Look ... Literary book gifts + 20% off!

I love a good literary-themed anything so this lovely little store caught my eye. Everything looks so classy and classic! Here’s a quick little insight into the store through a chat with Melissa, the owner of Literary Book Gifts. And a little treat for all my readers. Thanks, Melissa!

[I did not receive compensation or any product to put up this post. Just helping out a fellow book lover and small business owner.]

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I started the online store Literary Book Gifts to spread my personal love of reading and all things literature through iconic designs of some of our most beloved novels. Whether you are a Jane Austen fan or resonate with Henry David Thoreau’s ideas, there is something for every book lover in the collection!

I believe that great classics are meant to be read, talked about, and discussed. Each tee and tote is a perfect conversation starter. And even if it does not start up a conversation, maybe someone will see you wearing your A Tale of Two Cities shirt and pick up a copy of the Charles Dickens classic later at the local library. Graphics and artwork have a very powerful way of spreading information. This is one of the many things I love about having the opportunity to create visual representations of some of my favorite novels. I am selective about the authors and titles that make their way into the collection. Popular titles are great of course, but the lesser known ones are very important as well. I loved reading the existential tale of Gregor Samsa, and his transformation into an insect in The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka. So I am pleased that it can have a place in the collection alongside more well known works such as Jane Eyre and Ulysses.

With every design you have a choice of a shirt or tote bag. The t-shirts come in women’s and men’s sizing. Each shirt is made of high quality 100% cotton composition, with the exception of some lovely heather color options that have a mixed fiber content. What really makes the shirts at Literary Book Gifts stand apart from the competition is that they come in a wide variety of colors. Each shirt comes in at least a few colors, and some of them up have up to twenty options. I believe the design itself is equally as important as the shirt color for the individual who wears it. Take the case of the Edgar Allan Poe shirt. In the women’s version choosing a pink or purple version gives off an entirely different stylish vibe than the indigo or grey options. Offering the same design to different and unique people is a great way for personalization and ultimately for the shirt to become a staple item in one’s wardrobe.

As a discount for the readers of Guiltless Reading, enter the promo code GUILTLESSREADING20 at checkout at Literary Book Gifts Book Gifts for a 20 percent discount! There is no minimum needed to order and this code does not expire.

{Guest Post & #Giveaway - US} Ronlyn Domingue: The Plague Diaries

Guest Post by Ronlyn Domingue Author of The Plague Diaries, Book 3 of The Keeper of Tales Trilogy

* affiliate link

I've had the pleasure of working with Ronlyn Domingue over the years promoting her trilogy, The Keeper of Tales. Way back in 2013, I stumbled upon her first book The Mapmaker's War in a Goodreads Giveaway. I was quite entranced by this story, with its folkloric storyline, its gorgeous descriptions and its unusual storytelling style. With my rave review, the author reached out to me in 2014 with her second book The Chronicle of Secret Riven. She even joined me for a guest post (where she revealed works that influenced her unique work). I am happy to be part of her journey as rounds up her trilogy with The Plague Diaries.

After Ronlyn published her critically acclaimed debut, The Mercy of Thin Air*, she squirreled away for several years to work on her next project. What was meant to be one epic novel became a trilogy that can be read in any order. The third book, The Plague Diaries, is out now—the story of a young woman named Secret, fated to release a plague to end an ancient pestilence. Her mythic call involves an arcane manuscript, a strange symbol, and a 1,000-year-old family legacy.

Today, Ronlyn shares how she wrote these books—a method used for thousands of years.

***

I’m a Virgo, which means my entire life is oriented to do things the most efficient way possible the first time.

Imagine my horror when I received instructions—a feeling more so than actual words—that I was supposed to write my second novel by hand.

“No,” I argued with the book, which wasn’t yet a book, just a bunch of notes and ideas. “That’s ridiculous. Why would I handwrite when it’s so much faster to type? I’ll just have to type it up anyway.”

The book would not relent. Every time I tried to write on a machine, nothing would come. Eventually, I squirreled away in a room with the curtains drawn. In two weeks, 26,000 words spewed forth, on letterpress-quality paper in purple ink.

Sideview of the Mapmaker's manuscript

My debut novel, The Mercy of Thin Air, was written on a computer. The words showed up, and tap tap tap, they appeared on the screen. It was easy to procrastinate on days I didn’t really want to write because I could go back to what I had, shifting commas, tweaking sentences, moving paragraphs.
I had no such luxury with this second book, scribed in bold ink. When I sat to write, I had picked up where I left off the day before. The manuscript became too messy if I tried to noodle with what I’d already written.

What surprised me most was the intimacy. I could sit curled up in a comfortable place and feel the words in a way I didn’t when I was at a keyboard. Mind, words, page, one world.

And it made sense, frankly. My second novel, which became the first in the trilogy, and the two books that followed aren’t set in our contemporary time. In The Mapmaker’s War: Book 1, Aoife, the mapmaker, lives in world similar to the Dark Ages. In The Chronicle of Secret Riven: Book 2 and The Plague Diaries: Book 3, Secret’s world resembles our Victorian era.

Pen and pencil ... 

In each book, there are references to pens and ink, tattered manuscripts and letters and old maps, things created through the direct touch of human hands.

All told, several purple pens, four boxes of Mirado Black Warriors, and a multitude of assorted other pencils gave their dark blood for these books.

In the end, I realized that handwriting the manuscripts didn’t take more time than if I’d typed them. These books had to be written the way they were. I could not impose my modern values on their world, their sense of time, and the way they chose to speak.

An attentive writer bows what the work demands and looks upon the resulting callous on one’s finger as a scar of honor.

About Ronlyn Domingue

Ronlyn Domingue is the author of The Chronicle of Secret Riven and The Mapmaker’s War, the first two books of the Keeper of Tales Trilogy. Her critically-acclaimed debut novel, The Mercy of Thin Air, was published in ten languages. Her writing has appeared in New England Review, Clackamas Literary Review, New Delta Review, The Independent (UK), Border Crossing, and Shambhala Sun, as well as on mindful.org, The Nervous Breakdown, and The Weeklings.

Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and ronlyndomingue.com.

About The Plague Diaries by Ronlyn Domingue*: The astounding, epic conclusion to the Keeper of Tales Trilogy brings together the cryptic prophecy in The Mapmaker's War and the troubling mysteries in The Chronicle of Secret Riven--leading to an unforgettable reckoning between lies and truth. We are all born made of gold. Secret Riven--the mystically gifted heroine who now represses her uncanny telepathic power--works for the mysterious magnate Fewmany as an archivist in his private library. There, she stumbles upon the arcane manuscript that had vanished following her mother's untimely death. She suspects the manuscript contains a profound secret, and she is yet unaware of its link to a thousand-year-old war and her own family's legacy. The tasks before her are clear: Secret must finally learn what Fewmany wants from her as well as the meaning of a strange symbol she's dreamed of since childhood. At last, she must confront the questions haunting her and depart on a quest to find the truth about herself, her dead mother, and her fate--to unleash a Plague of Silences meant to destroy, and transform, the world as all have known it. A dazzling, genre-bending masterwork, The Plague Diaries illuminates the power of our choices, the scars they leave, and the wounds they heal. 

Links:

• My review of The Mapmaker's War (Book 1)
• My review of The Chronicle of Secret Riven (Book 2)
• Ronlyn Domingue's Guest Post: The Catastrophe and Wrinkle that Influenced my Work

GIVEAWAY!

1 paper copy The Plague Diaries by Ronlyn Domingue

Open US

Leave a meaningful comment or question for Ronlyn in the comments below.
Tweet about this giveaway (leave link in comments).
Share on Facebook (leave link in comments). 

Get extra entries on Instagram:

Giveaway time! . . Do you love a good fantasy and magical story? I have read both of @ronlyndomingue's books in The Keeper of Tales Trilogy and now, book 3 The Plague Diaries is finally out! Don't worry, all books are standalone and can be read individually. Watch for her guest post on my blog soon (I'll post the link in my bio). . . To enter for a chance to win your own copy, all you have to do is follow the steps below. This giveaway is open US and ends on September 20th. The winner will be announced shortly after. 😃 This prize is kindly provided by the publisher. . . . To enter all you have to do is: ✅FOLLOW @guiltlessreader ✅LIKE this post ✅TAG two friends (or more) ✅For an extra entry, repost this pic with the hashtag #guiltlessreading ✅For an extra entry, leave a comment or question for Ronlyn on her guest post GIVEAWAY FACTS: -This giveaway is not affiliated with Instagram or sponsored. Book prize was provided courtesy of the publisher - Giveaway is open US only - Giveaway ends 20 September 2017 - Giveaway accounts are automatically disqualified

A post shared by guiltlessreader (@guiltlessreader) on Sep 6, 2017 at 5:10am PDT

{Guest post + #giveaway} Novel readers live longer (it’s true) by Michael Bernhart

It's been a while since I've hosted a guest author on Guiltless Reading. Michael Bernhart's novel How Existentialism Almost Killed Me had big appeal to me - an it's not just that elephant on the cover (sidenote: my old logo was an elephant). For one, this novel takes place in Cambodia which is a perfect complement to the Travel the World in Books reading challenge. Also, his brand of humour and the mix of so many different elements in his book made quite the impression: philosophy, chicklit and auras!

Let's welcome Michael Bernhart as he reveals why readers like us will definitely live another day over non-readers.

Michael is also giving away two copies of his novel ... make sure not to miss the giveaway!

*Affiliate link

Novel readers live longer (it's true) by Michael Bernhart, author of How Existentialism Almost Killed Me

This is me.

That’s me. Some kind folks at a new age festival captured my aura on their aura-cam. They gushed that it was an exceedingly auspicious aura, and they looked sincere when they said it.

In truth, I was having a good day. Young women returned my smiles; small children did not retreat behind their nannies at my approach; I’d scored two free massages; and my significant other had found – to that point – comparatively little to criticize. Maybe it was an auspicious aura.

Not every day is a good day for authors; most days our auras can be printed in monochrome, gradations of grey. Look at the odds: One million new novels are published annually in the US alone – 2,700/day. Half of these are self-published, and the average number of sales falls shy of 250 books. It’s a losing proposition, financially and psychically. Why do we do it? Easy. We’re narcissists, shouting, “Look at me!” Those author photos, the subject oozing self-confidence and worldliness? Don’t be taken in.

Of those 1,000,000 books, almost all are bad. The ‘quality filter’ that big publishers boast of still allows James Patterson on the shelves. Insane, right? In fairness to James, he reportedly has distanced himself from the production end of the operation. That dreck is the work of his minions.

Self-published books have one advantage: thanks to permissive policies of CreateSpace, Nook, etc. an author can upload a revised/improved version daily and, through successive approximations, eventually grind out something readable. Assuming the author acts on constructive feedback. In contrast with the steadily improving indie book, the big publishers are stuck with the original, no matter how flawed, until the last remainders table has been cleared.

Despite the odds, you should try to read; it’s good for you. If nothing else, Social Science and Medicine published a credible study (Yale School of Public Health) that found people who read a book for half an hour a day lived 23 months longer.

To purchase those additional 23 months at the most agreeable price, here are some suggestions on how to avoid bad books:

1. Blogs, such as this one, provide one filter. The downside is that many bloggers are reluctant to stick it to an aspiring author and either pull their punches or don’t post a review of a book they didn’t like.

2. Avoid debut novels. Usually overwritten, ambitious, and precious. Mine is. I’ve been struggling for months to turn it into something that a majority of readers who start will finish.

3. Prize winners? Something has gone wrong with the Pulitzer. You should view a prize as fair warning that a few pretentious snobs in self-anointed centers of exceeding refinement have bestowed their grace upon a) an author most like themselves, or b) an author least like themselves (think third world, desperately poor, a gritty survivor).

4. Psychological thrillers. Avoid these too. I’m nominating this as the most promiscuously over-used genre of the decade. I studied psychology for a while (at Harvard! so you know it’s good stuff) and what authors dub as a psychological thriller is short on thrills and completely devoid of psychological insight. At best you’ll find a few groaningly lame stabs at the perp’s motives.

5. Authors who draw heavily on their profession are hit and miss. Yes, lawyers, doctors, and other professionals are not dependent on Wikipedia for context and problem, but Jonathon Kellerman has shown us that a PhD in pysch is not a guarantor of consistent quality or psychological insight.

But read. If only one percent of this year’s outpouring is readable, that’s 10,000 good books to choose from. For openers, read the third and forth in my series. (Not the first and second; not yet. Still playing the successive approximations game.) Read the evergreens, the heavyweights, the classics. Hey! You just learned you’ve added two years to your life of quiet desperation; you have plenty of time to read. Get to it.

This is what I look like to a portraitist –

About Michael Bernhart

Find him on Goodreads | Amazon |

Michael Bernhart is an award winning author who has published extensively on international development and public health – primarily service quality. His credentials for this written outpouring are a PhD (from MIT!) and four decades of international work – currently 50 countries and counting.

The journey from writing funding proposals to writing pure fiction was short and easy. The result is the Max Brown tetralogy which traces the arc (from age 10 through 66) of a man who earnestly tries to avoid trouble, but whose own behavior – or events – repeatedly drops him into it. Each of the four novels finds Max struggling with a new existential crisis – or crises – as he grows up in these trying times. Manhood used to be a birthright; now it seems to be an unending series of challenges. Each novel also finds Max confronting a new face of evil.

Dr. (why not use it?) Bernhart started this project before the internet could serve up virtual experiences to authors. The contextual information and situations come from service as a pilot in the USAF, living in Asia, Europe and Latin America, and inexplicable success at snaring women well out of his league. These remarkable similarities with the main character noted, he insists the work is not autobiographical. It’s wish fulfillment.

Bernhart currently lives in a yurt on a mountaintop in northern Georgia with one ex-wife, two daughters, and three cats. He still flies his vintage plane, although more cautiously than before, and he’s unshakeable in his conviction that he’s God’s Gift to Aviation.

Giveaway (open international!)

Michael is giving away 2 e-books (.mobi or pdf) of his book How Existentialism Almost Killed Me: Kierkegaard Was Right

To enter: 
Ask Michael a question about his post or his book in the comments section! (Mandatory entry)

About How Existentialism Almost Killed Me: Kierkegaard Was Right by Michael Bernhart*: This is the final novel in a series that examines the nature of evil. Remnants of the Khmers Rouges provide the face of evil, and they do a fine job. The plot revolves around drug counterfeiting, which was a daily challenge when the author ran a healthcare project in Cambodia. This by way of saying that the context and problem are faithfully rendered.

The protagonists, Max and Sally Brown, are looking at middle-age, an empty nest, and wondering if their lives of ease and privilege add up to much. They are herded into a trivial assignment for the CIA which morphs into a dangerous job which pits them against the KR. Woefully inept, they leave a trail of corpses until they get up to speed. The battle is joined on elephant back, in a Thai brothel, in Cambodian minefields, and Khmer Rouge strongholds.

The genre is nominally cozy thriller, with a brush with chick-lit, and philosophy.

5 Books To Read Before They Hit The Big Screen

5 Books To Read Before They Hit The Big Screen
{Guest post by Caroline}

Book adaptions are a controversial subject. While occasionally these on-screen releases give an extra dimension to our favorite literary franchises, there’s always a risk that a bad adaption can destroy the imaginary world you created in your head during your initial reading.

Due to this, getting stuck into a good book before a film is released is an essential practice! If the motion picture is going to be a total flop, it’s best to have already absorbed the story before you see it. These five books are incredible works that you should definitely check out before they are released to cinemas later this year.

*Affiliate link

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Based on a set of photos, the true impact of this story is found when it’s read with these impacting visual aids set with the words. When young Jacob finds the bewildering snapshots in the home of his estranged Grandfather, he could never imagine the significance of his discovery. After many unexplained disappearances, Grandpa Ade is mysteriously killed. As the family visits a remote island to come to terms with the loss, Jacob discovers a whole new reality that he is sure is the secret to the murder.

This story hops between worlds, has weird and wonderful characters, and contains an evil underground plot. The action, drama and potential for special effects mean that this could be a fantastic film. However, if dealt with badly, it could also be a lackluster event. To avoid disappointment, get reading now and enjoy this story in its original format before its cinema release in late September.

• Read Guiltless Reading's Review!
• Get this on Book Depository*.
  

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling

The Harry Potter series was a story that wove its way across the screen just as successfully as it did on the page, but will this new story from Rowling’s much-loved magical universe fare equally well? The book itself is a reproduction of a textbook that is mentioned in the original story, with a foreword provided by Albus Dumbledore. Rowling produced the work under the alias of Newt Scamander, who the book was originally accredited to in the original Harry Potter series.

The film is not a straight adaption (that would be quite difficult), but instead is based around the life of this now-famed fictional author. So, while there’s no chance of the book being ruined for fans, it is an essential bit of background reading for those excited about finally having a new Harry Potter movie to look forward to.

• Get this on Book Depository*.
• Did you know? Guiltless Reading is a huge Harry Potter fan. Check out other Harry Potter-related posts. 

Inferno by Dan Brown

Dan Brown is an author whose books cause as much speculation as their film counterparts. With mystery, real-life conspiracy theories and a historical commentary that seems so completely feasible, the Angels and Demons series, of which “Inferno” is the fourth installment, has sparked discussion and debate worldwide.

After a Harvard professor wakes up half across the globe with a head injury and no memory, the tone is immediately set. Alongside associates that he meets along the way, he is catapulted into a long line of clues that uncover some terrible secrets and fracture his band of detectives.

If you haven’t had a chance to catch up with the rest of this series yet, there’s a fantastic documentary for American Netflix (if you’re outside the country, you can use software to access it) called “Cracking the Da Vinci Codes,” which provides a fantastic overview and in-depth exploration into the works of Dan Brown.

Get this on Book Depository*.

Nerve by Jeanne Ryan

This young adult thriller has taken the world by storm since its release in 2012. Likened to the box office smash hit “The Hunger Games,” we have high hopes for this film’s release in late July. The title refers to an online game of dares which is integral to the plot. When Vee is invited to play, it isn’t long before she realizes that this game knows way too much about her life. While at first this is exciting and novel, in time the true terror of this seemingly harmless pursuit is exposed.

Perfectly paced and highly suspenseful, the true success of this novel is in the writing. No amount of camera tricks or special effects could reproduce the gut-wrenching excitement of reading through the books tensest moments. Due to this, I highly recommend checking it out before it hits the screen.

Get it on Book Depository*.

Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts

Any adult remembers the turbulent years of their teenage life. This fantastic children’s book by James Patterson is sure to transport you back to a time of uncontrollable hormones, awkward relationships and feeling constantly uncomfortable in your own skin. Lead protagonist Rafe Khatchadorian decides to subvert his difficult middle school years by creating a game to rule all games. Rafe aims to break every rule in the school’s code of conduct along with his friends.

Needless to say, hilarity ensues. And with loveable characters and a poignant message, this little novel is an easy and quick read that packs a punch! The film version will be released in October, so you have plenty of time to whizz through before the adaption hits cinemas.

Get it on Book Depository*.

***

Film release dates can be hard to keep track of. If you know of any more looming book adaptions that you want people to know about, be sure to leave a comment below. We’d love to hear your ideas!

About the Author

Caroline is an entertainment blogger and writer. She loves books and films, but can’t stand when a classic story is ruined on screen. She hopes fellow bookworms enjoy her recommendations!

"I Like You Just Fine When You’re Not Around" by @AnnGarvin_ {Guest Post + #Giveaway}

Ann with her mother

Humour in the face of tribulation is a gift. This is what drew me to the premise of Ann Garvin's new novel. In her own words, Ann says, “I Like You … is for any woman who has ever pondered the unfairness of life, who has wished for someone to call and weigh-in on an imbalanced marriage, relationship or to-do list. For any person who does more than their fair share. I was a gerontology nurse for many years while putting myself through graduate school, and my mother (who later contracted Alzheimer’s) was a gerontology nurse professor for 25 years. I wrote this book to try and make sense of it all in the context of fairness, caregiving, and family.”

Does this resonate? Read on. Also, don't forget to join the giveaway for 2 copies of this book (paperback - US, ebook - open international).

Welcome, Ann!

Ann Garvin answers "What is your book about?"

Here’s how it goes with my new book I Like You Just Fine When You’re Not Around.

I’m holding the book and a person next to me reads the title and laughs. Then as if I’ve caught them doing something embarrassing like thinking something not so nice about someone in their life they look at me and say, “What is this about?”

I say, “It’s about a radio therapist whose mother has Alzheimer’s and she is alone in caring for her and her sister’s colicky newborn. Her life just unravels underneath her while she tries to solve a mystery hidden in her families past. They nod interested.

Then they squint their eyes and say, “But, who is this about?”

I say, “The character Tig Monohan who was also in my last book The Dog year. She’s sassy and sure of herself until she’s not.”

They nod again, like I’m just not hearing them. They try a new tact. “What gave you the idea for this book?”

“Sometimes, I just want to be able to call someone and get some help with the unfairness of life. Like, I just want to call the universe and have them weigh in and give me a hand. So I wrote a radio therapist who does just that. People call in and tell their story and she decides if what is happening is fair or not. Like Judge Judy without the yelling or law involved “Ahhhh they say,” as if now we’re getting somewhere. “So, what do you think is unfair? Who do you want to tattle on and get help with.”

I know what they want.

They want me to tell them who the title is about. Like when Carly Simon sang, You’re so vain. People still want to know, who is so vain. Who??

The truth is, it’s not about any one person in particular. It’s about everyone in general.

It’s about this woman who is trying to figure out her relationships. Yes that’s me, but it’s also everyone I know. It’s about a woman who is a caregiver and can’t always decide when enough is enough. Me again, and I’m thinking you too. It’s about a woman with Alzheimer’s who kept secrets, her daughter who also had a lock and key on her life, and a therapist who has to untangle everything to figure out why she thinks everything is funny and a little bit sad.

I Like You Just Fine When You’re Not Around is about all of us trying to figure out the people we love. I hope you like it and if you do, let me know. If not, well, maybe you can sit over there and wait to tell me when I’m not around. ☺

About Ann Garvin 

Dr. Ann Garvin, is an internationally published author, speaker and professor of exercise physiology, psychology, nutrition, and health. Her novels I Like You Just Fine When You’re Not Around, The Dog Year and On Maggie’s Watch are each about women who struggle to find their way in a world that asks too much from them, too often. Garvin balances her literary pursuits with teaching in WI And NH while supporting other women writers and raising a family.

She is the founder of the Tall Poppies: www.tallpoppies.org and The Fifth Semester www.thefifthsemester.com.

Visit Ann at her website: www.anngarvin.net. Connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.

Giveaway

Ann Garvin is giving away 2 copies to my readers!

1 paperback (open US)

1 ebook (open worldwide)

Entry-Form

About I Like You Just Fine When You’re Not Around: It's not enough that Ann Garvin is hilarious. Then she has to go ahead and be compassionate and wise about the hopeful car-wreck that is most of humanity..." - Michelle Wildgen, author of "You're Not You" and "Bread and Butter"

Everything is falling apart in psychologist Tig Monahan's life. Her mother's dementia is wearing her out; her boyfriend takes off for Hawaii without her; and her sister inexplicably disappears, leaving her newborn behind. When a therapy session goes horribly wrong, Tig finds herself unemployed and part of the sandwich generation trying to take care of everyone and failing miserably. Just when she thinks she can redefine herself on the radio as an arbiter of fairness, she discovers a family secret that nobody saw coming. It will take everything plus a sense of humor to see her way clear to a better life, but none of that will happen if she can't let go of her past.

Let's chat with Jessica George about Gifted (+ #Giveaway! Open INT)

I've come across a Young Adult writer - Jessica George - whose book intrigued me. I admit I'm not a huge YA reader because there are too many trends that beleaguer the genre that make me stay away for the most part. So it's refreshing that her book does not have instant-love or is set in some dystopia, and that some real YA issues are actually featured. (Of course, Jessica and I also share a love for chocolate but that's another story).

Without further ado, let's welcome Jessica!

Rainy Sheffield

Tell us about yourself in three sentences?

My name is Jessica George, but my author name is J.A. George. I was born in London, England and that’s where my family home is based. Right now, I’m living in Sheffield for my studies.

What genre is GIFTED?

I tell people it is a contemporary YA fantasy, but floating around inside, you can find small bits of romance, adventure, mystery and why not, comedy too.

How did you choose what genre to write in?

I started off writing GIFTED because I wanted something to read. I wanted to read a contemporary YA fantasy novel that didn’t feature instant-love, a chosen one or a girl growing up in a dystopian society. I just wanted to read about someone normal, someone I could relate to. Someone who worries about the way she looks, but never says it out loud, has a sense of humour, thinks about the small stuff. Then I wanted to take her and place her in a world she never thought existed. I wanted to explore real young adult relationships, friendships and modern-day topics such as, body weight issues and cheating in relationships. Okay, GIFTED is a lot less sombre than it sounds, I promise!

Purple flowers, notebooks, and some books I am studying.

What do you do when you’re not writing?

Yum, banana bread!

I read. I eat chocolate. I bake. Not necessarily in that order! I also enjoy going out with my friends, especially out to eat or to the cinema.

What inspires your stories? 

People. In a very small nutshell, Gifted is about a group of ordinary young adults with extra-ordinary gifts. We are all ordinary people with extra-ordinary gifts. Some of our gifts might just not be supernatural!

Boil GIFTED down for us.

Alright, boiled down, GIFTED is all about a nineteen year old university student who meets a woman a little on the strange side, and then meets a young man a little more on the stranger side. These meetings lead to the eventual discovery of Hayven – a city separated from the rest of the world where only those with gifts can go. She makes an eclectic bunch of friends, who, even though I’m biased, are pretty awesome. But Hayven has its dark side, and they’re called Cliders. Gifters turned rogue, Cliders are determined to see the golden city of Hayven return to the way it was one thousand years ago when the city was under the dominion of Madrina. Want to know more about her? You’ll have to read GIFTED.

Some of my favourite books.

The biggest challenge you’ve faced writing Gifted? 

This published version of GIFTED is my second edition and in my first edition Avery was completely different. In the past, I’ve had problems with writing for other people. All authors want their books to sell and in order to do that, you have to write a book readers will want to buy. The annoying thing is, authors don’t know exactly what readers want. We may know a few things, but not all.

In my first edition of GIFTED, I tried to write a novel that would make everyone happy, until I realised that that was impossible. So after two years, I randomly made the decision to write for myself. I am in serious danger of going off on a tangent, but I’ll soon be putting up a post on my blog all about writing for myself. Long story short, Ava was a bit boring, in my opinion, because I was trying to follow trends I’d seen before, trying to fit her into too many different boxes. Now, I just love her. She makes me laugh − a lot. I hope she’ll make you laugh too.

What inspired you to write? 

I just wanted to live my life being able to say, “I don’t work”. I don’t ever want to see my life defined by “work” and for me, writing isn’t “work,” it’s too enjoyable for that. You know what they say, do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.

Why should readers choose to read your book? 

 I wouldn’t force my book on anyone, and I would never claim to have written the next best-seller. If you like contemporary YA fantasy centred on an ordinary young woman with a penchant for dry humour, try Gifted.

The best I can say is read a sample here and make your mind up from there.

About J.A. George

J.A. George is the author of the four part series, GIFTED - THE HAYVEN SERIES. She spent years of her life reading book after book before sitting on her bed one morning, opening her laptop and typing Chapter One into a Word document. Now, not only does she read book after book, she writes book after book too. Usually with a large bar of chocolate by her side.

Twitter: @JGeorgie_
Blog: www.thejourneyofgifted.co.uk

Join the Giveaway!

Jessica is giving away two copies of her book! 1 paperback goes to anyone in the UK/US and 1 ebook (PDF or mobi) goes to anyone in the world!

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Synopsis of Gifted by J.A. George: There is no chosen one in this story. Avery Gray was just in the wrong place at the wrong time and happened to make a decision that altered her future forever. It happens to all of us every day.

Avery is a size twelve university student with a penchant for dry humour, and she’s as normal as they come. Up until now, the biggest choice she’s had to make was glasses or contacts? At the moment, it’s stay and save, or leave and be saved.

Allow me to explain. One rainy afternoon, Avery had to make a choice: go through the alleyway or around it. Two possible options. One would have had her future continue on as planned, the other would ensure that her future never remained the same again. She unknowingly went with the latter.

But change is not always bad. Avery meets Theodore-James Connors, an enigmatic young man who takes her to Hayven, a city separated from the rest of the world, where only gifters – ordinary people with extra-ordinary gifts – can go. She soon finds herself in a close-knit group of friends she’d never have imagined herself in. Friends who are diverse in every possible way, from their ethnic backgrounds, to their personalities, from their gifts, to their life stories. Friends who make her laugh, who make her cry, who make her think and who make her…her.

However, change is not always good. The beautiful, golden city of Hayven has its dark side – Cliders. Gifters turned rogue, aka, Cliders are determined to aid fallen Clider, Madrina, return to rule Hayven. They will stop at nothing to make that happen, including harming those Ava has grown to love.
Again, Ava is faced with a choice: spend her days finding a way to inhibit Madrina’s return, or walk away. After all, she isn’t the chosen one. Yet, there exists a third option – rig the future itself and make it work for her.

Would you tell? Karin Bosman spills on sexual harassment & Spitting on Hans' Tosti {Guest Post + #Giveaway - INT}

I have a very brave woman as our guest today on Guiltless Reading. Her story and the resulting book Spitting on Hans' Tosti resonated with me and I know it will affect and help many out there who have experienced the horrors of workplace sexual harassment. I hope that with this post we can blow the lid on a topic we often dare not talk about.

Don't forget to join in the author's giveaway for 2 copies of her book - open international.

Welcome, Karin!

Would you tell? Karin Bosman spills on sexual harassment & Spitting on Hans' Tosti

At first I didn’t realize that an assassin was coming for me, when I did it was too late.

Basically this is the reason why I decided to write this book Spitting on Hans' Tosti to share my personal experience about the horror that’s called sexual workplace harassment. It wasn’t easy to write about all the assaults, humiliations and my emotions, but it must be shared because sexual harassment steels your identity.

The taboo that rests on sexual workplace harassment is powerful–very powerful– and is tangible when you are dealing with it on a daily basis. Threats and emotional blackmail will prevent you from telling others. It’s very hard to accept that you are a victim and to let go of the thought that you must resolve this on your own. This is how my employer Hans unwittingly pulled me into a world of sadness and loneliness, faced with co-workers who looked the other way, afraid to lose their jobs. And there I lived for almost two years in isolation, disconnected from myself waiting until it blows over. But the silence and the fear empowered Hans to move forward in his intimidations. From an apparently stray kiss he now was able to assault me, captured in his web I couldn’t move.

When I finally opened up about everything that went on at work, my battle with humiliation went on. I had to deal with lies that were meant to belittle me on a whole new level. Investigations or mediation were non-negotiable for my employer Hans. The only way to end my situation and to make sure that this assassin never touches anybody in this way again, I had to go to court. Grateful for the co-workers who, despite all the pressure Hans exerted, provided their testimonies. But despite their testimonies and the evidence I managed to collect, not Hans but the company was on trial. So the judge could only point out that the actions of Hans where unacceptable. The legal term is lack of duty of care… I was left behind and confused because it seemed that Hans had collected a license for sexual workplace harassment. At that moment I knew that I had to bring out everything I have lived trough in the past two years and I allowed myself to break down on paper. By sharing my raw emotions, my sometimes maze-like sentences and my salty tears I discovered that I’m not the only one. Many people wrote me, men and women who recognize themselves in my story and motivated me to translate my book into English and to call for attention to the hundreds of thousands of people who are being sexual harassed in the workplace every day.

The author, Karin Bosman.

Besides the book I’m now globally advocating on sexual workplace harassment. In my presentations I demonstrate the power of bringing theory and practice together. Of course one of my missions is to make governments understand that offenders of sexual workplace harassment must be held responsible for this crime and for that we need an adjustment in the penal law.

Writing down everything that has happened to me, into the smallest details, was the only way to find her again, the women I was and lost somewhere along this road of sexual workplace harassment.

Links:

• Spitting on Hans' Tosti Website
• Follow Karin Bosman on Twitter 

Giveaway

Karin Bosman is offering two paperbacks to my lucky readers! Open international!

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Synopsis Spitting on Hans' Tosti: Sexual harassment at work, the real life story about unwelcome and unlawful behaviour in the workplace. The intimidations of sexual harassment unwittingly pull you into a world of sadness and loneliness. This story gradually reveals how an apparently stray kiss leads to degrading harassment.

All images courtesy of Karin Bosman.

This is a non-sponsored post. I feel that this topic and Karin Bosman's book and work on fighting against sexual harassment in the workplace are highly relevant and should be advocated widely.

{Guest Post} Creating a Victorian lexicon: by alleged author James Roberts

We all need a little fun in our lives. I often wonder at how "serious" we can be. But I'm throwing that all out the door since author James Roberts is in the house! Lovers of the classics, those who like a bit of something something funny bones-wise ... here you go!

Creating a Victorian lexicon: by alleged author James Roberts

When I set about writing Pardon Me: A Victorian Farce {I'll get the plug in early, there's another one coming along shortly}, a comic novel set in the 1890s, asides researching the era to get the feel of the period, I also began putting together my own period lexicon. I did not want authenticity as such, I wasn't doing a Hillary Mantel here. This was going to be farce, and to some extent, a parody to-boot. I wanted to have some fun with our Victorian forebears, and I wanted them to have some fun with the 21st Century. So in essence, what I was looking for was my very own 'cod' Victoriana. I wanted my characters to sound a bit Victorian in their speech, manners and attitudes, but to keep one foot in the present day. My ground-breaking methodology, which I can exclusively reveal here for the first time ever, and what's more, as I have yet to patent it, I can offer free to all Guiltless Readers, was this - I read a lot of books written in or around the 1890s. Yes, it was the innovative. It was also that bloody time consuming.

Of course, it did not just involve reading. I took some notes too. What I was especially on the lookout for was words and phrases that had fallen out of favour, and if the passage of time had perverted their meaning then all the better. Take for example the expression 'to get gay' with someone. Would you believe that this once meant 'to get on with something'. To be honest, this is double endentre with bells on and so blatant that even I shied away from deploying it for comic effect. 'Making love' however is a tad more subtle. Back in the days of the fin de siècle to 'make love' meant to flirt, or perhaps to take a girl by the arm and talk to her of poetry and flowers or something. Ergo: “He made love to me on the bus” a la 1890s is romantic and not in anyway sluttish.

Here are a selection of 'Bs' for your edification.

Bondage = a place of confinement.

Brick = a spiffing chap.

Bestial = a terribly unpleasant fellow.

Bosh = a total nonsense.

Bootless = a total waste of time.

Bounder/Brute/Blighter/Blister = a total b*stard.

Beano = a total p*ss up.

Blue Funk = losing one's marbles.

Should this particular blog prove popular I may be persuaded to move onto the Cs. So you may yet learn of what our friends the Victorian's meant when they spoke of 'calf love'.

Good day.

About James Roberts

James Roberts is a forty-something indie author and misanthrope who currently resides in the remoter outreaches of the Highlands of Scotland. He states his profession as 'freelance copywriter', being far too vain and supercilious to admit to being 'mostly out of work'. He has previously found gainful employment as a cocktail waiter, a vendor of cleaning cloths, a lecturer in modern history, a car salesman, a private tutor working with the financially advantaged, a care assistant working with the mentally disadvantaged and a fruiterer’s assistant. Some of these jobs he has been properly qualified for.

The epitome of the hermetic scribbler, James describes the content of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as "nauseatingly narcissistical dribble" and litters his correspondence with pidgin Latin aphorisms ad adsurdam omne ignotum pro terribili (as he would say), solely to annoy the younger generation. His website, www.jamesroberts.scot, where he can be found hiding behind the absurd nom de plume 'The Proprietor', eschews the potted author biogs, giveaways and blog tours expected of the serious indie author. Instead he subjects the unsuspecting browser to an outré discussion on the merits of the French post-structuralists, offers a 'BlogSpot' to '70s silver spooned novelist Jasper Wallet and gives Charles Dickens a social media makeover. It is, in sum, a study in self-marketing suicide.

Even more disturbing, extensive research into the author's background turns up the following entry on Google: James Roberts was the best-selling author of over a hundred books on topics as diverse as railway signalling and marital sex and his work had been translated into seventy three different languages including Welsh. In 2007 James was jailed for copyright infringement and serial plagiarism and having sex with a miner {a Welsh one}.

Recent telegraphic communiqués with the author have, however, elicited the assurance that James is now fully rehabilitated and divides his time between performing highly situational street theatre with live rabbits and lying to the nice people at Job Centre Plus.

Pardon Me: A Victorian Farce is his first novel. Or so he says.

Connect with James: Author website | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page

Synopsis of Pardon Me: A Victorian Face by James Roberts: Pardon Me is a comic farce set in the 1890s; a time when an English gentleman enjoyed talking down to the rest of the world and ‘PC’ meant Police Constable. It recounts the brief, if lively, career of hapless diplomat Madagan Rùn and his endeavours to save the British Empire from fantastical revelations vis-à-vis the making, lending and subsequent mislaying of the world's first ever celebrity sex celluloid. Along the way Madagan severely compromises no less an august triumvirate than Cecil Rhodes, Joseph Chamberlain and Prince Victor Albert, gets embroiled in a lavatorial farrago with Oscar Wilde, upsets the delicate sensibilities of Big Chief Mwanga, and starts a small colonial war.

Want to read more? Here's a longer extract - ten pages (approx., PDF)

Guest Post + #Giveaway! Terry Richard Bazes's Chateau d’If #NonFicNov

On this blog, I've always since put out my own version of "reviews." I've learned, simply by being a reader, that some things work (and other things don't!) in books. During NonFiction November, it's serendipity to be approached by an author who has written a book that while mainly targets aspiring authors, I know book bloggers will read with interest too.

Terry Richard Bazes—who once received a flattering note about his work from Joseph Heller (can I say wow?)—gives us a glimpse into his writing life. He's also giving away two copies of the book Plot Fiction Like the Masters wherein he looks into the tricks of the trade of three beloved authors Ian Fleming, Jane Austen and Evelyn Waugh. Don't forget to enter!

Welcome, Terry! We look forward to looking at your little writing heaven!

Chateau d’If by Terry Richard Bazes

Author of Plot Fiction Like the Masters

My private prison—the messy little twelve-by-twelve hovel where I gnaw my pens, crush my pages, despair, exult and write—occupies the back half of a converted one-horse stable. That means, I suppose, that my predecessor and fellow prisoner was a horse that went to its eternal reward about a hundred years before my tenure. Upstairs, right above my desk, is the horse’s hayloft. Owing to the fact that the hayloft’s door has never—or at least not in recent memory—been closed, I have very good reason to believe that there are bats sleeping up there in the daytime—not to speak of the squirrels I often hear scurrying and the spiders I sometimes see poking their black legs between the white boards of my ceiling. There are mice too, of course—and not only in the hayloft. I know that for a fact because I often find their little pellets down here on the scarred pine floor, on the dusty shelves of my bookcases and even amidst the heaped books on my butcher-block desk.

These books (tumbled on battle-scarred pens and scribbled-over scraps of paper) are my only permitted companions: Swift, the Earl of Rochester, Kafka, Captain John Smith, Nabokov, Berger, Descartes, H.G. Wells, Huxley, Barth, Heller, and Pynchon consort with Alice in Wonderland, Madame Bovary, Moll Flanders and Fanny Hill. I also keep a statue of a camel on my desk to remind me that an animal with its own resources can walk across a desert. Behind me are my dictionaries—Webster’s, American Heritage, and the compact OED that, in my advancing age, requires both eyeglasses and a hand-held magnifier.

The place of honor on my walls belongs to a kind letter sent to me by Joseph Heller. There are also two paintings and one etching by my great-grandfather, quotations by Flaubert and Milton, a painting of Dickens at his desk, a photograph of Nabokov in the midst of writing The Defense, a framed Barnes and Noble poster advertising my first novel, a few framed reviews, a picture of Samuel Taylor Coleridge and a photograph of the open jaw of an alligator emerging from a swamp.

The other half of the stable (separated by a wall and behind me at my desk as I compose this sentence) is the tool shed. In that little room you can, if you like, find my tractor, two rusting lawn mowers, two saws, a one-armed hedge clipper hanging on a rusty nail, two cross-country skis which no one in my family ever used, a filthy and crumpled blue tarpaulin, a discarded black plastic sled, a defunct automobile battery, two cans of gasoline, an archery target, a yellow arrow with only two feathers, an aluminum bicycle pump, an open bag of peat moss, a mound of rotting pine needles and a rusting stroller.

Whenever I must return to solitary confinement, this junk-filled shed is on my left. I always walk, between a derelict radiator and a pine tree, down a very well-worn avenue of dirt which I have come to call my “psycho-path.” My office has a cinder-block front step and a red, wood door. The red door has a brass lion’s head with a knocker in its teeth. I open the door and am back, as they say, in business—in the belly of the beast.

About Terry Richard Bazes 

Terry Richard Bazes is the author of Lizard World (Livingston Press) and of Goldsmith’s Return (White Pine Press). His personal essays and fiction have appeared in a number of publications, including The Washington Post Book World, Newsday, Columbia Magazine, Travelers’ Tales: Spain, Lost Magazine and the Evergreen Review. He is a graduate of Columbia College and has a Ph.D. in English Literature from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. His doctoral dissertation, entitled Romance and Realism in the Early Novel, a study of the role of the fantastic in 17th- and 18th-century fiction, has served as a theoretical framework for his novels. He has also recently completed Plot Fiction like the Masters: Ian Fleming, Jane Austen, Evelyn Waugh and the Secrets of Story-building.

About Plot Fiction Like the Masters : Ian Fleming, Jane Austen, Evelyn Waugh and the Secrets of Story-Building by Terry Richard Bazes: Plot Fiction like the Masters is an exercise in reading like a writer - reading with the purpose of figuring out how the plots of a few recognized masterpieces succeed in making readers turn the page. The reason for proposing this as a way of learning plot-making is my own experience as a writer -- that the most accomplished novelists are the greatest teachers and that their lessons may be drawn from a close study of their work. The three novels under consideration - Ian Fleming's Dr. No, Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and Evelyn Waugh's A Handful of Dust - have all achieved astonishing success. They are all not only recognized masterpieces of their very different genres but have also won the glittering prizes - fame, fortune, movie deals -- for which many a haggard writer would sell his or her soul to the Devil.

Giveaway Time!

Terry Bazes is giving away 2 paperbacks - Plot Fiction Like the Masters.

Open US, Can, UK and Ireland.

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It's NonFiction November! Get some in your life! :)

Nonfiction November is hosted by Kim at Sophisticated Dorkiness, Becca at I’m Lost in Books, Leslie at Regular Ruminations, and Katie at Doing Dewey. Check out the schedule.

#TTWIBRAT Guest Post: A lasting legacy by Meera Ekkanath Klein + giveaway

This guest post is part of this year's Travel the World in Books Readathon which challenges us to read books set in countries other than our own. Food memories are powerful. Today, I am happy to welcome Meera Klein whose book delves into her ultimate tribute to a food memory creator, her mother. She totally won me over with her pitch that "yummy food and descriptive writing are my strengths." (I adore Indian food.) She's also offering up an e-book/Kindle copy for one of my lucky readers! How could I say no to all that? Welcome Meera!

A lasting legacy by Meera Ekkanath Klein, author of My Mother's Kitchen

Meera and her mother

My mother would never call herself a trendsetter or a foodie. But by today’s standards that is exactly what she was. I was fortunate to spend my childhood in the beautiful Nilgiris or Blue Mountains of south India. My mother was a high school teacher in a small village, a 45-minute bus ride, from Coonoor, one of the three small municipalities in the Nilgiris. Coonoor with its temperate climate was famous for its botanical garden, Sims Park, and the annual Flower and Fruit Shows that were held in the park every May.

It turned out my mother’s bus stop was in front of an unprepossessing building which housed the State Agricultural Department’s Pomological Station. Once in a while the station would sell its unique produce to the public. There was no overt advertising, just a simple handwritten blackboard sign listing the produce.

Whenever my mother saw the sign, she would hurry home and send my sister and I to buy whatever was for sale. Even when money was tight, she would always find a couple of rupees to spare for produce. My mother knew what was important.

Budding foodies?

Chickpea snack!

One day we found tiny artichokes for sale. My mother served the steamed wonders with nutty ghee and lime juice as a dipping sauce. The golden flavor of ghee, the tang of lime and bite of fresh black pepper was a perfect complement to the meaty artichokes.

Another incredible find was a head of delicate butter lettuce. We didn’t have any olive oil or vinegar to dress the greens, so my mother mixed homemade fresh buttermilk with sprigs of aromatic cilantro, a splash of sour tangerine juice, fine salt and plenty of freshly cracked Malabar pepper and tossed the tender butter lettuce in this delicious dressing. One memorable addition to this salad was a handful of fresh peas (from the research station).

We gorged on tiny golden apricots, packed with summery flavor and pomegranates with the palest pink seeds that were so sweet and juicy that I could feel a sugar rush. In the fall we cut open the brilliant orange flesh of crisp persimmons. I savored each slice, storing each honeyed bite as a luscious memory to bring back during winter’s gloom.

One evening we bought a bag of shiny green chilies, a cross between Hatch and Anaheim. My mother stared at them for a while and then proceeded to cook the peppers in tart homemade yogurt until the chilies melted into the thick sauce. As the yogurt evaporated into tangy chunks, she added some vegetable oil to the pan and seared the well-cooked peppers. The finished dish, peppery and piquant, was the ultimate finger food. Was my mother a foodie? You decide.

A fitting tribute

Chappati and Angalina's sweet potato casserole

When I started writing my book, My Mother's Kitchen: A novel with recipes, I knew I wanted share my mother’s excitement and joy of being in the kitchen. I still remember how much she enjoyed her first taste of oven-roasted root vegetables. What this really needs, she said to me, is a few drops of mustard oil. She was right. The pungency of mustard offset the sweetness of the caramelized sweet potatoes and turnips. I miss my mother’s physical presence more than ever, but every time I go to a book club gathering where the hostess proudly displays her version of Aviyal, a vegetable stew, or a pot of tangy Lemon Rice, I know my mother’s memory lives on. The legacy she left behind is tangible and delicious.

About Meera Ekkanath Klein

Meera Klein

Award-winning author, Meera Ekkanath Klein, deftly weaves her love of cooking and story-telling into an irresistible tale. My Mother's Kitchen: A novel with recipes (2014, Homebound Publications) was selected as a Winner in the 2015 International Book Awards in the Multi-Cultural Fiction category. The book was also selected as Finalist in the 2015 National Indie Excellence Book Awards and in 2015 Beverly Hills International Book Awards, both in the Multi-Cultural Fiction category.

She was one of 40 authors at the celebrated 2015 Authors on the Move fundraiser for the Sacramento Library Foundation dinner and auction.  She was featured on Capital Public Radio on April 2, 2015 and interviewed by host Beth Ruyak. She has participated in the Local Author Festival at the Sacramento Library and will be a presenter at the Great Valley Book Fest in October. She will also make presentations at the Woodland Friends of the Library annual meeting in June and at the Greenhaven/Pocket area Library in July.

A former newspaper reporter and columnist, Klein, honed her writing skills in a busy newsroom. She mastered the art of Indian cooking in her own mother’s kitchen in the beautiful Blue Mountains or Nilgiris of south India. Klein currently lives in northern California and is completing a sequel to My Mother’s Kitchen, as well as a YA book based on Indian legends and mythology.

About the Book

My Mother's Kitchen: A novel with recipes is an enchanting place filled with promise, change and good food. If the weathered walls of this magical room could talk they would tell the story of Meena and her childhood life. Each chapter is a slice in her young life and depicts her spunk and youthful spirit. A visit to the local Fruit and Flower Show becomes an adventure as told by Meena. Her distress at finding out about her aunt's dark secret or her joy of making a new friend are all told in her naive, yet pure voice. Her mother is a central character in her life and it is no wonder that the kitchen is a special place of healing and rejuvenation, not only for Meena but for other characters like Kashi and Ayah.

Check out the book and Klein’s website for more tasty delights: http://meeraklein.com/

Giveaway Time!

Meera is giving away one e-book or Kindle edition of Her Mother's Kitchen, open international!

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Image courtesy of potowizard at FreeDigitalPhotos.net