Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Writer CV

Now, I have written CVs before, you know, the usual kind of stuff; education, work history etc. It was always straight forward apart from that little box under your name where you had to sell yourself in as few words as possible.

Well! Creating a writer's CV is a whole different ballgame, I can tell you! I've checked out a few sites and managed to put together a fairly reasonable CV using ideas from each one. List publications - yes, can do that. List memberships - yes, can do that too. Then I'm supposed to make myself look a bit interesting... and have it link to writing. Yikes!

Firstly, I couldn't even think of anything remotely interesting about me let alone, connected to writing. It was only when I recalled an evening out last week with some friends that it hit me! We were just chatting about holidays and my writing and this is what came back to me:

1. I've written stories about stroppy teenage tooth fairies, but I am actually terried of the dentist. I mean, seriously! It's apparently called dental phobia or odontophobia or dentophobia. Even writing about the dentist right now causes me grief. I have actually cried when checking in at the dentists reception and my knees literally knock together!

 

2. My latest book is a YA paranormal novel. Now I've been a huge fan of all things paranormal for a very long time, but did you know that my honeymoon was a Count Dracula tour of Romania? I visited Bran Castle, went to where Vlad Dracula was born in Sighisoara and the island in the monastery where his tomb is.
 Dracula (Vlad Tepes, Vlad Dracul)

A little bit interesting and linked to my writing... best I can do!

Monday, July 22, 2013

Marvin's Curse doing okay!

My Young Adult/Adult paranormal e-book is doing nicely. I have had some lovely reviews, mostly 5 star which is fab. You can still grab it on Amazon or Smashwords for a mere £1.99 - less than a pint! Makes a good summer read.

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Marvins-Curse-ebook/dp/B00DCDC1OA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374483905&sr=8-1&keywords=marvin%27s+curse 


Honestly, it's not THAT scary!

                                          

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

EEEEEEEKKKK! Marvin's Curse cover edited!!!!





Have you spotted why?

The wonderful international multi million selling author, Herbie Brennan, has read Marvin's Curse and loved it! I'm over the moon with the fabulous quote he has given me, part of which is shown on the updated cover.

'This is a teen novel like none you’ve ever read before — unusual, archetypal, compelling, thrilling, action-packed, satisfying,  and, if you’ll pardon the pun, haunting. A marvellous book full of unexpected twists, turns and high imagination. I couldn’t put it down.'

You can find out more about Herbie here:
http://herbiebrennansbookshelfblog.blogspot.co.uk/

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

A fab 5 star review !!

Marvin's Curse will surely take the Young Adult world by storm! It truly is a whirlwind of intriguing adventure at every turn. You can't but help fall in love with Marvin, the young teen psychic who has all the makings of an abnormal teen, and although he suffers from a family tragedy he is deeply disturbed by his gift. He is deeply drawn into a very strange world of the Paranormal by a mysterious girl who leads him to find an amazing discovery of a dark underworld.With great vivid descriptions you feel as though you are right there in this dark and evil town. Here he will become a hero and find love with a very special ghost.

Debra Edwards knows how to capture the eerie tale of the Paranormal and entwine great heart warming scenes here. I felt myself, laughing, crying and not being able to put this one down. She's got lots of tricks up her sleeve in this one.This was a very smooth read, and as a Children's Reading Specialist, this would be at the top of my list.I hated to see this one end, and I hope to see Marvin continue on in a sequel.


 Thank you, Lorraine!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B00DCDC1OA/ref=cm_cr_dp_see_all_btm?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending

Monday, July 15, 2013

Wonderful review from CD

Another review popped up today which is fab! This time from CD on Goodreads.

 20548653 CD Baxter

 As usual I read what's available at Amazon - Two Chapters!

Since I absolutely enjoyed - Ghost Whisperer the television series that all but left too soon after only 5 seasons. Created by John Gray and starring Jennifer Love Hewitt - I have been trying to find something similar in books to satisfy my cravings of the paranormal.

Yes, I have read the many books by various authors that were mass produced to fulfil the lost of this wonderful television series. But to tell the truth it was a bit of rehashing from said series.

This morning, I have found something new and fresh - yes, it is along the lines of 'Ghost Whisperer' and in the written words, similar to Charlaine Harris' character Harper Connelly (which by the way is a story that has been abandoned by Ms Harris - it's been said nothing else will be written for this - sad!) - and now in comes Debra J Edwards with Marvin's Curse - please give her the title of Number One Best Selling Author? - I'm not kidding nor joking...

The first Chapter made me laugh over three times! And it hits close to home since I've lost my own father at the teenage years and I wish dearly that I could see him from time to time to have a chat since there were so many unfinished business between him and myself.

So Marvin may feel cursed but I would take his place any day! The loss of someone very close to you and a situation at home that makes things worse are one fantastic way to get away from it all! A wonderful story which leaves me wanting to read more chapters - two was like a bite of a delicious dessert you start enjoying and then it's taken away from you...

Marvin draws - I wrote stories - still do LOL!

I just met this character and within these two chapters I have a concept of what his life is like. I sincerely hope that Debra considers making his story into a series and hopefully see it on the BBC maybe sometime soon?

That would be something I tell you - so give it a go it's worth every word from just the two preview chapters - imagine what the remainder will be like - ooh I'm imagining - absolutely lovely I resolve!

Will put this on my list of favourites to catch at my local book store as a thoroughly enjoyable read!

Sincerely,


CeDany
BB



http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/668211106

Friday, July 12, 2013

Previous Marvin covers part 3!


                                                a                                                                                 b

So, two more previous applicants for the job of being Marvin's Curse book cover. First up is cover a. Loved the angel and was able to play around with the colour quite a bit. Tried blue tints and purple which worked well. Only real reservation was the roofs of what could be a bandstand (?) were in the background to the bottom left of the picture. I couldn't find a way round this without cropping the picture within an inch of its life! It was a no!
And cover b... I liked the soft focus around the corners of the picture and in many ways the angel was more how I had envisioned it in the graveyard. But... didn't have that 'Oh, god! I've had enough' feel about it now whereas weeping angels do have that (yes, weeping angels again). So it was backbenched -  permanently!


Thursday, July 11, 2013

Website new look!

Lovely husband has now updated the website and it looks really cool! I'm very much a lover of black and of course, purple! We've added in the ivy from the cover of Marvin's Curse which I really think adds something to the overall look. Tab colours have also been changed to fit in. A new feature is that reviews given have now been added to each book, something I'd left off before. Not sure why? Really pleased with the new look, gives a much cooler look to the site, don't you think?



www.purpleraypublishing.co.uk



Monday, July 08, 2013

Interview on Little Hyuts

Monday, July 8, 2013

Indie Author Week - Debbie Edwards

Today's Spotlight Author is Debbie Edwards who has self-published her first YA Paranormal novel, titled Marvin's Curse.

Debra J Edwards is a full time teacher and part time writer living in Surrey. She hopes that this will be reversed soon and this will then read; Debra J Edwards is a full time writer and part time teacher!
Her series of Aggie Lichen books tell the story of a gang of feisty tooth fairies trying to save their world. They are both funny and ridiculous. I mean, teenage tooth fairies indeed.
Based completely on the author's earlier work placement as a teenage tooth fairy, the stories convey an air of realism as the characters deal with bullying, sibling rivalry and, of course, good against evil!
Debra has now finished writing Marvin's Curse. Marvin's Curse is her 4th novel and her first piece of YA paranormal writing.
Debbie can be found on:

Welcome to the Spotlight Debbie! Lets talk about your novel, Marvin's Curse. Is there one character in your novel that you feel the most passionate about? 

It has to be Marvin himself. I felt so sorry for him as I created his character. He’d lost the father he’d worshipped and was still so grief ridden a year later when the story began. Having lost my parents, I felt his anger at the world. Imagine being a teenager, with all the emotional and physical changes that come with it, losing your beloved dad, gaining an unwanted step-dad – surely that was enough for anyone? Then the author throws a curved ball and ‘gifts’ him with being able to talk to the dead. Oh, and let’s move him to a house near a graveyard just to make it more interesting! It doesn’t scare him. Marvin is never scared, but he just can’t help ‘putting his foot in it’ – a little tactless, shall we say. I just want to cuddle and reassure him!

What aspect about Marvin was the most difficult to envision? The easiest?

The most difficult aspect was him being a 17 year old boy. Now I’ve been seventeen, but not a boy. I had to try and put myself in a boy’s shoes; How would he think? How would he talk? What would his interests be? I had to cross check with my husband, who luckily had been both seventeen AND a boy! Phew! Also, I ran things past some brothers of students I know to ensure I was thinking along the right lines. 
The easiest aspect was how he looked and spoke! As Marvin developed, I had actor Jay Baruchel playing him, kind of geeky like in Sorcerer’s Apprentice. In that film, I liked how Baruchel portrayed Dave and so moulded Marvin in a similar way.

During the birth of your novel, was there any point where Marvin took an unexpected turn?

This is a tricky one to do without spoilers! The whole book is about the changes Marvin goes through at this difficult time. I can say that he changes quite dramatically in many ways. Without giving anything away… He has always avoided girls, they make him nervous. Meeting Stella changes that gradually over the book. He learns to trust her, sees her as a friend rather than a girl. We also see the heroic side to him to when he is thrown out of Moghador, leaving Stella behind. He was quite selfish, an introvert before, now the reader starts to see the other side to Marvin. Now Marvin starts to see it too! 

If Marvin suddenly sprang from the pages, what questions would you have for him/her?

How are you and Stella going to cope in the human world?
Will you be returning to Moghador to attend to ‘unfinished business’?
How are things with your step-dad now? Have you returned home?

Before we get to my last question I want to share with readers a bit about Marvin's Curse.



How would you handle the dead? After losing his dad, 17 year old Marvin finds he can see and talk to the dead, an inherited 'gift'. Bonus, you might think, but Marvin hates it. It makes him different and he just wants to be 'normal'. He meets Stella in the graveyard that backs onto the house he's just moved into. 'My name is Stella, Stella McCartney. It says so inside my trousers.' (!?!) 
A mysterious business card reveals that Stella has lost her memories and all signs point to Moghador, a gateway to hell where a pawnbroker holds the answers. And Stella is DEAD! She just doesn't know it... yet! 
Marvin's Curse can be purchased on:

Is there a particular passage or scene from your novel that you feel embodies Marvin the best? 

I think this bit shows his rudeness/tactlessness so well.
‘Look, this always goes a certain way,’ said Marvin, trying not to stare at her. ‘You want me to do something. I refuse to do it and then send you away.’
‘What if I don’t want anything?’
‘Sorry?’
‘What if I don’t want anything from you?’
‘Well, that would be a first! First time in a year that any sp…’ He stopped suddenly. No unfinished business? They always have unfinished business! Oh god! She doesn’t know. She doesn’t know she’s dead. A slight panic came over him. How the hell was he going deal with this? Within seconds he had his answer.
‘Do you see a light?’ he asked, pushing his hands towards the sky. ‘Do you see a very bright light?’
‘At this time of day?’ said the girl. ‘Don’t be stupid!’
No, she definitely doesn’t know.
‘And you’re sure that there’s nothing that you want. Nothing you need to find out. Nothing you need to have finished…’
She stared at him, widening her eyes. ‘Just this conversation!’ She turned to leave, but Marvin was quick to jump in front of her.
‘Hey!’ he said as she stopped walking. ‘Sorry, I’m just not good with sp… er, people.’
‘Understatement! You are rubbish with people!’ 
Thanks so much for sharing this with us! Its been great having you here. I look forward to giving Marvin's Curse a read in the near future!



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Sunday, July 07, 2013

Chapter 6.4 now on Wattpad.

Another section of Chapter 6 has now been uploaded to Wattpad for anyone who is following Marvin and Stella's escapades in Moghador.

Will Stella get her memories back from the evil pawnbroker, Old Kedigan or will they return to the graveyard empty handed??


 Join the Wattpad community to read, vote and chat with readers and writers for free.


http://www.wattpad.com/20378863-marvin%27s-curse-chapter-6-4#.Udm32G0kyRk

Saturday, July 06, 2013

A 5 Star Review for Marvin's Curse!!!!!

By Geneva at Amazon.co.uk

'Incredible

When I got this book I have never been so excited to read new pages once again.

I loved the main character Marvin and Stella, the story line is so beautiful and seat gripping until the last page.
It was hard to put this down, but when I did I still felt drawn to reading just one more chapter which ended
up being the rest of the book.
The characters have their own personality which seems so realistic that you can relate to them as being real
and as if you have known them for ever.

"Marvin a teenager with the gift of seeing spirits, moves to a new town with his mother and step-dad after his father's death,
tormented by spirits ever lasting requests he finds himself troubled when he moved next to a graveyard, where he meets Stella
a confused and eccentric teenage girl who seemed to have lost her memories, from which Marvin makes a plan to help this mysterious girl.
Which leads Marvin into a world of mystery and adventure."

I love the way it was written it gave the reader a good sense of detail and realistic views, I loved this book until the very last page,
every chapter opened up a new adventure and an unexptected journey with the most adorable characters, and will put this in my top 10 best books ever read.

150% recommend ths to anyone who likes supernatural stories.'

Thank you so much, Geneva!

Friday, July 05, 2013

Part 2: More previous contenders for Marvin's Curse book cover

So, part 2 of the book cover search and here are a couple more covers that I played with.

Yes, another weeping angel, but bear in mind that Marvin needs to find the entrance to the underworld hell known as Moghador, and the map is leading him straight towards the graveyard angel! Also, the fact that hearing and seeing ghosts made Marvin quite distraught is relayed perfectly through the pose of the angel. But for me the image seemed too large and light. The bushes in the background also seemed to detract from the angel itself.  Again, seeing it sitting on the YA bookshelf in a bookstore was also giving me problems so goodbye to this one!



This next one I quite liked. The way the vibrant blue works so well with the black background and the eerieness of the graveyard made it a good contender for the final cover. The tree in the foreground stood out well and flowing branches added to the spookiness. Unfortunately, AGAIN, it didn't seem to fit with others of its genre. And, that is so important. I really couldn't have the book looking so different from other YA novels. Perhaps as a black and white photo, this might have worked better.


Thursday, July 04, 2013

Authonomy website

 I joined this site some years ago when Marvin's Curse was just a glint in my eye. I've decided to have another go with it although I'm having a few teething problems navigating the site. Here's what they say they are:
An online community of discovery where writers become authors. Help great books get published.

Well, we shall see! Books on here can be added to a watchlist, added to a bookshelf and voted on with possibility that publishers, Harper Collins, may choose to review your book.


Nothing ventured...

http://authonomy.com/books/53981/marvin-s-curse/

Quiz on Goodreads

Why not have a read of the first chapter of Marvin's Curse on Goodreads then take the quiz! Just for fun!



http://www.goodreads.com/quizzes/28261-a-quiz-for-ya-paranormal-book-marvin-s-curse

Wednesday, July 03, 2013

Previous Covers for Marvin's Curse

A little late, I suppose, but I thought it might be good to post the other contenders for the cover of Marvin's Curse. There are a few so I'll post some over the next few days and see what you think! Did I make the right choice???? A reminder of the chosen cover.




I liked this one of the weeping angel, but couldn't work on the colour with my limited experience. I did like the way the wings were so full and the way the angel was positioned to the front of the shot.




With this one, I liked the openess of the photo. There was still the all important angel to the left of the photo, but more space to allow the title and author name to fit in easily. The colours worked, the blues and black together, but it didn't have that feel that YA books had on bookstore shelves. I didn't want to go to the typical black cover, but there was a need for the book to sit comfortably with others of it's genre.


Tuesday, July 02, 2013

3 out of 4 stars for Marvin's Curse!

Another review in, and it's not bad, from the Online Book Club.

Reviewer Casper says, 

'The book alternates between a full blown horror story and black humour: more than a few of the characters are obvious comedians, or even caricatures, and some of the dialogue and Marvin's asides can be quite amusing. There are times when Ms Edwards creates real edge-of-the-seat suspense and she follows this up with vivid descriptions of the nauseating conditions that Marvin encounters which are quite repulsive - in the nicest possible way.

The author is certainly not afraid to touch on some pretty profound subjects on the way: life, death, loss, grief, and different ways of dealing with bereavement feature in the first few chapters. A strong secondary theme in the book is the relationship between step-parent and step-child, and the pressures this puts on the family, especially when mixed up with the usual teenage angst. Poor Marvin certainly has more than his fair share of problems to work his way through, but, as the adventure forces him to mature and take on responsibilities, some of his fondly held illusions are shattered and he realises the truth about many things including his own faults.'



Full review can be found here:
http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=13607


Monday, July 01, 2013

KFC Snackbox Versus Marvin's Curse!



I have discovered that at £1.99, a KFC Snackbox is the same price as my YA novel Marvin's Curse! But! My book is definitely more tasty and pretty sure it will last a whole lot longer. Why not add the Pepsi for just 99p as you read it through...


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Marvins-Curse-ebook/dp/B00DCDC1OA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371824340&sr=8-1

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/325225

 And how about sharing this with people you may (or may not) know??
https://www.facebook.com/events/151627771695285/