Monday, 16 April 2012
Get on with it.
Had a lovely family day out in the sunshine as an end of school holiday treat yesterday. Packed the kids off to school this morning and have completed the most important of the chores (getting food in the house) now I should be writing the last chapter of my book - so Get on with it and stop wasting time!
Wednesday, 11 April 2012
Titanic Deception - John & Toni Rakestraw
With 2012 marking the 100th anniversary of the sailing and sinking of the Titanic it was always going to be the year for news reports, documentaries and books about the famous ship. One such book is Titanic Deception by John and Toni Rakestraw, but this isn’t a nonfiction book, this is a mystery story set in present day, with flash backs to 1911 and the diary accounts of a survivor of that fateful journey in 1912.
“With stars in her eyes, Alice Clarke boards the Titanic, heading to a new life. On board, she falls in love, only to lose him in the disaster. He leaves her with a pocketwatch, which holds more secrets than she realizes.
Her great-grandson, Michael Kearney, inherits her diary. When he overhears an unusual story about why the ship was wrecked, he finally reads it and finds himself in the middle of a conspiracy that stretches across a century involving some very powerful people.
With the help of Soft Kitty, an irascible conspiracy theorist, and his girlfriend, Sylvia, he must bring the truth to light and bring down the men behind it, no matter what the cost. Maybe some secrets are better left at the bottom of the sea.” Titanic Deception – John and Toni Rakestraw
I enjoyed reading the Titanic Deception, the conspiracy theory the book is based on is one I’d heard before but it was cleverly woven into the story and the fictional characters worked well alongside their more famous counterparts.
I particularly liked the description used when introducing Michael, as he blended into the background whilst going about his job of serving a meal to executives, at the firm where he worked. It is because of this ability that he first hears about the conspiracy theory surrounding the Titanic and from there on he makes decisions that will not only put his life in danger but change it forever.
If you like mystery stories, especially those based on an historical event, you will like Titanic Deception.
“With stars in her eyes, Alice Clarke boards the Titanic, heading to a new life. On board, she falls in love, only to lose him in the disaster. He leaves her with a pocketwatch, which holds more secrets than she realizes.
Her great-grandson, Michael Kearney, inherits her diary. When he overhears an unusual story about why the ship was wrecked, he finally reads it and finds himself in the middle of a conspiracy that stretches across a century involving some very powerful people.
With the help of Soft Kitty, an irascible conspiracy theorist, and his girlfriend, Sylvia, he must bring the truth to light and bring down the men behind it, no matter what the cost. Maybe some secrets are better left at the bottom of the sea.” Titanic Deception – John and Toni Rakestraw
I enjoyed reading the Titanic Deception, the conspiracy theory the book is based on is one I’d heard before but it was cleverly woven into the story and the fictional characters worked well alongside their more famous counterparts.
I particularly liked the description used when introducing Michael, as he blended into the background whilst going about his job of serving a meal to executives, at the firm where he worked. It is because of this ability that he first hears about the conspiracy theory surrounding the Titanic and from there on he makes decisions that will not only put his life in danger but change it forever.
If you like mystery stories, especially those based on an historical event, you will like Titanic Deception.
Saturday, 10 March 2012
Interview with Mauve Square Publishing's Author Annaliese Matheron
Annaliese Matheron author of the Ninja Nan books and the forthcoming Wolflore series talks about all things writing!
When did you start writing?
I started writing properly, with purpose and dedication about five years ago, after I completed my degree and realised that I wanted to be a writer.
So, you didn’t always want to be a writer?
No, I thought I was going to be everything but a writer growing up. I went through so many varied future job choices, ice skater, archaeologist, astrophysicist, theatre director, there was a long list. But I hadn’t thought about being a writer, even though I have always loved books and enjoyed writing, I never thought of it as a career choice and I still don’t, not really; I don’t write because I choose to, I write because I have to. It’s as if I was slowly infiltrated and taken over by a deep need to write all the stories that fill my head. It took a while for me to realise that it had happened, it wasn’t until I caught myself constantly thinking about writing that I realised it had sucked me in and dragged me under.
I can’t understand why I didn’t realise that writing was meant for me before; maybe I just didn’t see it. But I now realise that through writing I get to be many, many, things far more interesting things than I had ever dreamed of being when I grew up. I love writing, I need writing; I am a very happy word junkie and I never, ever want to stop.
You said your stories fill your head, where do you find inspiration for your writing?
I find inspiration everywhere. I try to ground all of my stories in relatable reality. Even when a demon is chasing after a werewolf or a geriatric spy is using a pair of nunchucker knitting needles to stop a criminal boss, their actions and their motives are real and identifiable.
I get a lot of inspiration from my childhood, my children and the people around me as well as music, art and history. I read a lot of non-fiction and I think this helps to ground everything I write and add a solid perspective.
You mentioned before that your Nan was the main inspiration for the Ninja Nan books, does that mean that she was a spy?
Haha, no. But that would be very cool. My Grandparents are very important to me. They are both very strong characters and loving people. The Ninja Nan concept came about when I was telling my children about all the things my Nan used to get up to when I was little. We used to call her Riff-Raff Nanny and she was the first person on the bouncy castle and the last person off it she was always doing things Nan’s shouldn’t like trying to do handstands in the garden and things like that. She could also used to throw her slipper and hit her target every time.
She doesn’t go on many bouncy castles now days, and her aims a little off, but she’s still a force to be reckoned with!
Ninja Nan and Sidekick Grandad has been chosen to participate in The People’s Book Prize, how do you feel about that?
I feel very honoured to have my book selected for the prize. It’s a wonderful achievement and a huge award to be considered for.
Ninja Nan and Sidekick Grandad is such a fun book, I hope it does well.
There are currently two Ninja Nan books, Ninja Nan and Sidekick Grandad and Ninja Nan Strikes Again, are you planning anymore?
When I first wrote Ninja Nan and Sidekick grandad it was going to be a standalone book, a one off. But I had so much fun writing it and some really good feedback from the children that read it and wanted more that I decided to turn it into a series of adventures. Also my Aunt Sue kept reminding me of all of Nan’s Antics over the years; like when she got totally paralytic one Newears eve at a party and me and my cousins had to push Nan home in a shopping trolley!
I’ve just finished the third Ninja Nan book, Ninja Nan and the Trio of Trouble , which will be out as an ebook in April and a paperback from May, and I have a fourth one gathering form in my thoughts Ninja Nan and her Merry Men, but after that I’ll stop the Ninja Nan books and move on to new challenges.
One of those new challenges is your new book Wolflore, what can we expect from that?
Wolflore, I’m very excited about Wolflore. It’s about a young boy, Adam Blake, who finds out that he is not entirely human and that the world around him isn’t all he thinks it is. There are things that are out to hunt him, demons lurking in the corridors of his school and dead things in his bed.
He has to come to terms with what he is and where he fits in this new reality whilst still functioning in what we class as the world, there is still school, still family life, best friends, school bullies and girls but there are also, werewolves, demons, sirens and voodoo priestesses.
I thoroughly enjoyed writing wolflore and I’m looking forward to seeing where the story is heading.
Don’t you know what’s going to happen in the Wolflore books?
No, I never know what’s going to happen in a story. I start with an idea something that I think is interesting and has potential to grow, I keep this in my mind and it slowly finds likeminded thoughts and grows bigger, then I start writing, but I never know where it’s going I let my characters show me the way and sometimes they really surprise me.
If there is something important or fun that I want to happen then I hold that in my mind but I don’t force it I just let the action take shape and find its way there, or not!
When will we be able to read Wolflore?
Wolflore will be out in the summer.
Who do you write for?
Um...I write for anyone that enjoys reading and likes good adventure stories. My books are predominantly for children Ninja Nan is for age 7+ and Wolflore 9+ but anyone can enjoy the books, 75 year olds have contacted me telling me how much they enjoyed Ninja Nan.
And although lots of people have commented on the appeal of my books to boys I don’t write with just boys in mind. I write what I find interesting and what insists on being written; I don’t choose to write for an age group, as such, the story, the action, and the language dictate that.
What books did you read when you were little?
I used to read a lot of non-fiction, just like I do now, but my favourite author as a child was Roald Dahl, I love Danny Champion of the World, it’s my favourite Dahl book.
What was the last book you read?
The last book I read was Firestorm Rising by John Clewarth, It’s a fantastically good story full of mystery and a few frights along the way. I love the friendship between the three central characters and the way that the story grows and builds on the suspense it creates.
John is a friend of mine but that has no bearing on my opinion.
To vote for Annaliese’s book Ninja Nan and Sidekick Grandad for the People’s book prize go to www.peoplesbookprize.com and to buy the Ninja Nan books check out www.mauvesquare.com
When did you start writing?
I started writing properly, with purpose and dedication about five years ago, after I completed my degree and realised that I wanted to be a writer.
So, you didn’t always want to be a writer?
No, I thought I was going to be everything but a writer growing up. I went through so many varied future job choices, ice skater, archaeologist, astrophysicist, theatre director, there was a long list. But I hadn’t thought about being a writer, even though I have always loved books and enjoyed writing, I never thought of it as a career choice and I still don’t, not really; I don’t write because I choose to, I write because I have to. It’s as if I was slowly infiltrated and taken over by a deep need to write all the stories that fill my head. It took a while for me to realise that it had happened, it wasn’t until I caught myself constantly thinking about writing that I realised it had sucked me in and dragged me under.
I can’t understand why I didn’t realise that writing was meant for me before; maybe I just didn’t see it. But I now realise that through writing I get to be many, many, things far more interesting things than I had ever dreamed of being when I grew up. I love writing, I need writing; I am a very happy word junkie and I never, ever want to stop.
You said your stories fill your head, where do you find inspiration for your writing?
I find inspiration everywhere. I try to ground all of my stories in relatable reality. Even when a demon is chasing after a werewolf or a geriatric spy is using a pair of nunchucker knitting needles to stop a criminal boss, their actions and their motives are real and identifiable.
I get a lot of inspiration from my childhood, my children and the people around me as well as music, art and history. I read a lot of non-fiction and I think this helps to ground everything I write and add a solid perspective.
You mentioned before that your Nan was the main inspiration for the Ninja Nan books, does that mean that she was a spy?
Haha, no. But that would be very cool. My Grandparents are very important to me. They are both very strong characters and loving people. The Ninja Nan concept came about when I was telling my children about all the things my Nan used to get up to when I was little. We used to call her Riff-Raff Nanny and she was the first person on the bouncy castle and the last person off it she was always doing things Nan’s shouldn’t like trying to do handstands in the garden and things like that. She could also used to throw her slipper and hit her target every time.
She doesn’t go on many bouncy castles now days, and her aims a little off, but she’s still a force to be reckoned with!
Ninja Nan and Sidekick Grandad has been chosen to participate in The People’s Book Prize, how do you feel about that?
I feel very honoured to have my book selected for the prize. It’s a wonderful achievement and a huge award to be considered for.
Ninja Nan and Sidekick Grandad is such a fun book, I hope it does well.
There are currently two Ninja Nan books, Ninja Nan and Sidekick Grandad and Ninja Nan Strikes Again, are you planning anymore?
When I first wrote Ninja Nan and Sidekick grandad it was going to be a standalone book, a one off. But I had so much fun writing it and some really good feedback from the children that read it and wanted more that I decided to turn it into a series of adventures. Also my Aunt Sue kept reminding me of all of Nan’s Antics over the years; like when she got totally paralytic one Newears eve at a party and me and my cousins had to push Nan home in a shopping trolley!
I’ve just finished the third Ninja Nan book, Ninja Nan and the Trio of Trouble , which will be out as an ebook in April and a paperback from May, and I have a fourth one gathering form in my thoughts Ninja Nan and her Merry Men, but after that I’ll stop the Ninja Nan books and move on to new challenges.
One of those new challenges is your new book Wolflore, what can we expect from that?
Wolflore, I’m very excited about Wolflore. It’s about a young boy, Adam Blake, who finds out that he is not entirely human and that the world around him isn’t all he thinks it is. There are things that are out to hunt him, demons lurking in the corridors of his school and dead things in his bed.
He has to come to terms with what he is and where he fits in this new reality whilst still functioning in what we class as the world, there is still school, still family life, best friends, school bullies and girls but there are also, werewolves, demons, sirens and voodoo priestesses.
I thoroughly enjoyed writing wolflore and I’m looking forward to seeing where the story is heading.
Don’t you know what’s going to happen in the Wolflore books?
No, I never know what’s going to happen in a story. I start with an idea something that I think is interesting and has potential to grow, I keep this in my mind and it slowly finds likeminded thoughts and grows bigger, then I start writing, but I never know where it’s going I let my characters show me the way and sometimes they really surprise me.
If there is something important or fun that I want to happen then I hold that in my mind but I don’t force it I just let the action take shape and find its way there, or not!
When will we be able to read Wolflore?
Wolflore will be out in the summer.
Who do you write for?
Um...I write for anyone that enjoys reading and likes good adventure stories. My books are predominantly for children Ninja Nan is for age 7+ and Wolflore 9+ but anyone can enjoy the books, 75 year olds have contacted me telling me how much they enjoyed Ninja Nan.
And although lots of people have commented on the appeal of my books to boys I don’t write with just boys in mind. I write what I find interesting and what insists on being written; I don’t choose to write for an age group, as such, the story, the action, and the language dictate that.
What books did you read when you were little?
I used to read a lot of non-fiction, just like I do now, but my favourite author as a child was Roald Dahl, I love Danny Champion of the World, it’s my favourite Dahl book.
What was the last book you read?
The last book I read was Firestorm Rising by John Clewarth, It’s a fantastically good story full of mystery and a few frights along the way. I love the friendship between the three central characters and the way that the story grows and builds on the suspense it creates.
John is a friend of mine but that has no bearing on my opinion.
To vote for Annaliese’s book Ninja Nan and Sidekick Grandad for the People’s book prize go to www.peoplesbookprize.com and to buy the Ninja Nan books check out www.mauvesquare.com
Thursday, 23 February 2012
Agony of Tears
I decided to have a go at capturing an emotional moment on paper.
Read it and let me know how I did.
Agony of Tears
Marie Godley
The pain gripped hold of her insides, twisting and knotting until her chest felt hard; she wasn’t sure if she’d be able to breathe, it felt that solid.
She’d kept the tears away so far; she wasn’t sure if she wanted to cry or not. She didn’t usually give in but maybe allowing the tears would lessen the pressure on her chest. She squeezed her eyes shut, not making a conscious decision either way.
Water began trickling down the side of her face; finding its way to her lips. Her tears were salty and unpleasant; this added to the irritation she felt as her face became wet and itchy.
The tears hadn’t released the tension inside of her; she hadn’t cried hard enough for that.
That someone had made her feel bad enough about herself, that she’d been forced into crying; only added to her desolation.
Read it and let me know how I did.
Agony of Tears
Marie Godley
The pain gripped hold of her insides, twisting and knotting until her chest felt hard; she wasn’t sure if she’d be able to breathe, it felt that solid.
She’d kept the tears away so far; she wasn’t sure if she wanted to cry or not. She didn’t usually give in but maybe allowing the tears would lessen the pressure on her chest. She squeezed her eyes shut, not making a conscious decision either way.
Water began trickling down the side of her face; finding its way to her lips. Her tears were salty and unpleasant; this added to the irritation she felt as her face became wet and itchy.
The tears hadn’t released the tension inside of her; she hadn’t cried hard enough for that.
That someone had made her feel bad enough about herself, that she’d been forced into crying; only added to her desolation.
Tuesday, 10 January 2012
Janlaya
Hello 2012. I'm glad to say the New Year has brought with it renewed vigour to write and I hope, very much, to be able to finish my YA novel Janalya during the first half of this year. A tale of elementals and shape shifting panthers, the characters are keeping me awake at night with their story so I had better get on with it to keep them quiet.
Wednesday, 23 November 2011
"Another recent development is our brand new blog. We opened this as a way of connecting with authors and giving them a chance to showcase their talent by contributing short stories, which we publish online. Alex Smith contributed the first short story and we have since published shorts from Danielle Rose and Marie Godley, both of whom we hope to work with again in the future." Quote from Ollie Wright of Red Telephone Books in an interview he did on the blog 12 books in 12 months. See the whole of his interview on the link. Thanks for the kind words Ollie.
http://12books12months.com/2011/10/27/tales-of-a-ya-publisher
http://12books12months.com/2011/10/27/tales-of-a-ya-publisher
Wednesday, 12 October 2011
Janalya - Marie Godley
Here is the first page for the story I am currently working on for the teen market, Read it and let me know your thoughts. Did you want to find out what happens next?
Chapter One
It was a cold crisp evening; the moon, its face clear and welcoming, shone brightly and the stars were beginning to appear in the black expanse of sky overhead.
A band of little witches, ghosts and vampires came into view making Janalya laugh out loud, sending a cloud of warm air into the darkness; dragon breath, she always called it. She smiled indulgently as parents hustled their children towards home, their trick or treat bags bulging with sweets and their outfits beginning to look dishevelled or the masks long since discarded because they got in the way. The children’s protests that they weren’t tired fell on deaf ears and the streets were relinquished to the teenagers; full of high spirits, in their more elaborate costumes, covered in face paint and gory masks. Janalya shook her head at them; it was one thing for kids to play dress up but surely at their age the teenagers should know better? Then she realised that there was no reason for them to think differently, she smiled wryly; the truth about magic and people who were different was rarely told and had been kept secret for hundreds of years. No Witch would be seen dead, no pun intended, wearing a tall pointed hat and stripy tights, and as for needing a broomstick to be able to fly; well that was just laughable.
The glowing eyes of the carved pumpkin lanterns seemed to watch Janalya as she retreated from her position on the top of the hill. She pulled her cloak more tightly around her slender body, raised the hood once more to conceal her white blond hair and walked in the shadows back towards the woods. Halloween; the night, so it was said, that the boundary between the human world and the spirit world became thin; allowing spirits to pass through. Janalya wasn’t about to hang around and act as a welcoming committee, she had more important matters to see to.
Janalya gained the cover of the trees and paused, her head turning as she listened for any sound of movement. She was confident that nobody had followed her but she wanted to be sure. The silence was broken by the call of an owl but otherwise all was quiet. Her feet made no sound as she advanced stealthily through the wood, her eyes continually assessing everything shown up by her light. The scent of the damp earth and pine needles filled her nostrils; she stopped suddenly as the aroma became tinged with smoke. Janalya clicked her torch off quickly and was instantly cloaked in darkness. She gave her eyes chance to adjust; years of wandering around at night had sharpened her vision but not enough to see further than the area next to her; unfortunately those that she most wanted to avoid were endowed with better night vision. She stared into the darkness, listening intently; all her senses heightened, ready to take action. A breeze picked up and carried with it a stronger smell of smoke. Janalya cautiously headed in that direction, placing each foot with measured care; her ears straining to hear any sound. Stray branches threatened to latch onto the wool of her cloak but she brushed them aside, not wanting to be delayed until she had discovered the source of the smoky smell. Her heart began to beat faster as she caught a glimpse of orange between the trees, she moved closer, unconsciously stooping lower and stopped behind a large tree. Keeping as hidden as possible, she peered round the gnarly trunk.
Chapter One
It was a cold crisp evening; the moon, its face clear and welcoming, shone brightly and the stars were beginning to appear in the black expanse of sky overhead.
A band of little witches, ghosts and vampires came into view making Janalya laugh out loud, sending a cloud of warm air into the darkness; dragon breath, she always called it. She smiled indulgently as parents hustled their children towards home, their trick or treat bags bulging with sweets and their outfits beginning to look dishevelled or the masks long since discarded because they got in the way. The children’s protests that they weren’t tired fell on deaf ears and the streets were relinquished to the teenagers; full of high spirits, in their more elaborate costumes, covered in face paint and gory masks. Janalya shook her head at them; it was one thing for kids to play dress up but surely at their age the teenagers should know better? Then she realised that there was no reason for them to think differently, she smiled wryly; the truth about magic and people who were different was rarely told and had been kept secret for hundreds of years. No Witch would be seen dead, no pun intended, wearing a tall pointed hat and stripy tights, and as for needing a broomstick to be able to fly; well that was just laughable.
The glowing eyes of the carved pumpkin lanterns seemed to watch Janalya as she retreated from her position on the top of the hill. She pulled her cloak more tightly around her slender body, raised the hood once more to conceal her white blond hair and walked in the shadows back towards the woods. Halloween; the night, so it was said, that the boundary between the human world and the spirit world became thin; allowing spirits to pass through. Janalya wasn’t about to hang around and act as a welcoming committee, she had more important matters to see to.
Janalya gained the cover of the trees and paused, her head turning as she listened for any sound of movement. She was confident that nobody had followed her but she wanted to be sure. The silence was broken by the call of an owl but otherwise all was quiet. Her feet made no sound as she advanced stealthily through the wood, her eyes continually assessing everything shown up by her light. The scent of the damp earth and pine needles filled her nostrils; she stopped suddenly as the aroma became tinged with smoke. Janalya clicked her torch off quickly and was instantly cloaked in darkness. She gave her eyes chance to adjust; years of wandering around at night had sharpened her vision but not enough to see further than the area next to her; unfortunately those that she most wanted to avoid were endowed with better night vision. She stared into the darkness, listening intently; all her senses heightened, ready to take action. A breeze picked up and carried with it a stronger smell of smoke. Janalya cautiously headed in that direction, placing each foot with measured care; her ears straining to hear any sound. Stray branches threatened to latch onto the wool of her cloak but she brushed them aside, not wanting to be delayed until she had discovered the source of the smoky smell. Her heart began to beat faster as she caught a glimpse of orange between the trees, she moved closer, unconsciously stooping lower and stopped behind a large tree. Keeping as hidden as possible, she peered round the gnarly trunk.
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