Samatha Shannon in Conversation: London Launch of Priory + UK GIVEAWAY!

Hello, book dragons!

I’m bringing this post to you a little later than intended because life has been super busy *SHAKES FIST*, however, I’m extremely excited to be giving you the inside scoop on the Samantha Shannon in conversation event I attended at the end of February, celebrating her new release The Priory of the Orange Tree!

For those of you that don’t know, Priory is a high fantasy standalone novel that’s loosely based around the myth of George and the dragon, which is pretty freakin’ awesome!

I’m still quite new to attending bookish events and I do get a little nervous about them, but the team at London Waterstones Picadilly made everyone SO welcome, even offering us a free glass of wine. Um, VIP TREATMENT OVER HERE!?!

My friend and I arrived pretty early but the room was already half full, buzzing with excitable energy. When Samantha walked onto the makeshift stage there was a large whoop and a round of applause. Joining her and chairing the interview was Alwyn Hamilton. While I haven’t read any of her novels, I really want to now because she was such a funny and vibrant speaker and really set the tone for the evening!

A Bookish Treasure Hunt: Have You Got What it Takes?

Hello all, I have something a little bit different for you today!

I’ve always been a fan of treasure hunts, as well as puzzles and games where you have to work clues (I secretly consider myself a bit of a Sherlock, brainiac, crime fighter on the quiet.) 😉 So when I was approached to help host a genius little treasure hunt based around a recently released, intriguing sounding book I was only too happy to oblige.
The basic idea is that several bloggers are presenting one clue on their blog, and that if you, the readers, manage to guess the clues correctly you can submit your answers into a prize draw to win a free copy of the novel. Pretty awesome, huh? I know I’m looking forward to giving it a go and trying to work it out!

So what is this mystery book?

Author Interview with Michael Cargill: Talking Sociopaths and Going With the Flow!

I would like to welcome back, Michael Cargill! I first interviewed this guy way back in April when he was promoting his book Shades of Grey – Three short stories surrounding different people and their battle to survive.
Since he was such a joy to interview the first time, I thought I would invite him back again! 🙂 Michael is offering up FIVE FREE copies of his latest book, Underneath, so don’t forget to enter the giveaway for a chance to win!

So it’s nice to have you back again Michael, and with a full length published novel this time! How did you find the process of writing a novel, different to writing a short story? Was it harder?
It was only harder in the sense that it took longer to do, and the editing process made me feel twice as suicidal as it usually does. Each time I’ve started writing something, it’s ended up longer than the one that came before it. The one I’m working on now is longer than Underneath, and it aint even finished yet.
The thought of doing the editing for it is making me feel really suicidal.

Author Interview with Seraphima Bogomolova: Talking travelling and charismatic heroines!

Everyone say hello to author Seraphima Bogomolova, who is here to promote her new book My Trickster – a novel of mystery, intrigue and discovery. 🙂 She is also offering up THREE FREE copies of her book, so don’t forget to enter the giveaway for a chance to win!

Tell us a little bit about yourself? Have you always wanted to write?
I am originally Russian born a romantic city of St Petersburg, Russia. I love travelling and discovering new cultures and countries. I have lived in many places, but the dynamics and urban cultures of such cities as London, New York, Moscow, and Dubai attract me most.
I have always had a passionate affair with words, first as an avid reader and now as a writer. My writing journey started in October 2010 in New York where a certain sequence of events and meetings helped me to recognize my talent.  

Author Interview with Tony Talbot: Talking Writing and Tardis USB Sticks!

I would like to welcome Tony Talbot to Blogs-Of-A-Bookaholic! He is not only an author, but also a fellow blogger! 🙂 He is here to promote his book Eight Mile Island, based around a mysterious elite academy with unusual happenings. He is also offering up ONE FREE copy of his book, so don’t forget to enter the giveaway for a chance to win!

Tell us a little bit about yourself? Have you always wanted to write?
I work in an 11-14 school in Leicestershire, UK as an ICT technician…luckily it gives me a lot of time to write when I come home!

I always fiddled with writing when I was teenager – making fake characters for the people I knew, for instance, little things like ‘He was voted best person in the world ever in 1988..’. But I had a dream about a faked Apollo landing in 2008, and my wife said I should write it down or stop bugging her with it. I’d dipped into Stephen King’s ON WRITING a few times before that, but that dream really got me going. Four years later, and I can’t imagine doing anything else with my time anymore.

Author Interview with Karen A. Wyle: Talking Choices, Forgiveness and the Afterlife!

Please give a warm welcome to author Karen A. Wyle, who is here to promote her book Wander Home – a novel which deals with family relationships, death and the afterlife. 🙂 She is also offering up ONE FREE copy of her book, so don’t forget to enter the giveaway for a chance to win!

Tell us a little bit about yourself? Have you always wanted to write?
I’m an appellate attorney, photographer, mother, and politics junkie, as well as an author. After living on both coasts for most of my life, I ended up in south central Indiana in 1989, and I’ve lived here ever since. I am the first member of my immediate family to know anything whatever about sports.
I don’t know exactly when I started wanting to write, but by the time I was in 3rd grade, I was writing poetry of a sort, and it was around that time or soon after that I developed the ambition to be the youngest published novelist in history. (I didn’t make it. I was ten years old and in the process of writing my first novel when I heard that some British upstart had beat me to it, at age nine.)

Author Interview with William L. Stuart: Talking Elves & Magical Gemstones!

I would like to introduce you all to William L. Stuart who is here to promote his new book, The Gemstone Chronicles – a fun fantasy tale of magic and adventure. 🙂 He is also offering up ONE FREE copy of his book, so don’t forget to enter the giveaway for a chance to win! 

Hi William, tell us a little bit about yourself? Have you always wanted to write?
I am sort of an accidental writer. The book idea actually came from a conversation between my grandson (Aidan) and I while we were out hunting gemstones in the north Georgia mountains. I had done a little research about the “magical” properties of gemstones and we were discussing them when he suggested I write a book about gemstones and elves and The Gemstone Chronicles were born!

Christmas Book Giveaway! Tis the Season to be Merry.

Huzzar, I finished my first semester of University! 😀 Now I get to relax with a work free Christmas, hopefully full of reading, TV, socializing and blogging. Yay! So I thought with my spare time I would do something Santa and his Elves would approve of, hosting a book giveaway!

I was searching to find a good way of saying Happy Christmas to all of you, and this seemed like the perfect way to do it. Five lovely authors have donated their books to Blogs-Of-A-Bookaholic, yours for the taking! For the next few weeks I will be conducting author interviews to give you a little more insight into each author and their book, as well as reviewing each of them at a later date.

So, I bet you want to know more about the books you have the opportunity of winning! Here they are:

Author Interview and Free Book Giveaway!

Hello all! Sorry for the lack of posting lately. I’ve been busy, busy, busy. But I’m making up for it now by bringing you Blogs-Of-A-Bookaholic’s first EVER author interview and book giveaway! This is groundbreaking news people! It almost makes me….dare I say …a more professional blogger? Mwuhuhu.
Michael Cargill is a fellow WordPress user, and aspiring author. He is here to share a little bit about himself, and promote his new book Shades of Grey! He is also offering a grand total of TEN copies of his book to give away, so please make him feel welcome.
Let the questions begin! 🙂

What made you decide to take the leap and self publish?
I used to send stupid emails to people at work and some of those people said I should write a book. In the end I decided to publish some of the stuff that was in the emails and Diary of a Dork was born. It took me a while to pluck up the courage to do it but after that I realized how easy it was to do. Diary of a Dork isn’t actually a story or anything, it’s just off-beat humor that is very different to my other books. Some of the characters in it live on in spirit on my blog though…

Who is your favorite author?
My favourite author is definitely Stephen King.