How To Burn This Book by Evan Witmer / #SpotlightPost @FictionOdd

Step one of burning a book is finding a disagreeable premise within its interior to justify the act. In order to simplify this process for the reader, each short story in this collection is followed by a precise reason the short story should be immolated, opined by the author’s many critics.

“Lucky Girl Noir” is about a hard-boiled cop solving the murder of a ‘Lucky Girl’, one of many powered women born with probability consistenly in their favor. Burning this story would be a much needed win in the war against plagiarism.

“Three Days West” is an acid-Western about a pair of turophile cowboys exploiting their otherworldly connection in frontier Colorado. This story deserves burning for stealing the modesty of American pulp heroes.

“Zantar” is Tarzan but with aliens and raccoons. Burning seems appropriate, as it acts as a continuation of the author’s insatiable hunger for theriocide.

“Sea Creatures” is a sapphic love story between a siren and a mermaid. The story deserves to be burned for suggesting bras are a form of art.

“Lizard People Take Orlando” tells the story of Zaffre Davis, a young grad student running for mayor of Orlando while keeping his double life as a scalie a secret. Burning should be considered due to its depictions of the furry fandom as solely affiliating with Democrats.

“The Spirit Realm” is about the survivor of a mass party poisoning who wakes up to find he can talk to and interrogate bottles of alcohol. Not a single character is represented by a bottle of absinthe; a crime best punished by burning.

“The Pimp That Slapped the Ripper” is about the fall of Jack the Ripper at the hands of a violent, young procurer who will protect her property at all costs. The author’s new softness has robbed the story of certain graphic, historical details; their omission begets burning.

“Washed” is the story of a man who loses all his memories when he takes a shower. Burn this one to effectively eliminate the author’s ugly, stinky past.

“An American Weekend” is about a boy’s considerably awful week, and his preceding visitation by the embodiments of Friday, Saturday and Sunday; who guide him out of his funk. Turn it to ashes; this interpretation of the weekend reeks of upper-class privilege.

“Roadwork” is about the daily struggles of a lemurtologist, an exorcist working for the DMV whose job is to remove ghosts from the road after a horrific accident. Tossing this story into the fire could fracture the ego of a hate-filled author obsessed with smudging the good name of the DMV.

***

***

Spotlight Post

Thank you, Evan Witmer and R&R Book Tours

***

About the author

Odd Fiction is my independent publishing company. I’m posting my most recent stories on this site for you to read. There will always be ten stories available for free here. I will slowly retire these stories one at a time and they will be replaced by another free story. The retired stories will be added to collections of short stories.

***

Author Links

https://www.facebook.com/oddfictionpage/

https://www.instagram.com/oddfiction528/

***

***

Book Link

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/How-Burn-This-Book-Fiction/dp/B09NRBTHS1/

Advertentie

The Helsingor Sewing Club by Ella Gyland / #Interview #BlogTour @rararesources @henrigyland

***

Inspired by the incredible true story of how the people of Denmark saved their Jewish neighbours during WW2

Helsingør, Denmark, 1943

In the midst of the German occupation during World War Two, Inger Bredahl joins the underground resistance and risks her life to save members of Denmark’s Jewish community and help them escape to Sweden.

Copenhagen, 2018

Inger’s granddaughter, Cecilie Lund, is mourning her death when a mysterious discovery while cleaning out Inger’s flat leads past and present to intersect. As long-held secrets finally see the light of day, Cecilie learns the story of her grandmother’s courage and bravery, and of the power of friendship, love, and standing for what’s right…even when you have everything to lose.

***

***

Q&A

– When and where do you prefer to write?

I work best in the mornings, but this isn’t always practical because of my other job (translator), and various other commitments, so I’ve “taught myself” to write in the afternoons too, and I must admit this feels very satisfying. I prefer to sit somewhere soft, warm or snug (or all 3), so it’s often the sofa, in the garden in the summer, and even in my bed! Edits I prefer to do at my desk – it seems more professional somehow, don’t ask me why!

– Do you have a certain ritual?

I don’t have rituals as such, but I do a lot of my writing by long-hand and for that I prefer to use HB pencils and a medium lined A4 pad with no margin and no holes. Holes are for doodling around and therefore far too distracting! Come to think of it, this does sound a bit like a ritual…

– Is there a drink or some food that keeps you company while you write?

I like to have a warm drink beside me like tea, herbal tea or sometimes coffee. From time to time also some chocolate or preferably licorice, but I go easy on the licorice because apparently it can lead to high blood pressure (yes, I didn’t know that either!). I never drink alcohol while writing – it just doesn’t gel for me.

– What is your favourite book?

My absolute favourite book is Passage by the American sci-fi author Connie Willis, in which she deals with the pseudo-science of near death experiences and the Titanic disaster. Together. And she makes it work 😊 Other favourites include Bleak House by Charles Dickens, The Quality of Silence by Rosamund Lupton, Life After Life by Kate Atkinson. The list goes on.

– Do you consider writing a different genre in the future?

All the time! I don’t think my mind is focused on one particular genre. Often I simply jot down ideas or a brief outline for a story before I begin to consider where it belongs. As Henriette Gyland (my other name) I’ve written romantic suspense, sweet romance mystery as well as a novel set in the 18^th century, a period I’m particularly fond of and want to return to at some point.

– Do you sometimes base your characters on people you know?

This is a difficult question to answer. I suppose there will always be elements in my books based on my own morals, dreams and desires as well as the lessons I’ve learned in life, but from that core the characters will grow and develop in their own right. Occasionally I draw from people I know or have known – for better or worse – but it will only ever be a small aspect of that person, not their complete personality. I make sure they never recognise themselves, though 😉

– Do you take a notebook everywhere in order to write down ideas that pop up?

I try to. I feel lost without a notebook and pen at hand, but once in a while I’ve had to resort to writing down an important plot point on a napkin with a borrowed pen. I love notebooks – their smell, the feel of the pristine pages of a new one between my fingers, the thoughts they hold. I keep my old notebooks even after I’ve transferred the notes to my computer – call me a belts and braces person!

– Which genre do you not like at all?

I’m open to all genres, as well as subgenres of any kind. However, I’m not keen on books with gratuitous violence. It is, of course, hard to avoid violence like torture and executions in historical novels, but fortunately the authors whose work I enjoy tend to merely allude to it rather than describing it in vivid details. Then there’s the serial-killer-targetting-women-and-despatching-them-in-unspeakable-ways type novels. I generally find books like that needlessly unpleasant and misogynistic, so they’re a definite “no, thank you” from me.

– If you had the chance to co-write a book, whom would it be with?

That would be with my friend and fellow writer Christina Courtenay. I know she won’t mind me saying this but we just sort of “get” each other’s writing and understand what the other is trying to do, and it might be fun working together one day. We shall see 😊

– If you should travel to a foreign country to do research, which one would you chose and why?

I’d actually planned to do some research for my next book in Copenhagen over the Christmas period, but unfortunately due to the Omicron variant of Covid-19 the Danish government decided to close all museums 2 days before my arrival. I’m hoping to return in spring and will combine it with a visit to see my family.

Thank you, Ella Gyland and Rachel’s Random Resources.

***

About the author 

Originally from Denmark, I have lived in London for many years, surrounded by my family, cats, books and the Scandinavian hygge I try to create everywhere I go. As a linguist I love playing with words and language, and I am addicted to story-telling. I also believe strongly in social responsibility and sustainable living.

***

Author Links 

Twitter: Ella/Henriette Gyland, @henrigyland

Website: https://henriettegyland.wordpress.com/

***

***

Book Link

amzn.to/3nv7jR6

The Nine by C.G. Harris / #SpotlightPost #BookTour @The_WriteReads @WriteReadsTours @BBNYA_Official

***

The Judas Files #1

Gabe is recruited to join the most dangerous organization the world has never heard about. As a double agent he has to fight within their ranks to stop them, all with no training, no experience and no support. If he’s caught, they will tear him apart. But that’s not the real twist.

Gabe is dead, he lives in Hell and Judas Iscariot just became his new boss.

Judas assigns Gabe a beautiful new partner with plans to sow a disease that could wipe out the modern world. Without revealing his true identity, he must find a way to deal with insect wielding super agents, firestorms, and worst of all, the nauseating envisage travel to get Topside to save the earth

I host a spotlight for this book as part of the 2021 BBNYA competition and the BBNYA tours organised by the TWR Tour team. 

BBNYA is a yearly competition where Book Bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors. If you are an author and wish to learn more about the BBNYA competition, you can visit the official website http://www.bbnya.com or twitter @bbnya_official. 

The sign-ups will soon be open for the 2022 BBNYA competition, be it for authors to enter their books, or for bloggers wanting to be part of the new panel, so keep your eyes peeled!!

***

***

Spotlight Post

Thank you,C.G. Harris and Write Reads Tours 

***

About the author

C.G. Harris is an award winning science-fiction and fantasy author from Colorado who draws inspiration from favorites, Jim Butcher, Richard Kadrey and Brandon Sanderson. For nearly a decade, Harris has escaped the humdrum of the real world by creating fictional characters and made-up realities. When not writing, Harris spends time collecting the illusive arcade token, from the golden age when Dig Dug and Frogger were king. Harris knows the value of such a collection will only be seen in the confused faces of those family members left behind long after C.G. Harris is gone.

C.G. Harris is the combined persona of writers Kerrie Flanagan and Chuck Harrelson.

***

Author Link

Website: https://www.cgharris.net/

***

Book Link

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Nine-Judas-Files-Book-ebook/dp/B07PS956NS/

The Dominion Defiant by Chris Cloake / #Interview #BlogTour @zooloosBT @ChrisCloake

***

An ancient adversary in the east seeks to invade Ordefima and claim the treasures it holds.

When his beloved sister is captured, Rupert, the youngest son of the ruling family, is sent to save her. As the power of the enemy increases, can he overcome personal tragedy, emotional entanglements and lost allegiances to emerge as the hero? Or will subversive forces and increasing austerity inspire the people to rebel against him?

***

***

Q&A

When and where do you prefer to write?

Evenings that become late nights

Do you need peace and quiet when you are wrting?

I often listen to music whilst writing as it helps my creativity

If you had the chance to co-write a book. Whom would it be with?

JRR Tolkien

Say someone asks if they can use your name in a book. Would you rather be the ‘good one’ or the ‘bad one’?

A bad one, they are much more interesting.

Who would you like/have liked to interview?

John Lennon

Where can I find you when you are reading?

In the garden, or bed, or on the sofa.

Where can I find you wen you are not writing/reading?

Playing board games or sport.

What goes through your mind when you hold your new book in your hands for the first time?

Does it have that great smell?

How do you come up with a title for your book?

Lots of thinking during the writing process.

How do you pick a cover for your book?

I usually have an idea that I then struggle to realise. I design my own covers.

Thank you, Chris Cloake and Zooloo’s Book Tours

***

About the author 

Chris Cloake was born in 1964 and began telling stories a couple of years later. He grew up in Kent, England. He is motivated to write by a deep interest in life, particularly the cruel, deeply flawed nature of people contrasted with their incredible creativity and inspiration. The power of the natural world is a common theme in his work as a writer and professional photographer. He lives happily with his wife, two children and a large collection of music, books and board games.

***

Author Links 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chriscloakeauthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/author_chriscloake/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChrisCloake

Website: https://www.chriscloake.co.uk/

***

***

Book Links

Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dominion-Defiant-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B09JYVGX7L

Amazon US – https://www.amazon.com/Dominion-Defiant-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B09JYVGX7L

Sales Funnel Playbook by Katrina Summers / #SpotlightPost #BookBlitz @RABTBookTours

***

Regardless of what you are selling on the web, a sales funnel is the number one way to do it. This is the most systematic way to build trust, foster relationships and encourage people to take interest in your brand prior to closing a sale, yielding greater long-term results for your business.

This book is everything you need to know about sales funnels and on the way to becoming a millionaire.

***

***

Spotlight Post

Thank you, Katrina Summers and RABT Book Tours 

***

About the author

Katrina Summers is the Founder & CEO of KSB Agency. She’s the Sales Confidence Coach and fearless leader powering the whole operation. With over 10 years of corporate sales management and overseeing $80 million+ in revenue under her belt, it’s safe to say that corporate sales is her true passion.

She’s laser-focused on empowering our clients to level-up their confidence, business, and — most importantly — their lives.

Katrina is a super mom, fierce leader, sales queen, and renowned speaker.

***

Author Link

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ksbagency/

Website: https://ksbagency.co

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZYZ8LkZMFVBaKxHwEgV4vA

***

Book Link

Amazon : https://www.amazon.com/Sales-Funnel-Playbook-Katrina-Summers-ebook/dp/B09PBSQR7J

***

Giveaway

eBook Copy

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/408264011505/

Blood Games by Liz Mistry / #GuestPost #BlogTour @rararesources @LizMistryAuthor

***

THREE MURDERS. ONE MISSING BOY. THE GAME IS JUST BEGINNING…

When a body is found at the edge of Chellow Dene reservoir Detective Nikki Parekh and DC Sajid Malik are quick to arrive.

This is the third murder in the space of a few weeks. Each murder has a completely different MO, but there is one common theme… all the victims are teenagers. The dead boy reminds Nikki of her nephew, and she feels more helpless than ever.

But then another boy goes missing. And this time his parents have been sent a threatening package too. The pattern is different again – is the killer just playing a game? Can Nikki find the strength to uncover the shocking truth before the killer strikes again?

***

***

Guest Post

Blood Games: A creative dilemma

Blood Games is a Nikki Parekh police procedural crime novel which investigates a series of teen murders in Bradford. So, ‘What is the dilemma?’ I hear you ask. After all, I’m well used to writing police procedural novels and they always involve a murder investigation, so what made this one so difficult to write.

In truth, apart from the usual crises of confidence, the odd stumbling block with my mental health, Covid depression, the distraction of social media and – well, you get my drift – the actual writing of the novel wasn’t so hard. I had the idea for the plot when I started and it followed on quite nicely from Dark Memories. With Blood Games being the 4^th in the Nikki Parekh series, I was familiar with my characters and could anticipate most of their actions and responses with ease. Of course there were a few surprises when some of them didn’t play nicely – but hey that’s part of the joy of writing – the buggers don’t always want to do what you anticipate they would and you learn something more about them. In Blood Games, I only intended to introduce one additional permanent character, so I was free to focus my creative energies on creating the baddies (rubs her hands with glee).

Then, it struck me. Blood Games is about teens being killed in a culturally and ethnically diverse Northern city with its share of social disadvantage and criminal activity as well as a huge variety of circumstance, political opinions, awareness and experiences. I was keen to demonstrate how these murders might affect the wider teen community. Were they scared or angry? Did they feel divorced from the killings or did they feel vulnerable? Did the murders unite them as a group of show the diversity of their points of view? I wanted to show all of these things in a simple, way, but for a long time I couldn’t work out how best to do this and this was a real dilemma for me…

That’s when I came up with #WhatsWrongWithThisShit? series of blog posts posted by BFDLASS#WWWTS. These posts inserted periodically through the novel as a commentary on ongoing events allowed me to offer the reader insight into the responses to the teen murders from a wider range of teen than the few that appeared in detail in the narrative.  

Blood Games kicks off with a prologue which is a post from BFDLASS#WWWTS, titled The One With the Girl and the Acid:

 The One With the girl and the acid

Posted by BFDLASS#WWWTS July 28^{th 14:08}

Picture this – a sunny day at the start of the school holidays. A girl, without a care in the world, swings the bag of summer clothes she’s just bought from Primark in Broadway as she walks through town back to the Interchange. She’s not frightened – why would she be? She’s in a public place, surrounded by other shoppers and the sun has brought out the good in people. Ear buds in, she hums along to Justin Bieber and thinks ahead to her date with Taj later on. She doesn’t know where they come from. Doesn’t see them or hear them approaching in a rush. The first thing she smells is the sourness as the liquid is thrown into her face.

#WhatsWrongWithThisShit?

Views: 135 Shares: 31

However, it is the various responses to her post that allows me in a simple, yet effective way, to demonstrate a diverse range of responses to the incident:

Comments:

JakeK4292: If the silly cow’s listening to Bieber she deserves all she gets. LMAO😂😂😂

Karryann3: @JakeK4292 WTAF! Are you a psycho or something? This is terrorism! Her attackers should be shot!😠

JakeK4292: Chillax bitch. Can’t take a joke, eh?😜

ZainK: Wanker! @JakeK4292

JakeK4292: @ZainK LSR

Jazzygirl3: Poor girl! B*****ds. Why do they do this shit?

MH616: @ Jazzygirl3 – by ‘they’ do you mean Muslims? No real Muslim would do this sort of crap. It’s not what Islam is about – get your facts right.

Jazzygirl3: @MH616 – PO. I meant the attackers – don’t care what religion they are they’re assholes.

LazyJayz04: She were shagging a Paki #servesherright #stickwithyourownkind #PakiLover

            MayLee: @LazyJayz04 you make me want to vomit. You racist AH. The girl can date who she wants!

Jazzygirl3: It’s all gone to fuck! What about the machete attacks in Bradford? Not going to talk about them #WhatsWrongWithThisShit

ILuvCurry: @Jazzygirl3: IK 2 dead … FS! Reckon it’s these honour fanatics?

MH616: @IluvCurry: Why do you whities all go down the Muslim honour killing route? #EducateYourself

After, the third teen is killed, BFDLASS#WWWTS posts The One With the Boy and the Machete:

Picture this – a lad goes for a walk in Chellow Dene. It’s dark and foggy, but hell, maybe he needs the fresh air, maybe he needs the exercise, maybe he needs to relax or maybe he just wants to be outside.

 It’s maybe a bit creepy in the dark, but he’s not scared. He’s done this walk many times. He knows the reservoirs like the back of his hand …

Then, he hears the noise coming from behind him. For a moment he wonders if he’s being followed, but dismisses that idea. Who the hell would follow him here?

the sting of metal slicing his skin, warm blood dripping from the wound, the smell of cheap aftershave, the whooshing sound as the machete slices and dices again and again until he’s dead …

Over FIFTY stab wounds.

#OverKill

#WhatsWrongWithThisShit? 

Views: 102 Shares: 21

Comments: 

TheKhan: It’s only the doggers who go down Chellow Dene at night. The guy should’ve been more careful IMHO.

RBP: OMFG! @TheKhan #VictimBlaming Not cool. We should be safe to go where the f**k we want no matter how dark it is!

TheKhan: @RBP STFU if I’d wanted your opinion I’d have asked.

AttiyaQ: It’s his parents I feel sorry for. To lose a son like that they must be in bits RIP!

TheBossgal: I know. Such a waste. Is it even legal to own a machete…? #WhatsWrongWithThisShit. Let’s get this trending. This crap needs to stop!

            Through these blog posts, the reader gains an impression of not only how these murders are affecting the teen community, but also how varied their responses to it are. I wanted to ground Blood Games, not only in the police investigation from my main characters’ points of view, but also in the reality of the multi-facetted, three- dimensional city that is Bradford.   I hope I succeeded. Thanks for reading.

Thank you,  Liz Mistry and Rachel’s Random Resources

***

About the author 

Born in Scotland, Made in Bradford sums up Liz Mistry’s life. Over thirty years ago she moved from a small village in West Lothian to Yorkshire to get her teaching degree. Once here, Liz fell in love with three things; curries, the rich cultural diversity of the city … and her Indian husband (not necessarily in this order). Now thirty years, three children, two cats (Winky and Scumpy) and a huge extended family later, Liz uses her experiences of living and working in the inner city to flavour her writing. Her gritty crime fiction police procedural novels set in Bradford embrace the city she describes as ‘Warm, Rich and Fearless’ whilst exploring the darkness that lurks beneath.

Struggling with severe clinical depression and anxiety for a large number of years, Liz often includes mental health themes in her writing. She credits the MA in Creative Writing she took at Leeds Trinity University with helping her find a way of using her writing to navigate her ongoing mental health struggles. Being a debut novelist in her fifties was something Liz had only dreamed of and she counts herself lucky, whilst pinching herself regularly to make sure it’s all real. One of the nicest things about being a published author is chatting with and responding to readers’ feedback and Liz regularly does events at local libraries, universities, literature festivals and open mics. She also teaches creative writing too. Now, having nearly completed a PhD in Creative Writing focussing on ‘the absence of the teen voice in adult crime fiction’ and ‘why expansive narratives matter’, Liz is chock full of ideas to continue writing.

In her spare time, Liz loves pub quizzes (although she admits to being rubbish at them), dancing (she does a mean jig to Proud Mary – her opinion, not ratified by her family), visiting the varied Yorkshire landscape, with Robin Hoods Bay being one of her favourite coastal destinations, listening to music, reading and blogging about all things crime fiction on her blog, The Crime Warp. 

***

Author Links 

FB https://www.facebook.com/LizMistrybooks/

Twitter @LizMistryAuthor

Website: https://www.lizmistry.com/

***

***

Book Links

Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blood-Games-gripping-procedural-Detective-ebook/dp/B09MN1526W

Amazon US – https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Games-gripping-procedural-Detective-ebook/dp/B09MN1526W

***

Giveaway

Win a signed copy of Dark Memories and a relaxation bundle

The contents are :

A signed copy of Dark Memories (Nikki Parekh book 3)

A Weekly Planner pad

A fruit infuser water bottle

Planet Spa face mask

Avon Footworks

Pomegranate and rhubarb bath salts

A Candle Bag 

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33c69494471/?

Storytellers by Bjørn Larssen / #Interview #BlogTour @rararesources @bjornlarssen

***

Would you murder your brothers to keep them from telling the truth about themselves?

On a long, cold Icelandic night in March 1920, Gunnar, a hermit blacksmith, finds himself with an unwanted lodger – Sigurd, an injured stranger who offers a story from the past. But some stories, even those of an old man who can barely walk, are too dangerous to hear. They alter the listeners’ lives forever… by ending them.

Others are keen on changing Gunnar’s life as well. Depending on who gets to tell his story, it might lead towards an unwanted marriage, an intervention, rejoining the Church, letting the elf drive him insane, or succumbing to the demons in his mind. Will he manage to write his own last chapter?

***

***

Q&A

Did or do you like to read comic books/graphic novels? Which ones?

I haven’t read a graphic novel since Ellen Forney’s Marbles, but Calvin and Hobbes shaped my sense of humour (and continues to do so, it’s one of my yearly re-reads – I have everything, the complete box set plus a few unreleased strips plus an exhibition catalogue, I’m a bit obsessed there).

Back when I was a kid I was obsessed with the Thorgal series – by Grzegorz Rosiński and Jean Van Hamme. The next Vikings is just waiting there to be filmed.

Whom did you inherit your love for books/reading from?

Myself, I think! I had, like, five favourite books and forced Mum to re-read them to me over and over again, until, exasperated, she burst out “you’ve memorised each word by now, you can read them yourself!” She was right. I was four. I didn’t know you weren’t supposed to teach yourself reading at the age of four, so I just did it. I was going through all books in the house, my Mum’s romance collection that got quite steamy at points and stepfather’s SFF collection. It took them a while until they believed I was ACTUALLY reading all that and introduced me to the concept of “age-appropriate books.” They were right to do so, the sex bits were super boring and kept interrupting the aliens fighting robot dragons.

When you need a murder victim or someone you can diagnose with a serious disease or someone who is involved in a fatal accident do you sometimes picture someone nasty you have met in real life and think ‘got you’ LOL?

I was going to say no, but I wrote a guest chapter for Sheila Patel’s The Magic Vodka Wardrobe series, immortalising my nasty neighbour and her yippy shit-zu (not a typo). If the neighbour ever reads it, she’ll probably explode. Like her shit-zu’s bowels do in the book…

How do you come up with the names for your characters?

In my Norse mythology books the Gods obviously come complete with names. Otherwise, most characters name themselves. In Storytellers Juana was so determined to be named Juana that I had to come up with an explanation of how a white girl from Wisconsin in the 1880s could have possibly be called that – I went through a list of 100 most popular American names in the 19th century and none of them fit. Gunnar was just Gunnar, I can’t explain this better. His paternal name was supposed to be Larsson until I suddenly realised that enough people think he’s me (he isn’t). I changed him to Karlsson because it was the first name that came to my mind, and it wasn’t until after the book came out that I noticed one of my resources was History of Iceland by professor Gunnar Karlsson…

I had to change one name right before publication. My proofreader pointed out that she had problems sometimes differentiating between Sigurd and Sigríður. I forgot that not everyone is Scandinavian… She became Elísabet about five minutes before the review copies went out.

Do write other things beside books (and shoppinglists 😉 )?

I did quite alright as a songwriter and music producer – not great, but “#37 on Billboard Dance Chart for one week” alright. When remixes I’ve made for another artist got released on vinyl I decided it was the right time to quit. My heart was no longer in it and I wanted to focus on books.

Oh, and I write a lot of tweets…

If a movie or series would be made from your books, would you be happy with the ‘based on’ version or would you rather like they showed it exactly the way you created it?

I’m a control freak – one of the reasons I decided to self-publish, so nobody would interfere with My Artistique Vision. I’d want to have the final word on everything. Mainly casting. (Meryl Streep for all the roles, please, including Gunnar.)

Who would you like/have liked to interview?

Ásgeir, the musician whose debut album Dýrð í dauðaþögn inspired the whole Iceland thing. It was because of his music that I even thought of Iceland as setting for Storytellers, why I went there to do a bit of research, fell in love with the country, went again for a month, started learning the language… I have so many detailed questions that would never get asked in “regular” interviews. Word choices in English translations vs originals level of detail.

Do you have certain people you contact while doing research to pick their brains? What are they specialized in?

Dr Ewa Krawczyk, a microbiologist, helped me do various horrible things to my characters (like Sigurd or Halldóra in Storytellers), then find treatments that would have been available in 1920. Helga Maureen Gylfadóttir, a historian from Reykjavík, helped me with Storytellers a lot, then became a friend. Steven T. Dunn of Fjorn’s Hall (https://fjorns-hall.com/) has done a lot of my research for an upcoming book, Land, because despite my reputation as Twitter’s Resident Viking Author I’m actually not interested in Viking life at all. Those people either know everything, or know where to search for it, and they can answer questions I didn’t know could be asked.

Is there someone you sometimes discuss a dilemma with?

Yes – other authors. Sometimes just explaining what the problem is to someone who hasn’t been stuck with it for a while helps. And you don’t need to add disclaimers or hear gasps of horror when saying things such as “…so I have this one leg that won’t fit in the freezer…”

What is more important to you : a rating in stars with no comments or a reviewer who explains what the comments they give are based on (without spoilers of course)

Definitely the latter! Storytellers was my first book and I had no idea what I was doing well or wrong. (To be honest, I had no idea what I was doing at all.) Reviews explained so much to me. I didn’t even know that in a book with two timelines there was only one protagonist, I thought there were two. My favourite reviews… it’s not really a spoiler, but Storytellers has an open ending… are ones where people either try to guess what happened next, or even tell me what should happen next! The reader becoming the storyteller. Maybe it’s not every author’s dream come true, but it surely is mine.

Thank you so much for having me, this was fun!

Thank you, Bjørn Larssen and Rachel’s Random Resources.

***

About the author 

Bjørn Larssen is a Norse heathen made in Poland, but mostly located in a Dutch suburb, except for his heart which he lost in Iceland. Born in 1977, he self-published his first graphic novel at the age of seven in a limited edition of one, following this achievement several decades later with his first book containing multiple sentences and winning awards he didn’t design himself. His writing is described as ‘dark’ and ‘literary’, but he remains incapable of taking anything seriously for more than 60 seconds.

Bjørn has a degree in mathematics and has worked as a graphic designer, a model, a bartender, and a blacksmith (not all at the same time). His hobbies include sitting by open fires, dressing like an extra from Vikings, installing operating systems, and dreaming about living in a log cabin in the north of Iceland. He owns one (1) husband and is owned by one (1) neighbourhood cat.

***

Author Links 

https://www.instagram.com/bjorn_larssen/

www.twitter.com/bjornlarssen

www.facebook.com/bjornlarssenwriter

***

***

Book Link

https://books2read.com/storytellers/

The Liars Beneath by Heather Van Fleet / #SpotlightPost @RRBookTours1 @HLVanFleet

***

After a tragic accident ends her best friend’s life, 17-year-old Becca Thompson succumbs to grief the only way she knows how: by wallowing in it. She’s a fragment of the person she once was—far too broken to enjoy the summer before her senior year. But when Ben McCain, her best friend’s older brother, returns home, Becca must face her new reality head on.

She isn’t interested in Ben’s games, especially since he abandoned his sister during the months leading up to her death. But when he begs for her help in uncovering the truth about what really happened the night of his sister’s death, Becca finds herself agreeing, hoping to clear up rumors swirling in the wake of her best friend’s accident.

An unhinged ex-boyfriend, secret bucket lists, and garage parties in the place Becca calls home soon lead her to the answers she’s so desperate to unveil. But nobody is being honest, not even Ben. And the closer Becca gets to the truth—and to Ben—the more danger seems to surround her.

Clearing her best friend’s name was all she wanted to do, but Becca is quickly realizing that the truth she craves might be uglier than the lies her best friend kept.

***

***

Spotlight Post

Thank you, Heather Van Fleet and R&R Book Tours

***

About the author

Heather Van Fleet is a Midwestern-born author with a love of all things spontaneous road trips, TV shows that leave her questioning her morals, and book boyfriends. As a graduate of Black Hawk College, Heather took her degree in early childhood development, tossed it into the garbage, and is now living the dream writing books sprinkled with suspense and lots of kissing.

She’s currently living out her own version of a happily ever after with her high-school-sweetheart-turned-husband, their three hugely feminist daughters, and two fur babies with bad attitudes. When she’s not being a mom or writing books, you can find her drinking way too many energy drinks or crashing out on her sofa with a romance novel of some sort. 

***

Author Links

Twitter:   @HLVanFleet 

http://www.heathervanfleet.com/

https://www.instagram.com/HVFWrites/

https://www.facebook.com/authorheathervanfleet

https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-liars-beneath-a-ya-thriller-by-heather-van-fleet

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58094102-the-liars-beneath?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=8QX4eb7Ihr&rank=1

***

***

Book Link

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Liars-Beneath-YA-Thriller/dp/1953944183/

Zoey the Zebra Meets Lexi the Lion by Jennifer Daly / #SpotlightPost #BookBlitz @RABTBookTours @Cheer.Daly

***

Will Zoey become lunch?What happens when a Zebra meets a Lion? Does the Zebra run? Does the Lion win? Find out what the future holds when this unusual pair meet for the very first time.This book will help your child realize we are better together… Our differences make us stronger!

***

***

Spotlight Post

Thank you, Jennifer Daly and RABT Book Tours 

***

About the author

Jennifer lives every day with all things that sparkle. She is a girl Mom of two angels, Zoey and Lexi, and has been married to her hot firefighter husband, Daniel, since 2007. The Team Daly four-pack resides in the Dallas, Texas area with their hairy, 90 lb. German shepherd, Duke, who thinks he is a lap dog. Jennifer is a master level Certified Life Coach with an MBA, and founder of Cheering On Moms where she utilizes her background to encourage Moms to pursue their dreams. Jennifer knows she must walk the talk, so she stretches herself through pageantry and is the current 2021 Mrs. Diamond Universe, 2021 Mrs. Collin County, and held the title of 2018 Mrs. North Texas. Cheering from middle school through the professional level, Jennifer knows God has called her to keep cheering and specifically encouraging those in their faith! You can find her at CheeringOnMoms.com and @Cheer.Daly everywhere else.

Hailey Nelson is an artist and illustrator. She is the owner of Wild North Illustrated, LLC, an illustration and fine art company. Her illustrations and designs are inspired by nature and focused on providing beautiful artwork to authors, readers, and art lovers around the world. Hailey is a married mother of three boys living in western Wisconsin, where she enjoys spending time outdoors with her family. You can find Hailey at wildnorthillustrated.com. –This text refers to the hardcover edition.

***

Author Link

Website: http://www.CheeringOnMoms.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cheer.Daly

Twitter: @Cheer.Daly

Instagram: @Cheer.Daly

***

***

Book Links

Amazon : https://www.amazon.com/Zoey-Zebra-Meets-Lexi-Lion-ebook/dp/B09BKBSKJC/

Barnes and Noble : https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/zoey-the-zebra-meets-lexi-the-lion-jennifer-daly/1139975805

The Strange Case of Mr Pelham by Anthony Armstrong / #Extract @B7Media

The Strange Case of Mr Pelham is a tale of the quintessentially polite English bachelor, Mr Pelham, living a
life of natural social distancing, who suddenly seems to develop a more sinister doppelgänger with his own agenda. Opening in Monte Carlo, the story is initially told through the eyes of a young couple exploring a
nearby casino. There, they learn of a mysterious gambler known as Mr Pelham. Intrigued by him and his
glamorous companion, they ask more about the strange man, only to discover that, not that long ago, he
was a very, very different person… Or was he?
Filmed several times for television in both the UK for the BBC, and in the US as an episode of Alfred
Hitchcock Presents, Armstrong’s Pelham eventually hit the big screen in 1970 as the movie The Man Who
Haunted Himself, starring Roger Moore.
“’The Strange Case of Mr Pelham’ is a multi- levelled, genre-bending intelligent narrative, and a very much
overlooked classic, which has again become topical, urgent and relevant for today’s audiences,” says
Publisher, Andrew Mark Sewell. “We’re truly delighted that Armstrong’s grandson has entrusted B7 with
the opportunity to reintroduce Armstrong’s iconic novel to a new readership.”
Reissued for the first time in more than half a century (publication date: 6 December 2021), this classic
period piece is set to bring one of the great 20th century thriller writers to a new generation of admirers.
In addition to print, the novel will also be released as an audiobook read by Barnaby Eaton-Jones, with
plans for a full-cast dramatisation of the novel also in the works.

***

***

Extract

First part of chapter 15

“It really was sweet of you to talk to me like that,” said Lily suddenly about halfway through the next morning. “What you said was so— comforting and sensible.”
She spoke with such obvious depth of feeling that Pelham was puzzled.
He could not believe that he had said anything much more than would be normal in soothing a young woman in an emotional crisis and made some remark to that effect.
“Oh, I don’t mean that,” she replied. “I mean in the evening—in the
Tivoli.”
Pelham swore to himself. He had missed the Double again, largely by his own stupidity. Last night in his newly recovered mood of angry determination he had gone hopefully first to Broad’s and then to the
Savernake: if only he had fully taken in from what Lily had said that the Tivoli was a meeting-place for them, he might have caught him out at last. But would he? he thought further. Somehow, his unknown
enemy never was anywhere when Pelham went there too. And if not, and he himself had gone, Lily would naturally have assumed that he had come to join her after all, just as though he were—well, chasing her like some employers did. What impossible positions his enemy was putting him in!
“I do see what you meant about Jack,” Lily was continuing. “I’m having lunch with him today, and I’m really going to have it out, as you advised.”
And here, thought Pelham bitterly, was yet another impossible situation. He had no idea what to say, for he didn’t know what she was talking about—except that it was probably about the ring, and that
things seemed to be going badly between the young couple. “But, Lily,” he ventured, trying to put matters right if he could, “you should remember that buying an expensive ring for the girl one loves may be silly, but at least it shows…”

Published by B7 Media.

Thank you, Joanne Clayton

About the author

Anthony Armstrong was a British author of historical and crime novels, humorous short stories and plays, and radio and film scripts. Anthony Armstrong flourished from 1924 to 1976 and was known for writing in several literary genres, including historical, humorous, crime, and country novels; humorous short stories; drama; non-fiction works; and film and radio scripts.

(George) Anthony Armstrong Willis was born on January 2, 1897, in Esquimalt, British Columbia, son of George Hughlings Armstrong Willis, a naval officer, and Adela Emma Temple (Frere). Although born in Canada he spent the majority of his life in England. He married Francis Monica Sealy in 1926. They had two daughters and one son. He was educated at Uppingham and Trinity College, Cambridge. During the years 1915-1925, he served in the British Royal Air Force. In 1940 he founded the R.A.F. training magazine Tee Emm, and served as its editor until its demise in 1946. After leaving the service in 1925, Willis settled in Haslemere, Surrey, England. He began writing for Punch in 1924 and at that time began using the pseudonym, Anthony Armstrong. From the 1930s through the 1960s he wrote several novels and also many humorous works and plays, some of which were adapted for radio. His articles and short stories were published in such periodicals as New Yorker, County Fair, Strand, Daily Mail, Evening News, and Sunday Chronicle.During his lifetime he was a member of the Savage Club and received the award “Order of the British Empire” in 1944. He died February 10, 1976 in England. An obituary appeared in A. B. Bookman’s Weekly, March 1, 1976

***

Book Link

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Strange-Case-Mr-Pelham-Psychological/dp/1914169328/

: