Book Review: Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella

Lara Lington has always had an overactive imagination, but suddenly that imagination seems to be in overdrive. Normal professional twenty-something young women don’t get visited by ghosts. Or do they?

When the spirit of Lara’s great-aunt Sadie–a feisty, demanding girl with firm ideas about fashion, love, and the right way to dance–mysteriously appears, she has one last request: Lara must find a missing necklace that had been in Sadie’s possession for more than seventy-five years, and Sadie cannot rest without it. Lara, on the other hand, has a number of ongoing distractions. Her best friend and business partner has run off to Goa, her start-up company is floundering, and she’s just been dumped by the “perfect” man.

Sadie, however, could care less.

Lara and Sadie make a hilarious sparring duo, and at first it seems as though they have nothing in common. But as the mission to find Sadie’s necklace leads to intrigue and a new romance for Lara, these very different “twenties” girls learn some surprising truths from each other along the way. 

Published:  21st January 2010
Publisher:  Black Swan
Source:  Purchased
Links:  Amazon  /  Goodreads 

My Review   9 out of 10
For the video review, please see the end of this post.

First off, I have to say that Sophie Kinsella is one of my favourite authors of all time so I had very high hopes for this book and it definitely did not disappoint.  Sophie Kinsella has this type of writing that has a touch of comedic and a splash of romance, which I absolutely love.    At the beginning of this story, we see Lara attending the funeral of her great aunt Sadie, which is where she meets the ghost Sadie and cannot believe her eyes.  

There are a lot of great plots going on in this story.  Firstly, you have the relationship between Lara and Ghost Sadie, which is most of the time really comical.  Lara, having not really spent much time with Sadie when she was living, is having to spend a lot more time than she would have imagined with the Ghost Sadie.  Next up you have the mystery of the dragonfly necklace.  I won't tell you too much about that one as that is a very big part of the story but I have to say that following the story of the necklace until the very end was one of my favourite parts of the story.  You then have Lara who has been left in the lurch by her friend at their job and having to make sure they do not go bust.  Added to that is a possible romance, or two and this is one very full novel.    There was a part in the middle of the book where I did feel that it was dragging a bit and I was waiting for something else to happen but overall I absolutely loved this book...  I won't say too much more but there are some twists and turns in this story that were completely unexpected to me and I loved it...

For all those Sophie Kinsella fans out there who haven't read this book yet, I would highly recommend it.  For all those who have not tried a Sophie Kinsella book yet, try this one and you definitely will not be disappointed...







Best wishes 

Debs

Author Interview with Kay Marshall Strom

1. If you could work with any other author, who would it be and why? 
   
   

I would go back in time and work with Charles Dickens. He was a master at plopping his readers down in the midst of harsh circumstances and having them live his characters’ lives. That’s what I’m aiming for in The Love of Divena.

2.       What would be a typical working day for you? When and where do you write? 

It depends. If I’m under a crushing deadline—which seems to happen too often!—I write almost around the clock. But on a typical non-crush day, first thing in the morning I check my email. After breakfast—and a nice morning soak in the hot tub spa with my husband—I spend several hours on whichever book I’m working on. Or I write blog posts. Or I answer messages from readers and prepare my next project. I am fortunate to have a sunny, welcoming office all my own, filled with books and files and stuffed lambs. I can and do write any time, but I’m most creative in the afternoon and evening. If I’m stuck, I work on the hard place just before I go to bed, because more often than not, I dream out a solution. Then I get up in the middle of the night and write it out before I forget it.

3.       What is the hardest part of the writing for you? 

The second draft. I love laying out a new book. On the first draft, I feel as though I’m producing the greatest piece of literature imaginable. But then I get to the second draft. It’s so discouraging to go back and reread what I thought was a masterpiece! I always think, Oh, no! I can’t write at all! Everyone is going to find out I’m a fake!

4.       When and why did you first start writing? 

Even when I was a child, I loved to write. My first “book,” written when I was ten years old, was Tommy the Tuna. Two years later I wrote a script for the Mickey Mouse Club and sent it to our local TV station. I got my first rejection slip. At fourteen, I submitted a schmaltzy Christmas story to a contest run by the San Francisco Chronicle and was named a distant runner-up. That must have been a lean writing year! But it wasn’t until after I had my children that I started writing in earnest. Why do I write? Because I can’t not do it.

5.       How did you come up with the idea for the book ‘The Love of Divena’? 

Actually, The Love of Divena is the third and last book in my Blessings in India trilogy, so I’ll step back a bit to answer. I first went to India 12 years ago to gather stories from women who live and serve Christ in the world’s hardest places. I learned that India, with its culture of generations-long bonded servitude, is a major cause of modern day slavery. Especially for Dalits—India’s outcastes formerly known as Untouchables. Several years ago I had the opportunity to travel throughout Ireland with the advance team for the movie Amazing Grace. One team member was from India, and he spoke about this slavery.  On the last day of our time together, he asked me, “Why don’t you write about my people? We need someone to speak for us. Why don’t you write about us?” So the idea for this trilogy wasn’t mine at all. I simply followed up on Sam Paul’s request.

6.       Are you a big reader? If so, what are you reading now? 

Yes! I always have been a reader. Actually, right now I’m reading two not-yet-published books for endorsements. Flight of the Earls is historical fiction, set in Ireland, and A Quilt for Jenna is Amish fiction. Interestingly, both authors are men.

7.       Do you have any advice for other aspiring writers?

Write and write and write some more. Never give up. Everyone gets better and better, no one gets worse and worse.

About the Author:

Kay Marshall Strom is the author of forty published books.  Her writing credits also include numerous magazine articles, short stories, curriculum, stories for children, two prize-winning screenplays, and booklets for writers.  Kay speaks at seminars, retreats, and special events throughout the country.  She and her husband Dan Kline love to travel, and more and more Kay’s writing and speaking take her around the word.

Her latest book is the Christian historical fiction, The Love of Divena.

To find out more about Kay, or for contact information, check her website at www.kaystrom.com.

Visit Kay at Twitter: http://twitter.com/kaysblab

Like Kay at Facebook: Click Here

Pick up your copy of The Love of Divena at Amazon:  Click Here

Pick up your copy of The Love of Divena at the publisher’s website: http://abingdonpress.com/forms/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=7312

About the Book:

In this final book of the Blessings in India trilogy, Divena struggles against an entire culture to proclaim a faith close to her heart while rocking the world of two families.

India 1990. In the final book of the Blessings of India series, Shridula, old and stooped at fifty-nine, makes her painful way to pay homage to the elephant god Ganesh, lord of success and destroyer of evils and obstacles. “Why are we Hindus instead of Christians?” her seventeen-year-old granddaughter Divena asked.

“Because we are Indian,” said Shridula.

So begins a spiritual journey for Divena as she struggles against an entire culture to proclaim a faith close to her heart while rocking the world of two families.

Author Interview - Jessica Scott

Jessica Scott is a career army officer, mother of two daughters, three cats, three dogs and two escape-artists hamsters, wife to a career NCO and wrangler of all things stuffed and fluffy. She has commanded two companies, served in Germany, Korea, Fort Hood and Iraq, and been lucky not to get fired. She is a terrible cook and an even worse housekeeper, but she’s a pretty good shot with her assigned weapon. Somehow, her children are pretty well adjusted and her husband still loves her, despite burned water and a messy house.

You can find her online at

Website: http://www.jessicascott.net

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jessicascottauthor

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/jessicascott09

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5131118.Jessica_Scott

Because of You (Book 1,  Coming Home)

From the war-torn streets of Baghdad to the bittersweet comforts of the home front, two wounded hearts navigate the battlefield of coming home from war in this explosive eBook original from newcomer Jessica Scott.

Keeping his men alive is all that matters to Sergeant First Class Shane Garrison. But meeting Jen St. James the night before his latest deployment makes Shane wonder if there’s more to life than war. He leaves for Iraq remembering a single kiss with a woman he’ll never see again—until a near fatal attack lands him back at home and in her care.

Jen has survived her own brush with death and endured its scars. And yet there’s a fire in Shane that makes Jen forget all about her past. He may be her patient, but when this warrior looks her in the eyes, she feels—for the first time in a long time—like a woman. Shane is too proud to ask for help, but for Jen, caring for him is more than a duty—it’s a need. And as Jen guides Shane through the fires of healing, she finds something she never expected—her deepest desire.

Release Date:  Out Now!

 

Until There Was You (Book 2,  Coming Home)

Link to the Goodreads Page - click here

 

Release Date:  8th October 2012

 

 

If you could work with any other author, who would it be and why?

Oh great question. There are so many fantastic authors out there. Wow. Um, I really have no idea. I’d love to work with Shawntelle Madison because she’s got a sense of humor as warped as mine. And I think I’d love to work with Nalini Singh just to learn to be a more evocative writer. She’s got a beautiful way with words. And probably Victoria Dahl because she’s funny as all get out.

What would be a typical working day for you? When and where do you write?

There isn’t really a typical working day for me. The best way for me to write is on my back porch with a cup of coffee and a song stuck in my head. I don’t know why but having a song stuck in my head really helps the writing flow. I don’t normally sit down to write until later in the evening after I get home from work and the family is put to bed.

What is the hardest part of the writing for you?

Making sure I hit those emotional notes that make people care about the characters. I rarely read a book I where I don’t connect with the characters some how and I always try to write a book where readers connect with mine.

When and why did you first start writing?  

Back in 2007, I was at Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning. I was away from my kids and my husband was on his 2nd deployment. I did a lot of hanging around in the bookstore and one day in class, I started writing. I guess you could say the rest is history.

How did you come up with the idea for the book ‘Until There Was You'?

The class that followed OCS had 2 people in it who were constantly at each other’s throats. One day one of my buddies said they should just sleep together and get it overwith and well, the idea for Evan & Claire was born.

Are you a big reader? If so, what are you reading now?

Very much so. I read a ton of non fiction. I love to read books that make me laugh so on my kindle right now is Victoria Dahl’s Close Enough to Touch and Nalini Singh’s Archangel’s Storm.

      

Do you have any advice for other aspiring writers?

Learn your craft. Don’t query until you’re ready. Follow industry folks on twitter and facebook and learn from them. there’s always more to learn. always.

 

 

To celebrate the long awaited release of Jessica's second book, she is having a super giveaway the http://www.jessicascott.net/blog/?p=2818 UNTIL THERE WAS YOU PREORDER SWEEPSTAKES all throughout September until Oct 7th!

If you preorder UNTIL THERE WAS YOU, you get entered into a chance to win a Kindle Fire or a Nook Color.

She is also giving away a digital eARC of UNTIL THERE WAS YOU to someone today!

Book Review - Fallen Grace by Mary Hooper

Grace Parkes has just had to do a terrible thing. Having given birth to an illegitimate child, she has travelled to the famed Brookwood Cemetery to place her small infant's body in a rich lady's coffin. Following the advice of a kindly midwife, this is the only way that Grace can think of to give something at least to the little baby who died at birth, and to avoid the ignominy of a pauper's grave. 

Distraught and weeping, Grace meets two people at the cemetery: Mrs Emmeline Unwin and Mr James Solent. These two characters will have a profound affect upon Grace's life. But Grace doesn't know that yet. 

For now, she has to suppress her grief and get on with the business of living: scraping together enough pennies selling watercress for rent and food; looking after her older sister, who is incapable of caring for herself; thwarting the manipulative and conscience-free Unwin family, who are as capable of running a lucrative funeral business as they are of defrauding a young woman of her fortune. 

A stunning evocation of life in Victorian London, with vivid and accurate depictions, ranging from the deprivation that the truly poor suffered to the unthinking luxuries enjoyed by the rich: all bound up with a pacy and thrilling plot, as Grace races to unravel the fraud about to be perpetrated against her and her sister.

Release Date:  1st February 2011
Publishers:  Bloomsbury
Source:  Won from a Competition
Links:  Goodreads  /  Amazon.co.uk  /  Amazon.com     

My Review      8 out of 10

This book surprised me so much.   This story deals with some really hard hitting issues including (but not telling you all of them as that will spoil the story) illegitimate children etc.  There are a lot of twists and turns in this story that it definately kept me on my toes.  

What I enjoyed the most about this story is the relationship between Grace and her sister Lily.  Because it has been just the both of them for such a long time, they have formed a bond that makes them want to fight to stay together and Grace taking the role of a mother figure.  Grace will do anything to make sure that her and her sister stay together.  This leads her, together with her sister, to work at a funeral home with a family called the Unwins, who are a lot more nasty than what they seem...  

A great historical fiction story about Victoria London.  The descriptions in this story was so great, when reading I felt like I was right in the story...  If you like historical fiction, I would highly recommend it.  If you have never tried historic fiction, this would be a great place to start...

Best wishes

Debs :-)

Book Haul - 30th September 2012

Book Review: My Last Blind Date by Susan Hatler

It’s Valentine’s Day and Rachel Price has a choice: Stay home and watch TV with her loveable doggy or let her best friend, Ellen, set her up on a blind date. What to do….

Ellen says the guy is a “10,” but the last guy she set her up with was a “–5.” Rachel’s been flirting with coworker Noah Peterson and she’s hoping he’s noticed. Then, she finds out Noah has big plans. Even worse, he advises Rachel to go on the blind date!

Should she play it safe and spend the Hallmark holiday with her loyal pooch, Chester, or risk another dating disaster by trying yet again for love?

Release Date:  4th February 2012
Source:  Copy Received from Author
Links:  Goodreads  /  Amazon.co.uk  /  Amazon.com  


My Review    10 out of 10

If you would like to see the video review, please see the end of this post.

I absolutely love love loved this short story from Susan Hatler.  Another delightful burst of uplifting romance that I could not put down. 

I immediately warmed to the main character, Rachel.  She is being set up on a blind date by her friend but is unsure whether she wants to go or not.  It isn't until she finds out that the guy she fancies at work has 'big plans' for Valentine's Day that she decides that she is not going to stay in.  

This short story has the perfect amount of romance and there were parts in this that made me giggle also...  

If you are after a short burst of romance and happiness, this is definately one to pick up...  Highly recommend it to all!



Best wishes

Debs :-)

Author Interview: J E Hall

J.E. Hall is the author of the romance mystery novel, Angie of the Garden.

Pick up your copy at Amazon:  Amazon Link - Click Here

Purchase your copy at the publisher’s website:  http://bookstore.authorhouse.com/Products/SKU-000549256/Angie-of-the-Garden.aspx

About the Book:

Angie of the Garden is a story about a psychiatrist named Hollis Simms. He is an affable individual who is dedicated to his patients, and his family. Hollis is married to a provocative and wealthy woman named Olivia: their irrepressible teenage daughter is named Annabelle. She used her considerable resources to purchase the estate called Fairhaven for them to live in.

As a boy Hollis found a diary written by a woman named Angie Barton buried in a garden. The journal told of the hardships and deprivations suffered by the woman from Boston as she traveled on the Oregon Trail. She became his first love. One evening as Doctor Simms walked past a garden on the estate he encountered the spirit of Angie Barton. Hollis learns that she worked at Fairhaven as a house servant after returning from the west. He cannot fathom how this adventurous woman could have come to such a station in life. Hollis decides that Angie must have experienced some kind of trauma. During her subsequent appearances he entices her into recounting the long trek westward in order to discover the cause of her malaise.

Hollis’ obsession with the woman from the past also begins to strain his relationships with those closest to him. Hollis is determined to find the reason for Angie’s moribund spirit. In the end he does, and Angie finds peace. Then a chance encounter reveals something else about the woman in the garden.

If you could work with any other author, who would it be and why? 

John Irving. I’ve always enjoyed the characters he creates.

What would be a typical working day for you? When and where do you write? 

I usually spend an hour or two working in the evening. I work in my apartment.

What is the hardest part of the writing for you?

When I start to get on a roll and I find myself having to constantly stop to correct spelling and grammar. I shouldn’t complain considering how much of that is done automatically by word. But I will anyway.

When and why did you first start writing? 

About ten years ago. I had always intended to write, but in my twenties and thirties I was burning the candle at both ends as they say, and never found the time. Now I’m able to get into a routine, which is essential to finishing a novel.

How did you come up with the idea for the book ‘Angie of the Garden.’?

I wanted to write a story that involved a ghost. I took a trip one day to the Planting Fields Arboretum in Old Westbury. It’s a beautiful place with a wide variety of trees and plants. There’s a mansion on the grounds form the Gold Coast Era. I imagined a family living there today, and the father being a psychiatrist who encounters a troubled spirit. I tried to think of something that would make the ghost interesting. One day soon after I was searching for something on the internet (I don’t remember what it was) and came across an article about the Oregon Trail. I’ve always been interested in history, and I thought that having the ghost be a pioneer from the 1800s would make for an interesting story.

Are you a big reader? If so, what are you reading now?

I used to be, but since I started writing I’ve used my free time to create my own stories. My favorite book (s) of all time is the Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolken.

Do you have any advice for other aspiring writers?

My approach is to write the stories that occur to me, instead of taking in account what’s popular at the moment and trying to fashion something that will sell. It really depends on what your objectives are. If I write a good story that rings true to me I feel the time and effort was justified.

Waiting on Wednesday: Touched by Corrine Jackson

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly memo that is hosted by Breaking the Spine Blog.

 

Expected Release Date:   27th November 2012
(Release date obtained from Goodreads)


Goodreads link is here.

Remy O’Malley heals people with touch—but every injury she cures becomes her own. Living in a household with an abusive stepfather, she has healed untold numbers of broken bones, burns,and bruises. And then one night her stepfather goes too far.

Being sent to live with her estranged father offers a clean start and she is eager to take it. Enter Asher Blackwell. Once a Protector of Healers, Asher sacrificed his senses to become immortal. Only by killing a Healer can a Protector recover their human senses. Falling in love is against the rules between these two enemies. Because Remy has the power to make Protectors human again, and when they find out, they’ll becoming for her—if Asher doesn’t kill her first.

This is Book One in the Touched trilogy.

Book Review: Bringing the Summer by Julia Green

It’s the lazy end of summer and Freya is about to start her A levels. Her brother Joe died a year ago, but she is slowly coming to terms with his death. She is beginning to feel ready for something new – a change. And then a railway accident brings her into contact with the gorgeous Gabe. Freya is drawn not just to his blond good looks, but everything about him, including his large, shambolic, warm and loving family, which seems to Freya so different from her own.

And then Gabe’s clearly troubled older brother makes it clear he is interested in Freya – and Freya has some decisions to make about what she really wants.


Estimated Publication Date:  13th November 2012 (first published (10th May 2012)
Publisher:  Bloomsbury
Source:  Review Copy from Publisher
Links:  Goodreads  /  Amazon.co.uk  /  Amazon.com 

My Review:    8 out of 10           

I have to admit that I did want to read this one when summer was still here but unfortunately I did not get around to reading it until now.  This book does live and breath the summer.  We see the main character, Freya, whose family appear to be living on eggshells after the death of Freya brother.   Freya then meets Gabe, becomes friends and is introduced to his wonderful family, including his brother.  

I have to admit that although this book was very predictable, the part that I enjoyed the most about this story was the relationships between each of the characters and watching how they progress throughout the book.  The relationship with Gabe and Freya is definitely the backbone of this story to start with and then you have the introduction of Gabe's brother who comes in and for one reason or another changes the dynamic of the relationship between Gabe and Freya.  

I would highly recommend this, especially if you like chicklit and YA chick lit books.  This is definitely a fantastic summer read or beach/pool read if you are off on holiday somewhere sunny to get away from the autumn/winter seasons....

Best wishes

Debs :-)

Book Review - New Girl by Paige Harbison

"Welcome to Manderley Academy"I hadn't wanted to go, but my parents were so excited.... So here I am, the new girl at Manderley, a true fish out of water. But mine's not the name on everyone's lips. Oh, no.

It's Becca Normandy they can't stop talking about. Perfect, beautiful Becca. She went missing at the end of last year, leaving a spot open at Manderley--the spot that I got. And everyone acts like it's my fault that infallible, beloved Becca is gone and has been replaced by "not" perfect, completely fallible, unknown Me.

Then, there's the name on "my" lips--Max Holloway. Becca's ex. The one boy I should avoid, but can't. Thing is, it seems like he wants me, too. But the memory of Becca is always between us. And as much as I'm starting to like it at Manderley, I can't help but think she's out there, somewhere, watching me take her place.

Waiting to take it back.

Released:  31st January 2012
Source:  Netgalley Review
Links:     Goodreads  /  Amazon.co.uk  /  Amazon.com 

My Review:    6 out of 10


Definitely a very interesting book to read.  I do love to read stories about school lives, things that do not go according to plan and following someone's struggles in fitting into a new society.  Thinking that going to a new school and meeting new people is going to he hard enough, it turns out that the new girl has some large shoes to fill.    I did find it confusing that we never really found out the name of the new girl (unless there was something I missed in reading this story).   With Becca missing, all throughout reading the novel there is always the question of what really happened and whether any of the characters the new girl meets along the way had a hand in the disappearance and as I read more and more of this story, seeing more and more of a bigger picture of who Becca was and how larger than life character she was/is, it was more of a mystery about what happened to Becca.

I have to admit that there were points in the story were I felt the story dragged but I did enjoy finding out more about this mysterious Becca and discovering more pieces of the jigsaw as the story went on..

Best wishes 

Debs

WINNER - Cellar Doors by Lance LaCoax

AND THE WINNER OF A COPY OF THE ABOVE BOOK IS.....

Katrina Pearce

Congratulations!!!!!!!!

 

An email has been sent to you but if you are reading post, please can you send me an email (debrasbookcafe@gmail.com) to let me know where you would like your prize sent to...

Best wishes

Debs 

Book Review: The Opposite of Hallelujah by Anna Jarzab

Caro Mitchell considers herself an only child—and she likes it that way. After all, her much older sister, Hannah, left home eight years ago, and Caro barely remembers her. So when Caro’s parents drop the bombshell news that Hannah is returning to live with them, Caro feels as if an interloper is crashing her family. To her, Hannah’s a total stranger, someone who haunts their home with her meek and withdrawn presence, and who refuses to talk about her life and why she went away. Caro can’t understand why her parents cut her sister so much slack, and why they’re not pushing for answers.

Unable to understand Hannah, Caro resorts to telling lies about her mysterious reappearance. But when those lies alienate Caro’s new boyfriend and put her on the outs with her friends and her parents, she seeks solace from an unexpected source. And when she unearths a clue about Hannah’s past—one that could save Hannah from the dark secret that possesses her—Caro begins to see her sister in a whole new light.

Release Date:  9th October 2012
Publisher:  Delacorte
Source:  Netgalley Review
Links:  Goodreads  /  Amazon.co.uk  /  Amazon.com   

My Review     10 out of 10

I do not usually read books that have a religious feel to it but every now and then I come across a story that just sounds so good I like to give it a try and this is one of those.  Religion does play a part in the story.  This is a very relaxing, slow paced story and I absolutely loved it!

At first, to be Caro appeared to have a very bad attitude towards her family but as the story went on I understood that it probably wasn't a bad attitude but rather like a reaction to her family dynamic.  She has been an only child for so long and not really knowing much about her sister and then having been told that her sister is coming back.  It must take some adjusting to change from a situation that she has been living for as long as she can remember.  Caro has a great set of supportive friends who help her come to terms with what is happening around her.  Caro's family are very controlling and demanding but, again, this is something I understood more as the story went on.

This story, for me, is very much about family dynamic and family secrets.   The most enjoyable part for me about this story is the dynamic between Caro and her sister, the way they react with each other when Hannah comes back to live at the family home and the way their relationship changes as they spend more and more time together.  Another part to the story alongside the family dynamic is the story of Hannah and her life before being away, her life while she was away and her life when she gets home.   This story was not what I was expecting but absolutely loved it.

A really great story about families, sisters and coming to terms with the past.  A fantastic book, I would highly recommend...

Best wishes

Debs :-)

Author Interview: Yannis Karatsioris

Yannis Karatsioris -real name-, Greek born and raised, is 29 years old and lives in Athens, Greece. He has already staged a play, published a fantasy novel in Greek and, after winning with The Book of the Forsaken the gold medal on HarperCollins' competition on authonomy.com, is now making his first steps in the publishing world out of Greece.
His tastes, dark and sarcastic, guide him to a style reminiscent of Neil Gaiman, Douglas Adams, Jonathon Stroud and Mikhail Bulghakoff.

 

A sarcastic storyteller traps three characters in his web in order to get hold of a special book.

Daniel, Cassidy and Igor are three unique individuals, considered outcasts for different reasons. They are about to meet and stick together, as coincidences and forced situations lead them to a journey all around Europe.

As everyone is after the Book of the Forsaken, the coming Game is about to take place on the dark side of the moon. But there is a cost to that knowledge. Let alone to the wish to partake.

"The Book of the Forsaken" got the gold medal on authonomy.com's HarperCollins UK hosted competition on Feb 1. 2012.

LINKS

Link to Goodreads Page

Author's Website

Amazon Link to Paperback

Amazon Link to Kindle Version

If you could work with any other author, who would it be and why?

First off, I’d like to thank you for the opportunity to talk about me and my work, Debra.

I would be willing to work with Raymond E. Feist for some epic, secondary world fantasy. And with Neil Gaiman for something gritty and contemporary.

Also, for other kinds of literature I’d work with yet unknown authors, with who I met online in literary sites –where one can find talent in tons.

What would be a typical working day for you? When and where do you write?

I usually write at familiar environments. Home, that is. Or anything similar to a home. I usually write deep into the night, unless what I write is “happy” or a comedy.

A typical writing day is something that doesn’t exist for me yet… Not much else to say about that. I don’t have a routine, and I don’t think I can have. My background includes playwriting and acting, which more often than not means I will be walking around the house saying phrases of characters in my novels or just playing them in my head. Walking around the house is optional.

What is the hardest part of the writing for you?
Sometimes, after I’ve played a scene in my mind, and after I feel content with the outcome, I feel bored that I have to write it down for others… I know, right? This feeling, that when I write, I have to deal with the same scene, in a slower manner than how it runs in my head, can bring my forehead on the table and leave it there for hours.


When and why did you first start writing?

I wrote my first short story in Greek when I was seventeen. My first novel again in Greek when I was twenty-three (The Abyss Wars, available in English as well).

The first short story was written out of emotional necessity. I was in love. I haven’t written anything romance since. It won a national award some years after. The first novel was written out of mental necessity, I couldn’t stand the plot and the characters, and I somehow had to put something together. It got no award however.

How did you come up with the idea for the your book?

I was inspired by Neil Gaiman’s American Gods. In “The Book of the Forsaken”, first part of “The Game” series, I wanted to take the idea of old gods living among us a step further. What would they manifest as? What would their interests/ friends/ habits/ be? What plan do they serve since they are not the gods we believe in anymore?

It’s not religion though! Urban fantasy, or as a reviewer put it “supernatural dark comedy”.

Are you a big reader? If so, what are you reading now?

Yes! Very much so.

When I’m not reading and reviewing unpublished work, I indulge myself in some good contemporary fantasy or historical fiction. I’d like to think I’ll find good high/epic fantasy someday again.

Right now I’m reading Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus and Incarceron by Catherine Fisher.

Do you have any advice for other aspiring writers?

Yes, stupidly so, I have.

Read a lot, there’s no other way to know where you stand and what is old or new out there.

Write whenever you feel like writing, not whenever other say you have to. “Having to” leads us to imitation, to mass production.

Waiting on Wednesday: Black City by Elizabeth Richards

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly memo that is hosted by Breaking the Spine Blog.

 

Expected Release Date:  13th November 2012
(Release date obtained from Goodreads)


Goodreads link is here.

A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war.

In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable—they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash’s long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught, they’ll be executed—but their feelings are too strong.

When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.