NEXT STOP SERBIA: Appeal for Rando’s upcoming humanitarian mission #gofundme #refugeecrisis

NEXT STOP SERBIA

Rando and his friend Itzel will be heading out to Serbia on 6.03 to help refugees in Presevo on the border with Macedonia.
Check out this article about Rando’s last mission in Serbia.
They will be spending one week distributing food, blankets and working alongside a local volunteer organisation. From previous experience in Serbia, there is no Lesvos style funding available, so the aid groups are working with very little.

To help purchase as much food and water to give to the ‘lucky’ refugees that managed to get through Macedonia without being pushed back, please donate to OneHumanRace by clicking the link below.
Thank you

 https://www.gofundme.com/humansasone

So far, Rando’s GoFundMeCampaign has raised £ 12,500, all of which has gone directly to benefit the refugees: No unnecessary overhead costs or fancy expenses. But much more is needed to provide the victims of war and terror with the bare necessities for survival and save the loss of more life, wherever this person was born.

Here is a bit about his cause:

Well documented fighting in the Middle East has displaced 11m human beings in Syria alone, many more in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Rando’s GoFundMeCampaign was founded to support these fellow humans in need in their legitimate yearning for peace and shelter.
Rando has begun his campaign by collecting over a ton of winter clothes and delivering them to a refugee camp in a derelict Airport building in Berlin.

He has also sourced 4,500 socks and shoe supplies for the camp – all urgently needed in the freezing temperatures in Germany and on the Balkan.

The ‘Berlin Airlift’ part of his operation has found flight crew and other volunteers who take them to the camp in Berlin.
Rando also spends about a week each month helping the refugees hands-on in Lesvos and other hot-spots on their journey to Europe.

After their arrival on rubber boats from Turkey the refugees have often nothing more than the bare necessities on them and need dry clothes, shelter, food and information. They also need transport from their landing point to the arrival camps. This help is being provided almost exclusively by volunteers like Rando who donate their spare time and own money to help our fellow human beings.
Rando supports Moria, one of the refugee camps on Lesvos, with direct cash injections.

This is where people are held during the slow registration process, often under harrowing, life-threatening harsh conditions. Moria’s monthly running costs are over 40,000 Euro and they are struggling to keep everyone warm, clean and fed.

 

Saturday Historical Novelist Interview with Julie Bozza

I had the great pleasure of reviewing “The Pride of Poppies” for the Historical Novel Society. The book is a very impressive anthology of 13 stories illustrating World War I through GLBTQI* eyes. The book comprises a great selection of individual experiences that cover a great range: geographically and emotionally.
It is a perspective often neglected or over-dramatized and I applaud the book for hitting a lot of right tones in handling the subject.
Entertaining and thought provoking this not only fills a gap in WWI literature, it is also a very moving and stimulating read with plenty of original ideas. Very recommended.
(*Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transsexual/transgener/transvestite, Queer/questioning, Intersexual).

I was eager to make contact with the team behind the anthology and I’m proud to have Julie Bozza here today to talk about herself and the book. Welcome Julie, please tell us a little about yourself as writer and as person.

I am a very sincere sort as a writer and as a person, and I can only write about ‘real’ things that I know or imagine or empathise with. This might strike you as rather dull, but I also love irony and wit, and I can never write (nor happily read) without a dash of humour to leaven the drama.

Did anyone influence you to become a writer?

I could have always told you I wanted to be a writer, though in the very next breath I would have explained all the reasons why I couldn’t. In an odd way, one of my biggest influences was the primary school teacher who told me with great impatient scorn that I had no imagination. I have always had a streak of teenage rebellion in me – yes, even when I was a child, and even now as an ‘adult’ – so I decided then and there to develop an imagination, damn it. I read a lot and thought a lot, and started trying to tell myself stories. I was always heartily discouraged by my rare efforts at writing, and I didn’t get going properly until my early twenties, but here I am today, a writer. With an imagination.

I often wonder what I’d be now if it hadn’t been for that objectionable teacher way back when. Because a big part of me is all about facts and logic and truth and numbers. I was good at both maths and English in school, and I feel I bring a useful left-brain / right-brain balance to my writing and my training work. But if I hadn’t been so determined to prove that woman wrong, would I be all left-brain, as it were? My first university studies were in accounting, after all. Maybe I’d be an accountant now, rather than a writer. Not that there’s anything wrong with that! But it does all make me wonder.

What is your life like outside of writing?

I’m afraid I have a very busy ‘day job’ which means I have a lot less time for writing and editing than I’d like. On the other hand, it often calls on the same skills.

I produce and deliver training material, usually for the implementation of large software applications for Finance, Human Resources, and so on. Good training involves creating a narrative, and being aware of passing on information in the best order to make sense to the delegate, not to mention the careful use of language. One of the earliest ‘rules’ I was taught in creative writing was to keep everything Accurate, Brief, Clear and Simple – unless there’s a good reason not to. That applies to all the work I do, whether in training, writing or editing.

Who would you like to invite for dinner?

John Keats and Fanny Brawne, Leonard and Virginia Woolf, Wilfred Owen plus one, and Sue Perkins plus one. Though it would be ‘standing room only’ in our flat!

Tell us about the concept behind A Pride of Poppies. How did you get the idea?

We wanted to honour the centenary of the Great War by writing about people who were either partially ‘invisible’ or discarded at the fringes of society. Many of their experiences of war would have been the same as their heterosexual counterparts, but some of their experiences would have been very different indeed. If you don’t quite fit the idea of what a man should be, can you still enlist? And what challenges would you face from your own comrades if you did? If the existence of your love wasn’t known or approved of, how can you properly grieve? With war unsettling everything including social mores and gender roles, could you actually find greater freedoms during this period?

All proceeds from this anthology go to the Royal British Legion, where they benefit today’s Service and ex-Service people and their families, with none of the discrimination that our characters would have faced a hundred years ago.

Which character is your favourite?

Of my own characters in A Pride of Poppies, I love Lena best. She’s the main character in the story ‘Lena and the Swan’. With her uncle away at the war, she’s taken on his duties as postman. Her joy in the sense of freedom and autonomy has perhaps gone a little too far, as she takes the opportunity to provide ‘comfort’ as well as deliver letters to the lonely wives in the village and outlying farms. But then a spinster moves into the area, who on the surface doesn’t seem like Lena’s type at all … and suddenly her world turns.

I love Lena for her joie de vivre, and for being sincere as well as a bit outrageous.

Who would you cast to play the characters in a movie?

This is an interesting question, but I’m not going to answer it directly! My method of writing is to ‘cast’ my characters, unfold the story in my mind’s eye as if it’s a film, and then try to capture that in words … which is often easier said than done! I tend to cast my characters with actors I already know and love, and that can affect the characterisation, for example by the character taking on their body language or verbal intonations. However, with many characters – such as my most recent, Jules Madigan – all I needed to borrow was someone else’s appearance, as he was otherwise already fully formed. When I was writing about John Keats, the man himself more than adequately filled the role, of course, as I felt I knew him well enough to write him in three dimensions. And that is what casting is all about, I think: giving the character three dimensions and thereby bringing them to life in my imagination.

So, I could always give you a cast list for anything I write, at least for the main and key characters. However, I always try to keep that a secret from my readers, as I think it’s important to allow the reader to visualise the characters in whatever ways they see fit. So I wrote Jules as having red hair and very pale skin, and being a little cuddlier than he thinks is ideal. The rest I leave to the reader to paint in.

What are you working on now?

After A Pride of Poppies was so well received, we certainly wanted to follow that up with another anthology. However, we didn’t want to always focus on war, so we decided to alternate. Our next anthology will be A Certain Persuasion, modern LGBTQIA fiction set in the Austenverse. Submissions are open until 1 May 2016, if anyone out there is interested!

The following year, if all goes according to plan, a colleague will be editing an anthology focusing on the Second World War.

Is there anything you would like us to know about your books?

While I personally tend to write novels in a contemporary setting, I am very proud to be part of Manifold Press. Our mission is to always strive for quality in what we produce – and I think that is borne out by A Pride of Poppies being shortlisted for the HNS Indie Award 2016, as well as seven of our eight titles being recognised in the Rainbow Awards 2015.

Importantly, many of our authors have a great love for writing historical fiction, and they do it very well indeed. For example, Adam Fitzroy’s Make Do and Mend is a detailed and heartfelt story of the Home Front in Wales during the Second World War, while Jay Lewis Taylor’s Dance of Stone explores the world of Hugh, master mason at Wells in the late twelfth century.

What makes you laugh?

“An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth. From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. – Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr Collins, and I will never see you again if you do.”

Always gets me. Never fails.

 

Bio: Julie Bozza was the editor and a contributing author to A Pride of Poppies. She is an English-Australian hybrid who is fuelled by espresso, calmed by knitting, unreasonably excited by photography, and madly in love with John Keats.

Social media links:

Julie’s blog: http://juliebozza.com/

Manifold Press website: http://manifoldpress.co.uk/

Julie on Twitter: https://twitter.com/juliebozza

Manifold Press on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manifold.press

Manifold Press on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/101643-manifold-press

Buy links for A Pride of Poppies:

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Pride-Poppies-Modern-GLBTQI-fiction-ebook/dp/B00VNX56UW/

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pride-Poppies-Modern-GLBTQI-fiction-ebook/dp/B00VNX56UW/

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/532832

Review: “The Embroiderer” by Kathryn Gauci

“The Embroiderer” by Kathryn Gauci has been a marvellous find for me. It is just the kind of historical novel that I like to read. It is highly informative with a lot of political and cultural insights about a theatre of war I knew little about: The Ottoman Empire between 1822 and 1944 with a special focus on Greece and Asia Minor from 1912 onwards.
The story is spread out over several generations and illustrates multiple conflicts. An array of well-drawn characters make the wider picture personal and intimate.
In short, it was a real pleasure for me to read.

Blurb:
“Set against the mosques and minarets of Asia Minor and the ruins of ancient Athens, ‘The Embroiderer’ is a gripping saga of love and loss, hope and despair, and of the extraordinary courage of women in the face of adversity. 1822: During one of the bloodiest massacres of The Greek War of Independence, a child is born to a woman of legendary beauty in the Byzantine monastery of Nea Moni on the Greek island of Chios. The subsequent decades of bitter struggle between Greeks and Turks simmer to a head when the Greek army invades Turkey in 1919. During this time, Dimitra Lamartine arrives in Smyrna and gains fame and fortune as an embroiderer to the elite of Ottoman society. However it is her grand-daughter, Sophia, who takes the business to great heights only to see their world come crashing down with the outbreak of The Balkan Wars, 1912-13. In 1922, Sophia begins a new life in Athens but the memory of a dire prophecy once told to her grandmother about a girl with flaming red hair begins to haunt her with devastating consequences. 1972: Eleni Stephenson is called to the bedside of her dying aunt in Athens. In a story that rips her world apart, Eleni discovers the chilling truth behind her family’s dark past plunging her into the shadowy world of political intrigue, secret societies and espionage where families and friends are torn apart and where a belief in superstition simmers just below the surface.”

The book fares well on all accounts: It is well researched but not overloaded with unneccessary detail; it moves through the years fast enough to keep track of the overall development, yet it stays long enough with the characters to make their predicament understood; In short: History made feel real and alive. From the prologue to the epilogue I truly enjoyed this work of art.
Prepare to be moved.
Here is a link to my interview with Kathryn

About the Author

Kathryn Gauci was born in Leicestershire, England, and studied textile design at Loughborough College of Art and later at Kidderminster College of Art and Design where she specialised in carpet design and technology. After graduating, Kathryn spent a year in Vienna, Austria before moving to Greece where she worked as a carpet designer in Athens for six years. There followed another brief period in New Zealand before eventually settling in Melbourne, Australia.

Before turning to writing full-time, Kathryn ran her own textile design studio in Melbourne for over fifteen years, work which she enjoyed tremendously as it allowed her the luxury of travelling worldwide, often taking her off the beaten track and exploring other cultures.The Embroiderer is her first novel; a culmination of those wonderful years of design and travel, and especially of those glorious years in her youth living and working in Greece – a place that she is proud to call her spiritual home.

Buy The Embroiderer

The Embroiderer is a beautifully written novel spanning the 19th and 20th centuries, set against the backdrop of the Greek War of Independence. It was published on 5th November 2014 and is available to buy in paperback and as an ebook.

You can order from all good bookshops and online retailers.

Purchase directly from the publisher here:www.silverwoodbooks.co.uk

Published by SilverWood Books Ltd.

Cornucopia is the award-winning magazine for connoisseurs of Turkey.
The Embroiderer can also now be purchased from the Cornucopia web site.

Cornucopia: Turkey for Connoisseurs

Website: http://www.kathryngauci.com

Twitter: @Kathryn Gauci

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/people/Kathryn-Gauci/100006545417928

Eden’s Exchange Talks to Author James Moushon (@jimhbs)

An interview with author, James Moushon. James is a tireless promoter of others, and it’s my pleasure to shine a light on him for a change.

Author interviews are a helpful way to learn about new and established writers. After doing nearly 150 of them since I started blogging, I took a break from Eden’s Exchange in 2015.

I’m happy to restart my series with an interview of author, James Moushon. James is a tireless promoter of others, and it’s my pleasure to shine a light on him for a change.

* * * *

James, let’s learn a bit about you. Are you a full time writer or do you have a day job?  

I am a Mystery Writer about 40 percent of the time and a Book Industry blogger 60 percent. My day job is long gone but I am busier now than ever. I started the blogging part after I saw the difficulties authors were having gaining exposure and dealing with the technical part of the process. It is my way of giving…

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Welsh Wednesdays Interview with Wendy Steele

Today I have the pleasure of introducing you to Wendy Steele, who moved to Wales around the same time as I did and who is confirmed participant of The Llandeilo Book Fair on sat April 30th.  Welcome Wendy! First up, please tell us about your connection to Wales.

I fell in love with Wales 15 years ago on our first family holiday to the area and my partner and I followed our dream to live here, arriving in August 2013. We lived in a tent for a couple of months while our purchase went through and finally moved into two rooms of our dilapidated farmhouse in November 2013. Upstairs is still not liveable but at least we have a roof, rather than a piece of flimsy tin!
Tell us a little about yourself as writer and as person.

In 1972, I came home from the Tutankhamun exhibition in London and wrote a poem. I haven’t stopped writing about my experiences ever since. My first piece of paid writing was in The Dancing Times after attending my first belly dance workshops, an article about a beginner taking her first steps on her dance journey.

I trained in alternative therapies, belly dance and writing and published my first novel ‘Destiny of Angels – First book in the Lilith Trilogy’ in 2012, closely followed by two short story anthologies and a non-fiction book ‘Wendy Woo’s Year – A Pocketful of Smiles’, an inspirational guide, offering ideas, meditations and recipes to make every precious day, a happy one. The Welsh countryside inspired me to begin The Standing Stone book series about the lives of three women, linked across time and space by the standing stone.

I’ve joined a writing group, The Cwrtnewydd Scribblers, and writing workshops in Wales have widened my writing perspective. The resulting short stories have been published online and in anthologies.

Why did you decide to write in your chosen genre(s)?

Having been brought up in a Christian household but finding no connection with the church in my adult life, I read widely on spirituality, gathering together an eclectic mix of beliefs and understanding. The magic of the amazing world we live in was always dear to me as I talked to the moon as a child so writing fantasy, especially magical realism was a way to share, opening up a different world to readers.

Tell us about the concept behind your book(s).

The concept behind all my stories is ‘What if…?’ In the Lilith Trilogy, what if a traumatic childhood experience sent a woman on a different life path? Gifted, beautiful and wealthy and with a rapport with Lilith, the Dark Goddess, Angel and her friends confront the perpetrators of her misery, offering them the opportunity of redemption. While the Standing Stone series was inspired by, what if the power of ancient stone was not only linked in the present but across time and space, how would three different women’s lives be aided by their interaction with the Goddesses of the Land?

What is your life like outside of writing?

Aside from writing, I’ve been teaching belly dance for 8 years, beginning with traditional Egyptian dance before I found my true calling to American Tribal Style® Belly Dance. I danced with Tribal Unity in Essex for four years before moving to Wales and I’ve been teaching classes here since March 2014. As a chubby child, labelled ‘fairy elephant’, I came to dance late in life but relish every day I have the opportunity to teach or perform.

Renovating our Grade II listed farmhouse and byre requires physical perseverance as we remove concrete slapped on walls and restore the stone with traditional lime mortar. Dealing with the planning department at the council, as well as CADW, the listed building organisation in Wales, has proved time consuming and frustrating but we take small steps forward each month towards our dream home.

What are you working on now?  

As 2016 begins, I’m spinning an alarming number of plates! The third Standing Stone book, ‘The Gathering’ is in the process of final edits and I hope to have it available for the Llandeilo Book Fair in April. My target to produce a new short story each week is being met and having had a number published online and in anthologies, I’m working on one of my own, highlighting the strength, resilience and power of women. The first four sections of the third book in the Lilith Trilogy, Angels and Demons, are undergoing rewrites and my plan is to finish the trilogy by the end of the year.

What are the best and the worst aspects of writing?

The best part of writing is sitting in my dressing gown with my fountain pen and a pad of paper and letting my stories develop on the page. As a ‘non-techy’ the worst part is organising promotion, as I wander blindly through the intricacies and ever changing landscape of social media.

What is your favourite book?

Choosing one favourite book is impossible! I reach for different genres, depending on my mood. Dion Fortune’s books take me on magical journeys while the late Sir Terry Pratchett, is comfort reading, especially books about Granny Weathwax and Nanny Ogg. For historical journeys, I’ve enjoyed your books, Christoph and love anything about the early history of Britain, from the Stone age, through Roman and Viking invasions, to William the Conqueror and beyond.

What book are you currently reading and in what format (e-book/paperback/hardcover)?

I’m reading ‘Your Faery Magic’ by Halo Quin on my kindle at the moment, alongside ‘Moon Magic’ in paperback while also dipping into ‘The Hedgerow Handbook’ by Adele Nozedar, with a view to foraging herbs and fruit for syrups, cordials and baking.

How do you handle criticism of your work?

Book reviews are so important to a writer. It’s sad about Amazon’s heavy handed approach to removing reviews they deem illegitimate as this puts readers off from reviewing. I take all criticism,  think about it and then analyse its relevance. Not every reader is going to enjoy my writing. The reviews I received for ‘Destiny of Angels’ were invaluable. Some highlighted ‘point of view’ issues that I was able to rectify while writing ‘Wrath of Angels’, the second book.

Thanks for stopping by Wendy. Here is a list of Wendy’s books:

Destiny of Angels (First book in the Lilith Trilogy)

Traumatic events in her childhood, send Angel Parsons upon a different life path.

Fifteen years later, with the help of her new ‘family’ and the resurrected relationship with Jenny Parkes, her only friend from school, Angel confronts the perpetrators of her misery. Rather than seeking revenge and to free herself from her past, Angel uses the skills she has acquired to offer her persecutors the chance of redemption.

Will Angel fulfil her destiny and put her past behind her or will the demons she unleashes consume herself and her ‘family’ and leave her empty and alone once more?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007OX5J8O/?tag=kttus-20

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Destiny-Angels-Lilith-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B007OX5J8O/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1423220662&sr=1-1&keywords=destiny+of+angels+wendy+steele

https://www.facebook.com/destinyofangelsnovel

http://www.booktrack.com/#!/bookshelf?booktrackId=f63a302d076b47cd9fa9a558d7e76f4c

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13638993-destiny-of-angels

http://www.heibooks.com/Books/Item/256

Wrath of Angels (Second book in the Lilith Trilogy)

Angel Parsons – wife, lover, entrepreneur and witch – is back and though she strives to put her past behind her, Lilith the Dark Goddess has other ideas.

Angel has the power at her finger tips. The choice is hers. Will she evoke her wrath to take her revenge on Lilith or will she summon nature’s forces and the strongest emotion on earth to put right the wrongs of the Dark Goddess?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wrath-Angels-Lilith-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B00KTH2E4Y

http://www.amazon.com/Wrath-Angels-Lilith-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B00KTH2E4Y/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1402305692&sr=1-7&keywords=wrath+of+angels

https://www.facebook.com/destinyofangelsnovel

http://www.booktrack.com/#!/bookshelf?booktrackId=ab2d0d53b68c4a1482bfd68a8e1b9aee

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22586265-wrath-of-angels

http://www.heibooks.com/Books/Item/257

The Standing Stone – Home for Christmas

Rachel arrives in Wales to begin a new life but will Marcus jeopardise their future together before it’s begun?

Candy knows the punishment for leaving Station 23 unguarded. Will she succeed in convincing Paul to obey the Lesson?

Fern loves her life in the village but when the Tall Folk arrive with metal working skills, will her peace be shattered forever?

Though distanced by time and space, three women find the Standing Stone and the teachings of the Great Mother, Binah.

http://www.amazon.com/Standing-Stone-Home-Christmas-ebook/dp/B00OCPBVV6/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1414328713&sr=1-1&keywords=wendy+steele

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Standing-Stone-Home-Christmas/dp/150272278X/ref=asap_B007VZ1P06_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1415177277&sr=1-1

https://www.facebook.com/destinyofangelsnovel

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24341101-the-standing-stone—home-for-christmas

Wendy Woo’s Year – A Pocketful of Smiles 101 ideas for a happy year and a happy you

Once upon a time, two eleven year old girls made a pact of friendship. One left school at sixteen while the other stayed on to study. The friendship remained. One went abroad while the other stayed at home. Years passed, marriage and children followed and the friendship continued to flourish via letters and video messages.

After twenty nine years the girls were reunited and the friendship sparked with renewed love and affection. Three months later, one friend was diagnosed with cancer. Nine months later, she died.

I was the girl who lived and I made a promise to live my life for two and make sure that every day included a smile in memory of my beautiful friend.

It isn’t easy and I don’t claim to hold the key to a life of everlasting happiness but the ideas in ‘A Pocketful of Smiles’ are used or have been used by me and have brought smiles and happiness to my life.

‘A Pocketful of Smiles’ is about being happy, irrespective of the challenges life brings.

‘A Pocketful of Smiles’ is often practical, sometimes spiritual but never religious, occasionally witty and full of ideas to bring a smile to your day.

http://www.amazon.com/Wendy-Woos-Year-Pocketful-ebook/dp/B00AAVPXVU/ref=la_B007VZ1P06_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1354202723&sr=1-5

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wendy-Woos-Year-Pocketful-ebook/dp/B00AAVPXVU/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1354202865&sr=1-3

https://www.facebook.com/WendyWooBooks

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16225278-wendy-woo-s-year—a-pocketful-of-smiles—101-ideas-for-a-happy-year-an

 

http://www.booktrack.com/#!/bookshelf?booktrackId=4a8c66b64cb94913848239b03fa6edd7

A Conversation with Author, Christoph Fischer

Me being interviewed by fellow author Pam Lecky

Today I am delighted to have Christoph Fischer in the Library who has dropped in to say hello and to share some insights into his life as an author.

You are very welcome, Christoph, please introduce yourself:

I’m a German ex-pat living in West Wales with my partner, dogs, fish, birds and sheep. An avid reader and fan of the arts, I used to work in museums, libraries and the British Film Institute. Only when my employment with an airline provided me with spare time in transit or hotel rooms did I start writing myself.

 

 

Did you read much as a child? Are you an avid reader now? Do you prefer books in your own genre or are you happy to explore others?

I always loved reading, from childhood on until this very day. Although my tastes have changed a lot throughout the years, I tend to read the…

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Author Profile: Michael E. Dellert

An great favourite of mine: Michael Dellert interviewed about his work

Dan Alatorre

Your humble host

We were fortunate enough to spend a little time recently with Michael Dellert and managed to get him to open up a bit about his process and inner thoughts on writing.

Michael is an award-winning writer, editor, publishing consultant, as well as a writing coach. His publishing career spans 20 years. His blog is a resource for creative writers of all kinds, offering tips, tricks, and advice to aspiring writers seeking to improve their craft, plus insights into the current state of the publishing industry.

His recent guest post about character development was the most bookmarked of any post we’ve had here on the blog.

.

DAN: What is the working title of your next book?

MICHAEL: The book I’m publishing next is called A Merchant’s Tale. It’s due in stores and online by early April.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

First, you…

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Review: The Nile Conspiracy by Inge H Borg

“The Nile Conspiracy” by Inge H Borg is another strong effort in her exciting and fresh “Legends of the Scarab” Series. While I’m not usually a fan of conspiracy thrillers, this one touches on a real issue: the sharing of water and natural resources. A previous book in the series was set in an apocalyptical world and opened questions of how the future of humanity might be shaped.
With her finger so tightly on the pulse of time the story had me at ‘Nile’ and never let off.
Political agendas, archaeological and personal interests come to play. The story itself is really good. I’ve warmed to the characters as much as I have grown fond of the skillful way in which Borg uses language. Highly intelligent and gripping this is one of her finest.

Find the book on Amazon UK and Amazon US

during February 21-25 there is a

99c SALE of The Nile Conspiracy (US and UK)

Highlights from other reviewers:

“What a timely novel. Just this week I read an article in the Economist about the complexity of the sharing of the Nile between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt. Borg has picked a hot topic for her fifth book in her series. While other authors repeat a formula in each of their books, Borg takes her characters and story to different types of adventures and genres.”

“Underneath the excellent and explosive plot are more profound moral and ethical questions about culture and humanity”

“Borg’s narrative is eloquent, witty and stylish; her characters are memorable and there is a great balance between ironic detachment and powerful dramatic involvement.”

The Nile Conspiracy

 

Imagine the mighty Nile running dry due to human interference. Impossible? Only too soon, this very threat may become a devastating reality.

Riveting adventure and international intrigue find Naunet and Jonathan Wilkins back in Egypt where the construction of The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam portends a catastrophe of biblical proportions.

Amidst their struggle to save an ancient site, the archaeologists are caught up in a dangerous conspiracy. Their explorations become a death trap when the desperate Egyptians decide to turn a huge secret underground labyrinth into an emergency reservoir.

Will the combined recklessness of two governments explode into the annihilation of its people?

In The Nile Conspiracy, several characters, good and evil, from the series’ preceding volumes are once again pitted against each other, the elements, and time. Borg captures the struggles of an economically depressed Egypt by skillfully combining the challenges of her post-apocalyptic world with the awe-inspiring legends of an ancient culture.

One can only hope that the terrifying events in this novel remain a figment of Borg’s imagination.

 Borg weaves the construction of a monster-dam being built by Ethiopia into her premise of her new exciting action tale. The dam is a very real threat to Egypt’s future water supply, as it will take the Blue Nile five years to fill the enormous catch basin.

When diplomacy fails, somebody needs to do something about it; and who else is better suited than Borg’s protagonists?

Inge’s Amazon Author Pages:

Amazon-UK

Amazon-US

Here is a link to her blog, my review of book 4 (The Crystal Curse) and a link to my interview with Inge.

Interview with Teresa Karlinski

Another star in the blog-o-sphere: How the Cookie crumbles!
Interview with Teresa Karlinski

Cathleen Townsend

Teresa is one of my writer friends that I met through Blog Battle. I’ve enjoyed her contemporary shorts, and I highly recommend you check them out on her blog, How the Cookie Crumbles. Teresa lives with her cats Dickens and Lady Gaga in Ontario, Canada. She is a grandmother and a student of life with a passion for cooking. Although retired, she’s annoyed with her overwhelming collection of books and lack of time to read them. Her daily life consists of writing, reading, and blogging.

I can totally relate to that last statement. Sometimes I feel like writing is my life. Everything else takes a back seat at times.

I am tickled to be here. Thanks so much, Cathleen, for this wonderful opportunity. It’s a pleasure to meet you.

 *shakes hands* Tell me about your most recently published work?

I had a Christmas story published last month in Halcyon, an…

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True Friendship in the Era of Small Talk and Rants

True words – perfect for a Sunday morning ponder 🙂

Cold

My son recently approached me about attending a leadership camp this coming summer – one that would take up most of the free, bumming around time he’ll have left after we check the boxes on visiting family, hitting the beach and sending him to a week of Scout camp.

“Why won’t you just hang out at the pool?” I asked him. I lived for those days during my own summer vacations. Sharks and minnows, Marco Polo, gorging on fudge pops and french fries at the snack bar. Isn’t that living the dream?

But apparently, it’s not.

He told me how he just didn’t like going to the pool anymore because his usual cohort of summer friends spend all of their time staring at their phones. “It’s boring,” he said. He remarked on how hard it is to find someone to really talk to.

That hit home, because for the past few years…

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