Down Under Day 27-Welcome, Barry Lowe, AUS and NZ Facts of the Day

Welcome, Barry Lowe!

Our countdown continues and today our featured author on our Down Under Author Showcase is Barry Lowe. Barry Lowe is a prolific Australian writer with a penchant for hilarious titles and thought provoking plot lines. Be sure to search out the wonderful interview he gave us along with his bio, books and giveaway!

For the rest of the week, each author’s contests will continue into February to give everyone ample chance to locate the authors and listen to the stories they have to tell.

Now onto our Australian and New Zealand facts of the day. I’ve learned about cube-shaped wombat poop and wild Australian camels, subterranean glowworms who turn their cavernous ceilings into glowing night skies and red dirt deserts among the driest places on earth. What have been your favorites facts so far? Have you been able to answer the questions I have posed along the way? Hmmmm. Maybe you might want to backtrack and pick them up. Figure them out…..maybe there’s another contest still to come?

How I am enjoying this journey!

Australian Fact of the Day – It’s all About The Trees!

In the US we are proud of our trees, from the oldest in our great Redwood forests to the beauty of our flowering Magnolias in the south. Here are some facts about the trees and forests in Australia!

Australia’s tallest trees can be found in the south-west of Western Australia in the Valley of the Giants. Giant tuart, karri, and rich red jarrah which live for up to 500 years can be found here. The 1000 kilometre (621 mile) Bibbulmun Track traverses a variety of jarrah, marri, wandoo, karri and tingle forests as well as internationally significant wetlands.

The cool temperate rainforest of the World Heritage-listed Tasmanian wilderness contains some of the oldest trees on the planet including the rare Huon Pine.

The majestic Wollemi pine is a remnant from a 200 million year-old landscape, when Australia, New Zealand and Antarctica were joined together as the supercontinent Gondwana. It was thought to have been extinct for millions of years, until rediscovered by a bushwalker in 1994. Fewer than 100 trees exist in the wild, growing in the deep rainforest gorges of the Greater Blue Mountains.

That first photo should resemble one you would take if you visited a certain park in Northern California. Which park would that be and why?

New Zealand Facts of the Day – forests of New Zealand

New Zealand’s high rainfall and many sunshine hours give the country a lush and diverse flora–with 80 percent of the trees, ferns, and flowering plants being native.

From the kauri forests of the far north to the mountain beech forests and alpine tussock of the Southern Alps, you’ll find fascinating plants and trees in every region. You’ll be awed by the majestic evergreen native forests that include rimu, totara, many varieties of beech, and the largest native tree of them all, the giant kauri.

Waipoua is home to Tane Mahuta, king of the forest and the largest remaining kauri tree in the country. The 1,500 year old Tane Mahuta is 51.5 m (168 feet) tall, with a girth of 13.77 m(45 ft).
Tane Mahuta -see picture at right.
The forests of Waipoua are vitally important refuges for threatened wildlife. The endangered North Island kokako and the North Island brown kiwi both live here. More abundant are the kukupa/kereru (New Zealand wood pigeon), fantail, pied tit, tui, grey warbler, shining cuckoo and kingfisher. Another distinctive creature is the large and very handsome kauri snail, a carnivore which feeds mainly on earthworms, slugs and soft-bodied insects.

A lasting reminder of the once-thriving kauri industry are the kauri dams. Kauri driving dams were built by loggers to drive large quantities of kauri logs downstream from remote areas. While they played a major role in the destruction of the forest, they were also impressive engineering feats, built without drawings or detailed calculations, yet able to withstand the pressure of tonnes of water and kauri logs which were swept through with tremendous force when the dam was tripped.

In the Kauaeranga Valley on the Coromandel, kauri was logged extensively for over 50 years with more than 60 dams built. In 1970 remaining areas of surviving forest were deemed protected as part of the Coromandel Forest Park.

The Kaiaraara Dam on Great Barrier Island (40 m wide and 14 m high), is one of the largest of 3,000 kauri dams built in New Zealand in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Our Focus is On: Mia Kerick on Playlists, Writing and Come To My Window (contest included)

Come to My Window by Mia Kerick
Release Date: January 2015
Goodreads Book Page

A Mia Kerick Playlist!

Ever have songs in your head as you read a book? Well, the authors do as well. Here is Mia Kerick’s playlist for Come To My Window:

Here is my Top Ten Songs Playlist for Come To My Window!!

1. “Come to My Window” by Melissa Etheridge:

This is the song after which the book is named. It describes the way that the two girls meet, by gazing through their third story bedroom windows. For months they don’t verbally communicate at all, but instead simply study each other silently through the glass. The song details the strong urge the girls experience to reach out to each other—and the lengths to which they will go to fill their souls with the other. Furthermore, it shows the way that the girls can look away from society’s opinion about their love because their love is more important than social expectations.

Come to my window
Crawl inside, wait by the light
of the moon
Come to my window
I’ll be home soon

I would dial the numbers
Just to listen to your breath
I would stand inside my hell
And hold the hand of death
You don’t know how far I’d go
To ease this precious ache
You don’t know how much I’d give
Or how much I can take

Just to reach you
Just to reach you
Just to reach you…

I don’t care what they think
I don’t care what they say
What do they know about this
love anyway

Come to my window
Crawl inside, wait by the light
of the moon
Come to my window
I’ll be home soon

2. “You Oughta Know” by Alanis Morissette:

This song is important because it shows that Justine truly understands the anger that Kemina feels toward the glamorous cage in which she is trapped, and also, toward her own mother, who is controlling and uses her daughter as a tool to get what she wants. “You Oughta Know” is an expression of pure unadulterated anger, and the two girls listen to it together—but separately—each of them sitting on their own beds in their own bedrooms, gazing at each other across the alley.

And I’m here to remind you
Of the mess you left when you went away
It’s not fair to deny me
Of the cross I bear that you gave to me
You, you, you oughta know….

3. F**ckin’ Perfect by Pink

Pink’s song expresses how Justine feels—that Kemina is perfect as she is. Justine watches Kemina through the window, struggling to diet and exercise so that she can fulfill society’s expectations of a physically perfect female body, and she becomes frustrated that Kemina, as a model, is held hostage by these ideals. By the end of the song, Pink is basically pleading that the person to whom she sings realizes that he/she is already perfect, which parallels Justine’s pleading with Kemina for the very same thing.

Pretty, pretty please, don’t you ever, ever feel
Like you’re less than f**king perfect
Pretty, pretty please, if you ever, ever feel
Like you’re nothing, you’re f**king perfect to me

You’re so mean (so mean) when you talk (when you talk)
About yourself. You were wrong.
Change the voices (change the voices) in your head (in your head)
Make them like you instead…

Done looking for the critics, cause they’re everywhere
They don’t like my jeans, they don’t get my hair
Exchange ourselves and we do it all the time
Why do we do that, why do I do that (why do I do that)?

Pretty, pretty please, don’t you ever, ever feel
Like you’re less than fucking perfect
Pretty, pretty please, if you ever, ever feel
Like you’re nothing, you’re fucking perfect to me…

4. “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond

I originally chose this song because it’s the song that traditionally plays in the Red Sox’s home stadium, Fenway Park, halfway through the eighth inning. And Justine, despite her New York City roots, is no Yankees fan, but is a Red Sox Fan, through and through. In particular, she is somewhat obsessed by David Ortiz, or Big Papi, the Red Sox’s famous designated hitter. But when I read the lyrics carefully, I realized that the song was about falling in love—about reaching out and touching a special person who makes the good times better than ever, which is what Kemina does for Justine’s life. This blossoming relationship helps Justine to put the hurt in her life behind her.

Sweet Caroline
Good times never seemed so good
I’ve been inclined
To believe they never would
But now I…

…look at the night
And it don’t seem so lonely
We fill it up with only two.

And when I hurt,
Hurtin’ runs off my shoulders
How can I hurt when holding you?

Warm, touchin’ warm
Reachin’ out, touchin’ me, touchin’ you

Sweet Caroline
Good times never seemed so good
I’ve been inclined,
To believe they never would
Oh, no, no…

5. “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC

I chose “Thunderstruck” because Justine is crazy about the Oklahoma City Thunder basketball team, and this is their theme song. She also gets a powerful, almost thunderstruck, feeling when she plays street ball and scrimmages indoors with the male friends she grew up with.

Thunder, thunder, thunder, thunder
I was caught
In the middle of a railroad track
I looked round
And I knew there was no turning back
My mind raced
And I thought what could I do
And I knew
There was no help, no help from you
Sound of the drums
Beating in my heart
The thunder of guns
Tore me apart
You’ve been
Thunderstruck

6. “One Less Lonely Girl” by Justin Bieber:

I chose this song for the playlist because Justine is constantly compared to Justin Bieber due to their physical similarities. She admittedly wears her hair like Bieber in his “One Less Lonely Girl” days, and nobody lets her forget it, particularly not the guy friends that she grew up with. In addition, the lyrics discuss how many girls have pretty faces but now that he has seen this certain girl’s pretty face it is all he can see, which is similar to how Justine feels about Kemina.

Saw so many pretty faces before I saw you (you)
Now all I see is you
I’m coming for you (I’m coming for you)

(No no) Don’t need these other pretty faces like I need you
And when you’re mine, in the world
There’s gonna be one less lonely girl

I’m coming for you, one less lonely girl [x3]
There’s gonna be one less lonely girl…

I can fix up your broken heart (heart)
I can give you a brand new start (start)
I can make you believe (ya)
I just wanna set one girl free to fall (free to fall)
She’s free to fall (fall in love)
With me

Her heart’s locked and know what I got the key
I’ll take her and leave the world with one less lonely

There’s gonna be one less lonely girl
One less lonely girl
One less lonely girl
One less lonely girl…

7. “Daughters” by John Mayer:

I chose “Daughters” because a major theme of Come To My Window is the relationship between mothers and daughters. Justine and Kemina both have challenging relationships with their mothers, in particular, and, this song asks parents to be good to their daughters, because everything the daughters learn about love they learn from their parents.

I know a girl
She puts the color inside of my world
But she’s just like a maze
Where all of the walls all continually change
And I’ve done all I can
To stand on her steps with my heart in my hands
Now I’m starting to see
Maybe it’s got nothing to do with me

Fathers, be good to your daughters
Daughters will love like you do
Girls become lovers who turn into mothers
So mothers, be good to your daughters too

8. “Paparazzi” by Lady Gaga:

I chose this song because the paparazzi constantly hounds Kemina, as she is the “Baby Vixen”, or the newest and youngest model of Nightingale Lingerie, which is comparable to Victoria’s Secret’s angels. The constant presence of the paparazzi shape Kemina’s personality and mold the blossoming relationship between Kemina and Justine. The relationship between the girls and the paparazzi seems to be completely out of control, until at the end of the novel, the girls successfully negotiate with them. Negotiation in relationships, and hopes for positive change in these relationships, is yet another theme of the story.

We are the crowd
We’re coming out
Got my flash on it’s true
Need that picture of you
It’s so magical
We’d be so fantastic, oh…

I’m your biggest fan
I’ll follow you until you love me
Papa-Paparazzi
Baby there’s no other superstar
You know that I’ll be your
Papa-Paparazzi

9. “My Girl” by The Temptations:

“My Girl” is the song that comes into Justine’s mind when she realizes that she and Kemina have become girlfriends. It’s the way that she begins to think about Kemina when they’re apart, just because simply knowing that Kemina is hers gives her bright and happy feelings.

I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day.
When it’s cold outside I’ve got the month of May.

I guess you’d say
What can make me feel this way?
My girl (my girl, my girl)
Talkin’ ’bout my girl (my girl).

I’ve got so much honey the bees envy me.
I’ve got a sweeter song than the birds in the trees.

Well, I guess you’d say
What can make me feel this way?
My girl (my girl, my girl)
Talkin’ ’bout my girl (my girl).

10. “She Keeps Me Warm” by Mary Lambert:

I chose this song for the playlist for two reasons. First, it describes Justine’s feelings upon the occasion of their first kiss. The feelings she experiences when they kiss are safe and kind and warm, which combine with her sense of gentle passion for Kemina. She knows beyond a doubt that kissing Kemina is right—that kissing a girl is right for her. The second reason I chose “She Keeps Me Warm” is because I imagine it’s the song they slow dance to at the end of the story at Justine’s high school prom, when Justine finally expresses her deep feelings to Kemina. In effect, it becomes “their song.”

She says I smell like safety and home
I named both of her eyes “Forever” and “Please don’t go”
I could be a morning sunrise all the time, all the time yeah
This could be good, this could be good

And I can’t change, even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
And I can’t change, even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
My love, my love, my love, my love
She keeps me warm, she keeps me warm…

Copyright for all songs belongs to the artist, songwriter, and record company.

Author Bio:

Mia Kerick is the mother of four exceptional children—all named after saints—and five nonpedigreed cats—all named after the next best thing to saints, Boston Red Sox players. Her husband of twenty-two years has been told by many that he has the patience of Job, but don’t ask Mia about that, as it is a sensitive subject.

Mia focuses her stories on the emotional growth of troubled young people and their relationships, and she believes that physical intimacy has a place in a love story, but not until it is firmly established as a love story. As a teen, Mia filled spiral-bound notebooks with romantic tales of tortured heroes (most of whom happened to strongly resemble lead vocalists of 1980s big-hair bands) and stuffed them under her mattress for safekeeping. She is thankful to Dreamspinner Press, Harmony Ink Press, and CreateSpace for providing her with alternate places to stash her stories.

Mia is a social liberal and cheers for each and every victory made in the name of human rights, especially marital equality. Her only major regret: never having taken typing or computer class in school, destining her to a life consumed with two-fingered pecking and constant prayer to the Gods of Technology.

Where to find the author:

Blog: http://www.miakerick.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mia.kerick
Dreamspinner Author Arcade
Goodreads Author Page
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiaKerick

Publisher: Mia Kerick
Cover Artist: Reese Dante

Sales Links: Barnes & Noble Kindle Link Amazon Paperback All Romance eBooks

Blurb:

Justine Laraby and Kemina Lopez are intimate acquaintances yet they have never exchanged so much as a single word. For months, high school senior Justine, and famed model, “Kemina, the Baby Vixen” of Nightingale Lingerie, have been peering at each other across a narrow alley between brownstones in the Upper West Side of Manhattan. This mutual observation soon turns into the exchange of handwritten messages on signs they hold up whenever they come to their bedroom windows. Via this “sign language,” a friendship grows, and Justine learns that Kemina is, like her, a high school senior, but with a controlling mother and a modeling career that requires her to maintain an unnaturally thin physique. And through the window, she also witnesses her new friend exercising fanatically, hoarding food, and being physically and emotionally abused by her ambitious mother.

Window messages evolve into clandestine meetings and soon a tentative romance blooms. But Justine must come to terms with her own “mommy issues,” as well as accept her gender identity and sexual orientation, before she can provide Kemina with the support she needs to survive a family life that resembles a ruthless business transaction.   Will Justine be strong enough to throw open the window so Kemina can escape society’s suffocating expectations?

Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, Lesbian Romance, Romance, Young Adult

Come To My Window excerpt…

But it’s not until the screen fills with the image of this baby seal,
all white and fluffy with dark vulnerable eyes that we both gasp a
little bit and then turn to look at each other. I can feel her breath on
my lips and my nose is nearly touching hers, and, well, I don’t know
about Kemina, but I’m all kinds of spellbound by this moment. She
reaches up and touches my jaw, just below my ear, with this soft
brush of her fingertips, and I have no choice but to lean down and
kiss her. Not that I was looking too hard for another option. Cuz I
wasn’t.

I kind of thought that my first kiss would be like an electric
shock or the sharp poke of cupid’s dart or fireworks exploding in a
dark night sky, but it’s not like any of those things. The way it feels
when my lips touch Kemina’s is soft and gentle and tender. It’s a
yielding of her mouth to mine, and then mine to hers. It’s an intimate
moment that’s breathy and warm and sweet and just ours.

“Ummmm….” She lets out this sound that makes me think of
how it feels to sink into a hot bath after a long afternoon of ice
skating in frigid temperatures. “That was my first real kiss.”

“Real kiss?” I ask. Our lips are only about an inch apart. I have
a strong feeling that her second real kiss is only a moment away.

—

Pages or Words: 182 pages
Tour Dates/Tour Stops:

26-Jan

The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat

Elin Gregory

Kimi-Chan

27-Jan

Molly Lolly

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

Inked Rainbow Reads

28-Jan

Full Moon Dreaming

Bayou Book Junkie

29-Jan

Book Reviews and More by Kathy

Prism Book Alliance

30-Jan

Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents

Cate Ashwood

Amanda C. Stone

31-Jan

Love Bytes

Contest: Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: $25 Gift Card. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

Rafflecopter Code:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

On Tour with B.L. Morticia’s No Denying Sin (book tour and contest)

Book Name: No Denying Sin
Book 3 of the N’awlins Exotica Series (Can be read as standalone)
Goodreads Link
Author Name: BL Morticia/Michael Mandrake

Author Bio:

In one word, crazy. Just crazy enough to have 3 4 different muses running around in her head, driving her to sheer exhaustion with new plot bunnies and complex characters.

In addition to being a computer geek and a metalhead, Sharita loves live music, reading, and perusing the net for sexy men to be her muses. She’s also a founding member and contributor to the heavy metal ezine Fourteeng.net.

So You Think You Know Morticia! Fact No. 15!

15 – Do you prefer tea or coffee?

SL: Tea

Where to find the author:

Website http://www.thelitriad.com
Mail: mailto:msrlmort71@gmail.com
Michael’s Blog: http://michaelmandrake.wordpress.com
BL’s Blog: http://blmorticia.wordpress.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/rawiyamikembl
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheLiteraryTriad
Authorgraph: http://www.authorgraph.com/authors/rawiyamikembl

Publisher: Triad Literary
Cover Artist: Sara York

Sales Links: Amazon All Romance (ARe ) Smashwords

Blurb:

Living in the Big Easy is downright deadly especially if you’re a stripper. When another exotic dancer is found dead in her apartment, the heat mounts on Frankie and his fellow detectives to find the killer. Due to the magnitude of this unsolved mystery along with the LaBoy murders, tension runs high at nineteen making it hard for all to breathe around the police station and sending everyone into a frenzy.   There’s no denying Frankie’s love for Kajika but in the back of his mind, hot thoughts of the mutual jerk off with Orrin Daugherty loom over his head. Though the feelings are mutual, Orrin wants nothing to do with this and pushes Frankie away. Add in to the mix his fascination with partner Vance Morain along with his severe case of blue balls and you got one hell of a predicament for these for complex and volatile men.   The men at nineteen are burning with desire for one another and pleasure is beginning to be almost as important as business.   Will the sinful disruptions stop them from finding the killer roaming the streets of the Big Easy?   This is book 3 of N’awlins Exotica Series. Doesn’t necessarily need to be read in order.

WARNING: Lots of lewd dialogue and smoldering sex between males.

Categories: Contemporary, Crime Fiction, Erotica, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Menage/Poly, Romance, Thriller

Excerpt:

“Good morning, Officer Daugherty.” A young male clerk behind the desk in the fitness center called out to him.

“Mornin.” Orrin nodded and kept going. He wondered if the glow from getting some was still on his face from the night prior or if he’d really caught the man’s eye as he hoped.

Either way, he had to admit he hadn’t felt this good in days—no, make that weeks. He’d slept, had sex, and a good breakfast when he finally rolled out of bed at two p.m. With all that going on, he felt he could get through just about anything, including work. Despite this, he was grateful to have the full day off until his next shift at four a.m. tomorrow.

Pages or Words: 47,377 words

Tour Dates: January 26, 2015

Tour Stops:

Parker Williams, BFD Book Blog, Inked Rainbow Reads, Bayou Book Junkie, Amanda C. Stone, Molly Lolly, Cate Ashwood, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Wake Up Your Wild Side, MM Good Book Reviews, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Rainbow Gold Reviews, My Fiction Nook, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Love Bytes, It’s Raining Men, Decadent Delights, Tara Lain, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Nephylim, Andrew Q. Gordon, Queer Town Abbey, Because Two Men Are Better Than One

Contest: Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: An Orrin prize pack: A copy of the book, N’awlins Exotica inspired jewelry, a coffee mug, a GC from Starbucks, and a special prize. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

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A Stella Review: Moment of Impact by Karen Stivali

Rating: 4,5 stars out of 5

Outside Collin Fitzpatrick’s dorm room is a dangerous place. Beyond his door the students of his small, conservative college think he’s straight, as does his Catholic family who’d disown him if they learned the truth. Inside, he’s safe with his incredibly sexy roommate Tanner D’Amico. Their room makes a perfect place to hide away and fall in love. The moment they cross the line from roommates to lovers, Collin becomes caught between their heavenly passionate encounters and the hellish reality that someone might find out and destroy everything. Tanner’s not used to being so confined, and wants to show the world how much he loves Collin. But Collin’s not sure he’s ready for the impact stepping outside will make.

“I didn’t mean to see Tanner D’Amico’s cock. I really didn’t.”

Let’s start this review at the same way the book does. I was laughing so hard but it’s true, everything started in that way.

Collin and Tanner are friends and roommates for two years. They secretly are in love with each other, but they both think the other is straight. Tanner has a girlfriend, Wendy, and they spend every Monday night having sex, while poor Collin pretends to sleeping in the bed and not listening to their lovemaking. Until one Monday night Collin realizes Tanner is alone.

Tanner has finally found the courage to approach Collin and see if his friend is so straight or maybe there’s a chance for them. He’s determined to be with Collin, but Collin needs to finally step out of his closet. And his closet is an heavy one, full of guilt versus his really Catholic mother. His fear will lead him to almost lose Tanner.

“You deserve better than that. I want you to have better than that. I want you to have everything.”

“I don’t want everything,” he said. My heart fluttered just from the sound of his voice, deep and rich and flowing around me like warm water. “I just want you.”

Discovering that love is stronger and has nothing to do with religions, will give Collin the strength to prove Tanner he’s “that” everything in the right moment of impact. His loss will be great and I hope his mother will be back to loving his son more than before she discovered he’s gay.

The last scene of the book is really emotional.

This book was a real gem to me. I fell in love with Collin and Tanner from the start and at the end of the book I think I fell in love with the author too. I particularly liked how she wrote this story, the words flowed so well, it was impossible to me to put it down for a moment. It was a quick and lovely reading, sweet as I like all of my books. I can’t wait for the second on in this series, Moment of Truth.

I haven’t given 5 stars cause Moment of Impact is part of a three books series, called Moments in Time. Each one of them is a novella and I think that maybe they could have been all put together in just one book. I hope this will be the right choice, cause I expect the second one to be as good as this first book.

I want to add something more. I’m always afraid when an author decides to deal with religious themes. Living in a city like Rome, you can feel the Catholicism in the air, regardless if you believe or not in something or someone. I don’t want to talk about what I believe in, but I can say that I understand and I ache for Collin, I honestly don’t see acceptance around me. I’m proud to live in my country but I feel it’s not ready to be the perfect (or at least the right) place for the LGBT people. It’s too deep in its beliefs. Still, I know, cause I want to believe, that my children will live in that perfect place. I’m not being naive, I’m realistic.

Cover art by Anna Sikorska: isn’t the cover model cute??

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press eBook All Romance (ARe) Amazon Buy it here

Book details:
Published January 7th 2015 by Dreamspinner Press
ebook, 110 pages
ISBN13 9781632164780
Edition language: English

Down Under Author: Nic Starr

Meet Nic Starr!

Nic Starr is the author of recent releases in her It’s Not Easy, A Day At A Time, and many others.

To get to know Nic Starr a little better, the author agreed to an interview. Look for the interview below and the Down Under Scavenger Hunt word found somewhere within.

✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍

Nic Starr lives in Australia where she tries to squeeze as much into her busy life as possible. Balancing the demands of a corporate career with raising a family and writing can be challenging but she wouldn’t give it up for the world.

Always a reader, the lure of m/m romance was strong and she devoured hundreds of wonderful m/m romance books before eventually realising she had some stories of her own that needed to be told!

When not writing or reading, she loves to spend time with her family–an understanding husband and two beautiful daughters–and is often found indulging in her love of cooking and planning her dream home in the country.

You can find Nic on Facebook, Twitter and her blog. She’d love it if you stopped by to say hi.

Contacts/Follow Nic Starr at :
Twitter https://twitter.com/nicstar000
Pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/nicstar000/
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8139967.Nic_Starr
Website: http://www.nicstarr.com
Blog: http://www.nicstarr.com
Tumblr https://www.tumblr.com/blog/nic-starr
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nicki.nicstar

********************

Your Books:

It’s Not Easy (available at Dreamspinner Press) Book Details and Blurb:

Ben Cooper gave up on following his dreams to keep the peace in his family. Best friend Spencer Henderson has always been Ben’s rock. For Spence, who is in love with Ben, supporting Ben always came first, but as Ben starts to date their friend Suzie, Spence has to think of himself for the first time. The ramifications of one fateful night means leaving their small town may be Spence’s only option to protect his broken heart.

With trouble escalating at home and Spence out of reach, Ben finds it harder to cope. Without Spence’s help, Ben’s life may finally spiral out of control.
ebook, 130 pages
Published July 23rd 2014 by Dreamspinner Press (first published July 22nd 2014)
original titleIt’s Not Easy
ISBN139781632160171

A Day at a Time (available at Dreamspinner Press): Book Details and Blurb:

Sean Vargos is quiet, well respected, and dedicated to his job. But Dave Simpson sees Sean as more than a coworker. He’s fought his attraction to Sean for months but can’t get him out of his thoughts.

They tentatively embark on a relationship, but Sean isn’t all that he seems. He struggles to put his past behind him and overcome his fears.

Dave, with his good looks and open nature, accepts that sometimes Sean’s doubts get the better of him and he runs. Dave just wants the chance to show Sean he can be trusted and the past doesn’t have to dictate their future.
ebook, 78 pages
Published October 29th 2014 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781632161215

More Than a Superstar (available from Dreamspinner Press) Book Details and Blurb:

Sam Miller’s dreams are simple—to give back to the aunt who supported him since his mother’s death and to have a family of his own. He focuses on making a success of their catering business Poppy’s Pantry, and his close group of friends. However, when Aunt Poppy ends up in the hospital, it’s a stranger Sam meets in the corridor who gives him the support he needs.

Rob Taylor is a man with secrets. His life in the public eye has taken its toll, and now he lives with the repercussions. When he finds himself falling for Sam, he knows things are finally going his way.

But just as Sam and Rob find their happiness, another secret threatens to tear them apart.
ebook, 106 pages
Expected publication: December 17th 2014 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781632162977
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://nicstarr.com/ni

Waiting, Hoping, Wishing (Love’s Landscapes) Book Blurb and Details:

Dear Author,
He’s been waiting for that text for more than a week. Please tell us either what happens next or what happened to get him here and whether he frowns or smiles next.

Photo Description:
A gorgeous young man is lying on a bed in nothing but his grey boxer briefs. He is clean-cut with a tanned, smooth and beautifully defined body. He should be enjoying the luxurious bed with its crisp, white linens as he relaxes in the hotel room, but his look is pensive. In the first photo, he is clearly worried and slightly sad. In the second photo, he is focused on his phone, as if it can provide the answers he is looking for.

This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group’s “Love’s Landscapes” event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.

This story may contain sexually explicit content and is intended for adult readers. It may contain content that is disagreeable or distressing to some readers. The M/M Romance Group strongly recommends that each reader review the General Information section before each story for story tags as well as for content warnings.
ebook, 58 pages
Published July 18th 2014 by M/M Romance Group @ Goodreads
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.mmromancegroup.com/waiting-hoping-wishing-by-nic-starr/
seriesLove’s Landscapes
charactersDean Clark, Matt (Waiting, Hoping, Wishing)
settingSydney (Australia)

Genre(s): m/m romance, contemporary

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Contests and Giveaways:

1. Today’s Giveaway (thank you, Nic Starr) is an eBook copy of A Day At A Time. Enter using this Rafflecopter link here. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

2. Down Under Scavenger Hunt – find the Hunt “word or phrase” in bold green . Collect all the words from each author and submit the list in writing no later than midnight on February 1st. Make sure you include an email address where you can be reached. Prizes will be given to 5 people selected, from 1st place to 5th! Happy Hunting.

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A Guest Blog by Nic Starr….and Happy Australia Day!

The Great Aussie Public Holiday by Nic Starr

There’s something you should know about us Australians – we LOVE our Public Holidays – a day off work or school, a chance to have a long weekend, an excuse to eat, drink and be merry.

We don’t need a reason for a public holiday, we’ll celebrate anything. We celebrate the Queen’s Birthday (although nothing much about it is related to the monarchy), Labour Day (it’s just a day off work) and a horse race. Yes, you read correctly. The lucky folk in the state of Victoria, have a gazetted public holiday for the running of the Melbourne Cup. The rest of us in other states are supposed to work, but having a Melbourne Cup lunch and stopping to watch the race in the mid-afternoon, has become a bit of a tradition. This is why the Melbourne Cup is known as the race that stops the nation.

Today, the 26th January, is Australia Day. It’s the day we celebrate everything Australian. And it’s the one Public Holiday that means the most to me. It’s a day for reflecting on the wonderful country we live in and recognizing Australian achievers. It always reminds me that we DO live in the lucky country, with a diverse culture and many blessings.

Australia Day is all about our Australian flag, the green and gold, lamb on the barbecue and a cold beer. It’s about going to the beach, getting together with family and friends. It’s about fireworks.

This Australia Day, my hubby and my girls are at the Sydney Cricket Ground watching the Australian Cricket Team play in a One Day game against India – you can’t get more Aussie than that! I’m spending the day with my mum and friends having a barbie while overlooking all the activity on Sydney Harbour.

As I watch the boats on the harbour and the Sydney ferries, decorated with their balloons and banners, competing in the iconic Ferrython, I’m will be thinking of my dad. He was very patriotic and adored this great country. He raised an Australian flag every day but this special day gave him even more reason to be proud.

So here’s to my dad who’s no longer with us, and here’s to Australia! ❤

*The Ferrython is a race held every Australia Day where Sydney ferries compete against each other for the honour of winning. They race from Circular Quay to Shark Island and back to a big finish directly under the Sydney Harbor Bridge which makes a great finishing line. The photo above was taken a few years ago when I had the privilege to be on one of the ferries during the race.

VBT: Enticing Hart by Mae Hancock (book tour and contest)

This is a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter will receive a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

ENTICING HART
by Mae Hancock

Hart Emile is tired of cruising for guys, living a soulless existence. He needs a change; so when an acquaintance gives him the number of the gay friendly Red Fox Ranch that’s hiring for staff, he heads south.

Oak Redman is eighteen years old and desperate to explore his awakening sexuality. The moment Hart lays eyes on the handsome young rancher he’s smitten. Not only is Oak hot, spirited and very persistent, he is also the ranch boss’s son and strictly off limits. Hart tries to fight his feelings and to respect his boss and the family who quickly become dear to him, but after Oak’s Grandma suggests he gets with Oak he can’t deny himself the most exciting and enticing man he has ever met.

Hart’s not the only man to have noticed how sweet and charming Oak Redman is. A family friend, Steve, is also anxious to have the affections of the young rancher. Can Hart work out Steve’s dark secrets before it’s too late and keep his job, his lover and his life?

Enjoy an excerpt:

The high-pitched choir of songbirds echoed through the forest as Oak and Hart settled on a rug, late in the afternoon. The two of them had found a clearing at the side of the forest that was near enough to the tress to offer shade, but also close to the water where they’d been fishing. They’d no sooner sat down than Hart spotted something on the other side of the riverbank moving in the grass.

“Shh…I just saw something. I think it’s an otter.” Hart absentmindedly put a hand on Oak’s lap to still him. He didn’t know which was more exciting, seeing the otters, or the burning hot palm that touched his thigh. Oak sat rigidly, glancing between the handsome cowboy’s hand and the otter family bounding along through the grass bank.

“Aren’t you going to get your camera?” Hart chivvied him along.

“Oh…yes.” Oak moved slowly, reaching for the black bag and pulling the camera out. He attached the lens calmly and crawled down the small decline toward the stony bank. He beckoned Hart to join him then focused the lens on the otters. He could hear his companion creeping through the grass behind him. Belly down on the mud, Oak steadied the camera as Hart came alongside him, and let out a sigh as he sank down next to Oak to watch.

The female had two pups with her. As their svelte bodies wound through the rocks to the water’s edge, the mother otter glided into the river without so much as a splash, and the two pups followed. Oak lost count of the photos he took, possibly hundreds of shots as they paddled through the murky depths cautiously. Their fur shiny and dark from absorbing water, making their frames sleeker as they gracefully bathed against the flow.

“Can you hear them?” Hart said with a smile that sprang from his lips right through to his big gray eyes.

“Yeah…” Oak whispered.

The otters called to one another with endearing high-pitched squeaks.

“You ever seen them hold hands?” Hart asked, his lips so close to Oak’s ear that he could feel Hart’s breath tickling the skin.

“No, but I’d love to get a picture of it.”

After about fifteen minutes of lying in the grass like a predator, Oak’s pointed his lens to follow the family towards some big flat stones that were warm from the sun. The otters rested on the smooth surface, shaking their fur, and squeaking to each other until eventually all three disappeared through the long grasses.

“Hart.” Oak turned to face his companion on the ground.

“Yes?”

“I just realized I’m getting damp down here,” Oak said, letting out a snort.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

I enjoy writing both academic and fiction material. My research interests include focus on people who experience marginalization, both in historical societies and modern. Themes include disability, neurosis, homosexuality, addiction, mental illness, slavery and prostitution. The most important part of my work is creating multi-dimensional, believable characters that are able to build lasting romantic relationships against the odds. I want all my readers to laugh, cry and enjoy the erotic journey towards a happy ending.

Link to my web site: http://www.maehancock.com/
Link to my blog: http://maehancockfiction.blogspot.co.uk/
Twitter: @Hancockfiction
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008234531718
Buy link http://www.loose-id.com/enticing-hart.html#product_tabs_description

Contest: THE AUTHOR WILL BE GIVING AWAY: $10 Amazon/BN GC, must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Contest open world wide.

Follow the tour and comment; the more they comment, the better their chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here.

Use the link provided to enter the contest and for all additional contest details:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Last Week of Down Under Author Showcase and Our Week Ahead at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Into the Final Week We Go...

It’s the last week for our Down Under Author Showcase. How great to have this many authors gathered together this month. It’s been a time of discovery and a time to renew old acquaintances, traditionally a way to celebrate the start of a new year.

There have been many authors that were new to me and the other reviewers here at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words. John Wiltshire’s (and Radulf) have been a hit all the way around. L.J. LaBarthe? Yes indeedy! Cecil Wilde’s a new find for several of us. N.R. Walker, Renae Kaye, Meredith Shayne…all have had multiple “must have, must read” stories for many readers. Beany Sparks, Toni Griffin, Christian Baines…..the paranormal and supernatural tales of all these authors were wonderful. Isabelle Rowan, A.B. Gayle, Lisa Henry…ok, all wonderful. So here is a look at the month author by author. All their contests are still open until January 31st! So is our Down Under Scavenger Hunt, Bottom Drawer Publications and Wayward Ink Publications contests too! Don’t forget to enter them all!

1/1/2015 Christian Baines   1/2/2015 Nicki J. Markus   1/3/2014 Anne Barwell
1/5/2015 N.J. Nielson 1/6/2015 L.J. LaBarthe 1/7/2015 Michelle Rae
1/8/2015 Renae Kaye   1/9/2015 John Wiltshire 1/10/2015 N. R. Walker
1/12/2015 John Terry Moore   1/13/2015 Beany Sparks 1/14/2015 A.B. Gayle
1/15/2015 Lisa Henry   1/16/2015 Meredith Shayne   1/17/2015 Pelaam

1/19/2015 Toni Griffin 1/20/2015 L. J. Harris 1/21/2015 Isabelle Rowan
1/22/2015 Maggie Mitchell 1/23/2015 Penny Brandon 1/24/2015 Lily Velden
1/26/2015 Nic Starr 1/27/2015 Barry Lowe 1/28/2015 Cecil Wilde
1/29/2015 Ellen Cross 1/30/2015 Bette Browne 1/31/2015 RJ Jones

Our Facts of the Day for Australia and New Zealand:

Australia Facts of the Day

Wombat poop is cube shaped. This prevents them from rolling away when marking territory. Uh, wow.

In what book did the author substitute “pellets” for cubes? People would never have believed cubes so bending the truth made sense.

Australians love nicknames:

Australians from Queensland are called “banana benders.”
People from Western Australia are called “sand gropers.”
People from New South Wales are called “cockroaches.”

What were some of the nicknames used for main characters in stories from our Down Under Authors?

New Zealand Facts of the Day:

In the Lord of the Rings films, the beer drunk on camera was a custom NZ brew called ‘Sobering Thought’.

The filming of these movies pumped around $200 million into the country’s economy. The New Zealand government even created a Minister for Lord of the Rings, to ensure the most money could be made from the films.

In 1990, the NZ prime minister appointed a National Wizard.

Our Schedule This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words…

Monday, January 26:

Day 26-Welcome, Nic Starr, AUS/NZ Facts of the Day
Down Under Author Nic Starr
In the Book Spotlight: Enticing Hart by Mae Hancock
A Stella Review: Moment of Impact by Karen Stivali
No Denying Sin by BL Morticia Book Tour and Contest

Tuesday, January 27:

Day 27-Welcome, Barry Lowe, AUS/NZ Facts of the Day
Down Under Author Barry Lowe
A Sammy Review: Black John by Amy Lane
A MelanieM Review: Waiting for the Flood by Alexis Hall
Come to the Window by Mia Kerick tour and contest

Wednesday, January 28:

Day 28-Welcome, Cecil Wilde, AUS/NZ Facts of the Day
Down Under Author Cecil Wilde
A Stella Review: Defying Conventions by Cecil Wilde
A Sammy Review: Dirty Dining by E. M. Lynley
In the Spotlight: Cheryl Headford’s Memories of Forgotten Love

Thursday, January 29:

Day 29-Welcome, Ellen Cross, AUS/NZ Facts of the Day
Down Under Author Ellen Cross
A Mika Review: Run with the Moon by Bailey Bradford
A Sammy Review: Chase In Shadows by Amy Lane
Guest Blog on Australian Memories by Author Jim Provenzano

Friday, January 30:

Day 30-Welcome, Bette Browne, AUS/NZ Facts of the Day
Down Under Author Bette Browne
A Barb Review Catch Me When I Fall by John Wiltshire
A MelanieM Review: Conscious Decisions of the Heart by John Wiltshire
In the Spotlight: Charlie Cochrane’s Lessons for Survivors (contest)
A.J. Thomas: The Way Things Are Book Tour/contest

Saturday, January 31:

Final Day of Down Under Showcase-Welcome, R.J. Jones, AUS/NZ Facts of the Day
Down Under Author R. J. Jones
Down Under Author Wrap-up and recap

A Mika Review: The Harvest: Journey’s End (The Harvest #2) by M.A. Church

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Adapting is a word Dale Michaels has become familiar with. As he settles into his new life with the Tah’Narian starship captain Keyno, Dale has adapted to life with an alien, space travel, and having his body mutated so he can carry young. He’s closed the chapter on his old life.  Living on Tah’Nar, Dale has a loving mate and good friends. He’s helped cement peace with the Onfre. Sure, being double-dosed during his harvest led to some serious drama, but that’s over. Dale’s happy.   But life is never that simple.   Even though Dale loves Keyno, he still struggles with the way the Tah’Narians harvest young males as mates. Dale finds himself hijacked by his own body, courtesy of his extra dose of Tah’Narian DNA. Then there’s the devastating secret his mate, Keyno, has hid all this time. And if all that isn’t enough, outside forces threaten to rip Dale’s hard-won peace apart as well.   Join Dale for a non-stop adventure and a love that crosses several worlds and transcends space.

I loved the follow-up to the first story. Everyone is pregnant and happy!!! I really enjoyed this one, I’m going to be sad if this is the last book. I really enjoyed the couples coming together helping each other. This was no exception from my first reaction of the first book. It was sweet, endearing, a little teary at times. I thought Keyno & Dale was so sweet at times. Even Colt changed his ways. I hope we get something on Kia because he became my new favorite alien ever!

As usual Dale and Keyno run into some problems and boy, does it cause problems between them two> But with the emotions running high, the waddling, and the high tree house it doesn’t last long. I was truly happy with the outcome and predictions for all the couples, especially Chad and Gibor on their pregnancy. What sealed the story for was the decision to return to Earth to visit their parents; I loved how fidgety Keyno was with trying to please Dale’s family. I liked how respetive Dale’s parents were to the twins. I am pleased with this one a lot. This was a great installment in the series, crossing fingers we get to see these guys in a future book, because I wanted more to the ending.

Cover Artist Lou Harper had a perfect picture of Dale with his accepting of his new status. He has totally come full circle with his acceptance into his new role and lifestyle.

Sales Links: All Romance (ARe) Amazon Buy it here

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 245 pages
Published January 1st 2014
ASINB00RJLZOAE
edition languageEnglish
seriesThe Harvest #2

Down Under Author Lily Velden

Meet Lily Velden!

Give me fiction… Reality is overrated.

Lily Velden is the author of Same Page, The Race Is On, Heart Knot Mine and other listed below.

Today Lily Velden author and owner of Wayward Ink Publishing (a down under press) is guest blogging about a subject I’m fascinated with…book covers. Be sure to check that out and leave us a few comments of your own on the subject!

Wayward Ink is helping to sponsor this event and has a special contest for all to enter…more about that later today.

✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍

LILY VELDEN lives on the east coast of Australia, her family having emigrated from Holland when she was a child.
She’s both a left and right brain person, holding qualifications in both Finance and Fine Arts. She tells her friends that her way with numbers will make her a profitable artist and writer… one day.

Lily has always had a love of language and a beautifully crafted sentence, and admits to having a fetish for collecting quotes, poems, and song lyrics. What she won’t admit to is how many notebooks she’s filled with those quotes… Her fascination carries on into her artworks where she often incorporates text. When a shoulder injury slowed down her art practice she decided to explore her love of the written word more fully and began writing. “I’ll paint my pictures with words.”

Not that she’s abandoned artmaking in its entirety—Lily collaborates on the designs for all her book covers.
There are many things Lily loves, here are just a few of the PG rated ones: a good laugh (all the better if caused by a naughty joke), the smell of freshly baked goods and mown grass, a smile from a stranger, rainbows after the rain, and witnessing a promise kept.

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You can contact/follow Lily Velden at:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LilyVelden
Blog: http://lilyvelden.wordpress.com/
Tumblr: http://lilyvelden.tumblr.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lily.velden
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Lily Velden’s Books:

NOVELS / NOVELLAS:

SAME PAGE (Book 1: How The Light Gets In)- Dreamspinner Press

He was like the only splash of color in a black-and-white photograph.

The man was beautiful.

At an exhibition opening in Sydney, jaded Hollywood heartthrob Jaxon Moncrieff lays eyes on publicity-shy artist Liam Lassiter for the first time and is immediately captivated. But he doesn’t get far into their first conversation before he realizes what he’s feeling is attraction, which brings him up short. Jaxon has always been a womanizer.

Despite his reservations, Jaxon makes a play for Liam, but Liam has his own issues. Unlucky in love and orphaned at sixteen, he is reluctant to open his heart to anyone, and dismisses Jaxon out of hand.

Driven by a need he doesn’t understand, Jaxon organizes a return to Sydney to film his next project. If he can’t be with Liam, maybe they can be friends. Of course, that creates a whole new problem. Now Jaxon is falling in love for the first time. How can he move their relationship from friends to lovers without destroying the trust he’s worked so hard for?

THE RACE IS ON (Book 2: How The Light Gets In)-Dreamspinner Press

Hollywood heartthrob Jaxon Moncrieff and Liam Lassiter are finally on the same page: committed and in it for the long haul. Now they just have to prepare for the inevitable fallout when they reveal their relationship. Between Jaxon’s career and Liam’s need to prepare for a life in the limelight, they decide to wait until filming of Jaxon’s latest project has wrapped.

Unbeknownst to them, the relentless paparazzi photographer Rafael Cacciatore, aka the Hunter, notices a change in Jaxon and is determined to be the first to break the story of who has captured Jaxon Moncrieff’s heart. In the meantime, Liam and Jaxon have enough on their plate working out the not-so-little issue of how and when Jaxon will come out to his family. The paparazzi aren’t even on their radar. The race to out Jaxon is on, and Liam and Jaxon don’t even know it

HEART KNOT MINE-Dreamspinner Press

Despite a successful college teaching career, Noah Daniels has become depressed. He feels he’s leading a monochromatic life: love has eluded him. When he’s offered a chance to teach in London as part of an exchange program, he accepts, hoping a change of scenery will do him good. But once he’s there, his outlook on love and sexuality changes in ways he never expected.

Robert Callinan is Noah’s English counterpart in the program. The men exchange not only their jobs, but also their homes, and it is what Noah stumbles across while staying at Robert’s house that sends him on a journey of self-discovery—both mentally and physically. A journey that puts color back into his life… just not in the way he expected. When the exchange program ends, Noah has to go home, but he doesn’t know if he wants to return to the life he left behind

Read an excerpt here.

GAY AS MARDI GRAS (Novella)-Dreamspinner Press

After the demise of his relationship with his childhood sweetheart, Janey, Jesse needs to get away. His nan has just the thing: a month-long cruise around Hawaii and the Pacific Islands. It seems perfect—until Jesse realizes what kind of cruise it is.

A gay cruise.

Since Jesse’s roommate, Daniel, is recovering from a broken heart, the two decide to buddy up. They hit it off, and with Daniel now Jesse’s partner in crime, they explore the boat and participate in all the fun activities on offer—with some, ah, interesting results for straight boy Jesse.
Genre(s): Contemporary, Humor

SHORT STORIES IN THE FOLLOWING ANTHOLOGIES
STRIPPED BARE: Animal Magnetism Anthology (Dreamspinner Press)
WRITTEN IN THE STARS: Bollocks! Anthology (Wayward Ink Publishing)
LIFE ACCORDING TO BUDDY: Love, Loss, Laughter & Lust Anthology(Wayward Ink Publishing)
HUNTER OR HUNTED?: Love, Loss, Laughter & Lust Anthology(Wayward Ink Publishing)
DR. JUSTIN GAYLORD: A Likely Story Anthology (co-authored with Taylin Clavelli, Wayward Ink Publishing)

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Contests and Giveaways:

1. Today’s Giveaway (thank you, Lily Velden) is an eBook copy the reader’s choice of her books. Enter using this Rafflecopter link here. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

2. Down Under Scavenger Hunt – find the Hunt “word or phrase” in bold green . Hint: Lily Velden has 2! Collect all the words from each author and submit the list in writing no later than midnight on February 1st. Make sure you include an email address where you can be reached. Prizes will be given to 5 people selected, from 1st place to 5th! Happy Hunting.

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Author Guest Blog

Lily Velden is guest blogging today about….

THE IMPORTANCE OF A GOOD COVER

Let me start by saying how close to my heart cover design is. I have loved the arts, pottering away at it since I was a child. In my late twenties I went back as a mature age student to gain a degree in Fine Arts and have been a practicing artist ever since. A smattering of samples of my work can be found on my website.

When I began writing for publication I decided that if it was at all possible, I’d design my own covers, so other than my first published short story in an anthology, that’s what I’ve done.

Wayward Ink is an Aussie publishing house and we like to think we’re easy to get along with, but when it comes to our covers we don’t go by the popular Aussie refrain ‘She’ll be right, mate.’. We realise how important good Cover Art is in assisting authors to market and promote their stories.

The cover is, after all, the first thing a potential reader will see of a book. People are visual—when the word dog is said, they aren’t picturing the letters D-O-G, but rather picturing their favorite pooch. A well-designed cover will entice a potential reader to pick up the book and read the blurb which in turn, if done well, will help encourage them to purchase the book.

Cover artists in the digital age are faced with a new challenge—the final cover must work both as a thumbnail on a website and as the cover of a paperback.

At Wayward Ink we believe that in order to design a fantastic cover the author’s input is essential—nobody knows their characters and the journey they go on better than the author. It’s important to us that the author be over-the-moon thrilled with their cover. As we say here in Australia, we’d like our covers to put a smile on their dial. In other words we want out authors to be happy, because a happy author is one who can’t wait to share.

Now about Wayward Ink Publishing’s contest:

WAYWARD INK PRIZES: 3 x $25 gift cards (please let me know if you would like or require more sponsorship) We have paperbacks and gift packs we could do as well. Gift packs would contain: Novelty USB drive, USB extension cord, fridge magnet, 2 x pens, lip balm. (Happy to do these for the event and not just in WIP’s timeslot)

So how to enter? Write a comment below on book covers, what you like, favorites ones, etc. Make sure to add your email address in the body. And use this Rafflecopter link below (different from the Lily Velden giveaway) to enter also:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Day 24 of STRW Down Under Showcase-Welcome, Lily Velden and our AUS/NZ Facts of the Day

Welcome, Lily Velden

and

Wayward Ink Publications!

We’re closing in on our last week of our Down Under Author Showcase, and its been so rewarding to see readers discover new authors and books along the way. And we still have another week to go. We are finishing out this week with author Lily Velden who is also the owner of Wayward Ink Publications, a Down Under press.

So in addition to all of Lily Velden’s wonderful books, check out Wayward Ink as well! How can you not love a press that has an anthology called Bollocks! Wayward Ink is offering up a wonderful contest for all to enter. Look for the link for Wayward Press as well as the link to Lily Velden’s giveaway! Yes, two giveaways instead of one, plus the Down Under Scavenger Hunt word of the day!

Now on to our Australia and New Zealand Facts of the Day!

Australia Fact of the Day

Unusual and interesting facts about Australia include Australia’s only armed rebellion, the “Eureka Stockade” took place in the Ballarat Goldfields in 1854. The goldfield workers (known as ‘diggers’) were opposed to the government miners’ licences. The rebellion became a significant event in the reforming of unfair laws, the developing of democracy in Australia, and the formation of the Australian identity and a fundamental principle of Aussie ‘mateship’. The Anzac soldiers of World War 1 went on to adopt the term ‘diggers’ and Australian soldiers have been known as ‘diggers’ since.

– See more here!

What author gave us the recipe for Anzac biscuits? Do you remember?

New Zealand’s Interesting Facts of the Day

“Lord of the Rings” was filmed entirely in New Zealand. It’s director? Sir Peter Robert Jackson is a New Zealand film director, producer and screenwriter living in Wellingon, NZ.

New Zealand is part of the Pacific Rim of Fire. Mount Ruapehu, situated in the middle of North Island, is the most active volcano on mainland.

Welcome, Barry Lowe!

Australian Fact of the Day – It’s all About The Trees!

New Zealand Facts of the Day – forests of New Zealand

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Excerpt:

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Meet Nic Starr!

Contests and Giveaways:

A Guest Blog by Nic Starr….and Happy Australia Day!

The Great Aussie Public Holiday by Nic Starr

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Into the Final Week We Go...

Our Facts of the Day for Australia and New Zealand:

Australia Facts of the Day

New Zealand Facts of the Day:

Our Schedule This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words…

Monday, January 26:

Tuesday, January 27:

Wednesday, January 28:

Thursday, January 29:

Friday, January 30:

Saturday, January 31:

Share this:

Share this:

Meet Lily Velden!

Contests and Giveaways:

Author Guest Blog

Now about Wayward Ink Publishing’s contest:

Share this:

Welcome, Lily Velden

and

Wayward Ink Publications!

Now on to our Australia and New Zealand Facts of the Day!

Australia Fact of the Day

New Zealand’s Interesting Facts of the Day

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