Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Book Review By Krystal - This novel will have the reader at the first page.


Krystal
May 30, 2011

Krystal rated it 4 of 5 stars THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

This novel will have the reader at the first page.

The reader will enjoy Patti Roberts’ view of guardian angels. The main character, a little girl-Grace, has the power of sight.

The very same guardian angels sent to protect her father protect her; her father perishes and leaves the little girl and her mother on their own. Grace conveys her deep sadness and hopelessness to the reader with extreme clarity.

The angels watching over young Grace are meant to be “good”, however, there are two factions of angels-ones who destroy and ones who seek to help and are “good”. Grace’s story is interwoven with this important fact that the reader must remember in order to fully understand this novel.

Grace puts the emotion into the novel, the angels build the structure.

The reader will be introduced to a world of angels and their background, very interesting and intriguing. The reader will enjoy the conspiracy, good, and evil parts of the novel.

The ending is a somewhat surprising, but satisfying conclusion.

Patti Robers writes clearly and evokes an emotional reaction as well as deep thought in her readers, clearly an amazing writer.

The reader will look forward to the sequel of this novel.

But this ebook 99c at Amazon or Smashwords

Soon to be available in paperback $7.99





Book 2 Paradox - Progeny Of Innocence, will be available November 2011

More reviews for Paradox - The Angels Are Here

Up Close & Personal With Author Helmy Kusuma


Where do you call home?

Anywhere as long as I feel peace and love.

What is your book about?

My first book tells the story of me -- disguised in fiction, of course -- of how I got to write my first book. It's a romance.

If you gave some of your characters an opportunity to speak for themselves, what would they say?

You are doing a wonderful job, Helmy. Keep it up! Create more character, I am lonely here.

Do you have plans for a new book?

Ah, you've read my mind. I am currently finishing my second book and am planning for the third.

What inspired you to write your book?

The world at large. There are too many interesting things in life that pass unnoticed.

Would you like to be contacted by readers to do book reviews?

Well, of course! I will be honoured.

How did you come up with the title and cover design?

They sort of descended from the heaven.

Have you based any of your characters on someone you know, or real events in your own life?

Certainly. I like to ground my story.

What books have most influenced your writing most and why?

I could not deny the contribution Oxford dictionary has given me.

Is there an Author that you would really like to meet?

It would be awesome to meet Plato, Aristotles or Pythagoras.

Do you prefer ebooks, paperbacks or hardcovers?

I prefer ebooks. Hey, I am a little green man.

Have you ever read a book more than once?

Yes. Rarely. I remember books I've read, so it would be boring to read them again.

Is there a particular movie that you preferred over the book version?

Nope.

What book are you currently reading?

Peony by Pearl S. Buck.

What book do you know that you will never read?

Probably all books about politics and government.

Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest and why?

Ah, there are too many, but I would like to mention a special one, Helmy Kusuma. Why? Need you to ask?

Is there anything you would change in your last book and why?

Nope. I will just keep any interesting bits for my later books.

Who designed the cover of your book?

Myself. I am new. I have no big budget. Go, buy my book so I will be able to hire an illustrator.

Do you have a book trailer?

Nope.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

First, read. Second, re-read. Third, repeat first and second. Fourth, repeat third. And so on.

How long have you been writing? Since I have been able to scribble a, b, c.

Have you always wanted to be a writer? Not until last year ( 2010 ).


Do you remember your first writing attempts? Yes, because Mementoes of Mai is my first.


What genre/s have you been writing in? What other genres would you like to pursue? Romance. I always believe the world can use a little more romance, but of course fantasy and science fiction are tempting.


What is/are the main theme/s of your latest book? What was it inspired by?

Journey that triggers soul searching. Love. It was inspired by my experiences.


What goals do you set out to achieve when you start writing a new book?

My goal is to be able to depict my imagination.

Are you a fast or a slow writer? How long does it take you to write a book?

I can be a fast one when the deadline approaches, otherwise I consider myself normal-paced writer.


Do you ever base physical appearance of your characters on people you know, portraits or actors? Any examples or images that you'd like to share?

Yes, I base my characters roughly on the memory of persons I've met.


Introduce the main characters from your latest book. Who are they? Let them speak for themselves. What would they like to say?

Helmy : Ah, I am here! At last! You've made it.

Mementoes of Mai

"One man decides to visit his past..
Ends up falling in love..
And along comes the journey that will bring him to meet...
Himself"

The story of a man who works as an IT staff and is forced to take a leave lest it will be erased for the next year of finance.
He chooses Vietnam based on a photo he glimpsed earlier on the newspaper and is soon brought into a journey of a lifetime.
Thus his inner journey for love begins...

Where can your readers follow you?

My blog: http://www.helmykusuma.com

My book's facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/EL.Publish

My Goodreads author page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4576592.Helmy_Kusuma

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/hanzpk


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Patti Roberts - Supporting Authors.

Thank you for dropping by, please leave a comment and say Hi.


Paradox - The Angels Are Here.

Book trailer Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IovcxyZTFuU

facebook - http://tinyurl.com/3woe84l

twitter - http://twitter.com/#!/PattiRoberts7

blog - http://theangelsarehere.wordpress.com/


Monday, May 30, 2011

Interview with Patti Roberts By Nellee Horne (Author)


Ok, the first are questions in every interview :)

Q1) When did you find out that you wanted to be an author? I have thought about the idea for many years and started a children’s book about 15 years ago. But when writers block set in I figured I was on the wrong path.

Q2) What excites you most about this career?
Telling stories. The whole creative process that allows you to get swept up in the story. You get to know all your characters so well and then before you know it they have become such a huge (and demanding) part of your life. I love that. My fantasy family.

Q3) What was the process like for you? As in, preparation, writing the draft, editing, publishing, etc. I do a lot of research as I go. For example I like the names I use for my characters to have a meaning when possible.

I like to know what weather conditions, language, landscape etc would have been like.

I like to use as much fact as possible. Even when I’m reading a fictional story, I like to think that I have learned something factual from the experience.

I find faces for my characters and create a personality for them, give them birthdates for example. Know what movies, music, colours they like etc, even if I never use details like that in the book. I feel it gives my characters more depth.

I edit as much as possible while I go using text aloud or I use my kindle to read the story back to me. Like they say, it is almost impossible to edit/proofread your own work.

Publishing I chose Smashwords and Amazon. Soon I hope to use Create Space to have the book in print via Amazon.


Q4) What were some obstacles, if any, did you face and how did you overcome them? My only obstacle is time, not enough of it. I so badly need to do some dusting around here!

Q5) What kind of education did you have in writing beforehand? Just high school grammar classes, college courses, etc.? Absolutely none, just your usual run of the mill school education.

Book questions

Q1) Where/ how did you come up with the idea of Paradox? Firstly, I knew I had a story in me waiting to be told. I chose Paradox because I liked the meaning of the word. And I love mythology, past lives, reincarnation and such.

I was never going to start the series with book 1 and the young Grace, but I decided I wanted the readers to know her as a child first, what shaped her into being who she becomes in the following books.

Q2) How did you come up with the characters? Oh that was easy, they just came into being as the story developed in my head. The biggest surprise to me has been how people have taken so strongly to the Abaddon character. They just cant get enough of him…. Which just proves that just about everyone likes a little bit of evil n their lives from time to time. People grave to overcome diversity and evil.

Q3) Explain in your own words how Grace has grown in this story, if she has. Grace continues to grow as her life continues to spiral out of her control. Inwardly she is confused and in a very dark place. Outwardly she tries to mask her feelings of sadness and just tries to just fit in, to be like everybody else. And more than anything, she wants to love and be loved back.

Q4) As you were developing the story, did you think you would write any sequels? I knew there was going to be more than 1 book. And I wanted each book to be a little different but still to be part of the whole Paradox theme. Book 1 for example is very much about a little girl and her struggle with loss. Book 2 is about the same girl, a teenager now, desiring to fall in love. Book 3, well you will just have to wait and see, but it is very much a back story on the Angels, and how they fit into Grace’s world.

Q5) How did you come up with the particular plot? Did it just come to you or not? The plot has always been about, love, loss, betrayal and how Grace copes with all of these things. Emotions…past and present, good versus evil. All the things that shape a life, make us who we are. And then I added the realm of fantasy - everything naughty and nice.


Future

Q1) What's in store for Grace and her family? Grace grows up and discovers that things, and people are not always as they appear… Including her mother.

Q2) What's in store for you? Do you have any ideas for other series, how many books do you want to write, etc.? I actually have a comedy and a mystery book on the back burner. But Paradox is my heart book and once I really got into it, it has been hard to tear myself away from it. I would miss the characters way too much.

Q3) How much would you say you've grown throughout this process? Has your writing gotten better? Have you found anything about yourself that you hadn't realized before? I have grown a HEAP. When I go back and read some of my early manuscripts I cringe…. I can see how much better my writing has become. My friends and family tell me how much better my writing has become. But at the end of the day, it is what the reader thinks.

Every time I read a review on Paradox I am gobsmacked at how well the book has been received. And that absolutely astounds me. Most of all, it tells me I am on the right path. Better late than never...


Q4)How far do you see yourself going? Where would you want to be in 1 or 5 years? Sitting behind my laptop, banging away at the keyboard! Working on book 4, 5 and six of the Paradox series…. Well that would be great!

Q5) Anything you would like to add before we wrap this up? Most certainly, I would like to say…. I envy you! Having found writing at such a young age, in my opinion is a blessing and I hope you go on to be a very success Author with lots of best sellers. I really, really do!

Thank you Nellee for the interview. Patti


Oh, and please check out my book Paradox - the Angels Are Here at Amazon or Smashwords. Many thanks, PattiLink

Book Trailer for Paradox



Book 2 Paradox - Progeny Of Innocence is out in November.


Kids Corner - The Life in the Wood with Joni-Pip



Recently I received an email that prompted a new section for my blog. I've called it "Kids Corner" and it will be all about books for kids.



Author.... Carrie King - Some have asked …is she the next J. K. Rowling?

The Life in the Wood with Joni-Pip

The Life in the Wood with Joni-Pip is targeted at Children aged 11-14. (Although the Author defines that as Children aged 9 - 90!)
The story opens with the Bombing of Bath in England, in April 1942.
Synopsis:
Joni-Pip lived a pampered life with her Anglo-American family in Bath, England until the bombings of World War II forced them to escape to Knotty Knook, their cottage in Windy Woods on the outskirts of Sherwood Forest.

On their journey there, Joni-Pip meets three young strangers who suddenly appear, briefly speak to her, and then disappear. Unaware they will play an important part in her life, Joni-Pip soon forgets about them.

At Knotty Knook, Joni-Pip and her teddy bear Ethelred-Ted (who is much, much more than an ordinary teddy bear), play in the woods and visit her grandfather at his nearby cottage but magical things happen in Sherwood Forest and through what appears to be a tragic event, Joni-Pip begins a magical journey through time.


Endorsements:
‘Beautiful Books’: Sir Ian McKellen (Gandalf in Lord of the Rings and Magneto in X-Men)

‘A rare feast……a fabulous journey!’: R.J. Ellory (A Quiet Belief in Angels)

‘Beyond Excellent! Stands beside Alice in Wonderland.’ The American Chronicle

‘Extraordinary, delightful, enthralling….a remarkable book!’: The Mid-West Book Review

‘A touching and enthralling tale, full of self-discovery with important morals and values hidden throughout.’: Mandy de Jager, Australian Review

‘A Masterwork surfaces’: The San Francisco Times

Brief bio of Carrie King:
Writer, Carrie King’s Idyllic Life came to an abrupt end in April 2000, when her husband and childhood sweetheart was killed in a horrific accident at work. Carrie says, “When my husband died, I died too……I didn’t know how to breathe without him.”
She felt she would never write another creative word or paint another creative stroke again.
Gradually, encouraged by the help and support of her family, friends and the NHS (Carrie had three years intensive Therapy with Psychologist, Nadine Field and her Doctor, Melanie Munro), she decided to try and resume her work on her Children’s Adventure, The Life in the Wood with Joni-Pip, a book she had started writing before her husband’s death.
Sadly however, as hard as she tried, she couldn’t find the solace she needed and she just couldn’t keep her feet still!
From 2003, she started spending time in Paris and La Fouasse, West France and each time, she took out her writing and wrote for a month, stopping again once she returned to her home in Buckinghamshire.
She didn’t think she would ever write again in England. She went on to write in New York, Memphis, Portland (Oregon) and Vancouver but whenever she returned to England, she fell once more into the dark shadows of grief over her beloved husband and could write nothing.
In 2005 she stayed at Sherwood Forest, Center Parcs, where she found the beautiful forest and surrounding areas really comforting and inspiring. At last Carrie resumed her writing of Joni-Pip in England!
It has been a long, hazardous and painful journey and many times Carrie thought that she would never make it but she has and she is so happy that she has triumphed over her tragedy.
Martyn Hopkins
(Media and Marketing Manager)

Amazon online book store

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Patti Roberts - Supporting Authors.




Free eBook - Strange Passage, Book One: Acclimation Ebook By Erik J. Avalon

Free download on Smashwords until June 13th.
coupon code is NE36F

Published: Mar. 11, 2011
Category: Fiction » Literature » Science fiction - general
Words: 32800 (approximate)
Language: English


What waits on the other side of death?

Andy Chambers is about to find out, but what he finds there is far stranger than he ever dreamed.

Follow Andy into Complaisance, where everyone has a place, a job, and a purpose no one gets to see.


After dying, Andy Chambers finds himself inexplicably alive again. He wakes in his own home, but it isn't his home. He goes on with his daily routine and maintains his job, but it isn't his job.

He makes friends and slowly acclimates himself to the strangeness around him, but uncertainty sits deep in his gut. He cannot tell now, but it will drive him to action. Eventually.

Everyone in the town works for the town, and yet none of them do. There is no way out, and no one is looking for one.

There are even some who believe there may be nothing worth fighting to get "back" to on the outside. They're half right.

Death? Doesn't happen there. Or so the townspeople are let to believe.

Acclimation is only the beginning. Download your free sample here.

Parental Rating:
This book contains content that may not be suitable for young readers 17 and under.

Erik J. Avalon

Biography:
Erik began working toward his career in writing at an early age, and has never truly stopped, merely been sidetracked innumerable times by the speed bumps of life. Now another one has temporarily derailed the imminent completion of Book Two, but once things stabilize again, the second installment of Strange Passage will be published soon thereafter.

Where to find Erik J. Avalon online

Facebook: Facebook profile
Blog: http://erikrants.blogspot.com

Twitter: ejavalon


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Patti Roberts - Supporting Authors.

Thank you for dropping by, please leave a comment and say Hi.


Paradox - The Angels Are Here.

Book trailer Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IovcxyZTFuU

facebook - http://tinyurl.com/3woe84l

twitter - http://twitter.com/#!/PattiRoberts7

blog - http://theangelsarehere.wordpress.com/

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Free eBooks from Shari Richardson

Win eBook copies of all my books!

Would you like to win the eBook versions of all of my currently published books? It's easy to enter. All you have to do is "like" my page on Facebook (I've even included the ability to like my page from this post...how easy is that?). When there are 150 people who like my page, I will randomly draw 1 winner who will receive the eBooks via Smashwords.
Books included in this giveaway are:
Mourning Sun

I should have known when he walked into my life that things would never be the same. Hadn't I dreamed of him and the things he'd done before I was born? If only he weren't so fascinating, so beautiful, so much more than any other guy. Maybe then I could walk away.








Captured Sun

My first kiss was going to be my last, but it was worth it. His cool lips, his sweet taste, they were my salvation. I would never regret it, no matter what happened.








Eternal Sun

The tale of Mathias Auer's change from human to vampire. Eternal Sun is a short story prequel to the novel Mourning Sun.








Feuding Hearts

Cecilia Phoenix dreaded marriage, especially to Lord Fitzroy, and prayed for an escape, but when her brother was brought to her fresh from his defeat on the battle field, salvation was not what she expected to find in the angry countenance of Lord Aldere Wyke. Now they must find the strength to love and trust each other before their doubt destroys them both.


New Book: Seven Days, book three of Highland Home, will be released in June. I'll keep you posted. Shari Richardson.


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Patti Roberts - Supporting Authors.

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Paradox - The Angels Are Here.

Book trailer Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IovcxyZTFuU

facebook - http://tinyurl.com/3woe84l

twitter - http://twitter.com/#!/PattiRoberts7

blog - http://theangelsarehere.wordpress.com/

Free ebook offer ends Tuesday - Special Delivery Ebook By Elaine Raco Chase

Free download with coupon AB29Q ends on Tuesday!

Sexy romantic comedy at its best! Enjoy a plot and dialogue that will leave you breathless with laughter and a sensual love story that will leave you just plain breathless!

After filling in to deliver a belly-gram for an injured employee, Roxanne Murdoch finds herself stranded with newly appointed bank vice-president Bram Tyler during a violent blizzard for three days.

As the temperature drops outside, the sexual tension heats up inside. Enjoy verbal sparring at it's best and a sensual romance that will make your turn on the air conditioning.

Roxanne and Bram are the only two characters in site - except of course for Aunt Mathilda!

Get your free copy now!

Parental Rating:

This book contains content that may not be suitable for young readers 17 and under.


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Patti Roberts - Supporting Authors.

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Paradox - The Angels Are Here.

Book trailer Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IovcxyZTFuU

facebook - http://tinyurl.com/3woe84l

twitter - http://twitter.com/#!/PattiRoberts7

blog - http://theangelsarehere.wordpress.com/




Win a free copy - Star-Crossed Rascas - By Children's Author Patricia Puddle




I'm happy today because Star-Crossed Rascals is now available as an eBook. It's available on Amazon Kindle for the fantastic price of $0.99 and will remain at this price for a month.

I'm hoping to get feedback from children, so please drop me a line and let me know if you like it or not. The first child under the age of thirteen to post the name of Polly's little dog on my blog will recieve a signed copy of the paperback, so come along and meet Polly and Gertie. Oh, yeah, and you'll get to meet mean old Aunt Mabel too.

About the Author:

I was born in England and moved to Australia at the age of twelve. I had always dreamed of writing children’s stories, but due to childhood illnesses I missed an important part of my early schooling, and for some reason I slipped through the cracks. I didn't do very well at school and spent many hours outside the principal's office for disrupting the class and being a clown. I left school at the age of fourteen to help look after my mother, who was ill for a while.

As soon as I turned fifteen, I started working for a typewriter manufacturer in the city. My boss was a very kind and understanding man and he sent a typewriter to my home so that I could learn to type. I began writing about my childhood, but I had no idea where commas went, or even how to spell, so my stories were filed away.

I married at the age of seventeen, had a family, and worked full time, but when I turned fifty one, I helped my husband to build a brick house in the country. Once we'd finished, my husband bought me my first home computer, and as I no longer had to work full time, I enrolled in an online IT course at TAFE.

It took me over a year and I surprised myself with high marks. I then joined online writing and critique groups and learned as much as I could about writing for children. I spent every spare hour writing, reading and critiquing. I read and studied hundreds of children’s books and kept editing my stories until I felt confident to submit them.

My first story was my childhood memories turned into a fictitious children's adventure, which I called Star-Crossed Rascals.

I’m also a member of a wildlife rescue in Australia, and sometimes I add what I've learned about animals to my work, though I do write fantasy stories too.

So far, I have three children's books published: Velvet Ball and The broken Fairy which is a fantasy adventure story, Star-Crossed Rascals, which is now a chapter book. I also drew the illustrations of the two rascals, Pollyweena Grubble and Gertie McDougal in Star-Crossed Rascals. (I learned to draw while doodling at school when I should have been learning other things.)

And my latest book, which was actually the first one I wrote is: Molly Gumnut Rescues a Bandicoot. At present, I'm writing the sequels to akk three books, plus editing other stories.

I now have two beautiful grandchildren and they are such a wonderful inspiration.

EBooks By Patricia Puddle









Patricia volunteers for a wildlife rescue charity that cares for injured and orphaned native animals. She's inspired by the animals she cares for, as well as her grandchildren, and the abundance of wildlife in her garden.

Her hobbies include taking photos and filming animals. She also draws her own illustrations for her chapter books.

At the moment, she's writing sequels to her published stories.


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Patti Roberts - Supporting Authors.

Thank you for dropping by, please leave a comment and say Hi.


Paradox - The Angels Are Here.

Book trailer Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IovcxyZTFuU

facebook - http://tinyurl.com/3woe84l

twitter - http://twitter.com/#!/PattiRoberts7

blog - http://theangelsarehere.wordpress.com/


Up Close & Personal with Author Shari Richardson


Image of "Shari Richardson"


Biography

Shari Richardson holds a master's degree in English Education and has spent much of her life teaching students the joy of reading and writing. Her love of writing began when she was in elementary school and has carried through her entire adult life. Shari lives in Pennsylvania with her two Chihuahuas.

Where do you call home?

I live and work in York, PA. Though I lived in North Carolina for twelve years, this part of PA has been home for me since I was three.

What is your book about?

Feuding Hearts is the timeless tale of love between enemies.

Do you have plans for a new book?

Oiy, that’s a loaded question :). I have sketched out two of the three remaining books in my Highland Home series, and I’m currently working on two YA paranormal books and a new historical romance novel.

What inspired you to write your book?

Feuding Hearts was inspired by my love of the genre and the way the characters spoke to me.

Would you like to be contacted by readers to do book reviews?

Absolutely. Readers are encouraged to contact me any time at sharirichardson@astralplanepublishing.com

How did you come up with the title and cover design?

Wow, I started Feuding Hearts about twelve years ago. I remember it started with a different title, but I don’t remember what it was anymore. The cover design came from searching stock photography sites for an appropriate image and built from there.

Have you based any of your characters on someone you know, or real events in your own life?

The characters began as reflections of people in my life, but the length of time the book took to write blurred those edges to where I doubt anyone would recognize themselves if I told them I’d based the characters on them.

Is there an Author that you would really like to meet?

I’ve been lucky enough to meet several of the authors I most enjoy, but I would still love to meet Stephen King someday.

Do you prefer ebooks, paperbacks or hardcovers?

As much as I love the feel of a book, I must admit the geek in me adores eBooks. I love the fact that I can whip out my phone or iPod and read any time.

Have you ever read a book more than once?

A better question might be “which books have you only read once.” I usually reread books, sometimes several times.

Is there a particular movie that you preferred over the book version?

Water for Elephants. It was an amusing way to spend two hours in the theatre and the book differed very little from the film, making reading the book after seeing the film redundant rather than revealing.

What book are you currently reading?

I have several books open on my ereader programs right now. Nothing that’s holding my attention well enough to finish. I recently reread Deathly Hallows.

What book do you know that you will never read?

James Patterson, Big Bad Wolf. I love the Alex Cross books, but after reading about two chapters of that one, I put it down and never picked it up again. I’ve read books that came after it in the series and haven’t missed it yet.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Write. Don’t listen to the internal editor when it tells you that you can’t write and don’t let anything stop you from putting the words down.

Where can your readers follow you? My blog:

http://www.Astralplanepublishing.com

My book's facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shari-Richardson/344353211751
My Goodreads author page:

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4737174.Shari_Richardson
Twitter:

http://twitter.com/#!/shareinnc


Where to get Feuding Hearts

Kindle

Smashwords

Paperback

Nook

Cover Image: https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/gaDaFs5sztksPbn1Taoh9oyXdOU8k54gj7_VfpChxPo?feat=directlink



Follow this blog to keep up with Authors updates.

Patti Roberts - Supporting Authors.

Thank you for dropping by, please leave a comment and say Hi.


Paradox - The Angels Are Here.

Book trailer Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IovcxyZTFuU

facebook - http://tinyurl.com/3woe84l

twitter - http://twitter.com/#!/PattiRoberts7

blog - http://theangelsarehere.wordpress.com/

Up Close & Personal With Author David Robinson


David Robinson:

Where do you call home?

I live in Manchester in the UK. Mention Manchester and people often think of football (soccer) and Blake’s dark, satanic mills, but the reality is a cosmopolitan city surrounded by wonderful landscapes. Where I live I have views of open, unspoiled moorland, and yet I’m less than 10 miles from the city centre.

What is your book about?

Voices is a psycho thriller with sci-fi and horror overtones. It begins with a terrorist attack, but the concentration shifts quickly to the effects on central character Chris Deacon. He has visions in the shape of precognitive dreams, he’s plagued by bizarre and frightening phantoms and he hears voices muttering away in his head. As the story unfolds, the Voices lead him to their “prison” where he will “free” them to take their place in the word as a dominant new species.

Like most married men, Chris leans heavily on his wife, Jan, but with the book written in the first person I couldn’t give Jan the voice I wanted to, so I took the unusual (but not unique) step of inserting chapters written in the third person so the reader could see Jan’s POV more clearly.

I don’t want to give too much away, but the plot links back to the Cold War and certain experiments which the Soviet Union, the USA, and Great Britain are reputed to have carried out.

One reviewer on Amazon Kindle (UK) likened Voices to the works of James Herbert.

Do you have plans for a new book?

My output is prodigious. While writing Voices, I turned out three or four other works, all of which are up on Smashwords, Kindle and in paperback from Lulu.

What inspired you to write your book?

I’m very deaf through Noise Induced Hearing Loss, and it happened quite late in life (I was 57 at the time of the diagnosis). A part of that problem is that you hear voices muttering away in your head. It’s as if someone next door has the TV on. You can’t distinguish words, but you can hear the sounds of chatter. My doctor said it was my brain tricking me into thinking that my hearing was fine.

On Boxing Day 2008, I was out of bed early and I could hear the “voices” and I asked myself, “what if they were real? Creatures from another dimension.” That was the catalyst. I wrote the first draft, 120,000 words in a month but it took almost two years for me to settle on the published version.

Would you like to be contacted by readers to do book reviews?

I’m happy for anyone to review the book, and I’ll send along free e-copies in whatever format they wish. I’m sorry, but forwarding paperbacks would be prohibitively expensive.

How did you come up with the title and cover design?

The title suggested itself. The cover design is abstract. A friend of mine, Greg McQueen (100 Stories for Haiti, 50 Stories for Pakistan) put it together at a time when he was thinking of going into publishing. He changed his mind about publishing and let me have the cover.

Have you based any of your characters on someone you know, or real events in your own life?

Many of my characters are amalgams of people I’ve met in a long and varied life, but Chris doesn’t come from any particular source other than me. He’s taller than me, better looking and more balanced. I can be outspoken to the point of rudeness sometimes, and I have little patience with the like of politicians and salespeople. Chris is more tolerant.

What books have most influenced your writing most and why?

That’s a tough question because the influences come together from a number of sources stretching back as far as Ike Asimov and Arthur C Clarke. The biggest single influence on Voices was Stephen King’s excellent Duma Key. I don’t claim that Voices comes anywhere near that book, but the central premise of a post-trauma individual, haunted by past events and “creatures” is the same.

Is there an Author that you would really like to meet?

I write humour as well as sci-fi/horror/mystery, and the one author I would love to have met is the late British humorist, Keith Waterhouse. His attention to detail, his eye for those character traits that are the butt of his humour have entertained me for almost half a century.

Do you prefer ebooks, paperbacks or hardcovers?

Paperbacks. I believe e-books are the best thing since sliced bread. They’re forcing the publishing industry to take a long, hard look at itself, and they’re bringing forward authors who would otherwise never be read, but when it comes to reading, I love the feel and portability of a paperback. Whether I’m flying off to the Canary Islands or just going to the doctors, I always have a paperback with me.

Have you ever read a book more than once?

There are many books that I read and re-read. Keith Waterhouse’s comparatively unknown novel Office Life is one, Agatha Christie’s And then There Were None is another. I own a full set of the original Bond books from Ian Fleming which I re-read now and then, and digging further back, I dip into D.H. Lawrence’s Sons & Lovers occasionally, while a perennial favourite is Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.

Is there a particular movie that you preferred over the book version?

The only one that springs to mind is Blade Runner. I enjoyed Philip K Dick’s original tale, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, but the movie was more focussed.

What book are you currently reading?

I’m in the middle of Hercule Poirot’s Christmas. I love Agatha Christie and this volume lives up to expectations. I have a habit of reading the last few pages first, so I know whodunit before I know what they done, LOL, but in this instance, I haven’t done that. I’m trying to crack the puzzle before Poirot.

What book do you know that you will never read?

Nothing in particular, but I routinely eliminate any kind of Christian fiction, because I’m an atheist. That’s not restricted to Christianity, but to any fiction that embraces any religion. The arrogance of “knowing” God, which permeates such work, irritates me. I would never deny any man his faith, but I don’t appreciate preaching by way of the novel.

Is there anything you would change in your last book and why?

The lady who edits my work, Maureen Vincent-Northam, says I’m never happy with the finished result, and she’s right. When I read Voices, there are so many things I would change, from simple dialogue to major passages, but now that it’s out, it has to stand as it is.

Do you have a book trailer?

Not yet, but I’m working on it.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Doubt everyone else, never doubt yourself.

I’ve been making a few pounds here and there as a writer since 1985. I landed my first book contract in 2002, but the celebrations didn’t last long. The publisher went out of business in a matter of months. It was 2007 before I landed another contract, and that was in the USA, not Great Britain. If I had listened to others, I would have given it up years before I signed those contracts.

You need a thick skin and a lot of patience. That goes double when you self-publish because you won’t please everyone. You’ll pick up some plaudits, and you’ll take a lot of stick. It goes with the territory, so learn to roll with the punches.

Whatever happens, never lose that belief in yourself and your work.

Books by David:

Voices
Ebook Price: $2.99 USD. 110500 words. Fiction by David Robinson on December 2, 2010
College lecturer Chris Deacon survives a terrorist bomb, only to find his life plagued by demons and voices muttering in his head. To rid himself of them he follows a trail into the frightening world of a top secret military experiment from the Cold War, its malign progeny, a new breed of beings, still working for their freedom and their desire to dominate the world.

A Death at the Seaside
Ebook Price: $1.99 USD. 25910 words. Fiction by David Robinson on May 9, 2011
A weekend in Filey goes horribly wrong for the members of the Sanford Third Age Club when one of their members is drowned. But Joe Murray, club chairman and part time detective, is persuaded there’s something wrong. And then he learns it was murder.

The Haunting at Melmerby Manor
Ebook Price: $2.99 USD. 102970 words. Fiction by David Robinson on April 15, 2011
Sceptre Rand heads up a paranormal investigation team with a truckload of modern ghost-hunting equipment. Assisted by the spirit of her late butler, Fishwick, Sceptre and her two partners, Pete Brennan and Kevin Keeley, are hot on the trail of a dangerous poltergeist.

Further books by David here.

Where can your readers follow you?

My blog: http://www.dwrob.com/?page_id=190

That url may seem odd, but I’m in the process of reconstructing my website on a Wordpress platform and I haven’t yet dealt with all the fiddly bits of titles, hierarchies, etc.

My book’s Facebook page: The book doesn’t have one, but my author page is: https://www.facebook.com/davidrobinsonwriter


My Goodreads author page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4496576 which shows me as David W. Robinson

Twitter: @DW96

May I just take moment out to thank Patti for asking me to take part in this interview? There are hundreds and thousands of scribes like me who’ll never make the pages of the Sunday supplements, and this kind opportunity is exactly what we need.


Patti: thank you David, very nice of you to say so.


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