I've setup a short fiction contest on my blog. I'm hoping it will become a regular feature, but let's see how this first one goes. The contest is to write a story of no more than 500 words based on the selected image, visit the competition page on my blog to find out more:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/p/june-writing-competition.html
June Writing Competition Now Open
Saturday, 25 May 2013
Book Impressions - Pompomberry House by Rosen Trevithick
This is the story of a group of indie authors who go on a writing retreat and basically things go down hill from there. I won't go into any more details as you should really read it for yourself. Comedy is a difficult thing to write and the author does a great job. The scene in the cafe writing the love scene had me laughing out loud.
As well as a good comedy, it's also a fun, if twisted, thriller. I loved the characters and the indie author scene observations are quite amusing.
Overall I loved it.
A writer's retreat seemed the perfect chance for Dee Whittaker to take her mind off her marital difficulties. However, she meets five of the most hideous writers ever to have mastered a qwerty keyboard, and her problems quickly multiply. Things escalate further when the handyman winds up dead. After fleeing from the island, Dee attempts to get her life back on track but begins to notice that something strange is going on. The stories written on the island are coming true and hers is next - complete with a murder. Her estranged husband makes an unlikely sidekick as the two of them try to stop the literary copycat killing an innocent woman. Packed with topical references, Pompomberry House provides a satirical look at the emerging world of indie publishing.
Buy now from Amazon (US) | Buy now from Amazon (UK)
As well as a good comedy, it's also a fun, if twisted, thriller. I loved the characters and the indie author scene observations are quite amusing.
Overall I loved it.
Buy now from Amazon (US) | Buy now from Amazon (UK)
Rachel A Olsen's Big Birthday Bookie Bash
It's a birthday celebration! Author Rachel A Olson is celebrating her 28th birthday by throwing a HUGE giveaway. With prizes available to participants worldwide, there's a little something for everyone. Jump over to ParaSuperNormalism - a book blog for every kind of story - and join in on the fun!
Participating Authors:
Dannika Dark, Mary Ann Bernal, Kitten K. Jackson, G.D. Steel, Sandee Woolf, Elena Gray, Yezall Strongheart, Natalie Hancock, N. Kuhn, Cindy Hardwell, Saranna DeWylde, Paula Shene, Audrey Harte, Kelli McCracken, Kimberly Knight, Alexis Alexander, D.N. Simmons, Rachel A Olson, Mark Barry, Brandy Nacole, Alex Shippe, Robynn Gabel, Crystal Schall, Jessica Humphrey, Christin Berger, Susan Jean Ricci, Gena D. Lutz, Carolyn Jewel, J C S, Kerry Brackett, Michelle Turner, Lisa Logue, Wendy Knight, Cyma Rizwaan Khan, Jessica Chase, Nike Campbell-Fatoki, and others!
Participating Blogs:
Free Ebooks and Those Responsible For Them, Paul and Paula's Place, Lip Smackin' Good Books, Le' Book Squirrel, Fiona's Book Review, Indie Author Network, The Book Rack, Danielle's Book Reviews, Room With Books, Les Lectures, The Cult of Me, The Girl With the Red Cape, Book-Marks the Spot, Schmoeker-Welt, Book Boyfriend Reviews, MomOf2BookReviews, Froggarita's Bookcase, Mira's Great Books, Mama's Reading Break, Everything Books and Authors, Zee Books, and MORE!
Blog Tour Stop - Thief by Sarah-Jane Lehoux
Welcome to the blog tour for Sarah-Jane Lehoux's fantasy novel 'Thief'. I've posted my review for the book below.
You can find out more about here tour here:
http://sarah-janelehoux.blogspot.ca/2013/05/brand-spanking-new-blog-tour.html
'Thief' is the first book in the Sevy series. Sevy is the main character in the series. She not a very likeable character, but she is interesting.
This is the first fantasy novel I've read in a while and I enjoyed it, it made me remember what is good about fantasy fiction. For one it invokes a well realised world and it does so gradually. You aren't dropped into an unfamiliar world, but one you get to know, page by page.
The story itself is well paced, it tells of Sevy's youth on the streets and how she leaves them. Her time on the streets serves her well, but she's not invulnerable so while I didn't particularly like her, she does make you want to know her more.
The writing is good, easy to read and for the most part well paced. The author has a relaxed, almost conversational style that is easy to read.
I did have a minor issue in that the transitions in the main sections of the book were a bit abrupt, I felt the transition could have been eased somewhat.
But that is a minor complaint, if you like gritty fantasy, then this is the book for you.
In the crumbling city of Eloria, there is one indisputable fact: everyone has a price. Protestations of morality and better judgment have little meaning when confronted with the chance to obtain the unobtainable. The only question remaining is just how much a person is willing to sacrifice in order to win their heart’s desire.
Sevy has always been a quick study in the wicked ways of Eloria. She has no qualms about taking what she wants, and when the love of her life is mysteriously murdered, Sevy will stop at nothing to get him back. Elvish black magic, necromancy and demonic pacts are of little consequence if it means she can once again have her beloved at her side. But is she willing to murder her only friend to get the job done?
Buy now from Amazon (US) | Buy now from Amazon (UK)
Why not check out the sequels as well?
You can find out more about here tour here:
http://sarah-janelehoux.blogspot.ca/2013/05/brand-spanking-new-blog-tour.html
'Thief' is the first book in the Sevy series. Sevy is the main character in the series. She not a very likeable character, but she is interesting.
This is the first fantasy novel I've read in a while and I enjoyed it, it made me remember what is good about fantasy fiction. For one it invokes a well realised world and it does so gradually. You aren't dropped into an unfamiliar world, but one you get to know, page by page.
The story itself is well paced, it tells of Sevy's youth on the streets and how she leaves them. Her time on the streets serves her well, but she's not invulnerable so while I didn't particularly like her, she does make you want to know her more.
The writing is good, easy to read and for the most part well paced. The author has a relaxed, almost conversational style that is easy to read.
I did have a minor issue in that the transitions in the main sections of the book were a bit abrupt, I felt the transition could have been eased somewhat.
But that is a minor complaint, if you like gritty fantasy, then this is the book for you.
In the crumbling city of Eloria, there is one indisputable fact: everyone has a price. Protestations of morality and better judgment have little meaning when confronted with the chance to obtain the unobtainable. The only question remaining is just how much a person is willing to sacrifice in order to win their heart’s desire.
Sevy has always been a quick study in the wicked ways of Eloria. She has no qualms about taking what she wants, and when the love of her life is mysteriously murdered, Sevy will stop at nothing to get him back. Elvish black magic, necromancy and demonic pacts are of little consequence if it means she can once again have her beloved at her side. But is she willing to murder her only friend to get the job done?
Buy now from Amazon (US) | Buy now from Amazon (UK)
Why not check out the sequels as well?
Friday, 24 May 2013
Guest Author Interview - Kit Tinsley
It's a lovely wet Friday out there, in today's guest author interview we welcome Kit Tinsley, whose new book 'Dark County' is released today. Details of the book and the interview are below:
The author of BENEATH takes you one a Journey into the dark heart of rural England
Lincolnshire, a place of beauty and peace, but also a place of bleakness and violence. In this collection of short stories, Amazon bestselling horror writer, Kit Tinsley explores the darkness at the
centre of the countryside. The ten tales within cover many aspects of the horror genre, from the supernatural to all too human evil.
Included stories:
A DRIVE IN THE COUNTRY - A troubled, married couple seek a pleasant day out, but it goes very wrong when they have an accident on the isolated, country road.
TRACKS - A young, deaf boy tries to prove his bravery by exploring a ghostly local legend, but will he survive the tracks?
THE HOUSE BY THE MARSH - A group of childhood friends find their whole lives haunted by a chance encounter with a derelict old house.
THE CROWS - A career criminal takes on one last job too many.
FEAR AND LOATHING IN SKEG VEGAS - A young man with a gambling addiction owes money to a very dangerous man. Will a meeting with a strange old man save him, or damn him?
These stories and more will open you eyes to what is hidden under the surface of the DARK COUNTY.
Buy now from Amazon (US) | Buy now from Amazon (UK)
Please introduce yourself, who are you and what do you do?
Hi everyone, I’m Kit Tinsley, and I am an English, horror author, screenwriter, actor, and musician.
What first inspired you to start writing?
The thing that first inspired me to start writing was having an overactive imagination. Even in childhood I would make up my own characters and stories with my toys. Throughout school I loved creative writing. When I was 17 I attempted to write my first novel, and failed miserably due to lack of knowledge and skill. Later on I started writing screenplays, a few of which were made into indie movies that have never seen the light of day. A few years ago I decided I was going to try writing a novel again, after several false starts, the result was my debut novel ‘Beneath.’
And what attracted you to writing horror stories?
All my life I have been an obsessive fan of the horror genre, I even studied it at university. Partly it is down to the whole overactive imagination thing again, it is as much a curse as a gift, I always magine the worst case scenario, whenever the phone rings in the dead of night I automatically assume the worst. Also I believe that the horror genre, in both film and literature, is the modern form of one of the oldest things in human communication, the stories told around the campfire since time immemorial. These stories have always had an important place in all cultures as a way of facing, and processing our fears in safety.
Who is your favourite author and why?
There are many, but if I had to choose one it would have to be Stephen King. His output over the decades has been phenomenal, and I think he has had a huge impact on the genre, both in terms of style and popularity.
If you could spend a day with anyone from history, who would it be?
That is a tough one, it’s not as much a person as a place, I would love to spend a day in the court of Henry VIII, as that is a period of history that I find particularly interesting. Likewise, Victorian
London, maybe spend the day with Jack the Ripper, just to find out who he was.
What is your favourite word?
Are we talking the words I used most in everyday conversation? If so then I can’t possibly say them here. I overuse the words ‘Well’ and ‘So’ at the start of dialogue in every first draft I write so you would think I have a fondness for them. In terms of the sounds of words I have always liked the word ‘Mugwump’ coined by William Burroughs in ‘Naked Lunch’ I believe. There is something about saying that word that makes me smile. It is easier to say the word I hate which is ‘Rhythm’ as I can
never spell it (it took me four attempts just now)
What advice would you give new and aspiring authors?
Patience is a virtue. I say this only as it is the advice I most needed when starting out. I would rush for the finish line all guns blazing, and wear myself out quite quickly. I learned also, as a self published author, that you should not be in too much of a rush to release your work. I was, and the first edition of my ‘Beneath’ was littered with grammatical and spelling errors. I now have a wonderful editor, and a second issue of the book has been released, but all of the negative review about those mistakes are still hanging around my neck.
What are you working on at the moment?
I am currently working on my second novel, it is called ‘The Wilds’ and is a change of pace from the supernatural horror of ‘Beneath’. This book is based on the stories of big cats roaming the English
countryside, there is a lot more to it than that, but that is all I am giving away for now.
Tell us about your latest work and how we can find out more.
My latest release is ‘Dark County’ and it is a collection of ten tales of rural terror. I live in Lincolnshire, it is a very beautiful and nice place, but it also bleak and isolated. I wanted to write a collection of stories that encapsulated my feelings about the place I live. The stories themselves cover many aspects of the horror genre, from ghosts to serial killers, and sea monsters to madness, but they are all set in Lincolnshire.
The book is available on amazon, as is ‘Beneath’. For all the latest information on my work, and my random thoughts on other things as well, I would advise people to visit my website http://www.kit-tinsley.com
The author of BENEATH takes you one a Journey into the dark heart of rural England
Lincolnshire, a place of beauty and peace, but also a place of bleakness and violence. In this collection of short stories, Amazon bestselling horror writer, Kit Tinsley explores the darkness at the
centre of the countryside. The ten tales within cover many aspects of the horror genre, from the supernatural to all too human evil.
Included stories:
A DRIVE IN THE COUNTRY - A troubled, married couple seek a pleasant day out, but it goes very wrong when they have an accident on the isolated, country road.
TRACKS - A young, deaf boy tries to prove his bravery by exploring a ghostly local legend, but will he survive the tracks?
THE HOUSE BY THE MARSH - A group of childhood friends find their whole lives haunted by a chance encounter with a derelict old house.
THE CROWS - A career criminal takes on one last job too many.
FEAR AND LOATHING IN SKEG VEGAS - A young man with a gambling addiction owes money to a very dangerous man. Will a meeting with a strange old man save him, or damn him?
These stories and more will open you eyes to what is hidden under the surface of the DARK COUNTY.
Buy now from Amazon (US) | Buy now from Amazon (UK)
Please introduce yourself, who are you and what do you do?
Hi everyone, I’m Kit Tinsley, and I am an English, horror author, screenwriter, actor, and musician.
What first inspired you to start writing?
The thing that first inspired me to start writing was having an overactive imagination. Even in childhood I would make up my own characters and stories with my toys. Throughout school I loved creative writing. When I was 17 I attempted to write my first novel, and failed miserably due to lack of knowledge and skill. Later on I started writing screenplays, a few of which were made into indie movies that have never seen the light of day. A few years ago I decided I was going to try writing a novel again, after several false starts, the result was my debut novel ‘Beneath.’
And what attracted you to writing horror stories?
All my life I have been an obsessive fan of the horror genre, I even studied it at university. Partly it is down to the whole overactive imagination thing again, it is as much a curse as a gift, I always magine the worst case scenario, whenever the phone rings in the dead of night I automatically assume the worst. Also I believe that the horror genre, in both film and literature, is the modern form of one of the oldest things in human communication, the stories told around the campfire since time immemorial. These stories have always had an important place in all cultures as a way of facing, and processing our fears in safety.
Who is your favourite author and why?
There are many, but if I had to choose one it would have to be Stephen King. His output over the decades has been phenomenal, and I think he has had a huge impact on the genre, both in terms of style and popularity.
If you could spend a day with anyone from history, who would it be?
That is a tough one, it’s not as much a person as a place, I would love to spend a day in the court of Henry VIII, as that is a period of history that I find particularly interesting. Likewise, Victorian
London, maybe spend the day with Jack the Ripper, just to find out who he was.
What is your favourite word?
Are we talking the words I used most in everyday conversation? If so then I can’t possibly say them here. I overuse the words ‘Well’ and ‘So’ at the start of dialogue in every first draft I write so you would think I have a fondness for them. In terms of the sounds of words I have always liked the word ‘Mugwump’ coined by William Burroughs in ‘Naked Lunch’ I believe. There is something about saying that word that makes me smile. It is easier to say the word I hate which is ‘Rhythm’ as I can
never spell it (it took me four attempts just now)
What advice would you give new and aspiring authors?
Patience is a virtue. I say this only as it is the advice I most needed when starting out. I would rush for the finish line all guns blazing, and wear myself out quite quickly. I learned also, as a self published author, that you should not be in too much of a rush to release your work. I was, and the first edition of my ‘Beneath’ was littered with grammatical and spelling errors. I now have a wonderful editor, and a second issue of the book has been released, but all of the negative review about those mistakes are still hanging around my neck.
What are you working on at the moment?
I am currently working on my second novel, it is called ‘The Wilds’ and is a change of pace from the supernatural horror of ‘Beneath’. This book is based on the stories of big cats roaming the English
countryside, there is a lot more to it than that, but that is all I am giving away for now.
Tell us about your latest work and how we can find out more.
My latest release is ‘Dark County’ and it is a collection of ten tales of rural terror. I live in Lincolnshire, it is a very beautiful and nice place, but it also bleak and isolated. I wanted to write a collection of stories that encapsulated my feelings about the place I live. The stories themselves cover many aspects of the horror genre, from ghosts to serial killers, and sea monsters to madness, but they are all set in Lincolnshire.
The book is available on amazon, as is ‘Beneath’. For all the latest information on my work, and my random thoughts on other things as well, I would advise people to visit my website http://www.kit-tinsley.com
Thursday, 23 May 2013
New Release - The Spirit Of A Witch (Briley Witch Chronicles) by Sarah Jane Avory
A friend of mine from work has just released her first book. I've purchased it and added it my to read list, but I encourage everyone to take a look and give it a try!
Good luck with the release Sarah, I know how nerve racking a new release can be :-)
Briley Forester is a shy recluse, a gifted programmer troubled at work, a young woman surrounded at home by a wealthy life of gadgets, her only companion her black cat Smokey.
When a force from beyond the depths of meditation tears her out of reality and dumps her into the village of Maepole, she finds herself trapped within a harsh world without technology, governed by the sword, a grim place where witches, mages and talking cats exist.
Tricked into working as a lowly delivery girl and denied any privacy, her only chance to return home is to overcome her shyness and seek help from the villagers, to foster lasting friendships and rediscover herself. And to learn the art of witchcraft.
But the way home is fraught with heartache and danger, love and despair. The powerful Whitehead family will stop at nothing to be rid of her. And lurking within the forest, the dark spirit lies in wait, ready to strike...
Buy now from Amazon (US) | Buy now from Amazon (UK)
Good luck with the release Sarah, I know how nerve racking a new release can be :-)
Briley Forester is a shy recluse, a gifted programmer troubled at work, a young woman surrounded at home by a wealthy life of gadgets, her only companion her black cat Smokey.
When a force from beyond the depths of meditation tears her out of reality and dumps her into the village of Maepole, she finds herself trapped within a harsh world without technology, governed by the sword, a grim place where witches, mages and talking cats exist.
Tricked into working as a lowly delivery girl and denied any privacy, her only chance to return home is to overcome her shyness and seek help from the villagers, to foster lasting friendships and rediscover herself. And to learn the art of witchcraft.
But the way home is fraught with heartache and danger, love and despair. The powerful Whitehead family will stop at nothing to be rid of her. And lurking within the forest, the dark spirit lies in wait, ready to strike...
Buy now from Amazon (US) | Buy now from Amazon (UK)
An Explorer's Life - New Elite: Dangerous Drabble
I've posted the latest Elite: Dangerous Fiction Diary, in this video I describe the state of the galaxy at the start of the game. You can amuse yourself watching the video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDurmITXzRM
I've also written a drabble that was included in the update:
An Explorer’s Life by Michael Brookes
Some find it too lonely in the unexplored regions. This far out, you rarely meet other ships. Certainly not ones you’d want to meet.
It’s not for everyone, but me? I love it.
The solitude, the thrill of finding the trace that leads me to a new dark system. I’m out here forging a trail that others can follow.
My ship might not have the range of the other explorers, but it’s tough, and I have a trader friend that helps me resupply.
But it pays to be careful. There’re darker things than pirates hidden out here amongst the stars.
The Student Sold Us Secrets Cover Reveal
Lee J Mavin has revealed the new cover for his book 'The Student Sold Us Secrets', which is due for release buy the end of the month.
This shocking and at times completely insane collection of short stories will have you wanting more! It includes twelve chilling short stories, all set in Shanghai China! Based on the extrememly selfish and at times megalomaniac like tendencies of your average Chinese “one child policy” kid in Shanghai. You’ll be amazed at what these kids do to get what they want!
This shocking and at times completely insane collection of short stories will have you wanting more! It includes twelve chilling short stories, all set in Shanghai China! Based on the extrememly selfish and at times megalomaniac like tendencies of your average Chinese “one child policy” kid in Shanghai. You’ll be amazed at what these kids do to get what they want!
Ignite Five Star Reads
Ignite (a fellow Goodreads and Kindle Users Forum denizen) hosts a blog where she posts any five star rated books that she reads. She now has a badge available for those who receive a five star rating from her.
I volunteered to put a badge design together for her and here it is:
Here is her announcement post:
http://ignitebooks.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/the-ignite-five-star-review-badge.html
Her blog is a great place to discover quality indie reads. I've been fortunate to receive two five star reviews on her blog:
Conversations in the Abyss:
http://ignitebooks.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/michael-brookes.html
Faust 2.0:
http://ignitebooks.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/michael-brookes.html
I volunteered to put a badge design together for her and here it is:
Here is her announcement post:
http://ignitebooks.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/the-ignite-five-star-review-badge.html
Her blog is a great place to discover quality indie reads. I've been fortunate to receive two five star reviews on her blog:
Conversations in the Abyss:
http://ignitebooks.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/michael-brookes.html
Faust 2.0:
http://ignitebooks.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/michael-brookes.html
Wednesday, 22 May 2013
Guest Author Interview - Elizabeth Newton
In today's guest author interview we meet Elizabeth Newton, you can read what she has to say below:
Please introduce yourself, who are you and what do you do?
I was born in Adelaide and I have a pretty ordinary life. I have done Calisthenics, ballet, learnt the piano, gone to school, graduated from uni with a teaching degree, met a few famous people, and travelled as far as Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra. But in an ordinary life, you have the opportunity to see the world in weird and wonderful, extraordinary ways. Especially when you’re a Christian, and a writer.
I suppose it was natural for me to become a teacher and a writer. Because as a little girl, I was either writing all kinds of stories about my teddies, princesses and later on, exciting alien encounters; or lining up my dolls and teddies in my bedroom teaching them how to spell and do sums on a little blackboard that came from the cubby house. The only thing I’m not doing that I would have loved to get into is acting and singing on stage, but I guess you can’t do everything.
Besides teaching and writing, I am active in my church, playing the piano and drums (not at the same time), writing a few songs now and then, and my brother James and I lead the youth group. I love my church and I love the youth group. We’re called Grace Youth and the encouragement I’ve had from them regarding getting my stories published has been wonderful. (Some more than others), but from a particular girl called Laura, who I am proud to say is one of the best friends I’ve ever had. She is also, in a sense, my constant companion with me on the Captain’s Train. She appears genuinely interested in and entertained by my stories... I suppose she’s being honest...
Getting back to the exciting things that have happened in my life, there’s something I should have put right at the top. Although you could look at it as though I was saving the best untill last. And that is the fact that I know my Saviour, Jesus, loves me and died for me and because of that, I get to be called friend and daughter of the Most High. Everything I am, I owe to Him. And if I’ve done or achieved anything good and worthwhile in my life, it’s because He daily gives me strength, courage, motivation, comfort, inspiration and encouragement, not to mention my abilities in the first place. If I get any acknowledgement and praise at all for the books I’ve written, glory be to God, the Author of creation, time, the universe, and my life.
What first inspired you to start writing?
That’s a difficult question, mainly because as mentioned earlier, I’ve been writing stories ever since I can remember. I guess I can say that just my imagination has inspired me. And I believe my imagination has come from my Creator, God. When I think of some cool, weird, complicated, exciting, romantic, entertaining story line, or maybe a quirk for a character, or even just a one-liner that sounds good, I MUST write it down and use it. Otherwise, I would get all frustrated or confused as to why I would think of such an idea in the first place. I would see it as rejecting a precious gift if I sat back and didn’t do anything about my imagination. I’m not saying that my imagination is far more superior to anybody else’s, (because I’m sure it certainly and most definitely isn’t), but it’s just my attitude towards it – that itching desire to have an adventure that entails space and time travel, villains, danger, romance, unlikely teams and unlikely heros. But since I’m probably not going to find myself in this situation in reality, I remedy my ache for it by ‘having’ the adventures on paper. And I must. Otherwise, I think I’d go sane.
Where do you do most of your writing?
Just in my bedroom at home. I live with my mum, dad and brother. And sometimes that’s annoying because I’ll be riding this awesome wave of creative juices and the next thing mum calls out, “Tea’s ready and it’s going cold!” Ever since I became published, I’ve had little encouraging/inspirational messages blue-tacked to my desk like “It is safe to be me”, “Let the magic begin”, and “Use every word as if it cost a thousand bucks” (by Penny Brown). Whenever I go on camps with my church or trips with my family, I’ll always either take my laptop or my notebooks and lots of pens and I do love writing when I’m away. But mostly in my little humble bedroom.
If you could write anyone's biography, whose would it be and why?
Interesting question. The first person that comes to mind is Jesus Christ because He’s such an awesome guy and I’d love more people to know about Him and what He did. But is that a cop out of the question? I’m not sure.
What do you enjoy most about writing?
For me, writing my stories is the closest I get to having the adventures myself. (Although I get a little jealous of my characters sometimes for being the ones who are actually doing it.) So I would say the thing I enjoy most about writing is probably the very thing I started writing for – having an adventure. It’s fun to be able to go anywhere or anywhen in the universe and in history. And I feel privileged to have such a vivid imagination that I actually do end up with a sort of a feeling that I’ve been there and done that, after writing about it.
And the least?
When after the umpteenth time of editing it and your friends and family editing it, you still find the odd mistake in the final, published, printed, paperback copy.
What advice would you give new and aspiring authors?
Go for it!
What are you working on at the moment?
At the moment I am planning number eight of the Train Flight series. I have just finished writing number seven, but five, six and seven all need to be revisited a little way down the track before I even think about submitting them. So in as-yet-title-less number eight, the Captain and his passengers find themselves in London during WW1 – 1915 to be precise. And I can’t say much more for two reasons, 1. I don’t want to give too much away, and 2. I haven’t quite worked out everything that happens in the story yet. All I know is, it involves poison gas, footmen and parlour maids, war soldiers, sinister conversations and several pots of tea... with lemon.
Tell us about your latest work and how we can find out more.
The latest one published is the fourth Train Flight story called “Furry Friends” In Furry Friends we are in the present (well, the main character Evie’s present, which is actually now back in 2011). The Train was supposed to be landing on some distant planet to show Evie some weird and wonderful flora and fauna that one would never see on Earth, but because the Train’s navigation system has packed up, they wind up on Earth, not too far away from Evie’s Adelaide home. But the Captain’s intention of showing Evie and the other Train passenger Paulo something weird and exciting isn’t a total wash out. There is an unexpected catastrophe which has all of Adelaide on alert and the Captain, Evie and Paulo find themselves deeply involved, especially when a teacher at a nearby primary school says on National TV that it must be aliens. She is a perfect stranger, but she has called the Captain by name to come and help. This story was literally inspired by a humorous response invented by a good friend of mine, Simon, when we were playing the game “Balderdash” with some friends at a camp. The acronym was P.U.F.F. which actually stands for “People United to Fight Frustration”, but Simon and his team-mate Jock guessed that it stood for “Potentially Unfriendly Furry Friends”. We all laughed, and for some reason, it stuck in my mind as a story idea. What these potentially unfriendly furry friends are… you’ll have to read “Furry Friends” to find out.
Buy now from Amazon (US) | Buy now from Amazon (UK)
Thanks to Elizatbeth for sharing her thoughts with us, on Friday we welcome Robin Leigh Morgan to the hot seat.
Please introduce yourself, who are you and what do you do?
I was born in Adelaide and I have a pretty ordinary life. I have done Calisthenics, ballet, learnt the piano, gone to school, graduated from uni with a teaching degree, met a few famous people, and travelled as far as Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra. But in an ordinary life, you have the opportunity to see the world in weird and wonderful, extraordinary ways. Especially when you’re a Christian, and a writer.
I suppose it was natural for me to become a teacher and a writer. Because as a little girl, I was either writing all kinds of stories about my teddies, princesses and later on, exciting alien encounters; or lining up my dolls and teddies in my bedroom teaching them how to spell and do sums on a little blackboard that came from the cubby house. The only thing I’m not doing that I would have loved to get into is acting and singing on stage, but I guess you can’t do everything.
Besides teaching and writing, I am active in my church, playing the piano and drums (not at the same time), writing a few songs now and then, and my brother James and I lead the youth group. I love my church and I love the youth group. We’re called Grace Youth and the encouragement I’ve had from them regarding getting my stories published has been wonderful. (Some more than others), but from a particular girl called Laura, who I am proud to say is one of the best friends I’ve ever had. She is also, in a sense, my constant companion with me on the Captain’s Train. She appears genuinely interested in and entertained by my stories... I suppose she’s being honest...
Getting back to the exciting things that have happened in my life, there’s something I should have put right at the top. Although you could look at it as though I was saving the best untill last. And that is the fact that I know my Saviour, Jesus, loves me and died for me and because of that, I get to be called friend and daughter of the Most High. Everything I am, I owe to Him. And if I’ve done or achieved anything good and worthwhile in my life, it’s because He daily gives me strength, courage, motivation, comfort, inspiration and encouragement, not to mention my abilities in the first place. If I get any acknowledgement and praise at all for the books I’ve written, glory be to God, the Author of creation, time, the universe, and my life.
What first inspired you to start writing?
That’s a difficult question, mainly because as mentioned earlier, I’ve been writing stories ever since I can remember. I guess I can say that just my imagination has inspired me. And I believe my imagination has come from my Creator, God. When I think of some cool, weird, complicated, exciting, romantic, entertaining story line, or maybe a quirk for a character, or even just a one-liner that sounds good, I MUST write it down and use it. Otherwise, I would get all frustrated or confused as to why I would think of such an idea in the first place. I would see it as rejecting a precious gift if I sat back and didn’t do anything about my imagination. I’m not saying that my imagination is far more superior to anybody else’s, (because I’m sure it certainly and most definitely isn’t), but it’s just my attitude towards it – that itching desire to have an adventure that entails space and time travel, villains, danger, romance, unlikely teams and unlikely heros. But since I’m probably not going to find myself in this situation in reality, I remedy my ache for it by ‘having’ the adventures on paper. And I must. Otherwise, I think I’d go sane.
Where do you do most of your writing?
Just in my bedroom at home. I live with my mum, dad and brother. And sometimes that’s annoying because I’ll be riding this awesome wave of creative juices and the next thing mum calls out, “Tea’s ready and it’s going cold!” Ever since I became published, I’ve had little encouraging/inspirational messages blue-tacked to my desk like “It is safe to be me”, “Let the magic begin”, and “Use every word as if it cost a thousand bucks” (by Penny Brown). Whenever I go on camps with my church or trips with my family, I’ll always either take my laptop or my notebooks and lots of pens and I do love writing when I’m away. But mostly in my little humble bedroom.
If you could write anyone's biography, whose would it be and why?
Interesting question. The first person that comes to mind is Jesus Christ because He’s such an awesome guy and I’d love more people to know about Him and what He did. But is that a cop out of the question? I’m not sure.
What do you enjoy most about writing?
For me, writing my stories is the closest I get to having the adventures myself. (Although I get a little jealous of my characters sometimes for being the ones who are actually doing it.) So I would say the thing I enjoy most about writing is probably the very thing I started writing for – having an adventure. It’s fun to be able to go anywhere or anywhen in the universe and in history. And I feel privileged to have such a vivid imagination that I actually do end up with a sort of a feeling that I’ve been there and done that, after writing about it.
And the least?
When after the umpteenth time of editing it and your friends and family editing it, you still find the odd mistake in the final, published, printed, paperback copy.
What advice would you give new and aspiring authors?
Go for it!
What are you working on at the moment?
At the moment I am planning number eight of the Train Flight series. I have just finished writing number seven, but five, six and seven all need to be revisited a little way down the track before I even think about submitting them. So in as-yet-title-less number eight, the Captain and his passengers find themselves in London during WW1 – 1915 to be precise. And I can’t say much more for two reasons, 1. I don’t want to give too much away, and 2. I haven’t quite worked out everything that happens in the story yet. All I know is, it involves poison gas, footmen and parlour maids, war soldiers, sinister conversations and several pots of tea... with lemon.
Tell us about your latest work and how we can find out more.
The latest one published is the fourth Train Flight story called “Furry Friends” In Furry Friends we are in the present (well, the main character Evie’s present, which is actually now back in 2011). The Train was supposed to be landing on some distant planet to show Evie some weird and wonderful flora and fauna that one would never see on Earth, but because the Train’s navigation system has packed up, they wind up on Earth, not too far away from Evie’s Adelaide home. But the Captain’s intention of showing Evie and the other Train passenger Paulo something weird and exciting isn’t a total wash out. There is an unexpected catastrophe which has all of Adelaide on alert and the Captain, Evie and Paulo find themselves deeply involved, especially when a teacher at a nearby primary school says on National TV that it must be aliens. She is a perfect stranger, but she has called the Captain by name to come and help. This story was literally inspired by a humorous response invented by a good friend of mine, Simon, when we were playing the game “Balderdash” with some friends at a camp. The acronym was P.U.F.F. which actually stands for “People United to Fight Frustration”, but Simon and his team-mate Jock guessed that it stood for “Potentially Unfriendly Furry Friends”. We all laughed, and for some reason, it stuck in my mind as a story idea. What these potentially unfriendly furry friends are… you’ll have to read “Furry Friends” to find out.
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Thanks to Elizatbeth for sharing her thoughts with us, on Friday we welcome Robin Leigh Morgan to the hot seat.
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