We’ve had a great tour this year with some fascinating interviews… Thank you to my co-host the fantastic Kate M Colby & to those authors who took part, giving their time to answer our questions & promote the tour.
Read all about it here: http://katemcolby.com/2016/02/26/the-2016-2k-indie-book-tour-archives/
The last couple of days of our indie book tour and an interview with fantasy writer Lori MacLaughlin
http://katemcolby.com/2016/02/24/the-2016-2k-indie-book-tour-lori-l-maclaughlin/
Oh and erm me!
http://katemcolby.com/2016/02/25/the-2016-2k-indie-book-tour-kate-evans/
Write like nobody is going to read it then edit as though someone else wrote it, good advice from our indie author of the day:
http://katemcolby.com/2016/02/23/the-2016-2k-indie-book-tour-wendy-ogilvie/
Today’s interview:
http://katemcolby.com/2016/02/22/the-2016-2k-indie-book-tour-bill-hoard/
Read & enjoy!
I’m a bit late with this one… but a good read nevertheless, interview on our indie book tour with Ben Y Faroe:
http://katemcolby.com/2016/02/19/the-2016-2k-indie-book-tour-ben-y-faroe/
Put a little romance into your life, read the next interview on our 2K Indie Book Blog Tour:
http://katemcolby.com/2016/02/18/the-2016-2k-indie-book-tour-zn-willett/
The blog tour goes over to my co-host today:
http://katemcolby.com/2016/02/17/the-2016-2k-indie-book-tour-samantha-bryant/
Read & enjoy!
Today, it is my great pleasure to welcome Kate M Colby who is co-hosting this indie blog tour with me. Since I first ‘met’ Kate on Facebook (was it? Or Twitter) last year, I have enjoyed her company, her good sense, her encouragement, and good advice on my own indie publishing journey. She is an author of science-fiction/fantasy novels and informative nonfiction. Her first series, Desertera, consists of steampunk dystopian novels with themes of socio-economic disparity, self-empowerment, romance, and revenge. She lives in the United States with her husband and furry children.
The Cogsmith’s Daughter (Desertera #1) In a post-apocalyptic desert wasteland, one king rules with absolute power and unquenchable lust, until the cogsmith’s daughter risks everything for vengeance.
Two-hundred years ago, the steam-powered world experienced an apocalyptic flood. When the waters dried up, the survivors settled around their steamship in a wasteland they named Desertera. Believing the flood and drought were caused by a scorned goddess, the monarchs demanded execution for anyone who commits the unforgivable sin — adultery.
Today, King Archon entraps his wives in the crime of adultery, executing each boring bride to pursue his next infatuation. Most nobles overlook King Archon’s behavior, but when Lord Varick’s daughter falls victim to the king’s schemes, he vows revenge.
When Aya Cogsmith was a young girl, King Archon had her father executed for treason. Orphaned and forced to turn to prostitution for survival, Aya dreams of avenging her father’s death. When Lord Varick approaches Aya with plans for vengeance, she agrees to play the king’s seductress — even though it puts her at risk for execution. Packed with high-society intrigue, dappled with seduction, and driven by revenge, The Cogsmith’s Daughter is a new adult steampunk dystopian novel with the perfect mixture of conspiracy and romance.
Currently Untitled (Desertera #2) coming out later this year!
What was the inspiration behind your book?
My initial inspiration was The Arabian Nights, a tale in which the king believes women cannot be faithful. Therefore, he weds young virgins, then has them executed after the marriage is consummated. After proofreading a few reviews of the story for one of my professors, a thought struck me: What if adultery were illegal in this kingdom altogether? And that is how Desertera and Aya’s quest for revenge was born.
Who is your favorite character?
Hands down, Queen Zedara. At first, I didn’t intend for her to feature in the story except for in the few social settings in which Aya has to greet the royal couple. However, her sass and spunk won me over, and in the end, I couldn’t resist giving her a little more “page” time. She reminds me a lot of my best friend.
What is one thing you want readers to know or “get” about your book?
It doesn’t fit neatly into one box. I know all authors feel like their books are special, genre-crossing snowflakes, but I promise mine is. You’re not going to get the classic Victorian-era, London steampunk here. Likewise, you’re not getting an entirely bleak, post-apocalyptic wasteland. You’re getting something in the middle, and if you let go and allow me to take you on the journey, you may just be pleasantly surprised! Also – because of the title, some readers assume it’s a young adult novel. Just so we’re clear: words like “adultery,” “prostitution,” and “seductress” means 18 and up.
Who is your ideal reader? Or, who will enjoy your book?
My ideal reader is someone who likes to read books for entertainment, but who doesn’t mind the occasional social message wiggled in. Originally, my intended audience was females, ages 20 through 40, but I’ve quickly learned that men also enjoy my work! If you like strong female protagonists, socially-conscious themes, twists that make you feel smart as well as ones that catch you off-guard, chapter endings that force you to keep reading, cogs and gears, and a dash of steamy (but tasteful) romance, I bet you’ll adore my writing.
What three writing tips do you have for aspiring authors?
the gaps.Where can readers buy your book?
Amazon (all countries) – http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0996782508?keywords=the%20cogsmith%27s%20daughter&qid=1454458705&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1
Barnes and Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-cogsmiths-daughter-kate-m-colby/1122713259?ean=2940152250190
Kobo – https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/the-cogsmith-s-daughter-desertera-1
iBooks – https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/cogsmiths-daughter-desertera/id1043808485?mt=11
Smashwords – https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/580266
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26499463-the-cogsmith-s-daughter
Where can readers learn more about you?
Website – http://katemcolby.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKateMColby
Twitter – https://twitter.com/KateMColby
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/KateMColby
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/KateMColby/
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/katemcolby
Linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/in/katemcolby
Google+ – https://plus.google.com/+KateMColby
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/user/katemcolby
Back for another week of our tour which I am co-hosting with the talented Kate M Colby, http://katemcolby.com, and today I am welcoming Ashley Capes, fantasy/magic realism writer, with his book, The Fairy Wren. Ashley is a poet, novelist and teacher living in Australia. He’s the author of six poetry collections and five novels and was poetry editor for Page Seventeen from issues 8-10. He also moderates online renku group Issa’s Snail. Ashley teaches English, Media and Music Production, has played in a metal band, worked in an art gallery and slaved away at music retail. Aside from reading and writing, Ashley loves volleyball and Studio Ghibli – and Magnum PI, easily one of the greatest television shows ever made.
The Fairy Wren: From the moment a fairy wren drops his lost wedding ring at his feet, Paul realises there’s more magic to the world than he thought…
When Paul Fischer receives a strange phone call asking for help, from a woman who might be his estranged wife Rachel, he’s drawn into a mysterious search that threatens not only his struggling bookstore, but long-buried dreams too. Unfortunately, the only help comes from a shady best friend, an Italian runaway and a strange blue fairy wren that seems to be trying to tell him something – yet the further he follows the clues it leaves the less sense the world seems to make. Is he on the verge of a magical, beautiful discovery or at the point of total disaster?
What was the inspiration behind your book?
The first draft of The Fairy Wren seemed to burst out of me during a bit of a crazy time – I was teaching full time and studying part time and writing too; it was exhausting. Of course, I look back on it with some fondness now, which is not how the ‘me’ of back then would see things.
I’d been drawn to the idea of sneaking some magic into a small town setting for a long time and I wanted to combine that with both the fading away of bookstores and one man’s personal struggle with his dreams as they seem to slip out of reach. I wanted to write a character, who when faced with that situation, really dug their heels in. Paul still makes mistakes but he never gives up and I liked that.
Who is your favorite character?
Alessandra – I’m still drawn to the mystery surrounding her, even now. I’ve toyed with a follow-up story for her but I don’t know if it’s possible. But for me, she’s the second hero of the story and even though she doesn’t appear in every scene, she still makes a big impact. She’s strong and kind and I’m often drawn to those two qualities as well, both as a reader and a writer.
What is one thing you want readers to know or “get” about your book?
Maybe that life will always try and crush you but if you’re stubborn enough, sometimes you can keep your head above water. I’ve love if readers enjoyed the magic that’s woven throughout the story too; I had a great time balancing the fantastical with the everyday during The Fairy Wren.
Who is your ideal reader? Or, who will enjoy your book?
Readers who like a little bit of mystery and poetry, readers who enjoy stories mix the magical with reality and who aren’t put off by a bit of violence and language. I mean, The Fairy Wren is hardly an R-rated text, but I don’t censor myself either. And I think there’s a chance readers who’re also looking for something a little uplifting will enjoy the story too.
What three writing tips do you have for aspiring authors?
Read widely I reckon – any style, any genre, any form, any writer. You’ll be exposed to more ideas, more characters, more writing, more everything basically. And you’ll find stuff you think works and also things you’re sure don’t work at all – which is the point of reading widely, I think. It all helps.
Be disciplined. And I don’t mean something like if you don’t write every day you’re somehow ‘undisciplined’ because that’s rubbish. I think discipline can be much more varied – for me, it’s keeping the promises I make to myself.
Search long and wide for advice that suits your writing style. It’s no use trying to work like a 
writer who says ‘plotting is the only way to write’ – if, in fact, you’re more comfortable ‘pantsing.’ Instead, try a bit of everything and take note of what works for you.
Where can readers buy your book?
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fairy-Wren-Ashley-Capes-ebook/dp/B00TU6W4LI/
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-fairy-wren-ashley-capes/1120802461
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebook/the-fairy-wren
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23381707-the-fairy-wren
Where can readers learn more about you?
Fiction Website: http://www.cityofmasks.com/
Poetry Website: http://ashleycapes.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Ash_Capes
We’ve gone through the first week of our indie book blog tour, which I am co-hosting with the talented Kate M Colby, http://katemcolby.com, and haven’t we had fun! Today is a writer who likes a mystery as much as I do, Jackie Phillips. JL Phillips is a dreamer. Now she is a writer of stories. Being a dreamer is nice but it’s not perfect until you put those dreams in writing and let other people see them. Here she introduces her book, A Case of Deceit:
Private investigator DeeDee Watson receives a desperate phone call from an old college roommate. Dee can’t turn down a plea for help from a friend, so, along with Tee, her trusty sidekick, she agrees to help. It doesn’t take long for Dee to find herself in the middle of something sinister. The more clues she finds the more she realizes all is not what it seems. With a cast of quirky characters and lots of twists and turns, Dee must find a killer before turning into their next victim in this case of deceit.
Prequels/Sequels: The Canine Caper (A short story)
What was the inspiration behind your book?
I’ve always wanted to write books. I have also had this character DeeDee Watson in the back of my head for a long time. I finally decided to put her down on paper (or computer). I wanted her to be a strong woman who loves animals. Her sidekick Tee came about by surprise but I love him and think he’s a great addition.
Who is your favorite character?
I would have to say besides Dee, of course, is Tee. He is a small dog with a huge personality.
What is one thing you want readers to know or “get” about your book?
To just have a good time reading. That’s what it’s all about. A good time.
Who is your ideal reader? Or, who will enjoy your book?
My ideal reader is someone who loves books as much as I do. Who loves a mystery with lots of action. Who loves a strong, yet vulnerable main character.
What three writing tips do you have for aspiring authors?
and write it.Where can readers buy your book?
For the US – http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014JXPB34
For the UK – http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B014JXPB34
For CA – http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B014JXPB34
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14833994
Where can readers learn more about you?
My blogs – https://jlphillipsauthor.com/ https://tobreatheistowrite.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/JLPhillipsAuthor
Twitter – https://twitter.com/JackieP97
Scarborough Mysteries 