There is a trilogy I promise

Hey folks,

Haven't blogged in a little while because I really only like to blog when I have something to say or tell you, but then I get impatient and even if the update is a little blah at least it's an update. Soo... still in discussion with the publishers over ebook rights for Lunarmorte Book One and as I've said, too many times to count, I really don't want to publish the rest of the trilogy until book one is available in the U.S in ebook format. BUT the good news is, as soon as everything's sorted out and Lunarmorte (#1) is published as an ebook, the other two books are good to go... so River Cast (#2) will be following in it's wake very quickly. Also will be sending arc copies of River Cast out to my fav bloggers (and will ask them if they want one as soon as I have copies) so there hopefully will be a couple of reviews for River Cast, as well, by the time it's available. Yay. I'll also provide some solid dates for publication at that time (or as solid as self-published dates get). Anyhoo, should (fingers crossed) have some indication of publishing rights very soon (if there is a God) which should make my family and friends happy as I'm driving them crazy with my impatient 'grrring' over it.

Sam x

P.S. Shadowfever (Fever #5) by Karen Marie Moning (in reference to my earlier post on her delicious series) was AWESOME.

Back in Stock

Hey guys,

Just to update that Lunarmorte is now back IN STOCK at the Book Depository, free delivery worldwide.

http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/book/9781843866565/Lunarmorte?selectCurrency=GBP

Sam x

I've got Book Fever!

Hey folks,

How's it all going? Been a good start to the new year so far for you all? I hope so.
As for me I'm literally bouncing up and down on the balls of my feet as I wait for confirmation (or denial) to go ahead with publishing Lunarmorte (Lunarmorte #1) on amazon kindle in the U.S. I've just now finished formatting River Cast (Lunarmorte #2) for Smashwords edition and amazon kindle edition (U.S. & UK) and am awaiting the proofs from CreateSpace for the paperback edition that will be released in the U.S. I'm extra impatient because I won't be waiting long to release River Cast after the (hopeful - fingers crossed) release of U.S. Lunarmorte. I'm nearly done editing Blood Solstice (Lunarmorte #3) so it can be formatted for release and I'm still working away at Blood Will Tell ( Warriors of Ankh #1) which is shaping up really well. I'm so pleased with this trilogy. I had the idea for it quite some time ago so it's exciting to see it coming to life, especially as it is so different from the world of Lunarmorte. The heroine, Eden, is a far more morally complex character than Caia ever was and I'm enjoying developing her character. Hopefully everyone else will get her too.

Anyhoo, that's all the news writing wise.
I got a mega amount of books for my Christmas and I also bought a mega amount of books at Christmas - I really don't know how I'm going to get through them all. But as you know, if you've been following the blog, I do like to do posts on books that I've particularly enjoyed just in case any of you all are looking for something new to get your teeth into.

I've been a bit behind in discovering this author. Karen Marie Moning. Moning has a huge following for her Fever Series. I saw a post for her upcoming release ShadowFever (Fever #5), the last in the series, on one of my favourite blogs, CryHavoc Reviews, and I thought I'd have a wee look see. I wasn't too sure because Moning is a bestselling author of a highland romance series and I was bit iffy on that, but I thought I'd give DarkFever (Fever#1) a go since it had such awesome reviews. The Fever series follows a southern American heroine, MacKayla Lane, who travels to Dublin to investigate the murder of her big sister who was studying in Ireland. There Mac discovers the world of the Fae and I have to say it's the most sinister, repugnant, vivid and thrilling take on the Fae that I've yet to read.
Check out the series and my reviews for them below.

DarkFever (Fever #1)

MacKayla Lane likes her life just fine. OK, so she's twenty-two, no ambition, living with parents with no thought of moving out anytime soon - but her parents are great, her life is great, and her sister, Alina, should be returning home from student life in Dublin soon, to make life even greater.
Then Mac's life is flipped upside down by the news of her sister's murder in Ireland, and she soon after finds herself in Dublin, uncovering a world of dark magic and corruption she never knew she was always meant to be a part of.


I loved this book. I thought Moning's spin on the origin of the Fae was fantastic and original. Moreover, in a literary world now littered with stories of the Fae, this novel was the first one for me to really capture the truly sinister, bone-deep evil of a race capable of the most perverse atrocities. Moning's Unseelie really do violate the human world in every way possible, offering up a disturbing and terrifying addition to the genre.

Plot-wise Darkfever was excellent - there is mystery, action, passion, vengeance, murder... basically it has it all. The prose is smooth, well-written and entirely engrossing, as is the wonderful first person narrative of Mac. Mac isn't your typical paranoraml heroine, which I thought was great. She starts off, not shallow, but a little girly, a little into appearances, lost but determined to discover who murdered her sister. And despite situations she can't possibly get out of due to physical inferiority, Mac doesn't lose her gumption and her own mouthy edge. She was never a weak character to begin with, but the character development is well thought out. By the end of the novel she is someone to be reckoned with.

The other characters were great too. I love the mystery of Barrons, and the tension between him and Mac (does he care or doesn't he?) and I'm sure the rather luminous Seelie, V'Lane, will prove interesting in the coming books.

Finally, I thought Moning's descriptions of Dublin were genious; a perfect reflection of the book's concept; good vs evil - the light and dark of Dublin, beautifully brought to life. Excellent writing.

Darkfever ended on a cliffhanger, and I'm chomping at the bit for the second novel. In fact, I think I'll read it next.

Five Huge Stars! (goodreads review)

Buy DarkFever from amazon kindle £4.61

BloodFever (Fever Series #2)

The Second novel in the Fever Series is possibly even better than its predecessor. Absolutely action-packed, corruption-abound, refreshing originality galore, and plenty of fae magic.

Mac is even more likeable in this book, which makes the disturbing and disgusting (seriously, my gag reflex was activated numerous times in this novel) trials she's put through even more harrowing for the reader.

The mystery's in this series keep you page turning, as well as the fantastic writing, the tension and connection between the characters (Barrons and Mac, will they won't they?), and what I'm beginning to see as a pattern - cliffhanger endings.

This is an edgy, dark, gross, passionate and disturbing entry in the paranormal genre - not your typical fare, but with such great writing, it's a series that I'm fast devouring.

Five Huge Stars! (goodreads review)

Buy BloodFever from amazon kindle £4.35

FaeFever (Fever#3)

This is a series that just keeps getting better. Moning somehow manages to push the plot along without actually answering any questions, yet she still keeps you gripped to the edge of your seat. Mac's first person narrative just gets better and better - she's a tough, 'don't mess with me' sidhe-seer and yet she's still got that great 'macness' and occasional girliness that makes you laugh.

Faefever is incredibly well-written. There are some scenes, particularly towards the end in Dublin, that were so vivid. Moreover, through Mac, Moning never lets us forget the entire reason for Mac's purpose in Dublin - her grief over her sister's murder, and her need for revenge. Sometimes, if this is overdone, this can be annoying for the reader, but Moning places the reminders of Alina's death in so realistically, at those little moments that do remind us of lost loved ones, that it's touching - it makes me root for justice right along with Mac.

Another element that makes Faefever fantastic is Dani. I love Dani's character. She's a tough talking, fiesty, powerful teenage Sidhe-seer and I kinda hope Moning has plans to write about Dani when she's grown up.

As with the previous novels, the tension between Barrons and Mac is...well...wow. I can't wait to find out what happens next between them, and whether or not Barrons actually cares for Mac. AND just who he is! I keep guessing and then being proven wrong.

So glad I began this series just before the last is due for release... I don't think I could have waited patiently for the next novels, especially with all these damn cliffhangers. Speaking of which... poor Mac! Need to read on to the next one to find out how she recovers from this latest devastation.

Five massive stars! (goodreads review)

Buy FaeFever from amazon kindle £3.83

DreamFever (Fever #4)

The fourth novel in the Fever series does not fail to deliver. After being left on a horrendous cliffhanger, wondering how on earth Mac would get out of the weirdest and darkest (vilest) situation I think I've ever encountered in a paranormal series, I found the opening to Dreamfever from Dani's perspective brilliant. And can I just say how much I love the Dani and Mac team. They are awesome.

Barrons comes to the rescue in a most unconventional way (hot damn) and the relationship between the two becomes even more convoluted.
Again Moning leads the reader to more discoveries without really telling us anything, but it's such a fantastic storyline that you're not annoyed... you just wanna know more.

The character development of Mac is superb. After all the violations she has endured, she's tougher and stronger than ever, but her human vulnerabilities still flare up. Now Mac is wondering if there is a possibility she belongs to the dark side of this war.

Dreamfever is pack a plenty with action, imagination and gross, gross creatures. Moning's world is seriously sinister and seriously addictive.

I never shout at books but I bloody well did when this one ended. This was the most evil of Moning's Cliffhangers yet!! I really hope Mac didn't just do what I think she did :-s
Thank god Shadowfever is only a few weeks away from release.

FIVE MASSIVE MASSIVE STARS! (goodreads review)

Buy DreamFever from amazon kindle £4.28

ShadowFever (Fever #5)

Arrggh cannot wait for this!

Available for pre-order from amazon kindle £11.25 18th January 2011

I know the price seems a bit steep but believe me once you read the first four you're willing to shell out to find out how the damn series ends!

Warning: this series deals with a lot of adult themes so if you like you're paranormal/fantasy books fluffy then don't go here :-p

Sam x

Happy New Year

I've never been good at New Years... you may have noticed the exclusion of an exclamation mark at the end of my salutation. I generally don't like New Years. Mostly because I've never liked unfinished finales and that's how every year tends to feel, does it not?
I'm also not good at New Year's resolutions because I pick crap resolutions and never come through on them... you know like... I'm going to eat less chocolate, I'm going to pick up a new sport, I'm going to clean my car more than once every five months or at least stop roping my dad into helping me clean it and then feigning 'a bad night's sleep...can you finish for me, dad?'

So this year I don't have New Year resolutions. I have a plan. Like some, it may fail. But as a wise man once typed onto a tiny little bit of paper he stuck in a fortune cookie... the failure is not in the falling down, it is in the not getting back up. So... if I fall down this year - OK, let's not kid ourselves, I may whine a little -  but if I fall down I'll eventually shut up long enough to dust off my skinned knees and get on with things again.

So... this plan may fail, it may go awry, it may wind up being something a little different from what it started out as,  but after being inspired by a couple of awesome indie writers who've managed to make a success out of self-publishing, I've decided to give it an all out bash.

Step one in the plan is to sort out whether I can, legally, self-publish Lunarmorte (Book One) through amazon kindle in the U.S. That would be awesome. Still waiting on confirmation of that. If I can then, yay! If I can't then it sucks but U.S. readers will still be able to get their mitts on Lunarmorte via the Book Depository.  - A big thank you by the way for buying Lunarmorte over the holidays... it's out of stock again at the Book Depository but it'll be back in soon :-p

Step two, following quick on the heels of step one, is to self-publish River Cast (Lunarmorte #2) and Blood Solstice (Lunarmorte #3) in the UK and U.S. This will definitely be going ahead and I'm very excited about that. Whilst all that's going on I'll be attempting to complete my new series Warriors of Ankh in time to self-publish mid-to end 2011.

Lots to do then, making my head spin just thinking about it. But self-publishing is like a business. And I'm really excited to be starting out on my own doing something I enjoy, something truly creative and engrossing (the process I mean... hopefully the books too).

So keep posted folks. And I hope everyone's plans for 2011 at least have them excited to start this craziness all over again.

Sam x