Narrator Interview – Joseph Batzel

Tags

Audiobook narrator, Audiobook narrator interviews, Children's Books, kids books, narrator interview, voice artist

*Tell us a bit about yourself:

My name is Joseph Batzel. I live in a small community in Utah by the name of Brigham City and have lived here since 1980 when I moved from Florida. I have been married for 44 years to my wife Alice who happens to be a writer.

We have two sons Marco ages 43- and Matthew 42, and five lovely grandchildren.

I have a Master’s degree in Film and Theater from Brigham Young University. My emphasis was acting and directing.

I have been an educator for the last 40 years of my life and have taught middle school, high school, and presently teach at Utah State University as a part time faculty.

In working at my vocation as an educator, I began my avocation as a professional actor and director for stage, film, and TV. I have 250 credits in the performing industry. I have travelled throughout the US presenting workshops in acting and voice over. I love helping people nurture their talent in these fields of interest.

How did you become involved with audiobook narration and production? I became involved with audiobook production early on in my career as a professional voice over artist. I have at least 150 credits in the voice over industry including radio, TV, animation, and audiobooks.

Tell us about some of the titles you’ve narrated. I narrated an educational CD Titled “Great American Speeches” and did the voice of Abraham Lincoln, and also a family audiobook CD titled “Tales From Davy Jones Locker “Quetzalcoatl” where I was the Grandfather (narrator)

Do you have a favourite amongst these? I must say it was an honor to play Lincoln and read one of the most famous speeches in American History “The Gettysburg Address.”

Do you have a preferred genre? I love to narrate uplifting material. There is too much anger and hatred in the world. I enjoy material that inspires and motivates people to do positive things in life.

Do you have a genre you do not produce? As I previously mentioned, genres that are filled with gratuitous profanity, sex, violence, etc. I have no desire to be involved in those types of projects. Why is this? I have certain personal and religious standards, values, and principles that I don’t want to compromise.

What are you working on at present/Just finished? I’m working on a motivational religious book. I just finished a five book children series, with an excellent author from England, Victoria Zigler, titled “Toby’s Tales.”

*Tell us about your process for narrating? (Be as elaborate as you like.) I have studied professional voice over training with some of the best professional voice over artists in the business. I also had an agent by the name of Linda Bearman that taught me the technique of voice over. I am very detailed in my approach. 1. I read over the script numerous times for content, meaning, characters, etc. 2. I take the script or text and break it down into paragraphs for narrating purposes. 3. I read through the script this time highlighting the character or character voices I’ll be recreating. 4. I mark where each voice changes and label each voice in my text. I use simple codes such as N for the Narrator T for Toby etc. 5. I read through the text practicing the voices aloud.

I go through the text numerous times until I am satisfied with my voice choices.

I do practice recordings until I feel comfortable with my choices. 8. Begin my recording sessions until it is close to perfect.

Edit the final draft.

Submit the work to the author, client, etc.

What aspects do you find most enjoyable? Working and recording the character or character voices.

Do you consider royalty share when looking for books to narrate? Much of it depends on the popularity of the author or if their books are doing well in the various markets available.

Do you listen to audiobooks? I love audiobooks but you can imagine what a critic I am to narrators of the books.

*With many people owning MP3 players do you think this is the future of storytelling? The market for audiobooks is booming for several reasons: 1. Technology 2. Availability of technology ex. I-Phones, laptops, I-Pads. Etc. 3. People are transit and travel more than ever on mass transit, cars, etc. 4. People would rather listen than read in this fast-paced world.

Why do you think audio books are becoming so popular? Answered above!

Can you remember the first audio book you owned? My first and most favorite audiobook was the Harry Potter series narrated by James Dale. Mr. Dale did every character with such precision and professionalism, I listened to the whole series in less than two weeks.

Has ACX/Audible fulfilled your expectations? (such as earnings, ease of use, workload etc.?) ACX provides unique opportunities for voice over artists to enter a simple profile, submit a demo, and bid for author’s titles by a submitting a short sample audition. Very smooth and professional.

 

The options of profit share and per hour rate are left up to the talent. That works for the talent and provides time for the narrator to research and find out about each author, and what their sales are on various marketing outlets.

The production end has been efficient and professional with adequate feedback from the author and the ACX production staff. The momentary rewards are yet to be determined.

Have you ever had a negative experience producing a book? NO!

Please tell us a silly fact about yourself. I do a great impression of Elvis Presley “Thank you thank you very much.”

 

Where can we learn more about you? Facebook

Social Media links: Facebook, twitter.

Book 1 – Toby’s New World
Audible: http://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Children/Tobys-New-World-Audiobook/B074P7FV1M/
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/229561
CreateSpace: https://www.createspace.com/5519989
Barnes & Noble:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tobys-new-world-victoria-zigler/1113041202
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/toby-s-new-world
Chapters-Indigo:
https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/tobys-new-world/9781476234342-item.html
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/tobys-new-world/id562790799
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/audiobook/tobys-new-world-tobys-tales-volume-1-unabridged/id1270858515
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tobys-New-World-Tales/dp/1512358908/
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Tobys-New-World-Tales/dp/1512358908/
Amazon Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/Tobys-New-World-Tales/dp/1512358908/
Book Depository:
https://www.bookdepository.com/Tobys-New-World-Victoria-Zigler/9781512358902

Book 2 – Toby’s Monsters
Audible: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Children/Tobys-Monsters-Audiobook/B074SZ9BJX/
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/247103
CreateSpace: https://www.createspace.com/5519996
Barnes & Noble:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tobys-monsters-victoria-zigler/1113744687
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/toby-s-monsters
Chapters-Indigo:
https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/tobys-monsters/9781301157921-item.html
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/tobys-monsters/id574780594
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/audiobook/tobys-monsters-tobys-tales-volume-2-unabridged/id1272267691
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/cka/Tobys-Monsters-2-Tales-Victoria-Zigler/1512358975
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/d/cka/Tobys-Monsters-2-Tales-Victoria-Zigler/1512358975
Amazon Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/d/cka/Tobys-Monsters-2-Tales-Victoria-Zigler/1512358975
Book Depository:
https://www.bookdepository.com/Tobys-Monsters-Victoria-Zigler/9781512358971

Book 3 – Toby’s Outing
Audible: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Children/Tobys-Outing-Audiobook/B074W95DRX/
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/251587
CreateSpace: https://www.createspace.com/5520007
Barnes & Noble:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tobys-outing-victoria-zigler/1113846045
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/toby-s-outing
Chapters-Indigo:
https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/tobys-outing/9781301643264-item.html
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/tobys-outing/id577001695
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/audiobook/tobys-outing-tobys-tales-volume-3-unabridged/id1273856055
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tobys-Outing-3-Tales/dp/1512359041/
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Tobys-Outing-3-Tales/dp/1512359041/
Amazon Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/Tobys-Outing-3-Tales/dp/1512359041/
Book Depository:
https://www.bookdepository.com/Tobys-Outing-Victoria-Zigler/9781512359046

Book 4 – Toby’s Games
Audible: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Children/Tobys-Games-Audiobook/B074WCT1W4/
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/271594
CreateSpace: https://www.createspace.com/5520032
Barnes & Noble:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tobys-games-victoria-zigler/1114302957
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/toby-s-games
Chapters-Indigo:
https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/tobys-games/9781301441082-item.html
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/tobys-games/id595641562
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/audiobook/tobys-games-tobys-tales-volume-4-unabridged/id1274236264
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Books/Tobys-Games-4-Tales-Victoria-Zigler/1512359262/
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/d/Books/Tobys-Games-4-Tales-Victoria-Zigler/1512359262/
Amazon Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/d/Books/Tobys-Games-4-Tales-Victoria-Zigler/1512359262/
Book Depository:
https://www.bookdepository.com/Tobys-Games-Victoria-Zigler/9781512359268

Book 5 – Toby’s Special School
Audible: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Children/Tobys-Special-School-Tobys-Tales-Volume-5-Audiobook/B0756Q5KB1/
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/281507
CreateSpace: https://www.createspace.com/5520068
Barnes & Noble:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tobys-special-school-victoria-zigler/1114473423
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/toby-s-special-school
Chapters-Indigo:
https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/tobys-special-school/9781301489220-item.html
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/tobys-special-school/id600171798
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/audiobook/tobys-special-school-tobys-tales-volume-5-unabridged/id1277169221
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Books/Tobys-Special-School-5-Tales-Victoria-Zigler/1512359335/
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/d/Books/Tobys-Special-School-5-Tales-Victoria-Zigler/1512359335/
Amazon Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/d/Books/Tobys-Special-School-5-Tales-Victoria-Zigler/1512359335/
Book Depository:
https://www.bookdepository.com/Tobys-Special-School-Victoria-Zigler/9781512359336

You can also find the books on Goodreads.

Book 1: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15992610-toby-s-new-world
Book 2: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16098832-toby-s-monsters
Book 3: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16127032-toby-s-outing
Book 4: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17209761-toby-s-games
Book 5: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17314257-toby-s-special-school

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Review – City at the Edge of Time – Fantasy

Tags

Book review, Fantasy, Janet Morris. Perseid Press, Perseid Press, Sacred Band

#review #fantasy #sacredband

Janet Morris

5 stars

https://www.amazon.co.uk/City-Edge-Time-Sacred-Band-ebook/dp/B0755P12F2/

Politics, deadly magic, legend, love and the machinations of gods abound in this fantasy tale of immortals, pawns and power.  This is the fifth Sacred Band novel and steps aside from the usual locations to a mythic city lost in time. When Nikodemos literally falls from the sky in a god-born storm he must not only save himself from the strange and hostile customs of the place but save the city from the wrath of gods and mages.  This book, more than the other Sacred Band tales, is Niko’s adventure and of all the characters he is the one who the reader takes to heart. Whereas most of the others are more than human, demigod, or wizard Niko is the fighter whose courage and honour shine brightly but he is a mortal man, with all the flaws entailed. This is Niko’s tale – can he deal with these strange people, the woman who loves him, and away from his bond with the band.

As usual, the pace is fast and the writing melodious and intelligent. The Sacred Band books are not for the faint of heart, or those shocked by violence and bloodshed.  This is a tale of friendship, but also mistrust, a tale of immortality but also death, and a tale of love and hatred, thus it is many-layered, supremely crafted tale which thrills the reader.

It does help to be familiar with the characters – but it can be read as a stand-alone. You’ll soon love Tempus, Niko and their world. Don’t expect this to be Sanctuary, the city here is strange, ancient and apart from the world – an immortal wanderer – like Tempus himself.  And the challenges are very different.

In many ways, this is a story about being stuck in the past, the old ways and the terror of ‘what is out there’ and the new. It’s a tale of having strayed from the correct path, of corruption and the will to power.

Grab this book and lose yourself in the world Morris weaves. Nothing will ever seem quite the same again with such magic.

 

 

Swift Six Character Interview – Sir Edric Greenlock – Fantasy

Tags

Character Interviews, Fantasy, Fantasy Characters, Swift Six

Name: Good evening. I’m Sir Edric Greenlock, also known as the Hero of Hornska.

Which book/world do you live in? I live in the city of Awyndel, mostly (obviously I have my estate in the country and some property in Amphios). Many of my adventures and heroic doings occur in far flung corners of the world, but the latest volume of my biography, cunningly entitled Sir Edric’s Kingdom, mostly takes place in Awyndel.

Tell us about yourself: (Name, race/species, etc.) I hope you’re not suggesting I’ve got any elven blood in me. Look at the roundness of my ears, the beard bristling like a lion’s mane. I’m a pure-blood human and I shall shoot any villain who claims otherwise. More importantly, I’m also a knight, and wealthier than half of Awyndel put together. You can’t buy class, you know. Can’t sell it, either, which is a bit of a shame.

I’m an adventurer – why should I recruit you to accompany me? You don’t recruit me. I recruit you. The only commands I take on the battlefield are from men with golden hats (although, obviously, I’m usually obedient to Corkwell’s commands in the boudoir).

Tell us about your companions? How do they see you? Dog is my trusty manservant, and companion for most of my adventures. I’m quite sure he’s filled with admiration for myself and contentment that a peasant could get to enjoy the exotic travels and daring deeds of a knight. Orff No-Balsac is a close friend. We have mutual respect for one another, despite the fact I massacred most of his countrymen a few decades ago (don’t feel bad, they utterly deserved it), and he has a bad habit of eating humans. But worry not, I have since led him to a gentler path. Now he only eats unimportant people.

What’s your most heroic exploit to date? The Battle of Hornska, saving the entire world of men and elves from enslavement (and enlunchment) to the Ursk. And yet, there are barely a dozen statues to me in Awyndel. Shocking ingratitude.

What’s your greatest failure? Undoubtedly, being cursed by the wicked witch of wedlock. In my defence, my options were to marry Esmerelda or be brutally murdered. And I have managed to evade the crone’s clutches for many a year.

Where do you think you’ll be in a decade? Hard to say. Prince Sarpellon will probably still be trying to murder me, but Lawrence might pop his clogs. Maybe he’ll name me heir to the throne. I don’t think he will, as he’s something of a moron, but it’s possible.

Do you have a great love? (This could be a person/trait/item) Certainly do. My stables. Must have over twenty horses now, of all varieties. Rounceys for baggage, coursers for long journeys, and that mad monster Moloch for when I’m going into battle. I do love horses. More trustworthy than women, more obedient than men. What would a knight be without his horse?

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0757PMR7F/

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0757PMR7F/

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/745328

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/sir-edric-s-kingdom

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sir-edrics-kingdom-thaddeus-white/1127041546

 

Book Spotlight – Path of the Traitors – Fantasy – New Release

Tags

book spotlight, Fantasy, Indie Promotion, sword and sorcery

Title: Legends of Windemere: Path of the Traitors

Author:  Charles E. Yallowitz

Genre: Sword & Sorcery, Fantasy

Main character description (short): This volume of the ‘Legends of Windemere’ series steps away from the main heroes and focuses on one of their oldest enemies.  Queen Trinity of the Chaos Elves has decided to help the champions on the eve of their final battle and take what she feels is the first step toward redemption.  She is a powerful caster and dedicated leader to her people, but she has also done many horrible things in the name of the evil Baron Kernaghan.  Forced to work with other former agents of her master, Trinity must retrain her instincts from that of a deadly assassin to those of a hero.

Synopsis: Hated and distrusted, Queen Trinity must leave the shadows and reach for redemption.

With their final battle on the horizon, the champions are faced with a long-lost piece of the prophecy.  Unable to search for the crests that are rumored to be the key to survival, they must turn to a band of their former enemies for help.  Sinister desires and hopes for redemption collide as Queen Trinity of the Chaos Elves leads the hunt and struggles to keep her companions on the path of heroism.  Monsters, traps, mysteries, and their own pasts will rise up to stand in the way of these people who have spent their entire lives committing sins. Throughout it all, another old enemy is lurking in the shadows and determined to claim her own delicious prize.

By the end of their journey, those who survive will learn that being a hero is more than simply stepping into the light.

Brief Excerpt 250 words: A gurgling causes the two women to pause and look into the pit where the shadows are swirling among the jagged stones. Two black tentacles lance out of the ground and wrap around Yola’s waist, the ooze-dripping projections turning silver at the taste of her magic. Attracted to the stronger energy, the aura syphon yanks the immortal into its slime-covered maw and becomes a metallic beast. With its armored skin, the camouflaged predator is now visible and resembles a sea anemone with the body of a beetle. The jagged rocks are fused to the animal’s exoskeleton and there are six jointed legs that help it scurry out of the pit. Standing over Trinity, the creature opens a faint crease on its body to reveal a bulbous eye with a star-shaped pupil. It pauses to shove a few tentacles into its mouth and hit Yola with pulses of electricity to stop her from struggling. It changes from silver to gold when she attempts to break free, her efforts being quickly drained by the monster.

“Let the crazy woman go before you get killed,” Trinity whispers to the aura syphon. She creates a fireball in the hopes of getting its mouth open, but her spell is ignored. “No reason to have a snack when you have an eternal meal in your belly. Maybe we can have a trade. Can’t believe I’m trying to bargain with this thing. Well, I gave you a chance, so I’m going to blow you up before things get worse. Hope you heard that Yola and are bracing yourself.”

Why should readers buy this book (50 words max)?

‘Path of the Traitors’ is filled with action, humor, and a lot of heart like the previous volumes of this series.  With most of the cast being former villains, you get to see how each one works towards redemption and if they can even reach that goal.

 

Links etc.

Amazon Sales Link- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075PDTSZM/

Social Media:

Blog: www.legendsofwindemere.com
Twitter: @cyallowitz
Facebook: Charles Yallowitz
Website: www.charleseyallowitz.com

Book Spotlight – The Greatest Anthology Ever Written

Tags

Anthologies, Bookspotlight, Indie Authors

Title: The Greatest Anthology Ever Written.

Author: Shane Porteous and over 100 others

Genre: You name it, it’s there

Main character description (short). Over 100 of them, men, women and everything in between

Synopsis: Authors from Nigeria, United States, United Kingdom, South Africa, Mexico, New Zealand, Hungary, Australia, Switzerland, Canada, Belgium, the trashcan down the street and possibly even the lost city of Atlantis have assembled to unite their individual talents into creating the Guinness World Record for the longest and of course Greatest Anthology Ever Written.

Brief Excerpt 250 words: There’s nothing brief about this anthology! It is as big as it brilliant!

 

Why should readers buy this book (50 words max)?

Because it is brilliant (dur!)

 

 

Links etc.

Greatest Anthology Ever Written

 

World Record Attempt! Dirty Dozen Author Interview – Shane Porteous

Tags

Anthologies, anthology., Dirty Dozen Interviews, Fantasy Author, World Record Anthology

Today I am pleased to welcome Shane Porteous, who talks about this amazing world record attempt!

Author name: Shane Porteous

*Please tell us about your publications. I have over 50, but the one I am most excited about at the moment is an anthology called THE GREATEST ANTHOLOGY EVER WRITTEN. It is currently on track to being officially recognized by Guinness as the longest anthology ever commercially published. It is planned on being launched at the end of September. You can preorder it here:  https://celenicearthpublications.wordpress.com/anthologies/cea-greatest-anthology-written/

What piece of advice do you wish you’d had when you started your publishing journey? Don’t be selfish. At the end of the day the only way you are ever going to be successful, career wise as a writer is to have people go out of their way to buy, read and review your work. That means you really need to be doing the same as you can’t really expect anyone to do something you wouldn’t do.

 Speaking of which, a great way to show how selfless you are is by pre-ordering a copy of THE GREATEST ANTHOLOGY EVER WRITTEN. Which you can preorder here. The Greatest Anthology Ever Written

If you could have dinner with any literary character who would you choose, and what would you eat.Toriko, because that dude can find almost everything edible, I think his great appreciation of food would make having dinner with him all the better. Not to mention if someone annoyed you, he could just punch them in the face really hard, while screaming Knife! Or Fork! And who wouldn’t want to have a dinner companion like that?  

 As for what I would eat, in the world that Toriko comes from they have a food, so spectacular they call it God. It is said to be so delicious that it actually started a world war in order to find it. I would love to eat what is considered by a food lover like Toriko to be the greatest food ever.

 Speaking of greatest ever things. There is an anthology called  THE GREATEST ANTHOLOGY EVER WRITTEN. A very accurate title indeed. It is available for preorder from this link.   The Greatest Anthology Ever Written

What are your views on authors offering free books? Do you believe, as some do, that it demeans an author and his or her work? Authors are free to do what they want, which includes giving away free books. But honestly, I wouldn’t really recommend it. Considering a lot of readers will download a free ebook, but won’t read it, they will just add it to the pile. I think in order to get readers reading your book, you need to get them to pay for it. It just makes them more invested in your work as a product as people use products they have some investment in.

 Speaking of which, THE GREATEST ANTHOLOGY EVER WRITTEN is available for preorder at the very low cost of less than $25 U.S dollars. That also includes shipping, talk about value for money, an incredibly wise investment of a product indeed! Buy me here

Two ways, the first is try and get something constructive out of the negative review, that’s not always possible but do try. I honestly suggest to just read it a single time no more than that, if you find any merit in such criticisms take them on board, if not move on and focus on other things.

The second way is to distract your mind with positive outcomes of the writing process, such as reading, reading a good book does honestly get your mind away from negativity.

For further proof of my second point why don’t you get yourself a copy of THE GREATEST ANTHOLOGY EVER WRITTEN. Available for preorder now!  Link to record attempting antho

 How influential is storytelling to our culture? Tremendously so! Storytelling goes back to the days when cavemen would paint on cave walls, wanting their great deeds and dreams to live on long after they’re dead. I can easily imagine a caveman father trying to teach his sons how to correctly craft a spear and in order to get his sons to pay attention he would regale them with stories of how this simple piece of wood and sharpened stone would allow a mere man to best a mighty mammoth. I don’t know if that actually happened, but it certainly is an interesting story!

 Also, stories allow cultures to come together and find common ground, they can bridge cultural divides and really allow for magnificent melting pots of ideas to inspire people worldwide.

 Speaking of people being inspired worldwide.  THE GREATEST ANTHOLOGY EVER WRITTEN features over 100 authors from all across the globe coming together to form a collection of stories from many different cultures, it is guaranteed anyone would feel cultured after reading it. Available for pre-order now! Greatest Anthology ever written

What’s the best advice you’ve received about writing/publishing? The best piece of advice I ever got was from Neil Gaiman. He told me never to name drop.

 The second-best piece of advice was, never turn down an opportunity to promote your work. Speaking of which, THE GREATEST ANTHOLOGY EVER WRITTEN is available for pre-order. Buy me! Buy me!

 What’s the worst piece best advice you’ve received about writing/publishing? Never put your book up for preorder. Which is just nonsense, if that was true than why would they have THE GREATEST ANTHOLOGY EVER WRITTEN available for preorder from the following link? Preorder the book

If you could be any fantasy/mythical or legendary person/creature what would you be and why? Either that most mythical of beasts, a sober Australian or a shapeshifter. That way I could transform myself into every main character of every story featured in THE GREATEST ANTHOLOGY EVER WRITTEN. Which coincidentally is available for preorder from this link. Buy me!

Which authors have influenced you the most? Well like every single fantasy writer after the Hobbit was published, Tolkien of course! (whether people want to admit that or not, it’s true.) But I also would cite Kentaro Miura and David Gemmell as major influences in what I write.

 But purely in terms of prose, purely in terms of how I tell a story. The single biggest influence on me is Robert Holdstock. Just the way he would so cleverly interweave world building into his stories without shutting the plot completely down is marvellous. His world building always comes at the perfect time in the plot. I very much try to echo him in this regard. Reading any of his work always puts me in the mood of good storytelling. I think every writer should have an author they look up to like that. I honestly can’t think of anything better for a writer to have. Except having over 100 authors to look up to! Speaking of which.

THE GREATEST ANTHOLOGY EVER WRITTEN available for preorder.

 

What is the last book you’ve read? Stephen King’s Different Seasons. A truly great read. The Shawshank redemption definitely deserves all the praise it has gotten over the years. But for me the best tale in the collection is Apt Pupil. A spectacular story that not only deals with the evils men commit, but the fascination with evil that men have. It is truly a great collection of stories.

 Speaking of great collections of stories. THE GREATEST ANTHOLOGY EVER WRITTEN is available for preorder from the following link. The Greatest anthology ever written

Is this the age of the e-book? Are bricks and mortar bookshops in decline? Obviously not! If that were the case than why would THE GREATEST ANTHOLOGY EVER WRITTEN be available for preorder in both paperback and ebook from this link. Buy me

 Tell us about your latest piece? Finally, I thought you would never ask!

 In all seriousness ladies and gentlemen, the anthology I’ve plastered on every answer is a legitimate attempt at trying to break a world record. The organizer Shaun Jooste of Celenic Earth Publications has worked tirelessly in communicating with Guinness World Records to have the attempt officially recognized. He has set up an official launch event that will take place in South Africa in September. He’s worked many long hours to get over 100 great stories from all across this world together to publish in one volume. We have the authors and the enthusiasm. Guinness World Records is ready to validate our attempt. The last road block we have is we need to sell at least 1000 copies, 500 of which must be paperback.

 The reason for this is because we need to prove that the anthology is commercially viable and not just a gimmick to break a record. Because most publishers these days only print to demand, we essentially need 1000 preorders in paperback because another part of the attempt is to have 1000 printed, again as proof that the anthology is a commercial endeavour.

 So please, it would mean the world not to only me, but the other 100 plus authors if you could purchase a pre-order paperback copy. Those who do preorder will be counted as an official sponsor. Again each book costs less than $25 American dollars, that includes shipping in the price. It truly is a bargain. So again, please help us break this record.  Preorder link.   

 Get the book here

 

Shane Porteous is a mastery of the legendary 77 donut devouring technique. He lives in a place of strange dreams and even stranger reality. A lifelong writer, he has an immense passion for the fantastical and prides himself on being alternative and if possible original with his storytelling. He has been published both traditionally and independently. The single guarantee he gives with his novels is not whether you will like or hate them but he guarantees you will remember them.

 

Swift Six Author Interview – Prakash Vir Sharma- short fiction #meetanauthor #swiftsix #Hindilanguagebook

Tags

Author interviews, Books in Hindi, Fiction author, indian culture, Meet an author, social issues

Name: Prakash Vir Sharma

What attracts you to the genre in which you write? I have self-published two short stories books by now. The reason behind writing fiction is my passion for social work. The evils I have observed in the society, inspired me to write on those. I conveyed my thoughts through my characters on various social, political and religious issues.

What piece of writing advice do you wish you’d known when you started your writing adventures? Writing has always been my hobby since 1990. Initially, I started writing for newspapers. I have written two novels that time but couldn’t publish due to lack of knowledge and resources. As of now, I have around half a dozen rough drafts which I wanna publish as soon as I can.

If you could have dinner with any famous person or character who would you choose? I would love to have dinner either with Big B “Amitabh Bachchan” or American President Donald Trump because I found their life struggle very much inspiring.

Who has been the greatest influence on your own work? The greatest influences on my work are social issues.

Do you think the e-book revolution will do away with print? I don’t think so because both have their own significance. While carrying ebooks is easier, it’s more comfortable to read a print edition. But, ebooks are selling more and more because of cost factor too.

Which 3 books would you take to a desert island and why? I would love to carry all three books of Rhonda Byrne – “The Secret”, “The Hero” and “The Magic” because I love to read and write something motivational.

Author bio and book synopsis
The author is a management and engineering professional as well as an educationalist by qualification. He is best known for his impartial and analytical opinions on political, social and religious issues. He is also a passionate social thinker. The books “Pratibimb” and “Mahakte Panne” were published by Yuvraj Prakashan which consist of his prominent works.

His first book ” Kathputli”, which was published in March 2017, made news for two months right from social media to print media. ”Kathputli was his first independent venture and was self-published.

Prakash started working for newspapers as a freelancer in early 1990s. Starting from Hindi weekly ”Shrambheri”, he has continued to display his skills in the form of articles, poems and stories in various newspapers and magazines till date.

At present, with 24 years of technical experience in steel industry, he is working at a senior management position in Bhushan Power & Steel LTD in India. Although a native of Moradabad (India), he stays currently in Kolkata.

Synopsis of recent book

“Life In Shackles” is a collection of great social stories based on the plight of women in different situations of life. The book is pure fiction but these situations are real as these are stories of various women at distant places. The author tried to give a clear-cut message to the community as a whole that if this is the scenario, our women deserve to live a happy life beyond these Shackles.

Tell us about your book(s) – title, genre etc (short)

1. Kathputli – A short stories book in Hindi language.
2. Life In Shackles – A short stories book in English language.

Upcoming Titles – Two motivational books are coming in October’17 and May’18 respectively.
1. Mindset  And Passion – The Psychology Of Success (English language)
2. Uth Jaag Musafir Bhor Bhai (Hindi language)

Links
Social media

E-mail: prakash2484@gmail.com

https://www.pvsharmablog.wordpress.com

https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B072PCYJL1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B072PCYJL1

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show…

https://www.facebook.com/prakaash.sha…

https://twitter.com/Prakaashsharma

https://www.pinterest.com/prakash2484/

New Release – More Than Human Bundle #fantasy #boxset #multiauthors

Tags

book bundles, Bundlerabbit, Fantasy, fantasy authors

Hurrah it’s here! I’m pleased to present the More Than Human Box Set! 11 Tales from a variety of authors. Look out for features from the ‘Bundle Rabbits’ coming soon.

https://bundlerabbit.com/b/more-than-human

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0751Z8YKK/

https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/more-than-human-10

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/more-than-human-a-l-butcher/1126995921?ean=2940158967016

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36098690-the-more-than-human-bundle

To save. To guard. To heal.

Beloved people, precious things, and sacred spaces move our hearts and inspire us to defend them.

In these tales of redemption and rescue, more-than-human heroes stand forth as champions to protect all that is worthy of protection.

Walk with these elves, imps, wizards, dryads, gods, and guardians as they subdue demons, free the enslaved, preserve the world, comfort the exiled, and cross swords with the dark. Read and revel in their triumphs and tribulations.

The Shining Citadel – A. L. Butcher

Technological Angel – Barbara G. Tarn

Needle-Green – Debbie Mumford

The Cartographer’s Daughter – Karen L. Abrahamson

Serpent’s Foe – J.M. Ney-Grimm

The Crystal Courtesan – Karen L. Abrahamson

The First Book of Old Mermaids Tales – Kim Antieau

The Guardians – Book 1 – Don Viecelli

Love Apidae (A Recumon Story) – Michael R. E. Adams

The Flat Above the Wynd – Alexandra Brandt

The Kitchen Imps and Other Dark Tales – A. L. Butcher

The Watcher – A Jack the Ripper Story – New Release #Horror #Short Stories

Tags

Jack the Ripper, new release, Short story, Victorian History

 

As some of you may know I have always been rather fascinated by the legend of Jack the Ripper. (Don’t look at my browsing history – I’m a writer so it’s a bit weird!). For anyone unfamiliar with him Jack the Ripper stalked the London streets in the Autumn of 1888 and left at least five women dead and mutilated. These poor women were prostitutes of the lowest class; it was a dangerous profession.  In many ways the killings highlighted the plight of the Victorian poor, particularly for females. Who did not have much choice in how they supported themselves if a husband was not around, or the family was very poor.

 

There are hundreds of theories about who he (or she) was – ranging from the grandson of the Queen Victoria (Eddie – Duke of Clarence who might have had some rather dubious doings but was several hundred miles away in Scotland at the time of one of the killings), to a mad doctor, to a Jewish slaughterman, to a midwife, to a wealthy Liverpool businessman (who himself was (possibly murdered by his wife Florence Maybrick ).  

George Chapman, another unpleasant woman-killer of the time was also mentioned, as was the artist Walter Sickert.  Any or none of these could have been the killer.

Who was this person who left London in the grip of terror? This new murderer more wicked than any before him? Who knows? That is part of the enduring legend. Jack the Ripper was never caught and his legacy is such that writers and historians aplenty have fielded proof, disproof, and stories for over a hundred years.

Anyway enough background…. The story is from the point of view of the killer – and recounts his last known murder – that of Mary Jane Kelly.  I am not putting forward names – other than Jack but there is a twist at the end of his identity.

This was previously published as an anthology piece for Tales from Darker Places and Boo Fore! but has been updated and revised for this version.

Welcome to the darkness of Victorian London….

The Watcher – A Jack the Ripper Story

The year is 1888, and the place is Whitechapel, in the very heart of London. But the heart is bleeding. A mysterious killer is stalking women of the streets – his true name is unknown but his legend will go down in history. This is a short tale of Jack the Ripper.

18 rated for scenes of violence.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B074S83GHF

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074S83GHF

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/743134

Bundle Rabbit https://bundlerabbit.com/products/detail/the-watcher

Coming soon to Kobo, Barnes and Noble and Apple.

 

Background reading for those interested.

 

 

 

Jack the Ripper – a rundown

Florence Maybrick – Did she kill him? 

The Florence Maybrick case is fascinating in itself, tragic for all concerned and showed the morals of the time well enough.  Mrs Maybrick was tried more for the fact she’d had affairs (including with her husband’s brother) than anything else. Her husband had a mistress, was a hypochondriac who took arsenic as a tonic, and in more than one case had struck his wife.

Walter Sickert – Casebook review

Swift Six Author Interview – A. A. Bavar multigenre #kindlescout

Tags

Author interviews, Meet an author, multigenre, Screenwriting, Swift Six

#Meetanauthor #Swiftsix

Name: A. A. Bavar

What attracts you to the genre in which you write?
I’m not bound to any one genre. What genre I choose to write mostly depends on my mood at that specific moment, or the premise that pops into my head. From there, it develops almost organically. Originally, I started as a screenwriter and wrote action, comedy, and thrillers. As an author, my books follow the same pattern. I’ve written fantasy, action, comedy, and creative non-fiction. Bottom line, my motivation is to write stories that move my readers independent of the genre.

What piece of writing advice do you wish you’d known when you started your writing adventures?
That a bird in the hand is no doubt the best advice anyone could get. How I wish I had taken that to heart when I was offered my first sale many years ago. But, alas, I trusted my agent and the rest is history and a lot of hard work!

If you could have dinner with any famous person or character who would you choose?
Wow, this is a difficult one. I had a quick five minute “lunch” with New Line Cinema and Harrison Ford – remember the bird? – and that didn’t change my life the way I had envisioned, although it could have. I guess it depends on whether you want to meet someone influential or a person you admire. Today, I’d choose Bryan Cranston. I respect his work and he could definitely be cast in my screenplay Shutdown.

Who has been the greatest influence on your own work?
My children and upbringing. When I started writing, it was very clear to me that anything I wrote should be a source of pride for my children. Not because of any success it may have, but because it upholds good morals and integrity. I would never write anything that my children shouldn’t read.

As an author, I greatly admire the writing styles of Alexandre Dumas and Robert Ludlum.

Do you think the e-book revolution will do away with print?
Absolutely not.

Which 3 books would you take to a desert island and why?
The Three Musketeers by Dumas. I love the humour and adventure. It is a complete work that encompasses every aspect of life: dignity, honour, love, loss, and survival.

The Bourne Identity by Ludlum. The book is very different from the movie, and for the better. It’s fast paced and adrenaline packed. What better to take my mind off my troubles when stuck on an island by myself?

The Princess Bride by William Goldman. It’s the perfect love story.
 

Author bio and book synopsis

Please introduce yourself (250 words or so):

Tell us about your book(s) – title, genre etc (short)

I was only nine when my mother rushed me out of school to board a plane for Italy. It was the beginning of the Iranian Revolution, the beginning of my exile. From there, life became an adventure, from going to school in an ancient castle in Florence and playing tennis on the lawns at Wimbledon, to dribbling a soccer ball on the white, sandy beaches of Brazil. What I didn’t realize was that my roots had been permanently up-heaved and that I would spend the rest of my life trying to find a place to belong.

Can you imagine being nine and suddenly going to school in Italy without knowing a single word in Italian or having any friends? And then, as you’re slowly finding your way, to be yanked away again to live in England? Again, no friends, but at least I was fluent in English. But that didn’t last long either, since I soon found myself in Brazil. Once again, no friends and no language. Luckily, I went to the American school so the transition was a bit smoother, but unfortunately, the Iran/U.S. relationship wasn’t. We were right in the middle of the hostage crisis… more on this later. Yes, you guessed it, I’m writing my own life story.

When people ask me where I’m from, I find myself stammering, wondering what I should say. Am I Iranian? Brazilian? American? No, not really… more like an international, cultural mess. So I say I’m from earth, even though when I first came to the U.S. I was tagged as an alien! On the positive side, as a citizen of the world, I understand the nuances of many diverse cultures and can write about almost anything, usually with a lot of humour. Too bad I still haven’t found a place I can truly call home.

After high school in Brazil, I moved to the U.S. and majored in computer engineering with a concentration in creative writing. I met my future wife in engineering lab and we got married soon after graduation.

In 1999, I wrote my first screenplay, Shutdown, which was considered for production by New Line Cinema with Harrison Ford. I went on to write several other screenplays, and in 2015 published my first novel, Az – Revenge of an Archangel.

Also in 2015, I was approached by one of the jurors in the Boston Marathon bombing trial of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and wrote the book Juror 83, which for personal reasons was not published.

In 2016, I entered a script competition and wrote an episode for the sitcom Last Man Standing called My Truck Needs a Wash, while working on my novel Samantha which I finished in 2017. Samantha is a romantic thriller with a touch of magic. Imagine Bewitched meets Fatal Attraction! Doesn’t that say it all? It’s currently competing on Kindle Scout, so please go to https://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/2YWWJWSRZQ9XT and NOMINATE it for publication by Amazon. Thank you!

Right now I’m working on my next novel, Kiss Me at the Finish Line, due for publication in December, 2017. It’s an action drama based on my work in Juror 83.

 

 

Links
Vote for Samantha: https://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/2YWWJWSRZQ9XT
Az – Revenge of an Archangel: https://www.amazon.com/Az-Revenge-Archangel-Bavar-ebook/dp/B00XIN9ICC

Social media
www.aabavar.com
https://www.facebook.com/amir.bavar.5
https://www.instagram.com/amirbavar/