Tag: Writing

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Do You Like to Read? Then Check This Out.

brown and black wooden docor
Photo by Bryan Schneider on Pexels.com

Hello Readers,

For those of you who love to read (which I’d say is most, if not all, of you who are reading this), there are plenty of books out there that the authors want you to pick up for free. Amazon, Kobo, Apple, etc… they all have them. Just search on ‘Free’ on you should find a heap. But there are other places too that you might not be so familiar with.

There are arguments in the writing world both for and against free books. Some feel that authors should not be giving away the work they have laboured over. Others feel that providing free books helps an author to be discovered and build a fanbase that will go on to purchase backlist and future books. I can see both sides of the argument and I am not here to judge. I think it should be the author’s decision whether or not they make their books free. Personally, I don’t mind giving away some freebies to help readers discover my writing, nor do I mind receiving them in the search for new authors for me to discover. As a reader myself, if I have obtained a free book and enjoyed it, I feel I should pay back the author by rating their book and/or providing a review. But, once again this is a personal choice.

So today I’m going to share a few links with you that are home to free books.

Bookworms Discover provides free books from Indie authors on the 1st Thursday of each month. You can find them at https://www.bookwormsdiscover.com/

Goodreads has regular book giveaways you can enter and a draw determines if you win a copy or not. You can find them at https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway?all_countries=true&sort=featured

Prolific Works (previously known as Instafreebie) is a platform that provides exclusive access to sneak peeks, advance previews, and special giveaways. You can find them at https://www.prolificworks.com/about/

Freebooksy is another site that provides free books, you can find them at https://www.freebooksy.com/

These are not affiliate links; I do not receive any kickbacks if you visit these sites from the links provided. I just wanted to share the details of a few of the sites that I have used in case you find them useful, and in the hope it helps other great authors get discovered. And if you haven’t done so already, you can even pick up freebies from the home page on this site.

How about you? Do you know any good sites for Free Books? I’d love to hear of them if you do, especially if they are specific to the fantasy genre. Feel free to let me know in the comments.

Happy Reading!

Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here.

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Book Review – The Puppeteer: The Seal of Solomon by Shannon Reber

The Puppeteer: The Seal of Solomon - Book 1The Puppeteer: The Seal of Solomon – Book 1 by Shannon Reber

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Puppeteer is about Enya, a young princess whose father has been possessed by a demon seeking to take over the lands. What Enya doesn’t know is that she is a Fire wielder and is only just starting to realise she has magical powers. Can she learn to control her powers and defeat the evil trying to take over the land?

The Cover: I don’t mind the cover to this title, but it feels more like a mystery/horror/thriller cover to me. The colours work together and the fonts are clear, but I would not have picked it for a Dark Fantasy title. I think the author could benefit from aligning the cover more closely to the genre.

The Good Stuff: There is a good storyline in this title with some good ideas and some interesting characters. The Gatekeeper is my favourite and I would have liked to have known more about him and his story.

The Bad Stuff: I say this frequently and I recognize that it is a personal preference, but I really do not like 1st person unless it is done very well. It wasn’t done badly, but it wasn’t done well enough for me to overlook and this took away from my enjoyment of the book. Another thing I didn’t like which I can also attribute to personal taste, is the Chapter titles. The chapter naming convention is to use the name of the character whose point of view (POV) the chapter is written in. This confused at first, once I realized the convention, it disappointed me. Eventually, it helped me, as some chapters were not immediately clear who’s POV we were in and a quick glance at the chapter name solved this. The story is also very dark in places, and while this demonstrated the character traits through their actions, I didn’t feel like the same tone/mood was set through the description and word use in these parts of the story.

Overall, I enjoyed the story, but I could have taken or left it. It did not draw me in enough to push me through with a want to read, so much as I continued because I had committed to reading the book. Considering my personal dislike for 1st person I’m going to lean on the generous side and give this one a smouldering 3 out of 5 golden bookmarks.

Want to know if you agree with my review? Grab your own copy from these links:

amazon.com
amazon.com.au

Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here.

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Time for a Quick Update.

Hello Readers,

We are now at the end of January and I thought it was timely to give you a quick update on my goal progress. As you will probably guess, I have been keeping myself busy. I still haven’t secured a new job, but I’m hopeful something will come up soon. I guess it has given me time to focus on my double diploma. I’m now well into unit 2 and boy is it a lot of work, but I am enjoying it.

I have managed to get some writing done, but not enough to be proud of. I estimate I’ve hit about 2000 words since the start of January and that’s across 2 stories I’m writing, so no real dent in anything there.  I have managed to read 3 books out of my 12 book target though, which has really surprised me.

My newsletter following is also growing and has increased from 350 to 412, so it looks like I’m on track to get to 600 sooner than anticipated. If I keep going at this rate I will have to re-evaluate and increase my goal here.

I’m yet to receive an English student through my volunteer tutoring, I was expecting to get someone assigned to me this month, but it hasn’t happened. I think I will hear something on this soon though.

As for increasing my reviews, this is probably my most ambitious target as I’m looking at an additional 8 reviews on each of my books. It may not sound much, but with 8 titles it comes in at 64 reviews and they are not easy to come by. So if you have enjoyed one of my stories and not yet left a review, you would make me very happy if you did so. Not only would it help me move towards achieving this goal, it would also help me as an author by providing the ‘Social proof’ new readers often look for on my writing.

That’s about it for my goals so far. So what about you? How are your goals coming along?

Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here.

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Book Review – Half a King by Joe Abercrombie.

Half a King (Shattered Sea, #1)Half a King by Joe Abercrombie

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Half a King is the story of a boy with his life planned out, suddenly forced to become a king, only to thrown from grace to the depths of depravity where he strives to take back his life and his rightful place among his people. More so, it is a story of greed and betrayal, friendship and loyalty, but most of all… Vengeance.

The Cover: I like the cover for this book. It is clearly a fantasy novel with both picture and font lending themselves to the genre.

The Good Stuff: I have been trying to read a wider variety of authors over the last year, but I was only a few pages into this story when I thought to myself – ‘Damn, I’ve missed the quality of Joe’s writing’. This is another great book by what I must say is without doubt my favourite author. This title has the same amazing character development, great description, and everything else I love about Joe’s work. Maybe not as gory or bloodthirsty as his First Law Trilogy, and certainly less coarse, making it more suitable for a broader audience. I am a big fan and with quality writing such as this, who wouldn’t be?

The Bad Stuff: (Insert the sound of Crickets chirping here).

Overall, this is a great fantasy novel with all the elements I love – good world building, great characters, and a solid story line with twists and turns you will… and won’t, see coming. I’m giving this one a whip lashing 5 out of 5 golden bookmarks.

Want to know if you agree with my review? Grab your own copy from these links:

amazon.com
amazon.com.au
Kobo

Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here.

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Guess Who Got An Honourable Mention.

 

night building forest trees
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Hello Readers,

I entered a scary short story contest back in October, and while I didn’t win, I was asked to participate in an anthology of the wining stories and receive an honourable mention.

So, if you want to read my submission or if you’re in the mood to read some other short horror stories you can check them out on the link below.

https://www.supportindieauthors.org/s/Whatever-You-Do-Dont-Turn-Around-Compilation.pdf

Happy Reading.

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Book Review – Fondling Your Muse by John Warner

Fondling Your MuseFondling Your Muse by John Warner

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Fondling Your Muse is a non-fiction title that provides advice to writers. It is described as a hands on guide to writing your very own New York Times best seller.

The Cover: I have a hardback copy of this book and the cover is awesome. It has a texture to it that looks like soft leather. The colour is good, trimmed with gold and the white font pops. It is a beautiful cover that drew me to the book straight away. I wouldn’t say that it screams ‘non-fiction writing guide’ to me, more like a book of poems or a religious text, however the title sparks interest and the sub-titles tell you exactly what the book is about.

The Good Stuff: The cover is awesome. The content itself is very tongue-in-cheek funny which you will enjoy if you like that sort of thing. The book does also have writing related information, which for the complete novice may be of some use.

The Bad Stuff: I was really disappointed with this book. The quality of the cover and its bindings gave me high hopes. I was sorely let down by the comedic style of writing, which had me questioning when the author was serious and when he was just fooling around. Maybe it’s me and my sense of humour, but I just didn’t get all the humour. Yes, I laughed in places, but I also thought it was ridiculous in places. I don’t mind a bit of humour, but I expect a certain level of sophistication from a non-fiction title, and this book just didn’t cut it for me.

Overall, you will get a laugh from this book, but you have to ask yourself ‘is that what I want?’ Honestly, I don’t usually get so snarky about books, maybe I was just having an off day, but I felt like I wasted my time on this one. I really don’t want to waste more time reading it again to find out if that was the really case. So, if you’re keen, give it a go. You may love it and tell me just how wrong I am, but I’m only giving this 2 out of 5 golden bookmarks (and that’s solely because I love the cover).

Want to know if you agree with my review? Grab your own copy from:

amazon.com.au

Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here.

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New Year, New Freebies.

Hello Readers,

With the New Year celebrations over, it is time to look forward to the year ahead. I am still looking for a new job, I’ve signed up to a double diploma, and I have completed a volunteer English tutor course and will be taking on my first student in the near future. Even with these commitments I plan to achieve more as an author this year, than I did in 2018. This year I hope to build a larger following, obtain more reviews on my books, finish some of my stories that have been neglected for a while, and much more.

Part of my plan to help build my following involves a little author collaboration and a giveaway. It’s a win/win situation! Readers get to try new authors without forking out for their books, and authors may pick up a new fan or 2.  So what better way to start the new year than by teaming up with another author for a free offer. Well that’s just what I have done. I’ve teamed up with author Carol James Marshall.

Carol James Marshall is a California native that now resides in Warner Robins, Georgia with her husband, two boys, and a couple of dogs that are spoiled by all. Marshall’s books are light science fiction with a splash of horror and a decent douse of creepy.  Her short stories are a bit lighter, being more whimsical, but still pack a mysterious yet comical punch. When Carol is not writing she loves audiobooks, reading, classic science fiction and horror films.

To grab a free copy of Carol’s book Starburst just click on the image below:

FB Jan Freebie

STARBURST:

When everything you know is a lie… Will you seek the truth?

Lisa, our anti-hero, only wants to follow orders from her mysterious leader, Superior Mother, then get back to life in The Grey. When she is sent on her first mission among the humans, Lisa realizes she is more human than Superior Mother led her to believe. In her first mission for the Women of the Grey, Lisa begins to not only challenge her orders from Superior Mother but everything she has ever known. Defiant and on a quest for the truth, Lisa will follow orders no more while she creates a path of her own. If you love books with strong female characters that are both heroes and villains, Starburst is a read just for you.
The Women of the Grey is a science fiction and horror trilogy that dives into alien isolation tangled into a secret society. Read Starburst book 1 today to start the journey into the dark and disturbing world of The Grey.

For those of you that do not know me, I am a writer and artist, born in sun-scorched Australia and raised in the grungy suburbs of West London. I’m a keen martial arts fan, lover of fantasy, and a movie buff. I grew up watching movies like ‘Drunken Master’ and ‘Snake in the Eagles Shadow’. My favourite author is Joe Abercrombie and I love the graphic novels of Wendy and Richard Pini. So you will find I’ve been influenced by the likes of Joe, Wendy, Richard and cult Asian film directors such as Jacki Chan and Stephen Chow. I currently reside in Brisbane, where I enjoy creating new worlds through my writing.

To grab a free copy of my book Darkness In Shadows just click on the image below:

FB - DIS

DARKNESS IN SHADOWS:

Are you afraid of the dark? You should be!

Corporal Jackson’s been assigned a new post on a top-secret project and keeping him in the dark might just kill him. It’s hard to hide things from the Russians though. They know about the machine and they want one… but some secrets should stay hidden.

Darkness in Shadows is a sci-fi horror by Allan Walsh. If you like heart-thumping short stories, hair-raising concepts, and scary twists on reality, this monstrous tale will have you jumping at shadows.

Wrap your fingers around a copy today!

Happy Reading!

AW

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Book Review: The Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy (Volume 1)

The Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy: Alchemy with WordsThe Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy (Volume 1) Edited by Darin Park and Tom Dullemond

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a non-fiction title with numerous contributing writers, and is written for writers. It is a compendium that covers a broad range of material for writers of fantasy and will be useful to those writing in this genre.

The Cover: The image is a good fit for a non-fiction title geared towards writers and the quill lends itself to the fantasy genre. The title clearly conveys what the book is about, but while the fonts are suitable enough, I feel the title fonts could have been a little better. Overall, a strong cover for the title.

The Good Stuff: This book would be a fantastic addition to any fantasy writer’s reference library. It is packed with useful information on topics relevant to the fantasy genre, from medieval food and clothing, to religion and world building. This book has detailed information weapons, armour, and much more. It also provides links to websites and further reference material that is relevant and may be of use.

The Bad Stuff: If there is any bad stuff, I did not notice it. I am very satisfied with this book as a reference guide for writing fantasy.

Overall, this is a fantastic reference guide. It covers a great deal of topics relevant to the fantasy writer and will open your eyes to, or at the very least remind you about, checking your facts. The content is both interesting and great for future reference. I’m ranking this one 5 out of 5 golden bookmarks.

Want to know if you agree with my review? Grab your own copy from this link:

amazon.com.au

Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here.

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Happy New Year!

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Hello Readers,

Happy New Year! Wow, another year is behind us. Doesn’t time seem to have travelled so fast when you look back on it and yet the end of 2019 seems so far away right now. No doubt that when we look back on this new year it will have flown by too.

My 2018 has been busy, but it was not as productive as I would have liked on the writing front. While I have added to a few novels I have been working on, I only finished 1 non-fiction title and a new short story. I haven’t published the short as I want to put into an anthology of tales I’ve written. This year I think I’ll sit down and plan out a schedule to complete the goals I want to achieve by the end of next year.

So, let’s have a look at some of the events and things I achieved over 2018:

  • I read 20 books this year
  • I reviewed 14 books
  • I visited Tasmania for the Dark Mofo Art festival
  • I wrote and published a non-fiction title
  • I wrote a short story
  • I attended 2 monthly writers groups (although I didn’t manage to make every month for both groups)
  • I signed up and completed a course for authors
  • I have created a new website with my own domain name
  • I automated my mailing list sign up process
  • I’ve tried my hand at advertising my books and while I have not had a great deal of success, I have learnt some valuable insights
  • I created an author page on D2D
  • I signed up to Kobo
  • I moved house
  • I got made redundant
  • I updated my resume and commenced job hunting
  • I have started a double diploma

And there you have it. It’s not an extensive list, but more than enough to give you a feel for what I’ve been up to. I hope I can make 2019 a more productive year. I feel I have set some strong foundations over 2018 and once I have my schedule planned out it will keep me on track for a great year to be. I wish you all the very best for your 2019 and hope it is your best year ever, whatever your goals and dreams are.

Happy Reading.

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The things you stumble upon in Brisbane City.

I am a fantasy/horror writer and do not usually stray from these genres when I read. I still appreciate authors in other genres though, and when I went for a stroll around Brisbane city today and stumbled across this.

20181207_12465420181207_124653

A Matthew Riley book signing. The queue was at least 500 meters long and wound its way down the mall. This gives me something to strive towards.