Category: Book Buzz

Juliet B Madison - Book Buzz

9/24/2014

Today I'm pleased to welcome crime author Juliet B Madison to the Coffee House to tell us all about her new release Best Served Cold, the fifth book in the, not as successful as she might like, DI Frank Lyle Mystery Series.

Judging by the reaction to this latest release, I think Juliet might be surprised at just how popular this series is becoming!
See what you think...
Heres' the blurb for Best Served Cold - released 23rd September 2014

DI Lyle is about to get a glimpse into the murky world of political activism and hate crime; the murder of a prominent city councillor is just the tip of the iceberg.
The city of Ashbeck is on high alert when news breaks that convicted triple murderer and paedophile Bob Kenyon has escaped from custody.
Can DI Lyle and his team get to the bottom of this murky mess before another atrocity occurs?

Juliet advises that readers should be aware this book deals with some fairly adult themes such as revenge, paedophilia and neo-fascist hate crime, as well as containing M/M sex scenes so is therefore unsuitable for persons below the age of 18.

Juliet, perhaps you'd like to tell us a little more about 'Best Served Cold'

"When I wrote Heir to Misfortune, the second book in the DI Lyle series, I knew that being sent to prison convicted of a triple murder and sexual offences against minors was not the end of the despicable Robert “Bob” Kenyon’s story.

This book is somewhat darker than the previous titles in the series because of the subject matter it deals with. I wanted to give DI Lyle a new challenge and his biggest challenge in this book is keeping things in perspective. DI Lyle has some insight into the sick way Bob Kenyon’s mind works, but is the devil you know really easier to deal with than the one you don’t? This book gives DI Lyle and his team new issues to deal with. The book also deals with two important moral questions. The questions are, are criminals born inherently wicked or are they shaped through the circumstances of their lives and misfortunes? The second question is whether or not murder can ever be morally justified? Whatever your opinion on these issues, be prepared for them to be challenged through this story."

Best Served Cold is available to buy through this global redirect link

http://bookshow.me/B00MRIZQRU

You can catch up with Juliet B Madison

Blog: http://julietmadisoncrimeauthor.wordpress.com/

Twitter - @JulietBMadison

Facebook - There are a number of DI Lyle related pages on Facebook but here are a small selection.

https://www.facebook.com/servedcold/

https://www.facebook.com/Lylefanzunited/

https://www.facebook.com/JulietMadisonCrimeAuthor/

https://www.facebook.com/TheDIFrankLyleMysterySeries/

Please take the time to catch up with the DI Frank Lyle Series, and thank you to Juliet for dropping in.

Babs x

2 Comments

Karen Maitland - Book Buzz

8/21/2014

0 Comments

Thursday's Book Buzz @ The Coffee House is the fabulous new release by acclaimed Historical fiction writer Karen Maitland. Karen is the author of several historical novels including the best selling 'Company of Liars'
Anyone in the Lincoln (UK) area can catch up with Karen in person on Friday 23rd August 2014 when she'll be signing copies of 'The Vanishing Witch' in person at Waterstones.

Read the blurb below and check out The Vanishing Witch for yourself on: Amazon

The reign of Richard II is troubled, the poor are about to become poorer still and the landowners are lining their pockets. It’s a case of every man for himself, whatever his status of wealth. But in a world where nothing can be taken at face value, who can you trust? The dour wool merchant? His impulsive son? His stepdaughter with the bewitching eyes, or the raven-haired widow clutching her necklace of bloodstones?
When people start dying unnatural deaths and the peasants decide it’s time to fight back, it becomes only too easy to see witchcraft behind every murder.

0 Comments

John Holt - Book Buzz

8/3/2014

2 Comments

This week's Book Buzz guest is good friend and fellow author John Holt. John's no stranger to The Coffee House, but this time around he's here to talk about his latest book which takes us right back to the beginning for his popular detective, Kendall, and for those unfamiliar with John, we'll have a little background first. So ... take it away, John.

How did you get into writing?
Don’t make the questions easy will you. Wow. I actually came into writing quite late in life. As a young teenager I had written a story about a small Australian town, and how it had developed. A hundred years in about ten hand written A4 sheets. It was not a best seller, and as far as I’m aware it still hasn’t been made into a movie. I suppose like many others I had always had a wish to write a novel, I just couldn’t think of anything to write about. Then in 2005 we went for a holiday in the Austrian Lake District. We stayed in a village called Grundlsee. A short distance away is Lake Toplitzsee, which had been used by the German Navy to test rockets during the second world war. It was this that finally gave me the makings of a plot. A year later my novel was finished.

What was the first thing you had published and how did you go about it?
My first novel was “The Kammersee Affair”, a story of the search for hidden Nazi gold. Once finished I imagined that it would be snapped up, and I would make a lot of money. I searched on-line for a publisher, but no one was accepting submissions, I was advised to seek an agent, but I could not find one who was looking for new clients. Then I found a company, Dorrance Publishing, in New York who was seeking submissions. They really liked the book and were very interested in publishing. All they wanted was a payment of $10000. That was my first introduction to the world of vanity publishing. Needless to say Dorrance never did publish my book. But I did find another publisher in New York, another vanity publisher, Raider Publishing International (sounds impressive doesn’t it). They only charged £400.

Best thing & worst thing about writing?
Creating something new, a new character and watch him/her develop; watch a story unfold, that hopefully will give enjoyment to someone. The worst thing for me is marketing. It is so time consuming, and, quite often, of little value.

Do you write in a specific genre? Which is your favourite and why?
I write crime novels, private detective stories. I have always loved the film noir with Bogart, Cagney, Edward G. Robinson. I had really wanted to write a novel in that style. I soon found out that it wasn’t that easy, but I did create my own characters and in my own style.

Is there a particular genre or type of scene that you would avoid and if so why?
I could never do romance, or erotica. Just doesn’t interest me. I’m not one for horror either. Zombies, and vampires I’m afraid leaves me cold.

As a child which was your favourite book? Do you have a favourite book and author now? What are you reading now?
I was reared on Enid Blyton books. Sadly not very fashionable these days. I loved the Famous Five stories, and the Secret Seven. As I grew older it was Alistair Maclean, and Hammond Innes, and, of course the Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie. As for an all time favourite book that would be The Tale of Two Cities. It has everything you could think off, and who could ever better the last two lines of the book - “It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.” Currently I generally read works by other Indie authors. I am currently reading “Sir Laurence Dies” by Christopher D Abbott. It is very much on the lines of an Agatha Christie mystery.

Tell us a little about the books you currently have published?
Well I have seven books published, although it is self publishing now, under my own banner Phoenix. I gave up on the vanity publishers some years ago. I have five novels that feature my private detective, Tom Kendall, the most recent being published a few short weeks ago. I also have “The Kammersee Affair” as previously mentioned. The seventh novel, “The Thackery Journal”, was published in August 2013. It is a ‘what if’ novel set during, and just after, the American Civil War, and suggests that the assassination of President Lincoln was actually planned by his own generals.

Now tell us even more about the one you’ve brought with you.
I’ve brought my latest, which is simply called “Kendall”. Although it is the fifth novel to feature Tom Kendall, it is actually a prequel. It tells how he left the New York Police Department; how he became a private detective, and how he met up with Mollie, his long suffering business partner. Kendall is going to be the best there is, but is only prepared to take on the important case, the big money earners. But things have a habit of not going entirely the way you would like.

Can you give us a hint at what you have planned next?
I am currently working on a sixth Kendall story, set in Ireland. It is very much early days though. I have my villain well established, although I haven’t yet decided on the line of business. I have my crime committed. I have a number of lesser characters formed. All I need know is how to solve the crime. So don’t expect to be seeing this one for about 12 months. I have also made a tentative start on an adventure novel based upon a true story of a submarine that was due to go to the North Pole in 1931. It never got there but was later found scuttled in a Norwegian fjord. Again it is very early days. I have three reasonably good opening chapters, and an ending. It’s just that little bit in the middle that needs to be sorted out.

Book Blurb

Tom Kendall had been with the 32nd Precinct, New York Police Department for just under ten years. But now he wanted a change. Now he wanted to start his own Private Detective Agency. He had grand ideas. He wasn’t interested in just any old case. Oh no, he would handle only the big time cases, the expensive ones. He would be able to take his pick, the ones that he wanted, where the stakes were high and so were the rewards. He knew exactly the kind of case that he wanted. Anything else would not do, and it would just be turned down flat.

AMAZON .COM

AMAZON.CO.UK

Kendall is currently on offer for 99c/77p but not for long - my advice - grab it while you can and join the growing band of John Holt fans.

Babs x

2 Comments

Jo Sexton - Book Buzz

7/24/2014

2 Comments

Phew.... Summer already. It's been a busy few months. Lots of changes and lots of exciting new books. So this time around I thought I'd focus on bringing new books to your attention. I hope you'll enjoy meeting the authors who've written them and maybe discover something you'd like to read.
First of my Book Buzz guests at The Coffee House is Jo Sexton who hails from Australia and has an enviable list of published works to her name.
Take it away Jo...

How did you get into writing?
I have been an avid reader all my life and always wanted to write my own stories as I had a vivid imagination. When I went through a particularly hard time in my life, I decided I needed an escape so ‘Rich Girl’ came to be. I wrote the first draft in 2008.

What was the first thing you had published and how did you go about it?
‘Rich Girl’ which has been re-published by Thorstruck Press was originally ‘Spoilt’ and published by Taylor Street Books. When they were still Night Publishing I posted a chapter on their blog which was then chosen as the ‘First Chapter of the Month’ which was voted on. ‘Spoilt’ won the vote and was printed by Night Publishing. I and ‘Spoilt’ have had a name change and I’m thrilled to be with my new publisher Thorstruck Press. I had six books in total published by Taylor Street and currently have two published with Thorstruck Press with the rest in production.

Chelsea Summerville has a stalker who is kidnapping and murdering women resembling her, just to carve them up with a message. Judged unfairly by the sociopath Chelsea fears for her life.
The murders sting Detective Lucas Hudson's raw nerves. In order to save Chelsea they become partners, intimate partners. Lucas recalls the past, determined to prevent the mayhem unfolding, and this time to stop a killer before he loses the woman he loves.
Chelsea is hunted, passion blurs lines, and drama ensues. Romantic suspense follows the knotted curve of love whilst she is pursued by madness. There's a fine line between love, obsession, and hate.

AMAZON

Are you a full time writer or do you have an additional occupation that drags you away from the keyboard?
Unfortunately I’m not a full time writer. My ‘day’ job is my bookkeeping business. I have also recently become a qualified florist and hope to branch out into this soon.

Best thing & worst thing about writing?
Worst is finding the time and editing. The best part is thinking of a title and writing the first chapter. I also like when I get ‘in the zone’ and the words flow easily. Some days I astound myself with what I right during these times!

Do you write in a specific genre? Which is your favourite and why?
I write romance with sub genres. Suspense, paranormal (fantasy), historical and girl/girl. I really enjoyed writing ‘An American Girl’ which is my recent girl/girl romance release. This is my favourite and I believe my best writing to date. J

Is there a particular genre or type of scene that you would avoid and if so why?
I’m not sure I could write children’s fiction so that would be one I would avoid. I think romance is far too predominate in my writing for children. I don’t have any type of scene I would avoid though.

As a child which was your favourite book? Do you have a favourite book and author now? What are you reading now?
As a child I loved Enid Blyton and Judy Blume. I went through a Sweet Valley High and Sweet Dreams phase when I was a teenager. I read a lot, still do and always have. My favourite author now is Paullina Simons but I will pretty much read anything. J

Tell us a little about the books you currently have published?
‘Rich Girl’ is a serial killer/crime suspense romance which is book 1 in the Saucy Girl series. An American Girl is my girl/girl romance as I mentioned before. A further 3 in the Saucy Girl series are due to come out soon along with my fantasy romance The Chosen One.

And tell us about the one you’ve brought with you.
An American Girl is also about music. A girl from Adelaide Australia meets a fellow musician online who lives in New York. This novel follows the journey of Justine when she goes to New York to be with Molly. There’s a few twists and a love triangle. I believe this is my most raw and emotional novel. This is me bleeding on paper.

Rock chicks are more complicated than they look, especially when one is becoming her destiny, the other following a classical career, and the third wheel the steaming hot lead singer of the new big thing. Scarred hearts bleed pain when the pulse of love blurs to jealousy and rage. Between family, ex-lovers, and their own clashing issues, this complicated love triangle becomes a tangled mess, leaving the shy and the reckless reeling. The future is bleak, they're isolated and misunderstood, and pride ruins passion.
Drunken mistakes haunt Molly and Justine; their spiral into misery riveting. Strumming emotions more than guitar strings, the dynamic Justine, Tessa, and Molly, will keep you on tenterhooks of suspense in this lady on lady romance.

AMAZON

Can you give us a hint at what you have planned next?
The next book/s due to come out are ‘Fire Girl’ and ‘The Chosen One’. Fire Girl is the next is the Saucy Girl series and features a very hot fire fighter.

Catch up with Jo and keep upto date with all her publishing news via her publisher :

Thorstruck Press

Thanks for dropping by, Jo. Best of luck with all of your books!

Babs x

2 Comments

Juliet B Madison - Book Buzz

Karen Maitland - Book Buzz

John Holt - Book Buzz

Jo Sexton - Book Buzz

Author

Archives

Categories