Maria Savva's Blog - Posts Tagged "ebooks"

I'm just popping in to wish all my blog followers a very happy and peaceful 2011. I hope you will all be successful at whatever endeavours you are undertaking this year.

The new year is always a time when we take stock of what we have achieved thus far and it's also a time when many people make resolutions to do or not do certain things. It's quite natural for us to use this changing of the year to set new goals for ourselves and leave behind whatever has not been working for us. I hope you will all be able to look to this new year as one which holds opportunities for you to accomplish whatever it is that you wish for.

A quick update on what I'm planning for 2011:

1. I have a new collection of short stories being published this month. The title is: 'Fusion'. You can find an excerpt from the first story in the collection 'Only Time can divide us', in the 'Maria's Writing' section of my Goodreads author page.

2. I co-wrote an online novella at BestsellerBound with author Jason McIntyre. We are planning to publish the book as a free ebook. It's called 'Cutting The Fat'. I'll post more when I have the details. I believe it is going to be published this month.

3. I'm currently revising and editing my first novel Coincidences so that I can publish it as an ebook. 'Coincidences' was first published in 2001 as a hardback. It is currently out of print, but I hope this new revision will mean that more people will be able to read it. I didn't have an electronic version of the book, so I've taken the opportunity to re-type it and edit as I go along. I've learnt a lot about editing in the past 10 years as a writer, and will be using that experience to polish the text and update the book. I will keep the story the same, but I'm sure there will be some extra scenes added as I go along. If you wish to read my first novel as a hardback, I am currently offering them for sale through the Amazon.co.uk marketplace. You can find a link on my website

4. I have finished writing my fourth novel 'The Dream', and am currently editing it. It's a fantasy/paranormal/timeslip novel, so a bit different to my usual writing, but I had fun writing it, and it does contain many of the same themes as my other books: relationships, secrets, betrayal, forgiveness, love. It's also quite humourous.

I'm pleased to announce that I had some success with sales of my kindle titles in December. I sold a staggering 102 copies. I'm hoping that the popularity of my books will continue in this vein.

Thanks to everyone who has read any of my books this year, and for all your support.

As many of you already know, I'm a resident author/moderator on BestsellerBound.com

Author Darcia Helle has put together an ezine containing all the latest news and views from the members of BestsellerBound.

It's a very interesting read.

Included in this month's issue is an article written by author Jason McIntyre all about Cutting The Fat, the online novel that I co-wrote with him.

You'll also find all the news about the BestsellerBound Anthologies in a piece written by author Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick

Plus: read all about Stacy Juba's new book 'Sink or Swim',a murder mystery, based on a reality show.

There's also a section where you can find information about 5 recommended ebooks each priced at under $5!

Click the link to download your free copy: BestsellerBound ezine

Enjoy!

As most of you already know, I am a resident author at http://www.bestsellerbound.com a wonderful forum for readers and writers dedicated to bringing you the best in indie fiction.

We are very proud to announce that the first BestsellerBound Short Story Anthology is now published!



It's free to download from Smashwords in any format you choose.

Here's the link you need: BestsellerBound Short Story Anthology on Smashwords

It includes an exclusive new short story by me, 'Flames', which you won't find in any of my currently published collections.

The themes in the Anthology include: romance, mystery, fantasy, wizards, witches, music, torture

It's a very diverse collection sure to contain a story or two that you'll fall in love with whatever your taste. So, click the link and download your free copy, and don't forget to tell all your friends about it.

Here's a list of the story titles and authors:

Wish Upon A Star by Lainey Bancroft

Tears For Hesh by J. Michael Radcliffe

You Can Call Me Ari by Darcia Helle

Flames by Maria Savva

Minor Details by Jaleta Clegg

Ice Cream Man by Neil Schiller

No Eyes But Mine Shall See by Sharon E. Cathcart

The First Texas Twister by Magnolia Belle

Shadow Lantern by Gareth Lewis

Stained by Amy Saunders

We hope you'll enjoy the stories, please do let us know what you think!

Happy reading :)

Today I am very excited to be introducing you to a new author James Everington, who I am sure will be a famous writer one day.

I met James online recently after I read and reviewed Oblivious by Neil Schiller. James is also a friend of Neil's and a fan of his work. I was intrigued by the title and cover of James's collection of short stories: The Other Room. The short descriptions of the tales made me want to read the book. I'm glad I did. It's a very original collection full of surprising and well-crafted tales.




James very kindly agreed to answer a few questions and he is also giving away 2 ebook copies of The Other Room to readers of my blog! If you'd like to enter the contest, just 'like' this blog post or leave a comment below. Winners will be chosen on the 13th August 2011.

Here are James's replies to my interview questions:

Are the stories in ‘The Other Room’ a collection of stories you wrote over a number of years, or did you write them specifically for the collection?

They were written over a number of years (a scary number of years now I think of it) although all of have been revised pretty recently. I spent quite a few hours trying to figure out which stories to put in, and in which order. I saved a few stories back I consider some of my best for the next collection - I didn't want to be like one of those bands with a great first album, and then a patchy follow-up because they obviously didn't get any time to write some decent new songs...

Your collection contains horror, paranormal, thrillers, ghost stories, and what has been called ‘weird fiction’; what is your favourite genre to read?

I read a huge variety of things - I think it's pretty important for a writer to read widely, even if what style they write is pretty limited. Which it is for me. I guess it's only in the last few years I've worked out that despite the fact that I read science-fiction, the classics, poetry, popular science, modern literature and so on, I can't write those books. I can just do my own little thing: scary surreal stories with a bit of pretension basically.

In one of your stories, there is a writer who is trying to write a story, but the ‘words wouldn’t reveal themselves’. I thought that was an interesting way to look at writing. I’m always intrigued at how other writers view the writing process. Is that your view of how a writer finds a story, that in a way the words reveal themselves as we write rather than us writing the words?

I'm not sure; that attitude to writing just suited the character of the story and fitted the themes. I think as a writer you have to be flexible about these things. Sometimes the words will just come to you, and it's like uncovering buried treasure. Other times you have to work hard at it, really forcing yourself to get the right sentences. You have to be prepared for both.

In another one of your stories, the character is reading a book and listening to music in the background, and not just an instrumental track but a song. I wondered whether you listen to music when you read, and also whether you listen to music when you write.

Yeah all the time; I love music almost as much as I love books. I guess listening to music as I write comes from living in halls of residence at university - there was always some music blaring through the walls. So the only choice was write to someone else's music, or to my own. I don't find it distracting at all. The only time I wouldn't listen to music is when I'm doing the final edits to a story - I like to read the prose aloud then.

The story 'When The Walls Bend' in this collection was named after a line from a Radiohead song; the title for 'Feed The Enemy' (which is available separately) was poached from a title of a song by the post-punk band Magazine.


I liked all the stories in the collection, but I think my favourite is ‘Red Route’, I just loved the ending because it all came together and is quite awe-inspiring. Do you have a favourite story from the collection, and if so, why is it your favourite?

It's funny, everyone who's picked a favourite so far has picked a different one; I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing...

I'm not sure writers are the best judges of their own work, buy my favourite to write was 'The Other Room' itself. It just about wrote itself. There's a lot of little details in that story that all seem to work together, but I didn't plan any of them. I mentioned writing is sometimes like finding buried treasure above; for 'The Other Room' the treasure just seemed to be lying around on the surface.

Of course the next story I wrote after that was a right difficult sod.

On your website you run a series of guest blogs in defence of short stories. What gave you idea for this, and if you could say one thing in defence of short stories what would that be?

Well, I'd no idea until recently how poorly short fiction sold compared to novels. And that some people, who seem so sane and so well-read, could spout such drivel about the form - really vitriolic stuff! So it came from that really; and I've had some great writers contribute, for which I'm very grateful. It's partly selfish on my part; I only really write short stories so I'm buggered if they keep declining in popularity...

What would I say to people? Just... don't judge short stories by the standards of novels. They're a separate art-form; there's a whole separate world you're missing out on if you don't read short stories. They're not truncated novels, they're something else.

You have only published your short stories as an ebook. Is there a reason why you haven’t made it available in paperback, and do you have plans to do this in the future?

No reason, I'm just new to all this. I wasn't really aware of self-publishing or ebooks at all this time last year; I was going the traditional route of submitting stories to small-press magazines (which I still do). I had one non-horror story called 'Feed The Enemy' which I didn't know what to do with, and then I saw a call for submissions for someone electronically publishing. So I sent it off, not even knowing what it was really. Then rather than rejecting it they sent me a scary looking contract...

So I started to look into ebooks when I knew I'd have a story available in that format, and stumbled across some great writers and helpful people like Neil Schiller and Dan Holloway who were already doing it for themselves. So I jumped in too.

I'd like to do a physical book sometime too, but I've no actual plans at the moment. I'm just seeing how things pan out.

Do you have any tips for someone who is considering self-publishing their own book?

Without wanting to sound too much like a Nike advert, just do it. Provided, that is, that the book is already written. If it's not, then concentrate on writing the best book you can for now; don't even think about how you're going to publish it until afterwards.

Who are your favourite authors and what is it about their writing that you like?

Probably too many to mention, but some I think have been particularly influential on my writing are Ramsey Campbell,Franz Kafka, and Shirley Jackson.

They all have certain things in common, in that they write strange, somewhat surreal fiction, but in an intelligent, literary way. (I think of Kafka as being very much part of the tradition that includes the best 'horror' writers.) And they all have done some of their best work in short story form. 'The Companion', 'The Metamorphosis' and 'The Lottery' - hard to think of better trio of short stories than those.

Is there a book you own that you’ve read more than once?

God I think I've read most of them more than once; what's the point in owning books otherwise? Ones I've definitely read at least three times include: The Lord of the Rings,Mrs. Dalloway,The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and Girlfriend in a Coma. Plus books by the authors above, of course.

What was the last book you read?

I tend to read more than one book at a time, so there's a few: Cold Hand in Mine; Loisaida -- A New York Story;and 'The Magical Maze', a book about maths and fractals and other fascinating stuff.

Are you reading a book at the moment?

Of course! Again, more than one: The War of the Worlds, and Ice Age - a great collection of weird, surreal horror tales. Oh, and a book about Bob Dylan too.


How important are reviews for you as a writer?

Very important; not so much the content or the rating, although that is important, but just knowing that someone took time out of their busy day to put some words down about my book. That's a good feeling. Of course I've been lucky that I've not had a bad review yet, so my attitude could change! I've probably just jinxed myself by saying that too.


I must say that the title and cover of your book really caught my eye and I just knew that I wanted to read it. How did you go about choosing the cover for your book?

Funny you should ask, because the photo it's based on was taken by someone I know you know - Neil Schiller. I liked his covers for Oblivious and The Haiku Diary so I asked him how he created them, and he was generous enough to let me use one of his photos. His covers are arty black and white; I messed about with mine and put a filter on to make it appropriately spooky.


What are you working on now?

A novella called The Shelter. It's a story I wrote when I was about seventeen, and recently I found the battered manuscript and read it again - it was dreadful obviously. Clichéd and stilted. But it struck me the plot itself was pretty good, and seemed far more commercial and straight forward than the stuff I write nowadays. I was just discovering writers like Stephen King and Dan Simmons then.

So I've decided to rewrite it completely from scratch - hopefully I can combine the youthful ideas and energy with the strengths I have now - namely knowing a dreadful sentence when I write one, which I obviously didn't then. We shall see if it works...

Where can people buy your book?

You can get The Other Room in these places:

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Other-Roo...

Amazon US: www.amazon.com/The-Other-Room/dp/B004...

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...


Oh and I blog and talk general rubbish at: http://www.jameseverington.blogspot.com/

Thanks for being a very entertaining guest, James!

You might also like to check out James's other books:

Feed the Enemy

The Psyche Corrupted

I know I will be! :)

Remember, if you'd like to enter to win a copy of The Other Room, just 'like' this blog post or leave a comment below. Good luck!

I recently found out about a new website that recommends Kindle books. It has just been launched and the idea is that it will be a place to go to when looking for a good Kindle book to read. The site only features books that have at least 5 reviews on Amazon that are 4 or 5 stars. The good thing is that the site helps to promote books by independent authors that readers might otherwise never hear about.

I am honoured that my books have been chosen as the first to be featured on the site! Here's a link to the page: Reading Kindle - Featured Author

Authors can submit their books to be featured on the website.

If you're on facebook, please 'Like' the Reading Kindle page: facebook - Reading Kindle as this will help to increase the visibility and help to promote this great new website.

It's that time of year again, when we are frantically trying to think of just the right gift for the people we care about.

Books are wonderful gifts because they can educate, inspire and entertain. I think it's always nice to buy a print version whether it's hardback or paperback as a gift for someone, but nowadays because more people have e-readers, you can also buy e-books as gifts. Maybe you want to treat the book-lover in your life to an e-reader for Christmas and you want to download a few great books? Whatever you are planning, I hope you will find a bit of inspiration from my list of recommended books below.

I've read quite a lot of books this year, and most of them have been really great reads.

Here are purchase links for a few books that I would suggest as gifts:

The Other Room by James Everington - a collection of short stories



Here's the review I wrote for the book:
I am so glad I stumbled across this collection of short stories. It's original, well written, and one of the best collections I have ever read. Every story in this collection is good. There are some stand out ones because they are absolutely amazing, for example 'First Time Buyers'. I think my favourite of the whole collection has to be 'Red Route', the ending is just one of those that makes you go, "wow!".
It's a very diverse collection. There are horror stories, paranormal, thrillers.
This is an exciting new writer, the kind of writer that makes me proud to be a self-published author. In all his stories he takes you deep into the mind of the characters, so that you almost feel as though you are reliving their story. There are many memorable quotes... always a sign of a great writer in my opinion.
A couple of examples:
"Just the sense of the big machinery of the economy faltering and grinding somewhere... She thought of cog-wheels turning high above her, their aloof motion turning other wheels, and those wheels still others...'

"...as if the box of their room was just one box inside another, larger one...'

This is modern literature at its finest. Do not miss this collection.

Into The Light by Darcia Helle



Here's my review:
This is a wonderful story on so many levels. It contains humour, romance, and an element of mystery. It's a supernatural tale about a ghost, Max, who refuses to go `into the light' until his killer can be brought to justice.
Max, in life, was a very ordinary man, in fact he died feeling like a failure and as if his life had been in vain.
What Helle's book teaches us is that there are many things we do on a daily basis that have an effect on other people's lives, for good or bad. Max is forced to confront issues from his past when he dies, and this multi-layered story perfectly highlights the fact that we are often unaware of other people's thoughts and feelings and that makes all the difference when looking at the effects of things we do. Many readers will be able to relate to Max, and also the private investigator, Joe, who is roped in to help Max find his killer. Their relationship is an odd one, but they each learn something from the other as they both try to come to terms with their problems.
The book deals with the subjects of divorce, regret, relationships, insecurity, and miscommunication, among other things. It's a fun and often comical read, but also contains very deep thinking on human behaviour and relationships.
The underlying message appears to be that when we die we leave behind an imprint based on everything we have done, thought, and said... it's definitely food for thought.

Metallic Dreams by Mark Rice



My review:
I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end. It's about a young man, Spark, who always dreamt of becoming a big name in heavy metal music. In his late teens he was part of a band 'Blood Brothers' who went their separate ways before they could make it into the big time. Some years later, Spark has a life changing experience and as a consequence he becomes determined to put his old band back together and live his dream. His belief is that the band will become successful, and he doesn't want to live his life in a dead end job when his passion lies in music. At its core, Metallic Dreams is about finding the courage to follow your dream, no matter how difficult it might seem to be. It is also about the power of love. It is indie fiction at its best, breaking out of the boundaries set by genre, and experimenting with new and exciting ways to write a story. It is extremely funny; hilarious in parts. I almost laughed out loud in public a few times whilst reading it. It does contain some controversial topics and taboo subjects, but those topics are skillfully woven into the story making them a realistic portrayal of very vivid characters' lives and experiences. This book is very original and entertaining. I would recommend Metallic Dreams to music fans, especially rock and heavy metal fans, as you will find much to relate to in the book. Due to some of the content in this book I would say it is only suitable for over 18s. I am looking forward to more books by this talented writer.

B-Sides and Broken Hearts by Caryn Rose



My review:
B-Sides and Broken Hearts is the story of 37 year-old Lisa, who is finding it hard coming to terms with the death of Joey Ramone, one of her favourite musicians. His death forces her to think about her life and she finds that she is not happy. Her relationship with the predictable, Ian, is not the type of relationship she had envisaged for herself when she was young. The death of Joey Ramone leads to a torrent of emails from Lisa's music-loving friends, and puts her back in touch with Jake, the singer with a successful band, Blue Electric. Lisa had been there with Jake and the rest of the band right from the start when they were unknown and penniless. She watched them grow into a band that could fill arenas. However, for the past 5 years her relationship with the band has been overshadowed by the fact that her boyfriend shows little interest in getting to know them. From the outside, all of Lisa's friends have always thought she should have ended up with Jake. None of her friends like Ian. After Joey Ramone's death, when Ian fails to understand why she is so upset, Lisa makes the decision to visit her old friends in LA. She packs some belongings, mainly CDs for the journey, and drives all night to revisit her past. Lisa goes on a journey in this novel, to find the person she really is. After a tragic relationship when she was younger, she had lost her way. Will her old friends in LA help her reconnect with the real Lisa?

This book is about dreams, friends, love, relationships, and above all it is about music and how music can have a profound influence on our lives.

I would recommend this book to anyone who has ever felt that the world had ended because their favourite band split up, anyone who obsessively waited for new albums to be released by their favourite bands and spent their last pennies on gigs and records, anyone who has ever screamed the lyrics to their favourite songs while driving in their car... This is a book for dreamers, and reaffirms the importance of believing in your dreams, and following your heart.
It is well written and engaging. I found myself feeling sad when I knew that the story would soon end. The ending is poignant and uplifting at the same time. This is a must read for music lovers.

Quiet Fury: An Anthology of Suspense



Another one by Darcia Helle. My review:
I am already a fan of Darcia Helle's writing having read her novels, Enemies and Playmates, Hit List, The Cutting Edge, and Into The Light. Darcia Helle has shown us with this anthology that short stories can be as compelling as novels. All of her characters seem real, they have feelings, they have a history, and we learn about them in fewer words than a novel, but still we know them. From the poignant first story, streaked with colour and tragedy, right through to the last one, that contains humour, human compassion and heart, Darcia takes us on a journey that we can relate to. We are all living in this world where calm and fury battle for our attention, just like the characters in Darcia's stories. There are stories to make you laugh, cry, wince, scream... there is every type of emotion within these pages. I enjoyed all the stories. Read Darcia Helle's stories and you will enter a world that may almost frighten you but you will be left curious enough to take another look. Her writing is addictive. She has mastered the art of suspense writing, and this collection is another example of that.

A Murderer's Heart by Julie Elizabeth Powell



My review:
I was already a fan of Julie Elizabeth Powell's writing before reading this book, and I just knew I would love it. Julie is a very versatile writer, with a compulsive and easy to read style. Her past books have been fantasy, children's, and non-fiction. 'A Murderer's Heart' is her first murder mystery. It's excellent!
Dr. Anne Blake is a psychiatrist who is good at her job. She has a firm belief that all mentally ill people can be cured, or saved so that they can lead a better life. She is involved in her own practice as well as helping at the Tadmore Psychiatric Hospital and she has lately become involved in a project 'Back Into the World' to try to raise money to help the mentally ill to be cared for so they can return to their lives in the community. Her busy life means that she has very little time for her friends or for a relationship.
When Dr. Blake meets Peter Armstrong, the son of a woman who needs psychiatric help, her world begins to change. A mysterious murderer is on the prowl and there seems to be a link to the Tadmore hospital.
After hearing that her close friend, Jenny, may be in danger, Anne resolves to do all she can to keep her safe from the killer.
In a dramatic and entertaining story, the author does a great job in putting across the idea that sometimes things are not as they seem and we don't always see what is in front of our own eyes. Dr. Blake is forced to face the limitations of her own knowledge and power.

I loved the way the tale progressed, with all the unexpected twists and turns. It kept me hooked from the start and the ending was delightful.
It's a quick, compulsive read. Highly recommended. I would also recommend all of Julie's other titles.

The Shelter by James Everington



Another one by James Everington. My review: The Shelter is a well crafted story by a master storyteller. I am a big fan of James Everington's writing. After reading his short story collection The Other Room I was excited to hear that he was about to release a novella. I just have a feeling that this author is going to be a big name in literature one day.
James has self-titled his style of fiction 'weird fiction' and I would agree that there is an element of the weird in his writing, but underlying it is a deep understanding of human nature and why people think or behave in certain ways. He takes us inside his characters' heads, and we live through their hopes and fears with them. This skill is proof of his talent as a writer.
The Shelter is a creepy, spooky, horror story. It contains elements of psychological thriller, ghost story, and mystery. The relationship between the schoolboys is realistic and well portrayed. It kept me hooked all the way through and deals with the subject of how guilt can change the course of a person's life. An interesting and thought provoking read.

To Begin Again by Jen Knox



My review: The first story in the collection really drew me in. It's a story that makes you question human nature and really makes you think. After reading that I was sure I was in for a very interesting journey reading this anthology. All of the stories have a 'fly on the wall' feel to them, as if you are watching events unfold that you would not usually be made privy to. I use the word 'watch' as it really felt to me as I read Jen Knox's prose, that these scenes were snippets of other people's lives, short clips of action, and I was seeing them as if on film. Such is the power of her description. The stories cover the subjects of desperation, regret, family relationships, the human condition, love, mental illness, and betrayal, amongst other things. Jen Knox moves a magnifying glass over current social problems, and expertly explores different scenarios on how people deal with loss, pain, fear etc. In Jen Knox's stories we glimpse fragments of people's lives, and she touches on emotions that we can all relate to with a subtlety that is sublime. This collection is a wonderful encapsulation of stories that reflect our current time in history, with all the social pressures and hardships. This is a very emotional and heartfelt collection. I really can't pick a favourite as liked all the stories for different reasons. I found two of them particularly heartbreaking, 'The Probability of Him', and 'Disengaged'. I loved the almost comical tone to the story, 'Absurd Hunger', which is written about a dark subject. 'Solitary Value' is a wonderful example of how Jen Knox observes human nature and the things that make us all the same. I loved the simplicity of the story, 'Dandelion Ghosts', which has a touching ending. I wondered whether some of the stories are autobiographical. An enthralling collection by a talented writer. Highly recommended

Losing Addison by Marty Beaudet



My review: I was hooked on this story from the start. I find the way it was written fascinating. The author literally dreamt this book, and then wrote it all out from his memory, without editing it. It's just perfect as it is! I heard about Marty Beaudet's experimental writing and, although curious, I didn't have time to go and read the serial as it was developing online. I finally found time to visit the blog and read the free online version when the author had already written 16 chapters. I read the whole thing in one sitting because it was that gripping!
Losing Addison is a psychological thriller exploring schizophrenia and the unexplained bond between twins. It's a story that will have you glued to the page. The suspense is well constructed and made me want to continue reading until I found out what was happening. The story unravels bit by bit, slowly revealing the reasons behind the characters' behaviour. Beaudet drip feeds the information in the most effective way, with flashback scenes and high drama. A wonderfully entertaining story. I'd recommend it to everyone who likes a good suspenseful thriller. And I am thrilled that the author chose to name one of the characters after me! My namesake appears in chapter 13!

Sink or Swim by Stacy Juba



My review: Stacy Juba is skilled at the art of writing a scene and making the reader feel the tension and suspense. When I began reading the book about a young girl, Cassidy Novak, who was a star of a reality show and then becomes concerned about a stalker, I was slightly concerned that 'Sink or Swim' would be just another forgettable run-of-the-mill story. But Juba is a professional. She has the reader right where she wants them, one minute Cassidy is concerned about her stalker, the next we are caught up in a multi-layered mystery where Cassidy is at the centre and I could feel the danger she was in. It's a gripping and enthralling read. At times, I was so engrossed in the book that I wanted to jump inside and save Cassidy... that is how adept Juba is at creating real characters and suspenseful storylines. I highly recommend this read from a rising star in the murder mystery genre.
The story deals with family relationships, the impact of reality shows on people's lives, obsession, love, trust, and of course murder!

The Word Gang by Mark McKenna



Mark McKenna has created a wonderful story based on every author's and reader's first love: the written word. All of the characters in the novel are well developed; we learn about their backgrounds and can sympathise with their flaws. Even the detestable teacher, Mr. Ralston, seems to have a side to him that we can all relate to.
After taking a year off school, without telling her mother, Kalisha Jackson begins to feel guilty and decides to go back to school when the new year begins. She finds herself in Project Restart, a new type of teaching system for students who are deemed to be failing in some way. On her first day, she gets off to a bad start when she turns up late, and her moody teacher, Mr. Ralston, immediately marks her out as a bad seed.

Kalisha quickly makes friends with two fellow students in Project Restart; BD, who lives with his alcoholic father; and Sahmbaht, whose family fled from Cambodia for a better life in America, but have brought their painful memories with them.

After helping out an elderly neighbour, Kalisha is given a gift; a dictionary. She begins to read it and starts learning new words. When she uses one of these unknown words in class one day, her teacher thinks she is trying to be disruptive.

Kalisha and her new friends formulate a plan. They have had enough of being treated as troublemakers through no fault of their own, so they decide to learn as many new and obscure words as possible with the intention of making a mockery of Project Restart and hopefully destroying it.

The ensuing adventure is a fun and engaging read; and also educational as there are many rarely used words contained in the novel. This is the type of book that could encourage teens and young adults to look at language in a different way, and perhaps inspire them to learn more words or even more languages.
The story held my interest all the way through. The elderly neighbour, Mr. Spinoza, is a wonderfully eccentric character, and I liked the interaction between him and Kalisha.

There seems to be is a deeper meaning to this story; all about how anyone can be misunderstood. For example, Kalisha is affected by her parents' divorce. Her teacher, Jack Ralston does not try to find out about reasons why the children in Project Restart might be failing, but labels them as disruptive and undisciplined; he has little patience with them. Meanwhile, Kalisha at such a young age has been helping to keep her family together, bringing up her two young siblings while her mother works the night shift at a hospital to make ends meet. Kalisha also shows her caring side when she first meets old Mr. Spinoza.

The Word Gang is all about how misunderstandings can make problems worse, and that it is best to try a bit harder to see the reasons behind the way people behave before you judge them.
Mark McKenna has somehow managed to get inside the minds of his characters and create realistic, believable people.
A very enjoyable read, highly recommended.

Oblivious by Neil Schiller



My review:
This is a wonderful collection of short stories. I enjoyed the sparse prose, the evocative description, and the fact that although the stories are all about different people, male and female, they could almost merge into one. All the main characters are struggling in some way. The themes of difficult family relationships, addiction, regret, depression, guilt, repeat themselves over and over. Schiller has created real characters; these could be people you pass in the street. Schiller has stripped away the layers that ordinary people use to hide their true circumstances or feelings, and gone beneath to examine and reveal the underbelly of human nature. We are taken right inside the characters' homes, hearts, and minds. Schiller has mastered the art of short story and likes to show off about it too. He has included a one sentence story, `Trapped', and a half a page story, `Half'--both of which are perfect--and the latter is one of my favourites in the collection.

The descriptive prose is fresh and original. An example of his writing, from, `Brand Awareness', a story about a man facing redundancy: "I've squandered six years of my life on this job. More if you count the myriad of spoiled hopes it pulled into the swirling vortex of its black heart. I've commuted over twelve thousand miles; I've missed my daughter's first steps, first words, first school play; I've worked and slept and stressed myself into an isolation around which my wife has built a new life to compensate. And it was all for nothing."

And from, `Sabotage', about a man estranged from his young son. "In the midst of the other families, in the kinetic frenzy and shrill excitement of the afternoon, we are silent and desperate and miserable. A dark stain on the gaiety of life. Two broken pilings of rock in a glinting sea of youthful energy."
There is much more where that came from in this fabulous collection.

This is a book that will give you a fly on the wall look at ordinary lives and the common scars and ties that bind us. It will reveal to you the hidden side of life, the side most people will never reveal, and of which we are usually 'oblivious'.

Highly recommended.

33 Days by Bill See



My review: The story of a 33 day tour by the band Divine Weeks. Bill See, the author, was the lead singer of the L.A. band who enjoyed some notoriety in the `80s.
In this memoir, See has collected together journal entries and memories to create much more than just a tour diary. He documents the tour with a great descriptive narrative that really captures the moment and brings his memories to life. He also talks about his own dysfunctional home life, which in some ways spurred him on to chase his dream.

See is a talented writer, who is able to impart wisdom and knowledge through his prose.

I enjoyed reading about the band's progression from an unknown group who played only weekday gigs in their home town, to a successful band touring nationwide. But this is not just a story about the band's journey, it's also about the individual band members' personal journeys along the way. See's introspective and thought-provoking prose make the book a compulsive and insightful read.
We follow the band on their first real tour, across the US and Canada in 1987, where they play small venues, often to a handful of people. But the band's passion is such that they are determined to do anything to reach their dream of one day becoming real rock stars. They survive with hardly any money and sleep in a van and cheap hotels, or even on friends' floors. There is a lot of humour sprinkled throughout the book which makes it an enjoyable read. I liked the fact that the author has included photographs of memorable parts of the tour and his life in the book. It gives an extra dimension to the story.

As well as being an enthralling tour diary, this book deals with such subjects as family life, alcoholism, racism, dysfunctional families, relationships, friendship, loyalty, and the power of dreams.
Divine Weeks's story is an inspirational one that shows what someone can achieve if they follow their dream. The author captures the essence of the book best, when he says: `This book is for everyone who's stood at their crossroads with a dream screaming inside wondering whether to choose the road that goes off the map or fold up their tent and head back home.'

Highly recommended.

The Cutting Edge by Darcia Helle



My review: From page 1, where Darcia Helle's protagonist introduces herself as Lilly Skye Destiny Summers (LSD Summers -- named by her hippie parents), and then goes on to explain that she is known as Skye, and her husband's surname is Skyler, so she kept her maiden name, I knew that I was going to enjoy this book!
Anyone who has worked in a job where they have to deal with the general public on a daily basis will appreciate the humour in this book.
Skye is a hairdresser and begins to have fantasies about killing her clients. She has reached the stage where she no longer enjoys her job and her clients irritate her. On top of that her husband's ex is causing problems. Skye wants her dead.
At the same time as Skye is having these murderous thoughts, there is a serial killer loose in town. He is killing women, seemingly randomly, no one is safe.
The book is written in the first person where Skye is narrating her daily life, and then in the third person where we follow the 'Mass Avenger', the serial killer, as he takes revenge on women for the way his mother treated him. He believes women use their 'power' to break men down. He sees something different in Skye, though. He is one of her clients. He becomes obsessed with her but does not want to kill her. He has other plans.
This is a murder mystery which you will not want to put down. Helle has written an entertaining, psychological thriller. One minute you will be laughing at Skye's wild thoughts, the next you will be on the edge of your seat wondering about the fate of the women abducted by the Mass Avenger. There is some violence in the book, prepare to be shocked. Also, prepare to be amazed by Helle's skill at crafting a book that hooks you from the first page, keeps you captive to the very last, and leaves you feeling awestruck.
This book reminds us how daily toils can turn us into someone we don't like, and that we should be careful what we wish for...

Those are just a few of the great books I've read this year. I hope you'll find one that will stand out as an ideal gift for someone you know.

I am thrilled and excited that Coincidences has been nominated in the Best Mystery/Suspense category in the "eFestival of Words - Best of the Independent eBook Awards."

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This was completely unexpected as I have never heard of this website, but I am so happy to have been nominated. The best thing about it is that I have read quite a few of the books that have been nominated in the various categories and they are among my favourite indie books! That makes me even more honoured to be a part of this event.

Among the nominees are the following books that I have read and enjoyed, You Wish... by Terry Tyler, Rock'n'Roll Suicide by Geoffrey D. West, The Dating Game by Susan Buchanan, The Shelter by James Everington, Oblivious by Neil Schiller, The Blues Detective by Andrew Peters, The Funny Adventures of Little Nani, by Cinta Garcia de la Rosa, Shadows of the Realm by Dionne Lister, 33 Days: Touring In A Van. Sleeping On Floors. Chasing A Dream. by Bill See, Adventures in Mother-Sitting by Doreen Cox, Metallic Dreams by Mark Rice, A Poet's Journey: Emotions by Marta Moran Bishop.


All of those books are fabulous, and I'd recommend them, so it's lovely to see "Coincidences" in amongst them.

You can see a full list of the nominated books here: http://bardsandsages.com/juliedawson/...

Or, if you prefer to see a list on a video, you can watch it on YouTube, here: http://youtu.be/R5Iarf4QgYo

The finalists will be announced on July 1, 2013. Winners will be selected through public vote at the festival site and announced during this year’s festival, scheduled for August 23-25th.

If any of your favourite independent books are listed in the Awards, make sure you support the authors by joining in with the public vote when that is announced on the site.

Congratulations to all my fellow nominees, and a big THANK YOU to the organisers of the event for showing some love to hard working independent authors!

It's Read an Ebook Week on Smashwords.com. You can find loads of great books by independent authors at half price or less. There are lots of free books too.

All my listed books are half price on Smashwords this week. You can get 50% off using code REW50 at the checkout.

I haven't had time to upload "3" or "Delusion and Dreams" to that site yet, so I've reduced the Kindle price on Amazon to 99c for this week only.

Here are the links you'll need:

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/vie...

Amazon:

Delusion and Dreams: http://www.amazon.com/Delusion-and-Dr...

3: http://www.amazon.com/3-Maria-Savva-e...

Happy Reading!