Category Archives: Writing

Now don’t panic, I am not about to start filling up my blog with my opinion of every single book I read. No, that’s what Goodreads is for and if you really need to know my opinion on books, friend me there! 🙂

The reason I felt the need to share my review on the following book is partly to promote my current publisher, Hague Publishing. As the book, Frontier Incursion, is another one of their recently published work. I didn’t get it for free, I wasn’t asked to read and review it as part of my contract and freely admit to being slack and not having read any of the other authors I share the publishing house with… yet!

Plus, it’s a really good book! My Australian vernacular wants to tell you ‘it’s a bloody good read!’

Why I chose to read Frontier Incursion, well there are a few reasons. One, I just love the cover! The art itself is by the very talented Emma Llewelyn and really drew me into wanting to know more about these starcats the blurb for the book went on to talk about.

Another reason I wanted to read it was because I freely admit to still being a fan of Young Adult fiction… despite being well and truly in the final stages of being a thirty something. It has been a genre I embraced before I was technically a Young Adult and one I have enjoyed all through my life ever since. I am very pleased my eldest child is almost to the age I can use her as an excuse to be in the YA section of my local library without looking like I’ve lost my way from where all the murder mysteries are kept!

The third reason was because I got to start talking to the author Leonie Rogers via email and social media and felt I would enjoy anything she wrote so decided to give it a go. Hey, six dollars for an eBook of this length and quality was an amazingly good bargain!

And so, without more of my customary waffling, here is my review. It can also be found on Goodreads, of course!

Review of Frontier Incursions by Leonie Rogers.

First I will give you the official blurb of the book:

For Shanna, joining the Scout Corps had been a dream come true. The Scouts were charged with expanding their knowledge of Frontier, a hostile planet their ancestors had crash landed on 300 years before. As the youngest in her class, Shanna struggles to find acceptance and respect amongst her older peers – a task made more difficult by the fact that she has not just one, but two of the colonists’ huge feline companions, their starcats.

On a routine patrol, she and the other cadets are swept up in the greatest challenge yet to be faced by the settlers of Frontier. Now they find themselves on the very frontline of a war they knew nothing about, and possibly the Federation of Race’s last chance against the hostile Garsal. Suddenly their world has changed, and in ways never dreamed of by Shanna and her fellow scouts.

This book really was an amazing ‘let yourself go and be absorbed by this world’ sort of book. I rarely come across one I so freely was able to fall into and become a part of so quickly. Yes I grew up in a part of Australia where plants and animals (and even the dirt) was poisonous and or venomous and we had storms with the potential to flatten the city every year, but I don’t think that’s why I clicked with the story so quickly!

Although the beginning and its Remembrance Ceremony could have been setting the scene for any of your typical ‘we crash landed’ sort of sci-fi story, you quickly learn to relate to Shanna and her brother Kaiden and their lives with their starcats. As the story progresses the world of Frontier starts as the usual sci-fi survivor camp now settlement type story but then unfurls its tendrils of mystery and danger to show it’s not your typical sort of world. But rather a very dangerous one and these are some very clever people to have survived for so long over the centuries. And done so by accepting the planet and all its dangers and moulding themselves to fit into it all, rather than try and mould it to fit them.

I love the scouting parties and the graphical and in-depth views of the world Below in all it’s amazing danger and beauty entwined. It really did keep me wanting to read and wanting to know more. I mean, this book had me up until one thirty in the morning a lot of the time as I’d get to the end of a chapter and my mental mantra of ‘just one more chapter’ would have me winding my way back through the wilderness to see how, when and what would happen when Shanna, Anjo and the Garsal all finally met.

The main story followed by the snippet of Garsal activity pegged onto the end of each chapter can truly be blamed for keeping me so riveted and interested to read that one more chapter a night!

I highly recommend this book, loved it and actually told Leonie off for having it end the way she did as it just had me grinding my teeth with frustration to know what was going to happen and how dare she leave it hanging like that. All in good humour or course! I am so happy there is a sequel coming out next year and I really look forward to reading it. It takes a very good author to do that to you.

I rarely give a five out of five for a book, but this one had me so enraptured for over a week that I now have withdrawal symptoms for having nothing new to learn about Shanna, Twister and Storm. That shows it is a good book and deserves all five stars.

Buy Frontier Incursion here.

Yes, I am one of those people who just need to be writing. So now that Bonnie’s Story is out and being enjoyed and Isis, Vampires and Ghosts – Oh My! is in a holding pattern awaiting publication, what was I to do?

The answer was simple. Crime Fiction. Or, to be more precise in its myriad of sub-genres – Cosy Crime Fiction. That light hearted approach to death, murder and mysteries that is most well known in book series such as MC Beaton’s Agatha Raisin or Hamish Macbeth… through to those enjoyable TV shows like Lewis and Midsomer Murders.

Crime fiction, on many of its genre levels, has been a great interest of mine for years and my shelves and eBook is filled with some simply brilliantly written works. And some not so well, but still much loved by me, ones. 🙂 Because of this love, I also seem to associate with crime fiction authors a lot more on social media. Mostly as they are just the nicest, friendliest bunch of people you could meet… and that sort of thing needs to rub off on me by association, right? 😉

So when having such wonderful people offer to read my work and comment on it, it’s great! But as my recent contributes to fiction have been as far away from their preferred genre as can be… well, it’s given me the desire to have a go at writing something crime fictiony to see if I can.

And so begins my journey to try and write a wonderful series (twenty six books in all) based in a fictional town in my much loved Adelaide Hills. I won’t go into it too much as I am in the middle of pitching it, but the feedback I’ve gotten so far from my fan base (yes, I really do have one!) is that is sounds fun, entertaining and interesting. Always a good start, right?

So watch this space for Mount Loxley Murder Mysteries – The Autumnal Artist. It will hopefully be making an appearance in bits and pieces by the end of the year when I hope to have it fully completed and doing the rounds. Who wouldn’t want rejection letters from publishers and literary agents alike for Christmas? 😉

Until next time,

Janis. XXOO

As a lot of my author friends say – Happy Publication Day!

Yes, Bonnie’s Story – a Blonde’s Guide to Mathematics was not only released today, but done with a little book launch party at the wonderful Mount Barker Community Library. There will be pictures… I just haven’t been sent them yet. So watch this space!

We doubled the audience numbers we had at the Adelaide Writers Week launch too, and I wasn’t even related to all of them! Still, we were up against the first sunny day in a week, and I am still a little author fish in an ocean of literary geniuses, so it was small. We like saying intimate. And, as there was cake, hot chocolate and choc chip biscuits… can you really complain?

I signed some of my Bonnie’s Story business cards and flyers (and not just for my daughter’s collection) and even helped one of the guests at the launch buy a copy of the book!

Despite starting out the day all nerves and worry over disappointing the Library for drawing only a small crowd, or disappointing people who bought the book for it not being good enough – I had fun! Actually, I think we all did! ANd I received some fantastic feedback from people who have already read the book. Still, that sunny day was enticing me all the same to go hide in the garden to plant some bulbs. If I don’t turn up for any further public appearances, I suggest you look there first. 😉

In other news, I’ve now sold  I think 10 copies of Bonnie’s Story – A Blonde’s Guide to Mathematics. Not bad for an eBook just released today!

I’ve also discovered that we’ve been suggested as a good read on the USA Today website. Loving this level of confidence in plugging my book, especially from people I don’t even know. So thank you so very much for the plug. I’ll add you to my list of people I owe a drink! 😉

Speaking of people I now owe a drink, the fantastically talented author and, I’m told, pretty good Morris Dance Michael Jecks has provided me with my first celebrity quote!

It is:

“A brilliant YA story from an author with the imagination to fire a dozen Dr Who stories! Exciting and gripping.”

And although Bonnie’s Story is more Chick Lit or New Adult in genre than Young Adult, I do love the bit about Dr Who. Seeing I’ve lived and breathed it all my life and do blame it on a lot of my quirky ideas in writing.

Breaking news! Really, I just did that to try and see if you were paying attention, though this next bit is indeed big news. Despite being knocked back of two Literary Agencies this week – as I obviously come across as a two bit no good author to those too busy to take the time to get to know my work – I’ve actually accepted the offer of another publishing contract with Hague Publishing for my current manuscript Isis, Vampire and Ghosts – Oh My! So…. Yay!

I had been offered a contract by another Indie Publisher (within four days of pitching it I must add in my best gloaty tones), I’ve decided to stick with Hague Publishing as, quite honestly, they’ve decided I was worth them putting a lot of their time and effort into supporting my writing dreams, so I should return the favour and try and support them back. And, of course, make us both a bit of money while we’re at it! 😉 I’m starting to give up on the idea of finding a literary agent too. I’m obviously not shaking my assets at them in the most impressive money making ways, so I may just give up, stick with the writing – which is what I do best – and enjoy my paddle in a smaller pond as that little fish I keep mentioning. I will, however, keep shaking my assets at all likely readers, so don’t fret if you missed it last time! There will be more shaking soon.

To end with another bit of news. If you’ve already read Bonnie’s Story, you may be happy to know there is going to be a sequel and I’m already working on it, and discussing it with Hague Publishing. As usual, watch this space for more updates to come.

Until next time,

Janis. XXOO

So, with two weeks to go until Bonnie’s Story: A Blonde’s Guide to Mathematics is released, I am starting to get out there and ‘shake my assets’ (as my husband puts it) to anyone I think would be interested in reading this fantastic eBook.

In recent weeks, people who got the chance read Bonnie’s Story for free via NetGalley have been sending in some pretty good reviews. And I’ve also made some sales though people pre-ordering it! So a big thank you to those I don’t know who read and reviewed for me, and also big thanks to those family and friends willing to go out and buy my book. Here’s hoping you’ll start a trend with people I don’t actually know to be inspired to buy it too. 🙂

On the blog itself, I’ve been updating a few of the pages. Not only has my ‘You’re Invited’ page been updated to show the Mount Barker Community Library launch on June 15^th, but I’ve updated my ‘Media & Reviews’ page to show off some of those fantastic bloggers taking the time to let me know what they think. Both good and bad, as long as there is constructive criticism, I appreciate all comments.

In non Bonnie’s Story news, I’ve started pitching Isis, Vampires and Ghosts – Oh My! to publishers. Surprisingly, within days of starting my pitch I received an offer of  a contract by one small house publisher… and there is the strong possibility of being offered another contract by a different small publisher in the near future. As I put so much time and effort into this manuscript, I am rather chuffed at the instant interest when I am still just an ‘Emerging Author’ (AKA a no one in the literary world).

And, because of this interest, I am putting myself out there and not so much shaking my assets as professionally and politely showing them to various Literary Agents in the hopes I get a nibble of interest there too. I mean, I enjoy writing and that’s why I do it. I have a small fan base as it is… but to really ‘make it’ as an author a Lit.agent is the way to go.

Mind you, my version of ‘making it’ as an author is getting enough per quarter to afford a hot chocolate and piece of cake at one of my favourite local cafes. So, yeah, I’m aiming big here people so watch out! 😉

Well, that about wraps it up for this blog post. Winter has arrived here in the Adelaide Hills with some glorious wet, cold and soggy days. Believe me, making it through our hot and dry summers with the real threat of bushfires… wet weather is just a sight for sore eyes.

And just to add a little whimsy to my post, I’m including a pic of what other creative things I’ve been up to recently. Last Sunday, I made this rather piggy rich chocolate cake topped with chocolate ganache and marzipan for my Middle Horde’s birthday. See, I can not only write, but my marzipan pig bottoms are rather cute too.

Until next time,

Janis. XX

Okay, so I always intended to make this blog about all my writing, starting it off with Bonnie’s Story as that’s what I already had a publishing contract for.

And so, it’s time to veer away from Bonnie for a moment as I have finished Isis, Vampires and Ghosts – Oh My! and have been toying with a synopsis.

I am the first to willingly admit I can’t do synopsis… I am rubbish at them and this is a great shame as they really will make or break your manuscript when read by a Publisher. To add to this, I’ve had to write a 300 word or less synopsis (to meet the criteria of Publishers I plan on submitting it to) and I really do feel it has become more of a ‘back of the book blurb’ than an actual, dyed in the wool, synopsis. Wow, what a run on sentence that was!

And so, here it is. My first attempt short synopsis for Isis, Vampires and Ghosts – Oh My! I would love to call it a very rough draft or such to try and excuse how bad it is… but sadly, it’s not. I spent ages on it. I am, as said, just rubbish at synopsis.

Still, read, enjoy, correct if you feel the need. I would, however, like to know if you’d read it, from the drivel I’ve written here. It’s paranormal fiction so brace yourself.

“Isis, Vampires and Ghosts – Oh My! is a paranormal-fiction story told in a rather sarcastic first person by lead character Stephanie Anderson. She discovers her estranged wild child little sister has died and must attend her funeral.

Estella, said sister, had fallen in with a crowd of apparent new-age types living in an old church calling themselves ‘The Temple of Isis’. Upon arriving at the church, Stephanie not only discovers her sister isn’t dead, but undead, and partially infected by a vampiric virus: Meaning a vampire is slowly possessing her – body and soul. So Estella is herself, though undead, during the day but possessed by a vampire during the darkest of night. Stephanie also learns that vampires are really a stain left behind when a demon is killed and belong to the ‘Other World’, living in the Darkness.

The Priestess of the Temple of Isis, who walk in the Light, inform Stephanie: to save her sister’s soul she must retrieve the vampire’s crucible and remove him from Estella’s body. If unsuccessful, Estella – who made Stephanie’s life hell – will be possessed completely and her soul lost to purgatory.

As Estella had done something so horrendous to her sister, Stephanie wonders if she can forgive her let alone help Estella rest in peace. But can she really allow her to go to purgatory?

In seeking the crucible Stephanie meets demons, binds herself to the ghost of a pissed off Buddhist monk (who has a nasty potty mouth), makes several deals with creatures of the Darkness and Light alike and learns you really can imprison a vampire possessing your undead sister with a sunbed.

She does, in the end, succeed in finding the crucible. Uses it to kill Estella and also forgives her for the horrendous deed of their past.”

Until next time,

Janis.

So, we had a launch over a week ago, now what? Well, to be honest nothing really… but, as that’s what I expected, we’re still going to plan. Yes! 😉

My Publisher over at Hague Publishing has been very busy though. Not only, as I may have mentioned before, can Bonnie’s Story: A Blonde’s Guide to Mathematics now be pre-ordered, at a reduced price. As it includes a preview of the first three chapters, go check it out here. But he has also uploaded it onto Netgalley. So if you have a Netgalley account and want to review it, head on over and check it out. So far twelve people have downloaded it so I now have another thing to pace and bite my nails over when I run out of Haus Frauing things to do.

Speaking of things to pace and bite my nails over… as has been mentioned before, the current manuscript I’m working on is called Isis, Vampires and Ghosts – Oh My! Well, after talking with my Editor at the book launch, and her complaining she’s not read more of it than the first three chapters, I’ve sent it on over for her to peruse. Right now, it’s at just under 68,000 words and still growing. So it’ll be interesting to see if she feels I’m doing something right or if it’s a load of Dingo’s Kidneys and would be better used as a doorstop or something. Hoping to find out soon!

Another nail biter is that I’ve submitted my first attempt at full on Science Fiction, Grey, to a few places. It’s really more of a novella than a full story as it comes in just under 30,000 words. Still, it’s got a pretty good story to it and, as it’s the first in a series, may just be a small doorway to a big, new world. 😉

So, as you can see, never stop writing and never a dull moment. Just because I’ve had my book launch I never expected the literary world to suddenly open up to me with gushing words of praise. That’s honestly not why I do it. If I had to put a monetary goal to my writing, I’d say I want to earn enough per quarter to visit Chocolate @ No 5 for a hot chocolate and a brownie. But, as I basically write as I enjoy it as my rather rare ‘Me’ time, the fact others are reading it, and enjoying it, is good enough for me. Small fish, small pond and small dreams. 🙂

Until next week!

Janis.

Okay, so on Saturday night (March 2^nd) I had my very first ever book launch in the Atrium area of the SA Writer’s Centre. The following blog is a quick run through of it all and a few snap shots. We had hoped for more shots, but as I really don’t like having my picture taken, and I’m in most of them, this is all you’re getting. 🙂

The first shot is of the Atrium as we’re setting up. It is a big, beautiful space, with a great atmosphere. I love old buildings so really enjoyed having the opportunity to get to play in this one.

 So, with Clipsal, the Fringe, Adelaide Festival, other Writer’s Week functions and various concerts and what not… well, it was a small group that turned up. We all settled down and I talked about Bonnie’s Story: A Blonde’s Guide to Mathematics. I answered some questions about my eBook and read some of my favourite bits. Like when we meet Sylvester and my favourite scene with the car in the shopping centre car park.

They really look interested, don’t they?! 😉 We had some laughs, and as it was such a small group we were able to discuss other things, like writing techniques and ideas. After that, I was asked where my ideas come from, so tried to explain it and ended up talking about my current manuscript Isis, Vampires and Ghosts – Oh My! instead. Heck, it was a win, win situation for me.

This one is a good one. It’s my husband sitting up the back being the bouncer and not wanting any bother. 😉 Actually the group we had was really small and lovely, and he usually sits like this at the back of a crowd. I just thought it looked a good ‘Bouncer’ moment.

Although no pictures of it, we then enjoyed some lovely produce supplied by Georgina’s Fine Foods of Mount Barker, drank some local yummy juices and bubbles and ended the evening chatting about all sorts of things while sharing some Haigh’s chocolates.

I would really like to thank Andrew of Hague Publishing for giving me the opportunity for holding the book launch, as well as the SA Writer’s Centre for organising it all, getting me included in the Adelaide Writer’s Week program and being their usual encouraging selves.

If there were downers to the event, and they would be little ones, it would be that the turn-out was low and I got little to no support from the actual Adelaide Writer’s Week people. (Except for my volunteer helper Margo, who was just fantastic!)

Now, I know I’m a new and emerging writer and that I obviously don’t know the right people. Plus I am launching an eBook, not deemed by some a real book, and it’s not released until June… so I understand the lack of assistance, to a point. But when a gal sends you a polite tweet asking for a shout out for her launch; that is actually in your program… Was it really polite to ignore the request when others saw it and retweeted it for me instead?

But, oh well! I seriously don’t mind too much. Yes I am a new, emerging author of an eBook and pretty much unknown outside of my small circle of friends… but you know what? I had a simply fantastic time and only really regret so many others missed out on being a part of it.

There’s always the launch in June at the Mount Barker Library I guess. 😉

Have a great week!

Janis.

Okay, so we’ve made it… almost! My first ever eBook launch is happening this Saturday for, you guessed it, Bonnie’s Story: A Blonde’s Guide to Mathematics.

As you know, if you’ve been diligent in reading my blogs, the launch is happening at the SA Writer’s Centre, which is: Level 2, 187 Rundle Street. In this blog I’ll be trying to give you the best directions on how to get there. Please note that, except during my first trimeseter of pregnancy where I am a navigating Master, I am severely directionally challenged. No, I refuse to get pregnant again just to find my way around. Google maps was created so I don’t have to. 🙂

Now, using some artistically borrowed Google maps, I hope to get you all there. Finding 187 Rundle Street is really not that hard. What is even easier is there is a huge parking complex right next door, if you need a place to park. To get to that complex through the road closures for Clipsal and everything…. Well, as I don’t know where you’re all coming from, all I can suggest is get onto Frome, heading towards North Terrace, and then turn left onto Rundle Street and you should find it easily enough.

There are two ways into the Writing Centre. There is a door to the stairs from Rundle Street as well as the lifts at the back. You can either get to the lifts from York Street entrance (which is easy to get to through the car parking complex). Or, as a tease to your taste buds, you go come through Cafe Brunelli’s on Rundle Street to a passage way at the back. You’ll then need to go through a door on the left marked ‘Disabled toilets and lift to upper levels’ or something like that and then you’ll find the old lift. Yeah, now isn’t that as clear as mud?

Well, to try and stop your eyes glazing over at it all, here are those pictures! The first one is an overview shot of the whole situation. The lovely labels, also provided by Google Maps, pretty much explain it all.

As you can tell from the lovely little A, that’s where the Writer’s Centre is. Rundle Street is the street the A is pretty much sitting on, York Street below it.

The next image is a zoomed in version where I’ve added some of my own Paint Shop wizardry showing the two ways to the lift at the back. Why am I showing you how to get to the lifts? Two reasons really: firstly because the front doors to the stairwell will be closed and locked after the launch has started, while the lift will be open until the end of it all. Secondly, I find the stairs at the front rather narrow for my great clodhoppers, so use the lifts. 🙂

Okay, so does the zoomed in picture help much? The red writing (which originally didn’t look so blurry) says “Writer’s Centre lift via Cafe Brunelli (off Rundle Street)” while the green writing says “Writer’s Centre life from York Street)”.  I hope I’m not sounding much like a bossy, fretting mother, I just want to ensure you all get there okay. With all the other fantastic things happening in Adelaide on Saturday night, you may get easily distracted and wander off on me.

So, shall we discuss the actual launch too? As it’s my first launch I really don’t know if I’ll be doing it right. And please don’t take the times as precise and exact, as I am not that pedantic, honest. Basically, the doors open at 6:30pm and that’ll be mingling time for you all to check out the gorgeous atrium, grab a drink and some nibbles and say hi.

Then, from 7pm the front doors to the stair will be shut and locked as requested by the Centre. All late comers, please feel free to use the lift at the back. I’ll then be giving my greeting speech and have a little chat about the book, how I came to write it and so on. We can then have a bit of a Q&A and I’ll read the first chapter of Bonnie’s Story: A Blonde’s Guide to Mathematics. I will do my best to not send you off to sleep, though freely admit my reading to a crowd tends to be bedtime stories to my children. This may become obvious if I ask if you’re all sitting comfortably before we begin. 🙂

After that, as this launch is for an eBook not officially released until June, I sadly won’t have anything to sell you on the spot. However, if you feel like it, I am more than happy to sign either flyers for the launch, or the Bonnie Business cards.

Phew! And after all that we can really get into the nibbles. Being a bit of a foodie and a supporter of local producers, we’re in for a treat. Platters from Georgina’s Fine Foods, fruit juices from Besa, ‘pink bubbles’ sparkling wine from Bird in the Hand wineries, chocolate squares from Haighs… what can I say, I plan on enjoying myself with food and company. 😉

Okay, so I think I’ve nagged your ears off enough about this launch. The only thing left for me to do is to remember to turn up, not stress out and have a good time.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Janis.