Meet the Author: Cynthia Townley

Author Cynthia Townley

Author Cynthia Townley describes her writing style as fast-paced, and keeping to short, easy to read chapters. She says, “I like to keep the storyline moving forward by utilizing cliffhangers at the end of chapters, where possible – building toward suspense, and thus, inviting the reader to turn the page. I don’t include a lot of ‘fluff’ but rather stick to the storyline. I want readers to have a ‘can’t put down’ novel that both men and women enjoy. On several occasions, my writing style has been compared to James Patterson’s novels, which I certainly take as a compliment.”

Cynthia believes that what sets her crime fiction apart is that she incorporated psychics. The field is pretty crowded with mystery/crime novels, and detective novels, but Cynthia wanted a hook that would make hers unique.

She says, “I actually visited a psychic once, many years ago, out of curiosity. I didn’t have an appointment, nor did I show any identification, but she knew I was born on Labor Day. That blew me away. One thing she said to me that I never forgot was that I would meet someone important to me with a birthday on September 15th. Fast-forward twenty-five years and my youngest son married a girl whose birthday is September 15th. True story!” I salute Cynthia’s patience. I would have gone to get my money back after ten years. That’s just how I roll. Continue reading “Meet the Author: Cynthia Townley”

Special Guest Susan J.P. Owens on the Benefits of Local Chapters

Author Susan J.P. Owens

Nervous, I shoved my fingertips in the front pockets of my denims. Striding toward the door to my first chapter meeting, the darn skinny jeans crept down from the weight of my hands. I inched my fingers around to draw them up, hoping no one would notice.

A perky voice sounded behind me, “Hello, you must be Susan.”

Caught adjusting, I swallowed the first words that came to my mind for wearing the pesky denims and answered, “Sure am!”

I soon discovered I didn’t have to impress the folks inside the conference room. They welcomed me with absolute acceptance. Continue reading “Special Guest Susan J.P. Owens on the Benefits of Local Chapters”

Cathy Speight’s Tips on Reviewing

Reviewer Catherine Speight

It’s no secret that I’m the President of the Cathy Speight fan club. Part of the reason for that is Cathy doesn’t just review, she teaches authors with her reviews. I think the highest purpose of reviewing is to improve authors.

As the gatekeepers of the traditional publishing world run for their lives to escape the tsunami of independent authors headed toward them, more and more authors will be seeking reviewers to gain credibility. Not all those reviewers will be as thorough and helpful as Cathy Speight.

What should an author (or for that matter, a prospective reader) expect to see in a well-rounded review of a book? Cathy was nice enough to share her thoughts about the essential ingredients of a thorough review: Continue reading “Cathy Speight’s Tips on Reviewing”

Author Carol Wyer Radio Interviews!

Friend and author Carol Wyer was interviewed on BBC Radio Nottingham last night. She talks about her book, Mini Skirts and Laughter Lines:

Desperate housewife Amanda Wilson can’t decide between murder, insanity and another glass of red wine. Her shelf life is up. Not only is she facing 50 but she hasn’t had sex with her morose husband for over a year. She really shouldn’t have pressed that ‘send’ button. They say your past always catches up with you – still, her colourful past is far more exciting than her monochrome present.

Mini Skirts and Laughter Lines is Carol’s first in a series of novels, lampooning and harpooning the aging process.

Carol is an avid social net-worker, and is also the comedic mastermind behind the blog Facing 50 with Humour. Among her American fans, she has been given the nickname BOTUK (Bombeck Of the UK) for her humorous style.

Aside from her writing, Carol has spent the last decade trying out all sorts of new challenges such as kick boxing, diving, flying helicopters (yes that is her with the whirlybird in the photo), learning to paint, and attempting to teach herself Russian.

Carol says she’s now ensuring that her fifties are “fab not drab.”  She reports that this is all much to the dismay of her “. . . neglected husband who has to put up with ready-made meals and a very dusty house.”

Her entertaining BBC interview is in two parts. You can listen to part one here, and part two here. Both segments are short, but entertaining. Totally worth it if for nothing more than to just hear her accent!

Mini Skirts and Laughter Lines is available in print from Amazon US, Amazon UK, and Barnes and Noble (among many other retailers) or in multiple e-book formats from Smashwords.