Sunday, December 14, 2014

My Latest Author Interview with an Edinburgh based Blogger

Recently, I came across a terrific review of The Revenant of Thraxton Hall on a book blog run by Edinburgh. The blogger in question, Melissa (Mel to her friends) is very pretty Aussie lady who fulfilled a life's ambition by taking the leap and moving to Edinburgh in Scotland!

Now she blogs about her fascinating home city and about the books she is reading. After I read her terrific review of my novel, I contacted Mel and she asked to do an interview for her blog in which I give out advice to prospective novelists on the difficult road to being published.

Check out the article at Mel's Blog: http://www.everythingiwishedfor.co.uk/blog/a-paranormal-mystery-romp …




Thursday, November 13, 2014

"One of the Best Books I've ever Read," Review of THE REVENANT OF THRAXTON HALL

Just read this wonderful review from a lady who is life long book lover and used to work in a library when she lived in Australia.

Not only did The Revenant of Thraxton Hall make it into her top three reads of 2014, she also describes it as "One of the best books I've ever read."

A short break while I jump up from my desk and do the Happy Dance.


http://www.everythingiwishedfor.co.uk/blog/great-books-for-cold-nights



Thursday, November 6, 2014

The Dead Assassin Now Available for Pre-Sale Orders!

Big news!  THE DEAD ASSASSIN, the second book in the Paranormal Casebook series is now available for pre-order on Amazon and other online book sellers.

I am absolutely thrilled with the book cover created by David Baldeosingh Rotstein, the same talented artist who produced the ominous and foreboding cover for THE REVENANT OF THRAXTON HALL.

In both cases, Rotstein read the novel in order to get a feel for the mood and theme he needed to convey.

I think he did a terrific job portraying the gothic menace of Thraxton Hall.  In THE DEAD ASSASSIN, he once again features two top hatted figures (Arthur Conan Doyle and Oscar Wilde) as they scurry across Westminster Bridge (okay, some liberties have been taken with the perspective) while one of London's sulphurous yellow fog swirls in the skies above. (Not much of a spoiler but expect lots of fog in this book.)

What a gorgeous cover. Thanks to everyone at St. Martin's Press for putting out such a beautiful book.





Saturday, September 13, 2014

Your Moment of Zen

Take a moment to kick off your shoes, pour a glass of wine, and hunker up to your screen to immerse in this photograph of a swan gliding along the glass-still moat of the Bishop's Palace, Wells, Somerset.

I took it in the early morning.  It's quiet. There's no one about. Can you hear the bird song coming from the trees? Can you sense the swan's serene motion?

Ahhhh! There, that's better, isn't it?


Monday, July 7, 2014

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the genius behind Sherlock Holmes, died on this day in 1930

Conan Doyle had been suffering for some time from angina pectoris before his death. Despite this, the paranormal investigator embarked on a psychic tour of Holland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. The journey, however, took its toll, and upon his return to England he had to be carried ashore. 

He remained bedridden from then on, but rose from his bed one chilly spring morn to venture into the garden. He was discovered lying on the ground, one hand clutched to his heart, the other holding a single white snowdrop.

The author embarked upon the "the most glorious adventure of all" on Monday, July 7th 1930. Surrounded by his loving family, Conan Doyle's final words were to his beloved wife Jean: "You are wonderful."

To the right is my favorite photo of Conan Doyle, looking fit and dapper, right down to his waxed mustaches. This is the Conan Doyle I have in mind when I sit down to write The Paranormal Casebooks.

The British Museum's web site features a manuscript page, in Conan Doyle's own hand, from a Sherlock Holmes story, "The Adventure of the Missing Three Quarter," which was published in 1904.

Also on the web page is a rare audio recording of Conan Doyle (regrettably, no recordings exist of Wilde's voice) explaining how he came up with the concept of Sherlock Holmes as a young medical student in Edinburgh, inspired by Dr. James Bell, an instructor whose uncanny powers of observation were the inspiration for his fictional "consulting detective."

Friday, June 27, 2014

All My Authorial Secrets Laid Bare in a Revealing New Interview!

I was recently interviewed by online magazine British Weekly. You can read the very comprehensive interview at the website below.

The interview, entitled "Doyle Goes Wilde" (Great Title!) asked probing questions about the origins and inspiration for THE PARANORMAL CASEBOOKS series. Learn who was my choice for Conan Doyle's sidekick before Oscar Wilde gatecrashed the scene and stole the novel!

!http://www.british-weekly.com/?p=15059






Thursday, June 26, 2014

The Revenant of Thraxton Hall Selected by "Those Witty Brits" Book Club at Indianapolis Library

Googled the novel recently and found this on the web page of the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I must have a fan there who read the book and suggested The Revenant of Thraxton Hall for their "Witty Brits Book Club."

Hope they still think I'm a "witty Brit" after reading it. If you're a member, please email me and let me know what the consensus was. : )






Saturday, June 7, 2014

Bibliophage Book Lady "Loves, Loves, Loves . . ." The Revenant of Thraxton Hall! A Five Star, Must-Read Review!

While I continue to rake in mostly positive reviews of the book, I am definitely finding that The Revenant has a specific audience who absolutely groove on it. 

If you're a fan of hard-boiled detective stories it may not necessarily be your cup of Jack Daniels. But if you are open to a work that is whimsical and slightly tongue-in-cheek, then you will probably agree with Book Blogger Jen Flem who recently reviewed the novel on her Bibliophage website and gave it an unequivocal Five Star review and ranked it amongst her "Must Reads".

Check out her review at Jensbookbloggin.wordpress.com  

Here's the link: http://wp.me/p3WAse-ag 

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

I Love a Mystery Newsletter Awards The Revenant THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION!

Holy peanut butter, Batman! Just received this amazing review from the I Love a Mystery Newsletter, one of the oldest and most respected sites reviewing Mystery Novels.  Laurence Coven wrote a lengthy and detailed review. His final verdict on the THE REVENANT OF THRAXTON HALL? He awarded the novel THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION! Yee-ha!




Sunday, April 20, 2014

A Cozy New Review from Canada!

Recently received this warm and wonderful review from "Beatnik Mary" who runs her blog, Cozy Little Book Journal from Nova Scotia, Canada. (Shout out to my Canadian homies!)

Mary loved The Revenant and was kind enough to also post a five star review on Amazon. Thank you, Mary! Read her terrific review at:

http://www.cozylittlebookjournal.com/2014/04/the-revenant-of-thraxton-hall.html


Friday, April 11, 2014

Popcorn Read Finds The Revenant of Thraxton Hall Makes for Great Reading Entertainment

The latest Blog to review THE REVENANT is PopcornReads.com, self described as a
site for "lifelong bookaholics who like to read for entertainment."

Mk, who runs the site, wrote a very thorough review of the book (the kind of review I prefer). Check it out at:

www.popcornreads.com




Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Review of Vaughn Entwistle's The Revenant of Thraxton Hall in Open Letters

Okay, now I'm getting noticed by the big players. Here is an absolutely TERRIFIC review of THE REVENANT in Open Letters Monthly.

The review was written by Irma Heldman, a veteran publishing executive and book reviewer with a penchant for mysteries.

http://www.openlettersmonthly.com/its-a-mystery-memory-that-place-where-personal-recollections-collide-with-history/


Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Don't Make Me Get Medieval . . .


Wells continues to amaze me. Took the dog for a walk there yesterday. As always, I had to swing by the Cathedral Close to gaze upon the gorgeous twelfth century cathedral. 

I stepped through Beggar's Gate and thought for a moment I had fallen through a rift in the space/time continuum as I was confronted by dozens of people dressed in medieval costume. 

It turned out that a film crew was shooting scenes for the pilot episode of an American TV show called "Galavant." From what I've been able to find on Google, it looks like Princess Bride meets Glee. Should be fun.






Saturday, March 15, 2014

Interview with Author Vaughn Entwistle on Book Plank


PAHTEEEEE!
Just did my first author interview with a book blog and now have more blogs lining up behind.

Wow, I'm kinda, sorta, closing-in-on, well-not-exactly-but-you-know-what-I-mean, almost famous!

Pop the bubbly!

You can read the interview and discover all my hopes, dreams, fantasies and incredibly-annoying-but-endearing-to-those-who-know-and-love-me character flaws on the Book Plank Blog site:

http://tinyurl.com/q54v5to 







Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Another Great Review Courtesy of the CultDen

The first professional reviews of The Revenant of Thraxton Hall are beginning to roll in.  Here is a great one from The CultDen, an online media site that provides news and review from the entertainment world, including books, movies, games and tv shows. 



http://www.thecultden.com/2014/03/book-review-revenant-of-thraxton-hall.html

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Happiness, is a warm book . . . yeah!

This stuff just got real! This week I finally got my hands on a real, live, actual book. Strike that. Two books!

First I received my author copies from Titan Books (UK). This a paperback edition that will be available in the UK and Commonwealth. A few days later I received the hardback from St. Martin's Press(US).

Needless to say, it was a pretty emotional moment. How many times do you get to hold your life's ambition in your hands?

I think both covers are beautiful. Now I can't wait to be able to walk into a bookstore and see my books on the shelves. Wahoo! That is now very, very close. The US edition goes on sale March 25th, with the UK version available just a few days later on March 28th.

Preorder your copy today!

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Thursday night I popped into Bristol to see a live simulcast of the National Theatre's production of Shakespeare's Coriolanus. Tom Hiddleston was playing the title role. Mark Gatiss had the role of Menenius. Brilliant acting from all involved. Hiddleston brought a raw intensity to a production that, at times,  was literally drenched in blood. Brilliant and often startling staging brought the gore-fest to visceral life, complete with terrific fights, a bloody shower scene and an ending straight out of Texas Chainsaw Massacre. If you like Shakespeare, you must try and see this production. (Not recommended for those with a strong vasovagal response.)

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Just received the final version of the book cover from Titan Books. This is the UK trade paperback cover. (St. Martin's is publishing the novel as a hardcover for distribution in the US and worldwide. This version is darker than the first one I saw and I think it works much better. Really captures the gothic feel of the novel. The UK book goes to press in just a few days.


US Publication date: March 25, 2014

UK Publication dart: March 28, 2014

Mark your calendars or preorder from your favorite bookstore.