Good morning I really want to share this great news of a sequel to Eternal Road from John W Howell. Here is a taster from Craig’s post and lower down a link to the whole post which I really recommend.
Let’s all welcome John Howell to the Entertaining Stories blog. John is a dear friend, one of my collaborators at Story Empire, and a prolific blogger. He’s also one hell of an author.
He’s here to tell us about his newest release. Please use those sharing buttons to help him out. I know he’s done it for me, and I’m pretty sure he’s shared your promos, too. The place is yours, John.
I am so pleased to be with you today, Craig`. I want to thank you for helping to spread the word about The Last Drive. I have been impressed on your ability to develop characters and storylines that are chock full of personality and excitement. I had not thought about creating a sequel to Eternal Road. One day though it struck me that the story was probably half finished. I decided that the characters deserved to at least have a story that was a definitive conclusion. I’m glad to say that I feel the story is complete now.
Formats available for the Tour: pdf, mobi and epub [sorry, no paperbacks]
Trigger Warning: A dark fantasy with sensitive mention of a character’s previous self-harm, mental health issues and alluding to the potential dangers of sexual attraction with regard to vulnerable teenage girls.
About Bloodstone
I didn’t think my life could get weirder, but I was wrong…
Fifteen-year-old Amelina Scott lives in Cambridge with her dysfunctional family, a mysterious black cat, and an unusual girl who is imprisoned within the mirrors located in her house.
When an unexpected message arrives inviting her to visit the Crystal Cottage, she sets off on a forbidden path where she encounters Ryder: a charismatic, perplexing stranger.
With the help of a magical paint set and some crystal wizard stones, can Amelina discover the truth about her family?
A unique, imaginative mystery
full of magic-wielding and dark elements, Bloodstone is a riveting adventure for anyone interested in fantasy, mythology or the world of the paranormal.
The 2nd book in the series, Golden Healer – The Curse of Time Book 2, is coming soon.
My alter ego is MJ – Mary Jane from Spiderman. I love superheros!
M J Mallon was born in Lion city Singapore, a passionate Scorpio with the Chinese Zodiac sign of a lucky rabbit. She spent her early childhood in Hong Kong. During her teen years, she returned to her father’s childhood home, Edinburgh where she spent many happy years, entertained and enthralled by her parents’ vivid stories of living and working abroad. Perhaps it was during these formative years that her love of writing began inspired by their vivid storytelling. She counts herself lucky to have travelled to many far-flung destinations and this early wanderlust has fuelled her present desire to emigrate abroad. Until that wondrous moment, it’s rumoured that she lives in the UK, in the Venice of Cambridge with her six-foot hunk of a rock god husband. Her two enchanting daughters have flown the nest but often return with a cheery, heart-warming smile to greet her.
MJ’s writing credits also include a multi-genre approach: paranormal, best-selling horror, supernatural short stories, flash fiction, and poetry. he has worked with some amazing authors and bloggers compiling an anthology/compilation set during the early stages of COVID-19 entitled This Is Lockdown and later she wrote a spin off poetry collection, Lockdown Innit.
She’s been blogging for many moons at her blog home Kyrosmagica, (which means Crystal Magic,) where she celebrates the spiritual realm,her love of nature, crystals and all things magical, mystical, and mysterious.
MJ’s motto is…
To always do what you Love, stay true to your heart’s desires, and
and inspire others to do so too, even if it appears that the odds are stacked against you like black hearted shadows.
Her favourite genre to write is
Fantasy/magical realism because life would be dull unless it is sprinkled with a liberal dash of extraordinarily imaginative magic!
He arrived on my doorstep looking like this. Well I had to ask him in I really could not leave him outside, what would the neighbours think.
It wasn’t so much what he was wearing, though, that threw me but more the aeriel sticking out of his head. Anyway he’d bought cake so I did what I always do in these circumstances and put the kettle on.
So Geoff, The Art Of Spirit Capture , that’s an intriguing name for a book. Knowing you the content will be as unusual as the title.
Here lets get that hat and aeriel off , it will save a lot of damage on the wood work.
Can you tell us, Geoff how did you find your Characters and the Main Protagonistfor the book?
In all my fiction, character is as important as plot, at least to begin with. Eventually plot begins to take precedence so I’m sure the story hangs together and is credible. But finding my main characters is crucial and I often default to people I’ve known down the years or come across in fiction to start my hunt.
The Art started life as a 500 word piece with one main character, the inventor of the spirit capture, Ben Wood. Logic would dictate the story followed him but I soon decided that wasn’t how I wanted to go.
In the 500 word piece you had to be in the know to take advantage of Ben’s discovery and invention. It was something that was being kept secret, to stop Ben being overwhelmed. A sort of mutual understanding amongst the locals to keep quiet.
It would better, I reasoned to begin the book with someone who knew nothing about the captures and their effect and have him or her discover what they were. And as is often best in fiction, put him or her in some jeopardy once the secret was revealed.
More tea vicar..I mean Geoff, it’s your dress, it is confusing me. Where did inspiration come from?
There is a Bill Forsyth film that I love. Local Hero came out in the 80s and made me fall in love with the Highlands of Scotland. It also has one of the great instrumental pieces in film, from Dire Straits, one of my favourite bands.
The lead character in Local Hero is a stressed oil executive from Texas who is dispatched to Scotland to persuade the locals of the benefits of allowing the oil industry in. He is bemused, out of his depth and beautifully played for a patsy as the locals, who want the money the oil will bring. They exploit his conviction that they will be against the exploitation. I wanted to capture a little of that confusion, that reversal of roles.
In the film there are several ‘characters’ amongst the locals and I knew I wanted to populate my community with a similar range. But also to give them differing and overlapping motivations.
Thus Jason Hales, recently single, redundant, with his brother in a coma and now homeless became my hero. His is a journey for sure.
Well all I can say is I am looking forward to reading this!
The Art Of Spirit Capture, here is the Blurb
Jason Hales is at his lowest ebb: his brother is in a coma; his long-term partner has left him; he’s been sacked; and Christmas is round the corner to remind him how bad his life has become.
After receiving an unexpected call telling him he’s a beneficiary of his Great Aunt Heather’s estate, he visits the town he vaguely recalls from his childhood, where his great aunt lived. Wanting to find out more, he’s soon sucked into local politics revolving around his great uncle’s extraordinary glass ornaments, his ‘Captures’, and their future.
While trying to piece his life back together, he’ll have to confront a number of questions: What actually are these Captures and what is the mystery of the old wartime huts where his uncle fashioned them? Why is his surly neighbour so antagonistic? Can he trust anyone, especially the local doctor Owen Marsh and Charlotte Taylor, once a childhood adversary, but now the lawyer dealing with the estate? His worries pile up, with his ex in trouble, his flat rendered uninhabitable and his brother’s condition worsening. Will Christmas bring him any joy?
Set in the Sussex countryside, this is a modern novel with mystery, romance and magic at its core, as well as a smattering of hope, redemption and good cooking.
Now if you don’t know of Geoff Le Pard and his blog TanGental where have you been? Here is his information and a list of all his fabulous books and where to buy them.
Geoff Le Pard started writing to entertain in 2006. He hasn’t left his keyboard since. When he’s not churning out novels he writes some maudlin self-indulgent poetry, short fiction and blogs at geofflepard.com. He walks the dog for mutual inspiration and most of his best ideas come out of these strolls. He also cooks with passion if not precision.
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My Father and Other Liars is a thriller set in the near future and takes its heroes, Maurice and Lori-Ann on a helter-skelter chase across continents.
Dead Flies and Sherry Trifle is a coming of age story. Set in 1976 the hero Harry Spittle is home from university for the holidays. He has three goals: to keep away from his family, earn money and hopefully have sex. Inevitably his summer turns out to be very different to that anticipated.
In this, the second book in the Harry Spittle Sagas, it’s 1981 and Harry is training to be a solicitor. His private life is a bit of a mess and he’s far from convinced the law is for him. Then an old acquaintance from his hotel days appears demanding Harry write his will. When he dies somewhat mysteriously a few days later and leaves Harry in charge of sorting out his affairs, Harry soon realises this will be no ordinary piece of work. After all, his now deceased client inherited a criminal empire and several people are very interested in what is to become of it.
The third instalment of the Harry Spittle Sagas moves on the 1987. Harry is now a senior lawyer with a well-regarded City of London firm, aspiring to a partnership. However, one evening Harry finds the head of the Private Client department dead over his desk, in a very compromising situation. The senior partner offers to sort things out, to avoid Harry embarrassment but soon matters take a sinister turn and Harry is fighting for his career, his freedom and eventually his life as he wrestles with dilemma on dilemma. Will Harry save the day? Will he save himself?
Life in a Grain of Sand is a 30 story anthology covering many genres: fantasy, romance, humour, thriller, espionage, conspiracy theories, MG and indeed something for everyone. All the stories were written during Nano 2015
Salisbury Square is a dark thriller set in present day London where a homeless woman and a Polish man, escaping the police at home, form an unlikely alliance to save themselves.
Buster & Moo is about about two couples and the dog whose ownership passes from one to the other. When the couples meet, via the dog, the previously hidden cracks in their relationships surface and events begin to spiral out of control. If the relationships are to survive there is room for only one hero but who will that be?
Apprenticed To My Mother describes the period after my father died when I thought I was to play the role of dutiful son, while Mum wanted a new, improved version of her husband – a sort of Desmond 2.0. We both had a lot to learn in those five years, with a lot of laughs and a few tears as we went.
Life in a Conversation is an anthology of short and super short fiction that explores connections through humour, speech and everything besides. If you enjoy the funny, the weird and the heart-rending then you’ll be sure to find something here.
When Martin suggests to Pete and Chris that they spend a week walking, the Cotswolds Way, ostensibly it’s to help Chris overcome the loss of his wife, Diane. Each of them, though, has their own agenda and, as the week progresses, cracks in their friendship widen with unseen and horrifying consequences.
Famous poets reimagined, sonnets of all kinds, this poerty selection has something for all tastes, from the funny, to the poignant to the thought-provoking and always written with love and passion.
Hi everyone guess who has come to join me today for a cuppa,
and a chat about her latest Blog Tour. Yes it my dear friend Marjorie Mallon.
Marjorie how are you today? Here get comfy, help yourself to some cake and let’s have a nice chat.
Just before we start a little Birdie has told me that your Dad is 91 years young today so let’s wish him a very Happy Birthday!
What gave you the idea for this book?
I think my lunchtime wanders in the Cambridge Botanical Gardens played a considerable part in creating this book. The beauty of the trees, flowers and the magical creatures of the garden: particularly a visit from a robin, and a dragonfly encouraged me to write Mr. Sagittarius. Moreover, my tendency to ‘people watch’ had a huge impact on the creation of my two main characters: Harold and William. I observed two elderly gents sitting in a coffee shop one day on my way to work. There was something so striking about them. Identical twins, both wearing beanie hats, and glasses.I just had to write about them! Their story sits amongst the poetry, prose and photography in a perfect way as if they were meant to be there.
Where do you get your ideas from?
All sorts of ways: observing people who ‘catch my eye,’ listening to conversations, (I love to eavesdrop,) appreciating the beauty of the world around us whether it be in its natural form, or expressed by art.
Do your family have any influence on your writing?
My family are probably sick to the death of my writing! I’m obsessed…
My dad (especially when he was younger,) was a mad keen golfer and talked endlessly about his love of golf. Now, I write and blog I can relate to that obsessive tendency!
I’d say that there are three main influences:
My father who has always had many fascinating tales to tell (he travelled all over the world.)
Also, my mother’s childhood in Malaysia and her move to Britain at the tender age of eighteen when she married my father. Both my mother and father are such interesting characters.
Then, there’s my eldest daughter who reads masses, writes too, and we share an interest in fantasy books. Though, Mr. Sagittarius is a bit different from my usual genre: YA fantasy.
Where do you like best to do your writing?
At home in my office. It is the only place where I have the peace to write. I also like writing at the seaside. I did this one year – went off to Brighton – to write for a long weekend and I loved it. I wrote in cafes, in the library and chatted to lots of interesting people. It was a blast! I’d recommend it.
Do you write better during the day or night ?
Daytime, early morning preferably. I never write at night, I like to sleep!
I think we have all learned a lot about you and how you approach your writing. Would you like another cuppa? Oh! Before I forget I do have another question for you.
It so kind of you to donate some of the royalties of this book to the Australia fund what let you to this.?
I felt so sad to hear about the staggering loss of the unique wildlife and species of Australia and the local people and fire rescue services caught up in such a monumental catastrophe, people losing their lives and homes destroyed too.
It is inconceivable to comprehend that: ‘More than 10 million hectares have been burnt, and this number continues to climb. That’s the equivalent of 40% of the entire UK.
Lives, homes, and an estimated 1.25 billion animals have been affected, including 30% of the entire koala population in mid-north coast of New South Wales. These catastrophic megafires are worsening the extinction crisis we’re already facing.’
Australia may be far away from my home in the UK but this is a stark warning. We must care for our planet, the effects of global warming are devastating and will only get worse if we choose to turn a blind eye. Time to take action.
I am delighted to say I have my copy of Mr Sagittarius and I am reading it for the second time, and seeing even more in it this time around.
As I said that is so kind of you Marjorie to help Australia, don’t you think everyone? Now let’s get down to some authorly facts.
Author Bio
Marjorie Mallon
I write YA Fantasy/Paranormal novels, Horror/Ghost short stories and multi-genre flash fiction as well as micro poetry – haiku and Tanka. I share book reviews, poetry, flash fiction, photography and inspirational details of my writing journey at my lovely blog home: https://mjmallon.com/
I work as a Receptionist/Event organiser for an international sixth form and live in Cambridge, England.
Kindle Cover Reveal
Blurb
Who Is Mr. Sagittarius?
And what is his connection to twin brothers, Harold and William?
When Harold dies, he leaves a simple memorial request
Will his sister Annette honour it?
Or, will the magic of the garden ensure that she does.
A magical story expressed via poetry and prose with photographic images.
Mr. Sagittarius is a collection of poetry, prose and photographic images inspired by the botanical gardens in Cambridge. It features a variety of my photos including: trees, a robin and a dragonfly! As well as this there are several stories, and even some Halloween poems!
I doubt I would have created Mr. Sagittarius if it wasn’t for these two amazing ladies: Colleen Chesebro (for her weekly poetry challenges and Charli Mills – Carrot Ranch (flash fiction challenges.) Both ladies have been a huge source of inspiration and encouragement.
Mr. Sagittarius is a magical celebration of the natural world, a story about the circle of life, with an emphasis on the changing seasons of the year and sibling relationships.
Huge thanks to my amazing cover designer and formatter: Rachael Ritchey who has done an amazing job creating the ebook, paperback cover and graphics.
Contents include:
THE GOLDEN WEEPING WILLOW (story and poem plus photo of a dragonfly)
GOLDEN WILLOW TREE (poem and photo)
ROBIN: ETHEREE (poem and photo)
LIFE LESSONS FROM BUDDHA (poem)
LIFE LESSONS FROM CATS – poem – (photo image via Samantha Murdoch)
MR. FROWNING TREE (poem and photo)
RAINBOW CHILD – story – (image of Tourmaline crystal via Samantha Murdoch)
FRIENDS FOR TEA (poem)
THE CANDY CORN MONSTER (Halloween poem)
CANDYFLOSS CRITTER (Halloween poem)
MR GHOST WITH EASE (Halloween poem)
DREAMING AT HALLOWEEN (Halloween poem)
ODE TO LOVE –ETERNAL (Ghost/love poem)
LOVE TAKEN BY DEATH: DIAMANTE (poem)
GHOST: SEPTOLET (Ghost poem)
A FACE ON BARK: ETHEREE (poem)
LOLLIPOP SUNSHINE TREE (poem and photo)
FOR MR. SNOWMAN (poem)
SERENA’S CHRISTMAS BUBBLE MONSTER (humorous story and photo)
BUBBLY SNOWMAN KISSES (poem)
THAT TWINKLE IN HER EYES IS MAGIC (poem)
THE OLD MAN OF SNOW AND THE SNOW SNAKE (story)
MY HEART IS A CAVE (poem)
MR. SAGITTARIUS (story)
MR. SAGITTARIUS DIED THIS DAY IN THIS SNOW DROP GARDEN (poem/prose/photo of snow drops.)
Marjorie Mallon is in conversation with Colleen Chesebro, let’s head over and join them 💜
Hello everyone! I’m thrilled to be part of an amazing writing community that helps to support other authors. We all succeed when we work together as a team. Today, please welcome poet and author, M. J. (Marjorie, aka Marje) Mallon and her newest creation, “Mr. Sagittarius, Poetry & Prose.” Marje is a regular participant in…
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