Ally Aldridge Behind The Book

Behind the Book: Stuck on Vacation with Ryan Rupert by Pagan Malcolm

I am so excited to do this interview with the talented Pagan Malcom. She’s a best selling author of both indie and traditional books and shares her wisdom to support others.

Today’s Behind the Book is on her debut novel Stuck on Vacation with Ryan Rupert.

What inspired you to write this contemporary romance?

I went on a week long holiday to an island resort in my hometown area back in 2012. During my stay, I wasn’t really enjoying myself—so I began to fantasize about what would make the holiday more interesting. The setting around me inspired me, and my fantasies developed into proper characters and a plot. By the time I left the island resort, I had a whole story idea ready to be written.

How hard was it to self-publish your first book?

Not that hard, actually. That’s not to say that I did everything right (hence why I relaunched the book two years later), but in terms of researching and going through the actions, it was quite easy. Platforms such as Createspace (which is what I used originally) and Amazon KDP make the process SUPER easy.

It’s not the publishing part that’s difficult—it’s the launching part, because a launch is more marketing than anything else. That’s why I created my course Storyseller Academy (now that I’m more versed in publishing and launching), which dives into all that sort of stuff.

What has been the biggest challenge for you?

Back then, it was building my readership. I was from a small regional town in Australia of just over 3,000 people. I didn’t have an online presence. I didn’t live near any big cities so I couldn’t just head over to a writer’s festival or attend a panel to listen to experts. I didn’t know how to find my ideal readers, or market my book, or anything like that. Because of this, my first launch flopped and I think the most discouraging thing was feeling isolated—like I didn’t have anyone to reach out to for help because I didn’t know anyone.

What is the earliest story you can remember writing?

It was a 10 page, illustrated book called “The Adventures Of Sandy Island” and it was a rip off of Charlie And The Chocolate Factory. I replaced all the characters, changed Willy Wonka into a pirate, and added an evil lion (???). I was like, in Grade 4, and my parents had to educate me on what copyright was. I soon felt embarrassed and threw it in the bin—and my mum has never forgiven me because she wanted to preserve it for later years.

Can you name any similar books to Stuck on Vacation?

Quite a few—none of them are exactly alike but a lot of these share similar themes of love-hate relationships, boys next door, being stuck in places you don’t want to be and adorable romance:

  • Magnolia by Kristi Cook.
  • My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick.
  • The Boy I Hate by Taylor Sullivan.
  • Faking Delinquency by Ashley Winters.

Please share a snippet or teaser from Stuck on Vacation?

He pulled me into the room as I reached out to drag in my suitcase. I dropped it on the floor as he shut the door behind us.
And then he had me pressed against the wall, breathing in my scent, holding me in his embrace. “I can’t stand the thought of you slipping through my fingers again,” he whispered.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I promised. His intense gaze was driving me a little crazy—in a good way. I hadn’t realised how much I wanted him around me. I’d been so focused on the thought of him betraying me that I’d ignored the raw pain I felt in his absence.

He pressed his lips to mine. His kiss was soft and gentle, like he was afraid I might yell at him again. His fear of losing me was evident in his touch. He was treating me delicately, as though I was fragile, like he was afraid to cause another fight.

Have you ever had a holiday romance?

snorts I wish! That’s why I just write about my fantasies instead. Hahaha!

Who is your book crush love interest?

Okay at first I thought you meant the person I based Ryan Rupert off of (which is a secret I will NEVER tell—mwahahaha) but my book crush love interest?

YIKES.

What a question.

How does one even narrow that down?

Hmmmm…

I’m going to have to go with Wes from Clouded by Envy, by Candace Robinson. There are a LOT of great book boyfriends out there, and Wes isn’t really dramatically special when you take them all into account (I’m perfectly aware I could be claiming stake on a supernatural boyfriend right now—trust me). But I like his humour and he seemed attractive and he was a good big brother. All big brownie points in my book.

What project are you currently working on?

Quite a few. I’m writing 3 books right now that are all due… like, now—lol. I also just launched a membership site for my readers to access bonus bookish content, and I’m working on a ~secret project~ that I can’t say much about yet, but it involves tea. wink

Where can we find out more about your coaching, courses and buy your books?

For my books, check out psmalcolm.com (you can also find the membership site there—but you have to be a Patreon supporter of mine for access).

For my coaching and courses, check out paperbackkingdom.com.

Redfae Bookshop is my Affiliate Bookshop.org shop link.

[kofi]

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Ally Aldridge Writing

Camp NaNo Progress – days 11 to 20

I finished day 10 days by editing chapter 4. This update is on how the middle of April has gone (days 11 to 20).

I started off by celebrating how well the first 10 days had gone by watching Contagion with my husband.

Chapter 5 and 6 needed more work than I expected. This slowed my progress and affected my motivation. I got them done but I felt like I was getting nowhere fast.

Then, I literally was getting nowhere. I was so exhausted in the evenings that I wasn’t doing any editing. I read. I attended online writers meets. But, I wasn’t editing. I realised I needed a break and took a night off to watch The Quiet Place with my hubby.

I’ve been using Google Docs and a Trial of Dabble Writer. I really love Dabble writer but can’t use it on my mobile. On the last day of my trial, they released the Dabble Writer App for mobiles. I really liked it and was very tempted to buy it.

I finished day 20 by completing my edits for chapter 7. I’m frustrated with myself as it’s not as far as I’d hoped for.

Here are my responses to World Indie Warriors Instagram photo challenge:

#NationalPetDay – My Cats

I have two cats, Evie and Gracie.

Evie

Evie has the nickname Evie Knievel for all her dangerous antics and vet visits as a kitten. She thought she was the neighbourhood vigilante. Thankfully, she is more chilled now.

Gracie

Gracie looks very elegant, like a Burmese Blue but she’s just a moggy and shows her true colours when she’s fed. Greedie-Gracie-Guzzlechops sings for her super and scoffs it down like a pig, with the snorting noises.

Favourite writer memes

There are so many but I thought it might be fun to make my own up.

Here is my “Aspiring Indie Author” meme, inspired by the ‘What I do…’ memes.

Aspiring Indie Author

When did you decide you wanted to be a writer?

Age 5. As soon as I learned books were written by someone, I knew I wanted to be that someone. My first stories would be classed as fan fiction as they featured characters from Orchard Tree books and were about more magic key adventures.

Plotter/Pantser/Plantser

I think I’m a Plantser. I’m somewhere in the middle.

For a long time I would just pants my way through a novel. Sometimes I’d write a brief outline. But, I was just writing for fun, for me, and it didn’t matter if it was any good.

It wasn’t until I decided I would try and publish that I realised what a mess my manuscript was in. And how much I hate editing. I realised I need to plot more to reduce editing.

I invested in Save The Cat and it showed me how to plot. It’s been a game changer and I now use it before starting a novel. I still write a brief outline and only plot one Act at a time, not the whole novel.

I like the freedom of pantsing too much to plot every detail. In my plotting, I still allow myself some gaps to fill. An element of surprise is the fun part of creating.

Mid–Month Check In – How’s It Going

I’ve split the month into thirds. So, on my blog I’m sharing how I got on at the 10 day mark, 20 day mark and 30 day mark. But, I gave a mid month check in on Instagram.

Indie or traditional publishing?

I’ve spent a long time chasing the Traditional route. It appealed because I wanted validation from someone in the industry. I wanted someone to support me with guidance on what to do when and with access to the resources I needed. I wanted publishing and marketing done for me.

But, now, I am pursuing indie publishing.

As a member of World Indie Warriors I am not alone. Many other members have published successfully before me and are willing to share their experience on what worked (or didn’t) and the best resources. I am also doing Pagan Malcom’s Story Seller Academy course which is full of useful information. I now struggle with time to digest it all but I know what I’m doing or who to ask for help.

The biggest hurdle was a change in mindset. The moment I decided I no longer need validation to be good enough because I know I am. With that, I no longer needed permission to publish. I will publish when I want.

As for the marketing… it turns out I really enjoy it. I love talking about my writing and connecting with others. I love sharing book reviews and recommending books. My creative side loves making images to support my content. One day, I’m hoping to make videos too.

It is hard to find the money to invest in myself but when someone says, “What do you want for your birthday?” My answer is money. It goes in my publishing pot. I keep adding to it. It’s not much but little by little it grows. One day, this pot will by my published book(s).

#FactFriday – Tell us something interesting about yourself?

I’m a pretty open person that I’ve probably already shared anything remotely interesting already.

I am a natural redhead. I now love my hair and embrace it as part of my identity but that wasn’t always the case.

Favourite Indie Book?

View this post on Instagram

I’m #currentlyreading Sorceress of Truth by J D Groom. This is fast becoming my favourite Indie Book and I look forward to reading it whenever I can. @jodie_at_home ? The book that currently holds the top Indie Book spot is Crown of Conspiracy by Kara S Weaver. @kara_s_weaver ? I love supporting Indie Authors and reading fantasy (especially contemporary fantasy) and paranormal romance. Please comment with any #bookrecommendations for me. ? #campnanowiw #worldindiewarriors #worldindiewarriorseurope #indiewarrior #redhead #redheadreader #indiebooks #indiebook #jdgroom #sorceressoftruth #karasweaver #crownofconspiracy #bookbattle #favouritebook #favouritebookseries #fantasybooks #paranormalromance #lowfantasy #contemporaryfantasy #bookrecommendation #bookrec #indie #indieauthorcommunity #campnanowrimo2020 #campnanowrimo #campnano #campnanochallenge

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Campfire stories: Any local myths/legends

My favourite folk story is about the green children of Woolpit, Suffolk. During the 12th Century, a boy and a girl appeared. Nobody knew where they came from and they could not speak a word of English. But, the most bizarre detail was that they had green skin and would only eat green beans.

As they learned to eat different foods they became a more normal colour. They were baptised but sadly the boy died shortly after. The girl learnt to speak English and told of the place she came from called Saint Martin where everyone was green. The girl was called Agnes and married Richard Barre.

I discovered the story because I fell in love with Michael Talbot’s faeries. I’ve collected many. The original three were my favourite and has green skin (but, I only own one of these). When I learned the factory allowed tours, I planned a day out for my mum and boyfriend to come with me. We saw the faeries being made & hand painted & their delicate wings crafted. Afterwards, we visited the local church when I happened upon a leaflet about the Green Children of Woolpit.

My favourite film is Labyrinth. I discovered the artist behind the film was Brian Froud. I bought his books and one of them contains a story about The Green children of Woolpit.

The Green Children are special to me. They inspired two of my favourite artists and filled my heart with wonder.

If you ever switched genres, what would you switch to?

I’ve written most genres but there are some that I’d like to give more attention.

Current plot bunnies include a dark fantasy, an erotic paranormal romance, a contemporary YA, dystopia sci-fi, a children’s chapter book and more picture books.

I like magic, fantasy and sci-fi in stories so I am unlikely to write a novel that is a cosy mystery, crime or a thriller. But, I’d never say never.

I would love to see your answers to the above. Let me know if you are taking part on IG or posting somewhere else.

If you enjoyed this post you will like:

Camp NaNo Progress (days 1 to 10)

Book Review: Save The Cat

Book Review: Crown of Conspiracy by Kara S Weaver

Behind the Book: Sorceress of Truth by J D Groomuh

Ally Aldridge Writing

Camp NaNo Progress (days 1 to 10)

This is an update on how the first 10 days have gone.

I wanted to start April having already completed my read through. Unfortunately that didn’t happen. So, I spent the first few days getting it done.

Monday, 6 April, I was able to start my editing. Using the feedback from my Developmental Editor. I have managed to edit 4 chapters (about 9k words). The biggest changes have included:

  • A new scene added to chapter 2
  • Kya O’Malley is now Kiely O’Neil
  • Murray O’Malley is now Murray O’Neil
  • A scene in chapter 4 has been completely rewritten

I am in the World Indie Warriors cabin (now called groups) on NaNoWriMo. On Instagram they’ve set a photo challenge:

I haven’t had time to keep up on IG but my team spirit won’t let me let it go. So, I decided to post my pics every 10 days on my blog.

Camp Goals / Tell us about your WIP

Both of these are covered in my blog post titled Are you doing Camp NaNo?

Camp Buddies

What will you do to celebrate?

It feels hard to think about celebrating during a lockdown. I can’t go anywhere and I’m only buying necessities.

It will be something simple like watching a film with my husband and maybe ordering a take away if we are still able to.

Camp Music

I find music distracting whilst writing/editing. The other day I was feeling tired after work and was procrastinating. I clicked on an IG live video by @aquabunart. She was playing her harp. It was really relaxing and helped me get focussed on what I needed to do.

I think I find music useful to get me in the right headspace but not during the task. I also enjoy music whilst plotting or coming up with ideas and have come up with story ideas whilst listening to the radio.

Who inspires you?

Hundreds of authors have inspired me but here are the most notable:

Orchard Tree Books: Yes, they publish children’s first readers. The magic key stories inspired my first stories and awoke my desire to be an author at the age of 5.

Rachel Vincent’s shifter series. I loved the world she built and I wanted to create something similar but my own.

More inspirational people are my granny and grandma. My granny was tenacious and never let anything stop her doing what she needed to. And, my grandma had a big heart and was the first person to believe in my writing.

Camp Fuel

Mmm tea ☕️

One Line

He danced in the sunlight whilst I lurked in the shadows.

Favourite genre/trope

I love YA fiction, Paranormal Romance, Contemporary Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, High Fantasy, Low Sci-Fi, Dystopia, Contemporary Romance, Erotica, Chick Lit, and Children’s Fiction (especially picture books).

I mainly blog and write YA Fantasy. But I also dabble in poetry. And, I’ve drafted a picture book. One day I may also write horror, dystopia and erotica.

Your ideal writing space

I have a Pinterest board with images of my dream space. I’d share it but my boards are so messy they need a spring clean.

I don’t have a dedicated space but I’d like one.

The desk would be a bureau that I could fold away all my mess inside so when I return it is ready. It would have a pin board with inspirational quotes and book plans. A shelf to keep my favourite notebooks and resource books. A draw to hide away my stash of pens and pots for my frequently used. The desk will be large enough to spread out all my papers. Ideally, this space would be in a lodge with beautiful views of a meadow, forest or beach.

I would love to see your answers to the above. Let me know if you are taking part on IG or posting somewhere else.

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Writing Progress: March

The Plot Bunny Vault

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Ally Aldridge Writing

Are you taking part in Camp NaNoWriMo (April 2020)?

About Me

Anyone else find it hard to write about themselves? It’s crazy considering nobody knows me as well as I do.

My author card from World Indie Warriors brochure

I’ve written lots of my own author bios but they feel prescriptive and miss that raw personal depth of a genuine connection. But, here I go:

Felixstowe is a small coastal town where friendships forged are forever. My girls from high school are now my girls on Whatsapp. After my parents divorce I was reluctant to commit to anyone. Rob was my friend and I didn’t notice I was falling in love with him until I was head over heels. A friends to lovers romance is complicated but we did it. Now we’re married with two beautiful children.

My Camp NaNo Project

IG Pic to share my Twitter PitMad pitch

I’ve been working on this novel for ten years and since deciding to self publish life has seriously got in the way.

First, my car managed to get three fines for ridiculous parking rules. These unexpected costs meant money was tight. I questioned if I could afford to invest in my dream? But, Pagan Malcom’s motivational talks on her Facebook group, Paperback Kingdom, challenged me to think, “Could I afford NOT to invest in my dream?”

I started the year with a bad cold, then I got a sick bug. Then I heard about C-19 and been dodging it like it’s the plague. Now we are in lockdown.

I’ve always been an advocate for home-working but this is not how I pictured it. I’m not going to lie, juggling home schooling, caring for a one year old and working from home is exhausting!

Is the universe testing me to see how badly I want this? Well universe, I may have slowed down but I have not stopped. This April, I am going to do Camp NaNo!

Camp NaNo Goal

I’ve set my goal to edit Ocean Heart in full (85k words). I doubt I can achieve that in a month but I’m going to try my damn hardest. Anything I can do to get back on track with my goal to publish by this summer is vital.

You can read more about Ocean Heart on my home page.

You can find me on NaNoWriMo as Redfae, but for this challenge I am team World Indie Warriors. They are supporting ‘campers’ on their Facebook page and have an IG chat group. Already they are getting me hyped to take on this challenge and I can’t wait to see what we achieve.

If you enjoyed this, you will like:

Boost My Bio

About Me

Creating a Catchy Novel Title

Camp NaNo July 2019

Ally Aldridge Writing

Writing Progress: March

This a summary of the highs and lows of my writing this month.

Hitting 300 Followers

This might not be a lot for some blogs but for mine it is an epic milestone. I think I should celebrate.

Editing

Oh dear! I really haven’t made much progress on this. It’s rather disappointing. But, I won’t let it defeat me.

Next month is Camp NaNo and I will be taking part. Together with my reading notes and developmental feedback, I will be attempting to achieve a hefty goal of editing 85k words ready for ARC readers.

World Indie Warriors Brochure

I was still chasing authors for content in March. I mainly had to work on my mobile phone. With an increased interest and a new design and look, this was a much bigger project thank I anticipated.

Somehow, I managed to get the proofs out a week before the end date. There were a few amendments requested and I got these done and a preview posted on the Facebook page for everyone to see while we worked on uploading it to the website. When I say we… I passed this task to J D Groom as I didn’t want to mess the website up.

Working From Home

With Covid-19 on the rise many of the companies I visit are either working from home or no longer accepting visitors.

This has involved me having to adapt my working practice to the changing business world. I have been preparing resources I need to enable me to work from home. And, I’ve been preparing my students for how online learning and assessments will work.

I’ve also been supporting colleagues with the change and finding news ways to keep connected. My greatest challenge will be working and keeping two kids entertained and out of trouble.

Home Schooling

Due to Covid-19, all schools are now closed except to students of critical key workers that have no other option. This is to reduce contact.

I am a bit nervous about my ability to do this but I’ll try my best. There are lots of people online supporting each other and sharing resources.

My difficulty is that I won’t be able to give Noah my full attention as I will be working and caring for Aria.

Covid-19

If you follow my blog, you will be aware I have been concerned about this disease since I learned about the outbreak in Wuhan back in January.

Back then I felt silly about my fears. My worry about an outbreak in the UK seemed irrational. It is unlike me to worry about such things. But, I felt so strongly I embarrassed myself in-front of friends and family by raising my concerns and encouraging social distancing.

Now the government is encouraging social distancing. It frustrates me that some people still don’t get it but now those I love are starting to see how serious this is.

My heart goes out to my best friend and her colleagues working in a London hospital on the frontlines.

Mother’s Day

This was an odd Mother’s Day. I didn’t visit my mum. I called and told her I love her, to stay safe and if she wanted anything from the shops.

Noah had made me a card at school. He had hid it so well at home he couldn’t find it so Rob helped him make a new one. Rob had bought me a gift from the kids and a perfume. I felt very spoilt and loved.

It was an uneventful day but I got to cuddle my kids and we are healthy. And, right now, that’s all I want. Good health for all.

Story Seller Academy by Pagan Malcolm

I have not had time to look anymore at the course or content. Now the brochure is done, I’m hoping I will have some free time to appreciate my access to this fabulous course.

If you enjoyed this, check out:

Why I chose to self publish

Progress February

Progress January

My big plans for 2020

To discover more ways to connect, click my link tree.

Ally Aldridge Behind The Book, Book Genre, Contemporary, Fantasy, Novel, Publishing, Tips, Urban, Writing

Behind the Book: Sorceress of Truth by J D Groom

What inspired you to write Sorceress of Truth?

From being around 12 years old I’ve had a love for books, which evolved to fantasy. From as far as I can remember, my dream has been to see my very own book on the shelves of Waterstones and WHSmiths, etc.

Way back in 2006/7 my now husband and I went to visit Cheddar Gorge in Somerset. The huge cliff faces of the gorge cutting through the earth and the story of the Wookey Hole Witch are what sparked the beginnings of Sorceress of Truth.

How long did it take to write and publish from the first idea?

From my initial idea, I spent a year or so on a fact finding mission. I really wanted to lay down the foundations of my characters back stories and origins of the races, though there have still been a number of surprises along the way.

Up until November 2015 I’d written no more than 20,000 words. I had a lot of other things happening in my life, so writing became something that I picked up every now and again. That is until I discovered NaNoWriMo.

It gave me the boost I needed to write ‘The End’ and I finally published in November 2019.

What genre is Sorceress of Truth and can you name any similar books?

I class Sorceress of Truth as a YA urban fantasy with a hint of paranormal romance.

I’m massively inspired by Richelle Mead, Cassandra Clare, and P.C. and Kristin Cast. Collectively their works fill the majority of my bookshelves. I guess you could say that Sorceress of Truth deals with a similar discovery journey as the House of Night series. At the same time, the different races are a lot more integrated into normal society, like the Vampire Academy books.

Where is the novel set and do you have a personal connection to the location?

The novel is set in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, and the surrounding area. The small town of Springs is loosely based around somewhere I lived whilst completing my own Alevel’s, with a few artistic differences.

Why did you choose to self publish?

I would say self publishing chose me!

Initially I wanted to go with traditional publishing, although I wasn’t keen of having an agent. That massively reduced the already short list of publishing houses who would accept my submission.

I did everything right. I read the Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook, wrote a synopsis and short bio, batched everything up as per the publishers requirements, hit send, and waited. And waited.

Eventually I had a few replies, ‘Thank you, but no thank you.’, and I found myself at a crossroads.Should I continue pursuing the golden ticket, or should I re-evaluate what I wanted out of my writing?

There were many factors when it came to my decision, one of those being reaching the top 250 out of 3112 entries in the UK Novel Writing Competition with an early, poorly edited, version.

Self publishing won.

That’s not to say it’s been the easier option. From my experience, and from stories I’ve heard, self publishing can often be a much harder and braver option. Though, in some ways, the rewards are so much sweeter.

Please share a snippet or teaser from the book?

“So, I’m going to wake up in two months time and be able to shoot bolts of lightning from my fingers? Or, is this your way of telling me I’m being shipped off to some school for magic?” I glared at Ky with my fists by my side, the nails digging into my fleshy palms. It was the only way I could think of to make me feel something, to make sure this wasn’t all some twisted dream.

“Your family seems to have eluded The Guard for many years.”

“The Guard?” That piqued my interest, and not in a good way. I still didn’t know much about them, and an uneasy feeling churned within my stomach.

“The Guard was formed hundreds of years ago. There’s a prophecy that, one day, a powerful sorceress will cast a demon, Belial, into the mouth of hell.”

Belial? Hell? Was everyone here crazy?

I pushed myself from the tree and began striding back towards the house. There was no way I was going to get caught up in all of this. Next, they’re going to tell me that there are unicorns roaming the woods and mermaids living in the lake.

There are two love interests in your novel, which is most like your man?

This is really hard because all of my characters are an amalgamation of friends, family, acquaintances, even characters from books I’ve read and films I’ve seen.
My husband is a great dad, and very supportive of me and my many crazy ideas, so he definitely has a lot of Kylan in him. On the other hand, as a gamer and anime watcher, he does tend to have a soft spot for the darker and more troubled characters.

Tell me about a typical day in the life of author Jodie Groom.

To be honest, in my eyes, my day is pretty boring to anybody looking in.

I start my day with my phone alarm going off several times before I eventually crawl out of bed and wake my daughter for school. Once the school run is out the way I try and do half an hour or so of exercise in the living room followed by breakfast and coffee.

Begrudgingly I try to fit in an hour or two of housework, or related tasks, then turn to the computer to deal with email and social media posts. If I’m feeling creative I will try to write, but it’s rare.

After lunch, I’ll do more housework and jobs that have built up, before picking my daughter up from school again. Sometimes she has clubs etc so I act as taxi, and once home, we cook and eat dinner.

This normally brings me to about 7pm when my husband takes over and does the whole bedtime routine, allowing me to get on with whatever I need to be doing on the computer. Sometimes that’s writing, sometimes it’s creating video’s and trailers, and sometimes it’s updating my website.

Time seems to fly pretty quickly then. I’m at my most creative at night and, if I’m having a really good writing session, I have been known to stay up past 3am. Which is another reason why I loathe my alarm clock and the morning school run.

Some day’s I spend a lot of time up at school helping with the PTA activities, and other day’s I can be quite involved with tasks for World Indie Warriors. Every day is different and comes with its own challenges. For now, I may be a stay at home mom, but I definitely don’t see myself fitting into any of the regular stereotypes.

What project are you currently working on?

I always have many pies on the go, I can’t help it. I learned very early on that I get fed up easily so have to be able to switch to something else. It’s not just in my writing, it seems to be in most things.

I’ve recently turned my focus back to Sorceress of Flame, the second instalment of the Divine Prophecy Series. We continue Tory’s journey but this time it will be NA rather than YA. It wasn’t intentional but Tory is growing up, maturing, and so it felt fitting that he story followed the same path.

In the background I’m also writing a 3 book series, whose working title is The Don of Avery, which I can’t wait to unleash. It’s a dark mafia romance set in Leeds that definitely isn’t YA.

Where can we find out more and buy Sorceress of Truth?

Sorceress of Truth is available in print and ebook from all good book shops, such as Warterstones, Barnes & Nobel, Apple etc. Or you can purchase direct from Amazon.

I try to post regularly on my website, www.jdgroom.com , where there is information about upcoming events that I’m attending. Alternatively, Instagram is where I mostly hang out.

If you enjoy this, you should check out: 

Behind the Book: Crown of Conspiracy by Kara S Weaver

Behind the Book: Gem of Meruna by Elexis Bell

Behind the Book: Number Eight Crispy Chicken by Sarah Neofield

World Indie Warriors Brochure (1st edition)

To discover more ways to connect, click my link tree.

 

Ally Aldridge Behind The Book, Book Genre, Horror, Tips, Writing

Behind the Book: Annabelle by Elexis Bell

Interview with author Elexis Bell

Annabelle is your second published book but the first book you self published. Why did you choose to self publish?

I self-published Annabelle because it’s a novella, and getting a traditional publisher to consider a novella is…well, rather difficult. Only later did I decide to self-publish all my books. Part of that decision was born of impatience. Traditional publishers take months, sometimes even a year, to get back to you, and only accept about 1% of the manuscripts submitted to them. It can take years to get a book deal. So, while I was wasting time and energy on query letters and five different synopses of different lengths for each manuscript, along with one sentence summaries, summaries of varying page lengths, and all manner of other things (formatted differently for each publisher or agent) to even submit…All my work was gathering dust. Since I write quickly, the manuscripts were also piling up. So I did some more research and found that self-publishing would be a better fit for me. Having creative control and the final say on each step played a huge role, as did the fact that most of the marketing (a.k.a. the part I really wanted a traditional publisher for) is up to the author in traditional publishing, unless the author is already famous.

Annabelle by Elexis Bell (Blurb)

What genre is this book and can you name any similar books?

Annabelle is a bit of a hybrid. It’s a thriller, specifically a vigilante justice story set within a western. I’m terrible with comparisons, but one reviewer said that fans of Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn or The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins will like Annabelle.

Please share a snippet or teaser from Annabelle?

I walk along the main road of another dirty western town and sashay past the saloon, knowing my prey follows close behind. My silken yellow dress and all of its lace flows behind me, trailing in the dust.

I can hear him getting closer but pretend to be so absorbed in the folds of my parasol that I don’t notice. Really, I’m checking over the mechanisms concealed within it, making sure that everything is in working order.

I turn down a bare alleyway as the sun begins to dip below the horizon. He follows. Still, I pretend not to notice that anything at all is amiss. A smile spreads across my features.

Where did you come up with the idea of a weaponized parasol?

Annabelle was originally inspired by a statuette made of starched doilies, which actually became a gift for someone else. I was looking at it as I boxed and wrapped it, and just imagined it coming to life, twirling its delicate little parasol. But my mind doesn’t really leave things…delicate. It very quickly morphed, becoming something much darker. For the time period, a parasol was a perfectly acceptable thing for a girl to carry, making it a perfect concealed weapon.

What do you want readers to get out of your book?

The courage to speak up. Now, obviously, I don’t endorse serial vigilantism. But victims of sexual assault need to speak out, and people need to take it seriously. Victim blaming NEEDS to be a thing of the past, as does sexual assault. But neither of those things will ever happen if people keep ignoring or hiding or minimizing the problem.

If you could have any super power what would you choose and why?

Either flying or teleportation. I’ve always wanted to be able to fly, but the idea of not having to spend days in a car or hours on a plane to travel is pretty appealing.

Tell me about a typical day in the life of author Elexis Bell.

Usually, it starts with me posting to my author pages from the passenger seat as my husband drives us to work. Then, I spend the day brainstorming while working in the factory. Repetitive work, mostly comprised of muscle memory, is great for thinking through story arcs and world building. After work, I do chores around the house and watch an episode or two of one of our shows with my husband. Then, somewhere between midnight and 2am, I start writing or editing. I don’t usually go to bed until 5 or 6am. On days off, I just start earlier on my book stuff.

Where can we find out more and buy your books?

My website has information and links for all my published works, as well as little tidbits about my WIPs. My blog is chock full of (blunt) writing advice and updates on all my work.
www.elexisbell.com

All my books are available on Amazon, and can be found on my Amazon author page.
www.amazon.com/author/elexis_bell

If you enjoyed this, you should check out:

Behind the Book: Gem of Meruna by Elexis Bell

Behind the Book: Crown of Conspiracy by Kara S Weaver

Behind the Book: Number Eight Crispy Chicken by Sarah Neofield

Book Review: Crown of Conspiracy by Kara S Weaver

To discover more ways to connect, click my link tree.

 

Ally Aldridge Writing

Writing Progress: February 2020

This a summary of the highs and lows of my writing this month.

Sick

Eugh! February did not start out good. I felt incredibly tired for three days and then felt better for two days. Then I was very sick. Followed by my son being very sick. Followed by my husband being very sick. And, I literally mean sick! Luckily, my daughter did not get sick and she kept our spirits up.

Sadly, her turn came later in the month when she caught a bad cold and couldn’t breathe due to a blocked nose. It was the worst night ever. I sat up cuddling her and couldn’t sleep for worrying. Then, the next day she cried over every little thing because she was tired. Even though I wasn’t ill, it took its toll on me.

Story Seller Academy

The end of last month I won a place on this content rich course by Pagan Malcolm. So far I have done Module 1 which is about mindset. I thought I had a good mindset but she called me out on some fears I had been ignoring but are definitely there and holding me back.

I need to figure out a way to fit this course into my life as I can tell it is full of information I am going to need in the coming months.

Website New Look

When I bought my site last month I discovered the theme I use is no longer supported. So, this month I updated to a new theme.

This also prompted me to review my site pages. My home page is now ‘my books’ instead of my blog. My home page also features my three most recent book reviews!

I recently learnt that Instagram doesn’t like Link Tree and shadow banned a friend for using a Link Tree link in their profile. I use Link Tree too but thankfully not been shadow banned. To be cautious the link is now to my website.

World Indie Warrior’s Brochure

I have been raising awareness to remind people that if they are an indie creative then they can be included.

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Don’t miss out! There is a lot going on this week.. 1️⃣ Tomorrow, I will be sending my first newsletter of 2020. Link in bio to my website and to sign up. I talk about everything that is going on and coming up, and spotlight some outstanding authors. 2️⃣ Head over to @worldindiewarriors to discover how to get included in the next WIW Brochure. This is a fantastic opportunity for all Indie Creatives. 3️⃣ This month I worked on improving my site and love the new look. I am celebrating my achievement and would love for you to take a look. ? #authorslife #writerslife #indieauthor #indiecreator #indiecraft #selfpublishbehappy #authorwebsite #worldindiewarriors #wiwbrochure #authornewsletter #indiebooks #indieseries #indieservices #smallbusiness #entrepreneur #bookmarketing #authorssupportingauthors #writingtip #supportsmallbusiness #supportindie

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I also wrote my first blog post for World Indie Warriors with more details about submissions for the brochure.

My Newsletter

I have been putting together the final touches to my newsletter and sent it on Tuesday, 25 Feb.

Be sure to sign up to make sure you don’t miss out on future emails. A form should pop up on the site to enable this but if you don’t see it, click my link tree at the end of this post and you’ll see a link to sign up.

20 years together

We didn’t get to celebrate as we were ill but we are so happy together. We have our family home, cats, kids and so much love.

Half Term

Tye month included February half term. The week started with Noah having his best friends over to play. And, the week ended in tears due to freezing cold weather at a farm.

In addition, Aria is not sleeping well at night. And, my husband and I juggled childcare around our work commitments. Those that usually help us out couldn’t.

Some days, I felt so exhausted it was an effort to get through the day. Some times I felt I was failing my kids as we didn’t do enough. But, when I asked Noah his thoughts, he told me about cuddling a bunny and bottle feeding a lamb. And, he loved having his friends over so much, he kept his room tidy. I taught him to play cards and, even though he lost, he’s determined to beat me.

Coronavirus

I was starting to feel safe again. I began to convince myself that it is under control and the cases in China were slowing down. But, with the sudden rapid rise in numbers for South Korea and Italy, I am back to worrying.

It saddens me to see how cruel some people are towards those that are suffering. It looks truly terrifying to have an invisible enemy that causes so much heartbreak. My heart goes out to all those affected.

On a positive note though, I am thinking of using all my research to write a Dystopian novel about the after mass of a deadly virus. To stop myself running away with the idea, I will lock the plot bunny in the vault. I must not allow it to distract me from publishing the Soul Heart series.

If you have enjoyed this post, you would like:

My Writing Progress – January 2020

How to make sure you don’t miss out…

Creating a catchy novel title

Do you need Beta or ARC readers?

Click my link tree to discover more ways to connect:

Ally Aldridge Behind The Book, Writing

Behind the Book: Crown of Conspiracy by Kara S Weaver

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Crown of Conspiracy by Kara S Weaver

What genre is Crown of Conspiracy and can you name any similar books?

Crown of Conspiracy is a court-intrigue high-fantasy book, although I’ve heard it called epic fantasy as well. I’d say it’s new adult, others have said young adult, but because I know where book 2 is going, YA is out of the question.

Similar books I think would be by Trudi Canavan (Age of the Five, the Black Magician trilogy), perhaps the Kushiel Series by Jacqueline Carey. I think my writing style has certainly been inspired by these amazing female authors.

What inspired you to write Crown of Conspiracy?

Writing Crown of Conspiracy started out as a challenge to do NaNoWriMo 2018. I had no idea what to write, until I remember the four lines of the prophecy I came up with over 15 years ago. I remembered the MC (Shalitha) of the story idea I had way back when and decided to roll with it.

When I started writing, I had no idea where the story would go. In fact, it took me writing a first draft, and a second completely different draft to get a much clearer idea.

How long did the first book take to write from the first idea to publishing?

Eight months. I started writing CoC, as mentioned before, during Nano 2018, and I published the book in June 2019.

How many books do you anticipate in the series and is the whole series plotted out?

Currently, I anticipate 4 full novels in the Ilvannian Chronicles, but I wouldn’t be surprised if I end up writing novellas too from the PoV of side characters; or novellas of events that happened in between the main books. I already have ideas for that.

Can you share tips from your world building process?

Oof, hard. I’m a pantser, so I write as I go, which means my world is built as I go. What I try to do though is draw inspiration from cultures we have around the world and give it my own twist.

I know there’s tips out there which go as far as thinking about the sewage system and where waste goes, which is totally fair, but I wouldn’t get to that until the end, and here’s why. The chances of you writing about that, unless your characters have to escape through said system (for example) aren’t as high as for example learning about their way of life. My tip would be to think about HOW the world around your character influences them and go from there.

Characters and their surroundings go hand in hand; their immediate surroundings create their beliefs, their morals, their values. Think about those first, and continue onwards.

I loved the MC, Shalitha. She is such a strong character. Who inspired the character?

I’m glad you did! I think she goes two ways. People either like her, or don’t. Some people see her as strong, others as weak—to me, she’s both. She’s not infallible. She makes a lot of rookie mistakes in book one, and then tries to deal with the outcome as best she can.

As for who inspired her… I think in a way, I modelled her a lot after my own experiences, or rather, someone I would like to be in the future; strong, a fighter, someone who doesn’t do nonsense, fuelled by sarcasm and witty remarks while still able to care and love.

Crown of Conspiracy blurb

Please share a snippet or teaser from the book.

Having something to do took my mind off the worst of things. When I picked up a book to place it back on the shelf, a piece of paper fell out. I nearly dropped it when I saw what it was—a clear overview of names with suspicions scribbled below them. Xaresh had found out much more than he’d led me to believe.


“Fool,” I murmured. “You stupid, wonderful fool.”


A knock on the door alarmed me and I spun around to see Evan sticking his head around the corner, a smile on his face. I folded the piece of paper behind my back and tucked it deep inside my boot.


“Is everything all right?” he asked with a frown as he saw me hopping around on one leg. “Eh, Elara said you’d be here.”


“I’m fine. Got something in my shoe.”

Tell me about a typical day in the life of Kara S. Weaver?

A typical day in my life? Hah! Welcome to the madhouse.

A typical day for me would be a work day, I guess, where I get up between 5 and 5.15 am, shower, dress, and slap on some make-up so I only look like half a zombie. I prefer getting up before my husband and kids so I can wake up properly without anyone harassing me. I am a morning person, but 5am is pushing it. My husband and kids wake up 6am; I dress them while he gets ready. At 6.45am I leave the house for work. It’s a 45 minute drive, but I don’t mind it as much. It gives me time to think, listen (and sing) to music, plot, whatever.

Then I teach from around 9am to 3pm, go home, pick up the kids from daycare and plop on the couch.

After that, I either read/write/edit/revise/do what needs to be done. My husband cooks, thankfully. It’s something I really do not enjoy doing. After that it’s time to get the kids ready for bed, and depending on how tired I am, I do something for myself and go to bed at 9pm.

Kara S Weaver – Author Bio

What project are you currently working on?

I am currently working on Dance of Despair, book 2 in the Ilvannian Chronicles, although by the time this goes online, I wouldn’t be surprised if I have started on book 3!

BREAKING NEWS: Dance of Despair will be available to buy on 27 February 2020!

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This a cover reveal for Dance of Despair book 2 in the series, releasing 27 Feb by Kara S Weaver. At the start of Feb, I reviewed book 1, Crown of Conspiracy and tomorrow’s blog post is a Behind the Book interview with Kara S Weaver. Link to my site in my bio. Repost from @kara_s_weaver using @RepostRegramApp – ???? ???????? ????? ????? ???? ???????. When Shalitha’s life takes a dramatic, and dangerous turn for the worse, she must reconcile her new life with the old. Struggling to survive in a foreign country while adjusting to new rules and traditions, she longs for home. Alone, enslaved, and with nobody to trust, she sees no way out, until she meets an enigmatic stranger who makes it his mission to help her. But is he who he claims to be? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ When the new tyrant queen of Ilvanna directs her focus at Talnovar, his will to survive is tested beyond compare. Facing his past is only the beginning. Abandoned by his friends, Tal has to push himself further and harder than ever to outsmart his enemy and honour the wishes of a dead queen. If that means relying on the help of his enemy, so be it. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ******* ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Conspirators! Behold the cover for Dance of Despair, the second installment in the Ilvannian Chronicles. Filled with love and hatred, hope and despair, trust and betrayal, this story takes you on an adventure. What happened to Tarien Shalitha after she was kidnapped? What will Talnovar do to get her back? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ******* ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ?????? ???? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ******* ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ?????? ????? ???? ??????! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ******* ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #coverreveal #bookcoverreveal #bookstagram #bookish #booksofinstagram #booksbooksbooks #booknerdigan #readersofinstagram #readersofig #readingcommunity #nextread #whattoreadnext #mustread #fantasynovel #newadultfantasy #fantasybookseries #fantasybooks #writingcommunity #writerscommunity #writersofig #ampublishing #writinganovel #indieauthor #indiebooks #danceofdespair #booklover #bookworm #bookaddict #bookcommunity #behindthebook

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Where can we find out more and buy Crown of Conspiracy?

If you follow me on Instagram @kara_s_weaver or go to my website www.karasweaver.com you can find more information about the The Ilvannian Chronicles. Crown of Conspiracy is available on Amazon as paperback, ebook and even on Kindle Unlimited.

If you enjoyed this post, check out:

World Indie Warriors

Behind the Book: Number Eight Crispy Chicken by Sarah Neofield

Book Review: Crown of Conspiracy by Kara S Weaver

Behind the Book:  Gem of Meruna by Elexis Bell

If you enjoy this, you should check out: Why I have chosen to Self-PublishA decade of writingMy plans for 2020To discover more ways to connect, click my link tree.

 

Ally Aldridge Behind The Book, Fantasy, High

Behind the Book: Gem of Meruna by Elexis Bell

Elexis Bell – Gem of Meruna


The Gem of Meruna blurb

Gem of Meruna made you a published author, but you recently released it again, why?

The first time around, I was woefully undereducated about the publishing world. As such, I didn’t know to run (as fast as possible) from any publisher that expects you to pay them. I thought it was normal for the author to cover part of the costs. But…it definitely isn’t. That was just a vanity press.

My novel received no edits. It got no marketing. I was inundated with phone calls from their marketing people trying to sell me promotional packages, all of which were pitiful yet expensive.

Basically, it was a legal scam and my novel suffered for it. Now that I’m self-publishing, I’m making it right.

You now have three self published books, does publishing get easier?

It does, actually. It’s still very time-consuming and certain aspects are tedious, no matter what. But the metadata, copyright, and ISBN process gets easier with practice. Each time through, I have little tricks I picked up the time before.

What was the earliest story you can remember writing about?

In 3rd or 4th grade, my class was assigned a creative writing project wherein we had to write about a horse and a bat. I don’t remember the story I came up with, but I do recall something my teacher said when she called for me to read it. Apparently, I already had a reputation for writing darker stuff, because she said, “Knowing Elexis, the horse and the bat probably both die.” Lol.

What genre is Gem of Meruna and can you name any similar books?

It’s high fantasy romance. As for similar books…I’m really bad at finding comparison books. That was one of the hardest parts of querying when I was pursuing traditional publishing.

Please share a snippet or teaser from Gem of Meruna?

A noise startled Kiluna awake. It was far too close. The sound came again, right at her ear, but this time, she realized what it was.

Father had often snored when he slept, and Grandmother had, as well. But Kiluna hadn’t heard that sound since they died. Joseya’s snore was much softer, quieter, but its proximity made it seem far louder.

That was when Kiluna noticed it. Joseya no longer faced away from her, rather he nestled in close. One arm curled under his head, but the other wrapped around her waist.

Nothing about it felt strange though, just…right. She didn’t want to move, or even breathe too hard, for fear of waking him. The embrace would be retracted if he woke, she knew it as sure as she knew her scars were still there.

So, she laid still. She concentrated on his breath on the back of her neck. She relished the moment, all the while wondering if this would be the only time she lay near another Leey.

Her eyelids fell, blocking out the world as she savored the closeness. She didn’t notice when she drifted back to sleep.

Several moments later, she felt Joseya stir. His sudden movement made her jump. Instantly, he pulled his arm back to himself, muttering apologies as he did so. Kiluna flinched at his words but held in her pain. A single tear escaped her eye, leaving a tiny wet spot on the earth.

Which character from your books is most like you?

Every character gets a little piece of me. Sometimes it’s my favorite color, sometimes it’s more than that. Annabelle from my novella and Chloe from World for the Broken (my upcoming dark post-apocalyptic romance) have a lot of big experiences from my life, but so does Christian (also from World for the Broken).

What project are you currently working on?

I’m currently editing a dark post-apocalyptic romance, a dark high fantasy romance, and a dark supernatural high fantasy romance for release. Hopefully, I’ll be releasing all three this year, but at the very least two of them. I also just started writing another dark high fantasy romance wherein a deposed prince teams up with a druid high priestess to landscape their enemies to death.

Where can we find out more and buy your books?

My website has information and links for all my published works, as well as little tidbits about my WIPs. My blog is chock full of (blunt) writing advice and updates on all my work.
www.elexisbell.com

All my books are available on Amazon, and can be found on my Amazon author page.
www.amazon.com/author/elexis_bell

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Elexis Bell – Author Bio

If you enjoy this, you should check out:

World Indie Warriors

Behind the Book: Number Eight Crispy Chicken by Sarah Neofield

Book Review: Crown of Conspiracy by Kara S Weaver

Why I have chosen to Self-Publish

To discover more ways to connect, click my link tree: