Maria Savva's Blog - Posts Tagged "paul-mansfield-keefe"

In the past couple of years I have read some fabulous books by authors you may not have heard of.

There are lots of good books out there, and before I joined Goodreads, I really only read books by well known authors, or books I could find in my local bookshops.

Many of you may still do that. Maybe you only buy the bestsellers or you only buy books you can find in bricks and mortar shops. I think most people are probably like that.

I just wanted to open up a window for you, and introduce you to some fabulous writers who are not bestsellers, their books are not easy to find in your local shops, but their books are some of the best I have ever read.

Here are a few recommendations.

I hope you will pick at least one from this list to try. Then, if you like it, I hope you'll come back and read another.
And most of all, I hope you'll tell all your friends about them.

Books are written because there is a story to tell, that story deserves to be read.

I've fallen in love with these books, and I hope you will too:

Breathing into Stone Breathing into Stone by Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick

Eighteenth century priest, Father Furio Novia, hates his employer, the Archbishop of Modena; almost as much as he hates Italian master sculptor, Antonio Lisi. When Novia discovers that Lisi uses his beautiful daughter's likeness in nearly every figure he carves, the priest realizes he can make accusations to the Archbishop that the sculptor has an incestuous knowledge of his daughter, Anoria. Novia begins to haunt their lives, and every family in their village of Resceto, not because he believes they have sinned, but because he desires Anoria for himself.For two years their lives twined around one another's, destined to clash in Rome; Novia, committing murder to stay free of the church; Anoria, nearly killing him to escape his lust.(some adult oriented content)

The Day the Flowers Died The Day The Flowers Died by Ami Blackwelder

A Passion set in the time of prejudice. A novel about love and loss. The completed final edition. 1930 Munich. Two Lovers. Different Worlds. A Crumbling Country Book Taste Review: Ami Blackwelder paints her words in this gently narrated historical romance set in Munich, Germany early 1930. The scenes recreate pre-war Germany...

Pixels of Young Mueller Pixels of Young Mueller by Jerry Schwartz

Klaus Mueller dreams of leaving tiny Southland someday to be a rock star. When he chooses stardom over college, however, he learns that his real education is only beginning. He endures a series of god-awful jobs while his music is repeatedly rejected, and he wonders how he will ever achieve success. After moving to the city, where he finds a career and becomes a father, he is torn between the great happiness he has found and the success he still craves. Klaus must reconcile his dreams with reality or spend the rest of his life lamenting what might have been.Pixels of Young Mueller is the story of an artist's growth to maturity and of his revolt against his family's Christian values. The tale of Klaus Mueller, as told in this modern coming-of-age novel, provides new perspectives on classic themes when Klaus confronts the forces that threaten his existence. Readers can listen to Klaus' music online at itsthejerrys.com. (edited by author)

Musical Chairs Musical Chairs by Jen Knox

Musical Chairs explores one family's history of mental health diagnoses and searches to define the cusp between a '90s working-class childhood and the trouble of adapting to a comfortable life in the suburbs. In order to understand her restlessness, Jennifer reflects on years of strip-dancing, alcoholism, and estrangement. Inspired by the least likely source, the family she left behind, Jennifer struggles towards reconciliation. This story is about identity, class, family ties, and the elusive nature of mental illness.


Horse Latitudes Horse Latitudes by Quentin R. Bufogle

Time is running out for Chester Sprockett. How is an unemployed, aspiring novelist supposed to survive when the thirty grand borrowed off his dead father's credit cards is almost gone, and the only work he can find is hawking toys and cheesy novelty items door-to-door . . . on commission yet?

And talk about woman trouble: There's Pandora, the beautiful magician's assistant who dumped him for an investment banker and the dream of becoming a performance artist; Beth, his true love, the girl he let slip through his fingers at the beach (maybe it was all that baby oil) and the mysterious blond nymph who hurls empty beer bottles at him from a black Z28 Camaro.

If it wasn't for the occasional visit from the ghost of his father, Chester would almost certainly be losing his grip on reality, and never navigate his way out of the . . . Horse Latitudes.


Caviar Dreams Caviar Dreams by Judy Nichols

Your best friend's in love with a lying, scum-bag thief. How do you tell her? Because what she doesn't know could kill her. This is photographer Lisa Watson's dilemma. Lisa has always relied on her plain, overweight friend Debbie to cheer her up when she's down on her luck (which is most of the time). When Debbie falls hard for a handsome stranger named Derek. Lisa is skeptical, believing Prince Charming is more interested in Debbie's money than her kind nature. Derek may be a small-time hustler, but he has big-time plans. He intends to blackmail his wealthy lover, Robert Helton, a conservative industrialist desperate to hide his secret gay life. However, Derek's plan takes a fatal turn when Debbie is found dead in her apartment.


Harmony Bay: An adventurous slice of waterfront life where mystery surrounds history... Harmony Bay by Tom Gahan

Harmony Bay uncovers the rich historical past of a small town through the eyes of newcomers...Detailed description laced with historical references gives the reader a feel for life in a bayside town

Enemies and Playmates Enemies and Playmates by Darcia Helle

When the abused decide to fight back, the abuser's world might just shatter. Lauren Covington's family maintains a grand facade that belies the life they live behind closed doors. Alex Covington, Lauren's father, keeps a tight rein on his family through dominance, abuse, and obsessive control. Consequently, Lauren doesn't believe she could ever trust a man, much less fall in love with one.

When Lauren meets Jesse Ryder, her carefully constructed protective wall shatters. She falls hopelessly and completely in love. It's only fitting that Jesse is a private detective who had once worked for her father, had defied him, and was now the subject of Alex Covington's wrath.

Amidst devastating loss, betrayal, and her father's destructive pursuit of Jesse, Lauren finds the trust and love she had always longed for.

Digger's Bones Digger's Bones by Paul Mansfield Keefe

Archaeologist Angie Cooper's colleague and friend, Tarek "Digger" Rashid, is murdered in front of her. But not before giving her cryptic photographic clues to a hidden tomb and the two thousand year old bones within. Angie must battle a ruthless hitman, hired by a U.S. senator with presidential aspirations, and a sociopathic religious zealot while overcoming severe acrophobia. Caught in a web of lies, deceit, and betrayal, she works to unravel the secret of Digger's bones. Bones that affect the lives of all they touch.

Digger’s Bones is an action packed thriller that takes you from the churches and burial tombs of ancient Jerusalem to the harrowing cliffs of Bandelier National Monument and the glacier capped Zugspitze in Germany. Angie Cooper, her career in shambles, finds herself on the run from mercenaries, the Holy See, the FBI, and Interpol while trying to solve one of archaeology’s great mysteries. Yet some things are better left in the past.

Twenty-Five Years Ago Today Twenty-Five Years Ago Today by Stacy Juba

Kris Langley has always been obsessed with murder. She blames herself for the violent death of her cousin when they were kids and has let guilt invade every corner of her existence. Now an editorial assistant and obit writer for a Massachusetts newspaper, Kris stumbles across an unsolved murder while compiling "25 Years Ago Today" items from the microfilm. She grows fascinated with the case of a young cocktail waitress who was bludgeoned to death and dumped in the woods. Determined to solve the case and atone for the death of her cousin, Kris immerses herself in the mystery of what happened to Diana Ferguson, a talented artist who expressed herself through haunting paintings of Greek mythology. Not only does Kris face resistance from her family and her managing editor, she also clashes with Diana's suspicious nephew, Eric Soares - until neither she nor Eric can deny the chemistry flaring between them. Kris soon learns that old news never leaves the morgue and that yesterday's headline is tomorrow's danger, for finding out the truth about that night twenty-five years ago may shatter Kris's present, costing her love, her career, and ultimately, her life.

My Schizophrenic Life: The Road to Recovery from Mental Illness My Schizophrenic Life by Sandra Yuen MacKay

Vancouver artist Sandra Yuen MacKay has an abnormality of the brain - a disease called schizophrenia. As she says, "my life is schizophrenic because I have schizophrenia. It will always be there". Much of her life has been a struggle to cope with the symptoms of her disease and the side effects of the medications required to keep those symptoms in check.

Early in her life, Sandra started to exhibit the typical symptoms of this disease which came as a surprise to her unsuspecting family. Her book chronicles her struggles, hospitalizations, encounters with professionals, return to school, eventual marriage, and success as an artist, writer and advocate.

Fade Fade by Darren Smith

"Perhaps the best way to describe just how much this book caught my imagination is to reveal that even almost a year after reading it, there are still scenes that I remember vividly, quotations that I can recall and to confess that I will never think of doughnuts with sprinkles in the same way again."

"Brilliantly written love story captures your thoughts and emotions throughout the whole reading and long after it. The lucid and detailed narration provides multi layered complexity of each character's personality, startling revelations, creative turns of the plot."

"Dramatic and touching, the author does a brilliant job of capturing the reader's attention and reeling them into the depths of his story telling."

What Remains What Remains, by Rosemary Poole Carter

WHAT REMAINS is set on a rundown plantation shortly after the Civil War. In the shadow of live oaks and Spanish moss, Isabelle Ross, who has lost her fiancé to the war, joins forces with journalist Paul Delahoussaye to untangle a web of secrets, lies, and murder.

Road Markers Road Markers by Jason C McIntyre

Dean is a forty-something sales rep for a company that ropes small, mostly blue-collar firms into long term cellphone plans. Heading home from a bad meeting, he begins to see evidence that he can will things to happen just by thinking about them. But will this tantalizing realization lead him to cross the line for good?

* * *

Most of these writers have written more books, and I'm looking forward to reading more of their work.

Give them a try.

Remember, if you like a book, remember to review it, either here on Goodreads, or on Amazon and other bookseller websites. Authors are always grateful for honest reviews. It doesn't have to be anything detailed, just a couple of lines to say why you liked it would be wonderful.

Happy reading!

Today, I would like to introduce you to the very talented, Paul Mansfield Keefe.

I met Paul a few months ago, on BestsellerBound, a message board where indie authors can chat to readers. (I'm a resident author on the board). We have since become very good online friends.

I recently had the pleasure of reading Paul's debut novelDigger's Bones as a reviewer for Bookpleasures. You can see my review here: Review of Digger's Bones on Bookpleasures.com

I really enjoyed the book and can tell that Paul is an author to look out for in the future. It is rare that a debut novel is so well written, and I must say I was very impressed. Paul has a way of describing an action scene so that you feel as if you are actually there. His thriller, Digger's Bones, is a must read.

As well as agreeing to take part in an interview today, Paul has very kindly offered a special discount voucher to all my blog readers, so you can get your hands on a copy of the book for just $2.99. Don't miss it! More details about this are at the end of the interview.

Here are Paul's replies to a few interview questions I set him:

Is there a particular author, or book, that inspired you to start writing?
My inspiration really came from working on an animated sci-fi movie script. I had decided that I had far more to write than could be encompassed in a movie so I began writing a novel. I started writing my thriller, Digger’s Bones, after reading The Jesus Thief by J. R. Lankford, which was a very enjoyable read. Angie Cooper came to me mostly formed and I knew it was the story I needed to write.

When did you first discover your love of writing?
When I was in high school I wrote a lot of poetry and I truly loved it. However, like many people in life, I moved away from writing for many years. Now that I’ve found it again I wonder how I could have ever stopped, I’m obsessed with filling empty paper with words; even if it is electronic paper.

Your debut novel, Digger’s Bones, is a thriller dealing with subjects including archaeology and the history of religion.  How much research did you have to do and how long did it take you to write the book?
I did tons of research. Every church mentioned, every religious doctrine, every location around the world, had to be extensively researched. The last thing I wanted was for someone to say, “Boy, did you get that wrong!” I collected photos, multimedia CDROMs, read up on archaeology as much as possible, and of course consulted everyone’s favorite, Wikipedia.

It took me about two years to finish the manuscript. A lot of that time was spent working out an intricate plot and ensuring it played well with the characters. Of course, I also work full-time so that made the overall development time a bit longer.

Have you ever visited the holy lands described in the book?  As a reader, I was impressed by how detailed the description of the places was.
I’ve visited some, but not all, of the places in the book. I once lived in Virginia and worked in the Russell Senate Office Building and spent time visiting the different Smithsonian buildings. I spent time up on Bandelier looking over the ground Angie did in the novel, and the same for the Zugspitze in Germany. However, I haven’t been to the Holy Land. So, now you know the reason for the painstaking research. And let me add that I’m now dying to go!

You have been getting some great reviews for Diggers Bones.  One thing I noticed, and I think was also mentioned by another reviewer, is that you have really managed to somehow get into the mind of a female character.  Angie Cooper, the main character is very believable and she seems to think and feel just like a woman.  Was it hard for you as a man to write from a woman’s perspective?
It was important to the story that Angie be an “every woman” and not an embittered, whiskey drinking, overly masculine, female stereotype. Not that they don’t have their place in thrillers, a hard-boiled female detective can be a great character. But Angie is an innocent caught up in a powerful drama that she didn’t create. So, I set out from the start to make her believable as an ordinary person.

I grew up around many strong women, my sisters and my mother, and so I was exposed to non-stereotypical women early in life. Not thinking of women as being the “weaker” sex allowed me to better portray a woman’s perspective and emotions. Still, the first go-round a couple of woman said they didn’t “get” Angie and I had to figure out what was missing from her personality. That turned out to be a nurturing spirit and Madie was added to help round out Angie and that really seemed to do the trick.

I understand that Digger’s Bones is the first in a series, can you tell us a bit more about your plans for the series?
I can tell you that I’ve had three books planned out for some time and I am currently working on the second. I can also tell you that as long as Angie finds ways to get into, and out of, trouble, I’ll be writing about her. The last thing I can say without spoiling much—any reader of my first novel can attest to the fact that it is difficult to talk about without giving something away—is that the settings will be completely different from the first book. Yes, I have my research cut out for me.

Do you have any tips for someone who is considering self-publishing their own book?
Absolutely. First and foremost, do it. Don’t worry about the difficulties involved, they are minimal. Start with Amazon.com and BarnesAndNoble.com and create eBooks for the Kindle and Nook. Next, go to CreateSpace.com and make a print version. CreateSpace is a part of Amazon so you can link your two books together on Amazon and they will also get linked on Barnes and Noble. Finally, take a deep breath and hold on tight.

Who are your favourite authors and what is it about their writing that you like?
Growing up I read a lot of sci-fi and fantasy such as Frank Herbert’s Dune and the Adept series by Piers Anthony, because the settings amazed me. As an adult I read a lot of David Baldacci for his character development and great plots. Lately I’ve been enjoying John Connolly because of his fluid and descriptive writing style. I like the fact that he can pull that off without getting too flowery. You may have noticed that Angie reads a Sue Grafton novel in Digger’s Bones and you would be right in thinking she is another of my favorites. The last I’d like to mention is the late, great Tony Hillerman. I believe I’ve read all of his novels but I keep hoping there is one I missed so I can revisit Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn one last time.

Is there a book you own that you’ve read more than once?
Speaking of Tony Hillerman, I read a couple of his more than once—the first that springs to mind is Skinwalkers, a great novel. I also read Dune more than once as a kid.

What was the last book you read?
Right now I’m reading several at once, a somewhat bad habit of mine. The last novel I finished was by the brilliant Maria Savva, A Time To Tell. I have to say, it was a pleasure to read and even greater pleasure to get to know the author.

Thank you, Paul :)

Are you reading a book at the moment?
I’m reading several as mentioned above. One that would be of interest to lovers of the sci-fi genre is Jaleta Clegg’s Nexus Point; I’m really enjoying it. Even though the characters are young adults the book could easily be read by YA readers as well. It kind of reminds me of a Michael Crichton novel.

What do you think of ebooks?
I love them. Not that I don’t like the feel and smell of the printed page, I really do. Yet I find the convenience of eBooks, especially carrying a library around with me in my Kindle, to be quite compelling. There’s no doubt that they’re here to stay and every author should address them as a means to greater readership.

How important are reviews for you as a writer?
It’s hard to say. I had a couple of bad reviews in the beginning because I, stupidly, posted a mainly unedited version of my book accidentally. Once I righted that, the reviews got better but I can’t say that sales were directly affected. I suppose if they had all been bad it would have had a negative effect, but the reverse hasn’t proven itself out.

How did you go about choosing a cover for your book?
I created the cover art myself because I had several ideas I wanted to try out. I ended up with a skull set in a sort of blended out earthy background to make it sort of pop off the shelf. Yet, I worry that too many see the cover and assume it’s some sort of horror novel. I guess that’s why publishers have marketing departments.

What are you working on now?
Book two in the Angie Cooper Series. The one great piece of positive feedback I’ve heard more than anything else is, “When’s the next book coming out?” Readers really want to know what’s going to happen to Angie next. And I’m not going to let them down.

Where can people buy your book?
It’s available in print at:
CreateSpace
Amazon.com
Barnes and Noble

For the Kindle:
Amazon.com

For the Nook:
Barnes and Noble

As an iBook For iPad, iPhone, and iPod (available in the iBookstore):
iBookstore

For the Sony Reader:
Sony

For all eReaders at Smashwords:
Smashwords

Do you have your own website or blog where people can read more about your work?
Any of these URLs will lead to my blog with more info on the book, including some review clips.
DiggersBones.com
PaulKeefe.com
PaulMansfieldKeefe.com

Is there anything else you would like to add?
Yes, I would like to give a special promotional offer to all readers of the Maria Savva Goodreads blog.
From now until March 31, 2011 get Digger’s Bones as an eBook for only $2.99 at Smashwords using the coupon code: TT55Q.
That’s $4 bucks off, so if you’ve been thinking of checking out the adventures of Angie Cooper, now’s the time!

Thank you, Paul, for answering my questions. I wish you every success with your books.

Last week was a great one for writers and readers, with World Book Day, and now it's Read an Ebook Week! From 6th March - 12th March 2011


Here are a few reading suggestions from me:

Firstly, my own Amazon kindle books :) 'Cutting The Fat', 'Pieces of a Rainbow', and 'Love and Loyalty' are currently only $0.99/£0.70!! My novels are just $2.99/£2.20. I would love it if you'd try one of my books this week!

Remember, you don't have to own an ereader to read kindle books. Amazon.com have free apps for iphone, ipad, pc, mac, blackberry and android, so you can read the books wherever or how ever you like!











Here are a few more suggestions, either books I've read and loved, or books I'm looking forward to reading, by some of my favourite authors!























Many authors are reducing the price of their books for Read an Ebook Week, so keep an eye out for free ebooks and discount codes.

A great website to check out for free/discounted ebooks is Smashwords.com

I hope all of you will read an ebook this week!! :)

That got your attention, didn't it? Well, I haven't won the Man Booker Prize for fiction... yet ;)



I have been awarded the "The Irresistibly Sweet Blog" Award, by my fellow author and blogger, the awesomely talented Jason McIntyre

Thank you, Jason, that's very "sweet" of you :)

The rules for accepting the award are as follows:

1) Thank and link to the person that nominated you.
2) Share 7 random facts about yourself.
3) Pass the award to 15 of your blogging buddies.
4) Notify the recipients.

Here's where you can find Jason's blog
I would highly recommend it as a very entertaining place to visit on the world wide web.

7 Random facts about me...

1. I am no good at writing lists of facts about me
2. I'm currently putting the final edits on my soon to be released novel, 'The Dream'
3. I like heavy metal music
4. I once acted as a defence lawyer for a celebrity's brother when I was a criminal solicitor, and met the said celebrity's mother (sorry, can't disclose who it was... client confidentiality)
5. Babies always seem to like me for some reason
6. I can knit
7. I can't swim


Here (in no particular order) are 15 more wonderful blogs I would recommend:

Darcia Helle -- A Word Please

Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick -- The Tale is The Thing

Lisette Brodey -- Molly Hacker

Neil Schiller

The Secret Writer

Julie Elizabeth Powell

Quentin R. Bufogle

Ann Mauren

Catherine Rose

Stacy Juba

Jen Knox

Paul Mansfield Keefe

Marty Beaudet -- By A Thread

Susan Helene Gottfried -- West Of Mars

Notes from an Alien

I've just been told that Lulu.com have a site wide sale at the moment (through 7th October 2011). If you're in the UK and purchase any books through that site, just use the coupon code: TANGOUK305 and you'll get 15% of any order (save up to £200)!
If you're in the mood to shop, you can get 20% off any purchase over £200 by using code: DANCEUK305






If you check out my author spotlight, you'll see that most of my books are on sale at the moment (up to 40% off!). You can take the extra 15% off the discounted price. I hope this will entice more of you to shop at Lulu. It really is a great site where many independent authors publish their books. I have found many of my favourite books there :)

Here's a link to my book page at Lulu:

Maria Savva: Author Spotlight

I would also like to recommend the following Lulu.com authors to you:

Julie Elizabeth Powell

Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick

Ami Blackwelder

Bill See

Scott M. Liddell

Paul Mansfield Keefe

Susan Helene Gottfried

Mark Rice

Jess C. Scott

Alex Sumner

Happy browsing, shopping, and reading!!