Tuesday 30 May 2017

Social Media Office for UK Indie Lit Fest is Sitting Round my Pool!



Today, I am delighted to have Su, Social Media Office for UK Indie Lit Fest sitting round my pool.  Please make yourself comfortable and do help yourself to a glass of chilled bubbly.

How lovely thank you for inviting me along, it’s rather hot do you mind me dangling my toes in your delightful pool?

Before we talk about your fascinating role with the UK Indie Lit Fest, please tell us a little about you

My name is Su (without the ‘e’ as there is no ‘e’ in Susan) and I’m a Read-a-holic from Doncaster in South Yorkshire, now living on ‘England’s green and pleasant lands’ amidst the rolling hills of the Herefordshire countryside in the West Midlands. My house is wall to wall books and I even have a ‘Leaning Tower of Paperbacks’ oh and hardbacks and goodness knows how many books on the kindle.

I also write for a hobby as Rose English and spend hours researching online. I have very eclectic reading tastes enjoying books across all genres and I must confess I am addicted to social media.

Facebook        Su Echo Falls S’ari      https://www.facebook.com/suechofalls.sari

Twitter            @RoseEnglishUK        https://twitter.com/RoseEnglishUK

Blog                 Rose English               https://roseenglishukauthor.wordpress.com/



What is the UK Indie Lit Fest

The UK Indie Lit Fest is a non-profit community interest company, the sole purpose of which is to promote Indie Authors, smaller publishing houses and allow writers to reach new readers.

The UK Indie Lit Fest is an exciting new project which made its debut in 2016. The brain child of Follow This Publishing and UK Indie Authors, it took place on the 23rd July 2016 at St James Hall, Bolton Road, Bradford, West Yorkshire.

The festival brought together indie authors from around the UK, for an amazing FREE Event. Fans met authors in person, talked to authors from all over the world in our international hub via skype, learned all about being an indie author, how to become a published author, took part in in our exciting workshops, listened to readings by the authors, entered our exciting competitions to win signed books and much, much more. 




UK Indie Lit Website  https://www.ukindielitfest.com/

Where will the event be held?

Kala Sangam, 1 Forster Court, Bradford, BD1 4TY    Sat 26 August 2017

Kala Sangam Website                   http://www.kalasangam.org/venues/getting-here/


Who can attend?

The event is totally FREE making it accessible for anyone to attend, we encourage families with young children too as there will be a special children’s corner. Our aim is to #SpreadTheWord and share our love of reading with as many people as possible. Tickets can be ordered online and each ticket has a unique number so it doubles up as a raffle ticket with a chance to win a signed copy of a book from one of 30+ attending authors. FREE Tickets will be available on the door but we are encouraging people to download and print tickets so we can gauge numbers for health and safety.

Order tickets here  


What does your role at Social Media Office entail?

As Social Media Officer I share and promote the event online via all the regular places and pass information to David Driver our friend and fellow writer who presents ‘The Writers Bookshelf’ on Drystone Radio in Yorkshire. Podcasts are available for a couple of weeks on the radio website. Upcoming events are listed on the Bookshelf Facebook page. I myself will be featured on the show on Tuesday 1st August 2017 from 19:00hrs GMT.

I am also responsible for collating Indie Author Interviews and posting them on our WordPress Blog called Indie Book Banter again here I will share news, reviews and interviews. It’s a new hub for chatting about all things Indie but whilst we are just starting out the main focus is upon the writers attending this year’s UK Indie Lit Fest. We also feature International Indie Authors as we have made so many friends who have supported us along the way. Sherri A. Wingler from the US is one of many and encouraged me in my own writing.


The Writers Bookshelf      http://www2.drystoneradio.com/podcastbeta/

The Writers Bookshelf FB            https://www.facebook.com/thewritersbookshelf/



I know you are an avid reader, what kind of books do you love most?

Yes as I mentioned before I am a Read-a-holic, I have very eclectic tastes, I am drawn in by a great cover and the opening lines (praise goes to Amazon ‘Look Inside’).

I love paranormal I am a big fan of the vampire tale, my hero’s being ‘Bram Stoker’ the father of the genre and ‘Anne Rice’ the mother. But wow let me tell you there are so many amazing Indie Authors out there that write in this genre I am so spoilt for choice.



Dawn Singh is the brains behind the UK Indie Lit Fest and a wonderful author of YA reads her latest ‘Dead Normal’ is a funny little tale about Death who happens to be called Derek #DeadIsTheNewSexy



Sherri A. Wingler writes beautifully descriptive YA novels and has encouraged us in promoting UK Indie Lit Fest. ‘Crimson Moon’ a twist on the Red Riding Hood tale is her latest but ‘Wings of Darkness: The Immortal Sorrows Series’ about Angels and Demons is a must read for fans of this genre.




The book that sticks in my mind though is ‘A Boy From The Streets’ by Maria Gibbs it won one of your ‘Chill Awards’ a truly moving story about twins separated at birth one taken to England and a rich life whilst the other remains in Brasil a street child.

DM Singh Books                 http://author.to/UKIndieLitDMSingh

Sherri A Wingler Books    http://author.to/UKIndieLitSAWingler

Maria Gibbs Books             http://author.to/UKIndieLitMGibbs                             

I love a story full of descriptive text something that draws me into the pages so I feel like I am experiencing it for myself.

Oh look I suppose we should stop now, or else we may need another bottle of bubbly and then talking all things books we could be here until the wee small hours. Thank you so much for inviting me along and I cannot wait for you to return your interview questions for Indie Book Banter and to share one of your books on our International Table at this year’s UK Indie Lit Fest.


Happy Reading One and All especially our #IndieFriends please #SpreadTheWord 


Wednesday 24 May 2017

To Award or Not To Award

Most of you know I am the founder of Chill with a Book Awards: Awards for Indie authors. Within three months the Awards went international with Awardees from Australia, New Zealand, USA, UK and Europe. Each book accepted into the Award programme is read by an equal number of readers. Chill’s readers are scattered all over the world; USA, UK and Europe. Readers have to answer five question about the book they have read and add comments if they wish too. Few authors and readers know I am an author too so you can image the surprise I had when an email dropped in to my in-box from a Chill reader...

“... I realized I had not spent time investigating your blog. I went to Facebook & liked/followed Chill, of coarse, but then went to your blog. Silly me, I did not know you were a writer; I thought you were a reader interested in promoting Indie writers.  Naturally, I was excited and ordered The Wendy House. Talk about a "page turner"!  My God, Pauline, this book is tremendous!...”



This email more than made my day, but nothing like th email I recevied today...

"..Couldn't resist "submitting" my "evaluation". “

And this is the evaluation from a Chill reader...

 Were the characters strong and engaging?

            • Yes, very!

Was the book well written?

            • Yes! ...and especially considering the difficult topic!

Did the plot have you turning the page to find out what happened next?

            • Yes, absolutely!  I have never read ANY book in two days. And not because it was an "easy read". It was not a "simple" or "light" book; it was compelling.

Was the ending satisfying?

            • Yes, very. I don't think I've ever been so satisfied with an ending."

Have you told your friends about it?

            •  I'm about to post the Amazon link on my facebook page. Any one that has a daughter needs to read this book- as well as teachers.

Comments Optional
Thought it would be fun to give you my "evaluation" in this format, Pauline. 😃
As you surely must know.... this book is exceptional, and in many ways. Not only is all of the above true,  but considering the delicate topic, it is quite beyond words. How you could create this story (based on fact, partial fact, or pure fiction) and present it with all the complexity that a young victim experiences is truly a great accomplishment. Every parent that has a daughter NEEDS to read this book. I am so very sorry that your friend or acquaintance (the inspiration for this story) had been abused in this manner. I hope she has found her way through the mire, and is at peace.
......You really deserve many "Chill awards" for this book, Pauline!  Excellent writing!


This left me speechless and very happy. Of course, my own books can’t be awarded a Chill with a Book Award can they? What do you think?



As always a HUGE thank you for stopping by. I hope the sun is shining on your face and in your heart.

Hugs

Pauline

x

Sunday 7 May 2017

Featured at Being Anne


Today I am being featured at the wonderful Being Anne's Blog talking about all sorts of things including Chill with a Book Awards.

If you have time please pop along... thank you.