Category Archives: Writing

The Star Child Blog Tour

Today’s guest on Celtic Connexions is Kellen St. James from The Star Child. Welcome Kellen.

Hi Melanie, thanks so much for having me on your blog today.

Well I’m sure everyone is anxious to find out more about you so let’s get started. Your bio says you grew up being unwanted, ordinary and slightly geeky. I know it’s painful to talk about but can you tell us why you always felt that way?

Well, who hasn’t, you know what I mean? In my case, I always had my head stuck in a book, I’ve always been a reader and pretty much lived in the library. They called me a prodigy too. I’ve always done well in school. Graduate Yale at eighteen and guess they call you geek, now. I don’t know. I’m just a normal guy, you know?

The unwanted part? That’s easy. Stephen, my messed up father, kept shipping me off to different places like boarding school in England and college at Yale when I hadn’t reached college age. What else am I supposed to think? Then that turd for a brother of mine, Roger, verbally abused me. Didn’t really give me that sort of warm fuzzy feeling… It wasn’t exactly Family Ties if you know what I mean. I wouldn’t say it’s painful, it just is what it is.

Can you tell us anything the dreams you’ve had for these last eleven years?

Freaky. That’s what they are. It’s the same dream, over and over again. I met this girl on the beach when I was six and she just kept… appearing in my dreams every night. It used to worry me. I thought I was losing it.

After a while, I realized that those dreams were far better than my reality and I started looking forward to them, you know? At least in my dreams I wasn’t being treated like crap.

Who is this girl who comes to you in your dreams?

The same girl that I met all those years ago on the beach. This girl named Calienta. I can’t explain it but we have this weird connection going on. From the first moment we met, I knew that we would be best friends. She made me feel… important. Like I mattered.

What was your reaction when she turned up with her tales of a prophecy that involved you?

That she was out of her mind! Seriously, what would you have thought yourself, Melanie? I felt like I’d been played. She just shows up and tells me all sorts of things about this prophecy and expected me to take them at face value.

Where was her proof? I assumed she was hiding dead bodies underground and I was next. Of course, I ended up trusting her, but, let’s just say I wasn’t going to believe her that easily.

Is there anything else you would like to/can share with the readers of The Star Child?

All I can tell you is that there’s this messed up Celtic god out there with a twisted sense of honor, psychotic focus on his father, whose running with Arawn, the Lord of Faerie. His sick dream is to bring the Earth to darkness, I mean total darkness. For whatever reason, I’m supposed to be able to stop this.

How? I couldn’t tell you. It’s not like I have any “powers” or anything. I’m just sort of brainy and have a photographic memory. Who knows? Oh and I used to like dogs, I’m just gonna to leave it at that.

Thanks for dropping by today, Kellen, and sharing with us. I’m sure you’ve tweaked a lot of interest in the readers and they’ll now want to read Stephanie’s book.

A Shadow in the Past International Blog tour Day 4 – My first review!

Okay, I’m not sure if I should be excited about my first review or quaking in my boots. This is all so new to me, I have no idea what to expect. So, follow me over to Nikki Bywater’s Books4U and read her impressions of my debut novel – A Shadow in the Past.

A Shadow in the Past International Blog Tour Day 2 – Giveaway at Rebecca Emin’s Ramblings of a Rusty Writer and a stop with fellow Ottawa Romance Writer Maggie Jagger

The launch day party is over and all is well. Perhaps a few sair heids amongst the partygoers but otherwise everyone seems to be fairly decent shape.

Good thing because today one lucky person who visits Rebecca Emin’s blog is going to win A Shadow in the Past tote bag!

Isn’t it a thing of beauty! Measuring 47 cm x 39 cm x 12 cm, it’s big enough to carry all your important purchases. I recently used mine when I attended Scene of the Crime and it was large enough to hold an umbrella, sweater (being prepared for changing weather), our registration kits, my “Menopause is Murder” fan, the five books I bought and my digital SLR camera and case.

Leave a comment at Rebecca Emin’s Ramblings of a Rusty Writer for your chance to win!

 *****

And after my visit with Rebecca, I’m jetting across the ocean to stop in and visit with author Maggie Jagger in the beautiful Canadian province of Quebec where we’ll talk about writerly things and being fellow members of the Ottawa Romance Writers’ Association.

You can visit Maggie’s blog at http://maggiejaggerauthor.blogspot.com/

A Shadow in the Past International Blog Tour Day 1 – It’s launch day at loveahappyending.com!

LAHE logo

It’s launch day for A Shadow in the Past over at loveahappyending.com!

The champagne corks are popping like crazy here in celebration!

What can I say, these lovely ladies and gents know how to throw a launch party!

Come on over and join in the fun!

A Shadow in the Past International Blog Tour

Beginning on September 28th, I’m taking my debut novel A Shadow in the Past on a fifteen day international tour. Yes, I’ve already been to the physical launch in Kansas and still basking in the glow from that and hosted my launch in Brockville but I’m heading out on the road again – virtually.

I’ll be posting every day where I’ll be and there is always this post you can refer back to in order to find out where I am. So without anymore preamble from me…

Sept 28

loveahappyending.com

Sept 29

Rebecca Emin’s Ramblings of a Rusty Writer blog
One lucky visitor here will win A Shadow in the Past tote bag.

and fellow Ottawa Romance Writers’ Association member, author Maggie Jagger http://maggiejaggerauthor.blogspot.com/

Sept 30

Stephanie Keyes Fall Fantasy Authors Series

Oct 1

Nikki Bywater reviews A Shadow in the Past at Books4U

Oct 2

Rosemary Gemmell hosts me over at Ros’s Reading & Writing blog

Oct 3

Nicky Wells CentreStage
and fellow Ottawa Romance Writers’ Association member, author Maureen Fisher at Books by Maureen

Oct 4

I’m thrilled to announce that I’m being hosted by three members of my local writers group – Writers’ Ink

Joe Mossman
Christopher D. Hanna at My adventure in becoming a writer
and Dorothy Bush at Twisting in the Wind

Oct 5

Peggy Stanton’s – Looking Out
Janice Horton – Writer & Novelist

Oct 6

Shaz reviews A Shadow in the Past at Jera’s Jamboree
One lucky visitor will win A shadow in the Past mouse pad

Oct 7

Carol E. Wyer at Facing 50 with Humour

Oct 8

Patricia Sands at Everyone has a story…
Ashley Stoyanoff at The world of Ashley Stoyanoff and over on her Goodreads blog

Oct 9

Mandy Baggot’s Blog

Oct 10

fellow 4RV author Penny Ehrenkranz
Chris Longmuir at Chris Longmuir, Crime Writer

Oct 11

Lindsay Healy’s Little Reader Library

Oct 12

the grand finale over at Author Roast & Toast
where one lucky person will win a signed copy of A Shadow in the Past.

 

You can purchase A Shadow in the Past at the following links:
4RV Publishing: http://4rvpublishingcatalog.yolasite.com/robertson-king.php

Amazon.ca: http://www.amazon.ca/Shadow-Past-Melanie-Robertson-King/dp/0983801886/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345048110&sr=1-1

Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Past-Melanie-Robertson-King/dp/0983801886/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344434406&sr=1-1

Amazon.co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shadow-Past-Melanie-Robertson-King/dp/0983801886/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344434484&sr=1-1

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-shadow-in-the-past-melanie-robertson-king/1112348992?ean=9780983801887

and locally at Leeds County Books, 73 King Street West, Brockville, ON

Today’s launch of A Shadow in the Past in the Wedgewood Author Series

I couldn’t have scripted my hometown launch any better if I tried. Everything went so smoothly. Before the launch started, I was interviewed by Doreen Barnes for Brock News TV. I’m not sure when it will be available online but I will pass the link on when I get it. The interview took place in the library at The Wedgewood Retirement Resort, directly across the hall from the media lounge where my launch was held.

Now I decided that I couldn’t wear the same ensemble today that I wore in Kansas but footwear definitely worked into the equation. I mean a newly published author can’t always wear the same clothes to every event.

My launch ensemble

In the beginning there weren’t many people in the room but at 2:00, we started anyway. Doreen introduced me and I spoke about the background information on my book and then read an excerpt before the floor was opened up for questions.

Behind the podium during my presentation

While I was in my element in front of the crowd, the room began to fill up. Undistracted by the interruption, I carried on. By the time, I was wrapping up my reading it was practically standing room only.

Signing my first of 22 copies
Time to get out more books

Many of the people who came to my signing wanted to get their photo taken with me. Who woulda thunk it? People wanting to get their picture taken avec moi.

Sue Bowen (one of my beta readers of an earlier draft) and me
Anne’s (who I dedicated my book to) family

The day turned out better than I could have hoped for. Signed and sold 22 copies! Wow!

A Shadow in the Past launches in The Wedgewood Author Series

My novel’s cover created by Aidana WillowRaven

At 2:00 pm today, I’ll be at The Wedgewood Retirement Resort (corner of King and Market St East) in downtown Brockville talking about and reading from my debut novel, A Shadow in the Past,published by 4RV Publishing.

If you’re in the Brockville area, come down to The Wedgewood. Admission to the event is free. Enter via the Market St entrance.

I’d love to see you there… not to mention sell you a copy of my book and sign it for you.

Gilli Allan re-launches Torn in paperback!

The new cover for Torn by Gilli Allan

the new cover

Gilli Allan’s new cover for both her ebook paperback will be available on September 22nd!

Same great novel… great new appearance, designed by Gilli, herself.

Gilli is thrilled to be able to offer her novel in a new format for those who don’t have e-readers or those who do but love a physical book.

Torn:

You can escape your old life, but can you ever escape yourself?

Jessica Avery is a woman in her early thirties with a three year old son, Rory.  She has made a series of wrong choices in her life – job, men and life-style.  Her job came to a disastrous conclusion.  The men in her life have let her down and her life-style involved too many pills, parties and promiscuity. But she believes that by quitting her old relationship and moving from London to the country, she has escaped all that.  Her choice now is to live a steady, responsible life in a tranquil new environment, putting her son’s needs and her role as mother as her number one priority.

But she finds country life less serene and bucolic than she expected. Her ex-partner tracks her down and assaults her as she leaves a local pub.  Luckily, a witness to the encounter steps in and helps to defuse the situation, but she is left badly shaken.  As an in-comer – and even worse, an ex-investment banker – Jessica is not made very welcome by the local mothers.  Then there is the management of the rural landscape – the interests of commerce versus the preservation of the environment – which begins to engage her interest and concern. She wonders if leaving London was the right move.

The narrative is played out against the low-key background story of a proposed by-pass to the local town. Initially Jessica favours a new road until she realizes the route it might take, tearing through the landscape she’s come to love.  She is torn between the pragmatic and the romantic decision. The friends Jess makes represent the differing positions. There is Danny Bowman, the counter-culture shepherd; his employer, James Warwick, affluent widowed farmer and father to three year old daughter, Sasha; Gilda Warwick, James’s match-making mother; and Sheila, the feminist nursery school owner.

The title – ‘Torn’ – can also be understood as referring to the personal choices which confront Jessica.  Despite vowing she wants no emotional entanglements in her life, she is attracted to two very different men.  She finds, to her cost, that in the face of temptation it is not so easy to throw off old habits and responses.  She is a woman who claims she has never been in love. Eventually she is prompted to re-evaluate this stance and to admit to herself, that beyond an undeniable physical attraction, she has indeed fallen in love, but with which one – the suitable man or the unsuitable boy?

You can buy Torn from the following links:

Amazon.co.uk Paperback *new cover* http://www.amazon.co.uk/Torn-Gilli-Allan/dp/1477517014/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1347292020&sr=1-1

Kindle edition http://www.amazon.co.uk/TORN-ebook/dp/B004UVR81Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1347292020&sr=1-1

Amazon.com Paperback *new cover* http://www.amazon.com/Torn-Gilli-Allan/dp/1477517014/ref=sr_1_1_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1347292265&sr=1-1&keywords=torn+gilli+allan

Kindle edition http://www.amazon.com/TORN-ebook/dp/B004UVR81Y/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1347292265&sr=1-1

You can follow Gilli online at the following links:

Writer Cramped. Gilli Allan’s Blog
On Facebook Gilli Allan
On Twitter @gilliallan
And over at Famous Five Plus

Starship Goodwords from Carrick Publishing

I’m thrilled to announce that my short story, Cole’s Notes has been included in Carrick Publishing’s first cross-genre anthology!

Details are available at Carrick Publishing’s website, including the list of authors and genres.

Starship Goodwords is available for the Kindle at Amazon.com and at Amazon.co.uk

If you enjoy short stories, you’ll enjoy the variety on offer here.