Countdown to #ScribeFest (Middlewich Literary Festival)

#ScribeFest celebrates all aspects of writing, illustrating and art, and it is happening this week, from 23rd-25th March! Brochures are available to collect from venues around Middlewich, and the shops are already preparing their special window displays for our “Guess the Book” competition… See you there!

Follow Scribe Festival on Twitter, use the hashtag #ScribeFest to see live updates, and like our page on Facebook to see exclusive news and giveaways before and during the event.

Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

Dodging Satan by Kathleen McCormick

I like to share news about the authors that I meet on my travels, and today I introduce you to the book Dodging Satan by Kathleen McCormick. It is a YA novel, so not my usual genre, but I do like the sound of this one… 

Dodging Satan by Kathleen McCormick

Dodging Satan is a humorous coming-of-age story. Bridget Flagherty, a student at St. Michaels Catholic school outside Boston in the 60s-70s, takes refuge in wacky misunderstandings of Bible stories and Catholic beliefs to avoid problems in her Irish/Italian family. 

Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

Sharing the Love LGBT-Style

Many people are unaware that my Redcliffe novels, and my contemporary English Gothic stories, include characters who are lesbian, gay and bisexual. I don’t shout about it because it shouldn’t be a selling point. We are who we are, and we are free to love and play with other people as we see fit. But enough of my preaching. In the spirit of sharing diverse works of art, today I introduce you to a novel called Juliana, by Vanda.

Juliana by Vanda 

“She went looking for fame, and found her true self, instead.”

So begins the story of Juliana, a talented Broadway performer, and the young, naïve farm girl Alice that she seduces. The novel is set between 1941 and 1944, and tells a story about the modern world of the gay and lesbian social scene, and the old-fashioned values of small-town, rural families who just want their children to get married and continue the family line.

I look forward to reading and reviewing this novel myself, and if you want to know more about the author, see her website for social media links and news about her next book.

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Children of the Night… Celebrate Vampire Month!

Ha ha, I do love my favourite old movie references. This month we celebrate Vampire Month, as decreed by the mysterious and alluring D.A. Lascelles… I met the author during our Sandbach Authors Signing Event late last year, and now he has recruited me into his vampire fan club.

Keep watching his website for author interviews (including mine), book features (me again), and all things relating to vampires and vampire pop culture (yes, more of my writing!) 
The writing is lively, even though the subject matter is not!  

Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

Book Review: She Wolf by Elizabeth Morgan

I finally got around to reading She Wolf by Elizabeth Morgan. This is a contemporary werewolf love story set in Scotland, and I loved it! The scenery was beautiful, as you would expect. We hear the story of a werewolf pack with ancient lineage, and how its youngsters continue the family business. And then there is the love story between our feisty she-wolf and her mate. The tension is brilliantly worked, and the characters could be my mates from the local pub, I feel so familiar with them. I highly recommend this book!

Rugged, Scottish Werewolves – how could I resist?

This book is seriously sexy, and deeply passionate. I like the way it is told from both protagonists' points of view. I feel like part of the pack after reading this book, and now I need to read the series!

Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

World Book Day #WorldBookDay20

Happy World Book Day! I am ridiculously excited about this day, even though I don’t really get involved with activities. I am visiting my daughter’s class at school to read a book later today, but that’s about it. Still, I love any excuse to talk about books, to pick up a book, to worship books and the art of reading. And later this month we celebrate books and writing with the Scribe Festival right here in Middlewich. Fantastic!

I heard a lot of news coverage about parents complaining that they have to dress their children up in World Book Day costumes. We don’t do that in my local area. My daughter’s school are running a game where they ring a bell at regular intervals, the children must stop what they are doing, pick up a book, and read. Sounds like my kind of game… The chosen book theme is Mr Men, which is a childhood favourite of mine. I have selected some vintage books from my personal collection to take for my “Mystery Reader” session.

Have a fabulous, booky day, my friends!

Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

This Author’s Health Journey

We all have a story. Every single one of us, whether we write about it or not. My fictional stories are inspired by real-life events, experiences and perceptions, albeit with a little paranormal twist… hey, I like to liven things up a little bit! A big part of my personal story is my health. I am generally a very healthy and happy thirty-five-year-old woman. I have had two successful pregnancies with very minor complications during labour. But I have been in and out of hospital for all my life.

Photo Credit 

I have a rare genetic disorder called Lymphedema Distichiasis. Yep, you can’t even pronounce it, can you? I had to practice a little when the diagnosis officially came several years ago. Basically, it means that I have a recessive gene, called the FOXC2 gene. It means that my body produces anomalies. For me those anomalies include a double row of eyelashes in both eyes. My eyelashes grow on the inside of the eyelid, and they turn in so that they scratch my corneas. I have severe scarring in both eyes, and I have routine minor surgery procedures to have the extra eyelashes removed using lasers. In between hospital visits, I pluck the offending eyelashes out with tweezers. Not pleasant. It is very painful and can be very debilitating, but I am not the sort of person to let that get in my way.

Photo Credit 

You see, that is my story. One author, one rare genetic eye disorder. It could have caused me to give up my job, my ability to drive, even my independence, because it got so bad at one point. But I refused to submit to the pain and the discomfort. Instead I sought alternative methods of healing, which brought me to my current training in Reiki. That is a higher vibrational energy healing system that we can all tap into, and I find it incredibly helpful for my health condition. It will also find its way into my stories, and has even inspired me to plan some non-fiction books based on my experiences.

What are your life experiences, health or otherwise? How do they inspire and inform your career choices, your hobbies, your way of life?

Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

Did You Get Your Free Werewolf Story?

I am doing a little spring cleaning alongside writing book 5 in the Redcliffe novels series, and I decided to revamp the covers for a couple of my digital books. What do you think of this one? You can download it for FREE if you follow the link below…

Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

#ScribeFest Young Writers Crime Short Story Competition – Enter Now!

***Attention Young Crime Writers***

Write a prize winning crime short story and include the following words:

1. MYSTERIOUS

2. CLUE

3. PRINT

Age 12-15 - 500 words

Age 7-11 300 words

Closing date 6^th March 2017

There are more clues on how to enter the Scribe Short Story Competitions over on our website.

#ScribeFest celebrates all aspects of writing, illustrating and art. 23rd-25th March 2017

Follow Scribe Festival on Twitter, use the hashtag #ScribeFest to see live updates, and like our page on Facebook to see exclusive news and giveaways before and during the event.

Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

#ScribeFest Short Story Competition – Submissions Welcome!

“It was a human skull” – so begins the tale of The Canal Detective, but how will it end? That is for you, my quick-witted, creative crime writer, to tell us! Enter the Scribe Short Story competition now and see what you can win… competitions running for adults and children, see website for submission guidelines and criteria.

#ScribeFest celebrates all aspects of writing, illustrating and art. 23rd-25th March 2017

Follow Scribe Festival on Twitter, use the hashtag #ScribeFest to see live updates, and like our page on Facebook to see exclusive news and giveaways before and during the event.

Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

‘The Valentine’s Card’ from My Vampire Boyfriend Anthology

Happy Valentine’s Day, my book loving friends! I am feeling all soppy and romantic after spending some quality time with my husband this weekend (and no, we didn’t do roses and dating!) Anyway, today I share with you an excerpt from the short story The Valentine’s Card which features inside the Redcliffe short story anthology, My Vampire Boyfriend. You can download the book today for just 99p! Consider it my Valentine’s Day gift to you…

“The card was white with a vase of pink roses printed on the front, glittered for effect. It didn’t feel like something Jack would send. It looked garish and dated. I opened it up, feeling a strange sense of dread. There was a message inside, printed by hand in blue biro. It read, “Happy Valentine’s Day Jessica. See you tonight, my little witch.”

I gasped. There was only one person who had called me ‘little witch,’ and she was dead. I destroyed her myself several months ago. I felt sick, picked up my phone, and called Jack.”

PS. I’m taking part in Hooked on Books & Cherry0Blossoms Promotions Annual Valentine’s Hop. Come and take part, lots to be won. Even a chance to win a Kindle. https://hobcbpromotions.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/valentines-hop.html

Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

Book Review: Blood of the Tainted by Alex Laybourne

Today I share a review of a very disturbing, and very compelling, novel that I recently read. I am a fan of horror, and I like to think I have seen it all and read it all. Oh no, not quite. Alex Laybourne has been nicknamed by some as the Prince of Horror, and reading this book, I can see why…

 

Nosferatu meets John Carpenter’s Vampires – a gruesome combination!

The story begins with a disturbing murder, and immediately you feel kinship with the victim and the characters that quickly become involved. It all takes place in a small, rural town that I think could represent somewhere in the US, but also feels a little like it could be in the UK, so I suppose it works for the reader. That element of confusion always increases the horror, anyway. There is a very sweet, burgeoning romance between two teenage girls, but as you can imagine, in this story, it isn’t allowed to progress too far. At least not in the way you would think. Gruesome rites of passage, confusing, mysterious strangers, and the old-fashioned monster that is the vampire preying on innocent humans. Just don’t read this if you are of a nervous disposition. If you enjoy classic, atmospheric horror, go for it!

Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

A Fabulous Book Signing Event

I just had the most amazing weekend! It started on Friday with a daytrip to the ICHF Stitch and Hobbycrafts exhibition, where my mum, sister and I indulged our crafting habit and made a few cheeky purchases… Then on Saturday came the big event. I attended the West Midlands Valentines Book Signing Event (I missed the evening Ball due to a prior commitment), and it was fabulous! I look forward to my next book event, which will be Scribe Literary Festival in March.

 Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

My Vampire Boyfriend & Valentines Book Signing Event

I have been very quiet on the book front for the past ten months or so, and with good reason. I am still writing, but I am also planning and organizing my books and their design. One challenge has been that of the book cover, and to that end I am in the process of having professional covers designed for some of my self-published books, in keeping with the contemporary Gothic feel of my work. Today I give you My Vampire Boyfriend (A Redcliffe Short Story Anthology) - what do you think?

Grab your copy of the anthology today, then come and see me in Telford this weekend so we can discuss all things Gothic, vampire and magical... I'm bringing my Tarot cards! 

Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

#ScribeFest 2017 – Middlewich Literary Festival

We are back in business! Scribe (Middlewich Literary Festival) will run from 23rd - 25th March 2017 and it's gonna be wild! #ScribeFest celebrates all aspects of writing, illustrating and art. There are even top secret plans for an interactive genre mix crime scene adventure...

Finer details are still being worked out, but we will have events running in different venues around Middlewich, including a Top-Secret Crime Scene Investigation, a children's story writing and illustrating workshop, and visiting speakers and performers from the literary and arts industry.

Follow Scribe Festival on Twitter, use the hashtag #ScribeFest to see live updates, and like our page on Facebook to see exclusive news and giveaways before and during the event.

Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

Unleash Your Creative Spirit

We have only one week left until my first book signing event of 2017, and I am rather excited now! I haven’t been to Telford for several years, so that will make a nice change to my weekend routine. I look forward to seeing all my author friends and colleagues at the event, and of course, meeting new readers. Come and see me! I am eager to see you.

After considering my options with regards to book swag, and the fact that my business finances are rather slim after a few advertising experiments, I decided to get creative with my offerings. Before I became a published author, I spent a lot of time making greetings cards and bead jewellery. It was my method of relaxation after a long day at work in a demanding job. This was before I had children, of course, when the evenings belonged to me. I would stamp and colour and embellish to my heart’s content.

The arrival of my babies interfered somewhat with my hobby. Now, whenever I step near my craft cupboard, I hear cries of, “I want to do painting, Mummy!” and “I want to do crafts with you!” That is lovely, of course, but with young children comes a lot of mess, and I cannot simply sit and craft in peace. So, I started doing it in the evenings again. I set aside my marketing and computer work, and revisited my old hobby. And I have created some beautiful book themed greetings cards and bookmarks that I will bring to the book signing event. What do you think?

Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

Author Brand Design

The world of publishing is certainly diverse these days. And there is so much more to being an author than simply writing your masterpiece and sending it out to the world. For starters, we need to decide whether to throw ourselves at the mercy of the publishing gatekeepers, only to be rejected time and time again, or whether to go it alone.

We know that being an independent (Indie) author can prove quite lucrative if it is done properly. I have learned during the past couple of years that all of those “overnight success stories” we hear about in the media are not necessarily accurate. The authors behind those successes have often spent years, anything up to a decade or longer, writing, publishing, networking and marketing before making their breakthrough.

I am at the point now where the idea of being an actual “proper” author is sinking in. I think we need to feel the lifestyle in order to project it. Up to now it has pretty much been a hobby that kept me entertained during my long days stuck at home nursing babies and preschoolers. Now my children are getting older, I am finding a bit more time to myself, and I must treat it like a job. Now I am developing my author brand. Exciting!

Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

Do I Need Book Swag?

I have attended a few book signing events during recent years, and have noticed a growing trend for something called “book swag.” For those of you not in the know, book swag is basically free stuff that you get from authors keen to spread the word about their books. It could include posters, promotional flyers, keyrings, pens and even more specific items like lip balms, all emblazoned with an author logo or book cover.

Now, I do not yet have any official book swag. Indeed, the signing events I previously attended did not specifically call for such a thing. My eyes were opened when I attended the Sandbach Author Signing Event back in November 2016. At this event I was surrounded by professional indie authors, most of whom proudly displayed (and distributed) a variety of colourful, promotional free gifts to their visitors. All I had to offer was a few business cards and a couple of flyers. Boring!

In February I will attend the West Midlands Valentines Book Signing and Ball. I don’t yet have any official book swag, but I plan to procure something of interest, if only to keep up with my fellow authors and their established marketing practice. It is all a huge learning curve for me as I step into another new world in the hopes of finding my readers. Perhaps I can tempt them out with a fruity Redcliffe lip balm, or a Blackpool souvenir with a vampire twist… Any suggestions?

Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

The West Midlands Valentine’s Book Signing & 1940’s Ball

February 4th 2017 TELFORD

It’s a New Year for new experiences, so why not make The West Midlands Valentine’s Book Signing & 1940’s Ball one of them! This February the 4th is set to be a day filled with books, romance, laughter, and live 1940’s style music all thanks to The West Midlands Valentine's Book Signing & 1940’s Ball. With over 25 confirmed authors covering genres such as romance, chick-lit, erotica, young adult, horror, and children’s fiction, there is sure to be something here for you or your loved one just in time for Valentine’s Day. Or at least something to occupy the kids with. 

 When the door close to the signing at 16:30 we will be reopening them at 19:30 for our 1940’s swing ball, where The Vintage Vocalist will take to the stage and take us back in time with classics from The Andrew Sisters, Vera Lynn, Anne Shelton, and many more. (1940’s dress is very much encouraged but not essential). So, why not come and mingle with the authors and get those books signed before joining them for a swing around the dancefloor? 

 ALL PROCEEDS MADE ARE BEING DONATED TO HELP FOR HEROES. *Tickets to the signing will be available on the door * Children under 16 years of age enter the signing for FREE, but must be accompanied by a paying adult at all times. * Tickets to the ball will NOT be available on the day and need to be pre-ordered before January 27^th – All attendees to the ball must be over the age of 18 years. Please visit our website for more information – www.westmidsvalentinesbooksigningball.wordpress.com

Event Address: Casey’s, Cordingley Hall, Wellington road, Telford TF2 8JS

Social Links

Website - http://www.westmidsvalentinesbooksigningball.wordpress.com/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/westmidsvalentinesbooksigning/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/WMVBSAB

Ticket Link - https://westmidsvalentinesbooksigningball.wordpress.com/tickets/

So Many Novels, So Little Time!

It dawned on me earlier this week that I have the complete opposite of the famed “blank page” syndrome. You know the old scenario: writer wants to create a wonderful novel, writer sits before computer and stares blankly at the screen, unable to form the words that will convey the amazing story they hold in their mind. Eventually, writer succumbs to the belief in writers’ block, slumps back in their chair, and wallows in self-pity for a while.

I have about five novels currently in various stages of progression. The main one is book 5 in my Redcliffe novels series, Heart of the Vampire. This continues the adventures experienced when Cornish bookshop owner Jessica Stone explores her witch heritage and becomes embroiled with the local werewolf pack, receiving mixed responses from her vampire boyfriend. The series will end after book 6, as yet untitled, because I feel that it has run its course. My muse may decide otherwise, however!

Moving away from the Redcliffe novels, I have first drafts of a couple of novels set in and around Cheshire and Manchester that feature female vampire hunters and their adventures in a tough job. One is a retired vampire hunter who lives a new life with a husband and young children. She concealed her past from him, but it all unravels when her former target, a vampire that managed to seduce her and almost kill her, returns to the area and must be exterminated. It is a quirky novel, I think, and I really want to have it published soon.

Another novel features a female vampire hunter that lives on a narrowboat, and her story takes place in and around my home town in Cheshire. This story was requested (or should I say, demanded) by my local fans, and they have been waiting for around three years now. I really should dig out the manuscript, tidy it up and get it published. That story caused a bit of turmoil for me when it took a strange turn and introduced past lives, angels and demons. Yes, my Muse is a confusing creature, indeed. I will tackle my YA zombie romance at a later date!

Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

Defining Your Local Accent

One of the key factors in my writing process is the definition of accents. Having grown up reading books by Enid Blyton, Roald Dahl, Judy Blume and L.J. Smith, I have been largely exposed to characters that speak in old fashioned Queen’s English accents, or a sort of generalised white America accent that I can’t quite define because I don’t know enough about the country and its various regions.

Now, I am very definitely not from a Queen’s English background, so I didn’t really connect with the characters in the books I read. They were distant, posh people who I could never emulate. I did feel a connection with Roald Dahl’s Matilda, but I am still not sure what kind of regional accent she might have spoken in. I get the feeling it was somewhere in the South of England, but I can’t be sure.

My characters are mostly Northern, like me. I grew up in the Staffordshire Moorlands, close to Stoke-on-Trent, and so I have a sort of hybrid “Stokie” accent when I speak. It grows more broad when I return home to visit, which I find quite amusing. My husband grew up in both Wigan (Northern England) and Staffordshire, because his family moved to my home town when he was ten. His accent grew into a hybrid Lancashire-Stoke, but then returned to its Northern roots when he went to university in Manchester and took up full time work in the region.

I want my characters to have accents. I don’t want them to be traditionally English, or cockney or anything that to my mind is all too common and far removed from my experiences. My heroine in the Redcliffe novels series, Jessica Stone, is from Manchester, but she now lives in Cornwall where the adventures take place. Her best friend, Liz, is also Mancunian, living in Cornwall, and she marries a local university lecturer who has a Cornish accent. Jessica’s love interests, the identical twins Jack and Danny Mason, have their roots in Dublin, but since they are over one hundred years old and have lived in many places, their accents seem to come and go, largely depending upon their emotional state.

How important is it for you to read stories where the characters have a definitive accent? Does it help you to relate more to the characters and the story, or do you prefer to learn about other cultures and other lives? I find the whole subject fascinating!

Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

Does Your Gender Affect Your Writing Success?

Here is a loaded question, and I would be very interested to receive some responses in the comments below. I am currently reading On Writing by Stephen King, and I have reached the section of the book where he tells us that if we are serious about writing, we actually have to do it. We cannot keep putting it off and blaming our life circumstances, our lack of free time, and all the other millions of excuses we come up with.

Now, I totally agree with that. But one sentence in King’s book struck a chord. He wrote that he was fortunate to have a “self-sufficient wife” and she allowed him to hide away and write whenever he needed to. They have children, and he wrote his novels and short stories since before they were born and throughout their lives. Did his wife shoulder the parental responsibility, and do all the boring, everyday essential tasks of caring for the children before he found fame and fortune?

I would say that I have a self-sufficient husband. In fact, he is so self-sufficient that I am often left at home with the children, and I do 99% of the household chores, nurturing, caring, doctors’ appointments, etc. My husband simply works, in a demanding job that takes him away from the family home for anything up to sixteen hours every day, five days a week. He then spends the weekends ‘catching up’ on his personal affairs, and sleeping because he so exhausted from working all week. But he provides the income, and I must accept that.

In order to follow Stephen King’s advice, I need to change that model of behaviour. My husband refuses to make his work hours more flexible, or even to book time off that he is legally allowed (that is a whole other saga!). He did recently have a pay rise, however. Our cashflow is not brilliant, but if I am to look at the bigger picture, I need some help with childcare. To that end, I plan to investigate the costs of childcare, and see what I can fit around preschool and school. Then perhaps I can find time to finish the manuscripts I have languishing on my hard drive, and finally get my career established professionally.

How do you fit writing in around family and work?

Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

Reading My Christmas Gifts

You won’t be surprised to hear that I received some fabulous book related Christmas gifts recently. I am still reading one of the books I received, On Writing by Stephen King. It was a surprise present from my husband, and he earned some major ‘good husband’ points for this one! I am just over half way through the book, and it is brilliant. I feel inspired, invigorated, and enthused to get back into my novel writing as soon as the children return to school.

I also received a couple of quirky, fun Christmas presents from friends. They bought me a coffee mug with a funny quote printed on it, “Please do not annoy the writer, she might put you in a book and kill you!” They also got me a cute little bookmark that has a waving hand at the end of it. When my youngest daughter saw it she burst into fits of giggles, which was adorable. Did you receive any quirky, fun gifts?

Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!)