Monday 18 March 2024

5 Facts About My Current WIP: Disability Detectives: The Computer Science Hacker

5 FACTS ABOUT MY CURRENT WIP: DISABILITY DETECTIVES: THE COMPUTER SCIENCE HACKER

Last week I talked about my other WIP, which can be found here, and this week I'm talking about Disability Detectives: The Computer Science Hacker. Previous pieces about the other books in the series can be found here, here, and here.

This is a YA crime/mystery series that deals with a group of teens, Veronica being the main point of view who all have a disability of some kind and attend Rosewood, a boarding school for mostly disabled teens. So far they've solved a murder, a spate of thefts, and caught a stalker. All of which have been at great personal cost to the group. This is the final book in the series, and it feels like it's coming in at the right place, and with the right story to tell. So let's get into the facts!

FACT #1: DAISY IS BEING TARGETED
All of the friends have been the target at some point in this series, and it seems that this time it's Daisy's turn. When someone hacks a school record, the code is tied to Daisy and even though she would never do anything like that, she does fall under suspicion. Daisy is more concerned with making sure Veronica and her friends are okay than standing up for herself. She's pretty sure that whoever did this, they'll get caught without the need for Veronica to put herself in danger. Only Veronica is not about to stand by and let her bestie get accused of something she didn't do.

FACT #2: ROMANCE IS IN THE AIR
While there had been some romantic subplots in the other books, this one brings together a couple that has been in planning since the first book. I just didn't want to rush through it, and they both had some things to sort through before they could finally admit what they felt for each other, and actually act on it. While some people might be looking  at the pair and thinking there's no chance, the two of them know what they feel is real, and nothing, disabilities, parents, schoolwork, is going to get in their way.

FACT #3: VERONICA HAS SOME HARD CHOICES TO MAKE

Given everything they've all been through over the course of the series, Veronica is left with some choices that she wishes she doesn't have to think through and decide upon. With her parents not being the most supportive and the changes in her life since the start of the series, she'd been hoping that things could be put in a corner and kinda forgotten about, but that's just not going to happen and she's gonna have to bite the bullet and make some decisions.

FACT #4: SOME ADULTS AREN'T DOING THEIR JOB RIGHT

One of the big things about writing YA is that sometimes there are adults who let the side down, and the fact is there are very much some in this series and book. While Veronica and her friends first got involved for personal reasons, now that there's been some big changes, it's time for some of the adults to step up to the plate and do their job. Veronica and her friends are aware of the issues, but getting someone to listen to them is harder than you'd think.

FACT #5: THINGS MIGHT NOT TURN OUT THE WAY THEY ALL HOPE
While Veronica and her friends want this all to be resolved, done, and then be able to settle into the last of their schooling years, sometimes things don't go the way they planned. They all want there to be a happy ending, but sometimes those just don't happen, no matter how well deserved, and wanted they may be. Veronica and her friends might have to make do with the outcome, no matter what it means for all of them.

So there you go, those are my five facts about this WIP. I have to say that I've been loving getting back to my mystery/crime roots and it's just been a lot of fun to write a series that didn't have any paranormal elements to it. I've loved writing Veronica and her friends, and I can't wait for these all to be ready for you guys to read!

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments!

Follow Joey here on her blog, or on Facebook or Tumblr to be kept up to date with the latest news regarding Joey and her books.  

Friday 15 March 2024

Review of Angel Of Fate by Zachary Jefferies


This Grim Reaper just met his Fate.

My Review: 5 STARS

I picked this up not realising that I’d read another of Jeffries books and not been too fond of it, so to say that this was a complete change around is an understatement! I was hooked from the first scene and then dived into the story as if it were my lifeblood. I loved the characters MaKayla, Cain, all of them lead you down through the plot with so many twists and turns that it’s hard to guess what’s going to happen next! I can’t wait to read book two, and think this is a series that I will definitely be following. Highly, highly recommended!

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here

Thursday 14 March 2024

Life Of Joey & Bi-Monthly Goals - March 2024 [CC]


Letting you know what I've been up to over the past month, and reviewing the goals from two months ago, and setting new ones for the coming two months! #Authortube
 
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Tuesday 12 March 2024

#TeaserTuesday

Jessie isn't sure this is the right thing to do...

BUY NOW: http://www.books2read.com/TWINGE

[ID: A red checked background with the title CRAMPING CHRONICLES: THE FIRST TWINGE at the top and out now in ebook & paperback just below the title. The except reads:

This had to be my worst idea ever. Yes, I needed to keep working on a way to solve Meera's family problems, that wasn't the bad idea. The bad idea had been listening to Gray, and not thinking more about how to approach the subject. Now I stood the chance of losing the only two friends I had at this school, along with having to put up with Miss Trigger Point.

At the bottom is Joey Paul and just below that the website www.joeypaulonline.com, in the bottom left corner is the Readers' Favorite review seal,  and in the bottom right corner is the logo for Bug Books. END ID]

 

Monday 11 March 2024

5 Facts About My Current WIP: Viral Eradication

5 FACTS ABOUT MY CURRENT WIP: VIRAL ERADICATION

I recently started two new projects, and I thought that this week I'd give you five facts about one of them, and the other one will be next week. So I'm on the final book in the Viral trilogy. The facts for book one can be found here, and book two here. This is an explosive book for me to write because I know the ending is rushing closer and to be honest I'm not one hundred percent sure how to get there! But for now I will keep plodding through the draft and edge closer every session.

So Viral Eradication is the third book in a YA dystopian trilogy. It deals with Nia and Neema, identical twins who have been born into a world where you grow up in a pod of no more than six people. Along the way you're supposed to be matched, married, and eventually leave your home pod to start your own family. You're checked constantly for signs of the virus via a smart watch, the very virus that brought about the pods. Nia and Neema have been on a journey during this trilogy and we're right near the explosive end that might bring about a better world for them to live in. So let's get on with the facts!

FACT #1: NEEMA HAS A BIGGER PART TO PLAY IN THE THIRD BOOK
Normally this trilogy has been told from Nia's point of view. Her twin has been elsewhere or present but not the main character. Now that's all changed. With the ending of book two, Nia and Neema were, once again, forced apart, and the only way to tell this story effectively is to focus on both of them. The majority of it will still be from Nia's point of view, but Neema's in there and they have a big part to play in bringing about that ending. It's more just interesting to work out just how they'll do it and whether or not they'll get back to their sister in time.

FACT #2: THE POWERS WILL STOP AT NOTHING TO GET WHAT THEY WANT

I have to be careful not to give away spoilers, but the Powers are basically the person who runs the country. For both the first and second books, they didn't really appear. They were there in the background, but you didn't get a chance to really see how they operated, and now in the final book, you do see them. You also get to watch as they rally their guards and try and bring about the ending that they want, despite the huge cost it would carry.

FACT #3: NIA ISN'T SURE IF SHE'LL MAKE IT TO THE END

Given the events of both the books before, Nia isn't in a good place. She has something the Powers want, and there's no chance of her willingly handing it over. She's aware of the end game and she'll do anything she can to prevent that from coming to pass. While she's coped with a lot up until now, it feels like some of what's being done to her will make it impossible for her to survive going forward.

FACT #4: NOT EVERYONE IS AS GOOD AS THEY SEEM

One thing that's clear is that a lot of the people, both on the good side and the bad, have their secrets, their own wants, their own desires, and their own wishes for the outcome. While the twins and their allies will be trying to bring about what they see as the right answer, there are people working against them. Some of it obvious, some of it hidden beneath the surface, but it's there and it's a question of whether the twins will work out who the right people to trust are, or will they fall prey to someone else's wishes?

FACT #5: THE OUTCOME MAY NOT BE THE BEST FOR EVERYONE
While Nia and Neema have an idea of what they want the ending to be, there's all these other people who have influence over it. It might turn out okay, it might be that the twins are able to stop the Powers, save the Unknowns and bring about a peace, but nothing is certain in this world, and nothing is set in stone. They may still battle and win, but that doesn't mean they won't lose people along the way.

So there we go, those are five facts about Viral Eradication and I have to say that I'm loving writing it and getting to explore it. The characters are just perfectly complicated and all the twists and turns that I have planned should bring about that ending that I'm hoping for in the right time.

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments!

Follow Joey here on her blog, or on Facebook or Tumblr to be kept up to date with the latest news regarding Joey and her books. 

Friday 8 March 2024

Review of Guardian Of The North by Maggie K. West

Eight hundred years ago, the Sorcerer Guy of Gisborne laid a trap for Robin Hood. But the curse backfired, releasing a burst of pure magic energy. Now Robin Hood's descendants carry this magic, manifesting in the form of elemental powers. Jack is the last Wind Rangerian standing. On the night his power Manifests, his home court Fort Calmier is attacked by the rival Ealdra. Realizing the rogue Sheriff has come to claim the last Wind, Jack flees. The Ealdra have found something, a secret weapon they need the four Winds to claim. With his Master murdered and a traitor among his trusted friends, Jack is on the run, fleeing Hunters, sorcerers, and a mysterious girl of the shadows while he struggles to control the roiling North Wind inside him. How far is he willing to go to protect his nation?
 
My Review: 4 STARS

I picked this up because it sounded like a nice read, the cover called to me and the blurb pulled me in. It was a quick read, one that took me a few hours on an afternoon and I couldn’t have been more hooked. I loved the characters, the lore, the world, and the way the words weaved their own tale. My only qualm was the book felt like it could’ve been fleshed out more and given us a bit more action and backstory, but other than that, a solid read and a series I will be continuing. 

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here

Thursday 7 March 2024

Author Tag: The WIP Tag: March 2024 [CC]


Doing an author tag today, the WIP tag! Telling you all about my current WIPs! #Authortube
 
THE WIP TAG!
THE QUESTIONS:
1. What is the working title?
2. Where did the idea for your book come from?
3. What genre is your work-in-progress?
4. Choose the actors for your movie rendition.
5. One sentence synopsis of your book.
6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
8. What other books would you compare the story to?
9. Who or what inspired you to write the book?
10. What else about your book might pique the readers’ interest? 
 
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Tuesday 5 March 2024

#TeaserTuesday

Lock isn't sure this is the right way to go...

BUY NOW: http://www.books2read.com/LON

[ID: A smokey grey background with the title LIGHTS ON at the top and out now in ebook & paperback just below the title. The except reads:

As we made our way to what we hoped was Kile’s place, we wondered if it was possible people had tried to leave Raildown this way, only to be caught and dealt with by the army? Could we be making a mistake with following the same trail? Was it possible that they'd come looking here?
“I don’t think this is the best idea,” I said, pausing for a moment as I scoured the forest for any sign of a cottage.

At the bottom is Joey Paul and just below that the website www.joeypaulonline.com, in the top left corner is the Readers' Favorite review seal,  and in the bottom right corner is the logo for Bug Books. END ID]

 

Monday 4 March 2024

Learning How You Work - The Creative Process

LEARNING HOW YOU WORK

Something I learned very early in my career was how I worked when it came to drafting. Of course, it took me a while to work out the same for revisions and editing, but that's a story for another day. Drafting was where my career started and it still remains my favourite part of the process. But learning how I worked was a big step in making sure that I set myself up for success, and it might be something that helps you too, whether that's with all of the stages of writing, or just starting with one.

The big thing for me was, I'd already written a 'book', if you can call 36 A4 pages a book. It was always going to be short, but it contained plot lines that I thought were super cool and realistic at thirteen and reading back over it as a nineteen year old, that changed my perception a whole lot! I didn't think it would ever go anywhere, and it couldn't in the state it was in, but I could sit down and write a better one, even if I didn't really know how plotting or planning or any of that worked.

So I knew enough to know that I had to have some idea of those headlights to aim for. I decided each chapter would be at least ten A4 pages hand written and it would have ten chapters. This all changed in the editing phase, but nineteen year old Joey was sure she was onto a winner here. I wrote out a little line for each chapter, just the bare basics of what needed to happen, the main plot at least, and then over ten days I wrote out every chapter, ending up with a complete story.

I tell you that not to show off or brag, but because that was part of me working out how I worked when it came to drafting. I have stuck with, albeit a few alterations, that same way of planning my books ever since. While I don't hand write my chapters any more, and I do not make them ten pages long, I do stick to the same basic chapter plan and it's allowed me to draft almost fifty books to completion.

My point is, that while your process can and will change, learning how you personally work can be a big game changer when it comes to finishing your projects. It allows you to set yourself up for success. Like if you know you're a morning person and think that writing first thing will help, then that's a step above someone who has no idea when writing will be best. If you know that you like to be busy into the wee hours, the same applies. Though I will be clear that that side of things, at least for me, has changed multiple times over the past twenty-odd years.

There are other aspects of this that you can focus on, but the main takeaway is simple: find what works for you, and you might end up making your life a whole lot easier. I know that none of this happens fast and I know how lucky I was to hit upon a way that worked for me so quickly, but do not lose heart if it takes you a long while. Everything you try is bringing you closer to that knowledge and that is never wasted time. As I've said before, it takes as long as it takes and that's okay.

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments!

Follow Joey here on her blog, or on Facebook or Tumblr to be kept up to date with the latest news regarding Joey and her books.  

Friday 1 March 2024

Review of The Sunlit Ruins by Andrea Septien

Ada and Miry didn’t mean to start a city-wide catastrophe.

Really, they didn’t.

But when a family trip goes awry, the two Mexican-American cousins from opposite sides of the border accidentally unleash an evil spirit from centuries past. The incident unlocks latent magical powers within the girls, who now have to figure out what’s going on.

Easier said than done.

The only things Ada and Miry know are that the spirit is tied to the pyramids of Teotihuacán, an ancient and abandoned civilization, and that there is only one organization that can help them. The Archivists of Teotihuacán.

With only a scant trail of clues to guide them, Ada and Miry must journey across Mexico City, uncover the origin of their powers, and try to reseal the spirit they’ve awoken.

But the hardest challenge of all?

Getting along with family.

Amazon

My Review: 5 STARS

I picked this up because I loved the cover and the sound of the story called to me. I ended up diving into it and only stopping because I had to have some sleep. I adored the characters, the two girls Ada and Miry were so well formed and written that they stayed as two separate characters even with the similarities between the two of them. I loved the lore, the world, the backstory and all of it so perfectly weaved into the story that you couldn’t help but keep turning the pages to find out more about where the story was going and how it was going to end. A series to watch and one I very much recommend! 

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here