Hey Readers,
I know, it's been a long time since I did an update. I have got a few other posts already written, but thought I'd do a more personal and general one about news that may have been missed in my writing posts.
Firstly: NEW COVER ART!
Now you may have noticed that over the past year or so, there have been new covers for a few of the the books released before Dying Thoughts - Third Wish. There are a few reasons for this. Firstly, me and my cover artist, B, were no longer happy with the existing covers. Lynne & Hope was the first of the older books to get a revamp, and as you can see up above, Dying Thoughts - Second Sight has just received its new cover too! The other reasoning behind this leads onto my next point...
Secondly: PAPERBACKS!
Now, as you'll all be aware, I always planned to have every book available in both e-format and paperback. It's finally happening this year! I hired a proof-reader to read the first six books and check them for any errors, and once corrected, I have been working upon the paperback covers, uploading the files, checking formatting etc. to make sure that by the time book eight - Dying Thoughts - Fourth Week - is released, I should also be able to release a paperback version of at least three other books. By the end of 2015, ALL eight books should be available in paperback. Once that's all done, I'll plan to release in paperback and e-format at the same time.
Thirdly: COVER REVEAL!
This year, I am planning a cover reveal event for Dying Thoughts - Fourth Week. It's set for the14th August at 12:00 (BST) and will run through live until around 16:00. I am hoping to be able to find three (or more) young adult authors to take over the event for a short thirty minute period, where they can do one of the games I've planned and have ten minutes to talk about anything they wish. If you're interested in doing that, you can email me at bugbooks@virginmedia.com
Fourthly: DYING THOUGHTS - FOURTH WEEK RELEASE!
It's taken a long time to get the book ready, but I'm pretty sure I now have an actual release day. 18th September will be the day that the fourth Dying Thoughts book is released on Amazon Kindle (and hopefully paperback shortly after). I am planning a big event for that, and will try to keep you all updated as and when I have actual ideas about what it will entail. I am very busily working on making sure the editing is done by the middle of August, so that I can send it off to the proof-reader afterwards and then set it up so that it is ready to be pre-ordered by the end of August!
I'm hopeful that these events will all go along as planned with as few hiccups as possible. I promise to keep you updated, should there be any more developments, so be sure to like my Facebook page or my Tsu, and follow along here to be kept up to date and make sure you don't miss something important!
Welcome Guest Blogger, Roy Huff!
Roy approached me asking for a review of one of his books, and since I loved the book, I thought I'd host him here and share the review with you all! Below is a little piece about why he chose the fantasy genre.
The reason I write YA fiction is because I love it. I love science fiction and fantasy as well and have been heavily influenced by all three genres. I also watch just about every tv show and movie that comes out. This allows me a great escape. I often live in a dream world and play out a multitude of scenarios in my head. That becomes part of the inspiration for when I write. I have also recently taken to writing down my dreams on a daily basis something I used to do when I was a teenager. The broad background in the subject and the frequent daydreaming allows me to sit uninterrupted for hours when I have the time and inclination to write. Due to my hectic schedule, I tend to be a marathon writer and write during my days off, so having played out many plot lines beforehand helps my imagination when I start putting pen to paper.
If you want to know more about Roy, you can follow his blog, find him on Goodreads and other social media sites, or join his mailing list here.
The book I read was the fourth in the Everville series. You can find it here. Below is a synopsis and following that, my review.
Two very different worlds, Easton Falls University and the magical realm of Everville are in dire need of a hero. Owen Sage embarks on an epic journey of monumental proportions to save these worlds all while fighting to keep the world within himself intact. This quest is not for the faint of heart nor is it for the weak of mind—only the bravest will succeed. Discovering the well-kept secret of The Fourth Pillar of Truth is only part of the feat. Owen will have to outwit the ever-powerful villain Governor Jahal and overcome countless other challenges along the way. Amongst all of the dragons, giants and grand chaos, will Owen's acquired skills and wisdom be enough to save both worlds or will peril be the ultimate fate of all?
My review: 5/5 stars - an intriguing tale!
I was approached by the author for an honest review in exchange for a copy of his book. I'm not usually one to read fantasy, but the synopsis of this book made me want to give it a go, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I did find it hard to follow some of the storyline in places because I haven't read the previous three books, but on its own it did tell a good story and I worked out most of what was happening. It tells the story of Everville and follows on from the changes to the time-line made in what I assume to be the previous book. Owen is on the search for the Fourth Pillar of Truth, and treks through Everville to find it.
It is well written, fast paced and certainly held my interest - it had me reading from page one until the end, and I was only able to put it down when I became desperate for sleep. It's a great book and one I would recommend to YA fantasy readers, as the world building is superb and spot on. I enjoyed it immensely and may even end up checking out the previous three and the ones that come after this book. Overall, a good read and well earnt five stars!
If you're interested in doing a guest blog post, contact us by email - bugbooks@virginmedia.com
