Authors, Books, Famous Five Plus, LAHE Lifestyle, loveahappyending, Novels, Online shopping, Publishing, readers, Writing

It’s Read an E-Book Week!

March 5, 2013 Melanie 2 Comments

I have to admit being late to the “party”. I didn’t even know it was Read an E-book week! And to be honest – I didn’t even know such a week existed, but I am glad it does.

Coincidentally (or not) since I’m a book lover, I started reading the ebook Voodoo Wedding by Scottish author (and my friend), Janice Horton.

With the number of devices available, we’re spoiled for choice. Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Sony, and iPad, e-book retailers, amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, the Sony Store, Diesel, iBooks, and more, not to mention direct from the publishers’ websites in many cases.

But what titles to put on your device? Why not check out the authors over at Loveahappyending Lifestyle, traditionally published, self-published in e-book and print. The group Famous Five Plus are primarily indie authors, although they did invite me to join them. Both of these groups cover a wide range of genres including Young Adult, Chick-lit, Mystery, Romance, Paranormal, Memoirs, Crime.

What are you reading?
What device do you have? If more than one, which one do you prefer?
And finally, print or e-book – what’s your preference?

4RV Publishing, Aberdeenshire, Artist, Authors, Books, characters, fairy tales, Famous Five Plus, ley lines, loveahappyending, Novel covers, Novels, Publicity, Publishing, readers, Reading, Scotland, stone circle, Stories, Writing

It’s Tell a Fairy Tale Day

February 26, 2013 Melanie 7 Comments

Today is…

Tell A Fairy Tale Day!

Never heard of it before? Well, you can read more about it here. The stories can cover everything from Grimm to urban legends.

Scottish legends, myths, and mystery are found in A Shadow in the Past, so what better time to celebrate it?

A-Shadow-in-the-Past-by-Melanie-Robertson-King — My novel’s cover created by Aidana WillowRaven

Even the cover exudes fairytale mystery. Once upon a time…

Nineteen-year-old Sarah Shand finds herself thrust back into the past. There she struggles to keep her real identity from a society that finds her comments and ideas strange and her speech and actions forward, unlike Victorian women. When Sarah verbally confronts confining social practices, including arranged marriages, powerful enemies commit her to a lunatic asylum. After falling in love with the handsome Laird of Weetshill, Robert Robertson, she must decide whether to find her way back to her own time or to remain in the past with him.

Suggested tweets:

Tell a Fairy Tale Day! @RobertsoKing’s novel is full of Scottish myths, mystery & romance http://wp.me/p2NmRa-1ln #tellafairytaleday #lahe

Tell a Fairy Tale Day! @RobertsoKing’s novel is full of Scottish myths, mystery & romance http://wp.me/p2NmRa-1ln #tellafairytaleday #FFP

Scottish myths, mysteries & romance @RobertsoKing’s novel has it all! http://wp.me/p2NmRa-1ln #tellafairytaleday #shadowpast #lahe #readers

Scottish myths, mysteries & romance @RobertsoKing’s novel has it all! http://wp.me/p2NmRa-1ln #tellafairytaleday #shadowpast #FFP #readers

If you have a favourite fairy tale, leave a comment telling which one it is.

Aberdeenshire, Authors, Books, characters, Edinburgh, Ian Rankin, Novels, Reading, Scotland, Stuart MacBride, whisky

What have you done this past week?

February 24, 2013 Melanie 1 Comment

I’ve been rather quiet here at Celtic Connexions since posting about going to my first live curling event.

If you follow the Goodreads widgets on my sidebar, you’ll see I’ve spent a lot of time in this young year with my face stuck in books. Crime fiction, short stories, YA, and true crime. And I’ve currently got my face stuck in another book of crime fiction.

Yeah, I know, if I’m doing all this reading, I’m not getting any writing done. You’re right, but in order to be a good writer, one has to read and read lots.

The crime fiction I’ve read and am reading could almost be classed as research. I can see you shaking your heads and wondering if I’ve gone completely doolally. Well, peeps, I haven’t. You see, the authors of this genre I’ve been reading are both Scottish authors – Ian Rankin and Stuart MacBride.

While reading about places in Scotland isn’t quite the same as being there, I have been to Edinburgh where Ian sets his novels

and Aberdeen, the home of Stuart’s. Reading their books brings the sights, sounds and smells back to me. And I’ve discovered a few things along the way that I didn’t know before. See why I say my reading could almost be classed as research?

What will the next book on my TBR pile to move onto my currently reading list? Any suggestions?

What authors/genres do you like to read? Leave a comment and tell me.

K-Rock Centre

Hurry! Hard! My first live curling event…

February 17, 2013 Melanie 3 Comments

And no, I wasn’t playing. Good thing… LOL!

Five pairs of tickets found their way to work for the opening weekend draws of the Scotties Tournament of Hearts Canadian Women’s Curling Championships and were up for grabs on a first come first serve basis. Hubby and I love to watch the curling on the television and had discussed going this year to at least one draw since it was being held at the K-Rock Centre in nearby Kingston. I wasted no time getting my name in the “hat” for a pair and chose two tickets for the opening draw at 2:00 p.m. yesterday afternoon.

ice preparation after hotshots contest — ice prep after hotshots contest

We found out later when we went for supper that the opening ceremonies took place earlier in the day and not immediately before the opening draw. Still, watching the players being piped in to the rink was pretty cool.

After the pomp and circumstance followed by the national anthem, the teams got in a little pre-draw practice.

The granite used to make the curling stones comes from a quarry on the island of Ailsa Craig off the west coast of Scotland, south of the Isle of Arran and west of Girvan,

Colin McDonald [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

and from the north quarry.

Richard Webb [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Our seats were in the corner closest to the media and the television booth which meant all the even ends were played in front of us. It’s so different trying to keep watch on four sheets of ice rather than just the feature game on television. Still loads of fun.

The television game was on the sheet closest to us – Team Canada (the 2012 winner) vs New Brunswick and while it looked for quite a while, it would be one of the first ones finished but in the end was the last.

And in case you REALLY want to know how curling stones are made, here’s a video clip from the television program HOW IT’S MADE.

And if the World Curling Championships come to the K-Rock Centre in Kingston, will I be there? You betcha!

Are you a curling fan?

4RV Publishing, Aberdeenshire, Authors, Books, characters, Interviews, Novel covers, Novels, Publicity, Publishing, readers, Reading, Scotland, work-in-progress, Writing

Long and Short Reviews + Giveaway!

February 15, 2013 Melanie 2 Comments

Today, I’m featured over at Long and Short Reviews talking about my novel A Shadow in the Past among other authorly/bookish things.

There is also a GIVEAWAY at LASR for a copy of A Shadow in the Past.

Leave a comment for your chance to win! The giveaway is open to Canada and US residents only.

Suggested tweet:

Long & Short Reviews + Giveaway ~ talking with author @RobertsoKing http://tinyurl.com/aws7eck @4RV #Shadowpast #YACrossover

Holidays, Love, Tom Jones, Valentine's Day

Love is in the air…

February 14, 2013 Melanie 4 Comments

Valentine’s Day and love is in the air – and what better way to celebrate than with Tom Jones’s version of Love is in the Air…

Is Valentine’s Day a special occasion for you and your sweetheart? If so, will you be doing on Valentine’s Day? If it isn’t, what will you be doing?

4RV Publishing, Aberdeenshire, Appearances, Authors, Books, bookstore, Brockville, characters, Famous Five Plus, Independent Bookstore, Local Authors, loveahappyending, Media, Novels, Publicity, Publishing, readers, Writing

Leeds County Books signing – recap and photos

February 10, 2013 Melanie 6 Comments

My book signing for A Shadow in the Past at Leeds County Books on Saturday, Feb 9th didn’t come to be until earlier last week. I was forewarned that Saturdays in the winter in the downtown are dead but I was determined to do it. Sometimes, I’m too stubborn for my own good but in this case it paid off.

I publicized it on my Facebook pages, in the groups I belong to on Facebook, set up an event there (as did the bookstore), followed by an email campaign to catch the people I know that aren’t on social media. But I didn’t stop there, I posted the event on my blog, Snap Brockville, BNTVNews (with the help of Dale Elliott), TV Cogeco, and Courtney, owner of Leeds County Books, got my signing up at Recorder.ca (our local newspaper’s online presence). I even did up posters and had them put up in a few locations around town.

Until I became a published author, I never really thought of myself as the entrepreneurial type. But, when needs must, we do what we have to do. My marketing strategy was take advantage of Valentine’s Day coming up. Romance and intrigue set in Scotland? Who could resist?

leeds-county-books-feb-9-2013 — My table set-up in the bookstore.

You’ll see one of my laminated posters on the table. My novel’s cover image, blurb, and quotes from readers are there for everyone to see. And a coffee cup with a big red heart filled with Hershey’s Kisses. There were even some A Shadow in the Past bookmarks and postcards! How about that tartan table cover? What better accent for a book set in Scotland than tartan?

leeds-county-books-feb-9-2013-2 — Decked out in red as part of the Valentine’s Day look, looking very pleased with myself when I was down to the last book.

In the end, I sold three copies of my novel, A Shadow in the Past, leaving the bookstore down to their last copy. However, I had taken a box of books with me (as a contingency plan) so I left a further ten copies with them.

The icing on the cake was when I was leaving the grocery store with my hubby and we stopped at the floral department (he bought me roses) and during the course of the conversation with the gal (I’ve known her for years), I sold another copy of my book!

How was that for an unexpected result?

Articles, Authors, Bloggers, Books, Famous Five Plus, loveahappyending, Novels, Publicity, Publishing, readers, Reading, Scotland, Writing

I’m blogging at Savvy Authors Today…

February 9, 2013 Melanie 2 Comments

Today I’m blogging over at Savvy Authors talking about research. I know, I know, I hear the groans. But for authenticity and to keep your readers wanting more, you have to keep them in the story and make sure, even though your work is fictional, it’s true to the time and any facts you might have woven in are accurate.

But what happens when you can’t find the answers you need? Pop on over to Savvy Authors and find some unusual (or not so unusual) places to get the information you need.

What’s your best place for research and finding the answers to those pesky questions you so desparately need answered?

4RV Publishing, Aberdeenshire, Appearances, Authors, Books, bookstore, Brockville, Famous Five Plus, Independent Bookstore, Local Authors, loveahappyending, Novel covers, Novels, Publicity, Publishing, readers, Reading, Writing

Today is Read in the Bathtub Day!

February 9, 2013 Melanie 4 Comments

And what better way to celebrate it than to pop in to my book signing and get your own copy of A Shadow in the Past at Leeds County Books, 73 King Street West, Brockville, ON.

View Larger Map

A Shadow in the Past…

Nineteen-year-old Sarah Shand finds herself thrust back into the past. There she struggles to keep her real identity from a society that finds her comments and ideas strange and her speech and actions forward, unlike Victorian women. When Sarah verbally confronts confining social practices, including arranged marriages; powerful enemies commit her to a lunatic asylum. After falling in love with the handsome Laird of Weetshill, Robert Robertson, she must decide whether to find her way back to her own time or to remain in the past with him.

So why not buy yourself a book (preferably mine), run a bubble bath and pour yourself a glass of wine (or your tipple of choice) and escape for some self-indulgence.

Do you read in the bathtub?

4RV Publishing, Aberdeenshire, Appearances, Authors, bookstore, Brockville, Famous Five Plus, Independent Bookstore, Local Authors, loveahappyending, Novels, nutcracker, Publicity, Publishing, readers, Reading, Scotland, Writing

BOOK SIGNING – FEBRUARY 9TH AT LEEDS COUNTY BOOKS

February 6, 2013 Melanie 1 Comment

Just in time for Valentine’s Day! I’ll be at Leeds County Books, 73 King Street West, Brockville, ON from 1:00-3:00 pm on Saturday February 9th signing copies of my debut novel – A Shadow in the Past.

Haven’t found the perfect gift yet? Give your Valentine romance and intrigue set in Scotland…

Nineteen-year-old Sarah Shand finds herself thrust back into the past. There she struggles to keep her real identity from a society that finds her comments and ideas strange and her speech and actions forward, unlike Victorian women. When Sarah verbally confronts confining social practices, including arranged marriages; powerful enemies commit her to a lunatic asylum. After falling in love with the handsome Laird of Weetshill, Robert Robertson, she must decide whether to find her way back to her own time or to remain in the past with him.

Readers are saying:

I loved this Scottish time-slip novel. A great story expertly told.

Ms. Robertson-King has a gift for capturing dialogue that is familiar to today’s audience while remaining true to historical details that enrich her stories.

Great book and a very pro-active publisher!

A Shadow in the Past is a period drama/time travel combined with romance. The author’s research into life in Victorian Scotland, alongside her study of the horrors of being incarcerated in an asylum, is exceptional. The book is a must-read for me.

A Shadow of the Past brought a unique new voice to time travel.

A Shadow in the Past is an amazing story and the way author has described it, it’s really fantastic. When you read the book, you feel as if all this is happening right in front of you!

Fabulous book! A lovely adventure full of surprises!

Awesome book can’t wait for the sequel.

Awesome Book!

Fantastic book set in my home country. Well written and easy to follow and read.

Outlander for Young Adults.

And what a great story developed.

A charming time-slip love story with vivid description and authenticity throughout!

A great first novel and I will look forward to reading more books by Melanie Robertson-King in the future.

If you’re not in the area, don’t despair. You can order A Shadow in the Past from the following:

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=1346607916&sr=1-1

ChaptersIndigo: http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/A-Shadow-In-The-Past-Melanie-Robertson-king/9780983801887-item.html?ikwid=a+shadow+in+the+past&ikwsec=Home