monday and finished the main content edit on Breathing Space and now I’ve got a line edit to do and then I’ll be good to go. I’m aiming to release Breathing Space on 26th June.

On Thursday it was my sister’s birthday – and we spent the day working through Tim’s COPE folders ensuring that every piece of paper was signed and all the front pages were correctly cross-referenced, while my long-suffering sister ensured the page numbers were correct. All fiddley and vital – as any mistake could cause Tim to fail. The folder gets sent away on Monday… I felt terrible imposing on my sister like that – but as ever, she was lovely about it. In the evening we went out for a delicious meal at our favourite Chinese restaurant and had intended to come home and watch a nice film – but we dozed off as we were too shattered. On Friday, I taught Tim in the morning and then my writing buddy Mhairi and I travelled up to Haywards Heath to see Lesley Thomson, Elly Griffiths and William Shaw discuss their attitude to their writing in a fascinating three-way interview. It was a delight to touch base with Lesley again, who is such a warm, likeable person and I came away with a hardback, signed copy of her latest book which I’m dying to tuck into…

We travelled to Ringwood yesterday as one of my sister’s dear friends from France is celebrating a special birthday in Fordingbridge with all her family and we are meeting up with our parents for a meal today. All in all, a busy week in the best sense.

This week I have read:

Scylla and Charybdis by Lindsey Duncan
Anaea Carlisle, raised on an isolated space station populated solely by women, believes the rest of the universe has been plunged into anarchy and ruin by an alien-engineered disease known as Y-Poisoning. On a salvage mission, she helps rescue a hypermental named Gwydion who challenges everything she thought she knew.

Forced to flee the station with Gwydion, Anaea finds herself in an inexplicable, often hostile world permanently divided between the Galactic Collective and the Pinnacle Empire. She longs for some place to call home, but first, she’ll have to survive …
This was another unusual, fascinating read by a Grimbold author… They are not kidding when they say they want science fiction with a difference. Highly readable and engrossing – I stayed in bed far later than I should to see what happens next.

 

Obscura by Joe Hart
In the near future, an aggressive and terrifying new form of dementia is affecting victims of all ages. The cause is unknown, and the symptoms are disturbing. Dr. Gillian Ryan is on the cutting edge of research and desperately determined to find a cure. She’s already lost her husband to the disease, and now her young daughter is slowly succumbing as well. After losing her funding, she is given the unique opportunity to expand her research. She will travel with a NASA team to a space station where the crew has been stricken with symptoms of a similar inexplicable psychosis—memory loss, trances, and violent, uncontrollable impulses.
This was another storming read – a psychological thriller set in space, which when done well, works really effectively because everyone is essentially trapped. This one had me on the edge of my seat, with a fantastic action-packed finish.

 

The End of All Things – Book 6 of the Old Man’s War series by John Scalzi
The Colonial Union’s Defence Force was formed to save humanity when aggressive alien species targeted our worlds. Now Lieutenant Harry Wilson has an urgent new mission, as a hostile universe becomes ever more dangerous. He must investigate a sinister group, which lurks in the darkness of space playing different factions against one another. They’ll target both humans and aliens, and their motives are unfathomable.
I spotted this one in the library and immediately scooped it up – I thoroughly enjoyed the Old Man’s War series and wanted to see where Scalzi would take it next.

 

DNF – The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes by Ruth Hogan
It doesn’t happen very often these day – and make no mistake, this is beautifully written with wonderfully portrayed characters – but it is also achingly sad as it deals with children dying. I had a nightmare after starting it and decided not to proceed.

My posts last week:

Sunday Post – 6th May 2018

Review of Bound – Book 8 of the Alex Verus series by Bendict Jacka

Teaser Tuesday featuring Obscura by Joe Hart

Can’t-Wait Wednesday featuring Outcasts of Order – Book 20 of the Saga of Recluce by L.E. Modesitt Jr

Review of The Cold Between – Book 1 of the Central Corps novels by Elizabeth Bonesteel

Friday Face-off – I was asleep when dinosaurs roamed the earth… featuring West of Eden by Harry Harrison

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of Obscura by Joe Hart

Interesting/outstanding blogs and articles that have caught my attention during the last week, in no particular order:

Change in Perspective https://www.spajonas.com/2018/05/11/change-in-perspective/ Indie author S.J. Pajonas explains how a trip to the dentist recently fired up her writing muscle…

Yeah, but, John, if The Pirates of the Caribbean breaks down, the pirates don’t eat the tourists https://lynns-books.com/2018/05/11/yeah-but-john-if-the-pirates-of-the-caribbean-breaks-down-the-pirates-dont-eat-the-tourists/ Lynn featured a really interesting selection of covers during this favourite meme of mine – plus the complete programme of upcoming covers for the next year…

#writersproblems: #technology #grief https://jeanleesworld.com/2018/05/10/writerproblems-technology-grief/ This should not be happening… really!

What is the point of being a nasty reviewer? http://www.keeperbookshelf.com/what-is-the-point-of-being-a-nasty-reviewer Marcy has some interesting things to say about reviewers who do nothing but write rude, demeaning comments about every book they encounter…

Top Ten Tuesday – Purple Cover Lover – http://www.tenaciousreader.com/2018/05/08/top-ten-tuesday-purple-cover-lover/ Lisa has selected all her favourite purple covers – and a wonderful feast for the eyes they are, too.

Have a great week and thank you very much for taking the time and trouble to visit, like and comment on my site.