Free For Five Days Only!

My book, Penelope Parker: Witch In Training will be available free on Amazon for five days only, starting December 31!

Penelope Parker: Witch In Training

How Does One Come Up With An Idea For A Book?

I was reading an article about R.L. Stine, the author of the 'Goosebumps' series. The interviewer asked him how he went about writing his stories. He replied, "I come up with the title and then I write the book."

This makes perfect sense to me, as that's exactly what I do. I came up with the title for Penelope Parker before I even started writing. Might be backwards, but the book fits the title, not the other way around.

Author Proof

Just got my author book proof. That's a complete copy of the book so I can double check for any issues, typos, etc. It's really exciting for me to see my book in print!

My First Book Review!

My first book review is posted on Amazon's Canadian site. The American one won't allow reviews if one has not bought books through them. Thank you, Jamaal, for taking the time out of your busy schedule to read the book and post an in-depth review. I really appreciate it!

Review of Penelope Parker: Witch In Training

Book Update

Just got my digital book proof! This is so exciting for me. Also got the cover proof, and I should have my author copy in my hands within two weeks. I think a bit longer, as this is the Christmas season!

Kindle Edition

 

My new Young Adult/Tween novel, Penelope Parker: Witch In Training is now live on Amazon in Kindle format. Hopefully, the print version will be available by the end of January. Really excited; this is the culmination of more than ten years work, off and on. The NaNoWriMo challenge this year gave me the impetus to finish it.

If you have a Kindle, you can go to the Kindle Book Store and search for Penelope Parker, and try a sample of the book for free. It's just the first three chapters, but it gives you a taste. If you have an iPad, there is a Kindle app that allows you to read Kindle books. It's available free here: http://amzn.to/1k89raF

Thank You!

Thank you to Sue Roberts for her contribution to my Indiegogo campaign. It is much appreciated!

Book Two in the Penelope Parker Series

Early in the New Year, I will be working on the second book in the series, tentatively titled Penelope Parker: Chaos and Light. The book continues Penelope's adventures, as she is allowed to return to P.A.W.S. after showing she is better able to control her powers. However, her trials are not over by any means! Below is the tentative cover for the book.

Update

Conference with publisher went well; had to resend my ms because I left out a couple of items, but no biggy. Should have the digital proof in about two weeks, and print copies by the end of January! Should have them for Tsukino-Con 

Book Update

I have a telephone conference with my publisher on Monday to firm up the interior design of the book. Then it will go to formatting, then I will get a proof, and from there, hopefully, to print! I am hoping to have copies in my hot little hands by early January. As soon as I have the physical copies, they will be going out to those wonderful folks who have supported me in this endeavour.

Writer's Corner

This is where I sit and write. I always write longhand and then transfer it to my computer. Usually, my thoughts come too fast for my typing speed, and I can't keep up! As you can see, it is also Kitty Corner as well!

Day 24, NaNoWriMo

Done! 50,046 words. I really didn't think I could do it until the past week. I'm actually pretty proud of myself!

Yay! I did it!

Update for Day Twenty Three, NaNoWriMo

Well, I thought I was done for the day, but my mind had other ideas. Ended up with 4455 words for the day, and only 1904 left to finish, with a total of a little over 50,000 words,and surprisingly, that will be enough, at least for the first book! Should be done by tomorrow, then I can upload my word count to NaNoWriMo, and pat myself on the back, and put on the winner's shirt I bought. I figure if I bought it, I would have to complete the book!

Day Twenty Three, NaNoWriMo

Went great guns today; finished with 3285 words for the day, a total of 46,926. Only 3074 left. Aiming to finish by the end of Monday. By George, I think I can do it! Thanks to NaNo WriMo for giving me the impetus to get it done!

Day Twenty Two, NaNoWriMo

Finished today at 43,641 words. Only 6,359 to go!! I hope I can finish by the 25th! In a much better space today, now that I know my cat will be OK.

Day Twenty One, NaNoWriMo

Finished the day at 41,369; 8361 to go! Had to take kitty to vet, so got more done than I thought I would, which is good. Ideas still coming, and had a dream last night that has given me an idea for another story not related to Penelope. We'll see where that goes. Took notes so I don't forget and probably start it n the New Year, as I still have costume commissions to do!

Update to Day Twenty, NaNoWriMo

Finished the day at 39,349 words; 2623 for the day, 10,651 words to go! Yahoo!!!

Day Twenty, NaNoWriMo

Getting there; only 11,000 words left to go, and still more than a week left!  Light at the end of the tunnel. Feeling really good about this. Publishing is looking like a reality.

Excerpt From Penelope Parker: Witch in Training

An excerpt from Chapter Three of my upcoming book.

An Introduction to My Book

An Introduction to my upcoming book, Penelope Parker: Witch in Training.

Chance to Win!

Leave a comment on my blog and have a chance to win one of five autographed copies of my book. Those who have already donated $15 or more are not eligible, as they will already be receiving at least one copy.

The book will be out in early to mid February, barring any snafus along the way. The contest ends December 31, 2013. Winner will be notified through this blog, Twitter and facebook. You can also leave your email when you post.

Update

May not get too much writing done today. I'll be working on a short video, talking about my book Penelope Parker: Witch in Training," and reading a short excerpt. I will discuss the motivation behind it, and my hopes for the book. It should be live on my blog and YouTube sometime today or tomorrow. Stay tuned! :-)

Day Fifteen, NaNoWriMo

A slower day today, only 1299 words, but I am still way ahead of par! At the rate I am going, I only have to write 985 words a day to finish by the end of November! Totally doable. I don't usually write under 1000. Today is the lowest count since I started.

It's kind of funny, but if I lie on the couch to catch 40 winks, my brain opens, and all these ideas come pouring out faster than I can write them down. I have the ending for the book, and a start on what I want to do with the second. It's telling me there will be three books in the series, so I guess I have my work cut out!

Self Publishing Campaign

My campaign is featured on Indiegogo again! Please check it out and consider donating to help with publishing costs. The more you donate, the better the perks!

Day Fourteen, NaNoWriMo

Had to take yesterday off to take one of our cats to the vet. It seems he has an abscess in his lower canine, poor guy. He's feeling much better today, as he's on pain meds and antibiotics. Surgery next Thursday.

Made up for yesterday, and got 3302 words done today, giving me a total to date, of 33,935. Not too shabby, if I do say so myself :-)

Must try to keep up the pace, because I probably won't get anything done on Thursday. I know I'm way ahead, but I'd like to keep it that way!

For those who love kitties, here's a picture of Nikki, the one with the abscess, in better days. As you can see, he likes his pillow!

Thank You!

Thank you, Maria Bucar for your contribution to my campaign!

More Thank Yous!

Thank you, Emma Jane Holloway for your generous contribution! It's folks like you who will make this dream possible!

Interview with Tom Gillespie, Author of Painting by Numbers

A huge thank you to Tom for taking time out of his crazy schedule to sit down for an interview. Read about this amazing and talented author.

Where did you grow up Tom, and how did this influence your writing?

I grew up in a small town just outside Glasgow, Scotland. The town was pretty working class. It was an ex –mining and textiles community that had been decimated by the gradual (and then sudden) decline in industrial output from the 70s onwards.  In many ways I was lucky as my Mum and Dad were what you would call the upwardly mobile working class, but even so, the threat of poverty or re-possession was never far away. And although my writing is not immediately political, I think the lives of the people I grew up with inform how, what and why I write.

 When did you first start writing?

I think we are all born to be creative souls, but some of us defiantly resist growing up, or having our creativity twisted out of us by society’s pliers. When I was ten, I won a writing competition. I’d never won anything in my life before that (or indeed since), so I thought that this was something specific that could help me channel my galloping imagination. It’s interesting because my daughter is approaching her tenth birthday and recently she won a creative writing competition. She is really into words and art and music, and her mind is stuffed full of ideas, strange characters, pictures and stories. She is such an inspiration to be around, and she helps me stay connected to that wide –eyed wee boy who rattles around inside my head and likes to make a nuisance of himself. I hope she manages to cling on to her gift and remain defiantly ten for as long as she possibly can.

What's the story behind your book ‘Painting with Numbers’?

I love the visual arts and I have an interest in allegorical paintings. I am also into the relationship between science and art, and how many of the old art masters used early science to help them create their amazing compositions. The relationship intrigues me, and its not that long ago that science was considered one of the dark arts. So that is always bubbling away under the surface.

But then on a visit to El Prado in Madrid, I was in the Velazquez gallery, gaping at Las Meninas, the artist’s mind-blowing masterpiece, when I noticed a strange Magritte like man laying out lines of thread on the floor next to the painting. He was at it for about five minutes, before he got turfed out by a couple of security guards. But the incident lodged in my brain, and that night in my hotel room, I wrote up a very short, one page story.  A year or so passed, but the incident and the man wouldn’t leave me alone. I returned to my page of scribbles and developed it a little further, but then, his story began to unfold backwards and forwards, until I had the bare bones of a novel. 

The journey to complete Painting by Numbers was amazing. It gave me the opportunity to combine a number of my loves, art, science and the strange, inner workings of the human mind.  A number of brilliant people including a mathematics professor and art historian helped me piece together my central protagonist’s various mad obsessions. But although there is some weird science in my novel, it’s mostly all smoke and mirrors, as my tale is really about love and loss and the fragility of the human condition, all hidden and tucked away under the guise of a page-turning psychological thriller.

What is the greatest joy of writing for you?

I love all of it, from stream of consciousness scribbles to complex and exhausting line editing. I love losing myself in my characters and narratives, and I love picking through words and sentences and thinking about language, structure and the arc of my story. The whole journey is a mad, joyous, frustrating and ultimately enthralling ride, and I don’t think I could live without putting myself through it on a regular basis.

What do your fans mean to you?

I don’t know if I have any fans, aside from my cat who enjoys sitting on my manuscript when I’m trying to work (though this may be a cupboard kind of love).. I suppose as writers, all we can hope for is that readers engage in a positive and constructive way with whatever we produce, and even if they don’t like what we do, the engagement and dialogue is still interesting and encouraging.

Who are your favorite authors?

Writing that sings to my heart, rattles in my chest and raises the hairs on the back of my neck.

When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?

That would be telling!

What is your writing process?

In my head I follow the Haruki Murakami method which is – up at 5.30am – write until 8.00 – light breakfast – write until lunchtime – steamed fish lunch – a long run through the park or along the beach, and then the rest of the day spent contemplating the universe.

However, back on planet reality, it’s up at 7.00 – mad rush to get all of the family washed, dressed, fed, bags packed and out the door for work and school. I’ll teach all day – come home exhausted –then another mad rush to cram dinner, help with homework, tidy up the mountain of dishes, dirty laundry and toys, try for an adult conversation with my wife.. And after all that, if I’m lucky,  and/or  in the mood, I’ll force myself to scribble a few words and try desperately to avoid crashing in front of the TV with a bottle of beer and a headful of sleep.

What do you read for pleasure?

I don’t read anything when I’m writing. I find that the style, characters or ideas start to bleed into my work. However, when I’m on a beach somewhere, I tend to turn back to the classics for comfort and the sheer thrill of the language and the power of the writing.

What is your e-reading device of choice?

Kindle - though if I’m brutally honest, I’m going off e-reading at the moment.  It’s a bit soulless. I miss the touch, the smell and the grubby physicality of printed paper. I always feel like a bit of an adulterer when I’m on my kindle. Somehow it seems like a kind of cheap betrayal of the written word.

Describe your desk

Orderly chaos , or as my wife likes to call it.. a bloody mess.

Do yourself a favour and read this gripping book.

Here are links to where you can buy his book, and links to websites he is on.

amazon UK

Kindle
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Painting-Numbers-Tom-Gillespie-ebook/dp/B00955ZMCM/ref=sr_1_1_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1384531393&sr=8-1&keywords=tom+gillespie

ppback
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Painting-By-Numbers-Tom-Gillespie/dp/1908910372/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1384531393&sr=8-1

amazon US
Kindle
http://www.amazon.com/Painting-Numbers-Tom-Gillespie-ebook/dp/B00955ZMCM/ref=sr_1_1_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1384531446&sr=8-1&keywords=tom+gillespie

ppback
http://www.amazon.com/Painting-By-Numbers-Tom-Gillespie/dp/1908910372/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1384531446&sr=8-1

website: tom-gillespie.com
facebook: /tomgilespiewriter
twitter:  tom_gillespie

Thank You!

Thank you to Darren Duncan for his generous contribution to my publishing campaign!

Day Twelve, NaNoWriMo

Cracked 30K today; 30,633, and 1865 words for the day. I'm feeling really good about this! There is finally light at the end of the tunnel.

Getting There!

My campaign is currently featured on Indiegogo !

Thank You!

A big "thank you" to John Harriz for his generous donation. It is folks like you who believe in me, who are helping to make this possible.

Another Thank You!

Another big thank you to Janet and Dave Filipovic for their generous donation to my book publishing campaign. Thank you both, so much! You will receive two autographed copies of the book and your names on the Acknowledgement page.

Day Eleven, MaNoWriMo

Back at it again. Only 1737 words today; total 28,768.  As long as I crack 30K by the end of the week, I'll be happy!

More Thank Yous

Thank you so much to Lauren Wallace for her generous contribution to my book publishing campaign!

Thank You!

A huge thank you to my first contributor, Pete Filipovic for his $100 contribution to my Indiegogo Campaign! You will be the first to get a copy of the book when it is published!

A Big Thank You!

I would like to thank the photographer of my cover pic. They have graciously given me permission to use it. See more of their work here

Book Funding Campaign

I have started a campaign to raise funds to help publish my book. I am looking at a a launch date in late January or early February. The book will be finished by the end of November, and of course, time is needed for the inevitable editing! Follow the link provided in the widget at the top right of my page, or click here.

All donations will receive a Thank You, posted on facebook, Twitter, and here. Read about my campaign to see what other perks are available.

Funny Post

This was sent to me by a friend of mine. Thought it was too funny not to share, and very apropos!

Day Ten, NaNoWriMo

No writing today or tomorrow, as there are domestic things that need to be taken care of(like clean laundry!) Lots of ideas percolating in my head, and I know as soon as I pick up that pen on Tuesday, the brain gates will open and they will come pouring out! And I'm at 27,031 words, so well on target.

So, no post tomorrow; back on Tuesday. Hope you all had a great weekend.

Day Nine, NaNoWriMo

Not so much done today (754 words), because life kind of got in the way. However, I'm still way above par, so I'll chalk it up to a bad day. Not all bad, though, as I get to spend some of it with my daughter who lives in Vancouver. It's been along time since we could get together. As Scarlett once said, "After all, tomorrow is another day!"

Day Eight, NaNoWriMo

Not so much today; 1140 words, but I'm still way over par, so still well on schedule. It's not that ideas are not coming; I am getting a bad case of Writer's Cramp. :-( I will make up for it tomorrow. Have to, because company's here on Sunday, laundry day Monday!

Still feeling really positive and upbeat. 

Day Seven, NaNoWriMo

Got my total a little over 25K this morning. The ideas are starting to flow again, and it's hard keeping up with them. I don't type fast enough so I have to write longhand, but I'm having trouble keeping up that way too! Shouldn't complain, I guess; at least I'm not having a problem with writer's block (knock on wood).

Interview with Author Helen Howell

Helen Howell graciously agreed to do an interview for my blog, for which I am most grateful. Helen is an inspiration to women everywhere, who have always wanted to write, but have not had time because of family obligations, and think they are now too old. Helen is a shining example that we are never too old, and in fact, many of us get better and more creative as we age, Helen most certainly has! Enjoy the interview!

Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?

I was born in England in 1951 and lived in Essex. I think because I was there for all my formative years, (I didn’t leave for Australia until I was 31), that most of my stories have an English flavour to them. It is those memories that I call on when I write even though I have now lived in Australia for almost as long as I lived in England.

When did you first start writing?

I started writing around five years ago.  I’ve always done something creative. I taught ballet in my younger years. I also spent 18 years exhibiting my watercolour paintings and when I grew tired of doing that I needed something to replace it, and writing seemed the natural course to follow. Now I’ve always wanted to write, and did in fact write the odd silly poem, but I never thought I had what it took to be a writer. Then one day I came across a site that had the title, ‘Let’s Write’ and it said write about anything and so I did and from there I grew in confidence. Writing is a skill that has to be learnt, just like any other skill. I was lucky because I have a good imagination, and you’re half way there with a good imagination; the rest can be learnt and the more one writes, the better they become.

What's the story behind your book ‘I Know You Know’?

Some of you may already know that I read tarot, both for fun and professionally, although not so much professionally these days. I got to thinking what if a tarot reader saw something terrible about a client of hers, and what if the client suspected she knew? What would happen then? So my two characters were born: Janice the tarot reader and Mr. Edgar Kipp the serial killer who targets fortune tellers. Then I decided to add to it a paranormal element in the form of Janice’s dead grandmother and so this psychic thriller came into existence.

What is the greatest joy of writing for you?

I love to breathe life into the various characters that swim around in my head. Also it is a joy not to have limited myself to one genre. I write fantasy (which I love doing) horror (so enjoy scaring people) humour and noir.  Very occasionally I will write slice of life. I guess you could say the greatest joy of writing for me is the ability to explore these different avenues of writing.

What do your fans mean to you?

My readers are very important to me. It gives one a sense of purpose to know that others not only read what one writes but enjoy it too.  I love to receive comments on my website, (we all know that comments are like chocolate to a writer ^_^ )  and am always open to constructive criticism.  To know that people will come and read what one writes because they enjoy your style of writing is very humbling.

Who are your favorite authors?

I read such a diversity of writers that it’s hard to say who is a favourite. I guess Terry Pratchett would be among this list, I like most of what he writes. I’ve read all of Laurence Sanders Deadly Sin series (sadly he is with us no more I believe). I enjoy fantasy writers. As you can see, it’s hard for me to actually pin point favourites as I’ll read anything from Alice in Wonderland to Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes.

When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?

Most of my spare time is spent in the garden; my second love is gardening. Nothing gives me more pleasure than to raise something from seed and see it flourish regardless of whether it be a flower or vegetable. Also I like to go walking and try to do this most days of the week.  I’ve just started a new hobby, card making and I am enjoying spending time creating new cards. I’ve done beading and have made and sold my jewellery. So really anything that is creative is where I spend my time and that includes cooking too. I’m just planning the gingerbread house for this year’s Christmas and I think it will be a Swiss House.

Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?

Yes, I do. It was just after I found the site “Let’s Write,” where it said write about anything. So I went for a walk and came back and wrote about that walk; the sounds, smells and sights that I had experienced. I sent that first tiny piece of writing to my author friend Scotti, who was and is a well established writer. She was so encouraging about what I had written that it jump started me into writing. In fact I went from that tiny story to writing a fantasy fiction novel for 9years — adults. This was later edited (several times) and published by me in 2012. It was met was a good response and received some lovely reviews on Smashwords.

What is your writing process?

Well, now that depends on what I’m writing. If it’s just something small, say a 100 word story (Drabble), then I just write by the seat of my pants. If it’s a flash fiction of up to 1000 words then I do like to have a beginning, middle and end in mind, although sometimes I will just write and see where it leads me. For novellas , etc. I do an outline, just the bare skeleton of one so that I don’t lose direction. Then I outline each chapter, again just a bare skeleton for direction, but I usually allow the writing to take me there and sometimes I become surprised at the direction it takes. By not plotting a strict structure to either the novel or the chapter, but just putting down a marker of where I want it to go, I find the writing to be more spontaneous and fresh.

What are your five favorite books, and why?

1: Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll opened the door to a wonderful imaginative world where the reader could suspend their disbelief and enjoy this incredible adventure along with Alice.

2: Dracula - Bram Stoker wrote this classic, and what a classic it is. It’s true horror without the gore. It’s a wonderful gothic tale that captures the true nature of what Dracula really should be.

3: Mort-Terry Pratchett shows us his remarkable talent as a writer in this book which is filled with humour as Death experiences an alternative existence.

4: Wind in The Willows by Kenneth Grahame purely because it’s such a delightful tale, one I have read and re-read.

5: Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin - This is an epic fantasy and Martin’s ability to write descriptively takes the reader right into his world, he gives you just enough information to allow your own imagination to take over.

What do you read for pleasure?

All of the above — basically anything that takes my fancy, but I do love reading mid grade fantasy.

What is your e-reading device of choice?

Right now the only one I have is an Ipad.

Describe your desk

It’s an L shape desk. My computer sits in the corner of the L and note pads sit to the side. Also to the side of that sits an oil burner, my tarot reading cloth, an obsidian crystal ball and three crystals. Down the long part of it, sits my old portable Imperial Companion typewriter that I’ve had since I was 16. My father gave it to me when I was at secretarial college — it was his. Beside that sits an old pewter inkwell and my feather quill. Of course lots of bits and pieces get left on the desk and I have to have a tidy up every now and again.

Do you have another book planned for the future?

Yes I have a new novella that will be published early next year by Crooked Cat Publishing called Mind Noise. Mind Noise is about a boy who can hear peoples' thoughts and this tends to alienate him from others. Then one day an old man appears who is able to communicate with him through thought. The old man offers to help him control this gift he has, but the question is, is the old man who he seems to be? And should the boy trust him?

***

I Know You Know - Published by Crooked Cat February 2013

The darkest cards in the tarot deck reveal the darkest side of the man sitting opposite Janice—Mr. Edgar Kipp.

She feigns an inability to read for him, but will he believe her?  His parting words indicate that he knows she knows he's a serial killer. And he plans to return. 

The voice of her dead grandmother urges her to be careful, warning Janice she might be seeing her own future in those foreboding cards. 

But Janice doesn't want to listen. Gran's dead. 

How can she possibly help her?

Available from Amazon US & UK -  http://www.amazon.com/I-Know-You-ebook/dp/B00BH59NAU/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1361166885&sr=1-1&keywords=I+know+You+Know+Helen+A.+Howell

Jumping At Shadows: Self Published 2012

Blurb

When Belle discovers the secret of a family heirloom, she and her friend Rosy are propelled into a world of the shadows—the same shadows that have been haunting Belle all her life. Soon Belle realises that the future rests in her hands, and only she can keep the magic of her ancestors from falling into the clutches of a dangerous mad man. 

Link: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/204743