Tag Archive | writing

Katie’s Attic

Oct28

Book Link

From Amazon:

After the loss of her mother the previous year, Katie finds solace in a newfound fascination with her family history ignited by a school genealogy project. But her journey takes a mystical turn when she discovers an extraordinary ability to astral project through time, sharing the body of her ancestor during the American Civil War. Katie learns the true power of family bonds and resilience as she tracks a treasure through time into a world fraught with battles, disease, wounded soldiers, and the unsanitary conditions endured. The past and present collide unexpectedly, shaping Katie’s understanding of herself and her place in the world.

This first installment in the “Thread Through Time” series is an unforgettable time travel journey through history that will captivate readers of all ages. “Katie’s Attic” is a spellbinding tale of courage, love, and the timeless threads that bind us together even after death.

“From the moment I started reading this, I was hooked.”

“…engaging characters who carry the reader along with enthusiastic excitement, and it is historically informative too.”

“I can’t wait for The Golden Locket.” (Book Two)

My Review:

This book by Kusma struck a direct hit to my heart. In those lucky enough in life to have known family and heard about their ancestors from their known family, will understand this book better than those who did not have the advantage of learning about their ancestors and their trials and tribulations. I packed a lot into that sentence, but it’s true. Yet, for those who don’t have an ancestral lineage due to adoption or other reasons, this story offers the reader a vision into the past that becomes part of the readers soul.

2024 PenCraft Book Awards

Oct23

Book Link

Hi Mary,

We are pleased to announce that our judges of the 2024 PenCraft Book Awards for literary excellence voted your book “Heart of Evergreen: Christmas in Evergreen,” as our Fiction – Drama Genre’s Winner. We want our PenCraft Book Awards to represent true book winners, and your book was indeed one that met those criteria. Books that win our competition are examples of literary excellence and have demonstrated notable popularity with readers. This year’s competition was daunting, with around 1400 book entries to compete against, showcasing an impressive array of talent and creativity across numerous genres. Each entry brought something unique to the table, making the judging process both challenging and exhilarating. Being a winner in the 2024 competition is certainly something to crow about – you’ve not only beaten out many contenders but also distinguished yourself among a pool of exceptional writers and storytellers. This achievement speaks volumes about your hard work, and dedication, as an author.

To select our winners, the many PenCraft Award submissions are culled down by using a judging criterion that incorporates a recommendation from the initial AuthorsReader’s reviewer or PenCraft Book Award reviewer and then finalized by further evaluation by our judges. Their final evaluation considers not only how well the book was written and crafted but also, among other things such as the book’s marketplace popularity and how professional the book’s cover looks. The promotional effort taken by the publisher or author is another yardstick considered. From this entire process, the winners of each category are determined. Some book categories lacked winners because the submissions received did not meet our required literary standards.

David Hearne

Editor In Chief

PenCraft Awards

409-656-4625

Yesterday

Oct12

Good evening, everyone. I hope your Friday was awesome and your weekend will be even better!

I went wrong today by leaving home with my hair down for the first time in forever. Picture below taken before we left the house. I literally did nothing with it. I even joked with Mike about how long it had been since he could remember, and he could not. Do not get me wrong; he does see it down every day but I do put it up out of convenience when leaving the house. But I digress…and best get on with this saga…

So, we headed out on a nice easy drive to Kansas City and KU Med for my 3pm appointment. Things went well. Then I received a call asking if I could be there at 2pm. No problem. See you at 2pm.

Ring…could I come in any earlier? Like how early? She said 1pm. I replied yes, no problem, we were in Topeka, Mike had was shopping.

On the turnpike, I told Mike we should just go straight there, and I bet they would take me back even sooner. We arrived at noon and yes, we were escorted back to a room in less than five minutes. That said, my back pain was, at that time, 70% less than it was before back surgery and the wires leads placed to block nerve impulses from reaching my brain – perfectly working. So far, so good. The dreaded question I had been expecting, they did ask.

How did you fall and how did you land? I suffered a hard fall on my left ribs 11 days ago or so. A fall that should not have happened, theoretically speaking. Yes, I broke ribs. I know when I break ribs. This was not my first or even second rodeo with fractured ribs. This was number six – I think.

I knew they broke, and I am doing a self-assessment head to toe. Ribs broke, no lung puncture, not at that time, and hopefully never! One scrape and numerous contusions.

I managed to get up and go to bed. Long story short, the pain in my ribs was a bit better today, thus healing, in the remodeling stage was happening. Then I was informed that a chest x-ray would have been the thing to do. I said yes, but I’d monitored for lung puncture, etcetera. They understood that.

Then I was informed that a hard fall like that could have displaced the wires up my spine. I am thinking…but they were sutured to fascia. Yes, they were, but a fall still has potential to cause displacement. Okay. How is your pain? Back or ribs? Back 70% for the WIN. Ribs not so much. I was informed that being I was at 70% pain relief in my back, my wires must still be in proper placement. What a relief. No x-ray needed. But if it changed, I had to go to the ER for a chest x-ray, to see my ribs AND to check my current wire placement. We were in and out of KU Med in under 30 minutes.

I had free food and free play coming to me, so Hollywood we did go. I walked from the garage entrance to the escalator going up to Turn 2.

Keep in mind the casino filmed it all. We stop to read a sign and before I knew it a drunk woman plowed into my oxygen and literally dragged it with her to the floor, and past her quite a ways. As I felt it being yanked from my hand, I turned to the right and down I went. Hard fall. On tile. Hard tile.

The woman said, “What happened?” in a drunken manner. Mike’s first words back to her were, “She just had back surgery.” Mike was ticker off. His words were loud but he didn’t yell. Then he looked at me and saw I was down as well. The woman never got hurt, but the liquor she had carried smashed on the tiles. The woman was drunk. That is not how it is to be in any casino. Her group of friends were worried about their friend first, then they worried more about me after hearing Mike’s words on my back surgery, and my broken ribs. By then she was sitting in a chair and I was still down. I was angry.

What security did with the woman is their business. I had to self-assess once again. If one has broken ribs, and they fall, it is even easier to puncture a lung. Fortunately, I landed on my knees/lower legs and used my left arm/hand to stop me from falling further by grabbing the railing on the escalator at the bottom. I am down, leaning at next to the up escalator, no oxygen, in pain, doing an assessment.

Mike retrieved my oxygen; I got back on. Never mind the yuk my cannula had been drug through but hopefully the liquor it also went through helped to sanitize it. Mike carefully helped me up as he was the only one to know how to do it with my ribs and every thing. He is my hero. Always and forever my hero.

That fall took more out of me than I had thought. I told security I would be fine but, I shook shake like a leaf – more like quaking aspens in Colorado, I did that perfectly. We took the elevator up to Turn 2. We enjoyed a meal of delicious de-veined shrimp with sides. Relaxing meal. But I could not walk as long a distance afterwards. So, I hopped from slot machine to slot machine, not exactly hopping due to my pain, Mike helping me until I saw a machine I would play. Mike was my hero again.

Security had looked at their video, and then they found me…my card in a machine, etcetera. I asked how the other woman was, and he said she was detained by security and nothing more. He had to fill out a report on what happened for me to sign. The KCK fire department and EMS arrived, to check me out. My blood pressure was up. Saturations okay. Never hit my head. Declined ride to KU Med ER. I would have had a good eight hour or more wait to be seen and EMS agreed.

So, lesson learned. DON’T WEAR YOUR HAIR DOWN.

BIGGEST LESSON? Jesus was with us the entire time. So many things could have happened but did not. Jesus was with us every step of the way. He still is. He always will be. Please – no nasty comments if you do not believe in Christ. Thank you.

Harriet’s Heist

Oct8

Book Link

From Amazon:

Fiona Quinn arrives at her parent’s home in Daytona, Florida for a short visit only to be informed that their usually quiet retirement community has been besieged with robberies—cash, jewelry, and more. Her mom told all the neighbors Fiona is a wiz at catching bad guys. Yikes! Can Fiona crack the case? Hopefully, but what’s an amateur sleuth supposed to do when her Maltese, Harriet, shows up decked out in the stolen goods? Double yikes! Join Fiona, her parents, Harriet, and some pretty crazy old ladies for a real jewel of a quick mystery!

My Review:

Top reviews from the United States

Mary Schmidt

5.0 out of 5 stars Great short read

Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2024

Verified Purchase

What a wonderful short mystery, romance, little dogs, and lemon meringue pie book! Okay, so those elements are included in this story and burglaries in abundance. I say burglary as no one was home when their items were stolen. Had they been home, then robbery is the correct term. This was a great short story and I imagined a little Maltese dressed up in…must read to find out.


Fruitabet

Aug11

Book Link

From Amazon:

Embark on a juicy adventure through the alphabet with “Fruitabet: The Alphabet One Fruit at a Time”! From A for Apple to Z for Zarzamora explore the world of fruits through stunning watercolor illustrations, intriguing facts, and nutritional highlights shared with you by award-winning authors, Derek R. King and Julie L. Kusma with her Master of Health Education expertise.

Each page invites young readers to discover a new fruit, beautifully depicted and accompanied by fascinating information about its origin, flavor, and health benefits. From the familiar sweetness of apples to the exotic allure of zarzamoras, every fruit offers a delightful learning experience.

“Fruitabet” goes beyond the ABCs, offering practice pages for writing each letter, space to list favorite fruits, and an engaging activity to reinforce learning. With its blend of education and entertainment, this book is a must-have for budding fruit enthusiasts.

My Review:

Mary Schmidt

5.0 out of 5 stars A different take on abc’s Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2024

Verified Purchase

What a unique and fun way to read with your child about the alphabet and a fruit for each letter. The nutrient content is a nice addition. As a reminder, just as the authors’ wrote, don’t try a new fruit unless you check with your doctor to make sure it is okay with meds. Parents can also help with this. Example: Grapefruit. Do not take if on blood thinning meds or if you have a blood disorder. An added section for learning how to write the letters both uppercase and lowercase, blank pages to practice letters, fun pages to draw on, fun activities!

Meet Misty Thurmond

Aug10

Please welcome Misty J. Thurmond to my blog. Good morning, Misty.

Please introduce yourself to those reading this blog post.

The awkward silence, the moment I realize that I must say something clever or pull a literary degree out of my butt. To be honest, I don’t enjoy talking about myself, but here goes.

I grew up living in the country in which going barefooted, fishing, camping on the river, riding horses and playing sports was the norm. The solitude of my childhood memories is still ingrained in me and influence my writing style. Over the years I had a fulfilling and successful career as a registered nurse, until health issues forced me into early retirement. “A real oxymoron, but multiple sclerosis doesn’t care if you’re tending to people’s boo boos or saving lives.”

*By the way, doctors have the worst penmanship. Learning to dance like Beyoncé would be easier than deciphering some doctor’s writing. *

Once I lost everything, it was just me and my thoughts. I began to journal them, and the journaling turned into a novel.

Has writing always been part of your life and when did you “know” that it was time to start writing your first book?

I enjoyed spinning tales growing up and recall the nervousness that came with it whenever the teacher called upon me to read my short story, but my most time was spent in the medical field.

How difficult was it writing your first book?

My first novel was awful. It had good bones but lacked flesh. Who am I kidding, it was garbage. One thing I’ve learned about myself, “Practice makes better.” I’d say, “Perfect”, but that’d be absurd. No one’s perfect.

Have you ever wanted to give up and what stopped you?

Absolutely! When my father suddenly passed away and my mom followed him three months later, I was devastated. Picking up the pieces of my life and the aftermath took me a while, but out of it all I remembered one thing, “Life goes on.”

Who is the most supportive of you and your dream to be a writer?

Honestly, myself. My father was a late blooming author who wrote westerns, and he encouraged me more than anyone. God, I miss him, but I know he’d be proud of this new novel.

Anything specific you want to tell your readers?

Never give up on yourself or the love that drives you.

What is the best advice given to you (book or otherwise), and by whom?

It’s okay to stand in someone’s shadow for a while, but sooner or later you’ll have to take that step into the sunshine and embrace your future. That’s a lesson from experience.

What is your target audience and what aspect of your writing do you feel targets that audience?

Readers 18+ with an interest in the supernatural and metaphysical genres.

There are written scenes in my books which are not suitable for younger audiences; adult language, darker topics that may trigger anxiety in people with PTSD or childhood trauma and LGTBQ scenes. However brief, or detailed, these topics are frequently used in my novels.

Writing in the metaphysical fiction genre means I must look past myself and explore many aspects before writing a story. It’s a “world building experience”, except the world is ever evolving and shifting in my mind.

Did the cover evolve the same way, or did you work with someone to make it come together for you?

Honestly, I wanted something with more pizzazz and flare, but the deadline for Saku Binder of Voids prevented it. My publisher and I worked together on it.

What are you working on now? Can we get a peek, an excerpt?

I’m working on the sequel to Saku Binder of Voids. As hinted in the novel, “Saku is handed a scroll as the Book of Gogyo evolves into the Blue Crystal, and a vision of a city with twin suns”. I’m cutting it short. I can’t release the title because it’s extremely unique.

Links below and book link below:

amazon.com/author/mistythurmond77

@AuthorThurmond (Twitter)

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/216127766

https://a.co/d/gHY7xZP

Meet Gabriel Constans!

Jul31

Please welcome Gabriel Constans to my blog. Nice to see you on my blog, Gabriel.

Please introduce yourself to those reading this blog post.

I’ve written for newspapers, magazines, and websites, as a freelance journalist for years and then in the last 20 years started writing short stories, novels, nonfiction books and screenplays. I keep learning all the time.

Has writing always been part of your life and when did you “know” that it was time to start writing your first book?

Writing’s been a part of my life since being a teenager and starting an other newspaper at the high school I attended, but then didn’t write much for 15 years, until encouraged to write again by my wife.

How difficult was it writing your first book?

Writing my first book was not too difficult, as it was a fictional YA book based on a real experience with a mother who was in hospice and her children.

Have you ever wanted to give up and what stopped you?

No. I’ve wanted to try different genres and outlets, which I’ve done.

Who is the most supportive of you and your dream to be a writer?

As mentioned previously, my wife. Not only has she encouraged me from the beginning, but she is also honest with her feedback and provides space and time for me to write.

Anything specific you want to tell your readers?

Writing means so many things to so many of us. Sometimes I write stories to inform and inspire people. At other times it’s to entertain and be moved by the tale. And, at other moments it’s to externalize my experiences and have some objectivity to what has or is happening in my life.

What is the best advice given to you (book or otherwise), and by whom?

Discover your passion, be consistent, and most of all, be kind.

What is your target audience and what aspect of your writing do you feel targets that audience?

Presently, and for the last few years, my target audience has been for readers of romance.

Did the cover evolve the same way, or did you work with someone to make it come together for you?

I was fortunate to collaborate with Jane Cornwell on the cover. She was the illustrator and designer.

What are you working on now? Can we get a peek, an excerpt?

I have four screenplays in progress. One with some star actresses attached. They are each different. Taking excerpts from a screenplay doesn’t really work that well.

Any last words before we wrap things up?

Much appreciation to Mary for letting me participate in this interview and share it with others. Writing or not writing isn’t the end of the world. Losing hope, insight and connection with others are the real challenges.

Bio: My most recent sapphic romance, The Last Conception, was both a novel and a romcom film (which is now playing around the world). Other works include Buddha’s Wife, and Saint Catherine’s Baby.

Author Page: https://tinyurl.com/53vyrwe2

Website: www.gogabriel.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gabriel.constans.7

Twitter: @GabrielConstans

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/133749.Gabriel_Constans

Amazon author page: https://tinyurl.com/53vyrwe2

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

A Woman Like Maria links:

Amazon Print: https://tinyurl.com/LikeMaria

Kindle: https://tinyurl.com/5x4f6cj5

Barnes & Noble: https://tinyurl.com/bd7dpynf

Apple: https://tinyurl.com/dxshwbsw

Smashwards: https://tinyurl.com/p7t6tuzw

Kobo: https://tinyurl.com/bdzktcka

Hotel Obscure

Jul27

Book Link:

From Amazon:

In a run-down neighborhood in an unnamed city, people live and die in “the Obscure.” Whether anyone remembers the real name of the derelict establishment is a mystery. In this six-story building, most who occupy the rooms are long-term residents, though some stay for as little as an hour.

The patronage is an eclectic group: musicians, writers, addicts, hookers, lonely people, poor people, rich people, once-well-off people, and those who have reason to hide from their former lives or to escape the demands of a disapproving and punishing society.

As shabby as the Obscure is, as long as its walls keep out the wind and the rain, it remains a shelter, a hideaway, and a home for the many bewildered souls. Hotel Obscure is a collection of seventeen short stories that all take place in or around the “the Obscure.”

While the stories stand alone, they are to be read in order. Some characters appear in multiple stories, and sometimes, a story will continue in an unexpected way. The Obscure is life. It is death. In the blink of an eye, it may appear supernatural. It is a place we all visit … whether metaphorically or physically, at least once in our time on Earth.

REVIEW from NY Times best-selling author Jonathan Maberry: “Absolutely riveting. Lisette Brodey spins magic with HOTEL OBSCURE. Each story gives us a peek into the life of a collection of disparate characters. It’s the kind of storytelling that would appeal to Tom Waits, Charles Bukowski, or Leonard Cohen. It would also make one heck of a good anthology TV series. Brava!”

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: I write characters as I hear them speak to me. Some of these stories contain non-gratuitous expletives and sexual references. If this is not to your liking, please don’t read this book. Thank you.

My Review:


Mary Schmidt

5.0 out of 5 stars Obscure yet not quite obscure Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2024

Verified Purchase

If you’ve read other books by this author, you must read this one. Please note: If you can not handle cursing and such, then don’t read it. If you’re okay with that, you will read a book full of twists and turns as you read each story in order, and I highly recommend this five-star read! Honestly, on the first story, I was not sure about what I was reading. By the end, I knew I was hooked. Do read each story in order. I write that because each successive story builds upon the one before it, yet you wouldn’t know how until you immerse yourself into each story. Hotel Obscure is riveting and emotional at the same time. I don’t like giving away too much of a book, but I’m compelled to remark about one aspect. That is identity theft and stalking. I could relate to this as I recently had a stalker who left me more than 700 notifications in a 12 hour span overnight. Stalkers are always a bad thing, and they can hurt a person easily if they speak with you in person and know where you live. I was anxious as I read about the stalker in Hotel Obscure, and I worried about the woman being stalked and having her identity stolen right before her eyes.

Dark Descendents

May22

Please welcome Stacey Pierson to my blog this morning. Good morning, Stacey! I’m glad you were able to join us today. Shall we have a chat?  

  1. Please introduce yourself to those reading this blog post.

I’m Stacey L. Pierson. I am a horror writer living in Louisiana. By day I take notes and door dash, by night I write.

  1. Has writing always been part of your life and when did you “know” that it was time to start writing your first book?

For me writing has always been my escape and the one thing I constantly had morning, noon, and night. I was a military brat, so moving around it was hard to keep friendships. But I never lost and made friends with the characters I created in wild adventures I put them through.

  1. How difficult was it writing your first book?

With Vale, my YA bayou murder mystery I rewrote it 17 times. I didn’t have the voice for a long time until one day I placed a new character into it. Dark Descendants, my Creole Island horror, I knew what was happening with every key stroke. And my third not yet out Static, had it own floe. I was just riding the waves.

  • Have you ever wanted to give up and what stopped you?

Oh yeah. I love twisting tropes in everything I write. When it came to finding my novels homes, it was hard. With every query, I felt I was taking a few steps back when someone said that what I was writing was too different. I wanted to quit, but didn’t because if I love the idea, then someone out there will too.

  • Who is the most supportive of you and your dream to be a writer?

My parents for sure. They are the best when it comes to beta reading and tossing ideas out. They have never had a problem telling this or that could be better, work on this, and I am blown away I forgot I was reading your word. And always telling how proud and howe much they love me.

  1. Anything specific you want to tell your readers?

Get through the first chapter. Lean into the characters words, and more importantly remember you are not in control when you fall for the words. And enjoy the ride because things are going to get bumpy with my stories. But fun.

  1. What is the best advice given to you (book or otherwise), and by whom?

Look at everything like a reader. Would you read that book? Would you read that type of story? If yes, then write it because if you love it, then others will too. And the person who told me this is my mom.

  1. What is your target audience and what aspect of your writing do you feel targets that audience?

I love horror. I want to have horror readers on the edge of their chairs like they are watching a movie. But I also love good thrillers. I want thriller readers to find the thrill inside the lines between the horror. It may be hidden but it’s there. I love the aspect of my writing, always asking the question what if in everything chapter. You never know where and how far I will write a character and scene.

  1. Did the cover evolve the same way, or did you work with someone to make it come together for you?

For Dark Descendants I had a wonderful cover designer, A.A. Medina. All I did was mentioned a few things and let him take over. He buried the body in the right place with DD’s cover. Pure horror love.

  1. What are you working on now? Can we get a peek, an excerpt?

I am working on a few things right now. But yes, I can share a line from one of them. It’s from my smalltown horror – “I might regret it in the end, but I am going to do everything I can to prove what I saw.”

  1. Any last words before we wrap things up?

When writing a fist draft, don’t worry how long it is, how many notes you write in the margins, or writing in caps PUT SOMETHING HERE…just get it done. Once you feel you have sone the best you can, print it off, and have a blast editing and adding all through it.

My poem, “My Little Dragonfly,” appeared in Collected Whispers, The International Library of Poetry, in 2008. My YA novel, Vale, was released by Darkstroke Publishing in July 2022, as was my haunting poetry, Carnival, which appeared in Abditory Literary Journal’s Issue One: Mirabilia. Dark Descendants, my Creole Island horror novel, was published by Anuci Press and came out in May. Static, a different kind of ghost story, will be released in October 2024.

Screenshot

Website – StaceyLPierson | Links to Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube – Linkr

 X – @SuperStacey318

Instagram/Threads – @superstacey318

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/httpslinkrbiostaceylpierson

Amazon – https://a.co/d/cepODWB

B&N – Dark Descendants by Stacey L Pierson, Paperback | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)

Anuci Press – Dark Descendants | Anuci Press (anuci-press.com)

Meet Robin Burnage

May13

Please welcome Robin Burnage to my blog.

Hello Robin. It’s so nice to have you on my blog today. Shall we sit and have a chat about what’s going on in your writing life?

1. Please introduce yourself to those reading this blog post.

Hi, my name is Robin Burnage, I live in Wales, UK and am delighted to have been asked to discuss my first novel ‘The Threat in the Atlantic’ which is book number eight in the series ‘The Merriman Chronicles’.

I know that sounds a bit weird, so probably need to clarify that the series was originally written by my late Father. He managed to write nine novels in total which I originally published for him. Sadly, he died in 2015 leaving some unfinished works and a plan for the series. Shortly before he passed, he asked me to continue the series.  

That brings back some difficult memories for sure, maybe for another interview.

2. Has writing always been part of your life and when did you “know” that it was time to start writing your first book?

Honestly no unless you can count business plans and marketing blurb for property sales and rentals. I always ‘knew’ I was destined to be self-employed, so writing that sort of thing just sort of flowed. That was in a previous professional life before I quit the rat race and bought a boat to live aboard.

There was a period when I was living on the yacht, that I passed some time writing the start of a crime series – about a nearly retired Police Inspector in The Metropolitan Police in London. I’ve got a few novels underway and a serious lead character with a grudge against the system. But to be fair, cruising around the Mediterranean, popping into Tavernas and mingling with yachties took up a lot of time and I was never that serious about getting them finished.  They are on the back burner whilst I concentrate on The Merriman Chronicles.

3. How difficult was it writing your first book?

It’s certainly been a long process. Just getting into the right place psychologically after my dad passed away was difficult enough. It took until the end of 2022 to get his last novel ‘The Fateful Voyage’ published.  I’m glad I did though, because it rekindled interest in the series, plus helped boost sales beyond anything we could have expected. I think this was a bit of a catalyst for me – a kick in the butt if you like – to get on with the next book.

The starting point was always obvious – pick up where Dad intended the next novel to start. From that point of view, I already had a subject matter and a protagonist in Captain Sir James Abel Merriman.  I also had his crew, a ship and a period of history already mapped out to start the next novel.

There were certainly difficulties in getting the feel of the book right. Like Dad’s but also maybe adding my own flavour. There are some new characters and hopefully a bit of fleshing out of existing ones, adding some more dimensions. I hope so anyway, that’s what I was aiming for.

4. Have you ever wanted to give up and what stopped you?

Many times… next question!

5. Who is the most supportive of you and your dream to be a writer?

Uncomfortable question, sorry but can we move on?

6. Anything specific you want to tell your readers?

Probably this book can be read as a standalone novel, but it’s much better to be acquainted with the series. Start with ‘A Certain Threat’ and work your way through it.

If you want a flavour of my Dad’s writing without committing to a series, then try ‘The Fateful Voyage’ which is currently not connected with the rest, other than the name Merriman. I’ve set it as book 38 in the series, so it will link up one day. But that means I have a lot of work to do!

7. What is the best advice given to you (book or otherwise), and by whom?

Oh gosh, just general stuff, I guess. Read lots, write lots. If you want to be an author, then you need to stuff your head with other people’s work.

Wear sunscreen – I forgot a couple of times when I was sailing and seriously burnt my nose. Being severely “tutted” at by an elderly French Pharmacist in Brittany was an experience I don’t want to repeat.

8. What is your target audience and what aspect of your writing do you feel targets that audience?

OK, this should be obvious – Dad’s old readership audience. There are quite a few reviews on Amazon stating that the reader was sad the series ended. Well, guess what…. Merriman is back!  Hopefully I can gain my own following if – and it’s a big if – that ‘The Threat in the Atlantic’ hits the spot.

9. Did the cover evolve the same way, or did you work with someone to make it come together for you?

The cover? You mean the book cover?  Well, I worked with an amazing chap called Colin Baxter, a Marine Artist from the south of England.  I have followed his work for quite some time as he does beautiful paintings of the exact era the book is set. Think of HMS Victory and Admiral Nelson.  Anyway, I had messed around with AI which was a huge mistake, so decided that this next cover needed to be extra special.

We started with a scene from the book. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but it features HMS Thunder and The Hercule engaging in battle. I’ve now got the original painting hanging at home and limited edition signed prints are available which makes it so much more special.

Colin is on social media if you want to check out his other work:-

@ColinMBaxter

10. What are you working on now? Can we get a peek, an excerpt?

I have a plan for the next book, but not ready to share too much yet. Besides it might spoil the ending of ‘The Threat in the Atlantic’.

11. Any last words before we wrap things up?

I think I would like to give encouragement to indie authors. It’s tough having to do everything – writing, editing, proofreading, publishing, promoting…… you know the list goes on. But…. I also know that it can be rewarding. Being “published” with an agent and traditional publisher isn’t always the best route to market. At least as a self-published author, you control your own destiny… sort of!

Bio:

Robin Burnage is a first-time author taking on the challenge of continuing his late father’s series “The Merriman Chronicles”. His debut novel “The Threat In The Atlantic” picks up the story of Captain James Merriman on his return from his mission in the Adriatic in 1810.

Previously a property professional (for which he does actually have recognised qualifications), sailing and travelling always had a greater pull than accounting and spreadsheets.

He sold his business in 2012, bought a yacht and headed off on a five-year adventure as a full time liveaboard sailor. He also then travelled through Europe in an old Land Rover and then a motorhome before settling back in bricks and mortar.

He currently lives in Wales overlooking sand dunes and the Irish Sea As always he is dreaming about his next adventure.

Links:

Amazon author pages: 

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Robin-Burnage/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Robin-Burnage

Website:

https://www.merriman-chronicles.com/

Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7419857.Robin_Burnage

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/MerrimanChronicles/

Twitter:

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/merriman1792/