Category: promotion

Clint, the author of “My names Marcia” talks about another of his books, “Art school blues”

CAN WE START WITH THE SYNOPSIS OF YOUR BOOK?

Dora Roberts is the new kid at Crestwood School of the Arts. She’s the artist with a quick wit and a quicker mouth. All she wants is to find her way and make a few friends. Benji Carmichael is the weird kid, the girl with a boy’s name and short blue hair. All she wants is to play her trumpet and avoid the bullies that are determined to torment her. 

Neither of them is looking for love, But sometimes love finds you. This is the story of two teenage girls finding themselves, finding each other, falling in love and falling apart.

This is Art School Blues.

WHAT ARE YOUR BOOK’S UPSs? WHY SHOULD READERS PICK YOUR BOOK OVER SOMEONE ELSE’S?

All of my books feature LGBTQ+ characters and storylines, and that’s by design. As a parent of LGBTQ+ kids, and a teacher at an inner city school of the arts, I go out of my way to write books that are inclusive, thought-provoking, powerful, and meaningful. At the same time, I’m most known for creating stories with complex characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page, and for using dialogue and situations that make my readers laugh out loud and bring them to tears. Sometimes, I’ve been told, in the same chapter. Art School Blues is my eighth self-published YA novel and is written as a love letter to anyone who has ever felt lost, unsure, misunderstood, or has looked for a place to belong. It deals with love and friendship, grief and loss, joy and heartbreak. If you’re looking for a book that’s emotional, romantic, and heartbreaking right up until the very last page, this is the book for you.

TELL US A BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR

I have taught high school video production and English for over twenty years. I live outside of Detroit with my loving wife, four wonderful kids, and a sweet little Shih Zhu. I am a proud advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and the author of eight YA novels, including the acclaimed “Marcia” series. Art School Blues is my second stand-alone novel.

ARE YOU ON SOCIAL MEDIA? WHERE CAN OUR READERS FOLLOW YOU?

I am on Facebook as Clint Chico and Clint Chico YA Author, and on Instagram at booksbychico.

My email is clintchico@gmail.com. 

I am also on Amazon, where you can find all my books.

In a Not for Vanity first, Nigerian author Akinola Peace discusses with us her debut novel ‘Beyond the Stain‘

CAN YOU GIVE US A SYNOPSIS OF YOUR BOOK?

This novel chronicles the life of Rose Adesewa Chukwuma, a young Nigerian novice who begins the early stage of her life on a bumpy ride. With her father’s mysterious death causing the first blow, her mother, a Yoruba woman following the strange widow’s rites of the Igbo tradition, was labeled a “witch”, called barren, and held accountable for the death of her own husband.

Both Rose and her mother, Folakemi, experience financial and psychological hardship as a result of these strange occurrences. Rose is left on her own to navigate life while Folakemi finds solace in her job and tries to manoeuvre her way through single parenthood. Twelve-year-old Rose, who has an absentee mother and a non-existent father, is quickly overcome by the acceptance and love she receives from the Soul Sisters’ clique. Only she was oblivious of the major reason why she was accepted by the pentagon members in the Soul Sisters’ clique. 

As she wraps her arms around the clutches of Demola, the pink-lipped choir master and Yoruba demon; Fred, an internet fraudster she meets as a university chick at LASU; and Zaddy, her wealthy sugar daddy who is determined to make her his second wife, a young novice transforms into a powerful veteran who is unconcerned with the impending karma.

Follow Rose as she struggles with drama, pressure, addiction, betrayal, balancing faith with an audacious lifestyle, forgiveness, love, and a plethora of challenges an average girl can be sure to face in this intriguing book!

WHAT ARE YOUR BOOK’S UPSs? WHY SHOULD READERS PICK YOUR BOOK OVER SOMEONE ELSE’S?

I’ll say this book is a direct guide to a life of liberty and peace for people with past scars and scathed lives. People with pasts that haunt them. Those who believe they can never get a way out of that, they can never be forgiven, they cannot find love, and God hates them. People who bottle up things in their heads and minds, not knowing how to share what they feel with anyone.

It is a book you can pick up, read and follow its directions without having to share your pasts or problems with a million people.

TELL US A BIT MORE ABOUT YOURSELF…

I’m Akinola Peace, my pen name is Phoebee_writes and I’m popularly known and called Phoebe. I’m a Nigerian and I was born and bred in Lagos State, Nigeria. I just recently completed my bachelor’s degree from Olabisi Onabanjo University in Ogun state, Nigeria. My love for writing earned me diplomas in Rhetoric writing, Creative writing and Copywriting. I am a bibliophile and the founder of The Readers’ Circle, a book club that upholds the reading culture. Beyond The Stain is my first debut novel.

WHERE DID THE INSPIRATION FOR ‘BEYOND THE STAIN’ COME FROM?

The Inspiration for Beyond the Stain came from the Creator through my friend and partner, the Holy Spirit. It also came from listening to stories of young ladies who were/are going through a lot of struggles which they couldn’t/can’t speak up about. It compelled me to write this story and go all out for it.

IS THE BOOK’S TARGET AUDIENCE YOUNG ADULTS ONLY OR IS THIS CLASSIFICATION TOO NARROW?

The book’s target audience is Adults and Young Adults, since two of the major characters fall in that category. 

CAN YOU TELL US A BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR PUBLISHER, IMAGINE NATIONS, AS IT IS NOT CURRENTLY ON OUR RADAR? 

Imagine Nations is a one-stop book writing and publishing service. Their services range from ghostwriting and book coaching to editing, restructuring, designing and publishing. Based in Nigeria, they’ve worked with a number of clients, virtually and physically to help aspiring authors and business/career professionals cater for their content writing and publishing needs. For further enquiries, kindly contact Onifeloluwa via email at adebajoonifeloluwa@gmail.com

ARE YOU ON SOCIAL MEDIA? WHERE CAN OUR READERS FOLLOW YOU?

I am on Instagram and Twitter, my handle for both is Phoebee_writes 

‘Beyond the Stain’ is available for purchase at: https://amzn.to/3xYGqL7 (free to read on KU)

Author of the urban crime thriller series ‘The King of Gravesend’

HI PETER, CAN YOU GIVE US A SYNOPSIS OF YOUR SERIES ‘THE KING OF GRAVESEND’?

The series follows the story of Chuds Douglas, who was once a big deal in his home town of Gravesend, Kent.  He left the country for reasons only hinted at and is deported back to the UK from America after 20 years away.  He is left at Heathrow with 200 Canadian Dollars, a sack of clothes and a few personal belongings. Calling on his family, friends and old business colleagues he starts to rebuild his life but falls foul of a new family in town who are involved in illegal activities that make his own chequered past seem positively tame.

With his life back in order, some successful businesses in hand and a new relationship Chuds seems to have everything he needs.  Except a challenge.  His new businesses takes him to The Philippines where, after flashing too much money in the wrong area, he is kidnapped by Abu Sayyef for ransom.  Can his old colleagues get him home? 

WHAT ARE YOUR BOOKS’ USPs?

The books are based in Gravesend, the town that I grew up in, and are faithful to the location.  Many of the characters and plot points are based on actual people and events that have been somewhat exaggerated into an almost cartoonish state.  The fictional stories are woven around people that I knew and places that I grew up in. 

The books are full of dark humour, the kind that was our defence mechanism in darker times,  the comedy integrates with the stories and people.  It was described by a beta reader as being like “Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels had a love child with Only Fools and Horses.” The action scenes are based on personal experiences and while not glorified, they are somewhat realistic.

While the books are inclusive, featuring LGBTQ+ characters, etc. they are not in any way politically correct, but they are funny, have a fast and engaging narrative and will keep you laughing and intrigued. 

CAN YOU TELL US A BIT MORE ABOUT YOURSELF AND WHAT SOUNDS LIKE AN EVENTFUL LIFE?

Peter was born in Gravesend and spent the first 30+ years of his life there working, amongst other things, as a Cinema Manager, Assistant Entertainments Manager to the Borough and a self-employed businessman.  Wanderlust led him to travel to the USA where he discovered a passion for Skydiving.  He became a professional Parachute Rigger, Skydiving Instructor and Drop Zone Manager. He made over 7000 jumps including over 2000 Tandems and worked for a major Skydiving Equipment Manufacturer. 

It was there that he was introduced to the newly formed Qatar Armed Forces Airborne Group who offered him a position in Qatar with the Joint Special Forces as a rigger and instructor.  After working with them for 11 years he retired to The Philippines in 2020, where he lives with his wife, and writes.    

ARE YOU ON SOCIAL MEDIA? WHERE CAN OUR READERS FIND YOU?

You can find additional info on my work on my website: https://pdraper108.wixsite.com/mysite

I am also on the following social media: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Editor Note: At the time of the interview, Book Three in the series was yet to be published – it was however released in February 2023. Peter’s books are available for purchase on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/~/e/B09DCJCXFY

Author of ‘Children of Midgard’ (The Freyerton Saga, Vol.1)

“Children of Midgard may keep you up at night. It may fill you with a sense of wonder and adventure. It is certain to stick with you and make you think about the power of family, the meaning of destiny, and the value of people you pass on the street every day”.

CAN YOU TELL US WHAT YOUR BOOK IS ABOUT?

Mythology, horror, fantasy, and superheroes merge into a wild adventure when 12 years old twins Stephen & Joanne learn that they’re descendants of Norse gods and develop super powers, which they must use to rescue their Dad from a malevolent, psychopathic shape-shifter. Not all gods are good.

WHAT SETS YOUR BOOK APART FROM THE COMPETITION?

‘Children of Midgard’ tells an exciting story that starts with a terrifying scene and never lets up. Every scene advances a character, the plot, or both. World-building is extensive but concise, largely done through dialogue and action rather than exposition. It is a unique mashup of multiple genres, and while all of the elements feel familiar, the way they are told is fresh and wild.

ANY FUTURE PLANS FOR THE FREYERTON SAGA? CAN YOU GIVE US A TASTE OF WHAT’S TO COME?

The Freyerton Saga is planned to have nine or ten volumes, one for each of the nine realms in Norse cosmology. Each book will be self-contained to a certain extent, and as the series progresses, more people from Freyerton will emerge with powers, ultimately leading to a conflict that threatens to destroy the town and the High North along with it.

Volume 2, entitled ‘Outlaws of Alfheim’, is already a work in progress. I have been plotting it in my head and will soon move to storyboarding and then writing. Jo will narrate this one, so the voice will be distinct besides the setting, her perspective revealing things about Stephen that he did not include in his story. It opens with a piano recital at the town hall. While Jo is playing, giants arrive with the intention of kidnapping the twins. A group of elves rescue Jo, Stephen, Lori Grimmick, and a new character who goes to school with them and does not know he is a descendant of gods. The twins’ actions in ‘Children of Midgard’ have led to a war between gods and giants. Rogue elves plan to take advantage of the situation by waging a guerrilla campaign that will drive giants from Alfheim, the world of elves. This violates a treaty between the United Republics of Jotunheim and the Pacific Kingdoms of Alfheim. All the twins want is to go home, but instead they will join the fight and become outlaws in Alfheim.

INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO OUR AUDIENCE…

I studied writing at Davidson College (North Carolina) with Pinckney Benedict and Dr Tony Abbott of blessed memory, who also mentored Patricia Cornwell when she was a student at Davidson.

HOW CAN OUR AUDIENCE GET IN TOUCH? ARE YOU ON SOCIAL MEDIA?

My handle is @thegreggarrison on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.

Editor Note: Released in January this year, Greg’s YA novel has received excellent reviews both on Amazon and Goodreads. It is available for purchase in the UK on Amazon, in all the standard formats as well as audiobook: https://amzn.to/40YeIv8

Author of the recently released ‘Emma Grace: Dante’s Obsession’

WHAT IS YOUR BOOK ABOUT?

Emma Grace lives with her stepfather, Frank, who has been abusing her most of her life. When they move to a new town, she gets a job as a waitress, where she soon meets Dante, a handsome but scary Italian man, who becomes a regular customer at the café. Dante refuses to be waited on by anyone but Emma Grace, and they soon become friends. She resists his attempts to become closer, out of fear of her stepfather. When Dante discovers that she is being abused, he threatens Frank, and the abuse stops, although Emma Grace does not know the reason. Emma Grace’s life is put into danger when Dante’s enemies seek revenge on him and try to kidnap Emma Grace. Dante is then forced to tell her about his ties to the mafia. Although she has fallen in love with him  this time, fear for his criminal background pushes her to try to get away from him. In the end, Emma Grace’s love for him overcomes her fear, and they plan a life together.

WHAT SETS YOUR BOOK APART FROM OTHERS WITHIN THE GENRE?

Mafia romance stories seem to be very popular, but this story doesn’t have the erotic sex scenes that most of them include. If you like clean romance, this would be a good choice.

TELL US A BIT MORE ABOUT YOURSELF AND WHY YOU STARTED WRITING…

I started writing in 2020, after I sold my business, and my father, who I had been helping to care for, passed away. I suddenly had a lot of extra time on my hands, so decided to try writing. Once I started, I became a little obsessed, publishing three books in one year. 

HOW CAN OUR READERS GET IN TOUCH?

Website: rebeccajcole.com

Goodreads: Rebecca J. Cole

Facebook: Rebecca Cole

Instagram: rjcole101

Editor Note: A very prolific writer, Rebecca self-published another two romance novels in 2022. All her books are available for purchase at: https://amzn.to/3XspGpL

Introducing Ben’s newly released novel ‘Secrets, Lies & Revenge’

CAN YOU GIVE US A BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF YOUR BOOK?

Set in an affluent area of England, Emily Lamont moves to Beechwood Close with her grandmother. After years of struggling with money and a plan for revenge, Emily’s newly found fortune allows her to infiltrate the exclusive neighbourhood and transform her closest neighbours into trusting friends. One woman on the street is Emily’s target, but first she must gain the support of the group and exact her plan for revenge on one unexpected person. This twisted mystery dives into the lives of four women as you quickly find out every neighbour has their own secrets. When Emily’s plan reaches its conclusion, will she find revenge is the best answer? Or will these women she befriends surprise her with their own deadly secrets and lies?

HOW DOES YOUR NEW BOOK DIFFER FROM YOUR PREVIOUS WORK?

What sets this book apart from anything I’ve written in the past are the characters. I wanted to make them larger than life, a feeling of Dynasty with their wealthy living and camp dialogue but with a modern twist on their individual story arcs and problems that arise during the book. The women appear rich and disassociated with the real world from the start, but as the book goes on and you spend time in the heads of these different characters, the reader gets to know these women and the problems they are suffering behind closed doors. The topics covered in the book can be dark, so I wanted to balance that darkness out with some black comedy and eccentric side characters and situations they can find themselves in. 

WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO OUR AUDIENCE?

Ben Andrews worked for years in the hairdressing industry in the south of England, and along with the training, came the vast people he met from different walks of life. This wide variety of clients gave him endless stories and quirks to inspire his writing and twist the real world into his own works of fiction, and his newest release does exactly that. Selling his business and moving to Scotland with his partner Alex during the height of lockdown gave its own set of challenges, but with the extra time, he found space to write and get the stories from his head to paper.

ARE YOU ON SOCIAL MEDIA? WHERE CAN OUR READERS FIND YOU?

Twitter: @Benand_rews

Instagram: @benand_rews

Facebook: Ben Andrews Author

TikTok: @benand_rews

Editor Note: Ben Andrews is also the author of the mystery thriller ‘The Grave Series’ (Volume 1 & 2), published in 2022. All his books are available for purchase at https://amzn.to/3Yqu6OI

Author of ‘Callus & Crow’ (The Wayward World Chronicles, Volume 1)

CAN YOU GIVE US A TASTE OF WHAT YOUR BOOK IS ABOUT?

From the dry winds of the West to the shadowy council chambers of a dark city of innovation, Callus & Crow is a twisted odyssey of revenge and redemption. Following an exiled tribesman with a lust for blood, and his ward, a young ranch hand with a desire to thwart the ravages of fate as they follow whispers of prophecy across the monster infested sea. In the new world a tyrannical council seek to overpower each other whilst dominating their people.

Can a path of blood lead to redemption? Is redemption enough to amend a wayward world?

WHAT SETS YOUR BOOK APART FROM THE COMPETITION?

Callus & Crow is a genre hybrid with many appealing ingredients, at it’s heart it is a fantasy novel but its post-apocalyptic setting allows for many tropes and themes to be explored. The wayward world is a world rising from an apocalyptic event, the population build the new civilisations based on previous cultures and the remnants of a dead reality. Popular culture is mistaken for historical fact and technology and advancement occurs in isolated lands, separated by, until now, uncrossable seas. The wayward world allows for diversity and exploration beyond typical fantasy settings and offers the ingredients you want to read about in a plausible and engaging way.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF…

DB Rook is a dreamer, a gamer, and an explorer of other worlds. He has spent over 10 years working on the frontline of homeless services in the North of England. Working in addiction with vulnerable people has fuelled the fire of imagination and escapism. Callus & Crow is the first of his Wayward World Chronicles and he is busy hammering away at the keys to create the next installment.

HOW CAN OUR READERS GET IN TOUCH?

Your readers can find me on:

Facebook: DB Rook

Twitter: @DB_Rook

TiKToK: @DB_Rook

My website is also coming soon!

‘Callus & Crow’ is available for purchase at: https://amzn.to/3JrPqPJ

It’s Week Two of our 2023 Self-Promo Friday event and a special week indeed… As we are expanding our horizons to new genres, the focus today is on children’s literature (the subject of last week’s feature also). It’s our pleasure to introduce screenwriter Rhys Reed-Johnson, author of the delightful ‘King Arthur’s Cat‘. Have a look at what he told us about his work.

WHAT IS YOUR BOOK ABOUT?

King Arthur’s Cat is mostly about… a cat. It is also mostly about King Arthur. Now I won’t say who… but one of them holds the title ‘Worst king of Camelot’ and spends most of the day sleeping, while the other eats fish and licks himself. For those interested, the cat happens to be called Sir Softpaws and King Arthur is called many things beside King Arthur, often using naughty words. When Sir Softpaws suddenly grows fifty feet tall as if by magic and Merlin is nowhere to be found, a whole bunch of trouble breaks out in Camelot. Every dog runs away. Giant hairballs block the streets. Somebody drinks the moat dry. Random bystanders are accidentally squished by a fleeing orange stripy suspect. It’s total chaos, chaos without rules, rules without hope, hope without a clue, especially when the chances of returning Sir Softpaws to his normal size seem less than certain. What’s worse, Arthur decides he wants to help, and no matter what nonsense the King tries to fix the problem, a right royal pickle is usually the result.

WHAT SETS IT APART FROM THE COMPETITION?

I’m thrilled you asked. There are just simply more reasons than I can possibly count, but here’s a few surefire wallet-openers. The cover art is age-appropriate, the book’s weight is evenly distributed, and its pages are much softer and more enjoyable to turn than the average itchy shelf-stacker. The font is easy on the eyes as is the author. The story has that beginning, middle, and end fad people appreciate in their fiction. Some characters are likeable and the ones who aren’t are routinely punished. For the first time in any book I know of, a cat has a frank conversation with a dragon, boldly breaking new literary ground. There’s an educational bonus too: readers can learn about the devastating effects of sawdust and what can happen in a cluckawort outbreak. Finally and very importantly, the book redresses a grave historical injustice: as a society we’ve heard far too many stories about one man and his dog at the expense of unfairly marginalising the relationship between one man and his cat – love is love and cats are pets. Finally again, it is my opinion some books are too heavy, especially for children, but this book you can easily grip in one hand and so prevent tears before bedtime.

COULD YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF?

Yes, yes I can. I am a writer, in this case, of books. Having learned to spell my name sometime in childhood, my literary career has come on leaps and bounds since then. I once dressed as a horse and almost got shot by Her Majesty’s Government for my craft. It remains my proudest achievement. Over the years, I’ve sat at a lot of tables and written a lot of stuff for a lot of things; the only medium I have yet to apply my trade to is sock puppetry (something I might do if the money’s right). I have won many awards and lost even more awards. So long as there’s a roof over my head and a roast chicken in my fridge, I am the happiest soul alive.

WE ARE INTRIGUED… WHAT GAVE YOU THE IDEA TO WRITE BOOKS FOR CHILDREN AND WHAT ARE YOUR SOURCES OF INSPIRATION? 

I think adults have read too much. As such, it’s much harder to trick them into believing dragons and/or magic exists, that going on adventures is a worthwhile hobby, or working hard and trying your best is what’s really important in life. Children are easier to entertain. I’d rather create obvious fun than something needing an intersectional postmodernist lens to be deconstructed for absolutely nobody’s enjoyment. As for where my inspiration comes from, I give everybody the same answer: the need to pay rent. It is so easy to be creative when there are bills to pay.

ARE YOU ON SOCIAL MEDIA?

Readers can find me @rhysreedjohnson on Twitter and Instagram

‘King Arthur’s Cat’ is available here: https://cwcshop.company.site/King-Arthurs-Cat-p461321483

Author of ‘The absolutely true story of La Befana’- a creative, playful spin on a traditional 6th January Italian tale

Welcome back to self-promo Friday! This is a very special week for us. Not only this is our first post of the year, but we have the absolute pleasure to introduce Paolo Mazzucato, American author, playwright and screenwriter. Paolo is also author/illustrator of the most amazing children’s books, and that’s what we’d like to focus on today.

We recently had the opportunity to ask him a few questions about his latest creation, ‘The absolutely true story of La Befana’. Here’s what he told us:

WHAT IS YOUR BOOK ABOUT?

The story of La Befana is a traditional Italian tale. But unlike the version that casts her as a “Christmas witch”, in this tale she is a kindly, old grandmother who, like all good Italian nonnas, wants to see 
everyone well fed and taken care of. So, on the eve of the Christmas Epiphany, this old woman invites three, weary travellers into her home for a warm bowl of minestrone, because everyone likes a good bowl of soup, right? Well, it so happens that they’re some sort of “wise men” searching for a newborn savior-type baby. They want her to come along, but she’s busy, you know, so they go on their way. Later, the old woman regrets her decision, so she heads out into the night with her trusty donkey, but, she never finds them or the baby. On her way home though, she leaves little gifts of dried fruits and nuts in the shoes outside of every home where a child may be.

“And like a knock on the door, her example invites each of us to open our hearts and share in the joy of the season, when every, little gesture of kindness becomes a gift as precious as gold.”

WHAT’S UNIQUE ABOUT YOUR STORY?

‘The absolutely true story of La Befana’ is a playful reimagining of a traditional, Italian story. It takes a light-hearted tone with a distinctly Italian flavour to set out the origins of a Christmas classic.

WHERE CAN OUR READERS FIND YOU?

My Website: http://www.writer.mazzucato.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mazzucatobooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/paolo_mazzucato
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mazzucato_stories

A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT PAOLO AND HIS WORK

Paolo Mazzucato is an American fiction author and screenwriter. He began his writing career as a Chicago playwright and award-winning student filmmaker before moving to Los Angeles where he won awards for screenwriting and scripted various projects for film and television in addition to writing several children’s, middle grade and young adult books.

Mazzucato is the author/illustrator of the children’s books, Dream of the Rainbow Unicorn, No One Mocks a Panda (an Amazon #1 Best Seller, Feb. 2019), A Most Curious Winter’s Night and The absolutely true story of La Befana. He is also the author of the fantasy adventure novel, The Gondoliers: The Secret Journals of Fanticulous Glim, a “recommended” read by the US Review of Books.

Books by Paolo Mazzucato are available at http://www.bepibooks.com/index.html as well as on Amazon https://amzn.to/3GKQmwZ

Author of ‘Cloud Pictures’ & the new release ‘The Tail, the Tree and the Star’

Thank you to Steven Ashford who took the time to answer a few questions about his book ‘Cloud Pictures’, released in August 2022.

CAN YOU GIVE US A TASTE OF WHAT YOUR BOOK IS ABOUT?

𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭? When Martha Mud decides to throw away her life, she finds that endings aren’t as easy to come by as she’d hoped. Cut adrift in a realm where nothing is what it seems and no-one can be trusted, Martha soon discovers that her past hasn’t finished with her, and that the fate of her loved ones might rest in her hands.

WHAT WAS THE READERS’ REACTION TO YOUR BOOK?

Some of the Amazon reviews I received:

“Brilliant! Intriguing and compelling.”

“Heartbreaking, thought provoking and eloquent.”

“It smacks of brilliance.”

“It held me spellbound.”

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE MORE ABOUT YOU AND YOUR WORK?

Martha Mud is the one-off pen name of Steven Ashford. I’ve been writing since I was tiny, but this is my first published book. I’m an ex Steiner Waldorf teacher, and I’m currently based in Derbyshire. My next novel ‘The Tail, the Tree and the Star’ was released at the end of November.

WHERE CAN OUR READERS FIND YOU?

I am on Facebook at Steven Ashford: Author and they can also visit my website www.stevenashford.co.uk

Steven’s books are available for purchase on Amazon: Cloud Pictures (written under the pseudonym Martha Mud) and The Tail, the Tree and the Star