We’re shutting down
We’ve been running this blog as a shared enterprise for a couple of years now, and you might have noticed a lack of enthusiasm. That doesn’t have anything to do with you, our beloved readers. No, it’s entirely due to life exploding all around us. Some of us were hit by illness and took time to recover, others have become way too busy for one person, and others yet had significant changes in their job or personal life.
And then came the EU decision to protect the data of Internet users better than before, an idea highly anticipated by most Germans (at least the ones like me) and at the same time highly feared. And we were right … with both.
I, the one responsible for this blog, very much applaud the new law, effective from May 25th onward, that protects the rights of every little Internet user all over the world. However, the EU hasn’t figured out many details yet which means I’ll have to research and adjust all the blogs/websites I run and help to run (and I’ve got a lot of those) for an undetermined time period. Also they require an insane amount of paper work to prove that my websites are compliant. Naturally I’m trying to minimize my work.
And that, unfortunately, means I’ll have to delete this blog before May 25th.
Of course you can simply follow us on our own websites/blogs, social media accounts and so one. Here’s a list:
Katharina Gerlach
William L. Hahn
Debbie Mumford/Deb Logan
Sue Santore
Peter Cruikshank
Kristen S. Walker
All of us would be delighted to meet you there, and my site (and Will’s too since I’m webmaster there) at least will be 100% compliant with the new law before the deadline.
Thank you for reading and for staying with us this long.
The Independent Bookworm Crew
Author Spotlight: Jade Kerrion
Today, I’d like to introduce you to a fellow author who participated in last years Advent Calendar. You might remember her: Jade Kerrion.
She’s an USA Today bestselling author, defying (or leveraging, depending on your point of view) her undergraduate degrees in Biology and Philosophy, as well as her MBA, to embark on her second (and concurrent) career as an award-winning science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance author.
Her debut novel, PERFECTION UNLEASHED, won six literary awards. Jade writes at 3 a.m., when her husband and three sons are asleep, and aspires to make her readers as sleep-deprived as she is. You can find her on www.jadekerrion.com
Together with 22 other authors, she’s presenting a bundle of books for next to no money which will be released officially on 22nd of August. It’s well worth checking out. The other authors are: Kerry Adrienne, Bec McMaster, Felicia Beasley, L.B. Gilbert, Anne Renwick, Lisa Lace, Melle Amade, Michael Trozzo, Lily Thorn, Ilana Waters, Erin Richards, R. E. Vance, Cheri Schmidt, Tristan Hunt, CC Dragon, Bradon Nave, D.A. Roach, Katalina Leon, Boone Brux, Eric Padilla, Izzy Shows, M.H. Soars
What’s really cool is that you can get 15 of the eBooks right away if you preOrder the books on any eBook shop and let the authors know (it is NOT a signup page for the individual authors’ mailing lists, just a way to get your up-front books to you). As a bonus you’ll also get a coloring book (I think that’s a cool idea).
About the Bundle:
MYTHS & MAGIC sends you on a wild ride across universes where a safe return cannot be guaranteed.
Abolished magic returns to Earth. The Minotaur and Achilles clash. Telekinetic sorcerers, witches, and fairies discover their powers. Humans become cyborgs. Dragons prowl the depths of Iceland’s volcanoes.
All this and more is packed inside one boxed set overflowing with stories from today’s hottest USA Today and International Bestselling authors!
From dystopian thrillers to steampunk romance, from gothic fantasies to paranormal adventures, come journey with unlikely heroes, valiant shifters, rogue vampires, and even a sensual brujo. Dabble in scientific espionage, thwart scheming sorcerers, and challenge hordes of vengeful demons. And maybe fall in love…
If you’re ready for 21 exclusive full-length novels and novellas, including some BRAND NEW material, in a boxed set where vampires, shifters, ghosts, demons, and even Djinn haunt the pages, then fall into MYTHS & MAGIC, a collection of science fiction, fantasy, and a dash of paranormal romance that will take you to the edge of your imagination.
PreOrder today on Amazon to secure YOUR copy of this exciting collection or use a link from the page with all stores (Amazon, iBooks, Nook, Kobo): http://books2read/mmsff). And don’t forget to let the authors know, so they can send you your up-front books and the coloring booklet.
First New Titles of 2017!
I’m excited to announce my first new titles for 2017 … one for each of my pen names and both with a deep blue ocean theme 😀
First, Deb Logan gives us a new tale of supernatural discovery. We know you’ll enjoy meeting Maris, a fifteen-year-old girl whose world is about to be turned upside down when she encounters Salt Water for the very first time.
SALT WATER
by Deb Logan
Audience: Juvenile | Siren | Short Story
Maris, a fifteen-year-old girl from Wichita, Kansas has never seen the ocean. Intentionally. Her parents have an unreasonable fear of the sea. When Dad allows Maris to accompany her best friend on a family vacation to Portland, Oregon, he has no idea that their ultimate destination will be Cannon Beach … and the wild waters of the Pacific Ocean. Maris is about to learn the truth behind the family taboo against salt water.
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Buy Now: Amazon | Apple | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Smashwords
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Next, Debbie Mumford takes us on a mysterious ride as Meredith discovers the meaning of her dreams of drowning in deep water!
DEEP DREAMING
by Debbie Mumford
Audience: Historical Fantasy | General Audience | Short Story
Meredith has vivid dreams … of drowning in deep blue water, but she’s not unduly worried since she lives in St. Louis. When her father announces that he has accepted a prestigious position in Bermuda, she begins to wonder if her dreams have been precognitive. What will happen when she finds herself living on the edge of the deep?
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Buy Now: Amazon | Apple | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Smashwords
Author Spotlight: Donna Usher
Today, I’d like to introduce you to Donna Usher whom I met (virtually) through one of my Facebook groups. We got talking and I was fascinated by her story. It resembles the journey of many, many writers, don’t you agree?
The book she’s presenting today is the first in her trilogy. You can get it on Amazon for 99ct or for free on her website if you leave her your eMail address. The choice is yours, but you should really be reading this.
Why did you become an author? Was it a childhood dream?
I kind of accidentally became an author. I always enjoyed writing, and I loved reading, and I actually started writing a book when I was about 8. But then I had an English teacher that put me off and I kind of forgot about writing for a long time.
After I sold my dental practice I had a few months off and I started writing during that time. It took me a few more years before I actually sat down and wrote my first novel.
What’s your greatest obstacle in writing?
I don’t really have many obstacles with writing. I guess that makes me lucky. I’ve learnt over the years to recognise the signs that there is something wrong with the plot – that normally can cause what some people might call a writer’s block, but what for me is writer’s confusion. So now I go for a long walk and let the book play in my head like a movie and I normally work out pretty quickly where I have gone wrong.
What makes the world of your novel different from ours?
Well Faery Born is set in England, but it is a magical England where witches live freely with humans. There is also an overlay land in which the faeries live. And although there are cars and televisions and other modern conveniences, there are no weapons of mass destruction and no firearms.
Who is your favourite Indie author?
There are too many fantastic Indie Authors out there, and I have to admit often I’m not sure if what I am reading is Indie or not. But I really enjoy Shannon Mayer’s work.
Who is your favourite traditionally published author?
There are so many. I think Jim Butcher would be in a neck-and-neck tie with Stephanie Meyers. And lately I have been loving Kim Harrison’s Rachel Morgan Series.
If you could change one thing in your life, what would it be?
Hmmmm – More hours in the day, or to need less sleep. I think one of the things I am so jealous about in the Twilight Series is that the Vampires don’t need to sleep. I could get so much more done it I had that extra 7-8 hours a day.
About her Book
It’s been thirteen years since the Dark Years ended. Thirteen years since the mad War Faery responsible was imprisoned in stone. Now, with goblin attacks on the rise it seems Galanta, the Goblin Queen, is intent on returning the land to chaos and terror.
Isadora Scrumpleton is trying not to think about the Dark Years. She’s just been chosen by her ‘familiar’, found out she’s half faery, and discovered she’s dating the second-in-line to the Faery Throne. That’s enough for one teenage witch to handle. But when goblins attack her village, Izzy is forced into action, ultimately joining the elite Border Guard and attracting the attention of the Goblin Queen.
As Galanta weaves a web of deceit, Izzy struggles to control her powers. Will she be able to stop the Goblin Queen in time, or will the world be plunged into a dark new reality?
A few words from Donna Usher
Hi there, I’m Donna Joy Usher. I started writing my first novel when I was seven. With no idea about plot or character development (I mean I was only seven) my storyline quickly disintegrated into a muddled jumble of boring dialogue between two horses. Disillusioned, I gave up writing stories for quite a while after that. Instead, I concentrated on my studies, eventually graduating as a dentist.
After many years of ‘drilling and filling’ I turned to writing in an effort to escape the seriousness of my day job. During that time I created my first book, The Seven Steps to Closure, and discovered that I love nothing more than making other people laugh. Well that, and my husband and two miniature schnauzers, Chloe and Xena.
I currently live near the beach on the Swan River in beautiful Perth. When I am not working or writing, I love to paddle board, walk along the river and sip chai lattes at the local cafe.