Tuesday 9 December 2014

Miami is fun for award winning author Susan Joyce #RPBP #WLM



My good friend the talented Susan Joyce has recently returned from Miami where she attended the Readers Favorite 2014 awards ceremony.
Susan received the gold award for here travel memoir 
The Lullaby Illusion:A Journey of Awakening

I was fortunate to be able to interview Susan on Rukia Publishing before she left and I was keen to catch up with her to hear all the gossip. As Susan and I collate the gossip for the Rukia blog here is her latest blog post about her trip and the award ceremony.

Congratulations Susan and thank you for sharing your experience with us.

Sarah Jane

Permission to re-blog obtained from the author.

Saturday 29 November 2014

FREE Book promotion weekend for Our Frugal Summer in Charente #RPBP


FREE an unusual culinary travel memoir set in Charente.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Our-frugal-summer-Charente-Kitchen-ebook/dp/B00P1M71Q8/

http://www.amazon.com/Our-frugal-summer-Charente-Kitchen-ebook/dp/B00P1M71Q8/


Today is my first attempt at a FREE promotion on KDP. 
Our Frugal Summer in Charente: An Expat's kitchen garden journal 
Meet Sarah Jane, a woman with a reputation for culinary catastrophe who tries to keep her family fed in challenging circumstances in rural France. Frugal living was not part of the plan when they arrived from Australia to undertake the renovation of a quaint cottage in the Charente. However, when life throws them a curve-ball the challenge was set. How to survive in France with very little money and two Australian cattle dogs. The answer came in the form of 5 chickens, 4 ducks and a vegetable garden! The frugal plan was to save money by any means possible, to enable any money they could earn to be invested into continuing the renovation of the cottage. In true ‘Good Life’ style Sarah Jane attacks this challenge head on by keeping some small livestock and converting a garden, that resembled a meadow, into a French ‘potager’ or kitchen garden.The French tradition of using produce from their ‘potagers’ is renowned for enabling families to create meals that are healthy, cost effective and simple. 
There are 31 recipes for a variety of food and drinks, included in a month by month account, of how they transformed a neglected garden into a frugal yet productive expat kitchen garden. 

Comments from the beta readers: 
“The photographs are a great addition and they enhance the visual conception of the challenges you faced and the results you achieved.” John Brewer 
“A thoroughly enjoyable read, written in your usual honest and down to earth style.” Carol Peden. 





Here are some of the early reviews:
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars top notch 17 Nov 2014
Format:Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase
Top notch yet again ! Having read and thoroughly enjoyed Sarah's first two books I was delighted to welcome a third ! I certainly wasn't disappointed Sarah has a wonderful writing style and a lively sense of humour and the subject matter of this book was an entertaining and interesting change . This author has taken me out of my comfort zone nationwide and I'm so glad she did. Try it you will love it

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully written 20 Nov 2014
By Paul D
Format:Kindle Edition
I really enjoyed reading this, the author delved deep into her own inspiring adventure and cooks up some delightful sounding recipes that I would really love to try. It was great to see the development grow the further I read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition
What an inspirational book! I myself am not a brilliant cook but this book has inspired me to try a little bit harder and look at my own wilderness( whoops garden ) with new eyes, the receipts are great a very enjoyable book

Why not download a copy and share the news of the promotion with your friends and family.

Have a great weekend
Sarah Jane

PS. I will let you know how the promotion goes next week!!!

Friday 28 November 2014

ChromoZone - The Sinister Series by P D Roberts - an epic survival story #RPBP #zombie #readers




Welcome to another update on a fellow author and good friend P.D Roberts :)

Regular readers of my blog may remember that I featured Paul Roberts in March this year when he published his debut novel 'Toby Ripwood in The Dark Sphere Enigma.'

Since then Paul has been working away writing and creating his latest series of books, The Sinister Series Chromozone.

Here's a link to the book trailer:



Here is the synopsis:

Part 1
ChromoZone - The Sinister Series new to the zombie horror franchise, is an epic survival story, but with a completely new twist. Broken down into short six chapter books, these are guaranteed to have you hooked and on the edge of your seat. Sara Greene, a mother of one, is caught up in a battle of life and death when a catastrophic outbreak is unleashed upon the UK. Soon after she receives a strange phone call from her husband Mark, instructing her to get somewhere safe. She frantically races to get to the safety of her parents home with her seven year old deaf son in arms. With the infection spreading faster than it can be contained, Sara struggles to keep herself and her beloved child alive whilst fending off rabid disfigured people. Seeking shelter, she is forced to join a group of people equally confused and just as panicked as her. They are all thrown into unfamiliar territory without any knowledge of what is happening. They have just one plan - to stay alive.

Part 1 UK Price – Free everywhere ( except Amazon )
Part 1 US Price – Free everywhere ( except Amazon )



Here is the synopsis:
Part 2
The drama continues for Sara and her new found allies as they face an even more horrendous situation than before. After they had to abruptly leave their last place of shelter, they are outside in the thick of it. They have to walk amongst the devastation, hoping that they have it in them to survive. People seem to be turning into the undead quicker than they first realised. They soon discover that it isn’t just the risen dead that are a threat as they run into a situation that threatens their plan. Sara, still adamant on finding her husband, doesn’t let anything or anyone stop her. She is more determined than ever to reunite her son and his father. As she reaches the hospital, nothing can prepare her for what awaits her there. Is Mark there? And will she even be able to make it out? Find out in the second instalment of The Sinister Series, more nail biting and even more terrifying than the last. It is guaranteed to have you both anxious, yet eager to turn the page.

Part 2 UK Price – From 75p
Part 2 US Price – 99c

ChromoZone Part 2
Kobo – http://tinyurl.com/kchueub
ibooks – http://tinyurl.com/ks48yx9
Smashwords – http://tinyurl.com/ldeqkx8
Nook – http://tinyurl.com/kqep3a4
Google Play – Coming very soon.
Amazon – http://tinyurl.com/oov2ozb
Txtr – http://tinyurl.com/p94tjsk


Here are some of the early reviews:
  1. Part 1 Review Amazon UK 5/5 stars


From one of the most dedicated and imaginative emerging indie writers, P.D. Roberts, ChromoZone is a brilliant addition to the endlessly-popular zombie genre. Serving as the ‘pilot’ novella to an ongoing series, ChromoZone: Part One certainly packs a punch with both its delivery and its ending, leaving the middle to explore new characters, human interaction and drama. The tension is wall-thick and the atmosphere foreboding, as a band of survivors, forced into a situation together whilst the undead terrorise the living, where they must decide their next move – which will ultimately involve surfacing from a secure underground hiding place. The pace here is steady, as the tension mounts up ready for the third act, and the characters’ motivations, actions and dialogue are the real plot-drivers. I can’t wait to sink my teeth into the next instalment of this promising franchise.

  1. Part 1 Review Google Play Store  4/5 stars

Zombies! Good read. Not heavy. Nice for 5 minute breaks from work.

  1. Part 1 Review ibooks 5/5 stars

It was well worth the free download. Chromozone is a great dialogue driven steady paced horror story and it is pulled off well and very intense at times when it needs to be. It is extremely detailed on the gore factor something people might not like, but its horror and I did. It’s written like a film that the author pictures in his head. It’s well paced, scary and gory yet it doesn’t hide the fact that the author clearly cares about these characters. I’m certainly looking forward to Part 2 of the series and I hope it continues to surprise me.

With part 1 FREE why not take a look and be sure to leave a review for Paul.

Paul, I wish you every success with this new series and be sure to pop back and update us when the next edition is released.

Have a great weekend everyone,

Sarah Jane

Thursday 27 November 2014

WIN a copy of Just Two Weeks by Author Amanda Sington-Williams #RPBP

Amanda Sington Williams
One of the authors I have had the pleasure of interviewing this month for Rukia Publishing is Amanda Sington Williams. Amanda is currently promoting her new psychological thriller 'Just Two Weeks' which I have recently reviewed. You can read my Rukia the Reader review on Amazon, B&N and many other sites.


You can read more about Amanda and her new release in the Meet the Author feature at Rukia Publishing:
http://www.rukiapublishing.com/meet-the-author-amanda-sington-williams.html





As part of the promotion on Rukia Publishing to celebrate the new release of Just Two Weeks, Amanda Sington-Williams is running a great competition. (open to residents of GB only)

For your chance to WIN one of 5 copies of the paperback,  simply visit https://www.facebook.com/promotingauthors and message your answer to the following question:

Where did the pool man want to take Jo?

(Need a clue? Check out the Look Inside on Amazon)

Competition closes 30th November.Good luck :)

The author will be responsible for distributing the prizes to the winners who will be selected at random and notified by a member of the Rukia Publishing book promotion team.







Wednesday 26 November 2014

Rukia Publishing showcases Award winning author Susan Joyce #WLM #RPBP



Readers Favorite Gold Award winning Author Susan Joyce met Sarah Jane Butfield before flying off to Miami to collect her award, to discuss her writing and her books.
Welcome Susan and thank you for joining us today.
What made you decide to become a self published author? 


My first children's book was published in English, in Germany when I lived there in 1985. The publisher was a friend who believed in my work. At the time, I planned to illustrate the book with my batik art. At a dinner party one evening I met Doug DuBosque. Unbeknownst to me he was a talented artist and illustrator. Once we got to know each other, he offered to illustrate the book and I was grateful knowing new, fresh ideas would infuse the project with new vitality. When Doug and I decided to become partners in life and business, we bought back the rights to our first book, moved to the coast of Oregon, and became a small press publisher of children's books. When my memoir, The Lullaby Illusion, was ready for publication, I considered going with another publisher but Doug convinced me that Peel Productions was the best match. 

If you could share one thing about yourself that you would like readers
to know what would it be?

I listen to and trust my still small voice. It speaks my truth.

What are you currently reading and why did you choose it?
I'm reading Margaret Atwood's, Alias Grace. Since my memoirs are based on real events in my life, I thought it would be interesting to delve into a book that is considered a fictive memoir.

Now Susan lets talk about your books and your writing.
How long have you been a writer?

Since the 4th grade of elementary school. As a child I had dyslexia and when I talked my words came out all mixed up, sometimes backwards. People laughed at the way I said things. My mother worked very hard to teach me how spoken words are made up of individual sounds that fit together. She created a game of alphabet riddles in rhyme and I practiced spelling and speaking words until I knew them well. I became fascinated with words and started making up stories and acting them out. In the fourth grade I wrote a story about my dog and his bad liver breath. When the story won first place in a state-wide school competition, a writer was born.

Do you have formal writing training? 
Yes and no. I believe in on-going education and have taken a variety of classes over the years. The experience that taught me the most about writing was working as a volunteer in a local theatre. As I watched the curtain open, scenes unfold, and the final curtain close, I realized my style of writing was stream of consciousness narrative—depicting the flow of countless impressions, dreams, and feelings which pass through the mind allowing deeper patterns of order to emerge.

What genre do you write?
Memoir. Inspirational. Educational.

Is there an author you'd love to be compared to?
Penelope Lively or Richard Bach




What is the biggest source of inspiration in your writing life?
My husband Doug.  He's my greatest critic and cheer-leader. Always encourages me to be my best.

Is there one book or author that has inspired you more than any other?
Illusions by Richard Bach. It's a stream of consciousness book that flows and energizes the reader.

Do you have a favorite time of day for writing and why?
Early morning, long before the world around me awakens. When the birds serenade each other with calls of  “Buenos días! Buenos días! ”  Early evening is also a good time when the “meow-meow” frog sounds fill the air with the heavenly music of nature.

What would your ideal writing environment look like or consist of?
My sweet spot is where I sit now, in my office with a view of nature all around me including my cat purring in his basket next to my desk.

Do you have a writing aspiration that you would like to share with us?
I want to write a screenplay or two.

Do you have a review from any of your books that you would like to share. Please give the reason for choosing it.
Long after the book ended, I kept thinking about it. …  I wish it would go on forever, a fantastic read. .. you have now touched my life and have changed the way I look at life, the world, and where I am going in the future. Thanks for sharing.--Jim
To connect with a reader and touch their life is the ultimate compliment. It's what I expect a good book to do.

How important are reviews to you as an author? 
Reviews are very important. They help readers choose which books speak to them.

Do they influence your development as an author?
They encourage me to keep writing.

How do you engage with your readers?
Through personal experiences, vignettes, and anecdotes.

What inspired the title of The Lullaby Illusion?
A dream where I saw myself sitting in a rocking chair, singing a lullaby while rocking a child to sleep. The next morning the words spoke to me again and I wrote the poem down on a strange star-shaped piece of paper.

How long did it take you to write this book?
Many years. My life and events that happened to me during this turbulent period of my life was a puzzle to me. I needed time to sort my thoughts and put the pieces together. I finally felt freed to write my memoir after my ex died in 2005.

Who is your target audience for this book?
Readers who want to escape the limits we place on ourselves and want to ultimately explore dreams, and their own path to true happiness.

What are 3 of your favourite lines/quotes from The Lullaby Illusion?

Page 204.  “Yes,” I said, flashing back to earlier events. “I lost a child, but
found myself. Went through a coup and a war. Lost everything I
owned, but got rescued. Ship rammed a coral reef in the Indian
Ocean, but I got saved from the sinking ship. My marriage died.
But I survived.” I sighed.

Page 233  I stopped for a moment, and thought about that unlikely event
in my life. “I swear,” I said, “sometimes I think parts of my life
are just my wild imagination. Like maybe they didn’t really
happen. But the governor gave me a souvenir, which I still have.
An ‘Official First Day Cover, 1975 Seashore Plants’ envelope. I
take it out and look at it, from time to time, to remind myself
that this amazing adventure really happened to me.”
“A reality check?”
“Yes.” I smiled.

Page 316  "You've come a long way baby!"

When is your current work in progress estimated to be released?
I'm busy working on my next book, Out in the Indian Ocean Somewhere. It's about crossing the Indian Ocean from Sri Lanka to the Seychelles in a private yacht in monsoon season. Publication is planned for end of 2015.


What are your thoughts on the whole eBook revolution?
I think it's wonderful. I read print books and e-books and enjoyed the technology that makes this possible.


Do you have a blog? Where can we read it?
My author website is: http://www.lullabyillusion.com/
My children's books can be found at www.peelbooks.com

Thank you Susan for taking part it has been a heart warming experience chatting with you. I hope you enjoy the awards ceremony and I wish you every future success.


Thank you, Sarah Jane.

Friday 21 November 2014

Who is featured in the Rukia Publishing Showcase this month? #RPBP #Authors


This month Rukia Publishing is proud to announce that two award winning authors are utilising our book showcase services as they promote their books and other book promotional activities.



Susan Joyce


Amanda Sington Williams

Read my latest update on the Rukia website and stay tuned for a competition soon!
Have a great day,
Sarah Jane 


http://www.rukiapublishing.com/sarah-janes-blog

Thursday 20 November 2014

Competition time with Cats Edits #authors #writers


My good friend Catherine Lenderi, of Cats Edits, has a great competition for authors running at the moment. Therefore, I thought I would share the details with you as I know many of you have new material at the moment!!!


Here's what Catherine has to say about her competition:


To celebrate my 20K tweets, I will be offering a 20-page FREE sample edit to three authors. 
The competition will be open from Thursday 20th November to Thursday 27th November. The winners will be chosen after a draw and the names will be announced here as well as on my FB catsedits page  
and Twitter account. 
No Booktrap members authors are eligible to this competition. 

For a chance to win, follow these two simple rules: 

1) post your book title and pitch here. 
2) either post your email here too or for privacy visit my website and contact me. 

http://catsedits.weebly.com/contact.html 

Good Luck! 

NOTE: Only the first 20 pages will be Free. Should you wish for a complete edit of your manuscript afterwards, you will have to pay for the rest.



Be sure to share the news with your author friends.
Sarah Jane :)

Sunday 2 November 2014

#Author Dick Mawson talks to Sarah Jane Butfield - about his astounding life story!

Welcome to my 'Meet the Author ' post which today features Dick Mawson.

TAKE A GLANCE AT THIS CHRONOLOGY
Age 4: He survives a plane crash and being lost in the African bush
Age 11: He loses his right leg in a farm accident
Age 12: He becomes a powerboat champion in Rhodesia
Age 13: He represents his country and becomes an international champion
Age 16: He wins the International Gold Cup regatta at Victoria falls.
Age 16: At the same regatta he survives a 100 mph accident, resulting in serious injuries to his remaining leg and face
This determined and tenacious sixteen year old shakes off his injuries and takes up motor racing.

AND THAT'S JUST THE START OF HIS ASTOUNDING LIFE
In the 1940's the world had Douglas Bader, a Squadron Leader who had lost both legs in a plane crash
During the 1950's the world was not aware of another legless fighter living in Rhodesia, southern Africa. His name was Richard Mawson, an eleven year old boy who lost his right leg in a farm accident and this is his story!
I have lost a limb, sustained multiple injuries, looked death in the face and against all odds survived. As a child my family and I miraculously survive a plane crash in the wilds of Africa and to the natives who found us we were---- "Gods who fell from the sky"
A determined and unwavering fight as a young man, to fulfil the ambition burning within me to be the best at whatever the cost. Consequently the path I chose with the disabilities I had was responsible for who I became.




Welcome Dick and thanks for joining us today.

Hi Sarah Jane I will try to answer your questions as best I can.

What inspired the title of The Gods Who Fell From The Sky?
As you may know, in 1946 our chartered Avro Anson crash landed in the African bush, the natives who found us had never seen a white person up close and thought we were-- “Gods who had fallen from the sky.” --My mother wrote about the journey to Africa so her family had a record of the trip, her story is the start of my book and my book became  “The Gods”.

"Nikanya looked up at the shiny silver bird spiralling out of the sky. It was the screeching of the bird that had attracted his attention, and as it fell lower and lower to earth, he ducked under a Mopani Tree, hoping it would offer him protection from the white gods who were certain to be in the bird’s belly. As it approached the ground at greater and greater speed and the wailing grew louder and louder, Nikanya became convinced that the bird had suffered a mortal wound.
As he watched this frightening spectacle being played out before his eyes and pounding heart, the boughs of the Mopani tree offered a measure of comfort. The bird was looking for somewhere to perch, and it seemed to Nikanya that the dry riverbed was where it was heading. As it disappeared from view, a huge cloud of dust and debris rose into the sky, and he knew the bird had finally fallen to earth. Silence reigned in the Luangwa valley once more. Since Nikanya was the local chief, it was his duty and obligation to greet any stranger to his part of the world. He stepped warily out from the protection of the tree and gathering his headmen around him, proceeding in the direction of the dissipating dust cloud to meet-- 'These Gods who had fallen from the sky'."


Who is your target audience for this book?
Being a true story I think it is a book that can be enjoyed by all. It is multi faceted, its a love story, its adventure, it's triumph over adversity, a story of a tenacious young Rhodesian and his exploits, its about his family  along with the stupid things one does in life, its about living life to the full and crossing the boundaries of the norm.
What is the biggest source of inspiration in your writing life?
My wife Penny who was a Junior Miss Rhodesia had been on at me for years to write about my life.
How long did it take you to write with this book?
We started the book together in our Pub when it was quiet.
I wrote it purely as a record for any future family to read about the Mawsons arrival in Africa from mom's story, my accidents and successes along with subsequent life in Rhodesia, SA, Mozambique, and our return to the UK, never envisioning it as a published work.

In 2008 Penny went to Africa on holiday and was found dead in bed four days later. My life stopped in its tract and the manuscript was a forgotten entity, I sold the Pub and locked myself away from the world for a period of 2 years, I was heartbroken and devastated.
To read the remainder of this interview visit http://www.rukiapublishing.com/meet-the-author-dick-mawson.html 

Friday 31 October 2014

#NewRelease Expat kitchen garden travel memoir by Sarah Jane Butfield

It's time to celebrate my #NewRelease Our Frugal Summer in Charente: An Expat's Kitchen Garden Journal. So let's have some frugal treats, how about some roast chestnuts and homemade courgette wine. 


There are recipes and frugal tips galore in Our Frugal Summer in Charente: An Expat's Kitchen Garden Journal. 
Amazon Book Link http://bit.ly/OFSCSJB





Early feedback:

"I've read the opening sample on Amazon and it looks absolutely wonderful! If ever I get to live my dream of moving to France, I'll be taking a copy with me, you can be sure of that." Margaret 




"Sarah Jane, this is simply delightful!" Mark 


There are 31 recipes for both food and wine, included in a month by month account, with photographs, of how we transformed a neglected garden into a valuable vegetable garden. http://bit.ly/AuthorpageSJB                                                                        https://www.facebook.com/OurFrugalSummerinCharente                      Thanks for reading, have a great day, Sarah Jane

Friday 24 October 2014

#Authors - Do you want to gain from tweeting book links?




Good morning tweeters!

Some of you may know me from Twitter @SarahJanewrites and the chances are we are followers of each other, if not then we should be!!


Twitter is all about numbers. The number of people who follow you (followers;) the number of people you follow (following;) the number of retweets (RT's) and the number of favourites, videos and photo's you have. It's a numbers game. Therefore, when it comes to book promotion on Twitter there is more than one way to approach it. By the same token, who is to say which is the best or the most productive way, because as we know everyone and everything is different. What works for one book may not work for another. That said one thing is universal, posting your book links on Twitter is an essential part of your marketing tool kit.


It is also a fact that some people do not feel comfortable with self promotion, and therefore it can be difficult to continually disguise your 'buy my book' or 'share my book' tweets. That's where the concept of authors helping authors can really help. Groups utilising this include: Tom Winton's Facebook Group #TWFBG , Rukia Publishing Book Promotion  page #RPBP , We Love Memoirs group  #WLM and The Booktrap Facebook and Twitter group @The_Booktrap.

Let's look at this simple example: would you prefer to buy from a product producer who said "this product is the best on the market," or would you buy from someone who said, "I bought this product and it was really great and I would recommend it to you." I know which I prefer!

Let's look at that in terms of Twitter:


Frank has a new release and he tweets: 


OUT NOW! "Off the Beaten Track: My Crazy Year in Asia." Pls RT!

 Rukia Publishing makes a tweet and the Rukia team of 6 other Twitter accounts RT this.

NEW RELEASE NEWS!!!! Frank Kusy has released Off The Beaten Track get...

Promotion by others often yields more power than self promotion and it's easier to achieve.



How do you tweet yours?
There are several ways to tweet your book, it really depends on what you hope to achieve. 

1. The title of the book, the link and at least two hashtags to increase chance of RT's
2. A quote from a review, the link, and hashtags
3. A picture, a link and a quote from the rankings on an aggregator
4. A link to your website, Facebook page etc., a picture and hashtags

The combinations are endless, and they need to be as some authors post between 5-60 tweets a day!
Some things are clear when you examine the number of retweets:
Adding a picture can increase RT's
Third party recommendations work better than self promotion
Belonging to and using the hashtag of a support group really works
Making sure you have a pinned post for new followers to tweet when they first visit your profile.

Considerations:
Are you trying to direct people to the sales site or aggregator? If so you need to tempt them.

Are you trying to raise awareness or promote your author platform? If so it needs to be well represented in terms of the author photograph, bio and book blurb.

Do you want to encourage everyone to celebrate a success with you? If so a screenshot of the result etc., is essential.

Whatever the reason/objective for the tweet, what you actually want is for people to: 
1. Retweet you to expose the tweets to a larger potential audience who may buy, like or share.
2. Click the link to your book, author page, etc.

What's the best way to gain exposure by using Twitter?
The answer is easier than you think, and it's concept that many Facebook groups and author support groups including #TWFBG TomWinton's Facebook Group, #RPBP Rukia Publishing Book Promotion and @The_Booktrap are already utilising. By adding a hashtag from a group that you belong to and taking part in reciprocal sharing means that while you share other peoples book links they are sharing yours. This means your audience is extended. When you add into this equation using a buddy systems of tagging people who you would like to RT you then the opportunities are endless. 

For more on how you can access greater Twitter exposure be sure to follow @RukiaPublishing and watch for upcoming blog posts with hints, tips and strategies on how to make good use of your Twitter time. Visit www.rukiapublishing.com for more ideas on FREE ways to promote, or have your book promoted for you.

If you found this blog post useful or interesting, please share it and be sure to take a look at the Facebook and Twitter groups that may suit your book/genre.

Have a great weekend and keep tweeting :)

Sarah Jane