Tag: Book Promotion

Interview with Mathias B. Freese

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn Interviews3 Comments

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

Never begin a sentence with “well.” [a writer should break rules.]Well, writing, for me, was characterological. It was a consequence of a repressed and depressed childhood and adulthood. It was the spume of a discontented and directionless youth, of misspent energies and unclear goals. It was the product of an outer directed self. Aimless, un-fathered and un-mothered, I was benign neglect incarnate. There is much truth in the adage that we grow old too soon and smart too late.

2) What inspired you to write your book?

All of my books are not inspired; they are made from moving trends in my own personal reflections. When my thoughts founder upon a reef, I take the wreckage and begin to make order from disorder. A writer shapes experience. This book is a second memoir; the first was youth and young adulthood, lunacy, foolishness and recklessness; a land of mischief and misbehavior. The second memoir is more reflective, an older man’s thoughts, hopefully wiser, perhaps not; we are all fools until the day we die.

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

In my memoir I carry on an imaginary conversation with Thoreau; however, he says nothing as I speak to him about the issues of my life. I keep Thoreau silent, for the questions I ask and the answers I get are solely of my own creation. The latent message of this literary conceit is awareness, or the awakening of intelligence, to cite Krishnamurti. Thoreau, as I see him, was consumed by the meaning of experience, of how to live an aware existence. In many ways he was a scold, hectoring us, berating us, pushing and shoving us into assessing what we are doing as human lives from moment to moment. I have been obsessed, if that is the word, with understanding who I am, and how to deal with existence since a young man. And so my affinity for Thoreau. This is an old man’s memoir filled with a young man’s ardor and exuberance.

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

I am free. [“I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free.”—Kazantzakis] I took an arrow from my quiver and it read memoir and I tried this genre free of whatever memoirs are supposed to be.

5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

All the characters in my stories and essays and novel and memoirs emanate from me., at the very least are projections of myself. The essential questions I ask are ones of meaning, intention and purpose in life. In the last essay of my memoir I ask all the questions I have ever asked of myself to an imaginary Thoreau. I would hope the reader attaches his kite to mine and sets flight.

6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

I am not interested in my readership. I have deconditioned myself from that. I have no interest in twitter and all the rest. I try to get my books reviewed or seen without going nuts over it. I write for my pleasure, to divine who I am. I write for no one else. To write for others is a kind of emptiness, or outer-directedness. Who said I had to have readers? Who said I have to be read? What is it I want is all that matters. I sell a smattering of books and engage a few people in literary discussion such as this piece, but that is all. I march to a different drummer.

7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

Advice is generally used or secondhand; use it sparingly. It must always be questioned. With that caveat, I’ll say the following. Constantly reference yourself; look up quaquaversal which appears in my memoir. It is the source from which other things emanate. Trust yourself. Techniques can be learned and schools can teach that; but since you are the last of your kind, and no one will be like you ever again, it’s best to discover all you can about yourself through mentors, philosophers, therapists and most importantly the awakening of intelligence. Continually decondition yourself of state, religion and authorities of any kind. When you are free, your writing will be a song.

8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

I may have written my last book. I am not sure. I hear fragments in my mind that may turn out to be stories. To wit, “It is here. Oh my…Oh my….” Strikes me ominously. I’ll see. I have no future. I have the moment, so why waste time on a future tense.

 

And Then I Am Gone: A Walk with Thoreau tells the Story of a New York City
man who becomes an Alabama man. Despite his radical migration to simpler
living and a late-life marriage to a saint of sorts, his persistent pet anxieties and
unanswerable questions follow him. Mathias Freese wants his retreat from the
societal “it” to be a brave safari for the self rather than cowardly avoidance, so
who better to guide him but Henry David Thoreau, the self-aware philosopher
who retreated to Walden Pond “to live deliberately” and cease “the hurry and
waste of life”? In this memoir, Freese wishes to share how and why he came to
Harvest, Alabama (both literally and figuratively), to impart his existential
impressions and concerns, and to leave his mark before he is gone.

Book Awards:
• The i Tetralogy: Allbooks Review Editor’s Choice Award 2007
• Down to a Sunless Sea: National Indie Excellence finalist Book Awards 2007 &
• Allbooks Reviews Editor’s Choice Award 2007.
• This Mobius Strip of Ifs: National Indie (Winner) Book Awards, 2012 & Global
Ebook Award finalist, 2012.
• I Truly Lament: Working Through the Holocaust: Finalist in the 2012 Leapfrog Press
Fiction Contest out of 424 submissions, Beverly Hills Book Awards, Winner;
• Readers’ Favorites, Five Stars; Indie Excellence Book Awards, Finalist; Readers’
• Favorite, Book Award Winner – Bronze medal
• Tesserae: A Memoir of Two Summers: 2016 Los Angeles Book Festival Honorable
Mention, Great Northwest Book Festival Winner in Biography/Autobiography
• Category, Runner-up in General Non-Fiction Category in the San Francisco Book
Festival, Winner for General Non-Fiction in The Beach Book Festival & Runner-Up
in General Non-Fiction in the Paris Book Festival

 

MATHIAS B. FREESE
is a multi-published,
award-winning author,
writer, teacher and
psychotherapist.

And Then I Am Gone teaser small

Blog Tour: The Pariah Child & The Ever-Giving Stone by Natasha D. Lane

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn Blog Tours, Book Events, book launch, book news, Book Promotion, Book Related Blog PostsLeave a comment

Blurb:

When Sarah was four, she promised her mother she would be a good girl — a proper young lady in their small country town — and that she would ignore the creatures who appeared to her and whispered in her ear of things unknown. But like all creatures of myth and legend, they won’t be ignored forever.

Now thirteen, Sarah is attacked by a wolf with poisonous black fur and strange, human-looking eyes. With the help of a few unexpected friends, she manages to survive the attack but soon discovers the creatures have returned. They want Sarah to find a powerful gemstone and bring it to them in Lyrica, their magical homeworld.

Her new friends urge caution, however. There may be more monsters like the black wolf. And the creatures themselves are frightening. Can Sarah trust them? Stuck between reality and imagination, her mother’s wishes and her own desires, Sarah faces an impossible choice – break her promise or do nothing to save a world in peril.

AUthor Photo B&W

Interview with Author Natasha D. Lane

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

I started writing as a kid. I was probably in elementary school when I realized how much I loved writing. Eventually, it became an outlet for me. I took everything I had to hold inside and put it on paper. It started with poetry,then eventually grew to short stories, before I started my first novel. My middle school teacher Ms. Snyder was the one who saw my talent and pushed me to write my first novel. It was called (get ready for this) “An Imperfect Utopia.” Great title, right?

Anyway, I never stopped writing. I was traditionally published as a romance author in college and did that for several years, before returning to the genre that always held a special place in my heart: fantasy. Now, here I am with one of the first fantasy novels I have ever written ready to be published.

2) What inspired you to write your book?

So much! Life experiences, other stories, and just a simple desire to write.

“The Chronicles of Narnia” and the movie “Eragon” (I know, I know, it was a horrible adaption) gave me a lot of fuel to write my novel. I love the sense of pure adventure both stories have and I wanted to write something like that, too. At that time, most of the fantasy novels I read had heavy aspects of romance in them which I didn’t mind but I began to wonder what it would be like to read a story that focused on the journey and less on some love triangle, ya know?

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

Love yourself even when the world tells you that you’re somehow wrong or unlovable. Love yourself.

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

Fantasy is a genre known for escapism. I think as a kid I wanted to escape from a lot of the crap that was happening. I was bullied at school and had very few good relationships with the adults in my life, so everywhere I looked there was this chaos, this negativity, and so much stuff out of my control. When I read fantasy I got to leave all of that behind.

I also got to leave some of the things I used to hate about myself behind. When I read fantasy novels I wasn’t a nerd or loser. I was a warrior going on a journey to save the world or a magician with hidden powers that no one understood. I felt like an underdog and fantasy novels are famous for turning the underdogs into the heroes of the tales.

5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

Oh, good question! Hmmmm. If I had to pick, I think I’d sit down with Serwa. She’s one of the main characters in the story and a very powerful witch. I think I’d ask her how she manages to carry all the burdens she does and how she handles people’s misconceptions about her. I don’t want to go into too much detail because her background has more explanation in the sequel. However, I will say that Serwa is one of the most misunderstood characters in the series. She’s often viewed as mean or a monster when in reality she’s trying to do what she can to save everyone.

6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

Twitter and Instagram are my favorite platforms. Specifically, Insta for readership but Twitter is good for branding and networking. I like Insta because it’s such a positive sight. Seems to me like it has less drama than other social media platforms.

7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

“Write your way through life.” That’s my mantra because, like any form of art, writing is an outlet. When life gets tough (which it always does) write out all madness, the beauty, the good and the ugly. It’s a healthy form of expression.

Beyond that, I’d say take any marketing classes you can and build your platform now! The sooner you build your platform, the more opportunities you’ll have to test what works best for your brand and how best to develop it.

8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

Lots of new projects. After “The Pariah Child & the Ever-Giving Stone” is released into the world, I plan on publishing my second novel. It’s tentatively titled “The Woman In the Tree” and is an Arthurian legend retelling that takes a different spin on how Arthur became king. I’m already writing the book, so it won’t be too long a wait.

Once that’s done, the sequel to The Pariah Child is next on my list.

Author Photo Color

Author Bio

Natasha Lane enjoys reading a wide variety of genres, but fantasy has always been dear to her heart. After a brief stint in romance, Natasha’s returned to fantasy and currently has two works in the making. She plans on releasing her first fantasy novel “The Pariah Child & the Ever-Giving Stone” March 22, 2018.

Natasha hopes one day to be a well known published author, whose writing informs as well as entertains her reader.

Besides being a bookworm, Natasha is a documentary junkie, rom-com addict, health advocate, entrepreneur, and chef (in her own way).

She currently resides in Baltimore, MD. Despite where life may take her, one thing is certain. Natasha will always keep writing.

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8547000.Natasha_D_Lane

Twitter: https://twitter.com/natasha_lane1

Website: https://www.natashalanewrites.com/

Excerpt: https://www.natashalanewrites.com/excerpt/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NatashaLaneWrites/

Copy of Pariah Child - Final Cover - front cover only - ebook rgb

And Then I’m Gone: A Walk With Thoreau by Mathias B. Freese Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviews2 Comments

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

One of the most thought provoking memoirs in recent years challenges readers to examine not only the world around them but how they are living their lives in author Mathias B. Freese’s novel And Then I Am Gone: A Walk With Thoreau. Here’s the full synopsis:

And Then I Am Gone: A Walk with Thoreau tells the story of a New York City man who becomes an Alabama man. Despite his radical migration to simpler living and a late-life marriage to a saint of sorts, his persistent pet anxieties and unanswerable questions follow him. Mathias Freese wants his retreat from the societal “it” to be a brave safari for the self rather than cowardly avoidance, so who better to guide him but Henry David Thoreau, the self-aware philosopher who retreated to Walden Pond “to live deliberately” and cease “the hurry and waste of life”? In this memoir, Freese wishes to share how and why he came to Harvest, Alabama (both literally and figuratively), to impart his existential impressions and concerns, and to leave his mark before he is gone.

 

This was one of the most unique and creative memoirs I’ve read in recent years. The story of the author’s journey in his later years in life allow us as readers to take the time to appreciate not only our own lives, but challenges us to think critically and take the time to find meaning in our lives. It does a marvelous job of using past life experiences, history, humor and classic pop culture references to contemplate the current state of our world. From the rise of Donald Trump as the United States President and what it says about the mentality of the nation as a whole to the hours spent on subjects like religion and life views that end up dividing us when there’s no need for it, this book is a perfect read for anyone looking to find meaning and purpose.

Written almost like a diary entry or an actual conversation between the author and the philospher Henry David Thoreau himself, this story exudes insight, psychology and honesty. It shows the power of hope in tumultous times, while also showing the history of the world and the threat of being doomed to repeat it in our modern times. It’s as much a reflection on our society as it is on himself, and despite the title’s ominous overtones, this story is not one of loss and hopelessness but one of learning from our own pasts and finding the will to reflect on our lives and come to terms with it. It’s a story of love, loss and life itself, and deserves to be read. If you haven’t yet, be sure to pick up your copies of And Then I Am Gone: A Walk With Thoreau by Mathias B. Freese today!

Rating: 10/10

 

About the Author

Mathias B. Freese is a writer, teacher, and psychotherapist who has authored six books. His I Truly Lament: Working Through the Holocaust won the Beverly Hills Book Awards and the Reader’s Favorite Book Award, and it was a finalist in the Indie Excellence Book Awards, the Paris Book Festival, and the Amsterdam Book Festival. In 2016 Tesserae: A Memoir of Two Summers, his first memoir, received seven awards.

 

A Precarious Beginning: Chronicles of Castlemount Book 1 by Siena Rollins & Fritz Rollins Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

An orphaned street girl finds herself thrust into the spotlight of a magical kingdom in A Precarious Beginning: Chronicles of Castlemount Book 1. Written by Siena Rollins & Fritz Rollins, this larger than life tale follows a young child who has experienced a harsh and cruel life, only to find she’s been chosen for a much grander destiny than she could have ever imagined. Here’s the synopsis:

“There are only two powers in the universe that determine what a person will become in life — luck and willpower.”

Orphaned at a young age and forced to become a pickpocket to survive, a chance meeting with the King’s Assassin is the lucky break Hyla needs. At the massive fortress city of Castlemount, Hyla discovers she is destined to become a Dragonrider! Training every day to understand her new role and the magical dragon bond, Hyla learns that mingling with the rich and powerful has its own dangers. Will her street smarts keep her alive? Join Hyla in the precarious beginning to her incredible adventure!

“A Precarious Beginning” is a classic tale of insurmountable odds, high adventure, and the power of friendship. It is sure to captivate readers of all ages.

This is a fantastic first entry into a gripping new fantasy series. Dealing with themes of poverty, tragedy and family, this story expertly crafts a rich world filled with magic and enemies galore. Hyla is the perfect protagonist, young enough to view the world around her with wonder while still having lived a life that makes everyone suspect and able to see beyond the magic and glamour of the life of a Dragon Rider. Exploring the way the high levels of society not only view but interact with those lower on the social scale, this book does a great job of blending real life societal issues with a larger than life fantasy realm. The action is great and the story evenly paced as we open up to a heart pounding chase scene and quickly dive into the life or death scenario Hyla finds herself in.

Overall this was a wonderfully written story. Engaging and addicting, this fantasy series is set to light the literary world on fire with a truly unique and creative fantasy world, and all fantasy fans are going to want to jump onto this wagon as it begins to take off. If you haven’t yet be sure to pick up your copy of A Precarious Beginning: Chronicles of Castlemount Book 1 by Siena Rollins and Fritz Rollins today!

Rating: 10/10

 

The Adversary’s Good News by Israfel Sivad Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Trigger Warning: This book deals with themes of suicide, drug use and abuse. Reader discretion is advised.

An intense fantasy horror adventure takes a troubled young man through the bowels of the afterlife in author Israfel Sivad’s The Adversary’s Good News. Here’s the synopsis:

A divine comedy – inverted. Christian Michael Anderson hasn’t been doing so well lately. He’s out of work, out of money, and out of alcohol. But when he loops a stolen rope through the exposed rafters in his ceiling and places that noose around his neck, his adventure has only begun… Encountering joke-telling gargoyles, the “Great Beast” imprisoned in a cage, a drug-dealing Tinkerbell, and much more, Christian eventually realizes he’s entered a psychologically haunted world far beyond anything his nightmares ever envisioned. But it’s not until his final imprisonment in the serpentine city of Pandemonium that he realizes he’s been tricked into confronting his own, personal demons.

The story of Christian was an exhilarating and terrifying journey through death. I would describe it as a much more horror filled version of Alice in Wonderland on acid. A world filled with dead artists, gargoyles, demonic sirens and more, these creatures help establish the chaotic world the author has created. The story itself is one of the most thought provoking I’ve read in 2018. The novel deals in some pretty serious themes, and helps show the reader why it’s important to examine the life we lead and make the most of it. Our lives are filled with ups and downs, and we often make mistakes. However this book felt like more than just a horror story. It felt like life, in which we all have to find ways to accept the things we cannot change and move on to rebuild our lives once more.

The writing was phenomenal. The protagonist Christian was complex and filled with inner turmoil. While he felt a desire to do the right thing, his addictions and fantasies held a massive pull within him, tearing him apart from the inside out. The imagery was strong throughout, creating a colorful and sometimes gruesome world where up was down, black was white and the people spoke in constant riddles.

Overall this was a great read. While filled with some triggering topics, the story overall was powerfully intelligent and allowed readers to think about the broader aspects of life, as well as the inner turmoil of their own lives. It was a breathtaking horror adventure through the afterlife, and if you haven’t yet you have to check it out for yourself. So be sure to pick up your copy of The Adversary’s Good News today!

Rating: 10/10

 

The Sugar Mill by Bhav Mangat and Harp Seehra Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair, honest review. All opinions are my own.

A beautiful collection of poetry comes to life in authors Bhav Mangat and Harp Seehra’s The Sugar Mill. Here’s the synopsis:

“The Sugar Mill” is a doodle filled collection of poetry and prose that explores experiences with distress, love, and cultural taboos. With a strong emphasis on self-discovery and growth, the book proves to be a true celebration of the self and all forms of intimacy. The journey is divided into 4 chapters, each following a different stage of sugar refinement: Cane, Crushing, Cleansing, and Crystallizing.

This story focuses on a central story of a young boy from a very broken home. It tells his story of surviving hardships in his childhood, only to meet a fellow classmate and fall in love. It tells the story of their love, and helps show him the love that never resided in his own life back when he was a kid. It’s a story of childhood lost, love found and making your own family. The writing is beautiful and well done, bringing a light to serious themes and topics like the way women are treated around the world and the insecurities that mistreatment can bring. It also highlights a refreshing amount of love and joy that can be found in the best relationships, as with the poem “I Must Be Scenic”, which depicts the way two people in love view those they love in context with the rest of the world.

Overall this was a wonderfully written poetry book that deserves to be read. Full of hardships, struggles, romance and true love, this is one of those rare books that redefines the genre. With wonderfully innocent doodles that bring a unique form of imagery to life within the poems themselves, this is a wonderful example of how poetry in the modern age looks, and how we should all be absorbing it. If you haven’t yet be sure to pick up your copy of The Sugar Mill by Bhav Mangat and Harp Seehra today!

Rating: 10/10

 

All love stories endure hardships and struggles. It’s how you get through those struggles that defines your relationship. Want to find help with couples counseling? Look no further with our friends at Regain.us using the link below:

http://www.regain.us/start/

 

 

Interview with Author(s) Two Sisters

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn Book Promotion, InterviewsLeave a comment
1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
My name is Steph (I wrote the book under the pseudonym Two Sisters), I live on a farm and I have a pet tortoise called Squirtle. I started writing for fun when I was fourteen, I enjoyed writing mini stories and because I loved books so much, writing became a hobby. My first book was about pirates but I never managed to finish it. I started to seriously get into writing when I went to university and I worked as a content writer for some digital marketing agencies. Since then, I’ve been writing feature film scripts (animation and horror) and fantasy stories.
2) What inspired you to write your book?
I absolutely love fairy tales so I wanted to write a collection of my own tales. What’s great about fairy tales is that they can be incredibly dark and provide important messages for readers too. As my sister loves to draw and is working to become an artist, I asked her to be my book’s illustrator and that gave me the push to write the book and get it published.
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
Each short story in this collection has its own message so I want readers to interpret them in their own way. I do hope that readers will be inspired to look back at Brothers Grimm and Angela Carter fairy tales as most people believe fairy tales are animated and fun because of Disney. It’s insightful to look back and see that fairy tales were originally created to SCARE people and TEACH people lessons.
4) What drew you into this particular genre?
Darkness and evil fairies. When writing dark fairy tales, it’s fun to write about evil characters that don’t always get their comeuppance in the end, sometimes the heroes are the ones who are punished because they are unwilling to change. 
5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?
This is a great question. If I only had to choose one character to speak to, it would be Princess Emelia. I would ask her: “If you had a chance to break your curse, would you take it? Even if it meant your mother would be unhappy forever.” Emelia is a sad character who still loves her mother even when she is cursed by an evil faerie because of her mother, at the end of the story it looks like she has accepted her fate.
6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
I would say Twitter but it’s been great talking to readers on Goodreads.
7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
Just write and be confident in your writing. I feel like I’ve wasted years with my writing because my confidence had been knocked down by nonconstructive feedback. If you love to write, keep writing and get your work out there.
8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
I’m currently working on an urban fantasy YA book series which I’m really excited about. I’m also writing a horror feature screenplay so I’m hoping in the next couple of months to start sending my work out and see what happens.

Book Release: Blood and Romance by Anthony Avina

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn book launch, book news, Book Promotion, Book Related Blog Posts, Personal Blog PostsLeave a comment

Hi there guys. Seven years ago I released a short book of poetry called Blood and Romance. Today I updated the book to better reflect my writing, gave it a cool new cover and finally gave the book a paperback version. Now the book is available in Kindle and Paperback formats. If you enjoy good horror and romance themed poetry, then pick up this cool book for only $4 on Amazon, and best of all it’s available for Prime members (free shipping)! I hope you guys enjoy it and in the comments below if you read the book tell me your favorite poem.

Buy the Book!

Dark & Darker Faerie Tales by Two Sisters Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

If you thought the fairy tales of the Brother’s Grimm couldn’t get any darker, then you thought wrong. In Dark & Darker Faerie Tales by Two Sisters, the stories we all grew up on are twisted in shocking and creative ways. Here’s the synopsis:

Inspired by Brothers Grimm and other sinister tales, Dark & Darker Faerie Tales is a collection of dark stories about evil faeries, corrupted heroes, vengeful innocents and malicious monsters. Delving into the darker side of fairy tales, each story offers a twisted journey that’ll make you wish for a happy ending.

Written and illustrated by Two Sisters, witness an unlikely friendship in “The Woodcutter and The Oak Tree,” discover what happens next to Little Red Riding Hood, and learn why it’s so important to be wary of who you meet in the woods.

This is one of the most unique story collections of 2018. The dark twist on tales like Red Riding Hood made for highly entertaining and nostalgic reading all at once, while tales of evil witches and heroes turned villains made the stories become even creepier than you could have ever imagined. The writing fit perfectly in line with the classic fairy tale style, while bringing a much darker horror twist into the genre. The stories are rich with vivid imagery, each page dripping with twisted characters and surreal settings that only a fairy tale world could bring to life.

Overall I loved this story. In fact so far it’s one of my top reads of 2018. The stories managed to be original and unique while paying respects to the fairy tale classics. Taking these stories in fantastically unexpected ways, this is the fairy tale collection horror fans around the world have been waiting for. If you haven’t yet, be sure to pick up your copy of Dark & Darker Faerie Tales by Two Sisters today!

Rating: 10/10