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The Duchess Quest: Author Interview and Giveaway

The Duchess Quest (Jordinia #1)
by C.K. Brooke

"Love is destined to find her..."

Dainy doesn't know that she is the lost Duchess of Jordinia, believed to have been assassinated fifteen years ago. Nor does she know that her uncle has implemented an illegal contest to seek her, offering her marriage hand as the reward!


Though at odds, three clashing rivals - including a noble giant, a forest dweller and a thieving rake - voyage together by woodland, prairie and sea to recover the lost royal, notwithstanding the assassins and spies at their tail. Soon, young Dainy is swept into a comically complex romantic quadrangle as each suitor competes to capture her heart. Charmingly romantic and bursting with political intrigue, startling twists and vivid characters, readers of romance and fantasy alike will adore this original yet timeless tale of swashbuckling adventure and unlikely love.

 I have received a complimentary copy of this book to review. The opinions here are 100% mine!  This post contains affiliate links.





 About the Author

C.K. Brooke is a 2015 Shelf Unbound Notable Indie author with a five-star rating by Readers' Favorite. She holds numerous fantasy and romance publications with 48fourteen, Limitless Publishing, and Elphame Press. Her lifelong passion is books - reading, writing, editing, publishing and blogging about them. When not blissing out in literary land, she enjoys infotainment podcasts, singing, songwriting and playing the piano. She lives in Washington, Michigan with her husband and young son. There're tons to check out at the new CKBrooke.com, so come and see what she's up to! Check out her V.I.P. Readers Club (Subscribers get a free eBook!)

Author Links:
Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook│Amazon Page

Who is your favorite author?  Why?
Hate to be cheesy, but J.K. Rowling, man! Although I'd already started writing books before she was published, she's probably the reason I'm an author today. I remember reading the Harry Potter series for the first time in sixth grade (back then, only four books were out) and realizing in awe, for the first time, how a book could completely suck me out of my reality and blow my world away. I fell in love with reading through her. 

Who is your favorite or least favorite character in your book?  Why?
My favorite character is Jon Cosmith. One reviewer described him as a "charming bastard," and that's why I love him. He's sexy, flawed, ambiguous, and wickedly funny. As for my least favorite character... It's so hard to dislike anyone, even my bad guys, because they're all dutifully playing out the roles I wrote for them. But I'd have to say, for this particular book, DuBerre and Visidair - the Head of Jordinian Intelligence and his hitman spy - are pieces of work. 
How do you handle writer’s block?
I don't get writer's block, just writer's ADD. LOL! I'm never out of ideas. You should see my notebooks overflowing with story concepts I don't have nearly enough time to write out at this stage in my life, with an active preschooler at home. But if I'm ever stuck on something, I just go back to the outline, or follow Joseph Campbell's legendary advice: "Follow your bliss." If I'm writing what I'm passionate about, then the flow will never ebb. 

 What advice do you have for young/student writers?
Chase your passion. Follow your bliss. You have to be emotionally, personally and vehemently invested in what you're writing for it to succeed. Don't chase a trend or write for a market - be yourself, and write the story only you can tell. Also, listen to your editors. They know best. *wink*


Explain your revision process.
In the beginning, with this book? Oh, boy, it was a nightmare. I had to rewrite The Duchess Quest dozens of times before it was market-ready. Although I'd been hobby writing all my life, I was a complete n00b in the professional field back then. The book started out with twice the word count, and I had to chisel it down to half its size. That was almost three years ago. Now, having just completed my ninth manuscript (incidentally, the third book in the Jordinia series!), my revision process is much lighter. One could say I've gotten the hang of it by now. :)


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Songs of Everealm Author Interview and Giveaway

Song of Sovereign (Songs of Everealm #1)
by J.D. Wright

Princess Sarita has everything. Loving parents, a castle fit for royalty, fine clothes, loyal friends, and an exciting job as a scholar of magic. At eighteen years of age, one might think that she would be content with her position. But one thing has always been missing from her life... full magic, itself.


When a strange old woman gave Sarita a secret spellbook as a child, her entire life was changed. The book contains spells, songs, and stories. But most of all, it provides a path to gaining full magic, the only thing that Sarita still needs to feel complete. And now, she has finally prepared to leave her home in search of the Stones of the Divine, the final ingredient she needs to gain magic.

Gabrielle has been known as the sister of a knight and best friend of the princess for as long as she can remember. Now an experienced healer's assistant, she is desperate to find her place and purpose in Junacave. An adventurous mission to help Sarita locate a mystical stone may be just the change in her life that she is looking for.

King Cassidy is still alone, but not for a lack of trying. His attempts to convince the Princess of Junacave to marry him over the past ten years have been for naught. And being twenty years old, with no heir, he is running out of time. If he can't win the heart of the princess, he may have to face a future without the love of his life.

Adventure, romance, and magic await as we travel through Everealm with royalty, wizards, fairies, and more, in the fantasy-romance Songs of Everealm, a five book series by J.D. Wright, author of the Everealm Series.

Note: Adult Content

Songs of Everealm Series is the second series set in the fantasy-filled Everealm. It begins eight years after the conclusion of the first series, the Everealm Series.

 I have received a complimentary copy of this book to review. The opinions here are 100% mine!  This post contains affiliate links.

Song of Sparrows (Songs of Everealm #2)


The journey across Everealm to find the magical stones has not come without its challenges. After being plagued by unwanted guests, disagreements, and accidents, Princess Sarita is beginning to wonder if her dream of gaining magic is a fantasy that can't come true. 

Along the way, new friends and rekindled sparks between old flames have caused quite a stir within the group. As a new wizard joins the effort and gives the princess a reason to continue, the quest for the next stone ensues...

As the sun rises over the ridge, our story continues into the Song of Sparrows!

Adult content. Intended for mature audiences.


While not books that I would use or recommend in my classroom, these were the perfect summer read for me on my deck while the girls swim.  Fantasy romance is one of my favorite genres, and The Songs of Everealm do not disappoint.  I am anxiously hoping for another book in the series as Princess Sarita is a wonderful heroine.






About the Author

Writing has always been a hobby of mine, beginning as a young child. It was a way to cope with losing my father at seven years of age. I started with poetry and was featured several times on the amazing poetry blog, Autumn Leaves, by Sondra Ball. My love for poetry soon led to writing songs in middle school and beyond, which I still do occasionally. Music has always been an important part of my existence, so writing songs came naturally to me. In high school, I started my own novel, however, life got in the way and I never finished it.

Fast forward many years later and I find myself married with three children, absorbed in my busy life with commitments to my family, work, school, church, and charities, among other things. One day I came across my old binder, with notes from my first novel, and it was with those notes that I conjured up the elusive Everealm.

I write to please readers such as myself, who have a love for fantasy and romance, but like a little danger and sex in their reading. I wrote the book with a mature audience in mind, who can appreciate a hearty imaginary world with magic and the unknown, but want more than fluffy love stories with wizards in them. They want the romance, magic, and danger, all wrapped into one.

Author Links:

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I had a chance to talk with J.D. about her writing process.  Her favorite authors and movies are some of my favorites, so I know we would get on splendidly.
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How do you handle writer’s block?
I tend to listen to music and binge read when I need to get back into the writing mood. Music helps me to focus and reading inspires me to continue telling my own stories. Depending on my mood, I might binge watch a show or a few movies on Netflix, too. If you haven’t noticed, I do a lot of binging. It’s probably due to my over-ambitious personality.
What advice do you have for young/student writers?
I recommend writing to please yourself and telling the story as you would want to read it. Not everyone will like your story and that’s alright. You’ll find like-minded readers who do and those will become your target readers. There is an audience for every author. You’ll eventually find yours.

Explain your revision process.
I don’t really do a lot of revisions. Mostly, it’s because I write with a heavy outline so I know where the story is going long before I begin to write it. The outline, however, I do revise several times until I get it finished. Once I’ve finished writing, my editing process consists of 1-2 re-reads, listening via text-to-speech, run-through with the proofreader, and a final reading on my kindle (mostly to check for formatting).
What book has influenced you the most? Why?
I wish I could say that there was one book in particular that has influenced me but there hasn’t been. Strangely enough, my favorite book is a Little House on the Prairie novel from childhood. Because I read many different genres, I tend to draw inspiration from all of them in some form or another. I also watch a lot of movies and tend to write my scenes as I see them play out in my head. So if anything, I might be more influenced by my favorite movies: Love Actually, Steel Magnolias, Sweet Home Alabama, & Pearl Harbor. Yes, I know. Sappy woman movies… Guilty, as charged.

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Giveaway, Book Review, and Author Interview: Summer of Irreverence


Summer of Irreverence - The Rock Star


Straight-laced, veterinary surgeon, Summer Wynters is ready to break the rules. And who better to break them with than the most irreverent of all men, mega rock star Malcolm Angel? With one last summer free from work obligations, Summer moves to New York City, and at the coaxing of her friend, pretends to be a model so she can spend one wild night with Malcolm. 


Rock star, Malcolm Angel, tortured by a dark past, may be the poet laureate of romance, but he, like science-minded Summer, has never believed in romantic love. How could he? With his history, he doesn’t deserve to be loved.

When Summer’s honesty, kindness, and exuberance for life changes his perspective, the two discover they are in deeper than either dreamed possible. But when Malcolm discovers Summer’s been perpetuating a lie, will he forgive her? Even if forgiveness is possible, can a man immune to love teach someone else to believe in it?
 I have received a complimentary copy of this book to review. The opinions here are 100% mine!  This post contains affiliate links.



I am always thrilled when an author is willing to talk about their favorite books and their writing process.  Being able to share what 'real authors' do is great for my students.

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Who is your favorite author?  Why?

My favorite authors are Charles Bukowski and Ernest Hemingway for adult books, and Mo Willems and Shel Silverstein for kids. I love these authors for their ease of language and their brutal honesty, while still making us feel.

Who is your favorite or least favorite character in your book?  Why?

I have fallen in love with both my lead characters, but my favorite character would have to be mega rock star, Malcolm Angel. Malcolm was a wonderful character to create, because there are so many levels and so much depth to him. Although he harbors immense amounts of pain, Malcolm tackles most situations with humor and maturity. He is confident and sexy, but when he finally meets a woman who means…something more…he strips off his façade and is brutally honest. He is real and intense.

How do you handle writer’s block?

I think if you’re blocked, the best thing to do is get away. I think a block is your subconscious telling you it’s time to look at something else. Physical exercise keeps the thoughts flowing. Holding downward-facing dog in yoga will always clear your brain!

What advice do you have for young/student writers?

Write, write, write (to practice), and take an acting class! I know it sounds crazy, but acting coaches can teach you how to break down characters more thoroughly than you ever imagined possible. Once you see what an actor needs to find in a character, it makes it easier to see how to build one.

Explain your revision process.

I edit as I go. Then I go back and read through the chapter to make sure it works. But I’ll always go back and tweak the first chapters as more chapters are written—I’m definitely not one of those authors who can write a chapter and then hand it to someone else to read! That first chapter is still being adjusted while I’m writing the epilogue.


About the Author


I am a bestselling author, and a NYC girl at heart. I write “gritty romance,” in the genres of YA, NA; women’s fiction; and romance. I’m also the author of The Letting and The Coupling, books 1 and 2 of The Letting series. I began my career as an award-winning playwright, and I am a proud member of RWA, PAN. I have my BA in English and my MA in Theatre. 

I am a fan of Luna Bars, decaf coffee, yoga, Hemingway, and Bukowski—and the loves of my life are my husband and my two young girls.

To find out more about me; Summer of Irreverence, the first book in The New York Artists Series—standalone novels about strong, artistic men, and the smart, unexpected women they fall for; The Letting series; and what’s coming soon, please visit: www.CathrineGoldstein.com


Author Links:





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Author Interview and Revies: The Kaminski Cure


The Kaminsky Cure

By Christopher New

The Kaminsky Cure is a poignant yet comedic novel of a half Jewish/half Christian family caught up in the machinery of Hitler’s final solution. The matriarch, Gabi, was born Jewish but converted to Christianity in her teens. The patriarch, Willibald, is a Lutheran minister who, on one hand is an admirer of Hitler, but on the other hand, the conflicted father of children who are half-Jewish. Mindful and resentful of her husband’s ambivalence, Gabi is determined to make sure her children are educated, devising schemes to keep them in school even after learning that any child less than 100% Aryan will eventually be kept from completing education. She even hires tutors who are willing to teach half-Jewish children and in this way comes to hire Fraulein Kaminsky who shows Gabi how to cure her frustration and rage: to keep her mouth filled with water until the urge to scream or rant has passed.

I received a copy of this book to review, but these words and opinions are 100% my own.  This post contains affiliate links for easy shopping.


When I first came across this novel, I thought the cover was intriguing and it looked like a perfect book choice for my women's studies course that I started this past school year.  I could also see this as a unique text in a high school or college Holocaust Unit.  It was one book that I couldn't put down, and I am sure you will find it that way too.


EXCERPT

There are lots of things I notice this Christmas that I’ve never noticed before. When my mother takes me shopping, for instance, which is only between the hours of three and five, there are certain village stores she will go into and certain stores she won’t. And the stores she will not enter are usually the smarter ones, the fish shop and the cooperative, for instance, which are near the best inns like Franzi Wimmer’s and have glossy por-traits of the Führer prominently on show inside, while the shops she does enter are the cheaper ones, even the dirtier ones, like the baker whose bread is often stale and the dairy where the milk is often sour. They have pictures of the Führer on their walls too, of course, but smaller ones and not so often dusted. Some of them even have little specks of fly-shit on his face.

I’m puzzled by my mother’s shopping choices. I take it that as we are from Berlin, we must be a cut above the rest, so we should be going to the best shops, not the worst. And why do we go only in the late afternoon? I know that other people like Jägerlein go at any time of the day. My mother doesn’t explain these anomalies, and I sense I’m not supposed to know the real reason, although I’m still convinced it has to do with our being proper Germans, while the villagers are not. Nobody tells me where I’ve gone wrong. Nobody explains that Gabi is a vicious and degenerate Jewess, that the best shops won’t serve her, that in any case she’s allowed to shop only between the hours of three and five so that decent Aryans shoppers can arrange to avoid the disgusting sight of her altogether.

My parents have always been bickering and crying (I think that’s normal—what else do I know?), but they never openly mention this source of their troubles. Imagine, I can’t recall ever being called a half-Jew yet, let alone a Yid, and perhaps I never have been. I don’t even know what a Yid or half-Jew is. Sara does, of course; she knows all right. And so do the others. But not me. Why should I? I’m never allowed out to play with the village children, so they aren’t going to tell me. And neither Jä-gerlein nor my mother is going to either. As for my brother and
sisters—they’re certainly not going to tell me what it’s like to be called a half-Jew or a dirty Yid. Like rape victims, they never tell because they feel they’re guilty.



I had a chance to ask Christopher about his favorite writers/stories and his writing process. I am so glad he was able to share with us.

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Who is your favorite author?  Why?

I don't really have a favorite author. Or, rather, it depends on factors like mood, experience, what I happen to be reading now... I guess these would be fairly stable candidates though for always being near the top of the list (novelists only): Baudelaire,Jane  Austen, Tolstoy, James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, Melville​, Proust​

Why? Well, they just seem (at their best) to catch something in their particular and different ways that shines more brightly, for me at any rate, than some others. I haven't included recent or contemporary authors in that list, not because I don't think that highly of them, but because I'm not really sure yet how (for me) they will stand the test of time.

Who is your favorite character in your book?  Why?

​Favorite character? ​It's hard to pick between Sara and the narrator. Sara is full of depth and sorrow, who perhaps feels most deeply all that is going on. But the narrator is a wonderful mixture of innocence and sharp irony.

How do you handle writer’s block?
​
Walk around the block. Or just do and think of something else. Or put the problem in your mind last thing at night and see if you have a eureka moment on waking.

What advice do you have for young/student writers?

Listen to your  teachers - and then forget them. Don't give up - unless it's money or fame you're after, in which case don't even start.

Explain your revision process

I usually leave a draft for at least several weeks, sometimes months. Then, when I look at it again, I see a lot that needs improvement. This process goes on for several drafts. Eventually I'm ready for outside comments from friends I trust or editors. That's harder - I usually resist their suggestions if they go against my conception of the book. Then, sometimes grudgingly, I admit they may be right and follow their suggestions. The process of revising goes on and on, sometimes until the editor says it's going to the printer. In that sense, a book is never finished, it just gets taken out of your hands. Ann Tyler said once how much she would have liked to change one of her published works when she read it several years later.That's because not only does the book change over time, but you do too.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?


​Tha​t depends on the book. For this book (The Kaminsky Cure) I was a plotter - I knew roughly what each scene would be like before I wrote it. With other books I sometimes find my way as I go along, although I nearly always know what my destination is.



What is your daily page or word count record?


​I don't have one. I don't set myself to write a certain amount each day. Sometimes I write  two or three paragraphs, sometimes​ half a dozen pages. It just depends how difficult it is, how complex, or maybe how stale I am on one day or another.





What is your favorite story of all time?

 Usually the one I'm working on!​ Seriously, I'd find it hard to answer that question because I don't think like that, I don't ask myself, If you press me for an answer, I'd fall back on something like Madame Bovary or Anna Karenina, I think because those are stories I read at a certain age - the age when you are most impressionable, and the impression lasts.

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About the Author
Christopher New was born in England and was educated at Oxford and Princeton Universities. Philosopher as well as novelist, he founded the Philosophy Department in Hong Kong University, where he taught for many years whilst writing The China Coast Trilogy (Shanghai, The Chinese Box and A Change of Flag) and Goodbye Chairman Mao, as well as The Philosophy of Literature. He now divides his time between Europe and Asia and has written novels set in India (The Road to Maridur), Egypt (A Small Place in the Desert) and Europe (The Kaminsky Cure). His books have been translated into Chinese, German, Italian, Japanese and Portuguese. His latest novel, Gage Street Courtesan, appeared in March 2013.
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