Authors, Awards, Interviews, Novel covers, Novels, Publishing, Reading, Writing

Celtic Connexions welcomes author Carol E. Wyer

6 Comments

I’m pleased to welcome fellow loveahappyending.com author Carol E. Wyer to the hotseat here at Celtic Connexions today. Make yourself comfortable Carol and we’ll get started.

So, tell us a bit about yourself. What makes Carol E. Wyer who she is?

Crumbs! I’m not entirely sure since I don’t really know who Carol E Wyer is other than a humorous author and lover of life, but I think I became a comedienne of sorts a long time ago when I was at school. Being an army brat I moved about so often I never had the chance to make proper friends. Each time we moved I had to try harder to get into groups where friendships had already been forged and the easiest way to do that was to be the class clown. I developed an ability to make people laugh very early on in life aided by the fact that I smashed my front teeth out when I was seven and had false teeth which I could take out at whim. Everyone cracked up when I ‘gurned’ at them. I was quite a mimic too so I could also do great impressions which made people chuckle. I learned pretty early on in life not to take myself seriously and it has spilled into adulthood.

What made you decide to go indie with your novels Mini Skirts and Laughter Lines and Surfing in Stilettos? Did you try the traditional route first?

I was pretty familiar with the traditional route because years ago I sat for weeks with The Writer’s handbook bombarding publishers and agents alike with copies of my children’s books.

After a telephone sized book of rejection slips I actually got a publisher interested in my work and they were keen to offer me a deal. Sadly, my illustrator for the books passed away suddenly and as it was a joint venture I didn’t take up the opportunity to go ahead with a different illustrator.

When I finished Mini Skirts and Laughter Lines I sent my script off to agents who I felt could best represent me. I got some very positive rejections and would have continued in my quest to find an agent had I not stumbled across YouWriteOn. I liked the idea of uploading my chapter, getting feedback and having my script looked at by a publishing house if it did well. Mini Skirts and Laughter Lines has been in the top ten of my publisher’s chart for six months now and as a reward my script is currently awaiting a critique from Orion so we’ll see what happens next.

With Surfing in Stilettos I was actually offered a contract with a publisher but after a sleepless night I decided to stick with FeedARead (who used to be YouWriteOn). That way I get better royalties, I am in control of my book and I like the way FeedAread operate.

I have however signed a two book deal with ThornBerry Publishing to produce the eBook to Surfing in Stilettos and it will be released on October 8th so I am pretty excited about that.

You’ve won some prestigious indie awards. Can you tell us about them?

I’ve been pretty lucky with awards and picked up the Readers Views Reviewer’s Choice 2012 Award for humour. I got lots of stickers to put on my books for that and a terrific review from them. I received an invitation to the award ceremony in New York at the plaza hotel and got a huge Silver medal for the Indie Book Awards 2012. I couldn’t attend the ceremony but I have the medal and some more stickers. I got finalist placing for 2012 Indie Excellence awards again for humour and Mini Skirts and Laughter Lines is a semi-finalist Kindle Book Review Best Indie Book of 2012. I have my fingers crossed for that and results are to be announced September 1st.

I’m even prouder of Surfing in Stilettos which is a Costa award nominee and is entered for a couple of other highly prestigious awards.

What was your reaction when you landed your contract with ThornBerry Publishing?

I did that stupid victory dance that very happy people do (or very drunk people attempt to do) and made Hubby buy me some Cava to celebrate with.

Can you tell us about future projects… works in progress?

I am currently working on Follow You, Follow Me, another humorous novel but has a dark side to it. It must be good because Hubby has laughed at it and he doesn’t laugh at much these days. I hope to have it ready by the end of the year.

About Carol:

An ex teacher and linguist Carol used to live and work in Casablanca until the late eighties when she returned to the UK, set up a language company and settled down to married life.

When her son finally left the nest a couple of years ago Carol took up writing full time. She has written articles and novels which generally encourage others to age disgracefully and enjoy life.

Carol is a loveahappyending.com featured author and author contributor to Famous Five Plus and Indies Unlimited.

Links to Carol’s books:

FeedARead Mini Skirts and Laughter Lines
FeedARead Surfing in Stilettos
Amazon UK Mini Skirts and Laughter Lines and Surfing in Stilettos
Amazon US Mini Skirts and Laughter Lines
Amazon US Surfing in Stilettos
 
Thanks for dropping by today, Carol, and best of luck with your launch of the ebook version of Surfing in Stilettos.
 
Authors, Blog Tour, Interviews, Novel covers, Novels, Publishing, Reading, Reviews, Writing

A Shadow in the Past International Blog Tour Day 9 – another review and another giveaway plus more!

Leave a comment

Yes that’s right! Another review! This time by the lovely Shaz Goodwin. In addition to her review, there’s a little something extra, not to mention another givewaway. Today some lucky person can win A Shadow in the Past mouse pad!

Be sure to leave a comment at Shaz’s blog – Jera’s Jamboree for your chance to win!

Tomorrow I’m over at Carol E Wyer’s Facing 50 with Humour blog and she’s here at Celtic Connexions! See you then!

Authors, Blog Tour, Interviews, Novel covers, Novels, Publishing, Reading, Reviews, Writing

A Shadow in the Past International Blog Tour Day 8 – character interviews and more!

Leave a comment

I’m back on the eastern side of the Atlantic Ocean today visiting first with Peggy Stanton who is interviewing my characters, Sarah and Robert. Now Peggy herself, is quite the character so it should be a lively time. Oh, I do hope those three behave themselves… Anyway, you can catch the interview at Peggy Stanton – Looking Out.

Then it’s back up to Bonnie Scotland and Janice Horton. We first met “virtually” when Janice launched Bagpipes & Bullshot and we quickly became fast friends. So far we remain virtual friends only but hopefully, we can rectify that in the coming year.

Authors, Blog Tour, Book Launch, Brockville, Interviews, Local Authors, Novel covers, Novels, Publicity, Publishing, Reviews, Writing

A Shadow in the Past International Blog Tour Day 7 – a day of rest???

4 Comments

Not as such. But, the three blogs I’m visiting today are all in my hometown of Brockville. I need an easy day like this to rest up after the hectic schedule I set myself up for. Yeesh… wouldn’t you think I could have been a bit more coordinated rather than jetting all over from point A to B and back again? Over and over again. Oh well, at least I’m only travelling virtually. If it were for real, I would have the UK and European stops together and the same with the North American ones.

So where am I today? Well, three members of my local writers’ group – Writers’ Ink – have agreed to host me.

*****

My first stop today is with Joe Mossman. Back in January, Joe and I were guests on the local cable company’s program Reader’s Corner. You can see his interview with me on his blog joe-mossman.blogspot.com. Hope Joe has the coffee on. After my hectic schedule, I’ll need the caffeine jolt to get me kick-started this morning.

*****

My second stop is at Chris Hanna’s My adventure in becoming at writer blog.

*****

My last stop is with Dorothy Bush. She’s invited me for high tea. Hmm… wonder what we’ll be having? No coffee at this time of day, but a tipple of something just in keeping with the occasion. Dorothy blogs at Twisting in the Wind. Maybe if she hasn’t put her motorcycle away for the season, she’ll take me out for a short ride.

Drop back tomorrow and see what part of the world I’ll be visiting.

Authors, Blog Tour, Brand, Interviews, Novel covers, Novels, Publicity, Publishing, Reading, Reviews, Writing

A Shadow in the Past International Blog Tour Day 6 – lots of travelling today!

Leave a comment

Today truly brings in the International element into the title of my blog tour! Two countries – an ocean apart – in the same day!

I’m starting out this morning after making the short trip down from Scotland to be CentreStage with the lovely Nicky Wells.

And from there, I hop a flight to Canada where I’m Maureen Fisher’s guest at her blog Books by Maureen. Maureen is a fellow member of the Ottawa Romance Writers’ Association so I suspect her questions will be skewed in that direction. I hope they aren’t too difficult to answer.

Authors, Brand, Interviews, Novel covers, Novels, Publicity, Publishing, Reviews, Writing

A Shadow in the Past International Blog Tour Day 5 – I’m in Scotland with Rosemary Gemmell

2 Comments

Today I’m with the lovely Rosemary Gemmell over at her Ros’s Reading and Writing Blog. Many of you don’t know but if it weren’t for a post Rosemary put on her blog about the MuseItUp online writers conference last year, I wouldn’t have pitched my novel to 4RV Publishing and landed a contract. So thank you ever so much, Rosemary!

Authors, Interviews, Novel covers, Novels, Publishing, Stories, Writing

The Star Child Blog Tour

9 Comments

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.

Authors, Blog Tour, Brand, Independent Bookstore, Interviews, Novel covers, Novels, Publicity, Publishing, Reading, Reviews, Writing

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

Leave a comment

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.

Authors, Blog Tour, Brand, Independent Bookstore, Interviews, Local Authors, Novel covers, Novels, Publicity, Publishing, Reviews, Writing

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

Leave a comment

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/

My Scottish roots and writing by Melanie Robertson-King