WIP Wednesday 21st February 2024

February 21, 2024February 20, 2024 paulaactonLeave a comment

It has been a few weeks since I last wrote however, one project is finished and I have two books to add to promoting right now. I have moved on to another short story which will follow on and blend with the last one I finished.

The two stories put together will form the basis for the first book in a new series that you can expect to see next year, At this time I am undecided whether it will be a novella or if I rework and expand them into a full book, between them they will already be 25k so it’s not that big a stretch either way. I am determined to keep both this series and the paranormal creatures series to shorter books than normal fantasy, so probably aiming for 70-80k books rather than 100k plus which can be normal in that genre.

The part of the story I am writing right now, is part setting up background story, part folklore, and part if not mainly a love story. In so many stories, even if it not the main plot, there is a love story to be found. Think back to those old Westerns, at first you might say there is not love there, but the bond between the cowboy and his horse is a type of love, just like any other. Love or lack of it is often a motive for both the plot and the way the characters react in different situations.

In the story I am writing we have the classic tale of a mortal falling in love with an immortal, and she loves him in return but has her reasons for not sharing eternity with him immediately. In turn he questions her affections when she hesitates, if she truly loves him how can she risk his life as she play her role in changing the lands in which they live.

Nothing is every black and white, in fact it is in the nuanced shades of grey where most character live. And that is why they are so interesting! If you know the bad guy is pure evil, he will kill indiscriminately. That means everyone he comes across he potentially kills but what if then there is one he can’t kill, one that means more, that becomes more exciting.

Anyway I need to get back to writing and I will catch up with you next week.

Fact Vs Fiction

Hearing The Voices…

February 5, 2024February 4, 2024 paulaactonLeave a comment

The second book I published was the short story collection that was intend to raise money for Charlie Harris Beard but was too late.

I have always loved ghost stories, I believe in ghosts so it was not surprise I would write some. What came as a surprise to me was I decided I wanted to look at thinks from the ghosts point of view. Some of these stories can be viewed as triggering, not everyone dies in a bed at an old age surrounded by loved ones but I like to think I dealt with it quite sensitively.

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 October 2021

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Pretty different from my usual read but thank you for taking the time to write I really enjoyed reading it

5.0 out of 5 stars Chilling

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 June 2018

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Incredibly well written. Each tale was as chilly and frightening as the last. I really loved reading this and the author is extremeley talented in making you feel uneasy reading this. This book is sure to make your spine tingle. Just be careful when you glance over your shoulder reading this. You never know who may be lurking. Muahahaha

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 May 2017

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Paula is a talented writer and I would recommend this book for everyone. Great read. Don’t miss it. Excellent book.

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth reading.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 August 2016

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Well written book of stories by a new authoress, some with a real twist.Hope to read more written by her.

5.0 out of 5 stars This was a good book

Reviewed in the United States on 29 December 2017

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If you’re into mystery, suspension, with a touch of scary, then Voices Across The Void, is the book for you. This book will give you all of that, and some surprise emotions as well.

There were several stand-out stories for me; The Cottage was one of them, this was a story about redemption, closer, and self evaluation. At least, that’s how I felt while reading. The Hospital was another mind bender, though tragic, it was also beautiful at the same time. Finally; The Bluebell Woods, I don’t have enough words to express how this one story touched me. The emotions I felt while reading, surprised, and shocked me. I went from fear to anger so fast, that I had to take a break, and stop reading. The Bluebell Woods is my worst damn nightmare! To read it; had me crying, feeling bitter, laughing, and towards the end rejoicing.

This was a great book; it kept me entertained during the holidays and on these cold, and blustery days and nights.

Each of these stories could easily have become a dull book, some were inspired by other books, The Bluebell Woods was in part inspired by Lovely Bones but also by the photo of the bluebell woods that I took which is featured in the cover art.

I still make donations in Charlie Harris Beard’s name, usually to Clik Sergeant or another cancer charity, those who make an impression on our lives are never gone while we remember them and speak their name.

If you want to hear the voice yourself you can find it here…

http://mybook.to/VoicesAcrossVoid

Fact Vs Fiction

WIP Wednesday Week 11, 2022

March 9, 2022 paulaactonLeave a comment

I was busy writing a short story for another anthology when the call went out asking for people to write a story for a charity anthology to raise funds to donate to the Red Cross Ukraine Appeal. How could I have ever said no?

It seems hard initially to think about love in a time of war, yet the reality is that love is often at it’s strongest. People fight to defend their, homes, their families, their loved ones. mothers grab children and flee not knowing if they will ever be reunited with the significant other. it is also a time where people an meet and fall in love with someone they might have never met in everyday life. Sounds far fetched? Let me tell you about how my grandparents met.

I never knew the story while my grandad was alive, there were just somethings he never talked about and I would never have dreamt of asking him, but if you were to ask my grandma she would tell everyone that she met my grandad in bed!

My grandma wanted to be a nurse and while she trained through WWII she was offered the chance to take an extra course in nursing TB patients, she was a firm believer of taking all options available and did the course and got on with her life. A couple of years later as the war came to an end my grandad was brought home from a prisoner of war camp suffering from TB… you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to work out what happened, my grandma was his nurse!

Now, to be fair it is a miracle he ever got to date her as there were also soldiers from her uncles regiment on the wards too who had all be warned she was off limits. I never completely understood the dynamics of my grandparents relationship until long after his death, when other family members filled me in on my grandads family history more. I do know that they met under incredible circumstances and that the bond between them was incredible.

I often think that they both saw the horrors of war in different ways, they didn’t need to talk about it, they understood each other and that while it might not be the type of romantic meeting so many people wish for, it was one that set them up for a lifetime together.

For many in this current conflict there will be no happy ending but if you can spare a couple of pounds then pre-order your copy today and help us help those who cannot help themselves right not. mybook.to/battleoftheHeart

My Thought on Writing

Losing An Idol.

December 14, 2021 paulaacton1 Comment

The thing about getting older is the people who inspired you, that shaped your dreams start to pass away, and not only can you feel this on a personal level but it also makes you question what your own legacy will be.

On the 11th of December 2021 Anne Rice, the woman who taught me to create whole worlds in my head passed away. She wasn’t the first ‘grown up’ author I read, like so many of my generation Stephen King was the natural progression from teenage books and Tolkien, but Anne Rice took it to a whole new level for me.

When I first read Interview With a Vampire I feel in love with the characters but more than that I became totally immersed in the world. Anne had a gift for bringing history to life in a way which was visceral, you could close your eyes and smell the odour from the Mississippi, hear the sounds of New Orleans. She was the one who made me want to be a writer and to be able to create those same emotions in my readers.

Amongst my most treasured possessions are signed book plates that I sent off to receive from her, it was an example of her generosity to her fans. She knew there was no way that every person would ever get to meet her to get a book signed so she arranged for her fans to be able to send a SAE and in return each was supposed to get two signed book plates but I know many like myself received more.

It is hard to accept I will never get a chance to meet her, never get one of those books I love so much personalised. It is even harder to accept that there is a good chance I will never have that thrill of excitement knowing a new instalment of The Vampire Chronicles is on its way.

There is a slim chance that there may be books she has written, that her son Christopher may complete, but it will not be the same. And if there is a full book somewhere I think it will probably be a little like when Terry Pratchett passed, reading that final book makes it just that, final.

But that leads me to the final thought of what do I leave behind, while I am proud of the books I have written I have so many more in my head, so much more I want to share. I will probably never have to sort of following Anne had, in fact that will only ever happen in my dreams lol, but I do have the chance to leave behind a body of work that I can be proud of.

The only person holding me back right now is me, and ironically the loss of my first ever muse is the kick up the backside I need.

Lazy Sunday

My Year So Far!

January 10, 2021 paulaactonLeave a comment

I should have started recording episodes for the podcast by now but I am still trying to get my microphone set up again so I thought I would share a few photos from the last week and a half since the start of 2021.

This is the cover to this years journal, the last year I had a rose gold glittery one and given how the year went I decided on this one this year that is a little plainer with a classic feel to the floral enhancement. Let’s hope this year I get to write about a couple of signings.

This has been my life for most of this year so far, either mud or the ground is frozen and every hoof print filled with ice.

Sunday the 3rd we brought Preeya out of the field for the first time, she handled it really well, she is almost as big as mummy now can’t believe she is only nine months old.

Monday I headed to my daughters, I thought I would share these with you so you understand why I usually take photos with my head to one side, if you look at the first photo you can see I have a fat and thin side to my face. Other people can tell you it doesn’t look as bad as you think it looks but one you have it in your head no one will tell you otherwise.

Tuesday saw me back at work, we have these t-shirts, we play messages over the tannoy but guess what people are still not staying back, I get not everyone believes there is a virus, I am not getting into that but even if you don’t believe does it really hurt you to keep your distance from people, I want my life back, I want to see my family and friends, that can only happen if people apply common sense.

Wednesday morning just who ended up sat in the mud while dragging straw down the field to where the horses stand to have their hay. Maybe I should buy waders rather than wellies!!

Thursday morning I was debating what I could share and I thought I would show you the odd random item from my house that I love, this is my dream catcher that hangs above my bed. I normally remember my dream and it is very rare I have a bad one, I have had this for years but lately it is beginning to lose the odd feather.

Coming home from work Friday night it started snowing but it is hard to catch the snow on your mobile camera lol,

I was thankful to have my hat with me though as it was cold.

Saturday we had snow but not enough to really slow the pace of life, helped my friend take two of her horses out for their feet trimming and for a quick walk round the block as the roads were clear.

Saturday night lockdown style and the only affection I was getting was a nose rub from the cat.

Hope you all are staying safe and making the most of each day in any way you can.

Resolutions 2021

2021 At last! Thank Goodness 2020 is done.

January 1, 2021 paulaacton1 Comment

A new year means a new start, and of course, resolutions about making the new year better than the previous, and I am no different. Last year I allowed events in both my personal life and the world in general distract me and wear me down until I lost my writing mojo. I made an attempt to rally however, I failed there after a couple of good weeks it all went back downhill, but I took a different approach and decided to prepare to make 2021 my best year yet. So here we go with this years writing resolutions…

I will blog at least five times a week. I previously had quite a good following on here and plenty of interactions, I will work on regaining that audience and rewarding those who have stood by me for whom I have the greatest respect and affection.
I will publish a minimum of four books this year, I have a couple already well under way and want to get the rest of the Queen Of Ages Trilogy published so I can move on to the two other series that I have floating around in my head.
I will make sure all pries are posted out within two weeks of them being won unless I am waiting for a postal address.
I will get the podcast back up and running and be consistent at that, I will also arrange for interviews with author friends as part of that.
I will get the Raven’s Rest Press website set up to allow readers to order print copies of my books, which can be signed and shipped to them if they cannot attend signings.
Once the trilogy is finished I will look at creating the special hard back trilogy version.

So just half a dozen resolutions to get by backside back on track, let me know in comments, do you make resolutions? If so, what are they?

Happy New Year to all and remember…

Fact Vs Fiction

NanoWrimo 2020- Time To Begin…

November 1, 2020 paulaacton1 Comment

It is half past seven, on Sunday morning the 1st of November and I am about to start my Nano campaign for this year, now to be honest every time start this something happens, but this year everything has happened already.

I have actually planned ahead, I have two projects I intend to get finished during Nano. one only needs a couple of thousand words, the other is a project I am really excited about though I have set myself really strict timelines.

I had picked the start of November for a mental reboot, I have bought myself a nice new productivity planner, bought some Slimfast to replace the toast dripping in best butter that I had been having since my back went. The first couple of weeks after my sciatic nerve went with a ping I lost weight, to be fair I was barely conscious and drugged up on morphine, then of course being unable to move tends to lend to self pity and also eating a lot of crap, especially when you have no appetite but have to eat to take the painkillers to get you moving again.

I know a lot of people wait for new year to make a fresh start but this is more getting back into habits that I have settled into on and off the last year, now is the time to pull it all together and get some books out.

I will update you on my progress twice a week on Wednesdays and Sundays, Wednesdays I will talk about the projects themselves and Sunday will be more about the numbers. Right I need to go, I have the family coming for Sunday Dinner before we go back into lockdown as I need some furniture moving, and I need to get some words down first!

Book Reviews

Talk to Me by Roseanne Beck

August 11, 2020August 9, 2020 paulaactonLeave a comment

The last thing Laura wants is a relationship.

The only thing Austin needs is his independence.

Sometimes love sneaks up on you when you least expect it.

Austin’s car accident shattered his life and his leg. His main focus is on proving his independence. Figuring out how to shut up the new voices in his head would be an added bonus. They like to converse at the most inopportune times.

Laura’s built a wall around her heart. Everyone she loves ends up leaving her. She’s still reeling from the death of her brother and business partner. Seems like he might not be ready to completely give up the ghost yet, though.

And then there’s Aunt Marge, a world-class meddler with a penchant for oversharing. Can she manage to nudge Laura and Austin toward each other? Or will her recipe for love fall flat?

If you like sparkling, witty banter and strong characters with a hint of the paranormal, you’ll fall for TALK TO ME, because humor and love conquer all.

I flew through this book, it was easy to read and fun. The main characters are relatable and likeable, you find yourself rooting for them even when you get a little exasperated with them.

The plot is interesting and the paranormal twist adds to what is more or less a rom-com. This is a great choice for a beach read, or would be if anyone were getting near a beach this year, however, it will work just as well sat out in the garden. I read it on Kindle which I find myself doing more and more lately with these sorts of books, it is not a book you are likely to read over and over again, so buying the paper version is not a must.

I give this 4.5 stars out of five, the only reason for the drop of half a point is that it has been a while since I read it and it really did not stick in my mind enough for me to write this review without going back for a quick scan through.