Opening Lines #YA #TuesdayBookBlog

On May 23, 2017May 20, 2017 By shelleywilson72In Books, Fiction, Fun Stuff, Reading, Sci-fi, The Writing Process, Tuesday Book Blog, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult3 Comments

I read a great post recently written by Cathy from Between the Lines book blog. Cathy shared some of the opening lines from books she’s read over the past twelve months that drew her in. It was a wonderful collection. You can read it HERE.

With the release of my new young adult urban fantasy book, Oath Breaker on the horizon (8^th June 2017 with BHC Press) I thought I’d do a twist on Cathy’s post and share some of my favourite opening lines from YA fantasy books.

Paper and Fire by Rachel Caine

Paper and Fire

Every day, Jess Brightwell passed the Spartan warrior statue on his way to and from his quarters. It was a beautifully made automaton, fluid and deadly, with a skin of burnished copper. It stood in a dynamic pose on its pedestal with a spear ready to thrust, and was both a decoration and a protection against intruders.

The 5^th Wave by Rick Yancey

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There will be no awakening.

The sleeping woman will feel nothing the next morning, only a vague sense of unease and the unshakable feeling that someone is watching her. Her anxiety will fade in less than a day and will soon be forgotten.

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

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After a year of slavery in the Salt Mines of Endovier, Celaena Sardothien was accustomed to being escorted everywhere in shackles and at sword-point. Most of the thousands of slaves in Endovier received similar treatment – though an extra half-dozen guards always walked Celaena to and from the mines. That was expected by Adarlan’s most notorious assassin. What she did not usually expect, however, was a hooded man in black at her side – as there was now.

Witch Hunter by Virginia Boecker

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I stand at the edge of the crowded square, watching the executioners light the pyres. The two men, dressed for work in red cloaks and charred leather gloves, circle the narrow wooden platforms, their lit torches held high. At the top of each pyre, four witches and three wizards stand chained to a stake, bundles of wood heaped around their feet. They stare into the crowd, determined looks on their faces.

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Angel

London, April 1878.

The demon exploded in a shower of ichor and guts.

Mythology by Helen Boswell

Mythology

We all have secrets. Skeletons that insist on hanging around no matter how hard we try to banish them. We hope they won’t rise up and clatter their bones at the wrong times or in front of the wrong people. Of course, there are the good kind of secrets too – the ones we eventually tell the people we care about. But most of the secrets out there are the real kind, the deep and dark kind. I would know. I can see them.

One Way Fare (Null City Book 1) by Barb Taub

One Way Fare

1972, Seattle

Gaby’s new employee handbook was clear: missing a client appointment was an excellent way to get fired. But it didn’t say a thing about breaking and entering. She’d checked. Over the past hour, she’d knocked, called, tried the house phone, paced and automatically straightened the paintings lining the elegant hallway of Seattle’s Olympic Hotel. Despite the muted voices from within the suite, the brass-bound double doors to the Presidential Suite remained closed.

Awake at Dawn (A Shadow Falls Novel) by C.C.Hunter

Awake at Dawn

“You have to stop it, Kylie. You have to. Or this will happen to someone you love.”

The spirit’s ominous words flowed from behind Kylie Galen and mingled with the crackle and pop of the huge bonfire about fifty feet to her right. The frigid pocket of air announced the spirit’s presence loud and clear, even if the words were only for Kylie’s ears and not for the other Shadow Falls campers standing in the ceremonial circle.

Guardians of the Lost Lands (The Guardian Series Book 3) by Shelley Wilson

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Claws scratched at the cold rock just inches from his bare feet. The twisted limbs of these tormented creatures snaked through the bars of his cell as they tried to reach him. Starved and beaten, the monsters craved his blood.

I hope you enjoyed reading this post. Feel free to add your favourite opening line in the comments below; it doesn’t have to be YA or fantasy.

Exciting news! I’ve been nominated for the Most Inspirational Blogger Award 2017 at the Bloggers Bash.

The criteria is: Who consistently inspires you? Is there a blogger that’s thought provoking and inquisitive? Or perhaps they have become a muse to you with constant provision of inspirational content or imagery? Who’s the one blogger that’s touched your heart? This is the nomination for them.

I would be eternally grateful if you could throw a vote my way – link HERE

#FilmReview Their Finest #WWII #Drama #Romance

On May 9, 2017May 14, 2017 By shelleywilson72In Books, Film Review, Fun Stuff, The Writing Process26 Comments

Their Finest Film Review 4*

I took my place in the cinema and eagerly awaited the start of director, Lone Scherfig’s latest release, Their Finest based on the book Their Finest Hour and a Half by Lissa Evans.

I confess I haven’t read the book. I was drawn to this film because I’m a huge fan of Sam Claflin and Bill Nighy and having these two actors in the same picture is bound to be a treat! Continue reading “#FilmReview Their Finest #WWII #Drama #Romance” →

I write. I read. I review. #FridayReads #NonFiction #YA

On April 28, 2017May 14, 2017 By shelleywilson72In Authors, Blogging, Books, Fiction, Indie Author, Inspirational, mind body spirit, Non Fiction, Reading, Self Publishing, Social Media, The Writing Process, Urban Fantasy, Wellbeing, Writing, Young Adult22 Comments

Reading is a favourite hobby of mine, not just as a way to escape the daily grind but it also helps evolve my skills as a writer. It was Stephen King who told us “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others. Read a lot and write a lot.”

Losing yourself in a good book is the perfect way to relax and unwind. It’s thought that reading for just six minutes a day can reduce stress levels by 68%.

Sharing the wonderful books I’ve read and reviewed is the highlight of my blogging life. When a book touches my heart or reduces me to tears, makes me laugh out loud, or shudder with fear, then I know I’ve found a masterpiece. Continue reading “I write. I read. I review. #FridayReads #NonFiction #YA” →

Review of the #SelfPublishing Conference hosted by @matadorbooks

On April 23, 2017May 14, 2017 By shelleywilson72In Indie Author, Inspirational, Non Fiction, Social Media, The Writing Process, Writing, Writing Tools31 Comments

On a beautiful spring day in April, I joined approximately one hundred and twenty fellow delegates at the Stamford Court Conference Centre, the University of Leicester for the 5^th Self-Publishing Conference hosted by Troubador Publishing.

I had wanted to attend this conference for some years, but life stuff inevitably took over, and the date never worked. However, 2017 was the right fit, and I was eager to dive in and learn as much as I could. Continue reading “Review of the #SelfPublishing Conference hosted by @matadorbooks “ →

Guest Post by @RSinclairAuthor #BlogTour @Bloodhoundbook

On April 5, 2017April 5, 2017 By shelleywilson72In Authors, Blog Tour, Bloodhound Books, Books, Crime, Reading, The Writing Process, Thriller, Thriller/Mystery, Writing6 Comments

I’m delighted to host a guest post by popular author, Rob Sinclair as he tours the blog-o-sphere with his latest release, The Red Cobra.

A typical writing day

When I was given the idea of writing a blog about what constitutes a typical writing day for me – about three weeks ago now – I was in a good run of form drafting my latest book. At that point I thought I new exactly what I’d write about; the process I go through to draft a new book. Now, though, three weeks later, I’m struggling a bit because I’m just not sure that ‘typical’ is really the right word to describe what I was going to say.

The answer I’d intended to give, and the one I often give to people when they ask about how I write a book, is this: Quite a long time ago I decided on setting myself a word target each day. 4,000 was the number I chose. I really can’t remember why now, perhaps it was from my first couple of drafts, a daily average I’d noticed emerging. Wherever it came from it stuck, and I’m still using that target now, in the middle on my eighth draft. Targets like that aren’t for everyone, but for me it’s a great motivator. When I hit the target it always give me a real sense of satisfaction, and it really helps to break down the writing process into manageable chunks. Starting on day one with 80,000 words left to write is really daunting, so just taking it one day at a time helps a lot. 4,000 words a day might sound a lot, but I’ve found it easily achievable when I’m in the zone, usually taking me 4-5 hours of solid writing, followed by 1-2 hours of read through.

You might compute, therefore, that if I write 4,000 words a day, for five days each week, aiming for a draft of 80,000 words, that I could write thirteen books a year!!? So why am I only planning on writing two this year? Well, firstly because of editing. 4,000 words a day is just my drafting stage. Before publication I’ll go back through a book maybe as many as ten times, editing and re-editing and sometimes re-writing. Each of those read throughs can take anywhere from a week to a month. Still, that should equate to more than two books, surely? Maybe three or four at least?

But then you need to factor in that BIG missing ingredient; life. And by that I don’t mean playing golf and watching movies (well, not just those two things, anyway)…

The thing is, I’m not just a writer, I’m a stay at home dad as well. I have two sons, six and four, and my wife works full time. I (usually happily) pick up virtually all the childcare duties during the working week, whether it be breakfast, school runs, dinner, bedtimes, school holidays, sick days, teacher training days etc etc. That right there is a big chunk of my available time in the working week gone. When there’s no pre or post school club for the kids to go to my working hours are immediately cut to 9am-3pm. Suddenly 4,000 words a day becomes a bit more of a challenge.

Then there’s everything else that comes with being in the house all day, everyday. Cooking, cleaning, washing, gardening. That’s just the usual stuff. Oh, last week we were burgled, so I spent a whole day the day after organising new locks and security upgrades and talking to insurance and the police. The week before we had a carpenter putting in some new doors so I spent three days afterwards painting and finishing everything off. Today I’m writing blogs for the blog tour of my upcoming release of The Red Cobra. I do my own taxes, and keep my own business records, which takes time all the time. We’re in the process of remortgaging, which I always think will be simple, but which never is, and I’ve lost count of how much time I’ve lost, sat listening to the same music on hold to the bank the last couple of weeks. My phone broke the other day, cue 3 hours trying to get the new phone I bought to take the iPhone back-up without any hitches. We had leaking pipes outside. I’ve tried my best to fix it all – still monitoring as to whether or not I managed it. Today we’ve got a leaking toilet! Guess that needs sorting tomorrow. Plus please don’t forget the very important ‘me’ time I allow myself every now and then; exercise, reading a book, watching a movie. Oh yeah, and it’s a lovely sunny day today, I think spring has arrived. I’m expecting the annual list of the jobs that need doing in the jungle… I mean garden, to come from my wife any day now. Walls will need to be built, or repointed. Patios slabs cleaned – probably grouted too. Paint will be needed out there somewhere. Trees and hedges cut. Lawns mowed. And there’s always LOTS of digging involved.

But please, don’t think I’m complaining about any of this. It’s the life I’ve chosen. I really enjoy being a writer, setting my own rules, and writing when I want to (and can), but at the same time keeping the house and family together, and having the time to do all of those odd jobs in and around the house to make sure weekends are still free for the wife and kids. Plus, at least I’m not stuck in an office all day, like I used to be, working to someone else’s agenda. I never got along with that.

Coming back to the main point, then, is that when I think about the question at hand here: What does my typical writing day look like? The best answer I can give is that there’s no such thing as a typical day for me. And that’s perhaps the thing I love about being a writer the most.

Author Bio:

Rob is the author of the critically acclaimed and bestselling Enemy series of espionage thrillers featuring embattled agent Carl Logan, with over 200,000 copies sold to date. The Enemy series has received widespread critical acclaim with many reviewers and readers having likened Rob’s work to authors at the very top of the genre, including Lee Child and Vince Flynn.

Rob’s fourth book, the pulsating psychological thriller Dark Fragments, released by Bloodhound Books in November 2016, has been described as ‘clever’ and ‘chilling’ and an ‘expertly crafted’ story, and became an Amazon UK top 50 bestseller soon after its release.

Rob’s forthcoming James Ryker series follows on from the Enemy books, with the first novel, The Red Cobra, being released in April 2017.

Rob began writing in 2009 following a promise to his wife, an avid reader, that he could pen a ‘can’t put down’ thriller. He worked for nearly 13 years for a global accounting firm after graduating from The University of Nottingham in 2002, specialising in forensic fraud investigations at both national and international levels. Rob now writes full time.

Originally from the North East of England, Rob has lived and worked in a number of fast paced cities, including New York, and is now settled in the West Midlands with his wife and young sons.

Rob Sinclair Red Cobra final — Amazon UK | US

Book Description:

Carl Logan dedicated nearly twenty years of his life to the Joint Intelligence Agency. Now living in a secret location, under the new identify of James Ryker, he wants nothing more than to be left alone, the chance to start a new life away from chaos, violence, destruction and deceit.

It’s not long, however, before Ryker’s short-lived idle is destroyed when he is tracked down by Peter Winter, his ex-boss at the JIA. Winter brings with him news of the murder of a woman in Spain, Kim Walker, whose fingerprints match those of one of Ryker’s former adversaries who’s been missing presumed dead for years – an infamous female assassin known as the Red Cobra.

A cyberattack at the JIA led to the Red Cobra’s profile being compromised, and Winter believes JIA agents may now be at risk too, Ryker included. But Ryker knew the elusive Red Cobra better than anyone, and when he sees the grisly pictures of Kim Walker’s corpse, he has news for Winter – she isn’t the assassin at all …

So just who is the mystery dead woman? And where is the real Red Cobra?

The Red Cobra is a fast-paced thriller filled with twists and turns and intrigue that will appeal to readers of big-hitting thrillers by the likes of Lee Child and David Baldacci, and with echoes in its plotting and breadth of the globe-trotting spy thriller I Am Pilgrim.

You can find out more about Rob and his books on Facebook, Twitter, or via his website.

Thanks for visiting my blog, I hope you enjoyed this post. Want more? Connect with me here: Twitter @ShelleyWilson72, Instagram or check out my Facebook pages http://www.facebook.com/FantasyAuthorSLWilson and http://www.facebook.com/MotivateMeBlog. You can also find me on Pinterest

#TuesdayBookBlog Inspirations behind the Reading Group by @DellaGalton #GuestPost #Romance

On March 28, 2017March 27, 2017 By shelleywilson72In Authors, Blogging, Book Review, Book Reviews, Books, Fiction, Reading, Romance Fiction, The Writing Process, Tuesday Book Blog, Women's Fiction, WritingLeave a comment

I first discovered my next guest between the pages of Writers’ Forum magazine many years ago, and her sound advice has helped shape my writing ever since. As well as teaching me so much about the skill of penning a novel, short story, or article, I have also thoroughly enjoyed reading her fiction work.

So, I was delighted when my stalking paid off, and she agreed to write a guest post about her latest release, the next instalment in her series the Reading Group. It is my pleasure to introduce author, Della Galton.

One of the Inspirations behind the Reading Group

I really enjoy writing about friendship. It’s a theme that runs through many of my books. In the Reading Group series the focus is on female friendship. I have some amazing female (and male) friends. Some of them have been in my life for over forty years and some are newer, but they are all very important to me. Although I don’t ever transport real people lock, stock and barrel into fiction I do use elements of them and I do write about the issues that affect them.

Serena, the Main Character of The Reading Group April is a lady who struggles because she doesn’t fit into her family – she has always felt that she is not quite good enough. I have one or two friends who feel like this – in fact it’s surprisingly common.

And of course if your family aren’t supportive it makes friendship massively important. So Serena needs her friends more than most.

The Reading Group is about a group of friends who meet to discuss a classic novel each month and discover that – spookily – one of their lives mirrors the plot.

In April they are reading Jane Eyre and Serena, who’s headmistress of Poppins Private School, is half hoping that reality will echo fiction, as it has before, and she will meet her own Mr Rochester.

This doesn’t stop her from being slightly alarmed when her secretary arranges an appointment with Mr Winchester, the father of a troubled pupil.

It would appear that Mr Winchester has an ex wife who is also rather troubled (or possibly completely deranged!). To add to the drama there is turbulence (as there usually is) in Serena’s own family too. Serena begins to wonder if being a romantic heroine is all it’s cracked up to be…

The Reading Group April is out on 30 March.

The Reading Group Summer Holiday is out 27 April.

You can pre order both now.

You can find Della on her website www.dellagalton.co.uk or on Twitter, or you can find her on Facebook.

You can read my #review of The Reading Group: December HERE

Thanks for visiting my blog, I hope you enjoyed this post. Want more? Connect with me here: Twitter @ShelleyWilson72, Instagram or check out my Facebook pages http://www.facebook.com/FantasyAuthorSLWilson and http://www.facebook.com/MotivateMeBlog. You can also find me on Pinterest

Does Everyone Have a Book in Them? #selfpublishing

On March 22, 2017March 27, 2017 By shelleywilson72In Authors, Books, Fiction, Fun Stuff, Indie Author, Inspirational, mind body spirit, Non Fiction, Poetry, Self Publishing, Social Media, The Writing Process, Women's Fiction, Writing, Writing Tools, WWWBlogs23 Comments

At the beginning of March, I attended the Women In Business Conference in Coventry hosted by the team at Socially Shared. I wrote about the day over on my motivational blog; you can read that post HERE.

As well as attending this empowering event, I was also honoured to run a couple of the afternoon workshop sessions on the topic of self-publishing. Getting me to talk about writing, publishing, or books, in general, is an easy thing to do, but trying to shut me up can be quite a challenge. As it happens, I had forty-five minutes per session to share my knowledge, experience, and tips with my audience, so keeping it brief was a necessity.

Normally, when I attend various fairs and author talks throughout the year, I am inundated with people telling me how they would love to write a book. Some people are still shaping an idea, others have begun getting their story down on paper, and a few have reached the stage where publication is the next step. At the self-publishing workshops, there were only two ladies who were thinking about or had started to write. I was initially surprised by this feedback, but the more we got into the session, the more I realised how difficult it could be for people to know how or where to start.

As I write non-fiction, it was easy to base my talk on writing to enhance your business. My first two books were based on personal development classes I ran as part of my holistic health business; Meditation for Beginners and Vision Boards for Beginners.

Choosing a section of your business and turning this into a guidebook, a how-to book, or even a memoir can add another income stream to your company. It also works the other way too, as I am now asked to run talks and workshops based on my book How I Changed My Life in a Year.

Talking through the process of publishing via platforms such as KDP, Smashwords, Lulu, and Createspace showed my attendees how easy the procedure could be. We didn’t discuss dominating the best seller lists, or hitting huge sales targets; this workshop concentrated more on writing a book to use as a promotional funnel, sales tool, or a corporate giveaway.

I was delighted at the end of my sessions, to hear the majority of the ladies tell me how inspired they were to write. I was equally excited about the ideas they had unlocked throughout the forty-five minutes I’d been talking.

Does everyone have a book in them? Yes, I believe that’s true. I’m also fully aware that not everyone has the skill, time, or desire to write. However, it only takes one idea. A concept that can be cultivated into something wonderful, even if it means employing a ghost writer to pen a book with you.

I thoroughly enjoyed running both workshops and received incredible feedback during and after the event. I hope to continue to support the ladies who were inspired, and hopefully, in the future, run more self-publishing and writing workshops.

The photographs included in this post were taken by the event photographer, Faye Green. You can find Faye on Facebook HERE.

Let me leave you with a couple of questions. For the authors – is there a book you long to write but haven’t started yet? For the novice writers – do you believe you have a book in you, and if so what genre would you like to write for?

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