Thrilling Summer Giveaway -Books & $50 Amazon Gift Card

The summer is here and it’s time to laze around in the sunshine reading a good book. For those of you who enjoy reading thrillers and mysteries we’ve created a fantastic bumper giveaway: 16 thrilling books on offer, and a $50 Amazon Gift Card.

Thank you to everyone who entered. The Giveaway is now closed and we have a winner.

 

What’s in the goodies bag?

I’m thrilled to be first on the list, because Saving Anna, Book 2 in my series Jake Talbot Investigates is due for release this autumn.

If you can’t wait to read Visiting Lilly you can download it for free with Amazon Prime.

Visiting Lilly by Toni Allen

Jake Talbot Investigates (Book 1)

Why should a man at a Surrey police station go ballistic because someone tries to visit Lilly, his elderly grandmother? Jake Talbot investigates a romance that crosses the boundaries of time.

“This a fantastic, unusual story, brilliantly written and thoroughly enjoyable.” Stu – Amazon review

Shadow Dancer by Addison Kline

Some secrets should just stay buried. On the day Tristan Morrow is born her mother goes missing, prompting an investigation that produces no solid leads.

“Lots of twists and turns and suspense.” D.Y. Danis – Amazon review

 

Rachel’s Folly by Monica Bruno

Rachel’s best friend is about to be married, but her fiancé is a mysterious man with seemingly no friends or family. After a night of drinking goes awry, Rachel is forced to face a dark part of herself she didn’t know existed.

“This well written page turner shows how one person can mess up so many lives.” Sharon H – Amazon review

The Anonymous Source by A.C. Fuller

One year after the 9/11 attacks, Alex Vane–a brilliant, carb-obsessed reporter for The New York Standard–wants nothing more than to break into the flashy world of TV news. But when he uncovers the scoop of a lifetime, his editor buries his story, a source turns up dead, and Alex finds himself at the center of a violent media conspiracy.

“This Grisham style read kept me guessing.” Nisi4man – Amazon review

Sandcastle and Other Stories by Justin Bog

The Complete Edition of Justin Bog’s First Collection of Dark Psychological Suspense Tales.

“This enchanting short story collection deftly examines the psychology of life.” Mrs J Lobb – Amazon review

 

What Echoes Render by Tamsen Schultz

Betrayal was something Jesse Baker thought she already knew too much about. But when her dead husband’s past comes back to haunt her, both the life she’s built for herself and her sons, and the story she’s told herself to make it through, threaten to crumble into ashes.

“If you’re a romance suspense reader you will love this book.” L R Smith – Amazon review

Macyn’s Letter by S.L. Stacker

A near-death experience at the hands of her husband would cause any woman to cling to her crippling trust issues and dating phobia, and Macyn McIntyre is no exception.

“Pleasantly surprised for a great read from a new author!” Tonia Molino – Amazon review

 

Awake by Melanie Surani

Opera singer Joshua Gray wakes in an eerie art museum exhibit. He comes to believe he’s been kidnapped and abandoned. And he isn’t the only one…

“The ride didn’t end until the very last page – and what a ride!” funky_town – Amazon review

 

All the Pretty Bones by Camela Thompson

After ten years of living in the shadow of her stalker, a diagnosis of terminal cancer pushes Olivia Kardos to take matters into her own hands.

“There are many interesting twists and turns throughout the book with moments of horror and others hopefulness.” Linda Ragland – Amazon review

Blood, Spirit & Bone by Camela Thompson

Olivia lives, but Lucian’s part in saving her may cost him his life.

“I’m always surprised when an author can keep me guessing and keep my nose buried in a book.” Kristina M Covington – Amazo review

 

Veronika Layne Gets the Scoop by Julia Park Tracey

Veronika Layne. Sassy, tattooed, twenty-something newspaper reporter. Never saw herself working for the “man.” When her small weekly is swallowed up by Singh Media Group, that’s exactly where she ends up.

“This book is a sexy adventure, a breezy story with mystery and romance that was a joy to read.” A. Langford “alex-of-cali” – Amazon review

Inhuman Interest by Eric Turowski

Thirteen words in a want-ad turn Tess Cooper’s world upside down after she signs on as a paranormal research assistant to the mysterious Davin Egypt.

“There is no sleep when reading this book! Seat gripping!” Peggy Salkill (UNDERCOVER BOOK REVIEWS) – Amazon review

 

Roses are Red Violet is Dead by Monica-Marie Vincent

Violet Sumner has a stalker. Between her largely dysfunctional family of two and the friends she doesn’t feel particularly close to, Violet thinks he’s the least of her problems.

“Novel is intense, and suspense filled with fully developed characters that feel like your own family members and close friends.” Nonie Peterson – Amazon review

OP-DEC: Operation Deceit by K. Willaims

Claire’s father sends her mother away, declaring she is hysterical with fatigue. Displaced by this disastrous outcome, Claire is brought to New York by her spirited aunt, to be raised beyond the reach of the damaging turn of events.

“The story is intense! I often found myself on the edge of my seat.” Victor A. Rodriguez – Amazon review

Women in Red by Jordan Rosenfeld

Diamond Run by Michael Croucher http://www.michaelcroucherbooks.com/

 

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Writing conversation

Writing Conversation and Speech in Novels

This is another one of the ‘lessons’ I prepared for my Writers’ Group. One of our members was struggling to write natural, flowing conversation in her novel, so was doing the unwise thing, and avoiding it altogether. Ooops.

Conversation is important in any novel or short story, because in real life we speak; but in a story we have to write speech as if spoken naturally. That is the craft of novel writing, the illusion of reality.

When we hold a normal conversation with our friends and family we say whatever we like, we interrupt, and generally talk a load of old rubbish. Sometimes we have important things to communicate to friends and family, but unless we have some kind of crisis that’s probably as rare as hen’s teeth. “I’ll be there in five minutes.” “What time shall we meet?” “Is supper ready?”

When we speak to people we’re purchasing something from we ask questions. With people we’re in contention with we tend to repeat our point of argument over and over again. With other people we pass the day and recount stories of this and that, how good the supper was last night and what a fab film we saw.

Yes, this is conversation. Yawn.

When writing fiction the conversation has to be part of the story, its job is to move the story forwards and direct the reader to the next scene or point of interest. Speech in writing offers information. That is it’s only purpose.

When writing a story we don’t care that the film was fab unless the film is part of the storyline. We have to cut our conversations to the bone, but also make our characters speak naturally and clearly.

Conversations in your story also help portray what the character is like.

How do they speak? “I say, lovely day.” “Hello mate, bit of a roaster today.” Both of these characters are saying exactly the same thing, but in a different way. The key to good character portrayal is to find each character’s unique voice, without going down the line of, “Eeez very varm today.”

Alongside what your characters say is the actions we describe around their speech.

“I say, lovely day,” said Fred, waving.

“Hello mate, bit of a roaster today,” said Jim, climbing into the cab of Bert’s lorry.

We can, of course, add adverbs to flesh out emphasis of how the sentence is being spoken, but nine times of out ten we don’t need these, and they should be used sparingly. Do these adverbs add anything?

“I say, lovely day,” said Fred jovially, waving.

“Hello mate, bit of a roaster today,” said Jim wearily, climbing into the cab of Bert’s lorry.

We don’t need the jovially for Fred, because his sentence is pretty upbeat and he’s waving, however, with Jim we discover that he’s weary, and this, as it’s part of the plot line, should add additional information to the reader. Hey ho, Jim’s tired, what was he up to last night?

There are, of course, many other words that can replace said. Some I personally loath, while others can be of use. Anyone who’s interested can pop along and read a list of 218 alternatives here. http://www.spwickstrom.com/said/

The main points to remember is that dialogue must share information, move the story forwards and make something happen.

*******

Below are some two line conversations that I offered to my writers’ group as prompts. Have a go yourself. Simply fill in the ‘he said, ‘she said,’ part of the story and see what a difference how you describe the way they said it makes each sentence sound.

“Hello.”

“What are you doing here?”

 *****

“I don’t think that goes there.”

“Yes it does.”

 *****

“I really can’t take much more of this.”

“I know.”

 *****

“Isn’t it gorgeous.”

“That’s not how I’d describe it.”

 *****

“Well, I told you it would end up like this.”

“When?”

*****

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