Reviewed: October 3rd 2021 Released: January 31st, 2020 Genre: Paranormal Fantasy
He has days to live.
Dragon shifter Reive is dying. After a fight with a gargoyle to save his clan, his poisoned body is painfully turning to stone. His only hope: an ancient book that promises a cure.
And the librarian who can help him find it.
She’s a monster.
All her life Jess has feared and hated her gargoyle shifter form. She would give anything to be fully human.
Now she might have a way.
If she can fight her attraction for a dying man long enough to help him find the book that will save or doom them both.
But they’re not the only ones looking for it …Read More…
Sentinals Recovery is a novella set in the world of Remargaren, though at 55k words it is technically a book! I hadn’t intended writing this book, but I couldn’t physically fit this piece of the story into the third book, and if you’ve read the second book Sentinals Rising, you’ll know how important it is that Birlerion meets his Darian.
Sentinals Recovery releases on December 2nd just in time for Christmas!
If you would like to read an ARC for my latest novel, then sign up to my ARC team via the link in my linktr.ee. All I ask is that you leave an honest review on the week of the launch, December 2nd.
Blurb
Sentinals Recovery is a novella set in the world of Remargaren. It occurs immediately after the battle at Oprimere. Although this is a complete story, the reader would benefit from reading the first three books in the series.
Birlerion is recovering from the near fatal injuries he received in his second, epic battle with the Ascendants. He returns home to Greenswatch to recuperate and finally meet his Darian stallion, Kin’arol, who has been waiting, somewhat impatiently, to bond with him.
Only Kin’arol is not there. Someone has stolen him. For such a distinctive horse, he has vanished into thin air.
Though not fully recovered, and still hampered by his injuries, Birlerion sets off, accompanied by his brother Versillion, to recover his horse. Not even Assassins, belligerent Terolians or the harsh Terolian desert will stop him from bonding with Kin’arol, though his failing body might
Get ready for Book 3.5 – Purchase the first book Sentinals Awaken now:
Reviewed: October 2nd 2021 Released: December 1st, 2020 Genre: YA Fantasy
Kaz Brekker and his crew of deadly outcasts have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn’t think they’d survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they’re right back to fighting for their lives.
Double-crossed and badly weakened, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda parem, old rivals and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz’s cunning and test the team’s fragile loyalties.
A war will be waged on the city’s dark and twisting streets – a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of the Grisha world. Read More…
Reviewed: September 30th 2021 Released: September 25th, 2020 Genre: YA Paranormal Fantasy
“This was a war between monsters. And I was caught in the middle.”
Shapeshifters exist. Monsters are real. And no good deed goes unpunished.
Nursing student Ellie St. James didn’t mean to get involved in a war between rival gangs of shifters, but saving the life of a local mob boss’s child has dragged her into one. When Ellie’s life is threatened because of her involvement, she’s forced to go on the run, protected by Carter Ballis, head of security for the mobster’s family, and a lethal shifter himself.
Blood, fire, and warfare weren’t part of Ellie’s plans, but even if she survives, her life will never be the same. The world is more than she knew, and she’s seen too much. People capable of morphing into deadly creatures from legends and folklore around the globe are coming for her.
The cost of staying alive means trusting Carter to defend her, and he’s every bit as frightening as the creatures that want her dead… Read More…
Reviewed: September 26th 2021 Released: September 25th, 2021 Genre: Contemporary MM Fantasy
A broken mage. A penitent vampire. Can they put aside the horrors of the past to save each other?
Plagued with erratic, volatile magic, Nicodemus Green focuses his entire life to stop an evil sorcerer who brainwashes or kills anyone in his path to domination. Ten years into this crusade, Nick stumbles upon his former Academy instructor in the Austrian Alps. The strict and pious Byron Domitius has cloistered himself in an isolated manor. Alone and starving, he hates the twisted, damned creature he has become.
A prophecy calls for Nick and Byron to bond by blood to finally bring an end to the sorcerer’s hidden agenda. The two are forced to see beyond their shared past, and Nick finds himself desiring more from his old instructor than just his magic. But are these emotions real, or do they come from the heat of their bond? Read More…
Today I have the pleasure of meeting R.L McIntyre, the author of the recently released Curse of the Gods; the first book in her new YA historical fantasy series. Welcome Rachel! Tell us about your new series.
Rachel: My latest book is a YA historical Fantasy that releases September 21st, 2021. This series spurred out of me researching my heritage. As you can guess from the last name McIntyre my family is American Irish. I wanted to learn more about Irish culture and the history of the land. This spurred many late nights reading various myths and eventually I fell in love with the myth of Cu Chulainn. He was like an Irish Hercules in a lot of ways. My research led me to seeing the history of the time which is where the legendary warrior Calagus was pulled from. He was another warrior that led this grand battle against Romans in Scotland. Reading all this spurred the premise for Curse of the Gods.
Curse of the Gods is a genderbent retelling of Cu Chulainn mixed with real history of Scotland and Ireland at the time historians believe Cu Chulainn would’ve lived if he was real. My story follows Seanait, my Cu Chulainn, and her journey to return to Ulster before her prophecy to save the land starts during her seventeenth year. With her best friend Eion at her side, she fights Romans, Gods, and meets a mysterious fae Prince who changes her world.
Cillian, my fae prince, is modelled after Cu Chulainn’s fae lover. Cillian is the seventh Prince in the first Kingdom of the Faelands, Amanthia. As a member of the Royal family he is supposed to fight for the crown against his siblings, but he has other plans. He dissents and disappears into the human realm where he meets Seanait. But as the title suggests both characters have destinies ‘cursed’ on them by the Gods. This first book in the series explores the beginning of their tales leading into the next book Echoes of Destiny which should release November/December 2021. Echoes of Destiny follows even closer to the myth of Cu Chulainn so there is even more coming in this mythical world of ancient Scotland and Ireland.
Helen: Sounds like an exciting adventure with plenty going on. You never know what is going to happen when the gods have their fingers in the pie! Tell us about your cover, it is very striking.
Rachel: I have two covers! One is for my paperback version on Amazon and the second is for my hardback version on Barnes & Nobles. My paperback cover came first. It was inspired by Seanait herself. She is by far one of my favorite characters and it’s not just me. My beta readers and editor also loved her. So, she had to be the focus of the cover. This cover is Seanait with her power, a riastrad, activated. Her hair is ablaze, and she has her Gae Bolg (spear like weapon) in hand ready to fight the world and the Gods. I love this cover because it brings to life Seanait in all her powerful glory. She is a warrior and I really wanted that to come across but even more than just being a fighter, she is also feminine. I love mixing the feminine and masculine in characters because we’re all a mix of both.
My second cover follows the same flow and idea as the first, but it has a more artistic flare to it which I love. I love black covers. It makes the images pop off the page and I wanted to emulate that idea. This cover still features Seanait and her Gae Bolg but it also shows a detached version of her. You only see her red hair.
Helen: Curse of the Gods in the first in your YA historical fantasy series, but you have written other books, are they all fantasy?
Rachel: I write mostly fantasy. It’s what I loved to read as a kid and I still read the genre today. Anything with magic, dragons, prophecies always pulls me in. I’m also partial to anything in medieval or ancient times so I often write a lot in this time period. Although, I’ve dabbled in some more modern-age fantasy. I was and am still a huge fan of Lord of the Rings and Tolkien. He probably inspired me the most and helped me fall in love with the genre. I’m also a big believer that reading should be a form of escapism. It always has been for me and fantasy worlds help me to escape so I enjoy being able to create my own worlds and share them with readers.
Helen: I agree, I love new worlds, and the sheer escapism of fantasy and how you can let your imagination run riot. Speaking of ideas, how do you come up with new ideas for your books?
Rachel: It depends. Some ideas have come from dreams while others have come from history or what if ideas. There are other ideas that come from music. There are tons of songs that I’ve listened to and wondered what the story of the characters would be. It often leads me to some free writing of ideas. Some of them get turned into full length books while others are just fun pieces I work on from time to time.
Helen: What are you currently working on?
Rachel: My current WIP is the second book to Curse of the Gods. I’m hoping to finish it soon so I can start the revision process and beta reading. However, I also tend to hop between WIPs when I write. The world of Curse of the Gods is going to widen in book two and the spin-off series that come after. So, I’m currently jumping between these books at the moment. But my main focus is still book two.
Book two takes Seanait on the journey to fulfil her destiny. This book follows more closely to the well-known parts of the Cu Chulainn myth so there is epic battles, more faeland politics, and of course Seanait and Cillian need to reconcile. There’s a lot that is going to happen so I’m super excited to share it with the world. The two spin-off series will follow Cillian in the aftermath of the second book and the second series will catch up with Evander, the Roman with powers similar to Seanait. I’m super excited for both but they both have a long way to go.
Helen: That sounds amazing, and I’m sure your readers will love the fact there are more spin-off series to come. You have some rich and powerful characters in your books. Do you prefer to write heroes or villains?
Rachel: I love morally grey characters! They could be villains or heroes, but these characters always speak to me. The world isn’t black or white, so I enjoy characters that imbue that sense of reality. Although, if I had to choose it might be villains. Understanding why people might do something terrible is fulfilling. I like having those answers. Also, I have a background in psychology so I enjoy being able to use that to really understand my villains.
Helen: With all the history and rearch you had to do for Curse of Gods, did you find yourself sticking to a plan, or did your characters try and take over?
Rachel: Oh I am a plantser. I generally have a rough idea of some scenes and the order I want them in but how characters get there and the events in-between come to me when I write. I’ve tried writing intricate outlines and always end up tossing out half of it. For me it stifles my creativity so I like having a rough idea of the plot but the rest comes as I go. It makes it a surprise for even me and allows my characters to write themselves.
Helen: When not writing about your amazing characters, what hobbies do you have? That is if you have time!
Rachel: I’m a huge fan of volleyball. I used to play and now I get the awesome job of coaching high schoolers. The fall season is definitely a highlight of my year.
Helen: Thank you so much Rachel, for joining me to chat about your books. It has been lovely meeting you. Just to finish, one more question: If you didn’t write fantasy, what genre would you like to write?
Rachel: I write mostly fantasy with romance subplots. I’ve never considered myself a romance writer, but I’ve been considering Paranormal Romance recently. Not sure when I’ll give it a try as I have a couple of other projects I want to get done first. But I’ve gotten great feedback from my editor that makes me think I can write romance better than I think. It’s something I’ll like to try at some point.
About the Author:
R. L. McIntyre is a fantasy writer of books for teens and adults. She was born outside of Philadelphia and lived there for most of her life. When not writing she spends most of her time coaching volleyball or playing with her adorable writing buddies four rambunctious cats. You can find out more about her and her cats on her website rlmcintyreauthor.com.
Reviewed: September 23rd, 2021 Released: December 8th, 2020 Genre: Epic Fantasy
The Dryad’s Crown series is not just a book series, is it a work of art. From the delicate earthy covers to the beautiful illustrations you’ll find inside. A Slow Parade in Penderyn is the first novella.
In the port city of Penderyn, Silbrey once served as a soldier for the cruel, ambitious guildmaster. Silbrey escaped the city and her life of violence by rushing into marriage and motherhood. Now she returns to Penderyn to atone for her crimes and confront the guil
Silbrey discovers there is more to her past than even she realized, beyond the familiar cobbled streets of the city. What begins as a fairy tale transforms into an epic adventure about love and loss—and a woman with a strange connection to the natural world. Read More…
Today I am talking with author Jonathan Taylor about his new release. Welcome Jonathan, Congratulations on your new release! Please tell us about your new uban fantasy novel which released on September 15th, 2021.
Jonathan: My current book is called Heir To The Empire: The Next Generation. There are two potential lawsuits I am risking with this title, which I hope I can counter with countersuits and then an out-of-court settlement that allows me to still use that name. I introduce it as an urban fantasy coming-of-age action-adventure story. The protagonists are officer cadets enrolled in the best military university on the continent. They have to learn to work together and with others while dealing with their curriculum, as well as facing against a terrorist threat.
Helen: Lets’s hope artistic license is approved! Is there a specific meaning behind your cover design?
Jonathan: My cover is meant to seem dangerous and inviting at the same time. It depicts a mountain range in the background with dark building outlines in the foreground. It alludes to where two of the most consequential and meaningful scenes of the book take place, where main and supporting characters come up against and deal with the ultimate obstacle, the threat of death.
Helen: The colours are beautiful, so rich and vibrant. What made you begin writing, and then to write this specific story?
Jonathan: I wanted to be a writer for a long time, but it took me a long while to come up with a concept I could trust and believe in that would make for an interesting story. I had a few in mind ever since I finished high school, and I’ve been refining and expanding upon them for years until I found the one for my current book. I loved just how versatile it could be, all the stories that it allowed me to tell. I’ve been turning it in my mind for a while, and then, two years ago, I was satisfied enough with how it was shaping up that I wanted to have it written down.
Helen: Congratulations on completing your book, and then publishing it as well. Did you find you had to do a lot of research to write your book?
Jonathan: My approach to research is a bit more abstract than that of most authors. I actually do a lot of research or learning in private, not connected to any other activity, depending on whether or not I find out about anything that arouses my interest, and my interest can be aroused by a whole slew of sometimes bizarre curiosities and happenings. Consequently, I have a wide array of interests and a substantial database in my brain. When it comes to using information for my book, the question often isn’t “What do I need to find out?”, it’s “What can I already say about this?”, or “What part of what I already know can I use to flesh this particular aspect of the story out?” When I do in fact research specifically for my book, it’s usually very brief, and on something very specific, like the symbolism behind names.
Helen: A head full of ecletic information and trivia is a must for authors! Who knows where the next idea will come from. When you wrote your book did you have the story all planned out, or did you find the plot going places you never expected?
Jonathan: I’m definitely a planner, I need to find a framework for my ideas before I let them flourish. Within that framework, however, there is plenty of room for improvisation. My process starts from a short description of what I want the book to be about. That description could be a sentence or a paragraph long. From that point forward I go into cycles of expanding and dividing. From the initial paragraph, I get a phrase that describes each act, then expand upon each act, then divide it into story beats, then expand each beat before dividing them into chapters. I’ll usually have three main points or sentences per chapter, and that is where I allow myself to go free form, expanding those points until they reach a chapter in length.
Helen: Heir to the Empire is an urban Fantasy coming of age novel, if you didn’t write fantasy, what genre would you like to write?
Jonathan: I’ve been single for (much) longer than I’m willing to admit, and in the mean time I’ve turned to erotic roleplay to spice up my private life. When you think about it, erotic roleplay is collaborative erotic fiction, a field where you get instant feedback on almost anything you try. Through experimentation, trial and error, I’ve become quite good at captivating my audience, and received my fair share of compliments, and I think writing erotica would suit me. If I find another author and we were to write collaboratively, say a chapter at a time or a page at a time, I think that would make for some fun books.
Helen: I’ve always thought collaboration on a book must be far more difficult than writing it on your own. You’ll have to let us know how you get on if you choose to collborate. What about when you are not writing. How do you fill your time?
Jonathan: Whenever I do have time for hobbies, it’s usually through external circumstances, i.e. something else is preventing me from spending as much time as I would need to take care of the writing process. Whenever that happens and I have anywhere between ten minutes and an hour and a half to burn, I’ll usually pull out my phone and indulge in a fighting game, or spend some time on YouTube. What I watch on YouTube varies quite dramatically, depending on what recommendations I get. It could be a review, could be a video essay, could be something educational (I grew up on documentaries and stuff that is even similar to that still hooks me), could be a gameplay video, could be humour, could be memes, could be some combination of the above, or something entirely different. I also try to schedule time to work out, whatever form that may take, but my success in that field is a bit more mixed.
Helen: There is access to so many different types of media nowadays, all at your fingertips. With so much choice, do you still find time to sit down and read?
Jonathan: I don’t think you define recently as “the last 12 months”, but that is how far back I want to go for my answer. The books that stood out for me in that time are A Sea Of Pearls and Leaves, by Rosalyn Briar, the as-of-yet-incomplete Outcrossed series, by River J Hopkins, and The Witcher saga, by Andrzej Sapkowski. I also did reviews of each of these books, and a few others, on my YouTube channel, and those contain my thoughts on these books in more detail. In short, Rosalyn has an amazingly fluid and immersive writing style, which, coupled with sympathetic and relatable characters, makes for a very engaging read, River is exquisitely adept at blending pop culture and mythology and various other interests she holds dear into creating a rich setting with layered plots and immersive storylines, and Sapkowski managed to create a varied and rich world that comes to life in almost every way such a world can come to life, while also reasoning how those who have to exist within that setting manage to do so. If you like your time and money, there are few ways to spend them better than reading these books.
Helen: Finding time to read can be challenging, but I think it is important for writers, and aspiring writers to read as much as they can. To understand and experience the craft and to see what works and what doesn’t work for them.
I appreciate you spending time with me today, congratulations again on your book launch. Just to end with, what piece of writing advice have you received that you would like to share with other aspiring writers?
Jonathan: Around the time I started writing, text-to-speech videos of various AskReddit questions and answers became very popular on YouTube, and they were a guilty pleasure of mine. One of those videos, about useful pieces of advice, gave new writers the advice that they should write 200 words a day, at least. You can and are welcome to write a lot more, but when you write, ideally every day, you should set your floor at 200 words. Doesn’t seem like much, but it’s enough to build a habit, and eventually 2000 words a week will just be a breeze to you. That is also the advice I give to new writers, set yourself a minimum, and then dare to raise it whenever you need to.
About the Author:
The boy who would become Jonathan Taylor was born in Bucharest, Romania, to white-collar parents from blue-collar backgrounds. Growing up, his up-bringing was mostly formal, he stuck to what his parents set out for him and generally at least tried to stay out of trouble. He did well enough in school to be able to attend a leading technical university in Germany, but his creative drive, stirred in his youth by the works of Jules Verne, HG Wells, and Isaac Asimov, remained as active and eager as ever, and after graduating, he has become quite a bit more capable of indulging it. He now writes in order to allow his constantly stirring mind to settle.
Join me as I chat to Christopher Mitchell about his epic fantasy series the Magelands Eternal Siege, which is now eight books long. I have read the first book The Mortal Blade and it was amazing. You can find my review here. Welcome Christopher, it is lovely to meet you. Congratulations on the release of your latest installment, Red City. Tell us about your wonderful series.
Christopher: I release around six books a year, and am usually in the process of drafting one, while editing another, and releasing a third at the same time. My most recently published book was Red City, Book Eight of the Magelands Eternal Siege series, and it was released on Friday 10 September 2021. The Eternal Siege series, when complete, will consist of four interlinked trilogies, followed by a four-parter, and Red City is the second volume of the third trilogy (the ‘City’ trilogy). It follows on directly from Book Seven, and picks up the threads of the main characters. Like the previous series, it centres on the members of a single family – the Holdfasts, and every book has at least one Holdfast as a main character. In Red City, that honour falls to Kelsey Holdfast, the youngest daughter of the family. The main theme of the book is the possibility of redemption. Two old characters are re-introduced, both of whom have done some terrible things in the past, and both start off with every intention of trying to redeem themselves. One succeeds, while the other one fails, and the novel ends with the catastrophic consequences of that failure.
Helen: The life of a writer can get extremely complicated, and releasing six books a year is phenomenal. I have to say I am a fan of your covers they are absolutely gorgeous. Tell us about how you first came up with the concept.
Christopher: The cover of Red City is a character portrait of Kelsey Holdfast, complete with a little image of her dragon in the top corner. Each book of the Eternal Siege series has a portrait of one of the main characters of that novel on the cover. This came about due to the acquisition of the first cover, for Book One – The Mortal Blade, which was produced by MIBL Art. It fitted perfectly with the character of Aila, a demigod assassin and shape-shifter, and that choice governed the types of covers that would go with the rest of the series. MIBL have done a fantastic job with these covers, producing some beautiful artwork, and I think Red City is a great example of that – it encapsulates exactly how I pictured Kelsey in my head!
Helen: They are very distinctive covers, and you definitley recognise them as yours. How about the book titles? Is there a story behind those?
Christopher: The names of the books in the Eternal Siege series follow a set of patterns, and for the City trilogy, each book had to have ‘City’ somewhere in the title. The use of ‘Red’ covers several meanings – for instance, the sky of the City is red, rather than blue. The city is plunged into a chaotic civil war during the course of the book, and red also stands for the bloodshed that results. It also stands as a warning; as both sides in the war stoop lower to gain victory, the survival of the city itself is at stake.
Helen: Your series is epic fantasy, what made you choose that genre?
Christopher: I chose the epic fantasy genre originally as it seemed to me to be the best way to express the ideas that were rattling around in my head. I pictured a blank canvas, one that I could paint with whichever colours I liked, free from the restraints of following a prescribed framework.
Helen: I must admit the freedom of creating your own world is what tempted me to start writing fantasy. I started writing quite late in life, and after being a lifetime bookworm, I started to write my own stories. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
Christopher: I’m not sure there was a time in my life when I wasn’t thinking about stories. I started writing my first books when I was about twelve years old, then moved on to write role-playing games for my sister and friends to play. I sweated and toiled over a couple of novels in my late teens and early twenties, which, if I look back on them now, were pretty awful, but it was all part of the long, slow process of getting there in the end. I almost gave up on many occasions; constant rejections can be tough, and wrote almost nothing in my thirties except for factual reports for my day job, and essays for my post-graduate degree on Greek Tragedy.
Helen: I think resilience has to be a key trait of any writer, and an innate belief in yourself, that you can complete your story. Was there anyone in particular who inspired you to write?
Christopher: When I hit forty, my wife kept asking me – ‘when are you going to write a book?’ So, one evening, when a friend of hers was round visiting, I retired to my little study and thought ‘alright; let’s give it a go.’ The notes I wrote out that night became the basis of the worlds where the Magelands book are all set; all the basic precepts were put in place, and three months later, I started writing the first book. If my wife hadn’t pushed me at that vital point, then there is a very good chance that none of the Magelands would exist. She had faith in me, and that is exactly what I needed.
Helen: Thank goodness she did! Considering you have plans for many more books in this series, how do you keep coming up with new ideas?
Christopher: Create an interesting world with complex characters, then the ideas will take care of themselves. Drop any notion that characters are good or bad – everything is grey. If in doubt, add in some dragons.
Helen: Dragons solve everything! What is the most useful piece of writing advice you’ve received, and from whom?
Christopher: Drop adverbs when writing dialogue. Instead of writing ‘she said excitedly/sorrowfully/wistfully’, use the dialogue itself to transmit the appropriate feeling, and trust the readers to work it out for themselves. This simple piece of advice led to the cutting of over a thousand words from my first book! It was given by a lecturer in creative writing, at the only session of hers that I attended. The lecturer didn’t know what genres her students were writing, and she called fantasy ‘pathetic’ in front of the class. I didn’t return.
Helen: That is good advice, and one I try to follow as well. Shame she wasn’t a fan of all genres of writing, her loss, I think. With writing and releasing your books at such a phenomenal rate – your books are not short! – I am amazed at how fast you write. How do you fit your life around your writing?
Christopher: For almost a year, I have been in the fortunate position of writing as my full time job, so I fit it in nine-to-five. Prior to that, it was hard, I won’t deny it. I used to cram writing into any free time I had – evenings, weekends, holidays. I’d come home from my day job, tired out, then help put the four kids to bed, and then have to get myself back in front of the keyboard, no matter how much I couldn’t be bothered.
Helen: When you are in your writing zone, do you prefer silence, or do you have a favourite playlist running in the background?
Christopher: I have tried, but it’s too distracting. The only book where, somehow, it worked out, was Book Four of the Magelands Epic series – Sacrifice. For some reason that I’ve never fathomed (and have never been able to repeat), I was able to listen to music while I wrote much of that. It was a mix of lots of different artists, but with loads of Beatles and Lana Del Rey (my favourites). There’s a certain Moby track that kept coming on, and every time I hear it now, it reminds me of writing Sacrifice.
Helen: I would imagine with such a complex world that your books are set in, you must be a planner, just to keep everything straight as you write?
Christopher: I like to think of myself as a planner! I spend a lot of time building the worlds for the books, and painstakingly crafting the character arcs, usually starting at the end and working my way back. However, if I’m honest, much of the ‘plan’ evaporates into mist as soon as my fingers make contact with the keyboard. Characters keep saying and doing things that continually surprise me, and I have to pause and think again. It can be fun to compare my original plans with the finished article, and I often wonder ‘how on earth did I get from here to there?’ One thing that almost always survives is the ending that I started with, but the route there certainly has its twists and turns.
Helen: Characters do have a tendency to take over. I imagine that Corvie Holdfast was particularly troublesome. Outside of writing do you have any favourite past times? or hobbies?
Christopher: I love writing so much that it’s also my hobby! I go for long walks up hills with my wife (and the kids occasionally). Living in Scotland means that there are always hills and old castles to visit.
Helen: That sounds wonderful. An inspiration for your next story no doubt. When you sit down to read a book, what do you like to read? What book are you currently reading?
Christopher: I am reading All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days by Rebecca Donner. It’s a factual book about an American woman in Berlin before and during the Second World War – Mildred Harnack. She was the leader of an underground resistance movement opposed to Hitler and the Nazis, and showed immense courage and compassion.
Helen: Thank you so much, Christopher, for spending the time with me to talk about your books and your writing process. Congratulations again, on the release of your latest book, I look forward to reading the rest of the series. Just to end with, what advice would you give aspiring writers?
Christopher: Keep writing. It sounds simplistic and maybe even patronising, but there is no magic trick to get round the fact that any writer has to practise, and probably fail, for long, long hours. Persist; keep at it; force yourself to sit in front of the keyboard and get on with it, even if you can’t be bothered – especially if you can’t be bothered. There is no other way.
About the author:
Christopher’s first memory is of Elvis dying. His gran told him it was because he’d eaten too many cakes, and Christopher believed her. She also told him that there were fairies at the bottom of her garden, and he believed that too.
He counts himself very fortunate to have a supportive wife and four beautiful children. He loves deserts, which is too bad as he lives in Scotland, but the mountains, glens and lochs more than make up for it.
His other love is Greek Tragedy, especially Euripides, and he also reads history, science, fantasy, and pretty much anything about the Beatles…
Readers’ Favorite recognizes “Sentinals Awaken” by Helen Garraway in its annual international book award contest, currently available at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1838155910.
The Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Contest featured thousands of contestants from over a dozen countries, ranging from new independent authors to NYT best-sellers and celebrities.
Readers’ Favorite is one of the largest book review and award contest sites on the Internet. They have earned the respect of renowned publishers like Random House, Simon & Schuster, and Harper Collins, and have received the “Best Websites for Authors” and “Honoring Excellence” awards from the Association of Independent Authors. They are also fully accredited by the BBB (A+ rating), which is a rarity among Book Review and Book Award Contest companies.
We receive thousands of entries from all over the world. Because of these large submission numbers, we are able to break down our contest into 140+ genres, and each genre is judged separately, ensuring that books only compete against books of their same genre for a fairer and more accurate competition. We receive submissions from independent authors, small publishers, and publishing giants such as Random House, HarperCollins and Simon & Schuster, with contestants that range from the first-time, self-published author to New York Times bestsellers like J.A. Jance, James Rollins, and #1 best-selling author Daniel Silva, as well as celebrity authors like Jim Carrey (Bruce Almighty), Henry Winkler (Happy Days), and Eriq La Salle (E.R., Coming to America).
“When the right books are picked as winners we pay attention. We will be spreading the word about Readers’ Favorite.” –Karen A., Editor for Penguin Random House
Readers’ Favorite is proud to announce that “Sentinals Awaken” by Helen Garraway won the Finalist Award in the Fiction – Fantasy – Epic category.
You can learn more about Helen Garraway and “Sentinals Awaken” at https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/sentinals-awakenwhere you can read reviews and the author’s biography, as well as connect with the author directly or through their website and social media pages.
Readers’ Favorite LLC Media Relations Louisville, KY 40202 800-RF-REVIEW support@readersfavorite.com https://readersfavorite.com
Book One of the Sentinal Series
Books in the Sentinals Series:
Novella o.5: Sentinals Stirring (Free if you sign up to my newsletter.)
Helen Garraway 