Final #JoWriMoGo Tally For September 2017

The final tally for #JoWriMoGo in September is in: 24 chapters, 103 pages and 60,470 words written!!

October will be a low month because of Darker, but really pleased with this month's total!

From Joey's Instagram

And I'm in the top ten for the whole of September!! So pleased and happy gonna write my chapter and end the month on a high note! #amwriting #writerslife #authorslife #writersofinstagram #authorsofinstagram #indieauthor #ilovewriting #lovemyjob

From Joey's Instagram

#Repost @hourglassevents (@get_repost) ・・・ ‪#7DaysUntilDarker ‬ ‪Still time to get your last minute tickets! ‬ ‪The day event tickets and Evening Darker Ball tickets are available .... come and join us 😈‬ ‪http://ift.tt/2fWfljQ #booksagram #booksigning #authorsofinstagram #readersofinstagram #ticketsforsale #bookblogs #TheDarkerSideofFiction2017

Interview with M. F. Lorson & review of The Hunter's Daughter

I'm delighted to be joined on the blog today by M. F. Lorson for both an interview and my review of her book - The Hunter's Daughter. Here's a little about the author:

I am a 33 year old Youth Services Librarian living and working in Eastern Oregon. When I am not at the library I am teaching creative writing and sewing to kids 18 and under. I love to run, write and craft.

And onto the interview!

 What made you want to be a writer?
I’ve always wanted to be one. I can remember being in the second grade with a folder just stuffed full of terrible short stories about orphans living off peaches cut into tiny pieces and divided amongst hundreds. I guess I was really interested in poverty...that and I had read the Boxcar Children way too many times.

What kind of books do you read for pleasure?
I love Young Adult Historical Fiction and Young Adult summer romance, but I ONLY read that in the summer...so as to keep it exciting.

What kind of writer are you: plan or not?
I usually have a plot concept in mind. The details in the ending are always as much a surprise to me as they are the reader. Which is to say…..I’ve never successfully written an outline. I like to think that keeps my work from being too formulaic.

How does your average writing time go?
I usually sit down for 20 to 30 minutes. If I’m really feeling it I will keep going if I’m struggling I’ll set a word count goal and do my best to hit that before I quit for the day.

What book/character of yours is your favourite?
Jordan from Delinquent is my favourite character. I love a good book boyfriend and I think he is totally crush worthy.

If you had the chance to write anywhere, where would you choose?
I want to get rich real bad so that I can write all over the place and call it “Research”. I definitely wouldn’t mind starting somewhere warm so lets say my first choice is…..Argentina?

What attracted you to your chosen genre?
I prefer to write what I prefer to read.

How have other writers influenced your own writing?
I usually read a little each night before bed. I try and pay attention to the way other writers set the scene, describe characters and how they use dialogue to move the story along. The authors I love are far better than me. I WISH I could be influenced by them. I’m mostly just envious.

Do you prefer to type or handwrite?
Type.

Do you have a writing playlist? Or do you prefer silence?
I can’t really focus with music.

Do you have any hobbies?
I like to run and read. Not terribly exciting but working as a librarian I don’t have to have too many hobbies. Work is my passion.

What's your favourite kind of scene to write?
Sigh...sad romance.

Would you ever like to branch out to a different genre?
My boyfriend and I have toyed with the idea of writing sports fiction for upper elementary students. I’m hoping to follow through with that.

What does your writing space look like?
Right now my writing space is my dining room table with a stack of Harry Potter Books serving as a makeshift stand up desk. My laptop goes on top the books, my three week old goes in the baby sling and I spend the duration of my writing swaying slowly back in forth in deep prayer that she falls asleep!

In the rodeo town of Pendleton, Oregon 17 year old Maura lives with her 8 year old sister and single father Mike. When Mike’s diabetes threatens to take his foot he decides to spend his final steps hunting in the Blue Mountains; leaving his children to fend for themselves.
Meanwhile, back at home Maura’s elderly alcoholic neighbor takes in his teenage grandson Alex. Before long Maura finds herself falling in love while navigating nearly 30 days entirely unsupervised. Though nothing about Maura’s summer has been easy it becomes far more challenging when Mike’s return date comes and goes with no sign of her father. Determined to bring Mike home she and Alex venture into the wilderness in search of the only real parent she has ever known. Maura has never doubted her father’s love but the deteriorating state of his health and the mental conflict that accompanies it has her wondering what she’ll do if it turns out she’s looking for a man who doesn’t want to be found.
The Hunter’s Daughter is intended for readers ages 12 and up and will appeal to those who enjoy teen realistic fiction in the vein of Sarah Dessen, Huntley Fitzpatrick and Simone Elkeles.

Amazon

My review: 5 stars
This books starts with what seems to be an everyday life for Maura. Her younger sister is her responsibility, her mother long gone and her father crumbling before her eyes. Left along for 30 days while her father decides to go on a long trip out in the Blue Mountains, Maura soon finds herself drawing the attention of Alex, who's only in town for the summer. The book was beautifully written and an amazing story that had me crying for a happy ending. It was well told and switched between Alex's point of view and Maura's, along with a few from Mike's as well. I loved the way it opened up and developed and I loved it completely. Very good story and very enjoyable!

You can follow M. F. Lorson on Twitter, Facebook or her website.

*There will be no Friday interview next week as Joey will be at Darker. Grab your tickets here!*

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here.

From Joey's Instagram

#Repost @hourglassevents (@get_repost) ・・・ #8DaysUntilDarker Still time to get your last minute tickets! The day event tickets and Evening Darker Ball tickets are available .... come and join us 😈 http://ift.tt/2dUnCVX #booksigning #authorsofinstagram #readersofinstagram #ticketsforsale #bookblogs #peterborough #TheDarkerSideofFiction2017

44 Facts About Joey's Books [CC]

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From Joey's Instagram

#Repost @hourglassevents (@get_repost) ・・・ #9DaysUntilDarker Have you got your tickets yet? The day event tickets and Evening Darker Ball tickets are available .... come and join us 😈 http://ift.tt/2dUnCVX #booksigning #authorsofinstagram #readersofinstagram #ticketsforsale #bookblogs #TheDarkerSideofFiction2017

From Joey's Instagram

@melaniehoo Here's my desk and my #notprettybutreal photo. I have my chapter plans, meds, inhaler and poo vinyls lined up. I have a huge desk though so this is the part most people don't see! #amwriting #writerslife #writersofinstagram #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #indieauthor #writingspace #organisedchaos

From Joey's Instagram

#Repost @hourglassevents (@get_repost) ・・・ #10DaysUntilDarker Have you got your tickets yet? The day event tickets and Evening Darker Ball tickets are available .... come and join us 😈 http://ift.tt/2dUnCVX #booksigning #authorsofinstagram #readersofinstagram #ticketsforsale #bookblogs #TheDarkerSideofFiction2017 #peterborough

From Joey's Instagram

#TEASERTUESDAY Who is behind the notes and will Tara find then before it's too late? Buy here: http://amzn.to/2mOMy1O #amreading #indieauthor #bookstagram #bookboost #readersofinstagram #authorslife #writersofinstagram #authorsofinstagram #youngadultbooks #dyingthoughts #paranormalbooks #writerslife

From Joey's Instagram

And it's Monday again! It's technically a day off but I have to finish a chapter and then I'm free to read and chill out! #amwriting #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #writerslife #writersofinstagram #indieauthor #booksinprogress #jowrimogo #joeywrites #bonuschapters

From Joey's Instagram

#Repost @hourglassevents (@get_repost) ・・・ #11DaysUntilDarker Have you got your tickets yet? The day event tickets and Evening Darker Ball tickets are available .... come and join us 😈 http://ift.tt/2dUnCVX #booksigning #authorsofinstagram #readersofinstagram #ticketsforsale #bookblogs #TheDarkerSideofFiction2017

Series & Standalone: How Do You Know Which Is Which? - The Creative Process

SERIES & STANDALONE: HOW DO YOU KNOW WHICH IS WHICH?

I know what you're thinking, it's easy enough to tell the difference between writing a standalone and writing a series, and I'll agree with you to a point. It was only when I was thinking up ideas for some writing advice posts and talking to a close friend of mine, that the question came up about times in the past when I've started a book thinking it's a standalone and found that I have a series. It's happened the other way too, and I know I can't be the only one it's happened to so I thought I would do a short set of pieces on this topic.

Now one thing I will say before I delve further into this topic is that I am a hybrid writer. I work best by doing minimal outlining and planning and winging it a lot of the time. That works for me, but it doesn't working for everyone and that's more than okay. I've done a vlog on it here and a piece of two here. Taking into account that the majority of writers are planners, I thought I would focus this first piece on telling the difference between a series of books and a standalone. It sounds like a simple subject, but when you get into the nitty gritty of it, you realise that there is more to it than that.

For example, using one of my works in progress, when I started planning out Lights Out, I thought that it was a one shot. I didn't foresee it going any further and didn't plan a series out because of that. It was only as I started writing it, got into the story completely that I realised a couple of things. One, the main character Lock, would not go the direction I'd first planned because the character I had written and the character she became wouldn't be able to let things go. She certainly wouldn't sweep them under the carpet and continue on with the abuse of power. So that took me off-plan a little. The second thing I realised was that, this book, to cover everything I wanted to, would either have to be exceedingly long, or it was at the minimum a duology. At that point I stopped writing and did a brief sketch of a plan for book two, and then book three, which I'm working on at the moment.

It may be part of my hybrid style of working that led me to the initial confusion, but I figure if it happened to me, it could happen to anyone just starting out, or even authors like me, who've been doing this for years. Everyone has their own style and their own way of doing things and one of the great things about being a writer is that you use what works for you and that there is really no "wrong" way to do it. Your story, your rules, your world and your words. It can be done a number of different ways and what works for me, may not work for you and that's okay.

So, how do you know when you're writing a series and when you're writing a standalone? I employ a few tricks that usually are more a subconscious thing because I've been doing this for a number of years now. Generally when I'm in the ideas phase, I'll think ahead to whether or not there is an overarching plot in this story and if there is, can it be successfully wrapped up in 140K words. If not, then I might need to think beyond one book and into two. If it can be, then it's generally the case that I'm working on a standalone.

The Dying Thoughts series was always going to be a series, but it came about because having spent the past ten days writing Blackout - a story I'd been wanting to tell for so long - I was faced with a problem of what to write next. At the time I thought about a sequel to the book, but as B, and others, kindly pointed out, that didn't work. And so with the basic premise of what I wanted to write about, I let my mind brew over whether or not I had an idea that could work for numerous books. One of the good things about the Dying Thoughts series is that, there is an overarching plot, but each book is it's own story with three acts and all. You could pick up the third book having never read any of the others and you'd still be able to pretty much follow the story without issues. I liked writing like that because I personally have dipped into series out of order and usually they've then gone on to be ones that I enjoyed immensely.

That said, when writing a series, you have to remember that it doesn't always have to have an overarching plot. Especially in certain genres and age groups. The Dying Thoughts series continues on until Tara is nineteen, but the initial arc was to see her out of education. Every book, as I said, had its own plot. There are so many books in both young adult and adult fiction that don't have anything connecting them together except for a simple cast of characters. So if you've got a book that feels like it could be a series, don't hold back because you don't think there's anything left unresolved that needs a sequel. Some series, like the Harry Potter books for example all have their own story, with an overarching plot, but others, like Sue Grafton's Alphabet series, are simply just books about the same group of characters and while there are some pieces that fit and some questions that don't get answered until later on, the books do fit together and do so very well.

Yet there are some writers who stick to standalones, and still leave unanswered questions and that's a valid way to do things. Not everything in life gets resolved and that means that there will be some books where you don't know what happens and how it all ended. So just because you have left things unresolved does not mean that you therefore have to write a second book.

In the planning stages, you should have some idea whether your book is going to have multiple volumes or if it's just going to be a story on its own. If you are wondering if it's possible to take more than one book, plan and plot it out to see if it works. I've done that for the Dying Thoughts books, done it for the Lights Out trilogy and it has helped me. Just because I don't do heavy outlining does not mean that I don't recommend you do. I am a hybrid because it works for me, but that's coming from a place of over sixteen years as a writer and twelve as an author. I have finished eighteen books and am working on my nineteenth and twentieth ones at the moment. I may be further along in my writing journey than you and because of that I'm able to see what works for me. My advice to those starting out or those unsure, is to plan and plan heavily. Maybe you'll find it doesn't help, but as I said above, the majority of writers ARE planners and there's no shame in that.

So that's how I've worked out which is a standalone and which is a series. You may find that you always know when you start planning your ideas, and that's great. You may also find that one day you're writing and you realise that this series is a standalone and this standalone is a series, and that's great too. I'll discuss ending a series and what to do when your standalone becomes a series in the coming weeks! And remember your mileage may, of course, vary and that's okay!

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From Joey's Instagram

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From Joey's Instagram

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Review of Carry Me Home by Jessica Therrin

CARRY ME HOME is a fictional novel inspired by the true story of a teenage girl’s involvement in several Mexican gangs in San Jose and Los Angeles. The members of her crew call her, Guera, Spanish for “white girl” and it doesn’t take long for her to get lost in their world of guns and drugs.
* * *
Lucy and Ruth are country girls from a broken home. When they move to the city with their mother, leaving behind their family ranch and dead-beat father, Lucy unravels.
They run to their grandparents’ place, a trailer park mobile home in the barrio of San Jose. Lucy’s barrio friends have changed since her last visit. They’ve joined a gang called VC. They teach her to fight, to shank, to beat a person unconscious and play with guns. When things get too heavy, and lives are at stake, the three girls head for LA seeking a better life.
But trouble always follows Lucy. She befriends the wrong people, members of another gang, and every bad choice she makes drags the family into her dangerous world. 
Told from three points of view, the story follows Lucy down the rabbit hole, along with her mother and sister as they sacrifice dreams and happiness, friendships and futures. Love is waiting for all of them in LA, but pursuing a life without Lucy could mean losing her forever.
Ultimately it’s their bond with each other that holds them together, in a true test of love, loss and survival.

Amazon

My review: 5 stars
I was very happy to read this book, the blurb sounded intriguing and I wanted to see where the story would take me. Told from three different POV's, you're taken on a journey between a mother and her two teenage daughters. The characters were likeable and well-developed, and the story pulled at my heart. Watching Lucy spiral kept me wanting to read to find out what happened next. The book was well-written and I loved it.

Jessica's website is here.

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here.

From Joey's Instagram

TFW you're number 11 for the month of September in Goodreads follows in the UK! #writerslife #authorslife #writersofinstagram #authorsofinstagram #amwriting #indieauthor #joeywrites #lovemyjob #ilovewriting

From Joey's Instagram

#Repost @hourglassevents (@get_repost) ・・・ #14DaysUntilDarker Have you got your tickets yet? The day event tickets and Evening Darker Ball tickets are available .... come and join us 😈 http://ift.tt/2dUnCVX #booksigning #authorsofinstagram #readersofinstagram #ticketsforsale #bookblogs #TheDarkerSideofFiction2017

From Joey's Instagram

#Repost @hourglassevents (@get_repost) ・・・ #15DaysUntilDarker Have you got your tickets yet? The day event tickets and Evening Darker Ball tickets are available .... come and join us 😈 http://ift.tt/2dUnCVX #booksigning #authorsofinstagram #readersofinstagram #ticketsforsale #bookblogs #TheDarkerSideofFiction2017

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#Repost @hourglassevents (@get_repost) ・・・ #16DaysUntilDarker Have you got your tickets yet? The day event tickets and Evening Darker Ball tickets are available .... come and join us 😈 http://ift.tt/2dUnCVX #booksigning #authorsofinstagram #readersofinstagram #ticketsforsale #bookblogs #TheDarkerSideofFiction2017

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From Joey's Instagram

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From Joey's Instagram

It's Monday again and one of those days. Got some writing to do so on with that. #amwriting #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #writerslife #writersofinstagram #booksinprogress #jowrimogo #joeywrites #indieauthor #lovemyjob #ilovewriting

Spoonie Writer: Signings & You

SPOONIE WRITER: SIGNINGS & YOU

I figured that with the convention fast approaching, I mean we're now at just under three weeks, I would address the issues I've faced getting things in place and offer my tips to help other spoonie writers who may be looking to do their own signings. I've got a vlog going up this week that will address those last minute preparations, but it still seemed like a good idea to do an advice piece as well. That way it's covered on all fronts. This is my first signing and my first big event as an author that has lead to time away from home, being "on" for a long period of time and having to deal with health issues on top. So what's my advice?

The biggest one I can give is to plan ahead as far as you can. I started ordering my paperbacks back in 2016 so that by the time I got to this point I was no longer worrying or waiting for anything to arrive. The same can be said for all the SWAG I've ordered, banner too. I planned far in advance simply because I didn't want to get close to the day and find that I was missing something. I know that my conditions are exacerbated by stress, so why add to it? As it stands now, I am more than ready to get to the signing and deal with all of that.

Along with organising, came the realistic need for both access and certain accommodations for the event itself. As you all know I'm on oxygen pretty much all the time I'm awake. I wanted to arrange with my oxygen company to have a machine delivered and they were great. They need some notice though, so again with the whole planning and being organised when you can. I also reached out to the event organisers and asked if it would be possible for me to be sat near a plug. That way I can use the main concentrator and not have to worry about my canisters running low. The oxygen concentrator I have is one that can refill canisters, but I didn't like the idea of leaving it on in the hotel room when there'd be no one in there. The organisers were great, as were the hotel and the oxygen company. Same goes for access issues for my chair, they've all been excellent at making sure I have what I need to bring myself to the event.

One thing that did worry me was what if I couldn't manage it all? I didn't want to let the organisers down, but nor did I want to just not put myself out there for conventions like this. So I made a judgement call and am still making that call. I won't know for sure until I've done it, but I've planned my time in the weeks and days leading up to the event to allow myself for plenty of rest breaks. My carer, and best friend, is coming along to help me on the day and she's good at making sure I don't overdo it. There will be a short lunch break and during that I will, if need be, have the opportunity to nap in the room. I'm mostly focusing on doing the whole day, napping and then going to the after event ball.

That was another judgement call. If I'd been "on" all day, was I really up to a late night? I went back and forth about it before I finally decided that yeah, I'd manage. If worse came to worst, I could leave earlier than planned and head to bed. Even though at the time of signing up, B didn't drive, she does now which means that if it comes to it, she can make the journey there and since we're staying at the hotel until the Monday, I can spend the day after sleeping and resting and all that fun stuff that comes with being a spoonie. I made the decision that I wouldn't know for sure until the night and I would much rather push myself a little to experience all that I could than say no and miss out on something. And again, it's something that's not set in stone so if need be, I can pull out.

One thing that a lot of people who aren't chronically ill and/or disabled don't seem to realise is that we have to make so many choices every day. I can choose to spend my spoons, knowing that it will give me one hell of a payback in the weeks following, so that I can experience something I never have before and is, quite frankly, an experience I want under my belt. Or I can be cautious. As it stands now, I plan to definitely be there on October 7th, for all the signing on the day and the after event, but the organisers are awesome and I know if I had to pull out between now and then, they'd understand. As it is, they're doing everything they can to make it as accessibly and easy for me. Which is something I very much appreciate.

So, I'll leave you with the advice that while a signing might cost a hell of a lot of spoons, sometimes it's a good idea to step outside of your comfort zone and experience it. Having said that, you know your limits better than I do, and I know mine better than anyone else. Don't push yourself to the breaking point for something, no matter how much you want that experience. There are steps you can take, such as having a week before and time afterwards when your focus in purely on recovery. It can be hard to judge how much time you'll need so be kind to yourself and listen to your body. 

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From Joey's Instagram

TFW you're number 2 on Goodreads in the UK this week! #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #writerslife #writersofinstagram #joeywrites #indieauthor #amwriting #lovemyjob #ilovewriting

Interview with L. P. Masters & Review of Love Is Death

I'm delighted to be joined on the blog today by L. P. Masters for both an interview and my review of her book - Love Is Death. Here's a little about her:

Born and raised in the rainy streets of the Seattle Area, L.P. Masters spent her fair share of time staring out rain-streaked windows and writing books. Masters has always had extremely vivid dreams, which often spark inspiration for her novels. She has participated in National Novel Writer's Month every November since 2010. Writing isn't the only thing she can do with a pen in her hand, she also enjoys sketching and drawing—with varying degrees of success. Masters now lives in the slightly-less-dreary city of Spokane Washington with her husband and two wonderful daughters. 

And onto the interview!

 What made you want to be a writer?
I have always had extremely vivid dreams. I used to wake up and spend at least half an hour telling anyone who listened all about what happened and what it looked like and who did what, etc. It was the combination of a dream and my mom's influence that got me started writing when I was twelve. I told her about a dream and how compelling it was and she said, "So why not go write a book about it?" and the rest is history.

What kind of books do you read for pleasure?
Lots. When I was younger I really stayed in the classic scifi writers, like Robert Heinlein or Andre Norton. Lately I've been branching out and I love it. Romance, Young Adult, Thrillers. Anything that looks interesting, I'll pick up.

What kind of writer are you: plan or not?
Ugh. This is a big fight for me right now. My whole life I have been a pantser, (No planning at all.) Over the years I've taken a lot of creative writing classes and everyone talks about plotting. I see the advantages of it, and my brain says, "That would be great. Let's try that!" and then I try it and the whole thing falls apart. I can have a beautifully written plot... and then I cannot for the life of me write the story. So I've gone for a middle ground. I plot things out a little bit, looking at really big picture ideas, and then I let myself come up with it as I go, pausing every once in a while along the way to revise or add things to the overall plan I had before.

What book/character of yours is your favourite?
A lot of my favorite characters haven't been published yet. I only have one novel out so far, but there are many more already written, I just need to get them ready to go. As far as published characters, I would have to say that, truth be told, I love Skoogie from Love is Death. He doesn't show up until the end of the book, but he's just this awesome Southern guy. Even though he works for the bad guys, he's great. If I get to look at not (yet) published books, I would say Jackson from Chained Universe, which is the next trilogy that I'll be publishing. He's smart, funny, handsome, and extremely complex thanks to his backstory.

Do you prefer to type or hand write?
For the most part I write on my laptop. I love using Scrivener for most of my projects. It just makes my life so much easier. Every once in a while, though, I love hand writing. It's been kind of a "thing" for me lately to hand write all my short stories. It just puts me in a new environment and stimulates a different part of my mind. Sometimes when I'm stuck on a book, I'll sit down and start a scene on paper. It's very helpful.

What's your favourite kind of scene to write?
Tearjerkers! Oh man. If I can pull those heart strings, if I can pull my own hair out while I'm writing it, if I can scream at my characters and ask myself how I can be so mean! Those are the scenes I live for! There have been times where I've been writing a scene and my husband has asked if I'm okay, because i might be right on the verge of tears, or making a face like I'm about to kill someone. (Oh wait. I am.)

Would you ever like to branch out to a different genre?
I have. I love different genres. I mentioned earlier that I was really into classic scifi when I was a kid, but in college my teacher forced me, (yes, she forced me) to write contemporary stories, no genres like scifi or fantasy. My very last story I submitted for that class she allowed me, (Oh gracious teacher) to write a scifi short story, and I realized how much better it was than what I'd been doing before. Ever since then I've been much more open to different genres, which is awesome, because I feel comfortable telling the story however the story should be told. I don't have to try to shove something into a scifi box when it really would work better in a paranormal world. That being said, even though I try all sorts of stories, I find myself gravitating more towards good old science fiction, paranormal, and romance genres.

What does your writing space look like?
My whole house. I write on the couch, I write in bed, I write on the deck... sometimes I write on the floor with the lights all off. I don't know how I lived when I had to write on a desktop. My memory of desktop writing includes me being a contortionist in the computer chair, constantly moving around and sitting in all sorts of weird positions. It's really awful for ergonomics, I'm sure, but it's how I like to do it.

Gina’s plan for her afterlife is simple: survive as long as possible. The afterlife is a ghost-kill-ghost kind of place. When she meets newly-dead Alec, she can’t help her desire to protect him. Before she knows it, she finds herself falling for him, despite the little voice in her head telling her it’s a bad idea. Alec’s goals don’t mesh well with Gina’s plans. Determined to save his living sister from a murderer, he’s willing to disobey the laws of a well-established cult in the afterlife. If the cult finds out, they’ll kill him. Again. He’s hesitant to accept Gina’s help and threaten her afterlife, but he’s guaranteed to fail without her. Together they embark on a perilous mission, but the most dangerous aspect of all is the threat of falling in love. Because in the afterlife... love is death.

Amazon

My review: 5 stars

I loved the synopsis of this book and was happy to dig into it. I was floored with how bloody amazing it was! From the first page, I was hooked and more than happy to sit down and read it completely in two sittings. The story is engaging and enthralling. The set up of there being both an afterlife AND an afterdeath was amazing. The world building with tiny and delicate pieces made the book even more delightful to read. I loved it! Watching Gina and Alec connect, but also all the other characters as well. They were all so well developed and I am still astounded by just how good this book is! HIGHLY recommended!

You can follow L. P. Masters here on Facebook and Twitter.

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The Trials Of A Crime Writer: Going To The Dark Side

THE TRIALS OF A CRIME WRITER: GOING TO THE DARK SIDE

Given that in less than a month I will be attending my first ever author signing. Aptly enough, it's the Darker Side Of Fiction 2017, so I thought it would be a good idea in the lead up to that event, to do a piece about both being a crime writer and what it's like to go to the dark side writing wise. I've been writing crime fiction the whole of my writing career, and it's always been something that's interested me. However, I didn't really cross over to the dark side completely until recently. It was a gradual process and something that I didn't really realise was happening until after it had passed.

As a crime writer you're usually dealing with the dark side of humanity as it is. The same can be said for a number of other genres, but for me it's crime so I'll stick with that. You're facing situations and creating characters who either go through some trauma or are the perpetrators of trauma and that's sometimes hard to wrap your head around. I once got told that I shouldn't write crime fiction, especially for young adults, because it can steer young people towards a criminal life. I'm not sure how that works since, well it doesn't work like that, but people have also asked me why do I focus so much on the bad and not write fluffy novels with romance, happiness and all the bright side of life.

I would argue that I do and have written books that deal with both the criminal genre but also with the fluff as well. In the Dying Thoughts series, Tara has a wonderful friend in Kaolin, and that continues throughout the series. In the Cramping Chronicles series, which has yet to be released, the main character, Jessie, has a bunch of friends and it's not all doom and gloom. I could name other books, but there's always a balance, in my eyes between the dark and dreary and the light and fluffy. I would say that my latest release - It's Not Always Rainbows - it not one that balances both of those. It is, and reviewers have agreed, my darkest book. It didn't start out like that, but as I grew closer to the end I realised that there was only really one way for it to continue and wrap up. That said, it does have a happy ending, or at least as happy as I could make it.

So why do authors like myself focus on the darker side of humanity? I was asked this in an interview which can be found here. The long and short of how I see it is that readers, writers and everyone in-between do have somewhat of a sense of the macabre. The example I used in the interview was that when you drive past an accident site. You hope and pray that no one is seriously, or even not seriously hurt, but you still can't help but glance at it as you go past. Reading, and writing, dark fiction does not mean that you're morbid (though I will admit, I very much am!), or that you are sick and twisted. It just means you want to be able to escape to a world where the people being hurt, killed, or whatnot, aren't real. Fiction is about an escape, both for the writer and for those who read. The dark side is welcoming with open arms people who want to escape into their worlds.

That said, not all crime novels are dark and grisly. Not all mystery books involve death, and the dark side isn't all torture and graphic violence. Part of being a crime writer means you will write about all manner of crimes. And while I have read a number of books of my fellow attending authors, there is a wide array of just how dark it gets. It's all about where the story goes, what the circumstances call for and all of that wrapped up in a delicious package. My earlier books, especially in the Dying Thoughts series, were a mix of dark and not. You have to remember that I write for young adults, and for that reason, some of my writing will be curbed so as not to get too dark. However, there are and always will be some level of the dark side in them. And there's nothing wrong with that.

While I do agree that young adults shouldn't be exposed to certain elements of the world, in fiction and real life, I think it has to be considered on a case by case basis. I am the guardian to an almost thirteen year old. She is very much ready to read all of my works even though she's on the younger side of the young adult spectrum. She has been ready since she was about eleven or so. I am also aware of other readers who started before the cut-off age at thirteen and have very much enjoyed, processed and been happy with where my books have gone. But there are other young adults, and younger readers who would not be okay with reading what I've written. And that's okay! It's something they have to decide, or their parents have to decide. In the past my advice has been, for parents unsure, to read the book before they let their child read it. If it's something they're not happy with sharing, no harm.

So, as a crime writer, and as someone who is very much happy writing the dark side of fiction into their works, I will leave you with the knowledge that entering the dark side is not a one-way ticket. You can dip your toe into the pond and you can leave at any time. Of course, you might find that you actually very much enjoy it, and in that case you'll probably never leave!

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Interview with Ann Jones and Review of Missing

I am delighted to be joined today by Ann Jones for both an interview and my review of her first book - Missing. So here's a little bit about Ann!

Author Ann Jones lives in Washington with her husband and a devoted, eclectic group of wildlife. Ann loves writing, exploring, travelling and reading. When not doing any of that she is either playing music too loud, driving too fast or eating ice cream, sometimes all at once. 

And onto the interview!

What kind of books do you read for pleasure?
Anything I can get my hands on, both nonfiction and fiction.  I love Clean Suspense.  Some of my author faves are Andy Andrews, Ralph Moody, Randy Singer, Sibella Giorello, Ted Dekker, John Grisham, David Rosenfelt, Joel Rosenberg... I actually keep an excel sheet with ratings and everything, bit embarrassing lol!

What kind of writer are you: plan or not?
A little of both, try for outlines and such, end up rewriting and editing over and over :-)

How does your average writing time go?
My best ideas come right when my head hits the pillow :-)  Struggle and flow, a bit insecure so always second guessing.

What book/character of yours is your favourite?
Love a writer who shows how great the character is, not tells you. Andy Andrews has a great way of his characters becoming real. Sibella Giorello gives you characters with flaws that makes you love them even more.

If you had the chance to write anywhere, where would you choose?
I wish it was easier to see your computer screen on the beach, or have a waterproof laptop hee hee!

What attracted you to your chosen genre?
I have always loved law and its quirks.  Love a good suspense.

How have other writers influenced your own writing?
The good ones make me want to build better characters.  I want to be a writer that shows you the story and doesn't bluntly hit you over the head with everything.  Both good and bad writers have influenced me to have people use their imaginations, not have every single explicit detail given or to be too graphic.

Do you prefer to type or hand write?
I love hand writing but the ease of corrections makes me prefer typing.  Also half the time I can't read my own writing!

Victim? Runaway? Or Criminal?Detective Lyn Kramer is busy training Jud Hughes, a new detective on the force, when Gary Farnsworth shows up to report his wife missing. As the interview progresses, Lyn realizes the missing woman is none other than her own twin sister, Melissa. Lyn and Melissa have not seen each other since their parents died twenty-five years ago, when the girls were split up to live with two sets of warring grandparents. Lyn and Jud find mutual respect and a growing camaraderie as the investigation into Melissa’s disappearance deepens. Tensions reach a peak when the two detectives discover a trail of crimes linked to the missing woman’s family. Will Melissa be found? And if so, will Lyn have it in her to put her twin sister behind bars?
You can download the book here.

My Review: 4 stars
The book was easy to get into, well written and the plot starts from page one. I enjoyed it and it was a nice quick read. I would've preferred a longer story, but the book itself was very good. You're introduced to Lyn Kramer and the story is told in third person, but from varying points of view. It was intriguing and overall, a good book. It looks to be the start of an interesting series and an author to watch in regards to where she takes Lyn and her other characters.

You can find Ann on her website, Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here.