How to quell those negative thoughts once a lousy review is received @rararesources @MiriamDrori #socialanxiety #fiction #giveaway #comp #writers

Quell those Negative Thoughts

by

Miriam Drori

I’ve been asked to write a ‘How-to’ article for writers. Me – what do I know that other writers don’t? Wait… is that me talking or my poor self-esteem? There must be some advice I can give. Well, yes, on my blog, “An’ de world came tumblin’ down,” aka miriamdrori.com, I’ve started to show writers what they could be doing with Microsoft Word that would make their lives easier. In my previous incarnation as a technical writer, I picked up some valuable tips. Not all of them are of interest to authors, but several are.

What else? What have I learned since becoming a published writer? Oh yes, there was that one-star review…

Back in 2014, not long after my first novel, Neither Here Nor There, was published, a one-star review appeared on Goodreads. My first reaction to it, after registering anger and bitterness to some fellow writers in a private Facebook group, was to look up the author of the review, and I discovered the suburb of Jerusalem in which she lived. For me, that helped to put her review in perspective. I’d always known that my book wouldn’t be liked by all.

Tip 1: Remember, no book will be liked by everyone.

In the novel, the main character leaves a very large but insular community. Even though anyone is free to leave it, I call it ‘escaping’ because she has to leave in secret and because it’s an enormous step for her. Clearly anyone remaining in this community would be against this novel, despite the fact that I didn’t portray their members in a bad light, in my view. My reviewer, living in this particular suburb, must be either in the community or very close to it.

Tip 2: If you can, find out about the reviewer’s background and why it might colour his/her view of the book.

I read the review again and noted the points I agreed with and those I didn’t. The former points weren’t good for my self-confidence as a writer. But I remembered my book had been accepted for publication by my publisher while the vast majority of those submitted had been rejected. This was what prevented me from seriously thinking of giving up.

Tip 3: If a reviewer makes a negative remark that may have some truth in it, learn from it. It might help you improve the novel in a future version, or improve your writing in general.

One thing the reviewer wrote was that the ending was too predictable. I shouted at her, “It’s a romance! How else could it end?” Fortunately, she didn’t hear me and neither did anyone else. I wanted to reply to her, telling her what I thought of her stupid comment. Fortunately, I was advised against it. I’ve read attacks by authors on reviewers; they never put the author in a good light.

Tip 4: Never respond to a reviewer except, possibly, to thank them for the review.

Then I forgot about that review and concentrated on the others. They made me feel good.

Tip 5: Read the good reviews. Read them again.

Some reviewers are just plain ignorant. They’re so ignorant that they don’t even know they’re ignorant. I once started reading a review for a book I’d read. The review contained a long list of ‘faults’ with the book. The first one said the characters talked about degrees F, but no one in Britain would measure temperatures in degrees F. My experience is that people in Britain refer to temperatures in Fahrenheit even today. But this novel was set in the 1960s when just about everyone talked of temperatures in Fahrenheit. I didn’t bother to read the rest of the reviewer’s list.

Tip 6: However confident a reviewer sounds, there is no guarantee that the reviewer is really as knowledgeable as they make out.

And one more tip…

Tip 7: All authors get lousy reviews.

Tell any author about your one-star review and they’ll tell you about theirs.

Nevertheless, despite knowing that lousy reviews are inevitable, I’m still hoping all the reviews for my brand-new novel, Cultivating a Fuji, are full of stars and praise!

 

Introducing…

Cultivating a Fuji

Convinced that his imperfect, solitary existence is the best it will ever be, Martin unexpectedly finds himself being sent to represent his company in Japan. His colleagues think it’s a joke; his bosses are certain he will fail. What does Martin think? He simply does what he’s told. That’s how he’s survived up to now – by hiding his feelings.
 

Amazingly, in the land of strange rituals, sweet and juicy apples, and too much saké, Martin flourishes and achieves the impossible. But that’s only the beginning. Keeping up the momentum for change proves futile. So, too, is a return to what he had before. Is there a way forward, or should he put an end to the search now?

Gradually, as you’ll see when Martin looks back from near the end of his journey, life improves. There’s even a woman, Fiona, who brings her own baggage to the relationship, but brightens Martin’s days. And just when you think there can be no more surprises, another one pops up.
 
Throughout his life, people have laughed at ‘weirdo’ Martin; and you, as you read, will have plenty of opportunity to laugh, too. Go ahead, laugh away, but you’ll find that there’s also a serious side to all this…

Purchase Link - mybook.to/cultivatingafuji 

Author Bio –

Miriam Drori has decided she’s in the fifth and best stage of her life, and she’s hoping it’ll last for ever. It’s the one in which she’s happiest and most settled and finally free to do what she wants. Miriam lives in a delightful house and garden in Jerusalem with her lovely husband and one of three children. She enjoys frequent trips around the world. She dances, hikes, reads and listens to music. And she’s realised that social anxiety is here to stay, so she might as well make friends with it. On top of that, she has moved away from computer programming and technical writing (although both of those provided interest in previous stages) and now spends her time editing and writing fiction. NEITHER HERE NOR THERE (currently unavailable), a romance with a difference set in Jerusalem, was published in 2014. THE WOMEN FRIENDS, co-written with Emma Rose Millar, is a series of novellas based on the famous painting by Gustav Klimt. SOCIAL ANXIETY REVEALED (non-fiction) provides a comprehensive description of social anxiety from many different viewpoints. CULTIVATING A FUJI takes the social anxiety theme into fiction, using humour to season a poignant story.

Social Media Links –  Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Pinterest, Instagram, Wattpad, website/blog and social anxiety blog.

Amazon page: Author.to/MiriamDroriAtAmazon

 Giveaway to Win copies of Neither Here No There and Social Anxiety Revealed 

(Open Internationally)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

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The follow up to the award-winning #WW2 #crime #novel by Jan Edwards has arrived!! Check out IN HER DEFENCE.

In Her Defence

by

Jan Edwards

Winner of the Arnold Bennett Book Prize

“Bunch Courtney’s hopes for a quiet market-day lunch with her sister are shattered when a Dutch refugee dies a horribly painful death before their eyes. A few days later Bunch receives a letter from her old friend Cecile saying that her father, Professor Benoir, has been murdered in an eerily similar fashion.

Two deaths by poisoning in a single week. Is this a coincidence? Bunch does not believe that any more than Chief Inspector William Wright.

Set against a backdrop of escalating war and the massed internments of 1940, the pair are drawn together in a race to prevent the murderer from striking again.”

Amazon US  / UK  /  AU

Indie Bound
Book Depository
Wordery
Waterstones

 Praise for Winter Downs: Bunch Courtney Investigation #1    

“This winning book felt Hardy-esque in places, with a strong sense of well-researched history.” - Lisa Blower; Author and Arnold Bennett Book Prize judge. 

“A satisfying mystery, puzzling and unpredictable with – like the times – an edgy sense of urgency and danger.”-  John Bainbridge; The Gaslight Crime Page.

“Brilliantly written characters and beautifully descriptive language.” - Kerry Parsons; Chat About Books.

Jan was born in Sussex, currently living in North Staffordshire. In addition to being a writer she is also a Reiki Master Teacher and Meditational Healer. Jan is available for interviews and appearances.

  

Other books by Jan Edwards:  Winter Downs: Bunch Courtney Investigation #1; Sussex Tales; Fables & Fabrications; Leinster Gardens and Other Subtleties;  Olive Hawthorne: Daemons of Devils End (book and script team for Dr Who DVD)  

For further information contact:

Penkhull Press at: https://thepenkhullpress.wordpress.com/

Jan’s blog page: https://janedwardsblog.wordpress.com/                        

email: jan@rowangrove.co.uk

Refresh your dialogue writing with @VirginiaHeath_ PLUS win a copy of her AMAZING book! #giveaway #regency #romance #wip #fiction @rararesources

HOW TO… Write dialogue without it being stilted

By

Virginia Heath

Dialogue is one of those things which brings characters and situations alive, but it’s a tricky skill to master. Done well, and a reader should be able to both hear and see the characters speaking; done badly, it becomes long, meandering and dull or worse, confusing.  

Bizarrely, despite writing perfect prose for a living, when that prose involves dialogue, for a writer certain rules of grammar simply have to be broken. For a start, people rarely talk in full sentences. We finish each other’s sentences, give abrupt one word answers to equally short one word questions. Often, the true meaning is all in the subtle nuances or pauses rather than the words themselves. Each character needs to have their own distinct voice, so the reader can identify them simply by the way they sound. As authors, we are always told to show not tell, however it is easy to fall into the trap of using dialogue to do this and overdoing it by attempting to get the characters to say everything. 

And then there is the tricky problem of animating your characters as they speak. This makes them feel real because humans are not static creatures. In fact, the truth is you cannot show an entire scene using conversation alone. There is a very good reason for this- as humans, 90% of our communication is non-verbal. That’s an actual statistic and something I always try to bear in mind when constructing a good dialogue scene. Body language often tells us more of the truth than the words coming out of a character’s mouth. As do the internal thoughts of the character whose head you happen to be in. Dripping those human qualities into the conversation enrich it.

Let me give you an example. In the early scenes of The Uncompromising Lord Flint, when the hero is tasked with escorting the heroine, his prisoner, to London to stand trial, I need the readers to empathise with both characters from their first conversation despite one of them apparently being a traitor and their conversation being an interrogation…

She snorted and tossed her head dismissively. “There will be no leniency nor a fair trial. Your courts will hang me regardless of what I say or do not say. I have been tried and found guilty already. Non?”

“Perhaps that is the way they do things in France, but back home…”

“Spare me your superior English lies. I am not a fool Monsieur Flint. My confession makes your job much easier, yet it will not help me. Whether it is by an English hangman or a French assassin, my life is soon to be taken from me.” Her dark eyes locked with his and held. Beneath the façade insolence he saw sadness and fear and wished he hadn’t. She was easier to hate when devoid of all human feelings. Knowing she possessed some made it difficult to offer false hope.

“Confession is good for the soul, or so I am told. You will meet your maker knowing you repented at the end.”

“My maker knows the truth already Monsieur Flint. I have nothing to prove to him.”

“Perhaps you do not understand the gravity of what you have done? Are you aware of the consequences of your actions?” He didn’t bother pausing for an answer. “This year alone, eighteen men have been murdered thanks to you. Granted, many of them had it coming. Seduced by the easy riches that come from smuggling, they were lured to participate in high treason and reaped the rewards. When you dance with the Devil, you inevitably get burned. However, ten of those men were servants of the crown whose only crime was doing their duty. They were murdered in cold blood.”

“Not by me. I am merely the messenger!”

Instantly annoyed and determined to control it, Flint stood and braced his arms to loom across the desk. “They were simply doing their duty, yet your people reacted as true cowards always do. They killed innocent men to save their own corrupt skins.” He opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out a sheet of paper. He didn’t need the list. Their names were forever engraved on his heart, but he appreciated the gravitas of an official document as well as the bolster to his resolve to remain unmoved by her.

“Allow me to tell you about them. Let’s start with Customs Officer Richard Pruitt. His throat was cut when he boarded one of your ships before Christmas last. He is survived by his wife and three small daughters, none of whom are old enough to remember their brave father.” A quick glance showed that her face had blanched but she still met his gaze dead on. “Shall I continue?”

She shrugged and turned her head away from his gaze. “You will do as you please. No doubt.”

“You have blood on your hands Lady Jessamine.”

Her mouth opened as if to speak then clamped shut, her eyes now fixated on a spot on the floor. Temper had him reeling off three more names just as coldly, each was met with stoic silence. Her body was as still as a statue, and her composure just as hard. “Are you proud of yourself Lady Jessamine? Do you feel no shame for what you have done? No compassion for the lives you have destroyed? The widows and innocent children left bereft and impoverished by your greed and avarice?”

Her head whipped around and those untrustworthy eyes were swimming with unshed tears. “You know nothing about me Monsieur Flint! Nothing! And I shall tell you nothing. You can name every dead man. Every member of his family. Blame me for every travesty. And I shall reward you with my silence. My secrets are mine to take to the grave! A grave I am fully aware I might lie in soon.” One fat tear trickled over her ridiculously long and dark lower lashes and dripped down her cheek. Flint had seen enough female tears to be unaffected, but the matter of fact way she swiped it away and proudly set her shoulders got to him.

His words had hurt her. Deeply. He knew it with the same certainty that he knew his own mind. Lady Fane had a conscience. Something he didn’t want to know.

 

~

The Uncompromising Lord Flint

By

Virginia Heath

Imprisoned by her past—set free by her enemy!

Purchase Link

Charged with high treason, Lady Jessamine Fane is under the watchful eye of icily calm Lord Peter Flint.

It's a task this spy won’t be swayed from, no matter how alluring his prisoner! Only it’s not long before Flint realises that tenacious Jess hides a lifetime of pain.

With so much at stake, can he afford to take a chance on their powerful attraction?

~

When Virginia Heath was a little girl it took her ages to fall asleep, so she made up stories in her head to help pass the time while she was staring at the ceiling. 

As she got older, the stories became more complicated, sometimes taking weeks to get to the happy ending. Then one day, she decided to embrace the insomnia and start writing them down. 

Despite that, it still takes her forever to fall asleep.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/virginiaheathauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/VirginiaHeath_

And now for the giveaway!

Win 2 x e-copies of The Uncompromising Lord Flint (Open INT)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days, then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, except for the winners’ information. This will be passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for the fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

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🎄This cracker is bound to put a sparkle in your Christmas this holiday! A book by Peggy Jaeger needs to be in everyone's stocking!

Christmas and Cannolis

by

Peggy Jaeger

With Christmas season in full swing, baker Regina San Valentino is up to her elbows in cake batter and cookie dough. Between running her own business, filling her bursting holiday order book, and managing her crazy Italian family, she's got no time to relax, no room for more custom cake orders, and no desire to find love.

 A failed marriage and a personal tragedy have convinced her she's better off alone. Then a handsome stranger enters her bakery begging for help. 

Regina can't find it in her heart to refuse him.

Connor Gilhooly is in a bind. He needs a specialty cake for an upcoming fundraiser and puts himself—and his company's reputation—in Regina's capable hands. What he doesn't plan on is falling for a woman with heartbreak in her eyes or dealing with a wise-guy father and a disapproving family.

Can Regina lay her past to rest and trust the man who's awoken her heart?

Amazon | The Wild Rose Press 

Merry Christmas!

💋An interview with an erotic writer – Louisa Berry @rararesources @louisaberry69 #swinging #erotica #fiction #author #interview

Vanilla Extract

vanilla (adj)

Having no special or extra features; ordinary or standard

Extract (v)

Remove or take out

Select for quotation, performance or reproduction

 Prologue

This could really be it. Snuggled up on his sofa on a cold Sunday afternoon watching a film. It felt so natural; so right. The log fire raging, red wine flowing, she was completely at ease in his arms. She knew he was a good man. She could tell, even though it was only weeks into this new relationship. He was honest, reliable and kind and he had huge potential as her partner, not to mention a body to die for. So why in the back of her mind did this niggling question keep raising its weary head? Instead of enjoying the moment and melting further into his well-defined chest, over and over again she wondered; “should I send the black latex cat suit back...?”

Bookshop | Amazon

When recently separated Lou decided to embark on a new chapter of her life, she had no idea where this journey of self and sexual discovery would lead.

Her lustful appetite for adventure was re-awakened and with every new, tantalising, naughty meeting Lou’s confidence grew, as did her need for more.

 An interview with an erotic writer -

💋Louisa Berry

How many unpublished books do you have lurking under your bed/in your cupboard?

I have only published the one book so far, Vanilla Extract, but my second book is out at the end of November.  I seem to be on a roll, as the third book has just been started and will be out next year.  I haven’t ever started writing a book and not finished it, but then again, I’m relatively new to this.  I do write a genre that seems to flow (excuse the pun).

Are your family/friends supportive of the genre you write in?

Because I write erotic fiction, I have to be a little bit careful here. My friends and family know all about my work and are supportive.  Some have told me, however, that they don’t want to read it, as it might be just a little bit too close to home as such, and they might get embarrassed by some of the explicit scenes. 

My older children also know and have even helped with my social media accounts, but my younger ones are just a little too young to understand what Mum writes about. 

Promoting is something ALL authors struggle with. How are you managing yours?

Promoting your book could be a full-time job if you didn’t already have a full-time job, children and a house to run!

I find that social media can be your friend if you use it well and frequently. I have built up a following on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and regularly post snippets of the script on them, as well as other related pictures and quotes that appeal to my audiences. 

What I really want is for Vanilla Extract to go viral as word of mouth spreads and people get to hear about it. 

Does writing energise or exhaust you?

Writing both energises me and exhausts me!  Writing can be therapeutic, productive and rewarding all at the same time.  It can be tiring when you find yourself still typing late into the night, and you know you have to be up early for work the next day.  On the flip side, writing is a perfect way to pass long journeys, particularly on trains and planes. 

Does (and how) your protagonist change/learn by the end of the book?

Lou develops her self-confidence, and how to react in situations that she has never found herself in before.  She is at an age where she doesn’t have to follow the rules she once took for granted in her married life.  Instead, Lou is finding now that she can pick and choose what scenario she wants to play out and with whom. 

Who would be your dream cast if your novel was made into a movie?

I’m torn with who my lead lady would be.  She has to be strong, intelligent and sexy.  A few contenders I’ve thought of are Emily Blunt, Natascha McElhone or Kate Beckinsale.  She has to be English to make it authentic and true to the book. 

How did you come up with the title of Vanilla Extract?

Given that the book is all about Lou exploring different sexual encounters and taking herself away from the confines of her traditional marriage, Vanilla Extract seemed the most appropriate and fitting title. 

Vanilla is the most chosen ice cream flavour, and it has come to represent the ‘norm’ when referring to sexual intercourse, e.g. missionary position.  The ‘extract’ part is all about Lou taking herself away from exactly that as she embarked on her journey of self and sexual discovery. 

Can you share a few lines from your best review of this book?

From Poppy on Amazon:

“…The confidence this lady has is just mind-blowing and I would love some of her energy ha ha!  This book has definitely made me take a step back and look at life and how much more fun it can be!!  Well written and some laugh out loud moments!  Thanks Louisa Berry - looking forward to the next one!!!”

What was the purpose of writing Vanilla Extract, e.g., to teach, to inform?

This erotic book was not written to teach people anything in particular, but it intended to change opinions.  Swinging has traditionally been seen as a sordid world in which ‘those people’ are seedy and dirty.  Swingers allegedly sleep with everyone who goes to those sorts of parties, and it’s all very lucrative. 

Instead, my research has shown that anyone with a high sex drive and a curious nature, who wants to explore their desires and push boundaries, can do precisely that. 

There are also rules and guidelines for doing that safely, which Lou learns along the way and imparts her knowledge humorously.  Lou humanises this subject and makes it relatable. 

Do the issues raised in your book affect your life/other people’s lives?

Apparently, issues raised in Vanilla Extract have affected other people’s lives.  One woman said it was her lightbulb moment; that she didn’t have to sleep with her date just because he bought her dinner.  This was something she hadn’t considered before.  She discovered that she was empowered and could say “no thank you.”

Another Facebook ‘friend’ contacted me and said, “Not to sound too rude but your book has helped me and my wife have fireworks again!”  What a brilliant reaction and very rewarding I have to say.

 

An American reader told me he read the book twice in quick succession: the first time he was shocked by the honesty and the humour and the second time he took notes as he was using Vanilla Extract as a guidebook!   

Author Info:

Vanilla Extract is Louisa Berry’s first published work.  
Louisa lives in Hertfordshire with her four children.  When she’s not on ‘Mum duties,’ she works full time in the finance sector at Canary Wharf in London. 

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