Author: Marcia

OCD About Books? You Bet! #amwriting

/ Marcia / 14 Comments

Am I the only one who gets a tad OCD about her favorite books? I have now created my very own “Still Life with Crows” on the shelf directly over my monitor. Every time I look up, I’m reminded of how much I love the Pendergast books. And crows. And then I continue typing, much inspired. Silly? Possibly. But it makes me happy, and what’s better than being hard at work with a smile on your face?  

BTW, the two books on the right of this little tableau are Leigh Bardugo’s duology, Six of Crows & Crooked Kingdom, two huge favorites of mine, too. How could I resist adding those gorgeous crow covers to my little vignette? I couldn’t. And I highly recommend using your favorite books in creative ways around your work space, too. It really is inspirational. That’s my story, an’ I’m stickin’ to it! 😀

Have a great afternoon and an even greater weekend, folks! ❤

Author Inspiration and This Week’s Writing Links

/ Marcia / 2 Comments

Once again, Staci Troilo has come up with a fantastic Author Inspiration and This Week’s Writing Links post. Good stuff here, folks. Check it out, and pass it along. Thanks, and thanks to Staci for such a great recap of the week! 🙂

Staci Troilo

Ciao, amici! I’ve been busy with rewrites and revisions this week, which (for me) is a combination of glee, stress, and oh-my-god-how-do-I-suck-this-much.

I’ll admit to writing a few beautiful sentences, but I also have to admit to writing a few that simply made no sense. Maybe they would to Lewis Carroll readers (any fans of Jabberwocky here?), but not to many others. There are instances of questionable spelling (and that’s being kind) and sentence structure so poor, I’m amazed I can figure out what I meant. I’ve even found one that just stops. It didn’t end, mind you. There was no completion of thought followed by a period or other punctuation mark. It just dropped off, mid-thought.

The worst part? I have no idea what I wanted to say there.

It’s a process like this which makes Reba McEntire’s words resonate with me:

To succeed in life, you need…

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A Wonderful Article on The Creative Penn by guest author Rob Eager #amwriting

/ Marcia / 3 Comments

Check this one out, folks! Lots of practical advice for how to use words to increase your books sales, with plenty of examples included. This is something we can all do and it doesn’t cost a cent! I’m going to be working on some of these ideas as soon as possible, and I feel sure some of you will try them out, if you haven’t already been using these methods. (Don’t forget to share!) 🙂 

https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2019/05/31/book-marketing-3-ways-to-use-language-to-sell-more-books/

#ShareAReviewDay Tuesday – “The Scarlet Ribbon” by Anita Dawes

/ Marcia / 21 Comments

And now for our afternoon treat! Anita Dawes is sharing a review of her book The Scarlet Ribbon. I know you’ll enjoy reading this one, so please help me make Anita feel right at home here on The Write Stuff, and then share this post far and wide. We want to get these reviews in front of as many new readers as possible, and the key lies with you folks. Thanks so much!

REVIEW:

Kevin Cooper
5.0 out of 5 starsThought Provoking
15 April 2019
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase

I took my time reading this work because I found it very thought provoking.

On several occasions I was transported back in time to when a previous partner and I visited a friend who was in a coma for several weeks before her husband gave the go ahead to have the life support terminated.

On other occasions I found myself drifting back to when my son was in a coma as a result of a hit and run, and again to his months of recovery as he learned to walk again.

And again to my own experiences of astral travel. This story takes astral travel to a whole new level.

Despite my own deviance, I still found the story most engrossing. I was looking for something different to read and while providing me just that, this story did not disappoint.

In addition to its wonderful book cover, The Scarlet Ribbon is original and well-written with thought-provoking ideology.

(We were thrilled to receive this review from Kevin Cooper!)

BLURB:

When a dirty blue car mows Maggie down outside her local supermarket, she becomes trapped in the nightmare world of a coma patient.

In this very different world, she manages to rescue an abused and neglected child. But when it looks as though she will finally wake up, she cannot bear the thought of leaving the child behind.

But is this other world real, or was she just dreaming? And if it is real, can she help this child?

Buy The Scarlet Ribbon HERE


Anita Dawes, Author

 I love exploring all the wonderful writing possibilities and trying something new. I make all these plans in my head, knowing I am probably wasting my time, but I can’t help it.

For someone who loathes computers with a passion, and I suspect this is mutual, I have managed to master the beast to some extent, but there is still so much I don’t know. As long as there is life in this old body, I will keep on trying, and you never know, our books might just be a little famous one day!

It won’t be for the lack of trying, trust me!

Reach Anita on Social Media here:

jenanita01@btinternet.com
Website/blog   
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
Author Page
Pinterest
Bloglovin

#ShareAReviewDay Tuesday – “Amanda on the Danube” by Darlene Foster

/ Marcia / 21 Comments

It’s Tuesday once more and time for #ShareAReviewDay here on The Write Stuff. Please help me welcome Darlene Foster this morning, who will be sharing a review of her book Amanda on the Danube. (Have you noticed what a well-traveled little girl Amanda is? Lucky her!) Hope you enjoy this one and will pass it along far and wide. Thanks!

REVIEW:

Robbie Cheadle
5.0 out of 5 stars A great adventure in a very interesting setting
Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Michael and I read this book together and we both enjoyed it immensely. It is my favourite of the three Amanda books we have read to date and we will definitely be reading more.

Amanda and her good friend, Leah, are on a boat cruise along the Danube and very much enjoying the good food and fascinating villages and towns that they stop at when they become embroiled in a new mystery. A young boy who plays the violin most beautifully asks Amanda to please take his violin on the boat with her and meet him in Vienna. Amanda agrees to the request and quickly comes to realise that the talented boy is not the only one who wants the violin. There are a few people, both on the cruise and elsewhere, that are determined to lay their hands on this instrument.

I really like Darlene Foster’s books as they have an interesting and face paced story but they also include a huge amount of fascinating information about the specific country in which each specific novel is set. We both learned a lot about the towns and villages in Germany, Austria and Hungary and the traditional foods, entertainment and some famous places of interest. There is a lot of research that goes into each of these books.

We rated this book five out of five stars.

BLURB:

Twelve-year-old Amanda Ross finds herself on an elegant riverboat with her bestie, Leah, cruising down the beautiful Danube, passing medieval castles, luscious green valleys and charming villages. When she is entrusted with a valuable violin by a young, homeless musician during a stop in Germany, a mean boy immediately attempts to take it from her.

Back on their cruise, Amanda struggles to keep the precious violin safe for the poor prodigy. Along the way, she encounters a mysterious monk, a Santa Claus look-alike, and the same nasty boy.

Follow Amanda down the Danube, through Germany, Austria and Hungary, as she enjoys the enchanting sounds of music everywhere she goes. She remains on the lookout though, wondering just who she can trust.

Buy Amanda on the Danube Here:
Amazon. com
Amazon.ca
Amazon.uk
Kobo

Darlene Foster, Author

Brought up in southern Alberta, Darlene Foster dreamt of writing stories, travelling the world and meeting interesting people. It’s no surprise that after a number of interesting jobs, she’s now an award-winning author of the exciting Amanda Travels series featuring spunky 12-year-old Amanda Ross who loves to travel to unique places. Readers of all ages enjoy travelling with Amanda as she unravels one mystery after another. When she isn’t travelling herself, Darlene divides her time between the west coast of Canada and the Costa Blanca, Spain with her husband and entertaining dog, Dot. She believes everyone is capable of making their dreams come true if they´re willing to step out of their comfort zone. 

You can reach Darlene on Social Media here:

Website  
Goodreads
Blog 
Twitter 
Facebook

Author Inspiration and This Week’s Writing Links

/ Marcia / 2 Comments

Time for another great weekly update from Staci Troilo. Super quote this week, and lots of wonderful links for you to check out and pass along. Thanks! And a special thanks to Staci for making it easier for me to keep up. 😀 ❤

Staci Troilo

Ciao, amici! The three-day weekend has me all turned around. I’m not sure why, since I worked through the holiday, but I’m muddled all the same. Days off, whether I take them or not, always make the rest of the week hard for me. I never know what day it is, and my plans all fall apart.

Enough about that, though. A bunch of weird stuff happened this week. Family things. Weather things. (I’m seriously considering building an ark.) Work things. At first, I thought I’d incorporate some of these oddities into my WIP (or a future work) because they were just so bizarre, they needed to be shared. Then I realized it was pointless. No one would believe some of this stuff. Which brings me to these wise words by Tom Clancy:

The difference between fiction and reality?
Fiction has to make sense.

And isn’t that that truth? Just…

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#ShareAReviewDay Tuesday – The Cruel Romance by Marina Osipova

/ Marcia / 20 Comments

This afternoon, we are welcoming Marina Osipova to #ShareAReviewDay here on The Write Stuff. Marina is sharing a review of her book The Cruel Romance, and I know you’re going to enjoy reading about this one. Remember to share on your favorite social media, too. We’ll do the same for you when it’s your turn to be featured. Thanks!

REVIEW:

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent!
September 4, 2018
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase

Have you ever read a book that was so good that you wished there was a movie about it? This is exactly what happened to me after I finished “The Cruel Romance.” The setting was so authentic, the characters so vivid and real, and the atmosphere so haunting and emotionally-charged that I couldn’t help but moan, “I wish I saw this on the big screen” from time to time! The story is set in the Eastern front, where too few historical fiction authors dare to go, unfortunately. Just this fact makes this excellent novel stand out among many of its WW2 peers. But to me, it was the characters that made me fall in love with the plot – real, authentic, multi-dimensional, with all of their doubts, hopes, sufferings, and their will to go on despite it all. The ending was perfect and left me with a warm, fuzzy feeling after all the devastation that the characters had to go through. Meticulously researched and beautifully presented, “The Cruel Romance” will keep you captivated till the very last page is turned. Highly recommended to all fans of the genre Continue reading →

#ShareAReviewDay Tuesday – “While the Bombs Fell” by Robbie Cheadle & Elsie Hancy Eaton

/ Marcia / 52 Comments

This morning, I have the pleasure of welcoming Robbie Cheadle to The Write Stuff. Robbie is sharing a review from her book While the Bombs Fell, and I know you’ll enjoy checking it out. Please remember to share far and wide, so lots of new readers will find this one! Thanks!

REVIEW:

5.0 out of 5 stars A heart-warming tale

7 April 2019
Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Growing up in rural Suffolk during World War Two, Elsie and her family live their lives amid the rumble of German bomber planes and the whine of air-raid sirens. But daily life must continue, and the children and their parents make the most of restricted amenities during wartime.

Along with Elsie Hancy Eaton (whose life inspired the book), Robbie Cheadle has produced an interesting and heart-warming tale about a wartime family and the ups and downs of everyday life as they strive to cope with the constant threat of invasion. The stories reflect the highlights and occasional tragedies that face the family during the war years, as well as the many ingenious ways they find to deal with the limitations of rationing and lack of income. The book includes family photographs from the time and lists several authentic World War Two recipes, such as Potato Pastry and Lord Woolton Pie.

A delightful way for children to learn about wartime Britain.

Continue reading →