Wednesday 28 August 2013

Welcome Author Virginnia De Parte



Virginnia De Parte writes futuristic fiction, spiced with romance and adventure. She has three romances published as e-books and the fourth in the series about the genetically-altered Corban family is called ‘A Stellar Affair’ and is due for release in August/September. These are published by Secret Cravings Publishing.

Her other love is writing poetry and she is published in this genre as well, both on line and in hard copy. She has an erotic piece called ‘Memoirs of Lady Montrose’ just released with Total-e-Bound.

A love of words, and changing the way they are arranged, drives her writing. She endeavours to insert poetic prose into her fiction.  Setting her stories in the future allows her imagination to run riot and she waits for the world to catch up with her inventions, instead of having her work dated by the constant, present-day advances made in technology.

Virginnia belongs to writing groups and on-line critique lists, all of whom help to keep her on-track and well edited.

She lives in the aptly named Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, a land of beautiful scenery, four million people and a number of hobbits.


BLURB

Talents come in many guises.

William and Belinda, two genetically altered individuals meet years after leaving the government-rearing nursery for genetically altered infants. Their late development allowed them to escape a life devoted to the government's defence departments. If their skills are now discovered they are in danger of conscription by the government.

William, whose talent is to move through space between locations in the blink of an eye, has devoted his life to protecting other ex-nursery adults. Belinda occasionally uses her talent, lifting objects of great weight with her thoughts. Their meeting leads to love and a raft of problems both struggle to overcome.

Can they trust each other enough to allow love to bloom? Can they risk the renewed attention of the Defence Department?

A Talent for Loving explores an alternate reality and discovers the one talent neither Belinda nor William can control - love.


EXCERPT

She looked at him as he gazed out to sea. His thick brown hair hugged his head and small curls tucked around his ears. She tightened her arm around his waist and leaned into his chest. So far the day has been lovely. The view from the touring bus was so much better with higher expansive views than travelling the Great Ocean Road by car. There’d been several stops for photo opportunities, but this pause in the journey allowed everyone an hour to walk and explore, to feel the sand between their toes, and fill their lungs with ozone-laden sea air
“The surf’s building. There’s a blow on the way.” He pointed to the south. “See the breakers out there? They’re coming closer by the minute. I bet the wind gets up when they get closer to shore.”
She followed his gaze and looked out to sea before glancing back to the surf below them. Could that black dot be a seal? Or was it a surfer in a wetsuit? Oh God! No! She shook his arm and prodded his shoulder.
“Wills, is that a person in the surf? Whoever it is seems to be going out rather than swimming in. What do you think?”
Together they peered, watching closely until an arm was raised. Then a flailing and the dot disappeared.
“I think it’s a child. Here.” He pulled free, tore off his jacket and tossed it to her. In a second his shirt came off and he’d stepped out of his trousers and shoes in one fluid movement. Another breath and he’d gone. All that remained beside her were his dropped clothes.
He’d jumped.
Sure enough when she looked there were now two black dots in the surf, one larger than the other. Already the surf had grown and running through the waves a channel of calm water cut its way out past the breakers. Its smooth surface looked deceptively calm to anyone who didn’t know how to read the surf. This strong strip of undertow would have pulled the child out and she could see William moving across the surf, parallel with the breakers, away from the slicing strip that threatened to pick them up and carry them further out.
 She hadn’t even known he could swim. Surely he must be a strong swimmer? Why else leap into climbing surf? Another hole in the knowledge she had of William’s abilities.
Alone on the cliff edge she stared in horror, realising the danger he’d put himself in and she locked her gaze on the two black dots and concentrated as hard as she could. Would it work? Anything was worth a try, because standing here, windswept and abandoned, clutching the wooden railing with her one free hand wasn’t going to be of any use to William if she didn’t try and do something. With everything to lose if it didn’t work she locked her gaze onto the spot in the roiling water where he’d been visible a second beforehand and took her consciousness into the surf to search for him.

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Friday 23 August 2013

Inspiration



I’m often asked what inspires me to write.  I’d have to say anything and everything.  It could be a newspaper article, a photo, an obituary, an overheard conversation, an event, a person.  There is no limit to my imagination.

Sometimes all it takes is a thought, usually on the cusp of sleep.  It seems that when I’m relaxed my mind is most active.  I’ve written many a marvellous scene in my head just before sleep and it is entirely gone by morning.  If I really want to keep it, I get up and write it down, which I’ve done often.  Inspiration can come at the oddest of times.

People, their circumstances, and their reactions to life events help to inspire my writing.  There is no end to the remarkable courage of people in the harshest of times. Nor is there an end to malevolence.  I think these two facets of human nature inspire me the most.

At times, places inspire me.  It could be the history, scenery, splendour, desolation or despair of an area that invokes a tale ready to be told.

On a recent journey I spotted a road sign and thought it would make a great title for a book.  It seemed to have ‘stuck’ and within days another story was writing itself in my head.  Book number six, perhaps?  I won’t reveal the title just yet.  I’m still working on book number five.

I think perhaps there will always be something to inspire my writing and therefore, the stories will continue.

 Picture:FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Tuesday 13 August 2013

Welcome Author Dionne Lister


Dionne hails from Sydney, is an author, editor, has studied creative writing at Southern Cross University, writes fantasy, and suspense/thrillers, co-hosts Club Fantasci book club and the Tweep Nation podcast, is an advocate for professional self-publishing, has recently presented at the Sydney Writers Festival and has grand dreams of riding on a dragon.

Having received rejections from publishers and agents, Dionne, determined to realise her dream (the publishing one, not the dragon-riding one), set out on the path to publishing her own book. After studying writing, employing a professional artist to do her awesome book covers and getting her books edited, Dionne has achieved her dream. She has spoken at the NSW Writers Centre and the Sydney Writers Festival after being discovered by Kate Forsyth. Shadows of the Realm (e-book) has reached #1 on Amazon in two categories. She is currently writing the third book in the Circle of Talia Series. 


Shadows of the Realm



Blurb:

Bronwyn and Blayke are two strangers being drawn into the same war. Their world is facing invasion from the Third Realm. While they move unknowingly toward each other, they are watched, hunted, and sabotaged. When the Dragon God interferes, it seems their world, Talia, will succumb to the threat. Can they learn enough of the tricks of the Realms before it’s too late, or will everything they love be destroyed?



The young Realmists’ journey pushes them away from all they’ve known, to walk in the shadows toward Vellonia, city of the dragons, where an even darker shadow awaits.

Purchase Links


Connect with Dionne



Jeanette's 4-stars-plus book montage

An Offer He Can't Refuse
Emily's Affair
Taste
Rough Harbor
The Chosen One
Runaway Heart
Bared to You
Melodies of the Heart
Fifty Shades Freed
Fifty Shades Darker
Fifty Shades of Grey
Anon
Somewhere in Time
House Guest
A Cop, His Wife and Her Best Friend
Hero Of Her Heart
All In Time
Asking for Andre
Almost a Bride
The Fence My Father Built


Jeanette Hornby's favorite books »

Jeanette's bookshelf: diversity

In Love With Death
3 of 5 stars true
I liked the authors take on the Angel of Death and enjoyed learning about the individual characters. The story was interesting and I liked the way the author simplified the subject matter. With a little more editing and polishing, this ...
tagged: from-dec-2011-to-now and diversity
An Offer He Can't Refuse
4 of 5 stars true
A thoroughly enjoyable tale. I liked the characters and the situation they were in. A good read for romance lovers.
tagged: from-dec-2011-to-now, 4-stars, diversity, and favourites
All In Time
4 of 5 stars true
An interesting and enjoyable story. I would have liked the unique events to unravel slower and continue longer, but overall, the tale was quite engrossing. A good read.
tagged: from-dec-2011-to-now, 4-stars, and diversity
Bloodtrail
4 of 5 stars true
An intricately woven vampire tale that keeps you wanting more. The historical and scientific content was unique and engrossing. I particularly liked the way the author separated each character's story in the beginning and then tied the...
tagged: diversity, 4-stars, and from-dec-2011-to-now
House Guest
4 of 5 stars true
A short, creepy and enthralling story. The development of the main character and situation was strangely enjoyable. A good read.
tagged: from-dec-2011-to-now, 4-stars, and diversity

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