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Monthly Archives: July 2016

Presenting the Authors at the Tenby Book Fair 24th September 2016

31 Sunday Jul 2016

Posted by Christoph Fischer in Uncategorized

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If you can’t meet me in Manchester, meet me and a bunch of very gifted writers in Tenby instead. September 24th! Short Story Competition included!

Judith Barrow

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Over the last few weeks I’ve been introducing the authors who will be at the Tenby Book Fair, http://bit.ly/27XORTh, the first event of the Tenby Arts Festival http://bit.ly/24eOVtl 

 I’m almost finished interviewing them all now.

In the next few weeks I’ll be showcasing the three publishers who will be with us: http://honno.co.uk/, http://www.fireflypress.co.uk/ and http://www.cambriapublishing.org.uk/

And I’ll be sharing a post from the brilliant http://showboat.tv/ Who always video and share our Tenby Book Fair.

So far here are the wonderful authors. Please feel free to check them and their great books out: Rebecca Bryn: http://bit.ly/1XYWbtF, Thorne Moore: http://bit.ly/1P6zDQh , Matt Johnson: http://bit.ly/1RUqJFg , Christoph Fischer: http://bit.ly/1svniAr , Sally Spedding: http://bit.ly/1VNRQci, Wendy Steele: http://bit.ly/1PMoF8i ,Kathy MIles:  http://bit.ly/1twN3Bg , Carol Lovekin:http://bit.ly/1Y2z6HT, Colin R Parsons: http://bit.ly/1tvBc5G , Lisa Shambrook: http://bit.ly/28NMI5v:  ,Alex Martin:  http://bit.ly/28VLsQG ,  Judith Arnopp:  http://bit.ly/290cJMl , Sharon Tregenza: http://bit.ly/29frGPq    Juliet Greenwood:http://bit.ly/29jylrM , Nigel Williams: http://bit.ly/29racfO , Julie McGowan:http://bit.ly/29CHNa9 …

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Review: “My Father and Other Liars” by Geoff Le Pard

31 Sunday Jul 2016

Posted by Christoph Fischer in Uncategorized

≈ 9 Comments

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I had the pleasure of meeting blogger and writer Geoff Le Pard in person at the Bloggers Bash in London this spring. Inspired by his infectious personality I downloaded his books and have read quite a few of them already. Today I would like to share my enthusiastic review of “My Father and Other Liars”.

This is a very accomplished if somewhat intense novel that concerns several difficult issues: Family relations – as the title implies – embryonic research and theological deliberations, to name a few.
Le Pard has chosen a selection of great characters to bring his thoughtful and clever novel into full gear. Two people, both with troubled relationships to their fathers, meet and then meet again. Romance is in the offing while there is a fast paced thriller going on as well.
Past present, opinions, ethics, morals and religion – an ambitious project that comes off well thanks to the invested and multi-dimensional characters and the sensitive handling of the issues concerned.
Intellectually stimulating, thought-provoking and ultimately quite enjoybale.

Official blurb:
When British freelancer Maurice Oldham saves American scientist Lori-Ann Beaumont from a pack of journalists at a ProLife conference in San Francisco, neither expects to see the other again. But six months on, Lori-Ann is on Maurice’s doorstep, bruised, penniless and desperate to find her boyfriend, Peterson, who has gone missing in England. Maurice soon realises nothing is as it seems with Lori-Ann. Why is she chasing Peterson; why has her father, Pastor of the Church of Science and Development sent people to bring her home; what is behind the Federal Agency who is investigating Lori-Ann’s workplace in connection with its use of human embryos; and what happened in Nicaragua a quarter of a century ago that is echoing down the years? For Maurice and Lori-Ann the answers lie somewhere in their Fathers’ pasts. Finding those answers will take Lori-Ann and Maurice from England via America to Nicaragua; in so doing they will have to confront some uncomfortable truths about their Fathers and learn some surprising things about themselves.

Buy all of Geoff Le Pard’s books: http://www.amazon.com/Geoff-Le-Pard/e/B00OSI7XA0

About Geoff Le Pard

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Geoff Le Pard (not Geoffrey, except to his mother) was born in 1956 and is a lawyer who saw the light. He started writing (creatively) in 2006 following a summer school course. Being a course junkie he had spells at Birkbeck College, twice at Arvon and most recently at Sheffield Hallam where he achieved an MA in Creative Writing.

And what did he learn?

That they are great fun, you meet wonderful people but the best lessons come from the unexpected places. He has a line of books waiting to be published but it has taken until now to find the courage to go live.

He blogs at http://geofflepard.com/ on anything and everything. His aim is for each novel to be in a different style and genre. Most people have been nice about his writing (though when his brother’s dog peed on the manuscript he was editing, he did wonder) but he knows the skill is in seeking and accepting criticism. His career in the law has helped prepare him.

Connect with Geoff

Blog: http://geofflepard.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/geofflepard
Google+ : https://plus.google.com/+GeoffLepard01/posts

Also by Geoff Le Pard.

 

 

A Global Setting for a Thought-Provoking Book By Charli Mills on October 27, 2015

“My Father and Other Liars” is a thoughtful book full of twists and complex characters.

The way author Geoff Le Pard develops characters to be both flawed and evocative is becoming a hallmark of his writing. The suspense in the book rises from a multitude tensions at the heart of which is political intrigue in regards of the use of stem cells in research. One of the thought-provoking aspects of the story is the crossroads between theology and science. It’s handled in such a way as to be believable and not offensive (unless one has a highly sensitive nature in regards to religion used as a medium in fiction).

The author even shares (at the end of the book) how he developed his fictional theology. Another tension arises from the idea of adult orphans and those who have absentee-fathers or poor relationships. It’s a theme that crosses global borders just as the book itself is set in England, America and Nicaragua. The pace is steady and picks up so that it is hard to deny the next chapter.

This is the second published novel by Geoff Le Pard and while it is different from his first,“Dead Flies and Sherry Trifle,” his voice comes through as a writer and someone I will continue to follow as a reader.

Manchester Calling #‎MAEG2016‬ – A chance to meet the authors August 13th

30 Saturday Jul 2016

Posted by Christoph Fischer in Uncategorized

≈ 4 Comments

A MERE TWO WEEKS AWAY YOU CAN MEET ME IN MANCHESTER!!!!

Get tickets to meet 50 authors following this linkHalina's children at Kensington Book Fair: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/manchester-author-event-gig-…

Watch a video about the event:  https://youtu.be/-rVu8GM0SgI

50 or so fellow authors, hosted by Scarlett Enterprises, will be there on Saturday 13th August at the Red Rose Steam Society Ltd. Mining Museum in Astley Green, Manchester, M29 7JBSigning Event Banner.jpg

I’ll be there to chat about my books, literature and publishing, sign books and maybe even show off my three labradoodles, who are strongly thinking of coming along.

The signing and evening gig will take place in a large marquee measuring 21 x 15 metres, with a smaller marquee accommodating the beer tent & refreshments. In the evening there will be a BBQ and other food available. Afternoon tea of sandwiches and cakes will be available to purchase, through the day. An ice cream van is also going to be onsite. I know my dogs will be hoping for a Mr Whippie 😉christoph-booklaunch

Through the day an author book signing will take place, with morning and afternoon sessions available.

Morning session will run 11 am – 1.30 pm, afternoon 2.30 pm – 5 pm, or an option for an all day ticket.

There will be a break between 1.30 – 2.30 pm for dinner, to enable attendees, helpers and authors alike to have a break.

If you would like to order a signed copy of one of my paperbacks at a slightly reduced rate to be collected at the event, I have given a link below to the pre-order form (deadline for orders is August10th).

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1hKGVjhhJDCYHUUy38OUzdB8SiGyhXds3qCdVDCLZWfU/viewform?fbzx=594341257003929700013043274_10153323372932132_7133661743828960993_n13147572_1091090094247536_4056345938611380066_o

The Saturday evening event is in the form of a gig, which will begin at 7 pm and run through to 11.30 pm. Alongside the music there will be spoken word artists reading to the audience.

There will also be a raffle on the day of the signing, and all winners will be announced in the evening. Raffle prizes will include signed paperbacks and more prizes will be announced closer to the event.  The monies raised from the raffle will be donated to the local Scout & Guide Troop.  Two charities will benefit from a percentage of the profits for this event. Part to the Mining Museum itself, and the other to MIND.

Come and see me there. It’ll be great to meet you!

Historical Saturday: Review of “The Master and the Maid” by Laura Libricz

30 Saturday Jul 2016

Posted by Christoph Fischer in Uncategorized

≈ 6 Comments

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Some of you may remember Laura Libricz from my Interview with her on Historical Saturdays. I was lucky enough to catch up with her book this week and here is what I think of it:

The Hundred Year War is something that I somehow missed in history lessons in German school. I knew it was a big thing but I couldn’t remember much about it. I was delighted to come across a trilogy that takes on this important part of German history.
Additional bonus: Written by an American living in Germany, bringing in the often useful outsider perspective of an observer. The book is well researched and has a great blend of facts and fictional ‘illustration’. Plentiful details, adequate use of language and great characterisation are amongst many plus points.
I loved how quickly the predicament of our heroine unfolds. Tied to the wrong man who drinks and gambles and makes false promises, Katharina’s fate brings her under the authority of Master Tucher.
We follow her struggle to bring up a child, while all of Germany is in uproar and fighting between the warring parties begins.
Politics, religion, women’s rights and personal drama all blend together nicely in this wonderfully written novel. I am pleased to learn that this is only the beginning of a trilogy and look forward to the next part.
Well written, sound and enjoyable.

From my interview:
What in particular fascinates you about 17th Century Germany?

Germany in the early 17th century was inconveniently situated in the middle of a larger conflict. The period before and during the Thirty Years War is also well-researched and documented. But the history books are mostly written by learned men or men of the church. I feel a lot of those views are biased. Imagine what people will think in 400 years when they read what we are writing now! I wanted to portray what normal people, especially women, were thinking and feeling, how they lived and loved and what motivated them in the early modern period.

Tell us about the concept behind your books. How did you get the idea?

The Sichardtshof farm, the main setting in The Master and the Maid, was a real farm in Franconia, Germany from the 1300’s until its dismantling in the 1800’s. The area that it covered is still a haunting place that inspired me. I spent a lot of time there. The Heaven’s Pond story itself began with a type of fairy tale that I wrote in 2009. This tale became the core of the story of Isabeau, the main character in the whole of the Heaven’s Pond saga. And because I was not satisfied with just a short story, it turned into a three-book trilogy.

 

What song would you pick to go with your book?

The first book could be accompanied by the whole album Amnesiac by Radiohead.

 

Here’s some links: Main Photo small

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraLibriczAuthoress
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LauraLibricz
Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Master-Maid-Heavens-Pond-Trilogy/dp/0996817786
homepage: http://www.lauralibricz.com

Victorian Murder: The ‘Barnes Mystery’ | Victorian Treasures

30 Saturday Jul 2016

Posted by Christoph Fischer in Uncategorized

≈ 6 Comments

Source: Victorian Murder: The ‘Barnes Mystery’ | Victorian Treasures

VICTORIAN MURDER: THE ‘BARNES MYSTERY’

Posted originally by the marvellous PAM LECKY on her blog on

JULY 24, 2016

The terrible crime at Richmond at last,
On Catherine Webster now has been cast,
Tried and found guilty she is sentenced to die.
From the strong hand of justice she cannot fly.
She has tried all excuses but of no avail,
About this and murder she’s told many tales,
She has tried to throw blame on others as well,
But with all her cunning at last she has fell.

Julia Thomas

Julia Martha Thomas

One of the most notorious crimes of the late Victorian era in Britain was the murder of Julia Martha Thomas by her Irish maid, Kate Webster in March 1879. A widow, Julia Thomas lived at 2 Mayfield Cottages on Park Road in Richmond. It was a quiet and respectable area. A small, well-dressed lady of about fifty, Julia was said to Mayfield Cottageshave had an excitable temperament and was regarded by many as eccentric. She was not particularly wealthy, but she always dressed up and wore jewellery to give the impression of prosperity. Her employment of a live-in maid was more to do with status than practicality. However, she had a reputation for being a harsh employer and she had difficulty finding and retaining servants.

Kate Webster

Kate Webster

Kate Webster was born as Kate Lawler in County Wexford, Ireland, around 1849. She was said to be “a tall, strongly-made woman of about 5 feet 5 inches in height with sallow and much freckled complexion and large and prominent teeth.” Much of her early life is unclear but she claimed to have been married to a sea captain called Webster by whom she had four children, all of whom died, as did her husband, within a short time of each other. She was imprisoned for theft in Wexford in December 1864, when she was only about 15 years old. She moved to England in 1867 and fell into a life of crime, being frequently imprisoned for robbery. However, she was recommended as a maid to Julia Thomas by someone who had employed her temporarily. Julia engaged her immediately without checking out her character or past.

Their relationship rapidly deteriorated with Julia disliking the quality of Kate Webster’s work. Kate said of Julia Thomas: “At first I thought her a nice old lady … but I found her very trying, and she used to do many things to annoy me during my work. When I had finished my work in my rooms, she used to go over it again after me, and point out places where she said I did not clean, showing evidence of a nasty spirit towards me.” The situation reached a crisis point and it was arranged that Kate Webster would leave Julia’s service on 28th February. Julia recorded her decision in what was to be her last diary entry: “Gave Katherine warning to leave.”

But Kate persuaded her employer to give her a few days grace until Sunday 2nd March. She had Sunday afternoons off as a half-day and was expected to return in time to help Julia prepare for evening service. But Webster returned late, delaying Julia’s departure. The two women argued and several members of the congregation later reported that Julia had appeared “very agitated” on arriving at the church. Julia returned home and confronted Webster. According to Webster’s eventual confession:

“Mrs. Thomas came in and went upstairs. I went up after her, and we had an argument, which ripened into a quarrel, and in the height of my anger and rage I threw her from the top of the stairs to the ground floor. She had a heavy fall, and I became agitated at what had occurred, lost all control of myself, and, to prevent her screaming and getting me into trouble, I caught her by the throat, and in the struggle she was choked, and I threw her on the floor.”

The neighbours heard a single thump like that of a chair falling over but paid no heed to it at tNeightbourshe time. Next door, Webster began disposing of the body by dismembering it and boiling it in the laundry copper and burning the bones in the hearth. The neighbours later said that they had noticed an unusual and unpleasant smell. However, the activity at 2 Mayfield Cottages did not seem to be out of the ordinary, as Monday was traditionally wash day. Over the next couple of days Webster continued to clean the house and Thomas’ clothes and put on a show of normality for people who called. Behind the scenes she was putting Thomas’ dismembered remains into a black Gladstone bag and a wooden bonnet-box. These were disposed of in the Thames. She was unable to fit the murdered woman’s head and one of the feet into the containers and disposed of them separately, throwing the foot onto a rubbish heap in Twickenham. The head was buried under the Hole in the Wall pub’s stables a short distance from Julia’s’ house, where it was found 131 years later.

However, the next day, the box was found washed up in shallow water next to the river bank about a mile downstream. The discovery was immediately reported to the police. Around the same time, the foot and ankle were also found. Although it was clear that all of the remains belonged to the same corpse, there was nothing to connect them and no means to identify the remains. The doctor who examined the body parts erroneously attributed them to “a young person with very dark hair”. An inquest returned an open verdict and the unidentified remains were laid to rest in Barnes Cemetery on 19 March. The newspapers dubbed the unexplained murder the “Barnes Mystery”, amid speculation that the body had been used for dissection and anatomical study.

Webster continued to live at 2 Mayfield Cottages while posing as Julia Thomas, wearing her late employer’s clothes and dealing with tradesmen under her newly assumed identity. On 9 March she reached an agreement with John Church, a local publican, to sell Thomas’ furniture and other goods. By the time the removal vans arrived on 18 March, the neighbours were becoming increasingly suspicious as they had not seen Julia for nearly two weeks. Her next-door neighbour, Miss Ives, asked the deliverymen who had ordered the goods removed. They replied “Mrs. Thomas” and indicated Webster. Realising that she had been exposed, Webster fled. The police were called in and searched 2 Mayfield Cottages. There they discovered blood stains, burned finger-bones in the hearth and fatty deposits behind the copper, as well as a letter left by Webster giving her home address in Ireland. They immediately put out a “wanted” notice giving a description of Webster.

Scotland Yard detectives soon discovered that Webster had fled back to Ireland. The head constable of the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) in Wexford realised that the woman being sought by Scotland Yard was the same person whom his force had arrested 14 years previously for larceny. The RIC were able to trace her to her uncle’s farm near Enniscorthy and arrested her there on 29 March. She was escorted back to England to stand trial.

The murder caused a sensation on both sides of the Irish Sea. When the news broke, many people travelled to Richmond to look at Mayfield Cottages. The crime was just as notorious in Ireland; as Webster travelled under arrest from Enniscorthy to Dublin, crowds gathered to gawk and jeer at her at nearly every station between the two locations. The pre-trial magistrates’ hearings were attended by many. Webster went on trial at the Old Bailey on 2 July 1879. The prosecution was led by the Solicitor General, Sir Hardinge Giffard. Webster was defended by a prominent London barrister, Warner Sleigh, and the case was presided over by Mr. Justice Denman. The trial drew intense interest from all levels of society; on the fourth day, the Crown Prince of Sweden – the future King Gustaf V – turned up to watch the proceedings.

Over the course of six days, the court heard a succession of witnesses piecing together the complicated story of how Thomas had met her death. Webster had attempted before the tConviction_of_Kate_Websterrial to implicate the publican John Church and her former neighbour Porter, but both men had solid alibis and were cleared of any involvement in the murder. She pleaded not guilty and her defence sought to emphasise the circumstantial nature of the evidence and highlighted her devotion to her son as a reason why she could not have been capable of the murder. However, Webster’s public unpopularity, impassive demeanour and scanty defence counted strongly against her. A particularly damning piece of evidence came from a bonnetmaker named Maria Durden who told the court that Webster had visited her a week before the murder and had said that she was going to Birmingham to sell some property, jewellery and a house that her aunt had left her. The jury interpreted this as a sign that Webster had premeditated the murder and convicted her after deliberating for about an hour and a quarter.

Shortly after the jury returned its verdict and just before the judge was about to pass sentence, Webster was asked if there was any reason why sentence of death should not be passed upon her. She pleaded that she was pregnant in an apparent bid to avoid the death penalty. The Law Times reported that “upon this a scene of uncertainty, if not of confusion, ensued, certainly not altogether in harmony with the solemnity of the occasion.” The judge commented that “after thirty-two years in the profession, he was never at an inquiry of this sort.” Eventually the Clerk of Assizes suggested using the archaic mechanism of a jury of matrons, constituted from a selection of the women attending the court, to rule upon the question of whether Webster was “with quick child”. Twelve women were sworn in along with a surgeon named Bond, and they accompanied Webster to a private room for an examination that only took a couple of minutes. They returned a verdict that Webster was not “quick with child.”

Before she was executed, Webster made two statements. The first was false in which she tried to implicate two others; the second in which she took full responsibility. She was hanged the following day at Wandsworth Prison at 9 am, where the hangman, William Marwood, used his newly developed “long drop” technique to cause instantaneous death. She was buried in an unmarked grave in one of the prison’s exercise yards. The crowd waiting outside cheered as a black flag was raised over the prison walls, signifying that the death sentence had been carried out.

The trial was a sensation and was widely reported in the press, both in Ireland and Britain. Within weeks of her arrest, and well before she had gone to trial, Madame Tussaud’s created a wax effigy of her and put it on display for those who wished to see the “Richmond Murderess”. 220px-Execution_of_Catherine_Webster_at_Wandsworth_GaolIt remained on display well into the twentieth century. Within days of her execution an enterprising publisher rushed into print a souvenir booklet for the price of a penny, “The Life, Trial and Execution of Kate Webster. The Illustrated Police News published a souvenir cover depicting an artist’s impression of the day of the execution. The case was also commemorated, while it was still ongoing, by street ballads—musical narratives set to the tune of popular songs.

Webster herself was characterised as malicious, reckless and wilfully evil. Servants were expected to be deferential; her act of extreme violence towards her employer was deeply disquieting. At the time, about 40% of the female labour force was employed as domestic servants for a very wide range of society. Servants and employers lived and worked in close proximity, and the honesty and orderliness of servants was a constant cause of concern.

Another cause of revulsion against Webster was her attempt to impersonate her dead employer for two weeks, implying that middle-class identity amounted to little more than cultivating the right demeanour and having the appropriate clothes and possessions, whether or not they had been earned.

Perhaps most disturbingly for many Victorians, Webster was seen as having violated the expected norms of femininity. Victorian women were supposed to be moral, passive and physically weak. Webster was seen as quite the opposite and her appearance and behaviour were seen as key signs of her inherently criminal nature. Her behaviour in court and her sexual history also counted against her. Being Irish was a significant factor in the widespread revulsion felt towards Webster in Great Britain. The depiction of Webster as “hardly human” was of a piece with the public and judicial perceptions of the Irish as innately criminal.

In 1952, the naturalist David Attenborough and his wife Jane bought a house situated between the former Mayfield Cottages (which still stand today) and the Hole in the Wall pub. The pub closed in 2007 and fell into dereliction but was bought by Attenborough in 2009 to be redeveloped. On 22 October 2010, workmen carrying out excavation work at the rear of the old pub uncovered what turned out to be a woman’s skull. It was immediately speculated that article-2011513-0CE0655900000578-260_468x594the skull was the missing head of Julia Martha Thomas, and the coroner asked Richmond police to carry out an investigation into the identity and circumstances of death of the skull’s owner. Carbon dating found that it was dated between 1650 and 1880, but it had been deposited on top of a layer of Victorian tiles. The skull had fracture marks consistent with Webster’s account of throwing Thomas down the stairs, and it was found to have low collagen levels, consistent with it being boiled. In July 2011, the coroner concluded that the skull was indeed that of Thomas. DNA testing was not possible as she had died childless and no relatives could be traced; in addition, there was no record of where the rest of her body had been buried.

The coroner recorded a verdict of unlawful killing, superseding the open verdict recorded in 1879. The cause of Thomas’s death was given as asphyxiation and a head injury. The police called the outcome, “a good example of how good old-fashioned detective work, historical records and technological advances came together to solve the Barnes Mystery.”

Review: “The Photograph” by Grant Leishman

29 Friday Jul 2016

Posted by Christoph Fischer in Uncategorized

≈ 5 Comments

30353515Today I’m glad to present “The Photograph” by one of my favourite authors, Grant Leishman. Remember my post of “The Second Coming”

 

I’m not a big fan of horror stories but I trusted Grant Leishman enough to bring some class to the supernatural / horror / mystery novel, and he did.
The story begins with the rise and fall of photographer Tony Logan. His business during the old days of photography and his failure to catch up with the technological advancements in the field. His wife also leaves him as the business is going under.
Just as he has hit rock bottom he finds a role of film from his mother’s funeral in 1970. He hadn’t dared to develop, since he feared it might open up old wounds.
Up to this point the main character has already a lot of depth and we identify with him deeply. There is a sense of impending doom prevailing through this first part of the novel. Then the horror really takes off when Tony looks at the background of one of the pictures he took in 1970. I almost had to put the book down at that point, not sure if I could read on. The formerly so gentle and gradually building tension now is much more prominent from then on.
As Tony and his siblings try to investigate the supernatural mystery they find much more than they had bargained for.
I think there is potential for a series from here on.
If you like gret suspense then you will definitely love this. It isn’t dreadfully scary throughout, just right and for me, an occasional visitor to the genre, it has definitely something of a Stephen King feel to it. Just with more character depth.
I would definitely recommend this to fans of the genre.

Link to the book: http://mybook.to/photograph

Author Bio:Me

I am an expatriate New Zealander, living in Manila, The Philippines, with my wife and two step-daughters.

At age 55, after careers in Finance and Journalism, I have finally discovered my true passion in life – writing and I’m now “living the dream”, writing full-time.

My first novel was a romantic, fantasy, adventure about the return of Jesus Christ to modern day Manila to try and sort out the problems of the world – yet again! “The Second Coming”, which was published by Pentian in June 2015.

My second novel “Just a Drop in the Ocean”, a romance that spans a generation and two continents, is completed and was published in October 2015.

The sequel to “The Second Coming” – “Rise of the AntiChrist” is completed and will be published in December 2015.

The final novel in The Coming Series – “Holy War” is around 15% complete and will be published in March or April 2016.

Links to Social Media et al:

My Website: http://www.grantleishman.com/

My Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Grant-Leishman/e/B012ATB9N0/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1445550695&sr=8-1

My Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14119893

My Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorGrantLeishman

My Facebook Personal Page: https://www.facebook.com/grant.leishman.37

My Twitter Page:  https://twitter.com/GLeishmanAuthor

My Linkedin Page: https://ph.linkedin.com/pub/grant-leishman/97/222/77

My Pintrest Page: https://www.pinterest.com/grantleishman37/

Review: “The Rubber Fence” by Diana Stevan

29 Friday Jul 2016

Posted by Christoph Fischer in Uncategorized

≈ 6 Comments

Rubber Fence ebook cover As many of you know I am a big fan of intense books and books with a tough subject matter. Psychiatric wards and mental health are high up on that list, so I was glad to have come across this book. 
Having lived in the 1970s, I could relate to the setting. I always imagined I would work in social care when I was younger, but chickened out in the end, fearing I might not have what it takes.
In this book, a young idealistic doctor tries her best in a psychiatric ward. What she witnesses is shocking to her as it will be to the reader.
Drawing the line between professional commitment and personal involvement must be hard in the sector and our heroine finds this difficult, too.
Throw in superiors and personal problems and you have a rich novel full of moving, harrowing and interesting moments. Very recommendable.

Blurb:

It’s 1972. Women are breaking out, families are breaking down, and men are trying to hold on for the ride.

Dr. Joanna Bereza is a psychiatric intern who wants to have it all: a career, a loving marriage, and a family, but her passion to do what’s right sets her against a system that’s as stuck as the people it treats.

On ward 2B, Joanna becomes obsessed with the treatment of two women: a mute young mother suspected of trying to kill her baby and a feisty old woman who’s been through the mill one too many times. Blinded by her obsession, Joanna not only neglects her own husband, but in trying to stop her patients from getting shock treatment, she also puts her career in jeopardy. Further complicating matters is the seductive senior resident who looks more like a hip rock star than an aspiring shrink. Shadowing Joanna’s work is her own unresolved grief over something that happened when she was a child.

The Rubber Fence was inspired by the author’s experience as a family therapist on a psychiatric ward.

 

The author:

Diana Stevan

Website
http://www.dianastevan.com
Twitter
DianaStevan

 

https://www.goodreads.com/dianastevan356NIxeM

Diana Stevan is from Winnipeg, where she got her Bachelor’s degree in Home Economics and a Master of Social Work with honours.

Having worked as a professional actress, model, family therapist and CBC television sports broadcaster, she uses her experience to weave her stories.

Her time-slip novel, a romantic mystery/adventure, A CRY FROM THE DEEP, was published on October 15, 2014.

On March 15, 2015, she published her novelette, THE BLUE NIGHTGOWN, a story about family life in the 1950s and coming of age.

Her second novel, THE RUBBER FENCE, inspired by her work on a psychiatric ward in 1972, is now out as both a paperback and e-book.

Visit her at www.dianastevan.com, https://www.facebook.com/dianastevan…., and on Twitter @DianaStevan

The book on Amazon Uk and Amazon US

A Blue Million Books: AUTHORS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

28 Thursday Jul 2016

Posted by Christoph Fischer in Uncategorized

≈ 4 Comments

Source: A Blue Million Books: AUTHORS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

AUTHORS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media is a big asset to authors, allowing us to connect with multitudes in an instantaneous fashion. But lately I’m wondering how should authors spend their time on Facebook or Twitter? Does social media really help sell books? Is Facebook a valuable marketing tool, a way to connect with readers, or just a huge time vacuum? I wondered what other authors thought about this subject, so I asked. Read on for thoughts from Christoph Fischer, Celeste Burke, Brent Hartinger, Maria Grazia Swan, P.C. Zick, Sarah Mallery, Jane Firebaugh, Julie Moffett, Julie Seedorf, Ritter Ames, Frankie Bow, Kathy, Carol Keen, Cindy Blackburn, Lisa Binion, Amy Reade, and Tricia Drammeh. Next up (July 26) authors on social media from a reader’sperspective.

Do you use social media for business or pleasure or both?


Christoph Fischer:
Both. Sadly, I spend most of the time on it for business.



Celeste Burke: I use it for both . . . but spend much more time on FB involved in writing-related activities. That includes time spent in activities in groups that I have joined focused on various aspects of writing and marketing books.

Brent Hartinger: Honestly, I’m not sure I would be a big social media user if not for my writing career. That said, to have any success at all in social media, you have to enjoy it, and it has to be personal. Just constantly flogging your work is pointless, and probably counter-productive.
The most important thing isn’t what you post, or how you post. I think it’s how you react and interact with people. Are you accessible? Are you genuine? This sort of thing really builds up fans, and allows you to make contacts with people who will be your devoted boosters. But it has to be genuine. And because it’s genuine, it’s really time-intensive.
Another way to look at it is that you’re serving your reader, giving them something of value—and it’s something a lot more valuable that the opportunity to buy your brilliant book or bask in your genius. No, you’re giving them genuine personal access to you, an author they’re somewhat or very interested in. That’s valuable! But again, it’s also very time-consuming, at least if you’re doing it right.

Maria Grazia Swan: Both, and while I should talk books, 80% of the time I don’t. It feels too crass . . . plus, I do enjoy my FB friends . . .


P.C. Zick: I do both, but really most of my time is spent on business and trying not to annoy my friends and family.

Sarah Mallery: I use FB mostly for business. I share other authors’ announcements/posts, but if I have a more personal message to add, I will PM that person privately. However, these days, I’ve been concentrating far more on Twitter.

Jane Firebaugh: Both – More time spent on business.

Julie Moffett: I use it for both, but I think I use it more for personal than business. Still, I’m pretty active on both of my pages.

Julie Seedorf: Both they seem to meld together.

Ritter Ames: Both, but it’s kind of a merged thing. I tend to stick to more personal things on my profile page and more “my writing” type things on my author page.

Frankie Bow: For me, Facebook is a great way to connect with other authors and mystery fans. There are groups devoted to cozy mysteries, to favorite series, and to specific author interests.

Kathi Daley: Both but mostly business.

Carol E. Keen: More business, but my business is a pleasure, so that is harder to answer.

Anonymous: Both—mainly business.

Cindy Blackburn: Both—spend more time on Twitter.

Lisa Binion: I mainly use Facebook to share my articles and info about my book. I also use it to keep in touch with friends and family.

Amy Reade: I use Facebook for both business and pleasure. It’s hard to know how I spend my time, since I follow a lot of authors and bloggers in my personal feed. I spend time commenting on their posts as well as posts by family and friends. I try to post something original on my author page at least once a day. Sometimes it’s book news, sometimes it’s just what I’m working on. I also like to share posts from other pages that focus on the places where my books are set. I guess I would say I probably spend a bit more time on author stuff than personal stuff—maybe 60% business, 40% pleasure.

Tricia Drammeh: I use my Facebook Author Page for blog posts, book-related posts, and to promote other authors. I post everything on Twitter! Links to a variety of articles (book related or non-book related), promos for other authors, pictures of my dog, you name it.

Tony Scougal:  Facebook for business and pleasure but mostly business since I am a member of numerous book groups and run/administer Kindle Books 2.

On what type of posts do you get the most response?


Christoph Fischer:
Positive success stories and positive personal stories, e.g. getting awards and getting a new puppy, getting engaged etc. get the most responses.

Celeste Burke: Now that FB has reduced the reach that we get from posting, I get the most response to posts that actively engage my readers. That includes giveaways, news about books, events held on FB. Posting in FB groups about books and book promotion also seems to help create activity.

Brent Hartinger: Well, it’s sad to say, but simple is always better than complicated, and a video or attention-getting photo is always better than text. I used to bristle at this, but I suppose it’s human nature. I’m a busy person too, and I scan just like everyone else, only clicking on things that really jump out at me.
Mostly, it’s important that the post have some kind of “hook”—something that is instantly obvious, and draws the reader or viewer in. There’s a reason why cat videos and baby photos are so popular!
Unlike most authors, I do occasionally do long, thought-provoking posts on Facebook. Sometimes they go nowhere, but sometimes they do. And when they do, I’m pleased, because I feel like they reinforce my brand more than yet another cat video. But if you go this route, it’s important to have something to say. And it’s also important to frame it with a big, fat, attention-drawing hook or title.
It’s easy to get a response to political posts, or general rants about life, but I think this is a mistake. I don’t see what’s to be gained by getting into politics, or negatively in general, except that you’re potentially alienating half your readers. The point of social media as author isn’t to change the world. It’s to reinforce your brand, and create interactions with readers that ultimately leads to more book sales (and other assorting opportunities, like speaking gigs). Unless your brand IS politics, I don’t see the point of this.

Maria Grazia Swan: Jokes, PG jokes and blogs with pics of people . . . yes. . . I keep track. Faces get you the most views.


P.C. Zick: I get responses from my groups—street team and colleagues—where I ask for shares or tweets.

Sarah Mallery: Actually, the posts that have clever sayings on them, or sometimes URLs from YouTube that I’ve shared get the biggest response.

Jane Firebaugh: New releases and multi-author giveaways.

Julie Moffett: Giveaways for sure, announcements of new releases, and Facebook parties/giveaways with other authors.

Julie Seedorf: New releases and multi-author giveaways. The most response is when I ask a question, share something personal, and giveaways. They tend to be even.

Ritter Ames: Funny things that relate to everyday life, contests, and things that show the goodness of others.

Kathi Daley: Contests and specific questions that readers are prompted to answer.

Carol E. Keen: Book launches and free books of mine or someone else’s.

Anonymous: I post pictures/quizzes/blogs about the 70s. You never know what will resonate. McDonalds’ glasses did, drinking out of a hose did, a caftan did not.

Cindy Blackburn: Twitter—lots of RT’s on blatant self-promo stuff.

Amy Reade: The posts that get the most responses are those about book news- covers, progress updates, etc.

Tony Scougal:

Do you feel Facebook or Twitter has an impact on your book sales?


Christoph Fischer:
Not on the same scale as they were a few years ago. I think the number of books published and tweets being tweeted has put a damper on things a little. They are still important tools, though.

Celeste Burke: That is such a difficult question to answer because I’m doing everything at once. My understanding is that the different social media outlets reinforce one another by offering repeated exposure to information about me, my books, and the material I share about other authors.

Brent Hartinger: It’s not a direct relationship, but yes, it’s a huge impact, almost beyond measuring. Honestly, I think I sell way more books through social media that I ever did through newspaper profiles. If I had to choose between social media and never having another media profile of me, I’d choose social media in a heartbeat.
Social media is as much of a revolution as the Gutenberg press. It’s HUGE. It’s changing EVERYTHING.
The key revolutionary features are (1) it speed (instantaneous), (2) its reach (the entire world instantly!), and (3), mostly important, its interactivity. Mass communication is no longer a one-way street! Think about that, what a monumental change that it is. It gives me the chills just thinking about it.
For authors, this allows us to create a genuine, interactive relationship with our readers. That means more than just posting things and selling yourself. It means also being accessible, being open to instant messaging, responding to comments, responding to tweets. More than half the time I spend on social media is interacting with readers. It’s one on one. But I also think that’s the most important part of it, the part that sells books.
Interesting side-note: social media has mostly replaced email for me. I used to get ten to twenty emails from fans a week. Now I get maybe five. But I get dozens of messages and inquiries via social media. Honestly, I find social media easier, and better, because I don’t feel the pressure to write a 500 word response, and because there’s more of a back and forth. I can answer exactly what the person wants to know about.

Maria Grazia Swan: Honestly I have no clue, but I tell myself it does in order to justify the time I spend online.


P.C. Zick: Twitter does more than Facebook unless it’s a new release.

Sarah Mallery: Since I don’t use FB except for specific book promotions and sharing, I would say Twitter has had more impact on my sales.

Jane Firebaugh: Yes, probably both do.

Julie Moffett: Absolutely.

Julie Seedorf: Yes, absolutely. But not always because I promote my books, but because I let them know me.

Ritter Ames: I think it’s a long game approach. I don’t think either affects my day-to-day sales, but as I build a relationship with the fan with both venues, I think I gain later sales that way. Unless a book is on sale—then I think I gain immediate sales from both FB & Twitter.

Frankie Bow: Facebook, no. Twitter, maybe. Twitter is a great way to get out news about promotions and new releases, both mine and those of other authors

Kathi Daley: Absolutely. Big time!

Carol E. Keen: Yes, I do. Facebook especially. I’m still rather new to Twitter. (I would NEVER have joined Twitter if it weren’t for my books.)

Anonymous: I do think FB can be especially helpful for a new author. There is a cozy community.

Cindy Blackburn: Yes—I’m a firm believer in Twitter. The more I do there, the better my sales

Lisa Binion: Not really, but I don’t often send out posts that advertise my book. I do feel that Facebook has had a positive impact on my editing business. Since I’ve never mentioned on Twitter that I edit books, I doubt that social media site has sent any authors to me.

Amy Reade: In terms of selling books, I’m sure FB is more helpful than Twitter. Twitter is like a vacuum of authors, all trying to out-shout each other. Most of my tweets are actually retweets of other authors’ stuff, though I try to post something original every day on Twitter.

Tricia Drammeh: I’m not sure if I can directly link book sales to my activity on social media, but I’ve met a lot of amazing people, and for me, that’s what matters.

Tony Scougal: I post Amazon links and my blogsite links to my groups about 3 times a week. I tweet the same links about 3 times a week on twitter. I probably spend about 1 hour a day on these two social media sites (in total) posting links, usually at coffee time when relaxing and quite literally hitting ‘share’. There is no doubt in my mind that posting these links directly to these two sites results in sales. As another ‘guide’ I share my blogsite which is book related only and have taken 220,000 views using Facebook and twitter sharing capacity.

Is there a secret to getting “likes” on a Facebook post or an author page?


Christoph Fischer:
I know Rafflecopter giveaways ask people to like pages, tweets and Facebook post campaigns try to entice readers. I’m not sure what works. I think the significance of a high number of likes is over-rated. When people see your page they are already interested. More important is the actual content on the page. To keep the following you need to produce fresh and interesting, original content.

Celeste Burke: Posts that engage visitors and then are shared seem to help new readers discover me. They often will come to check out a post and like my page as well as the post! So, it happens as a byproduct of those other activities. Giveaways do that, too, even though FB does not want you to expressly request people to “like” your page in order to enter a giveaway. Friends will respond to invitations extended to them to like a page or post, but I don’t like to do that often since I don’t want to swamp people with social media requests.

Brent Hartinger:
Writing good books? Being a positive, accessible, kind human being? Doing things that people actually like? 😉

Maria Grazia Swan: Again, clueless, but when I feel particularly brave and ask for a like I usually get it.

P.C. Zick: I get most of my likes from Facebook parties where I request it and on new release information.

Sarah Mallery: Recently I’ve been asked by people on Twitter if I would like their page, and after I do, I ask them to reciprocate. Also, because I’ve been getting more and more people following me on Twitter, I noticed I am get far more Friend requests on FB.


Jane Firebaugh: I wish I knew it. lol

Julie Moffett: Tag it to a giveaway. That almost always seems to work for me.

Julie Seedorf: Usually for me it is when someone reads my books or sees a post about something they are interested in and then they like my page.

Ritter Ames: I think in regard to both venues, the more you interact with fellow members, the more others will see your posts and want to like or follow you. I also gain a lot of likes and follows from my Amazon author page, btw.

Kathi Daley: Give stuff away or post cute pet photos.

Carol E. Keen: What I’m seeing is many authors having giveaways, and using Rafflecopter. Several entries have to do with liking FB pages, Amazon pages, and so forth. It’s free, and easy, and counts towards the odds of winning whatever it is that is being offered.

Anonymous: I think being consistent and not trying to sell something all the time helps immensely.

Cindy Blackburn: Funny, pics of animals. Pics of any sort get more attention.

Lisa Binion: If there is, I wish I knew what it was.

Amy Reade: If there’s a secret to getting likes on Facebook other than being wildly famous, I hope someone shares it with me.

Is there a secret to getting followers or retweets on Twitter?


Christoph Fischer:
There are re-tweet groups to share each other’s platform. That gets you retweets, as does Twitter etiquette of retweeting tweets of similar content, which often results in kind reciprocation.
 Relevant hashtags in moderation will get you attention and retweets. 
One way of getting followers is by following them first, hoping they will reciprocate.
‘Raiding’ the followers of similar author accounts can be useful. 
Again, hash-tagged, relevant content in your tweets will bring the right people your way.

Celeste Burke: I don’t think it’s a secret, but joining retweet groups on FB helps. Using hashtags when you send out a tweet is important. Tweets with pictures attract more attention and get more exposure. Supporting other authors is always good too—following something close to the 20-80 rule: 20% about me 80% about others. That’s another advantage to joining retweet groups—you get your tweet sent out but you do the same for the others in the group so you’re sure not all of your content is about yourself.

Brent Hartinger: Honestly, a big part of this is being uniquely you, being genuine. What is it about you (and your books) that is different from others? What makes you worthwhile as an author, what sets you apart? What do you bring to the table that no one else does? What is your personal “voice”? That’s your brand!
I see my own brand as that of a “storyteller.” I am a novelist and screenwriter, and I love the whole idea of a “story:” what it is, and how to make it accessible. So I write about my own personal and professional struggles as a writer, examples of successful and unsuccessful stories by others, and also other media trends. I sometimes include personal anecdotes, to give readers a sense of “me,” but I mostly focus on my life as a storyteller. My personal life? That’s not really relevant to my social media presence, except as it directly relates to my brand.

Maria Grazia Swan: Retweet and you get retweeted and you get followers, that’s my experience.


P.C. Zick: Join groups that share tweets. I use ManageFlitter to get rid of those who don’t follow back and to search for readers, reviewers, bloggers for my genre to follow.

Sarah Mallery: I have discovered that if someone RT’s my Tweet, it takes a little extra time, but I first go check out that person if I’m not already following them. Then, if they seem legit, I will go to their Media stream and RT something from them. That’s been garnering a lot of RTs and good will from people.


Jane Firebaugh: I wish I knew that too! lol

Julie Moffett: Same as Facebook. Make it a required part of a giveaway.

Julie Seedorf: Sharing with other friends and writers and sharing my cat pictures.

Kathi Daley: I follow almost everyone back—there are exceptions. I also belong to several tweet teams.

Carol E. Keen: See above for followers. For retweets, I do all I can to promote other authors. IF they do the same for me, we all prosper. There is this CoPromote app, I can’t totally figure it out, but I’m using it. It is able to use Twitter, Vine, Tumbler and Instagram. I feel a bit drowned in social media sometimes.

Cindy Blackburn: Effort. I follow and unfollow people every day. I try to RT as much as possible—especially those the RT me. I repeat–effort.

Lisa Binion: If there is, I don’t know it.

Amy Reade: I’ve noticed that pictures on Twitter are essential. I get far more likes and retweets when there’s a photo with my tweet. Also, I tend to get more likes and retweets when I use specific hashtags. Not just “#fiction” or “#blogging,” but something that narrows the focus, like “#CR4U” (clean reads) or “#lucilleball.”

Do you have both an author page and a profile page or just one or the other?


Christoph Fischer:
I have both. Author page for book-related issues only, the profile page for some of the book content and personal. The line is fluid, as I have become friends with many colleagues and readers via my personal profile. The profile gets more attention overall, possibly because enthusiastic readers like to know a bit about me as a person, too, and a few have sent me personal friend requests.

Celeste Burke: I have a personal page and an author page. I believe the author page gets more activity. I try to use that page to keep readers informed about what’s new, but also use my blog and newsletters to do that.

Brent Hartinger: It’s essential that authors have both a fan page and a personal page, mostly because you’re limited to the number of “friends” on a personal page. Furthermore, Facebook will probably eventually restrict the use of personal pages for promotional purposes.
I get much more activity on my personal page, and I do accept superfans as friends. But an author page allows you to “boost” occasional posts (for a small charge), and this can be extremely helpful in reaching interested, but less passionate fans. It’s absolutely targeted marketing in a way that’s never existed before. I think this is even better targeted marketing than a newsletter, which is supposedly the “holy grail” of marketing. Not everyone opens newsletters, but almost everyone will see a boosted post on Facebook.
I’ve also had great luck uploading videos directly to Facebook (as opposed to embedding them from YouTube), then “boosting” the video. This has sold an almost surreal number of books. I spent $25 boosting one video, and immediately sold well over $1000 worth of books in the two days that followed.
(If I had to do it over again, I would have an author fan page, a personal-fan page, AND a private personal page, to keep my personal life completely separate from my professional one. Ah, well!)

Maria Grazia Swan: I have both, and my profile page gets a lot more activity. Then again, I have more friends on that page than on my author’s page. And I don’t post the same thing, also, whatever I post is for the whole wide world to see. I have yet to figure out how to be selective and limit some posts to specific friends . . . so far so good.

P.C. Zick: I have an author page. I don’t know what a profile page is. But I also have several pages for specific genres since I have a diverse selection of published works.

Sarah Mallery: I have an author “Fan” page and a profile page on FB. Probably my profile page gets more activity, since I’ve not been promoting on the other so much.

Jane Firebaugh: I have both, but I don’t use the author page enough. Personal page gets more activity, because I use it a lot more.

Julie Moffett: I have both and am active daily on both.

Julie Seedorf: I have both, and they both get a lot of activity, but I don’t use the author page enough.

Kathi Daley: Both plus several group pages. When you post to an author page only a very small percentage of those who have liked the page even see the post. I have almost 15,000 likes and I have a lot of posts where it says my reach is around 50. That’s sad. I feel I get a lot more bang for my buck on my personal page and my group page.

Carol E. Keen: Yes, I have both. My regular page gets way more activity from others, because I was a “person” before having an author page. FB’s algorithms are so messed up, it is wonder we see anything AT ALL!

Cindy Blackburn: I have an author page on FB. Don’t even know if I have a profile page??? Not sure what that is.

Lisa Binion: I have a personal page. Then there is my Fiction Writing page that attracts a lot more activity than my personal page. That makes me happy because that is the page I want people to pay attention to. Why? It will direct them to my website.

Amy Reade: For Facebook, I have author and personal pages. I do this because not all my FB friends want to know about every little book thing that goes on with me. Likewise, all my author followers (there’s some overlap, but not total) might not care to know what’s growing in my flowerbeds. 
For Twitter, I only have one account- my author account. 
I would say my personal FB page gets a bit more activity than my author page.

Tricia Drammeh: On Facebook, I interact with authors and readers on my regular profile, and though I do sometimes post reading-related articles, I don’t do any hard selling. The only time I post about my own books are when I have a new release or a free book offer.

THE SECRET

I’ve come to the conclusion that there is no secret. The right way to use social media is as diverse as its users. It can be a marketing tool, a way for authors to check in with friends and make new ones, or both. In a post titled“Please shut up: Why self-promotion as an author doesn’t work,” Delilah S. Dawson wrote: “Because here’s the secret: None of us know what we’re doing, but we’re all trying our asses off. We are all hungry.”

The good news is the lines of business and pleasure can blur in social media. I think Facebook recognizes that too, hence the opportunity they give us with author pages. Is social media a place to sell ourselves or a place to share ourselves? Authors get to decide whether to “push” (constant tweets and posts about their book), or “pull” (sharing a bit of themselves to forge a genuine connection with others).

Social media can be so much more than just “buy my book” or “notice me, talk to me.” Facebook is a great way for authors to connect, support, and encourage each other. And authors promoting fellow authors’ work, particularly when it’s new, on a special sale, or in a giveaway, can more effectively help readers discover a new author than self-promotion.

For a lot of authors, Facebook is their water cooler. For those who work alone, it may be the only human interaction they have all day. And even at the water cooler, you’ll find some who are there for some “it’s all about me” time, while others are there to share ideas, news, and thoughts.

Sometimes authors can get so caught up in selling their book that marketing becomes their sole reason for using social media. They friend and follow people with the intent to be friended or followed back. Where’s the social aspect in that approach? Dawson made the point: “Would fishing be fun if the fish jumped out of the ocean and smacked you in the face?  . . . that’s what a lot of social media by authors is starting to look like, to feel like: being smacked in the face, repeatedly, by hundreds of fish.”

Authors can use social media for the hard sell or as a way to attract new friends (and readers) with their personalities, making sales a happy by-product of connecting with others. Beyond “networking” with other authors, Facebook gives authors a chance to connect with people, whether they are writers or readers. It’s a way for authors to use their work to make friends, not use their friends to make money. I don’t want to go to the water cooler to be bombarded with a sales pitch. I want to go for some levity, friendship, and genuine connection. I think to use social media purely to promote a book or to “like” and “friend” other authors only to sell a book would be missing the point of social media. What do you think?

ABOUT THE AUTHORS


Christoph Fischer is a UK based author of historical fiction (Three Nations Trilogy, Ludwika, In Search of a Revolution), contemporary fiction (Time to Let Go, Conditions), and thrillers (The Healer, The Gamblers).
Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Amazon

Celeste Burke is the author of the Jessica Huntington Desert Cities mystery series, the Corsario Cove cozy mystery series, and The Georgie Shaw cozy mystery series.
Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Amazon

Brent Hartinger is a writer of just about everything that involves words: novels (including the Russel Middlebrook new adult series), screenplays, plays, web content, even greeting cards. A feature film version of his first novel, Geography Club, was released in November 2013.

Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  
Amazon

Maria Grazia Swan is the author of the Mina Calvi Adventures, Lella York series, and non-fiction.
Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Amazon



P.C. Zick  is the author of contemporary romance, contemporary fiction, and non-fiction.  (Florida Fiction series, Behind the Love trilogy, Smoky Mountain romances.)
Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Amazon

Sarah Mallery is a historical fiction writer with four published books to date: Tales to Count On, Sewing Can Be Dangerous and Other Small Threads, Unexpected Gifts, and The Dolan Girls.
Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Amazon

Jane Firebaugh is the author of the White Mountain Romantic mystery series: Antiques & Avarice, and Old Crimes & Nursery Rhymes.
Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Amazon

Julie Moffett is the author of fifteen published novels in the genres of historical, paranormal fantasy, and time travel romances, and action/adventure mysteries (the Lexi Carmichael series).
Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Amazon

Julie Seedorf is a cozy mystery author of the Fuchsia Minnesota Series, Granny Is In Trouble children’s series, and Brilliant Minnesota series.
Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Amazon

Ritter Ames is a cozy mystery author of the Art Mysteries Series & Organized Mysteries Series.
Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Amazon

Kathi Daley is the author of six cozy mystery series, including: Zoe Donovan Mystery, Whales & Tails Cozy Mystery, Sand & Sea Hawaiian Mystery, TJ Jensen Mystery, Paradise Lake Mystery, and Seacliff High Mystery.
Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Amazon

Frankie Bow is the author of The Professor Molly Mysteries, Miss Fortune Kindle Worlds Novellas, and coloring books for all ages.
Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Amazon

Carol E. Keen currently writes books in fantasy genres for adults and YA, as well as in the Supernatural Thriller Mystery genre.
Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Amazon

Cindy Blackburn is the author of the Cue Ball Mysteries cozy series.
Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Amazon


Lisa Binio
n is a freelance editor and the author of Softly & Tenderly, a paranormal horror novel.

Website  |  Facebook  | Twitter  | Amazon

Amy Reade is the author of women’s contemporary and gothic fiction with three published books to date: The Secrets of Hallstead House, The Ghosts of Peppernell Manor, and The House of the Hanging Jade.
Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Amazon

Tricia Drammeh is the author of the Spellbringers series, The Seance, Sweet Sorrow, The Fifth Circle, and Better than Perfect.
Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Amazon

Tony Scougal: Tony writes under the pseudonym Paul Anthony. A former counter terrorist detective forCumbria Police proper, he is anuthor of thrillers, murder mysteries, espionage, television and film scripts, and screenplays.

Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Amazon

Amazing new reviews for “The Luck of the Weissensteiners”

28 Thursday Jul 2016

Posted by Christoph Fischer in Uncategorized

≈ 13 Comments

Luck of the Weissensteiners by chritoph Fischer coverMore positive reviews for The Luck of the Weissensteiners – Thank you!

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Period Drama., July 15, 2016
By
Rea
Verified Purchase(What’s this?)
This review is from: The Luck of the Weissensteiners (The Three Nations Trilogy Book 1) (Kindle Edition)
The Luck of the Weissentheiners is a wonderful story about one family caught up in the pre, during and post eras of World War II and the rise of Nazism. Centered on a hard-working non-practicing Jewish family who operate a weaving shop in Bratislava, Slovakia, we follow the exploits of Jonah, Greta and Wilma Weissensteiner as they try to negotiate the complex and ever-changing political environment of Eastern Europe at that time. The characters are very believable and easy to identify with. The Weissensteiners meet so many different characters of all persuasions during their long journey to liberation.
This was a well-researched and enjoyable read. I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves Historical Novels, as I do. What we see is the triumph of the human spirit even in a time of such horror and terror. I really enjoyed it.

4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars, July 23, 2016
By
Amazon Customer
Verified Purchase(What’s this?)
This review is from: The Luck of the Weissensteiners (The Three Nations Trilogy Book 1) (Kindle Edition)
THIS BOOK WAS VERY GOOD BUY DEPRESSING..SO MUCH HATRED THEN…KIND OF LIKE TODAY..NEVER ENDING

 

 

4.0 out of 5 stars The presentation of the daily struggles and anxieties of Jews …, July 11, 2016
By
Amazon Customer
Verified Purchase(What’s this?)
This review is from: The Luck of the Weissensteiners (The Three Nations Trilogy Book 1) (Kindle Edition)
The presentation of the daily struggles and anxieties of Jews in the Prague, Bratislava areas opens eyes and hearts.

Trailer: http://studio.stupeflix.com/v/OtmyZh4Dmc/?autoplay=1

 

Links: 11068243_684273991684777_4536204768149481255_n

http://www.amazon.com/Luck-Weissensteiners-Three-Nations-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00AFQC4QC

https://writerchristophfischer.wordpress.com/

https://www.facebook.com/WriterChristophFischer

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6590171.Christoph_Fischer

The Luck of the Weissensteiners (Three Nations Trilogy Book 1)

In the sleepy town of Bratislava in 1933 a romantic girl falls for a bookseller from Berlin. Greta Weissensteiner, daughter of a Jewish weaver, slowly settles in with the Winkelmeier clan just as the developments in Germany start to make waves in Europe and re-draws the visible and invisible borders. The political climate in the multifaceted cultural jigsaw puzzle of disintegrating Czechoslovakia becomes more complex and affects relations between the couple and the families. The story follows them through the war with its predictable and also its unexpected turns and events and the equally hard times after.
But this is no ordinary romance; in fact it is not a romance at all, but a powerful, often sad, Holocaust story. What makes The Luck of the Weissensteiners so extraordinary is the chance to consider the many different people who were never in concentration camps, never in the military, yet who nonetheless had their own indelible Holocaust experiences. This is a wide-ranging, historically accurate exploration of the connections between social location, personal integrity and, as the title says, luck.

On Amazon:  http://smarturl.it/Weissensteiners

http://bookShow.me/B00AFQC4QC

 

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/527811
On iTunes: https://itun.es/i6LL9CF

Nook Book Link: http://ow.ly/LMhlm

On Goodreads: http://bit.ly/12Rnup8

On Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1bua395

 

B&N  http://ow.ly/Btvas

Interview with a Holocaust Survivor

28 Thursday Jul 2016

Posted by Christoph Fischer in Uncategorized

≈ 5 Comments

A great interview with a holocaust survivor. As times and politics are on the verge of turning ugly, this couldn’t be more timely, sadly.

historywithatwist

Frank - Auschwitz Young prisoners in Auschwitz

Frank Grunwald was just 12 years old when he and his family entered the concentration camps. Terezinstadt, Auschwitz, Melk, Mauthausen . . . he was in them all. Unfortunately, neither his brother nor his mother would leave Auschwitz alive.

Frank was born in Czechoslovakia in 1932. His father was a doctor, as well as being a very talented photographer. Both of his parents, Kurt and Vilma, were musicians and instilled a love of music into Frank and his brother, John, who was four years his senior.

The family lived a comfortable life in Prague. Growing up, Frank liked art – he focused on it, as he did playing the accordion. For him, the instrument’s melancholy sound was both personal and human.

The notion of being Jewish never really entered Frank’s head. He was just a Czech, like his fellow citizens – but not in the eyes…

View original post 1,562 more words

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