Interesting… Well I’m certainly no ‘lady author’ but who knows, this could work for me!
Category: Blog
Is this you? ‘People who highlight minor grammar points are amazing’
We all do it on Facebook… Don’t we?
Finally Graduated… Even though I did look like a student of Hogwarts
After three years of writing fiction, screenplays, radio scripts, stage scripts, poetry, short fiction, flash fiction and studying the many theorists within the English Language, I have finally graduated Kingston University with a BA(Hons) degree in Creative Writing with English Language and Communications.
Education was very difficult for me at first; especially for a child who had speech therapy and attended extra classes for handwriting, spelling and mathematics.
I had a tough time learning throughout the school years of my education. I think a huge effect was that I was put down by a number of teachers along the way; always predicting me mediocre grades. I remember one teacher told me that I would be lucky to get a ‘D’ in English Language and completely doubted my ability to attend university to study English.
Well here I am, around 3 years after you told me I wouldn’t go to uni; with a mortarboard on my head, and a degree in Creative Writing with English Language & Communications added to my CV.
I am confident that I’ve proved you wrong, but I do have to thank you for spurring me on to do so.
From this post you can take the belief that no one should have the right to tell you that you can’t do something. Do not let anyone tell you that you can’t achieve something. If you want to attend university, then you can do it!
My Holiday Readings: Karin Slaughter and Liz Jensen
Karin Slaughter – Cop Town & Blindsighted
Cop Town
Blurb: Atlanta, 1974: As a brutal murder and a furious manhunt rock the city’s police department, Kate Murphy wonders if her first day on the job will also be her last. She’s determined to defy her privileged background by making her own way—wearing a badge and carrying a gun. But for a beautiful young woman, life will be anything but easy in the macho world of the Atlanta PD… – Goodreads
I did like this story. It was a solid detective novel which was hard to put down at times, however it didn’t blow me away. I had a lot of suspicions as I read the book, a lot of which turned out to be the sneaky twist inserted by Karin Slaughter.
An average read. 3/5.
Blindsighted
Blurb: A small Georgia town erupts in panic when a young college professor is found brutally mutilated in the local diner. But it’s only when town pediatrician and coroner Sara Linton does the autopsy that the full extent of the killer’s twisted work becomes clear.
A typical Karin Slaughter novel in all the right ways. This was much better than Cop Town in my opinion, but I thought that it was slightly too graphic and violent. The murder at the beginning of the book is certainly not a murder for the faint hearted to read. It did affect me in such a way that it had me thinking and imagining the feelings and the pain of the murder itself; I often thought about the circumstances and imagined how it would feel.
It was a good book with a good set of twists and turns and an element of difference throughout the book. I thought that it was a little too graphic at the beginning, but still had me wanting to read more. 4/5
Liz Jensen – The Rapture
Blurb: It is a June unlike any other before, with temperatures soaring to asphyxiating heights. All across the world, freak weather patterns—and the life-shattering catastrophes they entail—have become the norm. The twenty-first century has entered a new phase.
I liked the characterisation in this, and I enjoyed following the story of Gabrielle and Bethany; I liked the relationship between them too. Although not always pleasant, you could tell that Gabrielle did care about Bethany.
I feel that to enjoy this book you have to be in the right mind set. You need to be open minded and accepting of Bethany.
Overall it had many questions form as you progressed through the book, and it certainly got you contemplating throughout the book.
A decent read, I would give it a 3.5/5
I would probably recommend Blindsighted and The Rapture to friends, and potentially Cop Town if you’re a fan of detective kind of novels.
If you’ve read them, do not hesitate to let me know what you thought of them.
Three Free Book Weekend!
The Three Free eBook Weekend!
I am currently feeling very generous, I have made all three of my books completely free to download from Amazon for your Kindle. If you like mystery thrillers and gory horrors, then you can be sure to like my novels!
So be sure to download your copy tomorrow for free. It is free from tomorrow (Sat 13th June) until midnight Sunday (14th).
So to download Endurance, Endurance: Apocalypse and The Author, click the link below.
Download Endurance – getBook.at/B00E8Q9QCU
Download Endurance: Apocalypse – getBook.at/B00Q57MIOI
Download The Author – getBook.at/B00HYN2QAI
Enjoy!
A Great Article For Us Self-Published Authors
I came across this article on Forbes which is about a very successful British Self-Published Author Mark Dawson. Mark makes hundreds of thousands a year from his self-published book series.
He explains that it’s mostly about his marketing tactics, and unsurprisingly Facebook being the most effective.
I’ve used Facebook campaigns in the past to advertise specific posts and my Facebook pages, and it is effective, so I would definitely agree with Mark. Only thing that differs between us is that I don’t make as much money as him!
This is a very useful article to read so go and have a look at what Mark Dawson had to say about his success and how he did it.
Valentines Day has arrived
It’s the day that single people detest, but it’s officially the day to be loved up and express your love to your partner by buying her gifts.
Personally I don’t really understand Valentines Day. I think it is a ploy to make some money out of people.
Wouldn’t people prefer to be surprised with flowers, chocolate and love on a random day of the year rather than a specified day?
Well that took a dark turn…
That’s enough negativity for one day.
Having said this, I will still be ‘taking part’ in valentines day with my girlfriend. I bought her a card, chocolates and a rose (I can do romance).
I also suggested going to see American Sniper for our valentines film, but she said no. Instead my suggestion of Big Hero 6 turned out to be a winner!
Everyone enjoy your day whatever you’re doing.
Dissertation and Author Work
Currently I am concentrating on my University course Creative Writing and English Language rather than trying to complete my latest books Alive and Endurance: Recovery. I promise I will get around to them, I know some of you are waiting the final instalment of the Endurance Series but don’t worry you won’t have to wait too long it will be coming this year, but unfortunately I have to put University first on my mental to do list. Number 1 being Graduate with a degree.
Although, it is great doing Creative Writing as part of my degree because it means that I can still work on future projects. For my creative writing dissertation I am in fact working on a potential book of mine. I had an idea of a book that I wanted to write and it’s an idea that you probably wouldn’t expect me to write.
This book has been given the provisional name The Dog Walk.
This idea is one that is very unlike me. It is a suspense and mystery novel which of course is my favourite genre to write but there will be no violence. I have made this an important rule of mine, if any it will be minimal.
If you’ve read my three books then you will know that the violence in them is quite a main part of my books but this one it will not and instead I will be using something else to drive the story and my reader crazy!
Fortunately this is my last year of university. After this I can really get into my writing and start producing more for you all to enjoy!
With three books in the line, one of them being the conclusion to the Endurance Series, another a Supernatural horror and the other a non-violent suspense novel, I’m sure there will be something for you to enjoy.
The blog has been given a makeover!
It’s all happening here on T. J. Blake Author. As we await the release of the second instalment of The Endurance Series, ENDURANCE: APOCALYPSE (which I promise is coming really soon!) I have also began writing the finale of The Endurance Series ENDURANCE 3!
But until then, take a moment to look at my blog’s new layout; it has changed substantially.
I hope you like it. Feel free to express your opinion.
Because it’s nearly christmas, here’s another teaser from ENDURANCE: APOCALYPSE (2).
“A sharp, rigid-shaped black machine floats above the M25. Another two appear either side of it. As they hover in the sky, more appear in the distance along the M25. They move into a formation. One stays above the motorway, another glides to the right and the other to the left. They are motionless on the light breeze.
The people in their cars begin to look up to the skies, craning their necks and tilting their heads back to look.”
T. J. Blake #Author 