Monday, March 23, 2015

A CHANGE OF MIND

COVER REVEAL


A Change of Mind
and Other Stories

by

Nick Wilford


A Change of Mind and Other Stories consists of a novella, four short stories and one flash fiction piece. This collection puts the extremes of human behaviour under the microscope with the help of lashings of dark humour, and includes four pieces previously published in Writer’s Muse magazine.

 
In A Change of Mind, Reuben is an office worker so meek and mild he puts up with daily bullying from his boorish male colleagues as if it’s just a normal part of his day. But when a stranger points him in the direction of a surgeon offering a revolutionary new procedure, he can’t pass up the chance to turn his life around.

 
But this isn’t your average surgeon. For a start, he operates alone in a small room above a mechanic’s. And he promises to alter his patients’ personality so they can be anything they want to be…

 
In Marissa, a man who is determined to find evidence of his girlfriend’s infidelity ends up wondering if he should have left well alone.

 
The Dog God finds a chink in the armour of a man with a megalomaniacal desire to take over the world.


In The Insomniac, a man who leads an obsessively regimented lifestyle on one hour’s sleep a night finds a disruption to his routine doesn’t work for him.


Hole In One sees a dedicated golfer achieving a lifelong ambition.


The Loner ends the collection on a note of hope as two family members try to rebuild their lives after they are torn apart by jealousy.


Genre: Contemporary speculative fiction

Cover Design: Rebekah Romani

Release Date: May 25th 2015


Bio

Nick Wilford is a writer and stay-at-home dad. Once a journalist, he now makes use of those rare times when the house is quiet to explore the realms of fiction, with a little freelance editing and formatting thrown in. When not working, he can usually be found spending time with his family or cleaning something. Nick is also the editor of Overcoming Adversity: An Anthology for Andrew. You can find him hanging out on his blog or on Goodreads or Twitter.


Preorder Links: Amazon US, Amazon UK

 
 
 CONGRATULATIONS NICK!
 
 

Monday, March 16, 2015

MYSTERIES FOR MYELOMA



 
My good friend, Nancy Lynn Jarvis's, is participating in the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation fundraising event this March. Her husband, like Tom Brokaw, has multiple myeloma, a plasma cell cancer. He was diagnosed a little more than two years ago. If he’d developed this disease a decade ago, he’d likely be dead by now, instead he’s doing well. Fortunately great strides have been made and survival times keep getting pushed out because of research, new medicines, and new treatments.

 
The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation has been instrumental in fundraising dedicated to finding a cure for the disease. Supporters have answered their call to do creative fundraising.

There’s a cat litter manufacturer who donates a portion of sales as part of a “Cats for Cancer” campaign. Ditto a Louisiana seafood producer who sells “Crayfish for Cancer.”

It seems this group loves alliteration and it occurred to Nancy that as a mystery writer she could donate books for sale and dub them “Mysteries for Myeloma.


Five of Nancy's books are real estate mysteries set in Santa Cruz. Nancy and her husband also edited a terrific cookbook called “Cozy Food: 128 Cozy Mystery Writers Share Their Favorite Recipes” which qualifies in the mystery category because all the recipes are from mystery writers.
This year’s Greater Bay Area MMRF - Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation event is a 5K Walk/Run which will be held in San Francisco at the Marina Green on March 22nd. Nancy will be there selling books. All proceeds will be donated to MMRF. For people with e-readers or those who can’t make the event, profits from e-books purchased on Amazon that day will also be donated.

 
Nancy's Amazon Author page is http://tinyurl.com/6uq4gsx if you want to take a look at the books or get ready to buy one on March 22nd.
 

E-books are only $3 or $4 each — such a small donation to make — but if enough people buy one, not only will they get a book they may enjoy reading, but we will raise some real money…perhaps enough to keep Nancy's husband and many others around for those who love them.

 
“Mags and the AARP Gang,” another book she's written will also be included for those who prefer humor to mysteries or cookbooks.


Please consider spreading the word about this wonderful fundraiser. Email your friends. Post about it on your blog. Tweet and share thru social media. Nancy and many others will be grateful.


Monday, March 9, 2015

DEFYING REASON

Please welcome Elizabeth Seckman, author of Defying Reason. Today she's sharing part of her writing journey with us.
 
UNIQUE RESEARCH
 
There is always something in a book that needs researched that a reference book or Google search just doesn't quite cover.

In the first book of the Coulter men series (Past Due), I needed to know if the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse was turned off during its move inland. None of the articles written on the subject mentioned whether or not it glowed, so I called people who lived on the island to get the answer. Which was no, it didn't glow.

For book two in the Coulter men series (Healing Summer), I wanted to know where a traveler could get lunch in one of the tiny half-horse Montana towns. While we vacationed in the region, I would ask cashiers and clerks, and on more than one occasion, someone offered to whip up some food.

For book three in the Coulter men series (Fate Intended), I needed some dirty words translated into Russian, so I hired a translator.

And for the fourth book in the Coulter men series (Defying Reason), I needed to know the rules on phone calls in and out of jail. Fortunately, a single shout out on Facebook had my inbox filled with real life prison contact stories.

For me, one of the funnest parts of writing the story is the unique research required by each one.

The Blurb:

Jo Leigh Harper comes from a long line of trouble-making, white trash stock.
Tanner Coulter comes from a longer line of wealth-creating, blue blood stock.
Jo graduated college top of her class, moving toward a future full of possibilities.
Tanner dropped out of college, trading a law degree for drinking games and one night stands.
A family crisis throws the rich party boy and the poor genius girl together. The attraction is immediate, though neither one is a heart-in-the-sand-drawing believer in true love. But as the summer sun heats up along the shores of the Outer Banks, so does the connection between them. Maybe, just maybe, they can win at love by defying reason.

 
Author Bio:

Elizabeth is a multi-published author of books for people who are believers in happily-ever- after, true love, and stories with a bit of fun and twists with their plots. The mother of four young men, she tackles laundry daily and is the keeper of the kitchen. She lives along the shores of the Ohio River in West Virginia, but dreams daily of the beach. 
 
 
 

What avenues have you pursued for your research?
Please share your Unique Research story.
 
 

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

IWSG - UNCERTAINTY

 
 
Uncertainty is the only certainty there is,

and knowing how to live with insecurity

is the only security.

 ~John Allen Paulos

 


Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time. Be sure to link to this page and display the badge in your post. (This information was taken directly from IWSG page.)

The awesome co-hosts are Chemist Ken, Suzanne Sapseed, and Shannon Lawrence!