Something ‘Broken But Not Lost’ in my handbag

Broken

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ivy Logan is presenting the cover reveal of her gripping young adult romance, ‘Broken’.  It is a coming of age romance of sacrifice and love. As I am unfamiliar with this genre, I asked Ivy why I should place her supernatural fantasy adventure in my handbag.

Here is Ivy’s explanation:

Talia, my heroine, belongs to a time when there were no handbags. But for the modern reader, a handbag is all about a woman on the go with so much to do, places to go, things to achieve.

Broken is so apt for the modern reader, who is on the move, as you can pick up the at any time and find sanctuary in another world.  The novel will draw you into a magical world where women are not perfect, but love gives them the power and the courage to fight dragons. We all face dragons, in real life, for the love of our families.

Talia is fragile, has been hunted and has lost her entire family to an ancient curse. As an independent woman, she doesn’t need a prince to protect her, only to love her.  She has learned the best lesson in life- take a stand and face your nemesis head on.

This book offers young girls a female hero who believes in, her family, love and friendships. Although a fantasy, this book has a significant message.  Broken is the portrayal of a strong woman who deals with violence, bullying, grief and sacrifice.

Talia may live in a fantasy world, but like any girl in modern society, she has her own problems and insecurities to overcome before she is strong once again.

It is intriguing the way Ivy has presented an inspirational message in the story. Ivy weaved her magic and had me hooked on her clever tale, and I read the blurb to discover more…

The dark shadow cast by an ancient prophecy shatters an innocent family, but all that is broken is not lost.

Unaware of her supernatural legacy, half blood sorceress Talia has a unique childhood. Although protected by the love of her parents, Talia is instructed in the art of combat by her mother, Caitlin, a powerful sorceress of the Heichi clan.

When Talia’s family’s worst nightmare comes to pass, her protected life spins out of control. Everything she believes in and everyone she loves is cruelly snatched away and Talia is forced to flee the attentions of a mad king.

Choosing a path of retribution devoid of love and friendship, Talia comes to learn that love can be received even if it is not sought.

Broken’ is a tale of Talia’s coming of age, reuniting with her family, and seeking vengeance. Most of all, it chronicles, Talia’s rise from the ashes and how she finds herself again.

Set against a background of time travel and supernatural forces, read Talia’s epic saga of love, sacrifice, and discovering the hero within.

Once the magic spell of the blurb had been cast, I asked Ivy to present some magic words from the story…

Caitlin finally saw a way out of her torment. She had been born a guardian and it was now time to don the mantle again. She had to protect her little family.  She and the cursed child must be separated from each other. If they were not together, the prophecy could not come to pass.

But how does a mother choose? Choosing between her children seemed implausible and unthinkable, but for the sake of her family, she had to do it. She had to know which child lived under the shadow of the curse.

In little Joshua, who was so innocent and without guile, Caitlin saw Michael and the peace and calm he brought to her life. In Talia, she saw an image of herself, the strength, the promise of power, and unfortunately, the pain it could bring. Talia was the half blood; the prophecy predicting Caitlin would betray the Heichi on account of her child had to be related to Talia.

Broken Not Lost‘ is yet to receive reviews.  However, the prequel, Origins – Legends of Ava, has received wonderful reviews and this bodes well for the release of the novel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

What do the reviewers say about the prequel to Broken, titled, Origins –The Legend of Ava?

‘What an introduction! It just leaves you hungry for more. Ivy Logan knows how to build a beautiful scenario even if it is a tragic one. The taste of her mythology is a fresh one. I can’t wait to read more.’ Selene Kallan

‘I have just had the pleasure of reading this short story and prequel to Broken; book one of The Breach Chronicles. The author has introduced the reader to a world where supernaturals live on earth and the complications that this can bring. In this story we meet Ava and the Heichi sorceresses and what a gripping start to the story it is when tragedy and subsequent decisions surrounding this, creates unease among the supernatural. This is a story you must read and it has left me wanting more. I hope it isn’t too long before Broken is released so that I can find out what happens next.’ Ann Walker

‘Picture the opening scene… The beautiful yet unassuming girl, the bad boy rebel… A budding romance. Without giving too much away, they don’t feature all that long in plot. This novel starts as it means to go on, it take all those YA tropes and lets you know that isn’t going to happen here.
I’m genuinely excited to read more of this story. The world being built is rich and new. I’m an artist and I’m already itching to bring to life on paper. The characters are, for lack of a better word, human. Flawed in a real sense that allows you to emphasize with them. The multi perspective way the story is presented allows for a 360 view of events. A very important factor to this introductory piece. I can’t wait for the next installment!’ Faith Summers

‘Ms. Logan has done a great job of setting up the premise for Broken, Book 1 of the Breach Chronicles. The characters are well described, their emotions jumping off the page, and all beautifully worded. I’m looking forward to reading the first installment of the series as this prequel peeks my interest to the epic saga that is to follow.’ Jacky Dahlhaus

 

 

Broken is Book 1 of The Breach Chronicles.   The cover evokes intrigue and Ivy’s writing has the magical quality required for this genre. I believe the readers will not leave this fantasy world until they are reassured that all is ‘Broken But Not Lost’.  This is Ivy’s debut novel and I wish her all the best with her magical adventures!

 

Please see my blog at jessiecahalin.com.

 

Books HG Wells didn’t write

Mount Tryfan – My first encounter with the mountain where the Martian cylinder crashed in ‘The Day Of The Martians.’ A research trip to Snowdonia, North Wales, on December 27th 2015.

Glancing out of the window, I noticed a black sky with scorched stripes of amber light. Marbled clouds proceeded to march across the sky.  My computer screen went black. A single radio wave appeared on my screen, and the distant sound of a radio tuning into a station transformed into enigmatic music.  A silhouette appeared on the screen of my laptop. H.E Wilburson had arrived in cyberspace to tell me more about The Martian Diaries Trilogy.   

Jessie:  Hello H.E.  I’m glad you’ve arrived safely.  I hope the Martians are behaving.  This is all very mysterious.  Tell me more about The Martian Diaries.

H.E Wilburson: The Martian Diaries Trilogy is a continuation of H.G.Wells’ The War Of The Worlds, and hopefully an engaging sequel to the iconic scifi classic. Book 1, The Day Of The Martians, features the original characters battling a new Martian invasion in 1913 in a 2 hour audiobook with specially composed music.

Martian Diaries audiobook

Jessie: This is a clever concept for a book.  I now understand why you’ve decided to meet me in cyberspace.  What do others think about your audio book?  Have any Martians made contact?

A radio crackled then I heard paper being shuffled. 

H.E Wilburson: You’ll have to listen to my book to find out if the Martians have made contact.  I’ve had some great reviews from people who have dared to enter my world.

Readers Favorite 5 star – Justine Reyes I implore fans of H.G. Wells and fans of the science fiction genre to listen and savour the adventure which H.E.Wilburson has given us. This was more than an audio book. This was, in many ways, a wonderfully executed tribute to H.G. Wells.

Rony Campbell Breakaway Reviewers – If you are, like me, a fan of ‘The War of the Worlds’ then download this audiobook. Discovering it has left me with the feeling that sometimes in life, amongst all the boring stuff, something comes along to shake up your life and make you grateful for other people’s creations.

Gabriel Blake Goodreads – To follow up something as legendary as ‘War of the Worlds’ is not an easy accomplishment and H.E.Wilburson should be very proud. Very proud indeed. I highly recommend giving this a listen, it will surprise you. It follows on from the original albeit a few years later, with the same cast of characters. It is tense, dramatic, and powerful. The narration and music: superb. I cannot praise ‘The Day of the Martians’ enough.

Jessie: Can you give us an extract from your novel that will tempt a reader.

H.E Wilburson: “The terror of the coming of the Martians was all but a distant memory, a bad dream that had faded with time. Unfolding the Daily Chronicle, I read and realised to my horror the discovery of a Martian cylinder…”

The Martian cylinder was moved out of London to its new position close to Reculver, near Herne Bay, on the north Kent coast.

Jessie:  This Martian Cylinder intrigues me.  Can you tell us more? I can hear a transmission coming through my earphones.  The Martians have sent two audio chapters of my book.

Find it in cyberspace at:
https://youtu.be/iL7hxm5fJ7c

Jessie: How did you feel when you had finished writing your book, and did you miss any of the characters?

H.E Wilburson:  The Day Of The Martians was completed as an audiobook with my own musical compositions and sound effects. However, my sense of achievement was overshadowed by the daunting task of writing the second book in The Martian Diaries series. Lake On The Moon is more than twice the length of the first book, and is a much darker tale, containing my answers to questions that H.G.Wells left unanswered in the original plot of The War Of The Worlds. Once the trilogy is finished, I’m sure I will miss the primary characters that have shaped the trilogy, such as Ogilvy the astronomer, the Artillery Man and of course the writer/narrator, who I named George after Mr Wells. The Martian Diaries series is very much a work in progress until book 3, Gateway To Mars is actually completed – hopefully before the end of 2019.

My favourite place to write

Jessie: Who would you like to read your book and why?  This could be another author, someone famous, a friend or a member of your family. 

H.E Wilburson:  I would have liked H.G.Wells to have read my book and to hear that he enjoyed it.

Jessie: Why should I keep your book in my handbag?

H.E Wilburson:  Because it is the continuation of an iconic book to be listened to more than once. Most of us can identify with wanting a sequel to a story that we have enjoyed. Hopefully my book has been done well.

Jessie:  What is the last sentence written in your writer’s notebook?

H.E Wilburson:  When I have finished the third book in The Martian Diaries trilogy my final sentence will probably be… “I have my life back!”

Jessie: What is the biggest challenge for an author? 

H.E Wilburson:  For me, the biggest challenge is making the reader care about the characters.

Jessie: What is the best advice that you have received as a writer?

H.E Wilburson:  Keep going

H.E. Wilburson not singing in the rain

About H.E:

The author prefers to be known as H.E, has been composing music all his life but only within recent years has felt the urge to actually use his storytelling and music.

H.E would rather be composing music than writing. Has a particular affinity to Wales, having been born there, and has a compulsion to visit any time he is within 50 miles. H.E. is driven to create something special and as long as he has done his best, nothing else matters.  He loves grey days, the great outdoors, and especially being by the sea.

Cosy nights in with a good film are particularly appealing, especially if it can prevent him from falling asleep.

 

Please see all my author interviews at My Guests and my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

Not Brighton Rock

I meandered towards the café to meet with Liz Young

Brighton Pier glistened in the sunshine, as I meandered towards the café to meet with Liz Young.  A holiday mood inspired me to buy some Brighton Rock as a gift for Liz. Amused that the stick of rock very different to the rock in Liz’s science fiction book, I hoped Liz would appreciate my humour.  Seated outside, Liz smiled as soon as she saw me. She wore a pair of silky trousers in navy dotted with tiny white flowers, and a toning Tee-shirt. 

A holiday mood inspired me to buy some Brighton Rock as a gift for Liz

Jessie:  Pleased to meet you, Liz.  I thought you would like some rock. 

Liz:  Great minds think alike.  I thought I would show you some of the volcanic rock that inspired my idea for The Volcanic Race.  Here’s a picture on my phone. The real Brighton rock is over there somewhere.

We both laughed as Liz pointed to the coastline.

Jessie:   It is different to my usual read but sounds intriguing.

Liz:  Other reviewers have made the same comment but have been surprised.  One reviewer said:

‘This is not normally the type of book I would read, but I have to say it’s some of the most fun I’ve had reading in a long time. What an adventure. Ms. Young has quite the imagination. Her fantastic characters were believable, and the action left me breathless. I’m looking forward with great anticipation to her sequel.’

Jessie:  That’s a great review.  Your creativity appeals to me.

Liz:  Yes, I am pleased that other reviewers have appreciated my imagination.  Here are two other reviews of the same ilk.

‘I can’t recommend this book highly enough. Very well written and imaginative and has left me wanting to read the second book to see how the story develops. A must buy for anyone and everyone.’

‘I never thought I would enjoy this style of book. Wrong! Started it and couldn’t put it down. Had to, because, you know: sleep, cook, etc.’

Jessie:  You must be so pleased with the response. It is quite a skill to take a unique concept then bring it to life.  Tell me more about the novel.

Rock – of the volcanic kind – a photo of Guaza Mountain, showing the face in profile, which readers will recognize from Liz’s book.

Liz: The Rockmen of A Volcanic Race are created from liquid rock inside a live volcano, but young Tomboro also has psychic powers.

Although his mother tries to prevent him developing his gift, he finds the strength to break free of her influence while on the journey his clan makes to a distant volcano, but what begins as an adventure develops into a perilous race to save their own lives – and that of the baby which should be theirs.

Jessie:  You have certainly woven an intriguing plot.  I am interested in how you tell the story.  Could you read an extract?

Liz took the book from her a shoulder bag printed with the logo of ENCUENTRO. Encuentro means ‘Meeting’ in Spanish. She read an extract.

Red-hot stones fell from the slate-grey sky – a solid rain that was dangerous, especially for children. Yakan turned his back on the chaotic scene below and herded his people into the relative safety of their caves.

Jessie:  The writing is powerful, and you must have used lots of creative energy to tell the story.  How did you feel when you had finished the novel? Did you miss any of the characters?

Liz: To some extent I felt relief that my novel was finally worth printing! A Volcanic Race evolved from the first book I ever wrote and has undergone several sweeping changes to reach its final form.

As for the characters – they are still waiting back-stage. Some have already made an appearance in my next book, Wolf Pack, and all of them are due to resurface in the final book of my Living Rock series.

A Volcanic Race by Liz Young

Jessie:  Who would you like to read your book and why?  This could be another author, someone famous, a friend or a member of your family.  

The more the merrier! Seriously, though, I had my family in mind when I wrote it.

I wanted to be able to put my book in their hands and say, “See – my writing is more than just a hobby to keep me out of mischief.”

Authors? If I must pick one author out of many, I would chooseTerry Pratchett, who is the one writer whose books I can read more than once – I have most of his books on my bookshelf. Unfortunately he would have to read mine in a spirit version – do Amazon offer that option?

Jessie: Why should I keep your book in my handbag?

Liz: To read it twice. One friend told me he’d been unable to put it down and read it so fast he was sure he’d missed a lot, so he was going to read it a second time, more slowly. The best review I’ve had, in its way.

Jessie: What is the last sentence written in your writer’s notebook?

Liz: In truth the last sentence is a draft of this week’s flash fiction, but my ‘note to self’ before that is ‘Research prehistoric African grassland animals’ – a reminder for my next book.

I have kept notes ever since my days in a busy Housing Association office, where half a dozen requests could land on my desk at once, and I can’t rely on my memory.

Jessie:  What is the biggest challenge for an author?

Liz: My biggest challenge, apart from finding time to write while catering to the needs of various family members, is getting my book out there.

I tried to find an agent before self-publishing – in fact I signed a contract for a different book but the agent couldn’t find a publisher. Now I am struggling, as I suspected I would, to grasp the intricacies of self-publicity. Two local magazines have featured me and AVR on a half-page spread, and every week I publish flash fiction on my blog with a direct link to my book, yet neither have shown any discernible effect on my sales.

How other authors make that transition from double figures to hundreds or – in my dreams – thousands, remains a mystery.

Jessie: What is the best advice that you have received as a writer?

Liz: I have received so much help and advice from my online friends in Writing Magazine’s TalkBack forum that it is difficult to select one, unless it’s ‘Hang in there and keep writing.’

Liz Young, author

Liz is now back living in Sussex after fifteen years in Tenerife, where the variety of rock formations and colours inspired her writing – she says she still misses speaking Spanish, but is glad to be away from the excessive heat.

When Liz is stuck in her writing she goes for a walk, running different scenarios and conversations through her mind – sometimes aloud, which has been known to disconcert passers-by.

Liz has four children – all adult now – which may explain why she likes cooking for large parties, the most recent of which was a full English breakfast for thirty friends on the terrace of her Tenerife apartment.

Liz’s lovely humour and positivity made her great company.  She was animated when talking about her book and made me want to find out more.  I believe it is always important to test new genres as it can feed the imagination and spark an unexpected plot twist in one’s own novel.  The sun shone as if we were in Tenerife throughout out meeting.  The best of luck to Liz with her writing.  I urge you to look at Liz’s imaginative story.  Her next book is entitled HELTER-SKELTER and will be released soon.

 

Please see all my interviews at My Guests and my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

 

A book from another world in my handbag

It is great to challenge ourselves with new genres, and ‘We Other’ is a dark fairy thriller. According to reviewers, ‘We Other’ is a magical novel to inspire the imagination. ‘In the book you will meet faeries you would never want to meet on a dark night,’ explained, the author, Sue Bentley. Intrigued, I asked Sue to address her readers, and tell us more about her novel.

 

 

Dear Readers – I am delighted to present We Other.

In this extract we meet Jess Morgan, a loner who doesn’t fit in and has few friends. Her life is about to change in ways she could never have imagined.

I chose this extract to introduce Jess, whose story this is. She’s feisty, difficult and street-wise – with good reason – but she’s vulnerable too, with a good heart.

The reader should be tempted to place my book in their handbag because it’s a complex and rewarding read, with many twists and turns which will keep them guessing.  I’m rooting for Jess and I hope you will too, once you get to know her.

Best wishes and I hope you enjoy the extract. Happy reading!

Sue Bentley

 

Words from the book…

And then looking through the opening into the final gallery, Jess caught sight of a large painting hanging by itself. Her breath quickening with excitement, she walked rapidly towards it.

There was a small crowd of people in front of the painting. She could only glimpse details through the shifting bodies, but she knew it was the one. She hung back, wanting to prolong the moment when she stood face to face with that figure wrought from shadows. Leave me alone with it, she thought. Go away. All of you.

Oblivious to the air around her tingling and shimmering, in a way that was beginning to feel familiar, she stared at the painting. As she moved forward, time seemed to shift into slow motion. A slew of sound echoed hollow and discordant in her ears as every person standing in front of the painting turned in a single movement. They looked at Jess with glazed eyes, before drifting sideways in a single body, moving as if in the steps of some tightly choreographed dance, and melting from the gallery.

Everyone else had somehow left too, she realised. She could see people strolling around the other galleries through the archways. But here, she was alone. In the sudden stillness Jess caught her breath. The painting was revealed to her in its entirety. Or as she thought oddly, it revealed itself to her.

She was not disappointed by what she saw.

More about the book…

Jess Morgan’s life has always been chaotic. When a startling new reality cannot be denied, it’s clear that everything she believed about herself is a lie. She is linked to a world where humans – ‘hot-bloods’ – are disposable entertainment. Life on a run-down estate – her single mum’s alcoholism and violent boyfriend – become the least of her worries. Drawn into a new world of rich darkness, she finds herself torn between love, family and a growing sense of a new, powerful identity.

Strapline for the book – Fairies you never want to meet on a dark night.

What the reviewers say…

‘Darkly delicious. Lights the blue touch paper and runs away.’ Peter J Goodchild

‘Absolutely magical. Compelling story and gorgeous writing.’  Freda Warrington – award winning author of 21 fantasy novels

‘Give yourself time. You won’t want to put this down.’ Ruth Webster

More about Sue…

Sue Bentley is fascinated by English Folklore, the extraordinary in the everyday and the darkness that hovers at the edges of the light.

Sue says…

Louis Armstrong says it best – ‘the bright blessed day and the dark sacred night’ You can’t have one without the other.

I always enjoyed ‘real’ fairy tales – not the sanitised Disney versions. For example, in some versions of Cinderella – the ugly sisters snip off their toes to be able to cram their feet into the glass slipper.

I was that kid in a class of pink tutus who was dressed as a vampire bat. I never wanted high-heeled dancing shoes, I wanted sturdy boots to go tramping around forests looking for the shapes of goblins in the trees.

As for characters – Goody, Goody is all very well, but it can get boring. We all love the ‘bad’ characters who do doubtful things – they’re much more fun to write about.

I am intrigued by Sue’s exploration of the ‘darkness that hovers on the edge of light’ and wonder what she presents to the reader in ‘We Other’.  The extract evoked my imagination, and I wanted to know why Jess ‘wasn’t disappointed’.  This novel sounds as if it will challenge the boundaries of the imagination, as it has done for the reviewers.

 

Please see all my extracts at Book Extracts and my blog at jessiecahalin.com.