Wednesday, July 5, 2017

This Is Me #OurAuthorGang


Rick Haynes



I was born in South London, England, not long after the end of the Second World War. My family was poor, but I never knew because my childhood was fun. I was always outside, playing in the street. I was happy.

I passed the 11+ exams and was lucky enough to be offered a place at a local grammar school, but any desire to read was lost in a world of sport and watching those strange and beautiful creatures - girls. 
My sister gave me a copy of The Devil Rides Out by Dennis Wheatley, a story of the occult and black magic. Risqué it was for a thirteen-year-old, but a revelation. Yet even though I had to study English Literature, general reading still didn’t grab me at all. 

I left school and little changed until, in my 30’s, I read the book that would engulf me. It took a long time to read The Lord of the Rings, longer to understand it and even today - having read it 7 or 8 times - I find bits that I have missed. I began to devour books, gobbling them up one after another. Anne McCaffery with her dragons, Isaac Asimov with his robots, Brian Herbert with his giant sand worms, I was hooked, but once again as the years passed my interest in reading faded.

In my 50’s an author appeared who would subsequently change my reading life forever. I read a book about a hero, Druss, a giant with a code of honour, and my love of David Gemmell’s work exploded. 
Like a kid I fell under the spell of pure imagination, yet whilst I still had no desire to write, I’d fallen in love with reading once more. I collected all his books and have read them many times since.

But time waits for no one and my body started the downward spiral into decay. I was diagnosed with cervical spondylitis in the neck in 2006 and was forced to give up my job that I loved, due to the pain, but I wasn’t finished at the hospital, not by a long way. I went so many times that they nearly gave me my own parking space. As if? But as a substitute, they did give me a lollipop for being a good boy.

In all, I had 7 knee ops, 2 shoulder ops, several injections in my neck and was diagnosed asthmatic.  
Why is it they give you a nice shiny metal knee and forget the oil can? My knee squeaks louder than a horde of mice at times. 

After so many months of housebound imprisonment, I was sitting in the lounge, feeling sorry for myself and going stir crazy as the walls closed in. I shouted, asking my wife where I should go, to release me from my incarceration.

‘Try the kitchen,’ she said. 

‘Come on love, what should I do?’ I asked seriously.

‘Try the washing up,’ she said. That didn’t go down too well either.

But then my beloved suggested that I write my feelings down. It was that wonderful light bulb moment. I was up the stairs just faster than a snail, and I started typing. Only I couldn’t type - and I still can’t even now - but I’m a tenacious sod and I refused to give in.

I eventually wrote a diary of getting old. I had no idea what to do next but a new local writing group had started and I joined. Full of pride, I showed them my diary. Euphoria lasted just 5 minutes as I saw their faces. They were trying to be kind but sympathy was written all over their faces.  My writing was crap; I was crap. I did the only thing that I could. I listened, learned and spread my wings through the written word. My teacher was very inspirational and her style of teaching suited my fledging career perfectly.

I started writing Drabbles, those little 100 word gems, and won an international Drabble competition. 
SPECTRAL MORNING by Rick Haynes

As the dew gently caressed the leaves in the wood, a soft light slowly grew in luminance. The coalescing sparkles began to take the shape of a young girl. A pure white gown swished and swirled around her as she moved towards the graveyard, her slender feet leaving no tracks in the soft soil. 
The fresh grave had been hastily refilled but all her attention was focused on the sobbing cries of a terrified infant.

Holding out her hands to the cold earth, she spoke soothingly.

“Come forth you beautiful child, for I will take you to your true home.”

From that I got my first break. Four authors had decided to write an adult story for Halloween, Drabble style, but one pulled out and I was invited. It’s a naughty, sexy, adult tale, as you can guess from the name of my character HumpZeLot. I was way out of my comfort zone but it was great fun to write, and all the proceeds went to a charity.

My confidence grew. Along came a novella for all the family, short stories and eventually two novels.
Yet being an author is not all a bed of roses as you can’t please everyone. For those that want me to change, I say this - throw money at me, lots of it, and I’ll think about it.

Thanks to Tolkien and Gemmell, my passion is heroic fantasy, but writing my first novel, Evil Never Dies scarred me to death. Maybe the title had something to do with it. I remember talking to myself. ‘How do I start? Where do I start?’ I had the shakes, the trembling and the panic as it suddenly hit me that I was writing a novel. In the end, the answer was simple. I found the right cover and drew a map of my imaginary world, and then I was up and running like a three legged donkey. The imagination flowed, I became a recluse, and divorce papers were issued. 

Eventually, Evil Never Dies was professionally edited and published. We took a holiday as my wonderful wife needed a break more than I did. How she puts up with me is beyond all logic and I love her dearly for all her wonderful support. 

I am pleased to say that so far it has received 15 reviews all 4 or 5 star. And it made my day when 2 top reviewers likened by book to those of the great David Gemmell.

After a good break, to recharge my batteries, I started the follow-up but had no idea where it was going. Heroes Never Fade is the 2nd in the Maxilla trilogy but is a standalone book. It follows on about one year after the first book. It’s once more a tale of good and evil, yet shows that all men and women are flawed, for I show that war brings out the best and the worst in even the gentlest of folk. Once more a reviewer has compared my work to that of David Gemmell, but this time it was an Amazon top 500 reviewer after reading Heroes Never Fade. My head is currently in the clouds but with much humility.

Heroes Never Fade has.

Short chapters – I want you to keep turning the pages.

Strong male and female characters – I want you to emphasize with them.

Many twists – It’s a good job I have an editor who loves my genre.

As one well-respected reviewer posted, “To say it is a well- researched book shows how believably the characters, both human and fantasy, have been created. A definite 5* for fans of the genre, and highly recommended for other lesser mortals.”

That is a tiny insight into the world of my creation as all is never as it seems.

When I finished the book and it had been edited, my mind refused to function. It was if all my imagination had been used up as my head was as empty as a new dustbin. Once devoid of all superfluous thought my brain initially failed to respond to a long list of chores that I had promised to do over the previous 12 months. What a pity. I thought I’d got away with it. 

I’ll continue to write until my time is up, for the power of my imagination is beyond measure and I love to see my words on paper. Like tiny seeds, they gradually grow and blossom into one magnificent tree.

I always say this to my wife. This time next year love, we’ll be millionaires, so I’ll leave you with this thought.

If you don’t have dreams, how can they ever come true?

Thanks very much for reading. Please let me know what you think.

Love and laughter. 
Rick.


Heroic fantasy


Heroic fantasy


Humorous fiction


Tuesday, July 4, 2017

Independence Day #OurAuthorGang

Happy 4th of July



"The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more."
~John Adams


Quoted from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Day_(United_States)

"John Adams's prediction was off by two days, Americans celebrated independence on July 4, the date shown on the much-publicized Declaration of Independence, rather than on July 2, the date the resolution of independence was approved in a closed session of Congress.

Independence Day, also referred to as the Fourth of July or July Fourth, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence 241 years ago on July 4, 1776. The Continental Congress declared that the thirteen American colonies regarded themselves as a new nation, the United States of America, and were no longer part of the British Empire. The Congress actually voted to declare independence two days earlier, on July 2.

Historians have long disputed whether members of Congress signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, even though Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin all later wrote that they had signed it on that day. Most historians have concluded that the Declaration was signed nearly a month after its adoption, on August 2, 1776, and not on July 4 as is commonly believed.

Coincidentally, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the only signers of the Declaration of Independence later to serve as Presidents of the United States, died on the same day: July 4, 1826, which was the 50th anniversary of the Declaration. Although not a signer of the Declaration of Independence, James Monroe, another Founding Father who was elected as President, also died on July 4, 1831. He was the third President in a row who died on the anniversary of independence. Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President, was born on July 4, 1872; so far he is the only U.S. President to have been born on Independence Day."

Monday, July 3, 2017

Adorable Westies (most of the time) #OurAuthorGang




Waiting for me to get up
Right now I am house-sitting in France for two beautiful West Highland White Terriers, better known as Westies.
The property is situated on the Alps Mariners.
I am in the mountains in the middle of nowhere. It is a beautiful area, with deep green lush mountains, and picturesque tiny villages in the valleys. Beautiful landscape, and nothing to do. But that is why I took this house-sit, this way I can catch up on my writing.
The Westies are great, we go for walks, and then they vegetate by my feet or next to me on the couch.
I have been house-sitting all over the world for the last eight years, and a few days ago I had to do something I never had to do before: take the dogs to the vet.
The female got a rash, and it got infected.
The vet gave me a medicated shampoo that I have to do every other day for 15 days and antibiotics that she needs to take for ten days.
She loves to take baths, and I soon as I say “let’s take a bath” she runs upstairs and stands by the tub waiting to be put in, so no problems there.
As for the male… he is a pain in the butt.
He has a little rash on a paw, so I have to use the medicated shampoo on his paws every day.
Well… easier say than done.
           He hides, so I have to look for him all over the house, then carry him upstairs, put him in the tub and try to put the shampoo on his paws while he runs from one end of the tub to the other one.
Back and forth, back and forth…
He doesn’t like it when I touch his paw, so he bites, so, I got him a plastic cone.
Problem solved, no more bites.
Yeah!!!
Now, just waiting for the infection to go away.



Sleeping in my room

Waiting for me to finish my shower

The house and backyard

I have two windows in my bedroom.
 The view from the front window.

View from back window

Sunday, July 2, 2017

Pick a Book #OurAuthorGang

We need your honest opinion



Usually, books either get praise or negative opinion from readers in the form of reviews.

This time we ask the readers to give us constructive criticism about how our books are presented on selling sites. 
The authors agonize over the book title until they find the perfect one but it's not necessarily sound perfect to the readers.
The authors think about what the book cover should look like and exchange fifty or so emails with the book cover artist until they find the best color, composition, and the type of fonts to use. It might look perfect to the author and artist but it might not grab the reader's attention.
In my experience, writing the best blurb, that is short, enticing, and catchy, besides finding readers to read my books, is one of the hardest part of publishing. I often joke about it that I'd rather write a novella than a blurb for a novel, but it's true. What sounds good to me is not necessarily sound intriguing enough to readers.

Today we're asking readers to help us with your constructive criticism to improve the presentation of our books.

Pick a Book

Pick the cover that grabs you at first glance.
Click on the link below the book, read the blurb and preview on the selling site.
Come back and tell us in comment what you liked or didn't like about the book presentation.
Your opinion about the book titles, covers, and book descriptions will
help the authors to improve the presentation of their books.

Thank you in the name of every author in Our Author Gang!

ROMANCE BOOKS




FANTASY BOOKS







































NON-FICTION, HUMOR, POETRY







 SPANISH BOOKS









Thank you for your time!
Your opinion about the book titles, covers, and book descriptions
help the authors to improve the presentation of their books.

Saturday, July 1, 2017

A Small Gang of Authors: We Did It! #OurAuthorGang

A Small Gang of Authors: We Did It! #OurAuthorGang: Our Author Gang is featured in the Golden Box Books Publishing July Magazine issue. The Semifinalists of the Golden Quill Award Conte...

We Did It! #OurAuthorGang

Our Author Gang is featured in the
Golden Box Books Publishing July Magazine issue.

The Semifinalists of the Golden Quill Award Contests are also announced in this issue 

We Dit It!
The books of FOUR of Our Author Gang members were chosen by the judges.



Click on this link

https://joom.ag/p9cW 

Flip through the pages and give our authors a virtual hug.



https://joom.ag/p9cW 



COMMENTS

Erika M Szabo

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Congrats to the Semifinalists in our gang: Joe Bonadonna, Mary Anne Yarde, Mackenzie Flohr, and I just gave myself a pat on the shoulder too :)
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Congratulations, Erika!

Erika M Szabo via Google+

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly
 
We Did It!
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Erika M Szabo via Google+

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly
 
We Did It! #OurAuthorGang
Our Author Gang is featured in the Golden Box Books Publishing July Magazine issue. The Semifinalists of the Golden Quill Award Contests are also announced in this issue  We Dit It! The books of FOUR of Our Author Gang members were chosen by the judges. Fli...
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Mary Anne Yarde

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Congratulations everyone!!
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Congrats to you too :)

Cristina Grau

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Congratulation to the finalists. The magazine looks great.
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Thank you Cristina!
 
Thank you, Cristina.

Mackenzie Flohr

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Congratulations, everyone! Erika, the magazine is awesome!
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Congrats to you too :)

Mackenzie Flohr shared this via Google+

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly
 
 
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Joe Bonadonna via Google+

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly
 
A Small Gang of Authors sends out a hearty congratulations to Erika M. Szabo , Mary Anne Yarde , Mackenzie Flohr - Writer , and (T C) Ted Rypel . They are among the Semi-Finalists in the Golden Quill Award Contest. I am proud and honored to announce that my novel, "Mad Shadows II: Dorgo the Dowser and the Order of the Serpent" is also one of the Semi-Finalists. Congratulations to one and all!
https://asmallgangofauthors.blogspot.com/2017/07/we-did-it-ourauthorgang.html
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Joe Bonadonna

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Awesome! Congratulations, indeed, to my fellow Gang members, Erika M Szabo, Mary Anne Yarde, and Mackenzie Flohr -- , and congratulations, too, to my friend and "sensei," Ted (T C) Rypel --- all Semi-Finalists in the Golden Quill Award Contest. Special thanks and extra kudos to Erika for assembling another lovely edition of the Golden Box Publishing Service's flipbook. Oh, yes, I gave myself a pat on the back, too!
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