I'm Head Over Heels With Evie Snow!

Okay. Now for some lighter fare from me - (that last post was a little heavy wasn't it).

So, I've discovered another grand romance author that I just have to tell you about. I've spent the last couple of weeks completely in thrall with Evie Snow and the first entries in her "Sanctuary" series. I have to confess that I'm more than just a little familiar with Evie because she is actually the brain child of one of my favourite authors and all round good people, Georgina Penney - oh she of the equally grand Blaine sisters trilogy.

Best-selling author Georgina (George) Penney does the actual writing and reads far too many books. Her husband, Tony Johnson (AKA The Kraken) helps out with plot wrangling and is in charge of caffeine distribution. Franky, their surly cat also helps by running the complaints department from his hiding place under the coffee table.

With Evie Snow, Georgina and Tony have gone in a fun direction, crafting novels that are quick fire, sexy and sumptuous. Yet they retain signature aspects of Georgina's approach to romantic fiction - chiefly among them, her knack of dropping in an emotionally weighty undercurrent that serves to lift her characters and stories to a level above the standard romantic fare. 

So I want to focus on two titles today, the first two in the Sanctuary series "Head Over Heels" & "California Dreaming". I actually read these 'arse about'. The relatively short novella Head Over Heels was the introduction to the picturesque California coastal town of Sanctuary (think Monterey smooshed together with Gilmore Girls), followed by California Dreaming, which is a longer form novel that deepens the feel and the place of Sanctuary. It probably matters little, which order you read them in but I'd recommend you play by Evie's rules.

Head Over Heels follows the misadventures (??) of plucky pin-up clothing store owner Madeline Evans. Madeline always spends her July 4th on the beach writing down her goals while she keeps an eye out for her fantasy man. Every year, she watches her almost-prom-date-turned-famous-actor jog along the same beach where she writes her resolutions. But she never expected to actually have to talk to him…

Cal Greyson’s acting career just took a sharp turn for the worse. After losing his bid to star in a blockbuster flick, his steady job at a soap opera is cut short in the most embarrassing way possible. It’s the cherry on the sundae when he falls down during his annual jog through his hometown beach. As the onlookers start recording with their smart-phones, he’s rescued by the most surprising person imaginable…

The former high school classmates hide out in Madeline’s house until the coast is clear. As they revisit the past, a little white lie Madeline spread about Cal in her youth may keep them from fantasizing about their future…

As I mentioned, Head Over Heels is a quick fire read that plays out as a cheeky character study. It's comical, its dialogue is snappy and smart and it dances deftly between the two central characters of Madeline and Cal who have an awkward past that is a touch bittersweet. How they appraise that past and parlay that into a reflection of where they're both at now is engaging, sweet and - did I say sexy? Yeah - it's damn sexy!

California Dreaming  follows the travails of two people who are wrestling with somewhat fractious pasts - always great fodder for good romance. Jared Nairn needs a new start and a good night’s rest. After enduring a combat zone, a rocky divorce, and chronic insomnia, the quaint California town of Sanctuary seems like just the place to rebuild. He hopes that an appointment with the local meditation expert will cure his lack of sleep. After duty on the frontline, hypnosis should be a breeze…

Mai Tran has treated her fair share of men without much interest of dropping their defenses. So when a nervous veteran strides into her office, it’s nothing out of the ordinary… except for the instant attraction that seems to be completely mutual. But with someone spreading false rumors about nefarious activity during Mai’s sessions, she’s hesitant to start a relationship with a client. Any potential scandal could break her and bankrupt her practice… 

After a meditation track mixup, Jared and Mai can’t help but indulge their more passionate natures. When both of their pasts come back to haunt them, the veteran and the hypnotist must decide just how much they’re willing to risk for love…

I feel as though I know this wonderful coastal region of California a lot more than I did before reading California Dreaming. Here, Evie has crafted a delightful and heartwarming romance, filled with small town charm - a'la Gilmore Girls - and an eclectic cast led by the soulful therapist Mai Tran and former soldier Jared Nairn. They are attractive people right off the page and they are well drawn, informed by intriguing back stories that add real depth and complexity and contribute great story moments to the narrative herein. I was invested in them from the outset and quickly came to care for Mai and Jared as their budding romance took some sweet, sexy and quite unpredictable turns.

That beautiful knack, Penney/Snow has of weaving a serious narrative undercurrent to her work makes California Dreaming a thought provoking read. It is always a pleasant surprise to see how the author tackles these and you inevitably leave her stories feeling as though you've encountered something important in them.

Both Head Over Heels and California Dreaming are everything that is lovely about good romantic storytelling. I adored them both.

With more titles coming from Evie Snow in the Sanctuary series and additional series to boot, romance readers will be spoiled for choice. Her website alone is a fantastic portal to explore to get a feel of where her journey is headed. You've simply got to check it out!

Visit Evie Snow here. 

Connect with Evie Snow here. 

Tweet with Evie Snow here. 

DFA.

The Recipient - Update No. 4: Cover Art Reveal - The Recipient by Dean Mayes.

(Originally posted at Central Avenue Publishing's official blog.)

Central Avenue Publishing and Dean Mayes are proud to reveal the cover art for Dean's highly anticipated new novel "The Recipient" which is scheduled for world wide release in October 2015.

A tense and pulse pounding thriller, in the tradition of Jeffrey Deaver and James Patterson, The Recipient promises to be a significant achievement for Dean Mayes (The Hambledown Dream, Gifts of the Peramangk). 

"Fans of Dean's work will not be disappointed. His flowing prose and ability to create engaging characters come through again – but this time they’re coupled with a scary, gripping story" - Michelle Halket, Creative Director, Central Avenue Publishing. 

The story follows Casey Schillinge, a young heart transplant recipient who undergoes not only a life-saving operation but upon recovery, a life changing transformation. 

Three years later, Casey has become a withdrawn shell of her former self: she is estranged from her loved ones, afraid of open spaces and rides the line between legitimate and criminal work as a computer software specialist. The worst of her troubles come in the form of violent night terrors; so frightening that she resorts to extreme measures to keep herself from sleeping. 

When she can take no more, she embarks on a desperate search for the source of her dreams. In so doing, she makes a shocking discovery surrounding the tragic fate of the donor whose heart now beats inside her chest. As she delves deeper into the mystery of her donor, she realizes her dreams are not a figment of her imagination, but a real life nightmare.

An exclusive excerpt from the novel is live now at Central Avenue Publishing's official site. 

The Recipient is scheduled for an October 25th, 2015 global release in print and digital formats.

DFA.

The Recipient - Update No. 3: Contract Day.

No matter how many times I've done it, putting the ink on a publishing contract remains a special moment for me.

It's a recognition of the work you have done so far, a nod that says "everything you have done is worth it." 

I wrote recently that we writers work in isolation. It's easy to lose perspective on what you are trying to achieve. You don't see things objectively. You often doubt yourself and the project. You fret that your effort is not enough.

Penning your signature on a document like this, gives so much reinforcement. It spurs you on.

While the hardest part of willing a story to life has been achieved, there is still more to do...

But you do it with a fresh sense of confidence.

DFA. 

Bringing Life To The Undead - Conversations With Stephen Ormsby.

In the past year, I have been encouraged by the emerging ground swell of Australian indie authors onto the publishing land scape. When my novel The Hambledown Dream was first released in 2010, I have to admit that I simply was not aware of my fellow country men and women and I tended to market to a North American audience with a dash of European thrown in. It feels as though the tide has only really shifted in the past six or seven months and I have begun to interact with a whole lot more really talented Australian authors. 

Of all the people who have helped me to connect to this vibrant and growing band of story tellers, I count Victorian author Stephen Ormsby as the most important gate keeper in terms of connecting. 

I featured Stephen back in December, when he was doing the rounds for his novel "Long Lost Song" which has become a sleeper hit and has established Stephen as a stylish scribe whose ability to occupy multiple genres is considerable. Whether through scenes of full throttle action, moments of quiet introspection and reflection or words of tenderness and romance, Stephen Ormsby can step into those spaces, live and breathe them and deliver prose in a voice that completely suits that narrative. And indeed, people are sitting up and taking notice of Stephen's talents. 

With the launch of his much anticipated new release "Pendant: The Undead Hunters (Book One)" Stephen Ormsby enters into a realm that combines both medieval and modern day action, horror and romance into an incendiary mix.

The guff on Pendant is thus;

Varnok the Great Wizard wants revenge against the people who burnt him at the stake for murder three hundred years before. He has waited patiently in Hell for his opportunity. 

Now, the Pendant has come together, and the time to make the pay for their actions against him is here. He will release his power upon Earth. 

Maggie finds half a pendant in a sea-side market and Logan is given up his by family, forcing the two into a horrific world they had never imagined, and running for their lives. 

Will they learn the secret of the Pendant before it is too late? 

Will there new-found love be strong enough to stop Varnok, a three hundred year old Wizard from the pits of Hell? 

Pendant is the first book in The Undead Hunters series.


I took time out with Stephen this past weekend to discuss Pendant and I started by asking him what was the inspiration for the story and the motivation for entering the genre.

S.O. - After writing Long Lost Song, I wanted to challenge myself with something new (as you do).  My first targets were two loves for me – a horror novel and a fantasy novel.  Horror has been abused lately with sparkly vampires and other not-so-scary creatures.  I wanted to write a horror story that reminded me of the great old horror authors I loved to read in the 80’s and 90’s.  It needed to be scary and have a protagonist you would not want to meet in a dark alley.  In fact, I even used that concept in the book.

D.F.A. - You've introduced into this story, an protagonist/antagonist in Conrad that is a delectable mix of evil and charisma. Where did the seeds for Conrad germinate?

S.O. - Conrad is one bad-ass mother fucker that rides me to death and back – quite literally.  When I wrote that book, I was the nastiest piece of shit that I could be.  He was always there, demanding, prompting, poking at me.  I have never been so glad to kill a character as I was when I reached the end of that book.  As I was writing Pendant, I knew how he had come to me that way, and felt that I needed to write that story as well.  

D.F.A - Yes indeed! The prequel novella "The Road To Hell" sets up the character of Conrad/Varnok, explaining just how Conrad becomes Varnok. The prequel idea works very well as a accompanying piece but it also served in drawing audiences to the world of The Undead Hunters. You display a phenomenal work rate in both these pieces. Just how intense was the writing process for Pendant and Road To Hell?

S.O. - This book was FAST – yes, with capitals!  I wrote the first draft of 72,000 words in 22 days flat.  It burst from me, as did the alien from John Hurt’s stomach in Alien.  I could not slow it down, not that I wanted to really.  Writing that fast, whilst knowing that bad things are coming for everybody, adds an intensity that I enjoyed in the writing.  I think, though, some of it was due to the fact that I wanted to be rid of Varnok.

D.F.A. - The world you've created in dense both in scope and texture and nuance. Was there a research curve involved in bringing life to this world?

S.O. - Would you believe none!  This was the first book I've written that required or needed no research.  The continuing journeys of Varnok, Logan and Maggie will require a lot more research though, given where they are going next.

Stephen Ormsby's writing talent is considerable, as we've clearly established, but another strength of the overall package is the amazing cover art that Stephen commissioned for the project. Stephen's wife Marieke designed the striking artwork for both the novella and the novel. I asked Stephen what he was looking for in the cover design.

S.O. - For Road to Hell, I had a real idea of what I wanted.  The pyre both opens and closes the short, so I thought it was the only image that would really work.  Finding such an image is a tougher job!  Marieke puts in a huge amount of work on all of my covers.  Each one adds another element to the story I feel.

For Pendant, I had a different design in mind for Pendant - and for the pendant itself. It evolved into a much plainer pendant really.  Marieke took off with my concept and came back with the cover you see.  I had to work my way through the book to add details about the pedant after that.  Still, the result is brilliant and captures my head snapshot perfectly.

D.F.A. - It's clear to me that you and Marieke work closely together. Can you describe the process in designing the cover art?

S.O. - Marieke and I discuss the elements we want on each cover.  We see this part of the book creation process as integral to the overall package.  She works with my words and concept, and has always came back with something that has blown me away.  So far, I don’t think that we have disagreed to a cover.  I know Marieke has changed a couple with added details, but the initial concept and thoughts we had have always remained.

With the release of Pendant, Stephen has embarked on a marketing campaign that has seen him invited to the Australian Pop Culture Expo "Supanova". Through these events, Stephen has tapped into a readership that is enthusiastic for the genre he explores with the novella and the main novel. I asked Stephen how this wonderful opportunity came about.

S.O. - I was discovered by the Dymocks organiser, Sandra W.  Out of the blue, she asked if I’d liked to be involved. (my wife) Marieke had to keep me from falling off my chair.  When I could talk again, I quickly agreed to Melbourne, which was the first.  Soon enough, she asked me if I’d like to do the rest.  Such opportunities don’t come often, so I jumped on the bandwagon very quickly.

D.F.A. - And what was the experience like?

S.O. - Supanova is massive!!  It is incredibly weird to be on the other side of the desk, being stared at instead of staring.  The people that have passed and asked questions about my book just blow me away.  They buy and then ask ever so nicely if I’ll sign it too.  I sold a huge number in the first two conventions and it bolsters the ego to know and find your audience.

It’s a huge thrill to also meet so many other great authors, such as Hugh Howey, Tad Williams, Kylie Chan, Marianne de Pierres, K J Taylor, Jay Kristoff, Michael Pryor and I can’t forget good friends Colin Taber and Jason Fischer.

Once you get in and start talking to these people, you feel so validated as a writer.  They have all been through the same thing and they are so generous with their time.  I am already looking forward to Sydney and Perth with a new stack of books to sign and sell.

Stephen Ormsby has quickly established himself as an author whose work offers much. His clear love for the craft is evident in every word he writes and his enthusiasm shines best when he challenges himself to explore different genres and in many cases combine them. 

He's kind of like a mad scientist who struck genius rather than blew up the lab. With "Road To Hell" and "Pendant", Stephen Ormsby weaves a thrilling, horrific and mind bending tome that screams success. 

Visit Stephen Ormsby officially here.

Purchase "The Road To Hell (An Undead Hunters Novella)" here and "Pendant: The Undead Hunters (Book One)" here.

Connect with Stephen Ormsby here.

Tweet with Stephen Ormsby here. 

DFA.

The Regenesis Cluster - the stunning new short story by Dean Mayes - Available Now.