First, a belated Happy New Year, to those who follow the Gregorian calendar, (other New Year dates are available). I hope this brief update finds you well, at least health wise if not financially, and that 2023 will be better than the previous three!
So, to the point of this limited post.
Rottnest, by E.V Faulkner, was published by Sticks & Stones in May 2022.
It is featured on allauthor.com and is currently in the Cover of the Month competition. The cover was designed by myself, using Adobe Photoshop and postermywall.com
<p>They say not to judge a book by its cover but I need you to do just that. If you liked the cover of my book, <strong>ROTTNEST</strong>, please vote for it for the Cover of the Month contest on AllAuthor.com! </p>
<p>I’m getting closer to clinch the "Cover of the Month" contest on AllAuthor! I’d need as much support from you guys. Please take a short moment to vote for my book cover here:
<a href='https://allauthor.com/cover-of-the-month/14727/' rel="dofollow"><img src="https://allauthor.com/book/big/516720220520172050.jpg"> Click to Vote!</a></p>
It’s been described as ‘delightful’, ‘fascinating’, ‘intriguing’ ‘unique’.
Each month sees the release of hundreds of new book titles. Like the movie goers who queue outside the cinema for hours on the first day of a film’s release, I know many readers like to get their copies ASAP, like NOW!
Personally, I can wait, I like to be behind the curve; what can I say. But for those who can’t wait, here’s ten books you might like this month. I know I will be having a closer look at Philip Pullman’s ‘Book of Dust’.
1. Turtles All The Way Down by John Green – Expected publication: October 10th 2017 by Dutton Books for Young Readers.
Sixteen-year-old Aza never intended to pursue the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there’s a hundred-thousand-dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate.
Turtles All The Way by John Green
2. Origin by Dan Brown – Published October 3rd 2017 by Doubleday Books.
Robert Langdon, Harvard professor of symbolism and religious iconology, arrives at the ultramodern Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao to attend a major announcement—the unveiling of a discovery that “will change the face of science forever.”
3. The Ship of The Dead by Rick Riordan – Published October 3rd 2017 by Disney-Hyperion.
Magnus Chase, a once-homeless teen, is a resident of the Hotel Valhalla and one of Odin’s chosen warriors. As the son of Frey, the god of summer, fertility, and health, Magnus isn’t naturally inclined to fighting.
4. Without Merit by Colleen Hoover – Published October 3rd 2017 by Atria Books.
The Voss family is anything but normal. They live in a re-purposed church, newly baptised Dollar Voss.
5. All The Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater – Expected publication: October 10th 2017 by Scholastic Press.
Here is a thing everyone wants: A miracle.Here is a thing everyone fears:What it takes to get one.
All The Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater
6. Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan – Published October 3rd 2017 by Scribner.
Manhattan Beachopens in Brooklyn during the Great Depression. Anna Kerrigan, nearly twelve years old, accompanies her father to the house of a man who, she gleans, is crucial to the survival of her father and her family. Anna observes the uniformed servants, the lavishing of toys on the children, and some secret pact between her father and Dexter Styles.
7. The Core by Peter V. Brett – Published October 3rd 2017 by Del Rey.
For time out of mind, bloodthirsty demons have stalked the night, culling the human race to scattered remnants dependent on half-forgotten magics to protect them. Then two heroes arose…
8. The Silver Mask by Holly Black – Expected publication: October 10th 2017 by Scholastic Press.
A generation ago, Constantine Madden came close to achieving what no magician had ever achieved: the ability to bring back the dead. He didn’t succeed . . . but he did find a way to keep himself alive, inside a young child named Callum Hunt.
9. Forest Of A Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao – Expected publication: October 10th 2017 by Philomel Books.
Eighteen-year-old Xifeng is beautiful. The stars say she is destined for greatness, that she is meant to be Empress of Feng Lu. But only if she embraces the darkness within her.
10. The Book Of Dust: La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman – Expected publication: October 19th 2017 by Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers.
Eleven-year-old Malcolm Polstead and his dæmon, Asta, live with his parents at the Trout Inn near Oxford. Across the River Thames (which Malcolm navigates often using his beloved canoe, a boat by the name of La Belle Sauvage) is the Godstow Priory where the nuns live. Malcolm learns they have a guest with them, a baby by the name of Lyra Belacqua . . .
Some people write for pleasure, some people write to inform, some write for money, others for therapy. Whatever your reason, sometimes you might find yourself stuck for an idea. Don’t be; there’s loads of sites out there to get your creative juices flowing.
As a writer however, I would urge everyone to at least try to come up with your own ideas – take pictures, go for a walk, even in your own neighbourhood, take a bus ride and write down what other passengers say (old people are the best!), sit alone in silence for fifteen minutes, keep a dream diary, question yourself.
It’s a list day!
So you tried all that and today your brain went on holiday. Instead of trawling through your search engine, I have dragged together a list of 15 sites you might like to visit. I have included fiction, non-fiction, poetry and Y.A links.
1.Penguin Random House Writers Academy
Divided into categories – so you can find the genre you prefer. This is a shareable site, so you can add your own prompts if you like.
Primarily aimed at school students, but there is no reason why an adult could not find something of interest here. Can also be used to prompt essay writing as much as fiction. N.B: Star Wars fans might be interested to learn that this was set up by George Lucas as part of the George Lucas Educational Foundation (GLEF)
Snapshots of quotes, opening lines, pictures and more to get the juices flowing. Great idea as some of us are visually stimulated rather than through other people’s words.
Similar to tumblr. If you are not familiar with Pinterest it is like a massive series of online message boards. You can find quotes, images and text to get you started.
Hundreds of ideas to scroll through here, from the light-hearted and fun to more potentially serious issues. Click on one of the idea links and you are provided with some background to start you off.
For narrative and personal writing, the New York Times has collected ideas from students, who had previously been prompted to write something in response to articles in the NYT.
Ideas from tutors and poets, not just prompts but how to go about writing a poem on a theme. Contains links to poets and other helpful sites. You can download and print off a PDF of ideas so that you can get off the computer and let your poetic mind wander over paper!
Although this is a tumblr blog, and I already have included tumblr, I thought this was beautifully clean and simple in its presentation. Looks like a series of prompt cards with a single sentence or word.
Non-fiction writers don’t get much inspiration handed to them, so here’s a site for those of you who love writing creatively, but not fiction. He also has extra links at the bottom of the page – to push yourself!
Flailing Through Life 