Pieces of Broken Time by Lorenz Font - Cover Reveal & Preview.

       

PRESENTS. . .

Cover Reveal for

Pieces of Broken Time

by

Lorenz Font

Release Date: July 24, 2014

Published by The Writers Coffee Shop

Summary:

When wounded soldier Blake Connor returns from Afghanistan, he wants nothing more than to hide from the world. He’s plagued by the memory of his best friend’s death and the pain of his own injuries. On top of all that, he has another burden to carry.

Take care of our girl.

Blake’s vow to watch over the woman who was left behind is overshadowed by his self-contempt and bitterness, making it impossible for him to reach out to her like he’d promised.

Jennifer Owens had expected to get married the moment her fiancé returned home from the war, but the news of his death changed everything. Shattered by her loss, she is still struggling with feelings of guilt when she receives an unexpected letter that raises new questions and reopens old wounds.

Jennifer’s need for answers leads her to Blake’s doorstep, but she is met with hostility and rejection from a man who only vaguely resembles the head-turning charmer she remembers from so long ago. Blake is determined to keep her at arm’s length, and Jennifer soon discovers that she must decide whether to push back or let him go.

Caught up in circumstances beyond their control, Jennifer and Blake have to learn to accept the truths that lie below the surface. She comes to recognize the beauty underneath the scars, and Blake realizes that he’s broken in more ways than he cares to admit.

Nothing will ever be the same for this ex-Army Ranger once he faces the truth. If he can learn to accept the help he needs, he might be able to overcome his warped self-image and emotional scars. To be the man Jennifer deserves, he must heal his wounds before he loses the woman he loves forever.

Excerpt:



“What is this?” She traced one finger along the shape of the body art.


“It’s Trent’s dog tag,” he whispered.


“Why are you wearing his name?”

“It is tribute to a brave man and a friend.”


His gaze was unwavering, so intense that she shuddered. When she didn’t say a word, his voice was filled with uncertainty.


“Am I disgusting you?”

Jennifer shook her head and spoke in a firm voice.


“I love everything about you. This . . .” She traced a finger on the raised skin. “Is what makes you, you. I would never ask for anything more.”


She lowered her mouth to kiss each scar, feeling his breath hitching with every touch of her lips.

He cupped her face and planted a kiss on her lips. “I want to be perfect for you.”

About the Author:

Lorenz Font discovered her love of writing after reading a celebrated novel that inspired one idea after another. She is currently enjoying the buzz from her vampire novels Hunted and Tormented, the first and second book of The Gates Legacy trilogy, Indivisible Line, a romantic thriller, and Feather Light, an erotic romance.

Lorenz’s perfect day consists of writing and lounging on her garage couch, aka the office, with a glass of her favourite cabernet while listening to her ever-growing music collection. She enjoys dabbling in different genres, with an intense focus on angst and the redemption of flawed characters. Her fascination with romantic twists is a mainstay in all her stories.

Lorenz lives in California with her husband, children, and two demanding dogs. She divides her time between her full-time job as a hospital office manager and her busy writing schedule.

Connect with Lorenz Font on:

Twitter

Facebook

Goodreads

DFA.

Summer At The Shore Leave Cafe by Abbie Williams.

Summer at the Shore Leave Cafe by Abbie Williams

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Joelle Gordon is leaving Chicago and her cheating husband to head for her hometown of Landon, Minnesota. WIth her three beautiful daughters in tow, Joelle is bombarded with an onslaught of memories that Landon evokes. Landon -- home to the Shore Leave Cafe, the restaurant Joelle's family owns -- has some surprises in store for Joelle. Finding herself confronted with the reality of single motherhood, a mysterious but handsome young staffer at the Shore Leave Cafe, her upset daughters, and the prospect of returning to her husband for the well-being of her kids, Joelle must make decisions she never thought she'd face.

A story about heartbreak, blame, family, desire, love, and the difficulties of returning home, Summer at the Shore Leave Cafe highlights hardships to which everyone can relate.

Romance can be a tough genre to write convincingly in, but Abbie Williams has achieved something akin to romantic alchemy with Summer at the Shore Leave Cafe. She combines strong narrative, threading multiple plot threads around the protagonist Joelle Gordon's central arc with a convincing cast of characters that feel so real you'd swear you know them. As a reader you are taken on an emotional journey with these characters that fully invests you in them. You care for them, champion them and sometimes you rue them, where appropriate. Williams has also crafted scenes of steamy eroticism that strike a perfect balance in advancing the story whilst giving the reader something to sweat (pleasurably) to.

I also really liked the warmth of the story and how immersive it was for me. Abbie Williams has a keen sense of place - a clear and abiding affection for her native Minnesota, of people and their emotional arcs and she blends these together effortlessly, creating a visual and tactile tableaux, one that stays with you.

Summer At The Shore Leave Cafe - the first in Abbie's Shore Leave series - is a bespoke literary creation and a superlative achievement.

Abbie Williams has been addicted to love stories ever since first sneaking her mother's copy of The Flame and the Flower; since then, she has been jotting down stories of her own in notebook after spiral-bound notebook.

Abbie Williams teaches English at the high school level (which she dearly loves). She spend her days with her own true love, their three daughters, and a very busy schedule. Abbie says she is most happy when she can sneak in a few hours to write and thereby indulge in visiting the characters in her stories.

When Abbie is not writing, teaching or spending time with her family, she can be found listening to her favorite musical groups of all time: Alison Krauss and Union Station, the Wailin' Jennys, and The Be Good Tanyas. If there's time in the evening, she might watch a few episodes of Hell on Wheels and eat a jar of crunchy peanut butter.

Discover Abbie Williams world here.

DFA.


View all my Goodreads reviews

Sunshine on the Shore - Conversations with Abbie Williams.

Having written in the romance genre myself, I'll admit to not having explored the genre as deeply as a reader. Perhaps it is simply because I am male or that it doesn't usually strike me as my first choice for reading material...

...in fact - both of these are a lie because if I am truly honest, I am a sucker for a good love story. I think it's perhaps more the case that good romance novels are hard to find - ones that balance good story telling with strong, believable characters and deliver the romance in just the right way that make you go all gooey. It takes a good author to do that. Molly Ringle (one of my Central Avenue Publishing stable mates), is an exceptional example a good romance writer. Likewise, Nichole Chase - a fellow Star Wars tragic and now bona fide New York Times best selling author is another.

New onto my radar in recent times and another Central Avenue stable mate is Minnesota based romance author Abbie Williams. Having connected via Twitter in the past couple of weeks, I have thoroughly enjoyed kicking off a conversation with Abbie which has ranged from topics such as our mutual love of bluegrass music, of course - our writing and the works of 17th century poet John Donne, which Abbie has caused me to fall in love with. 

Born and raised in Minnesota, Abbie has always been a writer. She pays homage to her home state, setting nearly all of her novels in Minnesota lake country, some of the most breathtaking scenery in all of the world. Her novels feature true love, passion and intensity, humour and the strength of family ties. She lives with her husband, three daughters, and a great deal of books. 

Abbie has built an impressive resume of titles for Central Avenue's romance imprint Everheart Books - the most notable of these is her Shore Leave Cafe series. Constructed around her love for the Minnesota country side where she grew up, Abbie's novels have those essential ingredients that make for, not just romance, but really good romance. 

I am presently reading her Shore Leave debut - Summer At The Shore Leave Cafe - and what I am finding already is a story that is very real, with vivid characters and a grounded narrative where I feel connected to both it and the people she has created.

From the liner notes on the novel;

Joelle Gordon is leaving Chicago and her cheating husband to head for her hometown of Landon, Minnesota. WIth her three beautiful daughters in tow, Joelle is bombarded with an onslaught of memories that Landon evokes. Landon -- home to the Shore Leave Cafe, the restaurant Joelle's family owns -- has some surprises in store for Joelle. Finding herself confronted with the reality of single motherhood, a mysterious but handsome young staffer at the Shore Leave Cafe, her upset daughters, and the prospect of returning to her husband for the well-being of her kids, Joelle must make decisions she never thought she'd face. 


A story about heartbreak, blame, family, desire, love, and the difficulties of returning home, Summer at the Shore Leave Cafe highlights hardships to which everyone can relate.

In our conversations, Abbie told me that she is inspired very much by real life characters - people who have influenced her and affected her. Likewise, Abbie has brought to life her beloved Minnesota with all the sounds and the smells and the visuals of a place that is very close to her heart. Not only is it immersive, is addictive and satisfying. I should add also, that her stories are also sexy, offering readers another satisfying, toe curling facet that will have the pages turning from beginning to end.

As a writer, Abbie has drawn on many and varied inspirations to bring life to her novels and I was particularly taken by the inspiration for Summer At The Shore Leave Cafe which Abbie recounting in a 2013 interview with Wovenmyst Magazine:

"I actually first had the idea for Summer at the Shore Leave Café from a commercial I saw years ago. It featured an attractive woman getting out of an SUV and unloading a surfboard from the back, all the time being observed by a group of cute guys, who were drooling over her from afar. After a moment, the passenger door opened and three girls (obviously her daughters, ages early teens to maybe about eight years) came piling out. The guys observing are like, “Whoa, she’s a mother!” as though they can’t believe it. It was funny and yet the idea was also in my mind that, Hey, mothers can be sexy, too! Mothers are women! I started thinking about a novel with a mother of rambunctious daughters as the central character. What the commercial advertising? I honestly don’t remember!"

Wovenmyst Magazine: Interview with Abbie Williams March, 2013.

I'm so pleased to have discovered and connected with Abbie Williams. As an author, she represents romance alchemy - great story telling, great characterization and vivid imagery. As a person, she is a breath of fresh air and I enjoy interacting with her very much. 

You simply must acquaint yourself with Abbie Williams. 

Tweet with Abbie Williams here.

Connect with Abbie on Facebook here. 

Visit Abbie's official website here.

Purchase Abbie's Shore Leave titles here. 

DFA.

Born By Fire - Conversations With Ashleigh Galvin.

“Shar ran. Just kept running, unaware of where her feet were taking her. 

She kept shaking her head, trying to erase what she’d heard…she just couldn’t believe it. Memories started to spin in her mind, memories of Greg swinging on her swing when she came home from school. 

Birthdays, Christmases, all lies. Every single day of her life was a lie. Deceit, every word he’d ever said. Tears blinded Shar as she ran deeper into the woods. She was numb to the pain of 

branches pulling her hair, raking across bare her skin. 

The pain from inside blocked everything out.”

from "Birth By Fire's Embrace" by Ashleigh Galvin (SPMG Ltd.)

Continuing my look at rising Australian authors this week, I'm pleased to introduce an exciting young scribe from Queensland - Ashleigh Galvin, whose debut novel "Birth By Fire's Embrace" from Spectacle Publishing Media Group launched across all the major etailers back on May 9th - with a print release scheduled for quarter 2 this year. 

A rich mix of fantasy, action adventure that treads a line between our own modern world and a fantastical realm filled with classical archetypes, "Birth By Fire's Embrace" marks the first in an intended 8 book cycle from Ashleigh under the heading of the Amethyst Series.

The guff on this first entry is thus;

A taut fantasy for all ages, Birth by Fire’s Embrace explores how drastically things can change when the world that lies just beyond our senses begins to surface. Sharrlette Moore is an ordinary young woman on the cusp of academic success, happy and satisfied in her relationship with the best guy in the world and looking forward to all that life has to offer. When all that is familiar vanishes from Sharrlette's life, she begins to look inside and find the strength and courage to carry on in a harsh world, and look towards another world that lies ahead.

The further away modern, popular literature moves from the Twilight series, it seems that the better and more original those literary offerings become. I've made no secret of the fact that I have struggled with the fantasy genre in the past, simply because there has been so much of it and not all of it has been very good. Where the genre does work, however, is in those stories where the author has clearly stepped out of the genre's comfort zone by offering an original element that immediately piques curiosity and promises an tantalizing alternate take. 

And Birth By Fire's Embrace is no exception, proving that there is life in the fantasy genre yet. Ashleigh Galvin brings to the table a dense and nuanced world which she juxtaposes skilfully with a modern real world setting. This kind of world creation, to me, is an appealing and important aspect of this kind of writing. It takes a kind of artistic flair to pull it off well. Galvin's balancing act between the real and the other worldly are visually accessible, keeping you invested in the environments and situations. 

Galvin's characters, lead by the fully realized heroine in Sharrlette rise from the page vividly and with an attention to their individual details that make them convincing. I especially found Sharrlette's arc engrossing. She represents the "every person" really well, allowing us as the reader to access the story through her eyes in such a way that we feel her reactions to what is taking place. Again, because Sharrlette is grounded in our own real world to begin with, this device makes for a much more compelling story.

As a work whose design is to set up a series, this first entry succeeds really well in introducing us to the universe Galvin has created and she has achieved the two important functions such a entry has to satisfy. It offers a contained story that sits on it's own while offering enough tangible threads that will entice the reader to invest in further instalments the eventual series.

Ashleigh Galvin has written an exciting tale that refreshes the genre and offers an accessible journey with classic elements worthy of exploration and contemplation.

Having had the opportunity to take an early glimpse of the novel, one of the things that impressed me about it was the relative youth of Ashleigh herself. She writes in a voice that, to me, seemed so worldly and -  *ahem* - mature, that I knew that I wanted to delve a little further into the voice behind this accomplished work.

I started by asking Ashleigh a little about her herself and where she's at now. Ashleigh has an impressive resume to her credit both in business and modelling, while she also dabbles in digital art.  

A.G. - I live with my fiancée, Michael in a little unit in Brisbane, Australia. While I’d love to be a full time writer, eventually, I currently work at HBM Lawyers as an IT/Admin Assistant. I've been working there for roughly 3 years.  I've been doing Modelling on the side for roughly 4 years. It’s great fun. Particularly the themed shoots. It lets you step away from reality for a little while. I also draw in my free time. Mostly digitally now days. I normally draw Manga style characters. It’s great fun and, if being an author doesn't work out, I’d like to be an illustrator. But I have a lot more practise ahead of me before that.     

DFA - As an author, you've made an impressive splash into that pool. Where did your journey as an author begin and how did it progress?

A.G. - I started writing when I was still in primary school. I was going to write ‘the best novel ever’. It was called ‘The Scar of Athens’ and, needless to say, when I read it now, it’s extremely boring and lacks structure. But it inspired me to continue writing and refining my skills.

DFA - I was really taken by the visual quality of your writing. Where does the inspiration for your vivid story telling come from?

A.G. - My usual reply is daydreaming - (laughs here) - I daydream a lot! I like to call them epic daydreams because I can have one daydream that will last a week or longer. Whenever my mind is idle, I just pick up where the story left off. I get most of my novel ideas this way. 

DFA - You've created a compelling set of characters for the novel. How do you arrive at your characters and what elements do you infuse into them?

A.G. - I don’t actually base most of my characters on people I know. I don’t like to do that because I feel it can make the characters too predictable. I create most of my character from the ground up. Sharrlette is probably the exception. She was based mostly on myself, with a dash of my sister thrown in. My fiancée Michael also provides a lot of inspiration and ideals. He is a Games Designer so we are both very creative. 

DFA - It's clear that the work which has gone into your debut novel has been considerable. With the release of Birth By Fire's Embrace, how do you feel about the achievement and what are your hopes for the future?

A.G. - I'm very proud that I've actually written a book worth publishing. I know very few people get published at my age so I'm happy about that too. I'm very happy with the universe I've created for this series. It’s a great place that I can set many different stories in. It’s just bursting with potential.

As Ashleigh Galvin works towards more stories in the series, expect the Amethyst Series to attract a lot of attention. Her skill as a story teller is considerable and her relative youth affords her a particular edge in the production of future stories that crackle with everything that is great about talented indie authors. 

Purchase "Birth By Fire's Embrace" here (Amazon) and here (B and N).

Connect with Ashleigh here. 

Tweet with Ashleigh here. 

Visit Spectacle Publishing Media Group here. 

The Regenesis Cluster - the stunning new novella from Dean Mayes - out now.

Artist's First Radio features Australian Author Dean Mayes.

Artist's First Radio, an affiliate of CBS Media in the United States, welcomed Australian author Dean Mayes (The Hambledown Dream, Gifts of the Peramangk, The Regenesis Cluster) to it's May 19th broadcast where he talked at length with Ashley Fontainne about his latest novel, his writing journey up to now and he discusses the challenges of being a working author and Intensive Care Nurse. Dean also hints at a couple of exciting new projects he has in the works.

Ashley and Dean explored the challenges of writing an indigenous story from the perspective of a non indigenous Australian and the steps Dean took to ensure that his novel respected a culture and a people that are not his own. They also talked about book marketing in the new publishing paradigm, the benefits (and sometimes curses) of social media and the satisfaction of reaching a truly global audience through writing. 

Listen to this hour long feature interview with Dean and Ashley and discover even more great content at Ashley's Artist's First portal.

DOWNLOAD MP3.

DFA.

Catch up with episode 2 of Liz Miele's "Damaged" animated web series. 

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.

Queen of the Vampires - Conversations with Author Jodie Pierce.

A big determiner of the success or failure of genre fiction is the commitment and the enthusiasm lent to it by its author. Not only does the author have to offer something unique and original but they should be willing to take risks that draw readers in. If the author can deliver a passion into his or her stories that captures the readers attention and keeps them invested, success will follow. 

Jodie Pierce is one such author who has committed herself to a genre that is often considered over populated by content, however Pierce has succeeded in contributing a lively and engaging new facet to Vampire fiction - one that takes risks and challenges its readers.

Informed in part by her love for Anne Rice's Lestat series, Jodie Pierce has invested heavily into her own Vampire odyssey, committing herself to infusing her own series with a meticulous attention to detail - often employing dense historical research in order to bring a sense of authenticity to her stories. She has, as a result, achieved a body of work in Vampire fiction that transcends the genre and offers something surprisingly unique. 

Pierce began her Vampire Queen series with the appropriately titled "The Vampire Queen" in 2011 for Eternal Press and quickly amassed a dedicated following which has remained with her through her subsequent releases - The Vampire Chronicles and The Demise Of The Vampire Queen. Jodie has added to her portfolio with the novellas Condemned By A Vampire, The Reluctant Vampire, Midnight Thirsts and Once Sanguist, Twice Bi.

In the debut to the series - The Vampire Queen - we are introduced to a young woman - Paulina de Lordes - who awakens to discover that, not only is she an important Countess, but she is also the very first or "Ancient One" of a mysterious order that is adhered to by many of her subjects. Her memories of a prior existence as a vampire as well as memories of anyone from that former existence are gone when the story opens, so she must relearn everything from that other life from the people around her, but can they be trusted? She also learns her role as the former Countess was a quest to purify the vampire race thus, when Paulina begins to realize her destiny, her desire to complete it becomes a focal point for the novel. 

She is challenged in her quest by The 'Others', a group of powerful and evil vampires that attempt to use her memory loss to their advantage. The presence of the 'Others' reveal a centuries old battle between two opposing forces to covet the "Ancient One" as their leader. Struggling to remember her past, battling the 'Others' and coping with her new life keep the Countess busy throughout this spellbinding and thrilling saga. Will she succeed in her goals or will the 'Others' win her over to their side this time around?

In exploring the series, I asked Jodie how she began to map out what has become such a sprawling yet complex and often epic saga.

JP: I have to say that I didn't really do any significant "mapping" per se but rather, the story flowed from me organically. The first book in the series - The Vampire Queen - was my first and favorite manuscript. In it, I set out to introduce a fully realized protagonist in Countess Paulina de Lourdes who is somewhat of a mystery to the reader in the beginning. By reuniting her with her lover (whom she has no memory of initially), and throwing them into an epic adventure from the outset, the reader is invited to peel back the layers of the Countess in an interactive sort of way. I realized the potential was there to expand across multiple titles. When I came to write the second book - The Vampire Chronicles - I deliberately left it open for a third book. I then decided I wanted to tie up the events so I wrote the final book, Demise of the Vampire to achieve that.

Pierce counts a unique experience, living and studying in Brazil, as one that has shaped herself as an author and how the observation of people factor into her writing style.

JP: I lived in Brazil for six months when I was 16. Breaking down the language barrier was a significant milestone for me during my time there. I learnt Portuguese, having had no experience with the language before and I became fluent by the time I left. Brazil is so beautiful and the people are kind, generous, friendly and non judgmental. Though it is a third world country and I saw a lot of poverty, I found that generosity of spirit ran right through the populace, regardless of their circumstance and the experience imprinted on me significantly. Likewise, the country itself is physically beautiful. I lived two blocks from the beach and I found it an invigorating place.

I have often set my stories in Brazil or have used it as a location for other things. I've also created characters that are Brazilian or of Brazilian descent. In terms of the Vampire Queen trilogy, it was less influential  but it did make me a better writer. I wrote for the school newspaper while there and that was a valuable learning experience I will never forget. Brazil had a profound effect on me. I've even considered a tattoo of a Brazilian flag. It was my favorite place to live and would go back there and live there for forever if given the opportunity.

One of the appeals of The Vampire Queen series is the extent to which Pierce challenges the reader through her characters. Her protagonists and antagonists are not merely culled from the traditional archetypes found throughout the vampire fiction genre. Rather, Pierce has drawn them vividly from her observations of people and her own self examination. She has thus imbued them with complexity and potency. Her exploration of sexuality - in particular bi-sexuality - throughout the trilogy was one of the more attractive features of The Vampire Queen series and one that was handled convincingly and with maturity. I asked Jodie what influenced her portrayal of sexual themes in the books.

JP: I am bi-sexual myself so it wasn't difficult for me to transpose my own life experiences, my wants and fantasies into the stories. I have also written erotica with vampires and lesbians (Once Sanguist, Twice Bi) which were kind of proving grounds for exploring sexuality and combining the things that I love. I found these stories easy to write. My husband is accepting of my bi-sexuality (he loves it actually). Many of the situations the Queen is involved in throughout the books, have been drawn from personal experience and I won't deny that I enjoyed that aspect of the story telling. I had a full time girlfriend before I met my husband which changed my life in the best way possible. It has opened my mind to the full potential of sexual experience in a really positive way and it has benefited my marriage for sure. I still enjoy romps with my husband and another woman and, for us, they are positive and invigorating experiences. I'm a very open person and believe that people should be more open to exploring their sexuality and being comfortable with their sexuality.


Jodie Pierce knows her genre well and has a gift for constructing mythology and complex characters that populate her stories. Additionally, Pierce is not averse to challenging both herself and her readers by exploring themes of sexuality, relationships and love in a fully realized and refreshing way. It is clear that she is an astute observationalist - both of people around her and of herself. The result is honest story telling that doesn't take the reader for granted and allows them to be an active participant in the worlds she creates.

In a genre that has been wanting for some time, Jodie Pierce represents a new kind of quality in the world of vampire fiction.

Connect with Jodie Pierce here.

Purchase Jodie Pierce's Vampire Queen series here.

Tweet with Jodie Pierce here.

Facebook Jodie Pierce here. 

Post Script - Pierce has recently kicked off an initiative with other vampire fiction authors that will see them collaborate on a project that will benefit the St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. She is looking for authors to add to the project so if you think this is something you might be interested, do get in touch with her.  

DFA.

Download Deans' Interview With Radio Adelaide's Breakfast program with Angas Randall.

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Lost Songs Found - Coversations with Stephen Ormsby.

Recently, I had the pleasure of encountering a fellow Gippslander and author Stephen Ormsby who approached me to ask if I would be interested in being featured at his website. Stephen is an enthusiastic supporter of independent authors, artists and musicians and in a short time he has welcomed an impressive roster to his site and the result has been a really interesting and diverse conversation that has become a weekly staple for me. 

It follows then that I just had to return the gesture and feature Stephen over here because Stephen, himself, is an author of significant talent whose new release "Long Lost Song" is creating all sorts of buzz.

There is no doubt that Stephen is worldly, a seeker of inspiration and also a deliverer of it. He started out as an IT professional and toiled away in that industry for twenty years, whilst travelling extensively, reading widely, exploring music and raising a family with his wife that now consists of two beautiful children and a mad cut named Smudge. He made the brave decision to pursue a more creative life which has been something of a life changing thing that has served his well being in more ways than he anticipated. He love of writing has always been a central part of who he is and the idea of writing novels has been a natural extension of that. Indeed, Stephen has already written four full length novels whilst still encumbered by the demands of his chosen profession but when the idea for Long Lost Song came along,  Stephen knew this was the project that demanded to be published.

The guff on Stephen's landmark novel is thus:


A virus is decimating America today and Michael Decker is the culprit.  Or is he?

Is it the work of a curse recorded into a song by 1930’s blues musician Ricky Jensen?

Long Lost Song tells the story of Ricky and Michael as they battle their personal and real demons while the world reaches end times of biblical proportions.

One question remains. How do you stop a devil of a song made to break a crossroads deal?


Long Lost Song draws together several favoured elements of Stephens - the deep south and the ubiquitous blues music, the supernatural, voodoo and melds it together to form a narrative that crackles with tension and intelligence, while giving the reader respite in elements of romance that Stephen handles with a deft hand so that it balances the overall tome. The music of the south plays well with the novel and the reader should consider taking out some John Lee Hooker or Muddy Waters even some Ry Cooder to complement the reading experience. Trust me, it works really well, delivering you into the heart of the story and holding you there until the charged climax. 

Stephen's readership have enthused at Long Lost Song's powerful story telling and it has become a well earned favourite right across the globe. 

Stephen Ormsby has achieved a fascinating blend of voodoo, misguided desire, death, and the unconquerable human spirit. Here, for all to relish, is the one single essential ingredient of the human condition—the capacity to love.

Norman W Wilson, PhD

Long Lost Song is just the opening to a planned schedule of releases by Stephen that will see him further cement himself as an author of considerable talent. Already, he has continued his considerable work rate by producing a series of shorts under the title "Leftovers from the (Writing) Table that are available now and show case his abilities in an (arguably) more restrictive genre (ie. the short). 


Purchase Long Lost Song at Amazon  

Purchase Long Lost Song at Smashwords     

Stephens Short Story Series "Leftovers from the (Writing) Table" can purchased from Amazon and Smashwords

Connect with Stephen Ormsby here

Facebook Stephen Ormsby here

Tweet with Stephen Ormsby here

DFA.       

Defining Heaven - Conversations with Author Madelaine Standing

Every so often, an author appears from out of the cacophony of authors and you just know right away that there is something unique about them - something that you can't quite quantify in words. There is a magic about them, the way they devote themselves to the craft,  the subsequent offerings they present that seem to transcend genres and the enthusiasm which they project in talking about the craft. You just can't help but be encouraged in your own enthusiasm for the craft that we share as authors and you want to share it around as much as you can. 

So when I happened across author Madeline Standing this past month and struck up a conversation about her craft and her life more generally, I was immediately captivated by her spirit, her desire to connect and foster a sense of goodwill in the world. 

Standing describes herself as an author and writer, but she has embraced so much more onto her palette that is worthy of highlighting. From yoga instruction, to volunteering for charities devoted to women recovering from abuse, Madelaine's accumulated life experience, her vigour and positivity stand out as something really beautiful.

Her journey towards writing began when Madelaine left home at the age of seventeen after completing high school requirements in the state of Florida. She took a sort of left turn by enrolling in a semester of acting classes and, though theatre life was one of intrigue and fun, Madelaine recounts that it wasn't long before she became wrapped up in the world of words written by Anais Nin and Ayn Rand, thanks to her older sister’s suggestion. 

I began travelling down the California coast starting in Santa Cruz, California and I stopped at Santa Barbara for a few months where I took a side route and immersed myself in painting with the locals on the mountainsides.  A writing course at a Northern California Institute of healing and fine arts led me back on the trail of expression through letters.  

Soon after, Madelaine moved to Los Angeles where she lived and worked in a building housing an independent movie production company.  

Before too long I was being given scripts to read and study, and eventually report on by writing synopses on them.  When one of  my  feedback points regarding a movie script was incorporated into the movie by the director, I realized then, that I might understand stories more than I was yet to understand.

A year later while living in the Midwest in between European travels with extended family, Madelaine began to explore her own way with words.  

My first attempts were comical both to myself and to those close to me in reading them, but that did not deter me. Through perseverance over the next six years, writing notebooks atop notebooks of ideas and stories I came to understand that writing, for the strong at will, is a gift that can be nurtured, thought it may not be first nature at the start.

Creative Writing classes at Emily Carr Art Institute and University of British Columbia with Paul Belserene, in addition to the course taken in Northern California, helped give her a basis for the craft of novel writing.  Books by Steven King, Betsy Lerner and others also gave her a great deal of insight along the way and from these seemingly separate threads a tapestry was beginning to weave itself together, forming the direction that Madelaine was destined to take - the destination being her first novel.

In Croatia and the United States I wrote the first draft of what is now Heaven in the Meat Packing District, my debut novel.  My travels, my love for humanity and the natural environment have fuelled me and continue to do so in my creative process.

Heaven in the Meat Packing District follows two seekers of enlightenment, Valencia and Kai, on their path to realizing the power within themselves. Kai and Val become the subject of science experiments within the Meat Packing District of New York City. When Sheldon, the man conducting the experiments, is threatened by the police into taking the participants out from his care, Ana McKenna, an investigative reporter, is called on to deliver justice where it is believed to be deserved.

The book will be released in three parts over the course of the remainder of 2012, culminating in a completed work by December.


As the title suggests, the novel is set in the Meat Packing District of Manhattan. It is a thought-provoking piece in the sense that it invites readers to explore the natural environment’ s current day challenges, but it is also highly-entertaining - as attested to by its accumulated readership thus far.  

I wrote the book on the premise that readers are given the opportunity to delve into the world unseen that well-written fiction offers, while the book also encourages readers to consider their individual place within the world.  I hope people will leave the book upon completion with the sense that they are a unique human being, as well as the notion that there is still so much more for us as a collective community to wonder about when we step out the front door in the morning and look around.

There is still much work to be done, as Madelaine begins to continue work on her second novel.  She actually has three books in total she plans to share - the second, with the working title of "Tova" takes place in her home town of Virginia Beach in the United States.

Outside of her writing, Madelaine lives in Vancouver, British Columbia where she balances her career as an author with study, learning and teaching holistic arts such as varying types of Yoga, Meditation, Pilates, Life Exploration, and Reiki.  Looking from the outside in, one might wonder how she manages two professions of such contrast.  She explains how they effortlessly balance one another.

Hours of sitting at the writing desk, glued to my computer, leave me needing to not only meet up with community, but also to move! And, vice versa, so much time spend outward, socializing, and helping others through the craft and vehicle of the healing arts, leaves me needing to go within. Be still. Reflect, and then express the discoveries that arrive from having done so.

Madelaine keeps busy by volunteering for women’s resiliency after encountering abuse.  She has been incredibly passionate about playing a part in the lives of other women since March 2011.  EmpowHer classes have been offered, funds have been raised at the local community organization she’s played a part at, and hearts have been lifted.  

Madelaine and her book Heaven in the Meat Packing District cannot be pegged into any particular genre. Her unique approach to life and writing are as interesting and diverse as any author I've encountered and I applaud her for it. She is all kinds of beautiful.

Madelaine's Official Site is here.

Connect with Madelaine here.

Purchase Heaven in the Meat Packing District here.

DFA.

Dean's landmark new novel "Gifts of the Peramangk" is available now.