Sunday 30 June 2013

Broken Cats and Cowboy Hats by Roger Knowles

This was quite a depressing read.  Mark's life was hard from when he was born and he never know love, so never learned how to be even nice.

The story starts off part history, part present so we learn where Mark's character develops.  This is an ugly story.  Mark is once of the nastiest people I've ever read.  I wouldn't say that reading the first part of the book was enjoyable, but I needed to read on.

The second part is where the story ramps up and gets tense.  I think I enjoyed this bit more.  

Another enjoyable story from Roger Knowles :)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00515LOKO/?tag=jookuf-21

The List by J.A. Konrath

A man is found dead and he has a number tattooed on the sole of his foot.  The investigating officer also has a similar tattoo, but a different number.  They are on the list, but what is this list of?

This is the first Konrath book I have read and I was impressed.  This is a tight thriller, with plenty of chase action and "will they get there in time" scenes.  The reason for the tattoos is a bit far out there, but is in interesting idea.

I found this to be an actin packed story, with very little down-time.  Very enjoyable indeed.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00267T89E/?tag=jookuf-21


Sunday 23 June 2013

Beyond Eclectic by Jonathan Hill

Beyond Eclectic is another series of short stories by Jonathan Hill and yes, Maureen's back.
Generally, there's usually one story in an anthology that I just can't read, but all the ones in this one were readable and enjoyable.

I really liked the one about the 60 year old couple who just don't talk to each other and I also liked the Lollipop Man and of course Maureen.

I'm pretty sure Maureen's presence is stretching to this review as the formatting just won't behave.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00CQRUM62/?tag=jookuf-21

Troubleshooter by Dakota Franklin

Troubleshooter is the third in the Ruthless to Win series of books set around Armitage motor racing company.  All the books in this series are first person POV of one of the characters, so you kind of get to know everyone bit by bit.

This story is Charlie Cartwright's.  Charlie is Armitage's troubleshooter and the trouble he needs to shoot in this story is the team's Formula 1 driver, who is a bit of a party animal and cocaine smuggler.

Charlie meets his soul mate at the start of this story and being in love does somewhat distract him.  But as with the other books, everyone is superb at their jobs, they have massive expense accounts and work all the hours under the sun.

Even though this is set in a man's world, as a female reader, I didn't find it too technical or too "mannish".  The jet-setting and behind the scenes at races were interesting enough, but not too detailed as to put me off.  It was a good adventure.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B008U5MZ32/?tag=jookuf-21


Hope's Betrayal by Grace Elliot

This is a regency romance and very much the men are men and the women are looked down on, but lusted after.

The story is set around smuggling and Captain Huntley captures a smuggler, but finds out it is a girl, but of lusting after age.  This is another story about the Huntley boys.  I didn't realise this for a long time until Eulogy comes to visit.

Being a woman of the 21st century, there's a lot that I don't like about the women of those times, but I suppose it's the mark of a good storyteller that these feelings are brought forward.

Regency romance is not my genre at all, but Grace Elliot is a great storyteller and I do get dragged into the times and the story.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0084ND8ZY/?tag=jookuf-21


Wednesday 19 June 2013

Interrogating David Haynes

Here’s Mr Macabre, himself.


How do you strike the balance between writing something you want to write and writing something that people want to read, in terms of the compromises you make, if any?

That’s quite a tough one. Essentially I write stories that I enjoy writing! Up until the last couple of books I never really considered whether people would actually want to read them. I was just pretty pleased to have finally completed them!
However when I started getting sales and then reviews, it was such an incredible feeling I wanted more! And in order to get more I needed to write stories that people would actually want to read.
At the moment I’m still writing stories I enjoy and fortunately some people have enjoyed them so I haven’t had to make any compromises, yet!


What excites, attracts or appeals to you about the genre(s) you write in.

I’ve mixed up my genres a fair bit really, but I think that’s one of the beauties of being an indie. At the moment I’m enjoying my trip down the dark and twisted path of horror. I ‘m not one for masses of blood and gore, although they can be used constructively and powerfully if done right. I prefer to read, creepy, unsettling stories where you feel uneasy with what’s happening. I’m trying to capture some of that feeling with my current stories but obviously I’m still learning. They say humour is a very personal thing and difficult to write well. I think to a similar extent, horror is the same.


Do you have a box, drawer, folder etc where you keep thoughts and ideas for future stories? Such as names you have come across, bits of dialogue, ideas, characters - even if you have no idea when you might use them?

Absolutely! I have a little Nexus7 and it’s on most of the time. So when I’m watching tv or trying to go to sleep, if an idea pops up I just type it quickly onto a document. The problem is now, there are so many documents with just a line or two on, I’m not sure where anything specific is.


How do you manage plot bunnies (ideas that invade your mind that aren’t usually helpful to the story you’re writing but breed like...er...bunnies)?

I'm lucky because generally I don't suffer that affliction and I can manage to stay focused on one thing at a time. I hear about writers having multiple projects running simultaneously and I admire how they can do it


How much of you is in your characters? Which of your characters is the you that you’d most like to be? Or be with?

I don’t want to think about being anywhere near some of my most recent creations!
I really enjoyed all the characters from The Boy Who Kissed the Sky. The violent, drunken magician, Filipe Feret was probably the one who I’d most like to go to the pub with. Although I think we’d get in a few scrapes!
The Boy, George Roberts was probably like me in a lot of ways. I’ve been on a couple of really long road trips where I’ve tried to find something that was never there for finding!


Do you become so wrapped up in your writing that your spouse wonders if they're married to you or one of your characters?

Quite frequently! I tend to wake up very early, before anyone else in the house. In the first few minutes when I’m still waking up I’ll be thinking about my current book and the characters in it. When Mrs H finally wakes up, after I’ve coughed, nudged and sighed enough, I’ll immediately say, “Now, I’ve been thinking about (name of character) do you think he would day this (insert line) or do this (insert horrendous act of terror)” She loves to be woken up like that.


What type of book do you like reading? Is it the same genre as you write?

I read anything, absolutely anything! I’m writing old school horror stories at the moment but I’m not reading any currently. I’ve read an awful lot of the classic horror and ghost stories from the Victorian era and they were my inspiration for the macabre stories. I always try to read a Stephen King book once a year too. They’re not what I’d call horror though, just good stories.
My favourite writer is John Irving, who doesn’t write horror at all. They tend to be epics but also the characters tend to be slightly odd or don’t always think the way considered mainstream. One of the inspirations for The Boy Who Kissed the Sky was John Irving’s stories.


What lengths do you go to to convince us readers that your book has the X factor?

Making a book stand out from the crowd, when the crowd is already pretty damn good is as I’ve found out, extremely difficult. With my current set of books I set out with a deliberate theme – the Victorian Penny Dreadful. I wanted to get the language to be sympathetic to the era and also get the artwork on the cover to fit with that theme. Getting the language right was a case of reading literature from that period (as recommended by Alex Roddie) and doing research about the Victorians obsessions with death, through the internet. Immersing myself in Victoriana was and continues to be, fascinating.
I was pretty pleased with the overall result.


How do you feel when a reader points out the spelling mistake(s) you have made?

That’s fine by me. Obviously I’d prefer not to have any but if you find one, please let me know.


What do you like most about visiting KUF/GR/forums?

As a writer, the forums are invaluable. There's always someone who can give you advice when you ask for it, particularly on the aspects of publishing which I never knew existed until a few months ago.
The forums are also invaluable for interacting with readers. To be able to join in conversations where readers and writers are discussing something is fantastic. We're coming at things from different angles but wanting the same thing - a great book to read.


What is on your near horizon?

I'm working on another horror story although it's also got some mystery/thriller aspects to it too. I suppose most books slip across several genres.
It's set in the late 19th and early 20th century, in Paris. The whole of Europe seem to have been obsessed with things we would find creepy nowadays. Finding inspiration and conducting research has been interesting and occasionally outright disturbing!


Where can we find you for more information?

I have a blog which I set up recently – http://macabrecollection.blogspot.co.uk/
And a more general web page. http://davidhaynesfiction.weebly.com/

But I’m also regularly on both Kindle Users Forum and Goodreads. 

Tuesday 18 June 2013

Moon Dance by J.R. Rain

Moon Dance is about a private investigator who happens to be a vampire.   Samantha Moon is a wife and mother and FBI agent, who became a vampire after a brutal attack 6 years ago.

I do have a bit of a problem in those 6 years.  Things happen in this book that I'm sure should have happened years previously.  The story doesn't go into any of her past, just the present.

This is quite a light read.  It doesn't seem to take itself too seriously, although it's not played for laughs.

I wasn't sure how "vampiry" or "other-worldy" this would be but in the main, it's a straight detective story, just with a side of the paranormal.

I did quite enjoy it and would certainly try a bit more.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002Q0Y27Y/?tag=jookuf-21



Sunday 16 June 2013

Famous by Blake Crouch

Lance is a 38 year old, still living with his parents when he loses his job.  But Lance doesn't care as he looks like a Hollywood movie star so takes off to be that star.

This was quite an interesting story.You wonder whether Lance is right in his head as he sets out  to become his idol.  He dresses smart, goes where the smart people go, but is not really sure how he should act.

This sound like it should be a chick-lit type story, but it's not.  It is told seriously and gets quite serious too.

I really enjoyed this story.  I wasn't sure where it was going and Lance surprised me a few times along the way.  It is a very readable story and I didn't want to put it down.

My only complaint is that the story finished at 80%.  I'll forgive the author a little, as it went into an interview with him, but I really hate having a big chunk of a kindle book set aside for adverts and chapters of other books.  I don't read them and get miffed that I've not had at least 95% of the kindle book.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003HNNHZ2/?tag=jookuf-21


Jet by Russell Blake

Jet is the first book in a series about an ex-Mossad top secret undercover agent.  Jet thought she'd left that life by faking her death, but someone it after her.

This is a cracking adventure.  Once the first shot is shot, there's hardly any slowing down, both in Jet's life and this story.  The story is tight and extremely readable.  It is not highbrow fiction, it's just a fast-paced adventure.  

My only complaint is that the story finished at 88%.  I really hate having a big chunk of a kindle book set aside for adverts and chapters of other books.  I don't read them and get miffed that I've not had at least 95% of the kindle book.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0098QJQR0/?tag=jookuf-21



Sunday 2 June 2013

Interrogating Grace Elliot

Grace Elliot is the author of historical fiction.



How do you strike the balance between writing something you want to write and writing something that people want to read, in terms of the compromises you make, if any?

I'm a reader first and a writer second, and it's no coincidence that my favourite stories are historical romance - which is also the genre I write. Because of this I don't think there is a conflict between author and prospective reader, because my aim is to write the sort of book I love to read.  My rule of thumb is to keep a firm focus on the story and characters because if they don't keep me hooked, why should anyone else want to read it? For me there is no compromise between my expectations and that of my readers.


What excites, attracts or appeals to you about the genre(s) you write in.

Do you have a box, drawer, folder etc where you keep thoughts and ideas for future stories? Such as names you have come across, bits of dialogue, ideas, characters - even if you have no idea when you might use them?
Oh I'm a bit of a stationary addict and being a writer is the best excuse to buy arch-lever files, plastic wallets and notebooks. Indeed, for each new novel I buy a fresh, hardback A4 notebook in which to jot down thoughts about, character, setting, costume and weather. In the name of 'research' I also buy gossip magazines and cut out pictures of people with similar looks my characters, and these phtoos get glued into this notebook.
That said - I am beginning to move with the times and my son introduced me to Google images. Now I have files on my laptop where relevant photos are saved. I've also developed my own digital filing system for character description, setting, costume et.c - but I do still miss flicking through the pages of a physical notebook.
Also, I had a brief flirtation with Scrivener. I like the idea of having a fluid manuscript where you drag and drop elements to rearrange them, but as a non-techy person, I'm afraid the program outwitted me.


How much of you is in your characters? Which of your characters is the you that you’d most like to be? Or be with ?

This is a good question and tricky to answer. Any writer must draw on their own experiences and emotions. In my case, the characters are born from their name, background and what they look like, with a sprinkling of putting myself in their place to work out how they react in different circumstances. As to which character I'd most like to be, then Celeste Armitage from 'A Dead Man's Debt' springs to mind. She is a woman who doesn’t 'need' a man to feel fulfilled and is determined to control her own future…so when the deliciously handsome Lord Ranulf Charing falls for her, a very merry chase ensues.


Do you become so wrapped up in your writing that your spouse wonders if they're married to you or one of your characters?

That's a bit spooky, Joo- do you have a hidden camera in my house?
Seriously, I visualise the characters in a setting and then watch the scene play out in my head, so as to transcribe what I've seen onto the page. This is almost a form of meditation and in order to concentrate I need to sit in a quiet room with no distractions. Occasionally, hubs gets a bit angsty, complaining that I'd rather spend time with my characters than him…but we sort things out quickly and I appreciate that he misses my company. I wonder how many other author's have partners who get jealous of fictional heroes?


What type of book do you like reading? Is it the same genre as you write?

I'm an avid reader of historical romance and it was through reading this genre that I felt inspired to write. Historical romance appeals to me for so many reasons, but all with the common factor of escapism. For me, history lends a distance in time that gives my imagination free rein in a way that might be inhibited if the setting was more contemporary.( I'm guessing that escapism is also the reason behind the current popularity of the paranormal genre.)


How do you feel when a reader points out the spelling mistake(s) you have made?

In a word 'dreadful'. My philosophy is to learn from criticism and improve, so I try to turn negatives into positives…even if they do sting for a while.  That said, I sometimes get slammed unfairly because of the differences between US and UK spelling. When my debut novel, "A Dead Man's Debt" came out one reviewer was positively vitriolic that I'd spelt "dishevelled" with two L's. At the time I was mystified, especially when the Oxford dictionary said the spelling was correct - it was only some time that I twigged what had happened. The reviewer was American and the book had UK spelling. This experience taught me a lesson: that you can do your best and yet there's no accounting for the reader's perception.


What do you like most about visiting KUF/GR/forums?

A good forum is a friendly place where you are made welcome and participate in a bit of banter.  Two things keep me going back to certain forums, and those are book recommendations and gossip. I've picked some great novels I might otherwise have missed by following certain threads and even ventured outside my favourite genre (Hugh Howie's  'Wool', springs to mind.)
The other draw is gossip: and by this I mean the light-hearted discussions, verging on the absurd, about things like 'what did you have for breakfast', or 'should Jeremy Clarkson be the next Prime Minister?'  Life is too serious - what harm in a little diversion?


What is on your near horizon?

My immediate horizon is dominated by the edits for 'Verity's Lie', #3 the Huntley Trilogy. It's been an interesting challenge to write a standalone story that also ties together the stories of all three Huntley brothers. I had a lot of fun writing 'Verity's Lie' especially as the hero, Charles Huntley, Lord Ryevale is a bit of a bad boy who needed bringing down a peg or two!
To keep the editing fresh I'm concurrently working on my next book, a series of Georgian romances based on a fictional location, Foxhall Pleasure Gardens. I wanted to give this series a different twist to other HR's and so the heroes and heroines are not aristocrats and the nobility, but ordinary working people.


Where can we find you for more information?

My blog 'Fall in Love with History' is a great place to start
You can find me on twitter: @Grace_Elliot
I also have a quarterly newsletter and it's worth subscribing because you'll get news of giveaways, freebies and new releases. The sign up is here:

Saturday 1 June 2013

Black by Rose by Andrew Barrett

Black by Rose is the story of another chapter of Eddie Collins' life.  He's just had enough of all the crap in his job, so walks out.  But he's not out of the scene for long.

In the previous stories, I didn't really like Eddie.  I'm sure I'd keep well away from him if I ever met him in real life.  However in this story he is trying to keep clean (in the alcohol department, not in his abode) and seems to have a lot more heart.

Again with this author's works, as soon as I started the story, I could not put it down.  It is a decent size book - perhaps not as monster as previous ones, but I read it over 2 evenings.  Even though the content may be a bit harsh and explicit, the story is always very readable.

Another superb story.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00CQR4TIO/?tag=jookuf-21