Thursday, May 31, 2018

Author Resources: Book Reviewer Sandy Vattimo

We often do reviews on books, musicians, movies, and even a restaurant, but what about reviewers themselves. There are actually some people who adore writing a good review. Some do it for the passion and others can actually make some income off it, which is a testament to the power of a good review.

Being an indie author, I know just how hard it can be to get a review even if your work is great (which I truly hope mine is). So I got to thinking, why not review some of my favorite reviewers? And thus, the creation of yet another series on this blog comes about and I wanted to start with Sandy Vattimo.

I’ve honestly been blessed with some great reviewers on my work and Sandy is definitely among the people I always want to hear from because like other great reviewers: she’s honest, she’s fair, she looks beyond the obvious, and she likes to present the most meaningful aspects of a work. For me, honesty is always an important element because an honest review can lead you on a path to better writing.


For some reviews she’s done on my work, click on the book title:

Only Human, Shadow of a Human, and one of my favorite reviews ever for Between The Tides (she wrote it in verse, how amazing is that?)

If you want to read her full reviews, go to feedmybibliodiction.wordpress.com or follow her on Twitter.

On a personal note, my thanks to Sandy and all the other amazing reviewers kind enough to review my work. Your words have power and fuel a writer when he’s struggling, so thank you. And to all you fellow authors looking for a solid reviewer, check Sandy out and keep an eye out for more great reviewers.

Peace, love, and maki rolls.

Friday, May 18, 2018

Upcoming books: Moss and Clay by Rebekah Jonesy


If you don't know Rebekah Jonesy, boy are you missing out. A spitfire if there ever was one, Rebekah is not only all sorts of kooky and ballsy, she's also two very important things:

A) A very humble, caring, giving, and sincere human

and

B) A great writer.

She might occasionally question herself, which is a testament to who she is, not how she writes. She constantly thinks of others first so it's a pleasure to be able to share this look into her upcoming work Moss and Clay. It's a fantasy work and I love the premise, so I think I'm in for a hell of a ride and wouldn't mind sharing that with a couple of people. Below is a bit of insight into what went into Moss and Clay though by all means, feel free to follow her on the links at the end to get a dose of a someone with savage wit, a sailor's mouth, and a saint's heart, though she is anything BUT a saint :D

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Moss and Clay Blurb:

A doll, crafted and given a mission by Danu. Given life by human and Fae blood. First daughter of Mab, Queen of the Fae, Gillian must track down the rogue fae in the Americas and bring them back under Fae Law with only a volunteer kelpie to travel with her.

And no one knows what they’re in for. Not even the gods that sent them.

Get the free prequel story here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/g7cjknwe9p

The golem is an interesting creature. The concept of a golem is as amorphous as the golem itself. But most Americans call them by the same name, golem. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem



By user Thander - http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ficheiro:Golem.JPG, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8873104


While the name golem refers to the Jewish legends, there are dozens if not hundreds of similar stories about animated dolls in different cultures. Almost all are made out of mud or clay, with a few being made of wood or even raw rubber. They are etched with symbols and then a ritual of some kind brings them to life. Several myths even claim that clay is the origin of man.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creation_of_man_from_clay

By sculpture: Tadeusz Kowalski, photo: Karol Kowalski - Sent to OTRS by Karol Kowalski, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17784850

My story focuses on one such creature, Mab's doll. But unlike the golems of old, this one is given a real life and soul. Blessed by Danu and the sky, she is made into a real, living fae, the first of her kind. Imbued with the memories of Mab and a human blacksmith/warrior through their blood sacrifice, she knows everything they know. She also gets better at using those memories every day while she learns how to be a real person living in America as well.

After realizing that their children are missing, the three Queens of the fae cry out in anguish and prayer. Danu, their goddess mother, answers their prayers. She makes a rare face-to-face appearance and tells her daughters what they need to do. They have to collect moss, clay, and obtain a blood sacrifice from a human and a fae queen. The human, Ardan, vows he will give his blood and even his life in order to save his adopted people. And he will endure any pain.

Those are the key ingredients, in most cultures, to craft a living doll and that is how my story of Mab’s Doll, Moss and Clay, starts out. From there, well like a proper golem, it takes on a life of its own.

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Rebekah Jonesy knows stuff about things and isn't afraid to talk and write about it. Outside of the literary world, she is a mad scientist cook, gardener, Jill of all trades, and military spouse. Inside the literary world she is a devourer of books, publisher, and mentor.

“Rebekah has the best kind of rabies”- JD Estrada

You can follow author Rebekah Jonesy at Twitter, Facebook, join her reader’s group, or her blog Heart Strong.

And of course you can find her books here for the free prequel to Mab’s Doll or grab your copy of the first book of the series, Moss and Clay

Want to see more stops on this exciting tour? Check out the tour master list.