Elizabeth Horton-Newton's Blog

Next Chapter Con
Saturday, September 7, 2019,
at 10 AM – 4 PM EDT
The Colonnade
264 Catoosa Cir, Ringgold, Georgia 30736

Come out and say hi!

October 12th through October 14th I will be joining them at the Rocky Top Craft and Vendor Show event at the Knoxville Expo Center, 5441 Clinton Highway, Knoxville, Tennessee. I will be signing books and meeting with readers. Other books from the Dragonfly Books catalog will be available as well. I look forward to meeting you there!

Researching gypsy legends for my new release, Stolen Gypsy, I came across two I found particularly interesting. Both are related to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, but present differing tales of Gypsy involvement.

Gypsies were known as blacksmiths and coppersmiths in earlier times. It has been told that a blacksmith was commissioned to make the nails that would be used to crucify Christ. Because of this, gypsies were condemned to wander the earth for eternity, never settling in one place.

More fascinating are the other versions. In this telling, God visits the gypsy blacksmith in a dream. Although he was instructed by the Romans to make four nails, but provide only three for the crucifixion. The fourth nail was intended to pierce Christ’s heart. In return for doing as God requested, gypsies were granted the freedom to travel the earth as well as the right to steal from non-Romani’s without breaking the seventh commandment which forbids stealing.

The second version is sometimes adapted. In this one, there are four nails, but a golden one has been fashioned to be driven into Christ’s head. A gypsy boy steals the fourth nail, thereby saving Jesus from death and facilitating the resurrection. Because of his actions, gypsies are granted the freedom to steal without repercussions.

Research by authors can often reveal little-known stories or facts that can be integrated into books. I hope you enjoy these legends and my book, Stolen Gypsy.

Would you like to add a signed copy of "Riddle" to your bookshelf? How about a Kindle copy to take on vacation? Check out the Rafflecopter on my Author Page beginning June 27th to enter. http://www.elizabethhorton-newtonauth...

On Sunday June 21, 2015 I launched my second book, “Riddle”. She “weighed” in at a whopping 326 pages. That’s quite a bit larger than her older sister, “View From the Sixth Floor: An Oswald Tale” who was a tiny 212 pages. I hope older sister won’t feel too threatened by “Riddle”; after all “View” has 48 reviews already and has a delightful 4.5-star rating overall. Not too shabby for a first born.
But more about “Riddle”; she has some things to offer that her older sister doesn’t, besides her larger size. The protagonists in “Riddle” are much younger, in their twenties, which makes them a bit livelier. (Although Bill and Olivia certainly showed the world that couples in their sixties and seventies can still act like “twenty-year olds”.) Similar to “View”, Kort Eriksen has been accused and convicted of murder. Grace Donahue, the new girl temporarily in the town of Riddle, believes in him. Unlike “View” there are more murders; a lot more murders. The plot twists and turns and as new characters are introduced, suspicion will undoubtedly shift from one to another.
The subplot of this book also addresses an injustice. You see, Kort, a First Nations (Native American), was illegally adopted by a couple who turned out to be abusive. He is never accepted in Riddle due to his heritage. This is actually something that has happened to many First Nations children. In fact I address this in the forward to the book.
The developing relationship between Kort and Grace has a few twists of its own. Of course there are others in the town as well. There are enough players to make you wonder who is a bad guy and who is a good guy. But there are not so many you lose track. Just when you think you have it all figured out, well, bingo. Here you go again!
I hope you will check out “Riddle”. I know you will find it entertaining and exciting. If you enjoy a good mystery thriller with enough romance thrown in to make you tingle, then this is the book for you.
Check out the trailer to get a real feel for the story and the characters. They are waiting for you in “Riddle”. Step into town and meet them. But be careful, not everyone is what he or she seems to be.

Cover Design: Rachel Bostwick

On June 21, 2015 the new novel “Riddle” will be released on Amazon and Createspace. This romantic and sexy thriller is the second book to be published by Elizabeth Horton-Newton.
To celebrate the birth of this book, an event is planned on Facebook that will include author giveaways, contests, and other authors discussing their books.
If you are an author and you would like to have a 30 minute block between 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM ET to talk about your book please e-mail me what time you would like. If you would like to do a giveaway as well let me know the title of your book and what format you are offering.
If you are a reader come on by and check out what these really great Indie Authors have going on. There will be giveaways with books from all genres, not just romantic thrillers. Of course if you enjoy a sexy and sometimes grisly book then “Riddle” should be in your library or on your e-reader.
This is a good way to promote your book, too! As an added incentive I will be happy to give an e-copy of my book to any author who would like one and is participating.
11301411_10202619026276503_1786651884_n Graphic: Anita Kovacevic
https://www.facebook.com/events/16395...
https://www.facebook.com/Riddlenovel

(Cover design: Rachel Bostwick)

Some of the books up for grabs in the giveaways are:

1 Signed copy of “Riddle” by Elizabeth Horton-Newton
2 Kindle copies of “Riddle” by Elizabeth Horton-Newton
1 Prize Package of both “Riddle” and “View From the Sixth Floor: An Oswald Tale” signed by Elizabeth Horton-Newton


1. “Aria” Geoff Nelder MOBI
2. “One Sixth of a Gill” Jean Gill PDF
3. “Murder Most Rural” Charlie Flowers
4. “The Call and The Shift” Authors Cut Michelle Medhat PDF
5. “Manna for Heaven” Bindi Workman PDF
6. “The Railroad” Neil Newton PDF or MOBI
7. “The Railroad” Neil Newton signed paperback copy
8. “The Zebra Affaire” Mark Fine MOBI

More prizes will added as the day of the event gets closer.

Elizabeth Horton-Newton5 Stars “A wonderful story of love, suspense and what might have been!
ByMrs Michelle Nora Medhaton May 2, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition

A View from the Sixth Floor is an amazing read. It starts out a story about loving, kind people in their twilight years, looking out and caring for one another, but accelerates rapidly into an incredibly adrenalin-fuelled ride that one could never have imagined these characters embarking on in the first few pages of easy going, homespun delight. These characters – Olivia and Bill – are wonderful to read. Through the superb writing talent of Elizabeth Horton-Newton their lives leap from the page and captivate you; engross you, so that you know not what is even around you. I really was rooting for Olivia from the beginning. I warmed to her instantly. Olivia was introduced with a touching gentleness. A proud grandmother, dedicated mother, caring friend and wonderful woman in one. But something also defined Olivia, in every word she said, every action delivered, Olivia showed unfaltering determination. Nothing could make her waver. In the beginning this determination was seen as her being a sturdy and reliable homemaker, but when the tension racked up and the chips were against her, that determination flooded back anew. Facing down shadowy G-Men, handling the press, managing friends and family during a crisis or even facing the inevitable with her lover, that determination to win is imbued in Olivia from head to toe. Feisty and formidable, Horton-Newton has crafted in Olivia a character that forces you to love her whatever she’s doing. And what she gets up to in this book is truly astonishing for someone who is just embracing the big six-O. In fact it would be astonishing for someone half her age. It is strange, despite the fact that Bill and Olivia are elderly, their adventures make you forget their ages completely.

Much has been written about the JFK assassination, but this is the first book I’ve read to take you into a multiverse of possibilities, with a skin tingling everlasting unto eternity love story that wraps around the espionage and conspiracy like a tightly fitted glove. A glove that fits perfectly. At the heart of it, View from the Sixth Floor is a story of secrets. How everyday people are not what they seem, how we all have a secret we’ll never share and how a secret love can grow and grow until it encapsulates everything, giving hope to the impossible. I highly recommend A View from the Sixth Floor for anyone who wants to feel humanity in a heart-warming tale of true love, courage and a determination. Wonderful!”
http://amzn.to/1xm97s3View From the Sixth Floor:

Forward
It was difficult for me to believe a child could be removed from his family and culture without repercussions in the 20th century. However this has, in fact, happened. Most horrifying it happened in the United States of America, “land of the free, home of the brave”.
Prior to 1978 and the enactment of something called the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) aboriginal children were removed from their families and put into foster care or adopted to non-native families with the mistaken belief this would improve their lives. If this had happened to any other group of people the hue and cry raised would have been resounding. Instead it was encouraged.
In the past Native American children were removed from their homes and families by the thousands. Away from their tribes they became rootless, forgetting their cultures and traditions. Many of these children were placed in boarding schools operated by non-native groups. Instead of improving their lives hundreds were abused. The Bureau of Indian Affairs was often responsible for the removals. Some religious groups also stepped up to “save” these children and provide them with better lives. By the 1970’s in the US about five thousand aboriginal children were living in Mormon homes. Deemed by social workers to be “in the best interest of the child” these removals were carried out with state approval.
In 1978 Congress passed the Indian Child Welfare Act. This was supposed to keep native families intact or at least keep them with some relative or in their tribe. As recently as 2011 up to thirty-two states were not complying with the law and aboriginal children were taken from homes citing such circumstances as neglect. Placed in situations where they may be physically or even sexually abused they lose touch with their roots possibly even feeling abandoned.
Needless to say Congress was ineffective in stemming the tide of legalized abduction. Native children placed in white homes and communities do not assimilate easily nor should they have to. With family and tribal members willing and able to care for and raise the children the injustice to the aboriginal communities is egregious.
While this book is a romantic thriller there is something to be learned from Kort Eriksen’s experiences. Based on the stories I’ve heard from those who were “lost” children; children ripped from families and communities, I built Kort’s world. As you read this book I hope you will think about the system that works against aboriginal youth in America. Every child has the right to know where he comes from. If a responsible and caring family member or community member is available to take on the responsibility of raising the child every effort should be made to see that solution realized.

View From the Sixth Floor:
March 2015 is National Reading Month. In honor of this I have decided to do two giveaways. One is for those who have read my book “View From the Sixth Floor: An Oswald Tale” and the other is for those who want to read the book.
people reading

1) For those who have read the book and would like to have an autographed copy send me five of your favorite quotes from the book. Put them in the comments section along with your e-mail address and I will add your name to the jar. (Yes there will really be a jar! I will post photos as it fills.) The winner will be chosen at random and I will e-mail you for your address. Contest ends March 31, 2015 at midnight EST.

2) For those who have NOT read the book and would like to have either a signed copy or a Kindle copy send me five reasons you want to read this book. Put the reasons in the comment section of this post along with your e-mail address and I will add your name to a different jar. (Yes ANOTHER jar!) The winner will be chosen at random and I will e-mail you for your desired format and contact info. Contest ends March 31, 2015 at midnight EST.

Is there a catch? Yes and no. I would greatly appreciate your review of the book if you win. Obviously this is a request and I’m not asking for a contract signed in blood. Please keep in mind that indie writers rely on their reviews to get the word out about their books. Of course I am taking a chance here; you might not like my book. But I’m betting you will. It’s a real suspense filled thriller with just enough romance to tickle anyone’s fancy.

In order to whet your appetite I am adding an excerpt from the book.

Excerpt from “View From the Sixth Floor: An Oswald Tale”
“Olivia, I don’t want you to think I was snooping. Last night when I looked through your luggage for your pajamas I… why do you have a gun?”
That was certainly not a question I’d anticipated and I had to laugh “Oh that! George bought that for us years ago. Normally I keep it in a gun safe. With all the strange things that have been happening I was afraid someone might break in and steal it so I stuck it in my suitcase. It’s perfectly legal.”
Bill looked concerned. “So you have a permit to carry?”
That puzzled me. I knew we had a license and I brought it with me. I explained that to Bill but he still looked worried. “To be honest I’m not really comfortable with having it around and I wish you had mentioned it before we left. If we were stopped by the authorities for any reason and they found it there might be questions.”
I was very confused by his attitude. “But I can show them the license and explain why I brought it. They would understand. I mean seriously Bill, what would two old people do with a handgun, rob a bank?” I started to laugh but Bill’s expression had not changed and he went back into the kitchen. I watched as he started to make a pot of coffee trying to understand why something as silly as having a gun in my luggage was causing such a big problem.”

As an added persuasion here are excerpts of some of my reviews:
“What starts as a weird hybrid of middle-aged romance cum road trip, turns into a paranoid thriller in the style of The Parallax View, and gets faster and faster to a breathless denouement.”
“An exciting tale will keep you in suspense and not able to put the book down til last page!”
“It was a good read, put quite a different perspective on the events of that fateful day.”
“This is a well plotted story of suspense and intrigue…”
“I still found this story thought provoking…”
“This was a very clever tale filled with twists and turns that you think you are able to predict, but you somehow come up short each time.”
“I literally could not put the book down.”
“View from the sixth floor was an excellent book and hard to put down!! I loved all the what ifs it put in my head.”
“It’s a genre I wouldn’t normally go for, and the power of the writing here is good enough to make me feel like I’ve been missing out – an impressive accomplishment.”
“I would recommend this as a cozy but intelligent read, difficult to put down once started.”
“IMAGINATIVE, CREATIVE OPTION!”
“A well written. mysterious and original story that peaks the readers imagination as well as presenting a whole different slant on an age old mystery.”
“Amazing read!”
“A Novel Ripe with Life and the Question of What Might Have Been”
“I read the book in one day because the twists and turns in the story made it hard for me to put the book down!”
“This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. I just couldn’t put this one down!”
“A terrific read, and would make a great movie!”
“That’s what writing is all about–entertain me and keep me. She did it perfectly.”
“It grabbed me in the beginning with her smart prose and kept me reading until I couldn’t see the page and had to stop to rest my eyes.”
“I think you’ll find the book hard to put down after the first third. The length is just right and the climax suitably convoluted to satisfy, while the pacing toward the end never misses a beat.”
“The trip is thrilling and suspenseful, as reported above—a masterpiece.”

http://amzn.to/1xm97s3

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Elizab...

https://www.facebook.com/LeeOswaldView

Indie Author Interview – Wolf Schimanski
JANUARY 29, 2015 / LIZZI NEWTON / EDIT
wolf
My first Indie Author Interview is with Wolf Schimanski author of “Meter of Deception” and “Meter of Corruption” the first two books in a series of three. The stories center on four friends who live in Toronto, Jon-Erik, Joey, Angel, and Tina along with an assortment of good guys and villains. Filled with action, these books are an homage to his literary heroes.

Good evening Wolf. Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions about you and your books.
What is the title of your latest book?
The current book I am promoting is called “Meter of Corruption” and is the second book of a trilogy of three involving 4 friends who get caught up in danger and intrigue way beyond what they could ever imagine. I am working on the third and final book of the series now and its title will be “Meter of Redemption”.

What inspired you to write this book?
Really just to continue on from the initial book of the series “Meter of Deception”. There was so much more for the characters to experience and my readers and I really wanted to see where we could take them next and how they grew over the years.

Do you identify with any of your characters and in what way?
I certainly do in the sense I can feel what they are going through. And some traits these characters have are certainly things people I know or I personally have experienced…to a much lesser degree of course.

Have you been inspired by any other writers?
Absolutely. The masters of my Action/Thriller genre such as James Patterson, John Sandford, Greg Iles, the late and great Robert B. Parker, Stephen King , John Grisham and a host of others. In a way my books pay tribute to the groundwork they laid and I promote their work every chance I get.

What is your process for writing? Do you dedicate a certain amount of hours daily? Do you go from beginning to end or just write in a non-linear fashion?
I just write when I am inspired to. Lately I have been reviewing a lot of books for other authors and I am now making a conscious effort to ensure I work on my own stuff as well rather than just doing work for others. I write best in the day time, evenings I just kick back with a good movie or novel which help inspire my work.

What is your favorite book and why?
Probably one of James Patterson’s earlier works called “Kiss the Girls”. It was filled with so much suspense, action, intrigue that it gripped me from start to finish and I kept looking for more of that. This book was made into an incredible movie with Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd retaining all the elements that made this book the incredible read it was.

If you could make one of your books into a movie, which one would you choose and who would portray the main characters?
Interesting question as my readers and some reviewers have indicated my “Meter” books would make great movies as they have all the elements to keep a movie going audience jumping in their seats. The second book “Meter of Corruption” would definitely make the best movie as it has all the elements of the first one with the action, adventure, exotic locations and even more scintillating plot. As far as the main characters go, I would think it would be unknowns maybe with one or two veteran actors thrown in just for credibility to the project. It would be a real challenge to find someone to play Mikhail because he is so unique, sinister and skillful.

What is the most difficult part in writing a book?
The discipline you need to see the project through to completion as well as the editing work that is never ending after the book is finished.

Do you read your reviews and how do they affect you?
Yes I do and so far the reviews I have received have been terrific and I am nothing but grateful that the reviewers took the time to acquire, read, review and obviously enjoy my books.

Do you have any special steps or superstitions you follow when writing?
Not really. Everything is developed from one main concept and then I give the characters free rein to take the book to where they want to take it. I always try to put myself in my reader’s shoes and ask myself where would they like me to take things next as well as ensuring they’ll want to keep turning those pages.


What makes a good book?
From the obvious well thought out storyline, interesting and unique characters to the opportunity for the reader to learn or find out something they did not know. If the author created something that takes the reader out of their everyday routine and transports them to a place that is stimulating, exciting and maybe totally out of their comfort zone where they can actually see themselves as being part of the plot, that has all the makings of a good if not great book.

http://www.amazon.com/Wolf-Schimanski...

Wolf Schimanski

Meter of Deception

Meter of Corruption

http://booksgosocial.com/?s=Meter+of+...