Authors Electric

Image Credits:- Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. AI images avoided. One photo from my book event at Salisbury URC was taken by me, Allison Symes. Many thanks to Gemma Owen-Kendall for taking the image of me at The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick.  There is never a time when books shouldn’t be celebrated but, as authors, we have even more motive to do so. But the challenge is to get across to those who don’t read for pleasure the joys of books and stories and there is something out there for them. There is far more of a range for the reluctant reader now than there was when I was growing up. There is more awareness of need here, I think, and that can only be a good thing.  I admit it is my great hope for flash fiction and short story collections, such as mine, that these could be used to draw in the reluctant reader. I’m not asking someone to commit to too much in one go.   The hope is, of course, having picked up the reading bug, people would then ...

Image Credit:  Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. One photo taken by me, Allison Symes, at the Hiltingbury Book Fair. It may be the season of mellow fruitfulness (which is a wonderful expression and for me conjures up autumn beautifully), but it is also the signal Book Buying Season is here again.  Now for me, every part of the year is book buying season but with a certain event only being two months away, and books are excellent gifts as everyone knows, you can’t blame the publishers for focusing so much on sales in the next few weeks or so.  Equally naturally when I put certain lists together, the first thing on mine will be the books I’d like to see under the tree this year. There would  be something seriously wrong with me not to request any! Of course with book buying season well underway by the time this blog goes out, it will be accompanied by Author Event season too. I think the biggest challenge to all writers is encouraging those who don’t r...

I beg your indulgence this week as I give you an update on what is happening in this writer's life. In all fairness, it is not just self indulgence but an effort to help you, whether author reader, to find new promotional ideas or find new books to read. It’s not often I write a post such as this and the reason I am doing so is, it’s been a frightfully exciting week. This week will also continue to be exciting.  Firstly, I released the seventh book in my DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries series. Now, releasing a new book is always a momentous occasion but this one is even more momentous as it has been delayed by two years. Readers worldwide are rejoicing as they've been waiting for this book to arrive. I am also rejoicing as I didn’t think it was ever going to get published.  My first tip to you is, never give up. You will get there in the end and the feeling of joy will be indescribable. Tied in with this, I also got my Covid booster on the same day. These are somewhat tied togethe...