Friday 28 June 2024

Review of Savage Wild Gods by Sean Fletcher

 
Scorn their gods. Save the world.

Val is alone. After taking the throne of Those Below, her alliance—and any relationship she might have had with Rune, High King of the Wilds—was shattered. Now, as enemies close in on all sides and her magic slowly kills her, Val isn’t sure how long she can survive.

But with an awakening god threatening to rip apart their worlds, Rune at last proposes one final alliance between them to protect all they hold dear.

As Val becomes ensnared in more bloody conflicts, and more involved with Rune than she ever dreamed possible, it becomes clear that winning may require the ultimate sacrifice.

And Val will have to choose, once and for all, where her heart and soul truly lie.

Amazon

My Review: 5 STARS

Having read Fletcher’s work before I knew I was in for a treat with this trilogy and he did not disappoint. From the idea of the Wilds, to Those Below and everything in between, this was an explosive trilogy from start to finish. I adored Val, Rune and many of the others and this thrilling and epic conclusion just made me love them even more. Watching the threads of plot from book one start to be pulled together by this final one just had me in awe of Fletcher’s skills. He is an author who knows how to tell a good story and this was an excellent trilogy with unique characters, plot, and everything else. Very much 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

Tuesday 25 June 2024

#TeaserTuesday

Hetti needs to get help to her sister, but she's miles away...

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

[ID: A dirty green background with the title WALK A MILE at the top and out now in ebook, paperback & audiobook just below the title The except reads:

Obviously I couldn’t call my mum whilst on the watch with Davina, but I also didn’t want to hang up with Dav in case she had another seizure. It looked like my nightmares were coming true. If Dav was having multiple seizures, she needed to be seen by her doctor ASAP. I was ninety minutes away and even given how fast Sabrina drove, there was no way we’d make it there quickly enough.
“I don’t know, all I know is…,” Davina started to say when she dropped out of view of the projection screen.
“Dav? Are you there?!” I asked, starting to panic.

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

 

Monday 24 June 2024

The Trials Of A Crime Writer: Choosing Your Path

THE TRIALS OF A CRIME WRITER: CHOOSING YOUR PATH

I have been writing crime, to some degree, for almost thirty years. I was always someone who, as a kid and teen, loved reading and listening to crime novels. Whether they were the ones of my childhood in Enid Blyton's Famous Five, or the ones my parents would listen to on audiobook in Dick Francis' books. I loved to write a mystery and try and drop hints and clues and allow the reader to pick up on it.

But when it came to publishing, and it came to writing my first book, I didn't really know what path I would choose to go. Be that indie (which wasn't really a thing to the level it is now back then) or trad. I did send my first book to agents and publishers. I did get back both form rejections and personalised ones. I did try and make it work, but it wasn't to be for me. And that's okay, because I found a way to get my debut out in 2005 and when things like KDP and such came along in 2011, I jumped on that as well.

I never stopped writing, even with the big gap between debut and my next book, there were always stories that I wanted to tell, and the majority of them had a crime lingering through the pages. I went from straight up thriller with BLACKOUT to paranormal/mystery with the DYING THOUGHTS series, and then more crime with my later books. I always knew that I wanted to write crime, and I also knew that if I wanted to take the books that I'd kept writing even without knowing if they would ever see the light of day, I had to keep my eyes on the right path for me. I had to keep writing, but also be ready to pivot and decide whether indie really could work for me.

2011 was one of those years that changed the scope of publishing. It had allowed everyone who wanted to, to write, publish and sell a book no matter whether or not they'd done the due diligence and hard work when it came to covers and edits and the like. That's not me shaming people for doing things a way I wouldn't do now, but just showcasing that because of books that weren't well written or weren't edited, a lot of that change in the scope of publishing became a bad thing to call yourself indie.

I have spent almost 20 years as an indie author, and I have seen a lot of changes down the line. I've seen paperbacks become a thing, I've seen audiobooks open up to indies, and I've seen a lot of differences when it comes to how those new authors in 2011 approached the indie path, to how the new authors now do the same. There's a lot more research done, there's a lot more information out there for anyone wishing to publish, and there's a lot more respect for those who are indie.

There was a period when saying you were indie or self-pubbed got you cut off from marketing routes because people assumed that meant that your book was terrible and littered with editing mistakes and the like. It's really only been the last five or six years where thee are big big names in the indie world, and they're big names for a reason.

Going back to the want to tell and write crime stories, people like LJ Ross, who is very much indie, she's huge when it comes to crime in the UK. She, and others, have paved the way for indies who write crime, and she's set the bar so high because the point of all of this is, that whatever path you choose, you need to show up and do it right.

I'll be the first to admit that I didn't do it right. I didn't do the research, I slapped on old, unprofessional covers, and while I had some success in the start, it didn't carry through because I didn't treat it as my job, which it was. It's only been the last ten years maybe when I've started to really look at being an author as my career. The mindset change is huge and it really just helps you put things in perspective.

So whether you choose to go indie or trad, whatever path you go down, make sure you approach it knowing that this is the start of your career, and you can make mistakes and pay for them many years down the line, or you can do it right, do the research, find your readers, and grow and grow and grow. It really is just up to you.

Good luck!

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.

Sunday 23 June 2024

Dying Thoughts Series!

 
Thought I'd do another one of these for my longest series. Dying Thoughts is a YA paranormal/mystery series about Tara, who's 15 and has the ability to see the last moments of someone's life when she touches something that used to belong to them! 

J- Dying Thoughts - First Touch - www.books2read.com/DTFT  

O- Dying Thoughts - Second Sight - www.books2read.com/DTSS

E - Dying Thoughts - Third Wish - www.books2read.com/DTTW 

Y - Dying Thoughts - Fourth Week - www.books2read.com/DTFW  

 

P - Dying Thoughts - Fifth Secret - www.books2read.com/DTFS  

A - Dying Thoughts - Sixth Change - www.books2read.com/DTSC  

U - Dying Thoughts - Seventh Death - www.books2read.com/DTSD 

L - Dying Thoughts - Eighth Ending - www.books2read.com/DTEE 

 All are in ebook and paperback, and the first is also in audiobook with the plan to release the others as well!

Friday 21 June 2024

Review of Kisses And Castles by Kenzie Brayne


One English Summer. Two American Hearts.

My parents are sending me to England while they work on their relationship, and I can’t wait to dive into a distracting adventure. Staying with a distant relative, my nine-week trip is the perfect opportunity to reinvent myself and start living.

As the ‘new Ava’, I’ll explore the sights, take photos for the Junior Lens contest, and hopefully find a charming British boy for a summer romance.

Except when I arrive in the UK, my relative never shows.

Stranded, my only lifeline is Colton, a classmate who was on the same flight. We barely know each other, but when Colton offers me a place to stay, his relaxed smile reassures me everything will be okay.

It just might not be what I planned.

Amazon

My Review: 5 STARS

I picked this up because I loved the idea of a summer romance, especially one set in the UK. I adored Ava and Colton and the way their story slowly opened up on the page. You couldn’t help but cheer them on, and the twists and turns of the story just made it all the more sweet, cute and amazing. I ended up reading it in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down, desperate to know how they ended up together. Adorable and relatable characters and just a perfectly sweet summer romance with all the bits and pieces you could want. Very much 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

Tuesday 18 June 2024

#TeaserTuesday

Tara doesn't know how to deal with everything that's happened to her...

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

[ID: An out of focus yellow firelights background with the title DYING THOUGHTS - SIXTH CHANGE at the top and out now in ebook & paperback just below the title The except reads:

“I know, I just…” I started and I could feel my eyes start to fill up. I stopped, I was *not* going to cry on my birthday. “It’s just hard,” I finished, struggling to get the words out.  
Kaolin didn’t reply straight away; she leaned forward and gave me a long hug. “You’ll get there, Tara. The old you is still in there somewhere and she’ll come back,” she said, finally. I had to hope she was right, because the thought of life as this new Tara permanently made me want to cry even more.

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

 

Monday 17 June 2024

Spoonie Writer: Editing While Medicated

SPOONIE WRITER: EDITING WHILE MEDICATED

You know that Ernest Hemmingway quote: write drunk; edit sober? Yeah I've always found that it resonates with me as a spoonie. I write usually first thing in the morning, long before I take any pain meds, if they're even needed. I also edit first thing in the morning because in the past I've tried to do so while under the influence of strong meds, and it's just not gone well. One of my previous editors would get exceptionally frustrated when that happened because she wanted to move onto the next section and couldn't do so when I couldn't work out what the issues were.

I say that not to imply anything other than it's hard sometimes to think when you're in pain. It's hard sometimes to work when you're under the influence of some medications. There are some meds of mine that aren't pain meds, but do have a long term effect on the way I think, and while that's a good thing in that they do the job they're supposed to do, I've always wondered if maybe they're the reason that edits are so hard for me.

Editing has never been my most favourite part of the writing and publishing process. I'm very aware that it needs to happen. I don't dispute that and I'm not someone who thinks that my work is near perfect and can't be improved upon. That's not the case for anyone, no matter how long they've been writing, or how many books they've written, no one produces a perfect first draft. That's just facts.

So how do you, and I, as a spoonie juggle writing, editing, and all of that while also taken very much needed medication? It's something that I've thought a lot about over the years. I've managed to get to a point where, like I said, I don't use the stronger meds before I've done my edits and work. But that's not always feasible for everyone, and there are times when it's not feasible for me. After all, being in extreme pain isn't going to help you focus any better than just taking the meds.

I've come up with a few tips, and I hope they might help you. They've been things I've tried over the years, and they each have their own pros and cons to go with them. Some might enable you to find a way that works for you, and that's great, but if they don't, I hope you're able to come up with something that does work.

#1 AVOID STRONG MEDS WHILE WORKING
This isn't possible for everyone, and I want to make that clear straight off the bat. I've managed to get to a point where my maintenance pain med doesn't really impact my cognitive thinking so I'm usually okay to draft and edit while on it. That said, there are days when the pain levels are too high to function without some kind of help, and edits still need to be done. There's no getting away from that as someone with chronic pain conditions and someone who still wants to be able to function well enough to actually work.

So the pro here: can keep your mind clear. But the con is just as big: the pain might impact your thinking even more.

#2 DON'T WORK ON BAD PAIN DAYS
While this isn't always possible, it is very much an option. If, like me, you're someone who sets those buffer zones when it comes to edits, as in making sure you have time off built in, then this is possible to do. You can simply take the day, or days, off and medicate as needed and then come back to things when you're more able to function.

My only qualm with this one is that sometimes I have other deadlines, and the only way to meet them is to keep working. So I try not to take too many days off even with the ones I've built in. That's just the way I work, and it doesn't have to be the way you work, in fact I'd advise against doing that until you have a better handle on your symptoms, and even then, it's not mandatory.

So the pro here: you don't have to work through the pain. The con: sometimes deadlines aren't moveable

#3 ADAPT IN YOUR OWN WAY TO THE EFFECTS
This isn't something you can realty predict. Like for some people the lingering effects wear off after a few doses, or they might not impact you after you've had them in your system for a while. If you can work and adjust until you're during that period when you might not have to worry about cloudy thoughts, then this is the one for you.

I've never tried this for long because while my main pain medication has gotten to this point, the as needed one never has. I guess because I don't take it every day and so my body hasn't had a chance to get really used to it. If it works, great, and I think it's something you can try if you're using the medication constantly or regularly enough for that to be the case.

The pro here: you can work whenever you need, even when the meds are in your system. And the con: doesn't always happen for everyone.

So there we go, those are my thoughts on editing while medicated. I will say that I find my way works great for me, but it doesn't have to be the only way of doing things. We have to find a way that works for us, and we have to do things in a way that doesn't make our lives harder. Whichever, and however you do that, I wish you all the luck!

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 14 June 2024

Review of Savage Wild Souls by Sean Fletcher


Shatter their souls. Steal their throne.

Val is a prisoner. Held Below by the cruel Empress Sotera, she’s unable to warn the now High King Rune about Sotera’s plans to destroy the Wilds and Val’s former home in Seattle.

But when Val manages to escape, not only does she find herself beside Rune once again, she also finds herself in a new agreement with him: she’ll help him unite the Wilds in a way no High King has ever done. After all, taking the throne is one thing. Keeping it, and keeping Rune alive, is something else entirely.

Only, Val’s not the same person she was before. She doesn’t know what she is, not to herself, and not to Rune, even as his fascination with her grows stronger by the day.

To save Rune and the Wilds, Val will have to navigate constantly shifting alliances. And in doing so she just might become their salvation, or the very thing that destroys them all.
 

My Review: 5 STARS

Having read the first book in this trilogy, I was itching to dive back into the world that Fletcher has created. He has a way of pulling you in and sitting you down among the action, making you desperate to know what happens next and hooked until the last page, and even then you’re still yearning for more. I adored Val, the twists and turns of this story and that ending has me glad that I’ll soon be able to read the final book in the series. The way the story goes leaves you guessing and wishing you could predict what is going to happen next to all the characters. Very much 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

Tuesday 11 June 2024

#TeaserTuesday

Cat wants to understand and be supportive, but she doesn't know where to start...

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

[ID: A gradient from blue to purple background with the title IT'S NOT ALWAYS RAINBOWS at the top and out now in ebook, paperback & audiobook just above the title The except reads:

Crumblina: You don’t understand how hard it is to be who I am, to believe what I do, to read the scriptures and to know that I am sinning by just existing.
Garfield254: Then STOP believing what you do. You know I think it’s a load of crap anyway. We are not against “God’s” wishes. If he made us, he made us LIKE this.
Crumblina: It is so easy for you to judge, for you to say that when you have no faith.
Crumblina: I have faith, I love my faith, I want my faith and to tell me to just give it up because of the way I am, that is disrespectful to me, to anyone.

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, the New Apple Solo Selection Award seal, and in the bottom right corner is the logo for Bug Books. END ID]

 

Monday 10 June 2024

The Trials Of An Indie Author: Making Sure You're On Target

THE TRIALS OF AN INDIE AUTHOR: MAKING SURE YOU'RE ON TARGET

One thing that a lot of people might not realise when it comes to being indie, is just how much of the onus is on you to get things done. I'm talking everything from writing the book, to getting editors, and doing edits, to finding the perfect cover designer and getting that done, and then all the hype that leads up to actually publishing the book. It's an arduous task and not one to be taken on lightly.

So how do you get yourself in the right head-space for that? How do you prepare knowing that you have several mountains to climb to be able to get to that point where your books releases and does so right? A lot of it for me is about making sure that I have goals and targets that I meet. I like lists. I like checking things off. I like being organised, it soothes my anxious brain. So when it comes to approaching a release, like I am right now, I like to know that I'm on the right track and will get to the finish line with something approaching success.

I say the last part like that simply because while I have done this over twenty times before, I am still very much a small fish when it comes to success and publishing. I reach the right readers, and I am a full time author, but that's more because of other factors in my life rather than me pulling in enough royalties and the like to pay for me to live full time doing this. I like to include that because transparency is a good thing when it comes to the people you're looking to for advice.

So how do I make sure that I'm on target? How could you make sure that you don't end up skipping a step and falling flat on your face? Glad you asked, because I'm gonna give you some of my own tips. I will add the caveat that not everything will work for everyone, and also I'm giving these tips under the assumption that they are not your only research. So with that said, let's jump into it.

#1 LISTS AREN'T A BAD THING
I have, over the years, devised a number of ways for me to know that I'm on the right track, and they usually involve a whole lot of lists. I have ones for audiobook stages, ones for all the publishing stages, and one for things like what to do after a cover reveal and all of that. I have lists and more lists, but like I said above, that's one of the ways that I soothe my anxiety. For you, that might not work, but if they do, then making a list of every single stage, every single deadline, can help put things in perspective.

They also allow you to see, at a glance, just where you are in that publishing time line. The only thing I don't include on my list is drafting because I pretty much have that down in other ways. My lists include when to start revisions, and when to book the editor, and all of that. I have things that need to be done in advance, like booking the cover designer and the deadline for that. I have bits and pieces that I need to do before the cover reveal. I could go on, but you get my point. There's something to be said for good lists that help you keep track of what needs to be done and when.

#2 KEEPING TRACK OF TIME

I know not everyone tracks their time, or plans their month. I know not everyone does any kind of goals, and that's all perfectly fine and valid, but if you are someone who tracks, in whatever capacity that may be, using the lists above might help you work out when to slot things into your busy schedule. Like I know when I need to start revising, because of my lists. I also know that when it comes to making plans for the month ahead, what I should be planning to do. It's a good way to keep yourself on track, and also know if things are going to take longer than you originally thought they would.

Like I know that I can, generally, revise a draft in a month. I also know that sometimes that can mean hours long sessions, or it can mean a shorter period. So I know that trying to put one of those hours long sessions on a day when I'm also trying to draft a chapter, or do this or that, is not a good idea. It's better for me to put those sessions on days when I only have to focus on one thing writing wise. So they, usually, go on my recording days. It works for me, and allows all my focus to be on the revision itself rather than anything else writing related. It's just about finding what works for you.

#3 THINGS WILL GO WRONG, PLAN FOR IT

I wanted to include this last one because in over twenty books released, I don't think I've ever had a release that was smooth from start to finish. Things will go wrong, people will miss deadlines, hell you might miss deadlines, and you need to be able to have some fail-safe in your plan that allows for that, because otherwise you are going to end up super stressed and no one wants that!

Just like you need to plan for some downtime, which in my mind is not negotiable, you also need to plan for those times when edits take longer, or a cover takes a bit longer to get to you. Whatever works, plan it in. That way when and if things go wrong, you're not scrambling around because missing one deadline had a knock on effect and made you miss a whole load more. Plan for chaos, releasing a book is steeped in it!

So there we go, those are my three ways of making sure I stay on target when it comes to publishing. Like I said I'm in the midst of the last month of developmental edits and will then be moving onto the next stage. Next month I should even have the cover reveal for my upcoming book, and I cannot wait for you all to see it!

Remember to stay calm, to breathe, and you will get through to release day in one piece!

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments below!

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 7 June 2024

Review of Death's Emissary by Emily Devereux


Only a pact with Death can give Scarlet a second chance at life—and the power she needs to save the last of her family.

When sixteen-year-old Scarlet is nearly killed by a tyrannical god, the cost of survival is to bind herself in service of the goddess Death. Though now obligated to do Death’s bidding, Scarlet also gains what she’s always desired—someone to teach her magic.

With her newfound strength as a fire mage, she must rescue her mother from the god who nearly took her life, Riordan, before he’s able to extract the secret her mother holds: the key to unfathomable power and the ability to take down the other gods of Quintras.

But slaying a god is no simple task, and Scarlet can’t do it alone.

When she finds kinship with a reluctant seer and joins forces with a rebel faction that shares her quest to destroy the god that terrorizes his own kingdom, she thinks they have a chance of overcoming the impossible odds. That is, if her bond to Death doesn’t hold her back…

How can Scarlet win her freedom in time to save her mother—and the world—from Riordan’s grasp?

Amazon

My Review: 5 STARS

I picked this up even though epic fantasy is not normally my thing because I loved the cover, and the blurb. The thought of working with Death and other god’s, magic and all the other points of intrigue pulled me in. I ended up staying up late into the night to finish it because I adored the book. Scarlet was an engaging character, the other points of view also kept you hooked and wanting to know what was going to happen next. It’s an excellent start to a series, and one that I will continue as I need to know what happens next. Very well written, and you get lost quickly in the worlds. 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

Tuesday 4 June 2024

#TeaserTuesday

Tara is pretty sure she can handle this alone...

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

[ID: A blurry blue & black background with the title DYING THOUGHTS - FIFTH SECRET at the top and out now in ebook & paperback just above the title The except reads:

Ippydippy98: My thoughts exactly. I thought that Dad was going to have a heart attack when he read it.
Kkat: Woah, your dad saw it?
Ippydippy98: Yeah, it was hand delivered through our door, waiting for me when we got home from school.
Kkat: So this creep knows where you live?
Ippydippy98: I guess so.
Kkat: Tara, you *have* to tell your dad! I’m assuming that since you’re not under armed guard that you lied to him?

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

 

Monday 3 June 2024

Finding Your Community - The Creative Process

FINDING YOUR COMMUNITY

I spent the first ten years or so of my writing life without any real community. It wasn't that I didn't go looking, more that the internet was a lot younger (because I am old) and there weren't places like Twitter, or Tumblr, or Facebook etc. Social media wasn't a thing. Youtube wasn't a thing. We didn't have access to the writing community the way that we do now.

Even when those things became possible, I still didn't know where to start. I'd been published in 2005, I didn't know whether I would ever be published again and while KDP and such were coming, they hadn't arrived yet. Once they did, and I was able to publish, I didn't know where to look for said community. Writing had always been a solitary thing for me. I knew there were events like NaNo, but I never knew where or how to take part. I didn't know where to start with hashtags and finding people like me, so I mostly did it alone. It was isolating, it was hard, it made me wonder if I was even valid as a writer because while I had a book or two out, I did not have readers to the extent that I do now.

It was really only when I found Authortube and started my channel that I did seem to find those writers that I meshed with so well. I had writer friends, but they all felt like they had it all together, their books were award winning and I was just here writing young adult, and not really getting much traction because while those friends cheered me on to an extent, they weren't, and their contacts also weren't, anywhere near my target audience.

I don't tell you this to have a pity party, or to garner sympathy but to make it clear that when I say finding my community changed both my life, and the way I worked, it's very much the case. I'd been writing my books before then and it felt like I was shouting into the void, and never being heard. And then along came one person, who brought another, and another, and I started reaching out on Twitter and other places, and boom, I found my community and it was just a massive change in me because of that.

So when I say that finding your community can be a goldmine in helping you move forward with your writing, whether through trad pub, indie, hybrid, or just for yourself, then I mean it. Finding your community helps you grow as a writer. It helps broaden your horizons and it helps you start to have some confidence in what you're doing. Writing doesn't have to be an isolating thing. There doesn't have to be only you in a room and no one else to cheer you on. It can be so rewarding not just for you, but also for your community, when those wins are celebrated by all.

Finding your community takes time, and while I hope it takes all of you a lot less time than it did me, it's so worth it. While you won't mesh with every writer you meet, and while there may be blips along the road, you will come to find the people that work with you, and they are golden and allow you to feel accepted, connected, and like you're actually making that mark that you wish to on the world.

Writing friends, writing community, they are a big thing of making writing something that works for you. Social media allows for easier connection and that is very much a good thing in my book when it comes to the writing community. Good luck with finding yours!

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.